[Chapter 128]
[The Heart That Knows the Answer (3)]
The aftermath of the disaster was utterly devastating.
The city area adjacent to the coast had truly become a wasteland, and unfortunately the largest hospital in Yokohama was exposed to mana imbalances.
It was impossible to transfer patients, and there were limits to operating the hospital on emergency power.
Monsters even rushed in.
The functions of the large hospital were inevitably paralyzed, and similar cases occurred throughout Yokohama.
As a result, it was impossible to accurately assess the damage, and in the end people focused on saving survivors rather than counting the dead.
"Are you hurt anywhere?"
"...That's my line. How is it? What did those people say?"
"They say I'm fine."
"Really?"
"Can't you see with your own eyes?"
Medical staff set up tents on the roadside to conduct rescue operations.
The roads were packed with injured people.
In this situation, Han Seo-hyun was hospitalized in a private room of a small hospital.
This one is amazing too.
What did she do while here for the Japanese government to give such consideration...
When Eun-ha heard the circumstances from Shin Seo-young on his way here.
Han Seo-hyun was under the protection of the Japanese government and guided to a hospital rather than a roadside emergency center.
Eun-ha who didn't know the Japanese government would give such consideration to a Korean couldn't help but be surprised.
He just stared blankly at her who had changed into a hospital gown.
Soon Eun-ha chuckled.
What does it matter anyway.
It's enough that she's alive like this.
"I can't see well from far away?"
Eun-ha soon moved his feet while playing dumb.
Currently, Shin Seo-young had gone to the Yokohama Mana Management Agency to submit the mana stone and skill stone obtained from Gyuki.
The medical staff checking Seo-hyun's condition had just left the room as soon as Eun-ha entered.
Now only the two of them were left in the room.
"I think I need to check up close, let me see."
"Okay, look all you want then."
Eun-ha pulled a chair close in front of her and sat down.
He carefully examines Han Seo-hyun.
She also stares intently at Eun-ha without avoiding his gaze.
"How is it?"
"...You haven't changed at all even though I'm seeing you after a long time."
"You must be pretending not to see. There's no way you can't recognize how much has changed."
"Where?"
"You have to find that yourself."
As if tempting someone.
Han Seo-hyun smiles provocatively.
Her gaze is intense.
Eun-ha turns his head away from her and finds her feet wrapped in the blanket.
He lifts the blanket without her permission.
"Your feet?"
"Thanks to your magic treatment, they say it will return to normal soon. The scrapes are also being treated with medicine... What are you doing?"
"Touching your feet?"
"Take your hands off quickly."
"I don't want to."
He who supported her ankle with his hand touched her bandaged foot.
Only her toes and heel are sticking out.
Eun-ha playfully poked her toes.
Han Seo-hyun flinches.
Finding it amusing how she tenses up, Eun-ha soon swept the sole of her foot once with his fingertip.
"Didn't I tell you not to?"
"...You seem to have been well. Why is your strength so great? Ow, it hurts..."
"Can you stop pretending it hurts when it doesn't?"
Han Seo-hyun stretched out her foot and suddenly kicked Eun-ha's chest.
Eun-ha deliberately pretended to be hurt and took his hands off her foot.
Han Seo-hyun burst out laughing as if dumbfounded.
"I just lived. Have you been well?"
"I just lived too."
They met after almost 3 years.
Only then did the two ask about each other's well-being.
When Eun-ha casually opened up a topic, Seo-hyun also unraveled her story bundle.
She's unusually talkative.
But Eun-ha thought even this side of her looked good.
It was then.
"Seo-hyun─!!"
Around when he was telling her the reason he came to Yokohama.
Suddenly the hospital room door flung open and a man rushed in panting.
It was Han Do-young.
The man with disheveled hair and dripping with sweat ran straight to her on the bed.
"...Father?"
"Thank goodness. Really... really thank goodness. When I heard you were there, how much I worried about you..."
While Han Seo-hyun's eyes widened.
