TYWN Ch 8

Early morning. A white sedan cut across the road.

Amidst the black cars, it stood out, moving at a moderate speed—neither too fast nor too slow—as if reflecting its owner’s personality. News flowed from the radio, swirling within the confines of the closed windows.

The smoothly gliding car stopped in front of a streetcar crossing. The driver’s fingers tapped the steering wheel.

“This is just great.”

Gripping the wheel, Claude glanced at the rearview mirror. Yuris, impeccably dressed in a suit, sat in the back seat, leisurely yawning.

“She was the one who suggested the contract.”

“What else could she have done? He didn’t want to be with her.”

“Whose side are you on?”

“Yours, I told you.”

Frowning as if dealing with a bothersome question, Claude started the car again after the streetcar passed. He usually let his chauffeur drive, but made exceptions for confidential conversations.

Claude muttered softly,

“I thought he was hiding his true nature quite well, but it finally exploded…”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing.”

The sedan crossed the bridge over the river and entered the financial district. Home to the headquarters of various banks and financial institutions, this area was the heart of the kingdom’s economy. Ancient buildings bearing the marks of time, roads weaving between them, and countless people walking along the sidewalks filled the scene.

“So, what are you going to do?”

“I’ll keep my memory loss a secret for now. You keep quiet too. Nothing good will come from it being known.”

It had been two years since Yuris left his previous company and joined Astin as an executive. If the fact that his memory was incomplete became public, it would undoubtedly cause a stir among the other executives and investors. He was just establishing his foundation and saw no need to create vulnerabilities.

“Of course. Why would I go around talking about something like this?”

Currently, only a few people knew about Yuris’s amnesia. He’d had to inform his secretary, but she was discreet, so there was no need for excessive worry.

However, he couldn’t hide it forever. Radia knew this, which was likely why she had set the contract period as she did. Claude couldn’t imagine how much would be overturned if it became known that Yuris had lost his memories of Radia.

Therefore, it was better to resolve the situation quickly. While recognizing the cold logic of this, Claude tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

“Right, have you told your uncle? About your memory loss.”

“I told him.”

While it didn’t significantly hinder his daily life, his uncle was perceptive and would have noticed eventually. Yuris preferred to disclose it beforehand rather than be interrogated unexpectedly. Seizing the optimal moment in a conversation was crucial.

“What did he say?”

Yuris replied indifferently,

“He asked if I was going to break up with her.”

His relationship with his father, Jeremy, was quite strained. While Jeremy spared no expense in supporting his only son, they maintained a distant relationship, with Jeremy rarely interfering in his personal affairs.

Therefore, his father’s reaction was quite unexpected. Despite maintaining an indifferent tone, Yuris keenly sensed his father’s disapproval of Radia.

Did he dislike her that much? Or…

A sudden realization sent a chill down Yuris’s spine. Claude’s voice broke through his thoughts.

“And?”

“I confidently said no, and he seemed about to faint.”

Claude shook his head at Yuris’s smirking reply.

“You two still don’t get along.”

Yuris chuckled.

It hadn’t always been this way. There was a time when his father had been incredibly doting. Until then, their relationship had been relatively good. Until he realized the reason behind his father’s actions.

Back then, he was still young and full of passion. He believed that any problem could be resolved through understanding the facts and engaging in open communication. He knew his father, aloof yet affectionate towards him.

The gradual cracking of his trust shattered in an instant.

That day, he had erupted in anger, losing control and smashing furniture with his cane. He stared at his father, who didn’t even flinch, and spat out,

[Then just pretend you don’t know me. It’ll be easier for both of us.]

He threw down his battered cane and stormed out of the room. Their relationship had completely changed after that, becoming worse than strangers, but he still didn’t regret his decision. It was something that had to end.

However, he sometimes wondered: What if someone had…?

“Does it need to be good? Your family is just unusual.”

Recalling Claude’s parents, renowned as a loving couple, and his aunt’s family, Yuris rubbed his face.

“It used to be good.”

“Before Mother passed away.”

Despite Yuris’s attempt to end the conversation, Claude persisted.

“Reconcile with him. Your uncle does try to be good to you.”

“Mind your own business. It’s unnecessary interference. Besides, this isn’t the time for this.”

“Huh?”

Yuris put his index finger to his lips, shushing him. With the conversation paused, the news, which had been playing like background music, finally registered.

After a long moment, Claude reached out and turned off the radio.

“The central bank is raising the base interest rate by a full percent.”

That summarized what the radio had been reporting. The two exchanged glances through the rearview mirror.

“Wasn’t the forecast that there would be no interest rate hikes for a while?”

“They said they would tolerate some inflation, and now this? The stock market will fluctuate significantly.”

Potential profits and losses rapidly flashed through their minds. An interest rate hike generally led to a decline in exchange rates, which wasn’t good news for export-oriented companies.

