OMS 107

“Some executives seem to have doubts. They’re asking why the Chairman suddenly ended up like this when he was fine before, and they’ve even met with his primary physician separately. Of course, Dr. Jung told them exactly how it is.”

“That it’s a mental issue?”

“Yes, he said there were signs of it that had been hidden before.”

“That he had a pre-existing mental illness? That’s not entirely wrong.”

Kim Jun-han laughed self-deprecatingly. After returning from Jeju Island, he received a call from the Yangpyeong villa. Chairman Kim had tried to escape at night and fell in the mountains, resulting in a leg fracture, though not severe.

Looking through the glass window, he saw Chairman Kim lying down in a hospital gown with his leg in a cast. When Kim Jun-han opened the door and entered, Chairman Kim strained his wrinkled eyelids and struggled to move.

“Father, I’m here.”

When Chairman Kim opened his mouth to speak, saliva dripped out, and the caregiver beside him carefully wiped it away. After asking the caregiver to step out for a moment, Kim Jun-han pulled up a chair and sat beside the bed.

“Are you alright? Why did you go out at night? You’ve never had good night vision.”

“Jun-han…”

“Yes?”

“Get me out of here…Look, I’m perfectly sane…Hm? Talk to your mother and ask her to get me out…”

Gone was the tiger-like Chairman Kim of the past, leaving only a weakened shell begging to be saved. Kim Jun-han stared at Chairman Kim’s face and replied.

“Didn’t you know?”

“Know what…?”

Kim Jun-han carefully pulled the blanket up to Chairman Kim’s chin. Comforted by the gentle gesture, Chairman Kim seemed relieved, and Kim Jun-han showed a faint smile.

“I’m the one who confined you here. So don’t blame or resent Mother.”

Chairman Kim’s wrinkled eyes widened. 

“What? What did you say?”

Kim Jun-han sighed and looked Chairman Kim up and down.

“You seem quite lucid today. Perhaps we should increase your medication.”

Chairman Kim’s eyes grew larger and his face contorted as he listened. He reached out and grabbed his son’s collar in anger.

“You, this was your doing?”

“Who else could it be?”

“You! How dare you do this to me!”

As soon as his shouting was heard, the door opened and sturdy men in nursing uniforms rushed in. Kim Jun-han gestured for them to leave and removed Chairman Kim’s hands.

“Remember what you always told me, Father? People must observe boundaries. If someone carelessly crosses the line you’ve drawn, cut them down without mercy.”

Chairman Kim’s hands trembled, and Kim Jun-han gently smoothed out his crumpled hospital gown.

“But you crossed that line, Father. I warned you several times to show restraint. Don’t feel too wronged—you brought this on yourself. You’ve worked for decades, so spend your remaining years somewhere with good water and air. Don’t worry about Mother—I’ll take good care of her.”

“I handed over that position to you…And you betray me like this? Do you think I’ll stay quiet? I’ll call the executives and expose everything you’ve done!”

“Don’t indulge in futile dreams. Who would risk boarding a sinking ship?”

“You fool! You’re so obsessed with that omega that you can’t see straight! He’s a devil! More vicious than a ghost! Just wait and see—he’ll eat you alive someday!”

Kim Jun-han laughed silently.

“Father.”

“…”

“If he’s such a beautiful devil, I’ll gladly accept that.”

Chairman Kim grabbed his son’s arm. It was chilling to see jealousy mixed with the anger in his eyes. He still couldn’t let go of his obsession with Lee Hee-soo. Kim Jun-han ignored this and removed Chairman Kim’s hand.

“Rest. I’ll be going now.”

As he was leaving with a polite bow, there was a loud crash of something breaking against the door. The caregiver rushed in, and Kim Jun-han straightened his tie, buttoned his suit jacket, and walked down the hallway.

At that moment, Secretary Choi, who had been waiting at the entrance, hurriedly approached.

“Sir, we got a call from Seoul. Kim Tae-han disappeared while being discharged.”

Kim Jun-han stopped walking and looked at Secretary Choi.

“Disappeared? Where to?”

Seeing Secretary Choi’s troubled expression, Kim Jun-han could guess where Kim Tae-han had gone. Kim Jun-han furrowed his brow and lit a cigarette. Thunder rolled in the persistently dark sky, and heavy rain began to pour.

Exhaling smoke into the air, Kim Jun-han laughed languidly.

“The room next to Father’s. Was it empty?”

Secretary Choi didn’t immediately understand, and Kim Jun-han ground out his half-smoked cigarette, gritting his teeth tightly.

“Should we just lock up Kim Tae-han here too? Hm?”

Feeling the sincerity in the question, Secretary Choi couldn’t answer right away. Then he honestly expressed his feeling that it might not be a good idea. Kim Jun-han chuckled and walked to the car, while Secretary Choi hurriedly opened an umbrella.

Before the car departed, Kim Jun-han turned to glare at the villa where Chairman Kim was confined. It was called a villa, but it was nothing more than a prison. He pondered deeply. Kim Tae-han next to Chairman Kim…Well, that wouldn’t be so bad, right?

***

“We’re administering fever reducers now. He needs to fight this off, but I’m worried because his physical strength is so low. If we had known this would happen, we wouldn’t have discharged him. I don’t understand how someone who was healthy could end up like this.”

