Chapter 110
Terminally Ill, but It's Okay — Episode 110
A languid summer night.
On that sweltering night when the air-conditioner breeze after a shower felt especially welcome.
Cheon Seo-yoon was fiddling with a hairpin the size of a pinky finger.
"Heehee."
But even looking at it again, it was pretty.
Not because it was a luxury brand, but because of the design itself.
Even after looking at it over and over, it was pretty.
Not because the ruby set in the center was real, but because of the color itself.
"Heehee."
Cheon Seo-yoon stood in front of the mirror, pinned it in her hair, then took it out and stroked it, then pinned it on the other side, then took it out and stroked it again.
She repeated this, making a fuss, then flopped onto the bed and smiled brightly.
Thinking what a truly enjoyable trip it had been.......
Cheon Seo-yoon used the white ceiling as a screen and condensed the three-day, two-night epic journey into just a few scenes.
"What about you?"
"M-me?"
First, becoming roommates with Reina and receiving that strange question had stuck in her memory.
Luckily an incident had broken out right then; if the conversation had continued, she surely would have been the one to clam up.
"That Reina......."
She looked innocent on the outside, but her insides were solid as a stone Buddha. ......No, since she was Catholic, should she say solid as a stone Jesus?
Anyway, the point was she was no pushover.
Cheon Seo-yoon thought that from now on she must not let her guard down when dealing with Reina, and she retraced the next memory.
As she reviewed things in chronological order, the moment that had surprised her because it was unexpected soon flashed through her mind.
"Sometimes in life you have to do things even when you don't want to. For me, that's now. Don't ask any more and just put my name on the list."
It had been more striking because those words had come from Park Ha-yul.
Because he was the most individualistic, thoroughly private person among the people she knew.
Were people really meant to be judged over time?
Had she perhaps been too quick to judge the person called Park Ha-yul?
Cheon Seo-yoon, who had been following that train of thought, shook her head vigorously, then passed over the night she had spent alone without Reina and moved on to the next day.
After that, there had been nothing but enjoyable memories.
"Of all people, why did I have to draw you?"
"You don't like it?"
"No, well. It's not that......."
It had been a sudden companionship, but the morning walk had been refreshing in its own way.
"Why is the whole menu pizza?"
"Huh? Italy means pizza, doesn't it? This is the pizza restaurant version."
The pizza she had ended up eating alone but had still been delicious.
And then the long-awaited day of the opera event.
"You don't need to come up. I already have a suit."
Even the sight of Park Ha-yul flatly refusing those famous people while she had been biting her nails, berating herself for having needlessly butted in.
"No, but siblings dying together is too sad."
"Those two are lovers, though?"
"......."
There had been a slight flaw at the end, but well, that was.......
It couldn't be helped.
They were going on and on in Italian, so how was she supposed to understand?
"As long as I didn't cry at a funny scene, that's all that matters."
Cheon Seo-yoon, who had been about to close the book of recollections with a soft laugh.......
"Huh?"
She suddenly started and bolted upright.
Because looking back, the entire three-day, two-night trip had been no different from something that began with one person and ended with one person.
"Ah, shit."
As heat suddenly surged up, Cheon Seo-yoon searched for the air-conditioner remote.
Tropical night, my ass.
She fluttered the tank top she was wearing for no reason and click-click-click—
She quickly pressed the remote buttons and changed it to a target temperature of 18 degrees, turbo mode.
But when the heat still wouldn't go away, she moved to the kitchen.
She was just gulping down bottled water fresh from the fridge.......
Ding-dong—ding-dong—
At that moment, the doorbell rang.
Bleurgh.
Startled, Cheon Seo-yoon spat out half the water she had been holding in her mouth and coughed.
Maybe the water had backed up into her nose, because tears welled up along with a sharp pain.
But the visitor, who could not have known any of this, seemed impatient.
Thump-thump-thump—
They even knocked and called out directly.
"Seo-yoon, are you already asleep?"
"I-I'm coming out."
