Big Life Chapter 151-155

Chapter 151. Tremble in Fear (10)

“Taiwan?”

Ha Jae-Gun stopped taking a spoonful of his stew and looked at Lee Soo-Hee. They were having dinner together at Ha Jae-Gun’s house.

“Why are you going to Taiwan?”

“To establish a branch office there. I’m not overseeing it, just giving some support.”

“When will you be going?”

“Probably before autumn hits.”

“Why are you only saying this now?”

“I was worried that you’ll get worried… Plus it felt strange to tell you this before meeting your parents. I’m sorry.”

Ha Jae-Gun put down his spoon; he had already lost his appetite. The harmonious atmosphere was immediately broken. Lee Soo-Hee bit her lips in confusion at the abrupt silence.

After a while, Ha Jae-Gun sighed and asked, “If you go… how long will you be staying there?”

“Around six months…”

“…”

“Taiwan isn’t that far, Jae-Gun. It’s only around two hours of flight time. I’ll fly back to see you whenever I can.”

“How is that possible when you’re there to work?”

“You can also come over for a holiday when you’re free.”

Ha Jae-Gun smiled bitterly and nodded. They had just started dating, and something like this had to happen. He didn’t want to talk about it anymore, afraid that he might say something hurtful.

“You’re angry, right…?” Lee Soo-Hee asked carefully as her shoulders drooped.

Ha Jae-Gun shook his head and stood up. He still had about half a bowl of rice.

“I’m sorry for the leftovers, but I’ll eat them later. I need a cup of coffee right now.”

Ha Jae-Gun took a cup and headed for the coffee machine.

Lee Soo-Hee hugged him from behind.

“I really hope that your game will become a huge hit in Taiwan.” Lee Soo-Hee buried her face into his back and continued, “It’s a game made from your novel, and your girlfriend is overseeing it for you. It’s meaningful to me, so I hope you’ll understand.”

“I understand.”

“Really?”

Ha Jae-Gun pulled her arms away from his body and turned around. Looking slightly angry, he said, “But I’m not a machine. I understand it in my head, but I hope you’ll give me some time for my heart to accept it.”

“Mm…”

Ha Jae-Gun took his cup and walked past Lee Soo-Hee. He went to sit on the sofa and Rika came to sit on his lap. Ha Jae-Gun felt complicated as he met Rika’s eyes.

Bzzt!

Ha Jae-Gun pulled out his phone, it was a call from Park Do-Joon. He walked out to the garden to answer the call while cooling his head off.

“Yeah, Do-Joon? Are you back already?”

— I arrived two hours earlier than expected. Where are you? In the office?

“No, I’m at home today.”

— I see. I just had some tea with Director Tae-Sung, and I’m heading over to you now. I can drop by, right?

Ha Jae-Gun hesitated to tell him about Lee Soo-Hee. During that hesitation, Park Do-Joon continued talking.

— I’ve got a truckload of presents for you. I’ll be there in twenty minutes, so wait for me. I’ll be extremely busy from tomorrow on, so it’ll be hard for us to meet for the time being.

“But, Do-Joon…”

— Tae-Bong hyung! It’s here, here! Hey Jae-Gun, I need to hang up now. I’ll see you later.

Park Do-Joon didn’t even give Ha Jae-Gun a chance to talk and ended the call unilaterally.

Left without a choice, Ha Jae-Gun headed back into the house and sought Lee Soo-Hee’s understanding. He explained that Park Do-Joon would be coming soon, and shock filled her face.

“He must be exhausted, but he still brought presents for you. He’s really a good friend. I’m fine, so don’t worry about me.”

“He’ll be busy tomorrow, so he probably won’t stay for too long.”

“It’s fine if he stays for longer. Thanks to you, I’m about to see the global top star up close and personal,” Lee Soo-Hee said jokingly.

However, her joke didn’t make Ha Jae-Gun smile.

It had just been a few minutes since he heard news of her heading to Taiwan. Lee Soo-Hee soon erased the smile on her face and looked down.

“Leave the dishes be, I’ll do them.”

“No, I can do them. We should keep the place clean before he comes. You can rest in the living room.”

The two didn’t talk to each other until Park Do-Joon arrived. The intercom rang, and Ha Jae-Gun slowly put on his slippers and went up to the door.

“That’s fast. Hello, Tae-Bong hyung.”

“Heheh, Writer Ha. How have you been?” Woo Tae-Bong greeted Ha Jae-Gun politely as he got out of the driver’s seat.

Park Do-Joon followed behind, taking off his sunglasses. He looked around first, looking quite guarded.

“Tae-Bong hyung, you’re sure you shook them off, right?”

“I said you don’t have to worry.”

“What’s wrong?” Ha Jae-Gun asked.

Woo Tae-Bong then explained, “There were reporters following us from the airport. I had a hard time shaking one of them off earlier. I don’t exactly remember, but they could be from Daspatch.”

“Whatever. Jae-Gun, come look at this. Let me prove to you how much I care about you.”

Park Do-Joon pulled Ha Jae-Gun with him to the trunk and opened it. The trunk was filled with various types of alcohol, tea, and dolls, including traditional costumes for women from China.

“You can enjoy the alcohol and tea however you like. This is a qipao. I bought one set for Chae-Rin. I think she’ll look good in it, and I bought another set for you.”

“Why for me?”

Park Do-Joon grinned and poked Ha Jae-Gun in the ribs. “Get yourself a girlfriend and have her wear it. You have my blessings, so you’ll definitely get a girlfriend soon.”

Ha Jae-Gun smiled and carried as many presents as he could with both arms.

Woo Tae-Bong and Park Do-Joon both gave him a hand and carried them in.

“Jae-Gun. How long are you going to drive that around?” Park Do-Joon gestured to Ha Jae-Gun’s car with his chin.

The front bumper had gone through wear and tear, and it had to have been quite a while since the car was sent to the car wash, so it looked exceptionally shabby.

“Um, for at least ten more years?”

“Change cars. You’re earning more than me, so why keep the Avante?”

“It’s fine as long as it runs.”

“Argh, seriously. You’re making me want to buy you a car instead. When is your birthday?”

“I’ve already received so much tea[1], so you don’t have to buy me more.” Ha Jae-Gun laughed as he held up his arms full of Chinese tea sets.

Park Do-Joon stared at Ha Jae-Gun speechlessly before laughing.

“Oh? What’s this? You’ve got a guest?” Park Do-Joon asked upon seeing the pair of shoes left in the foyer.

Ha Jae-Gun took off his slippers first and stepped into the living room. Lee Soo-Hee had just finished cleaning the kitchen and stepped out to greet the guests.

Park Do-Joon and Woo Tae-Bong’s eyes both widened in shock at the same time.

“Hello, I’m Lee Soo-Hee. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Hello. Ah, are you…” Park Do-Joon trailed off, and then he turned to Ha Jae-Gun before muttering, “Is she the one-piece girl who has been trending on the Internet…?”

“Yes.”

“Are you guys dating?”

“Yeah.”

Park Do-Joon was speechless for a while as he stared alternatingly between Ha Jae-Gun and Lee Soo-Hee. All of a sudden, he stood straight and saluted Lee Soo-Hee.

“Sorry, let me just do an arm bar on Jae-Gun.”

“…Pardon?” Lee Soo-Hee was stunned and confused.

Park Do-Joon immediately knocked Ha Jae-Gun down and grabbed his arm, twisting it like some mixed martial arts player. It was a punishment for dating such a beautiful woman and keeping it a secret.

However, Ha Jae-Gun still didn’t laugh despite Park Do-Joon’s prank.

***

“We’re almost there, Father.”

“Drive slowly, we’re in no hurry.”

“It would have been great if Soo-Hee could join us.”

“Mom, how could an office worker go anywhere they want so freely? How is that an office worker, then?” Ha Jae-Gun’s family were all in his car.

Their destination was the Social Hall where the Baeksong Arts Awards was held. It was fortunate that they left earlier as the traffic was relatively bad today.

“It would have been great if you sent the car to the car wash this morning. It looked quite messy when we got on,” Ha Jae-In complained, dusting the seats.

Even Myung-Ja sitting next to her in a hanbok agreed. “Jae-Gun, make an appointment and send your car for a wash and service. Your bumper and even your door had scratches.”

“Really? I had no idea.”

Myung-Ja leaned in the seat and clicked her tongue.

“You’re my son, so how come you’re so dull? What kind of life would you have led if you weren’t a writer? That’s why such a pretty girl like Soo-Hee is having such a hard time with you…”

“Wait, Mom. Why are you bringing Soo-Hee up here?”

Bzzt!

Ha Jae-Gun’s phone rang. It was a call from Oh Myung-Suk. He put on an earphone and answered the call.

