AOA 146

Baek Mugyeong agreed readily.

The two of us put our heads together and found a suitable time quickly.

Seoul and Los Angeles have a sixteen-hour time difference, so there were only a few hours when we could talk comfortably.

Baek Mugyeong decided to try during his lunch, and I decided to try around my dinner time; then we would coordinate.

I gave him my private Inbyeol (instagram) account.

I still posted only food photos and landscape photos there, but that account was the easiest way to let Baek Mugyeong know where I was and what I was doing.

Baek Mugyeong, who said he did not have an Inbyeol account, signed up while he lay on the bed.

I changed his privacy setting, told him my ID, and he followed me immediately.

The only account Baek Mugyeong followed was mine. I liked that I was the only one who followed him in return. I liked the feeling of having him all to myself.

We talked about this and that until drowsiness came over me.

I forced myself to stay awake for a while, but it felt impossible, so I sat up abruptly.

“What’s the matter?”

“I’m sleepy. I’ll wash my face and come back.”

I did not want to sleep while I was with Baek Mugyeong.

I thought cold water would wake me, so I was going to the bathroom, but Baek Mugyeong’s arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me back.

I opened my eyes and found myself lying down again.

“If you’re sleepy, you can sleep.”

“We should eat soon. It’s dinner time.”

“I’ll wake you. Let’s eat dinner a little late. How about eight?”

“That’s fine.”

If Baek Mugyeong woke me, I was not afraid to fall asleep.

I adjusted my position and made myself more comfortable.

When I moved, my sleepiness vanished completely.

But I liked being close to Baek Mugyeong, so I moved closer to him.

A gentle silence flowed.

We were not the kind of people who usually talked that much, so the silence did not feel awkward.

But I wondered whether I should say something.

“Um, Mugyeong-ssi.”

“Yes?”

“My father, well, Chairman Jeong, what kind of punishment do you think he’ll get? I don’t know much about this, so I’m curious.”

I changed the form of address because I did not want to call him ‘father’ anymore.

Aside from how things were going with Baek Mugyeong, I wanted to know what kind of penalty my biological father would face.

Baek Mugyeong said that most cases like this end with fines.

He said that even if he got a prison sentence, the maximum would be suspended sentence.

I thought that was likely, but I felt disappointed.

His explanation that a long trial would at least make things harder made me feel a little better.

“Jeong Guhyeon only needs to wait a little while.”

My body went rigid when Baek Mugyeong said Jeong Guhyeon’s name.

Jeong Guhyeon no longer scared me, but I still had nightmares sometimes.

More than anything, today proved that Jeong Guhyeon targeted me.

I thought I should take some measure, but Baek Mugyeong told me to wait.

I lifted my head quickly and looked up at Baek Mugyeong. My eyes met the man who looked down at me.

“Wait?”

“Yes.”

“What will you do?”

“It’s a secret.”

I could not tell whether he was joking or serious. I stared at him, and Baek Mugyeong let out a small laugh.

“If you wait, good news will come.”

“Come on, that’s cruel.”

“He has many weaknesses, so I don’t need to use heavy measures.”

“That’s true.”

I guessed roughly what Baek Mugyeong planned to do.

I could wait as long as needed.

“Do you want to hit Jeong Guhyeon yourself?”

“No. Well, I don’t have no desire at all, but I’m not sure it’s necessary. It’s fine. I just need not to see his face anymore.”

In my heart, I wanted to beat Jeong Gwuhyeon until his face was ruined. But if I did that, I might kill him.

I had to be happy now, and I could not become a murderer.

When Baek Mugyeong said he would handle it, I burrowed into his arms again.

I felt fluttery. Talking like this while naked felt a little funny.

“Why are you laughing?”

I tried to hide my laugh but Baek Mugyeong immediately noticed it. I knew that saying it was nothing would not work with him, so I told him honestly.

“It’s funny, talking like this while we’re naked feels strange.”

“Then shall we talk with our clothes on?”

I realize that Baek Mugyeong was joking and almost laughed. Seeing that I found that kind of thing funny, I guessed I really did like him.

We fell silent again.

This time it lasted quite long, and I started to feel sleepy because I felt relaxed.

“I’ll wake you later.”

When I heard his voice above my head, I closed my eyes without worry.

Honestly, I didn’t want to sleep, but once my eyelids closed, they didn’t open again.

I didn’t want the time I spent with Baek Mugyeong to decrease. More than anything, I was scared he might disappear while I slept.

