Chapter 154:

“By the way, it’s impressive that you made it all the way to the fourth round.”

There was a strange tone, neither congratulatory nor mocking. As Lee-yeon just stared silently, he added meaningfully as if there was nothing to be afraid of.

“You should have failed early even if you were meant to fail.” He said with seriousness in his gaze.

“…!”

The voice that pierced deeply with such a normal expression was eerie, and Lee-yeon trembled involuntarily.

“I feel like I’ve given you many chances, but this is really becoming difficult.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Miss Lee-yeon.”

Suddenly, Director Jo called out quietly, as if comforting a young disciple. He double checked if the big man he had seen before with her was not there and grabbed her shoulder.

Choo Ja exclaimed, “What is this old man doing?” and slapped Jo Kyung-chun’s hand, but he quickly whispered as if being chased by something.

“As you get closer to winning Hwaido project, you will hear or meet him at least once.”

“What…what do you mean?”

“Suguk Pharmaceuticals.”

“That’s a famous pharmaceutical company.”

“The Kwon family is behind it.”

She furrowed her brows at the unfamiliar story.

“If someone from that family tries to contact you….”

Jo Kyung-cheon swallowed hard as if he had a dry mouth. His usually carefree expression disappeared, and he held his breath and leaned in to listen.

“Don’t look back and run away.”

“….What?”

“Just avoid anyone with the surname Kwon for now.”

“….!”

For a moment, her favorite name flashed through her mind, but she had other questions.

“Why?”

Jo Kyung-cheon closed his mouth for a moment as if choosing his words, then swallowed hard. He wanted to say so many things, but the fear of the Kwon family made him break out in a cold sweat.

He thought of how the rare plant discovered by So Yi-yeon was being used now…

In the end, Jo Kyung-cheon just cut off the branches and muttered empty words.

“A naive tree doctor can never handle it.”

* * *

She took out an old, dusty radio, and her nose itched as soon as she did. Lee-yeon inserted a CD that someone had left behind like a gift and clicked the stiff, protruding buttons.

Shostakovich: Sonata for Cello & Piano in D Minor, Op. 40.

Lee-yeon traced the title of the piece written on the back of the case with her fingers.

Shostakovich’s Sonata for Cello & Piano in D minor. Soon, a soft yet melancholy and poignant melody flowed out.

To her, the forest was like music.

If only one could summon a cool well in a barren wasteland where only humid winds blow, or a thunderous sky, it would be nothing but music. It shows the scenery that each person holds. Especially if one can draw a refreshing mountain field where the trees grow again and spring flowers bloom in the land that has become ruins.

Lee-yeon hoped that the changes they would achieve would provide some comfort to the residents who were waiting without any assurance.

So now it was urgent for her to find the most suitable instruments, songs, and performers.

“Lee-yeon.”

At that moment, Kwon Chae-woo knocked loudly, breaking through the gradually increasing vibrato of the strings.

The man was leaning against the door and staring at the old radio in front of him, and strangely, his complexion looked pale.

“Chae-woo, are you not feeling well? You look unwell.”

“….”

“Did you catch a cold?”

However, after a while of silence, Kwon Chae-woo suddenly clenched his fist and asked with a twitch of his jaw, “What kind of classical music is this?”

“Oh…I just took out a CD for the first time in a while to prepare for the exam.”

“….”

“Was it too noisy? I’ll put on my earphones. You can even lie down in bed, Chae-woo.”

“No, leave it. It’s actually refreshing to have my mind clear like this.”

He chuckled, twisting one side of his face. Once again, it was a side of him that Yeon didn’t know. Yeon tried to dispel her gnawing anxiety by biting her lips.

He grinned, his face contorting on one side. Once again, it was a side of him that Yeon didn’t know. Yeon bit her lip, trying to dispel the unease that crept up inside her.

“…Chae-woo used to have nightmares and cry when he was alone, but strangely, he seemed okay when this was playing.”

“That’s probably how it was before.”

“What?”

“Oh, nothing.”

He suppressed all kinds of negative emotions behind his gentle smile.

“Oh… now that I think about it, it seems like Chae-woo hasn’t been crying lately. In the past, even if Chae-woo cried in his sleep, I would wake up immediately, but I haven’t seen any signs of that recently. Is it because I haven’t noticed, or is he sleeping comfortably?”

Lee-yeon looked worried and tilted her head. Meanwhile, the cello sound from the radio was gradually intensifying.

All the movements that required pressing, plucking, and changing the angle of the bow to quickly scratch the strings without a break came to mind naturally. Even the image of her mother playing this piece came to mind. Kwun Chae-woo pressed his trembling eyebrows as if having a seizure and clenched his ears that were twitching.

“It looks like my tears have dried up. But that CD….”

“Oh, this is… from the person I mentioned last time–”

“Ah, a spoil you hid?”

“What?”

It was impossible for Lee Yeon to not realize that the man in front of her was annoyed right now.

She felt an intangible sense of reprimand in his subtle tone, causing her heart to sink. “It’s not like that. I, I just didn’t say enough back then.”

However, Kwon Chae-woo’s gaze was already far away from her.

A CD case lying on the floor. Even at a glance, it was clear that it was stained with fingerprints and the gold coating had worn off. This woman wouldn’t even know that it was once a piece of a boy.

Eventually, the man murmured coolly, covering his eyes with his palm.

“Can you stop playing it? My ears hurt, Lee-yeon.” The body, which had been forced to stay awake for several days, was reaching its limit little by little.