During the three days I was in Seoul, I had many conversations with Chairman Cheon. We talked about things like how this incident could have been resolved more easily if I had done it this way. Certainly... coming from Chairman Cheon, who had stepped on many people to reach his current position, his advice was helpful in many ways.
In my past life, he had never given me advice like this even once... The last day. Cheon Su-han came to Pyeongchang District alone, bringing only his daughter.
It was a trick, knowing that Chairman Cheon particularly cherished Cheon Ji-young, the youngest in the family.
"Father, we are here. I brought Ji-young."
"Grandpa!"
Ji-young ran over and threw herself into her grandfather's arms.
"Yes, is my Ji-young here? Why have you lost so much weight? Is it because you're growing taller? Are you eating well?"
"Yes! Grandpa."
"Did you come to see this grandpa because you thought he might be lonely?"
"I told my dad we should go!"
"Is that so?"
From the second floor, I looked down at Ji-young acting cute towards our grandfather, vigorously scratching the goosebumps that had formed on my forearms. 'Such a grown girl acting like a sly fox...'
She was the only child among my cousins that I felt some affection for, but I couldn't help getting chills seeing her act so coy in front of grandfather and me.
"What were you doing?"
"I was having a little talk with Mu-hyeok."
"Mu-hyeok? He's here?"
"Yes, he is on the second floor."
"Ah!"
"Go on up. I need to have a talk with your father. Let's play later."
"Okay! See you later."
Coming up to the second floor, Ji-young made eye contact with me. Flinching for just a moment, she ran over with a bright smile.
"Brother Mu-hyeok!"
Wow... look at her expression change.
"Yeah, it's been a while."
"Brother, when did you get here?"
"I came three days ago. I'm heading down tomorrow."
"Hmph, you always say you're heading down tomorrow."
"Maybe we can go to an amusement park together next vacation. Oh, you aren't childish enough to play at an amusement park, right?"
"Huh?"
"Do you want to go play in the toy room? There are a lot of toys there."
"...No. I just want to talk with you."
Meanwhile, in the study, Chairman Cheon and Cheon Su-han were talking alone.
"What happened with what I mentioned last time?"
"Well..."
"Don't tell me you still haven't handled it? Are you all saying that you'll only listen if I step forward myself?!"
When Chairman Cheon lost his temper, Cheon Su-han flinched and mumbled an excuse.
"Brother was being stubborn..."
"Tsk, tsk. Brother this, brother that. Just how long are you going to follow around your older brother? Didn't I clearly give you separate authority? So why are you just getting dragged around by Cheon Su-man like that?"
Cheon Su-han shut his mouth tightly like a mute who had eaten honey. Chairman Cheon clicked his tongue as if finding him pathetic.
"Is it because you aren't the eldest son? Why does that matter? Do you think Cheon Su-man will take care of you after I die if you keep yielding to him like that? In front of money, there are no brothers, and no parents or children. Do you still not know that?"
"But... my brother is so good at it..."
"Don't make excuses. Think carefully. Think about how you might end up with truly nothing. And also consider that I now have three choices instead of two."
"Father!"
Having just listened hesitantly, he suddenly raised his head and looked at Chairman Cheon. Chairman Cheon raised the corners of his mouth toward Cheon Su-han, who had a wronged expression.
"Why? Is Mi-sook's child not my blood? Why do you think the opportunity is only for you two?"
"But..."
"I gave you plenty of chances too. Weren't you the one who blew those chances? How many more chances do I have to give you?"
"..."
"Go back and think about it carefully."
Cheon Su-han dropped his head weakly.
"Go back first. I'll keep Ji-young for the night and send her back tomorrow."
"Yes, Father."
At the order to leave, Cheon Su-han powerlessly exited the study. Left alone, Chairman Cheon let out a small sigh.
"The younger one has too weak of a spirit, and the older one is too greedy."
After furrowing his brows for a while, Chairman Cheon suddenly spoke toward the outside.
"Myeong-hun."
Manager Ha, who had been waiting outside the door, came in and bowed politely.
"Yes, Chairman."
"Properly look into what the older one is doing and how he is doing it. I can't trust him."
"Understood."
"And..."
