The Engagement Was Broken Off at the Wedding Hall

3 – 1-3. Mr. S Hands Over His Wedding

The huge doors before my eyes have special meaning for me.

‘The gates of hell.’

From Dante’s Divine Comedy, the Inferno.

Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.

Indeed, my footsteps toward those doors must have been unusually heavy that day, it wasn’t my imagination.

‘And now I will walk’

“Hyun Sung, you sure this is okay?”

“Of course. It’s definitely fine.”

That path with you.

No, more precisely, ‘you alone’ will walk it.

But I, your old friend and matchmaker of sorts, can at least knock on the gates of hell with you.

[Groom entering.]

Creak–the slowly opening gates.

Fewer people than before, all looking tired and worn out.

Those who remain are mostly S Corp employees.

Naturally their gazes aren’t very kind, but I don’t care.

‘Lord, please forgive me.’

I wasn’t originally Christian, but married life led me to religion.

When people are desperate, they grasp for anything right? So I found stability by attending church every Sunday…until later when she told me to use that time to earn money instead.

Should I really be working side jobs, instead of cutting back just one of her overseas trips?

The answer was obvious from every angle, yet sadly the truth was distant while verbal abuse was close.

“Phew…”

If only I had known I would return, I’d have knocked her flat with a swift fist.

No, I likely couldn’t have back then.

I was so weakened that simply living and breathing was the best I could do.

“What the, still scared?”

“….Not used to this.”

This situation. This mood.

I tried to live honorably my whole life, yet what I got from others was chill resentment, disregard, annoyance, irritation, etc.

I mean, which family’s wedding gets halted over and over?

They’re probably all just wanting to wrap this up and get to the buffet.

‘I wanted to eat too.’

The buffet. With my parents.

But thanks to her goddamn overseas trip, she just hopped right on a plane and left.

“Haah…”

Surfacing memories make my blood boil.

Though when old and weak, even feeling was tiring, my young healthy body readily accepts these emotions.

‘So they say revenge is best served young?’

When old, neither the strength nor will nor stamina support vengeance.

“What’s up. Let’s get going.”

“….Yeah.”

May this ‘offering’ be to the ‘devil’s’ satisfaction.

I walked into the shrine, leading the offering by its leash.

It’s hard huh. It’s difficult.

Just walking here brings up PTSD.

You wanna run away right? Obviously.

This is where Dante’s hellish tale begins, who wouldn’t want to flee?

So–what do you want to do?

What do I want, what should I do.

‘For me to not enter hell,’

That’s why I prepared this ‘offering.’

“Bride entering.”

“……Yes.”

Far away.

The gates of hell open.

“…………….”

The silent devil staring this way.

She approaches me, hand in hand with father-in-law, no, the 586 dealer.

Slowly. One step. Then another.

As if sinking into an inescapable swamp.

She comes. The devil approaches.

“….Oppa.”

And when the devil stands before me.

The devil whispers to me.

“Disappointing.”

You were anxious.

“I almost doubted whether you really loved me.”

Worried I might really run away.

“But it’s okay.”

However, no problem.

“Because I ‘love’ you, oppa.”

You’re already in my hands, she says.

A piercing glare.

Seemingly a beautiful rose,

But inside, thorns that stab men and draw blood,

Roots that suck men’s blood,

A dreadful blood flower bloomed from blood and flesh.

“Groom Yoo Hyun Sung, take good care of bride Kim Ji Yeon and lov–“

“–Wait a moment.”

“Wha…?! You can’t…??”

I shoved aside the officiant starting the vows.

The empty groom’s seat. The ‘offering’ naturally takes his place there.

Good.

Quickly grasping the situation.

I smiled at everyone and stated:

“Actually…this isn’t my wedding.”

************************

“Just until recently, just until a while ago, I thought I would be the man for Ji Yeon.”

What the…

“But I wasn’t enough. I was lacking.”

What are you doing now…

“No. To be precise, it’s that I was too late.”

“What are you saying, oppa!”

Today is our wedding day.

A day of celebration. A day of joy.

The day I become a beloved bride blessed by all.

“Let me introduce him.”

He doesn’t stop.

This man didn’t stop.

Looking over everyone, in the end, this man says:

“His name is Han Kyung Soo, my coworker from when we entered S Corp, my close friend, the rival I could never beat,”

Pointing to the man right in front of him.

