By Zephyria Before the bar opened, a few players were arguing with Madam Hyung at the counter about late fees. Choi Hong-seo lingered around the area and approached Madam Hyung at an opportune moment.
“Hyung.”
“Oh, what.”
“That thing you mentioned last time.”
“Huh? What thing?”
Hyung, engrossed in recording in his ledger, replied dismissively without looking at Choi Hong-seo.
“About going on a deep-sea fishing vessel. You said you introduced another Hyung, who used to be a player, to it… and that’s why he quit being a player.”
Only then did Hyung look up at Choi Hong-seo.
“Ah… uh… that’s right.”
“Would they take a beginner like me there?”
This time, Hyung put down his pen and showed active interest.
“Why a deep-sea fishing vessel all of a sudden? That’s not a job for just anyone.”
After carefully examining Choi Hong-seo’s serious face, Madam Hyung glanced around and asked in a lowered voice,
“……Is it because you need money?”
Thinking back, what Choi Hong-seo saw in Madam Hyung’s eyes then was not concern or worry. It was closer to the glint of excitement seen when the bait finally bit the long-cast fishing line.
At the time, Choi Hong-seo couldn’t sense any of that, but he did.
He was a Hyung he trusted and followed. Even though he was working at the host bar because of that Hyung, he thought Hyung was someone who didn’t want him to work there. It was a carefully constructed plan from the beginning to make him think that way.
Choi Hong-seo confided in Madam Hyung. He explained that his family was in debt, and his parents wanted to take over a certain restaurant.
“Your parents are working too. Why would a young kid like you want to take that on? Isn’t your father a taxi driver?”
“He hurt his back and has been resting since last month.”
His father was never one to stick to a single job. He was unemployed for half the year, which led to constant arguments with his mother.
“And your mother? She’s healthy.”
“She sometimes does short-term part-time jobs, but she doesn’t have regular employment…”
He had revealed his family situation in detail, something he hadn’t even told his friends, because he trusted Madam Hyung so much. At that time, Madam Hyung was the only ‘adult’ he could rely on. More than his parents.
“Sigh…”
Hyung let out a deep sigh, his face filled with empathy and sympathy. Of course, it was all an act.
“Kid, for the first 3-4 months on a deep-sea fishing vessel, you only get the base salary before departure, and after being at sea for 15 months without setting foot on land, you get 100 million won. So, you work your ass off for 20 months to get 100 million won.”
“I thought that was the only way for someone like me to handle a large sum of money. Could you introduce me?”
It was an idea Choi Hong-seo had wracked his brain over for days. He wasn’t worldly-wise, and the only thing he could think of was the deep-sea fishing vessel Madam Hyung had mentioned once.
“Hey, Hong-seo…”
Madam Hyung seemed to struggle to speak, his lips parting several times even as he called Choi Hong-seo over. Then, glancing at the other players, he leaned close to Choi Hong-seo.
“Actually, there’s someone who’s been begging me to go on a second round with you…”
“Hyung.”
“I know, I know. You never go for a second round. That’s why I covered for you for a month, you punk. Being nagged to death. Do you think I’m someone who’s desperate to send you for a second round?”
“I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant…”
Madam Hyung led Choi Hong-seo into an empty room.
“I wouldn’t have brought this up if you hadn’t mentioned needing money. But… he’s not just any client. You know Hanseo Group, right? He’s their son. Not even a Gucci client is this much of a Gucci client. No, this isn’t just Gucci level. This is Chanel, Hermès level.”
“It’s not about that…”
Madam Hyung, flicking ash with a nervous-looking hand, held up three fingers.
“Thirty.”
“……”
“I refused you for a whole month, telling them you’re not the type to go for a second round. Then you’re practically burning with desire and name a price of thirty. In my time in this business, I’ve never heard of anyone getting thirty for one second round.”
Choi Hong-seo shook his head, lowering his gaze.
“I only agreed to help until a suitable player could be found. It’s true I need money, but not to that extent.”
The very idea that someone was offering thirty million won for a single night was strange and astonishing, but he still didn’t feel inclined to accept. It wasn’t due to moral standards, but simply pure fear. Sleeping with someone for money was a frightening prospect.
Madam Hyung nodded as if he understood.
“Right, you’re only here temporarily. That’s why I kept refusing, telling him he’s not a player, that you’re just here to help me for a bit… But this guy is incredibly persistent. He’s from a chaebol family, but he’s gentle and kind, and seems to have little experience in this area. It looks like he’s fallen hard for something he learned late. He’s a naive one.”
Looking back, it was the biggest load of crap. Madam Hyung spun such crap without a flicker of emotion.
“Anyway, there’s a limit to how much I can keep refusing on your behalf, so it’s better if you meet him and reject him directly. Face to face.”
“Me??”
“Honestly, I’ve put up with it for a month, I’ve done enough, haven’t I? He doesn’t listen to me, he’s even accusing me of hiding you and being stubborn… If he asks me to connect him with you again next time, I won’t have any more excuses to refuse. If he hears the rejection directly from you, he’ll give up.”
“……”
“I didn’t want to say anything because I was worried about you. But I can’t keep dealing with that client alone… it’s taking too much of a toll.”
Madam Hyung spoke as if he were sorry to say this. He couldn’t burden Hyung, who had helped him so much, any further.
“Yes, I understand. I’ll reject him directly.”
“And.”
“……”
“I’ll lend you the money. Is one hundred million enough?”
“What? No, Hyung! How can I owe you again? It’s okay.”
Choi Hong-seo jumped up from his seat, waving his hands. But Hyung seemed to have made up his mind, speaking calmly and decisively.
