Became the General Manager
Han Taeho was living the peak of his life right now.
In the past, his family had treated him like a worthless bum, and he'd just been Kim Dong-su's clown. But ever since he'd switched sides to Shin Jaewoo, everything had changed.
'Above all, that Kim Dong-su who used to seem so huge... compared to Jaewoo hyungnim, he was nothing.'
Out with the old junker, in with the Mercedes—it was like the saying was made for him.
But above all else, there was a reason he was so satisfied with his current life. Unlike his days as Kim Dong-su's clown, now he had a clear role.
The hatchet man.
Infinitely cooler and more valuable than being a jester.
'Kuh.'
It had played out recently too. Sending Heo Sang-gi packing had involved some luck, sure. That's how he'd been able to clean him out so easily and put Oh Miyoung in his place.
But after that, Kim Min-cheol's downfall? That was all Han Taeho's plan from start to finish.
'That was fun.'
For Han Taeho, it had been a deeply satisfying moment.
And one more thing.
Han Taeho had always been the classic bully who preyed on the weak and fawned over the strong. That core hadn't changed.
And naturally, he preferred his current position—receiving flattery from others—over groveling to the powerful himself.
"Good morning, Vice President."
"Hello, Vice President."
"Haha, you're in early again today, Vice President."
When he arrived at the hotel, everyone bowed to him.
Officially, he was No. 2 at Lumière Hospitality. Unofficially, rumors swirled that he was the owner's son, putting him practically at No. 1. Even the executives watched his mood.
Coming to work was a joy.
It was Han Taeho's recent mindset, one others might not understand.
But even he, lording over the place like a king, snapped to attention and fixed his arrogant posture at the ring of a single phone call.
"Yes, hyungnim. I got the call. Yes, yes. Ah, Branch No. 2? Yes, got it. I'll handle it perfectly. Yes, hyungnim. Yes, go ahead and rest."
Just answering a call. Not even video.
Yet Han Taeho groveled like the guy was standing right there.
And the instant the call ended, his attitude flipped.
"Yang Yujeong."
"Yes, Vice President."
He called to his secretary waiting outside his office—a standout female hotel staffer he'd assigned to the role.
"Contact the president's office."
"Yes, sir. Should I... say anything specific?"
"Tell them I'll drop by today. Check the president's schedule."
"Got it. Should I confirm the president's schedule and let you know right away, Vice President?"
"Book the earliest slot possible."
"Yes, sir."
Lumière Hospitality was undergoing some kind of change.
He'd stayed in Daejeon as Park Sun-ok's caregiver and guardian.
But Shin Jaewoo didn't really have much to do.
It was a VIP hospital room, after all. Nurses popped in frequently under the hospital's careful watch. And for anything needed, the dedicated VIP nurse or attending physician stopped by multiple times.
Plus, the actual caregiver stuck to Grandma wasn't him—it was someone else.
"I wanna stay here too!"
First off, Kim Minseo. His cousin, also Park Sun-ok's granddaughter, was always by her side.
And Kim Minseo had a friend(?) tagging along.
"Hmm. Unnie's so soft and squishy. Feels nice."
"Minseo-ya..."
The VIP room was spacious, with comfy beds for guardians. Two girls were sprawled on one now.
Even as Seong Yubin looked troubled under Kim Minseo, the latter showed no sign of stopping her face-rubbing against Yubin's chest.
'Is this girl a lesbian?'
It was a thought that crossed his mind now and then watching Kim Minseo. He'd never seen her flirt with guys, but girls? Often.
"Hee hee hee."
A chuckle escaped at the sight of the two rolling around on the bed.
That same Kim Minseo had even kicked him out.
"This is the girls' room, so oppa, go sleep somewhere else. Shoo shoo."
"You said you were caregiving for Grandma... but I never see you by her side."
"This is caregiving. When two cute granddaughters giggle like this, how happy do you think it makes Grandma? She needs to stay in good spirits to recover quick and get discharged."
"Still, you're not the patient peeling fruit for the hospitalized grandma—you're the one mooching fruit she peels for you. Who's the patient here, and who's the guardian...?"
Shin Jaewoo scolded Kim Minseo.
He had to.
The scene whenever she brought fruit: Park Sun-ok would peel it, and Kim Minseo would lie there like a baby bird, mouth agape—Aah!—waiting to be fed.
Thank goodness for Seong Yubin.
"Grandma, let me do it."
Yubin would rush over in a panic each time.
It seemed partly to help Grandma, but mostly to escape Minseo, or was that his imagination?
With the two girls there, the room's vibe was cheerful at least.
"Unnie, gimme one more. Aah."
And Kim Minseo was solidifying her role as the immature kid.
In the end, Park Sun-ok whacked her on the back.
