NTH 44

Chief Jeong thought it was inappropriate to say to his employer’s lover, ‘I don’t remember exactly after we broke up, but still, when I look at you quietly, you have an uncommonly neat and fine face,’ so he made sure not to say it out loud.

“So, what I’m saying is, how do you plan on being my bodyguard when you can’t even remember my face properly, mister? If you lose me on the street, you won’t be able to find me because you don’t know my face.”

“Oh, right. I forgot to mention that first.”

Chief Jeong took out a palm-sized box from the bag he had brought and handed it to Nana.

“Open it.”

When Nana opened the box, a necklace with a simple pendant in the shape of the English initial N on a thin platinum chain was revealed.

“Why a necklace? Are you giving this to me as a gift, mister?”

“Of course not. I’d have to pour in three months of my salary to buy just one of these.”

“Ah, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you received such a pittance for a salary, mister.”

“That’s not it, this necklace is expensive because it’s a luxury brand! Besides, it was custom-made with special equipment inside.”

“Special equipment? What’s that?”

“There’s a tracking device inside this N-shaped pendant, and it syncs with an app on my phone and the youngest master’s phone.”

“Ooh.”

“No matter how faintly I remember your face, Nana, as long as you are wearing that necklace, there’s no way I’ll mistake you for someone else or lose you.”

“Amazing. I never would have thought of a method like this.”

Chief Jeong swallowed the words, ‘Actually, the youngest master wanted to implant a chip under your skin.’

The ‘chip implant,’ which sounded like some kind of biological experiment, was far too irrational for a man like Kwon Jeha. Jeha had stubbornly insisted, asking what good the necklace would be if it was broken or taken away, and Chief Jeong had managed to persuade him to compromise on the necklace only by promising to protect him with his life.

It was the first time Jeha had ever been so obsessed with someone. The way he had been acting lately was extremely unfamiliar to Chief Jeong.

“Give it here. I’ll put it on for you now.”

Chief Jeong took the necklace Nana handed over, wrapped it around his neck, and fastened the clasp from behind.

“There. Is it heavy or uncomfortable?”

Nana, who was fiddling with the pendant as if it were awkward, gave a faint smile.

“I think it’s fine. So, can we go out now?”

“You can, but you must go with me. Is there any particular place you’d like to go?”

“I thought of a dish I want to cook for Jeha. I saw it on YouTube. I want to buy the ingredients, and I heard the supermarket in the department store has a lot of good stuff, right? I want to go have a look.”

“Alright. I need to buy a few books too, so let’s stop by the bookstore as well.”

“Why books? For you to read, mister? You don’t look like someone who likes books, mister.”

“Believe it or not, I graduated from a prestigious university. And today, I’m not buying my own books, but books for you, Nana. The youngest master told me to teach Nana from now on.”

“Study? What kind of study? I don’t want to. Why should I?”

Nana’s expression twisted completely. At the blatant refusal, Chief Jeong put on a stern face.

“Ahem. You need to learn at least the elementary and middle school curriculum so that you won’t have trouble living in the future.”

“I’ve lived just fine until now without knowing that stuff. I know Hangul, and I know how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide. That’s all I need to get by in life.”

“You’ll need to study since you also have to take the qualification exam after you get your resident registration later. Besides, Nana, you don’t even know how to use the most basic honorifics. Learning formal language is part of the third-grade curriculum, you know.”

“Who are you calling a fool? I know how to use honorifics, too.”

“Then try using them with me.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Why not? I’m much older than you.”

“If I say I don’t want to, I don’t want to.”

“Then choose. Will you speak politely with honorifics, or will you study with me?”

Pouting his lips with a very displeased expression, Nana made a barely audible sound.

“I said I don’t want to study…… yo……. There, happy? Let’s go out quickly.”

Nana walked towards the entrance with loud footsteps.

In any case, since Jeha had ordered him to make him study, he had no choice but to do it. Chief Jeong decided to be satisfied with hearing Nana’s honorifics for the first and last time and followed Nana out.

“Hey, mister, do you know everything about Jeha’s past lovers?”

Nana asked Chief Jeong in the car on the way to the department store. He answered cheerfully without hesitation.

“I know all of them.”

“How? Did Jeha introduce them to you? Or did you just naturally see them while hanging out with Jeha every day?”

“Of course not. After the youngest master became an adult, he always went around by himself. The only time I followed and served him was for the three years of his high school days.”

“Then how do you know all of Jeha’s exes?”

Chief Jeong wore a playful smile.

