As soon as he received his department assignment and entered, a deputy manager greeted him and a section chief pulled out a chair for him.
‘It seems like everyone in the world knows I’m a parachute hire.’
In truth, it was impossible not to know.
Though they didn’t look alike, it was known that the chairman’s second son was around twenty-eight years old, and suddenly being told to accept an intern after the regular recruitment period had ended clearly meant it was someone from the owner’s family or an equivalent parachute hire.
And above all, he had gotten out of a car with the chairman and the executive director.
‘He’s a parachute hire.’
‘Definitely a parachute.’
‘At this level, isn’t he more like a hang glider?’
Shin Saebyeok, heir to a competing company, inwardly sighed as he greeted his supervisor and logged into the company intranet to review the work logs.
Since they probably wouldn’t give him any work, he had to find something to do himself.
By the time he had figured out the work, it was already lunch time.
While he was hungry, he was also curious about how delicious the competing company’s cafeteria would be. As he was organizing his desk, a notification light suddenly flashed on the company messenger.
[Executive Director-Gong Jeong: Let’s have lunch together^^~]
[Executive Director-Gong Jeong: The chairman says he wants to join us^^~]
Does my father-in-law not know what a parachute hire is?
***
“Ahem. What should we eat for lunch today?”
“This is usually decided by the youngest.”
Chairman Gong and Gong Jeong stared blatantly at Saebyeok, passively attacking him.
“Isn’t deciding the lunch menu usually the youngest person’s job?”
“As an intern, you could be considered the lowest-ranking youngest member.”
Shin Saebyeok’s mind raced.
‘I see, they’re not looking for any accomplishments from me, but rather trying to see what kind of person I am. Right. If they expected results, they would have given me a higher position instead of making me an intern.’
So, what menu should he choose?
Price range? Restaurant size? Standing or sitting? Food suitable for lunch? What atmosphere does his father-in-law prefer? What food might his father-in-law like?
He had too little information. Even now, lunch time was running out.
Korean? Chinese? Japanese? Western? Exclude Western. With Western excluded, Korean? Chinese? Japanese? In this area, Korean places included soup houses and home-style meal restaurants. Chinese would be too crowded. Japanese somehow seemed like it wouldn’t leave a good impression.
‘Pyeonghwa, help me.’
Miraculously, Gong Pyeonghwa’s voice came to mind.
‘Babe, when we get back to Korea, let’s go there. Their raw beef bibimbap with beef soup is amazing. The raw beef seasoning is clean, so I think you’ll like it too? Yukhoe bibimbap. Yukhoe bibimbap. Yukhoe bibimbap. Let’s eat yukhoe bibimbap. Yukhoe bibimbap. Huh? Huh? Huh? Let’s eat yukhoe bibimbap.’
Gong Pyeonghwa’s voice was noisy. I get it, calm down.
He wasn’t sure about his father-in-law or brother-in-law’s tastes, but Gong Pyeonghwa was saying he wanted to eat raw beef bibimbap.
“How about raw beef bibimbap?”
***
“Mother-in-law. Mother-in-law.”
“Hmm?”
“This is my heart.”
Gong Pyeonghwa pulled a finger heart out of his pocket. Even for such a simple hand heart, Mrs. Lee smiled like a young girl, delighted.
Gong Pyeonghwa liked his mother-in-law. Her gentle way of speaking was like Shin Saebyeok’s. And above all, yesterday while cutting fruit, she had granted his request to have spring cabbage kimchi instead of regular cabbage kimchi for tomorrow.
The breakfast table was so moving—fragrant shepherd’s purse soybean paste soup, spring cabbage kimchi, thick rolled eggs and beef soy sauce braised meat, perilla leaf side dish, nutritious stir-fried anchovies, seasoned seaweed, stir-fried shredded potatoes, and roasted seaweed.
Whether Gong Pyeonghwa threw exaggerated heart gestures out of emotion or not, Chairman Shin was quite displeased.
‘Is this guy throwing hearts at another man’s wife?’
He was so frivolous. He seemed full of wanderlust. His son was too good for such a playboy.
But it felt awkward to scold him for throwing finger hearts at the dining table.
“Thank you! I’ll eat! Well! Deliciously!”
If there had been ulterior motives, he would have spoken up loudly, but it really seemed like Gong Pyeonghwa was genuinely grateful for the delicious food…
He could have been acting when eating two bowls heartily, but finishing four bowls definitely showed sincerity.
‘Did he like people who eat well?’
Chairman Shin, not wanting to lose to Gong Pyeonghwa, silently emptied his rice bowl.
He felt bloated from eating more than usual. Still, he felt proud seeing his wife happy as he finished preparing for work. Chairman Shin departed for work again today after being seen off by his wife.
Or rather, he was about to leave.
“Father-in-law!”
Instead of his precious child who he would not hurt even if he put him in his eyes, the son of the damned Gong family smiled brightly and said with a happy face.
He cutely cupped his flat, thick palms together and said shamelessly:
“Please give me your card.”
“…”
“You said you would give me your card for living expenses, but you haven’t given it to me yet?”
Why was this guy so hateful? Was it because he was the son of the Gong family?
Chairman Shin reluctantly took out a card from his wallet and gave it to him. It was the card with the lowest limit among those Chairman Shin owned.
“Mother-in-law! Mother-in-law! I got Father-in-law’s card! Let’s go shopping later!”
