Chapter 25:

Ha-joon was speeding through the traffic, his hands gripping the wheel tightly as he cursed under his breath. The heat of the moment was getting to him, and the chaos around him only made it worse. The air was thick with frustration, and he couldn't shake the feeling of dread that clung to him.

“씨발, 비키세요!” (Fuck, get out of my way!) Ha-joon muttered under his breath, his foot pressing harder on the gas. He swerved around cars, trying to cut through the congestion. “오늘 다들 뭐하는 거야?” (What the hell is everyone doing today?)

His heart raced as the tension in the air seemed to build with each passing second. He was about to face his brother, his very short-tempered, unpredictable brother. He could already feel the anxiety creeping up on him, but he knew there was no avoiding it now. He had to face the music.

As Ha-joon finally pulled into the airport parking lot, his eyes scanned the crowd, and then he saw them. His brother, Sung-hoon, standing tall with a stern look on his face, holding his one-year-old son, Aimir, in his arms. His sister-in-law, Aaira, stood beside him, holding a bag, her eyes scanning the surroundings. And then, unexpectedly, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wi, were there too.

Ha-joon’s body tensed, and his legs felt weak. He wasn’t sure how to approach them, how to face the wrath of his brother. His stomach churned with nervousness, but he forced himself to walk closer.

As soon as Sung-hoon spotted him, his jaw tightened. The anger radiating off him was palpable, and Ha-joon could feel his entire body go cold. Sung-hoon slowly passed his son to Aaira and closed his eyes, trying to calm himself.

Ha-joon took a deep breath and bowed to his family, trying to keep his composure. “안녕하세요, 형님, 누나, 아버지, 어머니.” (Hello, Hyung, sister-in-law, Father, Mother.)

Sung-hoon didn’t say anything at first, but Ha-joon could feel his eyes on him, burning through him. The tension in the air was suffocating. Before Ha-joon could fully process what was happening, a sharp sting suddenly exploded across his face.

A hard slap landed on his cheek, the sound of it echoing in his ears. Ha-joon’s neck twisted with the impact, and his hand instinctively flew to his face. His eyes widened, and before he could even comprehend what had just happened, he heard his brother’s voice, low, controlled, but dripping with fury.

“이 새끼, 내가 어제부터 얼마나 화났는지 너는 모르지?” (You bastard, you have no idea how angry I’ve been since yesterday.) Sung-hoon growled, his voice icy.

Aaira, standing beside him, immediately tried to intervene, placing a hand on his arm. “Calm down, honey. We’re at the airport.” But Sung-hoon didn’t pay her any attention. He was too consumed by his rage.

Ha-joon’s cheek throbbed where his brother had slapped him. Blood started trickling down from the corner of his lip, but he forced himself to keep his head down, trying not to show how badly it hurt. He clenched his jaw, desperately trying to hold back the tears. He didn’t want to break down in front of his family, especially not in front of Sung-hoon.

Sung-hoon took a step closer, his eyes dark with anger. “너 결혼한 거야? (You’re fucking married?)” he snarled. “왜 그렇게 숨겼어? 어떻게 그런 짓을 할 수 있어?” (How could you hide something like that? How could you do this?)

Ha-joon stood still, biting his lip to prevent himself from reacting. Aaira tried again to calm Sung-hoon down, but her voice fell on deaf ears. “여보, 진정해요.” (Honey, please calm down.) she pleaded, but it was clear her words weren’t reaching him.

“입 닥쳐. (Shut your mouth.)” Sung-hoon snapped, turning to his wife. “내가 그 사람한테 말할 땐 입 다물어!” (Shut your mouth when I'm speaking to him!) he barked at her. He was completely consumed by his anger now, and no one could stop him.

Ha-joon stood frozen, his body trembling from the force of his brother’s words. The slap had left a burning sting on his face, but it was the harsh words that really cut deep.

“You’re married?” Sung-hoon continued, his voice growing louder. “How could you do this to us, to the family? You’re hiding your marriage from me? How long has this been going on? You think I wouldn’t find out? You’re making a fool out of me.”

Ha-joon finally managed to look up at his brother, his eyes filled with both fear and defiance. “형...” (Hyung...) he said, his voice weak, his throat tight. “I didn’t want to hurt you. I didn’t want this to happen like this.”

But Sung-hoon wasn’t hearing any of it. He stepped closer, his eyes narrowing as he glared at Ha-joon. “What the fuck are you talking about? You think this is just something you can hide from me? You think you can just live your life and not deal with the consequences?”

