Chapter 48
“Just got assigned—what do you mean?”
Jun-young snorted at what he considered nonsense. Then he realized, “Ah, so it’s a joke?”
“You’re trying to play a prank and get back at me because I gave Ji-won your contact, right? I said sorry.”
“That’s something only your head would come up with.”
Seo-hee’s face was firm, with no trace of a smile. That meant she wasn’t joking. Jun-young’s smile faded as well.
At this point, he felt it was time to have a serious conversation with Seo-hee. Until now, he had pretended not to notice the changes in her, but since this conversation had come up, it was better to clarify everything.
“Han Seo-hee, we have a lot to talk about, right?”
Seo-hee also thought it was necessary to talk to Jun-young at least once. If she was going to work with him from now on, they needed to share some things.
“Yeah, I was planning to. Where should we talk? Somewhere Manager Kim won’t know would be best.”
“Then let’s go to my room.”
Seo-hee followed Jun-young to his dorm. They sat across from each other with a tea table between them.
Jun-young’s expression was unusually serious.
Now this is the real Han Jun-young. His leadership and charisma as vice president were impressive. Seo-hee remembered Jun-young like this, which was why his playful current self felt so unfamiliar.
“We’re sitting here because you have something to ask me.”
“…”
“I’ll give you time to ask whatever you’re curious about.”
Seo-hee set the stage first. She thought that if she knew what he was curious about, she could figure out how much she needed to reveal.
Jun-young studied Seo-hee’s face carefully before speaking.
“The reason you suddenly changed your mind.”
She recalled the unpleasant words Park Jae-min had once directed at her.
[I’m thinking I might as well go to the company instead of just staying at home.]
When Lee-soo suggested she help at the company instead of just staying home, she agreed. Then Jae-min dismissed her outright.
[What company are you going to? You have no experience, and you’ve been at home since getting married. How could you possibly help a company?]
[I did study the major in school, and Lee-soo said she would help a lot…]
[Is studying in school the same as running a real company? And it’s your sister-in-law who needs help, not someone you need to hold by the hand and teach everything.]
She could never forget the look of ridicule on Park Jae-min’s face back then.
I wonder how your expression will change from now on, Jae-min.
“Han Seo-hee? I’m asking why you suddenly changed?”
Jun-young’s voice brought her back to the present.
“I want to participate in management.”
“So why all of a sudden? The Seo-hee I knew seemed to aim for starting a family early.”
“You remember that too? Impressive, Han Jun-young.”
“Hey, even if nothing else, at least call me ‘oppa.’”
Even in this tense moment, Jun-young tried to lighten the mood. Having returned from the future, Seo-hee was older than the current Jun-young.
To her, he simply looked cute. Seeing her quietly smile, Jun-young urged her to answer.
“You haven’t fully answered my question yet.”
“Why I suddenly changed my mind…”
Betrayal, despair, loss—how could she explain the heartache? With the gaze of someone who had transcended the world, Seo-hee continued.
“There wasn’t a man worth it.”
“…”
“To have a happy family, I have to be happy first. Happiness doesn’t come from marriage or a husband—it’s something I have to achieve myself.”
Jun-young listened quietly. Her gaze and tone were like someone who had lived a long life and experienced all of life’s storms. Before he could even wonder if it was just his imagination, she continued.
“So I decided to become a person with high self-esteem first. Learning about company management seemed like it would be fun as I climbed upward. Does that answer your question?”
“Okay, got it. Looking good, confident Han Seo-hee.”
It was a relief. She was no longer someone he could take lightly.
“Then let’s move on to the next question.”
Jun-young seemed ready as well. Without hesitation, he asked:
“So what’s your goal?”
“To make Shinsung Group number one in the world.”
“That sounds like a perfect answer for an interview.”
He laughed in a deflated way.
“You asked me my goal, and that’s what I said. If you don’t like it, I can’t answer anymore.”
“My question was wrong. I’ll ask again. What’s your plan to achieve that goal, specifically?”
