Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Yoo Seon-jun (1)
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During the height of Japan's bubble economy, I traveled around Europe, savoring my freedom to the fullest.
As a bonus, I recruited some reliable locals along the way. Past-life memories really come in handy at times like these.
Being able to identify trustworthy and useful people in advance was an enormous advantage.
If I said something like that, my disloyal subordinate Lee Si-hyeon would always shoot me a suspicious look from the side, questioning if this was really a vacation. And yes, it was.
I told you before—I love having fun. I adore games, and I get a kick out of teasing people.
I wasn't a huge fan of travel itself..., but in this life, my looks made it worthwhile, letting me experience novel thrills.
Things like getting hit on by strangers or dressing up pretty for photos. Revealing my age would instantly turn me into trash in their eyes—it was hilarious.
Thinking back on it made me chuckle softly.
"What're you thinking about so intently?"
A middle-school girl with a sulky expression asked me. It was Yoo Seon-ah, who had just entered third year.
It had been ages since I'd seen my cousins outside, and they'd all grown up beyond recognition.
...Not that I had room to talk.
"Oh, nothing much. Just reminiscing about my last trip."
"Tch. Must be nice, super jealous. I can't even play because of all this studying."
Even during summer break, she was frustrated over not being able to relax due to schoolwork.
"Oh? Does that mean your parents aren't nagging you to study?"
"...N-no, that's not what I—"
"Kidding, sis. It's just that I'm so smart, I can get by with a little studying."
"Look at you, Miss Genius."
With that, Yoo Seon-ah pulled me into a hug with both arms and rubbed her cheek against mine.
"Ha... This little squirt's gotten so big. I only missed seeing you once last winter, and look at the difference."
I wriggled in her embrace and tilted my head up to gaze at her face.
"...Aren't our height difference pretty small now, sis?"
These days, I was finally getting used to living as a girl, so calling her "sis" came naturally.
"You've got an answer for everything. You used to be so doll-like and adorable back then."
Hearing that, I puffed out my cheeks a bit and poked one with my index finger.
"Boop, still pretty?"
"..."
"What? Am I not cute anymore?"
This life's greatest pride was my radiant beauty. It stung if she denied it.
"...You are, but... something's off. Ugh, Ha-yeon's turned into a total vixen. Where'd that fidgety little kid go?"
"Hmph, says you."
"Oh yeah, Ha-yeon—do you have a boyfriend? You're at that age now..."
-Cough cough.
'Ouch, bit my tongue.'
"No way. Nothing like what you're imagining."
I shook my head firmly, dead serious.
A cool-headed beauty like me, blushing and moaning under some guy? Absolutely not.
"It's fine, really. You know our family vibe is pretty free-spirited, right? No one's kicking you out, so have your fun before marriage."
This girl, seriously.
"Sounds like you've been swapping boyfriends left and right, sis."
I asked sharply, and Yoo Seon-ah stammered, flustered.
"N-no... I mean, not really... Uh, y-yeah! Sure."
"Sis still a virgin?"
"Wh-what kinda question is th-that...?"
Her face flushed beet red.
Of course. Even as a chaebol third-gen, she was still a middle schooler. Not some Future Group punk—Yoo Seon-ah was the straight-laced good-girl type, no way she'd stray like that.
"You know our family vibe is free-spirited, right? No one's kicking you out, so have your fun before marriage. Just use protection, always."
I grinned mischievously, patted her shoulder, and left the room. She stayed frozen like a red-faced statue until I was gone.
Outside, Yoo Seon-jun waved cheerfully at me, grinning broadly. He held a half-empty bottle of booze in his other hand.
"Hey, Ha-yeon! Long time no see. Hope the summer travels were fun? Sorry for dragging you out when you're probably beat."
He was the one who'd gathered all the cousins at this resort under the guise of family bonding. No clue what he was thinking, but as the eldest in the house, it was awkward to refuse.
"Yeah, it was decent fun. Oh, this place is nice too. Feels great relaxing at the pension."
I flopped onto the sofa and fiddled with the remote. Tom and Jerry happened to be on.
