Chuseok: Never Drop Your Guard
Complacency is off-limits. Humans are the kind of creatures who can always hide a knife in a corner of their heart. As the saying goes, you can know ten fathoms of water but not one fathom of a person's heart.
Just because they seem harmonious on the surface and treat me kindly doesn't mean I can blindly trust them.
Stay sharp. This is the Goryeo Group. A place straight-up branded as an evil corporation in the setting. You think the owner family running a company like that could really be harmonious? It might be hasty to assume it's impossible, but it's still hard to believe. I need to be careful.
What about those expensive gifts? Sure, someone like White Sis—no, Baekseol—gave me an AV to keep me from crawling around on foot. It's worth about 30 billion won, twice the price of my Songdo mansion. But the problem is, to a chaebol, that's not even pocket change. I'm grateful, but from her perspective, it's not some huge effort or financial hit. Trying to gauge her sincerity from that would be utterly ridiculous.
"Aigoo~. With the young master looking so dashing now, how thrilled must the Chairman be!"
"Haha. You bet he is!"
After finishing the meal and exchanging simple well-wishes, we headed down to the first floor. The side-branch relatives and assorted hangers-on, who had been chattering among themselves, swarmed over to greet us.
Damn, there are a ton of them. How many people is this...?
From what I'd heard, if you stick to the direct line, Grandpa only has a few kids, and including me, just four grandchildren. But the side branches? So many you couldn't memorize all their names. Grandpa officially recognized four wives, plus about eight women he had loose relationships with. Those twelve women bore a total of 21 children. And those 21 each married and had kids of their own—grandkids around my generation numbering over forty, nearly fifty. Some of those even married young and had kids already, adding about five more. So the direct line totals under ten, but throw in the side branches and their spouses, and you're pushing close to a hundred.
"Young master, it's been a while. You look much brighter, just as the rumors said."
"Uh... yeah. Good to see you."
One creepy thing: unless you're direct line, you can't call Grandpa "Dad" or "Grandpa." Everyone uniformly calls him "Chairman," and even to us direct descendants, they have to use formal titles like "young master," "young miss," or "Vice President"—super respectful stuff.
At this point, it's less family and more like treating them as servants, right? Even though they're side branch...
They're second-class here, but outside? Every one of them is a "young master" or "young miss" or "president" of the Goryeo Group. No one can look down on them; they're full-on ruling class. Yet even they get strictly ranked as subordinates inside these walls, stuck on the first floor. Grandpa's wives get somewhat better treatment, but can their hearts be at ease? Their own kids aren't even treated like family.
"Put this somewhere."
"Ah, uh, yes..."
The aunts' husbands got similar treatment. The aunts themselves seemed to view their husbands more like male servants than equals, and the daughters outright ignored them.
Whoa... is this for real? What kind of people are these?
These same people who were so friendly to me and chattering like high school girls among themselves upstairs completely wiped the smiles off their faces the moment they hit the first floor with the side branches. Like the world had flipped.
"Mu-yeol! Come here a sec."
As I marveled at their behavior, Grandpa called me over. He had his arm around my shoulder, drawing everyone's attention.
"Look at this!"
All eyes turned. The Goryeo Group's side branches, who dominated Asia, stared at me in unison.
"This here is my eldest grandson, Mu-yeol."
"..."
A heavy silence fell, and an inexplicable shiver ran through me.
"This is the grandson who blew away all your worries and doubts. He quit the drugs on his own, so what can't he do? If you've got something to say, spit it out."
Apparently, while the original Go Mu-yeol was drowning in drugs, there'd been all sorts of talk within the owner family. The side branches exchanged glances, peeked around nervously, then bowed their heads, mostly going along with Grandpa's words.
"Worry about your own kids. And quit the backtalk!"
He really let 'em have it—refreshing as hell. How much grief must the original Go Mu-yeol have caused for him to gather everyone and say this? Kinda makes you pity the guy.
"Alright, Mu-yeol. You got anything to say?"
"Pardon?"
Me?
