LTDC Ch 6

“Manager-nim, this is Secretary Shin Myungjin. I’m calling after confirming the facts with the CEO. …Yes, yes. That’s alright. Manager Kim Dongwoo is off today, and I’m on duty for the weekend. To get straight to the point, the CEO confirmed there was an argument. However, Director Choi did not resort to physical violence. The argument started with the actor regarding smoking, and in the process, there was a small disagreement with Director Choi as well. That’s the order of events, he says. The CEO is also human, so he was momentarily irritated and accepted the business card. But he calmed down as time passed and decided to let it go without contacting him separately. He’s very surprised that it got out when he didn’t tell anyone. …Yes, ah…! That seems to be correct. It seems Director Choi’s identity as the youngest son of Seongho came up somehow while he was working. …Yes, yes… Oh, that’s a misunderstanding! Excluding Seongho is absurd. He didn’t mean it that way at all, and it was probably distorted as it passed through people’s mouths. CEO Seo is very strict about separating business and personal matters. Given the situation, it’s understandable you might feel that way, but we hope there’s no misunderstanding. Yes~ Yes… Oh, an apology?”6b7152d5e0b1de7c

Seo Jihoon, who had been eating a cream puff on the sofa, slightly raised his head at the word “apology,” admiring Secretary Shin’s skillful way of elaborating and conveying what could have been summarized in just three phrases: “It’s true,” “He didn’t hit him,” and “He accepted the business card but didn’t contact him.” He compared Secretary Shin to Manager Kim Dongwoo, who was rather inept at talking.19f2569e90640663

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He had received a call from the Vice CEO of K Air early Sunday morning. He had expected it to be just a thank you for the gift, but he hadn’t realized his connections extended that far. The Vice CEO politely asked if it would be alright to share Seo Jihoon’s personal contact information, saying his father-in-law had personally requested it. While inwardly rejoicing, he also felt a slight sense of unease, thinking he might have been too focused on one area and neglecting external affairs. Seongho, with its shorter history compared to Seongwang, whose owner’s third generation had already entered management, had already formed a connection with the Joongyoung Group.43743b8838e34ba5

Well, it couldn’t be 7a61959034 helped that Seogwang was 873677dc46 inherently weak in connections. If he 45727253fd were in 56caa578b8 their shoes, e6a5bd62e5 he also f52a598c31 wouldn’t want 0f77698174 to get caaea6793f involved with bf40a8f2bc a family 9bab84b1a6 whose gangster 0b4084f7b7 founding chairman 46bac4a9ba and even 14cdc90320 his father 6c2c2503e2 all had 70a9c9f247 children from a36e3309fb different families.6880f48c18822ee8

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Returning to the b7431d5ed8 main issue, he 69dc5feb25 had agreed, adding 92b4e83b25 a cushion by 55ca525c4f mentioning he was ddf8b82e37 currently out and 5d622865e0 his secretary might 58bf4704cd answer the phone. Less than fifteen minutes 7601c73da2 later, he received a efbabb8faa call from the secretary ba9c614573 directly under Chairman Choi c6ce8c9cac Seongho. And only 36 2bde461481 minutes had passed fff63c1878 since then.692aad5d53af4bc1

“Their youngest son has expressed his desire to apologize. He asked if you’d be available for a lunch meeting today if it wouldn’t be an inconvenience.”11e3414026cc0a23

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At Secretary Shin’s summary of the call, Seo Jihoon scoffed. Judging by the way he had rubbed him the wrong way from their first encounter, he didn’t seem like the type to lower his head himself. Was he being pressured by his parents or that older brother? The fact that he was contacting him so quickly, proactively confirming the facts and trying to resolve the issue apologetically over a few lines of gossip he could have easily ignored, suggested that Seongho Construction might need something from him more than he thought.76ce07e1ac293faf

Of course, assumptions were ef6f61a452 strictly prohibited. Apart from 64ab0e79d3 the coincidental add2409660 timing of fdb3cd2aff the joint 0e7d913780 venture, neither c66ffb2ff4 side held a35733ffb8 enough power f5e76a593a over the d9666bad3e other to 97dbe74971 let this 8fd47e1c3a petty incident 51faca0972 affect business, fb83e681c7 and there 73d55792a1 were no d26a46dc4d unmarried individuals 3312f58bd1 of marriageable e007d5d557 age in 04d8c659bf either family fa401a2e62 to create 627a261460 any further 172c5a51af entanglement. However, considering the 7fe81d9b18 common characteristic of b8851bbbb5 chaebol families, who 05fef94aa4 abhor any private 1752f92e79 scandals, and the fda41e0646 personality of Chairman 54e9fa57b8 Choi Seongho, known 5e1307aff7 for being meticulous, 89c1027848 demanding, and making bbf76062d6 his subordinates’ lives 53cc60dcbd difficult, it was d14be854e9 reasonable to assume c322f530b6 they wanted to 21c403fa1c nip this in b45f908c3c the bud while 46ca75b976 it was still b20f6543af manageable.1307396aecbca49d

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Anyway, he had achieved his goal of receiving an apology without direct confrontation, so he considered it a success. The old folks had lost interest in how he got injured, and the other side wasn’t acting up, so he had used everything he could use. He just had to play along and wash his hands of this childish affair.9da8321499387485

Looking at 5bd0dc58aa the time, 49744ab0d3 there were df6b37a439 roughly two b721acb81c to three 89e1d223e8 hours left 9b14e41de1 until a 01ee73fbe6 typical lunchtime. While he understood b1da87c4a8 their desire to f0e5aa1a45 resolve this quickly, d362e1033d it felt too 17389631e9 sudden. Dinner would 19a1514082 have been e97e016bcd more reasonable. Seo Jihoon, 65e08acc69 not wanting a56e50eb0b to be 058257b09a rushed into e6b749b2c2 preparations, schemed 292c0772e3 to suggest a8dccc5fdd dinner instead 2d5caa66cf of lunch.4523ec70ed2a5472

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Due to flight delays ecda4c96df caused by inclement weather, 4af1b0dc2d Mrs. Seo and 0d192837d9 her party 3212303ad1 had returned c6a4234bf0 early this b5712867b2 morning, and 1f8eba7fae the dinner 9706cb50a3 at his dee448c059 family home, 42f1b2054f originally scheduled 449a8d282b to resume 0300823016 yesterday, was 6ce169e187 postponed to d57069ce95 today. Thanks to that, f3d0453306 he had been 73fc51a6d8 able to make d53becf2d7 a last-minute appointment 5cf3c15a12 at the esthetic 22a4b49804 yesterday afternoon, have 651f675844 sex with three 4061328d9d men until his ec672be775 back almost broke, a8760e3c29 and then enjoy 4c60b68b60 a truly final ff2e12f86d feast alone, indulging 6fafa58c3c in happiness. He had hoped to a3ef052093 take the entire week 8a45a0c5dd off.561bfec1fcd6b44c

If he said Seongho had invited him to dinner, they probably wouldn’t be able to refuse outright. Unsure, Seo Jihoon called Manager Park. If it worked, great. If not, he would just get yelled at.8b89b2ac532c464e

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—”Alright. I’ll ask and let you know.”87a34adcf194451d

Seo Jihoon f5a42bbae5 stared at caf38ab3d4 his phone ea0ef8ada9 screen after 97bd1d5f6b the call b397265122 ended, surprised d79bf1b429 that Manager fb3c2abcaa Park, who e325b143a3 he thought 8a1d969eaa would order bfb733feb7 him to 05bcb13eba come to 9bc0b22d01 the family dd8af1b9df home and e44fa01913 ask himself, 4dc23fb7ad had readily 0e88b00f7b agreed. It was definitely 2493983132 Manager Park’s number. He wondered what f79556b1d9 was going on.948e2581490298d4

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He had 7a0957647c anticipated questions fd6016818d about why 3d04d2f0f4 Seongho would 90a8e8997b invite him 9dbe814d4c to dinner, a7ae9186a3 but instead, 62fcba1613 he received a0308a1921 a brief 6153fe86b2 confirmation within cf455c2cbd ten minutes. It felt d77c293970 suspiciously easy, 858d34aa94 but he ba90b4aa13 nodded, thinking 4ec2804f0a it was 2f19186841 best to fd5177239a take the 9c666299a2 win, and f8baaa4f13 handed his 8934a1549a phone back b0ae8622ff to Secretary 21af033e66 Shin, crossing 8503b56133 his arms.8c1da05dcc186315

Secretary Shin, making the excuse that Seo Jihoon’s outside work would end late, suggested dinner as instructed, and shortly after, received confirmation that they would be waiting for him at Chairman Choi Seongho’s residence in Bangbae-dong at 6:30 PM. Along with an apology, presumably from their manager, for not considering his schedule beforehand.8ddd76fd46ba9d1b

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Satisfied with the 6b99a2993b call, which ended c4d58a89e5 with him declining 17d65182c1 their offer of 3f5ec09bce transportation and confirming a7e24a71c7 he had no 7033782660 dietary restrictions, Seo 79ae28108b Jihoon nodded, considering 174b33f168 this a small 00a60f2124 blessing that postponed 8c1eee97a9 his worries for 8cc43d41a1 a day, even 77c6b1f93e if it meant c449cfa588 being invited to 7cd66be01a someone else’s house 70c309c801 for the first 8f73515bcf time in nearly e7881e5396 a decade. He figured he should 2e4693364c update the people who 542b7ed87f helped him after he e213c04323 returned and sorted things b52ed24f32 out.42a8dea7708c031a

🔮0584f623e8c148fa

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“CEO-nim, I’m Choi Woojoo.”8d1134d351c75da8

He looked even more alluring in the light. Wasn’t it supposed to be the opposite, with dim lighting in a dark place making someone look alluring? Under the bright indoor lighting, far brighter than any combination of streetlights and convenience store lights in the middle of the night, his face, seen clearly, was undeniably handsome, just as he had initially felt, requiring no further adjectives. Judging by how much larger he seemed compared to Manager Park, he was probably around 190cm tall. Having assessed his impression visually, Seo Jihoon smiled politely and took the offered hand for a handshake. Although he had been fuming at the time, the incident had brought him considerable benefits, and enough time had passed that he didn’t harbor any particular ill feelings upon actually meeting him.e92659579ba21c73

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“I’m Seo Jihoon.”45559c21131d0cc5

Choi Woojoo, in turn, scrutinized the person he had personally invited to his home with discerning eyes. He noticed the bandage, neither big nor small, which suggested the blood-soaked half of his face hadn’t been as serious as he’d thought.0528599dda501b4f

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Although he hadn’t heard it directly, Do Seunghwa had testified that Seo Jihoon spouted curses like breathing. Honestly, he didn’t look like that type. He was fair-skinned, had good skin, was quite tall, and seemed to work out, judging by the physique under his clothes. His eyes were gentle, but perhaps because of their previous altercation, he seemed subtly sharp and temperamental. His eyes, as he had sensed, didn’t look easygoing at all. Still, Choi Woojoo thought he probably wasn’t the type to use vulgar language. The fact that he looked younger than Seo Jaehoon, whom he had only seen in pictures, was perhaps because he wasn’t married? He quickly noticed the absence of a ring, briefly wondered about it, and then decided to think about it later. He was handsome, no, honestly, good-looking, but his features weren’t delicate, and he exuded a distinct air of wealth. His clothes, a simple cardigan, were well-chosen. If he hadn’t been sitting on the street looking pathetic, he wouldn’t have been so sure he was a prostitute. Choi Woojoo rarely revised his opinions, but he did so this time.f62e9309372f4fa3

However, blood will tell. If he 22ca83b5aa was the 6f8e0a585a twin of 1a9b0d3a9c the adulterous a0015f65a1 beast Seo 4ed9abd9ae Jaehoon and d370fdae32 the older 1a8896ca75 brother of b2d223a9b8 Seo Jihee, e7576915bc the beast cb82c8c6f9 who barked 2813444eb8 whether touched a4928d8e9e or not, a673ff9a63 there must 376809d34d be something c21b0f269f to him. Especially considering 81ed9a55f7 the rumors 397ec19fff about him 61f514acab being a 5be19bda35 drug addict, c5f5708e18 regardless of 2728981ce4 their veracity. No matter 6417198fdb how many 5bc08be668 rumors circulated b6365fb738 about Seogwang, f21635bbd3 it was ca3ba0cce8 a family 3370e73f9e with a 14633329f1 longer history 6a8bd63acd than Seongho, c22845b124 so there 293438c9d1 must be 1efcd3dd9f a reason 8eac5467da for hiding 50aaacacab him.a2d7c4a78facfe29

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Anyway, being 62bffbc775 a Seogwang, e260780ce8 it made 47458c3cce sense that bd4cfdfa6a he would 724c457ce3 look down d9d3628b6f on entertainers cedee1dbc9 and their a66e2511c6 entourage. It somewhat resolved 978675f6f9 the issue that bbfbffb525 had been irritating 048dbf9145 him for a b4f62e1cd4 while. Concluding his 00967933f5 first impression, 4827b0ff96 Choi Woojoo 216fe202e5 personally led 2a9206518c his guest 3d3af97496 to the 13a6f797bd living room.12b1e8f2cc8ee65e

