PO 47

Han Jaegang stood in front of the office desk and stared at the pile of documents. He pulled one document forward from the stack and he tapped on the desk with his fingers.

“You brought proper evidence. At least the signs that Kang Eonju’s corporation received work assignments are clear. The transaction amount is quite large too. The Kang family used Lee Iljun very thoroughly. When trouble breaks out and an investigation begins, he will run around everywhere without rest, right?”

“That seems so.”

“His father in law’s company will be turned upside down with a tax investigation too. It is unfortunate, but since he managed the company like that, there is nothing unfair about it. How is Kang Eonju?”

“She was discharged two days ago and she went back to her family home.” Han Jaegang straightened the scattered papers into order and he pushed them to one side.

“Send Iljun’s photos with a bouquet by quick delivery. When she sees those photos, she will probably want to go back to the hospital again.”

A man who couldn’t even protect his own child was secretly living with a mistress. If the stern wife received the collected materials and photos, another uproar was certain.

With company problems overlapping with private problems, Lee Iljun only had left to lose everything he had and collapse completely and become miserable.

“I will send the photos immediately, Executive Director. You have a meeting in fifteen minutes.”

“…Alright. I should stop digging into other people’s companies and focus on work now.”

Joo Yeongmo gathered the arranged documents and he left the executive director’s office. Han Jaegang, who was leaning back in the chair leisurely, lowered his rolled-up sleeves and he arranged them.

Woojeong’s matter had reached a temporary conclusion. Han Jaegang picked up his phone with a lighter heart.

At the moment he tried to call Woojeong, the phone in his hand began to ring. The name “Lee Woojeong” appeared on the screen. Han Jaegang answered gladly.

“What is going on? You called me first.”

–Executive Director. I… a guest came to the house.

“Guest? Who is it?”

Han Jaegang straightened his upper body. While he waited for Woojeong’s reply, he heard a rustling sound, and then an unexpected voice followed.

–Han Jaegang!

•••

Thirty minutes earlier, Woojeong had jumped up in surprise when the butler of the Snow Reflection Residence said that a guest had arrived.

Because while he stayed here, nobody had ever visited.

“…Hello.”

Woojeong rushed outside to greet them, and the guest who came looking for the Snow Reflection Residence seemed equally surprised.

“Hello.”

He had already heard from the butler who she was, but even if he had not, he thought he could have guessed to some extent.

She was beautiful. But the atmosphere she carried and the look on her face made one think of Han Jaegang naturally. After a simple handshake, she asked.

“Excuse me, but who are you? Since I came suddenly, I didn’t hear anything beforehand.”

From the first question, Woojeong didn’t know what to answer. He stood silent for a moment without speaking, then he told her to come inside for now.

“…The house was repaired.”

As she entered the living room in her wheelchair and looked around the house, Woojeong quickly contacted Han Jaegang.

“Executive Director. I… a guest came.”

Even while speaking, Woojeong wondered if it was right to call her a guest. He thought maybe he was the guest instead, so the words trailed off awkwardly.

She held out her hand saying she would speak directly. When Woojeong handed her the phone, she smiled and continued the conversation with Han Jaegang.

“I came because I had a check-up at the hospital. I remembered you said you were repairing the house, so I thought I would stay a few days and help with organizing. But I didn’t know such a wonderful man would be here.”

Woojeong flushed red. After finishing the short call with Han Jaegang, she returned the phone to Woojeong with a smile.

“I came secretly to surprise him, but I startled the wrong person instead of Jaegang. Your name is?”

“Lee Woojeong.”

“Nice to meet you. I am Jaegang’s older sister, Han Jaehee.”

After exchanging names, Han Jaehee carefully looked around the house. She admired that the interior was more meticulous than she expected, and she sometimes had a nostalgic face saying that some spaces were the same as before.

“I didn’t know Jaegang had a housemate, so I am a little unsure. Actually, I came planning to stay at the Snow Reflection Residence for a few days, would that be alright? If Woojeong-ssi feels uncomfortable, I can go to my family home or to a hotel.”

