BAI Ch 14
by mimiBy the time Shin Haebeom returned to the table, the symptoms had begun.
Kwon Sehyuk hid his trembling hands under the table. His mouth was dry, his tongue feeling like a parched rice paddy.
No matter how much water he drank, the thirst wouldn’t go away. Now his eyes felt dry, too. Kwon Sehyuk poked at the dessert—a glutinous rice tart with apples and honey, the flavor of which he couldn’t discern—and repeatedly wiped the sweat beading on his temples.
“Hyung-ah, do you need to use the restroom?”
Kwon Sehyuk seized the opportunity his oblivious brother had provided. Shin Haebeom had just returned to the table, and he had the ability to distract his uncle and mother. Kwon Sehyuk excused himself with an awkward smile.
One of the Disciplinary trainees followed him, but he didn’t follow him into the restroom. Kwon Sehyuk breathed a sigh of relief and hurried inside, locking the door behind him.
With trembling hands, he fumbled in his pocket and pulled out the silver cigarette case. Only a few of the small, flat pills remained.
Kwon Sehyuk took out a white pill with the letter “W” engraved on it and popped it into his mouth. He let it dissolve on his tongue without chewing. He didn’t need concerned looks or words. This was simply a way to alleviate his fatigue. He could quit anytime he wanted.
Kwon Sehyuk sighed and sat down on the toilet. He covered his ears with his hands. His head still hurt, and his stomach was churning. It would take a little longer for him to feel better. He felt like the effects of the pills were weakening.
“…….”
Kwon Sehyuk counted the remaining pills. He had lost contact with the friend who had been his supplier after graduation.
All he remembered was his friend saying he’d bought them at a club. He hadn’t told him the name or location of the club. But it didn’t seem like a particularly exclusive place. The fact that the pills were circulating even in high school suggested as much.
So if he looked hard enough, he’d find a lead. Kwon Sehyuk stood up with a heavy sigh.
“Shall we go back up?”
“Well…”
Kwon Sehyuk trailed off. He noticed that the trainee who had followed him was strangely agitated.
“What is it?”
“Nothing, sir. Let’s go.”
“What is it? Tell me.”
“…….”
“It’s okay.”
“…….”
“Really, it’s okay. I won’t tell anyone.”
The soldier hesitated, then pointed down the hallway Kwon Sehyuk had just come from, towards the restroom.
“Go ahead.”
“Excuse me for a moment.”
He must have been holding it in for a while. Kwon Sehyuk smiled, watching the trainee hurry away. Well, even Shin Haebeom had needed a break from the tedious dinner.
Kwon Sehyuk stretched as he walked down the hallway. His headache was gradually subsiding, and he felt better.
His friend hadn’t told him the name of the magic pill, saying it would just make him feel bad. He’d said he didn’t want to feel guilty when he was just enjoying a little bit of rebellion. So he just called it “X.” The twenty-fourth letter of the alphabet, the letter used to represent the unknown.
Kwon Sehyuk agreed with his friend about not wanting to feel guilty. It wasn’t like anything bad would happen from taking a few pills. He wasn’t a drug addict.
He heard the sound of water from somewhere. A waterfall? No, a fountain. The huge fountain in the middle of the garden shimmered under the bright white lights. Countless streams of water shot up towards the sky at regular intervals.
The falling water droplets looked like jewels. Kwon Sehyuk stared, mesmerized.
He was so focused on the sky that he didn’t realize he was trampling the small flowers beneath his feet. Not until a strange voice startled him.
“Move your foot.”
“Pardon?”
Kwon Sehyuk turned around reflexively.
“Your foot. You’re crushing the grass.”
A slender man in a black baseball cap stood there, hands in his pockets, looking at him.
“Didn’t you hear me? Step aside.”
“Oh! I’m sorry.”
Kwon Sehyuk quickly moved his foot, stepping off the grass. He looked down at his feet, then at the stranger, as if to ask, Is this okay?
The man nodded. His face was obscured by the cap. Moreover, Kwon Sehyuk was standing in the brightly lit center of the garden, while the man was standing in the shadows cast by the trees. It was the border between light and darkness.
Kwon Sehyuk narrowed his eyes and asked,
“Do you work here?”
“Part-time.”
“Garden security?”
“…Something like that.”
