PO 32

Kim Junghyun, who entered the hospital room, examined the patient’s complexion. However, Han Jaegang was the kind of person who rarely showed signs of pain, so it was difficult to gauge his condition based only on his appearance.

“How are you feeling?”

“I can manage. Get ready for me to be discharged tomorrow.”

“Is that something a patient decides?”

“That is why I am telling the doctor.” Kim Junghyun, who had Han Jaegang’s test results in his hand, let out a sigh first.

Recently, Han Jaegang’s condition hadn’t been normal. His pheromone levels, which had been kept stable, were swinging up and down and they were affecting his heart.

Han Jaegang’s heart was beating on its own. It slowed down far below normal and reduced the body’s functions, and then at some point it suddenly raced running out of control. When that happened, chest pain became worse or he would faint, but more than anything the biggest problem was the fact that his heart could stop altogether at any moment.

“You can’t be discharged like this. Your condition is really bad. I could say that it suddenly worsened, but in my opinion it seems that it just returned to its original state. Hasn’t your condition been strangely good for a while?”

There was a reason why Han Jaegang’s condition had improved. As his contact with the person suspected of being the reason decreased, his body was quickly returning to its original state.

Because the change had happened rapidly in a short time, Han Jaegang himself must have been feeling that his condition had worsened.

He had always been an insincere patient when it came to treatment, but his still indifferent attitude only made his attending doctor, Kim Junghyun, worry.

“Whether in the hospital or by other means, we need to try everything. This is not the time to think, it will somehow work out.”

“Isn’t treatment the doctor’s responsibility?”

“Executive Director. Really, what are you going to do if your heart suddenly stops like this? Aren’t you even afraid?”

“If I feel fear, is there a method to make me recover right away?”

Han Jaegang, who leaned his body on the sofa and looked up at the IV stand, raised his arm.

“Take this off. Let me sleep comfortably.”

“Are you going to let go because there is no special method? You have to at least receive maintenance management at the hospital.”

A patient who only listened to what he wanted and only said what he wanted was truly troublesome. Kim Junghyun pressed his fingers to his temple and glared at the patient.

“I have done enough until now. I am tired of the hospital smell. After living once in clean air, it has become hard to endure dirty air.”

“Yes? What do you mean by that?”

“I was angry because things didn’t go my way, but when I thought about it I realized that I had been acting foolish. So I am going to quietly wait for that kid’s choice.”

“Wait, you say? With your personality, is that possible?” Having dealt with him for a long time, Kim Junghyun looked at him like he didn’t believe it. A person who had lived getting everything he wanted usually lacked patience.

“I have to make it possible. I am the weak one who must be chosen to live.” Han Jaegang, whose expressionless face was staring out the dark window, slowly lifted the corners of his mouth.

His face, where heavy shadows had fallen, was as handsome as a picture, but the cold aura around him made people restless.

•••

Early in the morning, after going to work and quickly finishing a weekly work meeting with his staff, Han Jaegang immediately left the company.

There was a charity organization jointly operated by several companies. Having reached the turn to directly participate on-site this time, Han Jaegang quickly skimmed through the event outline inside the moving car.

“Child Abuse Prevention Project”

As soon as he opened the file, Han Jaegang rubbed his jaw slowly. In the past, he would have dismissed it as a subject about beings that were not even human and skimmed through it roughly, but he read through the file packed with text with concentration.

When he had almost finished reading the file, Han Jaegang lowered the car window with a rigid face. The child abuse cases in the file were severe enough to make him curse, but most of the perpetrators were not properly punished. The light punishments that ignored the victims’ suffering brought him anger beyond disgust.

“Everyone is out of their mind. The punishment level is absurdly weak compared to what they did.”

“That is true. When you read things like that, you feel your insides burning with anger.”

“Pathetic.”

The event was held in a small local culture and arts center. The scale of the event was modest and the number of attendees was not many, but thanks to the promotional activities of the companies that promised sponsorship, liveliness filled the place.

“Thank you for coming, Executive Director Han.”

“Not at all. You worked hard preparing this.”

After briefly greeting the representative of the host side, Han Jaegang signed a few documents related to sponsorship and then sat down at the seat prepared in the audience.

