SU | Chapter 1.4

Yoo Han spoke urgently, as if he had forgotten how to breathe.

“I meant it when I said I’d help with the cafe. I don’t want to get paid. Maybe it’s okay if I stay here as collateral until the request is completed. That’s why I suggested it…!”

Silence lingered for a few seconds. Ji Youngwon casually exhaled the cigarette smoke, seemingly oblivious to Yoo Han’s desperate plea.

Gu Kangsan scratched his head in puzzlement. Director Ji Youngwon was usually hard to read, but today his expression was particularly inscrutable. It seemed as if he wanted to crush this bold client or maybe take advantage of him. It was clear that interpreting his mysterious expression favorably was a stretch. Gu Kangsan swiftly approached Yoo Han’s side, his frilly apron fluttering in the breeze.

“Look, sir, it might be best if you didn’t get heated and just left now.”

Yoo Han’s lips, which had been quivering, clamped shut. After a moment of silence, he slung his bag over his shoulder and bowed his head as if to apologize, then made a beeline for the door. As he reached the door, Ji Youngwon flicked his cigarette stub to the floor and stamped it out.

“Hey.”

Yoo Han’s steps halted abruptly. Ji Youngwon walked up to him with deliberate steps, the sound of his shoes echoing in the quiet. Yoo Han stood still, gripping the strap of his bag over his shoulder.

Ji Youngwon looked down at the top of Yoo Han’s head and said,

“You came here without a dime, wasted my time, and even spilled my coffee. So drop that pitiful face and fix your expression.”

While there was no real rebuttal for wasting Ji Youngwon’s time, deeming his hurt expression as trivial felt brutally harsh. Yoo Han hung his head low and sealed his lips. The request was now a lost cause, and there was no reason for him to endure any more insults here. He tried to leave, but Ji Youngwon’s voice caught him again.

“And,”

Ji Youngwon gestured towards Gu Kangsan, who was near the sofa, signaling him to do something. Flustered, Gu Kangsan skimmed the desk and table. He noticed an unfinished contract.

“People who steal others’ money don’t just keep it lying around. Do you think they saved it up or something? You don’t really think that, do you?”

Yoo Han slowly lifted his head, stunned. Meanwhile, Gu Kangsan, having grabbed the paper and pen, approached Ji Youngwon.

“The 5 million won that Kim Minjae or whoever stole from you isn’t likely to still be in his hands. Thinking you can use that stolen money as down payment is a fool’s errand.”

Even the plain statement of facts felt like it annihilated his character. Yoo Han’s eyes, shaking, met Ji Youngwon’s. To be called a fool was too much. Even a worm will turn if trodden on. Yoo Han could no longer hold back and burst out his last bit of defiance.

“If you’re not going to help, then stop lecturing! I get it, alright?”

Ji Youngwon’s lips curled up as if he had heard something amusing.

“Oh? Who said I’m not going to help?”

His teasing was overbearing. Yoo Han stomped his foot, turning fully to face Ji Youngwon, nearly chest to chest with him.

“You did. You told me to stop joking around and get lost!”

“That’s right, I did. But I’ve changed my mind.”

“And! What?”

Yoo Han’s eyes widened in the midst of spewing his emotions.

“I don’t need the fee, so just take this.”

Gu Kangsan was just as shocked. Ji Youngwon, a man who couldn’t resist the lure of money, saying he didn’t need the fee?

Gu Kangsan pushed the paper and pen towards Yoo Han. With a dazed expression, Yoo Han accepted the contract and turned back to Ji Youngwon.

“You’re not taking the fee? Why would you do my request for free?”

“We’ll compensate in other ways.”

Yoo Han cocked his head, his light hair disheveled over his forehead, revealing neat, well-groomed eyebrows. Ji Youngwon paused, his eyes trailing down from the trembling eyebrows to meet the hazel eyes that matched the light color of Yoo Han’s hair.

“From now on, just come running whenever I call and do what I ask. It’ll be easier than working at the cafe, so it’s a better deal for you.”

The young client exhaled sharply as if he had just returned from a brisk walk. A pointless thought crossed Ji Youngwon’s mind, noting how the sight resembled a puppy that had just enjoyed a stroll.

“What will I be doing?”

“Running errands.”

“What? Errands?”

“I’ll explain the details tomorrow. Fill in the blanks on this form and be at the office by 8 AM.”

“How long will I need to keep doing this errand thing?”

Ji Youngwon tapped Yoo Han’s forehead with his finger as if it was a dumb question.

“Until your case is resolved.”

Silence fell. Yoo Han stood dumbfounded for a moment, his eyelashes fluttering. He seemed to have more questions but eventually nodded. After he left and closed the door, Gu Kangsan turned to Ji Youngwon as if waiting for the chance to speak.

“Director, I didn’t quite catch that. Are you saying you’ll just do his request for free?”

“What kid? As big as he is?”

Ji Youngwon scoffed as he stared at the door through which Yoo Han had exited. Gu Kangsan tactfully opened the closed door, and Ji Youngwon stepped out.

They headed to the office of “Sungshim Planning” on the fourth floor. It sounded fancy as a planning agency, but in reality, it was just another detective agency, no different from the “Speed Errand” center on the second floor. Both were illegal errand centers run by Ji Youngwon.

Strictly speaking, every office in the building, indeed the entire building, belonged to Ji Youngwon. The cafe on the first floor was strategically placed to mitigate potential clients’ psychological resistance, while the second, third, and fourth floors housed offices related to the detective agency.

