Yeonrok took out a cigarette and lit it. The security guards also fumbled to take out their cigarettes and started smoking. Three streams of white smoke drifted in the air. Perhaps because it was quite cold today, the three people unconsciously huddled together.
“But I’ve been curious about something for a while.”
“Ask anything.”
Thanks to Yeonrok being so friendly, Park Chungseong and Jeong Boeun’s attitudes were quite amiable.
“Is Korea’s public safety so bad that you need to attach a security team like this?”
Though they’d become friendly, separately from that, having people who were half security, half surveillance, or people who attended to him follow him around 24 hours was quite burdensome. The biggest reason Yeonrok couldn’t even do part-time work was precisely these two people. No, in fact, even going to the convenience store once was burdensome. The two were so large in build and fierce-looking in face that they attracted attention everywhere.
“Hmm…….”
Park Chungseong groaned and rubbed his chin. He exchanged glances with Jeong Boeun, having a silent conversation, then opened his mouth.
“If you were an ordinary person, there’d be no need to go this far. But aren’t you Yeom Cheonho-nim’s Hwamyeongja?”
Hwamyeongja was the old word meaning Name Partner. When Yeonrok still had an unconvinced expression, Jeong Boeun added.
“Yeom Cheonho-nim originally had as many as twelve siblings.”
“Twelve?”
Yeonrok doubted his ears. While it was common for middle-aged and older people to have many siblings, for people in their 20s and 30s, even having two was considered a lot. But twelve? The story that followed was even more surprising.
“And currently, only exactly three are surviving.”
“……What?”
“That’s how many terrible incidents there were in the past. So just in case, this is why a security team was attached.”
Thinking this would be a sufficient answer to give Lee Yeonrok a sense of alertness, Park Chungseong and Jeong Boeun stopped talking again and just puffed on their cigarettes. Yeonrok, who dry-coughed, chewed over the story he’d just heard with his mouth slightly open. Though he knew it was winter, the air felt only colder than before. Scratching his lower back for no reason, Yeonrok cautiously asked.
“By any chance, organized crime…….”
“Absolutely not.”
“Really?”
“Of course.”
At Yeonrok’s gaze full of suspicion, Park Chungseong and Jeong Boeun explained. They went on at length saying they were just physical education graduates who exercised hard, and that Hwamyeongja security selected people with large builds among security guards. Earlier they’d scared him saying only three survived, but now they earnestly soothed him.
“It’s all a thing of the past. Now Yeom Cheonho-nim has almost completely pacified everything. Most likely nothing will happen. The remaining three people are overseas and have no reason to return to Korea.”
No, really! Saying he pacified it makes it sound even more like organized crime! Like there was even fratricide among siblings! And in this modern society! Seeing Yeonrok’s expression, a flustered Park Chungseong added.
“Don’t misunderstand. Yeom Cheonho-nim never killed anyone. Everyone just had somewhat bad luck. Rather, three survived thanks to Yeom Cheonho-nim’s mercy.”
The expression of bad luck was a story that suited Yeonrok’s life, not appropriate for an incident where nine siblings had died. Even saying three survived thanks to his mercy?
“Actually it was all a joke! Hahaha!”
Jeong Boeun laughed heartily, but it was already too late. The atmosphere had become uncontrollably gloomy. Was it really a joke? Somehow it seemed like they’d changed their story after saying the truth didn’t sound right. When Yeonrok dropped his cigarette on the ground with suspicion, the two flinched. Taking a deep breath, Yeonrok opened his mouth.
“Then should I at least learn self-defense?”
When Yeonrok changed the topic, the two security guards’ complexions, which had been gloomy from their slip of tongue, brightened completely. Though it seemed like an issue he would normally have pondered, they readily agreed saying it was a very good idea. After finishing the self-defense class application like that, Yeonrok, who returned, searched about organized crime companies all night long.
* * *
“It doesn’t seem like an organized crime company.”
Yeonrok muttered while scrolling through the results of his search about HM Capital over the past few days. What he could find out was that it was a company with a longer history than expected, and like ordinary Korean companies, it was engaged in octopus-leg management. He couldn’t find any articles related to organized crime and only figured out that there were many job seekers who wanted to join.
“Are all major corporations originally like that……?”
