Chapter 23 – Parachute  

So-yeon, startled by Seo-jun’s reckless behavior, glared at him discreetly, protesting with her eyes, but it was futile. The more her shimmering gaze reached him, the tighter Seo-jun interlocked his fingers between hers, gripping her hand firmly.

In truth, Seo-jun’s internal feelings were entirely the opposite of the smiling expression he displayed while enjoying the photo time.

From the moment Manager Bong informed him a few hours ago that Eom So-yeon was Go Won-hoo’s partner, Tae Seo-jun’s mood had been anything but pleasant. Annoyance aside, the unpleasant feeling of something being taken from him grated on his nerves.

The reason he had been pacing in his room and eventually descended to the lobby was because of this, but stepping out in front of reporters was an impulsive act. He simply couldn’t bear the sight of Eom So-yeon standing so amicably with another man.

So he had to do this.

To bother her. To make her flustered and have her look only at him.

“…!”

‘Please let go of my hand! Don’t do this!’

Just by looking at her trembling eyes, it seemed as if he could hear her voice.

“….”

‘If you hate it so much, why don’t you try pulling away?’

Their discreet tussle continued until they left the hotel lobby.

Starting is easy, but starting again is difficult. In the past, she had nothing to lose, so she jumped in fearlessly, but not anymore.

After all, wasn’t there something precious she had to protect at all costs, even if it meant using up her entire life? Even if the path ahead was a minefield, it was a road she had chosen willingly, so So-yeon didn’t cross the line she had drawn for herself. No, she absolutely couldn’t cross it.

However, in front of Tae Seo-jun, that boundary kept crumbling and blurring.

When he shook, So-yeon, who couldn’t help but be shaken, felt like a frog in a pot.

***

The nominal purpose was to promote friendship among famous figures and businesspeople from various fields.

But the people gathered at this party each had their own clear objectives.

Chaebols aimed to maintain or expand their company’s capabilities by building networks, while creators leading popular culture and other artists primarily sought investors or to increase their recognition.

And another group focused mainly on finding good marriage prospects for their children, with the wealthy housewives passionately discussing highly private matters in a separate room adjacent to the banquet hall.

“El Stella’s chairman and vice-chairman haven’t shared any news yet, have they? About their grandchildren, I mean.”

“Come to think of it, that’s true. The eldest son got married two years ago, and the second son at the end of that year.”

“Both daughters-in-law have been silent so far, so Mrs. Cha, you must be quite worried.”

As Mrs. Kim pried into someone else’s family affairs, the other wives at the table chimed in.

Oblivious, unaware of how the listener might feel.

However, perhaps innate elegance becomes more solid with age, as even the fine lines around Cha Yeo-jin’s eyes, formed from discomfort, appeared graceful.

“I’m sure it will happen soon. But having children is strictly a matter between the couple, so it’s not my place to interfere.”

With a relaxed smile on her lips, Yeo-jin spoke softly.

The noblewomen found it remarkable how Yeo-jin, despite nearing sixty, seemed to have bypassed two decades of time. However, more than her steadfast beauty, what they envied was the immense wealth of the mistress of El Stella, capable of possessing all the world’s luxuries if she so desired.

Perhaps the envy was excessive. Mrs. Kim rambled on with baseless assumptions without filtering them through her brain.

“I’m only saying this because it’s unusual at this point. Could it be that your two sons are in a sham marriage, just for appearances…?”

“Ahem!”

As Yeo-jin cleared her throat in warning, sensing the conversation crossing a line, Mrs. Kim abruptly stopped speaking.

Just when the atmosphere, which had been fairly pleasant, started to become ambiguous due to Mrs. Kim, it happened.

“Hohoho…”

With a laugh, Mrs. Min entered the private room, accompanied by her only daughter, Oh Min-jung, and joined the circle of wives.

“Oh my, everyone’s gathered already.”

Having discreetly called her daughter from the bustling banquet hall to this place, Mrs. Min aimed to showcase her in the high-society marriage market. There couldn’t be a better venue for finding a capable son-in-law.

“You’re late. Please have a seat first.”

As Yeo-jin gestured warmly to an empty seat, Mrs. Min seated Oh Min-jung there and took the seat next to her.

“But I don’t see Chairman Tae.”

“He doesn’t like crowded places.”

That wasn’t literally true. Tae Seok-ho disliked people who clung and flattered annoyingly. Yeo-jin subtly rephrased that fact.

“Oh, is that so? Since he’s such a hard person to meet, I thought I’d take this opportunity to greet him, but it’s a pity.”

“Don’t husbands naturally interact with each other?”

Every time Mrs. Min spoke, the luxurious jewels adorning her neck and ears sparkled, as if declaring her nouveau riche status.

