Can I Acquire a University Too?
From the moment she got in the car, Nyanbyeol's heart had been pounding. Luckily(?), Kim Minseo was easy to get along with. She'd sweet-talked her just right and made it this far. Her intentions weren't entirely pure, though. She was just too curious about Shin Jaewoo.
In the midst of it all, Kim Minseo had suggested it first. She'd promised to ask the girl from the provinces once. 'If oppa says it's okay... Unnie, can I sleep with you?' Something about the way Kim Minseo asked gave off a strangely dangerous vibe(?), but that innocent face made her nod anyway. And that's how they ended up in the car together.
'Doesn't a car like this usually come with a chauffeur?' It wasn't some flashy sports car that rich people stereotypically drove. This was the kind that screamed for a driver. Kim Minseo happened to ask Shin Jaewoo something similar.
"Hey, but oppa, don't you have like a chauffeur or something?"
Nyanbyeol pretended not to care but perked up her ears.
"Ah, a chauffeur?"
He said it casually as he turned the wheel.
"Yeah, I do. But it's the middle of the night."
The chauffeur had already been hired. With Lee Jinshil's help, they'd even brought on housekeeping staff.
'Probably not around right now, huh?'
They came during the day to clean and tidy up the place in Jamsil. They'd restock fresh side dishes and clear out the old ones while they were at it. No housekeeper at dawn.
"Hmm. So oppa drove himself? This car feels like something a chairman would ride in—would suit a chauffeur even more."
As she spoke, Kim Minseo crossed her legs just like that. Savoring the vibe of a real chaebol heir from the back seat. Nyanbyeol nodded faintly at her words.
"Right, unnie?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah..."
"So call us young miss today. Shin chauffeur."
Kim Minseo boldly demanded he play the part. They were the young misses, and Shin Jaewoo was their driver. His reaction was simple.
"Want me to drop you off here so you two can find a motel yourselves?"
"Aww, okay, sorry."
She backed down immediately, her little rebellion crushed. Shin Jaewoo added,
"I didn't even know it was this car at first."
"What do you mean you didn't know?"
Kim Minseo tossed the question back, still not getting it.
"Just... grabbed some random keys and went to the parking lot, and this was it?"
Kim Minseo double-checked after hearing him out.
"Wait, what? Oppa, don't tell me you have a ton of other cars besides this one?"
"...Yeah."
Truth be told, Shin Jaewoo had aimed for something more ordinary(?). Kuni's impression from overhearing the siblings' chat earlier rang true. Nyanbyeol felt the same.
'What is up with these siblings?'
They lived in a whole different world.
"So oppa, you got one of those cars where the doors swing up like wings?"
"Dunno. I still don't even know what cars I have."
His line made even less sense now.
"...?"
Nyanbyeol's eyes filled with question marks as she eavesdropped intently. Kim Minseo looked properly baffled this time.
"Who doesn't know what cars they own?"
"I don't drive much, so why would I?"
"I guess?"
"Yeah."
That was their conversation. One thing was clear now.
'He's seriously... a whale.'
For a moment, his words had almost sounded like bluffing. That doubt vanished once they arrived at the house.
The place he brought them to. Her heart had started hardening on the elevator ride up. The symbol of wealth: Jamsil L Tower. The Signiel Residence there.
'Whoa.'
Her heart raced faster than ever. And the moment they stepped inside, she was overwhelmed.
"Whoa, oppa, this place is huge!"
The soaring ceiling. It felt like walking into a hotel lobby, not a home.
"I've never felt anything like this."
Nyanbyeol let out a similar gasp of awe. She couldn't believe this was someone's house. Shin Jaewoo suddenly seemed to glow with a halo from behind as they trailed him.
"...Enough exaggerating. Follow me—I'll show you the rooms."
"Whoa, bet hide-and-seek here would be fun."
Kim Minseo chattered on. The house was just too vast. And there was something Nyanbyeol wanted to do the moment she got here. She glanced at the walls.
Curious about the city view outside. And one more thing.
'Can I take pics?'
She wanted to snap photos in this amazing spot and post them on her influencer account. For now, she followed Shin Jaewoo. The walk itself was surreal. They'd entered through a massive living room, passed a hallway-like stretch, and now another living room appeared. At the end of that hall was the room. He led them there.
"Here. Bathroom's inside, so shower and crash wherever."
"What about you, oppa?"
"I'll be on the opposite side. Unless we go out of our way, we won't run into each other."
The walk had been ridiculously long. Kim Minseo nodded, picturing the scale.
