Speak of The Devil

In that sense, Secretary Lee touched upon instincts that Jung Yiyeon hadn’t consciously acknowledged. Whether forming a strange atmosphere with some woman at the business trip destination or when he casually revealed himself to be bisexual, Jung Yiyeon struggled to suppress a subtle discomfort brewing within him.But witnessing the scene of him and Seo Jaeoh exchanging flirtatious glances and playing footsie under the table filled Jung Yiyeon with more than just discomfort. Frankly speaking, it made him feel dirty.He had heard rumors of him playing around with others despite having a lover or partner. He knew what kind of person he was. So, there were times when Jung Yiyeon thought it might even be better that way.Well… he knew. So why was he suddenly so shocked? Even if they had spent the previous night in passionate intimacy, it was just meaningless sex.Yet Jung Yiyeon found the situation unpleasant. Not only did he dislike the tactless secretary, but he also couldn’t stand Seo Jaeoh, who smiled so amiably with his shiny face.The reason he stumbled into the secretary’s room instead of his own while drunk wasn’t jealousy. It wasn’t jealousy at all. But even as he denied it, Jung Yiyeon couldn’t help but act out. And the secretary was actually in the midst of preparing to meet another man.Was it anger or lust boiling inside him? Jung Yiyeon took Lee Nan to bed and covered him. He took off his pants to make sure he wouldn’t leave. And then he bit and sucked. Literally. Until the secretary chose him over his promised partner.“Ouch!”When Lee Nan yelled out, pulling Jung Yiyeon’s hair haphazardly, Jung Yiyeon felt slightly better knowing that the secretary had chosen him. His mood improved a little when he saw his face.Did you just yell at me? Are you angry? Did you know Secretary Lee could make such a face? Seeing his face, contorted in pain from the sudden attack, made me chuckle involuntarily. I thought he had a tidy face, but when he gets angry, he really shows it.“…Gently lick with your tongue.”The voice that commanded with a blunt expression surprisingly… pleased him.“Like this?”It pleased Jung Yiyeon. His libido surged as if to ask when his heart had ever beaten so fiercely. The scent of body wash emanating from the man who undoubtedly washed up to meet someone else was oddly warm. It made his mouth feel sweet even as he sucked on the man’s member. It tasted strangely sweet indeed.Secretary Lee, or rather Lee Nan, was honestly cute. The various facets of his personality that peeked through the cracks of his expressionless mask delighted Jung Yiyeon. He wanted to see more of him. It seemed even more intimate to let Lee Nan reveal all the aspects he had. Frankly, he wanted to cherish him. Until he was satisfied. As he pleased. Hmm. Would it be okay to do that? Jung Yiyeon decided. Just to do as he pleased. He resolved to adore him to his heart’s content. And if possessiveness arose, he decided to let it show.After all, Lee Nan didn’t love him. He wouldn’t love him in the future either. If Jung Yiyeon’s actions seemed burdensome or overwhelming, he believed Lee Nan would adjust his distance on his own.Of course, when Lee Nan, with the stiffest face in the world, casually said, “Should I blow on it?” in response to his muttered complaint about the coffee being hot, Lee Nan’s emotions were a bit confusing…Lee Nan didn’t love anyone. Jung Yiyeon truly believed that, which made it impossible to gauge Lee Nan’s sincerity at all.***On a winter day, the riverside cafe maintained a tranquil atmosphere. Despite the low temperature, the clear weather allowed the warm sun to pour through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The sky was azure, and the flow of the river, along the grassy banks, was even greener than the sky. The floor was dull with fallen leaves and dead grass, and the branches displayed their bare, brown limbs, yet against the backdrop of the blue sky and the river’s green hue, it created a picturesque ambiance. The indoor space felt warmer and cozier thanks to the wintry scenery permeating with the scent of winter.The spot where the two sat was by the window, with the table attached to the glass, and a plush two-seater sofa positioned to overlook outside. It looked like a place for a date, so wouldn’t it seem strange for two men to sit together like this? Lee Nan was momentarily taken aback, but soon dismissed the thought, thinking, who would care anyway? Perhaps because of the cold weather, there were hardly any customers using the cafe in the first place.