CHAPTER 2 – So Good

With eyes that made it hard to guess his inner thoughts, Dojun stared intently at Seo-yeon and then let out a faint smile.

“You did well, Miss Yoon Seo-yeon.”

Though he spoke as if there was something remarkable about the footage, it was just a black box recording. It was a video filled only with the swaying scenery of a riverside and, the voices of a man and a woman that filled the ears with laughter. It was something that made Seo-yeon finally confirm what she had been thinking.

“Well done indeed.”

Dojun said again. Seo-yeon looked at him. Sensing her gaze, he chuckled.

“That’s a compliment.”

Dojun said, sinking deeper into the couch.

“I don’t think so.”

Seo-yeon said unconsciously. Normally, it would have been a self-blaming statement for making a mistake, but today she didn’t feel like blocking out thoughts she wanted to avoid, perhaps because she wasn’t in her right mind after hearing what Lee Sehyun had said.

Dojun spoke to himself as he sipped his coffee.

“It doesn’t happen often. In my eyes.”

“Would you like it to happen?”

Dojun laughed at Seo-yeon’s voice devoid of any emotion. Almost as if finding it amusing. Then he glanced at her from head to toe.

Come to think of it, it was the first time she had sat face-to-face with Hwang Dojun and had a conversation with him. As the CEO of the hotel and the eldest grandson of Chairman Hwang, Seo-yeon was fully aware of Do-jun, but he probably wasn’t aware of her.

Today, they might exchange a few words as employees of cooperating companies. Maybe if he remembered a bit more, she would be considered as the daughter of a company employee. But even that might be a stretch. He might think of her as a woman with no pride, who forgave the man who cheated on her with her half-sister.

Dojun’s brown eyes openly scrutinized Seo-yeon. He’s taking her apart and putting a value on her. Seo-yeon felt like a product displayed on a showcase. The kind of product that looks good on the outside but has many flaws on the inside.

“So, there is a video.” 

Dojun said slowly, changing the subject.

He had sat down expecting only a recorded audio conversation, but unexpectedly, there was video footage. As he pondered how to make use of the information that had come his way, he found the woman in front of him looking up and meeting his gaze.

Yes. This was the look. Clear eyes, with a strange mixture of cynicism, resignation, and exhaustion.

Something that had been getting on his nerves for some time, something he had ignored. The one that made him sit here on impulse, wailing about a recording that would never be of any use to him.

“I don’t think it’s particularly useful for you, CEO.”

Seo-yeon spoke. It was a statement about the uselessness or unlikelihood of the footage having any significant utility or assistance since it was a video with no face, just voices.

Dojun was silently observing her. It was a penetrating gaze, almost as if it could pierce through her body.

Seo-yeon could roughly guess why Hwang Dojun was asking about the recording. Given that her father and Sehyun’s father were both associated with the Hanseong Group, she wasn’t completely clueless.

Hanseong Group was currently embroiled in a power struggle over the transfer of shares, and Hwang Dojun was one of the parties involved.

From what she had heard, the succession plan for Hanseong Group divided into two camps: Vice Chairman Hwang Yeongchan, the second son of Chairman Hwang Ilhyun, and Hwang Dojun, the grandson of Chairman Hwang, and CEO of Hanseong Hotel.

The vice chairman, who is already vested, and his nephew, who is threatening to make the leap.

Sehyun’s father is Lee Jang-soo, president of the Hanseong Department Store. He’s Vice Chairman Yeongchan’s right-hand man and holds authority over the distribution sector. So, Seo-yeon could roughly guess why Dojun was interested in this matter.

However, what puzzled Seo-yeon was whether the evidence of the son’s infidelity, rather than any misconduct by the president himself, was a significant variable in the power structure.

“May I ask why you need it?”

“You may.”

Dojun continued to stare at her.

“What difference does it make?”

She was right. It didn’t make any difference.

Hwang Dojun had come fully aware that Lee Sehyun was having an affair with her half-sister, and he had the evidence. How he knew wasn’t important. He was simply someone in a position to make it possible to know.

Seo-yeon lifted her cup and took a sip of the hot coffee. The hot liquid slid down her esophagus and across her stomach.

“I’ll be the judge of whether it’s useful or not.”

You just give me what you have. That’s what Hwang Dojun’s gaze seemed to convey.

