“Go ahead and eat. Oh, honey, please start. Once you do, Eunwon will feel comfortable eating too.”
“Mm, of course. Eat as much as you like, son.”
Only after watching his father pick up his utensils and begin eating did Eunwon lift a piece of braised short ribs from his plate. The tender meat fell apart between his teeth, filling his mouth with a rich sauce that was both sweet and delicately savory.
“Well? Is it good? To be honest, it's been so long since I last cooked that I wasn't sure how it'd turn out. It tasted fine to me, but still.”
“It's delicious.”
“Really?”
“Yes... It really is. Thank you... I'll enjoy it.”
“How can you be so sweet—and so lovely? I'm the one who should be thanking you for enjoying it. I won't fuss over you anymore, so eat as much as you want.”
Even swallowing made his throat ache, and his nose stung. Eunwon forced down the tears along with another bite of rice, trying desperately not to sniffle.
As she watched him eat, Yeo Heejin lifted her gaze to her husband across the table. Their eyes met. Chairman Seo gave her a subtle look of approval before giving the faintest nod.
It was a meal that left them both deeply satisfied—for entirely different reasons. Even the warmth had been perfectly calculated.
***
The two weeks that followed felt like a dream to Eunwon.
The heavy burdens he'd carried for the past three years, the emotions he'd needed just to survive on his own, slowly began to melt away, softening the life that had become so painfully rigid.
Every morning he woke in a home where he no longer had to worry about the cold, the summer heat, noisy neighbors, or safety. Freshly laundered clothes were always waiting for him, still crisp and soft from the wash. The moment he stepped out of his room, someone greeted him with genuine warmth.
Getting to school became easy.
Before, even if he wanted to stop at a café for something sweet to drink, he always forced himself to endure the temptation. Now, if he wanted something, he could simply buy it.
He received an allowance generous enough to make him feel almost guilty, and a brand-new phone so fast and modern that he still wasn't used to using it.
He finally had a home where someone was always waiting for him to come back.
A family that greeted him with smiles.
But more than anything else, what made him happiest was that his mother's ashes had been moved to a memorial hall much closer to home.
He had always known it was a better facility and a much more convenient location, but it had been far too expensive for him to even consider. The fact that his father and Madam Seo had arranged for his mother to rest in the finest memorial hall he could never have afforded filled him with overwhelming gratitude.
They hadn't only cared for him.
They had sincerely cared for his late mother as well.
Little by little, Eunwon's heart opened to them.
And knowing there was a place for him in this house...
Knowing someone waited for him...
Knowing someone wanted to hear about his day...
The security that sense of belonging gave him was far sweeter than he had ever imagined.
It became so intoxicating that he found himself thinking he could never endure being alone again.
Without realizing it, Eunwon had fallen deep into the sweet trap bearing the warm name of family.
“...I'm home.”
Unlike usual, Eunwon returned a little later that evening after staying for a group assignment meeting.
As he walked into the living room, he saw his father and Madam Seo sitting together, their expressions unusually grim as they spoke in hushed voices. The moment they noticed him, they abruptly stopped talking and forced smiles onto their faces.
“Oh, Eunwon, you're home? You must be exhausted after studying so late.”
The smile looked strained.
Studying Madam Seo's face for a moment, Eunwon turned toward his father.
His father's face was clouded with worry.
He looked so troubled that it was obvious something had happened.
“You've worked hard today. Go get some rest.”
After saying only that—a far shorter greeting than usual—Chairman Seo headed upstairs.
Eunwon met Madam Seo's eyes.
“What's... happened?”
“Hm? Ah... It's nothing you need to worry about. Something a little complicated came up at the company, that's all. Things like this happen all the time, so don't worry.”
She told him not to worry, but the atmosphere throughout the house was unbearably heavy.
Before he could ask anything else, Madam Seo gently urged him toward the stairs, insisting he should go rest.
In the end, Eunwon had no choice but to go upstairs.
***
Despite everyone's assurances, the mood inside the house only grew darker with each passing day.
His father often didn't come home until dawn, and even at breakfast he looked gaunt, barely touching his food before leaving.
Madam Seo no longer had the strength to put on the reassuring smile she'd been forcing for his sake.
