By Zephyria 
==
Reminding himself once again that arranged marriages were the fate of the owner families of chaebols, he slightly regretted thinking he might as well just go through with it for the sake of his parents’ peace of mind. Although he had told them to pick someone based solely on their looks, it was because he knew that, in most cases, no one would meet his standards.
Ah… the probability of this turning into a total shitshow is damn high.
At this point, he felt that Gi Jae-hyeok—who had married after losing his mind because he liked his arranged partner so much—was truly impressive. The risk was too great for someone like him—a wonderful son who met his parents’ expectations by being well-behaved, a chaebol’s destiny, and someone who calmly accepted such a massive fate—to have to marry someone who wasn’t even his type.
Of course, since he didn’t know who the partner was yet, he couldn’t say it was 100% fucked, but honestly, he felt the probability was around 99%. It was because, despite knowing the social circles inside out, he had never seen a face that caught his eye. Unless some new face suddenly appeared out of nowhere, the chances of that were close to zero.
Recalling the faces of a few chaebol omegas who were likely to be pushed as his partners, Cha Se-jin closed his eyes and leaned his head back. Just imagining their faces made him feel as if he would never be able to get an erection for the rest of his life.
Ah, I’ll tell Mom tomorrow that I can’t do it. Ah, why the fuck didn’t I think they’d pick someone from the people I already know? Fuck, fuck… goddammit.
“What’s wrong with him all of a sudden?”
“Leave him. Let’s see how far he follows Gi Jae-hyeok’s route. That bastard Gi acted exactly like that back then… oh, fuck. Goal!”
Inside the screen filling the massive wall, the goalpost shook. Simultaneously, Cha Se-jin’s body—exceptionally long and large because he was a Dominant Alpha—slumped onto the sofa. It was a night of mixed emotions.
* * *
From the morning, Cha Se-jin popped a piece of caviar sushi into his mouth and watched his parents chatting happily before speaking up as if he couldn’t take it anymore.
“I’m not getting married.”
His parents, who looked at him without surprise as if they had expected such a sudden whim, shook their heads.
“It’s too late. Discussions are already underway.”
“No, Mom. No matter how I think about it, this is a loss for me. Aren’t arranged marriages done because both parties have something to gain? But is there anything we specifically need to gain by going as far as an arranged marriage? We can get all that without doing something like this.”
“Yes. We could get it without going that far, but it’s difficult to receive the kind of perfect support that only family provides.”
“No, the candidates they’ll put forward as marriage partners are all the same. How am I supposed to marry one of them? I can’t. Why should I? Those people would jump at the chance to be with me, but I wouldn’t. I hate it.”
Looking at Cha Se-jin as he leaned back in his chair while shaking his head, his mother closed her eyes tightly with a sigh and then opened them.
“They would all jump at the chance to marry you?”
“Isn’t that obvious? Those people who don’t know their place will be throwing themselves at me. It was the same with Hyung.”
At the excessive expression, Cha Se-jin’s mother, wearing a stern expression, put down her chopsticks and spoke with a serious face. His father, who was about to scold him, quietly shut his mouth.
“Do you know who is acting like the underdog in this marriage right now? Your father and I.”
“What? Why? Why are Mom and Dad the underdogs? Does that make any sense?”
“Think about how much you’ve been the subject of gossip. That’s just what’s been exposed in the media; the rumors spreading by word of mouth are countless. Those rumors don’t just linger around us and disappear; everyone who knows of Se-jin’s behavior knows it. And in great detail.”
“Then tell them no if they don’t like it. Why are Mom and Dad taking such a low posture?”
“Even before we tell them no, it looks like it’s about to fall through anyway. It’s obvious, seeing as they keep asking for more time. Even I wouldn’t want to marry someone with those kinds of rumors.”
Watching his mother shake her head as if she had a headache, Cha Se-jin exhaled a hot breath of anger. He wondered who on earth they were to dare reject him.
“What exactly are they saying?”