“Yes, editor-in-chief.”

— Hello, Mr. Ha. You are on the way, right? I’ve arrived, and I was wondering where you are now.

“I’ll be there in about five minutes.”

— You know how to enter the designated car park area, right? There’s a valet parking service here, so you can leave your car keys with the staff.

“Yes, I remember. I’ll see you soon.”

— I’ll be waiting for you.

Ha Jae-Gun arrived at the destination earlier than he had mentioned. He had seen the route guide earlier and had memorized it, so he easily found his way to the designated car park.

“Wow… It’s a sea of foreign cars,” Ha Jae-In mumbled with wide eyes.

The long line of cars were all expensive imports—even the one right in front of them was a yellow sports car only seen in movies.

“Jae-Gun, what kind of car is that?”

“I’m not familiar with cars… Is that not a bumblebee?”

“Hey, that’s the name of the robot. Oh my, the car behind is another sports car too. Huh? The person driving is that celebrity… isn’t he Oh Woo-Bin?!”

“Oh Woo-Bin? The main character in My Daughter is Geum Oh-Wol? W-where? I want to see him, too!” Myung-Ja exclaimed.

“You guys…! Jae-Gun is driving, so be quiet.”

“It’s fine, Father. We’re almost there, anyway.”

The cars slowly moved along, and it was finally Ha Jae-Gun’s turn.

The staff in charge of parking hurried over to his side, waving his arms wildly at Ha Jae-Gun.

“What’s he saying?”

“Are we not supposed to be here?”

“It’s the right place. Wait a minute. Let me talk to him.”

Ha Jae-Gun tilted his head and wound down his window.

The staff approached and bowed slightly before shouting, “You can’t come in here! Please turn around!”

“Pardon?”

“Ah, seriously. Didn’t you hear from the start of the line that we’re prohibiting cars from the public?! This is the designated car park for those attending the award ceremony!”

The young staff had a buzz cut as if he had just been discharged from the military. He looked annoyed as he continued. “Ah, how many times has it been? Please turn around.”

“Look here.”

“What is it?”

“I’m an attendee for the Baeksong Arts Awards, too,” Ha Jae-Gun spoke calmly.

Ha Jae-Gun was angry at the staff who had raised his voice at him and his family.

Ha Suk-Jae was pretending to be calm out of consideration for Ha Jae-Gun, but not Myung-Ja and Ha Jae-In were trembling in the back seat while holding hands.

“You… are an attendee?” the staff asked in a puzzled tone. He scanned the car’s exterior with a frown. He couldn’t understand. There was no way the owner of a car like this was an attendee of the awards ceremony.

Just then, a man with a huge build stood behind the staff.

“Is there something you have to say to Mr. Ha Jae-Gun?”

“…?!” The staff turned around, and the blood drained from his face.

Park Do-Joon was staring down at the staff with narrowed eyes.

He used the very same look as seen in There Was A Sea.

“Do you have something you want to say to Mr. Ha Jae-Gun?”

“M-Mr. Ha Jae-Gun?”

“Yes! He’s the author of the original novel, Summer in My 20s! Don’t you know?!”

“Uggh!”

Overwhelmed by Park Do-Joon’s domineering aura, the staff retreated, and his back hit the car. Meanwhile, Park Do-Joon growled as he approached the staff and asked, “Are you a contractor? Do you guys not memorize the list of attendees?”

“Ah, I-I’m really sorry. I-I was tied up as there were many cars from the public driving in so… I’m really sorry. I’m really, really sorry. Mr. Ha Jae-Gun, I’m really sorry.” The staff turned around to Ha Jae-Gun and apologized profusely, bowing deeply.

In fact, the staff didn’t have a huge interest in books, so he wasn’t aware of Ha Jae-Gun up until now. Park Do-Joon’s words made him realize that Ha Jae-Gun was someone of huge significance.

“That’s enough.” Ha Jae-Gun looked at Park Do-Joon past the staff.

Park Do-Joon signaled at him as if he was saying, “Please be understanding.”

Ha Jae-Gun smiled wryly and nodded. “Can I go in now?”

“Y-y-yes, Mr. Ha. T-this way…”

Ha Jae-Gun grabbed the steering wheel and stepped on the accelerator.

His day was ruined just like that. He felt bitter. It would have been fine if he were alone, but his family was around, and he felt thoroughly uncomfortable as well as annoyed.

“It’s fine, punk. It’s nothing to be angry over.” Ha Suk-Jae looked ahead while patting Ha Jae-Gun’s shoulder.

Ha Jae-Gun’s nose tingled. He felt both thankful and apologetic for his father’s consolation.

Meanwhile, he had no idea that Oh Myung-Suk was staring at him from afar.

Chapter 152. Tremble in Fear (11)

‘Geez…’

Oh Myung-Suk hid as Ha Jae-Gun’s car passed by the entrance. He wanted to approach Ha Jae-Gun’s car when the staffer stopped Ha Jae-Gun’s car at the entrance.

Oh Myung-Suk took the long route back. Park Do-Joon had already made quick work of the situation, so he decided to just meet Ha Jae-Gun normally.

Meanwhile, Ha Jae-Gun’s family was greeting Park Do-Joon after the car was handed over to the valet.

“Oh my! Oh my! Oh my!” Myung-Ja and Ha Jae-In were both in shock as they gawked at Park Do-Joon standing in front of them in a tuxedo suit. Moreover, he was the male lead of the novels Ha Jae-Gun wrote.

“Oh, dear, I thought they were exaggerating when they said that the handsome celebrities all had halos behind them. It’s really true now that I’m seeing one myself!”

“How are you so handsome, and how do you look like a statue?!”

Park Do-Joon dismissed their compliments with a wave of his hand. “I should be the one surprised. Jae-Gun said that he’d be bringing his family along, but I wondered why he brought two female actresses along.

”Mother and Noonim, you’re both beautiful. If both of you wore fitting dresses, you’d both look like nominees for the awards ceremony.”

“Ohoho! You don’t have to make such a joke…!”The primary upload of this chapter happened on B1nN0vel.

Myung-Ja and Ha Jae-In’s faces both turned red, and they giggled nonstop. While Park Do-Joon was laughing together with them, he winked surreptitiously at Ha Jae-Gun. He wanted Ha Jae-Gun to forget about the unpleasant encounter earlier, to which Ha Jae-Gun smiled bitterly in return.

“You’ve arrived, Mr. Ha?”

“Ah, editor-in-chief.”

Ha Jae-Gun shook hands with Oh Myung-Suk before introducing his family to the latter.

“I’ve mentioned him many times before, but this is OongSung Publication Group’s Editor-in-chief, Oh Myung-Suk.”

“Hello. My son compliments you a lot, saying that you’re a great person. Thank you very much for your help and for allowing him to achieve greater heights.” Myung-Ja grabbed the hem of her hanbok and bowed.

Oh Myung-Suk bowed deeply in return as well and said modestly, “Don’t they always say that talented people will naturally stand out? Mr. Ha would have eventually become famous even without me. I was just lucky enough to have gotten to know him before he was famous.”

Despite meeting for the first time, Ha Jae-Gun’s family could feel the sincerity in Oh Myung-Suk’s voice, and they were gratified to know that someone like him was on Ha Jae-Gun’s side.

“Mr. Ha, let me take care of your family. You may follow Do-Joon from here on,” Oh Myung-Suk proposed.

As a nominee for the awards, Ha Jae-Gun and his family were assigned different seats.

“I’m grateful but also sorry that…”

“I have to be there, too, so there’s no need for you to apologize.”

Myung-Ja then approached Ha Jae-Gun. She fixed his shirt and necktie. She dusted both his shoulders before finally hugging him. “See you later, son. Don’t feel burdened, either. It’s already great that you could attend an awards ceremony like this, so I’m really proud of you.”

“I will, Mom. Don’t worry about me, and go take a seat. You too, Father. Noona, see you later.”

Oh Myung-Suk led Ha Jae-Gun’s family to the far end, leaving Park Do-Joon and Ha Jae-Gun alone. Park Do-Joon finally stopped smiling and sighed.

“Didn’t I tell you to change your car earlier?”

“Yeah.”

Park Do-Joon put up his finger, emphasizing, “I’m telling you again right now, I don’t think that it was your fault. I might sound funny, but that’s what I’m saying. I’m not sure about you, but that was unacceptable. You were with your family, after all. That’s what I think.”

“Thank you for thinking of me.”

“Argh, I almost flared up earlier,” Park Do-Joon grumbled.

Just then, Woo Tae-Bong approached from behind. He looked around carefully before saying, “Do-Joon, we should be going now.”

