A few days had passed since my call with Jobs. There was still no word from Seo Hyeongjun.
Well, it was a huge decision—abandoning everything he’d built and leaving Korea for China.
It was more than understandable that he’d be agonizing over it.
But if this dragged on too long, I’d have no choice but to join hands with JC Group.
“How long until we get there?”
“We’ll arrive shortly.”
I nodded and spent the ti organizing my thoughts.
“Boss, we’re here.”
At Manager Ma’s words, I glanced out the window. We were already in front of Ilseong Hospital.
The mont I stepped out of the car, the hospital director ca out with departnt heads from various fields to greet .
“Welco, President Kim Muhyuk.”
The director bowed first, and the other departnt heads followed suit, bowing deeply.
I noticed passersby glancing over and whispering among themselves.
Shaking my head at the excessive welco, I spoke.
“Nice to see you all. Director, please stay. Everyone else, return to your posts.”
The director signaled with his eyes, and the departnt heads all disappeared back into the hospital.
Once we were alone, I wiped the forced smile from my face.
“Don’t do this again.”
“But... this has always been the custom when soone cos from the foundation.”
“Maybe for Ilseong. But I don’t operate that way. Understood?”
When I spoke firmly with a hardened expression, the director began sweating and bowed repeatedly.
“Yes, yes. Of course. I won’t do it again.”
When I took control of Ilseong Group’s managent rights, I also took the chairman’s seat of the Ilseong Life Foundation from Seo Jaehun.
Which ant I was holding this man’s leash.
The sa man who, acting on Seo Jaehun’s orders, had left Seo Yonggeon neither dead nor alive—now, with a single word from , could do the sa to Seo Jaehun.
“Let’s go inside. Too many eyes out here.”
I entered the main building with the director. We got into the elevator, and he pressed the button for the 20th floor.
Only after the elevator started moving slowly did I ask him,
“How’s Seo Jaehun’s condition?”
“The sa as Chairman Seo Yonggeon’s.”
“Hm. How much longer do you think Chairman Seo Yonggeon will live?”
“Probably... not very long. At most, two years.”
Two years. He’d held on longer than I expected. Seo Jaehun would last about the sa, then.
“Seo Heekyung has been coming by a lot, hasn’t she?”
“Yes. She’s asked several tis about the chances of Chairman Seo Yonggeon waking up.”
“And?”
“I told her it was impossible unless a miracle happened.”
I’d heard that Cheon Jisoo and Seo Heekyung both visited Seo Yonggeon often.
Whether it was because blood ties mattered to them, or for so other reason, I didn’t know.
“And what about Seo Jaehun?”
“I told her that since Vice Chairman Seo Jaehun is still young, it’s hard to say. He could get up and walk away, or he could pass away like this.”
As we spoke, the elevator arrived at the 20th floor, where the VIP ward was located.
Security personnel were stationed from the entrance. After confirming the director and , they imdiately opened the sealed doors.
I continued toward the innermost area, talking with the director.
There was a room there that Seo Yonggeon and Seo Jaehun shared.
Through the glass window, the room was visible.
The room that once held only Chairman Seo Yonggeon now had Seo Jaehun’s bed placed beside it.
They were spaced far apart, but the sight of both of them hooked up to various machines was identical.
“Open it.”
The director nodded toward the CCTV, and the door soon opened.
I walked straight to Chairman Seo Yonggeon’s side. He looked even thinner than the last ti I’d seen him.
“He’s lost more weight.”
“Yes. He’s reached his limit. He’s barely holding on. This is beyond what I can actively treat... I’m only keeping his heart from stopping completely.”
The director explained earnestly, but I rely looked down at Seo Yonggeon with cold eyes.
I felt nothing anymore. Only a vague pity.
To see a titan of the business world, who once ruled an entire era, lying like this...
“If we stopped all treatnt, when would he die?”
“......He could pass away as soon as tonight.”
“Hm.”
I looked at Seo Yonggeon’s face and pondered.
Should I let him suffer longer? Give him rest now? Or hand that decision over to Seo Heekyung?
Lost in thought, I walked over to Seo Jaehun’s side.
