* * *
‘Cough!’ Junhee let out a dry cough.
His wide eyes locked on Ki Taeryu, his gaze trembling with disbelief.
If his grandfather had misunderstood something, he was silently urging Taeryu to clear up the confusion immediately: that the pitiful guest sitting here was a business partner, not a marriage partner.
Taeryu met Junhee’s gaze calmly and responded in a composed tone, “Within three months.”
The one who gasped in shock wasn’t Chairman Ki, but Ki Buseong.
“What? Taeryu, you’re getting married in three months?”
Instead of reacting, Chairman Ki calculated the dates and then spoke, “Alright, then Buseong will have to delay his wedding.”
“But Father! I’m the one who came here today to get your approval, not Taeryu! I’ve been preparing for this meeting for months, running around taking care of everything, and now you’re just going to ignore all that?”
Buseong’s frustration boiled over, spilling out like a pot about to burst.
Watching his outburst, Chairman Ki let out a heavy sigh.
“Buseong, will you only start acting like a responsible adult right before you die?”
“Father!”
“Think for a second. You’re about to introduce a third daughter-in-law, and you think it’s appropriate to hold a hotel wedding? Any sane person wouldn’t even suggest something like that. I should’ve known better when your brother coddled you like a baby.”
Click! Chairman Ki clicked his tongue, his expression sour as if he had just swallowed something bitter.
“Why bring up my brother now?”
“Get your head straight, you fool. I intend to see my great-grandchildren before I die.”
Faced with Chairman Ki’s unyielding stance, Buseong clenched his fists, trembling in frustration.
It was obvious where his resentment was directed.
Junhee couldn’t believe what was happening.
It felt like being trapped in the middle of a storm, as if watching a train wreck unfold right before his eyes.
It was like being in a mafia film, staring down the barrel of a gun, helpless.
Just as he started to regret getting involved, realizing it was too late to escape, Chairman Ki delivered a final blow.
“Whether it’s your third or fourth marriage, do as you please. But if you think you’ll get married before Taeryu, know that I won’t be attending.”
Buseong’s veins bulged on his forehead, ready to burst.
But instead, it was his voice that exploded.
“Why do you always favor that bastard? He’s the one who’s caused so much trouble, taking down not just his own parents but even his brother!”
The atmosphere froze, as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped over the room.
The already tense mood reached its peak, yet Buseong didn’t stop there.
“You told me not to get into trouble, right? But who’s the real troublemaker here? Who’s the one who cracked someone’s head open?”
Junhee shrank back, his shoulders tensing as if he were a rabbit caught in the middle of a jungle full of predators.
But then, a sharp voice pierced through the fog of confusion.
“Calm yourself, Buseong,” Chairman Ki’s voice was low, but there was a dangerous glint in his eyes, like a predator ready to pounce.
Buseong stormed out of the room, panting heavily.
“Excuse me, Father, I’ll take my leave as well. I’ll visit again soon,” Do Sehee bowed respectfully and followed after him.
“Taeryu, I want to have a word with you. The rest of you may go.”
“…Yes, Father,” Hong Yeonggyeong also hurried out, leaving Junhee as the only remaining ‘uninvited guest.’
Junhee had planned to reveal that he was Taeryu’s matchmaker, but after the emotional blows he’d just taken, that thought had turned to ashes. His mind was now solely focused on escaping.
“I-I should get going too…”
“Sit down, son-in-law.”
Junhee froze.
‘Son-in-law? What?’
As soon as he heard Chairman Ki’s words, it felt like a cold frost had settled over his body.
His tongue felt frozen, unable to move, with only his eyes shifting nervously.
Could this be why Taeryu had brought him here?
Had he been baited into a trap with the promise of a good deal?
No, he couldn’t let this misunderstanding continue, no matter what might happen.
“No, I’m—”
“He’s not my fiancée.”
Taeryu cut in.
Chairman Ki’s eyes narrowed in confusion.
“What do you mean?”
“He’s not my fiancée, but the one who will find my marriage partner.”
“So, you’re saying this person isn’t my sonin-law?”
Junhee shivered once more.
