Chapter 140
After returning to the company, the only thing he actually did was find out about Cheong-yeon’s situation and call him.
“Damn it.”
Do-heon muttered while adjusting his tilted wristwatch.
It wasn’t something that would be immediately resolved just because he was concerned. Nevertheless, the fact that he couldn’t know where Cheong-yeon was wouldn’t leave his mind.
Do-heon irritably flipped through documents, trying to focus on work again.
But unable to concentrate for even five minutes, he pushed the papers to the corner of his desk.
He immediately connected a call to the secretarial office.
—Yes, Director.
“Still no information on Cheong-yeon’s whereabouts?”
—Since nobody else can reach him either, we’re looking into it further.
“You’ve definitely contacted his friends and parents, right?”
—Yes, Director, we have.
Finally ending the call without any results, Do-heon leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed.
After appearing lost in thought for a while, not long after, Do-heon called Cheong-yeon again.
Cheong-yeon’s phone was still turned off.
“…”
He’s never been this unreachable before. I hope he’s not somewhere weak and having another nosebleed.
Unwelcome thoughts invaded his mind. At the same time, the pale face of Cheong-yeon bleeding in front of him came to mind.
Then his chest became uncomfortably tight. Do-heon frowned and took a deep breath. He stood up to shake off the unsettling emotion.
If he was curious, he could just check for himself. Instead of sitting quietly waiting for contact.
“Director, where are you going?”
As Do-heon left his office, the secretaries working at the desks near the entrance all stood up at once.
“I’m leaving early, so you all should wrap up and go home early too.”
Leaving his work as it was, Do-heon left the company and drove toward the officetel where Cheong-yeon was staying.
He had planned to call the company security team if there were reporters or suspicious people wandering around, but the area around the building was quiet. Fortunately, it seemed that where Cheong-yeon was staying had not been revealed.
After parking the car, Do-heon entered the building. Since it was a place he had arranged himself, passing through the common entrance and the desk on the first floor was easy.
Soon reaching Cheong-yeon’s door, Do-heon rang the bell.
There was no sign of life from inside.
“Yoo Cheong-yeon.”
He knocked on the door and called Cheong-yeon’s name. But again, only silence came as an answer.
Could it be a heat cycle?
Recalling when he had gone to find Cheong-yeon who had left home and was living alone in a studio apartment, Do-heon placed his hand on his waist. With his other hand, he naturally began entering the password to unlock the door.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Each time a number was pressed, a short mechanical sound echoed in the corridor. But Do-heon’s hand stopped in mid-air before pressing the final digit.
What if it is a heat cycle?
A fundamental question suddenly occurred to him.
If he went in like this, the only conclusion would be another physical entanglement with Cheong-yeon. Then Cheong-yeon would take birth control pills and suppressants together again, and would stagger before him with a face that looked like he hadn’t even eaten rice porridge, just like last time.
If unlucky, he might even bleed again.
If Cheong-yeon was truly not answering because of a heat cycle, it wasn’t a problem Do-heon could solve.
“Yoo Cheong-yeon. Just tell me if you’re in there.”
In the end, Do-heon couldn’t finish entering the password and removed his hand from the door lock. He called out to Cheong-yeon with his forehead against the door.
“I won’t come in, just let me know if you’re there.”
Still, there was only continued silence.
Unable to find a better option, Do-heon decided to wait for now.
Perhaps Cheong-yeon had just gone out briefly. Anyway, he had intended to just check his face and leave right away.
“…”
As he killed time aimlessly like this, the sun was already setting. Do-heon impassively gazed at the darkening sky through the glass window in the officetel corridor.
How long had he been standing there, leaning against the corridor wall without moving? Do-heon’s patience was reaching its limit. His insides twisted as if he needed to do something, anything.
It was similar to when he had waited for Cheong-yeon in the parking garage not long ago.
As a bitter taste rose in his mouth, he felt like having a cigarette. He had started smoking out of youthful impulse when he first learned management, suppressed by pressure. He had smoked occasionally after that too, but had quit completely after getting married. He hadn’t put one to his lips in the past three years, so he wasn’t sure why he kept thinking about it now.
Do-heon, who had been considering whether to smoke cigarettes while waiting for Cheong-yeon like before, soon abandoned the idea. He recalled Cheong-yeon’s expression that day in the parking garage. It was a face that seemed tired of something. Whether it was because of him or the cigarettes, he wasn’t sure.
