After being spaced out for a while, he suddenly remembered Yeonpil and checked. Fortunately, the pothos was in its place looking lush and green. There were even traces of someone having watered it while he was sick. Considering Choi Hwan’s thoughtlessness, it seemed like Moon Gyeonwoo had given it water before leaving.
Sighing, Yeonrok groaned as he got up from his seat. He listlessly entered the bathroom and washed up. Still, perhaps because Moon Gyeonwoo and Choi Hwan had made contact with him throughout his illness, his condition was better than before he’d collapsed. Nevertheless, he went down to the kitchen with a deathly pale face from the stress he’d just gotten. Ms. Park and Kim Jeongseong were having a conversation.
“Yeonrok-nim! How are you feeling?”
“Oh my. Our young master’s face has become half its size, half its size.”
After receiving the two people’s sincere concern, Yeonrok felt a bit better. As he was about to deliciously eat the black-boned chicken ginseng soup that had been deeply simmered with ginseng, Ms. Park said.
“Don’t leave a single bit. That’s all wild ginseng, wild ginseng.”
“…!”
As he ate the ginseng soup that had tons of care and money put into it while sweating profusely, something suddenly occurred to him.
“Secretary hyung, I have something to tell you…”
Yeonrok brought up the story about the unidentified person who had entered his room in the middle of the night and tried to open the bathroom door. Kim Jeongseong even put down his coffee cup and listened to this story very seriously.
“I’ll check the CCTV right away.”
At those words, Yeonrok froze.
“There was CCTV in the house?”
“We’re only filming common areas like the exercise room, hallways, and garden, so you don’t need to worry about privacy.”
But he was worried. Because Yeonrok spent almost all his time outside his room except when sleeping. Just last week alone, he’d done quite a lot of stupid things in the common areas. He’d floated leaf boats in the waterfall, danced in the rooftop garden, and even knitted a hat to put on the landscaping rock in the indoor garden…
“And we’ve also installed emergency bells and intercoms in each bathroom. We’ll soon replace the doors with sturdier ones as well.”
It meant that at least from now on, there wouldn’t be any incident of being trapped in the bathroom waiting indefinitely for rescue. Hearing that, he felt much more relieved.
Two days later, one of the employees he’d often seen around the house suddenly wasn’t visible. Then the next day, two people were suddenly replaced, and Kim Jeongseong reported.
“I apologize for causing you concern, Yeonrok-nim. From now on, absolutely, such an incident will never happen in this house again. Also, CEO Yeom Cheonho said that if there’s anything you want as compensation for the psychological damage, he’ll grant you anything.”
Compensation for psychological damage… Yeonrok had a bitter taste in his mouth. He understood it was Yeom Cheonho’s way of showing sincerity, but calling it compensation made it feel like some kind of wall between him and Yeom Cheonho instead. Shaking his head to mean it was okay, Yeonrok asked Kim Jeongseong.
“Were the employees who were replaced this time the culprits?”
“…Well, you could say that.”
Kim Jeongseong’s answer was vague. He seemed reluctant to give a definite answer about this. Yeonrok asked another curious question.
“What happened to the guy who tried to kidnap me before? Why did he do it?”
“That person also won’t commit such acts again.”
Again, this time too it was a vague evasive answer. Narrowing his eyes, Yeonrok asked directly.
“Is CEO Yeom Cheonho really normal?”
“Pardon? Normal… what do you mean by that?”
“His family affairs seem a bit complicated. There’s definitely some problem, right?”
Now there was no answer from Kim Jeongseong at all! He cleared his throat with a flustered look, averted his gaze, then reluctantly answered slowly.
“I’ll inform you thoroughly at an appropriate time.”
He’d thought it was an unusual family situation. As expected, he couldn’t defeat all those siblings! Only then could Yeonrok understand why this house was built like a fortress. It was really because they were preparing for invasions or attacks from the outside. Following behind Kim Jeongseong who got up and ran away, Yeonrok pursued.
“He’s not really a gangster, is he?”
“That’s absolutely not the case. The CEO is operating a flawless and clean company, and regularly does volunteer work and donations…”
In Yeonrok’s experience, when the end of a sentence got this long, it meant there was definitely something guilty. He really is a gangster. It seemed about right. Since two of the Name Partners had character flaws, Yeom Cheonho also needed to be at least a gangster level for there to be a sense of unity in ‘flaws’ among them.
‘Wait? Then doesn’t that mean I also have a flaw…?’
