Chapter 19
Hahyun stammered like someone who’d revealed a secret that should have been kept hidden.
“Th-that… I, I know. I know you won’t run away… But that’s not what’s important, it’s just that outside is too dangerous for hyung right now? Actually, we’re not imprisoning you… Ah, fuck… How should I say this! Maybe I should just tell the reason…”
“Seo Hahyun, stop. Let’s not cross the line.”
Hajin stopped Hahyun’s words as soon as he came out of the room. I felt a pang of regret that if I’d listened a little longer, I might have learned the real reason.
Until recently, I’d resolved not to open Pandora’s box, which could threaten my life. But living in confinement was much harder than I’d imagined. So now, I just wanted to know the reason.
Hajin, who’d approached me without my noticing, gently placed his hand on my shoulder.
“Juwon, are you feeling very stifled?”
I nodded while staring outside. Hajin embraced me from behind, enveloping my body.
“Let’s endure it a little longer. Our Juwon has been so good lately that I’m devising a plan.”
Hahyun, apparently hearing this for the first time, asked in surprise:
“W-what is it!”
“I’ll tell you when it’s more certain.”
“Always thinking he’s so great.”
Hahyun, feeling slighted about being left out, clung to my arm.
Despite having the brothers hanging on both sides of me, I didn’t even have the will to push them away. Hajin said he was looking for a solution, but well… Even if he came up with some method, would my lethargy be resolved if I didn’t leave this place? I was becoming an increasingly pessimistic person.
“Hyung, I think Juwon hyung is getting bored. Isn’t it because we’re not doing anything?”
“That could be it. Should we make things more fun starting today?”
“That would be good.”
I was more annoyed with Hajin, who knew why I was depressed but still went along with Hahyun, than with Hahyun who judged things as he pleased due to his lack of understanding of human psychology.
I glared at Hajin for no reason. Hajin winked and really got under my skin.
“How shall we make it fun?”
Ignoring Hajin’s sleazy question, I spoke to Hahyun:
“Hahyun-ssi, that’s not it. Life inside here is perfectly satisf…”
The doorbell rang loudly while I was speaking. Startled by the sudden noise, the three of us looked at each other with surprised expressions.
Who could it be at this time?
“At this time… Hahyun, did you order any packages?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“I didn’t either…”
Now that I think about it, the brothers’ reactions were a bit strange. Being imprisoned here, I’d naturally be sensitive to anything out of the ordinary, but the brothers’ reactions seemed excessive just for someone visiting the house.
What’s going on? What are they hiding…
“Hyung, quickly take Juwon hyung to the room. I’ll check it out.”
At Hahyun’s words, Hajin jumped up and carried me in his arms. They were probably sensitive to other people’s visits because they feared someone might recognize Yoon Juwon, a famous model.
I was curious, but since I was already in the room, I couldn’t know what was happening outside. I decided to try to deduce the situation by observing Hajin’s behavior.
Hajin put me down on the bed and sat in a corner of the room with his knees up, burying his face in his palms. He periodically trembled and let out successive sighs.
Feeling this was an opportunity to find something out, I gently probed Hajin.
“Hajin-ssi, what’s going on? You should tell me too…”
“…”
Despite my question, Hajin gave no answer.
“Hahyun-ssi is acting strange, and you are too, so I’m very anxious.”
Did my mention of anxiety trigger Hajin? He grabbed my nape tightly and growled.
“Yoon Juwon, shut up.”
“…”
Hajin’s face was deathly pale as if he might collapse at any moment, and his blue eyes were as cold as ice. He seemed like a completely different person from the one who’d playfully smiled at me just moments ago, saying he was devising a plan.
Feeling that provoking Hajin further would be like digging my own grave, I kept my mouth shut and just stared at the door, waiting for Hahyun to come back after resolving the matter. With Hajin acting like this, I too was beginning to feel anxious.
***
At that moment, Hahyun was exchanging greetings with Secretary Kim. Secretary Kim had been Chairman Seo Donghyun’s right-hand man since the brothers were young. Although it wasn’t the first time he’d suddenly visited, Hahyun couldn’t feel at ease.
“Hello. It’s been a while, sir.”
“Is the CEO not at home? I have something urgent to report, but I couldn’t reach him.”
