Ch 47

<47>

 

The Beginning of a New Time (8)

 

Eunho sensed that Choi Seryeong’s side was closely monitoring him, so he needed to be careful for a few days. He wondered who exactly was sticking to him, and since when.

 

Yoonjae canceled all his afternoon schedules and focused solely on company matters. He was reviewing the investment product marketing report and reached for the key phone to request additional data when he suddenly found himself speechless and paused.

 

-Yes, Executive Director.

 

The unfamiliar voice, not the one he was used to hearing every day, felt awkward and foreign, causing his thoughts to freeze. Yoonjae bit his lower lip, regained his composure, and requested what he needed.

 

“Ah, the investment product marketing report from the Retail Marketing Division is lacking data.”

 

-I am compiling it now. I will submit the report soon.

 

It had barely been half a day since they parted, yet he already felt drained. The pattern that had been perfectly synchronized with Secretary Yoo Eunho like gears was creaking. Yoonjae rubbed his eyes, trying to clear his head.

 

“I apologize for being late. I have brought the additional data you requested.”

 

“It’s alright. Give it to me.”

 

He gave Chief Yoon, who entered the room, a gentle smile on the surface, but his heart felt empty and weak, as if there was a hole in it. He had grown accustomed to Eunho’s constant care and already missed him.

 

Even when he tried to concentrate on work, his mind, waiting for Eunho’s arrival confirmation, arbitrarily changed the priorities.

 

“Haa.”

 

Before he knew it, it was almost time to leave work. In the end, he couldn’t focus on his tasks, so he turned off his computer and stood up. Eunho would arrive in just an hour or two. Yoonjae hurried to leave work to receive Eunho’s call.

 

He declined Secretary Han’s offer to accompany him. He had watched Secretary Han flustered since morning due to the increased workload from Eunho’s absence, and he felt burdened by the thought of her following him even after work. He took his car from the underground parking lot and drove to the surface, where rain poured down relentlessly as if the sky had a hole in it.

 

The navigation system alerted him that the Jamsu Bridge was closed due to the rising water level of the Han River. The road was entering a congested area, but it wasn’t too bad since it was still before rush hour. The sound of raindrops hitting the car window and the wipers sweeping the water left and right filled the car, creating an atmosphere of silence.

 

“…….”

 

As the rain gradually weakened and the wipers slowed down, he noticed an unidentified black sedan following him in the rearview mirror. It had been one lane behind, then switching to the adjacent lane, repeating this pattern and driving in the same direction for 30 minutes. He had a bad feeling. To confirm, Yoonjae quickly changed lanes at a U-turn spot. As expected, the black sedan turned on its blinker and followed Yoonjae into the lane. Yoonjae pressed the inside of his cheek with his tongue. He had been completely unaware that someone was tailing him.

 

“Ah…”

 

He realized that this might not be the first time this had happened. Today, the car was closely following him due to the rain, making it noticeable, but usually, they would keep a distance, making it difficult to detect unless he was keenly aware.

 

After the U-turn, as he was about to check the U-turn area to return home, the car display connected to his phone rang loudly. Yoonjae pressed the lever, keeping an eye on the car following him.

 

-Executive Director, I heard you left work…

 

“Chief Yoon, I think someone is tailing me.”

 

-…Pardon? You, Executive Director?

 

The sound of raindrops hitting the car window grew more intense. As the wipers sped up, pushing away the pouring rain, the glass inside the car fogged up. Yoonjae pressed the button to direct the air conditioning towards the window, clearing the blurring condensation.

 

-Where are you now?

 

“I’m on my way home.”

 

Chief Yoon, who had just finished a meeting with the finance team, urgently called Yoonjae upon hearing that he had left work alone. He had obtained information that CEO Han was summoning the shareholders and wanted to get his opinion, but he became anxious when he heard that someone was tailing Yoonjae.

 

As soon as Chief Yoon got off the elevator, he ran to the underground parking lot. The heavy sound of his shoes hitting the floor echoed through the parking area.

 

-I’m heading to your house, Executive Director. I have something to report.

 

“Chief Yoon.”

 

-Yes.

