By Zephyria 
Until now, his bad luck had usually only affected him, and he had never caused trouble for those around him, so Yeon-rok was somewhat dejected. Lee Seong-myung, seeing his gloomy appearance, waved his hand.
“Trouble? Don’t worry about it if it’s because I got hurt, Yeon-rok.”
Yeon-rok shook his head and recalled the past events. On days when he felt like his luck was bad, something really terrible always happened right before the end of the day. When Yeon-rok firmly stated his intention to go home, Lee Seong-myung expressed his regret and suggested,
“If you really want to, let’s have a drink each before we go. I spilled everything earlier, so I’m a bit thirsty…”
“I’ll pay this time! Please let me pay!”
Yeon-rok jumped up from his seat and shouted desperately. After some wrangling, Yeon-rok was finally allowed to buy the drinks. In fact, he had another purpose in mind. He was worried about his hand, even though he said he was fine.
“I think there was a pharmacy nearby.”
After ordering drinks at the counter, Yeon-rok searched for a pharmacy on his phone as he went down the stairs. At that moment, he suddenly felt a chill again. Feeling uneasy, Yeon-rok instinctively looked around quickly. And he spotted a clue that could have been the beginning of his bad luck. His shoelaces were about to come undone. He quickly sat down to tie his shoelaces when he suddenly heard a scream.
“Ugh! Shit!”
Suddenly, a lopsided shadow fell over his bowed head as if someone had reached out their arm, and a man brushed past Yeon-rok and tumbled forward. Yeon-rok froze, stopping tying his shoelaces. The man, who had rolled down the stairs with a loud crash, groaned and then slumped his head. Yeon-rok screamed at the sight of the man bleeding profusely and losing consciousness.
Yeon-rok had been taught in various jobs that he should not touch severely injured people carelessly. He was afraid that he might damage their nerves if he touched them, so Yeon-rok couldn’t even get close to the unconscious man. Still, while sobbing, he calmly called 119. A little later, when an ambulance suddenly appeared, the surprised bodyguards, who had been waiting outside, rushed in.
“Yeon-rok! What’s wrong!”
Yeon-rok, trembling as he explained the situation to the paramedics, was relieved to see the reliable figures of Park Chung-seong and Jeong Bo-eun. Yeon-rok told the two men, who asked what was wrong, the whole story. Only then did he remember Lee Seong-myung.
“I’ll go and tell my companions.”
“We’ll go with you.”
The two said firmly. They were not going to back down, no matter how much he said it was okay. Yeon-rok, with no choice, went up the stairs, intending to pass them off as an uncle he knew, but was puzzled. The CEO who had been making the drinks, and Lee Seong-myung, were nowhere to be seen.
“Where did everyone go?”
Behind the bewildered Yeon-rok, Jeong Bo-eun and Park Chung-seong looked around the screen golf course with suspicious eyes. And they exchanged meaningful glances. It was then that Yeon-rok received a call.
[Yeon-rok, my burn is hurting, so I’m going to go home first. See you at the next meeting.]
His hand did look very painful. But it was also a bit strange that the person who had suggested having a drink before leaving had left so abruptly without saying goodbye. In any case, Yeon-rok wanted to go home quickly today. As he got into the car, Yeon-rok asked with a guilty heart.
“Is the person who fell down the stairs okay?”
“We will contact General manager Kim Jeong-seong to find out about him.”
“Thank you so much. I think I’ll feel a lot better.”
Of course, if you look at the circumstances, he didn’t do anything wrong. No matter how you looked at it, it seemed that the person who was coming down the stairs in a hurry had lost his footing and fallen, but he felt uneasy.
Having returned home, Yeon-rok got some salt from the kitchen and sprinkled it on his body. After washing himself clean, he looked around the house to see if there was anyone to talk to, but Park Yeo-sa had left work, and neither Yeom Cheon-ho, Moon Kyeon-woo, nor Choi Hwan were home.
Yeon-rok hugged his Cherished doll and wandered around the indoor garden before shaking his head. He was afraid that if he wandered around on such an unlucky day like last time, a fire might break out. Instead, he went up to the rooftop garden. It was chilly, but it was spring, so it was a good time to spend time outside.
“Ah, I want a cigarette.”
Yeon-rok, who was trying to quit smoking, muttered as he habitually groped his pockets. He especially wanted a cigarette on a eventful day like today.
“I hope nothing else happens today…”
He desperately wished, and instead leaned against the railing and took in the cool breeze. He heard a commotion and lowered his gaze, blinking.
