TEOTW - 17

The eyes, which had feigned calmness until now, were gleaming with a dark intensity. It was a look that would stop at nothing to get what it wanted. Although he was trying to hold himself together to avoid making a mistake, it was a look that suggested he could lose his composure at any moment.

“Did I attach her? Jinhwan was the first to ask for something he wanted. He’s a boy who never once said what he wanted or asked for anything until I asked. You know that, don’t you?”

“Yiseo is not an object. I find it unpleasant to hear her treated as an object that can be given away just because someone asks for her.”

Seeing Taejo, who was still being polite but quietly fuming, Chairman Wang calmed his breathing.

“Taejo, haven’t you enjoyed enough until now?”

Even with the cautious, placating tone, the signs of his defiance did not diminish. Seeing this look, his heart would soften, and he would let him have whatever he wanted.

But this time was different.

Chairman Wang thought of Jinhwan, a person who always knew how to wait for the right moment. He was a steadfast young man who knew how to endure but wouldn’t tolerate injustice and would see through a decision he had made to the very end. The fact that such a person came from his second son was so praiseworthy that he was pleased with his firm resolve. In addition, Jinhwan was a collection of only the best traits of his second son.

What about his second daughter-in-law? She had a gentle and mild personality and raised her siblings without any issues, so it was only right to give them a chance to get a head start, a chance that had been deferred to them as a second option every time.

“No matter how much I cherish you, Jinhwan is also my grandson and my blood. Is there a finger that doesn’t hurt when you bite it? But among them, there’s a particular one that I worry about. I mean, Seongho.”

As the name of Chairman Wang’s second son and Ryu Jinhwan’s father was mentioned, Taejo’s fierce demeanor became rougher.

“So you’re saying you give a piece of rice cake to the child you hate more?”

“Of course, he can’t be on equal footing with the heir who will inherit the family. Still, isn’t it the right thing to do to give them what they want for once?”

Opinions were divided about Yoon Yiseo’s origins, but Chairman Wang’s thoughts were different. Whatever the circumstances, she was the blood of a political powerhouse. He secretly thought it would be fine if the granddaughter of his old friend married his youngest son, but it was Seo Jeongju who refused that position.

If the marriage was solidified with that family, it would certainly help Taejo in his future endeavors. However, there must have been a reason why the determined Director Seo expressed reluctance and withdrew. Even a magistrate who is enjoying a peaceful life will quit if he doesn’t like it.

“Seeing as both of them are coming forward and coveting her like this, she must be something special.”

Recalling the seemingly quiet Yoon Yiseo, Chairman Wang became secretly curious about what kind of person she was. With the thought of calling her in separately later, he deliberately spoke to the wavering Taejo in a firm tone.

“Get your head on straight. Frankly, what do you have now besides your family and your education? You’re a boy who’s not ready for marriage.”

“I came to tell you, Grandfather, not to ask for permission.”

If it wasn’t a request for permission, it was a declaration of war.

Taejo looked straight at Chairman Wang, whom everyone living under the name Haeshin, including the family, feared.

Right now, Yiseo was more difficult for him than Chairman Wang. The fact that Yoon Yiseo alone was more difficult than Chairman Wang, who had been like the heavens and the law in his life, was a surprise.

A dry laugh escaped his lips at the realization that he, too, had someone he needed to be considerate of.

“You darned kid, are you making fun of your grandfather’s words now!”

Chairman Wang, who misunderstood the silent laugh, shouted.

“Don’t make a fuss about something that’s already been decided. Just be still. It should be something that can be solved by throwing a tantrum. If they didn’t like Jinhwan, would they have set the date in the first place? Your head is just in the clouds.”

What offended Chairman Wang, who was scowling deeply, was not the fact that Taejo had finally realized his feelings but the fact that he was so sure it would become his. He clicked his tongue as he looked at the arrogant face.

“Even if you think the whole world is at your feet, a person’s heart isn’t like that. A person’s heart has to be won; it can’t be taken. That’s why it’s so difficult.”

“...”

“Director Seo was right when she said you are still young. You’ve got a long way to go, Taejo. If you act like this just for your own good, what will become of the family? You are disrupting the family order right now.”

Chairman Wang felt the same way as Seo Jeongju. Seo Jeongju’s insistence that it was too early for Taejo to marry may have been the greed of a daughter-in-law who wasn’t positive about this marriage from the start, but even putting that aside, he felt that it was too hasty to attach someone else’s child to Taejo.

