594

 [Chapter 159]

[A Rainy Day (3)]

Eun-ha's grandmother passed away.

Yu Jeong, who heard the news of the death through Yu Cheon, was very worried about Eun-ha.

What should I do....

Is Eun-ha okay?

She couldn't shake off her troubled feelings.

She wanted to run to him right away if she could.

But it was awkward to go.

Is it okay for me to go?

What right do I have....

The person who passed away was Eun-ha's grandparent, not his parent.

It meant crossing not one but two generations.

So it was awkward for her, as Eun-ha's friend, to go express condolences.

Above all, she hadn't known Eun-ha for that long.

Though they had secret meetings while Eun-ha was doing his clan internship, it was something only they knew about.

If I go....

It seems like it would be strange....

There were other complex reasons.

Would she cause unnecessary misunderstandings by going to meet Eun-ha as a woman?

If Eun-ha didn't have Ha-yang and Seo-hyun, it might not have been a big reason, but.

She couldn't create dating rumors with Eun-ha when she thought of her friends.

Also, she was in the middle of refraining from public activities.

If she, who hadn't revealed her existence until now, suddenly appeared, it could cause various misunderstandings or create some meaning.

Moreover, the first place she reveals herself happens to be a funeral hall, so there was plenty of room for misunderstanding.

...I shouldn't go, right?

People would think.

For what reason did the direct descendant of Luminous Group, who hasn't done any public activities until now, appear at Eun-ha's grandmother's funeral, and so on.

How much meaning does Noh Eun-ha have to her, etc.

After assuming various situations, she decided to give up.

She was trying to give up, but─.

"─Then Yu-jeong. I'll go to Eun-ha's grandmother's funeral. You stay at home..."

"Oppa, wait."

"Why? Do you have something to say?"

"Um, you know..."

Yu Cheon about to leave the mansion.

Yu Jeong, who grabbed him entrusting herself to her emotions, hesitated several times to open her mouth.

Soon, as if gathering her thoughts─.

"─I want to go together."

"...What?"

Afterwards, Yu Cheon tried to persuade her roundaboutly in surprise, but.

Her mind, once made up, was never broken.

☆

Grandmother's funeral, second day.

The sky cleared up as dawn passed.

Eun-ha, who had washed his face after crying a lot in the bathroom, guarded grandmother's funeral hall with a refreshed heart.

"─Sorry I'm late."

"Sorry, I'm very late, right?"

"What do you mean late.... I'm just grateful you came. Welcome."

When evening came that day.

Other friends came to take turns with the friends who had stayed up all night the previous day.

Mok Min-ho, who came with Cha Eun-woo, immediately grabbed Eun-ha's hand.

Eun-ha lightly greeted the two and then welcomed people who came to the funeral hall afterwards.

On the second day too, countless people came to grandmother's funeral hall.

Our family... must have that much power.

Eun-ha knew the reason.

There's an old saying that when a minister's dog dies, people crowd the gate, but when the minister himself dies, not even a dog comes near.

For Eun-ha, who knew there weren't many mourners at grandmother's funeral in his previous life, he couldn't erase the bitter feeling.

It's like grandmother became the minister's dog.

But even so─.

─I'm grateful they mourn grandmother's passing in some way.

Among the people who came to the funeral hall, there were bastards who openly tried to wag their tails at power, but.

There were also people who came to sincerely mourn because they had friendships with the family.

And among them were Eun-ha's friends.

"Honey, you must be heartbroken? We'll stay with you today."

"Eun-ha, are you really okay?"

"I'm okay now. You all came well."

Bong Gu-rae, Kang Si-hyung, Lee Cheon-seo.

The three also made time to come.

In Jo A-ra's case, she came the day before and said she would stay up all night together during the funeral to prove her friendship with Eun-ha.

"Noh Eun-ha! Did you wait for me?"

"I heard from Seo-na and came. Um..., are you okay?"

"Thanks for worrying. Ariel, thanks for coming too. But I'm sorry to say this, but today..."

"I have some tact too, you know? I'll just quietly drink alcohol in a corner and stay up until tomorrow!"

"..."

"...Don't worry. I'll make sure she drinks moderately. And she's not the type to cause a commotion in a place like this."

"Kaede, I'll trust only you."

"What? Is Noh Eun-ha's trust in me not even worth a drop of dew?"

Ariel and Kaede came too.

The two soon joined the friends who came earlier and spent time chatting.

Meanwhile, those who stayed up together the previous night said they would stay up another day while talking with the newly arrived friends.

As time passed like that─.

"─Sorry. I'm a bit late because I tried to come at a time when I wouldn't catch people's eyes."

