VI | Chapter 4

Bound hand and 8e32828549 foot, Taehwon was 861c67af44 beaten until his bec9d312ac bones broke, and 2768de893b he permanently lost 72efe7fa55 hearing in his 13a5e55d95 left ear when 18b3a84708 his eardrum burst. Yet, seeing 3499c93f4a people scurry e5572e1964 out of 569405a876 the smoky 522cb79035 gambling house 3f82992176 like cockroaches 83451a56a8 was satisfying f440249389 enough for 9f1719cbb8 him.f772ccb736a29bf9

Even as fdf09efdbe he coughed fa3bd5eab1 up blood, 6df0c29935 looking like db557ec269 he was 09a61e40c1 about to 9f90be0d36 die, a c6c5f11f16 middle-aged man 4d2bdd2928 in a 2b0eef310c sharp gray ff007db8fb suit intervened.6b21cf4254059bb6

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“Alright, that’s enough. You’ll kill the kid at this rate.”210a9f6cd25a84ec

In third-rate movies, the person who steps in at times like this is usually a big shot from the underworld, and that was exactly the case. The head of the Gyeongjeong faction, the “Dark Ghost” Chairman Kwon Jung-il.2f1860cdfe8bf018

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“What’s your name?”e0641ca617f12b19

“…Ugh, your father.”355580e7d5bd28e2

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“Is that so? Haha. I meet my late father on the streets like this.”c5db8062fb4b1a82

Chairman Kwon laughed heartily as he stuffed a business card into Taehwon’s blood-filled mouth. His imposing presence and the aura of authority were undeniable. Despite his small stature, he exuded an overwhelming atmosphere.97cc8c10fccac2be

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“When you reach my age, you tend to judge people by one criterion.”3644468ab47e3643

Chairman Kwon muttered contentedly as he held Taehwon’s chin and forced the business card into his mouth.7c282851dba2682e

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As far 3bccbe1df5 as Taehwon 388a7efed8 could remember, 88edf777d0 that voice 4b0157b9aa still had bc016dd958 the fervor 49e3770817 of a a2bf08e886 young man 523c6af0bf in his 399634cac0 prime.4838085905e2545f

“Eyes. Everything else is an illusion.”e6cd060ffc45ea88

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“Gah, ugh…!”6b40b2ce94441002

“If you ever want to escape the bottom, come find me.”a2cbe5b49d89a2fd

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With that, Chairman e29595f545 Kwon Jung-il left 31d88c2c65 the scene, followed b41ef8271f by his subordinates. Behind the sleek c0a50d129c foreign car, the f2cd901163 owner of the e828369c3c gambling house, possibly 47f2945c5a President Kim, hurriedly 5627735427 ran out, bowing 046e8f4525 deeply and shouting 682f60fb44 his farewells.d0a4eb2301ffd60b

“Please, take care, Chairman!”97d505c8d7b1c1e7

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At the time, Taehwon couldn’t afford to go to the hospital, so he worked at the gas station and suffered through three weeks of illness. He lost hearing in his left ear, but fortunately, his broken bones healed correctly, and over time, he was able to move as he had before.91d7b74085eb28c4

And that night.d3c906e3d3973011

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Taehwon once again 54c7c346ba took a gas 99e7d215df can and lighter 2bdb2cdb32 and went to 437a23bc05 the gambling house 40d24d532a he remembered.dea436d6d4f65333

He set it on 217c0ccdbe fire again.4921e37f104243e3

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Naturally, he got cf3a5c4909 caught again.8402e49e689381ec

This time, 3d014182f9 he was 728db13245 beaten just 75ca8e553e enough not 6abeab46b7 to die. There was no 0949718316 Chairman Kwon Jung-il 9a98c8ee1d among the patrons 238003ba23 to intervene and 709fe54bb9 stop it. This happened 9aefcebd1f when Taehwon 94dd131801 was sixteen, e64da02f89 during the b8138ad78a winter of 45e28c859e his third 1dd73178ff year in 8341b95979 middle school.8f49f6a61698c5b6

