Even through the phone, the voice filled the entire car. Munyeong startled again and glanced sideways at the back seat.
“I’m on my way.”
— I told you again and again not to be late….
The person on the other end was a woman, and it wasn’t a young voice. Even dense as he was, Munyeong knew there weren’t many women who could speak to Haejeong like that. Family — a sibling, or a parent. Probably his mother, Munyeong thought to himself, staring blankly at the gridlocked road ahead as if gazing at a distant mountain.
“What do you want me to do about traffic.”
— That’s exactly why I said I’d send someone to take care of you and you should’ve listened! If you had, none of this would’ve happened!
“I have someone.”
Haejeong answered nonchalantly and glanced toward the driver’s seat without thinking. Munyeong didn’t notice the look and simply stared straight ahead with an empty expression. His fair cheeks caught the light from the headlights, glowing more translucent than ever. Haejeong was gazing at him absentmindedly when, unable to hold back even a moment longer, Chu Yeonan erupted again.
— Who! Who assigned someone to you without consulting me!
“My ears are going to split.”
— I said, who?
“Someone. One of Dongjin’s staff.”
At the section chief’s name, Munyeong realized they were talking about him, and tensed up for no reason, swallowing unconsciously.
— Dongjin? Don’t tell me you mean Chief Jo?
“He got promoted to chief?”
— Why is Chief Jo assigning people to you? How dare he?
“I like him. Quiet. Knows his place.”
— Education and age? Actually, forget it — tell me his name right now. I’ll call Chief Jo and find out….
“I really want to hang up on you right now. What do you think?”
— Insolent boy. Your mother has been watching you. You came back to the country and haven’t even come to see me once. I told you so many times this is an important occasion, don’t be late, and you go ahead and show up late anyway!
“Who was it that drove me out first. Don’t act hurt.”
He said it casually enough, but there was a sharp edge buried in Haejeong’s words. Whether it landed like a spear, the woman who had been shouting with such force went quiet for a moment. Just for a moment — then she moved past it as if nothing had happened and got to the point in an even tone.
— Be here within 10 minutes.
“What, should I take a helicopter?”
— Everyone here came to see you. You know exactly what kind of people are attending. All of them came for you. To see who you are, and who’s going to be leading your brother and the Baekil Group going forward! That’s what they’re all here for.
“You’re making such a fuss. Keep pushing me and I really won’t go. You know me — when I say something, I mean it.”
— Are you threatening your own mother right now?
“Stop before I threaten you with something worse.”
Haejeong hung up with an expression full of boredom. A call from the same person came right back — he ignored it without a second thought and tossed a comment toward the driver’s seat.
“How long.”
His voice carried a little more irritation now, and more exhaustion too. Munyeong glanced carefully at the navigation and checked the estimated arrival time.
“Another… 30 minutes or so, I think.”
“Good.”
“…Pardon?”
“Take a longer route. One with more traffic.”
He’d expected some impossible demand to get there faster — but Haejeong gave him the exact opposite instruction.
“…Don’t you need to get there quickly?”
He asked carefully, since he’d already been trying to figure out the fastest possible route. He couldn’t tell whether he was supposed to follow this instruction or not.
“Why are you eavesdropping on someone’s call?”
That was a completely unreasonable accusation. Who was it that had been talking on speakerphone as if wanting everyone to hear?
But he was in no position to argue, so Munyeong responded the way the situation called for.
There was an unspoken rule, quietly well-known among the cleaning staff at Baekil Group headquarters. No matter how unreasonable the things those above them said or did, no matter what abuse came their way — there was only one thing people like them were supposed to say.
“I’m sorry.”
For Munyeong, it came easily. Easily, and then some — it had been a phrase on his lips since before he could remember.
He’d only said what habit demanded, but Haejeong had suddenly gone quiet — and Munyeong carefully checked the rearview mirror. In that instant, his eyes met Haejeong’s, who had been watching him in the mirror as if waiting for exactly that moment. With that fixed, penetrating gaze, Haejeong opened his mouth.
“You know.”
“…Yes.”
“Don’t you have it?”
“……Pardon?”
He had no idea what was being said out of nowhere, and asked back with a blank expression. Haejeong made himself clearer.
“Self-respect.”
“……”
“I’m asking if you have any self-respect.”
He had no idea why it had come up all of a sudden, and it wasn’t pleasant to hear. He couldn’t tell if this was mockery or just picking a fight — but Munyeong hid his discomfort as best he could and answered evenly.
“…I’m not sure what you mean by that.”
“What are you sorry for?”
“What do you….”
“You just said sorry.”
“……”
“What are you sorry for.”
Had he been wanting to pick at that? Munyeong hesitated, then carefully opened his mouth.
“……For eavesdropping on your call.”
“Are you actually sorry for that?”
“……”
“That word just crawls out of your mouth like a reflex.”
He muttered it to himself, as if genuinely unable to understand. He wasn’t wrong. Munyeong really did say it like a reflex.
But most people, once they heard sorry, took it and moved on as if they’d gotten what they wanted. What they generally wanted was for him to bow his head and stand down on his own. He’d only done what he always did — and yet Haejeong was frowning with clear displeasure and letting the words drip with contempt.
“No money, no self-respect, is that it.”
“……”
“What is it that’s so easy for you.”
Haejeong hadn’t changed at all from high school. Back then, seeing Munyeong ride his bicycle through the early mornings doing milk deliveries, he’d genuinely looked appalled and said he’d never seen such a wretch. It was utterly unvarnished rudeness — but it was still better than the kids who whispered things like orphan and freeloader and pushover behind his back.
Haejeong had been grumbling under his breath and trailing off, and then after one more glance at Munyeong — who hadn’t reacted at all — he suddenly sat up off the seat as if something had just struck him, and flung out an abrupt complaint.
“No, and earlier too. Were you trying to take that guy’s side?”
“…Pardon?”
His eyes widened at the out-of-nowhere combative question. He paused for a moment, trying to figure out what was being said. But before he could even reach back into his memory, Haejeong spoke first.
“That manager guy or whatever, the one with the glasses.”
“……”
“That bastard was treating you like an idiot. That’s probably exactly why he sent you on a coffee run the second he met you.”