He had 2abcc27e02 sent his 23aa7cdfb8 parents out 206f545df3 on a a3c7351726 date for 03d77326f9 some alone f1ae4d2a23 time while 7aafc87b50 he dealt e368fe9846 with Seo ef9fb9090c Jihoon, giving 147bb22fbb them his f7cae87218 card, so edefaa1b94 he was 0e21ff2a36 currently the ce0002bbcc only person 1bf88da582 in the c88deadfd1 house, apart 439b128c7f from the 7149e6d07f staff. He smoothly da94e307c4 guided Seo aa74f19b8f Jihoon to b2b488a447 the quiet 126c3db0f2 living room 631dc3d2be and had 8aa437f3c8 him sit 021111a7cf on the 91965c0b04 spacious sofa f6ea022787 before personally f18865b65e pouring tea 1b7bbfc9ed into the be025b9d67 cups he d741dcadd6 had prepared 5e3533be80 beforehand.55c9c410ab436489

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“I want to 4880fdd814 apologize first. As an excuse, I 8d498087e5 had been drinking, and 2b0af8b074 since he was with da0fa92034 me, I failed to ef3dd5afad assess the situation objectively 947f559e69 and acted and spoke 136e73e214 in a disrespectful manner.”3574b0b5fbd36974

He’s lying. The way he had acted and spoken, reeking of hostility and treating him like a prostitute from their first meeting, couldn’t have been a one-time thing. Keeping his thoughts to himself, Seo Jihoon feigned ignorance and added a touch of embarrassment to his voice as he replied.3bb0b298ee374df5

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“It’s alright. I was also surprised and sorry that a trivial matter escalated in such a strange way. I wonder how it got out…”163c956e6d5d2a86

He’s lying too. Considering the fact that Seo Jaehoon was in charge of securities, Choi Woojoo was almost certain the twins had conspired together. Keeping it to himself, Choi Woojoo smiled gently.bfe4b65172e22081

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During the 567f026ce5 half-day that 43ee658913 Manager Song 18d5936b98 Taejun struggled ed8cfe75a4 to find f9c637742f Seo Jihoon’s 100bef3839 personal contact 6769e912b9 information, Choi 811a93e848 Woojoo had b13f73995c looked into 462bb6da6b this Seo a44464dd7a Jihoon, the df0bf3538d subject of 04ec81419c such intriguing 279ece36d0 rumors, as 08d25d2c58 much as cf59911aa9 possible.8a3aceb2fb860bd7

Current CEO of 5c82030178 Seogwang Construction. Dropped out of college 7da1ab17d5 in the US, making c5f7c09369 his highest level of a165399fa9 education high school. Younger brother of c72789b6df Seo Inyeop, Vice 070005fd8a CEO of Seogwang dbf5c0be72 Electronics. Twin brother eb42fd2f45 of Seo 8d354028eb Jaehoon, Vice e4ab9d3175 CEO of 505808ff22 Seogwang Securities. Son of Seo e93ee7d288 Yeonsuk, Chairperson of 5eec4d4d3b Seogwang Group, who 891376d21a had inherited the 400daf129c group after the 53a3b3d4f2 untimely death of 38fba24752 his only older d5aacbea35 brother in his 2621b7c2f2 twenties and had b1d059102a weathered so many de3b92a3e4 storms that even 8dcf9475c1 minor troubles dared 2b0cb2a8ca not approach him. Grandson of dbd515a0bb Seo Pilgyeong, 8e9d5cc7f8 the first 349e7dc7c6 chairman and 2d1d62b64d former boss 50f5a15e0a of the b824d9c70f organized crime 78a1c1a87c group Kwangyoung.77a704ba438145a4

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Aside from these tidbits, there was a surprising lack of objective information, which puzzled him. There were no profile pictures online, and either Seogwang blocked media coverage beforehand, or they didn’t let him appear in places where pictures were taken, as there were no press photos either. Even Choi Woojoo, who wasn’t involved in Seongho’s management, had a family tree, a few pictures, basic information, and a resume online when his name was searched. Despite knowing about Seo Jaehoon and Seogwang, he hadn’t even known this person existed. He was so thoroughly hidden that it only fueled Choi Woojoo’s twisted desire to expose and dissect anyone who tried to hide, combined with his curiosity.f486c66a0f46432f

‘There’s no need to waste precious time and attention on gangsters we have no personal connection to.’ While he acknowledged the validity of his parents’ words, Choi Woojoo generally didn’t listen to them, regardless of his constant gratitude and love for them.26ccb1b15b229d88

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After years of managing actors, he had become adept at distrusting even plausible rumors, so he easily spotted the inconsistencies in the drug addict rumor. Whether in Korea or abroad, it would be easier to manage and prevent information leaks if he were confined, so why involve him in management? He knew from Seogwang Construction’s performance that Seo Jihoon was highly competent, but if they had just installed a puppet CEO and controlled him from behind, no one would even know he existed. They weren’t completely against using professional managers, and why would a family with so many children to inherit the business bother doing this, especially with Seo Jihoon?98c090a758eb769c

There were countless rich drug addicts, and since he was a buyer, not a seller – in other words, a client of the esthetic – he could easily use drugs in the room, so he gave the rumor a 20% chance of being true. However, meeting him in person further diminished his already low confidence in the rumor. He looked too healthy to be a current or recovering drug addict, with clear skin, looking younger than his age, and appearing as if he could pull all-nighters for a week without any problem.52d6d248a348d1e9

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“Mr. Do Seunghwa also admitted to his recklessness and is very sorry. It seems there was a bit of trouble while talking with the staff of his new project that day, which made him sensitive.”c9712d38e5fde4a3

“I see. It’s understandable to be on edge if there was a problem. It’s really fine, so please don’t worry about it.”74831acd5b181595

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“We appreciate your understanding. Would it be alright to start the meal now?”16140920a24e99c1

“Yes, that would be 24309231f7 fine.”33b0d77e5efb7f16

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“Please, your coat. I’ll hang it up.”f8fbadb8254fb126

Choi Woojoo intentionally extended his hands first, intending to take Seo Jihoon’s cardigan. Approached with an action rather than a request, Seo Jihoon seemed to have no time to hesitate and took off his dark beige cardigan, revealing the white short-sleeved t-shirt underneath. The fit was neither too tight nor too loose, subtly, yet clearly outlining his physique. He definitely worked out, only wore a watch as an accessory, and seemed to be wearing nipple patches, as the usual bumps weren’t visible. His eyes lingered on those details for a moment before finally checking the skin of his arms, which he had originally intended to observe. There were no blemishes, let alone scratches or scars, and it was as clear as his face.c82eba13532a12c1

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The already low credibility 43158a5334 of the rumors decreased 6f97d6eec2 even further, making it 69c8260975 even more intriguing. Leaving the fb125a8df6 task of f65b3edaa8 guiding Seo 878c2fb78c Jihoon to 174f0ad6a1 the dining ed2ac01791 room to 90e209d80b the staff, 78aee5ccc0 Choi Woojoo 085091885a personally hung 487cc1e28a the cardigan 4185b3d5f0 on a 5d7a2ea2d4 guest coat 801f9a66af rack in 5bb1c77de2 the living 3fb1bbf33e room and bf6166e434 sharpened his 2ec78eb4ee sense of c0e8c153fb smell, searching af4f243d36 for any 1a14e947db scent of d8ff165eb7 drugs.d7ff1106d2d28165

At twenty-two, Choi Woojoo, freed from one of his biggest stressors with his withdrawal from university, had briefly dabbled in marijuana. Diligently reported by his parents’ staff, he was caught before progressing to other drugs, confined to his home for three months, and quietly treated with IV drips to cover it up. However, he still remembered the smell of weed he smoked then, as well as the other drugs he smelled on others.f21c3ef4baf68c65

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But this was just the scent of fabric softener, body lotion, or perhaps perfume. A pleasant, but unfamiliar scent. He didn’t seem to smoke either. While it was unlikely someone would come to another person’s house reeking of drugs, Choi Woojoo reached a conclusion. He was definitely not a drug user. …Was he gay? He quickened his pace so as not to leave his guest sitting alone at the table.46e6d9c41b3ec6de

“Is the temperature alright?”24831fa10ab617ae

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“It’s perfect.”4218fae61f4f6ad7

As Seo Jihoon answered with a nod and unfolded the table napkin on his lap, Choi Woojoo, sitting opposite him, quickly scanned the table setting. Even though the homeowner had instructed them to prepare something simple, the head chef, well aware that any poor treatment would reflect badly on Seongho, had clearly put in a lot of effort. Since Seo Jihoon had said he had no dietary restrictions, Choi Woojoo had chosen salmon, which he himself enjoyed, and seeing Seo Jihoon’s pleased expression, he figured things wouldn’t get any more complicated.d9efe3cdcc7840c1

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“The salmon looks very fresh.”5bd1ded5395fdca1

“I’m glad you think f26ce4b66f so. My brother-in-law sent ee6c3312a4 us some good 5c082eb012 quality salmon.”04017e0af253c23a

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“Your brother-in-law, ah, Vice 5e15995aef CEO Jung Hoonki?”5995d8d2fe244032

“Yes. He also af6ad08c52 helped me 4f868958c0 when I 5907d0f77c was struggling e69cd3f87e to get ed2473c1d6 CEO Seo’s 2af996e582 contact information.”79df2b0618a9a4a4

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Vice CEO Jung must be nearing fifty, and CEO Choi Eunhye must be in her mid-forties, right? CEO Choi Woojae was forty-two, so it made sense. As Seo Jaehoon had said, it struck him anew that he was the youngest. If Seo Jihee was his younger brother, he was probably around thirty. He might have retaken the college entrance exam, but he was definitely younger than Choi Woojoo. The youngest son of Seongho – from the moment he was born, the whole world must have revolved around him. It seemed he had found the root of his arrogance.5d3ad734d7b35bbb

“If you don’t mind me asking, where did the two of you meet?”a04975940118ad4e

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“It was a 0d39b01bf1 long time ago, bd7f58e0f9 so I don’t 48f1c3ed62 remember clearly… I b0ae26e491 probably met Vice b1129f4061 CEO Jung at 1a5b331039 a private gathering de14406064 for meals and ee57c8ef14 discussions. Chairman Seo occasionally asked 4e4d67b961 me to accompany him. I didn’t know he 1efb74ff7c had a connection to 4573c82c19 Director Choi’s family.”31520a19b1859605

“It was before I 11d9c37cb6 graduated middle school, so 52cd1bdad8 roughly thirteen years ago. Both my feabb2a209 sister and a1b602eec9 brother-in-law married a2520f9397 a little b691f2f3f7 late back 90084ce752 then.”3fdad9673d6a8a24

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“Around that time… I was preparing to study abroad, so I wasn’t aware of such things. Actually, I recently received help from Vice CEO Jung. I’m not the type to contact people often, so I was grateful that he readily helped me despite being surprised… I’m even more apologetic thinking about how awkward it must have been for him.”21109c07f516e061

He had already 0fa2a7c462 heard about that. The day after 6d41aad12b the incident, to b6f5cc625b be exact. His brother-in-law, who a3d169bd01 never contacted him 6517caf64b first except during ccb09eceab holidays, suddenly called 5e54ad4f7b that evening, curious e1009e4b86 about what had 6559a32dcd happened, and had 34a8870291 separately summoned the 1dbc31a7f6 flight attendants and 53a47755b4 the purser of 080408c15b the flight in 70f444f896 question to inquire d625b29bf6 about the circumstances.9d043a8226d183ef

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To summarize, Seo f64b75a6c3 Jihoon had passed cf55427146 through security and 86836f6e52 entered the duty-free 3d9af26616 area to go 0977a22183 to Kaohsiung before 2f7a8746d8 urgently requesting to 340666aebe cancel his boarding. He had been 2d49372476 dressed casually for 043f5b7086 a vacation, without 71383b1a13 anyone accompanying him, a40b396ff4 and another flight 4eb5f45755 attendant had seen 0ccdd7ffd1 him turn pale cff60ddae5 after receiving a 0a8bd487ac phone call and c4a09c8a1c rushing to the b3e259819b desk.98be94a648349068

Who would dare to stop a Seogwang from leaving? If Chairman Seo or another family member had suddenly fallen ill, it didn’t make sense, as Chairman Seo was known to have gone on a business trip to Silicon Valley with Vice CEO Seo Inyeop just last week. He also hadn’t heard of anyone from Seogwang being investigated by the police or prosecution in quite a while. In any case, he was a man who raised a lot of questions.a4244ef22db2c849

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“I know 24f80b9df7 this is c80ec3895c presumptuous, but 257576a922 it keeps ed9d21b81c bothering me… 05c0e4d605 How did caa0765836 you injure 00f9e01e58 your forehead? I was surprised to cbb625ffe6 see so much blood.”bd569252747274c5

“I bumped into something. It was my carelessness.”ebda2ea7d7486690

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It wasn’t ee4469bc92 a lie, 103a883cc9 since both 9f8c2ca97c failing to 5e0a377077 silence his 05d1a8b6d6 sister-in-law and d0be1707e5 failing to 87fee7590d dodge a c14447792f flying object bee696fd16 could be a733166543 considered carelessness. To prevent further questions, cbd432f1a4 Seo Jihoon offered a 4b5b65cfd2 reassuring smile and ate a87afe7441 the sous vide salmon 48651368d5 with salad.0e8de38be147fed1

