Chapter 27:
“Get up.”
“Ack!”
Yoo Yeon Seo woke up with a start from the shock on her calf.
“Hyung… why are you here?”
“I came to pick you up since you didn’t answer the phone.”
Yoo Eunho was sitting on the bed, wearing a smart suit. Yoo Yeon Seo rubbed his eyes roughly. He had slept soundly without syncing his memories yesterday.
“Is it okay for you to drag your younger brother around like this when you’re a director and thirty years old?”
“So what, we’re family.”
Oh, he can say such cheesy things. Yoo Yeon Seo scratched his head for no reason. Yoo Eunho picked up a paper that was lying near the bed and skimmed the contents. It was a brief personal information of the people who would attend the engagement ceremony today.
“…Did you oversleep because of this?”
“I can’t afford to make a mistake.”
Yoo Yeon Seo lied without even moistening his mouth. He did look at it, but he couldn’t memorize everything. He thought it would be fine since he had the automatic mode anyway.
“Yeon Seo.”
“Hm?”
Yoo Yeon Seo lifted his head and looked at Yoo Eunho through the mirror.
“Do you really not remember anything?”
“No? I remember bits and pieces.”
“Like what?”
Yoo Yeon Seo lowered his head again and spat out what was in his mouth.
“Did we go to the sea when we were very young? Like… in kindergarten. It wasn’t in our country, I think.”
“That must have been… when we went to the island for fun.”
“Really? I saw mom there.”
He said island without mentioning any place name… did they own an island too? Yoo Yeon Seo was surprised inwardly, but he acted nonchalantly.
The word mom made Yoo Eunho’s shoulders flinch, but Yoo Yeon Seo didn’t see it.
“But I can’t remember mom’s face. I think she was smiling…”
Lee Heeseo was called the ‘Ice Beauty’ when she was active as an entertainer.
She got that nickname because she didn’t smile often, and she didn’t smile even when she danced and sang on stage or acted. She only chose works that matched her cold appearance, such as taciturn and aloof characters.
‘It’s a shame.’
He wanted to see Lee Heeseo’s bright smile that was not in any records.
“…I see. I’m glad.”
How is it glad that he can’t remember mom’s face… maybe he meant it was glad that it wasn’t a complete memory loss?
Yoo Yeon Seo didn’t say anything more, seeing his brother’s relieved expression.
***
“Who is that?”
“It’s the president of Pilju Construction. He’s from the Heongang side.”
“Ugh.”
The reporters who were hiding a little away from the hotel put down their cameras for a moment, since it wasn’t the person they were waiting for.
“When is Juseong coming?”
“Huh? There, that car!”
Someone who was holding a telescope shouted urgently. The reporters picked up their cameras again.
“What? Yoo Yeon Seo is there?”
Doesn’t he usually not attend these events?
“What are you doing? Shoot instead of talking!”
Juseong family attending the engagement ceremony
Yoo Eunho and Yoo Yeon Seo, the brothers of Juseong family, reveal their official appearance
The engagement of the century between Juseong’s nephew and Heongang Group’s daughter… Juseong family’s total mobilization
“Uh… Yeon Seo.”
“Yes?”
“Can I link arms with you?”
What’s so hard about that. Yoo Yeon Seo nodded his head, and Choi Yujin’s face brightened. She quickly linked arms with Yoo Yeon Seo and smiled brightly as she entered the hotel.
It looks like the reporters are taking pictures… do I not have to keep a poker face? Yoo Eunho, who was following behind, was also smiling for some reason.
Wow, I really can’t adapt. He thought that, but he didn’t feel bad seeing the faces of her beloved family.
[Seoul=Photo News] Choi Yujin, the vice president of JSENM, and the actor Yoo Yeon Seo, entering the hotel side by side with their arms linked
Choi Yujin, the vice president of JSENM, Yoo Eunho, the director of Juseong Electronics, and the actor Yoo Yeon Seo are attending the engagement ceremony of Choi Sangjin, the eldest son of Ahjin Daily’s president Choi Sangjin, and Park Sehwa, the daughter of Heongang Group’s president Park Chuljoong, at the JS Hotel in Jongno-gu, Seoul.
└SuitㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠSuit!!
└ㄴㅇㄱ An unexpected treat from my actor
└Wow, that’s amazing
└Yoo Yeon Seo, out of place
└└ㅗㅗㅗㅗㅗ
└└└Then I’ll take the aunt
└└└└Shut up
└Oh right, Yoo Yeon Seo is a chaebol
As they entered the ceremony hall, people’s attention was drawn to them. Juseong was a representative conglomerate of Korea, so even those who didn’t know them personally tried to catch their eyes.
“Vice president, long time no see.”
“Oh, hello.”
There was a voice with seniority. Choi Yujin stopped, and Yoo Eunho and Yoo Yeon Seo also stopped and looked back.
“Father.”
It was Choi Hyungsuk, the president of JSENM, who would be Yoo Yeon Seo’s grandfather.
“You’re here. Eunho too, good to see you.”
“Father, don’t you see Yeon Seo?”
“Ahem…”
Choi Hyungsuk cleared his throat. It didn’t seem like he was displeased with Yoo Yeon Seo, but rather awkward. Yoo Yeon Seo bowed his head and greeted him.
“Hello.”
“Yes, it’s been a long time. How are you?”
“I’m fine now. Grandfather.”
Choi Hyungsuk’s eyes widened.
“I never thought… I would be called grandfather by you.”
There was a surge of emotion in his voice. He was so happy just by doing the basics, he didn’t know how to react.
I’ll call you more often, he said to please him, and he even forgot his dignity and smiled broadly. Choi Yujin’s shoulders rose, needless to say.
“But where are your in-laws? And your husband?”
