17. Labyrinth

"Walking along the light like being possessed
In the labyrinth without an exit
Oh won’t you wake up
Oh you’d better wake up
The shadow that’s following me
Is shouting, it’ll suppress me
Oh won’t you wake up
Oh you’d better wake up

It’s noisy, I don’t want to hear it
I just want to be here
Go away

It’s a Hurricane It’s a Hurricane
I’m scared, I’m blocking my ears
The voice calling me, the distant voice
Wake up, wake up Break it now, get out
If you want to do it for me
I’m going to the end"
('Labyrinth' from 回:LABYRINTH, by GFRIEND)

Mark skipped their brekafast unwillingly but there was something he had to do and confront. He was early for work again, but this time he didn’t shuffle his feet to his office. Instead, he took big, stealthy strides to Donghae’s office. He had everything planned out; he knew Donghae was out playing golf with their key shareholders and Jessica, on the other hand, was a guest lecturer at a business school for a marketing module today.

He always questioned himself and his grandparents why he’d grown up in America with them, far away from Korea. It was starting to make sense as he recalled the stories his grandfather had told him about this company growing up. ‘This company grandfather built and told me about is so different from today. I had no clue about the difference until I was deep in this company. Something is fishy...especially the incident following that very day.’ Mark thought as he walked.

Mark walked to Donghae’s secretary spot and reached under her desk and flipped a switch. He saw the dim beam from the surveillance camera in Donghae's office flicker out and proceeded to enter his office. As his feet came to a stop at a specific spot, the memory he had 20 years ago suddenly became clearer than it ever was.

Remembering he had no time to waste, he walked over to the small safe and looked at the combination lock. As he pulled on some rubber gloves over his hands, he prayed that this combination lock was the same one his grandfather had used all over their property in America and Canada.

To his relief, it worked and the safe opened and he reached deep into the safe and pulled out the file Mark knew Donghae wished to safeguard and keep it out of sight from the rest of the world: The petition document that forced his grandfather to step down from the company, the document that finalized Donghae as the head of this conglomerate and the document which Donghae forced his very own father to sign, so that his father will never return to Korea ever again.

Many varying emotions and thoughts washed over Mark as he held the documents in his hands. He, at the age of five was present to witness all these events right in the office he currently was in. He took his phone and scanned these documents and placed them back to where it was. His hands stopped short when his eyes fell upon another file labelled under the surname Kang.

He pulled it out immediately and his eyes only widened in horror. ‘Seulgi’s marriage to Taeyong...was so that both family companies and assets would benefit each other...the Kang company would be legally and wholly under the company should anything happen to their family’ his jaw only dropped further as he learnt the truth and real royal blood Seulgi has and the events that happened.

Mark snapped the folder shut and placed it back to where it was and locked the safe to how it was and stood up. He left briskly and exited the office. Freeing his hands from the gloves, the back of his palm brushed against his eyes to wipe the tears threatening to cascade down his face. He vowed silently to do whatever it takes to bring Donghae down and teach him a lesson.

‘You were never much of a father to me anyway. All you did was supported me materially but you never showed any interest in me. That’s why it was so easy for you to send me over to the States and Canada.’ Mark shut his eyes as he finally allowed himself to relive the now, sad and tragic memory.

“Minhyung ah, grandfather just needs to see your father for a bit. Then I’ll spend the rest of the day with you.” His loving grandfather said to him as he held Mark’s hand. The young Mark nodded enthusiastically and hopped beside him. His grandfather looked around and noticed the eerie atmosphere, it wasn't bustling with people because it was a Saturday morning. HIs grandfather took a deep breath and stepped into his office. As Mark waited outside the office, he grew impatient and pushed the office door slightly ajar and his eye widened.

There his grandfather was on his fours infront of Donghae, mentioning complicated terms that his brain couldn’t understand. Innova-? and Acquis what?. Mark watched in tears as Donghae relentlessly and mercilessly tore his own father’s reputation. Mark saw his grandfather’s quivering hands taking out his name and stamp and signing all the documents Donghae forced him to.

As soon as he saw his grandfather’s tear trickle down, Mark burst into the room and flew to his grandfather. Mark turned to look at Donghae’s shocked face and told his men to stand down away from his grandfather. “Grandpa! Granpa! Are you alright? Don’t cry! Don’t cry!”

His grandfather’s face immediately broke into a smile seeing Mark’s concerned look, hoping it would loosen the child up. “I’m alright. Now I have a lot of time to spend with you now. We’ll be going somewhere far away together.” His grandfather stood up and swooped Mark into his arms and walked out the office. He threw a look of disgust at Donghae and everyone in the room, the people he once trusted to run the company with him.

By the time his flashback ended, he was right outside of Taeyong’s office door. He stood there for a long time, hesitating whether or not he should enter. Before he could deliberate any further, the door was pulled open and Taeyong came face to face with his teary-eyed brother. Taeyong knew something was not right.

“I saw you standing outside. Come in.”

“There are a lot of things you should know.” Mark said and stepped in. Taeyong waited patiently for Mark to compose himself and texted his secretary to send some food and coffee up for Mark. 

“Do you remember how all of a sudden I was sent to America with grandfather and grandmother?” Mark started and Taeyong nodded. “It wasn’t because Donghae and Jessica wanted me to experience a different upbringing or because I had more opportunities there. It was to ensure that our grandparents never returned to Korea. It was because I was a witness to a key event in the company’s history. I saw with my own eyes father forcing grandfather to step down from the company and technically banishing him from Korea.”

Taeyong’s eyes widened. This knowledge would change Taeyong’s perception of Mark. Mark suffered a slice of the banishment their grandparents experienced even though all this while Taeyong thought Mark had a better upbringing. By the time Mark showed the scans of the documents and even revealed how he stumbled about Seulgi’s true upbringing and the Kang's assets, Taeyong was so close to losing his cool.

“Seulgi and I know her real ancestry and parentage but not anything to do with the company. Her parents were assassinated! Do you think Donghae did this?” Taeyong stood up and he was in rage. Mark shook his head. “Donghae didn’t go that far. Seulgi’s parents had their own share of enemies that’s why the planned this marriage to safeguard Seulgi and all that they’ve built.”

Taeyong calmed down and sat back down. “Why did Donghae and Jessica do all these?”

“I presume it’s because grandfather always believed in creativity and innovation and this is a far cry from Donghae’s business inclinations. Simply put, a clash of ideals.”

“Innovation and creativity huh? Father always shut me down whenever I had a proposal. All these explains everything.” Taeyong said and Mark felt a twinge of sadness for his own brother too. Taeyong too had a strong bond with their grandfather prior his departure from Korea.

“It gives me more purpose and life to give Donghae a taste of his own medicine, what he did to grandfather.” Mark said finally and stood up, his fists clenched tightly. He felt reassuring pats on his back and turned to see Taeyon