“Oh, right. Jae-Gun, I’m sorry, but I’ve got something to attend to. I’ll see you later inside.”

“All right. See you later.”

Park Do-Joon hurried off to the car park. Before Woo Tae-Bong followed him, he explained to Ha Jae-Gun, “He has to walk the red carpet first.”

“…?”

“He saw that something was happening when your car arrived, so he alighted and rushed over here first just before the march.”

Ha Jae-Gun’s eyes widened in shock. This meant that Park Do-Joon had spotted him from afar and ran to his aid. Did he not think twice because of the unpleasant encounter Ha Jae-Gun was facing earlier?

Ha Jae-Gun actually found it weird seeing Park Do-Joon in the car park earlier.

“I’m really sorry. I’ll see you later then.”

Woo Tae-Bong finally hurried after Park Do-Joon in the distance. Ha Jae-Gun watched Park Do-Joon get in the car once more.

Ha Jae-Gun had always thought that it would be hard for him to meet another good friend like Park Jung-Jin, but now, his heart pounded faster at the thought of having met another great friend.

***

The huge hall that could hold up to four thousand people was filled to the brim.

Ha Jae-Gun’s family, along with the other audience members, filled up the seats on the second floor, whilst the people related to the awards ceremony, directors, actors, and staffers filled the seats on the first floor.

Ha Jae-Gun sat in a row with Director Yoon Tae-Sung, Park Do-Joon, and a few other staff members. Just then, someone extremely familiar approached Ha Jae-Gun, who was sitting on the leftmost chair.

“It’s nice to see you here.”

“Oh, Chae-Rin.”

Lee Chae-Rin grinned like a small child and sat down in the row in front. She was in a piece of elegant off-shoulder dress, and her hair was in a bun, making her look more mature and beautiful than she was.

“I got nominated for the TV variety category.”

“I see,” Ha Jae-Gun replied and looked toward Park Do-Joon at the same time.

Park Do-Joon only looked forward, not even throwing a quick glance in their direction. Lee Chae-Rin was the same as well.

‘They seem to have agreed to pretend not to know each other.’ Ha Jae-Gun concluded in his mind and smiled at their effort.

“Oppa, you look great in a suit today. You look more like a celebrity instead of a writer.”

“Thanks. You look like a goddess, too.”

“Lies. Yu-Ri kept teasing me that I look like an ahjumma.”

“She’s just envious. But what if rumors about us come about if people see us talking so sweetly together?”

Lee Chae-Rin covered her mouth and burst into a chuckle.

“I’d be thankful if there were rumors of me and Jae-Gun Oppa. I’d probably be thankful to that cool, chic guy a few seats away for helping me get closer to you, too.”

“Hahaha.”

The awards ceremony began with an opening show by a famous Hollywood actor. The extravagant lights and sound effects filled the entire hall, and the audience’s roar also reached its peak.

‘I hope Do-Joon will get an award.’

Even if it was from There Was A Sea or Summer in My 20s.

Ha Jae-Gun hoped that Park Do-Joon would get nominated for at least one category. Park Do-Joon might not have shown it on his face, but Ha Jae-Gun could tell how much he was hoping to receive an award this time.

‘As expected of Shim Dong-Yeop. How could he be so smooth with words?’ Ha Jae-Gun exclaimed with admiration inwardly and fell for the host’s charms. He was able to enjoy the moment without feeling burdened about getting awarded.

However, Park Do-Joon couldn’t relax. Park Do-Joon was so anxious that his legs were choking, and he even began biting his nails. His desire to win an award had dominated his mind so much that he couldn’t hear the host.

The host continued. “Official photos of the awardees will be uploaded in real-time on the official Twitter account. We will be giving gifts through a lucky draw later, so we’re looking forward to everyone’s participation. Now, let the 51st Baeksong Arts Awards ceremony begin!”

The first category was the Best Rookie Actor (TV) Award.

The names of five nominees were called, and their videos were shown on the large screen and the name of the final winner was then allied out. The awardee then made their way up to the stage.

Park Do-Joon’s anxiousness was at its peak. It was soon his category. The next award was the Best Rookie Actor (Movie) Award.

‘Where is the camera at?’

Park Do-Joon’s eyes darted around. All the staff of the awards ceremony, including the host, already knew the details of the awardees. This meant that the cameras would be capturing them from their angles first in order to capture the surprise looks on the awardees. Park Do-Joon was well aware of that as well.

Lee Chae-Rin next to Ha Jae-Gun looked anxious as well, and she was busy twiddling her fingers.

Ha Jae-Gun couldn’t watch anymore.

“Don’t worry, he’ll get an award tonight,” he muttered.

Lee Chae-Rin smiled bitterly and shook her head. “I’m actually hoping that he won’t get an award.”

“What do you mean? Isn’t it a good thing to own an award tonight?”

“He’ll definitely cry later. It’ll break his heart to be crying in front of others when it’s not even a movie.”

Ha Jae-Gun looked at Park Do-Joon and smiled. “Didn’t you also say that he’s a cool and chic person? How will someone like him cry in front of others?”

“He will definitely cry.”

Ha Jae-Gun couldn’t continue further and looked away from her. Was there some other special reason for an actor to burst into tears aside from the sense of accomplishment he would get from winning an award?

No matter how Ha Jae-Gun thought about it, he wasn’t able to get an answer.

“…Now, shall we take a look at the nominees for the Best Rookie Actor (Movie) category?”

Ha Jae-Gun perked his ears up and looked ahead. The lights in the hall dimmed, and a video played on the large screen. The images of five actors played through one by one, and the last was Park Do-Joon for There Was A Sea.

“Now, I’ll be announcing the winner. The winner of the Best Rookie Actor (Movie) Award in the 51st Baeksong Arts Awards is…”

As the expectation in the hall climbed to its peak, the hall went silent.

Park Do-Joon shut his eyes tight.

There was nothing but darkness. The name of the winner would be announced, and the lights would be turned on in just a few seconds.

However, there was no cameraman on him.

‘That’s it… I’m sorry, I’ll do my best in my next project.’

It would be the end for him if he couldn’t get this award right from the start. He thought that there wouldn’t be any more opportunities for him in the future.

Park Do-Joon kept apologizing to the people who loved him in his heart.

But immediately after…

“Mr. Park Do-Joon from There Was A Sea! Congratulations!”

The audience’s roars echoed in his ears, and dazzling lights filled his eyes.

The camera was so close to the bewildered-looking Park Do-Joon.

Ha Jae-Gun reached out from behind Yoon Tae-Sung and slapped Park Do-Joon on his shoulders. “What are you doing? Can’t you hear the applause? Get on stage.”

“Huh? Oh, okay…”

Park Do-Joon started moving after the push from Ha Jae-Gun.

The host continued to speak as Park Do-Joon made his way onto the stage.

“Mr. Park Do-Joon played the role of a gangster in the movie who had to survive the toxicity of the harsh reality. He showed off a realistic and human touch in his acting. He is growing day by day and has established his image as an actor with a passion for acting. Congratulations!”

Park Do-Joon accepted the trophy and bouquet amidst the continuous cheers and applause. He then stood in front of the microphone, about to deliver his speech.

He smiled shyly at the audience and said, “Uh… Mm, thank you so much. Thank you to all the viewers who enjoyed watching There Was A Sea. And uh… Director Yoon Tae-Sung, thank you for trusting and supporting me as well. And um…”

Park Do-Joon looked upward and shook his head lightly. His unique, indifferent voice was still there, and his face seemed to be provoking his haters, daring them to curse at him again.

However, that wasn’t his intention at all.

Lee Chae-Rin, his manager Tae-Bong, and even Ha Jae-Gun knew. They knew that Park Do-Joon’s heart had to be pounding heavily against his chest at the moment. He had to be having a hard time breathing while standing on the stage.

“I would like to thank Tae-Bong hyung for always helping me out during on-site filming. And to the writer who wrote the best novel and my friend, Ha Jae-Gun, thank you. And… uh… also to the few staff who had been putting in so much work for me, thank you. I know it’s never enough.”

Park Do-Joon’s words slowed, and his speech was slowly getting filled with filler words. His eyes were getting moist to the extent that Ha Jae-Gun could even see it clearly from his seat.

Park Do-Joon gnashed his teeth, trying hard not to cry.

As the huge screen was showing his face, the audience on the second floor gave him cheers and applause as encouragement. Ironically, their encouragement only served as a trigger for his emotions to burst.

“In this world… in this world—ah.”

Even Woo Tae-Bong felt his heart ache, and he looked away. He could already guess what Park Do-Joon was about to say.

“And my most beloved hyung… in this world…”

Park Do-Joon’s cries broke his speech.