His husky voice was striking. He could see a pale, slender jawline beneath the cap. Kwon Sehyuk carefully stepped into the shadows, mindful of the grass and flowers. He felt inexplicably drawn to the man and wanted to talk to him.
The man didn’t move. Kwon Sehyuk hoped he wouldn’t be intimidated or scared off.
“I didn’t realize. I’ll compensate for the damaged flowers.”
“Whatever.”
His attitude was completely different from when he’d been worried about the grass. Kwon Sehyuk tilted his head.
“Do you… not recognize me?”
“Who are you?”
Kwon Sehyuk scratched the back of his head, at a loss for words. Well, it was presumptuous to expect to be recognized when he was just starting to make public appearances.
Kwon Sehyuk smiled awkwardly and extended his right hand.
“I’m Kwon Sehyuk, from Shin-gye-dong.”
He’d been taught to introduce himself this way. It felt awkward, but for now, he felt he should do as his uncle instructed.
However, it seemed like an inappropriate introduction to the man. He didn’t take Kwon Sehyuk’s outstretched hand, simply staring at it.
An awkward silence fell. Kwon Sehyuk was puzzled. He had introduced himself, so the other person should reciprocate. It was common courtesy.
Just as Kwon Sehyuk, unable to bear the awkwardness any longer, was about to speak, the man asked,
“What sport do you play?”
“Excuse me?”
“Your hands look like they belong to someone who plays sports. Are you an athlete?”
“Oh, this is…”
Kwon Sehyuk withdrew his hand, suddenly feeling self-conscious.
“I was on the volleyball team in school. I graduated recently.”
“Starter?”
“I was, but not the ace. Just a regular starter.”
“You must have been good.”
A hint of amusement colored his husky voice. Kwon Sehyuk’s expression brightened. He stepped further into the shadows.
“Do you like volleyball? Do you watch matches?”
“I’ve never seen one in person.”
“Why? It’s much more fun to watch live. It’s a completely different experience than watching it on TV.”
“I’m busy.”
“Ah, with your part-time job?”
The man chuckled.
“You hit the nail on the head.”
“Are you that busy? Can’t you even take time off on weekends?”
“Why, are you offering to take me?”
Kwon Sehyuk faltered. The man’s gaze was cold. Kwon Sehyuk had encountered this kind of gaze before, shortly after entering high school.
The capital city was very different from the port city where he’d grown up. The high school he attended was a prestigious institution where children from prominent families gathered. Even among them, Kwon Sehyuk received special treatment.
However, he rejected all those who tried to befriend him solely based on his status. Instead, he sought out those who had gained admission through their own talent and effort, regardless of their background or family connections.
They were the scholarship students.
The Ministry of Censorship’s Talent Development Division had expanded its existing benefits program to provide living expenses and scholarships to promising young individuals in various arts and sports fields. The high school Kwon Sehyuk attended also selected scholarship students, claiming to cooperate with the national program.
Kwon Sehyuk didn’t know exactly what benefits they received from the school. But he knew they were a minority, they came from less privileged backgrounds, and they stuck together. They didn’t cause any trouble, but they were definitely an ostracized group within the school.
Kwon Sehyuk had endured all sorts of humiliation to befriend the scholarship students. He still remembered the cold, judgmental looks he had received. They were just like the look in this man’s eyes.
Kwon Sehyuk lowered his head.
“I apologize if I spoke out of turn.”
“……”
“I didn’t mean anything by it. Really.”
“Why are you apologizing to yourself?”
The man said. Or rather, asked.
“Why are you so nervous? Are you afraid I’ll be offended?”
“Yes.”
Kwon Sehyuk answered honestly.
“It bothers me to know that someone dislikes me.”
“…Is that something you’re speaking from experience?”
“Yes.”
“Even with someone you’ve just met?”
“You never know what might happen in the future.”
“As expected of someone of your stature, you think differently.”
Kwon Sehyuk frowned.
“So you did know who I was.”
“I pretended not to because your surprise was cute. Sorry.”
Strangely, he wasn’t angry. It must be the X.
Kwon Sehyuk looked at the man’s sharp jawline and thought, it was all because of these damn pills. He was smiling in a situation where he should be angry, all because he was high.
“Then, tell me your name.”
“My name?”
“As an apology. Then I’ll let today’s incident slide.”
“What is there to let slide? Did I hit you or something?”
“Have you never heard of the crime of lese-majeste?”
