Chapter 37
“……Then, doesn’t that mean they’re not my benefactors?”
Baek I-hae rolled her eyes back and forth before cautiously asking. She was starting to suspect that the engagement might just be an excuse, and perhaps he was keeping her close for revenge.
Had he noticed the impure glint in Baek I-hae’s eyes? Seo I-heum shook his head as if to say she should drop such foolish thoughts.
“He was my close friend and a member of a rival organization. After we learned each other’s identities and cut ties, I thought we’d never meet again. We knew about each other’s families and lovers, but we never mentioned them.”
They were people who knew each other’s weaknesses. They realized their relationship couldn’t continue, but since there were no ill feelings, they decided to bury it.
Baek I-hae listened quietly to the explanation.
“Then, by chance, their organization found out about my wife. But she was under protection, so it wouldn’t have been easy to approach her.”
In that situation, Baek I-hae’s father, who was called a traitor.
She carefully voiced her speculation.
“Did Dad approach first? Even if they knew each other’s faces, it would’ve been hard to get close.”
“Yes. And my wife, realizing he was being blackmailed, followed him alone. He was being threatened with your mother’s life as leverage.”
“Even though it was the organization Dad was part of? They were on the same side.”
She hadn’t expected a gang to be kind to its members. Still, she thought they’d at least have some sense of treating their own people decently, like Old Man Oh did.
That’s probably why she hadn’t noticed Chai Ryeong’s betrayal until she experienced it firsthand.
“They’re the type to use whatever they can.”
Surely not the Baek faction.
Baek I-hae was about to ask but decided against it. Whether it was or not, it was an organization that no longer had anything to do with her.
Besides, she had no fond memories of Baek Yeong, so she didn’t want to dwell on it.
“I don’t resent my wife for following along even though she knew it was dangerous. The same goes for your father. If the roles were reversed, I would’ve hesitated too.”
“But…… even so, that was wrong. Honestly, I don’t understand why you’d call my parents benefactors. If it were me, I’d resent them for life.”
Was it because she had no past memories as Baek I-hae? Even though they were her parents, they felt like strangers, so her words came out rather harshly.
She could feel Old Man Oh’s surprised gaze, but Baek I-hae pretended not to notice.
“Yes, I might have resented them. But it was your mother who protected Do-gyeom, who was kidnapped with her, until her death.”
“That……”
Was that alone enough to call them benefactors? It felt ambiguous, but Baek I-hae didn’t say it out loud.
Still, she was a bit shocked to learn that Seo Do-gyeom had gone through something like that in his childhood. Maybe he didn’t remember because he was young. If he did remember, there’s no way he’d like Baek I-hae.
For some reason, anxiety made her clench and unclench her fists. The idea of Seo Do-gyeom resenting her was unimaginable.
……And she didn’t particularly want to imagine it.
“Well, there are other reasons, but they’re not pleasant stories to tell you. Just remember that I don’t resent your parents. It’s all in the past anyway.”
“What happened to that organization? Did you get revenge?”
“I did. I thought if I left them be, who knows what they’d do to the kids next. The only thing that bothers me is that I couldn’t figure out who planned the kidnapping.”
“It doesn’t seem like a place that usually operates that way.”
Seo I-heum nodded quietly.
“I took care of the executive level, and there haven’t been issues since, so it should be fine…… But with the Baek faction matter, you should be careful too.”
“Don’t worry. I’m still learning self-defense, and I go to and from school with Do-gyeom.”
Seo I-heum nodded as if relieved. In the end, she didn’t hear when the engagement promise was made, but since he said they knew each other from before, she figured it was just a passing joke.
It probably wasn’t important, so he didn’t mention it. Baek I-hae brushed it off casually.
“I-hae noona, are you here?”
Seo-yeol’s voice came from outside. When Old Man Oh opened the door, Seo-yeol entered, looking like he’d just arrived home in his school uniform.
As soon as he came in and spotted Baek I-hae, he broke into a wide smile and ran over to hug her. At the sight, Seo I-heum furrowed his brow.
“Seo-yeol.”
“I’m home! I washed my hands!”
Anticipating what would follow Seo I-heum’s call, Seo-yeol hurriedly added. At first, he’d craved Seo I-heum’s affection but was too scared of him, always watching his reactions.
