By Zephyria 
Chaeon Foods, Executive Director’s Office.
Jin Seok-young, phone pressed to his ear, bolted up from the sofa. The papers he had been reviewing scattered haphazardly across the table and sofa. He brushed past Executive Director Jin Tae-won’s empty seat—vacant due to an inspection trip—and stormed out of the office, nearly breaking the door.
He drove frantically toward Seju Hospital. While doing so, he contacted Executive Director Jin Tae-won and recounted the series of events reported from home. As he spoke, Jin Seok-young’s face turned a shade close to ash. The situation was beyond bleak; it was pitch black.
“What do I do, Hyung? I was going to call Director Han, but I called you first.”
Whenever something happened, Jin Seok-young tended to consult Jin Tae-won first. Due to his impulsive nature, he frequently botched things. Furthermore, he had been severely beaten by Jin Tae-won many times, regardless of the location, whenever he acted out recklessly.
“I don’t know the exact situation either, so I’m on my way to the hospital now. I’m almost there. I’ll check what happened first and call you back.”
Screeching to a halt in front of Seju Hospital, Jin Seok-young slammed the steering wheel with all his might and wiped his face with his hands before finally stepping outside. The very thing he had feared had finally happened. And to make matters worse, things had become a complete clusterfuck.
With a face full of anxiety, Jin Seok-young rushed into Seju Hospital.
He pushed through the crowds of people. Jin Seok-young dialed Jin Seon-yu’s number. After a long period of ringing, the frantic voice of a household employee answered. They repeatedly told him that Jin Seon-yu had rushed to the hospital without even grabbing his phone.
Hearing this, Jin Seok-young’s face contorted fiercely. Had he not warned Jin Seon-yu several times? Seo Yi-kyung was not only married to Han Seung-jae but was also carrying his child. Therefore, no matter what happened, he must not be harmed in this house.
* * *
Swoosh—
Approaching the sink, Jin Seon-yu dipped his blood-stained hands into the water. His eyes were unfocused. Tears welled up and fell in droplets every time he blinked. Kwon Gwi-jun’s suit jacket was draped over the shoulders of his blood-stained shirt.
Watching from behind through the mirror, Kwon Gwi-jun’s expression was also grim. Jin Seon-yu had been shedding tears incessantly without saying a word for some time. He didn’t even sob loudly. It was as if he had suffered a massive shock. Then, Jin Seon-yu murmured haltingly.
“I didn’t know… that so much blood would come out.”
Jin Seon-yu’s tears added to the water over his hands in the sink. This was the first time Jin Seon-yu had witnessed blood spurting from a human body. And it was from the body of Seo Yi-kyung, with whom he had been talking just moments ago. The blood of Seo Yi-kyung touching Jin Seon-yu’s hands was hot, and the sound of Seo Yi-kyung’s breathing against his chest had been ragged.
Jin Seon-yu couldn’t remember a single thing about how he had arrived at the hospital. Not until he was standing in the ward corridor and Kwon Gwi-jun approached him, taking off his suit jacket to place it over his shoulders. Then, he had handed Jin Seon-yu a handkerchief. However, seeing that the blood wouldn’t wipe away cleanly, Kwon Gwi-jun led the dazed Jin Seon-yu to the sink.
Jin Seon-yu’s body moved obliquely. It was Kwon Gwi-jun turning him around. Instead of offering words of comfort, he wiped Jin Seon-yu’s wet hands with the handkerchief.
“Jin Seon-yu, where are you?”
Jin Seok-young’s loud voice echoed through the hospital corridor. Jin Seon-yu’s entire body froze instantly. His shoulders began to tremble violently as he stepped out into the VIP ward corridor.
The sight of Jin Seok-young walking with long strides came into view. He was talking to the doctors in the corridor, then turned his head back impatiently.
Jin Seok-young stopped listening to the doctor and stepped forward in one breath. As Jin Seon-yu blinked, the pooled tears vanished, replaced by Jin Seok-young’s rugged face filling his vision. However, because of the rising tears, Jin Seok-young’s image appeared blurred, as if submerged underwater.
“You…”
Jin Seok-young was about to explode in anger, but then he looked down at the blood staining Jin Seon-yu’s shirt and pants. Moreover, Jin Seon-yu’s state was somehow strange. He was weeping silently without saying a word. Jin Seok-young suppressed the rage that felt as if it would burst from his chest by striking his own sternum.
“I told you.”
Despite that, the words he couldn’t hold back escaped.
“I told you to send him back quickly.”
“…”
“What are you going to do now?”
“…”
“He’s ended up in that state; who is going to take responsibility?”
At that moment, Jin Seok-young shifted his direction. He continued speaking as he looked at the approaching Jin Tae-won.
