Chapter 3
Chapter 3
"......."
"......."
The meeting with my fiancé was the worst.
Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, he was the same age as Ye Sa-ra. I'd been worried some crazy pedo bastard had gotten engaged to a middle schooler, but from what I heard in the car, it was a decision Sara's stepmother had made unilaterally, with no regard for her opinion.
The other party was the only son of Homyeong Group. His name was Yoon Da-ho.
And mercifully, I already knew that name.
He was one of the male leads from 'If You Wish,' the very game that streamer had been playing. On top of that, he'd been the focus of one of the two routes the streamer cleared. One of the male lead routes.
The streamer hadn't originally planned to pursue a male lead, but after picking the wrong choice options and failing to distribute stats properly, he got caught up in events and ended up on this character's route.
Yeah, in hindsight, Ye Sa-ra's desperation in the game was unusually intense. Maybe she thought of him as her fiancé. Whether she liked him or not, the moment her stepmother deemed her useless in her little doll play, she'd be tossed aside like an old shoe. Not that marrying him would've guaranteed a happy life, of course.
But as for why Ye Sa-ra appeared as a villainess in the other male lead routes; I don't really know either. I'm not sure there was even a chance for her to get involved in the first place, and since the streamer only cleared one guy route and one girl route before ditching the game, I ultimately never learned the finer details of the setting.
Neatly styled hair. A clean, refined outfit. But an arrogant, insolent attitude. Yoon Da-ho was almost exactly as he'd been depicted in the game.
Even though he was supposedly in front of his fiancée, he just sat there with his legs crossed, looking at nothing but his smartphone. He clearly had a lot of complaints about his fiancée. Well, they probably hadn't asked for his opinion either. He must have just been swept up in the adults' calculations, same as her.
That said, while he might have thought he was being cool by ignoring his fiancée, to someone like me who'd been through the military and had actual work experience, he just felt like a sulky little brat. His rude attitude, so far past puberty that he was teetering on the edge of being a try-hard poser, actually made things incredibly easy for me.
Because it meant there was no need to keep a conversation going.
I had no intention of getting along with this guy from the start, so naturally, I felt no need to keep talking. The only ones sweating bullets were Yang Hye-in, standing behind me, and that... butler? Secretary? Whatever he was, the older middle-aged man standing behind him.
I didn't use my smartphone. Handling your phone during a meal is terrible manners.
Yes, terrible manners.
Especially when you've got a 1++ grade Hanwoo (Korean beef) sirloin steak right in front of you. I couldn't just ignore the life of a cow that had been slaughtered for humanity's selfishness.
I moved my hands diligently, just enough not to embarrass myself in front of the other party, cutting the steak and bringing it to my mouth.
With every bite of that tender piece of meat, juices gushed out. The medium-rare steak seemed not to have lost any of its juices.
If you can't enjoy food like this when it's right in front of you, what's the point of being alive?
The one thing I actually appreciated after entering this body was that whatever I decided I wanted to eat, something delicious would be served to me.
Having a lot of money means you don't have to hold back on food. No matter what dish was made, it was prepared with the best ingredients by the most skilled chefs; there was no way it could ever taste bad.
The only disappointing part about eating was that Ye Sa-ra's stomach was far smaller than I'd expected. I'd had some idea, looking at her thin frame, but she was an incredibly picky eater. Since I'd entered Ye Sa-ra's body, the only time I'd managed to clean my plate was the porridge Yang Hye-in had fed me on that very first day. No matter how hard I tried, I always ended up leaving a little behind with every other meal. Actually, even that 'leaving a little' was only possible because a chef tailored the portion sizes to what I could eat. Whenever I came to a place like this restaurant, I ended up leaving much more than a little.
And so, unfortunately, there was no way I could finish this 1++ grade Hanwoo sirloin steak in front of me.
My diligent chewing gradually slowed. The tender steak pieces I'd been swallowing so easily now became hard to get down.
