Chapter 2.6

From the outside, Ki Seung-jo looked like the perfect heir to the K.U. Group. His sophisticated attire exuded elegance without being flashy, and his confident yet resolute stride gave off an air of authority. His solid, well-proportioned physique conveyed strength, with muscles subtly visible as he moved, honed through regular exercise.  

His face, with its sharp contours and angular jawline, radiated a refined aura. His cautious eyes and restrained expressions reflected a meticulously cultivated calmness.  

At times, his mere presence felt like a vast, silently flowing river. Staring into his eyes for too long could evoke a sense of boundless distance, as if an intangible fear seeped into one’s shoulders—like standing before the merciless vastness of nature as a mere human.  

As if defying that intimidation, Ki Seon-young quietly clenched her fist. His towering height was always overwhelming, no matter how many times she saw it.  

Her dirty-tempered cousin, who cared about nothing in the world except basketball.  

To Ki Seon-young, that was all Ki Seung-jo had ever been. And yet, that very cousin now stood at the pinnacle of K.U. Electronics. The thought drove her mad with frustration.  

If only she had been supported the way he was—if only her father and uncle had backed her—she could have achieved the same.  

Her fury wasn’t directed at him for taking her brother’s place. Her brother’s death had no impact on her. What enraged her was the fact that something she rightfully deserved had been taken from her.  

If Ki Seung-jo could do it, why couldn’t she? After all, the actual work was done by subordinates anyway.

Ki Seon-young’s husband, Attorney Yang, subtly shielded his wife, whose expressions revealed everything on her face, and was the first to greet Ki Seung-jo. Though Seung-jo was technically his senior in familial hierarchy, Yang was a few years older than him.  

“Welcome, Executive Director Ki. I heard you’re coming straight from the research lab? You must be tired with all the work.”  

“Work? He’s been on a blind date, apparently. With the daughter of an innkeeper.”  

“Dear!”  

Seung-jo, having reached the inner room, kept his hands in his pants pockets as he looked at his cousin and her husband, who were blocking his path. His characteristic expressionless face and cold eyes, as always, gave off a chilling impression.  

Attorney Yang attempted to suppress his growing discomfort with a forced smile, trying to maintain a pleasant demeanor.  

“You know she’s just joking, right? Don’t mind her and go on inside. Father-in-law has been waiting for you for a while. He seems to be upset about something that happened today.”  

Even during his days as an athlete, Seung-jo had always stood a head taller than his peers. His gaze slowly lowered to meet theirs.  

“You’re speaking as if you own the place.”  

His deep voice, sharp as if concealing a blade, cut through the two of them.  

“Before meddling in my affairs, how about focusing on your own first?”  

Attorney Yang, who had casually acted superior and informal toward Seung-jo, stiffened as if his true intentions had been exposed.  

“What… why are you speaking like that, brother-in-law? You’re making it awkward for someone who’s just trying to look out for you.”  

“Really? I nearly missed it—my brother-in-law looking out for me.”  

Seung-jo let out a faint chuckle. Even while laughing, he managed to exude a chilling aura, something Ki Seon-young thought only he could do.  

“And what exactly were you looking out for? My blind date? Or perhaps the research lab schedule that only the secretary’s office knows about?”  

His sharp, calculating gaze pierced through the fleetingly awkward expression on Attorney Yang’s face.  

“Go ahead. Tell me. I need to know so I can return the favor.”  

Though his voice carried a leisurely tone, his dark eyes narrowed slightly. His usual indifferent expression now revealed an intrigued glint, the kind of look a competitor might have after securing victory in a fierce battle.  

At the mention of returning the favor, Attorney Yang flinched and swallowed nervously without realizing it.  

“I-I must have misspoken, brother-in-law. That’s not what I meant at all…”  

Ki Seon-young, glaring at her husband for shrinking so quickly without even putting up a proper retort, shoved him aside and stepped forward herself.  

“Why are you picking a fight with someone who hasn’t done anything? Is it because he’s nice, so you think he’s an easy target? And you, of all people, acting like this is your house—do you think this is your home? This is our house!”

“I’m not sure if he’s been quiet, and I’m even less sure about him being kind.”  

Seung-jo’s indifferent gaze landed on his brother-in-law, who had a gentle appearance. Attorney Yang’s eyes quivered slightly. Fixing his sharp gaze on him, Seung-jo continued nonchalantly.  

“If you claim not to know what I know, then I have nothing more to say.”  

“…What are you talking about?”  

“If you’re still unable to tell heaven from earth and insist on distinguishing between ‘your house’ and ‘my house,’ then just take it as yours.”  

“What?”  

“I’m fine as long as I have a place to live.”  

“……”  

This outsider, acting like this!  

Ki Seon-young clenched her teeth at his attitude, which not only lacked basic courtesy but also made no effort to hide his bad personality. If only he had bowed his head from the beginning, they wouldn’t have hated Ki Seung-jo so much. Unlike her mother, Ki Seon-young had the generosity to let him have a few of the affiliate companies.  

But Ki Seung-jo had been consistently insufferable and arrogant. Instead of crawling on his belly, he had brazenly taken what was theirs, as if he didn’t even know how to lose.  

“Just wait and see, you. I’ll make sure to kick you out of this house in front of everyone.”  

Ki Seon-young lowered her voice and glared at him.  

“Didn’t you say the same thing 17 years ago? Should I keep waiting?”  

“……!”  

