BTL Ch 9

Chaehoen knew that Han Haein and Hayoen were cousins. Given how often Juwon and Chaeheon used to visit each other before Juwon and his family moved to the countryside, there was no way Chaeheon wouldn’t know. He knew how much of an oddball Juwon was considered within the selfish Hwa Group, and how devoted he was to his wife and newborn daughter.

[“Hayeon is a princess!”]

Whenever Chaeheon thought of Juwon, the last memory he had of them would surface.

[“Oh, come on! Hayeon, this oppa isn’t a prince, he’s your knight, protecting you!”]

Hayeon looking for her prince, and Juwon lamenting that his precious daughter was being stolen by some scoundrel. Even Yewon, watching her husband with a helpless look, shaking her head as if to say he was incorrigible.

In their company, Chaeheon could set aside his worries about his mother and his stress about his father, and laugh without a care. That’s why, three years ago, when he heard that Juwon and Yewon had passed away, he cried a lot. At the same time, he worried about their daughter, who was left alone in the world.

But even so, he couldn’t come to Korea. At that time, Taegeon had been vice president for less than a year, and his father, Kang Jincheol, had started threatening Taegeon’s position by using Chaeheon’s name, even though he wasn’t in Korea. Chaeheon couldn’t give his father, who was desperate to find any fault, an excuse. As a result, he hadn’t been to Korea once in over ten years.

In the meantime, Hayeon had grown up, perfectly resembling Juwon from his memories. The part that resembled Yewon, perhaps, was her eyes that curved so wide when she smiled that you couldn’t see her pupils. But the lovely dimples that filled both her cheeks when she smiled were something neither Juwon nor Yewon had.

Just then, Han Haein’s voice, which he had forgotten, broke through his thoughts.

“I’m known publicly as Hwa’s successor, but the succession structure isn’t perfectly set. There are still many who aren’t happy with me, so it’s a precarious situation.”

Chaeheon slowly opened and closed his eyes.

Ah.

Chaeheon ran a hand over his mouth. His face subtly tilted as he realized his train of thought was entirely focused on Lee Hayeon, that kid.

“That’s why I’m positive about this engagement. It won’t be a loss for you either, Mr. Chaeheon. I’ll empower you so you can become the owner of KW, as promised with Director Kang.”

When she mentioned Director Kang, Chaeheon’s gaze finally landed on Haein. She smiled sweetly, looking completely confident that Chaeheon would take her hand. Now that he looked closely, Han Haein’s smile didn’t resemble anyone he knew. Even less so, that kid’s smile.

Finding no further reason to stay, Chaeheon checked the time.

“What about you, Mr. Chaeheon? If you’re okay with it, I’d like to proceed with the engagement as planned.”

Thirty minutes. That was enough to save his grandfather’s face. Chaeheon stood up from his seat. Haein’s melodious voice, tinged with surprise, called out to Chaeheon.

“Mr. Chaeheon?”

Chaeheon watched Haein’s eyelashes, lush with extensions, flutter, and muttered cynically. “I didn’t know there were still people who believed my father and I were close.”

“…Pardon?”

To call a woman like this the next successor. Assemblyman Lee Seon-woong must be past his prime. Chaeheon turned and left. His eyes quickly caught sight of a black cap disappearing under a chair. It was funny how she tried so hard to hide, even though there was no way she could disappear just by pressing herself down with her hands.

“Lee Hayeon.”

Her slender shoulders flinched at his call. He asked as she shyly raised her head from under the half-removed hat, smiling awkwardly. “What are you doing here?”

“Um.” Hayeon awkwardly stood up, busily pulling her hat back down. “How did you know?” Did she really think she wouldn’t get caught with that face? Chaeheon looked at Hayeon with an incredulous expression. Hayeon scratched her chin awkwardly and mumbled in response, “I came to eat with a friend… and, um, the hotel buffet here is delicious.”

“Friend? Ah.” At Hayeon’s words, Chaeheon finally noticed Kangmin’s presence and looked in his direction. The first thing he saw was the baseball cap Kangmin was wearing. It had the same logo, design, and color as Hayeon’s.