Ha Jae-Gun finally knew of the fact that Park Do-Joon had an older brother and fixed his eyes on him, gulping. He had only heard that Park Do-Joon was estranged from his family, but he wasn’t aware of the details.

“Thank you for raising me in father and mother’s stead…! Ah, I’m very thankful but…!”

Park Do-Joon scrunched his nose and paused his speech again. He couldn’t control his tears, which were dripping down onto his shoes.

“I’ve won this award, but can’t even see you… My brother had painted all the exteriors of the buildings in the neighborhood. You’ve worked so hard for me… Hyung, how can I show this to you? I’ve become an actor and even got an award. I managed to keep my promise, but you’ve left… I miss you, hyung. I miss you so much. Sob…sob…!”

Everyone waited for Park Do-Joon, who covered his face while still holding the bouquet in hand and sobbing. A considerable number of people in the crowd sniffled in the silence as well.

Woo Tae-Bong sobbed while holding his nose.

Soon, Park Do-Joon calmed down and continued. “And I’ve got another friend whom I’m extremely grateful for. He has been supporting me, so thank you, really.”

Those were for Lee Chae-Rin.

Tears finally flowed down Lee Chae-Rin’s face.

Ha Jae-Gun handed her a piece of wet tissue, but he was struggling to breathe as well.

Park Do-Joon finally left the stage.

It was now time to award the Best Rookie Director. It was unknown if it was because of Park Do-Joon, who had just won the Best Rookie Actor award, but Ha Jae-Gun had a good feeling about the next award as the host took over the microphone.

“Director Yoon Tae-Sung from There Was A Sea! Congratulations!”

The slender Yoon Tae-Sung rose up next to Ha Jae-Gun. He headed toward the stage with an extremely calm expression. He looked as if he was going to receive what he deserved.

“Thank you for giving me this amazing award. A senior whom I liked before once said this—A good scenario makes up seventy percent of a movie. It became clear to me that he wasn’t lying while I was directing There Was A Sea. I’m extremely thankful to Writer Ha Jae-Gun.”

Even the director thanked Ha Jae-Gun in his speech after Park Do-Joon.

The camera panned to Ha Jae-Gun and broadcasted his awkward and shy smile across the country.

Chapter 153. Tremble in Fear (12)

Woo Jae-Hoon sat among the crowd in the Social Hall with fury evident on his face.

‘This darn…! How are the judges put together?!’

The Best Rookie Actor and the Best Rookie Director were awarded to them. After the entertainment and educational categories, it would be the Best Screenplay award. What if the award went to Ha Jae-Gun as well?

The thought alone was enough to make Woo Jae-Hoon feel like going crazy.

There was already a strong public opinion that Woo Jae-Hoon had ruined a great original work. If There Was A Sea won all three awards, everyone’s ridicule would become much more acrimonious and stark.

“Director, are you feeling unwell?”

“No, no. Don’t mind me,” Woo Jae-Hoon replied, feigning a calm demeanor.

The awards that followed didn’t attract his attention. Soon, the Best Screenplay award was about to be awarded. The five nominated movies and the names of their writers were shown on the huge screen.

“The winner of the Best Screenplay award is…” the host trailed off to build up suspense.

Woo Jae-Hoon clenched his fists unknowingly. He had attended many film festivals, and he was often nervous whenever they announced winners. He usually prayed that others would fall short rather than praying to receive an award for his own work.

At the moment, he prayed that a certain work would fall short.

“Writer Ha Jae-Gun! Congratulations!”

“…!” Woo Jae-Hoon almost stood up in fury.

Amidst the thundering applause, Ha Jae-Gun stood up hesitantly. The moment made him think that it was great that he had made quite a few appearances on TV shows. If it weren’t for those experiences, he would have felt like his heart would explode from the overwhelming emotions.

As Ha Jae-Gun headed to the stage, the host introduced Ha Jae-Gun. “He has written great works, from Summer in My 20s to There Was A Sea. On top of that, the original novels are both bestsellers, boasting phenomenal performances, even entering the US and China markets. Writer Ha Jae-Gun is also currently working on the scenario for his new movie, Gyeoja Bathhouse. Congratulations once again!”

Ha Jae-Gun accepted the trophy and bouquet, and then he stood at the microphone to deliver his speech. It wasn’t anything special, but it was sincere as always.

He expressed his thanks to his beloved family and listed everyone else whom he was grateful for, one by one. The list included his family in the audience, Soo-Hee and Jung-Jin, the writers in the office, and even Laugh Book’s Tae-Won and So-Mi, who were watching the live broadcast at the moment.

‘Keugh…?!’The initial instance of this chapter being available happened at N0v3l.Bj’n.

Meanwhile, Woo Jae-Hoon was the only one staring at Ha Jae-Gun with much hatred. Thankfully, the camera didn’t capture his hatred-filled face.

Ha Jae-Gun was nearing the end of his speech when he paused and swallowed, then continued, “…There’s also an elder who helped me grow as a writer, so much so that I could receive this award today. I’d like to express my gratitude to him as well.”

His growth was all thanks to that elder. He used to worry about his day-to-day livelihood, but now, he felt like he no longer had to worry about running out of money.

The greater the achievement, the deeper the gratitude.

Ha Jae-Gun suddenly recalled his previous visit to the elder’s grave.

Seo Gun-Woo’s son had already gone when he visited. Ha Jae-Gun only heard that the elder’s son had left for someplace and returned home without further news.

“…I will continue to live as a writer, cherishing every word and sentence. Thank you.”

Ha Jae-Gun ended his speech and left the stage amidst the applause.

Woo Jae-Hoon stood up just then. He was so furious that his stomach hurt.

There was no need for him to stay here any further, as the remaining awards in the first part of the ceremony were the Style and Supporting Actor Awards.

***

Woo Jae-Hoon headed into the innermost cubicle in the toilet and locked the door, sitting on the toilet bowl. He was doing his best to empty his bowels when he heard a few people sharing a conversation enter the toilet as well.

“Wow, There Was A Sea received all three awards.”

“I think they also deserve the Best Movie and Grand Award.”

Woo Jae-Hoon squinted his eyes. The voices sounded all too familiar. He put his ear against the door to hear the conversation clearer.

“Director Woo Jae-Hoon must be furious. He’s so stubborn and unreasonable. I thought he did a bad job on Summer in My 20s as well. How could he ruin such a good novel like that?”

“Watch what you say. What if you get asked to spar as well?”

“Sparring? You’re hilarious.”

Woo Jae-Hoon buried his face in his hands, trembling. The back of his head was tingling, as he had been hit there with a steel hammer.

“What’s his next movie?”

“No idea. I think it was some comedy spy movie. I’m not that interested, anyway. How great could it get?”

“The investors’ eyes are so… I just hope the movie isn’t as bad as Yukgwang-gu or Summer in My 20s.”

‘Ugh… These bastards…’

If it were the usual Woo Jae-Hoon, he would have stomped out of the cubicle and grabbed the men by their collars. However, he couldn’t do that at all. The Baeksong Arts Awards had trampled on him, so he had lost most of his confidence.

The two men outside chattered and chuckled to each other.

***

The two men’s words made Woo Jae-Hoon suffer, even during the second part of the awards ceremony.

There Was A Sea won the Best Movie Award, achieving the record of snagging four award categories. Even before the second part of the ceremony ended, Woo Jae-Hoon and his manager disappeared from the scene. He hadn’t been awarded a trophy since last year.

“Writer Ha Jae-Gun, congratulations,” said Park Hye-Sang. She was an EBC announcer and the backstage live host.

Ha Jae-Gun was surrounded by his family when he heard her voice and turned around in surprise.

“You must be ecstatic. I knew you would get an award. This is just the beginning. You will be able to receive even bigger and more awards in the future.”

“Thank you. I also enjoyed the broadcast. You look beautiful today as well, and your performance was pretty great as well.”

Park Hye-Sang smiled deeply. As she made eye contact with Ha Jae-Gun’s family, she bowed and said, “Hello, I’m Announcer Park Hye-Sang. I met Writer Ha Jae-Gun while filming Strolling with Literature. I apologize for the late introduction.”

“Aigoo. Hello.”

Myung-Ja and Ha Jae-In greeted her shyly. They hadn’t been keeping an eye on Ha Jae-Gun’s shows, but they were still familiar with EBC’s most familiar face.

“I enjoyed reading Gyeoja Bathhouse. I’m looking forward to its movie adaption; I’m sure it’s going to be a great movie as well,” Park Hye-Sang added.

“Thank you, always.”

“If you are, please treat me to a meal next time.”

“What? Ah, sure I will.”

Park Hye-Sang’s large round eyes turned into a pair of crescent moons.

