By Zephyria ∞ ∞ ∞
After finishing his investigation and leaving work, Woo-jin opened the door to Hae-won’s officetel. The officetel was shrouded in darkness. It was only eleven o’clock, but Hae-won seemed tired and had already fallen asleep. Hae-won was holding his phone as if waiting for a call.
Woo-jin took the phone from his hand and unlocked it. The passcode he had set was a simple combination, so simple that Woo-jin didn’t even need to sneak a peek without him knowing.
He deleted all the photos Hae-won had taken of him. Seeing the photos where his hair was messed up, Woo-jin’s brow furrowed as if he had seen something unpleasant.
After placing Hae-won’s phone on the side table, Woo-jin took off his clothes and hung them in the closet. Although a few of his own outfits were already hanging in Hae-won’s closet, there was nothing suitable to change into.
He took a quick shower wearing only his briefs and lay down beside Hae-won. It was Hae-won’s sleeping habit to sleep so quietly he didn’t even make a sound. There had been times when Woo-jin had arrived after Hae-won fell asleep and left before he woke up.
From Hae-won’s perspective, he hadn’t seen Woo-jin, but Woo-jin hadn’t gone more than four days without touching him, except for the time they were apart. Like now.
Woo-jin slipped his hand inside Hae-won’s pajamas and touched his chest. He placed his palm against the quietly beating heart. Unaware of who was touching him, Hae-won hardly opened his eyes. He barely stirred. Woo-jin enjoyed the soft skin and warmth that met his palm as he caressed Hae-won’s chest and stomach. Touching Moon Hae-won satisfied him.
Hae-won breathed the deep breaths of deep sleep. The hand that had slipped into his pajama pants groped between Hae-won’s thighs. He lightly grasped the limp genitals. The fact that it wasn’t erect made it feel surprisingly substantial in his grip, and Woo-jin’s lips curled into a sneer.
The hand that had been touching below wrapped around the slender yet appropriately muscled waist. Woo-jin pulled him tightly against himself with his arm. Only then did Hae-won moan and stir.
“…Who is it? Hyung?”
“……”
This was the kind of thing that annoyed Woo-jin. Who else could it be but him? He was the only one who came and went from this officetel. He was the only one who could touch that body without restraint. The person who had completely possessed Moon Hae-won’s mind and body, from the past and into the future, was him alone.
But whenever Hae-won asked who it was, Woo-jin felt his mood rapidly sour, as if he were just one among a number that Hae-won had to count on his fingers and toes. He kept treating him like just anyone. Whether through conditioning, brainwashing, or whatever means, he had to break him of that habit.
“Who else do you think would come besides me?”
“…Uncle Hyun Woo-jin.”
Unaware of the seriousness of the low, threatening words, Hae-won replied in a languid voice as if amused and turned over. Hae-won burrowed into Woo-jin’s neck and soon fell asleep, breathing softly.
“Don’t think I’ll keep indulging you forever.”
“…Uncle Hyun Woo-jin.”
Woo-jin buried his nose in Hae-won’s crown, where he was mumbling as if talking in his sleep, and inhaled his scent. He wrapped an arm around his back and pulled him close. Chest to chest, the beat of Hae-won’s heart transferred to him through flesh and muscle. It was the moment that made him feel uniquely human.
Woo-jin had another unpleasant dream. When he was tired and sensitive, he dreamed of her. It wasn’t for any sentimental reason. Woo-jin had been unable to repay the things Kim Ha-young had done for him without expecting anything in return. He analyzed that he had such dreams because of the sense of debt he felt, a debt that had ultimately become unrepayable due to her no longer existing in this world. She had, as she wished, become a debt he could never repay in his lifetime.
He opened his tired eyes. Without even needing to look at the clock, it was probably five or six minutes past six, or exactly six. It was only after a while that he became aware of Hae-won’s presence, asleep with his arms wrapped around his waist.
He sat up. As the enveloping body warmth moved away, Hae-won clung to him as if displeased. He usually hated it when someone clung to him to the point it provoked violence, but Hae-won was an exception. That he was obsessed with him seemed like the fruit of his efforts, so Woo-jin was rather satisfied.
Woo-jin pushed that arm back under the covers and got up. After finishing his preparations for work, he was looking in the mirror tying his necktie when the reflection showed Hae-won barely sitting up.
“You’re up? Sleep more. It’s still early.”
“You must have been tired yesterday. You went to bed early.”
Hae-won, who usually slept sprawled out until eight or nine, for some reason got up before even six-thirty and went into the bathroom to wash up. While he was coming out, Woo-jin was putting on his shoes by the entrance. He had to get to the District Prosecutors’ Office earlier than eight, as he had scheduled Park Yong-ho for a photo line at eight.
“I’m going.”
“Wait.”
