“I accepted you. No matter how much I deny it, you are my son. But you shouldn’t be a thorn in my side just to protect someone else.”
This was the reason why Kang Yi-heum was able to manipulate Kang Ha-jun as he pleased. Kang Ha-jun had always regarded Kang I-heum as his father, so he did everything he was told and obeyed him obediently.
Therefore, today, Kang Yi-heum once again brought up the old incident to him.
Meeting Kang Ha-jun again wasn’t my will… … .
“That’s why we’re face to face like this. “It’s all thanks to you for accepting me.”
“Yes, this guy… … .”
Due to the sarcastic tone, Kang I-heum’s eyes became fierce as if they would pierce Kang Ha-jun. But Kang Ha-jun didn’t really care. On the contrary, she was extremely comfortable compared to before.
“The day I visited again, I think the events of that day still provide a strong source of support to my father.”
Kang Ha-jun smiled softly. He also did not deny that it was the day that I voluntarily placed my leash in Kang I-heum’s hands.
I didn’t know that the rope was rotten.
“It would be a mistake to think that this incident exploited my weakness.”
Even though the job failed, I had nothing to do with it. If it was an aide, I was planning on cutting it off from the beginning, so I took care of everything.
“That’s okay.”
Kang Ha-jun handed over a small USB stick the size of a finger to Kang I-heum.
“Because it’s here again.”
“… … .”
“It’s a ledger.”
Kang Yi-heum only looked at Kang Ha-jun’s simple answer and did not listen. It was his pride that kept him from taking the USB, as if he was stung by the mention of it as a ledger.
“It lists the repayments we have received in relation to redevelopment.”
“this guy!”
Kang Yi-heum suddenly started to grow angry.
“Getting so angry doesn’t change what’s inside. This is a copy. I have the real one. “This is the money my father received while working as a member of the National Assembly, and the source will also be written down.”
Kang Yi-heum, who was about to get angry, kept his mouth shut, but then changed his tone.
“If you want permission to get married, you shouldn’t make threats like this.”
“Then will you allow it?”
Kang Ha-jun expressed pure curiosity. Without hiding the fact that it was actually nothing more than a sarcastic comment towards Kang Yi-heum.
Kang Yi-heum frowned as if he recognized the hidden meaning behind Kang Ha-jun’s words.
“I’m telling you not to use this as an excuse to argue about your marriage any more.”
“no.”
Kang Ha-jun firmly drew a line.
“Since I came to you and called you father, I will also decide that our relationship is over as of today.”
“Kang Ha-jun!”
“Think of messing with Haneul as ending your political career. Please note that this ledger cannot be prevented from being released. “I’m just giving it to you in advance because you might be curious about what the content will be like.”
It was time for Kang Ha-jun to get up after saying everything he wanted to say. Angry, the river that went all the way to his head was scratched and he raised his hand towards Kang Ha-Jun.
The hand that was about to hit his face stopped in the middle in vain.
“It means that I am done with being beaten.”
Kang Ha-jun let go of Kang I-heum’s hand that he had grabbed.
“Do you know what you are doing?”
he stuttered excitedly.
“I know very well. “Maybe I’ve been waiting for this moment.”
“what?”
While Kang Yi-heum frowned, Kang Ha-jun was expressionless, just like the first time. Rather, he summed up the current situation in a casual tone.
“I know you were looking for me.”
Kang I-heum’s eyes narrowed at Kang Ha-jun’s sudden words. As I was looking at Kang Ha-jun’s face to see what he was going to say, the next words came out.
“You’re probably wondering whether I saw it or not. So you went out to catch me. “That night.”
As Kang Ha-jun’s words continued, Kang I-heum’s eyes widened as he realized what he was talking about.
“I hid in the slide all night, thinking and thinking. “Is it true what happened to me, and what should I do next?”
What Kang Ha-jun is talking about was the night his mother died. He ran away because he happened to see her mother dead that day and saw her mouth telling him to go away.
The place he would hide at a young age was the playground where he often went to play with his mother. He hid inside the cylindrical slide, filled with fear and holding his breath for fear that his father might catch him.
“you… … .”
Before I knew it, Kang Yi-heum’s excitement was suppressed, and words came out of his teeth as if the wind had been knocked out.
“Do you think I will fall apart because of something like this?”
“If this ledger is the end, it won’t collapse.”
“what?”
Kang I-heum was taken aback by the meaningful words, and Kang Ha-jun’s eyes lit up as if he was having fun.
