Su Ah smiled, patting the finished knot of the tie with her fingers.

“Thank you.”
At the same time as his words, Ha Joon embraced Su Ah tightly, and she, nestled in his arms, wrapped her arms around his waist.

“What are you thankful for? For helping solve the problem?”
“No.”
“Then? Then what are you thankful for?”
Ha Joon’s lips, which had hesitated for a moment, slowly opened.

“For coming into the life of Min Ha Joon, which was only darkness, and for shining so brightly in that darkness.”
Perhaps it was because they were hugging each other. Ha Joon’s soft voice seeped straight into her eardrums.

“Without you, Su Ah, I might still be on the rooftop, endlessly worrying.”
When he finished speaking, perhaps feeling shy, Ha Joon’s face turned red, and Su Ah’s cheeks also flushed.

It was what she had wished for, but when he confessed in such a sweet voice, her heart ached with a piercing feeling.

“You know that the way to repay that gratitude is by going to your hometown and solving the problem, right?”
Despite being held in her arms, Su Ah’s voice kept urging him for an answer, and a small laugh leaked out.

It kicked in again. This meddlesomeness of Su Ah.

Once Su Ah’s meddlesomeness kicked in, Ha Joon had a hunch that he couldn’t avoid the situation with vague excuses.

But he couldn’t give a definite answer either.

The truth was that he didn’t have the courage to go to his hometown.

Wouldn’t the same situation as yesterday be created again? Wouldn’t he end up disappointing them again?

Many fears that couldn’t be expressed in words filled his mind.

“Yes, I will go. But, I’ll go after work.”
Yes, let’s buy some time first. Let’s sort out what needs to be said and the misunderstandings that need to be cleared up, Ha Joon thought.

“Why? Why not just go right now since you’re determined?”
“I will definitely go after work. Don’t worry.”
“I will check. Don’t run away, make sure to go.”
Su Ah, who was so persistent, didn’t forget to remind him until the moment she got off near the company.

Ha Joon didn’t know how the day had passed.

He had been busy with outside work all day, worried that someone in his family might come looking for him.

Department stores, clothing stores, even partner companies.

Having been running around all day, before he knew it, it was nearing 6 o’clock.

He would have liked to make up some nonexistent work and work overtime, but unfortunately, he couldn’t.

Because of the messages from Su Ah, who had been loudly ringing his phone a few minutes before the end of work.

[You haven’t forgotten about going home, have you?] [You’re not preparing to run away, are you?] [Don’t even think about working overtime.] Every time he read the messages that seemed to have entered his head, his heart felt hot.

Eventually, Ha Joon found himself in front of Hyun Seong’s house, as if he was led by the messages.

He had come, but it was inevitable that his steps would hesitate.

With steps that felt much heavier than yesterday, Ha Joon moved with difficulty.

Despite the fact that it would eventually be discovered, Ha Joon entered the front door as carefully as possible.

Despite Ha Joon’s efforts, the housekeeper in the kitchen, who had such clear hearing, left the kitchen and pretended to know.

“Oh dear, are you feeling better? I was so worried.”
“Yes, I’m better now. Thank you for your concern.”
Ha Joon, who was giving a bitter smile, turned his gaze toward the living room sofa.

“You’re here to see the Chairman and the Madam, right?”
“Yes? Yes…….”
As soon as Ha Joon’s reply ended, the housekeeper quickly turned around and knocked on the door to Hyun Seong’s room.

“Chairman, Madam, Ha Joon has arrived.”
“Who did you say is here?”
With a loud noise, the door opened and Hyun Seong rushed out.

“Ha Joon!”
Upon discovering Ha Joon standing at the entrance, Hyun Seong quickly approached him.

“I’m here…….”
“Yes, yes, come in, come in.”
Hyun Seong put his hand on Ha Joon’s shoulder and comforted him repeatedly.

“Chairman, I have something to tell you and the Madam. If you have time…….”
“Oh, yes, yes, now is a good time. Let’s sit down and talk.”
Still tense, Ha Joon bit his lower lip slightly and moved towards the sofa.

What should I say first? The end of Ha Joon’s rigid lips trembled slightly.

“Ha Joon, yesterday your father…….”
“Chairman, I’m sorry.”
Just as Hyun Seong was about to cut through the silence, Ha Joon quickly interrupted him.

“Why are you sorry? I’m the one who’s sorry for losing my temper more than necessary.”
“No, it’s my fault.”
His tone was different than usual. It was clear that the apology wasn’t just something he was saying unconsciously.

Hyun Seong looked blankly at Ha Joon with a surprised face.

“The truth is, I’ve always thought of myself as a substitute for my brother Si Woo who is in America.”
Ha Joon began to talk about the thoughts he had been unable to express until now.

“So, naturally, I thought the position of vice chairman for Hyun Seong was Si Woo’s rightful place.”

“Haah.”
Unconsciously, Hyun Seong let out a deep sigh.

“So when I saw Si Woo, who had returned to Korea, I thought it was time to hand over the vice chairman position.”
Without daring to look at Hyun Seong’s face, Ha Joon continued to speak.

“……But I’m sorry if my thoughts have caused you and the Madam too much pain.”
“Wh, what are you saying?”
At Ha Joon’s following words, the eyes of Hyun Seong and Hye Sun widened in surprise.

“I’m sorry for being stubborn and not accepting your love, when you’ve treated me as your first son for 20 years, despite being abandoned.”
These were the words they had waited for 20 years to hear.

Now that they were finally hearing the words they had so desperately waited for through Ha Joon’s voice, how should they express this current emotion?

Hyun Seong and Hye Sun turned red around the eyes, unable to say anything.

“If you allow me, I would like to live as your first son from now on.”
How hard must it have been for him to say these words? How long must he have hesitated?

Knowing Ha Joon’s personality, the two could guess the pain he had gone through to say these words.

As Ha Joon’s face began to turn red as if about to explode after finishing his words, Hyun Seong opened his mouth as if he had been waiting.

“Permission or not, what’s that about? You’ve been our first son since 20 years ago.”

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