He had helped out with the Apple project and met his current girlfriend through James’s introduction.
He had also recovered quickly thanks to the cough drops and tea that he had brought along on his business trip.
He was at the point where he couldn’t accept any more favors without feeling embarrassed.
He made up his mind and asked Park Seung-woo, his colleague.
“Park, do you know where Yoo-hyun’s father’s company is?”
“Yes, I have a rough idea. I’ll Discover more novels on NovelHub - your gateway to endless stories.”
Kim Young-gil, another colleague, flashed him a look.
It was the end of the year and there wasn’t much to do.
The projects were going smoothly and Yoo-hyun had some free time since he had finished his OJT.
Kim Hyun-min, the team leader, gladly granted Yoo-hyun’s vacation request.
Yoo-hyun went back to his hometown and looked for his mother first.
Of course, he had brought a lot of gifts from his business trip.
His mother’s face brightened when she saw the gifts that Yoo-hyun handed her.
“Oh my, isn’t this expensive?”
“No, it was cheap at the duty-free shop.”
“Thank you. This is exactly what I needed. Look, doesn’t it suit me?”
His mother put the small handbag that Yoo-hyun gave her on her shoulder and struck a pose.
She looked like a model on a fashion show stage and Yoo-hyun had to suppress his laughter.
Then he said seriously.
“Mother, you have such a classy vibe that the bag seems to fade in comparison.”
“Hohoho. How come? You’ve become so eloquent since you started working.”
“Well, I can’t lie, can I?”
“Hoho. That’s true. I can’t do that.”
His mother clapped her hands like a seal and was pleased.
But she also kept glancing at the small handbag on her shoulder.
Yoo-hyun smiled warmly at her.
Yoo-hyun went straight to his father’s brick factory.
It was the place that Yoo-hyun had chosen as an excuse to drink secretly.
His father had initially objected, but he eventually agreed because of the liquor that Yoo-hyun had bought outside.
Yoo-hyun walked while talking to his father on the phone.
His father’s worried voice filled the receiver.
-It’s going to be very dirty, are you sure?
“What, it’s fine. It reminds me of the old days and I like it.”
-Okay. I’ll be there soon. The key is…
“Yes, I got it. See you soon.”
Yoo-hyun hung up and entered the brick factory.
It was quiet around since it was a day off.
Yoo-hyun found the key in the corner and opened the door to the break room.
The light turned on and a dim light illuminated the room.
He thought he should change the fluorescent lamp.
Yoo-hyun first unpacked the liquor and snacks that he had bought as gifts on the break room table.
Then he quickly scanned the nearby documents.
He had something to check.
‘Bidding details, contracts, payment ledgers, and…’
His father’s company had not yet fully implemented the computer system.
There was a lot of work done by hand, and he could tell the situation by just looking at the file folders scattered around.
“It’s not too bad yet.”
Yoo-hyun muttered as he flipped through the documents.
It wasn’t a difficult situation, but it wasn’t good either.
He had a hunch why Ahn Se-hoon, the deputy manager, had called him.
What if they got the Hansung Construction project here?
It would surely turn on the green light for the factory’s future.
He wanted to help his father if he could.
Then he heard the sound of the front door opening and Yoo-hyun casually put the file back in its place.
His father turned on the light and said.
“What are you doing in the dark?”
“Huh? Wasn’t this the switch?”
His father pointed to an empty space behind the cabinet.
No one would have known.
Yoo-hyun said with a disappointed look.
“Well, I should clean up a bit anyway. Let’s sit down.”
Yoo-hyun sat on the sofa and looked around.
The surroundings were clearly visible as the light brightened.
Yoo-hyun turned his head around and said.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been here.”
“Right? You used to come here a lot when you were young.”
He had rolled around a lot on the old sofa that he was leaning on now.
His head had hit the corner of the angular table where the liquor and snacks were placed.
On the wall behind him, there were traces of stickers that he had stuck as a prank when he was young.
The big clock on the wall was the same as before.
He remembered that he had pulled out the cuckoo that came out every hour when he was young.
What did his father say then?
‘I think he clapped his hands when he caught the cuckoo.’
He chuckled at the old memory that came to his mind after a long time.
A very long time ago, that is, more than 20 years and another 20 years ago.
Memories that he thought he had forgotten came to his mind.
“Where is your father’s room?”
“I tore down the office and expanded the break room. I didn’t need a separate room when I looked at it. Hehehe.”
His father answered with a laugh.
But Yoo-hyun knew how much his father had cherished that room in the past.
-Yoo-hyun, dad is going to expand this room as much as the factory. I’m going to make a really big company, that’s what I’m saying.
To young Yoo-hyun, his father was a big tree.
His father’s hearty words became Yoo-hyun’s dream.
He ate his dream and grew up comfortably in the shade that the tree made.
