TE Ch 10

Koo Bbing spotted Mookyeong and waved enthusiastically. His noticeably short pinky finger was the first thing that caught the eye.

“Oh, Boss Mookyeong! I brought a card sharp, and let me tell you, he’s the real deal. He’s good at this, and he’s killer at this.”

Koo Bbing shook his hand in front of his mouth and then rubbed his fingertips together.

“A card sharp?”

“Yeah. I’m going to train him here for a bit, and when we open the new gambling house, we’ll give him a big push.”

He must have been a big deal, because Koo Bbing was excited the whole time. Hongju glanced at Manager Yang. His expression was even more contorted than before; it seemed he didn’t like the card sharp Koo Bbing had brought. Manager Yang was very jealous of anyone who was better than him. He was skilled at openly harassing people and causing them mental anguish. It was probably the same with the uncle he had chased out not long ago, calling him a gigolo. He saw him as a thorn in his side because he was tall and handsome and swept up all the tips.

“Ah. Where did you bring him from? Can you just bring anyone in like that?”

“From a gambling house run by a guy I used to work with. He said he came up from the countryside not long ago. Hey, Doksa¹! Come here!”

Koo Bbing’s voice echoed through the hallway. A loud “Yes!” was heard from inside. Doksa? Mookyeong mumbled the word a few times.

“What a name. They all sound so cheap.”

He looked at Hongju with an obvious smirk, seeking agreement. But Hongju avoided his gaze and just stared at the end of the hallway. If he kept acting so familiar, Manager Yang or Koo Bbing would get suspicious. Manager Yang, in particular, was quick-witted, so there was a high chance he would be found out.

“Yes, boss.”

“Come here. This is the gambling house crew. Introduce yourself.”

“Greetings.”

The man introduced as Doksa looked to be around Hongju’s age. He had fiercely upturned eyes, and tattoos wrapped around his arms and neck. Koo Bbing introduced them one by one.

“Especially Boss Mookyeong here, he’s our benefactor.”

“I see.”

Doksa nodded at Mookyeong. After that, Koo Bbing started to get excited again. How much he won at the first gambling house he met him at, who he used his skills against to win how much… Hongju wasn’t interested in the long stories. He sat there like a dummy, lost in his own thoughts.

“Hongju?”

“…..”

At the sound of his name, Hongju opened his eyes wide. The conversation had somehow come to an end. Koo Bbing had rushed into the first room, and Mookyeong had just gotten up to answer a call. The only ones left at the desk were Manager Yang, Doksa, and Hongju.

“You hurt your face a lot?”

“Yes.”

“Did you fight, or did you get hit?”

“Yes.”

Hongju kept repeating the same answer, even though it didn’t fit the flow of the conversation. But Doksa, far from being offended, chuckled and said it was funny. The louder his laughter, the deeper the furrow in Manager Yang’s brow became.

“Did you put any medicine on it?”

“…It’ll heal soon.”

It was a cold tone, devoid of any social skills. Whether he was embarrassed or not, Doksa kept trying to talk to him. Just as he was answering, feeling uncomfortable, Koo Bbing’s voice started to boom again.

“Doksa, there’s an empty seat here. Deal some cards.”

“Yes, coming.”

Only after glancing at Hongju one more time did Doksa leave. As soon as he was a little away from the desk, Manager Yang leaned towards Hongju.

“Stick close to that guy and keep a close eye on him. I don’t know how much Koo Bbing paid him, but something feels off.”

“…Is he staying at the dorm?”

The dorm was just a basement studio. It was where Choi Gun, the thug, and Hongju lived. Since the thug and Choi Gun took turns working, it was rare for all three of them to sleep in the same room, but it wasn’t unheard of. How suffocating would it be to have another person in there? He thought of the cramped room where they could barely lie down.

“I think so. Keep a good eye on him.”

Both Manager Yang and Koo Bbing were experts at investigating people. Even if they seemed to bring people in casually, they always meticulously investigated them before letting them into their circle. Whether it was the thug who worked at the gambling house, Choi Gun, or even Boss Mookyeong, whom they hailed as their lifeline. They probably even knew the details of the two employees Mookyeong brought in to help with work. It seemed like they had already investigated Doksa, but something still bothered them.

“Did something strange come up?”

“It just feels that way. Where did he suddenly pop up from?”

“Ah… Yes.”

He answered, but he didn’t really intend to watch him. Right now, the person Hongju had to watch was Koo Bbing, not the new card sharp.

There were a lot of unfamiliar faces at the gambling house today. Koo Bbing was very pleased, saying it was because he had brought in a good person. Manager Yang gnashed his teeth, watching Doksa walk around with his pockets full of tips. After doing that for a while, he went into one of the rooms, saying he would play some cards. Because there were more staff, Hongju wasn’t as busy as before. But that didn’t mean he didn’t have to run errands for Mookyeong.

“Boss Mookyeong wants to see you.”

“…..”

How many times had he been summoned already? When he went, he would just ask him useless questions like before. Hongju was sure it would be the same this time. As soon as he entered, he saw Mookyeong perched on the windowsill. He was tapping the end of his long, straight legs and clean shoes. Hongju glanced at the open doorway without a door and headed towards Mookyeong. He got close enough for Mookyeong to hear his whisper.

