The Butterfly on the Flower Vase (4)

At first, the coughing made it impossible to catch the reason for the call in one go. The security chief, who had dialed with a voice already half dead, hacked so violently through those few short words that Ji-won genuinely worried the man's lungs might give out mid-sentence.

But… what exactly had this man just asked him to do? A business trip to the UK? With the CEO? Ji-won, slowly turning the security chief's words over in his mind, widened his eyes a fraction.

"…Today, you say?"

"Ahem. Yes. Some business has come up in Chester. As I understand it, the CEO is already headed to London, so if you could spare just three days, we would be extremely grateful. All Director Cha needs to do is stay by the CEO's side as a precaution. A staff member will handle transportation once you arrive, and you won't need to concern yourself with lodging or meals either."

"No, that's not the problem here…. Why me, of all people?"

As it happened, the security chief and every last member of the secretarial staff had been laid low by a vicious strain of influenza. Postponing the itinerary was no simple matter either, so they were frantically searching for a last-minute substitute among the Guides capable of assisting the Jungcheonju with her duties — and among them, Ji-won happened to be the most familiar with English-speaking culture.

Well, he understood the circumstances were urgent. But no matter how shorthanded they were, this was absurd. What on earth had they taken him for, handing him a job like this?

"Did the CEO herself agree to this arrangement?"

"The CEO has never been particular about people. Or things, for that matter."

Is that so? Ji-won mused. She'd seemed terribly fastidious at a glance, but how surprising. It's not like I'm confident in my ability to attend to anyone, but… then again, I was headed that way anyway, and if she's really that easygoing, simply keeping someone company isn't beyond me. The schedule isn't crammed to the gills either, so setting aside three days wouldn't be difficult….

After a brief deliberation, Ji-won decided to grant the security chief's request. Whenever he found himself weighing whether to do something, he generally tilted toward doing it — and he was also curious what sort of business could drag the Jungcheonju, who spent most of her time in Jungcheon, all the way overseas.

"Understood. I'll escort her. What time is the flight?"

"Oh, thank you so much. Departure is at two, but before that—"

It took Ji-won less than a minute to regret his easygoing nature. No sooner had his consent left his mouth than the security chief, still sounding apologetic, unleashed a torrent of precautions as though he'd been waiting for exactly that — a list so varied and exhaustive that Ji-won couldn't hope to retain it all and nearly had to record the call midway through.

Wait. You said I'd just need to be there. You want me to take his blood pressure morning and night too? Ha. So this wasn't attending him — this was nursing duty. By the time the word scammed crossed Ji-won's mind, however, there was no undoing the situation.

"That covers everything I need to tell you. For the detailed briefing, please speak with Mrs. Kwon, who oversees the CEO's daily life."

And there's more? What he'd heard already was detailed enough to rival an insurance policy's fine print. Ji-won let out a breathless, disbelieving exhale — and the security chief, apparently fearing his decision might be reversed, hastily ended the call. Ji-won stood there with an incredulous expression, staring blankly at the dead screen, when a cheerful notification chime announced a message bearing an unfamiliar address. The speed was frankly terrifying.

"That sly old fox… look how quick his hands are."

His hand hadn't gone willingly, but he couldn't very well linger on the street corner forever, so Ji-won started the engine. Even with the sizable detour of stopping by his own home first, the traffic lights were uncannily cooperative today, and he reached the destination in no time. He wasn't the type to agonize endlessly over a decision already made, yet his heart wavered the entire drive.

I've never once looked after another person in my life. Could I really handle caring for someone from A to Z like this? And someone who reportedly won't even answer her own phone…. What if I get annoyed halfway through and lose my temper? It's not as if I can abandon my employer in a foreign country and bolt. Damn it all — I should have refused from the start.

"You have arrived at your destination. Ending navigation now."

The navigation's chirpy sign-off, blissfully unaware of his mood, wrung a sigh out of him. Ji-won stepped out of the car with distinctly reluctant feet and regarded the enormous gate — more than twice his own height — through half-lidded eyes. Above that intimidating entrance hung a nameplate of staggering proportions, thick enough by even a casual estimate to span a full hand-width.

Muyeongdang. The House Without Shadows… that's quite a grandiose name. He had paused for a moment before the gate as it slid open of its own accord, before he'd even reached for the bell — and then his eyes went round at the breathtaking scenery spread out beyond its rustic frame. True to its name, the vast garden brimmed with sunlight, and flowering trees of every variety formed an absolute wonderland. If the word paradise were ever given physical form, Ji-won thought it would look precisely like this.

How much does the gardener here make a year? Walking along a path studded charmingly with wildflowers of every color, Ji-won let out hollow laugh after hollow laugh. The modest beauty of the delicate blossoms looked at a glance entirely untouched by human hands — but for this many species of wildflowers to bloom simultaneously was impossible without someone's deliberate effort.

"Good grief. This is pure brute labor…. They all have different growing conditions — even watering them must be a full day's job."

At the end of that treacherous flower path — visible only to a trained eye — stood a stately grand manor that no high official's residence from a period drama could hope to rival. However diligently they scrubbed such an expansive house, not a single mote of dust had settled anywhere from the stone foundation to the eaves. Ji-won clicked his tongue, feeling a twinge of sympathy for the devotion and labor of some nameless stranger he'd never met.

