Blue Summer

Chapter 26: A Promise of Old

While Ibuki was trying to hold in the pain and not give up, Chang was also holding in his frustration and the anxiousness of losing Ibuki inside to make him give up. He had returned to Incheon two days ago and was in the office waiting for Sungmin to update him on the tests.

Sungmin came in looking red in the face. He was furious about something. Chang stood politely in the corner waiting for Sungmin to say his first word. Sungmin sat on the couch, took off his shoes, and stretched his legs on the table.

"Sir," Chang finally made the first word, "You look rather unhappy. Is something bothering you?"

Sungmin looked at him, "Yes, something is bothering me. I am pretty sure you know who is bothering me."

Chang sighed before answering, "Woon-Gi?"

"Yes, him. The devil in disguise! That infesting rat! That fowl-mouth! That..."

"Sir, please, calm down. Tell me what he has done now, and should I do something about it?"

Sungmin got off the couch and went to his table. He picked up a file and handed it over to Chang, "Here are the final results of the tests we have conducted. We are very close to finalising the drugs. Take a look at this report. I want the final stage to begin this year's winter. I will not wait long. The company in Germany that we are working with will take the trials from there on. The subjects will be moved to Germany by spring of next year."

Chang nodded and took the file. He left the room to take the file over to his workspace. He was about to begin his work when he got a phone call. Slightly irked, he guessed it was the call from the Seoul facility, so he picked it up. The caller sounded urgent and said in a shaky voice that a subject had escaped.

"Who?" asked Chang.

"Ibuki Kaoru!" came the answer.

Chang hung up the call and sat down on his chair. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Slowly swaying the chair, he thought to himself what a trouble Ibuki had turned out to be for him. Ibuki had been a literal pain in the neck. Due to constantly observing him day in and day out, Chang had begun having neck pains. He wanted to kill him with his own hands, but then if he did, he would end up losing the best of the trial subjects, and that would be a disaster. Ibuki's body was doing well in helping to understand the drug, and therefore, killing him would be a loss to Chang.

While Chang was occupied with his aching thoughts, Sungmin sat in his office having a hot coffee. Sungmin was as irritated with Woon-Gi just like Chang was with Ibuki. Woon-Gi had called Yun-Ji, telling her that Sungmin was working on a drug without her approval. Even though she had insisted on stopping the trials, Sungmin was still working on it.

"The most irritating people to exist are Gong Yun-Ji and Gong Woon-Gi," Sungmin growled in frustration.

Sungmin despised the Gong family at this point. Yet he worked die-hard for Cheongug. He dedicated his entire time to dealing with Cheongug, so much so that he did not even have a romantic partner or close friends. He had socially distanced himself far too much for his liking. All this for the Gong to dictate him around on what and what not to do. If Yun-Ji had been so interested in Cheongug's business, she should not have left the position of director for Sungmin to take over. At this point, Sungmin was very close to giving the position to Woon-Gi and living his life as a surgeon as he did before he got the position. But he would not do that. What he would do was irk the Gongs in return by not doing what they asked him and expected of him. Something very similar Ibuki had been doing: rebel.

Chang left for Incheon in the evening. The facility staff was still looking for Ibuki. Chang had been so done with Ibuki that he hadn't even asked the caller how he had escaped. But when he arrived, he could not avoid the information.