PEN Vol 5 Ch. 4

The auditorium buzzed with activity. With no windows and originally designed as a patient recreation area, the space was cramped. Dozens of men talking in a room where even a single voice echoed multiple times inevitably created a cacophony.

“They didn’t even do a body search…”

“With Director Seok here, I guess the Chairman is also…”

Whispers and hushed conversations reached his ears. Those who knew each other gathered, speculating about the reason on why Shin Gyoyeon had summoned them.

The DG Construction shareholders’ meeting was scheduled for the end of February, where Shin Gyoyeon was expected to become the majority shareholder. This summons in mid-January was unexpectedly early, raising questions. Shin Gyoyeon hadn’t shared any information, so Cheon Sejoo was also in the dark. He only anticipated an execution.

Without revealing his thoughts, he approached Seok Yoonhyung and greeted him.

“You’re here.”

“Oh, you came.”

No one was sitting near Seok Yoonhyung, whose face was flushed, perhaps from a trip abroad. The only person bold enough to approach him casually was Cheon Sejoo, who had been trained by him personally in knife combat.

As if he had been waiting for him, Seok Yoonhyung grinned at Cheon Sejoo and patted his chest with his large hand, almost the size of a wok lid. He then pulled out something wrapped in green plastic from inside his suit jacket.

“Here, have some. I bought these on my way back from golfing. Is President Shin not even feeding you? Your handsome face has shrunk by half.”

It was dried mango, coated in sugar. Cheon Sejoo accepted it with a silent smile, clutching it in his hand. As he sat down next to Seok Yoonhyung, the older man chuckled and whispered,

“I heard Kang Junmyeon got fucked up by President Shin, is that right? The Chairman was so pissed that that son of a bitch tried to sell the organization to those Chinese bastards that he almost had a heart attack. He was ranting and raving about how he’d chew him up and spit him out, and they had a hard time calming him down, saying it’d scare the hell out of his wife.”

“Yes, the president took care of it himself.”

“Wow. Junmyeon used to adore Gyoyeon when he was a kid, I bet he wouldn’t have a clue. He used to carry him around all the time, saying he’d wanted to adopt him as his son, and Gyoyeon called him ‘Dad,’ and Junmyeon got the shit beaten out of him by the Chairman. He got beaten to a pulp because the Chairman thought he made Gyoyeon call him ‘Dad’ to get on his wife’s good side. You didn’t know that, did you? And after all that, to end up like this at Gyoyeon’s hands! Ha! Damn, if you want respect in your old age, you gotta pick the right side like me.”

Seok Yoonhyung, nearing seventy, often told stories like this. Listening to tales of Shin Gyoyeon’s childhood, Cheon Sejoo would simply laugh them off, finding them hard to believe.

The image of a young Shin Gyoyeon calling the younger Kang Junmyeon “Dad” was something he didn’t particularly want to imagine, especially after witnessing Shin Gyoyeon kill Kang Junmyeon with his own hands a few days ago.

Cheon Sejoo forced the image away and remained seated. As he listened to Seok Yoonhyung’s stories, the auditorium suddenly fell silent. He saw the executives rising from their seats.

He turned his head and saw Shin Gyoyeon entering the auditorium. Dressed impeccably in a three-piece suit, his hair perfectly styled, his composed appearance hinted at his displeasure. Unlike usual, there wasn’t a hint of a smile in his eyes. Cheon Sejoo signaled to Seok Yoonhyung that he was leaving and approached Shin Gyoyeon.

Baek Sunghwan, who also got up from his seat, stood on Cheon Sejoo’s other side. Shin Gyoyeon, flanked by his close associates, sat down on a pristine chair placed at the front of the auditorium.

Standing behind him, Cheon Sejoo looked for Han Jonghyun. He wasn’t sure if Han Jonghyun hadn’t been informed or if it was intentional, but he was still standing among the other executives.

Dressed impeccably, tie neatly knotted, Han Jonghyun looked unusually pale. His lips were dry, and his cheeks were gaunt, even from a distance. Cheon Sejoo gestured to him several times to come forward, but when he didn’t seem to understand, Cheon Sejoo sighed and looked away.

“…….”

Shin Gyoyeon leaned back comfortably in his chair. He took out a cigarette and placed it between his lips, and Chae Beomjun bowed and lit it for him. Shin Gyoyeon, cigarette between his fingers, gestured, and the executives sat down in unison. Silence descended upon the room.

Not many knew that parts of his brain had been damaged in an accident during his childhood. Shin Gyoyeon’s brain functioned similarly to that of someone with antisocial personality disorder, often referred to as a psychopath.

However, thanks to his upbringing under his remarkably empathetic mother, Suseonhwa, and his diligent study of human psychology and social dynamics, most people didn’t notice anything amiss. If someone did realize that Shin Gyoyeon wasn’t quite right, it was likely because Shin Gyoyeon had intentionally allowed them to see it.

Therefore, most executives perceived Shin Gyoyeon as a sane man in his thirties. Nevertheless, the auditorium was silent, not even a breath could be heard.

Regardless of his personality or status, Shin Gyoyeon possessed an overwhelming presence. Especially like this, when he wasn’t smiling and his cold sanpakgan (three whites of the eyes) were exposed, few dared to meet his gaze.

