#99

“……What is this, some kind of spy movie or something?”

I let out a laugh of disbelief at in-game Goo Won’s behavior, hiding text inside an envelope like this. What is he trying to do with me, exactly? Is he trying to shoot a movie or something? What if I hadn’t noticed the writing?

I simply couldn’t understand what Goo Won from the game was trying to accomplish. What could he possibly want that would lead him to do something like this? To make Tartarus miserable?

But if he’s also ‘me,’ then he should know. I’m not the kind of person who makes others miserable for no reason. No matter how many scraps of paper like this he sends, my decision not to make Tartarus unhappy won’t waver.

Rather than doing this, he might as well just tell me why he hates Tartarus so much. Oh, and also explain how he managed to time the delivery of these items so perfectly, as if he’d planned it.

Thinking of President Go Woonjae, who had come to my office today and brought up Seohyun, I stared down at the letter and envelope in my hand. Getting a couple’s ring and a photo of us together on the same day I heard about Seohyun…… yeah, that timing is way too good to be a coincidence. This had to be deliberate.

No matter how I looked at it, the only conclusion I could draw was that in-game Goo Won knew I was going to meet President Go Woonjae today. But how could he possibly know that? I narrowed my eyes in thought, tapping my thigh with my fingers, then moved on to the second envelope.

The second envelope didn’t contain the usual letter paper—it held several newspaper clippings instead, as if someone had put together a scrapbook. What the hell is this? I pulled out the clippings and started reading.

And for the first time since arriving in this world, I was truly shaken.

[Sudden Death of Haje Group Director Goo Cheon.]

[Another Tragedy for Haje Group. Director Goo Cheon Dies Three Months After Former Chairman Goo Sung.]

[Chairman Goo Won Left Alone. What Lies Ahead for Him?]

[Haje Group Announces “Despite the Painful Circumstances, There Will Be No Issues in Business Operations.”]

“What is this……”

What the hell?

I couldn’t believe my eyes. I gripped the newspaper in my hand so tightly that it crumpled, reading the words printed on it over and over again. But no matter how many times I read it, the letters on the page—and what they conveyed—remained unchanged.

“……This can’t be.”

Dead? Who? My sister? Cheon is dead? She doesn’t exist in this world anymore? That child…… really died?

At some point, my hand had started to tremble, and now I crushed the newspaper fragment in my fist. The feel of the limp, crumpled paper in my palm sent shivers down my spine.

“Honored guest? What’s wrong?”

Perhaps not having seen the contents of the newspaper, Seo Duseok asked in a puzzled voice. I forced myself to calm the chaos inside me and looked at him.

“You…… by any chance……”

Do you know about my sister?

I tried to ask Seo Duseok that question, but for some reason, my lips refused to move. After hesitating for quite some time, I finally managed to open my mouth.

“My sister…… I mean, Haje Group’s Director Goo Cheon…… do you know about her?”

“Director Goo Cheon? Oh, yes, I know. She’s your younger sister who died in an accident four years ago, right?”

Died in an accident four years ago. Those words, coming from Seo Duseok’s mouth, struck my ears like a lightning bolt. For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. I bit down on my trembling lips and barely managed to collect myself.

This wasn’t right. Even though I hadn’t thought of looking for her or contacting her, assuming that the Goo Cheon in this world probably wasn’t the same sister I knew, it wasn’t because I wanted to live in a world where she didn’t exist.

I just believed—hoped—that somewhere out there, she was living happily and peacefully. That was all. But now they were saying she died. That she was gone.

I hurriedly snatched my smartphone off the bedside table. Then, I called the number saved under Goo Cheon’s contact.

Pick up. Please pick up. Please, please……

I shut my eyes tightly, praying that the call would connect.

[The number you have dialed is not in service. Please check the number and try again……]

But contrary to my desperate hopes, the only thing I heard from the other end of the smartphone was a cold mechanical tone and a message saying the number was no longer in service. The moment that sound hit my ears, the phone slipped from my hand and dropped with a soft thud.

I stared blankly into empty space.

“Honored guest?”

