abcnovels
Chapter 31 - Peaceful Daily Life
Chapter 31 - Peaceful Daily Life
Chapter 31 - Peaceful Daily Life
Chapter 31: Peaceful Daily Life
TL: Aniea
“Suddenly, a blind date?”
“It’s just as sudden for me. I got the call an hour ago. Actually, maybe I should say it was more like a notification? Or perhaps even a threat.”
“Who on earth… Could it be the Chairman?”
“Well, on that side, the Chairman is still the Chairman.”
Clang-
Kim Eun-ha responded as she placed her teacup down louder than usual. I immediately understood the meaning behind her words.
“It’s Beta (?), isn’t it?”
“As expected, our Alpha (?) is quick-witted.”
Haha-
Kim Eun-ha laughed as if she found it amusing. The talk of Alphas and Betas referred to the ‘Candidate Encyclopedia’ she had shown me earlier.
It contained detailed information on various arranged marriage candidates, all organized in order.
Each candidate was labeled with Greek letters like Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, etc. Only we could understand who was who.
‘It started feeling strange with Beta…’
The Alpha in question was me.
The data was made for me to memorize, so it naturally didn’t include information about myself. Plus, it seemed to have a bit of lip service added.
Anyway, the person called ‘Beta (?)’ now was essentially the top candidate for an arranged marriage.
He had the appropriate family background, wealth, looks, and even connections, all making him close to a true Alpha.
His name was Park Ji-hoon.
Kim Eun-ha’s childhood friend.
“Weren’t you already done talking with him about this? Fighting together for the freedom of third-generation chaebols! That’s the impression I got.”
“That’s just what we say among ourselves. The elders think differently. It seems the performance we did at the café last time had quite an effect.”
“Ah… You mean that incident.”
Recalling the moment, I scratched my temple awkwardly.
After finishing the poster shoot, Kim Eun-ha and I thought we should deliver a more clear message to the public after a brief discussion.
Of course, we couldn’t hold a press conference, so we headed to a nearby café instead.
– Gasp, it’s Kang Joo-heon!
– I enjoyed the poster!
– But who is that next to him? She’s really pretty.
After the poster was released, I was called by my character name [Kang Joo-heon] more often than ‘Café Guy’.
My popularity soared to the point where even Kim Eun-ha became a subject of curiosity.
‘Well, I wasn’t very interested before the contract either.’
Few people knew who the boss of a department store in central Seoul was. Even fewer knew her face.
Of course, Kim Eun-ha, as the heir to the Mirae Group, frequently appeared on various SNS and media.
But when people met her in person, they were often mesmerized by her striking appearance.
‘Eun-ha’s existence has become even more ambiguous.’
With all these complex reasons intertwined, people were not only curious but also uncomfortable about our relationship.
Perhaps feeling provoked, Kim Eun-ha took a bold step. With a more composed voice than usual, she spoke to me.
– Let’s hold hands.
– Huh? All of a sudden…
– No more words.
Kim Eun-ha firmly said as she extended her palm towards me. Suppressing my doubtful expression, I placed my hand on hers.
– Hmm. Your hand is bigger than I expected.
– Maybe Eun-ha’s hand is small? But more than that, the public’s gaze is so intense that my cheeks are stinging.
– Really? I think it’s still lacking.
– What kind of life have you… Eun-ha!?
Then Kim Eun-ha suddenly interlocked her fingers with mine. The thrilling sensation of our fingers touching.
The first thought that came to mind was, ‘It’s soft.’ The sensation was incomparable to anything like a doll, and if possible, I wanted to keep touching it.
At the same time, through our touching skin, Kim Eun-ha’s warmth and pulse were transmitted to me, which made my heart pound harder.
As feelings I should never have for my employer began to surface, I instinctively tried to withdraw my hand. But she gripped it tightly as if she would never let go.
– Uh, Eun-ha ssi!?
– Hehe. Why would someone with so much experience be embarrassed by something like this? Was it all a lie? Be honest. Hmm?
– Let’s start by letting go of my hand…
– I won’t let go until you answer honestly.
Her grip was firmer than I expected, making it difficult to gently pull away. If I forced it, I could probably break free, but I wasn’t confident about dealing with the aftermath.
So, we stood there, fingers intertwined, in a public place for quite some time, and naturally, the scene was captured and spread on social media.
Someone had even recorded a video of us, and it turned into a meme, garnering hundreds of thousands of views.
? Crazy, haha, that’s such an old-fashioned tactic. Someone actually does that? But why does it make me more excited watching them?
? Isn’t that usually something old guys do? But when a girl does it first, it feels completely different. So this is what they call fox behavior.
? Foxy.
Since the video was shot from the left behind me, it captured Kim Eun-ha’s coquettish smile perfectly as she intertwined our fingers.
As a result, Kim Eun-ha’s presence, which had faded since the poster release, surged again, and stories about her identity started to spread.
? I’ve seen that person somewhere.
? She’s the boss of Mirae Department Store.
? Really?
? Yeah, seems right if you look it up. She’s the granddaughter of the Mirae Group Chairman. Wow, she’s pretty and comes from a powerful family? The world is truly unfair.
? Kim Eun-ha… A woman with everything—looks, body, money, family. But I, Byeon Pil-kyu, 32nd descendant of the Wonju Byeon clan, cannot have her.
? Yeah, even if she gave herself to you, you wouldn’t take her~
There were many amusing comments that were fun to read. Of course, there were some nasty comments too, but they were surprisingly few.
