6.1 The One Who Loves More
It was 8:30 PM, and the sun had completely set. Kang Moon-soo arrived at the coffee shop, and Ms. Jin clocked out accordingly. Since the atmosphere would only turn frigid if they stayed in the same space, and neither had a personality prone to backing down, Ms. Jin avoided him as if he were filth.
Kim Jeong-suk, who had been treating Ms. Jin with a look of disgust the entire time, relaxed his expression once the woman he hated to see left. When the precious Kang Moon-soo said, “You’ve worked hard, Noona,” he even broke into a wide grin.
Kang Moon-soo sank into the sofa where Ms. Jin had been sitting and lit a cigarette. After exchanging trivial chatter with twenty-eight-year-old Min at the next table, he cast a glance toward me at the counter. A malicious look. I immediately pulled my phone from my bag. Pretending to do the dishes, I went to the sink and called Du-jik. Without even a greeting to Du-jik’s “Hello,” I asked for help.
“I’m almost done with work, could you come quickly?”
I felt a bit sorry after hanging up, realizing I had treated him like a chauffeur. I could have made the request more softly with a “Sorry, but…” or “Have you had dinner?”
Du-jik must have been nearby, as he appeared in less than five minutes. The way he stepped out of the car—while not quite on the level of CEO Chu—still had a certain gangster vibe that looked impressive. I was ‘extremely’ glad to see him. Without even glancing at Kang Moon-soo, I rushed outside to greet Du-jik. Ever since I found out he was younger than me, he wasn’t as scary as before.
“Were you nearby? You got here really fast.”
“Yes. I was gettin’ a bit of a wash at the car [visit our site]wash just visit our siteup [Read on Read BL Novels]ahead. The car’s lookin’ real clean, ain’t it?”
Though it was dark as the day had ended, the car really did look clean. Moreover, it sparkled as if it had been freshly painted. It seemed he had applied wax while washing it.
“You must have waxed it. It looks like a brand new car.”
“I gave it a rub as a bit of exercise. I scrubbed it so hard I broke a sweat, and look at this masterpiece.”
“That must have been hard.”
“So I finished today’s workout with this. Usually, I hit the gym every day after work.”
His physique was certainly impressive. He had the kind of body that clearly showed he worked out with weights. Though, of course, not as much as Chu Gi-oh.
Standing by the window of the coffee shop, Du-jik pulled a cigarette from his pocket. Pulling a lighter from his pants pocket, he asked me.
“Mind if I have a smoke? It’s banned in the car ’cause of the smell.”
“Yes, go ahead. I’ll join you.”
Du-jik lit the cigarette and inhaled as if he were eating something delicious. The way he inhaled and exhaled showed he knew how to smoke properly. Of course, in this regard too, he was no match for Chu Gi-oh.
I followed suit and smoked. I could feel the gazes of the people glancing through the back window hitting the back of my head. Kang Moon-soo, Min, Kim Jeong-suk. For some reason, I felt amused. I wanted to turn around, shout “Try and touch me if you can,” and stick my tongue out.
As the cigarette was nearly finished, I remembered a crucial fact I hadn’t mentioned and looked at Du-jik.
“Um, actually, I’m not quite finished with work. Could you wait a little longer?”
“Take your time. I’ve got nothing but time, so I could wait until tomorrow morning.”
“Haha. I think about an hour should do it.”
The more I got to know him, the more I couldn’t help but laugh at how different Du-jik was from his first impression. Though his face looked a bit Read on Read BL Novelsold, his behavior was exactly his age. Twenty-two. A younger brother one year my junior.
Ten minutes later, Min, who was close with Kang Moon-soo, clocked out, and business ended. Now it was time for me to leave. That is, after I finished cleaning thoroughly while leaving Kang Moon-soo sitting in the hall. With Du-jik standing there reliably, I had nothing to fear. I nodded to myself, realizing this is why people spend money to hire bodyguards.
“I’ll just clean up and come out quickly. You can stay in the car.”
“Yes.”
I rushed inside and grabbed a broom and dustpan in both hands. While sweeping the hall with my eyes on the floor, I heard the door open behind me. Turning around, I saw Du-jik entering.
“Let’s do it together. It’ll finish faster if two people do it, right?”
Du-jik took the broom and dustpan from my hands as if snatching them and began sweeping himself. Even if he grew up as the youngest, it seemed he had plenty of experience with work.
