Chapter 1

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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Reunion
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5 AM.

A flight from Los Angeles, USA, landed at Incheon Airport.

Unlike the other passengers, who looked exhausted from the long flight, Seonghyeok, with a neat appearance, stepped out of the arrival gate, stopped, and took a deep breath before exhaling.

The cool pre-dawn air filled his lungs.

Was it just his imagination, or did Korean air feel different from American air?

He'd always thought patriotism was something other people felt, but setting foot on Korean soil after so long, his chest ached a little. Three years was certainly enough time to evoke a sense of nostalgia for his homeland.

However, the tender feeling didn't last long. It was because the face of the woman he had tried so hard not to think about had taken over his mind.

His brow furrowed as he swallowed the curse rising in his throat.

The target of his profanity wasn't the woman, but himself. Still clinging to a mere woman.

"You idiot."

The moment the curse, which he hadn't quite managed to swallow, escaped his lips, a calm, even voice spoke.

"You must have had a tiring journey, Head of Division Cha Seonghyeok."

He turned his head to see a middle-aged man in a black suit approaching him.

One of Chairman Cha Hyeonung of SL Group's executive assistants.

"Chief Secretary Nam."

Seonghyeok knew he was about to take over the position of Head of Management Planning, currently held by his brother.

Chairman Cha Hyeonung was not one to ask for anyone's opinion. He simply issued orders. And his son was no exception.

"The Chairman instructed me to escort you home."

"I could have gone by myself; he shouldn't have bothered Chief Secretary Nam."

Chief Secretary Nam brought a luggage cart over himself, changing the subject.

"The Chairman and Samonim departed yesterday afternoon to attend the Boao Forum."

"I know."

The Boao Forum was an economic forum for the Asian region, held annually in China.

Seonghyeok knew very well that his father personally attending the forum this year, which his brother had attended last year and the year before, was not a good sign for his brother.

He could clearly picture his brother, fretting over the possibility of losing his heir apparent position.

"Shall we go?"

Seonghyeok nodded and calmly followed Chief Secretary Nam, who was pushing the cart and walking ahead.

***

The car that had departed from Incheon Airport drove down the open road and arrived at a luxury villa complex in Cheongdam-dong.

The building, reminiscent of a temple, was shrouded in the pre-dawn twilight.

While Seonghyeok rolled down the window and savored the breeze gently caressing his face, the car arrived in the underground parking lot.

"Thank you for your hard work."

Seonghyeok sent Chief Secretary Nam back, who had offered to carry his luggage up to the house, and took the elevator alone.

He got off on the third floor penthouse.

As soon as he opened the front door, a chill immediately permeated the air. The white marble walls and floor looked particularly cold today.

Leaving his luggage by the entrance, he walked down the hallway to the living room, which was filled with an empty, desolate feeling, as if no one had entered it since he left.

It was as if time had stopped only in this space.

Seonghyeok stopped in the middle of the living room and gazed out the floor-to-ceiling window. The outside was already tinged red, signaling the sunrise.

Suddenly, the image of the woman, rubbing her sleepy eyes to watch the sunrise from the balcony, overlapped in his mind.

He vividly recalled the moment he wrapped a blanket around her slender frame, which felt as if it might break under pressure, and embraced her from behind.

They had only been together for about half a year, yet her traces lingered everywhere.

"I should look for a new place."

Was it the weight of his useless lingering attachment that made a mere minute or so more tiring than thirteen hours in the sky?

Leaning back on the sofa, he closed his eyes, his face abruptly showing exhaustion.

***

The next evening.

Seonghyeok took a can of beer from the refrigerator and sat at the dining table, drinking it. Then he called the real estate agent he had dealt with when purchasing the villa.

"This is Cha Seonghyeok."

He cut off the real estate agent's overly enthusiastic chatter about whether everything had been well and immediately stated his business.

"I'm thinking of selling this house and moving somewhere new. As soon as possible."

The real estate agent, who had recognized him as an undemanding high-roller from their previous transaction, repeatedly emphasized that it would be no problem.

Some people called him difficult, while others said he wasn't.

The reason was simple: he simply showed the utmost indifference to things he wasn't interested in. For him, a house was outside his realm of interest.

It was rare for him to take an interest in anything. But when he did get interested, he would see it through to the very end.

"I'll await your call."

After the short call, Seonghyeok finished the remaining beer.

The moment the last sip of beer went down his throat, his phone on the table vibrated.

The caller was his friend, Beomjun.

As soon as he saw the name 'Chae Beomjun' on the screen, Seonghyeok's expression soured.

It was because the woman's face, which he had barely shaken off—no, which he was desperately trying to shake off—became even clearer.

Seonghyeok hesitated whether to answer, then pressed the call button with a reluctant expression.

"Hey, you idiot! You're back in Korea, aren't you! When did you get here!"

As a thunderous shout erupted, he lowered the phone he had been bringing to his ear back onto the table. The voice was so loud that the speakerphone function wasn't necessary.