“Thank you for going along with me. I’ll be leaving now. I hope to see you again soon. Sir, Ma’am, and Noonim, I hope you’ll get home safely.” Park Hye-Sang bade her goodbye and left.

As she walked further away, Myung-Ja mumbled, “She looks lovely as well. Elegant with poise. She must be very talented.”

Surprised, Ha Jae-In turned around and said, “Soo-Hee is much more beautiful.”

“But, Jae-In, don’t you think that lady likes Ha Jae-Gun, too? Otherwise, why would she come all the way here just to talk to him?”

“Please, stop it. Hey, Jae-Gun. You can’t look at other girls now. You know what I mean, right?”

“Yeah, she’s pretty, but I think Mom also agrees that Soo-Hee is much prettier.”

As they turned their target to himself, Ha Jae-Gun smiled with a slight frown. Both his mom and sister were right. He then pulled out his phone, planning to give a call to the most beautiful woman in the world.

***

[Movie There Was A Sea bags four awards at Baeksong Arts Awards!]

[Writer Ha Jae-Gun, winner of the Best Screenplay Award, grows immensely in China as Poongchun-Yoo!]

[There Was A Sea enters third print in America. Is his entrance in the market successful?]

[EBC Announcer Park Hye-Sang and Writer Ha Jae-Gun, a happy moment together at the awards ceremony]

[Director Yoon Tae-Sung—most of the credit should go to Writer Ha Jae-Gun.]

[All-kill in the domestic market! Where is Writer Ha Jae-Gun’s next target?]

The hottest topic of the 51st Baeksong Arts Awards was There Was A Sea.

The public’s interest in Ha Jae-Gun, who had written the original novel and the scenario, significantly increased. All media outlets were shedding light on all his previous works and the path he had walked on so far.

Unlike the chaotic news, Ha Jae-Gun was spending his day quietly and comfortably.

He worked on Oscar’s Dungeon and the movie scenario for Gyeoja Bathhouse at the same time. It was now the middle of June, and Ha Jae-Gun met with Oh Myung-Suk, who suggested having lunch together.

“Happy Birthday, Mr. Ha.”

“Waaah… T-this! A 2016 Genesis EQ900 limousine!” Lee Yeon-Woo exclaimed. His eyes sparkled at the new silver vehicle before him.

Unlike Ha Jae-Gun, Lee Yeon-Woo knew a lot about cars, so he knew that its price tag was a whopping 150 million won.

‘This car is a birthday present?’

Ha Jae-Gun looked at Oh Myung-Suk, stunned. He had agreed to have lunch with Oh Myung-Suk and brought Lee Yeon-Woo along without thinking too much about it, so who would have known that a super-luxury sedan was waiting for him as a birthday present?

Oh Myung-Suk fixed his glasses and said, “I know that you’re not a fan of imported cars, so I thought for a long while and finally picked out this car for you. I hope you’ll accept it.”

Ha Jae-Gun looked at the car, still in a daze. He then wondered if Oh Myung-Suk had also witnessed the unpleasant encounter back at the awards ceremony.

Otherwise, it didn’t make sense for Oh Myung-Suk to give him a car out of the blue.

“This is nothing compared to everything you’ve done for us at OongSung, Mr. Ha,” Oh Myung-Suk added, afraid that Ha Jae-Gun would reject it.

Lee Yeon-Woo was still snooping around the car, unable to stop himself from admiring the new car.

Oh Myung-Suk then handed the car keys to Lee Yeon-Woo and said, “I should hand the keys to the manager, then.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you. Um, can I take it on a short drive?”

“You should ask Mr. Ha instead of me.”

“Aah, hahahah! T-that’s right. Ha Jae-Gun hyung, quick. You should get in the car first. This is your car.”

Lee Yeon-Woo and Oh Myung-Suk both urged Ha Jae-Gun to get in the car for a test drive. Ha Jae-Gun bowed slightly toward Oh Myung-Suk and opened the front passenger door.

“Wow, hyung…! This is totally like a first-class seat on the plane! There’s reading, video playback, and even a relax button that allows the seat position to change accordingly!”

“You’re going to hyperventilate at this rate.”

“Look at how wide the seats behind are! You can even play soccer here! Ah, how exciting! I’m not kidding, I’m really serious here!” He wasn’t making a fuss this time.

Lee Yeon-Woo excitedly grabbed the steering wheel. He was trembling as if he were extremely cold. It wasn’t strange as Lee Yeon-Woo was currently inside the best Korean car.

“You should have bought a car like this earlier,” Lee Yeon-Woo said in a serious tone.

“You’re more suitable for this kind of car, hyung. I’m sure you don’t care, but I was quite upset about how people have been looking at you, considering that car of yours. This car is great, and I’ll be able to proudly show everyone that this is your car—Ha Jae-Gun’s car.”

“Stop it and just buckle up. Are you not going for a test drive?”

“Okay, hyung. But really… can I drive it out first?”

“You’re my manager. What’s there to ask?”

“Ah, hyung. I love you a lot…! I’ll turn on the radio too!”

Lee Yeon-Woo turned on the radio, and the breaking news corner came through the speakers.

– Yesterday evening at the Seodaemun Police Station in Seoul…

It was news about a huge corporation’s president assaulting a security guard.

However, Ha Jae-Gun couldn’t pay attention to the news due to Lee Yeon-Woo making a fuss.

Chapter 154. Tremble in Fear (13)

 

“You can wrap it up neatly, right?”

“Please’ don’t worry, President. I’ve even taken care of the CCTV.”

Department Head Kim replied, with his hands gathered in front of him. Inwardly, he thought to himself, ‘How many times have I dealt with such situations now?’

“What kind of petty security guard is that? How come he has no sense of association at all?” the president fussed. He was MPC Group’s President and Chairman, Jung Woo-Hyuk. He had just passed sixty, but his rough and rugged personality from his youth was still there.

“Is it that difficult to apologize after doing something wrong? They already got beaten up for it as well.”

Jung Woo-Hyuk was currently at a luxury salon that he frequented. Ladies in smart-looking dresses flanked him on the seat.

As one of the ladies offered him a plate of accompaniment, Jung Woo-Hyuk said, “I offered to pay for his drink and let things go, but how dare he reject and report me! Department Head Kim, does that make any sense?”

“That’s right. I find it ridiculous, too.”

“That darn bastard. That’s why he’s still a security guard at his age. Ah, I’m tired.”

MPC Group was a local Korean restaurant corporation. They were also listed on KOSDAQ, with a market capitalization of over 240 billion won. They were most known for their pizza franchise, Master Pizza.

Jung Woo-Hyuk pointed his finger at Department Head Kim and said, “Anyway, make sure you set things straight and make sure that what happened won’t affect me or the company.”

“Yes, President. You know me.”

“Why are you standing there? Sit down and have a drink.”

“Thank you. Let me pour you a glass.”

Feeling relieved, Jung Woo-Hyuk accepted the glass of drink. Soon, the room rumbled with excitement and laughter.

***

“He got hit twice.”

“Where?”

“On the face….” Ha Jae-In swallowed her tears, her nose tingling. But her puffy eyes were soon filled with tears again.

“How did he get hit in the face?”

“At first, it was just a punch, but he’s not sure if the second was a punch or a slap. He just said that he got hit twice.”

Ha Jae-Gun felt like going crazy. He was on a test drive with Lee Yeon-Woo when Ha Jae-In called him urgently. Thankfully, Lee Yeon-Woo was the one driving instead of him. If he had heard such news while driving, he could have gotten into an accident himself.

“When did he start working there?” Ha Jae-Gun asked in a low tone.

He had no idea that his father had started working as a building security guard. The incident that started it all wasn’t really that big of a deal. It was time for his father to close the doors, and he closed them as instructed.

However, the President of MPC Group was still in the restaurant located in the building. The president called the management office, and his father hurried back to open the doors for him.

The interval between Ha Suk-Jae’s closing the doors of the building to the management office’s call was just a few minutes, but the President of the MPC Group grabbed Ha Suk-Hae by the collar and struck him twice in the face.

“I’m asking you. When did he start working again?” Ha Jae-Gun asked once more with a look of deep resentment. His low growl sounded like a beast, making Ha Jae-In flinch in fear. She had always thought that she knew her own brother like the back of her hand, but she felt that she had been mistaken.

“I-it’s been a while. He said he was bored staying at home, so…”

“Why did you not tell me?”

“He made me not tell you. He knew you’d hate it—”

“Of course, I would hate it”

“Sorry, sorry, Jae-Gun…! I never thought that something like this would happen, sob…!” Ha Jae-In buried her face in her hands and sobbed.

Ha Jae-Gun looked up at the ceiling. The anger in his heart felt like it was going to explode anytime soon.