“When a man wants to get married, he has to prioritize his family, even if it means risking his life in front of the world. You don’t just dive headfirst into something and drag everyone to hell. You have to think about how to protect them, even if the sky is falling. If you bet your life, other people’s lives get dragged into it, too. What’s important to you right now is not love, it’s family. I’m telling you to take care of your own blood.”

It was more important for Taejo to solidify his position within the family than to pursue that common emotion that turns a person into a stranger once they turn their back. Furthermore, as the head of the family, Chairman Wang had an obligation to respect the opinion of Seo Jeongju, who was in charge of order.

However, of all the things Chairman Wang had said, only the word love hit Taejo’s head.

“You will forget everything with time. That’s life.”

Sometimes absence can be a good textbook.

“You didn’t know because you’ve never lost anything.”

It’s also his fault for realizing it was love too late.

“Just as you respect your own feelings, you should also respect the choice of the child who has made that decision. If it’s love, you should do that.”

The more you love, the more precious someone becomes, the more you can’t treat them carelessly.

Even if he couldn’t have her, even if they couldn’t be together, the advice to be considerate so that the other person wouldn’t be in a difficult situation made a spark fly in Taejo’s eyes.

“Family, blood. Aren’t these things that won’t change no matter what I do, unless I abandon them? You can’t even remove me from the family register just because I’m family.”

“You...!”

“Just as you said, since I’ve never lost anything since I was born, there’s no need for me to lose that precious thing. I won’t lose it. If it’s love, that’s what you have to do.”

He wasn’t hurt by the thought of giving in to his emotions; he could willingly humble himself out of respect, because he loved her. A single flap of a butterfly’s wings can cause a storm on the other side of the world, so he had to be more careful, but he had been one-sided.

He had realized it was love too late. So he had to hurry even more. Chairman Wang’s furious shout rang in his ears, but all he could think about was how to get Yiseo back.

________________________________________

Time passed mercilessly. A week had passed since he started his days like a machine, going to work when he woke up and flying straight to Pyeongchang-dong to wait in front of Yiseo’s house after work. Today, he was determined to see Yiseo no matter what.

His daily life was completely covered in Yoon Yiseo; he couldn’t live because of the constant pressure on his memory of every word Yiseo said, every expression she made, and every breath she let out.

Lately, trivial things had returned to him with a new meaning. Even when he tried to work harder to erase his thoughts, the thorny words Yiseo had said would suddenly spring up, and he would fall into a daze. And in the end, all his thoughts led back to one thing: he wanted to see Yiseo.

After seeing Seo Jeongju at the art center, Yiseo’s work had returned to being remote. It was probably a way of handling a certain period of self-restraint. It seemed that Yoon Yiseo was once again enduring the consequences alone, something he should have taken on himself.

Since that day, his conflict with Seo Jeongju had deepened, and the family naturally kept a close eye on him. Even Taehan had joined in, adding to his already heavy workload, which felt like an encouragement to stop.

He had no one on his side.

It was what he had expected.

Taejo raised his tired eyes to look at the long, high wall beyond the window.

• The customer is not answering...

Waiting indefinitely wasn’t the best solution, but he couldn’t just ring the doorbell, so he lingered, and it became an awkward situation.

“I’m like a stalker.”

He muttered self-deprecatingly, but he sent another message.

“I’m in front of your house. I’ll wait until you come out. Call me when you see this.”

The number of missed calls he had left for Yiseo was already in the hundreds, and the number of messages explaining his situation was dreadfully high. If someone had done that to Taejo, he might have put them in jail for stalking. A silly laugh escaped his lips at the thought.

She must have read the boldly sent message, but there would be no reply in the end. He had no intention of giving up.

He never thought he would have to beg to see her face.

He never thought that a private desire would become so desperate.

He didn’t know that endless waiting would cause such a disturbance in his daily life, or that everything would come to a standstill because of it.

He was now paying the price for his ignorance and arrogance, as his dwindling time burned away.

He kept his phone on and his mind focused, and he once again cast his gaze out the car window. If he was lucky, he might be able to see her somewhere around there.

She used to wander outside because she was tormented by the high walls of her home. How determined must she have been to stay cooped up for a week without even accidentally answering a single phone call? She could have pretended not to have meant to, or just pressed the button by mistake.

At this point, he was confused about whether Yiseo’s self-restraint was voluntary or not.

Even so, he was still worried about Yiseo.