Hae-won chased after him. Woo-jin frowned. If he did this every time he left, it would become extremely tiresome. Hae-won quickly approached and kissed Woo-jin on the cheek.
“Eat dinner out. Buy me something delicious.”
“Not today.”
“Night duty again?”
Having lied about night duty before, Hae-won had developed a habit of asking if it was night duty whenever Woo-jin said he couldn’t. So Woo-jin decided to tell the truth, but vaguely.
“I have an appointment.”
“You have an appointment every evening lately.”
“It’s a regular meeting today.”
“What kind of meeting? Alumni meeting? Prosecutors’ meeting?”
“I have to meet friends.”
“You have friends?”
“I do. A few.”
“I don’t have a single friend.”
Hae-won blinked his big eyes. His only friend was dead, and those who weren’t friends had gone to prison. Lee Tae-shin had killed himself at twenty-nine. Kim Ha-young had also ended her life at twenty-nine. They were all people who had said they loved Woo-jin.
People who love him get devoured by something when they turn twenty-nine. Whether intentionally or not, Woo-jin chewed up and swallowed the souls of those who loved him. Hae-won also stood before Woo-jin’s cursed carnivorous appetite.
He didn’t want to think of Hae-won as something like an outstanding debt. Not yet. He hadn’t been filled yet. He didn’t know what hadn’t been filled, but he didn’t want to let go of him now. It was only just beginning.
“Don’t make things like friends. After your lesson, don’t go anywhere, just sleep.”
Don’t listen to anything, don’t see anything, don’t do anything. There wasn’t much time left now. That’s why he was more anxious. Woo-jin sincerely hoped his twenty-ninth year would pass safely. He felt disgust towards the dead Kim Ha-young and Lee Tae-shin for the very fact that he was being this careful because of this illogical jinx.
“I’ll call.”
“You won’t come at night either?”
“We’ll see.”
“Buy me a toy.”
“I said no.”
Woo-jin kissed Hae-won on the cheek as Hae-won had done to him and turned away.
[Did Hyung delete the photos? Sorry, but I recovered them all.]
He was showing unexpected skills. Along with Hae-won’s message, a photo of himself with his hair parted strangely was sent. He looked down at his phone with a stiff expression. There was no contact from the magnet he had attached to Kim Jeong-geun. President Kim Jeong-geun was sensitive to being tailed. Since Woo-jin had laid the bait, he would likely find out who he was meeting or who he had called in by this week.
Park Yong-ho was originally outside Woo-jin’s interest, but he was the type to get irritated when a witness’s attitude during investigation was insincere. He was unreasonable and irrational, and he didn’t even have the minimum sincerity for his thievery.
Standing in the photo line, Park Yong-ho, with a mournful face, uttered words he wouldn’t keep, apologizing to the people for causing concern and promising to cooperate sincerely with the prosecution’s investigation. He squinted his eyes against the flashes from dozens of cameras. The shutter sounds were clamorous.
Park Yong-ho was waiting not in an investigation room but in the Chief Prosecutor’s office. Woo-jin knocked on the Chief’s Office door and opened it. Park Yong-ho, who had been summoned for investigation, was sitting across from Lee Seung-min, calmly drinking jujube tea. The sweet smell of honey-soaked jujubes irritated his nose. Woo-jin bowed his head in greeting to them.
“Ah, you must be Prosecutor Hyun Woo-jin, famous in the Special Investigations Division.”
“Hello. Nice to meet you. Hyun Woo-jin from Special Investigations Division 3.”
“I heard the Finance Team Leader of the Korean Police Association was very stiff. I apologize. He’s not a bad person, just has a bit of a personality.”
Having apparently heard a rough account from Lee Seung-min, Park Yong-ho lowered his posture and tried to coax Woo-jin. Woo-jin acted as if he hadn’t heard and looked at the half-finished jujube tea on the table.
“Are you finished with your tea?”
“Almost done.”
“Then let’s go to the investigation room.”
“What’s the rush? You even went through the photo line. You should make some concessions too.”
Lee Seung-min gestured for Woo-jin to come and sit as well. Given his position, he couldn’t be strict with the ruling party’s floor leader, and usually, he played the role of the good cop here, while Woo-jin played the bad cop.
“Let’s go quickly. I have about twenty witness investigations backed up.”
“Whoa… Chief, isn’t this a bit too much? I gave you the show, didn’t I?”
It seemed there had been an agreement up to him standing meekly in the photo line and being publicly humiliated. Lee Seung-min soothed Park Yong-ho with a look urging cooperation and even promised to finish it quickly.
Woo-jin seated Park Yong-ho in the interrogation room. To insult him, they had entrusted the investigation to a prosecutor in only his second year. Standing in the observation room, Lee Seung-min and Woo-jin, arms crossed, watched Park Yong-ho sitting discontentedly on the other side of the one-way mirror. Woo-jin spoke without taking his eyes off him.
