★★★ Chapter 14 : My Cute Character Brother-in-law ★★★
“Can I speak freely?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Go ahead and sit there.”
Overall, Brother-in-law [매제- elder brother in law] has a slim figure.
His perfectly angled hair is neatly parted.
Even his glasses, with their sharp edges, give him a sharp impression.
Kang Taeyang’s first impression was that of a strict middle-aged person, even though I only had a rough idea from the pictures. But seeing him in person, he seems much more demanding.
‘…He looks like a tough guy, no matter how you look at it.’
If I were to include him in a web novel, I might create a clever character named ‘Lee In-ja’. He would be someone who is smart and plays the role of a bookkeeper manipulating a powerful boss from behind the scenes.
Of course, in reality, he is a member of Daehan Group, so there’s no need to make him the boss.
‘His gaze is really intense.’
Kang Taeyang, sitting across from me, gave me a menacing look. If you could knock people down just with a stare, I would have been completely torn apart by now.
‘Is he angry because I intervened?’
That must be the reason.
If we assume that Kang Taeyang is involved in drug trafficking and wants to keep it hidden from Kang Bada. My involvement in between would definitely bother him.
It would be difficult to handle this quietly without completely avoiding Kang Bada’s attention, and leaving it alone would also make me anxious.
‘The best thing I can do is…’
To make a deal with Kang Taeyang.
Instead of getting involved in his affairs and staying quiet, I’ll allow a relationship with Kang Bada. I’ve also planned out some anticipated scenarios.
‘Let’s think of it as reading a script.’
There’s no need to be nervous.
I’ve prepared all the possible questions and answers, just like playing a game of Go-Stop. All I have to do is respond with the rehearsed lines that match the opponent’s questions.
‘What kind of question will come up?’
Recent current events, the economy, or even the main topic of drugs might come up. Either way, it’s something I’ve already considered, so there’s no reason to be surprised.
“Let me ask you directly. Are you a viWell ?”
“Yes?”
“I asked if you were virgin.”
“······.”
I didn’t expect this.
Did I hear it correctly? Is he joking right now? Various thoughts were swirling in my head, making me feel confused.
“Why aren’t you answering?”
“Well, umm…”
“Did you do the thing with our youngest sibling?”
“No, I didn’t!”
“Then are you saying you did it with another bitch!?”
*Bam!*
Kang Taeyang stood up from his seat, slamming the desk. If he had a gun in his pocket, he would have pointed it at my head immediately.
‘What is this…’
If someone saw this, they would think he’s our dad, not our older brother. He didn’t seem like a hot-tempered person at all, but appearances can be deceiving.
“I’ve never done it before.”
“Do you think I’m a fool now? With that face, do you think it makes sense that you’re a virgin!?”
“······.”
Is this a compliment?
I can’t react because I’m not sure if it’s a compliment or sarcasm. Well, at least it means my face is good enough. Somehow, I seem to have passed the preliminary round.
“You should keep your virginity until the wedding with Bada. Got it!? No, even after the wedding…”
“Chief, please calm down.”
At that moment, the secretary standing expressionlessly behind us spoke up. Kang Taeyang flinched and sat back down.
He received a handkerchief from the secretary and started wiping his glasses. It seemed to be his way of calming himself down.
‘Well, the character is pretty clear.’[character for Ha-neul’s novel]
I should use it later.
What if I portray him as a direct descendant of the princess in the real world? Cold on the outside but a tsundere character who cherishes her more than anyone on the inside.
‘This is completely different from what I expected.’
It’s a strange situation, but surprisingly, I didn’t feel too bad. Thanks to this, I now have a clear understanding of Kang Bada’s position within the family.
Just the fact that he completely stepped away from the bloody battles among the heirs was a significant step in the right direction.
“My emotions got the best of me. Sorry for that.”
“It’s okay.”
“You’re surprisingly calm. I thought you were an extraordinary person from the moment you came to me, but did you anticipate this situation?”
“To some extent, yes.”
I nodded calmly. I had anticipated that things would deviate from ordinary life ever since I accepted Kang Bada’s proposal.
After all, it’s not like my side gig as a web novel writer was going anywhere. Even if a status screen suddenly appeared in front of me or if I was transferred to another world, I was confident I could adapt quickly.
‘Compared to the weird customers I’ve encountered while juggling various part-time jobs, this is on a cute level.’
The strange individuals I’ve come across during my part-time jobs were beyond imagination. Compared to them, Kang Taeyang is a gentleman.
At least he didn’t grab me by the collar or force his opinions with ridiculous logic.
That’s why I smiled.
This is my best weapon.
“You’re not a pushover after all.”
“Thank you.”
Kang Taeyang pushed up his glasses and his eyes sparkled. His previous arrogant demeanor completely disappeared, revealing the image of a businessperson.
‘He’s an interesting person.’
I calmly observed him.
His earlier exaggerated behavior was all just acting to test me. Without that, this natural change in atmosphere wouldn’t have been possible.
‘Is he really a member of a conglomerate?’
He belongs to a household that can be called a modern version of a royal family. If it reflects this dual nature, he would be quite an appealing character.
What if we incorporate a setting of being in the shadows of an empire? It would suit him perfectly to play a role of handling tasks in the shadows for the empire.
“Why were you there?”
“I was trying to catch a distribution cheat.”
“The reason?”
“There’s an orphanage where I volunteer over there. I wanted to take care of things before they could harm the children.”
“Using me?”
How dare they?
Those words sound like a whisper in their ear. If they answer wrong, they’ll fall off a cliff right away.
