“Why would you even bother with something like that?”
“We spent some money, but we’ve secured 2.8% of Sunyang Trading.”
“I just got off the phone with the head of the Land Corporation. He was stammering. Did something happen?”
Chairman Lee Hak-jae’s eyes were a mix of curiosity and concern.
“That guy… how should I put it… he’s either full of pride or delusional. He brought his daughter along.”
“His daughter? President Byun’s daughter?”
“Yes.”
“Is he out of his mind? Why bring his daughter to a business meeting?”
“He was trying to push her onto me. Said it was just to introduce us, but…”
“Crazy bastard. No matter how much he wants a son-in-law, does he really think he can aim for you?”
“From his perspective, it makes sense. He’s from a prestigious political family, and his daughter, though a bit too obviously surgically enhanced, is quite pretty. I’m a third-generation heir, so he probably thought it was worth a shot.”
“So, how much more did you offer?”
“A hundred billion won.”
“Really? Byun doesn’t know his own worth, his daughter’s worth, or the value of stocks.”
A loaf of bread might only be worth a thousand won at a supermarket, but on a deserted island, it could be more valuable than a gold nugget of the same size.
We’re in a war now, and brass bowls are turning into weapons. The stock prices of Sunyang’s main affiliates aren’t just expressions of company value; they’re the firepower of our combat units.
Even if he’d asked for two hundred billion, I would have given it.
“If he understood that much, he wouldn’t have brought his daughter.”
Chairman Lee chuckled softly.
“You didn’t like the girl, huh? You could’ve just pretended to date her and gotten the stocks for free. Then break up. Heh.”
Ah, the sly thoughts of this old man.
“Chairman, imagine if the media caught me on a date with his daughter and it made the news. What do you think would happen? Or worse, Byun might play the media, saying Sunyang’s Jin Do-jun is seriously seeing his daughter, or that they’re getting to know each other with good feelings…”
Just imagining it is terrifying. Seo Min-young would have been out for my blood.
“That’s not ideal. If you’re thinking of a strategic marriage, it’s best not to have rumors about you flirting with different women.”
“Strategic marriage?”
“Huh? Isn’t it? You have that judge girlfriend, right? It’s been a while, hasn’t it? You were classmates, right?”
“Yes.”
“You’re not getting any younger. If there’s no talk of marriage, isn’t it just a fling?”
What should I say?
I had considered a strategic marriage.
If that father-daughter duo hadn’t awakened the truth hidden deep in my heart today, I might have ended up with a public or financial institution head holding a lot of Sunyang Group stocks as my father-in-law.
“Uh, Chairman.”
“Yes?”
“Please, don’t be shocked.”
“About what?”
“Actually… well, this is awkward…”
“What is it, man? Spit it out.”
“Actually, I… I just finished registering my marriage today.”
Even if I had suddenly announced a wedding date, it would have been surprising. Saying I’ve already registered the marriage is unbelievable.
“The partner is, of course, Seo Min-young. The judge girlfriend.”
“You… you…”
I bowed slightly to the stammering chairman and quickly left his office.
Thinking about it, there’s a mountain of things to do. No time to waste.
The PI experts were no different.
They just stared at me, mouths agape, unable to speak.
“So, we need to package this in a very stylish way. A successful third-generation chaebol registered his marriage at the district office first!”
I just hoped they were listening to me.
“You know those movie scenes? Where they run hand in hand to the district office to register their marriage and then share a passionate kiss…”
Instead of running, we took a taxi, and instead of a passionate kiss, we returned to the office.
“Sir, is this for real?”
“The truth isn’t what’s important; the image is. The fact is, we registered the marriage, so make sure it looks great.”
“Are you planning to skip the wedding too?”
“Do you think that’s possible? Is there a woman on this planet who would give up a white wedding dress?”
They seemed relieved, even letting out sighs of relief.
“Right. You can’t miss such an event. The bride’s wedding dress is the finishing touch.”
“Does anyone outside know about this?”
The PI experts pulled out their notebooks, already getting to work.
“Uh… we registered at Seocho District Office, so the word might have spread there. The clerk seemed to recognize me.”
Their faces fell simultaneously, and one quickly instructed a nearby staff member.
“Call the Seocho District Office head. Tell them that leaking Mr. Jin’s marriage registration is a breach of privacy and that there will be legal consequences. Make sure the clerk keeps quiet.”
“Yes.”
As the staff member rushed out, they confirmed a few more details with me.
“How about having the wedding abroad? We should create a photo spread… the magazines will go wild.”
This could go on forever.
“Just draft a comprehensive plan and let me know. Write a good press release for the media. I’ll try to stick to the plan as much as possible.”
“Ah, then we’ll report back within a week.”
When they left, I realized the real hard work was just beginning.
I have to meet my parents and Seo Min-young’s parents.
There’s no reason they’d oppose, but the fact that we registered the marriage without a wedding ceremony is a bit concerning.
As I pulled out my phone to let them know I’d be home for dinner, it vibrated.
She couldn’t wait and called. Women will be women.
“Hey, Min-young.”
― Our marriage registration is processed.
What kind of situation is this?
“Didn’t they say it would take about three days?”
― I filed a request with the Seocho District Office head. They processed it right away. We’re officially a married couple now.
