Ji Wan naturally approached Lady Yesan and gently hugged her small shoulders, then let go.

“It’s been a while. You’ve become even younger.”

It was a voice dripping with affection, unlike his usual self.

“Young master, please. How old am I already? I’ve aged, thoroughly aged.”

Last night,

After warning about the family members’ work hours as if a very scary person was coming,

The warm greeting he delivered was astounding.

“Whenever I came to Korea, she took care of me like a mother. I got used to her side dishes, so I can’t just eat anything carelessly.”

Going so far as to say such flattering words.

“Ah, I see.”

Do Eum’s face lit up with even more joy upon hearing that this lady had been like a mother to the man in a Korea where he had no one to rely on.

“I heard from Chairman Jang. At the main house, you learned how to cook a few dishes that suit the young master’s taste?”

Ji Wan, who had sat down in the living room and opened a newspaper, lowered his gaze as if he hadn’t heard.

“Rather than learning, I just asked a bit, that’s all.”

“With your skill from the zucchini dish last time, you’ll learn quickly. Our young master enjoyed it so much, just look how bright his face is. Hohoho.”

The laughter of the two women from the kitchen was pleasant to hear.

With an article about the worsening domestic construction trends spread out, a small arc formed on Ji Wan’s lips.

*****

The main Bando house in Anseo-dong.

A neatly dressed man opened the sliding door and entered. It was Ki Hoon, the top contributor to Bando Construction’s success today and Ji Wan’s close friend.

Since joining the company, this was the first time he had been summoned by Chairman Jang outside of official occasions.

And on a weekend early morning, no less.

“You called for me.”

“Have a seat.”

As Hyang In entered, Chairman Jang raised his wrinkled hand in the air and had the tea set brought in.

“I’ve heard about someone I’ve never met face to face, through a couple of people. They say CEO Seo Ji Wan relies on you a lot.”

“You flatter me.”

Chairman Jang, who already knew that Ki Hoon and Ji Wan had been close friends while studying in America, slowly looked over the man sitting across from him.

“You must have had a hard time building up the only construction division in Bando that wasn’t seeing the light. Seo isn’t the type to beg anyone, so the people under him must have been quite tired.”

There was no response from Ki Hoon.

Neither denying nor affirming, his careful use of his tongue seemed exactly like Ji Wan.

“So, now that your back is warm and your belly is full, how do you feel? Now that the storehouse seems full, are you getting greedy?”

The flow of the quiet air suddenly changed.

Despite the clearly reproachful question and piercing gaze, Ki Hoon remained calm, as if he knew what Chairman Jang was going to ask.

“The top manager of Hoseo Village in Unam City has violated company regulations by creating a borrowed-name account to embezzle safety management funds and employee welfare promotion funds.”

Chairman Jang recited slowly, as if reading a newspaper article.

“Not only that! He’s been delivering bribes to Unam City Hall employees and police officers, lining his own pockets!”

The old man, who had been glaring at the man, paused to catch his breath.

“I’m asking if you, Kong Ki Hoon, are the rat eating away at my house’s granary.”

The frost-edged anger penetrated through the sliding door to the other side.

“Before I answer whether it’s true or not, can you tell me whose mouth such words came from?”

“Do I have to tell even that to a rat eating away at my back?”

Ki Hoon responded, as if challenging the piercing anger.

“Then I too have nothing to say.”

He was no pushover.

It was a matter that could lead to immediate dismissal, not to mention being reported to the prosecution for embezzlement and breach of trust.

Yet he didn’t even blink, knowing for certain that when it came to construction in Bando, Chairman Jang’s words didn’t carry weight.

“Hah, I see. You must think I’m not the master holding your lifeline.”

The man who didn’t strongly deny simply lowered his gaze.

That was all.

“I’ll make you an offer you might find tempting.”

Calming his piercing anger, Chairman Jang opened his half-closed eyes.

“I’ll cover up this incident, so how about changing your affiliation? Anyway, when the upright Seo finds out about this, your head will be cut off that very day. Rather than living short and intense, why not come under me and live long?”

Ki Hoon raised his eyes and stared into Chairman Jang’s eyes across from him.

The meaning was clear: be Ji Wan’s man outwardly, but his man internally, using Ji Wan’s trust to report all the big and small matters of construction to him in detail.

“May I ask why you’re doing this?”

“There’s nothing in Bando I can’t handle. Everything, be it work or people, is in the palm of my hand, that’s what I’m saying.”

Chairman Jang, who needed to have his son, grandson, and daughter-in-law under his feet to be satisfied, opened his eyes halfway.

“As you know, I had long since put aside and abandoned construction. The reason I gave it to Seo was because it was clear that after struggling for a while, he would eventually reach out to me.”

The strategy Chairman Jang had set up to catch one grandson who didn’t even blink before him, who was said to rule the world, seemed to have failed spectacularly as Ji Wan showed his success.

“Having raised it like that, I can’t just be happy about it, can I?”

Ji Wan, who stood up on his own, would never have to bow his head before Ho Muk again.

The old man, who had been waiting for Ji Wan to collapse while seated on a sand castle that would crumble at any moment, made a dry sound.

“There’s only one way to beat someone who never strays from the right path no matter what he does, and that’s to become the opposite – mean and narrow-minded.”

His upright posture, not bending even an inch, showed not a single tremor, as if representing the life the old man had lived for decades.

