The Place Where the Heart Goes First
CEO Seo flopped onto the three-seater sofa and loosened his tie. Honestly, it had been a long day.
"Agh, I'm done for."
Ma Soo-jung saw him, but didn’t budge. She just sat there on the single sofa like a doll left neatly in place.
"Soo-jung. You all right?"
"Why wouldn’t I be all right?"
She sounded serious. Well, of course she did. Gongza had gone through something like that.
CEO Seo changed the subject, trying to keep things light.
"Soo-jung. I practically sprawled out at the police station and made a scene. No, seriously, why are they giving that bastard who scratched our kid a warning and sending him home?"
"Exactly. But what did that bastard say?"
"Something about South Korea, the rule of law, and how what he did was the rights of a worker, or whatever."
"What a load of crap."
"Right? He only threw a plastic bottle at Gongza."
Ma Soo-jung ground her teeth.
"I really want to dip him in sewage and let him die."
"From what I dug up, he’s got a record. He’s one of those guys famous for stirring up trouble. Some kind of anger-control disorder, or so they say. Well, we can’t lose. If he wants to be petty, we’ll be petty back."
CEO Seo grinned.
"I just lay down on the floor. Was I supposed to let our kid sleep while shaking with fear over a threat like that? I rolled around on the station floor."
He still remembered the police officers’ stunned looks.
"You did well."
"What wouldn’t I do for our kid? Good grief. But Gongza still went back and did the audience talk afterward, didn’t he?"
"Yes. He wrapped it up beautifully, just like the son he is."
CEO Seo laughed from the sofa.
"That kid’s guts are no joke. He’s still so young, and yet I respect him."
"It’s not that Gongza is especially brave. He was probably just thinking about everyone else. My son hates it when something goes wrong because of him."
CEO Seo shook his head.
"Sure, Gongza does have that streak. But Soo-jung, if Gongza were a coward, he’d be cowering in a corner right now. The kid really does have guts."
To be honest, he wasn’t an ordinary child.
After seeing the videos, I could tell. Soo-jung.
The audience talk, resumed after a short break, had honestly been carried out in a tense atmosphere.
And in the middle of that, Gongza didn’t act rattled at all.
He answered smartly, and he even made jokes.
Of course, that could have been an act.
Even if it was an act, though, that still made it impressive, Soo-jung.
CEO Seo looked again, checking her expression. Ma Soo-jung was still lost in thought.
"Look, don’t blame yourself. Soo-jung. This wasn’t your fault."
"It was my fault."
"We expected a few sharp questions at most. Who could’ve predicted a bottle flying in?"
"It was a bottle. But if we’re being blunt, it could’ve been hydrochloric acid."
Ma Soo-jung ran a hand over her face.
"I was careless. No matter what happened, I shouldn’t have put Gongza out there in danger."
"Hey. Hey."
"It was my mistake. I was wrong."
She gave a bitter laugh.
"I’ve been treated differently without even realizing it. Because I’m Sungjin Group’s daughter."
"W-well, that’s true."
"I thought Gongza was my son, so of course nothing would happen to him. He had me behind him, and I had Sungjin Group behind me."
But that wasn’t how the world worked.
"I was wrong. I didn’t know this. Gongza is an adopted son, after all. The people who mean him harm know better than I do that he doesn’t have Sungjin Group’s protection."
Ma Soo-jung let out a long breath.
"He’s incredible. He really is."
"Soo-jung...."
She exhaled slowly.
"Because Mom was stupid, our Gongza’s the one who has to suffer."
"Hey, you’re not stupid."
Ma Soo-jung bit her lip. CEO Seo scratched his head and said,
"It may not help, but... the reaction’s good."
"What reaction? Good how?"
"You know. Ah, this is hard to explain. Just look."
He hurriedly took out his smartphone and showed her.
There were more sensible articles than expected. Ma Soo-jung pressed a hand to her forehead.
"Still, there are probably plenty of people cursing our Gongza."
"None. The Gomja people exploded. Gongza’s still a kid, after all. This isn’t normal."
"Since when has the entertainment world ever been normal?"
"Even so, this is too much. The political circles are making a fuss too. One lawmaker said something, apparently."
"That’s probably just for the attention."
That, too, left her unsatisfied. Ma Soo-jung swept her hair back.
"Other communities are saying Gongza is, weirdly enough, getting sympathy for another reason."
"The kid got hit by trash. Why? What are they looking at?"
"Ah. They’re saying Gongza’s got guts."
Ma Soo-jung frowned.
"What’s that supposed to mean?"
"They’re recognizing that Gongza is fearless. Our Gongza, even when something like this happens, just keeps walking the road he’s on. Soo-jung. He didn’t look all that shaken."
"He was probably pretending."
Maybe he was.
But CEO Seo remembered Gongza during the audience talk. Honestly, it hadn’t looked like an act.
Soo-jung really won’t believe it at all.
Of course, she hadn’t been there. And even if he was really fine, a mother would still be heartbroken.
He went through something he never should have had to go through.
CEO Seo nodded.
"What’s Gongza like at home?"
"He eats well and sleeps well. Mr. Deok-su’s keeping a close eye on him, and he says Gongza is fine."
"See? Our Gongza’s got a strong constitution."
Ma Soo-jung narrowed her eyes.
"He told me not to worry."
"Right. Hmm. That does sound like Gongza."
"What do you mean, sounds like Gongza? He’s probably anxious, but he can’t show it because of me."
She ran a hand over her face again.
"Why does our child have to suffer? Sir CEO, should I just bury the second one?"
"Soo-jung."
"One swing of the bat doesn’t seem enough."