That day, Chairman Cheon gave many orders to Manager Ha. Meanwhile, Cheon Su-han, who left Chairman Cheon's house, went straight to Myeon District's office where his older brother, Cheon Su-man, was.
"Brother!"
"What is it? Why did you come without a word? I thought you were going to the old man?"
"I went and came back. Hah... that old man, he nags so much... He asked how we handled the political funds we gave out this time."
Cheon Su-han flopped down on the sofa opposite Cheon Su-man. Cheon Su-man frowned.
"How can we ask for back what we already gave? It's already been six months."
"I don't know. Anyway, he keeps asking if I'm going to keep following you around. So I just left."
"What the... why does that old man keep making a fuss."
"After the old man dies, you're going to treat me well, right? You aren't going to ignore me?"
"Hey, you and I are the only brothers here. Would I abandon you? I'll make sure you have no trouble making a living wherever you go, so don't worry."
"I'm really trusting you, brother."
The faint anxiety that appeared in Cheon Su-han's eyes did not fade away.
"Brother!"
"Yeah."
"Are you going to keep living in Busan?"
"Yeah. Until I enter college, I guess?"
"You'll come up here when you get in, right?"
Talking alone in the room like this reminded me of the past. In the past, when I was ignored and despised by the brothers Cheon Su-man and Cheon Su-han and my cousins, feeling down without being able to put up any resistance, Ji-young had approached me without hesitation. Although I later realized she was a sly fox, nothing really changed.
Even at the end when I lost everything... she still contacted me at least once a month until I went into hiding.
"Will you show me around if I visit Busan?"
"Huh? Yeah. Let me know when you come over."
"Ohh. Okay, I'll head down soon."
"Sure, come whenever. I'll introduce you to my friends too. They're nice."
"Hmph, whatever."
"Hahaha."
Without realizing it, I stopped my hand as it was reaching toward Ji-young's head. I wasn't like this before... Perhaps because my mental age wasn't much different from her father, Cheon Su-han, she was my younger cousin, but I kept feeling like I was looking at a young niece.
"What's with that hand? Why?"
"Stretching! I was just stretching!"
"Young Master, Miss. Please come eat."
Fortunately, the housekeeper's voice ringing out just in time saved me. I avoided Ji-young's coy stare and stepped out of the room. When I opened my eyes the next day, Ji-young had already left.
The first thing I did upon arriving in Busan was meet with Chief Prosecutor Yoon Chang-ho. When I got out of Manager Ha's car, the car the Chief Prosecutor drove was parked in front of my house. As I transferred to the Chief Prosecutor's car, the driver stepped out.
In the silent car, the Chief Prosecutor, who had been unable to open his mouth, spoke with difficulty.
"Mu-hyeok, I'm sorry."
The Chief Prosecutor's face looked like a mess, perhaps from having a hard time lately.
"Chief Prosecutor, please speak comfortably. It just makes me feel uncomfortable."
"...Would that really be okay?"
"Yes."
"Then I'll do that."
His tone changed, but Chief Prosecutor Yoon's uncomfortable expression didn't change much. 'Winning him over isn't difficult.' Still, it seemed it would take some time to improve our relationship.
I deliberately spoke in a nonchalant voice.
"Even though we got tangled up in a bad incident, I know you had nothing to do with it. But my grandfather isn't the type of person to care about those details, is he."
"Phew... true."
"That's why I told my grandfather I wanted to talk with you directly. It isn't even your fault, so I didn't want us to blush with anger at each other for no reason."
Chief Prosecutor Yoon's face lit up for a moment, but then darkened again at my next words.
"But I also need to have something to tell my grandfather... So, Chief Prosecutor."
"...What is it?"
"Next time, just grant me one favor. It won't be anything unreasonable. What do you say?"
I drove a wedge into the hesitating Chief Prosecutor.
"It definitely won't be a bad thing for you either. I might not even ask for a favor for the rest of my life. I just need something to say to my grandfather. I want to get along well with you, Chief Prosecutor. Like an uncle, like a close older friend."
After thinking it over, he soon nodded.
"...Alright, if it's something I can do, I'll do it."
"Then I'll tell my grandfather that. Grandfather might want a separate confirmation of our promise, or he might say something else. But you will have to accept that."
"I understand. I should."
Only then did Chief Prosecutor Yoon seem to relieve a burden.
