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SERIES: An Impure Reunion
CHAPTER: An Impure Reunion Chapter 44
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44.
What on earth was he doing that he was so out of touch?
It had only been a few hours since he’d said she didn’t have to attend the party.
“Ma’am, I’ll help you change.”
While Jian was anxiously holding her phone, a staff member approached and spoke to her.
“Ah…”
She wanted to say there was no need, but seeing Butler Kang waiting right in front of her made it difficult to get the words out.
In the end, Jian followed the employee.
Seol-ah, who had been admiring her own clothes, looked tense as soon as she was left alone with Butler Kang.
To Seol-ah, new people were always strangers.
However, she seemed to relax a little at Butler Kang’s gentle appearance.
“Um, Mister.”
“Yes, Young Miss.”
Hearing Butler Kang call her "Young Miss," Seol-ah looked quite surprised, unaccustomed to someone so much older speaking so formally to her.
“Seol-ah isn’t a young miss, though?”
“Then what would you like me to call you?”
“Just… my name.”
“I understand, Miss Seol-ah.”
Butler Kang didn't drop the formal speech, even then.
Seol-ah fiddled with the hem of her skirt for no reason.
“Where are we going?”
“Hmm, we are going to see your grandfather.”
Grandfather?
At Butler Kang’s words, Seol-ah’s eyes widened.
And in that moment, one person flashed through the child’s mind.
“Is it… the grandfather with eyebrows like this?”
Seol-ah said, placing her index fingers on her eyebrows to make them look angry.
A deep smile formed on Butler Kang’s lips at the child’s action.
“Yes, I believe that’s him, Miss Seol-ah.”
That grandfather… The last time, Seol-ah had been so scared just seeing him that she had hidden behind her mother’s back.
It was always like that, but that grandfather was especially scary.
Remembering that moment, Seol-ah pouted.
'I’m not usually such a coward.'
What if the first grandfather I’ve ever met thinks I’m a coward?
When I see him today, I have to let him know I’m not a coward.
Just as Seol-ah was making that resolution, Jian came out.
“Wow, Mommy’s a princess!”
Seeing Jian, Seol-ah exclaimed loudly.
At the child’s words, everyone around them looked on with warm smiles.
Only Jian, embarrassed by Seol-ah’s comment, blushed, not knowing what to do.
Seol-ah darted to her mother’s side and examined her appearance.
“Mommy, are we going to meet Grandfather dressed up all pretty like this?”
Seol-ah asked as soon as she reached Jian.
A troubled look crossed Jian’s face at her daughter’s question.
When she glanced to the side, Butler Kang gave her a slight nod.
“That Mister over there said we’re going to see the grandfather we saw last time!”
“Y-yes, that’s right, Seol-ah.”
Jian was primarily worried about how Seol-ah might still find Daesik intimidating today.
As if to belie Jian’s worries, Seol-ah squeezed her hand tightly and said, “Mommy, I’m going to do a good job today.”
“A good job at what?”
“I’m going to do a good job so that grandfather doesn’t think Seol-ah is a coward!”
Seeing her child’s firm resolve, Jian checked her phone with her other hand.
There was still no message from Taejun.
As Jian and Seol-ah entered the banquet hall hand in hand, many eyes turned toward them.
A few groups gathered in twos and threes, whispering, and the sound was loud enough to reach her ears.
Daesik approached them with a smile.
“You’re here?”
It was easy to tell he was forcing a smile.
“Hello, sir.”
Jian greeted him awkwardly.
“Child, what’s with the awkwardness?”
Watching him break into a sweat over her stiff attitude, Jian thought to herself.
A man who lives and dies by the gazes of others—that was Daesik.
Seeing him react so sharply to every little glance, Jian found it hard to believe the stories she’d heard about him having women wrapped around his little finger.
“Hello, Grandfather.”
Just then, Seol-ah let go of Jian’s hand and gave a deep, formal bow.
For a moment, Daesik’s expression shifted to one of displeasure.
But, aware of the eyes around them, he instantly changed his expression and approached Seol-ah.
“Yes, it’s been a while.”
When Daesik stroked her hair, Seol-ah flinched.
Jian reflexively pulled the child toward her.
