At In Young’s call to come to Pyeongchang-dong, Green became very tense.

This meeting felt more important than any official gathering.

Sun Woo had asked only one thing of her – to put his grandfather and mother-in-law at ease.

Green, who had gone to the hair salon for a quick styling, hurried home and opened her closet door.

The clothes Hannah had picked out for Green with the allowance given by In Young were neatly hanging.

After much deliberation, Green chose a cream-colored semi-formal suit. She thought a conservative outfit similar to a first meeting would be good, as this was her first time meeting Park Chan Wook.

“Oh? The skirt zips up all the way?”

Because Hannah had bought smaller sizes to mean ‘lose weight quickly’, last month the waist wouldn’t fully zip. A pleased smile spread across her face, thinking the effects of daily exercise were showing.

“I’ll have to brag to Hannah later and get praised!”

Green left home in good spirits and hurried to Pyeongchang-dong. In Young, who had arrived first, was waiting for her.

“Mother. Nothing unusual happened, right?”

“No.”

In Young examined Green thoroughly with a gaze feigning indifference. Green’s heart pounded fiercely at that gaze, but she endured. This too seemed like a test from her.

“Let’s go. Father is waiting.”

“Yes.”

In the dining room Green followed In Young to, Park Chan Wook was sitting at the table looking at a tablet.

“You’re meeting Father for the first time, right? This is Sun Woo’s wife. Green, this is Sun Woo’s maternal grandfather.”

“Hello, Grandfather. I’m Han Green.”

Park Chan Wook slowly turned his gaze at Green’s greeting. As befitting the chairman of a large corporation, he exuded a will and stubbornness as hard as flint.

Though he didn’t resemble Sun Woo much, Green thought the sharp gaze that was hard to read was exactly like that of grandfather and grandson.

“Come sit.”

In Young and Green went to sit beside Park Chan Wook. He asked In Young:

“When did Sun Woo go to Marseille? Has it been over a month?”

“It’ll be two months next week. Seems he had a hard time at first because Marseille City was being difficult.”

Park Chan Wook, who had been slowly nodding, suddenly turned his gaze to Green.

“You, do you talk to Sun Woo occasionally?”

“No.”

His gaze was so sharp that Green answered before even grasping the intent of the question. Park Chan Wook nodded slowly, then immediately picked up his spoon.

“Let’s eat.”

A long silence fell over the table afterwards. Green, whose appetite had completely disappeared, diligently chewed and swallowed the food in her mouth to avoid indigestion.

“In Young, it seems Han Moon Taek somehow managed to avoid the crisis of default this time too.”

“Yes, I heard rumors too.”

When the topic of father Han Moon Taek suddenly came up as the meal was almost over, Green nearly dropped her chopsticks.

She had been deliberately avoiding news of her father, with whom contact had been cut off after the wedding.

“It seems funds came from Miyeon Construction and Narae Foods. I hear the second son of Narae Foods is very interested in politics.”

“Hmph, seems he’s benefiting from becoming in-laws with you. Sun Woo’s wife, did you know about this too?”

Since Park Chan Wook would know how this marriage came about, Green decided to answer honestly.

“I didn’t know. I haven’t been in contact with Father since the wedding.”

Then Park Chan Wook said to her probingly:

“You don’t talk to your husband, you’ve cut off contact with your father, you must be quite lonely these days.”

At that moment, Green’s expression, which had been cowed the whole time, changed to become firm. She didn’t want to keep just being cautious anymore.

“I think I have to endure it. I agreed to this kind of marriage with Sun Woo knowing what it was, and I promised Mother too. To cut off contact with my birth father. I’ll be as careful as possible not to cause trouble for the in-laws.”

“Is that so?”

Park Chan Wook, who had been looking at Green as if seeing an impudent little kid, suddenly ordered her to leave.

“You may go now. In Young, I need to see you.”

Without even acknowledging Green’s farewell, he got up and went to the study. Green watched In Young’s reaction and said:

“Did I make a mistake with Grandfather?”

“No. You can go for today, and I’ll contact you through my secretary soon.”

“Um, I have a request for you, Mother. Could I know about gathering schedules a bit earlier? The preparation time is always too rushed.”

“For being rushed, you did excellently.”

A faint smile appeared and disappeared on In Young’s lips, but Green didn’t notice. She was disappointed, thinking she’d have to prepare in a rush every time from now on too.

“From now on, I’ll contact you at least a week in advance.”

“What? Oh, thank you, Mother.”

“Like now, tell me right away if there’s anything uncomfortable. If you just keep it to yourself, I won’t know.”

“Yes, I will.”

As a smile of relief spread across Green’s face, warmth briefly flashed in In Young’s eyes before disappearing.

After sending her away, In Young went to the study where Park Chan Wook was waiting.

“She has a pretty face. Though she pretends to be docile, she seems to have a quiet stubbornness.”

“That’s right. She’s timid but sometimes becomes bold.”

Seeing In Young subtly defending Green, Park Chan Wook responded coldly.

“Don’t get too attached. Judging by that rascal Sun Woo’s behavior, it seems they won’t live together.”

“My thoughts are different.”

Seeing the corners of In Young’s lips lift slightly, Park Chan Wook looked at his daughter as if surprised.

“You, it seems you quite like that girl?”

“…Sun Woo smiled because of her.”

In Young smiled faintly again, recalling Sun Woo whom she had met the day before the first meeting.

Though Sun Woo himself didn’t seem to realize it, the corners of his son’s lips were clearly raised when talking about that girl.