His father’s injuries weren’t that serious, but it would still take around two weeks for him to fully recover. As there were only tears around his mouth, he didn’t have to go to a hospital to receive treatment.

However, Ha Jae-Gun didn’t think that was at all fortunate. His father got hit for no reason at all.

His father had been living all his life abiding by the rules, putting his family first. He was the type that found even spending a thousand won on himself a waste of money.

How dare someone lay their hands on his father? His father was supposed to be living a comfortable life now that he was about to step into retirement, but his father actually found work and got beaten up for no reason at all.

Ha Jae-Gun was furious about everything. He felt like he could finally understand the true meaning of the words murderous intent. His two fists were clenched and were trembling in anger.

“J-Jae-Gun…”

Ha Jae-Gun shot up from his seat. He went up to the second floor to where his parents’ room was located. Ha Jae-In couldn’t stop him at all.

“Father, are you in?” Ha Jae-Gun asked and rapped on the door.

Hearing not a single response, Ha Jae-Gun grabbed the doorknob and said, “I’m going in.”

Ha Jae-Gun opened the door slowly. His father was sitting with his back facing him.

The sight of his father’s tiny back made Ha Jae-Gun feel like crying.

“Have you had dinner, Father?”

“Yes.”

Ha Jae-Gun nodded, and then he mustered the calmest tone of voice possible and said, “I see. You did a great job getting a medical certificate and reporting the incident. You did great.”

“…” Ha Suk-Jae didn’t respond. He also didn’t turn around to look at Ha Jae-Gun. He remained sitting in a cross-legged position.

Ha Jae-Gun suppressed the words he very much wanted to say. He was able to understand the pain his father was going through, who found it hard to face his own son. Instead, Ha Jae-Gun said something else.

“I’ll be staying here for the time being, so don’t be worried about anything else. I’ll handle the rest, Father.”

“You should continue working. How can you concentrate here?”

Tears eventually welled up in Ha Jae-Gun’s eyes, and he burst into a chuckle.

Despite getting hurt himself, his father was still worried about Ha Jae-Gun.

Ha Jae-Gun concealed his pain and replied indifferently, “I have a room, and I brought my laptop along. Plus, this is originally my house, too. There’s no way I’d feel uncomfortable here.”

“Okay…”

“Please rest well then,” said Ha Jae-Gun.

He retreated and was about to close the door when his father called out to him. “Ha Jae-Gun.”

“Yes, Father.”

“I apologize. I’m sorry.”

“…!”

Ha Jae-Gun shut his eyes. He closed the door behind him and left. His father shouldn’t have said that. Ha Jae-Gun decided to pretend that he hadn’t heard it.

***

— Something happened at home, so I don’t think I’ll be able to attend the planning meeting three days later. I called to apologize personally.

“Ahh, I see…” Nam Gyu-Ho replied as his eyes twitched. One of his eyes would always twitch whenever he was annoyed.

— I was just going to make sure that the final chapter of the scenario was well-made, anyway. I’m sure you and the planning team have done a great job.

“Yes, but as I’ve mentioned before, it’s a meaningful day, and I’d like to have dinner with you, Writer Ha. I wanted to bring you to a good restaurant, and the team is looking forward to it as well. It’s slightly disappointing to hear that you can’t make it.”

— I’m thankful just hearing about it. Let’s treat it as if I had enjoyed a great dinner with you.

It seemed that Ha Jae-Gun couldn’t be persuaded. Nam Gyu-Ho decided to give up and let out a small sigh. He nodded to himself before asking out of courtesy, “I’m worried about what you said. I hope it’s not something huge.”

— Yes, it’s fine.

“I understand. I hope it’ll get resolved soon. Let’s reschedule another meeting next time.”

— Thank you. I’ll be contacting you again in the future.

Nam Gyu-Ho put down his phone after the call. He loosed his necktie and mumbled, “Ah, seriously. This Jae-Gun, I’m really not fond of him.”

Nam Gyu-Ho tapped his finger on the table, lost in his thoughts. He suspected that something huge had to have happened back at home.

‘If it was something so serious that he had to call and apologize to me personally… Something feels off.’

If Ha Jae-Gun had said that something had cropped up, Nam Gyu-Ho wouldn’t have been so concerned about it. However, Ha Jae-Gun mentioned that something had happened at home, and Ha Jae-In was part of it.

‘It’s bothering me… bothering… it’s bothering me a lot…’

Nam Gyu-Ho tilted his head sideways and paced around his office mindlessly. He suddenly looked at the time and found that it was ten minutes before noon.

Most of the employees had to have already left the office for lunch.

‘I don’t have another motive for looking for him.’ Persuading himself, Nam Gyu-Ho picked up his phone and wallet. ‘Ha Jae-Gun is the author of the original work for our game. I have to take good care of him. I have to be worried and look out for him. He didn’t spell it out, so I need to look for his family. It’s just an extension of my job.’

Chauffeur Kim was summoned, and Nam Gyu-Ho immediately headed for the car park. Chauffeur Kim opened the door for Nam Gyu-Ho, who sat in the back passenger seat.

“I’m sorry for calling you back after asking you to rest,” Nam Gyu-Ho said.

“No, it’s my job,” Chauffeur Kim replied with a smile.

It had been four years, and he hadn’t been treated unfairly while working as Nam Gyu-Ho’s chauffeur. Nam Gyu-Ho had actually been taking great care of him. If he could choose, he would love to continue working as Nam Gyu-Ho’s chauffeur for the rest of his life.

“Where are we going, Director?”

“To Suwon.”

“I understand.”

Chauffeur Kim was quick-witted. He didn’t ask for a specific location, and he didn’t write any address to the navigator. He started the car and grabbed the steering wheel before stepping on the accelerator.

“The traffic is smooth, I think we should arrive in forty minutes.”

“Alright. Then let’s grab some gifts on the way there. Wasn’t there a bakery near the academy?”

“Yes, there is. I think some bread is good.”

Nam Gyu-Ho soon arrived at his destination without delay and entered the building with a large bag of handmade bread. He felt happy as soon as he saw the sign—Jae-In Academy—on the second floor.

“Hmm, is anyone in?” Nam Gyu-Ho opened the door and asked. Oddly enough, the lights were off.

‘But the door is open.’ Nam Gyu-Ho stood blankly in the middle of the reception area.

Just then, Ha Jae-In stepped out of the toilet in the corridor outside.

She saw Nam Gyu-Ho and muttered, “Director?”

“Ah, Principal. Hello.” Nam Gyu-Ho spun around immediately and greeted.

He was worried that she wasn’t around, so he was happy to see her.

“Why are you here? Ah, I’m sorry, let me turn on the lights.”

Ha Jae-In quickly turned on the lights in the reception area. Nam Gyu-Ho looked around the quiet academy and asked, “Is it a rest day for the academy today?”

“Yes… Something happened at home, so I decided to make up for three classes that had to close. I came back to take a few things so…. Oh, would you like some coffee?”

“Yes, please. Please have these later.”

“Ah, please don’t buy things every time you visit. Thank you, Director. Please have a seat.”

Ha Jae-In made a cup of coffee and placed it on the table.

“…?”

Nam Gyu-Ho took the coffee and took a look at Ha Jae-In. She didn’t look energetic like usual. Her grim face looked quite similar to a sick person.

“Did something happen?” Nam Gyu-Ho recalled his conversation with Ha Jae-Gun earlier. His gut was telling him that something huge had happened to Ha Jae-Gun’s family.

“I was on the phone with Writer Ha Jae-Gun earlier. He said something happened at home, and he will be unable to attend the meeting. Ms. Jae-In—no, Principal’s face doesn’t look good either.”

“Thank you for your concern, but it’s nothing much.”

Nam Gyu-Ho noticed something and added, “I don’t think it’s nothing much, so I decided to ask you.”

“…”

“Writer Ha Jae-Gun’s words made it feel like it wasn’t a small issue. He sounded quite grim.” Nam Gyu-Ho lied, trying to get the truth out of Ha Jae-In.

Actually, Ha Jae-Gun’s voice sounded as polite and as calm as usual.

“I hope you’ll share with me and not think that I’m just poking my nose into your family’s business. Writer Ha Jae-Gun is extremely important to us at Nextion. It’s natural for me to show concern and ask.”

“Um… Actually…” Ha Jae-In had been twiddling her fingers for a while and finally decided to confess.

Nam Gyu-Ho’s expression remained the same as he listened to her in silence. The initial instance of this chapter being available happened at N0v3l.Bj’n.

“There was nothing on the CCTV… and the other party only said that it was just an argument and claimed they knew nothing of my father’s injuries…”

“They’re covering it up, huh? I understand.” Nam Gyu-Ho said and smiled momentarily. He took a sip of his cold coffee and stood up. “The truth will always prevail. Please do not worry too much, and wait for the time being.”

