Realistic or Modern Strong Woman

[Han JiHyo]

@Y o u n g j a e x Han JiHyo

MIHN IK-SUN​

Fighting the urge to sign and close his eyes, Ik-Sun instead rested his elbows atop the heavy mahogany table, leaning forward in his high-backed office chair. Lacing his fingers together in front of his mouth, his eyes narrowed the slightest bit, gaze unblinking as he stared unerringly at the smartly-dressed man pacing the length of his office. Tall, broad-shouldered and clad in a white Italian three-piece suit, Mihn Tae-Won cut an impressive figure, drawing the eye without effort and commanding attention with every movement. Now, however, the older man was fast becoming an eyesore to Ik-Sun. It was with considerable effort that he continued listening to the agitated rambling falling from his second hyung's lips and not wave him away as soon as possible.

Because that's what was expected from Mihn Ik-Sun, the third son of the wealthy Mihn household. Polite, courteous, quietly-charismatic, always keeping a low profile compared to his older brothers. He was the one who seldom lost his temper, rarely raised his voice, and never threw the first punch. Perhaps it was due to the lack of ambitious fire burning within him clearly as day that their father didn't bother too much with his third son, focusing more attention on the eldest who from a young age already expressed strong desire to inherit the main businesses. With their mother spending most of her time with the only daughter of the family, it was only natural that Ik-Sun grew closer to his second brother, Mihn Tae-Won.

Who was currently wasting his time trying to come up with a convincing lecture on why a bodyguard was necessary for one of his station. It wasn't the first time this topic has been brought up. For two years since his company, Emmex's first successful launch of the popular MMORPG game "Yggdrasil", the fact that his company's stocks continued climbing with no end in sight has made him quite a few enemies within the gaming sector. Now that he has branched into animated films coupled with high expectations making his bi-annual profits surge, there is no wonder Tae-Won was worried on his behalf.

After all, there had been an attempt on his life. Once about six months ago involving a masked man and a lead pipe, and a month earlier, death threats had been scratched onto the body of his car. Needless to say, Ik-Sun was well aware of his own mortality, but he disliked the feeling of being shadowed by a large, beefy man everywhere he went. Not to mention all the attention he would draw. He inwardly shuddered as he thought about all the speculations that would surface should a journalist manage to snap photos. The field-day the press would have is not something he wants to witness first hand.

"Ik-Sun ah, are you even paying any attention? This is a serious matter! What if - what if something...more happens?" Tae-Won came to a halt before the desk, a disapproving scowl wrinkling his brow.

"Then I will simply have to deal with the consequences." Ik-Sun answered, voice bland as ever, as though they were merely talking about what to have for lunch. "Relax, hyung. Whoever's doing it, they're not aiming to kill me. Murder has harsh consequences, and a thorough investigation has to be made if the victim is me. They're not going to risk it." Curling a corner of his mouth up in a faint smile, he looked away, shooting a pointed glance at the clock. "Let's talk about this again another time. You do have somewhere you need to be now, don't you?"

With an annoyed huff and a parting promise that this issue is not over, Tae-Won swept out the door, leaving Ik-Sun alone in the brightly-lit office. Standing from his chair, he tucked his hands into his trouser's pockets and turned to stare out the window. In this part of Dongdaemun, Imun-dong, there weren't many tall commercial buildings packed densely together, allowing him an unobstructed view of the city. It was a small habit he liked to indulge in, for gazing out into the distance enabled him to clear his mind for a little while, to think of nothing and just...relax.

His phone chimed softly, screen lighting up to display the time. Half past twelve in the afternoon. No urgent matters for him to resolve, no pressing issues requiring his immediate attention. A rare occurrence, but one he is grateful for. He needed some alone time.

So he grabbed his coat off the back of his chair, donned it and walked out of the office. A finger brushed the pocket holding his car's key - a new vehicle seeing as it would be a folly to repair his old one - before withdrawing. There were a number of good restaurants and eateries nearby, all within walking distance. Either way, he didn't really feel like driving just to get lunch.

Twenty minutes later saw him exiting a small cafe, nursing hot chocolate in a disposable cup. Deciding not to return just yet, he took the long way back to the Emmex building, relishing in the quiet that came with wandering through side streets and small alleyways.

code by Han JiHyo ​