Joker 1 (Side Story) Ch 13

“Would you like to go up now, sir?”

The secretary general’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts. Before he knew it, less than three hours had passed since his appointment with Joo Hawon.

“Clear my schedule for tomorrow.”

“Understood.”

The secretary general exited the car first, followed by Kwon Taeha through the rear door that had been opened for him.

“Tex has contacted me asking about the COO’s whereabouts. What should I tell them?”

“Say that he’s spending his vacation in Seoul. And have Joo Hawon’s phone brought from Mailer.”

“Yes, sir. Then have a good rest.”

“All right.”

Kwon Taeha waved off the bodyguards who moved to follow him and retrieved a card key from inside his suit jacket. He entered the elevator, swiped the card, and rode up to where Joo Hawon would be.

The walk from the reception room to the entrance was long. Assuming he was still asleep, Kwon unlocked his phone to check the bedroom CCTV. The blanket was puffed up, but there was no one curled beneath it.

Though he knew it couldn’t be, his steps quickened. He opened the front door and hastily slipped on the slippers by the entrance. As he was heading straight toward the bedroom, he caught the faint sound of movement from elsewhere and changed direction toward the bathroom. It wasn’t the one connected to the bedroom—so he must be in the main bath, soaking in the tub.

Kwon Taeha took off his suit jacket, hung it neatly on the rack, and loosened his tie. He undid his cufflinks and walked toward the bathroom without hesitation.

Condensation clouded the transparent glass door. Through the mist, he could just barely make out the curve of Joo Hawon’s rounded shoulders. It was fortunate he wasn’t a voyeur. Watching from here only made him want to step inside, pull that body into his arms, and press skin to skin.

When he opened the glass door and stepped in, Joo Hawon lifted his head with a calm expression. The look on his face held unshakable trust—the certainty that no one but Kwon Taeha would ever walk in unannounced.

“You’re here?”

Half-submerged in the water, Joo Hawon rested his arms on the edge of the tub and looked up at him.

“When did you wake up?”

“About an hour ago.”

The eyes looking up at him were gentle.

“Have you eaten?”

“Yes. You?”

“I was waiting so we could eat together.”

“Then let’s eat.”

Joo Hawon’s damp eyes curved softly, and Kwon felt as if he were seeing a mermaid who had just learned how to breathe air.

“Actually, I ate as soon as I woke up. You should’ve brought Ceo Jaehee with you.”

“Why would he come here?”

“I don’t think that conversation ended properly.”

“What conversation?”

With a kind tone, Kwon Taeha perched himself on the edge of the tub.

“It didn’t look like things were settled—you can see it written all over your face, sir.” Kwon touched his own cheek.

“What are you checking now? It’s just a hunch.”

Kwon reached out and brushed back Joo Hawon’s damp hair. Joo closed his eyes briefly at the touch, then opened them again.

“Was my hunch right?”

“No.”

“I’ve lived my whole life on intuition—guess I’ll have to close up shop.”

“Close up shop?”

“Your grandfather never used that phrase?”

“What does it mean?”

“Guessing what’s on Kwon Taeha’s mind. I’m pretty good at that, aren’t I?”

Kwon poked the tip of Joo Hawon’s nose. Addicted to the perfectly soft yet firm feel, he poked it a few more times.

“What do you think I’m feeling right now?”

“My instincts are off today. I can’t guess.”

“Why are you so beautiful?”

Joo Hawon flicked his fingers, sprinkling droplets of water onto Kwon’s cheek.

“And if my nose were just a little lower,” he began, biting lightly on Kwon’s index finger as if to chide him for his nonsense.

“History doesn’t change, you know?”

“No, my history would’ve changed.”

“Why would your history change just because my nose is lower?”

“Well, I probably would’ve fallen for you anyway.” Taeha pressed his nose flatter with a finger.

“Stop that.”

Joo Hawon clamped his teeth lightly in mock anger. Kwon Taeha didn’t pull away and let him catch his finger between his lips, the pressure gentle but tinged with electricity.

“So you really have no schedule tomorrow?”

“None.”

“Anywhere you want to go?”

“You offering to escort me?”

“I did pay for dinner.”

“Then how about Mars tomorrow?”

Joo Hawon, who had been toying with Taeha’s hand as he often did, froze.

“Did you develop some kind of space travel package without telling me?”

“If you want it, I will.”

“You haven’t even conquered the deep sea, and now you’re talking space?”

“We can do both at once.”

