Ch 45

Without needing to say anything, a place to stay for the night was resolved, and he was left alone in a place full of warmth, causing his body to naturally relax.

“Child, eat this first.”

“Excuse me…”

“No, eat first. What’s the rush? You can talk after eating.”

Seeing the small floor table filled with food, Ji-an’s eyes widened. As soon as he picked up a spoonful of rice at the elder’s urging, a piece of fish was placed on top.

“Chew it well before swallowing. It’s seasoned just right, so it should be good to eat.”

Unable to resist the gentle gaze of the grandmother, Ji-an had no choice but to chew thoroughly. When one is hungry, even rice dipped in soy sauce tastes delicious, but with the constant urging to eat more, each spoonful of rice was followed by another side dish placed on top.

The table was filled with steaming soybean paste stew, grilled mackerel, and simple side dishes that were clearly homemade. When the grandmother muttered that she had nothing better to offer, Ji-an hastily shook his head.

“I don’t know what young folks like these days. This is just how we eat. Even if it’s not to your taste, at least eat something for today. Tomorrow, I’ll go to the market and buy some meat or something.”

As Ji-an sat awkwardly near the worn-out door, the grandfather who had first noticed him entered the room. Seeing this, Ji-an tried to stand up, but the grandmother firmly pressed down on his thigh.

“Old man, why are you coming in and out while the child is eating? He can’t eat comfortably. Nothing happened outside, right?”

“Eh? What would happen? I just checked the door again, that’s all. Don’t mind me, just eat.”

“Did the other room warm up properly?”

“I just started heating it, so it’ll take some time to get warm.”

“Of course, but… Old man, you’re cold too. Warm yourself up here while I go fetch some food.”

“Alright. Bring something for the kid too.”

Listening to the elderly couple’s conversation, who seemed to speak bluntly yet took care of each other, Ji-an found himself staring at the bean sprout salad placed on his spoon. As emotions welled up, he quickly shoved the food into his mouth and chewed thoroughly.

Making decisions when hungry and exhausted is never wise. With that thought, Ji-an swallowed the food in his mouth and reached for his water cup with a small sigh. It was almost laughable that the words guiding him in this situation were the ones spoken by that person.

Even though he couldn’t finish the full bowl of rice the grandmother had served, before he knew it, a well-roasted sweet potato had been placed in his hands.

“How did you end up here?”

“……”

“Ah, come on. There must be a reason you’re out here in the cold like this. Why ask such a thing? If he wants to talk, he’ll do it on his own.”

“No, I’m just asking so I can help if he needs anything. Do you think I’m trying to make things harder for him?”

“Ah… um.”

“In any case, I’m sorry for the late introduction. My name is Seo Ji-an, and I’m twenty-five years old.”

Before their conversation could escalate, Ji-an quickly spoke up. He briefly introduced himself and explained that he had lost his phone and wallet, requesting to stay for just one night before leaving in the morning.

“Well then…”

Just as the grandfather was about to respond, Ji-an saw the grandmother discreetly poke his side. The grandfather flinched in surprise and silently mouthed, “What was that for?” while the grandmother gestured for him to be quiet, as if scolding him for being tactless. Choosing to ignore them, Ji-an simply drank a sip of cold dongchimi soup.

“Oh, it’s already late at night. You must have had a hard time in the cold. If you’re uncomfortable, you can rest in the other room. Don’t worry too much, and if you need to use the phone, just say so. It’s not exactly spotless or fancy, but it should be good enough for one night’s rest.”

Clearing his throat before speaking, the grandfather’s words made Ji-an bow his head in gratitude before moving to the next room.

Seeing the neatly laid-out bedding and the folded clothes beside it, Ji-an sank to the floor.

Should he laugh or cry?

Slowly removing and folding his own clothes, he changed into what was undoubtedly the grandfather’s comfortable attire before slipping under the blankets.

Despite the grandmother’s earlier mutterings about whether the room had warmed up yet, the bedding was already filled with warmth.

Without even having the time to reflect deeply on his situation, Ji-an quickly fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

“…So you don’t know where he is now?”

Ideun stared blankly at the person in front of him, unable to believe the absurdity of the situation. Ji-an had definitely gone to work, had a smooth resignation talk with the design team, and was seen on CCTV walking calmly through the company hallway. Then, he suddenly stopped, turned, and hurriedly took the emergency stairs.

Judging by the situation, it seemed he had been startled by seeing Noh Haneul and had fled…

Though Ideun had already explained his circumstances with Haneul multiple times, Ji-an strangely carried a sense of guilt toward him. Even though their relationship had never even begun—at most, he was just the younger brother of a vaguely close friend—the mere question of “Weren’t you going to marry him?” had been enough to make Ideun’s insides burn.

Ji-an, whom Ideun had barely managed to keep by his side through pleading, had been completely shaken by Haneul’s presence. And in the end, it had driven him to finally voice his intent to leave. That much, Ideun could understand.

But what he couldn’t wrap his head around was why Ji-an had walked all the way down to the first floor, left the building, and immediately boarded a bus. With no clear direction or consistency, Ji-an kept getting on and off different buses, stopping by convenience stores and banks along the way.

As he moved farther and farther away from Seoul, his phone was found in a trash bin at a convenience store. His wallet, now missing both his ID and cards, had been discarded in an ATM booth’s trash can. To make matters worse, the CCTV at the bus stop he had last been seen at was broken, making it difficult to track him any further.

A low curse escaped Ideun’s lips as he stared at the dead phone and empty wallet placed on his desk. He slammed his fist down, unable to contain his frustration, but nothing changed.

Today, Ji-an was supposed to submit his resignation and visit a real estate office to discuss listings.

And yet, he had suddenly vanished?