“I know everything. The moment the youngest master met someone privately multiple times, I did a background check on that person, shaking them down to their very soul.”

“Wow, what a nasty hobby. Are you a stalker? Why did you do that?”

“To check if they were a proper person. To see if they were a suspicious person, or some strange person sent by a rival company to seduce the master, and so on.”

“So? What kind of people were they?”

“Why are you so interested in the youngest master’s past love life, Nana? The person the master likes now is you, Nana.”

“Well, that’s what he says, but no matter how I look at it, I’m too lacking compared to Jeha. So I got curious about what his past lovers were like. I also want to know how long they dated.”

“I see.”

“What do you think, mister? Is it a bit abnormal to feel this way? I’ve never liked or dated anyone before, so I have no idea. There’s no one to ask, either.”

At Nana’s words, Chief Jeong gave a slight smile and shook his head.

“No, it’s not strange at all. It’s perfectly normal.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Of course. It’s natural to want to know about every little move or the past dating history of the person you like.”

“Really? Then have you ever liked someone, mister? Do you perhaps have a lover?”

“I have liked someone before, but I’m single now. I’m more comfortable being alone.”

“I see. Well, for you, mister, you could probably find someone in a heartbeat if you set your mind to it. Even though you’re a mister, you’re incredibly handsome, tall, and have a solid, muscular body, so I think women and gay men would like you.”

The fact that he specifically added the words ‘gay men’ was so funny that Chief Jeong burst out laughing. Nana, who glanced at him laughing, continued speaking.

“So, what about Jeha’s past lovers?”

“Do you really need to know that? Even if they dated before, they’re people he’s already broken up with.”

“I’m curious. And it’s unfair.”

“What is?”

“Jeha already knows that I have no dating experience. And he probably knows very well that I won’t be meeting anyone else in the future. Who would like a kid whose face they can’t even remember properly.”

“Hmm…….”

“But I have no idea what kind of people Jeha has dated, or what his ideal type is. So it’s unfair.”

“To summarize, you’re saying that the gap in information that both sides have is too large.”

“What does that mean, I never said that. Are you as dumb as I am, mister? When a person speaks, you should listen properly.”

“Haha……. Alright. Then I’ll tell you in broad strokes. You know that the youngest master lived in the UK for 25 years, right?”

“Yeah.”

“During that time, the number of people he dated was twice during his three years of high school, twice during his four years of university, and three times during his five years of master’s and doctoral studies. Seven times like that.”

“My goodness! That many? He must have been seducing all the women. When on earth did he study?”

“Do you really think the youngest master is the type to abandon his studies just because he has a lover?”

“Yeah.”

“Pardon? On what grounds?”

“Because when Jeha is studying at home, if I pester him to play, he always plays with me.”

“Good grief. What on earth do you do for fun?”

“We drink tea and chat or watch TV together, but whatever we do, from the middle onwards, it always turns into doing something naughty. I don’t know if he’s awakened to my demonic charms, but Jeha just can’t leave me alone and is a total pervert. Want to hear more details?”

“That… that’s enough…….”

“So, he must have been playing around doing naughty things with his ex-girlfriends too, and his studies must have been on the complete back burner. I don’t know how he became a doctor after all that dating.”

“The youngest master never once lost the top spot throughout his school years. They did naughty things since they were dating, but he never dated anyone for that long either.”

“Really? Usually, h-how long did it last?”

Nana looked at Chief Jeong, swallowing hard. Chief Jeong, who took a moment to recall, opened his mouth.

“Three months at the shortest, a year and a half at the longest? On average, it was about six months to a year.”

“What? Why? Why did they break up so quickly?”

“How would I know? He really did his best to treat them well while they were dating, but it seemed he couldn’t stand it when the other person became increasingly obsessive.”

“What exactly do you mean by obsessive?”

“Umm, well. I’m not sure what to use as an example.”

“Asking to be carried on his back after he bathes you and dresses you? Picking up the phone within five seconds of it ringing? Sending another message when he hasn’t even read the last one yet? Pestering him to hold you tight when you kiss? Asking him to let you use his arm as a pillow when you sleep?”

“……That sounds less like obsession and more like affection-deprivation. Like a puppy waiting for its owner at home all day long.”

“Affection-deprivation? Affection-deprivation……. Yeah, maybe so. No one has ever been this good to me, so I just. Phew……, I should be more careful from now on.”

“But the youngest master might not mind you doing that at all,” Chief Jeong said, recalling how Jeha seemed to particularly dote on Nana as if he were a child. Just then, Nana’s phone rang.