“Yes, he’s my business partner. Specifically, my marriage business partner.”
“What? So you don’t even have a fiancée, and you were boasting about getting married in three months? You little rascal, are you trying to make a fool of your grandfather?”
“I will get married.”
“Still with this nonsense!”
Seeing Taeryu’s unwavering confidence, Chairman Ki eventually sighed in defeat.
“Dealing with you is enough to give me a headache. I scolded Buseong thinking you were serious, but it was just more of your foolish talk.”
He clicked his tongue in displeasure, turning his gaze to Junhee.
“And who exactly is this person who’s going to arrange your marriage? Some kind of matchmaking wizard?”
Taeryu, having dropped the bomb, sat back and said nothing.
“…I’m a matchmaker at a marriage agency and currently in charge of Ki Taeryu’s case.”
“A matchmaker? What does Taeryu need a matchmaker for? He’s got looks, talent—there’s nothing lacking!”
Just like Buseong had said, it was clear that Chairman Ki was very fond of Taeryu.
At first, Junhee had been terrified, but realizing that Chairman Ki was just a doting grandfather, he began to relax and found it easier to speak.
“Yes, you’re right, sir. Since he’s so exceptional, I’m introducing him to the best possible matches to ensure he finds someone worthy of him.”
It wasn’t because Taeryu lacked anything, but because he was so remarkable.
Chairman Ki clearly understood the underlying meaning.
Though his expression remained dissatisfied, his fierce eyebrows softened slightly.
Sensing an opportunity, Junhee pressed on.
“The world has changed a lot, sir. With life expectancy increasing, finding the right partner for a lifelong marriage is key to happiness and peace at home.”
Though it unintentionally put Buseong in a bad light, Chairman Ki nodded in agreement.
“Of course. Finding the right partner is the true mark of success. You’re a smart young man. Whose son are you?”
“Me? I’m just…”
“Grandfather, let’s not go that far. I didn’t bring home an in-law today, after all.”
Chairman Ki cleared his throat, clearly holding back words he desperately wanted to say.
“Taeryu, it’s time you got serious, settled down, and got married. Unless you want to end up like your father.”
Even as he was being scolded, Ki Taeryu let out a scoff.
“That’s not entirely your fault, uncle. You think you wanted to be like this?”
“What?”
“I’m asking who you inherited your genes from.”
“What did you say? What nonsense are you spewing now?!”
Just when things had calmed down, Ki Taeryu poured more fuel on the fire.
Chairman Ki’s face quickly turned red with anger.
A flicker of disgust flashed across Taeryu’s eyes.
“What I’m saying is, all of you in this family are the same in my eyes. My father, my uncle, even my grandfather… all the same. Ah, except for my brother.”
Taeryu’s older brother.
Junhee felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
That’s right, back at that party…
‘Isn’t he talking about Kang Heesung?’
‘You know, that missing bastard. Ki Taesung.’
An uncle with his third wife.
A father just like that uncle?
It was odd how Ki Taeryu bore not a single resemblance to his mother and seemed distant from her as well.
‘…Could she not be his biological mother?’
If so, what about his brother?
Was he really the child of Hong Yeonggyeong?
Junhee’s mind spun, unable to unravel the complicated family tree of this household all at once.
‘Why even bother gathering for dinner, with all the drama that will follow? It’ll just be a disaster, and no one will even be able to swallow their food.’
Ki Taeryu’s voice from over the phone suddenly made perfect sense now.
It was strange that he stayed in a hotel despite having ties to such a grand family home.
“Ki Taeryu, you brat!”
“I’m leaving now.”
Ignoring the chairman who looked like he was about to explode, Taeryu turned on his heel.
He motioned to Junhee with a glance, signaling him to follow, and headed toward the door.
“You damn brat! Is this why I took you in?!”
The teacup that Chairman Ki had been about to throw at Ki Buseong was now in his hand again.
In that brief moment, the cup flew straight through the air.
Crash! With a sharp sound, the cup shattered, and Ki Taeryu turned around.
“…Yoo Junhee!”
Junhee clutched his wrist, suppressing a groan of pain.
* * *
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