Incheon Airport.
Immigration Office.
“Team Leader. Code S. Gong Inbae’s flag just came up. He’s entering Korea?”
Immigration officer Choe Eunchae reported to her team leader after seeing Gong Inbae’s name appear in the system.
“Is that so? Which agencies requested notification?”
“The NIS and the police.”
“You sent the alert?”
“It goes out automatically.”
“Then that’s that. Don’t worry about it.”
“But, Team Leader.”
“What?”
“Wasn’t Gong Inbae someone we were going to remove from Code S on our end, since the suspicious circumstances had been cleared?”
“That’s right.”
“Then why are the NIS and the police paying attention to Gong Inbae?”
“Eunchae. Have the NIS or the police ever told us why when they request something like this?”
“No.”
“That’s how those bastards are. They think of us as their errand boys. They just say to let them know if he comes. We need to know what’s going on if we’re going to respond or not. Ask them, and they say it’s classified. As if everything under the sun is classified. So don’t worry about things like that. If they request notification, just send it.”
“Understood. Then should we delete him from the Code S list we manage?”
“Just leave him. If the NIS and the police are watching him like that, we should at least know when he comes and goes too.”
“Understood.”
.
.
.
Jeollanam-do Regional Investigation Unit, Violent Crimes Team 3.
They—
“Team Leader, they say Gong Inbae is coming into Korea?”
“He’s coming through Incheon?”
“Yes. He arrives at eight tonight.”
“What? That’s less than five hours from now. He must’ve bought a ticket at the airport and gotten straight on the plane. Gyeonguk, come with me. We’re heading to Incheon right now.”
.
.
.
Inside the car bound for Incheon.
“But, Team Leader. Isn’t Gong Inbae just an ordinary civilian? He has no criminal record, his military service record is solid, his job is clear, and he doesn’t look like he has any issues.”
“Gyeonguk. Have you ever seen a criminal walking around with ‘I’m a criminal’ written on his damn forehead? You feel it too when you catch suspects. The bastard you think couldn’t possibly be the one turns out to be the culprit.”
“That’s true, but in Gong Inbae’s case, he has no criminal history at all. I was just wondering why you’re paying attention to him.”
After pausing for a moment, the team leader spoke in a low voice, as though sharing high-level information only he knew.
“Last time, rumors spread everywhere that the Daehun Gang’s real owner was someone else.”
“Ah! I heard that rumor too, but isn’t it just a rumor?”
“You know Geunsu from the Daehun Gang, right?”
“You mean Jeong Geunsu, the Daehun Gang’s number two?”
“Yeah. That bastard’s an old-school romantic. If he takes someone as his hyungnim, then even in hell that man is still his hyungnim. If not, then even if his head gets cracked open, it’s a no. They say there have only been two people that Geunsu has ever called hyungnim. Seo Daehun and Gong Inbae. Just those two.”
“Isn’t that too little evidence to suspect him on?”
“There are a few other suspicions besides that. They say he provided funding, that he helped bring down the Geumho Gang, that he took part in violence.”
“Aren’t those all just suspicions?”
“That’s why we’re going to look for evidence now. To find whatever evidence might be there. So stop talking back and just drive.”
“Yes, sir.”
“But you know. Didn’t they say Gong Inbae runs a travel agency in the Philippines?”
“Yes. As far as our side confirmed, that’s correct.”
“What if he’s supplying drugs from over there?”
“His entry and exit records are too sparse to suspect that.”
“Hey, who carries drugs in person these days? You send them by freight or international mail.”
“Doesn’t customs catch most of that? And the place in Southeast Asia with the most drug production isn’t the Philippines, it’s the Golden Triangle.”
“You think I don’t know that? I’m just saying he seems odd, so let’s keep an eye on him. If we watch him and there’s no suspicion, we can just drop it. If it looks like a problem, we arrest him.”
“Yes. Understood.”
********
The funeral hall of a university hospital in Seoul.
I came straight from the airport to the funeral hall and paid my respects to CEO Jang Yunmi.
“Please accept my deepest condolences.”
“Thank you. How did you come all the way here? It’s far.”
I thought she would be completely sunk in grief,
but CEO Jang Yunmi’s expression was not all that bad.
I heard he had been ill for quite a long time.
