41.
“Please wait a moment.”
After saying that, Choi Mujin stepped forward and opened the door. He hadn’t taken the lead at all until now, so this behavior was unlike him.
‘Well, I suppose it’s natural since it’s his home.’
As Jeong Heejun waited politely, the door opened to reveal a pale-faced young man. Even at first glance, he looked younger than Jeong Heejun, and his expression was troubled, as if something terrified him.
“Lee Haseo.”
Choi Mujin addressed him.
“Yes.”
“Are you prepared?”
“Yes, I am.”
The young man, Lee Haseo, emanated an air of resignation. Nevertheless, he stepped forward at Choi Mujin’s call. Looking at him, Jeong Heejun felt something was off. He hadn’t met many people from Isaac Finance, but they all had a peculiar atmosphere about them. So much so that he wondered if this was the distinctive aura gangsters possessed. But Haseo didn’t give off that impression at all.
‘He seems like an ordinary person.’
While Jeong Heejun was pondering this, Haseo put on his shoes and stepped out of the entrance. Though he was clearly moving of his own volition, he gave the impression of a cow being led to slaughter. Perhaps it was the pitiful look in his round, dark eyes. Maybe that’s why Jeong Heejun found himself unconsciously grabbing Haseo’s arm.
“Huh?”
The face that turned to look at him was pure and innocent.
“Are you alright?”
“What?”
“You don’t seem to be in good condition.”
At Jeong Heejun’s words, Haseo rubbed his cheek with his hand. Then he smiled with a fragile expression.
“I’m fine.”
He didn’t look fine at all.
“Please let go of my arm.”
“I apologize for the rudeness. But I must be a bit more impertinent.”
Jeong Heejun didn’t release Haseo. No, he couldn’t let go. Now that he thought about it, this person seemed to be the very one Choi Mujin had been watching on the tablet PC.
“Jeong Heejun-ssi.”
As the moment stretched on, Choi Mujin stepped forward. He forcibly removed Jeong Heejun’s hand from Haseo.
“I don’t understand this rudeness. Haven’t you been taught not to touch others without permission?”
Choi Mujin’s speech was unusually lengthy.
“I have. But I’ve also been taught not to simply stand by when someone is in danger.”
“Dangerous?”
Choi Mujin laughed sinisterly.
“Am I dangerous? Lee Haseo?”
The question was directed at Haseo, not Jeong Heejun.
“No.”
Haseo answered meekly, fidgeting with his hands. Yet he still looked terrified.
“See, he says I’m not.”
“Are you not being threatened to say that?”
“Even if that were the case, it’s none of your business, Jeong Heejun-ssi.”
Choi Mujin stated firmly and put his arm around Haseo’s shoulders. Then he led him out through the entrance and stood before the elevator. Jeong Heejun bit his lip as he watched them, but there was nothing he could do at the moment. Although his father was Chairman Jang, Choi Mujin paid no heed to that fact.
With Jeong Heejun’s abilities alone, he could do nothing.
* * *
Choi Mujin embraced Haseo protectively. Once, this would have made him happy, but now he couldn’t fully feel such emotions. Because he knew what was coming next. Haseo looked down at the elevator floor, nervously biting his lip.
It was in the afternoon when Park Dongsu’s phone, which had been silent all day, finally rang. After taking the call, he informed Haseo that he needed to leave this place.
“Pack only the essential items quickly.”
He handed Haseo a bag, which Haseo took, though he wasn’t sure in what state of mind. Haseo followed Park Dongsu’s instructions and packed important items into the bag: photos taken with his grandmother, a few pieces of clothing he’d kept with him, and an old bankbook. After he finished packing everything, Park Dongsu pushed him gently toward the door.
“The Director will be here soon. You should go with him.”
“Can I know why I have to leave?”
Perhaps taking pity on the sweating Haseo, Park Dongsu readily explained the reason.
“An important guest will be staying here for a while. So Lee Haseo-ssi will need to go somewhere else.”
“Somewhere else? Where?”
“A residence owned by the Director. No one has lived there, but everything is in good condition. You needn’t worry, Lee Haseo-ssi.”
What concerned him wasn’t whether the house was nice. Haseo wondered if he himself would survive, but he lacked the courage to ask directly. So he kept quiet, and then the door opened as Choi Mujin entered. The face he was seeing after several days appeared unchanged.
Unlike Haseo, who felt like he was dying from distress and fear, Choi Mujin looked calm. Upon realizing this, a surge of emotion welled up in Haseo. But telling Choi Mujin about it would be pointless. Haseo obediently approached Choi Mujin as Park Dongsu had instructed. And he also saw the young man who was supposedly the important guest.
