MH Ch 1

Moral Hazard: When one party in a contract takes advantage of conditions that only benefit themselves.

***

“My sister’s gonna confess to you in a bit, could you please reject her?”

Lee Hwa-ran, who had just showed up, said it so boldly.

For someone asking a favor, her voice was confident, but her eyes were desperate, as if she wasn’t quite begging.

Jeon Mok-gyeong paused his wrist for a moment before tilting his soju glass again. The usually bitter, tasteless soju suddenly tasted sweet.

“Hmm, interesting.”

Mok-gyeong’s lips curved into a sharp smile. His soju glass landed back on the thermal-coated menu, plastered with fluorescent stickers. The tacky black heart on the ‘Pyeonghwa-dong Norae Town Jeon♥Ko Pocha Menu’ was slightly distorted from being wet.

It was a dive bar next to a cheap motel, with creaking hinges at the entrance that grated on your ears. Driven by the owner’s strong desire to attract all the young folks in Annam, a blaring cassette player playing the latest hits and colorful mirror balls painfully assaulted the eyes.

Normally, Hwa-ran would never be caught dead in such a crowded, chaotic bar. Even if she were completely drunk, well, her instincts would probably reject it.

But Hwa-ran was here now, all because of that guy, Jeon Mok-gyeong, who was leaning against the wall with a faint smile, not even batting an eye at her bombshell declaration.

He was handsome, alright. So handsome that no other words came to mind.

Mok-gyeong ran a hand through his slightly long, dark hair, making it look neat yet stylish. Unlike other guys who followed trends by wearing arm sleeves, he had his own distinct style. And yet, it wasn’t tacky at all; it was subtly superior, as if Mok-gyeong’s taste would become the trend 20 years from now.

Even just by his build, he stood out among his peers, but his features were what really grabbed your attention. Jeon Mok-gyeong had what you’d call a “wild” look. He was so strikingly handsome that the single silver earring on his right ear almost went unnoticed. His nose was so high it made you wonder if he was mixed-race, and his sharply slanted eyes looked mercilessly cold-blooded.

His unusual light brown eyes, which seemed to have very little pigment, glowed eerily in the dark. They were the kind of eyes that, if you made a wrong move, would gobble you up whole, leaving no room for error.

Suddenly, her gaze fell on his fingers, idly tapping the small soju glass. They were long and large, almost twice the size of Hwa-ran’s, and she imagined his arms wrapping around her would feel utterly, satisfyingly full.

So, he was definitely not unattractive. No need to explain why her sister fell in love at first sight.

“…”

But at the same time, Hwa-ran couldn’t understand either of them. Why was Mok-gyeong here?

Not even a single contestant on the popular star survival show looked as popular as Mok-gyeong. He’d probably be snatched up by entertainment agencies in Seoul in a heartbeat, so why was he wasting away in Annam, in such a shoddy, smelly bar with bad lighting that only low-life older guys would frequent?

For Hwa-ran, who had always desperately wanted to escape the provinces, it was a wasteful and puzzling choice.

And Hwa-ran also found her sister hard to understand. What was so great about some thug wasting away in a bar, no matter how handsome he was?

Mok-gyeong seemed to know he was handsome better than anyone, and he also seemed to know how to use it. He’d casually meet the eyes of women who purposely walked past the bar corridor just to see him, offering them meaningless smiles. His demeanor wasn’t particularly cautious or discreet, so he probably had as flashy a social life as his flashy face.

In other words… he was a bad boy with nothing going for him but his looks, someone you definitely didn’t want to get involved with. A ruthless man who would mercilessly toy with any woman who fell into his grasp. That was Jeon Mok-gyeong.

“Cigarette smell…”

“Ah, I just smoked. It’s nothing weird, don’t worry.”

What exactly was “weird”? Hwa-ran probably hadn’t seen it and couldn’t even begin to guess how dangerous it might be. Yet, Mok-gyeong seemed so used to such things, making the disconnect feel real.

“Anyway, wanna sit down? My neck’s getting tired from looking up. And this conversation might take a while.”

“What? Oppa, what about us?”

“Yeah, move. This one looks way more interesting.”

“Ugh, so annoying! I got all dolled up to hang out with you tonight! I even wore matching underwear!”

“Next time. I’ll play with you however you want next time, so just beat it for now.”

