I Possessed a Terminally Ill Omega - Episode 194
I Possessed a Terminally Ill Omega – Episode 194
The sturdy man followed Seo I-kyung hurriedly, looking troubled. He hesitated whether to call his colleague who had gone to the bathroom, holding his phone. Seo I-kyung was indeed walking towards the end of the hospital corridor at a very slow pace, with his hand in a cast.
The man looked back. Several days had passed since he started guarding the hospital room entrance. So he could understand Seo I-kyung’s claim about feeling stuffy in there.
But soon he regretted it bitterly. Because he encountered Han Seung-jae getting off the elevator. The attending physician beside him spoke, seemingly startled:
“Why, why are you out?”
Before Seo I-kyung could say anything, Han Seung-jae flicked his fingertips. Secretary Park led the attending physician and the sturdy man away.
Seo I-kyung listened to the fading footsteps. Han Seung-jae asked:
“What are you doing here?”
The implied meaning of “here” referred to in front of the elevator. Coincidentally, Seo I-kyung had encountered him in front of the elevator. It wouldn’t be strange if it looked like he was about to escape on it. However, Seo I-kyung raised his hand and pointed to a window further down.
“I was just going to walk to there and come back.”
If he said he came out because the room was stuffy, Han Seung-jae would tell him to go home. So Seo I-kyung murmured, omitting that part. Han Seung-jae followed Seo I-kyung’s fingertip to look at the end of the hospital corridor. There was nothing there.
“Are you asking me to believe that?”
“If you can’t believe it, there’s nothing I can do.”
Seo I-kyung continued walking. He could feel the gaze following his back. He couldn’t not know when it was Han Seung-jae looking. The sensation of being thoroughly scanned from head to toe. However, judging by the lack of footsteps, Han Seung-jae was still standing in the same place.
Seo I-kyung, who had slowly walked to the end of the hospital corridor, turned around. He didn’t stop walking as he looked at Han Seung-jae still in the same spot.
It was when Seo I-kyung was about to pass by Han Seung-jae. Han Seung-jae turned in the same direction and started walking.
Seo I-kyung entered the hospital room, passing by the door held by the attending physician. Meanwhile, the sturdy man who had returned after being away bowed to Han Seung-jae with a stiff expression.
Seo I-kyung could understand their bewilderment. There was still time left before Han Seung-jae was supposed to come. Seo I-kyung fiddled with the pocket watch in his hospital gown pocket.
Recently, Han Seung-jae had been visiting the hospital room at the same time. As if it were an appointment. But today he was earlier than usual.
Seo I-kyung got into bed, pulling up the disheveled blanket. Han Seung-jae, who had been watching this, walked over and sat in the chair.
“Have you been going out like this every day?”
Seo I-kyung’s hand, which had been needlessly smoothing the blanket, paused for a moment. But soon he pulled the blanket up to his waist.
“I was just being stubborn.”
Seo I-kyung judged that given Han Seung-jae’s nature, he wouldn’t leave the people outside alone. Then he quickly added:
“Seon-yoo said he couldn’t come. Is that related to you too?”
Seo I-kyung had been exchanging messages with Jin Seon-yoo. Normally, Jin Seon-yoo would have visited every day, but he kept saying he couldn’t come to the hospital. He said it was because of his older brother, but Seo I-kyung wondered if it might be Han Seung-jae preventing Jin Seon-yoo from coming to the hospital. It seemed quite possible and likely in many ways.
Han Seung-jae stared blankly at Seo I-kyung, then stood up from his seat. His eyes narrowed deeply. He looked down at Seo I-kyung and opened his mouth.
“I was on my way to meet Executive Director Jin and just stopped by briefly. When I meet him, I’ll ask about the reason. Does that answer your question?”
To Seo I-kyung, Han Seung-jae’s words sounded like he was saying, “Does that answer your suspicion?”
With that, Han Seung-jae left the hospital room.
As soon as he heard the door close, Seo I-kyung exhaled deeply, as if releasing the tension from his body that had been trying to appear nonchalant. Then he slowly turned his head to stare at the screen.
‘If you were going to leave so quickly.’
He couldn’t understand why Han Seung-jae had come.
Han Seung-jae had mostly been coming to the hospital morning and evening. While Seo I-kyung didn’t understand this, he found himself harboring expectations. But sometimes, only Secretary Park would come instead of him. He would just hand over the food made by the chef to the attending physician and leave. Every time Seo I-kyung watched the attending physician enter with shopping bags full in both hands, he felt his needless expectations crumbling miserably.
If only he wouldn’t give rise to such pointless expectations…
***
Sangaru.
