CRC 07

Chapter 7

“…We will work hard to promote the beauty of Cheonghyang Village not only in Korea but also overseas. And…”

While Yeon-eum stood frozen in shock, Hwi-do finished his speech without even looking at her.

“Please give us your support and cooperation.”

He stepped down from the stage, shook hands with the county governor, and took photos. After greeting important guests, he was surrounded by reporters and disappeared into the county office under flashing cameras.

Yeon-eum could only stare at the unfamiliar scene.

After some time, she finally came back to her senses. The square was already empty. Everyone had left.

She grabbed someone cleaning up and asked about the officials. They said the people involved had gone to a company dinner.

“A dinner? Where?”

“I’m not sure about that.”

She couldn’t just go home. There were too many things she wanted to ask him.

All the conversations they had shared the night before kept spinning in her head.

What was real? What was a lie?

Biting her lip in betrayal, she started walking without thinking.

In a small town like this, there were only a few places important people would go for dinner.

* * *

After the ceremony, there was a dinner at a famous beef restaurant owned by Governor Young-bok’s family.

A county employee blocked the mouth of a beer bottle with his thumb, shook it hard, and loudly made beer foam before mixing it with soju. Watching this noisy display made Hwi-do lose his appetite.

He had only planned to show his face out of politeness anyway, so he left early without drinking.

After seriously joining the company, he had quit smoking, which he learned during his time studying abroad, so he could better taste the fine differences in alcohol.

The ceremony had gone smoothly, but for some reason, he suddenly wanted a deep drag of a cigarette.

“Tch.”

Now of all times, such a useless desire.

He loosened his tie and unbuttoned one button instead.

As he finally felt able to breathe, Yeon-eum’s shocked face from earlier came to mind.

She looked deeply hurt. Hadn’t she decided to sell the brewery? Still, she loved it so much. Even if she sold it, it wouldn’t feel good.

He wondered if she felt betrayed after learning who he really was.

Would she get angry like when she mistook him for a loan shark? Maybe she would never smile at him again. Maybe she wouldn’t even agree to meet him.

Thinking he might not see her ever-changing expressions again felt a little disappointing.

But he had no intention of giving up on Jeongju Brewery.

Lee Hwi-do was more persistent and patient than anyone when it came to achieving his goals.

Pushing aside personal feelings, he slowly walked across the restaurant garden—

—and suddenly saw the very face he had just been thinking about.

Yeon-eum was walking toward him.

“Please talk to me!”

She must have run. Her hair was messy, and her cheeks were red.

Unlike his carefully planned life, Yeon-eum was always unpredictable.

This was only their third meeting, but each time she strongly sparked his curiosity.

Seeing his secretary had already brought the car to the entrance, he answered calmly.

“What do you want to talk about?”

Yeon-eum glared at his deep, unreadable eyes.

He felt like a stranger.

Dressed neatly in a suit, staring at her with an emotionless face, he looked nothing like the man who had drunk with her days ago.

This man was the president of Daebok Liquor.

“Don’t you have anything to say to me?”

“You said you wanted to talk. Why are you asking me to speak?”

His tilted head and slight smirk made it seem like he didn’t understand the seriousness of the situation.

“What were you thinking?”

“About what?”

His shameless pretending made her speechless.

“If you have nothing to say, I’ll leave. I have another schedule.”

As he walked toward the car, she called out quickly.

“Wait! Why didn’t you tell me? That you’re the president of Daebok?”

He slowly stepped backward with a small smile.

“Did you ask?”

“What?”

“You never asked my name or who I was.”

She quickly tried to remember. At the funeral, she had been too overwhelmed. At the brewery…

“I think I asked who you were…”

He gave a short laugh.

“No. You asked if I was a loan shark.”

“….”

He was right.

“So that’s your answer?”

“No! It’s just… not here. Can we go somewhere and talk?”

“Sorry, I’m busy.”

He opened the back car door. She panicked, afraid he would leave like this.

Then he held the door and gestured inside.

“If you have something to say, I’ll listen on the way. Get in.”

She hesitated. Where was he going? Could she really just get in his car?

When he started to turn away as if giving up, her body moved first.

She got in.

Hwi-do looked down at her and laughed softly.

She had acted scared of him before, so he hadn’t expected her to actually get in.

“Brave,” he thought.

Recently, he knew he had been softer with her than usual.

He needed to persuade her to sell the land, so he had to keep the door open.

He justified his actions to himself and got into the car.

“Move inside.”

“Oh. Ah.”

She had sat in his seat in her nervousness and quickly moved aside.

Hwi-do signaled slightly to his secretary through the mirror. The secretary, quick to understand, started driving without asking questions.

Yeon-eum stared awkwardly at the back of the secretary’s head.

How should she start?

The heavy presence of the man beside her filled the car.

She felt again how different their worlds were.

“Why so quiet? Did you just want a free ride?”

She turned quickly.

“No! It’s not that. I mean… um…”

His strong gaze made her lose confidence.

“So… Daebok is building some kind of factory in our village?”

“More accurately, a tourism complex. A traditional liquor factory, museum, experience center, performance hall, amusement facilities, commercial areas. It will be the largest in Korea.”

“Why in our village?”

“Because it’s the best location. Our experts considered location, access, usage, cost—everything.”

Was Cheonghyang Village really the only place?

“Why there…?”

“It’s good for Daebok and for regional development. A win-win situation.”

His professional explanation made him truly look like a company president.

Compared to that, her complaint about him not introducing himself properly felt childish.

She took a deep breath and said what really mattered.

“I’m not selling our land. I’ll inherit Jeongju Brewery and keep running it.”

“Understood.”

She was surprised at his calm answer.

“Then you’re giving up on our brewery?”

His lips curved slightly.

“Who said I’m giving up?”

“What?”

“I understand your position. But I need the land of Jeongju Brewery.”

His steady gaze showed strong determination.

She had expected at least a small apology for deceiving her. But there was none.

And now he was saying he wouldn’t give up, right after she said she wouldn’t sell?

Was he planning to take it by force?

She had thought he was a good person. Were all his kind words just lies to take her land?

Before she realized it, the car had stopped in front of Jeongju Brewery.

Hwi-do got out and opened her door.

Was that gentlemanly—or forceful?

She stepped out and glared at him.

He answered her glare with a relaxed smile.

“We will never sell our brewery.”

She said firmly, then turned and walked away with strong steps.

Hwi-do watched her disappear inside the brewery.

How long could she hold out?

He lightly shook his head.