I felt sorry for having thought he looked menacing or whatever, when he was such a kind fellow. I decided I should treat Du-jik the way Ms. Jin treated me.
While rinsing the mop, my eyes met Kang Moon-soo’s. The [Read on Read BL Novels]bastard gave stolen contenta smirk as [unauthorized copy]if I were pathetic. He then lit a new cigarette. Kim Jeong-suk, coming out of the storage room, tapped my back and whispered quietly, “Just finish up and leave. Don’t cause trouble for nothing.”
Kang Moon-soo followed Kim Jeong-suk with his eyes as he headed to the kitchen. They were clearly communicating through glances. Things like ‘Don’t get involved and get out’ and ‘I’ll handle it.’
Then, despite it not being a habit, Kang Moon-soo suddenly flicked cigarette ash onto the floor. He must have been deeply irritated that Du-jik had crawled into his territory and was making himself at home without permission. He probably thought I didn’t see it because I was bent over sweeping, but as if he had eyes on the crown of his head, Du-jik straightened his back. With long strides, he approached Kang Moon-soo in an instant and spoke.
“You the boss here?”
“I ain’t.”
“Then you a customer?”
“Ain’t that either.”
Du-jik’s expression hardened further. He threw the broom onto the floor with a loud clang and took another step toward Kang Moon-soo. Looking down at him as if to grab him by the collar, he spoke in a low voice.
“Then put out the cigarette, you fucking prick. Can’t you see someone’s cleaning here? Are your [unauthorized copy]eyes located in your dick-hole, flicking ash [Read on Read BL Novels]everywhere? Want me to put ’em back in place, huh?”
Wow, Du-jik had a mouth just as foul as Chu Gi-oh’s. Like boss, like subordinate.
As expected, Kang Moon-soo didn’t fight back with insults. He crushed the cigarette in the ashtray as Du-jik ordered, then stood up with a swagger and laughed slyly.
“Why bother doing something so tiring.”
Then he quickly followed up, “Just keep at it.”
Passing by Du-jik, Kang Moon-soo shouted to Kim Jeong-suk, who was standing as if hiding in the kitchen, “Clean up and come out. I’ll be in the car!”
Then, as if he’d forgotten something, he turned back. He was facing my direction. Kang Moon-soo walked past the staring Du-jik and approached me. Standing close, he muttered in a small voice only I could hear.
“I’m definitely gonna eat you up. Exactly as much as you used your head.”
After Kang Moon-soo left, Du-jik asked, “What’d that piece of shit say?”
I was about to tell the truth, but I held back, fearing a real fight would break out. I was quitting soon anyway; there was no need to make Du-jik use his fists on a guy like that. I shook my head with a smile.
“Just… that I shouldn’t be late tomorrow.”
It was 10 PM by the time I got into the hotel elevator. There hadn’t been a single call from CEO Chu since the morning.
I stared at Du-jik’s back, who stood in the center of the elevator like a gatekeeper, until we arrived. Then, something I wanted to ask suddenly occurred to me.
Du-jik, who opened the door with the key card, gave a polite bow.
“You must be real tired, please go in and get some sleep.”
“Um, Hyung-nim, no, Du-jik…”
My words stumbled because I hadn’t decided on a title yet. Du-jik smiled and said, “Just [Read on Read BL Novels]call me Du-jik comfortably.” Since calling him that felt like I should drop honorifics entirely, I wondered if there was a middle ground and [visit our site]said, “Then I’ll call you Du-jik-ssi. Until we get a bit closer.”
At my words, Du-jik tilted his head and made a clicking sound with his tongue.
“Ssi? Du-jik-ssi?”
“If you don’t like it…”
“It ain’t that I don’t like it, it’s just that it feels like we’re filming a drama. That’s why the Seoul folks on TV do that, right? Calling everyone ‘so-and-so-ssi’.”
“…”
“Ah, I ain’t sayin’ you’re like that, Hyung-nim, just my thought. Du-jik-ssi is nice. Please call me that. I’ll just call you Hyung-nim. Min-jo Hyung-nim.”
He really was a talkative person. I didn’t know how someone like this could have been so quiet when we first met. Unless he had been possessed by a mute ghost.
“Ah, but didn’t you call me?”
