"President," Secretary Min approached cautiously, his voice respectful but laced with an urgency that couldn't be ignored. He paused just a few feet away, careful not to interrupt too abruptly. "The Vice Chairman informed us that his arrival will be delayed for a few days. He mentioned that Andrew was in an accident... and asked us to proceed with the meeting without him."
Youn-Jae didn't look up from his device. His face remained an unreadable mask, eyes scanning the screen, fingers effortlessly swiping through the data as if the news hadn't registered. "Alright," he replied, his voice steady, too calm for the gravity of the situation. His fingers didn't stop scrolling. His posture remained rigid, detached. It was as if the words hadn't even grazed the surface of his consciousness.
Secretary Min hesitated. He knew well that the news of Andrew's accident should have had more of an impact. But Youn-Jae had always been unreadable since the incident three years ago.
Since then, Youn-Jae had been forced to relinquish control of the main branch to his brother. The decision had sparked considerable controversy, especially with the Chairman, who had strongly opposed it. But Youn-Jae had been broken—his mind fractured, drowning in alcohol and sleepless nights, haunted by the memories of Ji-Won's departure. Unable to watch his son self-destruct, the Chairman had taken charge and sent Youn-Jae to Germany for treatment. It was the Chairman who stayed there for three years, overseeing Youn-Jae's recovery under constant supervision. During that time, his brother had seized the opportunity to consolidate power and take control. Youn-Jae had been cast into the shadows, a forgotten figure, slowly trying to piece himself back together, though it remained uncertain whether he would ever fully heal.
"Don't you want to know what caused the accident?" Secretary Min asked, his voice softer, as if trying to draw something more out of Youn-Jae.
Youn-Jae paused, his fingers hovering briefly over the screen before he resumed his motion, unfazed. "No," he replied flatly, his tone devoid of any warmth. The words hung in the air, cold and dismissive. His mind was elsewhere, untouched by the concern.
Secretary Min, though slightly taken aback by the indifference, pressed on. "I heard... it happened while Andrew was still with his lover." His voice faltered at the word "lover," as if testing the waters, but Youn-Jae remained a statue, his emotions concealed behind a stoic expression.
Youn-Jae exhaled softly, almost imperceptibly. The word "lover" escaped him with a bitter edge, a flicker of something dark crossing his face. His gaze didn't lift from the device, and he continued to swipe through his work. "Lover," he muttered again, the word sounding like a curse. It was said with such finality, as if the matter had already been buried, left untouched, and unimportant.
Then, as if on cue, Youn-Jae's phone rang, slicing through the tension in the room. He glanced at the screen, his brow furrowing slightly as he recognized Tobi's international number. With a small sigh, he set his work aside and swiped to answer, his posture unchanged, aloof.
"Hmm?" Youn-Jae's greeting was clipped, his voice flat, betraying a hint of impatience that he was trying to conceal.
"My god! What an energetic way to answer the phone," Tobi teased on the other end, his voice playful, almost sing-song.
"Why are you calling?" Youn-Jae replied, his tone sharper now, the games wearing thin. He wasn't in the mood for idle chatter.
"Oh, you know, Kyle's planning a vacation at his villa, and I thought I'd join him," Tobi said nonchalantly, stretching the words with a flexing tone.
"Do as you please," Youn-Jae responded with a disinterested shrug, already mentally tuning out the conversation. His hand found its way to his temple, massaging lightly, a subtle signal of how little he cared about Tobi's travel plans.
"Of course I will," Tobi quipped. "Don't worry about that."
Youn-Jae's lips twitched into a faint smirk, but it was fleeting. "Just let me know the final date, and I'll pick you both up from the airport," he replied, though the words lacked the warmth of any true desire to engage.
"Aww, what a sweet fiancé I have," Tobi teased, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Shut up," Youn-Jae snapped, his tone hardening. "If you have nothing else to say, I'm at work."
Tobi let out a dramatic sigh. "Oh, wait. Have you heard about Andrew?" His tone shifted, the playful edge replaced with something more serious.
"So, you know already?" Youn-Jae chuckled softly, more out of amusement than surprise. He wasn't shocked that the news had reached Tobi so quickly.
"Of course! It's all over the news here," Tobi exclaimed, his voice incredulous, as though the world should be in a frenzy over it.
"Well, I'm sure it's being handled," Youn-Jae said dismissively, his shoulders slightly tensing as he exhaled, brushing off the matter.
"You're so cold!" Tobi retorted, though there was a trace of genuine curiosity underneath the sharpness. "He's your nephew. Don't you care?"
"He's old enough, and I'm sure he's received plenty of love and care," Youn-Jae replied with a nonchalant shrug, his voice growing casual, almost bored.
"Ugh, you're impossible," Tobi muttered. "I actually plan to visit him at the hospital. Poor little mouse—he's still in the ICU, I heard."
Youn-Jae raised an eyebrow, a flicker of something faintly resembling interest crossing his usually impassive face. "Really?" he murmured. "But he's strong. He'll recover quickly." The words were said with a mix of detachment and a quiet, almost hidden pride in Andrew's resilience.
"Yeah, I know. I'm just waiting for James to reply about the visiting hours," Tobi huffed in mock indignation.
"He must be busy babysitting Andrew," Youn-Jae muttered under his breath, a slight smirk forming at the corner of his lips, though it didn't reach his eyes.
"Whatever. They bond so strong, isn't it?" Tobi snapped, clearly irritated by the implication.
"That's true friends, I guess," Youn-Jae replied indifferently.
"Oh, please! Youn, can you at least speak with some energy? My god!" Tobi's voice carried a sharp edge of frustration. "And by the way, did you know Andrew's boyfriend is Korean?" Her tone shifted, as if coaxing Youn-Jae to indulge in the gossip.
Youn-Jae's frown deepened, but he fought to mask his intrigue. "Stop picking on other people's personal matters," he replied coldly, attempting to regain control of the conversation.
"No, I'm pretty sure," Tobi giggled. "I'm excited to meet him when I visit the hospital. Don't worry, Youn. I'll make sure to fill you in on the details."
"Stop jumping to conclusions," Youn-Jae snapped, his voice sharp now, betraying his irritation. "I'm hanging up now."
"Hey! Wait!" Tobi's voice shot up in protest, but before he could continue, Youn-Jae ended the call with a soft click.
"Rude," Tobi muttered under his breath, staring at the screen in disbelief.
The story doesn't end here...
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