“Have you all… heard the news about President Kang?”

He finally spoke, his voice languid, almost ten minutes after sitting down. It wasn’t a question that required an answer. But the executives, understanding the implications, stiffened and looked towards Shin Gyoyeon.

Rumors of Kang Junmyeon’s downfall had swept through DG in the past few days.

However, Kang Junmyeon had been with the organization for over 40 years and held the high position of president of DG Construction, so few believed the rumors completely. Many had tried to confirm them, spying on Kang Junmyeon’s room salons and his mansion, but they had gained no information other than the fact that access was impossible. And now, Shin Gyoyeon had brought it up himself.

“Director Chae.”

As everyone held their breath, Shin Gyoyeon turned to Chae Beomjun with a bright smile. Chae Beomjun nodded and stepped forward.

Standing in front of Shin Gyoyeon, he turned a large silver case he’d placed on the floor towards the executives and calmly unlocked it. 

Click, click. 

The buckles came undone, and the lid opened.

“…….”

The executives craned their necks to see the contents of the case. Gasps echoed through the auditorium, and a murmur rippled through the room.

Standing behind Shin Gyoyeon, Cheon Sejoo couldn’t see what was inside, but the putrid smell was enough to tell him.

“I wanted to show you something more intact, but unfortunately, I had to send his head to the Chairman. So, please be satisfied with this.”

Shin Gyoyeon, speaking softly, smirked and gestured with his chin. Chae Beomjun lifted the case from the floor and walked forward. He handed it to the executive sitting at the very end of the front row, a silent command to display the traitor’s fate.

As the case passed, Cheon Sejoo caught a glimpse of its contents. A neatly flayed piece of back skin, bearing the DG insignia of a tiger tattoo. The design had been updated over the years, so no one doubted that the tattoo, marked with the old character for “Daegam”, belonged to Kang Junmyeon.

A chilling silence fell over the auditorium as the executives, realizing Kang Junmyeon’s gruesome end, exchanged uneasy glances. Shin Gyoyeon’s casual smile made the scene all the more unsettling.

“If you’re foolish enough to betray the organization and sell us out, you should be prepared for the consequences. I’m even feeling a bit generous, considering I gave him a clean death…”

Cheon Sejoo silently gritted his teeth at Shin Gyoyeon’s words. The last time he saw Kang Junmyeon, his condition was far from what one could describe as having received a “clean death.” Perhaps it was “clean” in Shin Gyoyeon’s twisted perspective.

“Anyway, I didn’t call you here to talk about something that’s already over. It seems there are a lot of you plotting insignificant schemes lately, perhaps because the succession process is taking too long.”

The most significant of those “insignificant schemes” had been orchestrated by Kang Junmyeon, and some of the executives present were likely harboring similar plans. Shin Gyoyeon’s gaze swept over those who averted their eyes and lowered their heads.

“Some of you seem to be under a misconception. The organization exists because of me, yet some of you seem to imagine… that I exist because of the organization. Such preposterous notions.”

Shin Gyoyeon paused, his gaze slowly scanning the executives. Some avoided his eyes; others met his stare directly. A pleased smile touched Shin Gyoyeon’s lips at the sight, and then looked up at Baek Sunghwan, who was standing beside him.

Baek Sunghwan nodded and stepped forward, pushing through the executives to grab someone and pull them to their feet. Cheon Sejoo held his breath, watching him intently. Finally, Baek Sunghwan dragged the man, his arms pinned behind him, before Shin Gyoyeon. Meeting the man’s terrified gaze, Cheon Sejoo sighed inwardly and clenched his fists. 

It was Han Jonghyun who stood before them.

Shin Gyoyeon looked up at Han Jonghyun and said,

“I’m sure you all know Director Han Jonghyun.”

Han Jonghyun was a notorious playboy within DG. He caused so much trouble that everyone knew about his exploits, yet the fact that he remained unpunished due to Shin Gyoyeon’s protection only added to his notoriety.

Seeing Han Jonghyun dragged forward, Shin Jihan, who knew him well, frowned and crossed his arms. Shin Jihan, Shin Gyoyeon’s younger brother who ran a club in Cheongdam-dong, was practically the one who brought Han Jonghyun into the organization and was quite close to him.

“I’m aware that many of you have been curious about Director Han. Every time he caused trouble, every time I took no action against him, you must have lost sleep wondering why I kept him around.”

Several executives nodded. Shin Gyoyeon watched them and leisurely crossed his legs. Leaning back in his chair, he rested his hands on the armrests, tapping his fingers rhythmically.

“The truth is, I was simply curious. I wanted to see how many of you would defy me if I gave power to a worthless, pathetic piece of trash like him, someone with absolutely no redeeming qualities.”

Han Jonghyun flinched. His condition was pitiful as he watched him from behind. There were faint bruises on his neck, hidden by his shirt, likely from being choked, and his outstretched hands trembled violently. He fidgeted, as if desperate to escape, with every word Shin Gyoyeon uttered.

“The president has expectations of me too.”

Han Jonghyun’s bitter words echoed in Cheon Sejoo’s ears. Anxiety welled up inside him, and he clasped his hands behind his back. His palms were damp with sweat.