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As the car briefly stopped at the crossing, Jakyung looked outside. Due to the scorching weather, heat rose from the asphalt like shimmering waves. The news had been buzzing about a heat wave warning, and even the streets were desolate.
When the signal changed, Jakyung drove off immediately. The car's navigation was guiding the three of them to a hotel in the city. Wang Ryun's girlfriend, who had hidden herself abroad, had returned to Korea and, having nowhere to stay immediately, was temporarily staying at a hotel.
"Is President Kang busy?"
Wang Ryun, sitting in the passenger seat, turned to ask Jakyung. Jakyung shook his head. I wouldn't know either. On his birthday, he went to the main house for dinner and hasn't shown his face since. He started coming to work earlier and leaving later than usual.
According to the lady of the main house, it's because work piled up from taking a few days off. I thought he just went around cutting off people's hands every day, but he actually does work too. Amazing.
After parking the car in the hotel's underground parking lot, the three went up to the lobby. While Wang Ryun went to meet his girlfriend, Wang Han and Jakyung sat in the lobby waiting for him. Wang Han watched the people passing by, and Jakyung saved the photo received from Park Taesu yesterday onto his phone and checked it again.
The target was a man named Kim Dong-myung, someone Jakyung knew as well.
He had seen him before at an event he attended with Kang Seok-joo. A man who displayed and sold women and men like merchandise. A man who had secretly proposed to Jakyung that he could even procure a child around ten years old.
He heard that the man operated dozens of high-end brothels not only in Seoul and Busan but also in Japan and Hong Kong. And those profits flowed to a man called Director Kim of the maritime group. A man belonging to Chairman Kang, who was at odds with Kang Il-hyun.
Kang Il-hyun was in the process of cutting off small branches before felling the large tree.
Using Jakyung and his sworn brothers as the axe.
While looking at the photo, he got bored and played a game when Wang Han, sitting next to him, nudged him. Then he pointed to the center of the lobby with his eyes. Had Wang Ryun already come down? Jakyung turned his head, and his eyes slightly widened.
It was Kang Il-hyun.
He didn't know why he, who was supposedly busy, was in the hotel lobby at this hour, but he wasn't alone. He was with a young woman in a black dress he had never seen before. She was too glamorous in dress and clutch bag to be a secretary, and the two looked particularly intimate.
It was the first time Jakyung had seen Kang Il-hyun laughing like that while with a woman. When he shook his head with a troubled expression, the woman smiled brightly. Seeing that scene, Wang Han and Jakyung turned their bodies to the opposite side to avoid them. The two disappeared upstairs in an elevator.
Wang Han subtly observed Jakyung's reaction.
"Seems like he came to work. Maybe we should've said hello."
"Why would we?"
Jakyung responded casually then picked up his phone and focused on the game. After waiting another 30 minutes, Wang Ryun came out. His shirt was unbuttoned and his face was flushed red, suggesting he had enjoyed himself passionately with his girlfriend.
When Jakyung scolded him to dress properly, he buttoned his shirt and smiled shamelessly.
"There are a lot of people at the hotel even during the day. Must be everyone hiding lovers like me."
Wang Han signaled him not to, but Wang Ryun made a crude joke about rice cakes being best when eaten in the morning. Jakyung retorted that there would be many people there for business, asking if he thought everyone was like him, but it was no use. They dragged the excited Wang Ryun and left the hotel.
While driving on the road, Wang Ryun spotted a nearby department store and called out to Jakyung.
"Hey, didn't you say you needed to stop by the department store?"
"Don't need to."
He'd been in a subtly low mood since earlier. Wang Ryun looked at Wang Han and asked with his eyes for the reason, but couldn't get an answer. In the rearview mirror, a following car caught his eye. Surveillance was still attached, but having given up on escaping, that too didn't bother him anymore.
Kang Il-hyun ♡ Lee Jakyung
"Do you think such tricks would work on me?"
The white-haired old man bore the traces of time plainly on his wrinkled face. Yet his eyes were as fierce as a tiger's. He wore a gray suit with a red tie and held a pipe, making one feel like they were watching a black and white movie.
"Tricks? I'm hurt. What power do I have to stop a man and woman from being attracted to each other?"
A young couple sat beside the old man. The woman wore a black dress; she was Il-hyun's school junior and now helped with his company work. And sitting next to her was the old man's grandson, Jang Ian.
The old man's name was Jang Myung, once the head of a massive organization in Hong Kong. Though retired now, he still held great influence among them.
"Are you saying the two met by coincidence?"
"Whether coincidentally or not, does that matter? Your grandson found a suitable match, that's what's important."
Jang Myung was dumbfounded by Il-hyun's brazen attitude. After losing his son to an accident first, he had raised his grandson with utmost care, not even letting him set foot near this area. His daughter-in-law was Korean, but he never dreamed his grandson would come asking to marry a Korean woman.