"I hope we meet for something good next time."
"Yes. Let's do that."
"Then I'll get going first. I have to go to school starting tomorrow, so I need to get ready."
"Ah, right. You were a high school student."
"Yes. You graduated from Korea University too, right?"
"Of course, isn't that a given."
"I'm studying with that university as my goal. If I get in, I'll treat you as my senior next time."
When I spoke naturally, the Chief Prosecutor's expression softened a bit.
"That would be nice. But, are you going to stay in Busan instead of going to Pyeongchang District? I'll pay some attention to you then."
"I think I'll be in Busan until I take the college entrance exam. Still, I can't use the one favor I have from you on such a small matter. You have to get promoted, right? Aren't you heading to Seoul soon?"
"Hahaha, I suppose so. I get it. Let's see each other again next time."
"Yes."
After getting out of the Chief Prosecutor's car and going inside the house, my grandmother had set the dinner table and was waiting for me.
"Are you here? How is your body?"
"Grandma!"
Seeing my grandmother after a few days made me smile without realizing it.
"What's with you. Go wash up quickly. I'll heat up the soybean paste stew, hurry up."
"Okay, Grandma."
The smell of grandmother's soybean paste stew tickled my nose.
"Oh wow~ The smell of my grandma's soybean paste stew is great no matter when I smell it."
"You rascal, did you oil your tongue lately. You're only saying things that make this grandma feel good."
"Let's eat quickly."
"Yes, hurry up and eat."
Dinner with my grandma was delicious, as always. Being with her made the incident with Hong Jin-pyo feel like something that happened a long time ago. The next day.
Myeong-soo, who came running from afar, tapped my back.
"Hey, Mu-hyeok! It's been a while, right?"
"I heard you hung out with my grandma often? Thanks."
"Cut the crap. Your grandma is my grandma. Stop saying bland things and let's go."
Not long after, Hyeon-seong joined us too. It was the first time in a while that the three of us went to school together. At the school gate stood Viper, who had newly become the head of student affairs.
This time, we passed through the gate without any particular reprimands.
"Wow~ It's so comfortable without Bald Eagle around. Right?"
"Phew... That guy Myeong-soo kept saying that the whole time you weren't at school. My ears hurt so much I thought I'd die."
"Hahaha."
The two of them constantly bickered, but I still really liked this atmosphere. Coming back after a while, many things at school had changed. The atmosphere of how both the teachers and students treated me was different.
The teachers were cautious around me, and the students... were even more afraid of me than before. Now it was too annoying to even speak. Let's just live our own lives, you do you and I'll do me.
The only person who hadn't changed was Viper, who had been my homeroom teacher straight through since my first year.
"Mu-hyeok. Is your body okay? Work hard to make up for missing school. If your grades drop, you know it's the bat, right?"
"Yes."
"And since you caused trouble, you have to be punished, right? Anyway, a fight at school is a fight. You're cleaning the second-floor bathroom for a month. Any objections?"
"Understood. But is it okay if I do it together with Myeong-soo and Hyeon-seong?"
"You figure that out on your own. Just get the cleaning checked when you're done. Got it?"
"Yes, teacher."
"Right, you came to school after a while, so study hard. Let's see each other during the closing session."
When I told Hyeon-seong and Myeong-soo that we had to clean the bathroom together, Myeong-soo threw a huge fit, unlike Hyeon-seong, who had little reaction.
"Crazy. Hey! Mu-hyeok! You can just do it by yourself, so why are you dragging us into it? Did this bastard really get sick in the head after being in the hospital? Do you want me to put you in the hospital properly?"
"I don't mind. If Mu-hyeok says we should, then we should. It seems Myeong-soo doesn't want to do it. I should go tell Viper."
"No, it's not that I don't want to, but why do we have to..."
"Sorry. But we're friends, aren't we. We should do it together. Right?"
"Of course."
Whenever we teased Myeong-soo, Hyeon-seong and I were perfectly in sync.
"Ah, crap! If you do this, I'm the only one who looks weird again! Hey! Mu-hyeok, Hyeon-seong! Let's go together. Where are you guys going by yourselves!"
"Puhahaha."
Hyeon-seong and I burst into laughter at the same time. Like that, a year passed, and the day to take the college entrance exam approached.