By Zephyria 
“…….”
Seo Yi-kyung looked at Jin Seon-yu, who was approaching the bedside. It was evident that he was struggling to find the right words. Because of this, Seo Yi-kyung spoke first. It wasn’t Jin Seon-yu who should apologize, but Seo Yi-kyung.
“I’m sorry. I think it would be better if I left now.”
Seo Yi-kyung was the one who had put Jin Seon-yu in a difficult position. He had called Jin Seon-yu in haste because he had nowhere else to turn for help, but given the circumstances, Jin Seon-yu’s position must also be awkward. Moreover, didn’t Han Seung-jae know that he was here? He thought there was no way Han Seung-jae wouldn’t know, but still, he had no other choice.
“What are you talking about? A close friend just came to visit. It’s fine.”
Jin Seon-yu waved his hand and pulled over a chair next to the bed to sit down. He looked back at the closed door, then turned his head toward Seo Yi-kyung.
“Even if my second Hyung is angry like that, he listens to everything I say. Don’t worry.”
“…….”
Seo Yi-kyung wondered what to say. Whether he should say thank you, or apologize again. However, this time, Jin Seon-yu spoke first.
“But shouldn’t you go to the hospital first?”
Jin Seon-yu looked down at the bandage wrapped around Seo Yi-kyung’s wrist. Since he had just come out of the shower, the bandage was wet. The turtleneck and cardigan Seo Yi-kyung was currently wearing also belonged to Jin Seon-yu.
When Jin Seon-yu had stepped out of the car upon finding Seo Yi-kyung, his eyes had shaken violently in panic at the sight of Seo Yi-kyung’s attire and the marks on his body, but he hadn’t mentioned anything about it. He had simply put him in the car and wrapped his own muffler around Seo Yi-kyung’s neck. Then, Jin Seon-yu had brought Seo Yi-kyung straight home.
“……I can bear this much.”
“Wait, let’s at least change the bandage.”
Jin Seon-yu stood up, opened and closed a drawer in the room, and then turned around.
“I guess it’s not here. I’ll go downstairs and get some.”
As Jin Seon-yu left the room, silence instantly enveloped Seo Yi-kyung. He stared blankly at his wrist wrapped in the damp bandage. The words Han Seung-jae had said while wrapping it this morning scratched through his mind.
‘He said he’d be back early……’
After hearing those words, Seo Yi-kyung had hesitated for a moment before snapping out of it and contacting Jin Seon-yu.
Hadn’t he already made up his mind several times? That was why he had asked Jin Seon-yu to draw a picture for him to give to Han Seung-jae. Moreover, it seemed Han Seung-jae had noticed even that.
Even so, why did he act like that yesterday? Unlike Han Seung-jae. Was he just trying to test him? Or did he know and simply want to grant his wish?
The chain of questions had no answers, but despite that, one thing was clear. Han Seung-jae was not that kind of person.
‘There’s no way.’
Seo Yi-kyung shook his head repeatedly.
* * *
Myeongjun Financial Group, Director’s Office.
Han Seung-jae flicked his fingertips. His pen had been circling the same spot for a while. The door opened, and Secretary Park entered and approached Han Seung-jae.
“I spoke with Head of Department Jin Seok-young.”
Han Seung-jae leaned deep into his chair.
“Continue.”
Han Seung-jae didn’t even seem to realize that he had cut Secretary Park off. Secretary Park added,
“He says he cannot bring him here right now because he is not feeling well.”
Han Seung-jae lowered the pen he was holding onto the documents.
“Cannot bring him?”
The end of Han Seung-jae’s sentence was ominous. However, his gaze was even more caustic. It was as if he were condemning Secretary Park for merely delivering such news.
“I don’t think I waited just to hear those words.”
Secretary Park was someone who always keenly grasped Han Seung-jae’s intentions. The answer he provided was utterly disappointing. Nevertheless, Secretary Park continued calmly.
“Since you know where he is, please give them a little more time. Is he not someone who is carrying a child? Therefore, it would be better to bring him after he has recovered his strength.”
Like Han Seung-jae, Secretary Park had seen all the photos: Seo Yi-kyung leaving the house, his expression as if anxiously scanning the surroundings, him standing alone, Jin Seon-yu getting out of the car and approaching him, and Seo Yi-kyung getting into the car.
Rather than Jin Seon-yu taking Seo Yi-kyung, it would be more consistent with the situation to assume that Seo Yi-kyung had contacted him directly.
Furthermore, the face Han Seung-jae wore this morning, which Secretary Park had seen, was filled with displeasure. From calling the primary physician so early to instructing Butler Do to burn the painting. It could not be unrelated to Seo Yi-kyung leaving the house.