I reflexively tightened my arms around him. I thought it would be nice if my arms and legs could turn into vines and wrap him completely. My awareness faded slowly.

The softness and warmth of our touching skin, the heartbeat I couldn’t tell was mine or his, and the faint scent of pheromones, all of it felt good.

Even though I knew this moment was real, I felt scared that it might be a dream.

Baek Mugyeong’s hand held the back of my head gently, and when I felt his lips on my forehead, I smiled.

It amazed me that a man could act so tenderly. Then I suddenly realized that I had never stroked Baek Mugyeong’s hair. During sex, I had grabbed and pulled it, but I hadn’t touched it softly.

The same went for kissing his forehead.

I wanted to do it too, but I couldn’t open my heavy eyelids. Even thinking became difficult.

When I decided that I’d do it after waking up a little later, my consciousness disappeared in an instant.

I was happy.

***

On weekends, after breakfast, it had long been Baek Mugyeong’s habit to sit with a cup of coffee beside him and check the news at leisure.

[‘Drug Crime Involving Children of High-Ranking Figures’ Scene Raided]

Sitting in the living room, Baek Mugyeong saw the article headline displayed on his tablet and slightly lifted one corner of his lips.

There wasn’t much in the article.

It said that among those caught in a recent police drug crackdown, there were celebrities and children of high-ranking figures.

It ended by mentioning the danger of drugs spreading widely among the younger generation.

The article didn’t mention who the offenders were.

There were no initials either.

It only cited a source saying that among those caught was the son of a three-term National Assembly member whose district was in Seoul.

That alone brought a flood of comments guessing who the lawmaker was.

There were more than forty three-term National Assembly members in Seoul, yet the top comment already had the lawmaker’s initials written out.

Even if it was a drug crime, cases like this usually ended quietly.

But since the son of a lawmaker was involved, they needed someone to draw the public’s attention elsewhere.

Someone with some name value but easy to target, that was Jeong Guhyeon.

Jeong Suchan’s company was an education service enterprise every person in Korea had heard of at least once.

It was famous, but compared to the higher figures caught this time, its power was weaker.

Normally, Jeong Suchan would have found some way to handle it. But now he was under multiple investigations.

Embezzlement and fraudulent use of national work-study scholarships usually ended with fines or suspended sentences.

But this time, the one who planned everything was Baek Jaehan.

He didn’t intend only to trouble Jeong Suchan, but to destroy his company completely.

Jeong Suchan was pulling every string he could, but the difference in power was obvious.

And now, since Jeong Guhyeon was being investigated too, Jeong Suchan would be completely overwhelmed.

Before the day ended, Baek Jaehan wouldn’t have the energy to focus on Jeong Suchan anymore, but now it was time for Baek Mugyeong to act himself.

“It begins now.”

Baek Mugyeong murmured quietly.

He had been involved in several ways in this drug operation.

He had targeted the scene so that Jeong Guhyeon couldn’t escape.

He had enlisted several people’s help to move the police and the media.

Jeong Suchan and Jeong Guhyeon being mentioned in the news for a disgraceful incident and being called villains was only the beginning.

The real matter was the trial.

When someone decided to intervene, a trial could drag on for years.

Money and time would be consumed naturally, and during that period, additional incidents would erupt.

After reading all the other related news articles, Baek Mugyeong opened his work program.

It was time to work now. It was Saturday morning, but there were several things he had to check.

Just as he was about to read a report, the phone placed on the table vibrated.

It was a message from Jeong Minchae.

[Jeong Minchae: Are you home?]

[Jeong Minchae: I have a sudden appointment.]

[Jeong Minchae: I think we need to change the time.]

[Jeong Minchae: I’ll be back before eleven at the latest.]

[Jeong Minchae: That’s three in Seoul.]

[Jeong Minchae: Is that okay?]

[Jeong Minchae: Anytime between three and four is fine.]

The divorce had been finalized not long after Jeong Minchae met Baek Jinseok and returned to America.

On paper, they were complete strangers now, but Baek Mugyeong still made video calls with Jeong Minchae every day.

From late summer to early winter, they didn’t skip a single day.

Their usual call time was 11:30 a.m. in Seoul and 7:30 p.m. in Los Angeles.

Even so, sometimes, like today, if something came up, they adjusted the time.

Whoever couldn’t match the schedule first always asked for understanding, just like now.