Chapter 3

Is this a phone of this era?

With a glimmer of hope, I pressed the green button labeled 'Call' with my finger, just like the woman did earlier, and held it to my ear.

"Hello? Section Chief?"

It’s a phone, alright.

What on earth is going on here?

"Section Chief? Hello?"

Am I the section chief?

"Hello...?"

"Yes, Section Chief. Where are you?"

Slave 3.

Judging by the fact that they called me 'Section Chief,' they must be someone from the company, but I had no way of knowing who this Slave 3 was or what kind of relationship they had with me in the company.

"Who is this?"

"Yes?"

"Who are you?"

"Oh, I... I'm Kim Won-ho, Deputy Section Chief."

Deputy Section Chief?

Since they called me 'Section Chief,' they must be my superior, but why are they treating me so formally?

Is it because the owner of this body is my grandson? Or because he is a member of our family?

Well, that could be it.

"Where are you, Section Chief?"

"Me?"

"Yes, it's past lunchtime, and you haven't come in yet, so the Director told me to give you a call. He also asked if you're going to work from outside today or if you're coming in."

"Deputy Section Chief Kim?"

"Yes, Section Chief."

"I have a bit of a problem right now."

"Oh, I see. Understood. I'll let the Director know that you're working from outside today."

What is this guy talking about!

"No, no. That's not what I mean…."

"…Yes?"

"I said, I have a problem right now."

"Should I call the headquarters' Strategic Planning Department right away?"

"Why there?"

"I was just wondering if you got involved in another unpleasant incident."

My rational thinking was gradually returning.

Headquarters' Strategic Planning Department.

From what the other person said, I understood that my grandson, Jeong-hoon, was not working at the group headquarters but was learning the ropes at one of the subsidiaries.

And the way they casually mentioned the headquarters' Strategic Planning Department suggested that they had sought help from there multiple times.

I don't know how things have changed now, but originally, the headquarters' Strategic Planning Department of Jae-kyung was responsible for covering up the group's and the family's secret affairs.

And if he was wandering around hotel rooms during working hours, even during lunchtime, and if he was using his lunch break as he pleased, and if he was referring to his colleagues as 'slaves'... even though he is my blood, he must be a problematic individual.

But that's not the most important thing right now.

I need to understand what is happening to me and gain a thorough understanding of this world.

"Hello? Section Chief? Are you okay?"

"I seem to be fine... but there's definitely a problem."

"I'll call the headquarters' Strategic Planning Department right away."

"No, that's not what I mean."

"Then what?"

"From what I can see, I'm at... the Luxins Hotel."

"Luxins Hotel?"

It's an Italian brand, as I suspected.

It's a brand I've never seen before, and it's surprising that a European brand hotel has entered the Korean market.

"Yes... I can even see the Namsan Tower from here."

* * *

Kim Won-ho, Deputy Section Chief of Jae-kyung Wool's Human Resources Department, bit his lower lip and forced himself to continue the call.

Thick veins appeared on his forehead, a testament to his current patience.

"I see."

The other HR department employees, who had been listening to Kim Won-ho's conversation, all sighed, closed their eyes, or bit their lower lips and silently pounded their desks, expressing their dissatisfaction in their own ways.

"I'll explain the situation later, but could you send someone, someone I can trust, someone who can keep a secret, to me?"

"To the Luxins Hotel?"

"Yes, please."

Kim Won-ho covered the microphone of his smartphone with his finger and muttered, "Damn bastard..." before composing himself.

"Understood. But, Section Chief."

"Yes?"

"Who should I send?"

I don't know what kind of trouble he's gotten into, but he clearly wants someone to come and clean it up.

However, the fact that he doesn't want the headquarters' Strategic Planning Department to be informed suggests that it's not a major issue.

Kim Won-ho wanted to know if he should send the Director, go himself, or just send anyone.

"I said, someone I can trust. Someone who can keep a secret."

Are you kidding me...

Kim Won-ho seethed internally but maintained his composure on the call.

"Excuse me, Section Chief. Did you have any problems with the hotel staff?"

"No way!"

Kim Won-ho pulled the smartphone away from his ear for a moment and sighed deeply.

This bastard is at it again.

"Just... "

"Understood. I'll send someone right away. Should I tell them to wait in the lobby?"

"Not the lobby... I'm in room 1103 right now."

He wants me to come to his room?

"I can't go out alone. Someone needs to help me. Room 1103. Could you please send someone to the room?"

Damn bastard...

Now he wants someone to come to the hotel room where he's fooling around with his lover?

What a damn bastard.

"It shouldn't take more than 10 minutes. It's right in front, isn't it?"

"10 minutes?"

"Ah! Section Chief, wait a moment."

"Why?"

"Did you drink any alcohol, Section Chief?"

"No, I don't think so."

Kim Won-ho thought to himself again.

Damn bastard.

It's not a joke that he doesn't even know if he's drunk or not.

"You came by car, right? I think it's better if I tell Jung Da-ri to take a taxi."

"However you do it, just send someone quickly."

Damn Section Chief.

The HR department employees of Jae-kyung Wool referred to Jae-kyung's second son, Son Jeong-hoon, as 'Damn Section Chief' behind his back.

After ending the call with Damn Section Chief, Kim Won-ho threw his phone on the desk and called Jung Da-ri.

"Jung Da-ri."

"Yes, Deputy Section Chief."

"Did you hear the conversation?"

Jung Da-ri, looking exasperated, got up from his seat and picked up his jacket from the back of his chair.

"Yes, Luxins Hotel, right?"

Kim Won-ho nodded without a word.

"He wants you to go to the room."

"The room?"

"Ha, damn... off."

"Don't get worked up. Is this the first time? What room number?"

"1103."

"1103. Understood. I'll go and bring him back quickly."

"Take a taxi."

"Yes! Calm down, Deputy Section Chief."

"I feel like quitting. How long do I have to do this?"

"Others are listening. Calm down and cool off. I'll bring him back quickly."

"If he was drunk, he could have just called for a driver. We're not his chauffeurs, are we?"

"That's why I'm going, Da-ri. Ha ha ha."

"Can you laugh? Do you have no feelings?"

"Would having feelings help in my career?"

"..."

"I'll be back."

* * *

This is not a situation for a hospital.

After ending the call with the Deputy Section Chief, I stood by the window again.

This is no longer the Seoul I know.

Forget the buildings; even the cars on the road are a mystery.

"Hmm…"

My thoughts were becoming more complex, and my head was getting hot.

No matter how I think about it, this is... definitely reality. If it's 2022, then I must have somehow leaped 30 years into the future and entered my grandson's body.

I couldn't let this continue, so I splashed cold water on myself.

The furniture and facilities in this hotel, which I have always appreciated for their high quality, were incredibly sophisticated and astonishing.

Especially the shower and sink were amazing.

The moment the cold water touched my body, I was certain this was not a dream.

Then, what should I do from now on?

And what happened to my grandson, the original owner of this body?

After washing my body with cold water, I stood in front of the sink and looked at my grandson's face in the mirror.

How could a man look so delicate and feminine?

Suddenly, a face that resembled this one came to mind.

But it wasn't the face of my eldest daughter-in-law, who should have been his mother, but the face of my second daughter-in-law.

"Hold on…"

And then, out of nowhere, the unpleasant news I heard from a news anchor's voice in the endless abyss of light echoed in my ears again.

"Jae-kyung Group Chairman Son Hong-myung was found dead this morning at 8 o'clock, hanging in his bedroom."

...!

No, no.

It can't be.

Hong-myung hanging himself?

That's absurd.