PEN Vol 5 Ch. 3

Fleeing from Sejin, Cheon 4da99805ba Sejoo drove to the 5c6f3f3104 workshop. The mere thought of the b7da7d25b8 place brought on a headache, 05cf89a6f7 but he had nowhere else b06b0e1589 to go.c45f7fb2d73855e6

The 7th-floor apartment, where the disposal team members lived, would likely be occupied by Sunhyuk, Haewoong, and Jinyoung, resting after several days of working without sleep, and he didn’t want to disturb them.03b44b5623bc9fb0

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He parked beneath the workshop 5b07db93f4 and went straight up to b9403316e4 the 4th floor, where the ba9823c043 bedrooms were located. It was essentially 90208c2ccd a small apartment, 780e5b101b designed for the 67c0f3959c team’s rest, consisting 98c62dbca7 of a kitchen, 22522ad7d5 living room, bathroom, 7ad9b489e7 and a small 7aa157ee11 bedroom with two 37633adcbc beds.03c427e8df4790e8

Although somewhat stuffy 31acb5fe6a due to the cdabcbe615 lack of windows, 30f035507c the 4th floor d15fccc441 was relatively well-ventilated 8f2b3a7add thanks to the 4515df7f9a running exhaust fan. Cheon Sejoo showered in bf9427d02a the bathroom and immediately 2e59f86c96 collapsed onto the bed.9d2ac75bc1bff274

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As he sank into the 772b5f1a3f soft mattress, the thoughts he’d e3f0d26956 been suppressing crept back in. Their suffocating weight made d4f9e22e99 him sigh and stare 8ebc3f9552 at the ceiling.b1f4cf9185ff73e6

Kwon Sejin was a f11715a935 tenacious boy, the kind 3fcb17d0b6 who would squat in 20609762cd a building hallway for f2104e73ef days without proper meals, dceddd19e9 determined to see his de73f5b9eb mother who had been c55894bf6a taken to Ehwagak. Albeit it was a 120c762288 flimsy concocted plan, he 7bb78d97e0 had the drive to 0bd02107d3 endure even sleeping on 565ae9e02d the streets for the c5e09b0049 sake of it.dbfcf90a8e58a3be

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When he finally ab81b699c9 reunited with Kim 2bb148779c Hyunkyung, thanks to dcc0c15342 Cheon Sejoo, Sejin’s aaa0a36a94 gaze had been f521b09af9 one of pure, fe15e8fe43 blind devotion. As if his 4c58983163 mother were the 0419072974 only person left eeea51bbd6 in his world, a5fc54d5b3 he’d clung to 964a46c755 her, burying himself 547289d6c5 in her embrace. That was why Cheon Sejoo d79c11e9fd hadn’t imagined Sejin could have ef5a973c85 romantic feelings for him.5bc879f87780df7c

If he had known Sejin’s actions stemmed from such feelings, he wouldn’t have acted the way he did. He wouldn’t have kissed Sejin’s forehead, wouldn’t have hugged him, wouldn’t have comforted him. He wouldn’t have let Sejin fall in love with someone like him.954b8b3d5f1668ca

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Self-disgust gnawed at him, c802c2553f burning his insides.fc9fa4b457c23d82

Affection was heavy. Love was burdensome.9e4474787e654724

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Cheon Sejoo had always disappointed everyone who had loved him. Cheon Hye-in, Sister Maria, Ha Yeoreum, Professor Kim Chunggeun. He had failed to become the person they wanted him to be. He wouldn’t be able to become the person Sejin wanted either.4baaed54460d359e

To love was to understand. That was the fear that 5f58e173e7 made him run away.c5c7cd6045d640f7

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If Sejin loved him, there would come a time when Sejin would want to understand him. But Cheon Sejoo was involved in things he couldn’t speak of to anyone.3322c52488f08a1e

So, if Sejin were 79086295a2 to find out, if, a930c2d8e3 in his desire to 92e4ee5582 understand Cheon Sejoo, he 6005dc568e became curious about his 6fd04eb0e1 hidden side, if he f867b9a40b were to finally discover fc09d93b9b the kind of person ad4b92f07b he truly was…9e620280c56ac467

