SU | Chapter 4.7

Ah… No wonder there were so many types and the outfits seemed carefully selected. Yoo Han’s eyebrows furrowed deeply, disappointed that the clothes he had been harassed into wearing—according to Ji Youngwon, anyway—were being used for errands.

Steam practically shot from Yoo Han as he set down his spoon and guzzled water. Despite Ji Youngwon doing nothing wrong, Yoo Han felt like he was on an emotional roller coaster, his mood swinging wildly throughout the day.

“Not eating more?”

It was unusual for Yoo Han to leave half a bowl of rice. Especially since he hadn’t seen Ji Youngwon in three days, his appetite had plummeted.

“Yes. Do you want some?”

“Kid. Feels like just the other day you were gobbling down two bowls. Now you’ve put on some weight and your stomach’s full, huh?”

Gu Kangsan joked as he took Yoo Han’s bowl. Yoo Han felt his cheeks, which indeed had more color now.

“But why a club?”

“The kid’s hanging out there, and our guys know the faces well. He could maybe get in as a bouncer, but he looks too rough to be a regular customer.”

“I’ve never been to a club before… What if I can’t get in because I look out of place?”

“Just fix your hair and wear the clothes, you won’t be banned from entry. You’re good-looking enough.”

Gu Kangsan slurped his fishcake soup with rice. Yoo Han, hearing the noisy slurping, fell into thought.

“Manager, am I good-looking?”

“You? Good-looking for sure. Might not seem like it at first, but the more you look, the prettier you get.”

Having never received direct compliments about his looks, Yoo Han bit his lip hard. Really? As Gu Kangsan added more comments, Yoo Han finally blushed and smiled brightly, showing his teeth in a purely youthful manner.

“Thanks. But do you think other people see me as good-looking too?”

“Well. It varies by taste.”

Gu Kangsan quickly finished off the leftover rice as Yoo Han watched.

“Do you want to look good for Director Ji?”

Yoo Han twisted his body shyly, surprised by the accurate hit.

“How did you know?”

“Even I can tell, man.”

Just then, the restaurant auntie brought some fruit as a service. The apple slices, unpeeled, were placed before Yoo Han. His ears turned as red as the apple peels.

“Always such a silly kid.”

After finishing their dessert, Yoo Han and Gu Kangsan got up. “Take care- work hard.” They said goodbye as they left the entrance.

“Huh?”

As Yoo Han stepped onto the street, he paused at a familiar-looking figure. The man had white hair and an odd gait, and a familiar smell tickled his nose.

“That man…”

Yoo Han turned to Gu Kangsan and pointed at the man. While Gu Kangsan was distracted with his phone, he looked up too late. The man had already disappeared into an alley between the office buildings.

“Huh?”

Gu Kangsan tapped Yoo Han’s shoulder, wondering what was up. Yoo Han briefly glanced towards the alley where the man had vanished.

“Never mind. I must’ve seen wrong.”

The inexplicable gaze from beyond the glass, the possibility of it being CEO Baek, the awkwardness of loitering on this street from morning, and the hasty escape into the alley all seemed suspicious. Yoo Han forcefully shrugged off the creepy feeling and pulled Gu Kangsan along.

Yoo Han kept fiddling with his hair awkwardly. Seated in the back row of the Starex, Hwangso waved his hands furiously.

“Why are you messing it up after I styled it?”

“Ah. It feels a bit awkward.”

“It’s a hundred times better than what you usually wear, so stop touching it.”

Horangi, who was driving, chimed in.

“You didn’t know when you were just wearing shabby clothes, but dressing up like this, you look like a modern college student?”

The praise continued unabated. Despite appreciating compliments, Yoo Han, with no immunity to comments about his appearance, shyly bowed his head.

Dark jeans with a brand logo on the back pocket, an ocean blue oversized shirt with a unique collar, and a barley tea-colored short jumper. He had never imagined wearing such trendy clothes in his lifetime. Yoo Han felt awkward in the expensive brands he was clad in. It felt like wearing clothes that didn’t fit.

“Hmm… do they suit me?”

Having been showered with compliments, Yoo Han suddenly thought of Director Ji. Even if the clothes were meant for assignments rather than gifts, shouldn’t he show this look to the director who had spent so much on him? Yoo Han entered the director’s message box, which had been silent for three days, and began to type.

I’m wearing the clothes you bought for today’s assignment.

I’ll do well haha

And everyone says the clothes suit me well.

While Yoo Han was sending the message, the vehicle had already arrived at the back entrance of the club.

“We’re here.”

Hearing Gu Kangsan’s words, Yoo Han swallowed nervously. Expensive foreign cars honked their horns, dominating the road, while groups of young people buzzed around them. Shrill drunken screams occasionally burst out. The street, filled with neon lights, seemed to spin before Yoo Han’s eyes.

“Ready? Just need to pull him outside.”

A bouncer, already bribed, would let Yoo Han in without a problem, but after that, it was all up to Yoo Han’s own abilities.

