Da Haram silently stared at Tae-yi, his hands grabbing the hand that was gently caressing his cheek. Tae-yi had always been this way from their first meeting. The words that there was no one he could trust struck Da Haram’s heart deeply. The fact that the only way to ease his anxiety was to hold his hand made him feel helpless.
Looking at Tae-yi as he sat on the bed, Da Haram spoke softly, his voice a little strained.
“I’ll stay here. Have a safe trip.”
Although his voice was hoarse, he spoke without blinking, conveying his sincerity without hesitation. Tae-yi squeezed his hand in response, offering a small, warm smile. There were many things he wanted to say to Da Haram, but there was no time.
“I’ll call you, so make sure you pick up. I’ll come back as soon as I finish.”
Da Haram nodded in response, and with that, Tae-yi released his hand and walked toward the dressing room. A few moments later, he returned with clothes, including underwear, and began dressing Da Haram. As Da Haram stood up from the bed, he put on his pants, carefully slipping his silver tail through.
“If it hurts, don’t hesitate to call Yoon Min-ho.”
From outside the door, they could hear a knock. Tae-yi briefly glanced toward the door before pulling Da Haram close, holding him tightly against his warm body.
“I’m at Professor Yoon’s place. What are you worried about? He’s a doctor.”
Da Haram, still not planning to leave the room, was reassured by Tae-yi’s gentle pat on his back.
“Rest more.”
Tae-yi laid Da Haram back down on the bed, pulling the blanket up to his chin.
Da Haram nodded, glancing up at Tae-yi. He felt a slight chill the moment he left Tae-yi’s warm embrace. He tried to fight the urge to burrow back into the bed, but managed to speak up, offering a quiet farewell.
“Come back safe.”
“I will.”
Tae-yi kissed Da Haram briefly on the forehead, the bridge of his nose, and his dry lips before getting up from the bed. With the soft sound of the door closing, the room was filled with a heavy silence. Da Haram, whose nose wasn’t even runny but still found himself sniffling for no reason, pulled the blanket over his head, closing his eyes.
***
“Yoon Min-ho stayed behind, and Kang Tae-yi left on an early morning flight,” the secretary reported, his lower lip trembling as he finished his report. He looked up at Kang Tae-jin, who was sitting silently next to his father’s hospital bed. While others saw Kang Tae-jin as a dutiful son, the secretary saw him differently.
“…Vice Chairman.”
The secretary spoke softly, unable to guess what Kang Tae-jin was thinking. He was someone who had nothing left to lose, and what kind of actions he might take were impossible to predict. With his eyes bloodshot, it seemed as though Kang Tae-jin was ready to tear the oxygen mask off his father’s face and choke him right there.
“Secretary Kang.”
Kang Tae-jin waved for the secretary to come closer. With hesitant steps, the secretary moved to his side. Grabbing the secretary’s shoulder and pulling him closer, Kang Tae-jin stared at his father’s limp body.
“Have you thought about what will happen if my father dies now?”
If he suddenly died, it would cause chaos. Kang Tae-yi, who was away on his business trip, the executives of the company—everyone would be thrown into confusion. And there would be no valid will, making the whole situation even messier. Kang Tae-yi probably thought he could just throw a tantrum and get his way, but it was too arrogant of him.
“Hmm?”
The secretary, stunned by Kang Tae-jin’s words, remained silent as he awaited further instructions. Kang Tae-jin was not looking for an answer, just someone who would agree with his thoughts.
“…The risk is too great,” the secretary finally said, swallowing his own nervousness.
If Kang Tae-jin suddenly took over the company, he would face opposition from inside, but externally, it would be easier for him to take over the role of Chairman because he was the eldest son. If Kang Tae-jin assumed the position, he would do whatever it took to oust Kang Tae-yi and solidify his power.
The real issue was, if Kang Tae-jin’s father died suddenly, it would raise suspicion. The chairman’s close associates, as well as Kang Tae-yi, could respond in ways that were unpredictable. If Kang Tae-jin’s plans succeeded, it would be a clean succession, but with all the things that had happened in the past, no one would just sit by and let Kang Tae-jin continue unchecked.
“If my father dies suddenly, people will start suspecting,” the secretary added, trying to emphasize the risks involved. “We don’t want things to backfire on us.”
“You think it’s strange that my father is dying?” Kang Tae-jin said with an almost amused tone, his fingers brushing the oxygen mask. “Considering his age, it’s not weird that he’s lying in a hospital bed.”
