Chapter 148 - Lee Donghwa: Too Long In Solitude

After driving quite a distance, day after day I almost spent my time sleeping all day. It was even so rare for me to get hungry that I could feel my body losing a lot of weight without having to look at my condition in the mirror. It went on for three weeks until I felt like a man who was rotting in solitude and buried in the gloomy darkness.

I didn't know what to do to get through the next days. Even Yunhee, he had persuaded me several times to go out for some fresh air out there but I was too lazy just to lift my feet.

Unlike before, every day that I went through felt like running in the same circle of time, and it was very boring.

Now, I was still in bed, but not sleeping. I just kept hiding under the blanket like a cold person even though the heating was on. I didn't know if the weather today was terrible or it was my heart that was frozen by circumstances. 

I just kept my eyes closed and imagined myself at a funeral.

If only I...

However, before I thought about it any further, the cell phone that was laying on the bedside table suddenly rang, made me open my eyes instantly. I reached out lazily to pick up my phone, then looked at the caller ID.

As soon as I saw it was Hoonsik, I answered the call indifferently, "What?"

"Sir, the meeting will start soon. People have gathered and Mr. Kim is also almost getting there. The people who have already attended are also waiting for you. We have to go immediately, one of the company staff keeps calling me to—"

"Wait, what?! A meeting?!" I was shocked and immediately got up from my position.

"Yes, sir. I shifted the meeting schedule to today. You said you wanted to take two days off, so I moved the schedule." Paused for a moment, Hoonsik warned, "We must go immediately, sir. The people who are already present there keep pressing on me."

After Hoonsik's words, I massaged the bridge of my nose. I just remembered that today, there would be a cooperation meeting and also a press conference tonight. I didn't think that I would forget those two important things today.

Sighing heavily, I said, "If we're late, no problem. Tell them to wait a little longer."

"B-but, s-sir ...."

Hoonsik was about to say something, but maybe because he was starting to understand my situation, he said resignedly, "All right, sir. I will ask someone to buy a little more time."

Hearing that, I smiled before replying sincerely, "Good. That's what I expect from you. So, please help me out today, okay?"

Finishing my words, I immediately hung up and got out of bed. Then, a few minutes later, I came out with some files while walking towards where Hoonsik was currently waiting. And as soon as I got there and got in the car, Hoonsik immediately drove the car to the company.

Along the way, I just kept silent while leaning back languidly. Closing my eyes, I took a breath several times in silence and tried to relax.

However, no matter how much I tried to relax, the fatigue seemed to crush me in an instant. The problems I had been dealing with lately were enemies that nearly cost me death in defeat.

I just kept standing as hard as I could even though my body and soul were already half-crushed.

Until in this silence, Hoonsik's voice was suddenly heard as if it cut through the air. He said, "Sir, it's been almost two months since you haven't gone to check on your condition. After the meeting, I'll take you to the hospital for a checkup before attending press conference tonight."

Still in a leaning position, I put my hands on my head and closed my eyes again, then replied in a hoarse voice, "No need. I don't need to do that anymore. It's useless. I just need to rest a little longer from then on." There was a smile at the end of my words which I didn't even know why I was doing it.

Hoonsik didn't say anything. Perhaps, he already understood how messed up I was right now, so he just watched the situation silently without replying to my words.

A funny thing crossed my mind. In a complicated situation like now, many people were looking for loopholes and slyly, trying to bring me down. However, Hoonsik as my confidant and Yunhee as my business colleague were the ones who kept standing by my side. They were the ones who could make me last a little longer until now.

Even though I was often indifferent to them, I really just couldn't accept that I owed them. I could neither thank them nor apologize. People had always known that I was a stubborn person to say things like that unless that person was Chunghee.

After all, no matter how much effort someone tried to persuade me to be humble, I would never want to do such a shameful thing even if it was my fault.

However, after going through a lot of painful things recently, despite how often they cheered me on, standing on fragile legs was the most difficult thing. Many problems caused a lot of emotions trapped inside of me so I was at my limit now.

In the past, I thought that I would be a stubborn person for the rest of my life. However, the harsh reality had changed my life with the most lethal rotation. I didn't even think that by now, I had reached the point of despair.

Actually, I wanted to stay quiet until we got to the company. But, as I had been stuck in solitude and silence too many times, this atmosphere seemed like I was about to cry. So, as not to embarrass myself, I asked in a low voice, "Hey, Hoonsik, What do you think the reporters will be asking at the press conference tonight?" While asking to fill the silence, I straightened my back. 

Hoonsik didn't respond immediately. There was a pause of a few seconds before he spoke, "Hmm, reporters are curious people, sir. Everything that concerns the GIM Agency, from the smallest to the hugest things, will not go unnoticed by their questions and it will be unexpected. Moreover, regarding the current case, they will definitely continue to press someone. Even if you tell the truth, they will find out more."

"You'd better prepare yourself because some of the other company officials who have just cooperated with the company will also be participating in this press conference. For now, your good name is the main thing, sir, so you must be able to make sure that your agency is the best. After all, this press conference is not the first time for you. Even though tonight is on a large scale, I'm sure you can silence the reporters and handle everything."

Hearing the long explanation of him made me chuckle slightly, then ended up with a bitter smile on the corner of my lips. There was nothing funny about the words, it's just that, this stressful feeling had made me feel like I was losing my sanity long before today. And now, I realized that I had nothing good left in my life except for the bad that I had done so far.

I asked again, "Well, what do you think about the rumors?"

Paused for a moment, Hoonsik spoke carefully, "Sir, in the current situation, there will be attacks that could happen. In the past, it was Big Master Kim who silenced the reporters before he handed over the responsibility to his son. However, after seeing as you and Mr. Kim don't have as good a relationship as his father ... um ... it looks like Mr. Kim won't do the same as his father did. But, I'm sure, you can handle it because that kind of problem is not something quite serious. After all, Mr. Bae will also be present at the event, he will help you. Even so, you also have to be careful, sir."

"Heh," exasperatedly, I said, "Yunhee? I can't expect anything from him. After all, two versus ten people are still unfair, plus the reporters. I'm really done for tonight."

Hoonsik laughed awkwardly. He countered to reassure me, "No, sir. The rumors are untrue. So how is it possible to admit what didn't happen? That's ridiculous, sir."

"Heh, those rumors huh...." With a pause, I revealed, "When it comes to rumors, you're wrong — they're all true. However, regarding what you said about Kim, I admit that I indeed didn't have a good relationship with Kim."

To be honest, hearing Hoonsik mention that person's name, Kim Daehyun, made me angry. However, I knew that expressing what I felt was just a waste of time. Expressing annoyance wouldn't change my current state where it would never return Chunghee to me and fix everything in our relationship.