Chapter 17
Dr. Lee’s eyes sank with a sorrowful light. A deep regret was imprinted on his wrinkled face.
“You probably know, young master. How my spouse died.”
“…”
Hyun-oh didn’t answer. But his tightly closed lips subtly revealed that he knew.
As far as Hyun-oh knew, the cause of his spouse’s death was suicide. …It was written in the report that she hanged herself while pregnant.
“If there were a way to turn back time, even if it meant I would die… I would go back to the past.”
Never once had Dr. Lee revealed his inner thoughts or past to Hyun-oh. He was just a person who faithfully did his job.
“I hope… you won’t regret like I did.”
If it were anyone else, he would have chased them out the moment they started talking nonsense.
The reason he listened to him without stopping was out of respect for him. But that didn’t mean he would tolerate him influencing his life.
“Now that you’ve finished, please get up.”
Hyun-oh pointed to Dr. Lee’s half-empty coffee cup with a gesture. In the cold, sunken gaze, Dr. Lee realized that he had crossed the line Hyun-oh had drawn.
“I’ve had enough.”
Dr. Lee immediately stood up. It was a remark he had pondered over. He didn’t regret it. He just hoped that his words would take root in Hyun-oh’s heart before they withered away.
“I’ll finish up and leave.”
Even if he left, he had to do his job well. Hyun-oh didn’t stop him from doing that.
However, after some time had passed and Dr. Lee had applied a bandage to Eunsol’s hand and left, Hyun-oh didn’t bother to see him off.
Dr. Lee walked slowly to the front door through the luxurious corridor. Each step was filled with reluctance.
Standing at the door, he turned his body. He bowed towards the space where there was no sign of anyone.
“Take care. Young master.”
This would be his last visit. Given Hyun-oh’s nature, he wouldn’t call him again.
If his words, which had crossed the line, could save three lives in the future, it was a worthwhile deed.
***
“Don’t do things you’ll regret.”
Hyun-oh pondered the words Dr. Lee had left behind, with his arms crossed. His gaze fell on the pale face sleeping peacefully.
Not only the swollen eyelids from crying but also the lips he had bitten were visible.
The fever had subsided, but Eunsol’s face was still tinged with pink more than usual. When he first found him collapsed in the bathroom, his heart had sunk.
It was a feeling he had never experienced before. And Hyun-oh was annoyed by that feeling. Even though it was his own emotion.
To survive, he had to cut off emotions like castration. Neither his biological mother nor father ever helped Hyun-oh. Rather, they pushed him into a corner and pressured him as if testing him.
Even now, his half-brother was eyeing his position. It was because their father hadn’t properly established a succession plan before he died.
His father was a man who treated even his own children like chess pieces on a chessboard.
The fortunate thing was that his half-brother’s only advantage over Hyun-oh was the title of the eldest son.
He was a fool who only knew how to play around without any proper attempt. The reason he hadn’t been completely pushed out yet was that his mother was more cunning than expected.
The problem was that there were more executives who nodded to the eldest son succession plan than he thought. Hyun-oh was quietly gathering information to bring down his half-brother and his mother.
But the right timing to strike hadn’t come yet, so he was waiting patiently.
It was a crucial time. Hyun-oh had no intention of losing the group chairman position. To do that, he had to coldly cut off the emotions that were making him uncomfortable.
***
“Throat… dry…”
Eunsol opened his eyes, feeling a burning thirst. It felt like rocks were rolling around in his head.
With difficulty, he opened his eyes to a familiar ceiling. Eunsol slowly got up from his seat. He didn’t know how long he had been asleep, but his body had no strength.
As he wiped his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand, he felt an unfamiliar sensation.
“What is this…”
There was a peach-colored bandage on the back of his hand. Carefully peeling off the bandage, he saw a small hole where the blood had stopped.
“I was in the bathroom…”
Every time he spoke, he felt a stinging pain in his throat. Each time he moved his head to look around the room, cold sweat poured down.
Then, what caught his eye was a water bottle and a cup on the bedside table, along with a small note.
[Please drink when you wake up.]
Neat handwriting was written on the note. It was as if someone knew that Eunsol’s throat would be dry when he woke up.
