# Chapter 40
The place Jiho and Yeomin arrived at first was a VIP showroom in a department store.
Today was the day Joo Yeomin would have dinner at the Ian Group family home and meet President Ahn for the first time.
What does that have to do with a department store, you ask? Well, you should always wear combat gear when heading to the battlefield, shouldn’t you?
“Show us something in a brighter tone. I think that would suit him better.”
“What if soup splashes on it while eating?”
Just thinking about it makes me shudder. Yeomin tried to stop Jiho.
“We can wash it. Or throw it away.”
At Jiho’s words, another rack was quickly set up.
Semi-formal attire was held up against Yeomin’s body, which had stiffened like a mannequin.
“Hyung, try this jacket too. Don’t you have anything clean without patterns?”
“How about this? We only received two of these in our domestic stores.”
“That’s nice. Try this on too, hyung. We need to see what looks good. Though everything suits you well.”
“…”
‘This is really tough.’
Yeomin was attracted to money, but he wasn’t particularly materialistic. Especially when it came to clothes.
Wearing his university jacket year-round at school was partly because he had no money, but also because he simply had no interest in fashion to begin with.
Because of this, the whole situation was extremely burdensome for Yeomin, but he did as Jiho instructed.
‘It’s not like he’s asking me to try these on for my own sake.’
When he thought of it as a procedure to look presentable at Jiho’s family home today, it wasn’t so burdensome.
From that point on, Yeomin repeatedly put on and took off countless outfits. Each time, Jiho reacted with great enthusiasm.
Hyung, white really suits you. Did you know that?
That outfit looks like you were born wearing it.
This one literally has your name written on it. I wonder if they designed it with you as the model?
Eventually, Yeomin couldn’t even hear what Jiho was saying. His face flushed several times in front of the listening staff.
After changing so many times, his hair was completely disheveled.
Seol Jiho chose the final outfit that Yeomin would wear.
“Let’s go with the first outfit. Ah, and please wrap up the rest.”
“Yes, understood.”
Just like that, he became rich in clothes. Despite being someone who was staying at someone else’s place without a home of his own.
Yeomin left the showroom wearing a shirt, slacks, and a white cotton jacket. Jiho carefully tidied Yeomin’s messy hair.
“Hey, stop it…”
Yeomin could feel the staff’s gazes lingering on Jiho’s affectionate touch. Aware of their eyes, Yeomin stiffened.
As if sensing Yeomin’s discomfort, Jiho whispered in his ear:
“Get used to it, hyung. This is what we contracted for.”
Simultaneously, Jiho’s arm wrapped around Yeomin’s waist.
‘Ah, right. This is a show.’
As they left the showroom behind the staff’s farewells, Yeomin felt completely drained.
“Was trying on all those clothes exhausting? You did well. But what can we do when everything suits you?”
Trying on clothes was something he could do hundreds of times more. Even acting as lovers in front of strangers wasn’t as bad as Yeomin had expected.
The real problem wasn’t any of that.
“You know what, hyung? You look just like an angel right now.”
If there was an unexpected obstacle… it was not being able to counter attacks like this that came out of nowhere.
Since starting their contract relationship, it had become difficult for Yeomin to draw the line with Jiho. It was like facing a boss monster while being completely disarmed.
Yeomin squeezed out his words:
“…Save those embarrassing words for when people are around.”
“Ah. I’ll keep that in mind. So the whole world can hear.”
This lawless young master, who never knows how to signal before turning, is destroying Joo Yeomin’s peaceful daily life.
And there’s absolutely nothing he can do about it.
* * *
The Ian Group family home, where Chairman Ahn and President Ahn reside.
Although Yeomin had already experienced a new world when he saw the penthouse where he was currently living with Jiho, arriving at this family home left him speechless.
‘…There’s a point where you stop being surprised.’
It felt like watching CGI in a movie? The wealth oozed from every corner of the house, naturally leading to the thought that this family hadn’t just lived well for the past decade or two.
Moreover, he was frowning from nervousness, which must have made him look quite unwell.
“Is Student Yeomin in a bad mood today?”
Director Ahn, whom he was already acquainted with, was already there. Yeomin forced a smile at the polite version of ‘your face looks sour.’
“Haha. No, I’m in a good mood.”
“Jiwoong will be here soon. It looks like the president will be late. She’s used to being late, so I hope Student Yeomin understands.”
“Ah… yes.”
‘Didn’t they say the Ian Group president is Seol Jiho’s mother? Should I call her mother? Or president?’
From his position, since she’s the parent of his tutoring student, ‘mother’ seems appropriate.
Yeomin and Jiho were guided to the dining room by a butler. Five place settings were prepared, with everything set except the main course.
“Please sit comfortably.”
Yeomin and Jiho sat side by side. As much as Yeomin was tense, Jiho also didn’t seem very comfortable in this house. He looked more uncomfortable than when staying in Yeomin’s semi-basement room.
One might expect introductions about what’s where, for courtesy’s sake. But there was no such thing.
Director Ahn examined their outfits and teasingly said:
“By the way, did you two coordinate your outfits as a set?”
Come to think of it, even the colors of their tops and bottoms were similar, making it look like they really did dress to match.
‘Could it be that Seol Jiho deliberately chose these for that purpose?’
Yeomin just realized it. He really was determined to show off their relationship at this gathering.
Afraid of getting something on his white jacket, Yeomin took off his outer garment. As he tried to hang it on the chair, someone came and took his jacket away.
