<63>
Ja-kyung, walking across the lawn, stood near the swimming pool and gazed at the water. Lights reflected on the surface, shimmering beautifully. After dinner, Park Tae-soo had come and handed over some documents. The first target. His name was Choi Man-sik, said to be Choi Gi-tae's uncle.
After Choi Gi-tae's father died, he had taken over the business, and knowing that Il-hyun was connected to Choi Gi-tae's death, he sided with Chairman Kang and kept causing trouble like a thorn in their side. Moreover, he apparently caused problems by selling drugs to minors at the entertainment agency operated by Kang Il-hyun's company.
The three of them discussed the matter for a long time after dinner. After that, feeling stifled, Ja-kyung went outside for a walk. It had rained briefly in the afternoon, and the air was humid, the grass wet. Even his breath felt sticky.
After finishing his walk and about to go back inside, a call came in. It was a video call from Sasha. Ja-kyung looked back once, confirming no one was nearby, and pressed the answer button. Sasha's face appeared on the screen.
Upon seeing Ja-kyung, she smiled brightly.
[Wei. What happened? You disappeared without a word, I was so surprised.]
Ja-kyung smiled awkwardly with an embarrassed face.
"Things just turned out this way. I won't be going back for a while."
Her expression darkened.
[Since Han disappeared, Rita is very upset.]
When he didn't answer, she hesitated for a moment before saying what she wanted to say.
[Of course, I feel the same way. I thought you at least thought of me as somewhat special.]
He couldn't understand everything, but he could tell she was sad. He was making an apologetic expression when suddenly Kang Il-hyun's face popped up over his shoulder. Ack! Before he could turn around in surprise, the phone was snatched from his hand like pulling a radish.
Kang Il-hyun smiled and said a word to Sasha on the screen.
[This is my lover. Don't contact me again.]
It was amazing that he spoke perfect Russian, but he immediately threw the phone he was holding into the swimming pool. He tried to catch it, but it had already fallen into the water and was sinking below the surface. He jumped in with a splash and retrieved it, but the screen was already broken.
But it wasn't just the phone screen that was broken. He turned around with a fierce expression, and Kang Il-hyun was giggling, crouching on the edge of the pool, looking down at Ja-kyung. He grabbed Ja-kyung's face as he approached and examined it from side to side. When he slapped his hand away hard, asking what the hell he was doing, he gritted his teeth.
"Usually, I cut off the ears of those who don't understand what I say. I wonder what I should cut off so my darling will understand my words."
"Get lost."
"Though I suppose even without ears, your face is outstanding enough that it wouldn't matter."
He tried to touch his ear, so he shouted in anger.
"You're a psycho!"
Il-hyun looked upset. Even that was disgusting.
"Is it showing?"
"…."
"They call us people with painful hearts. So be kind to me. Give me affection too. Hmm?"
He couldn't get through to him at all. Ja-kyung shuddered and walked out of the pool. Water was dripping, and Kang Il-hyun came with a large towel and tried to dry him off.
He roughly pushed his shoulder away and walked briskly, but suddenly he was thrown over his shoulder and tossed into the pool. It happened so fast there was no time to defend. Ja-kyung, coming up to the surface, glared at Il-hyun with an absurd expression.
"Cool off and come out. I'll wait."
Ja-kyung crawled out and charged at him with a murderous look at his grinning face.
Wang Han filled his glass with ice, poured liquor, and brought it to his lips. As he drank, he examined the photo of the man he had received from Park Tae-soo that evening. He dealt in drugs and organ trafficking, they said. A shaved head, tattoos covering him up to his neck, and an intense impression.
He needed to pick an appropriate day based on the target's movements and upcoming schedule, but Ja-kyung, who had gone outside for fresh air, hadn't returned. Just then, Wang Ryun, who had been standing by the window, burst into laughter. Wondering why, he got up and looked, and saw Ja-kyung and Il-hyun thrashing about in the pool.
"What are they doing, those two?"
"I don't know. Looks like a lover's quarrel. Just now, Ja-kyung landed a hit on Chairman Kang's face."
"This is insane. How long have they been doing this?"
"About 5 minutes, I think. Should we stop them?"
Wang Han shook his head. Looking at it roughly, it seemed less like a fight and more like Kang Il-hyun was unilaterally taking it. Ja-kyung, huffing and puffing, came out of the water first and sat on a sunbed in wet clothes. Then Kang Il-hyun also came out with a towel and dried his hair.
Just moments ago they were fighting, but looking at the current situation, they looked like lovers.
"Surprisingly affectionate. Does he really have feelings for Wei?"
"Don't trust him too much. He's using us anyway, he won't trust us."
As Wang Han was returning to his seat, Wang Ryun whistled and went "wow" in admiration. He went to look again, and Kang Il-hyun was kissing Ja-kyung, who was sitting on the sunbed. It was a surprise attack from behind, and Ja-kyung was struggling.
