PA 62

“Why? I was washing my hands.”

Yejun’s reddened eyes were moist. Filled with anxiety, Junhyuk held Yejun tightly in his arms.

“I’m really okay.”

“Then why were you crying?”

“……”

Yejun didn’t answer for a moment. He felt the warmth in Junhyuk’s embrace, and he felt his stiffly tense body relax.

“Now that you’re by my side, I think I’ll really be okay.”

“I’m sorry, back then… for not being able to protect you.”

Just seeing Sanghyeon’s face appear on the phone screen made Yejun’s heart pound and his lips feel parched. At the same time, the shocking events of that time flashed through Yejun’s mind like a kaleidoscope.

“Why are you sorry… It wasn’t your fault or my fault.”

It was a meeting he had gone to, deceived by the person who was the head of his agency, right when he and Junhyuk were having a misunderstanding. Of course, neither Yejun nor Junhyuk could have predicted that such a terrible thing would happen.

That’s right, I’m not a sinner.

I can’t keep running away like this.

Yejun felt that it was neither Junhyuk’s fault nor his own. It had taken a long seven years for him to accept that fact. Yejun gripped the hem of Junhyuk’s clothes tightly, as if he would never be separated from him again. Yejun lifted his head, looked up at Junhyuk, and gave a faint smile.

Father and son, their relationship was no longer a problem for Yejun. Then and now, Yejun wanted this person right in front of him, Cha Junhyuk. He couldn’t hurt the person he cherished most because of painful memories from the past.

“I’m really okay.”

“Yejun.”

He was okay, but tears kept streaming from Yejun’s eyes. Junhyuk gazed at Yejun with worried eyes. As if handling fragile porcelain, Junhyuk carefully caressed Yejun’s wet cheeks. Yejun gently stroked the back of Junhyuk’s hand and slowly began to speak.

“You’re right.”

“……”

“So I think it’s okay to go back to Korea now. I can’t just keep avoiding a scary situation forever.”

At Yejun’s firm words, Junhyuk couldn’t move for a long time. Junhyuk’s dark, deep eyes were trembling faintly.

☂︎

Sanghyeon, who had been writhing in extreme pain, gradually fell into a deep sleep as his condition calmed down. Secretary Song and Dr. Park watched him for a moment before leaving the room. Secretary Song paused for a moment at the top of the stairs, hesitated, and then spoke cautiously to Dr. Park.

“About the Chairman.”

“Yes, please speak.”

“Actually, for the past few years, there has been someone the Chairman has often sought out.”

“Is that so?”

“It was someone he met about seven years ago….”

For the first time, Secretary Song mentioned that Sanghyeon had been periodically requesting photos of Yejun for the past seven years. Dr. Park listened to his words intently, then let out a long sigh and answered.

“Does the Chairman still mention that person?”

“He doesn’t speak of him when he’s awake. But when he’s sleeping, he sometimes says his name….”

“In that case, how about arranging a meeting so they can see each other once?”

“It would probably be of psychological help to the Chairman, wouldn’t it?”

“It seems likely.”

“I will consider it. Then, let’s take a short break until the Chairman wakes up.”

Secretary Song returned to his room, sat at his desk, checked his email, and muttered.

“Should I go to Spain and ask him?”

It was while Secretary Song was busy with work for a long time. A notification popped up on the monitor screen that a new email had arrived.

[List of Arriving Passengers]

Secretary Song was checking the email when he opened the door at a knock.

“Yes, what is it?”

“The Chairman has woken up.”

“Yes, I understand.”

He finished what he was doing and then went out to the first-floor living room. There stood Sanghyeon, dressed in a perfect three-piece suit, with no trace of illness to be found.

☂︎

Even if it meant getting hurt himself, Yeongsik wanted to get his revenge on Junhyuk. Junhyuk had made Yeongsik’s right leg completely useless. Yeongsik had to pay a harsh price for using Yejun as a tool for sexual favors. His insides were boiling, and he gulped down the cold coffee.

Cha Junhyuk, that son of a bitch….

Yeongsik sat in a corner of the cafe, holding his spot for nearly four hours. Thanks to the large cafe surrounded by glass windows on all sides, even from his corner seat, Yeongsik had a clear view of the main entrance of the Hangang Construction headquarters. He had heard that the Hangang Gallery, where Jiyun worked, was located on the second floor of the headquarters.

Why haven’t I heard anything?

Jiyun had definitely said she would be in touch within a few days. He checked the phone on the table again, but there was still not a single message from her. It was all just insurance solicitations or loan information messages. He looked up again at the light gray skyscraper.

It was then. A familiar woman walked out elegantly from the gray building across the street, the Hangang Construction headquarters he had been staring at all day until his eyes hurt. Han Jiyun entered the cafe without hesitation, ordered a drink, and sat down with her back to Yeongsik, right behind him.

“I’m leaving a phone here. From now on, contact me and receive calls with that.”

Yeongsik, who was sitting facing the opposite direction from Jiyun, tapped on the table to indicate that he understood her words. Cheerful jazz echoed through the cafe, and Yeongsik slowly drank his cold coffee.

