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[Anonymous] It feels like my husband is married to his work.
Hello. I'm a newlywed, married for just three months.
Before the wedding, my husband told me he was going through a particularly busy and important period at work. I tried to be understanding, but lately, I'm just so exhausted... ㅠㅠ
He works late and goes on frequent business trips, barely coming home. Being alone in our spacious new home makes me wonder if he's married to me or his job. I'm feeling incredibly depressed.
When he does come home, it's usually late, making it hard to even share a meal. He's so tired he almost immediately falls asleep, leaving no time for conversation.
Before the wedding, I admired his dedication to work, but I never imagined it would turn out like this.
Seeing my friends, who got married around the same time as me, looking so blissfully happy makes me feel even worse.
Has anyone else experienced something similar?
How can I get through this period?
I'm so anxious.
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Comments:
— Oh dear, you're still newlyweds ㅠㅠ You must be so lonely.
— Your husband seems a bit indifferent. No matter how busy he is, he should still make an effort to care for his wife's feelings. Set aside some time for a proper conversation with him. You'll regret wasting your precious honeymoon period.
└ (OP) I talked to my husband after reading your comment. He said he's already preparing to change jobs because he wants to spend more time with me! I'm so excited that we'll have more time together in the future. ^_^ hehe
└ That's wonderful! Congratulations!
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"Esper can't change jobs, can they..."
Hanseo muttered absentmindedly.
It was a meaningless remark, as pointless as the act of staring idly at his phone.
A week had passed since the wedding, and Gu Jei still hadn't come home.
To be precise, he hadn't emerged from the gate he entered on their wedding day.
"Hmm..."
Naturally, Hanseo wasn't worried about Gu Jei being unable to exit the gate. He knew better than anyone that Gu Jei wouldn't die inside.
More pressing was the dryness in his eyes from staring at his phone for too long. Hanseo put the phone down and picked up the remote.
The 85-inch TV, purchased and installed in just three days, quickly became one of Hanseo's most cherished pieces of furniture.
―…… Chunsim, you may leave now.
A rerun of a famous historical drama was playing. It was a drama Hanseo had watched in his previous life.
I remember this being quite good.
Hanseo focused on the screen.
The camera panned across a dimly lit room, illuminated only by candlelight. Inside, a woman sat alone, still wearing her wedding robes, gazing at the empty seat beside her and muttering:
―…… My husband will never come.
Even as she whispered these words, she couldn't bring herself to extinguish the lamp. Her gaze soon fixed on the tightly closed door, as if expecting to hear footsteps approaching from beyond.
But that never happened.
― I didn't ask for love. I only wished for a single glance, for you to call my name just once... Ah, how cruel you are to me.
Clear tears streamed down the woman's pale cheeks as she murmured sorrowfully.
Click.
Hanseo turned off the TV. His expression reflected in the black screen was enigmatic.
Was there such a scene in that drama?
He felt strange. Between the internet posts and the drama, everything seemed oddly similar to his own situation, as if someone's playing a cruel joke.
Of course, Hanseo wasn't weeping sadly like that woman while waiting for a husband who wouldn't return.
For the past week, Hanseo had done little more than lounge on the massive sofa, surrendering his body to the stimulation provided by the media.
But maybe I should save that for when Gu Jei comes back.
Wasn't this exactly the kind of thing Yeo Hanseo—who married his beloved but hadn't seen his husband's face in a week—would do? Hanseo chuckled softly as he sat up. He roughly imitated the tragic and sorrowful expression of the woman in that drama.
Truthfully, taking a week off wasn't his choice.
I got too much attention.
Ever since Gu Jei announced their marriage, public curiosity about Hanseo exploded. The reaction was even more fervent and explosive than when he had first appeared as a missing person in the Heukyeongdong Gate incident.
Back then, even after his face was revealed, the internet largely maintained a self-correcting atmosphere, with users insisting, "You shouldn't treat the victim like that." Now, it was the opposite—everyone was desperate to uncover Hanseo's personal information. Typing "Gu Jei" into a search engine immediately brought up "Gu Jei's husband" at the top of the results.
Fortunately, Gu Jei kept the identity of his spouse strictly confidential. But even the tightest secrets can leak through the cracks.
After learning that reporters were scouring his neighborhood, their eyes burning with the desire to find even the smallest clue, Gu Jei became even more cautious. He had learned from the previous incident that once something goes viral online, it was irreversible, so he was keeping a low profile.
