Chapter 9 (Part 3)

He led her to the back of the venue and handed her a flat, square case.  

“Open it.”  

Curious, she opened the case.  

Inside was a dazzling necklace.  

“Wow, it’s beautiful. Did you borrow it for me?”  

Her eyes widened as she asked, surprising him.  

The diamond necklace was a gift for her. He hadn’t expected her reaction.  

“You were worried I wouldn’t dress properly.”  

“Ah, well… yes, I borrowed it. A friend couldn’t come, so…”  

“I can’t wear this. What if I lose it? I won’t wear it.”  

As she turned away, he grew anxious.  

“If you don’t wear it, the rental fee is wasted.”  

She hesitated, her gaze lingering on the necklace.  

“Since it’s borrowed, don’t feel pressured.”  

If she knew the necklace was studded with diamonds, she wouldn’t have dared to wear it.  

Finally, with the dazzling diamond necklace completing her look, she naturally drew everyone’s attention.  

Walking through the center of the venue with him, no one could take their eyes off her.  

Even those initially drawn by the necklace were entranced by her pure beauty.  

Feeling proud, he looked around with satisfaction.  

“Excuse me.”  

Someone called him away, leaving her alone.  

Feeling awkward, she glanced around. Her eyes landed on the lavish spread of food.  

“Wow.”  

Without hesitation, she headed straight for the dishes, confidently picking up a plate.  

Startled by someone tugging her dress, she turned her head.  

A little boy in a tuxedo looked up at her.  

“Can you get me that?”  

The chubby-cheeked boy pointed to a mango pie on a table higher than him.  

“This?”  

She pointed to the golden mango pie for confirmation.  

The boy nodded firmly.  

She picked up a mango pie and handed it to him.  

Instead of taking it, he pouted, looking dissatisfied.  

“Why, isn’t this it?”  

“Who can make do with just one?”  

“What?”  

She couldn’t help but laugh. Covering her mouth, she repeatedly bowed to the people around her.  

“Alright. Wait a moment.”  

She piled mango pies onto a plate and offered it to him.  

Again, he just stared at the mountain of pies.  

“What’s wrong now?”  

“Will this make me taller?”  

She suppressed a smile, putting on a serious face.  

“Hmm. It’s more likely to turn into fat than height, but I can’t say it won’t help.”  

His face brightened as he accepted the mango pies. Just then,  

“Kyung-soo.”  

A stern-voiced grandmother appeared, and his face fell.  

The grandmother looked at her sternly.  

“Should you give all that to a child?”  

“Oh! I’m sorry.”  

She quickly bowed to the grandmother, then asked cheerfully,  

“Would you like some? Do you like mango pie?”  

The grandmother, who was about to scold the boy, was taken aback.  

Only then did she recognize the grandmother’s face as familiar.  

‘Where have I seen her before?’  

The grandmother, having regained her composure, looked her over and asked,  

“Never mind. What’s your relationship with our Seong-jun?”  

Rolling her eyes, she thought, 

‘Our Seong-jun?’  

Just then, Seong-jun hurried over.  

“Chairwoman, you’re here.”  

Surprised by his address, she looked back and forth between Seong-jun and the Chairwoman.  

The Chairwoman, without taking her eyes off her, asked Seong-jun,  

“Is this the young lady?”  

Glancing at her, he replied to the Chairwoman,  

“Yes, that’s correct.”  

Under the Chairwoman’s scrutinizing gaze, she quickly thought.  

‘If she’s a Chairwoman… of which company? Given the venue, there must be Chairpersons from various sectors here.’  

At that moment, a commotion erupted from one side of the venue.  

“Who are you to interfere?”  

“And who are you to speak rudely to this person?”  

It seemed a dispute had broken out between two men.  

A woman, presumably a server based on her uniform, looked flustered between them.  

The Chairwoman moved toward the commotion, and Seong-jun quickly followed. She, drawn by curiosity, joined them.  

“Do you know how much this is worth? What are you going to do about it?”  

A man with a food-stained shirt yelled at the woman, clearly arrogant.  

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”  

She repeatedly bowed, apologizing to the man.  

“Is this something an apology can fix? Damn it!”  

Unable to control his anger, the man raised his hand. At that moment, another man stepped in front of him.  

The familiar scene drew her eyes to the man. Unsurprisingly, it was Jinwon.  

Why does he always appear in such situations, standing in the middle of it all?  

She sighed.  

The Chairwoman’s face, observing the same scene, subtly changed.  

Her eldest son, Seong-ha, always sided with the underdog. Whenever the hot-tempered Chairwoman erupted, Seong-ha would step in, siding with the secretary, the driver, or the housekeeper.  

The Chairwoman couldn’t take her eyes off Jinwon, who reminded her of Seong-ha.  

