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SW | Chapter 24
by cami“I didn’t even bring up the really embarrassing stuff out of consideration for your feelings, Mr. Jiho.”300b72f9b91e83e2
Guk Jiho lowered his 65d470e022 head and took deep 293da138da breaths. He was ccd32cecd4 trying to 6ea6b78cef swallow his cd542888b2 anger and c25694c07a contain it 1aca2a2158 with his ef014ac9f9 breathing.c1a072fa42a40938
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“We’re partners, aren’t we? I almost died this time.”aaacab9a196ceb56
“But you didn’t. So, that’s a relief.”612698c0e8f41516
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“You knew something was off about Shin Yonggi. That’s why you warned me.”2bdbd02bf4f625c4
“Yeah.”597a6143530e6ca0
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“Yeah? That’s it? Is that all it’s going to be from now on? If I’m unlucky one day, I’ll just die, won’t I?”9eca19e0b3d56468
Guk Jiho’s trembling e3478d225e body now stood 3263694874 upright as if 2bb7acab58 he had regained 573665e6bf his strength.0f5cf0256d4196b8
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“…That won’t happen.”acf7b7271efe7e92
Even as partners, f6e86d3da8 they had to 7189449e92 be self-reliant. That way, at least fff32dc303 one of them could c3ef7d7462 survive. At least, that’s how 5faa934312 it had been with 418044a990 his previous partners. He believed that 3e08d5cb63 trying to save f958ab6159 one person shouldn’t d9c5203336 result in the cec2022c2f death of two.c454c134a42ad45f
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Guk Jiho seemed f0005be6af to think he af2d960841 wasn’t innocent at cd915fd000 all, but it 0bcd43413e was clear that eb81592e90 this innocent guy 6a6773ccd7 didn’t understand the 5780a52982 concept of ensuring d447f717a7 at least one 2500f5e931 of them survived.6feeb0d31d5e294f
Shin Yonggi and the 4245a1c9b9 others involved in this df70c5996d incident needed to be dc3283fac9 buried. Only then could this e227d4ee39 be concluded as a e50c071ce8 failed rebellion.6ef7cd1c2cb673ee
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The moment Shin Yonggi started spreading rumors like, “The Boss keeps recruiting strange people, and this time it’s even a cop,” it would be the beginning of the collapse of Baek Haegyeon’s Hwando. Baek Haegyeon himself had done the same to his superiors, and it was a long-standing tradition in the gangster world.b04c77f01f5ec02b
When his predecessors noticed Baek Haegyeon’s indifferent attitude, they trembled with betrayal and swallowed their anger. They never openly said childish things like, “You’re gay, why didn’t you save me?” like Guk Jiho did. To Guk Jiho, it might have been a serious and threatening argument, but to Baek Haegyeon, such a reaction was interesting, refreshing, and even a breath of fresh air.5c397541e79fdd14
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You’re really just that simple, aren’t you?8c179b5b049b4817
“Or what?”4a4fae135051eb37
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“Next time, I’ll come to save you.”5500595293d22b5b
Guk Jiho scoffed. Baek Haegyeon followed e985a0a888 suit and laughed.d2dc262cba12ae7f
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“You know what?”45dced3dc3e7bfa1
“What now?”9af76b0dc04c6068
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“In the special forces, people like you don’t make the cut. Trying to survive alone is considered trash.”d41b51697a882a76
Baek Haegyeon let out 088f0a6d21 a mocking laugh.5f8266231ab9dc06
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“Hmm… Jiho. We’re not a government agency.”d1f7c39139c061fc
Guk Jiho swayed, his body now weakened from the lack of adrenaline. Baek Haegyeon wrapped his arms around him from behind and whispered softly into his ear. He hadn’t expected to have to teach him this, but…454aafe8404c4558
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“Behind us is a cliff. No one will remember us as cops.”47786d9994081441
His relaxed 9c4b1d888e voice fell 187b98d09c like winter ce93c0bf18 snowflakes onto 167cc15ee1 Guk Jiho’s 18f7e122e9 chest.94c4e74a2423259a
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***d1cd087b1d1c22fe
Daily life 6910d45cdc flowed on a7a3baf7be uneventfully. The guys who ffff2f90e6 had staged the fd4f945ade betrayal were hospitalized. Since the executive 1e4e10cbbb position couldn’t remain 7fdb6ecf26 vacant, Guk Jiho d2bc116ee0 was given a e31082a82c few new underlings.e0db1658a61641f4
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Guk Jiho bd658cd24a didn’t even a01326bbe6 ask their 2bb620628d names. He just dd7939c40b took them f96080311f around as 01faa6ade8 instructed and 550f6d096b managed a 9b0546768b few clubs 4d1c48d477 as the 21252d9ed1 executive of 1413a7dad6 Hwando. Other than the b47ee2241c change in the 49be56bda0 people following him, 2bd4c2b7bb there wasn’t much 6d4119d01f difference.a5706f52f5bca597
