Chapter 39: A Deal

The soft glow of ambient lighting and the delicate aroma of sizzling meat and rich spices filled the air inside the high-end Korean BBQ restaurant, "Byul Bansang." The private room had traditional wooden panels, warm-toned walls, and an elegant round table with a built-in grill. A soft instrumental melody played in the background, creating a refined yet intimate atmosphere.

Seated across from each other, Choi Min-ho and Seo-woo sat in comfortable silence.

Min-ho swirled the soju in his glass absentmindedly, his sharp gaze locked onto the young man sitting before him.

Seo-woo, on the other hand, sat casually, dressed in a simple black hoodie with the hood pulled up. His face was mostly covered by a face mask and large sunglasses, but Min-ho still felt an odd sense of familiarity—yet also something... off.

After a few moments, Seo-woo finally spoke, his voice slightly muffled by the mask.

"I trust you enough, so I'll show you."

Without hesitation, Seo-woo reached up, pulling down his mask and removing his sunglasses in one fluid motion.

The second his face was fully revealed, Min-ho flinched.

His breath hitched. His eyes narrowed in shock.

"Ryu Seo-woo...?" he muttered under his breath, disbelief washing over his features.

Min-ho wasn't particularly close to Ryu Seo-woo, nor did he hold any strong feelings toward him. However, there was one thing he knew for certain—Ryu Seo-woo was supposed to be gone.

His thoughts raced.

Wait, then that means—!

Before he could complete his train of thought, Seo-woo spoke again, this time with a bright smile.

"Surprised? I am Bi-yong and Ryu Seo-woo at the same time."

Min-ho sat back in his chair, his lips parting slightly in astonishment.

Seo-woo continued, "I disguised myself due to personal reasons, but I assure you, I'm still the same person you've been talking to all this time."

Min-ho blinked rapidly, taking a second to process everything.

His mind flashed back to the countless interactions he had with Bi-yong—the mannerisms, the temper, the independence. Now that he thought about it, there were undeniable similarities between Bi-yong and the old Ryu Seo-woo.

A low chuckle escaped his lips.

"Damn," Min-ho muttered, shaking his head in amusement. "You're really something else."

Seo-woo raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Min-ho smirked, leaning forward with his elbows on the table.

"You're a great actor, you know that? You should've gone into acting instead of singing."

Seo-woo chuckled, waving a hand dismissively. "No thanks. That's not my thing."

Min-ho hummed thoughtfully, then suddenly, a realization hit him.

"Wait... if Ryu Seo-woo is still okay, then that means—"

"Hold on." Min-ho narrowed his eyes, sitting up straighter. "How the hell can you still sing?"

Seo-woo blinked at the sudden shift in topic.

"What?"

Min-ho crossed his arms. "Your vocal cords were damaged. That's why your career was over, right? What the hell did your voice change?"

Seo-woo hesitated for a second before sighing. "It's true that my voice changed. At first, I couldn't sing properly, but over time, I adapted. My voice is different now—raspier, deeper—but I can still sing."

Min-ho studied him, skeptical. "Different, huh?"

Seo-woo nodded. "If I hadn't learned how to use it properly, I wouldn't have been able to perform as Bi-yong."

Min-ho ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. "Unbelievable. Even after everything, you just refuse to go down, huh?"

Seo-woo smirked. "Of course. I'm not that easy to get rid of."

Min-ho hummed in thought.

Bi-yong had three kids.

Min-ho's eyes widened slightly as he put the pieces together.

"Wait... does that mean Ryu Seo-woo has children?!"

His journalistic instincts immediately flared up.

What a juicy scoop.

No one in the industry knows about this... If the media found out—

Before his thoughts could spiral any further, Seo-woo tilted his head slightly and asked,

"So? Are you disappointed that I'm not who you thought I was?"

Min-ho scoffed, shaking his head. "Disappointed? No. Just... shocked."

Seo-woo leaned in slightly, his expression turning more serious.

"And? Does your offer still stand?"

Min-ho grinned, taking a sip of his soju before setting the glass down with a quiet clink.

"Let's hear it. Convince me."

Seo-woo leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers against the table while contemplating how to convince Choi Min-ho.