Her action seemed to put Daesik in a rather awkward position.
“Haha, it seems my granddaughter was startled by the large crowd.”
He said, looking around at their surroundings.
When his gaze returned to Seol-ah, the displeasure on Daesik’s face had deepened.
'Last time, that grandfather got the wrong idea about me.'
I’m a brave and proud daughter to my mom!
Seol-ah clenched her fists and approached Daesik.
Startled by Seol-ah’s sudden movement, Jian reached for her daughter, but Seol-ah was a step faster.
“Grandfather.”
Approaching Daesik, Seol-ah tugged on the hem of his clothes.
“Oh, uh, yes.”
Daesik looked surprised by the child’s sudden approach.
As the child came closer to Daesik, many people in the vicinity began to approach him as well.
Among them were a number of foreigners.
Seeing them, Seol-ah didn’t seem surprised and waved her hand, saying, “Hello, my name is Seol-ah. Nice to meet you.”
The people around them began to look surprised at the child’s fluent pronunciation.
Not stopping at a simple greeting, Seol-ah began to engage in light conversation with the foreign guests.
“My, Chairman Joo, didn’t you say your granddaughter was only five? But her English is already so fluent?”
“She’s a very bright child.”
Watching the reactions of those around them, Daesik puffed up with subtle pride and patted Jian’s shoulder as he spoke.
This was the first time Daesik had treated her this way, and Jian could only feel awkward.
“Oh my, President Joo is here.”
Just then, Taejun entered the banquet hall.
Upon entering, he walked straight toward Jian.
“President Joo.”
Daesik called out to Taejun, acknowledging him, but Taejun paid him no mind.
He snatched Jian’s wrist and pulled her out through the crowd.
Leading her to a place with fewer people, his expression hardened.
“I told you not to come.”
“Do you think I came because I wanted to?”
Jian immediately shot back at Taejun’s words.
“Why didn’t you check your messages?”
“Do I look like I’m not busy?”
At his completely skewed words, Jian looked at him with a resentful expression.
Sensing the emotion on her face, Taejun loosened his tie.
Since this morning, Taejun had been so busy he couldn't even catch his breath.
He had boarded a plane for a sudden trip to Japan in the morning and had only just returned.
He had no leeway.
He had only just checked Jian’s message after arriving back in Korea, and he had rushed to the banquet hall the moment he saw it.
“You’re always like this.”
He was about to explain his situation and ask for her understanding, but at Jian’s words, Taejun’s brow furrowed.
“Always?”
“Yes, always.”
“Heo Jian.”
“Every single one of your thoughtless actions… they make me feel this miserable.”
Tears welled up in Jian’s eyes as she looked at Taejun.
Back when she was told she couldn’t get pregnant due to Ha Yuri’s scheme, when she tormented herself over and over for failing to conceive, and when she finally found out it had all been Yuri’s plot.
“Five years ago or now. Nothing has changed.”
“Heo Jian.”
“That’s why I resent you.”
At the word ‘resent,’ Taejun’s brow furrowed deeply.
She could tell he was angry without him having to say a word.
But Jian ignored it and left his side.
Leaving him, Jian went straight to where Seol-ah was.
She was worried that her daughter might have been looking for her while she was briefly gone.
“Yes! I lived in England with my mom!”
Fortunately, it seemed the child was fine, surrounded by adults.
Jian approached them and placed a hand on Seol-ah’s shoulder.
“I think it would be best to let her go play with the other children now.”
“Goodbye, Seol-ah.”
They seemed to have taken a liking to Seol-ah, even saying their final goodbyes to her.
Jian was about to take the child and leave the banquet hall.
Someone tapped Jian on the shoulder.
“Oh my, Jian, your dress is lovely.”
The person who had tapped her shoulder was Hayeon.
Behind her, Jian could see the group of people who had looked down on her five years ago.
Author: Donggeurami (Son Yoon-seo)
Publisher: Toonplus
Email: [email protected]
ISBN: 9791157738274
© Donggeurami (Son Yoon-seo), 2022
※ This e-book is published by <Toonplus> under contract with the copyright holder, and unauthorized reproduction and distribution are prohibited. Violation of this may result in legal liability.
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