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Kang Chan had already declined to meet up with Yoo Hun-Woo twice before dinner, yet he still ended up following him to the director's office to meet with Shim Su-Jin’s parents. Not only was he worried about how Su-Jin’s parents felt, but it was also difficult for him to keep ignoring Yoo Hun-Woo when he had already visited him three times.
As Kang Chan followed Yoo Hun-Woo into the director’s office on the eleventh floor, Shim Su-Jin’s parents quickly stood up from the sofa. They still seemed tired, but they now looked lively.
“Kang Chan!”
Shim Su-Jin’s mother walked over to Kang Chan and grabbed his hand. He had a feeling that Yoo Hye-Sook had the same expression as Su-Jin’s mother back when he was confined in the ICU.
Kang Chan was really happy that things had worked out for them.
“Please have a seat.” Yoo Hun-Woo sat in an armchair as he gestured at the sofa for them.
“I hope you’re not upset by Su-Jin not remembering you,” Su-Jin’s mother said.
Kang Chan smiled lightly and told them that it was okay.
“Here you go. I guess you can call me a university professor.” Su-Jin’s father handed over a business card to Kang Chan, which said ‘Shim Min-Deok, Go Jeong University’s Department of Political Science and International Relations.’
“As my wife just said, don’t be too upset.’
“I’m actually glad that she doesn’t remember.”
“Thank you,” Su-Jin’s mother quickly answered, still looking apologetic.
By the time Yoo Hun-Woo’s secretary brought over tea, they had already gone through everything there was to say.
“Drop by the university anytime. In life, when people meet like this, they become support systems for each other,” Su-Jin’s father said, then thanked him.
“I’ll be sure to do that.” Kang Chan felt just as grateful toward them.
“We’re also thinking of going home, which we hadn’t done in a long time. Thanks to you, we’ll finally be able to get a good night’s sleep for the first time in so long. I heard that you’re getting discharged tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
Yoo Hun-Woo quickly butted into the conversation when he saw Kang Chan smiling awkwardly.
“Right, I think enough thanks have gone around. The two of you should head home and get some rest. Don’t worry about anything today and just have a good night’s sleep. Come back during visiting hours tomorrow. Her parents looking well-rested and happy will make things a lot better for Su-Jin as well.”
Su-Jin’s parents stood up and thanked Kang Chan a few more times before leaving the Director’s office.
“Are you satisfied now?” Kang Chan asked.
“Thank you for your hard work,” Yoo Hun-Woo answered with a pleased smile.
“I’m getting discharged tomorrow, but I don’t have any clothes to wear,” Kang Chan said.
“Again?”
“Why ask that when you already know why?”
“Fine. I’ll be happy to prepare clothes for you tomorrow,” Yoo Hun-Woo responded.
“Please prepare clothes for Mr. Seok Kang-Ho as well.”
“Of course!”
When Kang Chan stood up to leave, Yoo Hun-Woo got up and left with him.
“Don’t you have a family?” Kang Chan asked.
“I have a wife beautiful enough to make me speechless, and I also have three gym rats for sons. Why do you ask?”
“Don’t they complain about you working on a Sunday?”
A quick look at bit.ly/3iBfjkV will leave you more fulfilled.
“I made sure my family understands that priests and doctors can’t complain about working on holidays, especially when I started treating people in secret.”
Yoo Hun-Woo talked as if he had been firm with his family, but from what Kang Chan saw, it was more likely that he had slyly persuaded them.
***
The next morning, Kang Chan and Seok Kang-Ho changed into the clothes Yoo Hun-Woo had bought for them, then dropped by the specialty coffee shop at the intersection.
“The weather is amazing,” Seok Kang-Ho commented.
“Is it because it's already autumn? The landscape is definitely picturesque. Get a table on the terrace. I’ll buy coffee.”
Kang Chan bought two cups of coffee and headed back outside.
“Do you have all of the previous Seok Kang-Ho’s memories?” Kang Chan asked, then took a sip of his coffee. He suddenly wanted to look properly into what he could remember.
“Apparently so. You also think it’s strange, don’t you? Don’t you think it makes no sense that I understand and speak Korean? It’s been this way since I reincarnated, though, so I’ve gotten used to it.”
Actually, everything, including Dayeru being able to speak Korean, didn’t make any sense.
“I also inherited the emotions of this body’s previous owner. Since I know his past, my wife and daughter are less suspicious of me. Remember when I had a housewarming party? I knew all my relatives and even all my colleagues who visited our house,” Seok Kang-Ho continued.
Kang Chan glanced at Seok Kang-Ho.
That seemed to be the reason why Seok Kang-Ho sometimes looked deep in thought.
“It’s already worrisome that Vasili is paying us a visit, but that fucker named Xavier could still be in South Korea as well. The United Kingdom and the United States are also getting involved, which is unusual, so be extra careful for the time being,” Kang Chan said.
“I don’t even want to go out, but let’s at least visit Misari once a day. I feel like I’d die from frustration and lack of activity if I do nothing but lie around at home.”
“Alright.”