His mother, who had been silently observing the scene, finally spoke up. “그만해, 성훈.” (Enough, Sunghoon.) she said in a low voice, her tone firm. She had always been the one to hold things together between her sons, but today her voice held a note of finality, even though she wanted to shout at Ha-joon as well, she was keeping her calm for now. “이제 그만하자.” (Stop now.)

Ha-joon’s mother looked at Aaira and added, “남편을 진정시키세요, 아이라!” (Calm your husband down, Aaira.) Her sharp words silenced Aaira, who looked bewildered but said nothing.

Sung-hoon didn’t listen to anyone. His rage was consuming him, and the more he stared at Ha-joon, the angrier he became. “네가 왜 이렇게 됐는지 이해 못 해.” (I don’t understand why you’re like this.) he said, his voice trembling with fury.

“너는 내 동생이고, 제가 말하는 건 진심이에요. 하지만 당신은 그렇지 않을 것 같아요. 당신은 우리를 가족으로 여기지 않아요. 만약 당신이 그랬다면, 넌 결혼 같은 중요한 걸 엿이나 뻔히 숨기지 않았어.” (You’re my brother, and i mean it when I say that. But I guess you don't, you don't even consider us your family. Only if you did, you wouldn't have fucking hide something as important as marriage.)

Ha-joon lowered his head, unable to find the words to explain himself. The weight of his brother’s disappointment crushed him. He felt smaller than ever, like he was suffocating under the pressure of his brother’s expectations.

Finally, Sung-hoon took a deep breath and wiped his face with his hand. “차로 가자. 집에 가자.” (Let’s go. Drive home.) he ordered, his voice colder now. “내가 집에서 얘기할 거야.” (We’ll talk at home.)

Ha-joon nodded silently. He didn’t say a word. He just walked to his car, his legs heavy with the burden of what was to come. The drive home was eerily quiet. Ha-joon’s hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, and the silence between him and his brother was suffocating.

Sung-hoon sat beside him, his gaze fixed out the window, his jaw clenched in anger. Ha-joon tried to focus on the road, but his mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. The slap still burned on his cheek, and his lip throbbed where it had split open.

The drive was long, and the tension in the car only grew with each passing minute. When they finally reached home, Sung-hoon didn’t say anything. He simply stepped out of the car and walked into the house without looking back. Ha-joon followed, his heart heavy with dread. He knew the storm was far from over.

As Ha-joon stepped inside the house, his eyes barely registered Scarlet standing a few feet away. Her face lit up with concern as she saw the dried blood on his lip and the redness on his cheek. She took a hesitant step forward, her hand twitching at her side as though she wanted to reach out and touch him. 

But Ha-joon didn’t stop. He didn’t even look at her. His head hung low, and his legs carried him past her and toward the stairs. He didn’t dare sit with his family in the living room; the weight of his brother’s presence, his parents’ disappointment, and his own guilt were too much to bear. Without a word, he disappeared upstairs, leaving Scarlet frozen in her spot, her heart sinking as she watched him retreat. 

Scarlet’s instinct was to follow him, to make sure he was okay, but something held her back. Her gaze flickered to the living room, where Ha-joon’s family was gathering. She realized she couldn’t leave them alone. It would be rude, especially with Sung-hoon and his wife, Aaira, here. She bit her lip, taking a deep breath to steady herself before walking toward the family. 

Sung-hoon entered right after Ha-joon, holding his son, Aimir, in his arms. He didn’t acknowledge Scarlet, not even sparing her a glance. He walked past her with the same coldness Ha-joon had shown, his shoulders tense and his jaw clenched. Aaira followed behind him silently, carrying a diaper bag, her emerald eyes flickering toward Scarlet briefly. There was pity in her gaze, but she didn’t say a word. 

Scarlet mustered her courage and greeted them politely. “Welcome home,” she said softly, bowing her head slightly. 

No one responded. Sung-hoon headed straight upstairs with Aimir, while Aaira settled on the couch, looking uncomfortable. 

It was then that Ha-joon’s mother, Mrs. Wi, stood up. Her sharp eyes fixed on Scarlet, and the air in the room seemed to grow heavier. Scarlet felt her palms grow clammy, her heart racing as she prepared for whatever was coming. 

Mrs. Wi took a step toward her, her face a mixture of anger and disdain. “He married you?” she started, her voice rising with each word. “My son? Ha-joon? Like seriously, Scarlet? Is this a joke?” 

Scarlet’s mouth opened to respond, but Mrs. Wi didn’t give her a chance. She launched into a tirade, her voice echoing through the room. 

