105.
#Because the Truth Needs to Be Known
At that time, Hayun didn’t tell Dawoon about doing a genetic test, nor did he explain what he had submitted for the genetic testing. Dawoon, too, was too overwhelmed with grief over his parents’ death to pay attention to anything else at the time.
Paternal lineage test… That could have been done with just Hayun and Haram, not himself. What if they had lied and used Haram’s sample instead of his own?
No way. Thinking his thoughts were becoming too far-fetched, he shook his head. Even if Hayun had done the paternal lineage test with Haram’s sample, his father would have done one too. That’s why the grandfather couldn’t oppose the marriage with his mother until the end.
But then why did his grandfather still not acknowledge his existence? If it wasn’t simply because he was a child born out of an affair? If he couldn’t trust the genetic test his father had done, wouldn’t there be a good reason for that?
The more he thought about it, the more unclear it became what the truth was. Even if that was the case with Hayun, would his father have had a reason to deceive his grandfather?
‘Dad loves our Dawoon the most in the world. And then he loves Mom next.’
His father used to say this often, sitting Dawoon on his knee when he was young. It was a memory from when he was very young, but he remembered it clearly because his father used to say it so often, like a habit.
Thinking about it now, it was a cruel thing to say. At that time, he didn’t know anything about Hayun and his mother’s existence, so he could just smile brightly and hug his father’s neck, saying he loved Dad the most too.
If he wasn’t his father’s child, how could his father have loved him so much? Even after his mother remarried his father and they officially started living together with Hayun, his father was consistently generous to Dawoon.
Ah… He let out a low sigh at the belated realization. His father was quite strict with Hayun when he was alive. It wasn’t because he didn’t love Hayun. It was because he had high expectations for him. But he was generous with everything when it came to Dawoon. If Dawoon whined even a little about not wanting to do something, he’d say there was no need to push himself.
But what if it wasn’t like that? What if the reason he never forced anything on him was because he didn’t expect anything? Hayun was going to be the successor of the Haedo Group anyway. He had no ambition in that regard. So he thought there was no need for Dawoon to go through the difficult successor training.
But now Haram was growing up differently from him. Even though there was Hayun as the clear successor, Haram had been receiving all sorts of education that a child of the Haedo Group should receive from a young age. On days when he really threw a tantrum about not wanting to do it, even Hayun wouldn’t force him and would say it was okay to rest for a day, but basically, he never exempted him from doing it entirely.
What if the reason only he could be an exception was because Jeong Dawoon wasn’t a member of the Haedo Group at all?
Haah. A big sigh escaped. He didn’t like thinking like this in the first place. If Choi Seon-gyeom hadn’t presented this strange genetic test result, he wouldn’t have had these absurd doubts about his upbringing.
His mind was in turmoil, so he was silent for a while, but Choi Seon-gyeom waited patiently. In the meantime, a waiter came in, set out the pre-ordered food, and left. Choi Seon-gyeom didn’t start eating first. He just watched Dawoon in silence.
“I still can’t believe it,” Dawoon finally spoke.
“Do you think I forged this test result? How could I?”
Choi Seon-gyeom asked with a sigh. Dawoon couldn’t answer and just looked at him. Indeed, this person had no reason to forge a genetic test result either.
“Documents can be forged in many ways.”
There are many methods. Whether bribing someone or creating the document itself. However, he couldn’t say anything more because he couldn’t understand the reason.
“Ha.”
Choi Seon-gyeom let out a frustrated sigh.
“Then let’s do this.”
He pointed at the envelope that contained the genetic test results.
“Let’s go together and get tested directly. So there can be no claims of manipulation.”
“You could have bribed the genetic testing center staff.”
At the persistent suspicion, Choi Seon-gyeom exclaimed in exasperation.
“What kind of people have you been living among?”
At his question, Dawoon swallowed a bitter smile. It was Hayun who had taught him, almost like brainwashing, not to trust anyone easily except Hayun and Haram, and that those who approach you with kindness might be trying to use you.
“Then you choose the genetic testing center yourself. Anywhere is fine.”