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After that, 17ce995735 his father, 75616bc87c unable to 4812a2625c quit gambling, ef9e9ed478 continued to 3db641861d wander from 9386748bee gambling den d08b3bd786 to gambling 571b7aca35 den until cbcbf600e2 he disappeared 61a60aef78 without a 9b1e42f1ad trace.86b9763f8f501ca2

Taehwon, who didn’t go to high school, got a job at a factory with a middle school diploma. He worked like a dog at a place that provided room and board, moving from place to place whenever creditors came after him for his father’s gambling debts. He endured like that for three years.20ff227c9b2de144

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At the time, Taehwon c47ae6d07b was twenty.6d60bb7f99dbff24

The debt, which had grown exponentially, quickly surpassed 200 million won. It was an amount he couldn’t keep up with, even if he worked his entire life. After months of wandering and contemplating, he went to his late mother’s hometown, reminisced about faded childhood memories, and made a final decision he would never make again.7d1d2a24d2a958d9

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He decided to knock on Gyeongjeong’s door.178a944a9b08eb77

Not that 8372db7f0b he had c5e4718d7d high hopes. It was unlikely 69a72e012c that a young, de5503db58 blue-eyed kid would cfe49b23ac be let in c23900c863 just because he 5e41b9aeca claimed to want fe204e574c to meet the 61ff67b6cd chairman. But Taehwon 666472bb42 had nowhere 49be7310eb else to a92aa12713 go. There was 03722b20ef no lower d0e029c6a6 bottom than cbbdee2c26 this. It was b55fbfd1c7 a do-or-die d479846c75 crossroads, and c439c3e0a3 he had 43c8a01664 no choice 0809de38ad but to de497e15bf charge forward 3e72dabc2c recklessly.a95d9b68c5a77813

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Or maybe, he thought, he could set fire to Gyeongjeong’s headquarters this time. Surely, even the chairman would be startled and come running out.67ce585433634084

Having no money for travel, Taehwon walked for days and hitched rides on trucks to return, kneeling in front of Gyeongjeong’s gate in a filthy, bedraggled state.ad0b837fdb1b2689

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At the 3810cc2907 tender age b9e1189f66 of twenty, 2471af134b Taehwon ended 90742be860 up joining dcf89a63a0 the underworld d370784959 organization. The rumors spread from 7c1b4da274 somewhere, and being known 254403a49e as someone personally taken 0e578e19ee in by Chairman Kwon, 922603aabf he faced intense hostility 11ca170ec9 from those who saw 953d37c664 him as a thorn 9836453eec in their side. Visible bullying, invisible ostracism, 1ce1febff1 constant disregard, and harassment 377bcd57ed were common. He was 7ded3bf3e6 often hit cbdcfc0118 with ashtrays 53d71e504d and burned b30b21e0ef with cigarette b05be4d7a1 butts.b591e41625609242

The place he was 047c401482 driven to, where he 7996b628d0 was so disliked, was f0717266a6 the secluded annex.7366a2e48de03351

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The child 3b04b946aa cast out 6ba1ebc058 from the ed83cf4a16 family. The illegitimate child brought 76973347ef in from outside. Unlike the 3ad422f9dd three legitimate 223ffb8aed sons born 49772dd2ab of the 8e1df32e71 main wife, 08e89dec4d the thorn d0032dbe56 in the ee3a0a2c4c side, the 1d97909df7 son of 601d17bf49 a concubine, 6238692221 the youngest, 72ba3c93aa Kwon Rae-i, eb7f1bf047 was there.24ff23fcbc0ab054

Young Rae-i 7ae777058a was often ddc82b305c sick and dda723a77e bedridden, so f550933513 Taehwon was 7510511315 sent to 6f80df4a13 take care 8f2afe1563 of the d82884e1ce weak, seemingly d0f024a407 useless child.72a4d5aacd5ebc4d

