Chapter 2: Han Kang-yoon
As soon as Kang-yoon entered the house, he headed straight for his grandfather’s study, where he had been summoned.
“Did you call me, Grandfather?”
“Come, sit down here.”
Despite being ninety years old this year, Han Tae-soo, Kang-yoon’s grandfather, was still vigorous. He was the chairman of the Gangsan Group and ranked among the top figures in Korea’s business world.
“You went on a matchmaking meeting today?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm. And? How was it?”
Kang-yoon subtly checked his grandfather’s face, which was full of expectation.
“She seemed like a good woman. I’d like to meet her again.”
“Ha ha… Very well, very well.”
Although Kang-yoon had attended several arranged meetings set up by his family before, he had never reacted like this.
A smile spread across Han Tae-soo’s lips—the last dream of a grandfather who wished to see his grandchildren married and have great-grandchildren before he died.
“Still, it’s because your mother thinks of you as her own. That’s why she found a good match for you.”
“Yes. That’s right.”
Kang-yoon replied without hesitation.
The “mother” his grandfather referred to was his eldest aunt, Jin Hyun-sook.
Kang-yoon had only heard that his biological mother died giving birth to him. He didn’t know what kind of person she was, or how she had met his father to have him.
Raised from a young age under Jin Hyun-sook, Kang-yoon treated her like his own mother.
Of course, when he discovered growing up that he wasn’t her biological child but rather a child his late father had brought into the family, it was a shock.
However, Kang-yoon was clever and knew how to behave to remain secure in the household.
Academics, sports, music, art, even height and appearance—Kang-yoon excelled far beyond Kang Moon.
Yet he never flaunted his abilities. He knew that it was safer to remain under Kang Moon’s shadow.
Jin Hyun-sook was kind to him, but only because he did not surpass Kang Moon. Whenever Kang-yoon received praise from his grandfather or outshone Kang Moon, she became subtly cold.
Others thought she cared for both boys equally, but Kang-yoon knew that the moment he exceeded Kang Moon, she would turn her back on him.
“I’ll head upstairs now.”
“Alright, rest well.”
Kang-yoon bowed respectfully and walked up the hallway to the second floor, just as Jin Hyun-sook was coming down.
“I’m back.”
“How was the meeting?”
Her neatly styled updo and lightly lined face bore the elegance of age, untouched by excessive makeup.
Kang-yoon met her gaze and lifted the corners of his mouth in a slight smile.
“She was pretty. And seems kind.”
“Hmm. I see you like her. Will you see her again?”
“That’s the plan.”
“Good. I trust you’ll handle it well. You must be tired, so go rest.”
“Yes, you too.”
Watching Jin Hyun-sook lightly tap his shoulder and descend the stairs gracefully, Kang-yoon’s eyes narrowed.
She was someone who drew near when he distanced himself and moved away when he tried to get close. Kang-yoon understood that it was difficult for her to love a child brought home by her husband.
He was grateful that, in a household like theirs, she still treated him kindly, mindful of appearances.
And strangely, Kang-yoon had liked her since he was a child.
Though her affection for him was barely a fraction of that she gave Kang Moon, his heart raced whenever she called his name or straightened his clothing.
“Because I never knew my biological mother… but at least I have my aunt.”
Whenever the household whispered about him, Kang-yoon bit his lip to hold back his frustration. He had grown up believing that if he became a truly remarkable man, Jin Hyun-sook would be proud of him—but the more he succeeded, the more she turned coldly away.
“I’m exhausted, really.”
Usually, after working out at the gym at dawn and showering, he would only take a quick shower at home.
But today, he was too tired and wanted a long bath for the first time in a while.
He added a few drops of lavender oil, said to calm the mind and body, into the bathwater and sank in.
As the warm water enveloped him, the tension of the entire day slowly melted away.
“Bora… Yoon Bora.”
The name rolled smoothly in his mouth like a polished bead.
He had met her only once today, yet her face lingered in his mind.
Kang-yoon was surrounded by pretty women who tried to seduce him, so he had never paid particular attention to beauty.
