Tensegrity

Instead of parking the car in front of the building, Executive Director Min ventured into the underground parking lot. He swallowed the words ‘You don’t have to’.

Not only did Director Min drop him off, he dared to stop the car and get off with Jun-Kyung. Then, he pulled something out of the trunk. The heavy thing in the paper bag was nothing but porridge. Occasionally, he brought porridge on madam’s errand, so he recognized it quickly.

“You must feel sick. Take this and eat it.”

“Thank you so much for everything”.

“If you are so grateful, I will continue to…”

“Yes?”

Continue to what in the future? Director Min, who met his gaze, turned around instead of finishing them.

“……Please take good care of me, Jun-kyung Ho.”

Executive Director Min held out his hand. Jun-kyung quickly grabbed his hand. Director Min lightly grabbed his hand and released it then put his hand straight into his trouser pocket.

The business seems to be over, but Executive Director Min did not move at all. Jun-kyung paused for a moment, then gathered up the courage.

“Then I’ll go up.”

As he bowed his head and turned around, Executive Director Min grabbed Jun-kyung.

“Ho Jun-kyung, wait a minute.”

“Do you have anything to say?”

“Let me just ask you one thing to confirm.”

Jun-Kyung waited patiently for the question.

“I know what happened and who the person is. Of course, I didn’t know it on purpose.”

It was an uncomfortable topic, but it wasn’t entirely unexpected. He couldn’t raise his eyes, so he lowered his eyes.

“It was consensual, right?”

Is it consensual? If it was consensual, would he have taken the drug? However, it was vague to say that it was not consensual.

He can’t say for sure without any memories.

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“I don’t remember.”

He answered honestly. It was a courtesy to the person who saved his life and made many efforts. Executive Director Min quietly waited for his elaboration.

“I drank too much. It’s because I was embarrassed that I took the drug. I didn’t mean to die in particular, so you don’t have to worry about that.

“I don’t know what your worries are, but I understand.”

Whether there was an answer or not, Executive Director Min did not ask any further questions. Returning to the car, he opened the driver’s door and threw his gaze to the side again.

“As I said before, I didn’t tell anyone about Ho Jun-kyung’s private life. It would be better to contact my mother separately.”

“Yes.”

“Well then, take a rest.”

“Good-bye.”

Executive director Min’s sedan immediately left the parking lot. He thought Director Min would insist on taking the porridge to his house, so he was a bit relieved.

He returned to his small studio with a tired body. It was not much different from when he came back from Min Hyun-woo’s house.

The only difference is the foot prints on the floor. He thought it was a thief at first, but then remembered that the door lock was intact. It was probably left by the footprints from 911 members.

He changed into comfortable clothes and wiped the floor with a wet tissue. Immediately after, he collapsed onto the bed. He slept the whole time in the hospital, but he was still sleepy.

He thought he closed his eyes briefly, but it was already afternoon. He was hungry.

While eating the porridge that Director Min gave me, his eyes went to the clothes that Director Min had bought. For the past three days, after all sorts of fuss and fuss, somehow the energy for anger disappeared.

It was not consensual, but it was also difficult to say that it was forced. There’s no evidence. He doesn’t know in other countries, but in this country, his claim will not be recognized.

While eating the cold porridge, he thought carefully about his situation and the damage he suffered. He was young and had a drink.

On the contrary, there is a possibility that he will be pointed at for having seduced the son of a chaebol family. People like to speculate about the background of the people involved rather than the known facts given the circumstances.

Just imagining that made him vomit.

What if he was really forced? If he defined himself as a victim and tried to get back, only Jun-kyung would suffer in this beggar world.

After eating half of the porridge, he turned on his phone. Before the dog-like guy called again, he quickly found the number and blocked it.

After a while, he took a breath and sent a long message to his wife. He said he was feeling better, and that he would go to work tomorrow.

I will meet you and give you more details.

The call came right away.

“Yes, madam.”

—Are you okay now?

“Yes”

—I was worried. Director Min said you were taking a break.

“Sorry for worrying you.”

-No. Health comes first.

He almost cried at the friendly worries.

—Hyun-Woo was looking for you. Is there something wrong?

Shit. He couldn’t help cussing for a moment.

“No, everything is fine.”

Inwardly, he admired himself for responding casually.

—Well then, I’m glad. Can you come tomorrow or would you like a few more days off?

