"B—but I don't have that much cash on hand right now. There's got to be another way for me to deal with this situation!" Hoseok's pitch displayed a raise, helplessness blaring through it.

"There is, sir, we're not as rigid as other hospitals when it comes to financial matters. You can always pay half of the total amount and postpone the remaining payment till the next day. I hope that makes the fee deposition a bit easier for you." The female explained to Hoseok, stealing a brief look at him in order to monitor the change in his expression.

"You don't understand—" Hoseok's downcast eyes had abruptly come to rest upon the lurid background sprawled right behind his addressee's head, the whiny undertone in his voice rapidly abating due to the fact. He leisurely skimmed his vision over the stylized alphabets which he felt he was quite unusually accustomed to, mouth forming an oblivious gape simultaneously. 

A sensation akin to that of being subjected to radio silence buzzed against Hoseok's eardrums, evoking a familiar picture to spring out of his damp memories. The noise was consistent, sending waves into the male's subconscious in an effort to be labeled as a deja vu by him, only to leave him multiple times more puzzled when he could not recognize the nub of it despite the incessant nudging. 

Although Hoseok's line of sight had already been fixated at the neon-splashed The Gold Enterprises' Golden Nest Hospital— because of which even the nurse could not refrain from alternating her gaze between the confounded man and the title that provided tangibility to the main conglomerate— his pupils were only deepening as seconds elapsed, a strange void surfacing within them.

Then, like a snap of a twig, his concentration instantly disjointed from the middle, with him growing out of focus as if a strong force had suddenly started to tow him along with itself— distancing him bit by bit from the reality.

But Hoseok continued to hold his ground, currently was not the time to stagger and kneel before indecisiveness. With his face now turning resolute, he began, "Where can I meet the Chairman? What are the directions to reach him?"

The nurses had initially borne a subtle bafflement, but once time ticked away, the facade smoothly slipped off and revealed a disdainful amusement in place of it— a pair of complementary guffaws making the derision complete. Hoseok's brows twitched upon the unanticipated response, his eyes squinting in cluelessness.

That was when one of them ushered in, "I'm afraid that won't be possible at the moment, sir. But even if the Chairman were present in his office right now, we definitely wouldn't allow you to barge in there. He can't meet with everyone, you see."

"You sure know nothing about me. Guess I'll have to search for him on my own— Ah, found it! See y'all later..." Hoseok cooed, waving dramatically at them and scurrying away in a heartbeat.

✧

Although it had not proved to be a plain-sailing for Hoseok to land where he had set his mind to, prancing around, eluding a dozen of sturdy security personnel who had been called upon the instant Hoseok had galloped away from the reception area, had infused unlimited adrenaline into his blood. Regardless of the constant sweat dripping from the crease of his hairline, a silly grin carried on with guiding his lips to the extreme corners.

Hands placed on his waist as he haughtily read the letters engraved on the metallic plate that was nailed onto the door across him, Hoseok rendered a desultory glimpse from over his shoulders. Smugness reigned over his features resultingly, for it had been established at long last by that rattling silence that was slowly condensing, that he had indeed outrun all those vain employees.

For good.

"Mister Geum Dongkyung— Chairman, The Gold Enterprises. Turns out you were not as faraway as those people downstairs had made it sound like." Hoseok mumbled to himself, a ghost of a smile appearing on his lips. 

Drawing a long breath in only to exhale right after in installments so that his pulse was pacified, Hoseok strode closer to the door, gently grabbing the doorknob. Propping his head up, he had not expected his ears to perk along too. But when he glimpsed through the corner of his eye and figured out what— or rather, who— awaited him at the other end of the hallway, his body's involuntary response almost seemed inevitable.

One of the guards had managed to catch up to him, him seething in rage being discernible to Hoseok even with such vastness laying between them. Steadily, his arms oscillated one by one as his feet followed suit too, and before Hoseok could comprehend what was there in store for him, the other man had considerably locomoted himself in his direction. Nonetheless, the leaner man's eyes did widen in the end when he realised that it was about time he hatched his escape plan.

And so, flinging the door open, he thrust himself inside in a jiffy, assuming that he had successfully outpaced the man on his trail, only to discover a glimpse later that he had mushroomed into five of the same type. While remaining dropped to the ground on his bottom, swivel-eyed, Hoseok watched them as they surrounded him from all sides. Panic zapped up and down his spine as he gulped apprehensively.

A smirk broke out on the lips of that avid spectator who had been keeping track of everything that was unfolding from the past couple of minutes. Smacking his lips, he peered from behind the ridiculously towering table of his, earning Hoseok's attention as the latter's eyebrows furrowed in a blend of relief and curiosity.

"Let him be. Everyone, step aside." He announced, the bellow heralding an unnatural silence to waft in the air. 

