“Then I just won’t come back. I should just go to America and pick oranges or something.”
― Do you really think that would work? If you get caught by the radar system, you’ll be sent right back to Korea. Think about it.
“I’ll immigrate.”
― You think that’s easy? How would you make a living?
“I won’t starve at least. And if I cause enough trouble, father will give up on me.”
― Will your father really give up on you? Really?
“If he can’t give up even after what I put him through, that’s his intelligence problem.”
Before I knew it, we arrived at the hotel. I went inside to look for the elevator. I planned to go to basement level 2 where I had parked my car to grab my charger and passport.
Then I would take a taxi to a nearby department store, buy a small suitcase and some clothes to wear, and get on a plane right away.
And first, withdraw as much cash as possible…
“Hey, hang up. I need to find a flight today.”
― Are you really going?
“Yes.”
― Wow, this guy really has no plan.
“Only now you realize?”
― If you’re going, we can’t stop you, but call Yoonho hyung. He contacted me earlier, said you weren’t answering his calls, and asked me to tell you to call him when we get in touch.
“I’ll call him. Hang up.”
― Hey, want to come to Ddolddoli’s place? If you’re not going to Japan, come here.
“We’ll see.”
Though it probably wouldn’t happen, you never know, so I answered like that before hurrying to the elevator. I got on an elevator that had just arrived and pressed the button for the 2nd floor.
I think I had parked my car at the east entrance, but this was the west side, so I’d probably have to go around quite a bit underground.
Still, the priority now was getting out of Korea, so I started searching for flights today on my phone.
No reservations were available today, but there were a few one-way tickets for tomorrow. I could book the earliest flight for tomorrow, then go to the airport right away to get on the waiting list.
I took the crowded elevator down to basement level 2 and headed straight to where I had parked my car, but it wasn’t there.
“Huh?”
I checked the location again to confirm it was basement level 2, section B34.
Just in case, I took out my car key and pressed the unlock button, but the parking lot remained silent.
I wondered if I had mistaken the floor, but that wasn’t it. Which meant…
“…Ahjussi…”
With a feeling that I was about to get blindsided again today, I turned to run away when the door of a car behind me opened and familiar faces appeared.
And the most familiar face among them spoke first.
“The CEO is calling for you.”
The large man in a neat suit delivering this brief message without any explanation looked every bit like a violent criminal.
He was handsome but had such a frightening appearance that he got stopped for questioning wherever he went, and even triggered security checks so often when traveling abroad that he had given up on international travel altogether. He was also the bodyguard who had become an expert in tracking after following me around for the past 20 years.
“You’re good. You even know where I am.”
“Did you think the CEO would send you to a meeting without taking any precautions?”
That meant they had been tailing me from the start.
I had no idea. He had become not just a tracking pro but a surveillance pro too.
“Where’s my car?”
“At the main house. And your passport has already been incinerated, so don’t get any unnecessary ideas.”
The fact that he even knew about the passport confirmed it.
“…Sigh, so you’re backstabbing me like this, Ahjussi?”
I ran my fingers through my hair in annoyance, and the man standing in front of me answered as if it were obvious.
“Unlike you, he’s a person with common sense. It’s a message from the Director. This isn’t something you can solve by running away, so come and resolve it yourself. The CEO is waiting, so go see him directly and explain.”
“Haah…”
Thinking this was troublesome, I massaged my neck, and he gestured toward the car.
He wanted me to get in.
I quickly scanned the parking lot, looking around, when suddenly someone grabbed me by the scruff of my neck. And I started being dragged forcefully.
“Hey, this is assault!”
“I know you’re calculating how to run away. Come on.”
“Really, let go. I said I’ll go. I’m someone who can live without breaking the law.”
“More like someone who can only live without the law. Get in quickly.”
I was dragged by the neck and forcibly put in the back seat of the car, and the escort began.
Squeezed between two men in the narrow back seat.
Chapter 2
“People are so mean.”
Junghyun stretched his shoulders, which had cramped from being squeezed in the narrow back seat between two large men who were nearly 190cm tall, during the entire car ride.
