Page 91 of Perfect Happiness
“I just wanted to see how Jiyoo was doing.I missed her.”
Eun-ho turned his ear slightly toward her.He looked like he was genuinely trying to hear her.Because of this, Jane felt the strange obligation to explain more to him.
“I didn’t steal anything,” Jane said, trying to make a joke.“I just peeked inside.”
Jane’s poor attempt at humor didn’t get a laugh from Eun-ho.
“Please keep it a secret from Yuna.Don’t tell her you saw me here.I came here because I heard she wasn’t home.”
Eun-ho looked down at his sneakers and started nodding.Once, twice, five times, six times.He looked like he was prepared to keep nodding until tomorrow if she didn’t stop him.He looked like he was trying to find something to say.
But he didn’t need to say anything.And besides, she didn’t have time for this.Perhaps Eun-ho didn’t mind, since he was just a few steps away from his home, but Jane had someone to meet.And most importantly, she had to get out of here before Yuna came home.
“Well, I should get going,” Jane said.
Finally, Eun-ho stopped nodding and lifted his head.
“Wait, I have something to ask you.”
Jane waited for him to continue.
“From Tuesday of last week to Sunday morning, November 16 to the 21, was Yuna with you and your mother?”
Jane wanted to know why he was asking this question.If he didn’t have memory problems, he would remember Jane came here on Saturday morning specifically looking for Yuna.But since he asked, she might as well answer him.
“No.”
“What about before that?”
This question implied that Yuna regularly left the house.Did that mean she was making frequent trips to Woohyeri?
“If you’re asking if she stayed the night at our house before, then my answer is the same.”
“Not once?”
He seemed desperate for assurance.
“Never.”
A look flashed across his eyes.It was so fast that Jane couldn’t be sure, but it looked like a head nod.Either he was thinking to himself,I knew it, or he was thinking to himself,So, it’s true.Eun-ho stuck his hands in his pockets and looked down at his shoes again, as if his lines had been written on the nose of his sneakers.
Jane turned slightly toward the house.Despite it being daytime, she could tell that one of the three second-floor windows was lit.Jane couldn’t see through the thin curtains, but she could imagine Jiyoo crouching near the window ledge and peering down at them.She’d be nervous, wondering how her auntie was going to take care of this sticky situation.
“Then where was she?”Eun-ho finally asked.“As her sister, you must know.”
Jane turned back to look at him.This question didn’t make any sense to her.
“Eun-ho.Do you know what you’re implying?”
Eun-ho raised his eyebrows in surprise.He looked like he wanted to ask,Did I say something?
“You’re implying that I was lying, that I asked you where she was when I already knew where she was, that I’m scheming with her to fool you.”
Eun-ho dropped his head and drew air into his lungs through his teeth.She listened to the whistle of the air with suspicion.She thought he might start cursing at her.
“That’s not what I meant.”Eun-ho looked up as if he were looking for an excuse.“I just asked because I thought you might know something.You are family after all.”
They say couples develop similar personalities, and Eun-ho’s explanation sounded a lot like the way Yuna might ask,Why are you being so sensitive?