“Just hand it over. Is that it?”

Seo-yeon regretted it the moment she said it. She had given too much to someone she should have been cautious with from the start. Even if it was a mistake once, she should have been careful the second time.

“I’m sorry. I overstepped.”

Seo-yeon apologized. Despite it being the day she received a breakup, Hwang Dojun was still the CEO of the hotel. It was time to revert to her usual self, without any pettiness.

“I understand.”

His response seemed to convey that his impertinence had reached its limit. 

Yeah, it was just a meaningless video without faces. Take it. Bake it or boil it, do as you please.

“If you want, I can send you the footage as a file.”

Seo-yeon smoothed out her tense expression and spoke with a composed face. She didn’t forget to soften her voice, to be gentle. Keeping her gaze soft, she looked directly at Dojun.

“Well, thank you if you do.”

Dojun nodded slightly in response. He was someone who was born to have everything. What he needed, what he wanted, even things he didn’t need, he had them all.

It was pointless to confront a man who had lived without ever crumbling. Such people are sensitive to anyone who offends them.

So, to smoothly escape without disturbing Hwang Dojun’s peace, all she had to do was obediently hand over the bait. Then he’ll be satisfied and walk away.

“Where should I send the file?”

Seo-yeon asked as she stood up. It also meant she was wrapping up the conversation. Dojun didn’t respond but instead scrutinized her. She waited for about three seconds before speaking in a soft voice.

“I’ll password-protect it, put it on a USB, and deliver it to your secretary’s office. I’ll set the password as today’s date, four digits. You should be able to receive it by tomorrow afternoon.”

With a neat smile, she said this, and Dojun looked at her askew.

“Good job. Miss Yoon Seo-yeon, you’re doing great.”

Just as Seo-yeon seemed about to ask what he meant, Dojun spoke.

“Annoyingly good.”

Well done.

His last words were conveyed through his gaze. Seo-yeon smiled kindly as if she hadn’t heard anything.

* * *

Walking down to the car park and getting into her car, Seo-yeon took a moment to catch her breath. She was so nervous about Hwang Dojun, even her head was throbbing. After firmly grasping her aching head, she took a deep breath and exhaled deeply before inhaling again.

She rested her head on the steering wheel for a while, then started the engine and turned on the phone’s navigation. She was about to tap the destination that read Home, but impulsively pulled her hand away.

Yangpyeong.

She set the destination to their ancestral home where her father, stepmother, grandmother, and Haewon lived. The usual travel time from Seoul to Yangpyeong was about an hour, but it would probably take twice as long due to rush hour.

Seo-yeon had wanted to go to her apartment in Yeonnam-dong, take a sleeping pill, and sleep without thinking about anything, but more than that, she wanted to see Haewon’s face, to see how she would react to her.

Seo-yeon swallowed a headache pill without water and picked up her phone. She dialed her father’s number.

“Yes, Dad. It’s Seo-yeon. I’m planning to come over today. I know it’s late, but it’s been a while since I’ve seen your face. I can make it fine if I live early in the morning. Yes, I’m on my way now. Oh, tomorrow is Haewon’s birthday? I’ll buy a cake and bring it. Okay, see you later.”

After ending the call, she took a long breath and leaned her head against the headrest. It was Haewon’s birthday. She didn’t know that. Lee Sehyun was trying to break up with her as a birthday present for Yoon Haewon. A bitter laugh escaped her lips.

What a joke.

As she laughed, the corners of her eyes suddenly felt hot. She pressed her eyes tightly with her palms. Then she thought of her mother. When she felt like tears were about to fall, she could endure by thinking of her mother.

‘My dear Seo-yeon, you know your mom is so proud of you, right?’

‘My daughter. Even if I only have my eyes for you, it wouldn’t hurt at all.’

‘I’m so proud of you, Seo-yeon. You’re my everything.’

Her mother had been most pleased when she had achieved first place, became class president, or went up to receive an award in front of the entire school. If her mother knew that she was shedding tears over a fiance who had betrayed her in just two months, her mother would probably find it ridiculous.

Phew.

After taking a deep breath, Seo-yeon opened the car door. Holding her clutch wallet in one hand, she closed the door, and just as she did, the headlights of a large sedan approached.

As her eyes stung, she frowned, but the large sedan stopped in front of her. The rear window rolled down, and a familiar voice reached her ears.

