When he opened the front door, the Shin family butler, who had worked in this house for many years, was waiting for him.
“Young master, Madam is waiting for you.” “I understand.” “I’ll show you to the dining room.”
Ho-su followed the butler down the hall.
The house was still enormous. When he was young, he had thought this place was the entire world. But now, it was nothing more than his mother’s house.
After founding his company, Ho-su had found a place to live in the Jamsil area and moved out on his own.
Laughter drifted from the end of the hall. It was his mother Seo Min-hee’s voice and… another woman’s.
“You really are a perfect match, Chairman. It’s an honor for me to be able to spend time with someone so distinguished.”
Judging by the young woman’s voice, it seemed to be Yoon Seo-ah.
When Ho-su opened the dining room door, everyone’s attention turned to him. The spacious dining room held a twelve-person marble table, and four people were already seated.
Seo Min-hee and Yoon Jae-hyuk sat facing each other at the head of the table. Kang Su-jin sat beside Seo Min-hee, while Yoon Seo-ah sat right next to Yoon Jae-hyuk.
“Mom.”
Ho-su greeted her without expression.
“You’re here? Come sit down.”
Min-hee’s voice was calm, but her eyes carried a warning: ‘Behave yourself.’
“Ho-su, it’s been a long time. I suppose I should call you CEO Kang now?”
Yoon Jae-hyuk spoke with a calm smile. In his early sixties, he was the man who had built Hansung Electronics into a global corporation, and his business acumen was widely respected.
“How have you been, Chairman?”
Ho-su gave him a brief greeting and looked around the table. His seat was directly across from Seo-ah.
At such an obvious arrangement, Ho-su let out a bitter, incredulous laugh.
“Ho-su, it’s been so long.”
Seo-ah greeted him with a bright smile.
In a sky-blue dress, she wore flawless makeup, and her long, wavy hair fell elegantly around her shoulders.
“It has.”
Ho-su’s reply was cold.
Seo-ah’s face stiffened for an instant, but she soon put on a bright expression again.
“Your company must be keeping you really busy, right? How are the launch preparations going?” “Busy.” “I see…”
Seo-ah couldn’t continue. Her embarrassment at Ho-su’s blunt attitude was obvious.
“Ho-su.”
Min-hee called out to her son in a calm but sharp voice.
“Yes, Mom.” “Seo-ah is asking you a question. Give her a proper answer.” “I told her properly that I’m busy with work.”
Ho-su remained expressionless.
Min-hee bit her lip and closed her eyes for a moment. She couldn’t scold her son in front of their guests.
“Ho-su has always been a man of few words. Please understand.”
Min-hee quickly regained her composure and forced a smile at Yoon Jae-hyuk and his wife.
“That’s all right. Young people can be like that when they’re focused on work.”
Yoon Jae-hyuk laughed generously.
Burrata caprese was served as an appetizer. A private chef finished plating it right in front of the table.
“Ho-su, Seo-ah arrived an hour ago. We had tea and talked.”
Min-hee looked at Ho-su as she spoke.
“Did you?”
Ho-su began eating the caprese as if he had no interest in the conversation.
“Yes, Chairman. I had such a lovely time talking with you. You really are an incredible person.”
Seo-ah spoke to Min-hee in a coquettish voice. Min-hee nodded with a satisfied expression.
“Seo-ah is so polite and clever. I noticed it when she came to see me a year ago, too. She’s truly an exceptional young lady.” “Oh, Chairman. You’re making me blush with all those compliments.”
Seo-ah smiled shyly. Her gaze remained fixed on Ho-su, but he didn’t even look at her.
“Our Seo-ah really tried to make a good impression on you, Chairman.”
Kang Su-jin spoke proudly as she looked at her daughter.
She looked so young for a woman in her late fifties that it was hard to believe her age, and she had maintained a beauty that closely resembled her daughter’s.
“Mom, I did it because I wanted things to work out with Ho-su. I’ve liked him ever since we were kids.”
Seo-ah smiled with her eyes and looked at Ho-su as she spoke. But Ho-su remained focused on his food.
“Oppa?”
Seo-ah called him again.
“Yeah.” “Are you listening to me?” “I’m listening.”
At Ho-su’s indifferent answer, Seo-ah’s expression stiffened for an instant. The wounded pride in her eyes was unmistakable.
“Ho-su!”
Seo Min-hee finally raised her voice.
“Seo-ah is talking to you. When someone is speaking, it’s only polite to look at them.”
Ho-su set down his fork and looked at Seo-ah. His gaze was cold and flat.
“Why?” “…Never mind.”
Seo-ah turned her head away. Her cheeks were flushed. Shame and anger mingled across her face.
The meal continued as the four of them concealed their true feelings from one another.
“CEO Kang, how have things been at the company lately?”
Yoon Jae-hyuk asked, trying to change the awkward atmosphere.
“We’re a little busy since the new game launch is just around the corner.”
Yoon Jae-hyuk’s expression shifted subtly at Ho-su’s answer.