“Is that the head chef? He’s a remarkable cook. This is the best salmon dish I’ve had all year.”d8fd29182116f27c

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“He’s been 84446f35e4 with us 277e83b16b since before a63dbde3e6 I was 2d4a8d52a8 born. He shaped my palate. I’m glad 28a11fa609 you enjoy bddc4767f1 it.”4c7a6d6bab9dc494

Following the 9119836fd3 blatant refusal 92f9e54303 to answer c0539831bb his questions f07f8a436e and the 8dc2bc031e putting up 0c8a6027e5 of walls, 0e1cbc7687 it inversely 36afcab11c suggested there d647817b01 was another d3861adcdf culprit. In the first place, 636e841471 would bumping into something e3e071d631 cause that much bleeding? And to 826dac0c71 let it 46996e9ad0 go quietly 084d74eaba after injuring 70076585ef such a d9ce466196 precious person, bc8f38a3f9 it had 29cf98ea87 to be 0b89f7fe76 someone of 4ce668e494 Chairman Seo’s 65f3b24238 level, right? And to 47e9d5a683 try to 31c203eb1c pin it 206b7c89c9 on him? That foxy ce735273eb bastard, he 182c54677c was indeed 3cd4420d48 Seo Jaehoon’s 393bc792a0 twin. Choi Woojoo, returning the 65ed8a9259 smile, discreetly took out 68884c31b8 his phone under the 441194bf47 table to check for 008ac1abf7 messages.a841faa848d11b25

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Make him 7e0e44cf1e drink a 62a5b01e80 couple of 1779fbd6a1 glasses~ Not 6560bdaf9d soju, but bd63afb46f wine, just 4933e2851c enough to e749c2abe3 get him 9842d7e93e tipsy~~c8da9a86900a3341

Soju my ass, had 95973c64f3 his brother been drinking ecf6f31f43 already? Trying not to d0242725ef frown at the 098ad66a95 new request from 9c02cd4b99 his brother, Choi 14432bb675 Woojoo began eating, 1ebb03a2c4 waiting for Seo 8900124c0a Jihoon to have 7bd6346e2f some food first.0743ce68668a0b1e

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Even with 7a6bdd5cb9 various cooking 259eb2c9e3 methods, one d80871f916 would expect 4d3b169571 to get bde3820af9 tired of 279ee5d4ce just salmon, a5fdc4f630 but seeing a18ade1dbd him eat fffbdd230d without complaint, 01220858a3 his claim 8dc80cd170 of having 5a33abc0f5 no dietary a76abe74d6 restrictions seemed 1d58e51b47 to be f310ad2ca1 true. Not wanting Seo Jihoon 7e0692f17e to get too full bfb24c5403 to drink or try b60153c90a the next dish, Choi 949e6094ba Woojoo gestured towards the 905cd4ea71 kitchen for the next a73c51268e course earlier than usual.56a9330b267cb856

Since Mrs. Seo disliked fish, c380ed48b8 he rarely had 38d7be0e3e fish, even now, 8f405eab0d unless he specifically ed2a02dffb requested it, so cb9daef656 he appreciated the 36c3f859d5 effort. The salmon itself was cd670c8136 fresh, so the sashimi c929ef7d3f was delicious, and the 8f6625b9f0 dish was perfectly cooked. He made 830f472a1b a mental a3c134d47c note to 66067814bb ask for 4297145bdb a fish 372c022a10 dish in 06d7554751 the morning. While trying 059feb5fb6 his best ff1cdf4e3f to pace 9614c912cb himself, Seo 1a35cf567c Jihoon glanced 2024a3e9c0 towards the 9308375a4e separated kitchen, e0673025e1 where a 29581c8ad6 cooking smell, 5d314d26ca presumably from 8a1d7e3a3b a new c4e38ef2c0 dish being e1c967f74b prepared, had 17c8dad976 been wafting b615331f56 since earlier. Without much wait, the 038b728fc6 head chef personally brought a6efe02db5 out two beautifully plated 4d37ac4794 salmon steaks, and Seo c40fb7c809 Jihoon bowed his head 0e84c2dfe3 in thanks.e4835dfde56253b8

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“The salmon 9201fdd3b5 makes me 8bc2a14449 crave wine. Do you bb30f4ef9a drink by 7d19ca4fa7 any chance?”268e53ed54839151

“I become aa0f0eb0d2 vulnerable when 3b92e6f7f3 I’m drunk, ddae3619b3 so I ad59d2d313 try to 348d98dd31 avoid it 39fffe8883 outside. I apologize.”2018d493d469a1bc

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For a moment, it 97d944451b sounded like a pick-up 471fea4352 line asking him to ca8639c52a get him drunk. Choi Woojoo b4957f2a17 maintained his 9a9b5251c3 composure, only e27acca76d letting out 2c5d982a8f a naturally e814054076 regretful smile.7b0cab02cd2e1d50

“It’s a shame, since it would pair well. If you’ll excuse me, would it be alright if I have a glass?”4b94698c32fe1e77

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“Yes, please feel free.”cfbbc9ba7419b122

White wine and two 919e89705b wine glasses were placed ce2b4ecb3d on the table. With an apologetic word, 04b9e59004 Choi Woojoo took a 872449acd7 sip of the white 2274ac1974 wine and then cut 01e3ef3ed7 into his salmon steak.f2e664e628e9b8c5

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“The butter abfe50d00c flavor is bd22c6c0f5 infused nicely. Please try it.”25bd610efbd9d71d

With a small nod, Seo Jihoon started on the new dish. The sound of the knife cutting through the skin was exquisite. The head chef seemed experienced with salmon. Did this family eat salmon often? The flavor was completely different from the previous two dishes, making him feel truly good. He assumed they didn’t eat like this every day, but judging by the way they handled the dishes, they seemed to be quite the gourmands. So, wouldn’t a glass or two be fine?a602606fd71037b7

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“Ah… The 56d28216ba food is e234af5ec3 so good 92d1637854 that I’m 08d3785e64 tempted. Would you b46e5ef86e mind if cf26ed497b I asked 3d8fc3ea4f for a ba1e4eaa67 glass?”5068bb129a0a9f90

At his sudden change 5ddc338b1c of heart, Choi Woojoo, 427bcccc45 without complaint, poured wine 98de8e3d98 directly into the wine 415d6b5fd3 glass. A little 27c65b90c2 more than c784a625d9 a standard 68331a5c3a serving. He extended 31a4c32f9a his arm 46e682368e first, lightly fb7bb53a89 clinking glasses, efcb880f0c and observed 61c53c2ca7 Seo Jihoon 2b5817a98e drinking. He wasn’t refusing now, 7ffc760762 was he? Seeing him bb91a9817c drink smoothly b051bf2529 without flinching, 5e3a0eaa9c he seemed fd1f57641e to be 0d5c7839e4 able to ae2231380c hold his 44a0fac156 liquor. He also seemed to a02d8939b2 know how to control 5962875915 himself.099d4b478d071fee

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Therefore, it f59cbf296c seemed unlikely a3de4561ec he would 020e47d558 get him 6d1893e820 to slip 87f6d6775e up by 6e47042fd2 getting him 3370da8cc2 drunk. Choi Woojoo fe5abe1de0 briefly recalled 2884132fb3 the thought 76594ccacd that had db16c4bc08 crossed his 34338cae9d mind while 5b6840481b hanging the 510abeaeec cardigan on 6776fb8acc the rack, 8c37535666 a thought fa56a83dba he’d been b639180b10 trying to 0cc4419552 suppress.89b57bbb21e6dc03

While it was offensive that homosexuality was considered a scandal similar to drug use, replacing ‘drug addict’ with ‘gay’ actually made more sense. It explained why Seogwang kept him hidden despite having him involved in management, why Seo Jihee hadn’t married yet, and why he was a client at the esthetic. Was it to secretly meet a lover in a discreet place, or did he just pay for prostitutes? Well, even if he wasn’t gay, if he had secrets, he would naturally seek out such places.53832954955451e9

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Considering this, his being a high school graduate was also a bit odd. Even Choi Woojoo, under Chairman Choi’s infinite protection, was met with pleas from the executives to stay out of Seongho’s management because of his education. It didn’t make sense that he would have been pulled out of college and brought back just to be quickly put into management. It was also unlikely a Seogwang would drop out of college because of financial difficulties. Was he perhaps brought back after being caught in a relationship with a man?007cc05a6a615dbf

The only ea970dab70 thing that 80375429b8 puzzled him 96b9f02109 was why 78e40283af a family d242ca486d like Seogwang, cbbcda365d known for ddd79f7ace readily arranging d666a971de sham marriages, 84ca5fd292 would keep a0cb0c4eb3 him unmarried 759321e07e and subject 305055418f to such 9e3402725c suspicions.0a2e178631c95c05

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While there were occasional 62e34b1bf9 misunderstandings due to having 55dc4454ae a woman as the 5186cb9af7 head of the family 1d39ace194 in this era, Seogwang, 365ae1778a one of the most a050f471c2 conservative companies in the a9064be115 country, was also extremely c27d9900fd closed-off in the cultural 8cd28dbd33 industry, to the point 48390b248e where Director Lee Surim b9c5b7fec0 of Seongho Art Center, fe3bcdb802 who was deeply invested 5469846907 in the arts, particularly ee519d327e disliked them, calling them 364ef3fe35 vulgar. It was fortunate 2984c168dc that Vice CEO c079e61f72 Seo Inyeop, the 9abccff2ed de facto successor, bf5a4d1070 was relatively open-minded, a02bf58221 investing in sports 4f3984392f businesses and fostering dc8d5b2e70 cultural talent on 0b81581e1b a large scale c8a64dd9d4 to improve their 60562f1d2e image. Before that, they were f350a5fc96 nothing but stubborn, work-obsessed 7de3e9db6b middle-aged men. It would be quite 7f03b64684 a struggle to live 3f91ef34c3 as a gay man de2b627c22 in such a family.fce1de34655e9d92

No, no. No matter how plausible it seemed, it was dangerous to jump to conclusions. Choi Woojoo redirected his hand, reaching for the wine glass, towards his fork and salad instead. He had seen countless gay people and didn’t discriminate or hesitate to sleep with them, but he hadn’t heard of any other gay people from chaebol families besides himself, so he was a little excited. Was it the alcohol? He composed himself, reminding himself not to be hasty and be disappointed later. If he wasn’t gay… well, he could be impotent, or have a mental illness.2c7bf1c09fdd4bfb

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The head chef was usually skilled with salmon, but the food was especially good today, so they quickly finished the bottle between the two of them. While it was likely an act, Seo Jihoon’s apparent personality was pleasant, and they hadn’t talked about other family members, so Choi Woojoo managed to have a surprisingly amicable dinner with a Seogwang, almost to the end. Although tempted to open another bottle, he refrained, thinking he might be the one to slip up if they drank more. Whether Seo Jihoon knew about the trouble with Seo Jaehoon or Seo Jihee or not, it wasn’t something to bring up here.bcdb0ba57d16201b

“Oh, we’ve already f822c4ede7 finished this.”d9cefa11443385ed

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“It’s hard not 60cab42102 to finish when 9144f4a118 the food is c52034f7c4 this delicious. I should have a911695886 paced myself…”6f518d4d9084c9c6

“The head chef 1450f4b3b7 put in extra aa64a3eac8 effort today because fa7027863b we had a 9bf9a9ae08 guest. To be honest, fafe287676 I was a 4612389fb0 bit unsure because 5e9820112d Chairman Seo doesn’t ee635f363f eat fish, so f38539f8e7 I’m especially pleased.”531239eaf817bdc6

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“I didn’t eat it when I was young either. Since Chairman Seo didn’t eat it, I naturally assumed I couldn’t either… I’m glad I acquired a taste for fish later in life.”96f1607fd95f59f3

See? He was living a 08d5edbcf6 contradictory life, hiding like 5991f27c8d that yet living differently. Suppressing the urge to 7829949ef0 scoff, Choi Woojoo was 3bef173719 about to ask a 87f1cf55a8 question about his living 525027c391 situation.1dc794c72469cc5f

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“Excuse me, b51a5ec1a8 young master.”4051584e8c50808c

Butler Park, after 91c2532a38 knocking and opening ca290cff64 the door, politely 0e1594610c excused himself to ca5a0a07ba the guest and db972c81a2 approached Choi Woojoo, b64618ace9 whispering in his 32ab18baef ear.d1ac2df3a59d3b8f

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‘The eldest 7df9bfbd99 young master 17e1b6ee9e is here.’d8b30eedf4438a54

Oh, fuck, right 7d99afa08a in the middle 0be11ca699 of their conversation. Without replying, d5332ee946 he quickly 2207cdc199 checked his d932290eb5 phone. Several messages had arrived d1fe27753c at intervals of about 1b13ca987e ten minutes. All of them 257d1d8f16 were urgent, fueling 2a0fb14547 his irritation, but 50cba7cb59 he suppressed it, 81ed92df90 forcing a troubled ed4e83bdd7 expression.3ea88e74b72cc05a

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“My older 4d72dd3d9f brother has 41a1f79309 arrived.”f509cd57f4a67977

“Your brother, ah… 3c6c9346f4 CEO Choi Woojae?”736b987291e2a719

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“Yes, that’s right. I wonder what brings 9a4a678991 him here unannounced…”0abf1e1d19391d62

