The alibi for the source of 2 billion was created dramatically. Chaehun, who had been on late-service leave from the military, saved a grandfather who almost got hit by a car and received a business card with thanks for helping. The grandfather, who boasted about being quite strong, exaggerated that he could help with anything. Chaehun thought it was a joke and forgot all about it, but with this incident, called just in case. But surprisingly, the grandfather readily stepped up to help.
The fictional grandfather was a building tycoon, and the setting was that he also had connections with people who wielded some power. Hearing Chaehun’s worries, he was confident he could solve them without difficulty. However, the key point was that since he didn’t want his identity revealed, Shim Jeongmin came forward as his representative.
It was a crude plan. The probability of a good connection arising to match the difficult circumstances was close to zero. But all kinds of things happened in the world.
Chaehun, who couldn’t come up with a more plausible method, ultimately had no choice but to do as Shim Jeongmin said. Persuading his mother and hyung was Chaehun’s responsibility.
They were adjusting even the finer details just in case when Seunggeon appeared. After hearing the alibi for the 2 billion, he reacted similarly to Shim Jeongmin.
“So I’ve become a grandfather.”
With even Seunggeon saying it was fine, Chaehun decided not to worry about the special coincidence. With that, all preparations were finished.
* * *
The elevator rose making mechanical sounds.
4, 5, 6, 7.
Chaehun watched the elevator floors going up. Although he pretended to be unbothered on the outside, he was conscious of Seunggeon standing next to him.
Everything went smoothly up to finishing the plan to persuade his mother and hyung. But just as he was about to say thanks to Shim Jeongmin and part ways, Seunggeon made an unexpected request. He wanted to see Chaehun’s home.
Chaehun was flustered but had no justification to refuse. His home was close and in clean condition. He didn’t feel like lying either, so he nodded.
It felt different from inviting a typical friend. If anything, the feeling was similar to meeting an interviewer when joining a company.
He racked his brain hard about what to serve the guy. Since it was late at night, coffee wouldn’t be good, and neither would green tea. While regretting not preparing guest tea, the elevator arrived at the 11th floor.
After getting off the elevator and going quite far to the left was Chaehun’s studio apartment. Chaehun, who led the way with quick steps saying “this way,” invited Seunggeon while opening the door to unit 1103.
“Here it is. Come in.”
As soon as Chaehun entered, he turned on the lights first.
“Sit there. What do you want to drink? It’s late so coffee won’t do, but I have yuzu tea, how about that?”
Chaehun, who suggested sitting on the sofa, remembered the yuzu tea in the refrigerator. But Seunggeon stood in the middle of the studio apartment slowly looking around as if he had no intention of sitting on the sofa.
“Tea is fine. I’ll be leaving soon.”
Chaehun looked at Seunggeon who said he’d be leaving soon. He seemed to really intend to just look around and go.
“You’re just going to look around and leave?”
“Will you do something else?”
Seunggeon asked plainly with a very serious face. Chaehun belatedly realized that had sexual meaning.
Don’t say things like that with a stern expression. Remember what you did last night. Know how much I suffered.
Words filled with resentment surged all the way to his head from welling up, but didn’t come out as sound. He had enough sense to restrain the impulse.
“You can just quietly leave.”
Chaehun smiled while speaking politely in honorifics. Then Seunggeon also smiled.
“Got it. I’ll go now.”
“What did you really come here to do?”
“There’s a difference between a written report and reality. I wanted to confirm directly.”
It was quite a meaningful statement. It meant he would confirm with his own two eyes how accurate the background check had been.
Chaehun felt strange. It felt like being evaluated. He stopped himself from having the ominous thought of what would happen if he didn’t meet the standards.
“What will you do if you check and don’t like it? There are no refunds though.”
“I like it. I’ll contact you later.”
As if his purpose really was just to confirm how he lived, Seunggeon put on his shoes without even sitting down.
Chaehun saw Seunggeon off to the elevator. The sight of Seunggeon disappearing as the elevator door closed overlapped with the moment he had seen him again at the hospital.
Chaehun sighed and rubbed his face. Extraordinary things kept invading his ordinary daily life, to the point his head was on the verge of overload.
He couldn’t tell whether making a contract with a classmate and first love he met after 10 years was good luck or not.
However, it was certain that without him, bending his pride would have been a luxurious worry. In the threat of survival, his younger sibling would be forced to marry, they’d struggle with debt, and flounder to keep the family from scattering. He prevented that with the contract with Seunggeon.
