MW 17

The moment Dohae raised the bat high, intending to smash the head that was looking at him, Secretary Oh, who had entered the house at some point, approached and grabbed his arm.

“Young Master! Please calm down!”

“Let go of me!”

“The Chairman is looking for you, Young Master!”

“Fuck, won’t you let go? Who do you think you are, a mere secretary, to dare stop me?”

He shouted, veins popping on his neck, as he kicked Secretary Oh’s leg. Perhaps hearing his cry, Chairman Gu, who had never once set foot in this place, opened the door, came inside, and said to Dohae.

“Gu Dohae. Stop it at once!”

“Dad!”

“Gu Dohae!”

Dohae felt incredibly wronged that everyone was trying to stop him. He glared venomously at Yijae, the cause of the whole situation. Then, he threw the baseball bat he was holding at Yijae with all his might.

“Fuck!”

“Ah. Nngh.”

Yijae felt a warm liquid trickling down from his forehead, and soon his eyes met with Secretary Oh’s, who was staring at him with a horrified expression.

When Yijae raised his hand to touch his forehead, he felt something sticky and hot. Looking down at his palm, the sight of bright, crimson blood filled his vision.

“Gu Dohae!”

Chairman Gu, roaring loud enough to shake the house, pulled Dohae’s arm. He looked at Yijae’s blood-stained forehead and said to Secretary Oh.

“Secretary Oh, treat Yijae’s wound. And pack his things and move him to the main house immediately.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

At Chairman Gu’s command, Dohae whipped his head around to look at his father and shouted.

“The main house? You’re saying he’s coming to the main house now? What are you talking about, Dad, are you crazy?”

“Be quiet and follow me obediently!”

“Dad!”

Dohae’s scream-like cry grew more distant. Yijae, who had heard Chairman Gu’s words right in front of him, was also bewildered.

The main house?

As Yijae remained frozen in place, Secretary Oh quickly took out a handkerchief, pressed it against his forehead to stop the bleeding, and sighed.

“Let’s go to the hospital first.”

“It’s okay. I can just put some medicine on it…”

“What if it leaves a scar?”

“It’s fine. Really, just putting medicine on it will be enough.”

Faced with Yijae’s firm stance, Secretary Oh had no choice but to say he would buy medicine and, as a temporary measure, placed a large disposable bandage on his forehead.

“You’ll be living in the main house starting today.”

“Why all of a sudden…”

“The Chairman said so.”

Why on earth would the Chairman do that?

Although the environment was poor, his mind was at ease. But he was always scared, not knowing when Dohae or Dohyeon might barge in. And now, suddenly, the main house.

That was no different from walking into a lion’s den on his own accord. Yijae clenched his fists under his long sleeves, his heart beginning to pound anxiously at the thought of what was to come.

All his senses seemed to foresee the misfortune of the days ahead.

⁺₊❆₊⋆

Yijae, who had moved to the main house, stared only at the tops of his feet, his face rigid in the overwhelming atmosphere. The study, where he had arrived following Chairman Gu without knowing what would be discussed, was a place he was entering for the first time in the five years he had lived here.

Gulp.

The sound of him swallowing dryly broke the silence, and after a long pause, Chairman Gu parted his lips.

“You’ve been very hurt all this time, haven’t you?”

“Pardon?”

Yijae’s eyes widened in surprise at the hand that suddenly took his. Then, Chairman Gu continued in a voice feigning affection.

“All this time, I was strict for your own good, but looking back, I think I was too harsh on you, who are still so young.”

“……”

“It’s late, but I want to treat you well from now on. I’ll also give that Dohae fellow a firm warning so he can never treat you recklessly again.”

Chairman Gu, with an apologetic expression, looked at the gauze on Yijae’s forehead. Yijae was extremely confused by his 180-degree change in attitude, but he also felt a glimmer of hope that things could change from how they were now.

“Can you forgive everything that’s happened until now? I’ll have to keep asking you to help with Dohae’s treatment, but I’ll also provide steadfast support for your studies and your mother’s treatment.”

Can I really trust him? Why is he suddenly acting like this? Yijae was wary of the change in attitude after five years, but the desire to believe was stronger.

“Yes, yes…”

Finally, Yijae slowly nodded, and watching Chairman Gu give him a benevolent smile, he slowly closed his eyes.

“Good. Thank you for understanding. I’ve told Secretary Oh to prepare a room for you, so why don’t you go up and see it.”

“A room for me?”

“Yes, you should live here from now on. Isn’t that house too cold and uncomfortable? If there’s anything else you need, tell me anytime.”

“Thank… you.”

Yijae stood up, bowed, and then left the study. Leaning against the tightly closed door, he let out the breath he had been holding, his heart still pounding.

Chairman Gu… asked for my forgiveness. He said he was sorry for having been a bystander all this time and promised not to be like that anymore. Can I really live like other people now, like ordinary people?

‘Mom…’

At the thought that he might finally be able to see his mother, whom he hadn’t seen in five years, Yijae’s heart began to beat a little faster.

“This will be your room from now on, Master Yijae. Do you like it?”

Coming out into the living room, he followed the housekeeper, who, unlike usual, called his name affectionately and spoke in a gentle tone, toward the place she said was his room.

Clean wallpaper and warmth. And above all, he liked the large window. Yijae looked around the room awkwardly and nodded with a flushed face.

“That’s a relief. The Chairman instructed us to ask you to tell us anytime if you need anything else. We will prepare whatever you need if you let us know.”

“Oh, no. This is more than enough.”

“For now, take your time looking around. I’ll prepare a meal, so please rest.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Left alone, Yijae slowly looked around the room once more. Then, his gaze fell on his own luggage, which seemed out of place here, and he took a step. From the bag Secretary Oh had hastily brought for him, Yijae took out a photo taken with his parents.

The photo, taken before his father’s business failed, was faded as if it had absorbed the long years. He traced over it with a very careful touch, and tears welled up at the sight of his parents’ faces for the first time in a long while.

‘Mom, Dad, I’m okay now. I’ve made a good friend, and I’m eating well. And I have my own room now. I always used to just tell you both how hard things were… but I think you don’t have to worry anymore. Mom, Dad, I love you.’

Wiping his tear-streaked cheeks, Yijae’s lips gently touched the photo and pulled away. For a long time, he called out to his parents, repeating the words to himself, until an overwhelming sleepiness came over him, and he closed his eyes, hugging the photo tightly.

⁺₊❆₊⋆

“Haa.”

Jaeha, finished with his shower, headed to the living room, rubbing his wet hair with a towel. As he sat on the sofa and took a sip of wine, his gaze landed on a manila envelope on the table. Putting down his wine glass, Jaeha picked it up. Just then, a call came from Secretary Choi.

“Yes, Secretary Choi.”

—Young Master. Have you arrived home?

“Yes, I just got out of the shower. But what is this document you left behind?”

Jaeha switched to speaker mode, tore open the envelope, and examined the papers inside.

—It’s the information you instructed me to find before. As you can see, it’s been confirmed that Chairman Gu and his wife have no other children besides Gu Dohyeon and Gu Dohae.

“So it seems. Their cousins are also all much older or younger than Gu Dohyeon and Gu Dohae.”

Could it really be a coincidence that Yijae and Gu Dohae look like twins? Jaeha furrowed his brow with a nagging feeling as he flipped through the documents.

—However, there is one strange thing. A recent check confirmed that a ward has been living at Chairman Gu Byeongho’s private residence for the past five years.

“A ward?”

He wasn’t the type of person to become someone’s guardian. Recalling the man’s greedy face and glittering eyes, Jaeha continued with a sigh.

“Is it possible to find out who that is…”