Seo Jaehun’s face was peaceful, like soone asleep.
Unless you knew better, you’d think he was simply in a deep slumber.
“He’s under a suspended sentence, right?”
“Yes. We applied for suspension as soon as he fell unconscious.”
“Well done. You can wake him up, can’t you?”
“Yes. If you want, we can have him awake within a day. Shall we?”
I gave a small shake of my head. There was no need to wake him.
“Let’s observe for now. But his complexion is surprisingly good. He doesn’t look like soone who’s ill.”
“Well, unlike Chairman Seo Yonggeon, he’s young...”
“Still, he looks too healthy. Cut his nutritional intake in half.”
“Understood. But if we do that, it could be risky when we try to wake him later.”
“Well, that’s his luck.”
Just like with Seo Yonggeon, I felt nothing looking at Seo Jaehun’s face.
I examined him briefly with cold eyes, then turned away.
Leaving the room, I walked silently toward the elevator.
The director followed behind, watching my expression carefully. I stopped and asked,
“The Ilseong Life Foundation—no, we’ll be changing the na. The chairman’s position of the Taesan Life Foundation. Are you interested?”
“......Chairman?”
“Yes. You’re already the hospital director, the highest position here. There’s nowhere higher to go. The only position I can offer is chairman of the foundation...”
“That’s fine. That would be excellent.”
Seeing him answer before I’d even finished speaking, clearly pleased with my proposal, I smiled.
It was a position obtained at the cost of two lives—two n who once controlled Ilseong itself.
“Not imdiately. Once everything is wrapped up, prepare to assu the chairman’s role.”
The foundation chairman appoints the hospital director.
On paper, the departnt heads vote, but that’s just a formality. Everything is decided by the foundation.
And the person holding all that authority was the chairman.
“For now, keep Seo Yonggeon and Seo Jaehun alive—just barely. And... if Seo Heekyung or Cheon Jisoo contact you, tell us exactly what they say.”
“Understood.”
“No need to see off.”
The elevator doors opened, and I got in with Manager Ma.
As I turned to face the doors, the director stood bowing until they closed.
I got into the car waiting at the hospital entrance without saying a word.
“Let’s go to Myeongdong. I need a drink tonight.”
Manager Ma nodded and signaled his subordinates. Soon, the car carrying pulled away.
“Are you all right?”
Manager Ma turned around and asked. Deep concern was etched on his face.
“I don’t know. I feel nothing at all.”
“.......”
It was ti to let everything go. Ti to stop being dragged around by the past.
“From now on, Seo Yonggeon, Seo Jaehun, Cheon Jisoo, and Cheon Jiwon—handle everything at your discretion, Manager Ma. Don’t report it to .”
“.......”
“Kill them, keep them alive, or turn them into beggars. Do as you see fit. I’m stepping back now.”
“Yes. Understood.”
Manager Ma bowed his head. I nodded and took out my phone.
It didn’t take long for the call to connect.
—Hey. Muhyuk.
“Busy?”
An irritable voice ca through.
—Wouldn’t it be weird if I weren’t?
“I was thinking of grabbing a drink. Guess that won’t work.”
—Sothing going on with you?
“No. Nothing.”
I said nothing was wrong, but Myungsoo could tell just from my voice.
—Yeah right. Sothing’s up. I’m heading out now. Where should I go?
“Didn’t you say you were busy?”
—Ah, stop the bullshit. You sound like that and I’m supposed to ignore it? Where am I going?
“Co to the secret club in Myeongdong. You know where it is, right?”
—Okay. I’ll co with Hyunseong.
“Yeah. I’ll wait.”
I ended the call and quietly closed my eyes.
Normally, just hearing Myungsoo and Hyunseong’s voices lifted my mood.
But tonight, my thoughts only grew heavier.
Sitting at the table, I leaned back comfortably and raised my glass. As the empty glasses piled up, my thoughts deepened.
Then I heard the sound of the door opening and looked up.
“Hey! Drinking alone all pitiful like that? You couldn’t wait?”
Myungsoo waved his hand and scolded , while Hyunseong just smiled silently.
I smiled back at the two of them.
