Cold City Romance Chapter 14.2

In this way, even if he repaid the grace in the smallest way, he was the kind of person who would return it several times over with even greater repayment. Since the relationship between the families had been closely connected since his grandfather’s time, the term benefactor would be more fitting for him and his family.

It was the reason he must absolutely never fall out of favor with the current Chairman, and it was also the biggest reason why he inevitably had to become a cowardly materialist. He did not want to kick away his own blessings with his own feet and incur the Chairman’s resentment or hatred no matter what happened.

The reason Cha Dokyung could wear this fake smile on his face as if nothing was wrong was entirely because of Hyun Jaehwi who had attended this birthday celebration today. Since he had confirmed with his own two eyes that he had not yet returned to America, now it was his turn to give him the final farewell greeting.

Hyun Jaehwi, who was standing near the antique garden fountain in the center of the banquet hall, was staring openly at Cha Dokyung, who was greeting the VIPs with an elegant smile from a distance, as if piercing him with his gaze.

He, who was standing tall like a picture in a stylish double-buttoned suit in the center of the banquet hall, had a solid body frame and proportions that were fantastic at first glance. Looking at the boy from afar with an objective gaze, the fact that he was in his young twenties was just a prejudice; he appeared nothing but an adult-like and sexy man to the point where one could not take their eyes off him. Even if they met again in Messiah, he would not know and would fall for the boy again.

The boy he encountered again after a month felt strangely unfamiliar. The sharp bone structure of his high nose bridge and that perfectly restrained sharp face had long since lost any trace of boyishness.

Minister Kang Kio of Foreign Affairs, seated at the VIP table, pointed at the tall, handsome man visible in the center and laughed heartily.

“By the way, Chairman Hyun, about what you said…. You really raised one son well.”

The current Chairman looked down proudly at his youngest son, standing tall in front of the garden fountain like a page from a pictorial, from the high altar-like VIP seat as if he were royalty.

“I did not do anything for him. He grew up so splendidly on his own…. No matter where or to whom I introduce him, he is a guy who would never be lacking, only regrettable if anything.”

Minister Kang Kio paused for a moment and then said boldly with bravado.

“While you are busy boasting about that tall and outstanding youngest son of yours, how about pairing him with our Seoyeon?”

The current Chairman twitched his thick eyebrows streaked with gray.

“I heard from my daughter that they are the same age, and they have known each other since middle school in Korea…. Apparently, from a young age, your youngest son was quite a famous figure among his peers.”

Under the awning splendidly embroidered with gold leaf, Cha Dokyung, who was dining with the Chairman at the antique outdoor VIP table, could not help but overhear the minister’s story who was sitting right next to him unintentionally. He barely hid his surprised face and unknowingly held his breath still.

The minister showed no intention of hiding this marriage proposal from the precious guests seated at the table at all. Rather, with a sappy face, he seemed to hope that those sitting next to him would join in responding to this delightful proposal.

“Seoyeon also graduated from Yale, which is close to Princeton where your youngest son attended. Since the two have similar backgrounds and environments in which they grew up, it seems like they would get along well in conversation.”

However, the current Chairman gave a wry smile with an awkward and regretful face.

“It is a tempting story, but my youngest is scheduled to return to America in just a few days.”

Cha Dokyung, who had been eavesdropping in a stiffened state pretending to eat, felt his heart sink like a plummet at the news that he would return to America in a few days. In the end, he too was leaving this place just like him in a few days.

The minister slapped his knee and reacted with great delight.

“That is perfect. Our daughter is also planning to return to Yale in America and complete her PhD program by the time she turns thirty…. I have no intention of opposing it if my daughter wants to settle down and live in America.”

“…….”

“I raised her beautifully, granting her every wish. Even if she lives in America rather than Korea following her husband, I plan to allow it willingly.”

The minister, with an air of interest, made a fuss and gestured with his chin toward the front.

“Chairman Hyun. Look over there; something amusing to watch has come up.”

“…….”

“It seems like the young master of your household and my daughter are exchanging greetings with each other right now.”

What Cha Dokyung, seated side by side at the table, was looking at was not the two elders, but the central fountain area of the banquet hall visible right from the altar.