“Ah, yes. That…”
It wasn’t anything major; I had just wanted to ask as a joke. What he thought I was to Chu Gi-oh to be here.
Now that it was late, the words wouldn’t come out. It felt like a blessing that the conversation had been interrupted by the title issue. Given Du-jik’s personality, he’d likely spit out exactly what he felt, so not hearing it might be better for my mental health.
“It’s nothing. I’ll head inside now.”
“Yes. Please go in.”
Just as I was entering, I turned back to Du-jik, who was still holding the door. I felt I should give him a proper thank you.
“Thank you so much for today. I’ll be in your care tomorrow as well.”
“Don’t even mention it. Just treat me comfortably, like a younger brother.”
Somehow, I felt reassured. As I bowed and turned away, Du-jik suddenly made that clicking sound again and muttered to himself.
“But I dunno if it’s alright to call him Hyung-nim.”
“Pardon?”
Since it was clearly directed at me, I couldn’t ignore it. When I turned fully to look at him, he began to explain on his own.
“Ah, the Big Boss gave me a warning before he left. Told me to take good care of ‘your Hyung-su’. Big Boss called you Hyung-su, so I wondered if it’s alright for me to just call you Hyung-nim…”
“…”
I was speechless at the word ‘Hyung-su’ (sister-in-law). I was standing there blankly out of sheer absurdity, but Du-jik, thinking I was moved by his words, continued excitedly.
“You know Big Boss takes real good care of you, right? Even today, as soon as the sun rose, he called and [unauthorized copy]said, ‘Take care of Hyung-su properly. If you don’t, you’re dead.’ I reckon he entrusted you to me ’cause it’s easier to run errands and talk to me. Did he not mention anything separately?”
“Just… well…”
Even so, Hyung-su? Fuck, Hyung-su!
I was cursing Chu Gi-oh in my head for going too far when Du-jik suddenly nodded solemnly, as if he had reached a great realization.
“What Hyung-nim, I’ll just call you Hyung-su-nim from today.”
“…”
“Hyung-su-nim. Min-jo Hyung-su-nim. That’s way better than callin’ you Hyung-nim.”
“…”
I wondered if there was a single normal person in the organization [unauthorized copy]called Gimun. Without fail, like boss, like subordinate.
I didn’t answer and only bowed my head. If I had asked him to just call me Hyung-nim, he might have tried to persuade me with that talkative mouth of his. Taking that as a yes, Du-jik shouted loudly at my retreating back.
“Sleep tight, Hyung-su-nim! I’ll come pick you up tomorrow morning!”
As the door closed, a certain movie came to mind. ‘Gangster’s Wife.’
It was a movie I remembered laughing my head off at on TV while I was in the army. Even though the female lead’s life wasn’t similar to mine, the reason this movie came to mind was likely because of the gangsters and the word ‘wife’.
If he actually tries to make me his wife… just the thought was dizzying. He was already a guy who talked about a wife’s nagging at the room salon, and he’d already told his subordinates to call me Hyung-su, so it wasn’t a baseless worry. I wondered if the rumor of me being Chu Gi-oh’s wife would spread not just in Gimun, but throughout the entire city of Mugwang.
These uncomfortable thoughts evolved into concrete imaginations while I was washing. Dozens of thugs bowed their waists to me, shouting, “Hello, Hyung-su-nim!” And in the center of them stood Chu Gi-oh, upright. He opened one arm habitually and spoke. “Come here, wifey.”
“…Ugh, fuck.”
I barely managed to finish washing while fighting back the urge to gag.
Since I was alone, I comfortably threw on a robe and went to the bedroom. But something that wasn’t there until this morning was sitting on the nightstand. A charger. For a moment, a chill ran down my spine and I shrugged my shoulders. I wondered if he had secretly planted someone to monitor my day.
Just in case, I looked around the room. I searched every nook and cranny, but nothing suspicious came up. It was only after I opened the closet door that I realized I was overthinking. Next to Chu Gi-oh’s suits, there were clothes hanging that couldn’t possibly fit his body. T-shirts, jeans, comfortable tracksuits, and shorts. Below them, underwear and socks were laid out, brand new. At a glance, they were for me. The charger must have been placed there when the clothes were brought in.
