Big Life

Chapter 206. What? Dragon Rider? (12)

‘Drive! It's green! Go!’

The sense of urgency in Oh Myung-Suk was so great that he couldn’t even withstand a brief moment of stop. He suppressed the urge to sound the car horn, breathing heavily. The warmth from the heater felt suffocating to him, and he pushed the button to wind down all four windows.

‘Yoo-Jin...! You frustrating girl...!’

The scene that night appeared before his eyes; they were together the entire night until the crack of dawn.

However, Oh Myung-Suk’s thirst remained unsatisfied.

He knew the solution to the problem at hand: he just had to have a meal at a certain house and go to sleep, and he just had to see Chae Yoo-Jin’s face first thing when he opened his eyes the next morning.

But of course, it should not be just a normal memory, but an unforgettable one. He would just have to live every day for the rest of his life, relieving those precious days and moments.

Vrooom!

Oh Myung-Suk stomped on the accelerator. He held perfect belief without a shred of doubt. His determination stood firmly as he drove on the road. He couldn’t let that night’s happening turn into a memory.

Screeech!

As soon as he parked the car in the car park, Oh Myung-Suk ran to the hotel. He was able to quickly locate Chae Yoo-Jin, thanks to Ha Jae-Gun telling him that Chae Yoo-Jin was staying in the same hotel as him. Oh Myung-Suk passed the doorman and hurried into the elevator as he pulled out his phone.

“...?!”

Oh Myung-Suk stopped in his tracks the moment he crossed the hotel’s main entrance, looking stunned. He saw a lady turning around from the front desk after checking out. Her gaunt face, lifeless eyes, and unsteady footsteps made him wonder if she were the same confident Chae Yoo-Jin he had known all this while.

"Ah..." Chae Yoo-Jin stopped in her tracks as well when she saw Oh Myung-Suk. Her jaws dropped slightly, and no words came out from her.

There were countless guests walking past them, but the two only stared at each other silently.

Oh Myung-Suk broke the silence first and started walking. He walked calmly toward her. The sound of his shoes hitting the floor with every step made Chae Yoo-Jin's heart pound harder against her chest.

"Where are you going?" Oh Myung-Suk asked.

Chae Yoo-Jin lowered her head instead of looking straight at him.

"I asked, where are you going?" Oh Myung-Suk repeated himself.

"I'm done with work, so I'm heading back to New York."

"Are you joking with me? At this hour?"

Oh Myung-Suk grabbed her shoulders. She flinched, but Chae Yoo-Jin didn't look up.

"Is there nothing you want to tell me?"

"What?"

"You don't have to feign ignorance. I know everything.”

"...Did Mr. Ha tell you?" Chae Yoo-Jin's self-deprecating smile was reflected on the newly waxed flooring. Oh Myung-Suk's red face was reflected on it as well.

"How is that important right now? Why didn't you tell me right away? Why didn't you tell me something as important as this earlier?" Oh Myung-Suk pressed. His raised tone made people around them turn their attention toward them.

"Aren't you being too full of yourself?"

"What?"

"How old are we? Do you really think that I'm not dating anyone else?" Chae Yoo-Jin looked up slowly. The scornful look on her face was so forced that it looked unnatural. Even the pupils of her widened eyes were shaking.

"Are you sure I don't have any other man aside from you?" Her provocation tore through Oh Myung-Suk's heart, which was why he could see the fear and anxiety that painted her face.

Tears began forming in Oh Myung-Suk's eyes, and he felt like going crazy when he imagined Chae Yoo-Jin suffering all by herself.

"Yes." Oh Myung-Suk regulated his breath for a while before saying, "I'm sure; that's why I'm sorry."

"What do you mean?"

Oh Myung-Suk took a step forward. He pulled Chae Yoo-Jin into an embrace without a word.

"We're in public. What do you think you're doing?"

"Didn't you ask me to confirm if you have no other man aside from me?!" Oh Myung-Suk's words echoed through the lobby. Hugged by Oh Myung-Suk, Chae Yoo-Jin stood stiffly from head to toe with her arms hanging down.

“I’m sure... and I’m sorry for leaving you alone all this while. Now, I just want to live with only you in my mind.” Oh Myung-Suk buried his face deep into her neck.

The familiar touch of the necklace around her neck grazed the tip of his nose. It was the same necklace he had gifted on her birthday back in university.

“I love you, Chae Yoo-Jin.”

The once-stiff Chae Yoo-Jin was suddenly drained of all energy. The meaningless wall that she had built up came crumbling down. Her eyes, which reflected the splendid chandeliers on the ceiling, quickly turned wet with tears.

