The Chaebol Family’s Youngest Daughter Doesn’t Hide Her Acting Skills - Chapter 51

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 51

 

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Ryu Dokyung was dressed in a neat suit. Unlike usual, he gazed quietly at the columbarium with a calm face, not scowling.

 

I held my breath and observed him. Even though I hadn’t secretly followed him here, I felt like I shouldn’t be caught watching.

 

Eventually, he placed the bouquet he was holding next to the columbarium. He didn’t seem to notice my gaze yet.

 

Even without checking, I could guess who the owner of the columbarium was.

 

Ryu Dokyung’s deceased parents. Two people who left behind a young child, just like my mother. Ryu Dokyung seemed to have come here to pay his respects to them.

 

‘…It’s been a while since I’ve seen that expression.’

 

It was distinctly different from his usual cold, guarded face.

 

A face filled with loneliness. It overlapped with the image from the funeral I had visited as a child, not knowing anything. Suddenly, I felt like I shouldn’t be watching anymore.

 

As I turned away, I soon heard a tapping sound on the glass window. Ryu Dokyung, who had noticed me, was calling me from beyond the window.

 

He said something from inside the building. I could read his lips telling me to wait quietly.

 

“…Ju Sae-i!”

 

Ryu Dokyung, who had quickly come outside, called out to stop me. His eyes showed he hadn’t expected to meet me here.

 

“What brings you here…”

 

“I suggested we come.”

 

“Ah, Chairman Joo.”

 

Before Ryu Dokyung could finish speaking, Grandfather, who had followed behind, intercepted with his answer. Grandfather approached my side and naturally looked Ryu Dokyung up and down.

 

Ryu Dokyung seemed conscious of Grandfather’s gaze and lowered his eyes.

 

“About Chairman Ryu…”

 

It was quite a well-known fact that Chairman Ryu was uncomfortable with his grandson honoring his parents.

 

Ryu Dokyung seemed frozen at the thought that Chairman Ryu might find out he had come here. After all, our grandfather was Chairman Ryu’s close friend.

 

Grandfather looked at him for a moment, then slowly opened his mouth.

 

“I was planning to turn a blind eye anyway.”

 

“Ah…”

 

“Who could stop a child from missing their parents?”

 

At those words, Ryu Dokyung closed his mouth that had been hanging open.

 

“It was around this time they passed away, wasn’t it? Your parents, I mean.”

 

Ryu Dokyung nodded while biting his lips as if trying to suppress something.

 

“You must feel empty, so Sae-i, keep Dokyung company for a while.”

 

“What?”

 

It was then that Grandfather clicked his tongue and handed me over to Ryu Dokyung.

 

Even when I hurriedly asked again, Grandfather didn’t mind and just looked at Ryu Dokyung with pity.

 

“Yes, just bring our granddaughter back on time. Don’t worry, today’s events won’t reach Chairman Ryu’s ears.”

 

His voice was quiet but firm. Ryu Dokyung’s eyes widened in surprise, then he bowed his head briefly.

 

“…Thank you.”

 

Before I could say anything, Grandfather headed toward the car. Leaving only Ryu Dokyung and me in the garden.

 

***

 

After leaving me sitting alone on the bench and remaining silent for a while, Ryu Dokyung spoke up.

 

“What brought you here?”

 

“My mother is here too.”

 

“Ah.”

 

It was a dry conversation. Though we both knew each other’s family circumstances, this was the first time we had directly brought it up since meeting again.

 

“You were watching me earlier, weren’t you?”

 

“Uh, how did you know?”

 

“Do you think I’m as dense as someone else? I thought it might be a spy Chairman Ryu had assigned, but it turned out to be you.”

 

Chairman Ryu and Ryu Dokyung had a close relationship. However, I had heard that Chairman Ryu even disliked his grandson mentioning his parents.

 

This was because Chairman Ryu’s second son, obsessed with the succession battle, had ordered the eldest son—Ryu Dokyung’s father—and his wife to be killed with a freight truck.

 

Due to that greed, Ryu Dokyung lost his parents.

 

Chairman Ryu, who noticed his second son’s ambition, didn’t let this matter slide quietly. He demanded a proper investigation and eventually had his own second son imprisoned.

 

And that wasn’t all. Those who had been close to the second son couldn’t escape Chairman Ryu’s wrath either. This incident became the catalyst for Chairman Ryu cutting off most of his family and becoming synonymous with purging relatives.

