#116

＊＊＊

Jung-hyun’s family home.

Kwon Myung-chul sat in his seat, glaring at Jung-hyun with a terrifyingly stiff expression.

He seemed deeply resentful that he had been blindsided by his second son, whom he had never once considered a threat.

“…To think you would blackmail your own father.”

“I simply wish to negotiate with you, Father.”

“Did I teach you that shoving something like this in my face is what you call negotiation?”

Jung-hyun let out a small smirk. Contrary to his father’s words, what he was doing was no different from what his father had always done. Though he had never received formal training as a successor, it seemed he had seen and learned a great deal during his fifteen years at Myeong-jeong. Myung-chul’s brow twitched.

“You’re laughing?”

“Did you not always negotiate with me using Mother’s well-being as leverage, Father?”

Because of that, he had been exiled to America, and upon his return, he had played the role of Kwon Ki-hyuk’s shadow.

To move a massive corporation, the interests of many people clashed. Since Kwon Ki-hyuk was in a position to control all of it, whether a specific person gained profit or suffered a loss depended entirely on his hand.

All of this was information Jung-hyun had gathered because Ki-hyuk viewed his existence as nothing more than a decorative screen. Prejudice is truly a terrifying thing. Because Jung-hyun had never once rebelled against him for a very long time, Ki-hyuk never thought of him as a risk factor.

It was half-true. As long as he had to protect his mother, Jung-hyun would have turned a blind eye to all of it. But now, he decided he no longer needed to protect her.

“…What exactly are your terms?”

Kwon Myung-chul asked, rubbing the deep hollows around his tired eyes. Jung-hyun looked his father straight in the eye and spoke.

“From this moment forward, ensure that Kwon Ki-hyuk does not touch me, the Blue Wolves, or Shin Ho-jae.”

“…….”

“Promise me that he will not become a threat in any way. If you do, everything I know will never see the light of day.”

“You, the Blue Wolves, and Shin Ho-jae?”

His father frowned.

“Your mother is missing from your terms.”

“Father, you are by her side now.”

“…….”

His father remained silent for a moment.

His mother no longer needed him. Not a pathetic son who failed to become an Alpha, but his father—who was Myeong-jeong itself—would now always be by her side.

Now that her favor from her husband had been confirmed, she would likely believe she had finally become the perfect mistress of Myeong-jeong. Then, the long-standing neurosis and panic that had eaten away at her would gradually improve.

Perhaps because it was something he had been bound to his entire life, accepting the fact that his mother no longer needed him felt as agonizing as tearing away half of his heart. However, once he accepted it, his decision was swift.

“If it’s about Ki-hyuk, you should have gone to your brother to negotiate.”

“I came to you precisely because it is about Kwon Ki-hyuk. Because you, Father, would endure anything to protect your precious successor.”

“…….”

As his father suggested, if he had gone directly to Kwon Ki-hyuk, Ki-hyuk would not have readily accepted the terms; instead, he would have been enraged by the very fact that Jung-hyun proposed a negotiation and would have committed even greater atrocities.

Only his father could control Kwon Ki-hyuk. For the thing Kwon Ki-hyuk wanted and desired most was always his father’s recognition.

“If you promise only that, I will give you what you want most, Father.”

Myung-chul met Jung-hyun’s eyes. His gaze held a question: What is it?

“I will renounce all my rights to Myeong-jeong and leave.”

“…….”

His father looked surprised, as if he had heard something unexpected, but soon returned to a thoughtful expression. It likely meant he was somewhat pleased with the condition.

Jung-hyun didn’t particularly feel hurt by that. The relationship between him and his father had been awkward from the start, hardly resembling a bond between a biological father and son.

He was simply a son brought into the family registry because an Alpha was needed, and since he had been away from his father’s side for so long before any affection could grow, it was only natural.

“I wish to add one more condition.”

After the silence, his father spoke.

“In exchange for accepting your terms, I want you to never step foot on Korean soil again.”

“…….”

“If you agree, I promise that Ki-hyuk will not touch you or Shin Ho-jae.”

When Jung-hyun remained silent for a moment, Myung-chul continued.

“I hope you understand. As you know, Ki-hyuk is… particularly obsessive toward you. Just as it was during the ten years you were in America, his obsession will fade once you are out of sight.”

“…….”

Jung-hyun stared silently at his father.

He must know it too.

That the Alpha men Kwon Ki-hyuk kept around strangely resembled his second son.

That in the eyes Ki-hyuk used to look at Jung-hyun, something other than hatred and obsession had begun to dwell, little by little.

Jung-hyun slowly nodded.

“Very well.”

“…You don’t have to renounce your rights to Myeong-jeong. I don’t want to do anything that would make your mother sad.”

Myung-chul paused before saying that.

Jung-hyun’s eyes widened slightly. It was the most unexpected thing he had heard all day. He thought that specific offer would be the one his father liked most, yet he rejected it. However, it was easily understood once the reason was given.

It meant his father had begun to care about his mother’s mood and feelings. It was truly a good thing. He sincerely thought so.

Jung-hyun gave a faint smile.

“…Please, take good care of Mother.”

With those words, Jung-hyun left the hanok annex.

