Fifth Vital [EN]: Chapter 480

481. What’s Wrong with Your Body?

“If you don’t get up, I’m telling Dad everything you did today.”

At the mention of Dad, Im Ma-jun, who had been lying face down, abruptly opened his eyes. He then turned his head towards his mother, Kim Mi-hye.

“Ah! Our Kim Madam [term of endearment, like ‘Queen’] is here.”

Im Ma-jun said very leisurely and nonchalantly, raising his upper body.

“You! Are you going to keep doing this? I told you not to drink!”

“My beloved Mi-hye, you look even more beautiful today. Wow! My mom’s face is a true work of art.”

“Ugh! The smell of alcohol. Let go. You rascal.”

Kim Mi-hye, who had sat on the edge of the bed ready to start her nagging, slapped Im Ma-jun’s shoulder as he hugged her, trying to get away with it.

Even as she did, her eyes were full of love as she looked at her youngest son, who was acting cute and saying he loved her.

Although she cherished all her children, Im Ma-jun, being the youngest, was a bit more special to Kim Mi-hye.

He was a late child, and she had been quite ill after his birth, staying in the hospital for a long time. She had worried every day, praying for her child’s well-being and health, but thankfully, her son had been discharged healthy.

Unlike her other children, who resembled her cold and aloof husband, he was full of charm and took good care of his mother’s feelings.

Because of Im Ma-jun’s personality, he was more of a troublemaker than his brothers, but Kim Mi-hye found her son lovely and adorable.

In fact, Im Ma-jun was officially supposed to be in the United States and returning this afternoon.

He was learning about business and management at a branch office in the United States. However, he didn’t find learning to his taste, so he had come back a few days early and was having fun spending money.

Im Ma-jun was still immature enough that his wish was to spend his abundant money until he died.

He knew that his strict father would scold him if he found out, but he felt secure knowing that his mother was always there to cover for him and take care of things.

“How much did you drink? I told you not to drink!”

“I only drank a little bit.”

“A little bit, my foot. How can you say a little when there are so many empty bottles lying around outside? Don’t you know you’re supposed to be on a plane from the US right now?”

“Of course, I know.”

“Then why are you acting like this? If Dad finds out, I’ll get scolded too.”

Unlike the eldest and second sons, her husband was displeased with Im Ma-jun, who was more focused on playing than managing.

“Mom, I even got hair loss from studying things that don’t suit me in the US. I just came a week early to see the kids and have some light fun, so don’t nag me too much.”

“Is this what you call light fun? And why are you hanging out with women? What if you cause an accident and have a child?”

Even though he was at an age of high energy, she was worried about her son meeting this woman and that woman without any sense of judgment.

“I’ll manage it well so don’t worry.”

“You! You can say anything in front of your mother.”

“Ouch! It hurts!”

Kim Mi-hye hit Im Ma-jun’s arm for saying all sorts of nonsense.

“Anyway, our Kim Madam’s touch is very spicy.”

“By the way, why do you keep scratching yourself?”

Kim Mi-hye examined her son, noticing that he had been subtly scratching his body.

“Ma-jun? What’s wrong with your body? Again?”

“Looks like it.”

There were noticeable scratches on his arms and legs, probably from an allergic reaction.

“I always get allergic reactions when I drink. It came up right away after drinking a bit after a long time. I think I kept scratching in my sleep.”

“I can’t live with you. Your good skin is all scarred. I’ll contact Doctor Kim, so go see him later.”

“No, it’s okay. I have a prescription from the US. I can just apply that.”

“Good job. Apply it well. Ma-jun, don’t act up at today’s event and stay quiet. Don’t do anything that will make you stand out.”

The reason Im Ma-jun came to Korea from the United States was because there was an important family event.

It was a gathering where his grandfather, the former chairman, would call his children for a meal.

On the surface, it looked like that, but in reality, it was a place where all the relatives gathered to boast about who had managed the business better and to scratch each other’s pride.

It was like a pointless and tiring battle of nerves among the chaebol [conglomerate] family, where even family members became enemies to get more.

Im Ma-jun had hated that place since he was young.

He couldn’t stand the way his brothers and even his relatives looked down on him as if he were insignificant.

It felt like he was being forced to join a place where he didn’t belong.

“Can’t I just say my flight is delayed and come tomorrow?”

“You, you’re saying something terrible. You didn’t come from the US last year either because of work.”

“I was really working last year, though.”

He said it was work, but it was just an excuse, and Im Ma-jun didn’t attend the family gathering. Because of that, he was scolded quite a bit by his brothers for a while.

“Your grandfather wants to see you. And your father said you’ve been working hard in the US lately and is proud of you.”

“My father?”

Im Ma-jun was surprised to hear that his father had praised him.

“Yes. Your father is pleased that you’re behaving well in the US. So get up and wash your face. And I’ll send Chief Jung later to dye your hair.”

“Okay. I’ll behave. But can I meet up with the kids tonight after the event?”

“Again?”

“What do you mean again? The kids and I haven’t seen each other because we’ve been busy, so we need to catch up properly.”

He had been enjoying the nightlife for a few days, but what Im Ma-jun was looking forward to was meeting his close friends from childhood.

All he could think about was meeting his friends and having a great time.

“Dad will scold me if he finds out…….”

“Our Kim Madam, please put in a good word for me. I’ll be good later.”

“Okay. Stop scratching and get up quickly.”