Now it was her turn to answer what he was truly curious about. The sudden U.S. business trip had seemed odd. If it was an order from her grandfather, it would have been for her or Seo-hee.
Since it wasn’t for her, that left Han Seo-hee. She had visited a company not on her contact list and invested 5 billion won as if she had prepared everything in advance. Seo-hee’s mind was full of plans.
“Before I answer, I’ll ask you one thing too.”
“Okay.”
“What’s your goal?”
“You’re asking me? Even though I’m the one asking?”
“I need to know if you’re an ally or an enemy before I answer.”
Seo-hee spoke honestly, without hesitation. Of course, she also didn’t hold back a threat.
“Oh, if you’re going to be an enemy, tell me clearly. I need to prepare to defeat you if you are.”
“Don’t joke like that. Somehow I feel like you’d really do it.”
She didn’t bother explaining it wasn’t a joke. After all, she knew he wasn’t her enemy.
“I’m not going to be your enemy, so I’ll be on your side.”
Seo-hee snorted softly. But Jun-young’s gaze was entirely serious.
“I’m serious. I’m with you. Shinsung becoming number one in the world.”
“So you want to be the heir?”
Jun-young shook his head.
“No. I have no desire for inheritance. I came back just to repay what I received since I was young.”
She had many things she wanted to do as well. She had the talent to receive offers from multiple Silicon Valley companies. But she refused. The reason was simple: she had been given so much, now it was her turn to give back.
She had never been interested in being the heir. If anything, she had craved her father Taekyu’s love.
“What if something threatens the company in the process?”
“Of course, I’d eliminate the threat. I said my goal is for Shinsung to be number one.”
“Then listen carefully. You can ask me anything after hearing my story.”
Seo-hee revealed her plans one by one. She would link ETflix with S-Plus TV, create a platform based on webtoons and web novels, expand it to drama and film adaptations, and even provide a space for individual broadcasters like Ji-won to upload content freely.
“Oh, so that’s why you told me to get close to Ji-won?”
“Yeah. That side probably has a lot of connections, so it’ll be good for gathering people.”
Jun-young was impressed by her detailed plans. She even explained why he should take over electronics by sharing the T-Sla contract.
“So, you take electronics. Focus on semiconductors and batteries at Shinsung Electronics. You can do it with your uncle’s support.”
“You could do it instead of me. I think you’re more suitable.”
“No.”
She briefly considered whether to mention Taekyu, but decided quickly.
“If I do it, Uncle won’t help. He wants you to take over electronics.”
He had no choice but to agree.
“Can you really accomplish all this? Reality might be different from your thoughts.”
She didn’t expect him to believe it easily. Compared to her knowledge from the future, Jun-young’s acceptance was surprisingly easy.
“It’s impossible alone, but I have people to work with.”
Her eyes reflected unwavering confidence.
“Do you already have people in mind?”
Two names came to Seo-hee: Jin Woo-hyuk and Kim Dong-jin.
“Yes. Now we just have to bring them on board.”
After work, Woo-hyuk boarded the subway in the opposite direction of home.
[Let’s meet briefly tonight.]
It was a call from his father, Jin Sung-hyun. Woo-hyuk headed to the meeting place. The remote location suggested the purpose: to ensure his father’s political life wouldn’t be disturbed and to instruct him to stay out of trouble.
The meeting was in a shabby restaurant in the market. The place was empty, likely to avoid being seen.
Jin Sung-hyun chose this spot every time to meet Woo-hyuk. The reason was simple: his wife, a daughter from a semi-wealthy family, would never come here, so the affair with his illegitimate child would remain secret.
Woo-hyuk bowed as he approached his father, who was drinking makgeolli on a backless chair.
“I’m here.”
“Sit down.”
Without looking back, his father gestured. Woo-hyuk sat across from him.
Thick eyebrows, monolid eyes, a prominent nose, and defined lips—they shared a similar image, though not exact.
“What’s the matter?”
Woo-hyuk asked first.