Choi Seon-gyeom answered as if determined to prove that he absolutely hadn’t manipulated anything.
Was it really not a manipulated result? If so, that means…
He pushed down the thoughts that were about to become confused again. The confusion could be felt after retesting and being certain of the results.
“Why do you want to confirm this so badly?”
If he wasn’t after the Haedo Group’s wealth, what was Choi Seon-gyeom’s reason for trying to reveal that he was Dawoon’s biological father? Even if he wanted the wealth, this wasn’t the right choice. If it was confirmed that Dawoon was his child, he would truly have nothing to do with the Haedo Group.
“Because we need to know what the truth is.”
Choi Seon-gyeom’s answer was much simpler than Dawoon had expected.
“If there’s even a slight chance that you’re my son, I have a responsibility.”
Responsibility. That word almost made him laugh bitterly.
“I’m not young enough to need you to take responsibility. Unless I were a minor, it seems too late to talk about responsibility for me now.”
“It is late. That’s why I’m even more sorry.”
A bitter expression crossed Choi Seon-gyeom’s face.
“If I had known earlier…”
He swallowed the rest of his words. This time, Dawoon felt bitter too. If Choi Seon-gyeom had appeared earlier, would his current self be very different? Would he not have become entangled in this relationship with Hayun? Even so, could he have left Haram behind?
“If, really, you are my biological father, what do you want to do?”
Choi Seon-gyeom seemed to place meaning in the truth itself, but Dawoon was a bit different. It wasn’t always right to reveal the truth. Dawoon had painfully realized this fact when his parents passed away with his one word. Sometimes, even if you know, there are truths that should be buried.
What would change if Jeong Dawoon’s father became Choi Seon-gyeom instead of Jeong Seo-hoo? Wouldn’t it just add to the confusion? Wouldn’t it be better to leave it buried without confirming it?
“At least, I wouldn’t hesitate to reach out to you.”
At Choi Seon-gyeom’s answer, Dawoon blinked. Reach out? He couldn’t readily grasp what that meant.
As he stared blankly, Choi Seon-gyeom slightly furrowed his brow.
“Dawoon, your relationship with Vice Chairman Jeong Hayun didn’t seem like a simple sibling relationship.”
At these words, it felt like his heart dropped. His mouth instantly went dry. How did Choi Seon-gyeom know that? Had he or Hayun been so careless with their emotions that even Choi Seon-gyeom noticed? He didn’t know where he had found out or how many more people might know. He wondered if this was why his grandfather was telling him to go abroad.
“I happened to see you two when I went to Jeju Island last time.”
Ah. A groan circled in his throat. Korea was unexpectedly small. He never thought he’d run into someone he knew in Jeju Island. What had he been like then? And Hayun? Remembering some of their actions, he bit his lower lip hard. It was certainly different from Seoul. Putting Hayun aside, even he had let his guard down about others’ gazes and allowed Hayun’s skinship more than usual.
‘Dawoon.’
The way Hayun would sometimes call his name and caress his cheek, or hold his hand while walking, those actions wouldn’t have looked normal to others’ eyes. He didn’t care much about two men doing such things. After all, they were people he’d never meet again after passing through that place.
But knowing that Hayun and Dawoon were brothers, it would be strange. It wasn’t something brothers should do by any measure.
“If the relationship between you two is what I think it is…”
Whether the mention itself was cautious, or if he found the idea of such a relationship between brothers unpleasant, Choi Seon-gyeom frowned without continuing his words. Dawoon couldn’t hear his words properly because of his pounding heart.
More than the fact that Choi Seon-gyeom had found out, thinking about how this knowledge might spread and what repercussions it might have made him dizzy.
“Have you told anyone else?”
At Dawoon’s question, Choi Seon-gyeom looked at him with a strange expression. Then, as if feeling something odd, he let out a sigh and turned his head.
“The fact that you’re not denying it means my suspicion was right.”
Only then did he realize his mistake and bit his lip hard. He should have denied it first. It was too late to regret now. He probably wouldn’t have been able to deny it skillfully anyway.
“I have no intention of telling anyone else, and I’m not trying to condemn you for it, so don’t worry.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