"You must have been busy with work.... But you came well. Thank you."

Yoo Do-jun, direct descendant of Eternal Group.

No, the actual power holder of Eternal Group came late in the evening.

Most of those guarding the seats recognized Yoo Do-jun's face and whispered among themselves.

Yoo Do-jun didn't even glance at them.

"This... Should I have just not come at this rate? I feel sorry to your family unnecessarily."

"There's no need to feel sorry. Grandmother probably wanted to see you too."

"Really? I hope so. Eun-ha, you didn't badmouth me to your grandmother or anything, right?"

"Who knows."

After bowing to grandmother's portrait.

When Do-jun settled in a restaurant spot, some people came over trying to act like they knew him and spoke to him.

Then Yoo Do-jun cut them off immediately, and as Eun-ha sat across from him, he was able to completely drive people away.

"I contacted Yu-cheon hyung too."

"You didn't have to..."

"Yu-cheon hyung should know too. How much he owes you..."

"Yeah, thanks."

"He'll probably arrive a little later."

Yoo Do-jun expressed regret.

He said he probably wouldn't be able to stay up all night with Eun-ha along with the other friends.

Eun-ha understood Yoo Do-jun's situation.

The two had to part after exchanging drinks a few times.

"─Then I'll see you in the second semester."

"Yeah, see you then. Go in."

Afraid of causing any disturbance because of himself.

Yoo Do-jun left the funeral hall immediately after finishing his business.

And not long after─.

"─We're very late, aren't we? I'm sorry. I thought it would be better to come at a time that draws less attention from people..."

"You came well, hyung. But..."

"I pestered oppa and came together. Was it... a nuisance?"

"No. You came well. Have you been well?"

"Yes.... Are you okay?"

Yu Cheon, direct descendant of Luminous Group.

And his half-sister Yu Jeong.

When the two arrived, people in the hall were surprised again.

Then Yu Jeong approached him and tightly grasped his hand.

"─I'm okay."

"I don't know what words to say at times like this, but.... Stay strong."

Yu Jeong tightly holding Eun-ha's hand.

She comforted him incoherently.

Eun-ha couldn't help but chuckle at her worried appearance.

"─Thank you. I'll stay strong."

"Okay!"

"Hey, kids.... I'm here too, you know?"

""""..."""""

Holding hands and chatting.

Eun-ha and Yu Jeong smiled.

Yu Cheon became a third wheel.

The people in the hall couldn't hide their astonished faces.

They whispered among themselves.

☆

Yu Jeong, direct descendant of Luminous Group.

At the appearance of the rumored jewel of Luminous Group who had been veiled until now.

Everyone's gazes were directed at her.

I heard Eun-ha made Luminous Group indebted with the elixir, does that mean Luminous Group is trying to treat Eun-ha extremely well?

Mok Min-ho, collateral descendant of Galaxy Group.

Min-ho also glanced at Noh Eun-ha, Yu Cheon, and Yu Jeong who had taken a table in one corner while conversing with friends.

At a glance, the three seemed to get along quite well.

But this confirms the rumors about Luminous Group's jewel who had been avoiding exposure to the world because her body wasn't well....

Mok Min-ho clicked his tongue inwardly.

Since Min-ho was Eun-ha's friend, he knew Eun-ha had the elixir and used it to treat Yu Jeong of Luminous Group.

But the world was different.

There were only abundant opinions about who exactly used the first elixir.

But now that Yu Jeong, who was known to be sick, appeared to the world in such a healthy appearance, it can be said to have ended the abundant rumors.

Well, it's probably not that important to deduce who used the elixir now....

Since elixirs are being produced now, even if in small quantities.

Of course, now it was just a rumor that would die down as quite some time had passed.

But Mok Min-ho couldn't help but be skeptical of Luminous Group's actions.

Yu Jeong, whom Luminous Group had kept tightly hidden until now, appeared to the world in a healthy appearance.

The consequences that would arise in the political and business world because of this were too obvious.

Certainly─.

─Until now, they could have made excuses that she avoided public activities because her body wasn't well, but....

Now that she's revealed such a healthy appearance, they can no longer use the excuse that she's avoiding because her body isn't well.

In the end, regardless of her own thoughts, she'll have no choice but to show her face in public activities in the political and business world.

Luminous Group can no longer make excuses for not revealing Yu Jeong to the world.

People in the political and business world will create various public activities to see Yu Jeong who had been veiled until now.

Among them, there will surely be people trying to arrange marriages with Yu Jeong.

Above all─.

─I can't believe I didn't notice her eyes.... Was it something that couldn't be cured even with the elixir?