It seemed that was the end of today's meal, regrettably.
Yoon Da-ho had been sitting there saying nothing, just staring at his smartphone. Apparently, he took issue with the fact that I'd been focusing solely on the steak without paying him any attention.
"Wow, you eat like a pig..."
He was probably going to finish with something like 'shoveling it in,' but when he saw my plate, he shut his mouth.
Yeah, seeing that I couldn't even finish a third of a single serving of steak, even if he wanted to insult me, he couldn't call me a pig. Honestly, I only looked somewhat normal right now because I was wearing thick clothes. Underneath, my body was so thin that 'gaunt' wouldn't have been an odd thing to say.
Thin enough to completely understand why the police and the doctor at the hospital had suspected domestic abuse.
Had there been a psychological issue? Like anorexia... I think I'd heard somewhere that if you don't eat enough, your stomach shrinks. To get Ye Sa-ra's body back to a normal weight, it looked like I was going to have to really work at eating.
Having finished my meal, I quietly set down the knife and fork I'd been holding.
"Uh...."
I'd genuinely put them down because I was done, but Yoon Da-ho seemed to think I'd stopped eating because of what he'd said.
Yoon Da-ho.
Homyeong Group, owned by his family, was the second-ranked business conglomerate in the Republic of Korea. Of course, no such company existed in the world I'd lived in. If it did, the creators' warning about any similar names being 'purely coincidental' would be correct. At the very least, even if a company with the same name existed, it wouldn't have been the second-ranked conglomerate.
It was a complete rival to Yujin Group, where Ye Sa-ra's stepmother was the chairwoman, with heavily overlapping business areas. From semiconductors to railways, electric trains, batteries, smartphones, and home appliances; the two companies had been sworn enemies for decades.
So what was the reason these two companies' only heirs had gotten engaged?
The streamer's video hadn't gone into detail, but it was one of the routes he'd gone on, so I remembered the general story. I think at some point, there was talk that Yujin Group was scheming to swallow Homyeong Group whole.
If that was the case, weren't they just getting engaged because they were eyeing each other's assets?
To prevent monopolies in the market, the state usually blocks companies from trying to take over competitors. If one side swallowed the other, the competition would disappear entirely, and the market would be at the mercy of the company that became the monopolistic ruler.
So, one might think up a little trick to go after the other side's assets.
Inheriting property through marriage, or having a child who would inherit and unify both sides' wealth...
Of course, the chairpersons of both companies weren't fools. From my side, the issue would be that I was 'a woman.' Typically, children take their father's surname. If the child born between Ye Sa-ra and Yoon Da-ho ended up with the surname Yoon, it would look as if Yujin Group had been absorbed by Homyeong Group.
Conversely, Homyeong Group might be feeling the heat from Yujin Group being the number one ranked conglomerate in the Republic of Korea. They might plan to quickly settle the other's assets before Ye Sa-ra and Yoon Da-ho marry and have a child, or to use the other's attitude as grounds for a divorce suit to sway public opinion advantageously... Well, in that sense, Yoon Da-ho's rude way of speaking definitely wasn't doing them any favors.
...In the original story, Ye Sa-ra's personality had been so wrecked that a rough way of speaking wouldn't have been a big problem, though.
"......Done eating?"
In the original story, Yoon Da-ho was the type to openly say something almost like a curse, then later curl up in cringe and feel sorry about it. He'd had an unfortunate past despite all his money. Most of that personality was inherited straight from his human-garbage father, but he himself also had a kind side from his mother... or so the game's setting went.
But in the game, Yoon Da-ho's relationship with the female protagonist began with a line like 'A commoner is blocking my way.' Unlike the other two male leads, who had at least some redeeming qualities that made you want to like them, this guy was treated as a dud route you'd stumble into if you made a wrong choice.
