Pieces | Heejake | Enhypen

chapter thirty seven

A few months ago

Heeseung stepped into a fully air-conditioned room, where a large screen played a movie. He walked toward the front and settled into a seat next to one already occupied.

A hand extended a bucket of popcorn toward him, the man shaking it slightly to urge Heeseung to take some. Heeseung grabbed a few kernels while keeping his eyes fixed on the screen. The gesture subtly hinted at the power dynamics at play.

This was the home theater of Mr. Hyuk Tae-sim, Jake's father.

"Did you find anything?" Mr. Sim asked, his voice clear and monotonous, devoid of emotion but heavy with authority.

"Yes, a man willing to testify as our witness. He contacted us through a letter and is currently in hiding," Heeseung replied, diving straight into business. Mr. Sim nodded, both men's gazes locked on the screen ahead. This wasn't their first meeting.

After a moment of contemplative silence, Heeseung spoke again. "Why do you want me to challenge Sunghoon when you could reclaim the company you handed him at any time?"

"It's not that simple," Mr. Sim replied. "I was the owner once, but it's his company now. Whether it's you or me standing against him, he'll defend it with the same ferocity."

"And?" Heeseung pressed. Mr. Sim's explanation didn't clarify why Heeseung was tasked with confronting Sunghoon, especially when it would be simpler for the assemblyman to pursue his own heir. A direct claim from the patriarch who originally granted the company would likely streamline the process of wresting control from Sunghoon.

"The Chairman," Mr. Sim said calmly. "I have a reputation to uphold in his eyes. If I suddenly turn against my adopted son, his trust in me could falter, jeoparding my political career." For Hyuk Tae, appearing unable to manage his own family would paint him as weak-an image his pride couldn't tolerate, especially in the eyes of the influential Chairman.

"Why not Jake?" Heeseung asked. He had no desire to drag Jake into a messy struggle for power, but it was a valid question. He needed to uncover Mr. Sim's true motives-why was he so intent on dismantling Sunghoon's career? The excuse Hyuk Tae had given felt flimsy.

From Heeseung's perspective, Mr. Sim's disdain for Sunghoon was clear. Sunghoon was a burden Hyuk Tae had been forced to adopt, and he ensured the boy never felt like part of the family. Yet, over the years, Hyuk Tae had unknowingly molded Sunghoon into a undeniable rival in business and politics. Now, Sunghoon's success posed a threat, and his very existence irritated the man who raised him.

"Jake isn't cut out for this," Mr. Sim replied. "And he'd never agree to it. You, of all people, should know that."

Heeseung couldn't argue. Though Mr. Sim's true intentions remained murky, Heeseung knew where his loyalties lay. He understood what was best for Jake-and for himself.

---

26 Dec

Heeseung was on a call with his longtime friend Beomgyu. "Have you found him?"

He'd been stressed, as the witness they'd been relying on had suddenly vanished-three days before the crucial court session.

The board members' high expectations for this particular hearing heightened his anxiety further. This session could have been the one in Heeseung's favor after so long. From the start of the case, Heeseung had tried to prove Sunghoon's incompetence in managing his company.

Finding dirt on Sunghoon wasn't easy; he was too cautious. Yet, somehow, Heeseung had finally succeeded. He had found the crack in Sunghoon's carefully curated system. Jake's father also contributed by forging documents showing Sunghoon's misuse of authority.