“I don’t expect any improvement, but since you’re older now, at least learn to assess the situation.”  

“…What?”  

“It’s not me who left this house—it’s already you, isn’t it?”  

Seung-jo pulled his hands out of his pants pockets and glanced at his wristwatch, as if to signal that they were wasting his time.  

“This is getting tedious. If you have nothing else to say, step aside.”  

His sharp eyes, set against his refined features, glinted coldly as they fixed on the couple blocking his way. He took a step forward.  

“Hey, Ki Seung…!”  

Ki Seon-young, enraged, raised her voice, but her husband quickly covered her mouth. The inner room door slid open with a creak, and Seung-jo stepped inside.  

“When did you get here? Why are you only coming in now, you slug?”  

Chairman Ki’s gruff voice resonated through the hallway from beyond the threshold.  

“I was exchanging greetings with Seon-young and her husband.”  

“They’re still here? Chief Lee, go kick them out right now.”  

Hearing her father’s cold order to expel them, Ki Seon-young swallowed the bitterness rising within her.  

* * *  

“This broth is absolutely divine. Seung-jo, you should try some too.”  

Chairman Ki urged him. Sitting across from Chairman Ki, Seung-jo picked up a thick strand of cold bean noodle and swallowed it in one go.  

“How is it? Not bad, right?”  

Before even finishing his bite, Chairman Ki asked,  

“It’s edible.”  

Though polite, his tone carried a chill. For words spoken in front of the chairman, they bordered on insolence. Yet Chairman Ki seemed pleased, chuckling as he repeated, ‘Not bad, huh?’

“What did the research director say?”  

“He assured me everything will be ready for next week’s strategic presentation.”

“What’s your take? Do you think it’ll work?”  

“The technology is usable, but it will take more time to commercialize it.”  

“How long?”  

“It won’t be ready to hit the market until after the first quarter of next year.”  

“Got it. You handle it.”  

Closing the eyes of the businessman within him, Chairman Ki reverted to the boisterous old man as he lifted the noodle bowl and gulped down the broth.  

“Ah, refreshing!”  

Madam Kim frowned at his uncultured behavior. For someone who was the chairman of a major corporation, he truly lacked refinement.  

“Your aunt made a mistake today. I’ll take care of it, so don’t concern yourself with it.”  

Madam Kim’s eyes flared at the remark, spoken right in front of her. But no one paid her any mind.  

“A politician’s daughter, really? Do you want to ruin the family? Listen, we’re neither on your side nor theirs. Do you know how many companies have been swept away by political tides? Politics is the same as religion. You go to the temple, the church, and the cathedral. You give equally to all of them. That’s fairness.”  

Madam Kim scoffed internally, finding it laughable how he dressed up his spineless beliefs as fairness.  

“Remember this: trust no one. Got it?”  

Chairman Ki spoke as if issuing a warning to Seung-jo. Then, suddenly, he sensed something was off and turned his head. He noticed that Seung-jo, who usually answered without hesitation, was acting differently.  

“Why aren’t you answering? What, do you like the girl you met today?”  

At Chairman Ki’s question, Madam Kim’s sharp gaze shifted to observe Seung-jo. The reason she had stayed behind, offering to serve tea, was precisely because of this. When World Hotel was first presented as a matchmaking prospect, Seung-jo had clearly shown curiosity. Madam Kim was convinced that Seung-jo had a personal connection to Jung Cho-ah.  

“No, I don’t.”  

Momentarily lost in thought, Seung-jo raised his head calmly and replied with a relaxed demeanor.  

“I’ll handle it myself.”  

His short but clear response made Chairman Ki nod approvingly.  

“Good. I may not trust anyone else, but I trust you.”  

Chairman Ki’s gaze shifted triumphantly toward Madam Kim. Madam Kim, feigning indifference, lowered her eyes and poured tea. She thought to herself how satisfying it would be if the steaming tea scalded the roof of his mouth completely.  

In front of him, the elderly couple was bickering over a childish argument, but Seung-jo ignored them and focused on lifting the noodles with his chopsticks. The chewy noodles blended with the savory soybean broth, creating a rich, umami flavor.  

Just as he had told Chairman Ki, it was passable. Though, it wasn’t as good as tonight’s dinner. As he chewed on the fragrant cucumber that spread its aroma in his mouth, he recalled the face of someone who had carefully chewed through thick slices of meat.  

A thin, pale face. Eyes so piercing they seemed to float alone on her face. Her hair tied back as she sprinted across an empty schoolyard. These were the fragmented memories he had of her.  

It was the first time he had properly heard her voice. It was much lower and calmer than he remembered, carrying traces of time that had passed. Her gaze, still icy, now bore distrust toward the world and a faint weariness. All of it was covered with a polite smile.  

Ah, and her wariness had intensified.  

He suddenly remembered the way she had bitten her lips, unwilling to give him her phone number. Seung-jo let out a small chuckle. She was still terrified of him. That much hadn’t changed. She even deliberately looked up at him with feigned composure, not wanting to reveal her fear.  

Then why clench your hands so tightly?  

And why confess, for that matter? 

She was a contradictory woman in so many ways. Even knowing Madam Kim’s intentions, he had been tempted to play along with her scheme, just once. Strangely enough, now of all times.  

So what now? I’m already intrigued.  

Seung-jo put down his chopsticks, drank some water, and wiped his mouth with a napkin before raising his head. A mischievous smile spread across his chiseled face.  

What else? I’ll just have to see more of her.