CLABC 8

Chapter 8

Spring had fully ripened.

Everywhere, countless flower buds seemed unable to hold back any longer, stretching themselves awake and flaunting their own beauty day after day.

Because of that, Kang Yoon’s allergy symptoms had grown worse, and he spent several days agonizing over Bora’s wish to go to a cherry blossom festival.

If he took his allergy medicine, the coughing would stop for a few hours. With glasses on and a mask as well, it seemed like he might manage.

He had spent his whole life loathing flower-viewing trips, yet Bora’s offhand remark not long ago—“I want to take photos on a cherry blossom road while holding cherry blossom ice cream”—kept circling in his mind.

“Look at me, doing all sorts of nonsense.”

Despite the words, the corners of Kang Yoon’s mouth twitched upward as he typed “best cherry blossom spots” into the search bar.

The night before, Kang Yoon had told Han Tae-soo that he intended to marry Bora.

Han Tae-soo grabbed Kang Yoon’s face—far larger than his own—and planted several kisses on his forehead.

“My baby, my precious baby. My beautiful child. You’ve finally made up your mind to get married!”

Han Tae-soo had no idea it was a contract marriage. Seeing his blissful expression pricked Kang Yoon’s conscience slightly, but he soon nodded anyway.

“My goodness! Kang Yoon says he’s getting married! Set a date for the families to meet right away, and prepare some gifts for our precious daughter-in-law!”

“Yes, Father.”

Jin Hyun-sook nodded as always, never talking back to Han Tae-soo.

As they left the study, she looked at Kang Yoon with her usual elegant expression.

“You two must really get along. Getting married so quickly after only a few meetings.”

“Blind dates are all more or less the same anyway. Better to do it quickly.”

“Still, what matters most is that you like her, Kang Yoon.”

“Don’t worry. She’s exactly my type, Aunt.”

Kang Yoon smiled gently, pretending to know nothing.

“Well, that’s a relief. You’ll need to coordinate the date with her family for the formal meeting, won’t you?”

“Yes. I’ll ask Bora and let you know.”

“Good. Oh, and how is the Dubai construction project coming along?”

To outsiders, they might have looked like a mother and son having a natural conversation, but beneath the surface, they were quietly on guard against each other.

So that’s the plan—dump a daughter from a family that’s no use to Han Kang-moon on me, and once I secure a Middle Eastern construction contract, make sure Han Kang-moon gets a piece of it.

The image of Han Kang-moon’s perpetually drunk face—good for nothing but partying and womanizing—came to Kang Yoon’s mind, and he frowned slightly.

“It’s proceeding reasonably well.”

“Good. I’m sure you’ll handle it. I trust you.”

“Thank you. Please rest well, Aunt.”

As always, Kang Yoon bowed politely and climbed the stairs to the second floor.

If only that child were my son…

Watching his broad, door-like back disappear upstairs, Jin Hyun-sook’s insides boiled.

When they were children, the gap between them had been easy to dismiss—children differed widely, after all. Though it hurt to see Kang Moon lag behind Kang Yoon in everything, she believed the tables would turn someday.

The shock she felt when she learned that her husband had fathered another woman’s child right after she gave birth was beyond words.

Then, when that husband died suddenly in an accident, Jin Hyun-sook learned firsthand what it meant to live without being able to die.

She had wanted to end her life and follow him, but for the sake of her infant son Kang Moon—who had never even seen his father’s face—she clawed her way through life.

So how could it not torment her to watch Kang Yoon, the son of some woman who’d come from who-knows-where, grow superior to her own son in every way?

After they became adults and Han Tae-soo handed each of them a business, the gap widened even further.

Kang Moon inherited Kangsan Trading, the group’s core company, but under his leadership it never escaped the red.

Meanwhile, Kangsan Construction, once ranked around tenth in the industry, soared to fourth place after Kang Yoon took over.

Jin Hyun-sook had always assumed that Han Woo-jin’s son—born of his lawful wife—Kang Moon, as both legitimate heir and eldest, would succeed the group.

But after watching the stark difference between Kang Moon and Kang Yoon for thirty-six years, Han Tae-soo seemed to be thinking otherwise.

“Kang Moon needs to settle down soon too…”

That left only one option.

Pair Kang Moon with the best possible match and sway Han Tae-soo’s heart.

“How long is that boy going to live like a useless playboy without coming to his senses?”

It would look better to outsiders if Kang Moon married before Kang Yoon, but that was unrealistic.

