Episode 1. Nouveau Depart (1)

When I heard that I had to get married, only two thoughts came to mind. One was, 'I knew it.' The other was that it was really the end. My life, my responsibilities as a family member, or the minimum compensation they expected from me.

Marriage was not a cliché expression that said it was the grave of life. It was something I had to do someday anyway, and it was later than I had expected. However, even at the moment of breaking free from the long shackles, I felt empty that I had no choice.

"It's a good thing. In such a place, a half-brother like you is taking the omega."

My father could not hide his rare impatience as he continued to speak. Sometimes he raised his voice, and sometimes his eyes sparkled as if he had seized the opportunity. Of course, the occasional contemptuous gaze was filled with disgust toward the half-omega.

"Don't be too upset. That's how business is. You're old now, so I believe you'll understand my father's feelings."

If you were going to speak so kindly, I wish you had hidden your expression at least. Your eyes, glittering with greed, seemed to be selling valuable items. What kind of heart should I understand when only ambition remained in a place where trust should have been given?

"Sejin has high expectations of you. If you treat me well, you will become the hero who saves our company. You know this is your last chance, right?"

"… … Yes, father."

This time, he had no choice but to answer. It was an insincere answer, but his father was so excited that he didn't even notice it. He coughed in vain and forced the corners of his mouth down.

"The engagement ceremony is next Saturday, so clear your schedule and go get some management. Why, the one Minjae goes to."

Next week. That meant that they had been discussing this marriage for quite some time. Knowing that I couldn't refuse, he insisted on talking about it without mentioning the person involved. No, it was clear that I didn't even think about including them since I had no choice anyway.

"If you understand, then just leave."

In fact, there were many things I wanted to ask. Why did the other company accept me? Why did they choose a male omega instead of a capable female omega? And what did my father, or rather Haesin Group, agree to in return for handing me over?

"What are you doing? Why don't you hurry up and get ready?"

But asking wouldn't change anything. At best, I would learn a little more about the value of the country as a person. At times like this, it was better for my health to evade reality.

"Then I'll go."

I bowed and slowly turned my back. Normally, I would have asked out of courtesy, but today I just didn't feel like doing that. My shoulders felt heavy as if a boulder had been placed on them because I hadn't slept all night.

"Oh, right. Right."

My father let out an exclamation the moment I grabbed the doorknob. Then he told me to stand for a moment and started rummaging through the desk drawers. As I turned my head, a small object flew by.

"I told Professor Choi to get it for me. Don't come out with a blank expression and embarrass the family. Take that and get some sleep this week."

The medicine bottle fell to the floor and rolled all the way to Degururu's shoes. My father was busy clicking his tongue, saying that he couldn't take it, even though he had thrown it in a place where it wouldn't be caught. Even as I bent down to pick up the medicine bottle, I could hear a soft muttering from the bedside.

"A guy who only has his face to show for it… … ."

I guess I should say that it was fortunate. I had one good point, even though I had nothing to show for it. So my father must have used that as an excuse to propose a political marriage.

"You knew I couldn't sleep."

"Well, he's my son."

I clutched the round medicine bottle tightly in my hand. I could see the words listing the ingredients between my fingers. It was funny how a single word that had no sincerity at all could be comforting.

"Thank you for your concern."

As I smiled brightly, satisfaction bloomed on my father's face. His wrinkled eyes were filled with pride toward himself. He nodded and waved his hand.

"Okay, go ahead."

"Yes, take care of your health, Dad."

I gave him a light nod and this time I really left the chairman's office. Director Kim, who had been waiting outside, followed me silently. I hurried my steps, nibbling the medicine bottle with my fingernails.

Zolpidem tartrate. It went without saying that I had already taken enough to develop a tolerance.

Last year, an application released by Haesin Bank was infected with a malicious virus. The personal information of 90% of subscribers was leaked, and over a hundred stored certificates were misused. Although security was hastily strengthened, the trust that had already been lost did not return.

But the problem didn't end there. Soon after, the hiring irregularities at Haesin Financial Group headquarters were reported. My father immediately fired the relevant employee, but the controversy grew even more intense due to the suicide of an applicant at the same time. Naturally, Haesin began to crumble under the criticism of the media.

The stock price that plummeted has not recovered even after a year. No matter how much they change their corporate image, Haesin can never regain its former reputation. The only difference is whether it is late or early, but the family has already fallen to the point of no return.

At that time, I, the chairman's son, received a marriage proposal. A company that would marry Haesin Financial Group, which had fallen into ruin. I could tell what level it would be without even looking at it.

