TWB 55

“The deposit is 100,000 won and the monthly rent is 70. These days, you won’t find a room at this price. Look, see how clean it is. Do you have a lot of luggage? If so, it’ll be easier to send it by courier. There isn’t a proper place to park a car in front here.”

As the owner of the one-room tel spoke, Hee-shin silently looked around the room. The one-room tel, which was slightly larger than a goshiwon, seemed decent enough for one person to stay in. In times like these, a place where people lived together like this might actually be safer.

“I’ll think about it and get back to you. Please give me your business card.”

He took the card and stepped outside. Although the room was small, being close to the Prosecutors’ Office was a significant advantage. It was a shame that the subway station was far, but even accounting for the walking time, his commute was shorter than before. As he walked, his phone rang. It showed an international call; when he answered, a man’s voice came through.

As he listened in silence, the other party continued.

A hollow laugh escaped him in sheer disbelief.

“What a shame. I’m completely broke right now.”

Suddenly, another voice cut in.

It was Kkang-min, the one who had taken the photo of Chief Prosecutor Cho.

“Why don’t you guys ever listen? I told you not to contact me.”

“Unfortunately, I’m doing just fine. I’ll send you an obituary when I drop dead. You can give a condolence gift then.”

“Tsk, you ruthless bastards.”

“Think of it as a vacation. Isn’t it great?”

“You’re good at Russian, so why?”

“That’s expensive, kid.”

He warned them to stay put and stop messing around. The day after the photo of Chief Prosecutor Cho was leaked, unauthorized copyhe had sent Baepsae stolen contentRead on Read BL Novelsand Kkang-min to Vietnam. He had emptied every cent he had, and it seemed he had sold everything that could be sold.

Kkang-min had insisted that he couldn’t close his shop, but upon hearing that Oasis and Guyoung Construction were also involved, he packed his bags without a second thought. Being someone who knew the underworld quite well, he understood exactly what kind of people they were.

After nagging them to stop calling, he ended the call. He couldn’t be sure who was listening, where or when. He then took the subway to look at a room in a slightly different area. It was a small studio apartment, but the sale price was hundreds of millions of won. He intended to rent it, but he had to give up as the deposit was also daunting.

After visiting a few more places, his first holiday in a long time was coming to an end.

Have the days gotten longer…? He stared blankly at the sky turning red in the distance. Come to think of it, the weather had warmed up a lot. He belatedly noticed that people were dressed in lighter clothing. Because he had been buried in work every day, he hadn’t realized the seasons were changing and time was passing.

While resting on a park bench, a happy-looking family with a baby passed by. Seeing their happiness brought a wave of bitterness. When he was young, he lacked confidence in marriage. They say children usually take after their parents. What if he resembled his father? What if those traits surfaced unconsciously? After such worries, he always reached the conclusion that living alone was better.

That was why, whenever talk of marriage with Yoon Se-na came up, worry preceded excitement. Could I be a good husband? Could I be a good father? Could I, with such unstable roots, settle down in one place? Could I raise children with love?

While immersed in past memories and thoughts, he received a call from Chief Oh. After a long conversation regarding work, the sun had already begun to set. He let out a long sigh. He had to get up and move on to his next task, but his feet wouldn’t easily budge.

“I thought it would be awkward to come empty-handed, so I bought some of these.”

Hee-shin smiled faintly and held out a bag of tangerines. Tatsuki received the tangerines and offered a polite thank-you. Then, he immediately went to call Im Gyeong. A moment later, Im Gyeong came down from the second floor wearing a flamboyant floral gown. It was a moment that made him wonder where on earth one buys such a thing. His hair was still damp, as if he had just showered.

“What brings you here? Without any notice?”

“I stopped by because there’s something I want to discuss.”

“Follow me.”

He headed up to the second floor. As Hee-shin climbed the stairs, signs of age were visible everywhere. Looking closely, he saw marks recording Im Gyeong’s height. Im Gyeong had mentioned he lived there until elementary school; it seemed he was already quite tall back then. They arrived at the drawing room on the second floor. Im Gyeong smiled and pulled out a chair for him. Sit.

