By Zephyria 
The 50th anniversary celebration of the Seoil Group was held in the first-floor auditorium of the corporate headquarters. After leaving his car with a valet in the basement, Hee-shin waited for Yoon Se-na in the lobby. Ten minutes later, flashes erupted from all directions as she stepped out of her car.
He watched the scene from a distance. It was a moment that made him truly realize that Yoon Se-na belonged to a different world. As the other siblings arrived, the reporters’ attention shifted away. After entering the building, Yoon Se-na spotted Hee-shin and approached him.
“Did you wait long?”
“No, I just got here.”
“How do I look?”
“Beautiful.”
At Hee-shin’s compliment, the corners of Yoon Se-na’s mouth curled up into a smile. As he stepped beside her, she linked her arm with his. Immediately, the eyes of the people in the lobby were drawn to them. They seemed curious about who the man next to the youngest daughter of the Seoil Group was.
Hee-shin hid his nervousness and played the part of being composed. It was unexpected that Chairman Yoon had invited him here. Hadn’t he been the one to postpone every meal, citing his busy schedule? Hee-shin knew the Chairman was not fond of his daughter’s relationship. He wondered what change of heart had occurred.
Passing through the entrance and heading inside, he saw rows of chairs lined up. People greeted Yoon Se-na from all sides. Among them was Choi Yoon-oh, whom he had met recently.
The man was still smiling with a brazen face.
“Prosecutor. We meet again?”
“Yes. I see you here.”
“I heard the Kim Hae-sung case was closed as a suicide. See? I told you I was innocent.”
“We’ll see about that in time.”
“Oh dear. Give up on your lingering attachments. There’s nothing to gain by clinging to me. No matter who you are.”
Given the circumstances, it was clear that the man was connected to the deaths of Kim Hae-sung and Kim Ju-won. In the phones of the deceased, there were messages sent to Choi Yoon-oh. They were demands for money before everything was exposed. It was unclear what that exposure entailed—whether it was about drugs or his sexual preferences.
“Let’s meet again if there’s an opportunity. Though I’m not sure if there will be.”
As Choi Yoon-oh disappeared, Yoon Se-na pulled his arm.
“Oppa. Don’t pay any mind to Choi Yoon-oh.”
Then, she led Hee-shin toward someone. It was a middle-aged woman with thinning white hair. The woman was Yoon Se-na’s aunt, who assisted Chairman Yoon and managed one of the affiliates. While it is said that chaebol families often grow apart during the process of inheriting wealth, Chairman Yoon maintained a fairly close and good relationship with his siblings.
“Auntie. This is the person I told you about. Say hello, Oppa. This is my youngest aunt.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Kang Hee-shin.”
“I’m Yoon Jung-hee. I’ve heard a lot about you. You’re quite handsome. It’s a waste for you to rot away at the Prosecutor’s Office.”
He responded to those words with a slight smile instead of an answer.
“You’re at the Central District Prosecutors’ Office, right?”
“Yes. That’s correct.”
“Then you must know Jo Cheol-woong.”
Huh? Chief Prosecutor Jo? Ah, this is a bad feeling. He had never imagined that Chief Prosecutor Jo Cheol-woong’s name would come out of her mouth. When he replied that he knew him, she continued with a smile.
“He’s my classmate.”
Damn it… If I had known this, I would have been a bit more tactful with Chief Prosecutor Jo…
Regret came too late, but he couldn’t undo what had already happened.
“I see. Chief Prosecutor Jo is a wonderful person. He is a Sunbae whom I respect deeply.”
Yoon Jung-hee pouted her lips and gave a peculiar smile.
“I doubt that.”
“…….”
“I know how much of a ‘kkondae’ he is. He was famous for it back in school. He played sports until middle school, so everyone in the neighborhood knew him. I still can’t believe he became a prosecutor. Honestly, I thought he’d become a gangster. Plus, he’s as materialistic as they come.”
“…….”
Unable to listen any longer, Yoon Se-na stopped Yoon Jung-hee.
“Auntie, stop it. Talk about your classmates later.”
“Alright. I should listen to my beauty.”
Before leaving, she looked back at Hee-shin.
“Kang Hee-shin, was it? I’ll tell Cheol-woong to look upon you kindly.”