“Lese-majeste? For something like this? Don’t be ridiculous.”
“If the victim feels offended, then it’s not a joke. And I’m… a bit more special than others.”
He was talking more than usual. Kwon Sehyuk could feel it himself. Words tumbled out of his mouth faster than he could think, sweat trickled from his temples, and his heart pounded. It was all because of X. X, which made him feel good with just a single chew and swallow, making his body light as a feather.
“Name.”
Kwon Sehyuk took a step closer.
“Tell me. Since we met like this, we could become friends, right?”
“Friends?”
The man scoffed.
“Friendship is possible when both parties are equal. We’re not.”
“Everyone says that. But I’ve already done it once.”
He had broken down the fences of social status and stepped inside. He had earned their trust and confidence. Kwon Sehyuk was confident. He smiled brightly like the sun.
“Won’t you tell me your name?”
Jung Seonghyun personally went to a temple to receive a name for his nephew, to whom he wasn’t related by blood. He felt sorry for the child who suddenly became an orphan and bore the brunt of public criticism, so he consulted a fortune teller and paid to have a name chosen. He prayed earnestly in front of the golden Buddha statue. He pleaded for the child’s misfortunes to be lessened, even just a little.
Park Jina wasn’t pleased with the name her husband brought back. She wanted the child to remember who he was. She believed in the superstition that changing one’s name made them a different person.
In the end, the child’s name was created by combining a character each from the names the couple desired. It was the best outcome for the couple. However, the child’s opinion on living with the new name was not considered. Nobody asked.
He knew it was pointless now, but still… Ryujin sometimes wondered. If his aunt had asked for his opinion back then, what would he have answered?
“Later.”
Ryujin mumbled vaguely.
“I’ll tell you later. It’s not really important to you, right?”
“That’s for me to decide. People’s names are important, to begin with.”
“…”
“Is it some huge secret? Why won’t you tell me?”
Kwon Sehyuk persisted relentlessly. Ryujin regretted ignoring Shin Haebeom’s advice to quietly return to the annex and study for his driver’s license test.
“I don’t trust people in high places.”
“Why?”
“Because they’re two-faced.”
“I’m not like that.”
“No one who says that ever turns out to be decent.”
Kwon Sehyuk’s expression froze. Ryujin took a step back.
“Hey!”
Kwon Sehyuk instinctively reached out and grabbed the man’s arm. He was immediately shaken off.
“Don’t suddenly grab me.”
“I’m sorry. I just… wanted to talk to you a little more.”
“…If you want to make commoner friends, go to a club. Buy them a drink and they’ll let you right in. Oh, you’re too busy for that, aren’t you?”
“That’s a prejudice.”
“Are you saying you’re different?”
Kwon Sehyuk nodded.
“Yes, I’m different.”
“Bullshit. I’m not falling for it.”
Kwon Sehyuk was speechless. How dare he say that to someone’s face? Did he forget his manners? Is being a commoner something to brag about?
Kwon Sehyuk pressed his lips together and glared at the other person.
“Don’t talk like that. What do you know about me?”
“It’s obvious without even looking.”
“You’re really self-centered. You have no manners. That’s why you’re here…”
He was about to say, “…doing a part-time job or something,” but hesitated.
Kwon Sehyuk covered his mouth with one hand. He was embarrassed. He couldn’t believe he’d had such a thought.
Kwon Sehyuk turned around abruptly.
“Fine, then. I’m not going to cling to someone who doesn’t want me around.”
“Good.”
Kwon Sehyuk walked away quickly, almost running, as he left the garden. He felt a gaze clinging to his back, but he didn’t turn around. Whoever it was, they seemed to have a lot of complaints about the world. Defensive and self-centered… He wasn’t interested.
Kwon Sehyuk returned to the building. At the end of the hallway, an aide, his face pale, spotted Kwon Sehyuk and rushed towards him.
“I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Where have you been?”
“I was looking around the garden.”
“Then you should have at least told me…”
“Do I have to?”
The aide quickly lowered his head.
“No, Your Highness. I was being presumptuous.”
“Good to know.”
The aide watched Kwon Sehyuk’s back as he ascended the stairs. He seemed fine earlier, what suddenly came over him? Is he usually this moody?
