CHAPTER 09……………………….
Seoyoung followed Hyukjin to the sofa and sat down, recalling the expression of the young couple who had just moved closer to his parents.
The first thing she noticed was how starkly different the atmosphere between Hyukjin and his older twin, Youngjin, was—even knowing they were fraternal twins.
Another striking detail was that while everyone else, including Youngjin, smiled warmly at her, there was one person who clearly didn’t welcome her presence.
“So that’s the woman who’s going to be my sister-in-law.”
Yoon Ji-won, Youngjin’s wife, looked up as she took her seat and locked eyes with Seoyoung. Only then did she curl the corners of her eyes into a smile.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Yoon Ji-won. I’m really happy we’re finally going to be sisters-in-law.”
Despite her words, her eyes sparkled with something sharper.
As in any chaebol family, succession struggles were intense, and though Hyukjin’s older brother seemed gentle, Ji-won’s luxurious clothing and catlike eyes suggested she was wary of Seoyoung.
“I look forward to working with you.”
Seoyoung deliberately gave a harmless, pleasant smile in response to Ji-won’s greeting.
“The meal is ready, Chairman.”
Mrs. Kim said respectfully, prompting Chairman Cha to rise.
“Shall we start with the meal, then?”
Following the chairman, everyone headed toward the dining room.
Walking past the modern hallway decorated with famous paintings, Seoyoung recalled what she had learned about the Hanho Group family.
As expected with a chaebol family, the succession rivalry was intense. A constant, invisible struggle to gain even a slight advantage.
Yet, she had heard that the fraternal twin sons of the group’s vice chairman, Cha Seunghoon, had a surprisingly good relationship.
Still, judging by Ji-won’s noticeably guarded expression, it didn’t seem so straightforward for Hyukjin and Youngjin’s situation.
I have no intention of meddling in the Hanho Group family affairs.
Dealing with the hotel alone was complicated enough; she had no reason to compete with Ji-won, her temporary sister-in-law.
And I can’t even say we’ll only be legally married for two years.
Though prepared, seeing her so openly on guard made Seoyoung sigh.
Part of her felt bitter.
Whether it was the Shinhwa Group or Hanho Group, the ruthless struggles of chaebol families made her shudder. And realizing she wasn’t entirely free from it herself, she felt a pang of frustration.
Judging by Hyukjin’s recent behavior, he seemed to have stepped back from the competition.
But appearances could be deceiving. Whether he joined the succession battle or not had nothing to do with her.
Hyukjin will handle the Hanho Group affairs himself.
Seoyoung resolved not to do anything that could give Ji-won the wrong impression and entered the dining room. She didn’t want to deal with anyone else’s issues on top of the already complex hotel business—and she wasn’t entitled to.
Focused entirely on answering the adults’ questions, Seoyoung barely tasted the food.
Thanks to Hyukjin, the tense meal ended quickly.
He had insisted on leaving before having tea, saying weekends were for resting, and firmly stood up.
In the car on the way to Seoyoung’s home from the Pyeongchang-dong residence, Hyukjin looked straight ahead and spoke without turning his head.
“Your sister-in-law seemed guarded already. Don’t worry about it. She’s naturally ambitious.”
“That you noticed that… you’re surprisingly perceptive.”
Seoyoung had thought she alone noticed Ji-won’s vigilance, but Hyukjin had also caught it. She was impressed.
“She’s the daughter of a politician. Things are clear on the surface. Maybe that’s why she’s ambitious.”
Hyukjin’s cool, cynical assessment of Ji-won—the daughter of a three-term National Assembly member—made Seoyoung’s eyes widen.
Even if they were to be married, could he really say such things about someone they were contractually tied to?
Hyukjin glanced at her and smirked.
“I just told you what you’d learn after marriage, so there’s no need to be surprised.”
So that’s why Chairman Cha values him so much.
Though he pretended not to notice, Hyukjin paid attention to even the smallest details.
Whether he genuinely lacked greed or just hid his feelings well, his intelligence and capability were evident in just a few encounters.
And his skill in handling people was remarkable as well.
Watching him shrug casually, Seoyoung returned her gaze forward.
Hyukjin, typically quiet, didn’t speak for the rest of the ride, simply driving.
Only the soft strains of classical music filled the car.
Seoyoung sensed the manly, grounded scent he exuded and, for the first time in a while, felt aware of him as a man. She turned to look out the window.
With a moment of calm, memories of her relentless past surfaced.
Though she had no dating experience, Hyukjin was the first man to make her this nervous.
Her days had been consumed by work and study, leaving no time or thought for romance.
Even when she admired an attractive man, she merely appreciated him as a well-crafted work of art.
Back in school, she had liked popular idols like other ordinary girls. Thinking back, it seemed almost like a dream.
Those were the good old days.
A faint bitter smile formed at the corner of her mouth.
Like countless other teenage girls, she had loved idols, though she hadn’t displayed it openly due to her modest family circumstances.
But after her parents died, she lost interest in celebrities and hobbies alike.
At her grandmother’s house, she immersed herself in preparing for the college entrance exam, never letting herself be distracted from her goal university.
Except for one: Lee Si-woo, who had transitioned from idol to actor.
She kept him in her heart solely because of his gentle smile that reminded her of her late father.
Whenever she missed her father or felt lonely, she would watch videos of Si-woo.
“Is he better than Dad?”
“Of course not. Dad’s the best.”
Seoyoung remembered how her father, Seongjin, had playfully pouted in mock jealousy when she cheered for idols on TV.
Her parents had always meant more to her than any celebrity.
I miss them all of a sudden.
A faint smile curved her lips at the memory.
As Hyukjin turned right, he noticed her smile.
It was more natural and beautiful than the polite, socially adept smiles she had shown before.
Is she finally relaxing a bit?
Though she had seemed confident, she had been quite tense upon arriving at Pyeongchang-dong.
Contrary to the report’s description of her as cold and distant, Seoyoung had been courteous and gentle with the elders.
At first, her behavior seemed like she was simply doing her best for the contract. But seeing her smile and converse during the meal suggested she had grown up in a relatively harmonious household before her parents’ passing.
Her unexpected warmth drew Hyukjin’s gaze, but she intentionally said nothing and quietly finished her meal.
She could feel Ji-won, her sister-in-law, growing increasingly wary of her for capturing the adults’ attention.
We’re only contractually married—there’s no reason to make people who don’t even matter feel anxious.
Hyukjin glanced at her briefly, then returned his gaze forward.
With her hair down and her demeanor softened, the aloof, cold city-girl impression from their first meeting had vanished.
Seeing that this had been her first kiss made her appear even more innocent and demure.
Seoyoung felt his gaze and looked back at him.