She winked and walked away. Hee-shin’s gaze followed her back. More specifically, the necklace she was wearing. Why does it look familiar… I feel like I’ve seen that somewhere…
While he was searching his memory, Yoon Se-na pulled his arm.
“Oppa. My cousin is coming over there. Say hello.”
A moment later, a young-looking girl approached. The girl, who was a high school student, was introduced as Yoon Se-na’s cousin. Despite being nineteen, the luxury goods she was wearing looked to be worth over ten million won. He thought of his own sister, who used to work part-time jobs in secret just to save a few hundred thousand won for academy fees.
Perhaps because Chairman Yoon had married three times, there were more relatives than expected. What was even more surprising was that Chairman Yoon’s first wife was also present. Since the eldest son and daughter held important positions on the front lines, it might be natural, but seeing the first and third wives in one place was a rare sight.
“We meet again. It’s even nicer to see you like this.”
Yoon Se-na’s second older brother approached. Even though they were half-siblings, they didn’t live like enemies. Chairman Yoon emphasized sibling affection to an excessive degree, and it was clear that this relationship would be maintained, at least superficially, until the day he died.
“I heard you’ve taken on an important case this time?”
The second brother casually broached the subject.
He didn’t know where the man had heard it from, but…
“I heard Im Gyeong was the one who connected you to Assemblyman Choi?”
When Hee-shin gave an ambiguous smile, the brother patted his shoulder.
“Hang in there. It seems you’ve finally found a way to get in your father’s good graces?”
It was a tone that mixed moderate encouragement with sarcasm. Yoon Se-na, who had been talking to an acquaintance nearby, approached. “What are you two talking about?” At that, her half-brother shrugged, as if it were nothing. For a moment, Yoon Se-na’s eyes narrowed. She pulled Kang Hee-shin to the side and whispered quietly.
“Did my brother pick a fight with you?”
Hee-shin chuckled.
“No. He just gave me some advice.”
“What advice?”
“Advice that’s helpful to me.”
While she was asking what that meant, the announcer’s voice rang out. He announced that the anniversary ceremony would begin shortly and asked the distinguished guests in the hall to take their seats. Since there were assigned seats, they went and sat down. He was slightly surprised to find his seat was relatively far forward. Moreover, it was right next to the family. At this point, he was truly curious about Chairman Yoon’s intentions.
“We will now begin the 50th Anniversary Celebration.”
Shortly after, a video of the company’s history was screened on a large LED. It detailed how Chairman Yoon started from a small parts factory with five employees, overcame hardships and trials to become a leading domestic enterprise, and was now expanding globally.
As soon as the video ended and Chairman Yoon appeared, everyone stood up.
When he gestured for them to sit, the announcer immediately told everyone to be seated. Chairman Yoon walked to the microphone, and his commemorative speech began. He had a tall, lean build that defied his age. With a full head of hair, he was a man whose aura could be felt even from a distance.
In fact, looking at photos of his youth, he was as handsome as an actor.
Come to think of it, among the siblings, Im Gyeong resembled his father the most.
When Chairman Yoon’s speech ended, a thunderous round of applause erupted.
Instead of stepping back, Chairman Yoon continued speaking.
“And today, a precious guest has come to deliver a special congratulatory message.”
Several executives stirred. The children of Chairman Yoon were equally flustered. They exchanged glances, as did the other family members.
“Those of you who know will know. I introduce my son, who is active in the East Asian investment market, Im Gyeong.”
In an instant, the hall became as silent as if cold water had been poured over it. A few quick-witted executives belatedly began to clap, and others followed suit. Having thrown the bombshell, Chairman Yoon looked back with a satisfied expression.
Finally, Im Gyeong walked out from behind the curtain. Bathed in the spotlight, his face was handsome enough to put any celebrity to shame. Instead of the flashy suits he usually wore, he was dressed in a dark, muted-tone suit today. Approaching the microphone, he adjusted the height and smiled.
“Hello. It is an honor to deliver the congratulatory remarks on such a meaningful occasion.”
Hee-shin clearly saw several executives, who had been aligning themselves with the eldest and second sons, shut their eyes tight. Turning his head to the side, he saw that Yoon Se-na was also biting her lip, her eyes blazing. He realized then that no one had known about this surprise gift prepared by Chairman Yoon.