“It seems he already sent him abroad. Should I look into it more?”
A week ago, there was a quarrel with other customers who visited at the same time in a room Han Cheolwon had visited for entertainment. Han Cheolwon, who wasn’t in his right mind with too much alcohol, used violence first, and as both lost their reason and fists flew at each other, the other person fell and hit his nose on the table corner. Seeing the face covered in blood, Han Cheolwon finally panicked and tried to settle it with money through an employee, but the other party refused. Unluckily, he was the son of a chief judge.
If Han Cheolwon had only been in his right mind while entertaining, it wouldn’t have happened that way, but since the other party was the same kind of person, he tried to escalate the violence incident. The victim, who belatedly learned Han Cheolwon’s identity, caused a disturbance saying he’d spread it as an article, so it almost got spread right away. Fortunately, cleanup was possible because the judge’s son was apparently quite dissolute and there were circumstances of him doing drugs in the room.
However, Dowon had a headache because he had to make an effort to package it as if he deeply felt his brother’s wrongdoing and would somehow make sacrifices.
“No, that’s fine. I don’t think we need to know that far.”
A few months ago, the corruption Han Cheolwon committed came into Dowon’s hands. It was close to coincidence. Han Cheolwon’s attempts to use the J Ent. he was in charge of for entertainment or favors had been steady. He could coax and stop him as if it was nothing, but it was difficult to grasp everything when he deliberately poached people.
At first, he’d only thought a few people were leaving the company with complaints, but suspicious points were caught. With that small clue, he had to not even move for almost two weeks and dig through all the records in the company and even behind the affiliates.
He already knew Han Cheolwon had a severely bad head compared to the power he possessed, but he didn’t know he was also this excellent at causing things he couldn’t even control himself. Political-business collusion wasn’t a matter of a day or two, so he didn’t want to act like a purist with that. Though called Jaeyoung Group, a giant media company, the starting point of not playing the role of media was also work created by his own father, Chairman Han Giseong.
However, watching the sight of trying to punch holes in the company he was attached to made his insides twist. The time he’d been holding his breath in deference to the eldest son’s airs, trusting in the power he had, now belatedly seemed precious to the point of waste.
“When did the Chairman say to come? Morning, as expected?”
“Yes. He said to come in time for breakfast.”
“I don’t want to see Director Han’s eyes flipping from the morning.”
Though dissatisfied words came from Dowon’s mouth as he furrowed his brow and shook his head, the lips with a satisfied smile hanging on them were telling a different story.
Chairman Han’s invitation, calling in his children who lived separately after establishing separate households as soon as they became adults, timed for breakfast whenever there was something to discuss, was a kind of tug-of-war. The center that could control and manipulate the group and family was himself, so it was natural that when he called, the children should go. It was a seat for warning that if they didn’t bow properly, he could take away even what they had, and also a privilege-like time only bestowed on the person who would inherit the group. Important problems were both resolved and decided because of the words that came out while sharing breakfast together. It was hidden discrimination. Naturally, Dowon had never been invited to breakfast except on anniversaries since establishing a separate household.
“I’ll go to pick you up on time.”
“Okay. Just in case, be careful not to run into Director Han.”
If he discovered Dowon had been called to breakfast with Chairman Han, who he thought would only ever be his, it wouldn’t be strange if Han Cheolwon threw a fit at those around him. Anyway, if he at least thought it was his position, it might be fortunate for Chairman Han who was trying to fix and use Han Cheolwon somehow.
“Oh, and leave Lee Muyoung-ssi’s articles as they are. Let’s watch the trend.”
“…The articles seem to have stopped, but do you need something else?”
“I received a report that the public opinion collection system that Director Han had abandoned as ineffective during the presidential election has been completed with modifications—should we proceed right away? Let’s think of it as running a beta test this time to see how useful it’s become.”
“I’ll apply it.”
Nodding and focusing on the tasks to be done soon, Dowon’s expression was considerably better than before.
Even struggling from a position of being unilaterally used, there weren’t many things he could do. The discrimination he’d already suffered enough to be sick of since childhood constantly put brakes on Dowon’s movements. Starting from not being able to attend the same school as Han Cheolwon at all, it was even impossible to advance toward business school. Of course, the fact that he’d chosen a different major was fortunate now, but the wounds received then hadn’t disappeared.
Though he belatedly learned where this strange family atmosphere originated from, he didn’t have that much desire to overturn the situation. He’d rather just wanted to become comfortable by distancing himself from attention and doing what he wanted to do while enduring as is.
In the midst of that, thanks to a clue he’d discovered by chance, he’d created a private meeting with Chairman Han. After that, he could occupy not only J Ent. but also one small internet newspaper that had been underwater together.