Because he got tangled up with the female protagonist through the logic of 'A commoner... talked back to me?' and then through the cliché of 'You're the first person to treat me like this,' there were no minimum stat requirements for his choice options. And despite that, for about seventy percent of the story, he was an insufferable character, so while I don't know about female players, from a male player's perspective, he was a real bastard you just wanted to kill.
"I couldn't eat any more even if I wanted to."
That was my reply. I had no intention of getting on his good side anyway, and honestly, the very idea that I was supposed to marry a man was something I absolutely hated.
Whether the companies merged or not, I didn't care.
I could live wealthy without having to stay number one in the business world. I had no plans to be unhappy by marrying someone I disliked, and in my case, even trampling over my own sexual orientation to do so.
...If there'd at least been a way back, I might've just maintained the status quo, but given that I'd been in this body for a month already, it looked like I really would have to live in this world somehow until I saw the story's conclusion.
Still, I have no idea why I fell into this world.
I didn't curse the game, and I never left toxic comments on the creator's page.
...Don't tell me. Is it because I was too lazy to play the game myself and just tried to get by on streamer videos and wiki summaries?
While I was lost in that agonizing thought, Yoon Da-ho was studying me with an expression that looked as though he was only now really seeing me.
Despite being a character only in his mid-teens, Yoon Da-ho looked tall for his age, as is typical for characters in these kinds of stories. Though his face was young, which was a little unsettling.
"......."
"......."
Yang Hye-in was behind me, so I couldn't tell what expression she was wearing, but at least I had a clear view of the secretary standing behind Yoon Da-ho.
The secretary was sweating bullets.
Probably because Yoon Da-ho had insulted me out of the blue and my reaction to it was far from positive.
...I really had just stopped eating because I was full, though.
"......Since we're out for a meal, I'll have a bit more."
"Why don't you look at the plate in front of you before you talk?"
At my reply, Yoon Da-ho seemed to find himself at a loss for words again.
Which made sense, since I'd been eating the whole time while he'd just been staring at his smartphone.
It was Yoon Da-ho who'd broken proper dining etiquette first.
I'm not sure what kind of reactions Ye Sa-ra had shown him in the past to make Yoon Da-ho act like such an utter asshole, but it didn't matter to me since I had no memory of it anyway. Honestly, everything before January 1st felt like it wasn't my business. No, it wasn't just a feeling—it really wasn't my business. Until then, the owner of this body had been Ye Sa-ra, not me.
Leaving him unable to find a proper response, I stood up from my seat just like that.
"I'm done eating. I assume I may go home now?"
"Yes, Miss."
Yang Hye-in, who had been waiting behind me, moved instantly.
"......."
Yoon Da-ho just glared at me.
"Well then, enjoy your meal and head home safe."
With that reply, I walked out through the door Yang Hye-in held open for me.
*
"You stupid moron!"
Those were the words Yoon Da-ho heard the moment he got home.
His grandfather, who had now even stepped down from the chairmanship and hardly ever showed his face in the media, summoned Yoon Da-ho to his study the instant he returned.
And that was what he heard before he'd even fully stepped into the room.
It was a fairly common occurrence, so Yoon Da-ho strode quickly to stand before the former chairman.
Smack!
The second he straightened his posture, fire erupted on his right cheek. Though an old man, the former chairman maintained his health through strict diet and exercise even at his age, so his hand was beyond simply 'stinging.'
Yoon Da-ho's pale cheek gradually reddened.
"What kind of lunatic in this world calls his own fiancée a pig?!"
Yoon Da-ho slightly lifted his gaze. A few steps away from the former chairman stood the secretary who had accompanied him to today's meeting.
Maybe because the secretary felt the stare of the man who would one day be 'the next chairman,' his face turned white.
"Where are you rolling your eyes?!"
Smack!
Fire blazed on the opposite cheek as well.
The former chairman, having slapped his grandson's face with all his strength, paused to catch his breath for a moment.
"......I believe the opponent's strategy has changed."
