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Chapter 20
“What? Baek Somang, dating?”
Siwon, who had been sitting, suddenly stood up. The fatigue on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a flushed, reddish-purple look.
“How long have you been seeing someone?”
Siwon pressed his palm against his forehead.
“Somang, did I ever stay out overnight when I went volunteering?”
Annoyed, he flapped the front of his T-shirt back and forth, creating a breeze. There wasn’t a trace of rationality left in his eyes.
Somang knew that whatever she said now wouldn’t reach his ears, so she wanted to end this conversation.
“I’ve never stayed out overnight. I was tired; we’ll talk later.”
“Hangeul, tell me. Did she really never stay out overnight?”
Stay out overnight? Most of the time, she had simply gone along with him in his car until he forced her to leave work.
Hangeul, however, rubbed his chin and pretended to think deeply for a long moment. His actions, pouring fuel on a burning fire, were beginning to feel excessive.
“Hangeul oppa!”
Finally, Hangeul answered calmly, as if he had finished thinking.
“I don’t think she ever did.”
But Siwon seemed already convinced that Hangeul was lying for her sake.
“Hangeul, it’s fine—just tell the truth.”
“We’ve been dating less than a week, and you’re talking about staying out overnight? That’s too much.”
“What, a week?”
Siwon grabbed the back of her neck and staggered.
“Do you know how dangerous men are? Just a few days of dating and you think staying out overnight is okay? Who taught you that?!”
“I said, I didn’t stay out!”
Somang pounded her chest in frustration.
She understood that Siwon was deliberately strict in place of her parents who were far away. But…
Siwon didn’t know.
Who the most dangerous person in this house really was.
The one who had stolen her first kiss.
The one who constantly tempted her.
The one who now, in front of both of them, pretended to be a harmless, reliable friend and older brother—Yoo Hangeul.
How dangerous he truly was for her.
“You really know nothing at all!”
Completely clueless. Somang, frustrated, kicked her travel bag and stormed into her room, locking the door.
“Baek Somang! Are you not coming out?”
Siwon’s loud voice shouted from outside. Somang stuffed her ears with bright orange sponge earplugs.
Really, just wait until Yoo Hangeul…
Buried under blankets up to her neck, Somang kicked out in every direction.
Meanwhile, morning in the U.S.
Jongmin, whose mood had soured in Korea, headed straight to the U.S.
In the well-kept garden outside the mansion, the staff were bustling about.
Every first Friday morning of the month, Sangwook hosted a breakfast gathering for Korean company heads settled abroad and American investors.
It was a place for information exchange and critical verbal agreements.
“Son, I thought you were going to play a bit longer.”
Mrs. Kang, Seohui, ran across the green lawn as she spotted her son.
“Mom, where’s Dad?”
“He’s in the study talking. First, change your clothes. Your father will scold you if he sees you like this.”
Seohui fidgeted at the sight of Jongmin in his workout clothes.
On days like today, her husband Sangwook’s nerves were especially tense, especially when the company’s situation was poor.
“Ah, forget it! Do I have to change my clothes just to meet Dad?”
Watching this, Seohui felt like a bomb was about to explode and stomped her feet.
Had she spoiled him too much? Jongmin’s stubbornness had long exceeded her control.
He rushed up to the second-floor study.
Today, he intended to be officially recognized as the heir.
“Isn’t it natural? I’m the only son carrying the bloodline.”
Resolute, Jongmin gripped the study doorknob.
But then, an unexpected name came from beyond the door.
“Hangeul is your child?”
“You’re still quick with rumors, senior.”
Hearing his father’s low chuckle, Jongmin froze in midair, standing quietly at the door to listen.
“Hangeul is capable. Even when he worked at Seri Electronics, he handled everything perfectly. Even as a newcomer, he shined so brightly that I personally interviewed him.”
The person praising Hangeul was Jin Seop, CEO of Seri Electronics. A father of three daughters.
“Is that so? Hangeul is quite taciturn.”
“I showed him photos of my daughters and bragged, but he was so indifferent. It frustrated me.”
Jinseop laughed heartily, though disappointment lingered.
“So you excluded Hangeul from management just because he’s a half-blood?”
“Jongmin is more than capable.”
“Tsk, tsk. If that’s the case, I’d have married Hangeul into the family.”
Jinseop, Sangwook’s college senior and key supporter in founding the electronics company, was genuinely regretful.
“Even Clover will start declining soon.”
“….”
Sangwook fell silent at Jinseop’s firm insistence that Jongmin should not be seated there.
His body was aging, the company’s future uncertain, and yet he couldn’t make a decision.
No, he delayed because he was desperately trying to avoid the answer he already knew.
“I’ll reconsider.”
“A company is only fun when competing with others. Doing everything alone—how is that fun?”
Jongmin’s face darkened with every negative emotion upon hearing that.
<“I’ll reconsider.”>
His father said he would reconsider Hangeul as a management candidate.
“Hah, that bastard?”
Blood seemed about to explode from his veins. He could barely breathe from anger.
At that moment, hurried footsteps came up the stairs behind him.
“Son, at least put this on first.”
Seohui ran up and draped a formal jacket over Jongmin’s shoulders, out of breath.
“I don’t need it!”
Jongmin violently pushed her hands away, unable to contain his rage.
“Oh my!”
Seohui fell to the floor, scraping her knee. Seeing the drops of blood, Jongmin reached out.
“I told you not to follow me.”
“Son, I’m fine. Just put this on.”
But hearing the doorknob turn, Jongmin withdrew and fled down the stairs.
Anger at Yoo Hangeul and bruised pride made his heart pound.
“That bastard….”
The next day
Somang opened her door and nearly stepped on Siwon, who was sleeping in front of it.
“Oppa! Why are you sleeping here?”
Startled, she exhaled and Siwon sprang up, crossing his legs.
“Bring him here. I need to see the face of the boyfriend who wants to start with an overnight stay.”
Siwon moved his hips to block every step Somang tried to take. The silent struggle continued for a long time.
“Ugh! Oppa, aren’t you opening the hospital?”
Eventually, Somang, reaching her limit first, sat down opposite Siwon.
“How old do you think I am that I need your permission to date?”
“I’m not mad that you’re dating! I’m mad because you’re talking about staying out overnight first.”
Siwon huffed in frustration. Cold silence filled the space between them.
Click.
At that moment, the bathroom door opened, and Hangeul emerged, having finished his shower.
“Hangeul, come sit right here. Somang will sit right next to you and make sure you don’t step out of the house.”
Siwon passed the baton with a clap of his hands.
Even while preparing for work, Siwon would come and go, obsessively making sure she couldn’t move. He was relentless and completely oblivious.
Somang, taking advantage of the brief absence of Siwon, glared at Hangeul, who was sitting cross-legged opposite her.
“How could you tell oppa that!”
“He told me, so I thought Siwon should know too.”
“It’s supposed to be a secret from oppa Siwon.”
It was a fake relationship meant to anger him. Somang crossed her arms tightly, breathing heavily.
“Are you really that oblivious?”
“Why shouldn’t Siwon know? It’s not even a fake relationship.”
Hangeul’s eyes gleamed mischievously as he asked, as if to say, Right?
