Not for the First Time (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 13
Young In took off her shoes, recalling Hae Yoon, who had talked only about Sung Hyuk throughout the entire dinner. She had heard the word “CEO” so many times it was still ringing in her ears.
Suddenly, the words she had heard from him that morning flashed through her mind.
“You should tell them yourself before they find out from someone else.”
Thinking it would be best to just say it today and get it over with, she walked into the living room—and saw a familiar face. Of course, she didn’t expect that person to be happy to see her.
“Hey, you stayed out overnight yesterday, didn’t you?”
A Rim, sitting on the sofa, fired a cold question along with a sharp glare at the same time.
“I had some work.”
“Staying out without even a single call?”
“I’ll let you know next time.”
“Don’t stay out at all.”
“You know this job doesn’t have regular hours.”
She had become much more relaxed than before, but there were still times she had to rush down to regional filming locations or pull all-nighters at the company. Even if she swore never to stay out like yesterday again, promising to never stay out at all was impossible.
“Who do you think you are, acting all high and mighty just because you have some big important job.”
Ever since Young In became a manager, the thing her family said most was that they spent a fortune sending her to a good university only for her to end up serving celebrities.
“I’m not showing off. I’m talking about the nature of my work.”
“Behave properly so people don’t say you weren’t raised right. Don’t make Mom and Dad get insulted because of you.”
“Yeah.”
Young In answered in an indifferent tone.
It was something she heard regularly, so it wasn’t anything new. But on days like today, the desire to live independently only grew stronger.
The reason Young In was treated like an unwanted guest in this house was because of CEO Chae, who refused to allow independence outside of marriage. When it came to independence, Beom Joon and A Rim were in the same boat.
To the outside world, CEO Chae and Madam Kwak were a couple who practiced noblesse oblige. As part of fulfilling their moral duties, they encouraged adoption, and without regard for Young In’s feelings, they went around telling everyone that Young In was adopted.
Unlike how they bragged that they had given birth to their youngest daughter with their hearts and raised her with love, what Young In actually received from her adoptive parents was nothing but discrimination and abuse.
In return for feeding her adoptive parents feeding her, giving her a place to sleep, and letting her study, she never told anyone about their two-faced nature. Not even to Sung Hyuk had she ever said it with her own mouth.
“Unnie, I changed jobs.”
If she told her sister, it would reach her brother’s ears, and if she told her brother, it would reach her sister’s ears—so telling just one of them was enough.
“Changed jobs? To where?”
At the sudden change of topic, A Rim tilted her head in confusion.
“SL Entertainment.”
“What? SL?”
“Hye Seong got absorbed and merged into SL. I started going to SL yesterday. And the CEO of SL Entertainment is Sung Hyuk sunbae.”
“What are you talking about? Why would Sung Hyuk oppa go to SL? He said he was going to the management planning division. You heard it too.”
At that moment, Beom Joon came shuffling in. His face was red from drinking, and his tie was half undone.
The moment A Rim saw him, she rushed over and asked,
“Oppa, is it true?”
“What is.”
His furrowed brow clearly said he was exhausted and annoyed at being bothered.
“That Sung Hyuk oppa didn’t go to the management planning.”
“What nonsense.”
“They say he went to SL Entertainment?”
“Who said that?”
“That one.”
Beom Joon’s gaze followed the tip of A Rim’s finger. Only then did he notice Young In was there.
“What’s this about?”
“Because Hye Seong was absorbed into SL Entertainment, I’ve been going to SL since yesterday. And it turns out Sung Hyuk sunbae is the CEO of SL Entertainment.”
Young In repeated the same words like a parrot.
“Why would Sung Hyuk go there?”
“Why are you asking me? Ask him yourself.”
Beom Joon immediately took out his phone and called Sung Hyuk.
“He hasn’t answered calls or called back for days, and now this…”
While grumbling, the call connected.
“Hey, you.”
A Rim jumped up and ran to Beom Joon, pressing her ear to his phone. She wanted to hear what Sung Hyuk would say with her own ears.
-I’m busy. Keep it short.
No matter how hard he tried to push her away, she clung on stubbornly, so Beom Joon gave up and pressed the speaker button. Glaring at A Rim as she stepped back, he spoke into the phone.
“You really went to SL Entertainment?”
-Yeah.
“Why all of a sudden?”
-I found out what I really want.
“Did you suddenly get interested in the management business?”
-No, something else.
“Ah, then the content business?”
-I don’t have time to play twenty questions with you. If that’s all, I’m hanging up.
Beom Joon had no idea that what Cha Sung Hyuk truly wanted was a person—and that the person was Chae Young In.
Only Young In, who was hearing everything thanks to A Rim, bit her lip hard.
“You could’ve at least told me in advance. It hurts to hear it from someone else.”
-Who did you hear it from?
“Young In.”
-Ah, I absorbed and merged several solid management agencies, including the one Young In worked at. I’ve been too busy figuring things out to contact anyone. Anything else?
“No. Work hard.”
Afraid of upsetting Sung Hyuk, Beom Joon quickly hung up and shuffled off to his room.
“Hey.”
Young In, who had quietly started walking toward her room, stopped and turned her head. Venomous eyes were staring at her.
“If you flirt with Sung Hyuk oppa, I won’t let it slide. I’ll kill you.”
“That won’t happen.”
“Get lost.”
A Rim glared murderously at Young In as she silently walked up the stairs.
She hated everything about Chae Young In, but what she hated most was that calm expression and quiet gaze. Listening to that serene way of speaking made A Rim feel vulgar herself, which only made her angrier.
