TSG 121
by Springlila“Se-hyun, over here.”
As Se-hyun entered the hotel, his parents, who were sitting in the lobby, stood up and waved enthusiastically.
“What brings you to Seoul?”
Se-hyun showed his delight but was still bewildered by his parents’ sudden visit to the city. Just last night when he called to check on them, they hadn’t mentioned anything…
“We received this. …Huh? Where did it go?”
His mother rummaged through her bag, unable to find what she wanted, and nudged his father’s side. His father cleared his throat and pulled out a thin, crisp paper envelope from inside his jacket.
“Here…”
“When did you take that?”
“Well, you kept forgetting about it, so I made sure to keep it safe.”
“Then you should’ve told me you took it!”
“I did! …Quietly.”
As his mother’s glare sharpened, his father hunched his shoulders and avoided her eyes. Sensing it was time to step in, Se-hyun gently positioned himself between them.
“So, this is what you received?”
“Huh? Oh yes, that’s right.”
His father, as if he’d found a savior, handed the envelope directly to Se-hyun to look at. Opening the crisp paper envelope, Se-hyun immediately recognized the contents.
“It’s a hotel voucher.”
And not just any voucher, but for a suite room. It also included restaurant invitations and even a point card that could be used like cash within the hotel.
“Who gave this to you?”
Considering the amount that could be given as a gift, whoever could afford this wasn’t just a casual acquaintance. At minimum, it would be a long-time friend or…
“The CEO gave it to us.”
The CEO, huh?
“The CEO?”
Se-hyun belatedly realized something odd. His parents weren’t currently job hunting. A few months ago, his father had surgery, so they were still focused on recovery.
Then, was it from a previous workplace?
As Se-hyun pondered various possibilities, his parents tilted their heads in confusion.
“You know, your CEO.”
“My CEO?”
There was only one person who could be referred to as Se-hyun’s CEO…
“Oh?”
A familiar voice came from behind, and Se-hyun reflexively turned his head. People’s attention naturally focused on the man walking across the lobby with a strong presence.
It’s quite difficult to be that handsome, but Shin Tae-oh managed it well.
But why was he here? They had parted ways earlier because he said he had an appointment today. Se-hyun narrowed his eyes.
“It’s been a while. Have you been well?”
Shin Tae-oh brushed past Se-hyun to greet his parents.
“Yes, it really has been a while. How long has it been, dear?”
His mother welcomed Shin Tae-oh warmly before suddenly turning to ask her husband.
“Well, we saw him once when I was discharged, and then every time I came for a check-up, so the last time I went to the hospital was…”
As his father tried to recall their most recent meeting, Se-hyun tilted his head in confusion. He knew well that his father had been visiting the hospital regularly for several months.
But something was strange. How could his father have seen Shin Tae-oh during his hospital visits?
“It feels like it’s been a long time, maybe because the seasons have changed,” Shin Tae-oh said, redirecting the conversation. His father, seemingly relieved not to have to think further, immediately responded.
“You’re right. It’s hard to believe we’re already on the doorstep of autumn.”
“The weather could turn cold at any time, so make sure to carry a coat.”
Their conversation seemed quite natural, but was it just Se-hyun’s imagination?
“By the way, Sir, what brings you here?”
Sensing the conversation might continue indefinitely if he didn’t intervene, Se-hyun gently tugged on Shin Tae-oh’s arm.
“Ah…”
Shin Tae-oh’s eyes darted around.
What’s this? Was he looking for someone?
“How come Se-hyun’s parents are here? What a coincidence! My parents were supposed to come here too.”
Then Shin Tae-oh suddenly started talking to himself.
This made Se-hyun suspicious. The fact that he was puffing up his already large frame made it even more suspicious.
Although it was no longer unusual for Shin Tae-oh to come here for meetings at the hotel, his current facial expressions and gestures were suspicious.
“We came to use the gift you gave us,” his mother said with a confused look, causing Se-hyun’s eyes to narrow further.
“Gift? Ah! Right. I did give you a gift.”
Shin Tae-oh covered his forehead as if he had forgotten, hiding his eyes from view.
What’s wrong with this guy?
“I thought that was for next week, but it’s today?”
If you’re going to pretend to have forgotten, at least be consistent.
Se-hyun crossed his arms and looked at Shin Tae-oh. Isn’t it about time you came clean? He applied pressure with his gaze.
Under Se-hyun’s pressure, Shin Tae-oh began to grow anxious. Realizing his antics weren’t working, Shin Tae-oh’s face suddenly brightened as he tried to adjust to the situation. As if he’d found a savior…
“Mother.”