“Choi Hwan?”
He moved his lips and craned his neck. Choi Hwan wasn’t alone. Two middle-aged men and women were standing in front of him, shouting something. It wasn’t very far away, so he could hear what they were saying if he listened carefully.
“You shouldn’t do that! How can you do this to your mother!”
“You rude bastard. Is that what your company taught you to do?”
“We’re having a hard time at home, so we’re asking to borrow some money, but you’re embarrassing us like this! What? How did we find out about this place? How many bastards are selling your information around you? I told you to be careful with your words!”
“Still, we raised you out of affection between parents and children, but you’re ungrateful! We should have just thrown you away. Ugh! I can’t believe it! To think that this is my child.”
Choi Hwan, who was usually so arrogant, couldn’t say anything and just listened to the abuse with his head bowed. Yeon-rok suddenly remembered what had happened at the club last time. Choi Hwan, who had been so happy, had stiffened as soon as he received a call from ‘Mom’. And the fact that he had said he had no money saved up.
“You! You! We fed you and raised you, and now you’re just a big head! Huh?!”
Yeon-rok snapped out of it when he saw the man punch Choi Hwan’s head hard enough to make him stagger. He didn’t like Choi Hwan that much, but seeing that, an indescribable emotion welled up in his chest.
“Did I really get cursed with bad luck today? It just won’t end nicely!”
Clenching his teeth, Yeon-rok threw Yeon-doo down on the floor as if abandoning it and ran outside.
“What are you doing?!”
Yeon-rok shouted, pointing his finger at those presumed to be Choi Hwan’s parents. The middle-aged man and woman flinched at the sudden appearance of a third party. Choi Hwan raised his head sharply and looked at Yeon-rok. His eyes widened as if he couldn’t believe it, and his face flushed red. He, who couldn’t say anything to his parents, raised his voice at Yeon-rok.
“This is none of your business! Go inside!”
He was very ashamed that his unfortunate family history had been revealed, so he blamed the innocent Yeon-rok. Then, Choi Hwan’s parents became emboldened. It seemed that this was not the first time this had happened.
“That’s right! It’s a family matter, so stay out of it!”
“Aren’t you extorting him?! How can I not interfere?!”
Yeon-rok, enraged, did not back down at all. What were Choi Hwan’s bodyguards doing at a time like this? When he looked around, they were hovering nearby with a very troubled look. Perhaps the person they were guarding had stopped them.
In any case, Yeon-rok didn’t care about the bodyguards’ situation right now. As soon as Yeon-rok intervened, the parents became even more vicious, as if to show off.
“What’s what? Extorting? Choi Hwan, tell me. Have you been saying that sending some living expenses to your old parents is extortion? Huh? You bad bastard!”
Choi Hwan bit his lip. Unable to bear this situation, he squeezed his eyes shut and spoke to Yeon-rok in a suppressed voice. His face was already filled with a resigned feeling that he just wanted to take some abuse and end this situation quickly.
“Hey, please, just go…! You’re making things worse!”
A look of wanting to die of embarrassment flashed across Choi Hwan’s face. Seeing him, Yeon-rok clenched his fist and shouted loudly.
“Why can’t I interfere! This is all my money! Why can’t I interfere when you’re taking my money!”
A moment of silence followed. Everyone doubted their ears. Choi Hwan foolishly widened his eyes and opened his mouth wide, then stammered.
“W-what?”
Yeon-rok took off his coat. In front of the hesitant people, he roughly and wildly threw off the top he was wearing. With Choi Hwan’s eyes widening as if they would pop out, he pointed to the name on his chest and shouted.
“Can’t you see! I’m his Name partner! You know what a Name partner is, right? Legally the first in line for inheritance! Considered a common-law marriage! Try taking even a penny more of my money! I’ll sue you!”
Everyone was speechless at the completely unexpected turn of events, and Yeon-rok turned sharply towards Choi Hwan. When he called out fiercely, “Hey!” Choi Hwan flinched.
“Y-yes?”
It was the first time he had heard Choi Hwan use honorifics. It seemed that he had answered without thinking. Yeon-rok bared his teeth and brandished his fist.
“You know I’m your Name partner, right? If you send money to anyone else, you’re really dead, got it? Your money is all my money!”
Yeon-rok’s heart sank, wondering if he had been treating him too much like a pushover. But unexpectedly, Choi Hwan, who still didn’t understand the situation, didn’t get angry, but just nodded his head blankly as if he was possessed. Only then did Choi Hwan’s parents come to their senses.