84.
#Order of Expulsion
As Dawoon got out of the taxi, he saw a tall gate. From here, he still had to walk quite a distance. At times like this, he slightly regretted not having a car. Well, he didn’t even have a license. When he had considered getting a license, Hayun had asked if it was necessary. The reason being that they could always use a chauffeur whenever a car was needed.
Standing in front of the gate, he pressed the intercom. The door opened without anyone asking who it was. Dawoon looked up at the CCTV mounted above the gate, then opened the unlocked door and went inside. He slowly walked towards the building visible at the end of the path. Even as a child, he always felt like a cow being led to slaughter when walking this path. Although his grandfather had thoroughly ignored him and rarely raised his voice in anger, Dawoon strangely felt scared and afraid.
Contempt, disregard, disgust.
Even though he didn’t know the meaning of these words as a child, he must have unconsciously felt a clear hostility. Now that he knew why his grandfather looked at him that way, it made him even more uncomfortable.
Lost in these thoughts as he walked, the building suddenly loomed before him. As if already aware of Dawoon’s movements, the front door opened and a secretary came out to wait. Dawoon nodded slightly to her, and she bowed in return.
“Welcome. The Chairman is waiting for you.”
As the distance closed to about three steps, she spoke politely.
“Just a moment.”
His phone rang at that moment. Checking the caller, Dawoon swallowed a groan. It was Hayun. Dawoon gestured to the secretary to be quiet by putting his index finger to his lips, then pressed the answer button.
“Yeah.”
He answered briefly, skipping even the conventional greeting.
[You’re late.]
Hayun’s words were also short. He cut straight to what he wanted to say. It was barely 8 o’clock. It was an ambiguous time to call late for a college student like himself.
“Something came up.”
[Where are you?]
He sounded like someone checking up on their lover. Lover. The thought made Dawoon laugh ironically at himself.
“I’m about to have dinner after looking around an exhibition.”
He lied casually, although he had already seen the exhibition and had dinner with Choi Yu-na. Fortunately, Hayun didn’t know about the canceled lecture today, so if he had attended the lecture properly and then gone to the exhibition, it would indeed be time for dinner now.
[Alone?]
“Yeah.”
He didn’t mention his chance meeting with Choi Yu-na. It was truly coincidental, and they hadn’t made plans to meet again, so there was no need to mention her and irritate Hayun’s nerves.
[The exhibition, is it by artist Choi Seon-gyeom?]
Hayun asked, perhaps remembering the book Dawoon had been reading a few days ago. When Dawoon confirmed, there was a moment of silence. It always made him anxious when Hayun was silent like this. He couldn’t guess at all what Hayun was thinking.
“I was too hungry to go all the way home, so I just came in to eat something simple. I’ll be home soon, so don’t worry.”
Dawoon answered before Hayun could say anything and hung up. Up to this point, it wasn’t something he ‘would do’, but something he had already done. However, if the conversation prolonged, he wasn’t confident in lying skillfully.
“Let’s go inside.”
The waiting secretary guided him. Dawoon took a deep breath and moved forward. After passing through the corridor connected to the first-floor lobby, another large door appeared. It was the space the Chairman used as a reception room.
Knock knock. After the secretary knocked and announced Dawoon’s arrival, a voice from inside told them to enter. The secretary who opened the door gestured for Dawoon to go in.
Inside, Chairman Jeong was standing in front of a large window, looking outside. Although street lamps illuminated the darkness in the garden, there wasn’t much to see. Even though he knew Dawoon had entered, he didn’t turn around. Dawoon bowed to his grandfather’s back.
A long silence followed. Chairman Jeong remained motionless, staring out the window. After what felt like enough time to wonder if he had really called for Dawoon, a long sigh was heard.
“You’re graduating soon, right?”
His gaze was still fixed outside.
“Yes.”
Although it was still the first semester, he had already completed all the credits required for graduation, so he was essentially graduating after this semester. He wasn’t rushing to graduate only because he hadn’t thought specifically about what to do after graduation.
Hmm. A low sound was heard, and Chairman Jeong turned around. His face, looking at Dawoon, was as always expressionless and stern.
“What are your plans after graduation?”
