TEOTW - 1

Outside, a heavy downpour began to lash down ferociously. The sky, which had been in a lull when she entered the hotel, turned murky, then the rain poured down as if it had made up its mind. People on the street hesitated at the sudden deluge. It was unlikely, but Yiseo felt as though the sound of the rain was seeping into the quiet interior. She gazed blankly at the chaotic street.

A typhoon after a dry spell. The weather this entire season had been unpredictable.

“Do you like rain?”

At the sudden intrusion of a voice, Yiseo, who had been looking out the window, turned her head. A man with a refined appearance sat opposite her at the table, smiling gently at her.

Kim Seong-hyun, the chairman of Mirae Group, which deals in both automobiles and shipbuilding, and the eldest son of the largest shareholder of MI Asset Management. He was a man with handsome features and clear eyes.

Perhaps to firmly establish his presence on their first meeting, his attire, seemingly chosen with considerable care, was unusually flamboyant, yet his demeanor was relaxed.

It was difficult to judge someone after just 30 minutes, but she discerned his confident personality from the consistently direct gaze that met hers. Did he know it made the recipient uncomfortable? Each time the man’s eyes flashed, Yiseo’s chest unpleasantly fluttered. In such an atmosphere, the man persistently smiled, and Yiseo replied a beat late.

“Yes, I like it.”

“I like it too. Fickle weather can sometimes bring unexpected luck.”

Yiseo quietly lowered her gaze at his favorable look, which seemed to imply an excuse to escort her was now present.

Yiseo had only intended to have a quick coffee and leave. However, she sensed a discord in the man’s somewhat excited demeanor.

“I heard Ms. Yiseo is busy in many ways. Come to think of it, we’ve postponed our meeting quite a few times, haven’t we?”

“Yes.”

It was the man who had postponed their meetings several times. For some reason, her family kept arranging this uncomfortable meeting, adjusting the repeatedly failed appointments. Awkward time passed, regardless of Yiseo’s will.

“You said you studied art, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Painting? Sculpture?”

“Art history. And currently, I work as a curator at Haeshin Art Center.”

“Ah, Haeshin.”

Setting down his coffee cup at Yiseo’s calm reply, the man leaned forward as if he knew it well, making deeper eye contact.

“I know the Haeshin side quite well.”

The corners of the man’s eyes curved gently as he shrugged his shoulders.

“Unfortunately, I’m ignorant when it comes to art. How about it? When you have some time, could Ms. Yiseo teach me a bit?”

Ah, this approach.

It was such an obvious tactic that Yiseo unconsciously let out a small laugh. Most people were like that. If they knew Yiseo worked at an art museum, they would either confirm their basic knowledge of art, which they had learned their whole lives, or make such obviously purposeful requests.

“Why, does it seem like a joke?”

“No.”

“You’ve heard this a lot, haven’t you?”

“Yes, well.”

“You must have heard it so much it’s nauseating.”

As Yiseo moderately agreed to the man’s words, spoken as if he understood, Kim Seong-hyun’s eyes narrowed.

Yiseo’s indifferent face had barely met his gaze since they met. Yoon Yiseo generally seemed uninterested in this meeting. Otherwise, she wouldn’t keep her gaze lowered diagonally and only give brief answers. Perhaps because of this, the man found himself even more interested in Yiseo.

His gaze, deepened by curiosity, slowly swept over Yiseo’s peach-colored cheeks, then past her soft lips, and finally down her slender, long body.

Unlike her clear and innocent face, her delicate feminine physique was perfectly to his liking. A strange glint appeared in his exploring eyes.

Yoon Yiseo. Her grandfather had served as Prime Minister, and her father, Yoon Daemyung, was the leader of the ruling party eyeing the next presidential election. Perhaps due to this background, she had a reputation for being quite demanding and troublesome.

It would be an ideal family to form an alliance with for the future, but putting that background aside, the reason such a woman kept appearing at these matchmaking meetings…

“I hear your mother cherishes her daughter very much.”

At the mention of her mother, Yiseo’s eyebrows, which had been impassive, noticeably raised.

“Any parent wants to find a good match for their child. It’s the same with my family.”

Yiseo’s expression hardened, as if he had struck a nerve, in response to his probing gaze, asking if she didn’t know.

