Ch 45

<45>

 

The Beginning of a New Time (6)

 

He, who was placing wasabi on the tuna belly, raised only his eyebrows and stared straight at Eunho. Chief Yoon’s eyes curved softly at Eunho’s probing question, pretending not to know that he was having a deep conversation with Yoonjae.

 

“How much did the Executive Director tell you?”

 

“…That he’s someone who’s helping.”

 

“Then, that’s all you need to know. I’m still checking, so it’s hard to say for sure, but I don’t think he’s an enemy.”

 

It wasn’t good for many people to know. Currently, the reason Kang Taeoh was investing in A Second, not Seoin Construction, was to hide himself, so it was advantageous for both of them to maintain secrecy as much as possible. Although it shouldn’t happen, if they considered the worst-case scenario, such as a kidnapping, it would help Yoonjae if Eunho didn’t know anything at all, so Chief Yoon also refrained from speaking.

 

As the conversation between the two broke off and a long silence ensued, the shamisen melody flowing in from outside the door replaced it. Eunho’s mouth felt rough. He wanted to help in any way he could, but Yoonjae and Chief Yoon seemed to be refusing.

 

“When I leave, is it going to be… turbulent here?”

 

“Probably. …And the general shareholders meeting will probably be the peak?”

 

He learned from watching Yoonjae that a company that seemed to be running well on the surface was actually possible because it held the reins of many people and cut them off to maintain the leader’s position. His life had always been a thorny path since his parents passed away. It looked glamorous on the outside, but the inside was about to fester and burst.

 

“Contact me when you arrive. I think that would be better for the time being.”

 

“Yes, Director.”

 

Eunho raised his hand and placed it below his collarbone. He couldn’t bring himself to wear the ring to work, so he put it on the silk necklace that came with the case and wore it around his neck so it wouldn’t show. He felt relieved when he felt the round metal under his shirt with his fingertips.

 

“By any chance…”

 

“…”

 

“How far do you see the worst-case scenario going?”

 

Eunho put his hands together neatly and asked in a rather serious tone. Chief Yoon, who was putting the remaining sushi in his mouth, looked at Eunho as he drank the miso soup, as if he was choking. The look in his eyes, as he laughed with a whistling sound between his teeth, contained an unspoken meaning that he was buying unnecessary worries.

 

“You have to look at the best, why think about the worst.”

 

“Still… I want to be prepared.”

 

Prepared for what? Chief Yoon wiped his mouth with a tissue and emptied the remaining green tea in one gulp.

 

“He’ll step down from his position. The major shareholder will remain.”

 

“There’s a possibility of that happening, right?”

 

“Well, the shareholders are favorable to the Executive Director, so the possibility is a bit low, but you never know until you turn over the cards.”

 

“…”

 

“We’re also figuring out how far Vice President Choi has reached.”

 

If Chairman Choi hadn’t touched Yoonjae’s shares in the first place and returned them intact, this wouldn’t have happened. He felt a surge of anger because this mess was caused by some of the shares that had been extorted. As Eunho scrunched up his facial muscles, Chief Yoon, who was smiling with his eyes, got up from his seat, grabbed the bill, and patted the dejected Eunho.

 

“Don’t worry too much. The Executive Director isn’t that easy to deal with.”

 

Choi Yoonjae doesn’t start if he thinks he’s going to lose in the first place. He was someone who knew and enjoyed the aesthetics of waiting. He had been patient all this time to play a winning game, and that time had come. However, he said that he was trying to separate for a while because he didn’t want the person who would become his partner to be swept up in the storm. He would definitely do well and be the one to sound the victory in this game. Eunho did not doubt the words Chief Yoon had conveyed.

 

“I’m planning to book a flight for Monday morning, and I’ll take you there. I’ll move as if nothing’s wrong, if possible.”

 

He would pretend to go to work and get out of here without being noticed. Secretary Park and CEO Han would notice when the vacation got longer, but by then, he would have been gone for a long time. In the meantime, Yoonjae would finish preparing to draw his sword, and Eunho would watch and support him from afar.