"Ow! Waaah. Grandma hit me."
It probably didn't hurt, but Kim Minseo wailed dramatically anyway.
"Aigoo, who’s gonna take this one off our hands?"
Park Sun-ok muttered at her.
The marriage evangelist Park Sun-ok applied the same standard even to freshly adult Kim Minseo.
"What's wrong with me?!"
"Then, Minseo-ya, got a boyfriend?"
"...No."
"Eish. Your mom was dating early on, but you still don't have one?"
"Grandma, Minseo's a total singleton."
Shin Jaewoo, who'd been quiet, landed a jab.
Kim Minseo glared daggers at him.
Park Sun-ok, hearing it, smacked her back again.
"Ow! That one was for real!"
"It better be! At your age, never dated? Who'd even take you?"
"Waaah."
Kim Minseo buried her face in the pillow.
Shin Jaewoo smirked smugly at her.
But Park Sun-ok's radar caught her grandson too.
"So what about you, Jaewoo? Got a girlfriend?"
Moon Sojeong and Lee Sooyoung flashed through his mind.
But the answer was set.
"I told you recently I don't."
"Don't gimme that. Wasn't that girl here to see you last time?"
"She was, but it was for work. Work."
Not entirely a lie. Baekje University had been the main reason.
But Park Sun-ok looked hugely disappointed.
"Eish. I told you to go knock her up, and you just did work?"
He couldn't respond to that.
'I did knock her up, though...'
Bad oppa, she'd called him. And the girl who'd sweetly said good oppa came to mind too.
She was here right now, actually.
"Grandma, knock someone up these days and you go to jail."
He'd already done it(?), but Shin Jaewoo played dumb.
His relationship with Moon Sojeong was perfect at this distance, after all.
"Jail? Why jail? You'd go to the hospital."
"Hospital for wh—?"
"Not having kids? If you're gonna have 'em, who births at home anymore? Hospital."
Park Sun-ok's sharp tongue was as lively as ever.
He couldn't keep up.
As the nagging ramped up, Shin Jaewoo quietly slipped out.
But it was truly a relief.
'Grandma's gotten so much healthier.'
Walking already, smacking Kim Minseo's back, nagging about marriage like always.
The sad part was she wasn't fully recovered.
She still peeled fruit herself, but for someone who'd run a restaurant, her cuts were clumsy now. And she dragged one foot when walking.
Hemiplegia.
'Still, her recovery's faster than expected. Lucky.'
For her age, Park Sun-ok was bouncing back remarkably.
"Go make me some grandkids."
Her words had gotten even tougher, though.
He doubted she'd run the restaurant again. And he didn't want her to anyway.
'Time to check on that matter.'
Shin Jaewoo set off.
Kim Minseo wasn't reliable, but with Seong Yubin by Park Sun-ok, he could check home.
Woof! As he arrived, Dali came running, tail wagging.
(Dali had given birth to puppies 1 through 5. They were probably squirming blindly in the shed now.)
"Good girl, good girl."
Shin Jaewoo first topped off Dali's food and water.
Then glanced sideways.
The area had plenty of elderly folks.
And each neighborhood had its traits.
'Empty houses are piling up.'
Old folks passing one by one, or kids taking them away.
Those empty houses—or even ones still lived in by elders—Shin Jaewoo was negotiating for.
He'd already bought three or four starting from next door to Park Sun-ok's.
The walls and buildings between were demolished now.
"Not too noisy, right?"
He stroked Dali's head as she chomped her kibble.
He felt absurd even asking.
What would the dog say?
And of course it was noisy—why wouldn't it be?
'Sorry, with childcare stress coming, I feel bad.'
So he'd make sure to feed her often.
Woof.
Cute how Dali wagged her tail happily at people even after whelping.
But when he headed to the shed, she'd lift her head watchfully, so he kept his distance.
"Good girl."
He checked them roughly and turned away.
The house was coming along...
'Company stuff should be wrapping up soon.'
Oh Miyoung was surprised entering the executive meeting.
"Then we'll proceed with opening Branch No. 2. To secure funds, the additional capital increase is approved as well."
Han Taeho led the meeting.
His talk of Branch No. 2 and the capital increase resolution.
And its location.
"Daejeon."
That was what shocked Oh Miyoung.
She'd already felt guilty for not checking on her mom in Daejeon amid work.
"For Branch No. 2, we'll need personnel transfers... Any executives willing to go?"
Truth be told, few here were eager.
Leaving Seoul for the provinces felt like a demotion.
Amid the reluctance, Oh Miyoung raised her hand.
"I'll go."
As practically the youngest executive, it might suit her.
Since she volunteered...
"Then Oh Miyoung will be general manager of Lumière Daejeon."
She'd only recently become room manager.
Now she was general manager.