“It’s not like I’m an action star who would recklessly jump out of a moving car.”
“You could jump out when the car stops briefly.”
Since there was precedent, Junghyun couldn’t deny this point.
“Professional bodyguards should be able to handle that kind of sudden situation.”
“Even professional security companies don’t have protocols for dealing with crazy people who suddenly jump out of cars. Stop talking nonsense and hurry inside. The CEO has been waiting a long time.”
As soon as they got out of the car, Junghyun was again pushed forward by the man gripping the back of his neck, and he found himself standing in front of an enormous gate.
Standing there, grumbling in front of the gate of the country house that somehow looked like new money even from the outside, he glanced to the side. Immediately, the hand on his neck tightened.
“Good reflexes.”
“I’ve had plenty of practice.”
After being told to stop talking nonsense and head straight into the house, Junghyun went through the gate and muttered as he casually headed toward the entrance.
“I’m going.”
“You little punk.”
“That’s harsh. Calling me a punk when I’m innocent and pure without even a red mark on my family register, let alone a single point on my driver’s license?”
“It’s a mystery how you still don’t have a criminal record.”
“You’ll get it removed anyway, right?”
“No way. You need a good scolding for once.”
“You’ll have to remove it. The moment I enter the holding cell, I’ll DM all the newspapers’ social media saying ‘JS Holdings’ youngest son is in jail.'”
“Cell phones are prohibited in jail.”
“I can contact them when I call for my lawyer. That’s why I follow all the media outlets on social media.”
As he continued making snide remarks while walking through the well-landscaped but somehow still tacky-looking garden toward the entrance, the man pushed him into the house without bothering to respond.
Then, as the man blocked the doorway completely, Junghyun raised both hands in surrender and passed through the inner door into the house, where he saw Juwon standing right at the entrance.
His eyes were sunken. He clearly hadn’t slept.
“Amazing dark circles.”
“Thanks to whom?”
“I told you to just go to the hospital and lie down.”
Fortunately, he wasn’t gasping for breath, but his complexion suggested he could collapse at any moment.
This man’s body is the problem.
“Thanks to you, I’ve already taken two Chungsimhwan pills but still can’t sleep.”
“That’s too many. Just go lie down. Or maybe go on a trip somewhere for a while?”
“I should have known it was you…”
As he started to get angry but began coughing again, Junghyun went over and patted his back, which earned him a fierce glare.
“You need to fix this. This is a grave you dug, so fill it quickly. Even your father can’t handle this. Why did you choose Hanju of all people?”
“What’s special about Hanju?”
“We can’t refuse Hanju! They’re in a different league!”
“Because they’re of a higher status?”
“Even without that, we’re too connected. If it were anyone but Hanju, I’d rather skin you alive than marry you off! Why Hanju of all people?”
Come to think of it, that hyung had mentioned something similar. That Uncle Juwon would be in trouble.
He didn’t seem like the type, but apparently they had that kind of relationship. Whatever that might be.
“Well… I’ll try my best.”
Unable to guarantee results, but answering honestly except for that omission, he received another glare from his uncle.
“It’s not about trying, it’s about solving this. Persuade them by any means necessary. This isn’t something we can handle.”
“Alright, I got it. So go upstairs and rest. You look like you’re about to collapse.”
“Resolve this properly. Within three days. No, by today.”
“I said I got it…”
As he pushed his uncle’s back, telling him to go upstairs, his uncle suddenly stopped and started sniffing the air before giving him a look of contempt.
“Have you been drinking again in broad daylight?”
“There’s beer at the baseball stadium, and if there’s alcohol, there’s no reason not to drink it.”
“At this point, you’re an alcoholic.”
Just like what that man had said. Suddenly, a good idea occurred to him.
“If I say I’m an alcoholic, do you think the marriage will be called off?”
Just as he was thinking about going to the hospital for liver function tests—even though that person had told him not to go to the hospital until after the wedding—his uncle looked at him with an extremely disdainful expression.
NOTES:
Chungsimhwan – A traditional Korean herbal medicine used to relieve anxiety and stress.
