“Tell me how you’ve spent the past six months.”
They say ‘never say never,’ and now I found myself dining alone with Chairman Cha Taesan. The Chairman opened the conversation without any awkwardness. The more I looked at him, the more it seemed like he didn’t just hate Cha Jaehyun.
“…I’ve been working as a celebrity manager for a while.”
For a rich family’s son, it felt like a truly pathetic answer.
“I’ve already heard about that. I didn’t know you had an interest in the entertainment industry. …Six months of that lifestyle should be enough. If you want to do something there, do it properly. If you’re going to start an agency, start one—what are you doing playing house?”
Start an agency? I’m not sure what he’s basing this on to say such things about Cha Jaehyun.
“Haha, I’m not that interested in it.”
“I see. Then what are your plans for the future?”
The word “America” rose to the tip of my tongue, but the reality that I couldn’t say it was devastating. Seeing how he’s even giving me the opportunity to dine alone, it seems the Chairman has opened his heart to Cha Jaehyun to some degree.
But once the Lee Dojun bomb explodes, that’ll be a different story. Just thinking about it makes me dizzy.
“I originally wanted to go back abroad and finish my studies, but I’ve been working hard here in my own way during this time, so…I’d like to take some time to recharge.”
“Recharge. Isn’t that just a fancy word? It sounds like you just want to play around. I can’t tolerate someone in Daejin who does nothing and just plays.”
When originally, he let me play around just fine. Is this a notice that he won’t provide financial support for free anymore? Until now, he didn’t pay attention to me, but now he’s telling me to do something. Being possessed by a rich family’s son is utterly useless.
“I’ll keep the recharging period as short as possible. I’ll tell you my plans soon. Please give me a little more time.”
“Alright. If that’s what you say, then I suppose it is. You’ve kept your promises well so far, so I’ll trust that you won’t disappoint me.”
“Thank you.”
“However, there’s a business leaders’ meeting coming up soon. You should attend it too.”
A business leaders’ meeting. That would be an unofficial gathering where top business leaders meet. It was a place Cha Jaehyun had wanted to go to at least once but ultimately couldn’t. Because Cha Jaehyun was someone who shouldn’t be revealed.
When they should be hiding Cha Jaehyun, he’s telling me to show my face at that meeting? It’s something I don’t want either.
In business circles, rumors about Daejin’s illegitimate child must have been quietly circulating. Despite this, the reason it remained only as rumors was because Daejin thoroughly concealed his existence. Showing my face at the meeting would be highly symbolic to others. It would be no different from officially acknowledging and revealing the illegitimate son’s existence.
“Chairman, I’m very grateful for your words, but if I attend, it doesn’t seem like it would benefit Daejin’s image.”
I didn’t know why he was making this proposal, but because I absolutely didn’t want to go, I used the company image that the Chairman values most as an excuse.
“Tsk, how can you be so unconfident? A man shouldn’t waste his energy on strange things. Did you think I was asking you? This is an order. It’s next weekend, so prepare well.”
Just as the Chairman said, this was a notification. It wasn’t something I could choose. One Lee Dojun is already giving me a headache, and now suddenly I have to show my face at a business leaders’ meeting.
‘This is driving me crazy….’
* * *
The day of my dinner appointment with Seo Hanryul arrived. Just two weeks ago, I thought I’d be busy preparing to go to America around this time.
‘I want to set aside a day just to cry.’
Seo Hanryul said he’d buy me a meal but then suddenly said he’d come to my house. Now that his face is quite well-known, I understood to some degree his reluctance to go to restaurants.
I was preparing various foods when the doorbell rang, so I opened the door.
“Why are you ringing the bell when you know the passcode?”
“What am I, some thug? Barging into someone else’s house. It’s been a while.”
He is a thug but pretending not to be.
“We’re meeting after a week, what do you mean ‘been a while.’ Anyone would think we haven’t seen each other in years.”
“If we saw each other every day and then it’s been a week, that’s ‘been a while.'”
Seo Hanryul deployed strange logic. Having to have such stupid conversations right from the start, the self-loathing is no joke. I should quickly feed him and send him away.
After seating him in the living room, I went into the kitchen and finished preparing what I’d been working on.
“Come here. This is the meal you wanted so badly.”
“Wow, not bad?”
“Did you think only you could cook?”
“The Young Master who seemed like he’d never cooked once has an unexpected talent. Or does it look more delicious because you made it?”
Whether something good happened today, Seo Hanryul was in such good spirits that he was even praising me.
“So when are you leaving the country?”
As soon as I heard the question, bitterness welled up inside me.
“I was originally going to leave right away, but circumstances came up so it’s been postponed for a bit.”
I answered in a dry voice while cursing Lee Dojun internally. Seo Hanryul didn’t even try to hide his brightening face. To be so happy about someone else’s misfortune, this guy is really something from the core.
“You were singing America’s praises, so what happened? …Anyway, since it’s postponed, want to just keep working by my side?”
“You’re talking crazy.”