✶⋆.˚
Shin Haebeom took out the prepared document envelope. Inside the yellow envelope, clearly bearing the Disciplinary Training Corps seal, was the “Phaethon” plan. Kwon Joohyuk’s expression became subtle as he received the envelope. Shin Haebeom gazed intently at his snake-like eyes before bowing his head.
“Please review it.”
Kwon Joohyuk didn’t ask what it was. Shin Haebeom didn’t bother to explain either. People in the same boat understood each other without words. Of course, they didn’t know if each had a lifeboat hidden behind their back, or a harpoon raised.
Jang Seunghee looked at Shin Haebeom’s gently smiling face. She first met him at a garden party hosted by Shinryonggwan before Kwon Sehyuk was born. At that time, Shin Haebeom was the son of the CEO of SeoKyung Pharmaceuticals. His name was Shin Haejoon.
He was strikingly handsome, even as a child, so she noticed him. Of course, she didn’t harbor any special feelings for him then. Jang Seunghee was an adult, the president’s wife, and, decisively, she was carrying Kwon Sehyuk.
She thought she wouldn’t see the son of an anti-government activist kindly, no matter how polished he seemed. She was sure of it. But she couldn’t deny that his appearance was striking, even from afar. He resembled his mother, with distinct features like a Western beauty.
Seeing him already at the center of the group, it seemed he also inherited Shin Youngsan’s bulldozer-like leadership. Jang Seunghee looked at the boy, who was a head taller than other children his age. It was strangely difficult to take her eyes off him.
Suddenly, the boy turned his head. As if he sensed her gaze, he looked directly at Jang Seunghee. She instinctively lowered her eyes, then lifted her chin, thinking, what am I doing with a young boy? She tensed her neck, ready to scold him for looking at an adult so rudely.
But the next moment, Shin Haejoon smiled at Jang Seunghee.
Brightly.
Like a flower blooming.
His white, even teeth were revealed. His long, double-lidded eyes curved softly. Jang Seunghee was certain. That child knew what kind of impression he made on others. He knew it too well, which made her uneasy.
Many things had happened since then. The boy with the flower-like smile lost his family and fortune. He lost everything he had from birth and ended up on the streets. Jang Seunghee heard that Shin Jihee, who had barely escaped the purge, took in Shin Haejoon, whose future was blocked by the stigma of his background.
Jang Seunghee tried to lose interest. But if the heart moved as one wished, there would be no such thing as force majeure in the world.
Jang Seunghee was curious about Shin Haejoon. She wanted to know how he was living. She was torn between the thought that she shouldn’t care and the instinct to hear about him.
The superficial reason she left for her family home was the thought that the bloody purge sweeping through Shinryonggwan might negatively affect her unborn child, but it was also because of Shin Haejoon. Jang Seunghee thought she shouldn’t be in Gwangseong. If she kept witnessing his misfortune, she felt she wouldn’t be able to forget that bright face. She felt like she would grab the wrist of the child she should be ignoring and pull him towards her.
Twenty years wasn’t a short time. It was enough time for a boy with a bright, flower-like smile to grow into a man with a sharp, almost cutting impression.
Shin Haebeom’s life before he met Kwon Joohyuk was miserable. He was a meat shield, a bullet sponge. Because of his background, his rank was still Sergeant even though he was almost thirty. But that rock-bottom, gutter life had become a model of self-made success in just three years.
Jang Seunghee was curious about Shin Haebeom. Now Shin Haebeom was within her reach. He was no longer the beautiful boy with a flower-like smile she could only exchange smiles with from afar. He was the embodiment of power, galloping towards the future like a horse with loosened reins. He wasn’t a boy, but a man. Jang Seunghee smiled, looking at Shin Haebeom’s long fingers with their prominent knuckles.
Kwon Sehyuk returned. Shin Haebeom noticed that his expression was much brighter than before. Was he already drunk after a few glasses of wine?
Shin Haebeom feigned concern and spoke to Kwon Sehyuk.
“Is the food not to your liking, Your Highness?”
“No, it’s not that…”
Kwon Sehyuk trailed off, then suddenly grinned at Shin Haebeom.
“I met an interesting friend.”
Shin Haebeom smiled inwardly. He thought he knew what Kwon Sehyuk was talking about.
This was Howolloo. Although the second round of business hadn’t started yet, it wouldn’t be strange if some bold social climber, hoping for an opportunity, approached him. Wasn’t Jung Ryujin like that? Trailing after him like a hungry puppy smelling food…
“I’m glad Your Highness is enjoying himself.”