Then she would have to find a woman whose qualifications were a thousand—no, ten thousand—times better than Kang Yoon’s partner.

Deciding to review the profiles she’d prepared for Kang Moon’s blind dates, Jin Hyun-sook hurried to the master bedroom.

“Hmm… Is this too short? This one’s kind of an awkward length.”

Bora was in high spirits after receiving a message from Kang Yoon earlier.

The Seokchon Lake Cherry Blossom Festival runs until this weekend. If you’re free, would you like to go together?

A few days ago, when she’d gone to his company to sign the marriage contract and they were heading out for lunch, she had casually mentioned wanting to go to a cherry blossom festival.

She couldn’t believe he remembered.

“He pretends he doesn’t care, but he’s actually thoughtful and attentive. Total tsundere, right? Don’t you think so too, Tosoon?”

Bora glanced at Tosoon, sprawled silently on the pillow, and focused intently on choosing what to wear for the weekend.

Yes, I’d love to.

Then I’ll pick you up in front of your place at ten Saturday morning.

Okay. See you Saturday. Sleep well!

I hope you have sweet dreams too, Bora.

There were no cheesy phrases or cute emojis in their exchange.

It was nothing special, yet Bora’s lips curved upward and a smile crept onto her face.

As she reread Kang Yoon’s message wishing her sweet dreams, her phone suddenly vibrated.

Bzzz—.

“Oh no…”

The caller ID read: Han Kang-moon, CEO of Kangsan Trading.

The phone rang for a long time as she hesitated, then finally stopped.

“Whew… That scared me. Maybe it was a wrong number?”

But just as she exhaled in relief, the phone vibrated again.

Bora sighed deeply and answered.

“Hello?”

[Ms. Yoon Bora, how have you been?]

“Yes… Have you been well too, Chairman Han?”

[Oh, I’ve been having a lonely, gloomy spring since you won’t see me.]

Yeah, right.

Bora pressed her lips together tightly, wrinkling her nose to keep her thoughts from spilling out.

[The cherry blossoms are so beautiful these days. Not that they compare to you, of course. So, what are you doing this weekend? Want to go to a festival together?]

Caught off guard, Bora blurted out her words.

“Chairman Han, there’s something I need to tell you.”

[Haha. I’m ready to listen to anything you have to say.]

“Didn’t you hear anything from your family?”

[Hear what?]

“…I went on a blind date with CEO Han Kang Yoon recently.”

[What? Who?]

“And we’ve developed good feelings for each other, and we’re planning to get marr—”

[What did you just say? Ms. Yoon Bora, what did you just say?]

His booming voice made her frown instinctively, as if he might burst out of the phone.

“I said I’m getting married to Han Kang Yoon. So I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t contact me personally anymore.”

[…I understand for now. I’ll call again later.]

Click.

Bora couldn’t hide her displeasure as she stared at the abruptly ended call.

“They’re really different. Even if they’re only half-brothers, they’re completely different.”

Kang Yoon might be cold, but he never crossed boundaries or behaved rudely.

How could two people raised in the same household with the same education be so different?

Shaking her head, Bora went back to choosing her outfit.

“Mother, look at this.”

Jin Hyun-sook had been selecting profiles of well-educated daughters from the largest corporations to set Kang Moon up with.

Kang Moon burst into the room, flinging the door open, his face twisted in anger.

“What’s wrong with you? What happened?”

“The woman Kang Yoon went on a blind date with—was it Yoon Bora?”

Jin Hyun-sook raised an eyebrow slightly in surprise, then returned her gaze to the papers.

“Yes. So I’ve heard.”

“You sent Kang Yoon instead of me, didn’t you?”

“That family requested the blind date, so I sent him. What’s the problem?”

“I’m interested in that woman, Yoon Bora. Can’t we cancel that match?”

“What?”

“Why does Han Kang Yoon get to go on a blind date with the woman I want?”

“Kang Moon, get a grip. That woman is out of your league.”

“That’s just your opinion. Damn it—why didn’t you tell me?”

Having never been denied what he wanted since childhood, Kang Moon was in a state of intense agitation.

Jin Hyun-sook sighed deeply and watched her son’s ugly tantrum in silence.

If she could go back in time, she almost wished she had raised Kang Yoon as her own son.

Useless fool. You can’t even measure up to half—no, a quarter—of Kang Yoon.

Her throat tightened.

Clenching her fists, Jin Hyun-sook swallowed those words back with force.