“I heard you met with the ruling party floor leader yesterday.”
“Seems troublesome. A few more are tangled up, judging by how he talks.”
“Then let’s cut the tail at Assemblyman Park.”
“It’s hard to cut the tail at the floor leader, that’s why we’re doing this.”
Woo-jin glanced sideways at Lee Seung-min, who was grumbling. Seen in the dark, his already poor complexion looked dark and sickly. Woo-jin turned his eyes back to the one-way mirror.
“If we just let it go, there will be problems later during the National Assembly audit, and with the media reports out, civic groups won’t stay quiet. The entire process of establishing the Korean Police Association, budget execution, and operation is a deception of the people. If it’s known we poked around and then covered it up, you’ll be in a difficult position later, Chief. For me, it ends with reporting that you told me to cover it up.”
“Woo-jin-ah, are you threatening me now?”
“I’m telling you a story with a sufficiently high probability.”
Lee Seung-min, who felt a chill from Woo-jin’s excessive coolness, took a step away from him. He clicked his tongue.
“Then cut it at Assemblyman Park and don’t touch anything beyond that.”
“I’ll apply for arrest warrants for Park Yong-ho and all the rest below him for misappropriation of funds and recover the remaining budget for the national treasury.”
“He showed up without refusing the summons, isn’t that too harsh? Do you think the ruling party will just sit still?”
“The nature of the crime is bad.”
Lee Seung-min left the observation room, pressing his throbbing temples with his fists as if he had a headache. Woo-jin spoke to Jeong Ho-myung, who was sitting in front of the video equipment.
“Don’t finish the investigation before twelve. Don’t give him time to get his story straight, put handcuffs on him as soon as the investigation is over and send him to the detention center.”
“Understood.”
“Bring me the list of additional summons for the other related persons and the organized list.”
“Yes.”
The investigation into Park Yong-ho’s arrest gained speed. Woo-jin, in charge of directing the investigation, left the interrogation room after seeing Park Yong-ho eating seolleongtang with a displeased expression.
He headed to Yangpyeong.
The villa Kim Jeong-geun had built on the mountainside in Yangpyeong was a place with low frequency of use. Occasionally, gatherings or parties were held there, and before that, Kim Ha-young had used it as a quiet place to study when she was preparing for medical school entrance exams after a failed attempt.
Except for year-end fundraising parties held by Seo Okhwa with the purpose of helping poor, unfortunate neighbors, or events where Kim Jeong-geun strengthened ties with political and business figures, it was a place they themselves didn’t visit often because the access road was narrow and inconvenient. But after Kim Ha-young hanged herself from the black plum blossom tree at the Yangpyeong villa, it was now a completely abandoned place.
The black plum blossom tree from which she had hanged herself had been cut down. Kim Jeong-geun had tried to set fire to it, worth billions, to burn it down to the roots. The black scorch marks were still vividly visible on the stump.
Instead, Woo-jin used it occasionally. Secretary Choi, who managed President Kim Jeong-geun’s Yangpyeong villa, was his man, planted by Woo-jin. Secretary Choi managed what happened in the basement of the Yangpyeong villa. Materials piled up neatly in Woo-jin’s personal safe.
The underground space of the villa, built from the initial design stage for use as a bomb shelter, was a place unknown to both Kim Jeong-geun and Seo Okhwa. Woo-jin made that place his own private bomb shelter. To dominate someone, their weaknesses were needed, and Woo-jin provided them with a place where wiretapping was impossible.
A few cars were already parked in the villa’s parking lot. As Woo-jin got out of his car, Secretary Choi approached and held an umbrella over him. A sticky, sleety rain was falling, neither snow nor rain. That’s why it took about twenty minutes longer than usual to get there.
“Is everyone here?”
“Everyone except Executive Lee from Daewon Group has arrived.”
“Check if that friend is coming and lock the door now.”
“Understood.”
Woo-jin opened the shabby door leading to the basement at the back of the villa.
Descending the stairs, which were the height of a two-story building, a separate world decorated like a hotel suite unfolded. Kim Jeong-geun would never have dreamed such a place existed beneath his villa.
Heavy music played, and the sounds of boisterous laughter and chatter clamored. The doors of the display cabinet were left carelessly open, and several liquor bottles were half-empty on the table. It seemed they had already enjoyed themselves quite a bit among themselves.
“Prosecutor Hyun, our Hyun Pro is here.”
“Long time no see.”
The already drunk son of the Prime Minister staggered towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
The main members were the offspring of high-ranking officials currently controlling politics and business. Sharing crimes, they were bound by a strong sense of solidarity and could be said to be quite close.
