“Mm.”
“……”
“Mmm.”
“……”
“Khrmmm……”
“Your phlegm has gotten worse, Chairman.”
“It’s not phlegm! It’s a sigh, a sigh!”
When the man in the seat next to him scolded him expressionlessly, Baek Ildo shouted angrily.
“Then what’s the matter?”
“It’s frustrating. That bastard Gunho, I’ve been testing him for 10 years but he doesn’t show even a trace of ambition.”
“You’re talking about the child Yeonhui adopted.”
“That’s right.”
Feeling stifled, he turned his gaze to the scenery beyond the car window, but there was only a gray asphalt city, making him feel even more suffocated.
“He seems to truly cherish Yeonhui’s grandson as if he were his real younger brother.”
“……I still don’t know. He’s that woman’s child. Won’t he reveal his true colors eventually?”
“I’d rather he resembled even half of half of Lee Jiyoung and at least pretended to be modest. Look at that consistent attitude for 10 whole years. That’s not a level possible through ordinary acting.”
He didn’t resemble his birth mother in that aspect at all. Lee Jiyoung was the type of human who would crawl even if she had no legs to climb up.
Baek Ildo waved his hand and sighed.
“What a waste, such a waste. He had enough ability to be useful, so I tried to keep him by my side, but if I push any further, it seems he’ll run away forever, so I’ll pause here for a while.”
“When you say a while……”
“A while is a while. Do you think I’d let go of such a convenient bastard who spits out ideas one after another every time I scratch at him a little?”
“……”
When the person in the seat next to him cast a disgusted look, Baek Ildo chuckled and propped his chin.
“When Yeonhui finally gave birth to a son. I secretly hoped he’d fight to the death with Lee Jiyoung’s bloodline…… but this is a completely anticlimactic ending.”
“Though you say that, you seem relieved.”
“I’m tired of watching my children draw blood amongst themselves. Now that it’s come to this, I should at least see the face of the grandson Yeonhui is wrapping up and raising so protectively. Since Gunho brought it up first, Yeonhui won’t say much more.”
Baek Ildo recalled the face of his grandson he had only seen in photos.
Baek Seolheon, a beta……
He looks exactly like Yeonhui, like a carbon copy of my face, but of all things, a beta.
From what I hear, his head is sharp too and he seemed promising. A sigh came out naturally.
Those who aren’t alphas are suspected of lacking leadership. That old-fashioned gender discrimination was rampant in Korea.
Though it had achieved rapid development and risen to the ranks of developed countries, the perception of secondary gender was still conservative.
The same went for academic elitism. The pride of the merchants who had become the foundation of this country’s economy. Using this, that bastard Baek Gunho ran away completely from the board I had carefully laid out.
‘Thanks to that, I suppose it’s fortunate he avoided the attention of those idiotic bastards.’
If those who didn’t know their place had attacked not only Baek Gunho but also Baek Seolheon, Yeonhui wouldn’t have stayed still.
Baek Ildo also didn’t want the relationship with his second daughter, which had already split as much as it could, to be severed any further.
“We’ve arrived.”
The car stopped smoothly.
As the two got out of the car, a bright voice greeted them.
“Well! It’s been quite a while, Chairman Baek! And…… isn’t this Vice Chairman Baek Ilguk!”
“Hello, Assemblyman.”
“Nice to meet you. Since we’ve met like this, it’s also fate, so how about it. Once the groundbreaking ceremony ends, shall we have a light meal together……”
The site was already full of people in suits.
As people gathered around the appearance of Baekil Group’s chairman and vice chairman, a woman with exotic looks wearing a white suit with a gold brooch appeared.
“Lee Hanna. Still the same.”
“……Baek Ildo.”
The woman, who appeared to be around the same age as Baek Ildo, frowned for a moment, then quickly changed to a smiling face and extended her hand.
“It’s been a while, Chairman Baek.”
“Indeed. Has LK had any troubles in the meantime?”
“Are you in a position to worry about me? You’re the one who seems to have a lot of worries these days.”
