AOA 118

The man with a gaunt and gentle face resembled the Baek family so much that even a stranger could tell he belonged to them. His eyes were sharp too. But that was because of drugs. According to Baek Yeongseop, he lost money gambling and he also used drugs.

“My name is Baek Gyeongbin. My grandfather’s name is Baek, Jingyun, and he is Chairman Baek Jinseok’s younger brother.”

As I remembered, Baek Gyeongbin revealed his name and then recited his connection to Baek Jinseok. People turned their heads and started whispering.

Baek Gyeongbin explained at length that his grandfather and father had passed away early, so he did not know that Baek Jinseok was his great uncle. Finally, he said he came to pay respects on his great uncle’s birthday and bowed deeply.

“Tsk.”

Someone clicked their tongue behind him. It came from Baek Jinseok. It was obvious that he did not like this situation.

That was natural. A relative from a severed branch had appeared at his birthday party and made a scene. More than anything, everyone who knew about his brother was watching, so it was a huge blow to his face.

But today’s protagonist was Baek Jinseok. That meant the decision of what to do with Baek Gyeongbin also belonged to Baek Jinseok.

“You said Baek Gyeongbin?”

“Yes, great uncle.”

When Baek Jinseok repeated the name and acknowledged him, Baek Gyeongbin’s face lit up. After that, everything went the same as before the regression.

Baek Jinseok, under everyone’s gaze, did not kick Baek Gyeongbin out. Instead, he gestured for him to get up, saying they should talk privately rather than staying here.

Baek Jinseok told those around that he was going upstairs to the second floor, then moved. Surrounded by bodyguards, Baek Gyeongbin followed.

I watched for a moment, then I followed the bodyguard who had fallen to the very back.

“Excuse me…”

“What is it, sir?”

The bodyguard stopped briefly and looked back at me. Baek Mugyeong, who had been following me naturally, also gave me a puzzled look.

“I’m just saying this in case, but before going into the study, please make sure to search that man’s body.”

Even I thought it was an abrupt statement. The bodyguard first showed an expression that said, why interfere in something like that, then soon answered that he understood and hurried after the group out of the banquet hall.

“…Why did you tell them to search his body?”

“Because… he looked dangerous. His eyes.”

I had no plausible excuse, so I just said anything. But Baek Gyeongbin’s eyes looked strange, so it was not a completely baseless excuse.

Before the regression, Baek Gyeongbin had entered Baek Jinseok’s study without a body search, then pulled a knife from inside his clothes and caused a scene. Because of that, the bodyguards not only got scolded badly but a fair number of them were even fired.

That was inevitable. At Baek Jinseok’s birthday banquet held at the mansion, only invited guests could enter. If the name was not on the list, one could not pass through the front gate.

Because of that, security checks were somewhat loose. It was done to minimize inconvenience for guests with confirmed identities. They checked invitations carefully and compared faces with prepared photos, but it was not perfect.

Thanks to that, Baek Gyeongbin had stolen the invitation of an artist he was close to and attended without any problem. He even had a weapon hidden on him.

Above all, not searching him before he entered Baek Jinseok’s study was the worst mistake. Even if he was Baek Jinseok’s great nephew, since they had cut ties, it would have been right to take at least basic preventive measures just in case.

Unlike before the regression, this time no chandelier would fall. There might not even be a chance to subdue Baek Gyeongbin if he pulled out a knife.

That was why I wanted a body search done first to prevent the worst case.

It was the reason I stayed in the banquet hall until this late hour instead of going home. I felt pretty satisfied that I had done something good.

But Baek Mugyeong’s reaction was unexpected. He did not just say, “I see,” and move on. He looked serious. I tilted my head, wondering if there was some other problem, apart from his handsome face catching my eye.

“Did I go too far?”

“You are…”

“Yes?”

“…Never mind. When you go home…”

Baek Mugyeong did not finish his words.

“Uaaaagh!”

Someone screamed, the sound was so loud it sounded like a howl, and the people in the banquet hall flinched in shock. Right after, there was a series of loud, ominous crashes. People started asking what was going on.

“Stay here with the children.”

Baek Mugyeong grabbed my arm and took me to where Baek Sujin’s children were. Baek Sujin also told me to stay with the children, then she left the hall together with Baek Mugyeong. When they disappeared, Baek Jaehan and Baek Daehan also moved.

