Ch 48

<49>

 

The Beginning of a New Time (9)

 

Chief Yoon, who had been anxiously waiting in front of the surgery waiting room, stared intently at the surgery progress display while contacting another Secretary.

 

A drunk driver in the opposite lane crossed the center line and crashed into Yoonjae’s vehicle. Instead of braking, the driver stepped on the accelerator, causing a loud crash in a short distance. The other vehicle, after hitting Yoonjae, skidded on the wet road and collided with several more cars before coming to a stop.

 

The five-car pileup in the middle of the six-lane road left the drunk driver with serious injuries, while Yoonjae, who was hit first, suffered two fractured ribs and bruises. The drivers of the other vehicles were also taken to the hospital with minor fractures and bruises. The other vehicle was completely wrecked beyond recognition, and Yoonjae’s car was also half-destroyed on the side, destined for the junkyard.

 

The phrase “Under Surgery” next to Choi Yoonjae’s name changed to “Recovery,” and Chief Yoon’s expression brightened slightly as he approached the door. The call ended, and he frantically checked the traffic accident area like a madman, confirmed Yoonjae’s location, and rushed to the hospital. Fortunately, Yoonjae had regained consciousness upon arrival, but one of the two fractured ribs was piercing his lung, making surgery unavoidable. Yoonjae was immediately taken into the operating room.

 

Even in the midst of pain, Yoonjae asked to be notified if Eunho couldn’t be reached, leaving Chief Yoon with nothing but a hollow laugh. If it were his own subordinate, he would have cursed him out, but due to the difference in their positions, he couldn’t say anything, which was frustrating.

 

The surgery room door opened, and Yoonjae was wheeled out, looking haggard with IV lines dangling from him. Lying there with his chest and shoulders tightly wrapped in bandages, his dark brown eyes were blurred like scattered watercolors, likely due to the lingering anesthesia.

 

Even while being transferred to a VIP room and moved onto the hospital bed, Chief Yoon didn’t miss a single instruction from the doctor and nurses, meticulously checking everything. Having handled and endured so much in a single day, Chief Yoon himself was a mess.

 

“…Eunho?”

 

The intubation during surgery had swollen his throat, making it painful and stinging to speak. He could feel the heat escaping with each blink, indicating residual fever. Yoonjae frowned, feeling the pain from the surgery amidst the hazy atmosphere.

 

“He arrived safely and is currently being taken to Isabella’s residence.”

 

In the early morning, Chief Yoon’s heart had been pounding as he secretly took Eunho to the airport, and in the afternoon, Yoonjae’s car accident had made his heart sink. Feeling as if he had aged ten years in half a day, Chief Yoon smoothed his forehead and reported calmly.

 

“I’ve stationed security guards outside the door. And the car you mentioned seems to be a ghost car, making it difficult to track.”

 

He had expected it, but hearing it was a ghost car made his brow furrow and wrinkle. As his eyes drooped as if about to close, he felt a warm temperature on the back of his hand where the IV needle was inserted. Yoonjae struggled to lift his heavy eyelids and looked up at Chief Yoon. Chief Yoon held Yoonjae’s hand, stroking it and looking down at him with pity.

 

With the bandages constricting his chest and the pain from the surgery, Yoonjae could only take half breaths, exhaling in short bursts. As Yoonjae suppressed his groans, Chief Yoon pressed the pain relief button for him, checked his condition, and carefully took Yoonjae’s hand.

 

“They said you have to stay awake for three hours to clear the anesthesia, even if you’re sleepy, so you have to bear with it.”

 

His gentle tone, like soothing a child, made Yoonjae’s weak breaths scatter. Yoonjae slowly moved his eyes, searching for something.

 

“…My phone, please.”

 

Chief Yoon barely managed to stop himself from blurting out a sigh, retrieved Yoonjae’s phone from his briefcase.

 

“I’ll step out for a moment.”

 

It was obvious what he wanted the phone for. Eunho’s name would be among the missed calls. Chief Yoon scratched his forehead and stepped out of the hospital room, checking a few precautions with the security guard waiting outside.

