when the phone rings novel
What on earth... what was this situation?
"..."
"..."
Baek Sa-eon accompanied his parents to a rare social gathering and silently observed Hong Hee-joo's actions from a distance.
Click, clack— What happened to table manners?
He frowned.
The child who had always hovered in front of him was now suddenly clearing her plate of food. This had only started happening recently.
Hong Hee-joo deliberately made loud noises as she ate, as if to show off how much she was enjoying her meal. Then she exaggeratedly swallowed her food in large gulps.
"Ha..."
Even more ridiculous, she opened her mouth wide to show her throat as though to report, Look, I really swallowed it.
Now, Hong Hee-joo handed him a new plate.
"Is this for me to eat?"
The child smiled brightly and nodded.
Was she testing the food or just being thoughtful?
Her gentle eyes looked straight at him, full of sincerity.
Does she even know what she's doing, or is this just a child's innocent goodwill?
Unexpectedly, he let out a soft laugh.
What is with this kid?
Baek Sa-eon frowned unconsciously. He didn't move, but Hong Hee-joo had already taken several bites from the plate of food.
Seeing her stomach begin to puff out, he grew concerned she might get indigestion. Reluctantly, he took a small bite from the plate.
Seeing this, the child beamed with joy and quickly ran back to her sister.
Baek Sa-eon suddenly felt a tickle in his throat and adjusted his tie.
These cookies are pretty good.
Although "Baek Sa-eon" was forbidden from eating snacks, this was something he liked.
For the first time in ages, he felt a strange satisfaction at the crunch of a cookie between his teeth.
When he reached the age for mandatory military service, he was deployed to the Republic of Argan.
There, he became consumed by questions: Who was the victor? Who had failed? Who lived, and who died? At times, it made his own issues seem insignificant.
He realized that talking about others' lives, disasters, and detached realities allowed him to better conceal his true self.
After all, his entire life was built on living under someone else's name.
If that was the case, then he would use others' words to completely hide "himself."
It was probably around this time that he decided to become such a person.
The Republic of Argan was embroiled in chaos from religious conflicts, civil wars, and foreign interventions.
Against Baek Jang-ho's objections, he resolutely left for the battlefield.
After completing his service, he went directly to another conflict zone.
"Why the hell are you here?" one of his fellow war correspondents asked him one day.
"Because it's here that I feel alive."
"What?"
"Only here can I feel my own existence."
"In this hellhole?"
"Precisely because it's hell."
He looked at the desolate land, his gaze as dry as the terrain itself.
By chance, he filmed a video of prisoners being abused. It became a problem.
"Baek Sa-eon, Baek Sa-eon...! Hey, wake up!"
"Ugh..."
"You're not dead, are you? Even if you want to die, you have to escape first!"
"Damn it, stop shaking me..."
"Now's the time! Run! Go!"
The side of his face felt like it had caved in—he was completely numb. His swollen eyes stung, as though they'd been stung by a wasp.
Under covering fire from U.S. troops, Baek Sa-eon managed to escape, only to collapse almost immediately afterward.
Leaning against a rock, he spat out blood from his mouth.
On the vast desert plain, the sun was setting.
Suddenly, Hong Hee-joo's face appeared in his mind.
"...!"
She was the last person he expected to think of.
His brows furrowed in irritation, his scarred face twisting into a frown.
He let out a helpless laugh.
Why now—why, when I feel like I'm about to die—do I think of that clumsy little kid?
How old would she be now? She must be twenty by now.
The more he thought about it, the more absurd it seemed.
Even so, he couldn't tear his eyes away from the sunset sky.
From that day onward, every time the sun set, her face appeared in his mind.
His photo album slowly filled with pictures of sunsets.
Every single one of them was her face.
Years later, he finally set foot back on Korean soil.
In the intervening years, he had drifted through conflict zones in the Republic of Argan, Baghdad, Mosul, Samawah, Tikrit, Fallujah, and Erbil. Time had passed in the blink of an eye.
Upon returning home, Baek Sa-eon headed straight to the terrace, gripping the railing.
As if waiting for him, a heavy, long sigh escaped his lips.
As expected, stepping into this house felt like a noose tightening around his throat.
At that moment, his dry gaze stopped on something.
"..."
Under a blooming cherry blossom tree, a woman stood.
Her long hair flowed down her back, and she wore a white dress. She had matured features now.
