SW | Chapter 20

When you’re wearing ill-fitting clothes and struggling to adapt, it’s hard to believe that a day is only 24 hours long. When life was monotonous and repetitive, the days flew by, but lately, a single day felt like a week.

As he woke up in the morning, the thought of another long day ahead made him sigh involuntarily. Guk Jiho would try to replay the day’s events while lying in bed after work, but he would be dragged into a deep, dreamless sleep before he could finish.

Multivitamins, deer antler extract, and CLA.

Colorful pills gathered in Guk Jiho’s hand before being swallowed in one gulp.

Even though he got enough sleep, being on edge all day left his body exhausted. He stretched and tried to loosen up his stiff muscles, but his body still felt heavy.

“Here, take this too, hyungnim.”

Yonggi handed him a red ginseng stick, tearing it open. The affectionate guy still occasionally called him “hyungnim” by mistake. By now, Guk Jiho had grown less bothered by being called “hyungnim.”

“Yeah, I’ll take this and try to keep my energy up…”

Guk Jiho accepted it without hesitation.

During his athlete days, he couldn’t even take a vitamin without permission. Kids in elite sports from a young age had to get approval from their coaches for everything they consumed. They ate only what they were given, and if told to eat more meat, they’d chew through the fat and even the bones. They couldn’t drink water without permission, so everyone was always watching the coach’s mood.

One kid got beaten for drinking a juice his parents sent from the countryside without permission. It wasn’t something worth getting beaten over, but it served as an example. Back then, they were all too ignorant to question it. That was just life.

Why was he suddenly remembering that now?

“Damn…”

He missed Gguk. That round, yellow-furred face, those tiny teeth…

Work was a mess. Honestly, lately, it felt less like an undercover operation and more like a part-time job helping out a short-staffed gang. He was supposed to be laying traps to uncover the truth about the “nationwide” organization, but until they revealed themselves, he had to handle the gang’s tasks. He had to understand the work, manage it, and step up as the person in charge to get things done.

“By the way, hyungnim. How did you get so handsome? Your skin, wow, I’ve never seen a man’s skin this good. Honestly, someone like you doesn’t belong here; you should be at the Blue Dragon Film Awards or something.”

Maybe he felt comfortable enough now, but Yonggi was casually running his mouth.

“Yonggi.”

“Yes, hyungnim.”

“I’m so tired of people telling me I’m handsome.”

“Ah, must be nice, hyungnim.”

“Nice, huh?”

“Huh? Ah, I think it’d be nice. Even if I just saw you briefly on the KTX, I’d remember you, sir.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

For a moment, Guk Jiho felt strange. Why? The idea of being memorable didn’t seem all that great. Anyway, something about Yonggi’s words was unsettling.

“There’s no point in being handsome unless you’re making a living off your looks.”

“See, that’s the luxury of someone who has it.”

“What is?”

Guk Jiho started tying his tie while looking in the full-length mirror. This damn tie always gave him trouble. Maybe his hands fumbled more because he didn’t want to wear it. If he went without a tie, Baek Haegyeon would throw him a spare and nag him to wear it immediately. It was the reason why he wasted a few minutes tying it every morning. Watching him struggle, Yonggi took the tie from his hands.

“What kind of knot do you prefer? Windsor? Or something fancier…”

“Keep it neat. The boss likes things neat.”

“Understood.”

His thick hands were surprisingly skilled. As he crossed his hands to tie the knot, Guk Jiho even thought it was convenient to have such a capable guy around.

“You… you’re pretty good at this, huh?”

“Yes. I’m quite interested in fashion, you know. Next time, let’s go shopping together. I can dress you up nicely.”

The way he rolled his words when saying “fashion” or “shopping” was a bit annoying, but it was also kind of endearing.

As he drove, Yonggi launched into a whole speech about why Guk Jiho’s statement about “there’s no point in being handsome unless you make a living off your looks” was complete bullshit.

