I 04

Chapter 04

“Sit here.”

The hulking, shaved-headed man in sunglasses pointed to the wooden porch floor with his thick hand.

“I-I’m fine. You can go now.”

“The Managing Director ordered treatment. I’d appreciate it if you’d consider my position as well.”

It seemed that refusing further would make things unpleasant. So Chayun waited with an awkward expression until Jinsu pulled out a small plastic case from his jacket’s inner pocket—containing ointment, antiseptic, bandages, cotton swabs, and gauze.

Despite his large frame, Jinsu’s movements were quick and delicate.

This formidable-looking shaved-headed man had been brought from an orphanage by Gyobeom not long after Chayun had come to live at Hyeonhamwon, and had become his right-hand man.

Though they’d met quite early on, Chayun had barely exchanged a few words with Jinsu.

He was always glued to Gyobeom’s side, so there were plenty of opportunities to run into him, but no chance to converse. They’d only ever exchanged bows when their paths crossed.

“…”

*To carry all that in a jacket pocket that looks so clean and light on the outside.* She wanted to ask why, but Chayun suppressed her curiosity.

It didn’t seem like he’d give her a proper answer anyway. If he took after his boss, that is.

At the thought of Gyobeom, her heart suddenly clenched tight inside.

Thinking about that man—for whom she meant nothing, who had merely used her as a practice partner to learn how to handle people—always did this to her.

Still, foolishly.

Gyobeom had ignored her existence all this time, looking right through her.

He never spoke to her, and his gaze never lingered on her for more than three seconds. And yet she still couldn’t empty him from her heart.

She would never forget today.

That he had saved her, and the warmth of his long fingers as they touched her lips.

Just now, as she recalled Gyobeom’s sharply chiseled, handsome face looking at her with an unreadable gaze, heat flushed through her body.

*I’m crazy, Hong Chayun. Pull yourself together.*

As she lightly shook her head, Jinsu bent before her, holding gauze soaked in antiseptic in his large hands.

“Would you please show me your palms?”

At Jinsu’s overly polite demeanor, Chayun looked embarrassed and extended her hands.

After pulling a handkerchief from his pocket and wiping away the blood, Jinsu slowly applied the gauze. As the antiseptic touched her wounds, a stinging pain seemed to spread through her veins.

She bit her lip hard to hold back a whimper.

“I apologize.”

“No, it’s fine.”

*You have nothing to apologize for.* Swallowing her words, Chayun let him finish the treatment.

“Your elbow.”

Jinsu’s brow furrowed as he hesitated.

“Ah, I can handle this part myself…”

“He’ll be here soon.”

“Huh? Who will?”

“If I lay a hand on you, it’ll be a disaster.”

“What do you mean by disaster…”

“Please endure the pain for a little while. I still have many things I want to do. I want to live a long life.”

The conversation wasn’t going anywhere. Was he teasing her?

But if he was, Jinsu’s expression was far too serious.

“I was helping with the cooking, you see. I came out to dump some water and ended up like this… I should probably get back.”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll send someone right away.”

“Oh, no, it’s fine. I can just wear rubber gloves.”

“The Managing Director won’t allow it.”

At the mention of the Managing Director, Chayun faltered.

“Sunbae—no, Managing Director Gu Gyobeom?”

“Yes.”

Jinsu nodded firmly. As if it were only natural.

“I don’t think so.”

“Excuse me? Could you repeat that, please?”

“I don’t think Managing Director Gu Gyobeom would care that much. We’re not that close.”

The moment she finished speaking, Jinsu sprang up from his seat like a coiled spring and ripped off his sunglasses.

“What the hell are you—!”

He was about to say something, but seeing Chayun looking up at him with wide, startled eyes, he steadied his breathing. His expression said he had much to say but wouldn’t.

He put his sunglasses back on and slowly exhaled.

“Hoo. I apologize. I nearly lost my composure there.”

*W-weren’t you just losing it?* Chayun pressed her pounding heart with her palm.

“Either way, the Managing Director will be very, extremely, immensely concerned. So please don’t think—”

Just then. A heavy, low voice cut Jinsu off.

“Chief Tae.”

Seeing Gyobeom approaching, Jinsu bowed his head respectfully.

“You’re here, Managing Director.”

Watching Jinsu’s example, Chayun also awkwardly rose from her seat.

At that, Gyobeom’s brow furrowed.

“Hong Chayun.”

Today, her name had been called twice. Unbelievably.

Stunned by the fact, Chayun stared blankly at him as he approached.

His face hardened even more.

“Chief Tae.”

“Yes, Managing Director.”

“We’re going to the hospital. Prepare.”

“Understood.”

Snapping back to her senses at their conversation, Chayun hastily spoke.

“A-are you doing this because of me?”

“…What?”

As Gyobeom asked back with an even deeper frown, Chayun’s voice grew smaller.

“That can’t be… but… if that’s the case… you don’t have to…”

Looking down at her, avoiding his eyes with her head bowed in uncertainty, Gyobeom rubbed his face with his hand.

