Perfect Possession - Episode 63

Jaehoon’s vacation was more like telecommuting, spending half the day in the detached house. But Tae-yul seemed happy to be able to spend the mornings with his dad, waking up with a bright smile.

 

Strangely, he didn’t insist on following Jaehoon when he went to the detached house. He would just stare intently at the detached house, then turn to Seo-yeon, tilting his head and saying, “Papa?”

 

After playing excitedly in the garden for half the morning, Tae-yul, who usually played with toys inside, started going outside more often. Needless to say, it was because of Jaehoon.

 

Tae-yul threw a ball up in the air, then pointed to the detached house and looked back at Seo-yeon.

 

“Papa?”

 

“Daddy’s working. Why? Does Tae-yul want to go too?”

 

His desire to go was written all over his face, but Seo-yeon asked, curious to see what Tae-yul would do.

 

Tae-yul’s eyes widened, and he seemed about to take a step toward the detached house, but suddenly he ran to the swing and held out his arms, asking to be lifted up.

 

It seemed he thought, even with his little head, that he shouldn’t disturb his working dad. But that was just a thought, and his heart didn’t agree, as he tapped the swing and said,

 

“Swing ride.”

 

“You want to ride the swing.”

 

Once seated on the swing, he just moved his feet back and forth, his eyes fixed on the detached house. Watching him, Seo-yeon couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.

 

But she couldn’t disturb Jaehoon. She didn’t know exactly what he was preparing, but it was clear he was getting ready to make the most important decision of his life.

 

“Aww, our Tae-yul misses Daddy. Let’s go inside. Daddy will be here soon if we play for a bit.”

 

She hoped that if they went inside and played, he might forget about Jaehoon for a while.

 

“Tanyul block block do. Doggy doggy see?”

 

“You want to play with blocks and watch the doggy movie?”

 

She had once shown him a children’s documentary about a dog giving birth and raising puppies. She thought he would be scared during the birthing scene, but surprisingly, he watched intently with shining eyes.

 

Then, when the puppies wriggled out, he made his eyes and mouth round and clapped his hands with joy. After that, he asked to watch the movie every other day.

 

These days, he mixed gestures and babbling to explain the movie’s contents, and Seo-yeon enjoyed watching Tae-yul more than the movie itself.

 

“Okay, Mommy will show you the movie. Mr. Han Tae-yul, is that good?”

 

“Good good. Mommy Seo-yeon.”

 

“What?”

 

Seo-yeon couldn’t help but burst out laughing. He had never called her by her name like that before, even when he had said his own full name. She scooped Tae-yul up and went inside.

 

 

Jaehoon, along with Hyun-shik and Sung-joon, was organizing Do-young’s urgent tasks and progress, waiting for Chairman Woo to return from his daughter’s house in the United States.

 

“What time does Chairman Woo arrive at the airport tomorrow?”

 

“2:30 PM.”

 

Sung-joon, on his way out, respected Jaehoon for finishing his work, but he also couldn’t understand it. If it were him, he would have thrown everything away to torment Chairman Han.

 

“Just a moment. I just received a text from Chairman Woo’s secretary, he’s moved the time forward to 2:30 PM today. It seems he didn’t want to keep the Vice Chairman waiting.”

 

“Really?”

 

Jaehoon quickly checked the time. It was a little past 1 PM, so if he left now, he could meet Chairman Woo at the airport.

 

He wanted to meet Chairman Woo at the airport to keep it a secret from Chairman Han.

 

“Get the car. Let’s go to the airport.”

 

Jaehoon hurried to the main house to change.

 

 

Tae-yul, who had been watching a movie, suddenly jumped up and grabbed Seo-yeon’s hand.

 

“Why?”

 

“Papa.”

 

“Daddy? Aww, Daddy’s working in the detached house…”

 

“Seo-yeon.”

 

Jaehoon’s voice came from the hallway, and Seo-yeon looked at Tae-yul, who was smiling brightly, with a surprised expression. She hadn’t heard Jaehoon coming at all.