For having traded his pride, it was a decent result.
Actually, Chaehun had many things he wanted to ask Seunggeon. He said 2 billion or so was nothing to his lifesaver. But that and the proposal were separate things.
Perhaps it was just interest. Just like how that night he had been swayed by Seunggeon’s approach, who had been his first love, and had a one-night stand.
Still, he wanted to know. Why he proposed sex after meeting again in 10 years. Why he never contacted him once to say he was safe. Why he wanted to meet him.
Chaehun asked Seunggeon, who wasn’t here.
“Why do you…”
No answer came back.
* * *
“This is Director Shim Jeongmin.”
Chaehun introduced Director Shim Jeongmin to his family gathered in the main house living room. It was Saturday afternoon, 3 days after Chaehun met Seunggeon.
When he explained to the family that a rich grandfather would chase away President Yoon and pay back the 1.8 billion won investment, the reactions varied. Jo Mihye was happy, Kang Yeonghwan asked back if it was really true, and Kang Suchan naturally was suspicious.
Chaehun didn’t try to persuade or make Kang Suchan understand. Since the fraud incident, Kang Suchan became suspicious first before anything else. So Chaehun took Kang Suchan’s side.
He started by saying it was strange to him too, but still, since they had nothing to lose, wouldn’t it be good to look into it in detail once. He said let’s all hear together as a family how they’re saying they’ll help, and make a judgment.
Jo Mihye didn’t want to miss the opportunity that had come with difficulty. Kang Yeonghwan was the same. Kang Suchan also had no choice but to be conflicted. Because due to President Yoon’s threats, neither Jo Mihye nor Kang Suchan could go outside.
Eventually, the meeting took place with Kang Suchan’s consent too. To have the home ground advantage, they invited Director Shim Jeongmin, who was supposedly the representative of the grandfather repaying a favor, to their home.
Shim Jeongmin smiled gently and greeted them politely.
“I’m called Shim Jeongmin. Nice to meet you.”
Facing Chaehun’s family, Shim Jeongmin showed off his eloquent speaking skills. Referring to the fictional rich grandfather as “retired Chairman-nim,” he repeatedly said the Chairman was very grateful to Chaehun. He also said that no matter how much money you have, you have to be alive to enjoy luxury, so 1.8 billion was nothing.
Still, Kang Suchan didn’t withdraw his suspicion. He asked directly if they weren’t trying to pass on other debts. Shim Jeongmin said he had nothing else he wanted. If they couldn’t believe it, he strongly suggested they bring along the lawyer Kang Suchan hired and go around paying the money together. Then eventually Kang Suchan also stepped back.
Shim Jeongmin said let’s make an appointment starting next week right away, left his business card, and left. Jo Mihye, who saw him off to the front gate, was the most pleased.
“Oh my. What is this really. My goodness. I guess there really are such connections. That Chairman must really be rich. To pay back 1.8 billion with no conditions.”
“We’ll have to wait and see how it goes. Who knows if that guy is also a scammer.”
When Jo Mihye even clapped her hands and jumped in place, Kang Suchan, who was sitting on the sofa with his casted leg, grumbled. But Jo Mihye was steadfast.
“We’ll know next week. President Yoon hasn’t shown his face at all since the accident. The Chairman must have pulled some strings.”
“We still don’t know. The name and number don’t even show up on the internet, so what are we supposed to trust. Chaehun, what will you do if these guys are scammers?”
Kang Suchan’s arrow of attack eventually turned to Chaehun. Chaehun shrugged.
“I said this the other day too, but talk to Attorney Jang ahjussi. If it’s real, it’s a good opportunity. Since they’re saying they’ll pay it back with no conditions, if they attach conditions, just reject it.”
Because Kang Suchan, who had become very suspicious, had to convince himself, Chaehun didn’t tell him whether to trust the Chairman and Director Shim or not. Kang Suchan couldn’t find anything more to say and started looking at his phone again, searching for various things.
Having gotten over one hurdle, Chaehun was caught by Jo Mihye and Kang Yeonghwan. Especially Kang Yeonghwan was proactive.
“You really don’t know what the grandfather called Chairman does? How rich is he?”
“I don’t know well either.”
“You should find out things like that properly. Hyung is really too soft. What does he look like? Is he an Alpha? Or a Beta?”
“I think he looked like just a grandfather. Actually I don’t remember. That time I saw the Chairman was the end. This time I only talked on the phone. Director Shim didn’t say much either, so I don’t know the details.”