“But why doesn’t Sun Woo make even one phone call to her?”

“Because he’s busy.”

“No matter how busy, he’s not so busy he can’t make one call to a woman he has feelings for.”

“It seems he doesn’t know where his heart is yet.”

In Young responded nonchalantly as if asking what the problem was. Watching his daughter, Park Chan Wook clicked his tongue.

“It’s really strange. No matter how I look at it, Sun Woo resembles you more than Jin.”

“Is that so?”

The faint smile that had been lingering on In Young’s face disappeared at Park Chan Wook’s words. Seeing his daughter return to her usual expressionless face, he said as if it couldn’t be helped:

“If you like her, try to guide her well. If she really becomes part of our family, she’ll have to do her part too.”

“A child who lost his smile at 9 years old smiled again. Just for that, I’m satisfied with her as Sun Woo’s match.”

“We’ll keep watching. Anyway, the important thing is Sun Woo’s feelings.”

Park Chan Wook, reserving judgment on Green, subtly changed the subject.

“How is Jin? Is he preparing well for the general election?”

“It seems difficult this time. He has no pledges and is only trying to build organizational power.”

Park Chan Wook chuckled at In Young’s cool assessment of the situation. He asked his daughter probingly:

“Jin keeps asking to have meals together, what do you think, should I push a little?”

“Don’t do that. A businessman can’t invest in something that’s clearly going to lose.”

At In Young’s words, Park Chan Wook burst out laughing. At times like this, In Young was so much his daughter.

*****

“Director, Marseille City Hall has given the okay. Seems they’ve come to their senses.”

“Good work, Manager Ahn.”

Six months had passed since Sun Woo came to Marseille, France with his chief secretary Ahn Yong Gi. Though it was six months, it felt like six years with all the twists and turns.

The most absurd point was Marseille City’s belated objection to the Korean-style garden. They now expressed concern that it wouldn’t harmonize with Marseille’s landscape.

Sun Woo was barely able to persuade them by explaining the characteristics of Korean gardens that seek harmony with the surrounding landscape, and even producing a miniature of Marseille City including the completed resort.

There was another problem. They proposed K1 Construction’s participation in the maintenance of the resort with Korean-style rooms and gardens as motifs.

It was a welcome proposal inwardly, but the issue was the shares. After more than two months of wrangling, finally today, the contract agreed upon by both sides was passed.

“Director, now that we’ve gotten rid of all the cumbersome issues, we just need to complete construction.”

“That’s a given.”

Yong Gi, who had been looking at Sun Woo with a relieved expression, made a nauseated face when he saw him examining the post-completion marketing plan.

“Sun Woo, let’s take a breather. Is work that fun for you?”

Yong Gi, who was also Sun Woo’s high school classmate, snapped in displeasure.

“Why drag it out? We need to quickly set things up and return to Korea. I hear Indonesia, Vietnam, and Saudi Arabia are starting to bite too?”

“Ugh, I was planning to take a vacation when this ended, but it’s ruined now, ruined!”

The results achieved in Marseille were Sun Woo’s best performance since becoming director. Yet he still looked like someone thirsting for more achievements.

Though grumbling, Yong Gi didn’t forget his duty as chief secretary. He faithfully delivered to Sun Woo all the headquarters-related materials shared by Secretary Na Mi Ran.

“What’s this photo?”

“Last week, the vice chairman attended a young artists support event with Han Green. It ended very successfully, they say.”

“Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law outings have become quite frequent. This is already the seventh time, right?”

Green in the photo had become unrecognizably pretty, but dissatisfaction was evident in Sun Woo’s voice. He recalled how Green had been very intimidated by In Young at their first meeting.

Though he had never talked to Green since the wedding, he could easily guess that she would still find In Young difficult.

“It’s the eighth time. After Congressman Jin’s candidacy declaration, they also attended a ruling party members’ family gathering.”

“What? She took Han Green to that event too?”

Sun Woo’s handsome forehead immediately furrowed. He hadn’t expected In Young would take Green even to an event related to his father.

“That day, Congressman Jin treated Han Green so much like a shadow that even Secretary Na beside them felt embarrassed.”

Sun Woo reopened the photos of Green that Secretary Na Mi Ran had sent until now. There were photos from the charity bazaar hosted by In Young and the K1 Construction directors’ family gathering.

Sun Woo’s face hardened as he looked back and forth between the two photos.

“Why has she lost so much weight…”

“Seems she’s having a hard time because of Congressman Jin.”

Yong Gi, watching Sun Woo’s reaction, relayed what he had heard from Secretary Na Mi Ran. Though Green was enduring well, he was anxious that Jin Young Cheol, who had become even more sensitive due to the general election, might explode at any time.

Sun Woo’s face hardened at Yong Gi’s words. Knowing Jin Young Cheol’s eccentric personality better than anyone, he could easily imagine how difficult the situation Green was in now must be.

“Sun Woo, right after the general election is Congressman Jin’s 60th birthday. You’ll have to go back to Korea then, right?”

“With such an important matter right ahead, where would I go?”

“What? You’re not even going to your father’s 60th birthday party? Then what about Chairman Park Chan Wook’s birthday?”

“Rather than wasting time going back and forth, it’s better to finish work here as quickly as possible and return.”

Though still unable to take his eyes off Green’s photo, Sun Woo’s answer didn’t change.

Thinking of the mountain of work in front of Sun Woo, Yong Gi didn’t have the heart to try persuading him further.