Joo Kyung-heon. Young frowned at the unexpected three-character name.
“Why is Joo Kyung-heon suddenly coming up?”
There was no use asking. Kwak Du-jin, whose heart was rushed, was busy saying what he had to say.
“Even though I worked so hard to get on good terms and look good to him, he didn’t budge. But you, Young, you slept with him…! Close, close. You’re close! I heard everything. So if it’s a request from you, wouldn’t he listen? Huh? Please somehow talk to him. Please?”
“So what you’re saying is that Joo Kyung-heon made your company like this?”
“I don’t really know either! They say Joomyeong’s influence was strong, but anyway, since Joo Kyung-heon is one of their people, there must be something he can do. He’s going to become planning director or something. That’s an important position. Then he’ll have power too. Since you’re helping anyway, I’ll just ask for this much.”
It was a completely unhelpful answer. There would be no more information to extract from someone who didn’t even know themselves. Young glared suspiciously into space, then pulled away the steps that had been caught.
“You’ll help, right? You’ll listen, right? Huh? Young-ah, that’s it, right?”
He half-listened to the desperate and persistent pleas. He’d definitely felt satisfied seeing Kwak Du-jin acting cowardly while scared. But Young’s mood as he left the CEO’s office was subtle.
***
It was his first time coming to the newlywed house since having that argument that wasn’t quite an argument with Kyung-heon. For a while, he’d drunk every night at Seong-jae’s house until falling asleep, and from when his stomach couldn’t take it anymore, he’d lived with his family.
What other reason could there be? He wanted to avoid Kyung-heon. Every time he saw him, he felt like a thousand fires would ignite inside him, remembering the actions that kept confusing him or the words and behavior that drew a line saying sex between a married couple was no big deal. He’d temporarily kept his distance, thinking he might make a huge scene otherwise.
“……”
The house he visited after a long time was wrapped in coldness. Although it maintained a neat appearance thanks to the housekeeper’s touch, there was no warmth of human presence at all.
The fact that the entire house had been covered with their two pheromones felt like a lie. Even setting aside the pheromones that had exploded having been cleared up long ago, the air was severely quiet. It seemed Kyung-heon also hadn’t visited this place, just like Young.
Young cut through the air without any traces and went to sit on the sofa. His expression wasn’t good as he raised his elbow on the armrest and pressed his temple.
Actually, the reason he’d returned home after several days wasn’t because his feelings toward Kyung-heon or their previous conflict had all been sorted out.
‘The Bio relocation construction and also with business partners and funding sources… anyway, everything’s blocked now so we’re completely tied up.’
He’d thought Kwak Du-jin had just come urgently needing a large sum, but he wanted to directly confirm what Kwak Du-jin had unexpectedly thrown out.
Although things were quite chaotic, going by Kwak Du-jin’s story, that’s what it was. That Joomyeong was deliberately choking the construction company.
Why bother?
It was already a company that had fallen into the abyss—they could just make the Bio new building construction project disappear and cut ties. But instead, to make things more difficult, they put pressure on business partners to cut off transactions and block money outlets?
It was truly ‘why bother.’ That meant it could only be interpreted as them having pushed them into a pit from the beginning, planning to hold and shake their lifeline.
Why on earth?
Clearly, Joomyeong and Kwak Du-jin’s parents’ construction company had a friendly relationship. They were so close that everyone said even the Joomyeong Bio new building, whose land issue hadn’t been resolved yet, was already internally decided.
Of course, there could be other ulterior motives. Corporate relationships naturally get tangled the longer they last. It would be entirely possible for the deal to fall through overnight and for them to be coldly cast aside.
‘Joo… Kyung-heon. Right, please talk nicely to Joo Kyung-heon!’
But why did Joo Kyung-heon’s name specifically come up there? That was the question.
Simply because he was Young’s spouse?
That couldn’t be it. Rather than asking through Young’s mouth when they were bound by bad blood, it would be faster and more accurate for the elders who had shown goodwill for a long time to resolve it among themselves. Just from Kwak Du-jin’s words, it seemed like Joo Kyung-heon was the ringleader who caused this incident…
‘Let’s not go that far.’
