Ch 39

<39th Episode>

 

D-day

 

CEO Han’s office was located on the top floor, facing southeast. On days when the sun was blazing without a single cloud, the blinds had to be lowered all day long due to the light pouring into the room. Although there were patches of dark cumulonimbus clouds in the morning as predicted for localized showers, the cloud currents moved quickly, and from around noon, thin stratocumulus clouds and intense sunlight pushed in as if to occupy the interior of the office.

 

A cool current, contrasting with the warmth of the sunlight, swirled around the office since Choi Seryeong’s visit. Although more than ten minutes had passed since she sat down, Seryeong was lost in thought without saying anything specific. The owner of the office, CEO Han, repeatedly cleared his throat with his hand covering his mouth, feeling embarrassed. It was a protest against being tired of watching her, who came to someone else’s workplace and acted important.

 

Seryeong snapped out of her thoughts at CEO Han’s cough, straightened her crossed legs, and placed them to one side. It was rare for her, usually the epitome of confidence and arrogance, to expose her anxious feelings without reservation. Seryeong took a low breath and lowered her voice towards CEO Han in a humble manner.

 

“It would be great if CEO Han could lend a hand just once.”

 

“I’m really sorry, Vice President. I may be the CEO, but you know, the real power lies elsewhere.”

 

He could secure funds with the authority of the CEO, but he was likely to be mistaken for embezzlement if he made a wrong move. Moreover, Choi Yoonjae held the actual power, so no matter how much cash was piled up like a mountain, it was just a pie in the sky that he couldn’t touch recklessly.

 

Seryeong knew CEO Han’s situation, but she couldn’t help but keep bothering people in her father Chairman Choi’s line because the situation was desperate.

 

“No news from other places either?”

 

“No, there isn’t.”

 

“Haa…”

 

The repayment date for the first promissory note, which had been diverted due to the resort construction funds issue, was approaching in a month. Even if they put out the urgent fire of the first note, the repayment of the second note was waiting two months later, gradually tightening the noose. If this fact became known to the outside world, it was obvious that the stock price would plummet, and unfavorable gazes would fly in at the shareholders’ meeting. Currently, the stock price of Yuseong Group had been on a downward curve for the past three years, continuously hitting a new 52-week low.

 

“Seeing Managing Director Kim and Managing Director Kang also skipping out today because they’re busy…”

 

Seryeong’s plan to have a four-way meeting with CEO Han and build trust had fallen through. In particular, it was Managing Director Kang Taeoh who ruined this meeting. Whether Kang Taeoh’s firm refusal was rumored, other construction companies also showed a cold attitude and backed away, and even Director Kim of Jane Pharmaceutical put things on hold as if gauging the situation after hearing the rumors. Enraged, Seryeong directed her arrows of blame at Kang Taeoh.

 

“By the way, I haven’t seen Choi Yoonjae around.”

 

“Ah, he’s been working from home since yesterday due to health issues, but he’s attending all the meetings.”

 

“What’s wrong with him?”

 

“Secretary Park says he has severe vertigo.”

 

At the mention of vertigo, Choi Seryeong let out a sigh of disappointment. It would be nice if something was seriously injured or broken, pushing him out of the game, but he was still active on the field even while on sick leave.

 

“But…”

 

“…”

 

“I heard from our Secretary Park that Executive Director Choi is very close to his personal secretary, a staff member named Yoo Eunho.”

 

This was tempting information for Seryeong, who was desperate to find a way to block the promissory note due in a month. When she sternly questioned with her eyes whether it was true, CEO Han, after hesitating for a moment, leaned closer to Choi Seryeong and whispered cautiously.

 

“There’s talk that they’re in a relationship.”

 

“A relationship?”

 

Seryeong scoffed. Her eyes blazed as if she had caught new prey. She had wondered if it was possible because Eunho’s pheromones were similar to those of her ex-boyfriend, Junseo.

 

“This needs to be confirmed further, but it’s also said that Secretary Yoo’s pheromones have changed recently…”

 

“Are you talking about imprinting?”