After finishing the house tour, Han Jaehee asked carefully. Woojeong felt awkward that Han Jaegang’s sister asked him such a thing, so he immediately agreed.

“No. You should of course stay here. You don’t have to mind me.”

“How can I not mind? I am only a guest staying for a short while.”

With a bright and open personality, she smiled widely and she took Woojeong’s hand. While holding his hand warmly, she called for her secretary.

“Secretary Kim. Could you bring in what we carried?”

The secretary put down the load on the dining table. Han Jaehee said she had bought everything from famous restaurants in her neighborhood, and she opened the packages one by one and introduced them.

“All the boxes are seafood, and this is squid sundae. I bought it from a really famous place.”

“Oh my, it looks delicious. Look at how full it is.”

“Right?”

“What is this one?”

Madam Kwak, who had now taken charge of Snow Reflection Residence’s kitchen, helped her and started taking out the rest of the food.

After checking everything she had brought, Han Jaehee sighed saying it was exhausting.

“The smell of food makes me hungry. Aunty, is there rice left?”

“Of course there is.”

“Shall we eat first among ourselves?”

At Han Jaehee’s suggestion, the meal table was set quickly. Even though only a few of the foods she brought were placed, the table filled richly.

“Aunty and Secretary Kim, eat with us too. Don’t go through the trouble of eating separately.”

She stopped Madam Kwak who tried to leave after setting the table, and she even called her own secretary to sit at the table.

“Oh, I will eat well.”

“I will eat well.”

In the natural flow of the atmosphere, Woojeong joined and picked up his spoon. It was the first time so many people sat together around this table.

Han Jaehee and Madam Kwak got along well, and the mood stayed warm and lively. Han Jaehee scooped a piece of well-grilled dried pollack and she handed it to Woojeong.

“Eat a lot.”

“Thank you.”

Woojeong put a piece of grilled pollack in his mouth, and he admired the taste. Maybe he felt it was delicious because of the comfortable mood. It felt completely different from back then when he always felt like he would get indigestion while eating with his family.

When the four of them emptied their bowls and put down their spoons, Han Jaegang finally arrived home. He looked a little bewildered when he saw the four people sitting together at the table.

“You should have come a little earlier. Since I was hungry, I said we should eat first. You should eat dinner quickly too.”

“…….”

“We should go have dessert. Aunty, could we ask for some warm tea?”

Madam Kwak added warm tea to the desserts and fruits Han Jaehee brought and she placed them on a tray. Woojeong gave a smile to Han Jaegang who still hadn’t sat at the table, and then he carried the tray and followed behind her.

The weather was perfect for drinking tea in the garden with a refreshing breeze. Han Jaehee sat first at the outdoor table with Secretary Kim’s help, and she received the tray Woojeong carried and she offered him a seat.

As if she was meeting someone she longed for, she looked at the garden of the Snow Reflection Residence for a moment, and then she turned her gaze toward Woojeong.

“Woojeong-ssi, since when have you stayed here?”

Woojeong felt like he was bewitched. Since Han Jaehee arrived at the Snow Reflection Residence, unexpected things had happened. He had worried about how to treat Han Jaehee, but when he came to his senses, he found himself sitting with her in a calm mood and drinking tea with her alone.

“…It feels like quite a long time.”

When he thought about her question, quite some time had passed since he came to live in the Snow Reflection Residence. He didn’t know if he could answer honestly, so he gave a vague reply, and she turned her gaze to the garden.

“I see. This place is really beautiful, right? People say the winter scenery here is the prettiest, but I like the Snow Reflection Residence at this exact time more. The sunlight shines and everything is green, so when I sit quietly like this, I feel good.”

“That’s right.”

“Right? Did Jaegang tell you? We grew up here when we were children. So whenever I come here, I feel comfortable. It feels like coming to my hometown.”

Woojeong nodded at her words. He hadn’t stayed in the Snow Reflection Residence for long, but he thought that when he eventually left, he would miss it a lot. Han Jaehee pointed at one spot in the garden and she continued to speak.

