Chapter 348: In Earnest
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 348: In Earnest
Blink, blink.
3:00 AM.
Choi Jin-ah, who had fallen asleep on the floor, slowly opened her eyes.
At first, sleeping on the floor instead of a bed made her back ache and was generally uncomfortable, but she had grown used to it now and could sleep quite soundly.
Is she asleep?
She stole a glance toward the bed.
Min Ju-hee was fast asleep. She was the benefactor who had allowed Choi Jin-ah to stay here until now.
She’s out cold.
After confirming that Min Ju-hee was asleep, Choi Jin-ah turned on her phone. She was now well-acquainted with these early morning hours. Her fingers naturally gravitated toward the delivery app.
There are so many places open late since this is a college town.
What should she eat today?
Choi Jin-ah lay on her stomach, kicking her feet back and forth in excitement like she was splashing in water.
I had chicken yesterday, so maybe pizza today?
Or maybe Chinese food? But Chinese food made her face swell up the next morning, which was a bit concerning.
Udon?
Just then, an udon shop caught her eye. As she scrolled through the menu of the late-night restaurant, the "Jumbo Udon" jumped out at her.
Hmm.
Choi Jin-ah. Twenty-one years old.
She was currently in the phase of learning how to be "bad." One might say her rebellious teenage years, which should have happened in middle school, were simply hitting her late. Regardless, she was currently living a life entirely different from the Choi Jin-ah of the past.
The old Choi Jin-ah would never have dreamed of ordering something like a Jumbo Udon in the middle of the night.
Order, order.
She briefly considered adding sides or toppings, but given the name "Jumbo," she figured it would be more than enough for today.
I'm hungry.
In truth, Choi Jin-ah’s late-night snacks weren't just about enjoying a transgression; they were about survival. Since she was holed up in the dormitory, she couldn't have proper meals. Even though Min Ju-hee looked after her, she didn't want to turn her benefactor into a food shuttle when she was already receiving so much help.
Hehe.
Regardless, she was in a good mood. She passed the time on her phone until, right on cue, a delivery notification arrived. Choi Jin-ah hopped up and threw a cardigan over her shoulders. Pajamas and a cardigan weren't exactly a fashion statement, but it wasn't like anyone was going to see her.
Creeeeak.
She opened the door with the practiced, minimal sound she had mastered. Stepping out into the hallway, she dragged her slippers along, a smile playing on her lips.
"Hehe."
The dark corridor had been scary at first, but now it felt quite familiar. Her loose, swaying gait was proof of her good mood. Choi Jin-ah made her way down to the first floor, shoulders bobbing.
They said the dorm supervisors and security guards kept watch even at dawn, but they were only human. They couldn't stay wide awake every single night. As long as she didn't make a scene, there was no problem.
Of course, she didn't have the food delivered directly to the dormitory entrance. She had tried that once, but the loud roar of the delivery motorcycle had given her a fright. Now, she used a clever trick: she asked the drivers to leave the food by the bicycle racks near the dorm.
"Hmm-hmm."
There it was—a white plastic bag sitting next to the bicycle racks. Offering a silent prayer of thanks to the restaurant owner and the delivery driver for providing her daily bread, Choi Jin-ah headed back inside.
She settled into a seat in the first-floor lounge.
"Whoa, it's huge."
The udon was packed into a massive plastic container. It was far too much for one person, and she would likely have leftovers, but the mere sight of the bountiful food gave her a sense of satisfaction.
"Time to eat," she whispered to herself before digging in.
"Mmm!"
It was delicious. The aggressive volume of udon filling her mouth elevated the quality of the meal.
Slurp.
Sluuuurp.
Slurp.
There was no one to judge her for slurping her noodles, and no one to scold her for being greedy by ordering way more than she could eat.
She was happy.
A world-class violinist. A national treasure of South Korea. A genius among geniuses. The number one most coveted bride for chaebol families.
Today, Choi Jin-ah found happiness in a 15,000-won Jumbo Udon. She wondered where she would find happiness tomorrow. The anticipation alone brought a smile to her face.
"What? He's not here."
"Ah, what a waste."
"Yawn... I'm so tired I've lost interest."
The voices of men drifted in from outside the lounge. Startled, Choi Jin-ah frantically grabbed the packaging, her chopsticks, and the udon bowl, and dove under the table.
Slurp.
Slurp.
It was a tense situation. But since the udon might get soggy, she kept eating while monitoring the situation.
Slurp.
Slurp.
Even in this predicament, the udon was delicious. She hadn't signed up for a review event, but she felt she absolutely had to leave a review for this place.
"I'm heading out."
"Let's go sleep."
"Good work today."
As the voices of the male students faded, Choi Jin-ah breathed a sigh of relief.
Thank goodness.
I should finish this quickly and go back.
There was still plenty of udon left, but she figured she could finish it if she worked hard. Just as she sat back down and put more noodles in her mouth—
Click.
The lounge lights flickered on, and a man walked in.
"You really are here."
It was Kim Woo-jin.
"Mmph!"
Her mouth was too full of udon to speak, but Kim Woo-jin seemed to have a general idea of what she would say even without hearing it.
"Are you kidding me? Why are you here? You're really living it up, aren't you?"
Sluuuurp.
"W-Woo-jin! Did you know I was here?"
"I had a hunch. I thought I smelled a bit of katsuobushi. Are you eating udon?"
What a nose he has.
Choi Jin-ah glanced down at her udon. She felt like she had eaten quite a bit, but the container was still piled high. It was starting to get a little embarrassing.
"U-Um, Woo-jin, would you like some?"
"...Is it good?"