The woman with that beauty who approached Hyun Jaehwi’s side holding a glass of champagne seemed to be the refined youngest daughter that Minister Kang Kio had raised so preciously.

Twenty-six years old, the same age, with beautiful looks and intelligence, Chaewon handed the glass to Hyun Jaehwi while showing a shy fondness that anyone could see. Hyun Jaehwi, without panicking, handled her proactive attitude very properly and mannerly.

She was smiling so kindly and fresh that anyone would fall for her. With her elegant impression exuding class, tall and slender like a model, as she stood by his side, the two man and woman against the backdrop of the fountain looked like a single painting. It was to the point where one could delusionally think they were a very well-matched pair.

The current Chairman looked at the two from afar and broke into a broad grin.

“They are a fine pair of man and woman. The two match very well.”

In response to the current Chairman’s words, the VIP table became momentarily noisy as one by one, people chimed in saying the two matched too well.

“If the two marry and have children, the second generation would undoubtedly resemble them and be outstanding in both looks and talent. There is no greater blessing than that.”

At the current Chairman’s words, the dignified and dazzling smile disappeared from Cha Dokyung’s face. He did not even realize the fact that his coldly stern expression had stiffened rigidly in front of the Chairman.

Forgetting even that he had politely declined alcohol because tomorrow was the first day of shooting, Cha Dokyung, gazing at the two man and woman with bored and cold eyes, emptied the full glass of champagne in one gulp without a word.

After watching the two man and woman for a long while, and emptying another full glass of champagne, Cha Dokyung stood up from his seat, excusing himself as the table’s topic shifted to investment talks.

Sweeping up his disheveled hair, he walked toward the central garden fountain where Hyun Jaehwi and Kang Seoyeon were, straightening his elegant neck and shoulders rigidly.

Throughout the time he had entered this outdoor banquet hall today, he had not exchanged a single word with Hyun Jaehwi.

While celebrating the current Chairman’s birthday and greeting the high-ranking VIPs with promotional lines, exchanging handshakes and bowing in greeting while playing the role of a trophy with fake smiles, Cha Dokyung had been so busy at the VIP table that he did not even have time to wet his throat.

And yet, his gaze had clashed with Hyun Jaehwi’s several times. However, unable to approach, he could only glance at him sidelong with regret.

Moreover, the gaze with which Hyun Jaehwi looked at him was devoid of any warmth, indifferent and cold. Thanks to the temperature of that cold gaze, he realized the resentful truth that he was deliberately not approaching him.

As Cha Dokyung drew closer and closer to those two, Hyun Serin suddenly appeared and approached Cha Dokyung as if clinging to him, linking arms with him.

“Oppa, you don’t know Seoyeon?”

At Hyun Serin’s voice, Hyun Jaehwi turned his head and looked back. His cool and long eyes narrowed sharply upon confirming Cha Dokyung. He stared piercingly at him who had approached his side. Sadly, he could feel hostility toward him in his gaze.

Hyun Serin, who had linked arms with Cha Dokyung, drew the attention of those around her all at once with her characteristically straightforward and refreshing tone.

“Why, we all saw each other once when we were young.”

“Was that so. It was too young, so I do not remember well.”

Hyun Serin chattered playfully, as if deliberately saying it for him to hear.

“Well, our pretty Seoyeon…. I heard she had a crush on Jaehwi back in middle school.”

At Hyun Serin’s joking revelation, Kang Seoyeon laughed it off cheerfully and lovably even in the awkward situation. She was a friend whose sociable and pretty personality was like her smile.

“Back then, there probably wasn’t a girl at our school who did not like Jaehwi. In fact, Jaehwi only played basketball and studied. He was so quiet that his nickname was the Ice Prince, never saying a word and always taciturn…. And yet, everyone secretly watched Jaehwi from behind or liked him.”

“Ah, I see. That guy really had no interest in the opposite sex. From a young age….”

At her bright answer without a wrinkle, Hyun Serin smiled brightly at her, letting down her guard as if giving a pass.