“In the past, we hung a swing from that big tree over there. When I pushed Jaegang on it, he laughed so hard.”

“Executive Director?”

“You cannot imagine it from his current self, but he was cute when he was a child. Back then the two of us ran around here and played all day.”

Woojeong looked around the dim garden too. He pictured two children running and laughing, and a smile appeared on his face.

“Woojeong-ssi, you seem to like this place too, so I feel fondness for you. How old are you? Twenty? Twenty-one?”

“Twenty-one.”

“Oh my. I already thought you looked young, but you really are a baby.”

When visiting a younger brother’s house after a long time and meeting someone who lived with him, the usual reaction would be to ask first what kind of relationship they had. But Han Jaehee only kept the conversation going with light questions that Woojeong could answer without difficulty. Then, she pushed a plate with cake toward Woojeong.

“I stood in line for a long time to buy this. It is cheesecake with a lot of lemon, so it is rich and refreshing. Since Jaegang won’t care about dessert anyway, let’s eat it all by ourselves.”

While she whispered as if she was telling a secret, Han Jaegang walked over to the table. He pulled out a chair and sat, and he loosened his tie and rolled up his sleeves in a comfortable manner.

“What is this? You already finished eating?”

“I didn’t feel like it.”

“Didn’t you come out because you were worried?”

Han Jaegang looked back at Woojeong briefly, and he set down a glass of ice water on the table.

Woojeong’s eyes moved between the two sitting side by side. The siblings, who could draw attention wherever they went, resembled each other not only in their beautiful looks but also in their atmosphere.

“You should have at least said something before coming.”

“What for? You also barge into my house without calling when you come. Woojeong-ssi, please go ahead.”

At Han Jaehee’s urging, Woojeong picked up a fork and put a piece of pale yellow cake in his mouth. The rich cream cheese flavor spread in his mouth.

“I will stay a few days before I leave. Since I already got Woojeong-ssi’s permission, don’t nag me.”

“Isn’t it something I should permit….?”

“It is the same, so no objections.”

“When I asked you to come, you kept refusing, so what kind of wind made you change your mind?”

At Han Jaegang’s question, she shook her head.

“What fun would there be spending time here with you alone? Anyway, it feels so good that the house looks like a proper home again like in the past. Why on earth did you stay all that time in the corner of the third floor, leaving such a fine house empty. Woojeong-ssi, have you ever been in the third-floor room?”

“…Yes.”

He couldn’t bring himself to say that he not only went but lived there for a while. Han Jaehee might not have liked the third-floor space, but for Woojeong it was cozy, and it made him feel comfortable and stable.

“Han Jaegang has been unusual since he was young anyway. Even though so many kids wanted to play with him and followed him around, he always said he had no friends. The ones he could at least call friends were Hyunjun and Hunmin, right?”

At the mention of names he knew, Woojeong felt glad, and Han Jaehee asked in surprise.

“Woojeong-ssi, do you know those kids too?”

“Yes. I once worked at the gallery, so I often saw Director Yoon.”

“Oh my. I see. Jaegang, call the kids. It’s been a long time, let me see their faces. Woojeong-ssi, is that alright?”

“……Of course.”

“Jaegang, make a call quickly.”

“For what?”

“Tell them that your older sister wants to see them.”

“You are really bothering me.”

As Han Jaehee insisted, Han Jaegang, who at first seemed unwilling to call, took out his phone. While she took the phone and talked directly with Yoon Hyunjun, Woojeong quietly picked up his fork.

“That’s right. Drop by for a bit, let me see your face. Yes, good.”

Strangely, the cake he ate earlier kept lingering in his mind. He cut a small piece and ate it, and then he grew greedy and cut a larger piece and put it in his mouth. When the soft and sweet taste spread through his mouth, a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

“Is it delicious?”

Han Jaegang suddenly asked, and he wiped the cream from the corner of Woojeong’s lips. Woojeong, who held the fork, stopped for a moment, but Han Jaegang tasted the cream on his thumb with a casual face.