“They couldn’t come because of a sudden work. But their grandsons are here, right?”
Choi Yujin said with a bright smile, as if boasting.
Huh, did grandfather and father have such urgent work? Yoo Yeon Seo glanced at Yoo Eunho. Yoo Eunho had the same expression as usual, but he looked different somehow. Did they deliberately not come?
The short greeting with Choi Hyungsuk ended, and the people who had been waiting around approached them one by one.
“Vice president, it’s been a while.”
“Oh, hello.”
“Wow, you two are so handsome!”
It seemed like everyone who came over was more interested in Choi Yujin and Yoo Eunho than him. How pitiful for an actor like him. Yoo Yeon Seo’s face involuntarily turned sour.
Choi Yujin must have felt that too, as he lightly squeezed Yoo Yeon Seo’s hand. Somehow, the people in this house seemed to treat Yoo Yeon Seo like a child.
“It’s okay.”
Yoo Yeon Seo whispered silently, and Choi Yujin smiled. Only then did the other person speak to Yoo Yeon Seo.
“Well… I think this is the first time I see you in this kind of place…”
“Yes, I plan to come out more often. Please call me comfortably, Director.”
The other person’s expression brightened. Contrary to the rumors, he was very polite and courteous. Yoo Yeon Seo tried to ignore the gazes that poured on him.
“The rumors were not very good, right? But… you’re different?”
“You know, you can’t trust everything unless you see it for yourself.”
“I’m seeing you for the first time, but you’re tall and…”
As Choi Yujin and Yoo Yeon Seo’s relationship looked more harmonious than the rumors, the surroundings became restless.
The first ones to notice Yoo Yeon Seo’s changed atmosphere were the experienced ladies. As soon as the business-like meeting was over, they brought their daughters and headed towards Choi Yujin.
“Hello.”
“Oh, hello.”
Uh… Is this person the SY Group’s lady? The person next to her is the RJ Venture Investment’s lady, and that person is the bank manager. They were all mothers with daughters.
‘Uh, wait. I’m feeling uneasy…’
Yoo Yeon Seo tried to back away, but Yoo Eunho’s hand was blocking his back. He could feel Yoo Eunho’s desperate gaze from behind, telling him not to leave him alone, but he ignored it.
He walked as fast as he could to get away from them, but someone called him.
“You look very amused?”
Who talks about the main point without greeting? Judging by the flower in his chest pocket, he was the protagonist of this engagement party, Choi Jihun. In other words, his cousin.
“What are you doing here? Weren’t you on bad terms with our aunt?”
“Not anymore?”
“Hey? Are you being rude to your cousin?”
Choi Jihun, who was fidgeting, suddenly put his arm around Yoo Yeon Seo’s shoulder and pressed his face close. He looked even uglier up close. Why did he do such a pointless thing that only made him look worse?
“Hey, Yeon Seo. That Jo Subin girl is pretty, right? Do you have her contact?”
Jo Subin was the lead actress who had worked with Yoo Yeon Seo in ‘Our Moments’. She was doing well in the advertising industry after ‘Our Moments’… Why was this guy bringing up Jo Subin?
“Why do you ask?”
“Give me her contact. I’m not as good as you, but I’m not bad either. Well, I think I’ll take a big position soon…”
If she’s almost twenty, then she’s not right now…? Yoo Yeon Seo felt goosebumps on his arms.
Wow, crazy. He wants to get involved with a celebrity at his own engagement party? Yoo Yeon Seo snorted in disbelief.
This was the time to summon the original hellfire mouth.
‘Beta, automatic action mode.’
<Yes, understood. Automatic action mode activated.>
Yoo Yeon Seo removed the heavy hand that was placed on his shoulder. Then he tapped his shoulder as if something dirty had stuck to it.
“Chasing after women’s butts when you’re in heat is still vulgar.”
“What?”
“You have no money to sponsor, but you want to meet a pretty woman and rub yourself on your cousin… Don’t you feel ashamed?”
Wow… That’s harsh. Can he say that? But Yoo Yeon Seo didn’t turn off the automatic action mode. He didn’t like Choi Jihun’s attitude.
“You, you bastard…”
“It seems like Choi Sangjin, the president of ‘Ajin Daily’, is using you to strengthen his position against your mother…”
He didn’t even say the word uncle. He mentioned Ajin Daily, which was nothing but a shell, instead of JSENM. Choi Jihun clenched his mouth. He couldn’t refute because it was true.
“Why don’t you behave well to the daughter of Heongang Group? That’s the best filial duty you can do for being born so ugly and useless.”
“You bastard…”
“Oh, you want to hit me? Punching your cousin who’s not even related by blood at your engagement party… The reporters outside will get a scoop for once. Right?”
Yoo Yeon Seo mocked him as he saw Choi Jihun’s fist trembling. He spotted a woman in a dress over Choi Jihun’s shoulder.
“There, your fiancée is looking for you. Listen to my advice, bro. Take good care of your ugly face.”
“…You’re only being cocky for today. How long do you think JSENM will stay in our aunt’s hands?”
As if JSENM was yours. It’s our mother’s, not yours. Yoo Yeon Seo snorted and turned off the automatic action mode.
“Ah…”
He still had some aftereffects. Yoo Yeon Seo staggered out of the engagement hall with his nose covered.
‘Where is the bathroom?’
As he wandered around for a while, he spotted Choi Yujin between the open doors at the end of the hallway. Then the person who was sandwiched between those women was Yoo Eunho alone. He felt sorry for his brother…
But Choi Yujin was not alone. She was with his older brother, Choi Sangjin, and his face was red with anger.
‘…What?’
He wanted to hear what they were saying, so he sneaked closer. Yoo Yeon Seo was shocked by the unexpected truth.