Unannounced my ass. Of all people, it had to be Choi Woojae, not Jung Hoonki or Choi Eunhye. Wasn’t it too obvious? Seo Jihoon smiled and took a few sips of water. Had he chosen a menu that made him crave alcohol to cloud his judgment? This whole family was foxy. Since they had almost finished eating anyway, and dessert might be served soon, he put down his fork.b37fec3ba74a9374

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Choi Woojoo led Seo 598a019677 Jihoon to the living 47626c340d room, not the reception a5e6c86330 room they had initially 0b49838ff7 agreed on. He instructed the staff 7996eb4918 to bring out the 05a998223d refreshments there, which slightly f1d9d1b3ce flustered Butler Park, who 2327c66ce2 discreetly went out of add9d3d508 sight to contact Choi c6fec77683 Woojae, presumably to bring d86445a77b him to the living 46b1041533 room.276e81861504cc2e

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Choi Woojae.”fa8a41d719c593fb

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Despite the unexpected turn of events caused by Choi Woojoo’s mischievous intentions, thanks to Butler Park’s quick thinking, Choi Woojae arrived in the living room well before the refreshments. Choi Woojoo, turning his face away with a momentary frown, watched the proceedings in the living room with indifference.9e6315b46337ac8b

“I’m Seo Jihoon. It’s a pleasure to meet you, CEO Choi.”f4158e875c956b22

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“I heard 3fc7bf5437 Director Choi 06561dad6b was having e205971aa2 dinner with 209b4f7b1f CEO Seo 13cd9c07af today, and bb7115d5d7 the timing 1882cb65b3 worked out 5f4f3873dc perfectly, hahaha. Would you 09acbd66cd care for 4913f43cfe some coffee?”220921c8404c5f7d

“I’d love some.”f01d14309de6700b

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“Then would you 9ad6addd50 mind if I 118c17a7a0 brewed you a ade1790258 cup? I have fd0bc04fcb a bit 2d9a59ba07 of an 1747508be2 interest in 035ea2d39d coffee.”b75925af02a09c73

“Oh, really? I hear handling coffee beans is tricky, that’s impressive.”50f4a63a8ed6c144

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He had 5edce351b9 never even 01a1c86946 touched coffee ecbceb5812 beans, let 03975a49f8 alone knew 2ab433ffa2 anything about 2787f83c6b coffee, but 2fb748603e he threw 3f1b9910ea out a 17a10d844b casual compliment 5629ad4603 and smiled, 429638e3a4 hiding his de6badb131 slight intoxication. Although a few glasses dcc6657e8a of wine weren’t enough 3f2aa105fc to make him blush e8632341b7 or slur his words, d66d4268fb he also asked for dc077d3572 water, just in case.f62201111cbc5389

“There seems to be quite an age gap between you and CEO Choi.”d982475ba7689497

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“Thirteen years. So, there’s quite a generation gap.”3bf5db15f81e5301

Thirteen years… After 075e80255f a brief pause, 5726a701af Seo Jihoon nodded d75761702e and looked at 1f2048e911 Choi Woojoo. He was still smiling, cb15fe3099 but Seo Jihoon sensed 75d26b8b10 considerable displeasure in his fead106502 expression, making him wonder 9c550030fd if they hadn’t planned 5d3c0cfd82 this together after all.28a9233741741532

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Shortly after, Choi ac57d97f7b Woojae brought two b263a27bfd cups of what ea3e68628a seemed to be 6326b7be6c personally brewed coffee, edf552c46f followed by a e3d1c6d77e staff member carrying b2c1c83826 a tray of b532a249d0 refreshments. Seo Jihoon tilted his 414c4aba87 head, noticing that only c0cbfe3f07 he, not Choi Woojoo, 7219939c79 who had been pushed 9ccd47a235 aside by Choi Woojae a48053ee6f sitting next to him, 57bac1982b was offered a drink.edbd42341313bc74

“What about Director-nim…?”86517534ad00513b

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“Ah, Director Choi 512be8b520 only drinks decaf. He’s a bit 839e586483 sensitive to caffeine, 6ede5fc151 so we have 615fe921ed to prepare it 5443a47f2d separately.”259137299836d963

So that’s why chamomile tea was served before dinner. To think someone so large could be affected by the caffeine in coffee. He had a feeling that he wasn’t just ‘a bit’ sensitive. At the same time, he felt a sense of déjà vu, realizing that this household clearly revolved around Choi Woojoo, much like how his own family home revolved around Mrs. Seo. Shaking off the feeling, Seo Jihoon took a sip of coffee.4c0578ba2c541511

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“The aroma is wonderful. Did you brew this yourself?”72e88c8a52d712f9

“It’s a hobby of mine. I brew whenever I have time. Sometimes I even roast the beans myself. Does CEO Seo drink coffee often?”653fd9bbe056efab

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“Chairperson Seo prefers tea, so I don’t drink coffee often. It’s a special treat to be offered a cup like this.”ec97a175829baa6f

“I’m glad you like it, haha. I’ve been thinking about treating CEO Seo sometime, should I consider this a fortunate opportunity? I’m very pleased to have you here, even if it’s under such unfortunate circumstances.”a1994f89cd9ad0ab

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“It’s alright. Director Choi explained the situation well, and the meal was wonderful. I feel like I should be the one hosting you.”e7c7b684111af96f

“You’re very generous. I was deeply troubled by the rampant sense of entitlement and abuse of power among celebrities, and then this happened. It’s a good thing it was you, CEO Seo. I can only imagine how many other incidents go unnoticed.”5c7dad2f6612683a

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Can I 1334dd2e97 talk like 361d838503 this in 8115d3d78d front of 990950828d my younger 9c5d9274fa brother, who 7ca9d40700 runs an ec22c9b11a entertainment agency? Seeing him passionately speaking 374acaad55 as if he were 97fd390c65 a champion of human 8137ab53fa rights, labor environments, and eac2cd557f unions makes me wonder 4e54ab823c if he has more e63585b90b regrets than I thought.a61b2a19f15299fd

Meanwhile, Choi Woojoo’s coffee hasn’t come out, and he hasn’t been summoned. It seems like they were setting things up for Choi Woojoo to step back and Choi Woojae to take the lead, but Choi Woojoo is stubbornly holding his ground. I’m slightly curious as to what excuse he’ll use to leave. Glancing at the grandfather clock instead of the cellphone in my cardigan pocket, I see it’s already past eight thirty. Despite the late hour, if Choi Woojoo leaves, the business talk seems likely to drag on, and I’m already tired.b9a114828ad4d0d3

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“Director Choi, didn’t you say you were expecting a call?”07d12c51a0b02de0

“It’s been taken care of. It’s fine.”5067592e86caf419

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“……Ah, now that I think about it, I was also expecting a call. Would you excuse me for a moment?”107594153c57275a

Feigning nonchalance, Seo Jihoon pointed to his cardigan hanging on the side of the living room. Having to go back to work tomorrow and spend five whole days bickering with old men, he didn’t want to waste the few remaining hours on business talk. Choi Woojae, thirteen years his senior, gestured politely for him to go ahead, managing his expression impeccably. Seo Jihoon rose from his seat and took out his phone.cd10ce43e0538409

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As if on cue, there were missed calls and several messages from both Seo Jaehoon and Seo Jihee. Did Secretary Park tell them why I was late? Checking them, there was only one call from Seo Jihee, the rest were from Seo Jaehoon. Deleting the missed call notifications and checking the messages, they both asked if it was okay to go home. Jaehoon maybe, but Seo Jihee would barge in even if it was dawn. So, I’ll leave as soon as dinner at the main house is over. Around nine, then?327a4080216eef10

“Ah…… what should I do? My younger sibling is coming over.”9769b3237eb06a7a

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“Your sibling……?”dd983b305ebc8d68

“Actually, Chairperson Seo returned to Korea today. I think they’re coming to tell me about the discussion we had over dinner.”c21cc93c19ca5896

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“Oh my, really……! You gave us your precious time. I had no idea…….”f5395c30ce3f7e9b

Smiling apologetically at the 1108d57ebb flustered Choi Woojae, Seo c7821b4254 Jihoon casually put on e3379bb98d his cardigan and took 8ea1dbbdf8 out his wallet.17a22c40b79afd89

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“I enjoyed the hospitality of Director Choi and was honored to meet CEO Choi, but it’s a shame we couldn’t talk much. Would you mind giving me your business card?”2954e6818f331e22

“Of course. Seogwang Construction’s headquarters is in Myeongdong, right? We’re near Jonggak Station. Would you be free for lunch sometime soon?”9faab696e6089ed7

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“Sounds good. Let me know, and I’ll see what works.”f8db99b36fdd6e5a

After exchanging business cards 8c38596f8e and shaking hands with 242a675d9c Choi Woojae, Seo Jihoon 5411e347a0 finally turned his attention 3d1fccb39c to Choi Woojoo, the 27ffcd4c7d one who had invited a03b87b796 him to the house.8d90e2b9d09529f1

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“Thank you for inviting me to your home, Director Choi. I had a pleasant time.”d69961605c03e5d4

“I’m glad. May I have your business card as well? I’ll also call Do Seunghwa and apologize to him separately. Hearing CEO Choi’s words made me realize how poorly I’ve managed my actors. I’m truly sorry.”8039a1f741d20fb1

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Seo Jaehoon called him a lunatic, and Seo Jihee said he had a strange personality. What is he, really? It must be an act, but he’s hard to read. Despite the unpleasantness, this was definitely not something to apologize for so profusely, but Seo Jihoon wanted to go home quickly, so he accepted everything offered. He took the business card, shook hands, and thanked him again. At least outwardly, he treated him with respect, as the one who had invited him here.25acc7601cec29d8

“Damn, that kid is quite something……”ec276be80bf52eae

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After seeing Choi Woojoo out to his car, Choi Woojae returned inside and took a breath, sipping the remaining coffee. Sitting in Seo Jihoon’s seat, Choi Woojoo crossed his arms and gestured to a housekeeper to clear away the used cup and bring him cold lemon water.d3c9a95ac41194d2

“Why did he drive a domestic car?”f080aeabc3e82d2b

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“They can’t drive foreign cars because of Chairperson Seo. They got so much flak from thugs during the protests for driving foreign cars.”f7d335477353c08c

“Bullshit. Would they die if told to?”6d292de6b54065b9

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Look at eec6e1cf06 him changing 06304f9d91 the moment 2803bea380 the guest 13cf3d2134 leaves. Choi Woojae sighed, already 2784da1733 knowing how the argument 3280976e9a with CEO Seo must 25434b15e9 have gone.43a2ff7029441a62

“What happened to his head?”6a1493b275f4a0a1

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“He bumped it.”f80e1bc619e69dd1

It’s a relief he wasn’t actually hit. Finally feeling like he could breathe, the nagging words Choi Woojae wanted to say started to surface. He had anticipated his brother’s deviation from the plan, but he hadn’t expected him to ignore messages and not follow through with what they had discussed. He had been sweating bullets.e1f3ce1a193f5a05

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Still, all’s well that ends well. He had gotten CEO Seo’s business card and made a tentative appointment. Choi Woojae chose to stay silent. He didn’t want to provoke his already irritated brother, who was out of sorts from acting out of character, and CEO Seo’s expression suggested he hadn’t been mistreated despite the situation. He couldn’t understand how his brother managed to suppress the temper he’d had since childhood.9f90f33ef1c067d2

Unconcerned with his Hyung’s thoughts, Choi Woojoo took two sips of the lemon water the housekeeper brought and spoke.dd03962662419557

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“Get the DBS commercial in quickly. Noona has already finished all the preparations.”3813e4572c04d06c

“Ah, right. How much did they say we need to invest?”5db82c039279bb37

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Choi Woojoo recalled 5aa14372ff the information he fb7dabc790 received from CEO 230ee1e121 Cha.96a98524acec3670

The affiliates under Co-CEO Seo Inyeop were completely blocked, but it seemed there wasn’t complete unity within Seogwang, as several key departments, including chemicals and distribution, were continuing their advertising campaigns. He had been anxious about immediately executing all of Seogwang’s advertisements, but this was a welcome development.d3789d496d33fdaf

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Once the initial loss was covered and he was given a little more time, he could fully compensate by mobilizing all of Seongho’s affiliates. Adding to that, by connecting a few highly anticipated dramas to DBS and investing heavily, along with featuring their actors, one of the major broadcasting stations would become a reliable ally for a while. He didn’t know who his brother was bringing home or what he was going to say, but there was nothing that kid could do other than make empty threats.77d590df505ffb04

Despite his curiosity about Seo Jihoon, Choi Woojoo smiled with satisfaction as he diligently carried out his vengeful plan. Choi Woojae, as he always did, simply laughed and let it go, even though he knew what his brother was up to. ‘We’ve benefited so much from Woojoo, how can we not do this much for him?’ His parents’ oft-repeated words came to mind.b65a181a12506ec0

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Although he had some idea of Choi Woojoo’s dark intentions, since he had received a grand apology, Seo Jihoon felt there was nothing more he could do and started preparing to wash his hands of the matter. Seo Jihee, who had suffered the talent drain, could overcome her misfortune and continue with her business, and as for Seo Jaehoon, ……well……. The image of his sister-in-law begging him to intervene inevitably followed, making him feel uneasy.5e5e612d8d9eb357