Noticing the Chairwoman’s gaze, Seong-jun quickly intervened.  

“Chairwoman, it’s time.”  

At his urging, the Chairwoman turned away. As she headed to the front of the venue, she kept glancing back at Jinwon.

Fortunately, the situation with Jinwon was soon resolved. The troublesome man’s group intervened, and they dispersed without further issues.  

She quickly approached Jinwon and whispered,  

“How did you get here?”  

“And why did you come without telling me?”  

“It just happened.”  

While answering him, she kept consciously covering the necklace around her neck.  

“What are you hiding so much?”  

“Nothing.”  

She was too obvious in her embarrassment, which only fueled his curiosity.  

“It’s not nothing, is it?”  

In the end, Jinwon noticed the necklace. Looking at it carefully, he remarked suspiciously,  

“Don’t tell me…”

Feeling guilty, she quickly jumped in.

“It’s borrowed, borrowed.”  

“Really? Who borrowed it?”  

“Someone. I borrowed it from someone who borrowed it.”  

He found her flustered state adorable and continued to tease her.  

From a distance, Seong-jun watched them bicker with a disapproving expression. Seongtae found Seong-jun’s reaction amusing and snickered.  

Seongtae soon approached Jinwon and spoke in a mocking tone,  

“I wondered where such a fearless woman came from…”  

Both Jinwon and In-ah looked at Seongtae warily.  

Pointing at Jinwon with his chin, Seongtae taunted her,  

“Got the necklace from the older one and playing with the younger one, is that it?”

Suppressing his anger, Jinwon spoke in a low voice,  

“Say one more word. I won’t stay still.”  

Seongtae smirked, raising his chin at Jinwon,  

“And if you don’t stay still? What are you going to do? Oh, I’m dying to know.”

She tugged on Jinwon’s arm,  

“Let’s just go, oppa, okay?”  

At her words, Jinwon turned away from Seongtae, retracting his sharp gaze.  

“Has this guy taken something? Why can’t he tell where he is? Or was he always like this?”

As Jinwon was about to turn back, Kyung-soo suddenly appeared beside him, offering a mango pie.  

“Mister, eat this.”  

Startled, Seongtae quickly pulled Kyung-soo away.  

“Lee Kyung-soo! Why are you mixing with this guy?”  

Kyung-soo looked up at Seongtae with an innocent face and asked,  

“Mixing? How do you ‘mix’ words?”

Seongtae let out a hollow laugh and quickly covered Kyung-soo’s mouth.

Watching this, Jinwon leisurely took a bite of the mango pie Kyung-soo had given him.

“So you’re the son of Director Lee? I didn’t know.”  

“Kyung-soo, go over there.”  

Even as Kyung-soo left, he waved at Jinwon.  

Seeing this, Seongtae grew even angrier, grabbing Jinwon by the collar and shouting in a low voice,  

“You bastard, what’s your scheme?”  

Jinwon, unfazed, looked Seongtae straight in the eye,  

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”  

Beside them, In-ah was frantically trying to calm Seongtae.  

“Let go and talk, Director Lee!”  

Even she was bewildered by Seongtae’s furious reaction. Why was he so angry just because his son knew Jinwon?  

Gradually, people around them began to gather and murmur.  

“Let him go immediately.”

At Seong-jun’s firm command, she turned to look. Seong-jun stood there with a more intimidating expression than ever.  

Only then did Seongtae, breathing heavily, release Jinwon’s collar and leave, glaring at him.  

Jinwon adjusted his shirt and chuckled.  

She watched Seong-jun walk away, followed by Seongtae, lost in thought.  

She learned today that Seong-jun and Seongtae were brothers. But there was something between them and Jinwon. What could it be?  

Having left the venue first, Jinwon walked down the slope toward the hotel entrance.  

She caught up and linked arms with him.  

“You’re leaving alone?”  

“I came along, didn’t I?”  

His retort made her pause.  

“Well… hey, let’s not dwell on the past! Tsk. Tsk.”  

“Whose decision is that? And when was that anyway? Tsk. Tsk?”  

She glared at him, dissatisfied.  

“What, now that I’m older, I can’t even say ‘Tsk. Tsk.’?”  

“Why does the conversation always go there? You’re always doing what you want.”  

With a playful expression, she pouted,  

“So, do you have a problem with that?”  

He smiled widely. Still pouting, she asked,  

“Why are you laughing?”  

“Because I’m happy.”  

He held her hand, and she soon smiled brightly.  

“I never thought such a day would come. Every day feels like a dream.”  

With a face filled with happiness, she leaned her head on his shoulder as they walked.  

“Wow, look at the sunset. How can the colors be like that?”  

She lifted her head in awe.  

At that moment, with a loud noise, a car sped toward them from behind.  

Startled, they both turned around, and Jinwon pushed her away with all his might.