Chapter 2 (Part 6)

“Um, Do-jin.”

Hae-mi subtly caressed his arm, leaning her weight on her upper body.

Without looking at her, Do-jin let out a cold voice.

“Move away. I don’t like it when people cling to me during conversations.”

The air froze in an instant. It wasn’t the level of addressing a woman he was going to marry, nor even a member of the family he was going to marry into.

It was the tone of someone who had only ever stood on the carpet of power, giving orders to a servant.

Emotionless indifference. That made Hae-mi feel even more miserable and trampled on her pride.

Instinctively, Hae-mi lifted her hips and sat a hand’s breadth away.

Her spine, frozen by the unpleasant chill, felt like it might snap in two from the tension.

Do-jin quietly observed Hae-mi, then turned his emotionless gaze back to Hwa-woong.

“I came to ask you for a favor.”

Ignoring Do-jin’s rude attitude towards Hae-mi, Hwa-woong replied, 

“Haha, what could you possibly need from me?”

“This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Seonghan Welfare Foundation. We’re planning to run a small program in conjunction with the hotel.”

Do-jin continued, meeting Hwa-woong’s snake-like gleaming eyes directly.

“We intend to select a few preschool children from the foundation’s orphanage and provide them with a cultural experience in the hotel’s seminar room. Of course, it will be planned as a program to be aired on Korean TV.”

Hwa-woong’s cunning eyes, as if already understanding what Do-jin was about to request, began to waver.

“The main curriculum is talent donation, and we’d like to invite you, Artist Lee.”

Hwa-woong’s hand, resting on the sofa armrest, trembled with bewilderment.

“It’s not difficult. You just need to paint in front of the children once or twice a week. It would be perfect to add a story to the wedding in three months, so I hope you understand.”

As Hwa-woong hesitated, Do-jin smiled faintly.

“Think it over and let me know. However, since it starts in two weeks, I would like your answer by tomorrow. If you decline, we will need to find someone else.”

As Hwa-woong slowly nodded, Do-jin stood up.

He indifferently mentioned he would be leaving and walked out the front door.

The family members couldn’t stop him and could only quietly see him off.

After he left, Hae-mi immediately changed her expression to one of fierce anger.

“In the end, he treated Grandpa to a meal just to ask for this kind of favor.”

Despite Hae-mi’s grumbling, Hwa-woong only hardened his expression, saying nothing.

Chae-seon, who had been watching the situation, spoke for the first time.

“Father. I tried not to add my opinion since you said you would take full responsibility for Hae-mi’s marriage, but wouldn’t it be better to do everything you can for him and proceed with the marriage as soon as possible without any issues?”

Chae-seon continued to express her opinion with a dissatisfied look.

“Why do you think he only invited the three of us to the meal? It’s clearly a power struggle. He seems to be testing whether you will meet his demands or not, even though he intends to marry Hae-mi.”

“That’s right, Grandfather. What are you hesitating about? He just wants to add a story to the wedding. If you say that you donated your talent for underprivileged children and I occasionally accompanied you and met Do-jin there, it will make for a perfect and beautiful article. I’m sure the Chairman will be satisfied too.”

Hwa-woong had a headache.

Painting publicly in an open space wasn’t a simple matter.

It’s for the children’s learning, so just painting casually would suffice. The problem is that it will be aired as a TV program.

Even worse, his hands shook severely whenever he picked up a brush. In this state, he could never paint anything similar to the works displayed in exhibitions under Seo-hye’s skill.

Even if he painted casually for the children as if playing, if an expert watching the program noticed, there could be suspicions that everything from line drawing to touch technique was different.

In the arts, there are always those who try to find faults in those at the top.

He pondered on what he should do about this. A groan, similar to a wail, continuously escaped from his lips.

Hwa-woong forced himself to expel the breath caught in his chest as if vomiting, clasped his hands behind his back, and headed to the bedroom.

Do-jin’s temperament was not ordinary.

He said he wanted the younger granddaughter, not the older one, and as Chae-seon mentioned, he was observing Hwa-woong’s attitude.

If he obediently listened to him, he might generously agree to marry his older granddaughter.

Should I tell Chairman Won about Do-jin’s semi-threatening proposal? No, no. Even Chairman Won wouldn’t have a reason to oppose something that would benefit the company’s public image.