"Room's plenty big for two... but you okay with that, Nyanbyeol-ssi?"
She didn't exactly lack a separate room or anything. Just set up extra bedding.
Shin Jaewoo asked. Nyanbyeol hesitated.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm f-fine."
But refusing here felt like he'd kick her out. She nodded quickly. He glanced at her face and flinched a bit.
"...Rest up then. Take care of Minseo for me."
"Yes. Thank you... so much."
It was the best lodging she'd ever experienced. Nyanbyeol said it as the thought crossed her mind.
"Shoo shoo, oppa, go on. I'm gonna strip and sleep, so don't even think about coming back."
"...I won't."
Shin Jaewoo headed out with a baffled look. Once she'd chased off the homeowner, Kim Minseo turned to Nyanbyeol.
"Unnie..."
Nyanbyeol got a weird vibe. The guy she'd just met today, Shin Jaewoo, was gone, but facing Kim Minseo suddenly felt like danger.
"Wanna shower together?"
"N-no... you go first...?"
For some reason, going in together felt off-limits. To Nyanbyeol, Kim Minseo felt more dangerous than Shin Jaewoo.
"...Tch."
Why was she clicking her tongue like she was disappointed?
He turned his back on the room with the two women.
'They're cute...'
Nyanbyeol's girl-next-door face paired with that bombshell figure. Shin Jaewoo shook his head side to side.
'What am I thinking.'
Maybe it was because they were in his house. Lewd thoughts crept up on him. He shook his head to banish them. Instead, he focused on something else.
'How's that going?'
The two ventures he was pursuing right now. One was acquiring Lumière Hospitality's hotel chain. He'd heard it was nearly done.
He wanted over 51% controlling stake, so he'd been meeting various shareholders. The latest report from Lee Sooyoung:
'Secured 31% so far.'
That was from market shares and institutional holdings. But scaling up further was tough. To do that, he'd need to convince the top shareholder—the owner.
—The director's handling the deal personally, so we'll hear soon. Fingers crossed.
The other matter was foundation business.
"...Thinking about what to tackle next?"
He muttered to himself. That's when the door he'd come from creaked open cautiously. A woman's head peeked out, and her eyes met Shin Jaewoo's.
"Ah."
They both startled in surprise, then exchanged awkward nods. He bowed his head first with an embarrassed smile. Nyanbyeol nodded back, looking equally sheepish. She hadn't changed yet—still in the outfit from when she arrived. A simple dress, the kind cam girls wore. Shin Jaewoo carefully restrained his gaze.
"Thanks so much for inviting me today. I got to see a place like this because of you..."
He gave a wry smile.
"Um... mind if I take some photos?"
He shook his head at her question.
"No."
"Okay..."
She visibly deflated. Disappointed, naturally. Chances to visit a place like this were rare. But he had his reasons.
'This is officially under the foundation's name.'
No issues, but he didn't want to stir up trouble.
"No mentioning it on stream either. I don't want to get pinpointed."
"You sure have a lot of secrets."
"After letting you crash here, is that even a secret anymore?"
His cousin Kim Minseo was streaming, after all.
"Or take pics if you won't post them anywhere that IDs the place."
Or shoot in a way that doesn't reveal the location. Cold, but practical. Nyanbyeol eyed him softly as he spoke.
'Am I shallow?'
Seeing him in the bright light, in this setting, he looked handsome. But it wasn't just his wealth's halo. Objectively, she'd checked his looks.
'Yeah...'
The original was top-tier. And with his skills on top, he was even more appealing. Their chat stretched on. Then she learned something new.
"So you're from Daejeon too, Jaewoo oppa?"
"Yeah. You?"
They'd agreed to drop formalities mid-convo. Daejeon was a new common ground. Difference: he'd come up to Seoul for university. She'd stayed local.
"You go to college?"
"On leave now... but honestly, my school's toast."
Baekje University—decent for a regional school back in the day. She was a student on hiatus, streaming from Daejeon.
"Heard it went under. Enrollment's been short since before I enrolled..."
Baekje University. Shin Jaewoo nodded along—he knew it from living in the area.
"News just came out. The Baekje University fire."
"Oh yeah..."
The campus fire. Even for a low-profile regional school, it dominated headlines.
"Their one decent facility was the performance hall... but it burned down completely. Even the orchestra's disbanding now..."
Nyanbyeol sounded bummed. As he listened, an idea flashed through Shin Jaewoo's mind.
...Can I acquire a university too?