I'll Protect My Man! (Part 1)

A gentle piano melody echoed alongside Saebyeok's humming. His soft voice followed, creating a clean yet captivating, pleasant intro.

'Hmm, it's not the trendy style these days. A pop ballad?'

Her index finger, which had been tapping a steady rhythm, unconsciously synced with the music.

'He's definitely got a character that could work, but... wait?'

With a drum fill-in, the tempo suddenly accelerated, and the addictive rhythm of the bass that had crept in signaled a shift.

Seunga had to completely revise the evaluation she had just made of him.

The song, its atmosphere completely transformed, felt like a memorial to someone. A minor guitar riff, contrasting with the bright drumbeat and bass, blended in a strange harmony.

Saebyeok's voice riding over it was entirely different from the softness of a moment ago.

'To ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠growl like this... what on earth is this genre?'

Seunga, goosebumps breaking out over her skin at Saebyeok's voice, leaped up from her seat as if she had realized something.

"Ah! It wasn't a love song, it was a requiem. Hybrid rock? Oops!"

She quickly covered her mouth, but Seola's eyes were already saying, 'You lost, didn't you?'

"C-Cough. I'll listen to it one more time before making a judgment."

"Heh, I'll let you hear the other songs too. Take your time and enjoy."

"There are more songs of this quality?"

Seola arrogantly crossed her legs and smirked.

"Saebyeok said this one is the most unfinished of the unfinished. In other words, I just played you the least complete song."

"...Arrogance is poison in business."

"I'd prefer you tell me if humility is needed after listening to the other songs."

Subsequently exposed to completely different genres, Seunga pathetically cried out, "One more song!" again, and by the third song, her legs began to tremble.

"Secretary Kim, we have an appointment scheduled today, right?"

Yeonju quickly winked at Seunga, but Seunga was in too much of a hurry.

"What appointment...?"

She didn't even notice that Seola's voice had dropped.

"Ah, General Secretary Kim Jehak today. Youngest, you must have seen him when you were little too. Oops!"

"Yeonju-eonni? I saw you winking."

"C-Cough... well, you see."

"Just the point."

Hearing the confession of her two older sisters, Seola leaped up from her seat and shouted.

"Wow... seriously! What would have happened if I hadn't come today? What on earth are you two doing behind my back?!"

"...Do you want to come along?"

"Why are you asking something so obvious!"

Yeonju glared at Seunga with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠resentful eyes, and Seunga sank in defeat once again.

At that time, Saebyeok was still working.

Having come up with a reasonably satisfying bassline, he was now about to program the MIDI.

"I need to find a studio..."

Actually, he had been worrying about this for a while.

While home recording was sufficient for the MIDI parts during songwriting, the live instruments and vocals left much to be desired.

He judged that while it might pass for streaming or YouTube, it was not good enough to put on a digital album.

"Let's search on the green portal."

Most of the reviews were poor, but he managed to find one decent place among them.

"The phone number is... Oh. I almost jumped the gun again."

He had learned a painful lesson through his conversation with Seola yesterday.

A manager not knowing their artist's schedule was crossing the line, even in his eyes.

Reflecting on the past days when there was a lack of mutual respect and consideration, he pressed and held speed dial number 0.

"Ah, is it okay to talk?"

Something like squealing could be heard in the background. Was she outside?

Since she had her own private life, he ignored it and got straight to the point.

"I'm thinking of going to a studio to record, and I thought I should let you know beforehand. As you know, once I start recording, my phone..."

"No, it's not urgent, but it's best to do it when the inspiration hits, right?"

"Oh... do you know a place?"

"Whoa... the authority!"

"Sure. I'll just work on some more MIDI. See ya!"

Saebyeok hung up the phone, feeling pleased.

What would have happened if he hadn't called!

After giving himself a brief mental pat on the back, he immersed himself in his work once again.

[Evening. A private room in a luxurious establishment.]

"I apologize for requesting a meeting so suddenly. I am Choi Seunga."

"It has been a long time. I am Kim Jehak."

"We met when I was young, right? I'm Choi Seola."

A brief glint of interest flashed in Kim Jehak's eyes.

"Ah, I remember. The little lady from back then has already grown ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up to be so beautiful."

"Hehehe... thank you. You look wonderful too, Secretary Kim!"

"Hahaha! That is too much praise for an old man like me!"

Choi Seunga felt uncomfortable watching the two of them.

What was this? Why did it feel like a formal pre-wedding meeting between families?

Why did it have the distinct vibe of a conversation between a father-in-law and a daughter-in-law?

"C-Cough. The reason I asked to meet today is..."

Kim Jehak's expression, which had been smiling warmly like a father-in-law, changed in an instant. His face became so cold that it seemed not a single drop of blood would spill even if pricked.

"Yes. You investigated our young master."

"There was a reason for... Ugh!"

Before Choi Seunga could spout nonsense, Seola stomped on her sister's foot. Then, she stood up gracefully and bowed ninety degrees.

"I am sorry. My sister was overly protective. It was all done out of concern for me, so please forgive us generously."

Kim Jehak spoke firmly.

"I am not the one who should receive an apology."

"O-Of course! I plan to tell Saebyeok the truth as well!"

"Youngest! You don't need to apologize like this. No matter whose child he is, we of AQ don't bow down to—"

"Eonni!!!!!!!!!"

At Seola's thunderous shout, the room instantly fell into silence.

"Seriously, why are you being like this?! Why?!"

Kim Jehak watched the sisters' bickering with a strange look in his eyes.

"That's because I was worried about you..."

"That's not concern. It's suffocating me."

At Seola's growling tone, Seunga's eyes widened.

It had been a very long time since she had seen her sister this angry, so she was left utterly speechless.

