18.3

“Tell me.”

“Tell you what out of the blue?”

“You’ve thought about it. My shield.”

Seonho’s face, smiling at Junsu, was filled with trust.

“You’re trying to take the easy way out. I’ve been losing sleep, racking my brain until it hurts.”

Junsu spoke in a displeased tone.

“You were going to tell me anyway. So, just say it. Let’s see if it’s similar to what I thought.”

“You’ve been thinking about something too?”

“What do you think I was thinking about on the plane? I was constantly pondering over Chaeyoon.”

Seonho tapped his head with his fingers.

“Vice Chairwoman.”

Junsu said the answer Seonho had thought of.

“If we talk about who in the house would side with you, your mother has the highest chance, especially since she’s pushing you as the successor. But your mom is all for arranged marriages; she might allow a girlfriend but would oppose marriage. She’s living that way herself.”

The family prioritizes the corporation over everything else to maintain their privileges. Sacrifices are naturally expected. Marriage was one of them.

“I don’t think the Vice Chairwoman is pushing you as the successor simply because of your potential.”

“Then why?”

“You resemble the Vice Chairwoman. I think she has some affection for her clever son who is like her.”

“Affection? From my mother?”

Seonho snorted, as if it were impossible.

In Seonho’s family, there was no such thing as strong family bonds. The same was true for Seonkyung. They each played their designated roles as father, mother, eldest son, youngest son, and nothing more.

“If you can love, the Vice Chairwoman can too.”

“Assuming that’s true. What then?”

Seonho gestured dismissively with his hand.

“Get Chaeyoon and the Vice Chairwoman together.”

“What?”

Seonho furrowed his brow at the unexpected suggestion.

“According to my analysis, given the Vice Chairwoman’s personality, there’s a very high chance she’d like Chaeyoon. You two have similar tastes. Get them together. Let the Vice Chairwoman fall for Chaeyoon.”

“Are you sure you’ve thought this through? We should be keeping them as far apart as possible, and you say put them together?”

“Try it. It’ll work. If she couldn’t pursue love, she can at least help her child do it.”

“I’m not taking that gamble.”

“You’ve already started gambling. A very tough one at that. A fair gamble is a game of probability. And even with the same cards, depending on skill, a losing game can be won. That will depend on your capabilities.”

“I still don’t like it. I won’t do anything to make things harder for Chaeyoon.”

Seonho firmly shook his head.

“But I agree with you about using my mother as my shield.  So, before we start the war, shall we gather some data, Secretary Hwang?”

“I’ve roughly collected the data, but if you need anything else, just let me know.”

Junsu handed some documents to Seonho.

“Good!”

Seonho gave a satisfied smile and thumbs up.

***

Seonkyung put the tablet down on the table as Seonho looked at it. It was a picture of him and Chaeyoon getting into a limousine after leaving a London hotel.

That was quick. 

Seonho stared at the photo with an impassive expression, but inwardly, he was impressed with Seonkyung’s promptness. Junsu was called on Saturday, and this photo was taken the very next day.

“Even for a paparazzi shot, the photo is terribly taken.”

Seonho’s voice and expression were disinterested and lackluster. Seonkyung stared intently, trying to read Seonho’s true feelings.

“You don’t have a relationship with her, do you?”

“What does it look like to you, mother? Does it look like a relationship or not?”

Seonho raised one lip and smirked.

“Let’s not waste time with wordplay. We’re always living on borrowed time.”

“It’s not wordplay. I want to look like we’re in a relationship, but she says no.”

“So you’re saying it’s one-sided love?”

Seonkyung’s words implied disbelief, as if saying, ‘Are you expecting me to believe that? Impossible.’

“We’ve even slept together, and she still doesn’t want to be my girlfriend. I don’t want that either. Could you help me make it look like we’re ‘not in a relationship’?”

Seonkyung slightly tilted her head. Whether his words were true or not, it was an unexpected response.

It’s usually one or the other: they’re either together, or they’re not. But Seonho likes her while she does not? That seems unlikely.

Not just because he’s my son. He’s handsome enough to live off his looks alone, and he’s also highly capable. From the moment he was born until now, Seonho has been a source of pride and a glorious trophy.

How could a woman reject him? And him being clingy to such a woman? How can I believe that?

Seonkyung directed her gaze at the woman in the photo. The girl was pretty but that was it.

The woman looked familiar when Seonkyung first saw the photo. She’s definitely seen her somewhere. But the fact that she couldn’t remember her yet meant she wasn’t important enough to remember.

“If that’s not the case, then don’t intervene. Don’t stir things up by calling someone who isn’t even clinging to me. She’s really busy. If things go wrong, I might not even be able to see her.”

Seonho’s attitude still appeared light, and his actions did not seem serious.

But maybe it’s a mother’s intuition? The words of Junsu telling her to discuss it with Seonho before acting on anything made her hesitant to dismiss it easily.

Unlike her eldest son, who had been a headache since high school due to girl troubles, this was a first for Seonho, so it was worth investigating more carefully.

“It’s a novelty, but I find it hard to believe. You must have brainstormed quite a bit with Junsu to protect her. Before you arrived, he even told me to discuss this with you first, fearing I might interfere. Quite thoughtful.”

“What are you talking about?”

“He said that any issues regarding this girl should be discussed with you first.”

“Secretary Hwang said that? He didn’t mention that to me.”

“So you didn’t ask him to say it?”

“I didn’t even know you would call me; how could I have instructed him? But knowing Secretary Hwang’s character, if he said something like that, he must have been trying to consider your feelings.”

“Considering my feelings?”

“I’m afraid you will get all excited and meet her, only to end up embarrassed. It’s ridiculous. To have you, my mother, come over and tell her to break up with me when we’re not even dating. It would be too big an embarrassment for a proud mother like you, wouldn’t it?”

Seonho chuckled.

Why is he laughing and I can’t read his expression?

Initially, she had meant to just have a light conversation to check, but somehow things were flowing differently from her intention.

What am I missing?

Seonkyung found it hard to discern whether Seonho’s words were true or if there was some hidden agenda.

“If what you’re saying is true, it’s even stranger. Why would you insist on meeting such a girl? Is it really necessary?”

“Yes.”

It was a brief response, but very firm.

“Alright. You can meet her. You’re 26, the prime of youth. Just have some fun and then end it. And don’t forget about contraception. You know that, right? Alimony is a different story if a child is involved. I’ve narrowed down a few girls from a suitable family who’d be a good match for you. There will be marriage talks with one of them soon, but it would be troublesome if we pushed for marriage and you present a child. You know how well reporters sniff around. Just handling your father’s affairs is overwhelming enough.”

“Still, a scandal involving an unmarried man is better than one involving a married man, right?”

“Yoon Seonho, do you find scandals amusing? This is about the group’s image. By now, you should know to keep that in mind without anyone having to tell you.”

Seonkyung’s voice became stern as her face set.

“Why should I be the only one to do what neither my father nor my brother do?”

“So? You’re saying you want to join in too?”

“I told you, I’m different from father and brother. I’m single. Even though adultery laws have been abolished, an affair of a married man and the romance of a single man is not treated the same.”

“Am I talking about romance here? I’m talking about the group’s image. This is absurd. People bearing the Yoon surname who should be concerned about the group’s image show no interest, and here I am, worrying alone.”

Seonkyung said this sarcastically.