They say there are no filial sons during a long illness. Long-term caregiving is enough to wear anyone down.
“Of course I had to come. You got mad at me for not contacting you.”
“Going from Seoul to Mokpo and coming from the Philippines to Korea are different things.”
“If you take a plane, you get here quickly.”
“I feel sorry, that’s why. Thank you for coming. Since you’re here, have a meal, and let’s talk later.”
“All right.”
After I finished paying my respects, I saw Daehun sitting in a corner, having arrived ahead of me.
When I went over there, the Daehun Gang members sitting behind Daehun greeted me first.
They bowed politely at ninety degrees.
“It’s been a long time, hyungnim.”
“What hyungnim? I told you to just call me ahjussi. You’ve been well?”
“Thanks to you, hyungnim, we’ve been well. Thank you.”
“Why are you thanking me? You should be thanking Daehun. You guys sit down and eat comfortably too.”
Only then did I meet Daehun’s eyes.
“You came?”
“Yeah.”
We exchanged only that simple greeting, drank a few glasses of soju with yukgaejang, and then went outside.
There were too many listening ears and too many watching eyes to have any sort of conversation there.
Especially because two unfamiliar men seemed to be watching our table closely, so I was cautious.
We ate quietly and went outside.
“Want to have another drink?”
“Sounds good. I should try drinking in Seoul for once.”
Seoul, which I had come to after so long, had changed a lot from what I remembered.
It was the place where I had been born and raised, but Seoul was gradually becoming a city distant from me.
The more it changed, the more unfamiliar Seoul felt.
Even so, I liked Seoul.
The place Daehun took me to was an establishment in Gangnam.
One of the places commonly called Ten Pro.
“They say this is where the prettiest girls in Korea work. I was introduced here too.”
As soon as we entered, the luxurious interior left an impression.
Though it was underground, the high ceiling kept it from feeling stuffy.
A sparkling chandelier caught my eye.
I should bring Manager Gang Jaeho here sometime.
I could use it as a reference for interior design.
“Welcome. I don’t think I’ve seen you gentlemen before. Is this your first time at our establishment?”
As soon as Daehun entered, a beautiful female madam greeted us.
“President Kim from Hyeonjin Distribution introduced me. He said all the pretty girls in Korea were gathered here.”
“Oh my, so you came through President Kim’s introduction. President Kim is one of our VIPs. Then I really have to take good care of you. May I call you President?”
“Whatever’s comfortable.”
Since when had Daehun become a president?
But as if the title did not feel awkward, Daehun replied naturally.
Ten Pro seemed like a good place.
It even turned Daehun into a president.
Ten Pro was a place where even a gangster could become a president.
“Then we’ll do our very best to serve you.”
“I’m just having a drink with my friend, so you don’t need to go that far. Just make sure the drinks keep coming.”
“Then President Kim will scold me. I have to do my best to serve you.”
“Do as you like. Just don’t get in our way. We haven’t seen each other in a long time. We have a lot to talk about.”
“Yes. Understood. You must really be in a good mood, President. You’ve been smiling the whole time.”
“Of course I’m in a good mood. It’s hard to see this friend’s face. He acts so expensive.”
“Is that so? Then I’ll have to make it an unforgettable memory for you. Oh my, I was so scatterbrained I didn’t even introduce myself. I’m Dana, the manager in charge of Onyx. You can look forward to tonight.”
“Really?”
“We have some girls who just joined recently, and they’re unbelievably pretty. Cute too. I’ll send them in for you. They’re the aces of our establishment.”
“Aces?”
“Of course, since you came through President Kim’s introduction, we have to serve you with our aces.”
“Is that so? Then send the girls in for now.”
“I’ll prepare only the ace of aces for you.”
Manager Dana guided us to a special room located in the deepest part of the establishment.
Meanwhile, I was checking the escape routes.
Habit was truly terrifying.
Whenever I went somewhere for the first time, first grasping the structure and then figuring out the escape routes was an old habit of mine.
The madam, who had guided us to the largest room at the very back, smiled with her eyes as she spoke to us.
“While the aces are getting ready, I’ll bring in the drinks first. Please have a simple glass of beer while you wait.”
After the madam left, food and alcohol came in without us even ordering.
The large table was filled with drinks and food.
“Shall we have a drink first?”
