IMFOBO | CH 2 | Tangled Up Together

Tangled Up Together

 

“You little shit!”

 

One of the bulky guys pulled a long sashimi knife from his jacket, along with the crude curse.

 

The moment Eun-cho saw the menacing blade glinting in the sunlight, her intense inner debate abruptly ended.

 

She’d never handled metal like that, except for acupuncture needles used to save people.

 

A distinct sense of animosity and murderous intent struck a chill in her heart.

 

“…Help me!”

 

She had a vague but firm conviction that this situation would only end with someone dead or injured.

 

There was no way she could handle these reckless thugs on her own.

 

The man watched Eun-cho’s face turn pale and smiled faintly.

 

“Bingo. Quick thinking. I like it.”

 

He lightly twisted the struggling loan shark’s arm, forcing it higher up his back.

 

A sickening sound, like bones and muscles tearing apart, echoed sharply. A groan of agony instantly filled the air.

 

The man tossed the guy onto the ground like garbage and casually stomped on his back.

 

Whether it was from the impact of the fall, the loan shark’s jaw was a bloody mess.

 

A pool of blood seeped out, soaking the reddish-brown dirt.

 

“You should really size up your opponent before you attack, Tak-soo.”

 

“…!”

 

Were they acquainted?

 

The thugs gathered in the yard, including Eun-cho, stirred with unease.

 

Their expressions were shocked.

 

The man clearly knew the thug’s name, despite obviously being a stranger, which was definitely out of the ordinary.

 

“Executive Director.”

 

Just then, someone hurried through the gate.

 

This person exuded a completely different aura and appearance than the man.

 

The subordinate, adjusting his square silver-rimmed glasses, deftly weaved through the thugs.

 

“Clean it up. Quietly.”

 

The man called “Executive Director” pressed down hard on the struggling loan shark’s back once more before stepping back.

 

Commanding others with such an arrogant tone came so naturally to him.

 

It became strikingly clear that the world he inhabited was vastly different.

 

Dazed and overwhelmed, Eun-cho’s mind went blank.

 

The man looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t place him.

 

He watched the misfortune of others without so much as raising an eyebrow.

 

As if this kind of chaos was second nature to him, he was utterly unfazed.

 

Yet, in his sleek physique, she sensed a noble bearing that had accumulated over the years, a testament to his life experiences.

 

From the pitch and tone of his voice to his posture, gait, and gestures.

 

It wasn’t something that could be simply imitated.

 

The imposing aura seemed innate, explainable only by the accumulation of lived experiences.

 

Eun-cho suddenly felt intensely curious about this man. Her throat tightened.

 

“Eun-cho, I’d like a word with you.”

 

She wasn’t particularly surprised that the man, who knew the thug’s name, also knew her full name.

 

He pulled a cigarette case from his inner pocket and gestured briefly toward Eun-cho. It was unexpected from someone who seemed like he wouldn’t care about other people’s opinions or circumstances.

 

Nevertheless, his nonchalant attitude made it clear who was in control of this situation.

 

His raw, unrefined gaze settled back on Eun-cho like a fixture.

 

Unable to withstand the sudden silence, Eun-cho nodded almost involuntarily, and only then did he place a cigarette between his lips.

 

He was far too relaxed, considering they were facing someone wielding a sashimi knife.

 

“The guy with the knife isn’t the one you should be worried about.”

 

Several burly men quickly rushed toward where the clean-cut man had disappeared.

 

Eun-cho flinched at the ensuing screams.

 

Amidst the chaos, a low voice powerfully assaulted her ears.

 

This man had the power to effortlessly resolve this mess; he was the one Eun-cho needed to pay attention to.

 

Besides, the strong smell of blood was making her feel nauseous.

 

She needed to get away from here, if only to calm her churning stomach.

 

“This way, please.”

 

Eun-cho led the man to a pavilion deep within the detached residence.

 

The pavilion was her grandmother’s most cherished space.

 

Lotuses swayed on the water, their reflections rippling across the surface.

 

Thanks to the trees that had taken root over the years, the temperature here was cooler than elsewhere.

 

It was hard to tell if the unusual chill was due to the shade of the trees or the presence of the man before her.

 

Her racing heart still wouldn’t calm down.

 

It was a situation where anxiety was natural, but the man’s composure made Eun-cho feel like her reaction was abnormal.

 

“Please, have some.”

 

In any case, she owed him a great debt.

 

If it hadn’t been for this man, it would have been her, not the thugs, bleeding all over the ground.

 

Cheongnim Village was famous for its tea fields.

 

Eun-cho brewed first-flush tea with tea leaves she had personally picked in the early morning after the Cheongmyeong holiday.

