episode_0151

My steps quickened as I parted ways with the two individuals.

However, it was closer to anger than cheerfulness. It resembled an act that vividly expressed the emotions I was suppressing.

I had to return to the dormitory.

There was an evening curfew at the dormitory, and if you weren’t there for roll call, you’d get demerits. Accumulate too many demerits, and you’d be expelled.

The semester had just begun, and accumulating demerits from the start was not something I wished for either.

Yet, I was heading somewhere other than the dormitory.

Squeak.

A luxury sedan parked by the roadside.

Without hesitation, I sat in the back seat and regulated my breathing.

“I will take you right away.”

It was a face I had never seen before.

Sharp jawline, black suit, scentless, deep voice, a faint mark visible on the neck.

With various characteristics, he addressed me sharply, trying his best not to make any mistakes.

Even though I didn’t know their names, positions, or affiliations.

Nevertheless, they seemed to do their utmost to assist and support me as if I were their whole life.

“What is your name?”

“K-Kim Changho!”

Moreover, one of my actions could bring unforeseen consequences.

Tension rising inside the car.

A bead of sweat forming on my neck.

Wondering if I had done something wrong.

Frequently checking the rearview mirror out of doubt.

It felt like stroking an ant.

I simply wanted to stroke them because they were cute, impressive, and grateful, but they might feel pressured to death by it.

I had only asked for a name.

I wanted to express gratitude to the person who came late at night to drive me.

But that person seemed fearful because I had asked for their name, unsure of what to do, glancing around nervously.

The crucial point was this:

Our relationship was not that of human and ant.

It was about human-to-human interaction.

I decided not to ask anything further.

No matter what I said, he would try to discern its true meaning.

I turned my gaze out the window, keeping my lips tightly sealed.

Silence was the greatest consideration I could offer.

—

“Thank you.”

Closing the car door, I step outside.

As I only offered a brief thank you to the person who had tried to open the door for me, I gaze at the grand mansion.

It used to seem natural when I lived here.

Having lived in a studio apartment and now seeing this place again, I began to realize how luxurious my previous living conditions had been.

Before I could even raise my hand, the front door opened.

Servants greeted me respectfully as I entered the house after a long absence.

No matter how much I told them not to, they wouldn’t listen.

Hurrying inside, I am welcomed by my mother in the house.

“What’s going on? Why are you suddenly coming at this late hour?!”

My mother was just as usual.

Welcoming back her youngest with a bright smile.

Suppressing my heightened emotions for a moment, I gently embraced my mother.

And then.

“I’ve come to see Father.”

As I reveal my purpose, my mother’s expression darkens considerably.

We were never on good terms with Father. She must have realized that my sudden visit wasn’t bringing good news.

Passing by my mother.

“Let me tell you one thing.”

She sighs towards me, grumbling.

“Is it because of your older brother that you call him Father? Your dad is fine, but call me Mom.”

“…It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”

“The kids have no sense of cuteness. Should’ve given birth to a daughter, right? That’s why on that night, I was more…”

“Don’t say it!”

Although the conversation was serious until a moment ago, talking with Mom instantly lightened the mood.

“Sigh, it’s good to fight, but let’s eat dinner first. Got it?”

“Got it.”

“I’ll make dishes you like.”

“Is Mom making them?”

“If the chairman’s wife enters the kitchen, she gets scolded. The kitchen staff always tell her to stay quiet if she doesn’t know anything.”

“…I see.”

Geez.

I wondered if our connection as a family was possible because of Mom’s personality.

For now, I change my steps.

To ease my mind, Mom skillfully lightened the mood.

Normally, I would have thought not to speak too harshly. But things were different now.

– It’s a moment I’ve dreamed of.

Still.

Yoonji’s wistful voice lingered in my ears.

Creak.

As I opened the door and stepped inside, my father, wearing glasses and reading a book, slowly looked towards me.

It was the same.

Just like when I told him I was leaving home.

“What did you do to Yoonji?”

Even though I got straight to the point, my father slowly placed a bookmark in the book, closed it, and took off his glasses.

The flow of conversation shifted to him through those actions alone.

It made me wait, almost boiling with impatience.

“Why didn’t you even greet your father?”

“What did you do?!”

“Do you know who that girl is? My son’s eyes are on a convict’s daughter, should I just ignore that?”

“What did Yoonji do wrong? She hasn’t even seen her father’s face a few times!”

I heard she went to prison while Yoonji was on board. I didn’t ask why.

Because the child didn’t want to talk about it.

I could have found out if I had searched, but I didn’t.

Because I didn’t want to know.

Yoonji had lived as a separate entity from her father.

“If you investigated, you’d know! There’s no connection at all! Right? What did she do wrong?!”

“There isn’t any.”

“…What?”

There was no room for doubt in my father’s blunt gaze.

“She did nothing wrong, that girl.”

“Oh, but… knowing that!”

“That’s because of bloodline.”

My throat felt tight.

A sensation, thin yet unbreakable, was constricting my throat.

“That’s, that’s because of bloodline.”

