55.
#The Issue of Birth
“This is not your place to intervene,” Chairman Jeong cut off Hayun’s words firmly. Despite the anger in the Chairman’s voice, Hayun remained unfazed.
“Considering age, I should come before Dawoon, shouldn’t I? Surely you’re not planning to send Dawoon first?”
Unlike Chairman Jeong, Hayun was asking casually. His attitude, as if questioning what the problem was, made Chairman Jeong frown. Congressman Choi’s family, though bewildered by the situation, couldn’t help but think that the Haedo Group’s heir might be a better choice.
“Six years isn’t really that big of an age difference…” Congressman Choi’s daughter-in-law started to mutter, calculating the age difference between Hayun and Choi Yu-na, but swallowed her words at the sharp glare she received. Chairman Jeong was looking at her with a fierce expression, as if he could devour her.
How dare you.
Those words were clearly written on his face.
“Stop talking nonsense and let’s eat,” Chairman Jeong said, looking at Hayun. However, this was also a warning to Congressman Choi’s son and daughter-in-law, who dared to covet Hayun.
“Nonsense? You said it was a good match, didn’t you?” Hayun countered with a smile.
“That was for Dawoon, not you!”
As Hayun openly provoked him, Chairman Jeong’s voice rose again. The corners of Hayun’s mouth curled up slightly as he looked at him, then quickly returned to normal.
“That’s strange. It’s a good match for Dawoon, but not for me?”
Hayun calmly replied, turning his head to look at Choi Yu-na sitting across from him. Thanks to Chairman Jeong and Hayun, Congressman Choi’s family sat awkwardly, unable to eat, just watching the situation unfold.
“I wonder why?” Hayun asked a question that wasn’t clear who it was directed to. His gaze slowly swept from Congressman Choi to Choi Yu-na, who was sitting at the very end. His gaze stopped on Yu-na, and his smile deepened.
“Do you know, Ms. Choi Yu-na?”
Yu-na flinched, apparently not expecting to be directly addressed with this question. The reason why it was a good match for Jeong Dawoon but not for Jeong Hayun – no one in this room was unaware of it. Even so, asking Yu-na directly was too cruel.
“Brother…”
“Is it because Ms. Choi Yu-na’s birth is different from others?”
Dawoon tried to stop him, but Hayun was quicker to speak. At this blunt question, Yu-na’s eyes widened, then her face turned red up to her ears, and she lowered her head deeply.
“Brother!”
Dawoon stood up abruptly, calling out to Hayun. He couldn’t understand why Hayun was being so cruel to Yu-na. Even if he was displeased with grandfather trying to match her with Dawoon, that comment just now was too rude.
Hayun, who had shocked everyone, remained nonchalant. Ignoring Dawoon’s call, he leisurely took a sip of the wine in front of him.
“If birth is an issue, isn’t the expression ‘good match’ incorrect?”
As if determined to say everything he wanted to, he continued.
“If it’s such a trivial issue that you consider it a truly good match, then it shouldn’t matter if I’m the one instead. Isn’t that right?”
Hayun turned to Chairman Jeong and asked with a smile. Chairman Jeong put down his spoon with a clatter and glared at Hayun. As it was the first time Hayun had so openly confronted Chairman Jeong, he too seemed angry yet flustered.
“Actually, I don’t think it matters, but everyone sitting here seems to think it’s an issue.”
Hayun turned his head to look at Congressman Choi. A light laugh escaped through his teeth.
“If you can’t offer her to me, don’t offer her to my brother either.”
Hayun’s tone changed drastically. The gentle smile that had been on his face until just now disappeared. At the suddenly cold tone and expression, Congressman Choi’s son and daughter-in-law couldn’t even look directly at Hayun, who was much younger than them. Only Congressman Choi was still looking at Hayun with a frown.
Hayun lightly wiped his hands with the napkin beside him and stood up.
“I can guess why you tried to match her with my brother instead of me, but you’re mistaken.”
Hayun’s cold eyes turned back to Choi Yu-na. It was a world apart from when he had spoken to her kindly and gently earlier. His gaze was mixed with contempt.
“This is very unpleasant in many ways.”
At Hayun’s words, Dawoon felt his heart sink. He wasn’t glad that Hayun was taking his side. He was more worried about how Yu-na must be feeling hearing these words.
“This lady sitting here is not Ms. Choi Yu-na’s birth mother, is she?”
Hayun blatantly exposed Yu-na’s private matter. The daughter-in-law of Congressman Choi, who was pointed out, twisted her face and turned away, while Yu-na had been trembling with her head bowed since earlier. Dawoon, imagining how humiliated she must be feeling, couldn’t even look in her direction.
