★Chapter 06 : How Dare He Seduce Our Innocent Youngest?★
“What does that emoticon mean, by the way? Is it a challenge?”
“Oh, it’s a misunderstanding. I didn’t realize it was animated. I should have tried using an emoticon before.”
I never would have imagined that my sent emoticon could be misinterpreted as a death threat instead of a thumbs-up. What kind of strange things are people selling for money these days?
I’m grateful for my insomnia tonight. Waking up in the middle of the night and seeing Kang Ba-da’s pile of messages, I couldn’t help but be shocked.
How should I respond?
It’s early in the morning. Is it okay to contact her at this hour?
While contemplating these various concerns, he suddenly got call from Kang Ba-da, so he promptly answered.
– Ha-neul-ssi, are you okay? Are you hurt? If you’ve been kidnapped, don’t answer and stay where you are. I’ll immediately contact the security team…
– Wait, wait, wait!
Because of this unexpected incident, all the remaining sleep disappeared. Why was she worried about not being able to reach me for a while? What kind of life does she usually lead?
Afterward, perhaps due to the relief, I spent the rest of the night consoling the teary-eyed Kang Ba-da. What I discovered was that she had a ‘trauma.’
Although I didn’t pry further because she seemed quite confused, based on the situation, I could infer that it might not have been related to a ‘kidnapping.’
“So, that’s why she sought help from a psychiatrist.”
I thought it was simply a case of insomnia, but if something like that happened, the issue seemed more serious than I initially thought.
Since this is a sensitive topic that others shouldn’t approach without caution, it’s better not to unnecessarily touch upon it.
“Ba-da-ssi, are you feeling tired right now?”
“No.”
“…Okay.”
Kang Ba-da firmly turned her head away.
Even though she had sunglasses on, she couldn’t conceal the dark circles under her eyes. Upon closer inspection, they appeared slightly swollen.
“Would you like to go for a drive?”
“…No, let’s focus on planning the story today, as we agreed.”
As she mentioned, today is a day to practice how to communicate when dealing with family or people around us.
For instance, where we first met or what we did on our first meeting. It pertains to the fundamental things we should know if we’re going to get married.
“When my mind is rigid, sitting here won’t help the words flow. During such times, I need to take a walk and get some fresh air.”
“Just trying to drive Scarlet, huh?”
“Is it obvious like that?”
“Come on, are you seriously going to do that!?”
“It’s a joke. Just a joke.”
Well, to be honest, I did have some of those feelings, but sitting here like this won’t make any progress.
Kang Ba-da glanced at me beyond her sunglasses. Nonchalantly disregarding her gaze, I sighed and took out the car keys.
“Are you feeling okay?”
“Naturally, I should be.”
“Well, at least you’ve grown up on the outside.”
“What?”
“Um… here. The car keys.”
Click!
Kang Ba-da placed the car keys on my hand. Attached to them was a cute bear-shaped keyring known as the popular ‘Bearbrick,’ which drives figure collectors crazy.
Not only famous characters like Marvel or Disney, but it’s also a product that collaborates with world-renowned artists.
“Do you like Bearbrick?”
“…Well, it’s just one of my hobbies. Someone gave me one as a gift when I was young.”
“You have quite a sense. When Ba-da-ssi was young, this brand wasn’t that famous.”
“Perhaps they gave it without much thought?”
“Hmm?”
Kang Ba-da turned her head, indicating her reluctance to answer further. I know what to do in situations like this from watching numerous dramas.
‘I should treat her to something delicious.’
When women get annoyed or angry, the truth is, appeasing them with something sweet is the way to go. I immediately stood up from my seat.
“Well then, shall we go soon?”
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll find out when we get there.”
“…”
Without providing a proper explanation, Kang Ba-da also stood up, her lips pouting. I took her hand and headed towards the parking lot.
Vroom!
As I started the engine, Scarlet’s grand response immediately reverberated. When I pressed the button, the roof opened, transforming the car into a convertible.
“I never thought I’d have the chance to drive this.”
