Midday Guest Chapter 56

“This is why I hate the rain.”

He removed the cigarette from his mouth and held it in his hand. His eyes, as he tilted his head back to look at the sky, had grown cold and sunken. The demonic flames that had been roaring with such immense force were also subsiding in an instant. It felt almost futile, in a way.

Having composed his breathing, he gestured toward Oh Taesik, who was waiting on the slope. Even while carrying Yiwon, Oh Taesik walked up with steady strides and stood beside Cha Seokjoo.

Yiwon, soaking wet from the rain, had his eyes half-open.

“You’re awake.”

“…”

“Did you see everything?”

Yiwon nodded quietly, and Cha Seokjoo pondered sincerely. What should be done about this?

“This makes things difficult.”

The sound of sirens began to echo from a distance. Oh Taesik looked back and forth between the distance and Yiwon in his arms before calling out to Cha Seokjoo in a trembling voice.

“Director.”

“Go to the hospital.”

The voice that broke the silence was firm and solid, without a hint of wavering.

☼

Yiwon opened his eyes under an unfamiliar ceiling.

“…Mom?”

“Yiwon!”

“Mom, are you okay?”

“I’m fine. It’s our son being so hurt that’s the worry.”

“What about your surgery?”

“What are you talking about? Mom’s surgery finished ages ago. Are you really okay?”

Was it a dream?

Yiwon stared blankly at his mother, Lee Aeran, who was wearing a hospital gown. It was only after he tried holding her hand that he realized this was reality.

“…Ah. Mom…”

“This won’t do. Wait just a moment. I have to call the doctor.”

An interview followed. He was told that while his life was not in danger, his palm was burned and would require treatment.

His hand was wrapped thick in bandages, but Yiwon didn’t mind much. Because Cha Seokjoo was safe. Because he had been able to pull him from the car.

In the meantime, he also underwent a police investigation. Since it was a major accident involving a car explosion, a detective visited the hospital room to ask a few questions.

The officer in charge was Kwon Changil from the First Team of the Investigation Division.

“Ah, we meet like this again. I’m Kwon Changil. You remember me, right?”

“Yes, Detective. Hello. Have you been well?”

“Yes, I’m always just the same. It’s better if you don’t see me often, but it seems we’ve been meeting quite frequently lately.”

Yiwon guided Detective Kwon Changil, who was making small talk, to a stool and offered him a drink. Since his left hand was wrapped in bandages and unusable, he had to hand it over with only his right hand; perhaps because the movement looked unnatural, the detective accepted it quickly.

“You seem to have been hurt quite badly. What did the doctor say?”

“He said to treat it for about a month and see how it goes. He said there might be some scarring, but it won’t interfere with daily life.”

“I was worried since it was a big accident, but it’s a huge relief it ended at this. There isn’t much else I can do, but I’ll work hard to ensure the perpetrator is punished.”

Having finished the small talk, Detective Kwon Changil began the questioning.

Yiwon told him exactly what he knew. That he had received a call from somewhere claiming to be Korea University Hospital, was told his mother’s surgery was urgent, and got into an accident on the way to the hospital immediately after.

He kept the details about Cha Seokjoo to a minimum. He stated that he was a guest staying at Haeundang and that he received help because he happened to be nearby when the call came.

To questions about the situation at the time of the accident, he repeated that he could not remember.

It was a statement focused primarily on the events. He avoided mentioning Cha Seokjoo as much as possible, and Detective Kwon Changil did not seem to find it particularly strange.

Detective Kwon Changil left after confirming the statement. He mentioned that there wouldn’t even be a need for mutual summons this time. Since Yiwon was the victim of a vehicle accident, there wasn’t much to investigate on his end anyway.

However, during all that time, Cha Seokjoo did not show himself.

Time passed, and on the tenth day, Yiwon learned the truth of the incident through a news report.

[Investigative Report] Yonggung-ri Redevelopment Project: Shocking Corruption Revealed Through Joint Investigation

Following the formation of the union ahead of the Yonggung-ri redevelopment, an announcement was made regarding illegal activities by one of the companies registered as a candidate for the construction project.

The Dark Connection Between Construction Firm and Money LenderResidents Bankrupted by Illegal Mobile Gambling, Real Estate Seizures Carried Out

Shockwaves are rippling through the local community as evidence emerges of a leading domestic construction company committing organized crimes in league with a provincial private money lender.

Last week, an envelope titled “Whistleblowing Corruption Related to the Yonggung-ri Redevelopment” was delivered to the National Police Agency. The contents of the documents are shocking.