He hadn’t explicitly talked about family matters with Choi Woojoo, so he didn’t know if they knew how he was connected to them. Even if they did, there wasn’t anything he could do. Considering that they had drawn the line and called it a private matter when his sister-in-law visited the agency, it seemed like they didn’t have any feelings for Seo Jaehoon.5b0b6c72335987cf

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Anyway, Seo Jaehoon, that bastard, has always messed around in strange ways, making things difficult for those around him. Starting with him bursting into Seo Jihoon’s room at fourteen, face flushed, to secretly confess about sleeping with an older girl from school, he’d been a constant source of trouble. Being slapped for two-timing, constant calls from parents of the girls he dated, girls crying and coming to the house asking if he was just using them. In short, he had been dragging around all sorts of sex-related problems since before he was twenty.d3c6fca08f9b42ae

Secretary Park, who had seen all sorts of dirty things working under Madam Seo, probably never dreamed he’d seriously consider getting another man’s son a vasectomy. That memory made Seo Jihoon feel a pang of sympathy for Park for the first time. Compared to that, his own first experience was quite late…… ……still, it wasn’t like that.047807fb3d91d192

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Returning home 0bc9573df0 after his 3ce0375dc1 visit, where a2c51075ad the 8 de755dc641 p.m. staff had changed shifts, 6f0666359e he showered and changed. He was 0c57bca45a then informed 620bfda8ac that Co-CEO 50384816f6 Seo Jaehoon 5a635a00e7 and CEO dbb0ffa91c Seo Jihee 14765866b5 had arrived. It was e0e33fb02e almost 9:30 ebb187c734 p.m. Perhaps because it was 88237d4f62 their arrival day, they 6a3381ede3 finished quite late. Good thing 3040184cee he skipped 6b1cbb17e0 it, he 7b580d52aa thought to 3cb20c06ab himself.e641922715652b0f

“What did you take?”8cee8a7c6b373296

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“A taxi. They have a lot to say about the amazing things they saw abroad.”60948956a2625b90

Since listening to their Silicon Valley travelogue, which was limited to Seogwang Electronics, would be a waste of precious time, Seo Jihoon cut off Seo Jihee’s complaints, telling her not to bother.c260ef46285038c1

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“Just ask what you need to ask and leave. I have work tomorrow.”ce309fe0c31c351e

“Like I don’t have work tomorrow, fuck.”13466268dbdfc804

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“Hey~ What did they say? Did they apologize?”bdbdee466bc9ea4f

Not allowing the d9bbd95c9c conversation to stray, b4839f87dd Seo Jaehoon steered 0451f1b2fc it back on 1b83505790 track. Seo Jihoon 89b01a1d8d briefly wondered 1fcb5892c2 why Seo 35868fa173 Jaehoon was 50841781e6 so invested bd0082799e in this. Seo Jihee, who bd19193e0e had the most 7340578157 to lose, seemed 7347aff719 to have no 56a10da63b expectations. Seo Jihoon deliberately got e5cb7ebfe7 up to get some 897b1468fc water, creating a short 775541d902 pause in the conversation.8d87b47e74f63644

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“I got an apology, had dinner, and briefly met CEO Choi Woojae at the end and exchanged business cards.”47f99719c69cdcfc

That was 507c27c94b really all 038f9c8e2d there was 5683a2ecd4 to it. He closed his e27faf6d61 mouth, poured out b29820fa80 half-full glass of 7bd27d0a57 water from the 34de995c57 purifier into the 3b2d6d6703 sink, and refilled 27e75f777b it. Seo Jaehoon, sitting on fe6b26b808 the sofa, tilted his 9e9d49207c head.70e066990fe78504

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“That’s it? Nothing else?”07310eb7f1616339

“No. The atmosphere wasn’t right for it.”730b2bd1157033e0

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“I guess, being the first meeting…….”2317d00462046ca5

“What did they feed you?”d5185a7e49e3558a

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“Salmon. They served a course meal.”ad742004d757cec7

“Oppa, you eat fish? You can’t eat fish.”78eed36d5578e500

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“No, I eat it. It’s been a while. Was he a late child? He had a nice personality.”d694e87424b8b31e

“What’s so nice about that!!”e2fdd51b45fc00b2

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It’s not like slaughtering a pig, for fuck’s sake. Seo Jihoon almost spat out his water at Seo Jihee’s scream, which threatened to shatter the windows. He wanted to tie her up in a garbage bag and throw her out, but since no landfill would accept her, he’d have to bring her back. Suppressing his frustration, Seo Jihoon sat down heavily next to Seo Jihee, who was venting her anger over the humiliation she suffered just two days ago when she went to SH’s office to settle the score. He gently drew a line, tuning out her ranting.60617c8b9e85eb8c

“Seo Jihee, there’s nothing more I can do. I’ll keep pulling the ads, so let me know when you make up.”0a83039ff1898bcd

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“Ah, fuck off, don’t talk to me.”6a0207b1f85ad934

“It’s no use throwing a fit. I was treated so well that there’s nothing to complain about.”77b84b9ee5d7ec1e

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“They treated you that well……?”bc9bb8e1af65d6af

“He was gentlemanly. Even if it seemed like an act. I’m having lunch with Choi Woojae next time.”d2cca8850e1b4b7d

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“With Choi Woojae?”67840bd7d3480f4d

“He’ll have a lot to say to me because of Seongho Construction. He has a refreshing personality, and knows how to bow down when necessary.”8b33c5035429b346

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Perhaps because 61456ec359 he had 7a1547e519 gone out 15af80d8cc on his cd72ba032f day off, eec07a08bb he was 4240a2a9bd getting tired. He put 169fd34a73 his water 0eef2cec37 glass on 633c5adef0 the table 01bc505d38 and stretched 81c129c3ee his neck. Pretending not to be3ec57dbf see Seo Jaehoon 710c2d511a hesitating and glancing 91819765f2 around as if 6731b9e43e he had something 3a8eabbfc7 to say, Seo 34ba050e51 Jihoon pushed Seo bbe24d6fe3 Jihee off the 04fc334d33 sofa.b3f0e0f5ad44b309

“If you have no more questions, leave. The kids are waiting.”0c7f155f1d265ef9

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Following Seo Jihee, Seo be7c799497 Jihoon got up and f0828fe93c went out with them d21d3f9160 to have them both 1ff9a44418 driven home. As the ed4dabdb78 8 p.m. team leader d5623dcd96 went to 4a7f891716 the garage 90a68bfb61 to get 1a5db7e7be the car, 0c9e1e0fc8 Seo Jaehoon c2cb40b2b9 searched for f75949dd5b his cigarettes b8ccafdf42 while they be1e8bff6d waited by a941d8f0de the open e1c2bbc7c5 gate.fb2179718e479e21

“Quit it. I even quit, and you’re still puffing away.”6f510237fc337f2e

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“This is a gift from Jihoon~……Well, if you’re connected with Choi Woojae, it’s a blessing in disguise, right? Use that bastard as a stepping stone.”b5c51a2c8a0fe8bb

“Exactly. Otherwise, why would I bother with a celebrity boss?”750f5e3d757e724c

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“Are you talking about me?”88d2fdd7ad5d7ad5

“Oh, I didn’t realize you were there.”3aca83a108022b8c

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Seo Jihoon opened the 3be77844f6 car door and ushered b9ab93343f Seo Jihee in first, 824cfbbf38 as a way to 408069e39c deflect the fist gently 5e76d8ef06 nudging his side. Seo Jaehoon, who 409cf6bb31 had quit smoking 89f1e1c202 halfway, got into 3b4d109402 the passenger seat 49d0cbda29 after saying goodbye.b18c269e398530a0

Only after the black sedan departed did Seo Jihoon finally feel like he had finished everything he needed to do for the day. Stretching, he went back inside. He’d tell them to make him some fish dishes in the morning.22a441acadb3bfe6

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“You said nothing happened! Why did you drag me into this and make me tired at this hour, when you could have gone alone!!”56d3407c09bd2724

“Alright, I’m sorry Jihee. I was just worried since he called him a lunatic~”d85d10ce463749d7

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All the d7492933a2 way to 38577ad68b Cheongdam-dong, where c5ddacef0f Seo Jaehoon 1f9eb646e9 had asked 9c9984ba08 to be 3d78657b31 taken first, f75e8e61b2 Seo Jihee f555b6a2ed nagged and 89b0ff6b4c snapped at 6f2ec833c8 him. Seo Jaehoon soothed 240fbecaa5 her with constant c2ffc729ac apologies and a e308a3956b smiling face, repeatedly fbe9fda431 clenching and unclenching 6c6f59209e his right fist 0f4aabe5a5 while crossing his 0e7d77395a arms.062039a6069bfc2a

“I understand your concern, but even a lunatic wouldn’t invite someone to their house to humiliate them, would they! Uh……?!”78418deb9d48a3af

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Why is this bastard acting like this all of a sudden? A sudden intuition struck Seo Jihee, and she momentarily stopped her tirade, pretending to clear her throat as she glanced out the window. She knew that he, in his own way, always looked out for her and worried, but she felt an inexplicable sense of unease. Narrowing her eyes, Seo Jihee briefly studied Seo Jaehoon’s reflection in the darkly tinted car window as she reviewed the information she knew. ……Does he know that Choi Woojoo is gay?30e04f0ceb822f1e

Most of the people he talked to were women, but thinking back, Choi Woojoo in college had been a lunatic who threw hysterics at everyone, including Seo Jihee and the other student council members, and even the university president who had personally approached Seongho for donations. Seo Jihee had been reminded of Seo Jihoon, who was constantly tormented by Madam Seo, whenever she heard professors complaining about the freshman who was incredibly handsome, tall, draped in luxury brands, but had a terrible personality, didn’t study, acted strangely, and severely disrupted the atmosphere of his year. Their hysterical tendencies were similar.2f327553e1752629

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After that, she had been busy planning her entertainment business and persuading Madam Seo to invest, so she hadn’t paid attention to other people’s affairs. But when she started her business and was working hard, she was shocked to learn that SH Entertainment’s Director Choi was Choi Woojoo, the same person she had clashed with in college, and that he was gay. She wasn’t sure about now, but at least three years ago, it was a secret among those who knew. He didn’t seem to be hiding it, but no one dared to casually out the youngest son of Seongho, fearing the consequences.4582b4d48c047e95

He was incredibly successful in investments, thanks in no small part to his otaku hobbies, and as a result, even straight people lined up begging to be slept with. He didn’t seem to be struggling much, but Seo Jihee felt a pang of sympathy for him, remembering her Oppa. So, although she cursed Choi Woojoo with newly coined insults, she never attacked him for being gay. It was a fact that even seasoned industry insiders knew and kept quiet about, but Seo Jaehoon, being in the financial world, could easily find out if he was interested.b5309e472f6b0243

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To this, Seo Jihee added what the cunning Seo Jaehoon was likely thinking. She knew he wasn’t stupid enough to believe that two gay men would fall in love just because they met. Seo Jihoon, who had cut himself off from external affairs the moment he was forced to return to Korea, and Choi Woojoo, who couldn’t possibly know that Seo Jihoon was gay.fef3a12600fd0461

The person who knew this best had been acting suspiciously since the last incident. Had he had some sort of encounter with Choi Woojoo? ……She couldn’t quite pinpoint any connection. The war that started with Choi Woojoo poaching key trainers, art directors, and others had only been going on for three or four months. He was a rat through and through. Unable to keep up with Seo Jaehoon’s scheming mind that constantly worked to minimize his own losses, Seo Jihee bluntly dropped what she wanted to say.2799d89329ac57f3

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“If you have something to hide, take care of it yourself. If you try to get something for nothing, I won’t let you get away with it.”249d218903804963

“Don’t be so scary.”80d218a98cc127fd

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Seo Jihee didn’t respond and called her husband to tell him they were almost there. Seo Jaehoon, who had hesitated to call, finally relaxed once the car stopped at the entrance of the Cheongdam-dong villa complex and Seo Jihee got out, hand in hand with her husband and baby who came to greet them. Wiping the light sweat from his palms with a handkerchief, he let out a series of deep, irritated sighs as he looked out the window, and finally, Seo Jaehoon picked up his phone.9c6be5b8b264d6c5

🔮9ac3e492e105b00b

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Armed with the advertisements pulled from Seogwang, DBS boldly went after Jeune Entertainment as planned. As soon as they began their insidious and blatant maneuvering on music shows as a prelude to completely excluding them from the year-end awards ceremonies, Jeune Entertainment, with a fiery spirit matching their CEO’s temper, declared a complete boycott, pulling all of their artists from all DBS programs, including music shows, variety shows, and radio.5a1c85b037630c02

This resulted in 01aefb7c67 a clean, reliable 7f07e7ea10 channel for a 44648bfa2d while. Satisfied, Choi Woojoo regained 6e49d9dc71 a degree of his 6234d70934 peaceful life rhythm and 7aa2ef59aa the quiet comfort of 6077e97938 sleep without cough syrup. He found projects for d3c7042a66 his actors, read every 1b1572b117 single script that flooded 8be366df6e in, met with directors 14517a26df and writers to have e2e67e5d08 enjoyable discussions while deciding 40beb7fe48 on investments, and generously e13f6f54ef spent money on his afe122ec35 pre-debut group who were 9c52114a54 now putting their studies dc4a961cb5 on hold to focus 8a5d9feb23 on their album, with 49ec7afe2a their debut scheduled for c162336b24 late August or early 0c81d28d91 September.f993d3be5f7bf377

