Last night was a dinner session between two families. Both Haneul and Myung's parents met and had dinner together. It's just that, for some reason, Myung's birth mother was not present, but was replaced by Madam, his father's first wife.
So far, everything is going well, although it is a bit stiff and not very harmonious, yet everyone is working hard to get things to go well as soon as possible. Myung notices that everyone is hesitant about this marriage, but it must be forced somehow.
As for the Haneul family, Myung is not the ideal son-in-law. Although he has plus values as a man, likewise with Haneul, in the eyes of the Myung family. The woman was not their ideal figure as the only companion of Cho's successor in their family.
And this morning, the two met to register the marriage with the civil and family affairs office. Invisibly, they got married. Only alone. Ah no, Haneul came with the driver. She didn't look special, like a bride or anything. Maybe Myung was too busy to wear a neat suit to greet her.
"Sign here."
They signed autographs, affixed their thumbprints in red ink, and stamped the stamp on stamp duty. Both are officially registered as husband and wife in the eyes of the law and the state.
"Phew..." Myung secretly watched Haneul exhale as if he had done something big.
Ah, of course, they have just officially gotten married. They both agreed that it would be awkward and uncomfortable to do this without a blessing, so they put on their wedding rings and registered with the civil office. The engagement ring took place last night at a family dinner, like a simple blessing witnessed by both pairs of parents.
After their business was done, Myung said, "We're going to my house." Haneul quickly followed him without speaking. "Let's just take my car," Myung said again when he saw Haneul confused about which car to take.
Again, the girl walked silently, then entered and sat in the seat next to Myung's steering wheel. From this moment on, it felt very strange to realize a foreign girl had become his wife.
"I want to say something," Myung said doubtfully. Haneul glanced at him.
"The one you'll meet at home is my mother, that is to say, a different person from the one you met last night. I hope you understand my mother's attitude and the circumstances of our family. We're a bit tough. "
"Yes, alright," Haneul answered reluctantly, after being silent for a while.
Haneul knew all this mess came from him. She understood that this uncomfortable feeling was created because of the bad atmosphere between them, even though when she spent two weeks with Myung in the Maldives, everything was fun. Those memories just disappeared because of the current situation. Myung was so unfriendly to her.
Haneul thought Myung would talk a lot, asking and demanding an explanation. The man was mostly silent and took it for granted. although still in a less friendly sense. Haneul didn't expect to get married in such an awkward atmosphere. But she only hoped that the future would not be difficult for them. In the Maldives, they had lived together peacefully without touching anything.
**
"In this house, all the rooms change the sheets of bed every day. You do it yourself for your room. All of the house helpers are busy with their respective duties."
Haneul smiled obediently and agreed to her mother-in-law's orders. She's only been a daughter-in-law in this house for a day, and Myung's mother doesn't have to feel shy at all. Haneul knew she was not wanted. But she never thought this far. She knew her married life would be different, but drama with in-laws? Oh my gosh, that sounds awful.
Mrs. Cho then looked at her daughter-in-law's back as she walked into the room and took the sheets, pillowcases, and blankets to take to the laundry room. Although she has a special washerwoman, she will not let the girl relax or at least breathe in this house.
Haneul is a kind of royal princess; she is so orderly, polite, classy, and graceful. The type that looks legit if it has it all. Money, a harmonious family, beauty, honor, and extraordinary wealth. One thing the girl will not get is her blessing and the happiness of her marriage to Myung. There should be no humans who are too perfect in this world, even though they can easily have it. There must be a balance of yin and yang. Myung's mother helps Haneul so that her life is not too perfect and everything runs smoothly.
At least that's what the woman thought. Unknowingly, she is taking revenge instead of feeling the need to balance her daughter-in-law's life. She wanted to avenge her mother-in-law's previous treatment of her. Of course, as a second wife, her life was not easy, especially when her husband's parents were still alive and well. She lived a life like a hell before successfully giving birth to Myung.
She said, "I'll help," to a worker in the kitchen after she put her sheets in the washing machine and washed them.
"Do it like this," said the house helper, giving directions on how to cut onions. Haneul complied.
After washing, Haneul also has to help with cooking, because her mother-in-law says that her son likes home-cooked food. Haneul should be able to cook it.
Even though this all seems so fast because it's only been a day after getting married, Myung has to go back to work and he has to adjust to living at his in-laws' house with all the rules, what can Haneul do anyway? This is the consequence of the choice she made. Haneul already knew the road would be steep and not easy.
She had to be with and bond with these strangers, and it was very uncomfortable.
"There's a delivery for you ahead."
Suddenly, a girl with short hair that Haneul recognized as Myung's older sister came up to her. The girl was unfriendly from the first time she came in but didn't treat her badly either. Haneul nodded, smiled at her, and walked to the living room.
"What did she do?" Mrs. Cho suddenly appeared after trying to eavesdrop.
"What did you do to her? Tell her to cook? Do I wash the sheets? so childish." Miran replied in a disapproving tone.
"Your grandmother used to act worse. Tsk, never mind.. this is for her good too. She must not have learned how to take care of the house and cook in her entire life. "
"Why would he do that? Her family has dozens of servants. "
"Stop arguing with me to defend her! What benefit does she give you? She harms us. By the way, what shipment did she get? Did her family send gifts? "
Miran rolled her eyes; her mother was materialistic.
"A suitcase of clothes. She married Myung and came straight here without bringing anything. Her family sent only personal items."
Mrs. Cho looked disappointed. She was the daughter of a rich family who had not benefited her at all. She was even dumped by that damn Shin family. Just look around. Until this moment, there has been no hospitality or any visits. No gifts or anything, instead they sent their daughter's suitcase without saying anything. Haneul was thrown away for free. And now Myung is picking it up. It's annoying.
"We have to treat trash like trash," she muttered furiously.