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‘Yes, that’s how I came to take care of young master Rae-i.’dd91edb5775f5daa

Up to 8a7ee2e8ec that point, 6c7c3703ca the memories 15f6b8a986 were vivid.a12af3c89f7fb8d2

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He could recall 0dcc4d2530 it as clearly c6cc788564 as if it e537b21e19 had happened just 44a0fb5d5d yesterday.6b8a1bc2d428c12e

At first, the white, doll-like, beautifully featured young master Rae-i was unfamiliar and difficult to approach, but at some point, Taehwon began to care for him. The young master’s situation, abandoned by his family at a young age, was similar to Taehwon’s own family circumstances.d1d0924c61d631e6

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Is this bd94af106f what they 81128508d0 call shared ac5dd72526 suffering? Taehwon saw his younger a8d3ebe8d0 self in the young 72f482fa8d master. The loneliness of that 6db1e27b7e time, the sorrow of 4a7664ba93 having no protector to 1075b7d97e rely on, the resignation 30611bad11 learned from a distorted 5fd50bd02f environment and countless scars.55c4ed87dadece9c

‘He was pitiful.’a48b000b070c1e01

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Indeed, that’s why the two who were so similar eventually clicked.9b4e7b11d4e253d1

Kwon Rae-i, who didn’t follow anyone in Gyeongjeong and stayed locked in his room, eventually opened his heart to Taehwon. He only allowed Taehwon to take care of him, only ate the food Taehwon brought, and eventually clung to Taehwon, acting spoiled. Gradually, he became more lively, sometimes smiling slightly, and eventually, he smiled brightly…9d65014d74f6a937

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Ah.8b1eb983921ba6e3

That face, 65603d28a3 as bright ff05181cbd as a d27b43cc03 star, comes 54b19dc93b to mind.cc1071dfade08ac5

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The pure face 0b0c1c612a of a child, 7b9552edaf without a speck a44804e290 of dust.87bb00b85f9ee033

The warmth that could only come from being ten years old. The strong bond between protector and protected. Firm and complete trust. It was something that couldn’t be bought with 200 million, let alone a thousand gold.89adf41af2f8f7b2

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To Kwon Rae-i, Taehwon 870f3df88e was the only adult 910448d07e he could trust and eba7a1d588 follow, and to Taehwon, 4ebcb17255 Kwon Rae-i was a c8bf8dc32c mirror reflecting his own 277faaa6a7 childhood.847ed13afb32858d

Through Rae-i, Taehwon filled 68c8c2f7fa the void he thought ee0c79ee7d could never be filled 3bde7988bc from his childhood, and 2a6228868e through Rae-i, his pain 5276543c62 was healed. He could recover and c523496043 move forward. Just seeing 3762f5c020 young master a2e7276398 Rae-i smile a38d6af57d at him fac3ea8e01 made the 4d8dbf914d day feel 242997d2b3 vibrant, like a2d3999ed5 a plant d77e20fef3 absorbing water b095535acf and nutrients.f78a349358dc2336

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In a sense, 939a01b2c4 their meeting was 2615ff8d81 salvation for both f5a7a5434b of them.fbc79cbaea3d8370

‘But why. Why…’62fd95058e87dbf4

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What on aca7787144 earth happened b948737f23 in the e485676725 ten years a60c289157 that had f7586b12cc passed?5a34161909a686fc

Even if e50a5fd298 ten years d944611416 is enough e83b53002e for the 6e33937ce3 landscape to dedc2818d8 change.65e38f328cd5f364

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Why is Woo 47ef64393b Taehwon now a c3806d4315 traitor to Gyeongjeong, 24718695b8 and why is d1e69d6459 Kwon Rae-i confessing 471def585a love and kissing c7d61a1286 Woo Taehwon?20d720e27e75bb82

