Chapter 12 – Defiant
Yooa bought a new tent and endured another week. In the afternoons, smoke would rise faintly—perhaps from a campfire.
From another spot, Lee Jun also watched the tiny figure of Yooa busily moving around outside her tent, watching the sunset.
“Yeah, I suppose.”
That kind of lifestyle should be exhausting, yet Yooa didn’t seem worn down or withdrawn. Each time he slowed down while passing by on the main road, he was sure their eyes met, but she never looked away.
“Who can stop Yoon Yooa when she’s made up her mind?”
If she stayed in the servants’ quarters, she wouldn’t lack anything.
Lee Jun couldn’t help but wonder about her true intentions for choosing to leave on her own. The idea that she might be hoping for greater riches now seemed laughable, given how she looked like she didn’t need anything at all.
“Is she really comfortable living like that?”
Until now, everyone who tried to get close to him or shake his hand wanted to use him in some way. Each time he saw the fake masks people wore—seeking small favors or big gains—Lee Jun felt sick.
But Yooa was different. She didn’t ask for anything. Even though they’d known each other since childhood, she never brought it up. She was drastically different from the greedy people who usually surrounded him.
“She doesn’t want anything from me. I don’t get it.”
That was exactly what piqued Lee Jun’s curiosity.
Yooa leaned deeply into her camping chair, quietly gazing at the clearing.
Recalling old memories, she mentally redrew the blueprint she had etched in her mind.
She wanted to stay as far away from Lee Jun as possible, but was afraid that even her memories of Sejin might fade if she did. She dreamed of building a house and planting the jujube tree Sejin had liked so much—but just then, a black car pulled up in front of her.
“Chairman?”
It seemed he was out on a casual errand. Dressed comfortably, Chairman Kang stepped out of the back seat, opened by his chauffeur. Yooa couldn’t sit still—she practically ran over to him.
“It’s okay, it’s okay.”
Waving his hand to stop her, worried she might trip, Chairman Kang stretched, hands on his back, then walked past Yooa who had stopped three steps ahead of him. Yooa followed him quietly. As they walked, Chairman Kang let out a hearty laugh at the sight of the modest tent and glowing lantern.
“You’re young. That’s why you value romance over practicality, huh?”
“Excuse me?”
“Yooa, how many years have I known you?”
When she answered that it had been 24 years since she started living in his mansion, he smiled fondly, crinkling the wrinkles around his eyes.
“Knowing someone that long… you’re practically my granddaughter.”
When she gestured for him to sit in a camping chair, Chairman Kang didn’t refuse. He groaned as he sat down, and Yooa gave a bittersweet smile.
Even the strong, intimidating Chairman Kang couldn’t escape time—her eyes welled up slightly. Perhaps being guarded was in his nature. In that sense, Chairman Kang and Lee Jun were alike—both rarely showed their true feelings.
“I lived comfortably thanks to you. I’m truly grateful.”
It was nice to hear that she was like a granddaughter, but upon reflection, it only highlighted that she wasn’t truly blood. Chairman Kang valued blood ties more than anyone. He didn’t even stop his daughter—Lee Jun’s aunt—from scheming to seize the entire Taegyeom Group.
“Gratitude is important. That’s how people should be.”
His wrinkled eyes narrowed as he stared off into the distance.
He hadn’t come all this way just to reminisce.
Yooa stood politely beside him, her hands folded in front. The setting sun dyed Chairman Kang’s face a deep red. Since he didn’t speak first, Yooa had to endure the awkward silence.
“What happened to your father was unfortunate. That’s why I allowed the marriage with Lee Jun. But it was you who missed the opportunity. Or… was it this old man who missed something?”
“No, sir.”
“Then why is my grandson looking more and more drained?”
Chairman Kang seemed to blame Yooa for Lee Jun’s increasingly sharp temperament. Since he had observed for a week before acting, Yooa guessed that Lee Jun must have been unusually sensitive.
“I’m sorry.”
Whether it was her fault or not, Yooa offered the answer she knew Chairman Kang wanted to hear.
He gripped the armrests of the camping chair tightly and looked straight ahead. What came out of his mouth next was something Yooa could never have imagined.
“You’re under Taegyeom Group’s protection, sure—but you’re isolated here. If you stay alone too long, it’ll wear you down. I don’t know what’s going on between you and Lee Jun, but why not come back?”
“I want to build a house. Slowly, so it feels like people live here.”
“So that’s a no?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Yooa.”
He glanced back at her over his shoulder. Seeing her firmly closed lips and unwavering tone, Chairman Kang started to think that Yooa might be even more stubborn than his grandson.
“Lee Jun seems to think differently. He’s planning to repurpose this land in a month. If I don’t approve, he said he’ll sell it off—cheaply if necessary—to another group or real estate firm. Did you know that?”
Chairman Kang let out a deep sigh, hearing Yooa talk about building a warm, lived-in home while Lee Jun planned to sell the land. Seeing Yooa remain silent, he clicked his tongue in frustration.
Darkness fell so thick you could no longer see their expressions.
Standing up with nothing gained, Chairman Kang muttered to himself.
“Everyone has their reasons, but in the end, the one who wants it more usually wins.”
Yooa bowed again, sensing his unspoken message: Don’t make things too hard for my grandson.
Once the chairman’s car disappeared into the distance, Yooa ducked back into the tent and pulled the blanket up to her chin.
“So this is how it’s going to be?”
The thought that Lee Jun might really kick her out within a month, after convincing Chairman Kang, dried her throat. She had felt safe because she believed they wouldn’t take back what they’d given. It was hard to understand why Lee Jun suddenly became obsessed with this land.
“It’s fun, isn’t it?”
Maybe she was just an amusing toy to him.
Kang Lee Jun, who had everything, was coveting a mere patch of land in front of her would-be house. Yooa, unable to sleep, tossed and turned until she finally sat up.
She stepped outside to enjoy the cool night breeze and drink a can of beer—but someone was already sitting in her camping chair.
Neatly combed hair, a balanced figure, an arrogant gaze that seemed to look down on the world.
A man handsome enough to make anyone look twice was sipping a can of beer from her icebox like it belonged to him.
Yooa’s face turned red and then pale as she looked from the beer in his large hand to Lee Jun’s face. Tilting his head to one side, Lee Jun acted completely unfazed by her glare.
“Want one?”
“Isn’t that mine?”
“Is it?”
When Yooa mentioned trespassing and asked him to leave, standing her ground as the rightful property owner, Lee Jun smirked.
“Just drink this one. I already opened it. Let’s call it a gesture of goodwill.”
“Goodwill?”
Wearing a perfectly tailored, unwrinkled suit, he crossed his long legs. As if he’d heard a funny joke, he repeated her words.
“Even for a can of beer, do we need to talk about goodwill in our relationship?”
Without waiting for her to respond, he opened all the remaining cans in the icebox and tossed them carelessly onto the grass. The white foam soaked into the ground, and Yooa glared at him.
“What? Want me to compensate you?”
“Excuse me?”
With a crooked smile, Lee Jun asked coldly:
“Do you need money, Yoon Yooa?”