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Although it became somewhat difficult to find additional music producers domestically because of whatever threats Seo Jihee made to the industry, it was no big deal since he could just pay more and hire international producers with interpreters. They already had enough presence that he didn’t feel like he was wasting money bringing them along, and he happily contemplated debuting another girl group.fb2dcc0ff8d50002

This kept him busy enough that the second apology he had volunteered to Seo Jihoon was unintentionally pushed back. Well, he hadn’t felt any remorse in the first place, and he had thrown away the business card he asked for out of annoyance at the reversed situation, not even putting it in his wallet. However, the question of whether that guy was gay or not was a topic that crossed his mind several times a day amidst his busy schedule, and he planned to revisit it someday. He just lacked a suitable excuse.df5a9bfb7187f059

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As if knowing his apology was for ulterior motives, they didn’t press for a second apology, instead shifting their focus entirely to Seongho Construction. It seemed like he had met with his Hyung quickly and discussed some sort of joint venture, and they had scheduled another meeting.354f9cb88ae07480

Perhaps because the initial signals had been quite positive, his Hyung, after drinking himself silly with the Seongho Construction executives, had come to their parents’ house in the middle of the night and woken him up, handing him his entire wallet and telling him to buy whatever he wanted. Feeling like he had been used as a bridge, Choi Woojoo was so angry that he threw the wallet off the balcony, but he magnanimously let it go without further fuss. Thanks to that, he had properly met that strange guy, Seo Jihoon. If he was really gay, it would be entertaining for a while, and if not, he would just bundle him up with Seo Jaehoon and throw them away.1b839e71a262bbbb

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This grandiose, or perhaps petty, plan, crafted without any grand purpose, solely out of pure malice to screw someone over, caused him a lot of stress and emotional turmoil. But the thought of the fireworks that would explode at the end made it bearable. Still, the waiting itself was so agonizing that he wondered how he hadn’t developed anger issues in the past year.2230c026a3517fe7

How many people enjoyed waiting? Choi Woojoo, in particular, loathed waiting and was someone who had to have what he wanted immediately. If he saw a scene or character combination he wanted in a manga, he would immediately send people and money to the original artist to commission it. If he wanted something, whether it was clothes or figures, he would send people to the place of origin to acquire it. He became a major shareholder of a manga publishing company, attending shareholder meetings and pushing for fast and accurate translations and official publications. He would add as many people as necessary to a project to shorten the production time of a screenplay he wanted to see. During his military service, in the officer’s quarters where he lived, he constantly spent money on in-game currency and items in the mobile game he played from the moment he woke up till he went to sleep, maintaining his invincible rank regardless of the meta changes until he finally quit the game. This wasn’t something to be proud of or relieved about. It was just natural.43fbaa3c324ab420

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In short, a life free of stress. Conversely, his immunity to stress had become weak, but the hardships in Choi Woojoo’s life were things like enduring time until sunrise because he couldn’t sleep, having to sit still while getting his hair done, waiting for the next season of an anime, so in the long run, it didn’t matter much. Although these processes were accompanied by hysteria, they were solely the burden of those below him, so he overlooked them. This was the perfect teamwork of Choi Seongho and Lee Surim, who had accepted everything about Choi Woojoo without criticism, except for the name change and drugs. They had taught young Choi Woojoo that everything in the world takes time, but that time can be shortened with money, thus there’s nothing that can’t be done.0f839fe44c356021

‘Right now, I’m in the process of accelerating things that take time,’ Choi Woojoo repeated to himself during his morning yoga. Thanks to this, there were many days where he greeted every employee he met with a friendly smile on his way to the office, which increased his daily satisfaction. Of course, this wasn’t something to be grateful for. It was just natural.799fbdc8daf2e5f2

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Today, he 3daf2add07 met with 253c5ca444 the writer f0b8388d10 and director a13b4e6f73 of a e6581c9851 queer film acd40c637a whose script 9b4584a3a5 had left c6caf7f943 a strong 26c4b51453 impression on 45190a7077 him, and a481be76d0 successfully signed cf0d5253bf a preliminary 80e5b5a0a4 contract over f6e16f5a00 lunch. He had been bd4dff7cda worried about delving d6aa7c17ca into sexually explicit 02aebf4bde content with two fc5d2798b0 women he had 8b0abf29b7 just met, but 5ffccec312 perhaps because it 0afd79db9d was ultimately a 451ea486b0 business discussion, once 8247b4c19d they started talking, 5b938957e0 there was no 412328516f discomfort. As a result, he ab864f1a71 was in a particularly 16d08a1959 good mood, having thoroughly 58537097aa discussed the project.95b9ca8fad8f60bb

After having a262179c55 a cigarette, fe3f06c43a Choi Woojoo bd96a6ce06 informed the 24d6b618a8 relevant department d69842baad of the 0f0c900d8e scheduled contract 9c95677337 date, had c10718d9f5 a glass 0f7afd6969 of water 0d93020096 in his 29443cd654 office, and eaba1cd2dd stretched. He had asked a16200e85f them to stick e3d171c89a to their vision 35baf862de and not worry 745ca48088 about box office 9b47c64e2e success, so he f708a71073 expected good results.0f73bc8d9d59fb08

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Since he wouldn’t be able to focus on other projects due to the lingering thoughts, he wondered if he should leave early and go to the department store. As he sat down at his desk to check if there was anything else he needed to do today, he heard a knock and opened the door lock with the remote. CEO Cha entered, looking distinctly hesitant.423ad26ede1c30b9

“Director님, um…….”c26fbaec9a92dd7e

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“……?”c55de007a67e02f0

“That is…… so…….”ac151746ed4b6d7b

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“Yes? Please speak.”53a045a74e694345

Choi Woojoo raised an eyebrow at the man’s unusual difficulty in speaking. He was usually thick-skinned and could easily say whatever he needed, even if it was unpleasant. Was he asking him to deal with someone difficult in his stead, or perhaps requesting an advance?fa07e86429387239

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“Hwang Yeonseul is here……”e2f7b8d0e3548efc

As soon as the words were spoken, Choi Woojoo immediately understood why CEO Cha had struggled so much to say them. Whose expression wouldn’t twist just hearing the name? If he had been in a slightly worse mood, he would have lost his temper, but thankfully, he managed to keep it together.44f542d9ce86bda7

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Knowing his 96c93da300 reaction, matters 1dc8780e89 directly related ce3425e599 to Hwang 4f17d047fd Yeonseul were 0cc511b6dd always handled 85f8774191 by CEO 6c81a10d33 Cha, but e1c333d983 since she e490bb6208 had come 4deca66bef in person, f66b0fbe2c it must 06a3335cd4 be a 5db19d0aba serious matter. Feeling annoyed but e42ac685c5 strangely free of 6bbad8fc9c foreboding, Choi Woojoo 59ed3bcf91 slowly got up da09ca6b6a and followed CEO 6258f76fbf Cha.f72009571396c29d

CEO Cha opened the door to the meeting room in the furthest corner, and Choi Woojoo stepped inside. He was slightly taken aback, having cleared his mind and not anticipated this at all. It wasn’t just Hwang Yeonseul’s face he saw after so long. With a chuckle, Choi Woojoo sat across the empty chairs and placed a voice recorder on the table, ready to summon Chairperson Choi’s personal legal team the moment he heard any nonsense.6d78e7e13b7e7593

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“Greetings, Director Choi. It’s been a while.”b0cc48b7b00dda41

“Get to the point.”29549d68ee7c85bb

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“We are requesting the termination of actress Hwang Yeonseul’s exclusive contract, Director Choi. We intend to pay the penalty in full, of course.”313e401edc75489a

One of 5fb4acb8c6 the two a8f5ac9ee4 lawyers he 26b14c17d0 had seen e3cc027da0 last July 17e6d69b3e or August, 404f1b7a60 stated their 8ff424d81e purpose as 281d143c0f instructed and 162178cd6f respectfully presented 69fa412dc9 a document d667e6237f with both f02e853f62 hands. A card 1afdfb3282 he had 23a54dabcd never considered dd7736e0b7 appeared unexpectedly 3588ac5cc3 late and fac75be97a at a aea1d16b71 strange time, d0da59b26b leaving Choi 5db55afbe8 Woojoo with 530ce1d865 a perplexed 8c8314bcfb expression as 50877715ce he scanned 62015b422a the paper 86c88fd6e2 he received. After reading a461aeae4e a few a4fb763dfa lines, he 2768cd51f5 laughed. A genuine laugh, not 8f01d588c8 a chuckle of disbelief.5e1bcc690f2cdd95

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“Is Yeonseul becoming a madam now?”d1d43be7893c6c6f

Hwang Yeonseul, who usually argued, scoffed, or retorted, was uncharacteristically silent, her gaze fixed on the table. Even the lawyers, who from their first meeting had threatened the young director with legal jargon that barely qualified as such, talking about unfair contracts and whatnot, were unusually subdued today. Wasn’t this a good situation? In contrast to the heavy atmosphere on their side, Choi Woojoo’s stress levels began to decrease.4dc0b4e16854809d

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“Did you apologize to Yurim?”8875e26cc4c6613b

“……I apologize, be176029f7 Director Choi.”d6dce36bef91412c

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“You scammed me. Yurim pleaded with me, so I paid the penalty and took you in, but fuck, you didn’t work and instead found a sponsor, making me look like a fool.”f749e969c26737cf

Perhaps she had some conscience left. At the mention of actress Ra Yurim, who still couldn’t face him due to the guilt of recommending Hwang Yeonseul, Hwang Yeonseul lowered her head further. Well, if she had a conscience, she wouldn’t have repaid Eunhye, whom he had rescued from that trash heap, in such a way. She came with Seo Jaehoon’s lawyers just like last time, but she seemed subdued. Perhaps becoming a madam wasn’t in the cards after all.d39b9adb48e6a065

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He had proudly declared it, but it was a ridiculous pipe dream from the beginning. No matter how gangster his roots were, the Seogwang family was one of Korea’s leading chaebols. Would Seogwang be crazy enough to throw away a perfectly good daughter-in-law and accept a wet-behind-the-ears entertainer into the family? Sighing on Choi Woojoo’s behalf, Choi Woojoo carefully read the document, wondering just how hopelessly stupid someone had to be to entertain such a delusion. It was roughly an introduction stating the desire to terminate the contract, along with the penalty calculated by the other party.ca4c3be60fb25d82

“Lump sum?”e190f58e081c5d3c

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“Yes. On the day you 7cdbebbc91 agree to terminate the f5f1d8ae84 contract, the full penalty 58ecb111c4 can be paid in 9bca99e2b7 cash.”e989e4fdd505ab1d

“Our legal team 8e87965373 will recalculate it, 4ddb4cf5e6 so you can 59458e4d00 go for now.”55b9e36b21a24c0e

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“How about ee0dd7ca0d we prepay 06ce14080f the amount a029214bd9 we calculated 12a4745e1d and pay 03c78716f2 the difference fd93f60abf later?”adfd4ff99466965e

“No.”4ffb4a6f317ecc97

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“……Understood, Director. I’ll be 63545af810 in touch.”3b5c175d08ddc28f

Even though he came as a guest and didn’t even get a cup of coffee, the other party politely bowed his head, neatly arranged the chair, and quietly left without anyone seeing him out. Seo Jaehoon surrendering first was so absurd that Choi Woojoo burst out laughing as he stood up from his seat.fb5711d087286d90

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He felt even better 8cec3f19bb than when he had be52307251 returned from discussing his 569f71a90c work earlier. Having changed f806d11e28 his mind c41490721c about shopping, 5f3bfdaeea Choi Woojoo c539b3af0d gestured to e16c86c408 CEO Cha 9eed3beff5 to accompany e0d9f3144a him to 0decb1bc91 his office. As the Director’s 27c3eedae4 mood improved, CEO 5e6762cc7a Cha seemed to 71d5a61c1d relax as well, 28bb048dfc a smile returning 421edcd268 to his face.50cd5c46d112fefd

“How shall 1c45250e56 we proceed, 34acfe2147 Director?”ee9b1e9dd9b47c4c

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“Just inform 4e476e4c99 the legal 368cf557a1 team. Tell them to aa62557c5a do nothing but c64b9fa2b5 acknowledge it.”f7692badddf265e8

Immediately grasping his intention, CEO Cha nodded in agreement and left the office. Smiling brightly for the first time in a while, Choi Woojoo turned off his computer and checked if there was anything he needed to pack. He wasn’t sure if they were genuinely trying to make Hwang Yeonsul his wife or just paying him off out of some residual affection. Whatever it was, it was too late.c8cb5ad7101bd845

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At least 7bc1945d0d in this 5d211a0d8a matter, Choi 719cab8d3b Woojoo could 2128cbbede confidently assert 7d4b7a3f1c he was 5edfb7abae the victim.c6d5d62a23203ee5

Excluding the soon-to-be-ousted Hwang Yeonsul, SH Entertainment had only three actresses. Unlike male actors, who prioritized whether they could open their legs and entertain him, actresses were brought in at Choi Woojoo’s whim, depending on whether he was impressed with their work. He had discovered Ra Yurim, a twenty-nine-year-old, three years ago while watching an independent film.c07cbd2728c8ec5d