 

The fact that Tae-yul had noticed him first and grabbed her hand made her feel amazed and proud.

 

“Our son knew Daddy was coming? Wow, amazing.”

 

“Seo-yeon, son, were you watching a movie?”

 

Jaehoon said as he entered the living room, hugging Tae-yul, who ran to him.

 

“Jaehoon.”

 

“Sorry, Seo-yeon. I have to go out now.”

 

“Is it urgent?”

 

“I’m meeting Chairman Woo.”

 

“Ah… I’ll get ready.”

 

“No, just watch the movie. I’m just changing and leaving. Tae-yul, Daddy will be back soon. Play with Mommy.”

 

“Bye?”

 

Tae-yul, who understood the word “back,” waved his hand. It wasn’t a goodbye, but a look that said, “Are you really leaving?”

 

“I’ll be back soon.”

 

Jaehoon stroked Tae-yul’s head, kissed him, and handed him to Seo-yeon.

 

“I’ll be back.”

 

“Come back safely.”

 

Seo-yeon decided to just see him off from the playroom, in case Tae-yul tried to grab him.

 

“I’ll be here.”

 

“That’s probably for the best.”

 

A moment later, Seo-yeon watched the car leave the parking lot with Tae-yul.

 

 

Chairman Woo, who had rented out an entire cafe near the airport, was having coffee with Jaehoon.

 

“The coffee at my daughter’s house is terrible.”

 

Chairman Woo, with his white hair, still had a full head of hair despite being over seventy. He was about ten years younger than the late Chairman Han, but always a good rival and friend.

 

The reason he looked at Chairman Han like a stranger was because he blamed him for his promiscuous and low-class behavior. He wanted his friend’s son to be a better person.

 

It was only natural that Chairman Woo thought of Jaehoon, who was carrying on his grandfather’s entrepreneurial spirit and leading Do-young, as his own grandson.

 

“So, what’s going on?”

 

“I’m leaving Do-young.”

 

Jaehoon didn’t beat around the bush. He watched Chairman Woo’s white eyebrows shoot up.

 

“What are you saying? You’re going to leave Do-young to that good-for-nothing father?”

 

Chairman Woo’s angry voice didn’t please Jaehoon either. But Jaehoon had already made up his mind, so he wouldn’t be swayed by that.

 

“I’m going back. And I need Chairman Woo’s help to do that.”

 

Chairman Woo’s eyes narrowed, and he stared intently at Jaehoon’s face.

 

“Is that article true? The marriage article, I mean. I was a little late on the news because I was in the States. I was so curious when you asked to meet, I couldn’t wait.”

 

“It’s true. I’m happy now. I have a loving wife and a truly indescribably special son.”

 

Jaehoon smiled quietly, thinking of Seo-yeon and Tae-yul. Chairman Woo, who was watching him, suddenly laughed out loud and patted Jaehoon’s shoulder.

 

“Just like him. The expression on Chairman Han’s face when he talked about your aunt was the same. I’m saying this now, but even though she was older, I had a crush on your grandmother too. She was a very wonderful woman. It’s a shame your father didn’t take after either of them.”

 

Chairman Woo emphasized the last words. His tone clearly showed how displeased he was with Chairman Han.

 

“What can I do to help?”

 

“Please buy the shares that my grandfather left to Tae-yul.”

 

“What? You’re giving me Do-young’s shares now? You know we’ve been trying to get Do-young’s shares, right? Just like your parents did.”

 

“I know. But please give them back to me when I want them back.”

 

Chairman Woo narrowed his eyes and stared at Jaehoon for a long time. Jaehoon met his gaze without flinching.

 

“I’m a businessman. I can’t move without profit.”

 

“If you give them back to me, I’ll return some of the Woojin Group shares that Chairman Han holds.”

 

“Did you… what did you say just now? Return Woojin’s shares?”

 

“Some of them. I can’t do all of them, even if it were me.”

 

“Would Chairman Han even give up some?”

 

“He will. I’ll make sure of it.”

 

Jaehoon said without a moment’s hesitation.