'Loved this back in the day too, but I had no idea it was this old.'
A quick check showed it debuted in 1940. Older than even Uncle Yoo Jin-seok... I was shocked when I first learned that.
MGM's signature roaring lion appeared on screen, followed by the gentle flow of slapstick comedy.
Yoo Seon-jun sat beside me and chuckled lightly, amused.
"Didn't peg you for a fan of this stuff. Unique taste."
I shrugged.
"Why not? I love games, cartoons, anime... That's why I bought a few companies. Oppa, know what that lion is?"
"Hmm... That lion that always shows up in cartoons, the one I don't recognize?"
"It's Leo. Originally MGM's logo, but the version they've used since '57 was filmed by Alfred Hitchcock. The suspense master behind Vertigo..."
MGM would try acquiring us later too. Their finances were in rough shape lately.
Of course, it'd be toxic, so it'd just be an attempt. They had their share of scandals...
Lost in those thoughts, I impassively watched the mouse and cat's antics. With Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody as backdrop, it was one of my favorites.
"Learned that from Dad?"
Straight to the point.
No wonder he wasn't popular with girls, looking like that.
"Yeah. Thought you'd assume I hated movies because of him."
Dad loved it so much, I figured sharing the hobby might make him listen to me a bit.
...All wishful thinking, of course.
"Kids usually hate what adults force on them, right? Haha, like how I hate studying."
I let out a hollow laugh.
You're an adult now too.
"Ha, say that and the other cousins will hate you. A Seoul U grad, really...?"
"That's why I only say it around you. Everyone knows you're the smart one."
"Fair enough. Anyway, I don't hate movies. Soft power's pretty amazing. Unmatched for manipulating hearts, just like Dad... Hm."
-Click.
Seeing Jerry in a tuxedo bowing 90 degrees to the audience, I turned off the TV.
Hard to control my facial muscles.
'Trying to stay serious, but holding back laughter's tough.'
Weird. It was supposed to be a super serious, important scene...
I shook my head to banish the Tom and Jerry greeting GIF from my mind and stared quietly at Yoo Seon-jun.
"Oppa, so why'd you call us all here? Sure, 'let's hang out,' but honestly, you know this isn't fun, and it doesn't bring us closer..."
Yoo Seon-jun sipped his red wine from the glass, smiling enigmatically.
"Haha, isn't it fun though? No tag-along friends, just family."
For some reason, he'd come to the pension without his aides or bodyguards. Told us to do the same.
Said sometimes it's nice to have just family. No need to inherit that from Grandpa Yoo Seong-pil...
"Eh, I'm fine with it. But what about you, oppa? Can't bring girls and party like usual here."
"Just... you know. Let's try getting along as family. Even if we can't be super close like you said..., I just don't want us drawing swords on each other. It's Grandpa's wish—shouldn't we honor it?"
"For real?"
"..."
Now I was genuinely curious.
What was this guy thinking?
I glanced out the pension window. Quiet and empty, no one around. Uncle Yoo Jin-ha's kids, Yoo Ji-won and Yoo Ho-jun, had grumbled off to buy ice cream...
Yoo Jin-ha was a bigger threat to me than Yoo Jin-seok anyway..., so maybe it was fine to spill this much.
And above all, my curiosity won out, so I spoke.
"Oppa, we're alone, so I'll tell you. I know about your friend... the one cozying up to Uncle Jin-ha."
I tilted my head. Yoo Seon-jun's voice came out hoarse.
"You mean Sun-pyo."
"Yeah, Lee Sun-pyo. That guy. Friend and close aide, right?"
Thanks to past-life memories. When Yoo Seon-jun got busted for drugs, it was his aide Lee Sun-pyo who snitched.
Soon after, Yoo Jin-seok got arrested too, and Yoo Jin-ha took the chairman seat... Obvious.
"I know. Still surprising though. Ha, how bad an actor are you if Sun-pyo gets exposed even to you."
"...You knew?"
Yoo Seon-jun chugged the rest of his booze straight from the bottle.
"Yeah, that's why I said it."
Let's get along as family—at least us...