He didn’t imagine that the tree would break then.
He just thought it was natural.
When his father collapsed and his family fell apart.
When he no longer had the comfortable shade and had to face the cold reality.
He ran away with success as an excuse.
He buried himself in his own excuses and lost the most precious thing in his life.
He had easily given up his family, which he couldn’t buy with any wealth or fame.
Yoo-hyun was lost in thought when his father handed him a glass.
“Come on, let’s taste the liquor that our son bought.”
Yoo-hyun saw a tree in front of his eyes.
It wasn’t as big as before, but it still gave generously.
Yoo-hyun didn’t want to stay under the shade of that tree anymore.
His father took a sip and exclaimed.
“Wow. This is the taste. It’s so good.”
“Are you okay? Do you want some ice?”
He saw his father’s eyes.
He wanted to give him water and fertilizer.
He wanted to help him grow as big as before.
“Father, I know someone at Hansung Construction…”
His father cut off Yoo-hyun’s words and poured liquor into his glass.
Yoo-hyun took the glass and answered.
“Leave the company matters to me. It’s not too hard for you yet.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I know, your feelings. But can you trust me and wait a little?”
-Yoo-hyun, do you want me to be such a pathetic senior?
Suddenly, he remembered what Park Seung-woo, the assistant manager, had said a while ago.
It wasn’t always good to just give.
Sometimes, you had to know how to receive and wait.
You had more value when you stood up on your own.
Park Seung-woo and his father wanted that from him.
“Of course. I trust you.”
Yoo-hyun smiled faintly and his father chuckled and drank his liquor.
“Wow. Good. Have some jerky too.”
As they drank, they talked more.
“How’s your work life?”
Was it because they became closer?
They had no trouble sharing their daily lives.
He didn’t need to be alert and careful around his father.
He just comfortably handed him liquor.
He just comfortably said whatever came to his mouth.
Yoo-hyun got to know his father more and more.
His father’s usual thoughts, hobbies, difficulties at work, what he was doing, stories about his employees, etc.
The more Yoo-hyun brought up the conversation, the closer he could get.
“Hahaha. That guy, Mr. Ahn…”
His father looked the happiest when he talked about his employees.
He wanted to work under his father, seeing how he poured out his affection for each and every name he mentioned.
Just like Park Seung-woo. Like the people in the third part.
Maybe the people here were living a similar life.
Yoo-hyun looked at his father calmly.
It wasn’t very big, but it stood firm against the storm.
It shone brighter than any other tree, having melted the years into its core.
Yoo-hyun couldn’t even imagine being such a cool tree.
That tree was right in front of him.
Yoo-hyun offered the tree a drink.
“Father, did I tell you?”
“That I respect you.”
“Pfft. You learned how to butter up at work, just like your mother said?”
“I have a senior I respect there too.”
“Yeah? Then that’s good.”
At the same time, gentle smiles crossed.
The two looked very alike right now.
After finishing their drinks, they staggered home.
His mother greeted them warmly.
“Oh my, you’re crazy. You shouldn’t drink, you know.”
His mother lovingly rubbed his father’s back.
His father twisted his body like a pretzel and stuck out his index finger.
“I had one drink, just one.”
“You had one drink and your legs are shaking?”
Yoo-hyun, who was laughing foolishly, also stuck out his index finger.
“Me too, mom. I really had just one drink.”
“Yoo-hyun, you too? You’re hopeless.”
His mother shook her head at her bright son’s face.
Then she closed the door and went in with a thud.
His father laughed and said.
“I would have been kicked out if it wasn’t for you.”
“Then let’s drink again when I come next time.”
“Good. I’ll prepare then.”
The two fools laughed loudly in the late night when everyone was asleep.
His mother opened the door and shouted.
“Really, look at you. Stop it already.”
Yoo-hyun went to the car center to meet Kim Hyun-soo.
He sat down in the lounge and gave Kim Hyun-soo toothpaste, just like he did with Kang Jun-ki.
He also added cold tea, cold candy, and cold bath products for Hyun-soo’s mother, who was recovering.
Kim Hyun-soo, who took everything, snorted.
“Why are you bringing all this? Anyway, thanks.”
“She’s healthy. Thanks to you.”
“What did I do. And…”
“Ah, if it’s about money, forget it.”
Kim Hyun-soo raised his hand and stopped Yoo-hyun from opening his mouth.
Then he quickly muttered to himself.
“I was lucky and made some money, and I gave you what I could. I’m saying this in case you’re worried, but I won’t do that anymore. Okay?”
“That’s not it, man.”
“Yeah? Well, whatever.”
Kim Hyun-soo shrugged and drank the coffee he had gotten from the vending machine in the lounge.
Yoo-hyun looked at him and chuckled.
He was still relaxed, despite his age.