“Haha, everyone’s having a hard time. Recently, some bug bastard got in and ransacked the whole house.”
When Baek Ildo made a joke, Lee Hanna raised one corner of her mouth and pressed her lips tightly together.
“……Oh my, that must have been troublesome?”
“It’s fine. I carefully found them one by one and killed them all.”
“Is that so?”
“After all, aren’t they just tiny bug bastards? Even if one or two flutter in front of my eyes, they’re at a cute level.”
“……”
“Hahaha. See you later then.”
Baek Ildo walked past Lee Hanna.
Baek Ildo’s eldest son, Baek Ilguk, followed along and asked quietly.
“The matter of Lee Jiyoung still……”
“Why would I tell her something so entertaining?”
Baek Ildo grinned and stroked his chin.
“The moment they step on the door with muddy feet again, not knowing their place. I’m planning to show her then.”
The gift Lee Jiyoung brought.
And the hidden bloodline.
What expression would she make when she learned that all of this was in his grasp?
“Isn’t that perfect for getting on her nerves?”
A shadow fell on the eyes of the pleasantly laughing Baek Ildo.
* * *
When it comes to the nation’s largest prestigious high schools for college entrance, you could typically name Hanguk Foreign Language High School, Hanguk Science High School, Minjok Leadership Academy, and Hanguk High School.
The university that students from such prestigious high schools competed to attend was, without a doubt, Hanguk University.
Hanguk University, a prestigious institution renowned not only domestically but also worldwide, boasted a massive campus befitting its status.
Perhaps because of this, most people passed by without noticing the existence of a small gate attached right next to the campus.
“Huh, Changseong Global University?”
“I’ve never heard of it. Is it like a Hanguk University branch campus?”
“Then it would say Hanguk University.”
“Looking at how shabby the facilities are, did it go under……?”
Changseong Global University.
Though it released flashy promotional videos every year proclaiming the cultivation of global talent, it was an ordinary university where most students actually got jobs as civil servants or at general private companies.
Judging by entrance scores alone, it wasn’t a low level at all, but because it was located right next to Hanguk University, it tended to be greatly underestimated.
Because of this, Changseong Global University students couldn’t straighten their shoulders, being overwhelmed by the spirit of Hanguk University students.
“You all know the back hill of the pharmacy building, right? We went up there to drink and hang out, and when we tried to go back, we got confused about the direction. So we just came down, and wow! I almost went into Changgul University and attended a lecture, you know?”
“Ahahaha! Became a Changgul University student by accident!”
“Studied my ass off and ended up at Changgul University, pahahahaha!”
That day too, the frozen pork belly restaurant located on the main street of the university district was a sea of students.
“The freshmen are loud. Laugh moderately.”
“Sorry, sunbaenims! Ahahahat!”
“……”
The upperclassmen gave them looks, but the spirit of the students who had just become adults wouldn’t subside.
Thus, the mood at one table becoming icy was a predetermined course.
“……Hey hey! Over here, over here!”
Even for them, a moment to straighten their shoulders arrived.
As long legs entered the store along with the cool spring breeze, everyone dropped their glasses and fixed their gazes.
“Cra-crazy……”
“Who is that……?”
“He’s so fucking handsome……”
The mouths of the Hanguk University freshmen who had been chattering noisily amongst themselves until just before shut tight.
Conversely, the table that had been silent the whole time regained vitality.
“We’ve been waiting!”
“I believed in you, damn it!”
“Welcome, Gunho sunbae!”
It was the appearance of Changgul University’s male god.
* * *
All the faces welcoming me were familiar.
“What. You guys. Why are you here?”
“Why are we here! I told you more than ten times today is the freshman welcome party! Anyway, you’re here now, so that’s what matters! Sit down!”
The Department of Arts department head laughed triumphantly and forcibly made me sit down.
At this, I glared at the short-haired man sitting right in front of me.
“Kim Jaewook……”
“Sorry. The department head bought me meals three times to lure you out, so it was a bit hard to refuse.”
“You sold me out for three meals? And you’re in engineering, aren’t you?”
“He said it’s okay for me to join since I’m close with the department head.”
