Meanwhile, Kim Na-yoon makes a bombshell announcement at home.
“I’m going to major in design.”
A silence falls.
The first to speak, predictably, is her mother, Jang Hee-jin.
“What about all the studying you’ve done until now? You didn’t study so hard just to do design, did you?”
“But I’m really into design these days. Besides, what you and Dad want is probably something like business or economics, right?”
“Oh my, we spoiled you too much, and now you’re just doing whatever you want!”
At that moment, Chairman Kim Sung-moo calms his excited wife with a hand gesture.
“What kind of design are you talking about?”
“I want to do web or character design.”
“Don’t you need to take practical exams for that?”
“Yes, that’s right…”
“You haven’t prepared at all, have you?”
“That’s why I’m telling you now, so I can start preparing.”
“What?”
Just like with her mom, Kim Na-yoon leaves her dad speechless.
Naturally, the next one to speak is Kim Tae-hyun.
“Na-yoon, are you having a late adolescence?”
“Adolescence is already over, why are you saying that, oppa?”
“Why are you doing this? The practical exams aren’t far off, how are you going to prepare?”
“Most of them are in January. I’ll work hard for a month or two and give it a shot.”
“What if you fail? Are you going to retake the exams?”
“I’ll apply to several places. At least one should be a safe bet.”
Logic doesn’t seem to work either.
In fact, men can’t win an argument against women.
So this time, calm Kim Ah-young steps in.
“You did well on the college entrance exam, right?”
“Yes. I scored 391 points. With that score, I have a competitive edge even in design fields that prioritize practical skills. While you all may underestimate me, my art teacher at school always said my skills were wasted. I have confidence in myself.”
“We’re saying this because it would be a waste. You did well on the entrance exam, and now suddenly design? Hearing your bombshell announcement without any preparation, it’s no wonder Mom and Dad are shocked.”
“That’s because… it’s a dream I designed recently, so I couldn’t tell you in advance.”
At this point, Kim Ah-jin interjects.
“Recently? Isn’t that too impulsive? And you’re underestimating design. It’s really not easy. Instead of failing and crying, why not just go for economics or business? You can learn design separately or study abroad like unnie did.”
“Like unnie? I don’t like that idea. I can study in Korea and find a good job.”
“A good job? Why would you look for that?”
As the second daughter of a chaebol family, Kim Ah-jin couldn’t understand Kim Na-yoon’s words.
Wasn’t it their destiny to work at a subsidiary of Guseong Group once they entered society?
“I’m not necessarily going to work at Guseong. I have another place I want to go.”
This piqued everyone’s curiosity.
Where does she want to go that she would change her dream and give up on Guseong Group?
“I want to work at an information and communications company. Like I said earlier, where I can apply web or character design.”
Everyone was momentarily speechless.
Then Jang Hee-jin turned to Kim Ah-young and asked.
“Is she possibly involved with Hyun-woo?”
“No… no way? Hyun-woo wouldn’t do that.”
Kim Ah-young tried to protect her boyfriend.
But internally, she thought it might be possible.
Kim Na-yoon often mentioned how thankful she was that Lee Hyun-woo bought her rice cakes and taffy during the last entrance exam, and sometimes said working at Jungle wouldn’t be bad either.
‘She even said she got treated to burgers by Hyun-woo when she took her friend there recently.’
They might have talked about various things then.
When Kim Sung-moo finally spoke in a calm voice.
“Since you’re applying to multiple places, mix design with economics or business. That’s our limit. Understood?”
“Yes, Father. But…”
“What do you mean ‘but’?”
“I mean, if I get accepted to both? If I get accepted to economics, business, and design at the same time, can I choose the one I want?”
“Ugh…”
Seeing his youngest daughter firmly set on applying, Kim Sung-moo groaned.
But there was no other choice.
Kim Na-yoon, whom he cherished dearly, was so stubborn; it wasn’t enough just to oppose her.
‘Can she really get in with just two months of study?’
Kim Sung-moo’s real thought was that she wouldn’t be able to pass the exam with such little time, so he nodded and allowed her.
“Fine, you should go where you want. What else can I do?”
“Thank you, Dad! Thank you, Mom! Thank you, oppa and unnies!”
Kim Na-yoon quickly thanked everyone to avoid any further objections.
Her cleverness shone through.
That evening, Kim Ah-young, who had a date with Lee Hyun-woo, couldn’t help but talk about her youngest sister.
“Na-yoon says she wants to major in design.”
“Really?”
“Did you know?”
“Of course, I knew. It was written on her blog.”
“Oh… I haven’t checked the blog lately…”
“Even if you hadn’t, she mentioned it when we met last time. I suggested she work part-time at our company during the vacation, but now she has to prepare for the practical exams.”
“I see…”
“But why do you look like that?”
“Well… our parents don’t like it.”