While Yeonrok was briefly confused, Kim Jeongseong’s eyes flashed as he changed the subject.
“And it’s dangerous, so from now on please don’t slide down the railing.”
“…Yes.”
Feeling very embarrassed, Yeonrok answered obediently. And perhaps afraid of receiving more difficult questions, Kim Jeongseong swiftly left.
* * *
Yeonrok thought deeply. If he’s not a gangster, he must be a corrupt chaebol who employs gangsters. I’ve seen that kind of thing in movies… Brothers fighting to take the fortune and even murder disguised as accidents. In his head, several noir films were already screening. Feeling the gaze staring intently at him while lost in thought, the other person smiled and spoke.
“Yeonrok-ssi? Do you have something to say to me?”
“…It’s nothing.”
Yeonrok quickly lowered his gaze and answered. Today was the day they all had dinner together once a week. It was also the first time seeing his face in several days since Yeom Cheonho, who’d supposedly gone on a business trip to America, hadn’t had time even after returning.
‘Did he really go on a business trip to America?’
Yeonrok still didn’t know whether Yeom Cheonho appearing before him while he was suffering from fever and kissing him last time was a dream or reality. At the memory of that time, heat suddenly rose to his cheeks, so Yeonrok hurriedly pretended to concentrate on the food in front of him.
Actually, saying it was pretending, even without pretending, the dinner feast Ms. Park had prepared was amazingly delicious. When he came to his senses, he’d already emptied one bowl of rice. Smacking his lips with regret, Ms. Park quickly approached and placed another bowl of fluffy white rice heaped high before leaving. Yeonrok brightened up.
“Haah…”
In contrast, Choi Hwan sighed and picked at his food. Perhaps managing his weight again, only a meal consisting of salad and unseasoned chicken breast was placed in front of him.
“Hwan. Do you want to eat more of mine?”
“No, even vegetables make you gain weight if you eat too much…”
On Moon Gyeonwoo’s plate as he affectionately comforted his partner, the exact same menu was also placed. Unlike Choi Hwan, he didn’t need to diet, but he’d chosen this meal saying he’d share the suffering. Others might be truly touched and impressed by such devotion. However, Yeonrok, who’d been screwed over several times by that devotion Moon Gyeonwoo only showed to Choi Hwan, just narrowed his eyes fiercely and glared.
Suddenly, buzz, a vibration rang from Yeonrok’s pocket. When he checked his phone, it was a photo of Yeondoo that Moon Gyeonwoo had sent. When did he send this? Is it a scheduled message?
Whether to let him know that his precious puppy doll was doing well or not to forget the blackmail, Moon Gyeonwoo was sending one different photo every day. Yesterday it had a small cone hat on its head, but today there was a tangerine placed where the cone hat had been.
Bad bastard! Grinding his teeth, Yeonrok glared at Moon Gyeonwoo. Moon Gyeonwoo didn’t even acknowledge it.
Unlike previous meal times, this time only the sound of silverware clinking echoed in the dining room. Yeonrok was also silent because he was annoyed, Choi Hwan was sulking because of his diet, and Yeom Cheonho was also particularly taciturn today. Around when the meal was almost finished, Yeom Cheonho finally opened his mouth.
“Today I have something to say to Hwan-ssi.”
“Me?”
Choi Hwan, who’d been reluctantly chewing celery with a deathly pale face, widened his eyes. When the smile disappeared from Yeom Cheonho’s face, he looked surprisingly intimidating. Even though Yeom Cheonho just leaned back in his chair and silently stared at Choi Hwan, it was enough for the people around to fully feel the pressure. He opened his mouth again.
“Hwan-ssi, do you know how easily Hwamyeongja of wealthy people like me are exposed to crime?”
Choi Hwan, who realized what the other person was trying to say, put down his celery with a deflated expression. Perhaps because his lover’s spirit was being crushed, Moon Gyeonwoo opened his mouth with a face full of dissatisfaction.
“Um, Hwan is…”
“Gyeonwoo-ssi, please be quiet.”
Moon Gyeonwoo was about to flare up but first shut his mouth tight at the cold and stern atmosphere Yeom Cheonho was giving off.
“I always feel sorry for restricting the freedom of three people unintentionally because of me. But since this is the reality, it can’t be helped, and that’s why I’ve assigned bodyguards. But to do such an irresponsible thing, I’m very disappointed. You heard that Yeonrok-ssi almost got kidnapped that night, right?”
