Perfect Crown in Royal Academy of Korea - Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty Two: Winter Again

Winter again. An arrogant smile hung over Heejoo's face as she looked at her report card for the past year. There wasn't a single mistake, and there wasn't a trace of an opening. The extracurricular activities she had filled out with Jungwoo's help were also perfect. It was worthwhile designing it in accordance with the triangle of leadership, creativity, and a spirit of service.
 
Receiving the approval for early graduation was advantageous before becoming an 11th grader. Her homeroom teacher's recommendation would likely hold no strain, and the principal's approval was also scheduled to be without much problem. The opponent with whom a problem could be present... was her father.
 
"Father, I intend to do an early graduation."
 
She tried bringing it up as soon as the winter vacation began, but her father's expression was ambiguous. It seemed like it wasn't particularly looking admirable, nor was it that he disliked it. It also just seemed like he held no interest.
 
"I am completely equipped with the other qualification requirements, and I merely need Father's permission."
 
"What is the reason."
 
"Pardon?"
 
"There must be a reason you wish to do an early graduation."
 
Heejoo, who hesitated at the unexpected question, shrugged her shoulders.
 
"I wish to go to university quickly too, and...."
 
"And you wish to do work quickly too?"
 
Her father asked. It appeared he had read the career plan attached behind the parent consent form. Starting with the ambition that she wished to study business administration and finishing with the spirit of wishing to take over her father's work, the plan was a truthful thing without a single exaggeration.
 
It appeared that truthful greed scratched her father's nerves.
 
"Whether you become a business manager or a doctor of business administration, it does not matter."
 
"......"
 
"If you say you wish to do work inside the company... that also does not matter. Because making one seat for you is not a difficult matter."
 
Her father continued his words like a person making a highly benevolent proposal.
 
"Instead, do not say things like you will succeed me."
 
"...Why."
 
Heejoo, who rolled into fists the hands she had placed on top of her knees, said.
 
"Because the one succeeding me will be Taejoo."
 
"Therefore, why."
 
Heejoo, who did not hide her boiling inside, asked. If he had said a word that it could not be concluded, she would have understood a hundred times. Even if he said he could not give everything to her, she would have understood. Because in the first place, she was bracing herself for the fact that she must play a game of land-grabbing with her older brother.
 
But she could not tolerate her father's mind, which had been fixed that he would give everything to Sung Taejoo.
 
"At least... you must let me be able to contend."
 
"Why should I."
 
"......"
 
Heejoo, who could not help her surging heart, bit her lip. As if she didn't even possess the qualification to contend with Sung Taejoo, her father's words that drew a line came and pierced her like a dagger.
 
"I could also be exceptionally good at it."
 
"It does not matter."
 
She had been knowing it dimly. That her performing well or poorly was not that important a thing. But hearing that through her father's voice was a different story.
 
"Hah.."
 
Heejoo, who let out a hollow breath, leaned her body against the sofa. She wasn't begging to be let to win, and it was unjust that she must beg to be let to fight.
 
"Sung Taejoo is unable to even adjust in America right now, do you wish to give the company to that kind of fellow?"
 
"It does not matter."
 
It does not matter. Her father repeated the same word like a person who could say only that word. No matter how much she enumerated the ugly points Sung Taejoo possessed, and no matter how much she emphasized the strong points she itself possessed, it seemed like nothing would change.
 
Heejoo, for whom a callus had formed in this kind of situation, looked alternately at her father and the parent consent form. Thinking that if she couldn't obtain it righteously, she must obtain it even dirtily.
 
"It worked out well. Since I won't explain further, just press the stamp."
 
"What?"
 
"If Sung Taejoo wins no matter what I do, then whether I do an early graduation or an early dropout, it doesn't matter anyway."
 
"This brat...."
 
Her father appeared to find that kind of attitude of hers impudent, but Heejoo decided to become brazen. In a state where her irritation had risen all the way it could, she didn't wish to go easy on her father.
 
"Press the stamp."
 
Heejoo, who thrust the parent consent form in front of her father, said.
 