“They say they need more time. It’s obvious, seeing as they acted like they’d do it immediately and then changed. They probably don’t want to marry you. The other family probably needs time to persuade them. I thought we’d get along well since that side also has a handicap… Anyway, Se-jin, just for the time being, stop causing trouble and stay quiet. Mom is asking you. Please, okay?”
He heard his mother’s words, but they didn’t form any specific image in his mind. The only thought that occurred to him was that he wanted to go and see the face of the ‘partner’ who dared to ‘reject’ him.
He didn’t know who it was, but he would probably recognize them the moment he saw their face. Just how reckless were they to pull a stunt like this, and how did they plan to handle the aftermath? After tapping the table with his fingertips, Cha Se-jin abruptly stood up, greeted his parents, and left the dining room.
“Secretary Jeong. A moment, please.”
Seeing his mother’s personal secretary waiting outside the dining room, Cha Se-jin jerked his head, signaling for him to step outside for a moment. Secretary Jeong gave a slight bow and followed Cha Se-jin.
After leaving the living room and standing on an empty landing of the stairs, Cha Se-jin looked at Secretary Jeong. Since the man knew everything about his mother’s affairs, he was sure he had the answer he wanted.
“Where is the marriage talk coming from?”
“That is not something I can disclose carelessly.”
“No, I’m the party involved. I’m the one getting married, so why can’t you tell me? Right? Even if you can’t tell others, you have to tell me.”
“…….”
“Tell me. Where is it? The place that’s stalling.”
Secretary Jeong, who looked troubled, eventually spoke as if he had made a decision.
“It’s Baum.”
“Baum? If it’s Baum, they aren’t even in our league. Also, don’t they only have one son? He died. At the equestrian center. I didn’t know there was a younger sibling.”
“Baum Construction’s collaboration is absolutely necessary for the Arche Resort project the Chairman is preparing. Of course, Baum also gains an enormous advantage just by becoming a member of the Sewon family.”
“Then why are they stalling? Is it really like Mom said? Does that side hate me?”
Secretary Jeong caught his breath for a moment, struggling to find the right words, failing, and stalling again. Frustrated, Cha Se-jin leaned crookedly against the stair railing and looked down at Secretary Jeong explicitly. It was a gaze that bordered on a glare.
“Just say it. Stop picking your words.”
“As you mentioned, since you are… the party involved in this matter, I will tell you exactly as it is.”
Cha Se-jin nodded as if telling him to stop being so frustrating, and Secretary Jeong, looking down, took another short breath and continued.
“It is still just our side’s speculation, but seeing as the Baum side, which had been actively pursuing the marriage talks… suddenly asked for more time, we suspect that things are not going well with the person involved in the marriage. The Madam believes the reason is your scandals.”
“Do you think so too, Secretary Jeong?”
“……It seems likely… that if there weren’t a problem with the party involved, they wouldn’t suddenly act this way.”
Having confirmed Secretary Jeong’s opinion, Cha Se-jin straightened his crooked posture. He felt he had to go and see that face in person. He wanted to see for himself just how great this person thought they were to hesitate when a once-in-a-lifetime lifeline like marriage to him was dangling right in front of them, and then humiliate them to relieve his irritation.
“You can find out their address, right?”
“…Are you going to visit them?”
“Why, can’t I?”
“If that produces a counterproductive effect…”
“That won’t happen. Today, um… I have some work until evening, but I’d like to see them briefly at night. Send me an address where I can see them, whether it’s their home or wherever. Oh, and don’t tell Mom. I’ll handle it after I see them.”
“Ah, Executive Director. There is something I haven’t told you yet…”
“Ah, I get the gist, just send the address.”
“…Yes, I understand. I will find the address and contact you.”
Cha Se-jin gave a casual farewell to the secretary, who bowed slightly, and walked past him to leave the main building. He hated that he couldn’t go see that face right now and had to wait until night because of a series of meetings related to work that he absolutely could not skip or ruin.