Chapter 609: Villa
Chapter 609: Villa
Since it was quite a distance from the large mart to my father’s villa, traveling back and forth took a bit of time.
It took even longer because there were so many of us.
Even though we moved with the sole purpose of having a barbecue that evening, the shopping itself had eaten up a significant chunk of the day.
“Ugh, it’s sweltering.”
“Just stepping outside is a chore in this heat.”
“I’m just glad the kids stayed quiet and didn’t cry.”
We all climbed out of the cars.
I went straight to the trunk to unload the supplies we’d packed at the mart.
“Mother, we’ll handle the luggage.”
“Please just look after the kids.”
“Shall I?”
My mother, who had gone to the mart with us, immediately took charge of the children at Choi I-seo and Yoo Ah-rin’s suggestion.
She loved being with her grandchildren, so the girls were intentionally being considerate of her.
“Oh, Woo-jin.”
Choi Jin-ah tugged at my sleeve while I was unloading the bags.
“What is it? Don’t tell me this is about me taking out the Cheese Spam earlier. I took it out because there’s no point in grilling Spam over charcoal.”
“It’s not—wait, what?! You took out the Cheese Spam?! I bought that to eat for breakfast tomorrow morning!”
“Who eats Cheese Spam first thing in the morning—?”
“No, no! That’s not the point! We’ll talk about the Cheese Spam later. Very deeply.”
“...I really don’t want to have a ‘deep conversation’ over a can of Cheese Spam.”
Just because we were elementary school classmates didn’t mean our topics of conversation had to stay at an elementary level.
Ignoring my remark, Choi Jin-ah pointed toward one side of the parking area.
There, sitting boldly in a spot, was a red sports car I knew all too well.
“What about it? That’s Yun-ji’s car.”
It was Oh Yun-ji’s car—the one that still brought back vivid memories of her once suggesting we have car sex.
For the record, we actually did enjoy some car sex later on.
Secretly, away from the others...
Frustrated that I hadn’t grasped the gravity of the situation, Choi Jin-ah kept tugging at me.
“Exactly! It’s Yun-ji’s car! It means Yun-ji got here first!”
“So? We told her to come. What’s the prob—”
I cut myself off as the realization suddenly dawned on me.
The fact that Yun-ji was here wasn’t the issue; the issue was who she was here with.
“K-Kim... Chairman Kim and Yun-ji don’t exactly get along.”
“R-right.”
Had they gotten into an argument?
Or had their already chilly relationship turned into a total deep freeze?
Worried, I dropped the luggage and ran straight inside.
“Woo-jin?! You’re just going to leave this here?!”
“Huh? W-wait?! Where are you going?”
“Is this bastard seriously ditching us because he doesn’t want to carry one bag?”
I heard various shouts directed at my back, but I figured Choi Jin-ah would make excuses for me.
That wasn’t what mattered right now.
I was worried that another crack was forming in our peaceful daily life, but the scene that greeted me was something I hadn't expected in the slightest.
They weren't in the house, but in the vegetable garden.
The two of them were crouching down, dressed in remarkably similar outfits, sharing a conversation.
“Father, this soil is quite unique, isn't it?”
“It is expensive soil.”
“You even use expensive stuff for dirt? I guess the Chairman class really is something else.”
“...Class?”
“Ah, I mean you spend as much as you have. You know, there are levels to these things?”
“…….”
The moment I saw the two of them chatting more amiably than I ever could have imagined, I found myself just staring blankly.
Perhaps because they both had sharp instincts, they quickly noticed me watching them.
“Oh, you’re here?”
Oh Yun-ji stood up and wiped her sweat.
“Go help your father. He’s growing a ton of stuff all by himself.”
“Forget it.”
Father stood up, brushing the dirt off his clothes, sounding like he expected nothing from me.
“Whenever I entrust this boy with something, it usually ends with a bizarre result.”
The retort that he was the one who tried to entrust Uju Group to me climbed up to the tip of my tongue, but I held it back.
Seeing the good atmosphere between the two of them brought an involuntary smile to my face.
Whack!
Suddenly, an impact hit the back of my head, forcing my face forward.
“Hey! Where do you think you’re going?!”
“…….”
Yoo Ah-rin, who had chased after me, glared at me huffily. Then, noticing my father standing there, she spoke up awkwardly.
“U-um, he just ran away without moving the luggage. I... I don’t usually hit him this often, you know?”
“...Excuse me?”
When I looked at Yoo Ah-rin with an incredulous expression, she gave me a look while maintaining a forced smile.
I could practically hear her whispering ‘Shut up’ in my ear, so I promptly shut up.
Seeing this, Father turned around and spoke.
“Hit him more often.”
“…….”
“…….”
For the record, my father is not a man who tells tall tales or makes jokes.
* * *
“...Lately, it feels like I’m the one grilling the meat no matter where we go.”
Being in the countryside, the sun set quickly, and darkness draped over the villa.
We were having a barbecue in the front garden, and naturally—as if it were a law of nature—I was the one manning the grill.
When I thought back to when this started...
