TFIU 11

Chapter 11

“Poor thing. Do you even know what it means when someone says ‘well done’?”
Wooyeon clicked his tongue, looking utterly exasperated.
“W-what do you mean…?”
“It’s what people call sarcasm, sneering, mockery, ridicule. Very~ well~ done~ Young-oh. Just like this.”
“…!!”

Regardless of Young-oh’s wide-open mouth, Wooyeon stuffed some food into Yewon’s mouth, who was sitting across from him.
“Here, kid. Eat this. Your uncle probably doesn’t have time to take care of you, so this uncle will do it instead.”
“…I said I’m not a kid!!”
“Mm-hmm. Kid. Chew it thoroughly and enjoy~”
“……”
“If I’m ‘uncle,’ then you’re a kid~ If you don’t like being called that and want to be a ‘child,’ I’ll let you call me uncle again~”

Yewon, though frustrated, chewed carefully.
No way, you’ll always be ‘uncle.’

“…What did the CEO say this time?”
At Doha’s low voice, Young-oh kept glancing nervously.
“Hmm. He asked that Yewon come to the office tomorrow so he can be introduced. Now that we’re one family, shouldn’t faces be familiar?”
“That’s strange. Our CEO isn’t the kind to speak so warmly. Don’t filter it—say exactly what he said.”
“He really said it like this…”
Young-oh said with a sulky expression under Wooyeon’s teasing.

“That iron-blooded CEO really said that? Then, Doha, you’re in real trouble. I’ll make sure the funeral is grand.”
“Why me?”
“Come on. Usually, when a scary person speaks kindly, it’s only when they plan to kill someone. Death flag. Yup.”
“……”

It was Yewon’s face that turned pale at Wooyeon’s nonchalant remark.
She had heard of the CEO of Time Entertainment before, in passing.
A genius who, in his early 30s and alone, left the mega-agency Wonder Entertainment, founded Time Entertainment, and instantly built it into one of the top three agencies.
…Rumor had it that he was so tough that not a drop of blood would come out if you tried to prick him.
Truly, a terrifying man.

And this terrifying man wanted to see me?
Yewon looked up at Doha with frightened eyes.
Surprisingly, Doha seemed calm, as if he wasn’t worried.
“We’ll go tomorrow afternoon. I’ll bring Yewon.”
“Really? Doha, raising this kid has really given you guts. Parenting is seriously intense, folks.”

Wooyeon stuck out his tongue, and Doha glared at him.
“Given the situation, it’s only polite to pay a visit and introduce ourselves. But if anyone says anything weird, just don’t renew the contract.”
“!!”
“Renewal season is coming up, and you know better than anyone who will be at a loss.”

At Doha’s calm voice, the three others groaned.
“Has it really been seven years already?” Wooyeon chuckled.
Looking at this, Doha wasn’t ordinary either.

“Is… that really okay…?”
Worried, Yewon asked, and Doha smirked, placing his hand on her head.
“It’s okay. Don’t worry.”
“Still…”
“And CEO Park.”
“?”
“He may be scary, but he’s not a bad person.”
“…!”

Even with Doha’s reassurance, Yewon’s expression didn’t relax.
Will this meeting really be okay…?

The Big Day

“I’ll adopt her.”
“!!!”
Not okay!!!

Yewon and Doha were shocked by this proposal from ‘CEO Park, not a bad person.’
It felt like the ground had cracked beneath them.
They were frozen in place, staring blankly at CEO Park.

“Wow, our CEO is generous. Amazing. I’m truly moved, sir. Not by your heart, but by your scale.”
“Shut up, Han Wooyeon.”
“The sheer audacity to capture Doha like this! Long live capitalism! Wow! I must learn from this.”
“Will you zip your mouth?”

When CEO Park growled, Wooyeon immediately pretended to zip his mouth and shut up.
Finally quiet, CEO Park cleared his throat and spoke.
“I’m serious, Doha. I truly believe this is the best for everyone.”
“……”

“I know everything about Yewon’s situation from Young-oh… I’m already 53. Not unusual for me to have a granddaughter instead of a daughter, right? If I can get a daughter now, that’s good for me.”
“……”

Even Doha seemed at a loss, clearly not expecting this.
‘…Wow.’
53? He looks way too youthful.
Yewon secretly admired him.
If I look like that in my 50s, that would be great. He was charismatic yet sharp.

“Wow. Getting a daughter in one shot—definitely a huge gain for you, sir. Skipping a useless husband and getting a beautiful daughter right away is definitely a win…”
“I told you to shut up.”
“Can’t help my words~”

Whatever Wooyeon mumbled, CEO Park looked Doha squarely in the eye, sincere.
“Anyway, Doha, you rejected someone Young-oh found for you at the funeral. But they recognized you as a real relative. That’s why this is different.”
“……”

Hearing ‘real relative,’ Yewon’s eyes flickered.
Wait. The fake uncle… was actually a real relative?
‘But Jeyeon said we weren’t real family.’
What’s going on? I thought I was just a stranger entrusted to him…
I’ll have to ask Doha later.

“…Anyway, Doha, what were you thinking?”
“…That’s—”
“I said I don’t want it!”

Suddenly, Yewon interjected, and CEO Park looked at her in surprise.
“That man said something really scary. That’s why I said no.”
“Scary words… he said?”
“Yes.”

CEO Park looked flustered.
Naturally. A manager found someone, and the kid says that person said something scary—of course he’d be startled.
But Yewon had plenty to say.
That man you recognized abused me and almost killed me in the end.

“Can I tell you what he said?”
“He said I have to work really hard from now on. And that I have to pay off all the debts my mom left me… whispered it!”

Not at the funeral, but in the future—but that part can be skipped.
Still, he really said that.

“!”

At Yewon’s words, the adults present froze in shock.
“…What?”
Doha thought:
“Is that true? He really said that? What else did he say?”
CEO Park thought:
“Wow, how did Park Young-oh even find him? Shouldn’t we report this to the police? Is this crazy? No, let’s just bring him here.”
Wooyeon thought:
“S-s-s-sorry… this isn’t the time, we need to talk to the lawyer immediately!”
Young-oh was furious on Yewon’s behalf.

For Yewon, seeing adults genuinely angry for her was… strange.
It was the first time since her mother.

“…I was crazy.”
“!”

Doha clenched his fist.
“I should’ve looked into this more. If someone volunteered to raise Yewon as a relative, there must have been contact before. I should’ve suspected when he said we never met.”
“…Yewon’s dad died early, so there was no contact. How could I not believe him? There were no other relatives. Back then, he must’ve been the best choice.”

Doha’s angry voice made CEO Park flustered.
From what they gathered, the fake uncle was a paternal relative, not maternal.
‘…Then why claim he was from the mother’s side?’
It was full of inexplicable things.

“Sorry, Yewon. I didn’t know he was that bad. We’ll make sure he gets punished.”
CEO Park sincerely apologized.
Yewon nodded, clutching Doha’s arm.

Then CEO Park spoke again.
“…Anyway. That’s why I’m the best choice. If you can’t trust anyone else, I’m your safest option.”
“!”