VDN Ch 49

Knock, knock.

Hae-geon ignored the polite employee who had been standing at the door and knocking. He swung the door open. Chairman Jin, who seemed to know Hae-geon was coming, was already seated on the sofa. 

“You’re here.”

“Why did you call me?”

“Sit down.”

Chairman Jin said with a stern look he gestured for Hae-geon to sit on the opposite couch. 

Chairman Jin had an impressive presence—the man who had left many rumors of his handsome appearance in his youth seemed to have lost his energy. but his eyes were still sharp. Perhaps it was the weight of his responsibilities that weighed him down. Every day, Chairman Jin constantly feared someone would expose his flaws. Hae-geon was one of those flaws. 

Hae-geon had once described Chairman Jin as “narrow-minded.” But Hae-geon’s innate business skills were undeniable. He had played a significant role in growing the Mooyoung Group, accounting for 80% of its success. 

Chairman Jin pushed a square file toward Hae-geon. Hae-geon nonchalantly pushed it back. The audacity of his action prompted Chairman Jin to raise an eyebrow and speak. 

“She’s the eldest daughter of the Samyeong Group. Scheduled to inherit the construction company officially in the future. She recently returned from studying in the United States. Her situation is similar to yours.”

“I’m not interested.” 

“But things might change when you meet her.” 

“It’ll be a waste of time. I already know.” 

“How long will you live like that? Other group heirs are already engaged!” 

“I’ve told you, Grandfather. I’ll just run a small business.” 

“A small business?” 

“Yes. It’s doing well. We have several branches…” 

“Do you think that small restaurant of yours amounts to anything? You’ve achieved nothing in this world!” 

Chairman Jin’s rage echoed through the office. Hae-geon remained expressionless. Chairman Jin looked at his grandson and spoke frustratedly. 

“Chasing after alphas who can’t get pregnant! You should be ashamed to show your face, Do you even think about succession?” 

“Seeing that you’re healthy, I think it’s okay for Grandpa to make a successor.”

Splash! 

Tea spilled over Hae-geon’s face as Chairman Jin threw it in frustration. Wiping his face, Hae-geon spoke calmly. 

Grandpa, I’ve been telling you.”

He lowered his gaze and continued quietly.

“I’m broken.”

“At your age, how can you still act so childishly rebellious?”

“I don’t get aroused by omegas.”

“I’ve told you countless times not to speak so crudely.”

Chairman Jin continued speaking.

“If you don’t attend this arranged meeting, I will cut off every single one of your financial resources.”

“Go ahead then.”

Hae-geon tossed a card onto the table from his pocket.

“I got my wallet stolen, so this is all I have anyway.”

Chairman Jin, who was silently watching Hae-geon speak so casually, let out a deep sigh.

“Stop living in your parents shadow.”

Then he spoke in a slightly weary voice.

“One day, when you sit in this chair, you’ll understand me.”

“Grandpa.”

Hae-geon smiled slightly.

“I haven’t had a shadow of my parents since the day I was born.”

With a smiling face, Hae-geon stood up and left the Chairman’s office. The employees who saw him coming out, dripping wet, merely bowed their heads with an expression that seemed to say they were used to it.

His parents abandoned him and ran away. His father had an affair, and his mother hated Hae-geon for looking just like him. Had they ever regretted leaving their young child alone, even once? Sometimes, he wondered about that.

Suddenly, he thought of Nam-woon. Who is more pitiful? the only grandson treated like a racehorse or the only son who gets beaten every other day? How does Seok Nam-woon manage to live like that despite being treated so badly? Why does everything feel lighter when he’s just next to him?

“Ah, I want to see him again.”

Hae-geon smiled as he ran his fingers through his wet hair.

***

These days, Hyung doesn’t come to pick him up. 

Seo-oh wandered around the front gate for a while then looked around for the eye-catching pink bicycle. When he didn’t see it, he started walking slowly. 

These days, I give him a ride in the back, so why isn’t he coming? 

Seo-oh thought of the recent rainy day. At that time, he was really surprised. Nam-woon, sitting in the driver’s seat, was trembling and gasping for breath with his eyes tightly shut. He felt fear seeing Hyung in such a state. When he was younger, he didn’t know because Nam-woon hated him and cursed at him every day, but now he realizes there are so many things he doesn’t know about Nam-woon. 

“That delivery guy.”

“He said he will take my eyeballs.”

