‘… Maybe you’ll excuse me?’

The more he listened, the clearer Kang Tae-han’s image became, but Seo Kyung-woo slowly shook his head from side to side. The more I thought about it, the more I thought of Kang Tae-han, who had neatly rejected the offer to appear the other day.

To be honest, I have a bigger desire to recruit Taehan. I’m confident that I’ll be able to pull out the amount as long as it’s with me, and it was a situation where writers these days were in a difficult situation because they didn’t have material.

But even so, I was refraining from further suggestions.

For Seo Kyung-woo, Kang Tae-han will meet steadily for as long as possible. No, because he was the person I had to meet.

Kang Tae-han’s massage skills are on a different level.

Even after his first visit, Kyung-Woo Seo had been attending Cheonma Massage, and it was a regular event to make a reservation for the Cheonma course as soon as he came out after receiving a massage.

In particular, if you go on a long-term business trip and then come back and receive it, would you say that there is no pleasure in life like that? I wanted to continue getting massages from Kang Tae-han, and to be honest, if I didn’t, it would be a loss for me.

By the way… Whenever that happens, do you feel awkward or uncomfortable?

I didn’t feel like Mr. Kang was showing off or distinguishing between people like that, but it’s true that it’s not that desirable.

“… There’s nothing special, senior.”

In the end, Seo Kyung-woo made a decision.

Although it was a minor role, it actually looked closer to a supporting role, and it would be unreasonable to recommend an ordinary person who is not an actor for such a position.

“Hmm. Didn’t you just think of someone?”

You have a good sense of humor too.

Kyung-Woo Seo flinched momentarily, but lifted the coffee without revealing any special expression on his face.

“Ah, senior. When did I fall for entertainment, how many actors do I know?”

It wasn’t that much of a lie.

The Kang Tae-han he remembered wasn’t a masseuse actor.

“Honestly speaking of actors I know, they are all known in the industry and actors that seniors already know. Wouldn’t it be?”

“… It doesn’t.”

Joo Tae-hyeon nodded slowly and drank a sip of coffee through a straw. It was not wrong.

“Still suspicious… … .”

“haha… Oh, more than that, have you been to the new pork belly restaurant over there?”

“Well. It seems that they came and went to see it?”

“The meat there is really great. If you don’t have dinner plans later, how about having a meal together after a long time?”

I felt a little sorry for the senior, but… But that doesn’t mean you can bother Taehan.

If the two of you are meant to be, you’ll find out.

Seo Kyung-woo made a calm expression and skillfully turned the topic to the other side.

* * *

“Long time no see.”

Room 2 of Cheonma Massage.

Inside, Kang Tae-han, who made eye contact with the customer, scratched his chin with a light smile.

“I don’t think it has been that long.”

An old man with gray hair was sitting on the bed.

He is none other than Jang Woo-young, the honorary chairman of Daecheong Group.

Maybe it was because it was a private place, or maybe it was because he had changed into a jjimjilbok at the store, but it felt quite familiar compared to his appearance on the news, but an unusual impression was leaking out from his upright posture and his eyes.

Jang Woo-young had already been there once, and it wasn’t long enough for him to forget the memory, so Kang Tae-han shrugged his shoulders pretending to know.

“Well, doesn’t that mean it’s nice to meet you?”

Jang Woo-young raised his feet on the bed and smiled while crossing his legs.

“What are you doing here today? I don’t think you came here because you were particularly uncomfortable.”

Cross-legged is basically a posture that is quite far from lying down. If she dared to take such a posture, it would mean that she had a purpose other than massage, at least for now.

Kang Tae-han took a sneak peek at Jang Woo-young’s physical condition, confirmed that there was no major problem, and sat down on a small stool nearby.

“This old man wanted to see you… It’s because this is the only way to meet naturally. I was a bit overworked and asked for a seat even if it was canceled.”

“Hmm… When you said you wanted to meet, did you mean that you wanted to talk like this, not a massage?”

