The Fateful Reunion

**BACKTICK**CHAPTER_TITLE: The Hidden Truth of the Sunrise Festival**BACKTICK**

“Wha, what?”“LT__p>The chairman’s mouth went dry and his wife’s eyes nearly popped out of her head.LT__p>“The price must be paid.”LT__p>Only Hwigyeom remained completely calm, talking about paying a blood price.LT__p>“Hwigyeom-ssi! This isn’t the time for that talk!”LT__p>Pyojije, who had been hiding behind a pillar and watching, shot out into the living room in shock.LT__p>Pyojije was Hwigyeom’s age- and university-graduate cousin from the same school as Sado-myung. They had been close friends, and through Sado-myung’s introduction Hwigyeom had once met her.LT__p>Because of that, Hwigyeom had once wondered if the part-timer at the Sunrise Festival had received his horoscope from Sado-myung and Pyojije. After digging into the possibility and learning the truth, it was clear there had been at least a light flirtation between them.LT__p>“I truly apologize to you as well, Pyojije-ssi. In place of the engagement cancellation, I will take full responsibility. I promise you will never be affected by this in any way.”LT__p>Given the circumstances, Hwigyeom spoke to her with polite formality as if meeting a stranger for the first time.LT__p>“No, Hwigyeom-ssi. Why so hasty? We only need to apologize……”LT__p>Pyojije’s mother hurriedly grabbed his arm, but he shook his head with a heavy expression.LT__p>“I truly apologize. I have no face left to show, but there is nothing more I can say.”LT__p>Sahan Group and Pyojin Group stocks would fall, but the wedding rumor would simply return to its previous state. And Pyojije would get closer to Sado-myung again, so it was good for everyone.LT__p>Hwigyeom earnestly hoped to inherit the company and felt a little sorry for his mother, Hong Jeonghye, who had taken in the granddaughter-in-law after persuading his grandfather the chairman. What could he do? Fate itself was blocking this marriage.LT__p>How cruel. It was impossible to defy the times.LT__p>***LT__p>Indeed, the times were the times. Hwigyeom’s engagement cancellation as the S Group third generation had only been public for three days when it stirred the media and SNS once more.LT__p>[S Group third generation sudden breakup. P Group merger at risk]LT__p>[Will Sahan Group’s logistics business still conquer the industry after crossing the river?]LT__p>It started like that……LT__p>But the media that had tasted the sweetness of Hwigyeom’s scandal a few days ago did not stop there. Of course he only announced that the marriage was canceled for personal reasons.LT__p>However, the avalanche of articles contained every kind of vulgar play he supposedly enjoyed, including indifference to gender. The aroma of hot gossip filled the air.LT__p>[Exclusive] Big corporate deal fallout! Reason: the crown prince’s debauched private life?]LT__p>[The royal family’s secret — sticky scandals surrounding S Group’s third generation. Was the Sunrise Festival just a teaser?]LT__p>These were unsubstantiated rumors that ended with “camera” or baseless speculation of “this is obvious,” but they were enough to pique everyone’s interest.LT__p>To restore order, the Sahan Group legal team, PR team, and HR team burned the weekend white. Hwigyeom’s mother Jeonghye went straight to his house the moment she served breakfast to her in-laws.LT__p>“If you didn’t want to get married, you should have said so from the beginning. Why did you make this a mess!”LT__p>She had only just proven that the Sunrise Festival photo was a simple prank. Why did they dig up the article again and create this mess!LT__p>In Jeonghye’s eyes Hwigyeom looked like a man who wanted to eat her face.LT__p>Leaning against the window, Hwigyeom fiddled with his coffee cup with a listless expression.LT__p>“That’s right, Mother. Why are people so serious about someone else’s private life? If I weren’t here, the reporters would be eating their fill.”LT__p>His second son’s attitude made Jeonghye even more upset. She still thought the world was black and white.LT__p>“No matter how you look at it, that’s not how it is. You’re not a child who’s only one or two years old. You were given the company to hold in your hands — how could you ruin it like that!”LT__p>“Yes, Mother. I’m no longer the age to hold anything in my hands.”LT__p>Once again expressionless, Hwigyeom looked at the lavender bag in his mother’s hand.LT__p>Jeonghye’s chest felt heavy. She knew she had been the mother who threw away her life for him and had reluctantly accepted this marriage. But even so, she wanted Hwigyeom to take only the easy path ahead.LT__p>“You’ll have to try having a child later! No matter how old I get, a mother can only want one more to hug!”LT__p>Jeonghye was about to hug the lavender bag to her chest when Hwigyeom’s secretary, Koo, entered the living room.LT__p>“Hong Director, you’re here.”LT__p>Koo, who greeted Jeonghye neatly, was a former doctor who had been with Hwigyeom since he left Korea at a young age.LT__p>“How did it go?”LT__p>Hwigyeom asked, and Koo shook his head.LT__p>“The part-timer whose name was on the list says she only worked one day with him. She doesn’t even know the name Nur a. The logistics center hasn’t appeared since that day, so I can’t find him even if I see him. I’ll contact you again if he shows up……”LT__p>“Yes.”LT__p>Hwigyeom cut off the answer, stretched out long on the lounge chair, and his head throbbed as if it were about to clear again.LT__p>His eyes hidden behind thick black lenses flickered open and shut inside his head.LT__p>Hwigyeom closed his eyes and recalled her face one by one.LT__p>A small nose barely supporting large sunglasses, chubby lips, fluffy peach cheeks, and a shiny gold hairpin.LT__p>He could