Divorce : This is a Trivial Matter

46

Once Lisa had made repeated reassurances that 'Curly-baby' would just be a nickname, the family finally sat down for lunch.

At the dinner table, Mother Manoban kept feeding Lisa, reminding her and Jungkook of things pregnant women should pay attention to. Father Manoban consumed his meal in silence. Every once in a while, his eyes would fall to Jungkook and his nostrils would flare.

Haruto looked at him as well. Here he had thought that Professor Jeon was just a boring old tweed suit, dry as dust. He'd never have thought him to be the type to knock up his sister, and thus pull the rug out from under his father.

But did this mean that he was going to be an uncle? Curly-baby... How adorable.

After the meal, Mother Manoban began washing up and Father Manoban called Jungkook into the study alone for a conversation.

Though Lisa was worried, he rubbed her head and soothed her. "The worst that could happen is that he'll beat me up again. It's no big deal."

Lisa: "..."

Professor Jeon must not know that her father had practiced Sanda in his younger years.

When Jungkook entered the study, Father Manoban was sitting at the desk. On the table, steeping, was the Pu'er tea that he had brought today. Father Manoban invited him to sit, then sat in silence for a while before asking, "Are you remarrying Lisa for the sake of the child?"

"No," Jungkook denied. "Even without Curly-baby, I would have remarried her. Of course, now that he's here, I have to.”

Father Manoban raised an eyebrow. “Why did you two have to divorce in the first place?”

“I think Lisa also told you that we had no emotional foundation prior to marriage. Afterward, we encountered a great many issues and felt like our personalities weren't compatible...”
Father Manoban interrupted him with a sneer in his voice, “Oh, and are you feeling all accommodating now?”

"Now we'll work hard together to get used to each other." Jungkook paused. There was a hint of determination in his tone. "We were too impatient and inexperienced to know how to make a marriage work, but this time, I truly do want to make it work with Lisa. I hope that you will be able to trust me again.”

Father Manoban took a drink of his tea, keeping his eyes on him. “Her mother and I pampered Lili in childhood. Although she's occasionally hot-tempered, she is absolutely neither arrogant nor foolishly stubborn. As a man, her husband, and now the father of her unborn child, you should be more considerate of her."

"I will."

Father Manoban nodded. "Well then, I hope that you two will be able to make it work."

In the living room, Haruto leaned against his sister with a broad smile. "Elder sister, I never expected you to be so open-minded, getting pregnant outside of marriage."

Lisa:" ...... "

If not for the fact that she was indeed pregnant at the moment, she would have given him a good beating.

Haruto looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "Your expression says that you want to beat me up a bit. Don't forget that you haven't been able to beat me since elementary school."

Lisa: "..."

She missed those halcyon years in which she could pin her brother down and beat him to tears.
There was sympathy in her eyes as she smiled at Haruto. "Now that I'm remarried, you're going to be the only target for all of mom's enthusiasm. Take good care of yourself."

Haruto: "..."

Just then, Jungkook emerged from the study. Lisa stood and made her way over to inspect him. "Are you alright?"
"What are you saying? Did you think I was going to eat him?" Father Manoban came out right after and gave Lisa a very disgruntled look. He was obviously holding down something about how daughters got married and turned against their family.