The days passed quickly and the two investors arrived back in Korea. After settling their luggage at the hotel, they went to the function hall where the contract signing event would take place. They entered the room and were blinded by the press taking dozens of pictures. They immediately smiled and posed before moving towards the table where they’ll be sitting as representatives of each other’s companies.

Luhan looked around to find Eunhye but couldn’t see her anywhere. Maybe she didn’t want the press to know that she works here. He thought to himself as he sat at the place where Yixing and he were supposed to sit.

They waited for Joonmyeon to join them but were rather surprised to see his father entering with Jongdae quickly following behind him. The man smiled at the two and sat beside them. He quickly shook their hands and greeted them. Then he signaled for the event to begin.

It didn’t take long, after an hour the contract signing was done and sealed. The three exchanged smiles and Joonmyeon’s father asked the two if he could talk to Yixing after the event. Luhan nodded and told Yixing that he’ll be waiting at Joonmyeon’s office. Then he walked away, leaving the two alone.

The man asked Yixing to ride in the car with him as they headed off to the office as well. At first it was silent and Yixing was wondering what he’d done wrong, then he realized that this might have something to do with Joonmyeon who wasn’t present at the event. Finally Joonmyeon’s father decided to break the silence.

“Mr. Zhang, I’m sorry to bother you and take a bit of your time,” the older man apologized to younger.

“It’s alright Uncle,” Yixing reassured the older man.

“Thank you, you’re really such a kind lad. So from the reports I’ve been given, Joonmyeon was last seen with you. Do you know where he is right now?” the older man asked as he looked wearily at Yixing. Yixing could see that the man hasn’t slept for days. Underneath his eyes were dark circles, and he looked older than he was supposed to be.

“You mean to say he hasn’t come home ever since that night?” Yixing asked the man, bewildered at the implications that his best friend had been missing for nearly a month now. He was shocked to know this. He didn’t search for Joonmyeon that night thinking that his bodyguards could take care of him. Now he wishes he did.

“Yes,” the older man sadly replied.

“I haven’t seen him as well Uncle. The last time I saw him was at the restaurant. I had just entered the place when he bumped into me and suddenly left. I called after him asking where he was going but he chose to ignore me. I tried calling him as well, about a dozen times that night, but all my calls went unanswered. I’m sorry I couldn’t help you,” Yixing told the man.

 “We’ve already checked every place he could have gone to Mr. Zhang, but he’s not there. We tried tracking his phone and credit card and found them in the dumpster, two weeks ago after using them at an amusement park. We checked the CCTV footage at the themepark grounds but there were too many people to specifically spot my son. His bodyguards had lost him after he went to a convenience store and disappeared that night Mr. Zhang. Apparently he had changed his clothes at the comfort room of such establishment and escaped right under their noses into the dark night. Mr. Zhang, I want to know why my son would suddenly act this way again. He hasn’t done these types of shenanigans since I shipped him off to America and he met you. Please tell me, I’m worried that Joonmyeon has done something stupid or that he’s harmed himself again,” the older man pleaded to Yixing.

“I don’t know if I should tell you this Uncle, but since it’s come to this I guess I have no choice,” he said. Yixing sighed and sadly looked at Joonmyeon’s father.

“Joonmyeon’s obsessed with his assistant. Obsessed in a way that he’s vowed to avenge his mother’s death by making her life miserable,” Yixing explained.

“WHAT? YOU MEAN TO SAY THAT GIRL IS HERE? But why would he do such thing? Aisht! He probably still believes all the lies his mother had told him! Oh dear God! The poor girl, I was planning to help her get back her company since I owned a few shares in it. Wait, but what happened that night Mr. Zhang causing him to decide to just vanish like this?” he asked Yixing.

“I think that deep down Uncle, Joonmyeon has started to like her. She’s really beautiful and surviving under his reign of terror means that she’s a strong and independent woman. He obviously likes those types, with Naeun years back and now Eunhye. What I didn’t count on was that Luhan still loves her and now they’re going out with each other. I think that night, Joonmyeon heard everything and he’s disappointed and angry that she chose Luhan instead of him. You know how well he can’t handle rejections and disappointments,” Yixing said to him.

“Oh no. Joonmyeon might revert to that state again, Mr. Zhang. I guess you didn’t know that he was supposedly engaged with Ms. Park when they were younger, did you?” the man asked him.