In truth, the rumors about Yoon Yiseo weren’t particularly good. Rumors that Yoon Yiseo’s birth mother had once been Yoon Daemyung’s mistress, or that Yoon Daemyung had eventually registered the illegitimate child born outside the family. Because of this, rumors, regardless of their truth, were rampant that Yoon Yiseo was treated like a nuisance in the family.

They were conspiracy theories, like how Yoon Yiseo’s existence, despite no legal issues, could be fatal to Yoon Daemyung’s political career.

“Do you want to get married quickly too, Ms. Yiseo?”

“When the time comes.”

“Twenty-seven isn’t too early, it’s just the right time, isn’t it?”

“Is that so?”

“That’s why we met, then.”

For various reasons, she had declined the appointment several times, but for some reason, Yoon Yiseo’s family repeatedly proposed the meeting. It was also Kim Seong-hyun’s situation that he reluctantly made time at his mother’s request, who urged him to meet her once because “they liked him.”

Upon meeting Yoon Yiseo, she immediately captivated the man. It wasn’t just because of her subtly enchanting beauty. Nor, of course, was it because of her background.

Kim Seong-hyun’s gaze once again fell upon Yiseo, whose back was ramrod straight. In their first impression, her strikingly elaborate features on her small face had initially distracted him, so he hadn’t noticed, but her figure was simply fantastic.

A silk crop jacket that clung tightly to her waistline and a light apricot-colored tulle lace skirt. The fashion, which seemed to reveal tantalizing glimpses of skin with just a slight raise of her arm, was flamboyant yet suited her without incongruity.

The man’s gaze kept darting to Yiseo’s exposed waist.

“If we’re going to set a date, I think it would be best to proceed as soon as possible.”

“Do you like me?”

“Of course.”

The man’s gaze, which had been openly assessing her figure, rose to meet Yiseo’s eyes. As Yiseo let out a small laugh, the man added,

“No man would spend this much time on a woman he isn’t interested in.”

The busy man habitually checked the watch on his wrist.

“Where did you say the art museum you work at is? Gapyeong? Yangpyeong?”

“Wonju.”

Yiseo reiterated the location of her workplace, which she had mentioned earlier in their meeting.

“That’s quite a distance.”

One and a half hours from Seoul to Wonju, Gangwon Province. The man gauged the distance and then spoke again.

“Can I come to see you next Wednesday?”

At the unexpected proposal, Yiseo raised an eyebrow with a displeased expression.

“If you ask why, I’ll tell you it’s because I’m interested. Because I like Ms. Yiseo.”

The man seemed to have already made up his mind. He must know the rumors about himself, yet… At Yiseo’s unreadable gaze, the man held a pleasant smile.

Kim Seong-hyun. A man of the same age with a suitably decent appearance, a background that spoke of his profession and abilities, and the son of a financial family with no shortcomings. He was a perfectly suitable spouse, a match even her family coveted. However, Yiseo, as always, intended to simply make an appearance and leave.

It just happened that the unexpected downpour outside had delayed things a bit. Her intention to leave once the rain subsided and she finished her coffee remained unchanged.

“The arrangement seems a bit one-sided.”

“I apologize if I’ve offended you. Please understand that it’s because I like Ms. Yiseo so much. I want to hold onto you that badly. Oh, don’t misunderstand me as normally being this kind of guy. Can’t we?”

“No, it would be difficult.”

“Why?”

At the unexpected reaction, the man let out a wry chuckle without showing any displeasure.

“Is it because you’re seeing someone?”

At his still smooth question, the expression on Yiseo’s face disappeared.

“Because I don’t feel anything.”

Her monotonous voice captivated the man’s ears like a soft melody.

“Feelings?”

“Like, this is the one.”

She was beautifully saying she felt nothing on their first meeting. Yet, the reason she wasn’t hateful was perhaps due to her dazzling beauty, which he couldn’t take his eyes off. The man genuinely felt that Yiseo, sitting before him, was far more beautiful than the rookie actress he had dated last week.

He also liked that her clear eyes consistently sparkled with intelligence. While she spoke little, her not uttering unnecessary words rather stimulated the desire to delve into her thoughts. Her somewhat cold personality suggested she wouldn’t be troublesome in the future, and her subtle distance, as if wary of others, also stimulated his competitive spirit. Surprisingly, she was a woman who perfectly fit his taste.

