By Zephyria 
Seo Yi-kyung felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up.
‘Was that the case…?’
It felt as though it had been.
He simply couldn’t believe that his mood had sharpened so drastically just because of that. Perhaps there was something else he didn’t like. Or maybe something had happened in the office during the day.
“I was thinking about the painting I saw at the exhibition.”
Seo Yi-kyung didn’t lie. Was it an illusion, or did Han Seung-jae’s gaze soften slightly at those words?
“Let’s go see it again next time.”
Would there even be a ‘next time’? Seo Yi-kyung gave a barely perceptible nod. Having someone to guide him through the paintings like today didn’t seem so bad. More than anything, contrary to his worries, it was the most relaxed he had felt in days.
Im Jeong-yun’s explanations were that high-level. His voice was also pleasant to listen to. Because of that, he was able to immerse himself entirely in the art, oblivious to his surroundings.
Holding his fork in his left hand, Seo Yi-kyung stared quietly down at the plate in front of him. Perhaps because he had blindly agreed to everything Han Seung-jae said while in a daze, a steak arrived that was barely cooked and bleeding.
“Why?”
“Oh, nothing.”
Seo Yi-kyung quickly moved his fork. As he pressed down on the meat, the blood appeared even redder. He put a piece of meat in his mouth, and pushed by Han Seung-jae’s gaze, he ate another piece. Seo Yi-kyung chewed slowly. He had no room to actually taste the food.
* * *
Haseon Hospital.
“Aaaaaagh!”
A grotesque scream echoed through the VIP room.
Seo Dong-hu, with bandages wrapped around his head and both hands, writhed on the hospital bed. The attending physician, summoned by a nurse, rushed in and administered a painkiller.
After burying his head in the pillow for a long time, Seo Dong-hu turned his head. His eyes were bloodshot. Blood seeped through the bandages on his forehead.
Wiping away cold sweat, the physician reached toward Seo Dong-hu’s head. In response, Seo Dong-hu kicked the physician and screamed.
“I told you that bastard hit me in the head first!”
It was a story he had already told thousands of times. It was what Seo Dong-hu muttered every time the effect of the painkillers wore off and the pain surged.
“Vice President Seo, you’ll bleed more if you do this. Please calm down first…”
“Do I look like I can stay calm right now?”
The physician’s hand, heading for his head, was flung away again. Eventually, the doctor backed away from the bed to maintain his distance. He waited for Seo Dong-hu to calm down, but there were no signs of that happening.
“My hand! My hand!”
Broken bones eventually mend with time, but Seo Dong-hu’s eyes were filled with resentment.
As if venting his anger, he kicked and smashed the furniture in the room. After some time, the door opened, and CEO Seo Young-hwan appeared. Dressed in a neat suit with salt-and-pepper hair, he rushed over.
“Dong-hu! My son.”
CEO Seo Young-hwan managed to calm Seo Dong-hu down and helped him sit up on the bed. Only then did the physician look around. Seeing the interior of the room, which was close to a disaster zone, the physician wore a devastated expression. This situation had already been repeated countless times.
The physician first dismissed the other staff. As the door opened and closed, only three people remained in the room: Seo Dong-hu, CEO Seo Young-hwan, and the physician.
“That bastard hit me in the head first!”
Raising his bandaged hand, Seo Dong-hu repeated the same words. He spoke without breathing, as if exploding the rage filled in his chest.
“He told me to come, so I went! He told me to sit, so I sat! Then suddenly he hits me in the head and asks which hand it was! I told him to listen to me! That crazy bastard didn’t even listen to me and just believed Yi-kyung and made me like this! Look at my hand! Who is responsible for my hand being in this state!”
CEO Seo Young-hwan turned his head. The deep wrinkles on his forehead extended to the corners of his eyes.
“I will compensate for everything, so you may leave now.”
The physician, who had been watching until then, cleared his throat and stepped out. Once he left, only the two of them remained in the room.
“Do you know what Yi-kyung said? He told me to go and kneel before Director Han.”
“That child did?”
Listening to Seo Dong-hu, CEO Seo Young-hwan asked back in bewilderment. While he trusted the words of his eldest son, the Alpha, unconditionally, this was hard to believe. Was Seo Yi-kyung not someone who rarely spoke his inner thoughts?
“I’m telling you he did! Do you not believe me now? Ever since he got married, he must be trusting Director Han and acting like this!”
Seo Dong-hu’s voice grew louder as his rage surged.
“The way he looked at me wasn’t the same as before! He looked at me as if I were a bug.”
* * *
Late at night, Seo Yi-kyung tossed and turned in bed.
In the dark room, the only light was the glow filtering in from outside the window.
Sitting up, Seo Yi-kyung slightly pulled back the curtain.
The terrace was empty. Han Seung-jae, who had visited the art exhibition and eaten dinner with him, had not come along. He had only briefly told Seo Yi-kyung to go to sleep first.
Seo Yi-kyung gazed out the cold window. Because it had rained until late in the evening, dark clouds hung in the sky. Suddenly, he remembered a painting of a window he had seen at the exhibition.
