* * *
With a chilling remark that left only the corners of his mouth stretched long, Yeongdeok made Kyungsook close her trembling eyelashes, only to open them again and look at him.
“And you still can’t remember your own son’s name? It seems your memory isn’t very good. My name is no longer Cha Dowon.”
Yeongdeok held out a single flyer that he had been fervently distributing and said, “It’s Cha Yeongdeok.”
“Why are you just standing there? Get that guy out!”
At Heeseok’s command, the security guards, who had been hesitating, unsure of what to do, awkwardly approached Yeongdeok.
With a brief apology, they grabbed Yeongdeok by both arms.
Is this the end of his rebellion?
Compliantly, Yeongdeok let himself be led out.
Once he was thrown out of the banquet hall, Yeongdeok slowly wandered around the hotel, still clutching the chicken bouquet Heeseok had refused to take.
Checking the time on his phone, the bright screen showed it was 8 p.m.
The disturbance ended quicker than expected, and he figured he could still return to his shop to resume business.
Jihoon, that kid, is probably watching the store.
Yeongdeok searched for Jihoon’s number in his contacts but stopped halfway.
Suddenly, a sensation he had never felt before gnawed at him.
After causing such a scene, they would no longer bother reaching out to him over trivial matters.
Perhaps, just as Baek Seonwoo had said, they’d officially disown him from the family register.
He should feel relieved, as though a burden had been lifted, but oddly, what had fallen away left an emptiness.
As Yeongdeok grimaced at the sprout of an unfamiliar emotion rising in the barren wasteland of his heart, someone approached from behind and pressed a cool handkerchief to his cheek.
Startled by the coldness seeping into his skin, Yeongdeok turned his head.
“Are you alright?”
In his line of sight was Wonjin, looking at him with concern.
His normally neat, pale face seemed slightly subdued.
“Why are you here?” Yeongdeok asked.
“I was worried about you…”
“You shouldn’t be. It’s better if you go back inside.”
Ignoring him, Yeongdeok continued walking while looking for Jihoon’s number again, but this time, Wonjin firmly grabbed his arm, pulling him back.
Yeongdeok was forced to turn and face him once more.
“If you want me to stop worrying, then stop giving me reasons to.”
“Are you angry at me right now?”
Wonjin, who always stuttered and acted meekly around Yeongdeok, met his gaze with firm eyes, refusing to back down.
Yeongdeok stared right back, but it was Wonjin who first softened his stance.
“Let’s go somewhere else to talk.”
“I have nothing to say to you.”
“I do.”
Wonjin’s sudden assertiveness caused Yeongdeok to raise an eyebrow.
Without waiting for a response, Wonjin began walking toward the elevators, claiming that the rooftop had a great view.
When Yeongdeok didn’t move, standing like a statue, Wonjin turned back and spoke again.
“It’ll only take a moment. Just give me a chance to say something.”
Since that day at the mall, Yeongdeok had decided there was no longer a need for any further conversation with Wonjin.
Even now, that thought hadn’t changed.
But something about Wonjin’s request, or perhaps his unusual demeanor, made Yeongdeok tuck his phone away and follow him.
Once on the rooftop, the fierce winter wind slapped Yeongdeok’s cheeks.
He moved closer to the railing, braving the cold gusts as he looked out over the expansive Seoul nightscape.
Alarmed, Wonjin hurriedly pulled him back from the edge.
“It’s dangerous if you get too close.”
“Dangerous? The railing is here to prevent people from falling.”
“Well…”
Wonjin hesitated, reverting back to his usual awkward self.
Last time they met, didn’t he say something about me acting like someone who’d lived through everything already?
Considering that, it wasn’t hard to guess what Wonjin might be thinking, so Yeongdeok spoke quietly.
“I’m not going to die.”
“What?”
“Do you think I’m the kind of person who’d take my own life?”
“No… But if that’s not the reason, then why have you been acting like this lately? Even today…”
Although Yeongdeok hadn’t noticed, during the chaos in the banquet hall, Wonjin had been standing there, mouth agape, unable to even think of intervening.
That’s how shocking Yeongdeok’s behavior had been—it left him frozen, wondering if he had lost his mind.
“I just don’t want to be involved with those people anymore. Is that clear enough?”