And she's Kang Il-hyun's person at that.
"So. What do you want from me?"
Il-hyun signaled Taesu. After Taesu took Jang Ian and his girlfriend out of the reception room, an employee brought in alcohol. It was something commonly drunk in Hong Kong, similar to soju in Korea. After filling Jang Myung's glass, Il-hyun filled his own. Jang Myung's gaze settled on the glass.
What do I want, I'll give it to you. If you're going to say something ridiculous, I was planning to kick you out immediately. But Il-hyun turned away, emptied his glass, then refilled it, and still didn't speak.
Jang Myung also emptied his glass, and after Il-hyun filled it, he finally opened his mouth.
"I know well that you have a close friendship with my father."
Jang Myung stared at Il-hyun without speaking.
"I also know well that you have great affection for our company."
"So."
"Please help me take over the company. You know well that my brother Kang Tae-han lacks capability, don't you?"
In short, he was asking for support.
Since Jang Myung held shares, he seemed to be anticipating a successor vote.
"You have capability?"
"At the very least, I won't run it into the ground."
When Jang Myung looked at him in disbelief, Il-hyun smiled and filled the glass.
"I know there are many unlikable things about me, but couldn't you look upon me kindly, thinking of your departed son?"
Watching him smile as he filled the glass, Jang Myung was at a loss for words. He had waited thinking he'd thoroughly discipline him if he came with an arrogant attitude, but wasn't this even more of a slippery character than Chairman Kang? Moreover, though he hated to admit it, his bulldozer-like personality was oddly similar to his deceased son. He seemed to know that better himself.
Meeting him in person, he was somewhat relieved that he wasn't as crazy as he had feared.
"First, persuade Chairman Kang. Then I'll consider it."
Il-hyun picked up his glass again. The biggest obstacle was indeed Chairman Kang. He knew the method, but was still deliberating. Whether to make him a toothless tiger, or leave his hide intact—that decision rested entirely on his choice.
***
Il-hyun leaned his head against the backseat of the car and closed his eyes. Drinking heavily on an empty stomach since afternoon made his head spin. He had underestimated him as an old man, but seeing the alcohol go in endlessly like a bottomless jar, he regretted provoking him with drink.
He wanted to see Lee Jakyung's face quickly. He left him alone for two days to let him rest, but now he'd reached his limit. He showed consideration, so would he be a bit nicer to him today? The car soon arrived in front of the house. He opened the back door and got out, walking through the gate toward the house when splashing sounds came from the swimming pool.
Even from afar, he could tell who it was at a glance. He signaled Taesu to go in first, then turned his steps toward the pool. A smile spread naturally across his lips. Stride by stride, his footsteps quickened with his mood. Approaching and looking down, Lee Jakyung was submerged in the water, moving back and forth.
He stood and waited, and after a moment, Jakyung's face emerged from the water, exhaling with a "pooh."
"Hello, dear."
He greeted with a fresh smile, but after one glance, Jakyung just dove back into the water. Ignored after two days. He frowned, then discovered bottles and cigarette butts piled high next to a chair. It was small for having been drunk by many, but too much for one person to have consumed alone.
He was about to go in and fish him out when Jakyung walked out of the water. He wore a swimsuit with a thin white shirt, revealing his figure completely. He twisted the clothes to wring out the water, then approached to get the towel on the chair. Il-hyun stepped in front of him and stared intently at his face.
How should he describe this? A sulky cat?
Il-hyun raised one eyebrow and asked.
"You know your eyes look really wicked right now?"
"Sorry. My eyes are just naturally ill-bred."
After a soulless apology, he turned his body sharply, shook his head, and went inside. Il-hyun stood dumbfounded then followed after him. He came excited to see his face even while drunk, but being treated even more dismissively than before put him in a bad mood.
He grabbed his shoulder, turned him around, and looked straight into his eyes.
"If you're angry about something, say it. Don't act like this."
Though he didn't know what the problem was, Jakyung kept his mouth stubbornly shut and glared with narrowed eyes.
Il-hyun softened his aggressive demeanor and stroked Jakyung's cheek.
Fine, the one who loves more should lose. What can you do.
"Don't look at me like that, I might die."
He smiled and brought his lips to kiss him when Jakyung's head suddenly jerked back. He thought he was avoiding it, but he headbutted Il-hyun's face. With a "thwack!" sound, Il-hyun grabbed his nose and grimaced.
Jakyung still had that wicked look in his eyes and wore a rotten smile.
"Sorry. It was an accident."
Il-hyun was dumbfounded. An accident? Anyone could see he did it on purpose. Before he could even ask why he was being like this, Jakyung scurried away into the house like he was fleeing. His nose throbbed where he was hit. He chased after him in anger, but he had already escaped to the bedroom. There were many watching eyes in the living room.
He grit his teeth and glared at the second floor where Jakyung had disappeared. Just why is he being like this?