“Stop talking only to me. Koo Bbing or Manager Yang will notice.”

At the small reprimand, Mookyeong just tilted his head. A few strands of hair fell over his forehead and swayed slightly.

“Then I won’t be able to send… anymore.”

Hongju couldn’t bring himself to say the word ‘messages.’ Mookyeong chuckled, realizing it. Just then, Koo Bbing’s voice could be heard. His gruff voice, mixed with curses, seemed to be getting closer. At the sound of footsteps growing louder, Hongju tried to back away. But Mookyeong reached out first. His large hand, without a glove, grabbed Hongju’s arm and pulled him. It was a light gesture, but his strength was so great that Hongju couldn’t find a chance to resist. 

His body was forcibly pulled between Mookyeong’s long legs. Startled by the close proximity, Hongju placed his hands on Mookyeong’s shoulders. He tried to create some distance, but Mookyeong’s hand wrapped around his waist, preventing him from backing away.

“That won’t do. I’m being so good to you.”

“Let, let go.”

The hand firmly supporting his waist ran over his deflated padding. He felt the large hand brush against his buttocks and wrap around his thigh. The footsteps behind him were becoming clearer. Hongju swallowed hard and pushed Mookyeong’s shoulders again. But Mookyeong instead leaned his face closer, tilting his head and looking down. It was so close that the breath from his lips scattered over Hongju’s lips. 

Is it possible for a person to be so stunned that they can’t even move a finger? Hongju couldn’t take his eyes off Mookyeong’s long eyelashes.

“What, what is this? This scene?”

The footsteps stopped right in front of the doorway. His gruff voice made Hongju snap out of it. Hongju roughly pushed against the solid shoulders. This time, the large body yielded. Mookyeong curled up the corners of his mouth and let out a faint laugh. Then, as if he had done nothing, he spoke in a casual tone.

“Ah, the old man has no tact.”

Koo Bbing’s sly eyes darted back and forth between Mookyeong and Hongju. Hongju said nothing, keeping his gaze fixed on the floor. Why did things suddenly turn out this way? He was so flustered that his heart was racing, and he felt hot all over, just like when he was beaten up. 

As he took a deep breath to calm himself down, he imagined he could smell the scent that emanated from Mookyeong.

“Well, well… How long has it been, and you two are already hitting it off? Did you already give it up, Hongju? He’s got an eye for things, I’ll give him that.”

“Can’t have a cake and eat it too, gotta have some give and take.”

Mookyeong reached out and grabbed the worn-out padding pocket, pulling him closer. He even tapped the area below Hongju’s thigh. It was similar to Koo Bbing’s habit. Hongju instantly frowned and backed away.

“Wow. Boss Mookyeong, I knew you were coming here often, but you had other intentions, huh? But you picked the wrong person. Hongju’s standards are high. He won’t just spread his legs for anyone.”

Koo Bbing laughed slyly and placed a manila envelope on the table.

“If I were Madam Koo, I would have trained him as a card sharp.”

“No way. He has no skills, and he’s not the type to snuggle up to you.”

“Who said anything about that kind of sharp?”

As he spoke, he slowly scanned Hongju up and down. The gaze, so blatantly and disgustingly obvious, made the muscles on Hongju’s jaw tighten.

“Hahaha. I’ve had him since he was so young, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. Hmm, but should I try now? Well, are you buying, Boss Mookyeong? Are you interested in buying?”

He was talking so smoothly, even though he was just frantically unzipping his pants, asking to suck his cock. The disgusting image of him, flushed with excitement, lingered in his mind. He could almost smell the foul odor of semen. Nausea welled up, and Hongju clenched his molars tightly.

“With the way things are now?”

Mookyeong slowly licked his lips with his bright red tongue. His glistening eyes held Hongju’s gaze. The two men made crude jokes and laughed, with Hongju in the middle. Koo Bbing’s laughter, in particular, was disgusting, like phlegm stuck in his throat. But Hongju didn’t get angry or storm out. He vaguely sensed Mookyeong’s intention. A heavy arm rested on Hongju’s shoulder as he stared at the floor. Koo Bbing, acting friendly, whispered in his ear so everyone could hear.

“Hongju, if you’re not going to give it up properly, don’t try to seduce our Boss Mookyeong, okay? He’s an innocent man who only knows money.”

Hongju roughly shrugged off the hand on his shoulder and turned around. He felt Koo Bbing pushing him from behind. He was forced to step over the threshold, but he turned back. Mookyeong, who was walking towards the table, quickly winked one eye and smiled.

“…..”

Maybe it would have been better to be suspected. Hongju left the room. The conversation coming from the open room seemed to be about construction. Hongju went straight to the desk at the end of the hallway. He checked the padding pocket that Mookyeong had pulled on earlier. He wasn’t sure, but he had felt a hand slip into his pocket.

“…What’s with the medicine?”

It was two unopened painkillers. He pressed his throbbing cheek with the bottom of his palm. After fidgeting with the pills for a while, Hongju called out to a passing employee. He asked him to watch his spot for a moment and headed to a nearby convenience store. He scraped together what little money he had and bought a bottle of water. He swallowed the cool water with the pills. The effect would probably be fast as he had no tolerance for medicine. He put the half-empty water bottle in his pocket and headed back to the gambling house.