 

Taking the elevator down, Chief Yoon found the smoking area next to the hospital and pulled out the last cigarette from his pocket. He hadn’t smoked at home in a long time, and the pack he occasionally smoked at work had been rolling around in his pocket for over a week.

 

“I should really quit.”

 

He lit the cigarette and inhaled deeply, his cheeks hollowing out. The bitter nicotine briefly relieved his fatigue, and Chief Yoon looked up at the stars in the night sky, swallowing softly.

 

He left for work looking at the stars, but it seemed he wouldn’t be able to go home today. Deciding that it wouldn’t be easy to go home for the time being, Chief Yoon pressed his wrinkled brow and flicked away the burning ember of the cigarette.

 

When he returned to the hospital room, Yoonjae was asleep, succumbing to the anesthesia. As he approached and took his hand, his closed eyes slowly opened.

 

“Executive Director.”

 

Even in the blurry vision, Chief Yoon’s face, with its deep shadows, looked exhausted. Yoonjae, who had been so focused on Eunho and Choi Seryeong all day that he hadn’t taken care of Chief Yoon, who was always by his side, grasped his hand and spoke haltingly. His throat was getting increasingly hoarse, and he swallowed repeatedly.

 

“…Go home quickly.”

 

“Executive Director.”

 

“…Don’t leave your pregnant wife alone. I can press the call button, so… go quickly.”

 

They had been together since Yoonjae was a team leader, and now they were like family. It felt like only yesterday that he had secretly supported Chief Yoon’s late-in-life romance, and now he was about to become the head of a household, which was deeply moving. Yoonjae felt like taking care of him like an older brother.

 

“…And, from now on, leave work on time. We can… contact each other if we need anything, so take care of your wife.”

 

He tried to push him away, urging him to leave, but Chief Yoon looked at him with a troubled expression for a long time before exhaling.

 

“Then I’ll see you in the morning. Just hang in there a little longer and get some sleep.”

 

Chief Yoon gathered his briefcase and went outside. There was a brief exchange with the security guard outside the door, and then one of them bowed and came inside, quietly sitting on the sofa in the lounge area. Yoonjae stared up at the ceiling of the hospital room, blinking.

 

It was an unavoidable accident, but it was frustrating that it had happened when time was so short. If he hadn’t made a U-turn to check the car behind him, this wouldn’t have happened. In the end, it was a failure of self-management. Unfortunately, the incident had already occurred, so the only way to proceed was to work from his hospital bed and ensure that there were no disruptions.

 

Awakened by the night-shift nurse’s visit, Yoonjae reached for his phone as she replaced the IV bag and checked his temperature and blood pressure. He felt like he was getting intoxicated by the medication, and his eyes kept closing. Forcing his eyes open, he held the phone close to his face, and the blurry letters finally became clear.

 

[I heard you had an accident. Are you okay? 1:45 AM]

 

Taeoh had left a message, knowing the situation after receiving a report from Chief Yoon. Yoonjae checked the time and pressed the call button, holding it to his ear. It had been just over 20 minutes since the message arrived.

 

-Are you okay?

 

As soon as the call connected, a voice filled with concern was heard. Yoonjae pushed his dry, chapped lips into his mouth to moisten them.

 

“Yes, I’ll be fine in a day or two. Where are you?”

 

-I’m on my way home.

 

His eyes closed again, as if intoxicated by the medication. As the strength in his wrist began to loosen, Yoonjae readjusted his grip on the phone and deliberately strained his eyes, blinking.

 

-Does Eunho-ssi know?

 

“…No, he doesn’t.”

 

A silence passed between their words before Taeoh carefully spoke. Yoonjae quickly replied no and explained the reason.

 

“Please don’t tell him. He… worries a lot.”

 

He couldn’t bear to watch him suffer from afar if he knew about the bad situation. Since he would be able to resume some semblance of daily life in a day or two anyway, it was better for him not to know.

