Chapter 98

#98 <Unexpected Situation>

Back when Jin Hyuk was working, Sein Group didn’t have a separate vice chairman.

There were many speculations about the reason, but the most convincing analysis was that Chairman Hong Ki-jun was wary of dispersing power.

‘The first and last vice chairman.’

A man who inherited full authority from the owner. At Sein Group, the vice chairman was essentially the chairman.

That was Hong Ki-jun’s history back then.

But when did Hong Ki-jun become vice chairman? His parents didn’t seem surprised, as if they already knew. They just looked proud to have such an impressive acquaintance. Look at Dad. Even now, his nostrils are flaring proudly, aren’t they?

Hong Ki-jun, dressed in a neat navy suit, spread his arms wide and hugged Son Kwang-yeon.

“Yah-! Good to see you. Sorry I’m late. Been busy with a lot of things lately.”

“You’ve been through a lot, you rascal. We just got here too.”

It was a warm reunion between two men, closer than family.

Hong Soo-jung and Son Yoo-jin, clinging to each other, stumbled around mimicking them.

“Hnyanyanyang-.”

“Kahaha-.”

“Princesses? Let’s go inside.”

If Yoo Se-ra hadn’t stepped in to separate them, the two kids’ passionate hugging might have sent them tumbling onto the lawn.

And so, the two families, hand in hand, left the garden and headed inside.

Only Jin Hyuk, without a partner, followed with his hands in his pockets.

A simple snack was set up in the living room.

Hong Ki-jun lamented that he had to work even on Sundays and couldn’t stay out late.

“It’s a shame. We could’ve gone out to eat and hit the department store.”

“We can come back. I’ve got a lot to do back home too. Farmers don’t have weekends.”

Son Kwang-yeon waved his hand dismissively, perhaps not noticing the genuine disappointment on the women’s faces. Han Yu-young, in particular, seemed regretful. She had really enjoyed shopping during their Hawaii trip.

Meanwhile, the men outside were spouting their usual nonsense.

“You know, business and farming are pretty similar, aren’t they?”

“Very similar. That’s why I’m planning to manage it properly.”

Jin Hyuk, who had been dozing off while holding the sleeping Yoo Jin, perked up his ears.

It seemed like Dad was about to get serious.

“Good thinking!”

Suddenly excited, as if struck by inspiration, Hong Ki-jun wiggled his buttocks. It looked just like when Yoo Jin would pester her brother to carry her, bouncing around.

“Let’s set up a corporation. The sooner, the better. I’ll help.”

“Shouldn’t we figure out how to officially take in those friends first?”

“Let’s start a security company. How about opening a branch right next to your house?”

He seemed to be talking about the security team.

Jin Hyuk, listening, shook his head. Men’s boasts were always like this. Setting up a company and opening branches wasn’t as easy as they made it sound.

‘Ah, the vice chairman.’

They weren’t just any men. If it’s the vice chairman, maybe it’s possible.

If it happens, it wouldn’t be a bad choice for the family.

No more secrets, and the agents’ hardships would lessen.

“Have you talked to your sister-in-law about this?”

“Of course.”

The two dads glanced at Jin Hyuk but didn’t seem too concerned.

Now that it’s out in the open, it’s only natural.

‘Tell me more!’

Even as sleepiness crept in, Jin Hyuk kept his ears perked up.

While rocking Yoo Jin to keep her asleep.

Despite the fatigue in his eyelids, Jin Hyuk tried to stay alert. Son Kwang-yeon’s lips moved slowly. Finally, it seemed like he was about to say something.

“Jin Hyuk, take Yoo Jin upstairs and go to bed.”

“Yes….”

Phew-, the hot steam of anticipation escaped from Jin Hyuk’s head.

Jin Hyuk stood up, holding Yoo Jin. As a teenager, he had no choice but to do as the adults said. Throwing a tantrum didn’t suit Jin Hyuk. He wanted to hear more, but it seemed the adults had their own serious business to discuss.

‘I guess I’ll have to wait for those uncles to call.’

If only he had a cell phone, it wouldn’t feel so frustrating and slow.

A brick-sized mobile phone had appeared, but commercialization was still far off. Predictions said it would take at least two more years for compact mobile phones to hit the market.

Jin Hyuk carefully stepped up the stairs, holding his precious little sister tightly.