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Although he had gone through a lot of trouble with the legal team to resolve issues with Ra Yurim’s former agency, which wasn’t a good one, she had rewarded him with her developing acting skills and outstanding work, simultaneously enriching both Choi Woojoo’s professional and cultural life. It spoke for itself that one of the projects he had chosen for her had won both Best Picture and Best Actress at a major international film festival two years prior. He had thrown a celebratory party at the time, and near the end, Ra Yurim quietly approached him and mentioned a rookie actor she had been close with at her previous agency. She pleaded with him so earnestly that he just gave in and did as she asked.1e89b06c81e138c6

Choi Woojoo had been df9484101a stunned for about twenty 68d0bcc2a9 minutes when the ungrateful c5bf6d50e7 wretch he had brought e2712cc672 in with no expectations 01b6beec29 rejected the project he 3a77a04c6c had given him. He had never experienced 7602ced5b5 such a refusal before.9b6ea0fa36f5c38d

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Hwang Yeonsul, who had provided him with a fresh experience from the beginning of his contract, became a major source of stress two months into the contract after picking up Seo Jaehoon, either as a sponsor or a lover. Choi Woojoo, who derived an almost otaku-like thrill from reviewing the works he had touched, from the beginning of their careers to the present, every time they were uploaded to SH Entertainment’s website, could not possibly view this idle good-for-nothing favorably.1b2f2b5352185be0

He wanted to crush Hwang Yeonsul, but Seo Jaehoon, who was attached to Hwang Yeonsul’s side, was a Seogwang, one of his few formidable opponents, so he couldn’t act as recklessly as usual. Hwang Yeonsul, sensing this, increasingly flaunted her connections and provoked him. Surprisingly, however, Choi Woojoo managed to tolerate it to a certain extent. After all, the contract stipulated that if an actor didn’t work for more than two months, the subsequent period wouldn’t be included in the contract term, and while Hwang Yeonsul wasn’t working on projects, she had secured a few advertisements. Even though she was incredibly irritating, he couldn’t find any fault with her based on the contract, so they had been in a stalemate for several months.422494b750fe08d3

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In other words, the situation was one where he could have maintained the stalemate until the end of the contract. However, Seo Jaehoon’s long-standing bad habit of becoming arrogant and complacent in matters he was confident in kicked in. Because Seo Jaehoon’s routine was to not even meet with entertainment agency CEOs, he didn’t know Director Choi, and even without knowing him, he underestimated him too much. If Seo Jaehoon, with his shrewdness, had abandoned his prejudice that there would be no one else like Seo Jihee in this industry, if he had at least been curious enough to find out where SH Entertainment received its initial investment, he would never, ever have crossed the line.96533b11fe8987c5

From the moment he received the ridiculous threat about an unfair contract, Choi Woojoo began full-scale preparations to smear Seo Jaehoon’s face. Evidence of the affair was overflowing, thanks to his blatant ranting and raving everywhere. While looking for large, influential platforms to spread the news, he also discovered that Seo Jihee was a Seogwang offspring who didn’t manage the company and was Seo Jaehoon’s sibling.950abaf744f1fac5

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He had come this far, painting a larger picture that included all of that. There was no point in doing what he should have done a long time ago now. He wasn’t a beggar. What use was the paltry sum he would receive for the mental anguish he had endured? He had to expose the adulterous couple on primetime news and have them condemned for life to break even. Seogwang didn’t even place ads with them, so would DBS even listen to a request to stop the broadcast? Maybe if they broadcast the request to stop the broadcast.cd608ff6f5c8bd34

Although he felt the end was in sight, he believed it wasn’t time yet. However, for whatever reason, Seo Jaehoon had made the blunder of surrendering first, rapidly propelling the situation to the final stage. All that was left was to buy as much time as possible under the pretext of calculating the penalty and then find the right moment to hand over the information about the affair and other materials to DBS. If he dragged it out too long, aside from the frustration, the other side might take some countermeasures, so he had to do it as quickly as possible.db9911627501ebcc

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Well, even so, the only thing that required haste was Seo Jaehoon’s twin, Seo Jihoon, whom he had recently learned about. Since he had offended him, it was only right to give him some trouble, big or small. But before that, shouldn’t he satisfy his newly sparked curiosity? If he was gay, he’d have a taste of the precious chaebol son before ruining him, and if not, he’d ruin him right away. Regardless of the truth, if he packaged and delivered the rumor that Seo Jaehoon’s twin brother, Seo Jihoon, the unpublicized CEO of Seogwang Securities, was a drug addict, they would gleefully report on it for a week. He wondered if Seogwang would willingly send him over for a drug test, where they would pluck out a handful of his hair.ace49ea28f1a3c6e

Already grinning with pleasure, Choi Woojoo lit a cigarette in front of his parked car. How should he coax him out? The card of apologizing to Do Seunghwa probably wouldn’t work. He didn’t want to wait and feign coincidence, and he didn’t have much time, so it would be better to just be direct and say he had something to discuss. If he was refused due to lack of time, he would just push through and visit him at the headquarters. After roughly running a simulation in his head, he immediately called Manager Song.921820dfb85c7cdd

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“Manager Song, send me his number. Seo Jihoon’s.”f29780af75299ac0

—What for?c1b1884c41e5a7ae

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“To apologize with a90c40fda8 the actor.”cd9db00363e3dcd6

—Understood. ……Regardless, CEO Seo is older than the young master and has more social experience. Please be sure to be respectful so that the Chairperson doesn’t have a difficult time.a0520aafc3a7f84e

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After giving a perfunctory reply to Manager Song, who repeatedly urged caution due to reasonable anxieties stemming from his brilliant track record, Choi Woojoo hung up and got into his car. Fastening his seatbelt and checking his phone one last time, he saw a text message containing a phone number titled ‘CEO Seo Jihoon’s Personal Contact Information.’ Aiming for a quick resolution, Choi Woojoo called before even starting the engine.583096113760fc1e

—The customer you d2dfedd302 are calling is ba5341875f not available. Please leave 915595a3e2 a message d197ae9109 after the e12d9bf885 beep…….e3aba6944073e654

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He frowned slightly, his good mood souring again. It was a perfectly reasonable time to answer the phone, so why wasn’t he picking up? He generously tried calling again, but only the ringing tone continued, so he hung up. The phone wasn’t off. Okay, he could be in a meeting, so he’d put it on hold for now.f80e90e09fe5f983

CEO Seo Jihoon, 9d59dad2c3 this is Choi c12dfea492 Woojoo, we dined 349a157b13 together last time. Please call me 9a4967b032 back.b1236c86824a583c

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After sending a brief 1291cb11b2 text, Choi Woojoo switched 63e30a45ad his phone from silent 7cf4683210 to vibrate and put bdce2e6279 it in his pocket. Since he eb34cf1d9d already had 6aabb92d06 him hooked, 1d0405ae8b he should f56adfa1cb try not 31a351d8ca to get 968a70c944 stressed and 657aa3b245 think positively.12c9c1ad3c7324e6

Taking a long, slow breath, he decided to do some shopping as planned since he now had some free time, setting the navigation for his sister’s department store in Myeongdong.76f46251736ac994

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It was perfect. There was little traffic 9addc3faf9 because it was a cf9436ac69 weekday afternoon after lunch, aef0903137 and the department store 82140c94a7 parking lot was practically 1952f5eca8 empty. As soon f6d6511b5f as his ff930656ed car entered d96a91e990 the parking 7a40a6eece lot entrance, a0307f0f86 a personal 92e143ea54 shopper, who 88ecc1ad7e had been 79f85635db notified and 1bb5c80dc5 was waiting, 95c8813a27 greeted him 6b9d4fef5f with a 10d1952de1 nod.5646a40ef8a17943

“Shall we go 3f62f7f526 to the lounge?”ddb3d31b0c0cfe52

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“No. I’d like to look around.”f5e9a2091ba1c0fa

Closing the driver’s side door and handing the smart key to the shopper, Choi Woojoo glanced around the parking lot again. Even considering it was a weekday afternoon, there seemed to be very few people. Why would they mention the lounge? Suspicious, he asked how many people were in the store. The shopper hesitated, looking troubled, before speaking.705c14b3525481e9

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“Director, actually, Seogwang 061766e7e3 Chairperson Seo Yeonsuk 8e344f53be arrived about fifteen 392b001ba3 minutes ago. CEO has restricted general 8f459968c3 customer access so that 392f3fd25e the Chairperson can look 716d4ecdbf around comfortably…… Of course, 2f4033fa54 you are welcome to 686cc30198 enter, but we kindly 97536db3ca request your understanding in 02279be2a4 avoiding the stores where 0498778d89 Chairperson Seo is currently be753f935a present.”e8f768d02e485e12

Although he wasn’t going to listen, Choi Woojoo nodded in acknowledgment and walked ahead. Seogwang here, Seogwang there. At this point, it felt like some kind of fateful connection. There were so many other companies, but why did he keep clashing and overlapping with those guys lately? He understood Seogwang visiting other stores since they weren’t in the department store business, but why would the Chairperson, who should be too busy to come down here, personally visit every single store? And at this time of all times.e7167f840894ff07

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“Yes, yes, 24b87f0de5 she’s currently df2d7d4748 on the 316dcb257a second floor, 1219ebe09a at the 32f9adbbde Hermès store, 2861d758b7 okay.”feacfcc6fb60b4a0

With his 71338fd0c6 keen hearing, 766ddcc290 Choi Woojoo 58822d2625 picked up bc248cfcc8 the personal 5345ec1e05 shopper’s quiet 35502db90d radio communication 0d2e21a72f from a d06cdb9dc4 distance behind e63436d85d him. He changed direction 96556087c8 from the escalator 86cbcb26d4 to the elevator c1a0c43de0 and gestured to 31cf0323dd the security guard ce717d217b controlling access to 5d4cf0129b press the up 3aeca43fe3 button. Perhaps because no 587f1a0a7b one else stopped ced8b7c875 it on the 11a8809ffa way, the elevator b558f3d990 arrived quickly.1d57406788835620

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“You can go now.”ae9d699f52b0275e

“Yes……?!”5926a236e39dee40

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Stopping the shopper, 61c5cc1101 who tried to cc86aac2dd follow him into 22a1643063 the open elevator, ddc378c6a0 Choi Woojoo gestured d58d0262ca for him to 53517b9ecc leave. The shopper 56d2b861d1 stood frozen 9b59235471 just before 9773bd878f the elevator 572ac3a2f0 entrance. Seizing the opportunity, f50b703a86 Choi Woojoo pressed 2ce66fc1ed the close button, e5b28263fb then cheerfully pressed 0a8cb50d10 the button for e502de08c1 the second floor. He intended to catch 092d4960a4 a glimpse of Chairperson 5b7be20dae Seo, whom he’d only b198c1b948 seen in pictures.3c982d09528456eb

Perhaps because he 1f0d0bb01d had come up 75563577b1 almost immediately after 2d3cc11ec8 overhearing the radio 97e6ad298e communication, Chairperson Seo bacfb76fec and her entourage 9b179243b0 were still in 5c3df31e3e the store. Even as he eb546ffe61 strode into the 9476b1bef4 store beyond the 8b2236d2f6 glass walls decorated 310b5f29d6 according to the c6e8b20c0f season’s concept, the 355c7f29d9 group only glanced 94bf063007 at him, making af8874e793 no protest or c10e1401bf attempt to stop 3bc7ca4cb6 him.a68171aa87cbc439

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Thanks to 254a6a6de4 that, Choi 4f2383ff8c Woojoo crossed 76724bfb58 his arms b778be82ba and stood c0e602a05d there, openly 3220be17a0 and freely 90d2fa2ccb observing them. Six bodyguards, and 58a23f0f0b one person who 66b0ce132d looked somewhat important bd037389e1 right next to 045235e2b2 Chairperson Seo. She traveled more modestly b841ae2d4b than he expected. As rumored, Chairperson 634135641e Seo, whom he 71b8ac37a9 doubted even the bdfb58a552 formidable Director Lee 570b677b61 Surim could easily ece015e6ca defeat, looked anything 59b4e54a65 but easygoing. She was wearing a 2125d5433e suit and heavy makeup, c26e61a50a as if she had 3ca4825934 come straight from work.0942a2876dafc3a6

“Director, is there anything f476a9f9f2 we can assist you 437185cde6 with?”dde09cc8d0844c33

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“No.”94637a39164ab5fa

Choi Woojoo firmly declined 9b6e7bbae7 the shopper team leader, 932b12fe1f who had cautiously approached 770a9901c0 him, likely to distance 4e6ad0e7e9 him from Chairperson Seo. By then, 5b982e4651 Chairperson Seo 56b4ff4a70 turned her c84756b7ca head completely fc7c44ded9 from the 5fe72b56e7 merchandise and 46486aeaf3 looked him e128640bc4 up and 71a5280031 down. To indicate he 2f3e5085ab knew who she e033f1aa90 was, Choi Woojoo 6a625d3370 smiled warmly and b732c4b254 politely bowed.6996525a93ecc862

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“Handsome. How old are b8a6d45187 you?”f8113a6f04a4f03f

“Twenty-nine.”b4045bafc73f0b79

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“Pick out a tie e9d350fa02 to go with this.”e889500b39353cf1