Kang Seoyeon looked up at the tall, broad-shouldered man in front of her with a gaze filled with fondness and admiration, tilting her head cutely. Hyun Jaehwi, unlike his usual self, listened to her words mannerly with a favorable attitude toward her. He said they knew each other, but it was more than that.

The two seemed to have known each other well since childhood.

“Jaehwi, but it feels a bit strange. The Korean community in the Northeast of America is so small…. How did I, who is the same age, not even know that you attended Princeton?”

She called Hyun Jaehwi’s name without his family name, warmly and affectionately as if to an old friend. It was a very gentle and kind voice.

“Princeton and Yale are so close…. A handsome and noticeable guy like you had no rumors at all in our circles, and we never even ran into each other; it is a bit surprising. You know how small the Ivy League Korean student community is.”

“I was early admission. And early graduation.”

“Ah, I did not know. I see….”

As if unexpected, Kang Seoyeon admired, and the conversation between the two lengthened again into talks about university.

Cha Dokyung watched the two from the side like a spectator. Today was the last day he could exchange farewell greetings with Hyun Jaehwi.

He checked the watch on his wrist. He realized the fact that he had no time to hesitate like this when he had to leave for the Taebaek Mountain filming site tomorrow morning. There was no need to be conscious of the surroundings. Since tomorrow, he and the boy would part ways without promise and never see each other’s faces again twice.

Even to her lengthening questions while sharing stories on the common topic of their school days spent in America, Hyun Jaehwi continued his blunt answers smoothly as if by magic.

Cha Dokyung, who had been standing behind his back, suddenly grabbed the sleeve of Hyun Jaehwi’s suit who was in the middle of the conversation.

“Jaehwi, sorry, but talk with me for a bit….”

At the bold touch that did not mind the surrounding gazes, Hyun Jaehwi slowly scanned Cha Dokyung’s face with surprised and sharp eyes.

An unbearably awkward and ambiguous silence flowed between the four: Hyun Serin and Kang Seoyeon, Cha Dokyung and Hyun Jaehwi.

Only the modern classic from the orchestra playing directly at the edge of the outdoor banquet hall squeezed through between the four and resounded cheerfully.

At that moment, Hyun Serin grabbed Cha Dokyung’s collar hard and pulled it. She pressed close to him and whispered in his ear.

“Do not interfere without noticing. The two seem to be going well…. How about we talk later and for now, oppa and I step aside?”

“……Ah!”

At those words, his calm face turned stern and froze coldly. Cha Dokyung let go of the collar he had been holding little by little.

Hyun Jaehwi straightened his waist with an expressionless and composed face, approached, and asked coldly.

“Do you have business with me?”

As if suddenly snapping to his senses, Cha Dokyung slowly shook his head.

“No….”

Hyun Serin, as if doing it on purpose, awkwardly pulled the distant and excluded Kang Seoyeon and placed her between Cha Dokyung and Hyun Jaehwi so that she stood between the two.

“No. You two talk…. Oppa and I have urgent business, so we will step aside.”

At that time, Hyun Kangwoo, who was coming down from the VIP table to the central fountain, shouted Cha Dokyung’s name loudly.

“……Cha Dokyung!”

Hyun Kangwoo ran over shouting urgently, pushed away Hyun Serin who was clinging tightly to Cha Dokyung as if discarding luggage, and pulled his own left arm tightly.

“You punk, you are leaving tomorrow, right?”

At those words, Hyun Jaehwi stared piercingly at him with deep eyes.

“You disloyal bastard…. You are going to film at Taebaek Mountain for a year, and you were going to leave without properly saying goodbye to me?”

“It is not like that….”

Cha Dokyung blinked his clear eyes slowly with a perplexed expression.

“Let us go out separately and have a drink. I cannot let you go like this.”

Hyun Jaehwi glared coldly at the two from that spot.

“If you go to Taebaek Mountain, should I go over there later for some sea fishing? To see your face too….”

Hyun Kangwoo naturally put his arm around Cha Dokyung’s shoulder and pulled Cha Dokyung’s body toward himself as if extracting him from that awkward spot.

In that instant, Hyun Jaehwi grabbed Cha Dokyung’s wrist savagely with an incredulous laugh and an arrogant smile.