 

-I understand. Get some rest. I’ll send you a photo or video when I get there.

 

“Thank you.”

 

He felt drowsy, as if he had taken a sleeping pill, probably due to the medication. He wanted to move his body to clear his head, but his body wouldn’t cooperate, making it impossible. He had to breathe shallowly on purpose because he felt a stabbing pain whenever he tried to take a deep breath. He vaguely heard that it could take up to a month to recover. Yoonjae severely criticized himself for making that U-turn and closed his eyes. He decided that it would be better to get plenty of sleep and focus on recovering his strength.

 

***

 

Sitting at the end of the eight-person dining table, Eunho stared blankly at the little lady sitting across from him. The child seemed displeased with the spinach and potato omelet and French toast that the staff had prepared for lunch, and she was just fiddling with her knife and fork as if playing with them. When her sharp eyes met Eunho’s, she startled and poked at her toast again, pouting her lips. Her black hair, neatly swept back without a single stray hair by a checkered headband, rippled like waves whenever she shook her head.

 

“Hello?”

 

“…Hello.”

 

When Eunho spoke to the little lady, who had been glancing at him with curious eyes, she reluctantly greeted him. Eunho took a sip of the fresh fruit juice next to him and tilted his head to one side. It was a gesture to show interest by matching her eye level.

 

“What’s your name?”

 

“Olivia.”

 

Seeing the mesh lace at the end of her sleeveless top, Eunho could roughly guess the little lady’s taste. Eunho cut the spinach omelet in half, scooped up a small spoonful, and hesitated for a moment. Perhaps due to jet lag, he felt bloated and nauseous. Olivia, her large eyes sparkling, asked in return.

 

“Who are you, mister?”

 

“Um, can you call me uncle instead of mister? Uncle Eunho.”

 

Eunho flinched at the fact bomb of being called “mister,” but he smiled and changed the subject. The little lady sitting in front of him looked to be about six years old, so Eunho, who was over twenty years older, was naturally a “mister,” but he felt somewhat wronged and suggested she correct it to “uncle.” Olivia coolly agreed and picked up her fork.

 

“Why? Is the food not good?”

 

“No. I’m just bored because I don’t have any friends.”

 

“……”

 

“It’s summer vacation.”

 

She was definitely Isabella’s granddaughter, but where were her parents? Eunho was about to ask where her parents were, but he gave up and put the omelet in his mouth. The little lady stubbornly kept her mouth shut, as if telling him not to ask anything.

 

“Or, should Uncle play with you?”

 

The food wasn’t spoiled, so why did he feel so bad? Eunho forced himself to swallow a spoonful of omelet and a sip of juice, testing Olivia’s feelings. Her eyes, which had been interested, sparkled before quickly subsiding.

 

“I’ll have to ask Grandma.”

 

Oh, Eunho felt awkward for a moment and grabbed the back of his neck. There was no way a little kid, regardless of gender, would readily agree to play with a strange adult male who was over twenty years older than her. Just as his ears were about to turn red, a familiar voice echoed from behind him.

 

“You don’t need to ask Grandma. He’s a nice uncle.”

 

“Dad!”

 

The little lady jumped off the high chair and ran like the wind, landing perfectly in her father’s arms. Turning his head, Eunho froze like a stone, surprised to see that Olivia’s father was Kang Taeoh.

 

Olivia’s attitude, which had been playful with her food, changed drastically. She took a spoonful and looked at Taeoh, and he rewarded her with a pat on the head, which she seemed to enjoy as she happily emptied her plate. Taeoh cut the French toast into bite-sized pieces and constantly rubbed his lips on the child’s round forehead. The sight of the affectionate father and daughter made Eunho’s lips curl up involuntarily.

 

“It seems like you don’t like the food. I’ll get you something else.”

 

“No. I really enjoyed it.”

 

Seeing that Eunho wasn’t eating much, Taeoh was about to get up and call a staff member, but Eunho stopped him first. He had eaten breakfast and spent the whole day rolling around in bed, so his stomach felt heavy and he couldn’t digest anything.