“That’s how it is.”

Kang Tae-han slowly nodded at Jang Woo-yeong’s words.

It wasn’t normal, but it wasn’t embarrassing either. Old people sometimes go and do weird things.

Considering the old masters who sneaked into the house to have a conversation, or sprinkled life without hesitation to show off their skills, this level was understandable enough.

“This is a massage parlor, but… I don’t hate that. Let’s hear what it is.”

“Um, yes. It would be more appropriate to say that I just wanted to thank you.”

Jang Woo-young spoke quietly, as if muttering to himself, and then bowed his head to Tae-han Kang.

“Thank you. Thanks to that, I was able to realize, even belatedly, what is more important than this old woman’s stubbornness.”

After receiving hinted advice from Kang Tae-han.

Jang Woo-young, who had a realization, said to his eldest son, ‘Let’s go to the mountain together.’ As a result, the relationship between father and son could be much softer than before.

Until then, I had the thought, ‘Isn’t it that children should come to parents first’, but… Now that I think about it, it was just a minor stubbornness.

The moment he broke that stubbornness and moved first as Kang Tae-han said, Jang Woo-young was able to get what he wanted, even for a moment. I was able to go hiking comfortably, just as a father and son.

“… I’m glad it helped.”

On the other hand, at those words, Kang Tae-han smiled honestly.

It is said that it is difficult for people to change, but in the case of the elderly, the degree is even worse. Having so many years and experiences, one’s own convictions are clear and naturally stubbornness arises.

However, when he said that his advice helped to change that, Kang Tae-han felt good, if not to the extent of being proud.

“You seem to have reconciled with your family, right?”

“… right. How did you know?”

“If you look roughly, you will get an estimate.”

Taehan Kang shook his hand as if it was nothing.

It is said that people have various concerns, but in his experience, the worries of elderly fathers are generally similar, although there may be differences in details. This is especially true for those who have left their jobs and retired.

“Last time I felt it, but you seem to be living a second life. It doesn’t look like twenty-six.”

Kang Tae-han’s brow twitched when Jang Woo-young said as if tossing a word at Kang Tae-han’s age. From him, he would have just heard a simple analogy, but it was a word that unexpectedly hit the mark.

“… Hmm. I hear that often.”

“Haha, it’s worth it.”

However, Kang Tae-han’s agitation was only a fleeting moment, and when he spoke in a calm voice, Jang Woo-yeong burst into a small laugh without thinking.

“Anyway, talking to you separately like this is following your advice.”

“What does it mean?”

Kang Tae-han tilted his head slightly, and Jang Woo-yeong immediately continued.

“I don’t know why… Talking with you makes my heart feel more comfortable than I thought.”

It couldn’t have been, but it felt like I was chatting with a friend of the same age. That kind of small comfort, just having a conversation without any hidden ulterior motives.

“That’s why I wish we could see each other more often.”

In order to do that, you can’t just wait, and you need to talk about it first. It was nothing but the realization he had received from Kang Tae-han.

“As you may know, this is a massage parlour.”

To his words, Kang Tae-han answered with a deliberately hard voice, but soon put on a loose expression.

“So, if you want to talk, please contact me separately. It’s about a promise to have a cup of tea. I don’t hate it either.”

“… is it. It’s worth coming today.”

Seeing Kang Tae-han talking cheerfully, Jang Woo-young smiled shyly and nodded a couple of times. He seemed a bit embarrassed.

“Well, by the way… … .”

In an atmosphere that seemed to have just finished talking, Kang Tae-han slowly got up from his seat and reached out to Jang Woo-yeong, who was sitting there.

“… Why but?”

“No matter what, if you come to a massage center, you should get a massage. Isn’t it?”

Kang Tae-han moved his hand gently and slowly.

Every time that touch touched Jang Woo-young’s body, it naturally stretched out one by one, and eventually it became a face down on the bed.

‘what?’

His body moved, but Jang Woo-young couldn’t figure out why he was lying down. It almost felt like my body was moving on its own.