Tsk-ing at myself, I plugged the charger into the outlet. As I plugged in my Samsung phone, I comforted myself. Let’s live simply and ignorantly, Min-jo. Don’t think too deeply.
Chu Gi-oh stepped onto Mugwang soil around 11 PM on Saturday. Without a single phone call, he came straight to the coffee shop; fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, Kang Moon-soo and Kim Jeong-suk had already moved over to the house. Only I and Du-jik were at the coffee shop.
Du-jik, who was helping me clean as usual, saw the bright lights shining from outside and shouted.
“Hyung-su-nim! Big Boss is here!”
“I-I guess so.”
Du-jik threw down the mop he was [visit our site]using to wipe the floor and spoke loudly as [Read on Read BL Novels]he headed for the entrance.
“I’ll go greet him real quick.”
“Let’s go together, together!”
I put down the dishcloth and went outside. Strangely, my heart was racing.
Seeing Chu Gi-oh after a few days, he was still imposing. Still massive, still fierce, and still… vulgar.
“I thought I was gonna die missin’ you. Come here, fuck.”
As soon as he got out of the car, he said that and seemed to open his arms, but unable to wait, he approached first and grabbed me in a sudden hug. I was pulled into his embrace, almost falling over. It hadn’t been a month, nor years, just a few days. Yet Chu Gi-oh acted like a soldier returning from overseas deployment, rubbing his face all over my head.
“Now I feel like I can finally breathe. Do you know I drove straight here without even peein’ once?”
CEO Chu took a long time to release me from stolen contenthis embrace. A smile that I hadn’t missed at all was [unauthorized copy]drawn widely before me. Simultaneously, the hands that [visit our site]had been gripping both my shoulders moved up to my face.
Grabbing my face as if to crush it, he suddenly became urgent and spoke.
“Quick, touch my chest. See if it’s beatin’ or not.”
“What, what…?”
“My heart!”
Due to his attitude, acting as if something grave had happened, I hurriedly placed my hand on his chest. Beneath the thin shirt under my palm, I felt a clear and rapid pulsation. It was beating so violently that I would have believed he had sprinted from Seoul to Mugwang. My own body almost vibrated along with it.
“It’s beatin’, right? Beatin’ like crazy, right?”
“…Yes.”
“What do you think this is?”
“Pardon?”
After asking an incomprehensible question, he suddenly tilted his head. Coming in close as if to kiss, he whispered low.
“It’s evidence, evidence. Evidence that I like you like crazy.”
“Ah… yes, evidence…”
“There’s one more besides this. Try and feel it with your hand.”
There was only one answer without needing to think long. Cock. Dick. I answered with an awkward smile.
“CEO… wouldn’t it be there? Haha…”
“I can’t understand you when you say ‘there’.”
I was about to tell him ‘dick’ instead of ‘cock’ or ‘member’, but half-giving up, I moved my hand from his chest to the center. Without squeezing, I just lightly placed it there and spoke.
“He-here…”
It was incredibly erect. Why wouldn’t it be.
“It’s because of you. Don’t forget it.”
And in the next moment, our lips met with a ‘smack’ and parted. A kiss. Chu Gi-oh had done that to me. Naturally, my face flushed hot and my eyes widened. Wondering if anyone had seen, I rolled my eyes around to look at the surroundings while my face was still held. Jang-bae was still in the car, and Du-jik had gone inside at some point and was mopping the floor. Just as I breathed a sigh of relief, my face was whipped back forward. CEO Chu was looking at me as if to kill me, his eyes burning with passion.
He murmured. No, he panted.
“You’re mine today.”
“…”
“And I’m yours today.”
“…Gasp.”
“Got it?”
“…”
“Got it!”
Since he looked ready to devour me right here if I didn’t answer, I nodded immediately. The lips that had been rushing in stopped right in front of me.
His eyes, drenched in excitement, scanned me up and down. It felt like a knife edge was slicing through my skin.
After looking at me like a wild beast for a while, his expression suddenly [visit our site]softened and he grinned. Gently stroking [stolen content]my cheek with his thumb, he whispered.
“Do you know I studied until my ass was on fire at my age? Just so I could make you die of pleasure.”
Chu Gi-oh probably doesn’t know that saying such things makes my already scared heart even more terrified. Therefore.
“If you’re a washing machine, then I’m a fucking spin-dryer, Min-jo. I’ll make you leak all over. Just trust me. Trust me, eh?”