Their first plan was to control the distribution of books and hand them over to the police, and the second plan was to handle it through the sea. But they can’t just say it outright.
“Wouldn’t it be an appropriate gift for the chief?”
“…What an arrogant guy.”
Contrary to their words, a subtle smile appeared on Kang Taeyang’s face. As expected, he seems to prefer someone who is more confident than humble.
“It’s better than being obsequious. My youngest sibling is so kind-hearted and has so many thoughts, I was always worried they might be taken advantage of by someone.”
“…I see.”
“So far, the people who approached my youngest sibling have been one or two people. Appearance, background, knowledge. There’s nothing lacking in them.”
“I understand.”
This nobleman is completely unpredictable. It’s true that Kang Taeyang is relatively kind-hearted, but he’s definitely not someone who can be easily taken advantage of.
“On the contrary, it’s the opposite.”
Of course, anyone, regardless of gender, can be greedy. In a way, it’s natural that I’m being suspected.
In this situation, there’s only one card I can play. It seems that Kang Taeyang sees Bada-ssi as his own daughter, so I have to make the most of that.
“Brother, Bada-ssi was very popular with the children in the orphanage. As you know, children’s eyes are very honest, aren’t they? But still, they kept clinging to her because she’s pretty…”
“Hmm, they’re admirable kids.”
As expected, when it comes to stories related to Kang Bada, people become strangely relaxed. Even though I subtly called him “brother,” he didn’t say anything, so it’s certain.
By now, there’s a possibility that their intense reaction at first wasn’t an act. It might be easier than I thought to get Kang Taeyang’s permission.
“When Bada-ssi claps her hands, the warehouse empties out as if by magic. I thought there was a fairy doing magic. When I was in the military, Sergeant Major showed similar magic tricks…”
“Stop, I get it.”
“Yes.”
After about 30 minutes of non-stop praising Kang Bada, I closed my mouth without saying a word. Knowing when to stop is a fundamental skill of a gambler.
“Anyway, stay away from this matter. It’s dangerous, and it’s not something outsiders should meddle in.”
“I understand. But…”
“Make sure to clean up around the orphanage.”
“Thank you.”
With this, I’ve obtained more than I hoped for from Kang Taeyang. I don’t have to worry about this issue anymore.
“Leave now.”
“See you next time.”
“Keep your virginity. Otherwise, you’ll die.”
“…Yes.”
With a wave of his hand, Kang Taeyang signaled the end of the conversation. I silently lowered my head and left the room.
‘It turned out better than I expected.’
Keeping my virginity was a condition.
It was something that was already specified in the contract when we entered into a fake marriage, and if I break it, things will be settled on Kang Bada’s side.
It’s truly regrettable for our family’s lineage to be cut off during times of war and chaos, but…
‘…But the bloodline will continue.’
Because I have a younger sister.
나에게는 여동생이 있으니까.
I’m not sure if she’ll agree to a marriage, considering her personality. But she’s quite attractive, and if I help her with her dowry, things will somehow work out.
‘Well, anyway.’
I’ve overcome a major hurdle.
From now on, it’s just the beginning, but as a first step, it wasn’t so bad. Finally, I let out a sigh of relief and moved forward.
“Hmm.”
Knock, knock, knock.
Inside the room where Kim Ha-nuel had left, Kang Taeyang sat tapping his fingers on the chair, lost in thought. There was no warmth in his face, which had returned to that of a businessman.
“What does the secretary think?”
“He seems fine.”
“Tell me more.”
“He’s not obsequious, but he takes care of everything that needs to be taken care of. He doesn’t act recklessly, and he’s quite perceptive.”
Kang Taeyang raised his head in surprise at the secretary’s words. His lips curled slightly.
“It’s been a while since the secretary gave such a high evaluation.”
“It’s not necessarily high.”
“If it’s at that level, it’s considered high. All they’ve been saying is that he’s trash, never does proper recycling. That’s the only evaluation they give.”
“I tend to like people who have good self-awareness without being overly submissive. In that sense, Kim Ha-nuel seems to have a clear understanding of his own worth.”
Hmmm…
Kang Taeyang stroked his chin as if contemplating something. Even from his perspective, Kim Ha-nuel made a decent impression.
“Wouldn’t it be appropriate as a gift for the chief?”
The relaxed smile on Kim Ha-nuel’s face as he spoke still lingered in his mind.
Even if you remove the name Daehan Group, just by looking at him, one could guess what kind of person he is, involved in drugs or club operations. Yet, he exuded such confidence.
At first, he had intended to intimidate the naive youngest child a bit, thinking he was just a cunning brat. But he never expected to be the one whose heart would waver.
“But does he really like my sister?”
“It seems so.”
“On what basis? He could be after money, or he could be someone trying to take advantage of her in some way.”
Kang Taeyang, who had seen countless people like that before, couldn’t easily trust Kim Ha-nuel. With that, the secretary spoke up.
“It’s a woman’s intuition.”
“Why are you saying something unexpected, secretary?”
“He seemed happy.”
“Huh?”
“When Kim Ha-nuel mentioned the young lady, he seemed extremely pleased. Although he herself didn’t seem to realize it.”
“…”
Kang Taeyang swallowed his silence at the secretary’s words. It was a long time before he spoke again.
“Well, my sister is at the age to get married, too, secretary.”
“Yes.”
“Let’s send a gift to our adorable future son-in-law. Choose a few nice ones.”
“Understood.”
A small smile appeared on the corners of their mouths.