The hallway was filled with the smell of food. It seemed meal preparations were nearly complete. In a short while, the three family members would gather in the annex and eat as usual. Since he had always been like a screen to his mother, his absence wouldn’t be particularly noticeable.

He didn’t intend to see her before leaving. That would be better for both him and his mother.

As Jung-hyun walked through the perfectly landscaped garden, he suddenly stopped. He looked up at the massive estate.

A gray brick building with a high roof. It had always felt like a dark, terrible prison, but looking at it now, it had a certain elegance blending in with Bugaksan Mountain. Was it because this place was no longer his home? Or was it the sense of liberation from finally escaping?

It was a strange feeling.

There was a time when Myeong-jeong had been his goal too. He had shared that dream with his mother for many years.

He had lived his entire life bound by his trait, his mother, and Myeong-jeong, until that dream gradually coiled around his ankles and climbed up his entire body. That was why he hadn’t even known that ‘discarding’ it all was an option.

‘There’s something making you suffer right now, isn’t there? I don’t care who or what it is, just throw it all away. I’ll be by your side.’

It was all thanks to Shin Ho-jae sincerely saying those words that he could recall that option.

Only after seeing Shin Ho-jae truly worry for him and be willing to let go of everything for his sake could Jung-hyun resolve to break free from everything binding him. Even from Shin Ho-jae.

Kwon Jung-hyun loves Shin Ho-jae. That is an unchanging premise. However, if asked whether he wanted to stay by his side as Ho-jae suggested, that was difficult to answer.

He had to admit it. If he had truly wanted to run away, he could have gone alone at any time, but he had sought out Shin Ho-jae out of a weak and selfish inner desire for someone to lean on.

If he ran away with him, perhaps he too could enjoy a peaceful life. Just as everything that made up Shin Ho-jae was peaceful. He must have unconsciously held such expectations for Shin Ho-jae.

But that was as delusional a dream as hoping a movie that started as a thriller would end like a fairy tale.

Unwisely, he only realized this after dragging Shin Ho-jae into it. That he was surrounded only by mire, and the only way to be with Shin Ho-jae was to drag him into that mire.

Shin Ho-jae had tried to discard the family and hockey he cherished so deeply just to stay by his side.

Ho-jae told him to discard everything together since he would do it, but Jung-hyun discarding Myeong-jeong and his mother was on a completely different level from Ho-jae discarding his family and hockey.

Wasn’t it obvious? Ice hockey and family were everything that made up Shin Ho-jae. If he had to give up all of that just to be with him, Jung-hyun thought it would be better if they weren’t together at all.

Because Shin Ho-jae’s blind heart and his own weakness in front of him reminded him too much of the relationship between his mother and himself. Jung-hyun knew all too well the binding power of a love built upon sacrifice.

He didn’t want to become like his mother. Nor did he want to make Shin Ho-jae like his mother. If so, perhaps the relationship between him and Shin Ho-jae could reach a perfect conclusion, just as he and his mother had by separating.

That was his conclusion.

“Oh my, Young Master! Are you leaving already?”

It was Suncheon-daek’s voice. Turning toward the sound, he saw her approaching with quick steps, carefully cradling something wrapped in a fine cloth.

Despite the short distance, it seemed to have been quite a workout, as Suncheon-daek wiped the sweat from her forehead upon reaching Jung-hyun. She then held out the wrapped bundle.

“I packed some yakbab (sweet rice cakes). I specifically picked the parts with plenty of chestnuts, so don’t forget to eat them while they’re warm. If they get cold, cover them with plastic wrap and microwave them for exactly one minute. Got it?”

As he took it instinctively, it felt quite heavy.

“Always be careful while driving, watch out for other cars… Oh! Look at my memory. I meant to give you this too. You left this in the annex. It’s yours, right?”

What Suncheon-daek pulled from her apron pocket and handed over were the cigarette pack and lighter he habitually fiddled with. He must have unconsciously left them behind when he sat down to talk to his father because they were uncomfortable in his pocket.

“It’s a waste to throw away a pack that’s half full.”

As Suncheon-daek said, the pack was half empty. Because he had repeatedly put a cigarette in his mouth but couldn’t bring himself to light it, half the pack had vanished without him ever having smoked a single one. Jung-hyun stared at it for a moment and spoke lightly.

“Could you throw them away for me instead? I’m thinking of quitting smoking.”

At his words, Suncheon-daek’s face brightened instantly.

“That’s a great idea! I didn’t say anything, but inside I was worrying, ‘Oh dear, his health will suffer if he smokes that much.’ You have to take care of your health now!”

Jung-hyun smiled softly.

There was only one reason why he had hesitated to smoke while the pack became half empty. The life inside his womb had continued to weigh on his mind. Perhaps he had wanted to protect this child from the very beginning.

Somehow, he felt a refreshing clarity, as if he had drunk cold water.

Had nurse Lee Hong-eun said that at some point she began to imagine a future with a baby? Then, from now on, he would try to do some of that imagining too.

“I should get back to my chores. I’ll be going now. Please head inside.”

Suncheon-daek waved with a bright smile. Jung-hyun bowed to her and walked very slowly out the main gate. The yakbab wrapped in the cloth was very warm. It was a pleasant heaviness.

117 – PUCK DROP