To My Brother’s Friend - Chapter 56

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 56
As I lifted my head, Seung-won—Han Young-sook’s grandson—stared at me with a startled expression.
“…Seung-won?”
At the sound of his name, Seung-won fumbled and covered his flushed neck with his hand.
Though he appeared flustered by the sudden encounter, his eyes gleamed with unmistakable warmth.
“I never expected to run into you here. Did you come to eat?”
“Oh, yes. Then… did you come to have a meal with the Master?”
“No, today I came alone on my grandmother’s errand. The head chef here is both my grandmother’s knot-tying student and her cooking mentor. I’m here to deliver something and pick up some ingredients.”
As I listened to his explanation, I nodded slightly.
Now that he mentioned it, the food I’d eaten earlier did taste remarkably similar to the Master’s cooking.
‘It was delicious, but I couldn’t hold back the nausea.’
That was the moment I smiled bitterly to myself.
“Um, Hee-jo. My grandmother mentioned something.”
Seung-won glanced around before lowering his voice and speaking carefully.
“She said you’re going down to our countryside house.”
“Ah… yes.”
Seung-won knew that I’d decided to go to my hometown with my grandmother.
But he didn’t yet know that I was carrying Kwon Yeol’s child.
It was Han Young-sook’s decision.
The more people who knew, the higher the chance the secret would leak out.
“I’ll probably head down soon to have the house repaired. If there’s anything you’d like, please let me know.”
“Yes, I will. Oh, my companions are waiting, so I should go…”
At my words, Seung-won seemed to realize his mistake and nodded hastily.
“Ah, yes. I’ve kept you too long. Go ahead.”
“I’ll contact you through the Master. Then, I’ll be going.”
I bowed politely and hurried past him back toward the restaurant.
As I returned to the dining area, Kwon Yeol stared at me intently.
“I was just about to leave. I thought you’d run off and abandoned me.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I ran into someone I know and stopped to greet them. It took a bit longer than expected.”
“Someone you know?”
“Yes, someone I met through a project before. Are you finished eating?”
For some reason, it feels like she’s deflecting the conversation.
Am I being too sensitive?
Worried that this delicate woman might sense my inner turmoil and feel burdened, I nodded lightly and placed the homemade sorbet dessert in front of her.
“They made it themselves, apparently. It has yuzu and apple mint in it.”
I drew in a shallow breath.
Fear gripped me at the thought of putting something else into my barely-emptied stomach, only to retch or feel nauseous.
‘I’m sorry, little one. Just hold on a bit longer.’
Just until we get home and Kwon Yeol takes his shower.
I forced a smile and picked up the spoon.
The moment I put the sherbet in my mouth with full determination.
My eyes widened.
No matter what I’d eaten until now, my stomach churned and felt queasy, but this was different.
The refreshingly cool, almost crisp taste actually soothed my turbulent insides with surprising gentleness.
My hands moved faster without my realizing it.
I kept pushing the cool, sweet flavor into my mouth again and again.
Then, feeling a gaze upon me, I turned my head and my eyes met Kwon Yeol’s.
“You’re enjoying it.”
Ah…
My cheeks flushed crimson in an instant.
“I-it’s delicious.”
“Yeah, it looks like it.”
My face grew hot with embarrassment.
“Let me pack some for you to take home. Actually, I’ll make sure you can eat it every day.”
I should have politely declined, said it was unnecessary.
But I couldn’t bear to let go of this refreshing coolness—like rain after a drought—that I’d tasted for the first time in so long.
“Mm… every day might be a bit much…”
Seeing me hesitate in a way unlike my usual self, he closed his eyes and let out a low chuckle.
The sight of him made it feel as though he’d returned to the innocent younger sister I once knew, and Kwon Yeol felt a tickle in his chest.
Cute Yoon Hee-jo. Lovely Yoon Hee-jo.
His wife, whom he simply couldn’t take his eyes off.
Her recent avoidance of his gaze and reluctance to his touch must be because her desire to lead the Project to success had made her more sensitive.
Dismissing it as mere mood, Kwon Yeol decided to focus solely on the Project he was overseeing.
