Apollo’s Heart - Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Little puddles carpeting the streets, rivulets trickling down; by the time it stopped pouring at dawn, the rain had left tangible marks all over the city.

As he drove, Jae-won took a peek at the calendar. It had been two days since his encounter with Yuri. Two days since the dinner; in other words, handing over the business card.

In general, the women Jae-won flirted with contacted him in two days – they usually took one day to explore his personality and background through their own means and spent another playing hard-to-get. But it would all end up the same way: them calling him.

Will she contact me?

It’s certainly not the first time that Jae-won had taken fancy to a woman. That said, she certainly wasn’t the first to have his business card either.

However, it was most definitely a first that this hotshot was a nervous wreck waiting for her call. Women would surely call him back, and in those rarest of the rare cases of no contact, he was totally unaffected. Moreover, there was no end to the women constantly expressing their interest in him, and as such, Jae-won Lee shall want for nothing.

Even so, this time was different. Didn’t they say three coincidences are proof of destiny? And, Yuri seemed like destiny to Jae-won. Why not? They’d already had three coincidences – first at Si-yeon’s office, second at Seohwadang, and the last at Hotel Seoin.

Ever since having a conversation with this attractive woman, Jae-won had found her so enchanting that she had been occupying his every waking and non-waking thought. The rumor that she already had a man, was obviously disregarded. Indeed, Yuri gave him the screaming habdabs.

If she doesn’t contact me, should I visit her studio in New York City in the winter holiday season? No, no, I’d look too desperate.

While Jae-won mulled over the ways to approach Yuri, his phone in the pocket vibrated. It was his secretary, Choi.

–         “Mr. Lee[4] , where are you?”

Jae-won sensed a note of urgency from the voice across the telephone.

What has happened?

Jae-won checked the time. It’s 7:30 a.m. Since he had a meeting to attend that morning, he was already on his way.

“I’ve already arrived at the hotel. I just need to get off.”

–         “Please come quickly. Quickly!”

Instead of being reassured, the voice turned tenser.

“What? Why?”

He got out of the car wondering what had happened. When he entered the lobby, Secretary Choi, who had been biting his nails from anxiety, dashed to Jae-won.

“What took you so long, Mr. Yoon! I have been waiting for you!” He cried.

Jae-won instinctively straightened his spine, he had never seen his secretary as nervous as now. It must be something serious that put this man on tenterhooks.

“What is it? Did something happen?” he asked.

“Um…”

Choi hesitated for a moment, lowered his voice as if the matter was top-secret. Well, his mood was contagious, Jae-won too became serious.

“Director Tae-jun Seo is waiting for you in the office.” He whispered.

Like a popped balloon, Jae-won’s anxiety dissipated immediately. He looked blankly at his subordinate.

What’s the big deal about Tae-jun’s visit? He often comes to the office.

Uncomprehending his secretary’s fuss, Jae-won continued.

“So what? He comes over often.”

“But… but it’s different this time! I was scared to death.” He felt wronged at his boss’ apathy.

“You are always afraid of him, anyway!” Jae-won replied flatly and continued walking to his office. He should have known better! His secretary was particularly scared of the top boss.

“So, when did he come?” he asked.

“I… I don’t know.”

Jae-won stopped. What the…? His secretary came to work before 7 a.m. every day!

“I checked in as usual, and he was already sitting in your office.”

When he had come in, Choi was startled at Tae-jun’s abrupt arrival at such an ungodly hour, and in trice called his boss.

Oh, Lord!

Slowly the gravity of the situation sank in, Jae-won turned pale as ashes.

“You should have called me right at that moment!” He blamed his secretary for his negligence. Who knows how long that man had been waiting for, and what brought him here!

“I also thought he just came in to say hi in the beginning…” Choi hurriedly explained. The devil hadn’t said a word up until now, how was he to discern his intentions?

“Did he just sit there and wait for me?”

Jae-won was puzzled at his cousin’s behaviour. He should have called him, if not have his secretary call him. So far there was no matter that he could think of, that needed his presence and certainly not at such an early hour in the day.

“No, I wouldn’t have made such a fuss if he’d just sat and waited for you. He was looking for something.”

“Looking for what?” Jae-won couldn’t mask his surprise.

“Well, I don’t know. He wouldn’t tell me.”

Choi was a subordinate’s subordinate. There was no way he could ask the other what he was up to; nor was the other obligated to tell him.

“So, are you telling me, you just let him be and left the office, so he could find whatever he wanted?” He was miffed.

“I was so scared. I was scared to death.” Choi justified his actions.

This idiot! He should have stayed there no matter how scared he was!

Jae-won had to restrain himself from yelling at his secretary. He quickly started surmising why Tae-jun visited him so early in the morning. In terms of career and private life, Jae-won had been a good boy so far and had not done anything to agitate his cousin. The last time they met, things were normal too.

“I’ve been behaving well recently, right?” He wanted to reaffirm lest he’d overlooked something.

“Yes. You were such a good boy.” His secretary was quick to supply, in a rather comical way.

After getting off the elevator, Jae-won stood in front of the office door. He was anxious to enter his own office. He took a deep breath and nodded at his secretary to open the door. He couldn’t dawdle any longer now.

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