recall up to there clearly, but the eyes were still blurry. Still, the feeling that her scent and voice were familiar made him want to scream.LT__p>“Haa……”LT__p>The articles didn’t matter. Her face was still unknown, and the company could be taken whenever he wanted.LT__p>Thanks to all of that, Hwigyeom had restored everything to its original state, so he actually felt good.LT__p>But he could never forgive the person who disappeared without showing her face in exchange.LT__p>Since losing a month of memories in his childhood, Hwigyeom had compulsively collected and remembered every face related to him, especially human faces. Because he believed he would find the human who had created this situation one day.LT__p>But this woman had only shown half her face and vanished. Thinking she was being locked away in a foggy veil of another face made him want to go mad.LT__p>“Should I have taken the DNA left on my lips?”“LT__p>Jeonghye, who had been watching him, finally had to turn away without finishing what she was about to say. She knew better than anyone why her son was so obsessed with finding the person who had done something to him.LT__p>From birth, he had been obsessed, and only things that were perfect would relieve him. Unlike the first son who was always calm, he was sensitive and prickly. But because he had been born beautiful, it seemed like a fitting personality.LT__p>If he couldn’t get what he wanted or lost what was his, he made those around him bleed. Hwigyeom, who should have lost the memory he needed and gained a terrifying genius he didn’t even know the roots of, was only natural to be unable to endure.LT__p>This too would pass. Jeonghye repeated the words she had held onto for over twenty years today.LT__p>She had even thought that if she met a woman she wanted to protect and built a family, she might forget it.LT__p>Jeonghye swallowed the sigh she couldn’t spit out.LT__p>“Secretary Koo, please put this in the fridge. It’s really good deer antler, so I boiled it all night.”LT__p>And I still love you, as if wrapping it in honey.LT__p>It was the final interview day for Sahan Hotel, the one they had been waiting for.LT__p>Yeong-a waited her turn in the waiting room set up in the empty meeting room, taking out her phone. She was checking overseas topics or economic trends.LT__p>But the portal sites were still flooded with Sahan Group’s third generation scandal.LT__p>[Shock! The real reason Sahan Group’s P-mart recruitment failed… because of his…]LT__p>Yeong-a quickly closed the embarrassing screen with the title.LT__p>“Aigoo……”“LT__p>A few days ago she had seen a popular post online and thought her heart would drop. When was it taken? The back view of the man carrying her at the Sunrise Festival was posted!LT__p>The man she had fallen under was the Sahan Group third generation. He had attended as the representative of the sponsor Sahan Group company, which was why the fact had come out.LT__p>Her face was still veiled, but the rumors were so rampant that it was even more sensational. Yeong-a had not even looked at him properly that day. There had been no opportunity to examine his face.LT__p>It was fortunate she was the candidate for Sahan Hotel. She was wearing sunglasses, but who knew? She didn’t want to meet that man again.LT__p>Since then more articles about the man had poured out. But Yeong-a never clicked on any article with “Sahan” in the title. Just glancing at the headline made her spine go cold, remembering the scene. She already knew more about the company than she could sleep on.LT__p>“Yu Yeong-a, please come in.”LT__p>Her name was called at last. Yeong-a stood up, clenching her fists.LT__p>“Yes!”LT__p>Thirty minutes later Yeong-a left the interview room with a brighter face than ever. Even the interviewers and other candidates she had entered with were sighing at her smooth answers, so the acceptance was as good as done.LT__p>“Phew!”LT__p>Striding along, Yeong-a pushed up her glasses. Because of her professor’s comment that her face looked fragile, she had taken Soo-ho’s recommendation for non-prescription glasses.LT__p>Entering the waiting room, she immediately took her phone from her bag to message Soo-ho. Just as she was about to tap his name pinned directly below the rose grandma, someone called her.LT__p>“Yu Yeong-a?”“LT__p>A man standing a few steps away was staring at her name tag with eyes that could pierce through.LT__p>“……Yes?”“LT__p>When Yeong-a answered, the man’s gaze moved to her face. He soon stretched out his arm and tilted his palm 90 degrees.LT__p>It looked as if he was framing her face. Yeong-a stared at him blankly.LT__p>His actions were strange, but the face he captured was even more wonderful. Deep, profound eyes, a high straight nose, and thick lips faintly tinged with rose pink……LT__p>Yeong-a’s head slowly tilted.LT__p>Where have I seen this person?LT__p>The man who had lowered his hand crookedly lifted the corner of his mouth.LT__p>“We’ve met before, haven’t we?”“LT__p>The man’s low voice also felt familiar.LT__p>‘In the gangster movie where the debt collector hits the drum with a tool… so why do I get goosebumps on such a clear day…?’“LT__p>It was the moment Yeong-a’s head tilted a little further. A short sentence brushed across her mind.LT__p>‘Kid, stop thinking and just wait right here.’LT__p>Yeong-a snapped her head upright. Oh right, he had said Sahan Group third generation.LT__p>Yeong-a rolled her eyes and glanced at his expression. The man was smiling gently, and his voice sounded much milder than that day.LT__p>Moreover, he was using honorifics, so it didn’t seem like he had fully recognized her yet. Yeong-a pushed up her glasses and answered.LT__p>“It’s my first time meeting you, Representative.”