Yoon Da-ho spoke honestly to his grandfather.
"Before, she was clearly pretending to be meek, but—"
"Da-ho."
Cutting off his grandson mid-sentence, the former chairman let out a deep sigh. Then, placing a hand on Yoon Da-ho's shoulder, he bent down slightly and stared into his eyes for a long while.
"Da-ho, Da-ho. Of course, the education you received is correct. There's no such thing as a pure, kind person in this industry. Everyone is calculating, looking at the other's face. The lessons you were taught are not wrong."
Yet even after saying that, he shook his head and continued.
"However, if you haven't seen all of your opponent's cards, deceiving them is just as important. You have studied the art of kingship, but your opponent is merely a young girl who has been neglected by her stepmother since childhood. So, controlling her emotions should be easy. I know she is not to your liking. But at least pretend she is. Creatures who grow up unloved naturally crave affection. Make that girl fall in love with you. That way, she'll show you her cards willingly. You can discard her after that."
"......."
Yoon Da-ho remained silent for a while, as if chewing over the words, then—
"......I understand."
He answered.
"First, I will personally call the chairwoman of Yujin Group and apologize for what happened today. That woman is cold-blooded enough to exile her own adopted daughter to a place far from the family home, but if she sets her mind to it, she's also the type to come out and say her 'daughter' was insulted. After all, she is an adopted daughter."
Of course, since their side was also eyeing Homyeong Group's assets, they wouldn't casually bring up breaking off the engagement. But regardless, it was also true that their side was at a disadvantage. In a situation where neither side was willing to back down, the one with more to lose by not bending was at a greater disadvantage.
In that sense, it was much safer for the former chairman to apologize personally and end the matter right there.
"......I'm sorry."
"Good. Knowing how to apologize is a fine habit. Though, of course, you shouldn't do it everywhere, to everyone. You may leave now."
Yoon Da-ho obeyed his grandfather's words.
As he left the study, he recalled the look on Ye Sa-ra's face today.
A starkly different look from the times before, when she'd thrown out all kinds of words trying to get close to him. The way she'd eaten with such confidence, then left first, as if he wasn't someone she could just get to by ignoring her.
...Was the meek act she'd shown before really just pretense?
Yoon Da-ho was still confused by it.
*
After returning home, I sprawled out on my bed and just lay limp for a while when suddenly, I heard someone knock twice on the door.
Before I could even answer, the door slid open, and there stood Yang Hye-in, respectfully holding a smartphone with both hands.
"Miss, a call from the Chairwoman has come in."
"......."
By 'Chairwoman,' she naturally meant Ye Sa-ra's stepmother.
A person who, in the entire month since I'd come here, hadn't shown her face, let alone made a single phone call.
If someone like that was suddenly calling now... well, only one reason sprang to mind. It was because of the mess I'd made at today's meeting.
Without a word, I took the phone and hesitated for a moment. How should I answer? If this was a situation where I was about to get chewed out, it might be best not to ruffle the other person's feathers any more than necessary. After all, the one on the other end was a chairwoman who ran the number-one-ranked conglomerate in the entire Republic of Korea.
"Yes, Chairwoman. I've answered the phone."
I decided to say it like that. I had a feeling she'd dislike being addressed as 'Mother.'
[......Hm.]
Perhaps my reply had worked, because the Chairwoman let out a brief sound like that. I couldn't tell whether it was bewilderment... or satisfaction. I wasn't looking at her face, after all.
[I've heard about the meeting that took place today.]
A somewhat low, middle-aged woman's voice came through the speaker.
"Yes."
[You did well.]
"Pardon?"
Before I could even ask for the reason, the call was already over.
"......Miss."
Seeing the somewhat shocked expression on my face, Yang Hye-in called out to me softly, but I just shook my head lightly at her.
"I didn't get scolded. She actually said I did well."
I answered like that, but Yang Hye-in was still looking at me like I was an abandoned puppy.