Still, some time had passed and the attention noticeably lessened compared to before. Partly because the attention was focused elsewhere—Gu Jei had been attacking the gate for a whole week.
Hanseo made his decision.
It's probably safe to start moving again.
And it seemed he wasn't the only one thinking that.
Brrring!
His phone buzzed.
Another spam?
Since blocking Park Jintae, Hanseo hadn't received any legitimate calls. He checked his phone with a weary expression.
But to his surprise, it wasn't spam. It was a message from someone he knew.
The problem was, he couldn't figure out why this person was contacting him.
Why is this person calling me?
Rushing to get ready on time, Hanseo hurried to a cafe near the center. It was a small, privately owned cafe with only about five tables, and apart from Hanseo, there was only one other customer.
The sole customer smiled.
"This cafe belongs to my parents, but I borrowed it for an hour. I figured it might be a bit awkward since it's so close to the center."
"Ah, thank you, Instructor."
"Just call me Guide Im Eunyoung. You're not a trainee anymore, right? You can even call me 'noona' in private."
The person who contacted Hanseo was the instructor in charge of Guide training.
They had briefly exchanged messages when Hanseo shared news about Park Jintae, but they hadn't really spoken since then.
Hanseo remained wary, unable to guess why the Instructor had contacted him.
"Then you can call me Hanseo too, noona!"
Of course, he kept his thoughts to himself.
The Instructor looked at Hanseo's bright smile with a look that seemed both fond and slightly wistful, as if looking at something precious yet bittersweet.
"It's a bit late, but congratulations on your marriage. The Guide has grown up to an adult before me."
"Ah, no, more importantly, I'm sorry I couldn't invite you to the wedding."
"There's no need to apologize for that. It must have been rushed, so you probably didn't have time."
The remark carried an odd undertone. Before Hanseo could process it, the Instructor continued.
"Still, it's a relief. If you became a team guide, I would have felt quite uneasy."
"I'm not very reliable, am I... I did try my best though."
"Your guiding skills are exceptional. If anything, that might have been the problem."
The Instructor was subtly pointing out Hanseo's naive demeanor, which didn't match his guiding rank and abilities. But Hanseo pretended not to understand, merely blinking. The Instructor didn't explain further, instead asking gently, "So, you'll now be working as Esper Gu Jei's exclusive guide?"
"Yes, I suppose so."
"Even though you're married, don't forget to demand proper compensation. For reference, exclusive guides typically earn around this much."
The instructor mentioned a rather large sum, but Hanseo wasn't surprised. Gu Jei had already written down double that amount in their contract.
However, Hanseo hadn't received a single penny yet. The payments were per guiding session, and he hadn't had any sessions yet.
"Judging by your expression, it seems he's treating you well. That's a relief. After all, Esper Gu Jei isn't the type to be stingy about such things."
As she spoke, the instructor suddenly picked up her phone and began typing something. Hanseo waited, assuming it was an urgent message, but then she showed him the screen.
[Are you being threatened by Esper Gu Jei?]
Hanseo stared at her in shock. The instructor continued calmly, as if nothing had happened.
"Honestly, if Esper Gu Jei asked me to marry him, I'd probably say yes too. He has the kind of face that could make anyone fall in love at first sight. Maybe it's because he's been at the Center since he was a child, but he's a bit stiff for his age."
"Ah."
"But did Esper Gui Jei really fell in love and chased after you? It's hard to imagine someone who always wears such a stoic expression acting like that."
The instructor carefully observed Hanseo's expression before typing another message:
[Nod if true, shake your head if false. Even if you tell the truth, I'll make sure nothing bad happens to you, Mr. Hanseo. You can trust me.]
Hanseo slowly read the message and shook his head.
"No, actually... I was the one who fell for him first."
"Oh, really?"
The instructor let out a short exclamation, but her expression remained skeptical as she continued to study Hanseo. She tapped the screen again.
Just then, Hanseo's phone began to ring.
"Ah! Excuse me, just a moment."
Director Pyo Myeongho
Seeing the name on his phone, Hanseo answered quickly.
"Hello..."
Before Hanseo could say anything, the other party urgently blurted out, "Han, Hanseo! Can you come here right away? Jei... he's..."
"I'm on my way!"
Without another thought, Hanseo jumped up and dashed out of the cafe.
In his haste, he forgot to even say goodbye to the instructor.
He never knew that the instructor, now left alone, muttered something that would have made Hanseo jump out of his skin if he'd heard it.
"Hmm... well, well... it seems he really is in love."
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