Secret Cohabitation Love - Chapter 32

“That man over there looks like your son.”

An elegantly dressed woman tapped Kwon Jung Hee’s shoulder and pointed at Jung Woo.

“Indeed! I thought he’d be late, but he came early. I was planning to have a date with my son after a long time.”

“Looking at him again, your son is quite handsome. Isn’t Jung Woo going on blind dates?”

“Not yet. I think he should do it after Tae Ha leaves.”

“Ah, Tae Ha comes first.”

“You’re here, son?”

As Jung Woo approached, his mother Jung Hee turned with a bright smile. Her tone was overflowing with affection.

“Hello, Director. You look even younger than before.”

Jung Woo greeted his mother’s friend warmly after a long time, then left the gallery with Jung Hee.

Jung Hee naturally linked arms with Jung Woo.

“Did you enjoy seeing the paintings after a long time?”

“No. I’m just okay with paintings. I come because my friend does it.”

She looked so innocent. As if there wasn’t a single burden on her shoulders.

“It’s so hard to see my son’s face. You don’t come even once out of ten times I call?”

“That’s why I came now,”

Jung Woo smiled, gently embracing Jung Hee’s shoulders. Being an affectionate son at least when they met, that was a rule he set for himself.

“Where would you like to go?”

“Changdeokgung Palace. Let’s go there.”

The two walked intimately down the street lined with old houses before entering Changdeokgung Palace.

The atmosphere was warm throughout, and it was only after passing through Jangnakmun Gate and reaching Nakseonjae that Jung Woo asked about the ‘Future Bio’ situation.

“What are you going to do? What do the directors say?”

Jung Hee just blinked her eyes without saying much.

The ‘Future Bio’ rights offering had failed miserably.

“When you were in the company, it wasn’t this bad.”

“You were too greedy. I told you the number of public offering shares was too high. You ignored my words and only listened to the directors.”

Jung Woo’s tone and expression were now tinged with irritation.

“The company is in shambles after this rights offering failure. What should I do?”

“Even existing shareholders didn’t trust the company, so it failed. What can you do? Cheer up now that it’s come to this.”

Jung Hee nodded and smiled weakly.

“By the way, when are you getting married? Should I look for a match after Tae Ha leaves?”

“No.”

“You’re already thirty. Tae Ha will be getting married soon too.”

“I don’t think Tae Ha’s marriage will be easy.”

Jung Woo trailed off, remembering Tae Ha’s attitude he saw in front of the house on the day of Seo Taek’s dinner.

Just seeing Eun Seo’s ankle once and holding her arm once, what was Tae Ha’s expression like when he saw that?

Jealousy, wariness. Like a beast robbed of its prey. It was the first time he openly showed his emotions, unlike usual.

“It won’t be easy. Your uncle will force it no matter what. I heard it might not last past summer.”

The tone was so certain that Jung Woo stopped his slow walk and asked.

“Why is uncle pushing this marriage anyway?”

It had always been a question. Because Ha Eun’s conditions were ridiculous for Tae Ha. In this world where sometimes a company’s position changes due to the spouse’s background.

“It’s your late aunt’s will. She was a bit crazy then. But I understand. Two sons died of illness in succession, and even her nephew died in an accident.”

“But what does that have to do with Yoo Ha Eun?”

“Later. Let’s only talk about good things in a good place. Anyway, only Butler Jang benefited. He even inherited your aunt’s property, that lowlife.”

Jung Woo’s eyes flashed.

“Butler Jang inherited the property?”

“Yes. He received some shares of Dongui Foods a long time ago. On the condition that Butler Jang wouldn’t have children and would adopt a daughter. On the condition that he would raise that child well. Even if money is good, still. But your aunt was crazy so that’s one thing, but I didn’t expect your uncle to push this marriage.”

“……”

“Oh, don’t tell Tae Ha about this. Your uncle will kill me if he finds out.”

Jung Hee stepped forward as if she wouldn’t care about it anymore.

* * *

After a 7-hour flight, they arrived at Ngurah Rai Airport.

After completing the procedures and coming out, a few people in uniforms were waiting at the door and asked politely when they recognized Tae Ha.

“Are you Mr. Kwon Tae Ha, the CEO of GK Hotel?”

“Yes, I am Kwon Tae Ha.”

“Our hotel’s general manager has sent a limousine.”

The weather in Bali was humid and hot due to the continuous rainy season. Eun Seo came out in front of the airport and took a deep breath with her nose and mouth wide open.

It was her first time breathing air outside of Korea. Even the trees scattered everywhere were exotic.

Eun Seo had been frozen even during the plane ride.

She observed Tae Ha and followed what he did, receiving excellent service she had never received anywhere before. She was newly impressed by the man’s position, but also amazed at the things she was enjoying.

She seemed a bit excited too.

Inevitably, her grandmother came to mind.

After Ha Eun left, they lived together for a lifetime. Just the two of them, whether they liked it or not.

Too busy making a living, or rather not just for that reason, the two had never gone on anything that could be called a trip, and at best they had only gone to Seoul a few times.

Why was something as common as a family outing so sparse for her?

When she tried to eat out after earning tutoring money, her grandmother would scold her harshly,

[Forget it! If you have that money, just give it to me as pocket money. You rotten girl, wasting money like that.]

Still, grandmother, it would have been nice if you could have come too. Never able to ride a plane in your whole life. Never able to see things like this.

“What are you thinking about?”

Eun Seo turned her head at Tae Ha’s words.

“Just… that this is really nice, that’s what I’m thinking.”

