Chapter 121: Surely He Won’t Die, Right?
TL: Aniea
“It’s been a while, young lady.”
Butler Kim bowed respectfully. It was a flawless and impeccable greeting, but Kim Eun-ha’s expression as she looked at him was far from bright.
“I never imagined that you would personally come, Butler Kim-nim. What brings you... no, I suppose there’s no need to ask. Is it because of Woo-ju ssi?”
“Hoho. Your keen insight never fails to amaze this old man. As you said, I am here to escort young master Kang Woo-ju.”
“.......”
The two of them simultaneously turned their gazes in the same direction. There stood Kang Woo-ju with a blank expression.
It wouldn’t have been surprising if he were flustered by Butler Kim’s sudden intrusion without any prior notice, but instead, he merely gave a slight bow without showing the slightest sign of surprise.
“It’s been a while.”
Hoho-
Butler Kim silently marveled at Kang Woo-ju’s composure. To think he would confront this head-on.
Judging by his expression and tone, not only did he know Butler Kim was the watch shop’s owner he had met before, but he also seemed to guess why he had appeared here.
Of course, since he had already visited the watch shop with Kim Eun-ha, it was likely that he had some idea of Butler Kim’s true identity.
However, responding so calmly with the person in question standing right before him was an entirely different matter.
‘...Had he anticipated this?’
That thought briefly crossed Butler Kim’s mind, but judging by Kim Eun-ha’s obvious discomfort, it didn’t seem to be the case.
They had come without warning, giving him no time to prepare, precisely to show the Chairman the unfiltered, raw version of him.
Therefore, the words and behavior Kang Woo-ju was displaying now were likely entirely his own judgment, untouched by Kim Eun-ha’s influence. And yet-
‘...I’ve lived long enough to see everything, haven’t I?’
This was only the second time Butler Kim had come face-to-face with Kang Woo-ju. The last time was the day he handed over the watch at the Chairman’s request.
Back then, he thought the boy wasn’t a bad candidate, but the atmosphere now was distinctly different.
‘Can a person really change this much?’
The difference between the Kang Woo-ju he met in the past and the one standing in front of him now was so vast that it prompted that question.
Whether in a good way.
Or a bad way.
‘Honestly, it’s hard to believe he’s even the same person.’
A straight back.
Squared shoulders.
Eyes brimming with confidence.
The anxious and uneasy air he had once exuded was completely gone, replaced by a gaze full of conviction that left a strong impression.
‘...Even if someone told me he was the real young master, I’d believe it.’
He felt like he was facing someone who had been born into the Mirae Group, inherited the family name, and endured the brutal competition to become an heir.
‘Is that an act too? Or is it...’
It was confusing.
For the first time in a very long while, Butler Kim found himself feeling “flustered.” It had been so long since he last experienced that emotion.
He had already known that Kang Woo-ju had once played a chaebol third-generation role in a drama.
Although he hadn’t watched it himself, his daughter, who watched every single drama, had caused a stir during a phone call.
-Dad, listen to me. There’s this actor named Kang Woo-ju who just debuted. His acting is seriously amazing, you know? Even through the screen, when he makes eye contact, it sends chills down your spine!?
-I’m working. Hang up....
-And there are weird rumors floating around too.
-Rumors?
Since he had been gathering every bit of information about Kang Woo-ju down to the smallest detail, he couldn’t help but perk up at such a sensitive word.
-Yeah. He’s always buying snacks for the staff, treating everyone to Hanwoo dinners, and even renting private buses. There’s no way someone like that just dropped from the sky, right?
-.......
-At first, people said he got in through connections, but his acting was so good those rumors just disappeared. But... it’s almost too much, you know?
-Too much?
-If he’s a real chaebol, there’s no need for him to act. That would just be his real personality. So some people are saying this drama is just a rich chaebol third-generation’s hobby project, since he has money to burn....
At the time, he brushed it off as a silly joke. After all, he knew exactly where that money came from.
His daughter’s fussiness was an everyday occurrence. He had simply thought that, for a no-name actor, Kang Woo-ju seemed to act fairly well.
‘...So it wasn’t just pointless fussing.’
The aura radiating from Kang Woo-ju was that intense. Even someone like him, who knew every detail of the young man’s past, found himself tilting his head in wonder.
Hmm-
So Butler Kim decided to postpone his original plan to take Kang Woo-ju with him right away and instead opted to have a bit more conversation with him.
“Do you remember me?”
“Of course. The words you shared with me back then are still deeply engraved in my heart. Ah, would you prefer I address you in a particular way?”
“I find it most pleasant when people call me Butler Kim.”
“Then I won’t hold back. Butler Kim-nim.”
Hoho-
Without a trace of hesitation, Kang Woo-ju addressed him with the familiarity of a grandson. Butler Kim, feeling unexpectedly pleased, let out a hearty laugh.
Thanks to that, the once chilly atmosphere softened, making the conversation more comfortable to carry on.
“You’ve changed quite a lot.”
“I’ve just been through many things, which led me to change like this. But you, Butler Kim-nim, seem even younger than before.”
“What good does it do to gild an old man’s face?”
“You already paid the price a year ago.”
Tap tap-
Kang Woo-ju lightly tapped the watch on his wrist as he spoke. Butler Kim nodded, admiring his smooth wit.
“My, my. I’ve lived quite a few years, but I’ve never met someone quite like you, young master. I suppose I should credit the young lady’s eye.”
“......!!”
