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Chapter 03
Two days later.
Gogyeol was staying in Goseong, Gangwon-do for a movie shoot. Considering the filming scheduled from early morning, it should still have been time for him to be asleep, but because his father had come looking for him at dawn, he had no choice but to stand there staring at the sea.
“Wouldn’t Mother worry if you’re out here at this hour?”
At first glance, Gogyeol’s gentle voice made him sound like a considerate son. His father, who had been staring at him with a stern expression, took out a cigarette from inside his suit jacket and lit it.
“I had to find a way to make time for a face-to-face conversation with you. This was the only way.”
“You really shouldn’t have come all the way here. You’re the one who told me not to reveal or expose our family relationship, Chairman.”
Gogyeol deliberately used the term Chairman to keep emotional distance. He intended to make his position clear. But Chairman Baek didn’t seem bothered by his son’s attitude. He slowly exhaled a cloud of smoke.
“When do you plan on returning home? It wasn’t enough that you gave up the family business, now you want to cut ties with the family altogether?”
“I’m not trying to cut ties. I’m just choosing not to go home for a while—for Mother and Jeong-oh’s sake.”
“You think staying away will put your mother at ease? Stop doing something so foolish and go back to where you belong.”
Chairman Baek’s tone wasn’t forceful, but it carried the heavy persuasive weight he was known for. Gogyeol unbuttoned one of his shirt buttons as if frustrated and let out a short sigh. At this rate, everything would fall back into the same mess as before.
“I’ve already established myself as an actor. I can take care of myself.”
Chairman Baek flicked the ashes off his cigarette, his eyebrows twitching slightly.
“If you want to support Jeong-oh’s dream, then take over BE Entertainment for now. Your image has gone beyond that of a simple actor—it’s become a brand. In that case, it’s better for you to run it than Jeong-oh.”
Gogyeol had seen through his father’s intentions long ago. That was why he had made the effort to go to that restaurant in Seoul two days ago—to make his firm stance clear.
“I think I told your chief of staff two days ago. I have no interest in management.”
“I heard. But since we have to start considering what to do about Jeong-oh, I stopped by to hear what you think.”
“So this was your plan all along? To keep persuading me until I get worn out—this is your idea of respect?”
“You’ve always been the one with real business talent. Jeong-oh is too soft. His face shows everything he feels. But you’re different. That’s why your clownish acting is working so well with people right now.”
He turned his head away.
Watching his father try so hard not to let his true feelings show, Gogyeol forced himself to remain calm. If he got emotional too, the whole family would end up tiptoeing around the two of them again. He had no choice but to endure it.
“I promise I’ll take care of Jeong-oh’s share separately. You don’t worry about him and just come back to the company.”
Even though they weren’t born from the same mother, he and Jeong-oh were an affectionate pair of half-brothers. The stepmother who raised him after his birth mother passed away was nothing like the wicked characters in fairy tales.
Instead, she had cherished him almost too much—so much that Jeong-oh had grown up constantly anxious. When he thought of his younger brother working so hard to be recognized by both parents, his heart still ached.
“I’m his older brother. How could I possibly not think about him?”
“Baek Yun-oh.”
“You’ve come all the way out here, but I’m sorry I can’t join you for a meal. I have a shoot in a few hours, so I should rest.”
Chairman Baek rubbed at his temple as he looked at his son bowing politely.
“Jeong-oh says he wants to go to Baekun Electronics City. He wants to start proper successor training.”
The fact that Jeong-oh, CEO of Gogyeol’s current agency, wanted to move to Baekun headquarters meant that he could no longer maintain control of the entertainment company. The suddenness of the decision surprised him, but to become a successor, one had to train at headquarters. For someone who wanted to take over the family business, it made perfect sense. So Gogyeol had no resentment at all.
“I think that’s the right choice as well.”
What Jeong-oh had wanted since long ago was to inherit the family business. Back in his senior year of high school, when he chose his major, he had asked to receive successor training like his older brother. At that moment, the ground beneath Gogyeol had felt like it was collapsing. It had shocked him—realizing he might be the one blocking the path his little brother wanted to take. From then on, he had stood against his father for Jeong-oh’s sake. Even though it wasn’t what his mother had wanted, he hoped this would help Jeong-oh fly toward his dream.