Seo Duseok’s voice seemed to be calling me from beside me, but oddly, it sounded like it was coming from far, far away. My mind, which usually worked just fine, had completely shut down. All it could do was repeat the same thought over and over—this can’t be real.

Apparently noticing how off I looked, Seo Duseok gently took hold of my shoulders and gave them a cautious shake.

“Hello? Hey? Snap out of it. What’s going on with you all of a sudden?”

My body swayed limply under his touch. But no matter how much he shook me, I couldn’t pull myself together. Letting out a low nasal sigh, Seo Duseok asked a serious question.

“Honored guest…… don’t tell me—you forgot your sister died?”

At his blunt and brutally direct question, I flinched. That snapped me back. My scattered mind slowly started to come back to me. Eyes hot and dry from the swelling heat, I turned my gaze toward Seo Duseok standing beside the bed.

“Wow. It’s true, huh? How could you forget something like that?”

His awe-laced remark made me clench my teeth tightly. His nonchalant tone rubbed me the wrong way. I couldn’t stand it anymore and was about to snap at him when I sensed someone approaching from outside. Seo Duseok must have noticed too, as he glanced toward the hospital room door.

“Well, look at the time. I’d better get going. Take care now, honored guest. Don’t be too down. Stay strong, okay? See you again.”

Leaving behind those clichéd words of comfort, Seo Duseok briskly exited the hospital room. Not long after he left, Secretary Sung Yoojun came in, carrying a paper bag in his hand. I quickly bowed my head to hide my reddened eyes.

“President? You’re awake?”

He asked, clearly surprised to see me sitting up in bed, but I had no energy left to respond.

“President?”

Noticing something was off in my silence, Secretary Sung Yoojun’s voice became more cautious as he called out to me again. He approached my bed with careful, almost silent steps. Upon spotting the ring case and crumpled paper scattered across the bed, his expression twisted in concern.

“What’s all this? Did someone come by while I was gone?”

“……”

“President?”

Even when he called me again, I kept my lips firmly shut, clutching the blanket. I simply couldn’t bring myself to act like my usual self. I was confused, in pain, and……

“President.”

Startled by how much closer his voice sounded, I snapped out of my thoughts. Before I knew it, Secretary Sung Yoojun had sat down at the edge of the bed and was gently cupping both my cheeks, lifting my face. When I slowly looked up, guided by his hands, I saw his serious eyes filled with worry looking straight into mine.

“……I wish you’d tell me what happened.”

He spoke with an aching sincerity after gazing into my face for a long moment. Bewitched by his voice, I opened my mouth almost unconsciously.

“Cheon…… is dead……”

The words barely left my lips. I trailed off before I could finish, and a look of troubled understanding crossed his face.

“Don’t tell me…… in the world you were originally from, Director Goo Cheon was still alive?”

At his question, I slowly nodded. His hands, still cupping my cheeks, tightened ever so slightly in response, his body tense with unease.

“I’m so sorry for not telling you sooner. I didn’t know things would be so different here from where you came from. It’s my fault. I should’ve told you when you first ordered the investigation……”

His voice trembled with self-reproach, but I shook my head slowly. This wasn’t his fault. Even I had never imagined Cheon would be gone. I gently placed my trembling hand over the back of his and pressed down, burying my cheek into his palm.

Though my mind had started to clear more than before, the shock still hadn’t faded. With a heart full of despair, I squeezed my eyes shut and focused solely on the warmth of Sung Yoojun’s hand against my face.

I had to calm down. Breaking down now wouldn’t change anything. It would only make me look pathetic. So I had to pull myself together. Please, just calm down. Like a chant, I repeated those words in my head again and again. Then, suddenly, the hands cupping my cheeks pulled away.

Why……?

I opened my tightly shut eyes and stared blankly as his hand retreated. Even though we were in a hospital room—one designed for VIPs and certainly well-heated—I felt an inexplicable chill where his warmth had been, as though cold air had seeped into my skin.

I hated that coldness. Instinctively, I reached out to hold on to him, but before I could, he pulled me into his arms first.