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[Chapter 163]

[Demon of Fireworks (2)]

For the first time in her life.

Han Seo-hyun stayed out overnight without her parents' permission.

And Han Seo-hyun, who returned home after staying out, had to meet her father waiting with a haggard appearance.

Her father had said:

'─From now on, even if you're late, come home by 10 PM. If not, know that I'll cut off all the cards I gave you.'

Essentially an order prohibiting staying out overnight.

A threat to cut off her cards.

Because she knew well what she had done wrong, she agreed without argument.

To add a bit of her inner thoughts─.

─Is this the first time dad has worried this much since what happened in Japan?

The color rising behind her father's back warmed her heart.

Han Seo-hyun, who had made her father worry for the first time in a long while, went to sleep in her room with a happy feeling.

In fact, she couldn't sleep properly because she was strangely tense sleeping in Eun-ha's room.

At that time, she was half awake.

However, fortunately or unfortunately, what she was tense about didn't happen.

It's a bit... frustrating.

In the end, nothing happened that day, but now I have to go around with bodyguards influenced by my father...

Anyway, Han Seo-hyun came under surveillance from her family.

Some of the people who usually guarded her were also changed.

And they prioritized her father's orders over her own─.

"─Your family seems quite strict? Or is the chairman's presence strong? Seeing how those people consider the chairman's words more important than yours."

"Think whatever you want."

A restaurant near the university she attends.

Han Seo-hyun, who had a lunch appointment with Oh Hae-in, a direct descendant of Samra Group attending the same university, replied grumpily.

The bodyguards who received orders from her father insisted on staying with her even when she ordered them to wait outside.

Oh Hae-in saw that scene and chuckled.

"This is a good restaurant I often visit. It's in a private room so it doesn't attract people's attention, and the food is really delicious. You'll like it too, Seo-hyun."

"I know this place too. I came here with unni before."

"Ah, right. Seo-yeon unni comes here too. That's true. In a way, you probably know more about nearby good restaurants than me."

Left eye yellow, right eye blue.

Oh Hae-in with heterochromatic eyes led the conversation in a friendly atmosphere.

Han Seo-hyun just gave brief answers to what she was saying.

Soon the food came out.

It seems about time.

After receiving the tableware.

Oh Hae-in savored the food making exaggerated sounds.

On the other hand, Han Seo-hyun reached for her tableware, checked the time on her wristwatch, and immediately called the bodyguard standing behind her.

"Yes, miss."

"Please ask the restaurant owner to turn on the TV over there."

"Yes, understood."

There was a TV hanging on the wall.

Han Seo-hyun, who had noticed it as soon as she entered the room, asked the bodyguard to turn on the TV when the time came.

Soon after, the bodyguard who returned with the remote control turned on the broadcast channel she wanted.

It was a channel that mainly covered the player industry.

It happened to be broadcasting Noh Eun-ha and Kang Hyun-chul's match.

The match didn't seem to have started yet.

That's fortunate.

That it hasn't started yet.

Han Seo-hyun, who maintained her usual expression even when tasting the food just before.

She relaxed her face seeing Eun-ha appearing on the screen.

Oh Hae-in noticed her change and smiled bitterly.

"You really like Eun-ha, don't you? I thought you got engaged to him for strategic purposes... But looking at you now, that doesn't seem to be the case?"

"Yes, think whatever you want. But what's the reason you asked to have a meal with me? I'd like you to tell me now."

"Classmates can have meals together too. Will you dislike it if I say that? To be honest, I want to build a friendship with you, Seo-hyun."

"We should have enough of a friendship already. Or do you have something to gain from me?"

"Well... what do you think?"

"...It seems you have something to gain from us, not me, looking at this."

Taking her eyes off the TV screen.

Soon Han Seo-hyun turned her gaze to Oh Hae-in who was looking at her.

She was smiling, trying to gain her favor.

But Han Seo-hyun could tell what emotions the other person held towards her through their eyes.

So Han Seo-hyun grasped that Oh Hae-in's intentions were with Sirius Group, not herself.

Oh Hae-in's smile stiffened.

"I can somewhat understand Seo-yeon unni, but when I look at you Seo-hyun, I really don't know."

"..."

"You seem uninterested in your surroundings, but strangely your intuition is really sharp. Do you perhaps have a gift that can read people's hearts?"

"There's no way I have such a thing."

Then hahaha.

She laughed loudly while pretending to wipe her eyes.

Han Seo-hyun knew she was trying hard to compose the emotions that had been exposed.

So Seo-hyun silently moved her tableware as if not to be swept up in Oh Hae-in's atmosphere.

When she was savoring the food─.

"─That's right. We want to gain something from Sirius Group. So I was wondering if you could pass on a message, that's why I asked to meet."

"For such a matter, wouldn't it be better to tell unni or just tell father directly? I'm sorry but I don't have the qualifications or power to convey the message you want."

