As he contemplated the thought of letting Sooyeon go, a fear, akin to removing one of his internal organs, surged through him.
“Donghun, letting go of greed doesn’t mean losing everything.”
“…”
“It’s a process of learning and mastering better moves.”
Chunho looked at the first mistake Donghun made among the moves he placed on the go board.
It was a mistake driven by the desire to win, thinking too deeply about false moves and expressions.
Donghun couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh.
It was advice so apt that it seemed as if Chunho was piercing through his innermost thoughts.
“No matter how desperately you wish for something, you know it might be impossible. But isn’t it possible to remain by someone’s side as a good person?”
Donghun hesitated with an unsure voice.
While Donghun usually listened carefully and accepted Chunho’s words, this time, it wasn’t that easy.
His feelings were too earnest to let go just like that.
He felt a miserable tightness in his chest at the thought of possibly never seeing Sooyeon again.
“…”
“…”
Chunho, who had been focused on the go board all this time, slowly lifted his head.
The gaze of Donghun, lost in contemplation, pierced through Chunho’s heart just by looking.
Chunho sighed softly.
He had guessed, but the depth of the child’s feelings seemed to have taken even deeper roots than he imagined.
However, for the sake of that child, for Donghun, he had to be firmer.
“Does that child willingly stay by your side?”
“…What?”
“Ask if that child is willing to stay by your side to help you become a better person.”
The words he had uttered hit me right in the chest.
But Chunho faced Donghun calmly, without a single wrinkle on his forehead.
“If you can’t let go of your greed, that child might not want to stay by your side even more. In fact, they might push you away and keep their distance.”
“…”
“If you genuinely want to remain as a good person, don’t leave any lingering attachment and let go.”
To truly be by that child’s side, he had to let go of everything without hesitation.
Chunho swallowed the last words that could soothe Donghun’s heart, resolutely firm in his decision.
Donghun remained silent.
The time without sound passed slowly.
At the end of it, he whispered with a resigned tone.
“As expected, maybe that’s the case.”
A smile filled with resignation appeared on Donghun’s lips.
“That made Chunho’s heart ache once again, but now he could finally smile along with Donghun.”
“It may be tough, but if you overcome it well, a good day will surely come to you. I guarantee it.”
Chunho spoke with a firm voice. Then, he silently repeated the words he hadn’t conveyed yet.
“As much as the pain you’ve felt, I’ll wager even greater happiness on the name of this Chilsung, Donghun.”
A brighter smile took its place on the old man’s face through the wrinkles.
Donghun, unaware of the meaning of the smile, tried to soothe his bitter feelings with a deep sigh.
As Donghun worked on refining his emotions, Chunho arranged the remaining go stones, putting the go board back to its original position.
Then, he brought up the real reason for seeking Donghun.
“Donghun.”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
“I think I should meet that child’s husband after all.”
A few days later, late in the evening.
Sooyeon quickly walked towards the unfamiliar car in the parking lot.
As she climbed into the front seat, Mingoo’s face, filled with displeasure, came into view.
“You’re here.”
The words he mechanically uttered sounded surprisingly blunt.
Sooyeon fastened her seatbelt and offered a sincere apology.
“I’m sorry for calling you out on personal matters. It’s a situation where we need to move quietly, and a taxi would be too conspicuous, and my car would draw too much attention.”
Even though she smoothly provided an excuse she had prepared in advance, Mingoo’s expression didn’t easily loosen.
“Sigh, why on earth do we need to move so discreetly? What kind of situation is this?”
Even so, perhaps the excuse she had carefully crafted had some authenticity to it, as Mingoo, resigned, mumbled while stepping on the accelerator.
“Just… it’s a family issue. Yeah, a family issue.”
“A family issue? Why? Is there a problem with TK? What happened?”
The car that was leaving the parking lot suddenly came to an abrupt stop.
Surprised, Sooyeon immediately looked straight at Mingoo.
He widened his eyes as if he were about to pop out and made a fuss.
“Hyung. Haven’t you forgotten the promise we made before?”
“Promise?”
“In case something happens with TK, you promised to give me a heads-up!”
Sooyeon remained silent. The context of the conversation was unclear.
“I trusted only you and planned my entire life with TK according to your words.”
“Huh? Planned life?”
“I’ve been pooling all the money I’ve saved into TK stocks. On top of that, for the past year, I’ve been steadily buying 40% of my salary’s worth of TK stocks every month. My entire fortune, thanks to your assurance, is invested in TK stocks. So, please tell me honestly.”
“…What do you mean by telling the truth?”
“What’s happening with TK? Is Chairman-nim unwell somewhere? Or did any of the family members sell a large amount of stocks?”
Despite not providing any clear answers, Mingoo had already constructed a scenario in his mind.
Finding it too absurd, Sooyeon couldn’t help but chuckle involuntarily.
It had been a long time.
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
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