 

The scenario had to go according to his wishes.

 

***

 

Eunho and Yoonjae, who had sent the housekeeper home early and taken over the kitchen, laid out the desserts and food they had prepared in advance on the table as if they were having a party.

 

“Is this okay?”

 

“It looks decent.”

 

He had asked the housekeeper to prepare steak instead of the usual Korean meal, and on the way home, he had picked out strawberry tarts, macarons, and sandwiches from a nearby bakery. When he brought wine and glasses from the wine rack and placed them neatly next to the cutlery set, it was quite a decent setting, as good as any restaurant. Yoonjae chose a wine that was low in alcohol and light, thinking of Eunho.

 

“Is sparkling wine okay?”

 

“I like it, but is the sweetness okay?”

 

“I’m craving something sweet today.”

 

Yoonjae took out the cork with an opener and filled the glass about 2/3 full. The two clinked glasses and looked at each other longingly, speechless at the fact that their farewell was not far away. The rich fruit scent touched their lips and led to a light sip.

 

Eunho cut a small corner of the steak with a knife and fork. Eunho, who was slowly chewing the meat that was grilled to medium-well to his liking, said nonchalantly.

 

“I’ll be awake at night in Korean time, so let’s video call once or twice a week.”

 

Since he probably wouldn’t know the situation here well, it would be more comfortable to receive Yoonjae’s calls rather than him contacting him at any time. Eunho added a little nagging while he was at it.

 

“Don’t skip meals, Executive Director. Your sharp impression is at its limit right now.”

 

“…Limit?”

 

“If you lose more weight, you’ll look like a patient.”

 

Yoonjae choked while swallowing the wine and frowned, coughing lightly. After swallowing water and clearing his throat, Yoonjae put down his glass and roughly wiped his lips with his thumb.

 

“Eunho.”

 

“…”

 

“You haven’t forgotten my name, have you?”

 

Eunho, who was looking at him with a guilty conscience as if he had been stabbed in the heart, smiled softly and continued to cut the innocent steak into small pieces. It was still awkward to call him by his name because the difference in their hierarchical relationship was too great. Nicknames were just as difficult.

 

“When I come back, you have to call me by my name instead of my title.”

 

Yoonjae didn’t rush and laughed it off, but he subtly emphasized that he would definitely hear his name next time.

 

“Does it just have to pass the general shareholders meeting?”

 

Eunho, who nodded his head, carefully asked, chewing on his lips. It was standard for anything to take at least six months to as long as several years to see the results, but he couldn’t believe that the current chaotic situation could be resolved in a month and a half.

 

Yoonjae accurately understood the part that Eunho was anxious about.

 

“Actually, there are more things left after the general shareholders meeting, but that’s a matter of time. Once the general shareholders meeting goes in the direction we want, I think the rest will be fine.”

 

The process of changing the owner of Yuseong Group with Kang Taeoh may take some time, but if the general shareholders meeting goes as desired, it was certain that it would be the signal flare to dismantle Yuseong Group. Yoonjae was planning to start in earnest with Kang Taeoh once Eunho arrived safely in the United States.

 

He hadn’t told Eunho, but a bodyguard would secretly follow him when he went to the United States. He was refraining from speaking because he was worried that he would become more sensitive if he told him in advance. If it was sensed that it was dangerous, it would be switched to close protection instead of shadow protection, and at that time, he was also calculating the relocation of his residence. He had already requested personal protection from A Second, Kang Taeoh’s mother’s company, as a last resort, so there would probably be no major accidents. Since he was planning to provide protection in two or three layers, there was no need to tell Eunho these things in advance and scare him.

 

“A Second is…”

 

“…”

 

“What happens if you join hands with Vice President Choi?”

 

Yoonjae pressed his eyebrow bone and laughed softly as he let out a breath. He raised his wine glass and lightly clinked it against Eunho’s glass.

 

“I don’t think that will happen.”

 

“…You mean a friendly stake?”

