Chapter 58. What a Load of Crap

Choi Myeong-eun’s hand, which had been resting on Taeseong’s shoulder, dropped down.

Taeseong had just turned twenty.

And yet he was about to throw away an opportunity to get closer to his dream—just for a girl?

As a mother and as an adult, she couldn’t understand it.

Besides, Taeseong had every right to meet many people.

Life was far too long to be tied to one person in a marriage made when you didn’t even know better, blindly devoting yourself in pure sincerity.

More than anything, if he continued to live a life decided by his grandfather like this, he would definitely regret it someday.

She wanted to say a lot.

But giving advice in her current agitated state would only make him reject it outright.

So—

“Let’s talk later. When we’ve both calmed down.”

Now was the time to retreat.

On his way home, Gijun mulled over the phone call he’d received earlier from Chairman Joo.

[Gijun, I’m sorry. No matter how close you are with our family, I shouldn’t have shown you something like that. I lost control.]

Gijun smirked with one corner of his lips.

The chairman’s apology wasn’t just an apology. It clearly carried a warning.

To keep his mouth shut about what he’d seen.

“Interesting.”

Stopped at a red light, Gijun muttered under his breath.

His own family was a complete mess, so he wasn’t about to judge others.

But he could use this.

He no longer had any intention of helping Taeseong and Haeyoung be together.

Haeyoung was too good for someone like Taeseong.

Besides, Choi Myeong-eun’s expression after hearing about their marriage was filled with resentment toward Haeyoung.

They may have been estranged, but she was still Taeseong’s birth mother.

Even with Chairman Joo’s support, it was inevitable that Haeyoung would be hurt.

“I can’t just let that happen.”

As the light turned green, Gijun stepped on the gas.

Since it had come to this, maybe it was better to use the situation to pull Taeseong away from Haeyoung—forever.

So she wouldn’t be dragged around in Taeseong’s net anymore.

With that thought, Gijun called Minju.

Haeyoung got permission from the gwamegi (dried fish) factory to take one more day off work.

Thanks to Cha Haejin smashing her phone, the screen was completely shattered.

At first, she thought only the display was broken, but then she was told even the motherboard needed replacing. So she gave up on repairs.

It was an old phone anyway—not worth the price of fixing. With her paycheck coming soon, it made more sense to just buy a new one.

After leaving the service center, she went out to the main road at the time she’d arranged with Cheolsoo.

He had errands in the city and had agreed to pick her up and head back to town together.

Once in his car, Haeyoung leaned her head against the cold window and sighed.

“Uncle, that bastard Cha Haejin… he’s never going to grow up, is he?”

“…Probably not.”

Cheolsoo had watched the two siblings grow up, so he could speak frankly.

“He’ll probably come asking for money again.”

“Then call me right away. No way I’m letting him lay a hand on you.”

“Yeah, you’re right…”

Haeyoung lifted her head from the window and touched her still-slightly-swollen cheek.

“What about your phone?”

“Nope. Decided it’s better to buy a new one once I get paid.”

“Aigo, then how’re people supposed to reach you until then?”

“Either have them call the factory or home. Grandma’s always there.”

“Got it.”

Cheolsoo nodded and focused on driving.

Haeyoung leaned her head back on the window again, praying that delinquent Cha Haejin wouldn’t show up at their home again.

At the bar inside KH Hotel.

Gijun sipped a Faust cocktail and savored the taste.

It was notoriously strong, but his expression remained calm—as if drinking water.

He checked his wristwatch and waited for Minju, looking bored.

A new bartender kept glancing his way with disapproval.

The guy looked like a college student and clearly didn’t appreciate someone his age drinking alone in a place like this.

But the moment he noticed the luxury watch on Gijun’s wrist—worth more than a mid-range car—his gaze shifted.

Ignoring the all-too-familiar pathetic judgment, Gijun took another sip.

“Oppa!”

Minju showed up and sat next to him.

“What’s with you? You’re the one who called me out.”

“You took a leave of absence and came back to Korea because of Taeseong, didn’t you?”

