Even If It's Not Love

Instead of the elevator, Jun-kyung headed for the emergency exit.

As he stepped down the stairs, he recalled the moment he ate with the chairman. Jun-kyung was also present when the chairman and Woo-hyun were having a meal. The chairman offered the CEO’s seat to Woo-hyun as if it was something natural, and, contrary to expectations, Woo-hyun refused.

“Please nominate an expert instead of me. They will do their job objectively.”

“Why don’t you do it?”

“I’ve felt it since the merger and acquisition, but I think it’s right to seek opinions and discuss business issues with experts to steer the way forward. But if I’m in the position of the CEO, it’s hard to get a proper report from below me. Without me, they will all accept it as a company, not an organization.”

“So where do you want to be?”

The chairman tapped on the table as if he wasn’t satisfied with it.

“I’ll take care of things from the outside.”

“What?”

“If you take me with you, it will be hard for you to remove the label of being a company made by an organization. That said, the Chairman can’t be alone with all the members of the organization, so I will pick the smart guys to make sure it doesn’t happen. Instead of having me in particular, it will be a little easier to manage a company with a couple of those guys.”

“So… You’re going to leave?”

The chairman’s voice went down drearily.

“Not at all. As I said before, I will take care of things from the outside. I will help run the company, but my position is only to help, and all the decisions are left to you. The influential figure of the company should be the Chairman.”

He meant that he would help run the company, and still exist as a member of the organization, but reduce his own authority and influence. Woo-hyun did the most to turn the organization into a decent company. Jun-kyung didn’t understand it at all because he thought Woo-hyun should become the CEO without a doubt, but he listened to the conversation without expressing his feelings.

“Ahem.”

The chairman’s sharp eyes scanned Woo-hyun.

“What do you gain by conceding so much?”

“Please protect the families of the members as you do now.”

“…”

“If anyone touches someone important to a member of the organization, please take care of it yourself. And those who touch my family, and my people, please allow me to handle it myself.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes. That’s all.”

“Ahem.”

After thinking once again, the chairman said, ‘Alright’. At that moment, Jun-kyung saw it. The corners of the chairman’s mouth stretched so much that it was frightening. He quickly lowered his gaze and pretended not to see it, but the hairs on his neck stood up.

From the beginning, the chairman did not offer the position of CEO to Woo-hyun with pure intent. It was a test to see how greedy Woo-hyun was and how much he was trying to come up against him.

As if he knew that, Woo-hyun was willing to act out the correct answer—a member of the organization who is smart and useful, but has no greed at all—as the chairman wanted.

“… Since when did you know?”

After checking that there was no wiretapping device after getting in the car, Jun-kyung asked Woo-hyun while driving.

“Know what?”

Woo-hyun, who was looking out the window, asked back.

“About the Chairman.”

“It’s obvious.”

At those words, he realized that Woo-hyun had been anticipating this situation for a long time.

The chairman thought he was above Woo-hyun, but the way he saw it, Woo-hyun had been above the chairman for a long time. He expected that if only Woo-hyun decided to do so, he would take the chairman’s position quickly.

However…

The question that had been coming to his mind for days popped up again. Jun-kyung quickly brushed off his thoughts and went down the stairs.

After taking care of some overdue work, it was only after dinner time that Jun-kyung drove to Woo-hyun’s house. After several confirmation procedures, the housekeeper opened the door.

Woo-hyun was sitting at a desk far away from the window where the bright sunlight poured in. Under his eyelids stretched in a straight line, his dark eyes stared indifferently at the paperwork he had printed.

“How is the atmosphere at the company?”

Woo-hyun asked dryly, keeping his eyes on the papers.

“I’m maintaining it.”

“Anything to report?”

“I have organized it.”

Jun-kyung put down the papers he had brought on the corner of the desk. Important documents were printed and reported directly without sending or receiving emails in case of hacking.

“And the members?”

“Except for small things, nothing happened.”

After checking that everything was running smoothly, Woo-hyun nodded his head lightly.

“Did you eat?”

Woo-hyun asked, looking at Jun-kyung.

“I ate before coming. Have you eaten?”

“Yeah.”

Jun-kyung nodded his head at Woo-hyun’s concise answer.

“I think we have exchanged greetings and regards enough.”

At his words, which seemed to be asking why he was holding back, Jun-kyung moved his tightly closed mouth. Not knowing how to start, he took a deep breath.

“I ask for your forgiveness in advance.”

Woo-hyun raised his head at Jun-kyung, who was acting unusually. His outstretched, cold eyes stared indifferently at him. With an expression that seemed to ask what he was going to say that he had to apologize first.

“… It’s hard to understand your thoughts even if I try to, so I’m asking. What will hyung-nim do next? I wonder if you will continue to do this.”

As he did his job, Woo-hyun did not lack anything. Unlike doing everything meticulously, he sometimes looked like he was going to throw it all away and disappear. As if he was sick and tired of this job. As if he was going to melt and disappear if he had permission. So, it was hard to tell which side was the real Woo-hyun.