Love Born of Pity Chapter 82

At the smooth talk, Kwon Jiho scratched his chin and avoided his gaze. He had expected the chief’s grandson to be a middle or high schooler, but contrary to that, he was a full-grown adult.

“I heard you came here to recuperate. Are you sick? Are you battling an illness?”

“……No, it’s not like that.”

“Where are you from? I live in Ilsan. I came down because I was worried about my grandpa being alone after my grandma passed away. I plan on staying with him for a while. I was getting bored anyway, so this is great.”

Kwon Jiho quietly nodded along to the story he was telling so freely.

“I’m Ha Seongho. That’s my name. What about you, hyung?”

“……I’m Kwon Jiho.”

“Our names are similar. Only one letter is different. But are you really twenty-four? Not an early birthday?”

“……I really am. I was born in October.”

When he even told the suspicious Ha Seongho his birth month, he laughed cheerfully.

“Beta? Are you a beta? I can feel some pheromones, but I don’t think they’re yours.”

“……Yes, I’m a beta.”

“I thought you were an omega. Do you get mistaken like that a lot?”

“No, this is the first time.”

At Kwon Jiho’s answer, Ha Seongho shut his mouth. As the atmosphere grew awkward, he moved unnaturally. He set down the groceries he’d brought next to the luggage bag on the wooden porch and stretched his arms straight up as if cheering.

“Sorry if I offended you. Well, um…… you’ll probably die of boredom in a few days. I don’t know how long you’re staying, but let’s get along.”

“Thank you.”

“Yeesss, well, get some rest then.”

Ha Seongho waved his raised hand in the air and started to move. He was still facing Kwon Jiho, not having turned his body completely. What if he falls… Kwon Jiho worried, but he exited the gate in an instant as if it were his own home.

Kwon Jiho, standing in the middle of the yard, rubbed his cheek and let out a deep sigh. So hectic.

Still…… although worry and anxiety had risen to his chin, it was peaceful.

♬⋆.˚

Arriving at the empty hospital room, Do Yeonjae sat blankly on the edge of the bed like a man who had lost his words. Where did he go? He’d slipped away like a ghost, making it impossible to track his movements. Seeing as there were no plane tickets issued under Kwon Jiho’s name, he must still be in Korea.

“Ha……”

Even Kang Gyumin, who must have helped him escape, had been unreachable all day.

“Mr. Hwang Gicheol.”

“……Yes, CEO-nim.”

“You really don’t know?”

“……I really……”

When the call records were presented, Hwang Gicheol’s shoulders flinched. The record of him exchanging calls with Kang Gyumin on the day he ran into him at the hospital was still there.

“Let’s not say you didn’t know. Because that’s not what I want to hear right now.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Mr. Hwang Gicheol. What did you talk about with Kwon Jiho?”

“I didn’t talk much with Mr. Jiho, I swear. He just asked to borrow my phone for a moment, so I lent it to him. He begged so much even after I said no…… I got soft-hearted. Both you, CEO-nim, and Shiljang-nim told me absolutely not to……. I’m so sorry, CEO-nim.”

Do Yeonjae let out a hollow laugh at the rambling excuses. He swept back his disheveled hair and let out a small groan, Ah. His chest, boiling with anger, felt tight and suffocating. The inside of him, which had been filled with something soft, was now empty, and in its place, only an unidentifiable fire remained.

Is this what they call burning up inside? The sudden understanding of the phrase spread a sense of displeasure through him.

“So you and Kang Gyumin plotted together and helped him escape?”

“……What? No, helped him? I didn’t help him…… I just felt sorry for Mr. Jiho. I’m sorry, CEO-nim. I was being nosy. If you tell me to stop, I’ll do so. I’m truly sorry.”

“Stopping is a given, but you’re trying to get away with just that. Without even thinking about the damage I’ve suffered.”

“……”

“I heard Mr. Hwang Gicheol’s daughter is about to give birth. Are you okay with hearing that your daughter died right after having her baby?”

At the monotone voice, Hwang Gicheol’s mind went completely blank for a moment. He had definitely heard from Kwon Jiho that Yeonjae might use his family to threaten him. What had his answer been then? Was it, It’s fine?

His daughter wasn’t even in Korea, but in a country a good sixteen-hour flight away…… So naturally, he thought it was a threat that wouldn’t hold any water.

