TSG 59

When Se-hyun came out after pressing Shin Tae-oh’s forehead as he refused to sleep, it was already approaching lunch time. It wasn’t that he was hungry, but he was worried that the other person might not be there during lunchtime, so it was time for Se-hyun to leave the office quickly.

“Secretary Ahn.”

Se-hyun was thinking of ignoring the urgent call but turned around when it seemed the person would keep following if he didn’t, allowing Lee Jin-ho to slow down in relief.

“Did you need something?”

“Um…are you sure it’s okay for you to handle this directly?”

“Yes. I’m the most suited to resolve this properly.”

In response to Se-hyun’s confident answer, Lee Jin-ho looked at his face and nodded as if he had no choice.

“Alright then. Take care.”

“Thank you.”

He really wouldn’t just wait in silence, but at least Lee Jin-ho wasn’t someone who would interfere with what Se-hyun was thinking.

After exhaling a warm breath, Se-hyun unbuttoned his coat. The lingering heat would likely dissipate once he stepped outside.

⍣⍣⍣

“Is this really it?”

Ha Jin-woong held the end of the tablet and shook it. Despite the precarious situation where he might drop it from his hand at any moment, Ha Jin-seong didn’t say anything. Rather, he waved his hand at Ha Jin-woong, telling him to leave, as if he was annoyed.

“Hyung. What is this? You gathered everyone just to post this measly scandal?”

Like a thirsty person digging a well first, Ha Jin-woong settled in front of Ha Jin-seong.

“Didn’t you mean to sacrifice Secretary Ahn? Then this is not it. Whether he went to the hotel with the boss or not, you should have included embezzlement allegations.”

“Be quiet.”

“This is not something that should be kept quiet. Is this really the end of it?”

“No.”

But Ha Jin-seong was too lazy to say anything more to his younger brother, so he kept his mouth shut. He was already feeling low, but he didn’t have the presence of mind to kindly explain.

“Just shut up and get out.”

“Hyung, you think I can just stay quiet? The others over there are acting weird about this too. After telling us to dig up all the SR embezzlers until now, why did you just drop this measly bomb? Don’t tell me you had a change of heart midway?”

“It’s not like that.”

“It’s not? I know you asked Ha Min-hyuk to hand over the project.”

That was the reason for Ha Jin-woong’s outburst. Overcome with agitation, he flung the tablet aside carelessly before getting up from his seat.

“I thought it was strange since yesterday when you went with Ha Min-hyuk without me. Hyung, don’t you know that you have me as your little brother? If you’re thinking of getting all chummy to split the profits later, forget it. I can’t do that.”

“Jin-woong.”

Ha Jin-seong gently massaged his temples as Ha Jin-woong’s outburst caused a throbbing headache. He had said his head hurt, but he seemed to have no intention of being quiet. So Ha Jin-seong called out his younger brother’s name, in a gentle but irresistible tone.

“The company is mine.”

He didn’t even try to comfort Ha Jin-woong. He just calmly pointed out the parts he misunderstood.

“If you want to get even one affiliate, get out of here.”

“Hyung!”

“Damn it.”

In the end, Ha Jin-seong abruptly sat upright and flung a nearby tablet hard enough that it shattered against the wall with a loud crash before clattering to the floor. No one dared speak a word as the broken pieces rolled about.

“Get out.”

Ha Jin-seong stared at Ha Jin-woong with cold eyes and then closed his eyes. He showed his selfishness without even considering that Ha Jin-woong was still around.

Ha Jin-woong turned around, clenching his fist in frustration at his selfish demeanor.

Ha Jin-woong left the Director’s office and threw his fist in anger. His wrist ached from the dull vibrations resonating through the wall, but Ha Jin-woong was filled with anger and continued to vent it out.

“Damn it, what? The company is yours?”

Even though he was a legitimate heir himself, Ha Jin-seong didn’t even seem to consider him at all – it stung Ha Jin-woong’s pride.

“Just wait and see. I’ll show you that I’m better than Ha Min-hyuk.”

He gnashed his teeth thinking of Ha Jin-seong cozying up to the practically unrelated Ha Min-hyuk instead of his own brother.

“I’m here to see Director Ha Jin-seong.”

Ha Jin-woong raised his head at the calm, familiar voice. He narrowed his eyes when he saw the man speaking to the receptionist. As the man’s face came into focus, he recognized who he was.

“It’s Ahn Se-hyun.”

Ahn Se-hyun must have heard Ha Jin-woong’s voice and turned to him. And he slightly lowered his head as if he recognized Ha Jin-woong.

It was frustrating because he couldn’t figure out why Ha Jin-seong was doing that. Ha Jin-woong was disappointed that Ha Jin-seong had no intention of sharing the company right away, but he also didn’t like hanging out with Ha Min-hyuk these days.

As he was looking at Se-hyun, a good idea occurred to him.

“Are you here to meet Jin-seong hyung?”

“Yes.”

“Follow me.”

Ha Jin-woong motioned for Se-hyun to follow as he took the lead. After confirming that Se-hyun was behind him, he didn’t stop.