 

The rain was so heavy that the license plate of the car behind him was blurry. Yoonjae maintained the distance from the car in front and checked the license plate of the car behind him in the rearview mirror.

 

“The car number is 83… uh… 3253. Please look it up later…”

 

Just as he was about to finish speaking, a sharp light pierced his eyes. As he tried to shift his gaze from the rearview mirror to the front, a sedan from the opposite lane suddenly crossed the center line and charged straight at him. In a split second, Yoonjae desperately tried to avoid it, checking the right lane, but the gaps were tight due to the slight congestion. To minimize the impact area, Yoonjae turned the steering wheel to the right, angling the car.

 

-…Executive Director?

 

Crash! A sound like thunder filled the phone, and Yoonjae’s voice was cut off. Chief Yoon, who was still holding the phone, sensed something was wrong and stopped in the middle of the parking lot. After the crash, only the eerie sound of rain hitting the car window and the frantic movement of the wipers echoed loudly. With his heart sinking, Chief Yoon composed himself and called Yoonjae again in a trembling voice.

 

-Executive Director?

 

“…….”

 

-Executive Director!!

 

***

 

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have landed at LAX airport. For your safety, please remain seated until the seat belt sign is turned off.”

 

In the stream of unconsciousness, the familiar in-flight announcement of landing slowly flowed into his ears. Rubbing his eyelids, Eunho woke up from his sleep, roughly swept his tousled hair with his hand, got up from his seat, and pressed his face against the window. The dark dawn of LA, seen through the window, was densely filled with sparkling lights on neatly arranged roads, like a pointillist painting.

 

How long had it been? It had already been almost three years since he last visited his parents’ house for Christmas, using the excuse of the distance. Thanks to Yoonjae’s consideration in booking a business class ticket, Eunho was able to enjoy a comfortable long-haul flight without having to massage his back. He didn’t know why he was so sleepy these days, but he had fallen deeply asleep, even skipping the meals served during the flight. Rubbing his swollen eyes, Eunho got up from his seat, tidied up his surroundings, and roughly straightened his disheveled clothes.

 

After completing immigration, Eunho pulled his carrier and walked towards the limousine airport bus stop, familiar with the route. He slowed down and turned around at the sound of hurried footsteps behind him. A healthy-looking man who seemed like a private bodyguard and a young woman who seemed like a secretary were alternately checking Eunho’s face and information, as if confirming his identity with their phones.

 

“Are you Yoo Eunho-ssi?”

 

“…….”

 

A chill ran down his spine as he realized that a stranger knew his name exactly, and his hair stood on end. There were many eyes nearby, so he didn’t think he would be dragged away, but he checked his surroundings again to be ready to shout immediately if the person was sent by Choi Seryeong. Airport police were visible at a fairly close distance.

 

“I’m Daniel Yoon, here to pick you up at the request of Executive Director Choi Yoonjae. And next to me is Selena Kim, the secretary in charge from A Second.”

 

The man, noticing that Eunho was very frightened, showed his business card and mentioned Choi Yoonjae. Eunho’s tension immediately eased at the name Choi Yoonjae. Only then did he remember Chief Yoon telling him that a private bodyguard would be assigned and sending him the profile by personal email.

 

“Wait a minute. A Second?”

 

He had roughly confirmed the identity of the man on the left, and he asked again, thinking he had misheard the woman on the right who said she was from A Second. She confirmed and gestured for him to follow.

 

“It would be better to move to a safer place.”

 

“……Why should I follow you there?”

 

“It’s Executive Director Choi’s order.”

 

He was about to agree immediately since it was Choi Yoonjae’s order, but he wondered if this was also Choi Seryeong’s trick, so he took out his phone. Daniel Yoon, who was in front of him, smiled politely.

 

“If you don’t trust us, you can call him now.”

 

Eunho checked the two people alternately and called Choi Yoonjae. He had intended to call comfortably after getting on the airport limousine bus, but the situation had unexpectedly become urgent, making him uncomfortable. The ringing tone went on for a long time without an answer, so Eunho ended the call and turned to Chief Yoon. He realized that it was evening in Korea, so Yoonjae would be very busy. The hand holding the phone trembled involuntarily.

