Chapter 100 - Return to Daily Life
Lee Dohwa, a Hwayeon mafia executive.
She'd only been an executive for less than a year, but she absolutely couldn't wrap her head around the current situation.
Ah-hyun, the head of Hwayeon, stood before her, biting her nails, visibly on edge and showing extreme anxiety.
Of course, Dohwa had a rough idea of Hwayeon's predicament.
Since early morning, Seojiyu, Kang Minseo, and their subordinates, who were supposed to be sent to Japan, had suddenly gone incommunicado.
Judging by the noise heard during Ah-hyun's last phone call with Jiyu, it was almost certain that Baekhwa had intervened.
If that was the case, then not only Kang Minseo, but Seojiyu must have been taken as well.
That was naturally bad news for Hwayeon.
That must be why all the Hwayeon executives had been summoned so early in the morning.
Dohwa looked around.
The atmosphere was grim, just by looking at it.
She realized it too.
The current situation wasn't good.
But... still... wasn't this a bit much?
No, were they really that teary-eyed just because they'd lost one hostage?
Dohwa couldn't understand it at all.
If there was no hostage, couldn't they just go to all-out war?
Dohwa couldn't accept that Hwayeon's atmosphere had become so gloomy, as if they'd already lost.
Finally, feeling frustrated, Dohwa spoke to Ah-hyun.
"Boss, just because the hostage was taken back doesn't mean we've lost, does it? If we invade first and strike preemptively..."
"Hoo..."
Before Dohwa could even finish her sentence, Ah-hyun let out a deep sigh.
"Dohwa. How long have you been with us?"
"It's been almost a year now."
"That's why... you don't know anything..."
"...Excuse me?"
"Do you know why we broke the peace treaty with Baekhwa so hastily...?"
At Ah-hyun's question, Dohwa thought.
The psychological warfare that began when the peace treaty was shattered because of Seojiyu. And the war that could start at any moment.
A slight question arose here.
Why did they break the peace treaty so hastily?
Baekhwa's explosive anger because of breaking the peace treaty was directed at us...
In the end, we've become this precarious, right now.
"If not now... there was no chance. We're already no match for Baekhwa. In terms of scale, and organization."
Ah-hyun continued, furrowing her brow as if she had a headache.
"When we had the weakness called Kang Minseo, we should've kept pushing them. That was the only way we could barely win that fight. But... now, having lost Kang Minseo... now!!!"
Ah-hyun was filled with growing rage... and slammed her hand on the desk-!!
"There's no chance of winning. None at all."
With a look of despair, she plopped down onto the sofa.
Dohwa couldn't say anything.
Because she hadn't known Baekhwa was such a strong organization.
She'd just thought it was a mediocre organization getting pushed around by a single man.
'Shit... should I run away?'
Dohwa began to worry, regretting having joined the Hwayeon organization in her heart.
*
Where was I?
Looking around, the familiar sight of the walls and the smell stung my nose.
The dull walls and... the blue mat spread out beneath me.
It was the warehouse.
No... this couldn't be... I escaped, didn't I?
Fear engulfed my whole body, and I struggled to get out, but...
Clack- Clatter-!
Again... my hands and feet were bound by chains.
"No... this isn't right... this is...!!!"
My lips trembled, and I was seized by extreme terror.
And--
Thud-!
Thud-!
The chilling sound of footsteps echoed in the warehouse.
"Hayoung-nim...!? Master...???"
I prayed and begged that it would be Hayoung-nim, but...
"Why? Were you hoping it was Hayoung?"
Seojiyu, with a look of disappointment, approached me, step by step.
Thump-Thump!
Thump-Thump!
My heart was pounding uncontrollably fast, and I couldn't speak from the fear.
I hate this...!! I hate this...!!!! Don't come...!!!
Eventually, when Seojiyu grabbed my chin--!!
"Haaah-!!"
With cold sweat, I jumped up.
"Uh... haa...."
Looking around again, I saw a neatly organized room. I was in bed.
And a familiar and comfortable scent lingered in my nose.
It was Hayoung's scent.
This was... Hayoung's room.
It was a dream.
With relief, I wiped away the beads of sweat forming on my forehead.
I'd cried my eyes out in the airport parking lot... and fallen asleep from exhaustion...
Had I just slept in Hayoung's room like that?
"Hoo..."
It was a relief.
That I'd returned.
That I didn't have to live that hellish life ever again.
I'd missed this place so much, and I'd wanted to see it.
Sob-
Thinking about the days I was painfully held captive, tears welled up again.
No... I shouldn't keep crying...
I steeled my heart, telling myself I shouldn't cry... but the tears couldn't be held back and kept trying to spill out.
That was when.
Creeeak-
The door opened, and someone came in.
That person was... a welcome face I hadn't seen in a while.
