Unrequited Love Thresher-Chapter 64: Cheap Pride

At Ha Dohoon’s violent abuse of power, Kim Seunghyun’s eyes widened so much they looked ready to pop out of his skull.

What the hell was this crazy brat doing now? He showed up out of nowhere, smashed the side mirror, and now said he had done it? Seemed like he’d gone off the rails the moment his little brother collapsed... Was this supposed to be some kind of rage relief?

Kim Seunghyun opened and closed his mouth several times before he could finally speak.

“Sir, what is—”

“If you don’t have the money for repairs, it’ll come out of your salary.”

As he spoke, Ha Dohoon lightly kicked the side mirror with his foot. It rolled and came to a stop right at Kim Seunghyun’s feet. His face flushed red with fury.

“Why are you doing this all of a sudden? This is completely inappropriate, and I find it highly offensive.”

Kim Seunghyun straightened his hunched back and locked eyes with Ha Dohoon. Of all things, money was something he was especially sensitive about—there was no way he’d just accept this.

But Ha Dohoon wasn’t glaring back. He was smirking.

That mocking smile made Kim Seunghyun step forward, one step closer, his posture turning threatening.

“This is blatant abuse of power. I don’t know if you realize what you’re doing, sir.”

“Abuse of power?”

Ha Dohoon let out a short laugh, like he was entertained, then suddenly went still. His expression dropped, and he fixed Kim Seunghyun with a cold stare.

The look in his eyes made Kim Seunghyun flinch and step back. He was physically bigger, but Ha Dohoon carried a presence that far exceeded his age. That look—just like his father’s—sent a chill down Kim Seunghyun’s spine.

“Then what are you? A thief? Or should I say... an embezzler?”

“...Excuse me?”

That one word sent a chill down Kim Seunghyun’s back, draining the heat from his body. Embezzler? Thief? It wasn’t just that Dohoon had called him a criminal—the word itself was the problem. Because it hit far too close to home.

Skimming Giyeon’s belongings and selling them off, using the card he was given however he pleased—those weren’t even the worst of it. Kim Seunghyun had also been leaking confidential company information, quietly embezzling corporate funds. The only reason he’d gotten away with it until now was because he always pinned it on someone else and wiped the evidence clean. He’d only managed to dodge Ha Ilwoo’s scrutiny ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) by using shady fall guys.

Now, Kim Seunghyun was dying to know—just how much did Ha Dohoon know?

He was too overwhelmed by all the spinning thoughts to answer right away, but then came to his senses. He would deny everything, no matter what.

“So now you ignore me on top of everything else. How stupid do you think I am?”

“......That accusation was so ridiculous I didn’t know what to say. I don’t understand what you mean...”

“What did you do with the card I gave you to buy Giyeon clothes?”

“......!”

The second he heard that, Kim Seunghyun felt both relieved and resigned. So that was it. Of course Dohoon wouldn’t know about the company embezzlement. He must have heard something from Giyeon. This much, he could talk his way out of.

“Sir, I think there’s been a misunderstanding. I definitely left the clothes in young master Giyeon’s room. I don’t know what happened after that.”

“Oh, you left them?”

“Yes, I think the young master must have thrown them out. You know how he is—always trying to get your attention. Or maybe he hid them on purpose so he’d have an excuse to go shopping with you...”

“So you really think I’m a moron.”

Ha Dohoon gave a short laugh and looked him in the eye, completely calm.

“There wasn’t even a purchase record on the card. So what exactly did you buy and leave?”

“......!”

No purchase record? Kim Seunghyun tried to recall that day—what card had he used when checking out? Was it Giyeon’s? Dohoon’s? He couldn’t remember. But now that Dohoon had said it, he realized the truth.

Frantically, Kim Seunghyun opened his mouth.

“M-Must’ve been a mistake—I must have used young master Giyeon’s card by accident. There should be a record on that one—I can show you.”

He was certain that would be enough to get him off the hook. The purchase had happened, so as long as he showed a record, there was no reason for Dohoon to press further.

But that was a delusion. Kim Seunghyun should have realized it—the moment Giyeon collapsed, everything had changed.

“I’m sure you bought something. For yourself.”

“W-What are you talking about...!”

“You looked thrilled. Trying on clothes, browsing racks—so busy.”

Kim Seunghyun’s face twisted. He couldn’t maintain his expression anymore. Just from his face and body language, anyone could tell he was lying and scrambling to cover it up.

