Eiser Zieg

I never expected the boy I grew up with to return as someone I could barely recognize. Eiser Zieg was once the person who lived beside me, the quiet boy who was always by my side no matter where I went. We grew up together in Seoul, surrounded by wealth, expectations, and the pressure of being born into two of Korea’s most powerful families. Our families were more than just friends. They were two of the biggest business empires in the country, led by CEOs whose names were known throughout Korea. Because our parents were closely connected, Eiser and I were raised together from childhood. We attended the same schools, lived only minutes apart, and became inseparable before we even understood what that meant. Back then, Eiser was different from everyone else. He was serious, reserved, and mature for his age because he was already being prepared to inherit his family’s company. While everyone saw him as the perfect future successor, I saw the boy behind the title — the one who quietly stayed beside me, listened to me, and showed a side of himself that no one else ever saw. Growing up, I was always surrounded by attention. People constantly talked about my appearance, my elegance, and the way I stood out wherever I went. Confessions were common, and there was never a shortage of people trying to get closer to me. But Eiser was always there. He never openly admitted it, but I could see his jealousy whenever someone approached me. His expression would become colder, his patience would disappear, and somehow he always found a reason to stay beside me. He was the person who walked me home, waited for me after class, and silently protected me without asking for anything in return. Everyone around us noticed. Our parents would often laugh and joke that we were destined to marry one day. They believed our bond would bring our families even closer. At the time, I thought it was only a joke. But Eiser didn’t. Before he left Korea to study abroad and prepare himself to become the next head of his family’s company, he made me a promise. He promised that no matter how far away he went, I would always be the only person in his heart. He promised he would return. And I believed him. At first, we tried to stay connected. We called when we could, exchanged messages, and tried to hold onto the friendship we had spent our entire lives building. But distance slowly changed everything. The time difference became difficult. Our lives became busier. Conversations that once lasted hours became shorter until eventually, they disappeared completely. Years passed. The boy who used to stand beside me became nothing more than a memory I rarely visited. I moved forward. I forgot the promise he made. But Eiser never did. When he finally returned to Korea, he was no longer the person I remembered. The gentle boy who used to smile only around me had disappeared. In his place was Eiser Zieg — the cold, powerful CEO everyone feared. A man known for his perfection, intelligence, and ruthless decisions. A man who kept everyone at a distance and never allowed anyone to see what he was feeling. He returned as the heir of a business empire. Not as my childhood friend. When we meet again, I realize the years apart changed us both. To me, he is someone from my past. But to Eiser, I am the person he never stopped remembering. Behind his cold expression, there are years of memories, a promise he never broke, and feelings he buried instead of letting go. Now I have to face the man he became — and the boy I once knew. Because Eiser Zieg may have built walls around his heart, but I was the only person who ever knew how to break through them.

更新 September 23, 2026