He said it playfully, but Joo Hawon knew he wasn’t really talking about another planet.

“Why Mars all of a sudden?”

“My family’s burial ground is there.”

“…..”

Blinking, Joo Hawon brushed away the drop of water clinging stubbornly to his lashes.

His mother and maternal grandparents’ graves were tended by the owner of the blue-roofed house below. In return, Kwon Taeha sent him a generous amount of money every three months.

Still, this was the first time he had ever mentioned the family grave—it felt strange. Joo Hawon sometimes saw Eva Kwon at family gatherings, but why would Kwon Taeha want to visit his mother and grandparents’ resting place now?

“You don’t want to?”

“……It’s not that. I just meant—why you, sir?”

Kwon Taeha’s hand, which had been caressing Joo Hawon’s cheek, paused.

“Why? Are you drawing a line between us now?”

Realizing his slip of the tongue, Joo quickly shook his head.

“No, it’s just… so sudden.”

Kwon Taeha turned the faucet, adding hot water to the cooling bath. Joo Hawon, on the other hand, turned it off and stood. Water streamed down his bare body, leaving wet footprints as he stepped out of the tub. As he put on his robe, Taeha remained seated, watching him silently.

Joo Hawon approached first and took his hand.

“It’s not that I don’t want to go with you. It’s just… I’ve never really gone before, that’s all.”

Unlike his father, whose ashes had been scattered in the sea, his mother had a grave. Sometimes he regretted letting his father’s ashes drift in the waters of Macau Bay. Perhaps his mother wouldn’t have wanted him nearby—but then again, what was the point of graves anyway?

When he fell into a deep sleep, he dreamed of being with his parents, but he never thought that place was heaven.

His father, who could never meet the standards of heaven, would surely be in hell.

Rather than suffer forever in hell, it would be better to become a handful of ashes and drift across the sea.

“Joo Hawon, I was just saying nonsense.”

As if he had read his thoughts, Kwon Taeha’s voice whispered softly, trying to comfort him.

“I was just worried you might want to go but couldn’t because of me.”

Since he always entered Korea together with Kwon Taeha, perhaps the man was trying to be considerate.

“I didn’t think that. Let’s go next time.”

“Alright, whenever you want.”

Kwon Taeha wrapped his arm around Joo Hawon’s shoulders and pressed his lips gently against the side of his head.

He reached for a small towel and began drying the damp strands of his hair.

Joo Hawon squinted one eye, the towel drooping over his forehead.

With a quiet motion, Kwon Taeha slid the towel off the freshly dried hair.

“You’ll catch a cold. Go change and come out.”

The places the robe didn’t cover were already cooling down.

As they stepped out together, the sound of a bell rang from somewhere.

It came from Kwon Taeha’s phone on the table.

He tightened Joo Hawon’s robe for him before walking over to answer it.

Kwon Jaehee.

Letting out a sigh too soft to be heard, Kwon Taeha lifted the phone to his ear.

“Speak.”

– “Felix was one of Zero’s major shareholders. Looks like he made quite a profit back then, and this time too, your prediction was right.”

“Is there proof left?”

– “The Korean prosecution is still investigating the stock fraud case. I checked, and Felix was listed as one of the foreign investors.”

If he had vaguely asked someone to find a Tex Corp figure connected to Zero, it would have taken a long time.

But Kwon Taeha had pointed directly to Felix.

Whether in business or in society, this was why the judgment of a leader mattered most.

If one kept heading in the wrong direction from the destination they should reach, both time and money would be wasted.

Kwon Jaehee had long known that he lacked the qualities of a true leader.

Trusting his own thoughts and making firm decisions was never easy.

He didn’t want to be his younger brother’s puppet, yet he also admitted that living under Kwon Taeha’s shadow was comfortable.

– “What are you going to do with Felix?”

“From arms dealer to stock fraudster—seems like he’s determined to commit every crime possible. We’ll prepare the material to hand over to the Korean prosecutors. Tell them they can have their fun with him. Same goes for Germany.”

– “Germany?”

Kwon Jaehee questioned it, saying Zero was a company listed in Korea.

“He caused massive losses to Radium too, didn’t he?”

Since he spread false rumors that Radium and Zero were joining hands, Radium could file a damages claim against Felix.

Though that would likely turn into a long, tedious civil suit.

– “Taeha, don’t you feel bad for Mailer? Felix practically devoured their entire investment.”

By the fireplace, Joo Hawon picked up two logs and fed them into the fading flames.

Then he went to the dressing room, changed into training clothes, and headed to the kitchen.

