“……President, by any chance, did you take your medicine today?”
Despite the strange sight of Eunchan pinned beneath him and Miro’s murderous eyes, Han Inju merely pushed up his glasses once and calmly asked after his well-being.
“When did you meet Eunchan?”
Miro, who had slowly moved his body off of Eunchan, gazed at Han Inju calmly. Eunchan quickly sat up and gave Han Inju a look. It meant either to quickly get rid of Miro, or to run away by himself.
“The last time was when I reported to you previously. May I come in?”
Han Inju was tougher than expected. Standing at the doorway, Han Inju chose to come inside rather than run away, and even calmly bowed his head in greeting to Eunchan, who was staring blankly.
“I heard you collapsed. You should take better care of yourself.”
“And whose fault is it that I’m in this state?”
“I don’t think it’s my fault.”
“It’s not like you have no fault at all.”
As soon as he could exchange words with Han Inju, the heat began to rise, making his earlier worry seem pointless. As he was frowning at that shameless face, Miro stood in front of Eunchan, blocking his view and cutting off Han Inju.
“A-are you two close?”
Following the brief conversation, Miro asked Eunchan anxiously. He’s the one who assigned him to me, so what’s he trying to do? It was strange that Miro would ask such a thing when he’d sent him to deceive me in the first place.
“Miro-ssi, you’re the one who assigned him to me.”
“I have no interest.”
Han Inju’s clean answer was also added. However, Miro had already begun to suspect. After carefully scanning Han Inju from the tips of his feet to the top of his head, Miro soon thought that perhaps Han Inju’s appearance might match Eunchan’s taste. Clean attire, a neatly-formed face, tall height, and a smart person. Somehow, the area near his heart felt itchy, as if a bug was eating away at it. Miro placed his hand on his left chest and frowned. An unpleasant pounding climbed up his palm.
“Eunchan-ssi, did you confirm whether Miro-ssi took his medicine today?”
Han Inju, who had quickly assessed Miro’s condition, spoke to Eunchan who was behind Miro.
“What medicine?”
“A tranquilizer.”
What was fortunate for Han Inju was that his own intuition and Eunchan’s sense weren’t bad. Eunchan looked at Miro’s back and soon shook his head. He didn’t even know what medicine there was, and all he’d done since waking up was fight.
“President, your judgment seems to be somewhat clouded right now.”
“……Eunchan.”
Miro whispered Eunchan’s name in a low, small voice. Han Inju’s eyes met his over Miro’s shoulder. It was just like Eunchan’s gaze—the look he’d had whenever he saw Miro with Hyungsik.
“……”
What am I supposed to do? Though Eunchan was also on edge about the unstable Miro, he didn’t particularly feel like helping him much. Rather, he wished Han Inju would suffer a little. It was the price for conspiring with Miro to make a fool of him.
“Three, three……”
At that moment, Miro turned around. With a face like a wet lily, he kept putting the number ‘3’ in his mouth while looking at Eunchan. He couldn’t possibly be suggesting they date including Han Inju, could he?
Just imagining it was horrifying. Unable to contain his crumpling expression, Eunchan called out Miro’s name.
“Hey, Jang Miro!”
At Eunchan’s intense reaction, both Han Inju and Miro simultaneously smiled in relief. Miro’s trick, thinking that subtly probing Eunchan’s true intentions would be a better method than excitedly interrogating him, had fortunately worked well.
Without even thinking to use his head, Eunchan had honestly revealed that he had absolutely no interest in Han Inju. Han Inju wiped the sweat near his forehead, while Miro calmed his pounding heart by tightly gripping Eunchan’s hand instead of his own chest.
“Hey, I took the medicine.”
“That’s fortunate.”
At least because he’d taken medicine in the morning, he could press down on his sensitively taut nerves. Eunchan removed Miro’s fingers that kept intertwining one by one and glared at Han Inju.
“Take him with you.”
“That’s beyond my capabilities.”
Though he pointed at Miro and spoke, Han Inju enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and sat comfortably leaning back on the sofa. Then he immediately gave a refusal, saying it was beyond his capabilities.
“Then I’ll leave.”
“N-not yet, Eunchan’s still sick.”
“Let’s have you leave after you’ve fully recovered.”
Did I call him for nothing? Instead, the number of people stopping him had increased. Eunchan tapped his frustrated chest and controlled his anger.
“President, you should meet the surgeon for Heewoo-ssi’s operation. I saw him on my way here.”
“Yeah, next time.”
Like someone afraid to be apart even for a moment, Miro sat beside Eunchan and kept groping at him. Swatting away Miro’s hands that were touching his body each time they landed, Eunchan urged Miro to leave quickly.
“I’ll stay.”
“……D-do I really have to m-meet him now? Eunchan is s-still sick too.”
“I think I’d live better if only you weren’t here. Hurry up and get lost.”
Eunchan spat out fiercely at the hesitating Miro as if driving in a wedge.
“Since the date has been set, it will be difficult to postpone any further.”
“Ngh.”