“I’m Shin Kangmin.” Kangmin, keenly aware that Chaeheon’s eyes were on his cap, stood up and grinned.

Chaeheon nodded silently at Kangmin, who gave a slight bow, then opened his mouth. “Even if he’s your friend, it’s not a good look to be hanging around places like this.”

Kangmin burst out laughing at the extremely old-fashioned remark. “People who see a problem with someone just coming to a hotel are the strange ones.” He knew, without needing to ask, that the “strange person” he was referring to was Kang Chaeheon himself. And also, that Kangmin was by no means friendly toward him, and the reason was Hayeon.

Chaeheon’s head tilted slightly, instantly recognizing Kangmin’s feelings for Hayeon.

Just then.

“Oh my. Look who it is.”

A bright voice echoed after the clacking of high heels on the marble floor, cutting between the three of them. Hayeon, who had been standing blankly watching Chaeheon and Kangmin greet each other, suddenly frowned. Forcing herself to compose her expression, she turned her head and saw Han Haein, smiling with her red lips pulled high.

Haein smiled warmly, tucking her bob-length hair behind her ear. “Hello, Hayeon. I didn’t expect to meet you here. They said you live at Vice President Kang Taegeon’s house, so you must come here often.”

Her voice was kind. Hayeon let out a hidden hollow laugh, seeing her act as if they’d known each other for years, despite having only seen her once, fleetingly, at the funeral.

Haein then pulled out a crisp business card from her wallet and held it out to Hayeon. The card read: “Executive Director, Hwa Hotel. Han Haein.”

“Come visit Hwa Hotel sometime. Not just because it’s my hotel, but Hwa’s buffet is just as good as Deus’s.” It seemed she had overheard Hayeon’s flimsy excuse about coming for food.

Hayeon slowly reached out and took the business card, and a proud smile appeared on Haein’s lips. “Could you call the number on the card before you visit? I’ll try my best to make time.”

After finishing her words, Haein turned to look at Chaeheon. “Then, Mr. Kang Chaeheon. It was a pleasure today. I’ll be waiting for your call.” Perhaps remembering that Chaeheon had rejected her handshake earlier, Haein bowed slightly instead of offering her hand as a greeting, then turned back to Hayeon.

“Hayeon. Let’s meet again.”

Hayeon watched Haein’s retreating figure, who was even waving her hand, and then twisted her mouth. “Unnie?” And “Let’s meet again?”

“She’s so good at saying things she doesn’t mean.”

Han Haein’s tone was undeniably gentle, like someone whose kindness was ingrained. The gesture of offering the business card was elegant, and her smiling face was bright, devoid of any malice. It was hard to believe she was the same person who had looked down on people with an indifferent gaze at the funeral.

If one simply listened, it sounded like a cousin greeting her relative warmly after a long time, but… Hayeon wasn’t so foolish as to miss the hidden jabs beneath the surface. No matter what people gossiped about Han Haein, calling her noble and all that. Han Haein was indeed that woman’s daughter. Her eyes were identical to that woman’s, who had treated Hayeon as insignificant, looking down on her with disdain.

The difference was that the other woman overtly displayed her annoyance and contempt, while Han Haein knew how to conceal it. The kindness and composure Han Haein showed were nothing but a form of disregard stemming from her superiority, from having more than the other person. Hayeon gritted her teeth, then released them, engraving the fleeting contempt she saw on Haein’s face into her memory.

“In a way, Han Haein was the most similar to Assemblyman Lee Seon-woong.”

Perhaps that’s why Han Haein was chosen as the successor, pushing aside other children and grandchildren. Hayeon thought of the man she called her grandfather, whom she saw at the funeral, then shook her head.

“How did Dad live in a family like that for 20 years?”

She was sure she wouldn’t have lasted a single day in such a place. Hayeon, who had been glaring in the direction Haein disappeared, felt a sharp gaze then.

“…?”

She turned her head towards where she felt it, and saw Chaeheon and Kangmin staring at her.