Honestly, he wanted to provoke Yiseo throughout their meeting. The intense desire he felt from the moment his eyes rested on her was almost suffocating.

“You’re more innocent than I thought, Ms. Yiseo. How many couples in Korea do you think get married based on that ‘this is the one’ feeling?”

“Well, I don’t know about others, but I hope to find someone with that kind of certainty.”

“Unfortunately, that’s not me.”

The man, who had ordered iced water instead of coffee, persistently asked, unable to give up.

“I apologize for saying this on our first meeting, but I’m not good at beating around the bush. I don’t think we’re meant to be.”

Yiseo, gracefully refusing, straightened her back like a ballerina and moved her straight lips to answer. The man’s lips twisted into a faint smirk, as if he had expected it.

“If you’re seeing someone, you don’t need to worry. I don’t really mind that.”

“You know that such a premise wasn’t important when I initially agreed to this meeting.”

Yiseo answered clearly, as if reprimanding the man for his presumptuousness.

“Then why did you come? Knowing it would ultimately be a waste of time.”

“Because the appointment was set. And you’ve been rather curt since a while ago.”

“Listen, Ms. Yoon Yiseo.”

The man’s voice turned cold, as if telling her not to act rashly.

“To be precise, Mr. Kim Seong-hyun, you were the one who postponed the appointment several times. According to schedule, Mr. Kim Seong-hyun and I should have met much earlier.”

And they should have parted ways earlier. She didn’t need to see it to feel the man’s true intentions—he had reluctantly come and then changed his mind upon seeing Yiseo. He must have come out of obligation and then had other thoughts.

Yiseo too had come to the meeting, unable to resist her family’s nagging. She never intended for it to go all the way anyway.

“Since there’s a lot at stake for both of us, I’d appreciate it if we maintained proper etiquette.”

“Well, time’s up.”

Her cup was empty. Yiseo quietly whispered, alternating her gaze between the bewildered Kim Seong-hyun and the empty cup.

“No matter how I think about it, I simply cannot envision a marriage with Mr. Kim Seong-hyun. I hope you find a good person. It was nice meeting you.”

As Yiseo bowed and stood up, a sharp voice showered down on her.

“You’re more ill-mannered than I thought.”

The man’s unexpectedly clinging accusation was flung directly at her.

“I don’t know what makes you so arrogant, but it really shows that you weren’t raised with love.”

The man, whose advances had been rejected, finally revealed his true colors. As if telling her to know her place, he sharpened his tone, warning her that he knew how sordid the rumors about her were.

“They say you’ve been showing your face at this meeting and that meeting to escape your burdensome situation. I did hear rumors that you were trying to secure the best possible position and marry up, but I never thought they’d be true.”

Yiseo’s lips pressed into a firm line. The composure on her face remained unbroken, without even a hairline crack. Only her clear eyes had turned cold.

With a hateful expression that made him seem utterly repulsive, the man continued to sneer.

“Let’s see what kind of decent person you meet based on that ‘feeling.’ Though, in the end, the criterion will probably still be ‘money’.”

Identity hidden within criticism. It felt as though hot blood drained from her fingertips as he spewed words that seemed to know her vulnerable identity, no matter how much she tried to blind the world and silence mouths. The moment she had not an ounce of reason left, her body trembled uncontrollably.

Her mother’s words, echoing like tinnitus in her ears, told her to now fulfill her duty, having lived a life of abundance.

Under a father, the ruling party leader who had served three terms, become a presidential candidate, and ultimately aimed for the Blue House, and a mother who had to eventually accept her, the child her father had brought home from outside—a life that outwardly lacked nothing but was fundamentally devoid of everything—shook Yiseo to her core.

Even if it wasn’t this person, she had no choice but to deeply and inherently understand that someday, with someone, she would walk a predetermined path.

Living within a well-defined guideline, just as she had always done. Believing that was happiness was her destiny as Yoon Yiseo, the daughter of Congressman Yoon Daemyung. She had barely endured out of that sense of duty, but she couldn’t do it anymore.

Being a good marriage tool, that kind of thing.

“Let’s stop.”

“Why, is it humiliating now that your true intentions have been exposed? You should have done it properly. What are you doing, calling a busy person here? This isn’t child’s play. Acting so emotionally is why you’re told you don’t know your place.”

Yiseo’s expression slowly hardened at the words that flew like a dagger.