As Yeo-jin’s gaze moved from Mrs. Min to the person next to her, Mrs. Min nudged Min-jung’s side. It was a signal to not only greet but also make a good impression on Mrs. Cha.

“Hello. I’m Oh Min-jung.”

Though Min-jung bowed her head and greeted demurely, her pink dress barely concealed her chest, revealing a hint of skin. Pretending not to notice, Yeo-jin responded with a composed expression.

“Nice to meet you.”

“She was pretty when she was young, and now she’s even prettier.”

As Yeo-jin praised the well-raised Min-jung, the other wives nodded in agreement.

However, Mrs. Min, who had no interest in others, focused solely on Cha Yeo-jin and revealed her inner thoughts.

“Isn’t the youngest son living abroad?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Why else? They say relationships are made, not found. I was thinking, wouldn’t it be nice to match him with my daughter? Considering how handsome the sons running El Stella Hotel are, I’m sure the youngest son is just as outstanding.”

Startled by Mrs. Min’s comment, which was like striking while the iron is hot, people widened their eyes in surprise.

“Rather than that, it wouldn’t be bad for the children to meet first. If you could provide the address and phone number of where your son stays, we can have Min-jung move there. Anyway, that’s my intention, but what do you think, Mrs. Cha?”

“….”

With her lips pressed into a line, Yeo-jin looked at Mrs. Min for a long time with lowered eyes.

It wasn’t as though no one else had been curious or lacked the nerve to ask such questions before. In the past, a few others had brought up similar topics. However, Yeo-jin’s response had always been a deep sigh and prolonged silence.

With Cha Yeo-jin reacting the same way as before, the wives in the private room were confused about whether to criticize Mrs. Min for being reckless or applaud her for her sudden boldness. But first, they needed to gauge the situation.

Just as there are ranks among chaebols, there was a clear hierarchy among the wives.

As the family had been renowned as real estate tycoons since previous generations, Chairman Tae currently owned high-quality resorts worldwide in addition to the El Stella luxury hotel.

Moreover, with her family having been wealthy within the four gates of Seoul for generations, Cha Yeo-jin was the most prestigious among them.

However, even in a prosperous life, worries exist. Chairman Tae had initially imposed a gag order because he was displeased with Seo-jun pursuing acting instead of continuing his medical studies.

For that reason, Yeo-jin felt uncomfortable and unwelcoming about her youngest son being mentioned in this setting.

Unaware of those circumstances, Mrs. Min spoke recklessly, lacking even sophistication as a nouveau riche. But it wasn’t Cha Yeo-jin who couldn’t hold back her anger; it was her younger sister, Cha Yeo-jung.

“Mrs. Min, don’t you consider what’s inappropriate?”

“Wh-what do you mean…?”

“My sister has remained silent for a reason. Instead of behaving without refinement, you should assess the surrounding atmosphere.”

Speaking in a sharp tone, Yeo-jung’s words made Mrs. Min, feeling insulted, scowl fiercely and roll her eyes.

“What? Are you talking about manners to me?”

“Thankfully, you understood that much.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Yeo-jung turned her gaze elsewhere.

“You…!”

Enraged by being ignored, Mrs. Min grabbed a water cup with trembling hands. Just as she was about to throw water.

“Mom, don’t do this!”

Min-jung shouted, quickly taking the cup from her mother.

If she hadn’t intervened, Mrs. Min would likely have been banned from ever setting foot in the social circle again. Anticipating the situation, Oh Min-jung acted swiftly.

“Ha, I’ve watched and watched, and this is really annoying! What makes you so great to act like this!”

But Mrs. Min, filled with resentment, alternated between glaring at Yeo-jin and Yeo-jung, shouting insults.

“What’s wrong with my daughter! Who are you to ignore me like this!”

“Stop it already!”

Embarrassed by her mother’s swearing and raised voice, Min-jung held onto Mrs. Min’s arm.

“I told you I don’t want an arranged marriage! I’ve told you multiple times that I have no plans to get married yet!”

“You brat, you need to marry into a decent family for us to live with some dignity!”

Mrs. Min, whose forehead veins were about to burst, continued raising her voice without even realizing what she was saying.

“Since you didn’t have the brains for studying, I tried to make you an artist, but even your drawings were terrible! You had no hope as a vocalist either, so you ended up switching to acting. Do you even know how much money has gone into you so far? Why do you think I did all that?”

She implied that making her daughter an entertainer was a stepping stone for surviving in high society. As Mrs. Min self-destructively revealed this, Min-jung jumped in place.

“Mom, why are you saying that! Do you want to see me bite my tongue and die?”

What more needs to be said in this already ruined place.

“Ha, so embarrassing!”