 

“Honestly, I don’t know if this will be possible. Chairman Han is a man driven by greed. But I believe in you. Okay, I’ll take care of Do-young’s shares for the time being.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

“You know, sometimes I feel resentful. I only have three daughters, so I don’t have a son to take over the business. Of course, Vice Chairman Woo is doing well, but I was really tempted by you. I wondered what it would be like if you had been born into our family instead of that one.”

 

“I respect Chairman Woo very much too. But I’m just grateful to have been born as my grandparents’ grandson.”

 

Chairman Woo threw up his hands at those words and laughed heartily.

 

“I bet you already knew this would happen and brought the contract with you? Hurry up and hand it over so I can sign it. But you have to deal with me today. I’m tired of eating greasy food, I want to eat pork rinds. As you know, I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I like that kind of food better than steak.”

 

Jaehoon smiled silently and turned to Hyun-shik. He handed over two contracts that Hyun-shik gave him. One was a contract for the transfer of shares, and the other was a contract stating that Woojin’s shares and Do-young’s shares would be exchanged.

 

Chairman Woo happily signed both contracts and took Jaehoon to his favorite pork restaurant.

 

 

Seo-yeon handed Jaehoon water and picked up the jacket he had taken off, smelling it. It smelled strongly of pork belly.

 

“If you were going to eat pork belly, you should have taken me too.”

 

“What, my husband has a splitting headache, and you’re talking about pork belly.”

 

“You came home drunk and loud. I’ll have to get this dry cleaned. But is it really true that Chairman Woo likes pork rinds?”

 

Seo-yeon put the jacket away and sat next to Jaehoon. Jaehoon, who was supposed to come home early, reeked of soju and didn’t return until after 10 PM. Of course, Tae-yul, who had been waiting for his dad and was sulking, had fallen asleep and hadn’t even seen him yet because of the smell.

 

“Don’t even mention it. He probably ate a whole pig.”

 

“Did you too?”

 

“A couple of pieces. I didn’t really like it, so I just ate pork belly.”

 

“Oh, come on. I want to eat grilled pork belly over charcoal too.”

 

“Pork rinds too?”

 

“Um.”

 

Seo-yeon leaned on Jaehoon, thought for a moment, and then smiled.

 

“I want to eat it when I think about the collagen, but I haven’t tried it yet either. Just pork belly?”

 

“Okay. Let’s grill it tomorrow.”

 

“No, not cooked by a chef. The kind you grill and wrap in lettuce and stir-fry with kimchi.”

 

“So, you’re telling me to do it.”

 

“Don’t you want to? I think we can feed our Tae-yul some without the grease. It would be so cute to wrap it in lettuce and put it in his little mouth and watch him munch.”

 

Jaehoon, who had been lost in thought for a moment, straightened up from the back of the sofa and said seriously.

 

“Let’s go grocery shopping tomorrow. With Tae-yul.”

 

“Really?”

 

Seo-yeon, excited just thinking about it, hugged Jaehoon tightly and rested her head on his chest.

 

“Let’s go. It’ll be so much fun. Tae-yul’s eyes will be as big as saucers, and he’ll make seal noises, saying, ‘Wow!'”

 

“Just thinking about it is cute.”

 

“Did things go well today?”

 

Seo-yeon brought up the words that had been circling in her mind. Jaehoon’s hand gently stroked her back.

 

“I’m going to leave Do-young for a while and fight a full-scale war with those two. I transferred Tae-yul’s stock to Chairman Woo. I’ll trade it back later on the condition that I transfer the Woojin stock that my father has.”

 

“Cool, my husband.”

 

Jaehoon let out a low laugh, lifted Seo-yeon up, and kissed her softly. It was a kiss with a hint of soju, but Seo-yeon was ecstatic.

 

“Let’s have a pork belly party with Tae-yul and the kids tomorrow.”

 

“I’ll look forward to it.”

 

Seo-yeon was proud and sorry for Jaehoon, who was protecting his family even by transferring his stock, and hugged him tightly.