Though her facial features were delicate, they were strikingly refined; her figure was slender yet well-defined.
"...!"
Baek Sa-eon's brows knit slightly.
There stood the grown-up Hong Hee-joo.
For a moment, the man felt dizzy, overwhelmed by how much she had changed.
Her slender neck, long arms, and legs, and the curves that flared out from her slender waist—she was no longer the little girl he remembered.
She looked around briefly before suddenly inserting a straw into a carton of soju and drinking it.
"Tch."
He squinted at her.
Hong Hee-joo's cheeks hollowed as she sucked on the straw.
"This girl's only picked up bad habits."
But then she scrunched up her face and stuck out her tongue.
"Ugh—"
The corners of the man's eyes unconsciously curved deeply, almost into a smile. A strange sweetness lingered on the tip of his tongue. If he had candy in his pocket, he would have unwrapped it and popped it into his mouth.
Baek Sa-eon helplessly licked his moist lips slowly.
Someone's eating something bitter, and here I am craving something sweet.
It felt as though his age had reversed. For the first time, he truly felt like he was back home.
Baek Sa-eon quickly solidified his position thanks to his reputation. Around this time, Baek Jang-ho passed away due to old age. He lived to be over a hundred, as stubborn as his personality.
"Child, bring... bring Gyu-jin... call Gyu-jin..."
On his deathbed, Baek Jang-ho pitifully called for his daughter-in-law.
It was obvious what he wanted to say.
Despicable man. Does he think he can repent now?
Baek Sa-eon found it laughable.
He leaned closer to the old man's ear and whispered, "Father."
"...!"
It was the first time he had called him that.
"Don't bother seeking forgiveness. Leave quietly."
The nearly shut eyes trembled slightly.
"Wasn't it you who taught me the consequences of saying the wrong thing?"
"...!"
"Carry that weight to the end."
He closed Baek Jang-ho's eyes for him.
"Once you're gone, many things will change."
"Wha... what..."
"For starters, I'll turn over everything at the bottom of the fishing ground."
"...!"
"Regret not sealing it with cement sooner?"
Baek Jang-ho's jaw stiffened as he met his end.
Afterward, Baek Sa-eon took over his work and began secretly gathering information about the family—Baek Jang-ho, Baek Yi-ryong, Shim Gyu-jin... He never intended to live under the name "Baek Sa-eon" forever.
Perhaps his years of wandering overseas had made him unafraid of this home. Now, he knew how to leave on his own terms.
The more weaknesses he uncovered, the more influential he became. He could wield these to exert pressure.
But to avoid being crushed himself, he needed power—the kind that would surpass even Baek Yi-ryong, who was being groomed as the next presidential candidate.
So, when the government extended an invitation, he accepted without hesitation.
That was until Hong In A arrived with unreasonable threats—his plan to discard this cursed name had been unwavering up until then.
"The wedding is tomorrow. I can't do this. Let's cancel it."
Tomorrow was the wedding, and this woman was saying what?
"I can't marry someone with an unclear identity."
Baek Sa-eon frowned as he read her note.
"I'm not marrying you out of love either."
"If you help me, we can cancel this."
"And why would I do that?" he replied coldly, fiddling with his lighter.
"It's not just Representative Baek Yi-ryong who wants to rise with the help of a media tycoon."
It wasn't a request—it was a threat.
"A threat?"
Your secret, I'll expose it.
Lighting a cigarette, he watched her as thick smoke filled the air.
Hong In A coughed violently, but he paid no mind.
Expressionless, he muttered, "Haven't you learned your lesson yet?"
"...!"
"Seems like your ear doesn't hurt much anymore."
His gaze was icy, but his lips curved into a cold smile.
Hong In A trembled as she resumed writing her note.
Meanwhile, he continued to leisurely chew on his cigarette.
Where's the real Baek Sa-eon? And who are you?
"Ah."
—That face was utterly devoid of expression.
Are you not afraid this secret will come out?
"Hmm."
You'll lose everything.
"It's just speculation."
Evidence can be fabricated.
"So, did you come here to pick up my hair off the floor? Planning to secretly run a DNA test? You'll regret it."
He rested his chin on his hand, his expression bored.
"As long as Hee-joo can successfully marry the third son of Samhyun Electronics, I'll help—"
Suddenly, ash fell from his cigarette.
He grabbed the note roughly.