[240] The sky is falling 1
“Mother. Relax. Grandpa is trying to have a little bit of time that he doesn’t share with mother. Just have a nice conversation.”
“know. But even at this age, I can’t help it that my hamstrings tingle in front of my father. I don’t want this…”
The mother took several deep breaths in front of the hospital room to calm herself down.
Although she is a mother looking at her 50s, she looks like a bride-to-be coming to greet her parents for the first time to get their marriage approval.
I quietly knocked on the door of the hospital room and went inside with my mother.
The grandfather, who was lying on the bed, raised his upper body with the help of a nurse.
“Is our Seohyun… here?”
“Ah Father…!”
It’s nothing that surprised me.
My mother seemed frozen and couldn’t even get close to my grandfather.
It’s our Seohyun!
I have never seen or heard my grandfather call not only my mother, but also any other daughter-in-law. Besides, what a soft voice?
I couldn’t help but be surprised.
As Grandpa beckoned her to come closer, Mother took a step back.
I didn’t feel the need to be there. I saw that their eyes had already turned red.
Tears shed towards each other will wash away everything that has accumulated over the past time. I thought it would be uncomfortable for the two of them to watch it, so I came out quietly.
I sat in the hospital cafe and waited for my mother. Fortunately, it was a special ward, so I was able to wait comfortably without seeing anyone else.
After almost two hours, my mother came out of the hospital room.
“Did you talk a lot?”
“okay. I came out to see you asleep.”
I didn’t ask any more. It is because just by looking at his brightly smiling face, I vividly pictured what he looked like for two hours.
“Are you sleeping again?”
“okay. It must be difficult for you to sit down and talk now. It’s clear that you’re having a hard time. What should I do?”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t help it. We must also prepare our hearts.”
I wanted to turn away from the reality that was close to my eyes, but I couldn’t turn my head anymore.
After the grandfather’s funeral, everyone who has been hiding their claws reveals their true colors. Now, rather than revealing my claws, I have to wear sturdy armor to avoid getting hurt by their claws.
“mother. I’ll take you there. Are you going home?”
“okay.”
Mother held my arm tightly. And he said.
“My father said so. I mean it might be hard for me to watch you because you have to go through a very difficult thing… no, a tough road. But he said never stop and leave you alone. Instead, they say to quickly find a good daughter-in-law who can take care of yourself so you don’t get hurt and take care of you instead of me…” “My
mother may think so, but it’s not a very difficult road for me. It’s the way I want to be, so I’m just having fun. Do not worry too much.”
“It’s about making the Sunyang Group yours, and of course it won’t be an easy road. But it’s what you chose because you wanted it, so I’m not too worried.”
Mother surprised me again.
I thought you would tell me to be satisfied and to live comfortably because I have enough now, but it was unexpected.
“Although it is weak, when you need my strength, do not hesitate to speak up. you’re a mother You are a person who can say anything. yes?”
I didn’t have anything to say at the unexpected words, so I just held my mother’s hand with her arms crossed.
Before leaving the hospital and getting into the car, I suddenly remembered one thing I had forgotten.
“mother.”
“huh. why?”
“Did you buy the land ten years ago? Was it Ilsan? It must have turned into gold dust by now? Did you already sell it?”
The embarrassed mother’s expression was even cute.
* * *
― Chief. I think you should go to the hospital right now.
As soon as I received the call from assistant manager Kim Yoon-seok in the middle of the night, I put on my clothes.
― I contacted the ward’s bodyguard, but the hospital is in a state of emergency. It seems a bit serious this time. I heard that the director of the hospital has already contacted the director’s father and chief Lee Hak-jae.
As soon as I finished the call, I rushed to the hospital.
There was only one bodyguard with an uneasy expression in the hospital room, but the grandfather was nowhere to be seen.
“Are you in the operating room…?”
“yes. You just entered.”
I ran to the operating room and saw the hospital director.
“Director!”
“uh? Do-joon. How do you know…?”
“What about Grandpa? Are you serious?”
The hospital director opened his mouth with difficulty.
“As soon as the surgery is over, I want to contact my family. Even if you wake up, 48 hours? It will be three or four days at most.”
“What if you can’t wake up?”
I had already prepared myself, but hearing the words directly made my body tremble.
“I will have to choose. Whether to intubate and prolong it a little longer, or to let it go comfortably.”
His legs gave way and he slumped back in his chair.
Was this what it meant to have a white head?
Time seemed to stand still.
The only time I came to my senses was when my father and Lee Hak-jae, who hurriedly ran to me, tapped on my shoulder.
“Oh father. Manager.”
“You came early. just a little bit I’m going to have a talk with the director.”
My father and the hospital director were away for a while, but Chief Lee Hak-jae sat next to me.
“You must have already heard about it.”
“yes.”
“Will recovery be difficult?”
Instead of answering, he nodded his head, and Chief Lee Hak-jae let out a long sigh.
“Damn, I still have a few things left to say…”
“Your grandfather will already know what you are saying.”
“As I live, there are times when you comfort me.”
