12 Hours After

Translator: Khan

Editor: Aelryinth

I said I would meet first, and then I lifted my wrist and looked at the clock. It was 4:10 p.m. and my meeting with Crow was at 6 p.m. I thought it would be okay to meet up for an hour or so, and make a noise. If he would offer dinner, I would have to refuse it. I told Secretary Seo that I had a previous engagement.

“I think I’ll be fine for about an hour. Where should I go?”

As I said, Secretary Seo looked around. “Wait a minute. Producer Sung said he’d show us.”

Just then, a skinny guy with glasses appeared and spoke, “CEO Han and Secretary Seo. How did you decide?”

Before I said anything, Secretary Seo spoke for me, “It’ll be fine for about an hour.”

“Oh, I see. I… This way.”

Me, Seo, and Park, who had been waiting discreetly by, followed him through the halls of the broadcasting company.

On the way, producer Sung told me, “Well… CEO Han.”

“Yes?”

“Was there anything uncomfortable with today’s recording?” That was what he was asking. He might be afraid that I would say something weird when I would meet his boss. Before the recording, he used to yell.

“Camera five. Aren’t you awake to the full mind?”

“Hey!”

“What’s wrong with him? Get rid of him.”

He was a mouse in front of his boss, who had been handling the staff like catching mice.

I spoke to him, “Oh, I’m good. I was a little nervous the first time, but this was the second time and I was able to relax.” I added a word to it, “And all the staff did a great job.”

“Oh, they did. Thank God.”

A superior’s scolding of his juniors had become a trauma to me, and I still didn’t feel very good about the sight. For a moment, I thought about my days at work. ‘How’s section chief Heo doing, by the way?’

Then, Producer Sung pointed to a waiting room. “This way, sir.”

At that moment, the door opened and a gray-haired man came out. Producer Sung looked at him and, of course, greeted him with a bow. “Ah, Bureau Director. This is CEO Han Sang-hoon of Invictus Investment.”

He then introduced the director to me, “CEO Han. This is Director Park Myung-chul of MBE.”

Director Park Myung-chul, who appeared to be in his sixties, shook hands with a friendly smile. “Happy to meet you, sir.”

“Oh, yes. Nice to meet you.”

“Let’s go in.”

I went in with him. But when Director Park Myung-chul saw Secretary Seo and Secretary Park who was about to come in, he told me, “CEO Han.”

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry, but I have something to tell you secretly. Can I ask the two of them to stay out for a while?”

It was a courteous request. I gave a wink to Secretary Seo, and Secretary Park. The two who had received my sign stood out in the waiting room. Director Park Myung-chul shut down as soon as I entered the waiting room. I was a little curious now that I was here. ‘What the hell does he want to talk about secretly?’

“Sit down please.” He offered me a seat. As I sat there, I was thinking about this and that. ‘Is it about advertising? Or… a personal investment consultation? Did he have a loss a little bit while he was stock trading?’

When I sat down, he asked, “How was your shoot today?” Somehow, the question was the same as Producer Sung. It was a cliche question.

I gave a cliche answer, “Yes, I liked it. Everyone did a good job.”

“You’re thirty this year? That’s great.”

Again and again, I’d heard this praise a hundred times before. ‘Hoo… that’s boring…’ I thought about it, but I answered, “That’s too much praise.”

Since MBE was a business TV show that represented our country, the director position had a very strong influence.

Of course, I didn’t need anyone to notice me making money, but I wanted my name, Han Sang-hoon, to be well received by the public. That way, I would continue to be good to the press. That way, when I searched my name, Han Sang-hoon, in the future news, it would come out more often.

‘All right, he’s a director, I’ll give him an hour’s attention.’ I made up my mind with the thought.

Then he glanced at me, and said, “Well, it’s not that I’ve called CEO Han…” As he said that, he took a piece of white paper out of his arms. “This one. I was asked to give it to CEO Han.” It had a bit of a three-dimensional effect.

‘A letter envelope?’ I narrowed my eyes and received it. The moment I caught it, I felt something prickly. A close look showed a gold pattern on a white background. ‘Umm…’ I turned it round and round. At the center of the envelope, there was a golden-colored ‘R’ that flashed. ‘R… R… Rugal?’ I didn’t know what it was.

I asked Director Park Myung-chul, “What’s this…?

“As you can see, it’s a letter. I know it as a kind of invitation letter… you look at it once, I don’t know the details. It’s just… from above… Hmm. The person I know just asked me to deliver it.”