“It’s better than you going on a deep-sea fishing vessel, you idiot. You’ve helped out at the shop, and besides that, you’re a dongsaeng I care about… If I think about you going through all that hardship for twenty months, how can I, as your Hyung, be at ease?”
“……”
“You don’t have to earn it from the shop, just pay it back slowly. I know you’re not someone who wastes money on frivolous things, and you’d work manual labor if you had to, so I’m doing this. Don’t tell anyone else about this, so rumors don’t start.”
“Hyung… Thank you.”
His voice was choked. Gratitude wasn’t enough. Tears fell from Choi Hong-seo’s eyes, which were cast down, onto his thighs. It wasn’t about the money, but the heart of Madam Hyung, who cared for him so deeply, that moved Choi Hong-seo.
If Madam Hyung hadn’t offered to lend him one hundred million won then. And if he had tried to persuade him to go for a second round with the chaebol client, closing his eyes.
In that case, even Choi Hong-seo at the time might have begun to suspect Hyung. Even if not, he might have gradually drifted away from Hyung, who was pushing him to go for the second round.
But Madam Hyung said he would lend him the money, and that he should just meet the client directly and reject him.
However, that was, of course, merely a much more sophisticated ploy. It completely dispelled Choi Hong-seo’s suspicion and further solidified his trust and faith in him.
People are not defrauded by those they don’t trust.
A scammer who has chosen a target doesn’t lay out the trap from the beginning.
First, they give off a good impression, create an image of being a good person, and eventually build up trust to the point where the target believes they can rely on them, that even if everyone else scams them, this person never would. That was the mark of a top-tier scammer.
The victim, without any threats, would entrust their assets to a complete stranger, lend them money, and invest in their business.
Everything Madam Hyung had said and done to Choi Hong-seo was precisely that kind of groundwork.
He had imagined going back to the past countless times.
There were so many moments he wanted to go back and fix.
He shouldn’t have gone to meet the client Madam Hyung mentioned. He shouldn’t have borrowed one hundred million won from Madam Hyung. He should have cut off sentimental reasons like his parents looking happy. He should have refused Madam Hyung’s request to just fill a headcount urgently.
He should have flatly refused the offer from his classmate to come hang out at the shop on that unusually chilly March day.
But if he could fix just one, truly only one moment, Choi Hong-seo could choose without hesitation.
The client Madam Hyung mentioned. He would not go to meet that client.
That client was Executive Director Lee Seo-kyung of Hanseo Group, and that Madam Hyung was CEO Myeong of UB.
■
As soon as they cleared customs and exited the arrival hall, ‘Layered’ was met with a barrage of camera flashes from reporters and fans. The security team, who had been waiting, approached, lined up the six members in two rows, surrounded them, and began to escort them through the crowd.
It took over five minutes to exit the arrival hall completely. Outside the airport, people on makeshift ladders waited to take photos. The crowd pouring out after the members couldn’t be contained, and a ladder toppled, causing people to fall. Because of this, ‘Layered’ had to pause their movement. It was utter chaos.
“Come out! You’ll get hurt! Keep your distance! It’s dangerous!”
Amidst the shouts of the security team, the members, hats pulled low and heads bowed, slowly followed the security team’s guidance. For safety, fan service like showing their faces or waving was strictly prohibited.
But the car that should have been waiting right in front of the gate was nowhere to be seen.
Instead of the familiar RV they usually rode in, a large van was waiting at the spot guided by the security team and manager.
Given how hectic the scene was, the members, though bewildered, had no choice but to get into the car.
“What… what is this? What is this car? Huh? CEO! What is this car? Is it ours?”
The members who got in first found CEO Myeong inside and bombarded him with questions.
“Just sit down quickly so we can leave, you brats.”
The back seats, excluding the driver and front passenger seats, could accommodate seven people. Choi Hong-seo sat in the front row with CEO Myeong.
“CEO! What is this? Is this really our car?”
“You guys are already pestering me about the car before even greeting me, even though your CEO came to pick you up himself.”
“Ah, seriously, what is it?”
“Yes, this is the car you’ll be using from now on. I prepared it as a surprise while you were in Ho Chi Minh.”
“Amazing! Amazing! Only top actors drive cars like this!”
“Right! Yoon Joo-ho drives this! I saw it!”
“We might be the only idols in the country driving this!”
“Crazy, crazy… We’ve really made it! A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter at our UN Village dorm!”
“Tsk, tsk, you thoughtless bastards. Hong-seo made us successful, not you. Be grateful to Hong-seo! If it weren’t for Hong-seo Hyung, who worked alone for years trying to make ‘Layered’ a success, how would you guys be enjoying such luxury? Think of it all as thanks to Hong-seo Hyung, and drive it cleanly, with care!”
But it seemed they couldn’t hear CEO Myeong’s words anymore.
Could it be that Lee Hae-sung prepared this?
Choi Hong-seo could only think that. But he couldn’t ask in front of all the members.
“Hong-seo-ya, and, uh… before we leave Yeongjongdo, you’ll transfer.”
“Transfer?” “He’s waiting in the underground parking lot of a residential-commercial complex around here.”
“……”
“He actually wanted to come pick you up, but with all the reporters swarming the airport. He’s waiting in a parking lot only accessible to residents, so you can shake off the sasaeng fans for a bit and switch cars there.”
Was Executive Director Lee Seo-kyung waiting? Choi Hong-seo broke out in a cold sweat for a moment, then managed to sigh in relief.
Judging by CEO Myeong’s demeanor, it was clearly Lee Hae-sung he was referring to.