KTSR | Chapter 40

He spewed smoke like a steam locomotive and shouted,

“Am I meeting a cop right now or some cocky junior? I’m feeling all mixed up.”

“Cops, damn it. Is there anyone who knows better than me how much trouble it is when they show up? Because of the house, even the thought of cops gives me hives.”

Kwon Hyeongdo’s smooth talk quickly eased Jang Munyong’s mood.

He might seem like someone who got along with everyone, but in reality, Jang Munyong had a sharp eye for people. And the ones he liked were those who were good at their jobs.

Kwon Hyeongdo was efficient and quick-witted, so Jang Munyong trusted him.

“Yeah. I was a bit sensitive. These days, our relationship isn’t as tight as it used to be, right? The days of rubbing shoulders in the sauna and calling each other brothers are over.”

Kwon Hyeongdo thought of Executive Director Ma.

Ma Gijung was greedy. He couldn’t understand why Trevi and the Colosseum were being managed separately despite being in the same area.

Jang Munyong also shuddered at the mention of Ma Gijung, calling him a guy who would even split a flea to eat it.

“Since you mentioned that, you better watch your back. I’ve heard things too.”

Jang Munyong lowered his voice in warning. Having already gathered all the information he wanted, Kwon Hyeongdo neither confirmed nor denied anything.

“I’m a newbie here, so there’s nothing for me to watch out for. The kids should listen to me first.”

At his exaggerated complaint, Jang Munyong laughed. “That’s nonsense, damn it.”

Meanwhile, Ijin had emptied his glass. The two continued their conversation in a language he couldn’t understand.

Staring into his empty glass, he struggled to stay awake, drowsy from the lingering effects of his cold and the warmth of the herbal tea.

Kwon Hyeongdo and Jang Munyong had now shifted their discussion to a promising newcomer on Jang Munyong’s side.

To be precise, Kwon Hyeongdo was listening while Jang Munyong talked.

The newcomer was a recently discharged soldier—quite capable and unusually gutsy for someone of his generation, according to Jang Munyong.

Kwon Hyeongdo sipped his coffee and absentmindedly fiddled with Jang Munyong’s cigarette pack.

“Alright. I’ll get going then.”

“You brat, you just say what you want and leave. Do you see your seniors as nothing?”

“You’re in a different workplace, so what senior?”

“That’s nonsense. The hierarchy is worse than a mess.”

“Don’t look for hierarchy with me, go see Madam Ju. I heard she’s furious, saying she’ll kill Jang Munyong.”

Jang Munyong’s face turned pale as he watched Kwon Hyeongdo light a cigarette with a sly smile.

“Madam Ju? How do you know Madam Ju?”

“There are ways to know everything.”

Jang Munyong’s expression hardened. Madam Ju was his late love. His feelings had become quite sincere, but he was afraid of settling down, so he hadn’t been in touch lately. Madam Ju, who had opened a talking bar, was known for her fiery personality. If she said she’d kill him, she probably meant it.

“Oh, it’s not that. I’ve just been a bit busy.”

“You’re not hanging out with that girl, right? She’s just a kid.”

“No, no! Who would I meet leaving Madam Ju? No one. I’ll get in touch.”

“I know Jang hyung isn’t the type to only look at one woman. Didn’t you cause trouble before coming here? How could you beat someone up like that? So vulgar.”

Even while dozing off, Ijin snorted at Kwon Hyeongdo’s words. At the sound, Jang Munyong glanced over before looking away.

“Oh, those young punks were talking nonsense about Madam Ju, so I almost ripped their tongues out.”

Jang Munyong laughed innocently even while saying such violent things.

So, what did he do instead of ripping their tongues out?

Ijin swallowed hard, not knowing that “ginjakku” meant a famous courtesan, and didn’t notice Kwon Hyeongdo smiling at him when the word came up. Kwon Hyeongdo muttered.

“It’s always those who have nothing who run their mouths… Maybe because they’re so lightweight.”

Jang Munyong nodded enthusiastically at the words that matched his thoughts perfectly.

“Exactly. That’s what I’m saying. So I almost…!”

Ijin felt a chill as Jang Munyong mimicked tearing something with his thick, large hands.

“Anyway, those who run their mouths so easily should have their pants pulled down. If they’re pathetic and rude, they should lose what they have. Not that they have much to dangle.”

“So you don’t run your mouth?”

Jang Munyong asked mischievously.

“You’d have to ask the one who pulled my pants down.”

Kwon Hyeongdo smiled openly at Ijin. Jang Munyong’s gaze also turned to Ijin. As Ijin pondered the meaning, he thought, “This guy,” and glared at Kwon Hyeongdo.

