CHAPTER 7

A few days later, Gwihyeon arrived in a car driven by a chauffeur to pick up Siyeon in Ichon-dong. Gwihyeon’s grandfather said he would go straight to the restaurant they had arranged in Suwon and wait for them there.

“I could have just gone there myself, you didn’t need to come all the way here, oppa.”

“My grandfather wanted me to bring you.”

“Is Ijun oppa also coming there?”

Siyeon had put the hair comb in her handbag just in case. She planned to secretly hand it over to Ijun when they met.

“Why Ijun?”

“Because it’s good to eat with a group.”

“…I think Ijun has prior plans though.”

“Well, can’t help it then.”

She had planned to stay for the ancestral rites after eating the rice cakes, but it seemed like today might not be the right day. Yet she couldn’t exactly ask Gwihyeon to pass the hair comb to Ijun for her.

But apart from the hair comb, the thought of not being able to see Ijun today made her feel a bit disappointed. Gwihyeon glanced at Siyeon with a fleeting look.

“I thought you didn’t really like Ijun that much.”

“I don’t dislike him. Ijun oppa might say that, but he’s actually a good person.”

“What do you think of me then?”

“Oppa is a good person inside and out.”

Gwihyeon smiled at Siyeon’s praise. Siyeon, who had been covertly observing Gwihyeon, spoke up.

“…Aren’t you feeling unfairly treated?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, what if you end up falling in love with someone else later on, but you still have to marry the person your family arranged for you?”

Since she was old enough to understand things, Siyeon had heard that she would become the daughter-in-law of the Seorae family. Becoming the daughter-in-law of the family was as natural as graduating from elementary school and going to middle school for her.

While it might not have affected her much, Gwihyeon probably heard those words as if they were driven into his ears with a nail. ‘Kim Siyeon, Professor Kim’s daughter, is your fiancée.’

“Do you feel unjust?”

During the Japanese colonial period, their great-grandfathers had formed an unbreakable bond through the independence movement. They had pledged a union, hoping that the blood of the Jeong family with the spirit of armed resistance would merge with the Kim family of scholars and officials.

However, contrary to the desires of the two individuals, both families had been blessed with sons throughout the generations. Grandchildren were just grandsons. But, in the midst of this, Siyeon was finally born, becoming the first girl across three generations.

She was the first girl in three generations, and the joy among the adults was immeasurable and her birth was seen as an extra blessing. Since Siyeon was an only daughter, her preciousness was beyond words. She spent her childhood receiving abundant attention and affection from both sides of the family.

“Actually, if you think about it, we’re bound by a promise that doesn’t have a tangible form.”

The name “Baekya” of Baekya Foods was the title of a poem written by Siyeon’s great-grandfather during the Japanese colonial period, which he contributed to the independence newspaper. Thanks to Gwihyeon’s great-grandfather, who had a special fondness for that poem, the company took on a mission that was not typical of a food company.

Gwihyeon’s great-grandfather had been involved in the independence movement in Manchuria, and Siyeon’s great-grandfather, who awakened people’s consciousness through his writing, had formed a deep friendship.

Direct descendants of these two people grew up witnessing and feeling their strong bond. Therefore, the emotions felt by Siyeon’s generation and those felt by Gwihyeon’s would naturally have different intensities and depths.

‘I’ll wait for you in Baekya.’

Siyeon’s great-grandfather (technically her benefactor) who had written “Baekya” once mentioned that he expressed the dark nights of the Japanese colonial period and the round white moon as a symbol of hope for independence. Just as the moon illuminates the darkness, they waited for independence with hope.

The poem was famous enough to be included in textbooks, and the members of the Kim family were extremely proud of their connection to it. Siyeon’s great-grandfather, who had been a school teacher and a private tutor during the Japanese colonial period, changed his pen name to Baekya and remained as one of the representative literary figures of his time.

“It’s a romantic promise.”

“Honestly, it doesn’t matter who you are, as long as you’re the great-granddaughter of Baekya.”

Gwihyeon was the kind of person to value rules and principles to the point that he might find them somewhat stifling. Having grown up as the next generation to inherit the lineage, to him, the promises of the previous generations were like laws that must be strictly upheld.

“While that’s the most important thing, it’s not everything. After all, you’re a person too.”

Honestly, if she were to speak candidly, the previous version of Siyeon’s life wasn’t drastically different from the Siyeon now. She had never questioned the fate given to her and had obediently followed that path.

Choosing to write fairy tales instead of novels in different genres was also because she thought it would suit her well as Baekya’s great-granddaughter and the current representative of the Kim family.

“Oppa.”

“Yeah?”

“Even if you find someone you’ll love later on, don’t feel sorry for me. I won’t get hurt.”

“Why are you suddenly saying that?”

Siyeon’s words made Gwihyeon turn his head and give her a puzzled look.

“Just suddenly, I thought it would be nice if you valued your own happiness the most.”

“If Grandfather hears this, he might scold you.”

“Do you think so?”

“To Grandfather, it’s only you. He cherished you deeply from the moment you were born.”

Siyeon didn’t deny his words. Gwihyeon’s grandfather treated Siyeon like a true granddaughter. He even gifted Siyeon land as a congratulatory present when she entered elementary school. With a chuckle, he had mentioned that he was giving her the land as a gift but also as a pre-marriage dowry for when she would eventually marry into the Jeong family.

