#33
Around the time Eunsol finished getting dressed and ready, a message from Ryu Jeong-woo appeared on his phone screen.
[I’ll pick you up in front of your house.]
He had been worried about what would happen if the plane was delayed, but fortunately, it seemed to have arrived on schedule. While sitting on the living room sofa waiting for him to arrive, a tremendous downpour began outside the window.
Eunsol got up from the sofa and stood in front of the window as the rain pounded against the large glass. The Han River was surging. He could see cars on the road slowing down and driving chaotically due to the sudden downpour.
Eunsol tapped the screen of the phone in his hand with the tip of his thumb. Today, he hadn’t seen Hyun-oh off to work. Though he had been awake, he pretended to be asleep because he didn’t have the confidence to face him.
Blinking his eyelids slowly, Eunsol soon raised his phone as if having made a decision. He turned on the screen and opened the chat with Hyun-oh. His fingers, placed on the keypad, moved slowly at first then gradually faster.
* * *
“Director?”
Feeling the vibration on his desk, Hyun-oh raised his right hand to stop Kim Myungjun’s words and picked up his phone. The number of phone contacts he had set to vibrate could be counted without folding all five fingers.
Among them, a message from the most recently added phone number appeared on the screen, capturing Hyun-oh’s attention.
[It’s raining a lot today. Take care of yourself and be careful on the road.]
It felt like Eunsol’s delicate and small voice was knocking on his ear. Hyun-oh’s gaze unconsciously turned toward the window outside.
As Eunsol said, a tremendous amount of rain was pouring down. The sound of rain hitting the window was quite loud. It was surprising that he hadn’t heard it until now while concentrating on work.
“Has something happened?”
Hyun-oh, who had been listening to his report with a cold expression, checked the message on his phone and then unexpectedly turned his chair to look out the window.
It was just as Kim Myungjun was examining Hyun-oh’s expression with a puzzled look. Returning to his original posture, Hyun-oh gestured for Kim Myungjun to continue.
“After putting someone on it to investigate, it seems certain that it’s Vice Chairman Han Hyunyong’s doing.”
Continuing, Kim Myungjun took out several photos from inside his jacket and spread them on Hyun-oh’s desk. They were photos of the honorary chairman of the partner company that had been giving Hyun-oh a headache golfing together with Han Hyunyong.
“It appears Vice Chairman Han Hyunyong approached him intentionally. It’s not the golf course Vice Chairman Han Hyunyong usually frequents, but one the honorary chairman often visits.”
Hyun-oh pointed at Han Hyunyong’s face in the photo with his fingertip. Seeing the face smiling with a seemingly good-natured expression, he felt the urge to crush it. Even when Han Hyunyong tormented Hyun-oh, he always smiled brightly like in the photo, with his cheekbones protruding.
“I had been maintaining a certain level of respect, not wanting to get into a dogfight.”
Although Han Hyunyong was the eldest son, Hyun-oh and Kang Ye-ryeong had been working on the succession process for a very long time, even before Chairman Han Chihun’s death.
The reason Ye-ryeong had married Han Chihun in the first place was to pass on the TH Group to her child. They had been taking their time because they could push Han Hyunyong out without having to wallow in filthy waters.
But it seemed Han Hyunyong was indeed a child of Han Chihun’s blood.
He had approached the honorary chairman and beautifully backstabbed Hyun-oh. Moreover, Han Hyunyong had even approached Eunsol. Regardless of his inner thoughts, Hyun-oh could bet his entire fortune that he hadn’t approached with good intentions.
“Start releasing the gathered materials one by one.”
“Shall we start with number 20?”
Hyun-oh nodded briefly. These were materials containing Han Hyunyong’s corruption and personal disgraceful acts.
“Has the talk with New Future Daily been concluded?”
“Yes. We’ve agreed to proceed as if it was submitted by an anonymous tipster.”
New Future Daily was currently the newspaper with the most subscribers across both online and offline platforms. It was also a media outlet that Hyun-oh had established connections with early on.
“What about the person assigned to Lee Eunsol?”
“I’ve given separate instructions to Secretary Song, and also assigned a bodyguard who’s good at undercover work.”
It hadn’t been felt necessary until now because Eunsol rarely went out. But even in a situation where he was out with Hyun-oh, an incident nearly occurred just by leaving him alone for a moment.
“I just received contact from Secretary Song. It seems Mr. Eunsol has made plans with Ryu Jeong-woo. He’s currently moving in a car driven by Ryu Jeong-woo.”
“I heard there’s been divorce talk recently.”