“But isn’t competition fierce in the game industry these days? I hear one failed blockbuster can bring a company down.” “That can happen. But we’re different. The game received extremely positive feedback during external testing.” “Is that so? Then that’s good to hear.”
Yoon Jae-hyuk didn’t press any further. But his expression seemed to say, ‘What’s so special about some silly game?’
“Chairman, Ho-su has a real talent for running a company.”
Min-hee spoke up in her son’s defense.
“Even so, Ho-su is old enough now, and he’ll be getting married soon, so he should gradually start learning the ropes at Seowon Construction, too.” “Of course. CEO Kang is Seowon Construction’s only heir, after all, isn’t he?”
Yoon Jae-hyuk agreed with a genial smile.
Watching the situation in silence, Ho-su tightened his grip on his fork.
No matter how many times he explained himself, everything started over again in this family. The game company was just a hobby, while Seowon Construction was his real career.
“Next Studio is my career.”
Ho-su’s cold voice was enough to freeze everyone at the table.
“Ho-su!”
Seo Min-hee called out to him in warning.
“Mom, I’m following my own path. Seowon Construction is your company.” “You little—!”
Seo Min-hee’s face reddened.
“Chairman, I’m sorry. Ho-su has been under a lot of stress from work lately…” “It’s all right.”
Yoon Jae-hyuk waved a hand.
“Young people should have minds of their own.”
That was when it happened.
“Chairman.”
Seo-ah, who had only been listening quietly, suddenly spoke.
“I think it’s wonderful that Ho-su is making games.”
Everyone’s eyes except Ho-su’s turned toward Seo-ah.
“Really?”
Min-hee asked in surprise at Seo-ah’s response.
“Yes, Chairman. The game industry is huge these days. Hansung Electronics even recently established a new gaming division. If Ho-su succeeds, there could be some synergy with our side, too.”
Seo-ah was clever enough to add business value to her words. She was certain it would work in Chairman Seo’s and Ho-su’s favor.
“That’s true.”
Yoon Jae-hyuk nodded.
“The game industry is a market we can’t ignore. We have to keep up with the times.” “That’s right, Dad. So you should support Ho-su.”
Seo-ah smiled brightly at Ho-su.
“Hang in there, Ho-su. I’m on your side.” “Are you?”
Ho-su looked at Seo-ah with a bitter smile. ‘Who asked you?’
“Thanks, but there’s no need.” “…What?”
The bright smile Seo-ah had been giving Ho-su soon froze.
“I don’t need your support. And there’s no ‘my side’ or ‘your side’ between us.” “Ho-su, you don’t have to go that far…”
Seo-ah’s voice trembled. Tears welled up in her eyes.
“Kang Ho-su!”
Min-hee shouted again, as if she could no longer stand it.
“Apologize to Seo-ah right now.” “Why should I? I only told the truth.”
Whether he knew or cared that he had ruined the mood, Ho-su remained expressionless.
“I have absolutely no intention of getting engaged to or marrying Yoon Seo-ah. In the first place, I didn’t even want to come here.”
The dinner was already hurtling toward an ugly end.
“CEO Kang.”
Yoon Jae-hyuk spoke in a quiet but intimidating voice.
“I know you don’t like Seo-ah. But this isn’t a personal matter. It’s a union between Seowon Construction and Hansung Electronics. It concerns both our families.” “That’s exactly the problem, Chairman.”
Ho-su looked Yoon Jae-hyuk straight in the eye.
“What era are we living in that you’re still trying to force people into arranged marriages? I’m not a tool for the company. I decide my own life.” “Ho-su, what are you—!”
Seo Min-hee spoke in a trembling voice.
“I’m sorry, Mom. But I’ll say it again: I can’t get engaged. No—I won’t.”
Shock spread across the faces of the three others.
“Son, are you serious?”
Seo Min-hee looked at him in disbelief.
“Yes. You know perfectly well that this engagement is your decision, not mine.”
Ho-su spoke firmly.
Then Seo-ah stood, dabbing at the corners of her eyes with a napkin.
“I’m sorry, but I’m going to leave first. I’m truly sorry.” “Seo-ah!”
Su-jin tried to stop her daughter, but Seo-ah had already grabbed her bag and left the table. Her shoulders trembled as she walked toward the entryway. For a woman as proud as she was, there could hardly have been a greater humiliation.
“Chairman, I’m truly sorry.”
Seo Min-hee bowed her head to Yoon Jae-hyuk.
“It’s all right. As CEO Kang said, we can’t force him into a marriage, can we? The wishes of the people involved matter most.”
Yoon Jae-hyuk rose from his seat.
“But CEO Kang, this decision could affect the relationship between Seowon Construction and Hansung Electronics.”
Yoon Jae-hyuk’s firm voice sounded like a threat.
“I’m aware.”
Ho-su looked at Jae-hyuk as he answered. His eyes were filled with conviction.
Until that moment, he had never dreamed that he would be the one to announce the engagement himself.