88.
#Boundary
A man was standing next to Dawoon. He was talking to Dawoon with a smiling face, seemingly enjoying himself, and Dawoon, unlike his usual self, was nodding along with a relaxed expression.
Who is that?
It was an unfamiliar face. The fact that Dawoon was interacting with this person without putting up his usual walls made Hayun’s nerves sharpen. Hayun’s eyes narrowed as he watched Dawoon and the man.
“What are you looking at?”
A woman whose name Hayun couldn’t remember approached and asked. She looked in the direction of Hayun’s gaze but couldn’t pinpoint exactly what he was looking at among the crowd.
“Do you know who that man is, standing by the wall over there?”
Hayun asked, looking at her with a gentle expression, as if his previous frown had been a lie. The woman tilted her head, confused about who he was referring to, but after a while, she accurately spotted Dawoon and the man.
“Over there, isn’t that your brother, Vice Chairman?”
It seemed the word had already spread that Dawoon was Hayun’s brother, even though he hadn’t been formally introduced.
“That’s right. I meant the man next to him. I haven’t seen him before.”
“Ah, I see.”
She nodded as if she understood.
“That’s artist Choi Seon-gyeom. There’s a video he shot of the overseas underprivileged children’s area that this charity event will support, and it seems quite famous. He also personally supports children in that area. That’s probably why he was invited.”
Choi Seon-gyeom. At the familiar name, Hayun almost visibly frowned. He knew Dawoon had been interested in this artist recently, but had they met privately to the extent of having such a casual conversation? Even if they had met by chance at the charity event, Dawoon wouldn’t have initiated a conversation.
Why did Choi Seon-gyeom approach Dawoon? Surely not because of the Haedo Group name?
As Hayun was considering the most common reason, the woman next to him added more information.
“I heard he’s only been back in Korea for about twenty years. He’s been wandering abroad, occasionally holding photo or video exhibitions out of the blue, and seems quite well-known overseas. He’s a bit peculiar, isn’t he? Look at how he’s dressed at an event like this. I heard that’s just his personality. Apparently, several companies offered to sponsor him, but he refused them all, saying he dislikes being tied down and lives as he pleases.”
She continued with explanations Hayun hadn’t asked for, but she seemed to know little about Choi Seon-gyeom’s actual work. Most of it was about his personal life. She even made some disparaging remarks, implying that his lifestyle was why he was still single and wondering what woman would understand such a free-spirited life.
Hayun listened to her words with an expressionless face, then politely thanked her for the information before walking away. She seemed disappointed and tried to hold him back, but he didn’t even look back, having gotten what he needed.
As he approached Dawoon, Hayun’s gaze fixed on the man standing next to him. The man’s expression was unguarded. His free-spirited nature was as evident as his casual attire. He spoke to Dawoon as if they were old acquaintances, smiling happily.
It’s irritating.
It was clear at a glance that he was different from those who approached Dawoon with ulterior motives. That made it even more irritating. He was unlike anyone who had been around Dawoon before. Perhaps because of this, Dawoon didn’t seem to have his usual walls up when dealing with him.
Even though Hayun tried to rationalize that this person would just be a passing acquaintance, it still felt like a thorn in his throat. Soon, he realized the reason. Dawoon was smiling at him without the wariness he usually had, like when he was younger. That smile, which Hayun hadn’t seen in years, was directed at Choi Seon-gyeom, whom Dawoon had clearly just met.
Perhaps because he was staring too intently, Choi Seon-gyeom felt the gaze and turned his head, meeting Hayun’s eyes. Hayun didn’t avert his gaze. Perhaps due to the blatant staring, Choi Seon-gyeom’s smiling expression slightly stiffened. At the same time, Dawoon, who had turned his head following Choi Seon-gyeom, also noticed Hayun.
“Hyung.”
Dawoon acknowledged Hayun first.
“So you were here.”
Hayun approached casually.
“Hyung?”
Choi Seon-gyeom looked between Hayun and Dawoon with surprised eyes. From his reaction, it seemed he knew who Hayun was. However, he apparently didn’t know that Dawoon was his brother. Hayun inwardly laughed at his almost shocked expression.
Well, given Jeong Dawoon’s personality, he wouldn’t have revealed that the Haedo Group’s successor was his brother. If he had known, Choi Seon-gyeom would have treated Dawoon differently. At least, he wouldn’t have been as casual and comfortable as he was earlier.
“I couldn’t find you, so I was looking for you.”
Hayun deliberately ignored Choi Seon-gyeom and spoke only to Dawoon.
