# Chapter 12
‘I can’t even eat with everyone watching me like this.’
Breakfast started at 7 AM. Who can actually swallow food at 7 in the morning? As if they’d made some kind of agreement, everyone ate in complete silence. Do they usually talk but are staying quiet because I’m here? This was the definition of being on pins and needles.
“Cha Jaehyun. Secretary Han will also be going to America with you. You’ll be living in the same house as Secretary Han.”
Chairman Cha Taesan suddenly spoke up, and his first words were like a bolt from the blue. It was practically insane news. Secretary Han is going to America too? I’d naturally assumed he wouldn’t be going. What is this all about? Nothing ever goes according to plan.
And he wants us to live in the same house? I was considerably taken aback by Chairman Cha Taesan’s abrupt announcement.
“Haha, Chairman. That’s fine with me, but Secretary Han might find it burdensome to live in the same house as me. Secretary Han also has his privacy, so perhaps he could live in a house nearby?”
When the Chairman gave an order to go together, there was obviously no freedom to refuse. But living in the same house was absolutely out of the question. I had to protect my right to live alone at all costs.
“Since last evening’s dinner, you’ve been saying things that aren’t like you. Well, what you’re saying isn’t wrong. Secretary Han will live in the neighboring house then.”
Neighboring house? Couldn’t we just live as far apart as possible? Still, I was relieved he didn’t insist on us living together. It would be wise to back down at this point. If I kept pushing back, I might incur Chairman Cha Taesan’s wrath.
“Yes, Chairman. I’ll do that.”
For a moment, my eyes met with Cha Taehan sitting across from me. As soon as he heard my answer, I could feel him shooting powerful laser beams from his eyes. The nightmare from last night’s dinner flashed back to me. To make matters worse, even the little kid, Cha Taeha, sitting next to Cha Taehan, was glaring at me fiercely.
‘Who are you to stare at me like that?’
The kid’s laser glare was surprisingly sharp, but to me, he was just an adorable little munchkin. Such a tiny child already learning strange behavior. I forced myself to keep eating in this hostile atmosphere.
* * *
‘Disgusting bastard.’
Taehan’s mood was equally foul, having to eat breakfast face-to-face with Jaehyun first thing in the morning.
Taehan considered Jaehyun to be the only blemish on Daejin Group. Being an illegitimate child, he should have lived quietly and kept his head down, but instead, he’d been causing all sorts of trouble behind everyone’s backs. The way he put on the mask of a gentle lamb and smiled sweetly in front of him and his father had been extremely unpleasant for a long time. As time passed, that feeling evolved from displeasure to disgust, and from disgust to murderous intent.
I want to kill that bastard. I want to banish him from Daejin Group forever. That lowborn trash doesn’t deserve to be part of Daejin Group. Every time Taehan saw Jaehyun, all kinds of revolting emotions would surface.
“Executive Director, when you speak like that, it makes me very upset. What kind of schemes would someone like me have? None at all. I’ll behave properly so as not to bring any shame to Daejin Group.”
Jaehyun always avoided him, and on the rare occasions they did meet, he’d put on the face of a gentle lamb. But no matter how well he hid behind a mask, he couldn’t conceal all his emotions. The occasional defiant look he directed at Taehan only made him more furious.
Filthy bastard, how dare he look at him with such eyes? If it weren’t for his father, he would have killed that guy long ago. These were the thoughts Taehan had whenever he recalled Jaehyun.
But what about Jaehyun’s attitude yesterday? It was beyond strange—it was bizarrely peculiar. Even after aggressive questioning following dinner, he answered with calm, emotionless eyes that he would go to America.
Under normal circumstances, he would have outwardly called him “Executive Director” while revealing his unpleasant feelings through his eyes. After all, Cha Jaehyun was too stupid to even hide his emotions well.
Now a new suspicion arose. Just a month ago, he had prostrated himself before his father, pathetically begging not to be sent abroad. But suddenly he’s going to America? What change had come over this stupid, disgusting bastard?
‘I need to investigate this further.’
Troublesome guy. Persistent like the mongrel he is. Taehan wished he would cleanly disappear from Daejin, but he realized it might not be as easy as he thought.
‘I’ll have to make more use of Han Woojin.’
Taehan thought this as he watched Jaehyun calmly eating his meal in front of him.
* * *
The whirlwind breakfast ended. One by one, the Daejin family members left, leaving me alone in this big house. As expected of a chaebol family, they must have tight schedules.
I immediately slipped into my room after eating, trying not to be seen by anyone, but soon my stomach started growling. I hadn’t been able to eat much breakfast because I was too tense.
