Chapter 22: The Ryu Family

The soft glow of lanterns illuminated the interior of a prestigious traditional Korean restaurant, their light casting elegant shadows on the wooden beams and intricate calligraphy adorning the walls. The faint aroma of sizzling bulgogi and freshly steamed rice wafted through the air, mingling with the subtle fragrance of pine wood from the hanok-style architecture.

Inside one of the private rooms, a handsome young man sat alone at a low wooden table, his fingers absentmindedly tapping against the surface. His sharp, well-defined features were partially obscured by the dim lighting, but the furrow between his brows hinted at a troubled mind.

The stillness of the room was broken by the gentle slide of a hanok door. Three figures stepped inside, their gazes filled with curiosity and anticipation. A refined-looking man with sophisticated eyeglasses adjusted them as he took a seat. Beside him, a strikingly beautiful woman with long black hair sat gracefully, her posture poised and elegant. The third person, a woman with soft, wavy locks that framed her delicate features, settled down next to them, her sharp eyes scanning the young man's face for clues about the urgency of this meeting.

The man with the eyeglasses was the first to speak, his tone calm yet expectant.

"Jung-woo, what is this all about? You sounded urgent on the phone."

Ryu Jung-woo, the third son of the Ryu family, took a deep breath before speaking. His voice was steady, but the slight tremor in his fingers betrayed his emotions.

"Hyun-woo hyung," he addressed the man with the glasses. "I saw something today... something shocking."

The other two leaned in slightly, sensing the gravity in his words.

"Three little kids were living with him, but I thought they were some children from the neighborhood who always played with Seo-woo hyung. Earlier, I was near a kindergarten," Jung-woo continued, his voice laced with disbelief. "I saw those three little boys walking and laughing together with Seo-woo hyung. At first, I didn't think much of it, but then I heard them call someone... 'Dad.'"

Jung-woo paused, his throat suddenly dry. "They called Seo-woo hyung 'Dad.'"

The room fell into stunned silence. The woman with the long black hair, Ryu Ji-woo, the youngest daughter of the Ryu family, gasped and clutched her chest in disbelief.

"Really? Are you sure, oppa?" she asked, her voice rising slightly.

Jung-woo nodded firmly. "At first, I thought I misheard, but I kept watching them. The way they clung to him, the way they looked at him... there was no mistaking it. Those kids are definitely his."

The woman with the wavy hair, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke up, her voice calm but tinged with curiosity.

"Did you see his partner? Who is the mother?" she asked.

Jung-woo shook his head. "No, sister-in-law, I didn't see anyone who could be their mother. But there was an elderly woman who seemed to be taking care of them, and that elderly woman was a doctor who had a clinic nearby in that area. That doctor looked familiar, but I couldn't think where did I see her." He turned back to Hyun-woo. "Hyung, you have to believe me. Seo-woo hyung has children, and he's been hiding them from us."

Hyun-woo exhaled deeply, rubbing his temples. "This is a serious matter, Jung-woo. We can't just assume things without concrete proof. I need you to continue observing them. Just don't scare them. Find out more about these children and their connection to Seo-woo. If what you're saying is true, we need to know why he kept this from us."

Jung-woo nodded, determination flickering in his eyes. "I will. I contacted someone who will observe and protect Seo-woo hyung"

Just as the tension in the room was about to settle, Ji-woo cleared her throat, drawing their attention.

"Speaking of Seo-woo oppa, I've been investigating his accident," she said, pulling out her tablet. "I found something interesting. There was a little boy who entered Seo-woo's tent outside the company that day. He was holding a packet of powder, most likely juice powder. But here's the strange part—some of the surveillance footage was mysteriously deleted. I can't say for sure if the boy had anything to do with the accident, but it's too much of a coincidence to ignore."

Hyun-woo's expression darkened. "Someone's covering their tracks."

Ji-woo nodded. "I need more evidence before jumping to conclusions, but I'm getting closer."

Just then, Eun-ha's phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and smiled faintly. "It's from Eun-soo," she said, referring to her eight-year-old daughter. She opened the message, and her brows furrowed slightly at the attached picture.

Ji-woo leaned over and peered at the photo. It was an image of Eun-woo, Hyun-woo's five-year-old son, grinning alongside a group of friends. Ji-woo's eyes widened as she zoomed in on one particular boy.

"Wait a second... this boy—" she pointed at the screen, "—I've seen him before. Ohh! This is the same child who entered Seo-woo oppa's tent that day."

A heavy silence filled the room. Ji-woo turned to Eun-ha, her expression urgent.

"Sister-in-law, ask Eun-soo about this boy. Find out who he is and where he comes from. If he's connected to oppa's accident, we need to know everything about him."

Eun-ha nodded, already typing a message to her daughter.

Across town, unaware of the storm brewing around him, Ryu Seo-woo sat on his bed, exhausted but content. He had just finished tucking his sons in for the night, their soft breathing filling the quiet room.

He returned to his room. He sat down on his desk, tapping his pen against the sheet of paper. The sound of his tapping matched the rhythm of his mind, bouncing between thoughts of his triplet sons and the lyrics forming in his head. He hummed as he scribbled down a few lines, laughing softly to himself.