 

Soothing his stomach with juice and pressing his chest with his palm, Eunho leaned back against the chair, feeling peaceful as he looked at Olivia’s clear, spotless eyes. Just watching the embracing father and daughter felt healing, and a spring breeze seemed to blow through his heart.

 

“I didn’t know you had a child.”

 

“I didn’t act like I was single. Did it seem that way?”

 

Taeoh playfully caught his words and laughed. Eunho waved his hand as if to clarify that he didn’t mean to be offensive, but his face was already flushed.

 

“No, that’s not what I meant. I was just mistaken.”

 

As Eunho was about to blame his loose tongue for saying unnecessary things, Taeoh laughed and hugged Olivia, saying it was okay. Seeing him so helpless with his daughter made him feel different. The two times he remembered meeting him hadn’t left a bad impression, but seeing how he treated his child gave him a glimpse into his character.

 

Noticing Eunho’s gaze, which was fixed on him and his daughter, Taeoh snapped his fingers as if something had come to mind and rummaged through his pocket.

 

“I should take a picture, would that be okay?”

 

“……Yes?”

 

“For Executive Director Choi’s peace of mind.”

 

“Ah.”

 

His face, full of smiles, was lowered shyly at the mention of having to report with a video or photo. Taeoh whispered something in Olivia’s ear, and the child shrugged and giggled before jumping off the chair.

 

“Olivia, stand close to Uncle.”

 

He didn’t know what kind of deal they had made, but the little lady stood with her back against Eunho’s chest. Click, click, click, he took several pictures, and Eunho could see his quick fingers moving to send all the pictures instead of just choosing one. Eunho craned his neck to get a glimpse of his actions.

 

“Send them to me too. I took them with Olivia.”

 

Olivia, who had lost her wariness, touched Eunho’s white, slender hands and patted his palm as if giving him a high five. Her small, soft hands were so fascinating that a smile crept out.

 

Taeoh, who had been watching the two of them comfortably, took something out of his briefcase nearby.

 

“Oh, and we’ll turn off Eunho-ssi’s phone for a while, and I’ll give you this phone so you can contact your family and Executive Director Choi for the time being. I’ve already given the number to Executive Director Choi.”

 

Choi Seryeong probably wouldn’t do such a thorough background check, but it wouldn’t hurt to take the initiative. Eunho quickly entered a few people he needed to contact into the new phone. Ah, Suyeong and Hyukpil Sunbae. He had just come without saying a word, using the excuse of being busy. Now that he had time, Eunho decided to contact them slowly and finished entering their names.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“Executive Director Choi is very busy, so don’t be too disheartened if he doesn’t contact you for a few days.”

 

Taeoh defended Choi Yoonjae as he accepted the fresh fruit juice brought by the staff. He couldn’t express in words how surprised he was when he saw the message sent by Chief Yoon as soon as he got off the plane. Fortunately, the critical situation had passed, and it was just a matter of getting back on track after the situation was resolved. As Choi Yoonjae had said, it would take a few days to get through this without Eunho knowing, so he had to make the excuse of being busy.

 

“Is it because of the shareholders’ meeting?”

 

“Well, something like that.”

 

Seeing the worried look on Eunho’s face as Yoonjae had said, he understood why he didn’t want him to know about his condition. Fortunately, Eunho didn’t argue any further and seemed to agree.

 

Eunho took the teacup from the staff member who cleared the plates and poured coffee, thanking them. Looking back and forth between Olivia and Taeoh, Eunho smiled at their faces, which didn’t have many similar features. It seemed that Olivia took after Junseo more than Taeoh.

 

“Where is your wife?”

 

“I sent her away first.”

 

“……Yes?”

 

Tilting his head as if he might have misunderstood, Taeoh pointed to the sky with his finger and raised one eyebrow. Eunho was speechless and remained frozen for a long time, rubbing the teacup saucer with his finger.

 

“You must miss her a lot.”