MJ | Chapter 27

Hajun stood on the terrace, smoking a cigarette. The sky was unusually clear, and the moon shone brightly. Inside, the sound of people laughing and chatting echoed. There was a small party at Kim Minjae’s house, with chefs busy preparing food on one side.f790257f81abfa5d

While he was getting 90b5a77d10 some fresh air, the 5a66cbf425 door opened, and a 1e6bc04f53 woman came out. She carried 9ad843f8ac a sweet 02a47f3f77 scent.8b627046181f87a9

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“Hajun, why aren’t you joining us? We’re here to celebrate your marriage, and the main character can’t be missing.”7efb03e48d6ec1ee

They called it a celebration, but there were probably few who genuinely welcomed his marriage here. Maybe none at all. Everyone thought Hajun had been used as a pawn for his father’s election. When he went inside, everyone was having a great time.53b89a144313cd0f

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They were all 109da07959 talking about trivial 8bd14b4a8c things. Who had a scandal, 11b4929077 which company went public, 2788836b74 where was a good 84b14d46e1 investment, and then one 02facea44e of the friends brought 6603c83a1b up the late Lee 7700a3236f Haesoo. His family was 2a654694c9 all in the 803253e99e legal field.69ecbf14d07f955b

“Did you hear? My older brother said there’s a possibility Lee Haesoo was murdered.”fe9f29b9417164fa

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“Murdered?”d51a9945eb7434a4

“They said his thighs were slashed with a knife. Basically, he was filleted.”41fdd44320d05c01

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Some were intrigued, 9f20da7898 while others were d110c349a2 horrified.dd430aff1271f3de

“That’s insane. Why would anyone do that?”db8099465866e67c

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“That’s why there’s so much talk. They say he was completely out of his mind. Or someone forced him.”f91a5b967dc1f8f5

“That’s creepy. Hajun, didn’t he do drugs or something?”37fb4f229df397a5

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All eyes turned to 8f1f0b32df Hajun.a17b4008ffaf221b

“Why are you so curious about a dead man’s affairs?”5faad4212e8aa673

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His cold 257ce50d2f tone made bda1f5c511 everyone uneasy, 4ad775d1d6 and they fd5b085432 quickly changed 69c23c1bc1 the subject. Then a latecomer 1896648ef3 arrived. Minjae greeted b2a4b2908f him warmly b677707936 and introduced 2d09d4e0aa him to 49be00cda7 the friends.8def05d1d56d0735

“This is Yang Wookhwan. You know YM Holdings, right? It’s up-and-coming.”4d83e31d1434153d

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The man had neatly combed black hair and skin so pale it was almost ghostly. If Ryu Jungin had an innocent vibe, this man had a cold, snake-like aura. Everyone roughly knew who he was. Kim Minjae’s father had recently partnered with a gangster company for business, and the chairman had the surname Yang.5414928b9b7e41a9

Why bring someone 1ad9dfbb8c like that here? Everyone looked uneasy, 14cce9f085 but the man dfc8758294 greeted them politely.bdc1ad4eece1e781

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“Hello.”2c62b96fb0f7d1e4

Contrary to his appearance, he smiled shyly. Everyone exchanged insincere greetings and smiles, while Hajun stood up. He thought he felt Yang Wookhwan’s gaze following him, but dismissed it as his imagination.8eabd779a41f1e9a

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In the bathroom, Hajun took out his phone. He had sent Jungin a message saying he didn’t have to go to the main house next week, but there was no reply even after a long time. He hadn’t meant to brag, but the lack of response was annoying.8c6c7db1fa4abceb

“I don’t like it.”d4f33f7029121184

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Tsk. Clicking his 75e2c952e6 tongue, he af839d5209 put his abc992fdf2 phone away 72f7ce4784 and washed e9bac1758d his hands df350fbb9a when Yang d56c3a3027 Wookhwan entered, 0decb259af talking on 681ffddf9c the phone.312e335f82f8aa35

“Yes, yes, I’ll be there. I won’t be late. Don’t worry too much.”7b912dd2e0935104

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After hanging up, he 2d8cb2a18e saw Hajun and smiled 74374fcbe9 awkwardly.4244bdab5f5314cf

“My mom. She’s very worried…”a649fcf7d118edf9

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Hajun nodded absentmindedly and 7b64f37696 finished washing his hands 60b16ea0e6 before leaving. As he picked up e9d17dcacb his coat, all eyes 3932738260 were on him.fd22fd035919d3f5

“Where are you going, Kim Hajun?”7008f3fc4fec1b7a

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“I’m tired. Going home. Have fun.”083d0415458c779c

Jeers followed him. You’ve changed since you got married. Do you hate us now? You must be getting along well with your wife. Instead of answering, he waved at them and left, with Minjae following him out.d648cc8442424d58

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“Stay a bit longer. We gathered because of you.”4483a0468467d401