A long silence followed.

For some reason, Chayun felt too scared to lift her head.

Gyobeom was the kind of man who could tighten a leash even with silence.

*Is it too self-deprecating to think that I contributed to him becoming someone who knows how to skillfully handle people?*

“Chief Tae. Go ahead. I’ll follow shortly.”

“Understood.”

After bowing to Gyobeom, Jinsu also nodded to Chayun.

“I’ll take my leave now.”

“Oh, yes…”

The moment Chayun awkwardly returned the greeting, Jinsu quickly disappeared toward the main hall.

They were alone. The air grew even more awkward.

“Sit.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Your leg. Is it hurt?”

Gyobeom said casually.

“You were limping.”

Biting the inside of her lip, Chayun hesitantly sat back down on the porch.

Gyobeom approached in a single stride, knelt on one knee before her, and reached out with the ointment.

“S-sunbae…!”

Chayun, who had unconsciously cried out, covered her mouth with her hand and quickly lowered her head.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what.”

“For calling you… sunbae.”

At her voice, which had grown even smaller, Gyobeom faltered.

“I’ll do it myself, Managing Director.”

*Ha.* As Gyobeom let out a breath of disbelief, Chayun’s shoulders shrank.

“I’m sorry.”

“…For what now.”

“You looked upset.”

It would be no exaggeration to say that the Gu family’s influence within Hyeonhamwon was absolute.

No—not just Hyeonhamwon. There wasn’t a corner of South Korea where the Guseong Group’s reach didn’t extend.

It wasn’t at the top of the business world. There were still many companies far larger and more solidly established than the Guseong Group.

In the light, that is.

The Guseong Group, which had expanded its business from Guseong Construction—founded on gangster roots—reigned as the king of the underworld, gripping the roots of the enterprises and institutions that stood tall like trees in the light.

The secrets and scandals they had tenaciously acquired tightened their opponents’ throats, and that was how they obtained what they wanted.

The late Chairman Gu Daehan’s final wish was that now that Guseong had become a group, they would completely emerge from the shadows and expand their power in the light.

Since there was no one who hadn’t owed a debt to the Guseong Group, the plan proceeded smoothly, and about 70% of it had been accomplished.

The Gu family’s prestige had grown even higher, and people strained to avoid offending them.

Chayun was no exception. She had briefly lived at Hyeonhamwon in the past, and her grandmother still worked in the kitchen of the Gu family’s main house.

Naturally, she had no choice but to mind Gyobeom’s moods.

“Hong Chayun.”

As her name was called for the third time, Chayun was no longer amazed—she was scared.

“Yes, Managing Director.”

“Did I ever tell you to call me that?”

Gyobeom’s voice seemed to pierce through the ground and reach the Earth’s core. It meant his mood was that low.

*Does he hate everything I say?*

At that thought, Chayun grew dejected.

Then suddenly, she felt angry. *No, what did I even do?*

All she’d done wrong was overhear the conversation between Gyobeom and his father. And even that wasn’t intentional—she’d just happened to hear it while running an errand for her grandmother.

If anything, Gyobeom was the one who’d done something.

Besides, ever since that day, Gyobeom had treated her as if she were smaller than a speck of dust on the floor.

Anyone could see that he was the one in the wrong.

Though it felt a bit strange to call herself a victim, given their respective positions, Chayun had no choice but to bow her head even though she’d been unilaterally cut off.

It was heartbreaking. What on earth had she done wrong? If she’d done something wrong, couldn’t he just tell her?

“…No.”

But this time too, Chayun could only lower her head.

Because within the reach of the Guseong Group, going against the Gu family was simply unthinkable.

“Don’t call me that.”

She felt a flash of anger, but Chayun thought of her grandmother and barely held it in.

After today, she wouldn’t have to call him or see him anyway.

“Understood.”

Even at Chayun’s docile response, Gyobeom’s hardened expression showed no sign of softening—as if something still bothered him.

“Hoo…”

He let out a long sigh.

At that sound, Chayun’s patience snapped.

She should stay quiet. She knew she should. But her nature—unable to contain curiosity and frustration—bypassed her brain and went straight to her mouth.

“Then what should I call you?”

Caught off guard that she’d spoken, Gyobeom’s eyes widened momentarily.

If Jinsu had seen it, he would have been shocked. Gyobeom rarely ever showed emotion.

“Not that we’ll see each other again anyway. But just in case, I’m asking.”

“…”

“If we happen to run into each other unavoidably like today, what exactly am I supposed to call you?”

Meeting his sharp, searching gaze fixed on her face, Chayun came to her senses and bit her lip.

*Hong Chayun, you crazy idiot! Please, for once, think before you speak!*

What now. What should I do. Would she get dragged off to some dark place like a storage room just like that perverted old man earlier?

If she got dragged off… what would happen to her…?

All sorts of rough and dangerous scenarios played out in Chayun’s mind.

“I-I’m sorry. I was still in shock just now and wasn’t in my right—”

“Sunbae.”

“Excuse me?”

“You called me that just fine.”