‘They must all be gone by now, right?’
I carefully went out to the living room, but there was no sign of anyone. Thinking this was my chance, I sneaked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.
‘No way.’
I had expected a wealthy family’s refrigerator to be absolutely stuffed with food.
But to my surprise, there wasn’t much food in the refrigerator. The only thing immediately edible was an apple. Seeing the inside of the refrigerator, I sighed at the thought of an unexpected two-week forced diet.
Now that I was in this house, I felt awkward about going out and coming back in. Having no choice, I took out an apple and bit into it. An apple alone couldn’t satisfy my hunger, but I was grateful to have something to eat, at least.
‘What’s that?’
As I was about to take the last bite, I sensed someone behind me. When I turned around, Cha Taeha was there. When did he come back home?
“What are you doing? Get out of the way.”
Cha Taeha snapped at me irritably. This was unplanned. All I could do was quietly escape.
“Yes~ I’m sorry.”
I gave a stereotypical response like I was a complete stranger passing by on the street and quietly left my spot. Speaking politely while slipping away like a loach seemed to surprise Taeha, who didn’t say anything more.
‘Phew, that’s a relief.’
It was sad that even going to the kitchen was difficult, but thinking that I just needed to endure for two weeks before going to study in America, I had no complaints.
* * *
On the second day, I again barely ate breakfast. Being on edge, constantly worried about what bombshell might drop next, I didn’t have the leisure to eat.
Like yesterday, as time passed, hunger came again. Moreover, this house didn’t serve separate lunch and dinner.
From what I could see, the housekeeper seemed to prepare meals separately for Cha Taeha at specific times, but I obviously couldn’t join him.
Therefore, I had hardly eaten anything so far.
‘Is this for real?’
I thought I might actually starve to death. With no other choice, I took a slight risk and went to the kitchen, naively hoping not to run into anyone today.
‘Jackpot!’
When I opened the refrigerator, unlike yesterday, there was a box of cookies. I was excited at the thought of having something to eat, even if just cookies.
In any other situation, filling up on cookies would be ridiculous. But given the circumstances, I was extremely grateful to have found even cookies.
Opening the box, I found various types of cookies. Beige, brown, pink, green… Which cookie should I eat first?
I’ll start with the chocolate cookie. I immediately picked one up and popped it into my mouth. The rich taste filled my mouth. It was like finding an oasis in a desert.
‘Wow, these are good.’
I couldn’t help but break into a broad smile. Since I wouldn’t be able to eat lunch or dinner today either, I thought about taking all the remaining cookies with me.
“What are you doing?”
I heard a familiar voice. It’s Cha Taeha again. This is a complete disaster. Meeting Cha Taeha for the second day in a row. I’m doomed.
‘Damn… I should never come out again.’
I needed to get out of this situation without getting involved with Cha Taeha.
“Do adults eat things like that? How childish.”
As I was wondering how to quietly resolve the situation, Cha Taeha suddenly provoked me. A 6-year-old kid calling me childish.
From our first meeting until now, despite his bad manners, I forgave him because his face was so cute.
Having dealt with so many difficult children like Cha Taeha when I worked part-time at a kids’ cafe, this was hardly a problem.
“Wow~ Taeha, you’re so smart. You’re right. I’m really childish! See you next time.”
I tried to leave the kitchen after saying whatever came to mind.
“Why are you always in the kitchen? Don’t you have any friends?”
“That’s right. I have no friends.”
I answered with the most pitiful expression I could muster. Cute little kid, please just let me go now.
“That’s sad. Then come to my room tomorrow and build Legos with me or something.”
What? Unexpected words came from this sharp-tongued kid’s mouth. Is this what they call tsundere?
I quite like children. So when I first saw Cha Taeha, I was actually smitten at first sight. Regardless of his bad manners, he was so cute and pretty that I couldn’t help but fall for him.
But in the current situation, I couldn’t comfortably play with Cha Taeha. If Cha Taehan caught us, it would be the end.
“Wow~ That’s so kind of you! But uncle has something to do tomorrow. Can we do it another time?”
“Who are you calling uncle? Acting all expensive when you’re just loitering around the house all day…”
Smart kid. How did he know I’ve been hanging around the house every day?
How should I answer? It would be a problem to accept Cha Taeha’s one-sided invitation, and it would also be a problem if I refused and hurt his feelings.
‘What should I do?’
Day 2 of staying at Chairman Cha Taesan’s house. An unexpected dilemma had appeared.