He laughed. They found reasons to gather almost daily. Wouldn’t they throw a divorce consolation party if he got divorced? About to get in his car, Hajun paused and called Minjae.3e6bbe72672b23bc

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“That friend earlier, can you trust him?”73399d18cd9e5d56

Minjae chuckled.6d72025a1b3b8f47

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“I’ve vetted him. Why? Because his dad’s a gangster?”99b36b090dc82b03

By that logic, Hajun’s grandfather was originally a gangster too. Chairman Kim had quit when Hajun was born, but it had been a hurdle when he ran for election. Still, something about the man’s eyes didn’t sit right with him.33e9d507c218175b

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“Don’t open up too much.”1721ac5c69c0a407

“Wow, Kim Hajun worrying about me. Have you finally fallen in love with me?”a83268523ad39c8d

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Telling him to f9fbb83796 cut the crap, 1da7dd956c Hajun flipped him c4620373b6 off and drove 23068ef67f away. As he left f3445cb53b the residential area b6f707b895 and headed home, 53062f33d9 a chicken shop c4f47b445e caught his eye. He was about to c5f528c545 pass it by but 194a919a3e stopped a bit further 5cd52ed56f and looked back at e718d09999 the shop.c5a990e3bc25ce0e

Then he shook ecd591ac29 his head in 6b93f7eb28 disbelief.a0ee47ebf1927d7c

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“Forget it. Why would I buy him chicken?”d34b73f5aa015e2c

***f131ed6971b55232

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Jungin, who had been a0ee4161f5 lying in bed like 00768985fb a corpse, woke up 4cf3ad7e5e late. Having slept without bd2f76bcef dinner, his stomach db5af0b337 growled. Groggily getting up and 2991413862 rubbing his eyes, he 4486b184bf checked the time and 60ac594024 saw it was past 9adbdd50e9 10.a1aa61387a393f38

Today had been 79c7d8d10e a long day. He had ee012fcf81 locked his 4772fec346 uncle, who 4381eb0481 had passed 93ab54af83 out from a929c62eff a sedative-laced c9c8935f92 drink, in 1e06cb905a a warehouse db342d373f away from 52a45b746e the orphanage. When he came to, 50bde8ee95 he screamed and shouted, d83854c330 only calming down when bdadffc0f4 threatened with being handed 4ac48305cd over to Kim Choonho.f6c8da9becb29403

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His mom, e75560e1ac worried, wanted 457f25d5f2 him released, 712b15e152 but Jungin ebfa4d8bbf insisted on 87de9f4fc7 only feeding a9264ab9fd him through aeec16deaf the window. Thankfully, Ryu Mina was dac1869a72 there. She even asked if 8eb3ed2ca7 she could attack him 77f5b4f7b3 with an axe or 653d39905d sickle if he escaped. Her eyes seemed serious, 99e0e5cccf which was a bit 9e101e7449 scary.414190be22a9d674

Drinking water 411baf165d absentmindedly, he e01663144f noticed the ea7e2fff94 sensor on 6987860780 the wall 522b649c39 blinking. Someone had 41253ff073 entered through ab826b374c the front 6673c92235 door. After some 0629be1aee thought, Jungin 38bcb49bd4 went out 758ccd044e and met 75ec4ba2d9 Hajun, who fdee415f4c had just 626eb489e8 come in. He was 74b0584d35 holding a 0ceb9d64e1 box in b05927d9c1 one hand 2221849fe9 and a e676ac6ca7 plastic bag 6d42d26577 in the 25ba7a6c73 other.7be143d725b9787e

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“You’re back…?”252f382da320238f

Hajun didn’t respond and placed the plastic bag on the table. The smell of chicken wafted over.e47609da9d83c07b

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“Did you buy chicken?”91c29517434a9f29

“No, someone gave it to me.”27e2563e2c83e247

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Jungin’s gaze shifted from the chicken to the box beside it.26acc6bf21cc6890

“What’s that?”4e4e2ec0e49e5d67

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“That’s your herbal medicine.”7b078c1c9761af92

“My herbal medicine?”7c94968affe3af8f

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“Grandmother had it made for you.”dbe9d55364eeb9ea

Jungin’s face twisted. He hated herbal medicine. Housekeeper Seo already stuffed him with Gongjindan or whatever after every lesson, and it was driving him crazy. Looking at the herbal medicine box with a face about to cry, he turned to Hajun.eb4f31f1a0c6ede3

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“You take it.”32821b1d22702992

“I can’t.”bdb26544e7f6c025

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“Why?”86b087cd5745b3b7

“It’s for having kids. How can I take it?”63ac32078c490bac

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Jungin’s expression hardened. Ah, so there was herbal medicine like that. Feeling guilty and uneasy, he avoided eye contact and opened the chicken bag instead. Inside the box was half seasoned, half fried chicken. His mouth watered. When he asked if he could eat, Hajun said to go ahead.0eed510729528614