“…Huh? That can’t be right. He left for the company this morning, but you couldn’t reach him?”
Secretary Kim stretched his neck as if trying to peer inside the house. Hahyun moved his body back and forth to prevent him from examining the interior too closely.
“That’s strange. He went to the company but left his car behind?”
Hahyun’s heart sank. In his haste to send Secretary Kim away, he’d forgotten that Hajin’s car was prominently parked in the garage next to the house.
“Huh? Is it here? I was sure he left this morning… Wait here for a moment. I’ll check hyung’s room and come back.”
As Hahyun tried to close the door, Secretary Kim stepped inside.
“If you don’t mind, could I wait inside for a moment? I used to come here often when the Chairman was alive, so it feels a bit hurtful to be treated like an unwelcome guest.”
“The house is untidy. Please wait outside for just a moment.”
Faced with Hahyun’s firm attitude, Secretary Kim couldn’t say more and went back outside.
Could they have been discovered? No, that couldn’t be.
If Secretary Kim had known the truth, he would have taken different measures instead of visiting like this, so they probably hadn’t been discovered.
Hahyun ran toward Juwon’s room. As soon as he opened the door, both of them looked at him.
“What’s going on?”
“Ha… hyung, why didn’t you answer Secretary Kim’s calls? He came all the way here because it’s urgent.”
“Why didn’t you just tell him I’m not here and send him away?”
“…You know how persistent Secretary Kim is. He already checked the garage, so how could I insist you’re not here?”
“Fuck.”
Hajin, who’d cursed, went outside. Juwon, having understood the situation, approached Hahyun. Misinterpreting this action as an attempt to leave, Hahyun blocked Juwon.
“Stay put quietly instead of going out, or I’ll have to tie you up again. Hyung seems like he’s about to go crazy even without this.”
Juwon stopped walking and raised both hands to calm Hahyun.
“I wasn’t trying to leave, I was just going to Hahyun-ssi…”
“Ah, fuck. Just shut up and stay still. We can’t let them hear your voice from outside.”
“…Alright.”
Though he didn’t know what was happening, Juwon sat quietly and stared into the distance, thinking that making a fuss might lead to serious trouble. Shortly after, Hahyun approached Juwon and hugged him tightly, muttering:
“I knew this would happen. I said we should liquidate the business and run away to hide somewhere… But he said that would make us more suspicious… Nothing good ever comes from listening to Seo Hajin.”
***
At that time, Hajin was dealing with Secretary Kim more skillfully than Hahyun. He naturally invited Secretary Kim, who was looking at him with suspicious eyes, into the house and even served him tea.
“I was just about to leave for work. I didn’t know my phone was ringing because I was in the shower.”
Secretary Kim took a sip of tea and placed the cup on the table. His leisurely attitude contrasted with Hajin’s desire for him to leave quickly.
“CEO, you shouldn’t stay away from the company for too long. If the Chairman were still alive…”
“Secretary?”
Secretary Kim stopped speaking at Hajin’s cold gaze.
“This may be a private place, but if you came for official business, let’s not cross the line. You said it at the funeral, didn’t you? That you never thought the Chairman would leave the company to me instead of Hahyun in his will. You said that since it was the Chairman’s wish, you would serve me as Chairman from now on…”
“Yes, but CEO, if it was related to company business, I never withheld my advice from the Chairman either.”
Hajin hesitated briefly but continued calmly.
“I’m sure you did. You’re someone with strong loyalty to the company. But you must have heard from the lawyer. Father had so many affairs that I’m busy just sorting them out right now.”
“Ah, yes, I know that. The reason I came today is about recruiting models. Since it involves a lot of money, I can’t make decisions on my own.”
Secretary Kim spread out the profiles of models who’d achieved excellent results at a provincial academy in front of Hajin.
“The directors can handle all other issues, but the final approval for recruitment costs must come from you, CEO. If we don’t complete this by today, they might move to other companies.”
Hajin pressed his temple and scanned the documents Secretary Kim had brought. The contract fees set for each model were at appropriate levels, showing no significant difference from what the company had been paying so far. The fact that he’d deliberately brought something that didn’t necessarily require approval was evidence that he suspected the brothers. Unable to question Secretary Kim, Hajin signed the approval column with a businessman’s smile.