The place set up as an internet newspaper was only a media company on the surface—it was a kind of private community operation company that not only collected and distributed public opinion through channels other than media but also controlled the flow. In times like now when the distinction between public opinion and media had become quite blurred, it was one of the groups that couldn’t be absent, but it was also a place Han Cheolwon had failed while trying to utilize.
Though it seemed he’d handed it over with the feeling of throwing away trash, Dowon understood there was also the purpose of cleaning up the eldest son and his own dirty laundry. Even if Han Cheolwon didn’t know, Chairman Han wasn’t someone who would smoothly hand over something intact.
But rather, it was better to be regarded that way. If he was thoroughly treated as a janitor, it wasn’t difficult to act that role. Dowon’s thought was that he at least wanted to choose whether to make them imagine being bitten by an obedient dog, or bite before they could even imagine it.
“Are you moving separately by any chance?”
“No, I should leave him alone for a while.”
Thanks to that, he’d been able to meet someone named Lee Muyoung, so not everything had been bad. He was also someone he’d have to do quite a lot of things with from now on. Though he’d never asked what thoughts Muyoung had right now, Dowon’s thoughts were that.
“…He’ll probably be very anxious.”
“That’s right.”
“Pardon?”
“I’m saying I’m leaving him alone because of that. Shouldn’t he think about where would be the least anxious place?”
At Dowon’s firm words, Min Jeongryul couldn’t continue speaking for a moment. It was because it seemed like a completely different action from the attitude he’d shown toward Lee Muyoung, rather than being flustered. Though they were proceeding with many tasks together, Min Jeongryul, who thought the extremely emotional parts weren’t for him to be involved in, obediently agreed and bowed his head at such words from Dowon.
“First, just check in advance when the media response policy comes down from headquarters. Don’t sanction it. It might suddenly change tomorrow morning.”
“Yes. Actually, a request for confirmation of the full article text just came up because of the rebuttal article.”
“…Wait, a phone call.”
When Dowon asked for understanding while showing the vibrating phone screen, Min Jeongryul, who had been about to present materials, organized them again and pulled back slightly. It was a call from Muyoung.
“Where are you? Are you okay?”
Min Jeongryul, who had been about to leave the seat to not disturb the conversation, stopped walking because of Dowon gesturing for the documents while looking at him. Dowon stuck the phone he was holding between his face and shoulder. While listening to Muyoung’s words while quickly flipping through the placed materials, Dowon spoke again in an affectionate tone.
“There was a bit of a problem at the company, so I’m also frantic. I should be with you, but I don’t think I can leave right away, what should I do?”
Dowon also guessed how the situation Muyoung experienced had flowed. Though he’d received reports through Min Jeongryul, even without reports, it was obvious. Since reporters who loved tearing into hot topics were sprawled at that place, it must have been quite rough. Compared to having been in the entertainment industry for quite a long time, Muyoung still had soft aspects when dealing with people. Seeing that he didn’t know even though pests were clinging to him one after another, from the person he met because of the drama to the person entangled in his past, he could tell.
So it was drawn before his eyes how flustered Muyoung would have been when he became the target. He could know the reason without having to hear it—that several calls after the article broke weren’t connected because the power was off, and that contact didn’t come right away to the text he’d left.
As soon as he checked the spread articles, Dowon deliberately called CEO Choi of Hoon Entertainment, where Muyoung belonged. Since he’d said he’d already told them about being a trait-bearer, it was right to contact the company and clean it up. Though CEO Choi also seemed confused, that wasn’t Dowon’s problem to worry about.
Fortunately, Dowon’s voice continuing excuses toward Muyoung seemed quite sincere. Since not being able to meet was quite regrettable, there would be sincerity in those words.
“I only saw your appearance today through the article photo, but I didn’t know I’d regret not seeing it with my own eyes this much.”
Since Muyoung’s appearance confirmed only through photos looked even younger than usual, he was curious what it would be like to see in person. When he’d checked the articles, he’d briefly thought it was regrettable today. Though he quickly gave up thinking there would be a time later when he could see similar attire.
Dowon’s words to Min Jeongryul that contact to Muyoung would be scarce for a while weren’t empty words. By tomorrow morning, he would know Chairman Han’s conclusion. He also wanted to check as much as possible what could be done before that, but he hoped Muyoung himself would become a bit more solid, at least to the extent Dowon was thinking.
It wasn’t that he disliked the soft and good nature, but if asked whether it was never frustrating, it was an ambiguous level. He wasn’t completely soft, but he also wasn’t the kind of person with such strong self-assertion that he’d break. If Muyoung became weak enough to completely depend on Dowon at this opportunity, that wouldn’t be bad in its own way either.
“No, I’m saying I miss you.”
