# Chapter 110
## 10. Dream-like Reality, Reality-like Dream
“I think Je Sano has been kidnapped.”
When the face with noticeably dark circles under the eyes made this solemn declaration, murmurs spread throughout the spacious conference room like ripples. Iyeon, sitting alone at the narrow end of the long table with some distance from others, looked around at everyone with a grave expression.
The dark night had passed through dim dawn until the bright sun rose, but despite waiting and waiting, the front door never opened. Only then did he hastily try calling, but the mechanical voice simply announced that the device was turned off. This had never happened before. His confused brain jumped to an extreme conclusion.
Something must have definitely happened to Je Sano.
That’s why, as soon as daylight broke, he contacted Jonghee and came to Sano’s company, <Jesan>. Jonghee had asked the restless Iyeon to come directly to the company to explain the situation. Even if she had set a separate appointment and asked him to wait, he would have gone straight to the company anyway. Every minute, every second was precious. Who knew what might be happening while Iyeon was dawdling.
The moment Iyeon hurriedly entered Jesan’s lobby and told the reception desk, “This is Jung Iyeon. I have an appointment with Kim Jonghee-ssi,” the situation progressed at a surprisingly rapid pace.
It was understandable that an employee guided him as if they had been waiting. Though someone else held the CEO title, Jesan was Sano’s company, and his influence would be enormous. Naturally, they would have been informed about a visitor coming to see Jonghee, Sano’s direct executive secretary.
But the place Iyeon was smoothly guided to was a large conference room.
Moreover, it was filled with people who seemed to have been waiting for him.
‘…What is this?’
As Iyeon entered, numerous gazes focused on him. Momentarily flustered by the strange pressure, he hesitated briefly before being shown to his seat.
The person sitting in the head position was neither Jongchan nor Jonghee, but someone Iyeon recognized. Not personally, but he had seen him often on TV and in news articles. A Mugunghwa tier 3 hunter with air density control abilities.
Moon Seohyun, the CEO of Jesan.
“I’ve heard a lot about you, Jung Iyeon-ssi. I understand you have something to tell us.”
Seohyun looked somewhat tired but had a sharp aura surrounding his entire body. Though he might be a figurehead CEO, Jesan was still a major corporation. A man who had been running this place on behalf of Sano wouldn’t be someone to take lightly.
However, Iyeon had also spent a sleepless night burning with worry. His unusually anxious and sensitive state had him on edge.
That’s why he bluntly asserted the kidnapping theory about Je Sano.
Honestly, he hadn’t intended to speak in front of so many people, but seeing the CEO of Jesan present in the conference room, he figured they must have gathered only people related to Sano… and with Jongchan and Jonghee sitting in the closest seats, urging him with their eyes to speak quickly, he couldn’t resist.
“Kidnapped, you say?”
Seohyun asked with a serious expression.
“What makes you think so?”
“He didn’t come home last night.”
“Sano-nim isn’t the type who typically settles in one place.”
“No, that’s not it. He’s never done this before. Something must have happened that prevented him from coming home.”
Despite Iyeon’s objection, the atmosphere in the conference room remained lukewarm. A voice like a groan emerged from among the people.
“As expected…”
…As expected? That didn’t sound like a positive connotation. Just as Iyeon was slightly furrowing his brow, not understanding the situation…
A bombshell statement dropped in the conference room.
“We’ve received information that you and Sano-nim are dating.”
“What?”
Faced with this sudden nonsense, Iyeon questioned with a dumbfounded expression.
“The night before last, at Night Skewer, the owner Han Sua treated you to celebrate your relationship with Sano-nim.”
“…”
How, how did they know that? Momentarily hesitating, Iyeon quickly regained his composure and hastily continued to object.
“No, there are circumstances behind that…”
“So it was true!”
Suddenly, Jongchan jumped to his feet.
“Jung Iyeon! I knew you were like this!”
“What do you mean, you knew?”
Equally flustered, Iyeon’s voice rose. It sounded almost like he was screaming.
