By Zephyria 
Yeon-rok took out a cigarette and lit it. The bodyguards also rummaged around and started smoking. Three streams of white smoke scattered in the air. Perhaps because it was quite cold today, the three people unknowingly gathered together.
“But I’ve been wondering about something for a while.”
“Ask me anything.”
Thanks to Yeon-rok’s constant nagging, Park Chung-seong and Jeong Bo-eun’s attitude was quite friendly.
“Is Korean security so bad that you need to attach a security team like this?”
Although he had become friendly with them, apart from that, it was actually burdensome to have people who were half bodyguards, half surveillance, or half servants around 24 hours a day. The biggest reason why Yeon-rok couldn’t even work part-time was these two people. No, in fact, even going to the convenience store was a burden. The two people were so large and had such fierce faces that they attracted attention everywhere.
“Um…”
Park Chung-seong hummed and rubbed his chin. He exchanged glances with Jeong Bo-eun and had a silent conversation before opening his mouth.
“If it were an ordinary person, there would be no need to go this far. But aren’t you Mr. Yeom Cheon-ho’s Name bearer?”
Name bearer is an old word for Name partner. When Yeon-rok still looked unconvinced, Jeong Bo-eun added.
“Mr. Yeom Cheon-ho originally had twelve siblings.”
“Twelve?”
Yeon-rok doubted his ears. It was common for middle-aged people to have many siblings, but even two was a lot for people in their 20s and 30s. But twelve? The story that followed was even more surprising.
“And currently, only three are still alive.”
“…Yes?”
“There were terrible things that happened in the past. So, just in case, we attached a security team like this.”
Park Chung-seong and Jeong Bo-eun seemed to think that this was enough of an answer to give Lee Yeon-rok a sense of alertness, so they stopped talking again and puffed on their cigarettes. Yeon-rok, who had cleared his throat, opened his mouth slightly and mulled over what he had just heard. Even though he knew it was winter, the air felt colder than before. Yeon-rok scratched his back for no reason and asked carefully.
“Maybe, the mafia…”
“Absolutely not.”
“Really?”
“Of course.”
Park Chung-seong and Jeong Bo-eun explained to Yeon-rok, who had a suspicious look on his face. They said that they were just from physical education universities, that they exercised hard, and that they chose bodyguards with large builds to guard the Name bearer, and the words went on and on. They had scared him by saying that only three were alive, but now they were earnestly appeasing him.
“It’s all a thing of the past. Yeom Cheon-ho has almost completely pacified everything now. Unless something extraordinary happens, there won’t be any problems. The other three are overseas, so they won’t be returning to Korea.”
Seriously! Saying he pacified them makes it sound even more like a gangster! Like there was fratricide among siblings! In this modern society, too! Park Chung-seong, flustered by Yeon-rok’s expression, added.
“Please don’t misunderstand. Yeom Cheon-ho didn’t kill anyone. They were just a little unlucky. Rather, three of them survived thanks to Yeom Cheon-ho’s mercy.”
The expression ‘unlucky’ was a story that suited Yeon-rok’s life, not an event where nine siblings died. And he even showed mercy by letting three survive?
“Actually, it was all a joke! Hahaha!”
Jeong Bo-eun laughed heartily, but it was already too late. The atmosphere had become uncontrollably gloomy. Was it really a joke? It seemed like they told the truth and then changed their minds when it didn’t sound right. Yeon-rok, filled with suspicion, flicked his cigarette onto the floor, causing the two to flinch. Taking a deep breath, Yeon-rok opened his mouth.
“Then should I learn some Self-defense art?”
Yeon-rok changed the subject, and the faces of the two bodyguards, which had been gloomy due to their slip of the tongue, brightened up. It seemed like it was an issue they would have pondered over normally, but they readily agreed, saying it was a great idea. After finishing the application for Self-defense art lessons, Yeon-rok returned and spent the entire night searching about gangster companies.
“It doesn’t seem like a gangster company.”
Yeon-rok muttered, skimming through the results of his search on HM Capital over the past few days. What he could find out was that it was a company with a longer history than he thought, and it was engaged in octopus-style management, as is common for Korean companies. He couldn’t find any articles related to gangsters, and he only managed to figure out that there were many job seekers who wanted to join the company.