Until now, the only car I had driven was the “Korando Sports” that I occasionally rented when I felt like driving. It was a mediocre car at best.
Filled with excitement, I swiftly drove the car out of the parking lot. Soon after, I burst into laughter at the unbelievably comfortable driving experience. The other cars naturally made way for me.
But that’s not all.
From the exhaust sound to the engine noise, and even the gear shifting, everything was astonishingly smooth, surpassing my imagination. It offered a comfort without any vibrations. It felt like driving while lying on a bed.
“Do you enjoy it that much?”
“To be honest… Yes, I do.”
The suppressed longing for ownership surged within me. I was willing to work hard just to have this car.
“What kind of cars have you been driving until now? It makes me wonder. Especially the smoothness that comes from the 8-speed PDK… Oh, I’m sorry. I got carried away, didn’t I?”
“No, it looks amazing.”
“Really?”
“Yes, thanks to you, I’m feeling a bit better. Going for a drive was a good decision.”
I thought it was just a passing comment.
As I observed Kang Ba-da smiling softly while gazing at the Han River through the window, it appeared that she was genuinely sincere.
That sight was like a beautiful painting. Forgetting that I was behind the wheel of a dream car, I stole a quick glance at her.
“But how did you know about this driving route? With your ex-girlfriend?”
“I’ve been single my whole life.”
“Didn’t I tell you not to lie?”
“I’m telling the truth.”
I’m too occupied with making a living on my own to engage in a relationship. Although there were quirky individuals who found my passionate nature attractive, there was little room in my heart for them.
Things have improved a bit now, though. The future is still uncertain, and spending all day cooped up at home leaves no chance to meet women.
“Have you ever been to a nightclub?”
“I’m not particularly fond of loud places.”
“I see.”
“And what about you, Ba-da-ssi?”
“Yes?”
Unexpectedly redirecting the question back at me, Kang Ba-da swiftly turned her head towards me.
“Have you ever been to a club?”
“Well… I’ve been to one before for a friend’s birthday party. It wasn’t a particularly pleasant memory, though.”
“Why? What happened?”
Turns out, that club was one of the establishments managed by her little oppa. She was forcefully dragged out within five minutes of entering, with her hair being grabbed.
“······.”
How much wider will Kang Ba-da’s family connections expand? It was evident that even the “Little Oppa” was an extraordinary person.
‘Kang Ba-da having her hair grabbed.’
Just by looking at her, you can tell she’s not the type to get involved in fights. Yet, being forcibly removed was a very negative indication.
Moreover, aren’t “clubs” typically associated with influential people? A cold sweat trickled down my back.
“If I make a mistake, I’ll truly land myself in trouble.”
Until now, I had considered it a half-joking remark, but it was becoming increasingly real and approaching right before my eyes. I need to be cautious.
“Oh, please don’t misunderstand. He’s actually a very nice person overall.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, perhaps it’s because there’s a bit of an age gap between us. Apart from that incident, I’ve never had any fights with him. He treated me well even when I was young.”
“By any chance, how old is he…?”
“The older brother is 45, the younger brother is 42, and the sisters are 36. And I’m the youngest.”
Oh, my goodness.
I found myself instinctively praying to a god I didn’t even believe in. They come from a wealthy family. And to add to it, She’s the youngest among them.
‘Ba-da-ssi must have turned twenty-nine this year, right?’
She’s two years older than me.
That means the age gap between us and her siblings ranges from a minimum of 7 years to a maximum of 16 years. At that point, they cease to be just siblings and become like another set of parents.
“It’s like one mountain after another.”
The mountains blocking my view in the distance seemed to silently foretell the many challenges I would have to face in the future.
Despite my attempts at managing my facial expressions, it seems I couldn’t hide it. Kang Ba-da quickly spoke as if she noticed my stiff expression.
“They’re all good people!”
“Well, naturally.”
“I’m telling you, they really are! They don’t even touch the management rights…”
And that’s the problem.
