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Coming up from the basement to the first floor, Ja-kyung flinched when he saw Wang Han in the living room. How on earth did he know to come here? Beside him, Wang Lun sat like someone who had committed a crime. Judging by his expression, it seemed he had already received a thorough scolding from Wang Han.
Ja-kyung also walked toward them, gauging the atmosphere. Wang Han, who had been sitting, stood up with a frown but smoothed his expression when he saw Kang Il-hyun. The three of them got up and went to the entrance, chattering in Chinese.
[How did this happen? Is this Japan?]
When Wang Han first received the call, he was both dumbfounded and worried, so he rushed over immediately. They had agreed not to go rescue anyone if even one person got caught, but that was just words. When the situation actually arose, he was burning with anxiety lest something happen to his younger brothers.
[There was a reason for it.]
Wang Lun tried to defend himself, but it didn't work.
[Reason? I clearly told you not to even go near Korea. And Wei. You lying to me was wrong too. You understand?
[Brother Lun was caught because of me. I couldn't just pretend not to know.]
[So that's why you were locked in the basement? To rescue him?]
[Right. No matter how I think about it, it's strange. You let your guard down, which isn't like you.]
[That crazy bastard stuck a syringe in my neck, I tell you.]
[Drugs?]
[Not that, but anyway, he's really an unlucky bastard. I should have just killed him then.]
[I agree with that. He's unlucky.]
[Both of you, be quiet. Everyone can hear you.]
Wang Han was usually generous enough to overflow with warmth and laughed openly, but once he got angry, he was truly terrifying. Ja-kyung and Wang Lun both knew this, so they made a few rebuttals before eventually shutting their mouths and just staring at their toes for no reason.
Kang Il-hyun, watching the three of them, was exasperated. He was leaning against the sofa, applying an ice pack to the area where Ja-kyung had hit him. If they wanted to talk, they should go far away. Or did they think he couldn't understand Chinese?
Thanks to that, he understood perfectly how much Lee Ja-kyung hated him. The conversation showed no sign of ending, so he tapped on the table.
The three people's gazes focused on Kang Il-hyun.
"I think that's enough conversation. Would you please take your seats now?"
The three came to the opposite seats and sat in a row. Despite the polite tone, Wang Lun and Ja-kyung both glared at him simultaneously. He placed the ice pack on the table. Swelling still remained, and a scab had formed at the corner of his mouth. Ja-kyung felt inwardly gratified. Wang Lun whispered asking if he did that, and when he nodded, Wang Lun also rejoiced.
After a staff member brought out tea, Tae-soo placed a file folder in front of each of the three. Wang Han was the first to open it. Soon after, Wang Lun and Ja-kyung also picked theirs up. It was a contract. Wang Han didn't even examine it fully before closing the document and setting it on the table.
He had already heard the rough story on the way here, but it was absurd.
"I apologize. We appreciate the offer but we must decline."
Wang Lun, who had been flipping through the pages with an indifferent face, had his eyes widen. It was a contract to work with Kang Il-hyun for one year, and when combining the signing bonus, salary, and per-case incentives, the amount was quite large. Surprised, he looked and then nudged Ja-kyung's arm. Telling him to read it quickly too. Ja-kyung also looked but then closed it just like Wang Han and threw it down in front of him.
Wang Lun held onto the contract with a regretful face, but eventually it was snatched by Ja-kyung and thrown away.
"Are the conditions not to your liking?"
Wang Han tried his best not to offend him.
"We've received similar offers from many companies before. But we prefer moving as a group of three like now. Being affiliated somewhere and receiving surveillance or orders is also uncomfortable."
Il-hyun looked at him with an expression that said to continue.
"And there was an unsavory incident between Representative Kang and our youngest. Wouldn't it be difficult to act as if nothing happened? The trust relationship has already been broken, hasn't it?"
Il-hyun leaned back on the sofa, crossed his arms, and muttered as if talking to himself. An unsavory incident. He turned his gaze to Ja-kyung. Ja-kyung was still staring at him with a sullen face. For someone who hadn't eaten for several days, his eyes were very sharp. Come to think of it, when he was hitting earlier, his energy was overflowing. He was the crazy one for worrying and even bringing food down to him.
"Don't worry about that incident. I've forgotten it. I'm not someone who holds grudges."
Seeing he wouldn't back down easily, Wang Han closed his mouth. The conditions alone weren't bad, but since their relationship had once gone awry, it weighed on his mind. The same would be true for Ja-kyung. When they remained silent, Il-hyun pushed the contract back toward Wang Han.
"Stay here for a few days and take time to think. Isn't it too wasteful to reject the conditions just because of past events?"
As soon as he grinned, Ja-kyung frowned. Wang Han coughed and forced a smile. He needed to somehow wrap up the conversation well and get out of here without incident.
"You may have forgotten, Representative, but our youngest still has lingering feelings."
