SLC 59
by Lilium“Secretary Kang.”
When those words came out of the young master’s mouth as he tied his tie in front of the mirror, Kang Uicheol doubted his own ears. Except for Chairman Choi, Mok Seongha had always spoken casually to everyone regardless of rank, age, or gender, so Kang had never imagined a day would come when he would hear such a form of address from him1.
“Yes, young master.”
“A married man and a divorced man. Which one’s better?”
“If I had to compare, a situation where the marriage is still being maintained would be better?”
He wanted to ask what use there was in comparing something like that, but Mok Seongha answered first.
“Hmm.”
Mok Seongha closed his mouth and stared at the mirror, looking lost in thought.
Whoever gave birth to him, that kid really is handsome, like a perfectly polished diamond. The momentary fondness passed quickly.
“If someone gets married at 22 and divorced at 23, would that be a big flaw?”
“Pardon? In what sense are you asking?”
“For a relationship between the same sex.”
“……”
Kang Uicheol could easily guess who that ‘same sex’ referred to, so he clenched his teeth.
That damn pro gay bastard dared to mess with the young master who knows nothing….
“What do you think?”
“…If you’re asking for my opinion, then I think I should say that you shouldn’t have any kind of relationship if you’re married.”
“Why?”
Mok Seongha looked genuinely confused.
“Do you know what marriage is?”
Kang Uicheol first saw Mok Seongha, no, the young master, 17 years ago. It already was amazing that a tiny little beast had grown this much and become a person, so the fact that he was even talking about marriage felt unreal.
“I know. It’s something Chairman Choi tells me to do.”
Mok Seongha answered while fastening the buttons on his shirt cuffs.
“Don’t joke around.”
Mok Seongha slowly turned his head.
“If you’re asking for the dictionary definition, you can just look it up yourself. To me, that’s what it means.”
“……”
“Then why can’t you have a relationship with someone else if you get married? People on this side aren’t the type to care about that stuff.”
Kang Uicheol realized that he had underestimated Mok Seongha. He wasn’t asking about a typical marital relationship.
…He understood the meaning of the marriage he was about to enter. Every time Secretary Kang caught a glimpse of Mok Seongha’s side, he thought that the man really did inherit Chairman Choi’s blood.
“That might be true, but… various problems could come up, so during the marriage, at least…”
“So I can just get divorced the day after the wedding.”
“…Young master.”
“Then do I still have to split property? If I don’t register the marriage, there’s no obligation to divide assets, as far as I know.”
He was no longer an ignorant young master who knew nothing about the world. Kang Uicheol answered, “That’s correct.”
“However, there’s a high chance they would file for compensation.”
“They probably would.”
Mok Seongha replied and brushed his hair back.
No. Whose diamond is sparkling like that?
Kang Uicheol quickly pulled himself together.
“Young master. But haven’t you already decided to get married?”
“Yeah.”
He unconsciously used casual speech. Kang Uicheol managed to not laugh and continued.
“Then why are you thinking about divorce first? You should be thinking about living well.”
“I am going to live well.”
Mok Seongha turned around. From head to toe, his appearance was flawless, and even Kang Uicheol, who had watched over him and cared for him since he was young, was left momentarily speechless.
“I’m planning to live really well after the divorce.”
“…What about the promise you made to Chairman Choi?”
“That’s why I’m getting married.”
“What Chairman Choi wants is…”
Mok Seongha looked at Kang Uicheol. His golden eyes darkened whenever he was in a bad mood. It felt like the moon in a clouded night sky was looking down at him.
“What Chairman Choi wants is for me to live like a human.”
It was only natural that Chairman Choi worried about his only grandson. There was the issue of suddenly turning into a panther in certain situations, but there was also the concern that he couldn’t blend in with people after spending so long in panther form.
A lack of common sense, a lack of social skills, gaps in education.
None of them was easy to fix. But what worried not only Secretary Kang but Chairman Choi the most was something else.
“You have to get married to live like a human.”
He repeated as if making a vow to himself.
He had always been like that since he was young. Once he learned about a certain ‘principle’, he never changed it. He followed it unconditionally and allowed no exceptions.
For example, because of an incomprehensible principle like ‘food given by others is dangerous,’ he only ate food given by Chairman Choi. More precisely, he only ate food made by people designated by Chairman Choi. No matter how many times people beside him said it was fine and tried to persuade him, it never worked.
The principles embedded in his mind were like absolute commands. Watching from the side, that broken system worried Secretary Kang the most.
If someone learned about it and tried to take advantage of it, the young master’s entire life could be shaken…. Chairman Choi was probably most worried about that part as well.
“…He said I should get married too.”
“Who is ‘he’?”
“Teacher.”
Secretary Kang was left speechless for a moment.
“You’re saying that damn Teacher Kim really told you to get married?”
“Yes. He said it was a good method,…yo.”
The yo2 at the end made Secretary Kang laugh.
“Why are you suddenly using honorifics? You’ve never used them your whole life.”
“My teacher told me to use honorifics with people older than me.”