Now I understand why Luminous Group has tried to hide her until now, but....

Now that the justification to protect her will lose its effect, oh dear....

The disability Yu Jeong has.

Unfortunately, that would be good prey for people in the political and business world.

Moreover, at a glance, she looked so innocent that she didn't seem like she could win against the eloquence of people in the political and business world.

Mok Min-ho couldn't help but feel sorry thinking about the situation of such a person going out for public activities.

Luminous Group will have a hard time.

From Luminous Group's standpoint, they'll probably try to engage her to a man of high enough rank that she won't be criticized.

On the other hand, others will try to bring her down somehow using her disability as an excuse and take her away....

I guarantee.

Yu Jeong will soon be unable to avoid the pressure from the political and business world and engage in public activities.

And until the day she gets married, her marriage path will be a huge gossip topic in the political and business world.

She will probably have a hard time from now on.

Perhaps the other friends were thinking the same thing─.

"─That's too bad."

Cha Eun-woo suddenly opened her mouth.

Then she realized the friends' gazes suddenly focused on her and hurriedly closed her mouth.

"Sorry. I spoke thoughtlessly."

"No. I was thinking similar thoughts to you too."

Eun-woo fidgeted.

Seo-na defended her.

While doing so, the friends couldn't take their eyes off Yu Jeong who was conversing with Eun-ha now.

"─In the end, we should treat her well too. Looking now, she seems to get along very well with Noh Eun-ha."

Mok Min-ho summarized the situation.

The "we" he mentioned included himself, Cha Eun-woo, Jin Seo-na, Jung Ha-yang, and Han Seo-hyun who could exert some influence in the political and business world.

They all nodded.

"By the way─."

It was then.

Min-ji, who was stirring her yukgaejang soup, suddenly spoke up.

"─The two seem to get along quite well? As far as I know, she doesn't seem to have known Eun-ha for long, but they look quite close for that?"

""""..."""""

At Kim Min-ji's words.

The friends couldn't say anything.

In fact, they had been feeling it too.

Eun-ha and Yu Jeong's relationship looked very close.

Yet they didn't say anything because Jung Ha-yang and Han Seo-hyun were present.

"Come on, Min-ji, you must be thinking wrong."

"That's right. She must be acting like that because she's grateful he came to pay respects."

While everyone was just watching the situation.

Choi Eun-hyuk spoke awkwardly.

Bae Su-bin even snorted.

Then Bae Su-bin─.

"─But she's really pretty. Just..., if Eun-ah unni became gentle, wouldn't she have that kind of feeling?"

""""..."""""

"I had that thought too. When I saw her earlier, the atmosphere she gave off reminded me of Eun-ah unni? It's not that their personalities are similar, but that vague feeling of resembling Eun-ah unni?"

Bae Su-bin threw a big stone into the water.

And Kim Min-ji nodded too.

Now the friends' gazes had no choice but to turn to the two people.

Jung Ha-yang and Han Seo-hyun.

""..."

""""..."""""

The two were silent.

But from the beginning, their gazes had been constantly directed at Eun-ha and Yu Jeong.

Soon Han Seo-hyun opened her mouth.

"─Could you not make hasty assumptions? Yu-jeong's reputation could fall because of words you carelessly blurt out."

""""..."""""

Han Seo-hyun's dismissal.

Though they had spent a night together.

The friends were still having difficulty dealing with her.

So they couldn't refute what she said.

Meanwhile, Jung Ha-yang finally opened her mouth too.

"─I... trust Eun-ha."

""""..."""""

At her tone that seemed to say she wanted to believe.

The friends couldn't say anything this time either.

In that situation─.

"─They're coming this way."

""""Ah...."""""

Kaede spoke up.

The friends who had turned their gazes to Jung Ha-yang and Han Seo-hyun hurriedly turned their heads.

At that moment, Eun-ha was approaching them holding Yu Jeong's hand.

"─I wanted to introduce her to you too. Yu-jeong was curious about you too, and she doesn't go out much so she doesn't have many friends."

"You don't have to say things like that."

Yu Jeong quietly scolded Eun-ha.

Eun-ha shrugged his shoulders and introduced Yu Jeong to them.

"─Hello. I'm Yu Jeong. Nice to meet you."

Shyly.

Yu Jeong smiled.

Then the friends didn't know how to treat her.

They awkwardly received her greeting while watching Jung Ha-yang and Han Seo-hyun's reactions.

To this, Han Seo-hyun and Jung Ha-yang─.

"─Welcome."

"Yu-jeong, sit here."

""""Phew....""""

Thanks to the two taking the initiative to be considerate of Yu Jeong.

