“Is there anyone else as trustworthy as a son for a father’s work? Since it’s still just a foundational business, this is perfect for leading a project entirely from the beginning.”
No one expressed opposition. President Joo, who had asked back at the unexpected proposal, nodded, and Joo Seong-jin lowered his gaze halfway and sat down after standing up, smoothing out the wrinkles in his pants. Joo Won-ho, who had seemed dissatisfied throughout, also kept his mouth firmly shut and maintained only silence.
It was silent consent. If he’d just given him an important position—that is, a position like Bio Strategic Planning Director that was no different from designating an heir—trusting only late manifestation, it would have been noisy. But at the level of bio integration transfer oversight, it seemed acceptable. It was an opportunity to test his abilities with an important business, but there was no guarantee it would lead to an important position.
It was an excellent choice. The brief gathering ended with the request to support Kyung-heon with people or whatever he needed.
It was about time for everyone to greet and leave. Young was also about to follow Kyung-heon out when a gentle voice called his name.
“Young.”
It was Chairman Joo. At the unexpected summons, Young’s eyes widened as he turned to look at him.
“Let’s have a meal together sometime soon.”
Had he been recognized as an ally because he’d reported Kyung-heon’s manifestation news first as requested? Following the meal proposal, Chairman Joo even approached Young and patted his shoulder a couple times. The touch on his shoulder was somehow the complete opposite of his previous attitude of finding him disagreeable.
But he couldn’t sneer, ‘Oh my, remember when you were screaming about not allowing this marriage—.’ Young smiled amiably.
“Sounds good. Please contact me.”
***
The promise with Chairman Joo was “sometime soon,” but the meal with Kyung-heon was immediately. The two were sitting facing each other at the hotel restaurant where they’d first met.
The one who suggested the meal first, and the one who broke the ice in conversation first, was both Kyung-heon.
“Yesterday, you must have been very surprised. Are you okay?”
He still spoke with gaps interspersed here and there. But it was different. If those gaps had only felt like awkwardness before, now it was a manner of speaking that showed elegance accompanied by composure.
And what about those clear eyes looking at him gently? Every word, every face-to-face encounter. Life had returned to a face that had seemed burdened by everything. A face that had only been handsome even when completely blank now sparkled brilliantly.
Because of that, this time it was Young who showed a slow response.
‘Wow… he changes this much? Overnight?’
It was because he was admiring the clear difference. Belatedly snapping to attention, he started with a meaningless sound, “Ah.”
“I was surprised. I was surprised, and that level of pheromones was a first for me… Honestly, I went out because I was scared.”
Though he’d only answered truthfully. Somehow after saying it, it seemed like he was making excuses that he hadn’t meant to abandon him. Young needlessly touched his cheek.
“But, what about you, Kyung-heon? Are you okay? You seemed to be suffering a lot yesterday.”
The Kyung-heon Young was familiar with, when asked a question, would say “Ah… yes,” or would need several seconds to process the input value. But now, surprisingly, an answer flowed out immediately.
“I suffered a lot. I had a high fever too, and I didn’t know exactly where it hurt, but it was vaguely painful.”
His gaze, complexion, tone, and response speed. There was no way to hide his amazement as he encountered each changed aspect of Kyung-heon one by one. Young even put down the knife and fork in his hands and leaned his upper body over the table. Staring intently at Kyung-heon, his tilting face was quite serious.
“Do you know it yourself? Your behavior and way of speaking have all changed a lot. Do you feel the changes?”
At the question asked out of genuine curiosity, Kyung-heon chuckled. It was a laugh as small as a breath, but even this was equally surprising. The blank Kyung-heon had never laughed like this even once before.
So he had been widening his smooth eyes greatly. Kyung-heon calmly met his gaze.
“Of course, I know. I must feel it the most, more than anyone watching.”
As soon as the period fell, Young asked eagerly.
“How is it different? What feels different and how?”
He couldn’t help seeming excessive. Hadn’t he received someone at a bargain price for being blank, only to have oil suddenly gush out? How many people wouldn’t be excited in this situation? Young blinked his eyes wide and focused on Kyung-heon.
