<71>
Regaining consciousness, Ja-kyung tried to open his eyes but found it difficult. A chill ran through his body. Amidst this, a musty, fishy smell wafted through the air, and low murmuring voices could be heard.
[He has a lot of wounds on his body. Will that be okay?]
[Yes. It will be difficult, but I'm asking you to do it today.]
[This is my first time working on a person... I'm not sure if I can do it well.]
[I'll pay you however much you want. Oh, and please remove the eyes and give them to me.]
He could tell it was Kang Il-hyun's voice without needing to hear more. He lifted his heavy eyelids, his vision blurry at first then gradually becoming clear. He slowly turned his head and saw Kang Il-hyun's back.
Beside him stood a white-haired man he had never seen before. He tried to move his hands and feet, but they were fixed above him on both sides and wouldn't budge. His mouth was also sealed with tape, making it impossible to speak. Ja-kyung moved his head to survey his surroundings.
Wild boar, deer, hawk, rabbit, and various other taxidermied animals were placed here and there. Seeing this, the back of his neck went cold. He looked down and belatedly realized he was lying on an operating table wearing only his underwear.
Kang Il-hyun, who had been standing a little distance away, turned around. Seeing that Ja-kyung had woken up, he smiled kindly.
"Our baby's awake?"
As he approached, his mouth was smiling but his eyes overflowed with coldness like ice. Ja-kyung tried to speak, but with his mouth sealed by tape, only muffled sounds came out. The old man who had been with Il-hyun approached and smiled along. The old man examined Ja-kyung's eyes intently and made a joke that sounded like admiration.
"I see why you asked to save the eyes separately. Truly beautiful pupils, rare to come by."
Ja-kyung pulled his bound arms with all his might, lifted the back of his head, and banged it against the operating table. Thud, thud. Watching this, Il-hyun approached and gently swept Ja-kyung's hair back.
"Shh. Be a good girl? It'll be over soon."
Goosebumps rose at his gentle voice. The taxidermied animals around him, the conversation with the old man—he now perfectly understood what this insane person intended to do. Ja-kyung made the loudest sound he could: "Mmm! Mmmmm!" If he stayed like this, this person might really turn him into taxidermy and place him in the middle of his bedroom. He'd probably pluck out his eyeballs and display them beside it.
"This friend seems to have a lot to say to you?"
When the old man spoke, Il-hyun took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth.
"Tear it off. He only lies when he opens his mouth anyway."
Mmm! Mmm mmm! As he kept making sounds, Il-hyun looked down with an indifferent face and peeled off the tape covering his mouth. As soon as the tape came off, Ja-kyung screamed.
"You crazy bastard—"
Before he could finish speaking, his mouth was sealed with tape again. He grit his teeth and glared, but Kang Il-hyun just looked at him silently with his cigarette.
"Shall we start now?"
At the old man's voice, Ja-kyung screamed as if having a seizure. Since only his head could move, he banged the back of his skull against the operating table. Thud, thud. Il-hyun inserted his hand between Ja-kyung's head and the table. Ja-kyung stopped moving and glared at Kang Il-hyun. He threw the cigarette on the ground, crushed it, then gazed into Ja-kyung's eyes.
"Last chance."
"...."
"Think carefully. What do I want to hear right now?"
Il-hyun slowly removed the tape. Ja-kyung kept his mouth firmly shut.
"Nothing to say?"
He tried to apply the tape again, and Ja-kyung hurriedly opened his mouth.
"I was... wrong...! I won't do it again."
He racked his brain to somehow get out of this situation, but he couldn't figure out what answer he wanted. When Il-hyun tried to put the tape back on, Ja-kyung, thinking 'fuck it,' shouted.
"I like you, Representative!"
One of Il-hyun's eyebrows rose.
"Are you sincere?"
Ja-kyung worked his mouth. First, he had to survive. To survive, there was no other way.
"Yes. I really like you. I thought I ran away for nothing. I agonized over whether to go back."
"But you hated having sex with me."
Ja-kyung shook his head.
"No. I really liked it. It was the first time in my life I had such ecstatic sex! Please believe me!"
Pride be damned—right now, surviving came first. Ja-kyung made up things he didn't mean, trying his best to appease him. When he said he'd thought about it more than twelve times a day, Kang Il-hyun's terrifying expression gradually softened. Had it worked a little?
Il-hyun called the old man who was preparing work nearby and signaled for him to leave for a moment. When the old man disappeared and only the two remained, Il-hyun looked over Ja-kyung from head to toe as he lay there, then slowly touched his abdomen, his fingertips drawing patterns as they moved up to his chest.