“What? Why? Ah-jin also majored in design.”
“That’s true, but Na-yoon has studied quite a bit. Our parents wanted her to major in economics or business.”
“Oh, they had the wrong expectations from the start. Until recently, her dream was to be a developer.”
“I thought it was just a dream.”
Kim Ah-young, who spoke as if she knew up to that point, sighed deeply.
“The most shocking part is that she declared she wants to work at an information and communications company instead of our Guseong Group later.”
“That’s commendable.”
“What?”
“Think about it. Instead of relying on her golden spoon and the guaranteed success it brings, she wants to carve out something new. I want to support her…”
Lee Hyun-woo suddenly realized his mistake.
Come to think of it, the golden spoon Kim Ah-young was running her business using her family’s wealth.
‘Oh, I made a mistake.’
Though it was true, saying it out loud might upset her.
Fortunately, or not.
“I knew you would say that.”
Kim Ah-young smiled as if it was nothing.
“Your personality is all about pioneering new things. So you would support something similar.”
“Right. But they say you’ll be happier with a partner who has an opposite personality.”
“Geez, if you’re saying that to make me feel better, I’m fine. I don’t get upset over things like that.”
“No, I’m serious. For example, if both partners liked gambling, what would happen to the household?”
“Why make such an extreme comparison?”
“Anyway, I feel reassured that my future partner and I will match well.”
These days, Lee Hyun-woo openly mentioned his in-laws, and now he even talked about his future partner.
It was a natural progression, and Kim Ah-young accepted it, smiling brightly.
After all, Kim Ah-young was also a woman.
She liked flowers, events, romance, and atmosphere.
She couldn’t help but feel good if she received a proposal at a crucial moment.
But she had stopped wanting that at some point.
From the moment she started liking Lee Hyun-woo, she had expected it wouldn’t be smooth sailing and worried a lot.
Opposition and persuasion from her family, and Lee Hyun-woo’s pride leading to giving up.
She imagined such scenarios every day.
Fortunately, Lee Hyun-woo didn’t seem to entertain such thoughts at all.
Rather, he was openly expressing that she was his future partner.
‘A proposal, rather than a momentary thrill, going this stable route isn’t bad.’
Naturally, you are my man, I am your woman.
Getting married this way isn’t so bad.
At least, that’s what Kim Ah-young thought.
Meanwhile, Kim Tae-hyun, who visited Lee Hyun-woo the next day, seemed to have a different thought.
“How will you propose in the future?”
“What, suddenly! How can you ask so directly? I’m not ready for that yet!”
Lee Hyun-woo interpreted it as a suggestion to propose well to Kim Ah-young.
But that wasn’t the case.
Kim Tae-hyun frowned and asked again.
“What are you talking about? I’m asking how you’ll propose.”
“Why are you asking that out of the blue?”
“Because I’m in a situation where I have to.”
“You, hyung?”
“Yes, I told you I have someone I’m seeing, right?”
“Yes, you said she’s a daughter of a chaebol family.”
“That’s right, but she wants me to propose.”
“She outright asked you to propose?”
“No, in that way women often hint. My friend’s boyfriend proposed like this. My older sister got proposed to in this way.”
“Haha…”
Lee Hyun-woo let out an awkward laugh.
Proposals were something he hadn’t thought about.
In his previous life, he naturally mentioned marriage while dating his wife, and it eventually happened that way.
‘Did I even propose?’
He couldn’t remember, so he felt newly sorry for her.
“Well, I’m not good at that either, but if I were to do it, I’d create a secret cyber space.”
“A secret cyber space? What’s that?”
“For example, a social media account only she and I can see. From today, I’d start recording my time with Ah-young. After about 100 days, I’d reveal it and propose.”
“Oh? That’s not a bad idea! I’ll do that!”
“…”
“Sorry, I’m in a hurry. I don’t need 100 days. Maybe two weeks? I’ll take a lot of pictures and upload them. 【Make Friends】 has a secret mode, right?”
“Yes… it does… but isn’t it too much? Stealing my idea!”
“What do you mean! You shared your concerns and I offered a solution to help.”
“Wow… can it be interpreted that way?”
“Anyway, thanks. I’ll start today. Should I go to 【Yongin Foreverland】 this evening?”
Lee Hyun-woo chuckled.
Then, he remembered a plan.
‘Right, our trip to Jeju Island is soon, right?’
The trip with Kim Ah-young was planned for this month.
He felt a thrill. After all, Lee Hyun-woo was a passionate man.
He had held back a lot to keep boundaries.
Now, he was at his limit.
‘This time, for sure…’
No one knew what he was thinking, but his nostrils flared, and his breathing grew heavy.
Naturally, Kim Tae-hyun looked puzzled.
‘Is he mad that I stole his proposal idea?’
Soon after, the day arrived.