Young shook his head. Hadn’t he already been hurt playing both drum and janggu by himself after being enchanted by his kindness? The premise that Joo Kyung-heon remembered his past anecdote and took revenge on his behalf was very dangerous. It also didn’t make sense.
Having stopped his thoughts from flowing absurdly, he checked his cell phone. While he’d been home spacing out, night had grown late. Seeing that there were still no signs of activity, Joo Kyung-heon’s return home seemed uncertain.
Young tapped the LCD screen meaninglessly with his index finger. At this rate, there was no reward for having made up his mind to come home.
Of course, waiting at home wasn’t the only option. Wasn’t it obvious where Joo Kyung-heon would be? Either home or the office.
He could go find him right away and ask face to face, but he didn’t want to do that.
‘Coming to find me here can’t be seen as a good choice.’
Because Joo Kyung-heon was reluctant to show him to people he worked with.
He didn’t want to feel like an embarrassing existence again. He also didn’t want to be treated like an immature person who couldn’t understand hints and did whatever he wanted even after already showing his dislike.
But he wanted to somehow know the truth behind Kwak Du-jin’s suspicious statements. Young unlocked his cell phone and quickly made a call.
Even though it was late at night, the connection tone was cut off immediately.
— Hey, our Young. I heard that bastard Kwak Du-jin got on his knees today.
The one reciting even things he hadn’t revealed in an extremely affectionate voice was his second hyung.
“Ah. Yeah. You heard?”
— Of course. I suffered because of that bastard throughout school. So, did you feel a bit better?
“Yeah. I felt a little better. It wasn’t much when he was forced to apologize, but when he got on his knees and groveled, it felt a bit refreshing.”
Chan seemed to feel good himself. His hearty laughter didn’t end easily. He laughed excitedly, then suddenly recalled the purpose of the call and asked.
— Right, that aside. What’s up at this hour?
“Ah. I have something to ask you.”
— What is it. Just tell me.
“It’s nothing else, you know Kwak Du-jin’s company.”
— I know. The construction company that went to hell this time.
“Yeah. It seems like the sudden problems and blocked funds there weren’t a coincidence. Can you look into what happened?”
Even though it was a sudden request, hyung didn’t mind. He agreed at once without even asking why once.
— Of course. It’s our Young’s request, what can’t your hyung do? That much is nothing.
Young responded with an aegyo-filled tone saying “thanks~”. The sound of hearty laughter came through and the call ended peacefully.
If he’d made up his mind to be independent, he shouldn’t rely on family like this anymore, but it couldn’t be helped. Knowing the ripple effect of the three syllables Joo Kyung-heon, he couldn’t entrust this to just anyone. Also, there was no one he could trust this reliably.
In any case, was it because he’d laid the groundwork to solve his doubts? A sentence he hadn’t focused on until now suddenly flashed through his mind.
— You, Young, you slept with him…! Close, close. You’re close!
Young’s hand that had been about to put down the cell phone after finishing the call hesitated.
‘How far have the rumors spread?’
Tsk. The inside of his mouth clicking his tongue was bitter.
***
Second hyung said finding out the whole story of one company’s downfall was nothing. He really did contact him right away.
Lee Chan
He was driving out on business. Young, who confirmed the name on the screen, hurriedly found and put in his earphones.
“Yeah, it’s me.”
— Yeah, Young-ah. You know what you asked me about then? Kwak Du-jin’s company.
“Ah, yeah. Did you look into it?”
— I don’t know yet who reported the safety management documents, but on the timeline, it doesn’t seem like a coincidence like you said. Right after being caught falsifying, the bank agreement was immediately terminated, and all other funding sources and business partners were cut off—it all happened at once. As if they’d been waiting.
Young, who had stopped at a signal, just pointlessly glared at the red traffic light.
“Really?”
— From what I heard, it’s true that Joomyeong put pressure on them. Well, that can happen depending on what’s going on between the parties involved…
“But?”