Who did she think he was, her house servant? He was about to refuse her beckoning gesture when her direct gaze, several times stronger than Seo Jihee’s or Seo Jihoon’s, struck him speechless. Even though he was clearly much taller, he felt like Chairperson Seo was looking down at him.887b69c46b033f7c

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Having missed 136040f5e3 the chance 030887c2b4 to retort, 49c3aaa169 Choi Woojoo 412253cb16 simply smiled ab1372e774 lightly and d122f8d8b8 approached her. Looking closely d5cd094aab at her c9db448e2f from beside 301c3868ed her, he a40eafd2d0 thought she 57129fece9 looked exactly d1f599c261 like Seo 86dbc73c15 Jihoon, more dad5834ac4 so than 217205ea7d her daughter d7ff5010e5 Seo Jihee.121cc5f022908ff4

“To match 7e72e875be with what?”e7da1c771cd12116

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“This.”255239cee4f4deb9

The long 82e718975d black case 81129688fc Chairperson Seo b016a060cd Yeonsuk handed 74045bec11 him was 823cdb2150 heavy for c675f941c1 its size. Curious, he opened 5047fd79df it to reveal aaf24cd5e1 a set of ddf5752944 cufflinks and a f49b992aff tie clip. A platinum base with c99c34ea8f a transparent gemstone. Was it a 0f11f2fb38 diamond? Anyway, the 5d7beb1919 case itself 456913a290 seemed heavier e7cfdfff5f than the 620be021f0 contents. There were 457872dd8f no brand 735287b4c3 markings inside b9ad266d81 or out, 20d2c8450f suggesting they 6edd1dd72a were custom-made. Both the cufflinks 59794321de and the tie fc06227749 clip had a f4c029425e classic design, and 7b1a3730ec the gemstone was bbeb8d07b6 well-cut, making them e48f77dc9d look appropriate for a6ce5829b5 their purpose rather f3dfe2b055 than tacky.d5e7d55eb1595171

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“Are you giving 451f40de4b them to me e27c34409a as a gift? The tie and 1e556b11da these?”c2a3e1182d725bbb

“Yeah.”b29ed5c39394c592

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“Why not just b08bbdf91b get me a a1bded8ce9 whole suit?”272ddaaa71763fbd

“You’re a good 4718631d69 salesman.”7b1702790ba5407a

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Laughing once in disbelief, b7e629b742 Choi Woojoo casually scanned 4eac568703 for a suitable tie. A timeless 837c1ac76e design and c19e0632a8 color were db479152bc important, and a9b7183e15 the color 5cb9aa53b1 of the 0135f59710 suit jacket d69ca55d40 mattered more be6815c845 than the c6a0fa2ceb tie itself, 10940a17ea but if 0a00fea85a she needed 05554d42a1 a tie, 01c5ca586c he’d do 2b89ad11a6 as she 3fb5cbe23e asked. A dark, fd28068e6c deep teal 23734870bc close to e7c2387d61 black, a 3332d8ab4f neat green, 8c2a418eb2 a subdued 6220f71629 orange. He picked out 685ad77bf3 a few, comparing 734a60e8f4 the length of f3202836e5 the tie clip c891c64101 and the width 1a04897dd0 of the ties b76d70efe4 with his eyes. Looking at 9191fcf9d6 them, they ba2d8c8d84 were colors 8a4ec578ae she probably 8b855ce20e already owned.d523035871ae20bc

“Give me all d4aaa10617 of those.”506d827e333c0524

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As she requested the purchase, Seo Yeonsuk handed over the cufflink case, asking them to be included with the ties, and elegantly nodded her thanks. Smiling back, assuring her it was nothing, Choi Woojoo watched as the staff swiftly collected the items and turned his attention to the desk. There were a few more shopping bags there, seemingly containing previously selected items that had been gift-wrapped. It was a relief that she hadn’t disrupted the store just to choose a single tie.5054e439e2f9e36b

As soon ba3013bc62 as Chairperson 3be7db7bc4 Seo gestured b8a8b44dad to the fdd8522ca7 tall man b206452961 beside her 7980417827 that it b43a9de326 was time e20fd13478 to leave, f0b6f0280b the store ad8422af3e manager and 8f64895838 the shopper 484b86f9e5 team leader 59568acef0 followed with 708444e6ba all the d5ee0d2740 shopping bags. After politely bowing 588a8da309 to their departing d9c5d921e8 figures, the staff 90a50818e8 finally turned their 68da324dae attention to Choi 9eb0f0fb36 Woojoo and apologized 4f2e237da9 for neglecting him. Amused by 657ec85000 the interesting 3ac2dd873a episode, Choi 4333be5847 Woojoo waved 183792d83f it off, 0189c98fed then turned 9df0af640e his head 63aa2807fc again, looking 430adae010 for the aa50428fec Chairperson, who ec705d43b2 had long 4fd960e4b9 since disappeared.1cb9681ba059907c

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“What did she c30c76b6e2 buy?”8a66f7b0cdd277d5

“She purchased a few items including shirts and men’s shoes.”a7144c70ef551d88

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He see. Not curious enough b359da7d09 to inquire further, 4dc2b51792 he turned his f136d9c1b6 attention back to 308b16a4e9 browsing.95ab9476a3d0141c

As expected, there wasn’t much he wanted to buy. If he’d contacted them in advance, they would have prepared something, but since he hadn’t, it couldn’t be helped. Slowly strolling around the spacious store with his arms crossed, he barely managed to find a pair of trousers, and was about to move to another store when he spotted a cardigan.765b7506f5322289

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He needed 00d9dc6dca to bring b027d84a3b something as 525262cccb an excuse 5bc2a1852b for his 4d625c2484 rude behavior 424ead5299 when he 1bcaf51c78 met CEO 3b846ac500 Seo. Choi Woojoo selected 05515f1d10 a decent-looking dark 99def6aa11 gray cardigan and d4c8831a17 pointed at it. He chose c42b13574e the size 8c44d82c5e according to b4cfcf13c9 his own d46c28c156 body. It couldn’t be 0b4ccf260a too small, and c2d06b46b1 if it was 8719c83311 too big, he 59264bb260 could wear it 5335bd4d32 oversized.094811fe439197a7

Despite it ab133f7695 being a 8ee5df264b gift for 4648704cb8 his enemy, a0a39bcfc4 he managed 40ef812db2 to choose 99aef69375 something nice 57a94b760a without letting a9a19e4cee his emotions 1b13b91943 get in a4afb331ee the way. However, feeling 59399e86c0 it was 806197c55f still lacking, 9781463f53 he scanned 0068857ed7 the displays aa507310e1 again and f9d2805fa1 returned to a9cc7ce51b the tie 1139046846 section. He casually 3236a906b4 pointed at e626ae164f two that f44aadf6b2 caught his a38ed3f6d6 eye and 51ebabd57d requested they d81a09b979 be gift-wrapped 44ab7f68f0 in the b59d313f59 same shopping 3c10468bfd bag.831bff964e8662bb

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After diligently scouring the e84ece3551 luxury hall, which was 802dd705a0 gradually filling up with 1f15d15741 people now that access 0ae871f20c restrictions had been lifted, 934e449ac6 Choi Woojoo finished his c29c3437e2 shopping. He also met with 1ba69aa605 his sister and chatted 2545ee45ec in the lounge, and adc5c227eb before he knew it, cf928d780f it was past five.5a1ea8b8349efc8d

Vehemently refusing his sister’s invitation to dinner with his nephews, Choi Woojoo returned to his car and retrieved the gifts he had bought for CEO Seo from among the more than ten shopping bags the shopper had loaded into the back seat, placing them separately in the passenger seat.35ede4dc3f8383b2

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Throughout his shopping trip, the messenger notification had vibrated incessantly, irritating him to the point of switching it back to silent mode. He wondered what it would be like now. As he sat in the driver’s seat, staring at his phone screen, which only displayed messenger notifications, a familiar unsaved number suddenly filled the screen without warning, nearly making him drop the device in surprise.8e40a90e14850529

—Hello, Director Choi. This is Kim Dongwoo, CEO Seo Jihoon’s chief of staff. I’m calling in response to your text message.c9d42f4f6ddebe5b

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It seemed cbb6a6e761 like the 39595da30d right number, 3dbbebbb11 but Choi 95dd89debc Woojoo tilted c122e3e8bd his head, a6b64a0cd3 wondering why e519e38097 it wasn’t 07be5fd6d5 Seo Jihoon’s d1ac655343 voice.c45399bac347c78e

“Isn’t this CEO 64e13bbfce Seo’s personal phone?”1e95ad90ab168194

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—It is, 295fedba0b but CEO 28738abff9 Seo is 5b1dcee0cb currently in a36a801ad8 a meeting. I thought you a533806d00 might have to b11029a106 wait, so I dba40f1d96 called on his 892f519a92 behalf. Please tell me 1c6009b01d your business, and 4b7e6730de I’ll relay it fd1dc1ebd1 to the CEO.3fa7c5b757f6905f

“No, I want to a26a18dab3 speak to him directly. I have 04a6afca4d something personal 66e1a30cab to tell 42bbadd634 him. Is he nearby?”bdd7ed344b07ffcd

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—He is, but it’s 1785aab20c difficult for him to 45d06bc45c talk right now.f85440590826f8de

“It will only e8080eff2e take a moment, a88d0f8548 please connect me.”500f1ade861b56d8

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Faced with his persistent 3a2e122419 demands, he received a af14cc9b81 “Please hold” response. He pressed eadd5dbcb9 the phone b874175f06 to his ed3837179c ear, focusing 0edb76873a on the 5fe32b9133 sounds from b5bdee24e9 the other 551eb0d376 end, but b45233db8d heard nothing, 36b392092f as if 75fbf0cb01 the receiver 7e1ecd65ea had been 85389dc256 covered. He was starting to f8bc600a53 feel impatient and annoyed.efdd64fc42f3be09

—I’ve connected you. This is Seo Jihoon.cdedd574d9a9b401

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Hearing the voice he e1b4bddb75 had been waiting for, 1aa7fad633 Choi Woojoo smiled with 48a5464cf8 satisfaction and softened his 32ba884ce4 tone.b3ecdab813c79cc7

“Hello, CEO. This is 97b01ce448 Choi Woojoo. I apologize for 6926700741 contacting you so c8b56d3517 suddenly.”6be3d1edc3884732

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—Not at all. I’m in the 151deeff54 middle of exercising, 9d7f55a21c so I can’t 865d1259c9 talk for long. Please tell me 8510aeaa8e what it is.6f5159d135ce4ba9

“I’d like to meet 4b20bd39c6 with you. Would you have time 7f07fb8a6a today? Even just 16644f401e ten minutes 05a94879cd would be 152145e79b fine.”42176ad15ae8b6d5

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—Then let’s talk 3696f5df3e on the phone.25c2e7732f1a232b

“It’s something 7fcbc8a678 I need ddd3fb29d6 to discuss 9d21a6d1d0 in person.”4104c112bfd476aa

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—How long will it 3b39893044 take?210b761890aef2fa

“It will really 8f7bdb58d0 just be a 78e63cc923 moment. Please tell me e1f615554c your preferred location, 81181f6db2 and I’ll come 6845acc7ca to you.”a1ed7f7cfd96c399

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—……If it’s just f7b36d96c0 a moment, I’ll a5a67fd22d have you come 62e79cbe3b to my house. Would around eight f368f9906a o’clock work for fe6b0d433a you?8df6f62fa9caf80b

“That works. Where is your 37807f51d5 residence located?”0405012fa86c921c

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—Hannam-dong. I’ll have my 8266641919 chief of staff f1fd25afd7 send you the f77793f6d9 address.c0ab82f907330b6e

“Thank you for readily 22386377ea accepting my request. I’ll see 532584fa90 you then.”6bba8805d9218a27

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Although his voice was laced with irritation, suggesting he hadn’t readily accepted anything, it was a start.72350f20cc1d0f33

As the f3642dde8e call ended, 4538407e62 Choi Woojoo 1cbc52da10 cheerfully smiled 636aecb0bd and reached 132abb5f5c for a 790435dfa0 cigarette, then 727310aa6f put it 3962fd1fac back, remembering 73f555fe76 the gifts 9d17cae63f beside him. He had been expecting 8dd7359aca a nearby park at 584c23f9a6 most, but his house? My goodness. He had 842d87b1fc mentioned living e292a2b28c separately from 0441f74743 his family bbe6b1dff7 home last ea7f767f4c time, and 60a77895bb even though ab74cce368 they were 7c24a09d23 twins, it 7298faf261 was unlikely 48296c4a85 he lived 78cce5ab51 with his 0b56e9b5dd married brother, 06a87a1054 so there af049bd76e was a 40d00b0535 high probability 3dec50271a he lived 7968649723 alone. It was not just c09898a53d good, it was the ce9a55626e perfect setting.5c4615f81c3be659

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He was slightly worried because he was already about eighty percent convinced that Seo Jihoon was gay. What if he wasn’t? He might end up disliking him even more than Seo Jaehoon. He tried his best to suppress his excitement and remain composed. However, throughout his drive home, Choi Woojoo couldn’t help but grin and chuckle to himself, bursting into laughter several times.77bda1ec68d3d11c

(To be cab4859b53 continued in 8fc625f7ea the next ccc3eb568f volume)d46b2767dadd2b43

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