The secretary, unable to look at the old man’s face, lowered his head as he spoke in a trembling voice.
“Perhaps it would be better to use Da Haram…”
“Da Haram? What more can we do with him?” Kang Tae-jin interrupted, clearly dismissing the idea.
The plan to use Da Haram, where he was supposed to be forced into playing a role in Kang Tae-yi’s heat, had already failed. Somehow, Kang Tae-yi had managed to travel abroad without any issues, and now the plan to manipulate Da Haram was over.
“If something happens to Da Haram, Kang Tae-yi will lose control,” the secretary suggested.
“That’s not much different from the plan we made earlier,” Kang Tae-jin responded, his voice annoyed.
With a knowing glance, the secretary continued, “Taking him out of sight and making him disappear can be the most torturous thing. But killing him isn’t an option. Killing a small rat and covering it up is easy, but doing that would remove any leverage over Kang Tae-yi.”
Kang Tae-jin remained silent, deep in thought. The secretary, seeing his moment of indecision, let out a quiet sigh of relief. The current goal was to distract Kang Tae-jin from the idea of killing his father. And in the meantime, Da Haram seemed to be the only useful option.
“So where is Da Haram now?”
Kang Tae-jin’s low voice echoed in the large hospital room.
***
“Mm…”
The soft knocking continued as Da Haram slowly woke up, his eyes squinting against the sunlight that streamed through the window. He quickly shut his eyes again, still groggy.
“Who… Ah…”
There was no point in asking who it was. This wasn’t his home, and he was a guest. His heavy body reluctantly got out of bed, and he carefully opened the door.
“I’m sorry to wake you, but it seems like you need to eat,” came the voice of Yoon Min-ho, who was dressed comfortably.
“It’s fine. I was planning to get up,” Da Haram replied, his voice sounding a little better now.
“I’ve prepared some food. Take your time and come out when you’re ready.”
Yoon Min-ho spoke as he watched Da Haram touch his throat. He filled a cup with water and handed it to him before walking away.
“Ha…”
Looking into the bathroom mirror, Da Haram winced. His messy hair and disheveled appearance made him look more like a stranger than either a human or a Beastfolk. With a sigh at his own appearance, he stripped off his shirt. He needed to clean up before he could leave the room.
As he checked his body in the mirror, he noticed the bruises on his rear. Once they healed, he’d be fine. His body still felt heavy, but the fever had subsided, and his condition was improving. If he’d known it would be this quick, he regretted not following Tae-yi.
As he washed, Da Haram couldn’t stop thinking about Tae-yi, regretting not going with him sooner. He kept checking the mirror and adjusting his hair, making sure to look presentable since he was staying at someone else’s house.
After a careful inspection of himself, Da Haram made his way out of the room, following the sounds of movement to the living room and then to the kitchen.
Upon entering the kitchen, he saw several dishes prepared on the table. Yoon Min-ho, who had been standing by the water dispenser, filled a glass and handed it to Da Haram.
“How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine…”
Da Haram took the glass and sat down across from Yoon Min-ho, drinking the cold water. The sensation of it running through him was refreshing, but his body still felt stiff.
Looking around the room, he hesitantly asked, “So… where is Professor Yoon?”
“He’s gone to work.”
“Oh…”
“Go ahead and eat. Your medicine is also prepared.”
Da Haram nodded and took a spoonful of the vegetable porridge on the table. The awkward silence between them was palpable as he chewed.
“After you eat, you’ll be having a call with the director,” Yoon Min-ho added, his tone like he was reporting a task. Da Haram nodded in response, still processing everything.
He took another spoonful of the porridge before speaking up.
“Did Tae-yi arrive safely? I’m feeling better, but I wish I had gone with him.”
Yoon Min-ho, who had been quietly observing Da Haram, finally spoke up.
“The Director has been gone for two days. Today is the third morning. Don’t you remember sleeping the entire time?”
“Two days?”
Da Haram was stunned. He hadn’t realized so much time had passed. He remembered Tae-yi putting him to bed the night before, but two days had already gone by. He must have been more sick than he thought.
Yoon Min-ho put his spoon down and said, “You spoke with the director yesterday morning.”
“Really?”
Da Haram was shocked. He couldn’t recall any of it, but Yoon Min-ho continued with a slight smile.
“You said you missed him, asked him to hold you, and wondered when he’d come back.”
