Chapter 1 — My Friend's Wife… 1

“Oh? What brings you here?”

“Hello, how have you been?”

“I’m fine. And you? Did you make plans with him?”

“Yes. I guess he hasn’t gotten off work yet?”

“No, seems he’s running late. Ugh… this guy couldn’t even give me a heads-up…”

“I know… if only he’d told me earlier, I could’ve adjusted my schedule.”

“Please come in and wait.”

“Are you sure?”

My friend’s wife…

She was truly beautiful. If a goddess existed in this world, wouldn’t she look exactly like her?

And yet, this man—blessed with such a stunning, sensual wife—had gone chasing after some young girl.

An affair…

And this time, it wasn’t just flirty nonsense. It was serious.

The woman carrying the child his wife had failed to conceive after three years of marriage was now pregnant—eight months along, he said.

He’d always liked women.

How could a man with a wife like her possibly seek out another? Honestly, I never understood that.

“I hope I’m not making things awkward for you… Miss Grace.”

“Hoho, don’t worry. I’m fine. Do you like coffee?”

“Yes… black, please.”

Her back view…

That silhouette swayed gently before me, intoxicating, dizzying. Her figure alone made my breath catch.

He wouldn’t be coming today. Maybe… not ever again.

I was here because he had asked me to come.

Me and him—we were high school classmates.

Back then, he was one of those flashy troublemakers—the kind who hung around with delinquents despite being small and unimpressive.

The only reason he fit in was money. His family was rich.

I, on the other hand, came from hardship. Blessed with a strong build from my parents, I joined the boxing club. I could take down anyone if I wanted to—so no one dared mess with me.

Once, one of those guys even offered me a deal—be friends, get protection. I snapped at him and refused.

Just associating with them felt beneath my dignity. And compared to him, I was poor. Call it pride born of poverty—I won’t deny it.

Our paths crossed again after I got out of the military, shortly after my mother—who had raised me alone—passed away.

His father, unlike his son, was a respected doctor. Seeing my situation, he arranged my mother’s funeral at his own clinic.

That’s when I started feeling indebted to him.

But as they say, the poor stay poor.

I had a job, but the gap between us didn’t shrink—it widened. Doubled. Maybe even tenfold.

He kept climbing higher, while I stared up at a tree I could never reach.

Eventually, I moved to Seoul blindly, chasing money.

I was working in the city, but with what I had, I could barely afford a tiny studio apartment on the outskirts.

I had no education, but through sheer effort, seven years later, I became a section chief at a small auto-related company.

My monthly rental turned into a lease for a two-room apartment.

Then, by some strange fate, he got married—and moved into a luxury high-rise apartment so tall it blocked the sunlight from my window.

At first, I didn’t even know he was married or living there.

It was only when I ran into him by chance one evening—after my usual gym session—that our twisted connection reignited.

He had followed his father’s footsteps, becoming a doctor at a major hospital.

Seeing him again, I was painfully reminded of the distance between us. Standing before him, I felt small—insignificant.

And because of that debt I owed his family, I ended up helping him cover up his affairs, standing silently by as three years slipped away.

Then today—

He suddenly called, asking to meet for lunch. We sat at a café near my office.

“What’s this about?”

“C’mon~ can’t an old friend visit?”

“You bastard. Do you even know what friendship means?”

“Whoa, touchy. You’ve been holding a grudge, huh?”

“Why else would you call? What do you want now?”

“Heh… you’re sharp. Actually…”

He signaled someone entering the café.

A young-looking girl bounced over, smiling brightly, and sat beside him.

“Say hello. This is my friend, David Han.”

“Hi.”

“Oh… uh, hello.”

“This kid? Say hi properly. She’s your new stepmom.”

“What??”

I nearly spat out my drink. He meant another woman—but she looked so young, and her belly was swollen, unmistakably pregnant.

“Relax, I’m kidding. But we’re starting fresh. Together.”

“W-what are you talking about?? You—”

“She’s cute, right? I’ve always liked the cute type… puhaha.”

“Aww~ baby… people say I’m sexy too. Hehe.”

“Hey, you—”

“What? Got a problem? This guy’s telling you first, so you might as well know everything…”

“Excuse me, miss… could you step away for a moment?”

“No way. Just say it. She knows everything anyway.”

“No, it’s okay, honey. I need to go to the hospital anyway…”

“Really? Should I drive you?”

“No, it’s fine~ Mmm… hehe.”

“You still have my card?”

“Yeah…”

“Go to the hospital, then treat yourself to something nice. I’ll come home later.”

“Mm~ love you~ hehe. I’ll go ahead. See you next time!”

“Y-yes… yes…”

Her tied-back hair swayed side to side as she left.

As she walked out, they exchanged giggles, waving at each other through the window until their silhouettes disappeared—she even puckered her lips in a playful kiss.

“What the hell? What if your wife finds out?”

“She already can. I’m divorcing her.”

“What?? Out of nowhere—”

“Actually… Emma Shin here is eight months pregnant. She’s carrying the child my wife couldn’t give me.”

Emma Shin—that must’ve been her name.

“You know how important our family line is…”

“Damn it. Still… you should’ve tried with your wife—”

“We did. All the tonics, every treatment… everything. But nothing worked. What was I supposed to do?”

“So you just—”

“I know what you’re thinking. Yeah, I’ve been seeing others. But as a man, not just a friend… I want you to understand me.”

Of course, I knew he’d been waiting desperately for a child all this time.

But I never thought he’d bring one home from another woman.

“Fine. I get it. Then divorce her and live with her. Why drag me into this?”