Even with the situation like this, Ryu Jinhwan never once showed his face. He said there was no love, and it seemed there was no interest either. What was so good about a guy like that that she would fall for his promise and bet her future on him?

“Idiot.”

I could treat her better.

He closed his eyes, muttering in the terrible silence that had fallen upon him.

The stillness on his skin would summon Yiseo from his memories whenever it had a chance. He missed the moments when they were together and it was still, the subtle movements that passed between them in that silence, and then he felt empty again.

In the end, it was Jinhwan who was chosen, and he was the one left behind. Time, which had been so leisurely, was now being chopped into seconds and becoming a mess, and he felt pathetic for acting like this just to see her face.

A heavy sense of defeat weighed on his chest, and a great sense of self-loathing covered it.

Should I just ring the bell and tell her to come out right now?

Just then, a car’s headlights invaded his vision. A sedan pulled up smoothly and stopped in front of the garage, and a familiar person got out of the driver’s seat. It was Yiheon.

Yiheon, in a neat suit, recognized him, who had been waiting there for days like he was in hiding, and walked over to the car, tapping on the window.

“What are you doing here?”

As the window rolled down, Yiheon asked with an angry face but with as much politeness as he could. His eyes showed that he knew about Taejo’s crazy roaming around the neighborhood for days. He looked at the pale Taejo with a fierce glare, as if he were looking at a stalker harassing his sister.

“Get out. Let’s talk.”

Standing with his back to the car under the orange streetlight, Yiheon was ready to call the police. He was the first to speak in a displeased tone.

“Why do you keep coming here? Stalking is a crime.”

“Please call Yiseo out for me.”

Yiheon let out a chilling laugh in disbelief as Taejo made a bold request without even flinching at the mention of a crime.

“What are you going to do after meeting Yiseo?”

“Just for a moment.”

“No.”

Yiheon shook his head. It was obvious that calling Yiseo out in this situation would only upset her. Since the engagement was decided, Yiseo had not been able to hide her anxiety, and after receiving Jinhwan’s proposal, she had become even quieter.

Even if she didn’t say it, it was probably because of this guy.

His sharp, blade-like eyes cut Taejo mercilessly.

“I won’t hurt Yiseo.”

“Who do you take me for, an idiot?”

Yiheon scoffed, as if to mock those words. Yiheon, who was kind and polite to everyone, was being rude.

An iron fortress of a gaze. Seeing it, Taejo knew he had to stop. But while his mind understood, his heart had already crossed the wall a long time ago. As he struggled not to lose his composure, the silence between them froze.

“Do you know that Yiseo is on self-restraint? She hasn’t left the house for a week. You know why, don’t you?”

There was no reason for Yiseo, who used the art center as a sanctuary, to work from home for a week. Since she started commuting to Wonju, she had left the front gate at the same time every day. The reason why such an Yiseo had to stay cooped up, disconnected from the world, and the correlation with the suspicious car that had been waiting in front of her house for a while.

The moment he realized the owner of the car was Ryu Taejo, Yiheon wanted to grab him by the collar. He wanted to draw a clear line with him when they met, thinking, ‘He toyed with my sister, and now he’s tying her feet like this.’ However, the uncharacteristic nervousness of Ryu Taejo bothered him just a little.

“I hope I don’t see you here again. It seems we have nothing more to say to each other, so please go back.”

“Is Yiseo breathing?”

At the unexpected question, Yiheon’s eyes, which were about to turn away, stopped for a moment.

Yiseo was getting noticeably thinner every day. She didn’t usually enjoy eating, but these days, she was barely eating enough to survive. Perhaps because of the psychological burden, she would often force food into her mouth and then run to the bathroom to throw it up.

This morning, the cook who had been in charge of the household for a long time expressed concern, saying that Yiseo must be getting seasonal depression.

For Yiseo, the seasons must be like this difficult and unpredictable guy. Yiheon’s cheeks hardened as he stared at Taejo.

“That’s none of your business.”

“It’s because of me. Whatever it is, it’s my responsibility.”

The gaze that was shot directly at him was still rudely burning, but it was also strangely complex and confused. Yiheon acted even more firmly, thinking, ‘How dare he have such a look.’

“If you know, don’t come here. Yiseo is busy preparing for her engagement.”

She was getting more sensitive as the date approached, but the engagement would not be called off. As long as this guy disappeared.

“Do you really think that path will make Yiseo happy?”

“I am just respecting Yiseo’s choice.”

“Let’s be clear. That’s not Yiseo’s choice.”