While Giyeon had been passed out in bed, Ha Dohoon had thought back to Kim Seunghyun’s errands and checked his own card’s transaction history. As expected, there was nothing. Not even a single charge from a department store.

That alone had been enough to suspect Kim Seunghyun had never bought any clothes. But by chance, when he asked the secretaries managing his parents’ finances to send over his transaction history, they’d also included Giyeon’s.

Out of curiosity, he had skimmed through Giyeon’s as well—and something stood out. A department store purchase under Giyeon’s name that day.

‘Did Secretary Kim pay using Giyeon’s card?’

If I told him to buy clothes, shouldn’t it have gone on my card? Why...? But then he noticed the time of the charge.

8 PM. He’d told him to buy clothes around 1 or 2 PM. It had been right after Giyeon came down for lunch and stormed out after getting hit with cake. He remembered clearly—it was immediately after that that he’d made the call.

Kim Seunghyun had said he bought them and left them earlier.

The timeline didn’t match up.

To confirm, Ha Dohoon asked his mother’s secretary to obtain the department store’s CCTV footage. At first, the employee refused, saying such a request required a police escort and formal documentation. But the moment they realized Ha Dohoon was a VIP, the footage was handed over without delay.

Ha Dohoon had spent the night watching that footage, swallowing back his rage.

Kim Seunghyun strutted into the store like he was the VIP, tried on outfit after outfit, checked himself out in the mirror, then confidently strutted out and went home for the day. Dohoon had watched it all, forcing down the laughter of disbelief and the anger that nearly burst out of him.

The fact that he’d used Giyeon’s card for this kind of bullshit made him furious.

Now, Ha Dohoon played that footage in front of Kim Seunghyun.

The more the video played, the paler Kim Seunghyun’s face became.

Ha Dohoon looked at that face and laughed.

“Were you going on a date or something? I guess trash like you needs fancy clothes to look human.”

“......”

“You should’ve just begged. ‘Please help me buy clothes,’ like that.”

Before you lose the only job you have left.

At that final line, Kim Seunghyun dropped to his knees before he could even feel the sting of humiliation. He bowed his head.

“I-I’m sorry, sir! I must’ve been out of my mind!”

“Why do people like you always say the same thing.”

Ha Dohoon didn’t even spare him a glance as he turned away. Desperate, Kim Seunghyun pressed his forehead to the pavement.

“I’ll do anything! Please, just give me one more chance! I’ll pay back every penny! I’m so sorry!”

Looking down at him groveling like a worm, Ha Dohoon thought for a moment. Originally, he had intended to go straight to his father and have Kim Seunghyun fired. But now, watching him practically licking the floor in apology, his thoughts changed.

It wasn’t out of sympathy. Not even close.

If Kim Seunghyun got fired, someone new would come in. And that new person might be even worse. They might start bothering Giyeon. That was unacceptable.

No.

Ha Dohoon thought of Giyeon, lying unconscious in that hospital bed, and shut his eyes tight. He couldn’t let anything else hurt him. It was better to keep a leash on the bastard groveling at his feet—to control him—than to gamble on someone worse showing up.

“Secretary Kim.”

“Y-Yes, sir.”

“Clean up your mess.”

“Y-Yes! Of course!”

Kim Seunghyun’s face lit up with disbelief. He hadn’t expected to be forgiven. That even Ha Dohoon would let him off the hook. Inwardly, he scoffed. So the kid’s not as sharp as his old man after all.

If it were me, I wouldn’t have forgiven this. But I guess those brothers are just alike—soft as hell.

Still grinning, Kim Seunghyun rose to his feet. Then, Dohoon held out his hand.

“Give me the car key.”

“...Sorry? The car key?”

Dohoon stood still with his hand extended. Not wanting to provoke him, Kim Seunghyun quickly fished the key out of his pocket and handed it over.

Ha Dohoon took it and inspected the keychain closely. Then, with one quick twist, he broke the ring out of alignment.

Using the sharp edge, he walked slowly along the side of the car, dragging the metal along the body.

Screeech—an unbearable sound, like fingernails on a chalkboard, echoed through the garage.

Kim Seunghyun could only watch with wide eyes. He didn’t dare stop him.

Ha Dohoon circled the car, scraping it end to end. Then he tossed the key at Kim Seunghyun.

“Get it fixed.”

And with that, he turned and walked away.

Kim Seunghyun looked back and forth between his car and Dohoon’s retreating back. All he could do was clench his fists.

He’d completely misjudged him.

This brat was worse than Ha Ilwoo.