The Unbelievers

Chapter 18

After school, Eunseong returned to Yoo Siwoon’s house, which had tight security. Identity checks were thorough from the entrance. Even when Director Nam and Eunseong were coming and going from school, they didn’t just check the car and let them in. Like entering a military facility, they had to lower the car window and show the interior to the security staff. The staff checked not only Director Nam but also Eunseong’s face in the back seat before opening the barrier.

Even after passing the barrier, they had to drive quite a way up before reaching the house surrounded by a beautiful garden. As a high school student with some life experience who claimed to know a bit about the world, Eunseong was increasingly realizing that he wasn’t the heir to an ordinary wealthy family.

The more he realized this, the more puzzling his father’s actions of running away to avoid becoming the successor became. Additionally, the still unclear future that his father had feared was also frightening.

He had looked into Seongha Momentum and Seongha Group, but there was no information beyond what was available on the internet. When he asked Yoo Siwoon, he was told to ask Director Nam, and when he asked Director Nam, he was told to ask Yoo Siwoon again. They kept avoiding answering. If he asked the security guards, they pretended not to see Eunseong.

He was also curious about the succession structure and hierarchy that had made his father kneel and beg for forgiveness in front of Yoo Siwoon. It was common sense that his father, being the eldest son of the family, should outrank Yoo Siwoon, but his father had said it was natural for Yoo Siwoon to outrank him because he had been removed from the family register, and that it was natural to kneel before him. If that was the case, Eunseong couldn’t understand why he, the son of someone removed from the family register, qualified as a successor candidate. With the limits of information available to Eunseong, there was no way to find out.

That’s why Eunseong became more obsessed with saving money. If something happened, having money could solve problems. Of course, the amount he saved wouldn’t be a great solution, but people generally feel more at ease when they have money in hand.

Money accumulated much faster than when he was doing part-time jobs. Eunseong sold everything he could. He had already sold the iPad, watch, and laptop that Director Nam had bought him, and he put up shoes, bags, and clothes that fit him for sale at slightly lower than market prices. Luxury clothes and shoes sold as soon as he listed them. He mostly made transactions at school. Being a school for wealthy kids, the luxury goods business was quite profitable.

When he said he wanted a new bag, Director Nam would bring a new one without asking what happened to the previous one, and when he needed new clothes and shoes, he would usually bring what was wanted within a day. They were all brand new, unopened products, contained in department store shopping bags.

Now Eunseong boldly sent links of products he found online to Director Nam’s phone. But to avoid suspicion, he cleverly spaced out his requests at appropriate intervals.

He made it seem like the typical showing off and fuss of a nineteen-year-old kid who suddenly went from pauper to prince, intoxicated by the reality of sudden wealth and eager to enjoy it. They would never imagine that he was selling all of it.

He hid the money under the table as it came in. When there was no more space under the table, he carefully taped it under the bed frame. At this rate, he thought he might easily exceed ten million won by the time of the college entrance exam.

“Thank you for the meal.”

Eunseong mumbled to no one in particular as he sat at the empty dining table and picked up his chopsticks. The housekeeper was busy making rice tea in the kitchen. Director Nam, who had brought Eunseong home from school, was out on some business.

Today again, the table was set with expensive dishes made from ingredients Eunseong had never eaten or even seen before.

Eunseong tried pine mushrooms for the first time in this house. They had a chewy texture like meat and a woody aroma. When chewed continuously, pine mushrooms released a sweet pine scent. However, the portions weren’t excessive; just the right amount was served in an appropriate number of dishes. Everything was delicious.

When eating delicious food, Eunseong thought of his father.

Even though his father had treated him like a burden he wanted to abandon, the change in living standards made it impossible not to think of him. Especially since they couldn’t contact each other. Ahjussi only said that he was probably doing well somewhere.

No matter how excellent the side dishes were, eating alone wasn’t very enjoyable. Eunseong ate while watching videos on his phone. It was difficult to become close to anyone in this house; both the housekeeper and Director Nam maintained a formal politeness without getting any closer.

Especially after Eunseong started asking about the family, they became even more reticent, sometimes even ignoring him as if they hadn’t heard. So Eunseong also stopped asking about the family and the conditions for succession as heir.

