While Japan’s bubble was ongoing, I traveled around Europe, enjoying my freedom.
And as a bonus, I also recruited so reliable people on the spot. Past-life mory really cos in handy for things like this.
Being able to know in advance who’s trustworthy or useful—that was {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} honestly a huge advantage.
Whenever I say things like this, soone like Lee Si-hyun, that disloyal subordinate, always gives a suspicious look, asking if this is really a vacation—but it was a vacation.
I told you. I really love having fun. I’m crazy about gas and I love ssing with people too.
I didn’t particularly like traveling before... but in this life, I was good-looking enough to enjoy a different kind of experience while traveling.
Things like getting hit on by people, or wearing pretty clothes and taking pictures. When I revealed my age and got instantly treated like trash by the people around —that was seriously entertaining.
Thinking back to those days made let out a quiet chuckle.
“What are you thinking so hard about?”
A girl with a sulky expression asked . It was Yoo Seon-a, who was in her third year of middle school now.
It had been a while since I t up with my cousins outside, and they’d all grown up so much I barely recognized them.
...Though I’m probably not one to talk.
“Ah, nothing. Just thinking about my last trip.”
“Tch. Must be nice, so jealous. I’ve been stuck studying and couldn’t even have fun.”
Even during sumr break, she seed upset she couldn’t play because of her studies.
“Oh, does that an you don’t have parents nagging you to study?”
“...No, that’s, that’s not what I ant....”
“I’m joking, unni. It’s just that I’m so smart, I don’t need to study that much.”
“Wow, look at you.”
Yoo Seon-a said that and pulled into a hug, rubbing her cheek against mine.
“Ha... You little thing, look how much you’ve grown. I didn’t see you for just one winter and you’ve changed so much.”
Struggling in her arms, I looked up at Yoo Seon-a’s face.
“...Didn’t we use to be about the sa height?”
Only recently had I gotten used to living as a girl, which is why I even call her unni now.
“God, is there anything you won’t say? You used to be so cute, like a little doll.”
At that, I puffed my cheeks a bit and poked her with my index finger.
“Yap, acting cute?”
“....”
“What, why. I’m still cute, right?”
Co on, the biggest point of pride in this life is this stunning appearance. It’d be insulting to say otherwise.
“...That’s true, but sothing’s... sothing’s... ugh, Ha-yeon, you’ve totally turned into a little fox. Where did that bratty little kid go?”
“Hmph, that’s what I should be saying.”
“Ha-yeon, by the way, do you maybe have a boyfriend now? I an, you’re about that age....”
Hack hack.
‘Ah, bit my tongue.’
“Nope. Not in the way you’re thinking, unni.”
I shook my head seriously.
The idea of a cold, cool beauty like blushing under so guy and moaning? Absolutely repulsive.
“It’s okay, it’s okay, you know how free-spirited our family is, right? No one’s gonna kick you out, so enjoy all you want before you get married.”
Excuse ?
“Unni, you’ve been switching guys around a lot, huh?”
When I asked a little sharply, Yoo Seon-a flinched and stuttered.
“N-no... I an... u-uh! Yeah, kinda.”
“Are you still a virgin?”
“W-wha—what kind of question....”
Yoo Seon-a’s face turned bright red.
Well, even if she’s a third-generation chaebol, Yoo Seon-a is still just a middle schooler. She’s not like those Mirae Group bastards. She’s a pretty straight-laced model student, so no way she’s had a rebellious phase.
“Unni, you know how free-spirited our family is, right? No one’s gonna kick you out, so enjoy yourself all you want before you get married. Just make sure to use protection.”
I grinned playfully, gave her shoulder a pat, and left the room. She stayed frozen like a blushing statue until I was gone.
Outside the room, Yoo Seon-jun was smiling good-naturedly and waving at . He had a half-empty bottle of alcohol in his hand.
“Oh, Ha-yeon, long ti no see. Was your sumr vacation trip good? Sorry to call you out when you must be tired.”
He’s the one who decided to gather all the cousins at a resort for so ‘family bonding.’ I don’t know what he’s thinking, but when the family’s eldest grandson calls, it’s hard to say no.
“Yeah, it was fun in its own way. Ah, and it’s nice here too. Relaxing at a pension is great.”
I flopped onto the couch and started flipping through the TV channels. Tom and Jerry was on.
‘I used to love this back then too. Didn’t know it was this old.’
