“Let’s go to the hospital first.”

Ga Eul said to Dae Un as they exited the police station building.

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine. You were making such a fuss earlier about dying. You said your ribs might be broken.”

Ga Eul said sharply. Dae Un glared at her in response. After all, it was for her sake that he got beaten up like this, yet she couldn’t even be grateful.

“Attorney, thank you for your hard work. On your way, could you please drop the boss and me off at the hospital emergency room? It’s so late, I think it’ll be difficult to catch a taxi.”

Ga Eul politely asked Jung Se Hyun, who was grinning beside them.

“It was Ga Eul who did the hard work. Thanks to the video you recorded on your phone, things were resolved smoothly.”

Ga Eul had correctly understood Dae Un’s signal before he was hit by his uncle. So she quickly turned on her phone camera.

His uncle, still not sober, tried to make excuses and brag in front of the investigating detective, but it didn’t work on the detective who saw the video Ga Eul had taken. In the video, Ki Dae Un was just getting hit without resisting at all.

On top of that, Dae Un was exaggerating all kinds of pain beside them. Ga Eul turned her head away in embarrassment at Dae Un making such a fuss about being in agony. Ga Eul couldn’t forget the looks in the detectives’ eyes as they stared at Dae Un in dismay.

“Without that video, Ga Eul and Dae Un might have been suspected of being a self-harm scam ring. He was causing such a scene during questioning, I was embarrassed just watching.”

Se Hyun continued to grin as he spoke politely.

“Right? How could his ribs be broken when the foot didn’t even reach his chest?”

“That’s how you make sure the other person never thinks of messing with you again. They’ll think they picked on the wrong person.”

Dae Un was nonchalant, as if he were the epitome of someone who knew no shame.

“Sister!”

Just then, someone shouted and approached from one side of the police station yard.

“Gyeo Ul!”

“I’m sorry I’m so late. There were no open pharmacies.”

Gyeo Ul held out a plastic bag to Ga Eul.

“Then where did you get this?”

“I asked Su Geun.”

“Ah, Su Geun’s father was a pharmacist.”

Su Geun was Gyeo Ul’s longtime friend. It was good to have someone to turn to when in need, having lived in the same neighborhood for so long.

“Thank you for helping my sister.”

Gyeo Ul bowed deeply to Dae Un.

“At least Gyeo Ul knows gratitude. Unlike someone who’s ungrateful.”

Dae Un sneered, but looked at Gyeo Ul with warm eyes. Gyeo Ul’s face was streaked with sweat. It was clear how hard he had tried to get the medicine. That must have been Gyeo Ul’s way of expressing gratitude.

“I’m sorry, sister. I should have been there. What happened to uncle?”

“He got screwed.”

Dae Un answered instead, giggling, then winced as if the place he was hit hurt.

“It seems Mr. Han Myeong Ho will spend tonight in the police station holding cell. The guardian refused to take custody. It appears he often causes trouble when drunk. The police will keep him in protective custody until he sobers up, then release him tomorrow morning.”

Se Hyun kindly elaborated on Dae Un’s answer in more dignified terms.

“What about after he’s released from the holding cell? Can he move around freely?”

Gyeo Ul asked, his face still worried.

“He won’t be free. We’ll file for a restraining order to keep him at least 100 meters away from you and your sister, but even without that, he won’t have time to worry about you guys. He’ll be busy getting summoned to the police and court. There’s a capable lawyer here, you see.”

Dae Un grinned broadly, then groaned and grimaced again as if the hit area hurt.

“You crazy bastard. Calling a corporate lawyer for a simple assault case? It’s my first time at a police station since my days as a trainee lawyer. You know how much my hourly rate is, right?”

“Um, you don’t have to file a restraining order for us.”

Ga Eul interjected nervously when Se Hyun brought up his fee.

“Ga Eul, don’t worry. I received the request from this friend.”

Hearing Se Hyun’s words, Ga Eul realized that the face truly is the window to the soul. A handsome person really does have a beautiful heart too.

Se Hyun insisted on giving Ga Eul and Gyeo Ul a ride home in his car. When Ga Eul said they should take the boss to the hospital first, Se Hyun simply replied.

“We will go to the hospital. We need to get a medical certificate too. Don’t worry too much about Dae Un, he knows how to take care of himself. That guy probably deliberately took the hits to his face. That way it looks like he’s more seriously injured.”

Even while suspecting it might be empty words to persuade her, Ga Eul thought Se Hyun’s explanation made sense.

Except for his face, the boss looked excessively fine. Of course, she almost snorted at the suggestion that the boss was someone who knew how to take care of himself.

* * *

Finally, the day to visit the maternal family home arrived. The housekeeper of the maternal family had conveyed that the grandmother wanted to meet Ga Eul and Gyeo Ul, and provided the address. Ga Eul chose a holiday when Gyeo Ul didn’t have school to make the visit appointment.

After getting off the bus in the neighborhood where their maternal grandfather’s house was located, Ga Eul and Gyeo Ul walked for a while under the scorching summer sun.

“If I’d known it would be like this, we should have taken a taxi.”

Ga Eul said, standing in front of the imposing gate of their grandfather’s house. She had worn her only summer dress, but her back was already drenched in sweat. Ga Eul adjusted her outfit and checked Gyeo Ul’s appearance as well.

“Just because it’s a rich neighborhood doesn’t mean it’s cooler. I guess the sun shines equally everywhere after all.”

Ga Eul spoke, trying to ease the tension, but Gyeo Ul remained silent.

