MOON Ch 35

“Here are the pickled tangerines. If you serve them to the chairman before the meal, he likes it, saying it opens up his appetite.”

“Ah, yes.”

One by one, the colorful three-tier rolling trolley was being filled with food. They were all dishes prepared for the precious guests visiting today. It was a day when guests were coming from the outside for the first time in a long while, so while everyone was nervous, they couldn’t hide their excited air either.

“Still, Chairman Ju used to drop by and have a meal once in a while when going out for a round with the chairman. But it’s probably the first time his granddaughter is having a meal here and going, right?”

“Why. Still, she came over to play a few times in the summer. She was tremendously pretty. Her mother over there is Director Lee of Gallery Doeun, isn’t she? That person was quite something back in her younger days, too.”

Just who was the person coming that everyone’s faces were glowing like that? Chaeon listened attentively to the conversation going back and forth while diligently wiping the clean silver spoons with the towel provided by Mrs. Kwon. Having set out following Heejung, who adamantly tried to stop her from early evening, telling her to just study, today’s dining gathering in the main building was scheduled to prepare spoons and meals for six people.

The fun of watching the luxurious centerpieces and props being diligently carried in and out by the staff was also quite decent, so this time didn’t feel like a waste of time in particular. She had known that an excessively lavish menu was served on ordinary days as well, but today they seemed particularly determined to entertain the guests, as the food placed on the trolley was brilliant and resplendent.

There were dishes masterfully brought out by Heejung and Mrs. Kwon, but several dishes bore the touch of a chef whose family had been doing traditional cuisine for over 80 years across generations at a certain restaurant near Changgyeonggung Palace, so even the plating was extraordinary.

“Let’s see, the dumpling hot pot is all done, yes. You just need to put this on the topmost tier and take it over now. They said they just arrived.”

“Ah, already?”

“Yes. Go quickly. The table setting should all be done. Chaeon, you worked hard, too. You wiped them so neatly. Put this straight into the cutlery box and put it on the trolley over there.”

“Yes.”

Rattle. The rolling trolley finally began to move at the hands of Heejung and Chaeon. Headed toward the dining room, Chaeon, who suddenly became curious, only then posed a question.

“By the way, Mom. Who is the guest that’s coming? The chairman’s acquaintance?”

“Yes. Wol-Song Food Chairman Ju’s own granddaughter. Chairman Ju is in a very special relationship with the chairman.”

“…”

“That’s why he’s trying to pair that granddaughter with the eldest young master whom he treasures so much.”

Chaeon’s steps, which had been moving diligently behind the trolley, stopped in an instant.

“Huh? Why. Do you want to just go to your room? That’s great. You, helping with this and that today…”

“No, no.”

Chaeon was in a momentary daze, ruminating on the meaning of the words she had heard just a moment ago.

“Pairing them up, then. Is it like… an engagement?”

“That’s right. The eldest young master and the Wol-Song granddaughter.”

“Ah…”

Rattling. At the sound of the wheels rolling, Chaeon’s spiritless answer was buried. It was the dining room just a few steps further, but somehow her steps wouldn’t budge, so Chaeon couldn’t move even after Heejung vanished inside.

Engagement. She knew well enough that most people in positions like his made engagements to seek mutual benefit between families. Weren’t the luxurious snacks and minor items Heejung had received through Im Soyoung once in a while all about how a certain chaebol family’s return gift was this or that?

So, it was a supremely natural thing…

Having with difficulty taken heavy steps weighing a thousand catties and set foot into the dining room, what came into Chaeon’s eyes was the appearance of six people seated around a long dining table. Seeing the woman sitting and occupying the seat next to Taeha, Chaeon’s eyes grew subtly larger.

‘She’s pretty.’

Ah, that pretty woman who was feeding cookies to Taeha at the swimming pool last time. Today, just like back then, she was sitting close to Taeha, talking about something with a continuously cheerful face, and he was agreeing moderately to those words while offering a few words of response.

Why… The question stemmed from a heavy, dull pain in her chest that sank down hopelessly with a thud.

Feeling sharp spit being swallowed down her throat as she stared blankly at the sight of the two people, Taeha’s gaze suddenly directed toward Chaeon, who was standing at the entrance of the dining room.

“…”

Chaeon, who hastily lowered her eyes that met his, tried hard to ignore her churning insides. Because right now, she had come to work first and foremost. While Heejung set the prepared dishes on the table one by one according to their matching, Chaeon began placing the tableware on the table mat starting from the opposite side.

“Ah, Ms. Chaeon.”

Chairman Jang, who was exchanging conversation with Chairman Ju for a long time, suddenly discovered Chaeon and greeted her warmly. When she offered a polite bow as was second nature to her, Heejung politely replied while laying down the food.

“It’s my daughter. She came to help out with the workload for a bit.”

“Right. The piano sound I hear occasionally is very nice.”

His wrinkled eye rims narrowed with a smile.

“Yes…”

Hiding her complex insides, when Chaeon replied somewhat bashfully, the woman who had been having a conversation with Taeha turned back to look at Chaeon and half-closed her eyes.

“Huh? Back then at the pool.”