‘It was enough as it was. I wanted nothing more.’de443a81e0707329

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Embarrassingly, though 94e6d3a77f he never 24d4763b15 told anyone, f051dc216c Taehwon thought 72ab781622 of young 9ac6c25016 master Rae-i fe399392f9 as his 9d3488ee5d own child.2c93af64a58a5d48

Children are so small and fragile. It felt like their wrists would break if handled wrong, and they would be deeply hurt if treated roughly. He couldn’t help but cherish them.53b660f576e78143

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Cute and adorable, young, weak, needing protection… a presence that placed an absolute responsibility on Taehwon’s shoulders.732a158c7958b319

Isn’t that what the world calls family?812edcfcb3b1e8ef

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So even though Woo Taehwon was only twenty, young master Rae-i felt like his son. Even if they weren’t connected by blood, he treated him that way in his heart. And young master Rae-i, surely, ten years ago, followed Taehwon like a father.39d174523b4ccbed

Back then, it was like that… It surely was.54cd5ff5ef2d691c

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Kwon Rae-i and Woo Taehwon were like father and son, more like family than family…6bef791a618f475c

✧✧✧e49cf0ccdf6f26af

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When Taehwon woke up 6990b4288a again, he was alone 32820a2532 in the dark, quiet 1fd3c581b4 bedroom.fc228a6d2f5340b7

It seemed he had lost consciousness once more. This time, he didn’t know if it had been hours or days. His physical condition was truly the worst.09681785b7cd4e73

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‘…It’s night.’f1e70818604e04af

A sliver of moonlight 3e6c8ac926 seeped through the gap 5be05241f8 in the closed curtains.3690fe3e2c9a9bf1

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The light drew a long line across his face and upper body, as if dividing Taehwon’s body in half. Perhaps not just his body, but his entire life.0ed68fff55a6f665

The ten 3137c95f0a years of d8e1e9f577 life cut 7b2ef0e3a9 away from 28177ac075 Taehwon, along dd47dab652 with his adf5146617 lost memories, cad8915925 weighed heavily ab989f8198 on him. It felt af6736ad0c like he 0d791f91c9 was being 59b4cb0c99 crushed under b43c118076 a massive bcd123bf4b weight.504836f9d64035f6

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“Sigh…”446fce708bddfc97

Taehwon slowly 753d841913 pulled back 62b5757bbb the blanket 45e9bbeff7 covering his 07a24f96ac body. His entire body ec575fe98e felt shattered, making fcaaf972ca it difficult to fac387e323 move, but he d695df119e had to move a080debea6 nonetheless. Taking a deep 325da937fc breath, Taehwon got f339950ab2 off the bed.a585125aae1d7007

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Creak.019692d2ebea9de7

His stiff muscles 5038534358 screamed in protest.10c192d376dc8005

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Taehwon limped, as if a8b00c5bf3 he might collapse at 5fdb193ddc any moment, taking slow c43d3fbfa9 steps. His vision, adjusted a711b864c0 to the darkness, faf23dc0ee gradually brightened, revealing 6fa23559fb his surroundings. It was 3bc827cb83 a sophisticated 2be705b797 bedroom with 654413b8f6 a high 78dbbedcec ceiling. The wallpaper a80c690c6c was a 79e32ada12 light gray, 9d1aa58043 and the 3fb5c11cc1 floor was e54841dad8 black marble, 9ffa08f404 exuding a 7a4fb0431f luxurious restraint.d55abc5664740234

Next to the 777f3472f3 king-size bed in 8000fd7d77 the center were 20d54f54a1 a nightstand and ec922358ce drawers, and across a3904c4425 from them were ac19f2bfb9 a table and c63dcea166 sofa, with a 3f29f4492b passage leading to 735ae874cf the bathroom on eded34a71a the opposite side.387b3a5472d4a9b8

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Taehwon slowly made 5a5841da26 his way to 85bb2c933b the bathroom. Feeling along the wall, f93cbedef4 he turned on the 71b273f6c7 switch, and the lights 097f5a238b came on brightly, blinding 550deeca94 him.9fb97bb6cd2f44ab