MBFT 03

Chapter 03

Kiju gently held Haesom’s hand and spoke.

“Don’t be surprised. Just listen. Mom and Dad searched for you for a very long time.”

When Haesom nodded, Kiju stroked her head and continued.

“There was a detective in charge of your case… On the tenth anniversary of the day you went missing, he announced his retirement and told Mom and Dad that there was no longer any hope that you were alive, so they should let you go and live the rest of their lives in peace….”

Haesom felt as if a heavy stone had been placed on her chest.

“I guess Mom was devastated when the detective who had been searching for you until the very end finally gave up.”

As he said that, Kiju seemed to choke up and briefly turned his head to the side.

Taeju spoke in his place.

“After that, Mom quit the hospital and went abroad. She left a note saying that she couldn’t stand being here because everything reminded her of you.”

Haesom’s eyes turned red.

While she had been spending time on the island with her mother—or rather, the kidnapper—her real family seemed to have gone through years of suffering.

“Dad went abroad with Mom. And what we heard was that they were going to do some volunteer work in Africa, clear their minds, and then come back.”

Kiju added,

“We told them the moment we heard that you had returned, but unfortunately, that area is currently in the middle of a war… so they can’t come. Mom and Dad told us not to tell you about the situation because they were worried you would be concerned.”

Tears fell like large raindrops from Haesom’s eyes, and she frantically wiped them away with the back of her hand.

“I understand, Oppas….”

At that moment, her second older brother, Geukju, lightly patted the top of Haesom’s head and said,

“So until then, our princess just needs to study for her high school equivalency exam.”

Haesom gave her brothers, who were taking such good care of her, a faint smile. Then she remembered the question that had remained in her heart and carefully asked,

“Um… but Mom—no. That woman… was she caught? I heard that she was sick….”

Silence fell instantly.

Haesom’s heart quickly grew heavy in that silence.

To Haesom, Gyeonghae might have been a woman who had cared for her like a daughter, but to her family, she was probably like a demon who had kidnapped someone precious to them.

And yet, she had asked her family—of all people—about that woman’s well-being….

“Ahem. Look how late it’s gotten.”

Taeju glanced at the clock hanging on the wall and changed the subject.

Sensing his chance, Geukju also lamented the fact that he had to go to work.

“Sigh. I’m sorry I’m a civil servant who has no choice but to go to work.”

“Exactly. I’m going crazy worrying about you.”

“Thinking about going on an overseas tour while leaving you here is making my heart heavy.”

Ding-dong—

Just then, the doorbell rang.

“Oh. I guess he’s here.”

Geukju hurriedly left the room.

When Haesom tilted her head in confusion, her eldest brother Taeju smiled faintly and explained.

“I called someone who can protect you. He’ll also help you prepare for your equivalency exam.”

“…Huh?”

“Want to come out?”

Haesom slowly followed her brothers out of the room.

Someone who would protect me and teach me…

A private tutor…? Is that what this is?

“Jaehyun, you’re here.”

When her eldest brother greeted him, a man who had entered all the way into the living room spoke in an unfamiliar but pleasant, low-pitched voice.

“Hyung. It’s been a while. Kiju, too.”

Haesom slowly raised her head and properly looked toward the entrance.

Her eyelids opened wide, and her heart began pounding wildly.

He was so tall that the entrance seemed small around him. Even though he was wearing nothing but a shirt, his broad, straight shoulders and firm build were clearly visible. His body line fell smoothly without a single trace of excess fat.

Until now, the only young man Haesom had really seen was that damn Sanghyeok. So when an incredibly handsome man who looked like he had stepped out of an artistic illustration entered her vision, her eyes practically trembled.

If she had known there were men like this on the mainland, wouldn’t she have tried even harder to escape?

“Say hello. He’s your youngest brother’s friend. You’ll be staying with him for the time being.”

Staying together? Oh, my goodness.

“Thank… you so much….”

Silence fell.

W-What did I just say? Thank you?!

Haesom covered her face with her hands and ran back into her room.

Two days earlier.

The house at the very top of a hill in Hannam-dong.

Jaehyun was leaning against the terrace railing, which rose higher than the surrounding wall, looking out at the Han River as it flowed in an S-shape.

Creak—

The sound of a door opening came from behind him, and someone entered.

“Jaehyun.”

It was his father, Chairman Cha Wonseong.

Jaehyun did not answer and simply continued looking at the rippling waters of the Han River.

Wonseong walked up beside him and leaned his arms against the railing in exactly the same position as Jaehyun, lowering his upper body slightly.

“Why did you cause Minwoo’s car accident?”

