My mother? Hyun-Shik thought. How is my Mother associated with the President of the Chung Group?
Meanwhile, Ji-Eun was thinking of something. "Father," she said. "You don't mean... Auntie Su-Won?"
Now, he's completely confused. How would this girl know his mother? And why would the President say they are good friends? So many questions here.
The elder laughed, "She used to work for me, Hyun-Shik."
He stared at the elder blankly.
"Before she met your father," the elder explained. "Before she had you, Su-Won used to be the Chung Group's only secretary. She had attended to our international travels and deals on numerous occasions, helping our core company grow."
"I... I see." he didn't know that. "My Mother never really said anything..."
"Su-Won always had good business acumen," the elder said. "It was a delight to have worked with her. Though it saddened me that she resigned from her post in our company just after four years, I just knew she would be successful in whatever she chose to do, be it starting a family of her own or doing business."
Hyun-Shik listened carefully, wanting to know more.
"She just realized one day that she wanted to go her own way and start something on her own, so... I was never for holding people back, so I let her go. And when I received a personal invitation to her wedding after a long while, you could say I was surprised. I was in Paris then," the elder reminisced. "And when my wife and I arrived back in the country to celebrate with her, I found out that she had you already."
The elder reached out to touch his hand, "You were the most adorable little boy I met. You were around two years old, I think, at the time. It's just a shame that at that age, children only choose to remember little about the people they meet."
"Still, not only you were a good-looking boy, but you were also very bright, " the elder praised him. "I remember you being the one receiving your parents' guests at their wedding. Yes, right beside your late grandfather. Such a filial child, you are."
"Ah... I don't know what to say, President," he ran a hand through his hair. "Thank you?"
The elder laughed.
True enough, his parents married late because they focused mainly on the family business more than anything else. He knew that his mother was the one who brought luck and great help to the Song family. He just never knew that she had learned from one of the most influential businessmen in her time.
"The same thing could be said when my wife had Ji-Eun," the elder continued. "Your parents had also visited us and Su-Won took to caring for Ji-Eun for a short while."
So, that's why... He looked the the girl in front of him. I wonder why Mother never mentioned she knew the President and his daughter? There wouldn't be anything out of the ordinary about their relationship, right?
"I hope not..." he voiced.
Ji-Eun looked at him steadily. It seemed she heard his words.
The elder then clapped his hands, "Well! I guess that's just about it for my lunch," he started to stand.
The girl took to assisting her father once again as Hyun-Shik stood up to bow to him.
"I will be leaving the two of you alone, so you can talk freely about things. I know that there are some things you cannot say in front of this old man, so..." the elder patted her daughter's shoulder. And then turned to Hyun-Shik, "Please do not be burdened by this meeting, Hyun-Shik. Whatever happens today, I just hope that my daughter finds a good friend in you."
"Yes, President," he bowed to him as the elder smiled.
The lounge door opened and the President's male secretary and one of his bodyguards walked up to their table. Ji-Eun turned to the secretary and the bodyguard, "Father still has his Shanghai trip later in the afternoon. Do be careful on your way, Uncle?"
"Yes, Miss." The secretary bowed to her too.
"Older brother," Ji-Eun called out to the bodyguard.
"Yes, Miss." The bodyguard echoed.
"Don't worry too much, dear girl," the elder said. "I'll be taking my leave, you two," and he started walking away.
The two of them watched as the President walked towards the lounge door and out. While the girl was busy watching her father leave, Hyun-Shik took a moment to study the girl in front of him. She seemed calm enough to be left alone with him, which is more than what he could say about other young girls meeting their potential marriage partners. It was not until the double doors closed that she finally turned her attention to him.
With a carefree smile that caught him off guard, she said to him with an air of interest, "So, Mr. Song, shall we talk more freely now?"