? I went to high school with Kim Eun-ha, and that’s all plastic surgery and makeup. You’d be shocked if you saw the original.
? You’re just trying to slander her. Kim Eun-ha was called a goddess even in middle and high school. Besides, you should delete your comment. Seriously, for your own sake.
? Why should I? Are you Kim Eun-ha herself?
? Do you think the Mirae Group’s legal team is a joke? They’ve been managed by Park & Jang from way back. And they don’t need money, so if you get caught, they won’t go easy on you.
That comment was deleted soon after, but it had already been captured and widely shared.
There had been previous publicized cases of mass lawsuits, which had cleaned up the comment sections nicely. It shows that money indeed has its perks.
‘So that’s why they took action on that side.’
I always thought they would make a move eventually. Rather, it felt like everyone except Secretary Baek was taking too long.
Of course, Kim Eun-ha must have been doing various things behind the scenes, but this blind date seemed like something beyond her control.
This meant someone powerful was moving. Based on Kim Eun-ha’s earlier words, it was obvious who the other party was.
‘Chairman Park Min-chul of Daehan Group.’
Mirae Group is indisputably the number one in the country, but the only group known to be on par with them is Daehan Group.
In fact, Mirae Group’s Chairman Kim Seok-ho and Chairman Park Min-chul recognize each other as rivals.
Despite this, they are quite close, often dining together or hosting joint events.
If he made the move personally, it would have been difficult for Kim Eun-ha to refuse in many ways.
“But Beta. No, I think I heard that Park Ji-hoon ssi is currently in Germany. Something about a technological collaboration to globalize Daehan Motors.”
“He’s coming back briefly.”
“…Not because of the blind date, right?”
“The possibility isn’t zero.”
Kim Eun-ha shrugged as she put down her teacup. Seeing it empty, it seemed she was quite thirsty despite her calm demeanor.
“Do you have a reason to refuse?”
“I have a date with my boyfriend that day.”
“…That’s a perfect plan.”
“I think so too.”
“So what’s the real plan?”
“I just told you.”
“?
?”
We looked at each other simultaneously, as if we had planned it, with expressions that seemed to ask what on earth we were talking about.
The result was that I astonishingly realized Kim Eun-ha’s plan of ‘having a date with her boyfriend’ was genuinely her plan.
“Do you think that will work?”
“I’ll make it work.”
“How?”
“Hmm. For now, I thought we could take a light trip to Japan. If I’m not here when he arrives in Korea, he won’t be able to meet me.”
“…Japan?”
It was really refreshing to hear her talk about going abroad as if she were going for a stroll in the neighborhood. The only plane I had ever been on was the one to Jeju Island during a school trip.
“I have a shoot next week.”
“You don’t film on weekends.”
“The script has changed too.”
“You can memorize it all in a day.”
This woman was serious.
This was 100% serious.
I couldn’t believe someone would actually go through with an overseas escape just to avoid a blind date. And I had to be the person involved.
Was it really such a simple problem that could be solved just by avoiding the meeting? When I pointed this out, Kim Eun-ha answered smoothly, as if she had expected it.
“The current situation of Daehan Group isn’t very good. They made a substantial investment in the electric vehicle battery industry, but it got rejected in the US.”
“So Park Ji-hoon’s project in Germany is crucial and he can’t afford to be away for long?”
“That’s right.”
Nod-
Kim Eun-ha acknowledged it calmly. However, there was still one question lingering in my mind.
“On the contrary, doesn’t that mean he considers this blind date important enough to put his project on hold and come back?”
“…Sometimes, I can’t tell if I’m talking to Woo-ju or Kang Joo-heon from the drama.”
Sigh-
Kim Eun-ha sighed deeply, uncharacteristically. It meant that my assumption was correct. She continued her explanation to prove it.
“As known to the public, the relationship between Mirae Group and Daehan Group isn’t bad. But that’s strictly in a business partner sense.”
“······.”
“With the global economic downturn and complicated national affairs, our group’s situation has worsened, but Daehan Group is worse off. They invested too much in the automobile industry recently, so they’re short on cash.”
“If an incident occurs before the automobile industry stabilizes, it would be very troublesome. The only company that can help with this issue domestically is Mirae Group.”
“That’s about right.”
Daehan Group needs cash.
But because of their massive size, there aren’t many companies domestically that can act as their safety net.
‘At best, only Mirae Group.’
However, Mirae Group’s economic situation is not favorable either. Listening to Kim Eun-ha, it seems they have enough cash to support Daehan Group.
‘But they have no reason or obligation to do so.’
No matter how long they’ve worked together or how good their relationship seems, in the end, they are competitors and rivals.
Especially since the automotive sector, where Mirae Group has faced bitter defeats, is an area where they haven’t extended their influence. They probably don’t have much affection for Daehan Motors.
‘But what if Kim Eun-ha and Park Ji-hoon get married?’
Chairman Kim Seok-ho and Chairman Park Min-chul would become in-laws. Through this familial tie, they would gain a legitimate reason to help each other.
In the end, the two of them would serve as a bridge for their respective groups to exchange what they need.
“So you want me to ruin this important blind date?”
“You did take my money.”
“…Poverty is a sin. A real sin.”
I tried to swallow a sigh and picked up my teacup, only to find it empty. I must have drunk it all without realizing it.
“Let me pour you more.”
“Thank you.”
Kim Eun-ha reached over and naturally took my teacup to refill it. It was a peaceful everyday moment, like the calm before a storm.
******
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