Expansion (13)
The next day, I received a call from the head of the security team informing me that my brother had arrived. I asked him to handle the handover. The position was president, with responsibilities covering the entire hotel. I also subtly suggested to Team Leader Lee that once he finished training the local organization, he might consider joining us, but he said he liked it here and would stay if that was all right. I told him to do so. I encouraged him, saying he'd worked hard abroad. I contacted my brother and told him to work comfortably and take whatever salary he wanted. In my heart, I felt like I could just give him the hotel itself. My steps felt light, as if I had repaid the brother who raised me. It felt like this was what filial piety tasted like. It seemed the Bravo I had called yesterday was coming back around like this.
Today's class was the Marriage and Family course that the class president and Myung-jae had failed. My classmates recommended it, and since it felt like ethics education, I signed up. It was a class where you just had to listen. The lecture hall was in the liberal arts building, which I was visiting for the first time. It was room 201, and as soon as I went up to the second floor, scanning eyes shot at me from all directions. What was this? It had been a while since I felt scanned from head to toe like at the airport scanner. When I entered room 201, the scanners' gazes became even more intense. There was an empty seat in the middle, so I sat down, and I could hear whispering from behind. Isn't that guy okay? What are they talking about? I arrived just in time, and as soon as I sat down, the professor entered. She was a female professor with a visual that seemed like she would have dragged around some guys during her school days. I mean, she was pretty. I even wished Miju would look like that when she got older.
"Welcome, everyone!" Her voice was pretty too. It was a clear yet charming voice; I might fall for the professor at this rate.
"This class is Marriage and Family. Although I teach it every semester, I won't explain the lecture plan and purpose this time either."
From the beginning of class, it seemed like I was the only one not following.
"Is there anyone who doesn't know about the lecture content?"
I raised my hand. But I was the only one. "This is the first time since I took over the class." The professor covered her mouth and laughed. I really didn't know. She explained the lecture content and class format, but the gazes around me were sharp. After hearing the explanation, I understood why the class president and Myung-jae were envious. It was a class where we did assignments and presentations throughout the semester, and the assignment was dating. No wonder the gender ratio was odd when I came in. We had to date for a semester, write a report on what we felt during the process, and the differences between men and women, then present it. Face-to-face classes were once a month, four times excluding the first day's orientation: choosing a partner next week, planning the date next month, preparing for the presentation the month after, and presenting in the last month. I realized why my classmates had been glaring at me.
"See you next week~" During the course registration change period, choosing a partner was useless, so the first day was nothing. Because of me, their time was taken, so it was natural for them to glare. That day, there was a trade major class, so after it ended, I met with our Ocean World team. There were also three new employees, all women. Myung-jae and the class president were beaming, but Yunjeong's expression was not good. It was the first meeting and awkward, so I started small talk.
"I signed up for Marriage and Family, thinking of dropping it..."
The two guys who were laughing suddenly turned serious.
"Why? People are dying to get into that class."
"I have a girlfriend."
The four female students had knowing looks, and the two male students looked like they had lost their country.
"Well, that's not important. Please take care of me."
I greeted the new employees. And emphasized the organization's discipline.
"Even if the age difference is only a few months, a senior is a senior, so learn the job well."
"Yes."
"Class president, is there any remaining entertainment budget?"
"Yes, they added more."
"Let's have a company dinner with that today, and start work tomorrow. Don't overdo it during the semester."
"Yes, will you join us too, hyung?"
"No, I have some work."
The president doesn't usually join. After greeting the team members and getting up, the two guys followed me. No way, I thought as I went outside, but they followed. Just in case, I turned a corner, and they followed, so I sensed their target was me and thought of running, but suddenly I realized. Right now, I was Eunsu. If it was my original identity, I would have disappeared by now, but they came looking for Eunsu. I don't know. If caught, I'll just abandon it. It's a shame for the effort put in so far, but what can I do.
I walked quickly out of the school, feeling them running behind me.
"Student?"
I naturally turned around and pointed to my face, saying, "Me?"
"Do you have time?"
"I have to go to my part-time job. What's the matter?"