He was about 10 centimeters taller than Haseo and had the gentle features of a handsome man.
The moment he saw him, an ominous premonition flashed through Haseo’s mind. Perhaps Choi Mujin had found someone else to play with instead of Haseo? Park Dongsu was more considerate than he appeared, so he couldn’t say it outright. With this thought, Haseo grew frightened again.
He used to be quite fearless, but at some point, there became too many things to be afraid of. That’s why, even when the young man grabbed Haseo and asked if he was okay, he couldn’t give any answer.
Originally not one to trust people easily, it had worsened after his experience with Sion. So he avoided answering.
“Lee Haseo.”
At that moment, Choi Mujin called Haseo’s name.
“Yes.”
Startled, he answered quickly, and Choi Mujin looked down at him with an unreadable expression. It wasn’t the frightening look Haseo had expected. If anything, it seemed affectionate. Haseo met his gaze and felt puzzled. But that moment was brief as the elevator stopped.
“Follow me.”
Choi Mujin removed his hand from Haseo’s shoulder and led the way. Lacking the courage to run away, Haseo followed behind him. Today, Choi Mujin sat in the driver’s seat.
“Where, where are we going?”
Mustering his courage to ask, Choi Mujin replied,
“Not far.”
That was the extent of his answer. Haseo could only tremble with anxiety once more.
‘Grandmother.’
Even trying to calm himself by calling to his grandmother didn’t help. As Choi Mujin had said, the car didn’t travel long. They arrived at a clean officetel building, a bit away from the bustling area. It was smaller than where they had been staying, with fewer security guards, but it seemed better in a way.
Having many guards in a place that wasn’t even his home had always made Haseo uncomfortable. Choi Mujin simply stood at the officetel entrance, entered the passcode, and went inside.
Fifth floor. Room 502.
“You’ll stay here from now on.”
At Choi Mujin’s words, Haseo cautiously asked,
“…At Director-nim’s house?”
“Yes. But how long are you going to keep calling me ‘Director-nim’? You’re not even an Isaac Finance employee.”
“That’s true.”
Still, Haseo needed more courage to call Choi Mujin by his name again. The new accommodation was small but neatly furnished. It was just the right size for two people to live in.
‘No, what am I thinking?’
There were times when he lived with his grandmother in a much smaller place. It seemed he’d developed some presumptuous thoughts after living in a spacious home for a while. Haseo lightly tapped his cheeks.
“Take a look around.”
“Yes.”
Since he still couldn’t understand Choi Mujin’s intentions, he decided to do as told. Haseo checked the two rooms, bathroom, and kitchen. Though there were two rooms, one was large and one was small. The small room seemed to be used as a storage space, with clothes and various items packed densely against the wall, leaving only the living room and the large room as viable spaces to sleep. Because the place was small, it didn’t take long to look around.
“I’ll be staying here for a while too.”
Choi Mujin informed Haseo matter-of-factly.
“Here?”
Haseo had naturally assumed Choi Mujin would leave him here and go attend to the important guest. Surprised, he asked again, and Choi Mujin twisted his lips in a smile.
“Why?”
“What?”
“Do you dislike staying together?”
“No, that’s not it! I just thought you’d go to the important guest since you mentioned them.”
“They’re not important to me.”
Choi Mujin answered as if annoyed and sat down on the living room sofa.
‘So what happens now?’
He hadn’t expected Choi Mujin to say they’d be living together. Unable to understand Choi Mujin’s intentions, Haseo’s thoughts became muddled. As Haseo stood watching Choi Mujin nervously, the latter gestured.
“Sit down.”
Haseo did as told, but instead of sitting on the sofa, he knelt on the floor in front of it.
“Ignoring the sofa?”
“This, this is comfortable too.”
The floor, without the heating on, was cold, but wouldn’t it be stranger to sit next to Choi Mujin in this situation? Haseo stubbornly insisted on staying on the floor.
He hoped Choi Mujin would tell him about his situation, but the man remained silent. He only stared at Haseo with those eyes filled with strange emotions.
‘Should I apologize again for whatever I’ve done wrong?’
Unable to read Choi Mujin’s emotions, anxiety washed over Haseo. Silence settled between them for a while. The longer the silence stretched, the more Haseo had to fight against an intangible fear. When it became almost unbearable, Haseo finally opened his mouth with difficulty.
“Have you, have you eaten?”
“No.”
On their way from Daegu to Seoul, Kim Chunbong had stopped at a rest area and bought plenty of food, but Choi Mujin hadn’t touched any of it. He hadn’t felt the need to participate in actions meant to gain Jeong Heejun’s favor.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
