When the cord binding his arms and body came loose, Seon-myeong's body dropped straight down.

"Young master."

Seong-ho's secretary hurried to prop him up.

Held up by the secretary, Seon-myeong pulled himself upright and forced his mouth open. "Who are you people? Do you even know who I am…"

Struggling to speak, he cast a hurried look around. "Give me some water, first."

"Here's water."

When Seong-ho's secretary held out a cup filled with water, Seon-myeong all but snatched it from his hands. And he drank the water down in one go, without pausing.

"More!"

"Ah, one moment…"

When the secretary picked up the pitcher to refill his cup, Seon-myeong grabbed the pitcher away from him. He put it straight to his mouth and began pouring it in.

Gulp, gulp.

More spilled out past his lips than he actually drank.

The secretary watched, wide-eyed. But to Seong-ho, this side of Seon-myeong was familiar.

Still early-stage, it seems.

Watching his reaction, Seong-ho could tell that Seon-myeong's condition was still in its early phase. But once he'd already put his hand to it, early or late stage made no difference. Seon-myeong's life had already begun to come apart—and that unraveling life was what would catch at Mun-jong's ankles.

"Kuh."

His thirst somewhat quenched, Seon-myeong looked at Seong-ho, considerably more himself than a moment before.

"I'll remember you. I'll tell my dad and he won't let this go. Whoever made me like this…"

Seon-myeong looked at Seong-ho as if to rage further, then stopped short.

Seong-ho gave a small laugh at the sight and gestured to the secretary. "Wait outside."

"Representative…"

"It's fine."

Seong-ho smiled at the secretary as if to say not to worry, and told him to leave. The secretary looked at Seong-ho a moment with concern in his eyes, then bowed his head and left the room.

Once Seong-ho confirmed the door had shut, he smiled at Seon-myeong and spoke. "Do you know who I am, nephew?"

"You… my youngest aunt's husband?"

"'Youngest aunt's husband'? You ought to say 'uncle.'"

Seong-ho rose from his seat. He went over to Seon-myeong,…