Chapter 1
“Are you seriously telling me to get married for such a ridiculous reason?”
In-hyuk sighed as he rubbed the deep crease between his eyebrows.
But even after hearing his grandson’s reaction, Gi-seop calmly continued.
“That’s right. I’m lucky that I finally have a chance to repay the debt I’ve carried for so long.”
“Why are you making me pay back your debt? This country doesn’t even have guilt by association.”
In-hyuk didn’t back down. He answered every word without giving in.
Gi-seop clicked his tongue to himself and changed his approach.
He suddenly drooped his eyebrows and held his chest.
“That poor child lost the last family member she had, her grandfather. I want to become her family.”
“Then just adopt her. I’ll happily call her my aunt.”
In-hyuk shrugged and offered another idea.
“Or she can be my younger sister.”
“No! Hae-yoon’s roots belong to my older brother! I can’t take that away from him!”
How could he be so traditional about that, yet try to arrange someone else’s marriage however he wanted?
Even that annoyed In-hyuk.
Before he could respond, Gi-seop spoke first.
“It would only hurt that child. Absolutely not!”
In-hyuk let out an unbelieving laugh.
The reason they were having this absurd conversation was because of Gi-seop’s “life saver,” a person he never got tired of talking about during company events, magazine interviews, and even private gatherings.
“After the war, I had lost my whole family and wandered around alone. My older brother took me in. If it weren’t for him, there would be no Do Gi-seop and no DY Group!”
In-hyuk had heard that story so many times his ears could bleed.
At a time when even family members abandoned each other, that kind man had accepted Gi-seop as family.
“If only I hadn’t lost contact with my older brother’s family…”
After Gi-seop moved to Seoul, his older brother’s family went through a terrible tragedy and became scattered. They had lost contact ever since.
If that hadn’t happened, Gi-seop would have had many chances to repay his kindness himself.
That regret had remained a deep wound in his heart.
“They must have known about DY Group… They probably didn’t come because they were afraid of becoming a burden… They suffered all alone…”
“Anyway, I have no intention of taking responsibility for your debt.”
In-hyuk quickly cut him off.
He knew the same story was about to be repeated for the thousandth time.
Gi-seop sniffled for a moment, then narrowed his eyes and wiped away the tears gathering with a handkerchief.
“I’ll change my will. I’ll transfer more shares to you.”
For a moment, In-hyuk paused.
Gi-seop smiled to himself.
In-hyuk always thought like a businessman. There was no way he’d ignore a profitable deal.
Sure enough, unlike before, In-hyuk didn’t react so sharply.
“I still won’t do it.”
Even so, he rejected the offer.
“Whatever debt you owe, you should repay it yourself.”
It was obvious from his expression that he thought this meeting had only wasted his time.
“Do you even know how old I am?”
In-hyuk glanced up after checking the time on his watch.
“I should at least live long enough to see my grandson get married! I need to see you living happily with a good woman before I can die peacefully!”
When nothing else worked, he was now bringing up his age.
In-hyuk chuckled.
“Congratulations, Chairman. Looks like you’ll live a very long life because you won’t be able to die peacefully.”
“What? Do In-hyuk!”
Trying to stay calm had finally failed.
Gi-seop shouted angrily.
Grumbling, he grabbed the back of his neck and fell against the sofa.
“Oh… Oh…”
After watching his grandfather’s dramatic personality for thirty-three years, In-hyuk didn’t even blink.
He remained completely calm.
“I know you don’t have high blood pressure.”
Gi-seop even held his breath to make his acting more convincing before sitting up again.
“Ahem…! I’m just asking you to meet her once. Our Hae-yoon is kind and beautiful. If you meet her, you’ll change your mind…”
“It sounds like you’re finished talking. I’ll be leaving now.”
“In-hyuk! Do In-hyuk! Then what do I have to do before you’ll agree to marry? Huh?”
Ignoring his desperate grandfather’s calls, In-hyuk walked out of the study.
* * *
“Oh.”
Hae-yoon had been waiting outside the study because she could hear voices inside.
When the door suddenly opened, she stepped back.
A tall man, almost as big as the doorway, walked out.
He gave off an overwhelming presence.
Even though she had done nothing wrong, she felt intimidated.
On top of that, she could feel his steady gaze fixed on her.
