RE: Player again

332

[Chapter 103] [To Subjugate the Soul (4)]

"This kid is fine when he's quiet, but he becomes an i***t when his sister is mentioned. Yucheon, don't pick fights with Eunha for no reason and go back to your seat."

"When did I pick a fight? Right?"

Lee Yucheon protested, saying it was unfair after hearing Han Seoyeon's rebuke.

Then he even sought agreement from Eunha, who he had been talking with until now.

Of course, Eunha answered him with a blank face.

In the end, he couldn't find a supporter and had to retreat with a groan.

Regardless, Han Seoyeon, who was scanning the people gathered here, expressed doubt.

"Geumhwa oppa doesn't seem to be here, is there no contact from him?"

Donghae Group, currently ranked 10th in the business world.

The direct descendant of the group focusing on shipbuilding, construction, and chemical sectors wasn't showing his face here.

It seemed all the direct descendants of Donghae Group affiliates were attending, but even so, it didn't look good that a direct descendant from one of the 10 groups leading the gathering wasn't attending.

At that moment, the person who answered her question was Choi Jeonghun, who was talking with several direct descendants.

"It seems hyung Jung Geumhwa can't attend today because he's receiving management lessons. Instead, Geumhwa hyung's younger sibling is attending today's gathering."

"Geumhwa oppa's younger sibling? Did that oppa have a younger sibling? But didn't all the cousins go down to Jeju Island because of their chairman?"

"Hyung Jung Geumhwa had a younger sibling who wasn't participating in management, but it seems that sibling has been helping with work under hyung for a few years now."

"Ah... Come to think of it, there was talk that someone with the surname 'Jung' entered as an executive in Donghae Clan."

Han Seoyeon nodded after hearing Choi Jeonghun's story.

Eunha, who was eavesdropping on their conversation, doubted his ears at this news he was hearing for the first time.

As far as I knew, there was only one direct descendant in Donghae Group? Didn't the rest all go down to Jeju Island?

It was also the first time he heard that there was a direct descendant of the group in Donghae Clan.

Eunha frowned.

The information he remembered from his previous life didn't match well with the current information.

In fact, he had been paying less attention to Donghae Group, which belonged to the lower end of the top 10 in the business world.

Before the regression, Donghae Group was losing to KK Group in similar business sectors, and Donghae Clan only had average performance among A-grade clans. Moreover, there wasn't even a proper player representing the clan.

The things I need to pay attention to have increased.

It seems the future has changed.

Realizing this, Eunha decided to check what kind of person the other direct descendant of Donghae Group attending the gathering today was.

And to find out about that direct descendant independently.

"But are you guys going to keep standing? Don't stand there, quickly come and sit here!"

"That's right! We couldn't drink properly because we were waiting for you to come!"

That's when it happened.

Eventually, as those who had been playing in the spa were returning to their seats one after another, people who had been keeping their seats first called Han Seoyeon's group.

Since they couldn't keep standing like this, Han Seoyeon turned her gaze to the people she brought.

"Let's go sit at the seats for now. Cheonggi, you take care of the other kids and go sit over there, Hayang, you sit with me."

"Okay, unni. Yeonji, it'll be tough, but can you take good care of the other kids?"

The Sky Lounge with long tables attached in a row.

Seoyeon identified empty seats here and there and decided that she and Hayang would sit in the more important seats, while seating the children from affiliates in relatively less important seats.

Then Han Seoyeon tried to assign a seat to Eunha too.

That's when it happened.

"Hey! Seoyeon! Send that kid over here."

She, who was about to seat him in a seat relatively close to her, turned her head towards the table where drinking was going on.

Dojun and direct descendants of somewhat higher age groups were chattering noisily with flushed red faces.

Among them, the person who spoke familiarly was a direct descendant from a group with close relations to Dangun Group.

"Isn't that kid the one who stepped on Junho last time? I've been curious what his face looks like, tell him to sit here!"

At that moment, laughter burst out from various places.

People who seemed quite close to the man suddenly burst into laughter.

Yoo Dojun was quietly sipping his glass.

"Shit... Acting familiar just because they're older... Am I their lackey or what?"

"...Noona, you have unexpectedly rough language?"

"I'm originally a person with rough language. Why, did you fall for my reverse charm?"

"...Ugh..."

"Sigh... You're quite rude too."

Those who could attend this place only thanks to being born to good parents.

They were people whose exact business ranking couldn't even be remembered.

If they were outside the top 20, there was no need to memorize their ranking.

Just knowing what groups existed in the country was enough.

Han Seoyeon looked at those laughing among themselves with eyes like she was looking at bugs. Then she muttered so they couldn't hear.