As Butler Kim casually shifted the topic, Kim Eun-ha, who had been quietly watching, furrowed her brow.
She glared at Butler Kim for a moment, then opened her mouth in a tone that clearly expressed her displeasure.
“Sorry, but there’s too much unresolved for us to sit here laughing together. Why did you approach Woo-ju ssi a year ago?”
“As the young lady suspects.”
“Don’t dodge the question. Please answer clearly.”
“The Chairman wished to give a proper gift to the person who saved his youngest daughter. However, the young master didn’t seem to want direct compensation, so I tried to deliver it in the most natural way possible.”
“.......”
Kim Eun-ha frowned as Butler Kim revealed the events without hesitation, as though it was all expected. Kang Woo-ju, slightly surprised, responded.
“You planned it all?”
“Hmm. Saying ‘all’ might be a bit of a stretch. Let’s just say an unbelievable number of coincidences happened to overlap. That’s all I’ll say.”
“.......”
“To clear up what may be a misunderstanding, the fact that you visited the Chairman’s workshop and the fact that I happened to be there that day, those were both coincidences. I was honestly quite surprised myself at the time.”
Butler Kim spoke as candidly as possible, and Kang Woo-ju, silently listening, sensed that he wasn’t lying.
Kim Eun-ha also seemed to instinctively realize this, but she didn’t withdraw her suspicious gaze so easily.
“...So you knew, didn’t you? That I suffer from claustrophobia. That Woo-ju ssi saved me. Secretary Yoon... no, is it now Team Leader Kang Dae-ho?”
Smirk-
Butler Kim simply smiled in response, and seeing the meaning behind that smile, Kim Eun-ha’s expression twisted even further.
“The Chairman is far more interested in his youngest daughter than you may think. Who do you suppose could ever change his mind once it’s made?”
“Don’t worry about that. It’s not like I was completely unaware of it.”
Even as she said that, Kim Eun-ha bit down hard on her lip. Though she had vaguely suspected it, it was clear she still felt unsettled.
After all, no heir candidate is unaware that there’s a trusted aide of the Chairman planted among their subordinates.
Some, once they figure out the spy’s identity, whether on their own or with help, even go so far as to openly use them.
‘...In a way, that too is part of the test.’
It’s a way of testing leadership, or at least equivalent capability, whether one can turn even the Chairman’s confidant into their own subordinate.
In that respect, Kim Eun-ha had already passed. Team Leader Kang Dae-ho had even declared himself that he saw her like his own daughter.
However, this fact was never shared with Kim Eun-ha. No matter how deeply the two cared for each other, they could never truly be the real thing.
‘Maintaining proper distance is important.’
And both of them knew that well. Team Leader Kang Dae-ho would never open his tight-lipped mouth, and Kim Eun-ha would continue to pretend not to know.
There might be a slight emotional distance between them, but their relationship wouldn’t change much overall.
“......?”
Sleek-
While Butler Kim was organizing his thoughts, Kang Woo-ju suddenly moved his hand.
He gently placed his hand over the back of Kim Eun-ha’s hand. A gesture that seemed to comfort her.
Startled, Kim Eun-ha looked up at him, but Kang Woo-ju silently patted the back of her hand.
Surprisingly, the sharpness that had always surrounded Kim Eun-ha began to soften.
Her expression and posture remained the same, but the air around her seemed to have shifted in temperature.
The fact that she didn’t shake off Kang Woo-ju’s hand was proof enough. Seeing this, Butler Kim’s eyes gleamed.
‘...Team Leader Kang. So this is what you saw?’
Though he didn’t show it outwardly, Butler Kim was quietly amazed.
The Kim Eun-ha he knew had shown nothing but mechanical behavior ever since losing her parents.
She always maintained an almost perfect appearance, and never hesitated to reveal sharp claws before anyone she labeled as an “enemy,” like himself.
‘Hoho. So it wasn’t only the young master who changed.’
Just as Kang Woo-ju had changed,
So had Kim Eun-ha.
It must be said that they had influenced each other.
Whether this was a good change or not remained to be seen.
Before he was a member of Mirae Group and the Chairman’s confidant, as a father who had children of his own, Butler Kim smiled sincerely.
“Young master Kang.”
When he spoke in an unusually gentle voice, Kang Woo-ju blinked in surprise. Then Butler Kim smiled softly and continued.
“Don’t try to fight back clumsily. Just nod your head when needed. If you do that, he won’t separate the two of you.”
“What do you mean...”
“Oh my! Look at the time. Let’s save the rest of our talk for later and get going now. The Chairman is waiting.”
“.......”
Butler Kim clearly cut off Kang Woo-ju’s words and straightened his outfit. He wore the same mechanical smile he had upon first entering this place.
“I’ll escort you.”
“I’ll come too...!”
“Think rationally, young lady.”
“.......”
At Butler Kim’s firm tone, Kim Eun-ha glared at him for a moment, but then Kang Woo-ju gently patted her hand again and stood up.
“I’ll be back.”
“...Woo-ju ssi.”
“Surely he won’t kill me, right?”
“There’s a higher chance you’ll face something worse than death.”
“At times like this, isn’t it better to say something reassuring, even if it’s a lie...? Well, anyway. Don’t worry too much. Butler Kim-nim will be with me. Right?”
Instead of replying, Butler Kim gave a polite bow. With a bitter smile, Kang Woo-ju then followed his lead and carefully headed toward Chairman Kim Seok-ho’s residence.
*****
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