"Should I try to sweet-talk him? Nah, that would just make me look desperate. Should I use my charm? No, Min-ho is immune to that nonsense."

Then, a thought hit him.

"You know," Seo-woo began with a mischievous smirk, "I don't want to be shackled again, overworked, and forced to deal with crazy schedules. So instead of signing with you as an artist, how about this—I'll work as a songwriter and composer for Dawn Entertainment?"

Choi Min-ho, who had been swirling his soju lazily, suddenly stopped. His gaze locked onto Seo-woo. He didn't say anything. He didn't even blink.

Silence.

Seo-woo's smirk faltered slightly. Wait, did I mess up?

The tension stretched on as Min-ho simply stared at him, unreadable.

"Uh..." Seo-woo hesitated, shifting in his seat. "If you're not interested, I can just—"

"Done," Min-ho said nonchalantly, taking another sip of his soju.

Seo-woo's mouth fell open in the perfect shape of an 'O'.

"Huh? That's it?!"

Min-ho snorted, amused by Seo-woo's dumbfounded expression. "Yeah. You're in."

Seo-woo blinked. He hadn't even negotiated anything yet! He was prepared for Min-ho to grill him, test him, or at least try to lower the price for his work, but the man had just agreed immediately!

Still confused, Seo-woo narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Wait... what's the catch?"

Min-ho smirked, finally putting his glass down. "No catch. One of my music producers is getting fired soon anyway. I need someone competent to replace him."

Seo-woo raised an eyebrow. "You were just waiting to fire him?"

Min-ho shrugged. "Of course. I was only keeping him around because I didn't have a solid replacement yet. But now—" He gestured toward Seo-woo with a lazy smile. "I do."

Seo-woo folded his arms, still slightly wary. "And why are you firing him?"

Min-ho leaned in slightly, his grin widening. "You remember Han Si-hyun, right? That music producer was his accomplice, and he committed some bad deeds that I could no longer tolerate."

Seo-woo didn't react immediately. Instead, he exhaled deeply through his nose, his jaw tightening slightly.

He already knew that someone had bribed Han Si-hyun. That part wasn't news to him. What was news, however, was who was behind it.

Still, Seo-woo kept his face neutral and played along. "And who might this 'bastard' be?"

Min-ho, ever the dramatic one, smirked knowingly. "I know that look. You already have a few suspects in mind, don't you?"

Seo-woo squinted at him. "Just tell me already, you peacock."

Min-ho gasped, putting a hand over his chest. "Peacock?! I'll have you know I'm more of a phoenix—"

"Min-ho." Seo-woo deadpanned.

Min-ho chuckled and leaned back, crossing his arms. "Fine, fine. I'll tell you. It's Kwon Si-hyuk."

Seo-woo clicked his tongue. "Tch. Should've known."

Kwon Si-hyuk.

That name had always been on his radar, but having it confirmed still irritated him.

Min-ho observed his reaction and smirked. "Not surprised, huh?"

Seo-woo scoffed. "Not really. But it's nice to finally have proof."

Min-ho nodded, satisfied. "Well, now that we've got that out of the way, let's drink to your new job, shall we?"

Seo-woo groaned, rubbing his temples. "I swear, dealing with you is exhausting."

Min-ho grinned, raising his soju glass. "And yet, here you are, working for me."

Seo-woo grabbed his own glass with a begrudging smile. "Yeah, yeah. Cheers, you smug bastard."

Just as Seo-woo and Min-ho were about to clink their glasses, the sound of a firm knock echoed through the private room.

Min-ho immediately narrowed his eyes, his instincts kicking in. "That's gotta be Woo-seok," he thought smugly.

He grinned to himself, already plotting how to rub it in Woo-seok's face that he had hired Bi-yong—no, Seo-woo—first.

Feeling victorious, Min-ho leaned back in his chair and casually called out, "Come in."

The door creaked open, and instead of the expected glowering presence of Moon Woo-seok, the air shifted.

A poised, elegant woman stepped inside.

The air-conditioning suddenly felt colder.

Min-ho's smirk vanished instantly. His blood ran cold. His soul left his body.

"Oh, sh*t."

Seo-woo blinked at the visibly panicking Min-ho and then looked up at the woman who had entered. She was graceful yet intimidating, dressed in a refined hanbok-inspired designer outfit, her jewelry subtle yet screaming wealth.