Han Do-young hugged her tightly.
Eun-ha who vacated his seat just before gave his seat to him.
I didn't know that man would be here too...
Han Do-young, chairman of Sirius Group.
Eun-ha never thought he would be in Japan.
On the other hand, he found it strange to see the businessman he knew showing a parental side that could be seen anywhere.
Han Seo-hyun seemed to feel the same.
"Ah, father... This is..."
"Thank you so much for being alive. Are you, are you not hurt anywhere?"
Han Seo-hyun flustered while embraced by Han Do-young.
She who was watching Eun-ha's reaction soon flinched at her father's worried words.
Soon her hand wandering in the air carefully traces her father's back.
Her hand gently grasping the clothes wrinkles soon tightly grips Han Do-young's back.
"...I was scared."
"Yes, yes. You must have been very scared. But thank you so much for being alive. If anything had happened to you, I... I...!"
Han Seo-hyun sobs.
Eun-ha turned his back seeing her cry.
Soon Han Do-young chokes up too.
Eun-ha decided to leave the room not wanting to disturb them.
He would see her countless times anyway while staying in Japan.
As Eun-ha quietly opened the door─.
"─Choi Ye-jang?"
There was one more person who came to her hospital room.
Eun-ha called the name of the person standing in front of the room.
Choi Ye-jang whose name was called hesitates. His flustered gaze avoids him and turns into the room.
"Ah, aah, Seo-hyun! Father is here too. I'm really glad... My heart dropped so much when I separated from you there..."
Choi Ye-jang awkwardly calls her.
Only then did Han Seo-hyun who was released from Han Do-young's embrace peek her head out and look at Choi Ye-jang.
...Huh?
She blinks.
Soon a strange light dwells in her eyes.
Though Choi Ye-jang bursting into tears in the middle of the room and Han Do-young embracing Han Seo-hyun didn't seem to know.
Eun-ha who was calmly watching this whole situation could read the expression Han Seo-hyun revealed peeking her head over Han Do-young's shoulder.
What is that guy thinking?
Eun-ha tilted his head.
Regardless, Han Seo-hyun soon whispers something in Han Do-young's ear.
"What did you say!?"
Han Do-young suddenly gets angry.
Choi Ye-jang who was crying loudly flinches and raises his head.
Han Do-young who had gotten up from his seat at some point was approaching Choi Ye-jang with a furious face.
"Ah, father...?"
"Where am I your father!"
"...What?"
"I thought you were a good person and entrusted Seo-hyun to you, but now I see I had no eye for people!"
"Wh-what do you mea...aack...!"
"You dirty bastard..."
Han Do-young unhesitatingly punched Choi Ye-jang's face.
Choi Ye-jang who was hit without taking a defensive stance fell on his butt and rolled on the floor.
Han Do-young cursed at him rolling on the floor as if his anger wasn't resolved.
"...What's going on?"
I don't know what happened.
Eun-ha made a dumbfounded expression seeing what happened before his eyes.
But there was one thing he could know.
The chairman of Sirius Group hit the direct line of YH Group.
This could be interpreted as the relationship between Sirius Group and YH Group breaking down─.
"─Get out of my sight right now. I'll explain in detail in front of your father as soon as we return to Korea, so know that."
It was as good as Han Seo-hyun and Choi Ye-jang's engagement being broken off.
Sirius Group chairman Han Do-young personally put an end to it.
☆
Until now, Han Seo-hyun thought.
Her father Han Do-young reigning as king of Sirius was very strict with her, his daughter.
In fact, the father she experienced since childhood was such a person.
But when her father hugged her drenched in sweat─.
─Ah...
She realized her thoughts were wrong.
There was intense trembling in her father's body hugging her.
The sweat flowing down his neck was enough to know how hard her father ran to see her.
"Thank you so much for being alive. Are you, are you not hurt anywhere?"
Han Seo-hyun who thought her existence was nothing more than a chess piece of Sirius Group couldn't handle the emotions welling up the moment she heard her father's words.
