“You must not be able to hear.”
The man didn’t know how to give up and came closer, continuing to pester me.
“Ah, seeing you up close, you’re Daejin’s famous person. You’re quite capable too. Seeing that you eventually show your face even at a place like this.”
Old-fashioned bastard. It’s not even a caste system society anymore.
No matter how much I looked, I didn’t know who he was, and I thought he was just a passing extra. Throughout history, East and West, the behavior of such flat villain extras is very simple. This much is nothing.
“I’m pleased that you recognize me. Since we’ve met like this through fate, may I ask your name?”
“What are you going to do knowing my name? Ah, are you going to dig up my personal info and strike from behind? What should I do? That’ll be difficult for you to do to me.”
In the novel, it said Cha Jaehyun’s misdeeds were done very secretly. But now I see that every Tom, Dick, and Harry seems to know about his misdeeds. The person in front of me must have heard such rumors and is pestering me too.
“Haha, what are you saying? Do I look like someone who would do such terrible things? You sure know how to say interesting things. Instead of this, shall we have a glass of champagne?”
“If that’s what you want, I should give you a glass.”
The man in front readily raised his glass. I thought he was agreeing too easily, and sure enough, he committed a deliberate accident. He poured the drink on his own shoes himself.
“What are you doing right now? Just because you’re upset, how can you pour alcohol on someone else’s feet out of nowhere?”
The extra whose name I didn’t even know spoke to me in a loud voice, and instantly all eyes focused on us. The situation I wanted to avoid most had occurred.
“What are *you* doing?”
I whispered quietly enough that only the man in front could hear.
“Even in a place like this, I find it unpleasant to see a vulgar face like yours. I’m the type who can’t stand disgusting things from birth.”
Damn bastard. I thought things were going too smoothly, but he was an unexpectedly formidable enemy. So you want to go at it with me?
I can’t be treated like a pushover even by someone who’s not the main character.
“You misunderstand. My hand slipped. I’ll compensate for the shoes right away.”
Thinking of it as dealing with an unreasonable customer, I smiled, bent my knees, and lightly wiped his shoes with a tissue. When I finished wiping the shoes with a beaming smile and stood up, people lost interest in me as if nothing had happened.
‘It worked.’
If I’d poured it on his clothes, there would have been no answer, but at least it was fortunate I poured it on his shoes.
“All clean now. I’m sorry for upsetting you during a nice time. If you give me your business card or contact information, I’ll contact you separately.”
When I responded with a smiling face to the crazy behavior, the other man made a disappointed expression. If he thought I’d rampage without knowing the place, he was gravely mistaken.
“What’s this situation?”
In such a vast space, why of all moments did this one have to catch Cha Taehan’s eye? Since entering this novel, there hasn’t been a single peaceful day.
‘Nothing’s working out.’
“Executive Director-nim, I’ll explain everything.”
Cha Taehan’s attitude is unusual. He seems more than ordinarily angry. Still, since this is an official occasion, he won’t treat me harshly. The problem is when we go home.
The extra was making an annoying expression as if a satisfactory situation had occurred.
“Executive Director-nim, I’m sorry for causing a disturbance.”
“You stay back. Executive Director Lee Seongwon-nim, if you were upset by what just happened, I’ll apologize as well.”
‘So his name was Lee Seongwon.’
Lee Seongwon. It’s a name I’ve encountered several times in the news while living here. The successor of Jinhyeon Group. I thought he was just a pathetic extra, but he was an extra with some background.
“It’s nothing. These things can happen.”
Lee Seongwon laughed while brushing off his feet.
“Executive Director-nim, now I’ll have to ask you for an explanation.”
“What are you saying? Asking the victim for an explanation?”
Lee Seongwon questioned back as if it was absurd. I had the same reaction internally. On the surface, Lee Seongwon is the victim, and Cha Jaehyun is the troublemaking illegitimate child. It’s a perfect picture for Cha Jaehyun to be pointed out as the perpetrator.
“I saw everything from behind.”
“What did you see?”
“Executive Director-nim dropped your glass, and that glass fell on your shoes. I don’t know the reason, but you held Cha Jaehyun-ssi responsible. I’m simply curious about that reason.”
“….”
He was babbling well until just now, but now his mouth is firmly shut.
“No matter how I think about it, I don’t see why Cha Jaehyun-ssi should apologize. What do you think? Executive Director-nim, I also don’t want to make a big scene.”
Surprisingly, Cha Taehan took my side.
“Well, I should do as the Executive Director wishes.”