“Tea?”

“I’m fine. Just a glass of water, please.”

Im Gyeong immediately gave instructions to Tatsuki, who was nearby. Come to think of it, no resident staff were visible on the second floor. When he had been dragged here before to play board games and watch movies, he hadn’t noticed because he was tired, but the place felt quite cozy. It was a proper [visit our site]blend of a Japanese-style [stolen content]house and a Hanok; he could tell that whoever the architect was, they had put a great deal of effort into it. Noticing he was admiring the house, Im Gyeong added an explanation with a smile.

“This house was a gift from my father to my mother when he proposed.”

Ah… so Chairman Yoon has a romantic side. Well, that explains why he married so many times. He hoped there wouldn’t be any more in the future, for Yoon Se-na’s sake. Honestly, when Yoon Se-na said she chose the company, he had been shocked and felt betrayed, but he still understood. Opportunities don’t come often. Yoon Se-na had great ambition and was someone with an overflowing affection for the company. It was natural for her heart to lean toward the side she loved more.

“That’s why he hates this house. During the divorce proceedings, he tried to burn it down, and people barely managed to stop him.”

Indeed, who could understand a man who fathered a child with another woman during a divorce suit? They say the expiration date of love is short, but who knew it would be that short? She probably never imagined that the devotion of a man who painstakingly built a house for her would change so quickly.

“But I like it here. It’s a place filled with childhood memories. I tend to stay here often when I come to Korea.”

“I see…”

“What about you, Mr. Kang Hee-shin? Are there any places or people you cherish?”

People I cherish… He thought of his family. Specifically, his mother and Min-hye. His feelings toward his [Read on Read BL Novels]mother were a mix of love and hate. He [unauthorized copy]hated her, yet he [visit our site]felt pity, sorrow, and heartache… the emotions bottled up over a long time couldn’t be expressed in a single word.

And as for his youngest sister, Min-hye…

Perhaps because of the age difference, she often felt more like a child than a sister. His affection for her was that deep.

“Do you think you’d be sad if those people disappeared?”

At Im Gyeong’s question, the hair on the back of Hee-shin’s neck suddenly stood up. Though he asked with a smile, the nuance of his words was no joke. Hee-shin adjusted his posture, squaring his shoulders and straightening his back. Just then, Tatsuki brought the tea and placed it in front of them. Without touching the water, Hee-shin brought up the main reason for his visit.

“Financial Director Kwak Seong-tae. We will take him today.”

Im Gyeong’s gaze remained on his teacup, the corners of his mouth slightly curled.

“I think it would be better for us to protect him.”

“Go ahead. He was your share to begin with.”

“Thank you.”

Hee-shin wore the kindest smile possible. Though he didn’t say it, he noticed that this man was on the verge of exploding. Im Gyeong likely knew that he had played Chief Prosecutor Cho. If he was unlucky, he might have even discovered that his phone had been hacked. But for now, he had no choice but to act brazenly.

Maintaining a friendly face until the end, he stood up from his seat.

“Then I’ll be going now. I’ll see you next time.”

The moment he turned around, Im Gyeong grabbed his wrist. His hand slipped, and this time he held Hee-shin’s hand. Instead of shaking it off, Hee-shin looked down at it quietly. It was strange that, just because they had slept together once, he didn’t feel the same repulsion as before. When he tried to pull his hand away, Im Gyeong gripped it tightly and wouldn’t let go. The gaze looking up at him was deep. This time, he couldn’t fathom what the man was thinking.

“…What is this?”

“Just… I wanted to hold it.”

“……”

Belatedly, he let go of the hand and muttered, “See you later, then.” After greeting Tatsuki, who was waiting in front of the drawing room, he hurried outside. Phew. After releasing the breath he had held in tension, he leaned against the wall and took out a cigarette. A CCTV camera was pointed toward him. He stared at it for a moment, then turned away without hesitation.