Married For Now-Chapter 38: THE CULPRIT

LIM JINWOOK, the grandson of Navi Group.

The Navi Group was one of the two biggest search engines and online platforms in South Korea.

In short...

"If he’s the grandson of a South Korean internet conglomerate, then he’s a chaebol like you," Sohee said, impressed, while looking at the Ilsung computer tablet in his hand. Yes, that expensive gadget was manufactured by his contract husband’s family business. "No wonder you couldn’t find him until now."

"Yes, and catching him would be tricky," Kim Heedo said, his eyes glued to the table full of food that Sohee personally cooked for breakfast. "Hyung, did you cook all of this?"

"Do you not like homemade food?"

"I love homemade food," Kim Heedo said, raising his head to meet Sohee’s gaze. "I was just wondering if you made this hang-over soup for me."

"Yes, I did."

Kim Heedo called him last night, saying that he would pick him up at his apartment so that they could go to university together.

That was how Sohee found out that Kim Heedo was drinking with his friends.

"This is ppyeo-haejangguk, Hyung."

Aka ox-bone hangover soup.

"It must have taken you hours to cook this, Hyung," Kim Heedo said worriedly. "You probably woke up early."

Well, Sohee had to boil the ox bones for hours and hours.

Of course, there were other hang-over soups that would have been less complicated to cook, but... frёeωebɳovel.com

"Remember? I used to work in a restaurant that only serves hang-over soup. The owner taught me how to make the perfect ppyeo-haejangguk," Sohee explained, smiling when he remembered the kind restaurant owner he used to work for. "Yes, it takes hours to boil ox bones. But it’s worth it since all the delicious, nutritious meat, marrow, and ligaments dissolve to create a hearty bone broth. In short, it’s good for your body."

"Hyung, I’m grateful, but..."

"You feel burdened?"

"I can’t help but think you’re being too... extra?"

"Are you worried that I’m doing this to win you over?"

"..."

Sohee laughed softly while shaking his head. "Don’t be too arrogant, Heedo-ya. You’re my golden goose, so it’s only natural for me to treat you well."

Kim Heedo frowned. "Are you treating me like a pet?"

Aigoo.

"You’re so hard to please, young master," Sohee complained lightly. "If I treat you well, you suspect I’m falling in love with you. But if I treat you casually, you think I’m treating you like a pet. What do you want me to do?"

"..."

"If you want to put me at arm’s length, then just say so," Sohee said, a bit frustrated this time. "Heedo-ya, I have reasons why I’m taking care of you. First, I’m older than you. So, my instinct to take care of a dongsaeng kicks in when we’re together."

"Hyung, you’re only two years older than me."

"Yes, but my mental age and emotional intelligence are much higher than yours."

"Ouch."

"Shh. Listen to this hyung first. I’m not yet done talking," Sohee scolded Kim Heedo. "Second, I’m good to you because I like your family. Your parents are kind to me, and I get along well with your siblings. Taking care of you is my way to show my gratitude to them. But don’t worry. I’m not being delusional. I know that your family is only good to me because your fortune depends on me. So, you don’t have to worry since I know my place."

"Ah," Kim Heedo said, guilt crossing his eyes. "Is that why you cried before, Hyung? I hurt your feelings when I said my family is only being nice to you because of the curse..."

"Yes, but it’s not your fault that the truth hurts."

"I’m sorry, Hyung— I mean it."

"If you’re sorry, then stop giving meaning to every little thing I do for you," Sohee said lightheartedly. "The third and last reason I’m being kind to you is because I want us to be friends. We’re fuck buddies, dude. We already did the fucking, so let’s be buddies as well."

Kim Heedo tried to hide his laughter by faking a laugh. "Hyung, you’re not that old, so please stop with your dad jokes."

"I wasn’t trying to be funny, though..."

Kim Heedo burst out laughing this time. "That makes it funnier, then."

Aigoo.

This kid’s humor is broken...

Sohee just changed the topic since Kim Heedo looked relaxed now. "Heedo-ya, you should pay me 1,000 won every time you assume I’m flirting with you."

Kim Heedo raised an eyebrow. "What if Hyung just refuses to admit that you’re flirting with me?"

"If I was still broke, you would have been right. But I’m financially free now. I won’t deceive you for 1,000 won."

"I don’t like this, but you sound convincing, Hyung."

"Are you up to it or not?"

"Fine," Kim Heedo said, giving in. "I’ll pay 1,000 won every time I mistake Hyung’s kindness for flirting."

"And it’s 2,000 won if your reason for accusing me of flirting with you is ridiculous."

"Fine."

"It looks like Mr. GG would be full soon."

"You named our piggy bank ’Mr. GG?’ Is it because it’s a golden goose?" Kim Heedo complained. "Hyung, you suck at giving names."

"Whatever. You gave it to me, so it’s mine now. I can give it any name I want," Sohee said, shrugging. And then he quickly changed the topic before Kim Heedo could complain again. "So, why did you say that catching Lim Jinwook would be tricky?"

"Now that we know who the culprit is, I can’t carelessly use my family’s power to catch him," Kim Heedo explained. "If I ask for Grandfather or my parents’ help, then it will look like the Ilsung Group itself is "bullying" Lim Jinwook. As a result, the Navi Group might retaliate. In short, it will turn into a fight between two giant conglomerates."

"Ah, I think I get what you’re saying. So, you’ll catch Lim Jinwook with your own power to keep it as a "children’s fight.""

"Exactly. It’s an unspoken rule that adults have no place in a children’s fight."

"While that’s true, a fight stops being a "children’s fight" when it starts getting too dangerous," Sohee said, slightly scolding Kim Heedo. "If the fight escalates in a bad way, call a trusted adult right away."

"I get it, Hyung," Kim Heedo said, and then he started eating his hang-over soup. "I’ll call you right away if things go downhill."

Oh.

So, I’m the trusted adult.

***

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