From the moment he entered this house, Jung Tae-ui could feel the subtly intersecting atmospheres among the people. It was a strange air where intimacy and hostility coexisted within one family.
Even now, as he walked down the hallway, he occasionally brushed past people. Their reactions were one of two kinds: either they were on his side or against him.
“What happened, some gang fight or something? Why’s the mood like this?”
Jung Tae-ui muttered as he passed a young man glaring fiercely at him, Christoph, and those following behind.
Christoph, who was walking a few steps ahead, slowed his pace slightly and turned his head.
“Didn’t Kyle tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
“Tarten is always in a state of gang fights.”
“Huh?”
Jung Tae-ui asked back with a strange expression. Christoph resumed walking forward, speaking casually.
“Tarten’s family decides who will inherit everything from a young age. They pick about three or four of the most outstanding children among the blood relatives after strict screening. From then on, they enter a competition system. The kids who aren’t chosen line up behind the promising candidates for the future and fervently cheer for the ones they support.”
His tone was as calm as if he were talking about dinner menus.
However, Jung Tae-ui felt dazed for a moment upon hearing that, then became uneasy. He furrowed his brow, thought deeply for a moment, then sighed.
“Competition can help bring out people’s abilities better… but I don’t know the exact details, though to an outsider’s ears, it sounds a bit inhuman.”
Christoph glanced at Jung Tae-ui. After a pause, he muttered almost to himself.
“Humans who were inhuman from the start remain inhuman even when they withdraw from competition.”
“Well, that’s not a matter of nature—though it’s not really a topic worth discussing. But competition, is it really necessary?”
“Only for those chosen as heirs. The rest just wait for one of them to be selected in due course, so they don’t compete directly. …Ah, everyone prays for the candidate they support to win, so that kind of competitive mentality exists.”
“Then those selected—do they have to compete no matter what? Is there a right to refuse?”
Christoph didn’t answer. As if he hadn’t heard. But they weren’t far apart in the quiet hallway, so it was unlikely he hadn’t.
Only when they reached the landing near the top of the stairs did he answer belatedly.
“Of course there is. If you don’t want to, you have the chance to refuse. I did.”
Watching Christoph’s back as he walked ahead without looking back, Jung Tae-ui widened his eyes a little.
“So you were one of the heirs?”
The question, “Did your family elders who picked candidates not consider personality or friendships?!” almost rose to his throat, but since they hadn’t known each other long, he didn’t dare say it.
Then suddenly he murmured, “Ah.”
He recalled the conversation between his uncle and Kyle about Richard Tarten being the most promising.
That must have been it—the most promising among those who might inherit Tarten.
As they descended the stairs to the first floor, another young man passed by. He, too, gave Christoph a wary glare and passed with a short curse.
Despite clearly hearing that, Christoph walked on without much reaction, making Jung Tae-ui think that in this regard, Christoph was a bit better than Illay. Read the latest chapters at novelping.com.
Jung Tae-ui sighed deeply, scratching his arm with a restless feeling and asked,
“If someone refuses, they’re no longer a competitor. So why do those guys act like that? If you withdraw from competition, shouldn’t they stop watching and being hostile?”
“That’s why they’re idiots. They think they can have their own delusions…”
Christoph muttered disdainfully as if uncertain, clicking his tongue.
Jung Tae-ui followed suit.
With the family atmosphere like this, staying here was like walking on thin ice. Even now, everyone passing glared fiercely at Jung Tae-ui and Christoph, and it seemed it would only get worse.
Moreover, by the ratio, it seemed Richard’s faction was much larger than Christoph’s.
Whether to call it turbulent or having chosen the wrong side.
“Ah… I hate fights where people split into sides…”
Jung Tae-ui shook his head.
Besides, no matter how he thought about it, this was overwhelmingly disadvantageous. The other side had more numbers, seemed more influential, and even were promising heirs… muttering while counting on his fingers, Jung Tae-ui almost collided with Christoph who was waiting.
“Go if you want to go to Richard’s side.”
He said calmly. Jung Tae-ui looked away from his fingers and questioned, “Huh?” Soon realizing what was said, he frowned.
“Whether I’m here or there, it’s still division into sides. I hate both. And haven’t you forgotten? I didn’t come here to fight. Give me the book, the book.”
Christoph narrowed his eyes, staring at Jung Tae-ui like he was examining him, then suddenly muttered,
“You were in UNHRDO, right?”
Jung Tae-ui kept quiet. Then, as Christoph did before, he stared quietly at him.
“Did Kyle really say that much?”
“No, Kyle just said he’d send someone else.”
Jung Tae-ui watched Christoph silently. If not Kyle, there was only one other possible connection.
As expected, Christoph said nonchalantly,
“Rick did the work even though he knew it’d be a hassle. At least among the Mobile Unit guys, there’s no one he doesn’t know.”
“Sigh…”
Not knowing how to respond, Jung Tae-ui muttered meaninglessly.
Christoph tilted his head. After looking at Jung Tae-ui for a long time at an angle, he sighed.
“I really can’t understand why he’d bother…”
“Why not just curse openly?”
Christoph sighed as if to be heard, looking at the grumbling Jung Tae-ui, then turned his head slightly the other way.
“Would you rather that? If you prefer cursing openly to cursing behind backs, I can do that much.”
“Isn’t there any other choice…”
Jung Tae-ui dropped his head heavily.
Muttering discontentedly, Jung Tae-ui looked up at the small sigh.
Christoph was looking at him. With eyes like he was seeing something strange. His lips trembled faintly.
…Ah. Again.
Jung Tae-ui watched that lip movement.
The expression seemed lost, as if he didn’t know what to do.
Embarrassed, he scratched his neck.
Somehow, his mood was…
Not gloomy, not down, but something hard to describe.
But soon Christoph turned around as if nothing had happened, and Jung Tae-ui followed again.
It didn’t take long to find the dining room.
At the end of the first-floor corridor, past a hall, they saw a large open door. The tempting aroma and murmurs of conversation drifted from there. Christoph, who had been walking with an expressionless face, suddenly remembered and looked back at Jung Tae-ui.
“Oh. And about your name.”
“Hm?”
“It’s an unlucky name. You should go by something else.”
“…”
Jung Tae-ui stared at him with narrowed eyes.
That rude remark felt strangely familiar, as he’d heard it when they first met. Called an unlucky name.
“No, what’s wrong with my name—”
Just as Jung Tae-ui was about to shout that his name was good because his father gave it to him, Christoph casually slapped his mouth with his palm and pushed it away.
“I think that name doesn’t fit this region. It might bring misfortune. So call yourself something else.”
Without batting an eye, Christoph said seriously. Jung Tae-ui looked at him with great displeasure.
Suddenly, the topic shifted into superstition, yet Christoph said it without hesitation.
“There are many other Korean names. Hmm… When I went to Bosnia recently, I met a Korean reporter. What was his name… Ah, Young-su. That name is fine. Isn’t Kim the most common Korean surname? Kim Young-su. That’ll do.”
“…Did Illay say anything about this?”
“Hm? Rick?” The confused look showed no idea why.
Though he chose a common name on purpose, it was truly common—or maybe there was some connection.
Jung Tae-ui scratched his head. He didn’t know why he had to be called by another name, but he also had no reason to stubbornly insist on keeping his own name.
“Fine, then I guess I’ll be Kim Young-su here…”
Jung Tae-ui muttered with a sigh. Christoph looked at him expressionlessly, then turned his head.
His steps toward the dining room seemed somewhat satisfied.