“Stay out of it and back off.”
The tone was openly contemptuous, but Moon Heesung fired back with the same unbothered drawl and shameless expression, as if deliberately needling him.
“No.”
“…What?”
Yoo Sinju stared at him in disbelief and let out a hollow laugh. Moon Heesung, without bothering to say anything more to him, gave Team Leader Song a listless tilt of his head toward the door.
“You can go.”
“…Pardon?”
At the blunt dismissal, Team Leader Song glanced nervously at Yoo Sinju, whose eyes were burning with venom. But Moon Heesung, completely unbothered, tossed out one last remark.
“You’ve apologized, so reflect on it properly.”
With that parting advice, Team Leader Song nodded with a dazed expression, then — deciding it was best to leave while he was being let go quietly — bolted out of the hospital room. Yoo Sinju watched him go with obvious displeasure, his face twitching as he turned his glare on Moon Heesung.
“Are you playing games right now?”
“Why aren’t you keeping your promise.”
“What?”
“You agreed to apologize too.”
Moon Heesung continued in a flat, even voice, the tone of someone gently scolding a younger sibling. The absurdity of it made Yoo Sinju press his fingers against the corner of his eye, grinding his teeth.
“Why would I.”
“You made a bet.”
“Why should I apologize to someone who didn’t even get on their knees?”
“You wouldn’t have accepted it even if he had.”
“Don’t act like you see through me. Who do you think you are, running your mouth like that.”
“You were at fault too.”
“My position is what it is.”
“…….”
“A position where I don’t have to apologize even when I’m wrong. Where I get the apology even when I’m the one who messed up.”
“Do you really think a position like that actually exists?”
“That’s why everyone claws their way up here. Don’t talk about things you don’t understand. You think it was easy for me to get here either?”
He was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family, but he’d had zero support getting to where he was. This was a world he’d entered solely on the strength of catching Director Cha’s eye and betting everything on that one thing. His father, whom he’d barely met a handful of times to begin with, had even opposed it.
Yoo Sinju chewed at his lip, glaring daggers at Moon Heesung — and then caught sight of the cut on Moon Heesung’s lip, and for a moment his eyes wavered. But he quickly steeled himself, sharpening his gaze once more.
“…That measly… finding that one measly bracelet has you acting pretty high and mighty, but I’m not grateful at all.”
“…….”
“I’m not grateful, and I don’t feel the slightest bit sorry that you got hurt like that. Not even a little. Not at all!”
…He’d never asked him to feel sorry, but the sheer force of the denial made him think maybe Sinju did feel a little sorry after all. But clearly not wanting that to show, he was only raising his voice louder to compensate. Moon Heesung held back the incredulous laugh trying to escape him and quietly listened.
“You’ll probably hear it from Director Cha soon enough, but your position is going to be replaced. So until then, please — just stay out of things and keep your mouth shut.”
Yoo Sinju lashed out fiercely. Anyone else’s pride would’ve been stung enough to back down by now — but Moon Heesung, as if genuinely curious, threw out a question.
“What about the price of your life?”
“…What?”
“You’re not even grateful for the person who saved you when you stopped breathing?”
“…….”
“Didn’t you hear it from Director Cha?”
“I didn’t — I didn’t hear anything.”
Yoo Sinju played dumb. The flash of genuine panic in his eyes was plain to see, and Moon Heesung scoffed softly at how unexpectedly guileless it was.
“Then you know now.”
“…….”
“You should be grateful for things worth being grateful for.”
The words came out plain and matter-of-fact, and Yoo Sinju snapped his mouth shut. The image of Moon Heesung staring at him with those anguished eyes just before he’d lost consciousness surfaced unbidden — and with it came a strange sensation scraping at his chest, and he jerked his gaze sharply away.
Moon Heesung stepped up to the bedside and called out quietly.
“Hey. Yoo Sinju.”
Toward him — jaw clenched tight, desperately refusing to look — Moon Heesung continued in a voice that had grown noticeably gentler, with the tone of someone offering easy reassurance.
“Even if you feel grateful.”
“…….”
“Even if you feel sorry — the world won’t fall apart.”
Moon Heesung actually found the sight of Yoo Sinju clinging so desperately to his pride more endearing — like a child. The way it was so visibly apparent that he’d grown up without being properly looked after. Moon Heesung reached out and lightly mussed Sinju’s stiff hair.
“What — what are you—!”
Yoo Sinju grabbed his own head as if he’d just been assaulted and stared at Moon Heesung. Moon Heesung decided not to provoke him any further and dropped one last remark.
“Rest.”
And with that, Moon Heesung walked out of the hospital room.
