Chapter 73: The Eccentric Heir

On the morning of the party, Dahye fought a war of her own.

“Oppa! I seriously have nothing to wear!”

Dahye’s voice, coming from her room, was practically a scream. It was a sight I’d grown used to—her standing in front of the mirror, holding up clothes one after another—but today it was worse than usual. The closet was overflowing, but Dahye pouted, insisting she had nothing to wear.

“Even just the clothes you have could stack taller than you.”

“I wore this yesterday, and that one the day before. And this one is...”

No matter what she chose, they were all outfits that strangers would see for the first time, whether worn yesterday or the day before.

I started to regret mentioning the five-star hotel and all the famous people.

“Oppa, what about this one? Is it okay?”

“It’s pretty. That’s it, right?”

“That’s it?”

“Huh? What else do you need?”

“Not just ‘pretty’! Be more specific!”

Ah, she wanted me to describe how it was pretty.

Now I got it.

“...It really suits you. It makes your face look even fairer, and tying your hair like that makes you look so much neater and more sophisticated.”

I summoned all the prettiest words I could piece together and made a sentence worthy of praise.

“Hmph. Okay, that’s a pass!”

Dahye finally smiled in satisfaction after changing clothes two or three more times. The last outfit she wore was a cream-colored two-piece dress. The top had delicate lace draped over the shoulders, and the flowing lines at the waist accentuated her feminine charm while keeping things neat.

The skirt was A-line, falling just below the knees, its luxurious fabric catching and reflecting soft light. The entire look was calm and elegant, and paired with tiny pearl earrings, she was bound to stand out among her peers.

“Oppa, let’s go. Mom, Dad, I’m heading out!”

Feeling better, Dahye spun once in front of the mirror for a final check, told our parents, then followed me out to the car.

I let out a small sigh of relief and pressed my foot to the accelerator.

Soon, the engine roared to life, and our car sped away from home toward the party venue.

---

The first things I noticed upon arriving at the hotel were its name and the dazzling chandelier. Light spilled from the lobby ceiling, blinding as a movie scene, and a red carpet stretched across the marble floor, making every visitor feel like a star.

Inside, the hotel was so luxurious it almost suffocated you, and the walls were lined with artwork by famous painters, as if it were nothing special. The staff moved about in perfectly tailored uniforms with gentle smiles, and a subtle floral scent filled the entire lobby.

We passed through the lobby and stepped into the elevator.

“Wow, there are so many people.”

Dahye’s mouth hung open.

Seeing her face, I could tell she was more nervous than ever.

“They’re all just people. Don’t get nervous.”

When we arrived at the floor with the banquet hall, the entrance was packed with people. At a glance, they were a class apart from ordinary folks, exuding an unmistakable aura of wealth.

Men and women in sparkling jewelry and elegant suits.

Children of famous actors, singers, politicians, and chaebol families I’d seen in the media.

Everyone mingled naturally, filling the space.

In that crowd, one person stood out instantly.

“Dahye, there’s Chaerin unni. Hello, nuna.”

It was Chaerin.

Chaerin, greeting guests by the entrance, was dazzling. She wore a pale blue dress with a silvery sheen, her hair neatly pinned up—a look that was simply stunning. Long earrings dangled from her ears, making her look even more radiant.

People who seemed to be photographers were constantly snapping pictures of Chaerin.

We made our way over to where Chaerin was standing and bowed politely.

“Writer-nim, you look fabulous today. Hoho. And this is your little sister, right?”

Chaerin greeted us warmly, then turned her gaze to Dahye, who stood at my side.

“Ah, hello. Su-sunbaenim! It’s an ho-honor to meet you!”

Meeting Chaerin’s eyes, Dahye was so nervous she stammered and bowed at a ninety-degree angle. And she called Chaerin “sunbaenim” instead of “unni.”

“Oh my, how pretty. Like a real doll. No need to be so formal, just call me unni.”

Chaerin smiled brightly at Dahye and gently corrected her.

“U-unnie?”

Dahye’s eyes went round.

It was such a new experience for her—something she couldn’t get at home.

“Yes, unni.”

“B-but, um...”

“Try it. If you don’t call me unni, you can’t come in here, you know?”

“Oh, but that can’t happen...”

Dahye, flustered, turned her gaze to me, silently asking for help.

“What are you looking at me for? Chaerin nuna wants you to be her little sister because you’re cute. Just call her unni.”

I had no choice but to help a little.

“It’s okay, really.”

Chaerin looked at Dahye expectantly.

“Then... unni.”

“Hoho, so cute.”

Chaerin beamed at Dahye’s “unni,” then patted her head gently.

“Heh, hehe.”

Dahye seemed to love Chaerin’s gentle touch, enjoying it like a puppy.

“Who’s this? Someone I haven’t seen before. Aren’t you going to introduce me?”

Just then, a man strode over to us. With his hair slicked back and dressed in a sharp, custom-tailored suit, he had a golden watch sparkling on his wrist as he placed his hand on Chaerin’s shoulder, giving us a laid-back smile.

“This is Yoo Seunghyun. I told you, right? The original author of my drama.”