“Am I really going in alone?”

Gu Kangsan was well aware that having the guards pull someone out was the simplest method. Unfortunately, the runaway young man who was today’s subject had already slipped away once when approached that way.

So today, Gu Kangsan had devised a different tactic. Having heard rumors that the target was dabbling in drugs, he planned to use Yoo Han in a sting operation involving methamphetamine trade from a car, commonly referred to as “chachigi.”

“Yeah, I’ve bribed a few more guards around, so you shouldn’t get hurt.”

“Whew… It’s my first time doing this alone, so I’m a bit nervous.”

“Since there’s a lot of slang involved, you might not understand half of what’s said. Just remember to use what you’ve memorized and respond appropriately.”

“Okay.”

Gu Kangsan generally seemed to care for Yoo Han, but he was strict about tasks. Even if Yoo Han showed fear or nervousness, Gu Kangsan wouldn’t console him. Thanks to this, Yoo Han was able to focus more sharply on the task at hand.

“I’ll be back.”

Yoo Han took a deep breath and received pats on the shoulder from his brothers as he left.

Standing at the endlessly long line at the club’s entrance, Yoo Han took in the chaotic scene of hedonism around him. Women in tight clothes gathered in small groups, tapping their faces with cushion compacts, while men around his age stood behind them, puffing on e-cigarettes and trying to look cool.

Yoo Han, like an explorer discovering a new continent, gazed around with sparkling eyes. Of course, he had often seen young people hanging around clubs when returning home from construction work. Back then, he envied how carefree they were, enjoying their nightlife. He never thought he’d be in line to enter a club himself, yet here he was, amusingly enough.

Lost in thought, Yoo Han didn’t notice a woman in front turning to glance at him. He smiled awkwardly when their eyes met. The woman covered her mouth, giggling quietly before whispering something to her friend.

‘Maybe they’re mocking me as a loser.’

Yoo Han, familiar with such mockery since childhood, felt disheartened and looked away towards the cigarette butts and business cards strewn across the road.

“Excuse me.” The woman he’d made eye contact with spoke to him.

“Did you come here alone?”

Caught off guard, Yoo Han simply nodded.

“You look young, how old are you?”

Having never received attention from women, Yoo Han could only roll his wide eyes.

“I’m twenty-one…”

“Wow, you’re five years younger than me.” The woman laughed heartily, tapping her friend’s shoulder.

“Listen to him. He’s kind of cute.”

Not knowing how to react, Yoo Han twisted his lips into a forced smile. As they neared the entrance, the heavy bass vibrating through his body intensified. Yoo Han just wanted to get inside, complete his mission, and avoid any complications with strangers.

The women seemed amused by the sight of a good-looking guy standing cluelessly alone and kept trying to engage him in conversation. Yoo Han would awkwardly smile back but offered no real responses. Men standing behind him peeked over, blowing smoke, curious about his face.

Soon, it was the women’s turn. The suited guards joked with them as they checked their IDs, their scanners flicking out like tongues tasting the air. Yoo Han watched this absent-mindedly until a sudden tug on his shoulder startled him.

“He’s with us.”

Taken aback, Yoo Han looked bewildered as the woman pulled him along. The guard barely glanced at him before extending his hand. Oh, his ID. As Yoo Han fumbled for it, the woman seized the moment to drag him inside the club. Other staff quickly stamped his hand with a blue mark and handed him a wristband with a barcode. It all happened in a blur. Before he knew it, the thunderous music was tearing at his ears.

“Why did you do that all of a sudden?”

Yoo Han shook off the woman’s hand, still holding onto his wrist. She leaned close and yelled in his ear.

“Didn’t you know? Nowadays, clubs often don’t let single men in. They seem to cause the most trouble. Plus, it’s your first time, right? Looked like you didn’t know anyone here, so I just saved you from getting banned. Be thankful!”

Yoo Han blinked, stunned. Ideally, he would have shown his ID to the bribed guard, marking his entry as Gu had planned. While he appreciated the woman’s help, the unexpected situation had him flustered.

‘…I hope this doesn’t complicate things.’

Well, he had managed to get in, so maybe it was alright. Yoo Han immediately pulled out his phone to memorize the runaway’s face again. The young man had almost shoulder-length, bright blue hair and was supposedly partying in a private room upstairs. All he had to do was find that distinctive look on the second floor.

The woman frowned at Yoo Han’s unresponsive demeanor. Maybe he wasn’t clueless, just rude.

“Ha, what kind of guy is this?”

Annoyed, the woman turned away from the young man staring at his phone without even thanking her. Left alone, Yoo Han stood by a wall bathed in red light and dialed Gu Kangsan’s number. Just as he was about to send a text confirming his entry, someone bumped his shoulder hard.

“Ah!”

“Fuck, the corridor’s already cramped, why the hell are you standing here?”

A burly man cursed as he headed toward the exit. Yoo Han put away his phone. It was hard to be distracted here. He needed to stay alert to avoid any trouble.