"… … What did you just say?"

Yes, that's what it should have been.

"I told you that I had an appointment with Seonho Group next Saturday."

It's like a black ink painting, or a long and slender dog. The thoughts that had been floating around in my head evaporated. Instead, what filled my head was my father's face, which had been very excited. Director Kim continued his report with a blank expression, looking at me who was blankly staring.

"The place is Myeongseong Hotel, and the time is 5:30 PM. Chief Jeong Se-jin has been… … ."

"No, no, just a moment, Director Kim."

I pushed away the employee who was tying my tie and quietly bit my lip. Director Kim must have noticed my hesitation and sent the employee out of the fitting room. Only after the door closed with a click did the question that had been on the tip of my tongue come out.

"Is your marriage partner a member of the Preferred Group?"

Next Saturday was the date of the engagement ceremony that my father had mentioned. Director Kim had said it was an 'appointment,' but there was no way he would schedule another schedule with such a big shot. And the place was Myeongseong Hotel, a business affiliated with the Preferred Group.

"Yes, that's right."

The answer was clean and concise, without any unnecessary details. The nuance was, "Why are you asking such an obvious question?" but the problem was that I really didn't know. I pulled down my messy tie and checked again.

"My marriage partner is in the preferred group?"

"Yes, that's true… … ."

Director Kim's face crumpled slightly. He stared at me blankly with a puzzled look in his eyes.

"You didn't know, did you?"

"… … ."

I didn't know. I didn't even try to find out. I didn't know if the other person was a man or a woman, how old they were, what they looked like, or what kind of company they worked for, so I just assumed they were alphas.

"… … You were getting your wedding dress tailored without even knowing the other person?"

So it wasn't surprising that they made such a dumbfounded expression. My father, who left out the most important information, and me, who didn't ask for details. To others, both of them must have seemed ridiculous.

"Well, I'm not going to meet you naked… … ."

He hung his silk tie on the hanger and turned around. It was to get away from Director Kim's gaze, but unfortunately, there was a mirror across from him, so it didn't really work out. Director Kim swallowed a sigh and met his gaze with the image in the mirror.

"Don't you want to ask me anything else?"

"What?"

What else should I ask? I wondered why Seonho chose Haesin, but that was my father's problem, not mine. He just had to get dressed appropriately, smile brightly, and get married.

"As far as I know, there are two unmarried children in Seonho's group."

"Yes, that's what I know."

He answered obediently, but Director Kim's face didn't brighten. On the contrary, this time he let out a sigh mixed with sound. Through his thin glasses, I could see his eyes filled with all sorts of emotions.

"Aren't you asking which one of you is it?"

"Ah."

At that moment, a dumb exclamation came out. Not because I hadn't thought about it, but because I hadn't expected Director Kim to ask that question.

"Why are you asking?"

Kwon Sang-mi, the vice president of Seonho Group, has three children. One is a married vice president, and the other two are alphas who are vaguely past the marriageable age. Coincidentally, both of them had backgrounds that were more than enough for me.

"Anyway, both of them are Seonho."

"That's not what I said… … ."

Director Kim, who was about to refute me right away, swallowed his words with a look of regret. It was because I turned my head and met his gaze with my bare eyes instead of the mirror. He slightly avoided eye contact and spoke in a much more refined voice.

"Director Jeong Se-jin is in the process of marrying Seonho Group."

It was a statement that exposed the reality that I had barely been able to ignore. As if telling me not to evade any longer, he looked straight at me and added.

"The other person is the second son, Kwon Ido, the executive director."

"… … ."

Kwon Ido.

I've heard his name so many times. He's one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people of the year and one of the most notable young businessmen. At the age of thirty-two, he's been promoted to executive director and even given the position of CEO of Sunho Electronics.

"That's… … unexpected."

In fact, I thought this marriage would be with his older brother, not Kwon Ido. They're only three years apart, but unlike the young and smart Kwon Ido, Kwon Ijeong is just a parasite without a proper position. In order to balance Sunho and Haesin, it was more profitable to give up someone with a few flaws.

"Should I really go to an aesthetician… … ."

"What did you say?"

"No, it's nothing."

Director Kim narrowed his eyes as he watched me waving my hand. This time, I should be surprised, but it was obvious that he was thinking that way. Instead of living up to that expectation, he just smiled with a kind face.

"Please call the staff. If the other person is Kwon, we should stop by the shop that Minjae goes to."

"… … ."

His tightly shut lips moved. It seemed as if he could clearly see what he was going to say. Is that the end? Or is there anything else you want to ask? Of the two options, Director Kim chose the latter.

