CHAPTER 3 – Crazy Bastard (Part 1)

The woman who respectfully lowered her head didn’t lift it back until the car had completely left the parking lot. Dojun could tell even without looking at the rearview mirror.

That’s what Yoon Seo-yeon looks like from the outside. Neat, kind, upright, and courteous. Hence, there was nothing to fault about her.

“Vice President Yoon raised his daughter really well. She’s kind, diligent, and flawless in every aspect.”

Chairman Hwang muttered to himself as if in soliloquy. Then, he suddenly asked Dojun.

“By the way, when did Minjun say he’s getting married?”

“I don’t know.”

Ilhyun laughed out loud at Dojun’s answer. He knew that his cousin Minjun was marrying the eldest daughter of Sangwon Corporation next year, but he didn’t know exactly when.

He didn’t want to know, and there was no need to know. It was a matter of scheduling, and the secretary would take care of it and let him know when the date approached.

“You shouldn’t just work, you should keep an eye on things. It’s the second marriage for him, and he’d be disappointed if you’re indifferent.”

“I’ll make sure to pay special attention.”

As Dojun spoke, Ilhyun nodded. Then he narrowed his eyes and said.

“You should start thinking about going back soon too. A man in business needs a partner. Forget about Jiyeon. Don’t keep thinking you’ll be alone forever.”

Dojun briefly thought about Jiyeon’s name for a moment. It was a name he couldn’t immediately put a face to. She wasn’t a significant presence that he couldn’t forget as much as his grandfather thought, but he didn’t bother to correct him.

“I should have looked into it more and introduced her properly. It’s all her father’s fault and mistake.”

“That’s what I’m thinking too.”

In response to Dojun’s answer, Ilhyun laughed heartily again.

“Sure, sure, that would put your mind at ease.”

Ilhyun said, stroking the back of Dojun’s hand.

Kim Jiyeon was a woman he’d picked and chosen from his grandfather’s line. His first marriage, which had been purely for business purposes, ended three years ago with his wife’s bombshell declaration that she had someone else’s child.

She said she was forced into the marriage by her family, but she was unhappy, and that she couldn’t bear to part with her lover whom she had been seeing before marriage. Despite his insistence that divorce was impossible, she caused a suicide attempt by slashing her wrist, but she didn’t die.

It wasn’t that Dojun didn’t accept the divorce for other reasons; he had simply waited until things settled on the in-law’s side.

Taking responsibility for the divorce, he obtained the airport duty-free business rights, so it wasn’t a losing deal. Furthermore, by leveraging his position as a Hanseong Group grandson, he was able to engage in deals with promising companies or politicians once again, making it more of a success than a failure in business terms.

“I’ll meet with the right person.”

Dojun said meekly. Remarriage was a tedious affair, but it was something that eventually had to be done. If it was for business or political purposes, there was no reason to say no to someone with mutual interests. Marriage is a strategy, not an emotional game.

Moreover, Chairman Hwang was not someone who would listen to words like “later” or “slowly”. It was better to say that he would do as he pleased.

“Alright. I’ll mention it to Manager Jang as well.”

“Yes.”

As Chairman Hwang gazed out the window, he casually asked, 

“You’re not seeing any women, are you?”

“No, I don’t.”

Ilhyun nodded shallowly at Dojun’s answer.

“I’m tired after being out for so long. I’m going to get some sleep, let me know when we get there.”

With that, Ilhyun closed his eyes. Dojun turned to look out the car window. The night scenery of Seoul passed by, meaningless and repetitive.

Just like Yoon Seo-yeon did yesterday.

As he watched the scenery pass by, Dojun tried to piece together the pieces of Yoon Seo-yeon that were scattered like dots in his memory.

It was the year he returned from studying abroad. Never had he received so many greetings from people as he did that year. Many people approached the eldest grandson of the Hanseong Group when he returned, laughing, marking him with smiles and eye stamps.

‘Let me introduce you, this is Yoon Seo-yeon. She’s my daughter.’

Vice President Yoon Sangcheol introduced her with pride. In Dojun’s eyes, Seo-yeon was a young girl who hadn’t even graduated from college yet. A young college student who couldn’t hide her nervousness, tiredness, or indifference.

‘Hello. I’m Yoon Seo-yeon.’

The deep voice that belied her slender appearance made him stare for a moment, but soon, he was greeted by someone else. The girl with a deep voice also moved on to greet someone else in another direction.

And there were times when their paths crossed occasionally. The girl’s face was tired as she was dragged all over the spacious Yeonwoo Mansion to greet people. Whenever Vice President Yoon Sangcheol engaged in lengthy conversations with others, she would step back, silently waiting, which caught Dojun’s eye from time to time.

What was impressive was that even when tired, when Vice President Yoon called, she stood beside him with a dignified posture, as if she had always been there. At those times, she would smile gently, leaving a clear impression of her eyes, tinged with a faint fatigue. That slight tiredness reflected in her eyes remained in his memory.

‘Dojun, say hello. This is Yoon Seo-yeon, Heritage’s Deputy Manager.’

They had last met again four years ago. The reason he remembered the year was that it was the year Dojun took office at the hotel. Before his inauguration, Chairman Hwang briefly visited Heritage and exchanged greetings.

While the public deemed his appointment to the position of CEO at the age of twenty-nine as a bold executive move, he himself didn’t find it particularly exhilarating. It was just following the path he had to take. 

Seo-yeon worked at Heritage, one of the luxury brands located in the hotel. Heritage was a place where ordinary people couldn’t get things even if they had a lot of money. It was a place that sold superiority, not goods, to the few upper-class people.