<122> Side Story. 14
Wei, wait a moment. Wei. Ja-kyung swiftly drew a .38 caliber pistol from Wang Han's embrace and walked toward the container entrance. Act rationally. If you shoot Representative Kang now, you'll regret it later. When he grabbed her arm, she shook him off at once and tucked the gun behind her waist.
The subordinates ahead noticed Ja-kyung first. They offered a crisp salute, then cleared a path for her to enter. They seemed to assume she had come after making an appointment with Kang Il-hyun.
Creeeak—as the heavy iron door opened, all eyes inside turned toward her. Under a small electric light, Kang Il-hyun stood with his back facing her, and in front of him sat Jang Tae-ho, his limbs bound. And a little further away, Park Tae-soo and other subordinates.
Kang Il-hyun's expression hardened as he turned around. Wang Han and Wang Lun, who followed behind, offered greetings instead with awkward smiles. Ja-kyung strode forward and looked down with an indifferent face at Jang, the swordsman, who was tied to a chair and unconscious.
Kang Il-hyun stepped in front of Ja-kyung.
"What a surprise. What are you doing here?"
Even though she appeared suddenly, he didn't lose his composure. His shamelessness angered her, but she also grew curious about why he was going this far. If the Jang Tae-ho in front of him was truly his own flesh and blood, why on earth would he...?
"I didn't come to see you, Representative."
"Then."
"Jang Tae-ho entered my house without permission."
"So."
"I'm going to kill him."
Ja-kyung drew the gun from behind her back.
"Representative, step aside."
Il-hyun lightly nodded his head, then stepped one foot to the side. Jang Tae-ho, whose head had been drooping, slowly gazed straight ahead. His mouth was sealed with tape, and his eyes were opaque as if something was wrong with him. He didn't seem to recognize who was in front of him.
Ja-kyung pulled back the revolver's hammer. Click—the cylinder rotated. The silver muzzle precisely aimed at the heart of the man sitting in front. Kang Il-hyun, who had stepped aside, stood watching with his arms crossed and a leisurely expression.
"Hurry up and shoot. I want to see your skills after such a long time."
When Wang Lun behind them tried to step forward to stop her, Wang Han grabbed his shoulder. Let Wei choose. Not even a slight tremor in the finger on the trigger. Kang Il-hyun watched without missing that movement. Ja-kyung clenched her teeth tight. Just as she put strength in her index finger to pull the trigger, Kang Il-hyun grabbed Ja-kyung's arm and raised it upward.
Bang—With the gunshot, a hole was pierced through the container ceiling. A momentary silence circulated. Ja-kyung removed Kang Il-hyun's hand from her arm and looked at him with a cold face.
"Representative, don't you have anything to say to me?"
She wasn't asking why he interfered, but whether he had nothing to say. Meanwhile, her hand prepared for the next shot. Il-hyun's eyes narrowed. He was certain. That Lee Ja-kyung had come knowing all the facts. How she knew wasn't important. He was simply curious about her intention to shoot the man who was currently his only blood relative.
"I don't know what you mean."
Click, whir—the cylinder rotated again, and Ja-kyung extended her arm forward. Jang Tae-ho struggled to lift his head. The family photo she had seen at his house came to mind. Is he really my brother? If so, why couldn't I recognize him? In the end, family only has meaning when you spend time together. Like Wang Han and Wang Lun.
As she tried to ignore the growing thoughts, Il-hyun stepped in front of her and gazed quietly into her eyes.
"Honey, you found out?"
Ja-kyung glared fiercely at Il-hyun.
"Found out what?"
"That man in front of you, he's your older brother."
"So what."
Watching Ja-kyung ask with an indifferent face, the space between Il-hyun's brows gradually narrowed. It would be less frustrating if she just threw a tantrum and raged, but the cat's condition was not good at all.
Ja-kyung handed the pistol to Il-hyun.
"Or do you want to shoot, Representative?"
Il-hyun's gaze touched the pistol then rose upward. Lee Ja-kyung's expression was cold enough to seem unfamiliar. He suddenly wondered if she had worn that expression when she shot him at the inauguration ceremony two years ago. The moment he touched her cheek to tell her not to be angry, Ja-kyung changed the direction of the gun and swung it in an instant.
Thwack—the grip of the pistol struck his jaw, and Il-hyun stumbled backward.
As Park Tae-soo and the subordinates, flustered, stepped forward, Il-hyun raised his hand to stop them. When he lifted his head, blood dripped from his lips. He took out a handkerchief, wiped the blood, then scraped the inside of his mouth with his tongue and spat the remaining blood on the ground—ptooey.
Then he looked at Ja-kyung with hurt eyes.
"Still, was there any need to hit me?"
Thud—Ja-kyung threw the pistol she was holding at Kang Il-hyun. As soon as the gun hit the ground, Ja-kyung turned around and walked away. Wait a moment. Wait. The moment he moved his feet to chase after her, she looked back with a furious face.
"Fuck! Do you know what's really pissing me off? That you, Representative, tried to kill Jang Tae-ho? Don't make me laugh. A family I don't even remember, why would that matter to me. But do you know what? If you were going to be like this, you should have at least told me beforehand. Knowing everything and tricking me so completely! And stealing my toothbrush!"