"Suhyun-ah!!"
"Suhyun...ah..?"
At my words, Suhyun's face tilted as she walked toward me.
Oops... I'd used the old honorific out of pure joy.
"Suhyun...nim...."
I glanced at her and smiled sheepishly.
"It's been a while."
Suhyun, whom I hadn't seen in a while, was as blunt as ever.
It would be nice if she treated me a bit more affectionately.
Suhyun brought the porridge, came close to me, and sat on the chair.
"I missed you...."
I couldn't control my joy and said it with a smile, but...
"Me too."
I felt a bit down at Suhyun's answer, which had no emotion in it at all.
However... I could notice it slightly—very slightly.
That the corners of Suhyun's mouth were raised just a little bit.
Was she relieved that I'd returned?
I smiled, feeling a sense of pride and happiness for no reason.
"....Are you.... really okay?"
Suhyun, who had been staring at me, placed her hand on my forehead with a worried look.
It seemed she thought I was acting strange, smiling foolishly over and over.
"I'm okay. Suhyun-nim."
I calmed Suhyun down and sat up properly with the pillow behind my back.
"Where are Master and the other executives?"
"They're in the office. They're in a meeting."
"Ah..."
They were right next door.
To have such reliable executives together.
Along with a sense of relief I wouldn't have felt before, I felt reassured.
"I'll feed you the porridge, so open your mouth."
Suhyun's tone was still stiff... but her actions were not.
She blew on the steaming porridge to cool it down so my mouth wouldn't get burned, then scooped up a full spoonful and fed it to me.
"Mmm! It's delicious."
My heart was touched by the warm food I was eating comfortably for the first time in a while.
When I was held captive by Jiyu... I had to force food into my mouth because I couldn't withstand her threats...
And that was while my arms were tied with chains...
It was no different from eating just to not die.
Ah.
I shouldn't keep thinking about the hard times.
Feeling tears about to spill out again in front of Suhyun, I cleared my throat to force myself to stop crying.
"Ahem-! Ahem-!"
I turned my head to wipe away the tears that had formed... but...
Suhyun seemed to have noticed why I was acting like this to some extent.
It was only natural, since the area around my eyes was already red.
"Kang Minseo."
Suhyun called my name in a low voice.
What was it?
The tone in which she called my name was still stiff... but I could feel some kind of warm emotion.
Was it just my imagination?
Swoosh-
And Suhyun's handsome face came closer and closer to me.
'Uh-oh... what is this...?'
I was startled for a moment and squeezed my eyes shut...
Smooch-
I could vividly feel the sensation of her soft and moist lips on mine.
Hot-
'Wha... what is this!! Suddenly!!'
My face flushed and heated up from the sudden kiss-
"You can cry when it's hard. Don't force yourself to swallow it."
The face of Suhyun saying those words... was the most... warm and comforting expression I had ever seen.
How could she make such an expression with such a blunt face...
This was... a foul...
At those words, I felt the indescribable agony, pain, and anxiety wash away, and I shed tears endlessly.
"Sob- sob- waaah-!"
Seeing me sobbing, Suhyun just silently pulled me into her arms and hugged me tightly...
And just like that, receiving comfort from Suhyun following Hayoung, I cried like a crybaby again.
'You did well, Suhyun-ah.'
And... Hayoung, watching that scene from beyond the slightly opened door, closed the door quietly with a proud smile and relief.
'Wait just a little longer. Minseo, I will wipe Hwayeon off the face of the earth without a trace.'
And, Hayoung opened the office door with a look of firm determination.
"Everyone, it's been a while since we were all together, right?"
There... sat the executives with a completely different atmosphere from a few days ago, smiling.
"It seems like it's gotten noisier."
Yujin picked at her ear and gave a look to Chaeryeong.
"Yujin? If you missed me that much, you should've said so~ I'd hug you, you know?"
Chaeryeong smirked, and with her large chest, she spread her arms and dove toward Yujin...
"You crazy bitch!!!!"
With Yujin's scream, the atmosphere became heartwarming.
Hayoung also knew.
That even if Yujin said things like that, she was more worried than anyone else.
"Now, now, a harmonious atmosphere is good, but... honestly, this is a time when tension is needed."
I opened my eyes wide, trying to change the mood.
"Now that we've brought Minseo back. We no longer have any weaknesses. However... if we let our guard down, we could repeat the same things."
"That's right."
Jiha also agreed with my words and nodded.
"From now on, an all-out war with Hwayeon will begin. Everyone, steel yourselves. Absolutely, absolutely... there must not be any instances where anyone gets hurt. Do you understand?"
As I said this, I recalled the time Chaeryeong lost consciousness... and the time Minseo was kidnapped, burning with rage once again.
I will protect everyone so that this never happens again.
'It starts now. Hwayeon. I will crush you.'