"Just a moment, do you know Choi Hyun-seok?"
They followed my brother. "Yes, we grew up together."
"Have you contacted him?"
"But who are you?"
While saying that, they showed an ID with "Police Agency" written on it. The name was Jang Cheol-gyeong.
"I'm a police officer, and I'm looking for that person."
"Where are you from?"
They seemed not expecting the question and answered in a flustered manner, and their answers differed. Then they exchanged glances and tried to pounce on me. I was taken to the police station. I reported them, after all. My alibi was solid, right?
"Student, do you know who these people are?"
"Of course not. They suddenly came and asked about my brother from the orphanage, and when I tried to report it because it was suspicious and took out my phone, they pounced on me."
"Who are these people?"
After about two hours, a man in a suit came to the police station. Then he went to the police officer who questioned me and said let's talk for a moment, then took him out and came back.
"Student, they want to apologize over there and will give you some medical expenses, want to settle?"
"No, don't ask me that. I almost got assaulted. Who are they? I think I need to know at least their names."
"It's not one-sided assault, it's mutual assault. You hit them a lot too. Let's settle this amicably."
"Are you threatening me?"
I shouted loudly. How can we trust the police when they threaten the victim instead of protecting them? I filmed everywhere with the camera, took videos, and made all kinds of scenes. The police officer in front seemed flustered and tried to stop me.
"You have to tell me who you are and why you did that to me. Otherwise, I'll sue."
It seemed like things would escalate, so the man in the suit gestured to the police officer. That's the boss. Who could it be? Then he said something to the police officer and sent him back.
"They want to talk in that room over there. Go."
Cuckoo brought a message. "Please come with me, sir. I'm scared."
Our Cuckoo went and delivered my message but was rejected.
"Okay. If I shout, you have to come in?"
"Got it. He's not that unreasonable."
I entered the room with a four-person table and greeted. "Hello?"
When our eyes met, I could tell he had been trained. And I pretended to be scared. His gaze was frightening.
"You met Choi Hyun-seok yesterday?"
"Yes." I answered obediently. This man was on a different level from the one who got hit by me earlier.
"For what?"
"He asked to borrow some money."
"How much?"
"All you have."
"Did you lend it?"
"No. I don't have money."
"Did he say where he was going?"
"When I said I had no money, he left."
"Go home."
"The medical expenses..."
I spoke humbly as if the medical expenses were the goal. The suit man took out ten 50,000 won bills from his wallet and handed them to me.
"These days, they say the minimum for one hit is 500..."
"Take this. It's the last time."
Then he took out ten more 50,000 won bills and gave them to me.
"Goodbye."
I took the money, bowed politely, and walked back with quick steps. After leaving the room, I went to the police officer who had brought me earlier and said the man told me to go, so he saw me off, telling me to leave quickly. As soon as I left the police station, I showed the photos I took at the police station to Hai-sa and Director Jo and asked them to track the two big guys and the suit man. And since the brother I sent to the Philippines yesterday was also identified, I emphasized again to incinerate without leaving traces as much as possible and create an identity. When I returned to the Noryangjin house, my tension eased, and my social phobia relapsed, so I didn't go out for 5 days. That car parked in front of the studio for 3 days, could it be detectives on stakeout? Could they be observing me from the opposite studio? I didn't even order delivery. I wasn't hungry either. I lived on just water.
Beep beep beep beep~ I heard the sound of the door password being entered and the door opened. And there was a presence. In an instant, tension surged through my body, and I hid and prepared, wondering who it was. Police? Someone coming to catch me?
"Oppa?"
I plopped down. "You didn't even check KakaoTalk, didn't read messages, didn't answer calls."
"What kind of person are you?"
"Sorry, I wasn't feeling well."
I've been listening to nagging for 10 minutes. But I don't know why my mouth is smiling.
"What about meals?"
"Oh dear~ You couldn't have eaten properly. Wait a moment."
Then she went into the kitchen and started preparing meals and cleaning the kitchen. As I took a spoonful of porridge, strength returned to my body. Then, the sleep I hadn't gotten all this time rushed over me, and I closed my eyes.