"No, you do have it, Seo-hyun. That's why I asked to meet."

Oh Hae-in rests her chin on her hand.

Seo-hyun looked at her while twirling pasta on her fork.

Then she opened her mouth.

"─Your connections."

"...?"

"The connections you built in Japan, Seo-hyun, won't you introduce them to us?"

At Oh Hae-in's unexpected proposal.

Han Seo-hyun put down her tableware.

Oh Hae-in across the table was still smiling brightly.

On the other hand, Han Seo-hyun couldn't smile along with her.

"Why do you need that?"

Han Seo-hyun's face hardened.

Her voice was utterly cold.

Nevertheless, Oh Hae-in was still just smiling.

"We want to expand into Japan too. We barely broke into Fukuoka, but we haven't succeeded in making the whole of Japan our market like you have, entering as far as Yokohama."

"..."

"Honestly, it's difficult for you alone. Won't you let us get a foothold too?"

Oh Hae-in's request.

Han Seo-hyun frowned.

She soon recalled Samra Group's current situation in her mind.

Didn't they say Samra Logistics was able to stably expand nationwide recently?

Now that Dangoon Group has collapsed.

And with the permission of Sirius Group and Alice Group.

Currently Samra Group's distribution network was spread nationwide.

It couldn't be called a monopoly, but Samra Group's name was gradually being imprinted in people's memories.

Surely looking at Samra Group's growth trend, it could be estimated that they would become the winner of land distribution someday.

No, if Sirius Group and Alice Group just release the shackles binding Samra Group right now─.

─Seeing that she's bringing this up to me, should I think they've not only stably expanded, but also laid some foundations?

Did they poach Dangoon Group's people much earlier than we know?

In any case, it's faster than we expected. We just opened a small foothold for them to come up on land.

Samra Group will show even more explosive growth than now.

That wasn't a particularly good situation for Sirius Group.

What Sirius Group wants is─.

─What Sirius Group needs is a chess piece that plays the role of keeping Galaxy Group in check.

Not a role that threatens our position by escaping our control like now.

Han Seo-hyun found Oh Hae-in's request quite unpleasant.

Sirius, Luminous, Alice, YH.

The implicit alliance created to keep Galaxy Group in check was weakened when YH Group left.

Moreover, YH Group was continuously showing movements to form an alliance with Galaxy Group.

To this, Sirius Group had brought in Samra Group as a counterbalance.

However, even though they were brought in as allies, the relationship between the existing groups and Samra Group was by no means equal.

If anything, Samra Group was no different from the alliance's hunting dog.

"Why don't you focus on Samra Logistics? You probably don't have much available funds or manpower now that you're putting strength into logistics, yet you're trying to pay attention to shipping too."

But the hunting dog is threatening its master.

Sirius Group had already ceded land distribution to Samra Group.

But Samra Group was eyeing not only land but also Sirius Group's shipping business.

You can't beat Samra in shipping. Even now, Samra almost dominates the shipping routes to domestic...

Han Seo-hyun's answer was set.

She indirectly told them to focus on what they already have, pretending to speak roundabout.

Then Oh Hae-in─.

"─Then should we go to Galaxy Group? They occasionally exchange with China, and that market isn't bad either."

"..."

Giggling.

She shrugged and answered.

To this, Han Seo-hyun put strength in her eyes.

"Though we have an agreement with you, we haven't particularly violated it, right? There are no eternal enemies in business in the first place."

"..."

"We just need to get what we can by going back and forth between you and Galaxy. Right?"

Oh Hae-in stabbed a mushroom with her fork.

She ate the mushroom mixed with cream, ignoring Han Seo-hyun's gaze.

Soon Oh Hae-in spoke affectionately.

"Honestly, there's no loss for you either. If the two join forces, won't you exert considerable influence in Japan?"

"..."

"Of course, that's not what you want. What you want is for us to just obediently follow your words."

Oh Hae-in slowly empties her plate.

Meanwhile, Han Seo-hyun wasn't putting any food in her mouth.

Oh Hae-in's request seemed too rude to her.

This is why I don't like this kid.

She's just like our unni.

It feels just like dealing with Han Seo-yeon.

Han Seo-hyun kept her mouth shut at the growing unpleasantness.

It was then.

"Or how about we make a bet on granting my request?"

As if grasping Han Seo-hyun's mood.

Oh Hae-in changed the topic.

She pointed at the TV with her fork.

"There's a suitable betting subject right there."

"..."

"The match between Eun-ha and <Yama >. Let's bet on who will win between the two. If I win the bet, I'd like you to introduce the connections you made in Japan. On the contrary, if you win, we can pretend my request never happened. Regrettably, I'll promise not to side with Galaxy Group either."

Eun-ha was showing on the screen.

Han Seo-hyun was bothered by Oh Hae-in's fork pointing at Eun-ha.