What did he just say? Chairman Shin searched his wallet again, took out a credit card with a higher limit, and replaced the card in Gong Pyeonghwa’s hand.
“I get a text message for every transaction, so don’t think about doing anything foolish.”
“Oh, of course. Of course.”
Gong Pyeonghwa bounced around excitedly holding the credit card.
‘Father-in-law is so… cute.’
Gong Pyeonghwa thought he understood who Saebyeok took after.
‘Our Saebyeok was made by mixing Father-in-law and Mother-in-law in the perfect golden ratio. Wow!’
After seeing his father-in-law off, Gong Pyeonghwa spent pleasant time with his mother-in-law.
Today was the day the yoga instructor came, so they did yoga together in the health room on the 4th floor.
“Oh, ma’am. I haven’t seen this person before? Is he your son?”
“Not my son… he’s our son-in-law.”
Our, son-in-law? Could there be a more heartwarming phrase? We hereby announce it as the second most heartwarming phrase of the year, as selected by Gong-Peace.
“You’ve got a son-in-law! Oh, congratulations.”
“Yes, I am the first son-in-law of Mrs. Lee Yun-seol. I’m so happy to receive your guidance, teacher.”
During the following class, although the yoga instructor kept demanding impossible poses, Gong Pyeonghwa followed along as best he could.
“Mother-in-law, you’re really a yoga genius. Wow. So Mother-in-law’s cooking skills come from your flexibility.”
“What does that…”
When Gong Pyeonghwa spoke sincere nonsense, the expression that appeared on his mother-in-law’s face was similar to Saebyeok’s expression saying, ‘What are you talking about…’ Suddenly, Gong Pyeonghwa missed Shin Saebyeok terribly.
He wanted to see his face, hear his voice, or at least see his shadow.
Today, he was determined to escape at all costs. Gong Pyeonghwa made a firm resolution.
***
The raw beef bibimbap was a success.
Thanks to its price, which was expensive for a working lunch, the restaurant wasn’t crowded, and the taste was refined.
When his father-in-law said the soup was refreshing, he unconsciously clenched his fist under the table in victory.
Except for the mistake of pushing food toward Gong Jeong sitting next to him without realizing it, he didn’t think there was anything that would cause him to lose major points.
“I enjoyed a delicious meal for once. Right, Father?”
“I told you to call me Chairman at the company.”
“What’s with that during lunch break when we’re not even getting paid? Aigo. Can’t even call my father ‘father.’ Aigo, aigo.”
“Aish! I don’t like any of my children!”
Chairman Gong snorted repeatedly and gave Gong Jeong a card.
“Go buy some coffee.”
“What about mine?”
“Pay for yours with your own money, boy.”
“Can’t call my father ‘father,’ but he makes me go Dutch. How sad.”
Isn’t he just an older Gong Pyeonghwa? His voice tone was more dignified, but judging by his comments, he was the spitting image of Gong Pyeonghwa.
“Hey, Intern Shin, want to go buy coffee?”
“Yes.”
From behind, he heard Chairman Gong’s voice grumbling that during lunch break when they’re not even getting paid, what’s with calling him an intern, saying such things were double standards.
Gong Jeong chuckled as he entered the café. Saebyeok followed behind Gong Jeong.
“What would you like? Get something expensive. Add whipped cream three times, top it with ice cream, add java chips, add almonds, add an extra shot. This is how we squeeze money out of Father-in-law’s spine.”
Gong Jeong, who was draining his father’s wallet by adding all kinds of options to a coffee to make it cost 14,700 won, wasn’t satisfied with just that and thoroughly selected displayed desserts like madeleines and macarons.
“Is your first day overwhelming? Well, rather than overwhelming, maybe you feel uncomfortable because it’s too easy?”
“A little.”
“Father is funny too. It’s supposed to be a secret that you’re a parachute hire, but he commutes with you and calls you separately for meals—how is that not a parachute hire? He’s practically advertising that you’re a parachute hire.”
Exactly.
“So don’t feel burdened and use the card generously. Eat whatever you want. Our family might lack in other areas, but we’re not stingy about food.”
In fact, Saebyeok was too full to eat dessert as well.
Still, worried that he might lose points if he didn’t eat everything, he forced himself to eat about half. The food was delicious, but the quantity was the problem.
When he ate 0.5 portions, Gong Pyeonghwa would eat 2.5 portions, so he never had to force himself to eat, but with Gong Pyeonghwa not by his side, his stomach was suffering.
Saebyeok thought he should just have a simple iced Americano and said naturally:
“One iced Americano and, Pyeonghwa, do they have honeycomb ice cream… oh.”
“Right. Gong Pyeonghwa does eat ice cream for dessert after meals. So that’s why? When you passed me food earlier.”
His face flushed hot.
He didn’t do it on purpose, but it was such a habitual action that he did it unconsciously.
When eating with Gong Pyeonghwa, he needed to check what he wanted to eat, if there was something he hadn’t tried before and if he wanted to try it, and since Gong Pyeonghwa always sat next to him, it was natural to take care of the person beside him.
“This is per-fect timing.”
“…”
It felt like seeing Gong Pyeonghwa in first year of high school? Did his brother have a talent for irritating people?
“Anyway, good luck in the afternoon too, Intern Shin.”
***
“Mother-in-law, Mother-in-law. What ingredients are you planning to buy for dinner today?”
“Well…”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
