Me: [Are you up?]
As soon as day broke, I sent a message to Kang Sehyun. Kang Sehyun had one last exam this morning.
Kang Sehyun: [I’m already at school]
Me: [Already?]
Kang Sehyun: [Pulled an all-nighter at the library]
Kang Sehyun: [After it’s over, I’ll stop by the officetel then come]
After the exam ended, Kang Sehyun was supposed to come to the apartment, but I couldn’t wait and went to the officetel first.
I wanted to wait there in advance and explain my situation as quickly as possible. And I wanted to talk again about our relationship going forward. I needed to immediately process taking a leave of absence, and there were still issues with the apartment contract I was living in, but this was more urgent than those things.
The words I couldn’t say before felt like I could say them now. Until now, I didn’t do it because I didn’t feel the need to say them, but being placed in a situation where I had to say them rather lessened the burden.
What kind of expression will he make?
I thought Kang Sehyun would be angry if he heard about my stepfather. Even Sora, who’s just a friend, gets fiercely angry on my behalf every time, so Kang Sehyun might feel even more sorry for me than that.
That’s why I didn’t want to say it. I didn’t want to make him know facts I didn’t want to reveal and have the other person bear the burden of something only I should suffer alone.
But now, whether it was sympathy or comfort, regardless of how Kang Sehyun felt, I absolutely had to tell him. I had no other excuse for having to take a leave of absence, and even if I did, it was clear he wouldn’t believe me.
‘What if one side has to go somewhere else?’
‘Then it becomes a long-distance relationship.’
It wasn’t a relationship that would fall apart just because we were apart to some degree, but there was a different problem. After Kang Sehyun became a working adult, I couldn’t know exactly how long I’d continue remaining a student. If I was really unlucky, it could be for quite a long time.
If only one side went into society, the problem was the conflict that would arise because the one side still remaining a student couldn’t follow the other. But as soon as I had that thought, I realized we didn’t even need such worries anyway. From the beginning, Kang Sehyun was in a place so far I couldn’t dare follow.
‘I said that because I can never break up with you.’
Back then I asked with a hopeful heart, and now I thought it was good I’d heard that answer then. Since he said he could never break up with me, I thought it would be okay to share a little of this ordeal I was holding.
I knew it was selfish. Even the thought that it’s okay to say it now that this situation has come was bad. I knew I was cowardly for being certain Kang Sehyun would definitely understand.
It was purely my greed. I can’t walk the same path as you, but I don’t want to give you up, so please love me unconditionally.
Because you have the leisure I don’t have.
After getting out of the congested highway and entering downtown, people were moving busily through every narrow alley.
My worst day was just another same day for others.
By the time I arrived at Kang Sehyun’s officetel, there were several people with small bags nearby. Some were standing near a white van parked by the road looking around, and there were people smoking while holding cameras the size of faces. The way they loitered in front of the officetel looked exactly like they were waiting for someone.
After arriving, I asked the flustered parking attendant.
[Is something going on?]
[Ah, yes. Well, it’s a bit……]
There was definitely something going on—the security, which was usually only two people, had increased by several more. In the rearview mirror I glanced at, I could see Michael, who’d only been kind, getting angry at someone trying to enter the entrance.
[It’s okay to go in, right?]
[It’s troublesome, but could you go to the underground parking lot as is? If you get off at the gate going up, our staff will help with parking from there.]
I wanted to ask more, but now wasn’t a good time. They didn’t have the leisure to explain, and I didn’t have the leisure to care about such things.
My phone rang on the way down to the parking lot following the guidance. Maybe by good timing it’s Kang Sehyun?—I thought that briefly. But recalling the time, I immediately knew it wasn’t. There was still an hour left before Kang Sehyun’s exam would end.
Then who at this time?
There was no one besides Kang Sehyun who would call me during morning hours like now.
A parking attendant was standing by the entrance going from underground into the officetel. I was about to hand over the parking right away, but seeing the number on the phone screen, I turned the steering wheel. I hurriedly wedged the car into an empty spot and pressed the call button first.
“Hello.”
— It’s me.
The one who called with a more urgent voice than usual was my stepfather’s secretary. It seemed he’d conveyed what I said last night and received an answer.