The third floor contained a storage room with various equipment like spy cams, trackers, baseball bats, and a digital forensics team office. Although clients didn’t directly visit the third floor, the “Speed Errand” on the second floor and “Sungshim Planning” on the fourth floor received a lot of traffic.

The biggest difference between the two offices was the scale of money involved and the clients’ profiles. “Sungshim Planning” dealt mostly with VIP requests that often reached into the millions, while “Speed Errand” handled smaller, day-to-day commissions. This difference was also reflected in the offices’ names and interior designs.

“Hey, Gu Kangmin. The Director’s here.”

Gu Kangmin, the executive checking emails from the international team, stood up abruptly at the unexpected voice. Walking into the office beside Ji Youngwon was his twin brother. Wearing an apron and following closely behind was Gu Kangsan, whose presence alone was enough to signify trouble. Gu Kangsan was often the root cause of incidents both inside and outside the detective agency.

‘Why did this guy have to follow along?’

Manager Gu Kangsan and Executive Gu Kangmin were polar opposites in every respect. Born on the same day from the same womb, their intellectual levels were drastically different. Gu Kangsan knew how to use his brawn as a simple brute, while Executive Gu Kangmin managed the detective agency’s elite with his brains. Consequently, Gu Kangmin tended to disregard his brother.

“What’s going on?”

Gu Kangmin adjusted his rimless glasses, unsettled by Gu Kangsan’s early morning appearance.

Ji Youngwon, weary-faced, nodded as he slumped onto the plush brown sofa. The comfort enveloped him, eliciting a languid tone.

“Ha… Kangsan, do something about the sofa on the second floor. My ass feels like it’s been… stung. The concept is too much.”

True to Ji Youngwon’s words, each office had its own concept. The second floor’s Speed Errand thrived on a disheveled look that seemed to say they’d do anything for money, which justified keeping the worn-out furniture for years. Most visitors to the second floor brought illegal and emotionally charged requests, so the concept worked well.

In contrast, the fourth-floor office, although structurally similar to the second, differed vastly in the state of its furniture and wallpaper. Being a place visited by private detectives, lawyers, corporate bigwigs, and political and financial figures, maintaining a trustworthy and clean appearance was crucial for Sungshim Planning.

Therefore, the sofa Ji Youngwon was lying on at Sungshim Planning was a custom-made piece using real buffalo leather, a far cry from the torn faux leather of the Speed Errand’s brown sofa.

“Yes, Director. I’ll look into getting a similar one soon.”

“Get a used one.”

“Understood.”

Gu Kangsan responded and quickly sat down on the sofa opposite. Executive Gu Kangmin also moved to sit beside his brother. The two brothers, large as they were, faced Ji Youngwon like fledglings opening their mouths for food.

Ji Youngwon glanced at them and chuckled lightly.

“Anything else?”

Executive Gu Kangmin asked again, prompting Ji Youngwon to turn his gaze to the ceiling. His fine hair spread messily over the buffalo leather.

“Yeah. Found a guy for a bell run. Looks ordinary and mild enough to be useful.”

In the detective agency world, a “bell run” was akin to bait. Most of the tasks entering Speed Errand involved debt collection, where unforeseen events often occurred, such as debtors fleeing. Criminals were always on guard. Thanks to the intimidating appearance and bulk of the staff, who mostly came from street gang backgrounds, a debtor had spotted them and fled just two days ago, turning what should have been a day’s job into a prolonged annoyance.

While not a critical issue, it was an annoying waste of time. Ji Youngwon muttered to himself, pondering where to find someone suitable for such a role.

“Was getting annoyed about where to find one.”

Time-sensitive Ji Youngwon was well aware of the ongoing chatter within the office. Plans were afoot to address it soon, but a likely bell-ditcher had crawled in early that morning.

Gu Kangsan pulled out Yoo Han’s contract, which had been folded and stuffed in his apron pocket, and spread it on the table.

“Director, you mean to keep this guy on as a bell-ditcher for a while in exchange for handling his request, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I didn’t even think of that. How did you come up with the idea of using him as a bell-ditcher?”

As Assistant Manager Gu Kangsan scratched his head and asked, Ji Youngwon looked up at the ceiling, which was subtly glittering with mica, and said,

“Because he’s a sore sight.”

“What?”

If Yoo Han had been hurt by his words, or if he’d been dense and kept misunderstanding, or if he’d been hesitant and stuttering without saying much, Ji wouldn’t have considered using him as a bell-ditcher in the first place.

‘I thought it wouldn’t be bad if I stayed here as collateral until the request is done, that’s why…!’

Considering how clever he was in rolling his eyes, he wasn’t dumb at all, and wisely moved away at the hint of being told not to make a fuss. Ji preferred those who could quickly assess situations. Moreover, ‘If you won’t help, then stop nagging. I got it loud and clear.’

Despite shaking like a mouse in a trap, he spoke up boldly. That kind of nerve was necessary for a bell-ditcher at Speed Errand. Ji chuckled through his nose as he lastly recalled Yoo Han’s incredibly ordinary, puppy-like innocent eyes.

To be honest, his audacious nature had a somewhat appealing taste. And typically, these types of people were satisfying to deal with. Offering him a triangle kimbap at the convenience store wasn’t an uncharacteristic act either.