Chapter 101

# 101 <The Right Person>

It’s not like talking to walls, but this is definitely a sickness.

This shadow has no learning ability.

It claims to be a perfectly complete being with no room for growth, but to Hong Ki-jun, that just seemed like its own delusion.

Hong Ki-jun bit his lip hard to suppress his rising frustration.

Huuuuh-.

A sigh that couldn’t escape through his mouth forced its way out through his nose.

“Then it’s a big problem. Ironically, this friend needs your help to live happily.”

【Do not interfere. The life of the chosen one must flow exactly as he has chosen.】

Pfft-, as Hong Ki-jun sighed, the shadow added.

【The prohibition remains. You must never tell him that you’ve returned.】

It was just a moment.

Hong Ki-jun made a thoughtful face, then quickly composed himself.

“I see. I understand.”

【You understand? So you’re not as dumb as a monkey or a dog after all.】

The shadow spoke in its usual monotonous voice, but there seemed to be a hint of a hollow laugh mixed in.

“My life is precious too, I can’t just die. But will I see you again?”

【There will be no further meetings. He has grown enough to stand on his own now.】

“That’s a shame.”

【The only remaining meeting will be the day I lift your prohibition.】

“Understood. I guess I’ll see you when I’m old.”

A regretful sigh escaped.

It wasn’t the best conversational partner, but it was nice to have an honest chat. Too bad it’s the last one. Tsk-, Hong Ki-jun clicked his tongue loudly.

【Farewell, old man. May you too remain in a happy era-.】

“Dugere, Adzeheh…”

【You’re late.】

Ahem-.

The shadow, which had been smirking, let out a fake cough and disappeared into the gap between Jin Hyuk and the bed.

***

“Ugh-.”

Hong Soo-jung woke up with a sore jaw and moved it side to side.

She must’ve slept with her head on her brother’s arm, causing her jaw to misalign and her mouth to twist open. The sour smell suggested she’d drooled a lot.

Sniff sniff-.

“Ew-.”

In the darkness, only the slow, steady breathing of the two siblings could be heard.

Hong Soo-jung, still half-asleep, pondered how to sleep more comfortably. She thought about turning her back to her brother, but that might make her feel lonely. Then she spotted a bunker-like space. Ah, if I lie there, my jaw won’t hurt, and I can sleep comfortably! It’s the spot she always used during vacations when she woke up early.

Hong Soo-jung crawled into the bunker. Placing her head on the bulging top, it felt soft yet firm, supporting the back of her head like a sturdy pillow.

‘Hehe-, this is fun.’

She shook her head side to side, enjoying the cushiony feel.

As expected, big bro Jin Hyuk is the best. Dad Hong Ki-jun would scream in pain if I did this, but this giant doesn’t even flinch.

Kaa-. Hong Soo-jung fell back into a deep sleep.

*

Hong Soo-jung sleeps deeply when she’s with big bro Jin Hyuk.

Maybe that’s why she grows taller every vacation.

Today, she seemed to have slept soundly for quite a while. When she opened her eyes, the window was bright. But why does her head keep tilting to one side? It’s weird, it was soft in the early morning, but now it’s as hard as a tree root, making her head uncomfortable.

Was it when she begged her parents to go camping? She once rolled onto a tree root while sleeping in a tent. The sensation on the back of her head felt similar.

‘What’s there? It’s uncomfortable.’

Hong Soo-jung crawled over to Jin Hyuk’s feet.

***

It was a restless night, both physically and mentally.

Jin Hyuk woke up at dawn. Years of ingrained habits didn’t allow him to sleep in. They say habits are scary.

“Ughhhh-.”

As Jin Hyuk stretched while lying down.

Thud-.

Gulp-.

“Huh?”

What was that sound?

Startled by the sudden sound of a frog croaking, Jin Hyuk sat up abruptly.

He was so startled that all sleepiness vanished.

The faint remnants of his dreamscape were also erased.

Following the sound with his eyes, he saw a large frog sprawled on the floor in the dim light of dawn. It was Hong Soo-jung, lying at the foot of the bed.

