Tensegrity

“Are we really having a meeting with Taewon Group Chairman Min Chang-Heon?”

“I guess so.”

Jun-Kyung’s parents seem to be in disbelief and awe.

“Do I have to go too? I don’t have to, right?” Jun-Hee tried to slip out.

“Of course you should go too.”

“What about the cafe?”

It’s not a big deal if he leaves it to a part-timer for half a day. However, Jun-Hee insisted that he should keep his duties as the cafe manager.

Somehow, Jun-Kyung’s parents insisted that there should be at least one more person on their side as if the ceremony was a battlefield. The eldest, who couldn’t eat enough to beat two people at the same time, listened silently. However, Jun-Kyung had an intuition that the battle formulation would quietly disappear on the day of the meeting.

***

For ten days, nothing happened at all. Executive Director Min was responsible for breakfast and dinner. Even if he worked overtime, he would either prepare dinner and then return to work or work in the second-floor study. He said that he rarely had days with overtime but said it was because he was in close contact with overseas clients recently because of preparations for a large project.

Executive Director Min, who spoke in English in the library until dawn, got up earlier than Jun-kyung, who fell asleep early and made breakfast. While Executive Director Min prepared freshly cooked white rice with hot miso soup and neat side dishes sent by his mother, Jun-kyung worked hard to fry the eggs.

Without breaking the yolk, place the well-cooked eggs on one side of each plate and place them in front of the soup and rice to complete.

“You seemed to be on the phone until late last night. Did you sleep?”

“Yes. I slept next to Jun-kyung. Didn’t you know?”

Jun-Kyung has no idea.

“I have a habit of sleeping deeply….”

If he wakes up with someone sleeping next to him, his life as an athlete would be difficult. He stopped judo when he was in high school, but the habit he once had lasted a long time.

Thanks to that, sharing a bed with Executive Director Min was a little annoying at first, but now it’s nothing at all. And how comfortable his luxurious bed was, he would faint in an instant when he put his head on it.

“I’m glad that Jun-kyung slept well.”

“How long did you sleep, Hyun-Seung?”

“I slept for three hours.”

Three hours. Jun-Kyung slept an hour more than yesterday or the day before. Still, he can count the days he slept properly for ten days. A faint gray energy was added over Hyun-Seung Min’s bright copper-colored skin. If he doesn’t get enough sleep, no matter how hard Jun-Kyung tries, he can’t stay awake. If a person is fine without proper sleep, then that person is not human.

Moreover, Jun-kyung is wearing pajamas after just waking up and has washed his face while Executive Director Min is dressed in a suit that has been neatly prepared for work. Do they even have to cook rice to get ready for work? If they don’t, he can sleep an hour more.

“Get some more sleep in the morning. I will take care of my meal.”

“You don’t have to worry. I’m doing it because it’s worth it.” Director Min replied.

“Still….”

“I sleep in the car whenever I am on the move. That’s enough.”

Why do idols collapse when all their fatigue is resolved by sleeping? When he was still a student in the security department, he also worked part-time at a broadcasting station for an experience. No matter how good the job is, if the march continues, he will eventually collapse. Even if Executive Director Min does not go on an extreme diet like an idol, he’s still concerned.

‘But why am I so worried?’

The answer to the question that came to mind immediately followed. When the Executive Director Min collapses, many people are in trouble. All the Taewon TIC projects will stop, and there is a high possibility of incurring a loss.

When there is a loss, the chairman becomes very uncomfortable. At the same time, the atmosphere in the house will subside, and the aftermath will affect Jun-Kyung as well.

He also lives together as a prospective spouse. As long as he was born as a normal person, it was natural to worry about the person living in front of him, and it was also his duty as a normal member of society.

It seemed as if he now knew why the wives of the chaebols were quick to take all kinds of nutritional supplements and nourishing tonics. Should he contact madam separately? She will probably like it.

Jun-Kyung was thinking about something else, so he wasn’t conscious of what kind of expression he was making. Hyun-Seung Min added that he didn’t have to worry too much.

“Relieving mental fatigue is more important than physical fatigue.”

Mental fatigue means that your head is complicated and your head hurts. Company work or marriage? Or both? It seems that all his inner feelings were revealed on his face because Executive Director Min’s mouth was slightly relaxed.

“I don’t know whether you will believe…. but I feel most comfortable to sit down and eat together with Jun-Kyung.”

