* * *
For some reason, he felt the urge to hide.
Family gatherings were unfamiliar to Junhee, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was an intruder in a private event.
On top of that, the unique aura and pheromones emanating from these people were something he had never encountered before.
“He’s my partner.”
Ki Taeryu’s answer was so curt it was almost anticlimactic.
“Partner?”
“Did you say Taeryu’s partner?”
An older man chimed in.
Despite their curiosity, Ki Taeryu offered no further explanation.
He pulled out a chair at the edge of the table and gestured for Junhee to sit.
When Ki Taeryu sat beside him, some of the attention was deflected.
“Taeryu, what kind of partner are you talking about?”
Finally, an older woman, unable to resist her curiosity, asked again.
“I mean what I said. Do you not know what a ‘partner’ is?”
The atmosphere instantly chilled. Junhee felt a shiver run down his spine.
Even though it was Ki Taeryu, he thought he would at least be different with his family.
But he was no different from how he usually was.
“You brat! How dare you speak like that to your own mother!”
The middle-aged man’s temper flared, but Ki Taeryu calmly replied.
“Haven’t you brought three partners here yourself, uncle? Or was it five, if you count the engagements?”
“You little…!”
The man shot up from his seat, veins bulging on his forehead, but two others quickly restrained him.
“Please, stop, dear.”
The table quickly became noisy.
It hadn’t even been five minutes since they sat down, but Junhee’s mind was already full of regret for coming here.
Was there really no way to escape?
As he scanned his surroundings, the commotion abruptly stopped with someone’s entrance.
“Taeryu, whenever you come, Hyunwol Hall becomes quite lively, doesn’t it?”
The voice was firm, as if it carried authority.
“You’ve arrived.”
“Ah, Father, you’re here?”
Junhee’s gaze turned toward an elderly man with white hair slicked back.
Their eyes met for a brief moment.
A tiger… No, a goblin.
His stubborn-looking, graying eyebrows stood tall like a mountain.
Junhee’s shoulders stiffened.
“Who’s this?”
“He’s with me,” Taeryu replied.
The old man stroked his chin and took a seat at the head of the table, his gaze never leaving Junhee.
Junhee, who had been tight-lipped until now, couldn’t stay silent anymore.
“…Hello. I’m Yoo Junhee.”
Since the moment the old man looked at him, Junhee didn’t care about any of the other stares he’d been receiving.
All his energy was consumed by handling just that one gaze.
It was a cold sensation, as if he were being scrutinized inside and out.
It felt like the moment he first faced Ki Taeryu all over again.
A strict voice pierced his ears.
“I heard you’re our Taeryu’s partner?”
As Junhee hesitated, unsure of what to say, Ki Taeryu answered on his behalf.
“Let’s start with the meal. You can ask your questions later.”
“I wasn’t asking you, Taeryu.”
“Isn’t the main guest of honor today your nephew? I don’t mind, but it might be rude to the guest he brought.”
As soon as Taeryu finished speaking, a middle-aged man cleared his throat.
“Right, let’s eat first. Where’s Beom?”
“He couldn’t make it due to the Synux acquisition. They moved up the schedule unexpectedly, so…”
“That boy sure is putting effort into a business that doesn’t seem worth much.”
“No, Father. Beom’s been expanding numerous innovative ventures since taking on the vice president role. Synux is already leading the overseas market, with total foreign revenue surpassing our entire domestic market. If everything goes as planned—”
“Tell him to stop messing around and not to cause any more trouble. If I see his name in the papers one more time, I’ll shave his head and send him to a temple.”
The old man didn’t just look like a goblin—he acted like one too.
Though he only said a few words, his presence was overwhelming.
Now Junhee understood who held real power here, and exactly who Ki Taeryu took after.
“The food’s getting cold. Let’s dig in.”
As soon as the old man picked up his utensils, the meal began.
Among the unfamiliar colorful dishes, Junhee spotted one he liked.
‘The short ribs look delicious.’
The sight of the food made his hunger suddenly hit him.
After all, he’d exhausted his energy running around shopping, something he didn’t normally do.
But despite the hunger, it wasn’t easy to pick up his chopsticks.
‘…This is uncomfortable.’
The gathering of unfamiliar faces made him uneasy, and the worsening condition of his wrist as the evening went on wasn’t helping either.
He had only taken a few spoonfuls of soup when a piece of short rib landed on his plate.
Turning his head, he saw Ki Taeryu staring right at him.
“Should I feed you?”
“…No.”
Junhee quietly replied and brought the short rib to his mouth.