Kwon Taeha followed him only with his eyes, listening to Kwon Jaehee’s voice.

“If he wanted to be greedy, he should’ve been smart enough to handle it.”

– “Don’t complain if I lend a hand, alright?”

“Do as you like.”

– “Once the Killer Whale tax audit is over, I’ll push the merger. The company was built with that purpose in mind, so there shouldn’t be any tax issues.”

“Unless someone embezzled funds along the way.”

– “Taeha, do you have a chronic suspicion disorder or something?”

Each time Joo Hawon passed in front of him, something new appeared on the table.

First, two on-the-rocks glasses and an ice bucket.

Next, a wooden board topped with assorted cheeses.

Finally, a bottle of Glenfiddich 50-Year Single Malt Whisky—the one Eva had gifted them last December.

The founder of Glenfiddich stored this whisky in oak casks to honor his children who worked with him, she had written. For exactly 18,250 days. I may not have the skill to craft whisky, but with the same heart, I pour my prayers for your happiness into this bottle. Congratulations on your wedding anniversary.

At the time, Joo Hawon had carefully placed Eva’s message into the study drawer.

Inside were several other letters he hadn’t been able to throw away—

shredded scraps of paper from Joo Sangkyung’s letter that once held the “Poem of the Demon King,” and sometimes, letters from Jahan sent from America.

Kwon Taeha never fully understood such behavior.

Even as a child, he used to receive letters and gifts from Eva every year but always threw the letters away after reading them.

This time too, he had been about to discard the note attached to the whisky box—

until he saw the look on Joo Hawon’s face that day.

It had been as if he’d committed an unforgivable crime.

…Hey, Taeha.

“I’m listening.”

– “Don’t brush off what I said. Emotions aren’t business—you can’t fix them through control or suppression. I know you’re a workaholic monster, but you can’t treat people the same way.”

“I know.”

– “What, why are you agreeing so easily? Is Hawon with you?”

“Yeah.”

– “Put him on?”

“Next time.”

– “Why? Afraid I’ll say something?”

Kwon Jaehee hadn’t meant it sarcastically, but that’s how Kwon Taeha took it.

So many things had been pressing on him that even the smallest prick now hit a live nerve.

He had told Kwon Jaehee to give a reasonable explanation—but was this something that even required honesty in the first place?

Could it be that he was actually seeking advice from Kwon Jaehee?

Only belatedly did he realize it had been an impulsive decision—

but when it came to Joo Hawon, it was always hard to stay composed.

– “I just wanted to hear our family’s voices again. If you make me look like I’m being avoided, doesn’t that paint a worse picture?”

Sitting on the sofa, Joo Hawon looked on with curious eyes.

Probably because of the mention of Radium—or maybe, with his sharp intuition, he sensed something off.

From the very beginning, Joo Hawon had always been cautious and perceptive.

That intuition was what had kept him alive, perhaps now just a habit ingrained in him.

“It’s Jaehee-hyung. Want to talk to him?”

“Yes.”

With a delighted expression, Joo Hawon reached out his hand.

Kwon Taeha placed the phone on the table and switched it to speaker mode.

“Hello, is this CEO Jaehee?” Joo Hawon leaned close to the phone.

– “Wow, you’re the only one who ever greets me so warmly, Hawon.”

“I haven’t seen you around lately. I thought you’d gone off the grid.”

– “I’d love to, believe me. But my one and only brother works me to the bone.”

“Why, isn’t Mailer your younger brother too?”

…Taeha, why can’t you ever stray from the script?

Kwon Jaehee scolded him for putting the call on speaker.

“I heard you’re in Korea. We’ll be staying a few more days too, so let’s meet up.”

– “Sounds great. How about the three of us go for king crab? There’s a good place near my riding club. Just saying ‘king crab’ is making my mouth water. Thanks to someone, I’ve been too busy to even eat lately.”

“I’d love that. We’ll fit it into your schedule.”

– “Schedule’s tight, but I’ll squeeze something in. Haha. How have you been, Hawon?”

“Thanks to you, I’ve been doing well as always.”

– “Hmm, let’s see. How about the day after tomorrow? I’ll tell them to steam the best ones for us.”

Joo Hawon looked at Kwon Taeha, who gave him a look that said, Do as you want.

“Sure, I’ll look forward to it.”

Just as Joo Hawon was about to say goodbye—

– “And Taeha, think carefully about what I said. I may not know the right answer, but I know the wrong ones.”

Click.