“I, too, am glad to have learned Mr. Kim Seong-hyun’s true intentions now.”

“What?”

At Yiseo’s calm tone, the man let out a disbelieving laugh.

“So this meeting.”

Looking at his condemning eyes, Yiseo smiled sweetly.

“Let’s say it’s broken.”

________________________________________

All the way from Incheon Airport to downtown Seoul, heavy rain poured outside the window.

The familiar scenery of Seoul’s downtown blurred past. Taejo watched the faint view for a moment, then quickly turned his gaze away.

The space was perfectly sealed off from the driver’s seat by an opaque partition. The car was thick with smoke from Taejo’s cigarettes. No sooner had he finished one, deeply embedded in the black leather seat, than he lit another.

It was his second older brother, Ryu Taehan, who had sent his secretary to arrange a car for him upon his arrival. This secretary had been with Ryu Taehan from his time as an executive director at HS International, through the Haeshin Hotel Duty-Free business division, and then back to HS International as a vice president.

“The Vice President is waiting for you at the hotel.”

He naturally took his luggage and followed the secretary into the car, but he felt suffocated all the way into Seoul. He hurriedly unbuttoned a couple of his shirt buttons.

He had a rough idea why his brother was waiting. Since joining the company, his brother had been maniacally dedicated to work, rising to vice president, and had probably already meticulously planned Taejo’s management training schedule, to the point of exhaustion. A hint of annoyance flickered across Taejo’s tired face, already weary from the long flight. The thought of resting for a moment was fleeting; the prospect of meeting his younger brother was mentally draining.

“When did you say the city duty-free shop bid application period is?”

The partition, which had been blocking the space, silently lowered at the low voice echoing through the car. From beyond the opaque screen, the secretary replied.

“It’s scheduled for September.”

This December, with the expiration of the downtown duty-free shop license approaching, new operators were to be selected. The bidding process for Seoul’s downtown duty-free shops was like a war from preparation, as all groups attacked fiercely. Haeshin Group had also been putting in long hours to re-bid.

A total of five companies would participate in this bid. Along with Executive Director Seo Kang-wook of Daehan Group, a strong player in the existing duty-free business, Vice President Ryu Taehan of Haeshin Group was directly leading the charge. Taejo was to be in charge of the related business. This was why Taejo had been appointed as the team leader of Haeshin DF’s new business team even before he officially made his presence known.

“HSDC Haeshin Industrial Development also plans to participate independently in this bid.”

“Them?”

Haeshin Group was a first-class enterprise founded by Ryu Junghwan, the founder, who started from the back alleys and built it up with his bare hands. Ryu Seong-woong, Ryu Junghwan’s eldest son, who had nurtured it into arguably Korea’s best company, succeeded him, and now his three sons continued the lineage.

Ryu Taejun, Chairman Ryu Seong-woong’s eldest son, was in charge of Haeshin Group, including its core, Haeshin Electronics, while the second son, Ryu Taehan, managed HS International.

Ryu Jinhan was Ryu Junghwan’s second son and the son of Ryu Seong-ho, the owner of Haeshin Hotel, which was owned by HSDC Haeshin Industrial Development. He was Taejo’s cousin.

“I can already hear the nagging.”

“Don’t worry too much.”

Secretary Park responded gently, his expression unwavering.

“No doubt, instead of a welcome, I’ll be nagged relentlessly. Won’t I?”

He felt a painful illusion that his ears were already ringing with the unreasonable demands that the work-obsessed man would surely make. It was obvious without even seeing it. He probably intended to involve him in the duty-free license acquisition project.

“But HSDC is a surprise.”

The duty-free market was already dominated by a three-way system: Daehan, Haeshin, and Ilgang Groups. And until now, HS International’s duty-free business had been a joint venture with HSDC. However, the situation had changed when his cousin, Ryu Jinhan, was promoted to executive director of Haeshin Hotel and threw his hat into the ring to expand the business.

“Indeed, it was my uncle’s long-cherished wish.”

It was a natural progression for Ryu Seong-ho, who had expanded his business by building numerous affiliated hotels across the country, starting with Seoul and Jeju, to independently venture into the duty-free business.

“They’ll probably want to expand their scale more systematically too, so they’ll be ambitious.”

“That’s right.”