Wang Ryun took out his phone to leave evidence, and Wang Han scolded him.
"Stop teasing Wei all the time."
"It's funny. I never imagined he'd do that with a man."
He was really going to take a photo, so he grabbed him by the back of his neck and dragged him to the sofa. He was organizing the target's photos, putting them in an envelope, and drinking when a knock was heard. He opened the door, and Ja-kyung came in, still wet and fuming.
"I'm using the bathroom."
He left just those words and stormed into the bathroom. Wang Ryun stuck his head into the hallway wondering if Kang Il-hyun had followed, but he wasn't visible. From inside, Ja-kyung's cursing could be heard all the way to the living room.
***
After soaking in the filled bathtub for quite a while, Ja-kyung finished his shower, put on some of Wang Ryun's clothes, and came outside. When he came out, Kang Il-hyun was shamelessly drinking with the Wang brothers in the living room. He had already washed, changed clothes, and looked neat. The living room was hazy with cigarette smoke, and expensive Western liquor and snacks occupied the table.
Wang Han was at least sober, but Wang Ryun was slightly drunk.
"Come here, Wei. You drink with us too."
He tried to ignore Wang Ryun calling him, but Il-hyun gestured for him to come. Worried he might say unnecessary things, he went and took a seat on the sofa. Instead of the strong liquor, Kang Il-hyun poured champagne into Ja-kyung's glass.
Bubbles rose from the golden liquid. As he brought the glass to his lips, Il-hyun draped his arm over the sofa. His arm touched Ja-kyung's shoulder. He thought about pushing it away but left it and picked up some watermelon from the snacks.
Seeing the photos spread on the table, they must have been talking about work.
"So?"
Kang Il-hyun asked Wang Ryun, and he answered excitedly.
"I told you, I met all kinds after that. Starting with an Italian girl, then a Vietnamese girl, a Spanish girl. Ah! What was the Spanish girl's name? Veronica?"
Ja-kyung, who was drinking champagne, spurted it out. Only then did he realize the topic the three were discussing wasn't work but Ja-kyung's past dating history. He glared at Wang Ryun, but he didn't stop.
"Anyway, that girl was pretty, but her body was really voluptuous. Right, Wei?"
He glared and signaled him to stop, but Wang Ryun giggled and added one more thing.
"You liked her quite a bit too."
"Liked her, our darling did."
When Il-hyun repeated those words, Wang Han sensed something was off and shoved watermelon into Wang Ryun's mouth. Stop talking and eat this, he said. Wang Ryun pushed his hand away.
"I don't like watermelon. Wei likes watermelon."
"No, from today you like it too. Shut up and eat, quickly."
Watching them, Il-hyun smiled with a gentle face.
"It's okay. I don't care about things like that. The past is just the past."
He said this with a grin directed at Ja-kyung. Ja-kyung got goosebumps and finally shook off the arm on his shoulder and stood up. Wang Ryun said look at that and started praising Kang Il-hyun for how big-hearted he was, but Ja-kyung didn't hear him.
He signaled Wang Han with his eyes to drag Wang Ryun inside quickly and said goodbye to the three.
"I'm going to sleep. I'm too tired."
He hurriedly left and went to his own room. He locked the entrance door and firmly locked the bedroom door as well. 10 minutes passed, then nearly 20, and it was quiet. He worried for nothing, he thought with relief and was about to take off all his clothes and go to bed when knock knock, a knocking sound was heard.
He didn't answer, but the doorknob turned click click. He frowned and stood up, glaring at the door. Sure enough, it was Kang Il-hyun.
[Stop pretending to sleep and open up.]
He stayed silent like a dead mouse, and a small laugh was heard from outside.
[I'll break it down?]
He wouldn't really break it down, would he? He just glared without answering, when suddenly bang! the door opened. Seeing the hand axe in his hand, Ja-kyung's eyes went wide. Shit, where did he get that from?
Il-hyun had a cigarette in his mouth and was spinning the hand axe around, smiling.
"I kept one in every living room just in case. Didn't think it would be used like this."
His appearance was exactly like a murderer from a movie. As Ja-kyung sat on the bed and backed away, Il-hyun slowly approached while blowing out a long stream of smoke.
"I've been thinking hard. Other than your ears, what should I cut off so you'll understand what I say."
"What?"
He looked at him with an absurd expression, and he raised the axe into the air and swung it. And in the blink of an eye, the axe flew toward Ja-kyung. Ack! When he came to his senses, the axe blade was stuck precisely right in front of his crotch. Ja-kyung looked at it with a pale face.
"This crazy bastard…."
He looked up at Kang Il-hyun, and he was smiling like a demon with a cigarette in his mouth.
"You won't have use for it in the future anyway, so let's cut it off now. Hmm?"