Contract Marriage with Memory Loss on Top - Chapter 72

“It’s all done. It didn’t hurt, right?”

“Not at all. Why were you trembling so much when you were doing well?”

“You never know.”

Sweat had soaked his palms in that brief moment.

“Looking at it, the wound is quite large. Will it heal well without leaving a scar?”

“It’s torn more cleanly than expected, so you don’t have to worry about scars. Above all, my recovery ability is good.”

Indeed, that might be the case. Ki-won was a dominant alpha. Dominants not only had good physical strength but also had better recovery ability compared to recessives or betas. Knowing that Ki-won’s answer was true, Yeon-woo decided to let go of his concern about scars. Even if a mark was left deeply where new flesh had grown due to really bad luck, it would be fine with a few scar treatments.

Yeon-woo, feeling proud as if he had accomplished a big task, opened the bathroom door to change his clothes.

“We’re leaving now, right?”

“Yes, I think it’s about time to go.”

“I’ll change quickly and come out!”

Ki-won, who was quietly observing Yeon-woo’s hurried back, began to leisurely clear the table where he had been working. Even though he could take his time, there were sounds of commotion coming from the bathroom. He might get hurt like that. Ki-won let out a small breath and left the bedroom.

***

Ki-won’s family home was not very far from the apartment they currently lived in. After about 10 minutes of driving, an area with numerous country houses began to appear, and when they were almost there, the speed of the moving vehicle gradually decreased.

“Hyung, you’re going to speak casually now, right?”

Instead of answering, Ki-won intently observed Yeon-woo sitting next to him. Yeon-woo was looking up at Ki-won with eyes full of anticipation. He felt uncomfortable and awkward hearing formal speech, and he had a look as if he was finally liberated.

“You said the memory loss is a secret!”

Yeon-woo’s explanation followed, saying that if his parents saw Ki-won, who had been speaking casually until now, using formal speech, they would find it strange.

“Do you like it that much when I speak casually?”

“Formal speech feels like keeping a distance. It’s also awkward.”

“That’s too bad.”

“What is?”

“The fact that I won’t be able to see Mr. Seo Yeon-woo flinching every time I use formal speech.”

“Were you teasing me because my reaction was funny?”

Yeon-woo pouted his lips and sent a sulky look. Ki-won had a tendency to be slightly mischievous.

“Then should I do this from now on? Yeon-woo-ya.”

As the vehicle gently stopped in front of the house, Ki-won asked in a low voice. Yeon-woo held his breath for a moment at the feeling of his heart sinking. The affectionate tone and manner of speaking were so identical to Ki-won before he lost his memory that Yeon-woo, who was suddenly choked up, moved his lips.

“I thought you would like it, but it’s bland.”

Ki-won, shrugging his shoulders, personally unfastened Yeon-woo’s seat belt, telling him to get out quickly.

“I was just too surprised…”

“Huh?”

“It just changed from formal to casual speech… That difference was big for me. My heart is beating so fast.”

The heart that had sunk with a thud was not only coming to its senses but also accelerating rapidly, beating loudly. Yeon-woo, who touched his chest as if rubbing it, gradually brightened his complexion. Yeon-woo added with a bright expression.

“You’ll keep speaking casually like this from now on, right?”

It was a request to keep speaking comfortably, not just a one-time manner of speaking used at his family home.

“How could I refuse if it’s what you want?”

He had refused like a green frog before. Fortunately, this time he readily accepted the request. Yeon-woo slightly lifted his light feet and got out of the car. Although he hadn’t visited many times, Ki-won’s family home was a place where his mouth would always drop open.

The well-maintained lawn was so pleasing to the eyes that it was a shame to step on it, and the exterior of the house was so beautiful that the word “splendid” seemed to fit. As expected, chaebol families were different. The wall felt so big that he didn’t even feel the emotion of envy.

The front door opened at the right timing, and the caretaker appeared. This person is still here as a live-in employee. Perhaps it was because the image of him kindly talking to Yeon-woo, who was nervous in the unfamiliar environment, and giving him warm tea was imprinted in his mind. Yeon-woo recognized that the employee was the same person he had met half a year ago when he visited and showed a welcoming look.

‘They are really good people.’