“How could you ruin my son’s life like this? Do you even understand what you’ve done? You, of all people, marrying him without our knowledge, without our blessing? What kind of person does that? Did you think you could just take him away from his family and everything would be fine?” 

Scarlet stood frozen, her throat dry as Mrs. Wi continued to berate her. 

“You must have misguided him. That’s the only explanation! My son would never do something like this on his own. He’s responsible. He has values. And then you came along and twisted everything!” Mrs. Wi’s finger pointed accusingly at Scarlet, her tone dripping with venom. “You probably tricked him into this marriage, didn’t you? Made him believe he had no other choice? How dare you?” 

Scarlet’s hands trembled as she tried to form a response, but the words wouldn’t come. She looked over at Aaira, hoping for support, but Aaira simply sat there, her hands folded in her lap. Her emerald eyes held pity, but she didn’t speak up. 

Mrs. Wi’s voice grew louder, her frustration boiling over. “You’ve ruined everything, Scarlet. Do you even know what kind of shame you’ve brought to this family? Do you understand the position you’ve put us in? People will laugh at us! They’ll say we’ve lost control of our son because of some girl who came out of nowhere!” 

Scarlet’s vision blurred with unshed tears. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat, but it only grew larger. “Mrs. Wi—” she started, her voice trembling, but she was immediately cut off. 

“Don’t you ‘Mrs. Wi’ me!” the older woman snapped. “You don’t deserve to call me that. You don’t deserve to be here, in this house, standing in front of me as if you’re part of this family. Because you’re not. You’ll never be!” 

The words cut deep, and Scarlet felt her knees go weak. She glanced at Ha-neul’s mother, Mrs. Kang, who was sitting quietly on the side, observing the scene with a calm but judgmental gaze. She didn’t intervene, but her silence only added to the weight pressing down on Scarlet. 

Finally, Ha-neul, who had been sitting quietly on the other side of the room, stood up. His voice rang out, sharp and commanding. “Enough!” 

The room fell silent as everyone turned to look at him. Ha-neul’s usually calm demeanor was gone, replaced by a fiery determination. 

“Stop blaming Scarlet for everything that’s happening!” he shouted, his eyes narrowing as he looked at his mother. “You cannot just let go of Ha-joon Hyung like that. You cannot put all the blame on Scarlet. Maybe he tricked her into marrying him!” 

Scarlet’s head snapped up at his words, her eyes wide with shock. “What?” she exclaimed, her voice shaking. “There’s nothing like that! No one tricked anyone into anything! We married each other because we love each other!” 

Her voice broke as she spoke, but she forced herself to keep going. “I didn’t misguide him, and I didn’t ruin his life! We made this decision together, because we care about each other, because we wanted to be together!” 

Mrs. Wi crossed her arms, her expression cold and unrelenting. “Love?” she sneered. “Do you even know what love is, Scarlet? Do you have any idea what it means to be part of a family like ours? You’re not ready for this. You’re just a naive girl who thinks she knows what she’s doing, but you don’t.” 

Scarlet’s tears finally spilled over, but she didn’t back down. “I know what love is,” she said, her voice firm despite her trembling hands. “And I know that Ha-joon loves me. He chose me, just like I chose him. You can hate me all you want, but it doesn’t change the fact that we’re married, and we’re in this together.” 

Ha-neul stepped forward, his voice steady but firm. “Auntie, stop this. You’re blaming Scarlet for something that’s not her fault. If you want to be angry, be angry at Ha-joon. But don’t take it out on her.” 

Mrs. Wi opened her mouth to respond, but Ha-neul cut her off. “I mean it, Auntie. Enough. This isn’t helping anyone.” 

The room fell silent once more, the tension thick and suffocating. Scarlet wiped her tears, her chest heaving as she tried to calm herself. She glanced at Aaira, who still hadn’t spoken, her eyes filled with pity but her lips pressed tightly together. 

Scarlet took a deep breath, her voice quiet but resolute. “I love Ha-joon. And no matter what you think of me, that’s not going to change.” 

Mrs. Wi glared at her, but for once, she didn’t have a response. The room remained silent, the air heavy with unspoken words. Scarlet stood her ground, her heart racing but her resolve unshaken. She wasn’t going to let anyone tear her down, not now, not ever. 

Scarlet hesitated for a moment after Mrs. Wi stormed out of the room. The air was still thick with tension, and she felt the weight of everything pressing down on her. She glanced at Aaira, who sat silently on the couch, her emerald eyes filled with regret but her lips sealed shut. Scarlet didn’t have the energy to talk to her or anyone else at that moment. She turned on her heel and made her way upstairs, her legs moving faster as her heart raced with worry for Ha-joon.