“…….”
If that pro gay teacher told you to die, would you die?
Secretary Kang swallowed the words he wanted to say and replied, “You can speak comfortably with me.”
“Okay.”
Mok Seongha immediately switched to casual speech, without even a token polite refusal. Secretary Kang straightened his clothes and opened the door.
“Let’s go.”
Today’s meeting was with the granddaughter of the Chahyeon Group. That was also why he had taken Mok Seongha to Kim Jinkyung’s place late at night after Seongha suddenly transformed at the hospital, then picked him up again in the morning.
Because of a promise to Chairman Choi, he went on a blind date once a week. He usually didn’t even go out for tea. He would sit still, stare at his watch, then stand up. No matter who the other party was, the meeting never lasted more than 10 minutes. The time kept getting shorter, and these days he stood up in less than 5 minutes.
Even so, Mok Seongha showed up every time. He had promised his grandfather. He went to those meetings with a sour expression, like a child forcing down bitter medicine. But today was different.
As he put on his shoes, Mok Seongha hummed.
“…….”
Has he lost his mind?
Kang Uicheol looked at Mok Seongha with a confused expression.
He had suspected for a while that the young master might be a little off. Yesterday had been like that too. After showering, he said he would shower again, went into the bathroom, soaked himself with water, then didn’t return to his original form. Secretary Kang had sprinted through the hospital corridor, thinking nothing except, “Has this bastard really gone crazy?” In the end, because of the next morning’s schedule, he had no choice but to take him to Kim Jinkyung’s place.
When Teacher Kim was nearby, the young master calmed down faster and returned to the form he himself wanted.
As a precaution, Kang Uicheol put the young master into a large box he had prepared in advance and delivered him to that house. As he left, he questioned if this was really the right thing to do.
He already felt uneasy because the young master seemed to be relying more and more on that scrawny bastard. And the thought that he might have to deliver him like this every time he changed made anxiety rear its head.
He parked the car nearby and stayed up all night. As soon as dawn broke, he knocked on the front door.
Nothing should happen between the two of them, but nothing better happen.
Only after hearing the young master say he would come out in 30 minutes did Kang Uicheol finally relax and return to the car. But 30 minutes stretched longer and longer. In the end, nearly 2 hours passed before the young master got into the car.
He almost scolded him, then held his tongue. He knew that Mok Seongha usually felt more irritable than usual on days with a blind date. But Mok Seongha was strangely cheerful.
He was like that during the meal after returning to the mansion, and he was like that while changing clothes. No, ever since the moment he came out of that house.
“What?”
Mok Seongha asked with a smooth, glowing face. His looks were dazzling. Kang Uicheol rubbed his eyes for a moment and answered, “It’s nothing.”
People have days when they feel good. There’s no need to think too much about it.
Kang Uicheol thought as he opened the car door.
But that day’s blind date also ended at lightning speed. This time, it was…3 minutes? He didn’t even sit long enough for cup noodles to finish cooking.
But Mok Seongha looked in a better mood than before when he got into the car.
“Should I take you back to the hospital?”
Kang Uicheol carefully asked. When they had stopped by the hospital that morning, he and the Chairman had gotten into a serious argument over the discharge issue.
Mok Seongha had opposed his grandfather’s discharge, saying outrageous things like asking “What kind of discharge it was with that body,” and “If the cancer had spread to his brain?”
“Yeah. We should go.”
Despite their argument, Mok Seongha still chose to visit him.
“Is Chairman Choi being discharged tomorrow?”
“Most likely, yes.”
Kang Uicheol checked Mok Seongha through the rearview mirror. He expected him to be annoyed, but his face was unexpectedly calm.
“Is everything ready?”
“Yes. I believe everything has already been prepared.”
“What time do I need to be there tomorrow?”
After the corridor sprint incident, Chairman Choi not only banned Mok Seongha from staying overnight at the hospital but also moved up the discharge date.
“Even if you oppose it, Chairman Choi’s decision probably won’t change.”
In all the years Kang Uicheol had watched him, he had never once seen him reverse a decision.
“Who says I’m opposing it? Someone needs to be there as the guardian when he’s discharged. That’s why I’m going.”
“…….”
He wouldn’t change his thinking that completely in half a day. Mok Seongha was, after all, Chairman Choi’s grandson. His stubbornness had been passed down intact.
Mok Seongha noticed Kang Uicheol’s perplexed look and continued while staring out the window.
“I still think the Chairman should stay in the hospital, but… his wishes matter more. Time is something no hospital can give.”
“…….”
Ah. Pro gay. He fell for that pro gay bastard’s words again.
“Anyway, we’ll discharge him for now and then put him back in once we see how things go.”
After saying that, Mok Seongha looked at his phone. He typed quickly with one hand. Kang Uicheol chewed on his regret as he observed him.
That pure, young master who never even looked at a phone. How did he end up indulging in worldly habits?
Then a message came in from Chairman Choi.
Chairman Choi
How was it today? They said the other side thought Seongha was pleased.
After checking the message, Kang Uicheol casually asked, pretending not to know.