Yiheon’s eyebrows furrowed. As he stared sharply, as if to ask, ‘So what?’ Taejo finally made his point.

“Brother Jinhwan doesn’t love Yiseo.”

“Then what about you? Do you love my Yiseo?”

There was a moment of silence, and then Taejo’s lips trembled slightly. He then opened his mouth willingly.

“Please let Yiseo confirm it herself.”

Taejo requested, his eyes filled with a clear emotion, a look of someone who had just realized it. His appearance was certainly unfamiliar. But Yiheon shook his head as if there was no hope. He had no intention of leaving any room for doubt.

“Our family will not reverse its decision. And of course, your family won’t either. I can’t send Yiseo to a place where she won’t be welcomed.”

Yiheon’s resolute attitude was like an eternal wall.

Yiseo, who was denying it, Yiheon, who was distrustful, and his mother, who was estranged.

“Even if the engagement is broken for some other reason, I won’t accept her. Your place is not there.”

At the sound that passed by like a ringing in his ears, Taejo’s Adam’s apple slowly bobbed. He took a deep breath from deep within his lungs. The emotions spreading across his silent face were the regrets of not being proactive in all the moments that had passed.

However, Yiheon had no intention of being generous enough to call Yiseo out for him.

If it wasn’t for this, Yiseo would have to suffer again. Thinking about the future, he didn’t mind being a little more forceful. But seeing Taejo steeped in a sense of loss, he wondered just how genuine his feelings were.

“How far are you willing to go for our Yiseo?”

“Willing to go.”

His face, which had repeated the words like a sigh, was empty. As Yiheon watched him hesitate for a moment, as if he had lost everything, he answered the question for him, as if he had asked a pointless question.

“You can’t make Yiseo happy. A guy who can’t even solve his family problems cleanly, is he going to take responsibility for someone else’s life? That’s an arrogant thought. So stop wasting your time and get lost.”

He muttered as if to himself and turned away. Just then, a persistent voice flew from over his shoulder.

“If I bet everything I have. Do you still not believe me?”

Yiheon furrowed his brows and turned back at the clear voice that showed no signs of guilt.

“How are you going to prove that you’ll bet everything? Are you going to turn your back on your family?”

Yiheon scoffed at Taejo, who remained silent, unlike his bold words. He had no intention of doing that after all. Nothing was easier than using a smooth tongue to be deceitful in order to get what you wanted.

“Words only have value when they are kept.”

As Yiheon gave his final piece of advice and turned away, Taejo bowed his back toward him.

“I’ll see you again soon.”

“...”

“Please go in.”

Even with the utmost politeness, the eyes that met again showed a will that would not be easily bent. Yiheon, who was staring at him as if he were looking at a madman, soon drove his car into the garage and disappeared.

The pitch-black sky spread over the quiet street felt just like his heart.

Family problems.

Persuading each member and gaining their trust in a place where he had no one on his side. This forgotten signpost was now clearly etched in his mind, something he had been too obsessed with repairing his relationship with Yiseo to think about. The family problem that he had to solve before aimlessly wandering around Yiseo’s neighborhood in a desperate state.

As his composure returned, he moved. The face of the person who started the engine was like someone who had finally realized the direction they needed to go on a path they had lost.

________________________________________

The longer he was alone in the quiet space, the more time he had to think. When the higher-ups suggested he work from home for a while, he accepted it immediately. He knew that going to the art center would only repeat the situation from that day and wouldn’t improve anything.

However, life at home was not easy either. Most of all, since he had never spent such a long time at home, it was obvious that he would be concerned, even though they lived in different areas of the house.

Having to eat with Choi Seonghee at every meal was also not easy.

After seeing Yoon Daemyeong off early in the morning, Choi Seonghee would sit and wait at the table. It was a lifestyle ingrained in her for a lifetime as a politician’s wife who started her day at dawn. Yiseo would always appear next, after her. Yiheon would replace his meal with a simple glass of green juice before he left for work, so it was a common morning scene.

“How long are you going to work from home?”

“For a while.”

Yiseo rarely left her room on the second floor, and Choi Seonghee lived in the first-floor space and in her workshop in the annex, but it seemed she was concerned as well.

“While you’re at it, submit your resignation. It’s better to focus on being a good wife once you’re married than on your work.”

“I... Mother.”

Yiseo, who had been watching Choi Seonghee eat with her full attention without making eye contact, finally gathered her courage and opened her mouth. After intense consideration, she had come to the conclusion that it was impossible to proceed with the engagement as it was.