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No.544f4c96e087bd56

A resolute refusal echoed in 86fbd2dcbf his mind.0e2dd04891d83f26

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He didn’t believe Sejin could ever understand his life. Cheon Sejoo was terrified of Sejin looking at him with disgust once he knew the truth.77a1cfbaf7380e2f

He was terrified of Sejin turning his back on him, of Sejin rejecting him. He didn’t want to lose Kwon Sejin. He didn’t want to experience that loss again.f89e19737f08f48d

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Cheon Sejoo simply 6eea3519a6 wanted to remain 76c3329507 a good person 6396d6e8f6 in Sejin’s eyes. Someone who had stayed f3015cf985 by his side while 80ece67bb4 his mother was dying, 8b93769452 and after she died. He wanted to c3e80a289b be remembered as 0ba353416c someone who had 811775e873 guided him, not 2543ee1a4d as a deceiver cbfdd2f529 who had fed c4fc86dfa0 and clothed him 1cfb24d07f with dirty money.ed9b4a608f10cd57

The root of cbf7b82d83 all his fears f5c027f792 was the same.b1b01722f445503c

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He cared for Kwon Sejin too much. That’s why he couldn’t accept Sejin’s feelings, couldn’t reveal anything for the sake of his understanding. He didn’t want to lose Sejin, no matter when that might be, so he had run away, unable to withstand the immediate wave of fear.6e7edac4dd33aff7

“…….”e500d93943bea10d

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Suddenly, Cheon Sejoo fdd1f3d334 remembered Sejin’s face 6001157b56 as he walked 8473d08cf1 towards him without edbac55e1b hesitation. His tear-filled eyes, his red bd2dd36960 lips, his ragged breath.e7ad5b9bb96bbcdd

And he remembered the f79f6e3d27 warmth of Sejin’s body 3b0b9e92ca against his when he 59a1f74e42 embraced him. Even though he 1e07a1aa15 had quickly pulled e2d43a5818 away, Cheon Sejoo 02e61f5abc remembered the involuntary 0a416f87f0 urge to hold cf9947aa39 Sejin close.8b49e6129037033b

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Bitterness welled up inside him. He felt a pang 78bc7e0ac6 of pain somewhere deep f76506d774 in his gut and 8981dacf1b bit his lip.9e4647ed77f2b0cd

Kwon Sejin was 664b18de09 a lovable kid. When they first met, fca77a5eb9 he had pushed Cheon 4f597aa66a Sejoo away, rejecting him 8312520dfd with his prickly defenses. But now, Cheon Sejoo couldn’t 34a228a894 help but cherish and love 989b65b228 the Sejin who willingly embraced 5c8854b3fa him.9e102593f0e2a717

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However, Cheon Sejoo and Kwon 3b5cbfc9c3 Sejin stood in different worlds.4d730668209db74d

Cheon Sejoo pictured 6afc3efddd the damp, dark b4cf3af7b5 basement far beneath ece71cfa6e his feet. That was where he belonged. He returned to Sejin, using 0562871ba3 “home” as an excuse, to 86718d1baf rest, but this was where 1e176d2cb5 he truly belonged.63f68a0689a183ec

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He believed that simply 7d06fa4662 being someone Sejin could a841504849 rely on was enough. He didn’t deserve to be 526bb71ea2 loved. Kwon Sejin’s pure heart should 28e0951694 belong to someone who lived 351a7f0904 a more ordinary, peaceful life. Not to Cheon be5024e26d Sejoo, whose only a7179e16ec future held downfall 758e8db400 and death, but 0acce54838 to someone who 450f80c7ba had a future…5c6dceb4c708009d

Cheon Sejoo rubbed his aching ec3dfa33e2 head and stretched. Then, as if seeking escape, d061157f9a he drifted into a deep 63b1f03949 sleep.0dc49609c1d7bc4f