Eventually, Do-heon turned to leave. Back in his car, he tried to think of places Cheong-yeon might have gone. However, there was no particular destination that came to mind.
He had always been distant from his family, and they said he wasn’t at his friend Kim Ji-han’s house either.
Not being able to determine where to go was quite confusing for him.
Sitting in the car with his hands on the steering wheel, he was lost in thought for quite some time.
By now, the sun had set and the sky had completely darkened. Thinking that Cheong-yeon might appear, his gaze lingered for a long time at the end of the alley.
After another long while, Do-heon finally started the car.
Returning to the company, he gathered the documents he hadn’t finished in the afternoon from his office, then headed home.
“Oh my. Director. You’re early today?”
Hearing movement at the entrance, the housekeeper approached Do-heon in surprise.
“The driver brought in your luggage from the business trip a little while ago. Since we thought you’d be coming home late, we haven’t prepared dinner yet. If you can wait a bit…”
“That’s fine. You can go home for today.”
Do-heon said as he placed the stack of documents on the living room table.
Noticing his mood didn’t seem good, the housekeeper obediently nodded.
“Understood. I’ll leave food in the refrigerator, so please help yourself later.”
Do-heon passed by the kitchen, showing no interest in eating. As he was climbing the stairs to the second floor, he stopped as if remembering something.
“Ma’am.”
“Yes?”
“Do you know any places that Cheong-yeon frequently visited?”
“Mr. Cheong-yeon? I think he was close with Ji-han. Besides his place…”
At the sudden question, the housekeeper tilted her head as if searching her memory.
“Any other places he might go? Even small places.”
“Nothing particularly comes to mind. Has something happened?”
“It’s nothing. Has Cheong-yeon’s room been cleaned?”
“Ah, yes! I cleaned it thoroughly this morning. Of course, I didn’t touch any of his belongings.”
“I see. You can go home now.”
Do-heon ignored the housekeeper’s puzzled look and went to Cheong-yeon’s room on the second floor.
Opening the door, he could see at a glance that the room was spotlessly clean and tidy.
There was a gentle fabric softener scent, suggesting the bed covers had been changed.
The room hadn’t changed at all since Cheong-yeon lived there.
Do-heon walked to the table Cheong-yeon used to use.
As he sat blankly in the chair, his phone began to vibrate. Do-heon answered immediately after confirming the caller was Secretary Shim.
“Have you found Cheong-yeon?”
—Not yet. However, I called to discuss another matter with you.
Do-heon’s hand tightened around the phone at the news that they hadn’t discovered where Cheong-yeon was.
“Go ahead.”
He barely maintained his composure while fidgeting with Cheong-yeon’s eye mask on the table.
—It’s related to Mr. Cheong-yeon. What should we do about the drama he was already cast in? Although it’s on hold, we could pressure the production company to proceed with the contract if needed.
Do-heon was about to instruct him to make sure Cheong-yeon was recast, but closed his mouth as he recalled Cheong-yeon’s bloodless face. Whenever he thought of that moment, the inside of his throat felt like it was burning up.
Maybe it would be good for him to rest for a while. He’s been busy for months. It could be a chance to regroup.
He was concerned about how dark Cheong-yeon’s complexion had been the last time he saw him, whether due to those damned pills or something else.
“Leave it on hold for now and focus on controlling the media first.”
—Understood. I’ve already communicated with the broadcasting stations today, but I plan to contact the station directors directly by tomorrow.
After finishing the call with Secretary Shim, Do-heon tried calling Cheong-yeon again.
It was still turned off, so the call disconnected without even a ringtone.
Placing his phone on the table, Do-heon surveyed Cheong-yeon’s clean and quiet room.
With all his belongings still in place, it looked as if Cheong-yeon still lived there.
But although the possessions remained the same, the room had been empty for so long that Cheong-yeon’s pheromones could no longer be detected.
Today especially, that fact made Do-heon particularly angry.
After sitting quietly in the chair, Do-heon got up and walked toward the dresser. He sprayed the perfume Cheong-yeon had left behind the day he left on his own jacket.
The scent of Cheong-yeon that he remembered filled the surroundings.
But this wasn’t nearly enough. It was always insufficient.
When the fragrance quickly dissipated, he was about to spray more but hesitated. Do-heon fiddled with the perfume bottle before finally putting it back in its place.
He thought he had been using it sparingly, but there wasn’t much left now.
Originally, he had planned to bring Cheong-yeon back home before using it all up. He had been confident he could.
But the perfume was already showing its bottom.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