The moment he did, the faint smile on his face disappeared. He thought back to Yoo Sinju in the early hours of the morning — eyes rolled back, hyperventilation seizing him. He had seen articles about it a few times before. Articles about Sinju being rushed to the hospital for hyperventilation. He had clipped every article about Yoo Sinju while he was in prison. That was how he knew Sinju had a well-known panic disorder. Moon Heesung had already researched and studied everything — what helped with panic disorder, how to respond when hyperventilation struck. He had prepared so he could respond at a moment’s notice.
This was not something he had started with a light heart. The plan he had laid out in prison was meticulous. That was why he had been able to respond calmly even when Yoo Sinju had a hyperventilation episode in the early hours. But he had only anticipated it — seeing it happen right in front of him was a first, and it had rattled him more than a little. The sensation of his heart plummeting was something he hadn’t felt in a very long time. It was truly unpleasant. Deeply unpleasant.
“Oh, Heesung — you’re here?”
Director Cha, returning from his errand, gave a cheerful wave to Moon Heesung standing guard in front of the hospital room. After several incidents, Moon Heesung had firmly earned Director Cha’s trust. The jewelry matter in particular had left Director Cha thoroughly satisfied. It had nearly escalated into a legal dispute — the fact that it had been resolved so easily was enough to keep a smile on his face.
“Hello.”
Moon Heesung greeted him with a perfunctory politeness.
“Come on, no need for formalities. Relax.”
Director Cha gave Moon Heesung’s arm a few friendly pats, like an easygoing superior. But when there was no reaction or response to speak of, he cleared his throat with a slightly awkward air and got to the point.
“I ran into Team Leader Song on my way in. He walked out looking completely deflated. I got a separate message from the supervisor in charge of the product too. Said it was entirely their fault and they didn’t know what to do with themselves. Well, since the item was recovered, of course they’d come around like that. If it hadn’t been, we probably would’ve had another big blowup.”
“Good.”
“Exactly. It’s all thanks to Manager Moon.”
Director Cha smiled warmly and gave Moon Heesung’s arm another pat. The person who had been talking about a three-month probationary period was nowhere to be found.
“Shall we sit for a moment?”
Not wanting to have this conversation standing in the hallway, Director Cha passed the bodyguard stationed at the hospital room door and dropped himself into a chair in the corridor. Moon Heesung took a seat one spot away.
“You know, I feel really bad having to say this when you’ve been doing such great work.”
Director Cha struggled to bring it up, clearly reluctant even as he spoke.
“I’m not sure if Sinju’s told you, but… it seems like it’ll be difficult to have you continue managing Sinju.”
“…….”
“Personally, I think you’re great. I’d be lying if I said I trusted you a hundred percent yet, but you’ve done so much better than I expected.”
“…….”
“But I don’t know what happened between you two — Sinju seems to want nothing to do with you.”
Director Cha even scratched the back of his head, clearly at a loss. He was so genuinely sorry to lose him that sighs kept slipping out one after another.
“That said, I’d hate to lose you entirely.”
“…….”
“For the rest of the period, would you be willing to take on a different actor instead of our Sinju?”
It was the conclusion Director Cha had arrived at after much deliberation. The red mark of a prior conviction still nagged at him, but the way he handled things was just too impressive to dismiss. Director Cha was a man who trusted only what he could see with his own eyes. He hadn’t yet uncovered the details of the conviction, but at the very least, Moon Heesung didn’t look like someone who would pull anything reckless. He wasn’t the type to be distracted by women, didn’t seem especially greedy for money, and had no air of extravagance. If anything, he was so dry it was almost a problem. But he didn’t look like someone harboring some hidden agenda, either.
“There are plenty of other actors who need looking after besides our Sinju… if you’d be open to it, would you take one of them on?”
Director Cha’s tone had softened considerably. Moon Heesung considered it briefly. Director Cha watched him think in silence, mildly puzzled. He had honestly expected a flat refusal on the spot. When Moon Heesung had first proposed taking on the manager role, he had been so singularly set on Yoo Sinju — so absolutely resolute — that Director Cha had assumed he would shoot down any alternative immediately, and had already prepared a backup plan.
“There are plenty of actors who need someone with your particular touch. Of course, Sinju is the most difficult one — but there are plenty of difficult ones besides him. I think you’d be perfect for them. And naturally, the terms would be whatever you want.”
“…I’ll do it.”
“If that’s too much to ask as well…… Hm?”
Director Cha’s eyes went wide at the easy agreement.
“You’ll do it?”
“Yes.”
“……Well. More agreeable than I expected.”
“He dislikes me that much — what other option is there.”
Moon Heesung had seen it clearly. Not only did Yoo Sinju put up his guard the instant they faced each other — he had gasped for breath and fainted because of him. It made Moon Heesung think that staying at his side right now was not the right approach, at least not yet.
“I’m very glad. Thank you for being so understanding. I’ll handle the handover quickly.”
“Yes. Take your time.”
“Right. Oh, but—”
With the matter settled, Director Cha made to leave, then paused as if something had just occurred to him.