“Oh, I like it here.”Lee Nan said as he took a sip of warm coffee. He had wondered why they had to drive so far just for a cup of tea, but he enjoyed the drive along the river and liked the cafe. The cream-filled roll cake and coffee were delicious.“Yeah, do you like it?”“Yes. It’s nice with no people.”But it almost feels too empty even though there are no people. Even though it’s a sunny weekend and the cafe has such a nice atmosphere.Suddenly, Lee Nan looked at Jung Yiyeon with a suspicious gaze. It reminded him of when they went to the cafe in front of the hospital with Jung Yiyeon’s Executive Director Jung Sangyeon. The cafe was empty except for a few of her assistants… and the conversation they had there. Although it was all in the past, the feeling of discomfort lingered, prompting Lee Nan to take another sip of coffee and turn his gaze towards the window. Looking at the clear riverbank seemed to ease his mind slightly.“I didn’t pay the rent, did I?”“Huh? What do you mean?”“Here.”“Oh. You mean did I pay the entire rent? Hmm… I didn’t even think about that. Should I prepare for that in the future?”Jung Yiyeon’s response eased Lee Nan’s mind a bit more. Lee Nan then shook his head slightly, loosening the expression that had unknowingly stiffened.“Never mind. I just thought because it seemed like I bought without even looking at the price tag earlier.”“What, how do you think of me? I also check the price tag before buying.”Jung Yiyeon’s words were sincere. He wasn’t particularly fond of luxury items or the type to overspend. He just had the economic power to purchase what he wanted without much hesitation if he thought the value and price of the item matched.Moreover, among the things Jung Yiyeon bought earlier, the ones he gave to Lee Nan were not a problem in terms of price. Both the sweater and the coat suited him very well. He wanted to buy more and better things for Lee Nan, but he restrained himself because there was a history of being refused when trying to buy something for him. For example, a watch, or a watch, or a watch…“Anyway, Jung Yiyeon is a bit… peculiar.”“Me?”“As the third-generation chaebol heir, the CEO… personally making kimchi fried rice and doing the dishes.”“Isn’t that something anyone can do? It’s just the most basic thing.”“Still, it’s a bit…”“Weird?”“Yes. It might be my prejudice, but I was a bit surprised when you bought convenience store lunchboxes before. I thought someone like the third-generation chaebol would have them delivered, packaged in expensive and fancy ways.”“Well, I… At that time, I didn’t have a personal secretary or anything like that.”Jung Yiyeon thought of the cousins ​​who always followed him with personal errands, remembering Lee Nan’s words. In a way, it was a common occurrence as Lee Nan had said. There was a team dedicated to handling the affairs of the chairman’s family in the group, so even the smallest and most private errands for Chairman Jung Pilwon’s children and grandchildren were taken care of. When they became adults, they were assigned dedicated assistants, which were both gifts from Chairman Jung Pilwon to his descendants and a means of surveillance. Jung Yiyeon had always refused that.“Still, buying convenience store lunchboxes and heating them in the microwave is a bit…”“Was it really strange?”“At that time, I looked so naive and cute, so it seemed interesting. I mean, when was the last time I ate something like that?”“Well… being a chaebol doesn’t mean everyone lives extravagantly.”“Jung Yiyeon, your cousin sister seemed like she wouldn’t even comb her hair with her own hands.”“Oh, that sister is a bit like that.”Jung Yiyeon chuckled, recalling a woman who called a makeup artist and stylist every morning to do her makeup and hair. Understandably, she had lived a life receiving others’ attention since she was young. In fact, it was the same for other cousins. It was all because of Chairman Jung Pilwon’s policy.While some conglomerates mingle with ordinary people and lead humble lives, allowing their children to use public transportation instead of chauffeured cars with bodyguards, Chairman Jung Pilwon believed that his descendants should lead a luxurious life beyond comparison. He believed that if conglomerates were criticized as villains, even those who pointed fingers at them should look up to them. To achieve this, he emphasized that his descendants should constantly be aware of their upper-class status and enjoy privileges like a birthright.However, there was always opposition within any household, and Jung Yiyeon chose a different path from his grandfather, Jung Pilwon. To be precise, Jung Yiyeon’s father was the ultimate rebel.