When dealing with Chairman Won, there was nothing to be concerned about, but when the grandson, who is the party to the marriage, came, the smooth flow began to be severed.

***

Do-jin’s car smoothly sped down the midnight road.

Since he made the statement yesterday about marrying the younger granddaughter, his mood had been down after seeing Seo-hye’s face in disarray.

Even during work and meetings in the morning, and when he went to see his father for the first time in seven years, it lingered.

“…No, it’s not abuse, more like exploitation of talent….”

Sure enough. Seeing her crying so sorrowfully because her painting was taken away overlapped in his mind, and his mood sank even further. To the point where he had to whisk her family away so he could see her.

That’s why he uncharacteristically went to Cheongun-dong. Seeing her with wide eyes, cursing cutely at him, his sunken mood instantly lifted.

Even now, thinking of her makes the corners of his mouth want to dance against his will.

It was quite perplexing. When he received the order to come to South Korea, he had no intention whatsoever of getting married to fulfill his grandfather’s wishes.

If things went awry, he planned to strip off the insignia of the Seonghan owner and just live protecting his father.

“…I can’t leave here on my own.”

The fact that such a fragile-looking woman was being cornered by her circumstances occasionally put a brake on both his mind and his desires.

He wasn’t some perverted bastard. Watching her struggle with life, like a wildflower being indiscriminately battered by a strong wind, kept drawing his gaze.

He wanted to gently pick her up, bring her home, and take her out to see whenever he wished. The process might be somewhat overwhelming for her, but he rationalized that he wouldn’t be as harsh as the strong wind.

Perhaps the anticipation that she might become a precious thing, enough to make him want to take root in the South Korea he didn’t want to settle in, also arose.

He called Secretary Yoo.

“Secretary Yoo. You’re still at the hotel, right?”

• Oh. No, I’m out for a moment. Is there something you need, Managing Director? I’ll head to the hotel right away.

His eyes, sharply watching the front, narrowed.

“You’ve met with the Chairman.”

It was only natural. From the beginning, he was Eung-soo’s man and was assigned to him under the pretext of surveillance.

In other words, he was also someone who would report all of Eung-soo’s circumstances to him.

“If you’re willing to share the conversation you had with the Chairman, come to the hotel.”

***

Upon arriving at the Seonghan Hotel Managing Director Office, he faced Seok-young, who was waiting with a tense expression.

Seok-young immediately opened the office door and subtly lowered his gaze.

Do-jin stepped into the space he was given, went to the office, and naturally sat on the sofa.

“Did everything go well with dinner?”

“Oh, yes. At first, when I informed them that you couldn’t come due to a suddenly scheduled appointment, they were quite disappointed, and it was a bit troublesome.”

Do-jin slowly lifted his right leg and placed it over the opposite thigh, chuckling softly.

“You did well.”

“No, not at all. Still, since we treated them to the finest cuisine, they quickly felt better and everyone enjoyed their meal.”

“And did you tell the Chairman exactly what you just reported to me?”

At a glance, it seemed like a friendly question, but it had a very sharp edge.

Yoo Seok-young discreetly inflated his chest and exhaled a sigh.

“No, it wasn’t like that. I didn’t go there to report anything. The Chairman summoned me.”

Do-jin stared into space for a moment, thinking.

It made sense. Earlier in the day, he had told the chairman that he had no intention of marrying the eldest granddaughter, Hae-mi, which probably prompted the chairman to call in Seok-young out of frustration.

“Um… Managing Director.”

While Do-jin was lost in thought, Seok-young spoke to him in a serious tone.

“Yes, go ahead.”

“I don’t really know whose side I should be on in situations like this. Others say to look far ahead and stand with the superior who will lead them, but I don’t have the luxury to strategize like that.”

Do-jin maintained a serious gaze, encouraging him to continue.

“I know that you didn’t view me favorably because I was sent by the Chairman. You couldn’t see me positively, as you probably thought of me as nothing more than a spy.”

Seok-young paused, seeming to organize his thoughts for the next part.

Once he seemed resolved, he continued with a stronger voice.

“Even though the Chairman sent me, I am currently serving you, Managing Director Won Do-jin. If you don’t look favorably upon me, you’ll probably dismiss me before the Chairman does. As you know.”

“……”

“I became a father this year. If I lose my job, I’m in a situation without answers.”

Do-jin found himself nodding unconsciously at his sincerity.