“…Thank you for your words.”

“You haven’t had lunch, right? I’ve been starving since morning. Even if you have no appetite, I’d appreciate it if you could join me for lunch.”

Ha Jae-In frowned and nodded with a smile. She appreciated Nam Gyu-Ho showing his concern and stood up as well.

“You’ve come all the way here, so of course, I should; shall we go back to that same restaurant?”

“Sure. The food there was great.”

After they got a table at the restaurant, Nam Gyu-Ho excused himself to the toilet and stepped out. His smile he had kept on for Ha Jae-In had disappeared without a trace. He took out his phone and made a speed-dial call.

— Hello, Director.

“Department Head Ko, I’ve got a favor to ask.”

— Please don’t say that. What is it?

The man sounded energetic. He was Nam Gyu-Ho’s subordinate, but he wasn’t Nextion’s employee.

“It’s about MPC’s Jung Woo-Hyuk…”

Nam Gyu-Ho stole a glance at Ha Jae-In in the restaurant while explaining.

Department Head Ko soon replied.

— I’ll do my best. I’ll look through all the black boxes of the cars parked nearby first, and I’ll give you a report as soon as possible.

“I’ll leave it to you then.”

— Yes, Director.

Nam Gyu-Ho ended the call and smiled bitterly. Jung Woo-Hyuk’s character wasn’t news to him. Jung Woo-Hyuk would trample on the weak and portray himself as weak before the strong. Putting it nicely, he was a smart person, and putting it badly, he was a despicable snake.

“The chairman’s brain had turned into dough after making pizza for too long. He has no idea just how dangerous the world has become. He ended up messing with the wrong people,” Nam Gyu-Ho mumbled and turned around.

A gentle expression found its way back on his face as he looked at Ha Jae-In.

Nam Gyu-Ho received Department Head Ko’s report on that very same day.

Chapter 155. Tremble in Fear (14)

 

“Is this the place…?” A man in his thirties with a backpack muttered as he looked outside the detached house.

His name was Joo Sang-Yeol. He was a reporter for a regional online news agency and was here to do an in-depth cover of Ha Suk-Jae’s assault.

Seeing an unfamiliar man loitering outside their gate, Myung-Ja approached him from behind. She held all the bags in one hand, then called out, “Who are you?”

“Ah, excuse me. Is this Mr. Ha Suk-Jae’s home?”

“Yes, but who…?”

“Apologies for the late introduction. I’m Joo Sang-Yeol, a reporter with the online news agency, Good Suwon,” Joo Sang-Yeol said and politely handed her his name card.

As Myung-Ja took his name card, he added, “I understand that you must be very upset. As a fellow person, I’m also deeply regretful that tyrannical acts are still happening in this time and age.”

Myung-Ja’s expression turned complex.

It had been a few days since Ha Suk-Jae’s assault, and the mental pain she was suffering from grew day by day.

“Can I ask what he did wrong? He only locked the doors as instructed at the stipulated time, so how could the president hit someone over that reason alone? The president even tried to shirk responsibility by claiming that he knew nothing about the incident. How can there be a victim without an assault person? This is ridiculous.”

Myung-Ja’s eyes eventually turned red with tears.

Joo Sang-Yeol then softened his tone and asked earnestly, “The responsibility as a reporter brought me here. I understand that it’s difficult and exhausting for you, but please give me some time. I will do my best until more people come across this incident and the truth is revealed.”

“But now my man is having quite the hard time…”

“I won’t take up too much of your time. 30 minutes—no, even just 15 minutes is fine.” As expected of a reporter, Joo Sang-Yeol did not give up easily.

Just then, the steadfast gate opened behind him.

“It’ll be tough today.”

“…?!” Joo Sang-Yeol’s eyes widened in shock as he turned around.

The man before him looked extremely familiar. Meeting countless people was his job, and he quickly recognized the man standing before him.

“A-are you Writer Ha Jae-Gun?” Joo Sang-Yeol stuttered.

He had seen Ha Jae-Gun on TV and the internet numerous times, and even read quite a few of his novels that he remembered how the man looked like.

“I’m right, right? You’re Writer Ha Jae-Gun—no, Mr. Ha Jae-Gun, right?”

“Yes, I am.”

Joo Sang-Yeol’s jaws dropped, unable to speak. It was the author who sold millions of copies of his novel, and swept the largest literary awards. As Ha Jae-Gun had also just recently won the screenplay award at the Baeksong Arts Awards, he had become one of the most famous writers in Korea.

Joo Sang-Yeol never expected that he would meet one of Korea’s most famous writers, who was entering overseas markets here. Joo Sang-Yeol was shaking all over in astonishment and joy.

With an expressionless face, Ha Jae-Gun said, “My father is still unwell. If you could leave your name card, I will contact you as soon as possible.”

“Your… father?” Joo Sang-Yeol asked, stupified at the confusion.

His mind was trying to piece the puzzles together. The son of the man who was the victim of a tyrannical act was Ha Jae-Gun? This wasn’t the normal picture he’d get.

“Goodbye then…”

“M-Mr. Ha Jae-Gun!”

Joo Sang-Yeol held onto Ha Jae-Gun, who came out to bring Myung-Ja in.

“I’d appreciate if you could leave a comment about this lamenting situation. I won’t put up the article without your consent. I’m confident that I haven’t done anything against my conscience in my eight years as a reporter. Please trust me, and…”

“You may publish the article,” Ha Jae-Gun cut in.

Ha Jae-Gun held onto Myung-Ja’s hand while looking down and said, “I won’t let things go easily…as the son of my father.”

No further explanation was needed. Ha Jae-Gun added strength into his grip.

“Goodbye.”

“M-Mr. Ha.”

Ha Jae-Gun closed the gate firmly on Joo Sang-Yeol.

Joo Sang-Yeol then stood on tiptoe and yelled, “I’ll be waiting for your call, Mr. Ha! Please do give me a call!”

However, he didn’t get a response.

Joo Sang-Yeol digested Ha Jae-Gun’s words and slowly turned around. The astonishment in his face was still lingering.

***

[Victim of recent tyrannical assault act, the security guard, turned out to be famous Writer Ha Jae-Gun’s father]

[Writer Ha Jae-Gun’s anger, ‘As my father’s son, I will not let it slide’]

[Reiterating Ha Jae-Gun’s past thank you speech, full of love for his parents]

[Phone interview with Ha Jae-Gun’s long-time friend, ‘A friend who has a special family love since university’]

[Actor Park Do-Joon’s Twitter, ‘Ha Jae-Gun, I’m with you too,’ earns explosive retweet counts from netizens]

[MPC Group’s President, Jung Woo-Hyuk, ‘There was yelling, but not a single trace of violence. I’ll gladly accept any punishments if I am found guilty’]

“What’s… all this?!”

Jung Woo-Hyuk was sitting in his office reading the news online with a dark red color on his face. The sudden addition of Ha Jae-Gun into the mix brought the assault controversy to a new level.

“Just who is this guy? Isn’t he just some ink slinger?”

“Um, president… I don’t think we should gloss it over that easily.” Department Head Kim mumbled hesitantly, his hands gathered in front of him.

Jung Woo-Hyuk gave a side scowl.

Department Head Kim shook his head and continued, “You should have read it in the news, but Ha Jae-Gun is a famous local writer. Actor Park Do-Joon is not only an avid fan of his, but also a close friend, and so Writer Ha Jae-Gun also has a huge fan base. The company’s image might be damaged if things roll out of control under the public’s opinion.”

“Just tell me the conclusion! What is it?!”

“S-so… I think that it’s best if you could meet with him and come to an amicable settlement…”

“Amicable settlement? I did my best, didn’t I? Didn’t you call them and even went to their house a couple of times already?”

“What I mean is that to resolve this earlier, it’s best if you could go down personally and show your sincerity…”

Jung Woo-Hyuk leaned back into his chair and glared at Department Head Kim. He gave a ridiculous scoff and burst into a snort.

“Department Head Kim. Did you eat something wrong?”

“No, president.”

“Then why are you spouting nonsense? You want me to visit them personally and apologize to that old man? Are you telling me to go down on my knees and beg him to come to an agreement?”

“I-I definitely did not mean it that…ugh!”

Department Head Kim yelped and grabbed his abdomen. He was hit by a golf ball, which rolled onto the floor.

“Make sure you think before speaking. Otherwise, this will be served to you next.” Jung Woo-Hyuk handled the glass ashtray in his hand.

Department Head Kim replied with a groan, nodding profusely.

