-Prologue-
“Mr. Han Daejin? Mr. Han Daejin? Are you home?”
The voices of strange men calling out to Han Daejin, who had been taking a nap. Han Daejin was still asleep under his blanket. Inside his officetel room near the station, all sorts of papers, cup ramens, and scattered soju bottles showcased the very pinnacle of modern art.
Han Daejin barely rose at the sound of knocking. He glanced at the crumpled paper beside him and was startled out of his wits.
‘A collection notice.’
The BNW F8 M4 that Han Daejin had bought quite some time ago.
Unable to keep up with the payments, in the end the collection notices and final demands had arrived. And while he looked at the paper, the men’s voices grew louder and louder, and the impact on the door grew just as intense.
“I’m coming out.”
Crouching, Han Daejin put on shabby clothes and stepped outside. Several men in suits were standing there. Han Daejin walked quietly after them. He took the elevator down and went outside, and after walking for a while, they arrived at a nearby public parking lot.
Not long ago, he had even tampered with the plate so they couldn’t rip it off. But he had been found out in the end.
“Mr. Han. Hiding it here doesn’t solve everything. Hand over the car keys.”
“Just a little more time…”
“No, last time you asked for time too and only paid a pittance! It’s not happening this time!”
“Please, just let me off this once! This time I’ll really turn it into a proper race car and win prize money, so…”
“Modifying a seized car? What kind of bullshit is that? Hand over the keys, bastard!”
When the man who appeared to be the leader shouted, Han Daejin seemed to suddenly think of something, pressed the car key button, and tried to get into the car. But before he could act on it, the men grabbed him and threw him flat on the ground.
“Get the keys!”
“Got them!”
“Where does this bastard think he’s running…”
The men in suits began kicking him savagely with their shoes. And in the meantime, the other suited men immediately started the car and prepared to pull out. Along with the sound of the car engine, Han Daejin’s consciousness gradually faded…
The next thing Han Daejin felt was the sensation of his arm—used as a makeshift pillow, its blood flow cut off.
“Hah…!!! Hah!!! Fucking hell… What a fucking shitty dream, goddamn it…”
Han Daejin barely rose from his spot, naked. His room was still the same officetel, but it was far more organized than the mess that had played out in his dream. A desk with a desktop and a video editing laptop sitting side by side. An interior befitting a newly built place. And beside him, Kim Jiho was asleep.
She was currently dating Han Daejin… a coworker… who had a husband… in other words, they were having an affair.
While she slept, Han Daejin went down to the first floor for a moment to buy something to drink at the convenience store. After buying a cola at the convenience store on the first floor of the officetel, he went down to the underground parking lot. His car was parked quietly on the first basement level of the parking lot.
The white Gwahak Unit 3.
Originally, he had wanted to buy a Gwahak Unit 3 Sport or an Avante Sport.
He had planned to buy it with his own money, but lo and behold, his mother had beat him to the punch. Telling him to drive it around and find a job.
And though he had miraculously landed a job, his work life was an utter train wreck.
Adaptation was difficult, mistakes kept increasing, and his skills were deteriorating.
At least the affair with that woman was some small comfort, but somehow it wasn’t enough.
And so, in the midst of all this, Han Daejin was having a dream about his BNW M4—which he had only bought a few days ago—being repossessed.
Wiping away cold sweat, Han Daejin came back into the officetel, clutching the cola with trembling hands. Inside, Kim Jiho had also woken up and asked what kind of crazy shit he’d been pulling.
“I had that dream again.”
“That dream about the BNW getting repo’d?”
“Yeah.”
Han Daejin passed her a can of cola too.
“When are your husband’s family and your daughter coming?”
“Their flight’s tomorrow. Let’s do it once more before work.”
Kim Jiho threw off the blanket that barely covered her naked body, revealing herself. Han Daejin grinned. Kim Jiho took out a cigarette and clamped it between her lips. Once the cigarette went out, they would fuck like there was no tomorrow.