Chapter 51: An Unexpected Victim
Lee Seojin went to pick up Kang Sunhyuk early in the morning. Usually, they would commute to work with a chauffeur, but today they weren’t heading to headquarters because Sunhyuk had other business to attend to.
“Good morning.”
Standing at the front door, he greeted Kang Sunhyuk, who hadn’t finished getting ready. Sunhyuk merely waved his hand dismissively and went to his room to change clothes. In his place, his mother came out to welcome Lee Seojin.
“Come in and wait.”
Kang Sunhyuk’s mother, Kim Yumin, placed a drink made of blended fruits and vegetables in front of Lee Seojin.
“Have a drink before you go. It’s good for your health.”
She smiled as she offered it. If one forgot that she was Chairman Kang Mansik’s first woman, she was just an ordinary mother, the kind you might find anywhere.
“How was that person yesterday? He could have stayed here longer, but Sunhyuk probably sent him away because he found me bothersome, right? I’m sorry you have extra work because of this.”
She had shown a liking for Yeon despite having spent only one day together. Seojin gave a bitter smile, thinking how Yeon seemed to charm people wherever he went.
“It’s no problem for me.”
“If you ever need my help, just let me know. Though I probably can’t do much…”
Compared to Cha Seonyoo or Lee Miseon, Kim Yumin was a woman with rock-bottom confidence. Perhaps crushed under Kang Mansik’s presence, she was always mindful of others and believed she couldn’t do anything herself. Perhaps that’s why Kang Sunhyuk never acted harshly toward his mother. He was so gentle and affectionate with her that it was impossible to imagine how he behaved with others outside.
Having Yeon stay at Lee Seojin’s place followed the same logic. He was most concerned that his mother might be affected if Yeon stayed with her.
Lee Seojin fiddled with the phone in his jacket pocket. It was the phone that Kang Dohyuk had asked him to give to Yeon yesterday. He couldn’t keep it at his house any longer. If he did, Director Choi would definitely call, finding it suspicious. Since he’d said Yeon was staying at Kang Sunhyuk’s house, he’d brought it along, but was hesitant about what to do next.
What if Kang Dohyuk came looking for Yeon today after he left the phone here? If it was discovered that Yeon wasn’t here, he wouldn’t let it slide…
As he bit his lower lip, Kim Yumin asked with a worried face what was wrong. He quickly shook his head and, avoiding her eyes, took the phone from his pocket and slipped it into the gap between the sofa cushions.
Even if Dohyuk stormed in today and confirmed Yeon wasn’t here, he could insist that Kang Sunhyuk had hidden him away. Given the trust they’d built, Dohyuk would believe his word over Sunhyuk’s. He just needed to report that he’d delivered the phone to Yeon.
He met Kim Yumin’s eyes as she continued to look at him with concern. Seeing her kind eyes made his conscience prick, but he forced himself to shake his head. Even if Dohyuk came and discovered Yeon wasn’t here, he wouldn’t harm Kim Yumin. Though cold and calculating, he didn’t directly harm innocent people.
Still… maybe… Lee Seojin wasn’t completely ignorant of Dohyuk’s methods. While he didn’t lay hands on people directly, he would use them as leverage for threats if needed. That’s why he couldn’t completely erase his uneasiness.
But regardless, Kim Yumin was Chairman Kang Mansik’s woman. Surely he wouldn’t do anything to her.
While he was busy justifying himself, Kang Sunhyuk finished getting ready and came out.
“What about the shaman? Did you leave him alone?”
“I did consider posting someone to watch him, but he has no phone, cash, or cards. Even if he tried to leave on his own, he couldn’t go far. Besides, he said he wouldn’t go anywhere until he met with the Executive Director and finished his business.”
Lee Seojin had indeed worried whether it was okay to leave Yeon alone. But he showed no signs of trying to do anything, neither last night nor this morning. Looking at that expressionless face was enough to make one feel like they were losing their mind. Muryeong had said that since he’d received the commission fee, he wouldn’t go anywhere until the job was done, so there was nothing to worry about—as if he could see right through Lee Seojin.
“Still, just in case, post someone or put a tracker on him.”
“…Yes.”
He agreed, but had no intention of assigning someone or using a tracker. Not because he trusted Yeon, but because it would interfere with what he wanted to do.
***
“The location has moved.”
Director Choi reported to Dohyuk.
“It seems Lee Seojin delivered it properly.”
Dohyuk’s eyes narrowed as he checked the map showing the phone’s location. As Lee Seojin had said, it was at Kang Sunhyuk’s house.
“Where is Kang Sunhyuk now?”
“He went to check on a ship arriving at Incheon Harbor at 10 AM. It seems like he’s handling it personally because it’s a special instruction from the Chairman.”
Checking his watch as he listened to Director Choi’s report, Dohyuk noted it was 10:30. It was more than enough time for Kang Sunhyuk to have reached Incheon Harbor. Yet Yeon’s phone was still at his house. Yeon wasn’t seen at the company yesterday either. Unlike his own habit, Sunhyuk apparently didn’t keep Yeon with him all the time.