After the burn incident, Seo-yeol had become the type to follow her around devotedly. As Baek I-hae stroked Seo-yeol’s hair, Seo I-heum’s sigh sounded particularly loud.
“I-hae, I told you not to indulge him too much.”
Seo I-heum was a man with an utterly indifferent face who subtly nagged a lot. But knowing that his nagging was reserved for family made it not unpleasant.
“It’s fine, he’s just cute.”
He’d grown taller than last year, but he was still shorter than her. Feeling like she had a little brother, Baek I-hae smiled softly.
Then, as if suddenly remembering, she spoke up.
“By the way, Uncle. You have to keep the promise you couldn’t last year—this year for sure, okay?”
“Promise?”
“The one about going to the beach! We’re definitely going this summer.”
She grumbled that she hadn’t even gotten to wear the swimsuit she’d bought last time, and Seo-yeol flinched.
“Yeah, we have to go this time. But no wearing swimsuits that show too much skin.”
“Come on, swimsuits are supposed to show skin. What kind of nonsense is that?”
“I heard there are things like rash guards these days. Old Man Oh told me.”
Baek I-hae clicked her tongue, thinking he knew unnecessary things, and glared at Old Man Oh. Old Man Oh, who had thoughtlessly repeated what he’d heard from Chai Ryeong before, pretended not to notice and looked away.
Inwardly, he was whimpering that Baek I-hae’s glare was getting quite scary now.
“Well, I’ll think about that when the time comes.”
“Baek I-hae.”
“La la la, I can’t hear you. Can’t hear you!”
When Baek I-hae plugged her ears and dodged Seo I-heum’s call, Old Man Oh clamped his mouth shut.
His eyes were filled with admiration, as if wondering how she could act like that. Of course, as soon as Seo I-heum noticed that look and glared at him, Old Man Oh quickly left the room.
“Noona.”
“Yeah?”
It was Seo-yeol who called out to Baek I-hae like that. He hesitated for a moment before cautiously asking.
“Can we not go to the beach?”
“Why? Are you scared of the ocean or something?”
“It’s not that…… If you wear a swimsuit, your back will be all exposed…… you know.”
Ah.
Realizing what Seo-yeol was trying to say, Baek I-hae scratched her head. She herself didn’t care anymore whether she had the burn scar or not.
Maybe it was because it was a part she couldn’t see. But unlike her indifference, Seo-yeol seemed to have pondered before bringing it up.
It definitely wasn’t because he didn’t want to see the scar; probably, he hated the idea of people around whispering and staring at her back.
“I’m fine with it. Are you embarrassed by it, by any chance?”
“No way! It’s a scar you got saving me!”
“Then that’s settled. I’m really okay with it, so don’t worry about other people’s stares. I don’t regret what happened back then.”
She hadn’t expected any reward in the first place. If she went back to that moment, she’d do the same thing.
As Baek I-hae smiled gently, Seo-yeol stared at her as if entranced.
If Seo I-heum hadn’t cleared his throat at the faint blush on Seo-yeol’s cheeks, Seo-yeol might have kept gazing at her.
“Burn scar aside, assume you’ll be wearing a rash guard. The world is too dangerous these days.”
Baek I-hae pressed her lips together at Seo I-heum’s stern words. Coming from an active gang member, it lacked any real persuasiveness.
Still, happy about the promise to go to the beach, Baek I-hae replied that she’d think about it. It was a truly bold and cheeky response.
But that was so like Baek I-hae that Seo I-heum couldn’t help but smile, as if resigned.
“Then I’ll head up to do some review and keep an eye on Seo Do-gyeom.”
Seo I-heum nodded. As Baek I-hae started to walk away, Seo-yeol naturally tried to follow, but Seo I-heum grabbed him by the scruff of the neck.
Seo-yeol, suddenly separated from Baek I-hae, widened his eyes and looked up at Seo I-heum.
“Let’s talk for a bit.”
What could make him want to talk to Seo-yeol alone like this?
Baek I-hae tilted her head in curiosity, but still, seeing Seo I-heum showing interest in Seo-yeol felt quite heartwarming.
Thinking she should tactfully give them space, she hummed a tune as she left. It was an added bonus that she told Old Man Oh to go in later once she closed the door.
Of course, she had no idea that Seo I-heum would ask Seo-yeol if he was interested in the engagement.