Day after day, Eunwon watched his father pace anxiously while answering one troubling phone call after another, his face lined with exhaustion and worry.
There was nothing Eunwon could do.
All he could do was remain quietly out of the way so that he wouldn't become another burden.
But the guilt kept growing heavier.
Every morning he put on the clothes they had prepared for him.
He went comfortably to school.
Even when they skipped meals themselves, his father and Madam Seo never failed to prepare wonderful meals for him.
Watching them care for him so faithfully while they themselves were suffering filled him with unbearable guilt.
The people who called him family were clearly struggling.
Yet all he could do was accept their protection while pretending not to notice.
He couldn't bear it any longer.
“...Um...”
Unable to stay in his room, Eunwon went downstairs.
Yeo Heejin was sitting alone on the sofa, sighing heavily as she rubbed her face with both hands. Hearing his footsteps, she looked up.
“Oh, Eunwon. I'm sorry. I haven't even been able to look after you today.”
Eunwon sat across from her.
After taking a quiet breath, he finally spoke the words that had been weighing on his heart.
“...I want to know what's happened.”
“……”
“Please... tell me.”
“No, Eunwon. This is just something the adults have to deal with.”
“...But... you said... I was family.”
At the word family coming from Eunwon's own lips, Yeo Heejin's eyes flickered.
At last.
The moment she'd been waiting for had arrived.
“...Even so, how could we place that kind of burden on someone as young as you?”
“...Neither of you has been sleeping. You can barely eat. I know something is wrong... I can't keep pretending I don't see it while I'm the only one living comfortably. Please... tell me.”
His voice was so sincere that it carried a desperate plea.
Yeo Heejin bit down on her lip before letting out a long sigh.
She hesitated, as though whatever she wanted to say was almost impossible to put into words.
Eunwon simply waited in silence.
“…Your father made me promise, over and over, that I was never to tell you... but after hearing you say that, I understand how you must feel. This isn't something that can be resolved easily, and it doesn't make sense to leave you constantly worrying without knowing why.”
“……”
“You know about S Group, don't you?”
“…Yes.”
“They have a massive resort development project they're leading. It's called the Arche Resort project, and it's an enormous opportunity. Naturally, Baum poured everything it had into winning the bid, and in the end, Baum Construction was awarded the contract.”
She paused, drawing a shaky breath.
“We staked the company's future on it. Simply securing the project would have allowed Baum to take a tremendous leap forward. It was that important...”
Her pale hand trembled as she lifted her teacup to moisten her dry lips before continuing.
“The employee in charge secretly spread false rumors about S Group behind the scenes, and it damaged their public image. We truly had no knowledge of what he'd done. We found him and held him accountable, but S Group says they've lost all trust in us and can no longer work with Baum.”
She lowered her eyes.
“And... honestly, they're right.”
“……”
“They want to terminate the contract, but we can't let that happen. Perhaps because they're still willing to leave us one last chance, they've placed an embargo on any news about the cancellation. Nothing has been reported yet. Your father has been working day and night, trying somehow to change S Group's mind before the story becomes public.”
“…There's... no way to convince them?”
“…We've explained that it was the actions of a single employee. We've promised to rebuild their trust however we can... but S Group says they can't believe promises anymore. They want proof. Something that demonstrates unquestionable trust.”
Yeo Heejin studied Eunwon's serious face.
Then, in an even shakier voice, sounding as though she herself were on the verge of collapsing, she continued.
“...Proof of unquestionable trust.”
“…Yes. There's still a little time before the news breaks, but word has already started spreading throughout the industry. People are saying this project has already failed... Some are even whispering that Baum is headed for bankruptcy.”
Her voice broke.
“Right now they're only rumors... but if we lose this contract... the damage will be so devastating that... they may become reality.”
As Yeo Heejin began to cry, Eunwon hurriedly pulled two tissues from the box and offered them to her.
She accepted them, gently dabbing at the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes.
“...Can't... can't you simply give them what they want? If they're still leaving room to negotiate... then there must be some way. Is it... something impossible?”
“…The problem is... what they're asking for isn't something we can decide on our own.”
“…What is it?”
Looking at Eunwon through eyes blurred with tears, Yeo Heejin struggled to speak, as though forcing each word past an unbearable weight.
“…An arranged marriage.”
“…What?”