“I want to postpone the engagement.”

A clanging sound was made as Choi Seonghee put her spoon down on the marble table and raised her head.

“What are you talking about?”

“I’ve been thinking about it for a long time. It seems I need more time to think.”

Choi Seonghee stared at Yiseo as if she didn’t understand. Her eyes, which were looking for a plausible reason, were cold.

“Are you anxious?”

“Yes.”

“That ‘marriage blues,’ it’s a symptom most brides-to-be experience. You’ve been living a hectic life, and now that you have some time to spare, it seems you’re overthinking things.”

“...”

Choi Seonghee wiped her lips with a napkin as she watched Yiseo’s confusion.

“It’s temporary. I was the same when I got married. ‘Can I really go through with this? Is my life over now? Once I walk down that aisle, I can’t turn back.’ I wanted to run away every day.”

It was the first time Yiseo had heard this. It was only natural, as the mother and daughter had never had a close conversation. Choi Seonghee spoke of her past life, which had been frozen like a fossil, as if it were someone else’s story.

“But looking back, it was the most valuable thing I could have chosen. Even if that marriage was just a means for us to rise to the next level, your life doesn’t end just because there’s no love. When you live side by side, you grow fond of each other someday, and that’s just how life goes.”

Even if everything they had built together became a source of animosity, they could still become husband and wife.

“Yiseo, dear.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Choi Seonghee called out to Yiseo in a slightly softer voice.

“I have a lunch meeting with Ms. Kang today. Would you like to come with me?”

“I’m fine.”

Yiseo shook her head at Choi Seonghee’s words that she had an appointment with Ms. Kang, Ryu Jinhwan’s mother. She wasn’t confident that she could live up to their expectations with such a heavy heart.

“If you come along, get a facial, and have some tea, your thoughts will clear up.”

“Thank you for the offer, but I have a prior engagement.”

“With Executive Director Ryu?”

“Yes.”

It was the day he returned from Jeju Island, where he had been for a week to look over the site ahead of the resort’s groundbreaking ceremony. Only then did Choi Seonghee let out a sigh of relief and smile.

“That’s good. Meeting with Executive Director Ryu will help you get your mind straight. By any chance... no.”

Choi Seonghee, uncharacteristically trailing off, tried to suppress the ominous feeling that was rising in her chest. It was an unnecessary worry. Yiseo had never done anything like that before, so there was no way she would say something foolish to Ryu Jinhwan. Choi Seonghee believed, as if it were a religious conviction, that this marriage would definitely happen.

“You know your father has high hopes, right? He says he’s never been happier. After all, if you marry into the Haeshin family, it will be a big help for your father’s political ambitions, and if your father gives Executive Director Ryu his support, won’t it be a good thing for both of you?”

“...”

As if to say this was the most commendable moment since she had taken Yiseo in, Choi Seonghee smiled faintly and elegantly blocked any escape routes.

“You should get ready soon. I should be leaving soon myself.”

“Yes.”

Yiseo sadly watched Choi Seonghee, who was now relaxed again as if nothing would change, and picked up her used dishes and cup. At that moment, the glass slipped from her fingertips.

Crash.

A sharp, shattering sound rang out, and pieces of glass flew everywhere. Choi Seonghee, who had been silently bringing her coffee cup to her lips, froze with a cold expression.

“I told you to let the maid do that!”

As Yiseo reached for the scattered glass in a hurry, the pale Choi Seonghee yelled hysterically. At the same time, a drop of blood formed on the tip of her finger, where it had been cut by the sharp edge.

“Maid! Come and clean this up! What are you doing? Hurry and clean it up!”

With her crisp command, three people rushed in just to clean up a broken cup. Yiseo stared blankly at the situation, which was moving quickly with tension, and then looked up at the hand that was leading her away.

She was likely oversensitive because she knew that someone always got hurt on days like this. As if recalling the fortune-teller’s warning to take in Yiseo because she would be a great asset to the family, memories of bad things happening whenever Yiseo saw blood flashed before her eyes.

Someone would get hurt or sick, and there was even a time when Yiheon wore a cast on his arm for several months because of an unexpected accident.

It was a jinx. Of course, a glass cup wouldn’t determine the course of their lives, but it was a commotion that couldn’t be ignored.

“Gather it up and bury it properly in the backyard. And you, be careful today.”

Following Choi Seonghee’s command, which she gave with her usual displeased face, the employees carried the cleanly swept glass outside and disappeared.