"Yesterday."

"Why didn't you say anything! You should have told me you were coming!"

"Why bother, when you find out anyway?"

The agitated voice and the nonchalant voice were quite a contrast.

"Where are you now?"

"Home."

"Come out. Let's have a drink."

"I'm tired."

"Should I come to your place?"

"No."

"Why won't you let me come to your place? Is there something you don't want me to see?"

"There's nothing like that."

There was nothing now, but there had been before. That's why he wouldn't let him come over.

It would have been troublesome if Beomjun had known about her.

It was what she wanted, not him.

"Then come out. I'll call the others."

He found it tiresome to argue with Beomjun, who was stubbornly insistent, and figured it wouldn't be bad to just get it over with today, as he'd have to meet them eventually anyway. So, he changed his mind.

"Text me the address."

In truth, what he most wanted was a strong drink, not some weak beer that barely gave him a buzz.

"Okay."

He hung up the phone, stood up, crumpled the beer can, tossed it into the sink, and headed to the dressing room.

***

About 30 minutes later.

A taxi, cutting through the darkness, stopped in front of a grand, dark brown three-story building.

Seonghyeok got out of the taxi and was guided into the club by the general manager who was waiting at the entrance.

The first-floor stage was throbbing with heart-pounding beats, dazzling psychedelic lights, and a packed crowd so dense there was barely room to stand.

"They're on the third floor."

Seonghyeok followed the general manager up the stairs and entered the VIP room. Familiar faces were drinking themselves silly.

Beomjun, who spotted him first, raised his voice.

"Seonghyeok's here!"

Following Beomjun, everyone else greeted him in unison.

Seonghyeok didn't particularly like these people, including Beomjun, his high school classmate. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say their personalities didn't align.

He only maintained a suitable level of acquaintance because they were the children of families whose connections wouldn't hurt to have.

The 'Cha Seonghyeok Welcome Home Party,' which Cha Seonghyeok himself didn't even want, began.

***

Yeongin received an unwelcome phone call in the car on her way home.

As soon as she saw the four characters 'Beomjun Oppa' on her phone screen, her smooth forehead furrowed.

It was a day when she was utterly drained from cleaning up the mess left by a rookie actor who had absconded without permission during a drama shoot, making the call even more unwelcome than usual.

She could guess why her brother was calling her close to midnight.

"I've been drinking. Come pick me up."

The words "What's wrong with a taxi?" rose to her throat, but she couldn't utter them. She would have to endure days of being called ungrateful if she did.

She was fed up with hearing the old saying that you shouldn't bother helping ungrateful people, repeated until her ears bled.

"Where are you?"

"The New Palace."

It was a place she knew, having picked him up there a few times before. She also knew very well that her brother was a VIP at that club.

"It'll take about 20 minutes. I'll call you when I get there."

Resignedly, Yeongin turned the car around and, as promised, arrived at the club about 20 minutes later.

She pulled over to the curb and tried calling, but the person who had asked to be picked up didn't answer. After ten attempts, she concluded that calling any further was pointless.

"Hoo..."

Yeongin calmed her rising irritation with a deep breath and got out of the car, walking towards the club building.

Two guards in black suits stood at the first-floor entrance.

Both were tall and easily looked over a hundred kilograms. Their expressions were stern.

It would have been strange if anyone didn't feel intimidated, but there was no hint of wavering in Yeongin's eyes. She just wanted to finish this annoying task quickly.

"I came to pick up my brother, but he's not answering his phone. Can I go in for a moment?"

One of the guards asked back with a smirk.

"What's your brother's name?"

Hiding her displeasure, she answered calmly.

"Chae Beomjun."

"Ah, Beomjun *hyung*."

Just like a club regular, huh.

The man's immediate reaction made her let out a small, mirthless laugh.

The man, lowering his chin slightly, spoke into the microphone attached to his jacket lapel.

"Beomjun *hyung*, which room are you in?"

After locating the regular's position, he grinned at Yeongin.

"He says Room 7."

The corners of her lips also curved into a pretty arc.

"Thanks. But please stop using informal speech with me, it's our first time meeting."

Yeongin walked into the club, leaving the man gaping.

It was hard enough finding a staff member to ask for directions to Room 7, then making her way up to the third floor, but on her way to Room 7, which was supposedly at the end of the corridor, she witnessed an unsightly scene.

After barely pushing her way through the masses engulfed in a frenzy, she found a man and a woman passionately kissing against the corridor wall.

'You're not animals; do that somewhere out of sight, you two.'

Passing by the couple lost in their own world, she entered Room 7 and quickly scanned the interior.

It was structured with bench-style sofas lining both sides of the main seating area.

About half of the six or seven young men present were familiar faces. And one of them caught her eye.

The man who best suited the head seat.

The kind of person whose presence made the children of wealthy families naturally defer to him.

The apex predator who reigned over everyone: Cha Seonghyeok.

The gazes of the two, reunited after three years, locked together.