He could soothe me by telling me to trust him, and he could also blurt out things that would make anyone lose their mind. That’s because he’s a total pervert and he’s Chu Gi-oh.
I thought we were going straight to the hotel, but the destination was somewhere entirely different. Kim Jeong-suk’s house. CEO Chu, who had brought me along almost hugging me, spoke before I got out.
“Let’s do one round and then go roll around in bed.”
In an instant, an impulsive urge surged within me, and I found myself grabbing him as he was about to get out of the car.
“Um, CEO…”
Perhaps because I had never done this before, CEO Chu looked back at me immediately. In fact, he turned his entire body toward me. To the man whose eyes were asking, ‘What is it?’, I asked in a shrinking voice.
“Do you… have a hobby of playing cards?”
CEO Chu chuckled and gave my cheek a light tap.
“Hobby, my foot. You’re my only hobby.”
“But why do you keep coming here… To be honest, you’ve never once won, and whenever you come, it’s almost like you’re just donating your money… I’m sorry. I’m not trying to insult you…”
Unlike me, who was flustered after saying it, CEO Chu laughed as if he had heard something amusing.
“It ain’t a hobby. It ain’t an addiction. I ain’t some crazy bastard who comes here to throw money away.”
“…”
He gently stroked the back of my head. He touched me as if I were a child, meeting my eyes with a grin.
“I’m just tellin’ ya, you’re my only hobby. Just remember that. Right?”
“…”
“Right?”
“…Yes.”
If he said so, then that was that, but it still bothered me. He had lost hundreds of millions so far, and no doubt he would easily lose tens of millions again today. If anyone asked why I cared, I would answer this: simply because I loathe Kim Jeong-suk and Kang Moon-soo with a passion. It goes against the laws of nature for bastards like them to get money for free.
As always, I entered the house embraced by CEO Chu. The interior was somewhat noisy, suggesting there were quite a few guests. As expected, it was the raccoon’s den.
In the meantime, a new part-timer had arrived besides Kim Min-chul. He looked to be around my age, and as [visit our site]soon as he [unauthorized copy]saw us open the door, he gave [visit our site]a loud greeting in the manner typical of those thugs.
“Hello, CEO! Hello, Hyung!”
I wondered if he had been told about me in advance or if they knew each other well, but at that moment, Jang-bae placed his index finger over his lips. It was a signal to be quiet. The part-timer looked around with a face that said ‘Oops’ and nodded. Everyone was in the rooms, so there was no one nearby.
CEO Chu glanced at Jang-bae as if asking who he was. Jang-bae explained quietly in a low voice.
“He’s Du-jik’s friend, Hyung. His name is Kim Sang-su, and he’s been close with the younger one since they were kids. He knows me well too.”
Unlike Du-jik, Kim Sang-su looked his actual age of twenty-two. Judging by his appearance and build, it was obvious that Du-jik must have been the leader of their group. I almost burst out laughing thinking about the old-looking Du-jik, but I barely managed to hold it in by biting my tongue.
Kim Sang-su’s gaze locked onto me. For some reason, his eyes seemed to say, ‘Ah, so this is the person…?’ I quickly bowed my head to avoid his gaze. Since I was tucked into CEO Chu’s arms like a cherished puppy, it was only natural for him to assume we were in that kind of relationship.
CEO Chu scanned Kim Sang-su, who had a body as lean as mine. After a moment, a single line of commentary flowed from his lips.
“The little shit looks damn malicious.”
“That’s ‘cause he got beaten up a lot by himself.”
At Jang-bae’s playful remark, CEO Chu laughed silently, so much so that I felt my own body tremble. Then, he lowered his voice sharply and spoke to Jang-bae. “Are you the one in charge?”
Jang-bae replied in a voice as quiet as a dead mouse, “Yes, Hyung.”
From their conversation, I realized for certain: they were planning something big.
The moment Kim Sang-su said, “Please come this way,” Kim Jeong-suk emerged from Room 3. Upon seeing CEO Chu, he flung the door wide open and gestured with both hands for him to enter. CEO Chu glanced down at me and stepped into Room 3. The arm draped over my shoulder tightened slightly. Simultaneously, a low whisper reached my ears.
“It’s all business, Min-jo. I didn’t come here to play.”