Whenever glass broke in the house, Choi Seonghee would dig a hole in the backyard and bury it. This was based on the belief that misfortune would run rampant the moment it was taken outside the house.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake. I can’t cancel my appointment.”

Yiseo watched Choi Seonghee, whose face was tense as if she had a headache, leave the dining room, and then slowly left the area.

Yiheon, who had just finished getting ready for work, noticed Yiseo staring blankly as he came down the stairs. He walked straight up to her. Yiseo’s eyes, which looked up only after his shadow fell over her, were blurry.

“Oppa, be careful today.”

“You too?”

He had heard the warning to death from his mother. He looked down at Yiseo with a generous smile.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s all superstition.”

It was true that accidents, big and small, would coincidentally happen whenever Yiseo broke glass, but it was just superstition.

“Our family tends to rely too much on superstition. Are you meeting Jinhwan today?”

“Yeah.”

“Have a good time. Ask him to buy you something delicious.”

As he was about to turn away after comforting Yiseo with a nonchalant face, Yiseo desperately grabbed his arm.

“Oppa, could you leave your car behind anyway?”

“Are you starting to resemble Mother, too? I had a good dream last night. And my physical condition is great, of course.”

He pushed her worries aside, asking, ‘Are you going to do this too?’, and gently ruffled Yiseo’s hair.

“I’ll be back.”

Even with his touch, which should have been reassuring, a bad premonition ran down Yiseo’s spine.

________________________________________

In the car heading to the Haeshin Group’s downtown duty-free shop, located in the middle of Seoul, Taejo’s face was sullen and displeased, unlike Taehan’s, who was sitting next to him with a full smile on his face.

“Didn’t you say you’d give me a break once the duty-free shop matter was handled?”

“You’ve had enough rest. You have so much free time that you’re even lurking in front of someone’s house.”

Taehan, who had been nagging in a low voice that only they could hear, smirked as their eyes met, as if he enjoyed poking at his brother’s sore spot on purpose. Taejo’s eyes narrowed for a moment at the annoying smile, and then Taehan began to speak again.

“I remember telling you that submitting the documents was just the beginning. You’ll get busy again when the review date approaches, so get some sleep.”

“...Shit. You really meant it, didn’t you?”

“You must have realized by now that if you’re not a help to the family, you can’t enjoy anything at Haeshin. You have to earn your keep, Taejo. And stop using such foul language.”

Taehan leaned close to Taejo and smiled, pulling his lips back.

“To tell you in advance, the upcoming review will take place at the training center in Cheonan. There will be about fifteen judges, and the bidding presentation that will follow the demonstration is your part. I’ve prepared everything meticulously enough to be confident about the score, but the competing companies are in the same boat.”

The real competition was just beginning; it was a phrase Taejo had heard so many times from Taehan that it was ingrained in his mind. The success or failure of the duty-free shop bid would be decided by the bidding presentations of each company’s representative to the judges.

“The PT should be as concise as possible, and they’ll grill you with questions during the Q&A. The staff will prepare the presentation, and all you have to do is go and answer the questions well.”

Taehan added to Taejo, who was silently agreeing as if he already knew.

“So, I’m going to give you one more task. Take over the management of the e-commerce business division as well.”

“What?”

“It’s a new department created to expand our online business. We’ve received large-scale investments from several overseas investment firms and are about to launch a new corporation. It’s a done deal, but it’s not a place where you can just sit back and do nothing. It’s a crucial department that the future of our company depends on.”

The launch of the new online corporation was Taehan’s big picture to expand the offline distribution line that HS International had dominated into the online space. Mergers and acquisitions were also being conducted secretly to take over the e-commerce industry beyond offline.

“Why are you pushing such an important task onto me?”

“I want you to learn. To learn how heavy the weight of responsibility is. You need to know how many people’s necks are at stake with every decision you approve and how many mouths they have to feed, so you don’t make mistakes.”

Just as you have to endure the weight to wear the crown, he needed to roll around in a battlefield where the heads of households fiercely fought. He would learn that a momentary decision could make some people smile and others bleed, and by learning that, he could become a better business manager.

“What if I make a mistake?”

“Then your neck will be on the line, too.”

Taehan smiled and patted Taejo’s shoulder, as if to say, ‘So don’t have any silly thoughts.’

“Oh, one more thing. You’ll be in charge of preparing the chairman’s memoir, which will be published early next year.”

“What?”