“Tae-won Hyung, you’re here? I was just about to call you and explain the situation.”
Ignoring Jin Seok-young’s words, Executive Director Jin Tae-won moved forward. The doctors standing by the door bowed their waists toward him.
Executive Director Jin Tae-won entered the room. Jin Seok-young hurriedly followed him inside, opening his lips.
“I just heard about it myself. I’ll call Director Han right now. If I explain the details well, Director Han will…”
Jin Tae-won, having scanned the hospital bed, turned around. He raised his hand and struck Jin Seok-young across the cheek. A sharp ‘slap’ that sounded like skin tearing echoed through the room. Jin Seok-young’s legs stumbled backward.
Immediately after, Jin Tae-won swung his hand toward Jin Seon-yu without hesitation. Jin Seok-young quickly twisted his body. The sound of friction, like skin tearing, rang out again.
Slap!
Tears fell from the eyes of Jin Seon-yu, who had been standing defenseless without saying a word. Then, the back of Kwon Gwi-jun, standing in front of him, became clearly visible. Kwon Gwi-jun’s face turned sideways from the blow to the cheek delivered by Jin Tae-won. Rubbing his cheek where intense pain flared, he spoke.
“Seon-yu is hurt too.”
It wasn’t only visible wounds that brought pain. Kwon Gwi-jun had received a call from Jin Seon-yu and had heard the situation directly over the phone. How many times had he called out for Seo Yi-kyung? Jin Seon-yu had called him incessantly, unaware that his own voice had gone hoarse.
Furthermore, wasn’t Jin Seon-yu still weeping without making a sound? He was someone who could never hide the things he liked or where he was hurting. Moreover, he believed what others said too easily, without any suspicion. Kwon Gwi-jun knew these things better than anyone. Because he had always watched from afar.
Jin Tae-won could not see Jin Seon-yu’s face, which was hidden by Kwon Gwi-jun’s body. Jin Seok-young stepped forward from where he had been pushed back, trying to resolve the situation somehow.
This was no time to be fighting. They had to contact Han Seung-jae immediately. Moreover, it was impossible to gauge how he would react upon seeing this situation.
This wasn’t just a minor injury. A catastrophe that could not be dismissed as a mistake had occurred within the house. That made it an even bigger problem.
At that moment, the silence within the room was broken.
“Director Han, you have arrived.”
A startled Jin Seok-young hurriedly turned around. As the room door opened, Han Seung-jae appeared, dressed in a black suit.
His cool eyes betrayed no emotion. However, just by stepping inside, an overwhelming pressure surged, making the spacious room feel cramped.
Jin Seok-young snapped his mouth shut. As Han Seung-jae brushed past him, a chill ran down his spine.
Han Seung-jae passed by Kwon Gwi-jun and Jin Tae-won and approached Seo Yi-kyung, who was lying on the hospital bed.
The steady sound of a pulse emanated from the machine. Doctors positioned themselves behind Han Seung-jae. One of them spoke, as if not wanting to miss this opportunity that Han Seung-jae had taken to visit Seju Hospital.
“He sustained a stab wound below the left shoulder. Treatment has been completed, but he has not yet regained consciousness.”
“He will wake up soon,” another doctor added. This was an attempt to show that Seju Hospital was superior to Haseon Hospital, which was sponsored by the Myeongjun Financial Group.
Han Seung-jae looked down silently at Seo Yi-kyung lying on the bed. Seo Yi-kyung’s complexion was bloodless, as if he were relying solely on the long IV line. His face seemed to have grown even thinner in the meantime. Furthermore, his left arm was in a cast, and bandages were wrapped around his upper body, which was not covered by a patient’s gown.
Seeing where Han Seung-jae’s gaze landed, the doctor murmured.
“It was a stroke of luck that he was wearing a cast. Because of that, the blade could not penetrate deeply.”
“It is truly a relief.”
The doctors exchanged words. Then, Han Seung-jae reached out without hesitation. The doctors on either side jumped, trying to stop him.
“You mustn’t do that, Director Han. The suturing was just completed. If you undo the bandages now, the patient’s wound might reopen…”
Despite the doctor’s words, Han Seung-jae unwrapped all the bandages leading from Seo Yi-kyung’s shoulder to his chest.
Watching this, Secretary Park did not try to stop him. Han Seung-jae was not the type of person to stop just because someone tried to block him.
Tearing away the blood-stained gauze, Han Seung-jae looked directly at the sutured stab wound, gathering the parted flesh. Around Seo Yi-kyung’s chest, the skin had not yet fully closed, and red blood was seeping out in a long line between the torn flesh.
Han Seung-jae spoke coldly.
“Find Seo Dong-hu.”