 

Even if the man was an unwelcome guest, she wanted to offer him something precious as gratitude for saving her life.

 

As she poured the green tea into small, jade-colored teacups, a subtle grassy scent filled the air.

 

Eun-cho carefully scrutinized the man, remaining on guard.

 

His handsome face and the strong muscles of his rolled-up sleeves, with their blue veins, were oddly mismatched yet harmonious.

 

Cheongnim-ri, Hahseong County, was a small village with fewer than 50 households.

 

Everyone was so close that they knew when the neighbor’s dog had puppies, how many, and even their markings.

 

In such a closed-off village, an outsider like this man stood out like a rock in a stream.

 

No sooner had he arrived in the village than he sought out Bong Soo-ji, another outsider like herself.

 

That alone was no ordinary matter.

 

“You seem to know about me already, so I think introductions are in order.”

 

“Ah… You’re the calculating type, Eun-cho.”

 

He brought the teacup to his lips.

 

The hand holding the teacup was masculine, with thick, straight joints.

 

There was an air of refinement in the way he leisurely savored the tea.

 

It was hard to believe this was the same man who had exuded a raw, barbaric aura just moments ago.

 

Moreover, it didn’t seem like he would willingly reveal his identity.

 

In that case, it was time to take the offensive.

 

“Are you a gangster? Some upper-class mobster, higher up than those loan sharks?”

 

“Your judgment of character is terrible. What do you take me for? I’m an Ivy League graduate.”

 

“Oh, a gangster with a foreign education?”

 

A strange spark ignited in the man’s eyes as he grinned, seemingly unconcerned.

 

She didn’t know what he found so amusing.

 

A mischievous desire to get a rise out of the man, who seemed to be playing with her, surfaced.

 

Eun-cho deliberately mimicked his tone, trying to provoke him.

 

If she kept pushing like this, there would eventually be a moment when he would reveal his true colors, even if just a little.

 

“The woman next door who plays cards says she went to Ewha University.”

 

One more shot.

 

His left eyebrow arched noticeably.

 

He was definitely intrigued.

 

Having elicited a reaction, she figured she was halfway to success.

 

Given the aura he exuded, he probably wasn’t the type to go around explaining himself.

 

So this kind of situation must be rare for him.

 

He pulled a card case from his inner pocket.

 

[Ryu Tae-san, Executive Director, Baekwoon Construction]

 

“Ah…”

 

Seeing the neatly printed name made it even more puzzling why this man had come to Cheongnim Village.

 

He looked vaguely familiar. He was someone she often saw on the news.

 

Baekwoon Construction was one of the leading construction companies in Korea, with affiliates in hotels and distribution, a core part of the Baekwoon Group.

 

Why would a successful executive director from a powerful family come to this remote countryside?

 

Could she trust his identity with just this simple business card?

 

The man chuckled softly at her suspicious expression.

 

“You’re too suspicious. You’d never get scammed.”

 

“Since we’re both probably short on time, shall we get to the point?”

 

As if nothing was amiss, Eun-cho discreetly searched for the man’s name on her phone, hidden under the small table.

 

‘Ryu Tae-sahn.’ Despite the typo, the smart search engine quickly displayed his information all over the screen.

 

The photo matched him.

 

Overseas construction contracts, profits, a third-generation heir’s management… A flurry of articles appeared one after another.

 

“What’s your relationship with Ryu Jung-seok?”

 

Then, the man asked an unexpected question.

 

First Bong Soo-ji, and now Ryu Jung-seok.

 

The familiar name made her heart drop.

 

“Let me work at your clinic for a few months.”

 

“I don’t need pay, just hide Soo-ji and me.”

 

Jung-seok had been troubled, unable to explain the details.

 

Eun-cho hadn’t pressed him for answers but had hidden them without hesitation.

 

Jung-seok had introduced her to her first job at a clinic in Jaedong, and she had been indebted to him throughout her time in medical school.

 

She felt this was an opportunity to repay him.

 

Even with this imposing man before her, Eun-cho didn’t regret her decision that day.

 

She only strengthened her resolve to protect the two of them from Ryu Tae-san.

 

There was a trap in the question the man had just thrown.

 

Eun-cho’s eyelids fluttered slightly.

 

Just as she was choosing her words, the man spoke first.

 

“Ryu Jung-seok, Bong Soo-ji, and Eun-cho. I’m asking if you three are tangled up together.”

 

“Tangled up together.”

 

The explicit words felt unreal, scratching at her ears.

 

After the unwelcome words passed by, a ringing sensation lingered, stretching out endlessly.