Somehow her fear of the business trip seemed to have disappeared, so Tae Ha looked at the same sky Eun Seo was gazing at through the window with a faint smile.

It was a quiet afternoon on a country road.

Since their lodging was far from the front desk, they used a buggy car. Although raindrops were falling, Eun Seo didn’t mind.

Rather, she held out her palm to the air and lifted her face to the sky to catch the raindrops. Then she looked curiously at the water droplets gathering in circles.

“We’ve arrived. I’ll bring your luggage in and go.”

With the kind guidance, the buggy car stopped.

There were a total of four pieces of luggage, including Young’s that came with the plane.

“Let’s go in.”

The staff and Tae Ha went ahead, and Eun Seo followed behind. After passing through the entrance path well-decorated with Balinese plants,

“Wow……”

Eun Seo encountered an amazing scenery, too surprised to even properly exclaim.

The blue sea was visible in front, and unfamiliar trees and flowers secretly surrounded the villa.

To the right was the main building, to the left was the annex, and in front of the main building was a large private pool. Next to the pool were a spacious cabana and table, and in front of the annex was a jacuzzi.

She just blinked her eyes. Eun Seo seemed to be in a daze.

Tae Ha opened the door of the main building, leaving her to her appreciation.

Even after the staff had brought in all the luggage and left, Eun Seo did not come inside. Not realizing that her luggage had been brought to the main building instead of the annex, she carefully dipped her hand in the water at the edge of the pool, then suddenly got up and pattered to the end of the jacuzzi.

Tae Ha gave up on his usual luggage organizing and sat quietly on the sofa, watching her through the glass window.

When Eun Seo, who had been busily moving here and there, disappeared for a few minutes, Tae Ha tilted his upper body this way and that to look for her.

Where did she go?

Eun Seo, who appeared moments later, was sitting on the edge of the cabana bed, looking at the sunset in the western sky that was just beginning to set. Her white cheeks, without a single movement, were dyed red by the sunlight.

She leaned back, pressing her palms on the bed, and closed her eyes. Wherever the breeze passed, her black hair flowed like waves of green barley.

It felt as if everything had stopped except for his heart.

Rrrr Rrrr.

The beautiful silence shattered like fragments. It was Young.

− You crazy bastard.

“That’s right. I’m crazy.”

The two laughed for a long time holding the phone.

− Doesn’t Eun Seo suspect?

“Maybe because it’s divided into an annex and main building. She believed me when I said it was where you and I were supposed to stay.”

− You flawless guy.

“It’s not like it’s not a business trip.”

− It’s a bit sparse for a business trip though.

“The meeting with Travel Company isn’t at that level.”

After securing shares in Travel Company, the world’s No. 1 in-flight duty-free shop company, it was the first private meeting between the representatives of the two companies. Although private, it was no different from a public meeting for the future.

The two had built a friendship through several meetings, and after hearing that the CEO of Travel Company was coming to Bali for business reasons, they coordinated their schedules to set up this meeting. Also to find elements to benchmark.

“Tell the hotel development team to schedule a business trip here around June. I’ll set the overall framework.”

− Okay. But, you. I cooperated, but what are you planning to do with Eun Seo? I know you don’t move without certainty. Are you planning to marry her?

“I’m already married.”

After hanging up the phone, Tae Ha went outside.

The rain had stopped now, and only the edge of the sunset was precariously hanging over the horizon.

“It’s beautiful.”

Only then did Eun Seo turn her head. Her red-stained eyes sparkled in the place where dusk was falling.

“The sea is pretty.”

But Tae Ha didn’t look at the sea.

“By the way, CEO, are we really resting until the day after tomorrow?”

“It’s a public holiday.”

The schedule starting from Friday ends when returning on Tuesday. Eun Seo doesn’t know that he even matched the days.

“Oh, the suitcase! The staff brought it into the main building earlier, right?”

“They did.”

Tae Ha sat down next to Eun Seo on the bed as he answered.

“I’m sorry, I should have moved it right away. I’ll move it to my room now.”

“Where? The annex?”

“Yes. You said the annex was originally where Manager Choi was going to stay, right? So it’s okay for me to use it?”

“There are a lot of bugs here in Bali. Especially in the annex.”

“I lived in the countryside, so I saw more bugs than people. I even know how to catch centipedes.”

“That’s good, being fearless. Oh, snakes come out too.”

“I saw a lot of snakes when I lived in the countryside as a child. Once, while playing by the stream, I didn’t even know there was a Gloydius saxatilis behind me. Do you know Gloydius saxatilis? It’s venomous. It’s also called a seven-spotted snake.”

“So that’s a seven-spotted snake. You must have been good at biology.”

“I was so surprised when I turned around then. My heart shrank to the size of a bean, and I was looking for a stick with my eyes, but when I stayed still, it just went away. It was really fortunate, right?”

“What about frogs, since it’s the countryside……”

“I caught a lot.”

“You did a lot of fun things. You must not have been bored, right?”

“The countryside is a bit boring. I’ll go in and unpack now.”

“Oh, the staff said earlier that the toilet in the annex is clogged. We’re fully booked so we can’t change rooms, and if we touch it wrongly, we might have to pay for it.”

At those words, Eun Seo made a very puzzled expression.

“Huh, that’s strange. I touched everything earlier. But the toilet was fine.”

Tae Ha chuckled at those words.

“Song Eun Seo, you have such terrible curiosity. Grabbing, touching, fiddling with everything.”

“……”

“Don’t you want to try touching something else? For example, me.”