What’s this.

Tae Ha turned to lie on his side, trying to ignore the pain, but the dull ache wouldn’t subside.

The tossing and turning wasn’t due to the pain itself. It was because he had become sensitive to the strange anxiety caused by the pain.

Eventually, Tae Ha sat up, leaning against the headboard of the bed.

* * *

It was a day when father and son had breakfast together at Seo Taek. Today it was a bit earlier than usual because Tae Ha had an early meeting outside.

His shoulder blade was still uncomfortable, but as always, Tae Ha didn’t show it, not wanting to worry Chairman Kwon.

On the table was a light meal prepared with fresh greens, fish, and soybean paste soup. However, something felt awkward.

Tae Ha realized the reason after about two spoonfuls of soup. Butler Jang, who should have appeared at least once, was missing. Butler Jang, who always guarded the front of the dining room like a shadow.

“Where’s Butler Jang?”

Tae Ha looked around a couple of times, wondering if he had missed him, then asked.

“Seems he had some upsetting news about Ha Eun, I told him to go after he called crying yesterday.”

“Yoo Ha Eun?”

Tae Ha asked casually while taking a spoonful.

“You should go see her too.”

“Go where? I’m busy.”

“Are you busier than me when you’re busy?”

“This afternoon, the protocol team from Tae Jin Group is coming to check on the preparations for Chairman Sung’s 70th birthday celebration. I can’t just leave it to the working team. I need to show my face and demonstrate that I’m paying attention.”

“Oh, that’s today.”

“And in the evening, there’s a dinner to celebrate the disbanding of the business handover task force. I’ll just make an appearance with Managing Director Kim, but it’s an event I must attend. They’re the people who’ve been working hard to teach me about the hotel business until now.”

Tae Ha replied without even looking up.

“But isn’t she your fiancée?”

“I said I’m not getting married.”

“Why do you dislike Ha Eun so much?”

Chairman Kwon asked with a serious face, putting down his spoon.

“It’s obvious.”

“I know you’re not satisfied with her background. But I want you to marry that girl.”

“I don’t understand why. Why Yoo Ha Eun? If you were to push a daughter from a truly remarkable family, I might understand. But Yoo Ha Eun isn’t like that.”

“It’s your mother’s last wish.”

The bluish dawn light that had been flickering over the dining table retreated at that moment.

“Last wish?”

This was the first time he had heard of this. Tae Ha had no memories of his mother. His memories began from the day his mother died.

His mother lost her life in a hit-and-run accident on a day she had gone out with him. A scene with no witnesses, no CCTV, nothing left behind.

At that scene, there was only six-year-old Tae Ha, and later Butler Jang and Driver Choi who came running after hearing the loud noise. Chairman Kwon put up a huge reward to track down the culprit, but the result was a complete failure.

That mother’s last wish.

“It’s your mother’s last wish for you to marry Ha Eun.”

“Why are you telling me this now?”

“Perhaps I didn’t want to keep this wish either.”

Chairman Kwon took a slow, heavy sigh and picked up his water glass.

“There are some conditions that might appeal to you.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Your mother left an inheritance. It’s conditional.”

Tae Ha straightened his posture at this absurd story.

“Inheritance? Didn’t you inherit all of mother’s shares already?”

“There’s something left. As soon as you and Ha Eun get married, you both will receive 5% shares of Dong Eui Foods each. Measures have been taken so that no one can touch it.”

“5% of the total. So 10% if we get married.”

Dong Eui Foods was formerly a subsidiary of the Dong Eui Group, his maternal family’s company, but it’s now a separate and quite solid company.

The CEO is Hong Young Sik, Tae Ha’s maternal uncle who returned to Korea a few years ago after staying abroad. Because his father-in-law was an influential figure in politics, the companies Young Sik was involved with often became hotbeds of stock price manipulation during election seasons. That’s all Tae Ha knew.

Fearing even interest might cause discord, he had completely cut ties with his maternal family’s company.

His curiosity was fiercely stirring.

“Who exactly is Yoo Ha Eun?”

5% is not a small amount for her. If that money is being inherited to Ha Eun, who isn’t even blood-related, as a condition of marriage, there must be a valid reason.

However, Chairman Kwon avoided giving a precise explanation.

“She’s a girl your mother had her eye on. As you know, I was the type to do anything for your mother. Now, I want to fulfill that last wish.”

* * *

Even on the way back to the company after finishing the vendor meeting, Chairman Kwon’s words were jumbled up in Tae Ha’s mind.

It seemed like something was being hidden, but everything was vague without a single clear point.

“Yes, I understand. We’ll be entering the hotel with the CEO soon.”

Woo Young, sitting next to him, hung up the phone and reported to Tae Ha.

“Sir, the Tae Jin protocol team has already arrived. Manager Han is waiting with the General Manager, so you can take your time coming.”

Looking at his watch, they were 15 minutes early. They must be really nervous.

Well, it’s Chairman Sung of Tae Jin. A person with enough influence to change the vision of the entire Republic of Korea with just one word.

It’s said that when the Chairman has a dinner in the provinces, the protocol team goes a day early to prepare even his favorite alcoholic beverages.