Shin Haebeom smiled back at Kwon Sehyuk. Right now, the world probably feels like it’s in your hands. Enjoy it while you can.
After being seen off by a noisy crowd, they got into the car to go back. Kwon Sehyuk let his dozing younger brother sleep on his lap. He patted his brother’s chest as he slept soundly. His gaze was fixed outside the window. The road the car was traveling on was a smoothly paved road, but the thick trees on either side made it eerie.
Kwon Sehyuk only knew three things about the man. A pale, slender jaw, a husky voice, and a thin build. He looked to be around 180cm tall and about the same age as himself. Kwon Sehyuk sighed and rested his chin on his hand.
He hadn’t been able to see his face properly because of the hat. If he was a short-term part-timer, he wouldn’t be at Howolloo for long, so there was no chance of meeting him again. So… it was better to forget him. That was the easiest way to ease his mind. Just tonight alone, he had a stack of documents to memorize. He was scheduled to appear on some current events debate or talk show program.
But he kept thinking about him.
Kwon Sehyuk sighed. His heart was uneasy. He couldn’t understand his own discomfort at the man’s casual remark.
‘I don’t trust people in high places. Because they’re two-faced.’
He’d heard that kind of criticism throughout his three years of high school. He should’ve developed immunity to it. But he hadn’t.
Kwon Sehyuk checked his pockets. But there was nothing there.
“Huh?”
It was gone. Nowhere to be found.
“Hyung-ah…?”
His younger brother, waking up groggily, asked what he was looking for. Kwon Sehyuk couldn’t answer. He couldn’t. He was sure he’d put it in his pocket in the restroom…
“Ah.”
He covered his head with both hands. Sweat trickled down the back of his neck. Losing things was a common mistake. It happened more often in unfamiliar places.
The mistake wasn’t the problem. The problem was the contents of the lost item.
“Hyung-ah, what’s wrong? You look strange.”
His brother’s hand reached out. Kwon Sehyuk took the small hand and moved it away from himself. He was afraid that the frail Kwon Moohyuk would absorb his bad energy.
“Hyung is okay.”
There were only two possibilities. The restroom or the garden. He was leaning towards the latter. The restroom was a small, enclosed space. More than anything, if it had fallen on the tiles, it would have made a sound. But the garden was different. The ground, covered in soft grass, was incredibly vast. He wasn’t 100% sure, but…
Kwon Sehyuk felt a chill and clenched his teeth. The chances of getting it back were slim. It was better to deny it. To say it wasn’t his.
As he thought that far, he felt relieved. That’s right, it’s not like my name is engraved on the case, so who cares? I’ll be fine.
Of course, he wasn’t fine.
Kwon Sehyuk couldn’t sleep. The ever-growing anxiety and restlessness gave him a splendid night of insomnia. After tossing and turning all night, around four in the morning, Kwon Sehyuk gave up on sleep and sat at his desk.
He thought he might as well memorize his script since he was awake. That too failed spectacularly. He couldn’t get the words into his head. Kwon Sehyuk got up, stretched, lifted weights, and even put on earphones and shook his head like a madman in the middle of the night, but nothing worked.
After all that fuss, morning arrived.
“Ugh…”
Kwon Sehyuk slumped over his desk. The paper in his hand crumpled.
It was 5:30. It was almost time for his uncle and his posse of evil to barge in. Kwon Sehyuk felt disillusioned by the fact that he needed two hours to finish his hair and makeup leisurely. All that primping and preening, and for what? Just to recite memorized lines in front of a camera. To smile, agree, and nod without even knowing what he was talking about…
Kwon Sehyuk pressed his hand to his forehead. His head was throbbing.
Amidst all this, he thought of that man. The temporary garden worker. If he had indeed lost the cigarette case in the garden, it was highly likely it had fallen into his hands. Would the man know what it contained? Would he think it belonged to him? And if so…
Kwon Sehyuk licked his dry lips. If the man’s objective was money, he could handle it himself. But what if it didn’t end there?
Kwon Sehyuk ran his hands through his hair. He had thought about wanting to see that man again, but not under these circumstances.
✶⋆.˚
Before getting out of the car, Shin Haebeom checked the revolver in its holster.