Without realizing it, she curled her toes inside her shoes, making her legs tense.
“You’re Yoon Hae-yoon, right?”
She had been looking down, but his deep voice made her raise her head.
One of In-hyuk’s eyebrows lifted slightly.
So the old man hadn’t been exaggerating just to catch his attention.
Just as Gi-seop had said, Hae-yoon was beautiful.
Not that beauty alone would make him agree to marry her.
Still, she was more attractive than he had expected.
He held out his hand.
“I’m Do In-hyuk.”
Hae-yoon politely reached out her hand.
If his surname was Do, he must be Chairman Gi-seop’s family member.
Thinking about their likely relationship based on his age, she shook his hand.
“Hello. I’m Yoon Hae-yoon.”
An awkward silence settled between them.
She gently bit her lip.
“You’re here to see Grandfather, right?”
“Yes.”
“Please go in.”
In-hyuk stepped aside.
The tightly closed door was now in front of her.
After giving him a small bow, Hae-yoon knocked and opened the door.
Only after she entered did In-hyuk turn away and leave.
Hae-yoon watched him walk off before going inside the study.
“Chairman.”
Gi-seop was still sitting on the sofa, pressing his fingers against his aching forehead.
But the moment he heard her voice, his face brightened.
“Oh, Hae-yoon. You’re here?”
It was a warm smile completely different from the expression he had worn while arguing with In-hyuk.
At his gesture, Hae-yoon quickly walked over.
Gently stroking the back of her hand, Gi-seop invited her to sit beside him.
The reason Hae-yoon had become connected with Do Gi-seop, the owner of DY Group, someone she had never imagined meeting in her life, was because of her grandfather, Yoon Tae-soo.
After Tae-soo passed away, she found a letter while organizing his belongings.
It explained his relationship with Gi-seop.
In the letter, Tae-soo apologized for never contacting him because he feared his difficult situation would only burden Gi-seop.
He also wrote that he had missed Gi-seop all his life.
It was practically his last message.
Hae-yoon believed the letter should be delivered to Gi-seop.
After thinking about it carefully, she contacted DY Group.
That was how their connection began.
“Hae-yoon. You know I think of you as my own granddaughter, don’t you?”
Gi-seop said he owed Tae-soo a great debt from the past.
Now that Hae-yoon was left completely alone, he wanted to take responsibility for her.
Even though she insisted she was already twenty-eight years old and could take care of herself, Gi-seop refused to change his mind.
“Hae-yoon, I simply want to become a dependable family for you, just as your grandfather became family for me.”
Part of it was because Tae-soo had asked him to look after Hae-yoon, who had no close relatives.
But it was also Gi-seop’s sincere wish.
His kindness reminded her so much of her grandfather.
Her nose stung as she tried not to cry.
“That’s why…”
His wrinkled hand gently patted the back of hers.
“Have you ever thought about getting married?”
“…What?”
The question came completely out of nowhere.
She looked up in surprise.
Marriage?
To whom?
It was such an unexpected question that, after hearing him talk about becoming her family, she briefly wondered if he meant himself.
“My grandson.”
“Oh… Ah… your grandson.”
What on earth had she been imagining?
Embarrassed by her own thoughts, she laughed awkwardly.
Gi-seop misunderstood her reaction and hurriedly explained.
“Hae-yoon, the world isn’t easy. Even if someone doesn’t do anything special for you, even if you’re only connected by a piece of paper, everyone needs a family.”
“I understand you’re worried about me, but I’m really fine. Besides, I’ve never once thought about getting married.”
“Then you can start thinking about it from today.”
“…Chairman.”
“Grandpa! I told you to call me Grandpa!”
He had said many times that calling him Chairman made him feel distant.
Maybe because of his position as the owner of DY Group, Hae-yoon still couldn’t treat him completely like family.
“How about meeting my grandson just once? He’s a decent kid. He’s also quite handsome. And he’s tall.”
“I already saw him outside.”
“You did?”
“Yes.”
“…Did you talk to him too?”
“Yes.”
Hae-yoon nodded.
It had only been for a moment, but it still counted as a conversation.
Gi-seop’s expression immediately darkened.
He slapped his forehead and let out a deep sigh.
“Oh no. That boy only looks good when he keeps his mouth shut.”