That foodie bastard…… I came because he said let’s eat together after a while, but I didn’t know I’d be caught like this.
I don’t know why they keep calling a post-military 4th year student who’s treated like an old man in the back room to freshman welcome parties, and I shook my head with my hand on my forehead.
“Now, now! Pay attention…… well, you’re already paying attention without needing to. Very good! Of course the freshmen, but there are people among the sophomores seeing him for the first time, right? This is the famous 4th year Baek Gunho!”
“Wow, amazing! I heard rumors on Debritime! You’re the Changgul University male god, right?”
“Haha…… No.”
It’s annoying to say, but even I know I’m handsome.
But I really couldn’t stand hearing that male god stuff, so I smiled and firmly denied it.
“Since Gunho’s here, let’s make a toast! To our Changgul University male god!”
“To him!”
“Please stop.”
“To hiiim!”
Whether I stopped him or not, the tipsy department head raised his glass and cheerfully listed all sorts of rumors about me in an excited voice.
“So the number of Hanguk University kids who confessed to that bastard approached nearly triple digits, and out of respect, he came to be called Captain of a Hundred!”
“Kim Jaewook. Why is the department head acting like that today?”
“Can’t you tell just by looking? He’s in a spirit battle with Hanguk.”
“Really has nothing better to do……”
“Now! Another toast for Captain of a Hundred!”
If they’re going to have a spirit battle, I wish they’d compete with something more productive like college students.
Finding it hard to listen to the department head’s babbling while sober, I eventually stood up from my seat.
“Hey hey! Captain of a Hundred, where are you going!”
“I’m burning up inside, so I’m going to get water.”
The medication was gradually wearing off. Though there seemed to be few alpha or omega customers in the store, it couldn’t hurt to be repeatedly careful.
‘All thanks to a certain younger brother.’
Recalling that expressionless face, a laugh naturally leaked out.
Just as I was putting my hand in my pocket to find the pills I had divided up, suddenly the freshmen and sophomores sitting around jumped up, pressed down on my shoulders, and forcibly made me sit back down.
“I, I’ll get the water bottle! Please sit!”
“No, hyung! I’ll go!”
“Use my cup! I haven’t put my mouth on it yet!”
Just as I was breaking out in a cold sweat watching them compete to offer cups and bottles, this time the Hanguk University table started buzzing.
“Wow, he’s here!”
“Finally……!”
“Over here! This way!”
The store door opened and a new face appeared.
……To be precise, a face I know.
“Wow, shit. Look over there.”
“Is that a foreign model?”
“But he’s wearing a Hanguk University department jacket?”
Changseong Global University students started stirring at the Hanguk University logo emblazoned on the white jacket.
“We, we lost……”
“No, it’s still too early to judge! That side has a pretty face like a prince, but there’s way more demand for Gunho sunbae who has cool beauty and good balance! Right, sunbae?!”
What am I supposed to do if you ask me that……
At that moment, the new face walked over step by step and stood in front of me.
The panicked Changseong Global University students and the Hanguk University students whose shoulders rose as if they’d recovered their pride gulped and watched the situation.
“Wow, super handsome guy next to super handsome guy……!”
“Are they having a spirit battle with each other?”
“Gunho, win! You’re Changgul’s pride!”
When the two university camps were watching while chewing pork belly like popcorn.
The young man wearing the Hanguk University department jacket hugged me warmly.
“Gunho hyuuung!”
“……?!”
“Hyung, I see you at home and now I see you here again! Did you come to eat too, hyung? Department dinner? Freshman welcome party? I’m a freshman!”
Then he said with a flushed face and a beaming smile.
“Ah, last night with hyung was so good.”
“……?!”
“I want to eat it again, hyung…… Oh right, I pushed you too hard, didn’t I?”
Lee Haram, who licked his lips slowly and smacked his lips, looked me up and down with worried eyes.
“Sorry, is your condition okay today?”
“……”
With that statement, a heavy silence fell over the store, and only the sound of grilling pork belly echoed pointlessly.
I’m going to die of embarrassment