"But Chairman—" One of the burly males— seemingly the in-charge— objected, though as absurd as it must have appeared to Hoseok right then, a brandished index finger from the addressed one was all that was required to serve the purpose of shushing the subordinate. 

Hoseok gaped in awe, probably nonplussed due to the steadfast aura that the apparent Head— who definitely had not touched even his forties — had been radiating. Even though he had not abandoned the floor yet, he could still detect his tiny face, his wrinkle-free skin, a rather mature charisma retained in his doe eyes and his quite-large ears. Hoseok was never a believer in the concept of first impressions, but that man over there had debunked his ideologies in a single blow— and that too effortlessly. 

"Vacate my office right now." The Chairman growled under his breath.

It was only a matter of time before the people in there began to move about as they had been instructed, eventually leaving that enormous hall to be occupied only by Hoseok and the Chairman himself. The former stared at the same silhouette who was now gradually emerging from behind his desk, not a lone thought lingering in his head in the meantime. An arm was extended towards Hoseok ensuingly, accepting which he immediately rose to balance himself on his feet, a gratifying smile gracing his lips in the process.

"So, why did you need to see me so urgently?" The Chairman initiated in a brooding undertone.

Nervousness had started to build up within Hoseok once he noted that it was forsooth him at whom the query had been aimed. Trepidation eddied in his heart, causing it to malfunction out of the blue. He felt intimidated, as clear as day. Anyone would be, to be honest, when someone contemporaneous to their age was sat across them and wielded much more power than they could ever even dream of. 

Flustered, he tossed sporadic glances at every spot he could, his attention ultimately gripped by the glossy golden-hued nameplate that was planted at the center of the Chairman's table-top. "Geum Dongkyung," he mumbled, volume barely above a whisper.

"Yeah, that's what my name is." Dongkyung beamed fleetingly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't intend to—"

"Let's come straight to the point, shall we? I don't have much time to spare, sadly." 

"Oh," Hoseok elicited, shaking his head as if attempting to zero in. "My sister... Erm, she's admitted in your hospital as we talk."

"Is she?" Dongkyung commented nonchalantly, immersed in the documents spread before him.

"Uh, yes? But that's not the issue at hand." Hoseok's insinuation had panned out pretty well, for the other male had instantly turned all ears. "She's worked her fingers to the bone all those years while staying recruited at one of your chain restaurants, was even honored as the employee of the month several times. Being counted amongst the model workforce... can you see what I'm getting at? She was that good."

"That's delightful to hear." Dongkyung but stated impassively.

"The thing is, now that she's been made to face a medical emergency— and because she's self-employed— she can't claim the benevolent health insurance scheme that you usually provide to your staff. Nor am I, her so-called brother, capable of paying even half the amount at one go. I was wondering if I could ask for a rebate? P—Provided how she has often knocked herself out purely because she's so dedicated to her job." Hoseok delineated his situation, easing on the inside due to Dongkyung's subtly weaving eyebrows. 

"You're broke," he parted his lips in the most denigrating manner possible, "is what you're trying to say, right?"

Hoseok nodded meekly. There was not much he could do anyway.

"So you wanna strike a deal?" He suggested, inducing confusion to occupy Hoseok's senses.

"If that's what you call it, I guess?" Hoseok replied, his face twisted in uncertainty.

"That's never been upto me though," Dongkyung snickered vaguely. "I'm a businessman, Mister..."

"Jung Hoseok." He was prompt in filling the purposive gap.

"Mister Jung Hoseok, if I went about bargaining with people at terms that generate loss for me, how do you reckon I'd be able to call myself one anymore? Wouldn't I bring shame on my community that way?" Dongkyung posed a rhetorical question.

"I get the message very well, sir. But how could I possibly have something that'd equal to what you must envision in return? I wonder if I'd be able to offer you—"

"You do have a valuable asset though, Mister Jung. Didn't you just say that your ailing sister is self-employed? What does she do? Running her own diner is my speculation here. But I may be wrong too, so please don't hesitate in correcting me." The Chairman leaned forward, settling his clasped hands against the rosewood surface of his table.

Astonished, Hoseok blinked his eyes a few times, "You couldn't have been more accurate, sir."

"That irons out our differences, then." Dongkyung declared, complacency floating visibly in his eyes.

✧

a/n

since there's this quite unnerving quiet in this book, i was wondering if starting a qotd-aotd series with y'all would be smORT (🤡) of me hehe🥴 so here we go!
qotd: which kdrama/ series are you watching these days?
aotd: it's little women for me! man, i've always liked kim goeun but she really outdid herself in this one. she's so charming huhuhu. i also like the second male lead (inkyung's love interest) i want me a jongho so badddd *wails*😭😭😭
these apart, pls don't forget to vote+comment if my updates make your day <3 i'll be so thankful hehe😬