“…What kind of greeting is that? Rude, don’t you think?”

Minju’s sharp tone didn’t faze Gijun. He answered with a cold smile.

“I didn’t ask you here to bicker. I want to make a deal.”

“A deal?”

“I’ll make sure Joo Taeseong becomes yours—if you follow my lead.”

“Wait, what are you talking about?”

Minju’s mind raced to figure out his angle.

She was quick on the uptake, and her mouth dropped open.

“…Don’t tell me. Oppa, do you like that Cha Haeyoung girl?”

“She’s like a little sister. That’s why I want to help end this absurd marriage.”

“Hahahaha!”

Minju burst into loud laughter at his serious tone.

Her laughter was so over-the-top it irritated Gijun, and his brow twitched.

“What’s so funny?”

“Oh come on. ‘Little sister,’ really?”

“……”

“You’re full of crap.”

Minju called him out.

“What kind of ‘brother’ ruins his little sister’s marriage? You’re stirring this up because you want her for yourself. Be honest. Do you really see her as a sister? I doubt it.”

Her blunt words left Gijun momentarily stunned.

Because… he’d never thought about it that way.

Whether Haeyoung was a ‘woman’ to him or not.

She was just the first person who’d ever truly cared about him, so he’d assumed she was like a sister.

But maybe… he—

“You’re surprisingly naïve, you know?”

Minju teased him like it was hilarious.

Irritated, Gijun quickly collected his expression.

“Just say whether you’ll take the deal or not.”

“Of course I will.”

Minju clicked her tongue like it was a stupid question.

“Let’s both get what we want.”

She raised her glass, and Gijun clinked his against hers.

Thus began their wicked collaboration.

Two days later.

“Didn’t know places like this still existed in Korea.”

Minju arrived at the address Gijun had given her and looked around with a scowl.

The buildings were old—probably from the ‘80s. The cars looked ready for the scrapyard.

And most of all—

“What’s that smell? Ugh.”

The sour, fishy stench made Minju cover her nose with a finger.

She couldn’t believe that someone like Taeseong had fallen for a girl raised in a place like this.

“Noona, I’m sorry. I don’t like you anymore. But I felt I should tell you in person.”

She recalled Taeseong’s recent rejection.

It bruised her ego.

But her desire to make him hers burned stronger than that.

She had rejected him once too, so if they each messed up once, they were even.

Now the important thing was to go to the U.S. with Taeseong—as planned in Gijun’s scheme.

“Getting rid of a girl like that? Easy.”

Minju spotted Haeyoung leaving the run-down factory and smiled.

“Why did you come all the way here?”

Haeyoung’s cold question made Minju smile sweetly.

“So cold?”

“I’m just tired after work.”

“Didn’t the chairman give you an allowance?”

“…I prefer earning and spending my own money. Feels more fulfilling.”

They exchanged meaningless small talk.

Minju glanced at Haeyoung’s ordinary face and recalled what Gijun had told her.

He guessed their marriage happened because of her grandmother’s illness.

Apparently, they’d agreed to divorce once they reached adulthood.

And since Haeyoung didn’t follow Taeseong to Seoul, there likely hadn’t been much romantic development between them.

In other words, their relationship could still be broken.

It would only take a little nudge.

“Hey, did you know?”

“…Know what?”

“Taeseong’s mom came back to Korea.”

Shock crossed Haeyoung’s face, and Minju pressed on, feigning sympathy.

“He didn’t even tell you that? And you’re married? Wow.”

Haeyoung bit her lip.

She wanted to blame her broken phone—but couldn’t.

Even without it, she wasn’t sure Taeseong would have contacted her.

She had already decided to let him go.

But hearing this still made her feel miserable.

Swallowing her emotions, Haeyoung responded rationally.

“So? What are you trying to say? You came all this way just for that?”

“I’m here to tell you something important,” Minju said, recalling Gijun’s plan to guilt-trip Haeyoung into backing off.

“That you’re a hindrance to Taeseong’s future.”