‘Clubs are prone to incidents, so you have to keep a close eye on them, or they’ll turn into a mess.’f6bc6c2bd04f4b61
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Following Baek Haegyeon’s advice, d4d749ad01 he checked in every 447e55b2b4 day without fail and 0c0f88acba reported to him daily.feafd112dff5afc3
Waking up in the 3c2150ce15 dark early morning, he b6e4f80aba braced for the cold 1b4a3df604 wind. As he was making 1fac443bff rounds to the clubs 7c746ef5b0 closing their operations for 6c2e7d58d3 the day, he felt 75ce0fb561 like he was suffocating 211fcb4862 in black smoke.f94c29cc2ae5ab3d
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‘Ah, Executive Guk is here! Hey, you don’t seem to be in a good mood today, huh?’9657155a78c37a65
Even when the club a1b785186a managers welcomed him with 372aa0fa18 wide, almost exaggerated smiles, 4976cd99e9 he couldn’t bring himself 9c6148a570 to smile back at cf67477fd6 them.3d58b8347b10bfd5
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‘Let’s get to work.’3e742147a11c6348
Every time he b8c09dfdb7 responded dryly, the b6b59f27c2 managers looked awkward, 8490e59f8a and the underlings 248e426ab3 felt embarrassed too. Guk Jiho noticed f781c19d81 their awkward expressions 925a7feadd but didn’t care 62a2d04645 much.ddb1402fb6d4d563
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Around 2 PM, 21dd78e526 he visited Baek a0e17a155a Haegyeon’s office on f6dce6268e the 17th floor 438a2d03ed of the Yeoksam-dong 86c0cd7bbd building. Baek Haegyeon 51dd343ca1 was always c79efd75b3 reading something. He would quietly leave f5bcc76ea0 the materials down without 9a5fee4bba disturbing him or answer 777d06ba4b questions briefly to conclude 507f092608 the daily report.f8aaef1db60085b1
Today wasn’t much 70576eb647 different.398f7e3d9fb2cd37
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Baek Haegyeon asked 2a86bc6ef0 how he was 82418ce9b9 getting along with 4d711cb5ed the new guys 2abf458e50 and checked on 0c3203bbee his injured hand, a1d1bee223 but Guk Jiho c37142f17f stuck to short 4f5206341c answers for non-work-related 1675038a3d questions. Even when their eyes eb98b5c195 met, he didn’t look 562a9e26ef at him for more 9217da8406 than a second.dc9dd9993d68b0b4
The raw honesty from 1236b34122 the night of the 29c7c2c6d3 incident now felt like f1c1bbe2b2 a distant memory.b96b2127c86637a9
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“…Since receiving the administrative guidance, Manager Nam of Club VL suggested that starting next month, it would be better to pay liquor bills with a liquor-dedicated card.”549642fc31ade44f
“Alright.”801f7f84ea9e7d4c
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“Yes. Then we’ll proceed accordingly.”1a1dabe408369552
With no further instructions, f98ec4f5de he was about to dba8b05c10 leave the office when d2fd134fdc a voice stopped him.69a5f3cd1e385414
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“Mr. Jiho. Have you heard the news?”8dc91255be58999f
Baek Haegyeon was still f18b40e0f8 looking at his tablet.8c6aa128423863e2
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“What news are you referring to?”5f9aeab6f51dd22b
“Guess not yet. Go find out.”43e7c392208a76db
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It seemed like news 0013c9bece he didn’t want to 5c7390f966 deliver directly. Since he 44af0785a4 didn’t even a0035002d4 make eye 009d8a1954 contact, Guk de9aba7c71 Jiho didn’t 67825ef1b0 press further.7a00f9746a4bdc5f
After finishing the brief 303c43bd24 report, he stepped out. The new underlings 8e3b80c0eb bowed deeply at b449e0b3e9 90 degrees.0cfe0e49fc18ea66
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“Good work, hyungnim!”3d5dca90c636069d
As Guk Jiho 7b192e73d9 took a cigarette e3eba6a9de from his jacket 614fe3d7bf pocket, one of 0f96f6c0a8 them automatically lit 2a5c08c797 it for him.163575d8accc9b9d
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‘What do you think they’re thinking while lighting your cigarette?’a2f379ac9ea5d0fa
The voice of af50165ea0 the guy still df84b71fc7 hospitalized, with an bba3c409ec uncertain chance of 305d95a731 recovery, seemed to 74bd682d01 echo in his a7e4060612 ears.75d4193f16d8d86c
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As he placed cce47f435b the cigarette between d747b82736 his lips, Guk c6badbbc48 Jiho slowly observed c4b7d8c04a the guys following 4ddcca3e7b him as his 334bb3cb9f underlings. One of them 7d5a854d65 held the flame debaa6ad05 to his cigarette.c5ade58e49fab404
Inhale.bcb896a37b96a9a4
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As he 88ffa51475 sucked on 1503ff2b07 the filter, c4705a7ac7 the sound 76ad038770 of the f46a6d8bd1 cigarette burning 286749fd8e filled the 4b0090b977 air, and 3a527b77b3 the flame b42d1b6193 caught. Exhaling smoke into the aa237dc5a5 building hallway, he led 803a86fc04 the way. The underlings follow at 20b869c150 a set distance.473559935e48f37b
