when the phone rings novel
Hee-joo stayed in the hospital for two more days before requesting to be discharged. Although her body still ached faintly, she didn't have any fractures and was feeling restless being confined in the hospital.
'The truth is...'
Ever since that strange, unsettling call, her heart had felt heavy, as if weighed down by a stone.
"Is this all your luggage?" Baek Sa-eon asked, carrying her bag.
He hadn't been pleased about her early discharge, but after reading her message, "I feel suffocated and lonely staying here all by myself," his attitude suddenly softened.
He also knew—during her entire stay at the hospital, not a single family member had come to visit her.
"Rest well at home. I'll be back as soon as possible."
"...!"
Where is he going?
Hee-joo stared at him nervously. Noticing her expression, he added casually, "My grandfather's memorial."
Oh...
Her eyes widened in an instant.
The memorial for the late Baek Jang-ho, the man who had done everything except serve as the president.
Baek Jang-ho had been Baek Sa-eon's grandfather, a revered figure referred to as the "Crown Prince" since childhood. Ever since entering the Blue House, Baek Sa-eon had only ever broken his routine to attend this one family tradition.
Every time he participated in the memorial as the eldest grandson, the event would be caught on camera—a display of tradition and honor.
Great families like theirs weren't built in a single generation.
The first generation had served as Vice President, laying the family's foundation.
The second had become a political giant.
The third had been elected to Parliament four times, becoming a formidable presidential candidate.
Now, the fourth—Baek Sa-eon, young and capable—continued the legacy.
'I want to go too.'
She sent him a message.
Baek Sa-eon raised an eyebrow.
Although she was his wife, Hee-joo had never attended the family memorials. Or rather, she had been explicitly excluded.
Every time she watched him leave for the event, his back turned away from her, she was reminded that she had never been fully accepted into his world.
[6:09 PM] I don't want to stay home alone.
This time, however, she was determined to stand her ground.
'He might agree this time.'
Through countless conversations over the years, she had come to understand him.
Whether out of a sense of duty toward his lawful wife, lingering childhood affection, or mere sympathy—she couldn't quite define his feelings toward her, but she knew he wasn't as cold as he appeared.
He had always been quietly aware of her.
"If you don't want to be alone—"
His calm gaze settled on her, making her feel uneasy.
Her brows furrowed momentarily, but she quickly regained composure, still unable to grasp his thoughts.
'How can someone with such an impassive expression make sounds like that... No, stop thinking about it!'
She quickly turned her head, trying to shake off the inappropriate thoughts creeping into her mind.
Then he tilted his head and asked, "Would it be better if we stayed together?"
"...!"
"In that case, I won't go."
Hee-joo blinked in surprise at his unexpected offer.
'No, no way...!'
She had intended to use the bustling family gathering to distract herself from her intrusive thoughts!
Moreover, if he ignored her outright at the memorial, it might help steady her wavering emotions.
'Him not going would ruin everything!'
[6:10 PM] No, I mean we should go together!
Baek Sa-eon squinted suspiciously at her message, pursing his lips. But when a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, Hee-joo felt as if she'd glimpsed something she shouldn't have. She quickly lowered her head, pretending not to notice.
His family home was bustling with activity.
The reason his family had become a political dynasty was because, centered around the late Baek Jang-ho, every relative had established themselves prominently in various fields.
From ambassadors to the U.S., governors, mayors, ministers of justice, prosecutors, to members of parliament—every family member had grown on the foundation Baek Jang-ho had laid. Even though he had been gone for years, he remained the heart of the family.
'Even though it was my idea to come...'
As all the relatives' attention shifted to Baek Sa-eon, Hee-joo's palms began to sweat.
At that moment, a familiar warmth tightly enveloped her fingers.
"...!"
His hand, intertwined with hers like the roots of a tree, gripped her firmly.
The seamless, unrelenting hold left her breathless.
"Hey, Baek Sa-eon!"
Her ears felt muffled, as if stuffed with cotton, and she couldn't make out the surrounding voices clearly. Even when cousins came to greet them or elders spoke to him, she could only stare blankly at the hand holding hers ever tighter.
The full contact sent her pulse racing.
"Oh, and this is...?"
Then, unfriendly gazes fell upon her.
She wasn't the biological daughter of The Mountain View Daily's owner, nor was she a stepdaughter worthy of note.
The faces of the family elders soured, as if their pride had been wounded. Their expressions, even with the most generous interpretation, couldn't be described as welcoming.
"At least greet us properly when you arrive...!"
"...!"
The sudden rebuke made Hee-joo's shoulders jolt.
"No matter how rushed the marriage was, she should have introduced herself to the family beforehand or made a courtesy call...!"
"You don't have to worry about that. Keep talking about whatever you were discussing," Baek Sa-eon interjected, his brow furrowed as he took a deliberate step forward.
"What did you just say...?"
The relatives froze for a moment, stunned by his response.
