The Day I Escaped from the Beast's Cage - Chapter 51

Geon-ho fixed his icy gaze on Ji-woo, frustration barely concealed. He couldn’t help but express his irritation.

“Why did you come here when you’re of no use to me anymore, and we should never have to see each other again?”

Ji-woo met his accusations with steely determination. “Because you took my brother’s life!”

She repeated those words countless times, her once-potent accusation now reduced to a tiresome refrain. But amid the pouring criticism, a new resolve emerged.

“Do you think I’ll just let this go? I’m going to tell my father everything. I won’t leave anything out.”

Geonho was taken aback. “What are you talking about?”

Jiwoo’s shoulders trembled as she heard his low voice, a frosty tone that momentarily cooled her heated temper.

“Did you place a wiretapping device on Yoon Seon-woo’s phone at my request?”

“What?!” Embarrassment flashed across Jiwoo’s face, perhaps more so because of Geon-ho’s collected demeanor.

“Or did you help imprison Hae-gang at my behest?”

Geon-ho chuckled mercilessly at her confusion. “That’s foolish. Don’t you realize that, no matter what you say, it won’t help you? Perhaps that’s why you blindly followed my orders without thinking.”

“But, how could I…?”

Geon-ho’s eyes held no ounce of sympathy as he looked at Ji-woo, tears welling up in her eyes. He regarded her as though she held no value in the world.

“Is there anything left for us to discuss?”

*****

When Hae-gang returned home from her drive, the sky had turned a dark shade of blue. Woojin’s sleek sports car was already parked in the garage. Hae-gang pulled in beside it, opened the trunk, and retrieved the shopping bags. He balanced a couple on his shoulders and a few more on his forearms, leaving the rest for his arms to carry.

“You overdid it,” he lamented.

His vision was blocked by the pile of bags. Relying on his instincts, Hae-gang stood near the staircase and took a step, grumbling.

Perhaps he had made a poor choice. A few moments ago, greed had gotten the better of him, pushing him to carry everything at once.

“It’s tougher than I thought.”

Woojin’s voice came from above, and Hae-gang looked up, his face brightening when he saw him.

“How did you know I was here?”

“It’s been a while since the car arrived, and you weren’t here. Have you been loitering around all this time?” Woojin asked with a hint of amusement.

In the realm of modern romance, Geon-ho’s smart home likely alerted him to Hae-gang’s return when the garage door swung open. As Woojin descended the stairs, he relieved Hae-gang of the shopping bags.

“I got a call from a manager. Feeling any better?”

“It was improving, then it took a turn for the worse.”

Woojin examined the bags strewn across the table and floor, his brow furrowing.

“What happened?”

“I nearly bumped into my ex-mother-in-law.”

“When you say, mother-in-law,’ you mean Mrs. Moon-Ik Choi.”

Hae-gang nodded. Every time he ventured outside, it felt like an expensive ordeal.

Mrs. Choi cherished her son above all else, and her disdain for Hae-gang was evident throughout her marriage to Geon-ho. Things only improved after a threat that the family would cut ties if she persisted. In their early days as newlyweds, she’d loathed him enough to air her grievances freely.

Just the sight of her brought back a flood of memories, and Hae-gang was on the verge of feeling down, contemplating the money he had just spent. However, Woojin’s voice pulled him from his thoughts.

“So, where’s my gift?”

“Ah, the gift.” Hae-gang looked around and spotted a paper bag, slightly larger than two mugs. He handed it to Woojin, but Woojin simply examined the bag instead of taking it.

“What’s this?”

Rather than responding, Hae-gang gestured for Woojin to open it. Woojin grasped the bag, eventually tearing it open and inspecting the contents with indifference as if the neat packaging left him unimpressed.

“It’s perfume.”

“I feel like I won’t use it much.”

Woojin, studying the jade-colored, translucent bottle, tilted his head at Hae-gang’s words.

“People usually gift perfumes to those who appreciate or are interested in them.”

“Well, that might be true, but not using it is a way of cherishing it, in a sense.”

Having finished his sentence, Hae-gang observed Woojin in front of him.

Woojin chuckled.

His crescent-shaped eyes met Hae-gang’s, and he couldn’t help but inquire, “Why are you smiling like that?”

“Is it strange for me to smile?”

“No, not at all. There must be a reason. I don’t see you smile often.”

