He shook my hand with extreme deference, then quickly pulled his hand back. Woo Hyung-seok chuckled lightly and sank deeper into the sofa. He acted like he was the owner of the place, not a guest.
Kim Je-guk hesitated for a moment, then cautiously began.
“But, I… what brings you here so suddenly…?”
“I heard that patients here can be discharged if their family consents. I’m Park Joo-wan’s family, for now.”
Kim Je-guk gulped. His heart was beating so fast, he was worried it would be audible.
For ten years, no one had come looking for Joo-wan, no one had asked about him. That’s why he assumed he had been abandoned. Most patients admitted to the hospital were in that situation.
But now, his family had come to claim him. And they were definitely gangsters, from what I could tell. He had no idea how to handle this. If he messed up, he would be in handcuffs for sure. Or maybe he would be killed by this man in front of him before that.
Kim Je-guk tried to hide his shock and responded as calmly as possible.
“Yes, that’s the policy.”
“Then I’d like to get Park Joo-wan back now.”
Woo Hyung-seok smiled leisurely. For some reason, he felt even more eerie than when he was expressionless.
Kim Je-guk tried to maintain his composure, but he couldn’t focus. This was the first time he had faced such a crisis.
He needed to come up with an excuse. He opened his mouth, driven by panic. Even he didn’t realize what he was saying.
“Ah, of course, that’s possible. But we need the director’s approval. You see, if a patient with a psychiatric history is discharged before they’re fully recovered, there could be various problems. We need to clarify who is responsible for any consequences. But unfortunately, the director is currently out of the country, so I’m not sure when we’ll be able to get his approval.”
“Really?”
Woo Hyung-seok raised his eyebrows, as if surprised. Kim Je-guk nodded exaggeratedly.
“Yes, unfortunately.”
“Hmm.”
Woo Hyung-seok stroked his chin, lost in thought. Kim Je-guk ran his tongue over his tightly closed lips, trying to soothe his burning throat.
He gritted his teeth, looking at Joo-wan. He had been a pain in the neck even while he was hospitalized, and now he was causing trouble even after he was sold.
“Well, then,” he said, snapping out of his thoughts. He tried not to show it, but his shoulders twitched involuntarily. Fortunately, Woo Hyung-seok didn’t seem to notice. People weren’t afraid of him just because he had done something wrong.
“Then let’s wait for now. I’ll contact you as soon as it’s ready.”
Woo Hyung-seok stood up and left the consultation room. His men, who had taken over the hallway, scanned the room with fierce eyes before following him. As soon as the door closed, Kim Je-guk collapsed onto the chair, letting out a breath he had been holding.
But soon, the door that had just closed swung open. He screamed in surprise. Jang Jin-woo looked at Kim Je-guk, who was pale, with curious eyes. Kim Je-guk yelled at him.
“Jang, don’t you know how to knock?”
“I guess I must have done something wrong. I came here because I heard that Park Joo-wan’s family came to see him. I was curious about what my senior was doing.”

Kim Je-guk glared at Jang Jin-woo, annoyed.
“I told you I’m not going to die alone. If this Park Joo-wan problem blows up, it won’t just be me, you won’t be safe either.”
He issues a threat, even though he’s cornered. Jang Jin-woo clicks his tongue and advises him.
“It’s not too late. If I keep my mouth shut, no one will know what you did to Mr. Park. I’m willing to cooperate with you, to say things that are beneficial to you, if necessary.”
Kim Je-guk looked suspicious at the tempting offer. Jang Jin-woo, as usual, smiled brightly and added.
“So put him back where he belongs. Mr. Park.”
Woo Hyung-seok, who was descending the old staircase, suddenly stopped. The big men following him also stopped and looked around. But there was nothing particularly noticeable.
“What’s wrong, Boss?”
Woo Hyung-seok just snapped his fingers. His subordinate moved closer.
“That doctor, he’s shady. Look into him.”
Kwon Soo-hyuk, ready to leave, was a different person than he was last night. He swept his long bangs back, revealing his smooth forehead. His thick, sharp eyebrows were even more prominent. His perfectly tailored suit blended seamlessly with his body, as if it were a part of him.
If he had seemed like a ferocious wild animal last night, now he looked like a cool businessman. His eyes, which had been particularly sharp and piercing, almost like a jaguar’s, seemed to contribute to a more rational image at this moment.
What kind of work did he do?
As if sensing his intense gaze, Kwon Soo-hyuk glanced back over his shoulder, putting on his jacket. He met Joo-wan’s eyes. Joo-wan stared at him, constantly touching his neck. He seemed to have something he wanted to say. Kwon Soo-hyuk’s brow furrowed slightly. At that moment, the man who was helping him get dressed quickly smoothed out the collar of his jacket, which had been pressed down. Only then did Joo-wan’s hand leave his neck.
“You’re all set, CEO.”
The man quickly stepped back.
But Kwon Soo-hyuk didn’t leave immediately. He stared intently at Joo-wan. It was because something felt off. He had been told that the man had been hospitalized for almost ten years.