Muttering to herself, Min-jung stormed out of the private room alone, leaving her mother behind.

***

Having only made a brief appearance at the party, Seo-jun left the place early.

Even Won-hoo hadn’t returned to his seat after over an hour.

As the shop master had said, So-yeon received all the attention from people, but the longer she waited, the more she felt like a lost child surrounded by strangers.

In the meantime, Oh Min-jung, who had returned to the party hall from the private room, sat down with a huff.

“Ugh, I’m so annoyed!”

Perhaps needing someone to vent her frustration from the incident in the private room, Min-jung scanned the acquaintances gathered at the table and suddenly fixed her thorny gaze on So-yeon.

“Eom So-yeon! You know that a supporting role has to back up the lead so that the main character can shine, right?”

“…?”

Not knowing what was bothering her, the sharpness in her voice was unusual. So-yeon’s large eyes, aware that Min-jung was more twisted than usual, turned to her.

“Ah, seriously! Anyway, do well! I’ll be watching closely, so keep your wits about you!”

“I’ll do my best, as much as you’re concerned.”

As So-yeon appropriately responded, as always, Min-jung curled her lips slyly and clinked champagne glasses with acquaintances, laughing as if she hadn’t been angry.

There is a hierarchy among actors as well. Veterans who have built recognition through consistent activity. Rookies who have suddenly risen to stardom overnight. However, only a few are granted longevity among them.

And even those who have reached great heights often face unforeseen storms that cause them to plummet.

This is the hidden danger lurking behind the glamour.

But what about the power of Tae Seo-jun, who effortlessly skipped all of this? He is a being who reigns above the stars, conquering both appearance and acting prowess, like the only sun.

Compared to him, what was Oh Min-jung, who had only just entered the ranks of stardom? She was nothing more than a fledgling. In other words, just being able to act as a co-lead alongside Tae Seo-jun was a stroke of luck for Min-jung. But that opportunity wouldn’t have existed without Eom So-yeon.

Initially, the probability of Tae Seo-jun joining that drama was nonexistent. But it was made possible by CEO Go Won-hoo, and Seo-jun’s heart was moved because of Eom So-yeon.

Unaware of that context, Min-jung was busy boasting and feeling proud as if she had achieved it all on her own.

“The lineup is a mess, but what can you do? There’s no actress more suited to be Tae Seo-jun’s counterpart than me.”

“The scriptwriter is Kwon Eun-young, and the director is Yoon Ji-wan, right?”

“With Tae Seo-jun, the box office guarantee, joining as well, it’d be stranger if it didn’t become a hit!”

Acquaintances who had heard about <Master of the Sun> added comments to Min-jung’s story.

“Look at them! Why are they leaving me out, the ratings killer?”

Perhaps her mood was overturned again, as Min-jung grumbled while glaring at the silent So-yeon.

“….Tsk!”

Though So-yeon heard Min-jung click her tongue, she couldn’t understand what it meant and just pretended not to know.

“A parachute, huh?”

“That’s exactly what it is. She’s a parachute who snagged a supporting role thanks to the company.”

But what can she do when she hears people’s voices with her open ears?

“…?”

A parachute? Me?

(T/N: In Korean, the idiom “낙하산” (nakhasan) is used to describe a “parachute” in a metaphorical sense. It refers to someone who secures a position, opportunity, or benefit through favoritism, nepotism, or connections, rather than through merit or qualifications.)

What was that supposed to mean?

So-yeon’s heart began to race. It wasn’t excitement but a completely different kind of pounding. She had thought she had earned the role solely through her own strength and effort.

But if that wasn’t the case, wouldn’t it be truly ignorant and embarrassing?

Feeling the need to confirm what had happened, So-yeon could only think of meeting CEO Go as soon as possible.

Suppressing the rising emotions, she left the banquet hall and, as soon as she turned the corner towards the restroom, removed her shoes and held them in both hands, standing barefoot. Her feet hurt, but the trailing dress that almost tripped her several times was also quite cumbersome.

Lifting the hem of her skirt with one hand, she sat on a bench placed in a secluded spot and took out her phone from her clutch bag.

Just as she was about to press the call button, a message that had just arrived floated on the screen.

[Could you come to the hotel’s VIP floor now? There’s a problem, and we need you, So-yeon.]

It was a text from the previously missing CEO Go Won-hoo.

She tried calling him, but no matter how long she waited, the long ringing tone didn’t connect to a call. Puzzled and bewildered, So-yeon got on the elevator.

As soon as she stepped onto the VIP floor, which she had set foot on four years ago, it felt like her heart dropped to her feet. Meanwhile, her palms were soaked with cold sweat.

‘Ha, I never thought I’d come here again…’

So-yeon had a foreboding feeling.