By Zephyria 
After passing through a narrow hallway that felt like entering a home, a large hall appeared. Rather than a hall, it was more like a very large living room. There was a long bar on one side, along with tables and sofas. The space was filled with people I had never seen before.
As I walked hesitantly, gazes began to gather on me one by one from the vicinity. I could see people gathered in small groups whispering behind their hands.
Feeling like a monkey in a zoo being observed, I also examined their faces one by one.
Cha Baek-joo, who had told me to come, was nowhere to be seen. Whether he was there without presence or not, I felt I should at least show my face to let him know I’d arrived, so I looked around. The people nearby stepped back one by one, as if they were afraid I might actually speak to them.
Hey, I don’t want to talk to you guys either.
I don’t know where they get their confidence from. I clicked my tongue and frowned as irritation began to rise.
Where the hell is this bastard Cha Baek-joo? Just as I was taking out my phone to see if I should call him, I saw Cha Baek-joo emerging from one side. I walked briskly toward him.
“I’m a bit late, right? I’m sorry.”
“…I didn’t know you’d arrived. Have you greeted the people?”
Who would I greet when I don’t know anyone? There are no familiar faces and no one is approaching me; do you want me to greet the air? When I only responded with a smile, Cha Baek-joo clicked his tongue as if for me to hear.
Who is this, Ms. Baek-joo?”
It sounded so much like unemployed that I barely managed to stifle a laugh. I wondered if he should have tried calling the name out loud before deciding on it. He probably paid a naming center for a ‘good name’ and took it.
“Cha Soo-kyung.”
“Ah, that younger brother?”
I didn’t know if I was famous enough for a name alone to be a sufficient introduction, or if he simply didn’t want to introduce me further, but fortunately, the woman standing next to Cha Baek-joo recognized my identity without any additional introduction. I quickly caught the flicker of irritation that appeared and vanished from Cha Baek-joo’s face at the woman’s words.
Are you that reluctant to call me your brother? Then you shouldn’t have told me to come here.
“I heard something bad happened, but you look perfectly fine?”
“That is a fortunate thing. If he were to be talked about here and there due to unnecessary rumors, it would have been embarrassing before Grandfather. Even as it is, he still isn’t pleased that a new person was brought into the house.”
Hey, talking about your grandfather’s inner thoughts in front of everyone like this is even more embarrassing. If you wanted me to know that, why didn’t you just tell me to my face when we were alone?
“Oh my, he still feels that way? Well, I understand the Chairman’s heart. You have to be careful when hiring employees, but you have to be even more careful when bringing in family. It’s tiring in every way if you bring in someone without a proper background. They either fail to adapt and bring shame to the family, or those who come for the assets always end up causing trouble even after having children. I suppose low-class blood doesn’t just disappear.”
As she spoke, the woman glanced at me. Her eyes seemed to say, ‘Just like you,’ and I contemplated for a moment whether I should snap back.
“Come here. I’ll introduce you.”
“There’s no particular need to…”
“If you are a member of this family, you must engage in these kinds of public activities. How long do you plan on hiding behind your father?”
Just as I was about to say there was no need, Cha Baek-joo cut me off with a cold voice.
It’s not that I plan to hide behind my father, nor do I want to live my life building networks here and there; I just want to live quietly and comfortably. It’s not like money falls out of the sky because I know the people here, nor is there anything I need help with, so why do I need to know them? I truly wondered.
Even Father had told me to stay as quiet as possible before I came here. However, Cha Baek-joo seemed to think differently, and he led me toward the center of the hall.
“Darling, what about me?”
“I’m going to have a conversation, so you kill some time on your own.”
“That’s too much. Weren’t you going to be with me today?”
“Later.”
Excuse me, I’m right here too. Why don’t you save those secret conversations for when it’s just the two of you? No matter how much of a roadside pebble’s presence I have, they were sharing excessively personal stories right in front of a person.
That woman definitely didn’t seem like the sister-in-law I’d seen at home. I wondered if it was okay for my sister-in-law to know about this, or if he trusted that I wouldn’t repeat it.
“Oh, Dr. Cha. Who’s this next to you? Did you change partners already?”
“Cha Soo-kyung. My… youngest brother. This is Baek Gil-yong, the second son of Ilshin Motors. Greet him.”
“I’m Cha Soo-kyung.”
“Is this the brother of Dr. Cha that everyone was talking about? Is this our first time meeting?”
A gaze colored more by curiosity than pleasure pierced through me. I lightly shook the hand he offered and simply smiled. Since I had no way of knowing if it really was the first time or if we’d met once before, smiling was the best option when an answer was difficult.
“I heard you were in an accident. Is your body okay?”
“Yes, as you can see, I’m perfectly fine.”
When did we even meet for him to use informal speech? Of course, his face looks older than Cha Soo-kyung’s, but still, he should have some manners upon first meeting.
“Dr. Cha must have been very worried. Having his youngest brother caught up in such… an unfortunate accident. I heard someone even died?”