A few months ago, during a family weekend meal, their father had asked Young In about the company. She remembered Young In saying back then that the company might be sold.
Since the sale of Hye Seong had been in the works for at least several months and SL hadn’t acquired only Hye Seong, there was nothing strange about it.
Yet for some reason, it felt extremely unsettling.
[This is the timeline separator]Young In washed up and lay down on her bed. It had been about thirty minutes since she came up to the second floor.
The moment she picked up her phone to set the alarm, it started vibrating. Young In stared at the screen for a long time before finally answering.
“Yes.”
-Everything okay?
That voice she never tired of hearing filled her ears completely.
“I’m fine.”
-I thought you might be with Beom Joon, so I couldn’t call right away.
When she closed her eyes, his voice seemed to become even clearer.
-Are you alone?
“I was about to sleep.”
-I have to pull an all-nighter for work tonight. Could you share a little of the pain with me?
Wondering what he was going to say next, Young In slightly opened her eyes.
“How?”
-You keep talking to me while I work.
“No way.”
“You’re so stingy. Even an empty promise wouldn’t hurt, would it?”
“What’s the point of an empty promise that would be seen through immediately?”
-It wouldn’t have been seen through right away. Even if you said you’d share the pain, I was going to tell you to go to sleep.
“……”
While Young In smiled silently, Sung Hyuk continued.
-I’d never make you share pain under any circumstances. Sharing joy is another story.
He wasn’t usually that sentimental, yet suddenly the tip of her nose tingled.
“I should sleep now.”
-Sleep well. I’d be grateful if you dreamed of me.
“I’m afraid it would turn into a nightmare, so I can’t.”
-It wouldn’t be a nightmare. A very steamy dream, maybe.
“I’m hanging up.”
Young In abruptly ended the call.
“Why did he suddenly become so slick…”
Grumbling as she set her alarm, the corners of Young In’s mouth held the faintest trace of a smile.
It was a night when his existence felt genuinely comforting.
[This is the timeline separator]At the very moment the two of them were on the phone.
A Rim, who had been biting her lip deep in thought, ran to the master bedroom and flung the door open.
“Mom!”
Madam Kwak, who was lying in bed watching a drama, slowly sat up. CEO Chae hadn’t come home from work yet.
“Why when I’m watching TV.”
A Rim strode to the bed, sat down, turned off the TV, and got straight to the point.
“I want to marry Sung Hyuk oppa.”
Madam Kwak’s eyes widened in shock.
“Marry? Is Sung Hyuk getting married? Are you two dating?”
“It’s not that Sung Hyuk oppa proposed—it’s that I want to marry him. Why can’t you understand, Mom—it’s annoying.”
“You’re not even dating?”
“No! I said no!”
After snapping for a moment, tears welled up in A Rim’s eyes.
“Please do something, Mom.”
“Do what?”
“I heard Sung Hyuk oppa’s mom is looking for a woman to marry him. You said that yourself.”
“I heard that from Madam Jin.”
“Then push me forward somehow.”
“…You?”
“Why? Can’t I?”
“I don’t know if that family would find you suitable…”
“Is that something a mother should say in front of her daughter right now?”
The sharply raised corners of her eyes softened, and then A Rim began to cry heavy tears.
“You’re so mean… How can you do this, Mom…”
Madam Kwak panicked in front of her sobbing daughter and frantically tried to comfort her.
“Okay, okay. Mom was wrong. Don’t cry. I’ll go meet Madam Jin.”
“Re…ally…?”
As always, it ended the same way.
CEO Chae and Madam Kwak had never once won against their daughter, who would cry and throw tantrums all day if she didn’t get her way since she was little. She would often faint from crying if they didn’t give in, so in the end they always surrendered.
Thanks to that, A Rim had always gotten everything she wanted. She had no doubt it would be the same this time too.
I should’ve done this sooner.
A satisfied smile briefly appeared on A Rim’s face, then vanished.
Male lead is a clingy little husband
One-line summary: The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
Introduction:
One day, Lu Yuner’s soul transmigrates into a female-dominant world. She enters the Imperial Academy and takes up the position of a doctoral instructor, teaching classes and grading schoolwork.
One day, she encounters the young prince Su Qingwan secretly skipping class from the male academy.
As a result, Su Qingwan is punished.
From then on, Su Qingwan sees Lu Yuner as a “thorn in his side”.
But before long, this “thorn” becomes the person he cherishes most, and he goes to great lengths to win Lu Yuner’s affection.
Mini scene 1:
One day, the sun is high in the sky but Su Qingwan still hasn’t gotten up for class.
Servant Xiaoyuan: “Young prince, it’s time for class. You’ll be late otherwise.”
Su Qingwan says arrogantly: “I’m not going. I am the esteemed prince, my status is so noble, why should I suffer this hardship? Besides, isn’t learning all this just to please women? Hmph, they’re not worthy!”
Mini scene 2:
After Su Qingwan falls for someone, he completely changes. He no longer skips class and diligently learns how to be a good husband and father. But he discovers that Sister Yuner is always surrounded by admirers.
Drunk and overcome with jealousy one day, he clings to Lu Yuner, crying beautifully like a pear blossom in the rain.
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan likes Sister Yuner.”
Lu Yuner: “Young prince, you’re drunk.”
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan isn’t drunk. Qingwan likes Sister Yuner, likes you so much, likes you to bits…” Before he can finish, Lu Yuner’s eyes flash with emotion and she leans in closer.
[Reading Guide]
1. The female lead is gentle, gracious, humble and polite but not weak. The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
2. 1v1, a bit torturous in the beginning but definitely sweet later on.
_____
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