IDMPYU 34

34. Letting Things Go Freely Really Twists Everything Up
The school was quiet due to the break. Seungho, striding confidently with long steps, stopped in front of an office. Through the open door, he saw a familiar face.

Knock knock knock.

He deliberately knocked on the door. A woman with glasses, sitting at a desk with a nameplate that read “Assistant,” looked up.

It was Choi Sooyoung, his cousin.

“Oh my, isn’t that Seungho? Shin Seungho!”

Sooyoung instantly recognized him and pretended to be delighted. Although they weren’t very close compared to other relatives, to Sooyoung, Shin Seungho was something of a benefactor.

It was Seungho who introduced her to well-regarded people in academia when she was dreaming of becoming a professor. That connection had paved the way for her. He had inherited only the best traits from his parents and was famous among the family for it.

“I heard you were in the UK. When did you come back? What brings you here? Visiting a friend?”

Instead of answering her barrage of questions, Seungho just smiled softly. Sooyoung stared at him blankly for a moment before murmuring,

“You’ve gotten even more handsome.”

The young boy she remembered was now a striking man, so impressive that she hesitated to approach. The once-quiet office suddenly became busy as students kept coming in and out.

Most had flimsy excuses for visiting—questions about graduation credits or thesis topics—but all their eyes were focused on Seungho.

Sooyoung understood. A guy this handsome was rare on any campus.

Though, to be fair, someone like Shin Seungho would be rare anywhere.

While she busily handled work, Seungho wandered over to the wide office window and looked out as if admiring the snowy campus landscape.

“This is nice. The school.”

“What’s nice about it…”

Sooyoung chuckled awkwardly and handed him a coffee from the vending machine. Seungho took the steaming paper cup and gazed out the window until the coffee cooled.

“Did you see the notice? They must’ve sent it here, too.”

“Oh, you mean the one from the Whale Foundation?”

Sooyoung searched through her file organizer and pulled out a document.

“They’re hiring interns, right? Looks like there’ll be a lot of applicants.”

Even though the internship was contract-based, the pay and benefits were better than most companies. After reading the notice closely, Sooyoung shook her head.

“The qualifications are a bit steep.”

“That’s the baseline.”

“I wonder if there’s even a Whale Foundation student at this school.”

The establishment of the foundation had caused quite a stir in their family a few years ago. Do Surin’s pride and idol, Shin Seungho, wasn’t just blessed with good looks—his intelligence was extraordinary.

While others asked for real estate or cars as college entrance gifts, Seungho asked his parents to help him establish a foundation. He said he wanted to nurture talent.

Was it an altruistic mindset? Hardly.

Seungho maintained close relationships with the talents he supported. To him, top-tier individuals were golden geese. They unknowingly shared information about their fields of research, and he used that intel to make bold investments.

Unlike his other siblings, who were content studying business and waiting to inherit the company, he took a very different route.

“There is someone…”

“Huh? What did you say?”

Sooyoung shook off her thoughts at his low, but confident tone.

“There’s a student the foundation supports here.”

She tilted her head in confusion. The Whale Foundation usually sponsored students in biotechnology, so it made no sense for them to support a future teacher.

“Think again. I’m sure someone’s here.”

“Wait a second…”

She was about to deny it outright but paused and sat in front of the computer. The disdainful look in Seungho’s eyes, as if she were an incompetent employee, spurred her into action.

After typing in student records, she let out a surprised sigh.

“Oh, her? I never would’ve guessed.”

Seungho waited silently for her to continue.

“Choi Jihyun, fourth-year? She’s a Whale Foundation scholar?”

As expected, Sooyoung was pretty shocked. Without saying much, Seungho’s eyes gleamed with interest.

“How’s her school life?”

“Jihyun? She’s fine. Good grades…”

“Is she dating anyone?”

His casual question made Sooyoung furrow her brows in thought.

“Dating… I don’t think she has a boyfriend.”

“Really?”

A faint smirk tugged at his lips.

“Yeah. She seems popular among her classmates and upperclassmen though…”

At Sooyoung’s added comment, Seungho clicked his tongue in disapproval.

“Letting her run free really did cause a lot of mess, huh.”

With a clearly displeased expression, he spoke slowly.

