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n* * *

nThe kidnapping caused a stir in Hotel Juno. Even if the target was a regular guest, it would have been a disaster, but what was worse was that the abducted people were the participants of this party.

nIt might have been better if they had kidnapped a public figure; however, those who were involved in this trouble were civilians. Besides, the intention was obvious to see who they were after. Both kidnapped girls were the closest friends of Eun Jiho, the heir of Hanwool Group.

nIn other words, the girls were just ordinary people who would never have been targeted for the abduction if they had not been closely related to Eun Jiho. At least, it was for one person.

nWith the police in the surveillance control room, Chairman Eun Han Soo stepped forward and actively cooperated. The acquaintances of the kidnapped girls gathered in a room attached right next to the control room while maintaining an agonizing silence. Among them, there were, of course, the Four Heavenly Kings.

nYoo Chunn Young, who stayed together with the abductees until the end, looked the most unwell. Yoo Chun Young’s two brothers, Yoo Gun and Yoo Shin, kept his side with nonchalant faces.

nYoo Shin observed Yoo Chun Young’s face continuously. His youngest brother was keeping a straight face as always, but the look on Chun Young’s face was unusually different. He looked too pale like a sheet of white paper. It wasn’t difficult to assume that Chun Young was remaining silent just to keep the mood from getting worse, but would be blaming himself inside.

nYoo Shin fell into thought. Should he tell Chun Young that it wasn’t his fault so that this happening wouldn’t become a trauma to him? No, but nothing was that known about the situation to do so. Aside from whether or not the girls could return safely, nothing was known at all about what kind of group they were kidnapped by and why they had been abducted. In this situation, it would only cause anger if Yoo Shin clumsily delivered his condolences.

nAfter agonizing for quite a while, Yoo Shin just kept silence eventually. He then glanced at someone standing nervously against the wall of his room while thinking, ‘He’s the one who looks the most desperate for comfort though.’ In that direction where Yoo Shin fixed his gaze, there stood none other than Eun Jiho.

nEven the humble Yoo Shin chose his words with care in this event; however, only one person was showing his usual look on the face right now. It was Woo Jooin.

nInstead of worrying about the situation, Woo Jooin almost looked apathetic as if he had thrown off his usual, humane shell; however, Yoo Shin, who had a brother like Yoo Gun since he was born, knew it at a glance that Woo Jooin was showing his true color right now.

nStanding beside Eun Jiho, Woo Jooin was also leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He then detached his lips composedly.

n“It’s not your fault.”

nAs soon as Woo Jooin broke the ice, Eun Jiho turned his head.

nHis doll-like eyes, which were closed to the outside world, burned with fury as if Woo Jooin’s words had vitalized them. Looking at Eun Jiho’s reaction, Yoo Shin quickly turned his head away, thinking, ‘Eek! I might catch fire too.’

nEun Jiho soon replied with a yell, “It ain’t my fault? How could that not be my fault?”

nWoo Jooin then reacted extremely frigidly. As if he didn’t drop those words to comfort Eun Jiho, Woo Jooin stood straight with his arms crossed and scowled at Eun Jiho coldly.

nHe uttered, “Since it already happened, shouldn’t we clarify where the responsibility lies once things are all resolved, which means when the two girls come back safely? But you… you’re too punch-drunk.”

n“…”

n“I’ve told you to break that habit since we were young. Do you think you can control everything in this world? Thus, if unexpected things happen, are those all your responsibility? You know what? That’s very arrogant of you.”

n“But…”

nEun Jiho’s replying voice subsided. Yoo Shin was staring at Eun Jiho, who continued his remark with downcast eyes, involuntarily.

n“But… for just one day… I did what I wanted.”

n“…”

nPerhaps it was an unanticipated response. Woo Jooin, who was shrewd in almost everything, slightly grimaced.

nRaising both hands to touch his forehead, Eun Jiho spoke with a heavy voice.

n“Gun hyeong was right.”

n“What?”

nEun Jiho’s unexpected remark made Yoo Gun, who was suggesting Yoo Chun Young sip some water until just now, lift his head.

nEun Jiho didn’t seem to have heard it. He pulled himself together after Woo Jooin’s factual attack but wasn’t still hearing most of the outside sounds.

nWith a pale face, he continued, “Yoo Gun hyeong’s advice was correct. I wanted something I should not have hoped for.”

nYoo Gun then called Eun Jiho in a small voice as if he felt somewhat regretful about him.

n“Jiho.”

n“I know that I must have not done that since I’m in a position unable to behave whatever I want. Those aren’t allowed to a person like me.”

nEun Jiho then completed his remark.

n“I’ve made up my mind hundreds of times to just watch that person from a distance. Still, I wasn’t ready to do so and wanted to clear up the lingering feelings inside me, so I’ve decided to be greedy just for today, but…”

nTaking a breath, Eun Jiho hung his head, once again, in regret.

n“But this is what happened.”

n“Jiho.”

n“Hyeong, what should I do…?”

nEun Jiho continued to drop his last sentence.

n“How should I apologize and take responsibility… No, do I even deserve an apology?

nLooking at Eun Jiho uttering those words, no one in the spot could think about bringing something up. What Eun Jiho just said was such a sincere confession that none of them had imagined hearing such words.

nAt that moment, Chairman Eun Han Soo walked into the surveillance control room. He then threw a remark that broke the silence.

n“We got a call from an unknown number.”

n“Excuse me?!”

nYoo Gun and Yoo Shin were the first to react, then the Four Heavenly Kings, who were all absent-minded, responded belatedly. While everyone stared at the chairman with stiff faces, Mr. Eun Han Soo picked up the phone.

nJust in case if the kidnappers reached out, the people in the room were most likely to receive contact from an acquaintance, so what they first did was putting their cell phones together with maximum volume.

nWhen Eun Jiho found out whom the phone that the chairman just picked up belonged to, his face turned darker.

nThe call was ringing on Eun Jiho’s phone. The worst possibility he had ever thought of came true in this way eventually.

nClenching his fist, Eun Jiho murmured, “And that is why I blame myself for Ham Donnie and Ban Yeo Ryung being kidnapped.”

nMeanwhile, the phone was ringing loudly in his hand. Watching his son with composure, Chairman Eun Han Soo opened his mouth.

n“It’s your phone, so answer the call.”

n“Yes, I will.”

nTaking a deep breath for a second, Eun Jiho then opened his flip phone. He also didn’t forget to record the call.

nThere was a moment of silence that even the sound of a needle falling could be heard. A simple greeting then broke the ice.

nHello, Eun Jiho?

nIndeed, the person over the phone knew who he or she was calling. While Eun Jiho turned stiff, Woo Jooin, beside him, was quickly calculating something in his head.

nThe person over the phone would be the same age as us; besides, he or she would personally know Eun Jiho and have had a conversation with him.

nThe person’s gender was hardly noticeable as he or she was using a disguised voice. Woo Jooin, however, could feel a sense of superiority from the person’s way of speaking. Despite the possibility of identity reveal, the person was talking intimately to Eun Jiho. From that attitude, he or she was showing pride in being close to him.

nEun Jiho then asked back in a calm voice.

n“Who is this?”

nThe following response, however, didn’t let him keep the peace of mind.

nIf you get to know who I am with right now, you won’t be that confident anymore, huh?

nAs Eun Jiho stumbled loudly from feeling suffocated, Woo Jooin and Chairmen Eun Han Soo supported him from each side at the same time. Barely recovering his balance, Eun Jiho then tossed a question with poise.

n“What do you want?”

nWhat do I want?

nAnd what came after was beyond imagination.

nI wish you cry because of me.

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