Jeong-cheol Choi, who had knocked and come in, wore an awkward expression and said,

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Vice-Chairman. A guest has come to see you…"

"A guest?"

Unable to think who might be a guest important enough to be announced in the middle of a conversation with Chung-seop Jo, Seong-ho Kim tilted his head and said,

"Who is it, that you'd come in?"

"That is…"

Jeong-cheol Choi faltered, then stepped quietly aside, and Min-yeong Oh came into view.

"I'm sorry. Have I interrupted you?"

"Oh? What brings you here?"

At the appearance of a figure he had not in the least expected, Seong-ho Kim could not hide the surprise on his face.

"This is Chung-seop Jo, Representative of Future Asset. Representative — this is my elder aunt by marriage."

"Your elder aunt by marriage would be…"

"She is the wife of the president of Ilhyeon Construction."

"Ah — ah."

Only then realizing who Min-yeong Oh was, Chung-seop Jo rose smartly from his seat and bowed his head to her.

"How do you do. I am Chung-seop Jo of Future Asset."

"Yes. I'm Min-yeong Oh. I'm sorry to come in on you like this in the middle of your talk."

"Not at all. We had just finished, as it happens."

Chung-seop Jo said it was quite all right and looked at Seong-ho Kim.

He was asking with his eyes whether it would be all right for him to go.

Seong-ho Kim glanced at Min-yeong Oh and nodded to Chung-seop Jo.

"Yes. Let's talk over the details again another time."

"Understood. Then I shall do as you said. Talk at your ease, the two of you."

Chung-seop Jo made way so that Seong-ho Kim might talk with Min-yeong Oh in comfort.

Seong-ho Kim invited Min-yeong Oh to sit.

"Do sit down."

"I'm sorry to come here while you're working."

"It's quite all right. But what brings you all the way here?"

Seong-ho Kim felt he had a faint idea why Min-yeong Oh had come.

But he put the question so that she might say it herself, and at his question Min-yeong…