Cheon Seo-yoon quickly wiped her mouth and hurled the dishcloth hanging in the kitchen onto the floor.
She pushed it around with her foot to wipe, then shoved it to one side.
She dashed over and opened the door.
It swung open—
Then the unexpected visitor, Joo A-rin, tilted her head.
"Did something happen?"
"No, I just suddenly got really hot......."
"Don't tell me that's sweat? Then you should go to the hospital. What are you doing like this?"
"Ah, uh, well. I'm fine. I'll feel better after resting a bit."
Cheon Seo-yoon glanced at the kitchen for no reason, then changed the subject.
"But what's up?"
At that, Joo A-rin, who had been stepping in lightly, suddenly held out a diffuser.
"Did you order this?"
"Huh?"
Cheon Seo-yoon hesitated for a moment.
Should she play dumb and deny it, or should she tell the truth?
But Joo A-rin was especially quick to grasp context and make deductions.
In an instant, she narrowed her eyes and scanned Cheon Seo-yoon's desk, then soon spotted a diffuser identical to her own.
She smiled softly and looked at Cheon Seo-yoon.
"I knew it. It says 'Made in Italy,' so what do you mean you picked it up somewhere?"
"Picked it up? I paid money for that......."
Cheon Seo-yoon scratched the bridge of her nose, then confessed the truth.
However, she firmly emphasized that she had only recommended it, and that the purchase had been Park Ha-yul's own decision.
At that, Joo A-rin also confessed that she hadn't actually made hers.
"But did you come all the way here just to check that?"
"No, it's not exactly just because of that......."
Uncharacteristically, Joo A-rin hesitated before finally speaking.
"You know Park Ha-yul's missing mother. Do you happen to know anything more? Like whether it's an unsolved case or something like that."
She had thought about asking him directly, but it felt like crossing a line....... And because of some strange comment, she had missed the timing, so she was asking instead.
Hoping that Cheon Seo-yoon might know something.......
"Unsolved case?"
But Cheon Seo-yoon looked baffled.
Because she had never once brought up anything related to his mother since the training ground.
"Ah."
But maybe because that particular word stood out?
A memory from the opera Aida, from the arena, suddenly came to mind.
At the time, she had thought it was just the rational excuse of a T-type person.......
But looking back, it seemed he might have used that word.
There are far more people in the world who died unjustly. There are also cases like unsolved cases where the culprit still hasn't been caught. I find that sadder.
......Was that what he had said?
* * *
Time passed, and before long it was the day of the executive department. Wednesday evening.
I logged into the department system and submitted an outing request, then moved to the Itaewon area with Lee Dong-wook.
"You just have to go into the VIP room for a moment. Then your role is over."
"R-really?"
"I've never done anything to you, right? Just act like you normally do."
"Got it."
Lee Dong-wook slapped his own innocent cheeks—smack—then strode off as if steeling his resolve, heading for today's meeting place.
That place was Club Pantheon.
Just from the exterior, it was a high-end club that looked extremely expensive.
In step with this, I sent out Fly A and Fly B.
Fly A and Fly B flew as naturally as two actual flies.
Without Lee Dong-wook even knowing, they slipped into his pocket.
Now all that remained was to simply observe the dirty secrets of the Korea Social Contribution Youth Association.
I needed a suitable viewing spot, so I wandered near the club and then found a bar with private rooms and went in.
I ordered beer with some simple snacks and leaned back in my chair.
Before long, the thumping sound of music could be heard.
And before much longer, a low, blunt voice leaked through the speaker.
"For now, just wait. When the president arrives, I'll take you in to greet him."
It seemed like at least one fly could slip out now, so I sent a signal to Fly A.
Bzzt bzzt—
The entirely black screen soon switched to the glittering interior of the club.
Fly A clung tightly to the ceiling and served as a CCTV camera.
I stared at the screen with a relaxed mind.
First, at the front was the VIP room. A room that only Joo Yeo-hoon's closest associates could enter was visible, and at its entrance, eight lackeys including Lee Dong-wook sat in a row.