“The overall fatigue is gone, and most of all, my head is clear. Should I say it’s become lighter?”
“What was it like before?”
“It was stifling. I always felt like my head was full. And not well-organized either, but jumbled up. Not knowing the cause, I could only call it chronic headaches.”
“Ah….”
“There was no empty space, so when new information came in, it took a long time to organize it. Even when I thought of something, it took more time to put it into action.”
He understood the position of someone who had always been blank and took buffering time even to hear a single answer. Young nodded slowly.
“That must have been hard.”
“I didn’t even know it was hard. I was busy understanding what the question that just came in was and organizing my answer.”
Park-ssi tale. No, Joo-ssi tale or something like that, it seemed. Hadn’t a person been completely transformed in one go? Young kept marveling endlessly when he suddenly felt doubtful.
“Um… first, thank you for answering sincerely. But… what happens to our marriage then?”
“What do you mean…?”
“Honestly, you know. The only reason this happened with me was because you were a beta. But now you’ve become a more capable alpha than anyone, so wouldn’t your family’s feelings have changed?”
“Being capable is still an unproven fact…. And even if the family’s feelings changed, there would be many practical difficulties in undoing the marriage. It was our family’s first marriage, so there were many articles and many guests.”
It made sense. Wasn’t it already a marriage they’d pushed through while enduring criticism for joining hands with the underworld, blinded by ambitions to secure the succession position? But if they later said never mind because their late-manifested alpha son was too precious… the chaebol family’s dignity would be a complete mess.
Young briefly nodded in agreement. He was about to respond that it made sense, as he’d thought. Kyung-heon added a beat faster.
“Most of all, I have no desire to undo this marriage.”
While meeting his gaze directly, in a very firm tone.
For a moment, Young felt his heart drop. I don’t want to be the subject of gossip again, or I don’t want to make the time and effort put into the marriage meaningless…. Though these were words that could be said for various sufficient reasons, his heart sank greatly.
Whether it was “I like you” or “baby, let’s go.” Was this how drama protagonists felt when they heard that one decisive line? It was that short and powerful. Yet a statement that stirred up intense emotional turbulence.
***
“Maybe because he’s completely changed as a person, even though it was probably just casual talk, I found myself startled without realizing it, you know?”
He didn’t know how flustered he’d been by that moment’s reaction. Young finished his meal with Kyung-heon and just ran straight to Seong-jae’s office.
On his own terms, he’d vaguely detected a danger signal, so his intention was to consult about this worry.
“Why. Because his behavior changed, he suddenly looks more handsome and cool?”
But this bastard Seong-jae, his reaction was very unsatisfactory. While looking at the monitor, while tapping the keyboard clack clack, he responded indifferently. Young retorted in a sulky tone.
“He was already handsome originally. But back then when he said things like this, it was just kind of admirable, you know? It seemed a bit cute too. He’s even a year younger, so he seemed like a younger brother, but when his attitude completely changed, I didn’t get that feeling at all anymore.”
“Isn’t it good if he’s cool? Honestly, until now, it was just ‘he seems kind and gentle, so it’ll be livable,’ that level. Now he’s quick in his actions and speaks well, and he’ll be capable. It’s rather a gain.”
Young suddenly fell silent. He was contemplating whether it was really a gain as Seong-jae said. It didn’t take long to reach a conclusion.
“I don’t think it’s a gain.”
“Why not?”
“First of all, even if Joo Kyung-heon suddenly awakens and works capably and rises high, it’s his own achievement and there’s no crumbs falling to me. It’s separate from me.”
“Is that so.”
“And as you said, I thought Joo Kyung-heon was kind and gentle, so I could live comfortably for about 3 years….”
Young trailed off. Then Seong-jae, who had been focused only on the monitor, glanced this way.
“But?”
Though he’d been halfheartedly listening while pretending to work. It seemed he was curious inside.
“I think I might be wrong.”
“Why? About what?”