What Na Dae-yeol said seemed to be true. He didn’t know that Hyung was doing deliveries, nor did he know that he had threatened Na Dae-yeol in such a way. If Na Dae-yeol was shouting in such anger, it probably wasn’t a lie. Why is he doing deliveries? And why did he suddenly act that way towards Na Dae-yeol? 

Seo-oh’s expression darkened. It was natural to be angry at Nam-woon for threatening a student at his school but that wasn’t on his mind. Seo-oh’s thoughts were solely focused on Nam-woon. 

Why didn’t he tell me?

The fact that Nam-woon hadn’t mentioned deliveries or meeting Na Dae-yeol bothered Seo-oh. Maybe he saw Seo-oh as his younger brother and didn’t want to burden him.

It’s not my fault I’m younger than him.

Seo-oh wasn’t one to dwell on problems that could not be changed, but when it came to Seok Nam-woon, he couldn’t help but worry. Would Nam-woon speak up before Seo-oh asked? 

Seo-oh entered the house. Today was the day Se-han went straight to taekwondo practice after school, so it was clear that no one would be at home.

However, as soon as he opened the front door, faint sounds reached his ears. Next door, in Aunt Soon-i’s small garden, Nam-woon was sitting crouched over, wearing gardening gloves and working on something. As Seo-oh approached, he heard a conversation.

“Do you have rubber at home?” 

“Rubber gloves? Yes, we do.” 

Seok Nam-woon answered casually, holding the drill to the wood, in response to Grandpa Namnam’s cautious question. Grandpa Namnam trailed off his words, muttering, “Rubber… Not that rubber…” To Seo-oh’s surprise, the wooden table was almost complete. Nam-woon bent down examining one of the legs of the table. 

“But isn’t this a bit low?” 

“Why? It looks fine.” 

“Seo-oh has long legs. It might be uncomfortable when he sits.” 

At that, the old man snorted.

“Oh, then what about Se-han? Se-han’s legs are incredibly short. If you adjust it to Seo-oh’s height, he might have trouble getting up!” 

“Se-han would be angry if he heard that.”

Nam-woon chuckled, as if imagining Se-han’s reaction.

“We don’t even have the tools to cut wood here! I’ve already cut it all!”

Nam-woon squinted and shaded his eyes from the dazzling sunlight.

“However, the room is small, so I’m bending my knees every day. I’m tall, so I wonder if his knees will get worse.”

Although it wasn’t explicitly mentioned, anyone could tell he was referring to Seo-oh. Grandpa Namnam snorted disapprovingly.

“You’re just making a fuss over nothing. Anyway, you’ll just go and play on the table, so what’s the point? Back in my day, we sat cross-legged and didn’t have any back or knee problems!”

“Kids these days”… Grandpa Namnam reminisced about his youth. It was so long ago that Nam-woon didn’t feel the need to argue and just continued his work. Grandpa Namnam, gaining momentum, began to voice his complaints.

“And why did you put the watermelon in our store? If you bought it, take it with you!”

“When I brought it, it didn’t fit in the fridge. I’ll leave it there for a while.”

“Then why did you buy it?”

“The kids surprisingly eat a lot of fruit.”

At those words, Seo-oh looked at Nam-woon’s face. He had turned his body sideways, so it wasn’t clearly visible from this side.

“Really?”

“Yes. I bought three bananas before and they were gone quickly. Se-han also eats it well when I blend it with milk.”

“Se-han will grow a lot. He eats well, just like his brother!”

“Right? If he eats a lot, his belly sticks out, and it’s really cute.”

Nam-woon laughed softly. I can’t see you laughing. Seo-oh moved a little closer.

Nam-woon, who was seriously thinking about something, asked Grandpa Namnam.

“…Se-han doesn’t eat ants or anything, right?”

“…I don’t know about that.”

Nam-woon put the drill down and sat on the table, tapping the wood with his hand. Seeing it almost finished, Grandpa Namnam commented.

“You made it quickly?”

“I just need to set up the wood and nail it. I’ll take the watermelon later.”

“Bring me a bowl if you make fruit punch.”

“I’m not sure if there will be any left.”

Nam-woon scratched his head and Grandpa Namnam shouted something. Seo-oh, who was about to leave, stopped at Grandpa Namnam’s next words.

“Still, since you came here, the kids have become much brighter.”

Nam-woon’s hand, which was touching the wood, stopped.

“Every time I saw those kids, I worried about what to do with them, but since you came here, I can sleep peacefully.”

“…I think you slept well even before I came.”

“What!? Ugh, you always ruin the mood when I try to say something nice.”

Grandpa Namnam rubbed his nose and turned his head, muttering.

“Thank you.”