Separation Anxiety

What One Wishes to Protect

Hayun calmly met that gaze. Jeong Tae-seong was fundamentally a person who exuded an aura that seemed to suppress others. Even long-time employees and his children would feel intimidated in his presence. But Hayun was different. Since childhood, Hayun had never averted his eyes in front of him. Jeong Tae-seong liked this aspect of Hayun.

“Speak.”

When Hayun only maintained eye contact, Jeong Tae-seong spoke first. As if he had been waiting for Jeong Tae-seong’s permission, Hayun took a short breath and began to speak.

“I can guess what you’re going to say after the funeral. I’ll enter Haedo Group headquarters right after graduation.”

Jeong Tae-seong’s eyes narrowed. He had intended to make Hayun, the eldest grandson, his successor in place of the deceased Jeong Seo-hoo.

“You think I’m going to make you the successor? Are you sure you’re not mistaken?”

He knew well the humans who craved money and power. Just half a day ago, the relatives who came to his son’s funeral were like that. Even his own daughter seemed more interested in the opportunities arising from her brother’s absence than mourning his death.

“If I’m mistaken, please decide on me from now on.”

Hayun didn’t falter even at the probing words. Instead, he was boldly requesting to be made the next successor.

“I won’t disappoint you, Grandfather.”

Despite making such a bold request, there was no wavering in Hayun’s eyes. Jeong Tae-seong hadn’t just been considering Hayun because he was the eldest grandson. Although still a college student, anyone could see that Jeong Hayun lacked nothing. From elementary school to university, he had consistently been the top student, and he had a strong reputation among his peers and seniors. Of course, there was the background of being the third generation of the Haedo Group, but his achievements weren’t solely due to that.

‘As expected of the one who will inherit the Haedo Group, he’s different.’

Everyone who knew Jeong Hayun said that. Jeong Hayun possessed charisma and leadership that overwhelmed others. He was fundamentally different from those who were full of pretense and vanity, clumsily coveting the position of Haedo Group chairman. It was natural to consider such a Hayun as the next successor.

However, it was too early. If Jeong Seo-hoo had been alive, he would have given Hayun enough time to establish himself within the group after graduation, but his sudden death left a considerable void. Before Hayun could enter the Haedo Group, there were too many snake-like individuals coveting that position.

“I’ll achieve whatever position you want in the shortest time possible. You can trust me.”

Hayun’s voice was calm. There was not a hint of pretense in it.

“So, what do you want?”

Until now, Hayun had never shown ambition for company affairs. The fact that he was speaking like this now meant it was right to think he had a different purpose rather than personal ambition.

“Please be a shield for my siblings, especially Dawoon, so that no one can touch them or speak carelessly about them.”

This was an unexpected request. Jeong Tae-seong didn’t like Jeong Dawoon. It was natural. From the beginning, he had opposed when his son, Jeong Seo-hoo, said he would marry Kim Min-seo, who had entered as a secretary at the time.

Kim Min-seo was a woman with nothing. She was a woman without even parents, let alone a family background, who was going to enter as the daughter-in-law of the eldest son of the Haedo Group. It was natural to oppose. Jeong Seo-hoo had said that one marriage according to his father’s wishes was enough and forced the marriage despite the opposition.

“Haram is understandable, but why should I be a shield for someone who doesn’t share a drop of blood with me?”

When he frowned deeply and asked, Hayun faced Jeong Tae-seong with a calm expression.

“Because he’s my brother. You may not want to acknowledge it, Grandfather, but Dawoon is my brother. There’s no problem on paper either.”

On paper, that might be true, but Jeong Tae-seong had never, not for a moment, thought of Jeong Dawoon as his grandson.

“Father always said that too. That his marriage to mother was just delayed, but Dawoon was his child.”

Yes, he had said such things.

“And you’re okay with that?”

Jeong Tae-seong clicked his tongue, but Hayun didn’t respond one way or the other. If Jeong Seo-hoo’s words were true, it meant that Dawoon was born when Hayun’s birth mother was still alive. In other words, it meant that Jeong Seo-hoo had an affair even then, but Hayun made no mention of that part.

In reality, no traces of another man could be found around Kim Min-seo. Jeong Tae-seong had investigated Kim Min-seo’s background even then. Kim Min-seo had been alone since giving birth to Jeong Dawoon, and there was no sign of her meeting another man until she married Jeong Seo-hoo.

“If that’s not convincing enough, I’ll give you a reason you’ll have to accept, Grandfather.”

As if anticipating that Jeong Tae-seong wouldn’t easily nod, Hayun continued.