Claude sighed softly. The car slowed down noticeably.

“Ugh, I don’t want to go to work. Today’s going to be chaotic.”

Unless something unexpected happened, an emergency meeting was inevitable. He didn’t mind a heavy workload, but unplanned additions were unwelcome.

“It could be temporary, so it’s best to observe the situation first.”

“No.”

Yuris, who had been tapping his knee with his finger, shook his head.

“It’s best to lay low for a while. The stagnation will last quite a bit.”

“But the economy is quite booming right now. Trade has become more active, and sales are rising smoothly.”

“You never know. It could all collapse in an instant.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“A hunch.”

Glancing at his competent cousin who spoke so decisively, Claude stepped on the accelerator. As soon as he rounded the corner ahead, Astin headquarters would appear. He had volunteered to be the chauffeur as an excuse to talk to him, so he had to deliver him safely to the company.

“Anyway, what I wanted to say was…”

Claude’s gaze, about to continue speaking, landed on Yuris’s wrist as he adjusted his clothing.

“What is it? Why did you stop talking?”

“That cufflink.”

“This?”

Yuris lightly shook his arm. A rose gold, cross-shaped cufflink was fastened near his wrist. It wasn’t flashy, lacking any jewels, but it was stylish and suited the suit he was wearing.

“…No, I just thought it looked good on you. Do you like it?”

“I just happened to see it and put it on.”

His voice sounded utterly indifferent, but knowing Yuris’s personality, which was merciless towards anything he disliked, the story was different.

“Thanks for the ride. I’ll be going now.”

Wearing a top hat and a jet-black coat, Yuris entered the building. Claude, still in his seat, watched his neat figure through the window and muttered, resting his arm on the steering wheel.

“Even though he doesn’t remember…”

He wondered what Yuris’s reaction would be if he knew it was a birthday present from Radia. Claude chuckled and started the car.

“Are you really sure you’ve lost your memory?”

Yuris’s hand, which was just reaching for his coat on the hanger, stopped at the unexpected question. He checked his watch, his back to his secretary, Eleanor Olson, who was standing beside his desk.

A little past noon.

He had dealt with the backlog of work as soon as he arrived at the company and held an emergency meeting, and now it was almost lunchtime.

“I told you I don’t particularly appreciate you repeating yourself.”

“I apologize. However, I simply can’t believe it. You seem even more decisive than before.”

Though she appeared demure, her personality was quite bold. Even as she apologized, she spoke her mind. Yuris couldn’t deny Eleanor’s doubts, so he readily admitted,

“Certainly, my mind is clear.”

When faced with sudden situations, people tended to become anxious and make mistakes. Especially when large sums of money were involved, even the most courageous person couldn’t help but feel tense.

Of course, the meeting was filled with experienced individuals, but among them, Yuris was particularly calm. The way he skillfully led the meeting and formulated countermeasures seemed incredibly natural.

He had always been a bold decision-maker, but looking at him now, it was hard to believe he had lost nearly ten years of memories. However, if he hadn’t lost his memory, he wouldn’t be at the company, having cut short his vacation.

He was a good and rational boss, but he was uncompromising when it came to his lover. That’s why Eleanor would often contact Radia instead of Yuris if something urgent came up. It saved time on persuasion.

“Since the urgent matters seem to be handled, organize the rest in order of importance. I’ll deal with them after my vacation.”

“Are you planning to leave already?”

Slipping his arm into his jet-black coat, Yuris replied calmly,

“I have a lunch appointment.”

Click.

Radia, checking the time on her butterfly-engraved pocket watch, spotted a familiar limousine in the distance and waved. After getting into the car that smoothly stopped in front of her, they drove for a while and arrived at a restaurant in the city center. Entering and giving Yuris’s name, she was led to a table by the window.

Yuris, who was already waiting, put down the newspaper he was reading.

“You’ve arrived?”

“Yes.”

As she sat across from him, a waiter approached to fill their glasses. With the sound of water pouring as background music, Radia removed her hat. The fedora, adorned with a large purple flower and feathers, matched perfectly with her tailored suit made of midnight blue fabric.

“You’re attracting a lot of attention.”

Despite pretending not to notice, quite a few people were watching them. Ever since Radia entered.

There were probably several reasons. It was unusual for a woman to wear a suit in such a setting, and her striking appearance drew attention. While exotic, her neat features had a strangely alluring quality that made one want to disrupt their composure.

“Not as much as you. I think more than half of the gazes are directed at you.”

“There are some things you inevitably get used to. Am I not just that handsome?”

“Well… You are handsome.”

Thinking it was a rather dull response, Yuris chose a course and ordered. He turned to Radia, who was staring at him intently, and tilted his head slightly.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”