Chapter 9: The Scar and the Soju

The funeral home was small. Despite the prestige of having been the Korea branch manager for Goldstone, the scale was underwhelmingly ordinary. It was a stark reminder that the moment the word “Goldstone” fell off his business card, he became a non-entity to many.

Though she had never been naive about the world, it felt exceptionally heartless.

After paying her respects, Hyeonseo sat down with her colleagues. The conversations—endless lamentations about the branch manager’s death—continued around her.

She felt she could vaguely understand what kind of man the deceased had been. He had likely suffered, performing a job that didn’t suit his nature. Not that such speculation mattered now.

“Oh, look there.”

An employee facing the entrance widened their eyes. A wave of murmurs instantly swept through the hall. Seo Jeonghyeok was walking in.

The chief mourner recognized him and immediately lunged forward, grabbing him roughly by the collar. Onlookers gasped, some covering their mouths in shock.

“How dare you… How dare you show your face here!”

Several men rushed to pull the chief mourner away, as he looked ready to swing a fist in his heated state.

Yet, Seo Jeonghyeok’s face remained composed. It was as if he had expected this. Once the man was pried off him, he nonchalantly dusted off his disheveled shirt collar and even laid a flower before the portrait of the deceased.

He was unscrupulous and shameless.

Eventually, the sobbing chief mourner collapsed from the sheer stress. A rescue team was called to take him away, and shortly after, a massive funeral wreath arrived. Its white ribbon fluttered with the name “Ryan Seo” printed clearly on it.

Throughout the chaos, Seo Jeonghyeok was the only one who didn’t show a flicker of agitation.

Everyone watching clicked their tongues in disbelief.

“He truly is something else.”

What was he thinking? With what nerve did he come here? She knew he was a man whose depths were unreadable, but she felt a surge of indignation.

She followed him out. She felt the urge to protest on someone’s—anyone’s—behalf. Perhaps, deep down, she had expected at least a minimum of human decency from him.

“Director.”

He paused just as he was about to get into his car and looked back. As if he had spotted prey, his dark eyebrows twitched slightly.

“I was actually going to contact you. Good timing. Get in.”

She stood there dazed as he flung open the passenger door. She wondered what kind of man could smile so calmly in this situation.

“I said, get in.”

He was the kind of person who made you forget the words you were about to say.

“You really don’t listen, do you?”

The moment she hesitated, he grabbed her wrist. It wasn’t a force she couldn’t pull away from, yet she found herself being led into the car as if possessed.

He sat in the driver’s seat beside her. The car was instantly filled with his signature, expensive scent. It felt like a predator marking his territory. As usual, the atmosphere felt suffocating.

“What do you want to eat? I hope you aren’t a vegetarian.”

“What are you doing?”

“I’m not ‘doing’ anything. I’d rather talk over a meal. You followed me out because you had something to say to me, didn’t you?”

The ring on his thick finger glinted as he tapped the steering wheel. He was rude. His face, devoid of even a sliver of apology or guilt—not even a minor regret—was fierce.

“Why did you come here?”

“I came to the funeral home to pay my respects.”

She was floored by his audacity.

“You didn’t come specifically to stir things up?”

“Unfortunately, that wasn’t my intention. Though I can’t say I didn’t expect a reaction.”

His sly shrug was a gesture anyone would find detestable. ‘Gyopo’ (Overseas Korean). The low-level slur flickered through her mind involuntarily.

Despite her glaring at him, he simply offered a relaxed smile.

“I assume you didn’t come out here to grab my collar again on behalf of the family.”

His large hand suddenly brushed past Hyeonseo’s neck.

“Let’s stop here and buckle up.”

The seatbelt, pulled out by his fingers, clicked into place below her waist. The brief contact with his body heat made the small hairs on her skin stand up.

She quickly averted her gaze. Unaware of her flustered state, he simply smirked and stepped on the accelerator. The luxury sedan glided smoothly into the empty urban forest of the city.

“Have you reviewed the Eunsung Pharmaceuticals documents? I’m thinking of moving up the bond purchase timeline. What do you think?”

“It doesn’t seem impossible.”

“Be more specific.”

It was frustrating how he always read her mind. It was equally irritating that she inevitably had to give him the answer he wanted.

“Yes, it’s entirely possible. But Chairman Jo will notice the moment you attempt to buy. Once we start, we have to push him without giving him a moment to think.”

“We’re of the same mind, then.”

His voice was laced with mockery.

“Now, tell me. With this hunger, what should one eat in Seoul?”

“…Pardon?”