Tae Ha got out of the car and walked with Woo Young to the grand ballroom of Seoul Hotel.

Chairman Sung’s 70th birthday celebration will take place over two days at two different hotels. Once with company executives and employees, and once with domestic and international VIPs combined with a charity event.

So they had to pay even more attention to maintain a competitive edge.

The protocol teams from each company put their heads together and meticulously examined every detail. From the screen for video projection to tableware, tablecloths, flowers, the spacing between tables, lighting intensity, and even the flow of movement.

After leaving the banquet hall, Tae Ha moved to the business room to meet with the executive chef, along with the general manager and the head of the protocol team.

But before he could even take a seat at the table, his phone rang.

It was Nurse Lee.

With an uneasy feeling, Tae Ha quickly excused himself from the people and answered the phone.

“Yes, this is me.”

− Sir, I know you’re busy, so I hesitated before calling.

“Go ahead.”

− Eun Seo is very sick. Her fever is nearly 40 degrees…

“What did you say?”

− She seems to have been groaning in pain since dawn. She took some fever reducer and fell asleep, but it looks like her fever rose again. Mrs. Ahn thought Eun Seo had gone to work early with you. The cleaning lady found her collapsed earlier.

“How is she now?”

− She’s being treated. I called Dr. Baek right away because of your previous request. I’ve been hesitating to contact you all this time because I know you’re working.

“Don’t leave her side and keep watching.”

Tae Ha tried to maintain his composure at the news that Dr. Baek had come, and took one step towards the business room, but he couldn’t take the second step.

“Team Leader Choi, I’m leaving work first.”

“Where are you going…”

Cutting off Woo Young’s words, Tae Ha changed the direction of his feet and slowly started to pick up speed.

“Don’t follow me, help the General Manager. Oh, and cancel my attendance at the dinner too.”

Due to the schedule that started early in the morning, he hadn’t been able to stop by the office. If he had, he would have at least known that Eun Seo hadn’t come to work.

Not only him, but Woo Young had also left home early without breakfast to assist Tae Ha, and Jung Woo was on a business trip, so no one was able to help her. Even Manager Han, who had been waiting next to the General Manager, didn’t know about Eun Seo’s absence.

When needed, no one was there.

Tae Ha ran up the stairs without waiting for the elevator as soon as his chauffeur stopped the car, after a anxious drive.

Dr. Baek had already left, and only Nurse Lee was in Eun Seo’s room, who stood up at his presence.

“You’re here?”

“How is Song Eun Seo?”

Tae Ha asked as he strode towards the bed. Eun Seo was lying there, limp and weak.

“She’s finished the IV earlier and we’ve administered fever reducers, so her fever should come down soon. Her throat is very swollen and she was shivering a lot due to chills. The doctor said it seems like a bad case of the flu, but it might have hit her hard because her immune system is weak.”

“Thank you for your hard work. Please go have a meal and rest. I’ll call if I need anything.”

The door closed quietly. On the bedside table were various medicines, a water glass, and a kettle.

Tae Ha looked at them with bitter eyes, then after washing his hands, he stood by the head of the bed. Then he touched Eun Seo’s forehead.

The warmth rising through his palm was hot.

It’s a room where only the orange light of the standing lamp shines uniquely in the grayish twilight.

Eun Seo was sleeping heavily. No, she seemed unconscious. Her flushed face looked distressed, the fever not having subsided yet.

When he put the back of his hand near her, the heat she exhaled between her dry lips was also warm. Tae Ha pulled a chair from by the window, placed it next to the bed, and sat down.

He took off his suit jacket and hung it on the chair, then rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt.

He wrung out a towel from the basin on the table. Then he folded it neatly and placed it on Eun Seo’s forehead, quietly looking down at her.

In the dawn when he was up all night with pain, he should have stopped by her room. If he had, she might not have gotten this sick.

It’s a time when self-blame naturally comes.

If you don’t have family, you shouldn’t get this sick.

“Hmm. Hm.”

With just one groan, it feels like somewhere in his heart is crumbling.

Are you crying again? Tae Ha checked her closed eyes at Eun Seo’s stirring. Fortunately, it seems she’s not crying.

Her hair was stuck to her forehead and cheeks, wet with either sweat or water. Tae Ha carefully peeled it away.

“Haa, ha…”

Another pitiful groan escaped.

This feeling was a first. The feeling of wanting to do something, anything, but being frustrated because there’s actually nothing you can do.

“If you’re sick, you should say something. Why hide it, why.”

It was a low voice, but could she have heard it? Eun Seo slowly pushed up her eyelids. Unfocused eyes appeared between them, then disappeared again.

Again, her heavy eyelids pushed up. As if struggling to open her eyes.

And this time she looks at Tae Ha with drowsy eyes. Tae Ha smiled when their eyes met.

“Do you know who I am?”

Tae Ha asked. Eun Seo answered by slowly opening and closing her eyelids, then painfully opened her mouth and whispered.

“…Husband.”

The hand that was gently pressing the towel on her forehead stopped right there.