Lightning fast. Isn’t that some incredible initiative?
― What’s with the reaction? Shouldn’t you be happy?
“You can’t see it, but I’m smiling right now.”
― Okay. I’ll hang up then. See you tonight. Oh, I’ll be a bit late.
When a judge says they’ll be late, it means they’ll be home past midnight, so I have plenty of time to talk to my parents.
I feel like a teenager who got into trouble at school.
“What? Marriage registration?”
“Hey! Do-jun, you rascal!”
My mother and brother Sang-jun shouted, but my father was different.
“Hahaha! Wow, Jin Do-jun, impressive!”
Thankfully, my parents weren’t angry, just surprised. My mother was bewildered, but she herself had a secret wedding against her in-laws’ wishes.
As my father said, you can’t hide your blood, and eventually, my mother smiled, albeit a bit shyly.
Now, the busiest person is my mother.
A child’s wedding is the biggest event orchestrated by the mothers of both families.
There’s a lot to prepare, from picking an auspicious date to checking horoscopes, to arranging gifts and dowries. My mother was the only one in a hurry.
Since the marriage registration is done, she was bustling about setting a date quickly.
I understand why. If rumors of a shotgun wedding spread, the gossip would land squarely on my mother.
I calmed her down.
“Mother, there won’t be much for both families to prepare. The company will draft a comprehensive plan and report it, so we should follow that.”
My father and brother Sang-jun immediately understood what I meant. A top star’s wedding is the ultimate marketing opportunity, isn’t it?
With a clear concept, a star’s wedding is conducted like a promotion. My wedding is no different from an image advertisement for the group and myself, something my father and brother, who work in the entertainment industry, naturally accepted.
“Have you met her family?”
“No, not formally yet.”
“Hurry up. You need to meet each other to have a proper meeting.”
“Yes.”
The strange thing is, no one seems to care that the younger brother is getting married first. It doesn’t bother me either. In today’s world, worrying about order is outdated.
When I was alone with my brother upstairs, I spoke first.
“I didn’t expect to get married first. Sorry.”
My apology seemed to fall on deaf ears.
“Hey! Why are you rushing into marriage? There are enough celebrities wanting to meet you to fill the Sunyang building. Why leave a garden of flowers to lock yourself in a cage?”
Exactly.
Fate is a scary thing.
A prestigious family that has produced a line of legal professionals.
A graduate of the law school at the university known for having the brightest minds in Korea, who passed the bar exam while still in school.
A judge appointment that’s impossible without top grades at the Judicial Research and Training Institute.
Entering the Seoul Central District Court, where only the best can set foot.
On paper, she’s the perfect bride.
And…
Sitting neatly in front of my parents, answering their questions calmly with a slight smile, she was flawless. Almost annoyingly so.
When I went to her house, the situation was the same, but her parents’ expressions were different. They welcomed me as if a lost child had returned home.
At first, I thought it was because of the Sunyang name, the top chaebol in Korea, and my status as a young executive often featured in the media.
But they didn’t seem the least bit sad about sending their only daughter off. In fact, they looked relieved.
“Since you’ve already registered the marriage, it’s best to set a date quickly, right?”
“Yes, we’ll hurry as much as possible.”
“Then that’s settled. How about a drink?”
The former Constitutional Court judge, now a law school professor and soon-to-be father-in-law, seemed in high spirits, continuously raising his glass.
When he was quite tipsy, he smiled and said…
“Do you really think you can handle our daughter, Min-young?”
“Dad!”
Seo Min-young shot him a glare, but her father’s laughter only grew louder.
“Well, I suppose it’s a done deal now that the marriage certificate is signed. Game over, huh? Ha ha ha.”
“The ceremony will be at the Sunyang Hotel, and the honeymoon is set for Kota Kinabalu. Just having the director’s wedding and honeymoon there will boost their sales significantly.”
“We plan to keep the media at bay to maintain a sense of mystery and exclusivity. Instead, we’ve contracted with one magazine for a wedding photo shoot. We’ve chosen a pure and simple concept, which I’m sure you’ll like. However…”
“Go ahead, it’s fine.”
“I’m not sure if the bride will be pleased. It’s only natural to want a luxurious and glamorous wedding dress for a once-in-a-lifetime event.”
They clearly didn’t know the bride. Her reaction when discussing the wedding was unexpected.
“Didn’t you say a PI expert was planning everything?”
“Yes, but no matter what, the bride is the star of the wedding. I can’t just ignore your opinion and do whatever I want.”
“Why did we hire experts if not to use them for this?”
“True.”
“Then let’s follow their plan. Even if they suggest wearing a sack instead of a wedding dress, let them do as they please.”
“Are you sure? You were the one who said you’d be upset if things were done half-heartedly.”
“The experts’ plan isn’t half-hearted. It’s fine.”
I think I might have found myself a good wife.
When I relayed Min-young’s words to them, their faces lit up with relief.
“That’s a relief. With someone like her, our job becomes much easier. Ha ha.”
Everything went smoothly, from the meeting of the families to the photo shoot.
And the wedding, which we held without accepting any congratulatory wreaths or gifts, went off without a hitch. Though we were both utterly exhausted by the end.