Ian unconsciously touched the frayed part of the sofa. The sofa that had occupied the living room like a household god since he was young exuded a distinctly worn air.
This sofa, the living room table, the bookshelf filled with books, the pot where the rubber plant was breathing. Every single one was as old as Ian’s age.
Ian’s gaze naturally headed to the floor. Below this was the soup restaurant that had helped grandfather and grandson make a living. The shop that had given off a savory smell every day was only accumulating dust with the sign’s lights off.
To the question of what relationship he had with his grandfather, Ganghyuk had given a vague answer, but Ian thought that perhaps he might have received help from his grandfather before. That made sense, because his grandfather had lived his whole life giving to others.
If the speculation was true, it was the same as his deceased grandfather still protecting Ian. If he hadn’t met the man at the funeral home, he wouldn’t have known Ian was his grandfather’s grandchild, and even if he’d seen Ian come up on stage, he would have just passed by.
The good deeds his grandfather had done saved his life.
Granny Okjeong used to nag his grandfather sometimes, asking how he could live giving everything away like that, telling him to act a bit selfishly sometimes. She’d told him several times to raise the soup restaurant prices too. Each time, his grandfather would laugh heartily and shake his head.
‘If you live giving, it all comes back around. In this harsh world, at least don’t go hungry. That’s how you live. You can’t act selfishly.’
His grandfather’s words were truly fact. Ian was alone, but many people were together at the funeral home. Both Okjeong and Soyeon stayed by Ian’s side from beginning to end.
Someone had said a person’s life value is measured at the funeral home. Then his grandfather’s life was very valuable. If it was true that the good deeds his grandfather had done for Ganghyuk came full circle to save him.
His complicated mind gradually organized itself.
Ian clasped both hands and looked at the closed room door. He suddenly thought of something he wanted to do.
He wanted to continue operating the soup restaurant, carrying on his grandfather’s will. At least until the redevelopment. And he wanted to somehow repay the grace he’d received from Ganghyuk.
Like his grandfather, he too wanted to live giving to others. Then he felt it would seem like his grandfather was continuing to be together by his side.
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“You want to run the soup restaurant?”
“Yes. And I’ll study too. Actually, I wasn’t good enough at studying to get into Seoul universities. If possible, I want to go to a good university. By studying hard enough to receive a scholarship.”
As soon as day broke, Ian waited for Ganghyuk to come out of the living room and told him what he’d decided overnight. Ganghyuk, who saw Ian’s determined expression, asked with a faint smile hanging on the corners of his mouth.
“Do you know how to make soup?”
“…I’ve never done it even once, but I’ve seen and heard a lot from the side. There’s also a notebook where my grandfather wrote down the recipe.”
When Ganghyuk seemed to doubt him, Ian put strength in his eyes. Even though he’d never made pork soup, he cooked quite well. From when he entered middle school, while his grandfather worked, he prepared and ate his own meals and prepared his grandfather’s meals too.
“I can really do it well. It’s just that I don’t set my mind to it, but once I set my mind to something, I’m the type who definitely accomplishes it.”
He kept secret that setting his mind to something happened maybe once a year. Ganghyuk was the building owner. To continue operating his grandfather’s soup restaurant, his permission was absolutely necessary.
“The money earned from the shop, I’ll give you a certain portion of it even if not all, Executive Director. I’ll give you rent according to market price too, and I’ll handle my own labor costs.”
Ian looked up at Ganghyuk with an earnest face. Ganghyuk’s gaze stuck straight like a line to Ian’s face. When Ian swallowed dry saliva at the strange tension, Ganghyuk suppressed a laugh.
“You shouldn’t go negotiate anywhere.”
If it had been someone other than Ian making a proposal like this, Ganghyuk would have left without listening further. Anyway, this building was now Ganghyuk’s property.
Even if he brought all the money earned from the shop, it would be insufficient, yet seeing him present such absurd conditions, his nerve was quite thick. He’d treated Ian fairly well so far, but it was fascinating that now he really didn’t seem to fear him at all.
Still, it was commendable that he’d wracked his brain all night thinking of what he wanted to do. Though wanting to run the soup restaurant was unexpected.
In Ganghyuk’s eyes, Ian was as fragile as a butterfly just born from a chrysalis. He’d seen countless times how much a young dominant omega’s life without a proper guardian could be thrown into the mud.
If Ian hadn’t caught Ganghyuk’s eye, he’d be being toyed with by an alpha two or three times his age by now.
Just because he’d escaped from Gal Hongdo didn’t mean Ian’s life had become smooth. Rather, by getting entangled with Ganghyuk, he’d fallen into new danger.
Ganghyuk had many enemies around him. Hyenas covetously trying to steal what was his were waiting for a gap to open.
Of all people, Minjae had learned of Ian’s existence. Though it couldn’t be helped, it was true that Ian had become endangered because of Ganghyuk.
In a chaotic situation like now, if he left Ian, who was clearly connected to him, alone in the outside world, it could become more dangerous than being sold to the club.
Deciding to live in the same house as Ian was to show clearly. He’d declared to the bastards watching how close he and Ian were. So that the riffraff wouldn’t even dare think of approaching.
Ganghyuk had already decided to accept Ian’s proposal, but Ian himself had taken Ganghyuk’s words as a refusal.
Though he’d thought he might be refused, since he’d also inwardly thought he’d accept, Ian shamelessly felt disappointed.
“How about a 70-30 split of net profit? Of course you get the 70, Executive Director. With the condition that rent is separate and utilities are also deducted from my money.”
In truth, he had been thinking of a 60-40 split, but looking at the atmosphere, it seemed like Ganghyuk wouldn’t agree, so he slyly raised the ratio. Yet even so, Ganghyuk just laughed briefly without saying much.
“80-20…?”
Even after saying it, Ian worried about what he should do if Ganghyuk accepted this condition. No matter how he thought about it, if he only took 20% of the net profit, there wouldn’t be anything left in his hands. He had been planning to save up even small amounts of money to repay the 1 billion won Ganghyuk had spent to bail him out, so he became gloomy.
1 billion won. Just hearing the amount made his breath catch, but they say even a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Ian took advantage of his still-young age.
If he got into a good university and found a decent job at a company, the speed of repaying the debt would become even faster. He hadn’t planned to pay it back in a short period anyway. That was beyond Ian’s capabilities.
Instead, he harbored the hopeful expectation that if he saved up the money he earned running the restaurant penny by penny and paid it back, wouldn’t Ganghyuk recognize his effort?
“90-10 won’t work. I’ll starve to death then. Actually, 80-20 is already pushing it a lot. So couldn’t you please make it 70-30?”
His words came faster, worried that Ganghyuk might want 90-10. He slyly lowered the ratio back to 70-30.
“Let’s do 90-10. I’ll take the 10%.”
Seeing Ian’s face that looked like he might cry if left alone any longer, Ganghyuk stroked Ian’s head as he spoke. Ian’s eyes widened at the condition he hadn’t even thought of.
It was a good condition for him, but seeing Ganghyuk being so generous made him a little worried. He was about to pretend to be overwhelmed and accept the condition, but asked in a cautious voice.
“But Executive Director, the people you’re this good to—is there anyone else besides me?”
No matter how much money someone had, if they spent such large sums carelessly, it seemed like they’d become penniless in no time. The money Ganghyuk had spent so far was, in Ian’s opinion, an enormous, incredibly huge amount.
“Why are you asking that?”
When Ganghyuk asked back, Ian’s eyes clouded with worry. Seeing him deflect the question, it seemed there really were others. He looked like someone who would live by taking all of other people’s money, based on his appearance.