The perfect result looming before him was far more important than this subtle sense of discord.
Once he achieved success, Kwon Yeol planned to propose to her formally.
Until then, he wanted to avoid burdening Hee-jo as much as possible and keep her heart at ease.
Having finished ordering from the chef, Kwon Yeol gently wrapped his arm around Hee-jo’s shoulders.
“Let’s go home.”
Ignoring the ache that bloomed in my chest at those tender words, I forced a smile and nodded.
* * *
Whether it was fortunate or not.
That night, instead of being intimate, Kwon Yeol held me in his arms and drifted to sleep.
His touch cradling me was tender and warm, which was nice.
But the large, firm sensation pressing against my lower abdomen was something I couldn’t ignore no matter how hard I tried.
I carefully lifted my head to look at him.
“Brother… are you really okay?”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s a natural reaction when lying in the same bed as my wife.”
Contrary to his body’s response, his face—eyes closed as he held me—remained calm and serene.
“Your health comes first.”
At those words, my chest tightened.
“You don’t have to force yourself. So please, don’t suggest sleeping separately anymore.”
Kwon Yeol added softly, stroking Hee-jo’s hair.
“I can’t sleep without Yoon Hee-jo now.”
His words seeped deep into her chest.
She had never forced herself, not even once.
If she could, she wanted nothing more than to nestle into his embrace right now.
Deeply. Intensely.
But…
“Thank you, oppa.”
Hee-jo burrowed deeper into his arms.
As she listened to his breathing above her head and felt his hand gently patting her back, she slowly closed her eyes.
Hoping that the baby inside her could feel every bit of his warmth.
* * *
The atmosphere between them seemed to have found stability once more.
But peace was not destined to last long.
From that day forward, insidious and unpleasant rumors began to spread.
“An improper relationship with Han Teacher’s grandson, they say?”
A faint glimmer of anger flickered across Chairman Beom’s eyes.
Secretary Director Seok Ki-young bowed his head.
“My apologies, Chairman.”
“Why are you apologizing? That girl Hee-jo should be.”
About two months ago.
The moment he heard the rumor that Hee-jo was pregnant, he had ordered an examination and personally confirmed with his own eyes that she was not.
But the rumor, far from dying down, only grew more elaborate.
Recently, even more malicious content had been added to it.
The vile claim that the child in her womb belonged not to Kwon Yeol, but to Han Young-sook’s grandson.
Chairman Beom himself knew better than anyone that the rumor was false.
Neither Hee-jo nor Han Teacher were the type to do such a thing.
Yet having one’s name dragged through such scandal was itself a crime.
Restoring a tarnished image was never easy.
What mattered to the public was not truth, but sensation.
“What should we do?”
“Leave it be.”
Chairman Beom took no particular action.
The more the scandal surrounding Hee-jo grew, the more it favored Kwon Yeol.
The divorce would proceed smoothly.
Yet, perhaps because the child was still under his roof…
The fact that she had been caught up in such absurd rumors bothered him more than he cared to admit.
“If Han Teacher hears of this, he’ll be furious. He may appear gentle on the surface, but he has a fiery temperament.”
And then there was one more person.
There was someone who would react to this news not with heat, but rather with a cold flame—a chilling composure.
“That fool Kwon Yeol better not do anything reckless.”
Just as Chairman Beom had anticipated, Kwon Yeol’s eyes turned glacial upon receiving Hong Se-gi’s report.
Tap. Tap.
His index finger drummed intermittently against the desk, and at first glance, he appeared as indifferent as always.
But Hong Se-gi knew better.
The more Kwon Yeol’s rage intensified, the more unnervingly composed he became.
“The grandson of Han Young-sook the master craftsman.”
“Since the encounter between Madam and Seung-won was spotted a few days ago, rumors have spiraled beyond control.”
“A few days ago?”
“A week ago. They apparently crossed paths at a Korean restaurant called Youngseo, though it seems coincidental based on the circumstances….”
Kwon Yeol’s movements froze abruptly.
Youngseo Korean restaurant.
That was the place Hee-jo and I had visited together a week ago.

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