Im Ma-jun got up from his seat, still scratching his body.

Thanks to the secretaries who had been diligently cleaning, the dirty officetel [a building with both office and residential units] was clean.

A little later, the hair salon director sent by Kim Mi-hye came in and dyed his brown hair black and neatly cut it.

After finishing his hair, Im Ma-jun put on a neat suit that had been prepared in advance and headed to the event on time.

“Son, you came on time.”

Kim Mi-hye was delighted to see Im Ma-jun arrive at the event and took his hand.

“Let’s go greet your father first.”

“Wait a minute, Mom, I need to go to the bathroom.”

“What? Why do you suddenly need to go to the bathroom? Greet your father first.”

Kim Mi-hye grabbed her son’s hand to stop him from going to the bathroom. But Im Ma-jun’s attitude to go to the bathroom was firm.

“I’m nervous. I’ll be right back.”

“He’s been going to the bathroom when he’s nervous since he was young, and he’s still like that.”

Kim Mi-hye muttered to herself as she watched her son rush into the bathroom.

Im Ma-jun, who had entered the bathroom, quickly urinated and took out a pill bottle from his inside jacket pocket. The bottle contained small pills.

Im Ma-jun took out one pill, put it in his mouth, and swallowed it with water from washing his hands.

“Ha! Having to see those old farts makes me so nervous. Let’s not make any mistakes.”

After wiping the water from his mouth, Im Ma-jun went straight to the event.

“Honey, Ma-jun is here.”

“Father, I’m here.”

Im Ma-jun acted well according to the scenario that he had returned from the United States with Kim Mi-hye and came straight to the event from the airport.

“Yes, our Ma-jun is here. It must have been hard with the long flight.”

“No, I slept on the way, so it’s okay.”

“I’ve heard you’ve been doing well lately. I’ll prepare a position for you at headquarters as soon as you come to Korea, so keep doing what you’re doing.”

“A, a position at headquarters?”

“Yes. You need to start learning the ropes at headquarters.”

Im Ma-jun felt overwhelmed as his father, who had always been dissatisfied with him, acknowledged him for the first time.

“Thank you. Father, I will work hard.”

“Of course, you have to work hard. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you, but you look good with strength in your eyes. Let’s go see your grandfather.”

“Yes, Father.”

Im Ma-jun, who was full of confidence, greeted his grandfather with his father and attended the event.

* * *

A few hours later-

Im Ma-jun, who had finished the family event, headed to a luxury hotel in downtown Seoul.

“Oh, I’m here. Hang up.”

He got out of a foreign car worth a fortune, handed the car over to the valet employee while talking on the phone, and headed to the elevator familiarly.

Im Ma-jun stood in front of the suite room on the top floor, which cost 20 million won [approximately $15,000 USD] a day, and rang the bell. Then the door opened quickly.

“What’s up, you bastards? 형 [older brother or male friend] is here!”

He shouted as he went inside with harsh profanity, and his friends welcomed him.

“Yo! Im Ma-jun is here.”

“He’s here!”

“That bastard seems to be in a good mood.”

“Come on in.”

Inside the ultra-expensive suite room, there were several of Im Ma-jun’s close friends. And there were also people including the partners and friends they brought.

In a booth set up on one side, a DJ was touching the turntable and DJing, and a strong sound that shook the heart was loud in the room.

The ceiling was full of colorful balloons filled with helium gas, and there were luxury liquor bottles and snacks everywhere.

People wearing short skirts, people wearing clothes that emphasized their bodies, etc., it was as if they had moved the entire club.

This place was truly a scene of wild partying.

“Why is this bastard in such a good mood today?”

Im Ma-jun was always in a bad mood because he was stressed at home when he came to Korea. But today, he seemed to be in a particularly good mood, so his friends looked at him strangely.

“Today, this 형 got recognized by our old man. His father told him to come to headquarters when he comes from the US.”

“Really? Your father made a big decision.”

“I know. If this guy goes to headquarters, he’ll mess up the company.”

“Bullshit. Hey! I’ll do better than you guys, so stop talking nonsense.”

His friends congratulated him with jokes when he said that his father had recognized him.

“Anyway, that’s good.”

“First, let’s congratulate our Ma-jun and have a drink.”

“No, I don’t drink alcohol. I’m only drinking non-alcoholic drinks today.”

“Bullshit.”

Im Ma-jun, who refused the luxury champagne that his friend was pouring, actually chugged a non-alcoholic cocktail. And he chewed on a cookie with black toppings.

“That crazy bastard, look at him being so inconsistent.”

“I know. He says he doesn’t drink alcohol, but he’s eating all the cookies.”

“Isn’t that obvious? I came here to try all kinds of things today, so I have to eat the main dish, why would I fill up on dessert? Alcohol is dessert.”

“That’s right. But it’s better to eat it with alcohol.”

“Ah, no. Today, our Kim Madam told me not to drink.”

“That’s bullshit. Since when have you listened to your mom?”

“Hey, he always listens to his mom.”

“Of course. I have to listen. She’s the one who cleans up Ma-jun’s mess, so how can I not listen?”

“Shut up. Let’s have a blast today.”

“Then, as a gift to Ma-jun, who was recognized by his father, shall we have a fun time?”

“I’ll call the girls.”

When a friend sitting with him called somewhere, women came into the suite room a little later, and the party began in earnest.