CH 65.2

“… Hyung-nim?”

When Jun-kyung, who had doubted his eyes, called him carefully, Woo-hyun turned his head away from the window and looked at him. Although he was a mess because he had been lying down for several days, when he saw the clear light in his eyes, it was clear he had regained consciousness.

“I see.”

Woo-hyun answered with a hoarse voice, and Jun-kyung approached him in big strides.

“When did you wake up?”

“Just now.”

“Are you alright? I’ll call the doctor.”

“I want to hear what happened first.”

As Woo-hyun tried to raise his body, Jun-kyung grabbed his shoulder.

“The wound hasn’t healed yet. You’ve been unconscious for a few days; it will be too much for your body if you get up right away.”

“… A few days?”

“Yes. You were unconscious for three days.”

“Ah.”

Woo-hyun made a noise as if he was taken aback and looked at Jun-kyung. Jun-kyung raised his hands to stop Woo-hyun, who was quick in moving his body, from getting up in the blink of an eye. Looking alternately between Jun-kyun’s resolute face, ready to be scolded, and his hands, Woo-hyun lay down, as if he had given up on getting up, and asked about Executive Director Kim.

“Executive Director Kim was sent to the islands as you said.”

Jun-kyung’s explanation continued. He said that Executive Director Kim, who had one of his fingers cut off and the rest broken and had gone blind in one eye, was confined in the islands. It was all Woo-hyun’s request.

The Chairman personally announced to the organization members that it had been discovered that Executive Director Kim had caused harm to the family of a member of the organization, that he had embezzled funds, and betrayed the organization, and that he had been dealt with.

“Will you contact him?”

Woo-hyun shook his head lightly as Jun-kyung asked him whether he would let the chairman know he had woken up.

“Later.”

“Understood.”

“Also.”

“…”

His words came out slowly, which was unlike Woo-hyun.

“… At home?”

He asked in a voice that was more sinking than before.

“She is doing well.”

Jun-kyung replied, noticing that he was asking for Yoo-hwa’s regards and not about the house.

“I see.”

At Woo-hyun’s words, Jun-kyung bowed his head instead of answering. He turned around and then stopped.

“Hyung-nim.”

Woo-hyun stared silently at Jun-kyung.

“Thank you for waking up.”

“…”

“I waited for a long time.”

He spoke in a monotonous tone, as if he were reciting a report. That’s why it felt even more sincere.

“You too, you worked hard.”

“I’ll call the doctor.”

Jun-kyung closed the door of the room with an indifferent face, as if he had never said that. With the room becoming silent, Woo-hyun turned his head and looked out the window.

Having survived after almost dying, the world felt different, as if one layer had been peeled off. The blue sky, the birds flying in a diagonal line, the clouds scattering slowly, and even the breath he inhaled and exhaled.

Everything looked different, but one thing remained the same.

The fact that he wanted to write a different answer on the answer sheet that only has an answer of parting, even before he died, and even after he died and came back to life.

***

“Are you busy?”

Yoo-hwa turned her head at the sudden sound coming from behind her. Come to think of it, the housekeeper didn’t make much noise except for the inevitable noise when doing household chores. She didn’t even make a sound when walking, so sometimes she couldn’t even figure out where she was.

Around the time she thought she might not be an ordinary housekeeper, the housekeeper gave her a friendly smile, like always.

“I’ll be going home today.”

“You’re leaving?”

Yoo-hwa, who asked back in surprise, looked at the housekeeper’s clothes. Wearing a coat and even a scarf, she looked completely ready to leave work.

“Because I was told there was nothing else for me to do…”

“Even so, is it alright to leave work today?”

Yoo-hwa unconsciously asked in a worried voice. There were still people guarding the front of the apartment complex. Woo-hyun seemed to have been the one who deployed the manpower, but it could have also been his threatening opponent. As she was thinking about how to explain this, the housekeeper replied.

“Yes. He told me to go home today.”

“Did the landlord say that?”

“Yes. He said he is coming back today.”

“…”

The thoughts in her head stopped at that. She knew Woo-hyun would come back someday because it was his house, but her heart sank for some reason when she heard it was today.

“I don’t know when he will be home, but he said he was coming back so it will be fine now.”

“…”

She spoke as if everything that was going on was over, and that she had been contacted beforehand and knew everything.

“Is there anything you would like me to do?”

“… No, there isn’t.”

“Then, I’ll take my leave.”

“Thank you. And thank you for everything in the meantime.”

When Yoo-hwa bowed her head and spoke as if it was the last time they would see each other, the housekeeping lady stared at her for a while, gave her a deeper bow, and turned around. As the housekeeper opened the door and stepped out, the men who were guarding the door checked her bags and guided her outside.

Before the door closed, she saw the guards placing a card on the keypad and the elevator moving. That meant only authorized people could call the elevator and get to this place.

As the door closed, her vision slowly narrowed.

Bam!

Soon, the door closed, and a serene silence flowed.