 

“Chief.”

 

-Have you arrived?

 

Eunho’s breath, which had been anxiously rising, sank to the floor at Chief Yoon’s voice. Even while talking to Chief Yoon, the two people in front of him waited calmly without showing any threatening reactions, making him feel like he had been unnecessarily suspicious.

 

“Yes, but there are bodyguards and A Second representatives at the airport…”

 

-Follow them. Quickly.

 

Chief Yoon’s tone, full of tension, felt faster and more urgent than usual. As if he was being chased by something.

 

“Pardon?”

 

-Follow them quickly!

 

At Chief Yoon’s shout, Eunho said he understood and quickly ended the call. The moment he, who had never raised his voice to Eunho, scolded him, an unknown chilling energy shook the surrounding atmosphere. He was sure that bodyguards would only appear in emergencies, but the fact that they were showing up from the airport was proof that something had happened. Eunho moved to match their movements.

 

He took the car prepared by A Second and drove towards a destination he didn’t know. Numerous signs flashed by on the endless, vast road. Eunho felt not relief at returning to his hometown, but an endless sense of unease.

 

“Um… what’s going on?”

 

He wanted someone to explain it to him, even briefly, so he parted his tightly closed lips, and Selena, who was sitting in the passenger seat, turned her head.

 

“You don’t have to be nervous. Isabella, the CEO, will tell you everything when we arrive, and Kang Taeoh, the main director, will be here soon too.”

 

“Main… director?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Wait a minute. Are you saying that Kang Taeoh-nim is the main director of A Second?”

 

“Yes, that’s right.”

 

She smiled lightly, revealing her neat teeth, checked her jacket, and turned her head forward again. Eunho checked Kang Taeoh’s position and covered his mouth with his hand in surprise. Main director meant he was right below the owner.

 

Eunho remembered that the A Second data that Hyukpil Sunbae had given him earlier had information that Isabella’s son was working as an executive. Was that son Kang Taeoh? Eunho threw his gaze out the window to hide his embarrassed expression. He never imagined that Yoonjae’s simple explanation of A Second’s friendly relationship would unfold like this.

 

After driving for about 40 minutes, they entered Bel Air. Bel Air, one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in the United States, was already lined with supercars from the hillside entrance of the town.

 

The ultra-luxurious housing complex that he had only seen in magazines flashed past the window, partially offsetting his troubled mind. Eunho was somewhat surprised that the residence of A Second’s CEO was in Bel Air.

 

Even after the security gate opened, they drove inside for a long time. After passing a meticulously manicured garden and an oval fountain full of sculptures, they arrived at the entrance of the mansion. Selena, who was sitting in the passenger seat, got out first and opened the back door. Red dawn rose over Eunho’s face as he stood up from his seat.

 

The huge mansion, which looked like something out of a movie, had a total area of several thousand square feet. The mansion, modeled after Romanesque architecture, was an attractive building with elegant cross-shaped arches that looked like lace under the square tower columns built in various places.

 

In the early morning, filled only with the sound of birds chirping, the rose gold-toned mansion door opened, and a charismatic woman with white hair slowly walked down. Her neat white hair fluttered in the passing breeze as she approached in a simple, makeup-free outfit.

 

“Hello, I’m Isabella Brown.”

 

“I’m Yoo Eunho. Nice to meet you.”

 

Eunho strode forward and took the hand of the woman who reached out first. The deep wrinkles around her eyes, which suggested the passage of time, enhanced Isabella’s noble image. She pushed up her corrective horn-rimmed glasses with her fingertips and led Eunho into the mansion.

 

“You must have been very surprised to come here so suddenly, but please understand that it was at the request of Executive Director Choi Yoonjae and Taeoh.”

 

She asked the secretary who was following behind to move Eunho’s luggage upstairs, and then led him to the dome-shaped living room, wearing an ivory long cardigan.

 

The antique furniture that matched the Romanesque style was as delicate and beautiful as a work of art. Eunho, who sat in a corner of the sofa large enough for the whole family to sit around, held the teacup brought by the servant and looked up at her.