* * *
The door opened and Jin Seon-yu entered with bandages. He sat in the chair next to the bed and motioned for Seo Yi-kyung to show him his wrist. At that, Seo Yi-kyung hid his wrist under the blanket and said,
“I’ll do it in a bit.”
Just by moving slightly, Seo Yi-kyung felt a throbbing pain in his wrist. If he unwrapped the bandage now, there was a high probability that a deep purple bruise would be there. He strongly desired not to show that to Jin Seon-yu. Because then, he would worry more, feel awkward, and not know what to do.
“It was wet. Doesn’t it feel unpleasant?”
Seo Yi-kyung shifted his body slightly and pulled something out of his pocket with his other hand.
“More importantly, is there anywhere I could sell this?”
Jin Seon-yu slowly placed the bandages he was holding on the bed where Seo Yi-kyung was sitting. As he did, he took the pocket watch necklace that Seo Yi-kyung held out. The palm-sized pocket watch necklace looked like an old item. However, perhaps because it had been well-preserved, it shone brilliantly.
As Jin Seon-yu looked down at the pocket watch necklace, Seo Yi-kyung spoke.
“I bought it at an auction for 2 billion won, but it’s okay if I don’t get that much.”
Since he was trying to sell it in a hurry, it would be difficult to receive the full value. That wasn’t an amount Seo Yi-kyung expected. He was simply worried whether there would be someone to buy it.
Strictly speaking, the only reason Han Seung-jae had bought it was because Seo Yi-kyung had pressed the wrong button. Had Seo Yi-kyung not made that mistake, it was an artifact that even Han Seung-jae wouldn’t have bought.
When leaving Han Seung-jae’s house, Seo Yi-kyung had brought his phone to call Jin Seon-yu, a wallet with a small amount of money, and the pocket watch necklace.
However, it was clear that he wouldn’t last long with the money in his wallet. Therefore, he wanted to sell this pocket watch necklace somehow.
“2 billion?”
Jin Seon-yu murmured softly. A transaction of that amount was not something Jin Seon-yu could handle alone. He needed Jin Seok-young’s help. If it were him, he could easily find someone who could buy it.
But if it were the Jin Seok-young he knew, he would definitely consult with Jin Tae-won. Then the bloodless and tearless Jin Tae-won would undoubtedly send Seo Yi-kyung back. If that happened, even Jin Seon-yu couldn’t stop it. Thus, Jin Seon-yu thought of his second Hyung and then dismissed the idea.
Looking at Seo Yi-kyung’s worried expression, Jin Seon-yu spoke as if trying to comfort him.
“I understand for now. I’ll look into it.”
Just then, a knock sounded. Jin Seon-yu put the pocket watch necklace in his pocket and stood up.
“I told them to make some soup. You can eat that, right?”
Seo Yi-kyung nodded. Then Jin Seon-yu returned with a tray containing soup. To take the tray Jin Seon-yu offered, Seo Yi-kyung unconsciously extended his arm, but quickly pulled it down due to the pain.
Jin Seon-yu placed the tray on Seo Yi-kyung’s thigh and asked,
“Are you sure you don’t need to go to the hospital?”
“Yes. I’m fine.”
Seo Yi-kyung tried to act as if nothing were wrong and brought the soup to his mouth with his other hand. As he did, cold sweat ran down his spine. It couldn’t be an illusion that the bandaged wrist was more swollen than before.
* * *
Around evening, Han Seung-jae entered the house with an expressionless face. Butler Do, who was inside, came out and bowed weakly. He had received a call from Secretary Park. Because of that, even though he knew Seo Yi-kyung was currently with Jin Seon-yu, his heart was not entirely at ease. When he recalled Seo Yi-kyung’s face from this morning, bad thoughts kept coming to mind.
“Welcome back, Director Han. How would you like to handle dinner?”
Butler Do slowly straightened his upper body. Without a shred of hesitation, Han Seung-jae brushed past Butler Do, entered the dressing room, and changed into casual clothes. He headed to the second floor with Secretary Park. Butler Do seemed to have something he wanted to ask Secretary Park, but he couldn’t bring himself to approach and instead watched for a cue.
After getting off on the second floor, Han Seung-jae started toward the study but then turned his steps toward the bedroom. Secretary Park watched his retreating back and headed in the opposite direction.
Click, the bedroom door opened, and Han Seung-jae’s shadow stretched long inside.
Han Seung-jae entered and scanned the area around the bed. The bed in the quiet room was neatly made. No traces of the previous day were visible.
Han Seung-jae picked up the bracelet and ring on the nightstand. He had been wearing them as recently as when he tried to wrap the bandage this morning. What did it mean that he had left them here?
Han Seung-jae opened the drawer of the nightstand. Since they were things Seo Yi-kyung always carried, he intended to put them inside. However, Han Seung-jae’s hand stopped in mid-air.
Then, he gazed intently down at the baby shoes placed neatly inside the drawer.