“You’re here? Sit.”
They took their seats. I filled two glasses with ice and spoke.
“Hyunseong, you got permission from your wife before coming, right?”
Hyunseong nodded.
I poured whiskey into the ice-filled glasses and slid them toward them.
“Let’s start with a drink. It’s been a while since the three of us drank together like this.”
We laughed and clinked glasses, downing the drinks in one go before starting to talk.
“Hyunseong, work’s going well?”
“Sa as always. Nothing’s really changed.”
“Nothing changing is good. That’s how everyone lives. Like a squirrel running in a wheel.”
At my words, Myungsoo burst out laughing.
“What the hell. Are you sick or sothing? Eat sothing bad? Are you cultivating enlightennt now? You’re not even an old man—why are you like this all of a sudden? Ah, never mind. You were always an old man anyway.”
An old man. Sotis Myungsoo really did see straight to the core of things.
I couldn’t help but give a bitter smile.
“Soone said I might be running too far ahead. That I never rest, always moving so frantically, asking what I’m even doing it all for.”
“Whoever it was, there aren’t many people who could say that to you. Either us, or CEO Han Kyungyeong. And since it wasn’t us, it must’ve been Han.”
I quietly nodded.
This was why I liked being with my people. The fact that they knew without having to say much—it felt good.
“He said it right. You need to rest. What are you struggling so hard for? When it’s ti to stop, stop.”
“Right?”
Hyunseong nodded silently while sipping his drink.
He seed to be thinking the sa thing. Myungsoo continued instead.
“Do you even hear yourself? Of course. How often do you visit your grandma? Do you call her a lot? Think carefully about how old she is. Don’t regret it after she’s gone—treat her well while she’s still alive.”
Perhaps getting worked up, Myungsoo slipped into his Busan dialect.
“I’m not really in a position to say this either, but I still go down to Busan whenever I have ti. If there’s an event in Busan, I always stop by ho and greet my grandma.”
When I couldn’t say anything, Myungsoo, clearly frustrated, filled his glass and downed it in one go.
“Take a break. I’m not saying quit everything right now, but once you wrap up what you’re doing, rest a bit. There’s CEO Han, there’s , there’s Hyunseong, there’s CEO Eva too... Anyway, there are plenty of people who can work in your place.”
“Got it. Just this one thing, and then I’ll wrap it up.”
Myungsoo refilled his empty glass and pushed it toward Hyunseong and again.
“Let’s not talk about heavy stuff with drinks in front of us. At least when it’s just us, we should drink comfortably, right? Drinking is our job, isn’t it? Co on, raise your glasses.”
Myungsoo lifted his glass high. Hyunseong and I smiled and clinked glasses with him.
“But really, did sothing happen today?”
After finishing his drink, Hyunseong asked quietly.
“Why? Do I look like sothing happened?”
“Just... the vibe.”
“Well, I had a lot on my mind. It’s fine. I sorted it all out. Don’t worry—just drink.”
“If you’re struggling, say you’re struggling. We’re friends.”
If even Hyunseong was saying this, I must’ve been showing it a lot.
“Struggling? You guys have it harder than I do.”
“.......”
Hyunseong stared at silently, and Myungsoo seized the mont to speak up.
“Oh? So you do know? You have any idea how much I’ve suffered because of you?”
Listening to Myungsoo complain loudly on purpose, I laughed heartily.
From night until the morning sun rose, we didn’t say a single word about work.
Instead, we drank, reminiscing about our childhood.
Even so, the smiles never left our faces.
“Back then, Muhyuk, you just—bam! That bastard. Ah, I can’t rember his na. You know, that guy. Anyway, you smashed the back of his head and then...”
Most of the talking was done by Myungsoo, while Hyunseong and I chid in here and there.
“Muhyuk.”
Even with his tongue twisted, Myungsoo sohow pronounced my na perfectly. Completely drunk, he asked in slurred speech,
“If we went back to being kids again, we’d still be friends then too, right?”
“Of course. Even if everything else changes, you, Hyunseong, and —we’ll always be friends.”
This was already my second life.
And even if there were a third, that would never change.
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