Han Jihyun's Blackmail

I was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠thrown completely off balance.

Why was she here?

No—how had she even found this place?

"How did you know about this place, Ms. Han Jihyun…"

"We had an appointment to meet today."

"…What?"

I'd made plans to meet Han Jihyun today?

Don't tell me…

"The housekeeper??"

"Yes."

You've got to be kidding me.

This made no sense whatsoever. If the person I'd been texting had been Han Jihyun, the name saved in my phone would have come up.

"What about the number?"

"I kept getting strange calls, so I changed it."

"…Hold on. Then my number should still be saved, right?"

"Yes."

"Then you should have said something!"

"Because if I told you, you would have said no."

"Of course I would! It would be awkward for both of us!"

"I'm not uncomfortable. And I need a place to stay in Seoul, and a job."

"Find another job. And you have the money I gave you—use that for a place. It might not be fancy, but you can find somewhere decent to live."

I was about to shut the door.

Then Han Jihyun suddenly bowed at the waist.

"Please. With my abilities, I can't find a job that pays better than this. And… there's nowhere else I can feel as safe as here…"

"Safe…? Ah…!"

"……"

She'd had Yoo Serin at nineteen. She was only thirty-seven now. And she was Yoo Serin's mother.

Han Jihyun had the kind of looks men couldn't help but want. Young, pretty, and desperate. To rich men, she'd look like a pretty, easy toy; to rich women, she'd be nothing but an eyesore.

She could look for other work, but that would be hard too. Because of that person who was my mother, her family had fallen on hard times—she'd never gone to college, never built any kind of career. All she could do was simple labor like the package sorting and restaurant work she'd done in Busan.

Compared to those jobs, the working conditions and pay of a live-in housekeeper would be heaven.

"Still, no. By family relation, Ms. Han Jihyun, you're my aunt. Do you think it makes any sense for an aunt to work as a housekeeper in her nephew's house?"

"That's exactly why I want to do it more."

"What??"

"For me and Serin… and for you too, Eunho… the only family we have left is… me and Serin…"

"……"

Family, huh…

That word didn't mean much anymore.

"It's too late to go looking for family. I'm not a little kid who needs one anymore."

"…Then I guess I have no choice."

Had she finally given up? Yeah—that was the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠right call.

"The transfer might be difficult."

"Yes. Instead, I'll find you a decent place… Wait—what??"

I blinked and stared at Han Jihyun. She said it again.

"I said Serin's transfer might be difficult."

"What do you mean…! Are you blackmailing me right now?! That's low!"

"Yes. I'm blackmailing you, and I can be pretty low."

"……"

"So instead of blackmail, let me ask as a favor. Please let me work here."

"Hah…"

She was using Yoo Serin as a blackmail card? That dirty?

If she was going to play it that way, I didn't have a choice either.

"Looking forward to working with you."

"Looking forward to working with you too."

Damn it…!!!

What the hell was this!!!!

It was incredibly awkward—but there were advantages, too.

The house felt cleaner than when Iseul had been here, somehow. And sorry to Iseul, but Han Jihyun was a better cook.

"Sniff sniff. Kimchi jjigae today?"

"Dinner's ready~"

"Yes!! Ah… ahem!! Yes. Coming out now."

I stepped out of my room with carefully casual indifference, as if I hadn't been looking forward to it at all. Then I sat at the table and immediately took a bite of the kimchi jjigae that was already making my mouth water.

"Wow…"

"Does it taste all right?"

"Ahem…! Yes. It's decent."

"I'm glad."

"……"

"Please eat."

Looking at Han Jihyun's smiling face, I set down my spoon. This was day two, and the third meal. And every single time I ate, Han Jihyun would smile and stare right at me—making me thoroughly uncomfortable.

"Are you going to keep staring at me like that?"

"Ah…! I'm sorry… I'll go do something else, so take your time eating."

"Hoo…"

Still, thanks to putting up with this awkwardness, the day Han Jihyun moved in as the live-in housekeeper, Yoo Serin transferred to Seoul with Minju. She was currently living in the dorm with Mei, going to school together and practicing hard—for my 132.7 billion won.

"Ah…! Eunho!"

When I turned toward the living room, Han Jihyun was fidgeting, her lips working as if she had something to say.

"Go ahead."

"Well… for Chuseok this year… would it be all right if I invited Serin…?"

"Where? Here??"

"Yes… Like I mentioned, I was planning to go on a trip with Serin for the holiday…"

"And?"

"Well…"

Just then, both Han Jihyun trailing off and me growing more uncomfortable turned toward the front door—because we heard the sound of someone pressing the door lock.

