Chapter 24: Planning Not to Send Him Back
“Dragon Holdings and Kangsan Construction, Something Suspicious!”
The provocative headline appeared on the portal site’s main page. The article was about Kang Dohyuk, the second son of Dragon Holdings, and Baek Hyeri, the only daughter of Kangsan Construction. There were several photos. They showed Baek Hyeri placing side dishes on Dohyuk’s plate and the two of them smiling at each other in consecutive shots.
The article suggested that the two didn’t appear to be having a business meeting, and since this wasn’t the first time they had met privately, they might be dating.
Reading carefully, apart from the fact that the two had met for a meal, everything else was speculation. However, the few photos of them together were enough to make readers think, “They must be dating!”
Most chaebol families would release an engagement announcement rather than having dating rumors spread like this. Their private lives were usually more carefully veiled than celebrities’. Perhaps because of this, people showed even more curiosity about the romantic news of these well-known corporate heirs than they did about celebrities.
Compared to Kangsan Construction, Dragon Holdings was a new company not well-known to the general public. People who initially wondered what Dragon Holdings did when reading the article began searching one by one, and by noon, Dragon Holdings had risen to the number one spot in real-time search terms.
Kang Dohyuk ranked second. People who first saw his face in the article became interested in him because of his handsome appearance. As if to satisfy people’s curiosity, hours later, articles about not only Dragon Holdings but also Kang Dohyuk began to appear in succession. Even testimonials from professors at the university he graduated from emerged. They revealed that he had never missed being at the top of his department, was mature and composed beyond his years, and even disclosed some of his grades.
People who had wondered if Dragon Holdings was too far behind Kangsan Construction began to understand one by one when articles appeared about Dohyuk’s brilliant school days and how Dragon Holdings had grown rapidly to its current position after he joined.
There were still malicious comments suggesting that Baek Hyeri of Kangsan Construction had chosen him for his looks, but others commented that with his appearance and qualifications, he was certainly not lacking compared to Kangsan Construction.
The Dragon Holdings executive office was overwhelmed with phone calls from the morning. Most were requests for formal interviews with Kang Dohyuk. They came from various sources, including major news outlets, economic journals, and women’s magazines.
Director Choi instructed the secretarial staff to reject all interview requests. He accepted only one—the major economic journal that Dohyuk had designated in advance.
“Wasn’t it supposed to be a strategic marriage with Kangsan Construction? But looking at the article, the atmosphere between them doesn’t seem like that?”
“Right? They really look like they’re dating.”
The staff was busy gossiping about the relationship with Baek Hyeri. Even employees who knew well about the Yeouido project felt the couple in the photos looked like affectionate lovers to anyone who saw them.
“Actually, maybe the strategic marriage talk wasn’t because of the Yeouido project. Maybe the Yeouido project that Kangsan Construction was leading came to us because they were already dating?”
“That could be. I thought it was strange that such a large project fell to us so easily.”
The more the story passed from person to person, the more the priorities became reversed.
“But isn’t that romantic? They went from dating to working together. It’s just like a drama.”
The female employees giggled, saying that Kang Dohyuk’s qualifications were comparable to those of a male lead in a decent drama. The thought patterns of people reading the internet articles seemed similar, as comments questioning whether Dragon Holdings was inferior to Kangsan Construction gradually disappeared, replaced by wishes for the couple’s happiness.
“Everything is going as intended.”
At Director Choi’s report, Dohyuk looked up from checking articles and comments about himself and Dragon Holdings.
It was Kang Dohyuk who had leaked information about the meeting with Baek Hyeri to the press. He utilized himself to address Dragon Holdings’ low public awareness. Fortunately, Baek Hyeri had readily agreed, saying it would help the Yeouido project. Last night’s dinner was a show from the beginning, meant to be seen. The plan was to draw media attention with their meeting before holding a briefing on the Yeouido project. By conducting the briefing while the media was paying attention, they aimed to attract more investors and make it difficult for the government to cancel the project.
“Not just the media, but major players in the business world are showing interest in the Yeouido project and contacting us separately.”
“What about Director Kang Chahyuk’s preparations?”
“They’re completed. The materials were submitted this morning. He requested that you give them a final review.”
“Bring them.”
Director Choi promptly handed over the file. Dohyuk skimmed through the materials Chahyuk had prepared. They were much cleaner than he’d expected. Even if he had assigned subordinates to prepare it, Chahyuk would have given the final approval, so at least his eye for detail deserved recognition. Additional ideas were appended to the very last page.
“Should we prepare presentation materials?”