 

“Yeah. I think that’s what will happen.”

 

Eunho felt relieved by his relaxed and warm voice just as his heart was about to become heavy. If A Second, the second-largest shareholder, was on the same side, it was a 51% winning fight even if all the other shareholders cast a vote against it. Like Chief Yoon said, Yoonjae had been crouching down and waiting for the right time to fight a winning fight. Eunho put his hand on his chest and let out a low voice as if he was relieved.

 

“That’s a relief.”

 

“Were you worried?”

 

“It’s natural to be worried when the second-largest shareholder suddenly comes up.”

 

The first thing that came to mind when a foreign investment company, not a domestic company, rose to become the second-largest shareholder was the tyranny at the general shareholders meeting. Recently, articles about foreign investment companies increasing their stake in domestic conglomerates by more than 5% and then encroaching on the management front, causing companies to defend their management rights, were frequently plastered all over the media. He had been worried that Yuseong Venture Capital had also become a target of foreign investment companies, but he couldn’t be happier that it wasn’t. Judging from the fact that Yoonjae was refraining from speaking, it seemed to be a top secret for a tactical operation to stab Vice President Choi Seryeong in the back.

 

“I’ll try to sort things out as well as I can for all the hard work. So don’t worry too much.”

 

According to Kang Taeoh, some of the cash received from Yuseong Venture Capital had already been used to block the first bill, and half of the remaining amount had been pushed into additional investment in Hanseong Pharmaceutical. Her decision was reckless.

 

Hanseong Pharmaceutical was the place where he first met Kang Taeoh last time, and it was also the place where he withdrew his investment because the CEO was running the company with a salesperson’s mindset rather than a researcher’s mindset. If it went well, it would be a so-called jackpot, but if it went wrong, it was a do-or-die company that would fall into the abyss in an instant, and she had invested additionally in it, so Yoonjae burst into laughter. Regardless of whether the company did well or not, her investment method was a suicidal act that rookies do.

 

It didn’t matter if Hanseong Pharmaceutical did well, but if it went wrong, her investment would become a blade that would dismantle Yuseong Group faster. Yoonjae was hoping for the latter. He had checked all the related overseas papers and research data and made the decision after consulting with a pharmaceutical company researcher who was his classmate.

 

Eunho, who heard that A Second was a friendly stake, emptied all the wine he was holding and quickly collapsed as if his tension was relieved. Yoonjae reached out and grabbed Eunho, who was leaning diagonally with one hand on his chin.

 

“Drunk already?”

 

“Maybe because I haven’t drunk in a long time. Or maybe I’m drunk on the atmosphere.”

 

Eunho, giggling, covered it up with laughter, perhaps because even he found this situation slightly absurd. He could normally finish a bottle of sparkling wine by himself, but today, he felt tipsy after just one glass. Was it because he was tired, or tense? Come to think of it, he hadn’t even eaten the strawberry tart placed in the center yet.

 

“Your face is flushed too.”

 

“Is it? Huh? It usually doesn’t flush unless I’m really drunk.”

 

“Must be your condition.”

 

Feeling his body reacting differently than usual, as if rejecting the wine, Eunho pushed his wine glass aside to secure his mental clarity. He felt like if he drank one more glass, his brain would be pickled, and his short-term memory would cut out.

 

Feeling dizzy, Eunho slowly got up and found the bread knife. Then, he portioned the strawberry tart, divided into six equal slices on a side plate, placing a piece each for Yoonjae and himself.

 

“It’s really delicious. This place is a hidden gem, right?”

 

“Is it?”

 

The fresh strawberries densely packed on the fresh cream refreshingly and softly moistened his mouth. As Eunho pestered him with his finger to try a bite quickly since it was tasty, Yoonjae, who had been smiling gently, cut a corner of the tart with his fork and put it in his mouth. As Eunho said, whether it was a hidden gem or not, the refreshing taste that clung to his mouth was quite nice.