Chaerin smiled and introduced me.

“Wow, really? This young guy?”

He looked at me in surprise, his eyes full of genuine amazement.

“Nice to meet you. I’m the author, Yoo Seunghyun. Thank you for inviting me.”

I bowed as politely as I could.

“And this is Dahye, Seunghyun’s little sister—aspiring model and actress.”

Chaerin kindly introduced both of us.

“Hello, I’m Yoo Dahye.”

Dahye bowed sharply again.

“Oh, such polite kids. Nice to meet you! Mind if I speak casually? I’m Chaerin’s friend, Min Doyoon. Looks like we have some special guests today.”

What, Min Doyoon?! Min Doyoon!?

I was so surprised by the name that I stared blankly at Min Doyoon.

Gasp!

Looking closer, it really was the Min Doyoon I knew.

Twenty years later, he’d become the youngest chairman of the LN Group.

And here I was, having a conversation with someone so extraordinary.

“Oh? That look says you know me.”

Min Doyoon’s eyes narrowed playfully.

His face was full of mischief.

“I know you’re the nephew of the LN Group’s chairman.”

I nodded honestly and recited what I knew.

“Wow, you keep surprising me today! Did someone tell you about me?”

At my reply, Min Doyoon turned to Chaerin in renewed surprise.

“Nope. I just said I’d introduce you, not give him the details. It was a surprise.”

Chaerin looked at me, just as startled.

“I’m interested in business, so I poked around and happened to find out.”

I lied confidently.

“It’s not easy to find out about me just by being interested in business. That’s impressive.”

Min Doyoon looked at me with a sharp gaze, then grinned and patted my shoulder.

He seemed to like me quite a bit.

“If a guy piques my curiosity, that could be trouble, but you’re interesting. Chaerin, I’m going to chat with this guy for a bit. I’ll leave the little miss to you. Kid, you’re with me today.”

Min Doyoon entrusted Dahye to Chaerin, grabbed my hand with curious eyes, and dragged me off somewhere.

‘...This is awkward. I’m not exactly thrilled about being popular with men.’

Casting a longing glance at where the beautiful women were, I wiped away a tear and followed Min Doyoon.

The place he led me to was a private lounge set up behind the banquet hall. Like a secret room in a department store, I didn’t even know hotels had places like this.

I sank into a high-end brown leather sofa and looked around.

It was obvious the room was soundproofed.

On the table in the center were various drinks and snacks. Min Doyoon poured red wine into a glass, swirled it, and fixed his gaze on me.

“It’s quieter here, isn’t it? ‘The Star Within Me’—I read it all in one sitting, you know. I was really impressed. I’ve read a lot of books, but I’ve never felt such sincerity from an author before. Other books try to force emotion and it’s off-putting, but your novel didn’t do that, which was fascinating. When I checked who wrote it, I didn’t expect it to be you.”

I hadn’t expected such words to come out of Min Doyoon’s mouth.

I’d assumed he was with me out of curiosity and because Chaerin asked, but that wasn’t it.

He was talking to me as a reader of my novel.

“Thank you. I can’t believe you read my novel. It’s an honor.”

That was straight from the heart.

“For a high schooler, you really are something.”

Min Doyoon studied me intently, as if analyzing me.

He was observing me more keenly than ever.

“That’s all for my review. Chaerin said something interesting, you know?”

His serious expression suddenly shifted to one of playful mischief.

It eased some of the pressure I’d felt.

“She said you wanted to try living in a chaebol family? Is this just for research? Or is it a dream of yours?”

How should I answer?

I paused to think, carefully choosing my words.

“Both. Curiosity as a writer, and for research.”

“Oh, that’s a fresh answer. Haha, I like it. Now you’re making it impossible for me not to offer you the chance.”

Min Doyoon tapped his fingers on the table, then grinned broadly, his eyes shining.

“So, you’re on break soon, right? How about it? Want to try living at my house? There are plenty of rooms—I could give you one. What do you think?”

“......”

This guy, Min Doyoon, is a little eccentric.

But it’s the good kind of eccentricity, which I found strangely appealing.

“Wouldn’t I need permission from my parents?”

I brought up the most practical concern first.

“Oh, that. Don’t worry. My sister and mom are both fans of yours. Plus, I already got their approval.”

“......?”

“So, all you need to do is say yes.”

This person is truly fascinating.

It’d been a while since I’d felt this flustered.

I hadn’t expected to build connections with a chaebol, but this was an opportunity I couldn’t miss.

Only a fool would turn this down.

Even if I was ignored or looked down upon there, it would still be in my favor.

“If you’re offering, I’d be grateful. Honestly, I see it as an opportunity.”

Min Doyoon nodded in satisfaction and smiled.

“Ha, I knew I could spot good people. If you’d said no, I’d have been disappointed. Haha. From now on, think of me as your big brother. Let’s get along, little bro.”

“I look forward to it, hyung.”

“What am I, some gangster? Just call me hyung.”

“Yes, hyung!”

And that’s how I came to have the future successor of LN Group as my “hyung.”

This vacation is going to be a truly special one.