While holding his spoon, Jun-kyung glanced at Executive Director Min. He was confused as to how he should react to his words. Is there any other opponent as ambiguous as Executive Director Min?

If Director Min is a comfortable friend or colleague, Jun-Kyung can return the kind remarks back. If Jun-Kyung is having a difficult meal with a boss or an employer, he could use flattery as a way to survive.

However, Jun-Kyung doesn’t think the former will sound very good to Hyun-Seung Min, and the latter will also not be very good because Executive Director Min himself wants to live as an equal spouse.

“If it were me, I would sleep an hour more. Sleep may be better than eating.”

As a result, pure honesty came out. In difficult situations, it is best to handle it in moderation.

“No. It’s not like that. You can both eat and sleep.”

What a comforting sound. A person who has slept all night eats a carefully prepared meal and goes back to sleep. Executive Director Min, who has been a VIP since he was born, didn’t seem to be angry with such a carnivore.

Jun-Kyung suddenly had a question. Does he even prepare such a hearty breakfast for Lee Si-Eun?

It’s not like they are in a real relationship. There is no way that such a woman hasn’t received a table set up by him when they are in a personal relationship.

‘Let’s just eat rice.’

Jun-kyung consciously stopped the thoughts that stretched out uncontrollably. Useless thoughts only make the rice taste worse.

***

The day of the meeting arrived much sooner than it felt. At the request of his parents, he arrived at the hotel an hour earlier than the scheduled time. Hyun-Seung Min was scheduled to arrive separately later. The moment he arrived at the hotel cafe, someone raised their hands to beckon.

“Junkyung-ah.”

His mother, who used to wear sporty clothes, suddenly wore a black two-piece suit that he had never seen. Such a person who often jokes about wearing sneakers even in the mother’s belly was now wearing heels. She who didn’t even wear anything other than rings and bracelets and said it was stuffy has now even put on earrings and necklace today.

Also the same goes for his father. As a person who has been in business all his life, he often goes back and forth between clients, so when he opens his closet, all he sees is a shirt and wrinkle-free pants. There was only one suit for summer and one for winter, and it was for various weddings and funerals.

It was the first time such a person had worn a three-piece suit with a perfect setting, from tiepins to cuff-links. His hair was overturned, and the grayish sideburns were heavily dyed with black ink, like a wig.

“….Who are you?”

“Hey, don’t play around and sit down.”

“No, what are you dressed up for?”

“Why? Is it weird?”

“No, it’s not weird….no, it’s weird.”

Jun-Kyung told his mother his honest feelings. His father drank up the already almost empty iced Americano until the end.

“What is strange? To meet Chairman Taewon and his wife, you have to have the basics.”

His father said it casually, but the beat was a little faster than usual. His mother also checked her hair and makeup while looking at the mirror. They both seemed quite nervous.

“Don’t worry too much. The chairman and his wife are friendly.”

His father just looked around for no reason.

“It’s not a matter of social etiquette, but if you made someone else’s precious son like that, then as a father, I should say something bitter. I came out with great determination.”

“Don’t do that. It’s because we are two adults who are dating”.

Jun-Kyung get a little upset every time he says this. He reflexively reached out for his mom’s Americano.

“Can you drink coffee?”

“Oh, I was told not to drink.”

“Drink water.”

His Mother held out a glass of water. Jun-Kyung empty the lukewarm water to the end and look at his father.

“Executive Director Min can’t even move in front of Chairman. Dad can’t win.”

“No, you still have to follow the rules.”

“What if they cancel marriage after you argue for nothing? Are you not going to get married?” Jun-Kyung’s mother inquired sharply. His father pouted his mouth. Marriage will happen no matter what, but Jun-Kyung didn’t dare say it.

“Where is your brother?”

“He went out last night to meet a friend, and I haven’t heard from him until this morning.”

Jun-Kyung’s parents checked every single question on what to ask at the meeting. Wedding venues, wedding ceremonies and gifts, etc. It sounded like someone else’s business.

Jun-kyung pretended to listen and answered with a dry voice. “Madam told me not to worry. She said she’d take care of everything.”

“Still. We have to do what we have to do. We also have a list of guests.”

How many guests are they planning to invite? Jun-Kyung wanted to play it as quietly as possible, but his parents did not agree at all. It was clear that they saw it as an excellent opportunity to collect the subsidies he had sown in his life. Jun-Kyung was getting more tired, so he sighed deeply.