Separation Anxiety

25.

#Is Being Overprotective a Family Trait?

When Dawoon said he wouldn’t be able to attend the orientation, Ui-hyeon suggested they meet beforehand. There wasn’t much to do at home anyway.

“I thought you wouldn’t come out, saying you had to play with Haram. This is unexpected.”

Dawoon smiled bitterly at Ui-hyeon’s surprise that he had come so willingly.

“Haram is busy. His schedule is packed from 9 AM to 4 PM.”

“What could that little kid have to do that takes up so much time?”

Dawoon had thought the same thing.

“Korean, English, and Math are basics. He’s also doing Chinese, Japanese, and even horseback riding.”

“Wow.”

Ui-hyeon exclaimed, his mouth agape.

“The rich really are different. Was it the same for you?”

Dawoon hesitated for a moment before answering the naturally flowing question.

“I think it was like that when I was very young.”

“Why is your answer so vague?”

“I don’t remember well.”

Dawoon did have memories of various tutors when he was younger than Haram. But it didn’t last long. The lessons were too much for a five or six-year-old child, and like most children, Dawoon cried and threw tantrums, saying he didn’t want to do it.

‘Shall we do it together?’

At those times, Hayun would step in to comfort Dawoon, offering to do it with him.

‘Don’t force him. Dawoon is smart, so he’ll catch up even if we take it slow.’

Sometimes, even with Hayun joining in, Dawoon would refuse. Eventually, when he burst into heartbreaking sobs, Hayun would persuade their parents. Thanks to that, Dawoon didn’t have to take as many lessons as Haram.

“But can the kid keep up with all that? That’s impressive in its own way.”

Ui-hyeon genuinely marveled. He also asked if it was mandatory for all chaebol families to learn such things, saying Haram still looked like a baby at the graduation ceremony. Dawoon chose silence instead of answering. He hadn’t known that the lessons had increased so much since hiring the tutor last year. He had been neglectful, busy with his own studies as a high school senior.

Even so, Haram didn’t throw tantrums saying he couldn’t do it like Dawoon did when he was young. If he had, Dawoon would have noticed earlier. He didn’t know if the tutor was skilled at persuading the child or if there was another reason.

Moreover…

‘The Chairman instructed to start proper education without further delay. The eldest young master is already aware of this.’

When Dawoon asked if it was necessary to have such an intense learning schedule, surprised by the amount, the butler answered. With the mention of his grandfather, Dawoon couldn’t argue further. Since Hayun knew everything, there was even less room for him to intervene.

Dawoon was the only exception to all obligations. It was partly due to Hayun’s protection, but in retrospect, it was also evidence that his grandfather had no expectations for Dawoon.

“But why can’t you suddenly go to the orientation? Didn’t you already pay the registration fee?”

Ui-hyeon asked, stirring the ice in his cup with a plastic straw. Even in the middle of winter, he always ordered iced drinks, saying it was hot.

“There’s a family event.”

At the mention of a family event, Ui-hyeon raised his eyes to look at Dawoon. His expression suggested he was wondering what kind of event it could be, given that Dawoon’s family was no ordinary one, but a conglomerate.

“That’s unusual.”

Ui-hyeon knew that Dawoon rarely attended events associated with Haedo Group if he could help it.

“It’s my grandfather’s birthday. I go to that every year.”

“Ah…”

He nodded in understanding, but this was the first time he’d heard that Dawoon attended his grandfather’s birthday. Although they had known each other for years since middle school, Dawoon rarely talked about personal matters. The only stories that came from Dawoon’s mouth were mostly about Hayun and Haram.

“When you celebrate the Chairman’s birthday, do celebrities come and stuff?”

Dawoon chuckled at the question, which seemed to have come from some strange rumor Ui-hyeon had heard. With his grandfather’s personality, a birthday party with celebrity performances was unimaginable. He’d probably scold it as being low-class.

“They don’t come.”

“That’s a shame. I was going to ask you to get some autographs if celebrities came.”

Dawoon just smiled at Ui-hyeon’s genuine disappointment. While celebrities might not be seen at his grandfather’s birthday, he had heard that quite a few celebrities attend parties and sponsorship gatherings that Haedo Group participates in. Hayun could probably get autographs from them anytime.

“Should I ask my brother to get some?”

“No thanks. I’d rather die than ask. How could I ask your brother for something like that unless my liver was hanging out of my body?”

Ui-hyeon shook his head firmly, looking serious.

“My brother isn’t that difficult of a person.”