As the sedan stopped, Secretary Park, who got out of the passenger seat, opened the back door.
“You’ve arrived, Director Han. The two of them came earlier and are waiting.”
The manager who had been guiding them from the entrance opened the door. Han Seung-jae entered through the open door. As the manager had said, Executive Director Jin Tae-won was drinking from a glass. Jin Seok-young was seated next to him.
Han Seung-jae walked over and sat opposite them. Han Seung-jae had postponed his appointment with Jin Seok-young several times. That must be why Jin Seok-young’s expression was so grim.
Executive Director Jin Tae-won picked up a white bottle of alcohol. As he filled Han Seung-jae’s glass, he looked at Jin Seok-young. Jin Seok-young then picked up the glass in front of him, gulped down the alcohol, stood up, and left through the door.
Han Seung-jae picked up the glass in front of him and drank. Jin Tae-won lit a cigarette. A strange atmosphere flowed between the two.
Although they met under the pretext of just drinking, both knew this wasn’t just a drinking occasion.
Jin Tae-won blew out cigarette smoke.
“Since Director Han seemed busy, I’ve taken care of Vice President Seo’s side.”
Jin Tae-won had been busy cleaning up Vice President Seo’s affairs. He had even found and handed over the person who stabbed Seo Dong-hu’s side with a knife. It was someone who had met Seo Dong-hu at a gambling den and held a deep grudge against him. He said Seo Dong-hu was already bleeding from his face when they met, but no one believed him.
“It seems he had more enemies than expected. Given his temperament, it’s understandable. You’ve experienced it too, right, Director Han?”
Jin Tae-won, who had uttered these strange words, emptied the glass in front of him in one go with the cigarette between his fingers. Only Jin Tae-won seemed to understand the implication that Seo Dong-hu was already bleeding from his face. However, while there was circumstantial evidence, there was no concrete proof.
That circumstantial evidence was just that Director Han had been quieter than anyone else during this time. The Director Han that Jin Tae-won knew would have found Seo Dong-hu before Jin Seok-young and paid him back in kind, but he had been too quiet. So it was suspicious. But what kind of evidence was that?
Jin Tae-won didn’t want to get entangled with Director Han over this matter anymore. Han Seung-jae’s mood would already be twisted because of the wound on Seo I-kyung’s body that wouldn’t disappear, and he didn’t want to reignite a conflict that was dying down.
“I’ll make sure no articles or anything come out, and wrap this up cleanly.”
The implication was that he would ensure no more harm came to Seo I-kyung. And as he watched Han Seung-jae drink strong alcohol continuously, Jin Tae-won stubbed out his cigarette.
He recalled the conversation he had with Jin Seok-young in the car on the way to Sangaru.
―Is this really what Seo I-kyung wants?
Jin Tae-won shook the envelope Jin Seok-young had handed him back and forth. Originally, Jin Tae-won was going to send a painting as a gift for the baby. But Jin Seok-young, who had heard from Jin Seon-yoo, had handed over this thin envelope.
―Seon-yoo said there’s a painting by some French artist hanging in Seo I-kyung’s studio.
The artist’s name couldn’t have been “some.” Moreover, Seon-yoo must have said it clearly. When Jin Tae-won looked at him with a pathetic gaze, Jin Seok-young blurted out:
―The name was incredibly long. And he’s originally someone who likes Seo I-kyung’s paintings. Director Han must have bought it for him, so how good must that painting be? Seon-yoo said he saw that painting himself. He said there’s no point in bringing something mediocre. And he persuaded me that there’s no benefit in overlapping with things sent by others.
Finishing his recollection, Jin Tae-won picked up the document envelope he had placed on one side of the table. The Chae-eon Foods logo was embossed on the surface.
“And this is a congratulatory gift.”
As if changing the topic from the unpleasant conversation, Jin Tae-won pushed the envelope towards Han Seung-jae.
“Give it to Seo I-kyung.”
Han Seung-jae’s cold gaze turned as he was picking up his glass. He slowly brought the glass to his lips, drank, and then picked up the envelope with the Chae-eon Foods logo.
Inside the envelope were a few thin sheets of paper. Han Seung-jae murmured as he scanned the words written at the top with his eyes.
“Whose work is this?”
Jin Tae-won lit a cigarette and spoke. Someone said.
“That Seo I-kyung wants this.”
Han Seung-jae’s brow furrowed immediately. That someone must already be known to Han Seung-jae. It must be the same person Seo I-kyung was talking about in the hospital.
Han Seung-jae slammed the envelope down on the table. A car contract slipped out. It seems Jin Seon-yoo really intends to help Seo I-kyung escape.