He Knows Do-yun

"I hate how you only left a message, you should have called me." Man-shik was very upset that this daughter of his didn't have any sense of urgency. Upon receiving the message from Da-Eun and noting the time it was sent,  he swiftly read it. As soon as he understood the gravity of the situation, he promptly completed his morning routine., cooked food, and rushed to his daughter's apartment.

Da-Eun quickly apologized to her father. She then began recounting what happened through breakfast. As he listened to his daughter's account, Choi Man-shik's frown deepened, realizing the seriousness of the issue.

"Why not consider changing apartments?" Man-shik suggested the first solution that came to mind. Naturally, he wanted to ensure his daughter's safety, and relocating seemed the best course of action. If Da-Eun stayed there any longer, the potential threat might escalate.

"Dad, I can't easily do that, especially since you and Mom purchased this unit for me. I think leaving would be simpler if it were a rented place, but you bought it outright, without even taking out a loan," Da-Eun carefully chose her words. She didn't want to burden her parents further, considering there were ongoing family issues in their household. She didn't want to add this problem to be added.

"We don't lack money, Da-Eun baby. We can sell it and buy a new one if you are concerned about the money," Man-Shik frowned, taking another sip of his tea.

"Dad, please listen to me. Once this is over, everything will be back in order. And don't tell this to mom yet. I don't want her to worry while she's on a business trip. I don't  add this to her problems." Da-Eun pleaded to her father. She even held his hand and made a pouty expression.

Man-shik sighed heavily as he watched his daughter's plea and gave his daughter a reassuring smile. "I'm just apprehensive. Also, I just don't like it that you are neighbors with that young master from the Gong family."

Da-Eun was surprised, "Huh? How did you know that?" She didn't even mention Do-yun. She only said that her neighbor helped her.

"I saw him waiting for the elevator. As you know, the Gong's matriarch is a famous actress and a politician's daughter. I don't know if you remember that morning show 'Lovely Day' that lasted for ten years. She was the host of that show. She often brings her son, that neighbor of yours, to the show. She only stopped when he started going to school, as I remember." Man-shik explained.

"Are you a fan, dad? Why do you know so much?" Da-Eun teased her father while she stirs her coffee.

"Dear, I always read the newspaper every day and your mother also talks about her whenever there's gossip. She was so famous that everyone talks about her." Man-shik can't help but explain it to his daughter. 

He knows she's being suspicious because of the marital affairs he started but that's another story. He's just being honest about the Gongs.

Man-shik provided more context, saying, "After she retired from the showbiz industry, she started her cosmetics company. There's a reason why her cosmetic company is number one, and your mom's company is beginning to be a big competitor of hers. It's not good to be seen with him."

Da-Eun could only frown as she listened to her father. He had a point. Being seen in public with Do-yun could fuel gossip, and this type of situation was a favorite among gossipmongers.

"It's unavoidable not to talk to him, and I don't want to come across as rude. He's just an acquaintance, but I'll be careful not to be seen with him," Da-Eun promised. When she was classmates with him, she didn't worry about such matters because they were classmates. However, now that they were neighbors, some might suspect and spread rumors. Strangely, this kind of issue gave her more anxiety.

After breakfast, she took a quick bath and prepared for the day ahead. Today, she and her father had plans to visit various places. First on the agenda was a return to the admin office, this time with her father accompanying her. Mr. Kim and Man-shik engaged in conversation while Da-Eun listened attentively. Man-shik left his phone number with Mr. Kim, ensuring they could contact him with updates.

Next, the father-daughter duo headed to the mall to purchase CCTV cameras for installation inside Da-Eun's unit. Surprisingly, Man-shik showed more enthusiasm in selecting the best cameras for his daughter than Da-Eun did. She wasn't particularly interested but did have some comments about the video quality.

During their lunch at a buffet restaurant, while savoring their meal, Da-Eun couldn't help but bring up a sensitive topic that had been bothering her. She asked her father, "Dad, why did you cheat on Mom?"

Man-shik almost choked on the spicy soup he was enjoying, coughing badly as he quickly reached for some water.