“And the father of the baby in Ji Yeon’s womb, who swore premarital chastity.”

“”………….””

In an instant, my vision blackened.

A sensation like a puppet’s strings being cut.

Thump, I fell to the floor. Soon I could hear the clamor around me.

[What are you doing, groom!]

[The groom isn’t me, it’s him up front. Kyung Soo.]

My husband’s voice.

The voice of the man who would be my husband.

[Ah, he’s running away! Catch him!]

[Didn’t I say that bastard was shady!]

[f*ck! Let me go you f*ckers!]

The escapee’s voice and employees restraining him.

[Pardon me…ah, yes. She’s pregnant.]

[But I heard Hyun Sung insisted she keep her chastity, so how…]

[………..]

[………..]

A feeling of someone touching my belly.

Baby. My baby. My baby in my womb.

‘…But.’

I couldn’t help it.

Hyun Sung may be capable.

But he’s boring. Just earnest with nothing more to offer.

What about Kyung Soo?

He was always fun. A bit lacking in capability though.

But it was fun when we played. He filled what Hyun Sung couldn’t.

So I kept him around as a backup, took care of him, met up as a backup.

And the result was…

“I’m sorry…our child was immature…”

“You should apologize to my son, not me. He may not even accept your apology.”

“We’ll make sure she’s more careful…we really really apologize…”

“Don’t apologize, just leave.”

My mom pathetically pleading before mother-in-law,

“Even so, a man should take responsibility for his words!”

“Makes sense for a guy who claimed chastity to have another man’s kid in her belly?”

“Young people make mistakes here and there…that’s part of growing up right?”

“Don’t push that defective good-for-nothing on my precious son. My boy is precious to me too.”

“Ha….ha, hahahahaha defec~~~~~tive??!! You just called my daughter defective?!”

“Should I say faulty product instead?”

“──Ugh…!”

Dad collapses after arguing with father-in-law.

“This is…”

This isn’t it.

This isn’t the wedding I wanted.

A wedding is a joyous day. A celebratory day.

The beautiful opening day when I become a beloved, cherished bride.

So why…

Why…?

“Oppa…..”

I raised my head.

Looked up.

Turned my eyes to the one man who could settle this situation.

“…………..”

“….Ah.”

Chilly.

No, completely devoid of emotion.

Not a shred of feeling in his eyes.

Utter indifference. Apathy. Worthlessness.

The face of a man who feels not an ounce of attraction, to the point he’s discarded me entirely.

“Oh…Oppa….Oppa…!”

No.

It’s not like this…It can’t be like this…!

“Sorry…it was my mistake. So, okay?”

“I’m not your husband.”

“If it’s because of the baby….If the baby’s the problem…!”

If it’s because of this cursed child

Who ruined my happiness

And clouded my future…!

“Don’t erase it.”

“…..Oppa.”

A hand seizing me.

Could it be? No, it can’t be.

‘That’s my oppa alright.’

Kind. Sincere.

So if it’s oppa, if it’s the oppa I loved…

“If you erase it, you think Kyung Soo will take responsibility?”

“…………..”

He’d never say something like this.

“It’s your life, not my life. You figure it out.”

“Ah…”

He stands up from his seat.

And walks right out the door.

‘No!’

It can’t

End this way.

I have to stop him somehow. Stop him and get married…

“───Ahhh….”

Strength leaves my body.

My eyes shut and I collapsed right there.

‘…..Oppa…’

My loving oppa, the oppa I loved,

Didn’t look back even as I fell.

…

..

.

[Ji Yeon…? Ji Yeon! Ji Yeon!!!]

[Call 119, call 119!]

“…Pfft.”

Blah blah blah.

Ignoring the noises behind me, I walked out.

“Phewww…”

No big deal.

Well, maybe some big deals, but.

“…Hmph.”

I probably won’t remarry for the rest of my life.

Even if I do, I’ll get a paternity test right after having a kid.

‘This isn’t the land of Confucius, it’s the land of chaos.’

I feel stuffy.

Relieved but stuffy.

Strangely dizzy.

Liberated.

“…Sleepy.”

Most of all, exhausted.

I wanted to sleep. Conk out without any thoughts.

After absently gazing at the sky for a bit, I decided:

“Let’s go on an overseas trip.”

She booked a flight right after the wedding ended, didn’t she?

It might be a tight schedule, but should work out.