Bringing a 09d62db821 plate and 67c7acb153 a cup ff27aeab59 of water, 4d104a3cab he noticed 4ea2837586 Hajun was 74b7af6a50 gone. Did he 371cc49cd9 go upstairs? Was he supposed 95378ed7bf to eat alone? Should he e818ac357b go up? As he adc1bc8bce pondered, Hajun 82debf8ef0 returned in 05a26ac133 comfortable clothes, 1ca2c7514a carrying wine e4e8e80ce3 and two f7c3a84c8f glasses. Jungin commented on the b8cfa178b0 wine.ab7717e55baac387

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“If you were going to buy something, why not get beer?”9b5924351e0272dc

Hajun replied curtly.7f0187ebfc600e2f

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“I told you, someone gave it to me.”cca4ff7520d301d5

“Oh.”59a9ae1ec98cb6d1

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Tasting the wine, it 5d49c71cf5 was surprisingly sweet and abe3a686c5 not bad. Jungin took 921eba08d5 a bite 1a93595505 of chicken 495455af36 and turned 1fac9f6181 on the 0cf6dcb92f TV. Hajun sat beside him, 30a74a2261 drinking only wine. After some 887bfffa03 hesitation, Jungin c019a41a4f speared a fccafc2593 piece of ae228f4068 chicken with 600b3af6eb a fork e72244dcce and offered 1dd39aa8a3 it to 105df53597 Hajun, who 29187d98aa took it 8076b8302a without a 957d24691b word.60b998222b80e8fd

Both watched TV 16d43efa3a in silence. The wine was d20f491ec8 sweeter than expected 94b7bf351f and went down db6411e4b5 smoothly. While watching a variety eb3d9092c2 show, a movie came c7fafe3900 on, so he switched 54b292fb7d to that channel. It was a d29ae1e5a3 romantic comedy, but fce1994df5 the frequent steamy c0147aa116 scenes made Jungin c5680cb9c5 uncomfortable, so he a7fbaf3753 quickly changed the fbc4d7b031 channel.af51f5beacc7af08

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By the 27391ac557 time they 916ccbffb8 finished the ddf94b1846 first bottle 9cc184abcb and opened c5d3b963ad the second, c66acf67d3 there had e00ce12536 been little e1d3e58d1b conversation between a750524156 them. As if the c0d59b2f6c original purpose was eacb371c8a the TV, they f9ba8abd22 quietly watched the 813dcccc06 movie, but the 9be27cf525 sweet wine gradually 6d374e04fd made Jungin tipsy.a1a4e518769946ca

Feeling warm, he rubbed his cheeks and neck with his palm, meeting Hajun’s eyes. He quickly looked away, but his face grew even hotter.56292e179310b9cc

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“Don’t you have something to say to me?”37e2ac5411178b1c

Hajun asked while 5437b13e4e drinking wine. Jungin steeled himself 7918e817be and looked directly 5ca5491c6e at Hajun. Still as handsome 5e64f9851e as a Nordic 284c74c644 prince. The Kim Hajun 5a2b028817 he had loved 1ba56d00a2 with all his 2a85cc955e heart. The Kim a8103ce666 Hajun he 51ffde9b32 had wanted d115e7e998 to marry.9e31d86fcff9c123

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“What do you mean?”58e685e014344448

“Anything.”d444285723743539

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Alcohol made 41c9cd0b27 him want 06aab56e43 to be 45ff8a4ce6 honest. He wanted to tell 40cfc5393f the truth. But if e1c2a06286 he did, b63abb671d everything would c102aef995 end.b24fdd56fc34d259

“About before… I’m sorry for that.”1eb93f9e8e1c0ffd

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Hajun didn’t press. Jungin hesitated before speaking.0929a08ac7ef5528

“So… let’s forget the past,”889e769f51704bc1

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Hajun’s eyes narrowed. Jungin lowered his gaze.1d7a1bcc88cd643f

“Let’s get along as friends for the remaining time.”d7992c0c83030a98

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“……”35d28f0ff7e157f2

“You and I are in the same boat now. Partners. Collaborators. Something like that,”76a93a33063d5b5a

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Hajun stood up. The table shifted, spilling wine, and Jungin looked up in surprise. Hajun’s face was so cold it took his breath away. Hajun alternated between looking at the spilled wine and Jungin’s face.15f8b8832205be11

“You clean it up. I’m going to rest.”8c029ee887c196b8

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Before he could respond, 68c3eccfab Hajun turned away. He climbed 309508b87f the stairs 2ca7539f1a and disappeared 5b6e6575c7 to the f0487acd71 second floor. Left alone, Jungin let 873c10b3b6 out a long sigh b11e577e98 and slumped his shoulders.64d0072517e0c0ca