For someone with the typical mindset of a person born into a chaebol family who had always ruled over others, it might have seemed like a natural measure.

To her, who still showed no signs of self-reflection, Kim Jehak delivered a sharp blow.

"Hahaha... It seems AQ looks down on Moonwol quite a bit."

Seola felt like she was going crazy. Why was Secretary Kim Jehak acting like this too?

She felt so wronged and frustrated that tears threatened to burst out.

"...But isn't he treated as an illegitimate child over there anyway?"

Watching Seunga cross a line from which she could never return, Seola's legs gave out, and she sank back into her seat.

"Oh... an illegitimate child. Digging ruthlessly into another family's affairs like this... it truly feels like I am looking at the former Executive Chairman of AQ."

*Grind*... "I believe the late Chairman of Moonwol was just as cold-blooded and tearless."

"My, my. I recall the late Chairman occasionally imparting good teachings, but what a pity."

Seola found it overwhelming just to follow their conversation.

'Is there something I don't know? I vaguely remember hearing that our late grandfathers were close. Do my sister and Secretary Kim have some bad history?'

Before her confused thoughts could settle, Kim Jehak burst into a hearty laugh.

"Hahahahat! You have grown. That stung quite a bit."

"...I am not the person I used to be. In any case, I apologize for conducting the background check beforehand."

Seola tilted her head, still not understanding, and Kim Jehak looked at her warmly.

"Are you two actually close? Or are you enemies?"

"C-Cough."

"You could say we have a sort of teacher-student relationship. Ah! How is Doa doing?"

"Huh? You know my oldest sister too?"

"So much time has passed already... Would it be alright if I shared a brief story from the past?"

"Pardon? Yes..."

Choi Seunga glared at Kim Jehak, biting her lip as if recalling an embarrassing past.

Shrugging it off, he smoothly continued the story.

"What?! So my oldest sister and second sister took lessons from Saebyeok's grandfather?"

"Hahaha... The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠two former chairmen were bosom friends. Thanks to that, there was quite a bit of interaction."

"Ah... I must have just been born around that time."

"Haha... Those were truly good times. Seunga over there used to lose to Doa in Baduk every day and cry her eyes out..."

"Mister!"

Seola watched their bickering for a moment and let out a sigh.

"But why on earth were you talking like you just met for the first time? Are you two playing a prank on me?"

"Hmph! Youngest, you don't know because you were too young. Do you know what that mister's nickname is? It's 'Monster.' A monster!"

"Uh-huh! Still bad-mannered, I see. Tsk. Since you've become a director, you should care a bit more about your social reputation."

"Urgh! If it weren't for grandfather's request, we wouldn't have interacted at all!"

"Indeed, now we are strictly business partners."

"...Excuse me, you two? Didn't you meet today because of Saebyeok?"

"Youngest, well said. Mister, you investigated too, didn't you? Your young master and our youngest met entirely on their own!"

"Haha... I was quite surprised at first too."

Seola looked at the gently smiling Kim Jehak with cold, unimpressed eyes.

"...Is it always like this? Investigating each other behind the scenes and wearing masks in front of each other?"

"I must apologize to Miss Seola. Our young master has suffered so much pain..."

Choi Seunga slammed her hand on the table in anger.

"Why was he treated like an illegitimate child when you were right there? As his legal guardian, was that the best you could do? Honestly, that family is as cold and heartless as ever."

Seola felt choked up by the soap-opera-like development.

She had heard the gist of it on the way here—that Saebyeok was a child of the Moonwol family.

On top of that, his parents were both deceased, and he had essentially been treated as an unprotected illegitimate child.

On the other hand, she felt relieved that they wouldn't have to get tangled up in the suffocating web of arranged marriages between chaebol families.

So, as long as the two of them loved each other, wasn't that enough?

Kim Jehak spoke with difficulty, his expression slightly strained.

"...At that time, it was the best choice. If I had gotten closer to him than necessary, the young master might have been in danger."

"...Sigh. And because of that mess, the group ended up fractured. Aren't you ashamed before the late Chairman?"

"I am merely a steward of the Moonwol family. I am not the master."

Choi Seunga revealed her true thoughts with a complex expression.

"As you can see, those two are quite serious, Mister."

Kim Jehak also nodded slightly in agreement.

"It seems so..."

Kim Jehak gave a bitter smile to the confused Seola.

"Our conversation is a bit confusing, isn't it, Miss Seola?"

Seola could only nod. Choi Seunga chimed in again, furrowing her fine eyebrows.

"This has nothing to do with these kids. We know very well that he only has his name on the family registry over there, and they are worse than strangers."

"Hmm... Seunga. You know very well how troublesome jackals can be."

"Ha... didn't you say you're just a steward? Your evaluation of the late Chairman's children is quite harsh."

"My loyalty was directed solely to him. And it will remain so in the future."

"...Just come to AQ instead, Mister. Why stay there and be treated like that?"

"Indeed, I am getting a bit tired myself. Now that the youngest young master has grown up, perhaps retiring wouldn't be a bad idea."

"Just make me one promise."

"What would that be?"

"...Promise not to help the Moonwol family even if they start causing trouble."

"They are too busy fighting over their own rice bowls to do anything. I have seen Miss Seola's sincerity today, so that is enough for me."

"Good, then."

Seola nodded, then tilted her head again.

"Excuse me, you two? Why are you talking as if a decision has been made without even hearing Saebyeok's or my opinion?"

Both Kim Jehak and Choi Seunga looked at Seola with puzzled expressions.

"Didn't you call him 'honey'? Didn't you say you love him?"

"Didn't we meet to sort out the legal matters before you get married?"

Seola was left speechless once again.