Chairman Seol Ma Jung, who was sitting at an antique wooden desk reviewing documents, widened his eyes at the words of the secretary standing before him.

“Woo Jin came out of the house?”

“Yes. Here……”

The secretary placed a mobile phone in front of him.

Chairman Seol Ma Jung put on his reading glasses and carefully examined the photo on the phone, soon using his finger to zoom in and scrutinize the woman next to his grandson.

“That’s not Na Eun, is it?”

“No. It’s not Jung Na Eun, it seems to be a housekeeper.”

“A housekeeper?”

“Yes. I looked into it since this young lady has been coming at the times when the previous housekeeper Jo Young Mi used to come, and it turns out Jo Young Mi is hospitalized with a back injury.”

“And this girl?”

“She says she’s Jo Young Mi’s niece.”

“But how did he go out with this girl?”

“That’s not quite……”

As the secretary hesitated, Chairman Seol Ma Jung stared intently at the photo again and swiped through it. There were quite a few photos of the two of them standing together.

“Are they dating?”

“That’s also not……. Should I look into it?”

“Find out. Also find out how they ended up going out. Ah, does Ji Hyun know? Call Ji Hyun and tell him to come in.”

“Yes. I understand.”

Seol Ma Jung zoomed in on the photo again, this time closely examining his grandson’s face.

For some reason, the child’s usually furrowed face was relaxed.

That face, resembling his father’s, stabbed at Seol Ma Jung’s heart.

– Find him!

– Father, the child ran away because he didn’t want to take the exam. How can I find him?

– The secretary found out where he is! Bring him back! He’s already the talk of the town and causing trouble.

Imagine if rumors spread that he’s at an arcade instead of the exam hall! The media would have a field day. He’s your son, so take responsibility and bring him back!

The younger son who had returned unable to bear it after eloping was always filled with an inferiority complex in front of his father.

Though superior in looks and intelligence compared to his brother’s son Ji Hyun, that inferiority complex grew deeper as he watched his own son being constantly discriminated against for being of mixed race.

Chairman Seol Ma Jung was not unaware of his son feeling this way.

Still, his resentful feelings remained.

He always emphasized “your son” instead of Woo Jin’s name, implicitly revealing that all of Woo Jin’s faults were due to you marrying the wrong woman.

After sending Woo Jin away like that, Chairman Seol Ma Jung saw his son return as a corpse and his grandson lose his eyesight and spend his days confined to a room. Clutching his chest, he begged God for forgiveness.

Thinking it was enough that he was alive even if he couldn’t function properly as a person, he didn’t object to anything his younger grandson wanted to do.

He didn’t openly criticize him for not even offering a drink at his father’s memorial table.

He had resolved to support him to live inside forever if he couldn’t come out, but now the child had come outside. Seol Ma Jung wondered if this was what a miracle was.

It was urgent to find out who this child next to Woo Jin was, if it was because of that child that he had come out.

Noticing the change in Chairman Seol Ma Jung’s usually composed tone, the secretary quickly took out another mobile phone to text Seol Ji Hyun and began investigating the woman.

[This is the timeline separator]

Soo Young, who was watching an animation with earphones in, was startled by a pain in her back and turned around.

Her mother was standing behind her, though she didn’t know when she had arrived.

But her expression was not good.

“Oh, mom. When did you get here?”

“…… What have you been up to?”

“Huh?”

“I’m asking what you’ve been up to.”

“What?”

“Mom, I just got back from aunt’s place.”

At Young Soon’s words, an expression of ‘it can’t be’ appeared on Soo Young’s face. Could it be, did aunt tell her?

“You said you’re still working at that house? Are you really going to keep deceiving your mother like this?”

Damn, aunt must have told her. Geez, aunt, you traitor…….

As Soo Young was frantically trying to figure out what to say, Young Soon sat on her daughter’s bed and rummaged through her large bag.

Then she took out a bankbook and held it out to her daughter.

“This is money I’ve been saving for when you get married. I’ll give it to you early.”

Stunned by her mother’s sudden words, Soo Young could only gape, unable to respond.