“Can you contact Jihyun? As a foundation scholar, she’d be a great fit for the internship.”

His eyes softened slightly at the mention of her name. His tone was unusually gentle, but his gaze remained as sharp as ever.

*

Jihyun let out a deep sigh as she checked her appearance in the full-length mirror.

Her hair was neatly tied in a ponytail, a crisp white shirt tucked into black slacks. She looked like your average rookie employee. But there was a problem.

Meeting Shin Seungho as her boss was one of the biggest crises in her life.

Even after eight years, the lunatic was still a lunatic.

“Seungho studied in London for quite a while. Since he’s just returned, there’s a lot he doesn’t know. I think that’s why he’s hiring a personal assistant as an intern. He’s very professional, so don’t be nervous. Just do your best.”

Assistant Sooyoung clearly had no clue what kind of person her cousin really was.

Jihyun recalled the previous day. That sculpted, emotionless face watching her held only one expression:

Hostility.

To Seungho, Choi Jihyun wasn’t a fond memory like a forgotten bookmark—she was prey.

‘He won’t actually eat me, right?’

It was time to head out. Brushing away her dark thoughts, Jihyun put on her coat and steeled herself in front of the mirror.

“Just think about the paycheck. You can do this!”

But as soon as she stepped outside, her eyes widened in disbelief.

A sleek black luxury sedan—nothing she’d ever seen in her neighborhood—was waiting for her.

In the driver’s seat, surprisingly, was not a chauffeur but Shin Seungho himself.

Realizing the situation, Jihyun hurried into the passenger seat.

“Wh-what are you doing here?”

“You’re late.”

She wasn’t late at all.

In fact, she was early—but Seungho spoke curtly as if she’d been tardy.

Jihyun felt wrongfully accused for the first time in ages.

“I thought we were meeting somewhere else…”

“…”

She tried to protest, but he simply accelerated. Jihyun rolled her eyes and observed him as he drove.

Even in a casual sweater, his physique had stood out, but now, in a perfectly tailored suit, he was stunning. Not a single shirt button undone, his tie perfectly in place—he looked like a man of restraint.

Feeling it was dangerous to look longer, Jihyun turned her head toward the window.

Their destination was a tech valley just outside of Seoul. In front of a prominent pharmaceutical company, Seungho waited.

“Hyung!”

A researcher in a white coat spotted him and called out cheerfully. Seungho waved, welcoming him.

“I thought you were still in London. I was shocked to hear from you.”

“I’m here briefly for work.”

The two moved to a café and invited Jihyun to order drinks. After that, they spoke in hushed voices.

“So, about the immune compound pk-3no, it’s best to clarify things now. I mean…”

“Getting FDA approval isn’t easy.”

Standing slightly away with the drinks, Jihyun watched Seungho with new eyes. When working, he seemed different—serious, yet effortlessly smooth.

As he leaned back on the sofa and exchanged confidential talks, he seemed both calm and commanding. He met several more researchers.

While assisting from the background, Jihyun realized that everyone he met had once been supported by the scholarship foundation.

Everyone except her.

They were all future assets who would earn him money.

After a long day of networking with a smile, Seungho seemed a bit tired. He dropped her off at a subway station without even a goodbye.

It was a strange and unfamiliar day. Jihyun was just thankful he hadn’t abandoned her in the tech valley.

She ended her chaotic first workday with a meeting with her friend Miri.

After entering college, Jihyun had reconnected with Miri through Hajun. Though Miri had felt betrayed by her sudden disappearance, she quickly welcomed Jihyun back.

They stayed in close contact ever since, and Miri was genuinely happy about Jihyun’s job—

Until she learned who her boss was.

“What? Shin Seungho? You mean that Northern Duke?!”

Startled, Miri slammed her beer glass down on the table.

“It’s been a while since I heard that nickname.”

Jihyun replied dryly.

‘Come to think of it, the Northern Duke was the character who bossed people around and tormented them…’

She munched on peanuts with a smirk, but Miri, being a web novel fan, was clearly thinking differently—her eyes sparkled.

“So what happened when you met? Did you kiss?”

Mid-sip, Jihyun choked and spewed beer.

“W-what?! What did you say?!”