“If you’re thinking of making a fuss about how stealing you from Seo is petty, don’t bother. I don’t see the need for any competition to be fair and square.”

The old man, who needed to place his grandson under his feet even if he had to break him if he wouldn’t bend, intended to hold onto Ki Hoon, Ji Wan’s man, in place of the grandson who seemed unlikely to be caught by him.

“What do you think? Does it appeal to you?”

The sound of bamboo rustling in the wind spread bleakly through the paper-covered window.

*****

Lady Yesan joined Do Eum and Ji Wan at their meal.

This would never have happened at the main house.

“When you were young, our CEO-”

Do Eum quickly corrected herself after the word ‘CEO’ slipped out unintentionally.

“Ji Wan, what were you like? Did you throw tantrums wanting things? Did you complain about the side dishes? One thing’s for sure, I don’t think you had many friends.”

“Oh my, not at all. Even during his short stays in Korea, he was so popular that girls would line up in front of the house gate. The driver was constantly carrying gifts and letters.”

“Tsk. Seems like you were very considerate back then. Unlike now.”

“Why? Is our young master inconsiderate now? That can’t be.”

Inconsiderate? That’s an understatement.

How shameless, doing whatever he wants – kissing and hugging whenever he feels like it – while telling me not to.

Telling me not to waver at all.

Does this make any sense?

I’m not some sack of barley he borrowed.

Swallowing countless words, Do Eum glanced at the man who pretended not to hear and just kept eating.

“No, that’s not it. It’s just that he rarely says anything one way or the other.”

“Speaking of not saying much, there’s a famous anecdote. There’s a pond at the main house. It’s where Chairman Jang raised golden carp, and it’s quite deep. When full, it easily reaches an adult’s chest.”

As if the day was as vivid as yesterday, Lady Yesan’s expression became solemn.

“From a certain day, the young master would sit there whenever he had a chance. Right after classes, right after meals. He kept doing this throughout his stay in Korea, and even when he came back the following year. Seeing this repeatedly, one day I asked.”

Do Eum leaned her upper body close to the marble table, forgetting even to chew as she focused intently.

[Young master, why do you keep doing this here?]

“And then?”

“Well, young master Gi Hyeok had thrown something important into that pond. He couldn’t ask anyone to retrieve it, so he spent over a year just sitting there like that.”

It was a model car that had been discontinued and couldn’t be bought again.

It was the first thing he had bought with his saved allowance, invaluable to him.

“So, did you find it?”

“No. Our young master has been terrified of water ever since a near-accident at a swimming pool when he was young. When I suggested asking someone else to retrieve it, he adamantly refused that too.”

[No, please don’t tell anyone that my car is in this pond.]

He hated it.

It felt like revealing that the object Gi Hyeok had thrown in was something very precious to him, something he wanted to retrieve no matter what.

If that happened, seeing Gi Hyeok’s triumphant face would be even more painful, and even if it were retrieved, knowing how important it was to him, Gi Hyeok would hardly leave it alone.

“He was so firm about it, I couldn’t tell anyone.”

For a while, whenever Ji Wan went near the pond, he could only think of the brilliant blue car.

And Gi Hyeok’s laughter as he threw it in, looking so proud.

Do Eum looked at Ji Wan, who was eating silently.

“Stop staring and eat your food.”

“I feel sorry for you. How precious must it have been for you to act like that?”

You.

At those two syllables, Ji Wan stopped chewing and looked at Do Eum’s face.

Do Eum stroked Ji Wan’s hair as if soothing a child, casually uttering such an intimate word.

It was a first.

A pat he had never received even as a child, now as a full-grown adult, from a woman much younger than him.

While an incredulous laugh escaped, it was a good reason.

“I’ve forgotten all about it, so stop.”

Embarrassed, Ji Wan took Do Eum’s hand and placed it in front of her spoon.

The one who found this scene disconcerting was Lady Yesan.

This was a man who wouldn’t let anyone casually touch him even to apply ointment when injured, yet here he was, offering his head to a woman’s fingertips like a docile cat.

My goodness, you live and learn.

A warm smile settled on Lady Yesan’s lips.

*****

Seo Hyeon’s obstetrics and gynecology examination room.

“The blood test results show…”

It was a blood test done last week when her anemia seemed to have worsened a bit.

“While it’s not quite in the stable range, pregnancy is certain.”

They hadn’t set a date at the hospital this month.

It hadn’t been long since she had notified Gi Hyeok that she wanted to take a break for a few months.

Probably, that day.

It must have been that night at the hotel.

“…Pregnancy?”

“Yes, congratulations. You’re pregnant.”

It had been a full year.

From trying for a natural pregnancy to setting dates.

The emotion that should have been overwhelmingly joyful strangely subsided.

“Please don’t tell my father for now.”

“Pardon?”

The attending physician, employed by Chairman Jin, looked troubled at being told not to share this happy news.

“Just until it’s certain. If we make a fuss and something goes wrong, you won’t hear anything good then either, doctor.”

The doctor, who had only thought about delivering the good news to Chairman Jin and hadn’t considered the possibility of something going wrong, swallowed hard.

“Yes, let’s do that. I’ll do as you say.”

It was the weekend, so she had driven herself.

Seo Hyeon, who had left the obstetrics clinic, got into the driver’s seat and took a deep breath.