Woo-jin estimated the potential these people held. They overflowed with the potential to one day occupy the highest positions and possess the most in this country. They were figures who, if one decided to dig, would have more than one or two things exposed, but that level wouldn’t allow him to exert control. Woo-jin knew from experience that something stronger was needed. He needed a leash to lead them in the direction he wanted and make them bark.
The inside was stiflingly warm. Woo-jin took off his jacket and draped it over the sofa, then poured a drink. He put ice from the ice bucket into his mouth and crunched it.
The son of the Chief Justice, who was smoking marijuana, made eye contact with Woo-jin and nodded a greeting. His father was the Chief Justice, his mother a law professor, the elders of his family were legal community seniors; it was no exaggeration to say Woo-jin had studied law using books written by his family.
“You become more impressive the more I see you, our Woo-jin. Is my younger brother really that great?”
He loved marijuana, and when the drug’s effects kicked in, he became positive. He laughed easily and was generous with praise.
Unaware that everything about them, except Woo-jin, was being recorded on video, unaware of how that would be transformed ten years, twenty years later to become the leash around their necks, they enjoyed the present. As if living only for this moment. Firmly believing they were accomplices sharing crimes, they had no reservations.
They were also the people who would safely raise Woo-jin to the position he desired. Listening to the grievances of victims solved nothing. Without holding power, justice was nothing but empty words.
“Who is it?”
Woo-jin asked the grandson of the Myeongdong loan shark market big shot, the core of the underground economy, the Myeongdong money lender. He took a swig of liquor and answered with a cynical smile.
“They say he’s an idol, but I’m seeing him for the first time today. Is he really an idol?”
“He’s pretty.”
“How pretty can a guy be? That bastard always brings male kids. Is that his hobby? Am I in danger too?”
The money lender’s grandson made a joke and giggled to himself. Despite saying that, he staggered up and approached the man tied to the pole installed in the center. With both wrists firmly fixed to the pole above his head, the pretty-bodied youth trembled violently, standing on tiptoe barely supporting his own weight.
The second son of the K-One Group, ranked third in the business world, was holding the idol’s waist from behind, thrusting into him. The money lender’s grandson grabbed the cheek of the idol, who was sobbing and crying, stared at him for a while, and as if pleased, overlapped their lips and sloppily flicked his tongue, kissing him.
The area around Woo-jin’s eyes grew cold and stiff, but he didn’t look away.
After a while, the second son of the K-One Group, who had been penetrating the idol from behind, pulled up his pants and plopped down beside Woo-jin, panting heavily.
“Fuck, someone’s already used it. The hole is loose, no taste.”
“Yours is just small.”
“What?!”
“He’s pretty, why?”
At the sharp glare turned his way, Woo-jin smoothly deflected with an offhand remark and raised an eyebrow. Unable to do anything about Woo-jin, who wielded considerable influence in their gatherings despite being a mere prosecutor, he swallowed his anger and gulped down the ice-filled liquor like water.
“The manager there said he’d give me a discount, so I brought him along. You get what you pay for. The kid you brought last time was decent, though.”
“Ah.”
“Would it be awkward if I brought him again?”
“He killed himself.”
“Oh, really? If I’d known, I would’ve had him a few more times. What a shame. He was cute.”
He clicked his tongue regretfully. This time, the grandson of the Myeongdong pawnshop owner shoved his flushed, red penis into the idol’s hole. When he loudly praised how tight it was, the second son of the K-One Group muttered a string of curses.
He asked Woo-jin.
“Didn’t you say there was one more? That you had one picked out. It’s your turn, soon.”
Providing tribute was a shared obligation for all members, who were accomplices. Woo-jin loosened his necktie and put a cigarette in his mouth.
“He ran away.”
“You’re not holding back because you’re fond of him, are you?”
Woo-jin didn’t reply, merely laughed.
“Last time, you didn’t hand over that wannabe actor kid, and then it turns out you’ve been seeing him lately.”
The second son of the K-One Group pointed at the son of the Chief Justice, who was sitting quite properly. He was waiting for his turn, idly stroking his erect penis.
“Didn’t your gonorrhea clear up yet?”
The second son of the K-One Group asked Woo-jin. Woo-jin looked down at his lower body and scratched his groin as if it itched.
“I’m on medication.”
“Ugh, filthy bastard. Don’t even think about doing it today.”
Woo-jin didn’t answer him, instead inhaling and exhaling smoke until his chest swelled. He usually avoided participating in their acts, claiming he had an STD. Instead, if anyone seemed suspicious, Woo-jin would actively join in.
White smoke drifted around Woo-jin. The second son of K-One, who had weak lungs, coughed and moved to the seat directly in front of the camera lens. Walking toward the sofa opposite, he changed direction and approached the idol tied to the pole.
