SU | Chapter 2.10

Getting out of Seoul meant they were likely staying for more than a day. It was a conclusion everyone knew without Gu Kangsan needing to point it out.

Ji Youngwon pulled out a second phone and quickly jotted down notes.

“I told you that if we catch evidence during the night, it adds an extra two hundred, right?”

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The duration for surveillance to catch evidence was typically a week, starting at five hundred. Even if they managed to catch strong evidence in just one day, the client still had to pay the full five hundred. ─ And that was only for the hours between 9 AM and midnight. If it went past midnight, an additional two hundred was added as an option─

Yoohan, who had no idea about the fee structure for the family investigation team, gaped at Ji Youngwon’s words. Ji Youngwon, who had accepted the case for one hundred fifty, looked like an angel in comparison.

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“Yeah. They tell you to read the contract carefully, but when it comes to catching their husband, they go crazy and say they’ll pay whatever it takes.”

“Since it’s come to this, let’s not drag it out and solve everything today.”

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While residential spaces like officetels or apartments required multiple entry records, the rules changed when using a clear ‘lodging facility.’ Just visiting a lodging facility could serve as strong evidence of infidelity, which meant they wouldn’t need to lay low for several days.

The next day, as Ji Youngwon checked the schedule, he seemed pleased.

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“Seven hundred for an overnight stay isn’t a bad deal for the speed.”

“The client mentioned that the mistress seems to be someone from the company. Given that they were picked up outside, it seems like they might have misjudged.”

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“Who knows? They might have intentionally met outside.”

They traveled for another forty minutes. After winding through dirt roads, they arrived in the middle of a forest filled with log cabins.

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Gu Kangsan parked the car in a suitable spot and looked around. A red vehicle was parked in front of a makeshift container box that looked like an office.

“Do you think they’ve already gone into the lodging?”

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When Gu Kangsan asked, Ji Youngwon tapped the window with his finger.

“No. The woman is still in the car.”

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Yoohan, who had been dozing off, suddenly perked up. He pressed his palm against the window and looked at the car across from them.

“Wow. This feels like a drama.”

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As Yoohan spoke, a white breath fogged up the window before disappearing. Ji Youngwon kicked the passenger seat again, asking if he had come to play. Yoohan, undeterred, kept an eye on the mistress’s movements. The woman in the passenger seat was diligently fixing her makeup, her lips curling into a smile. She seemed quite excited, applying lipstick in various colors and then wiping it off with a wet tissue in a frenzy.

Wow, seriously, there are so many shameless people like Kim Minjae in this world. Just like the first case, Yoohan couldn’t help but think of that jerk again. Even when he tried to forget, situations like this made those thoughts bubble up unconsciously.

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A moment later, the cheating husband appeared from the container box. He seemed to have received barbecue ingredients from the owner, as he was loaded down with bags in both hands. The woman who got out of the car approached him, and the two of them, happily sharing the load, headed towards the log cabin on the left.

Seeing the seemingly peaceful affair of the cheating couple made Yoohan puff up his cheeks in frustration. Thinking about the client who had stepped into this shady investigation agency to catch those two shameless people made his stomach churn.

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“Manager Kangsan, we should—”

“Shh.”

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Gu Kangsan cut off Yoohan’s words, placing a finger to his lips. As he adjusted the angle for the black box, he nodded in satisfaction.

“Keep recording, so don’t mess with it.”

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“Ah, okay.”

After giving a brief warning, Gu Kangsan turned to Ji Youngwon.

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“I’ll go check if there are any rooms available.”

As Gu Kangsan opened the driver’s door and left, silence enveloped the car. Yoohan passed the time by looking out the window. He had never set foot in Gangwon-do for evidence gathering before. Although it was a situation where he couldn’t afford to relax, the lush nature and the row of wooden buildings made his heart feel lighter.

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‘This is amazing.’

It felt like he had suddenly fallen into a dreamland. In front of the office, two white dogs were tied up, eating, and across from them, a makeshift green tent flapped in the wind. Upon closer inspection, there was a ping-pong table set up inside.

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‘If I say I want to play, I’ll get scolded.’

Trying to shake off his excitement, Yoohan quickly resigned himself and leaned forward again. Ji Youngwon, who had been receiving updates on Seongsim Planning’s progress on his phone, suddenly spoke up.

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“Take out the glasses from your bag and wear them.”

“Huh?”

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“Don’t make me say it twice.”

Giving up on asking further, Yoohan pulled out the black horn-rimmed glasses.

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“There’s a button on the end of the right temple. Press it.”

Without any further questions, he pressed the button, and a red light briefly flickered before disappearing.

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“As long as I don’t touch it, keep wearing them.”

“Ah… even when I sleep?”

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Ji Youngwon replied dryly.

“Do you think there will be time to sleep? You need to record them doing the deed.”

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The crude remark coming from his neatly composed face felt quite jarring. Yoohan tried hard to ignore the gap that he couldn’t seem to adapt to as he fiddled with the glasses. It was clear that they had a spy cam function.

‘Barbarian.’

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He didn’t want to spy on someone else’s intimate moments, but he knew that speaking up would only earn him scorn, so he kept his mouth shut. He could always make an excuse about having a stomachache and pass the glasses to someone else.

“Alright, I understand….”

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At Yoohan’s vague response, Ji Youngwon shot him a glance. Soon after, Gu Kangsan returned. He opened the driver’s door and suddenly leaned in.

“There’s a canceled lodging available.”