Ryu Junghwan, the founder of Haeshin Group, which had grown like a dinosaur in all business sectors to the extent that it was no exaggeration to say it dominated the Korean economy, had inherited the management rights 10 years ago and fairly distributed the group among his four children.

To his eldest son, the parent group; to his eldest daughter, the department store; to his second son, hotels and tourism; and to his second daughter, a cosmetics company. However, when his eldest daughter suddenly passed away, the second son absorbed the department store as well.

Though the framework was divided that way, their children, like branches, were fiercely managing their respective positions.

“Is hyung okay?”

“Variables always arise. It’s a project that’s been prepared for a long time, so it will proceed without a hitch.”

“Still, with his personality, not losing even a penny, he wouldn’t stay put.”

From the start, his second older brother had staked his life on this business. It was ever since he began to seriously expand the business a few years ago, marrying Joo Seo-eun, the eldest daughter of Joo Hyung-guk, CEO of HSDC Investment Development Duty-Free Department Store Division. The initial revenue of 20 billion won surged tenfold in two years, achieving 1.5 times the performance of the previous year.

In such a situation, Ryu Jinhan’s declaration of intent must have felt like a challenge.

It was a situation where they might have to divide their livelihood under one roof. Taejo being put in the car like an animal dragged to the slaughterhouse immediately upon his return was to prepare for that situation. Of course, if a livelihood was to be broken, it should be his cousin Ryu Jinhan’s.

“The Vice President has high expectations.”

“No way.”

Taejo scoffed as if it were absurd. His face showed that he knew his second older brother wasn’t the type to place expectations on anyone.

In his mid-40s, a relaxed gaze, imbued with experience, drifted towards Taejo’s unconcerned face in the rearview mirror. Simultaneously, an annoying gaze overlapped. Taejo’s unwavering eyes pierced Secretary Park’s gaze. It was Secretary Park who looked away first. Though for a brief moment, Secretary Park felt a chill down his spine. Such was the aura of the Ryu family.

“How old is Secretary Park’s daughter now?”

“Fourteen, she just started middle school this year.”

“Time flies. It’s been 8 years since I last saw her.”

“Time certainly flies.”

“Indeed.”

It had been a total of 8 years since Taejo flew to the U.S. just one year after entering Korea University’s School of Business Administration, completing his professional management course there and returning.

“It wouldn’t be like before, would it?”

Everything.

Muttering a meaningless monologue, Taejo turned his head towards the window.

From the patriarch, Ryu Junghwan, who held Haeshin Group in the palm of his hand, to Ryu Seong-woong, who was responsible for Haeshin, and the family matriarch, Director Seo Jeong-joo, who was in charge of the Haeshin Art Center. And recalling his three sons in order, the man thought. Perhaps the most raw among them would be Ryu Taejo.

His untamed vigor created a distinctly different atmosphere from his other brothers who bore the company’s weight.

Secretary Park quickly assessed Taejo amidst the chilling silence. He was the most physically imposing of the three brothers. His last memory was of a hot-blooded youth who had made quite a name for himself in high school judo. The grown-up appearance of the boy who might have been at Taereung (national training center) if it were up to his own will.

He gripped the steering wheel, looking at Taejo, who most resembled the still spirited patriarch, nearly eighty years old. He somehow thought that it might be okay to have expectations for Haeshin’s future.

________________________________________

The rain slapped against the ground. It was fiercer than it had seemed from inside. Yiseo took a breath, listening to the sound of the rain that seemed to make her forget her surroundings.

“Ms. Yoon Yiseo.”

The panting face of the man who had followed her out, as if ready to pour out something, lingered like an afterimage.

“Let’s not forget what happened today.”

The man’s words, uttered as if chewed and spit out, sounded like a warning. She had replied, ‘Do as you please,’ and turned away with indifference, but her mood was low.

“Refrain from useless acts from the start. It won’t benefit you in the slightest anyway.”

Her father’s voice, nagging her in the study every time she rejected a tiresome blind date every weekend, echoed in her ears like tinnitus. It was a mixture of worry and scolding, telling her to stop her futile defiance and not to displease her mother. She didn’t know why those words came to mind now.

“Haah…”

Just thinking about it made her chest feel tight. It was stifling to breathe. The previous unpleasantness had vanished, but what followed was a hollowness, as if her chest had been pierced. She stared blankly at the falling raindrops, letting time pass, until she suddenly came to her senses with the thought of going home. She hurried to take a step, but the rain, now heavier than before, hammered the ground with terrifying force. The tumultuous sound of rain became a stormy squall. Her neck felt cold with the cool, clinging dampness.

