Chapter 12
“Especially if I raise Ye-won, the two of them could see each other often. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
For a moment, silence fell over the meeting room.
“…But, Representative…”
Do-ha hesitated briefly before continuing.
“Aren’t you… too busy?”
It’s not a win-win for the Representative at all. No matter how important I am to this company… that’s just…
Do-ha swallowed his words. He knew how considerate Representative Park really was.
“I’m busy.”
Representative Park answered immediately.
“But Glit and Ido-ha, my time isn’t more important than theirs, right?”
“….”
“Well, actually, time can be bought with money. Hire the best private tutors from A to Z. Leave all education to them. Get a full-time nanny. They’ll probably be better than most parents. Do I look like someone who would try to save money? I’m confident I can be a better parent than any other. I’ll provide every possible support for Ye-won.”
“….”
“The media can be told that I’m a non-marriage advocate but wanted a child, so I adopted. Or we could pay to suppress any articles entirely. Legal matters? Hire a few lawyers and it’ll be settled quickly. You just need to consent, Ido-ha.”
Representative Park listed everything smoothly, as if he had already reviewed all angles in advance.
Everything he said made sense. Even to Ye-won, it sounded like the most reasonable option.
But…
“No!”
I won’t allow it!
Ye-won shouted urgently.
“?!”
Everyone turned toward Ye-won.
They seemed surprised, probably not expecting her to say no.
“I… I want to live with Uncle Do-ha…!”
“…!”
Her words were so firm that everyone’s eyes widened, especially Do-ha’s.
“Of course… th-thank you… but I…”
Even in her desperation, Ye-won carefully chose her words, matching the vocabulary of a seven-year-old.
“I can’t live with anyone but Uncle Do-ha!!”
Not only could she trust no other adult, but she also felt she had to protect him.
Ye-won said this, then clutched Do-ha’s arm tightly with both arms and legs.
“!!!!”
Her immense determination left the adults speechless.
But Ye-won knew they weren’t convinced by her words—they just felt sorry for her. Watching a child throw a tantrum to live with her uncle was heart-wrenching, but realistically, they would think it was impossible.
Yet Ye-won had prepared for that reaction.
“U-Uncle and I l-look exactly the same!”
“!!!”
…Exactly.
“I-If I hide that I’m not his niece, the adults… they’ll think I’m his daughter! So we have to live together…!!”
With that, Ye-won’s bold words left all the adults shocked.
“…She’s right, isn’t she…?”
Messily expressed though it was, what Ye-won said was actually correct.
Ye-won looked exactly like Ido-ha.
So everyone would suspect the relationship between Ye-won and Ido-ha.
Where did she get this idea?
From coincidence:
“They look exactly alike. Wow, Ido-ha, be honest. Isn’t she your daughter, not your niece?”
“No, it looks like she was born naturally. Otherwise, how could they look so identical?”
From these coincidences, Ye-won suddenly recalled things she had heard before.
“Ye-won really looks like Glit Ido-ha~”
“Yeah. She’s like a little sister!”
That was why they could even shoot advertisements together with a family concept.
“…Back then I thought it was just a curious coincidence.”
Now that she thought about it, it was obvious—they were family.
When she grew a little older, perhaps because they were of different genders, she didn’t hear it as often.
“…Come to think of it, what did my face look like at seven?”
Why did everyone say they looked alike?
Curious, Ye-won quietly stood in front of the full-length mirror in Do-ha’s room while everyone else was asleep.
“!!!”
Seeing her own face, she was utterly shocked.
“…We really do look exactly alike…!”
If one denied their blood relation, they’d be human trash. They truly were identical.
Shocked, the adults were given a moment to collect themselves, and Ye-won was sent outside.
Representative Park’s secretary would play coloring games with her for a while.
“…Ye-won’s right. If the Representative raises her, people will 200% think he’s dealing with Ido-ha’s daughter.”
“…Can’t deny that…”
Coincidence and Young-oh nodded mutteringly.
“If someone unrelated raised her, they could just claim it’s a funny coincidence. But if the Representative’s daughter looks exactly like her, that won’t work.”
“Rumors about a hidden daughter of an idol… the reporters would swarm to bite at it.”
“Even Ye-tae-young’s voluntary withdrawal could be linked by reporters. I can already see the headlines: ‘Sudden withdrawal of Glit’s Ye-tae-young, hidden daughter of Ido-ha behind it?’ Or, ‘Glit’s shocking withdrawal, Ido-ha family secret behind Ye-tae-young’s decision?’ …It’ll be chaos…”
“PTSD incoming, Coincidence… stop…”
While Coincidence and Young-oh muttered vacantly, Representative Park quietly sighed.
“This is serious.”
“…What do you mean?”
“You just saw Ye-won’s reaction. Do you really think she’ll go quietly to another place?”
Representative Park shook his head. It was clear she wouldn’t leave easily.
“I thought maybe Ye-won wanted to go elsewhere, but I didn’t expect her to be so adamant about living with you.”
“….”
Do-ha remained silent at Park’s sigh.
“She’ll enter elementary school in a year. What will happen if she tells people, ‘My uncle is Glit’s Ido-ha’?”
“….”
“Of course, if it were a normal eight-year-old, no one would believe it. But if it’s an eight-year-old who looks exactly like Ido-ha?”
“….”
“I’d probably believe it myself.”
Representative Park shrugged and sank into the sofa.
Do-ha’s brows furrowed sharply at his ambiguous attitude.
“So, what do you suggest we do?”
“We need to consider all possibilities. There isn’t just one option.”
His businessman-like words made Do-ha’s expression darken further. Usually reassuring, but when it came to Ye-won, it only made him feel distant.
“There isn’t any other choice right now—”
Do-ha truly wanted Ye-won to grow up happy. He believed she should go where she would be raised better than he could provide.
But…
“You really don’t want to try raising her yourself?”
“!”
“…What did you say?”
“Think about it. She wants this. You seem attached to her already.”
“Representative.”
Do-ha clenched his teeth. He was even more incredulous because the person saying this—someone who normally shouted ‘business is business’ and ‘separate work and personal life’—was Park.
“Honestly, I’ve always thought there was no need to strictly hide your family matters.”
“….”
“You weren’t the perpetrator. You’re clearly the victim. No need to hide it.”
The word “victim” made the office atmosphere heavier. Everyone knew Do-ha’s family history, but no one dared speak of it lightly.
Yet Park continued without flinching.
“All the hiding so far was out of respect for you. Your private life, your family matters—you’d decide how you wanted them handled.”
Do-ha knew that. From the start, Park had been a good representative.
Despite all the challenges related to family matters, Park had never complained and always solved everything. Legal issues were handled with lawyers; anything solvable with money, he took care of with money.
In return, Do-ha had never once defied the company since debut and had been a perfect idol.
So…
“Now you’re saying you won’t respect it?”
Park’s words in this moment were more surprising than reassuring.
“No? I still respect it. Don’t you know my principle? As long as it doesn’t harm my business, I respect the artist’s will 100%.”
“Then why—”
Before Do-ha could question, Park raised a hand to stop him.
“So now I’m asking for your opinion as the artist. Can you really let Ye-won go?”
