Leaving the Blue House, Seong-ho Kim went straight to Seongjungwon.

"What brings you?"

Ordinarily a man came to Seongjungwon only at Tak-hyeon Lee's summons, but today Seong-ho Kim had come without being sent for.

Do-beom Hwang was looking at him as though he found it strange. Seong-ho Kim pointed toward Tak-hyeon Lee's study and said,

"Has anyone come to see him, by any chance?"

"No. Nobody has come."

"Good. There is something I must tell the Chairman at once."

"What sort of thing?"

"Let us speak of it inside."

Seong-ho Kim straightened the clothes the drive had rumpled and followed Do-beom Hwang into Seongjungwon.

Knock, knock.

Having knocked and gone in, Do-beom Hwang reported to Tak-hyeon Lee.

"Chairman. Seong-ho is here."

"Vice-Chairman Kim?"

Tak-hyeon Lee, who had been reading with his spectacles on, took them off and looked at Seong-ho Kim coming in behind Do-beom Hwang.

"What is this about?"

"I have been to the Blue House."

"The Blue House?"

Tak-hyeon Lee closed the book, took Do-beom Hwang's hand to rise from his seat, and made for the reception sofa.

Seong-ho Kim followed slowly after him, and once Tak-hyeon Lee was seated, sat down himself.

"Well then. What was said at the Blue House, that you should come here without a word beforehand?"

"First, President Noh has promised that this business will be settled at the second brother's level and go no further."

"Yes. So it goes that way after all."

He did not say that it was well done, nor that it was a relief.

"Party Leader Han was delighted when he saw the state the Shinpyeong Party is in."

"With a disposition like his, that and more. Did he not ask, rather, whether there was anything further? That he would like to stamp the Shinpyeong Party down for good while the chance is there."

"As it happens, he did put that very question."

Hearing Seong-ho Kim's answer, Tak-hyeon Lee screwed up his face and said to Do-beom Hwang,

"His appetite is running away with him. He needs a warning shot. Throw the Shinpyeong Party something on Party Leader…