She had intended to quietly place the cutlery down and step back, but having as many as two people suddenly act as if they knew her made her flustered. Chaeon replied softly, “Yes, that’s right,” and placed cutlery in front of her as well.

“You know how to play the piano. Play it for me once later, too.”

“Did you say Harin likes classical music?”

“Yes. A few days ago, I also went to see Nelsons’ visiting performance in Korea at Daehyun Concert Hall.”

“Is that so? Taeha will have to become diligent if he’s to do work and also take you around to performances.”

Looking at the woman who replied charmingly, Chairman Jang merely laughed heartily as if finding her cute and said so.

“…”

Chaeon, who bowed her head while tightly biting her lips, finally placed cutlery at Taeha’s seat. Approaching closely, his fragrance that seeped intensely into her lungs seemed to weigh down on her chest more heavily today than usual.

She felt Taeha’s slightly turned gaze stinging against her side face. The moment she tried to pull her hand back while desperately avoiding his gaze, Chaeon’s fingertips lightly brushed against his fingertips, which were neatly placed on the table. At the feeling like the fine hairs on the back of her head were standing on end, she flinched and straightened her body.

Why she kept getting feelings like this, she wanted to run out of this spot right away, but tightly clenching her fists, this time she headed to Yeonjun’s seat.

“Hello.”

Tap. Yeonjun, who playfully touched the back of Chaeon’s hand standing beside him, whispered low enough for only the two of them to hear. Since it was a situation where she couldn’t return the greeting, Chaeon met his eyes briefly with a somewhat troubled face and quickly stepped back. All her nerves seemed to be focused on Jang Taeha.

“Chaeon, place some rice paper wraps over there by the chairman’s side.”

“Ah, okay.”

Most of the food that was on the trolley had been moved onto the table. Just moving the food received from Heejung, Chaeon tried hard to consciously close her ears.

“Harin, is the food to your taste?”

“Yes. Everything is delicious! It’s so delicious. Thank you for taking such care.”

At Jang Ikhyeon’s question, Harin smiled brightly and answered softly.

“By the way, when Taeha oppa goes to the US, when is he returning?”

Pausing, Chaeon’s fingertips placing a plate trembled again.

“Well.”

“Did you say New York? Right. Where did you say you’d be staying?”

“Probably around Midtown.”

“I can come over to play once in a while, right? Now I’ll have to use the excuse that I’m going to see you, oppa.”

“Do so.”

Looking at Taeha’s face smiling slightly, Chaeon almost dropped the dish. Going to the US…

Throughout the mealtime, Chaeon watched blankly as she went back and forth in the dining room following Heejung, seeing him moderately agree to the woman’s words and converse with her on equal footing.

The woman was surrounded by expensive things from head to toe. The new dress from a luxury brand—which she had glimpsed girls at school displaying on their screens and making a fuss over how pretty it was—suited her as if it were her own skin.

A hairstyle given elegant waves like flowing water, neatly manicured fingernails, and a good scent. It was an appearance where one could tell she was raised preciously just by passing by and glancing at her.

Chaeon suddenly thought that she wanted to strip off and throw away her skirt, which was blotched with water marks, and quietly stepped back from her spot. Her pit of the stomach throbbed as if she had indigestion for some reason.

“…”

With a cool gaze, Yeonjun looked at Chaeon’s back as she exited the dining room. From the moment she entered the dining room, she had frozen white upon witnessing an unexpected situation, and until right before she turned her back to leave this place, her pale complexion showed no sign of returning.

He had feared it might be, but… A crooked smile hung at the corners of Yeonjun’s mouth. He quietly set down the spoon he held in his hand. Ever since Chairman Ju subtly hinted at his desire for Yeonjun to be paired with his grand-niece who was studying abroad in France, his appetite had fled long ago.

The most cherished, gem-like granddaughter to Taeha, and the manageable grand-niece—who could be used for the purpose of deepening the relationship with Jungwang while keeping up suitable appearances—to Yeonjun. Even though they displayed an attitude of openly discriminating without holding official status, seeing everyone cheerful and laughing heartily as if pleased made him feel like vomiting.

No one would know, but having committed a sin for which he himself would be tormented all his life, he had resolved to live willingly with a mind of atonement to this house, yet occasionally there were times when it was difficult for him to quell his surging rage.

It was around the time the conversation going back and forth on the table was ripening that Yeonjun stood up from his seat.

“I have eaten well.”

Harin, looking up at Yeonjun as if puzzled, pulled back her hand that was just about to scoop up the soft persimmon ice cream served as dessert.

“You’re not going to eat more? It seems you ate awfully little. This is really delicious, oppa.”

“Eat plenty. I’m full.”

No one other than Harin held back Yeonjun, who stood up while smiling serenely. Jang Ikhyeon, who looked at Yeonjun with an unsatisfied face for a moment, turned his head pretending not to see.

A beast-like human. That human was truly the beginning of all sins. Sitting at this table with him shameless as could be, and managing to swallow down his meal just fine. While neglecting his mother—who had fulfilled her utility and worth and become broken—like a piece of junk stowed away in a storage room, a persistent monster who wouldn’t even let go for fear that something might happen.

Before long, having left the table, Yeonjun shifted his gaze away from that which turned his stomach sickeningly. It felt as though his chest were tightly blocked.