After a long silence, Seung-hyeon finally opened his mouth and casually asked a question. It seemed like he was trying to gauge what Seon-woo was really thinking.
“Does it bother you? Because of your uncle.”
Seon-woo slightly lifted his head and looked at him. If someone asked whether his father was bothering him, then yes—he was. More than anything, he hoped his father wasn’t involved in the case. It wasn’t because he felt any sort of affection for a man he’d never even met.
But if his biological father turned out to be an accomplice in the murder of his uncle, he worried about how twisted things could become. The fact that Gwanggong trusted and followed his uncle as though he were his real father made it clear—he didn’t even need to see it with his own eyes to know what kind of relationship the two must’ve had. And if the person who killed the uncle he so relied on turned out to be his own father, then Gwanggong’s situation would just be… too tragic.
But more than that, what really concerned him was Seung-hyeon’s reaction.
What would he say if he found out the man who killed Gwak Sang-cheol was Gwanggong’s biological father? Even if he logically understood that Gwak Seon-woo had nothing to do with it, would he really be able to shake off the discomfort or resentment entirely?
Seon-woo stared intently at Seung-hyeon’s face. He was curious, but it wasn’t something he could ask directly. What could he possibly say? If my father killed your father, could you still treat me like this?
So instead, he said something else.
“What kind of person is your aunt?”
Half of it was to shift the mood. The other half was an attempt to momentarily shake off the thought that his own father might be an accomplice. He thought it was a sincere enough question, but as soon as Seung-hyeon heard it, a faint smile spread across his face. Seon-woo furrowed his brows slightly in confusion. What was that about? Was he saying their aunt was the kind of person who just made you smile the moment you thought of her?
“What’s so funny?”
He didn’t bother hiding the question; he just said it outright. Seung-hyeon gave a simple reply.
“It’s just funny how you use me like Wikipedia…”
Good thing I didn’t ask if she was a funny person. Seon-woo covered up his embarrassment by frowning hard. Seung-hyeon noticed the scowl on Seon-woo’s face and quickly changed the subject.
“If you’re asking what kind of person Auntie is…”
Seon-woo wanted to cut him off with a that’s enough, but he didn’t actually follow through. After all, there was no one else he could really ask about these things except Seung-hyeon. And since Seung-hyeon didn’t seem to mind being used as an encyclopedia, all Seon-woo had to do was swallow a little embarrassment.
“Auntie’s… kind of similar to Uncle. I mean, to your dad—the director.”
One of Seon-woo’s eyebrows arched involuntarily. From what he’d heard, Gwanggong’s father didn’t sound like a particularly decent person. Even Chairman Gwak Jung-gu, his biological father, had expressed open disdain—so that said it all. The thought that someone like that could exist more than once in the world made his stomach churn.
He recalled Gwak Sang-hwa’s face, which he’d seen for the second time today. That cold, hard expression definitely gave off the same inhuman vibe as what he’d heard about Gwanggong’s father.
“She’s always been all business and emotionally distant. That’s why we were all so shocked when she said she was getting married. And it wasn’t even an arranged marriage—it was for love.”
Even as Seon-woo recalled Gwak Sang-hwa’s face, his ever-reliable encyclopedia continued the explanation.
“I don’t know exactly how they met, but I heard they went to the same university. That must’ve been their connection.”
“The same university?”
“Yeah. Korea University.”
That was a little unexpected. Seon-woo murmured without thinking.
“I thought she would’ve studied abroad or something.”
“It is kind of surprising, but that’s how this family tends to be. Same goes for my mom, my dad, and even Director Gwak Sang-cheol.”
Apparently, not every chaebol automatically went overseas for their education. Accepting that with a nod, Seon-woo let it go. Seung-hyeon, who’d been watching his face with a faint smile, suddenly added something as if a thought had just popped into his head.
“Speaking of which, if your uncle really did orchestrate all of this, I get the feeling he would’ve gone after Auntie first before any of the other siblings.”
That seemed like a strange thing to say after just saying how similar they were. Or maybe they were so alike that it triggered some kind of self-loathing.
“Why’s that? Were they on bad terms?”
He asked out of confusion, but Seung-hyeon shook his head.
“No. If anything, their relationship was good. They’re kind of alike. Their personalities, too.”
“Then why?”
The next answer came out in a casual, almost indifferent tone.
“Because she’s smarter than the other siblings.”
By “other siblings,” he was presumably referring to the late eldest brother, Gwak Sang-woo, and Gwak Sang-cheol. Since the eldest had passed long ago, Seon-woo had no way of knowing what kind of person he was. As for Gwak Sang-cheol, he didn’t even need an explanation—that man was obviously an idiot. But to lump Seung-hyeon’s own father, Gwak Sang-woo, into that group was a bit harder to accept.
“Are you saying your dad wasn’t?”
The way he rated his own father seemed unusually harsh. Seon-woo frowned slightly as he asked. But Seung-hyeon gave a short laugh and shook his head.