At that time, the land wasn’t worth that much, but the important thing was that the connection between the two families was firmly rooted.

“…So how much would he compliment me now?”

“If you’re curious, you can try and find out. He’ll probably be willing to grant anything you want.”

“How far do you think you can fulfill my requests, then?”

“Do you want something? Tell me, I’ll get it for you.”

Gwihyeon said with a light chuckle as if finding Siyeon’s words cute.

“I do want something. But I hope my parents never find out.”

“I’ll give you my credit card.”

“It’s not something a card can buy. What I want is much bigger than that.”

Finally sensing something odd, Gwihyeon tilted his head slightly to his side, looking at her with a puzzled expression.

“How far would you go for me, oppa?”

“….”

Siyeon was looking at him with a serious expression, devoid of any humor.

* * *

After finishing the meal, Gwihyeon drove Siyeon back home. His actions were reminiscent of a lover seeing their partner home after a date.

“Didn’t you used to dream of becoming a fairy tale writer? Are you aiming for Korean language and literature now?”

Gwihyeon suddenly became curious about Siyeon. He was showing interest in her career path, something he had never asked about before. He even continued the conversation with her after they arrived in front of her house in Ichon-dong, still sitting in the car.

“I don’t want to be a fairy tale writer anymore. It doesn’t seem like I’d be successful with that.”

Though she mentioned success, she knew deep down that being a fairy tale writer wouldn’t really bring in much money.

“Well, how about working at our company? If you join Baekya, I think Grandfather would be very pleased.”

“I’ve never really thought about it, but I’ll keep it in mind.”

Her response was a way to let him down gently. She didn’t particularly want to watch Gwihyeon and Eunhye fall in love at Baekya. After all, once the two of them got married, she wouldn’t be able to be around them as much.

“Oh, and… about the favor you asked earlier…”

Before Gwihyeon continued, he hesitated for a moment. Her request seemed to weigh heavily on his mind.

It must have been surprising for him when she suddenly asked if he could quietly help a small business called “Yeongjin” in Hannam-dong.

No matter how much Siyeon thought about it, the only people who could help her parents in Hannam-dong was Gwihyeon, or to be more precise, Gwihyeon’s grandfather, who couldn’t possibly refuse her request. But, even if Gwihyeon’s grandfather favored her a lot, he wouldn’t fulfill such a request without letting her parents in Ichon-dong know.

It wasn’t about being greedy. Siyeon just wished for her father’s business in Hannam-dong to continue to do well and not fail. As long as her real parents could live healthy and have longer lives, she had nothing else to wish for.

“I’ll try my best to talk to Grandfather about it. If you are regarded as important persons, it’s likely to hold significance.”

Siyeon introduced her parents in Hannam-dong to Gwihyeon as her benefactors. She explained that she had received a great favor from them to the extent that she would give everything if she had anything to give. However, she was adamant that she didn’t want her true identity to be revealed to them.

Of course, Siyeon also asked Gwihyeon’s grandfather and her parents in Ichon-dong to keep the secret. She framed the situation as Gwihyeon having coincidentally met the CEO of Yeongjin and helping them out.

“I won’t bring up your story, so don’t worry.”

“Thank you so much, oppa.”

She was genuinely relieved and deeply grateful to him.

“But, are you not going to tell me how you found out about them? I think it’s okay for me to know.”

At some point, Gwihyeon would learn that her benefactors in Hannam-dong were her real parents. But she couldn’t reveal that truth at the moment.

“I’ll tell you when the time comes.”

Though he might feel a bit deceived once he eventually learns the truth shortly, it wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing for Gwihyeon. After all, he had helped people who had been kind to her for a long time.

“Siyeon.”

“Yeah.”

“Lately, you don’t seem like the Kim Siyeon I knew.”

“Is it because of what I asked you today?”

“Well, partly that, but… I don’t really know how to put it into words, but that’s the feeling I get. Ah, don’t take it the wrong way, I’m not saying I dislike it or anything.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t misunderstand. You’re someone who can’t say hurtful things to others.”

She was sure Gwihyeon would have noticed the change in her attitude towards him. If the Siyeon from before used to act cautiously around him, monitoring her reactions and behaving carefully, the current Siyeon now interacted with him openly, just like a neighborhood friend.

It was only natural. She wasn’t the daughter of her parents in Ichon-dong, and she already knew that she would eventually live her life without any connection to him. Of course, from Gwihyeon’s perspective, her sudden behavior change might seem perplexing, as if she had become fond of him overnight.

“By the time I finished my military service, you’ll probably be in your senior year of high school. Around that time, you’ll be busy writing college applications. Will you write me letters?”

In the past, before she had become eighteen again, she had sent several letters to Gwihyeon while he was in the military. At that time, she needed someone to rely on emotionally due to the changing attitude of her parents, and Gwihyeon had become that person.

Gwihyeon had thought that since Siyeon was the person chosen for him, things wouldn’t change. But in the end, he eventually chose Eunhye and left Siyeon.

The people she had loved ended up adoring Eunhye more, which left her with a bitter feeling.

“Students preparing for exams should focus on their studies. Be careful on your way. And don’t forget to fasten your seatbelt as soon as you get in the car.”

With a bittersweet feeling in her heart, Siyeon waved her right hand to bid Gwihyeon goodbye.