“Are all large corporations originally like that…?”
Siblings numbering over ten, killing each other? Or did the bodyguard really make a bad joke? It was suspicious and unsettling, but there was nowhere to ask, so Yeon-rok kept it buried in his heart for now. More than anything, there was a bigger problem.
‘If those two are dating, who am I supposed to contact now?’
Yeon-rok was already filled with worry. Moon Kyeon-woo, who has a lover and hates him very much? Or Choi Hwan, who ignores him, calling him a pathetic loser? Even though there are Name partners! It’s really sad that he’s even worried about how to make contact, even though there are three of them. Yeom Cheon-ho, the only one who treats him well, is dating Choi Hwan. And Yeom Cheon-ho doesn’t even come home often…
Surely they wouldn’t abandon him, saying he shouldn’t even hold hands because the other person has someone, while he’s dying, would they?
For now, Yeon-rok put his worries aside and spent his days. His daily routine was similar every day. First, he ate a delicious breakfast, then he took Self-defense art lessons from the bodyguards. After being praised for being nimble and having good athletic sense, he ate a delicious lunch again. After that, taking a nap in the living room was Yeon-rok’s afternoon routine.
Today, whether it was because of a blood sugar spike or because he was in poor condition, he felt sleepy, so he curled up in the cozy egg-shaped hanging rattan chair, even folding up his legs, and was sleeping when Yeon-rok half-woke up at the presence of someone.
“…What brings you here so early today?”
“Didn’t I barely see you for a week, even though I have a lover? So I made some time.”
Listening to their conversation in his sleep, Yeon-rok thought. What, it’s the idiot and the CEO. He even makes time for his lover. As he was thinking that, it seemed like the two were settling down in the living room. They didn’t seem to know that Yeon-rok was here at all. Yeon-rok yawned and tossed and turned, trying to fall back asleep. But he couldn’t fall asleep because of the conversation that followed.
“I’ve filmed many works, but I never thought there would be someone like Hyung in real life. Like he came out of a novel?”
Yeon-rok nodded absentmindedly. Choi Hwan or Moon Kyeon-woo are rare, but they are people who could exist in reality, but Yeom Cheon-ho is rich and even handsome, so he really didn’t feel real. Moreover, Yeon-rok learned while searching about various companies this time that a President as young as Yeom Cheon-ho is really rare.
“Haha, is that so? I feel good hearing compliments.”
“A handsome chaebol heir like Hyung isn’t that common, is he?”
“There are quite a few more than you think. And if you want to be precise, I’m closer to a third-generation chaebol.”
As he was listening to their friendly conversation, Yeon-rok was about to subtly signal that he was here…
“So, what about me do you like so much that you asked me to date you, Hyung?”
Yeon-rok retracted the leg he was stretching towards the floor. What? Choi Hwan wasn’t the one who asked to date first? He just lifted his head and looked at the two of them through the sparsely woven rattan holes. The two handsome faces looked good together.
“Would you like to guess?”
Yeom Cheon-ho smiled gently, taking off his coat as if he had just returned from outside.
“Hmm, is it my face after all? I am a bit handsome, aren’t I?”
Choi Hwan is an idiot, but he is handsome. Nodding, Yeon-rok, who quickly lost interest, was about to get out of the chair again.
“Hwan, you probably don’t remember… We’ve met before.”
Huh? At the interesting past story, Yeon-rok pressed his body tightly against the rattan chair again. As the chair swayed slightly from side to side with the movement, Yeon-rok unknowingly swallowed hard in nervousness. Fortunately, Choi Hwan still didn’t seem to notice Yeon-rok, and he made a bewildered voice.
“We’ve met before?”
Choi Hwan frowned his well-groomed eyebrows. He looked at Yeom Cheon-ho carefully once more and then shook his head.
“There’s no way I wouldn’t remember someone like Hyung.”
Yeon-rok also agreed with Choi Hwan’s words. Even if it was a few years ago, Yeom Cheon-ho would still have had as strong a presence as he does now. Yeom Cheon-ho said in a gentle voice.
“I thought as I looked at Hwan back then. Ah, maybe I’ll be responsible for this person in the future. This must be a kind of fate.”