So for the first time since realizing her duty, she cried out loud.
Then her father cries too.
Her father soothes her saying it's all his fault.
"...I missed you."
"I, I missed you so much too. I regretted so much on the way... If I knew this would happen, I shouldn't have sent you to a place like this... I should have just kept you with me... Really, daddy is so sorry."
"Daddy..."
Though No Eun-ha was there.
She tightly hugged Han Do-young and felt his emotions.
Then Han Do-young hugged her even more tightly.
"─Choi Ye-jang?"
Meanwhile.
Choi Ye-jang entered the hospital room.
Soon her head cooled seeing him over Han Do-young's shoulder.
"Ah, aah, Seo-hyun! Father is here too. I'm really glad... My heart dropped so much when I separated from you there..."
Choi Ye-jang acting as if he doesn't remember what he did, relieved at her safety.
Han Seo-hyun didn't feel any particular emotion seeing him like that.
It's not wrong.
As a businessman, one naturally had to act humbly sometimes depending on the situation. Because that's how you gain benefits.
Likewise, a proper businessman should be able to forget past events and reconcile with the other party for their own benefit.
The one in need bows.
"─Daddy."
"Yes?"
Then who is in need now?
Both of them.
From one perspective, Choi Ye-jang who came to owe Han Seo-hyun his life was in a position where he had to kneel even to gain Sirius Group's influence.
Also, Sirius Group trying to form an alliance with YH Group to surpass Galaxy Group had to accept Choi Ye-jang's reconciliation even if reluctantly.
That was a win-win for both.
"What is it?"
"He pushed me."
"...What?"
"Well..."
However, while knowing this, Han Seo-hyun wanted to test the emotions she was currently feeling.
Whose side Han Do-young would take.
The result was as she hoped.
Han Do-young who heard the circumstances from her in a whisper made a furious face and beat up Choi Ye-jang.
"How dare this dog bastard to my daughter..."
Han Seo-hyun learned a new side of her father.
Come to think of it, it was natural.
How could the king ruling the great nation of Sirius give up what he should protect and lower his pride for profit?
That was something only a petty person would do.
Would citizens really be loyal to a king who sells his child?
Han Seo-hyun felt refreshed seeing Choi Ye-jang who ran away with his tail between his legs.
If I ask Kaguya-sama, maybe we can find evidence.
There should be witnesses if we look...
Anyway, the chairman of Sirius Group recklessly hit YH Group's direct line.
Looking at the facts, it's enough to cause misunderstanding.
But if the background is properly grasped, YH Group won't be able to raise objections.
Rather, YH Group may have to bow to Sirius Group to somehow cover up the incident.
Though Choi Ye-jang's choice can't be said to have committed a crime in a situation where his life was most important, he can't avoid moral responsibility.
He will surely have to bow his head even for the group's image.
Anyway, this will strain relations with YH.
Han Seo-hyun fell into thought watching Han Do-young bowing his head gratefully while holding Eun-ha's hand tightly.
There's probably no need to worry.
Fortunately, there was Luminous Group whose business areas overlapped with YH.
There's no loss for Sirius.
So─.
"─Eun-ha."
Han Seo-hyun soon called No Eun-ha with a lightened heart.
He whose hand was held by Han Do-young blinks as if wondering what's going on.
Pink.
She who caught the faint emotion seeping from his eyes smiles and proposes to him.
"─While in Japan... won't you be my exclusive?"
We met after a long time.
I want to spend more time together.
She ignored her father making a dejected face as if suddenly realizing something, and only looked at No Eun-ha.
Eun-ha who was standing quietly looking at her soon─.
"─Okay, sure."
He accepted her proposal.
Han Seo-hyun appreciated the color he was sending while hearing Eun-ha's answer.
It's pink.
A color that makes people feel cozy.
The young man who showed a colorless world without emotion even just a few years ago was now showing a faintly pink world.