"Sure!" Hoonsik answered with certainty, and smiled, "Mr. Park, I am still Mr. Lee's confidant at this time. I serve him as well as you, so there is no reason for me to refuse your request or I will be ashamed for the rest of my life."

Hearing Hoonsik spoke sincerely like that, I smiled weakly and replied, "Then take me back to my home."

Hoonsik was silent for a moment before nodding with a smile. "Sure, sir. I'll take you there."

After that, he immediately helped me to stand up. He asked to make sure, "Can you walk, sir?"

I nodded weakly. Then, we immediately headed for the car parked not far from here.

But, before Hoonsik opened the car door for me, a big black man who took Daehyun away a moment ago came up to us, and asked in a deep voice, "Are you Park Chunghee?"

Hoonsik was introspective. He immediately stood in front of me and asked the big man, "Excuse me, can I help you, sir?"

"I am a subordinate in the Kim Family. Mr. Kim asked me to take Mr. Park to his house in Busan." The big black man glanced at me, he said, "Mr. Kim wants you to wait there because, for the next few days, Mr. Kim has to be at the Main House for some business. I have also been ordered to watch over you and attend to your needs. So if you need something, please ask me directly, sir."

"No need. I don't want to." I sighed heavily, saying to decline, "Tell him I'll be staying in my own house. I'm so exhausted tonight anyway, I can't make the trip there."

"Mr. Park, this is a direct order from Mr. Kim. I can't deny it or else I'll get in trouble."

"So tell him if it's me who want it and you won't get in any trouble. He won't be mad. I can guarantee that."

"Yeah, right," Hoonsik cut in, and added, "Tell Mr. Kim too, that Mr. Lee's confidant, Secretary Yoon Hoonsik, is with Mr. Park right now, so there won't be any problems."

The big black man thought for a moment before finally making up his mind, "Alright then. I'll talk to Mr. Kim." He bowed, then continued, "Then I'll excuse myself."

A few seconds after the big black man left, Hoonsik opened the door for me and I quickly got inside followed by him. The car immediately drove through the cold and dark air.

The heater in this car was barely felt at all because the air was so cold tonight, but not as cold as my heart right now.

The cold air outside entered through the windows of the car. Even the cold wind seemed to freeze our trip even though the heater was turned on to almost maximum limit, making me shiver several times in silence.

Now, Hoonsik was driving very carefully, as he had always done before. As someone loyal to his superiors, he had never violated the rules regarding driving limits other than that was an order.

"Mr. Park, are you cold?" Hoonsik asked in between the silence.

There was a pause before I answered curtly, "No, I'm not."

Hoonsik didn't respond. But, I knew that he knew I was lying right now, but he didn't say anything.

I leaned my forehead against the window and continued to stare out blankly as if I had lost my zest for life. I looked at the glamorous Seoul City with the skyscrapers and luxury cars, which had long since I lost the images in my eyes, and were now re-engraved in my head with hasty. It seemed to force my head to remember the many things that had happened in this city, and it was so painful for my hurt feelings.

At first, I didn't intend to have a conversation and choose to enjoy my sorrow in the silence. However, something on my mind was so disturbing, that I couldn't help but talk.

I lifted my head, turned to Hoonsik in the driver's seat, then said, "Hoonsik, tell me ... tell me everything ... I want to know it clearly."

My voice sounded hoarse because I had been holding in too many sobs. Every word that came out seemed to tear my throat mercilessly.

"Tell you what, sir? What do you want to know?" Hoonsik asked in confusion.

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. "Why would Donghwa do this ...." I paused all of a sudden, thinking that it wasn't the real question, so I changed the question, "I mean, how could Donghwa do this?"

There was a long pause in silence before Hoonsik spoke, "Tomorrow. Tomorrow, I will tell what you want to know."

"But, I want to hear it right now."

"No, sir. You should rest as soon as you have dinner when we arrive. And I have to go get some files that I left at the company. After that, I will accompany you there."

"Then, start telling me everything from now on so as not to waste time any longer."

"No, sir. This is not the right time to tell you." Hoonsik was heard sighing heavily, then added, "You better get some rest now. I'll wake you up when we get there."

Hoonsik spoke as if he was hiding something, or he just didn't want to make me feel more painful? I really couldn't guess the meaning of the words "this is not the right time" he just said.

However, in any case, even though the curiosity was popping in my mind, I should try to hold it in until tomorrow. It wasn't something I could force, so I could only remain silent in agreement.

"Um..." A second later, Hoonsik asked again, "What about Mr. Kim? Why isn't Mr. Kim with you right now?"

I was stunned for a moment, then turned to the rearview mirror of the car, seeing Hoonsik's eyes which kept focusing on the road ahead, but showed something mysterious in his eyes.

"He has to go. He has something to do now," I replied.

From the rearview mirror, Hoonsik's eyes smiled after hearing my answer, "Oh, Mr. Kim has always taken care of you all this time, so it's weird when he's not with you." With a pause, he continued, "I think, Mr. Kim doesn't have that kind of gentle side in him. Judging by many things in the company, people just get the impression of 'a cold man who is too powerful and harsh'. Mr. Kim barely even smiles all the time."

"They just don't know him well enough yet," I replied as if I already knew what the real Daehyun was.

After the words, we fell silent and spent some time in silence.

A few minutes later, we arrived.

The majestic building stood firmly in front of my eyes. Even though it had only been two months since I left this place, it felt like years.

But, what hurts me the most, was I never thought that I would go home feeling this miserable without a glimmer of happiness in my heart.

This wasn't something I planned before.

Hoonsik walked me to the door of the apartment, smiling kindly and respectfully as he handed me a white plastic bag he was carrying, "Mr. Park, here, you must not have had dinner, right? Earlier, Mr. Cho asked me to buy beef bone soup. You can take this. I can buy a new one for him."

Staring at this offered plastic in silence, suddenly tears rolled down my face again without me knowing it. I covered my mouth and cried, holding back my voice as I recalled the last message of Donghwa that he sent on the day we parted: "It's snowing. Don't you like to eat beef bone soup in winter? I'll make it for you".

That day, I ignored him without a single regret. However, in the future, there will be no more 'beef bone soup day' for us the next winter.

Do I regret it?

I thought I might have regretted it too much. I didn't think that it would be his last offer to me.

"Mr. Park, what's wrong?" Hoonsik asked worriedly.

I quickly wiped my tears with the back of my hand, then smiled weakly and shook my head slowly, without saying a word.

"Mr. Park, are you all right?" Hoonsik asked once again.

I forced a smile, replying, "It's okay. I'm all right. I just remembered something."

"Then, I'll accompany you here. I'll pick up the files tomorrow morning."

I tried to hold back my tears. Still smiling weakly, I spoke, "Hoonsik, thank you. You'd better go home. Your wife will be waiting for you. Don't make your family wait for you any longer."

After all, waiting for someone was the worst thing I had ever felt. Even if I could endure, still, my feelings couldn't lie to me.

So, not wanting others to feel the same way, I asked Hoonsik to go home to his family immediately instead of him having to be here accompanying me.

"But—"

Before Hoonsik could say his words, I immediately cut in, "Go home. Get the files at your office, then go home to your family. I'll be fine here. Besides, I need space, so it'd be better if you left."

Hoonsik thought for a moment before he said once again, "Then take this soup, sir. You must eat before you rest."

I smiled. "I'm not hungry. You've had a tiring day, just leave now. Don't mind me."