Chapter 50

Late at night, Han Jun-ho waited for Sae-i to finish filming.

By the time Joo Sae-i came back to their quarters at Jaedamjae, she looked exhausted. The filming schedule had already been packed as it was, and she’d pushed herself especially hard on her acting besides.

Finding her father waiting for her in the living room, Sae-i trudged straight over and sat down beside him.

She’d already heard, more or less, that her father had gone to see her grandfather. She just had no idea what they could possibly have talked about to leave him with such a serious expression.

“Sae-i.”

Han Jun-ho’s voice, calling his daughter’s name, was lower and more resolute than usual.

Sae-i lifted her head and looked at her father. He hesitated for a long moment before taking both of her hands in his. His fingertips were rough from reading documents every day.

“Did something happen?”

“Well…”

He’d meant to tell her he’d be working for Dongwoo Group again, but the words wouldn’t come easily. His daughter was sharp about these things, which made him careful.

After slowly swallowing down his unease, Han Jun-ho returned to his usual calm expression and spoke.

“Your dad’s going to be joining the legal team directly under the Chairman.”

“What?”

Not even the Dongwoo Electronics legal team he’d worked at before, but right under her grandfather. Sae-i asked again in surprise.

He couldn’t explain the whole situation. In any case, he’d accepted the offer to build up the strength to protect Sae-i from whatever greed Joo Su-deok might show down the line.

If he spoke carelessly in a way that sounded like he was wary of Su-deok, it might affect Sae-i too.

Having no way of knowing that Joo Sae-i had already made plans to take revenge on her uncle herself, Han Jun-ho simply didn’t want to see his daughter looking anxious.

Biting his lip, hesitating, Han Jun-ho silently set his hand on top of Sae-i’s head. He stroked her hair with a gentle touch.

“Whatever happens, Dad will protect you. Our princess should just do whatever she wants to do.”

For a moment, Sae-i’s eyes shook wide.

“If you want to act, go ahead and act. If it’s hard, rest easy. Just live like yourself, all right?”

“Dad…”

“That’s why Dad’s going back. To Dongwoo. For that.”

If it weren’t for his late wife and Sae-i, he’d have had no attachment whatsoever to Dongwoo Group. Han Jun-ho’s acceptance of Chairman Joo’s offer wasn’t ambition — it was a choice he’d made for his daughter.

“I won’t let anyone block your path. Just like your mother wouldn’t have. Even if that means…”

Even if it meant the heir to Dongwoo Group.

He meant to fight, Han Jun-ho did.

His voice trembled a little the whole time he spoke, but it was full of resolve.

Listening quietly, Sae-i found her eyes welling up without meaning to. This was the first time her always-quiet, always-gentle father had ever declared something so firmly.

“Dad’s behind you. Just look ahead and go, Sae-i. I’ll watch your back.”

Having grown up without parents of his own, Han Jun-ho wanted to become a sturdy shield for his child.

Even though his wife was gone and left Sae-i with only her father, he meant to grow stronger for it, strong enough to carry the share of protecting her that the late Jeong-wol would have carried too.

“So don’t be afraid.”

You don’t need to know yet just how full of spite and suspicion the world can be. With that wish folded into the gesture, Han Jun-ho patted his daughter’s back.

To Han Jun-ho, she was still a child. But Sae-i, who had already lived through the future once, had no intention of staying hidden behind her father.

I have to protect him too. Dad.

Held in the arms of the father who had sworn to protect her, Sae-i steadied her resolve all over again. She wouldn’t let him shoulder everything alone and collapse under it the way he had before.

It was a moment where father and daughter each resolved, in their own way, to protect the other.

Sunlight filtered through the thin curtains of the hospital room.

Sitting up in bed, Joo Tae-baek kept his eyes fixed on the door, waiting for someone. Before long, a light came into his eyes.

“You’ve come, Sae-i.”

His expression brightening, he welcomed his granddaughter. He wanted to hear directly from her about the new filming she’d started.

Sitting demurely in her chair, Sae-i launched into a chattering stream of talk.

“The nerve of those shameless people!”

Sae-i had to work hard to stop the Chairman from making a direct phone call the moment he heard about the tourism business team’s doing.

Having reported everything that had happened on set, Sae-i hesitated for a moment, then slowly parted her lips.