“Maybe not to you.”

Ui-hyeon replied casually as he sucked up his drink through the straw. The drink in the cup quickly diminished, revealing the bottom.

“You didn’t tell him that the video you got caught with was from me, right?”

Dawoon nodded at Ui-hyeon’s question.

“That’s a relief.”

Watching Ui-hyeon let out a long sigh of relief, Dawoon wondered why he was so intimidated by Hayun.

“You really don’t know?”

“Know what?”

Ui-hyeon stared at Dawoon for a moment, then furrowed his brow and muttered, “I guess you really don’t know.”

“In middle school, not long after you transferred, remember that guy who saw you as a cash cow?”

Dawoon tilted his head at Ui-hyeon’s words. His memory of four years ago was hazy. Among the classmates from that time, the only name he properly remembered was Lee Ui-hyeon.

“Looks like you don’t even remember. Well, that guy transferred schools not long after.”

Now a face came to mind.

He was the first one to approach Dawoon right after he transferred. He acted particularly friendly afterwards, and after some time passed, he even started controlling other kids who tried to approach Dawoon, as if he was Dawoon’s manager.

The reason was that Dawoon didn’t like being surrounded by people. Since that was true, Dawoon left him be. But it didn’t end there. At some point, he naturally started wanting Dawoon’s things. At first, Dawoon just gave him whatever he wanted because he wasn’t interested. He didn’t know how much things cost, and even if he did, he didn’t care.

Then, a pen Hayun had given him as a birthday gift disappeared. It wasn’t an ordinary ballpoint pen, but one engraved with Dawoon’s name. He felt upset when he couldn’t find it after searching for days, and then one day he saw that guy using it.

‘Give it back.’

Perhaps because Dawoon hadn’t cared about anything being taken before, the guy got angry when asked to return it. He argued that Dawoon had given it to him, accusing Dawoon of being petty for giving something and then taking it back. Dawoon retorted that he had never given it, that the guy had taken it on his own. The guy then raised his voice, asking if Dawoon was treating him like a thief.

Not long after that commotion, he transferred schools without a word. Because of that, it naturally became a forgotten incident in Dawoon’s memory.

“There was talk that Hayun had pulled strings behind the scenes to make that kid transfer.”

Dawoon frowned at Ui-hyeon’s words. It wasn’t like they had a physical fight; they just had a small argument over a pen. It was hard to believe that Hayun would intervene and cause a transfer over such a trivial matter.

“The pen incident was just the final straw. They say Hayun already knew everything. How that guy had been taking your things and using you as a cash cow. Apparently, he listed all of it in front of the principal, leaving the kid’s parents unable to say a word, and that’s why he transferred. It was more like expulsion than a transfer, and there was so much talk about it.”

Dawoon wondered where such rumors came from. In his memory, Hayun had never even visited the school.

“After that, kids said that Haedo Group was behind you, and that you shouldn’t be messed with carelessly.”

If that was true, it would explain why Ui-hyeon always said his brother was overprotective.

“I thought maybe he’s playing a parental role because of the age difference, but does he do the same with Haram?”

Ui-hyeon was trying to understand Hayun’s overprotectiveness in his own way.

“Well…”

Dawoon didn’t think Hayun was particularly overprotective of Haram, as he was still young and stayed at home.

“Ah, right. You’re overprotective of Haram too. Is it a family trait?”

Ui-hyeon clicked his tongue, seemingly remembering how Dawoon would drop everything and run for Haram’s sake.

Overprotective, huh. Because he’s still a baby, because he’s at an age where he needs a mother, because I’m the only one who can substitute for that. That’s all Dawoon had thought, but he didn’t realize it appeared overprotective.

Was Hayun’s attitude towards him the same as his own towards Haram? If time passed and he saw Haram watching adult videos, would he act like Hayun did?

Suddenly, his train of thought stopped there. It didn’t seem likely… Although he couldn’t be certain since it hadn’t happened yet, he felt he would be different from Hayun yesterday.

‘Haven’t you ever thought about wanting to try it for real? …Like kissing.’

He shook his head, recalling Hayun’s face as he whispered up close, grabbing Dawoon’s arm and pulling him in. At least, he didn’t think he would act like that.

That was indeed strange. Even without consulting Ui-hyeon, Dawoon could tell that Hayun’s behavior yesterday was not normal.

And this was one thing he couldn’t tell even Ui-hyeon, the only person he could open up to and consult about various matters. It felt like something he shouldn’t say.