Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Sneakily Sneakily
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With Yu Jun-sik gone, only three people remained in the parlor.
Whenever Yu Myeong-seon, seated at the head of the table, asked something, Hong Gi-jun explained without missing a beat.
Yu Myeong-seon leaned forward toward Hong Gi-jun like an elderly student learning from a young teacher, listening intently. He occasionally gasped in surprise or burst into laughter.
At the end of the conversation, he patted his son-in-law's back hard enough to make a thumping sound, expressing his satisfaction.
"I'll step out for a moment."
Yu Myeong-seon headed to the bathroom. Even though he took good care of his health, age made the damn thing twitchy and troublesome.
Crunch crunch-.
Silence returned to the parlor, filled only with the sound of Yu Se-ra stuffing cookies into her mouth and chewing.
It was strange to see her usually lively brother-in-law bowing his head and speaking politely to her husband, while her ever-cheerful husband received the greeting with the solemnity of a general.
Lately, Dad grinned ear to ear whenever he saw his son-in-law. He'd been thrilled talking about dollars this and gold that. Did he see her husband as a lump of gold?
Whatever.
Yu Se-ra was just happy about the cookies at her dad's house—they were delicious. They were handmade cookies sent every month from Sein Trading in Hong Kong, but the supply was limited, so he never even shared them with his kids.
The men hadn't touched them despite having them right there. Men really were idiots.
'Hehe, all mine.'
She washed them down with milk when her throat got clogged.
Crunch crunch-.
Cookie crumbs flew everywhere.
Hong Gi-jun stared at her blankly.
His daughter was starving away in the study, yet this so-called mother saw her as a feeding rival? And you call yourself a lioness, you pig? And you call yourself an elegant orchid, you pig? Well, she was pretty, so it was forgivable.
Their eyes met. Yu Se-ra instinctively lifted her chin. Crumbs tumbled from her mouth.
"What."
Hong Gi-jun, about to scold his thirty-five-year-old wife, instead pulled out a line he'd been saving for ages. He tensed his lower abdomen. It took real courage to speak frankly to a lioness.
"Eat up..."
He didn't forget to flash the most awkward smile possible. It was his best rotten grin.
Hong Gi-jun's heart pounded like a mouse before a lion.
Fine, the pig was one thing...
The moment they got home, he'd call Yu Mun-sik for some encouragement.
She'd dreamed of being an actress, and seeing her up close, he was convinced she'd have been great at it.
- "Brother-in-law, are you sure I really don't have to do company work anymore?"
- "Just handle a few tasks I assign."
- "Won't that sly Jun-sik catch on?"
- "I'll trust in your acting skills, brother-in-law. Wasn't acting your dream? Give it your all. I'll guarantee your future."
- "I already have plenty of money. Dad wouldn't abandon his kid. I just hate company work."
He had a flaw—womanizing—but he was friendly toward Hong Gi-jun. The eldest son had no interest or ambition in the group. He was a card destined to fall behind anyway, so Hong Gi-jun made use of him, rewarding him with early retirement from management.
Yu Mun-sik would probably meet the president of Daijeong Electronics after some rest.
'Is this moving too fast?'
He'd planned to play the long game, but he hadn't expected recognition this quickly. His father-in-law, however, far exceeded Hong Gi-jun's expectations. If he saw talent, he promoted without regard for background or education. In that sense, Hong Gi-jun was talent that surpassed worldly expectations.
'Next step: pass semiconductor manufacturing blueprints to my second brother-in-law through Manager Min Yong-rak, then reorganize the chemical division.'
Yu Jun-sik took after Chairman Yu Myeong-seon—sharp instincts and a decently broad view. Experience had taught him it was better to pull the ambitious Yu Jun-sik to his side than push him out.
'Can't discard a little brother-in-law who works like my right arm.'
Thinking of Yu Mun-sik, who'd been wary of his clever younger brother despite claiming no ambition, brought a wry chuckle.
As he organized his next plan in his head, Yu Myeong-seon returned with a refreshed face.
"Who would've thought that Kim fellow would hand over telecom? Anyway, our Gi-jun is something else. That Park idiot was a fool for letting talent like him rot as a section chief."
