CH 18.1

If Yoo Yeon Seo went somewhere, Lim Seung Hyun would follow like a buy-one-get-one-free deal, and Lee Tae Gyeom joined them excitedly when he heard that Yeon Seo would treat them to beef.

Whilst Tae Gyeom went to fetch the car after the feast, Yeon Seo turned around to look at Seung Hyun.

“Lim Seung Hyun, I have a favour to ask.”

“Young master, it’s not a favour, it would be an order.”

Yeon Seo smiled slightly at that. Seung Hyun didn’t seem to be flattering him at all. It was probably genuine.

“Please help me gather a lot of money by tomorrow before filming.”

“Money… you mean?”

“Yes, a lot of it. Fill a big bag with it.”

Seung Hyun didn’t ask why he was making such a request, and he didn’t say anything else. It was his job to not interfere with whatever Yeon Seo did.

“Oh, and from now on, please take care of my overall management.”

In truth, Yeon Seo found it bothersome. The only advantage of living in 2207 was that there was no need for complicated thoughts since life simply went on as it was.

However, as a wealthy third-gen chaebol in 2018, there were many things to secretly take care of. Yeon Seo wanted to do what he wanted and let Seung Hyun handle the important matters. That would be sweet.

But Seung Hyun seemed quite happy about the request.

“Young master, are you sure it’s okay for me to handle everything?”

“Yes, just take care of it. Unless I give specific instructions.”

“What if I embezzle money or sell information to other companies?”

“Well, would you do that?”

Yeon Seo prided himself on being a good judge of character. From the time they were in the hospital room until now, Seung Hyun had handled work smoothly and was quick-witted.

When Yoo Gun Min and Yoo Eun Ho contacted him after reading the article about his appearance in ‘Baeko-ham,’ it meant that his actions weren’t exactly known to the rest of his family.

He didn’t even let his close family know. Yoo Yeon Seo decided to trust Lim Seung Hyun, who seemed to genuinely work for his benefit.

‘If he betrays me, it would mean my judgment of people was that poor.’

However, it didn’t seem like Seung Hyun would betray him. To build a relationship of trust, one had to show faith first. Yeon Seo was willing to extend his hand.

“Yes, understood. If there are any changes, I’ll report them to you first.”

Seung Hyun replied with a grin. It was strange that he seemed so happy with the prospect of more work. Yeon Seo felt awkward and turned away, just as Lee Tae Gyeom parked the car in front of him.

“Hey! Get in!”

Tae Gyeom opened the driver’s side window and waved excitedly. He was in a great mood after eating beef.

“He didn’t drink, did he?”

“No. It would be a big problem if he drank when he has to drive.”

Could one’s mood improve so much just by eating meat? If he fed him meat regularly, he would be flying high.

“Tomorrow… I’ll pick you up around nine. Oh, are you not going to the ritual?”

“Ritual?”

What was that? Yeon Seo searched for the ritual on his phone. A food offering and a memorial service? Why would they do that on the film set?

“Never experienced it before? You know, the one where you put a pig’s head and bow, praying for the filming to go smoothly.”

“Is there such a thing?”

“Apparently, it’s not a popular trend these days… Wasn’t that why you gave the director money after the meeting the other day?”

Tae Gyeom was shocked. After the meeting with the main and supporting cast, Yeon Seo had given all the money on him to the writer and the director, telling them to use it where needed.

“No, I just gave it to them to have a meal or something.”

“Who would give that much money just for a meal?”

‘Could it be that they misunderstood my intentions when I gave them the money? Was it because the amount was too large?’ Yeon Seo scratched the back of his head, lost in thoughts. 

Though he had been able to synchronize with the 2018 Basic Living Handbook through Beta, his actions were based on his current wealthy status. Therefore, his sense of money was that of a golden spoon, not an ordinary person.

“Anyway, they’re holding a ritual before filming, so if you want to attend, you need to come an hour earlier.”

“I’ll give it a go.”

“Then, I’ll pick you up at eight?”

“Sure.”

Tae Gyeom parked the car in Yeon Seo’s driveway. Though he bickered with Yeon Seo, he too was working diligently. Manager Park, noticing the good chemistry between Yeon Seo and Tae Gyeom, was also teaching him various tasks.

As Yeon Seo entered the house, Seung Hyun and Tae Gyeom were left in the parking lot, sharing an awkward silence.

“Tae Gyeom, are you leaving the car here?”

“Yeah, I have some errands nearby.”

Tae Gyeom replied awkwardly as he sneaked a glance at Seung Hyun. There was something extraordinary about him, always impeccably dressed in a suit and with a mysterious smile. Tae Gyeom thought it was an odd picture: an elite from the Jusung Group and a rogue manager.

“Um… How old are you, Mr Secretary?”

“I’m thirty.”

“So you’re older. Can I call you ‘hyung’?”

Seung Hyun chuckled.

“Yes, go ahead.”

“Then, you can address me informally too.”

“Sure, someday. Let me give you a ride to your destination.”

How come trying to be friendly made him feel more suffocated? Tae Gyeom hesitantly got into Seung Hyun’s car.

“But you’ve lasted quite a while. Yeon Seo tends to go through people fast.”

“Have you seen anyone like me during your time working with him?”

“Yeah, several times. The staff kept changing every time.”

That was a harsh comment. Seung Hyun kept his composure on the outside while turning the steering wheel, but he was sweating inside.

“So, how did you end up working under Yeon Seo?”

“I volunteered for it.”

“Are you insane? You wanted to take on that brat?”

“I meant, I offered to work for my employer.”

“Right, my mistake.”

However, Tae Gyeom quickly let his guard down, knowing that Yeon Seo had changed significantly from before.

“You can drop me off here. See you tomorrow, hyung.”

“Take care.”

After Tae Gyeom got out of the car, Seung Hyun remained motionless for a moment, tapping the steering wheel with his fingers, lost in thought.

‘What makes them trust me with everything?’

The head family of Jusung favoured Yeon Seo, and Seung Hyun was the first person to last this long working under him. Changes were gradually becoming evident. Vice-chairman Yoo Gun Min had given special instructions to the Head of the Strategic Planning Department not to skimp on support for Seung Hyun, and even Managing Director Yoo Eun Ho had invited him to dine together.

If he continued to work under Yeon Seo, even just as his “lackey,” his future would be bright.

However, the fact that someone trusted him completely was enough to make Seung Hyun feel quite…

‘Not bad.’

It felt good.