— It seems you need to come right away.
“Did he say to come immediately after all?”
— Well…… it turned out that way. Things got a bit complicated……
Then what about the remaining luggage? Should I throw it away?
I didn’t feel sorry at all for things bought with money my stepfather sent. I felt like I could throw away even a painting worth millions of won without any guilt. But what immediately came to mind were the things Kang Sehyun had bought me. The sofa, table, TV, coffee machine, and besides those, there were quite a lot of small items Kang Sehyun had left behind.
When I first came to Chicago, I’d prepared to be able to leave at any time.
The luggage I deliberately didn’t increase had increased regardless of my will, and the current space with traces of Kang Sehyun left everywhere had become full of lingering attachments.
— It seems you need to come and stay with the madam for a bit. It seems the president will have difficulty being by her side for the time being.
“Is he that busy?”
— ……He’s having a very hard time right now.
Anyway, from the beginning I’d expected the reason that person was urging me to come in as soon as possible was because of Mom. Because he knows Mom relies on me a lot. Otherwise, there was no reason to deliberately have his secretary call me during such a hectic time as now.
But I was puzzled that the person who seemed like he’d take care of Mom no matter what happened would have difficulty being by her side for the time being.
“I don’t understand what you mean by having difficulty being by her side. Does that mean he can’t go home?”
— Perhaps…… for a while it might be a bit difficult.
“How long is ‘a while’?”
— I can’t tell you all the details either…… Please just know that for now. I’ll tell you when you come. Then, that’s all.
The secretary really only conveyed what he had to say and hung up without any explanation. The call time was less than even 5 minutes. Ridiculously, the calls that were always long when I didn’t want to talk were too short at the most important times like now.
After hanging up, I hurriedly opened an internet window. When I searched for the company name and my stepfather’s name on the portal site I’d looked up yesterday, this time too an article came up first.
I felt it again—it was such a convenient world. Even though it’s just one of countless mid-sized companies, I could know all the internal circumstances with just a few clicks.
「……V Company CEO Kang Hyunseok has been pointed out for violating economic law by handing over exclusive rights to a company with no performance. Accordingly, internal executives and shareholders claim that signing contracts on such major issues without thoroughly investigating competitive advantages, performance, etc. in advance is an abuse of authority by the CEO and illegal behavior that causes loss to the company. They said they would file a lawsuit against CEO Kang for degrading the brand and value and would strictly hold him accountable for damages. Additionally, investigations are being conducted into the possibility that CEO Kang and surrounding associates had corruption or inappropriate personnel matters related to the company……」
My stepfather was under police investigation after being sued by shareholders for breach of trust and embezzlement in business. In the planning stage of business expansion, he’d already proceeded while taking on unreasonable risks despite others’ opposition, and since a situation arose where there was more loss than gain, it was a natural measure for them.
‘Mom will somehow get you graduated. Don’t worry about that.’
Last night, remembering Mom’s voice telling me not to worry made me laugh emptily.
What I should worry about now isn’t my graduation. I couldn’t understand at all how she expected me to only think of myself in this state.
With this, one more fact I had to tell Kang Sehyun increased.
That I might become the child of a criminal.
Even though I wasn’t deliberately seeking sympathy, misfortunes increased one by one like the protagonist of a melodrama.
I sat there for a long time.
I stayed in the dark underground parking lot for a while, thinking about various things, even forgetting that the place I was going to was Kang Sehyun’s officetel.
Drr-rring-.
Then I came to my senses at the sudden vibration sound. My eyes went to the clock before the direction the sound came from. Almost 30 minutes had passed.
Kihyun hyung’s name was displayed on the phone screen. It had been a really long time since I’d received a personal message from hyung rather than in the group chat.
Seo Gihyun: [Are you with Sehyun by any chance?]
It seemed he contacted me because he couldn’t reach Kang Sehyun, so I was about to send a reply saying no. Along with words to wait a bit since the exam would probably end soon.
But right before pressing the send button, another message arrived.
Seo Gihyun: [Is Sehyun okay?]
What does this mean?
I felt uneasy. Even in a situation that seemed like it couldn’t get any worse, anxiety flooded in just the same.