Yoo Se-ra placed an LP on the turntable, and Hong Ki-jun pulled out a bottle of bourbon from the liquor cabinet.

Jin Hyuk glanced wistfully at the whiskey. Thanks to a drunk Hong Soo-jung, he had developed a taste for bourbon.

‘Just one sip.’

Other families might let their kids try a sip for fun.

Sigh.

Jin Hyuk’s eyes, looking back one last time from the stair landing, were filled with disappointment.

They resembled the look in his little sister Son Yoo-jin’s eyes when she went to get a cola only to find the fridge empty.

***

The house was different from the last time he visited, but this was Jin Hyuk’s second time here. He had been invited with Hong Soo-jung to a family dinner on Chairman Hong Ki-jun’s birthday. He was thirty-three then. As a contract employee at the assistant manager level, he thought it was strange but decided to go along for the experience.

Seeing the chairman call over his daughter’s supervisor, who had just joined as a new employee, and ask him to take good care of her, Jin Hyuk could guess the reason for the invitation. In her thirties, Hong Soo-jung often looked expressionless and gloomy, but in her twenties, she had been quite lively.

The overly lively little Hong Soo-jung tugged at Jin Hyuk’s hand.

“Oppa, you’re sleeping in my room.”

Thanks to her newly emerging permanent teeth, Hong Soo-jung’s pronunciation was quite clear. She was so excited, skipping up the wooden stairs and constantly looking back at Jin Hyuk. And every time their eyes met, she grinned.

‘Yeah, a wide smile suits her better than a shy one.’

Her smiling face was so cute that Jin Hyuk’s lips naturally curled up.

“Thanks, Soo-jung.”

Holding his little sister, Jin Hyuk followed the kid’s lead up to the second floor. Since Yoo Jin sought out her brother more than her mom, it seemed okay to let her sleep with him for a night.

Well, even at home, Yoo Jin would sleep outside her brother’s room in the early morning. She wasn’t a dog, so why she slept outside the door instead of inside was a mystery. Yoo Jin didn’t even remember why she was there.

Her parents and Jin Hyuk had worried she might have sleepwalking tendencies. But since Yoo Jin was only found in that one spot, they concluded it wasn’t dangerous sleepwalking.

In the dry season, Yoo Jin’s nose was slightly blocked, so she slept with a slight wheeze. Jin Hyuk carefully cleaned her nose with a damp cotton swab, making sure not to wake her.

Hong Soo-jung held a tissue in both hands, ready to catch anything, and when Wang Gun-i appeared, she wrapped it around the cotton swab. Their teamwork, honed during that winter’s loach-catching, shone once again.

Once Yoo Jin’s breathing quieted down, Jin Hyuk finally had time to look around Hong Soo-jung’s room.

‘It’s like a princess’s room.’

It was like the dollhouses from TV commercials. Pink, deep pink, medium pink, bright pink, soft pink… And the sweet scent made it feel like diving into a strawberry milk bath.

Intoxicated by the sweet scent, Jin Hyuk lay down and stretched out.

There’s no sleep aid as sweet as a good stretch before bed.

But then something happened that made sleep flee.

‘Wait, what’s this kid doing?’

Hong Soo-jung lay down next to Jin Hyuk.

Something felt seriously wrong. It seemed like he had become the babysitter for the two couples.

Regardless, Hong Soo-jung claimed Jin Hyuk’s left arm and chattered away.

“Hehe-, Oppa, sleep well. Sweet dreams-.”

After babbling for a while, the little kid said that and then fell asleep.

She even draped her leg over Jin Hyuk’s stomach.

“Ugh-.”

Hong Soo-jung’s foot hit a rather unfortunate spot.

A long sigh escaped Jin Hyuk’s lips.

Peace like a river… for me.

***

Hehehe-.

Her name was Bomi. A very gentle girl. Even if her food bowl was full of kibble, even if you bit her ear, even if you chewed on her tail, she just rested her chin on her front paws and rolled her eyes. It was like watching the big, gentle son of the owner’s family, Son Wang-wang. That guy was truly a dog’s dog. So familiar.

Bomi was bigger than the yellow dog that lived with Choi Mi-kyung, so I thought she was older, but she was actually two years younger than Jang Gun-i. Let’s see, Jang Gun-i was over 70 months old, so this girl was only four.

