Chapter 47 …
“I’m sorry for calling you over on the weekend when you probably wanted to rest. I thought it would be harder for you to make time during the week, so I chose today.”
“Thank you for inviting me.”
“Do you happen to know how to play Go?”
“No, I never had the chance to learn.”
“Ah, you said you lived in Australia, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Dohyun realized that Chairman Kwon had already checked his resume.
“The meal is ready, Chairman.”
“Let’s go.”
The two of them moved to the dining room. On the table were dishes Dohyun recognized and others he had never seen before—a colorful spread of various foods.
“I didn’t prepare much, but eat plenty.”
“I will. Thank you.”
There were so many types of dishes that Dohyun hesitated, unsure where to start.
When Chairman Kwon picked up his chopsticks, Dohyun carefully took some japchae. It was not greasy, but light and savory.
“You worked at a fairly well-known company in Australia. May I ask why you suddenly came to Korea?”
Dohyun quietly put down his chopsticks before answering.
“I came to find my biological parents.”
“Biological parents? So the people in Australia weren’t your biological parents?”
“They were my adoptive parents.”
Chairman Kwon was surprised.
“…I see. My apologies for prying.”
“No, it’s alright.”
“So, have you found your biological parents yet?”
“I’m still looking.”
“You’ve been in Korea for quite some time. If you’re still looking, does that mean there’s a problem?”
“I found my biological mother, but I haven’t found my biological father yet.”
“Does that mean they weren’t married?”
“Yes. I heard my father has no idea I exist.”
“That must be difficult for you.”
Seeing the darkened expression on Dohyun’s face, Chairman Kwon changed the subject.
After finishing their meal, the two of them moved to the study for tea. When they opened the door, the walls were lined with bookshelves, packed tightly with books.
“It looks like a library was brought in here.”
“Your son must have loved books.”
Dohyun felt his heart throb. He, too, had loved spending time in the library during his school days.
As they sat on the sofa, a knock came at the door, and a servant brought over some pu-erh tea.
“Go ahead. It should be drinkable.”
Just as Chairman Kwon said, the tea was initially astringent and bitter, but gradually it became smooth and richly flavored. As he put down his teacup, Chairman Kwon spoke.
“But are you sure you don’t want anything at all?”
“Yes, really. I’m fine.”
“Alright. If you ever need my help, just tell me. I’ll do anything for you.”
“Thank you.”
At that moment, Chairman Kwon’s phone rang. Checking the screen, he excused himself and stepped out of the study.
Once the sound of his footsteps faded, Dohyun carefully got up from the sofa.
He headed straight for Chairman Kwon’s desk.
He needed to secure something he could use for a DNA sample.
He quickly scanned the neatly organized desk, but only books, picture frames, and a pair of glasses caught his eye.
He had to avoid anything that could raise suspicion of theft or tampering.
Then, his gaze landed on a single strand of hair lying on the desk.
Dohyun put on the gloves he had prepared in advance, placed the hair into a small envelope, and slipped it into his jacket pocket.
Just as he was about to return to his seat, a photograph caught his eye.
The moment he saw it, it was as if someone had struck him hard on the head with a hammer. The face in the photograph matched the one he had seen in his biological mother’s diary.
A strong certainty hit him that Chairman Kwon’s son might be his biological father. His vision blurred, his hands trembled slightly, and his heart pounded loudly. The sound was so intense it almost made his ears ring.
At that moment, the study door suddenly swung open.
Startled, Dohyun hadn’t heard the footsteps while staring at the photo.
Chairman Kwon noticed Dohyun frozen in front of the desk and looked at him with a curious expression.
“What’s the matter?”
Dohyun quickly composed himself and answered calmly.
“I’m sorry. I was just looking around without permission.”
“Oh, that’s alright.”
After a brief moment of surprise, Chairman Kwon smiled kindly and sat down on the sofa.
Dohyun hurried back to his seat but his heart still raced, and his fingers trembled slightly. His mind was a mess.
‘Could it really be… that my biological father is from this family?’
It felt as though the puzzle pieces he had been searching for were finally falling into place. But the puzzle connected in an unexpected way, leaving him confused.
Noticing Dohyun’s pale expression, Chairman Kwon asked cautiously,
“Are you feeling unwell?”
Dohyun hesitated for a moment, then composed himself and met Chairman Kwon’s gaze.
“I have something I’d like to ask… may I?”
“Ask anything.”
Dohyun’s throat felt dry, but he tried to maintain a calm tone.
“…The photo on your desk—is that your son?”
“Yes. A smart kid.”
The soft tone in his voice carried deep affection.
“…You must have cherished him a lot.”
A sad smile appeared on Chairman Kwon’s lips.
“He was my firstborn, and he was dutiful from a young age.”
His voice grew thinner.
“So… when my son suddenly passed away in a traffic accident with his mother… I wanted to follow him in death too.”
Tears welled in his eyes. He wiped them with the back of his hand and gave a sheepish smile.
“Maybe it’s because I’m old. Pathetic, isn’t it?”
“…Not at all.”
Dohyun bit his lip without realizing it.
Even after all these years since his wife and son had died, seeing Chairman Kwon still grieve pierced Dohyun’s heart.
A heavy silence fell between the two, each immersed in their own sorrow.
When they left the study after tea, it was already dusk.
When Dohyun said he would leave, Chairman Kwon could not hide his disappointment.
“Thank you for today.”
“I’m the one who should thank you. I had a great meal.”
Chairman Kwon looked at Dohyun with a deep smile.
“Being with you reminded me of my son. It was really nice.”
It was clear he meant it.
Dohyun realized that, unlike at the start, he actually felt comfortable spending time with Chairman Kwon.
Then, Chairman Kwon spoke cautiously.
“So… if I may, could I ask you a favor?”
“Yes, please.”
After a brief hesitation, Chairman Kwon spoke softly.
“If I invite you for another meal, would you accept?”
Dohyun smiled slightly and nodded.
“Just let me know anytime.”
A broad smile spread across Chairman Kwon’s face at those words.
Dohyun stopped Chairman Kwon from following him to the parking lot and stepped out of the mansion. He took a deep breath.
His whole body felt tense, his shoulders stiff.
‘Now, I just need to confirm it.’
He pulled out his phone and dialed Kim Ki-chul’s number. After several rings, Kim answered.
[Yes, this is Kim Ki-chul.]
“Can we meet now?”
[Did you secure Chairman Kwon Jin-man’s DNA?]
Dohyun checked the short hair in the plastic envelope in his jacket pocket.
“Yes. Where should I go?”
[We’re at the office. Let’s meet there.]
“I’ll head there now.”
After the call, Dohyun made his way to the Cheongun Detective Agency.
The day of the workshop in Yangpyeong.
Yeon-ha, who disliked group activities, was not happy about the workshop. She desperately wanted to skip it, but could not disobey the chairman’s special order for everyone to attend the 50th-anniversary event.
She boarded the bus first and took a window seat. Soon after, Jinyoung got on and sat beside her, complaining.
“Why hold the workshop on such a precious weekend? If it’s just an extension of work and we can’t skip it, shouldn’t it be on a weekday?”
“If it were on a weekday, I’d hate falling behind on work. And I don’t want to take calls while trying to have fun either.”
Jinyoung sighed with an exasperated look, and Yeon-ha smirked slightly, pulling aside the curtain at the window.
At that moment, Dohyun walking toward the bus caught her eye. His tall stature made him stand out even from a distance. Wearing a black T-shirt and jeans with a bag casually slung over one shoulder, he strode forward like a model.
