* * *

Jihoon awkwardly glanced at Yeongdeok’s face, seeing the utterly emotionless expression staring back at him.

Jihoon hadn’t expected some grand reaction like tears or gratitude, but he couldn’t help feeling a bit let down.

“Don’t just stand there, blow out the candles.”

“You mean me?”

“Well, who else here has a birthday today?”

“I thought this birthday nonsense was over. It’s still going?”

From his mumbled words, Jihoon realized that Yeongdeok saw his birthday as nothing more than another meaningless day, like Christmas or New Year’s.

Since Yeongdeok showed no signs of blowing out the candles, Jihoon simply set the cake down on the table.

“And… I also brought seaweed soup.”

Jihoon rummaged through a plastic bag and pulled out a container filled with seaweed soup, placing it in front of Yeongdeok.

Staring blankly at the cake and soup, Yeongdeok asked, as if he didn’t understand.

“Why are you doing all this? Do you expect something from me?”

“What?”

“You and I are neighbors or maybe just work colleagues at best. Why are you doing this? I can’t understand.”

Yeongdeok’s face was as expressionless as ever, but it seemed like he was genuinely seeking an explanation.

“Do you want something in return for the effort you’ve put in?”

“It’s not like that. Why do you always say things that hurt…?”

Jihoon wasn’t sure whether to be angry that Yeongdeok was belittling his kindness or that he was drawing such a clear line between them.

He bit his lower lip in frustration.

“If it’s not that, then what’s the reason?”

“I just… because you…”

“Because I?”

Jihoon stopped talking, his words catching in his throat.

‘Come to think of it, why did I go this far? I could have just given the menu design as a gift and ended it with a “happy birthday”.’

When Jihoon didn’t answer, a faint sigh escaped through Yeongdeok’s lips.

“As I thought, you can’t give me an answer.”

“Damn it. I don’t know. I don’t even know what we’re talking about anymore.”

Why can’t you just say thank you?

Jihoon clenched his twitching fingers, realizing once again how he and Yeongdeok just didn’t get along.

“So, you’re not going to blow out the candles?”

“If I leave them like this, there’s a fire hazard, so I’ll blow them out.”

“Yeah, and make a wish too.”

“A wish? If wishes alone could make everyone’s dreams come true, then no one would need to make any effort in this world…”

“Shut up and just blow out the candles.”

At Jihoon’s urging, Yeongdeok looked at the flickering candles on the cake.

A birthday is just a day that comes once a year because you happened to be born.

It could never mean more than that… or could it?

‘Do you know what day it is today? Hmm… More importantly, Dowon, which necklace do you think would suit Father’s birthday tomorrow?’

With a strange feeling of lightness in his chest, Yeongdeok pondered this sensation as he blew out the candles.

As the candles on the cake went out, Jihoon awkwardly clapped.

“Happy birthday.”

“I’ve lost count of how many times you’ve said that. Once should have been enough.”

“You complain so damn much… Let’s just eat breakfast.”

Jihoon began setting out the rice and side dishes he had brought along with the seaweed soup.

“But I already had bread for breakfast.”

“What? Just eat it. You’re supposed to have seaweed soup on your birthday.”

“That’s not an official law or anything…”

Despite his complaints, Yeongdeok quietly sat down at the table and took out a spoon.

As he took a bite of the seaweed soup, Yeongdeok felt an odd sensation, as if his stomach was swelling, perhaps from the meal filling his already full stomach.

But strangely, it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling. He let out a faint smile while Jihoon’s eyes were on the soup bowl.

ꔚ

At a hotel where a party celebrating Chairman Cha Heesuk’s birthday was being held, the invited guests were mostly family or close acquaintances.

The people in the grand ballroom, dressed in elegant attire, were all busy congratulating the chairman on his birthday and wishing him long-lasting health.

Seonwoo, who had attended due to his father, greeted Chairman Cha first before scanning the spacious ballroom.

Even after looking around, he didn’t see any sign of Yeongdeok.

