Emergency Instinct - Chapter 25

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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But Ji-an’s feelings like that quickly subsided again.

 

She had to know her place.

 

Just because something was good didn’t mean she could have it all.

 

Having lived a wealthy childhood for a brief time, she knew it well.

 

When you lose what you have, how terrible the sense of loss that suffocates you is.

 

It was better not to know.

 

This man’s sweetness would obviously become a swamp in her life. Unable to escape, gradually sinking deeper, and later losing everything and struggling in even greater pain.

 

Her nose stung with emotion, so she gritted her teeth.

 

Ji-an hid her heart that kept trying to crumble and opened her mouth, speaking simply like a attending physician.

 

“Fine, let’s eat together. But Chairman, you can’t take a single step out of the hospital room today for recovery.”

 

She hoped his pride would be hurt. She rather hoped he would explode in displeasure, shouting and getting angry.

 

But Tae-jun wasn’t shaken at all.

 

“We’re finally going to eat together.”

 

Instead, he nodded readily.

 

Her solar plexus tightened and churned.

 

“If you stare at me like that, it makes my heart flutter?”

 

He again casually provoked her insides and laughed.

 

It was confusing. What on earth should she do with this man?

 

***

 

Tae-jun was confined to the VIP ward for a full day.

 

It was freedom exchanged for a meal with Ji-an.

 

Just one meal, but the price was an entire day. His entire schedule was occupied by Ji-an.

 

She didn’t take her eyes off him even when he took his medicine. To anyone watching, he really looked like a patient who needed care.

 

But he didn’t dislike it.

 

The way she took care of his day so naturally like this was actually quite nice.

 

Had fatigue been building up?

 

After taking the medicine, accumulated sleep poured over him, and he closed his eyes as if fainting.

 

He did open his eyes briefly in between. But after confirming Ji-an was beside him, he fell asleep again. He had thought she would put him to sleep and run away, but he seemed relieved to see her quietly staying by his side.

 

It was early the next morning when he fully regained clear consciousness.

 

Having slept deeply for the first time in a while, Tae-jun felt refreshed. The throbbing headache had completely disappeared, and he was in peak condition.

 

It was the perfect dawn for work, and he no longer had the luxury to lie around playing patient.

 

Coincidentally, Hong Ji-an was nowhere to be seen either.

 

Tae-jun called Manager Kim and quietly slipped out of the hospital. Not wanting to run into Ji-an and create an awkward situation for her, he didn’t delay for even a moment.

 

Checking while moving, as expected, Ji-an had signed the hospital promotional contract.

 

It was a relief.

 

With this, she would have some breathing room too, and her mother would be able to stay in a slightly better environment.

 

With a much lighter heart, Tae-jun headed to headquarters and worked non-stop from dawn until sunrise, checking overdue business reports.

 

He was halfway through signing the reports.

 

Knock knock.

 

Manager Kim entered with the knocking sound.

 

“I told you not to disturb me.”

 

“The Chairman’s office says to have lunch together.”

 

“Are the executives joining as well?”

 

By now they would have confirmed the Hanyeong Automotive strike agreement details. It was obvious everyone would want to receive a direct situation report from Tae-jun.

 

“No. They say it’s a family meal. The Chairman’s wife came to the company a little while ago.”

 

“Does Mother happen to know I was injured?”

 

Since there was no way to hide the sutured wound on his forehead, he had coordinated with Manager Kim to call it a minor contact accident.

 

It wouldn’t be good if it became known he was injured during negotiations.

 

Above all, the Hanyeong Automotive strike-related content was already classified as confidential.

 

“No. Neither the Chairman’s wife nor the Chairman know about your injury yet.”

 

“Then why did she suddenly come to the company, ah.”

 

He remembered that he had kept not answering his mother’s calls urging him to go on blind dates. This time, his mother was unusually obsessed with his marriage, as if she had no intention of giving up easily.

 

It would be good to cleanly sort things out with this opportunity.

 

‘I heard rumors that you’re getting married.’

 

Suddenly, Ji-an’s face that kept changing moment by moment as she asked if he had a marriage partner flashed by.

 

Thinking back, he had told her no, but she still seemed unconvinced.

 

Perhaps that false rumor also played a part in why she kept pushing him away.