“Now that our parents have suddenly died without a will, all the stocks and assets that Father, who was the vice-chairman of Haedo Group, held will be equally inherited by me, Dawoon, and Haram.”

Inheritance. At the mention of that word, Jeong Tae-seong’s face hardened. Regardless of the truth, Jeong Dawoon was registered as Jeong Seo-hoo’s son in the family registry. Therefore, legally, Jeong Seo-hoo’s assets would be jointly inherited by his three children. Unlike Hayun, who was an adult, Dawoon and Haram, who were minors, would need a guardian to manage their assets, but their inheritance couldn’t be forcibly taken away. If he wanted to, he could find a way, but if the media caught wind of it, it would obviously become a huge controversy.

“I’ve already been designated as the guardian for Dawoon and Haram.”

Hayun added one more thing. When did he have time to designate a guardian while being busy with the funeral? Jeong Tae-seong inwardly clicked his tongue at how much faster Hayun’s actions were than he thought. This was the aspect of Hayun that he had coveted.

“If you acknowledge it, Grandfather, other relatives won’t dare to interfere. That’s all I’m asking for.”

Although he was speaking calmly and composedly without much change in intonation, Hayun was desperate in his own way. Although he was requesting a private meeting with Jeong Tae-seong and taking the form of a plea, this was essentially no different from blackmail using the stocks and assets left by Jeong Seo-hoo as hostages.

Jeong Tae-seong fell into contemplation with his lips set in a straight line. Should he just leave Jeong Dawoon in the family, or should he control the media and take this opportunity to kick him out of the family, even if it was a bit forceful? Dawoon’s inheritance could be minimized by hiring a lawyer, and that amount could be considered as compensation.

Hayun, who had been quietly sitting and waiting for Jeong Tae-seong’s answer, took a small breath and placed an envelope on the table.

“I thought I might not need to go this far, but I’m glad I prepared it just in case.”

Hayun’s face had hardened considerably compared to before, perhaps tired of his grandfather’s stubbornness.

“I hope this helps with your decision.”

With those final words, Hayun stood up, saying he seemed to have been away from the funeral hall for too long. Only after he bowed and left the room did Jeong Tae-seong pick up the envelope on the table and check its contents.

Inside was a paternal lineage test (Y-STR) result dated today. Since Jeong Seo-hoo had passed away, a DNA test with him was now impossible. The test subjects were Jeong Hayun and Jeong Dawoon. The test result stated that all 16 genetic markers on the Y chromosome of the two individuals matched, concluding that they shared the same paternal lineage.

Ha! Jeong Tae-seong let out a big sigh. Even as he checked the DNA test results again, he couldn’t accept Jeong Dawoon. But with such clear evidence presented, he couldn’t stop Hayun for now.

***

On his way from the VIP hospital room to the building where the funeral was being held, Hayun spotted Dawoon sitting absentmindedly on a bench. Even when he approached and stood right in front of him, Dawoon didn’t notice Hayun’s presence.

“Why are you so lost in thought?”

When he spoke, Dawoon startled. It seemed he had really lost his senses.

“Brother…”

When he looked up and confirmed it was Hayun, his expression visibly softened. Seeing that face trying hard to smile made Hayun feel sorry, so he reached out and stroked Dawoon’s head. Only at that touch did Dawoon’s eyes waver. They immediately filled with tears, but instead of letting them fall, he bowed his head deeply.

At such a sensitive age, the sudden accident of their parents must be very difficult for him. He could cry out loud if he wanted to, but the fact that he couldn’t was very typical of Jeong Dawoon. Despite growing up in the same house with the same education, Dawoon was very different from Hayun. He found it burdensome to be in the spotlight and just wanted to live quietly and normally like others.

Until now, it had been okay. It was their father who led the Haedo Group, and although Hayun, as the eldest son, was occasionally mentioned in the media, Dawoon and Haram, who were still young, weren’t exposed. But during the funeral, no matter how much they tried to control the media, the names of all three brothers inevitably came up. Probably even acquaintances who hadn’t realized that Dawoon was the second son of Jeong Seo-hoo of the Haedo Group would have found out through this incident.

“It’s okay to cry your heart out. You’ve been holding back since the first day.”

Sitting next to Dawoon, Hayun pulled his head to rest on his shoulder. Dawoon didn’t particularly resist that hand, but he still bit his lip hard as if holding back tears.

“Dawoon, if you’re struggling, it’s okay to show it. You’re still a kid. You don’t need to force yourself to hold back.”

Thinking that he might feel better if he cried it out, Hayun said this, but Dawoon swallowed his sobs while shaking slightly.