Chapter 6
When the hotel came into view in the distance, a female voice spoke from the navigation system.
“You will arrive at your destination shortly.”
The car slowly pulled up to the hotel’s main entrance. As the view beyond the window came to a complete stop, a valet attendant ran over and opened the driver’s door. Inho stepped out smoothly, as if he’d done it a hundred times, then walked around to the passenger side.
Click. The car door opened, and Inho offered Seoyeon his hand.
“Shall we go in, Seoyeon?”
“Thank you.”
His voice was light, as if trying to ease her tension. Seoyeon gave him a small smile and took his hand as she stepped out of the car.
From the entrance, the hotel lobby exuded a distinctly classic atmosphere. Its design, reminiscent of a traditional hanok, felt both modern and refined.
Inho stopped in front of the lounge next to the lobby. Inside, people chatted over tea and desserts.
“Seoyeon.”
Inho’s eyes lowered as he looked at her. Seoyeon met his gaze.
From one corner of the lounge, the gentle notes of a live piano performance drifted through the air. The familiar, rhythmic melody settled into her ears.
Inho quietly spoke.
“Actually, the chairman was very impressed by your first piece.”
“Do you mean Memory?”
“Yes. He may even want to buy it. Of course, the decision is yours… but think carefully. Chairman Cha Junseong is someone who can change a person’s life.”
“…I understand.”
After a short silence, Seoyeon answered. Inho read her expression before he heard her words—her faint, bitter smile told him she would probably refuse. Even so, he couldn’t help feeling a twinge of regret. He’d meddled more than he meant to.
His gaze drifted toward the window.
Seoyeon followed his eyes. Beyond the glass, in a sunny spot, a man sat in a wheelchair. Behind him stood another man in a black suit, holding the handles firmly. They looked like a motionless sculpture.
Inho suddenly rested his hand lightly on Seoyeon’s shoulder, bringing her gaze back to him.
“Don’t do anything to upset the chairman. For your own future.”
His tone was gentle but firm. Seoyeon gave a small nod. Only then did Inho’s usual, easy smile return as he led her into the lounge.
The lounge was clean and luxurious.
Families sat chatting at tables, filling the space with a warm, relaxed air.
But the closer they got to the man by the window, the more the atmosphere tightened. Other than the suited man standing behind him, there was no one near him. The surrounding tables were empty—as if he was surrounded by an invisible wall of solitude in the middle of a lively lounge.
Seoyeon noticed how pale the man in the wheelchair looked—far more than she’d expected. There was something oddly chilling about him, like the faint scent of death.
She had seen this look once before—someone standing on the brink of death.
The man was too young to be an old man, too haggard to look like an ordinary middle-aged man. His cheeks were hollow, dark circles hung deep beneath his eyes—his whole face looked worn down by illness. Behind him, the middle-aged man with square-rimmed glasses stood silent and still.
Amid the awkward tension, Seoyeon bowed her head.
“Hello, Chairman.”
At her greeting, the man in the wheelchair slowly turned his head to look at her.
His rigid face held a stubborn air.
No answer came back.
The silence stretched on—heavy and uncomfortable.
When Seoyeon finally lifted her eyes, she found him staring blankly at her. Though his gaze was pointed at her, it seemed as if he was seeing something else entirely—his eyes were out of focus, empty.
It was Inho who broke the silence.
“Chairman.”
At his quiet voice, Junseong’s eyes regained their sharpness. He slowly extended his hand.
“Forgive me. I’m Cha Junseong.”
“It’s an honor to meet you. I’m Oh Seoyeon.”
Seoyeon carefully took his hand.
It was rough and bony, with only a faint warmth.
“Sit.”
Junseong quickly withdrew his hand. Caught off guard, Seoyeon looked at him, but Inho pulled out her chair, guiding her attention back.
“Have a seat, Seoyeon.”
“…Thank you.”
When Seoyeon sat down, Inho sat beside her too. At that, Junseong’s brow furrowed slightly—but only for a moment. He lifted his teacup, took a sip, then slowly began speaking.
“I asked for this sudden meeting because I wanted to talk about your first piece. I was curious about the person who painted it.”