“As you know, you’re the least busy among us brothers. You won’t be doing the writing anyway, so just oversee the situation. We’ve set a generous deadline, so it shouldn’t be too much of a burden. That’s why I recommended you.”

It was an outrageous situation. Taejo let out a dumbfounded laugh at the endless demands.

“And you’ll have to go to Jeju Island sometime next week. You have to look at the art center branch before the groundbreaking ceremony. Taeyeon and I have already been a few times.”

“Brother.”

“If you go there and pretend to care, Mother’s heart will soften, and the chairman’s collection, which he has been collecting for a long time, will be donated to society. It’ll be good for you if you show that you’re paying attention to such a good cause.”

In the end, it was all for Taejo’s good. It wouldn’t hurt to at least go through the motions to improve his relationship with his mother and to appease his grandfather, who had never raised his voice before. But Taejo, who was supposed to obey, was being defiant.

“Tell the cultural foundation to take care of that kind of stuff.”

“Just do what you’re told.”

Taehan slightly furrowed his deep-set eyes, as if to say, ‘Do you think it’s a useless task?’

“Why? Why don’t you just tie me to that place completely?”

“Ah, of course, I’ve thought of that, too.”

Taehan added with a warm, kind smile.

“It all depends on what you do from now on. If you don’t have the courage to get it back, you have to work. Isn’t that right? If you can’t even handle the tasks you’ve been given properly, I’ll send you back to the U.S.”

Having learned from Seoeun how Taejo’s heart had been led astray, Taehan believed this was the best path for his brother. To calm the twisted minds of the adults, he needed to produce tangible results. That’s why he’d given Taejo the most promising projects, and he knew Taejo had the ability to successfully complete them.

The moment he realized that his youngest brother, who had never loved anyone, had only learned about it after losing it, and the moment he learned that his wife, Seoeun, had been the one to mend their broken relationship, he had anticipated that things would become this twisted.

But he never knew where another variable would appear.

Up until now, everything seemed to be going smoothly because Taejo had suppressed his temper well, but it wouldn’t be strange if the youngest suddenly went off the rails. On the contrary, the fact that he was diligently taking care of the tasks he was given was what was suspicious.

He might stab them in the back. The possibility was high. Remembering his youngest brother’s nature, who had been terrifyingly cunning since he was a child to get what he wanted, Taehan watched Taejo for a long time with an eye that couldn’t erase his suspicion.

In the meantime, the car carrying the two of them entered the parking lot.

The store manager, who had been waiting for their visit, ran up to Taehan and Taejo as soon as he saw them and greeted them respectfully.

“We’ve been waiting for you, Vice President. It’s been a while, Team Leader. Let’s go in. The interior is a bit chaotic right now as we’re preparing for the sale season, but you shouldn’t have any problem looking around.”

The interior was already arranged as if it had been perfectly set up for an executive’s inspection. As he said, some corners were being reorganized, but it wasn’t enough to be a bother.

With the store manager at the lead and attendants in tow, Taejo tried to focus on his work. At this point, the only way to get acknowledged was to do his work properly, and there was some truth to Taehan’s words that it would be advantageous for persuasion. First, it would be easier if his brothers supported him.

Even though they had treated him harshly since he was a child, they were still family. They would help each other when it was needed. Among them, it was Taehan who could get through to his mother. So, Taejo resolved to do his job properly first.

He knew that time was of the essence, but he wanted to bring Yiseo back without any issues. Thinking about the wounds he had inflicted on Yiseo, he didn’t want her to hear any criticism from the world.

Just in the brief moments he was thinking about how to win back Yiseo’s heart, his troubled mind would become so desolate. He couldn’t imagine how long Yiseo had been looking at his face with such a heart.

That must be why she made up her mind and decided on her path as if she was running away. Given the circumstances, it wouldn’t be easy, but it wasn’t over until it was over.

In a situation where there were a mountain of things to deal with, he had to show that he was steadfast. Of course, the fact that Yiseo was still blocking his contact felt like her firm will, and sometimes it suffocated him with a sense of hopelessness.

It was a task of clearing a thorny path in a tight timeframe.

During that time, he worried that Yiseo would get even further away, and at some point, he would suddenly become afraid that the gap between them would grow so wide that he wouldn’t be able to catch her.

He had a long way to go to catch up to her, and he was afraid that he would lose her forever. He had grown up without knowing fear, but whenever he was consumed by this newly learned emotion, everything would go dark.

“I liked you.”

Taejo’s footsteps unknowingly stopped in front of the LED display at the sudden voice that sounded like an auditory hallucination. On the screen, a female model who resembled Yiseo was wandering through time.