Hehe-.

Huh, a younger dog. Jang Gun-i had a lot of fun playing with her because she was so easygoing and soft. Her long, fluffy fur made her a great target for playful tackles, and she never even yelped. Climbing on her back and howling made Jang Gun-i feel like a queen. After all, wasn’t he the great General Jang Gun-i, reigning over all dogs in the neighborhood?

Even the Dosa dogs and Jindo dogs had to experience Jang Gun-i’s nuclear teeth when they challenged him.

Bomi had another strange trait besides being a gentle giant.

No matter how much you sniffed her, she didn’t smell like a dog. Sniff sniff-. Is this what culture shock feels like?

Hehehe-.

Wow, Seoul dogs don’t smell like cow dung!

It was un-doglike, yet somehow still dog-like.

Jang Gun-i spent the late hours digging through every corner of Hong Soo-jung’s garden, meticulously marking his territory. Whether he was keeping watch or just curious about other dogs, Bomi followed him around, sniffing his behind, but he didn’t mind.

Chomp chomp-, he tore at the grass and dug into the ground with his front paws and snout.

Even the dirt didn’t smell like cow dung. What a barren, desolate world. But a dirt bath was necessary. It was the only way to feel refreshed and sleep well.

Jang Gun-i, being a smart dog, knew this.

Maybe it was the Seoul dirt that lacked the cow dung smell, or maybe he just wanted to try some kibble, so he hovered around the food bowl when Bomi stuck her long snout into his behind and sniffed.

It was classic dog behavior.

Hehehe?

How dare she? This was something Jang Gun-i wouldn’t allow from any dog in the neighborhood. He bared his teeth and growled to assert his dominance.

Grrr-.

But then, Jang Gun-i let out a startled yelp.

Grrr-, Bomi seemed to join in the warning growl, but then she bit Jang Gun-i’s scruff. Just a little. Ah, even the bold Jang Gun-i was taken aback by this unexpected situation.

He had let his guard down because she was so gentle. Jang Gun-i thought Bomi had finally warmed up to him. But from the perspective of the one who yelped, he had no choice but to accept the situation.

Eek-. I let my guard down.

Thud-.

Jang Gun-i and Bomi both flinched and turned their heads.

A large transparent door had opened from the big doghouse where the humans were gathered. The sound of adult humans chattering loudly could be heard.

“Here-, the kids have gone to bed, so let’s toast, toast!”

Hehehe-. That’s the owner’s voice.

“I feel bad drinking with just the men.”

Hehehe-. That’s Mr. Hong’s voice.

Tracing the sound, it didn’t seem like they were coming outside.

Hehehe-.

Hey, no big deal. Keep going.

Grrr-.

Amid the humans’ voices, slow, groovy music seeped out.

The music made his eyelids droop drowsily.

***

The sticky music enveloped his body, and his eyes, hidden behind sunglasses, were half-closed, giving him an exotic look.

Shin Sang-yeol, entering the hotel café, didn’t need to look around to find his appointment. A man with a sturdy build and sharp eyes, clearly out of place in this setting, was looking at him. If not for the dark brown sunglasses, Shin Sang-yeol’s legs might have given way under that gaze.

Shin Sang-yeol approached the man and cautiously asked.

“Uh, you called about Moon Seok-.”

“That’s right. Sit.”

The deep voice carried an intimidating aura. The air seemed to stop flowing, making it hard to breathe. Shin Sang-yeol licked his lips and sat across from the man.

As he raised his hand to order, Moon Seok-il’s growling voice stopped him.

“Last time, it was a woman.”

The initial client was a woman who called herself Baek Sa-jang. But while the contact remained the same, the person in charge had changed, so Moon Seok-il was on guard.

To Shin Sang-yeol, it was a trivial question. The answer was predetermined.

“There was an accident.”

Shin Sang-yeol left it at that and firmly closed his mouth.

It was an internal matter, so no need to pry, Moon Seok-il seemed to nod slightly. But his piercing gaze didn’t waver.

Moon Seok-il’s lips twitched.

“It’s done.”

Moon Seok-il flipped over a photo lying on the table and slid it toward Shin Sang-yeol.

It was a photo of a tanned, strikingly handsome man laughing heartily.