Not Him
52
“Han Joowon was arrested at Incheon airport, as he was about to fly to New York with all his embezzled money.” Park Jungsoo, the young prosecutor, told the chronology of the arrest of one of the suspects in the Namsoong Group company's embezzlement case with Siwon when he met at the Seoul prosecutor's office. Park Jungsoo was Siwon's best friend in college, and the man had promised to inform him of any developments in the case―cases that also dragged Siwon's father along.
“Really? But has the prosecution been able to reveal that my father was not involved?”
“For now still not. The most important thing is to have found one of the main perpetrators, it will make it easier for us to dig deeper. I promise, slowly but surely everything will be revealed. Your father will be free if he is innocent.”
Siwon smiled sincerely, at least this could calm him down a bit. “Thank you, Jungsoo. You are my best friend.”
***
“Can't you stop all this?” the young man slammed a rough map containing the company's financial data in the last two months―which he just got a few minutes ago― onto the table, right in front of a man in his fifties. However the man remained calm, looked at her for a while then returned busy with his laptop.
“Until when will you continue to do this?” still with emotion, he again shouted at the man who was much older than him.
“What are you talking about?” the man asked casually, unconsciously the person in front of him was already looking at him angrily, completely visibly emotional.
“You are old. Don't add to your sins by doing these dirty things. You better quickly repent, because sooner or later your actions will be exposed, I can guarantee it.”
“Are you swearing at your own father, uh?” the man looked up, looking at his son with a look of disbelief. The child he had raised for so many years now even attacked him.
Kim Jonghyun smashed his lips, “I'm even ashamed to admit you as a father. As a result of your actions, Mr. Choi must bear it, even though he is not guilty at all. Where's your humanity side?”
“He deserves it. People who are too pretentious do not deserve to be in our world.”
“Your world? What sinful world do you mean? Look, I'm silent because I still respect you as a father. Really, if there's no blood between us, you're done now.”
“Fucking child! How dare you say that to your own father.”
Kim Jonghyun no longer cared about his father's words, he came out in frustration. As a child, he was ashamed to know what his father had done. His father, Kim Jongmin, has done too much dirty in the company. Embezzling funds, engineering financial statements, and many other foul things he did. And he knew his father had done something sneaky to get ownership of the company, telling people to hurt his cousin, the heir to his grandfather's estate. His actions were truly like they were not human.
***
The door of the room is knocked from the outside. The man sitting behind the table at the end of the room invited the person outside to enter, then a man with a formal suit stellan appeared from behind the door. The owner of the room invited him to sit on the sofa.
“What suddenly came to see me?”
The man's face looks anxious, describing himself as being in fear at the moment. “Have you heard the news, Mr Kim?”
The man called Mr. Kim raised his eyebrows confused, not understanding the man's intentions. “Know about what?”
The man took his breath slowly, readying himself before passing this news on to the person in front of him. “Han Joowon caught on his way to New York. This is serious, he could be a threat to us.”
“What?” the man, Kim Jongmin squealed in surprise. “I told him not to be too flashy. They must have been suspicious because a huge flow of funds was suddenly in his account. This can't be left.” Kim Jongmin squeezed his hands which started to break out in cold sweat. He was thinking of a plan to save himself.
“Then how now?”
“We have to get rid of it. As soon as possible.”
***
Kyuhyun sat down with uneasiness, being stared at by the three pairs of eyes that continued to look sharply at him. Those people were standing around him, like a crowd of ants that had just discovered a pile of sugar.
“You disappeared anywhere during this time?”
“Why don't you show up at the cafe or on campus?”
“Kyuhyun-ah's. You're not a police fugitive, are you?”
Ryeowook, Kibum, and Jongwoon asked their questions in turn, without a single question being answered by Kyuhyun. The man snorted in annoyance, let alone hearing the unreasonable question from Jongwoon. A fugitive? Just be right! Is he an ***?
“YA! why are you quiet?” Kibum looked at him impatiently. He was very curious about where Kyuhyun had disappeared for the past few days. Kyuhyun did not go to work, even on campus he could not find―Kyuhyun and Kibum attended the same university and faculty.
“Is. Looks like he ignored us.” Ryeowook glared irritatedly at Kyuhyun. But the man was still calm while eating his paste. He seemed to enjoy the food. Indeed, while at his father's house, he had no appetite―even taste of life. Being in a house is like being a prisoner, having no freedom.
“I want to stop working from here.” Said Kyuhyun suddenly, before grabbing a glass of drinking water and sipping it slowly.
“APA?”
Almost the water he was drinking gushed out in shock. Kyuhyun was surprised upon hearing the compact screams of the three people. Why are their reactions so overreacting?
“What's the reason?” ryeowook. Kyuhyun could hear there was a tinge of disappointment from his voice. In this place Kyuhyun found good friends. They were like family to him, and it would still go on at any moment. But he had to quit this job. Kyuhyun will live a new life―ia does not want any more shadows of his past. In this place he once had memories with the girl, he would not be able to forget it if he remained in this place.
“I'll marry―maybe.”
Three pairs of eyes were glaring wide at hearing him. Did ya? Did ya? They still can't believe it.
“You and Hyunjin? Aigo.. is that fast you decided?” Jongwoon asked in shock and delight. He was happy if both men were to get married. But in reality, Jongwoon did not know at all the problems that were happening to Kyuhyun and Hyunjin.
“Not.”
Again they were taken aback by Kyuhyun's remarks. Kibum was just about to ask, before Kyuhyun handed them three pieces of invitation cards. The names listed there are not Cho Kyuhyun and Choi Hyunjin, but Kyuhyun and other girls. A foreign name they had never heard of from Kyuhyun before.
“What does this mean?”
“I didn't expect you to come. But maybe you should just come.” Kyuhyun got up from his seat.
“Kyu's.. What's the matter exactly?” Jongwoon stared questioningly, wanting to know more clearly. He still doesn't understand. Why did Kyuhyun get married to another girl? What about Hyunjin? At home their relationship is still fine―
―oh, no. Jongwoon recalled a few days ago that Hyunjin and Kyuhyun came to this cafe, talked about something and finally Hyunjin came home with wet eyes. Is..
“You parted?”
“Thank you for your help all this time. You guys are good friends.” he said ignoring Jongwoon's question. Kyuhyun smiled then bowed before them―something unusual happened. Kyuhyun then walked towards Park's manager's room, he would deliver his resignation.
“Has his head hit something? Don't let him poison your homemade pasta, Wookie.” It was Kibum who instantly got a sharp glare from Ryeowook.
“Nak only!”
Jongwoon still looked at Kyuhyun's back from behind. He knew Kyuhyun's face was unhappy when he broke the news, the news of his marriage.
***