Reaching his room, Scarlet pushed the door open and stopped in her tracks. Ha-joon was sitting on the floor, his back against the bed frame, his knees pulled tightly to his chest. His face was buried in his arms, but the faint sound of muffled sobs reached her ears. Her heart broke at the sight of him, so vulnerable and defeated.

“Ha-joon...” Scarlet whispered softly as she stepped closer.

He didn’t respond or look up, his shoulders trembling as he cried silently. Scarlet didn’t hesitate. She dropped to her knees beside him and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. His body tensed at first, but then he melted into her, clutching her like she was the only thing keeping him grounded.

“I’m here,” Scarlet whispered, running her fingers through his hair. “I’m here, Ha-joon.”

For a moment, they sat there in silence, his quiet sobs filling the room. Scarlet held him, letting him cry as much as he needed. But then, Ha-joon began to speak, his voice breaking with every word.

“They hate me,” he choked out, his face pressed against her shoulder. “My own family hates me. And now... now this... this marriage... it’s just another excuse for them to hate me even more.”

Scarlet’s arms tightened around him. “No, Ha-joon, they don’t hate you,” she tried to reassure him, but he shook his head violently.

“They do,” he insisted, his voice filled with pain. “They’ve always hated me. Ever since I can remember, I’ve never felt like I belonged in that family. My mother... she gave birth to me, but she’s never treated me like her son. Not once. It’s like I’m a burden to her, something she has to tolerate. I hate her, Scarlet. I hate her so much.”

Scarlet’s heart ached as she listened to his words. She’d known his family wasn’t easy, but she’d never realized the depth of his pain. Ha-joon’s voice trembled as he continued.

“And my father...” he said bitterly, “he’s supposed to be my father, my real father, but he doesn’t even care about me. He loves Sung-hoon more. Always has. No matter what I did, it was never enough. Sung-hoon was always better, always the one they praised, the one they cared about. And me? I was just... nothing.”

Tears streamed down Ha-joon’s face as he clung to Scarlet. “Do you know what it’s like to grow up in your own house and feel like a stranger? To see your parents smile at your brother but barely glance at you? I’ve spent my entire life trying to earn their love, their approval, but it’s useless. They don’t see me. They never have.”

Scarlet stroked his back gently, her own tears threatening to spill. “Ha-joon, I see you,” she whispered. “I love you.”

He shook his head, his voice cracking as he spoke. “And Sung-hoon... I hate him. I hate him so much, Scarlet. He acts like he owns the world, like he can rule over anyone he wants. Even as a kid, he was always the favorite. Always the perfect son. Everyone looked up to him, loved him, respected him. And me? I was just the shadow in the corner.”

Ha-joon pulled back slightly, his red, tear-streaked face looking at Scarlet. “Do you know the worst part?” he asked, his voice filled with anguish. “Sung-hoon isn’t even my father’s real son. He’s only his mother’s son from her first marriage. But my father loves him more than he’s ever loved me. How is that fair? How can he love someone else’s son more than his own flesh and blood?”

Scarlet’s breath hitched at his revelation. She didn’t know what to say, so she just held him, letting him pour out all the pain he’d been holding inside.

“I hate the way they treat me,” Ha-joon continued, his voice growing more desperate. “I hate the way they look at me, like I’m some kind of failure. No matter what I do, it’s never enough for them. And today... today was the worst.”

He wiped at his face, his hands trembling. “Do you know how humiliating it was? To be slapped by my own brother, in front of everyone at the airport? To feel the sting on my face and know that no one—no one—was going to defend me? Not my father, not my mother, no one. They all just stood there and watched, like I deserved it.”

Scarlet’s heart shattered as he sobbed uncontrollably, his body shaking in her arms. “You didn’t deserve that,” she said firmly, her voice filled with conviction. “You didn’t, Ha-joon. No one has the right to treat you that way, not even your family.”

He looked at her with tear-filled eyes, his voice barely a whisper. “I don’t know how much more of this I can take, Scarlet. I’ve tried so hard to be strong, to prove myself to them, but it’s never enough. I feel like I’m drowning, and no one cares.”

Scarlet cupped his face gently, her thumbs brushing away his tears. “I care,” she said softly. “I care, Ha-joon. And I’m here for you. You don’t have to prove anything to anyone. You’re enough, just as you are. You’re enough for me.”

Her words seemed to break something inside him, and he buried his face in her neck, sobbing harder than ever. Scarlet held him tightly, her own tears falling as she whispered comforting words into his ear. “You’re not alone,” she said.