Numerous questions arose, but Eunsol decided to quench his thirst first. His throat was as dry as if he had wandered under the scorching sun for hours.
It took a long time just to pour water into the cup. It felt like his body, which hadn’t received nutrients on time, was rebelling.
Finally, after drinking the water, he looked for his phone. He needed to know how much time had passed.
Fortunately, the phone was also on the bedside table. As the black screen lit up, the date and time appeared on the display.
“Already this time…”
A whole day had passed since Eunsol last checked the time. Moreover, it was already time for Hyun-oh to have left for work.
For Hyun-oh, weekends had no meaning. He went out every day at dawn.
He hesitantly got up from his seat. First, he wanted to wash his body, which was drenched in sweat. With unsteady steps, Eunsol reached the bathroom door and bowed his head.
He remembered what had happened in the bathroom. Even though he hadn’t opened the door, the sensations he felt then were vivid. It felt like complex emotions would rush in if he entered.
After hesitating in front of the bathroom door for a while, Eunsol finally turned away. The place Eunsol was heading to was the room Hyun-oh had given him.
There was also a bathroom in Eunsol’s room. After washing his body with hot water once, the dizziness became even worse.
After wiping the moisture from his body and getting dressed, when he went out to the living room, his entire body was filled with cold sweat as if the shower had been useless.
“Eunsol.”
“Ah, Manager Kim…”
Normally, at this time, only Eunsol would be at home. It was a time when even the people who did the housework didn’t visit.
Suddenly facing a stranger, Eunsol checked his appearance. Fortunately, the clothes he was wearing were thick enough that the cold sweat he had shed wasn’t noticeable.
“Please sit here.”
“…Yes.”
Kim Myungjun stood up from his seat and waited for Eunsol to sit on the sofa. Only after Eunsol took his seat did he lean back on the sofa again.
“The director has gone on a long-term business trip to America. I also plan to leave with the director, so I came to greet you before I go.”
“Long-term business trip?”
“Yes.”
Kim Myungjun didn’t tell Eunsol more information than necessary. He just needed to know that Hyun-oh had gone on a long-term business trip.
Eunsol looked down at his phone with no news. Just in case, he opened the messenger app. There was only a greeting from Ryu Jeong-woo.
“I’ll give you the number of the employee who will take care of things in my place. Since I might not be able to respond immediately. There’s quite a time difference between America and Korea.”
Kim Myungjun glanced at the watch on his left wrist. The flight time was imminent. To check in at the airport on time, he had to leave for the airport now.
Hyun-oh was already on his way to the airport after finishing his work at the company.
“This is the business card of Song Do-ye, the secretary. She is the most capable employee in the secretary’s office, so you don’t have to worry.”
Kim Myungjun handed Song Do-ye’s business card, which he had already taken out, to Eunsol. As soon as Eunsol hesitantly received the business card, he stood up from his seat.
“Then I’ll be leaving now.”
“…Yes. Have a safe trip.”
There were things he wanted to ask. But Eunsol stood up politely from his seat and bowed his head to Kim Myungjun.
Only after Kim Myungjun, who had bowed to him in return, left the house did Eunsol sit on the sofa, leaning against it.
He was busy with work and went on a business trip, right? But why did Eunsol suddenly get the impression that he was avoiding being with him?
His head was so dizzy that he thought he should eat something. He came out to the living room to do so, but now it felt like his stomach would churn if he swallowed any food.
His body, still with a slight fever, felt heavy. Even sitting on the sofa, leaning against it, he felt like his body was sinking to the floor.
Turning his gaze, he looked at the scenery he had admired when he first saw it, but now it didn’t excite him. He just felt dazed and lonely.
Eunsol looked at the scenery that seemed the same yet constantly changing, as if time had stopped for him.
Everyone was busy going somewhere, but Eunsol was left alone in the big house. He was like a puppet with its strings cut.
“Alone… I can’t do anything, an idiot.”
Eunsol’s space had certainly changed. The room he had in his hometown was much worse than the room he had here, and he was given the freedom to go anywhere except Hyun-oh’s personal space.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