“It’s not like I was going to run away, why bother?”
Dawoon replied bluntly. The unguarded smile that had been on his face until moments ago was already gone.
Run away, huh. Seems like you wanted to run away.
Swallowing the words he wanted to say, Hayun smiled gently at Dawoon as if he couldn’t help it.
“Just bear with it a little longer, even if it’s boring. We’ll be able to wrap up and leave soon. Since we’re already out, let’s get some fresh air before going back.”
At Hayun’s voice, which was even gentler than usual, Dawoon rolled his eyes and looked up at Hayun’s face.
What are you doing?
His expression seemed to ask exactly that. Pretending not to know while knowing, Hayun maintained his smiling face. Dawoon’s lips moved as if he was about to say something, but he just sighed and turned his head away.
“I’m Choi Seon-gyeom.”
Choi Seon-gyeom, whom Hayun had been deliberately ignoring, extended his hand and introduced himself. Only then did Hayun turn to him and slightly bow his head. When Hayun didn’t respond to the handshake, Choi Seon-gyeom awkwardly cleared his throat and scratched the back of his head.
“I never imagined Dawoon would be from the Haedo family.”
He spoke as if it was truly unexpected. Hayun turned to Dawoon with a perfectly drawn smile.
“Dawoon doesn’t really like to talk about his family.”
At Hayun’s gaze and tone, which were dripping with affection for anyone to see, Choi Seon-gyeom stared at him. Perhaps because of the age difference between the brothers, Hayun’s fondness for his younger brother was particularly noticeable.
“I see. You two have such different vibes, I wouldn’t believe you were brothers if you told me.”
At this casual remark, Hayun’s eyebrow twitched momentarily before returning to its place. When he turned back to Choi Seon-gyeom, his expression was even more gentle than before. Feeling a sense of discomfort from that smile, Choi Seon-gyeom unconsciously frowned.
“If you don’t mind, may I take Dawoon with me?”
Hayun politely asked for permission. Choi Seon-gyeom just shrugged. It wasn’t as if he had been keeping Dawoon, so there was no need to ask if he could take him.
“Why…?”
Dawoon asked, seemingly puzzled.
“There’s someone I need to greet.”
At Hayun’s words, Dawoon’s expression hardened. Still, he didn’t refuse. Hayun watched as Dawoon put down his champagne glass, then naturally placed one arm around Dawoon’s shoulders. He then slightly bowed his head towards Choi Seon-gyeom and led Dawoon into the crowd.
Watching the two of them, Choi Seon-gyeom tilted his head. Were brothers usually like that? He had felt a sense of discomfort since earlier. Although he didn’t have siblings or children himself, so he wasn’t sure, it didn’t seem normal for a brother to lead the other away with his arm around his shoulders like that, even with an age difference. Moreover, Dawoon didn’t show any particular reaction to his brother’s physical contact. Wouldn’t a man his age usually hate it if his brother did that?
“Strange.”
It was surprising enough when they were introduced as brothers, but Jeong Hayun’s attitude towards his younger brother was incomprehensible by common sense. Was he being oversensitive? But no matter how he looked at it…
He smiled bitterly and shook his head, wondering what he was thinking. There are all kinds of people in the world, so being overly attached to one’s younger brother might not be a big deal.
More surprisingly, Jeong Dawoon was from the Haedo Group. It was even more shocking because he didn’t resemble Jeong Hayun at all.
“Haedo Group, huh.”
A bitter expression crossed Choi Seon-gyeom’s face as he muttered. Although he had no direct connection to the Haedo Group, that name was like a deeply ingrained wound for him too. It was already more than 20 years ago. The face of one person that came to mind when thinking of the Haedo Group made his heart feel empty after a long time.
He had believed it had faded from his memory, but the face came back more vividly than expected, causing a bitter smile. It was the first time in his life he had fallen so deeply for someone. He thought he would never again feel such a vague, spreading affection without any reason or basis.
“Come to think of it, it’s been a while since I’ve been interested in someone.”
Although it was a different emotion and feeling from back then, for Choi Seon-gyeom, who generally didn’t get attached to people, it was rare for him to want to approach someone first and keep talking to them.
Jeong Dawoon. Son of the Haedo Group.
As he pondered this again, a mirthless laugh escaped him.
“If I hadn’t failed at my first love, I might have had a son about his age.”
Muttering to himself, he looked towards the direction Dawoon had gone and then turned away. It seemed he had shown his face at the charity event enough, so it was probably time to leave.
At least it wasn’t a complete waste of time, as he had met someone he wanted to see.