Don't be angry. When Il-hyun tried to approach, Ja-kyung raised her hand as a warning.
"Don't come, fuck! Just try coming closer. I'll really beat the shit out of you!"
Ja-kyung stormed out of the container, fuming. As she headed to where the car was parked, the flustered Wang Han and Wang Lun hurriedly chased after her. Wei, wait. Let's go together. Bang—A single gunshot. Both Ja-kyung and the Wang brothers stopped and looked back. Again, bang, bang. Wang Han tried to turn back, but Ja-kyung paid it no mind and went to where the car was.
***
Il-hyun lowered the gun that had been aimed at the ceiling. Next to the bullet mark Lee Ja-kyung had fired earlier, three more marks had appeared. He looked at the entrance where Ja-kyung had disappeared and counted silently. But Lee Ja-kyung did not return. Ah, he threw his head back and let out a groan and a sigh. Damn it. The cat is really angry.
Il-hyun looked at Jang Tae-ho, who was slumped over. He went to him and lifted his head. He still hadn't regained consciousness. He had been drunk when kidnapped, and on top of that, an anesthetic had been administered, so this was the natural result. Il-hyun released his face and looked at Tae-soo.
"Tae-soo."
"Yes, Representative."
"Look into whether there's a hospital that can erase memories through hypnosis."
When Park Tae-soo looked flustered, Il-hyun waved his hand saying it was fine. After instructing the subordinates to quietly transport Jang Tae-ho home, Il-hyun came outside the container. He called Lee Ja-kyung, but as expected, she was turned off. Hoo, he let out a short sigh, and it was the same when he called Wang Han. Dammit. His steps toward the car grew faster and faster.
***
Il-hyun, who had gotten out of the driver's seat, took out a bouquet of red roses from the passenger seat. In front of him stretched a high alleyway. Fortunately, after Ja-kyung disappeared, Wang Han had kept in contact here and there. He said Ja-kyung had gotten angry and gone to the house she used to live in. She was very angry, so he should appease her well.
As he walked up the alley, a group of punks had taken their place, giggling and smoking cigarettes, but when they recognized Il-hyun, they scattered like cockroaches and went into their houses. The closer he got to where Lee Ja-kyung was, the slower his steps became.
Seeing that the light was on, she must be inside. He looked at the flowers in his hand once, then stood silently in front of the gate. He was about to knock but went to the wall to check inside. Just in case she had a gun out or was holding a knife, he wanted to be cautious beforehand.
Contrary to expectations, Lee Ja-kyung was sitting on the porch. Only her back was visible, and beside her was a heap of beer cans. She drank a lot alone. She can't even handle alcohol. He didn't know what she was looking at, but she had her head lowered toward the ground and didn't move for a long time. Growing curious, Il-hyun stretched his neck to check.
What is she looking at so intently?
She stayed in the same position for quite a while, then pushed aside what she had been watching. Il-hyun's complexion darkened. It was only a brief moment, but he recognized what it was. It was the missing person flyer he had received from Tae-soo a few days ago. Ja-kyung took another sip of alcohol, then picked it up again and examined it.
Il-hyun leaned his back against the wall. He looked down absentmindedly and saw small flowers crushed beneath his feet. Things he had planted together with Lee Ja-kyung this spring. He didn't do it on purpose. After moving his position to the side, he was staring quietly at the trampled flowers when the mobile phone he had put inside his jacket rang.
Dammit. He took it out and pressed the end button, but he was a beat too late.
Creeeak—the tightly closed gate opened, and Lee Ja-kyung stuck her face out. An awkward silence flowed between them, and Il-hyun first extended the bouquet of flowers with a gentle smile.
"I bought flowers."
Slam. The gate closed, and Il-hyun squeezed his eyes shut. He walked over and pounded on the door furiously. Boom, boom, Lee Ja-kyung. Ja-kyung-ah. No sound could be heard. This time he went to the wall and waved the bouquet of flowers. But something whizzed past over his head. Flower petals fell one by one below. Realizing that what had flown past earlier was a knife, Il-hyun quickly stuck his head up.
"Honey, what did you just thr—"
Whish, something flew at him again. As soon as he dodged quickly, a fist-sized stone rolled far away. Il-hyun leaned against the wall and shouted.
"Are you really going to be like this?"
There was no answer. After letting out a sigh, Il-hyun just sat sprawled beneath the wall. The bouquet in his hand was a mess. She had never been this angry before. He felt upset, and having no idea how to resolve her anger, he grew frustrated.
"I'll wait here."
The sound of insects around the house was loud and vigorous. Il-hyun leaned his back against the wall and looked at the sky. The weather was good, the stars were clear, and the moon was a crescent as pretty as a cat's eye-smile. Looking at it, he spoke toward the inside.
"I'm sorry, honey."
It was quiet.
"I won't do it again."
Still quiet.
"Should I go inside and beg?"
Lee Ja-kyung said nothing, and instead, a dog from the neighborhood below just kept barking.