“So, handsome people don’t realize the benefits they get and say looks don’t matter. Honestly, hasn’t life been a bit easier for you? Haven’t you ever thought about that?”

“Never thought about it.”

“You’ve been confessed to a lot, right?”

“Yeah.”

“See! That’s what I mean by life being easier. You’ve dated everyone you wanted to, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow, this guy… I mean, it’s good to be honest, but how can you say life hasn’t been easy? Handsome people get an extra piece of fried chicken at restaurants, don’t they?”

“I don’t need that. I just, you know…”

“Yeah?”

“If I were born again… I’d want to be born ordinary, live like seaweed in the ocean, just swaying along.”

For some reason, even the other gangsters in the car didn’t respond. Guk Jiho was enjoying the view of the Han River from the congested bridge.  When he realized he’d spoken too sincerely, he shut his mouth.

After a while, Yonggi added, “I’ll be the sea cucumber next to you, sir.”

“…Sure. You look like a sea cucumber, so it fits.”

“Thank you, hyungnim.”

Maybe the reason he’d adapted to the organization in less than two weeks was… thanks to Yonggi, the most capable among those he ate and slept with.

***

Relationships within the organization were like a spider’s we. They were intricately connected.

There were many people he had to meet and build relationships with, and he often needed their help to carry out his tasks.

The business interests Baek Haegyeon had set up were as sprawling as a chaebol’s. Even though he was only handling the relatively simple club-related tasks, it was still complicated. After inspecting clubs in Gangnam and elsewhere, they arrived at the main building near Yeoksam-dong, and the tension on the faces of his subordinates, including Yonggi, was palpable.

“Not coming in?”

“Do we have to follow?”

“Stay here if you don’t want to.”

There was no need to drag along a bunch of guys who didn’t want to face Baek Haegyeon. And without them around, it was easier to talk.

Baek Haegyeon’s office was alone on the 17th floor. After going through the receptionist to open the door, they entered to find a man reading a book. It wasn’t clear what kind of book it was, but it seemed to be about investments. It was somewhat humanizing. If it had been a literary work, it would’ve felt even more distant.

“Jiho’s here?”

“Yes, Boss. I just finished today’s inspections. Since it’s the end of the month, I’ll organize the books and report via email.”

“Alright.”

Every time Guk Jiho saw him, he remembered the assessments he’d made in his mind. He looked like a black-and-white photo, a pointillist painting, an Eastern ink painting… The man’s face seemed devoid of not only expression but also color. His black hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, and pale skin stood out distinctly… It was as if he’d been filtered through the “vintage letter” effect on a phone camera.

He didn’t look like someone who’d speak Korean, nor did he look like he’d speak any other language. His sharp eyes, combined with his gentle, intellectual appearance, created a strange aura.

Baek Haegyeon flipped through the book two or three pages at a time while continuing the conversation with Guk Jiho. Was he skimming for the important parts?

“Your face looks rough.”

“Do you mean my expression? Or…”

“Your eyes are bloodshot. Didn’t sleep well?”

He didn’t even seem to be looking properly, yet somehow, he had noticed the redness in Guk Jiho’s eyes.

“Ah… I slept fine.”

Rubbing his innocent eyes, the red spot near his eye, which he often touched out of habit, came into contact with his fingertips. It looked like a piercing that added to his edgy look. It was something all the higher-ups disliked.

“How’s the work? Getting used to it?”

The man’s voice was hoarse. Guk Jiho hadn’t expected that the one who actually hadn’t slept well would be Baek Haegyeon himself. His eyes were also bloodshot, and his usually clear skin looked dry and rough.

“Yes. Did you not sleep well last night, sir?”

“Hmm, I slept fine.”

The man’s light response carried an undercurrent of distance. Something seemed to be bothering him, but he was the type to keep personal matters to himself.

“Are the guys listening well?”

“Yes. They’re mostly obedient.”

“Take good care of them.”

He closed the book as he spoke. It was almost the first piece of advice or instruction Guk Jiho had received from Baek Haegyeon.