Dawoon hesitated at his question. He hadn’t thought his grandfather would ask him such a question, so he couldn’t answer immediately. He had no intention of joining the Haedo Group, and he thought his grandfather didn’t have any expectations for him either.
“I’m thinking of getting a job as a PD.”
Even as he answered, he wondered if this was the right thing to say. Not knowing what his grandfather expected, he was careful not to offend him with his answer.
“Hmm.”
Chairman Jeong was silent again. Dawoon felt relieved, thinking that not considering the Haedo Group at all might have been the right answer.
“What about independence?”
This was another unexpected question. Leave the mansion he was currently living in? It was something he had wished for countless times, but it wasn’t a decision he could make freely. He was concerned about Haram, and above all, Hayun wouldn’t allow it.
“Have you thought about studying abroad, doing what you want to do?”
How did independence lead to going abroad? Dawoon couldn’t understand what his grandfather’s intentions were with these questions. He had considered studying abroad as a way to escape from Hayun, but if his grandfather started to influence this matter, the situation would change. If Hayun found out, he would surely clash with his grandfather.
“I’ll discuss it with my brother…”
Bang! Dawoon flinched as Chairman Jeong suddenly slammed his hand on the desk. His eyes turned fierce as he looked at Dawoon.
“How long do you plan to cling to Hayun!”
Dawoon couldn’t even blink at the sudden outburst. He didn’t know what he had said wrong. Chairman Jeong, frowning intensely, threw down an envelope as if tossing it.
“I’ve sorted out your share, and it’s quite substantial. That should be enough for you to live on your own without any problems.”
Dawoon blinked at the envelope in front of him, unable to open it. He knew that a share of inheritance had been left for him when his parents passed away, but he had never taken an interest in it or tried to manage it himself. Hayun had been managing it through lawyers and asset managers.
“Go abroad. I’ll arrange a place for you to stay there.”
Chairman Jeong insisted again. The more he heard, the stranger it seemed. This wasn’t about studying abroad; it sounded more like an order of expulsion.
“When Hayun gets married…”
Chairman Jeong frowned as he spoke.
“No, it wouldn’t be bad for you to settle down abroad permanently.”
He then said not to come back at all. Dawoon swallowed dryly as he looked at him. There must be a reason for suddenly calling him and saying these unexpected things. A need to drive out someone he had thoroughly ignored until now.
“What’s… the reason?”
Even asking that, his voice trembled. It was because he had been intimidated in front of his grandfather since childhood.
“You should know that best. Are you really asking because you don’t know?”
Chairman Jeong’s voice rose again. Dawoon’s heart seemed to flutter with each outburst.
No way… No, it can’t be. Grandfather couldn’t have found out about that…
Even as he tried to deny it, the suspicion that surfaced increased his anxiety.
“Wasn’t your mother enough, now you have to devour Hayun too?”
When his mother was mentioned, Dawoon’s heart ached. It was undeniable that his parents’ accident had happened because of his mother. And he was part of that cause too.
“Don’t block Hayun’s future and prepare to leave for abroad immediately! How dare you set your sights on Hayun! Is there no one else to leech off of that you turn to your own blood! That blood doesn’t go away. I should have thrown you out long ago…”
As Chairman Jeong ranted alone, he grabbed the back of his neck as if his blood pressure was rising. The more Dawoon mulled over his words, the whiter his vision seemed to become.
He knows. His grandfather knows everything about him and Hayun. The suspicion had now turned into certainty.
His mind alternated between turning stark white and pitch black. Amidst all this, he felt wronged. It wasn’t a relationship he had wanted. He was the one who wanted to run away if he could. But to Chairman Jeong, it didn’t matter who had started it. At this moment, all responsibility lay with Dawoon.
His whole body seemed to tremble, but he swallowed dryly and clenched his fists. He had imagined that something like this might happen someday. The situation was no different from what he had imagined.
“Hayun hyung won’t allow it.”
Unlike the feeling of someone squeezing his heart, fortunately, his voice came out calmly.
“If you can stop Hayun hyung, I’ll follow your words, grandfather.”
Chairman Jeong narrowed his eyes, as if Dawoon’s answer was unexpected.