"Are there any more questions?"

His gaze, directed straight at me, was filled with inexplicable anticipation. No, to be exact, it wasn't anticipation, but rather lingering longing. He hadn't seen me for more than a day or two, so what on earth was he hoping for? He probably knew that he had no choice anyway.

"Yes. I'm curious."

So I started to ask casually. Director Kim, who had been standing upright, suddenly opened his eyes. I shrugged and pointed to the tie that was hanging on the hanger.

"I guess a tie is better than a bow tie, right?"

Director Kim kept his mouth shut like a clam while I was getting my clothes fitted. Whether he was really being judged or not, he did the same thing even when he should have stopped the employee. So I had to accept the employee's lip service for a long time in exchange for my petty tantrum.

"It's rare to find someone who looks good in this color. Your body type is almost identical to a mannequin… … . Every time I get my manager's clothes fitted, I think I did a good job."

The normally friendly employee became even more talkative when no one stopped him. He said that a two-button jacket was better than a one-button one, that a vest should be a little tighter, and so on. How long his legs were, how his skin tone was. The employee who was trying on all the clothes in the store nodded in satisfaction only after tying the tie with a unique knot.

"As expected, since your skin is on the white side, bright colors suit you well."

"Haha… … Is that so?"

"Of course. This fabric just came in, but men don't like pearl colors. But the head of the department… … ."

Is it really necessary to go this far in choosing an engagement dress? I heard that they don't disclose it to the press and just hold it quietly among the family. Of course, if you don't want to have any complaints later, you should prepare as thoroughly as possible.

Still, shouldn't we wrap things up soon… … . With that thought in mind, he sent a look to Director Kim asking for help.

"Jeong Se-jin!"

Bang! Someone opened the fitting room door with a loud noise. He instinctively turned his head to see a familiar face coming in, holding two employees. The employees behind him begged him not to do this, but the man seemed not to hear anything.

"Fuck, Jeong Se-jin… …!"

The man who found me strode inside. The employee who was looking at my clothes politely blocked my path at my threatening attitude.

"Customer, you are not allowed to come in."

It was truly a professional response, but the other person was not easy. The man stopped walking for a moment and glared at the employee with an angry face.

"Get out of the way. Won't you get out of the way?"

I could smell a faint aroma from the man. He was covered in luxury goods from head to toe, and his brightly dyed hair was perfectly styled. He must have gotten some kind of treatment. As I was thinking about that, the man's mouth hung open as if he was smirking.

"Hey, don't you know who I am? Do you want to get all cut off? Huh?"

"… … ."

The employees' faces showed embarrassment. There has never been a customer who said something like that who was always quiet. Either he was a really big-time customer, or he was just being a simpleton. Even so, I couldn't go out in a low posture because I was a big shot who couldn't be ignored.

"Customer, first, let's go out… … ."

In the end, the employee who had blocked my way decisively opened his mouth. Despite the friendly opening, the man's expression only grew fiercer. I confirmed that the man was opening his mouth and hurriedly interrupted the employee.

"He's my younger brother."

"… … ."

The surroundings became quiet as if cold water had been poured on them. The employee who had continued speaking, those who had stopped the man, and Director Kim who had been standing there like a decoration all looked at me without saying a word.

Jeong Min-jae, the second son of Haesin Financial Group. Someone they had thought of bared his teeth as if to show off.

"Fuck, I said so."

"… … Everyone, go out."

I said it lightly, but the employees hesitated and couldn't go out right away. Their shaking eyes seemed to show how flustered they were. I added in the gentlest voice I could to reassure them.

"It's okay, so go ahead. I'll call you if I need you."

Minjae frowned in discontent, but he seemed to have no objection to sending the employees away. After a while, the employees who had been blankly staring at me bowed their heads to greet me only after I smiled slightly.

"Excuse me."

In fact, Minjae was the one who was rude and they were just doing what they had to do, but this is the kind of scene that always unfolds. What was even more annoying was the one thing Minjae added to them as they briskly left the fitting room.

"Those worthless brats… … ."

"… … ."

I think it would be better to buy all the clothes I tried on. Since this one and that one looked similar, I could just ask Director Kim to choose one.

"Director Kim!"

"Yes, sir."

Minjae sat down on the sofa in the middle as if he were the owner. The way he crossed his legs was incredibly confident. He shook his head nervously, then turned to the closed door.

"Tell them to cut off all the bastards who caught me."

He didn't seem to care much. He even looked at me with an unpleasant expression.

"The employee who was looking at her clothes is with me."