“We’ll see how we get out of it. Very, very enjoyable.”
That was the punishment Kang Ha-jun gave to Kang I-heum.
“Kang Ha-jun!”
Kang I-heum stretched out his hand to grab Kang Ha-jun by the collar. However, he had already stepped back and immediately left the director’s office, and his aide rushed into his place.
“Rep. Kang.”
Kang Ha-jun smiled bitterly as he read the nervousness in the aide’s voice coming from inside the room. I missed Eunyul.
* * *
Eun-yul waited for Kang Ha-jun. But when he didn’t come until late at night, even though he said he would come soon, my anxiety rose up to my throat.
“I don’t think something is going on.”
I paced around in place, forgetting everything he told me not to worry about. He kept thinking about all sorts of things, and even after shaking his head to shake the thoughts away, he sighed.
“If I had known it would be like this, I would have followed along.”
Eunyul ruffled her hair and tried to express regret, but it was already too late.
Eventually, he stopped moving around in his seat and slumped down in his chair. And he took one look at the door where Haneul was sleeping and covered his face with both hands. His trembling fingertips showed that his condition had not yet calmed down.
It was all because it happened in broad daylight.
“Whoa.”
Just thinking about it made my heart contract and sweat poured out.
It was time to go home after sports day. When Kang Ha-jun, who was approaching after finishing his conversation with Hyun Je-ha, made eye contact, he smiled.
I thought that smile that resembled Haneul’s was refreshing. While he thought that it was not enough to capture it with his eyes and that he wanted to see it every day, his smile disappeared like a mirage.
At the same time, Eunyul saw Kang Ha-jun running towards her and covered Haneul. It wasn’t like he found something suspicious. I just watched the urgent look in his eyes and without realizing it, I wrapped my arms around the child.
In an instant, I felt goosebumps all over my body from the huge impact I felt on my back and arms. I felt dizzy thinking that if I had been just a little late, this shock would have gone to Haneul.
He held the small body tightly in his arms and turned his head. To check what happened… … .
〈Mr. Hajun?〉
The moment I realized that the stumbling back belonged to a man I saw every day, I immediately realized what had happened.
I knew who I had bumped into when Kang Ha-jun handed me an apology without looking back. While covering Haneul, Eunyul was unable to completely avoid Kang Hajun to the side and collided with him who was trying to block her path.
The reason that happened was because of the masked person that Kang Ha-jun faced behind him.
Covered from head to toe, he was confronting Kang Ha-jun with a weapon.
He covered Haneul’s eyes as he spoke out of frustration. Because I couldn’t show the weapon in the man’s hand.
〈Seong Eun-yul.〉
Hyun Je-ha came closer and hugged Haneul. Hyun Je-ha said, burying Haneul’s face in the crook of her neck to prevent him from looking at the man.
〈Go to the restaurant.〉
The closest place to escape the current situation was a restaurant. However, Eunyul did not lose his footing.
〈What about Mr. Hajun?〉
How can I go straight to the restaurant when the man is holding a weapon in front of me? So Eun-yul pushed Hyeon Je-ha.
〈You go to the restaurant while the sky is holding you. I’ll take Ha-jun with me.〉
I don’t know what happened, but I knew that it was an urgent situation where Kang Ha-jun might get hurt. Hyun Je-ha quickly looked around and nodded.
〈Hyuk will be here soon. until then… … be careful.>
Hyun Jae-ha left the scene after expressing his concern for Eun-yul, and right after, people started screaming as if it were a lie.
〈Kyaaa!〉
〈Call the police!〉
Hearing the people’s urgent cries, Eun-yul looked at Kang Ha-jun and was shocked. He was seen barely avoiding the man’s attack. He clenched his fist, but the weapon passed by Kang Ha-jun’s body, which was not extended, just in the nick of time, as if it were about to touch him.
〈Hajun… … .〉
Eunyul stopped calling to him. Eun-yul was afraid that her voice might distract him and cause him to get hurt, so she bit her lower lip to keep her voice from coming out. Meanwhile, a weapon passed through Kang Ha-jun’s shoulder again.
The situation was so bad that it was hard to see. Since the fight was not limited to just fist fights, I was trembling with fear as I didn’t know when a weapon would stab Kang Ha-jun’s body. The urge to get in between them right away consumed my entire body.
However, Eunyul knew that my intervention would not help at all, so she just stamped her feet and looked around. I felt like my heart would break if I just watched it like this.