His low, steady voice carried an air of undeniable elegance.
"What did this rude brat just say...!"
"I don't make people do that."
"What?"
His cold gaze shifted toward the source of the remark.
Even a brief meeting of his eyes sent a ripple of discomfort through the group, accompanied by a few awkward coughs.
"When none of your children are forced to do such things, why would my wife be expected to?"
"You insolent brat! Do you not understand decorum or decency?!"
The elder's voice trembled with anger, but Baek Sa-eon remained unperturbed, his grip on Hee-joo's hand tightening protectively.
"Oh, decorum and propriety, is it?" Baek Sa-eon chuckled softly and nodded, his expression sharp.
"Those principles that people only bring up when they want to benefit for free."
His cold gaze flickered, like a cautionary yellow light.
"In this world, is there really such a thing as propriety? Put dogs and children together, and they create hierarchies, which are then manipulated through politics."
"...!"
"Uncle, what you really wanted was to use this moment to reaffirm the family's pecking order and assert your authority. Don't dress it up as propriety and righteousness."
His words cut like a blade, their edges leaving no room for rebuttal.
"If you want someone to reach out and greet you first, then you must first behave in a way that earns their goodwill. That's the natural order of things, and it's the responsibility of someone who expects such courtesies."
The elder's face alternated between shades of red and green, his frustration palpable.
"A phone call is also a form of power."
"...!"
Hee-joo nervously glanced around, her gaze flitting between the two.
Baek Sa-eon gently stroked the back of her hand, which was still tightly clasped in his.
"First, make yourself someone worth missing. Then wait patiently," he said, his voice unwavering.
Having completely turned the tables in the debate about familial respect, he led Hee-joo away without a backward glance.
Hee-joo followed reluctantly, her heart filled with apprehension.
'...Can this really end well?'
She had a bad feeling from the very start.
"Ah, you two came together?"
The scent of rich oil wafted through the air as they entered the kitchen.
Dressed in a black turtleneck and matching casual pants, Baek Sa-eon stood out starkly against the warm, bustling atmosphere.
His mother, Shim Gyu-jin, was busy at the stove, so engrossed in cooking that she hadn't even tied an apron. As expected, no one was helping her. Hee-joo didn't need to ask to know that her mother-in-law had likely chased everyone else out.
Grilled fish, meat skewers, beef patties, tofu fritters, assorted pancakes, stews, and more—a banquet of offerings filled every inch of the kitchen. Shim Gyu-jin had prepared everything herself, refusing any assistance, as was her infamous habit.
"Hee-joo's been discharged," Baek Sa-eon said.
"The potted flowers I sent to the hospital—did you get them?" his mother asked.
Hee-joo nodded quickly.
"You could've stayed in the hospital for a few more days. Why rush out so soon? Did Sa-eon mention the memorial and force you to leave early?"
Her mother-in-law's suspicious eyes darted toward her son. Hee-joo waved her hands dismissively, trying to deflect the tension.
"Auntie, do you really think Sa-eon would do such a thing?"
At that moment, her sister-in-law entered the room, holding a small dog in her arms. She stroked its fur absentmindedly and remarked, "The elders have been pestering to see their new niece-in-law. They've been so persistent, it's maddening. And yet, she hasn't shown even a single hair until now. This girl sure is stubborn."
The sister-in-law's gaze landed on Hee-joo.
"So why bring her along all of a sudden today? I'm curious."
"She didn't want to be alone," Baek Sa-eon replied coolly.
"What?"
The sister-in-law froze, her hand pausing mid-stroke on the dog.
"We couldn't bear to be apart, so we came together. Is there a problem?"
"Ah, no, no, that's not what I meant..."
The sister-in-law's face twisted, as though she had heard something utterly bizarre.
"Both you and Sa-eon are peculiar in the strangest ways," she muttered.
Their mother-in-law, Shim Gyu-jin, smiled faintly at her daughter-in-law's grumbling and said, "I don't trust anyone else to handle the offerings on the memorial table."
"Understood, understood," the sister-in-law replied.
Back in the days when women were expected to run households, Shim Gyu-jin had been supported by Baek Jang-ho himself to return to her studies. He had allowed her freedom to pursue her ambitions while cradling his eldest grandson in his arms with doting affection.
Just how spoiled had Baek Sa-eon been?
Every weekend, Baek Jang-ho had spent time with him, and until Sa-eon reached middle school, the man never let his grandson out of his sight, no matter the occasion.
During that time, rumors swirled that Baek Jang-ho had orchestrated a genius-level education for his grandson, bypassing the limitations of public schooling.
In both appearance and demeanor, as well as his bamboo-like resilience and political philosophy, Baek Sa-eon bore the closest resemblance to Baek Jang-ho.
The family often referred to him as Baek Jang-ho's masterpiece.
Naturally, this title made his direct-line uncles bristle every time they heard it.
"Sa-eon, let your wife learn from this," a relative said offhandedly while moving food for the memorial.