After Cha Taehan’s intervention, the situation was quickly resolved. I received an apology from Lee Seongwon in a groveling manner, and he disappeared from in front of me. Even after he disappeared, Cha Taehan didn’t leave my side, and the whole situation was bewildering.
“…Executive Director-nim, I’m sorry.”
“Come outside.”
Cha Taehan curtly told me to come outside. He must be planning to slap me outside. Now it’s my turn to get beaten up.
* * *
Following Cha Taehan outside, the boat must have moved quite a bit because land was no longer visible. Only the sea was visible in all directions. If he pushed me here, I’d die without anyone knowing.
“I knew you were an idiot until now, but I didn’t know you were at this level.”
“…I’m sorry. I won’t make any excuses.”
“What exactly are you sorry about?”
As expected, he’s someone who knows how to drive people crazy. The interrogation has begun. I didn’t do anything wrong, but I have to create a fault. He saw the entire situation, so what kind of answer does he want?
“I’m sorry for causing a disturbance. I have no face to show.”
“Why do you think you came here today?”
“….”
I don’t understand what Cha Taesan and Cha Taehan are thinking. Why on earth did they bring me to this place after hiding Cha Jaehyun’s existence so thoroughly all this time?
“Since you came here, you’re also Daejin’s face. But you can’t even properly handle one ridiculous matter and pathetically bend your knees?”
Ah, my actions looked too pathetic. Now I understand. He’s displeased with the act of me bending my knees in front of Lee Seongwon and wiping his shoes. Well, to a chaebol who’s never had to bow his head in front of others his whole life, my actions might look pitiful.
“I didn’t think about that aspect. I’m sorry for causing trouble.”
“Sorry again? Cha Jaehyun. Choose the time and place even when saying you’re sorry.”
‘What do you want me to do?’
“…Thank you for helping me.”
“Right. That seems like a more appropriate response.”
Cha Taehan smiled in front of me. Seeing his smile, my anxiety hit its peak. He’s not going to smile like this and then strangle me in the car on the way back, is he? Because of his reaction that’s gone way beyond expectations, I don’t know what to do with myself.
“It seems I’ve taken up a lot of your time. Executive Director-nim, please go back now and have a good time. I’ll stay quietly for the remaining time.”
“…Your terrible acting is lasting quite a while. Let’s see how long it goes.”
Cha Taehan chuckled and went inside. Now even Cha Taehan seems to have changed strategies. I shouldn’t be fooled by that gentle attitude. The moment I let my guard down, he’ll mercilessly dig into my weaknesses.
* * *
I’ve been outside for quite a while. I was standing alone leaning on the railing listening to the sound of the sea when fireworks began bursting before my eyes.
‘They do this kind of thing too.’
Watching the colorful fireworks blooming intensely in the night sky, I thought of Cha Jaehyun’s life that burned briefly but intensely and ended. Though he didn’t live a righteous life, he died after doing everything he wanted to do.
In the dream, he said I could return if I did well. Believing only those words, to block out the noise, I’m complying with everything the surrounding characters demand. Is this really right? I wish someone would tell me if I’m doing well right now.
‘What if I had just lived as I pleased?’
If I hadn’t returned from America, what kind of life would I be living now? Meaningless hypotheticals floated around in my head even though there’s no point in considering them now. The weather is nice and being alone makes me feel various emotions for no reason. It seems like it’s time to slowly go inside.
“You’re still here.”
When I turned around, the Chairman and the Executive Director were there.
“Chairman-nim, you came.”
“Yes, now that you’ve come, what do you think?”
I don’t know why I came here today, but seeing him smile and ask me, it seems I haven’t made the Chairman uncomfortable.
“It was good. …Thank you for allowing me to come.”
I wasn’t grateful at all, but in this situation, there’s nothing to do but give thanks.
“As I said before, don’t think about playing around and living off others. Seeing that you came right back from America, you must have gotten bored quickly, no? A man should have a steady attitude.”
“….”
Absolutely not. The words that everything is because of the bad people who blackmail others rose to the tip of my tongue, but naturally I couldn’t say anything.
“I’ve been waiting for you to come to your senses. Watching all along, it seems you’ve pulled yourself together. …Still, in my eyes, you still seem to have no plans.”
“…I’ll try to live a life that can give you more trust.”
No plans? I made such a wonderful plan as soon as I opened my eyes here.
Still, the fact that even the Chairman is nagging me—since nagging only comes out when you have interest in the other person, I didn’t feel too bad.
