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Ring ring-
Ring, ring ring-
The dial tone on speakerphone had been compulsively repeating since earlier. Jang Yeonhu, looking crazed, kept calling Han Jaekyung who wasn’t answering while frantically searching through every corner of the room where he had been staying. The attempts of those around him to calm him down were completely futile.
“Yeonhu, Jaekyung will be back soon. Look, all his things are still here.”
“That’s right. Han isn’t a child. Let’s put the phone down and wait patiently. If there’s still no contact after one more hour, just one hour, I’ll send people to look for him.”
Madam Yu and the Vice Chairman were just sweating profusely while following Yeonhu around. They were worried sick that his blood pressure might spike and he might collapse, just like when he first learned after being discharged that Jaekyung lived elsewhere. This unexpected situation had the medical staff at the mansion anxiously monitoring Yeonhu’s condition. As much as they wanted to administer a sedative, they couldn’t forcibly restrain him, so for now it seemed they could only wait until he calmed down on his own.
The servants were busy passing the blame to each other while watching their superiors’ reactions. They should have stopped Attorney Han when he said he was going out earlier, if they couldn’t prevent him from leaving, they should have reported it immediately after he left, whose idea was it to grant Attorney Han’s request in the first place, and so on.
Ring, ring-, BANG!
“Yeonhu!”
“…”
The mobile phone that had been monotonously emitting useless dial tones hit the wall and tumbled onto the floor. Whether he couldn’t hear Madam Yu’s piercing scream or not, Yeonhu picked up the phone with its half-shattered screen and dialed again. Ring, ring, ring. Han Jaekyung didn’t answer.
Looking up at the ceiling and exhaling deeply, Yeonhu seemed unable to bear it any longer and was about to leave through the front door. He looked like he couldn’t stand the anxiety unless he went out to look for Han Jaekyung right away, even though he had no idea where to go.
The entrance quickly turned into a scene worse than a chaotic marketplace with Yeonhu trying to leave and security guards trying to stop him. Watching this, the Chairman, seemingly getting a headache, pressed his temples firmly while scolding the secretaries who were hanging their heads in shame as if to say they still hadn’t found where Han Jaekyung was. It was truly a chaotic scene that could only be described as a complete mess.
It was then. Ding-dong, a car has arrived, the cheerful garage notification suddenly eased the tension. Choi Eunseong unconsciously gulped. Jang Yeonhu, whose limbs were practically restrained by the guards, also froze in place.
Shortly after, the front door clicked open and footsteps in black shoes walked in.
“Huh…? What, what’s going on. Why is everyone out here-, Jang Yeonhu! What are you doing now!”
Fortunately, the person who appeared was indeed the protagonist everyone had been waiting for. Han Jaekyung, with a bewildered expression, looked around the house where a commotion had broken out, and as soon as he saw Yeonhu, his already large eyes widened like saucers.
Yeonhu forcefully shook off the hands binding his limbs and immediately walked toward Jaekyung. While Han Jaekyung was still confused and unaware of the situation, everyone, including Choi Eunseong, expected Yeonhu to shout at him, asking where he had been.
“… Han Jaekyung.”
“What’s wrong, Jang Yeonhu? Did something happen?”
“You, you really, when you go out… you should at least, tell me.”
But the scene that actually unfolded was far from what they had expected.
“I’m sorry for not telling you, but… what, are you crying? Hey! Jang Yeonhu!”
“I was so… so worried, ugh…”
Yeonhu, who seemed to have lost strength in his legs, collapsed in front of Jaekyung and burst into tears.
“You said you were sick, you didn’t answer your phone, you weren’t home…”
“Oh my… Okay. I’m sorry. I said I’m sorry, okay?”
Han Jaekyung, not knowing the previous situation, even chuckled as if finding it funny that Yeonhu was crying out of nowhere. Yeonhu couldn’t even raise his voice at Jaekyung.
Watching this scene, Choi Eunseong suddenly realized.
He couldn’t stay like this. No, he shouldn’t stay like this.
If he continued to do nothing… even when Yeonhu regained his memory, he might completely lose him to Han Jaekyung. He had to do something, anything.
* * *
“Hmm… I’m sure it won’t come out now.”
Yes, logically thinking, it shouldn’t. While thoroughly rinsing off the foam he had lathered on his body, Han Jaekyung nodded to himself. He still felt chills remembering how Yeonhu had cried his eyes out last night, grinding his teeth and saying Jaekyung smelled of alcohol after having just one cocktail, as if he had some supernatural sense.
Given how overbearing Madam Kang was, second to none, he naturally assumed he could return well past eleven. He had thought he could make excuses if he returned by ten, which was relatively early by his standards… He truly never dreamed that Yeonhu would already be back. Moreover, because he had his phone on silent while watching the afternoon performance, he only realized much later that his phone had been ringing off the hook.