 

After that incident, he took in and raised the orphaned Ryu Dokyung, cherishing his grandson enough to designate him as the official heir, but…

 

‘It must be uncomfortable for him since his other child killed his grandson’s parents.’

 

That’s why mentioning ‘that incident’ became taboo in the Ryu family. When I was young, I had witnessed Ryu Dokyung being scolded for breaking this rule.

 

‘I didn’t know he would still assign surveillance for such matters.’

 

Ryu Dokyung must have his own serious troubles, I thought. When I looked at him with pity, he grimaced in disgust.

 

“I wasn’t trying to spy on you. It’s just that your expression was a bit…”

 

“Forget it. Whatever it was.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Do I need to list reasons for you to understand? There’s nothing good about keeping such an image in mind.”

 

Ryu Dokyung seemed to think that being caught missing his parents was a weakness being exposed.

 

‘He’s really gotten twisted.’

 

At least the Ryu Dokyung I knew from the past wasn’t like this.

 

Rather…

 

‘You don’t need to be strong, Ju Sae-i. You can be weak.’

 

‘…’

 

‘There’s a time for grieving to your heart’s content too.’

 

‘But…’

 

‘Just cry. I’ll shield you.’

 

Ryu Dokyung was the person who told me, after I lost my mother, that I could grieve freely and that it was okay to suffer.

 

Many things must have happened to Ryu Dokyung while I was away from the Ju family. The result of enduring those experiences was the current withered Ryu Dokyung.

 

‘I was trying not to care.’

 

I had tried to avoid getting involved with Ryu Dokyung, but seeing him like this and just passing by indifferently would truly be ungrateful.

 

I wanted to repay him at least as much as past Ryu Dokyung had comforted me. Back then, I had whined annoyingly enough to make anyone sick of it.

 

“Even if you say that, I won’t forget.”

 

“Why.”

 

“You used to tell me I didn’t need to be strong.”

 

“What are you…”

 

Ryu Dokyung, who had swallowed his words, soon avoided my eyes. He seemed to have recalled the past we shared. I didn’t give him a chance to argue back and added:

 

“You always played the role of shielding me when I cried, back then. It’s about time we switched roles.”

 

“…”

 

“Let’s say I shielded you today…”

 

I had spoken confidently, but I ended my sentence while gauging his reaction.

 

I expected him to argue about what I was shielding when he hadn’t even cried, but Ryu Dokyung remained quiet. He looked at me silently, then turned his head toward the columbarium.

 

“…When I was young.”

 

After being lost in thought for a long time, he slowly moved his lips. Clearing his throat, he continued.

 

“People around me said I had devoured my parents.”

 

Ah, there it was again. Ryu Dokyung looked at me with the same quiet expression he had shown in front of the columbarium earlier.

 

I hadn’t seen it from the front before, so I didn’t know, but this expression had tremendous impact. Just making eye contact made my stomach churn.

 

“Back then, the world was all noisy and suffocating…”

 

“…”

 

“But strangely, around you, I could breathe.”

 

His voice was serious, like a confession.

 

“Maybe it was because you were foolish. Throwing tantrums at all hours.”

 

I take back what I said about him being serious.

 

Why was he suddenly bringing up my dark history after speaking so well? Feeling embarrassed, my face reddened as I stopped listening attentively.

 

Ryu Dokyung didn’t care about my change and continued spitting out what he wanted to say.

 

“That’s why I thought it would be okay to keep you by my side. Never dreaming you would suddenly disappear.”

 

Ryu Dokyung sent me a sharp look for a moment. When I instinctively shrank my shoulders, he smirked as if that was the reaction he wanted.

 

“I thought I’d never find you again.”

 

“….”

 

“It’s refreshing to breathe next to you, even now.”

 

Did my words provide even a little comfort? Ryu Dokyung looked down at me with a brightened expression.

 

‘Now, is it time for him to say thank you….’

 

I smiled contentedly as I anticipated what he would say next. Ryu Dokyung poked my forehead with his index finger and said.

 

“You’re annoying, you know that, Ju Sae-i.”

 

“What?”

 

Wasn’t this exactly the timing to say thank you? Just as I was about to say something to Ryu Dokyung, who was grinning mischievously.

 

“Huh…?”

 

Large raindrops began falling overhead. Everything from the ground to our clothes got soaked in an instant.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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