Beep beep beep.
A hand automatically shot out from under the blanket to cover the clock on the side table, silencing the noisy alarm. Yuri made a pained sound and barely managed to sit up.
How much had she drunk? She frowned at the headache and burning sensation in her stomach that she hadn’t felt in a long time as she headed to the kitchen.
With her eyes half-closed, she opened the refrigerator door and grabbed a bottle of water. As the cold liquid trickled down her throat, her foggy mind gradually began to clear.
And with it, memories of the previous night also revived. Including the words she had spoken, half from intoxication and half from stubbornness.
“Want to sleep with me?”
“You said you’re not attracted to me. Let’s find out if that’s true, sleep with me.”
“You don’t want to?”
And also the expressionless face of Lee Dokyung as he flatly rejected her in an embarrassing manner.
“I’m not interested.”
The water she was drinking suddenly spilled down her chin. Startled by the cold sensation, she stepped back, and a short curse escaped from between her red lips.
“Crazy.”
She frowned deeply and wiped the moisture from her mouth with the back of her hand.
Unlike her burning stomach, the memories of last night were frustratingly clear.
What was she thinking when she blurted out such words? Even if it was in a drunken, angry state, why to that arrogant, annoying person of all people?
The bigger problem was that she was also professionally entangled with Lee Dokyung. She would need to focus all her energy on the Arko Mall project for at least a few more months, which meant she had to prepare herself to face Lee Dokyung at least a few more times.
How would she manage her expressions while looking at that annoying, handsome face…
Her increasingly complicated thoughts began to throb painfully.
Bzzzz.
Yuri irritably grabbed her vibrating phone.
“Yeah, what?”
In response to her somewhat surly reply, Hyuk’s quite dumbfounded voice came through the receiver.
– What do you mean, ‘what’? I’m calling to check if you’re still alive.
“Unfortunately for you, I’m very much alive. Ha…”
– You usually hold your liquor so well, but yesterday what kind of alcohol did you drink to get so wasted? And with Lee Dokyung of all people.
Yuri’s hand, which was casually putting down the water bottle, paused. It was because of the clearly heard name, Lee Dokyung.
“How does Sunbae know? How do you know I was with him yesterday…”
– How do I know? When I came to pick you up, you were together in the lobby. Lee Dokyung even answered my call for you, don’t you remember?
Yuri groaned and bit her lip.
Not only had she blurted out nonsense while drunk, but she had also shown herself completely disheveled and intoxicated to that man. No matter how she thought about it, her actions were so unlike herself that she could only feel ridiculous.
– You said you’d never see him again, but you even drank together. What’s going on? Did something happen between you two…
“Sunbae. My head feels like it’s about to split open right now, okay?”
– Sure. I bet it does.
“Sorry. Let’s talk later.”
After almost unilaterally hanging up on Hyuk, she made her way to the bathroom.
She threw off the shirt and slacks she had been wearing all night and stepped into the shower stall. Cold water streamed down over her face with a splash. Despite the chilling sensation raising goosebumps, she continued to stand under the cold water. She wanted to wash away the irritating memories of last night, even if that’s what it took.
After quite a long time, Yuri only left the shower booth after emptying her mind of the unpleasant thoughts that had been boiling inside her head.
***
“Namu Amitabul, Namu Amitabul. Won-i-cha-gong-deok bo-geub-eo-il-che a-deung-yeo-jung-saeng gae-gong-seong-bul-do…”
Inside the spirit hall, the monks’ chanting resounded with gravity. Listening to the sound, Dokyung stood still, quietly gazing at the characters engraved on the memorial tablet.
故 李太成 府君往生極樂大菩薩位
(The Late Lee Taeseong, Lord, Great Bodhisattva Who Has Gone to the Western Paradise)
It was a white sandalwood tablet that Chairman Lee Yangho had carved by hand. The tablet had remained in that place ever since he first placed it on the altar for the 49-day memorial service.
Following Lee Yangho, Dokyung approached the altar and offered incense.
Exactly twenty-five years in counting. His father’s memorial service was being held consistently.
Although it could have stopped by now, thanks to Chairman Lee Yangho’s persistence, this most important annual event of the family was being held without fail every year regardless of what else was happening. That’s why everyone attended punctually, even if they weren’t entirely pleased about it.
The air was quite humid with white smoke rising hazily. The sky outside the lattice door, which he glanced at briefly, was entirely gray.
The season when the monsoon begins.
That unpleasant season that makes all smells and memories more intense seemed to be starting without fail.
As the regular sound of the wooden gong gradually subsided, people from the Haegang family, dressed in black and led by Chairman Lee Yangho, filed out of the spirit hall. Several luxury sedans were waiting in the courtyard.
Dokyung rode in Chairman Lee Yangho’s car along with Ryu Hwajin. The destination was Taeyeongwon, Chairman Lee’s residence.
After a long while of looking out the window, Lee Yangho turned to Ryu Hwajin and spoke.
