Strategic Mating Partner Chapter 6

‘Judging by his attitude, he doesn’t seem to have held a grudge…’

Taehyun, tense as a student awaiting reprimand, asked Sejin, who remained stubbornly silent, “So, what have you been up to? Besides training, I mean. I heard you went back to France right after the Olympics.”

That was public knowledge in Korea. The media wouldn’t leave alone a handsome eighteen-year-old who’d reached the top of the world, surpassing even most celebrities in looks. Despite countless interview requests, Sejin had given a minimal briefing in Korea before returning to his family in France.

For the agency, which had envisioned Sejin as a star, this was a devastating blow. The first thing Taehyun heard upon his return was the manager’s lament:

‘He suddenly went back, and then you, the only one who knew him somewhat, cut off all contact and disappeared. I aged twenty years in that time.’

Taehyun assured the worried manager there was no bad blood between them. At least, not as far as Taehyun remembered. Their relationship had been fine. Taehyun was the one who’d disappeared. Whether Sejin had tried to contact him before or after returning to France was something Taehyun could only learn by asking. A nagging feeling lingered in Taehyun’s mind. Had he influenced Sejin’s decision?

‘It feels weird to directly ask if he’s upset with me…’

He tried a roundabout approach. Sejin looked back and forth between the gamjatang and Taehyun before answering, “Yes. I was in France, but my grandfather called me back to Korea last year.”

“Grandfather? Your grandfather lives in Korea?”

Grandfather? Sejin had said he didn’t know anyone in Korea. Surprised, Taehyun raised an eyebrow and looked at Sejin. Sejin glanced down, avoiding his gaze, and replied, “Yes.”

Another curt reply. Taehyun stirred the bubbling gamjatang and asked again, “You said you didn’t know anyone in Korea when you first came.”

He wanted to make sure he hadn’t misremembered. Sejin replied casually, “I haven’t been in touch with him for long. He contacted me after I won the Olympic medal.”

“Ah.”

A familiar story. Taehyun acknowledged his naivete. It wasn’t uncommon. Abandoned children or grandchildren… Ignored until they achieved something, then suddenly relatives emerged, claiming kinship. Taehyun knew many people who’d experienced similar situations. He clicked his tongue and placed a large bone onto Sejin’s plate, grumbling, “That’s harsh. He knew you existed but only contacted you after you became famous. He’s your grandfather, so I shouldn’t say anything bad, but…”

Despite the grandfather’s unlikeable behavior, Taehyun couldn’t be too critical. He pouted, expressing his disapproval. Sejin replied calmly, “It’s okay. I don’t like him either. You’re right, he only contacted me after I became successful.”

Sejin’s detached tone, devoid of any affection or expectation towards his grandfather, bothered Taehyun. If he disliked his grandfather, why was he living in Korea for him? Was it truly Sejin’s choice, or…? It was likely unnecessary worry, but Taehyun couldn’t shake the feeling.

“…You’re kind. Coming back to Korea for a grandfather you don’t like, even if it’s unfamiliar.”

Criticizing the grandfather wouldn’t change anything. It was better to acknowledge Sejin’s sacrifice. Taehyun’s gentle words prompted Sejin to correct him.

“It’s not like that. He runs a small company and made himself my sponsor. I have a contract with my agency, so I’m complying for now.”

“Sponsor?”

Taehyun’s ears perked up. If he could offer sponsorship, it couldn’t be a small company. Of course, for smaller, less popular sports with local pro teams, it wasn’t unusual to have local sponsors. Even “small” companies usually had a decent reputation and revenue within their region, but they were still small compared to major corporations. Curious, Taehyun tilted his head. Sejin offered a brief explanation.

“Yes. Ilwoon Pharmaceuticals.”

“What?”

Taehyun was taken aback. “Ilwoon Pharmaceuticals is not a small company!” If Sejin considered only global giants like N or M as large companies, then sure, Ilwoon might be relatively smaller. But by any normal standard, Ilwoon Pharmaceuticals was a major corporation with billions in revenue, nearly a trillion won if rounded up. Who would call that a small company? Taehyun almost jumped out of his seat, barely managing to stay put.

“Who calls Ilwoon a small company?”

That explained it. Since last year, Sejin had been constantly featured in Ilwoon Pharmaceutical ads on TV and YouTube. Sejin was a top star, but the ads seemed more focused on him than the product. If the goal was to associate Ilwoon with Sejin, it was a highly effective strategy. Even though Sejin had only been their model for two years, the public now strongly connected Ilwoon Pharmaceuticals with Joo Sejin. Taehyun expressed his disbelief, and Sejin retorted casually, “It doesn’t really affect me. I won’t inherit it, and my mother cut ties with him after a fight, so I’ve always considered him a stranger.”

He added, with a detached tone that sounded almost monastic, “He said he’d give me some shares, but it doesn’t matter. We’re family in name only. It’s just business.”

Just business? What kind of business plastered your face all over primetime TV instead of their product? Taehyun held back his comments. Even before, Sejin had had a serene, almost aristocratic aura, but he hadn’t realized Sejin was actually from a wealthy family. And “cut ties”? Parents severing ties with family, living abroad, then being called back after achieving success… It was like something out of a movie. This guy truly had an unusual life. Taehyun, recalling the same thought from four years ago, shrugged.

“You always had a princely air, but now you’re actually a prince.”

Taehyun spoke matter-of-factly, not intending to tease. Sejin’s eyebrows twitched.

“Is that an insult?”

Not really. If Taehyun had said that to someone else, it might have been mocking, but not with Sejin. It perfectly captured Sejin’s calm, serene yet bold demeanor.

“No? It just suits you. It would be annoying coming from anyone else, but it works for you.”

He couldn’t explain his reasoning, but Sejin had been consistent since their first meeting four years ago. So much so that Taehyun almost wondered if their encounter in the hotel room had been a hallucination.