A middle-aged man who looked quite old, a woman who looked like a model, a young man like Lee Dong-wook.
Their appearances were fairly diverse, but their attitudes were identical.
All of them sat with their backs ramrod straight at a 90-degree angle, their expressions full of tension.
"Well, well."
So a scoff naturally escaped me.
Me and Joo Yeo-hoon.
Both from prestigious families, yet one was lording over others while the other had even his financial support cut off.
"The president has arrived. Get ready to go in."
At that moment, a man with a sturdy appearance appeared and lined them up.
The man paced in front of the door, checking his phone as if waiting for the timing.
Buzz—
When the messenger notification sounded, he gulped dryly and issued a firm warning.
"We're going in now. Do not open your mouths until the president gives permission. You are only greeting him. Only greeting. Understood?"
Then he took the lead and knock-knock—
Exactly three seconds later, he gently opened the door and gestured to the people standing behind him.
The people entered in perfect unison.
At that timing, I took out Fly B, which had remained in Lee Dong-wook's pocket.
I quickly stuck it to the wall, and Fly B climbed up the wall and showed a full view of the VIP room.
Bzzt bzzt.
Then, at last, Joo Yeo-hoon and his closest associates came into view.
"Oh, are these the sales team leaders?"
"Heh heh, at that point aren't they just a string of sausages? Look at them filing in one after another."
Behind a table laden with delicacies and expensive liquor, five men were joking around and clinking glasses.
I focused on the dark-brown-haired man seated at the head of the table.
If Joo A-rin cross-dressed as a man and elongated her eyes, would she look like this?
Anyone could see he was a direct descendant of the Joo family.
White skin and dark-brown pupils that matched his hair.
A presence that dominated the atmosphere around him.
Joo Yeo-hoon, who had been scanning the eight people, opened his mouth with a greasy smile.
"You've worked hard running around on the front lines. But your sign-up performance is rather....... How are you supposed to do social contribution like this?"
Naturally, the atmosphere chilled rapidly.
"You're not volunteering for free, are you? I paid you generously."
Joo Yeo-hoon seemed to be the type who got more excited the more he talked, and his voice gradually grew louder.
"Do you know what the handle of a millstone is called? It's called an eoi. Eoi."
He even spouted a line that felt familiar somewhere as he gripped his glass, and with a pop, the glass burst apart.
"Hey, Yeo-hoon, your hand's all wet."
"Bring a handkerchief, quickly."
Just because his hand got wet, the people around him bustled about.
So does that bastard not wash his hands?
Anyway, once the team leaders withdrew, the atmosphere softened again and the drinking began in earnest.
The conversation was utterly vulgar.
Association sponsorship funds and book manipulation.
Entertainment industry rumors and sponsors, etc.
Filthy talk that hurt the ears went back and forth.......
"Yeo-hoon, work on G2 System starts tomorrow. If you have spare money, buy some in advance."
"G2?"
"Yeah, it's just a rumor, but the catalyst looks solid, so it could easily quadruple right away."
Among the trash, there was also some useful information.
I didn't know much about stocks, but the six characters "G2 System" stuck in my head.
It seemed like a stock manipulation thing, and since I could mess with those bastards too, getting in and out this time didn't seem bad.
"So, Yeo-hoon. Did you bring the new drug?"
And before long, the topic I had been waiting for suddenly reared its head.
"This?"
Joo Yeo-hoon leaned back in his chair, then rummaged inside his clothes and pulled out a luxurious box.
When he opened the lid, white powder came into view.
"Wow, the color is great."
"I've cut out all other drugs lately because of this stuff."
The group, apparently familiar with it already, grew visibly excited and swallowed hard.
They looked exactly like a pack of mongrels waiting for their feed.
But then.
"Wait. I'll activate it for you."
When Joo Yeo-hoon infused mana into it, the drug powder instantly began to flash.
"No way."
It was a wavelength of light I had seen somewhere many times before.