 

“It’s not confirmed information yet.”

 

Seryeong, who was stunned by the words that the pheromones had changed, was filled with joy, but soon maintained her composure and lowered her voice.

 

“Is Secretary Park trustworthy?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Then please check a little more.”

 

Choi Yoonjae had easily broken up with Lee Junseo, his first boyfriend. So, Seryeong, who had tried to interfere deeply by sowing discord between them, didn’t have much fun back then, but she felt that this time would be different. If imprinting had occurred between them as CEO Han said, it would be a golden opportunity to seize Choi Yoonjae’s weakness.

 

After leaving CEO Han’s office, Choi Seryeong gave a bitter smile, then erased her expression as she felt a sense of bitterness at her reflection in the elevator.

 

Yoo Eunho was a useful card, but what was urgently needed was cash to block the first promissory note. Choi Seryeong had received a secret contact via email a few days ago. The other party was A Second, whom she had wanted to connect with but had not been easy. The contact asked Seryeong if she was willing to sell Yuseong Venture Capital’s shares. Seryeong did not consider selling Yuseong Venture Capital’s shares, thinking that the situation would turn positive. However, due to Kang Taeoh’s refusal, she was once again facing a liquidity crisis and had to sell the Yuseong Venture Capital shares, which she had left as a last resort. She was feeling a great sense of frustration with the current situation.

 

Seryeong, who had boarded the sedan waiting in front of the lobby, pondered for a long time as if she had lost her soul, before taking out her cell phone.

 

“Youngjae.”

 

Seryeong’s only younger brother, Choi Youngjae, was an autistic spectrum patient known only to her closest confidants. Fortunately, he was quickly recognized and started treatment in his childhood, so his condition was not bad. His autistic tendencies were mild, and he steadily eliminated the negative aspects while undergoing psychological treatment. Thanks to this, others perceived him as merely shy, passive, and obsessive about things he was interested in, but it took an enormous amount of time and effort from those around him to get to that point.

 

When Yoonjae took his first step as a team leader, he placed Choi Youngjae, who had become reasonably capable of social life, in the position of Executive Director. However, due to poor performance, the company went downhill, and he was dismissed by the board of directors and shareholders. Youngjae’s suppressed autistic instincts resurfaced, and his anxiety peaked, showing signs of becoming increasingly isolated from society.

 

Currently, he was the Executive Director of Yuseong Group, but he was almost a figurehead. He had no organization or employees following him, and the lack of a leader in the relevant organization led to moral hazards, which was not a good situation.

 

Seryeong was Youngjae’s de facto guardian and the absolute authority he had to follow unconditionally.

 

“I’m sorry, but it won’t work out. Let’s liquidate some of the shares you have.”

 

To shake Choi Yoonjae and throw him to the bottom, she had to keep Youngjae’s shares until the end, but right now, she had to save Yuseong Group first. Seryeong wanted to meet with the CEO of A Second and ask why they were aggressively buying Yuseong Venture Capital.

 

***

 

That day returned, from eight months ago.

 

Yoonjae closely monitored Eunho without making it obvious, checking the time in minute increments. Had he ever checked the time this much in his life? Yoonjae felt as if the slowly passing time was mocking him, and his insides were burning black.

 

Eunho surprisingly agreed to his request to stay by his side for three days, but immediately after, he said that he was short of clothes and would quickly go to his officetel, which made Yoonjae feel awkward.

 

Eunho found it difficult to understand Yoonjae, who prevented him from going to the officetel, which was just a stone’s throw away, and took out his own clothes for him, but when Yoonjae kept staggering in front of him, he stopped saying that he would go to the officetel.

 

“Hoo, it’s done.”

 

The time of Eunho’s traffic accident in the past had passed. Yoonjae, who didn’t know exactly what time it was but only remembered it was just before lunch, took a deep breath after noon and clutched his frantically beating heart.

 

“What’s done?”