What Chahyuk had created wasn’t for presentations but a booklet to be distributed to attendees at the project briefing.
“Not necessary.”
Even without creating a separate summary, all the content was already in Dohyuk’s head.
“Organize the list of participants. Don’t accept everyone who applies, select from among those who have applied. Make it so that those gathered will feel pride in their level when they see others there.”
He was saying he wouldn’t open even the project briefing to everyone. He intended to emphasize that this was the finest opportunity, disclosed only to a select few.
“And this is what you mentioned. It took some time to prepare.”
What Director Choi placed on the desk was the latest model smartphone. Dohyuk looked down at the phone, then raised his eyes to meet Director Choi’s. Director Choi gave a slight nod.
It was a phone for Yeon. Though it looked like an ordinary smartphone, it had location tracking and eavesdropping devices installed inside.
After Director Choi left, Dohyuk took the phone and went to the sofa where Yeon was sitting.
“Use it.”
As he placed the phone on the table, Yeon’s eyes followed.
“I don’t need—”
“I need it. So carry it with you.”
He cut off Yeon’s words midway. Yeon’s gaze, which had been quietly observing the phone, shifted to Dohyuk.
“I won’t have any use for it.”
“You never know whether you will or not. Even if you have no one to call, it’ll be something to pass the time while you sit here all day.”
“Ah…”
Yeon also let out a small groan. Even for someone like Yeon, it must have been boring to sit doing nothing for hours. When Dohyuk was focused on work, Yeon would occasionally approach his vicinity, seemingly finding and cutting something. But that happened only a couple of times; mostly, he just sat still.
“I’ve never used one before.”
Yeon looked back down at the phone and answered in a quiet voice. This time, Dohyuk almost groaned. When Yeon had said he didn’t carry a phone, he had his doubts, but he couldn’t believe there was actually a person in today’s world who had never used a smartphone. Even toddlers learn to use phones first these days.
“I’ll call Director Choi to—”
“No.”
Yeon immediately shook his head.
“He’s busy. I don’t want to trouble him unnecessarily. I’ll just decline this.”
“That’s not an option, as I said.”
Dohyuk didn’t back down either. But Yeon was stubborn too, insisting that he didn’t know how to use it, and didn’t want to be a nuisance by learning from someone else, so Dohyuk should just take it back. Finally, Dohyuk sighed and brought his own phone. Fortunately, the phone given to Yeon was the same model as his.
“Follow along.”
He turned on his phone and showed the screen, but Yeon still just stared blankly.
“Kang Dohyuk-ssi, you also have work—”
“I’m taking a break. So don’t worry about it.”
Since he was offering to teach while not busy, Yeon couldn’t find any more words of refusal.
“For basic calls, this app at the bottom, my number and Director Choi’s number should be stored in speed dial…”
He explained how to use calls, texts, internet apps, and more in his gruff manner. After explaining for a while, he felt Yeon quietly watching him.
“What?”
When he asked why Yeon was only looking at his face instead of listening to his explanation, Yeon shook his head with a subtle expression.
“It’s just… unfamiliar. It’s not like Kang Dohyuk-ssi…”
He chuckled at being told he wasn’t acting like himself. He was aware of it too. Who would have thought he’d be explaining how to use a smartphone to someone? If it had been anyone other than Yeon, he would have just thrown a user manual at them. But this guy was refusing to use it because he didn’t know how, so Dohyuk ended up forcing him to sit down and teaching him.
Yeon needed to use the smartphone so that his location could be tracked, and if he contacted Muryeong, the conversations would be recorded.
There was a reason, but even so, it wasn’t something he would normally do.
“Let’s just say it’s because you’re unique.”
Because this person seemed like he shouldn’t exist in reality, because those clear eyes that seemed untainted by worldly dust—he wanted to see them stained with material desire.
Though he was attaching all sorts of reasons, even Dohyuk himself wasn’t entirely convinced.
“You can’t live like that forever, so it won’t hurt to learn.”
As if finding that statement strange, Yeon stared at Dohyuk without even blinking. Only after saying it did Dohyuk realize his mistake. Yeon was naturally planning to return to Muryeong. But what he had just said essentially meant that Yeon shouldn’t return to Muryeong but adapt to this reality instead.
Am I planning not to send this guy back?
At first, he had naturally judged that once Yeon knew various things about his private life, he couldn’t easily send him back. At the same time, he was contemplating ways to bring the Muryeong organization itself under his control. That seemed most certain.
But now, unconsciously, he was speaking on the premise that he wouldn’t return Yeon to them, regardless of Muryeong.
Why?
He couldn’t answer that question.