As he took a bite, his fingers trembled slightly.
Every member of Ki Taeryu’s family, except for him, was staring at Junhee with their mouths wide open.
Their faces were filled with shock.
The man they called “Uncle” looked like his jaw was about to hit the table.
“What else do you want to eat? Just tell me.”
“No, I’m fine. I’ll eat on my own.”
Junhee swallowed the short rib along with his desire to dig a hole and hide.
After the meal, the air had grown quite chilly.
They moved to the sarangchae (men’s quarters).
Junhee hoped they might send him off for some family bonding time, but that was wishful thinking.
He sat uncomfortably on a cushion, staring at the mother-of-pearl decorations in front of him.
“Father, we’re trying to expedite the wedding as much as possible…”
“With your grandsons still unmarried, how many times do you plan to get married?”
“…Father.”
At Chairman Ki’s scolding, Ki Buseong, Taeryu’s uncle, turned red, while Ki Taeryu’s expression brightened.
“She’s listening, so could you refrain from saying such things?”
“What? Do you think I’m wrong? She already knows what you’re like and is still willing to marry you. What do you expect me to say now?”
“Obviously, we’re here to get your approval, Father.”
“Approval? Ha— approval? Ha! What, if I say no here, are you going to cancel the wedding? You’ve already gone ahead with everything, and now you come asking for approval! You stubborn mule of a man!”
Ki Buseong’s face had now turned the color of dried red peppers.
Ki Taeryu, still amused, twisted his lips and nodded subtly every time Chairman Ki finished a sentence.
As Ki Buseong glared sharply at Taeryu, his gaze eventually reached Junhee.
Junhee had done nothing wrong, but for some reason, he felt like he was caught in the crossfire.
At the same time, a thought crossed his mind.
‘Could it be that Taeryu brought me here just to…’
He might have needed a spectator to witness Ki Buseong’s scolding.
It was simple when Junhee thought back to school days.
Being scolded in front of friends was much more humiliating than being called aside alone by the teacher.
Especially if the person watching was someone brought in by a nephew, no less.
“Father, now that we’re on the subject, this person’s family is quite outstanding. They’re all top-class Alpha and Omega bloodlines. A marriage with their family would be the quickest path to…”
Ki Buseong’s voice lowered as he glared at Taeryu.
“…the true pureblood lineage you desire, Father.”
For some reason, Taeryu’s gaze cooled at those words, but it was only for a moment.
Ki Taeryu’s mother, Hong Yeonggyeong, who had been quietly observing, now chimed in to support Ki Buseong.
“Father, Brother-in-law is right. He does so much for the company as its core. Naturally, he’ll need a supportive wife. It’s always good to have more family, isn’t it? It gives us an excuse to gather for meals like this. I’m also happy that I’ll have a sister-in-law to help with family rituals.”
Eventually, Chairman Ki’s tone softened as he asked.
“And this new daughter-in-law, which family is she from?”
Chairman Ki finally asked about the Omega that Ki Buseong had brought.
“Our family runs the Dain Medical Foundation, Father.”
The woman, unfazed by the sudden question, calmly replied, her eyes sharp and intelligent.
‘Dain…’
Junhee had heard of that famous hospital.
It specialized in examinations and surgeries for those with special traits and was also well-known for its government-sponsored support programs.
Junhee’s complexion grew paler, and his body stiffened.
“Father, do you know who her father is? He’s none other than Professor Do, the renowned surgeon and head of the hospital. Naturally, she’s also a doctor.”
Chairman Ki’s gaze toward the new daughter-in-law, Do Sehee, shifted slightly.
It was still a far cry from treating her as a full-fledged person, but now he at least regarded her as one.
Though Do Sehee quietly received Chairman Ki’s gaze, Ki Buseong’s face grew tenser.
Chairman Ki finally sighed and made his decision.
“Take care of the wedding arrangements as you see fit. Keep it quiet and make sure no reporters get wind of it. Isn’t a small wedding in vogue these days?”
“Thank you, Father.”
“Father, wouldn’t a hotel be a better choice for the ceremony? After all, this is her first marriage, and her family would want to maintain their dignity…”
“Think about my dignity before you worry about theirs, you idiot!”
“F-Father!”
Just as Chairman Ki was about to hurl his teacup in rage, Ki Buseong clamped his mouth shut.
‘Sigh… what a life.’
Chairman Ki groaned, rubbing his temples as he gulped down the now cold tea.
Before his anger could fully subside, he turned his stern gaze on someone else.
“Taeryu. When are you planning to get married?”
* * *
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