She didn’t dare take the bankbook. So Young Soon placed it on her desk and said,

“Your aunt said this. When her friends are all dressing up prettily and going out to eat delicious food with boyfriends, you’re always at the library. She wondered if it was because you’re short on money. I’ll give you this money. You go dress up nicely and eat good food too. With your friends. And stop that job now.”

“Ah, no, it’s not like that.”

With aunt saying that, and mom too, Soo Young suddenly became self-conscious about whether she was dressing too plainly.

Then Young Soon burst out angrily. She was even more upset because she felt sorry for her child.

“Then what’s the reason you’re so insistent on being a housekeeper? You should be trying to get a proper job somewhere, how can you be spending time in a place like that?”

“I…… I’m not a housekeeper!”

“What?”

“I’m not a housekeeper, I got officially hired. As a manager.”

“A manager?”

“Yeah. The homeowner is a really famous writer. So they needed a manager. I have to manage schedules, do research, …… um…… I write too! They said they’d publish my writing as a book!”

How the lies flowed so smoothly. But Young Soon was looking at her daughter with eyes full of doubt.

“What are you saying? You’re a manager but they said they’d publish a book for you?”

“Uh, so…… I’m like an assistant writer as well as a manager. I signed a contract. They pay 2 million won for two hours, and overtime pay if I work more. And they don’t interfere at all with how I work. So it’s really comfortable. Plus, you know I like art, right? There are really amazing paintings there. I spend all day looking at those paintings……”

“Since when do you like art? You like comics. Always giggling at those ridiculously drawn characters.”

“There are comics like that in that house!”

“What, is the homeowner a comic artist, not a novelist?”

“Huh? Ah, no, that’s not it. Anyway, when my book comes out, I’ll sign it and give it to you first.”

She couldn’t tell how much of her daughter’s words were true. From her tone, it didn’t seem to be a lie, but manager and assistant writer…… it all sounded like pie in the sky to her.

“Soo Young, mom really doesn’t understand what you’re saying. So the homeowner is a writer and you’re working as an assistant writer and manager?”

“That’s right.”

“So what exactly do you do at that house?”

“I told you earlier, didn’t I? I make schedules, do research, write stuff, things like that.”

To be precise, she feeds him, puts him to sleep, takes him for walks, and sometimes washes his hair, but she couldn’t say that. Young Soon asked again as if to confirm.

“Not cleaning?”

“Huh? Uh……”

“Then who cleans that house? Aunt used to do it but doesn’t anymore.”

Knowing her mother’s persistence well, Soo Young’s mind raced.

“He, he does it himself. I did it last time when I went, remember? But the homeowner said I was so bad at it that he does it himself. I just eat.”

And feed him too.

Young Soon silently looked at her daughter’s face for a moment, then suddenly held out her own mobile phone.

“Why?”

“Enter that homeowner’s phone number here. Mom needs to meet him once. To see if he’s trustworthy. And to find out exactly what work you’re doing.”

“Mom! Am I a child?”

“It’s because you’re not a child that I’m doing this! A grown woman who can’t tell right from wrong – how can mom not worry? I’m glad you’re getting a book published since you like writing. But there are so many scammers these days. What if they’re trying to seduce someone’s precious daughter by saying they’ll publish a book or whatever?”

“It’s not like that, I’m telling you. Mom…… you’re embarrassing me……”

“That’s why I’m telling you to get a proper job at a real company!”

Soo Young could only sigh helplessly at the circular argument.

[This is the timeline separator]

“So, you’re saying your mother will be calling me?”

Ji Hyun asked, nodding repeatedly at Soo Young’s call.

– Yes. I’m sorry, but could you please tell her I’m not a housekeeper, but Mr. Seol Woo Jin’s manager and assistant writer? My mom keeps telling me to get a job at a company……

“I see. Don’t worry. I’ll explain it well.”

– Yes. I’m really sorry. Oh, I’m so embarrassed……

As Soo Young spoke in a cowed voice, Ji Hyun replied with a pleasant laugh.

“It’s no problem. Woo Jin and I owe Soo Young so much. We can do anything you want. So if you have any inconveniences or need help with anything, please call anytime. Okay?”