"Of course! It's Jumbo Udon!"
"What even is 'Jumbo'?"
Kim Woo-jin, who was feeling peckish after studying until dawn, took some of the udon and sat down to eat with her. He had intended to interrogate her about why she was there, but he had been completely won over by the udon.
Slurp.
"Are you still staying in Senior Ju-hee's room?"
Slurp.
"Ah, yes. I asked her for a favor. She said absolutely not at first, but after hearing my situation, I think she felt sorry for me."
Slurp.
"The Senior does have a tendency to be soft on her own people."
However, if the trouble looked like it would spread to others and not just herself, she was also the type of person who would cut ties instantly.
"You could have just stayed at my place."
Slurp.
"I felt like staying there indefinitely was a nuisance, and I felt bad toward your mother and father."
Slurp.
"And staying in the Gahyeon University dorm isn't a nuisance? You don't feel bad toward Senior Ju-hee?"
"...Stop eating the udon."
"You're trying to take back what you gave me."
He continued the conversation while defending his portion of the udon.
"Honestly, it's because you're lonely, isn't it?"
"Ugh."
He had hit the nail on the head. At her own university, everyone treated Choi Jin-ah like some kind of idol. At the orchestra, everyone only talked shop and walked on eggshells around her. This was the first place where she could set aside her role as a violinist and just be herself without any pretenses. And through this time, she felt she was growing as a person.
"Do you feel like you're getting a bit better?"
Slurp.
Kim Woo-jin asked the question while pretending it didn't mean much. Choi Jin-ah stared at him for a moment before nodding.
"Yes, a little."
Slurp.
"I see. Sigh, just try not to cause trouble for others. People are going to think you're a ghost."
"Ah, it's just that I can't eat proper meals. I get so hungry once dawn hits."
"But how does secretly living like a parasite in a dorm and eating late-night snacks help you resist your father?"
Slurp.
He really knew how to poke where it hurt. However, Choi Jin-ah was quite confident on this front.
"It's the sense of immorality. Do you think a cattle thief starts out stealing cows? You start by stealing needles, and eventually, you're stealing the whole cow."
"..."
"I'm starting like this. Step by step. I won't be the Choi Jin-ah who only listens to and obeys her parents... I'll be the Choi Jin-ah who lives by her own will."
"Hmm."
"If you don't believe me, why don't you join me for late-night snacks, Woo-jin? Doing this makes me feel like a really bad person. Should we start a late-night snack fam?"
"Why are you so serious about late-night snacks?"
"Because it's the only time of day I look forward to..."
Slurp!
She avoided his gaze by drinking the broth. Kim Woo-jin stared at her for a moment before giving a small nod.
"I see. You really seem to enjoy this time."
"Do you understand now?"
"I can see it."
Could he see how much more relaxed she looked? To Choi Jin-ah, who was smiling awkwardly and shyly, he added:
"Jin-ah, you've gained weight."
"..."
Kim Woo-jin had just dragged out the truth that Choi Jin-ah had been trying her best to ignore.
*
"Give Woo-jin a position."
Uju Group Headquarters, Chairman's Office.
Vice Chairman Kim Jae-un had dropped everything and rushed over at the Chairman's summons, but the words that came out of the Chairman's mouth were not particularly pleasant to his ears.
"You mean... Woo-jin?"
Jae-un glanced at Chief Secretary Jeong Tae-yoon, the Chairman's right-hand man. Seeing that Chief Jeong didn't look surprised, it meant the discussion was already over.
"Yes. Somewhere he can produce results."
"Results..."
Jae-un knew exactly what this meant. It meant the Chairman was now seriously considering the succession.
But why? Why so suddenly? Why accelerate the preparations that had been proceeding so methodically? He couldn't help but voice his doubt.
"Woo-jin is still a college student."
"Do you have any idea how much that 'college student' has raised Uju Group's stock price?"
"But that was—"
"You've got it backward, you fool."
Chairman Kim clicked his tongue. Frustration with his eldest son was etched around his eyes.
"It's not that he can't do it because he's a student; it's that he achieved this much despite being a student. So, conversely, what if he's planted right here?"
His expression showed he was anticipating what Woo-jin might achieve. It was an expectation Jae-un had never received in his entire life.
"It's instinct. Pure instinct. He moves by instinct when it comes to taking profit. He's selfish and greedy."
"..."
"Put him where the stage is already set. Put him somewhere he is guaranteed to produce results."
"May I ask... why?"
The Chairman's words sounded as if he were going to force a situation where Woo-jin had to succeed. At the cautious question, the Chairman let out a long sigh.
"I want to see. I want to see how he moves forward. Whether he's someone who knows how to inflate his size, or someone who can make something grow from nothing."
"...Understood."
Jae-un gave a short reply. As he bowed and prepared to leave, the Chairman took off his glasses and called out to him.
"Sigh... Jae-un."
"Yes, Father."
It was the first time he had been called "Jae-un" at the office.
"This is a chance for you as well."
"Pardon?"
"I will judge Woo-jin based on this assignment. If he produces results beyond expectations again... there will be no place for you in this company."
The warning weighed down on him.
"On the other hand," Chairman Kim continued calmly, "you are also the one who can make sure Woo-jin fails to produce results."
He had left the decision of where to send Woo-jin entirely to Kim Jae-un.
"Show me."
That you are my son.
Be greedy. Be selfish.
Make sure your youngest brother can't get a foothold.
Do whatever it takes to protect the seat you're sitting in.
At the Chairman's words, telling him to exercise his selfishness even if it was ugly, Kim Jae-un stood still for a moment. Then, he bowed his head and walked out.