He had a strange feeling. Of course, he wasn’t a shaman possessed by a spirit or a prophet who could foresee the future, but the intuition of a man who had survived countless battles tended to be somewhat accurate. Just like now.
2:00 AM. In front of the elevator on the basement first floor. As soon as the doors opened, a cold muzzle pressed against the back of his head.
“Don’t turn around and get in.”
He did as he was told. The elevator in the luxury villa where Shin Haebeom lived didn’t have a mirror, but the walls were always smooth and spotless like new, so he could make out the attacker’s attire. A ball cap pulled down low and a navy blue shirt. He was dressed as much like a security company employee as possible, but upon closer inspection, the uniform details were different. Still, at a glance, it was convincing enough. Shin Haebeom sighed inwardly. These counterfeiters, were they making a decent living copying various occupational uniforms?
The muzzle moved from the back of his head to his side, conscious of the CCTV inside the elevator.
“Press 3.”
“You even know what floor I live on. Ha Shinsung.”
“Just do as you’re told.”
The cold muzzle poked him hard in the side. Shin Haebeom felt like crying from the injustice. What kind of misfortune was this? He’d worked all day, endured a painful dinner, and returned exhausted, only to face the possibility of becoming a ghost in his own elevator.
“I heard you got a prison sentence.”
“And you thought you were completely safe?”
“Not exactly.”
The pressure on his side intensified. He didn’t know how he’d gotten past security. Perhaps he’d killed them.
Shin Haebeom was certain that Ha Shinsung had done sufficient preliminary investigation and prepared for this, grinding his teeth in anticipation. The security guard always kept the spot closest to the elevator clear for his large Range Rover, and Shin Haebeom hadn’t ignored the old man’s kindness, who had a grandson aspiring to be a special agent. Who knew it would be exploited like this?
The fact that he knew the exact floor sent chills down his spine. Shin Haebeom lamented inwardly. Both of us, learning nothing but bad things, what has become of us?
“Thanks to you, I even got to see the inside of a prison cell. It was a good experience.”
“If you commit a crime, you have to pay the price.”
It was a godsend that the security chief, who tried to stop Ha Shinsung, injured his back. Choi Yushin, who received the order, produced a medical certificate for a three-week injury, and the security chief received a long vacation disguised as sick leave. He said he would visit his hometown, which he hadn’t been able to visit for a long time due to his busy schedule. Shin Haebeom had given him a generous amount of consolation money and told him to rest well. He could still see the security chief’s tearful face, filled with gratitude.
“Wasn’t it three years?”
“Four years probation.”
“You must have hired a good lawyer.”
“Yes. Ryujin’s trial will be handled by that person too.”
“What trial? Jung Ryujin wasn’t arrested?”
“What?”
Ha Shinsung gasped. By the time he realized he’d been tricked, it was too late. The fearless man grabbed the gun pressing against his side with his bare hand and twisted it.
A fist flew straight at his face. He dodged it by a hair’s breadth, but lost his grip on the gun in the process. Ha Shinsung groaned in pain as his wrist bone was struck.
The elevator arrived on the 3rd floor, the doors opened and closed again. In the scuffle, the two men went back down to the basement first floor.
The elevator doors opened. The two men tumbled out onto the floor with a loud crash, still gripping each other’s collars.
“Ugh!”
The toe of Shin Haebeom’s boot landed squarely in Ha Shinsung’s solar plexus. His breath caught in his throat. Ha Shinsung desperately reached out. The Desert Eagle spun across the floor and slid away. Ha Shinsung quickly got up, but Shin Haebeom was one step ahead.
The barrel of the Desert Eagle Shin Haebeom picked up gleamed.
“So this was it.”
“…”
Ha Shinsung drew a Karambit knife from his waistband. Shin Haebeom examined the gun as he spoke.
“Nice model. Why didn’t you show it off?”
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
“Ryujin, you see. He likes guns. Why didn’t you show it to him? Having something this nice.”
Ha Shinsung frowned.
“Don’t call him so casually.”
“He said we’re close.”
Shin Haebeom waved the gun.
“If you give me this, I’ll explain it to you in detail. How I became friends with him.”
“Cut the crap.”
“Don’t want to? Then get a hole blown in your head.”
Shin Haebeom pointed the gun at Ha Shinsung’s head.
“Jung Ryujin isn’t going to jail. Because he signed a contract with me. He’s part of the Disciplinary Training Corps now.”
