TAF Ch 23

Yeonwoo glanced around. Though the hallway of the officetel was empty, there were CCTVs on every floor and a security guard stationed on the first, so no one would dare to touch him carelessly.

They probably just came to give him a warning and scare him.

“I’ve put the officetel up for quick sale, so I’ll send you the money as soon as I get it. And you’ve already received a portion of it.”

“That’s the thing, you’re way past the repayment deadline. Now that your deadbeat dad has skipped town, you think we should just patiently wait?”

Suddenly, the alpha stepped closer and tapped Yeonwoo’s cheek.

“Don’t touch me.”

Yeonwoo immediately brushed his hand away.

“Haha, feisty.”

“Wasn’t that debt fabricated by you guys in the first place?”

Yeonwoo retorted sharply. Instantly, a rough hand grabbed his hair.

“Ouch!”

“How dare you raise your voice at me. Do I look easy?”

“…Let go!”

“It’s your father’s fault for relying on his wife and son and hanging around gambling dens when he’s got no skills. Is it our fault for lending him the money?”

“So, knowing full well he was incompetent, you still lent him 1 billion… Ugh!”

“Tsk, tsk, you’re loud.”

The alpha yanked Yeonwoo’s hair back, bringing their faces close, and slowly scanned his features. A strong scent of cologne mixed with stale sweat and the lingering pheromones of several people emanated from the alpha’s clothes.

“Hmm. Looking at you like this, you do resemble Kim Sunyoung.”

Yeonwoo met the alpha’s scrutinizing gaze without flinching.

“Oh, I wonder if Ms. Kim Sunyoung is recovering well? I added some nice, colorful touches to her face.”

The alpha chuckled, as if the mere thought was amusing.

Yeonwoo’s eyes widened.

“What? What did you just say? Did you hit my mother?”

“Hahaha! Wow, this kid’s got a temper.”

“What if I did?”

Yeonwoo forcefully shook off the alpha’s grip and ruffled his hair. But the two men quickly surrounded him.

The beta among them tapped Yeonwoo’s cheek.

“So? What are you going to do about it?”

“Touch my mother again, and I swear, I won’t leave any of you alone.”

Yeonwoo slapped away the hand touching his face with a sharp smack and spoke firmly.

The beta brushed off his hand and glared.

“We treated you nicely, but you’re getting cocky, aren’t you?”

The man’s fist connected with the left side of Yeonwoo’s face in an instant.

Crack! The sound of bones colliding echoed as his slender body crumpled to the floor.

“Ugh!”

The man didn’t give him a break, kicking Yeonwoo repeatedly as he lay there. Dull pain spread through his stomach and side. This was the first time he had been beaten so one-sidedly that the thought of fighting back didn’t even occur to him.

What if they hit my mother like this too? What if I can’t get the money and they go after her again?

Worry gnawed at him even as he was being mercilessly beaten.

“But it seems like his son is somehow living decently. A brainless father ruining his child’s future. He should have just gambled quietly, why spread rumors about his son earning some money…? Huh?”

“Hey! What are you doing? You can’t fight here!”

Just then, the officetel’s security guard ran from the elevator, shouting.

The two men, who had been looking down at Yeonwoo with his split lip as he lay on the floor, turned their gaze. As their eyes met, the security guard hesitated, his steps slowing.

“You… you don’t seem to be residents here. Stop it!”

“Oh, we were just having a little disagreement, a disagreement.”

“If you don’t leave, I’ll call the police. Got it?”

“We were just about to leave anyway.”

As the security guard fumbled with his phone and stammered, the men finally backed away from Yeonwoo.

“Excuse me, sir. Can you get up?”

“Mr. Hong Yeonwoo. Shall we meet at our cafe next time? For a nice, civilized cup of coffee? Hmm?”

The men spat on the floor where Yeonwoo lay and casually left the officetel. Yeonwoo finally managed to get up with the security guard’s help.