He was quick to mend his words with a cough, but I heard for sure. ‘From above?’ No one in the broadcasting company was higher than the director. That might be the kind of person who had actually put him in charge. It should be said that he sent it to me.

‘So, it is sent to me from the owner’s side of MBE… Which company owns MBE? Susung? KJ? Myung Jin? LC? Or… Suyeon?’ I couldn’t remember well.

“Then be assured you have definitely delivered it…”

Rather, he stood up first and gave me his hand again. As a result, I had no choice but to stand up, hold his hand and shake it. I think it took about a minute or two to get there. It was different from the hour I expected.

“Then, I hope you will have a long march flushed with victories. Please come on our television show more often.”

“Oh yes.”

The purpose of Director Park Myung-chul was only that, from beginning to end. I looked at the letter and put it in my arms for now. As soon as the director and I came out of the waiting room, Seo and Park, who were sitting in a chair in the distance, also rose in surprise.

“Then, CEO Han. Take care.”

“Yes, Director.”

Seeing him go away after sending me off, I thought, ‘How many people can use the Director of MBE as a delivery boy?’ Such a man would be very rare.

——————————-

“Then, I’ll go to the Jamwon Han River Park…” Secretary Seo started the car right away. While he was holding the steering wheel, Secretary Park entered “Jamwon Han River Park” into the navigation. It seemed that the teamwork of the two was getting better.

While Secretary Seo was driving along the road, I pulled the envelope out of my arms, opened the flap and pulled the letter out of it. At the same time as I saw the first sentence, I glanced at my two secretaries. ‘Umm…’ Secretary Seo was busy driving, and Secretary Park was watching something out the window. Having checked it, I read the sentence in the letter again. ‘Invitation – Garden Royale’

“Was it R of Royale that was stamped on the cap….?” It said Royale now. In the colloquial form, it was Garden Royale. There was something that came naturally to my mind: Garden Envy.

‘That’s right… I’m sure it’ If I thought about it, then in my dream, Tak Mun-su had told Tak Joon-gi, “Are you still doing the copy show?”

‘So… the Garden Envy… the copy of this Garden Royale? So the person who sent this…

Tak Mun-su.’ I naturally thought so.

At that time, Tak Mun-su said, “Han Sang-hoon… I’ll have to see him, too.”

Because he said it, I thought about it and looked down.

‘On Saturday evening, November third, we invite you.’

‘Your Sponsor: CEO Jang Han-sul of KJ Shopping.’

However, the person who sent it was not from Suyeon Group, but from KJ Group, which was also one of the top twenty conglomerates in Korea. Jang Han-sul was also the next chairman of the Group.

‘…this …this is the person who used the Director as a delivery boy…’ I was going to search it as soon as I got out of the broadcasting company, but I didn’t need to search it separately.

‘It must have been that branch.’

I didn’t know why all of a sudden, Jang Han-sul from KJ was asking me to meet him. But roughly, a picture was drawn. At this Garden Royale meeting, Tak Mun-su would be there.

‘Maybe… Jang Han-sul was the one who granted the request of Tak Mun-su.’

Tak Mun-su also knew very well that I had had a fierce fight with Tak Joon-gi. He would have thought I might be on high alert if he called me. I looked down more. ‘The place…’ But the place was a bit strange.

‘Myeon office of Su Dong-myeon in Namyangju City, Gyeonggi-do Province’

‘Myeon office?’ It was strange that the next chairmen of some big companies would be having a party at a country office. But one more word was written below it.

‘If you are willing to participate, please have this letter in your possession at the correct time and place.’

“Willing to participate…”

I looked at the letter for a long time and then folded it back into my arms. In the meantime, the car passed through the Jamsu bridge and arrived at the Jamwon Han River Park. This was where Crow was summoned to at this time. Watching the Han River, I tried to eat my chicken and beer, so I looked at my watch and saw it was 5:20. I had about forty minutes left. I said to the secretaries. “Oh, by the way. Is there a mat in this car?”

“None…”

“Then get it from somewhere as soon as you go. Order me three fried chickens with seasoning, and garlic, and 1,500cc of draft beers… this will be eaten by me and my guest. You have to order your meal separately.”

“Yes, boss.”

I waited for Crow to come, looking at the Han River, which was flowing by, early on. After a while, the beers and three chickens arrived faster than Crow.

Korrr… Maybe because I ate lunch early before shooting, I was hungry. I couldn’t stand the smell of chicken. But still, I waited, as Crow was more useful to me than anyone else. Besides, I was not sure, but I felt like there was going to be a lot more work ahead for Crow to do. Before long, I could hear his familiar voice beside the river.

“Did you call me, sir?”