“I’m already bursting at my seams and yet you want to add oil to fire? You haven’t been in your right mind, huh? Has it been a while since you tasted the wrath of my golf club? Do you want to try it again?”

Jung Woo-Hyuk stood up from his seat and went into a corner of his office. He pulled out a golf club and swung it around, scaring Department Head Kim, his face turning white as ghost.

“Tell me. Shouldn’t I only apologize if I’m guilty of a crime?”

“Y-yes, President.”

Jung Woo-Hyuk tapped the golf club lightly on Department Head Kim’s forehead and asked, “Am I guilty? Do they have any evidence?”

“No. You’re not guilty, nor is there any evidence for them to get their hands on. I haven’t thought it out well. Please forgive me, President.” bowed down deeply, begging for forgiveness.

Jung Woo-Hyuk’s irritation had eased to a certain level and put down the golf club in hand, then clicked his tongue.

“Even if he’s famous, he’s still an ink slinger. You want me to come to an amicable agreement with the old man just because you’re scared of him? Am I the boss of a random convenience store? Public opinion? I’m not scared of them at all, so let him come at me!” Jung Woo-Hyuk yelled.

Immediately after, Department Head Kim’s phone rang, and the man hurriedly pulled out his phone.

“Hello. Yeah. What…?!”

Department Head Kim glanced anxiously at Jung Woo-Hyuk. He then covered the receiver on his phone and asked shakingly, “P-President… Um, now…”

“What is it that got you trembling like that?”

“Um, Director Nam Gyu-Ho would like to meet you…”

Jung Woo-Hyuk’s eyes widened and he stiffened like a stone statue.

There was only one person he knew with the name and title Director Nam Gyu-Ho.

“Nam Gyu-Ho…? Why would he…?!”

“I’m not sure either. They said he’s already here.”

“Already here?!”

Jung Woo-Hyuk’s one leg gave way unknowingly. Nam Gyu-Ho was someone he couldn’t even bluff about before his confidante. Despite being the president of a large corporation, Nam Gyu-Ho was someone who could still show up unannounced and no one could question him.

‘There’s no way he’d come here just to see me!’

Why would Nam Gyu-Ho come to him? Jung Woo-Hyuk could not make an educated guess as he had more than one weakness held in Nam Gyu-Ho’s hand.

“What shall we do, President?”

“What else? Bring him here first.”

While Department Head Kim stepped out, Jung Woo-Hyuk quickly fixed his clothes.

A knock on the door came a few minutes later.

“P-Please come in.”

The frightened Jung Woo-Hyuk even thought he sounded pathetic. The door flung open, and a tall man in a gray suit entered the office.

“It’s been a while, President Jung.”

“Aigoo, welcome.” Jung Woo-Hyuk chuckled and greeted Gyu-Ho.

Gyu-Ho’s eyes shone like glass, a faint smile showed on his face.

“Please take a seat. How has the President been?” Jung Woo-Hyuk asked about the chairman, who was none other than Gyu-Ho’s father.

They might hold the same title, but they weren’t of the same level. Gyu-Ho’s father and Jung Woo-Hyuk were on entirely different levels, similar to the comparison of convenience stores versus departmental stores.

“He’s healthy,” Gyu-Ho replied briefly as he sat down on the sofa.

Another knock came, and a female secretary brought in two cups of coffee. As she placed down the cups, Gyu-Ho said, “I have something to talk to you personally about, President.” The initial instance of this chapter being available happened at N0v3l.Bin.

“Of course. Department Head Kim, please leave us.”

As Department Head Kim left and closed the door behind him, Gyu-Ho raised a finger firmly at Jung Woo-Hyuk and asked, “Do you know what I loved the most amongst everything that my father has told me about before?”

“W-what kind…?”

“To be a good person indefinitely to another good person. Similarly, be the worst person one can be to someone otherwise.”

“…?!” Jung Woo-Hyuk gulped nervously.

He was afraid of Gyu-Ho, realizing that the man was not here on friendly terms.

“I’d like to ask you one thing, President.”

“Yes, sure. Please ask away.”

“Did you hit him, or not?”

“…Pardon?” Despite being fear-struck, Jung Woo-Hyuk was bewildered. Gyu-Ho slowly looked up, and their eyes met.

“U-um… Are you… possibly asking about that incident right now?”

“That? Do you mean that you’ve hit more than one person?”

“U-uh no… I meant to ask… if you’re asking about that security guard…”

“Not the security guard.”

“What?” The smile on Gyu-Ho’s face had disappeared.

The glare from Gyu-Ho was enough to suffocate Jung Woo-Hyuk. Gyu-Ho added, “He could be my future father-in-law.”

“…?!” Jung Woo-Hyuk thought Gyu-Ho was just messing with him.

How could a mere security guard be his father-in-law? It didn’t match with his family background at all.

“And his son, Writer Ha Jae-Gun, is currently working with me.”

“A-aah…!”

“So, did you hit him?”

“Uuhhh…”

Jung Woo-Hyuk groaned, his teeth chattering in fear. The relationship between Gyu-Ho and the security guard was an issue for later. He had now provoked someone close to Gyu-Ho, and was also closely related to the famous writer.

“A-about that, Director Nam… What exactly happened was…”

“Forget it.” Gyu-Ho didn’t not want to listen any further, and took out his phone.

He accessed the internet and soon looked up a piece of headlines. He opened it and showed it to Jung Woo-Hyuk, who was too shocked to breathe.

[(Part 1) Assault black box video between president of large corporation and security guard secured!]

“T-this is…?!”

“I had a hard time finding this.”

Gyu-Ho stood up from the sofa and walked to the desk.

After going through the articles, he spotted an autobiography published by Jung Woo-Hyuk himself and picked it up.

“To think I’ll be seeing President Jung’s autobiography here. I enjoyed it a lot. I remember that it sold pretty well after you removed the advertising fee and forced them to sell the book. Anyway, I was able to learn that you were a good person from this book.”

“D-Director Nam…!”

“Whether I’ll be a good or bad person, is entirely on you, President Jung. Do you understand?”

Gyu-Ho’s eyes laid on the golf club on the floor.

Jung Woo-Hyuk had forgotten to put it away after scaring Department Head Kim with it earlier. Gyu-Ho picked it up and put it in Jung Woo-Hyuk’s hands, who was now shaking like a man who had contracted malaria.

“I’ll give you a minute. Decide whether you’ll go with me along with this, or continue staying here.”

It was a proposal that Jung Woo-Hyuk could not refuse. Jung Woo-Hyuk broke down, slowly falling to the ground.

Meanwhile, Gyu-Ho called Department Head Ko on the phone.

***

“I’ve committed a grave sin…! I made an irreversible mistake after drinking, and not even ten mouths could explain myself. Please forgive me just this once…!”

Ha Jae-Gun was at his parent’s home in Suwon. Jung Woo-Hyuk stood in the lit foyer, bowing ninety degrees to Ha Suk-Jae and Myung-Ja, along with Jae-In, who stood with them looking shocked.

‘What is happening…?’

Behind Jung Woo-Hyuk was Ha Jae-Gun, stunned.

He never imagined that the president of a large corporation, who had been so brazen and ignorant up until now, would beg for forgiveness in front of them now. Although video evidence had spread like wildfire, it still didn’t help him understand the man’s actions.

Just then, Ha Jae-Gun’s eyes met with Gyu-Ho, who stood by the door.

Gyu-Ho looked quite cool, his mouth shut tight and signaled Ha Jae-Gun with a nod of his head. Ha Jae-Gun finally realized that Gyu-Ho had used his authority to reveal the truth.

“I-I’m not purely asking for forgiveness. I’m also here to apologize and I’m willing to do my best until you find it satisfactory.”

“I don’t need your money!” Myung-Ja yelled, angry at his words.

Jung Woo-Hyuk then handed the golf club in his hands to Ha Suk-Jae.

Ha Suk-Jae had no thoughts of taking it and only stood there blankly. Jung Woo-Hyuk forced the golf club into the older man’s hand and knelt down on the ground, his butt raised high.

“P-please hit me…! I’ll accept it..!”

Jung Woo-Hyuk’s voice raised a tone higher, and his butt also was raised along with it, trembling slightly.

Ha Suk-Jae only looked down at the pathetic sight and threw the golf club into a corner.

“If I were like you, my son would not have grown up so well-educated.”

That was all Ha Suk-Jae said. Lacking stamina, Jung Woo-Hyuk fell flat to the ground on all fours.

“Dad…” Jae-In held Ha Suk-Jae by his elbow and looked at Gyu-Ho.

Gyu-Ho did not acknowledge her gaze as a call came in at the same time. She finally saw Gyu-Ho in a new light, and found it hard to forget this fateful night.