– Yes. Thank you so much.

Even after Soo Young hung up, Ji Hyun couldn’t put down his phone for a while. Manager…… He had thought all along that housekeeper didn’t quite fit, but there couldn’t be a more appropriate title than this.

Whose idea was it?

Yeon Seo, who was eating breakfast across from him, blinked her eyes curiously at her husband.

“Was that Soo Young?”

“Yeah.”

“What’s up?”

“Her mother seems worried. She said she’ll be calling me. She asked me to say she’s not a housekeeper, but a manager.”

“Young master’s manager?”

“Yeah.”

“Ooh! That’s good!”

Yeon Seo clapped excitedly.

“Honestly, she’s more than just a housekeeper. The young master has improved so much because of Soo Young, hasn’t he?”

“Do you think Soo Young is interested in Woo Jin too?”

“I’m sure of it.”

Yeon Seo spoke so decisively that Ji Hyun felt uneasy. Seeing her husband’s doubtful look, Yeon Seo widened her already large eyes and said,

“Ji Hyun, don’t you trust me?”

“No, it’s just that you’re so certain……”

“I’m telling you it’s true! You should have seen what happened next. Ah, what a shame. I wonder what happened after that……”

“What happened next? Are you talking about a drama?”

“No, Soo Young asked the young master if we were friends, you know? But he said no. So when Soo Young asked what kind of relationship it was, the young master just went into his room, you know?”

“When was this?”

“When the young master hurt his hand that time.”

“Really? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“The young master was sick and it was chaotic, right? And after that, I was busy, you were busy……”

“What do you mean by ‘what happened next’?”

“It was like watching some youth drama, I’m telling you. You know in dramas when the male lead leaves and the female lead is sad and it fades out. Next time on…… It was just like that. But who knew the young master would punch through glass? I was really shocked. I knew the young master had quite a temper, but still. Have you ever punched through glass, Ji Hyun?”

“No. It would hurt.”

“Exactly. Usually, people can’t do that because they know it’ll hurt, right? That only happens in dramas. But the young master……”

Yeon Seo shook her head. Neither Yeon Seo nor Ji Hyun knew why Woo Jin had suddenly acted that way. They could only guess that he had been feeling hopeless about his situation like before.

However, they were relieved, as was Dr. Kang Hyung Min, that at least he hadn’t tried to take his own life.

[This is the timeline separator]

Watching Soo Young chew with an unsatisfying sound, Woo Jin asked somewhat irritably,

“What’s going on?”

“Huh? What?”

Lost in thought about when her mother would call Seol Ji Hyun, Soo Young snapped back to attention at Woo Jin’s words.

“You’re lost in thought.”

“Seol Woo Jin, you’re really psychic. How did you know?”

“You, the sound of you eating is too quiet.”

“Tsk, someone might think I eat by smashing all the dishes.”

“Don’t exaggerate.”

“My mom found out. That I come here.”

At Soo Young’s words, Woo Jin’s amber eyes flickered slightly. After keeping his mouth tightly shut for a moment, he asked quietly,

“You’ve been coming in secret all this time?”

“Yes. My mom thought I was preparing for jobs at the library.”

Woo Jin felt an indescribable emotion towards her, who had been coming here every day without even being able to tell her mother.

“So what did you tell her?”

“I said what you told me before, that I’m a manager…… and also an assistant writer……”

“Assistant writer?”

“Yes. I said the homeowner is a writer so I manage schedules, do research, write too…… I said they’d even publish my book……”

Soo Young spoke cautiously, watching Woo Jin’s reaction. But Woo Jin, who she thought would mock her, took her words seriously.

“Do that then.”

“What? Do what?”

“Manage my schedule, find materials for me, write. If you write well, I’ll tell Seol Ji Hyun to publish it for you.”

“What?”

“Seol Ji Hyun runs a publishing company. All my books are published by Seol Ji Hyun’s company.”

“But…… you said you were unknown?”

“I’m somewhat famous under a pen name.”

“What’s your pen name?”

“The name I use these days is Seol Yong.”

Woo Jin’s expression was utterly calm as he said this.