Chapter 4: A Necessary Confrontation

Yoo Hae-jung was a tender father who cherished his son above all else, yet he was also an astute businessman.

While the family narrative of Yoo Seo-jin wasn’t depicted in the protagonist-centric drama, it was Yoo Hae-jung who had firmly established Haeun Construction, despite it being a mere small-scale company.

However, Yoo Hae-jung’s ambitions stretched far beyond that. To achieve them, a crucial connection with Daejin Group, Han Jung-woo’s family conglomerate, was desperately needed.

Daejin Group, after all, represented Yoo Hae-jung’s ultimate dream.

Among chaebol families, marriage proposals exchanged for mutual benefit were commonplace. Yet, regrettably, Haeun Construction, to which Yoo Hae-jung had devoted his entire life, remained too small to truly contend with Daejin Group.

This was precisely why he must have seen this as his golden opportunity.

‘Even so, his intentions are far too transparent.’

There was no way Daejin Group wouldn’t know a fact even I was privy to. They must have already discovered that Yoo Hae-jung was behind the article and were likely formulating a counter-strategy.

Did Yoo Hae-jung realize that his greed would eventually become a colossal impediment to Haeun Construction’s future? Consumed by the immediate prospect of gain, he was undoubtedly blind to the long-term consequences.

Han Jung-woo was destined to find a charming and beautiful partner in Jung Hee-soo. While they were still somewhat awkward around each other, it wouldn’t take long for sparks to fly between them.

Though many obstacles lay ahead, they would ultimately lead happy lives, as all protagonists do. Yoo Seo-jin, the villain, was merely an existence meant to disappear for their brilliant future.

Consequently, if I were to live as Yoo Seo-jin, Han Jung-woo was the absolute first person I needed to avoid. Just as Yoo Seo-jin was a disaster for Han Jung-woo, Han Jung-woo was a calamity in Yoo Seo-jin’s life.

Fortunately, because I had fled on the first day, nothing untoward had occurred at the hotel. This completely eliminated any possibility of Yoo Seo-jin manipulating Han Jung-woo with a pregnancy scandal.

Now, if only I could correct this ridiculous scandal, my entanglement with Han Jung-woo would finally end. The problem, predictably, was Yoo Hae-jung. Would he truly let such a golden opportunity slip away?

No, he would likely try to persuade me instead. Fortunately, Yoo Hae-jung had a particular soft spot for his second son.

While I wasn’t sure if he would abandon company profits to grant Yoo Seo-jin’s request, it was certainly worth confronting him directly.

After all, there was nothing to lose by trying.

Zzzzzzt—

As I continued to dwell on my complex thoughts, my phone vibrated again. Unsurprisingly, it was another call from Han Jung-woo. Letting out a deep sigh, I gently flipped my phone face down on the bed.

I knew it. I couldn’t ignore Han Jung-woo’s calls indefinitely. To become complete strangers, I would eventually have to confront him, but now was not the time.

‘First, I need to go see Yoo Hae-jung.’

Leaving the persistently vibrating phone in the room, I stepped out and turned towards the study. Fortunately, the timing was perfect; Yoo Hae-jung was working from home today.

Knock, knock.

Moments after knocking on the firmly closed study door, permission to enter was granted. I grasped the cold doorknob and carefully twisted it, the door yielding easily.

“Seo-jin?”

Yoo Hae-jung, standing before a sun-drenched window, greeted me. Upon seeing a face that resembled my senior, I instinctively began to bow, only to awkwardly replace the gesture with a smile.

“Do you have a moment…?”

I wanted to add the polite ‘yo’ at the end, but I quickly reminded myself that I was Yoo Seo-jin. Instead of replying, Yoo Hae-jung set down the documents he was reviewing and walked towards the sofa.

“What is it you wish to say?”

No sooner had I settled onto the sofa than Yoo Hae-jung cut straight to the chase. Though momentarily flustered, I quickly composed myself and began to speak, facing him directly.

“The article, Dad, you released it, didn’t you?”

“…”

He offered no verbal reply, but the fleeting distortion of his expression confirmed my suspicions: Yoo Hae-jung was indeed the culprit behind the absurd scandal article.

“Dad, I have no relationship with that man.”

“Who would believe you have no relationship when you were seen entering a hotel together?”

Yoo Hae-jung’s rebuttal left me momentarily speechless. Indeed, anyone viewing the photo in the article would undoubtedly perceive Han Jung-woo and me as a couple strolling into a hotel.

Of course, Han Jung-woo’s expression was stiff and clearly conveyed his displeasure, but people tend to see only what they want to see, blurring out all other information.