I suspected it began back in our freshman year festival, when I started grilling spicy stir-fried pork over charcoal.
That brings back memories.
Back then, Yoo Ah-rin and I were running around like crazy trying to find out who had sniped Anonymous 69.
Come to think of it, I wondered what Anonymous 90—Lee Eun-woo—was up to.
Was she still rotting away as a grad student?
Or had she graduated?
Oh, right. Now that I think about it, I need to decide who to hand the Bamboo Forest over to.
I had planned to decide before summer vacation, but it slipped my mind because of the reserve forces training in the middle.
Who should I give it to?
Should I just dump it on some random junior and make a run for it?
Thinking back, I’m pretty sure that’s how I ended up with it.
“Kyahahaha!”
“Pa-pa!”
“…….”
While I was busy grilling, the sound of our children’s laughter reached my ears.
Father was holding the kids, watching them with a stoic expression, and the kids were acting all cute, clearly fond of their grandfather.
Looking at him like that, he really does just look like a normal grandpa.
I chuckled to myself, then a thought occurred to me.
Father spent years agonizing over the successor issue. Maybe I should ask him?
I wondered if I should ask his advice on who to give the Bamboo Forest to.
...Never mind.
I quickly shook my head and popped a piece of grilled meat into my mouth.
When I thought about it, Father had agonized and agonized only to try and give the company to me.
He might be a great businessman, but his ability to pick a successor seemed pretty bottom-tier.
Just then, Choi I-seo approached.
“Woo-jin, go over and eat something.”
“...It feels like every time I’m grilling meat, you’re the one who comes to fetch me.”
“Is that so?”
Choi I-seo shrugged, saying she’d never really thought about it. Even so, she pointed toward one side of the table, revealing the reason she’d come to get me.
Seo Ye-rin and Yoo Ah-rin were deep in conversation with my mother.
“I think you need to go over there and stop them.”
“…….”
It was a combination that clearly shouldn't be left alone. I thanked her, pulled off my gloves, and approached them.
Even before I reached them, the dialogue I overheard was already disastrous.
“When our Woo-jin was little, his little guy was only about this big. You have no idea how cute it was.”
“Ooh. But now, Woo-jin’s dick is this—”
“Hey.”
I immediately stepped up behind Seo Ye-rin and clamped my hand over her mouth.
What on earth was she discussing with her mother-in-law?
“Oh, Woo-jin, you’re here?”
“Mmph-mmph-mmph!”
Seo Ye-rin greeted me even with her mouth muffled.
Yoo Ah-rin gestured with her chin for me to take a seat.
“What kind of conversation leads to that topic?”
When I asked in disbelief, they all just smirked without giving me a straight answer.
That made me even more uneasy, but I tried my best to ignore it.
“Have you been doing well lately? I’m just worried you might be too hard on the girls. You can be a real piece of work sometimes, can’t you?”
“A piece of work? That’s a bit much...”
“He’s definitely a beast in bed, though!”
“He’s always the same when it comes to that.”
Seo Ye-rin and Yoo Ah-rin laughed and answered on my behalf. I was dumbfounded, but my mother, on the contrary, laughed with satisfaction at their response.
“I’m glad to hear you’re getting along. I was a bit taken aback when I suddenly gained six daughters-in-law, but seeing you all together like this, it’s nice to see you so happy.”
It seemed she had been worried in her own way.
Well, it would have been stranger if she wasn't worried.
“It’s because the head of the household is holding down the fort so reliably.”
I puffed out my chest and shrugged, but there was no reaction.
“...?”
I had expected the girls on either side of me to tease me or make a joke.
“Woo-jin is the best!”
“Well, he is doing a good job.”
Their smiling responses actually made me go quiet.
Maybe it was because they’d had a bit to drink, but seeing them speak so honestly was adorable.
If we were at home today, I would’ve gone for it immediately.
Actually, we did it yesterday too, so it wasn't like I had to do it today, but still.
I felt like getting fired up over these small things was the secret to maintaining a healthy married life.
Noticing my expression, my mother asked with a sly grin.
“I have some raspberry wine. Want some?”
“...Pack some for me when we leave tomorrow.”
“Kyah! Woo-jin!”
Seo Ye-rin cheered, playfully slapping my shoulder.
As I took the light hits, another forgotten task popped into my head.
“Oh, right. Mother, we’re going to take some wedding photos for the girls—”
“That’s a great idea. You should have wedding photos in the house. Should I introduce you to a photographer?”
“No, I’ve already secured a guy named Myung Je-il who’s really good at that stuff.”
The main issue was that I didn't know when that jerk would actually be available, but regardless.
“And?”
When she asked what else I needed, I spoke up sheepishly.
“Could you give me some money...? It’s more expensive than I thought.”
“…….”
“I have money, Woo-jin!”
“Hey, I can pay for that much myself.”
The girls chattered on both sides of me, but I pretended not to hear them.
The head of the household should at least do this much, shouldn't he?
Even if... it was his parents’ money.
A true head of the household has to be shameless for the sake of his family sometimes.