Just then, a long, black limousine slid in front of Yiseo. A waiting staff member approached and opened the rear door, and a long leg extended out and touched the ground.

“The weather’s quite refreshing.”

The man, a cigarette in his mouth, his one eye squinted, stretched and pulled himself out of the car. He was much taller than average. He was simply dressed in a black shirt and black pants, yet he looked splendid. He wasn’t wearing a tie, and a few unbuttoned buttons gave him a subtly rebellious aura.

His lean, healthy curves, revealed beneath his shirt by the wind, were striking and sleek. His jet-black hair was tousled by the wind, and he casually ran a hand through it. One eye was tightly closed to avoid the swirling cigarette smoke, while the other hand was tucked into his pocket.

“The weather is very unpredictable. The wind is strong.”

A middle-aged man, who had briskly approached from the driver’s seat, stood in front of the man, as if to block the wind with his body. He seemed to be an executive assistant. Yiseo’s gaze was fixed on the man beyond the assistant, who had his back to her.

Puffs of smoke continuously rose, and the man, who had squinted one eye, slowly opened them. Their deep black color was strikingly clear.

“As you know, smoking is not allowed indoors.”

“I know.”

The man chuckled faintly and looked down at the assistant, who was a full head shorter than him, causing the man to tense up. The assistant offered him a prepared coffee cup. The cigarette in the man’s mouth hissed as it dropped into the cup. The fire went out.

“The Vice President called, I’ll take it for a moment.”

With a relaxed gesture implying it was fine, the assistant turned his head and respectfully replied, “Yes, Vice President.”

In the meantime, the man turned around and lit another cigarette. In that moment, while the assistant was on the phone, he nimbly pulled out a lighter and lit it for him. A faint, thin smile appeared around the man’s eyes at this gesture.

“Just how demanding is hyung?”

Muttering softly, almost inaudibly, the man took a deep drag from his cigarette. The moment he exhaled the smoke, which he had inhaled so deeply his cheeks hollowed, the acrid tobacco smoke was carried away by the wind.

The nauseating soot, scattered by the breeze, brushed against Yiseo’s cheek and shoulder, a few steps away. Unable to overcome her discomfort, Yiseo subtly grimaced. It was then that her eyes met the man standing boldly with a cigarette in front of the hotel lobby.

His jet-black eyes cut through the air and met hers. His dark gaze calmly crossed over, sweeping over Yiseo as if invading. Her indifferent, clear eyes and his confident, dark eyes clashed and mingled.

One second, two seconds, three seconds.

Even amidst the mist-like vapor, the man’s eyes were distinctly dark. A pitch-black night. A night in the mountains where not a single light could be seen, the starlight in the black sky seemed equally sharp. While Yiseo was lost in thought, the man slowly lifted his chin, parted his lips, and exhaled a long, slow stream of white smoke.

The hazy vapor wavered like a heat shimmer and touched Yiseo again. A disagreeable presence. Within the thin smoke, Yiseo immediately remembered who he was.

Ryu Taejo, the youngest son of Haeshin Group, known as the Prince of Hanseong High School.

His arrogant face, slowly closing and opening his eyelids as if asking what she was looking at, was as vivid in her mind as if she had seen him yesterday, even after several years.

He had been a celebrity even during Yiseo’s unremarkable and unpleasant school days. A star-like figure impossible not to know if one lived in the same era. Ryu Taejo played a central role not only within the school but also in the social gatherings that occasionally followed. So, of course, she would remember him.

As the youngest son of the Haeshin Group, Ryu Taejo monopolized the group’s attention and love, and during his school days, he was a judo athlete who also received much affection from his peers of the opposite sex. Those of the same gender regarded him with envious awe, while those of the opposite gender pursued him relentlessly with ardent courtship.

There was no way she wouldn’t recognize him after only a few years.

Anyone who knew Ryu Taejo would say the same. No one in South Korea didn’t know the Haeshin Group, and among those engaged in economic activities, no one didn’t know the three brothers of Haeshin. Furthermore, for Yiseo, who attended the same school, Ryu Taejo was a somewhat awkward presence, even apart from her school days.