As Seonwoo checked his watch, waiting for Yeongdeok to arrive, Yeongdeok finally pulled up in a truck in front of the hotel.

After turning off the engine and stepping out of the rattling truck, Yeongdeok’s outfit was nothing short of shocking.

People who appeared to be hotel guests glanced at him with curious looks.

Yeongdeok wore an orange sweatshirt with carrots printed all over it, layered with a flamingo-pink fur jacket, floral pants, sleep socks, and three-striped slippers.

“Finally here,” Yeongdeok muttered, glancing at the hotel through heart-shaped sunglasses.

He cradled the chicken bouquet in his arms as he made his way to the second-floor ballroom, as indicated on the invitation.

As Yeongdeok neared the ballroom, his shabby and suspicious appearance caught the attention of the stern-looking security guards who blocked the entrance.

“Do you have an invitation?”

The guards sized him up and down.

In response, Yeongdeok removed his sunglasses and smirked.

“You’ve already forgotten my face in just a few months? Your memory is terrible.”

Hearing the familiar, rude tone, the guards’ eyes widened.

One of them, on the right, looked as if he’d seen a ghost.

“Could it be… Director Cha?”

“It’s been a while. But I’m no longer Director Cha.”

The guards stood there, stunned by Yeongdeok’s dramatic transformation, unable to close their gaping mouths.

Thinking they lacked professionalism, Yeongdeok confidently showed them his invitation.

“Can I go in now?”

“Uh… yes, please… go ahead.”

The guard on the left answered hesitantly, opening the door wide.

As the door creaked open, Yeongdeok stepped into the ballroom.

The lights inside the ballroom, decorated like a wedding venue minus the aisle, were so bright they pierced through his eyelids.

Yeongdeok squinted slightly before his eyes adjusted.

The room was adorned with various flowers, and a table on one side was piled high with delectable treats.

As Yeongdeok made his entrance, all eyes turned to him.

Ignoring the stares, Yeongdeok focused solely on finding Chairman Cha’s location.

That’s when a familiar voice reached his ears.

“What on earth are you wearing?”

Turning his head, Yeongdeok saw his eldest brother, Cha Dogun, with his cold, sharp face.

Standing next to him was their cousin, Cha Sihoo.

“What’s this? You threw a fit with Grandfather and left the company, and now you’ve crawled back looking like a beggar? How’d you even get an invitation?”

Starting trouble right away, huh?

Yeongdeok recalled one of the characteristics of the obsessive, possessive type—the “bad relationship with family”—and gave them a purposely relaxed smile.

“The cute youngest has arrived, and no one’s here to welcome me?”

“What? Cute youngest? Are you out of your mind?”

Well, leaving after pulling that stunt with Grandfather was proof enough that you’d lost your mind.

Cha Sihoo clicked his tongue and shook his head.

Yeongdeok stepped closer to him, lowering his gaze with a sweet smile.

Sensing the threat, Sihoo awkwardly took a step back, glaring up at him with wide eyes.

“Back as the family disgrace, huh? Aren’t you embarrassed walking around looking like that?”

Dogun spoke with an icy tone, pushing up his small, silver-rimmed glasses with his middle finger in disdain.

Seeing his brothers after so long made Yeongdeok laugh out loud.

He pulled a chicken flyer from his crossbody bag and stuck it onto Dogun’s forehead.

The flyer, lacking adhesive, fluttered to the floor.

“What are you doing?”

“Advertising chicken. Can’t you see your little brother’s thoughtful gesture of offering you something delicious?”

“Your behavior’s become even more ridiculous in the time you’ve been gone.”

Dogun’s brow furrowed deeply in irritation, and Yeongdeok thought to himself—there’s no way I’ll ever get along with these guys; just seeing them makes me sick.

So, he decided to act as he always did.

“Though you say that, I know you were the happiest when I left the company.”

“…What are you implying?”

“Exactly what you think I mean.”

At Yeongdeok’s teasing provocation, Dogun’s forehead veins bulged.

* * *