“It’s not about being smart or not. I’m talking about capability as a business executive. In a succession race, that’s what matters most.”
True, Seon-woo’s uncle never came across as the ambitious type. Seon-woo gave another small nod and asked again.
“So… you think my father’s not the one?”
Seung-hyeon looked thoughtful before answering carefully.
“I can’t say for sure. In the end, the chairman’s decision matters more than someone’s qualifications. He might’ve thought there was no need to deal with Auntie at all…”
It was clear this wasn’t a question with an easy answer. In the end, Seon-woo reached a conclusion that didn’t really get them anywhere.
“Let’s just keep digging for now.”
If the person behind this was truly that meticulous, he worried whether anything would come to light even if they did dig—but there was no helping it. Seung-hyeon gave a quiet nod in agreement.
“Are you heading home?”
Seung-hyeon asked as they rode the elevator down. It had been a fairly exhausting day, so Seon-woo had planned to go home and rest. Still, instead of nodding right away, he threw the question back.
“What do you think I should do?”
Seung-hyeon slowly turned his head and looked at Seon-woo’s reflection in the elevator mirror. Just as Seon-woo was beginning to wonder what kind of answer he’d give, Seung-hyeon smiled.
“I think it’d be best if I drove you home.”
That’s not what I meant, Seon-woo thought, letting out a small scoff through his nose. But that didn’t mean he was planning to say no.
“Your mom?”
“She’s home safe. Got a message that her guards are keeping watch.”
That meant he could lay down at least one burden on his heart. Seon-woo nodded without hesitation. Seung-hyeon smiled with a flicker of surprise, as if he hadn’t expected him to actually agree—but he wisely didn’t say out loud that he’d been caught off guard. Knowing when to keep your mouth shut was a sign of wisdom.
On the drive home, not much was said. Whether Seung-hyeon was just as worn out or deliberately giving him space to sort through his thoughts, Seon-woo couldn’t be sure. All he knew was that the silence in the car wasn’t heavy, nor was it uncomfortable.
Maybe it was because his mind had finally settled. Or maybe it was just that he’d grown comfortable around Gwak Seung-hyeon.
Just before getting out of the car, Seon-woo spoke.
“Unless you’ve got somewhere else to be, why don’t you come up for a bit?”
Seung-hyeon’s eyes widened, clearly caught off guard. But again, he didn’t tack on any unnecessary words. Instead, he simply opened the driver’s door and stepped out.
He’d been here a few times before, so the way Seung-hyeon followed him inside felt surprisingly natural. He took off his shoes neatly at the entrance—not hesitating, but not barging in either—and stepped quietly into the living room.
Seon-woo left him to his own devices and headed straight for the bathroom. He only washed his hands, then made his way to the bedroom. His body was tired, but his mind even more so. He knew he should probably shower and change, but he just couldn’t bring himself to move.
A few moments later, the door cracked open and Seung-hyeon peeked his head in.
“You should wash up before sleeping.”
With his face buried in the pillow, Seon-woo mumbled something half-hearted about not nagging him. The words were muffled in the bedding—unclear, probably unintelligible.
“Want me to run a bath?”
Hearing that made him really want one. He wanted to nod without hesitation. But Seon-woo was no longer someone who could enjoy a hot bath. His body couldn’t handle it anymore. Even if he filled the tub, he wouldn’t be able to get in. The system had quieted down for now, sure—but still, it was a basic rule for any Gwanggong.
When Seon-woo didn’t respond, Seung-hyeon quietly closed the door and walked out. Soon after, the sound of running water came from the bathroom. A useless effort, maybe—but if that’s what he wanted to do, then so be it. If he couldn’t get in, he’d just make sure Seung-hyeon bathed instead.
His weary body quickly drifted into a hazy, drowsy state. But just before he could fully slip into sleep, Seung-hyeon’s voice came again.
“I said, wash up before you sleep.”
“I said I’m fine.”
Seon-woo snapped back, his voice thick with irritation. Of course, even this time, his words weren’t exactly clear. Seung-hyeon didn’t respond—he simply strode over, slipped his arms under Seon-woo’s armpits, and hoisted him upright.
His attitude was like someone dealing with a child, which was absurd—but in his exhausted state, Seon-woo didn’t have the energy to argue.
Let’s see how far he takes this, he thought, letting himself be dragged along. Sure enough, Seung-hyeon hauled him all the way to the bathroom. Throwing the door open, Seung-hyeon spoke in a tone that left no room for debate.
“Should I undress you?”
That finally snapped some clarity back into Seon-woo’s foggy mind. His eyes flew open, and he glared at Seung-hyeon with a snort of disbelief. Seung-hyeon tried to play it off like a joke, but there was something unmistakably real glinting in the way he smiled.
Seon-woo muttered sharply and shoved him out.
“Get out.”
Bang. The door slammed shut behind him.