“We’ll just state what we want confidently. If things go wrong, we can just keep living the way we have been. Let’s just consider it a tour of a rich person’s house. When else would we get to enter a house like this?”

Ga Eul said, fanning herself with her hand.

“In weather like this, people with cars should be the ones moving around, right? Instead of making us come in this heat.”

“Sister, don’t be nervous.”

Gyeo Ul, who had been silently watching Ga Eul ramble on, said one thing and then pressed the doorbell. As if he knew why his sister was talking so much.

“Who is it?”

A voice came through the microphone next to the camera installed on the door.

“We’re the chairman’s grandchildren. The chairman asked to meet us, so we came.”

Ga Eul’s voice was sharp. Was it due to an inferiority complex? It irritated her that they asked who it was even though they must have seen through the monitor. Gyeo Ul patted Ga Eul’s shoulder.

“Sister, I’m okay.”

As expected, Gyeo Ul was reading Ga Eul’s mind. Ga Eul was tense because of Gyeo Ul. She was worried that coming to their maternal family’s house might only end up hurting Gyeo Ul.

To Ga Eul, Gyeo Ul will always be an elementary school student. The elementary school Gyeo Ul who couldn’t even properly grieve when their mother passed away. Though he’s much bigger than her now, that Gyeo Ul with cold eyes from back then still remains in Gyeo Ul’s heart.

“I’m not an elementary student anymore. I’m not a little kid you have to take care of forever, sister.”

“Yes, I know.”

Ga Eul smiled and agreed with her brother who had grown up so quickly without her noticing.

“Well then, shall we, the invincible siblings, go in?”

Whatever awaits, we’ll know once we go in. Ga Eul took the lead and entered through the gate of their maternal family’s house.

Crossing the wide garden, there was someone waiting in front of the entrance. It looked like a housekeeper. He skipped greetings and turned around, saying:

“Follow me.”

Of all the many things he could have said, why “Follow me”? There’s also “I’ll guide you” or “The chairman is waiting.” The housekeeper chose to use what felt like the most imperious phrase.

Fine, I’ll follow. We don’t know the layout of the house, so we have no choice but to follow. Ga Eul walked vigorously. Only Ga Eul and Gyeo Ul’s footsteps echoed through the quiet hallway.

“Madam, the people you’ve been waiting for have arrived.”

Ga Eul and Gyeo Ul exchanged glances at the housekeeper’s words. It was because he didn’t refer to them as grandchildren. It seemed their position in this house was just people the owner wanted to meet.

Entering through the door the housekeeper opened, they saw an elegantly aged lady sitting at the end of a massive sofa table. It must be their maternal grandmother, Lady Jang Ji Hong.

Ga Eul and Gyeo Ul bowed in greeting.

“I am Han Ga Eul.”

“I am Han Gyeo Ul.”

“Sit down.”

Lady Jang said in an emotionless voice to Ga Eul and Gyeo Ul, who were standing awkwardly after greeting. It was too devoid of warmth for a reunion between a grandmother and her grandchildren.

That’s when Ga Eul realized. This meeting was an interview. They would have to pass this interview to be accepted into this family. That’s why Lady Jang Ji Hong was alone to face Ga Eul and Gyeo Ul. To see if these children would be useful to her family.

“You look a lot like your mother.”

“……”

“……”

“Did you eat before coming?”

“At this time, we wouldn’t have come without eating. Please get to the point. We don’t have time. I need to study.”

Gyeo Ul spoke before Ga Eul had a chance to answer. Lady Jang Ji Hong flinched at Gyeo Ul’s challenging attitude. From Ga Eul’s perspective, Lady Jang seemed very surprised. She would be surprised. Even Ga Eul herself was surprised. Gyeo Ul wasn’t the type to speak so rudely.

“Right, you’re a high school senior. I heard you’re quite good at studying?”

Lady Jang tried to soften the atmosphere. It seemed she didn’t want to drive the situation to catastrophe just yet.

“I’m just good. The one who’s really excellent at studying is my sister.”

Gyeo Ul retorted in a sharp tone. Lady Jang looked at Gyeo Ul as if dumbfounded. This child wasn’t even trying to hide his dislike for her. She thought he must be resentful that their maternal family hadn’t taken care of them until now.

Lady Jang Ji Hong turned her gaze to Ga Eul. Having completed a background check on the two children beforehand, she knew how Ga Eul’s school grades had been.

Back then, their mother was still alive, so she must have provided proper support. Even so, Ga Eul’s grades were dazzling. She had never dropped below 10th place nationally in mock exams.

The children’s good academic performance worked in Lady Jang’s favor as well.

It made it easier to persuade Chairman Oh Kyu Baek to bring the children in. Judging by grades alone, they were more suitable as potential successors to the group than any other child in the family. Even Chairman Oh had acknowledged that.

“I heard you’re on a leave of absence? Make sure to return to school.”

“I’ll take care of that myself.”

Lady Jang frowned at Ga Eul’s response. The children seemed determined to be contrary. It was too much to simply overlook as deep resentment towards their maternal family.

“You’ll take care of it yourself? You’re not saying that because you don’t understand what it means to return to school, are you? You came all the way here on your own feet, wasn’t it because you’re interested in the benefits our family can provide? Are you going to say you’re not interested in your maternal family’s wealth?”

“I’m not that naive. I desperately need money too.”

Lady Jang nodded with a face that said, ‘I thought so.’

“However, I didn’t come expecting one-sided help or benefits. I came to exchange what we each need.”

Ga Eul looked at Lady Jang without blinking. Ga Eul was ready to have a showdown with the person who was supposed to be her grandmother.