“I wasn’t like my sister and other cousins… not really. I was just ordinary until I went to college. I did part-time tutoring, went to cheap bars with friends when I wanted to drink, filled up on cup noodles during vacations, studied in the school library during exam periods, and bought lunchboxes at convenience stores.”“It sounds… down-to-earth.”“Yeah, just average. I don’t eat them much now, but back in school, I used to have ramen every day from the snack bar.”“Even though your grandfather is a conglomerate chairman?”“Didn’t I say my father cut ties with the family and ran away? So, there wasn’t really an opportunity to bask in the glow of the chaebol grandfather.”“Oh, that time. When we went to the French restaurant to taste the dishes from a competitor.”Ah, Jung Yiyeon turned his gaze away at Lee Nan’s piercing words, instinctively clearing his throat.Thinking back, he realized he had already started liking Lee Nan from that time. So, even though it wasn’t a personal conversation over a drink, he had unconsciously opened up. But now, the milk was already spilt. Oh dear, why didn’t he realize he already found Lee Nan so attractive back then? Why did he deny it so vehemently?Seeing Jung Yiyeon, who seemed to have no words even if his mouth were to open ten times, just biting his lip, Lee Nan chuckled softly. Bringing up past conversations might be awkward, but it was quite desirable. He also liked the remorseful expression on Jung Yiyeon’s face, and he didn’t want to keep the atmosphere stiff, so Lee Nan diverted the conversation, giving Jung Yiyeon some breathing space.“Then, did you not know your grandfather was a conglomerate chairman when you were young?”Just by casually throwing out a question in a light tone, Jung Yiyeon quickly relaxed his expression. Lee Nan changing the subject and showing interest in his past were both appreciated. What good was sharing personal matters when they could discuss company secrets? Of course, Jung Yiyeon had never spoken to anyone about this before, but now he could tell Lee Nan everything.“Yeah. When I was young, I thought my father was an orphan. I had never seen my grandparents. He was just a fisherman’s son.”Jung Jinseop, Jung Yiyeon’s father, was the youngest son who Chairman Jung Pilwon adored, but unlike Chairman Jung Pilwon, he was a free spirit. He wanted to live among ordinary people and rejected the responsibilities and obligations imposed by Chairman Jung Pilwon. This led to a fierce clash with his father, and at its peak, he gave up everything he had enjoyed and left home. He briefly stayed at the home of a friend he had made in college, which turned into a romantic relationship, and they eventually got married and had Jung Yiyeon.Thanks to this, Jung Yiyeon grew up as an ordinary child with no connection to the conglomerate. Although it was somewhat unusual that his father, at a young age, had chosen to settle down, being the son of a fisherman from a rural village didn’t set him apart much from his peers. Looking back on his childhood memories, he had spent his days playing with friends, soaking up the salty sea breeze, and exploring the neighborhood.Of course, life was relatively comfortable as his grandfather owned several boats. Jung Yiyeon’s mother was a kind person. Born as the daughter of a shipowner in a fishing village, she grew up in economic abundance and even went to study abroad in Seoul. She was wise and gentle.Perhaps even if Jung Yiyeon had grown up just like that, he would have grown up without any major shortcomings, economically or emotionally. He would have found what he wanted to do, worked hard to achieve it, made a living, met people, and dated, just like everyone else lived their lives.But the turning points in life always come unexpectedly.