Like someone being chased, Ji-an had moved hastily, as if he had planned everything in advance. If Ideun had known this would happen, he would have planted a tracker instead of just assigning people to watch him.

“…So where exactly did you lose track of him?”

“We confirmed that he boarded a bus headed for Donghae from the intercity terminal, but we don’t know where he got off. It seems he disembarked somewhere along the way, but we don’t have access to the CCTV inside the bus…”

Since Ji-an had withdrawn cash at every stop, he wouldn’t be struggling financially for a while. That fact should have been a relief, but instead, it made Ideun even more anxious. He would find him eventually, but it could take far longer than expected.

Traces of a large sum of money—something even Ideun’s investigations hadn’t uncovered—had surfaced, and now, that money had been withdrawn in bulk.

And there was one person Ideun knew who was particularly skilled at handling matters like this.

Even earlier today, hadn’t that viper-eyed man been sizing him up?

Letting out a deep sigh, Ideun turned his sharp gaze to the person who appeared to be around his age. This man was supposedly an expert in his field, but his actual experience was probably lacking. However, if Ideun formally requested a background check, it would only be a matter of time before that old man found out…

As he watched the clock ticking, Ideun’s phone rang. He checked the caller ID, then pressed the answer button without speaking right away.

— “The chairman has requested that you visit before the New Year with Seo Ji-an.”

“Secretary Baek. How much can I trust you?”

— “…How many people do you think have stayed by the chairman’s side for over thirty years?”

“…”

Holding his phone in one hand, Ideun ran the other hand down his face.

— “If you need anything, just say the word. You’re the chairman’s only direct heir, but to me, you’re no different from him.”

“Can I ask you for a favor?”

— “Of course. In return, help me out once when I’m in a bind. Does the chairman need to remain unaware of what you’re about to do?”

“Yes. I need you to find someone—without anyone knowing.”

Suppressing the uneasy feeling that he was making a deal with the devil, Ideun clenched his teeth and muttered lowly.

It had been over thirty hours since he received the report of Ji-an’s disappearance.

After barely sleeping in his office, Ideun finally returned to his officetel, only to be met by a small, crying creature at his feet.

The tiny kitten, no bigger than a fist, kept pacing around him, as if scolding him for leaving it alone for so long.

“I thought he wouldn’t leave you behind… Was I too careless?”

He had been too complacent.

Ji-an, who always seemed like he could vanish into thin air, had been under watch. Ideun had thought that was enough.

And at home, there was Bobo.

Even if Ji-an turned cold toward him, he had always been warm to this little kitten.

Hadn’t that been the reason Ji-an moved into this officetel in the first place?

No matter how much he neglected himself, he always made sure the kitten was well-fed and had its supplements. He could ignore his own fevers, but if Bobo slipped while playing, Ji-an would rush over to check for any injuries.

Because animals couldn’t speak, they had to be cared for even more.

Because people could say when they were hurt, but animals couldn’t.

“You don’t talk either, do you?”

With a sigh, Ideun rubbed his face and looked around the dimly lit apartment.

Everything was still there.

The small slippers by the entrance, Ji-an’s laptop on the living room table, the neatly folded blanket on the sofa.

Standing frozen in place, Ideun didn’t pick up or pet the kitten, prompting it to dig its claws into his leg as it tried to climb him. Lifting it up, he walked into the kitchen.

When he opened the cabinet, he saw neatly arranged cat treats and food, along with an abundance of unopened toys.

As if excited by the sight of food, the kitten wriggled in his grasp. Ideun set it down, opened a can, and placed it in the dish. The quiet space was soon filled with the sound of eager eating.

All of Ji-an’s belongings were still here—his things, the items Ideun had bought him, even an old piece of clothing brought from Ideun’s place.

Everything was here, except Ji-an.

What was so urgent that he had to leave like this?

No matter how many times Ideun replayed the company’s CCTV footage, he couldn’t find an answer.

Ji-an had stopped in the hallway, glanced at the meeting room, and then taken the stairs instead of the elevator.

The only thing he had seen was Noh Haneul.

And Secretary Baek.

But Ji-an didn’t know Secretary Baek.

So it couldn’t have been him.

Could he have overheard a conversation between Secretary Baek and Noh Haneul?

But considering the distance between the meeting room and the hallway, there was no way he could have heard them. And he hadn’t hesitated long enough to eavesdrop.

If only all the company’s CCTVs had been installed with audio recording…

Even after scanning the apartment once more, Ideun found no clues. After showering and changing into comfortable clothes, he briefly considered the old man but dismissed the thought.

If the chairman had been involved, he wouldn’t have asked Ideun to bring Ji-an over.

Every piece of footage showed that Ji-an had acted voluntarily.

No calls, no messages—just boarding and disembarking buses, stopping by convenience stores, withdrawing money.

He hadn’t eaten.

He hadn’t rested.

He had only moved farther away.

Glancing at the now lively kitten, Ideun muttered, “Bobo, where did your mom go?”

“Meow.”

“Dad can’t find him. Do you know where he is?”

“Meow.”

As he stroked Bobo’s soft belly, a message notification appeared on his phone.

The message he had been waiting for.

A recent wildfire had damaged multiple CCTVs in the area, and the affected bus stops were listed.

Ideun’s frown deepened as he scanned the list.

It wasn’t just one or two locations—the entire region’s CCTV network had been compromised.

“Bobo, I’m going to find Mom. But it might take longer than expected.”

With that, Ideun headed to the underground parking lot.

Following Ji-an’s bus route, he would check each broken CCTV location one by one.

He couldn’t leave this entirely to his hired men.

They had to operate within the law.

Secretary Baek wouldn’t.

And Ideun had his own way of finding Ji-an.

But before he even left the vicinity, he had to turn his car around.