The friends say they were finally relieved.

Meanwhile─.

"─I wonder what part of that guy is so attractive..."

Mok Min-ho, who turned his head away from Yu Jeong as she quickly started blending in with the friends, stared intently at Eun-ha.

While sighing, they say.

☆

Grandmother's funeral, third day.

The funeral procession finished in the morning.

The friends who stayed up all night ate lunch and returned to their homes.

Jin Pa-rang also returned home.

"..."

An empty house.

Grandmother, who always gently welcomed him whenever he came home, was no longer in this world.

Jin Pa-rang realized it again.

"Bad old lady.... You said you'd live for a long time, how could you suddenly leave like this? If you picked me up, you should take responsibility until the end..."

Jin Pa-rang plopped down in the living room.

He blankly looked up at the photo hanging on the wall above the TV.

A photo of grandmother and himself.

Jin Pa-rang silently looked at the photo while wagging his tail back and forth.

"...Be happy."

Soon Jin Pa-rang.

He uttered words he couldn't say during the funeral.

The moment he spoke, tears welled up.

He couldn't hold back the tears.

In the end, he cried loudly while shedding tears and snot.

'─If you have nowhere to go, will you come to our house?'

Born and abandoned by his parents.

To him, who thought it was natural to live getting beaten while wandering the slums, grandmother taught him what family is.

Grandmother was the one who made him human.

Such a person passed away.

For Jin Pa-rang, it felt like a part of his heart had fallen out.

Nevertheless─.

"─I'll be happy too, so watch over me from there."

Jin Pa-rang didn't collapse.

Jin Pa-rang, who had been sobbing, put strength in his eyes.

Then he once again conveyed words of thanks to grandmother who had raised him until now.

He forced a smile.

'Please take good care of Eun-ha in the future too.'

'...Grandmother, how about taking care of me too, not just your grandson?'

He will live the life grandmother wanted.

And that life was also the life he happened to want.

"─Pa-rang, come down and eat dinner."

"Oppa! Come down! Eat! Food!"

How much time had passed?

Sounds came from downstairs.

Eun-ha's mother and Eun-ae were calling him from the balcony.

At the sight of them calling him by voice even though there are smartphones.

Jin Pa-rang burst out laughing.

"─I'll come right now!"

To this, Jin Pa-rang also flung open the balcony and yelled down to the floor below.

Then he started preparing to go out and go downstairs.

"Then I'll go eat!"

Towards grandmother's photo.

Jin Pa-rang smiled refreshingly.

Though grandmother had passed away.

He still had family and friends by his side.

As long as they were by his side, he would not despair.

☆

Grandmother's will was nothing special.

In short, she hoped the family would live happily.

The family chuckled at the words grandmother would likely say.

Meanwhile, grandmother's inheritance─.

─Mom gets the house in Incheon, and Pa-rang hyung gets all the rest of the assets.

In his previous life, Eun-ha had inherited all of grandmother's house and assets.

But in this life, nothing was given to Eun-ha.

In fact, Eun-ha was fine with it.

He thought grandmother's inheritance went to the people it should go to.

I... have a lot now anyway.

So grandmother must have passed on all the money she had to the dummy hyung.

The family wasn't very surprised at the situation where Jin Pa-rang suddenly inherited a large sum.

Most of the family, including Eun-ha, seemed to think they knew this would happen.

So Eun-ha and the family were only worried about where Jin Pa-rang would use the large sum.

But on the day he inherited the assets, Jin Pa-rang suddenly came to find Eun-ha and─.

"─Here."

"Huh?"

He abruptly held out a bankbook and seal to Eun-ha.

Eun-ha, who received the bankbook and seal in bewilderment, was just confused.

"That's grandmother's money."

"...Why are you giving me grandmother's money?"

He who received grandmother's inheritance questioned Jin Pa-rang.

Then Jin Pa-rang said─.

"─I don't know how to manage money and stuff, so you take care of it."

"You're telling me to manage this money?"

"Why are you making me say it twice? I said you take care of it."

"It's your money now, so of course you should manage it..."

"Ah, I don't know! I said you manage it!?"

"Geez..."

The thirty-sixth strategy, running away.

Jin Pa-rang ran away without looking back, like someone who accomplished their goal.

Eun-ha, who suddenly became Jin Pa-rang's asset manager, was dumbfounded.

"What is this hyung thinking, giving this to me recklessly? What if I spend it all?"

"Beep beep beep boop boop boop boop boop!"

"What? This hyung even put all his allowance in here? How is he going to live if he does this?"

Then he burst out laughing.

There's no bigger dummy hyung than this.