Young Master Seo Jong So

Three and a half years later...

"Death?"

The slightly higher-pitched and worried tone finally pulls me out of my reverie.

"Yes..." I respond.

"Seo's bodyguards will reach your door in about a minute more," Sara informs me.

"Roger," I reply curtly, ignoring Sara's next line as it is directed at someone else.

I glance at my reflection in the mirror. I am dressed in formal black trousers, a crisp white shirt, and a white vest. My hair is neatly combed back, held in place with hair gel. I touch the small black button that seems to float on my neck. It's not actually floating; it's part of a transparent collar necklace I'm wearing.

When I press the button, my reflection changes—or rather, my real face changes. My appearance now perfectly resembles Seo Jong So, the man currently sleeping on the bed a few feet away. The collar necklace, a new invention by the R&D department, uses AI and hologram technology to morph a person's face into someone else's. The holographic face seamlessly mimics every micro-movement of the wearer's real face, making it look natural and believable.

I blink once. The top button of my shirt fastens itself, and my bowtie adjusts into place.

The doorbell rings.

"Jamkanman (Wait a sec)," I call out to whoever is behind the door before stepping away from the mirror. Even my voice now perfectly imitates Seo Jong So's. As I walk to the door, I flick my fingers. A black suit draped over a chair flies toward me and slips onto my body in an instant.

When I open the door, a middle-aged man with a muscular build, dressed in an all-black suit, bows deeply and greets me respectfully, "Master Seo."

I nod in acknowledgment and step out, closing the door behind me. The man and six other men in black suits immediately fall into step behind me, while another three men take the lead. I recognize all nine as Seo Jong So's bodyguards.

Our entourage moves toward the room next to the one I just exited. At the door, the middle-aged man steps forward and rings the bell, bowing as he does so. A young woman partially opens the door, revealing half of her face.

"Miseu Li junbi dwaessni? (Is Miss Lee ready?)" the man asks politely.

"Geoui. Jamsiman gidalyeojuseyo hamnida. (Almost. Please wait a moment.)," the young woman replies before closing the door again.

The man turns to me. "Miseu Liga god ol geos-ibnida, Seonsaengnim. (Miss Lee will be coming soon, Sir.)," he says, as if I hadn't just heard their conversation. I simply nod and glance at my watch.

A minute later, the door opens. A young woman steps out, dressed in an elegant ballgown. Her silver hair is styled into an intricate design.

"Gidalige haeseo mianhae. (Sorry to keep you waiting.)," Miss Lee says, bowing formally before offering her hand.

"Gwaenchanh-a nae salang. (It's okay, my love.)," I reply with a gentle smile, taking her hand and leading her forward.

Miss Lee and I, accompanied by the nine bodyguards, proceed to the elevator. The three bodyguards in front check the elevator's security before allowing us inside.

"Maseukeu chag-yong ij-jimaseyo ju-innim. (Do not forget to wear your mask, Master.)," the middle-aged man reminds me with a low bow as the elevator doors begin to close.

"Hmm... gomawo. (Hmm... thanks.)," I reply shortly, retrieving a mask from the inner pocket of my jacket. My mask is a simple black design adorned with a couple of black pearls at each corner.

I glance at Miss Lee beside me. Her face is already covered by a bright red mask, lavishly decorated with beads and featuring a peacock feather at one corner.

When the elevator doors open, two men dressed in black tunic shirts and chino pants, with sarongs draped over their thighs, greet us.

"We will guard you from here on, Sir," one of the men says politely.

I nod, dismissing my bodyguards with a wave, and step out of the elevator with Miss Lee.

The hallway before us is long and dimly lit, yet its luxurious decor—chandeliers, artwork, and artifacts—shines through. The two new guards walk behind us as we make our way down the corridor. Our pace is slow, as a security checkpoint awaits us at the end.

After a few minutes, it's our turn.

The first station is a metal detector. I lead Miss Lee through before following myself. Nothing beeps, as I carry no metal.

"Your token, please, Sir," a heavily bearded man asks politely.

I reach into my inner pocket and produce two golden tokens. "The young lady here is my guest," I inform him, gesturing to Miss Lee.

"Your name, Miss?" the man asks Miss Lee.

"Ahem..." Miss Lee clears her throat. "Lee Ji Eun.," she answers.

The man types her name into a tablet. "Miss Lee Ji Eun, eighth daughter of Lee Ying Sek," he reads aloud from the screen. Miss Lee nods in confirmation.

"Please proceed to the next checkpoint, Miss," the man says before turning back to me.

"Welcome, Young Master Seo Jong So.," he greets me with exaggerated politeness. I offer no response, not even a flicker of emotion.

At the next checkpoint, a machine performs voice and retina recognition.

"Please introduce yourself to the machine, Sir," the attendant instructs.

"I'm Seo Jong So, the second generation of Seo Technology Industry..."

"Voice validated," the machine interrupts, confirming my identity.

The attendant gestures for me to step forward. A laser scans my face but abruptly halts when it reaches the base of my hair.

The attendant exchanges worried whispers with his colleague. I read their lips easily.

"The system has crashed," the operator reports.

"Restart it," the supervisor orders.

They continue fumbling while I feign impatience.

"Hey, how much longer?" I demand, raising my voice.

The bearded man intervenes, whispering sharply, "Just let him through."

Moments later, I am waved forward with profuse apologies.

I smirk faintly, leading Miss Lee through the gate. Just as we pass, I hear the operator exclaim, "Sir, it's finally reconnected to the server."