Jaehyun had no particular desire to answer.

His half-brother, Minwoo, was a troublesome bastard.

When Jaehyun was in high school, his mother passed away from a chronic illness, and his father remarried less than three years later.

Then, once the media’s attention had died down, his father brought Minwoo into the house—the illegitimate child, or rather, the son of his new wife.

Into this house, which was filled with memories of his late mother.

That alone was enough to make Jaehyun unhappy, but the bastard was also incredibly disrespectful despite being an illegitimate child.

He acted like a gentle lamb in front of his father and Jaehyun, but the moment his father left for work, he treated the household staff terribly.

And Minwoo was only two years younger than Jaehyun.

He was living proof that his father had continued a long-term affair while pretending to be a good husband.

“He’s joining the company soon. You officially entered as an executive director from the beginning, but he’s starting from the bottom. Don’t you think he has his own hardships? Do you really have to bully your younger brother that much?”

Jaehyun gave a dry laugh, as if he found it ridiculous.

Perhaps angered by that laugh, Wonseong hardened his expression and stepped back.

Then he grabbed Jaehyun’s arm and forcibly made him look at him.

“Are you still a child?! How long has it been since your mother died, and you’re still acting like a child!”

His father suddenly lost his temper.

Jaehyun rubbed his eyebrow expressionlessly with his middle finger and looked at his father.

“I knew it. I was wondering why you were suddenly acting so refined and asking to talk.”

Wonseong’s eyelids trembled at Jaehyun’s sarcasm.

“I’m not as broad-minded as you, Father. There’s no room in me to accept a new family. I’ll be the problem who gets out of the way, so go ahead and play family all you want.”

Jaehyun smiled leisurely and spread both palms toward him.

He was about to leave the terrace when the phone in his pocket rang.

It was a call from his best friend, Geukju.

“Yeah.”

—Let’s meet. I have something urgent to tell you.

Normally, Jaehyun would have called him an impolite bastard and hung up.

But he could feel his father’s gaze from behind him, and he genuinely wanted to leave this damn house.

So he agreed.

“Send me the location.”

—I’m already in front of your house because it’s urgent. I’m in front of your car.

Jaehyun ended the call without answering.

Ignoring the sharp gaze he could feel from behind, Jaehyun went down to the first floor.

When he stepped outside the gate, he saw Geukju standing in front of his car with his upper body bent deeply over it.

He was tall, so seeing him awkwardly hunched over like that looked rather funny.

“What are you doing?”

Geukju only lifted his head and replied,

“Hey. Why did you wreck your car? Anyone can tell you were the one who caused it.”

“I see you really are an inspector.”

“If you’re going to treat a 900-million-won car this carelessly, you should’ve given it to me.”

“You’d have no trouble getting caught under the Kim Young-ran Act.”

Geukju straightened his upper body with a grunt.

“I’m kidding. Anyway, why did you cause the accident? Were you drinking?”

“Not me.”

“Then who? That idiot younger brother of yours?”

“Yeah. I came home after work and was parking when that bastard came staggering out. He obviously looked drunk. But then he got behind the wheel and drove off.”

“So you chased him down and crashed into him?”

Jaehyun nodded.

“Wow. I wonder if your father knows how much you’re putting your own body on the line behind the scenes for the sake of the company’s image.”

“Enough. Why are you here?”

At Jaehyun’s question, Geukju gestured toward Jaehyun’s car with his chin.

As soon as they got into the car, Geukju asked,

“Find me someone trustworthy who can protect a person more safely than anyone else in South Korea.”

Jaehyun’s eyebrows slowly rose.

What the hell was this bastard talking about out of nowhere?

“There’s no one like that among the people I know. And it’s not something I can use government authority for as a personal matter. My brother is the same.”

Jaehyun nodded.

An NIS employee and a prosecutor couldn’t use national resources for personal matters.

“There was only one person who could find someone that exceptional. My proud chaebol friend, Cha Jaehyun.”

“…….”

“I can’t trust anyone else.”

“Explain what’s going on first. What, did you kidnap the President’s son or something?”

“No. My younger sibling.”

Jaehyun tilted his head slightly.

“Sibling? Kiju? Keion?”

Geukju’s younger brother was currently a leading member of one of South Korea’s most popular male idol groups.

Had something dangerous happened to him?

“No. My younger sister.”

Younger… sister?

“…Did you take drugs? What kind of nonsense are you talking about?”

Jaehyun grabbed Geukju’s arm and tried to roll up his shirt sleeve.

Geukju forcibly pulled his arm away and shouted,

“You don’t remember?! Back when we were in high school, our family went crazy because our little sister disappeared!”