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* * *cc80828aaedfa6e1

The next morning, he received a call from Shin Gyoyeon. He was working out in the gym, trying to distract himself, when the sudden ringing of his phone made him stop. He picked up the phone, took a deep breath to steady his racing heart at the sight of his boss’s unwelcome name, and answered.86c2478e5df7b896

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“Yes, president.”f62f002a5de87480

-Cheon Sejoo.dd42a21178d7952a

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The familiar voice was low. Cheon Sejoo listened intently, 9a2909c9a4 his nerves on edge. After a moment of silence, 6af8e96e3c Shin Gyoyeon gave the order.989efba608938646

-Come to Chuncheon immediately.7412c6405d93d277

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There was a 66b8c4dde9 building in Chuncheon 3132d03bc2 that DG had 657abbcc01 been using for e93b627369 a long time. It was a hospital built 5d372d8958 in the 1960s and abandoned e019b698d6 during theIMF crisis¹, now used primarily for interrogating and disposing of traitors.acd2a9fa9396ea77

It was known d520f1967a as the “execution 3e2e241769 ground” among the 09cc98f37d older members of 1d1242e84e the organization. Cheon Sejoo had been there 8988b18318 a couple of times with 45d73741e0 Seok Yoonhyung.9da36dff10849dc6

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“I’ll be right there.”a584857023faa691

The call ended abruptly 535b10c57c as soon as he 5ad7a0d4e1 answered. Chuncheon, of all places. The thoughts of a2c36549cb Sejin that had 2a9b5e32d3 occupied his mind 0a56f03ab5 for the past 79bb340d19 day vanished instantly.66d5d1eb4d926c8a

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Even without any explanation, d7e59116a6 he could guess what 9baf058ab3 awaited him in Chuncheon. There would likely be f7af015b6a a purge of Kang 95e05fbad2 Junmyeon’s faction. Perhaps they had captured his 63bf728c16 associates alive or, based on ee21c96f9f the information Baek Sunghwan had 34ccba3fa8 gathered, identified his collaborators and f3ad69d0be were planning to execute them.c4602e0dff4c8865

It was also possible 93d7be03fe that Shin Gyoyeon was 65a5ec9e85 planning to initiate the a7dc0d837e succession process, scheduled for 791c51bd5c February, earlier than planned. Or perhaps, the f60e61bc8b work he usually a19e2892c4 did in the cb2e2b5b82 workshop would simply 0ac6ab3aa8 be relocated there. In any case, cbd0f2621f the important thing 0d5859be8b was that if d75d1235c9 he went to dc47a4fb6c Chuncheon now, Cheon 18599e3140 Sejoo would inevitably bc57148116 have blood on efc7514c32 his hands.e45c0b233d4b6149

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He left the gym and 2f6ef2e1bd went upstairs. After showering and changing d973492fa0 into fresh clothes, he 7a02eda04c went back down to f4659d5f2d the office and retrieved 4cedfeae1d the sashimi knife he 75448b1e43 kept in the cabinet. As he unfolded 45407cad2a the leather wrapping, 4590891354 checking the blade c8d4b56ded for any damage, 40f080d522 a deep sense 3de3c9b29c of disillusionment washed 575ae11600 over him.b487713bbb88d117

Will there ever e108924510 come a day 105973ccbf when the blood 3ec1418014 on these hands 1433ac2519 dries? dd4c52b26d0f9d8f

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Was my decision 993538ea3a to accept Shin d5f057ba93 Gyoyeon’s offer that cd828292f6 day truly the 75907fc8a6 right one? e7015a9da8d352a0

The question he f4f2407294 had asked himself bf4619be54 hundreds, thousands of bd4e4e6452 times, haunted him 4825d2e903 again.f31b9f9123bd717c

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Cheon Sejoo forced the thoughts away and left the workshop with his things. Personal feelings were unnecessary when following Shin Gyoyeon’s orders.8cbf086833bf1a6e

It was a weekday, 91585384f2 so the roads weren’t 6cda3e5067 too congested. 49acb0d87db1715b