He touched the idol’s genitals, which were swaying while erect, then urinated on them. The stream of yellow urine soaked the man’s groin, his inner thighs, and soon flowed into the drain. The Myeongdong pawnshop owner cursed, calling it disgusting. He hurriedly ejaculated and pissed on the idol’s white buttocks.
The man in his early twenties, who seemed exhausted from taking on six men, hung his head low and no longer moved. The flip side of the bunker providing revelry was like a butcher shop selling human flesh.
Until last year, the bunker was merely a place for wild parties with orgies and drugs. Woo-jin had told Tae-shin he wanted to take him to a place where he occasionally met friends to drink and have fun. It was a suggestion made with the thought that it would be okay for them to mingle, and also with the intention of putting a leash on him, the son of Gyeongwon Group. Tae-shin was delighted. He asked several times if it was really okay for him to go to such a place.
At first, it was just a place to drink and have fun, but as they got drunk on alcohol and high on drugs, it uncontrollably turned depraved. Woo-jin, who had left Tae-shin alone and stepped out briefly to smoke, stood silently watching Tae-shin, abandoned in the midst of revelry beyond the glass wall. That wasn’t why he had brought him, but they seemed to misunderstand that they could toy with Tae-shin as they pleased.
Well, since Tae-shin liked men anyway, it didn’t matter. It would have been fine if he just enjoyed it moderately, and it was also a time when Woo-jin needed information on Tae-shin.
They eventually hung Tae-shin on the pole. They didn’t seem to intend to end it with just a bit of fun. With a desolate, distorted expression, Tae-shin enjoyed play in various ways with the six men. As if immersed in the victim’s position, he begged Woo-jin for help, to save him, and Woo-jin faced that tragic abandonment impassively. He was crying.
At dawn, Tae-shin, who had been having fun, disappeared. He wasn’t in the bunker. He had been trapped in a mountain for three days. Woo-jin wrapped the disheveled man, who had been dumped in the forest, in a blanket and put him in the car. He was devastated. He seemed to be in pain somewhere. Woo-jin took the speechless man home.
Woo-jin asked him why he had disappeared without a word when he seemed to be enjoying it quite a bit, if perhaps it hadn’t been fun, unable to understand him for complicating things. Many people had the sexual preference of being humiliated and violated. When with him, Tae-shin also often cried, and each time, he would whisper that he loved Woo-jin.
In his ruined state, Tae-shin just stared at him blankly, saying nothing. Tae-shin, who had done all sorts of things to get his attention, had been quite a useful existence to him until just before he ran away.
And not long after, Tae-shin killed himself. Woo-jin had said he would help with the investigation but gave no help at all. Woo-jin couldn’t understand his sudden jump. There had been no sign, no talk of anything being difficult; he had just suddenly jumped from the rooftop of the officetel where he lived.
With Tae-shin found in the forest and such an event occurring not long after, Woo-jin felt quite uneasy, wondering if inviting him to the bunker gathering was the cause. He hadn’t dragged him there by force, nor had he persuaded someone who refused. Tae-shin had wanted it.
The smell of cigarettes, marijuana smoke, the scent of all sorts of hallucinogens, the foul stench of dirty males, the bloody smell of carnivorous flesh. Sitting expressionless amidst the flood of smells, Woo-jin stared at the idol who had fainted.
∞ ∞ ∞
Due to the arrest and investigation of the ruling party’s floor leader, the political backlash was fierce. When two implicated lawmakers were added to the investigation, the outcry that had been erupting daily vanished as if it were a lie. Before the investigation results were announced at the budget committee, the entire budget for the Jeon-gyeong-hyeop was cut, and the remaining budget was incorporated into the national treasury. Criticism poured in over lax budget execution, and pointed remarks about the budget review process itself flooded the media daily.
『The National Assembly’s Special Committee on Budget and Accounts spent a mere 58 hours reviewing a super budget amounting to 460 trillion won last session. According to the prosecution’s investigation, Representative Park Yong-ho, while serving as Minister of Strategy and Finance, pushed for the establishment of the Jeon-gyeong-hyeop and subsequently embezzled national subsidies executed under the guise of educational support projects for over two years. Team 3 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office’s Special Investigation Division has arrested and detained Representative Park Yong-ho, the Jeon-gyeong-hyeop’s Finance Team Leader, and a Mr. Lee, the Planning and Coordination General Manager, and is conducting full-scale seizures and searches of their offices and homes while pursuing additional charges.
As seen in this case, there is a need for a separate system where, immediately after the government submits the budget bill, in-depth National Assembly discussions ensure the people’s tax money is used where it is truly needed. We now connect to reporter Lee Yun-jeong at the National Assembly Budget and Accounts Committee.』
“Hyung, aren’t you in the Special Investigation Division?”
“……What?”