And her sharp, scrutinizing gaze? Laser-focused on Min-ho.

"Min-ho," the woman began in a slow, deliberate tone.

Min-ho gulped. He only knew one person who spoke to him like that.

Madam Choi. His mother.

Seo-woo, meanwhile, was enjoying the scene. He watched Min-ho's usual cocky demeanor shatter like a dropped phone screen.

"So..." Madam Choi continued, her eyes flickering toward Seo-woo. "Is this why you keep rejecting all the young ladies I introduce to you?"

Min-ho's soul re-entered his body just to escape again.

Seo-woo's eyes widened.

Oh no.

Madam Choi's expression darkened. "Are you gay, Min-ho?"

The room fell silent.

Seo-woo turned to Min-ho. "PFFT—" He barely held back his laughter.

Min-ho jerked back violently as if his mother had just stabbed him in the chest.

"What?! No! Mother, what are you even saying?! That's ridiculous!" Min-ho's voice went up an octave, pure panic settling in.

But Madam Choi was unmoved.

She pulled out her phone, tapped the screen a few times, and thrust it toward Min-ho's face.

On the screen was a photo of him hugging a young man in Bali, Indonesia.

"EXPLAIN THIS."

Min-ho barely glanced at the image before groaning in frustration.

He immediately knew who posted it.

"Damn it, Jin Yu-jin!"

Seo-woo, who had been trying his best to remain neutral, finally burst out laughing.

Min-ho shot him a betrayed glare. "Stop laughing and help me!"

Seo-woo wiped a tear from his eye, still chuckling. "Help you? How?! This is the most entertaining thing I've seen in a while."

Madam Choi wasn't done interrogating. She turned her piercing gaze onto Seo-woo.

"And you—are you the one my son is dating right now?"

Seo-woo almost choked on air. "Excuse me?!"

Min-ho slammed his hands on the table. "MOTHER! That's absurd!"

Madam Choi narrowed her eyes. "Then why is he here with you, in a private room, drinking and laughing?"

Seo-woo raised his hands defensively. "I'm just a hired composer under his company, ma'am."

Min-ho aggressively nodded. "Exactly! Strictly business!"

Madam Choi did not look convinced.

"Hmph. Fine. But I still don't trust you."

Seo-woo sighed in relief. "Great. So I'll just—"

"Since you're single," Madam Choi interrupted, "I've arranged another blind date for you next week."

Min-ho groaned. "Oh, for the love of—Mother, no!"

Madam Choi ignored his protests, her face lighting up slightly. "This young lady is quite charming. She comes from the prestigious Ryu family in Incheon."

Seo-woo, who had been reaching for his drink, suddenly froze mid-motion.

Wait. What?

He slowly turned to face Madam Choi, his expression blank. "Did you just say... Ryu?"

Madam Choi raised an elegant brow. "Yes. Ryu Ji-woo. Do you know her?"

Min-ho sighed dramatically. "Oh great, another rich girl who—"

Seo-woo flinched so hard that Min-ho stopped mid-sentence.

A beat of silence passed.

Then, with a strained smile, Seo-woo cleared his throat and said, "Um... that would be my younger sister."

The room fell into stunned silence.

Madam Choi's composed expression cracked for the first time.

Min-ho nearly dropped his drink. "Wait. WHAT?!"

Seo-woo nodded slowly. "Yep. Ryu Ji-woo is my sister. My biological sister."

Madam Choi and Min-ho stared at him as if he had just told them he was the long-lost prince of a foreign kingdom.

Seo-woo sighed. "I was planning to keep things simple today, but life just LOVES to throw surprises, huh?"

Min-ho dragged a hand down his face. "Unbelievable. So you're saying... my mother has been trying to set me up with your sister this whole time?"

Seo-woo nodded. "Looks like it."

Madam Choi, who had been stunned, suddenly straightened up and regained her usual elegance.

"Well then," she said smoothly, "it seems like I have made a very fortunate choice."

Min-ho looked horrified. "MOTHER, NO!"

Seo-woo just laughed. "This is getting funnier by the second."

The moment Madam Choi gracefully exited the private room, Choi Min-ho slumped into his chair like a deflated balloon.