 

He had said it quietly to himself, but Eunho, who was working on a keynote, must have heard it and raised his head with a questioning expression.

 

“Oh? …Oh… that’s… the decision to invest in a startup that came up from the General Investment Division this time.”

 

Yoonjae’s back was dripping with cold sweat because Eunho was approaching and scanning the monitor.

 

“Which one are you going to go with?”

 

“Huh?”

 

Yoonjae didn’t have a specific company in mind, so he chose a field that he had been eyeing among the investment items. It was a direction that he would mainly invest in for the time being.

 

“I think the influencer marketplace would be good.”

 

Just as Eunho was about to check the monitor as if he wanted to know the reason for the investment, a knock was heard, and the cleaning lady came in like a savior.

 

“Executive Director, lunch is ready.”

 

Thank goodness. He didn’t know how many times he had said this today. Yoonjae pretended not to notice, got up from his seat, and pulled Eunho up. In response to Eunho’s question about whether his dizziness was okay, he threw out a lazy patient-like remark that he seemed to be all better now and walked out.

 

After dinner, as he moved into the safe zone, Yoonjae received a somewhat shocking story while receiving a report from Chief Yoon about what had happened today. Just before lunch, some of the passengers were taken to the hospital due to a collision between a truck and a bus on the six-lane road in front of the company, and Choi Seryeong had visited CEO Han’s office in the morning. Yoonjae focused on these two facts and retraced today before the regression.

 

In the end, even if Eunho was missing, a similar incident occurred that day. Then, does that mean that Choi Seryeong visited the company on that day eight months ago as well? At the time, Yoonjae was so out of it that he didn’t even check Seryeong’s visit. So, was Eunho’s accident at that time related to Seryeong, not because of Hyunjun’s shocking message? Yoonjae was curious whether Seryeong’s visit was added this time or whether it was an event that had happened back then as well.

 

Yoonjae did not let go of his tension even after finishing the call with Chief Yoon. A faint shadow fell over Eunho’s face, who had fallen asleep first. Under the yellow light of the stand, Eunho’s eyelashes cast a long shadow. The features neatly arranged in his finely shaped face made his heart flutter.

 

Why hadn’t he thought of this when he had him close by? Yoonjae realized that the deficient emotions he had been hiding all along were gradually being filled by Eunho.

 

The next morning, Yoonjae got up from his seat before Eunho and walked out to the terrace with a bottle of water. Eunho, who had woken up in the early morning and tossed and turned for a while before falling asleep again, was not even moving as if he was sleeping soundly.

 

Yoonjae sat on a nearby table chair, fully receiving the sunlight seeping into the terrace, and called Kang Taeoh.

 

-You called.

 

Taeoh spoke in a very relaxed tone, as if he already knew that Yoonjae would call.

 

“It seems like we have a lot to talk about in earnest, what should we do?”

 

As he said, nothing had happened to Eunho. The risk of an accident was close to zero because Yoonjae had been with him for three days, and even objectively, it was somewhat ambiguous to say that he had received Taeoh’s help. However, he was a key figure who could exchange help with Chief Yoon, and he was the only person who knew the parts that Yoonjae had missed before the regression, so even if he became an enemy later, he had to join hands with him for now.

 

-How about we observe the situation a little more and then I contact you again?

 

Taeoh politely postponed the time in response to Yoonjae’s quick feedback. When Yoonjae’s answer was cut off as he seemed to be trying to delay something, Taeoh carefully explained the situation.

 

-It seems that Vice President Choi Seryeong will sell some of Yuseong Venture Capital’s shares.

 

“…To A Second?”

 

-Yes, I think there will be a lot to talk about after the stock transfer is completed.

 

“I understand. I’ll wait for your call.”

 

Is she using the last card because the cash line is blocked? Yoonjae wondered how many percent of Choi Youngjae’s shares would be transferred to A Second.

 

Yoonjae ran his dry face with both hands and sequentially set up the worst and best scenarios in his head. The flow of time was moving quickly like a rough current.