“Because I want to believe that too.”
Chief Lee glanced at me and patted me on the back once.
“okay. Let’s believe that the president knows our hearts.”
For a while, we just kept our seats without saying anything.
I went into the operating room, but I know that first aid level is everything, not surgery to save lives.
The grandfather’s remaining time as the hospital director said is highly likely to be true.
“Do-joon.”
“yes.”
“Make up your mind. If the president passes away, I don’t know what Vice Chairman Jin Young-ki will do.”
“I know.”
“Not as far as I know. If necessary, I might have to pour money thinking that I will sweep the stake in affiliates.”
“Did you hear anything?”
“They seemed to be trying to kick you out and fight for the president’s seat. I told the chairman, but I’m trying my best to convert to a holding company system. In that case, your controlling stake will be nothing more than stock in an unlisted company.”
I didn’t want to share these words now, but I made up my mind.
Didn’t Grandpa only think of the group even though death was right around the corner? I should too. In order to become grandfather’s successor, no matter how difficult the situation, you should not delay.
“Did you hear it yourself?”
“okay. I asked how to convert to a holding company… no, they asked for help.”
“Seeing as you were telling me everything, you said no.”
Chief Lee nodded his head.
“You said you would give me the chairperson of Sunyang Group, but those nobles said they only gave me the chairperson of Sunyang Electronics. So I lost interest.”
I knew there was another emotion on his face with a shy smile.
I guess I felt a sense of humiliation. No matter how much the former is the main company of the group, it is the president of an affiliate.
It is clear that the person who wielded all the power in his hands on behalf of his grandfather is far from lacking.
The reason I bring up these words is not because I want to confirm my promise. This person has not yet decided what to do at the Sunyang Group where his grandfather is not.
“Thank you for speaking up. I guess I’ll have to be a little more determined. I’m ready to rain bullets if the need arises.”
“As I promised, I will do everything in my power to stick with it. Because that’s what the president wants.”
“I’m just grateful that you did that much.”
I wanted to talk more and peek into this person’s heart, but I didn’t have a chance.
The sound of footsteps echoed through the hallway and the two approached.
The father who appeared with the director of the hospital had a devastated expression.
“older brother. Shouldn’t we call all the family members?”
When the father spoke in a trembling voice, Chief Lee Hak-jae shook his head.
“Chairman, when you come out of the operating room, let’s decide. It won’t be too late though. Isn’t it?”
When Chief Lee Hak-jae asked the hospital director, he nodded as well.
“There is no difference.”
It means nothing is changing.
48 hours.
It’s Grandpa’s breathing time.
All we could do was forget the time and wait in front of the operating room.
I thought I had been waiting for hours, but only an hour had passed.
The doctors who came out of the operating room only showed stiff expressions, but said nothing. The head of the hospital exchanged a few words with the doctors, then came to my father and shook his head.
“I think you should prepare. Chairman.”
“Tonight?”
“I do not know. As I said, 48 hours at the most.”
We walked helplessly to the hospital room.
Grandpa, wearing an oxygen mask, is breathing heavily with his eyes closed. We had no way of knowing whether he was asleep or passed out, or whether he was sane but unable to control his body.
I just watch the life that goes out by the side.
My father picked up his cell phone and started calling his uncles, and Chief Lee Hak-jae was also on the phone endlessly somewhere.
As the phone call got longer, the two went out of the room altogether.
The doctors and nurses kept checking the medical equipment next to the bed.
“teacher. Could you please wake up, even for a moment?”
The doctor bit his lip slightly as if embarrassed.
“I can’t guarantee it, but I think it will be difficult.”
“Then…?”
“Perhaps. sorry. I can only say this…”
“No. It’s not the teacher’s fault, so there’s no need to do that.”
The doctor holding the chart lightly bowed his head and asked for my understanding.
“I’ll be away for a while.”
Even the doctors and nurses left, leaving me alone in an empty hospital room.
The sound of my grandfather’s rapid breathing coming through the oxygen mask tore my heart apart as I watched.
Even though I tried to hold it in, the tears continued to flow down my cheeks.
Grandpa’s hand twitched as he tried to wipe his skinny grandfather’s hand. It seemed like he was trying to hold my hand.
“Uh… Uh… Huh…”
Seeing my grandfather half-open, I tried to get up to call the doctor, but I felt a force pulling on my hand.
It must have been frustrating to see him shaking his head and struggling to touch the mask with one hand.
As I lifted the oxygen mask slightly, a sound flowed from my dry lips.
“Do… Do-joon…ah…”
“Yes. grandfather. I am here.”
I put my strength into my two hands that were holding tight and moved close enough to touch my grandfather’s face.
“Too…”
It was hard to see the old man breathing heavily and struggling.
“grandfather. Don’t say anything.”
When I tried to put the oxygen mask in my hand again, my grandfather frowned and shook his head just a little bit.
And he said it again. It was slow but very clear. It’s like a will.
“Don’t lose a single one.”
I felt the strength in the hand of my grandfather who was facing me.
“Live as a villain.”
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