After a while.

As always, there were exclamations and moans of the person receiving the massage from inside the room.

* * *

“… Mmm.”

A conference room located inside Daechung Group.

There wasn’t really a meeting, but Taehyung Jang was sitting there looking at the documents the secretary handed him.

“I guess the angle is ambiguous.”

After swallowing a saliva, he put down the wad of paper he was holding on the table with a bitter expression on his face.

“I think it will be difficult to blindly enter the competition… … .”

The document was uploaded by a subsidiary belonging to the group, and contained a condensed report on the recent performance of a specific product group and future prospects for the business.

The name of the company is none other than Body Care.

It is a place that produces and sells household appliances related to health, such as air purifiers and humidifiers. It is a line that generated significant sales with massage chairs a few years ago.

In the past, most of the products were imported from China, but they succeeded in differentiating themselves with luxury, dominating the market and achieving great results.

but… Recently, another company made a competitive product and aggressively entered into marketing, and now it was almost a half-fight.

In addition, there is even a prospect that the other side will increase investment further. I thought it might be a simple bluff, but looking at the data I just saw, it’s not like that.

‘Is it true that our technical skills are deteriorating?’

There was a good reason for the other side to boldly and aggressively engage in marketing and to achieve that much success.

The product was created through joint development with a Japanese company that could be called a craftsman in the industry, who had been making massage chairs for a long time.

Even if you experience it yourself, you can feel the difference.

The flow of the market has long since gone that way, and in fact, sales as well as the frequency of extending rentals have decreased considerably.

“Johan.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“Please schedule a meeting with the executives here… Ask President Kim to have a meal this weekend.”

It’s a waste to throw it away, and something innovation is needed to save it.

Either way, conclusions had to be reached as quickly as possible. When the head is confused, the bottom is more chaotic.

However, both are risky choices, so you can’t choose hastily. As if a headache had struck him, Jang Tae-hyeon took off his glasses for a moment and started rubbing his eyes and temples with both hands.

“… Oh, I see.”

Then, as if in a sudden thought, Jang Tae-hyeon took off his glasses and spoke to the secretary next to him again.

“Did you look for the place I told you about?”

The word ‘ghost’ I heard while hiking with my father last time. At that time, it seemed like it was okay, but… No matter how suspicious it was, it was Jang Tae-hyun who asked his secretary to investigate.

“Yes, when I looked it up, it was a shop called Cheonma Massage, which just opened. When the chairman collapsed from angina pectoris, he said he got help from the director there.”

“… Hmm.”

I have heard that my father went to the hospital with an acute attack. If I had helped him then, I would have been a benefactor to him… Maybe it was because I already thought it was suspicious, and even that felt suspicious.

It was one of the tricks used by the pseudonym to deliberately follow the target when they were in trouble, or to deliberately decorate and help in a difficult situation.

‘Besides, the test results at the hospital said there was no problem and that he was in good health.’

When I thought about that, my doubts grew even more.

Taehyung Jang leaned back on the backrest and said.

“I don’t know, but in the first place, isn’t the Heavenly Demon the same as the Demon King in martial arts?”

“Similar.”

“Then the name of the massage parlor is Demon Massage… Doesn’t it look too suspicious looking at it like this?”

The secretary nodded, as if she wasn’t wrong.

“However, looking at the reviews of other visitors on social media, it doesn’t seem that suspicious. Celebrities seem to visit often.”

“… okay?”

Jang Taehyun was lost in thought for a moment.

However, doubts have not completely dissipated. Thinking that it would be okay just because a lot of other people went there was a psychology commonly used there.

“Actually, I made a reservation for a visit while researching.”

Perhaps having read Taehyung’s concerns, his secretary insinuated.

“Shall I go and see?”

“… no.”

At those words, Taehyung slowly shook his head.

In this case, the surest way to check is.

“I’ll go see what. When is the date?”

It was to go and see for yourself.