However, Eunha beside her could hear her spitting out coarse curses.

It was unexpected for Eunha.

Well, come to think of it, even in his previous life, her prickly and dirty personality hadn't changed.

It didn't take long to acknowledge her unexpected side.

Meanwhile, Han Seoyeon tried to express her intention to refuse them.

But they incited the direct descendants who happened to be there.

"Hey, Jinwoo, you said you had a lot to say to that kid! Seoyeon! Hong Jinwoo is calling like this too! You're the noona, so please understand!"

"...Hyung, I..."

"Yejang, you said you wanted to get close to Noh Eunha too, right?"

"Well, that's true..."

Dangun Group's direct descendant Hong Jinwoo.

YH Group's direct descendant Choi Yejang.

The two holding glasses shrugged their shoulders awkwardly.

"Those guys really..."

Han Seoyeon now sighed openly as if to let them hear.

Those drunk on alcohol were shouting loudly to seat Eunha at their table.

Since Hong Jinwoo and Choi Yejang were reluctantly saying such things too, she couldn't completely ignore it.

Anyway, the main purpose of this gathering was socializing for now.

It was a time to restrain herself.

Especially since Galaxy Group and Sirius Group were leading the gathering, she couldn't instigate discord.

"...Eunha, I'm sorry but can you spend some time over there for now? I'll change seats appropriately later, so please bear with it until then."

"Unni, should I go together then?"

"Hayang, are you trying to get into some trouble playing with those oppas? Haven't you heard about those oppas causing a disturbance at a bar recently?"

"I know about that, but..."

"You stay by my side today and don't leave. I know your personality Eunha, but please endure your temper a bit no matter what those oppas say. Okay?"

"...I will."

Han Seoyeon apologized and requested.

In some sense, it was a debt.

Eunha, who had been blankly looking at them, answered her words.

Anyway, since Yoo Dojun was there too, it might not be boring spending time there.

He could just raise his hearing to eavesdrop on the direct descendants' stories.

Above all, Hong Jinwoo was at that table.

This worked out well.

I was hoping to see that bastard if I came here anyway.

He had business with Hong Jinwoo.

Eunha raised the corners of his mouth as he met eyes with him.

Then Hong Jinwoo's face hardened.

Hong Jinwoo, who had been defeated by him at last year's first semester end-of-term party, seemed to find him difficult since that day.

"Then I'll go over there too. I'll take care of Eunha, so don't worry too much."

"You, Yucheon? Hmm... You're not going to drink, right? I heard you went home drunk once before and your younger sister was furious?"

"That's why I promised to drink only after becoming an adult. I won't drink."

"It seems like you won't be able to not drink if you join there..."

"...I'll manage somehow?"

"Alright. Be careful. Don't get depressed like last time saying your sister won't even talk to you."

It seemed Lee Yucheon was living under his younger sister's thumb.

Eunha looked strangely at him trying to help.

Lee Yucheon just tilted his head feeling the gaze.

...He's an unusual hyung.

He's really kind as a person.

Although Lee Yucheon might be hiding his emotions to a degree Eunha couldn't understand, he seemed to have a personality that took care of people on the surface.

He might be good as a person, but he was somewhat of an easy opponent as a direct descendant of a chaebol group.

To the extent that the future of Luminous Group seemed uncertain.

Well, it doesn't matter.

Luminous Group was currently in the process of rapidly recovering its former strength.

At this rate, it would only be a matter of time before they surpassed YH Group and regained the status Dawn Group had held.

In that sense, Lee Yucheon, who would become chairman someday, was highly likely to slow Luminous Group's growth momentum.

He was an appropriate long-term piece for Eunha, who supported the Fairy government.

"Hey, you! Sit next to Dojun! You're classmates with Yoo Dojun at the academy, right?"

"Jinwoo is senior to you guys, so shouldn't you properly treat him as a senior when you meet at the academy? Get along well from now on."

Eunha quietly looked at the people raising their voices.

Then he glanced at their gazes and sat in the seat Yoo Dojun had vacated.

Coincidentally, Hong Jinwoo was sitting across from him.

He, who had been sipping alcohol, spoke to Eunha awkwardly.

"─It's been a while."

Did he feel better after speaking once?

Hong Jinwoo, who downed the whiskey in his glass in one go, poured new alcohol and now showed a relaxed face.

He seemed to have realized he didn't need to feel uncomfortable since there were people on his side.

"Want to have a drink?"

Hong Jinwoo soon put down a new glass in front of Eunha's table with a thud.

Kim Geonwoong, sitting next to him, put a few ice cubes in the glass.

He also seemed to have no hesitation in drinking alcohol like Yoo Dojun.