“No matter how much you don’t want that, going to such extremes…”
There were countless questions running through Wonjin’s mind: Why did Yeongdeok want to cut ties with those people?
What was the meaning behind his previous bizarre actions?
And most of all… Why had he said what he did at the mall?
Although there was so much he wanted to ask, Wonjin swallowed his questions.
Instead, he stood beside Yeongdeok, both of them looking down at the illuminated buildings below, dotted with red, yellow, and green lights.
Unlike the banquet hall, the rooftop was eerily silent.
In that calm, Wonjin’s voice gently broke the stillness.
“Ever since the last time we parted, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”
“That’s odd. You don’t have to see the face of a psychopathic boss anymore. Isn’t that a good thing for you?”
Wonjin flinched at that, his shoulders trembling.
How did he know?
‘I only wrote about it in the community… How does he know?’
“You… You knew? I never said it out loud, so how…?”
Wonjin stared at Yeongdeok like he was standing before a mind reader.
In truth, it was just a detail Yeongdeok had come across while reading a novel upon his return to this timeline, but he shamelessly responded.
“Do I need to explain how I came to know your thoughts?”
When Yeongdeok coldly retorted, Wonjin, doubting whether he had the right to even ask, fell silent.
“To defend myself a little… Honestly, it was unsettling. You can’t empathize with other people’s emotions at all!”
“You’re calling me ‘Director’ again. And you’re starting to sound awfully arrogant.”
“…I mean, Yeongdeok.”
Despite his awkward stammering, Wonjin’s mind raced, wondering if this was the reason Yeongdeok had started treating him coldly.
Was this the cause of his sudden change in attitude?
“Also, I should have told you earlier, but I’m sorry… I really should have said this back at the chicken shop…”
Whatever words Wonjin was about to say, Yeongdeok wasn’t particularly interested.
So, he kept his gaze fixed on the view, until Wonjin suddenly bent over.
“I’m sorry!”
Startled by the sudden, loud apology that echoed around the rooftop, Yeongdeok turned his eyes to glance at him without moving his body.
“What are you sorry for?”
“For deceiving you at the mall… I’m really sorry.”
Wonjin bowed his head once more.
Then, as if the first apology hadn’t been enough, he added another.
“And I’m sorry for thinking of you as a psychopath. If there’s anything else I’ve done wrong, I apologize for that too.”
“……”
“And, Director…”
“Yeongdeok.”
“Sorry, Yeongdeok. I know I disliked you, but…”
Wonjin bit down on his lower lip, his irises, which had seemed calm, now swirling with confusion.
In the end, he couldn’t bring himself to finish his sentence.
Deciding it was about time to leave, Yeongdeok gripped the chicken bouquet in his hands.
Just as he was about to depart, Wonjin, who had been silent, spoke again.
“There’s probably no employee in the world who doesn’t dislike their boss.”
“So?”
“I’m no different.”
Despite confessing all this, Wonjin’s face still seemed unsettled.
Yeongdeok suspected there were even more reasons why he had been disliked, but he figured he would never find out.
Nor did he care to.
* * *
i need mroee
X2
Awww
Oh🤭🤭🤭
FINALLY THE APOLOGY GUHHH my heart feels ten times lighter
Thank you for the chapter !
Woahhh an apology!!
the chicken bouquet 💔 is anyone gonna eat 😭😭😭
He still thinking about be useful….oh my😭😭😭🫂I really want to have that useful chicken bouquet 😭😭😭😂🫂
Eh I pretty much like my boss💁♀️
to be fair, yeongdeok was the type of boss normal people would totally hate, but wonjin was still the only person besides og mc yeongdeok actually trusted. like even if he didn’t yet betrayed him, his stalkerish behavior and the deception was a turn off. wonjin should accept it and back off.
also I’m curious what wonjin was going to say 🤔 is that a confession? lolol
I need more points😭
Me pergunto o que ele queria dizer.
Thanks for the chapter
Even though you stalk people at least you are starting with an apology
Thanks for the chapter 👍
me da risa la actitud de woojin, ni él se entiende jsjsjs
Finally an apology
Gracias
Ahh… the apology… idk
Love u yeongdeok
Thanks!