Room 3, which Jang-bae had previously trashed, had been completely restored. Not only the round table and chairs but even the door had been replaced. The most important part, the round table, was much larger than the previous one. It was big enough for about eight people to sit comfortably. Perhaps that was why the room looked a bit cramped.
Perhaps because CEO Chu had contacted them in advance, Kang Moon-soo, Kim Jeong-suk, and unauthorized copyeven President Park and President Ko were all gathered, waiting for him.
“Oh, welcome, welcome.”
President Park stood up, took off his hat, and greeted him. However, between President Park and Kang Moon-soo, I saw a figure I hadn’t seen before. He looked to be in his mid-to-late thirties. He was a man with an excessively neat appearance. Not only was his hair neatly combed back with mousse, but like CEO Chu, he was wearing a shirt and tie.
That guy looked at the watch on his wrist and threw a jab at CEO Chu, who was seating me first before sitting down himself.
“You said you’d be here by 10, but you’re quite late. We’ve been waiting for over an hour. Everyone else here is a CEO, but as a low-level employee, I have to wake up at dawn to do sales, you know.”
My intuition naturally kicked in at the announcer-like tone of voice you’d only hear on the news. This piece of shit, he’s a pro from out of town.
He was undoubtedly a skilled player. He had intentionally dressed like an office worker, pretending to be someone who came to soothe a dry daily life with a hobby of cards, but he was clearly a vicious man intended to sweep the board. If so, who had invited him to this place where outsiders couldn’t easily enter? Without thinking long, it must have been Kim Jeong-suk or Kang Moon-soo. In a very slim chance, it could have been President Park. Whoever it was, it was certain that those three had led this. President Ko was just a foolish pushover, and unless one was an idiot, it was impossible not to know that those three had teamed up to fleece Chu Gi-oh.
The next question was why they called in a pro… Since more people meant less money to split, it was clearly to their own detriment. Unless there was a separate purpose, it was nothing but a foolish act.
Again, my intuition hit me immediately. They were trying to use a professional’s eye to figure out what kind of man CEO Chu was. Whether he was someone who visit our sitewould flip the table and deliver a massive blow [Read on Read BL Novels]to the back of their heads, or someone they could comfortably bleed dry until the end. They were real sons of bitches.
CEO Chu stared intently at the face of the Seoul guy, who was speaking rudely as if this were his own territory.
“Why didn’t ya just stop?”
“Pardon?”
“I ain’t on a blind date, so what’s there to wait for?”
“Pardon?”
Whether he was slow on the uptake or just couldn’t understand the thick dialect, the Seoul guy kept asking back. I was starting to get annoyed too. Looking beside me, sure enough, CEO Chu was frowning deeply. Noticing this, Kim Jeong-suk quickly grabbed the cards on the round table. He made a fuss, even clapping his hands to smooth over the situation.
“Now, now, since everyone’s gathered, let’s get started. I’ll deal first.”
My heart raced, fearing that CEO Chu might not have realized the reason for the stolen contentSeoul guy’s presence. I kept looking sideways, wanting to give him a signal. Because I was acting unusually restless, I finally succeeded in catching his eye.
“Um…”
The moment I spoke, he nodded. Then, with a face that seemed to hold a certain meaning, he closed and opened his eyes slowly. In that instant, a clear message was conveyed to me, as if a phone notification had arrived: ‘Don’t worry. I ain’t an idiot.’
CEO Chu patted my back soothingly. He also gently stroked it up and down. Only then did my anxious heart gradually settle.
Still, just in case, I checked the cards Kim Jeong-suk was dealing. The bastards might even attempt a rigged game. I scrutinized whether they were ‘marked decks’ where the back’s check pattern indicated the suit and value, or ‘special lens decks’ that could only be read with lenses. I also carefully observed their pupils, and fortunately, it didn’t seem like they were playing tricks with the cards. Though the story would change if the Seoul guy used sleight of hand when it was his turn to deal.
I didn’t like Chu Gi-oh, but he was at least a better human than those sitting at the round table. In any case, since he was the only person who treated me sincerely, I hoped he wouldn’t be blatantly played for a fool. Though Chu Gi-oh would likely protect himself well even if I didn’t worry.
The hands were dealt, and we played several rounds. The stakes were 30,000 won, but with one more person added, the pot rose at a frightening pace.