“No, I will go to work tomorrow.”

-Okay. Then take a good rest today.

“Yes. Thank you, madam. See you tomorrow.”

He said goodbye and hung up the phone. Anyway, if he’s meeting madam tomorrow, there is a high probability of seeing Min Hyun-woo’s face as well.

In order to cope with the coming stress, it is better to replenish his energy sufficiently. He ate up all the remaining porridge.

After he warmed up with some light stretches and took a hot bath. That alone quickly exhaust him because his head is in a mess.

As he went back to bed, he cleared his dizzying thoughts one by one. Junkyung wasn’t the type to drag his thoughts for a long time. He contemplates deeply within a short period of time, and once decided, pushes forward. The brief thought was over, and he hardened his mind just before he fell asleep.

***

As soon as he got to work, the aunt, who was working on housework, greeted him first. Seeing that his face was thin, she was worried.

 “Really? I am not sure”, Jun-Kyung said while joking around that he didn’t believe her. Madam came out.

“Junkyung-ah.”

Jun-kyung bowed as soon as he saw her. She was examining him from the top to the bottom to see if he has any bruises.

“You’re not sick anymore, are you?”

“No, but madam, I have something to tell you.”

“Really? All right. Auntie, please prepare a cup of coffee for me and for Junkyung a jujube tea. with honey.”

He entered the small study room madam usually used. There were various books, handcrafts, amateur paintings, and even Buddhist scriptures. It was a space full of humanity.

“So what’s the matter?”

“It’s nothing, but…”

It was a decision already made, but it was difficult for him to actually open his mouth. While he was hesitating, the kitchen aunt brought out tea. He took a sip of hot jujube tea. It felt like his stuffy throat was relieved by adding honey.

“I’m sorry, but I think I will have to quit my job.”

“What, why?” Madam’s attitude changed all at once. Instead of scolding, her concerns deepened.

“It is difficult to give details.”

“Did I upset you?”

“No, never. Madam was so nice to me”.

This time, it wasn’t the hypocritical answer caused by the woe of an office worker, but 100% sincerity. He shook his head and vehemently denied no.

“It is entirely my personal matter. I think I’ll have to rest for a while.”

“Why all of a sudden?”

Madam, who was pondering over it, suddenly said, “Maybe you…did you hear anything bad from the hospital during your break?”

The concern in the somewhat enraged voice was sincere, worried that Jun-Kyung had cancer or a serious illness similar to that. Jun-kyung reassured her again and again that it was absolutely not the case.

“But why? Without saying a word, I’m about to be upset. Is it because of the salary?”

“No. That’s not the problem. Really, just personal matter, I have something to take a break from.”

“Did Hyun-Woo bother you? You went with Hyun-Woo the other day. Did something happen?”

He spoke as calmly as he practiced, but madam didn’t erase her doubt.

“It looks like Hyun-Woo was bothering you. I should’ve known him from the moment he looked for you and kept making calls he hadn’t made before. I thought you two were good friends. I wasn’t considerate. I won’t let that happen again.”

“No, really.”

“Then don’t say you’re going to quit. Instead, rest until you feel better. How about for a month?”

“Madam.”

“No, take a break for two months. If you want to quit after two months, let’s talk again, okay?”

Jun-Kyung couldn’t say anything anymore.

A month at the earliest until a replacement is decided. It usually takes more than that. It is party because it is difficult to find a person with tight lips who will not be affected by looking into the private life of the chaebol.

Madam was very picky about keeping people close. It was within the normal range that he had to endure for about two months.

Looking back, madam did nothing wrong. He couldn’t hide his apologetic look and had even received considerations beyond his means, so it was not polite to keep insisting.

“Thank you.”

“What are you thankful for? I am the one who’s selfish because I didn’t want to miss Jun-Kyung”.

After the conversation, madam told him to go inside and rest. She added that she has someone to replace Jun-kyung for the time being so don’t worry about it and rest well.

“Thanks to you, I’m less awkward with Executive Director Min, and I know a little bit about what that son of mine is up to. Up until this point, there have been many assistants, but no one has been as good as Junkyung. So, if you make up your mind, be sure to contact me even if it’s not after two months.”

It wasn’t even hard effort, but Madam was especially grateful to Jun-Kyung, so he felt even more grateful.

He bowed his head without realizing it.

“By the way, Jun-Kyung, wait a minute. Don’t go right away.”