"You didn’t actually hit him, though."
Ma Soo-jung lowered her hand. Her arm dropped, suddenly drained of strength.
"He ran away."
"Then he tripped and twisted his ankle, didn’t he?"
"Yes. After that, Madam came over."
"And what did she say?"
"She said that if I was going to do it, I should do it properly. She’s busy with the fake accounting cleanup."
CEO Seo couldn’t help laughing.
"She opened the stage for you. You should’ve done it."
"Instead, she said if I killed the second one, I’d have to handle company work."
Good grief.
CEO Seo glanced at Ma Soo-jung. Honestly, all he could think was that Madam had been stopping her.
But I probably shouldn’t say that out loud.
Ma Soo-jung let out a long sigh. CEO Seo offered a small measure of comfort.
"Gongza’s safe, and you’ve finished everything else too."
"Yes, I wrapped it all up."
"Then that’s enough."
"That bastard. If only he’d held on for two more days."
CEO Seo nodded.
"The interview article comes out in two days, right?"
"Yes. The foundation preparations are all done."
"Those reporters are the kind who write good pieces about Sungjin Group, aren’t they? Madam really came through for you."
Ma Soo-jung mumbled with her body sunk into the sofa.
"Probably because she thought I’d swing the bat again."
CEO Seo blinked. Ma Soo-jung might have been right. But as far as he knew, Lady Sungjin was a thoroughly calculating woman. There was no reason to use someone from the company side unless she meant it.
"Soo-jung. Does that lady maybe like Gongza?"
"What?"
"I mean, it’s not exactly common for her to open her own treasury, is it?"
Ma Soo-jung’s brow furrowed.
"No way."
"Maybe she’s secretly fond of him?"
"They barely ever meet."
"How do you know? Maybe Gongza’s so cute she just comes by now and then to see him?"
Ma Soo-jung shook her head.
"Impossible."
"Hmm. If you say so. Anyway, don’t blame yourself too much. The work’s all done."
"I set it up properly. The money’s going to be managed carefully too. From now on, Sungjin Group won’t cause him trouble."
"Right. Now, whenever people hear Gongza’s name, they’ll think of the charity foundation first. Still, Soo-jung, you’ve lived comfortably enough that you don’t need to worry, but... is Gongza all right with it?"
"With what?"
"A charity foundation costs a lot. He’s not old enough yet to really understand that most of the money he earns will go there."
Ma Soo-jung thought of Gongza. Her angel actually welcomed donations.
"He seemed fine with it. Hmm. Gongza seems like he’s okay as long as he can act."
"My goodness."
"Sometimes he feels like a born actor. His mindset is sturdier than mine."
"That’s strange. Are all geniuses like that?"
Ma Soo-jung smiled a little.
"I think our Gongza is just an angel."
"Well, maybe. Still."
"I’m going home. I need to hug Gongza and sleep. Even if he looks calm, he must’ve been shocked."
"All right. Go on."
Ma Soo-jung got up and left. After seeing her out, CEO Seo lay back down on the sofa.
Staring at the ceiling, he muttered, "That kid Gongza feels like I’m looking at some kind of acting legend."
He rolled halfway over on the sofa. No matter how he thought about it, Ma Gongja was strange.
Since he’s Soo-jung’s son, maybe he doesn’t know how precious money is.
And yet he’d never once seen the boy ask for anything in particular. He’d never seen him treat money lightly, either.
In fact, if Soo-jung buys too many clothes, he seems to stop her.
Now that he thought about it, he’d never seen the kid throw a tantrum over anything.
He doesn’t seem like someone who doesn’t know money matters...
He was a truly strange child.
And that kind of kid says he’d be fine as long as he could act?
CEO Seo pushed himself up from the sofa.
That’s a little strange.
He tilted his head.
"Could he just be some maniac obsessed with acting?"
The words left his mouth, and he startled himself with them. CEO Seo looked around, worried someone might have heard. Luckily, Ma Soo-jung was already gone.
No way. No way that could be it.
For such a cute, lovely little kid to be obsessed with acting? He was still so young, with the world barely opened to him. There was no way.
Then why?
CEO Seo crossed his arms.
My instincts are telling me that’s exactly right.
He blinked for a long moment, then finally shook his head.
"Well, instincts can be wrong."
Yes, that had to be it.
Muttering to himself, he lay back down on the sofa.
* * *
"Gongza, do you know where we’re going?"
At Mom’s question, I shook my head.
"Nope."
Mom smiled and kept driving. I blinked and looked out the window.
It was rush hour, so traffic was a little backed up.
Where are we going?
When I woke up, Mom had said she wanted to go out today.
Hmm, now that I think about it, it’s been a while.
Because of the Sungjin Group fake accounting mess, going out had been a dream.
Well, I only ever went out to work.
I sneaked a glance at the front seat. Mom, sitting in the driver’s seat, looked strangely excited.
"Aren’t you scared? We might be going somewhere weird."
Hmm. A clothing store would be pretty scary in its own way, Mother. But still.
"As long as Gongza’s with Mama, I’m happy anywhere!"
At my answer, Mom broke into a bright smile.
"My angel. How do you only ever say such pretty things? Gongza, same goes for me."
She turned the wheel and said,
"Anywhere is fine as long as I’m with Gongza."
I beamed back at her.
Honestly, I was a little curious.
"So where are we going? To an awards ceremony?"
My outfit was already a bit unusual. I looked down at what I was wearing: a tuxedo with a bow tie.
I do pull it off beautifully with this face, though.
But was there even an awards ceremony happening around this time?
I was tilting my head when Mom asked,
"You can look forward to it, Gongza."