“I was scared....” Chae Yoo-Jin had barely croaked a sentence with a gulp. The hot tear that rolled down her cheek fell onto Oh Myung-Suk’s chest. “I was so scared, and I couldn’t bear to tell you the news. It’s because I know what’s going on in your life that I couldn’t bring it up myself. I’m sorry, Myung-Suk.”

“Don’t apologize, I’m the one who should say sorry”

“I’m sorry.... I’m the one in the wrong. B-but I was really scared...! I didn’t know what to do, heukkkkkk...!” Chae Yoo-Jin let go of her luggage and hugged Oh Myung-Suk in return.

Oh Myung-Suk caressed her head as she wailed, nodding. “Don’t go back to New York. Go check into your room again.”

“No, I’m not going back to New York.” Chae Yoo-Jin shook her head profusely and hugged him tighter. “I was planning to go back to my dad’s. It’s near the hospital, and I miss my dad, too.”

“Good decision. Let’s go together, I’ll drive you there. I’ll stay with you from now on.”

“Can we...?”

“Yes, we can. Everything will be okay. Don’t worry and trust me. It’ll be fine; everything will be fine....”

Their journey together had been set. There would no longer be hesitation or wandering in their days together in the future. Oh Myung-Suk repeated the words like an incantation, embracing Chae Yoo-Jin much tighter than before. Despite the countless people walking past, the two remained firmly at their current spot.

***

“She’s pregnant...?” Oh Tae-Jin was in disbelief. Oh Myung-Suk stood upright as Oh Tae-Jin stood stunned without even taking off his outer coat.

He had just returned from a meeting with the family from the Daemyung Group, and his peace of mind was shattered by Oh Myung-Suk’s words.

“You’re saying that... Yoo-Jin is carrying your child?” Oh Tae-Jin asked again in disbelief.

Oh Myung-Suk nodded firmly, keeping his calm composure. "Yes."

"No way...!" Oh Tae-Jin mumbled, shaking his head. Of course, there were cases where women diagnosed to be barren would become pregnant, but the chances were extremely slim. Shockingly, such a miracle had happened to the woman whom his eldest son loved so much.

Oh Tae-Jin stumbled and fell back onto the sofa. Meanwhile, Oh Myung-Suk stood still, waiting for his father's next words. Only the father and son were alone in the study.

"Are you certain?" Oh Tae-Jin asked after a period of silence.

Oh Myung-Suk smiled bitterly. Chae Yoo-Jin was provocative when she asked that question, but his father was genuinely doubtful.

"Yes, I'm certain. I will gladly do the DNA test if you need it."

"No, that definitely must be done! There is no escaping that test!" Oh Tae-Jin yelled as he jumped to his feet. "What if she isn't carrying your child?!"

"Father, I know very well what kind of woman Chae Yoo-Jin is...."

"Stop with the nonsense! I'm asking what you're going to do if the child isn't yours!"

"I'll break up with her, then," Oh Myung-Suk replied calmly.

Oh Myung-Suk maintained eye contact with his father and added, "But that will never happen. I'm certain that it's my child, so there's probably no way that we'll ever break up in this life."

Oh Tae-Jin's breathing turned rough as he grew angrier, and he groped around the desk behind him for a cigarette.

Oh Myung-Suk stepped up and offered a stick but was rejected by his father. Oh Tae-Jin eventually found a stick and lit it; he puffed a few clouds of white smoke before saying, "Arrange a meeting."

"...."

"I have to meet and have a talk with her at least once."

"You're going overboard, Father." Oh Myung-Suk smiled sadly and continued, "Why just a meeting? Why aren't you asking me to bring her back home to see you?"

"Oh Myung-Suk...!"

"I know what your thoughts on her are. You must still be unwilling to accept her. That's why I can't agree and will not arrange the meeting. I also know what you will say to her."

Oh Tae-Jin was so furious that his jaw trembled visibly.

Oh Myung-Suk took a step forward and added in earnest, "I grew up in a great environment because of you, Father. It's because of this that I have never once defied you. I have been working hard my entire life according to your wishes."

"...!"

"I beg you, Father. I really do love her. The reason you've rejected her before is no longer there, so please, allow me to choose the woman I like. Regardless of what kind of person the youngest daughter of Daemyung Group is, Chae Yoo-Jin is the only one for me."

"No! Never...! I don't wish to hear of this anymore!" Oh Tae-Jin yelled and waved both his arms wildly. He couldn't find any other reasons to refuse, both logically and morally.

In fact, Oh Tae-Jin had disapproved of Chae Yoo-Jin for the longest time. He admitted that Chae Yoo-Jin was both smart and kind; her looks were outstanding as well, but that was all.

Compared to the OongSung Group, Chae Yoo-Jin was nothing. The environment she had grown up in was so different that it was obvious she would make Oh Myung-Suk suffer if they were to get married. Oh Tae-Jin firmly believed in it.