 

Her eyes clearly wanted him. But she was completely elusive. Maybe that’s why he was getting more anxious. Wanting to somehow catch her and confirm it.

 

When Ji-an was flustered or her feelings were exposed, the tips of her ears would turn red.

 

Her nape would turn bright red, yet her words were so cold.

 

She would push people around with words, but couldn’t be cruel to the end.

 

Her touch was tender like spring breeze. Watching her made his heart ache.

 

He kept wanting to tease her like children, and when she glared at him, he wanted to hug her, comfort her…

 

Tae-jun felt heat rising and roughly ran his hand through his hair.

 

It seemed his patience had hit rock bottom.

 

As restlessness naturally rose, Manager Kim’s cautious voice was heard.

 

“Um, what should I tell the Chairman’s office?”

 

“Make a reservation at a nice place. I happen to have something to tell both of them too. Oh, and keep the evening free.”

 

Tae-jun spoke lightly and scrawled his signature on the report.

 

While making plans to have dinner with Ji-an.

 

***

 

Seo Tae-jun had escaped.

 

Like a loach, he had ultimately slipped away. Probably as soon as the IV was removed, he came to his senses.

 

Ji-an had only been away for about an hour. She had felt secure since it was dawn, and had briefly gone to see her mother who was moved to another room. But in that short time, he had disappeared.

 

If he had just endured a few more hours, what was so urgent?

 

Anyway, he was a selfish and strange person.

 

Since there was a discharge order from the Vice Director, Ji-an had no intention of holding him back anymore. It had been troublesome to force medicine on a man who smiled every time he opened his eyes.

 

It was only one day, but there had been many changes for Ji-an during that time.

 

She had signed the promotional contract.

 

She only thought of Mother. And as Tae-jun had said, missing opportunities was indeed foolish.

 

The proactive PR manager immediately scheduled a photo shoot.

 

It turned out it wasn’t just about taking photos. They also had to film videos, so there was even a script to review.

 

Honestly, she wasn’t confident. She didn’t like being in front of others.

 

But seeing her mother lying in a comfortable and spacious single room, she thought she had done well.

 

If she worked hard, it would somehow work out.

 

Having lost her precious day off, Ji-an returned to her lodging and immediately fell fast asleep.

 

After sleeping and waking up, Kyung-seok called her.

 

Only then did she remember the lunch appointment with him that she had completely forgotten.

 

-Hong Ji-an. Let’s have our meal together. I made a reservation at ‘Restaurant Hyu’ at the hospital rear entrance.

 

“How did you get that place?”

 

Ji-an couldn’t help but be surprised.

 

Restaurant Hyu was famous for pasta and steak. Ji-an had quite liked the place when she was an intern too.

 

But after being featured on TV, it became famous as a date course, so she couldn’t go. She didn’t have time to wait in line to eat, and reservations weren’t easy either.

 

-I made a very difficult reservation from dawn. I really didn’t want to eat hospital food. We were stuck in the hospital even on Christmas, so we should create some year-end atmosphere too. Good, right?

 

Kyung-seok seemed to want to go far away. But since he had to go to work in the afternoon, he said he booked a place near the hospital, and continued talking excitedly.

 

Senior Kyung-seok is really excited.

 

-Let’s meet up and go together. I’ll come to your area.

 

“No, senior. It’s just a short walk, let’s meet in front of the restaurant.”

 

-Okay, don’t be late.

 

Ji-an smiled softly after ending the call.

 

How tired must he have been of hospital food to reserve a restaurant that’s supposedly impossible to get into.

 

Kyung-seok is called the ER ghost, eating and sleeping at the hospital.

 

This year especially must have been tough, taking care of the professors and preparing papers. Even in the midst of all that, he always looked after Ji-an like this.

 

Come to think of it, senior helped a lot when Mother entered the nursing home too.

 

I absolutely must pay for today’s meal.

 

Ji-an checked the time, hurriedly finished preparing, and headed to the gift shop.

 

This is actually a good opportunity. While I’m at it, I should buy a small gift too.

 

***

 

The restaurant Kim Manager had made reservations for had a romantic atmosphere that his mother would like.

 

When he gave his name, he was guided to a quiet private room.

 

But what was waiting for him wasn’t his parents.

 

“Oppa?”

 

Suddenly, Cha Bo-kyung’s high-pitched voice could be heard.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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