“It’s an honor.”
“As you can see, I’m not in good health. So I’d like to keep this brief. There are a few things I want to ask you.”
Seoyeon looked at him calmly.
He had called it a meeting with a fan—she had assumed it would just be a few polite questions. But Junseong’s next words were something she never expected.
“The woman in Memory—is that your mother?”
Seoyeon’s fingers twitched around her teacup. Her eyes wavered with discomfort and surprise.
A tall man stepped into the Halla Hotel lobby with his phone pressed to his ear. Dressed in a dark gray suit and black overcoat, he headed straight for the front desk.
“So, did LJ Bio show up?”
An article about LJ Bio’s financial troubles had broken in the middle of a domestic hotel negotiation, forcing him to rush over. Their stock was plunging endlessly. An acquisition was inevitable.
Of all times—why now?
Kang Ryun clicked his tongue, his expression sharp as he focused on the voice over the line.
Bang!
A sharp sound erupted from the lounge. Kang Ryun’s brow twitched.
“Hold on.”
He gave a short reply, turning toward the lounge. It seemed the live performance had run into trouble—the musicians were bowing repeatedly to the guests, flustered.
It was noisy—too noisy to handle an important call. He swallowed the curse that almost slipped out and turned his head to leave—
“No, really, it’s fine.”
A familiar voice drew his eyes to a woman.
There she was—waving her hands nervously, looking more flustered than the musicians themselves. An annoyingly memorable woman, clumsy like a mismatched teacup—yet impossible to forget.
“Yes, let’s talk when I get upstairs.”
She was with people she shouldn’t be with.
The call ended.
At the end of Kang Ryun’s gaze stood Oh Seoyeon.
Cha Junseong, Inho, and Oh Seoyeon together—an unusual trio that made Kang Ryun’s eyes narrow. He spoke to Secretary Yoon.
“Look into it.”
“Yes, sir.”
Chairman Cha wasn’t someone who met people without reason. Except for one person in his entire life—Lee Yooran.
A bitter connection.
Watching Seoyeon with Junseong, Kang Ryun genuinely thought so.
And at that moment, his eyes met Oh Seoyeon’s.
The hotel was spacious, the lobby crowded—many people moved between them. Recognizing each other here shouldn’t have meant anything. But the fact that they did left a sour taste.
His indifferent gaze swept over her as he gave a curt nod—dry and emotionless.
Her eyes stayed fixed on Kang Ryun’s back as he turned away without hesitation.
A silhouette that was both polite and sharp, eyes cold as ice, pupils black as night. Even in the commotion, he stood out clearly. From a distance, Seoyeon could see him as if he were right in front of her.
“Tsk, what a mess.”
“Chairman, shall we move to another room?”
“That would be best.”
Though the performance resumed, the unsettled air didn’t clear easily. Seoyeon forced herself to push Kang Ryun’s figure from her mind and refocus on Inho and the chairman.
The middle-aged man behind the wheelchair unlocked the wheels and gently turned it toward the elevator. Seoyeon stood up, following Inho’s lead.
As Inho walked behind the chairman, he whispered quietly to Seoyeon.
“Are you okay, Seoyeon?”
“Huh?”
“If we move to a more private space, they might ask more sensitive questions.”
“Ah… It’s alright. It’s not like I have a choice, anyway.”
“True enough. If they say jump, we jump, right?”
Seoyeon let out a faint laugh, and Inho chuckled and nodded along.
The middle-aged man pushed the wheelchair to a secluded area on the first floor—a room draped in black velvet. When the chairman approached, a hotelier standing by the door bowed deeply.
“It’s an honor to welcome you, Chairman. We’ve prepared light refreshments inside. If you need anything, please use the wired phone on the table.”
“Alright.”
“Thank you, sir.”
The hotelier bowed once more and quickly stepped aside. The middle-aged man opened the heavy velvet door wide and set the stopper in place, then returned behind the wheelchair to guide the chairman inside.
Seoyeon and Inho hurried in after them.
Thud. The door shut with a heavy sound.
A sign was placed in front of it: Authorized Personnel Only.