So this is the fabled ninety-nine-room mansion? How much money did they hemorrhage to build this? The pillars are all premium red pine, the kind you only see in royal palaces…. Lumber this thick must have been an ordeal just to source. And look at the roof tiles — practically porcelain. So people actually live in houses like this, on Seoul land? In a neighborhood this expensive, no less…. Honestly, this place feels less real than Jungcheon does.

"Director Cha Ji-won?"

Ji-won, who had been peering with interest into every corner of the building, snapped to attention at the sound of his own name. Ah. Right. I'm not here on a sightseeing tour. He smoothed his expression with practiced speed and turned — to find a graceful, warm-faced woman of dignified bearing approaching with a gentle smile. Something about her felt familiar despite their first meeting, and Ji-won nearly laughed out loud.

So this is Mrs. Kwon, the true power behind this household. The moment I heard the surname Kwon, I wondered — and her eyes are the spitting image of the security chief's. Bloodlines are a frightening thing. She sizes people up with a single sweep of her gaze just like he does, and she keeps smiling the entire time she's openly assessing you.

"A pleasure to meet you. I received the security chief's call and have come to attend the CEO."

"Welcome. I hear you're on vacation — this must be quite an imposition."

The word no never made it out, but Ji-won couldn't bring himself to say yes either, so he simply offered a faint smile. At that smile — a careful blend of courtesy and pretense — Hee-joo's eyebrows rose a fraction. So he's no meek little lamb after all…. Still, he's better-mannered than I expected, and sharp on the uptake. His fashion sense is excellent too. At the very least, he won't be showing up in character socks the way that rascal Haesoo did. Not a bad emergency replacement, all things considered. Satisfied, if only moderately, Hee-joo nodded and held out the large bag she had prepared.

"You may unpack this suitcase as soon as you check into the hotel. Take out all the packing cubes and set them on the vanity. The CEO never notices what's out of sight, so be sure to leave the cosmetic pouch unzipped. Her outerwear goes straight to the laundry service. She tends to open the closet and wear whatever her hand touches first — she genuinely doesn't register whether it's wrinkled, or even torn."

Ji-won, who had been listening in attentive silence, felt his face stiffen almost imperceptibly. The briefing was far more bewildering than anything he'd braced himself for. She wears whatever she grabs first? But every time I've seen her, she was impeccably turned out in the season's newest looks. And she didn't seem to wear any makeup at all…. Don't tell me she doesn't even do a proper skincare routine? Ah… this really isn't going to be easy, is it? This isn't caretaking — this is practically raising a child!

"She's also rather indifferent about meals…. Left to her own devices, she frequently goes right past hunger without noticing, so you must see to it that she eats at least two meals a day."

That one's easy enough — I'll just invite her to eat whenever I'm hungry. I doubt someone living in a house like this has Western tastes. If it were London I couldn't say, but she'd be in trouble hunting for Korean food in Chester….

"Are there any foods she can't eat?"

"No. The CEO eats whatever is set on the table, without exception."

"And foods she especially likes…?"

"She doesn't seek out anything in particular. Which means it falls to you to make sure she eats a balanced variety."

"Ah… I see. Then what does she usually do on flights? Should I prepare a book or films she might enjoy?"

"She'll most likely just rest. She rarely has the leisure for such things in her ordinary life, so she takes very little interest in them."

Unbelievable. What is this, a monk's existence? No favorite foods, no hobbies? No personal life whatsoever — just spending all day, every day hunting down vengeful spirits? Can a person really live like that and stay in one piece?

A gloomy feeling crept over Ji-won without warning, and he exhaled a quiet sigh. His chest felt inexplicably tight — though it did help him steel his resolve. It was far too late to back out of something that had already snowballed this far. Fine. I'll just grit my teeth and do right by her for a few days. I survived that hellish hazing in the army; I can surely endure three. Even a man accustomed to managing people with a flick of his finger wouldn't stoop to Sergeant Kim's level… probably.

"She can't tolerate a single drop of alcohol, so that's the one thing to watch carefully."

"Understood."

"This pouch you must carry on your person at all times. It contains her passport, her phone, emergency medication, and basic medical supplies. This is a portable blood-pressure monitor — twice a day…"

"I heard from the security chief. The moment she wakes, and just before she sleeps."

"Yes. It's simple to use — you only need to read the manual once. And this is…"

Ji-won, staring at the small pill bottle Hee-joo held out, unconsciously furrowed his brow. The label bore a name even he recognized.

"…Sleeping pills."

"Not for daily use — only one tablet at a time, when she's truly exhausted but sleep won't come. Once insomnia takes hold, she sometimes goes days without sleeping…. Her primary physician prescribed these on the grounds that taking them is better than pushing through like that. Keep them safe, and hand them over if the CEO asks for them."

Goes days without sleep…. And even then, she can't drift off without swallowing something this potent. So regular sleeping meds don't work on her anymore, apparently. Yes — no wonder a person living like that can't be well. For once, strangely, an answer didn't come easily, and Ji-won hesitated for a beat — when a small, languid voice drifted from somewhere behind him.

"Director Cha."