Woo-jin, lying in bed with one hand holding his phone and the other giving Hae-won a pillow with his arm, lifted his gaze to look at the TV screen.
The image of Jeong Ho-myung conducting a seizure and search of the Jeon-gyeong-hyeop office flashed briefly on the TV screen and disappeared. The image of Jeong Ho-myung, who would likely ask everyone tomorrow if they saw him on TV, naturally came to mind.
Woo-jin turned off the TV with the remote. Hae-won turned to him.
“I was just trying to see what’s going on in the world for once. Why’d you turn it off?”
“It’s noisy.”
“Isn’t that your department? Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office Special Investigation Division, Team 3.”
“Don’t know.”
At the indifferent reply, Hae-won pressed his cheek against Woo-jin’s chest as if bored. Woo-jin stroked the back of Hae-won’s head.
It wasn’t that he was holding back because he was fond of him. It wasn’t that he hadn’t thought of it at first. The moment Hae-won hinted that he knew about Woo-jin’s relationship with Tae-shin, Woo-jin could only think that he needed to deal with him quickly. If he had said they slept together, he couldn’t rule out the possibility that Lee Tae-shin had revealed the bunker to Hae-won. He had been talkative, and because of that chattiness, he had told Hae-won all sorts of things.
He had leaked stories about the frequent slush fund laundering happening through the bunker gatherings, but Hae-won showed no sign of knowing. If Hae-won knew about it, he would need to be silenced. If the bunker were exposed, the preparations made for ten and twenty years later could all come to nothing.
From observation, it was certain Hae-won didn’t know about the bunker’s existence. He also didn’t know why Tae-shin had killed himself. That was the same for Woo-jin. Woo-jin was also curious why Lee Tae-shin had made such an extreme choice. Lee Tae-shin was the son of the Gyeongwon Group Chairman, grew up without knowing life’s hardships, and was naive and innocent.
Lee Tae-shin had said he would help, but Woo-jin hadn’t really received much help from him. The money laundering done through his work amounted to a mere 120 million won. He had pointlessly brought him to the bunker gathering, and when he disappeared, it only caused trouble. He wasted three days searching for him after he fled into the forest.
Woo-jin was still curious. As Hae-won claimed, he hadn’t toyed with him either. He had acted affectionately to gain favor and engaged in the relationship with sincerity. Lee Tae-shin also said he loved him, like Hae-won did. He held a one-sided fantasy about Woo-jin. In response to Tae-shin’s feelings, Woo-jin had equally invested his time and emotions and had merely requested the help needed for the investigation. He hadn’t made unreasonable demands like stealing documents or betraying his father, as he had with Kim Ha-young. He had just taken him to a gathering of close friends, and at the time, he too had seemed to be enjoying it quite a bit.
Whether, like Kim Ha-young, he killed himself because he wanted to become Woo-jin’s lifelong debt, or whether he just suddenly grew tired of living, for whatever reason.
There were statements from those around him that he had kept a diary. They thoroughly searched his home, the hotels he stayed in, and even turned Hae-won’s officetel upside down, but found nothing. The fact that he, like Kim Ha-young, left at twenty-nine made that number feel particularly ominous to Woo-jin.
With Lee Tae-shin ending up like that, Woo-jin couldn’t help but connect him to Kim Ha-young. Suddenly, he wondered if it was because of him. Because the people who said they loved him left him as if by promise when they turned twenty-nine. It was a coincidence, but there were too many overlaps.
Lee Tae-shin wasn’t a completely useless existence to him.
He had led him to meet Moon Hae-won.
If Hae-won had heard anything about the bunker from Tae-shin, he was like a time bomb that could go off at any moment. Woo-jin decided to remove the detonator of that time bomb and approached him persistently with patience.
The relationship that started because of Lee Tae-shin had become something too precious to simply consume like that. Not yet. He didn’t know when that appropriate time would come, but Woo-jin wasn’t foolish enough to wish for eternity.
Everything rots and decays. Moon Hae-won would also rot and decay someday. Woo-jin vaguely recognized that the ‘appropriate time’ would not originate from himself but from the moment Hae-won changed his mind.
He wasn’t the type to tire easily. If he liked a car, a watch, or various other miscellaneous things, he generally didn’t change them. Also, once he set a goal, he might circumvent means and methods, but he had never changed or abandoned the goal.
Woo-jin had no intention of replacing Moon Hae-won with someone else. But if Hae-won changed, he could punish him.
Hae-won was sitting on Woo-jin’s stomach, looking down at him as he only stared at his phone. Under the piercing gaze, without even looking back, Woo-jin asked, “Why?”
“I have to practice. It might be noisy.”
“Don’t mind me and do it.”
“Since it’s winter break, there’s a chamber music performance for kids soon.”
“How educational.”