"You're a grown man now. Gotta have some ambitions or whatever. My eldest grandson."
"..."
Ambitions? Not really...
Everyone's staring. The pressure's on.
Ah... I was hoping to stay low-key...
But the water's spilled. Can't just stand there like a total loser with my mouth shut.
"I'll make sure not to tarnish the Goryeo Group name. Please forget all about the old Go Mu-yeol."
I gave a plausible line and bowed slightly. A few clapped, and like a contagion, it spread instantly. Who claps for something this basic? But seeing Grandpa nod, it seemed like they were starting to reevaluate Go Mu-yeol.
Guess he wasn't just a loser—he was a total fucking retard.
Getting applause for a plain statement like that.
+++
By evening, the main events wrapped up. But that didn't mean the gathering was over. The direct line gathered again in the Sun Palace, chatting amiably—like a normal family, if not more so. Whenever work came up, they'd look out for each other; they'd empathize over frustrations or annoyances. Even after the booze kicked in, nothing changed. Faces flushed red from drinking, but no harsh words—just sweet, cozy conversation. They really seemed to love and cherish each other.
...For real?
Honestly, even seeing it with my own eyes, it was hard to believe. Do I have some pointless prejudice against chaebols? I couldn't just swallow it whole.
"Hey, what're you thinking so hard about?"
A thick slab of steak from Gominji's plate landed on mine—she'd sliced it off and tossed it over.
"Ah... thanks."
"Hah. Just order a fresh one. Why give him yours?"
Gohayan, sitting next to her, scoffed in disbelief, then suddenly kicked the shin of a guy standing by. He yelped and hopped away, clutching the spot.
"Why didn't you serve it sooner? Who's daydreaming now?"
"S-sorry!"
"Hey, quit harassing someone just standing there. I gave it to Mu-yeol right after he ate. It's fine, right?"
Gominji shot the man a worried look. He beamed with emotion, repeating "I-I'm fine!" before standing back up.
"Here, eat this and buck up. This bitch is just that twisted."
Gominji skewered the remaining steak and held it out.
"Ah, no, I'm f-fine—"
"Eat it."
"...Thank you."
As he bowed, mouth open like "ahh," clink. Gominji dropped the fork on the floor. The steak followed.
"Oops. Sorry."
"..."
"But tossing it would be such a waste. Quick lick should be fine, right?"
"..."
She looked up with a manic grin, and he crouched in humiliated defeat.
"Who's calling who twisted? You're the biggest psycho bitch here."
Gominji cackled as the man picked up the steak like a dog and ate it. Yeah, she definitely lived up to the rumors of being a psycho demon.
Losing interest fast, Gominji made a sudden pitch.
"Now that Mu-yeol's joined, how about we all hang out sometime?"
"Us all?"
"Yeah. The young, hot ones partying hard. My villa sound good?"
Gohayan sighed.
"Ugh, pass."
"Ungrateful bitch."
"Me too."
"Why?"
"Too much hassle."
"Hah."
Gohayan and Goseonyul passed in a flash, and Gominji's eyes turned to me.
"Then just Mu-yeol. Cool?"
"...Me too, kinda."
There's gotta be a reason they're all noping out. Feels sketchy.
"Fuck, you guys!"
"Gominji."
Then the adults showed up.
"Get up. Time to go."
"Already?"
"Already? Sun's setting. You've got stuff tomorrow."
"Ugh... hate it."
Gominji whined but flinched at her mom's glare and started gathering her things. Gominyoung's eyes landed on me.
"Nephew."
"Yes?"
"I'll call when your custom gear's ready. Come to Militaris HQ."
"Uh..."
Gominji said she'd deliver...
"...Got it. See you then."
"Good."
Didn't wanna say that to the aunt who could silence that psycho with a look, so I just agreed.
Might as well check it out while I'm at it.
Militaris—one of the pillars propping up the Goryeo Group. The media barely scratches the surface, so yeah, I wanted to see it sometime.
Setting said it's a massive underground city... for real?