Chapter 226: Sudden News

As I supported my staggering father, Chief Kim Yun-shik and the other attendants rushed over. After entrusting my father to them, I picked up the phone that had fallen to the airport floor.

“Director, it’s Jin Do-jun. What’s wrong?”

– Ah, Do-jun. How’s your father?

His voice trembled. I immediately sensed something was wrong.

Calming my racing heart, I spoke.

“He’s too shocked to talk right now. Please tell me. Could it be about my grandfather…?”

– Well, that’s… this is difficult….

The director hesitated, making me anxious. I wanted to know what was happening, so I raised my voice.

“Director!”

– Ah… the Chairman has collapsed….

My eyes squeezed shut, and my teeth clenched involuntarily.

– Thankfully, Chief of Staff Lee Hak-jae was with him, so we rushed him to the hospital. But Chief Lee ordered it to be kept confidential.

“He issued a gag order?”

– Yes. But I felt I had to inform you, Chairman.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

Thankfully, Chief of Staff Lee was there, and he took the actions I would have wanted.

“What’s my grandfather’s condition?”

– He’s stable. He’s resting now….

Being told he’s stable wasn’t enough to ease my worries.

Once an elderly person starts collapsing, it might be the beginning of the end. Even if the second time means death, it wouldn’t be surprising.

“Understood, Director. Please ensure the hospital staff keeps quiet… Thank you for contacting my father….”

– It was the least I could do.

As soon as I ended the call, I addressed the attendants who were staring at me.

“Let’s go to Soonyang Medical Center. As quickly as possible.”

“Yes, sir.”

Chief Kim Yun-shik pulled out his phone to arrange for the car to be ready.

“What is it? Is your father alright?” my father asked, his face pale.

My father barely managed to speak.

“Yes. They said he’s resting, so please don’t worry.”

“Whew… that’s a relief. Let’s hurry.”

My father started walking ahead quickly, as if he were running.

* * *

As we crossed the hospital lobby, the director and three or four team leaders rushed over and bowed deeply.

“How is he? Is he in the VIP ward?”

“Yes, he is. But visitation is difficult. He’s resting, so you’ll have to wait a bit.”

Seeing my father firing questions in the middle of the lobby, the hospital director looking flustered, and the team leaders fidgeting, I realized the gag order was going to be useless.

There wasn’t a hospital employee who didn’t recognize my father and me. Anyone could guess something big had happened in our family just by looking at our expressions.

“Let’s not do this here. Let’s move to a quieter place. There are too many eyes watching.”

As soon as I finished speaking, the director led my father towards the VIP ward.

“Is Chief of Staff Lee Hak-jae still at the hospital?”

“He left a little while ago. I believe he went to the company.”

My father had a mountain of questions, but he held back. Confirming Grandfather’s condition was the priority.

Grandfather was in the hospital room, wearing an oxygen mask and sleeping.

We all watched him in silence for a few minutes before leaving. Even the two burly men guarding the hospital room entrance couldn’t hide their tension.

Only after sitting in the director’s office and having a cup of tea did my father speak.

“Will he be able to be discharged once he wakes up?”

My father couldn’t bring himself to ask if his life was in danger, so he phrased it indirectly. But the director and the other doctors avoided eye contact.

“He needs to stay hospitalized. For the time being… No, you should assume discharge will be difficult.”

“Are you saying he’s in critical condition?”

The director glanced at a doctor sitting beside him.

“Well, um, it’s a cerebrovascular disease. Meaning the blood flow isn’t smooth.”

“A stroke?”

“Yes. His heart has weakened significantly, which contributes to it. Considering the Chairman’s age, it’s a natural part of aging.”

“Why is discharge difficult?”

The director responded to my careful question.

“If this happens again, no one can guarantee anything. If he collapses again, we need to complete treatment within three hours. After that, the golden hour will keep shrinking. These incidents will likely become more frequent, and the intervals will shorten.”

“I apologize for saying this, but it’s a natural part of aging.”

Even doctors can’t defy the cycle of life and death. Now, only one question remained.

My father slowly opened his mouth.

“H-How much longer…?”

The doctors exchanged glances, finding the question difficult to answer.

The director received the gaze of the other doctors; it was his question to answer.

“We can’t say for certain. If this happens again, no one can make any guarantees. Please understand that all we can say is that we’ll do our best.”

Grandfather’s death could no longer be delayed.

It was something I couldn’t accept, but I had to. And the thought that the day was not far away made the tears I’d been holding back finally burst forth.

* * *

Chief of Staff Lee Hak-jae, returning to the hospital, was slightly surprised to find Jin Yun-ki, but then remembered he was the chairman of the hospital board.

“Hyung-nim.”

“Yeah. When did you get here?”

“A little while ago. What happened?”

Lee Hak-jae was the person present when Chairman Jin collapsed and was now controlling the situation. Jin Yun-ki didn’t intend to exclude him simply because he was the son.

“I spend a few hours talking with him every day. He collapsed while we were taking a walk in the garden. By the way, have you heard the doctors’ opinions?”

“Yes.”

“It’s not something I should say, but we need to prepare. There’s no chance of the Chairman returning to his healthy, normal state.”

“Yes. I’m prepared for it. But Hyung-nim.”

“Yeah?”

“Why did you issue a gag order? I was going to contact my brothers, but I held off for a moment….”

“It was the Chairman’s order. He always said he wouldn’t go to the afterlife in one go. He said even if the Grim Reaper appeared before him, he’d chase him away once and get his senses back. He insisted that he’d finish his remaining work and then personally go meet the Grim Reaper.”