The whistleblower exposed that “the money lender lured village residents by creating a mobile poker game and providing high-interest loans.”

It was also revealed that, as observed by a competitor during due diligence, many village residents suffered because of this, with cases leading to bankruptcy filings or extreme choices.

Even more shocking is the fact that the money lender bought the real estate of bankrupted residents at rock-bottom prices under corporate names.

Upon the truth being revealed, it is known that the money lender even planned to murder the person in charge of the due diligence by disguising it as a car accident to silence the corruption.

Investigative authorities are confirming circumstances of the construction company’s involvement in this process. This is because evidence was found that the construction company, suffering from unpaid construction fees and liquidity issues, acquired the money lender to secure real estate.

It has been revealed that the appraised value saved through the connection between the construction firm and the money lender exceeds tens of billions to date.

While those in the industry feel that what was bound to happen has happened, Yonggung-ri residents are expressing dissatisfaction with the lukewarm response of the government and investigative agencies. They are asking why the greed of construction companies was left unchecked as it ruined the lives of residents.

In response, the police stated they are conducting an intense investigation into the construction company and money lender officials involved and are reviewing whether there are records of similar methods used in the past.

This case is an example showing the serious level of illegal activity occurring because the origins of some in the construction industry lie in violent organizations…

At the end of the article, interview photos of village residents were included. The coffee shop owner who had left Yonggung-ri, the supermarket owner who decided to resume business, and even the wife of the mill owner. All were mosaic-processed, but anyone from Yonggung-ri could recognize them.

And not long after, new news began to pour out.

[Taesan Construction Collapses Under Burden of Competitive Bidding]

[Yonggung-ri Redevelopment: Bidding for Construction Company Selection Resumes]

[Cheongun Construction Bids Alone for 1 Trillion Won Yonggung-ri Redevelopment Area]

[Cheongun Construction Wins 3.6 Trillion Won in Contracts This Year Alone through Reconstruction and Redevelopment Projects]

[Cheongun Announces Record Performance Since Founding, Stock Hits New Highs]

Only after confirming that the events on the national road that day were not reported did Yiwon feel relieved and return to his daily life.

☼

“Yes, this is Haeundang. A reservation? Which date are you looking at?”

The phone was ringing off the hook all day. As rumors of the Yonggung-ri redevelopment spread, the image of Haeundang spread along with them.

Haeundang was usually busy during peak season, but this year was exceptional. Inquiries from people wanting to stay in the old house before it disappeared continued without end.

“I’m sorry. All weekend reservations for this month are fully booked. Yes… weekdays as well.”

Even while he was on a call, other calls were coming in. Having ten bodies wouldn’t be enough. Yiwon wedged the phone between his shoulder and cheek while tidying up the guest rooms that had been vacated after checkout.

“Next month’s reservations can be made starting from 9:00 AM on Sunday. Reservations are possible by phone, but you might have to wait for a long time. If possible, we recommend using the online app.”

It was chaotic. It was autumn now, so a cool breeze blew in the shade, but Yiwon’s cheeks were flushed red and showed no sign of cooling down.

“Yes, please call again if you have any further questions. Thank you.”

Only after finishing two such calls was he able to focus on cleaning. Organizing the rooms in order starting from the end room, he opened the door to the room closest to the wooden porch. He threw the windows wide open as well.

He dusted, vacuumed, and wiped the floor. In the middle of the clean room, Yiwon stood still for a moment.

It was definitely Haeundang, but it felt unfamiliar.

‘Did you see everything?’

‘This makes things difficult.’

Recalling the memories of Cha Seokjoo, Yiwon smiled bitterly. He had learned enough about what kind of person he was during their time together. He knew it even more clearly after going through the incidents with Kim Sunwoo and Park Junseo. If one acts outside of his standards, he shows no tolerance. He was bold, unhesitating, and had no qualms about crossing not only legal but moral boundaries.

Yet, rather than being troubled by that side of him, Yiwon found it refreshing. From Yiwon’s perspective, it was a helping hand of salvation and another name for liberation. The person who finally restored a true daily life after days of being unable to feel safe even within the framework of the law. The person who made that dream-like thing possible was Cha Seokjoo.

To think that such a person hasn’t shown himself to this extent.

If he wanted to, he would have returned to Haeundang by any means necessary, so the fact that he hasn’t appeared until now surely contained some intent. Yiwon sometimes thought of what Cha Seokjoo used to say to his employees like a habit. “This is quite a thing to do in front of a kid.” Surely, he was staying away on purpose. That was what he thought.

“…”