“When I first came to Seoul, was I around ten years old? It was a bit of an odd atmosphere that day. My parents couldn’t hide their stern expressions, so I found myself getting tense too. I woke up early in the morning and when I went outside, there was a strange car parked in front of our house, and a few hours later, we were on our way to Seoul. And once we got there, I understood why friends who had been to Seoul talked about it so much.”The strange excitement Jung Yiyeon felt in the massive city, where countless cars ran on well-maintained roads and skyscrapers formed a forest that seemed endless, has now somewhat faded, but back then, it was undoubtedly quite shocking to young Jung Yiyeon. The air inside the car on the way to Seoul was tense all the way, which made Jung Yiyeon feel subdued as well, but the excitement when crossing through Seoul’s downtown area was greater than anything else.Distractedly looking outside, the car suddenly turned onto a quiet street, driving through narrow alleys surrounded by tall walls until it stopped in front of a large gate. There, Jung Yiyeon met his grandfather, whom he had thought didn’t exist.“That’s when I found out I had a paternal grandfather too. He looked a bit scary to me, but he was the grandfather who gave me pocket money. But my father genuinely seemed to dislike him.”“If your father disliked him so much, why did he take you to the chairman’s house?”“Well… over time, it seemed my grandfather’s heart had softened. After ten years, he contacted my father himself, saying he wanted to see his grandson. My father said he felt weak when he heard his father’s voice after a long time.”Although he had severed ties with his son, Chairman Jung Pilwon was not someone who could completely abandon his lineage. So, for ten years, he kept a watchful eye on his youngest son, who had made his own family far away.Then, when he heard that his grandson, who had reached the age of ten and was said to have a balanced appearance and good grades, Chairman Jung Pilwon couldn’t hide his longing for his bloodline any longer.He had given up on his son, but he couldn’t give up on his grandson. Chairman Jung Pilwon put aside all past grievances and, with a rather generous heart, invited his son’s family to Seoul. The condition was that he would provide a position for them in Seoul, so they should bring their grandson and focus on his education.But Jung Jinseop, the son who had said he would sever ties with his father because he disliked his father’s overbearing nature, refused Chairman Jung Pilwon’s favor. He made some stubborn remarks like his son would manage on his own, so don’t interfere unnecessarily. Chairman Jung Pilwon couldn’t help but feel incredulous at how his youngest son, who he thought wouldn’t give him trouble even if he poked him in the eye, grew up to be such an unyielding character, but Jung Jinseop held his wife and son’s hands and left the mansion.“Well, even after ten years of not seeing each other, they didn’t just hug and reconcile with tears. My father just came out of there without even eating a meal.”Chairman Jung Pilwon couldn’t stop it. Forcing it would only push his youngest son further away, as he had learned from experience that trying to force someone only makes them stray further. And thanks to that, Jung Yiyeon reached a turning point in his life.“And since we were in Seoul, my father said, ‘Let’s try some food,’ and bought me a hamburger.”Jung Yiyeon had never even heard of the word “hamburger” before. It was a time when he didn’t eat bread much either. Looking at the meat and yellow cheese sandwiched between bread and lettuce, he initially didn’t think he wanted to eat it. But as soon as he took a big bite as his father instructed…To young Jung Yiyeon, the hamburger was a whole new world of taste. With its juicy meat, tangy sauce, and the harmony of bread and vegetables, Jung Yiyeon was shocked. It was so shocking that it even gave birth to a dream he never had before.“It was really delicious. It was the most delicious thing I had ever eaten since I was born. So, I decided that I wanted to live in Seoul.”He wanted to live in Seoul. He wanted to come to Seoul and eat hamburgers every day. Young Jung Yiyeon harbored vague dreams of success. He even began to make specific plans to realize his dreams.“…Wait, so it was because of hamburgers that you wanted to live in Seoul, not because of your conglomerate grandfather’s mansion? Was the impression you got from seeing the chairman’s mansion worse than that of a hamburger?”“What would a kid know about a nice house? Even now, I don’t have much romance about a house. As long as it’s reasonably comfortable, that’s enough for me. In that sense, I really like staying at your house.”