Jin Yun-ki was dumbfounded. An old man in his eighties could lose his life in a minor accident, like slipping on ice.

We shouldn’t gamble on the slim chance of recovery.

Lee Hak-jae saw Jin Yun-ki’s expression and, as if guessing his thoughts, chuckled and said.

“Trust the Chairman. I know him better than you do. He said he still has work left, so he won’t pass away until he finishes it.”

“Still, I need to contact my brothers and sister. Our father has collapsed; we can’t hide that, can we?”

Lee Hak-jae waved his hand emphatically.

“Let’s wait. Didn’t the doctor say he’s stable? He’ll wake up soon. It won’t be too late to contact them after receiving the Chairman’s instructions. I’ll bear the brunt of your siblings’ complaints.”

Jin Yun-ki recalled the doctor’s words that his father was currently resting. Since there was no immediate danger of him passing away, he decided to follow Lee Hak-jae’s advice.

And so, they all waited for Chairman Jin to wake up.

* * *

It was dawn when Grandfather finally woke up.

We, who had been waiting anxiously, rushed to the hospital room, but Grandfather only asked for Chief of Staff Lee Hak-jae.

My father and I waited anxiously outside the hospital room, but their conversation seemed endless.

Much later, Chief of Staff Lee Hak-jae came out of the room and stopped us.

“Go home for today. He said he doesn’t want to see anyone. He’ll contact you after he rests more, so follow the Chairman’s wishes.”

“What are you talking about? Let us just see him for a moment….”

“That’s enough.”

As I reached for the hospital room door, my father grabbed my wrist.

“He knows you’re here. If he’s telling us to go home, it means he wants to be alone. Be quiet and let’s go.”

“That’s right, Do-jun. It’s not like he’s going to pass away today or tomorrow. The doctors said it’s better for him to rest. It’s frustrating, but we have to wait for now.”

Looking at my father and Chief of Staff Lee Hak-jae’s eyes, I couldn’t insist any further.

“The best medical team in the country is on standby 24/7, so don’t worry and go home. I also have a few of the Chairman’s instructions to handle before I go.”

“Understood. Then I’ll wait at the hospital until Grandfather asks for me.”

“Don’t make me repeat myself. The Chairman told everyone to go home. And if you’re loitering around the hospital, the doctors will be on edge. Just go home for now. You’ll get a call as soon as the Chairman asks for you.”

Faced with Chief of Staff Lee’s stern gaze, I couldn’t argue anymore.

Chief Lee said he had to meet with hospital officials and disappeared, and I left the hospital with my father.

Only in the car on the way home did I notice the tears in my father’s eyes.

“Are you alright?”

He couldn’t possibly be alright, but I couldn’t think of any other comforting words.

“Do-jun.”

“Yes.”

“When I received the call that your grandfather had collapsed… I thought all those memories were erased from my mind. But they weren’t.”

“What memories are you talking about?”

“The ten years of my youth. The years when your grandfather was disappointed in me, and I resented him. We’ve rebuilt our father-son relationship in the last ten years, and we have many good memories… I don’t know why I only remember the times I felt sorry.”

I couldn’t say anything and just held my father’s hand tightly.

“Do-jun.”

“Yes.”

“From now on, don’t think about anything else and just focus on being the cute youngest grandson. Forget about succession and shares, all that complicated stuff, and act like a child. Your father is asking you.”

“Yes. I’ll try my best to make sure Grandfather has more happy memories.”

I gave the answer he wanted, but it wouldn’t be easy. My grandfather’s mind was probably as complicated as mine.

And my grandfather would undoubtedly remain dedicated to his position as Chairman Jin Yang-cheol of Soonyang Group until his very last moments.

* * *

Thinking about when I would be able to see Grandfather, I couldn’t sleep a wink until morning. I didn’t go to work, expecting a call from the hospital, and spent the entire day at home.

The phone rang past 10 PM. It was a call from Chief of Staff Lee Hak-jae.

“Yes, Chief.”

– The Chairman is looking for you. Come quietly by yourself, without any attendants. And don’t tell your father. Understand?

“Yes.”

– Come through the underground parking lot of the VIP ward. You know the private entrance, right?

“Yes. I’ll leave now.”

As soon as I ended the call, I grabbed my car keys and headed to the parking lot. For the first time, I regretted giving away all my fast sports cars.

Ignoring several traffic signals and speed cameras, I sped to the hospital.

Chief of Staff Lee Hak-jae’s subordinate was already waiting for me in the VIP ward’s underground parking lot.

“Give me your keys and go upstairs. He’s waiting for you.”

“Thank you.”

I handed over the car keys and immediately took the elevator. Today, the elevator seemed particularly slow…. I kept tapping my foot impatiently.

Opening the hospital room door, the unexpected scene left me speechless.

“G-Grandfather. What are you doing?”

Grandfather was wearing a suit and a coat, and even a fedora.

“Why the fuss? I have somewhere to go, so I dressed up.”

The director and the doctors were also in the hospital room. I wondered if he was being stubborn about being discharged.

“It’s alright. These gentlemen have given their permission.”

“It can’t be alright! You can’t be discharged yet. Please rest a little longer.”

“Enough with the nonsense. How dare you treat a patient with a terminal illness like this?”

“Grandfather!”

“You idiot. I don’t have time. Are you going to stand there or follow me?”

Grandfather’s trembling gaze, and Chief of Staff Lee Hak-jae nodding behind him. I gave in.

Especially Grandfather’s exclamation that he had no time pierced my heart.