Chapter 23.1

Chapter 23.1

“I’m not sure where he went, but he received a phone call earlier and left in a hurry. Try calling him.”

Heeju bowed her head slightly to the man and turned away. The man also nodded briefly before putting his earphones back in.

She took out her phone and called Sungang’s number, but there was no answer, only the ringing tone. He told her not to wander around alone, but seeing as he disappeared without a word, it seemed like something urgent had come up.

If she had known this would happen, it would have been easier to go straight to her room from the study without having to struggle back while breathing in dusty air. She had only wasted her energy by going back and forth for nothing.

She trudged towards the entrance to return to the mansion. But then, someone called out to Heeju, stopping her.

“Oh? Excuse me. Stop for a moment.”

Turning around, she saw a man she had never seen before walking out from the kitchen area, carrying several bottles of alcohol in his hands.

“Are you perhaps the Executive Director Kwon’s new personal doctor?”

Instead of answering, Heeju looked at the bottles of alcohol the man was holding and the bag he had slung over his shoulder. Could he possibly be a petty thief who came to steal from a gang’s hideout?

“Ah, Executive Director Kwon and I are like brothers. I used to live here too. I came to visit after a long time, but it seems Executive Director Kwon will be late getting home, so I thought I’d have these as snacks while waiting.”

The man shook the bottles of alcohol towards Heeju. When Heeju didn’t erase the wariness from her face, the man chuckled and put on a friendly expression.

“I’m Yoon Seokchan. You can call me Director Yoon. Though you won’t see me around much.”

“…Yes, hello.”

“I was a bit surprised to hear that Executive Director Kwon had changed doctors. I know Dr. Hwang quite well. He’s been with us for a long time, and on top of that, the new doctor is a young woman. It’s not like Executive Director Kwon.”

“I’m only working for five months.”

“Perfect timing, then. There’s someone outside who’s slightly injured; come with me and take a look at their wound.”

“Excuse me? What…”

Yoon Seokchan gathered the bottles of alcohol he had been holding in both hands into one hand and grabbed Heeju’s shoulder. Contrary to his scholarly appearance, his grip was strong. If he was like a brother to Kwon Gukhyun, that meant he was a gangster, so perhaps it was only natural.

As he opened the back door and went outside, vapor filled the surroundings. The sounds of sticky music and people could be heard. The hazy vapor, like smoke, was rising from a spacious jacuzzi large enough to fit at least ten people.

Yoon Seokchan released Heeju’s shoulder only after approaching the jacuzzi. A man with his head tilted back was sitting on the edge of the jacuzzi with his bottom perched on the upper part, only his feet immersed in the water as if he were enjoying a foot bath. Between the man’s legs, a woman in a bikini was moving her head back and forth, buried in his c1r0tch.

Judging from the hazy outlines of people beyond the vapor, it seemed that three or four people were enjoying an open-air bath, but no one paid attention to Seokchan and Heeju.

Rich bubbles floated on the surface of the water. As people moved, the foamy water rippled and splashed, pouring out of the jacuzzi.

Heeju, thinking she had seen something she shouldn’t have, turned her body around. However, before she could even take a step, her wrist was grabbed.

“Sorry, sorry. My apologies. Please understand. He’s not usually like this, but he didn’t know we had a guest. Because of the steam and the music. You can tell he’s out of it right now.”

Yoon Seokchan waved his hand through the steam and pulled Heeju’s wrist, seating her on a sunbed. A heater was on under the parasol, making the surrounding air hot and stuffy.

Seokchan placed all the bottles of alcohol and the bag he had brought on the table. Then, raising his voice, he shouted,

“Giju, I’ve brought a doctor. I heard you got hurt earlier.”

Something moved beyond the steam, and the music that had been echoing near the jacuzzi suddenly stopped.

“Huh? What did you say?”

“I said I brought a doctor. Apparently, she’s Executive Director Kwon’s new personal doctor. You were really curious about her, weren’t you?”

“Oh? Really?”

The man who had a woman hanging on his c1r0tch stood up abruptly. Waves rippled in the jacuzzi, and the bubbles around the man’s standing spot scattered in all directions. The man pulled up his triangular swimsuit, straightened it out, and stepped out of the jacuzzi.

He grabbed a gown hanging nearby, draped it over his shoulders, and tied the knot at his waist as he walked to the front of the sunbed. His personality could be read in his gait; he was extremely arrogant.