But even though he knew it was an absurd threat, the moment Do Yeonjae mentioned his daughter, the blood in his veins ran cold. The trembling that began in his hands instantly spread throughout his entire body.

Do Yeonjae moved his hand, which was gripping the hospital gown Kwon Jiho had left on the bed. He pressed his nose into the soft fabric and pulled away, as if searching for something left behind.

His heart was racing, not knowing what would be said next, but Do Yeonjae was so relaxed. To hide his tension, his clasped hands trembled on his thighs.

“CEO-nim, that…… what does that……”

“It’s not common these days to die in childbirth, but it’s not unheard of either. There’s no guarantee it won’t be Mr. Hwang Gicheol’s daughter. A difficult birth, unstoppable bleeding, she could die on the street while being transferred. It was Mexico, right? I have to doubt the sanitary conditions of the hospital where she’ll give birth. It seems likely she’ll die from a bacterial infection due to negligent sterilization of medical equipment.”

“……”

“What to do. Will you be able to hold your dead daughter? But…… will the child your daughter gave birth to like that even be alive? That country is known for being quite dangerous.”

At the emotionlessly uttered words, Hwang Gicheol fell to his knees. He crawled and knelt at Do Yeonjae’s feet, beginning to beg with his hands clasped together.

“What a pity. Since neither the son-in-law nor Mr. Hwang Gicheol has seen the baby your daughter gave birth to, even if they showed you a dead baby and said it was yours, would you even know if it’s your true bloodline? If they brought a dead baby and lied that it was yours, you’d be completely fooled. Wouldn’t you?”

“P-please spare me. CEO-nim, please spare me. I was wrong. I dared to interfere where I shouldn’t have.”

“How about it? Do you feel like telling me in detail what Kang Gyumin and Kwon Jiho talked about now?”

Hwang Gicheol nodded his head up and down rapidly. His lips, saying he would tell him everything, trembled. His hands and feet were cold, and he couldn’t calm down.

“Let’s hear it then.”

Hoo. His face, as he let out a long sigh, was filled with deep fatigue. His steady gaze did not leave Hwang Gicheol. The story Hwang Gicheol haltingly told was, the more he heard, utterly absurd.

“Ah, so that list of instrumental pieces. That was also because they were afraid the guard would hear them talking. So that’s why he said he wanted to listen to it.”

“……Mr. Jiho was having a very, very hard time. He couldn’t even use the bathroom freely, so he was in a lot of pain back then. I’m sorry, CEO-nim. If only I hadn’t lent him my phone, this wouldn’t have happened. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry, CEO-nim.”

“Yes, you should be sorry. Thanks to you, Kwon Jiho ran away. So what should Mr. Hwang Gicheol do now?”

“……Pardon?”

“Shouldn’t you go find out where Kwon Jiho is? Or at least make an effort to look for him.”

At the casual tone, Hwang Gicheol’s expression crumpled. The corners of his wrinkled eyes crinkled and filled with tears.

“How… how am I supposed to……”

“Exactly. Why did you help when you can’t do anything right? You should have just stayed still.”

Hwang Gicheol repeated that he was sorry, as if it were the only phrase programmed into his mind. Do Yeonjae waved his hand as if he didn’t want to hear it. He clicked his tongue and muttered that he was useless.

“You will stay quietly where I tell you to until Kwon Jiho comes back. Understood?”

“Yes, yes. As you command, I-I will do that.”

“If I happen to lose Kwon Jiho, Mr. Hwang Gicheol will lose your daughter too. Do you understand that as well?”

He couldn’t bring himself to answer that and squeezed his eyes shut. Do Yeonjae sneered that he had no conscience and barked at someone to take him away, not wanting to see his face. In the now-empty hospital room, only Chief Kim and Do Yeonjae remained. Every time a long sigh spread through the room, Chief Kim desperately wished for some oblivious person to walk in.

“Shiljang-nim.”

“Yes, CEO-nim.”

“Why do you think Kwon Jiho ran away? No matter how much I think about it, there’s no reason for him to leave. Haven’t I been treating him quite well lately?”

“……Yes.”

The answer came out late. His gaze, which had been fixed on the empty air, turned to Chief Kim.

“Why the late response?”

Chief Kim, who had been contemplating whether he could honestly share his thoughts with the displeased Do Yeonjae, carefully opened his mouth.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“I don’t think Mr. Kwon Jiho…… ran away. I think he left you, CEO-nim.”