The doctor who had been in charge of Kim Tae-han rushed to the house with a nurse as soon as he heard the news. They had contacted Madam Song too, and barely managed to convince her not to come, but now that things had quieted down, they were worried about Kim Jun-han. Surely he wouldn’t throw out a sick person right away.

While sighing deeply after the doctor left, Kim Yoon-ah peeked her head in.

“Mr. Hee-soo, are you okay?”

“Ms. Kim, go home. You must be tired.”

“I’ll keep watch, so please go rest. You shouldn’t overexert yourself, thinking of the babies. Or should I make you a snack? Is there anything you’d like to eat?”

“No. This bastard Kim Tae-han scared me so much that I’ve lost my appetite. Don’t worry, and go home. Kim Jun-han will be here soon anyway.”

At the mention of Kim Jun-han’s arrival, Kim Yoon-ah suddenly rubbed her arm and hunched her shoulders, apparently imagining something.

“The CEO won’t be angry, will he…?”

“What can he do about someone who collapsed from illness? We couldn’t just ignore someone who looks like they’re about to die. Kim Jun-han has a bigger heart than you’d think—he’ll understand. It’s hard to believe, but he’s become a completely different person lately.”

“Well, even I’ve noticed he’s changed…”

When pushed to leave, Kim Yoon-ah reluctantly gathered her bag and left the house. Still seemingly worried, she insisted that they call if anything happened. After the door closed, Park Dong-sik was left alone and returned to the room with a deep sigh.

Kim Tae-han’s condition up close was terrible. These days, that guy’s arm was never free from needle marks…The security guards had moved him and changed his clothes, but his hair and forehead were drenched with cold sweat.

Unable to just watch, Park Dong-sik brought a towel and wiped Kim Tae-han’s face.

“What am I going to do with you, hm?”

Even while grumbling, the words Kim Tae-han left before collapsing echoed in his ears, making his heart heavy.

[“I hate…that I like you…Hee-soo…”]

What feelings brought him here? Even while not wanting to consider it, he wanted to know. This uncomfortable feeling that arose whenever he thought of Kim Tae-han—was it from affection, or just simple sympathy from having once been intimate?

Meanwhile, Kim Tae-han groaned and deeply furrowed his brow.

“Are you okay?”

He slowly opened his eyes at the voice and responded by turning his head. When he didn’t speak, Park Dong-sik checked his forehead with the back of his hand. He still had a fever, but not as burning hot as before. As Park Dong-sik tried to remove his hand in relief, Kim Tae-han grabbed it and put it back on his forehead.

“Stay like this for a moment. It’s cool.”

Unable to be harsh to a sick person, Park Dong-sik left his hand there.

“What happened to me?”

“You fainted, and the security guards brought you in. Your doctor came by too.”

“…”

“We told your mother over the phone. The doctor says you need to be readmitted, just so you know.”

“…”

“Are you even listening? You’re supposed to go to the hospital in the morning.”

Looking at Kim Tae-han’s stubborn silence, Park Dong-sik raised his voice.

“Mr. Kim Tae-han. Are you listening? I’m talking to you. Answer me. You’re to get out first thing in the morning.”

“Too sick to hear.”

“You crazy bastard.”

When he tried to remove his hand, this time Kim Tae-han moved it to his cheek.

“Feel. My cheek is hot too.”

Just as he was about to pull his hand away after showing leniency due to illness, he sensed someone behind him. As Park Dong-sik turned around, he froze right on the spot. Kim Jun-han was standing at the doorway, arms crossed, staring intently at them.

Park Dongs-ik awkwardly got up to his feet.

“W-When did you arrive?”

“Just now.”

“You heard from Secretary Choi? He collapsed in front of the house so we brought him in. The doctor says he’s not well and needs to be readmitted. We planned to go to the hospital in the morning, but—”

While he was explaining in detail, Kim Tae-han grabbed his arm, and when Park Dong-sik reflexively turned to look, his eyes widened in shock. The man who had been lying down was suddenly sitting up, and before Park Dong-sik could react, he pulled him close and crashed their lips together.

When Park Dong-sik pushed his shoulders away in surprise, Kim Tae-han lay back down and chuckled. Flustered, Park Dong-sik looked at Kim Jun-han, who had already walked up close. His expression was murderous, looking ready to tear Kim Tae-han apart limb from limb, so Park Dong-sik hurriedly blocked his way.

Kim Jun-han tilted his head sharply.

“Move.”

“Please control yourself, sir.”

“You’re telling me to control myself, ha!”

Kim Jun-han stopped mid-sentence, threw his head back, and ground his teeth. Understanding how angry he must be, Park Dong-sik held onto Kim Jun-han’s arm.

“He’s not in his right mind. He’s sick and on medication, so he can’t be thinking straight. Please understand, sir. That was just a mistake. Right, Kim Tae-han? Answer quickly, you bastard. Otherwise, you might be smelling incense behind a funeral screen today!”

Kim Tae-han laughed so hard his chest heaved.

“I’m perfectly lucid. I kissed you because I wanted to, and I have no regrets even if your husband beats me to death right now. Without you, I might as well be dead anyway.”

His giggling made Park Dong-sik wonder if he had really gone crazy. Kim Jun-han’s eyes filled with murderous intent, and sensing that things could get from bad to worse in the next second, Park Dong-sik had no other choice but to make an excuse about stomach pain and just barely managed to drag him outside.