At Han Inju’s words, Miro let out a sigh. If Miro left, he’d be able to go outside the hospital. Eunchan pushed Miro’s back, telling him to leave quickly.
“I-I’ll be back. It’ll only take 5 minutes.”
“So what?”
He kept dragging his feet, seeming like he’d go or not go, not even making him anxious. Eunchan simply grabbed Miro’s hand, stood up, and escorted him outside the door. Even one minute was enough time to escape. Miro stroked the back of Eunchan’s hand and kept sighing. As if imitating him, it was exactly the same form as Eunchan’s sigh.
As soon as Miro stepped outside the door, Eunchan closed the door in his face. He could hear the sound of small knocking, but pretending not to hear, Eunchan turned around.
“I have a lot to say, but let’s do it next time, if we have time.”
There was no need to confront and get angry at Han Inju now. Eunchan didn’t even have that kind of energy left. He picked up his bag and put on Miro’s coat hanging on the coat rack. First, let’s go back to the officetel and rest—he desperately needed a space where he could be alone.
“Let’s do it now.”
“As you can see, I’m a bit busy right now. Then, I’ll be going.”
“We’re going to see each other again soon anyway.”
“You? Why would I?”
As he changed from slippers to sneakers and was retying his untied shoelaces, Han Inju said something ominous. With his hand on the armrest and one leg crossed as he sat, Han Inju looked extremely comfortable and carefree. Not knowing when Miro might return, while anxious, seeing such a sight made his blood boil.
“You should break up safely.”
“……You handle Miro-ssi well. It’s beyond my capabilities.”
Eunchan returned Han Inju’s words and raised the corners of his mouth.
“I don’t think I’m the one who needs to handle it.”
“Fuck, so what? Then you want me to stay trapped like this? When I’m already sick of seeing that bastard’s face?”
Both falling in love and losing affection happen in an instant. Eunchan walked up to Han Inju and asked as if demanding an answer. Both Jang Miro and Han Inju were all just perpetrators.
“Aren’t you curious? Why Miro-ssi went as far as to put on such a farce to find Eunchan-ssi.”
“What’s the point of being curious about what’s inside a crazy person’s head?”
“That’s true, but Eunchan-ssi should be curious.”
“Why should I be?”
“Because he’s Eunchan-ssi’s older brother.”
The only one born between his mother and father was Eunchan. Why do they keep trying to create a family he doesn’t even know about? Eunchan massaged the back of his neck and sat on the table, meeting eyes with Han Inju.
“You must have worked hard putting together that farce, and I hope I never see you again. Please manage Jang Miro well on your own too.”
“You found out surprisingly late. I thought you were deliberately pretending not to know.”
Han Inju smiled, saying that despite giving such hints and scattering information, it didn’t seem to have much effect. Han Inju’s snake-like eyes curved long and slyly inside his glasses. Eunchan, who had been staring at that smile, finally couldn’t hold back and threw out a question.
“They say if you hit someone wearing glasses, you go to jail. Is that true?”
“Try it. Depending on the circumstances, it could be even worse.”
Perhaps using this as an excuse, he might firmly bind him to Jang Miro’s side. At the chilling speculation, Eunchan put both hands in his coat pockets and managed them tightly.
“Did you find Kim Noeul-ssi?”
“Would I have found them? Go eat some taffy.”
Inside his pocket, Eunchan answered with all fingers folded except his middle finger extended. That gentleman looking for Kim Noeul even at this point wasn’t in his right mind either.
“How much have you figured out?”
Jang Miro and Han Inju had the same name, ‘Kim Haengbok.’ However, Han Inju was merely Jang Miro’s right-hand man, and Jang Miro was the owner of the Muan land and that Kim Haengbok who was inheriting to Kim Noeul. The previous owner of the land and mansion was Kim Heewon, who had been Jang Heewoo’s nanny. And since it was said to have passed to a corporation after her death, there was a high possibility it was held by either Myeongjin or JN.
Since Jang Miro also held many shares in both companies, it would be correct to say the mansion was also his. Moreover, if redevelopment went in through Myeongjin and a resort or golf course was built, hyung would really end up owning most of his hometown land.
“Up to the point that your name is Kim Haengbok.”
Eunchan forcibly covered up his organized thoughts and brought out Han Inju’s real name.
“It’s not a particularly welcome name. There are many people with the same name too.”
Han Inju stood up from his seat, saying he’d have a cup of coffee. As he put water in the coffee pot, not long after, the boiling sound filled the hospital room.
“Then you must have also known that you’re from the same orphanage as Miro-ssi.”
“……”
“Do you know Kim Heewon-ssi?”
“She’s the previous owner of the land and mansion. And Jang Heewoo’s nanny, isn’t she?”
“She’s not a simple nanny.”
What am I supposed to do, really? Unable to watch Han Inju continue this twenty questions game any longer, Eunchan exploded in anger.
“Look here, I’m not curious about anything anymore! I have no interest, so you all can go ahead and sell the Muan land or not, whatever you want among yourselves.”