He knows the details quite well for someone who isn’t even family. He called it an ‘unfortunate accident,’ but he seemed to roughly know that it was Cha Soo-kyung’s suicide attempt.
“Yes, well. My eldest Hyung worried a lot. Although he didn’t show his face once while I was hospitalized because he was so busy. I actually worried that Hyung’s work was too busy. Since we were in the same hospital, normally he would have shown his face even for a moment, but if he couldn’t even visit his brother, just how busy is he? Right?”
At my response, Baek Gil-yong looked at Cha Baek-joo, and Cha Baek-joo frowned and pulled my shoulder.
“You don’t need to say such unnecessary things.”
“They aren’t unnecessary. It’s a fact that Hyung is incredibly busy, isn’t it? That’s why I didn’t see him once while in the hospital. This brother of yours is very worried that he might collapse. In the midst of that, he’s taking care of me and bringing me to a gathering. There really is no brother like an older brother. I was a bit sad that he didn’t even come for a hospital visit.”
Since he’s willing to talk about family matters in a crowded place after not saying a word to me at home, I have plenty to say too. Let’s have a mud-slinging fight today. My combativeness was starting to kick in.
“The brother’s personality is quite amusing. Enjoy yourself. Can I see you again next time?”
“If my eldest Hyung brings me, I suppose I could come again. Right, Hyung?”
“There are many people to introduce, so we’ll be going.”
“Oh, join me over here after you’re done with the rounds. It’s rare to find someone this interesting; I’d like to talk more with your brother.”
At Baek Gil-yong’s words, Hyung’s face crumpled. The hand gripping my shoulder tightened.
“You’re talking too much for an introduction. Just greet them.”
“You’re introducing me so people know who I am. To know a person, you have to have a conversation. I think it would be more friendly if I spoke for myself rather than Hyung speaking in the middle. Isn’t that right?”
As we moved elsewhere, Cha Baek-joo whispered in a much lower voice.
No, why? I was planning to show the bottom of the barrel today, so why are you trying to block my words?
I roughly understood what position Cha Baek-joo wanted, but unlike Cha Baek-joo’s expectations, today’s Cha Soo-kyung planned to be a fighting cock. Not just today, but continuing forward. I intend to carve into his brain that if he touches me, he’s screwed.
After that, Cha Baek-joo introduced me to a few more people, but each time, the public smile he barely maintained on his lips vanished because of my blabbing mouth.
“There are many problems with your attitude today.”
“If you tell me what the problem is, I’ll try my best to fix it. But I’m not sure what I did wrong. Was I too talkative? I couldn’t help it since people kept asking. You said you brought me here to explain things so that strange rumors wouldn’t spread. Then I have to show them that I’m fine. What would happen if I just kept my mouth shut like a loser and a truly strange misunderstanding occurred? That would be smearing dirt on your face, Hyung.”
Yep, whether I keep my mouth shut or open it, I’m going to smear dirt on your face anyway.
I had come with a bit of anticipation at first, but after hearing the conversation between Cha Baek-joo and the woman, I immediately changed my course. I decided to cleanly ignore Father’s advice to stay quiet and just come along.
“Well, is there anyone else to introduce? There are so many people here, but it seems our eldest Hyung doesn’t know many. Do you not know that person? They keep looking this way; should I go and act like I know them?”
As I enthusiastically suggested that we exchange a word with everyone here, Cha Baek-joo let go of the hand that was holding me.
“I am… a bit tired. I think I need to rest for a while, so spend your time as you wish. Just don’t do anything to bring shame to the family.”
“Don’t worry. It’s not like I’m going to jump off something here again. But are you resting alone? Are you resting with that person from before? Why didn’t the sister-in-law come here? She seemed like a child of the house too. Is she busy? Should I call her? Ah, right, I don’t know her contact information.”
“Cha Soo-kyung.”
I blinked and looked up at Cha Baek-joo with a face that said, ‘I don’t know anything.’ With his brow furrowed deeply, Cha Baek-joo grit his teeth hard.
“I would prefer it if you didn’t say anything more.”
“Yes. …Is that how you wanted me to answer? Did you want to see me shrink and cower upon coming here? I think after coming back from the dead, my depression turned into bipolar disorder. I think I’m in a manic phase right now. My tension is totally high. I feel like I could even dance here; do you want to see?”
At my words, Cha Baek-joo’s complexion turned pale. He had the look of someone who had stepped in dog shit.
It wasn’t that I’d developed bipolar disorder, but it was true that my tension was higher than the old Cha Soo-kyung’s, so from Cha Baek-joo’s perspective, it would truly look like mania.
The eldest brother, who only knows how to crush opponents with elegance, seems not to know how to deal with a mad dog that lunges in with a ‘you die, I die’ mentality.
Normally, in a situation like this, you’re supposed to strip off your underwear and lunge back, but he was a man lacking in resolve. He likes crushing others, but he wants himself to remain without a single scratch. Isn’t that too much of a free-ride mentality?
Without giving a proper answer, Cha Baek-joo turned his back to me and walked away sluggishly. Left in the center of the hall, I looked around. The glances stealing toward me were even more intense than before.