He was delighted when he heard that Chae Yoo-Jin was barren, as the reason alone was enough to keep them apart.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore today. Go back to your room for now. Let's talk again tomorrow."

"I have to leave now."

"Leave...? Where to?"

"I promised Chae Yoo-Jin that I would be back as soon as possible. She's feeling anxious right now, so I must stay with her." Oh, Myung-Suk bowed respectfully.

Oh Tae-Jin stood dumbfounded and yelled at Oh Myung-Suk, who was about to step out of the door, "You can never take another step into this house if you leave now!"

"...I still have to go."

"Take what is yours and leave! Take everything that you have earned by your own efforts and leave this house!"

"There is nothing I have earned from my own efforts in this house." Oh Myung-Suk stopped as he grabbed the doorknob.

Oh Myung-Suk's voice trembled as he continued. "You're the one who gave me life, Father. Everything I have now is thanks to you. But... please at least lend me this set of clothes and the money I have in my wallet for the time being."

With that, Oh Myung-Suk left the room without turning back once.

He closed the door behind him and walked down the hallway without hesitation.

'I'll have to take a taxi, then.'

He packed a few sets of clothes, and then he left the house before pulling his phone out. Just then, the car parked on the other side of the road flashed its headlights at him. Oh Myung-Suk covered his face to block out the strong light.

"Myung-Hoon...?" He realized that it was Oh Myung-Hoon's car after taking a closer look.

Oh Myung-Hoon reached out from the driver's seat and gestured lightly at Oh Myung-Suk. Oh Myung-Suk walked over briskly.

"Why are you standing there in a daze even after recognizing that it was me?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Hop on. It's going to be cumbersome with that luggage if you take a taxi."

Oh Myung-Suk's hesitation lasted only for a brief moment. He opened the back door and popped his luggage inside, and then they got into the car. Oh Myung-Hoon stepped on the accelerator.

"Hyung, I'm proud of you," he said.

"Shut up. How much is the fare?" Oh Myung-Suk grinned.

Oh Myung-Hoon was smiling lightly as well as he steered the car onto the main road.

The car carrying the two brothers made its way through the quiet winter night.

***

“The release of The Breath in the U.S. is right around the corner. If you don’t like to do commercials, what about appearing on a program instead?”

“Do you really think that I have to do that, President Kwon?”

“Yes. Not just me, but OongSung, Nextion, and even China’s Teencent would love it. All of us just didn’t mention it out of consideration for you. But if you agree to appear in the program, it would definitely help in the marketing. News articles about you will follow suit. The corner Let’s Watch A Movie is still quite lacking.”

Ha Jae-Gun and Kwon Tae-Won were sitting in the living room of Ha Jae-Gun’s house on a sunny midday. kWON Tae-Won had presented to him three potential programs: I Live Alone, Three Meals A Day, and Literary Travel to North Europe.

“I can’t agree to Three Meals A Day,” Ha Jae-Gun said after taking a sip of his coffee. “I prefer doing things alone than with a group of people. Even if I decide to appear in a show, I’ll choose between either I Live Alone or Literary Travel to North Europe.”

“I thought so too,” Kwon Tae-Won replied with his eyes shining, waiting for a definite answer from Ha Jae-Gun.

However, Ha Jae-Gun fell into agony once more. The host of Literary Travel to North Europe was Park Hye-Sang. Although they still greet each other once in a while, the fact that he’d have to work with her, on top of the long recording schedule, bothered him a lot.

‘Then all that’s left is I Live Alone....’

Bzzt!

Just then, Ha Jae-Gun’s phone rang. Seeing that it was a call from Reporter Hyun Sung-Beom, Ha Jae-Gun answered it immediately.

“Yes, Reporter?”

— Hello, Mr. Ha! I’m Hyun Sung-Beom from Weekly Trends, we last met at the airport! I’ve received your email! I never expected to hear from you so soon!

The young reporter was so loud that even Kwon Tae-Won could hear him.

Kwon Tae-Won smiled, knowing that they were referring to the story about Lee Soo-Hee.

“I told you, didn't I? I keep my word.”

— I was doubtful at first, so I didn't expect that you'd actually contact me. I will most definitely do my best with the special feature and upload the article. Please include me in your wedding invitation list, too.

“All right, if you write it well, I’ll send you another interesting story soon.”

— Aigoo, thank you! Thank you so much!

“Reporter Hyun, I am in the middle of something right now. I’ll hang up first.”

— Of course! I’ll wait for your news! Have a good day, Mr. Ha!

Ha Jae-Gun smiled and hung up. Just then, Lee Soo-Hee had come back from the kitchen after preparing refreshments for the two.

Just then, Ha Jae-Gun recalled Lee Soo-Hee’s favorite program, and it allowed him to finally resolve the dilemma.