There’s no reason not to find a younger sibling, who doesn’t pose a threat to their stake and has a significant age difference, endearing. Somehow, the level of difficulty keeps increasing.
I suppose the sensation of being on a roller coaster is acceptable now. To survive in this world, I can’t simply flail about without direction.
‘Should I take some lessons on being a husband?’
If such lessons exist, I definitely want to enroll. I want to live as long as possible.
‘If I give up now…’
– How dare a filthy commoner like you leave a mark on my youngest sister. Reflect all your actions in the depths of hell, you reckless bastard.
In my imagination, her little oppa kicked me with his foot. Bound by chains, my body sinks deeper into the unfathomable ocean.
As I’m fading away, I contemplate.
Oh, if only I could turn back time, I wouldn’t have been blinded by money and made poor choices. My consciousness fades as the ending credits roll.
Bad End.
This marks my first ending.
‘Hiding is not possible.’
In the first place, it’s out of the question since my family is associated with the Daehan Group hospital. Even if I were to abandon everything and escape, they would employ nationwide CCTV to track me down.
Since I’ve already gone through it once.
This choice is definitely not an option.
‘What other alternatives are there?’
As a web novel writer named Bookworm, numerous endings crossed my mind fleetingly.
Bad. Bad. Bad.
However, regardless of the choice I made, I couldn’t see a positive outcome, except for one.
As the car stopped at the traffic light, my gaze landed on her. Kang Ba-da tilted her head as if questioning, and with a deep breath, I slowly opened my mouth.
“Ba-da-ssi, would you like to go on a date?”
“······?”
It’s my only way to survive.
That’s how I can turn Kang Ba-da into a true lover.
* * *
“Mr. Representative, I’ll present you with the weekly report.”
Nod –
A middle-aged man wearing glasses nodded his head while keeping his eyes fixed on the documents, listening to the secretary’s report.
“The ‘cleaning’ you instructed previously is starting to take shape. We have identified the main transportation routes, so we’ll soon be able to locate the base.”
“Approach that side cautiously. There’s likely a connection with the local police.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“The equipment team will handle it well. What’s next?”
“We have observed some peculiarities concerning your younger sibling.”
Swoosh-
The man, who had been engrossed in the documents, finally raised his head. Adjusting his glasses, he inquired of the equipment officer.
“Anything unusual?”
“It appears that your younger sibling has found a boyfriend.”
“Damn it, this bitch! I always thought she would cause trouble someday, but to dare she…!?”
“It’s ‘Kang Ba-da.'”
“What… did you say?”
Thud-!
Kang Taeyang, the second son of the Kang family, froze like a statue. He managed to turn his head and gaze at the equipment officer.
“Kang Ba-da? The youngest?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Thump-!
Kang Taeyang slumped in his seat, and then the equipment officer handed him the prepared documents.
“…Kim Ha-neul? Who is this guy?”
“He’s a web novel writer.”
“He wasn’t planted there by that side, was he?”
“The possibility seems unlikely. Would you like to see the final chapter?”
As Kang Taeyang swiftly flipped through the documents, his brow furrowed. Soon, he tossed the papers aside as if they were a headache and hurriedly began wiping his glasses.
“…So it’s him.”
A few years ago, the youngest had angered the chairman. Curiosity drove Kang Taeyang to investigate, and that person was mentioned at the time.
“What evidence is there that they’re dating?”
“They went on a date at the department store today.”
“A date!?”
Crack-!
The glasses frame Kang Taeyang was gripping couldn’t withstand the sudden force and snapped. Realizing this, he retrieved a spare pair of glasses from the drawer.
“Thoroughly investigate this guy. Find out how he’s been living all this time, his favorite drinks, even the brand of underwear he wears. Everything.”
“Understood.”
The equipment officer discreetly left the room. Alone, Kang Taeyang sank into the chair and picked up the documents he had tossed aside earlier.
“…How dare he seduce our innocent youngest?”
A photo of the expressionless Kim Ha-neul.
Kang Taeyang stared at it intensely for a long time.