“Dawoon was born to my father and his officially remarried wife.”
This meant that while Hayun and Dawoon had different mothers, there was nothing wrong with Dawoon’s birth itself.
“If being born to a second wife is the issue,” Hayun looked at Chairman Jeong.
“Then the same would apply to Haram.”
At the mention of Haram, Chairman Jeong’s face contorted. Watching this, a sneer appeared on Hayun’s lips.
“I think this is enough for today’s meal.”
Hayun said coldly, grabbing Dawoon’s wrist as he stood beside him.
“We’ll be leaving now. Please enjoy your meal.”
He told them to enjoy their meal after creating an atmosphere where food would hardly go down their throats.
“Jeong Hayun!”
Chairman Jeong called out angrily, but Hayun strode out, still holding Dawoon’s wrist.
“Come back right now! Ugh…!”
“Chairman!”
Chairman Jeong, who had stood up striking the table and shouted, staggered, clutching the back of his neck as if his blood pressure had risen. Dawoon, who had turned back, hesitated in surprise seeing the secretary supporting his grandfather, but Hayun paid no attention and kept pulling Dawoon along.
“Brother, grandfather…”
“It’s fine. He won’t collapse.”
It was an answer without a hint of hesitation. Being half-forcibly dragged by Hayun, Dawoon kept glancing back. He was worried not only about his grandfather but also about Choi Yu-na. How uncomfortable must she be, left behind in such a ruined atmosphere? Although it was Hayun who had turned the table upside down, all the blame might fall on Yu-na.
“Wait a moment.”
Feeling that this couldn’t go on, Dawoon tried to pry off Hayun’s hand holding his wrist. When he stopped walking and stood his ground, Hayun finally turned around with a look that asked what the problem was.
Forcibly removing Hayun’s hand, Dawoon tried to turn back towards the dining room. However, he was immediately caught by Hayun again.
“What are you doing?”
“Senior Choi Yu-na, if we leave her like that…”
“What does that have to do with you?”
Hayun cut off Dawoon’s words and asked. Dawoon looked up at Hayun, unable to even blink.
“I didn’t know you were such a cruel person, brother.”
“…”
“After openly disrespecting someone like that, you ask what it has to do with you? What will happen to Senior Choi Yu-na if we leave like this? Don’t you know how they’ll treat her?”
“However they treat her, that’s their family matter. It has nothing to do with you.”
“How can it have nothing to do with me! It’s ultimately because of me!”
Dawoon shook off Hayun’s hand. He wasn’t saying this because he didn’t know that it was grandfather who was the problem for trying to match them in the first place. He felt like he had been struck by lightning too. However, in that situation, the person in the most similar position to him, and probably feeling the same way, was Choi Yu-na. That’s why he couldn’t turn a blind eye.
“I’m going to take her out.”
“Choi Yu-na?”
Hayun asked back as if dumbfounded. Dawoon glared straight at Hayun. He was angry at Hayun too. Was there really no other way? Did he have to mention Yu-na’s birth in front of everyone and humiliate her like that?
Hayun, who had been making eye contact with Dawoon, took a short breath and grabbed his arm.
“Let go!”
Dawoon tried to shake him off again, but this time Hayun’s grip was so strong that he couldn’t move at all. As Hayun started walking, Dawoon’s body leaned forward as his arm was pulled. He felt like he was going to fall, but Hayun didn’t stop. He dragged Dawoon out of the mansion like that. Whether he had called ahead or it had been waiting there all along, Hayun’s car was parked in front of the mansion.
Director Park, who had been waiting, opened the back door, and Hayun forcefully pushed Dawoon inside. Then he immediately sat down next to Dawoon.
“Let’s go home,” Hayun instructed Director Park, who had returned to the driver’s seat.
“What about Haram? We left Haram behind!”
“Grandfather will take care of him.”
At this cold response telling him not to worry, Dawoon looked at Hayun with his mouth shut. Knowing that grandfather was only gentle with Haram, he couldn’t refute Hayun’s words.
Still, he didn’t like it. He couldn’t understand why they had to leave like this without a word, even to Haram, let alone Choi Yu-na.
“Please stop the car.”
“Ignore him.”
Hayun cut off Dawoon’s request in one stroke.
“Brother!”
“Be quiet and just go. Don’t say unnecessary things.”
The low voice made Dawoon’s skin crawl. He could be certain from Hayun’s tone that his warning was serious.
“What did Senior Choi Yu-na do wrong…”
“Jeong Dawoon.”
Dawoon flinched as Hayun called him by his full name.
“I told you to be quiet.”
The chilling voice seemed to penetrate to his very bones.