A moment later, when the buzzer in Jiyun’s hand vibrated, she quietly got up from her seat and walked to the counter. Yeongsik, pretending to watch the busy people, quickly moved to the seat Jiyun had been in. On the chair tucked under the table, there was a cell phone.

[Cha Junhyuk and Lee Yejun scheduled to arrive by private jet tomorrow]

[Await further contact]

Yeongsik, who had confirmed the text message from Jiyun, put the phone she had left in the inner pocket of his jacket and slowly got up from his seat. Then he left the cafe and walked to the smoking area behind the building across the street. It seemed that Hangang Construction employees mainly used that place. Yeongsik spoke in a low voice to the people blocking the entrance.

“Excuse me.”

Yeongsik sat on a bench in the smoking area and listened in on people’s conversations for a long time. However, there was nothing particularly unusual about their conversations. A sigh escaped him on its own.

Yeongsik got up from his seat with nothing to show for it. Then, after dusting off his clothes, he limped out to the main street. But it was then. Dozens of employees in neat suits came out of the main entrance and lined up in a row.

Is someone coming?

Yeongsik watched the scene from a suitable spot where he wouldn’t be easily seen. Jiyun appeared and stood in a proper posture among the employees, adjusting her clothes.

Who could it be?

A conspicuously shiny black sedan approached from a distance, passed Yeongsik, and slowly entered the main entrance of the Hangang Construction headquarters. The car slowly came to a stop at the portico right in front of the first floor of the building, and someone got out of the car.

“Father, welcome.”

The person who appeared in front of the Hangang Construction headquarters was none other than Sanghyeon. Sanghyeon was welcomed by Jiyun and the other employees as he entered the building.

Are they starting to seriously talk about Cha Junhyuk’s marriage?

Yeongsik didn’t think his alliance with Jiyun would last long. Jiyun’s goal was to remove Yejun from Junhyuk’s side. That meant that in her mind, there was no thought of Junhyuk getting hurt at all. But Yeongsik’s thoughts were clearly different. He wanted Cha Junhyuk, him, to be hurt.

☂︎

Around the time the car carrying Sanghyeon left the mansion and entered the city roads, Secretary Song handed a tablet to the back seat and called out to him.

“Mr. Chairman.”

“Speak.”

“I’ve secured the passenger list for the private jet.”

“Just the main point.”

“Mr. Lee Yejun is on the list.”

“……”

The moment he heard that Yejun was returning to Korea, Sanghyeon’s heart sank. He opened his eyes and looked at Secretary Song reflected in the rearview mirror.

“Shall I arrange a meeting?”

Sanghyeon seemed lost in thought and turned his gaze out the car window. Then, after a moment of silence, he answered a little late.

“…Don’t force it.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Sanghyeon was well aware that Junhyuk still hadn’t forgotten Yejun and had flown to Barcelona. He had no intention of taking Yejun away from Junhyuk at all. He just wanted to see Yejun at least once before his remaining life came to an end. To Sanghyeon, Yejun was the first person who had made his heart flutter, who had frustrated him because he couldn’t have his way, and whom he had thought of with a heavy heart for the long seven years.

“Proceed without Junhyuk knowing as much as possible.”

“Of course.”

Secretary Song also knew very well that Sanghyeon’s physical condition would not improve just by meeting Yejun. But the sicker Sanghyeon became and the weaker his body grew, the less he could erase the shadow of Yejun. Seeing Yejun would be the greatest gift for Sanghyeon, who was facing death.

“We will be arriving shortly.”

The driver, who had been driving quietly, spoke quietly to Secretary Song. Sanghyeon also heard that and opened his eyes slightly. It was when they were waiting for the left turn signal to enter the main gate of the Hangang Construction headquarters. Sanghyeon’s head also naturally turned to the left, and he made eye contact with a person standing anxiously right next to a large roadside tree.

Ah… they can’t see me from the outside.

The car windows were already tinted with a dark color, so the person outside could not see Sanghyeon. Sanghyeon, who remembered that fact, looked intently at the person standing next to the roadside tree.

Who was that?

Sanghyeon couldn’t quite remember, so he rested his chin on his hand and was lost in thought. In the meantime, the car, having received the left turn signal, moved slowly and entered the building’s entrance.

“Father, welcome.”

As soon as Sanghyeon got out of the car, Jiyun greeted him with infinite kindness.

☂︎

Yejun sat down on the plush sofa and fastened his seatbelt first. Junhyuk sat across from Yejun, grinned, and began to speak.

“We still have some time before we depart….”

“I know.”

Yejun seemed very nervous. It was, after all, his first time returning to Korea in seven years. Junhyuk reached out to Yejun, ruffled his hair, and then got up from his seat. Junhyuk brought two cans of beer from the kitchen, handed one to Yejun, and said.

“Drink this.”

“…Yeah.”

Yejun, who chugged the beer in one go, leaned back comfortably on the sofa and closed his eyes. But as time passed, instead of feeling sleepy, all his senses except for sight became heightened. He could even feel the entire path of the plane as it moved toward the runway.