Lately, Woojin had been smiling more. He’d smile just at the sight of Hae-gang and smile regardless of what Hae-gang did. It was a noticeable change for someone who didn’t usually smile easily.

As if he hadn’t realized it himself, Woojin shrugged. “If there’s something to laugh about, I laugh. If you don’t do that, you’re not a person; you’re a robot.”

Hae-gang blinked, a sense of deja vu washing over him.

When had he heard something similar to this?

Woojin continued, “I’m glad you thought this way when you bought this, and I’m glad you didn’t resist spending time with my assistants.”

Hae-gang hesitated for a moment. “…I’m not used to being around people, going out, or buying gifts.”

Woojin looked at him thoughtfully. “But aren’t these ordinary, good things?”

Ordinary, good things.

Those words swirled in Hae-gang’s mind. They had felt worlds away not too long ago, but as he followed Woojin’s lead, they began to feel more within reach.

Yes, nothing comes without a price, and Woojin seemed to understand that. Perhaps that’s why he was constantly encouraging Hae-gang to look beyond himself, to engage with the world.

This person truly wished for Hae-gang to have a normal life.

The realization flooded Hae-gang with emotion, and he swallowed the lump in his throat.

This was what genuine affection felt like. It had been so long since he’d experienced it that he had almost forgotten, but this was what complete affection was like.

“Thank you,” Hae-gang said, “I’ll use it sparingly.”

Those were simple words for the head of a large corporation to say, but Hae-gang was more concerned with pleasing Woojin than sounding grand.

Without even checking what was in the paper bag beside him, Hae-gang extended it to Woojin. “This one is for Min Woojin, too.”

“Oh, is there something else?”

“Yes. It’s a unique shirt with special cuffs. And take a look at this. Ah, a tie! I thought they’d suit you well, so I couldn’t resist. And then—”

Hae-gang beamed as he placed one shopping bag after another into Woojin’s arms. “Everything is for Min Woojin.”

“Yours?”

“I got carried away buying them…”

Director Han, known for his eloquence, was surprisingly tongue-tied in front of Woojin. A small, false excuse teetered on Hae-gang’s lips, making them quiver. Woojin, understanding the unspoken truth, lowered his head and brushed Hae-gang’s lips with a light kiss. Their eyes met, and in that fleeting moment of contact, they folded into smiles.

“Let’s go shopping together later.”

Making promises without due consideration wasn’t something Hae-gang took lightly. He hesitated for a moment but couldn’t bring himself to refuse when he saw Woojin’s hopeful gaze. With a small nod, he gathered some of the paper bags strewn about and made his way to the dressing room.

Woojin, too, rose from his seat with a collection of shopping bags in his arms. As his cell phone rested on the table, his body started to tremble. He picked up the phone, noticed the secretary’s name on the screen, and pressed the call button.

“Tell me,” he said.

The secretary’s voice wavered. “It appears TN is planning a charity event, and you’ve received an invitation. Would you like to accept it?”

Woojin sighed, somewhat annoyed. “Why are you asking again? Just send the necessary contribution and decline.”

“But…”

The secretary’s hesitation was evident.

“Considering the guest list that’s circulating discreetly, it might be challenging to decline.”

Woojin clicked his tongue at what the secretary was implying. His name would undoubtedly be on that circulated list, and he knew some people would express their disappointment if he didn’t attend.

After a moment of contemplation, Woojin seemed to make a decision and gave instructions to his secretary. “Tell them I’ll attend. Let’s get socializing.”

****

[You are invited to a sponsorship night hosted by TN. We hope that you will attend and grace the occasion.]

Woojin gazed at the invitation on his table and rubbed the corners of his eyes. The secretary, standing before him, looked down with an air of guilt. In the solemn atmosphere, the ornate invitation card gleamed, reflecting the sunlight.

“What if I skip the most critical part? Should I truly dismiss you this time?” Woojin asked.

“I’m sorry,” the secretary replied, her demeanor suggesting that she was well aware of her own mistake. Woojin would have gladly reprimanded her if it could change anything, but some things were beyond her control.

The text on the invitation was standardized for all recipients, but it was the names that set them apart. The names, written elegantly with a fountain pen, showed how seriously the event organizers took this charity project. This was precisely what made Woojin even more embarrassed, for his name was not the only one treated with such importance.

[Charlie Co., Ltd. [Woojin Min and Ms. Dawn Han.]

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