The warm landscape of that painting held a languid sunlight. A comfortable and peaceful sight. It was in stark contrast to the cloudy window view Seo Yi-kyung was seeing now.
With a sunken face, Seo Yi-kyung turned away. Should he ask Butler Do to go see the paintings one more time tomorrow?
Seo Yi-kyung looked down at the cast on his right hand. He was scheduled to go for physical therapy during the day. It seemed like a good idea to see the paintings once more while he was at it.
After all, he wouldn’t be able to see them once the exhibition ended.
* * *
“…Young Master, are you up already?”
Seo Yi-kyung had come down to the first floor early in the morning. Butler Do, who had been talking with the helpers, spotted him and approached.
“Breakfast isn’t ready yet.”
Butler Do looked back once and then looked at Seo Yi-kyung. He even seemed somewhat excited.
“I’d like to go to the hospital today and then visit the exhibition from yesterday again…”
That was not a difficult request. Butler Do nodded readily. At that, a smile finally graced Seo Yi-kyung’s face.
Seo Yi-kyung ate a hearty breakfast earlier than usual and headed to the second floor. Watching him, Butler Do’s gaze slowly drifted toward the painting studio.
Since the day he saw the studio, he hadn’t set foot in that direction at all. But perhaps he had liked the art exhibition from yesterday very much. It was possible that a change in his heart was occurring.
* * *
Knock, knock—
Secretary Park gave a short knock and opened the door.
With a wide-open view, the blinds were drawn inside the office as if to block the sunlight. The shelves were lined with ceramics received as gifts, ornaments, and documents. Passing the long sofa and table, Secretary Park reached the desk and placed the approval documents and a white envelope down, speaking suggestively.
“I received a report from the driver that he took him to the hospital a short while ago.”
Han Seung-jae, who was looking at a financial investment product report for the Myung-jun Group, poised the tip of his pen. Only then did he lift his head to look at Secretary Park.
“Which hospital?”
“Haseon Hospital. He said today is the day for physical therapy for his injured wrist.”
Han Seung-jae looked at the metal watch wrapped around his wrist. It was 2:25 PM. After checking the time, he turned a page of the report he was reading.
“Good work.”
Secretary Park started to say something more but decided against it. It was because Han Seung-jae’s gaze looked sharp, perhaps because he had been sitting at his desk all night.
Once Secretary Park opened the door and disappeared, Han Seung-jae leaned deep into his chair. Light filtering through the blinds cast shadows across his face.
Han Seung-jae reached out and picked up the white envelope. He didn’t feel like looking inside. Even if he did, wasn’t the person Seo Yi-kyung had gone out to meet yesterday that man? There was no need to check.
He opened a drawer. A row of identical envelopes was tucked inside. Han Seung-jae tossed the envelope on top of them.
* * *
Stepping out of the sedan, Seo Yi-kyung entered the Haseon Hospital building. Wearing a jacket over his shirt, he hurried along behind Butler Do, who was walking ahead.
Seo Yi-kyung took off his jacket and rolled up his shirt sleeves to his elbows. Throughout the physical therapy, Seo Yi-kyung’s face was brighter than usual. Watching this, Butler Do spoke softly.
“I’ve been very worried because you seemed to have no interest in paintings lately, so I am even happier to see you enjoying yourself again.”
For some time, anxiety and apprehension had alternated in a corner of Seo Yi-kyung’s heart. From having to walk on eggshells around Han Seung-jae to the changed surroundings.
However, yesterday was the first time in a while that he had felt comfort. Thus, he wanted to feel yesterday’s mood once more before the exhibition ended.
After finishing physical therapy, Seo Yi-kyung had his arm cast reapplied and came outside. Walking side by side with Butler Do, Seo Yi-kyung’s face was peaceful for once.
“Wait, you.”
Butler Do’s steps came to an abrupt halt. He turned his head back. Watching him hurriedly bow, Seo Yi-kyung slowly turned around. There stood an elderly man with salt-and-pepper hair. He gestured for the nearby staff to step away. It was Seo Young-hwan.
“Yi-kyung.”
“…?”
Until that moment, Seo Yi-kyung didn’t immediately understand the situation. Butler Do whispered softly to Seo Yi-kyung.
“Young Master, shall I speak to your father on your behalf?”
Only then did Seo Yi-kyung look clearly at the man with the graying hair. CEO Seo Young-hwan. He was ‘Seo Yi-kyung’s’ father.
“Did it make you feel better to leave your brother in that state? Just what…”
What on earth did you say to Director Han to make the boy end up like that? CEO Seo Young-hwan clicked his tongue and swallowed the rest of his words. He couldn’t help but be conscious of the people passing through the hospital corridor.
Seo Yi-kyung couldn’t understand his words in many ways. However, he recalled Han Seung-jae’s slightly changed attitude on the terrace the day Seo Dong-hu had visited. Had he done something?
“Follow me.”
As Seo Young-hwan turned around, Butler Do started to follow but stopped and was about to say something. Seo Yi-kyung followed behind him without a word.