Page 112 of Perfect Happiness
Eun-ho summarized in his head what Wife had said up till now.She got pissed because her sister brought Jiyoo lunch; she got angry because Jiyoo lied about it; and she was pushed over the edge because Eun-ho showed up at the worst time possible.She blamed the three of them for making her look like a crazy bitch.This was always how Wife defended herself.
“But after I thought about it, I was so moved by your heroic gesture that I thought we should celebrate over drinks.You understand how I feel, don’t you?”
Instead of answering, Eun-ho just finished his drink.The alcohol warmed his throat as it trickled down toward his stomach.
“But it looks like you drank a bit today, too.”
“A little.”Eun-ho’s voice dried up at the back of his throat.
“With whom?”
Eun-ho knew if he said Jinu, they would get into another fight.He could say he had drinks with a friend from work or college, but would she believe that?
Eun-ho suddenly felt disgusted by his own thought process.He was still walking on eggshells around her, despite knowing what Wife had done to achieve happiness, despite being convinced she had killed Noah, despite his only purpose for coming home was to know the truth.
“With whom did you drink, Eun-ho?”
“Jinu.”
“Jinu?I thought you promised me you wouldn’t talk to him anymore.”
He had promised that.He had only promised that because at the time, he was desperately trying to prove his devotion to Wife.He didn’t know the true reason she didn’t like Jinu.Eun-ho turned to look at the ice remaining in his glass.He hoped the ice could extinguish the fire raging inside his belly.
“Jinu’s my friend.And he was my only friend to stay by my side during Noah’s funeral.”
“Oh, right.I forgot.He’s your friend.”
Wife slowly nodded up and down.The ice jostled inside the glass to the beat of her nodding.
“So what did you talk about when you met your great friend Jinu?Did you talk about your controlling bitch of a wife?”
Eun-ho looked up and locked eyes with Wife, whose pupils were watching him like a hawk.The tipsy look in her eyes from when she first entered the room had vanished without a trace.
“I just wanted to vent a little.”
“Is that all you did?”Wife asked as she brought her eyes up to Eun-ho’s face, as if she could detect lies just by looking deep into his eyes.“Vent?”
Eun-ho averted his eyes as he changed the subject.
“Did you call those detectives back?The ones from Seodaemun Police Department?”
“What does that have to do with Jinu?”
Eun-ho figured he might as well push her a bit further while he was at it.
“Those detectives keep calling me and asking me all sorts of questions.”
“What kind of questions?”
“Well, they really want to know if you were home on November 16.”
Wife brought her head back to its original position and looked at Eun-ho out of the corner of her eye, as if to say,Keep going, I dare you.
“And actually, I’ve been wondering the same thing.Where were you those five days?”
“You weren’t wondering, don’t lie.”
A grin formed on her lips.