“Oh no, Soo-jung-.”

When he stretched, he felt something under his foot, and it must’ve been her. Her head was already bumpy, and if it weren’t for the thick carpet, she might’ve been in trouble again.

‘Is she unconscious?’

He checked her breathing by listening closely, then felt her carotid artery with his index and middle fingers to check her heartbeat.

‘Phew, that scared me. Why is she sleeping there?’

She’s such a strange kid. Even during vacations, she’d often curl up at the foot of the bed like a puppy.

Carefully, Jin Hyuk laid Hong Soo-jung next to Yoo Jin.

Yoo Jin was facing the wall, using her tiny hands to feel the wall. Her gestures resembled Papillon feeling around for bugs in prison. She kept muttering something, but it was still impossible to understand.

‘It sounds like she’s calling someone.’

Jin Hyuk straightened the crooked pillow and covered the kids up to their shoulders with the blanket.

Posture is important.

‘Now their posture is aligned.’

Satisfied, he nodded, then sat cross-legged and took a deep breath.

It felt like someone had slept between his legs, but it wasn’t the first time, so he let it go. Still, he should be careful when sleeping at someone else’s house. He felt like his sweatpants had slipped down a bit in his sleep. In such unexpected situations, he couldn’t react, so he should always stay alert.

Huuu-.

Damn hormones.

He felt like he had a strange dream last night, but as dreams often are, it was too fleeting to remember. It felt like someone was talking about desperately wishing for something, as if he were Paulo Coelho or something.

In the midst of not remembering much, one thing vaguely came back, making Jin Hyuk’s blood boil.

‘Someone hit my forehead.’

It must’ve been one of those brats with bad sleeping habits. Jin Hyuk rubbed his forehead and glared at the kids. He placed Hong Soo-jung’s hand on his forehead, then Yoo Jin’s, trying to find the culprit, but their hands were too similar to tell.

It felt like he had a fun, frustrating, and infuriating dream, but after being tormented by the kids, all he had was a sore shoulder and no memory of the dream.

Nyaaaah-.

Yawning widely, Jin Hyuk lay back down.

‘Ahhh-. So peaceful.’

In Seoul, you don’t hear roosters, dogs, or tractors in the morning. It’s so quiet.

Back in the countryside, if you tried to sleep in, the sound of tractors would make it impossible to be lazy.

As he drifted back to sleep, fragments of the dream whispered to him. Like the day he returned to being nine years old…

The corners of Jin Hyuk’s mouth twitched upward as he slept.

‘Are they idiots? It doesn’t seem like I’m sealed or anything.’

But it feels unfair.

That dark guy is using my shadow like free public transport while leaving me out. Next time, I’ll desperately wish for him to appear. I must not forget the dream.

But…

Thud-.

“Jin Hyuk! Soo-jung! Yoo Jin! Time to eat!”

“Coming-!”

Startled by Yoo Se-ra’s loud voice, he woke up, and the memory of the dream was reset once again.

***

Slurp-.

The two men slurped their soup as if in competition.

Even though they hadn’t overeaten, the bean sprout-filled soup didn’t sit badly in their stomachs.

“Soo-jung’s dad, are you thinking about work even while eating?”

“Huh? Oh, no. I’m just eating a lot.”

Hong Ki-jun awkwardly smiled as he watched Jin Hyuk, sandwiched between the two kids, fumbling with his food.

‘I was told not to say I’ve returned. But not to seek help must mean not to interfere with daily life.’

Hong Ki-jun recalled his conversation with the shadow and pondered.

Though overworked, Hong Ki-jun wasn’t just a salaryman. He was happy both at home and at work, and he had no desire to die. But it was clear he needed help, and finding someone with that level of insight was rare even among executives of other companies. Korean executives are more bureaucratic than bureaucrats.

The truly capable ones are buried. No one recognizes them, their reputation isn’t great, or they choose to stay hidden.

He glanced resentfully at Son Kwang-yeon, who was inhaling his soup like a pig.

‘He said he’d just farm, but now he’s talking about starting his own business.’