Even though there was only one person in the world who would call Nana, Nana just held the phone in his hand and stared at the screen, not picking up the call. Chief Jeong asked, puzzled.

“What is it? Isn’t that a call from the master?”

“It is.”

“Then why aren’t you answering?”

“I’m holding back so I don’t seem affection-deprived. If I don’t answer the phone once or twice, won’t I look like a busy and capable person?”

“What nonsense are you talking about, when the master already knows full well that you have nothing to do and are incompetent, Nana. Stop making him anxious for no reason and answer it quickly!”

“I don’t want to.”

“Stop messing around and answer it now!”

“No! I said no!”

While they were bickering back and forth, the call was disconnected. Nana was smiling triumphantly, but immediately Chief Jeong’s cell phone buzzed. After glaring at Nana once, Chief Jeong answered the phone right away.

“Yes, master, it is Chief Jeong.”

“Where are you now?”

“We are on our way to the department store by car.”

“And Nana?”

“He is next to me.”

“Put him on.”

As Chief Jeong gave him a look and handed over the cell phone, Nana pouted and reluctantly took the call.

“Hello.”

“Why didn’t you answer your phone?”

“Because Nana is a somewhat busy and capable person.”

“What is that supposed to mean now. You’re going to the department store?”

“Yeah.”

“For what?”

“To look around the supermarket and buy some ingredients to cook. But Jeha, did you tell Chief Jeong mister to make me study?”

“Yes.”

“Why? I said I don’t want to study.”

“You should learn the basics at least. If you work hard, I’ll take you to fun places every weekend.”

“What fun places?”

“I’m thinking. How about a bird park? They say you can see rare species of birds by having them perch on your hand. You like birds, don’t you? Or maybe, the birds like you.”

“I want to go there! Where else are we going?”

“Let’s go to an amusement park too. Ride all the rides you want. How about it? Do you feel a little more like studying now?”

“Tsk. That’s cheap. Can’t you just take me there?”

“Just do it for one hour a day. And while you’re looking around the department store, buy anything you want.”

“Then I’m going to spend ten million won on Jeha’s card today.”

“Alright. Do as you please.”

“What. If I really use it, you’re going to kick me out, aren’t you? You’re going to sell me off to a deep-sea fishing vessel.”

“I won’t sell you. Just answer your phone on time. Otherwise, I get worried and can’t focus on my work.”

“Okay. I’ll make you something delicious for dinner tonight, so call me when you’re leaving school.”

“I will. Make sure you are never alone and always stay with Chief Jeong-nim.”

“Okay.”

After finishing the call, Nana obediently returned the cell phone to Chief Jeong with a satisfied expression. Chief Jeong, putting it in his inner jacket pocket, said teasingly.

“Where did the busy and capable Nana go?”

“He died just a moment ago.”

“Listening to your call roughly, it seems you two are more like a married couple than just lovers.”

“But you know, mister, you said earlier that you investigated all of Jeha’s romantic partners, right?”

“Yes.”

“How were they? Were they all pretty, curvy, and rich?”

“For the most part, yes.”

“Were they British?”

“Their nationalities were varied. There were four Koreans as well.”

“Then did you report what you investigated to Jeha’s parents? Or did his parents order you to do that?”

“The answer to both questions is ‘no’. I investigated because I was concerned, they are not the kind of family that reports every single thing like that. If they were, the youngest master would have removed himself from the family registry on his own. He’s that independent and resolute of a person.”

“Then that’s a huge relief.”

“Why is that?”

“You’re not going to report about me to Jeha’s parents, are you, mister? What parent would like their son dating a man who is close to being homeless. Chaebols would have greater ambitions for their children than ordinary people.”

“You seem to worry about this and that more than I expected, Nana. You always seemed so thoughtless until now.”

At his words, Nana burst out laughing.

“That’s true. I have lived without any thoughts until now. It was hard enough for me just to survive day by day. But after meeting someone who is excessively beyond my station, I’ve found myself becoming full of worries without even realizing it.”

Chief Jeong, who parked the car in the VIP-only parking lot, spoke in an affectionate tone.

“There’s no need for that. Whatever the reason may be, Nana, you are the person the youngest master has chosen.”

“Is that so.”

“And the master is treating you, Nana, far more preciously than any other lover I have seen thus far. That must mean you have that much charm, Nana, so it’s alright for you to have a little more confidence.”

Nana grinned at Chief Jeong.

“Thank you for the kind words. You seem like a very charming person too, mister. Even though you are a mister, that is.”

Chief Jeong laughed out loud once more.