If his brother wouldn’t act, then he would have to take matters into his own hands. If he could corner Shin Tae-oh while sabotaging Ha Min-hyuk’s project, surely Ha Jin-seong wouldn’t associate with the likes of Ha Min-hyuk again.

⍣⍣⍣

“What is this place?”

Surprised that such a space existed within the company, Se-hyun looked around. At a glance, it seemed like an ordinary office, with desks, chairs, and partitions dividing up the space. But one thing was conspicuously missing.

“It’s dark without any windows.”

Even though the fluorescent lights were turned on, the space had a somewhat gloomy feel.

“This place?”

Ha Jin-woong, who had entered first and was waiting for Se-hyun, let out a mocking laugh.

“It’s where we keep those who don’t listen.”

Se-hyun stopped scanning the room and turned his gaze to Ha Jin-woong after hearing his mocking laugh accompany those words.

He had found it strange that Jin-woong hadn’t said a word since telling him to follow, but it didn’t seem like he had good intentions.

“What? Scared?”

Rather than react to Jin-woong’s taunting, Se-hyun took out his phone from his pocket. He turned the screen towards Jin-woong to show him.

“What’s this?”

“I don’t think you can kill me in this place.”

“So?”

If he intended to kill him, he would have taken him to a place where there would be no trace left. Since Se-hyun stated the obvious, Jin-woong glanced at the screen uncomprehendingly. It wasn’t 112, but 119.

“I bruise easily even with the slightest contact. I’ll be going to the hospital right away to get a medical report, so I’d advise against laying a hand on me.”

“What? Ah.”

Jin-woong mulled over Se-hyun’s words for a moment before asking slowly.

“You’re telling me not to hit you?”

“Yes.”

“Not that you’re leaving?”

“You said you had something to discuss.”

Se-hyun looked straight at Ha Jin-woong while holding the cell phone in his hand.

“You…you really aren’t scared at all?”

No matter what Jin-woong said, Se-hyun didn’t flinch. From the moment Jin-woong told him to follow after he came to meet Ha Jin-seong, he had expected this much. So the thought of leaving never crossed his mind.

“What did you want to discuss?”

“Ah right, what I wanted to say. Has nothing happened recently?”

Jin-woong asked while perched on the desk, and Se-hyun gave him the answer he seemed to want to hear that nothing had happened. His suspicions had been confirmed. Now if he could just get a bit more context… After a moment’s thought, Se-hyun continued.

“Something did happen, actually.”

“I see.”

“Which is why I came to ask about it.”

And he judged that Ha Jin-woong would be a better person to ask than Ha Jin-seong.

“I understand why you caught my brother’s eye.”

Ha Jin-woong chuckled and rose from the desk he had been leaning against. His large frame moving made him seem quite threatening as he approached.

“There’s no need to come at me like that, is there?”

“Is that so?”

Ha Jin-woong clenched his fist.

⍣⍣⍣

Shin Tae-oh reclined his chair completely and lay down. His hands were neatly placed on his belly button, and his eyes were tightly closed.

“If you just close your eyes like that, it will only be a waste of time.”

Lee Jin-ho subtly slid some paperwork over, suggesting Tae-oh should review it instead.
“Secretary Ahn told me to go to sleep.”

Shin Tae-oh only moved his lips, so Lee Jin-ho silently pursed his lips. He’s a person who would pretend to be dead if Se-hyun said anything, but he wouldn’t even listen to what Lee Jin-ho said. If that’s how it would be, why didn’t he just make Se-hyun the chief secretary?

“Then just go to sleep for real.”

“I can’t sleep.”

“Your complexion doesn’t look good.”

He had overdone it with activity before fully recovering, so his face looked terrible. No wonder Se-hyun had said his eyes were red and looked tired.

“I guess it won’t work.”

Shin Tae-oh could not stand it anymore and got up.

“Why are you doing that?”

“I’m going to go see Secretary Ahn.”

“Why?”

Shin Tae-oh tightened his tie and lowered his rolled-up sleeves. As he re-buttoned his shirt one by one, his expression hardened in a way it hadn’t even when he had forcibly shut his eyes.

“I’m feeling strange.”

“How so?”

“Just…”

Should he say his heart was pounding? But not with excitement, more like anxiety.

“I feel like I need to go see him right now.”

Even if nothing was happening, he felt he needed to see with his own eyes to set his mind at ease.

“Do you know where he is?”

Lee Jin-ho asked skeptically. Se-hyun hadn’t said anything, so unless Shin Tae-oh had a tracking device on him, how could he know his location?

“I found Se-hyun before. I have a hunch it’s that same place.”

“When else has this happened? Oh…”

Lee Jin-ho seemed to recall belatedly. There was a time before when he had tried to ask where Se-hyun had gone under the pretense of lunch. And with just a general area, Shin Tae-oh had located Se-hyun.

“The fox eyeing Secretary Ahn was the culprit.”

Now that Shin Tae-oh was starting to get a sense of it, he mumbled while staring somewhere.