Ki-won’s parents and even the people employed to work in that house all had good personalities. In most cases, the image of chaebols in dramas was just superficial, but this family broke that prejudice.

“Welcome, you’re here at the right time.”

“Hello.”

The two of them entered and followed the employee. As they took steps, Ki-won’s gaze was felt so intensely that the side of Yeon-woo’s face tingled. He was probably watching to help if Yeon-woo felt uncomfortable or awkward, but it was a gaze that felt like overprotection to the point of being amusing.

“Where are Father and Mother?”

“The chairman is out for a bit, and Madam is in the kitchen.”

“In the kitchen?”

Ki-won asked again as if he had heard something unbelievable. There would be no reason to go to the kitchen since the hired staff would prepare the food, so it seemed absurd that she was there.

“By the way, the young lady said she would also stop by today.”

Shouldn’t we go and greet Mother? Yeon-woo’s toes wriggled as he listened to the conversation between the two. He wanted to greet her quickly, but Ki-won was busy talking with the employee, so he was conscious of him. He tried to wait for the conversation to end, but Yeon-woo’s patience was short.

As if he was gradually moving away from Ki-won and the employee, Yeon-woo walked briskly towards the kitchen. He felt that his heart would be at ease if he greeted the elder of the house quickly.

“Did you do as I said?”

As he got close enough to see the inside of the kitchen, Hwa-ran’s voice began to be heard. She was examining the side dishes laid out on the dining table as if checking something.

“Oh my, what is this?”

Just as Yeon-woo was about to cross the threshold of the kitchen, Hwa-ran frowned and picked up a dish. At a glance, it looked like butter-grilled lobster. Yeon-woo retreated his steps that were about to approach and observed the atmosphere. He couldn’t readily approach because irritation was etched on Mrs. Lim’s face. Did he choose the wrong timing?

“I told you not to put out crustaceans. I said to be careful because Yeon-woo has an allergy…!”

“Ah, I’m sorry. The staff must have been in a hurry to prepare and got confused, using the ingredients prepared for tomorrow’s dinner.”

“Oh my goodness, there’s even marinated crab. Manager Cha, what if I hadn’t seen this? Our Yeon-woo would have been disappointed.”

Mrs. Lim got furiously angry, saying what if a misunderstanding arose that they didn’t consider the person eating together, even though it would be fine if he didn’t eat it. Yeon-woo, who was watching this scene, could only blink his large, rabbit-like eyes repeatedly.

‘Crustacean allergy…?’

Yeon-woo tilted his head at the conversation coming from the kitchen. Mrs. Lim was convinced that he had a crustacean allergy. Yeon-woo couldn’t help but fill that attitude with question marks. It was because he didn’t have a crustacean allergy. It wasn’t even a mix-up with another allergy, as Yeon-woo had never mentioned having an allergy to his family members.

‘What’s going on?’

Yeon-woo stood dumbfounded, unable to move his legs, not knowing how to react to the situation.

“Dear!”

It was Hwa-ran who discovered Yeon-woo like that. Mrs. Lim, who had been filled with irritation, smiled brightly as if nothing had happened and approached Yeon-woo.

“When did you arrive? But why are you standing there? Your legs must hurt, sit on the sofa. Where’s Ki-won?”

Even though they had met a few hours ago, her face overflowed with a welcoming look. Yeon-woo couldn’t easily move even at her words to sit down while lightly tapping his shoulder. The curiosity that had arisen was too great to let it pass without resolving the question that came to mind.

“Hello. We arrived a little while ago. Hyung is currently in the living room talking with an employee. I came to greet you first, but…”

“Is that so? This kid Ki-won, what is he doing instead of taking care of his bride first? Dinner will be ready soon, so stay with Ki-won.”

“Yes, but Mother.”

“Yes?”

Hwa-ran, who was about to return to the kitchen, stopped in her tracks and turned around at Yeon-woo’s call.

“I overheard the conversation in the kitchen just now.”

Mrs. Lim nodded her head briefly, telling him to go ahead and speak.

“What do you mean by crustacean allergy?”

“Ah, I told the aunties not to put out crustaceans, but they forgot about it. I told them well, so you don’t have to worry.”

“No… that’s not it.”

Yeon-woo paused for a moment and spoke again.

“I… don’t have a crustacean allergy?”