“Judging by your work ethic, you don’t seem like someone without ambitions…”“I’m not without ambitions… In some ways, I guess I take after my father.”Seeing Lee Nan’s dumbfounded expression, Jung Yiyeon chuckled softly. After all, he too was incredulous when he heard that his father, who rebelled against the conglomerate family and became a fisherman, had made such a decision.Was his father in his right mind? It was a relief that he had married the daughter of a shipowner, but what was he thinking exactly? Did he not care about his children? In this day and age where getting a job becomes harder as time goes by and the concept of lifelong employment crumbles, increasing societal anxiety, was he trying to pass on a middle-class life to his children?Of course, all of these thoughts came after Jung Yiyeon learned who Chairman Jung Pilwon of Eunha Group really was. When he was a child who didn’t understand what it meant to be the son of Chairman Jung Pilwon, he just wanted to eat hamburgers often.“But when I studied hard, my parents decided to move to Seoul first. It was my will to study in Seoul. So, from middle school onwards, I went to school in Seoul, but it wasn’t like my father and grandfather got along well at that time. I didn’t receive any support, and I only went to greet them occasionally on holidays or birthdays.”For ten years, not a single phone call had been exchanged between the rich relatives, which was quite remarkable progress. Chairman Jung Pilwon didn’t show it to his son, but whenever he dealt with his grandson, he subtly revealed his joy. It wasn’t just because Jung Yiyeon showed the highest academic achievement among his grandchildren, but also because it was thanks to him that his youngest son voluntarily came to Seoul and began to move around.For Chairman Jung Pilwon, his grandson Jung Yiyeon was a link connecting him with his youngest son Jung Jinseop, acting like an adhesive that patched up their fractured relationship. It was natural for Chairman Jung Pilwon to secretly feel proud of and cherish Jung Yiyeon. On the one hand, he didn’t force his own will onto his grandson, fearing that he might lose his son again.“So, I just went to university like a regular student. I got a reasonable amount of pocket money, did some part-time jobs… At that time, I didn’t have any expectations of receiving favors from my grandfather, so I aimed for employment at a large company. After finishing my second year, I thought I should quickly go to the military to build up my resume… But when I mentioned going to the military and taking a leave of absence, my grandfather called me. He asked why I was going to the military…”Jung Yiyeon muttered awkwardly. In fact, he was exempted from military service for reasons he himself couldn’t understand. From the perspective of someone who benefited from it, confessing military service corruption to Lee Nan, who was a military veteran, was quite awkward.“I know you’re exempted. Do you know any chaebol heirs who actually serve in the military in our country? There are many criticisms when you see articles about them being exempted.”“When did you see such articles?”“…I happened to look for some information. Um.”Lee Nan turned his gaze away somewhat awkwardly. Oh right, there was a time when Lee Nan mentioned digging through Jung Yiyeon’s car trash to figure out his preferences when he really liked him. Checking past articles and even the comments… You were really not just an ordinary admirer. Jung Yiyeon laughed and pulled Lee Nan’s shoulder, leaning his face against his neck.“Oh, what are you doing?”The sudden physical contact naturally startled Lee Nan. This wasn’t a café, after all. Lee Nan pushed Jung Yiyeon away with an indifferent touch. How mean. Ignoring the grumbling Jung Yiyeon, Lee Nan looked around, thankfully finding that there were still no people around.Jung Yiyeon looked up like a meerkat and chuckled as he watched Lee Nan glance around. He even had a slight thought of how it would look if someone saw them. Anyway, this place…“Oh, so…”Lee Nan sat a little apart from Jung Yiyeon and asked bluntly. Even though there was nowhere else to go when they were both sitting side by side on the two-seater sofa. As Lee Nan tried to escape, Jung Yiyeon felt an urge to tease and play with him more. But if he did, Lee Nan might actually get angry, so he resisted the urge and returned to the original topic.