That made sense. When Yeon had come to him, there was a clear request to sever their ill-fated connection, but Kang Sunhyuk would have had no such request. He merely coveted what had been by Dohyuk’s side. His goal was to take from Dohyuk, so there was no reason to bring Yeon to the company where he might be seen.
He was about to tell Director Choi to call Yeon but changed his mind and took out his own phone to dial Yeon’s number. The connection tone rang for a while, but there was no answer. He hung up and tried again, with the same result. When an automated voice finally announced that the call couldn’t be connected, Dohyuk’s eyebrows furrowed.
“He may be in a situation where he can’t answer the phone.”
Director Choi seemed to guess the situation and offered an excuse on Yeon’s behalf. Yes, that could be the case. If Kang Sunhyuk had someone watching him, it made sense that he couldn’t answer.
“Have the car ready.”
Now was the opportunity to find Yeon. Whether there was someone watching or the house was locked wouldn’t be a problem. After all, Kang Sunhyuk was the one who had stolen something that belonged to someone else first.
***
Kim Yumin, sitting in the living room and flipping through TV channels to alleviate her boredom, heard a continuous buzzing sound from somewhere. Thinking it might be her phone, she checked, but there were no calls or messages.
Did I mishear? She tilted her head, but the vibration sound that had stopped started again. Turning off the TV to concentrate, she realized the vibration seemed to be coming from the sofa.
Could Sunhyuk have left his phone behind?
After examining every corner of the sofa, she found a phone wedged between the seat cushions. Strange how it could slip in like that. Curious, she picked it up to check. It wasn’t Kang Sunhyuk’s.
Did Secretary Lee drop it? She remembered him sitting on the sofa while waiting for Kang Sunhyuk that morning. If he’d left his phone behind, he’d be inconvenienced all day. Worried, she put down the phone she was holding and picked up her own to call Kang Sunhyuk. She was about to press the 1 key, where his number was saved.
Ding-dong. The intercom rang.
Who could it be? No one should be visiting at this hour…
She got up and checked the intercom. The moment she saw the visitor’s face, Kim Yumin’s expression stiffened slightly.
Why is this person here…? She was puzzled, but her hand had already pressed the open button.
***
“We’ve arrived.”
Director Choi turned around and announced. Dohyuk, who had his eyes closed until then, raised his head to look outside. They were in front of the house where Kang Sunhyuk lived with his mother. More precisely, it was also Chairman Kang Mansik’s residence until about a decade ago.
Though Kang Mansik seemed to disregard Kim Yumin the most, he spent a lot of time here. Perhaps being with Kim Yumin was more comfortable than with Cha Seonyoo, who would shoot cold glares at Kang Dohyuk whenever they met, or Lee Miseon, who didn’t care whether he came or not.
But recently, he had stopped coming here too. After moving to a separate house he’d built in Samcheong-dong, he cut off contact with not only Kim Yumin but also Cha Seonyoo and Lee Miseon. Except for Kim Yumin, none of them were bound by affection, so no one cared. Only Kim Yumin occasionally came to the company trying to meet Kang Mansik.
Not once had Kang Mansik allowed her into the chairman’s office.
Though indifferent to his parents’ generation’s circumstances, Dohyuk kept track of all their movements. That’s why he knew how different his mother, Kim Yumin, and Lee Miseon were in their temperaments.
If Yeon was with Kim Yumin, he probably wouldn’t have been harmed. If it had been Lee Miseon, that would have been concerning. He would have been on edge about Yeon getting caught up in her libertine, even dissolute lifestyle.
If there’s anything fortunate, it’s this. Regardless of Kang Sunhyuk’s hostility toward him, Kim Yumin was easy to deal with.
Getting out of the car, Director Choi approached the gate first.
“What should we do?”
He was asking whether to ring the intercom or just barge in. Dohyuk glanced around, his eyes settling on the CCTV mounted above the gate. Strangely, it was turned off. Why have a non-functioning CCTV? Thinking this was typical of Kang Sunhyuk, he was about to dismiss it when he paused.
The gate was slightly ajar. He had an ominous feeling. At Dohyuk’s signal, Director Choi followed his gaze and noticed the open gate, making a “hmm” sound.
Pushing aside Director Choi, who was looking to him for guidance, Dohyuk pushed the gate open and entered. Throughout the climb up the stairs, crossing the yard, and reaching the front door, Dohyuk’s face remained rigid.
There was no need to knock on the front door. It was already wide open. Dohyuk frowned as he stepped inside. Director Choi, who followed, swallowed a gasp.
The house was filled with the pungent smell of blood. One step further inside, they saw Kim Yumin lying in the middle of the living room. The pool of blood beneath her was slowly spreading toward the entrance, toward Dohyuk’s feet.