“Because you’re my friend…”

“Since when the hell have we been friends?”

“I’m serious… I can’t give up this child. Not now.”

“Then talk to your wife! Ask her to raise it!”

“No. In my opinion, a child should be raised by its real mother.”

“How old is she? This… Emma Shin?”

“Twenty-two.”

“You’re insane.”

“I know. I am insane.”

“So what do you want from me? To take care of your wife while you run off?”

“No, no… I want this child registered under my name and hers. Help me get the divorce pushed through.”

“What? How?”

“My wife won’t agree easily… So I need you to—”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“You’re out of your damn mind. Don’t contact me again!”

“David Han…”

“Shut up. Are you even human?”

“Please… I’m begging you.”

“Shut up. I’m leaving. Deal with your own mess!”

I stormed out, back to my office.

His request…

I lit cigarette after cigarette. After all, he was the only son of the man who gave my mother a proper funeral.

And whether I liked it or not, I was still that man’s son’s classmate.

Around quitting time, I called him.

“Knew you’d call back.”

“This is the last time.”

“Thanks. After this, I’ll treat you to an epic night…”

“No. After this, I want nothing more to do with you. You may see me as a friend, but to me, you’re just a school acquaintance.”

“Same thing, isn’t it? Either way, you’re helping a friend…”

“No. I’m doing this because of the debt I owe your father. Once this is over, I never want to see you again.”

“If that’s what you want, fine. I’ll be living with Emma Shin somewhere else anyway…”

After work, I went to his apartment. I stood in front of the door, hesitating for a long time.

Did I really want to do something this despicable?

I almost turned back dozens of times.

I smoked nearly a full pack on that doorstep before finally pressing the doorbell.

“He’s taking so long. Not answering his phone either. Maybe he has an emergency patient?”

“Maybe I should’ve come another time.”

“He said he’d come. If you’re bored, you could use his computer in the study…”

“How much does a place like this cost?”

“I don’t know…”

“I’ll probably never afford one, even if I work my whole life.”

“No, don’t say that. Mr. David Han, you’re responsible, hardworking—you’ll definitely own a better place someday. Though you really should find a good woman…”

“Someone like you would be perfect.”

“Oh? Hoho, thank you… You’re strong, dependable, and keep yourself in great shape—women must love you. Why aren’t you dating?”

“Because no one’s made my heart race like you yet.”

“Hoho. You’re saying such nice things today. Hehe.”

It was true. I remembered the pounding in my chest the first time I saw my friend’s wife.

Maybe that was why no other woman ever interested me. A woman five years younger than me—thirty years old.

The age when a woman’s beauty blooms fully.

“Um… if you don’t mind, would you like to have a drink with me while we wait for James Park?”

“Oh, I don’t drink much. Hoho…”

“It’s just for company. We can stop when he arrives. If he’s late, I’ll leave.”

“You should at least eat dinner… Would you like to join me? I haven’t eaten yet either…”

“No… drinks are fine.”

“Don’t laugh, but I really can’t hold my liquor… hoho. Just a sec…”

She returned with a bottle of whiskey, ice, dried meat, and sliced fruit.

Nervous, I downed three glasses in quick succession.

“Slow down…”

“Have one with me, Miss Grace.”

She grimaced slightly, took a sip, then set the glass down without finishing it.

“How did you two meet?”

“Oh, him? Just… through an introduction.”

“I see. What was your first impression?”

“I was disappointed. He seemed like a player, and honestly, I thought he was shorter than me at first…”

“But he’s successful now. A doctor…”

“But living with him… it’s meaningless. Only now do I realize—love has to be the foundation. Oh, don’t tell him I said that. Hoho.”

“Right… love is essential…”

┃Even if you nap lightly on a rainy summer day, isn’t it joyful with your beloved beside you?

┃As long as there are quiet nights whispering together, don’t sigh—just stand tall.

┃Tomorrow, the sun will rise. Tomorrow, the sun will rise…

Time passed. The whiskey bottle emptied.

There was no way I could stay sober.

Emotion slowly overpowered reason.

She had drunk two glasses. Her face flushed with a shy, tipsy red. Her body relaxed, posture loosening.

The long white T-shirt draped over her tight leggings began slipping sideways, revealing a vertical slit that teased obscenely—stirring desire deep within me.

Yet her grace, her elegance, held my lust in check.

“Our husband… he has another woman, doesn’t he?”

“Huh? What makes you say that?”

“I know. He’s been staying out lately… calls late at night.”

“It’s… probably work.”

I froze. She likely already knew.

“No. At first, I believed that too. Even during our courtship, he was seeing someone else.”

“Then why…?”

“You want to ask why I married him, don’t you? Probably… because of his family background.”

“No… but now, you’re certain he still has someone?”

“He hasn’t come home in a week. Please… be honest with me.”

“……”

“To be honest… I want to end this relationship. But I’m afraid.”

“Afraid of what?”

“Being labeled a divorcee… It’s still a heavy chain, something I can’t easily escape in this world.”

“these days, it’s not such a big deal…”

“What do you think of a woman like me, Mr. David Han?”

“If my heart races for her, then no reason matters.”

“I see…”

“The reason I came here today is…”

“You’re here to deliver his message?”

“Yes… No. Honestly, James Park wants a divorce from you, Grace.”

“So that’s how it is…”

“That’s why… I came here to rape you. To give him grounds for divorce.”

“What? Did he tell you to do that?”

“I’m sorry… but I just… I can’t do it.”

“Why not? Wasn’t it a close friend’s request?”

“We’re not close friends. Not really. I’m only here because I owe his father.”