Traitor, my friend.

His gaze shifted back to Jin Hyuk, who was alternating placing rolled eggs into Hong Soo-jung and Son Yoo-jin’s bowls. He had talent back then, so maybe it’s still there? Or is it impossible because he’s too young?

His heart felt heavy, and the food wouldn’t go down.

‘It was too sudden, so I couldn’t steer the conversation properly.’

There was so much to ask, so much to complain about, but the suddenness made him miss the opportunity last night.

*

As he was about to leave for work, Jin Hyuk approached.

His posture, with both hands clasped in front, was respectful, but his straightforward way of speaking remained.

“When does the construction in Gyeongho-dong start?”

“It should start right away.”

So he’s interested in the work around his house. Finally showing some curiosity like a teenage boy, Hong Ki-jun chuckled.

“We’ll need someone to manage those people, right?”

“Manage? There’s a team leader, they’ll handle it.”

Jin Hyuk smiled and shook his head.

“Someone to manage attendance and welfare issues. Don’t we need someone to communicate with headquarters? Not necessarily a bodyguard, but someone… sharp. Someone like that would be good for you to have a decent conversation partner.”

Hong Ki-jun’s eyes lit up and widened.

Not just because Jin Hyuk was speaking at length.

‘That’s a good idea.’

Attendance management didn’t necessarily require a manager. It was up to the team leader, and HR relied on contracts.

But having someone in between… Without revealing his own situation, he could seek advice without disrupting his friend or this kid’s daily life. Maybe he could borrow some long-term perspective.

What if someone sharp could turn this kid’s casual remarks into reports?

Like an example.

Hong Ki-jun made a quick decision.

“Alright. Being far from headquarters might lead to lax management, so that’s a good idea. I’ll look for the right person.”

“Okay.”

“Yeah. It would’ve been nice to visit the 63 Building and Namsan Tower while you were here. I’ll take you next time.”

“Okay. Have a safe trip.”

Jin Hyuk bowed slightly, and Hong Ki-jun patted his back before turning away.

‘Could he know about my worries?’

Probably not.

Son Kwang-yeon sometimes mentioned how his son seemed to read his mind, so maybe it’s a similar case.

After a moment of pondering, Hong Ki-jun got into his car with a lighter heart.

‘Anyway, there’s the right person for such matters.’

Someone almost the same age as Jin Hyuk who had always been by his side.

Meanwhile, watching Hong Ki-jun’s car drive away, Jin Hyuk muttered.

Talking about seals and stuff.

***

After breakfast and Hong Ki-jun left for work.

Jin Hyuk asked his dad.

“Why don’t you go to the department store with the moms?”

“Huh? Why?”

Why-? Whyyy-?

Ugh, this dad is really… If it weren’t for his face, he’d never have gotten married. Mom was young and naive, that’s why she married him. In my time, someone this clueless wouldn’t even get a date!

Not that Jin Hyuk, who’d never been in a relationship, could really criticize his dad.

“You’re in Seoul for once. If you just stay home, Mom and Se-ra aun-.”

Jin Hyuk paused briefly. He noticed Yoo Se-ra’s smile fading in real-time.

“-Mrs. Yoo will be disappointed too.”

“Is that so?”

Scratching the back of his head, his dad glanced at the wives.

Han Yu-young didn’t show it, but her lower lip was sticking out about 10% more than usual, a clear sign of irritation. Her eyes screamed, “I want to go to the department store.”

Yoo Se-ra was no different. Her drowsy eyes were staring intently, leaving Son Kwang-yeon with no choice.

“I’ll take care of the kids.”

He’d already noticed the security cars following them during their stay in Seoul. To Jin Hyuk, it was a very natural tail. He was sure they’d follow to the department store too.

“Dad will buy a catchball!”

Having inherited his grandfather’s scholarly blood, Jin Hyuk wanted to correct him that “catchball” referred to the activity, not the glove and ball, but he just nodded. Well, as long as they understood each other.

And so, he was left in charge of the two kids and two dogs.

At someone else’s house.