“Manager Yoon? Are you just heading home now?”

It was Chairman Hwang Ilhyun of the Hanseong Group.

“Chairman, you’re here”

Seo-yeon greeted crisply. She felt Dojun’s gaze fall on her from beside the chairman.

“The CEO is here too.”

She also smiled kindly at Dojun. Chairman Hwang spoke with a benevolent expression.

“I am but I’m on my way out now. Planning to have dinner with Dojun. Would you care to join us?”

“No, sir. It’s okay.”

She declined, thinking it was just a courtesy offer. She hoped it was just a formality. She felt that if she had dinner with Hwang Dojun now, she might collapse right there.

“Is it because you don’t want to eat with an old man?”

Chairman Hwang joked as if to emphasize that he and Seo-yeon were on good terms. Seo-yeon responded with a smile.

“No, Chairman. I’m going to Yangpyeong today. It’s my sibling’s birthday, so I’m going to buy a cake and go. Let’s have a meal some other time.”

“Oh, is that so? It’s Kyuhyun’s birthday today.”

Ilhyun mentioned Seo-yeon’s younger brother’s name. Seo-yeon regretted instinctively shaking her head no. She should have just said whose birthday it was.

“Not Kyuhyun… Oh, the other sibling.”

Seo-yeon’s father, Yoon Sangcheol, was not only the vice president of Hanseong Mart, a Hanseong subsidiary but also the grandson of a special benefactor to Chairman Hwang Ilhyun.

Despite having many people to take care of, Chairman Hwang always remembered Sangcheol, which meant that reports on his household matters were sent through secretaries.

“Our Manager Yoon is so kind-hearted. Not only does she step back when needed, she even gets a cake for her sibling. She’s going to nag and all but still manages.”

More than Chairman Hwang’s words, Seo-yeon was bothered by Dojun, who was watching her from behind. His indifferent gaze, seeing her smiling despite hearing such things, scratched at her insides. Seo-yeon strengthened her resolve and raised the corners of her mouth into another smile.

“That’s what I’ll do. Nagging and all.”

“Exactly. Dojun put a card on Manager Yoon’s cake.”

“No, Chairman.”

Even though she wanted to say it was okay again, Chairman Hwang insisted, extending his hand.

“It’s settled. Accept it as a gesture of appreciation for you, Manager Yoon. I have to reciprocate for the clothes you picked out before.”

Seo-yeon had been in charge of Chairman Hwang’s wardrobe last year. It was a task assigned to her by the company. Unable to refuse his gesture of caring, Seo-yeon simply smiled gently.

“Thank you.”

While Seo-yeon expressed her gratitude, Dojun picked up his phone.

“Send down a cake to the parking lot. Put in a blue card. Chairman’s orders.”

“My father will be very pleased.”

Seo-yeon bowed slightly.

“Vice President Yoon is lucky to have a daughter like you. They say daughters are better than sons these days. Even this boy, Dojun, he’s not half as capable.”

It’s scarier if he shows restraint on his face. Thinking that way, Do-jun and Seo-yeon locked eyes. No emotions were visible in his brown eyes.

“Oh, by the way. How are the preparations for your marriage coming along? What… what was his name… the son of President Lee.”

Chairman Hwang trailed off, pondering. In the moment of hesitation, whether to answer or not, Dojun spoke up, his eyes fixed on Seo-yeon.

“Lee Sehyun, Supervisor Lee.”

“Right, Supervisor Lee Sehyun. President Lee Jang-soo is very lucky to have a daughter-in-law like our Manager Yoon.”

“You flatter me.”

Seo-yeon shyly smiled in response. Chairman Hwang looked at her with satisfaction and said,

“Send my regards to Vice President Yoon. Enjoy the cake as well.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Seo-yeon conveyed her gratitude and bid farewell, Dojun gruffly instructed the driver.

“Let’s go.”

As the window rolled up, Dojun’s figure disappeared. Only Seo-yeon’s reflection remained in the heavily tinted car window. She nodded at her reflection.

‘Good job. Miss Yoon Seo-yeon, you’re doing great.’

Dojun’s voice echoed in Seo-yeon’s ears until the taillights faded into the distance. She bit her lip, trying to contain her emotions, but the sense of humiliation that had already risen didn’t easily dissipate.