“I’ll eat well. Thanks.”
Seo Hanryul didn’t disappoint expectations and set out appetizing food in front of me. Eating at his place occasionally after schedules ended had now become a common daily routine.
“…I thought you definitely wouldn’t be able to do it.”
Seo Hanryul suddenly brought out his inner thoughts. He was someone who absolutely never revealed his true feelings, but now that the time to leave was approaching, he was talking about his inner thoughts too.
“If I say I’ll do it, I do it. You underestimated me. Be good to the next manager who comes in. With your temper, there won’t be a single person who can endure.”
“Pfft… What meddling. I treated you carelessly because it was you.”
“Right, thanks so much.”
“So when are you coming back?”
“Why does that matter?”
He asked earlier and now he’s asking the same question again. It was obvious he’d interrogate me if I didn’t answer, so I answered by my own standards.
“I think I’ll be there for about a year?”
“…Then you’re coming back after a year?”
“Ha… Doesn’t it give you a headache too when you worry about things that have nothing to do with you?”
“Don’t deflect.”
I’m not deflecting—I don’t know either, but he urged me to answer. Anyway, it’s over once we part ways, so why is he latching on…
“How would I know that? If it seems like it’ll take longer, I’ll stay longer. …And thanks.”
“What are you thankful for?”
“…When you came all the way to America, I really thought you were crazy. But you seem like a better guy than I thought, with deeper feelings. …What you did to calm me down in Bangkok helped a lot.”
“Who’s calling who crazy? Meeting you in America was a coincidence. I went for filming and just happened to run into your face.”
“What a rare coincidence. If you saw me by chance, you could’ve just passed by, so why drag me all the way here?”
“Ha, do you have no conscience? Well, I guess you don’t.”
He was right though. How many weird things had Cha Jaehyun done to Seo Hanryul? Compared to that, his revenge was nothing.
“A big guy like you tearing up over a single motorcycle.”
“Hey, I was tired. Maybe I had low blood pressure.”
“…Is it really true that you don’t remember?”
Seo Hanryul suddenly asked seriously. I thought he definitely wouldn’t believe it. This guy has an unexpectedly foolish side.
“It’s somewhat true.”
I also lied with a serious expression.
“…Selfish bastard.”
Why is he cursing? The atmosphere was warm just a moment ago. Maybe he’s saying I’m selfish because I did my job too well.
“If I wronged you, …I know it’s shameless but I’m asking for forgiveness. Anyway, I carried out what you wanted well. Anyway, I did everything you wanted. Let’s settle things cleanly now. Forget the bad stuff.”
“Cha Jaehyun. It seems like when you discarded your memories, you discarded your sense along with them.”
I’m not someone who’d be told I’m clueless anywhere. But if I refuted saying I wasn’t, we’d just have another tiresome argument, so I played dumb.
“Clueless? Dude, that’s all strategy.”
“Strategy? …If that’s true, you’re really a wicked bastard.”
What’s that supposed to mean again? I can’t understand the true intentions of this guy who only says incomprehensible things. Am I really clueless?
“Right. Me being wicked isn’t new. …Whatever it is, I’m sorry about everything.”
Since it was the last time anyway, I repeated my apology to part on good terms.
Ding—
When the text alert sounded, he gestured with his head as if telling me to check it.
[Come to the main house tomorrow]
It was a summons to Chairman Cha Taesan’s main house.
‘Tomorrow is Saturday. Is he calling because the six months are almost up?’
“Who is it?”
“I have privacy too. It’s family. Don’t ask any more.”
“Since it came up, tell me about your family.”
I spoke for no reason. I should’ve just said it was spam.
“What are you going to do knowing about other people’s families? If you know, you’ll get hurt.”
“…”
Seo Hanryul didn’t say anything, as if he’d matured. His suspicious gaze bothered me, but I decided not to care. That guy makes that expression often.
* * *
After eating, I returned home. After talking about this and that with Seo Hanryul and coming back, the sky had turned pitch black.
[Young Master, greetings after a long time. Please contact me anytime if you have work for me.]
I roughly washed up and sat on the sofa when a text came from Han Woojin.
Just as I’d thought at the hotel yesterday, I’d become distant with Han Woojin lately. Since I was working as a manager, there was nothing to make him do, and tutoring had become pie in the sky because of Seo Hanryul.
