# Chapter 11
“But, go with Secretary Han Woojin.”
This is like being rudely awakened from a dream. Go with Han Woojin? Absolutely not.
Han Woojin is someone I only need when I’m in Korea. If I’m going to America, that’s a different story. Naturally, I want to live quietly alone in America, without anyone’s interference.
“Chairman, that’s fine with me, but in this case, I think Secretary Han’s opinion is more important.”
I absolutely have no intention of going together, but since I can’t dare say no, I threw Han Woojin under the bus. If Han Woojin has any sense, he wouldn’t follow Cha Jaehyun all the way to America.
“Huh, since when did you start thinking about Han’s secretary like that? You’re saying many surprising things today.”
Chairman Cha Taesan frowned with a puzzled expression.
“Father, I’ll look into this matter with Secretary Han.”
Cha Taehan suddenly interjected into the conversation. Hey, why are you butting in all of a sudden? The thought of possibly having to go to America with Han Woojin made me feel uneasy.
“Do that. And Cha Jaehyun, come live at the main house briefly before you depart. Since you’re leaving soon, you’ll move in starting tomorrow.”
What is this now? He keeps dropping bombshells.
“Yes, Chairman.”
“Let’s end our meal now.”
As soon as he said to finish the meal, Cha Taehan’s family all stood up at once and left with the Chairman.
I was left alone again in an instant, bombarded by Chairman Cha Taesan’s explosive statements. It feels like I’m being ostracized, but then they’re asking me to come home… It’s a confusing situation. Still, I was relieved the dinner ended without incident. I should text Han Woojin.
[Dinner just ended. Let’s meet on the first floor.]
After texting, I went down to the lobby alone.
“Ah!”
As I was walking with light steps, thinking I had overcome a major hurdle, someone grabbed my shoulder forcefully.
The grip was so strong that in that brief moment, considerable pain shot through my shoulder. When I turned around, it was Cha Taehan.
Here it comes. Cha Taehan’s confrontation has begun.
“Executive Director, what can I do for you?”
My heart shrank, but outwardly I maintained a nonchalant, sly expression. Please leave. Please just go your own way.
“What are you plotting?”
“Executive Director, what do you mean?”
What plotting? I guess it’s because I suddenly said I’m going to study abroad. He really has a lot to be upset about.
“Haha, are you referring to my studying in America? As the Chairman said, I think I’ve been living too carelessly. It’s a decision I made to reflect on myself and study.”
I made up an excuse. This should be enough for him to understand.
“You cancer of a bastard. You know yourself that your worthless brain is useless no matter how hard you try to use it, right? I don’t know what you’re plotting, but you’d better be careful.”
The people in this family clearly all have twisted personalities. All I said was that I want to go to America, and they’re suspecting me of plotting something. Cha Taehan surely knows that Cha Jaehyun isn’t smart enough to scheme any strategies.
“Executive Director, it makes me very upset when you talk like that. What could someone like me possibly be plotting? There’s nothing like that at all. I will behave properly so as not to bring shame to Daejin Group.”
I responded to Cha Taehan, trying my best to appear as innocent as a lamb.
“Shameless bastard.”
He suddenly cursed, grabbed my collar once with a smack, then let go and left. I’m glad this situation ended with just one collar grab.
Scary. How tall is that person anyway? Seeing him up close, he easily seemed over 190cm. Even though Cha Jaehyun isn’t short by any means, that man seemed at least a hand span taller than me. To think I have to live under the same roof as someone like him starting tomorrow. My head was throbbing.
Anyway, suddenly telling me to come home. Indeed, nothing in this world is easy. After treating me like I was invisible throughout dinner, why is he asking me to come home? He’s an old man whose intentions are impossible to read.
‘Surely I won’t have to get beaten by Cha Taehan before going to America, right?’
I suddenly remembered a scene from the novel where Cha Jaehyun gets beaten to a pulp by Cha Taesan. Surely I don’t have to get beaten to a pulp before going to America? Already, I felt like something was hurting. I need to avoid running into Cha Taehan as much as possible…
“Young Master, did you finish your meal well?”
Without me noticing, Han Woojin had driven the car right up to me.
“Let’s go straight home.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“I’m moving to the main house tomorrow, so prepare for that.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“I’m going to America in two weeks. I’ll be away for quite a long time. This was decided at dinner tonight. The Chairman said Secretary Han should accompany me, but this matter seems entirely dependent on your opinion, so think about it.”
“Yes, Young Master. Understood.”
Han Woojin. You absolutely won’t come with me, right? I really hope such an unfortunate event doesn’t happen.