No further noise came even after quite a while. The people who had stayed just in case gathered in small groups and whispered.

Then Baek Unhyeon, who was next to me, spoke quietly.

“It seems things did not go well with that Baek Gyeongbin.”

“I think so too.”

Baek Sujin’s eldest son was quick-witted. I agreed with his words.

It seemed that when they tried to do a body search, Baek Gyeongbin went wild. But at least the bodyguards were spared from mass unemployment, and that was a relief.

Today I praised myself for having done many good deeds.

Then I suddenly remembered the fact that I realized I liked Baek Mugyeong. I had forgotten it because I was busy dealing with the chairmen.

What should I do? Should I confess?

When I thought of the word confession, I felt flustered. I had never experienced it and had never even imagined it. I was so nervous that I could not guarantee what kind of expression I would make when I faced Baek Mugyeong later.

I thought that I must not laugh foolishly and kept a serious expression. I did not want to show a clumsy appearance.

*

After a short commotion, Baek Jinseok did not return, but the banquet continued. Unlike before the regression, there was no accident with the chandelier falling.

Baek Jinseok’s children and Baek Mugyeong moved around attending to the guests. People asked all sorts of questions out of curiosity about Baek Gyeongbin, but no exact answer came.

I left the banquet hall early with Baek Sujin’s children. My biological father scolded me, asking how I could leave so early, but I excused myself by saying I was not feeling well.

When I got home, I did not even change clothes and fell straight onto the bed. I was not sick. Instead, when the tension vanished, mental fatigue hit me.

It was fortunate that no one got hurt because no chandelier had fallen. But I was bothered by the fact that Baek Mugyeong had gone silent in the middle of the banquet.

He was usually a taciturn person. But today his attitude had clearly changed compared to this morning.

While I was worrying, wondering what was going on, I got a call from Choi Jaeha. He was curious as he asked what had happened, saying he heard the news.

I did not tell him the details, only said that it was resolved well. I told him I would explain later when we met, then ended the call and waited for Baek Mugyeong.

I endured the urge to send a message asking when he would return. I paced back and forth between the bedroom and living room like a restless puppy. Oh Huisuk, unable to watch any longer, gave me cocoa and homemade cookies, telling me to calm down.

Just like in the morning, I sat in the family room and sipped cocoa. But even drinking something sweet did not calm my nerves easily.

I did not think this incident would become a problem. People would show interest in Baek Gyeongbin’s appearance, but with Daesong Group’s power, it would surely be buried quietly like before the regression.

What occupied my head more was the unexpected fact I had realized.

It was that I liked Baek Mugyeong.

When Baek Mugyeong came back after going to find Baek Jinseok when the scream was heard, I almost lost my mind being conscious of him. I tried hard to manage my expression to hold back my smile.

Honestly, I wanted to deny it was like that. But my body reacted before my head did. Every time I recalled the fact that I realized I liked Baek Mugyeong, my heart beat irregularly.

When Choi Jaeha once asked if I liked Baek Mugyeong and if I was going to date him, I had only been confused. I had never thought about it, so I could not answer.

Because of various circumstances, the frequency of sex with Baek Mugyeong had increased enormously. If I had hated him terribly, it would have been unbearable. But even this morning I had been taken in by his sweet words and ended up having sex with him.

If I had not realized, then I would not have known. But now that I realized, I could not just sit still. Now it was time to seriously think about what I should do.

“But I have to get divorced.”

I muttered quietly while holding the mug cup with cocoa.

I liked Baek Mugyeong. Maybe because I became conscious of it, just recalling his face made my heart pound. But that was not a reason not to divorce him.

If I got pregnant while remaining in a legal marriage, both of us would be in danger. If it were Baek Jaehan, he would target not only Baek Mugyeong but also me first. It would be more natural for a still unstable fetus to have problems than for a healthy adult man to suddenly crash into a truck.

Divorce was necessary. And as Baek Mugyeong said, there were couples who lived well after divorce. What would happen afterward was unknown, but the future was something no one knew anyway.

All possibilities were open. I could even go to New York. Honestly, dating Baek Mugyeong still did not feel real. But, if I wanted to date properly, I had to say that I liked him, right? Should I really confess?