"If Father doesn't press it, I will carve a stamp myself, shall we do it that way?"
 
"Sung Heejoo!"
 
"Do you think I won't be able to do it?"
 
Even if the opponent was her father, Heejoo didn't wish to lose.
 
Wan started his day today too by receiving Hwan's letter. Since Hwan's state marriage, Wan had not met Hwan for any reason. When there was a public duty he must perform single-handedly, he accepted it without complaint, but his way was to entirely reject schedules together with Hwan or events carried out in the palace.
 
The King's reaction toward his youngest son who cut off his footsteps to the palace was nothing special. Other than adding a bit of nagging telling him not to neglect his obligations, he held no other particular interest.
 
Hwan, who was unable to look on further, informed, "It is because I have caused injury to my younger brother's mind," but the King held no other particular interest toward that word either.
 
Rather, he appeared to deem it fortunate. Along with the impression asking if it wasn't good if a suitable distance arose between Hwan, who was like a grass leaf, and Wan, who was like a fire.
 
But Hwan did not wish for a distance from his younger brother. He merely waited for his anger to subside. But that waiting was sustained for over 6 months, and Hwan, who could not wait further, personally sought out the private residence.
 
"Tell him that I have come."
 
"Yes, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
 
He waited for a long time in front of the main gate like that, but Wan did not display even a single strand of hair. The retainers of the private residence, who could not let the Crown Prince of a country continue to wait, sent out Hyun in stead of Wan.
 
"Since his body condition is not good today, he tells you to come next time."
 
Although his appearance of making excuses while hesitating was a lie even looking at it roughly, Hwan nodded his head. He could not reprimand the child who was called the younger brother of his younger brother.
 
From that day on, Hwan sent countless gifts and letters almost every single day. Because he had never written letters except for when he was very young, it was face-burning, but it was good that he could appeal in detail. The word asking to forgive his weak brother, the word saying he was sorry, and the word saying he missed him, crammingly indeed.
 
"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen."
 
Greeting Christmas Eve, Jungwoo sought out the cathedral together with his family members. Because it was a cathedral whose scale was exceptionally grand, it was a place where people were always numerous, but today it seemed that bustle became double compared to usual. To the extent that escaping the cathedral after the vigil Mass ended took over 30 minutes more.
 
"It is my son. Jungwoo, you must greet him."
 
"It is the first time I see you. I am called Min Jungwoo."
 
Amidst the countless interests of the people, Jungwoo guarded his father's side. His posture of standing with a mature face appeared comfortable as if familiar. When he was young, Jungwoo had been reluctant to go out with his father because he disliked the interest of the people, but now he accepted it quite naturally.
 
The fact that a politician's family was no different from a public figure.
 
Thanks to that, Jungwoo and Jungwoo's mother became people who knew better than anyone else how to act to appear perfect in front of others. It wasn't a particularly difficult matter. They were equipped with many elements that others would be envious of, and it was a matter of exhibiting those suitably while also putting on humility suitably.
 
"Son, do you have an appointment? Why do you keep looking at your watch."
 
Jungwoo's mother, who saw her son being anxious while keeping looking at his wristwatch, asked.
 
"Ah, I intend to meet a friend in a bit."
 
"At this night hour? Who?"
 
"Just a school friend."
 
Jungwoo answered thoughtlessly. As if it were no big matter. But he could not hide all the way to the back of his ears turning red, and his mother was a person whose quick wits were fast.
 
"Son, you know that you must also pick and choose the friends you hang out with, right?"
 
"......"
 
Jungwoo did not fail to know what the word of his mother, who smiled while linking arms, signified.
 
When she first met Heejoo, she had cherished her that much, but after learning that Heejoo was an illegitimate child of the Castle Group, his mother was one who did not bring out stories regarding Heejoo at all.
 
She is merely a cherished junior. It was enough to speak so. Because the fact that it was not some grand relationship was also true. But he didn't wish to speak like that. Even if he couldn't say she was an opponent he wished to treasure, he didn't wish to deceive himself saying she is merely a junior.