"Three little stars, my pride and my joy,

Playing all day with their favorite toy.

One's always loud, the other's so shy,

But I know they'll grow and reach the sky."

He was really getting into it. These lyrics meant everything to him, and writing them was like sharing a part of his heart with the world. But then, something else crossed his mind—snacks. He glanced over at the half-empty snack stash on his table. His eyes widened in horror. "I'm running out!" he muttered dramatically, throwing his hands up as if the snack apocalypse was upon him.

Without a second thought, Seo-woo stood up, grabbed his jacket, and rushed to the door. He checked to make sure it was locked—twice. Even a locked door wouldn't keep away his craving for chips at 12 midnight.

Out the door, he trudged down the dimly lit street, his steps echoing in the stillness of the night. The cool night air made him feel a little more awake, but he couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching him. He glanced around but saw nothing. Still, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.

His pace quickened. It was probably nothing. He was just paranoid, right? The thought of snacks kept him moving, though.

He reached the convenience store, the bright neon sign casting a comforting glow. He stepped inside, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling that clung to him. The shelves of snacks greeted him like old friends, and he immediately went to work picking out chips, a bag of gummy bears, and, of course, a chocolate bar.

But then something caught his eye—an umbrella. It was a simple black umbrella, sitting by the counter, almost too perfectly placed. Seo-woo picked it up, twirling it a bit in his hands.

"If someone ambushes me, I'll be ready," he thought with a grin. He had seen enough spy movies to know how this worked. The umbrella could definitely be his weapon of choice in an emergency. With snacks in hand, he walked to the counter and paid, giving the umbrella one last look, just in case.

As he stepped out of the store, the uneasy feeling returned. He glanced down the street. His eyes darted back and forth, scanning for any movement, any sign of danger. He didn't want to run; running would only make him look suspicious. But walking at his normal pace felt... too slow. So, he started walking a little faster.

Suddenly—BAM!

Seo-woo stumbled back, crashing into something—or rather, someone. He gasped and quickly looked up, only to be met with a tall figure in a black hoodie and face mask. His heart skipped a beat.

The man was silent for a moment before muttering, "Hey, watch where you're—"

Seo-woo didn't let him finish. He held up the umbrella, pointing it at the man like a sword. "Don't come any closer!" he warned, voice shaking but firm. "I'll scream if you do!"

The man raised an eyebrow, clearly unfazed. "You wouldn't scream. You know it could ruin your vocal cords."

Seo-woo froze. His mouth went dry. How did this stranger know about his vocal condition? No one else—except for a very select few—knew about his vocal problems.

"Wait a second..." Seo-woo thought, narrowing his eyes. "Are you a stalker?"

The man, still with his hands in his pockets, chuckled lightly. "I'm not a stalker, hyung. I'm just... surprised to see you so on edge."

Seo-woo blinked, utterly confused. "Hyung? What—?"

Before he could react, the man casually removed his hoodie and mask, revealing his face. The moment Seo-woo saw him, the world seemed to freeze. His mind reeled, memories flooding back in a rush—memories of a young boy with a bright smile, his childhood friend.

"Ye-joon?"

Seo-woo's stomach sank. The realization hit him like a truck. This was Kim Ye-joon, the actor who had ignored him for years. The same actor who once slapped him when he'd misunderstood a situation with Yu-jin. The guy who had been too busy with his own success to even acknowledge Seo-woo.

His anger flared. Without thinking, Seo-woo swung the umbrella at Ye-joon's chest. Ye-joon caught it effortlessly, a slight smirk on his face.

Seo-woo said while pulling his umbrella, "Why are you here? Do you want to see me miserable? But you are wrong, I am happy now, so I don't want to see your worthless face, it's disgusted me."

Seo-woo wasn't having it. He shoved Ye-joon aside and kicked his legs out from under him. Ye-joon cried out in pain, but his smirk never faltered.

"Hyung! What's your deal? I came here because of—" Ye-joon called out, his voice full of frustration.

But before he finished his statement, Seo-woo hit him again and then walked away.

Ye-joon called him several times, but Seo-woo didn't look back. He couldn't. His fists clenched at his sides as he walked away, his pace quickening. The only thing that kept him from running was the thought of how much he hated people who looked down on him, people like Ye-joon who had once made him feel worthless.

The night air felt colder now, but the sting of the past was even colder.

"Why do all the main and supporting characters keep coming near him and making my life dramatic?"

---

Near the convenience store

"Third Young Master, I think I just scared the Second Young Master. He started walking faster, like he saw a ghost, and ended up bumping into Kim Ye-joon. I also just received a report that Kim Ye-joon rented a house near the Second Young Master, but I don't know his purpose."

"Got it. Just protect Seo-woo hyung if that bastard Ye-joon harasses him"

"Okay."

---o---

"Little Theatre"

CEO Moon Woo-seok: "How dare you slap my wife?"

Kim Ye-joon: "Wife? Who's your wife?"

Ryu Seo-woo: *Write Moon Woo-seok's and Kim Ye-joon's name in his Death Notebook*

CEO Moon Woo-seok and Kim Ye-joon: ( ˶°ㅁ°) !!