At those words, Il-hyun straightened his back and looked at Ja-kyung with affectionate eyes.
"How about that. Should I apologize here?"
Ja-kyung refused immediately.
"That's not necessary."
Il-hyun lowered his eyebrows.
"I'm really sorry."
Ja-kyung snorted, and Il-hyun continued speaking right away.
"Next time we have sex, I'll make sure to get your permission first."
Ja-kyung's mouth fell open, and Il-hyun immediately added.
"But you liked it when I sucked your nipples. You admit that, right?"
Wang Lun, who was drinking tea, spat it right back into his cup. Wang Han also had his eyes widen and mouth half-open. Ja-kyung stopped breathing and stared at Il-hyun with a dazed expression.
At that reaction, Il-hyun shrugged his shoulders.
"Don't your brothers know that you and I are in that kind of relationship?"
Wang Han, unable to listen anymore, intervened.
"Look here, Representative Kang. The joke is excessive."
Il-hyun scoffed.
"Ask your cute youngest one whether it's a joke or not."
Wang Han and Wang Lun's heads simultaneously whipped around, and their gazes flew to Ja-kyung who was sitting in the middle. Ja-kyung clenched his teeth and glared at Kang Il-hyun, then looked back and forth at the two sitting on either side and laughed in disbelief.
"Do you believe those words? Absolutely not!"
Both of them thought "of course not," but seeing Kang Il-hyun sitting in front with a confident face and smiling broadly, they became confused. Looking back, throughout their time on the run, Ja-kyung strangely never talked about Kang Il-hyun. Even after having a drink, when he could have brought it up like a war story, he completely avoided it. Could the reason be...
Seeing them staring piercingly from both sides, Ja-kyung, unable to bear it anymore, suddenly stood up from his seat.
"Anyway, I'm not signing this contract. I'm going back, so just give me my things."
Ja-kyung threw a fit and went outside, and when Wang Lun tried to move, Il-hyun beat him to it and stood up first.
"Don't worry. I'll go out and soothe him."
After Kang Il-hyun disappeared, Wang Han and Wang Lun made eye contact with serious expressions.
"Did he just... say he'll soothe him?"
"Yeah. I heard it correctly."
Wang Lun looked at his bandaged fingers. No wonder he quickly bandaged them when he called him brother.
"Is it real?"
"Come on... You know how much Ja-kyung likes pretty things."
"That's true."
The two of them tried to deny it while looking out the living room window. Lee Ja-kyung was stomping along, Kang Il-hyun grabbed his arm, and Ja-kyung shook him off. Moreover, normally in this kind of situation, Ja-kyung would mock the other person or not even blink an eye, but he was unusually worked up and fully revealed his emotions. It was an extremely rare occurrence.
Ja-kyung was now swinging a stick. It wasn't clearly visible, but Kang Il-hyun looked like he was enjoying himself. They should be worried about a fight breaking out, but perhaps because of the story they just heard, it looked like lovers bickering.
The two took their eyes off the window and looked at each other simultaneously. No matter how they looked at it, it was strange.
***
Il-hyun grabbed Ja-kyung who was stomping across the lawn. When he shook him off, Il-hyun went and grabbed him again, so Ja-kyung threw a punch. When he quickly dodged, Ja-kyung couldn't hold back and broke a long broom nearby with his foot and swung it like a stick.
Il-hyun dodged and then grabbed it, yanking it hard. As his body was pulled forward, when Il-hyun tried to grab his arm, Ja-kyung tried to headbutt him. He almost got hit in the same place again. He dodged and firmly grabbed his shoulder.
"Honey, do you have anger management issues?"
"That's right. I didn't know either, but whenever I see Managing Director Kang, I want to kill him."
Ja-kyung grit his teeth, and Kang Il-hyun let go of his shoulder and took out his wallet from his pocket. When Ja-kyung looked to see what he was doing, Il-hyun held a business card between his fingers and held it out in front of Ja-kyung's eyes with a proud face. The letters 'Representative Kang Il-hyun' came clearly into view. He shook it in front of his eyes and then put it in Ja-kyung's shirt pocket.
"Thanks to you, I got promoted. My gratitude is late, but thank you."
After putting in the business card, he subtly rubbed his chest area, so Ja-kyung slapped his hand away.
"So, help me a little more. I'll compensate you fairly."
"What should I trust about you?"
"Don't trust me, trust my money."
"......."
"I'll pay the entire proposed amount in a lump sum. Including severance pay."
Ja-kyung hesitated. He was saying he'd pay the contract fee, salary, and even severance pay all at once? He roughly recalled the amounts he saw in the contract. Even without combining the three of them, it was an enormous figure. When he still frowned and glared, Il-hyun tilted his head slightly and examined his expression.
"The conditions aren't bad, right?"
Ja-kyung bit his lower lip.
Kang Il-hyun, who was gazing into his eyes, eventually smiled and added one more thing.
"If you want, you can have my dick as a bonus."