“People often ask. Why do abused children fail to cut ties with that relationship even after they become adults? To understand that, we need to know a few facts first.”

Around the middle of the event, the host side started a short presentation that highlighted the characteristics and actual conditions of child abuse. At first, Han Jaegang listened indifferently, but he gradually focused on the instructor’s explanation.

The instructor displayed the prepared slides on the stage screen and continued the explanation.

“Child abuse is not one-time violence. Cycles of control and threat, appeasement and reward, are repeated, and during that process the victim gradually loses autonomy and comes to depend on the abuser. In this process, the abuser repeats control under the disguise of love.” The instructor stopped speaking for a moment and slowly looked around the audience.

“….In the end, the victim loses even the strength to escape on their own, and becomes trapped inside it.” Han Jaegang took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. During the lecture, one person’s face kept surfacing in his mind and his head felt heavy.

There was a reason why Lee Woojeong was always afraid, worried, and hesitant. For someone who had lived cut off from the outside and abused, sinking into helplessness, it was natural behavior.

“Jaegang-ssi! You are here?”

A high-pitched voice came close and someone tapped his shoulder. The look in Han Jaegang’s eyes turned cold for a moment as he looked back, then returned to its usual temperature.

“Lee Doyoung-ssi, what brings you here?”

Han Jaegang put on his glasses and asked flatly. Lee Doyoung smiled and held up a necklace that said “STAFF.”

“I volunteered here today. I was so surprised to see you, Jaegang-ssi. How can such a coincidence happen?”

“Volunteer?”

“Yes. I came with some friends who are interested. It is one-time, but my maternal grandfather’s company also participates in this sponsorship. I heard that Hansae Group participates, but I never thought I would see you here.”

His appearance was closer to a well-dressed and carefully groomed invited guest than someone who had busily finished volunteer work.

He said he didn’t Han Jaegang would be here, but it didn’t seem very believable. If those words were really true, then when he spotted Han Jaegang by coincidence, he would have used some means to come find him right away. It looked too much like a calculated meeting to be coincidence.

As expected, after the event ended, Lee Doyoung stuck right behind Han Jaegang who was exchanging greetings with the officials. Lee Doyoung hoped that he would introduce him to the people, but Han Jaegang ignored that expectation without concern.

“Seeing that you came to volunteer, it seems you were originally interested in this kind of work?”

“Yes. I cannot say how much my heart hurt every time I saw bad cases. No matter what anyone says, children must grow up happy.”

“How was the director’s lecture earlier?”

“It was so heartbreaking. Why on earth do they do such things to children? I don’t know why there are so many bad people in the world.” Since childhood, incidents and accidents had never ceased for Lee Woojeong. Lee Doyoung said that his younger sibling was often hospitalized because of weak health, but in reality there were many times when he went to the hospital because he was injured.

It had always been Madam Kwak’s share to care for Woojeong, who didn’t receive attention from his family. The fact that at least one adult who felt pity for the child was by his side was the only fortune Woojeong had.

The report that organized that content was filled with Lee Doyoung’s name. Lee Doyoung, Lee Doyoung, because of Lee Doyoung.

As Han Jaegang looked at Lee Doyoung who sighed as if he was upset, a cold smile appeared on his lips. Lee Doyoung suddenly changed the atmosphere and held onto Han Jaegang, linking arms with him.

“Since we met like this, let’s have lunch together. I know a good Korean set meal restaurant nearby.”

“Sorry, but I have no thought to.”

Han Jaegang pushed away Lee Doyoung’s arm and refused with a blank face. Surprised by his cold attitude, Lee Doyoung looked at him with wide eyes.

“Let’s not act rashly. You must be careful with your behavior in public places.”

“Yes? No, I…”

“Keep the line. The one who said that such a relationship doesn’t matter was you, Lee Doyoung-ssi.”

“Jaegang-ssi….”

“Secretary Joo. Have the car wait. Let’s go to the company.”

Han Jaegang, who gave instructions to Joo Yeongmo who was standing a little apart, flicked his sleeve. It looked like an action to erase Lee Doyoung’s trace.