Immaturity
“There are rumors going around at school.”
The clinking sound of dishes stopped at Seo Eunho’s words. He’d stopped by the house at his father’s insistence, but today too, his father wasn’t here—only the woman.
It was an expected situation, so Seo Eunho wasn’t flustered. Rather, he was getting used to it by now.
“What rumors?”
Communication between the two was generally one-sided, so the woman seemed happy that Seo Eunho had spoken up at all.
She even seemed somewhat excited. Well. Was she really excited, or just making it look that way?
“Rumors that I’m doing compensated dating and making money.”
His tone continued indifferently, as if either way didn’t matter. At that moment, Seo Eunho saw the woman’s face furrow slightly. He still didn’t even know the woman’s name, and he had no intention of finding out in the future either. So he couldn’t be certain whether that expression was fake or not. The woman was untrustworthy. The only thing certain was that after the rumors spread, things had gotten noisier and noisier, and it was this woman’s fault.
“Ah… Is it because of me?”
Seo Eunho nodded toward the woman who was showing a flustered demeanor.
“Yes. So I’d prefer if we didn’t run into each other outside.”
Honestly, it was about time to ignore his father’s calls. What was so good about a meal where the person who actually called him wasn’t even there that made him come every time?
However, when he ignored them like that, the woman would always come looking for Seo Eunho once. It wasn’t right in front of the school yet, but the distance was gradually getting closer.
It almost felt like blackmail.
Did she really not know? Wasn’t she trying to make things difficult for him when he didn’t respond to the calls? Or was she an adult childish enough not to understand even that much?
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know such rumors would spread.”
Seo Eunho didn’t answer. He’d never intended to verify that in the first place. He just didn’t know what she wanted, but he only wanted to tell her to stop.
His appetite completely disappeared. He wasn’t normally the type to refuse food, but the warm rice he ate in this house felt so foreign that it never went down his throat smoothly.
Just coming to this house killed his appetite for the whole day. The food wasn’t even bad, so it was quite strange.
“I just like you, and I wanted to get a little closer.”
As if telling him to focus on her, the woman raised her voice slightly. Seo Eunho put down his spoon entirely and stared at her.
“You know, I’m really happy that you’re becoming my son. So I guess I got too excited. I’m sorry for making you hear such rumors.”
He’d thought this from the first time he met her, but it was such an absurd idea. No one would feel her words were sincere.
“From now on, I’ll be careful—”
Bang!
Seo Eunho’s face, which had been about to nod roughly, shot up. So did the woman’s. Someone had opened the door roughly and barged into the house.
It was his father. Seo Eunho wasn’t pleased that he’d entered. It was also funny that even though he’d come to this house because his father had called him, his face twisted the moment they actually came face to face.
“Did you have a good day?”
That was because his father’s condition wasn’t good at all. Anyone could see he was in a foul mood. As a child, Seo Eunho had been so afraid of that face of his father’s. Of course he had been—every time he came back with that expression, his mother had to become the target of his anger.
“Are you okay, honey?”
The term of address had changed already. Seo Eunho instinctively stood up and tried to go near the woman. No matter how unpleasant a person was, he had no intention of just pretending not to notice.
“Your husband gets ignored outside, and you’re just leisurely stuffing your face?”
Seo Eunho took a step forward with a crumpled face. But he couldn’t get closer to his father because the woman blocked between them.
While he was flustered by the unexpected situation, the woman spoke in a voice full of laughter.
“Oh my. Seeing how you’re in a bad mood, it must not have gone well. I was worried because they said he was an uneducated person. Don’t worry too much about it. More importantly, I have good news?”
“Good news?”
“I got a call from President Kim saying he’d invest. He said he contacted you first—did you not see it?”
“Really? He called?”
His father hurriedly fumbled through his pockets, the ominous energy from just moments ago gone somewhere. Then he smiled brightly, as if he’d confirmed the contact he’d wanted.
What are they doing?
Having somehow become invisible between them, Seo Eunho stood there obediently with a suspicious face. What they were saying grated on him.