“Ugh…”

Despite offering her a seat, there were two women already sitting opposite Mok-gyeong. But he dismissed them in an instant. The clothes of the women who were enjoying their evening with Mok-gyeong were all provocative. Even Hwa-ran, a woman herself, didn’t know where to look. They were barely covering their skin with deeply cut tank tops and short pink tracksuits. They were just scraps of fabric left for eye candy to arouse lust.

But Mok-gyeong didn’t seem turned on at all. The women, sensing Mok-gyeong’s attitude, got annoyed at his firm dismissal. As they left, they blatantly scoured Hwa-ran up and down, clearly jealous.

“…Excuse me.”

But Hwa-ran didn’t even flinch as the women brushed past her with their chests and shoulders. Instead, she confidently sat down and casually pushed her long hair back. She hadn’t come with any ulterior motives towards Mok-gyeong in the first place, so she wasn’t about to be swayed by such petty jealousy.

However, Hwa-ran didn’t know that. That only fueled Mok-gyeong’s interest even more.

“What do you want to drink? Do you like soju? White 3000? They do have cocktails here, too. But it’s just food coloring mixed with some flavorless whiskey from the supermarket, really.”

“No, I’m good. I just came for a quick chat.”

“Change your mind anytime. The longer you get drunk and talk, the better for me.”

“…”

Mok-gyeong didn’t show any sign of surprise that her first words weren’t a greeting. Instead, he seemed relaxed, as if it was faster and more convenient for her purpose to be clear.

“So? Who’s your sister?”

“Lee Chae-ah. She works with you at Guchun Factory. Her position is production, so it’s very different. She sometimes made you instant coffee after lunch.”

“Ah… Oh, her?”

“She has light brown hair, and that awkward shag cut or whatever that’s popular these days. She doesn’t wear glasses.”

At my words, Mok-gyeong frowned and tilted his head. He looked like he was really racking his brain to remember, struggling quite a bit. After waiting for a moment, Mok-gyeong gave up with a very casual tone.

“Sorry. No idea. There are too many women like that.”

“Ah.”

It was an answer that would have deeply disheartened her sister if she had heard it. From the things she mumbled to herself at home, it sounded like they made a lot of eye contact, he smiled at her, they drank coffee together, and he even came to sit opposite her during lunch. It was already like they were dating. Yet, Mok-gyeong didn’t even know her name or face.

Hwa-ran let out a hollow laugh. If she’d known this, she wouldn’t have needed to come here and ask for anything in the first place. Her sister wasn’t as curvy as the women who had been sitting at the table earlier, nor was her personality particularly sweet or demure. Even if she hadn’t asked, Mok-gyeong would have rejected her anyway.

She almost got up to leave, but it was too late. Hwa-ran’s request had already piqued Mok-gyeong’s interest.

“Your sister, so Lee Soo-jung, likes me?”

“It’s Lee Chae-ah. Everything but the last name is wrong.”

“Ah, right.”

“She said you’re her dream ideal type. More handsome than the male lead in a famous Hong Kong movie. So she said she’s coming to confess to you today.”

“Hmm. And her blood sister wants me to reject her.”

“Yes.”

“Why? Usually, people cheer for their family’s relationships.”

“That’s…”

“Could it be that the sister likes me too?”

Hwa-ran frowned at Mok-gyeong’s smiling remark. She was contemplating how to explain, not trembling because she liked him. Mok-gyeong’s voice was utterly casual, as if he was expecting a lovers’ quarrel between sisters. Just something more exciting and entertaining than a typical love triangle.

Thanks to that, Hwa-ran’s words suddenly became sharp.

“What kind of nonsense are you talking about?”

“No? Well, if not.”

“Of course not! Where do you get such ridiculous melodrama? This is the first time I’ve ever seen you.”

Hwa-ran firmly pushed back. Her ideal type was someone kind, who only looked at her. A man who would stay by her side until the end, even if everyone in the village pointed fingers and ignored them, even if she had no money or anything else. So, even if there weren’t many decent men like that in the world, she would never fall for someone like Mok-gyeong, who was so obviously a thug.

But Mok-gyeong suddenly narrowed his eyes and asked again.

“This is the first time you’ve seen me?”