They stood up and left after smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee for a bit.
Kang Chan didn’t notice it when they were in the hospital, but Seok Kang-Ho seemed uncomfortable whenever he moved. It was especially noticeable when he was getting in the taxi.
After they parted ways in front of the apartment, Kang Chan immediately went up to his apartment. As soon as he unlocked the door and headed inside…
“Channy!” Yoo Hye-Sook delightedly greeted Kang Chan.
“You didn’t go to work?” Kang Chan asked.
“You said you were coming home today, so I didn’t! I wanted to see you before I head out. What’s wrong with your hand?”
“Just a small wound. The doctor said it should be fully healed by the end of this week.”
“You should be more careful. Does it hurt a lot?” Yoo Hye-Sook asked.
This was their first time seeing each other since Yoo Hye-Sook got attacked, which was perhaps why she still looked and sounded awkward.
Kang Chan walked toward her and embraced her. Whenever they hugged like this, Kang Chan could tuck her head under his chin.
“Are you okay?” Kang Chan asked again.
“Of course. You’re protecting me.”
Kang Chan smiled a bit as Yoo Hye-Sook stroked his back.
What more had to be said? When they were upset or couldn’t properly convey their feelings, hugging was the best.
“I made you upset, didn’t I?” Yoo Hye-Sook asked.
“It’s okay—you were very startled.”
“I was.”
Kang Chan put down his arms.
“Channy, do you want some fruit?” Yoo Hye-Sook asked again.
“Yes, I’d like some.”
Noticing that Yoo Hye-Sook wanted to say something, Kang Chan sat down at the table. Yoo Hye-Sook took out a melon from the fridge, sliced them to make them easier to eat, then peeled them.
“The employees told me that they couldn’t have protected me and that one or two of them could have been injured if it weren’t for you. Here you go!” Yoo Hye-Sook took a slice of melon using a fork and handed it to Kang Chan. “I also heard that because of the Eurasian Rail, some countries are trying to stop you by sending people to assassinate me and your dad. And I’ve also been told that you’ve done your best to prevent them from doing so. Eat up, Channy.”
“Please eat with me.”
“I’ll eat after I peel this.”
Kang Chan couldn’t do anything else but start eating when he saw Yoo Hye-Sook’s expression.
“Your dad and I will also become stronger. We decided to keep our chin up so that we won’t be a distraction to you while you’re working hard for the country,” Yoo Hye-Sook continued.
Is she hiding something?
Kang Chan noticed Yoo Hye-Sook looked proud. He was curious, but he had trouble asking her about it.
“All of our employees decided to stay in the company. They said that South Korea will become very well-off when the Eurasian Rail gets connected… Why are you looking at me like that?” Yoo Hye-Sook asked when she noticed his smile.
“Mother, you met someone, didn’t you?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Phuhu, you do know it’s obvious when you lie, right? You and Father are really bad at lying.”
“Is it really that obvious?” Yoo Hye-Sook asked.
“Yes.”
Kang Chan took a fork to get another slice of the melon, then handed it to Yoo Hye-Sook.
“Pretend you didn’t notice anything. Your dad and I have decided to keep it a secret,” Yoo Hye-Sook said.
“Alright. Please eat up.”
Yoo Hye-Sook accepted the fork and ate the slice of melon.
“If it brings you too much trouble, I can quit working for the country now,” Kang Chan said.
“Mrmph!” Yoo Hye-Sook’s answer came out weird because of the fruit in her mouth. She quickly swallowed the fruit, then said, “Do whatever makes you happy, not what your dad and I want. There are a lot of things we don’t know much about because we’ve been living normal lives. That’s why it’s taking us some time to get used to this, but all I really want and hope for is that you’re not doing anything dangerous.”
Yoo Hye-Sook then looked at Kang Chan’s left hand. She was clearly hiding the fact that she felt bad for him and was trying to overcome it.
Similar to how Yoo Hun-Woo had persuaded Kang Chan not to switch hospitals, someone had really persuaded Yoo Hye-Sook.
They shouldn’t make a decision right now, so Kang Chan just said, “Alright.”
“Don’t you have to go to work?” Kang Chan asked.
“I do. I actually have a car I can use to go to and from work now.”
What’s she talking about?
“Your dad bought it for me so I can visit places with the two female employees.”
“That’s amazing.” Kang Chan meant what he said. Their security guards didn’t have to keep up a disguise anymore, and above all else, Yoo Hye-Sook would be in much less danger once she had accepted them.
“I'll go to work after lunch,” Yoo Hye-Sook said.
Since it was about 11 am, Kang Chan agreed that it was a good idea.
After eating enough fruits, Kang Chan headed to the bathroom to take a shower.
Kang Chan took off his clothes and noticed that some of his new wounds were still red. Every part of his body had been either wounded or scarred in a knife fight. Although he doubted Kang Dae-Kyung and Yoo Hye-Sooj would go to a swimming pool any time soon, he thought he wouldn’t be able to join them.
Kang Chan felt as if he was on top of the world after his shower. It had been a while since he had been able to take one.