Finally, she broke her silence and opened her mouth.

"─Is there any reason I should? If you want to side with Galaxy, go ahead. Of course, I don't know how we'll retaliate then, but. You know, right? If we put our minds to it, we can drive you back to the sea."

"..."

"Why don't you make such threats after completely breaking away from us?"

"Oh my, how scary."

Han Seo-hyun warned coldly.

But her threat didn't work on Oh Hae-in at all.

Oh Hae-in deliberately brushed off her words as if being unpleasant.

Then she spoke.

"Then let's do this. If you win, I'll give you one more benefit."

Oh Hae-in's persuasion.

Han Seo-hyun snorted.

Oh Hae-in probably intended to say this from the beginning.

It was a method Han Seo-yeon often used.

Han Seo-hyun decided to ignore it indifferently.

She was going to, but─.

"─Luminous Group has been having a hard time lately, right? People from outside keep asking to see the jewel who has regained her health."

"..."

"But from Luminous Group's perspective, they're reluctant to show someone who can't see properly to others. The moment she's shown to the world, that child will live her whole life receiving people's pointing fingers."

It was an unexpected topic.

Han Seo-hyun, who thought it would be related to Sirius Group, couldn't answer.

Regardless, Oh Hae-in continued speaking.

"─We might be able to help with that."

Oh Hae-in said confidently.

Han Seo-hyun looked into her eyes.

She wasn't lying.

"We can't completely prevent that child from receiving pointing fingers, but we can make her receive less."

"Tell me, go on."

"There's no need for two scapegoats. I'll become people's scapegoat timed with Lee Yu-jeong's appearance. I'll act out really badly."

"...!"

"I'm also in a situation where I receive pointing fingers because of my eyes. What do you think people will think if someone like me starts acting badly? My reputation will probably plummet terribly? Then on the contrary, what about Lee Yu-jeong?"

"..."

"She's pitiful because she can't see. But unlike Oh Hae-in who has strange eye colors and can't see, this child is so kind? If we put forward the image of pitiful and kind, she won't get cursed at much, right?"

"You won't gain anything from taking such curses?"

"Why wouldn't I gain anything? Oh Hae-in, that kid has a terrible personality so she's absolutely not to be messed with. And whatever crazy things I do will be accepted as just how I am."

"..."

"That's the difference between you and me. I who lived my own way from the start have almost nothing to lose. Unlike you guys who lived lives being supported by others, like you Seo-hyun or Ha-yang, or Lee Yu-jeong of Luminous Group."

After Lee Yu-jeong appeared at Eun-ha's grandmother's funeral in the summer.

Public opinion was forming in political and business circles that Lee Yu-jeong should be allowed to participate in official events.

The public opinion kept growing.

Now even Luminous Group was in an awkward situation to refuse like before.

In the end, Lee Yu-jeong's entry into social circles was becoming an unavoidable situation.

So Han Seo-hyun took Oh Hae-in's proposal seriously.

Above all─.

─That child will worry less.

<Quick-witted > Noh Eun-ha.

Her fiancé.

For some reason, he was paying very special attention to Lee Yu-jeong.

He was pretending not to, but it was very clear to her eyes.

So she was taking extra special care of Lee Yu-jeong, who was also a close friend.

"─Alright, fine. Let's do that."

"That's a very good answer."

Therefore, Han Seo-hyun nodded.

The corners of Oh Hae-in's mouth raised.

Han Seo-hyun observed her emotions.

Oh Hae-in's emotions were─.

─She fell for it.

That's what she's thinking.

She's looking down on me.

But Han Seo-hyun didn't show any signs of displeasure.

In betting, the one who loses is always the one who looks down on their opponent.

In Han Seo-hyun's experience, they always self-destructed in front of her.

"Now then, let's decide who will win. Seo-hyun, you're naturally going to bet on Eun-ha winning, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

"But you should think carefully. No matter how outstanding Eun-ha is, his opponent is one of the Twelve Zodiac. Especially that person is one of the three considered strongest domestically."

"You talk too much. I'm betting on Eun-ha."

"There's also the option of betting with me on <Yama > and aiming for a draw... Well, what can I do. Just don't regret it later."

Oh Hae-in shrugging her shoulders.

Han Seo-hyun didn't show much interest in Oh Hae-in's arrogance.

Instead, she turned her gaze to the TV.

The match was just starting.

─Platinum Cross

And right after the match started, the TV screen suddenly emitting a dazzling light.

Oh Hae-in made a dumbfounded sound at the sudden situation.

But Han Seo-hyun wasn't flustered. She just kept watching the screen as the light gradually faded.

It's unfortunate for Oh Hae-in, but─.

"─I've never once thought about Eun-ha losing."

Han Seo-hyun didn't make losing bets and didn't doubt Noh Eun-ha's victory.