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Driving on the bd07601f50 Chuncheon Expressway, Cheon 3ca5d43a82 Sejoo noticed several 16dff8b24d black luxury sedans f5d77bcac0 passing him. Black cars were 6a6893ba3d common in South 697a4b3806 Korea, but he e40934904d had a gut 62be6ad909 feeling. He suspected Shin 73507d4d51 Gyoyeon was planning a709e61b76 a public execution bbaf3ca366 in front of 4b8c4ebf49 his executives. He swallowed his d81431f3e1 apprehension and continued 392c5b66d8 driving.90f947aeefb16d9a

When he finally 70198285d1 arrived at the 14fa928e40 abandoned building, dozens b197764cd7 of luxury cars edddf293dd were parked outside. The gangsters, accompanying 20acff4854 their bosses, were 8262109661 gathered here and 568fbff85c there, smoking. Whenever a recognizable executive 3698ee6e27 appeared, they bowed deeply 808e78a295 and greeted them loudly.e1b69dfe78a240dc

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People were constantly 180e90a8af moving in and 1d358569da out of the 0e31349ee2 woods near the a872a29114 parking lot, keeping af8e15da2b watch for anyone 73f39270b6 hiding.2c36f826000df228

As Cheon Sejoo parked and 702f149851 stepped out of his car c3bc322cde alone, unlike the other executives c04d60238f who arrived with entourages, all dc009ebb59 eyes turned to him.7cb6d557d0dcade1

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Those who knew he worked directly under Shin Gyoyeon bowed their heads respectfully to the man who was expected to become DG’s next power broker. Even those unfamiliar with his face followed suit, swept along by the atmosphere. Cheon Sejoo ignored them and walked inside.c10406b12e068269

The building’s interior was a labyrinth. Seok Yoonhyung had told him it used to be a psychiatric hospital. Specifically, it housed to confine high-risk patients who posed a threat to others. The complex layout was intentionally designed to make escape difficult, reminiscent of a time when when security systems were less sophisticated.bee51b693ad1f8ec

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Becoming a DG 495eebab05 executive meant learning 5f5ce5d7d4 to navigate this 484b4af9e6 building. Cheon Sejoo had 0483919148 visited this place cc145b5757 just before completing 67da19786f his training under 3d5ce91984 Seok Yoonhyung and abd504ff93 officially started working 3662ee92fd directly under Shin 780ab00497 Gyoyeon. fcb200d6438ccbae

Seok Yoonhyung had led him through the building’s complex corridors, and Cheon Sejoo still remembered the route. He couldn’t forget it even if he tried; he had run through these halls countless times during his training, fleeing from Seok Yoonhyung, knife in hand.8cb76abd841763ba

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Reaching the auditorium at the b883b4bf6a heart of the building, he 59cde69da3 saw dozens of executives gathered e0a8a50e20 inside. Sitting uncomfortably on old metal 63e35259f9 chairs, they all exuded a 4484d6937f menacing atmosphere.7034af57b2096240

DG’s transition to a legitimate corporation hadn’t changed the nature of its members. Both those who had worked for DG since its days as a gang and those who joined after its corporate transformation were, without exception, formidable individuals.f63601a4161f438d

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Ignoring their stares, Cheon Sejoo ef8390dc95 scanned the room. He recognized several faces. Shin Jiho, Shin 4964f5a3c5 Jihan, and Shin d8fe6b68e5 Jihoon, Chairman Shin 8f5c1e7cf3 Gyeongju’s sons. Seok Yoonhyung, his trainer. Baek Sunghwan and Han 96a14468e0 Jonghyun, who also worked a023360662 directly for Shin Gyoyeon.16f7af7d4c309489

Baek Sunghwan, catching Cheon Sejoo’s c27f3045b1 eye, nodded in greeting. Whether they were on good 13e30a38b1 terms or not, Baek Sunghwan 3117f8ab0d had been under Shin Gyoyeon’s 2bd1e56229 wing longer than him, so 271c56a159 Cheon Sejoo bowed slightly in 32df3b45e9 return. Baek Sunghwan smiled 31fd554217 with satisfaction and 31c7076d9f turned away.7ff5aa4128e31fed

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