Daehun picked up the bottle, and I lifted my glass to receive it.
We clinked glasses and emptied them cleanly.
It was the same beer, but it seemed to taste different from the beer I drank in the Philippines.
Was it because of the water?
Because of the atmosphere?
Because of Daehun?
A short while later, the door opened and the women called aces came in.
Six or seven women entered, wearing short one-piece dresses that clung tightly to their bodies and giving off a heavy scent of perfume.
They had called them aces, and it seemed the word was accurate.
Every single one of them was truly pretty.
They seemed prettier than celebrities on TV.
With those faces and those figures, they could probably become entertainers.
Manager Dana asked with a smile.
“President, you can choose whichever girl you like.”
“Alex, you choose first. I’ll yield to you.”
“I don’t mind. They’re all fine.”
“Really? Greedy bastard. You want all of them. Hey. My friend says he wants all of you today. All of you, sit down.”
You crazy bastard, that’s not what I meant.
I said anyone was fine.
I didn’t say I wanted all of them to sit down.
“Wow~~ Really? Oppa?”
“Oppa, you’re so cool.”
“But oppa, you’re really handsome.”
“Oppa, are you a model? You’re so tall, and your body is amazing.”
“Wow! Look at his forearm. Look at the veins popping out on his arm. I really love forearms like this.”
As the aces sat down, each of them said something.
They subtly touched my forearm and hand.
Do they normally just touch people like this?
“All right. Let’s each have a drink first.”
Daehun took the lead and started pouring drinks.
Pour. Drink.
Pour. Drink.
The drinks began making the rounds at a fast pace, music came on, and we even danced.
To be honest, it was fun.
In the Philippines, I rarely drank like this, just pouring and drinking,
but in Korea, for some reason, my heart felt at ease.
Even if it felt awkward, was there such a thing as home advantage?
At the very least, it was a country safe from guns, so my heart loosened up.
I started joining in and playing with them too.
I drank the liquor they poured me, and though I was bad at singing, I shouted at the top of my lungs and sang.
Screaming made me feel relieved.
It was simply refreshing.
The aces who had come in with us seemed to get excited too, swaying their bodies wildly.
After playing for who knew how long, I got tired and sat on the sofa for a moment,
and unable to hold back even for that moment, I drank again.
I thought, so this is why people come to Ten Pro.
It was embarrassing, but this was my first time at Ten Pro.
They really were aces, no question.
Even when I only thought about something, or gave a look? Or just had the thought? they took care of everything beside me.
If I thought about having a drink, they poured me one,
and when I drank, they gave me something to snack on.
If I seemed about to sing, they were already waiting with the remote control in hand.
After playing so hard like that, I approached the limits of my stamina.
I must have enjoyed myself too much.
Everyone sprawled out on the sofas.
“At times like this, a hit would be perfect.”
One of the aces muttered.
In that short time, we must have gotten a lot more comfortable with each other.
Seeing how she couldn’t distinguish between things to say when guests were present and things to say among themselves.
Honestly, I understood a little. Slightly.
Basically, the people who came here were generally older.
You had to have money to come.
The drinks were expensive.
The main customers were either old men or a small number of young lunatics.
There were almost no young, normal customers.
On top of that, there were six or seven of their coworkers.
Only two guests.
Drinking, singing, dancing, and playing with people around their age, they must have gotten confused as to whether this was their workplace or someplace they had come to have fun.
They were drinking, dopamine was exploding,
and they were exhausted and worn out, so a hit might naturally come to mind.
I understood.
That could happen.
Though I had seen quite a few bastards die that way.
An ace who noticed the atmosphere had suddenly turned strange spoke up to change the mood.
“Guys, don’t get the wrong idea. It’s just, we’re tired, and there’s this vitamin shot you get when you’re tired. That’s right, vitamins. That’s what we were talking about.”
“Yes, that’s right. Vitamin injections are nice. You guys should try it sometime. They say it completely restores your vitality.”
“They say it’s really good for your body.”
The aces started making nonsensical excuses, but my face had already stiffened, and Daehun saw my hardened expression.
Even so, Daehun didn’t shout or scold the aces.
“Then should we rest for a bit before playing? We need to rest too, and we have things to talk about. I’ll call you again later. Wait here.”
“Yes. We’ll be waiting.”
“Me too.”
.
.
