#30

As the mother lightly joked in her composed tone, the atmosphere in the President’s office softened. I exchanged a few pleasantries with Jung Hosu’s mother and chatted briefly about the weather. Then, when I felt it wouldn’t be rude to bring it up, I cautiously spoke.

“But ma’am, may I ask what brought you here today?”

“Oh my, I’m sorry. You must be very busy, and here I am, keeping you for too long without noticing.”

“No, not at all. Please don’t say that. I really don’t mind.”

I quickly waved my hands dismissively, and she elegantly smiled before taking a sip from the coffee Secretary Sung Yoojun had brought out.

“The reason we came here today is to discuss Hosu’s income settlement. As his mother, I can’t help but worry. I knew it might be impolite, but I couldn’t ignore it and ended up coming here.”

“It’s not impolite at all. I think it’s only natural for parents to worry about their children.”

Looking at the contract details that Secretary Sung Yoojun had received from President Lee Yongjun, it was clear that Jung Hosu’s previous agency had taken an abnormally large cut of his earnings. Given how things were with his former agency, it made sense that his parents would still be concerned, even after he switched agencies.

“There’s absolutely no need to worry about that, ma’am. The contract was drawn up at a level that both parties could fully agree upon. But if you still feel uneasy, with Hosu-ssi’s consent, I can even show you the contract directly.”

“Since it’s a contract handled by you, of course, I trust it was done properly. I don’t doubt that, so there’s no issue.”

Her response left me puzzled. If that wasn’t the issue, then what was worrying her enough to visit? As I furrowed my brows in confusion, she smiled brightly and continued speaking.

“The reason I came today is to request that the settlement payments be transferred to my account instead.”

“……You want to change the account receiving the payments?”

Why would she want to do that? Feeling a sense of unease, I carefully asked,

“Ma’am, I apologize, but have you discussed this with Hosu-ssi?”

“No, I haven’t spoken to him about it. But he would, of course, follow my decision, so there’s no need to ask.”

Hmm…… This didn’t seem like something I could just let slide.

Sensing that the situation required further clarification, I cautiously explained,

“Ma’am, as a general rule, income settlements are only made to the account under the individual’s name. In exceptional cases, we can transfer funds to another person’s account, but that requires the individual’s explicit consent. So, I’m afraid we would need to hear from Hosu-ssi first.”

“There’s really no need for that…… The truth is, our second son, Bada, is very sick. Because of that, Hosu has been sending all of his earnings to us from the start. Since he’s already busy with his schedule, I figured it would be easier for him if the money went straight into my account instead of him having to send it every time.”

At her words, my gaze instinctively shifted to the young boy nestled in his father’s arms. He looked to be around five or six years old, staring at me with wide, innocent eyes.

“I understand the situation. However, we still have procedures to follow, so we will need Hosu-ssi’s direct consent. I’m very sorry, ma’am.”

Though I declined politely, both Mr. and Mrs. Jung’s expressions darkened with displeasure. Before they could voice their discontent, I turned my gaze toward Secretary Sung Yoojun, signaling for him to quickly contact Jung Hosu.

Catching on immediately, Secretary Sung Yoojun swiftly took out his smartphone. But before he could make the call, a knock sounded at the door.

“Sir, Jung Hosu-ssi is here.”

“Let him in.”

Hiding the relief I felt, I calmly granted permission, and the office door swung open. Jung Hosu rushed in, looking flustered.

“Mother! Father!”

“Hosu, you’re just in time. Tell the president to change the settlement account for us.”

“I told you not to come here!”

For the first time, I heard Jung Hosu raise his voice. The usual detached expression he always wore was nowhere to be seen—his face was now filled with agitation as he stared at his parents.

“Hosu! How dare you shout at your mother and father? Who taught you to be so disrespectful?”

His father, who had been silent until now, rebuked him in a cold, stern tone. Jung Hosu bit his lip tightly at his father’s harsh reprimand before finally speaking in a subdued voice.

“……I’m sorry. I got too worked up.”

“Apologize to the president as well! When an elder is present, you should greet them first! What do you think you’re doing right now?”

