The Substitute Wife

CHAPTER 20

With the time passing by slowly, her expectations and joy gradually turned into anxiety and worry, and eventually into extreme disappointment.

At three o'clock, he didn't show up, but she thought it was normal to be late.

At half past three, he still hadn't shown up. She thought maybe he was busy with something.

At four o'clock, he still hadn't shown up. She thought he might have suddenly had to deal with something.

Then five o'clock, six o'clock, seven o'clock... She continued to wait, although her tears kept falling. Park Jimin still hadn't come at eleven o'clock in the evening when the cinema was closed.

If only the story had come to a sudden end at that moment...

Rosè Jang thought she might forget Park Jimin over the years, the boy she had been obsessed with; Or she might recall on one warm afternoon the boy she had been obsessed with when she was young with the most beautiful face and the most refreshing temperament in the world; Or she would be stunned with sorrow if she saw a figure resembling his in the street; Most likely, she would keep him in her heart as an episode of her youth and start a new relationship and a new life.

Until many years later, Rosè Jang didn't know that the story hadn't ended, but unfolded, at that moment.

Park Jimin had missed the date, and Rosè Jang messed up her first grade final exam.

That period was extremely gloomy for her.

Bambam hadn't gone to college, so Lisa Lim always hung out with him during summer vacation. Every time they went out, Lisa Lim would invite Rose Jang, but Rosè Jang would refuse with different excuses, because she wasn't ready to see Park Jimin.

Perhaps because of their forthcoming separation, quarrels occurred often between Lisa Lim and Bambam. One day, Lisa Lim cried and went to Rosè Jang's house. Hunger hunted her in the night, so she said that she would turn her sadness into a good meal with Rosè Jang. She dragged Rose Jang out to a Western restaurant.

It was a coincidence that they met one of Bambam's neighbors when they had just entered the restaurant and were looking for a table. The neighbor didn't give them the opportunity to say a word, and shouted toward the back, "Brother Bambam, your girlfriend's here!"

Lisa Lim turned around to leave, but Bambam came out of the back and pulled her back. They reconciled with each other soon after they talked to each other. Lisa Lim dragged Rose Jang into the back, too.

The room was large, and there were nearly thirty people sitting inside. The light in the room was a bit dim, so Rose Jang couldn't see them clearly.

When she had eaten half of the imported steak that Bambam had ordered for her and Lisa Lim, she saw that Park Jimin was among them.

He was sitting on a sofa in the corner, a cigarette in his hand, the flame between his fingers glimmering.

Faced with the laughter in the room, he remained emotionless, as if he wasn't in the same world.

Rosè Jang held her fork and stabbed the steak with her head down. A quick glance at Park Jimin reminded her of the scene of her standing under the scorching sun and waiting for him for over ten hours. Her eyes became wet, and she was about to cry.

He must have been in a very bad mood that day, for he kept smoking in silence, but he didn't raise his head to look at anyone, nor did he know that she had come.

When the steak was almost finished, Lisa Lim pointed to Park Jimin , whispering to Bambam, "Is he in a bad mood again?"

Bambam had drunk some wine, so he directly answered without thinking, "Brother Jimin must have been beaten by his father again."

"Oh? Why?" Lisa Lim asked. Rosè Jang tried very hard to listen to the answer.

"His dad has been like this for years. When he gets home, he beats his mother and him badly. He once hit Brother Jimin on the head with an iron lock, he bled a lot..." Bambam suddenly stopped halfway through, then lowered his voice, saying, " He doesn't like people saying these things about his family. You'd better pretend you didn't hear that, otherwise, if he hears us talking about it, he'll get angry..."

After that, Bambam changed the topic. Rosè Jang couldn't help but turn her head to see Park Jimin, then increase the strength she used to hold her fork inexplicably hard.

The boy she liked looked as noble as a prince and had an enviable background, but she never knew that he had lived through such a traumatic experience.

That was the first time that she had felt sorry for him.

An episode happened when the get-together had almost ended.

The incident was originally caused by Choi Jeongyeon and Lisa Lim.

Yes, Yoon Jane's cousin, Choi Jeongyeon , was Bambam's classmate and had liked him for three years, so she hated Lisa Lim when she became his girlfriend.

That day, Choi Jeongyeon had come with her brother who was popular in the high school, so she acted like a spoiled child. She was a bit drunk, so when the party had almost ended, she said dirty words to Lisa Lim. "You're such a b*tch, I want to tear your p**sy."

Rosè Jang was a typical daddy's girl, and she had never said dirty words before, but Lisa Lim was her best friend, so she retorted, "You're the b*tch!"

Choi Jeongyeon was totally irritated by Rosè Jang.

She pounced on her without saying anything.

Thanks to Lisa Lim's quick reaction, she dragged Choi Jeongyeon away from Rosè Jang and wrestled her instead.

Of course, Rosè Jang wouldn't just stand by; she immediately joined the fight to help Lisa Lim.

That day, Rosè Jang didn't tie up her long hair, so it was easily grasped by Choi Jeongyeon when she fought back.

Rosè Jang screamed uncontrollably due to the pain. The boys were drinking and having fun, so they didn't notice what was going on, but they immediately put their glasses down and separated the three girls when they heard screaming.

Choi Jeongyeon was protected by her brother and kept complaining to him. Lisa Lim was restricted by Bambam's arms, telling him the whole story. Only Rose Jang had no one to rely on, so she just stood there wordlessly.

Choi Jeongyeon and Lisa Lim finished speaking at the same time, so Choi Jeongyeon's brother and Bambam spoke to each other at the same time without any hesitation.

"Hanbin, make your girlfriend apologize to my sister!"

"Youngjae, make your sister apologize to my girlfriend!"

In the next second, Choi Jeongyeon's brother and Bambam, as if they had rehearsed the conversation before, said at the same time, "No way!"

This time, they said the same words in the same tone, leaving no room for discussion.

They were friends who had always hung out together, so it would be a pity if they became hostile to each other because of that. Someone stood out to settle the dispute.

Choi Jeongyeon felt resentful about them fighting alone, so when someone said to settle it peacefully, Lisa Lim remained silent, but Choi Jeongyeon took a bottle from the table and threw it to the ground, saying, "Don't even think about it!"

Perhaps because Choi Jeongyeon still liked Bambam and didn't want to be hated by him, she said something to her brother after being persuaded by the mediator, then her brother pointed at Rosè Jang , saying, "If she apologizes, it'll be over."

Before Rose Jang could respond, Lisa Lim immediately left Bambam's arms, and said to Choi  angrily, "Don't go too far! Choi Jeongyeon, I'm telling you, this is between us, don't get—"

Before Lisa Lim had finished her words, someone grasped Rose Jang's wrist and pulled her in front of Choi Jeongyeon, then put a glass in her hand.

Rosè Jang, confused by the sudden actions, turned her head and looked at the person who was grasping her wrist.

It was Park Jimin! He had never said a word or looked up, but had been smoking since she entered the room.

With a cigarette in his mouth, he took a bottle of spirits, unscrewed the cap, and poured it into the glass that he had just put into Rosè Jang's hand