He was the youngest son most cherished by Seo Jeong-joo, the director of the Haeshin Art Center, where Yiseo worked. So, no matter how they encountered each other, their relationship was uncomfortable. Amidst her various thoughts, the moment she realized that this place, where she periodically came for blind dates, was a hotel owned by Haeshin Group, the acrid cigarette smoke flew towards her again, brushing her as if striking her.

Unpleasant.

As she turned her head away, as if to ignore the uncomfortable situation, a faint chuckle reached Yiseo’s ear.

Is this funny?

When she coldly met his eyes again, Ryu Taejo’s smile deepened, undoubtedly intentional. For some reason, a flush of heat rose in her cheeks.

He was ignorantly smoking in a non-smoking area. He caused harm without hesitation, yet his lips were loosely curved in a smile, showing not a hint of apology. As if asking why she was standing there so foolishly, he drew in another puff of smoke, his smiling lips making it a point to do so.

“I really hate it.”

Yiseo’s eyes turned sharply blue. Disgust was reflected in her clear eyes. As if he understood her muttered lip movements, Ryu Taejo scoffed lightly again. The smile soon vanished from his face, leaving a clear arrogance.

Just then, a man who appeared to be the general manager emerged from inside, accompanied by a retinue of staff. He nodded lightly towards Taejo, who had respectfully bowed to the staff. Taejo, after smoking his cigarette to the very end, finally crushed it under his shoe to extinguish it.

“He asks you to come up immediately. Let’s go.”

Guided by the assistant, who had finished his call, and the general manager, Taejo began to walk. He lightly raised a hand towards Yiseo, who was still standing in the same spot.

Hello, see you again.

His entourage turned to look, following his playfully teasing demeanor. Yiseo simply turned her body and left the spot.

Clatter, clatter. Cutting through the sound of rain breaking on the ground, she seemed to hear his laughter. Like the acrid cigarette smoke he had exhaled as if to torment her, the circumstances behind her kept pulling at Yiseo. Ignoring the tingling sensation down her spine, her chest began to throb with an inexplicable coolness throughout her walk.

________________________________________

Throughout the journey to the suite, Secretary Park’s explanations continued. He stated that after meeting his second older brother, the vice president, there was a dinner scheduled at the main residence, Haeseungwon, in Jangchung-dong. Following that, he would be escorted back to the private villa, owned by this hotel, where he would be staying. Taejo let out a small laugh at the monotonous briefing.

“This makes it feel like I’m going to work at a company I haven’t even visited yet.”

“I apologize.”

“You don’t need to apologize, Secretary Park.”

At Taejo’s playfully smiling gaze, the man trembled slightly, as if feeling apologetic.

“The Vice President gave specific instructions to look after you carefully.”

“Right. Take it easy. I’m not a child.”

“Yes.”

Passing the security guard stationed in front of the room, the suite door opened. As soon as he stepped inside, Taehan, who had been sitting at a large conference table reviewing documents, looked up.

“You’ve arrived.”

“What are you looking at so diligently? You’ve even rolled up your sleeves.”

He rose from his seat, his shirt sleeves rolled up, and greeted Taejo, who had been looking at a tablet PC.

“You’ve worked hard to get here. Have a seat.”

At his words, the door closed. The second son of the Haeshin family, and the Vice President of HS International. His smooth face was tired from excessive work, but his chilling gaze, enough to overwhelm anyone, remained unchanged.

Instead of sitting down, Taejo walked past him and stood in front of the mini-bar. He picked up a bottle of whiskey from the display and twisted open the cap, causing Taehan, who had been watching him, to narrow his neatly aligned brows. Secretary Park quietly held his breath.

Taejo poured the amber whiskey into a narrow, tall straight glass and drank it down in quick succession. Taehan, who had been silently watching him, leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. It seemed he wanted to see how far Taejo would go.

“I’m thirsty.”

After drinking three glasses in quick succession, he poured another and smiled faintly.

“Want a glass, hyung?”

“Sit down.”

“You’re so heartless, even after seeing me after so long.”

Taejo laughed, finished his glass, and sat next to him.

“If I were waiting, I would go greet everyone in order, so why did you call me all the way here?”

“I even asked busy Secretary Park to pick you up to do you a favor.”