“How was Yoon Seohyeon-ssi?”
“Who’s that?”
“The person you met today.”
“I don’t know. I didn’t ask her name.”
“…….”
“Do people usually drink alcohol while doing university assignments?”
“I don’t know for sure, but if it’s a gathering, they probably drink.”
“Annoying.”
Mok Seongha muttered, then started sending messages with one hand again. Then he saw something and chuckled.
“Lewd.”
…It must be my imagination that the word ‘lewd’ sounded affectionate.
“Too lewd.”
He murmured and sent several more messages in a row.
In the end, that day too, as soon as he left the hospital, Mok Seongha went to see Kim Jinkyung. He committed an outrageous act by calling a university professor directly because Kim Jinkyung had fainted from indigestion, but he was in a good mood that day as well.
When he came to the hospital early in the morning to help Chairman Choi get discharged, he carried the luggage and pushed the wheelchair without complaining.
Every time Chairman Choi nagged him at the mansion, his voice did get louder, but it was still nothing out of the ordinary, just the usual daily routine.
“Drop me off in front of the school.”
After he checked that Chairman Choi had fallen asleep and left the house, he was still in a good mood. He stuffed the half eaten chocolate bar into his pocket, he couldn’t even hide his excitement.
“Should I escort you all the way to the teacher’s place?”
“No. I’ll go on my own.”
“Understood.”
He agreed, but he parked the car nearby and waited.
From far away, he could see the two of them walking toward the bus stop. It was well past midnight.
Do college students usually study this late? He fainted yesterday. Was he diligent, or just foolish?
Kim Jinkyung looked kind and timid at first glance, but he was stubborn.
When people like that snap, they are the biggest headache.
He had seen that type among people who came to borrow money. They were diligent and kind, but stubborn about strange things, and they ended up ruining their own lives.
The only reason Chairman Choi did not cut Kim Jinkyung off from the young master’s side was because he was helping his grandson socialize. It was true that the young master had become more skilled at switching between his human and animal forms than before.
…Even the number of crises had gone down.
Kang Uicheol leaned against the steering wheel and looked outside, then his eyes widened. A car barely passed by the two people standing at the crosswalk as the light turned red. A horn blared. He grabbed the blanket from the passenger seat and ran out of the car.
He saw Kim Jinkyung take off the jacket he was wearing, cover the young master’s head with them, and ran across to the other side of the road.
“Hey!”
Golden eyes burned fiercely through the jacket covering his head. Kang Uicheol hurriedly covered the man’s body with the blanket.
“…Young master.”
Ragged breathing came from inside the blanket. The glowing eyes of a man who had now completely turned into a beast were hidden behind.
“Where is Seongha?”
Secretary Kang’s expression darkened in response to the old man’s question as he lay back against the bed.
“…He is outside.”
“Call him in.”
“Yes, sir.”
Secretary Kang went out into the garden.
After returning home, Mok Seongha spent most of the day in the garden.
“Young master.”
Even though he heard the voice, the beast lying on the ground did not turn his head.
“The chairman is calling for you.”
Even then, the beast did not move.
That day, Mok Seongha suddenly changed form on the street, returned home, and caused absolute chaos. Secretary Kang wrapped his arms around the beast’s body as he tried to run outside and shouted that he couldn’t do that.
‘Please stay for now. I’ll bring the teacher.’
It seemed the two of them had fought. Whatever he had heard, he had lost his reason in anger, and he had heard a car horn, so it was understandable that the young master suddenly changed form.
Only then did the beast stop struggling. Kang Uicheol took out his phone and called Kim Jinkyung.
…The phone was turned off.
That damn teacher bastard.
‘I’ll bring him back alive, no, I’ll escort him here.’
A long tail wrapped around his leg.
Let’s go together.
The golden eyes were saying that.
‘Then I’ll wait.’
Secretary Kang kept the car ready while he waited for him to switch form. It was near dawn when the young master was finally able to return to his human form.
He had become more skilled at switching his form than before. Secretary Kang put the young master in the car and headed to that damn Teacher Kim’s house.
‘Come out. Let’s talk for a moment. Teacher!’
Mok Seongha pounded on the door like he had lost his mind. Even on the way, he kept calling the number that was still turned off.
‘Fuck, open the door. Please, fuck!’
Thinking that it was fortunate the entire building was empty, Secretary Kang silently watched the young master’s outburst.
‘Teacher!’
‘…Let’s stop now.’
The hand that had been pounding on the door split open and was covered in blood. Mok Seongha looked down at his hand, then took out his phone again.
–The phone is turned off. Please leave a voice message after the tone…
It was the same automated message as before. Mok Seongha clenched the phone in his hand.
‘Open the door.’
‘Pardon?’
‘Open this.’
Secretary Kang nodded.
You should have told me earlier. Watching this was driving me crazy.
He made a call and arranged for someone to open the door. In less than ten minutes, a locksmith arrived, unlocked the door, and went inside. Just as expected, the inside of the house was completely empty.
‘……’
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