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chapter 01
In the vast space, objects resembling modern art were scattered here and there. Among them, there was a room that required paying over ten million won in drinks just to enter.
The heirs of conglomerates indulged in luxury as if it were their right. Expensive whiskies were laid out across the tables.
“Are you still seeing Yoon Sera? Haven’t seen her on TV much lately.”
“We broke up. She was my type, so it’s a bit disappointing. Her chest was huge! Every time, it bounced right in front of me.”
“Man, forget it. Just date Lee Jin now. Daewon Group is fine, isn’t it?”
“Hah. Lee Jin? I can’t even get aroused looking at her! How could I marry her like that!”
Like any group of young men, their topic of excitement was women. Doheon watched them with an indifferent expression.
“Hey, don’t you have anyone you’re seeing, Doheon?”
A man wearing titanium glasses and a gray sweater directed his gaze at Doheon.
Sharp facial features, a high-bridged nose, and eyes that stood out — he exuded a uniquely distinct presence. Among them, it was clear he was the king.
The man observing the conversation only nodded, looking bored. His demeanor suggested he had no interest in their shallow talk.
“Man, what a waste of a face. Honestly, aren’t you the only guy in Korea who could date any woman? Even other men would say you’re ridiculously handsome.”
“Even without considering the Seoguk family, this guy’s too good-looking. Sometimes it’s infuriating!”
They laughed while clutching their stomachs, but Doheon’s expression remained unchanged.
“Just meet her for a bit. What’s your type?”
If they found something interesting, they would talk about it for hours. Doheon wanted to wrap this up quickly and head to the suite to rest.
“I already have someone I’m seeing, and I’m considering marriage.”
The five men simultaneously opened their mouths in surprise. For Doheon, their reaction was merely something to endure.
The man in the gray sweater studied his expression and asked again,
“Who is it?”
“Shin Yoon-seon’s granddaughter.”
“Shin Yoon-seon? Never heard of her. Is she some kind of human cultural asset?”
“The gardener of Myeongseonjae.”
For a moment, silence fell.
Pyeongchang-dong, Jongno District — Myeongseonjae, facing Bukhansan Mountain
A low wall surrounded the property, lined with arborvitae, making the traditional Korean house invisible from the outside.
The rain thickened the smell of the grass, and the winding red pines stood proudly against the gusty wind. Even the cotton trees exuded elegance, their falling leaves graceful.
Colorful silk carp swam freely in the front yard pond, full of life, while the flowers and trees throughout the garden looked meticulously maintained, almost artistic, as if touched by a professional hand.
A black sedan stopped, cutting through the quiet with the sound of tires on wet soil. Raindrops slid down the silver emblem on the hood.
A man in a neat suit and well-groomed pomade stepped out of the car, moving as if familiar with the place.
He walked with straight legs, barely glancing at the garden, seemingly uninterested in its landscaping. An employee hurriedly emerged from the yard and bowed.
“Master Doheon! Welcome! The chairman is resting in the main room.”
“Yes.”
Doheon stood at the door as the employee politely opened it. The scent of damp wood mixed with the old man’s presence reached his nose.
The employee opened the bedroom door.
“I’m here, grandfather.”
The old man, seated in a rocking chair, tilted his head, staring endlessly at the raindrops sliding down the window.
“Chairman, your second grandson, Doheon, is here.”
“I know. Sit there!”
The stubborn voice echoed loudly.
When he came to Seoul in his youth to start his business, he generally spoke standard Korean, but when excited or reprimanding, his dialect would surface.
Under his wrinkled eyelids, sharp eyes scrutinized Doheon.
“So, Doheon, how old are you this year?”
“Twenty-eight, grandfather.”
“You’re at the age to be married, yet you have no suitable match!”
The old man clicked his tongue. Doheon sat, smiling lightly at the lecture that was about to begin.
“These days, people marry late. Some don’t marry at all.”
“That’s when you’re not part of the Seoguk family! Do you remember the gardener who worked here when you were a child?”
Doheon recalled his childhood memories.
The Myeongseonjae gardener had eyes that shone like a girl’s, teaching young Doheon about plants while he sat on her lap.
When he tugged at a trumpet vine with his small, chubby hands, she would lift it to show him and tell him legends entwined with the flowers.