While Eunseong was eating dinner alone, Yoo Siwoon appeared. Eunseong stopped the video. Although he had seen him drinking coffee this morning, it felt like they hadn’t met for days. Eunseong unconsciously smiled brightly upon seeing him.

“Are you just coming in?”

“Are you having dinner now?”

He checked his wristwatch. He seemed to think 7:30 was late for dinner.

“Have you eaten, ahjussi?”

“No, not yet.”

“Then eat with me. I just started eating.”

Eunseong said this even though his rice bowl was already half empty. Yoo Siwoon hesitated for a moment before pulling out the chair opposite Eunseong at the dining table. The distance between the ends of the table, which could seat about ten people, was even greater than when they were facing each other at the island table.

“Sir, you’re home? If you haven’t eaten, shall I prepare dinner?”

“Yes.”

The housekeeper, noticing Yoo Siwoon, came over and asked. Her polite tone was exactly the same as when she addressed Eunseong.

Eunseong stared at them blankly. The housekeeper was standing very close to him as she asked. Yoo Siwoon was said to have severe mysophobia. That’s why he was extremely careful about Eunseong getting close and would back away like opposing magnets if he approached.

Although it was just for a moment, Yoo Siwoon didn’t even flinch when the housekeeper stood right next to him, despite his alleged mysophobia.

Receiving Eunseong’s puzzled gaze, Yoo Siwoon, who was adjusting his slipping necktie while sitting down, stood up with a start. He went to the sink at one side of the dining room to wash his hands and came back.

Eunseong put down his phone that he had placed horizontally on the table. He waited for Yoo Siwoon’s meal to be served, holding his chopsticks.

An identical dinner to Eunseong’s was placed in front of Yoo Siwoon. The composition and placement of the side dishes were exactly the same.

“I think it’s the first time I’ve seen you come at this hour. You usually come late, don’t you?”

“…”

Yoo Siwoon, who was about to start eating, looked up at Eunseong.

“There’s no one here… The housekeeper just sets the meal and leaves, Director Nam doesn’t seem like a real person, and the security guards I occasionally meet outside don’t even answer. They seem to dislike me asking about the company.”

Eunseong rambled on. Yoo Siwoon, who had been listening quietly, asked:

“Haven’t you made any new friends at school?”

“It’s the last year of high school. Everyone’s too focused on themselves to care about others.”

“Are you managing with your studies?”

“Which university did you go to, ahjussi?”

“Cornell, in America.”

“Then you must have been a good student?”

“I suppose so.”

Yoo Siwoon gave short answers to Eunseong’s questions. Eunseong didn’t mind whether the other person’s answers were brief or not. It was much better to have dinner sitting across from someone than being alone in a silent place. It finally felt like a house where people lived.

“I’m at the bottom of my class, is that okay? Don’t you need to be a good student to become a successor?”

“If needed, I can arrange a tutor for you.”

“I don’t want that. I’m saying I don’t like studying.”

“…”

“I’m not in middle school anymore, I’m in my last year of high school. What difference would studying make now?”

“Is that what you think?”

“Yes, that’s what I think.”

“Then do as you like.”

“What? Is that all you have to say?”

Eunseong got annoyed at his indifferent response. Despite forcibly taking him from his father, claiming he had to protect him, his treatment of Eunseong was almost at the level of neglect. Eunseong closed his mouth, realizing he was complaining about Yoo Siwoon’s lack of interest after he had just said he didn’t want tutoring or studying.

“…How are you feeling?”

“Pardon?”

“Your body… how’s your condition? It seems like summer and the rainy season will start soon.”

Summer was a season when the body deteriorated due to heat and humidity. However, this wasn’t applicable in this house where even the air was managed to be pristine, with no chance for mold to grow.

Eunseong had been walking less these days as he was driven around in cars. He didn’t have time to sweat or feel the heat. Even now, his side felt cool.

He had expected to be nagged about why he wasn’t studying if he didn’t want to, but Yoo Siwoon just made irrelevant comments as if he wasn’t interested. Annoyed, Eunseong replied tersely:

“It’s not ‘soon to be summer,’ it is summer now.”

“Ah, right.”

His attitude showed a complete lack of interest in Eunseong. When Yoo Siwoon had nothing to say, he would just ask pointless questions about how Eunseong was feeling.