.
The aces left.
Daehun and I sat alone in the large room.
I asked lightly.
“Do they do a lot of drugs here too?”
“They do. It’s increased like crazy. Among all places, Seoul probably does the most?”
“What about you guys?”
“We don’t deal drugs. The moment you touch drugs, it becomes a complete mess. But it’s not easy.”
“Why?”
“Because junkie bastards who’ve tasted drugs here and there come looking for it. If we say we don’t have it, they go somewhere else to play. That’s the hard part. It’s like watching customers get stolen right before your eyes.”
“Really? So it’s hard when you don’t have drugs?”
“It’s a bit better if we have them, but I don’t want to make money selling drugs to people. It’s not like it just ends after having a good time for one day.”
“That’s true.”
“Maybe they know that. These days, the Chinese side is flooding the market with massive quantities.”
“From China? Aren’t drugs banned in China?”
“Yeah. I heard if you get caught with drugs there, it’s all death penalty. That’s probably why they can’t distribute it in China, but they want to do the drug business. And right next to them is our country? A drug blue ocean. The prices are high too. That’s why an enormous amount is coming in through Incheon, Pyeongtaek, this area right now. Probably most of the drugs distributed in the Seoul metropolitan area are Chinese-made?”
“What about the organizations in the Seoul area? Don’t they control it like you guys?”
“If they unified the organization like us, it would be somewhat easier to crack down on, but the Seoul metropolitan area has too many organizations, so it’s every man for himself. No one says anything about selling drugs, and as long as they don’t get caught in a crackdown, making money is quick. That’s why I hear they’re trying to bring in even more volume now.”
“So you’re saying the Chinese bastards are flooding the market with drugs?”
“Yeah. That’s right. Drugs make money.”
It was unexpected.
I had thought Korea was a drug-free zone, but apparently not.
They say there are more ordinary people looking for drugs than I thought.
They say this industry already can’t operate without drugs.
Not that organizations push it,
but customers come looking for drugs first.
That’s how common and widespread drugs are.
For my part, I don’t really care whether people do drugs or not.
If someone does drugs through their own free will, I consider it individual freedom.
If they want to do drugs. Why not?
They do it because they want to.
Still, it’s true that drugs give me some sense of revulsion.
Because it doesn’t end with just one person doing it.
The speed at which it spreads is fast,
and there are many cases where it’s used for bad things, like date rape drugs, and such.
I want to stop it as much as possible, but it’s too massive for me to handle.
By the way, I don’t like those Chinese bastards.
The guys who tried to steal the Gogo Casino source code were also Chinese bastards, apparently,
and the guys selling drugs are Chinese bastards too.
I don’t like it.
*******
In front of Onyx Pub, Gangnam, Seoul.
Two detectives from the Jeonnam Provincial Investigation Unit’s Violent Crime Team 3 were lounging in their car.
They were in the middle of tailing to check where Gong Inbae, today’s target, was moving and who he was meeting.
They had confirmed that he met Seo Daehun, the boss of the Daehun Faction.
They had confirmed everything down to the gang members bowing at ninety degrees.
They had listened carefully to what these people were talking about.
But the conversation after eating was just “Did he come? Yeah.” That was it.
They just ate yukgaejang and left.
They didn’t even take five minutes to eat and leave.
They spent four hours going to Incheon International Airport to verify his identity and tailing him all the way to a funeral hall,
only to see him for exactly five minutes.
And that was five minutes of them eating yukgaejang.
Then he slipped straight into a tenpro bar.
There was no way to find out what he was doing inside.
So they had no choice but to wait here.
They had no choice but to just watch until he came out.
But is it normal to play at a tenpro for this long?
It seemed like he’d been inside for over four hours already.
But what is he doing that he’s not coming out?
The night was long.
They were endlessly watching nothing but the entrance of Onyx while making do with cup ramyeon for meals.
.
.
.
A nearby gamjatang restaurant.
Daehun and I were having another glass of soju with gamjatang.
After playing and paying at Onyx, we asked if there was a good gamjatang place nearby, and they said if we went out the back door, it was right there, so we came this way.
Gamjatang was one of the things I couldn’t eat in the Philippines.
The savory nuttiness of perilla seed powder delighted the palate.
This place does it well.
And so we clinked soju glasses deep into the night.