“Anyway! A man needs to have that kind of guts. What kind of person is Director Jang to be so negative?”
“Oh my. Director Jang said that? I thought he had a good eye for things…”
“That’s what I’m saying. Ha, anyway, you’re the one who has it rough, dear. Taking care of meals for a guy who just wanders around outside. Does he properly thank you?”
His father’s gaze turned to Seo Eunho. With a face full of annoyance, he definitely didn’t seem to be welcoming him.
He knew it was the woman who kept calling him, but there was no need to confirm it like this.
“What are you doing?”
Seo Eunho asked with a tilt of his head. Naturally, his tone wasn’t very friendly.
“I’d prefer if whatever it is doesn’t affect me. It’s not like that, is it?”
His following question even carried hostility.
“This bastard, is that something to say right now…!”
Seo Eunho’s attitude provoked his father’s anger. His face, which had briefly shown color, twisted violently.
But it was a reasonable suspicion. President Kim, Director Jang—was his father the kind of person who had the capacity to meet such people? Moreover, this woman seemed to be deeply involved in whatever his father was doing.
Maybe she was using his father. No, wasn’t that the only possibility? When he thought about it that way, it made sense from the beginning. There was no reason for this woman to stick to his father, who had nothing.
“Honey!”
Crash!
His father suddenly threw a plate that had been on the table. The shattering sound rang out loudly. Fortunately it didn’t hit him, but anger surged up in an instant.
“Just because your head got big, you don’t know to fear your father and spout dog-like nonsense?”
“I’m just asking because I’m curious. It’s reasonable to be scared I might have to take responsibility for what Father does, isn’t it?”
“Seo Eunho!”
“No, honey. Eunho’s right. He could worry about that. Right? You’ve never explained it.”
If he hit him, he’d dodge, and if it was unfair, he’d planned to hit back himself. It was funny to think this way, but it was because he had Tae Shinwoo, who could be both backing and money. Even if the guy wasn’t actually that helpful, just having someone who would be on his side made him feel at ease.
He’d look out for him. He’d worry about him too. Ah, is that a bit much?
A shitty thought unfitting for the situation came to mind. He wanted to see Tae Shinwoo. He really shouldn’t have come to this house. He’d said what he needed to say, so the resolve to never come to this place again followed.
“Calm down. Eunho, you don’t need to worry either. Your father is doing business. It’ll definitely go well. There’s no way this business won’t succeed.”
Fraud.
Seo Eunho shook his head without giving any answer.
“Yeah, even if something goes wrong, these days just because a father has debt doesn’t mean the children inherit it all. It’s well established legally. Does that reassure you now?”
“Why are you making such excuses? A guy like that just needs to get beaten to learn his lesson…!”
“Honey. Break your habit of raising your hand recklessly. Can someone who’s going to be a president act so hot-tempered? Hmm?”
He couldn’t watch anymore. Seo Eunho turned around sharply. He didn’t want to stay in this house any longer. No, he just didn’t want to come back.
He should go see Tae Shinwoo. If he went home, Tae Shinwoo would be there. Home. Right, his home wasn’t here but there. He had to go back home.
Leaving behind the furious voice, Seo Eunho walked quickly. When he exited the narrow alley, his walk became so fast he even ran.
“Why are you running like that?”
But Seo Eunho soon stopped running. Tae Shinwoo, whom he’d been dying to see right now, who shouldn’t be here, was leaning against the wall.
“You… what are you doing here?”
It was puzzling and yet in the midst of that, he was happy. Seo Eunho quickly approached him. Tae Shinwoo smiled with his eyes creased and touched Seo Eunho’s hair. Unlike usual, Seo Eunho didn’t show any resistance.
“I came to pick you up.”
It was such a ridiculous reason that Seo Eunho immediately burst into laughter.
“Let’s go.”
Tae Shinwoo held out his hand to Seo Eunho. Seo Eunho lightly batted that hand away and walked ahead. The smile didn’t leave his lips. This was probably the first time he’d walked through this alley smiling like this.
Sajang (사장) – President/Company president (title)
Sangmu (상무) – Director/Executive director (title)