Siblings numbering over ten killing each other? Or did the security guards really make an unfunny joke? Though it was suspicious and uncomfortable, since there was nowhere to ask, Yeonrok buried it in his heart for now. Above all, there was a bigger problem.
‘If those two are dating, who do I make contact with now?’
Yeonrok was already engulfed in worry. Moon Gyeonwoo who had a separate lover and disliked him greatly? Or Choi Hwan who ignored him as shabby trash? Even though he had Name Partners! Even though he had as many as three, the situation of worrying about how to make contact was truly pitiful. The only one who treated him well, Yeom Cheonho, was dating Choi Hwan. Moreover, Yeom Cheonho didn’t even come home often…….
Surely they wouldn’t neglect him saying not to even hold hands since he has an owner when a person is dying, right?
Setting aside his worries for now, Yeonrok spent each day. His daily routine was similar every day. First, after eating a delicious breakfast, he received self-defense lessons from the security guards. After receiving praise that his body was agile and he had good athletic nerves, he ate a delicious lunch again. After that, taking a nap in the living room was Yeonrok’s afternoon routine.
Today too, whether it was a blood sugar spike or because his condition was poor, sleep was pouring over him, so it was when he was sleeping curled up with his legs folded up on the cozy egg-shaped hanging rattan chair. Yeonrok half-woke from sleep at the presence of someone.
“……What brings you home this early today?”
“Even though I have a lover, haven’t I barely seen your face for a week? So I made time.”
Hearing the two’s conversation drowsily, Yeonrok thought. What, it’s the idiot and the President. He even makes time deliberately for his lover. While thinking that, the two seemed to settle in the living room. It seemed they didn’t know at all that Yeonrok was here. Yeonrok, who yawned, tossed and turned to go back to sleep. But at the continuing conversation sound, sleep wouldn’t come at all.
“I’ve filmed many works, but I didn’t know there’d really be someone like hyung in reality. Like you came out of a novel?”
Yeonrok unconsciously nodded. Though rare, Choi Hwan and Moon Gyeonwoo were people who could exist in reality, but Yeom Cheonho was rich and even handsome, so he truly lacked a sense of reality. Moreover, Yeonrok learned while searching about various companies this time that CEOs as young as Yeom Cheonho were really rare.
“Haha, is that so? I’m in a good mood hearing praise.”
“Handsome chaebol second-generation heirs like hyung aren’t that common, right?”
“There are quite a few more than expected. And if we’re being precise, I’m closer to a chaebol third generation.”
While listening to the friendly conversation, Yeonrok was about to reveal that he was here…….
“So, what did hyung like so much about me that you asked to date?”
Yeonrok retracted the leg he’d been stretching toward the floor. What? It wasn’t even Choi Hwan who asked to date first? He just lifted his head and looked at the two through the sparsely woven rattan holes. Choi Hwan was leaning his body toward Yeom Cheonho with a face full of interest. With two handsome faces together, they matched quite well.
“Shall I let you guess?”
As if he’d just returned from outside, Yeom Cheonho smiled politely and took off his coat.
“Hmm, is it my face after all? I am quite handsome, aren’t I?”
Though Choi Hwan is an idiot, he is handsome. It was when Yeonrok, who nodded and quickly lost interest, was about to get down from the chair again.
“Hwan-ssi probably won’t remember……. We’ve met before in the past.”
Huh? At the interesting past history, Yeonrok pressed his body close to the rattan chair again. When the chair swayed faintly left and right at that movement, Yeonrok unconsciously tensed up and swallowed his dry saliva. Fortunately, still not having noticed Yeonrok, Choi Hwan made a bewildered sound.
“We’ve met before in the past?”
Choi Hwan frowned his well-groomed eyebrows. He quietly looked at Yeom Cheonho once more, then shook his head.
“There’s no way I wouldn’t remember someone like hyung.”
Yeonrok also agreed with Choi Hwan’s words. Even if it was several years ago, Yeom Cheonho would still have had a strong presence like now. Yeom Cheonho said in a gentle voice.
“At that time, looking at Hwan-ssi, I thought. Ah, perhaps in the future I might become responsible for this person. This too must be a kind of fate.”
Hwamyeongja (화명자) – [Same as Name Partner, old term]
I’ll be taking Yeonrok, we look like the third party here so yeah let’s leave them