But Bora was a type of beauty he had never encountered before.
Porcelain-smooth skin with not a single visible pore, contrasted by dark eyebrows and long eyelashes. A sharp nose and vividly red lips marked her as a classic beauty, but she carried a unique, captivating presence absent in ordinary women.
Despite her family’s declining status and having come to the matchmaking meeting out of necessity, she was neither servile nor desperate. Kang-yoon liked that.
Moreover, she had been someone Kang Moon had shown interest in.
“Han Kang-moon… always so picky with his tastes.”
Unlike Kang-yoon, Kang Moon was indulgent with women. He always had girlfriends, sometimes overlapping into messy situations, leaving Jin Hyun-sook to clean up the aftermath.
“Better not let Bora get involved with my son. If she’s tangled with me, Kang Moon won’t be able to pursue her anymore… I’ll just handle it myself.”
Annoying.
Kang-yoon snorted, slicking back his damp hair from the humid bathroom.
“Let him try. This’ll be fun.”
If Bora lived under the same roof, it would be amusing to watch Kang Moon’s reactions.
And if Bora persuaded his grandfather to reveal family secrets he had long been curious about, even Jin Hyun-sook might kneel before him.
Thinking this, his mood lifted. Kang-yoon finished his bath and pulled a can of beer from the refrigerator in the second-floor kitchen, popping it open.
He savored the tingling carbonation sliding down his throat.
“Give me one too.”
Kang Moon, already halfway tipsy, nudged Kang-yoon’s back with his forehead and mumbled.
“You already seem drunk. Go inside and sleep.”
“Heh heh. Hey, brat, your older brother said—so you gotta give me one.”
Older brother, huh.
Kang-yoon had always suspected that his birthday, just a day apart from Kang Moon’s, might have been manipulated to favor Kang Moon as the eldest.
He had never felt inferior in any way. How could such an idiot become the heir to the Gangsan Group?
“Drink enough and sleep.”
“Hey, Han Kang-yoon.”
“Why?”
Kang Moon handed him a beer and tried to follow him to his room.
“You went on a meeting today, right? How was it? Was the girl pretty?”
The smirk on Kang Moon’s face annoyed Kang-yoon, but as always, he kept a blank expression.
“Yes. She was pretty.”
“Oh… big chest? Natural?”
Kang-yoon’s brows furrowed at the crude words. Normally he’d ignore such things, but thinking of Bora made anger flare up inexplicably.
“If you’re drunk, just go sleep. Don’t talk nonsense.”
“Hoo… brat. A man, huh? Wanna spar? Huh?”
Seeing him flop into a mock sparring stance, Kang-yoon sighed.
They had trained in horseback riding, golf, swimming, kendo, judo, boxing, and other sports together since childhood.
Although Kang-yoon excelled in every sport, he had never beaten Kang Moon when competing together.
He remembered losing his only swimming match to Kang Moon, seeing Jin Hyun-sook’s cold gaze. From then on, he always let Kang Moon win in sparring.
Kang Moon, oblivious, mocked him for being strong-looking but unable to throw a proper punch.
Kang-yoon glared at Kang Moon’s half-drained eyes, imagining him staring lecherously at Bora’s chest. His neck stiffened in irritation.
“Ha!”
“Ah! Hey! You!”
Pretending to throw a punch without actually hitting him, Kang Moon stumbled backward in shock.
Seeing him fall clumsily only fueled Kang-yoon’s anger.
“…Grow up.”
Kang-yoon passed the floundering Kang Moon, entered his room, and slammed the door.
“Damn idiot…”
A useless fool, incapable of distinguishing right from wrong, thinking he could surpass anyone.
Suddenly, he remembered Bora’s pure, shyly flushed white cheeks.
Kang-yoon took out his phone, hesitated, and then typed a message:
Bora, it was nice seeing you today. Would you like to have lunch together tomorrow?
After a few seconds of no movement, the notification count on the messenger dropped by one.
Kang-yoon held his phone and slowly closed his eyes.