“I’m sorry, sir.”

I waved my hand a couple of times to indicate that it was okay in response to Jung Hosu’s apology. Then, seeing him looking at me with sunken eyes, I called him over to the sofa.

“You came at the right time, Hosu-ssi. Please come over and have a seat.”

At my call, Jung Hosu walked over to the sofa. He hesitated for a moment, looking at me sitting alone on the three-seater sofa and at my parents sitting across from me on another three-seater sofa. Then, after some hesitation, he quietly took a seat next to me.

“Your mother mentioned changing the settlement account, but according to company procedures, we cannot make the change without your consent, Hosu-ssi.”

“Is that so…… I see. I’m fine with it, so please handle it as you see fit.”

Jung Hosu’s expression as he spoke looked utterly exhausted and drained. In contrast, my mother and father’s faces brightened with joy.

“……Understood. Since you’ve given your consent, we will proceed accordingly. Ma’am, sir, I believe some formalities need to be completed regarding this matter. Would you be able to stop by our management support team for a moment?”

“Oh my, of course! Can we go right now?”

“Yes, that would be fine.”

“Alright then, we’ll be on our way.”

As soon as the words were spoken, Jung Hosu’s parents quickly stood up. Without offering any further greetings to Jung Hosu, who remained seated on the sofa, they headed straight out of the President’s office. Only his younger sibling, cradled in his father’s arms, waved a tiny hand at his older brother.

As Secretary Sung Yoojun led Jung Hosu’s parents out for guidance, a cold silence settled over the office. I stared at the firmly shut door for a moment before shifting my gaze to Jung Hosu.

“Hosu-ssi. Did you mean what you just said?”

“Which part?”

“The part about allowing your mother’s account to receive your settlement payments.”

At my question, Jung Hosu slowly lifted his gaze from the table. While his eyes had shown some trace of life in the presence of his parents, they now appeared dark and lifeless once more.

“Hosu-ssi, you’ve seen the contract, so you must know—compared to your time at Lee Yong Entertainment, your income will increase significantly from now on. Are you really okay with all of that money being sent to your mother’s account?”

“……”

“If you’re uncomfortable with it, just let me know. I can contact the management support team and tell them the company cannot approve the change, so you won’t be put in a difficult position.”

Jung Hosu seemed to be contemplating for a moment. I waited calmly for his response.

“……Is that possible?”

“Yes, of course. The standard procedure is to deposit settlements into an account under your name. If the payments are made to a third party’s account, a verification form must be completed each time, and there is a risk of tax-related issues. If we say it’s not feasible due to company policy, your parents will have to accept it.”

If we say no, there’s nothing they can do about it. Legally, there wouldn’t be any issues, and objectively, this situation is far more favorable for us.

After hearing my explanation, Jung Hosu seemed even more deeply lost in thought. Since he showed no signs of reaching a decision quickly, I carefully spoke up again.

“Hosu-ssi. Does your mother or father manage your finances for you? Like savings or investments?”

“No, not at all……”

“Then do you know exactly where all the money you send them is going?”

“……For Bada’s hospital bills.”

His younger sibling’s hospital bills, huh……

As I absentmindedly rubbed my chin with my fingers, I cautiously asked,

“Was that something you agreed upon?”

Jung Hosu didn’t answer my question. He simply pressed his lips together tightly and lowered his head slightly.

From that reaction, I could tell that he had not been consulted about how the money was being used.

“Do you know how much is being spent on your sibling’s medical bills?”

“……”

“Do you know what illness your sibling has?”

No matter how many questions I asked, Jung Hosu kept his lips sealed.

“Hosu-ssi. Sending money to your family is, of course, a personal choice, and I don’t believe it’s my place to interfere. However, I do think there should be a mutual agreement between the sender and the recipient.”

“……”

“If it were me, I would certainly contribute to my sibling’s medical expenses if they were sick. But at the very least, I would want to know what illness they have, whether they are hospitalized, what kind of treatment they are receiving, and approximately how much the medical costs are. I believe you also feel that something about this situation is strange, Hosu-ssi. Am I right?”