He had no idea what just happened.
Seon-woo was already making his second frustrating call. After three or four rings, Seung-hyeon finally picked up. He was probably hustling through his work so he could get off on time too. Seon-woo just hoped what he had to say wouldn’t come off as too deflating.
— Hello?
“It’s me.”
— Director?
The smooth way the conversation picked up, as if it were the most natural thing, was nice—but Seon-woo wasn’t in the right headspace to respond like usual. Hearing Seung-hyeon’s voice only made the weight of the situation press harder on him. He silently pressed his fingers to his forehead.
“Haah… Have you heard?”
— I heard he stepped out somewhere.
Seung-hyeon answered calmly. Seon-woo began to speak slowly, hoping he didn’t sound like he was grumbling.
“The Chairman suddenly called, so I’m just going to stop by and see him for a moment. I’ll be back before it gets too late.”
He could tell the bodyguards were perking up their ears, so he couldn’t speak too openly. He even avoided using any names or titles on purpose to keep the other party’s identity hidden.
Part of why Seon-woo obeyed the Chairman’s summons was because he’d originally planned to meet Seung-hyeon today. More precisely, he didn’t want anyone to find out what Seung-hyeon really meant to him. If they did, Seung-hyeon would undoubtedly be the one caught in the crossfire.
For a moment, all he could hear on the phone was Seung-hyeon’s steady breathing. Then, in a calm and gentle voice, he replied:
— Got it. Go ahead.
With that, the call ended. Imagining what Seung-hyeon might be thinking made Seon-woo feel like a headache was slowly building behind his temples.
“Where exactly are we going?”
“We’re headed to the location the Chairman specified.”
After the car had been driving for quite a while, Seon-woo, unable to ignore the strange feeling any longer, finally spoke up.
The route was completely different from what he expected. It wasn’t just a slight detour—this wasn’t even the same direction as the hospital the Chairman usually went to.
Even the bodyguard’s response was suspicious. He didn’t say they were going to where the Chairman was—just where he had ordered.
“We already passed the place where the Chairman’s primary physician is. Did he get admitted to a different hospital or something?”
Any time it looked like the answer might be difficult, these people clammed up like they’d been glued shut. That always rubbed him the wrong way.
Watching the time tick away, Seon-woo began rhythmically tapping his fingers against his thigh. It was a nervous habit—something he did when he had too much on his mind or when he was feeling pressed.
“He didn’t check into a nursing facility or something, did he?”
Unable to contain his irritation, Seon-woo snapped.
Suddenly, the car jerked violently. It seemed like the bodyguard had instinctively slammed the brakes in response to his sarcastic remark. Or was it really “instinctively”? A short, derisive scoff slipped from Seon-woo’s lips.
“You should be more careful with your driving.”
“A nursing facility? That’s ridiculous. Please watch your words.”
He let out a long sigh.
What the hell had the Chairman told them to make them act like this?
At this point, it wouldn’t be surprising if this wasn’t a simple summons but a kidnapping in disguise. Not that it would be his first time being kidnapped, either. Thinking back, he couldn’t even tell what the fundamental difference was between that time and now.
“Presumptuous,”
Seon-woo muttered as if tossing the word to the floor.
“Your loyalty to Grandfather is… admirable, I guess. But glaring at me like that over a single comment? That’s a bit much.”
His tone was calm. If this were the Gwanggong from his memories, people would’ve been buried for something like this. Thankfully, he didn’t feel like going that far today. Maybe it was the cool but cutting tone that brought them back to their senses, because the bodyguards quickly apologized.
“I was out of line. I apologize, Director.”
Completely flat. No soul in that voice.
He could’ve pressed harder, backed them into a corner, and turned the situation into a full-blown mess. But as much as he was irritated, he didn’t want to escalate things right now—not when he was on his way to see a supposedly sick Chairman.
Clicking his tongue, Seon-woo held his silence.
After a long drive, the car finally pulled up… in front of a restaurant. His face scrunched to its limit at the absurdity of the destination. Was the bedridden Chairman out for a meal or something? More likely, he’d never been admitted in the first place. He’d lied.