“A text as soon as Cha Taesan calls…”
Han Woojin definitely has his own keen sense. He’s quite perceptive. I thought I should ask him for a pickup when going to Cha Taesan’s house tomorrow.
[I’m scheduled to visit the Chairman’s main house tomorrow morning. Come out in front of my house on time.]
[Yes, Young Master.]
Tomorrow I have to meet two tigers again. It’d be nice if Cha Taehan wasn’t there, but since it’s the weekend, I decided to abandon that hope.
“Young Master, hello. Have you been well all this time?”
As soon as I woke up in the morning, I prepared to go to the main house. Han Woojin greeted me warmly. We’re meeting for the first time in almost a month.
We weren’t on good terms originally, but meeting after a long time seemed even more awkward.
“Nothing special. How have you been, Secretary Han?”
“I’ve been well too. I have no work since you haven’t been looking for me at all, Young Master.”
“Haha, isn’t it good if there’s no work?”
“…It’s regrettable that you’re too busy, Young Master. I wanted to study together, but there’s hardly any time to see you.”
It’s not like it’s that regrettable. Seeing Han Woojin lying smoothly, I just thought he was impressive.
“Secretary Han. You’ve had a hard time, so you need to rest. You don’t need to lie like that.”
“It’s not a lie.”
What? Did he just make a straight face? There seemed to be some emotion in his answer.
‘Well, it might not be a lie. Since he can’t see me, he must be suffering under Cha Taehan.’
“But Secretary Han, why are you good at teaching too? I was really surprised last time. No matter how I look at it, it’s a waste for you to just be a secretary here.”
The atmosphere became strange, so I quickly moved to another topic.
“…I like being your secretary, Young Master.”
The conversation didn’t continue. Didn’t he say last time too that he liked being by my side? How can he continue lying without a single waver? If those words were true, Han Woojin is an oddball who enjoys suffering. But when I looked at Han Woojin, he was just someone who disliked Cha Jaehyun, not an oddball.
‘That’s also an ability.’
I want to have Han Woojin’s poker face ability too. This Cha Jaehyun bastard’s ears turn red at the drop of a hat, making it very difficult to hide his true feelings.
“Haha, I thought you were a blunt person, but how unexpected? Don’t keep saying things like that. People who hear it will misunderstand.”
“I’m not as blunt a person as you think.”
He refutes saying no to whatever I say. Seeing him show words and attitudes he couldn’t have shown to the original Cha Jaehyun, Han Woojin must have become much more comfortable with me.
‘Should I consider this fortunate…’
“Young Master, when are you planning to go to America?”
I was about to look at my phone when Han Woojin threw out another question. It was a question to extract information from me.
‘I knew it…’
“If nothing happens, I’m planning to go in about a month. I haven’t told the Chairman yet, but I’ll tell him soon.”
“If it’s alright with you, Young Master, I’d like to accompany you like last time.”
Han Woojin brought up something absurd. Last time, I’d only just fallen into this place and was so out of it that I had no choice but to accompany him, but this time I’ll try my best to prevent such a disaster.
Once my promise with Seo Hanryul ends, I’ll meet separately with Chairman Cha Taesan and negotiate that since I lived quietly for six months, I’ll now return to America and live quietly.
“Secretary Han. You suffered a lot in America because of me last time. That much suffering is enough. The profession of secretary is good, but your abilities are too wasted, Secretary Han. Think about it carefully again.”
“Yes, Young Master. …But you think about it carefully too, Young Master. If I go with you, you’ll be able to have a comfortable study abroad life.”
“I didn’t know Secretary Han thought of me that way. Alright. I’ll think about it carefully.”
I avoided answering Han Woojin’s question. Anyway, I know full well he’s doing this because of Cha Taehan. If he can’t follow me to America, he’ll probably be severely scolded by Cha Taehan, but I couldn’t consider that situation too.
Or Cha Taehan’s side might try by any means to send Han Woojin along. But whatever the result, I need to make every preparation I can to go alone from my side.
“We’ve arrived, Young Master.”
“Good work.”
“Young Master, have a happy Saturday.”
‘What?’
Han Woojin saw me off with a bright smile. No matter how many times I see that smile, I can’t get used to it. A person who can smile like that must have had a hard time pretending to be blunt under Cha Jaehyun.
‘Stop thinking about Han Woojin and go in.’
I watched the departing car for a while, then took a deep breath and pressed the doorbell.