“You were too brilliant.”

A memory that would occasionally pop up as he lived his daily life as if nothing was wrong.

“I think I was mistaken in thinking that if I held onto something brilliant, even for a moment, I could be brilliant, too.”

His sharp gaze was completely captivated by the video being played. The clockwork slowly started to rewind, and the minute and hour hands crossed chaotically. In the video, where everything rewound quickly with time, the woman who had been walking toward him moved away again and smiled at the place she had returned to. A dazzling light poured into his vision.

“What is he doing?”

Taehan, who had been walking ahead, felt Taejo’s absence and turned around. However, Taejo, who was frozen in a daze as if he had forgotten to breathe, just stood there as if he couldn’t hear anything.

I want to turn back time.

It was an emotion he had never known in his life. The regret and despair that Yoon Yiseo had imprinted on him would occasionally make him stumble. But as time went on, it became clearer that a world without her was useless, and that he had to get Yiseo back.

“You were the only person I could be myself with.”

So, Yiseo.

You should be by my side.

Just then. The surroundings suddenly became noisy, and people started to stir. He saw the frantic store manager waving his hands and Taehan’s face rushing toward him.

“...Leader! Team Leader, watch out! A-ah, Team Leader!”

“Ryu Taejo!”

...Why?

At the moment he thought the stunned expressions of the people rushing toward him were unrealistically vivid, something heavy hit him from behind.

Thump.

With a huge crash, Taejo lost his balance and fell. The LED panel that had fallen off the wall crashed to the floor. He heard the faint groan of someone whose leg was pinned underneath. A high-pitched ringing, like a red alert, continued for a long time amidst the shouting that filled the air.

________________________________________

The emergency room was busy. As sirens wailed and a patient was brought in by paramedics, the inside quickly became chaotic. Taehan watched Taejo, who was sitting on the bed with his arms crossed. With a cast on his wrist, Taejo, who was looking away, had an extremely angry expression.

“It’s a huge relief that it was only this bad. Where on earth is your head?”

Taehan clicked his tongue, remembering the sight of his brother standing blankly in front of the huge advertisement panel.

Coincidentally, maintenance work was being done on the LED advertising panel installed inside the duty-free shop. It was an unexpected accident that happened just as the installation inspection of the panel was about to be finished.

“What were you thinking about that you couldn’t get out of the way?”

“...”

“You would have been seriously injured if it weren’t for the security team member.”

It was a security team member who had pushed Taejo out of the way and saved him from the falling advertising panel.

“Was the employee badly hurt?”

“Not seriously, but they’re undergoing a detailed examination. We plan to provide appropriate treatment and compensation according to the procedure.”

Taehan planned to visit him directly in his hospital room and offer his sincere condolences.

“You’re going to the Gangneung villa for a while. Mother is already anxious, and she might faint if she hears you got hurt.”

While it was an unfortunate accident that happened during a busy schedule, this was the best option, considering his mother’s weakness when it came to her children.

“Go there and clear your head a bit.”

“Why? Are you going to lock me up until the engagement ceremony?”

Taejo’s gaze was fierce as he raised his head.

“Are you afraid I’ll do something foolish?”

“Because you’re the kind of person who would.”

Taejo’s lips twisted at Taehan’s agreement. It was as if he was planning to lock him up like this, after pushing him to his limits until he couldn’t even think straight. It was a very Taehan-like thought.

“I’ll have a car ready to pick you up on the day of the engagement ceremony, so think of it as a few days of vacation and clear your head.”

“Gee, thanks a lot for that, you bastard.”

“Don’t use such language, especially when there are people around.”

“Yes, of course. Even at a time like this, what other people think is important.”

Taejo sneered at Taehan’s intention to block everything off and got up from his seat. Taehan gave him a low warning, leaning in close and not hiding his rough demeanor at all.

“Maintain your dignity.”

“Yes, you bastard. I will.”

Taejo, with his eyes full of disillusionment, pulled back the curtain and left the emergency room. Director Park, who had been waiting outside, immediately approached him. Taehan, who was looking at the empty bed with a displeased expression, then spoke to Director Park, who was waiting for his instructions, in a gentle voice.

“Please take Taejo to the Gangneung villa. He can’t drive with that hand, so don’t give him the car keys under any circumstances.”

“Yes, I understand.”

As he watched Director Park turn and leave with a respectful bow, Taehan finally let out a faint sigh.