“You still have excuses!”
As Jongchan shouted and was about to climb onto the table, a cold hand grabbed him by the scruff of his neck.
“Kim Jongchan. Calm down.”
“Noona! But this guy…!”
With this exchange that gave Iyeon a sense of déjà vu, Jonghee subdued Jongchan and nodded slightly toward Iyeon. Though Jongchan’s outburst had obscured it, Jonghee’s face was also beyond serious—it was grim.
“I’m sorry, but we need to hear your explanation about this first.”
“Do I really have to do this here?”
Telling the truth wasn’t a problem at all—Jongchan and Jonghee wouldn’t gossip to Hyeseong anyway—but it wasn’t exactly a topic to disclose in front of more than ten people. Regardless of why these people were here, they probably wouldn’t be interested in such matters… Thinking it might be a waste of time, he asked, but Jonghee firmly shook her head.
“Everyone here is relevant.”
“…Relevant to what?”
Is this some kind of Je Sano lovers’ meeting? He suspiciously scanned the crowd, but not only were they of various ages, some even had wedding rings on their fingers. To his dubious question came a calm answer.
“You ask the obvious.”
Suddenly, Iyeon realized that every single person’s gaze was directly fixed on him without exception. No one was distracted.
Everyone had the same eyes as Jonghee.
“Sano-nim.”
And that’s how, unexpectedly, a Jung Iyeon hearing was convened at the top of Jesan.
The hearing began with “Are Sano and Iyeon really dating?” then flowed to “What does Sano like most these days?” and “Tell us everything you know about Sano’s daily life.” People’s reactions to Iyeon’s answers varied, but they all shared a common deep interest in Sano.
It was a familiar situation. It felt like Jongchan and Jonghee had been cloned about five times each.
To think that Jesan was actually a Je Sano stalker club? It was absolutely mind-boggling. Not only that, but the atmosphere gradually began to deteriorate into something like elders nagging during a holiday.
“I hear Sano-nim cooks by himself. It would be terrible if he cut his hand.”
“He’s tougher than a kitchen knife.”
“We should assign a professional chef…”
They were just as bad at listening to others.
“You gave Sano-nim hard candy? Such junk food!”
“Isn’t it too much for three people to share one bed? A comfortable sleeping arrangement is the most basic necessity!”
Even my parents weren’t this bad. Iyeon’s patience finally snapped at this endless display of doting.
“Look, that’s not the issue—Je Sano has been kidnapped, I’m telling you!”
It was more than strange that people worried about Sano cutting himself with a knife would remain calm about him being kidnapped. Are they putting on an act in front of me? Iyeon suspiciously glared at each person sitting in the conference room.
“Someone kidnapped Sano-nim? Who?”
“That’s…”
“Is there even anyone who could kidnap him?”
“…Well…”
Iyeon also knew there were very few people who could harm Sano. Who could possibly defeat the undisputed number one? But malicious people always exceeded ordinary expectations, and Iyeon knew how dangerous such situations could become.
“Please don’t worry about that.”
As Iyeon hesitated but refused to back down from his assertion, Jonghee, who had been furiously typing along with Jongchan throughout the hearing, finally took her eyes off the monitor and looked at him.
“We received contact from Sano-nim at dawn today.”
“What?”
“Sano-nim has no issues.”
Iyeon’s eyes widened. He knew Jonghee wouldn’t lie about something like this, but it was hard to believe. At the same time, a strange sense of betrayal welled up.
“He told you that?”
“Yes.”
Shocked not only that Sano had contacted her but that they had even exchanged greetings, Iyeon soon realized what this situation meant. There was no problem with Sano’s safety. He even had the leisure to contact others.
So Sano hadn’t stayed away due to unavoidable circumstances but had chosen not to come home.
‘…I see.’
While it was certainly fortunate that Sano was safe, somehow Iyeon felt his heart sink. If nothing was wrong, then… then… why didn’t he come home?