His face was blank, his eyes empty, and his soul? Probably still processing what had just happened.

Seo-woo, meanwhile, was biting his lower lip to stop himself from bursting into laughter.

He discreetly pulled out his phone and typed a message to his younger sister, Ji-woo:

📝 "Hey, guess what? You're getting married soon. Congrats. 😂"

He hit send before glancing back at Min-ho, who was still sitting motionless, staring at the table as if it had personally betrayed him.

Min-ho let out a long, exhausted sigh and muttered under his breath, "I am so screwed."

Seo-woo patted him on the shoulder. "Cheer up. At least Ji-woo is a great match. She's smart, kind, and won't ruin your credit score."

Min-ho shot him a glare. "This isn't funny."

Seo-woo tilted his head. "Oh, but it is."

Before Min-ho could respond, his phone rang sharply, cutting through the tension.

Still lifeless, he answered in a monotone voice. "Yeah, what now?"

Then, suddenly—

"WHAT?!" Min-ho sprang out of his seat, knocking over his glass of water.

Seo-woo's amusement immediately vanished. "What happened?"

Min-ho gripped his phone tightly before snapping it shut. "Woo-seok. He got into a car accident."

Seo-woo's eyes widened. "Is he okay?!"

Min-ho hurriedly grabbed his coat. "They said he's in the hospital. Not severely injured, but I need to go now."

Without hesitation, Seo-woo stood up, too, bringing many paper bags. "I'm coming with you to the exit."

Min-ho was too focused on leaving to argue, so he just nodded.

The two quickly exited the restaurant, parting ways outside.

Before leaving, Seo-woo told Min-ho, "Keep me updated about his condition."

Min-ho nodded distractedly before rushing toward his car, while Seo-woo hailed a taxi back home.

The taxi ride was quiet and uneventful, giving Seo-woo time to process everything that had happened.

Min-ho and Ji-woo possibly being arranged for marriage?

Moon Woo-seok getting into an accident?

And now...

His phone vibrated.

📩 Jung-woo: "Hyung, just a heads-up. The entire Ryu family is here now."

Seo-woo groaned inwardly. "Great. Just what I need."

As the taxi approached his neighborhood, Seo-woo noticed something strange.

Outside a nearby house, a small figure was hunched over, shoulders shaking.

Seo-woo's eyes narrowed in recognition. "Wait a minute..."

The taxi slowed, and Seo-woo quickly told the driver, "Stop here!"

After paying the fare, he stepped out and walked toward the crying child.

"Haneul?"

The boy looked up abruptly, his teary eyes widening.

"Ryu Seo-woo?!"

Seo-woo squatted down to his level. "What are you doing here? Are you lost again?"

Haneul sniffled and wiped his face. "I'm not lost! This is my house!" He pointed at the building behind him.

Seo-woo stared at it.

Wait. What?

"This is your house?" he repeated.

Haneul nodded firmly. "Yes! I live here with my uncles."

Seo-woo was stunned.

Wait. So Haneul was his neighbor?!

What kind of plot twist was this?!

Seo-woo had just moved in yesterday, and he hadn't even gotten the chance to meet the people living nearby.

Still trying to process this revelation, Seo-woo noticed Haneul's face was still streaked with tears.

He softened his tone. "Did someone tell you that your uncle was hospitalized? Is that why you're crying right now?"

Haneul hesitated before mumbling, "Yes, my uncle got into a car accident... How did you know?"

He placed a comforting hand on Haneul's head. "His close friend told me too. Your uncle is going to be okay. Don't worry too much, alright?"

Haneul sniffled again but nodded, as if trying to convince himself that Seo-woo's words were true.

Before Seo-woo could say more, a voice called out from inside the house.

"Young Master Haneul!"

A housekeeper stood at the doorway, looking relieved. "There you are! Come inside now, it's getting late!"

Haneul quickly turned back to Seo-woo and gave a small wave. "Bye, hyung!"

Without another word, he ran inside.

Seo-woo remained still, watching as the housekeeper gently led the boy in and closed the door behind them.

He exhaled.

So... Woo-seok was his next-door neighbor.

What were the odds?

With one last glance at the house, Seo-woo turned on his heel and made his way home.