"Jinwoo hyung, Eunha is still a minor. Are you trying to force alcohol on a kid who's never even drunk before?"

"Hey! Lee Yucheon, you stay quiet! Geonwoong and Dojun here are drinking too, how can he be the only one not drinking?"

"When Jinwoo is offering for his junior, you shouldn't refuse one glass, right!"

"Yucheon, you drink too! Drink and die!"

"Hyung, I can't dri..."

It seemed almost everyone at the table was on Hong Jinwoo's side.

Choi Yejang spoke as if it was natural, and Kim Geonwoong just quietly nodded at his words.

Meanwhile, Yoo Dojun seemed to be trying to watch the situation.

The only person defending Eunha at the table was Lee Yucheon.

Even such Lee Yucheon couldn't respond to the direct descendants older than him.

It was a situation where even he was about to be made to drink─

"─I'll drink."

Eunha pushed aside the hesitating Lee Yucheon and picked up the glass with ice.

Cheers erupted from around.

Those who seemed to have some plan grinned to the extent it showed on their faces.

Regardless, Eunha calmly held out his glass to Hong Jinwoo.

Hong Jinwoo's eyes widened.

"There's not much age difference, can I speak casually?"

The atmosphere sank.

The boisterousness was gone.

In such a situation, he smiled and shook the glass he was holding left and right.

The ice clinked.

"Aren't you going to pour?"

"......"

""""......""""

"...Puhah...!"

Except for Yoo Dojun who choked while drinking.

Everyone was blankly opening their mouths.

"...What is this..."

Hong Jinwoo opened and closed his mouth.

He clearly intended to pour alcohol for Eunha and force him to drink.

But the picture changed strangely.

Due to Eunha suddenly holding out his glass, Hong Jinwoo holding the whiskey bottle ended up in the position of pouring alcohol for someone higher.

"What? Weren't you going to pour alcohol?"

Eunha provoked him while letting out a chuckle.

Then those who had been in a daze until now pointed fingers angrily.

"Hey! Are you crazy? What are you doing being so rude?"

"Crazy bastard... Do you have a death wish?"

The atmosphere became vicious.

As if they had learned how to handle mana, they tried to threaten him by manifesting their internal mana.

Of course, that appearance was nothing more than a children's play to Eunha.

Rather, it was laughable that they were doing this in front of an academy student who professionally handled mana.

Since he couldn't cause a big problem, Eunha was just going to brush off their mana.

Right at that moment─

"─I'll pour for you."

The woman sitting next to Hong Jinwoo.

The girl wearing clothes sparkling in the lighting and fully dressed up gently pushed Hong Jinwoo back.

Smiling as if she looked somewhat light, she quickly snatched the bottle from Hong Jinwoo's hand.

Then she poured whiskey into the glass Eunha was holding.

"You remember me, right?"

She asked as if happy.

So it rippled without overflowing.

She, who filled the glass with whiskey, leaned back against the chair and crossed her legs.

"It's been a while since graduation. Have you been well?"

There was no way Eunha wouldn't know her.

KK Pharmaceuticals' direct descendant Jin Seona.

The girl who made her name known in the political and financial circles last year as Hong Jinwoo's third fiancée.

Aside from that, Jin Seona went to the same elementary school as him.

And she had persistently bullied Jin Seona in the early days of school.

There was no way he would have forgotten someone who bullied his friend.

He always kept it in his heart.

When he decided to become a player, saying he wouldn't leave you alone then.

However, Eunha gave a side glance to her who looked confident.

"─Who are you?"

"......"

Jin Seona's face hardened like Hong Jinwoo's had when he saw him earlier.

He didn't even glance at her and picked up the whiskey bottle.

Then he held it out towards Hong Jinwoo.

"......"

"If I received alcohol, then I should pour for you this time."

As if dealing with a subordinate.

Eunha, who treated the alcohol Jin Seona poured as if Hong Jinwoo had poured it, calmly poured alcohol into the glass in front of him.

So it overflowed as much as he wanted to see him.

Alcohol that flowed from the glass spilled over under the table.

"Here, cheers."

"......"

No one would have expected this situation.

That's why those at the table were caught up in Eun-ha

shameless pace.

Hong Jin-woo accepted the glass offered by Eun-ha and toasted with her almost under duress.

It's nice to drink it after a long time.

The whiskey I drank in one gulp burned down my throat.

The heat that started to burn my esophagus quickly spread throughout my body.

The galaxy enjoyed the sensation.

As expected, expensive things are different.

The flavor is no joke.

It's been 15 years since I returned.

It was the first time I had had alcohol in 15 years.