Even after casting aside his eldest son, Yu Myeong-seon seemed in high spirits. Calling his son-in-law "our Gi-jun" was proof. "Park" meant Daijeong Group's Chairman Park Un-cheol, and everyone in business circles knew Yu Myeong-seon and Park Un-cheol were old friends.
"Se-ra, you'll visit your in-laws first for Chuseok again this year, right?"
Yu Myeong-seon asked, eyes on the Go board.
It might sound like he wanted her to visit her family home first, but such pokes didn't work on innocently bright Yu Se-ra.
"Dad, we're going on a trip for Chuseok."
"A trip?"
"Yeah, with Gwang-yeon oppa's family—."
Oh no.
Yu Se-ra clamped her mouth shut and rolled her eyes. This damn mouth was always trouble.
But it was too late.
"Gwang-yeon? Son Gwang-yeon?"
Yu Myeong-seon set down his Go stone and looked at his daughter.
It was shocking enough to pull his eyes from the intensely focused Go board. He wasn't angry at his daughter, though.
'That kid's alive?'
There'd been no news of his death, but abandoned as good as an orphan, it was safe to assume the worst. Even his close friend, Daijeong Group's Park Un-cheol—number one in Korea's business influence—had searched for years with no luck.
Yu Se-ra gauged her father's reaction.
"Dad, we ran into him by chance. I wasn't hiding it on purpose—."
"Whew. Hong, let's call it here today."
Yu Myeong-seon let out a long sigh and tossed his Go stone.
"Yes, Father-in-law."
Hong Gi-jun, tense from his wife's slip, straightened his posture.
"Gi-jun" meant "Father," while "Hong" meant "Father-in-law."
"Bye, Gramps. We'll come for Chuseok—."
"Ohoho. Yes, my little pup."
Chairman Yu Myeong-seon watched his daughter Yu Se-ra's family leave the garden, hands behind his back. A sigh escaped unbidden.
'Makes me crave the cigarettes I quit.'
He'd wondered if he'd take after his mother and become an actor.
Son Gwang-yeon, that is. He looked so much like his mother that even as a boy, he struck one as beautiful. And his mind was brilliant too.
'Or maybe he just buried himself in studies after losing his mother.'
When he entered the top university's business school as top of his class, Yu Myeong-seon took an interest in his path.
Park Un-cheol had quietly supported him to keep him from poverty. But he'd heard Son Gwang-yeon, hating the Park family, refused the money from Park Un-cheol's secretary, saying he didn't need it.
A beautiful woman. Yu Myeong-seon first saw Son Mun-ye working as a receptionist at the Seoul Merchants' Association, where he hung out with Park Un-cheol and others. If a teardrop from the moon goddess were impregnated with life, wouldn't she look like that? Park Un-cheol, booming in business, proudly sponsored her acting career.
'Already 40 years ago.'
Smack. The vivid memory left a bitter taste.
After Son Mun-ye's death, Park Un-cheol wanted to put Son Gwang-yeon on his family register. But at eighteen, as a son-in-law who'd already had a son and daughter with his wife, he couldn't. He couldn't even show him to the world. It wasn't about loyalty to his family. Back then, Park Un-cheol, relying on his wife's family for business, lacked the power.
"Deacon Kwon."
"Yes, Chairman."
"Tell Housekeeper Lee to bring a drink. Something strong."
"Understood."
When Son Mun-ye died, when he couldn't find Son Gwang-yeon after all. Park Un-cheol got drunk and called Yu Myeong-seon to whine. Only his close friend Yu Myeong-seon knew what the Son mother and son meant to him.
'Foolish man. If you couldn't take responsibility, you shouldn't have let her into your heart.'
Having succeeded with his wife's family's help, Park Un-cheol couldn't proudly claim Son Gwang-yeon. Realizing this, Yu Myeong-seon quietly sponsored him. Not for Park Un-cheol—for Son Mun-ye. She'd followed him like an older brother after losing all her siblings in the war.
'How could Mun-ye go to that thief of a Park?'
He'd pressed him countless times, but Park Un-cheol never told.
Yu Myeong-seon always treated Son Mun-ye with utmost respect. Like a sister, never with lewd intentions.