 

She was slender and had no excess fat, unlike her age, and her well-maintained figure was so beautiful that young people would envy her. It was clear at a glance that she was not just an ordinary person. The straight eyes seen through the glasses frame contained the seriousness of a manager.

 

“I’m sorry for coming so early in the morning.”

 

“Don’t mention it, we asked you to come.”

 

Red sunlight slowly poured in through the large window. A classic wall clock behind her pointed to 6:40. Eunho neatly placed his rounded hands on his knees. A question he wanted to ask carefully came to mind.

 

“Perhaps Kang Taeoh Managing Director… no, Kang Taeoh the Main Director and you are perhaps…”

 

“Yes, he’s my son.”

 

“Ah, yes.”

 

Kang Taeoh’s impression flashed through his mind every time she smiled lightly. He had asked politely just in case, and Isabella, who immediately noticed what he was curious about, nodded lightly while holding her teacup.

 

“If you told your parents you were going to see them, they’ll be worried, so wouldn’t it be a good idea to contact them in advance?”

 

“No. I was going to go secretly like a surprise, but I ended up coming here.”

 

Eunho scratched the back of his neck as if embarrassed. Since it was an unscheduled resignation and a long vacation, he didn’t know what to say, so he kept putting it off and ended up coming without contacting them.

 

Isabella smiled deeply and kindly, enough to create wrinkles around her eyes. The subtle beige manicure on her neatly trimmed nails went well with her white skin.

 

“Then, please stay here comfortably. Staying here until the shareholders’ meeting is a way to help Executive Director Choi Yoonjae and Taeoh.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

“Taeoh said he’ll be here around lunchtime, but it’ll probably be easier to talk to Taeoh than me.”

 

On the sofa table, there were reports that looked like company documents, stacked as thick as a book. She seemed to prefer analog paper documents to electronic documents. The lines drawn twice with a pen and the circles in between clearly showed that she was carefully checking the contents.

 

“Then rest for a while and have breakfast.”

 

Isabella gave a light greeting as if she was about to prepare for work and walked towards the hallway on the first floor. The sound of her heels echoed clearly every time she walked on the gold-toned marble. Eunho rolled his eyes from side to side, checking the size of the interior. He swallowed hard at the magnificent scale and interior that were difficult to adapt to.

 

Eunho, who walked up to the room on the second floor that the secretary had told him about, opened his carrier and was about to take out clothes that were easy to wear when he stared blankly at the ring on his finger.

 

“Is he busy? Chief’s voice too.”

 

Yoonjae’s face flickered every time he rubbed the ring with clear engravings on his finger. It hadn’t even been a day, but he already missed him. He took his phone out of his pocket, wanting to hear his voice, but hesitated without easily pressing the button.

 

Why was he so uneasy? Chief Yoon’s unstable tone kept lingering in his mind. He stroked his chest with his hand and tried to comfort himself, but the empty feeling continued to ache.

 

The hand holding the phone trembled. When the name Choi Yoonjae appeared on the screen, his red eyes finally became wet.

 

-…Eunho-ya.

 

At Yoonjae’s voice calling his name, a tear fell onto his shirt, darkening the fabric. Eunho pressed the phone tightly to his ear, concentrating to hear even the slightest sound of his breath. The end of his words trembled faintly.

 

“I, I’ve arrived.”

 

-……That’s a relief.

 

Whether it was due to the distance, his tone was lower than usual. The ends of his words were cracked, and his listless, parched voice didn’t sound good at all.

 

“Are you, by any chance, sick? Your voice doesn’t sound too good?”

 

-……Just a little tired, I dozed off.

 

The sound of him swallowing with difficulty flowed slowly through the speaker. The irregular breaths between words were too rough for someone who had just woken up. He wanted to beg him for a video call, but if he had woken him up from a nap with his missed call, it was right to let him sleep again.

 

“Rest while you work. Don’t overwork yourself.”

 

-……Okay.

 

“Then, get some more sleep.”

 

-……I will.

 

After ending the call, he checked the time in Korea and it was just past 11 PM. He fell asleep relatively early today. Eunho had even confirmed Yoonjae’s voice, but he clutched at the empty feeling, like an unquenched thirst, and lay down on the bed as he was.