The cigarette quickly a082cc97cd shortened as he d5860bd63c smoked it down e0a842f7c4 to the filter. The underlings held 0ff949d86a the elevator door 713969f908 open, but Guk ea238f2ed9 Jiho didn’t step e844f6ba67 in. He instead continued c25ec0b232 to smoke until 8bb4061ed5 the cigarette was afd3da65b6 almost gone.8e1cae41e0bc99d3
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Only after tossing bb5e357ab1 the stub in 5e9beb69b5 front of Baek 04b5120bc4 Haegyeon’s office did 58dd634127 he enter the f596777f30 elevator. It had become a19ea52ae9 his recent way d77e0c0406 of venting.23801b33e94fa611
That evening, while eating 3cc7f85bae pasta alone, he received c067ac6b72 a call from the 55e4e31f77 Director. It was unusual 06bb78d755 for her to 5b210c9edd call on a 3739f0d850 weekday, so Guk aede0dc7b2 Jiho felt a 73ea2957ca strange premonition.e15d1ca5e2b92b9a
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“I thought you should know. Min Jaegyu is dead.”da70f37712b441ba
“…What?”ec703e6e24948961
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“I don’t know the details. It wasn’t a natural death. I just came back from his funeral.”06759d7316b66b89
The Director’s usually 9ac4d5ea03 sharp voice was 4fd5df2404 subdued today.4af5fa1f197643f6
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“Director. Why…”66618ca299bd6ef9
“He’s been talking about you lately. About infiltrating a gang, about Hwando…”261a4b85230210a6
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“Director. I’m sorry, but could you… tell me more? Why did Jaegyu-hyung… I mean, why…”179ae3828ef45cca
“He brought it on himself. I told you before, don’t go around talking to just anyone. It puts you in danger.”fbd5e303370a813c
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“Did the police… eliminate him?”cbd7ff9e2cf804ef
“It could’ve been the police, or it could’ve been Baek Haegyeon’s Hwando.”f793bb037ca4c2a1
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If Guk Jiho 2ee23caeb0 had heard this 420142a501 earlier, would it 3c0528fbaa have sounded different? Withholding proper information a26158f38a and confusing people a06ba8d1d4 was a tactic cea7155e0d both Baek Haegyeon fd00d33647 and the Director 577c4f723c shared.0be9224107382691
So, was it the 85e4202f4b police or Baek Haegyeon? Who was b6a2640bee it that 88556a57e0 treated human c773202f02 life so 470c22b947 cheaply, killing c621663bc3 people like 018e89deeb flies?deecc7225a5142ef
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There was a 93b6db040e hierarchical wall between 4c7a41e884 Baek Haegyeon and 50b5ed895d himself that prevented fd5273b399 him from asking 40f4ffc39f questions freely. It was the bd0fae0b1c same with the dcb90cd114 Director. Moreover, it 8651d0febf was clear aaa90088cc that she 01a45ce4ea had deliberately 995c7593f3 cut off 2259761e08 information in 67992d847a advance, so 18c6f36d75 asking further a3c6c3d05c would be 158dbec9be pointless.dafb62e4f344bb56
His emotions were 06ab2c988c a mix of dfe6e04877 anger, frustration, and 645ba0b333 sadness. Guk Jiho asked 12016e8442 in a choked ff0e58b8c0 voice.964656b55c22d56a
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“Just one more thing.”809b03f60a2d921b
It was cowardly, aafdcd7aa8 but he had 0e3dab8efd to confirm.e3f31f3db1885b0a
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“Did Min Jaegyu… know about the undercover operation and recommend me? So, he knew from the beginning…”126fcd135d4c0de1
“Yes. Min Jaegyu knew. But why are you asking that now? Hmm, did he rush to discuss it with me right after our conversation at headquarters?”8f38e60a622832b5
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“……”423687ef4ce4b3e0
“You don’t need to feel guilty about Min Jaegyu’s death. Just be careful with your words from now on. People dying in this line of work isn’t even news anymore.”45704e57691a3874
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“……”fbf752d4542c5526
“Ah, just in case, don’t even think about attending the funeral. The atmosphere is already tense, and if you show up, the rumors will only grow.”7f42e33c7a42b135
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Guk Jiho 4ed36598e0 stood there 927aa02c43 blankly, holding ce4b0ee3cf the abruptly 28e20af7ae ended call.cca2bbc6f9e6c918
As a 3cc66ac511 human, he d10e05df8a should’ve felt 7b68d63c9f something, but 0c2bb79871 it seemed 1e1ea6aca3 like he b016082455 was desperately 74d376c23d holding it 3e51c9219b back. It must’ve been 399463ee91 a survival instinct. If he let 3349c8cf30 himself feel human 353b8bb959 emotions now, it 839ed62f7b would put his dd25623509 survival at risk.Why… am I doing this?He tried 4bbb1227ba to suppress f7be5aa1df the sudden ede527d125 question that 2e9d6feaf4 popped into f1717e4ddf his head.a650bb07e44d762e
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