“You should learn and study as instructed,” he said. There was no reason to refuse.Jung Yiyeon thought he was different from his father. Why take the difficult path when an easy one was available? At that time, Jung Yiyeon, a young man with vague anxieties about the future, found Chairman Jung Pilwon’s suggested path simply appealing. Even if it meant being parachuted in, the offer to study was nothing short of a promise to groom him as the next executive. If he didn’t feel ambitious, it would have been a lie. He also had confidence that he could do well.“So, I made some efforts on my own. I graduated from university one semester early and immediately went abroad to study. Among the third-generation heirs, cases like mine are certainly rare. They were all living leisurely lives, you know.”His cousins were enough to sigh just thinking about them. Jung Yiyeon sneered as he thought about cousins who were not much older due to his father’s early marriage.Most of Jung Yiyeon’s cousins, even if they made some effort to enter university due to their parents’ pressure, indulged in all kinds of luxuries and pleasures after passing the entrance exams. Some even indulged in delinquency from their teenage years, then fled to study abroad because it was too difficult to get into prestigious domestic universities. Most of them spent their early twenties mocking celebrities at parties with alcohol, as if it were their life goal.To be honest, despite not meeting them many times, except for his cousin sister Jung Sangyeon, they were all born with silver spoons in their mouths. When he had to deal with cousins who were full of the sense of privilege as if it were natural, he sometimes felt anger, as if it were obvious that those riffraff would secure positions one by one in his grandfather’s company even if they lived such mediocre lives forever. That seemed so natural even to his grandfather, so Jung Yiyeon vaguely understood why his father had escaped the family.“Then you didn’t really have much fun?”“I graduated in three semesters instead of four. How could I have fun? I struggled with credit management to graduate early. Even during vacations, I was busy filling credits with seasonal classes and preparing for studying abroad.”“Hmm. I worked hard during university too, but still managed to have time to have fun.”“What were you expecting? Rich kids partying at clubs, calling celebrities, doing drugs and stuff?”“Yeah, that kind of thing.”“I’ve been invited by my cousins before… but I’m gay.”“Oh.”“I wasn’t in places where I could have fun. But that doesn’t mean I was going to sponsor male celebrities. It was just at the level of going to gay bars or meeting through communities on the down low.”“I see. That’s too bad.”“…What’s too bad?”When Jung Yiyeon frowned, Lee Nan shrugged his shoulders and chuckled. Jung Yiyeon was often amazed when Lee Nan made such carefree expressions. It was because he couldn’t even begin to guess how extravagantly he had partied and enjoyed himself.“How was it when you went abroad for your studies?”“…Even when I went, I didn’t have time to focus on anything else because of my studies. I was busy with internships at consulting firms… Wait. Why do you keep making that face?”“What face?”“It looks like you’re saying I wasted my life.”“I’m not.”Although he brazenly denied it, Jung Yiyeon knew that others looked at him with the same eyes as Lee Nan. They were none other than Jung Yiyeon’s cousins. The disdainful gaze of those who saw him as pathetic for going all the way to a foreign country where freedom was guaranteed was very similar to Lee Nan’s.“…You went to the U.S. during high school, right?”“That’s right.”“…How was it?”“It was enjoyable, I guess.”“….”“It would have been more enjoyable if I went during college.”What’s the significance of that now? Lee Nan chuckled again at Jung Yiyeon’s persistent gaze.“Jung Yiyeon, there’s something called the tragedy of popularity. Just let it go.”“I was quite popular too, you know?”“Who said you weren’t? Anyway, is it because you’re such a diligent grandson that the chairman likes you?”“…Maybe.”“Then were you interested in the hotel business from the beginning?”“It wasn’t my decision… The chairman planned to divide some subsidiaries into groups and give them to his children later, and I thought of the hotel group as my father’s share. So naturally, the first company I joined when I came to Korea was the Eunha Hotel.”