Only then did Jang Munyong move on to the next topic.

“That kid? Who’s that?”

The eyes, gleaming with interest, were surprisingly innocent despite the rough features.

“Is he new? His face is too handsome to be a rookie thug. Or is he a gigolo? But he’s too small to be a proper gigolo.”

“What do you mean, a gigolo?”

Kwon Hyeongdo chuckled slyly, recalling Ijin’s slender and flexible body. He casually used Jang Munyong’s lighter to light a new cigarette.

“He’s my long-term partner. Something like that.”

Kwon Hyeongdo just spouted whatever came to mind. He tilted his head as he reached for the ashtray. The smoke he exhaled drifted towards Ijin.

“Or am I the long-term partner? I was better at playing around down there.”

He even added more to it. “Wasn’t it so good you cried?” he teased, flicking his tongue with a piercing. Ijin kicked Kwon Hyeongdo’s shin, but he just grimaced slightly and laughed.

Jang Munyong widened his eyes and leaned towards Ijin, asking abruptly.

“Did you really take that bastard’s ass?”

Ijin was appalled and denied it.

“No? Are you crazy?”

“Then why is he…?”

“No, if you’re good at playing down there, whether it’s a dick or a hole, it’s a masterpiece.”

Kwon Hyeongdo chuckled and added. Jang Munyong shook his head.

“Hyeongdo, do you even get hard for guys? You’re a strange one.”

“I don’t discriminate when it comes to pretty things.”

“Even so, getting hard for a guy’s dick? I can’t do that. You should have a more refined taste, kid.”

Jang Munyong shook his head, and Ijin somewhat agreed. Kwon Hyeongdo exhaled smoke and stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, muttering nonchalantly.

“Should I tell you about the hot first meeting of Jang Hyung and Ju Noona, who couldn’t live without each other, calling each other gorilla and fox?”

Jang Munyong turned pale in an instant.

“H-how do you know about that…?”

He stammered severely, then suddenly retorted.

“Are you treating my memories with her as wholesale? Or are you saying your feelings for her are as hot as mine?”

Jang Munyong, as if stepping on a landmine, fired back excitedly. Kwon Hyeongdo laughed and downed the remaining coffee like it was rice water.

“Do you need hot feelings to have sex? All you need is a hot dick and a hole.”

“Ah, you dirty bastard.”

Jang Munyong, not considering his own past, acted all prim and proper.

I really should leave now. If I stay any longer, they’ll probably insist on drinking, claiming they know a good pork skin place. I wasn’t interested in pork skin, though I might consider it if it were samgyeopsal.

“Hey, don’t give your heart to this dirty bastard and keep your wits about you. You saw him backstab his hyung, right? If you give your heart and trust, you’ll get backstabbed and ruin your life in no time.”

Though he couldn’t understand guys fooling around with each other, Jang Munyong seemed concerned for Ijin, who looked so young, and gave unsolicited advice. Ijin, who had been dazed, suddenly had a change in his eyes.

“Who said I gave my heart? I’d rather care for a passing rat.”

“What? What did you say?”

He thought Ijin was just innocently pretty, but when his eyes changed, the atmosphere shifted. Jang Munyong laughed heartily at Ijin’s sharp retort.

“He was the one who clung to me. Who’s going to ruin their life, me or him?”

This time, Kwon Hyeongdo burst into laughter too.

“That’s right. If I ruin my life, will you take care of me?”

“Stop talking nonsense and get lost. Where did you pick up such a strange kid? Eating anything will give you trouble.”

“It was delicious, though.”

Ijin’s head snapped around. He looked ready to leap over the table at Kwon Hyeongdo. Kwon Hyeongdo didn’t even blink.

“And he’s a jockey. The way he tightens down there is amazing.”

“You bastard!”

Ijin’s face turned bright red as he shouted. Jang Munyong laughed heartily.

“This is a venomous snake with a triangular head. Just looking at it, you can tell it’s full of venom—you’re screwed if you get bitten.

You shouldn’t poke at a son like that recklessly. Listen to the adults.”

“Oh, so you got bitten by the venomous snake, Madam Ju?”

“Madam Ju is a flower. A flower should have thorns. Haven’t you heard that? Don’t hit with a flower. That’s because getting hit with a flower hurts like hell.”

Flower, flower. To Ijin, it sounded like “dick, dick.”
(꽃으로, 꽃으로. 이진은 그 말이 ‘꼬추로, 꼬추로.’로 들렸다.)