“You’re crazy.”
“Not crazy, innovative.”
“What are you up to?! What are you going to do with Jung Ryujin…!”
Shin Haebeom was amused by the situation.
Ha Shinsung’s flustered expression, his desperate voice, and his shaking eyes were amusing. Ha Shinsung had forgotten the first rule of gaining the upper hand in an argument: don’t get excited by your opponent’s words. That was like revealing your hand.
Shin Haebeom gripped the Desert Eagle tightly.
“I’m going to take care of him.”
“What?”
“He’s pretty. Honestly, I thought he wasn’t as good as Ryu Yeonbi, but the longer I looked, the more attached I became. That’s what’s scary. Affection.”
Ha Shinsung’s face contorted.
“What the hell are you planning?”
“Why are you so cynical? A scheme? Are you that jealous that I’m close to Jung Ryujin?”
“Did you kill him?”
“How can you say such a terrible thing!”
Shin Haebeom stroked his arms as if the mere thought gave him goosebumps. Ha Shinsung’s face was twisted in disgust.
“Stop the bullshit and tell me where Jung Ryujin is.”
Shin Haebeom sighed deeply.
“You don’t know how lucky you are, do you? Ha Shinsung. You know, you really have a lot of good things, more than you deserve. This gun, for example…”
Shin Haebeom’s gun was aimed right between Ha Shinsung’s eyes.
“And Jung Ryujin too.”
A click sounded. Cold sweat trickled down Ha Shinsung’s temples. Shin Haebeom’s sneering voice pierced him.
“You lucky bastard.”
“…”
“You’re really lucky. Chiwoo’s mother is still alive, but honestly, it wouldn’t be surprising to hear about her death any day now.”
“You’re still clinging to old news.”
“Everyone says that. Forget the past. Remembering it only makes me suffer. But it doesn’t work the way you want it to.”
The finger on the trigger moved. Shin Haebeom stared directly into Ha Shinsung’s eyes.
“I envy you.”
“…”
“I’m so envious of you, even for becoming my father’s rival in love.”
“If you touched Jung Ryujin, I’ll kill you.”
Shin Haebeom almost burst out laughing. I already fucked him, you idiot.
He glared at Ha Shinsung and said,
“Remember what you said to me when you visited Jung Ryujin?”
Ha Shinsung didn’t seem to remember. That was understandable. He was so stupid that he got his lover stolen by his father and then came crawling to jail, clinging to him.
I’m not like that.
Shin Haebeom gritted his teeth.
“You said that to me. Why didn’t you leave the country? Why did you stay here like an idiot? I’ll return those words to you. Ha Shinsung, why are you still here?”
“…”
“Let’s not use probation as an excuse. I know you guys can get fake passports made on the spot if you want to.”
“…”
“Is this some kind of lovers’ quarrel? Did your father not take you with him this time?”
“Shut up.”
Shin Haebeom smiled broadly. He could sense Ha Shinsung’s anger and despair.
“Where’s Jung Ryujin?”
“My house, my room. On my bed.”
“Don’t fuck with me, you motherfucker! Where did you hide Jung Ryujin!”
“I just told you, I’m taking care of him.”
“Cut the crap!”
“Believe it or not. Keep denying reality. It doesn’t change the fact that he’s on my bed.”
“You son of a…!”
“Jung Ryujin’s impotent.”
Ha Shinsung’s face paled.
“You’d know if you touched him there. It’s probably because of what happened back then…”
Shin Haebeom couldn’t finish his sentence. The Karambit knife Ha Shinsung threw grazed his left ear and flew into the concrete wall.
“…”
Blood from the torn ear flowed down Shin Haebeom’s neck and stained his shirt collar.
“Ouch.”
“Don’t run your mouth off.”
Ha Shinsung breathed heavily.
“If you don’t want to die for real.”
It would be a mistake to assume that they came to face the enemy with only a gun and a knife. Hand-to-hand combat was fine too. Ha Shinsung glared at Shin Haebeom. He wasn’t the only one who had crawled his way up from the mud.
Shin Haebeom was selfish. Only he was unhappy, only he struggled. Did he ever think about why his father made that choice?
“Do you think we were at ease?”
Ha Shinsung shouted.
“Do you think I lived like a prince in China?!”
The moment he took a step forward, a piercing alarm blared.