“I’m bored to death of the same hotel restaurants.”

Seeing how easily such nonsense came out of him in this situation, she was convinced he wasn’t a normal human being.

Crazy bstrd.

She swallowed the curse and stared straight ahead.

“Turn right at the intersection up ahead.”

“What is it?”

“Since you seem to be a meat-eater.”

“As expected. You’re quick on the uptake.”

While glaring at his smirking face, her eyes caught the back of his hand on the steering wheel. This time, she wasn’t looking at the flashy ring or the watch.

On the back of that large hand was a jagged scar. She hadn’t noticed it before when he had reached out, but there it was—a gruesome mark. She had been too distracted by his glamour to see it. It was a hideous scar that didn’t fit his noble, glass-like appearance at all.

“We’re here.”

She announced and got out of the car immediately. The air inside, thick with his heavy scent, had become stiflingly burdensome.

“Do you come here often?”

Standing in front of the shabby restaurant, he looked down at her and asked innocently. Then he immediately put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it with one hand. A long trail of smoke drifted from his curved lips.

What was he? She was constantly confused. She still couldn’t judge what kind of person he was.

Arrogant enough to believe he could buy people with money, and cruel enough to throw a wreath at the funeral of a man who committed suicide because of him—yet he wore an incongruously innocent expression. Who was this man?

Suddenly, she wanted to know. Curiosity rained down on her. Was he a devil or a child? A salvation or a nightmare? Was this fate, or a curse?

“It’s a regular spot I visit with people I’m close to.”

“Ah. So am I a ‘person you’re close to’ now, Ms. Cha Hyeonseo?”

She was lost for words at his banter, which always struck when her guard was down.

The inside of the restaurant was thick with meat smoke. The scenery of the old, worn-out eatery was a stark contrast to the man dressed luxuriously from head to toe.

“You said you had something to say.”

Feeling uncomfortable, she went straight to the point. They weren’t exactly in a relationship where they could sit and have a cozy meal. He smirked as if he had expected that.

“There’s a regular shareholders’ meeting in two weeks. Chairman Jo has scheduled a separate meeting with the creditors that evening.”

“Yes, I’m aware.”

“I think we should set up our own meeting before that. How is your schedule next weekend?”

“It’s fine.”

“Good.”

He nodded, seemingly satisfied with her answer.

She was baffled—had he really insisted on dinner just to say that?

His movements as he filled a glass with soju were practiced. The scar on the back of his hand, which she had started to notice, kept catching her eye. Hyeonseo tried to look away and picked up her soda glass.

“You seemed to drink wine well; don’t you drink soju?”

“You seem to like soju.”

“I can’t get enough of it. At the Korean markets in Manhattan, it’s an expensive drink that costs ten times the price here.”

A truly unpredictable man. A man who looked like he wouldn’t touch anything but the finest wine or whiskey was happy to see soju, and he ate pork belly as if it were nothing—not veal steak or foie gras. All while wearing that incredibly arrogant and luxurious face.

How can this crazy bstrd eat so calmly after killing a man?

“……”

“Well, you have the face of someone thinking exactly that.”

His eyes were relaxed as he downed a shot of soju and stared at her. Frustrated that he had read her mind again, she tried to respond with feigned composure.

“Regardless… a man died.”

“Ah. Because you think I killed him?”

“At the very least, you aren’t without moral responsibility.”

At her blunt answer, he let out a short, airy laugh.

“Regardless of performance, he was kicked out overnight from a company he dedicated his life to. The feeling of becoming a useless human being. That frustration. Discouragement. Despair. Anyone can empathize with those feelings at the very least—unless they have an antisocial personality disorder.”

No. It was a criticism disguised as honesty. She realized her slip, but she didn’t feel like taking it back, so she continued.

“Of course, I know you aren’t running for office to win hearts, and you aren’t a philanthropist, but is there any reason to receive criticism you don’t necessarily have to invite?”

“Are you worrying about me?”

There was no particular emotion in his voice as he asked.

“A CEO’s reputation is also corporate capital. It’s also a concern for the company I belong to.”

“You’re a more emotional type than I thought.”

His smooth face openly sneered at her.

“If you work with emotions, you won’t last long with me.”

Their eyes met, and a chill ran down her spine.

Was it a threat? A warning? Or,

“Are you sure you’re good at separating the public and the private?”

Was it a temptation?

“I’m uneasy. I have a feeling that ambiguous things between ‘public’ and ‘private’ will keep happening with you, Lawyer Cha.”

Seo Jeonghyeok was smiling with eyes that were both dangerous and wicked.

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