When I looked it up, it turned out the show started in 1940. It’s older than Uncle Jin-seok, for God’s sake. I was shocked when I found out.
The signature MGM roaring lion ca on screen, followed by so goofy slapstick cody in the background.
Yoo Seon-jun sat next to and laughed lightly like he was enjoying himself.
“Didn’t think you’d like this kind of stuff. Your taste is unusual.”
He shrugged and asked,
“Why? I’ve always liked stuff like this. Gas, cartoons, ani... that’s why I bought a few companies, rember? Do you even know what that lion is?”
“Uh... that lion that always shows up before cartoons but no one really knows what it is?”
“That’s Leo. It’s the MGM logo. The one they’ve been using since 1957 was fild by Alfred Hitchcock. The master of suspense, the guy who made Vertigo....”
I plan to attempt acquiring MGM soday. Their financials are a ss right now.
Of course, trying would be enough—swallowing it would cause all kinds of problems. They’ve got their own scandals.
With those thoughts, I stared blankly at the mouse and cat clowning around. It was the episode with Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody in the background—one of my favorites.
“Did you learn all that because of your dad?”
Straight to the point.
With a face like that, it’s no wonder he’s not popular with won.
“Yeah. Did you think I’d hate movies because of that?”
My dad really loved movies. I thought if I shared that interest, he’d at least listen to a little.
...That was just wishful thinking.
“Usually when adults push stuff on you, you start hating it, right? Haha, like how I hate studying.”
A dry laugh escaped .
Says the guy who’s technically an adult now.
“Ha, if you say stuff like that, the others are gonna hate you. You’re the one who got into Seoul National.”
“That’s why I only say it in front of you. Everyone knows how smart you are anyway.”
“That’s true. Anyway, I don’t really hate movies. Soft power is amazing. It’s basically mind control. Just like how it ssed with my dad.... Hm.”
Click.
On the screen, Jerry was dressed up and bowing at a 90-degree angle to the audience with a smile. I turned the TV off.
I couldn’t keep my facial muscles under control.
‘I was trying to act all serious, but I can’t hold in my laughter.’
Weird. That was supposed to be a really heavy, important scene....
I shook my head to ntally erase the Tom and Jerry bowing gif and looked at Yoo Seon-jun quietly.
“Oppa, so why did you call us here? Sure, it’s under the excuse of hanging out, but honestly, we all know—this kind of ‘fun’ doesn’t really bring us closer.”
Yoo Seon-jun sipped his wine and smiled slyly.
“Haha, still, isn’t it kinda fun? No suck-up friends around, just us family together.”
For whatever reason, he’d co to the pension without his usual assistants or bodyguards. He even told us to show up alone.
He said sotis it’s nice to just be with family. A trait we definitely didn’t need to inherit from Chairman Yoo Seong-pil....
“I don’t know. I’m fine with it. But what about you, oppa? You can’t ss around with girls here like you usually do.”
“It’s just... you know. I wanted us to get along. Even if we can’t be super close like you said... I just hope we don’t end up pointing knives at each other. That’s Grandpa’s wish, you know? We should respect that.”
“Are you serious?”
“....”
I was genuinely curious.
What the hell was going on in this guy’s head?
I glanced out the pension’s window. It was a quiet place with no one else around. Yoo Jin-ha’s two kids, Yoo Ji-won and Yoo Ho-jun, had gone out grumbling to buy ice cream....
Honestly, Yoo Jin-ha was a bigger threat to than Yoo Jin-seok, so... I figured it wouldn’t hurt to share a little.
And more than anything, my curiosity ca first, so I opened my mouth.
“Oppa, since it’s just us, I’ll tell you. Your friend... you know he’s backing Uncle Jin-ha, right?”
I tilted my head. Yoo Seon-jun’s voice ca out low and rough.
“You an Seon-pyo.”
“Yeah, Lee Seon-pyo. That guy. He’s your friend and also one of your close aides, right?”
Thanks to my past life mories, I know. When Yoo Seon-jun got caught on drug charges, the one who turned him in was his close aide, Lee Seon-pyo.
Not long after that, Yoo Jin-seok got arrested too, and Yoo Jin-ha beca chairman... obvious pattern.
“I know. Still surprising though. Hah, how bad is his acting if Seon-pyo even got caught by you?”
“...You knew?”
Yoo Seon-jun took the half-finished bottle and drank straight from it.
“Yeah. That’s why I said it.”
With family, at least with us...
Let’s try to get along.
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