“How is this crazy talk? You said it yourself. Where would I find a manager like you? Thinking about it, I think you were right. Where would I find someone like you?”
Seo Hanryul, unlike his usual self, started continuously building me up. But he’s not wrong. Where would he find a diligent employee like me? He must have finally realized how precious I am.
“No matter how much you sweet-talk me, that’s not happening.”
“You know too. I’m not usually this type, but you’re just so clueless. You’re more stubborn than a bear.”
He’s been going on about being clueless since last time. When he’s clueless himself. And again telling me to work by his side. Of course, refusing would be appropriate, but thinking about Lee Dojun’s attitude, I also thought it would be right to stay by Seo Hanryul’s side for a while. That way, I can watch for Lee Dojun targeting Seo Hanryul.
If Lee Dojun puts his mind to it, he’ll spread Seo Hanryul’s photos anytime. Those photos aren’t my fault, but I don’t want to unnecessarily block Seo Hanryul’s future.
“Fine, I’m in a good mood. Since things turned out this way anyway, I can accompany you on important schedules about once a week until I leave.”
“Then should we write up our contract again?”
“Forget it. Let’s just not do it.”
“You’ve been taking jokes as documentaries since last time?”
How can I suppress Lee Dojun’s strange interest? I fell into deep thought, ignoring the guy in front of me who kept spouting nonsense. The most frustrating thing is that there’s no one I can vent to about Lee Dojun’s vicious behavior. This is also something I have to resolve on my own.
‘It feels like I can resolve it on my own, but it’s annoying.’
“This is a promise.”
The guy sitting across the table suddenly reached out his hand. Then he did the bizarre action of grasping my hand and interlocking our fingers. Because he’s filming a romance drama, he must think he’s actually the main character.
“Stop doing disgusting things.”
Not knowing what’s inside me, the guy who was grinning and suddenly grabbed my hand was subtly irritating. What a self-centered bastard.
* * *
I sent Seo Hanryul back home. After finishing the meal, I broke a sweat trying to chase away the guy who insisted on sticking around in my house until the end.
‘That’s strange.’
I thought he was just in a good mood, but it doesn’t seem like that’s it. Today, Seo Hanryul’s attitude was somehow off. He should be nagging at me like usual, but today he maintained a gentle attitude as if he’d become a different person.
Even if he’s filming a romance drama, it’s a bit strange for an actor to be that over-immersed.
‘Well, if he becomes nicer, there’s nothing bad in it for me.’
[Saturday 11 AM. XX Apert]
Just when I was smiling for once thinking the guy seemed to be maturing, a text arrived that immediately shattered that smile. It was a message from Lee Dojun.
“So curt.”
From the first meeting, he’s calling me to his house. What exactly is he trying to say to summon me to the most private place?
Still, I need to keep my wits about me. It’s important to win in the initial power struggle. If I go and look easy, that’s absolutely unacceptable.
Lee Dojun is doing this blackmail because of strange emotions mixed with simple interest and jealousy. Watching Cha Jaehyun’s past and the relationship between Cha Jaehyun and Seo Hanryul, he must have felt all sorts of bizarre emotions.
I need to make him realize on his own that spreading Seo Hanryul’s photos won’t get him the results he wants. I need to let him know that taking away the happiness of someone he’s interested in will never lead to a good ending.
‘Hah…. That I have to teach him even that.’
* * *
“CEO-nim, you have a really nice house.”
The weekend of my appointment with Lee Dojun quickly arrived. With a firm resolve to get the upper hand on him first, I stepped inside his house.
“You know well that I didn’t call you here to tour the house.”
When I offered a greeting, he gave a twisted pretzel-like answer.
His house was nice, but it wasn’t a house I’d want to live in. Whether the house resembled its owner, not a speck of dust could be seen in the spacious area, and no humanity could be found in the interior design either.
“Yes, I’m well aware. Then please tell me directly what you want, CEO-nim.”
“As expected, you lack basic manners. I don’t like your attitude.”
“….”
Then what do you want me to do, you XX bastard? At his irritating attitude, anger gradually began to rise within me.
“Then what would you like me to do?”
“If you want something, isn’t the basic thing to make the other person feel good first?”
So what do I need to do to make you feel good?
“Haha, what methods are there to make you feel good, CEO-nim?”
“You have to figure that out yourself.”
Is he trying to play twenty questions with me? Lee Dojun is enjoying this situation. Why is it fun to shake someone by holding their weakness?
“…CEO-nim, just tell me cleanly what you want. I think that would be better for both of us. No matter how much I think about it, I can’t think of a way to make you feel good.”
“Looks like I’ll have a lot to teach you going forward.”
You’re the one who needs teaching. Digging through someone else’s completely unrelated past and blackmailing them—you urgently need etiquette education.
“If you really don’t know, why don’t you at least try kissing me?”
“What?”
Finally, nuclear-grade bullshit came out of his mouth. Calling me out on a weekend morning just to tell me to try kissing him.
