"Father, I'd like to meet Do-jun."
"You?"
"Yes, I want to meet him and see through his intentions, convince him to give up early."
Jin Yeong-gi looked at his son with suspicion. "Don't do something unnecessary. He might have had an accident on the way to Gunsan. We might not have heard the news yet. If you go, you'll just end up providing information."
"So, you want to see what's on his mind, right? I already know that Do-jun has accumulated a considerable amount of money. He can afford to enjoy life. He might not be interested in group business, and yet Grandfather insists on pressuring him for no reason."
The persuasive words seemed convincing, and Jin Yeong-gi's heart was slightly swayed.
"Yes, Yeong-jun's point might have some validity, Father."
Han Seo-young, who had been following in the car, chimed in. Jin Yeong-gi, the vice-chairman, sometimes found his daughter-in-law's interjections irritating, but he occasionally let her be, especially when she made sensible comments.
One reason was that she still didn't fully understand the family atmosphere.
"Why are you saying that?"
"I heard he's been carrying around Miracle business cards lately. There's no need to carry business cards to learn about investments. Just looking at a monitor in the office should be enough." When Han Seo-young saw her father-in-law showing some interest, she enthusiastically continued. "He's always seen with President Oh Se-hyun, like a secretary. He's definitely learning about corporate M&A. And studying law is essential for M&A. Do-jun probably isn't interested in the group."
It sounded reasonable at first glance. But the temptation of the name "Sunyang" was too great to simply abandon his interest.
"Yeong-jun, you said you'd convince Do-jun to give up. Do you think that's possible?"
"He mentioned it when he graduated from high school. He asked if it wouldn't be better to become an heir of Sunyang Group instead of inheriting a subsidiary with no prospects."
"What? An heir?"
"Yes, isn't Do-jun smart? He'd be perfect as an aide."
"So? What do you suggest?"
"At the time, I didn't understand it well because I was young. But Father, you see, the youngest ones usually prefer to live comfortably in the shade of a big tree rather than struggling on their own."
Even though his son's metaphorical talk was somewhat annoying, Jin Yeong-gi considered it. If he could persuade him, and even further, if he could convince him, it wouldn't be a bad thing.
After all, wasn't he the best student and the most diligent one in the family? If he could be used as an aide, it would be a crowning achievement.
"Alright. Meeting him once wouldn't hurt. He had an accident, after all, so it's a good opportunity to check on his well-being."
"Yes, leave it to me."
"Don't rush ahead too much and finish within reasonable limits." He didn't forget to advise his impatient son once again.
"Hey, Yeong-jun..." As his father ascended the stairs to this floor, Han Seo-young quickly turned to her husband.
"Why?" Jin Yeong-jun stared fiercely at his wife, who was trying to call his attention, and silenced her. "If you have nothing useful to say, stop it. Didn't I say that? Lie low like a mouse for a year. I told you that just a while ago. Why are you interrupting when Father is speaking? So audacious!"
If she had brought the car, she should have quietly parked it and gotten out. But instead, his wife, who had slyly sat on the sofa and eventually interfered, was driving him crazy.
Han Seo-young bit her lip but didn't respond. After all, her husband, who listened carefully to her words as part of the marriage agreement she had put forth, was not someone who would heed his wife's words.
"Hyungnim, why did you call and..."
"Come to the office. Let's have dinner together."
Jin Yeong-jun, why is he suddenly like this?
He only visited relatives' houses after returning from his honeymoon.
Well, our father must have known. All our relatives must have understood the significance of the trip to Gunsan, so everyone's attention in the house is focused on me now.
What does Jin Yeong-jun want to find out from me?
He readily agreed to have a drink and chat, so I also have something to tell him.
Let's go to the main headquarters and make the call. Jin Yeong-jun came down in the dedicated elevator. That elevator only goes to floors above the 20th.
It's where the headquarters of the group and the offices of executives from subsidiary companies are located. Taking that elevator indicates that Jin Yeong-gi, the vice-chairman, was with him.
Did he receive some education from his father?
"Do-jun!" Jin Yeong-jun raised his hand and called me. "Did you bring your car?"
"No, I came by taxi."
"Stop being so boring and enjoy your life, you fool." Jin Yeong-jun gave my back a light shove and headed towards the main entrance of the headquarters. Several people were waiting, and they opened the car doors. "Let's go."
The car seemed to know the destination already and smoothly set off.
"Hyungnim, are we by any chance going to the villa? It's quite far."
"We should go to the villa on weekends. I have work tomorrow too, can't go too far."
The car turned into a place with upscale villas in Non-hyeon-dong.
"Is there a restaurant here?"
"How can you eat at crowded places? Let's relax and eat comfortably today."
The large iron gate that blocked the villa was opened wide by the security personnel who checked the car number, and the car slid inside.
"Where is this?"
As I looked out the window and wondered, a sharp poke in my side stopped me.
"Where do you think it is? It's a villa in the city."
Laughing, Jin Yeong-jun led me into the villa. The duplex villa was exceptionally tall on one floor, and it was clear that it was quite spacious.
Could celebrities live here?
When I opened the seemingly ordinary front door and stepped inside, I couldn't help but gasp. There was a Japanese-style small garden, even a brick-made pond, and water was shooting from a small fountain.
An indoor garden!
I had guessed it would be spacious, but it was strangely vast. Did they combine two of them into one? Or maybe three?
"Have you arrived? How about the meal? Should we prepare it right away?" Two uniformed women politely asked. Were they also employees of the Sunyang Group?