Yoo Hae-jung was likely no different. Desperate to seize the opportunity before him, he probably hadn’t even bothered to properly assess the situation.

However, if the narrative continued to unfold this way, not only my future but also that of Haeun Construction would plunge off a cliff.

Chairman Han, who cherished his son just as fiercely as Yoo Hae-jung cherished his, would certainly not stand by idly and watch this situation unfold.

“Father, please. I don’t want to be involved with that man.”

At the address “Father,” a term rarely uttered by Yoo Seo-jin, Yoo Hae-jung’s straight brows arched slightly. After quietly scrutinizing my expression, he cautiously inquired,

“Has Han Jung-woo perhaps done something to you?”

“It’s nothing like that.”

Before Yoo Hae-jung’s misunderstanding could escalate further, I quickly corrected him. However, having already taken the situation seriously, he continued to press me about what had happened with Han Jung-woo.

“Seo-jin, even if it’s difficult to talk about, if something truly happened—”

“Nothing happened. Please don’t worry.”

After a long struggle, I managed to quell Yoo Hae-jung’s suspicions. However, the conversation had circled back to the beginning, forcing me to reiterate that I had no relationship with Han Jung-woo.

“It’s true we entered the hotel together. But nothing happened.”

“…This is truly troublesome.”

While getting involved with Han Jung-woo might seem advantageous now, considering Daejin Group, knowing the story’s grim conclusion meant I had to avoid this path at all costs.

“Please issue a correction to the article, Father.”

After all, I intended to completely remove the obstacle of Han Jung-woo from Yoo Seo-jin’s path.

“Very well.”

After a long moment of deliberation, Yoo Hae-jung gave me the answer I desired. To conceal the uncontrollable upturn of my lips, I bowed deeply and thanked him.

‘For now, I can breathe easy.’

Lingering in the study might lead to more awkward conversations, so I needed to leave quickly. As I rose from the sofa, preparing to bid farewell, Yoo Hae-jung called out to me.

“Seo-jin.”

I lifted my bowed head to meet Yoo Hae-jung’s gaze. Though I caught a glimpse of his unconcealed regret, I pretended not to notice and bowed respectfully towards him.

“I’ll go rest now.”

“…Go on, then.”

He was, as always, a kind and affectionate father. While this might have been natural for Yoo Seo-jin, for me, everything felt profoundly awkward.

Among all these unfamiliar sensations, the most alien was parental affection. As Yoo Joon-hee, I had never once experienced such a thing.

“Rest well, Dad.”

After offering my final farewell, I exited the study and immediately returned to my room. The moment I opened the firmly closed door, a furious vibration sound assaulted my ears.

Flipping over the phone I had left face down on the bed, I saw Han Jung-woo’s number on the screen and let out a deep sigh. Yoo Hae-jung was handled; now it was this bastard’s turn.

‘Just how many calls are these?’

Again, I waited for the vibrations to cease before checking my phone. In the time I had spent in the study, missed calls and messages had accumulated to an unprecedented degree.

Messages that had initially politely urged me to answer the phone grew increasingly hostile with time. The most recent one contained a threat of legal action if I continued to ignore his contact.

I stopped reading the messages, which were filled with headache-inducing talk of defamation and other such nonsense.

Having handled numerous malicious comment lawsuits, I knew that while filing for defamation was bothersome, the penalties were usually light.

‘And so impatient.’

To Yoo Seo-jin, blinded by the desire to surpass Yoo Ju-jin, Han Jung-woo, with everything he could ever want, might have seemed the ultimate prize. But in my eyes, he was anything but.

Objectively speaking, Han Jung-woo was not a good man. Arrogant, obnoxious, impolite, and entirely too aware of his own good looks—the list of his flaws was endless.

Though, of course, it was possible I was the only one who saw him that way.

‘To be able to work with my senior, it feels like a dream.’

I recalled him, the one who shared Han Jung-woo’s face but possessed a completely different personality. Unlike Han Jung-woo, he smiled readily, was innocent, polite, and genuinely a good person.

Watching him transform into Han Jung-woo, I often wondered if that wasn’t true talent. And my judgment had been precise.

A few years later, he had become one of Korea’s most celebrated actors.

‘What good is any of that now?’

My world had already been turned upside down, and the Han Jung-woo here was not *him*.

While they shared the same face, they were entirely different individuals, leaving no room for me to feel any affection.

Pushing aside these unnecessary sentiments, I typed out a message to send to Han Jung-woo.

It was a crucial moment: I was about to announce the departure of an unwelcome guest who had been circling the impatient young master.

[I will visit your company tomorrow.] 4:49 PM

Shortly after pressing send, a reply arrived from Han Jung-woo. [Okay], it was, predictably, a characteristic one-word response.