The housekeeper, Lady Lee, brought high-proof liquor and simple snacks to the parlor.
"Kuh—."
He downed a glass in one go and sucked in his cheeks hard. He ignored the snacks.
'Better than my own sons.'
Watching young Son Gwang-yeon tenderly care for his daughter Yu Se-ra, he couldn't help comparing to Yu Mun-sik and Yu Jun-sik. He believed personality was innate—you could teach and change people, but not that.
'A few years older than Se-ra, so around forty now?'
Ah, college classmate with Gi-jun.
Married? Kids?
Caught off guard by the sudden mention of Son Gwang-yeon, he hadn't even asked about his well-being. He'd once looked after the boy like a son, and it stung that he'd stayed away despite being alive.
'With that talent and looks, surely married with kids.'
A son? Daughter?
How old?
The old chairman's eyes grew distant.
Fourteen-year-old Son Jin-hyuk spent the holiday with his little sister, Son Yu-jin.
No relatives to visit, and with Mom and Dad off to Hawaii, the usual Chuseok visitors—military suppliers, politicians, bank presidents, and association heads—were absent, which was nice.
"Wow, nice house."
The police chief stopped by "to check if everything was okay," smoked a cigarette, toured the house, and left.
What was he, a shaman? He was obviously just some guy sightseeing the house.
As the car carrying the police chief drove off, it signaled the start of a peaceful Chuseok for the siblings.
"Ah, feels good—."
No noise, no annoying chicken-couple nagging everywhere—Jin-hyuk's heart was at peace. And unlike before, he wasn't alone with nothing to do and no one to see. Wait, not alone.
"Where's Yu-jin?"
"-Hngga."
Hnggg-.
A cute voice came from the bathroom. How could even a baby's studying sounds be so lovable?
He chuckled and turned on the TV. To respect his cute sister's poop-time privacy.
[-We're bringing you the Chuseok Ssireum Tournament combined with the 7th Weight-Class Champions Tournament from the holy ground of ssireum, Jangchung Gymnasium. Joining us for commentary is Federation Director Eom Gi-tak. Hello?]
[Sniff. Yes, hello.]
[Finally, the weight-class champion finals. Committee member, please introduce the wrestlers. What kind of wrestler is Choi Tae-yang?]
[Sniff. Yes, this year he swept all tournaments in the high school warrior class. Still in high school, yet sniff—challenging his seniors. A very sniff—yes, promising future. Sniff—yes, that's the kind of wrestler he is.]
[Isn't it rare for high schoolers to compete in folk ssireum tournaments?]
[Sniff—starting this year, any registered with the federation can be invited if backed by weight class and placements. Sniff—yes, that's it. Sniff—yes.]
[Right. And as I speak, both wrestlers are up. With the referee's signal, the first match of the Halla Champion finals begins!]
Ho—Jin-hyuk's eyes and mouth rounded like Yu-jin's.
Villagers gathering at Choi Mi-kyeong's house for youth stuff? It was for Choi Tae-yang. After weight training all summer vacation, his muscles were thick yet sharply defined like a bodybuilder's. His flexible waist stood out on that steel-like frame.
Jin-hyuk pinched his nose against the wafting bathroom scent and focused on the screen.
The TV caster suddenly raised his voice.
[Grab hold! Choi Tae-yaaang! He deftly grabs and topples his senior, last year's Chuseok and New Year's Halla Champion Eom Gi-tak! Wow—too good for a high schooler, isn't it? I know Eom Gi-tak's a great wrestler too. Committee member, tell us about him—.]
[Sniff—my little brother.]
[Yes...]
He wanted to watch more, but a fairy's voice called from the bathroom.
"Oppa—, Yu-jin's done pooping—."
"Aigoo, our Yu-jin's done?"
"Yesss—. Ehehhe."
Jin-hyuk turned off the TV without regret.
Hoo—. He took a deep breath and held it. Black energy, now fragrant, seemed to creep from the bathroom. Fairy face and voice, but why the smell?
Mom's cooking had seemed saltier lately—maybe she'd lost her sense of smell because of Yu-jin.
Anyway...
His heart-pounding Chuseok with his sister had begun.