As expected, the Seoul guy was an exceptional player. He frequently blurted out unnecessary words to hide the fact that he made a living through gambling. He’d say things like, “Wow, the quality here is great. Whenever Mugwang comes, the cards just stick,” or throw out lewd jokes like, “I’m strangely lucky on days after I’ve had a shag,” while raising the stakes and sweeping everything.
The Seoul guy kept stealing glances at CEO Chu, and from my perspective as an observer, his intention was all too clear. Seeing the look in his eyes—the look of someone who believed he couldn’t be fooled—I got goosebumps, realizing my thoughts were correct. I didn’t know where he had played before, but he seemed to have a lot of experience in this field.
I felt anxious that the Seoul guy might read through CEO Chu’s obvious act. Since he said he wasn’t an idiot, he would likely handle it well, but the anxiety was real. A severe thirst hit me, so I took all the Bacchus and water set out for CEO Chu and drank them all. Every time I did, CEO Chu wore a faint smile.
Fortunately, CEO Chu did well. If the Seoul guy was a pro at cards, CEO Chu was a pro at acting. Except when he smiled at me, he maintained an expression that left one guessing his emotions. If before he had just folded repeatedly, today he played and folded so well that even I, sitting next to him, was confused.
For the first hour, CEO Chu won money quite often. Realizing that the Seoul guy was intentionally letting him win, he didn’t fold excessively. He followed along, pretending to be excited, and then changed his stance as the Seoul guy began to seriously sweep the pot. He started folding frequently, frowning as if things weren’t going his way. He ordered Kim Sang-su to bring more Bacchus and water, and he smoked cigarettes aggressively and often. Occasionally, he buried his face in my shoulder and exhaled deeply.
Gradually, CEO Chu became such a mess that the words ‘This guy is fucking terrible at this’ naturally came to mind. An hour later, he had plummeted to be a man even unluckier than President Ko. By then, no one was secretly glancing at CEO Chu with suspicion. An easy-to-fleece pushover. He played that role so perfectly that the money he lost reached eight million.
A fishy smile gradually formed on the Seoul guy’s lips. I also caught him nodding secretly to Kang Moon-soo. A strange smile flickered across Kim Jeong-suk’s lips. You pieces of shit. What does it matter if you’re a pro? Your eyes are in your assholes. You will soon suffer immense regret.
Near the end. While Kang Moon-soo was organizing the cards, CEO Chu leaned his head against mine. His face was slightly flushed from acting like a pushover. Rubbing his face against mine as if cuddling, he whispered softly.
“How’d ya get even prettier? What’d ya do while I was gone?”
“…No way. I think it’s just because I slept in a good place…”
At my response, intended to make him feel good, CEO Chu nodded as if it made sense. “Is that so.” Then, he lightly bumped his head against mine.
“I’ll let ya sleep in good places every day, so ya can keep gettin’ prettier without limit.”
“I-I’m looking forward to it.”
“Me too. I’m so lookin’ forward to it I could die, Min-jo.”
“…Haha.”
Hot, sticky breath pushed into my ear. “Let’s just get up. Whether I die this way or that way, fuck.”
The Seoul guy had been watching us the whole time. Tilting his head, he threw a comment at CEO Chu as if talking to himself.
“By the way, what’s the relationship between you two that you’ve been sitting stuck together this whole time? Doesn’t look like brothers… and there seems to be quite an age gap. I wonder if you’d tell me if stolen contentI asked. Chu… ah, but which CEO did you say you were?”
CEO Chu looked at the Seoul guy while still leaning on me.
“Why? You interested in me?”
His tone was indifferent yet cold. The Seoul guy replied insincerely while looking at his fingernails.
“No, just… I was curious why someone who isn’t even a player is taking up a seat…”
It was then. Jang-bae, who had been standing quietly near the door, suddenly sprang out and approached the Seoul guy. With a thick hand, he grabbed the Seoul guy’s shoulder and spun him around.
“Hey, Seoul. Can’t ya just keep your mouth shut?”
“Wha-what?”
At the fierce shout, the Seoul guy’s face turned red in an [stolen content]instant. Fearing [unauthorized copy]he might be hit, he looked at Jang-bae, stammering. [visit our site]In response, Jang-bae raised his hand as if to grab him by the collar.
