No one wanted to continue the meal. Everyone awkwardly smiled and finished their meal.
After the family finished the meal, they gathered in the living room. Naturally, business discussions came up, but Jaeho was not particularly interested; he just kept looking at the clock. Considering the distance to Taean, even if they left now, it would be midnight.
“Son, are you going to sleep?”
“No, I have work.”
“It’s late. If possible, go in the morning.”
“I’m sorry.”
Although it was a somewhat hurtful atmosphere, Mi-jeong didn’t ask further. It wouldn’t be right to force something in the first place. Instead, she briefly left the room, saying she would prepare something. Jaeho couldn’t stop her even if he wanted to.
“The performance of Taemyung Insurance is not good by quarters. There are various opinions among the directors about the cause of the slump.”
In the strategy room, perhaps because she was a director in charge, Lee Sae-ah, with a worried tone, brought up the performance discussion first. There was an intention to compensate for the awkward atmosphere earlier, and also a purpose to raise a field that Jaeho is not familiar with, trying to break his spirit.
Jaeho was recalling the private conversation he had with Heontae before the meal.
“Is there no possibility that a woman approached you with a purpose? You worry too much as you get older. Just in case, I’m asking. Which woman would covet the Taemyung successor?”
Upon hearing that, Jaeho laughed heartily for the first time since entering the house.
“That woman doesn’t even know that I am my grandfather’s grandson. And I approached her.”
“If she knew you were a conglomerate heir, she would like it.”
She wouldn’t like it.
She knew he would feel even more burdened. Actor Lee Jaeho was a woman who took a step back, feeling burdened. Whether it was because she believed in the influence of misfortune or not, she always tried to keep her distance.
A few days ago, there was also a day when she unexpectedly asked if he was a conglomerate heir.
“Why do you keep asking that? Would it be nice if I were a conglomerate heir?”
She thought about the half-joking question for a long time.
“No. No, it would be better if you weren’t. Something like a conglomerate.”
“Why?”
“If it’s too high, it’s hard to see well.”
“Just climb up. I’ll hold your hand.”
“What? Why pretend to be a conglomerate again? Are you teasing me again?”
Dajeong kept trying to look at the ground. The long-standing misfortune made her lose her self-confidence and made it difficult for her to let go. Jaeho wanted to gradually help her regain that shattered self-esteem. It didn’t matter how long it took.
So he decided to walk more slowly. To make sure that his presence wasn’t a burden.
He wanted to silently stay by her side without any urgency, coercion, or any promises.
It won’t be a burden at all. Dajeong. So please don’t push me away.
“What do you think, Jaeho?”
Heontae’s voice woke him from his thoughts. Jaeho lifted his head and met his gaze.
“Huh? I’m sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment.”
“Taemyung Insurance is in danger of falling out of the top five in the industry. It seems that Se-ah attributes it to the auto insurance loss ratio.”
“Oh.”
“I also wanted to know your opinion.”
“Oh, Jaeho’s opinion?”
Lee Sae-ah arrogantly raised her head, curling the corners of her mouth. There was a subtle mockery that suggested, “What does a second-rate actor like Jaeho know?”
Putting down the coffee cup on the table, Jaeho quietly spoke.
“It doesn’t seem related to the auto insurance loss ratio. That can’t be attributed to Taemyung’s problem. It’s a common concern for all insurance companies. We need to look for the cause of the slump within our organization.”
“If so?”
“It seems that structural reorganization is urgently needed. For example, last year, K Corporation actively expanded its digital channels, improving the system to handle various tasks digitally. In the process, significant personnel and operational expenses were reduced. While we may not need to follow the exact path, I believe we should learn from it. Even if we efficiently allocate business expenses, many issues can be resolved. If we gradually transition simple tasks to be processed easily on mobile devices, the effects are predicted to be visible as early as next year.”
Isea remained silent, her lips slightly parted in contemplation, while Junghyesu turned her head away completely. Jinmyeong lightly applauded.
“A great idea, Director Choi.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
Director Choi, who had quietly joined them, responded confidently.
“Compile Jaeho’s opinions and find a way to reflect them in Taemyung’s losses.”
“Understood.”
Since then, Heontae asked comprehensive questions covering construction, food, media, and energy, and Jaeho provided innovative answers. On the other hand, Isea either couldn’t give proper answers or provided only theoretical opinions.
As they continued, a natural comparison arose between Jaeho and Se-ah. Just as the gap was about to widen, Junghyesu smoothly interrupted the flow.
“Okay, leaving that aside, when will Jaeho finish his vacation?”
“It’s almost over.”
“When you come to Seoul, come home. Let’s have a meal together. Your small uncle is always concerned.”
Jaeho inwardly chuckled, but he curved his lips into a gentle smile.
“Thank you for your concern.”
The meeting was taking longer than expected. Jaeho clenched and unclenched his fist repeatedly. It was a behavior that surfaced when he felt stifled or anxious. In fact, he couldn’t hear more than half of the ongoing conversation right now.
The day he separated from Dajeong, after meeting her, turned out to be a complete failure. He realized only one thing: that he was an uncontrollable severe separation anxiety patient.
He wanted to see her.
It was the peak of autumn. He wondered how she spent her day in the sea, dyed entirely in orange.
“Although it’s late, may I be excused?”
Eventually, Jaeho cleared his throat and stood up.
“Hey! Let’s have a drink with Uncle.”
Even knowing he wouldn’t change his mind, Jinmyeong grabbed him unnecessarily. There was also a disappointed expression on Mijeong’s face. Jaeho, with an unusually awkward expression, made a promise.
Heontae stood up for Jaeho.
“Let Jaeho do as he pleases. Let’s wrap it up here as well.”
Male lead is a Love-Obsessed Merman
When he discovers she has gone, he risks everything to pursue her on land, enduring agonizing pain to transform his tail into human legs…
One-line summary: Male lead chases female lead. The male lead’s love is a bit sick, an invincible love brain.
Synopsis
During a voyage at sea, Jiang Yang accidentally captures a merman.
Servant: I heard that mermen are fierce and brutal.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman obediently rubbing her palm like a puppy: “You call this fierce and brutal?”
Servant: I heard that mermen have no human nature.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman with wet puppy eyes, obsessively calling her ‘A Yang’ like a childish infant: “You call this having no human nature?”
With great difficulty, she releases the merman back into the sea and returns to shore.
Who would have thought that in less than half a month, the merman, who should have been freely wandering in the South China Sea, would shed his scales, endure the pain of losing his tail, transform into human legs, and come ashore to find her?
He kneels at her feet, rubbing her palm, with merman tears rolling down: “A Yang, don’t abandon me.”
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