But Joo-wan didn’t seem to have a serious mental illness that would necessitate such a long hospitalization. He might act unexpectedly sometimes, but he didn’t hear voices, talk nonsense, or have seizures.
He had ordered a clean bill of goods. They had also assured him that he didn’t need to worry because no family, relatives, or friends had come looking for him in ten years.
Seeing Joo-wan, who seemed perfectly fine, he couldn’t shake off a nagging intuition. He had a vague sense of unease, a feeling that he might get entangled in something troublesome. He would have to keep a close eye on the situation for a while.
“Don’t follow me.”
“What?”
“Stay here today.”
The man, who usually assisted him, looked confused at the sudden instruction. Kwon Soo-hyuk pointed at Joo-wan and continued his announcement.
“Your job for now is to fatten him up.”
Kwon Soo-hyuk’s gaze, which had been fixed on Joo-wan again, finally moved away. He immediately put on his shoes and left the house. Several footsteps could be heard outside the door, then they faded. The man, who had been greeting him with extreme deference at the closed front door, finally straightened up. Then he turned around and looked blankly at Joo-wan, who was standing behind him.
“Ah…”

He seemed unsure how to take care of Joo-wan.
“Can I take a shower?”
Joo-wan finally spoke first. The man just nodded in response. Joo-wan slowly walked past him and entered the bathroom.
The door closed, and soon, the sound of water could be heard. At the same time, a deep sigh escaped the man. Taking care of a grown man, not a child. And he had been given the extra task of fattening him up. The man thought that Kwon Soo-hyuk must still be angry about what happened last night.
First, the man went into the bedroom. The jaguar was sprawled out on the neatly made bed. When it saw the man, it slowly swished its tail. It didn’t seem to be in a bad mood. As long as it was fed on time, there wouldn’t be any trouble.
He went to the dressing room connected to the bedroom and searched through every drawer. He was looking for something for Joo-wan to wear. There wasn’t anything suitable. The jaguar watched the scene with interest. It didn’t growl, even though he was rummaging through his owner’s belongings.
After a long time, the man found a sweater that had been carelessly tossed in a drawer. It was a sweater that Baek Do-woon had given Kwon Soo-hyuk as a Christmas present a few years ago. The sweater, knitted with red yarn, had a large yellow bear character embroidered on it. He could still see Baek Do-woon holding it up to Kwon Soo-hyuk, laughing. He hadn’t seen the sweater since that day, so he thought it must have been burned. Maybe he had just tossed it in there and forgotten about it.
The man grabbed a pair of sweatpants and left the bedroom. It was a terrible match, but there was no other choice. At least there were plenty of underwear that hadn’t been torn, so that was a relief.
He set the clothes down in front of the bathroom door, where the sound of water was still coming from. Meanwhile, the jaguar, which had come out of the bedroom, stuck its head out of the hallway and watched him. He wasn’t sure if he was being watched or observed.
The man returned to the living room and looked at the food spread out on the table. Most of it was untouched, cold, and hard. It was expected. It was unlikely that greasy food would be easy to eat on an empty stomach.
“…….”
The man pondered for a moment, then stood up and went to the kitchen.
Meanwhile, Joo-wan came out of the bathroom after his shower. He noticed the clothes that had been left in front of the bathroom door. It was clear that the man had brought them.
Joo-wan fiddled with the damp robe, then threw it off. He changed into the clothes that were lying there. He had to fold the pants twice, and the sweater came down to mid-thigh, like a dress. But it was definitely better than the robe.
He walked towards the living room, but he couldn’t see the man. He could only hear the occasional sound of movement from the kitchen.
The jaguar, which had only peeked its head out from the end of the hallway, slowly approached. It circled Joo-wan, scrutinizing him. It seemed curious that he smelled like his owner. Its tail, swaying gracefully, kept brushing against his legs. It wasn’t just a tickle.
The beast’s persistent gaze was broken when a heavy piece of meat was thrown from the kitchen. Last night, it had devoured a large turkey, but this time it was a pig’s front leg. The jaguar jumped nimbly and pressed down on the massive piece of meat. Its claws dug deep into the smooth surface. It scanned its surroundings again, wary.
Joo-wan discreetly averted his eyes. The jaguar, confirming that he had no intention of taking its prey, began to eat with gusto.
He carefully avoided touching the beast, making his way to the sofa. The table was covered with uneaten food. He hadn’t eaten properly for almost a day, but he wasn’t hungry. In fact, the smell of food made his stomach churn again.
But Joo-wan picked up a cold piece of fried chicken anyway. His hands were quickly coated in grease. He watched silently, then made up his mind and took a bite. His stomach immediately turned, and he felt like throwing up.
“…Ugh!”
He quickly covered his mouth. His stomach, which had suffered last night, ached again.
Around that time, the man came out to the living room. He was carrying a small tray. He watched Joo-wan silently, who was holding a greasy piece of chicken, trying to stifle his nausea. Then he came closer and sat down. He snatched the chicken from Joo-wan’s hand. In its place, the tray he had brought was placed in front of him.
On the tray was a bowl of thin porridge. There was no meat, not even vegetables, but it was steaming, as if it had just been cooked.
“Let’s switch.”
“What?”