“So you’re saying you’ll take over the entertainment business instead?”
The surprise visit suddenly made sense. His father had driven all the way from Seoul to Goseong just to say this. Not wanting an argument, Gogyeol took another step back and smiled calmly.
“I’ll discuss this with Jeong-oh later and give you my answer.”
Having received a call from her stepmother at dawn, Yujeong arrived at the family home in Pyeongchang-dong still half-asleep. It had been a long time since she’d had breakfast without her stepsister Seoyoon.
“You look like you’ve lost your appetite.”
At her father’s voice, Yujeong put down her chopsticks. She forced a small smile, trying to hide her fatigue. She was too busy thinking about how to bring up what happened yesterday to eat properly.
“I just have a lot on my mind.”
“I see. I heard things have been hectic at the company… Ah, you don’t look like you have much of an appetite either.”
Her stepmother immediately lowered her head, looking as though she might burst into tears.
“It’s because I feel so sorry toward you. That lawyer who met Yujeong yesterday got really angry. I apologized several times and wrapped things up somehow, but… I don’t know what to do about this.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I apologized to him over and over… but he claims Yujeong has a man she’s going to marry. He said that man even followed her to the matchmaking meeting.”
With trembling hands like falling cherry blossoms in spring, Youngsook pulled out a handkerchief. Her husband, Jungcheol, paused eating to comfort her, while Yujeong quietly watched from beside them. In situations like this, stepping forward only ever made things worse. It was better to wait for an opportunity.
“Father, I really tried not to cause Mother any trouble. But it was unavoidable. I’m sorry.”
Her heart pounded. This was not the first time her stepmother had exaggerated something small and pushed her into a corner. She worried what new accusation might come next.
“Honey, I know Yujeong always tries her best for me. But hearing she suddenly left the place in another man’s arms during a matchmaking meeting…”
A quick glance—her stepmother looked at her husband to gauge his reaction. She was probably preparing to suggest meeting the man directly. Recognizing her predictable tactic, Yujeong picked up her chopsticks.
“What do you mean, another man carried you out? Was there someone you were seeing?”
“No. The lawyer suddenly pushed me, and a piece of glass got stuck in my palm. Someone I’d never met before helped me.”
She opened the hand holding her chopsticks to show her injured palm. Youngsook pressed her lips tightly together and stared at her. Her father let out a short sigh and turned to his wife.
“What were you doing while all this was happening?”
“It all happened so suddenly—I thought it was real.”
“Enough. We’re going to be busy dealing with the label issue for the next year anyway. Let’s stop the matchmaking for now.”
Seeing her father’s angry expression, Yujeong felt confused. He usually took her stepmother’s side, but today he seemed different.
“Yes. I wanted to focus on work for a while anyway.”
“Do that.”
It was her father who answered. Surprised by his unexpected response, Yujeong hesitated—but her stepmother quickly cut in.
“But honey, considering her age, I don’t know if stopping now is the right choice. Even if she starts dating now, she’ll be past thirty when she marries. Shouldn’t she meet someone before it’s too late?”
Her stepmother, desperate to push her back onto the matchmaking market, continued pleading with Jungcheol.
“After what just happened, you want to send her again? Stop.”
“But isn’t it better to meet someone who’s been vetted? You know it’s harder to get good introductions after thirty.”
“I said I’ll handle it.”
Her stepmother, whose attempt to manipulate the situation had backfired, now looked on the verge of tears as she stared at her husband. Then Jungcheol turned to Yujeong with a cold expression.
“When Secretary Choi calls, answer him. We’ll form a legal team within the week.”
“Honey!”
“They’re the ones who should be worrying about appearances. How dare he do that to my daughter? The nerve!”
Hearing her father’s firm declaration of legal action, her stepmother shot him a murderous glare before abruptly standing up. Her fists clenched so tightly her nails dug into her palms, her entire body trembling. Watching her stepmother seethe, Yujeong forced a polite smile.
“Mother, please finish your meal. I have work, so I’ll be heading out first.”
