‘What is this now…’
I thought the weekend would pass quietly after the Seo Hanryul incident yesterday. When I encountered an unwelcome face disrupting my peaceful Sunday morning, I wanted to deny reality.
When I came down to the living room, Cha Taehan and Lee Dojun were sitting facing each other at the living room table. He kicked Seo Hanryul out just fine, yet this isn’t about discriminating between people… Thinking I came down for nothing, I tried to pretend I didn’t see them and turn back, but Lee Dojun saw me.
“Jaehyun-ssi, it’s been a while. Executive Director, didn’t you say Jaehyun-ssi wasn’t home?”
“He must have come back home. Cha Jaehyun, go up to your room.”
I can’t even go out because there’s a ban on leaving, yet what going out? But for once, Cha Taehan read my mind. Of course, if he tells me to go back to my room, I should go.
“Yes, then I’ll be going.”
“It’s not good for a patient to just stay in their room. Come and at least have some tea.”
Coming to someone else’s house and inviting them to drink tea—he must have that level of thick skin to get a chance to meet with Cha Taehan alone.
“Lee Dojun-ssi, Cha Jaehyun is a patient. Whose fault is it that the kid’s head ended up like that, yet you calmly invite him to drink tea—I’m truly grateful.”
‘…?’
Could this be a dream? Yesterday Cha Taehan pushed my wheelchair, and now he’s saying all the things I want to say to Lee Dojun on my behalf.
Am I dead? Did I die when the flowerpot hit my head, and is everything after that my imagination? But everything was too vivid to be imagination. So vivid it was hard to deny it wasn’t reality.
“Unlike Jaehyun-ssi, Executive Director, you’re quite prickly. I also said it out of concern for Jaehyun-ssi.”
“Had enough of a show? Go to your room. What are you hesitating for?”
“Yes, I’ll go in.”
This is the first time I’ve seen Cha Taehan use outright sarcasm on someone. He must not have wanted to let Lee Dojun into the house, just like me. How he managed to break through Cha Taehan and get into the living room—what a resourceful bastard.
“Jaehyun-ssi, don’t we still have things to discuss? Ah, you’ve grown out your bangs too. You look much better.”
As I tried to return to my room, I heard a sly voice from behind that seemed vaguely threatening. How annoying. I grew out my bangs because of who, yet he has such a delinquent attitude.
“Fine, good. What do you want to say?”
“Cha Jaehyun, I told you to go in.”
“Executive Director, it’ll just take a moment.”
I sat down boldly between the two people who were smiling at each other but subtly engaged in a battle of nerves. I’m tired of anxiously watching everyone’s reactions.
“You must really care for your younger brother. The title ‘Executive Director’ for your hyung is quite novel. And Jaehyun-ssi, are you eating properly? Why do you seem thinner than when you were in the hospital? …You care for your younger brother but don’t seem to treat the patient properly.”
“…”
Cha Taehan gave no response to the sarcastic Lee Dojun. As Lee Dojun said, the Executive Director’s behavior has been strange since I came home. All his actions seemed like those of an ordinary older brother looking after his younger sibling.
“Ah, Executive Director. I see another interesting point. Looking closely, you don’t really resemble Jaehyun-ssi. Don’t you get told that a lot?”
Thud—
‘That startled me.’
As soon as he heard Lee Dojun’s words, Cha Taehan slammed the water glass he was holding hard onto the marble table. When the dull sound of glass hitting stone was heard, a brief silence flowed.
“I think that’s enough—please leave now. And I’d appreciate it if you’d stop paying attention to my younger brother. Look at his forehead. A huge scar formed because of whom? …Remember that the only reason you can get away with treating a member of the Daejin family like this is because you’re just inside that fence called Yuseong.”
Cha Taehan raised his hand, swept back my bangs completely, and showed the scar to Lee Dojun. When his hand touched my face, I reflexively flinched and pulled my head back.
The word “younger brother” coming from his mouth. I’m grateful he’s fighting with Lee Dojun for me, but the situation turning favorably toward me to this surprising degree feels scary instead. Lee Dojun hates talking about Yuseong-related things. Did Cha Taehan know this and bring it up? The atmosphere was precarious, just like the calm before a storm.