“You little bitch, are ya crazy for wantin’ to die? Where do ya think you’re talkin’ down to us, you want to get killed?”
“I-I just asked out of curiosity, but if you act like this…”
“Curiosity? Then shall I touch ya a little too? To see if ya die or not?”
He looked ready to strike anywhere. Everything went silent. Kang Moon-soo, who was shuffling the cards, froze, and Kim Jeong-suk let out an inaudible sigh. President Park turned away to drink Bacchus, and President Ko was huffing, though it seemed to be because of the money he lost rather than the situation.
The one who settled the situation was, naturally, the number one man of Mugwang, Chu Gi-oh. He pulled a cigarette from the pack and murmured quietly.
“Don’t ruin my mood today, Jang-bae. If I lose my appetite for fuckin’, you won’t be able to handle it.”
Though not a single curse word was used, it was utterly chilling. As the low voice flowed out, a deeper silence descended upon the already quiet space.
Jang-bae backed away like a reversing car.
“Sorry, Hyung.”
Following CEO Chu’s gesture to go away, Jang-bae returned to his original spot. The Seoul guy, red as a carrot, looked at Kang Moon-soo. Instead of Kang Moon-soo, Kim Jeong-suk shook her head at him. Her twisted expression said it clearly: ‘You crazy bastard, are you itching to die?’
CEO Chu put the cigarette in his mouth. He picked up the lighter in front of him, and though I thought he would hand it to me, he lit it himself. After exhaling a cloud of smoke, he placed the cigarette he had just puffed once into my lips. “Smoke.” Then, he watched me hold it and puff, smiling with satisfaction.
“Tastes good?”
When I nodded instead of answering in words, he also nodded. “Have a lot.”
Just as I flicked the ash, CEO Chu spoke to the Seoul guy, who was cautiously watching from the front.
“This is roughly the relationship. I like him a lot more. Does that explain it?”
The Seoul guy straightened his hunched body and [stolen content]mumbled, “No, well…” unauthorized copyHe looked very frightened.
Kim Jeong-suk and Kang Moon-soo must have warned the Seoul guy thoroughly about CEO Chu, but he clearly hadn’t listened. He probably looked down on the place for being a small house. He likely thought a gangster wouldn’t frequent such a small spot. Still, he wasn’t completely lacking; his face showed he had accurately realized from the previous situation that this was a man not to be trifled with. Regardless, his courage was commendable. To think he had dared to act up against Jang-bae, who was clearly a lackey, and the even more terrifying CEO Chu.
CEO Chu took the cigarette back from my lips and began to smoke it again. Then, he spoke to the group.
“Let’s do the final round.”
The moment those words fell, I felt the urge to urinate. Having poured in a bottle of Bacchus, a can of coffee, and a bottle of water, it was inevitable. I thought I should go to the bathroom before the game ended. I slightly lifted my hips from the chair and whispered into CEO Chu’s ear.
“I’ll be right back from the bathroom. I really need to go…”
However, CEO Chu only looked at me askance and gave no answer. After a moment, his eyes even narrowed. Was he telling me not to go? Just as I was debating whether I should say I’d go after it ended, I realized I had made a mistake.
“…”
I realized I had done something stupid. I had gone through that ordeal last time because I ran away after saying unauthorized copyI was going [Read on Read BL Novels]to the bathroom. It was only natural that CEO [unauthorized copy]Chu wouldn’t readily answer. Why would he trust me to go?
I had to correct the situation before it became more awkward. If I smiled here, he might misunderstand and think I was trying to dodge the situation, so I thought it would be better to leave with determination rather than a smile. A gaze full of firm resolve, a solemn tone. In other words, what Woo Min-jo was good at.
With that resolve, I pressed my face close to CEO Chu’s ear. I whispered each word clearly, as if chewing them thoroughly.
“Don’t worry, CEO. I’m not running away. Really.”
“…”
“Just trust me and watch. See what I do.”
It might have sounded arrogant. But because I was confident, I could blurt it out like this. Look at that face—he can’t help but smile.
CEO Chu nodded, collecting the cards thrown in front of him without even looking. His face was full of laughter. He stubbed out the cigarette and gestured for me to go.
As I was leaving the room, I looked back at Chu Gi-oh, and he was shaking his head by himself. [Read on Read BL Novels]He looked as if he were thinking, What kind of bastard is this?
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