He had heard of her passing around three years ago. The portrait at her funeral looked far older and lonelier than he remembered.
“Yes, she was a warm person. Did she die in an accident?”
“Yes. That gardener was my only true friend. Even until the day she died, she worked for Myeongseonjae’s garden, and I never did anything for her!”
The Myeongseonjae gardener had always been the person the chairman relied on.
Even during the hardships of the early business days, and after achieving everything and feeling emptiness at the top, she remained, offering warmth. Unlike others who sought his wealth, she asked for nothing and found joy in tending the garden alone.
The chairman’s eyes twisted with pain.
“How lonely she must have been at the end! I never even took her to the hospital. I was blinded by money, never considering her feelings. I’ve given her nothing back.”
The chairman spoke calmly.
“Doheon, I have one wish. I want you to be connected with that gardener’s granddaughter.”
“Shin Yoon-seon’s granddaughter…?”
Doheon’s mouth fell open. He restrained a laugh, momentarily questioning his grandfather’s mental state.
“Think I’m crazy? It’s a dying wish. A will.”
He muttered, displeased with Doheon’s reaction.
“Grandfather, I have no intention of marrying. I just want to focus on work.”
“You can’t excel at work without a family! When your wife supports you, there’s nothing you can’t do.”
The old man’s frown deepened, his complexion reddening. He was not one to bend easily once he decided something.
“Doheon.”
The chairman called his name in a heavy tone, his breath rasping.
“If you make this marriage happen, I’ll give you more shares than your older brother Kang-jae. Your father and Kang-jae don’t have the ability, you see!”
“You mean you’re passing the next chairman position to me?”
“Yes. Feeling ambitious now?”
A flicker of interest passed Doheon’s otherwise emotionless eyes. The chairman laughed heartily.
Marriage was merely optional, a tool to maintain control over the Seoguk family. If it helped achieve his goals, it wasn’t a loss.
“The granddaughter lives in the house her grandmother once did.”
Doheon received a crumpled piece of paper.
On it, written in precise, forceful handwriting, was the address. The chairman was famous for his calligraphy, believing one could see fate in a person’s handwriting.
“Don’t try to force a marriage. From what I hear, she has a deep story and many wounds. Date normally, give her plenty of love, and bring her to me. Understood?”
Doheon didn’t respond, slipping the note into the inner pocket of his jacket. The chairman’s eyes, which had been watching intently, softened.
“Yes, my grandson! Let’s get a good look at your face.”
A sunset lake is mystical.
The red reflection in the ripples and the gentle waves make all worries seem trivial. This was one reason Yeon-seo loved this lakeside house.
Yeon-seo, in a green chiffon dress dotted with tiny flowers, gazed endlessly across the lake.
She recalled a call from her only living relative, Yeon-jae.
“Sister, please help me. I got involved with a crypto exchange app. I earned at first, but I kept losing. It was a scam! I borrowed money from some shady office, and I don’t know what will happen if I can’t pay back.”
‘Are you crazy? We don’t have that kind of money! How much did you borrow?’
“It wasn’t that much at first, but it kept increasing.”
‘Tell me, how much!’
“100 million won. Sister! If you sell the Yangpyeong house, we might get 300 million. You handle the lease.”
‘When will you ever grow up! Do you know what this house is? It’s grandmother’s inheritance.’
“Technically, half is mine. I have rights too! I’ll be there soon, so get ready. If you don’t want to sell, come up with the money yourself.”
What a jerk.
She pressed her fingers between her brows. Would it have been easier if she still had family to give her advice?
Time passed, and the wind picked up. Goosebumps rose along her pale arms.
“It’s still cold.”
She stood, brushing her dress. When she turned her head, her hair tied in a ribbon fell gracefully below her shoulders.
“Oh? My hair tie!”
The butterfly-shaped mother-of-pearl hair tie floated along the waves.
Her tangled thoughts pressed heavily on her mind. She had never had a life of ease. Even the warmth shared by an ordinary family was never freely granted.
The grandmother who had embraced her warmly during her lonely youth — the hair tie was like her. She carried it in her bag when she couldn’t have it. Since her grandmother’s passing, it had always been with her.