Seon-woo glanced at his watch again. Time was cutting it dangerously close. The thought crossed his mind—should he just jump out of the car, hail a cab, and go back? But with a burly bodyguard blocking the door, that extreme idea never had a chance. He had no choice but to see it through to the end.
All this madness… just to see his grandson’s face? There was something unhinged about it. Even as he stepped out of the car, he seriously considered catching a cab and turning around. But before he could make a move, two guards the size of bears flanked him, one on each side.
It was even more blatant than when they ignored his earlier demand to open the door. And his mood just kept getting worse.
“I was going to go up on my own anyway. No need to get grabby—take your hands off me.”
He deliberately shoved past with his shoulder and strode ahead.
Inside the restaurant, a staff member greeted him and offered to guide him to a reserved room. But when he entered the room, the Chairman was nowhere to be seen. Instead, sitting at the table was a woman who looked maybe three or four years younger than him. The moment he registered that fact, Seon-woo came to a full stop.
“…What the hell is going on here?”
He turned to the bodyguards who had followed him inside, demanding an answer—but none came.
Instead, they simply said something ridiculous like, “Please enjoy your time,” and shut the door behind them.
Seon-woo stood there, dumbfounded, staring at the table where she sat. The table was neatly set, and a half-empty teacup rested in front of her.
His head spun.
If it had been the Gwanggong himself, wouldn’t he have already kicked down the door or flipped the table by now? Honestly, Gwak Seon-woo wanted to do exactly that. A sharp sting ran up the back of his neck.
“Haa…”
He’d been played. Completely. He fell for the Chairman’s act—sounding frail, claiming to be hospitalized—hook, line, and sinker. Thinking, Guess he’s just lonely this time of year, had been his first mistake. He should’ve smashed the car window and escaped. Or the moment they pulled up to the restaurant, he should’ve run. But no—he still believed the Chairman would be inside, waiting. What an idiot.
Suddenly, he recalled something his father had said during a brief visit to Korea.
“Are you seeing anyone? Someone you might marry? Doesn’t really matter either way, but… just be careful.”
Was this the kind of “careful” he meant?
“…Who are you?”
After a long silence, Seon-woo finally managed to ask. There wasn’t anything else to say, really. From her perspective, this must’ve been just as absurd. But the woman sitting at the table calmly bowed her head and introduced herself.
“I’m Jin Ye-jin. Third granddaughter of Jin Cheong-seok, Chairman of Seoil Group.”
Now the situation was crystal clear.
Seon-woo pressed his fingers to his forehead and let out a deep sigh. A throbbing, irritable headache pulsed through his skull.
“I assume you know who I am.”
He asked something obvious, but the answer came back just as plainly.
“Of course. Director Gwak Seon-woo of KG.”
“So, why exactly are you here today?”
He asked just in case—one last sliver of hope. Jin Ye-jin, still composed, answered while gently holding her teacup.
“I was told it was a matchmaking meeting.”
Of course. He’d suspected as much, but still… it was true. The Chairman had fabricated that outrageous lie just to lure Seon-woo into this blind date.
If he’d told him in advance, he would’ve seen through it—so instead, he’d ambushed him like this, using the urgency of the situation as cover.
Thinking back to how his heart had clenched out of concern, believing the Chairman was seriously ill… it made Seon-woo feel disgusted with himself.
He drew a clear line.
“Just so we’re clear, I had no idea.”
“You don’t seem like you did.”
That calm response from Jin Ye-jin was unexpected. He thought she might at least look a little flustered. Seon-woo continued, doing his best to keep the edge out of his voice.
“I had other plans today. I didn’t know what this meeting was about, and if I had, I wouldn’t have come. I’m sorry, but I don’t have the time to sit here making small talk or giving you my life story over a meal.”
“Well, that works out nicely.”
Again, her voice was steady. Seon-woo studied her face, trying to read the intent behind her words. She glanced at him and replied lightly,
“It’s not like I wanted to be here either.”
“……”
“So no need to apologize. But… would you at least like to sit down?”