At the utterly uninterested tone, Hae-won pouted his lips and got off his waist. He probably wanted to ask him to come to the concert, but since it was a performance for teenagers, he couldn’t outright say it.
Woo-jin checked the text from the magnet attached to Kim Jeong-geun and sat up.
Hae-won, standing before the music stand with his violin, turned the sheet music and nodded to himself. Humming the melody, he then placed the violin between his chin and shoulder and began to play. Following along while reading the music, at some point, as if absorbed in the performance, his expression changed and he became a completely different being.
At first, it seemed strange, as if he was narcissistically engrossed in his own playing, but even Woo-jin, who didn’t like music at all, found himself mesmerized by parts of his performance.
He didn’t know if it was because of the mature expression not usually seen, or because of the emotional expression his own mind couldn’t begin to guess, but listening to his play, Woo-jin often got erections and his breathing would become so heavy it felt uncomfortable.
As if entranced, Woo-jin walked up behind him as he played the violin. He knew it was Bach but didn’t know which piece. In the slow tempo, a sensual, voluptuous feeling was palpable. When Woo-jin touched his waist from behind with both hands, Hae-won’s eyes opened. Hae-won looked back at Woo-jin without stopping his playing.
“You’re going to play this in front of kids? It’s too……”
“Sensual?”
“…….”
“If it sounds that way, you’re listening properly.”
The arm holding the bow moved from below to above, and Woo-jin, embracing him, slipped his hand inside Hae-won’s clothes. As he lightly grasped the chest with nothing to hold onto, passing the stomach, Hae-won’s upper body flinched. When he pinched and rubbed the nipple, the tone grew richer. A rough sound like metal also emerged. The more he touched, the more the sound changed. Hae-won, barely managing to continue playing, lowered the bow and violin and said.
“Don’t. It’s not that kind of sensuality. The shifting while playing gives that feeling.”
“Keep going.”
“How can I do this?”
“Try continuing.”
“Ah…….”
Taking the violin and bow from Hae-won, who shook his head saying he couldn’t possibly continue, Woo-jin put them away and pushed him against the window. Their reflections showed in the black window, whose night view wasn’t particularly pleasing. Woo-jin’s hands, embracing Hae-won, touched him without restraint. It was a touch that handled his possession without any hesitation.
“I have to practice.”
“Do it, do it all you want. All night long.”
“Touch me gently. Ah, if you keep this up, really… ugh, it feels like my flesh is going to tear off.”
Hae-won, as if dying from pain, pressed his forehead against the thick window and panted. A round patch of fog formed there. He pushed at Woo-jin, trying to shake off the touching hands.
Woo-jin took off his lower garments. Grabbing the underwear and pants together, he pulled them down to his knees. The area between Hae-won’s thighs reflected in the black window was buried in shadow.
Unable to move because of the pants tangled around his feet, Hae-won bent his lower back. Woo-jin brought his rigidly erect genitals to the cleft between his buttocks and rubbed, fixing his gaze on the window that reflected them like a mirror. Normally, he would have drawn the curtains first, but he didn’t. As if showing off to someone, he looked at the black window, entered Hae-won, and shook him.
After feeding Hae-won dinner, Woo-jin did the dishes. He liked household chores. He wasn’t lazy about cooking, washing dishes, or cleaning. The results were immediately visible. Hae-won, who had said he felt his stamina dropping and was doing push-ups on the floor, had quietly fallen asleep without realizing it.
Woo-jin wiped his wet hands on a dry dishcloth and turned around. Hae-won was looking at his phone. Since it was locked, Hae-won couldn’t see anything.
“What’s this with my number? Take Five?”
It was Hae-won’s number saved in Woo-jin’s phone. It seemed Hae-won had tried calling himself from Woo-jin’s phone.
“What does this mean? Does it mean I’m the fifth person you’ve dated? Hyung, have you dated five people?”
Woo-jin had a habit of numbering and managing targets if they were important. After hearing Hae-won play Bach’s Partita at President Kim Jeong-geun’s villa, Woo-jin had assigned him a number.
That he must have him somehow, that he must absolutely have him, that he would have him no matter what he had to do—he burned with a possessiveness whose origin he couldn’t trace.
So excited was he that day, Woo-jin stopped the car in the forest on the way back after dropping Hae-won off. In fact, he had intended to take Hae-won straight to the bunker. Talking about someone trapped in the forest, he wanted to take him to the bunker, tie him to the pole, and rape and have him as he pleased, as he wished. He wanted to lock him there, not care about anything, and chew up and swallow the entity called Moon Hae-won.
He had to barely suppress the desire that surged like a rough current. He didn’t want to approach hastily and lose the target.
“What does it mean?”
Woo-jin took the phone from Hae-won’s hand and modified the contact name. ‘Take 5’ was promptly changed to ‘Moon Hae-won.’
