Seong-ho Kim parted from Hospital Director Gi-cheol Do and got into the car.

But there was someone in it who had got in before him.

"Seong-ho."

"Brother?"

Chang-jong Lee was looking at him with an expression as though he might burst into tears at any moment.

"Drive on."

Without any sign of alarm, Seong-ho Kim told the driver to set off, and asked Chang-jong Lee,

"Where have you been all this while?"

"I took myself out of the way and hid in the provinces for a time… Seong-ho. Is it very serious just now?"

Chang-jong Lee must have had a hard time of it; his lips were parched dry and his face was haggard.

At that Seong-ho Kim opened a bottle of water from the car's supply and held it out to him.

"Brother. Have some water first."

Meeting Seong-ho Kim seemed to have put him somewhat at ease, and Chang-jong Lee emptied the bottle quickly.

Seong-ho Kim waited until he had drunk it all, and then began.

"As you will know, Brother, the situation just now is very serious. Even the Chairman does not know how the people's anger is to be soothed. And so… it has been decided to make a public apology to the nation."

"A public apology? Is that true? Father is to go out before the people and apologize himself?"

Chang-jong Lee could not believe what Seong-ho Kim was saying, and the hand holding the bottle shook.

He had known only that the situation was serious; he had not imagined it went this far.

Seong-ho Kim took his trembling hand gently and said,

"The Chairman is not to go out himself, so you need not be so alarmed."

"Not Father? Then… my elder brother is to do it?"

"How could that be?"

At Chang-jong Lee's expression — as though he could not for the life of him believe that Mun-jong Lee would step forward — Seong-ho Kim smiled and shook his head.

"I shall do it."

"You?"

Chang-jong Lee looked at him a moment, then let out a laugh of disbelief and nodded.

"Of course.…