 

He had been inwardly worried since half the steak remained, but Eunho seemed intent on filling his stomach with the tart, cleanly finishing two slices right where he sat. Seeing his face, full of satiety, smiling brightly, Yoonjae’s expression lightened considerably.

 

When Eunho got up saying he would clear the dishes, Yoonjae lightly blocked his way. Telling Eunho, who was swaying from fatigue and tipsiness, to wash up and lie down first, he took him to the shower door.

 

“Hoo.”

 

After nudging Eunho into the shower, Yoonjae slowly cleared the table. He put the plates and cutlery in the dishwasher, pressed the power button, and tidied up the rest. It had been a while since they finished just one bottle of wine between them.

 

Eunho, coming out with his hair dripping wet and shuffling, looked even more tired than before he went in to wash. Though the tipsiness vanished quickly since he only drank one glass, perhaps due to high fatigue, he acted like several screws were loose. Yoonjae took Eunho, who was loitering in the living room watching him, and went into the bedroom.

 

“Why are you wandering the living room?”

 

“No, I was going to come in with you.”

 

“You can lie down first.”

 

“…I’m afraid I’ll fall asleep.”

 

As if humoring a child’s whining, Yoonjae patted his back and led him to the bedroom, but stopped moving at Eunho’s last words. The gaze looking up with lonely eyes was filled with a desperate desire not to waste time.

 

“If you’re sleepy, you should sleep.”

 

Eunho shook his head. A stubborn reluctance to fall asleep like this clung unpleasantly to his scrunched nose bridge. As Yoonjae slowly laid Eunho down, the face burrowing into his chest crumpled against the thin shirt. Eunho’s faint breath scattered thinly through the collar gaps.

 

Yoonjae’s heart beat loudly in a regular rhythm. For no reason, just the pulse of his heart made his eyes redden. An overwhelming emotion swept over his entire body, though he hadn’t watched a sad movie or listened to a grand orchestra performance.

 

“I love you.”

 

He confessed desperately, clutching the hem of his shirt. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly to hold back sadness, but transparent dewdrops gathered at the corners of his tear ducts, forming tear lines.

 

“Really… I love you.”

 

Yoonjae’s chest grew warm and damply wet. The sight of him confessing while barely able to lift his head, holding his breath, made his heart feel shattered. With his outstretched hand, Yoonjae stroked Eunho’s protruding shoulder blades and slowly swept over his dry back.

 

Eunho, who tried hard to act fine, would show his true self without pretense when night fell. The willing gestures of offering love continued to grip and shake Yoonjae.

 

“I love you, Eunho.”

 

Yoonjae continued patting and stroking Eunho’s back until he gradually fell asleep. They whispered quietly, or soothed each other, and repeatedly said “I love you” without stopping. Until the hand clutching his shirt hem loosened, and Eunho’s love confessions gradually spaced out, eventually turning into even breathing. Yoonjae pressed his quivering Adam’s apple, trying to calm his heart. His hot breath remained lingering on Eunho’s forehead.

 

Yoonjae had lived thoroughly hiding his emotions. The moment loneliness was discovered, the hands reaching out to either exploit it as a weakness or take advantage of it made him so disgusted he pretended otherwise and concealed it.

 

Then he met Eunho. Unlike Yoonjae, Eunho expressed his loneliness honestly. Unlike himself, who was busy hiding, Eunho was honest with his emotions, sometimes even bold.

 

Eunho comforted and fulfilled the deficiencies Yoonjae had tightly hidden away. He slowly seeped in, finding the minute cracks others couldn’t see. Strangely, Yoonjae found it didn’t matter to reveal his loneliness before Eunho. Yet, emotions that seemed like they might be okay would impulsively rise whenever he stood before Eunho.

 

Each time, Eunho would blunt the sharp edges of his emotions, as if telling him not to worry. He filled his deficiencies and, before he knew it, had dug deep into his heart.

 

The ambushed emotions settled in, took root, and sprouted new shoots. Yoonjae was gradually drawn to Eunho. He fell so deeply that he wanted to hand over all authority of his unconscious and conscious mind.