“That’s correct. It seems they’ll reach an agreement on property division and finally separate within three months at the latest.”
The neat face of Ryu Jeong-woo came to mind. As well as the eyes that always sadly watched the back of his husband.
“Should we take measures to prevent the two from meeting?”
As Hyun-oh’s gaze seemed to sink darkly, Kim Myungjun subtly offered an opinion. Considering Eunsol’s nature, he was the type of person who would distance himself from Ryu Jeong-woo if Hyun-oh showed even slight discomfort.
However, since Ryu Jeong-woo was the only person around Eunsol who could be called an acquaintance, separating them felt like a prick to the conscience.
“Leave them be. Report if there are any strange signs from Ryu Jeong-woo’s side.”
“Understood.”
Ryu Jeong-woo himself was good-natured. Rarely so in this world.
Because of that, there had been quite severe conflicts between him and his mother-in-law. Ryu Jeong-woo’s husband was a man who merely stood by and watched the discord between Ryu Jeong-woo and his mother.
Since Kang Ye-ryeong liked Eunsol, this was trouble that wouldn’t occur on this side.
Hyun-oh focused on work while pulling up his concentration that had been scattered by Eunsol’s message. Regarding the TH Construction matter, he was thinking of completely severing the relationship between the honorary chairman and the current chairman.
From the chairman’s perspective, it was a major contract he was trying to achieve with his own strength for the first time, after living in his father’s shadow his entire life. But now, his father appeared again to overturn the situation, making him extremely upset.
Hyun-oh was in the process of gently persuading the chairman to completely escape from his father’s shadow. This was possible because the succession process had already been completed stably, and it had been several years since the chairman had stepped up to the frontline.
Hyun-oh, who had briefly fixed his gaze on his phone, changed the vibration sound to silent. After covering it so that even the screen wouldn’t be visible, he concentrated on work, and Kim Myungjun began reporting on the next agenda to Hyun-oh.
* * *
“…No reply today either.”
Though he hadn’t sent the message expecting a reply, it seems he had hoped for one deep down. Eunsol looked at the screen with sunken eyes, where only the messages he had one-sidedly sent were visible, and recalled what Hyun-oh had said.
‘From now on, always go out with Secretary Song.’
Eunsol hurriedly found Song Do-ye’s number and pressed the call button. The voice came from the other end before the ringtone could even sound twice.
—Yes, Mr. Eunsol.
“Ah, I… I’m about to go out…”
—Is the madam visiting?
“No, no.”
—So you have plans with Mr. Ryu Jeong-woo.
“Yes…”
Song Do-ye was well aware that Eunsol’s human relationships consisted solely of Kang Ye-ryeong and Ryu Jeong-woo. Once the option of Ye-ryeong was eliminated, she immediately deduced that Eunsol’s appointment was with Ryu Jeong-woo.
—May I ask what time you’re meeting? If I leave now, I can be there within 30 minutes.
“We haven’t set an exact time yet… Jeong-woo hyung said he would come to the house to pick me up.”
—If Mr. Ryu Jeong-woo arrives before me, could you please wait for me for a moment? I’m sorry. I’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again.
Originally, Song Do-ye had been instructed to prioritize Eunsol’s affairs. This mishap occurred because she had been coming to the secretarial office due to the recent issues with the TH Construction contract.
While talking to Eunsol, Song Do-ye immediately texted Kim Myungjun. Only after Kim Myungjun replied that she should no longer worry about secretarial work and focus solely on Eunsol did she pack her bag and stand up.
“It’s okay. You can come slowly.”
Even through Eunsol’s phone, the sound of Song Do-ye moving around busily could be heard.
—Thank you. Then I’ll leave right away.
“Yes.”
Song Do-ye was the type of person who waited until Eunsol ended the call first. Eunsol pressed the end call button. Then a call came from Ryu Jeong-woo.
“Yes, hyung.”
—I’ve almost arrived. Want to come down to the first floor?
“Ah… well, I need to go out with Secretary Song…”
—Something must have happened.
It was just as Eunsol was contemplating how to explain what had happened with Han Hyunyong. Ryu Jeong-woo let out a faint laugh as if it was all right.
—Wait at home. I’ll catch my breath while having a cup of tea.
“…Thank you, hyung.”
—No problem. I also have a gift for you. Just wait a little.
“Yes.”
As soon as the call ended, Eunsol went to the kitchen and took out a teacup. He was selecting tea to match Ryu Jeong-woo’s preference and putting water in the electric pot to boil when the doorbell rang.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