The constricting feeling intensified.

That thing, glowing red, throbbed like a heartbeat, even hot.

“She did nothing wrong, but because of bloodline, this responsibility falls on her. Same goes for you.”

What caused the sensation tightening my throat was

my father’s bloodline.

“Woojin.”

A bitter breath escaped.

My father’s eyes were questioning me.

“Do you now understand why I wanted to designate you as the successor, not the eldest?”

“How could I know that!”

At the mention again,

emotions that had been welling up burst out like a release.

“Do you know how hard the eldest brother worked?! You must know! He worked so hard to please you! Do you know how he looked when he said he would pass it on to me?!”

“… ”

“That shouldn’t be the case! Right? It shouldn’t go like that!”

So I left home.

I was afraid that if I stayed at home, all of the eldest brother’s efforts

would be wasted.

“Phew, you’re still young.”

Even with my outburst,

my father replied calmly.

“Effort? Knowledge? Ability? Those are just words. Ultimately, everyone has those. I haven’t seen anyone reach this position without them.”

“… ”

“What’s important is nature. That can’t be imitated. It’s predetermined from birth.”

“What nonsense…”

“The eldest has a fragile heart. He hides it through effort and acting, but it’s fake.”

“… ”

“The second one likes people. Takes after your mother. Out of the question from the start.”

“… ”

“You, Woojin.”

The faintly formed smile contained both eeriness and heaviness.

“It’s you, Woojin. Greedy, selfish, and principled.”

“What do you know!”

“I made a bet with that kid. I said I’d allow it if you could gather enough money to be independent without my help.”

Allowance.

Believing in that, O Yunji had worked hard until now.

“But don’t contact her. Don’t meet her. I heard you were trying to leave a decent letter, so I took care of that separately.”

“Father, this is…”

“Don’t interrupt, listen.”

A smile hung on the corner of his father’s mouth.

It was a smile that emerged when things went as he thought.

“So, how did it go?”

The result was the current me.

“You easily forgot about her. You were sad during the vacation, but eventually returned to school.”

If.

Continuing with his words.

“If the vacation had been shorter, you would have recovered sooner, and if it hadn’t been a vacation, you would have come to your senses the next day.”

“You’re forcing unreasonable nonsense!”

“No, that’s who you are. And because I know that, I chose you as my successor.”

“…”

“Is that all? Now I hear you’re meeting several women. It didn’t just end with losing O Yunji. You’re casually meeting other women too.”

“…”

“You’re greedy. Don’t you think they suffer because of you? Very selfish. Those in power should be like that.”

Ah.

“Yet you smile in front of them. Enjoying under the guise of working hard for each person.”

“…”

“You probably justified your actions to them. Made them accept unrealistic situations without a fuss.”

I couldn’t deny it.

The countless hours spent with those women were now holding me back.

“Woojin, you are.”

I didn’t want to hear it, but…

“A human just as I thought.”

Father’s declaration struck me like a nail being driven in.

* * *

Stepping outside, I let out a long sigh. My head was a mess for various reasons, and there seemed to be no sign of improvement.

They said to have dinner and go, but I wasn’t keen on that situation.

Trying to sneak out without Mom knowing, I was urged to walk faster.

Two familiar faces coming through the front door.

“How did the conversation with Father go?”

The eldest brother, and…

“It probably didn’t end well.”

It was the younger brother who said he was starting a company.

“Brothers? Why are you here…?”

Uncertain whether to be happy or keep a distance.

As I stared blankly at my brothers, the younger one came up to me and immediately suggested:

“We came together because you’re back. But first, let’s go to the sauna! Saunas are the best when your head is spinning! Are you coming, hyung?”

“I’m not sure if there are separate clothes.”

Shrugging my shoulders, I didn’t refuse going to the sauna.

There was a small bathhouse and sauna in the basement of the house, so it wouldn’t take long to get there, but honestly, I wasn’t feeling it.

But as always…

I ended up being dragged along by my brothers.

“Where are you guys going? I’ve prepared dinner.”

Mom interjected with a smile.

“To the sauna! Brothers need to have a body conversation!”

“Is Jaeun going too?”

“Yes.”

“And Woojin?”

“Well, he agreed since we asked him to go.”

Honestly, it was a bit uncomfortable to go to the sauna with my brothers as an adult. But when the two brothers actively demanded it, I couldn’t help it.

“Um.”

Seeing us like that, Mom added.

“Then should I come too?”

She was about to follow.

“What do you mean, Mom!”

“Ugh, Mother.”

The brothers immediately stopped her.

Otherwise, I would have tried to stop her.

“Tsk, these kids act like they have something to hide. Since they were little, I’ve bathed and cleaned them.”

Despite her complaints…

“I heard you left washing even to the maids, Mother?”

I asked, puzzled.

“…If I bathe you, you’ll cry. That’s why I told the concubines not to complain and just leave.”

With a despondent expression, Mom muttered before swiftly walking to the kitchen, unable to withstand our gazes.

“Madam! We will take care of it!”

“Just sit on the couch and watch TV!”