"Representative!!"

"Huh??"

"Iseul…?"

"Ah…"

All three of us froze in panic. Me, seeing Iseul—who should have been in the countryside—standing in my house. Han Jihyun, seeing her daughter's friend's older sister in my house. And Iseul, seeing her little brother's friend's mother—who was also my aunt—in my house.

Because I still hadn't told them. That the housekeeper was Han Jihyun, and that the owner of the room I'd absolutely forbidden anyone from opening was Iseul.

"R-Representative… what's going on…? Why is Serin's mother…"

"I told you. Someone who would really surprise you was coming."

"Ah…"

"How did you get here, Iseul…? And the password… Ah! That was your room, Iseul?? You said it wasn't back then!"

"Ah, no! I'm just the housekeeper…"

Iseul's words trailed off—because I'd already come up beside her and taken her hand.

"You were. Now we're like this. Of course, Iseul still isn't ready for it yet."

"Representative…"

"You can call me oppa."

"…Yes… oppa… And I wasn't lying… We're still not dating either…"

"What…?"

Suddenly work got pushed back. No—maybe I wouldn't go to work at all today. Because Iseul was here.

But why did I feel like I was being kicked out? This was clearly my house, right?

"You need to go to work!"

"I don't have to, you know??"

"I don't want to get in your way, oppa. So go to work. I'll be home until tomorrow anyway."

"Just let me stay with you…"

"Hurry!"

"D-Don't push!!"

Iseul kept shoving my back, and I was forcibly marched out the door to work.

Even if I went to the company, there was nothing to do. The only thing I'd accomplished after clocking in was registering my fingerprints so I could access the practice rooms on basement floors one and two.

And somehow she'd caught wind of that, and had been at it for a while now.

"Why is she being so scary…!!"

"……"

I shuddered and walked on at the sight of Shin Yena plastered against the glass door so hard her nose was practically flattened.

"What is it?"

"Hehe~"

"I'm not opening it, so go do your work."

"That's so mean! I just wanted to check if the guys are comfortable… if practice is going well… out of the goodness of my heart…"

"That's Art Music's job to manage—not something an Art Actors employee like you needs to worry about, Ms. Shin Yena."

"It's all the same Art Company!"

"What was Head of Department Park Eunmi's number again?"

"Ah, okay! I'll go work, fine!!"

I shook my head watching Shin Yena scurry away like she was fleeing, then closed the door to the U-I office.

"Representative."

"Jesus…! How long have you been standing there??"

"I've been following you since you left your room?"

"……"

Jeong Sora's somewhat creepy statement made me swallow dryly for no reason before I asked.

"Did you need something?"

"We received a call from CEO Kim Seon-ho of Alpha Partners."

"CEO Kim Seon-ho??"

CEO Kim Seon-ho of Alpha Partners. The investment firm CEO who'd tried to form a consortium to buy K-Sler. I'd told him to contact me if he wanted to merge back then—could it be about that?

"Hello, this is Yoo Eunho. I was told you left a message, so I'm calling back."

What's with him? Why does he sound so happy?

"Joint investment??"

Periosa?

That was one of the AI companies PB Choi Hyun-il had recommended too. And a solid venture capital firm like Alpha Partners was going in?

An unexpected windfall had just rolled right into my lap. Of course, I'd still need to look into it myself.

"Okay. And?"

Sixty billion??

Hah… I wanted to take back what I'd said last time about contacting me if he wanted to merge. This was full-on blanket-kick territory.

But more than that—Series B meant it was completely past the high-risk early investment stage, right? Good thing I'd kept studying. Otherwise I wouldn't have even known what I was hearing.

"Ah, as it happens, I've been looking for a place to invest about twenty billion."

"I'd appreciate that."

Already invested sixty billion, plus another fifteen billion made seventy-five billion. And Series B on top of that. Honestly, at this level, I could jump in without even hearing them out or looking into it. The success potential would have already been thoroughly vetted by a proper VC like Alpha Partners.

But I should still hear them out. I was the representative of an investment firm, after all—I at least needed to pretend to think about it.

Whew… finally clocking out.

Just thinking about being with Iseul again after so long already had me excited.

"Ah, right. I need to send Han Jihyun out first. Should I book her a hotel? Or will she figure it out herself?"

Even riding the elevator up, my excitement was written all over me. Same when I opened the front door and walked in.

But what the hell was this?

"Hiiing…. What do I do… Unnie and Serin both… they're so pitiful… sob.."

"You're pitiful too…"

"Then us pitiful people should…."

"Cheers?"

"Cheers~!"

"Cheers!"

"……"

What kind of drinking party was this.