Chapter 12-3
by Han Yong-un · 2026-08-25
Dae-cheol tried to lift his head.
“Tsk tsk, what are you trying to do like this?”
Sun-young carefully lifted him up, embracing him with both arms.
However, since Dae-cheol couldn't stabilize his body, Sun-young sat there holding him.
“Oh dear, I'm going to die.”
Dae-cheol mumbled, his head drooping, relying only on Sun-young.
“Which part of this tangled story should I start with?”
Then he moved his body slightly and tried to turn his head towards Sun-young.
“Honey.”
“Yes?”
“I won't make it through dinner tonight.”
“Why are you saying such things? Why would you die?”
“No. No matter how out of it I am, I know. I can't last a few hours.”
“But I have something to say.”
“Even if you say something, it won't be good.”
“I've committed many sins in my life, and among them, I've sinned even more against you.”
“You should just say such things and die.”
He swallowed and calmed down a bit before calling out again.
“Hello.”
“Yes?”
“Haven't you and I been living as a couple for over ten years?”
“That's right.”
Sun-young decided to just listen to Dae-cheol's words, whether they were right or wrong.
“But do you know what kind of person I am?”
“Of course I know.”
“No, you don't know.”
“You not only don't know where I came from and what I've done, but you don't even know my name.”
Sun-young was taken aback by the fact that he didn't even know his name and stared at Dae-cheol's face in silence.
“I originally don't have the surname Kim.”
“Then what is it? If it's not Kim.”
Sun-young was even more surprised.
“My surname is Gang.”
“I sometimes acted as if I were from the Kim family, but usually, I acted as if I were from the Gang family.”
“When we registered our marriage, it was under the Gang surname, so it's listed as Gang in the family register.”
“Besides, I acted as Kim, so you didn't know my surname until now.”
Then he sighed.
Sun-young was just listening.
“The reason I hid my name is that I committed many sins and had to avoid people.”
“The sins I committed are too many to mention, but to summarize, I committed fraud, embezzlement, and adultery.”
“Besides that, I did many bad things and was always on the run.”
“Hoo... What can I say when I'm about to die?”
“And I must tell you all the sins I've committed in my lifetime before I die. Oh dear...”
“And I am originally from Jeongpyeong in South Hamgyong Province.”
“However, anyone who knows me thinks I am from Wonsan; very few know I am from Jeongpyeong.”
“And you call me your benefactor.”
“Well, since I saved you from drowning, it makes sense to consider me a benefactor.”
“But you thought of me as a noble and excellent person, even marrying me,”
“and now you are still taking care of me, despite the suffering I’ve endured and the state I’m in, aren’t you?”
“So let me tell you the story of how I saved you. Hoo...”
While he took a breath, Sun-young tried to focus and listen.
“I am originally a good swimmer.”
“At that time, there were some people on the boat who knew I was a good swimmer.”
“Just then, you fell overboard, and since there was no one else to save you, some people urged me to rescue you.”
“But I didn't listen. I said there was no need to struggle without reason.”
“As I was struggling and saying I didn't want to be saved like that, there was a female monk from Jeongpyeong Hwanhisa present.”
“She was someone I had a slight acquaintance with.”
“Even when that female monk came and urged me to save you, I did not listen.”
“Then, right there, she offered thirty won, saying that she would give that money to anyone who saved you, and kept urging me.”
“So, I was tempted by that thirty won and saved you.”
“After I saved you, that female monk gave me thirty won and, saying I worked hard, she gave me an additional five won.”
“So, even if I saved you, I cannot be called a benefactor, and the talk of righteousness and greatness is not fitting.”
“If I speak of the motive for saving you, it is nothing but a disgraceful, foolish act.”
“If it weren't for that female monk, you would have become a water ghost.”
“Your benefactor and the righteous and great person is truly that female monk. Oh, I could die...”
“Now, let me tell you about marrying you.”
“Since you decided to marry me to repay your kindness, if I had just my own thoughts, we would have surely been married.”
“However, my intention in marrying you was not truly because I wanted to take you as my wife.”
“It was because I heard you had some savings at that time, and I wanted to eat into that.”
“Even back then and until now, you think I am mining gold, but what kind of gold mining is that?”
“I am a person who has never even been near a gold mine.”
“Back then, I took all your money as much as I could, saying I was applying for a gold mine,”
“and afterwards, didn't I scrape even a penny of your sewing wages saying I was doing gold mining?”
“I am that kind of person.”
“And as for the matter of our divorce, the woman named Nan-hyang came earlier and told you everything, so there is nothing more to say.”
“That woman was so out of her mind that she couldn't tell you all my actions.”
“Among all the sins I have committed, I have sinned against you without saying a word until now,”
“and instead, I have been causing you this suffering.”
“I would deserve to die ten times over.”
“If I were to be reborn, I would want to become a good person with a kind heart, but everything is too late.”
“I wish you would say just a little more……”