The Vanished 100 Billion (1)

"Um, were you aware that I had made donations to an orphanage before?"

"As I prioritize investments in orphanages for our foundation's projects, your name naturally came up, Chairman."

The conversation had drifted away from the main agenda toward Jung Woo-ho's past, but it was so fluid that Jung Woo-ho never suspected Choi Cheol-gyu had an ulterior motive.

"Well... there was a time for that, yes."

Jung Woo-ho gazed at the orphanage building with a wistful look in his eyes. Then, with a melancholic expression, he spoke without realizing it.

"In the past, I believed that if a person received grace, they must repay it."

"Was that back in your younger days?"

"Yes. Even though we went through the war, those were days filled with at least some purity and aspiration."

Jung Woo-ho let out a low sigh.

"I lost my entire family and all my relatives in the Korean War. But I didn't want to just sit there and die, so I jumped straight into business."

"You sound a lot like my father."

"Well, aren't all first-generation chaebols like that?"

Pleased that Choi Cheol-gyu was listening so well, Jung Woo-ho smiled softly and continued.

"When I finally had enough to eat, the children on the streets started catching my eye. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Children who were all alone, just like me. So, I started helping them."

"You did a meaningful thing."

"Meaningful, you say... There was a time I thought so, too."

Jung Woo-ho sighed and closed his mouth. It meant that this conversation alone wasn't enough to discern his true intentions. As Choi Cheol-gyu was gauging the situation, he saw something that shouldn't have been there.

'Wait, why are the kids coming outside?'

He had originally asked the orphanage staff not to let the children out. It would be troublesome if they approached while the two of them were talking. But this situation, ironically, opened Jung Woo-ho's mouth.

"Isn't it adorable to see children running around? They are truly pure. In my younger days, it broke my heart to see children suffering on the streets."

"That's why you sponsored the orphanage."

"Yes."

Jung Woo-ho's reply was curt. Just as Choi Cheol-gyu was falling back into deep thought, something caught Jung Woo-ho's eye. A woman in luxurious attire, and an orphan child smiling brightly while hugging her.

"That's right. It was those smiles I wanted to see. I wanted to see them up close if possible. That’s why ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I..."

For a moment, Jung Woo-ho looked flustered and tried to stop himself. But he couldn't keep his mouth shut. It was because the woman in the luxurious attire turned around, revealing her front instead of her back.

"Is... is that person also a staff member?"

However, Choi Cheol-gyu couldn't answer. He was genuinely shocked.

"N-Noona?"

The word slipped out before he could stop it. But that was more than enough to grab Jung Woo-ho's attention.

"Did you say 'Noona'?"

"Yes? Ah, yes. That is my second older sister. I knew she had been inaugurated as the chairwoman of the Hope Foundation, but I really... had no idea she would be here today."

Since it wasn't acting, there was no awkwardness in Choi Cheol-gyu's behavior. And this reaction from Choi Cheol-gyu acted as a favorable factor.

"If she is your sister, she must be... married, then?"

Jung Woo-ho asked with a hint of expectation. Because Choi Cheol-gyu was quite flustered, he couldn't grasp Jung Woo-ho's situation and answered honestly.

"Yes, she was married."

Despair instantly clouded Jung Woo-ho's face, and only then did Choi Cheol-gyu grasp the situation.

'Wait, is this... by any chance? Oh, damn it!'

Realizing his mistake, Choi Cheol-gyu quickly added,

"To be precise, she was. It’s been a few years since she was widowed."

"Ah... that is truly a tragic thing."

Even as he said that, Jung Woo-ho's complexion had brightened considerably.

"President Choi."

"Yes, Chairman."

"You see, I wanted to see that kind of scene up close in my life."

It was the sight of Choi Yu-jeong showing genuine, benevolent smiles to the orphans. Although she had been placed in the chairwoman position by Yoon-gi, she had never had children of her own during her marriage, so she felt a deep, affectionate attachment to the orphans.

"Haven't you... seen that kind of sight before? I believe you have children of your own..."

Thinking an opportunity had arrived, Choi Cheol-gyu threw a curveball instead of a direct strike. And the curveball was partially successful.

"President Choi."

"Yes, Chairman."

"Could we talk about this matter again in a few days?"

The variable named 'Choi Yu-jeong' had not been anticipated by Choi Cheol-gyu, nor even by Yoon-gi, so the study was overflowing with bewilderment.

"Yes?"

At Yoon-gi's stunned expression, Choi Cheol-gyu nodded as if he had expected it, though he wore the same expression himself.

"I was surprised, too. But no matter how I look at it, it seems he has feelings for my sister."

A man falling for a woman is something that can happen anytime. The problem was that Jung Woo-ho was the key 'enemy' in this matter. He was a figure with a relatively low standing in the business world, but he was the one standing on the front lines. That was why Yoon-gi had a headache.

'What should I do?'

Yoon-gi suddenly turned his head toward where Choi Deok-bae was, without realizing it.

'What was that?'

'Are you serious?'

Choi Deok-bae nodded.

'How was it?'

At the incredibly convincing expression, Yoon-gi burst into laughter before he could stop himself.

"Yoon-gi?"

Seeing Yoon-gi suddenly turn his head and chuckle, Choi Cheol-gyu reacted with confusion.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I was thinking about something else for a moment."

"That's rare. You, thinking about something else."

"I'm human, too."

Thinking Yoon-gi was focused again, Choi Cheol-gyu opened his mouth.

"Anyway, what do we do? How on earth are we supposed to solve this?"

"Let's wait a few days."

"Wait?"

"Yes, it's not like we can't use the original plan anyway, right?"