“Are you alright? How did those guys even get in here…? What happened? Should I call the police now?”

The security guard, who recognized Yeonwoo’s face, gauged his reaction.

“…It’s fine.”

Knowing that calling the police wouldn’t solve anything, Yeonwoo shook his head. He also declined the security guard’s offer to fetch him some ointment, so the guard helped carry the boxes and bags Yeonwoo had brought from his apartment into his unit.

After thanking him and entering his officetel, Yeonwoo left his belongings as they were and checked his face in the bathroom. His lip, directly hit by the fist, was split and caked with dried blood, and a bruise was forming around his jaw.

‘Oh, I wonder if Ms. Kim Sunyoung is recovering well? I added some nice, colorful touches to her face.’

The loan shark’s words made Yeonwoo’s heart pound with anxiety.

“What am I going to do…?”

If they couldn’t get the money even after resorting to violence, they would go after his mother again. And it might not end with just harassment.

Money. He had to get money, no matter what.

Yeonwoo clenched his fists, feeling his body tremble. Consumed by the fear of violence, his mind raced with thoughts of how to get the money.

Even if he took out the maximum loan from the bank and sold his officetel quickly, he would still need more money. The interest was accruing by the second.

Even if he got a second job after closing the cafe, it would be impossible to make up the difference within a month or two.

‘Mr. Hong Yeonwoo. Shall we meet at our cafe next time? For a nice, civilized cup of coffee? Hmm?’

They knew where he worked. They had waited for him in front of his home this time, but next time, they would definitely come to the cafe to pressure him.

After racking his brain, Yeonwoo decided he needed to sell the cafe as soon as possible. Although the cafe itself belonged to Chahyun, the right to operate it belonged to Yeonwoo, the tenant, as per their contract. The cafe’s current popularity and sales were a result of his hard work.

Therefore, Yeonwoo was entitled to receive key money from the next tenant when transferring the cafe. A cafe with high sales in a prime location like this could fetch him up to 200 million won in key money if he was lucky.

200 million won would be enough to pay off the debt with some left over, if he scraped together other funds. With luck, he could even open a smaller cafe in a place with lower rent.

Usually, key money is received after the next tenant is found, but Yeonwoo wondered if Chahyun might be willing to advance him the money as a favor.

Staring at the boxes piled haphazardly in his officetel living room, Yeonwoo took out his phone and called Chahyun.

—The number you have dialed is not in service….

As expected, he didn’t answer. There was still no reply to his text messages either.

His only option left was to go see Chahyun in person.

“Sigh… This is the worst.”

Having initiated the breakup and now having to go back to ask for help… He couldn’t believe he had to stoop this low.

But this wasn’t the time for pride. Although he was ashamed to change his tune so suddenly, he had faith that Chahyun wouldn’t refuse him.

Yeonwoo quickly wiped his face, smeared with dust and blood. Then, he covered his lower face with a mask and a cap. Fortunately, the bruising around his eyes hadn’t fully developed yet, so they looked normal.

After quickly getting ready to leave, Yeonwoo called Chahyun’s secretary.

—Yes, Mr. Hong Yeonwoo.

Fortunately, he was able to reach the secretary.

“Hello. I’m sorry to contact you so suddenly, but if I were to close down the current cafe, who should I contact regarding the key money?”

Anxious, Yeonwoo first asked the secretary about the real estate contract. He remembered that the secretary had helped him with almost all the paperwork before opening Neo Bell.

—Regarding that matter, you’ll have to ask Director Baek first.

“Is Baek Chahyun at the company now? He isn’t answering his phone.”

—Director Baek, sir? He’s currently on leave and not at his desk.

“Then where is he? Is he on a business trip?”

The secretary didn’t answer immediately. A few seconds of silence passed, and just as Yeonwoo was about to ask what was wrong, the secretary spoke again.

—Mr. Yeonwoo. Did you perhaps not know?

“Know what?”

—Director Baek is currently hospitalized due to an accident.