In Another Life: Han Ji Pyeong's Happy Ending (Start Up)

Chapter 37: The Aftermath

Do san's POV

"Ji pyeong?" Dal mi is shocked to see him when the lift doors open and reveal him standing before us.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, finishing Dal mi's question.

"The contract... The contract..." Ji pyeong pants. "Have you signed it already?" He asks. I don't like the tone in his voice.

"Yes, why?" Dal mi asks as she holds up the file in her hand.

"You really did sign it..." Ji pyeong says, sounding deflated and holds a hand up to his head.

"Why? What's wrong?" Dal mi asks, leaning closer to Ji pyeong trying to steady him.

"What's wrong?" I echo Dal mi's concerns. Ji pyeong looks at us with a forlorn expression and rubs his head painfully.

"Let's go back to the office first. I'll explain." He says gravely.

~

"So... 2STO has the right to disband us?" I choke out the words. The reality that Mr Han has delivered weighs heavily over our heads as we all sit at the meeting table. A thick grey cloud has come over us and rains down heavily on the celebratory parade that we had. When Mr Han first brought forth the news with much difficulty, we all sat in silence. No one dared look up or say anything.

The sheer weight of this situation is something we can't stomach.

"I'm not saying they will." Mr Han says softly. "But it's a possibility." He sounds strained as he forces the words out.

Yong san rubs his face in frustration and rushes out of the room with red eyes.

Yong san's POV

A frenzy of emotions mix in my chest. Anger, frustration, regret, trepidation. It mixes into a sick mess that makes me feel like I'm about to throw up any second. I'm not sure why hot tears sting my eyes and I have to bite my lower lip hard to keep it from trembling.

"Oh, sorry." I say as I bump into someone. I try to push the tears away from my eyes, not wanting to be seen crying in public.

I was staring down at the floor as I made my way out. I didn't realise I was about to collide into someone.

"It's okay." In jae replies. As I walk off to the lift, her head turns back to me.

"Mr Kim." She calls. "Are you okay?" She asks, walking up to me. In jae holds the lift door open with her hand. I mask my eyes with my arm.
"I'm okay." I say coarsely.

"You don't seem okay." In jae says.

"Why do you care?" I say, and instantly feel bad for saying such harsh words.

In jae presses her lips together as she looks at me. She pulls out a handkerchief and presses it into my palm.

"Holding your grief in is bad for your health. Just cry it out." In jae says. I look at her for a second before she releases the lift door and it closes.

Do san's POV

"What do we do now..." I ask Ji pyeong after Yong san rushed out of the office.

"Well," Ji pyeong rubs his temples with his thumbs. Every once in a while, his gaze flutters over to Dal mi, who bites her lip nervously.

"We can't say for sure what 2STO will do. If Alex is interested in Samsan Tech as a whole, there is some hope that he won't force Samsan Tech to disband. But if he is only interested in Do san..." Mr Han pauses for a second, feeling the sheer weight of the message he is about to deliver. The words don't come out of his mouth. But everyone in the room can already guess.

"If Alex came here only to find me... then..." I say. "He may disband us..." My voice trails off.

Mr Han nods slowly.

Chul san covers his face with his hands and Dal mi looks blankly at the table. Sa ha looks at Chul san nervously and stretches her hand out but quickly retracks it.

"All we can do now..." Mr Han breathes sharply. "is hope for the best." Mr Han say with a forced expression.