“You worked hard with the preparations, President Ryu.”
“It wasn’t hard work. It’s what I always do.”
Ryu Hwajin’s gaze, after her soft reply, naturally turned to Dokyung in the passenger seat.
“You’ll stay for dinner before you leave?”
“I’ll have a cup of tea and then go. I have a meeting in the evening.”
Lee Yangho, who had briefly scanned the back of his grandson’s head, deeply furrowed his brow.
“Are you even eating properly? A man with a skinny body like that, what is that supposed to be? Tsk.”
Even after suddenly being scolded by the chairman, Dokyung smiled and replied leisurely.
“Are you worried that your grandson in his thirties might go hungry?”
“Look at your appearance now. People will talk behind my back.”
Tall height and innate physique were traits of the men in this family. Befitting a family lineage of ssireum wrestlers, Lee Yangho, with his robust build, did not look his age at all despite being well over eighty. For someone like him, his grandson’s somewhat thin appearance, which didn’t match his large frame, was quite unsatisfactory.
“Anyway, now that you’ve pretty much wrapped up the Saudi construction, don’t roam around outside for a while and put on some weight. There are some decent projects internally for a change.”
At this quite meaningful comment, Dokyung’s eyes in the rearview mirror turned toward Lee Yangho. Then Ryu Hwajin, who had been listening and watching silently, asked instead.
“Are you talking about Seowoon District 5, Chairman?”
“Yes. Since we’re working anyway, it wouldn’t hurt to expand the scale a bit.”
The acquisition of District 5, the prime land, following the Seowoon City redevelopment projects in Districts 3 and 4. If successful, it would be possible to achieve 7 trillion won in domestic maintenance project orders this year alone. Above all, Dokyung was well aware that creating a Haegang Town within the metropolitan area was Chairman Lee Yangho’s long-cherished wish.
“I’m already forming a TF team.”
Lee Yangho’s wide-open eyes turned to Dokyung.
“You’re forming a team?”
“Yes. The preliminary review indicates there shouldn’t be any major issues. The cooperative’s opinion also seems to be leaning toward a private contract. I’ll report in detail as soon as everything is prepared.”
A faint smile spread across Lee Yangho’s lips at Dokyung’s clean, perfect answer.
He was always very pleased with his grandson who would bring ten when asked for one. After all, Dokyung was the only one who always exceeded the chairman’s expectations.
For this reason, Lee Yangho had early on selected his grandson Dokyung, who closely resembled him, as his successor. This was something he hadn’t done even when his beloved eldest son, Lee Taeseong, was alive.
“Make some time next Friday evening. I’d like you to have dinner with Shin Yunhyeong.”
“Assemblyman Shin Yunhyeong?”
“Why? Is it a bit awkward?”
Only then remembering that Shin Yunhyeong, a seven-term member of the Land Committee, was the uncle of his ex-wife Shin Haeun, Dokyung let out a deflating sound.
“Of course not. I’ll clear my schedule. Please arrange the meeting.”
“You heartless fellow. Can’t you at least pretend it’s difficult?”
“I should pretend it’s not difficult. You hate people who can’t distinguish between public and private matters, don’t you?”
“Well, since we’re on the topic, let’s talk about your personal life for a bit.”
Eventually, the spark suddenly flew to Ryu Hwajin.
“Hey, President Ryu. Are you planning to leave this guy like this forever?”
It was a topic that had been quiet for a while. Dokyung’s remarriage.
In fact, Lee Yangho had never once rushed Dokyung’s marriage before. He hadn’t even considered the possibility that his outstanding grandson would fail at marriage.
But after the divorce, Lee Yangho completely changed his attitude. Now he was desperate to get Dokyung remarried one way or another. He seemed to be even more insistent since his cousin Junkyung had recently set a wedding date.
As a result, Ryu Hwajin couldn’t help but feel anxious as well. She was well aware of the chairman’s desire for a perfect succession without any noise.
“Does he ever listen to me?”
A light sigh mixed into Ryu Hwajin’s voice as she gave an awkward smile.
“Do you really not have any woman you’re seeing? Don’t you even have someone you’re dating? From all the rumors I hear, aren’t you the world’s greatest playboy who goes around touching this woman and that woman?”
“It seems Director Yang’s information updates have been a bit slow lately. Recently, the more prevalent theory is that I’m either impotent or gay.”
“This brat!”
Lee Yangho gritted his teeth and widened his eyes at Dokyung’s cheekiness.
“Go cause trouble somewhere then! Make a child and bring them here. Then I’ll immediately hand over all my construction shares to that kid.”
Despite the meaningful words from Lee Yangho, who never made idle threats, Dokyung merely chuckled lightly, brushing it off.
The expression of Ryu Hwajin, who had been silently listening to the conversation between grandfather and grandson, was filled with deep concern. Whether he was aware of her secretly aching heart or not, Dokyung’s smiling face in the rearview mirror remained completely serene.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
