While absorbed in how to score points, the hotel entrance appeared unexpectedly.
“Just a moment.”
Kwon Yul gestured to the doorman and quickly got out of the driver’s seat. Then, he personally opened the passenger seat door.
“Seoyeon-ssi, don’t let go of my hand from now on. Even in front of my aunt.”
How could he only say such likable words? Seoyeon nodded with her lips slightly raised.
The two lovingly held hands and headed to the hotel’s Japanese restaurant.
A restaurant decorated entirely with pine trees. They accepted the guide and entered through the innermost door, which opened with a creak.
“Seoyeon-ah! Yul-ssi, you’re here?”
Greeting Hojin warmly, Seoyeon gently shook hands with fingers interlaced.
“What’s this sweet atmosphere that’s so hard to get used to?”
“Our Yul-ssi suggested doing it this way…….”
As Seoyeon’s cheek flushed, Hojin laughed with a ‘huff’ sound.
“Yul-ssi, what on earth did you do to our brave Han Seoyeon?”
“Seoyeon-ssi is naturally this pretty and lovely.”
Unable to close his mouth at Kwon Yul’s serious response, Hojin was stunned until Sehee intervened.
“Why, jealous? If it’s about holding hands, I can hold both of your hands like this.”
Sehee firmly grasped Hojin’s hand within the gaps, a completely different appearance from usual. Seeing this, Kwon Yul chuckled and asked.
“Hyung, when will you greet Grandfather?”
“Next Saturday for lunch. Mother doesn’t like Madame Kim chatting away, so Grandfather decided to come to our house.”
Apparently, Jaesuk had already taken precautions against Madame Kim’s instructions bothering Jaesuk.
“As expected, Aunt is wise. Yesterday, I almost had a fight with Madame Kim.”
As Seoyeon began to lament, describing the situation that made her anger rise, Hojin couldn’t help but stay silent.
“You endured such behavior?”
“I can endure it from you, but enduring it from Mother is really impossible. You have no idea how harshly she talks.”
Seoyeon’s words, describing a situation that almost exploded if there were ten more minutes, made Hojin smirk.
“Oppa! That Madame Kim. Is she trustworthy?”
“Hmm?”
“She says she came to check on Grandfather. Not a full background check, but did you at least verify basic documents?”
Sehee, unsure of what to say, stared at Kwon Yul intently. With nothing to say, Kwon Yul was in the same boat.
“Even if I might have a paranoia only dealing with criminals, isn’t it necessary to thoroughly investigate someone close to Grandfather?”
“Hojin, listening to your words, it sounds like Madame Kim’s speech and behavior are somewhat suspicious.”
Seoyeon found Madame Kim’s actions unsettling in disrupting family relationships.
“Oppa, isn’t it necessary to be certain about this even now?”
As Prosecutor Hojin stepped forward, a perplexed expression appeared on the faces of the two men.
“Yul-ssi, I also agree with Hojin’s words.”
“Then should I speak up when we meet Grandfather this time?”
“Okay! Hojin-ah, why don’t you speak up? That woman, Mrs. Kim, has been harassing our mother. It’s ridiculous, really.”
The more she spoke, the angrier Seoyeon became. She pointed out each problem with Mrs. Kim.
“It won’t do. I need to go to Grandfather’s house altogether. I’ll see Mrs. Kim in person and ask her a few questions.”
“Do you have to go that far?”
“Oppa, I can tell. Even a change in breathing pattern would let me know if she’s lying.”
As Hojin briefly explained a few investigation techniques, Seoyeon responded intensely.
“Indeed, our Prosecutor Yehojin. Very reliable.”
Seoyeon wasn’t conclusively determining Mrs. Kim’s crime. She simply wanted to let Mrs. Kim know her exact place, someone who stirs up trouble without being family.
“Let’s check on Mrs. Kim next Saturday. Shall we wrap it up now?”
With Seoyeon’s clear conclusion, Hojin felt reassured, trusting only himself.
During this time, Kwon Yul’s family had tried to endure Mrs. Kim’s discomfort, thinking about Seokgu. However, with everything being resolved in an instant, the two men’s expressions became bewildered.
“Hojin-ssi, I have a request. When you meet Grandfather.”
As Kwon Yul was about to add something, a knock was heard from outside the door.
When the door opened, Jaesuk was standing there in elegant attire.
“Kwon Yul. Why did you come here?”
“She’s here. Aunt.”
At Seoyeon’s sharp gaze towards Mrs. Kim, Kwon Yul discreetly covered his front.
“Why did you tell him?”
“Oppa, it’s me. Even a change in breathing pattern would let me know if she’s lying.”
As Hojin explained a few investigation techniques, Seoyeon responded intensely.
“Indeed, our Prosecutor Yehojin. Very reliable.”
Seoyeon wasn’t conclusively determining Mrs. Kim’s crime. She simply wanted to let Mrs. Kim know her exact place, someone who stirs up trouble without being family.
“Let’s check on Mrs. Kim next Saturday. Shall we wrap it up now?”
When veins bulged on Kwon Yul’s hand, Seoyeon gently held and released his hand.
“Today, beige suits you so well.”
“Well, I thought about wearing the brooch you gave me last time. It seemed too much, you know, too dressed up.”
Hojin glanced at Seoyeon and slyly raised the corner of his mouth.
“Oh, that brooch. Do you like it?”
“How can an efficient person like you be so stylish?”
“When it comes to style, it’s our Han Seoyeon. She chose it. I don’t have much talent in that area.”
While they sometimes bickered like siblings, Hojin was the only one who genuinely cared.
Seoyeon felt a pang in her chest and unconsciously bit her lip.
“Mom, our Seoyeon here is like a family friend I’ve known since childhood.”
Hojin looked at Seoyeon intently.
“I can guarantee she is incredibly kind, full of loyalty. I can vouch for that.”
“…”
“Even when I was struggling with exam preparations, she accommodated all my complaints without a frown.”
Thinking of that time, Hojin took a deep breath.
“She always said, ‘Eat well to study well.’ Every time she came, she always bought beef. And she even drove me to the exam hall.”
Seoyeon had already forgotten those times. But the fact that Hojin remembered surprised her.
“Mom, can’t this kind Seoyeon help us a bit?”
As Hojin’s earnest plea continued, an indescribable look from Jaesuk turned towards Seoyeon.
Detecting a small crack, Kwon Yul stepped forward.
“Aunt. I’d like to make the same request.”
“Kwon Yul.”
“Mom. Seoyeon is the one who connected me and Hojin. She’s our benefactor. A benefactor.”
“Really, why are you all like this.”
Avoiding Jaesuk’s gaze, Kwon Yul firmly held Seoyeon’s hand. Then, both of them stood up simultaneously.
My Step-brother Is Obsessed With Me (Female-dominant)
A gentle female protagonist vs pitiful in the early stage, and a sick male protagonist in the later stage
Cheng Songer transmigrated into the body of a vicious cannon fodder female supporting character with the same name as her in a female-dominant novel.
In the original story, the cannon fodder female supporting character was inhumane, committing domestic violence, gambling excessively, being lustful, and even wanting to sell her stepbrother to a brothel for money.
As luck would have it, she just happened to transmigrate at this time.
Seeing Cheng Qingzhi biting his lip, enduring the tears in his eyes, looking pitiful, her heart softened.
She stuffed the money back into the Madam’s hand and reached out to him.
“Brother, come home with me.”