“Grandfather.”

“Mm.”

“There’s a friend of mine who’s started learning to act.”

She brought up Woon Seong-ha.

She’d actually meant to wait and watch a little longer before saying anything, but her mind had changed since their last acting practice together. Seong-ha was talented enough that he could be brought in right away.

“A friend?”

“Yes. I met him at school — he seemed to have a real talent for acting. Teacher Seong Hye-sim is personally teaching him.”

“Oh ho… He must be no ordinary prodigy either, then.”

“If you see him, Grandfather, you’ll like him too.”

Getting Woon Seong-ha signed on with Wave Actors would need her grandfather’s approval.

As Sae-i kept lightly talking about Seong-ha, Joo Tae-baek nodded along in silence, looking intrigued.

“Anyway, he’s really good. He only just started, but his acting’s already solid, and he’s handsome too…”

“Khm, kheuk! Sae-i, wait a moment…”

Joo Tae-baek broke off, choking on his breath. He waved a hand to get her attention.

“Handsome, you said? It’s a boy?”

“Ah, yes! A boy from my class. His name’s Woon Seong-ha, and…”

Joo Sae-i showed him a photo of Seong-ha on her phone.

A gentle, good-looking face. Puppy-like eyes, and an atmosphere as bright and fresh as spring.

Having laid eyes on the photo, Joo Tae-baek stopped hearing whatever came after.

Watching his granddaughter introduce a boy her own age to him, he found himself reminded of the moment Joo Jeong-wol had brought Han Jun-ho home.

Taking after her mother, bringing home a boy who looks just like that…

Woon Seong-ha had, overall, carried much the same air Han Jun-ho once had, back then.

Imagining Sae-i bringing this boy home someday saying she meant to marry him, just as her daughter once had, Joo Tae-baek let out a groan.

Shaking his head, Joo Tae-baek took hold of his granddaughter’s hand to change the mood.

This was no time to be entertaining such thoughts. There was another reason he’d called Sae-i here today.

“Right, why don’t you come somewhere with Grandfather for a bit today.”

“Where?”

“…You’ll know when we get there.”

Rising to his feet with surprising vigor, as though his strength had returned, Joo Tae-baek led the way.

Even after they went down to the VIP parking lot and got into the car, Sae-i still had no idea where they were headed today.

Sae-i stole a glance at her grandfather, sitting beside her in the back seat. Unlike the lively interest he’d shown listening to her stories from the set back in the hospital room, his face was now deeply sunk in thought.

Where could he be taking me.

Sae-i clasped her hands tightly together and let out a tense breath.

The car came to a stop at a memorial hall.

Joo Tae-baek stepped out first, and Sae-i followed carefully behind. When he finally stopped, she read the nameplate in front of her.

[The Late Joo Jeong-wol]

Her mother’s name was written there. Inside, alongside it, were photographs taken with the family while she was alive — even one with a young Sae-i.

After leaving the Joo family, Sae-i had only ever looked at photos of her mother at home and missed her that way; she had never once come to her mother’s memorial hall. It was the result of being afraid, without even trying, that she might run into someone from that side of the family.

“…Say hello to your mother.”

Facing the photograph, Sae-i pressed her lips shut tight. Her throat tightened painfully.

Joo Tae-baek stood silently in front of it for a moment, then let out a low breath. Beside him, Sae-i said nothing, only recalling in her heart all the things she’d wanted to say to her mother.

I’m here, Mom.

A mother who’d left so suddenly. Honestly, it still felt like she must be alive somewhere in the world.

I actually wanted to brag to you.

Ever since learning that her mother had once dreamed of acting too, Sae-i had wanted, all this time, to tell her — that she’d carried on her dream for her.

I’m doing all right, aren’t I?

Just as tears began to well up, Sae-i lifted her chin and held them back.

After a long silence, Joo Tae-baek and Joo Sae-i left the memorial hall and walked through the garden.

Shielding her eyes from the bright sunlight with her hand, Sae-i moved toward the shade. From the shaded spot, she could see into the memorial hall through the glass.

“…Huh.”

Catching a glimpse of the inside, Sae-i froze in place.

There, looking at someone’s urn with eyes soaked in tears, was Ryu Do-gyeong.