As if asking what kind of rude behavior this was, he sharply opened his eyes and quietly added,

“You must have some hidden agenda to send even busy Secretary Park.”

As if not worth answering, Taehan calmly watched the relaxed Taejo and lightly tossed a stack of documents onto the table in front of him.

“Review these.”

“What is it?”

“You’ll know if you read it.”

A sigh, “Ah,” escaped Taejo’s lips as he picked up the documents. As expected, they were related to the downtown duty-free shop license for the second half of the year.

“You’ve certainly prepared quite the initiation ceremony.”

Taehan was the most ambitious of the brothers. Excluding their mother, Director Seo Jeong-joo, it was a household with only men. In such a household, hierarchy and system were clear, and insubordination was never tolerated. The three brothers lived with their positions ingrained in them like destiny under a strict family tradition.

The eldest son, Ryu Taejun, was a quiet yet charismatic person. He could restructure the company with a single word, and there would be no opposition. He was a person who had quietly accumulated power through deep trust. He seemed to be born to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of the eldest son.

Supporting Taejun was the second son, Taehan. Compared to Taejun, Taehan was active, positive, and full of energy. If Taejun forced people into submission, Taehan was the type to easily win over allies. The second brother, who, based on the authority and camaraderie he had learned throughout his life, had never once crossed the line. Taehan’s cooperation with Taejun was akin to blind obedience.

All influence stemmed from the will of the patriarch, Ryu Junghwan, who had from an early age placed a glass ceiling between the brothers, making them fulfill their duties in their respective positions.

However, variables always exist, and variants emerge. It was always the unexpected rebellion of the youngest, Ryu Taejo, that disrupted the ecosystem.

To suppress the youngest’s rebellion, Taehan’s violence was condoned and abused. Was it one day when he was fifteen, full of uncontrollable defiance, that he lunged at his second older brother with bare fists? Only after a few ribs were broken under Taehan’s foot did Taejo stop recklessly challenging his brothers.

The eldest, Ryu Taejun, who was eight years older, had never once laid a hand on Taejo. However, he was a more difficult presence to approach than Ryu Taehan, who was five years older and ruled with force. The one with deeper love-hate, rather than Taejun, who was more like a father than a brother, was Ryu Taehan. Is that why a sense of rebellion surges after such a long time?

“It’s stifling. Seriously, right after arriving…”

Taejo muttered, downing the whiskey and picking up the stack of documents.

“It’s really off-putting. Do you really think I wouldn’t handle it myself?”

“Because I’m impatient.”

He knew. He knew he had a personality that pushed everything through like a bulldozer.

“And you’re finally useful now.”

Taehan gazed at his younger brother, Taejo, with a rather proud look.

“You have to be helpful. We brought you back after all that schooling; if you’re not going to help the family, you don’t deserve to eat or spend.”

It’s always like this. So, Taejo shook his head at the gaze that implied he should do things properly.

“Even if it’s a position you were forced into, you were called to do your part properly. Approach it with the resolve to die, and if you can’t…”

You’ll die by his hand.

A sneer escaped Taejo’s lips, knowing that the concluding words were no joke. Compared to his brothers, Taejo had lived a relatively free-spirited life until now. This was thanks to the patriarch and Seo Jeong-joo acting as his shield.

“They’ve always given you a lot of leeway, being the youngest.”

Taejo frowned at Taehan’s words, implying he had received special favoritism due to being the youngest.

“Here we go again. When was it that you used to beat me up because I was the youngest?”

“And that’s what made you a person. So now, prove it. Prove how useful what you’ve learned is, prove your worth yourself.”

“Why bother proving it? I don’t have ambition like my brothers, nor do I have the duty of succession.”

“You do. Why wouldn’t you?”

Taehan’s heavy gaze and Taejo’s mocking gaze met in the air.

“Even an animal repays the cost of its food. It’s loyal to the master who fed it.”

A laugh escaped Taejo’s lips at his brother’s comparison to an animal. Ignoring the vivid emotions resurfacing in Taejo’s eyes, Taehan slowly loosened the knot of his tightly cinched tie with his fingers. As long as one was a member of Haeshin, proving one’s worth at Haeshin was a task anyone belonging to Haeshin had gone through. Thus, there would be no exception for Taejo.

“You prepare the downtown duty-free shop re-bid.”

Taehan commanded in a concise tone.

It was Taejo’s first assignment.