17
Lee Gyeongjin, who had been standing with a dumbfounded look on his face at my frantic words, eventually took heavy steps toward the closet. He quickly flipped through the hanging clothes and pulled out a dress shirt and a suit, handing them to me.
“I’m not sure what kind of event it is, so I chose the most versatile option. Was there a specific dress code you were informed of?”
“Just that I should wear a suit. Anyway, thanks. I need you to pick out a tie for me too.”
In my haste, I quickly stripped off my clothes and put on the dress shirt. Lee Gyeongjin hurriedly turned around and fumbled around looking for a tie.
“The ties are in the drawer in the next section.”
The closet is a bit complicated, isn’t it? I only managed to figure it out roughly after searching through it all day yesterday.
I stuffed in the dress shirt and put on the pants, then wiggled my toes feeling bare and hastily put on socks as well. I wondered whether I should put on the suit jacket first and then tie the tie, or tie the tie first and then put on the jacket. While I was pondering this, Lee Gyeongjin pulled out a navy blue tie and handed it to me.
“Thank you, thanks.”
I hung the tie around my neck and started twisting the long ends in confusion, when I suddenly realized I had never tied a tie before.
“…”
“Let me do it for you.”
Lee Gyeongjin extended his hand with a half-resigned look. He grabbed both ends of the tie, twisted them around a few times, and created an excellent knot. He pulled it up to just below my neck, creating the same appearance as his own tie.
“May I fix your overall appearance?”
“Wow, yes. Please do.”
No sooner had I finished speaking than Lee Gyeongjin began straightening the dress shirt tucked into my pants, the wrinkled trouser cuffs, and fastening the buttons on the shirt’s sleeves.
If I had known it would be like this, I should have just asked Lee Gyeongjin for help from the beginning instead of wasting time.
“What will you do with your hair?”
“My hair? What do I need to do? I was just going to go like this.”
Cha Sukyung’s hair was thin and lifeless, and slightly long, making it flutter wildly. When I met Cha Sukyung before, he didn’t look like this, but I must have done something wrong because his hair was sticking out in all directions, transforming the young master into what looked like a homeless person in an instant. It resembled the fur of a stray Sapsalee dog wandering the streets.
What can I do with this?
I never had the luxury of caring about appearances, and while I’ve been to a hair salon to get a trim, I’ve never styled my hair myself.
Can’t I just go like this? The more I look at it, it seems natural and not too bad.
As if reading my thoughts, Lee Gyeongjin looked around the room and found something. He dispensed some of it onto his hand, rubbed it gently, then patted it onto my disheveled hair. The hair that had been sticking out in all directions became a bit more settled.
“It’s too late to properly style your hair, so I just calmed it down a bit.”
This person’s handiwork is extraordinary. I wish I had hands like his.
As I was looking at him with sparkling eyes, Lee Gyeongjin helped me put on the suit jacket and then let out a sigh. I could tell from his expression that he felt relieved now.
“Let’s depart now.”
Yes, it’s time to go. I smoothed down the bottom of my suit jacket to indicate I was ready, and followed Lee Gyeongjin downstairs to the first floor.
“Young master!”
As I was about to leave the house, an employee appeared from somewhere and blocked my way. This person was different from the other employees; she managed all the internal affairs of the household comprehensively, and even other employees and family members called her “Director Cha.” She always dressed in a neat suit like a company employee, spoke formally, and somehow felt as difficult to deal with as the fathers.
“Yes?”
“You haven’t taken your evening medication. Please take it before you leave.”
Director Cha held out a few pills on a white plate along with a glass of water. I glanced at her cautiously and picked up the medicine, putting it in my mouth.
“The eldest young master has already departed for the meeting location. The location has been communicated to this driver, so you can go directly.”
“Oh, thank you?”
“Please take care on your way.”
As I watched Director Cha take the empty dish and water glass to the kitchen, I realized how much time had passed and hurried outside.
Lee Gyeongjin went down to the parking lot to prepare the car, and as I crossed the wide lawn and descended the stairs, I spat out the medicine I had kept inside my mouth.
I didn’t know what the medicine was that they’d been giving me to take morning and evening since I arrived home. When I first received the medicine and asked what it was, the answer came back that it was medicine I always took, so I couldn’t ask what my usual medicine was and just pretended to take it.
I had a rough idea. Cha Sukyung had mentioned by his own admission that he took medication, there was also what I heard from his father at the hospital, and since no one had said his depression was cured, the staff would have provided the medicine as usual.