* * *
“Then I’ll give you a card, so eat separately. Text me when you’re about to finish your meal.”
Woojin couldn’t believe his ears at Jaehyun’s words. Could such words really come from Cha Jaehyun’s mouth? He’s telling me to eat a meal? Even if the sun were to rise in the west, he thought such a thing would never happen.
“Good work. You can go now.”
Now he’s even telling me I did a good job. After dropping Jaehyun off for dinner, Woojin finally decided to accept this bizarre, impossible situation.
According to him, he had suffered a serious head injury. But after the injury, he completely changed as a person. Can a person change that much from a head injury? It was as if he had become a different personality altogether.
On the first day, his changed attitude only amplified feelings of irritation and disillusionment. What strange thing would he do with what kind of intention today? When would today’s bombshell drop?
But the calm situation continued unusually long. This had never happened since he started working as Jaehyun’s secretary. As the non-routine situation continued longer than expected, new worries began to emerge.
“I’m going to America in two weeks.”
What he said after finishing dinner was even more unbelievable. Going to America? That’s nonsense. Just last month, he was on his knees, crying crocodile tears before Chairman Cha Taesan’s wrath, begging to let him stay in Korea. Although they were crocodile tears, seeing him tremble and grovel before the Chairman had been gratifying to watch.
And now, out of nowhere, he’s going to America. Moreover, I might have to accompany him. Regardless of whether Jaehyun had changed, he naturally hated the idea. Having to set foot on foreign soil alone with that son of a bitch? He’d rather be told to die. But he was already contracted to Cha Taehan. He knew his own opinion didn’t matter.
‘Could that idiot have found out about my relationship with Cha Taehan?’
Cha Jaehyun is very afraid of Cha Taehan. If he knew about the relationship between Cha Taehan and himself, even with his stupid brain, he would have made some kind of plan. But how could that idiot know? Cha Jaehyun might be a son of a bitch, but he was the most simple-minded person Woojin had ever met.
A 4-year contract. Just under 2 years left in the contract period. Woojin felt greatly confused by Jaehyun’s change. The perceptive Cha Taehan must have surely detected that something was off about Cha Jaehyun at tonight’s dinner.
‘Why has that bastard changed so much?’
Cha Jaehyun, who caused trouble like a mad dog every day. Whatever the reason, it was clearly not with pure intentions. People don’t change like that simply from hitting their head. That excuse was merely a smokescreen. Woojin felt as if he was caught in the calm before a storm, unable to see even an inch ahead.
* * *
I rushed to the main house at the crack of dawn at the Chairman’s summons. I heard I was to come to the main house, but I didn’t know I had to come this early in the morning.
[Come to the house by 6 AM tomorrow]
Because of that short text received late the previous evening, I hastily packed my bags from dawn and hurried to the main house.
The impression of Cha Taesan I saw at dinner was more formidable than expected. To survive in this world, I instinctively felt that I must never go against that old man’s mood. With the thought that I shouldn’t be even one minute late to the Chairman’s summons, I literally spent the night before tossing and turning.
‘What? Is this really a place where people live?’
The main house I arrived at after thinking about various things. I was completely shocked at the view of the main house. Whatever I expected, it was beyond that. Such a palace-like space in the heart of Seoul. The enormous single-family home before my eyes. I was overwhelmed by its immensity.
‘So I have to endure here for two weeks?’
It’s a house where I can experience a modern-day aristocratic life for two weeks, except for the ostracism. The problem is that Cha Taesan and Cha Taehan are in this house.
‘I can do this, right? No, I must do this well.’
If I just keep my wits about me and endure for two weeks, I can go to America. I’ve almost reached my goal. With determination firmly in mind, I entered the front door.
“Young Master, hello. I’ll show you to your room.”
As soon as I entered, a woman in uniform greeted me cheerfully, took my luggage, and naturally guided me toward the room.
After walking for quite some time, my room finally appeared. Is this just my feeling? I felt like I was being pushed to a corner of the house. Is it because I’m being ostracized?
‘The room is really nice, but I don’t feel great about this.’
After the female employee left, I started unpacking my luggage one by one. There was a large window on one side of the wall. I thought it would be a very elegant room when the sun comes up later and sunlight streams in.
After organizing my belongings to some extent, I lay down on the bed to rest. Still, thinking that tucking me away in such a corner would naturally reduce situations where I’d be noticeable, my mind relaxed considerably.
“Young Master, it’s time for a meal.”
How long had I rested? There was a knock from outside.
Is this the second confrontation? I got up from the bed with determination. Although I had no reputation left to lose, I thought that I absolutely must not act in a way that would make me disliked by those two for the next two weeks.
