Six Months Without Young Chul

By the time Daniel returned to the company, he was in a much better mood. He was in his office signing projects that needed his approval to commence when Young Chul stormed into his office, like literally stormed in. 

"You didn't make the announcement!" Young Chul bellowed, the veins on his head nearly bursting. 

Daniel dropped his pen and rubbed the spot between his eyebrows before glancing up at his furious secretary. He said, "There was no need for it," 

"There was no need for it, you say?" 

"The problem was solved and I didn't have to lie to the public," 

"A little lie wouldn't kill you and the problem is not exactly solved as you think. You might have appeased the public, but what about the chairwoman? If you had released the news of having a fiancée, it would have given you a bit of time off before your grandmother breathed fire upon your neck again. But now, you leave her no choice but to take matters into her hands and I won't be there to clean up that mess when it happens as it would," Young Chul was sure of that happening. 

Daniel furrowed his brow, "What do you mean by that?" 

"I'm taking a leave," He announced. 

"What?!" 

"All the leave I've missed out on for the past three years," Young Chul told him sternly. 

"That can't be possible, what am I going to do without you? You know this is a desperate time for me." Daniel complained, realizing how much he needed his secretary right now. 

"I wonder as well, what would you do now?" There was sarcasm in his tone. 

"Moreover, if you're taking all the leave for three years, that should be -" 

"Six months to be precise," Young Chul helped him calculate it, gladly. 

All this while, he had been serving the president who relied on him a little too much. 

One could say that Young Chul was punishing him. Oh yes, he was. The president needed to do things on his own and realize the world wasn't all rainbow and sunshine as he thought. He couldn't survive in this world with that holier-than-thou attitude of his. 

"No, that can't happen," Daniel refused him. How could he survive without Young Chul? The man had always been there for him. No, he couldn't imagine six months in the office without him. 

"If that's the case, then I would have to turn in my resignation letter," The president couldn't deny him that. It was either he gave him the leave he deserved or he quit for real. 

Daniel was in a dilemma, it was either he let Young Chul go for a while or he stood the chance of losing him entirely. 

"Fine, do whatever you want," Daniel gave in with his gaze lowered in disappointment. He couldn't lose a young Chul, he was too important to him. 

Young Chul upon seeing the president's dejected look said immediately, "Of course, I'm not leaving you all alone. My assistant is there to take up my roles and I've covered up your schedule for the entire month and of which, you have an appointment with the president of D&D industries at Royal Hotel tonight," He reminded him. 

"Oh." That was all Daniel could say. 

Usually, they went to such meetings together, yes, even when he was supposed to be off work. You could almost say that Young Chul had been his nanny in a kind of way. But now, Daniel Kang would have to do that all by himself. 

"President, is there anything else you need me to do for you before I leave?" Young Chul asked him. 

Daniel looked at him for a long time before shaking his head, "No, there's nothing more. You can take your leave. Go enjoy your leave," He smiled at him even though he was bleeding inwardly. 

"Thank you, president." Young Chul bowed at him finally and took his leave. 

As soon as Young Chul left, Daniel dropped his act. He sighed deeply before running his hand through his hair and ruffling it, ruining the strands that had been gelled to perfection that morning.  

People say you never know what you have until you lose it. But that's not the complete truth. Most people know what they have, however, they never thought that they would lose it. 

Throughout that day, Daniel was unable to focus on work. Young Chul's unexpected leave had dealt a huge blow to his concentration, hence he left work early to prepare for his appointment later that night. 

K Group was working together on a project with D&D industries and the president of the company, Lee Hyun liked to have his appointment with style which meant he would be having dinner at the hotel. 

Hence, Daniel spent his time studying the progress of their partnership and the ideas his employees came up with that he would suggest in their meeting tonight. By the time he was done, it was an hour to their meeting, hence Daniel dressed up and let his chauffeur drive him to his destination. 

Lee Hyun had not come by the time he arrived and so he waited for him. Daniel raised his hand and ordered a glass of water which they handed to him. Lee Hyun was a young man like him as well, albeit older, having inherited the company from his father. However, he liked drinking too much and that often made him uncomfortable. 

The smell of alcohol irritated Daniel, not to mention that Lee Hyun had several times tried to pressure him into drinking with him, but he stood his ground each time. Hence, he could imagine how torturous this meeting today would go. 

By the time Daniel finished his glass of water, Lee Hyun was still nowhere to be found and that made him uneasy. The man was never someone to arrive this late, he had waited thirty minutes already. 

At once, Daniel pulled out his phone to call him to know what was happening, however, his sight suddenly turned blurry and he tried to shake the dizziness away all to no avail. 

"What is…." He trailed off as he blacked out.