So it’s medicine I no longer need to take. I should talk to Father soon and either stop taking the medicine, or go back to the psychiatrist and get a diagnosis that the depression has disappeared.
As I trudged down the stairs and out the main gate, Lee Gyeongjin, who had moved quickly, had already parked the car right in front of the gate and was waiting.
I really appreciate this service. As expected, while my mind is uncomfortable, at least my body is enjoying the utmost comfort.
I got into the back seat and felt the plush cushion, physically experiencing what is precisely the advantage of wealth.
∞ ∞ ∞
“I’ll wait in the parking lot,” Lee Gyeongjin said as he opened the door for me to get out of the car. You’ll wait even though you don’t know when I’ll come out? Isn’t that something neither the person waiting nor the person making someone wait should do?
“That’s fine. You can go home for today.”
“No, my job for today isn’t finished until I drive the young master back home.”
“I don’t know when I’ll be coming out, and it doesn’t seem right for you to wait in the parking lot day and night.”
“Then I’ll have a coffee somewhere nearby.”
“It’s fine, really. I’m telling you it’s okay. I can take a taxi back, so please go home. That would make me feel better too. How can I enjoy myself comfortably thinking someone is waiting for me downstairs?”
Of course, I had no intention of loosening my tie and enjoying myself comfortably, but I needed an excuse like this to send Lee Gyeongjin home. When I insisted strongly, he showed a hesitant attitude.
“I won’t tell your father, so please go home. We’ll be going out together often in the future, and if we’re this strict with each other, we’ll both get tired. Is there some kind of rule? I’m an extremely free-spirited person, and if you try to follow the rules with me, it’ll be exhausting for you.”
“Then I’ll wait today, and gradually try to adjust to the young master.”
“No, that’s not it. Go home today and we’ll adjust gradually. I think I’m late, should we keep arguing like this?”
As I continued to insist, Lee Gyeongjin finally raised his hands in surrender.
This person is incredibly stubborn too. I have no idea where Father finds people like this. I’ve heard of private security companies, but I wonder if there are also companies for personal attendants.
“Then I’ll watch you go in before I leave.”
“That’s not it, I’m going to watch you leave before I go in.”
“I’ll really leave after just seeing you enter.”
“I’m going to be really late. Are we just going to stay here and then go back home?”
As I checked the time and emphasized that I was late, Lee Gyeongjin reluctantly got back in the car.
“Don’t tell your father, and go home, rest well, and I’ll see you tomorrow. Thank you for helping me prepare today.”
“If it gets too late, please call me. I’ll come pick you up.”
“If it’s late, all the more reason to take a taxi. There’s no point in making you leave home when I sent you back early.”
What nonsense is that? I waved my hand dismissively, telling him to hurry up and go. After confirming that Lee Gyeongjin had driven out of the hotel, I headed toward the meeting place.
This was my first time coming to a hotel. I marveled at the impressive scale of the enormous building and clicked my tongue at the extravagant interior. It was gleaming and magnificent like a palace.
After wandering around for a while, I finally found the elevator and pressed the button for the floor where the meeting was supposed to be held. I straightened my wrinkled clothes and calmed my racing heart, feeling a mix of tension and anticipation about what might happen.
After getting off the elevator and heading toward the meeting place, an employee guarding the door stopped me.
I wonder if I need some kind of pass. As I rolled my eyes around, the employee asked for my name. After checking the list for my name, the employee made a slightly troubled face.
“It seems your name has been omitted…”
“Is this some kind of members-only event? I came because I was told to come.”
“May I ask who invited you?”
“Cha Baekju. He’s my oldest brother. Should we call him? I’m a bit late, so he probably arrived already.”
Would Cha Baekju answer the phone? He probably didn’t call me just to humiliate me by making me stand at the door. Surely he wouldn’t not answer the phone.
I gripped my phone tightly and looked up at the employee, who seemed to have seen something on the list because his face soon showed relief and he nodded.
“Your accompanying status has been confirmed. You may enter.”
It seems I won’t have to suffer the humiliation of waiting at the door after all. I entered through the door that the employee opened for me.
Unlike the quiet corridor, as soon as the door opened, I heard somewhat loud music. Not disco, not classical either. I couldn’t figure out what kind of music it was. From the very beginning, I had a strong feeling that this place wasn’t going to suit me.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