“Haha, I was just joking around a bit, but you’re reacting quite intensely. I didn’t realize Jaehyun-ssi received so much love at home. If the head of the household says so, I have no choice but to leave. Jaehyun-ssi, see you next time then.”
‘There won’t be a next time, you bastard.’
“There won’t be a next time. I understand you already finished talking with Father earlier. I hope there won’t be any more occasions to meet my younger brother.”
So the reason Lee Dojun came here was because the Chairman called him. What did they talk about? Even amid the chaos, Cha Taehan was spouting words to Lee Dojun that matched my inner thoughts exactly.
“I’ll be taking my leave now too.”
Lee Dojun finally left, unable to withstand Cha Taehan’s pressure. The atmosphere wasn’t good, so thinking I should avoid the situation, I quickly stood up as soon as Lee Dojun left.
“Wait. I still have something to say.”
I should have fled quickly, but in the end, I got caught by Cha Taehan. If he was going to turn Lee Dojun away at the door like this, why did he even have tea time in the first place?
“Must be nice having so many friends around you?”
“Lee Dojun-ssi is the CEO of Seo Hanryul’s agency, so I…”
“Do you think I’m asking this to hear that kind of answer? And do you think I wouldn’t know something like that?”
“I apologize. The house has been noisy yesterday and today because of me.”
I feel wronged too. I never even gave Lee Dojun my home address, yet he barged into someone else’s house on his own accord.
“I heard you hurt your head drinking before, and that wasn’t a lie, I see.”
“…”
“You really must have seriously damaged your brain. It would be fortunate if you’re just acting stupid. Why have you become so weak? Did you really become an idiot?”
“I have nothing to say.”
“I’ll have to give you some mental discipline training sometime.”
Cha Taehan looked at me with an expression saying I was hopeless, looking at me like I was a pathetic person. Mental discipline training from Cha Taehan—just thinking about it makes my head dizzy.
“I’ll exercise self-restraint.”
“You’re even more weak than Taeha. How can you do any work properly being so stupid? Father must have clearly said it. There’s no need for someone who just plays around and eats at home.”
“Yes, Executive Director. I’ll get better quickly and won’t show you such a sight again.”
Ha… Another nagging time has started. I even think I want to go back to the old days when he said nothing and just shot lasers from his eyes with them on fire. All of Cha Taehan’s actions are unfamiliar, giving me goosebumps all over.
“Don’t just talk—show it through actions. You want to get better quickly but can’t eat a single meal properly? Don’t take walks properly either. Starting tomorrow, I’ll check. Eat properly, and take walks every day.”
“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”
When will I be able to leave the main house? Getting nagged all day by an unexpected person makes me feel like my head will split. Should I think positively that at least he’s talking to me?
“Such a weakling. Go in and rest. Don’t get stupidly swayed by other bastards.”
Such a weakling. It brings back old memories. It was an affectionate phrase I’d occasionally hear from a close sunbae at school… To hear this from the Executive Director—it’s somehow fascinating yet brings up a bittersweet nostalgia. A laugh escaped me without realizing it.
“What’s so funny? You seem to enjoy being everyone’s punching bag everywhere. And there’s no need to stiffly call me ‘Executive Director’ even at home, is there?”
“Understood.”
Then if I don’t call the Executive Director ‘Executive Director,’ what should I call him? But if I ask here, I’ll just get scolded for being dense, so I answered that I understood.
Why does Cha Taehan show hostility toward Lee Dojun? Seo Hanryul is one thing, but Lee Dojun is connected to Yuseong, so there will be plenty of occasions to encounter him. And if he cracked my head open, shouldn’t he be treating him favorably instead?
I want to know what on earth he’s thinking. He doesn’t stop Cha Taeha from playing with me, and at breakfast, though he doesn’t speak to me, I can feel his quiet gaze watching.
At first, I thought maybe his hostility toward Cha Jaehyun had decreased. But I couldn’t feel reassured, thinking it made no sense for emotions built up since childhood to change overnight.
“Why are you calling again?”
In this situation I can’t adapt to, I lay on the bed looking at the ceiling when the phone rang. It’s Seo Hanryul. Normally I would have lightly ignored it, but since I can’t go out, feeling frustrated, I wanted to talk with someone from outside.