If he had anticipated this, he would have told the truth during his last call with Yeonhu before entering the performance. He might have been a little upset then, but he wouldn’t have cried his heart out like that.
It was definitely Jaekyung’s loss, as he had fallen asleep without properly washing up after physically comforting Yeonhu who was inconsolable. Jaekyung washed away his drowsiness along with the foam. After waking up late and washing his body with hot water, he felt completely refreshed.
By the time he came down to the dining room, the other family members had already finished lunch. Jaekyung stopped the housekeeper who was busy preparing breakfast just for him and only had a cup of coffee with some fruit. He felt too bloated to eat anything after overeating last night.
The house was quiet. The Chairman and Vice Chairman had gone golfing together, and Madam Yu seemed busy with her niece’s music recital or something. Jaekyung crunched on an apple while looking around for any sign of Yeonhu. But there was not a single strand of Yeonhu’s hair in sight.
It should be about the time his morning rehabilitation would be ending. It was strange that Yeonhu, who would normally have been eagerly waiting for him to wake up, was nowhere to be seen.
“Madam, where is Yeonhu?”
“The young master is in the basement now. His counseling session is running long today.”
After hesitating briefly, the housekeeper added, “I think it’s because of what happened yesterday.”
“I see… Thank you.”
Even to Jaekyung, Yeonhu didn’t seem psychologically stable, so it made sense that his counseling would take longer. Though it wasn’t intentional, Jaekyung, who was essentially the cause, had nothing more to say and just sipped his coffee.
Already, the Chairman, Vice Chairman, and Madam Yu had all earnestly requested that he please not go anywhere and remain on standby until Yeonhu’s memory returned, so he was stuck without being able to move for the time being. They even went so far as to say they would contact his law firm on his behalf and that he should skip even his once-a-week office visit this week. He thought to himself, what a family that shows no mercy to others but is so deeply affectionate toward their own blood.
After finishing his light meal, Jaekyung immediately headed toward the stairs leading to the basement. Even before Yeonhu was discharged, the Chairman had knocked down all the walls in the basement and transformed the entire floor into a rehabilitation center.
“Hahaha, really? No way, you’re lying.”
“It’s true. I swear.”
“Come on, but that’s too hard to imagine? I’m going to ask Attorney Han if it’s true.”
Halfway down the stairs, the sound of Choi Eunseong’s clear laughter stopped Jaekyung in his tracks.
…When did those two get so close?
Jaekyung felt a surge of irritation at the sight of Yeonhu, who had been wary of Choi Eunseong, now chatting away with him as if he were someone else entirely. So much for the counseling session running long… he was just absorbed in talking with Choi Eunseong.
“So you two have been dating for a really long time?”
“I suppose so.”
“Wow, I’m jealous. Though I did think from the first time I saw you that Attorney Han and Yeonhu hyung really suited each other.”
“Really?”
“Yes, of course.”
Surprisingly, the subject that Choi Eunseong kept bringing up while chattering away innocently was none other than Han Jaekyung. Yeonhu, finding something so amusing, wore a faint smile and even provided answers to Eunseong’s questions.
Making their relationship itself the topic of conversation. Though it was frustrating, Jaekyung had to admit it was a clever strategy for opening up a dialogue with Yeonhu.
…It would be right to leave them alone. According to what Jaekyung had asked of Choi Eunseong, coaxing him along. If he really intended to hand over Yeonhu once his memory returned. But hadn’t Jaekyung already made up his mind long ago? It seemed like he needed to straighten things out with Choi Eunseong as well. If he really intended to take Yeonhu back, he should stop this cowardly deception and make a proper declaration of war.
Taking a deep breath, Jaekyung deliberately made loud footsteps as he descended the remaining stairs.
“Jang Yeonhu.”
“Jaekyung! You’re up already? You should sleep more. Did you eat?”
Just as expected. With just the mention of his name, Yeonhu came running like a dog wagging its tail. Jaekyung mercilessly pinched both of Yeonhu’s cheeks and said:
“What were you doing instead of being by my side until I woke up?”
Even with his cheeks being pinched, Yeonhu mumbled a sorry with a muffled pronunciation while smiling broadly. He seemed to be quite pleased with Jaekyung’s somewhat confrontational aegyo.
“Come with me. I’m going to read a book, so massage my shoulders.”
“Okay!”
Choi Eunseong no longer gave them pitiful looks with tearful eyes. Jaekyung returned an indifferent gaze to Choi Eunseong, who was shooting daggers at him with ice-cold eyes full of animosity, and disappeared with Yeonhu. Taking the eighteen-year-old Yeonhu with no memories away from Choi Eunseong was this simple.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
