Pages of the Past (2)
Pages of the Past (2)
"So…" Junho said, trying to hold back his temper. "You're saying that Jang Jason made 0.00005 percent more profit than us…"
Minseok gulped. He did not expect the CEO would be happy but the employees had sent him as the sacrificial lamb to face how wrath. As if like the demon lord from hell, Junho rose from the chair, a volcanic aura emitting from him.
It was widely known that the famous tycoon, Hwang Junho, was not only the richest man in town but also a notorious miser. Even a miniscule fall in his money would throw him over the edge and he would end up making the employees work a hundred times harder. Minseok squealed under his intimidating anger which was rising and rising with every second.
"ARE YOU SAYING THAT MY RIVAL MADE MORE MONEY THAN ME?" Junho roared. "LAST MONTH HE WAS NOWHERE NEAR MY PROFIT MARGIN!"
"L-let m-me explain!" Minseok stammered. "Our profit increased by 7 percent! It's just tha-"
"AND YET HE MADE MORE THAN ME!" Junho's thunderous voice boomed throughout the halls. "ARE YOU-"
The rest of his words were blocked by a wail even louder than him. Suddenly, Junho's anger disappeared and now it was his time to panic. The baby he had been carrying on his back had woken up due to his yelling and was now crying loudly like a banshee.
"Uh oh!" Junho exclaimed. "Mina woke up!"
The baby girl kept on crying, not pleased by the disturbance. Minseok watched in wonder as Junho quickly unlocked the baby carrier and pulled Mina into his arms, trying to calm her down.
Ever since the birth of his second child, Junho had been working from home while taking care of both the kids. His wife had been weakened post partum and was still trying to recuperate her health.
"Don't cry little angel!" he begged. "Otherwise mommy will kill me!"
Suna had spent an hour trying to put her to sleep and he had solemnly promised her that he would make sure not to wake her up.
And now his wife would kill him.
"My little Mina loves daddy, no?" Junho cooed as he patted her back. "Sleep well."
Is this really the mighty miser? Minseok wondered. It was as is if seeing Goliath being taken down by David. How a person turned from a raging lion to a tamed kitty within seconds, he would never know.
Meanwhile, Junho was panicking. His daughter kept on crying on the top of her lungs. How a tiny thing like her could cry so much? It was a good thing that Suna had gone off to meet an old friend of hers otherwise she would have thrown him out of the bedroom for a month for waking up the baby!
"Are you making Mina cry?"
A shrill voice came from the study room's entrance. A brown eyed boy of around ten years old stood there with his hands crossed on his chest, shaking his head at his father. Junho made a 'tchah!' sound.
"Stop being your mommy's stooge and help me put her back to sleep!" Junho warned but his son was flashing a mischievous grin which alarmed his father.
"Don't you dare snitch on me!" he warned.
"Increase my pocket money and I'll consider the offer," Minho said.
"Five dollars."
"Hundred or no deal."
"Six dollars," Junho said adamantly. Minho shook his head and replied, "Seventy and we have a deal. Otherwise I'll tell mom you ruined Mina's naptime with your yelling."
This brat!
"Fine!" Junho gave in. "You win. Seventy dollars will be added to your pocket money."
"Excellent," Minho smirked like a miniature demon lord. Minseok sighed at the exchange. The father and son were notorious for their bickering but it was obvious that the mighty miser adored his family. If there was something he loved more than money was his wife and children.
"Now come and put your sister to sleep!" Junho barked. Minho stretched his limbs and stepped forward. It was a battle he had fought many times and won more than his father ever could. He took a deep breath and began to dance.
Junho wanted to bang his head against a wall at his son's crazy antics. He got his ridiculous dancing skills from his mother but shockingly the embarrassing routine worked. Mina paused and was laughing at her brother. Her tiny palms were even moving to his groove.
Minho ended his dance with a suave slide. The two grown ups were silenced by his highly embarrassing dance but Mina seemed to be enjoying it. Her wheezing giggles meant that she had finally calmed down.
"If a day ever comes when my son stops that stupid dance, I'll give my company to Jang Jason," Junho moaned.
Minseok suppressed a smile as he watched the father and son play with the baby girl. Despite his short temper, Junho cared for everyone around him. Even if he was angry at them, the employees were grateful for the way he protected them and forced them to bring out their best qualities. As long as everyone worked hard, they had Junho's silent respect.
Also, seeing the crazy family was oddly calming. Minseok sighed and quietly left the study room, leaving the father and son to bicker away.
….
A pale skinned woman clutched her smoothie cup, her mind filled with worry. Her long hair was tied in a ponytail and she wore an extremely loose shirt. It did not cover her eight month baby bump though. She sat at the coffee shop, waiting for someone.
"Yeeun!"
She turned around to see a brown eyed woman in her thirties, waving at her. It was her friend, Suna.
"Suna!" she exclaimed and stood up to greet her but Suna pushed her back to sit.
"Don't get up!" she cautioned, sitting beside her. "Ahh...she's growing so well!"
She touched Yeeun's bump and cooed, "Aunty Suna can't wait to meet you!"
Yeeun smiled but then her smile faltered. Suna's complexion was too pale and it was obvious that she was physically still weak. The post partum part was extremely dangerous for a woman especially for someone like Suna who had a very special ability. Just like Yeeun did.
Suna saw her troubled expression and sighed.
"Are you still thinking of that asshole who left you?" she scolded her friend. "He left! And shacked up with another woman! Forget about him. You and your mother make enough from the cafe. You can raise Gayoon on your own."
"It's not that," Yeeun said. "It's something else…"
She bit her lip, worried about the warnings she had received. Was it true? Was someone trying to tap into the unknown?
"What is it?" Suna asked.
Yeeun took a deep breath and replied, "The gates of hell are opening."