Just when he was told to start eating comfortably, Director Ahn began a full-fledged question offensive.
“Did Student Yeomin come from home?”
“I came straight from my part-time job.”
“Ah~ You mentioned having a part-time job besides tutoring. What was it again?”
Yeomin, though tense, continued to answer each of Director Ahn’s questions.
“A PC bang.”
“A PC bang? That must be comfortable. Playing games while earning money?”
“That’s what people usually think.”
He was used to hearing such comments.
Director Ahn seemed to have many questions.
“Which is harder, tutoring Jiwoong or working at the PC bang?”
Yeomin silently pleaded with Jiho for help with his eyes. ‘Tell this person to be quiet…’ That’s what he meant, but for some reason, Jiho was looking at him with the same expression as Director Ahn.
“Yeah, now I’m curious too. Which is harder, hyung?”
Not helpful at all. Are you really on my side? Was this actually a Joo Yeomin hearing all along?
“Then you could quit whichever is harder. How about that? Good idea, right?”
“Neither is hard. They’re bo~th very comfortable.”
The underlying motive was obvious. Yeomin put up a wall with a smile.
Director Ahn could be seen trying not to laugh while looking at the disappointed Jiho.
Amidst this chaotic atmosphere, a lone, chic voice cut in:
“I’ve been making things comfortable for teacher.”
Jiwoong was entering the dining room.
“Hi, Jiwoong.”
Yeomin greeted him cheerfully. Jiwoong very haughtily took a seat across from Yeomin.
Before Jiwoong could fully sit down, Jiho picked a fight:
“Why are you sitting there? There are plenty of other seats.”
“Why can’t I sit here?”
“Switch with uncle.”
“No. Too bothersome.”
“Kids, fighting among brothers isn’t—”
“Uncle, sit over there.”
“Let’s just stay as we are, Jiho.”
“Then hyung, switch with me.”
Why is the spark suddenly flying to me? Yeomin grimaced.
“I’ve already used my spoon?”
“Here. Please replace the spoon with a new one and move the food too.”
What’s all this fuss about suddenly?
In the confusion, Yeomin ended up switching seats with Jiho.
Only then, sitting across from Jiwoong, did Jiho smile with satisfaction. Seeing this, Jiwoong snickered as if Jiho was pathetic.
Observing the series of events, Yeomin could easily imagine these brothers’ childhood.
‘That must have been quite something. The difficulty level of raising them must have been maximum.’
Still, if given the choice of ‘which one would you rather deal with?’, Yeomin would choose Jiwoong without hesitation. At least Jiwoong could be reasoned with.
Quickly slipping into tutor mode, Yeomin addressed Jiwoong:
“Have you been doing your homework well?”
“Was there homework? I forgot.”
A lie. Jiwoong had never missed homework and wasn’t the type to forget.
He was probably deliberately slacking off because he was upset about Jiho. Seeing right through Jiwoong, Yeomin just found it cute.
Yeomin deliberately spoke sternly:
“You’ll be in trouble if you don’t do it.”
“This isn’t tutoring time, so why are you pretending to be a teacher?”
“If Seol Jiwoong doesn’t listen, just cut him off, hyung.”
Jiho, who had been waiting for a chance to interject, butted in.
He whispered in Yeomin’s ear, but it was loud enough for everyone present to hear… a clearly intentional action.
Yeomin was puzzled:
“Usually… isn’t it the tutor who gets fired? This is the first time I’ve heard that you can fire a tutoring student.”
“If not that, how about online tutoring? It must be annoying to go back and forth.”
“Nice try, Seol Jiho.”
The conversation ended with Jiwoong’s sarcasm. This was because they heard “The president is coming” from outside the door.
Yeomin was so startled that he unconsciously jumped up from his seat.
But Yeomin was the only one who stood up. Jiho chuckled while watching him:
“Hyung, you’re nervous.”
“…Don’t tease me.”
“Cutely.”
“Blegh.”
Jiwoong pretended to vomit at their flirtatious exchange.
‘This is embarrassing…’
With a red face, Yeomin sat back down.
Soon, a middle-aged woman with a powerful presence entered the dining room. With short cut hair, rolled-up shirt sleeves, and a pantsuit, she had a much more imposing impression than Yeomin had imagined.
“You kids don’t even acknowledge your mother’s arrival? I should take away everyone’s spoons.”
She had an aura befitting the mother of Seol Jiho and Seol Jiwoong.
‘You’d need to be at least that formidable to handle these rascal brothers.’
Yeomin sighed inwardly.
President Ahn immediately approached Yeomin and offered a handshake.
“Sorry for being late after inviting you. The previous conversation dragged on. That frustrating human, Executive Director Choi, kept beating around the bush and making me angry—”
“Ahem, ahem, President Ahn.”
Director Ahn cleared his throat to stop her outburst. President Ahn, who had been using crude language, belatedly smiled with a benevolent face.
“Please eat a lot. I really wanted to meet you at least once. What was your name again? Joo… Joo…”
“Joo Yeomin.”
“Right. Student Yeomin.”
No matter how kindly she smiled at him, all Yeomin could see was a tiger.
It was like watching a tiger smiling with joy at finding prey, while looking at a starved, withered deer.
‘Maybe I came here on my own feet to die…?’
If that’s the case, what’s laid out before Joo Yeomin must be his last supper.