Yoon-gi had already grasped that the relationship between Jung Woo-ho and his adopted children was fractured. For Jung Woo-ho, the only people he could call 'family' were those two. What if his relationship with them became even worse than it was now? From Jung Woo-ho's perspective, he would erase any thoughts of gifting or inheritance entirely. Since they weren't even blood-related, and the relationship had turned extremely sour, there would be no reason to take care of them. That was why Yoon-gi was already prepared to tear their relationship apart.

'Right now, he probably thinks he has to take responsibility since he adopted them.'

Thanks to this decision by Yoon-gi, Jung Woo-ho was granted a few days of grace. Of course, he had no idea.

"Let's see if it's a pure, romantic affection, or if he's trying to pull a fast one through my aunt. If it's a man's pure heart, shouldn't we be able to understand it a little? If it's not pure, and there's another intention..."

Yoon-gi picked up a plum from a bowl and crushed it.

"It will end up like this."

Yoon-gi’s bright smile spread across the study, over the dripping plum juice. And...

Hope Orphanage experienced an unseasonable harvest of donations. Not support from YK, but support from Jung Woo-ho personally. Because of this, the children were grinning from ear to ear. There was a massive amount of donations, ranging from school supplies to snacks, clothes, and toys.

Thanks to this, Jung Woo-ho became an overnight star at Hope Orphanage.

The titles the children used to call Jung Woo-ho were varied, but regardless, Jung Woo-ho became a person for whom spending time in a corner of the orphanage was not strange at all. He would sit on a swing and chat with the children, or sometimes sit quietly alone, looking around.

However, there was one thing. There were times when Jung Woo-ho's gaze would fixate. It was on Choi Yu-jeong.

'Really... she looks so much like her...'

Jung Woo-ho's eyes were always filled with moisture whenever he looked at Choi Yu-jeong. It was because he saw the image of his first love in her. And as he watched Choi Yu-jeong play with the children, he was reminded of a promise he had made with his first love long ago.

'Damn it...'

A single tear fell from Jung Woo-ho's eye as he remembered his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠first love, who had died in his place during the evacuation in the Korean War.

'She is a completely different person from Suran-noona. I know she's a completely different person, but...'

She looked too similar. Jung Woo-ho's first love and Choi Yu-jeong looked so much alike that he felt that if his first love had aged, she would surely look like that.

"Oh my, are you crying?"

At the voice that suddenly reached his ears, Jung Woo-ho was startled and spoke as if shouting without realizing it.

"S-Suran-noona?"

"Yes?"

Jung Woo-ho, who had been looking up while sitting on the swing, finally came to his senses.

'Ah... that's right... yeah... it wasn't her...'

She definitely had an appearance similar to his first love. But the wrinkled hands holding the swing ropes made Jung Woo-ho realize the reality.

"Please, wipe it with this."

Jung Woo-ho received the handkerchief Choi Yu-jeong handed him without realizing it, and smelled the scent lingering on it.

'I don't know... it feels like a similar scent, or maybe not... No, in the first place, it's not Suran-noona...'

While Jung Woo-ho was confused, Choi Yu-jeong naturally sat on the swing next to him.

"You seem to like children."

Choi Yu-jeong’s warm expression caught his eye. At that sight, Jung Woo-ho continued the conversation without realizing it.

"Yes, I like them."

A lie. But for some reason, Jung Woo-ho didn't want to end this conversation quickly.

"I wish there were more people like you, President, who like children. I actually didn't have much interest in orphanages, but my thoughts changed a lot after I was unexpectedly inaugurated as the chairwoman this time. I hope I can be even a little bit of hope for these children who are struggling without parents."

Choi Yu-jeong didn't know Jung Woo-ho's true identity. That was why she called him 'President', and Jung Woo-ho, for his part, breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. Because the moment it was revealed that he was the Chairman of the Haeshin Group, Suran... no, Choi Yu-jeong would get up and leave.

"Come to think of it, who is the 'Suran-noona' you mentioned earlier? You seem to have mistaken me for her, is she someone who resembles me?"

"Yes? Oh... that is... she is my first love."

Jung Woo-ho just spoke honestly. He didn't know when his identity would be discovered by Choi Yu-jeong, who was right next to him. That was why, in this moment, he wanted to have an honest conversation instead.

"Oh my, a first love!"

Choi Yu-jeong clapped her hands as if she were very interested. After all, stories about other people's first loves are always fun.

"What is she doing now? Is she perhaps your current wife?"

At Choi Yu-jeong's playful demeanor, Jung Woo-ho was reminded even more of his first love.

Suran-noona, who was five years older than him. But that Suran-noona was no longer in this world.

"No, she is not my wife."

"That's a shame. Did you break up?"

Jung Woo-ho nodded with a bitter smile.

"Yes, we broke up."

"They say first loves are hard to come true anyway."

People over their 30s don't make serious expressions when talking about breaking up with their first love. So, Choi Yu-jeong asked the next question without much thought.

"Do you know what your first love is doing now?"

"She is probably watching over me."

Choi Yu-jeong didn't understand Jung Woo-ho's words, which contained a double meaning, for a moment.

"Does she work here? Is that why you donated?"

Jung Woo-ho shook his head.

"No. She went to a better place first. During the Korean War."

For a moment, Choi Yu-jeong's swing, which had been ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠swaying slightly, came to a dead stop.

"I-I'm sorry... I really didn't think it was that kind of situation... I am truly sorry..."

Jung Woo-ho shook his head at Choi Yu-jeong, who was apologizing sincerely.

"It's not your fault. It happened a long time ago..."

"Still..."

"If you are sorry, could you talk to this old man a little longer?"