When he touched his nipple, Ja-kyung flinched and stiffened involuntarily. As he held the nipple with his fingertips and spun it round and round, Ja-kyung curled his toes and gently bit his lower lip. After twisting and pinching it slightly then letting go, Il-hyun climbed onto the operating table.
Then he straddled Ja-kyung's chest, unbuckled his belt, and lowered his zipper. His fully erect cock popped out.
"Prove it."
Il-hyun grabbed Ja-kyung's hair and pulled his head forward. He rubbed the glans against his lips and whispered in a low voice. Prove it, he said. Ja-kyung opened his mouth. The large genital entered his mouth. He opened his mouth as wide as possible, but taking it all in was impossible.
Il-hyun's hand stroked above Ja-kyung's Adam's apple.
"Relax. That's the only way it'll go in this far."
With no consideration, relentlessly pushing in, Ja-kyung couldn't breathe. His body thrashed in pain, but Il-hyun mercilessly shoved it in and moved his hips. Cough, cough—tears turned his eyes red with the fear of suffocation.
He struggled with his bound arms and legs, then looked up at Kang Il-hyun moving his hips above his face.
With teeth clenched and brows deeply furrowed, he didn't look like someone enjoying sex but rather someone who was angry. When he couldn't breathe, tears welled up and flowed.
Suddenly he pulled out his cock, and Ja-kyung coughed repeatedly. Saliva dripped from his mouth, and he dry-heaved several times.
"Pitiful."
Kang Il-hyun uttered just that one word, then fastened his pants and got down from the bed. As if nothing had happened moments ago, he swept back Ja-kyung's disheveled hair, wiped his mouth, and kissed the bridge of his nose. Had his anger subsided? Before he could even entertain that thought, the door opened and the old man entered.
"It's all ready. Please begin."
Ja-kyung looked at Il-hyun with startled eyes. Il-hyun sealed his mouth with tape without hesitation. When Ja-kyung screamed, he stroked his cheek and smiled with a regretful expression.
"You should have behaved appropriately while I was being nice to you."
Thud, thud—footsteps approached, and the old man handed Il-hyun a syringe. Il-hyun grabbed Ja-kyung's jaw. His face was chilling as he plunged the sharp needle into his neck.
"Don't be scared. I'll make you the most beautiful taxidermy in the world."
His breathing grew rapid, and his consciousness began to blur. He struggled to keep his eyes open and stay alert, but it was no use. Fear surged through him, and the remaining tears trailed down his temples.
Fuck. I don't want to die like this. Just kill me outright instead.
Kang Il-hyun's cold smile was the last thing he saw before his vision was completely blocked.
***
Looking at the photos before him, Chairman Kang's gaze darkened. A few days ago, Choi Man-sik, who had been running a drug operation, was found dead inside his club. He had been laundering Chairman Kang's black money and handling all the dirty work, only to die overnight.
But the man captured on CCTV that day as the suspect bore a striking resemblance to Lee Ja-kyung. There were too many strange things to call it a coincidence. Moreover, this morning Kang Il-hyun had notified them that he would be working from home for the time being due to personal reasons. He couldn't figure out what scheme he was up to.
"Find out who has visited Representative Kang's home recently."
Secretary Kim couldn't answer easily and wore a troubled expression.
"It will take some time. As you know, Chairman, that place is so open on all sides that surveillance is difficult."
Chairman Kang took out a cigar. This was precisely why Kang Il-hyun had built his house in an open area rather than a complex location. He had even bulldozed the small hill that had been in front, leaving the surroundings completely bare. Sending people there clumsily would only get them caught.
After pondering, Chairman Kang called Kang Seok-ju from the lower floor. Shortly after, Kang Seok-ju entered with a knock. Looking at Seok-ju, who still hadn't gotten his act together even after the new year, Chairman Kang was considering just sending him to the military.
Seok-ju, who sat down, gauged Chairman Kang's mood. It was rare for his father, Chairman Kang, to summon him to the study.
"What did you... call me for?"
"Go visit your second brother for a bit during the day."
Seok-ju's eyes grew wide. Second brother meant Kang Il-hyun, didn't it? Why on earth did he have to go there?
"He seems to be unwell, so take him some herbal medicine."
"Me...?"
When he hesitated, showing his reluctance, Chairman Kang glared as if he would devour him.
"You fool. He's your brother—what are you so afraid of that you're shaking like that?"
Seeing him openly criticize him, Seok-ju lowered his eyes. After reluctantly agreeing, he rose to leave and saw the photos beside Secretary Kim. One photo jutting out particularly caught his eye.
It was definitely Jang Ian. Why did his father have Jang Ian's photo? Before he could even wonder, he was chased out like he was being expelled and closed the door. Damn it. He didn't understand why everyone seemed so intent on devouring him. Still curious about their conversation, he pressed his ear to it but couldn't hear any sound.