“…Yes. Other than the pictures my sister showed me, this is the first time I’ve faced you like this. Is it not?”

She expected more silly banter, but surprisingly, that’s what he challenged. Mok-gyeong’s reaction was more serious than she thought. He was so lighthearted and seemingly without morals, yet suddenly he said something like that and became serious, which flustered Hwa-ran.

However, Mok-gyeong shrugged first and changed the subject.

“Well, alright. That doesn’t matter.”

“…”

“But why should I reject her? What’s the sister’s reason for wanting that?”

“Because I just can’t stand to see my sister happy.”

This time, Hwa-ran’s mouth opened without the slightest hesitation.

“I detest her. The very existence of my sister.”

In other families, even if sisters bickered, they would mostly discuss important matters, chat with each other, and have good relationships. But Hwa-ran and Chae-ah were different.

“I’ve been quite… unhappy because of my sister.”

The first thing that came to mind was being trapped in the basement of their house for two whole days when she was in sixth grade. The reason? Nothing special, just talking back to her sister. The doctor’s words still resonated clearly: if the cleaning lady who managed the villa hadn’t found her, she would have been in serious trouble due to malnutrition and hypothermia. At the time, she didn’t even know what hypothermia was, but it was chilling enough to understand that if her gums chattered from the cold, she would die.

If she ever resisted Chae-ah’s words or upset her, a hand would immediately come up to her cheek. There were times her face hit the floor and her tooth chipped, and sometimes Chae-ah would suddenly tell her to recite the multiplication table, and if she got one wrong, she’d be hit with all sorts of insults, calling her retarded. She’d also been hit with a vacuum cleaner before, and it hurt so much she couldn’t breathe. It wasn’t until her middle school health check-up X-ray showed strange traces of a bone that had broken and re-healed that she realized her ribs had been broken back then.

“If I have one wish, it’s for everyone who made me unhappy to be unhappy too, as much as I was.”

“Everyone?”

“…There’s one more person at home who makes it impossible for me to cut ties with my sister.”

“Ah, I see. You have a complicated family history.”

Hwa-ran kept quiet about her miserable situation, which she didn’t even want to think about. And Mok-gyeong also lightly nodded without probing further. Although his apparent indifference could have been annoying, Hwa-ran actually liked Mok-gyeong’s straightforward attitude.

He had dimples. Every time Mok-gyeong’s lips curved up to his cheekbones, the deep indentations looked like charm spots. Compared to his emotionless eyes, his smile was incredibly flashy. So stimulating that it felt sensual.

“Good. I like it.”

“What do you like?”

“That ‘drag you down with me’ strategy. Instead of trying to escape or get out, you’d rather stay stuck in the mud together.”

“Because there’s no way out. If that’s the case, I might as well make sure no one else gets out of this hell either.”

“…”

“And even though I’m a ‘drag-you-down,’ I feel a bit unfairly treated. I don’t know who dragged me into the water and killed me first. If I hold onto this grudge, I feel like I won’t even be able to live my natural lifespan as a ghost.”

Hwa-ran scoffed with hopeless eyes. Mok-gyeong stared at her intently, openly, as if he wouldn’t let a single word, expression, or action slip. In the light, Mok-gyeong’s light-colored eyes, reflecting Hwa-ran, shimmered like a haze.

He was staring so intensely, almost menacingly and uncomfortably, that Hwa-ran awkwardly asked, “Why are you staring at me like that?”

“How am I looking at you?”

“Like you’ve never seen such a crazy psycho before. Like you’re scared I’ll come after you with a knife if you take your eyes off me for even a second.”

“Haha, me? Really?”

Mok-gyeong laughed again at her words, his dimples appearing. It was an enigmatic smile, impossible to tell if he agreed or not.

Hwa-ran asked, almost entranced. Even though how he looked at her didn’t matter at all.

“Do I seem like a bad person?”

“A little? But it’s not bad. You and I seem to have some things in common.”

“Me… and you?”

“Yeah. I like the smell of damp earth too. If we’re going to rot, we should all rot together. If someone dared to hit me first, they should have been prepared for their skin to swell up with unhappiness, their flesh to melt away, and their heart to be torn apart, just like mine. Don’t you think?”

“…”

“That’s why I can’t take my eyes off you, little sister. I guess bad girls are attractive. Like me.”