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“How much?”

“With options like a bathtub and massage chair, it’s two hundred seventy thousand won. It’s basic for two people, and adding one more makes it three thousand extra, totaling three hundred thousand.”

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“Thirty for a rundown log cabin for one night… haha. These guys are like highway robbers.”

“What should we do?”

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“Book the lodging. Don’t treat this as operating expenses; include it in the estimate for the client.”

Hearing this, Yoohan subtly shook his head. Who were they calling highway robbers? Anyway, what a stingy money ghost.

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“Show me the way.”

Ji Youngwon, who got out of the car, slammed the door shut. Yoohan, hastily putting on the glasses, followed him with quick steps. He absentmindedly kicked the dry pine cones on the dirt floor, trying to calm his excited heart. Whether it was a blessing or a curse, the lodging they would stay in was right next to the log cabin where the cheating husband and mistress had entered.

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Feeling hungry, Gu Kangsan asked Ji Youngwon before opening the door.

“Should we go out for dinner?”

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“Since we need to capture the black box footage, let’s keep the car parked if possible, and ask if they can prepare dinner here.”

“Got it.”

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Gu Kangsan handed the keys to Yoohan and headed back to the office with heavy steps. As Yoohan examined the square plastic key, he opened the door. The lodging they entered had a fairly spacious living room and one bedroom. A balcony connected to the outside had glass sliding doors that opened up to a view of the expansive forest and stream. The stream, reflecting the evening sun, sparkled like it was adorned with jewels.

Yoohan stood there, mouth agape, slowly approaching the balcony. The balcony had a split wooden table and four backless chairs, likely where they would grill meat. Even as he tried to calm his fluttering heart, the refreshing scent of phytoncides wafting in through his nose kept tickling his heart. Perhaps it was because the house was made of wood, or maybe it was because the balcony was wide open, but the smell of nature was strong.

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‘This is insane. It really feels like I’m on a trip.’

Embarrassingly, Yoohan had never experienced a ‘trip’ except for school outings in elementary school. Of course, this was his first visit to a pension as well.

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After finishing his outdoor exploration, Yoohan noticed a large TV mounted on one wall of the living room and a golden massage chair next to it. Excited, he rushed over to the massage chair. Occasionally, after finishing construction work, he would go to a jjimjilbang and use the massage chair after inserting a few coins.

As he searched for a coin slot, Ji Youngwon suddenly tugged at the hood of Yoohan’s sweatshirt.

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“Ugh.”

“Are you here to play?”

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Yoohan, feeling his neck heat up, pouted.

“Go out to the balcony and check the next cabin.”

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Feeling deflated, Yoohan approached the open balcony and squeezed his feet into the blue outdoor shoes. He absentmindedly fiddled with his reddened neck. As he dragged the oversized outdoor shoes towards the wooden table, he felt a gaze on him from somewhere. Yoohan turned his face without thinking.

“…….”

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Someone was looking at him with a cigarette in their mouth. He was so surprised that he almost coughed. Maintaining his composure, Yoohan slightly lowered his head.

The mistress, spotting the young and cute boy on the adjacent balcony, smiled brightly.

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“Hello?”

The girl, who he thought would turn her head away, suddenly greeted him. Yoohan swallowed hard.

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“Ah… hello.”

Ji Youngwon, who had been standing in the middle of the living room, approached the balcony upon hearing the commotion. By then, Yoohan was still frozen, making eye contact with the girl. The girl, noticing the wary expression on the young boy’s face, smiled again, looking a bit embarrassed. She quickly waved the cigarette in her hand.

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“Ah… are you still a minor? I can’t seem to get it lit; could I borrow a lighter?”

Without a moment’s thought, Yoohan slowly nodded.

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“I’m not a minor, but… just a second. I’ll ask my brother.”

“Brother? It seems like you came on a family trip. You all get along well.”

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“Haha, yeah….”

Is this right? Yoohan awkwardly smiled and turned around. Ji Youngwon, who had been there all along, was leaning against the wall, looking at Yoohan.

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“Whoa, you scared me.”

“What is it?”

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Ji Youngwon asked quietly, and Yoohan stiffly extended his hand, glancing at the girl.

“Uh, my brother. She wants to borrow a lighter.”

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Having grasped the situation, Ji Youngwon let out a short sigh. It was easier to handle things without interaction, but with the balconies being so close, it wasn’t that simple. While it might be advantageous for capturing evidence, it was better not to create situations that could lead to being discovered from the start.

“Go give it to her.”

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Yoohan reached out for the lighter, but Ji Youngwon grabbed his wrist. In an instant, he was pulled forward.

“Ugh?”

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Their chests were uncomfortably close. Startled by the proximity, Yoohan quickly raised his head. Instinctively, he lifted his hands to push Ji Youngwon away.

“Wh-what are you doing…!”

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Ji Youngwon, pulling Yoohan to a spot where the girl couldn’t see, whispered softly in his ear.

“When you hand it over, take a quick look inside the lodging.”

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Ji Youngwon’s breath tickled Yoohan’s ear. In that instant, a shiver raced down Yoohan’s spine, every hair on his body standing on end as if reaching for the sky.

Even when he blinked, all he could see was Ji Youngwon’s solid chest. The faint traces of his cologne had nearly disappeared, leaving behind only the heavy scent of Ji Youngwon himself—an intensely personal fragrance that clung to the air, teasing his senses.

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It was like the smell of earth after rain, a scent so subtle it was easy to miss on any ordinary day.