At Shin Tae-oh’s loud voice, Jeong Min-jung, who had arrived arm-in-arm with an unfamiliar man, turned to look at him. She too, upon spotting Shin Tae-oh, began to approach. Shin Tae-oh regained his composure as if he’d never been nervous.
“I really did have an appointment.”
Hearing that, Se-hyun had nothing more to say. He just watched as Jeong Min-jung approached.
“Did you wait long?”
“Yes.”
Jeong Min-jung briefly closed her mouth and looked at Shin Tae-oh after his honest answer.
“You must have missed me.”
Jeong Min-jung’s interpretation of Shin Tae-oh’s answer in her own way was quite something. As Jeong Min-jung turned her gaze to look at the people with Shin Tae-oh, Se-hyun quickly greeted her.
“It’s been a while.”
“A while? We had dinner together just last week.”
“…”
That’s true, but…
As Se-hyun couldn’t deny it, Shin Tae-oh interjected.
“You two met?”
“We had dinner together since it was near the main office.”
Even as Jeong Min-jung explained what happened, Shin Tae-oh kept staring at Se-hyun.
“It just happened that way.”
Se-hyun acted as if it was no big deal.
In the past, they weren’t people who could meet easily, but their relationship had been gradually growing closer. So having a meal together wasn’t particularly difficult.
Jeong Min-jung had also willingly accepted Se-hyun’s invitation.
“Hmm.”
But Shin Tae-oh still seemed to have something to say.
In fact, Se-hyun was full of questions too.
“And these are my parents.”
Thinking it was best to finish the introductions first, Se-hyun introduced his father and mother. Hearing Se-hyun’s introduction, Jeong Min-jung brought forward the middle-aged man she had arrived with.
“Come to think of it, this is Se-hyun’s first time meeting you.”
It was indeed Se-hyun’s first time meeting him. But strangely… he looked familiar.
As Se-hyun looked at the face of the middle-aged man standing there, he unconsciously turned his head towards Shin Tae-oh.
“That’s right. My father.”
“I’m Shin Gi-han.”
“I’m Ahn Se-hyun.”
Se-hyun’s parents also greeted them.
“I’m Ahn Baek-cheon. This is Kim Hye-soon.”
“Nice to meet you.”
As the parents exchanged greetings, Se-hyun felt a strange sensation. He looked around and nudged Shin Tae-oh’s side.
“Is this really a coincidence?”
He whispered so only Shin Tae-oh could hear, but Shin Tae-oh leaned his upper body as if he hadn’t heard.
“Huh?”
“I’m asking if this is really a coincidence.”
“Then what business did Se-hyun have to pass by the main office by chance?”
At Shin Tae-oh’s drawling smile and tone that seemed to say ‘be honest’, Se-hyun bristled.
“Is the main office in some remote area? Anyone can go there while moving around Seoul.”
“Last week, you only went out for lunch once…”
It’s not just secretaries who know their boss’s schedule; bosses know their secretary’s schedule too.
Backed into a corner by Shin Tae-oh’s pressure, Se-hyun, far from being flustered, bared his teeth.
“I met the Chairman who’s in Seoul, but how did you meet my father who’s in the countryside?”
If we’re talking about strange things, isn’t Shin Tae-oh’s situation even stranger? That was Se-hyun’s counterattack.
“Me? I’ve been going to the hospital lately because my body’s been weak.”
“You went all the way there because you were weak? And coincidentally on the same day my father had appointments?”
Having said this much, isn’t it about time to be honest? Se-hyun glared at Tae-oh.
“We’re hospital buddies who go together regularly.”
As Shin Tae-oh insisted on the hospital buddy story to the end, Se-hyun looked at him with exasperated eyes.
“Is that a thing these days?”
“If it doesn’t exist, you can make it exist.”
Se-hyun let out a hollow laugh.
He’s really this transparent, yet how did he manage to hide his hospital visits so perfectly all this time?
“What illness did you go for?”
“It’s… a kind of regular check-up.”
Shin Tae-oh’s voice lacked strength. It probably wasn’t his regular check-up, but someone else’s.
“Why not just tell me the truth?”
“…How much truth?”
Se-hyun’s mouth fell open at the question asking him to define the scope.
“I think we need to have a talk.”
He thought he knew Shin Tae-oh well, but surprisingly, there were still things he didn’t know.
As Se-hyun was thinking about when would be a good time to talk, he suddenly felt gazes on him and turned to the side.
“Uh…”
The parents, who had finished exchanging greetings, were now looking at Shin Tae-oh and Se-hyun.
“Since we met by chance, shall we have a meal together?”
At Tae-oh’s suggestion, the parents agreed. Now Se-hyun gave up as if he had no choice. After all, they couldn’t just keep standing in the lobby.
“Did you make a reservation?”
“Yes.”
Coincidence, my foot.