Da-Eun watched her father's guilty movements and couldn't help but snort. 

Man-shik wiped his mouth and looked at his daughter, saying, "I know I don't look great as a husband while these rumors are floating around me, but please don't hate me as a father, Da-Eun. I just fell in love."

"He said so many things, and that was just his reason?" Da-Eun couldn't help but be sarcastic one her own thoughts.

"Do you still love mom?" She wanted to nag at him, but they were in public.

"I will always love your mother. Even now, I love her very much. My love just overflows to another one." Man-shik confidently answered.

Da-Eun raised an eyebrow at her father's response. She wanted to say more, but she held her tongue and continued savoring the food in front of her. However, for some reason, each bite didn't taste as delicious as the earlier ones.

She and her father finally separated, with her insisting on going home alone, she was obviously upset. Before heading up to her unit, she lingered in the lower garden and enjoyed the breeze. Carefully, she thought about her parents' situation and what she would do if they ended up divorcing each other.

"Just focus on school and don't mind your dad," Da-Eun remembers her mother's advice. She wants to but she can't help but be concerned about it. While she was contemplating her own problems, she suddenly heard a familiar voice. At first, it wasn't that loud but it's turning the volume up and it's getting angrier.

"You should know that I'm not interested in the company. If I were interested in the first place, I would have taken the course you wanted for me, right? Well, I don't need you and Mom. I can do everything on my own," Do-yun argued with someone over the phone. After ending his call, he pulled out a pack of cigarettes.

It was the first time that Da-Eun had seen Do-yun smoking. She really didn't like people who smoked, but for the first time, she found someone smoking so attractive.

Do-yun felt someone's eyes on him and quickly spotted Da-Eun. He raised his thick eyebrows at her, still obviously upset with the way he addressed her, "Trying to spy on the son of your mother's competitor?"

Da–Eun quickly blushed at the sudden accusation, "No, I'm not. I'm sorry, but I'm not snooping around. I'm here to think about my own problems."

Do-yun raised the corners of his mouth at Da-Eun's response, "Sorry for accusing you. I was in a bad mood."

"It's fine," Da-Eun waved her hand dismissively and decided not to

mind him anymore. 

After a few minutes of silence, Do-yun raised his voice again and asked, "Why didn't you choose a course that would benefit your mother's company?"

Da-Eun was taken aback by the sudden question. She didn't answer immediately and took a moment to collect her thoughts before responding, "My mom advised me to pursue this career path instead of focusing on our business."

Do-yun frowned, clearly surprised by her answer. He asked with curiosity, "Why?"

"My mother believes that dermatology might offer me a more promising career than simply inheriting the family business. She thinks that if I succeed as a dermatologist, I can potentially become the heir to the company as well. And even if I can't inherit the business or it faces challenges, I'll have a backup plan as a dermatologist. With the growing popularity of K-beauty, she envisions a successful future for me in this field. My dad supports whatever I choose, but I genuinely like her suggestion, so I decided to pursue a career in medicine," Da-Eun explained earnestly, her face radiating with respect for her mother and enthusiasm for her chosen path.

Do-yun took a long drag from his cigarette and smiled at Da-Eun's response. "Your parents are good parents. It's great that they gave you that kind of freedom."

Da-Eun detected a hint of loneliness in his words. Trying to cheer him up, "I can see that you really like what you are doing, Do-yun. Just keep pursuing your passion. Maybe one day, you'll even surpass your own parents."

Do-yun gazed at Da-Eun for a moment, and a genuine smile finally graced his face. "Thank you. We should grab a drink together sometime."

Da-Eun felt a sudden rush of panic, and her heart raced. "Uh, I think it's not a good idea for us to be seen together, Do-yun."

Raising an eyebrow at her unusual suggestion, Do-yun responded, "Why not?"

"Well, you know, because of the circumstances surrounding my mother's company and your mother's company..." Da-Eun's voice trailed off almost to a whisper.

Do-yun burst into hearty laughter. "Oh, come on. If you're worried about gossip, we can just drink inside our own units."