“It doesn’t mean anything. It’s just easier to remember.”
“Number 5? I don’t like that at all. Not number 1, but number 5? Me?”
Is that all my rank is? Hae-won, who knew nothing, widened his eyes and asked with a hint of hurt.
“Who’s number 1?”
“He’s in prison.”
“…Then who’s number 2?”
“Number 2 is under pursuit.”
“Number 3?”
“You’ll get hurt if you know.”
“Number 4?”
“Served time and died.”
“Number 5… did you want to send me to prison?”
That wasn’t the meaning of the numbers, but since they were all either dead, in prison, or being pursued, Hae-won, as number 5, looked a bit shocked. He blinked slowly, staring intently at him. Woo-jin smiled.
“It’s just a habit of assigning numbers to important matters. It’s not something I do often, so take pride in it. It’s been three years since number 4.”
“I don’t know whether to be happy or angry.”
“Being assigned a number means you’re that important to me.”
“Then it’s a good thing.”
“Maybe.”
Woo-jin’s fifth target wrapped his arms around his neck and whispered in his ear.
“Then I’ll make you my number 21.”
“What? Number 21?”
“Yeah, number 21.”
“Hae-won.”
“Yeah.”
Even as he saw Woo-jin’s expression instantly turn sharp and displeased, Hae-won looked at him with an innocent face, as if asking ‘why, what?’ Ah, Woo-jin finally realized. Hae-won was using sarcasm.
“Now I understand why assigning numbers feels unpleasant.”
“Unpleasant? Should I make you number 5? Hyun Woo-jin, want to be my number 5?”
“Was I being insensitive?”
“You just realized that now? Anyone would be upset.”
Hae-won was angry at being treated as nothing more than a number. As Woo-jin made an expression of newfound realization, Hae-won stared up at him.
“What’s so serious about it? Of course, you’re my number 1.”
Hae-won embraced Woo-jin, whispered, and then covered his lips.
∞ ∞ ∞
Eventually, a conflict erupted between Han-gyeong Group and Park Hyung-soo.
Kim Jeong-geun had no idea what kind of influence the seemingly insignificant Park Hyung-soo wielded within the prosecution.
The precursor was revealed when Chief Prosecutor Park Hyung-soo, who was slated to become the head of the Inspection Bureau in the latest personnel reshuffle, was pushed aside. Park Hyung-soo did not stay quiet. Soon, the media raised suspicions that the source of funds for Han-gyeong Group’s overseas investment fund was Han-gyeong’s slush fund.
The position of Minister of Justice Inspection Bureau chief, which Park Hyung-soo failed to secure, was taken by one of the Prosecutor General’s faction members, who had served as head of the Central District Prosecutors’ Office Investigation Department and head of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office Violent Crimes Division. This filled the core Ministry of Justice personnel line, along with the Blue House Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, with Prosecutor General appointees.
The unspecified Take 2 on Woo-jin’s list was narrowed down to three individuals. As the Minister of Justice took command and the Prosecutor General formally ordered an investigation into Han-gyeong Group’s stock movement routes, setting up a rival, Woo-jin removed the Prosecutor General from the list, whom he had only suspected.
Han-gyeong’s shaking of the prosecution also began in earnest.
The corruption involving Park Hyung-soo that Woo-jin handed over to Kim Jeong-geun exploded. The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office targeted Han-gyeong’s overseas investment fund for investigation, and the investigation into Chief Prosecutor Park Hyung-soo was transferred to the Central District Prosecutors’ Office Special Investigation Division.
As Woo-jin intended, the prosecution and Kim Jeong-geun were engaged in a power struggle.
President Kim Jeong-geun’s residence was quiet. It was now only a matter of time before it was revealed that the overseas investment fund that had massively traded shares of Han-gyeong Fire & Marine Insurance, the predecessor that dominated Han-gyeong Group, was actually President Kim Jeong-geun himself, intentionally trying to evade inheritance tax.
There was no choice but to cover up the case or pressure the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office. Senior Prosecutor Kim Hanse was investigating the Park Hyung-soo case under the Chief’s command, and Woo-jin was watching for an opportunity to send away Take 2 and 3, including Park Hyung-soo, all at once if possible.
Woo-jin looked beyond the curtained window of President Kim Jeong-geun’s study. Today, the bodyguards patrolling the garden were even more rigorous, meticulously scanning every dark blind spot as they passed.
President Kim Jeong-geun buried himself in a water buffalo leather sofa, smoking his favorite cigar as usual. His personal lawyer, the Han-gyeong legal team leader, the planning and coordination general manager, and executives from the group’s business support task force were gathered with serious, grim expressions.
“What a mess, just from messing with one Park Hyung-soo.”
Park Hyung-soo was not the type to die alone. The reason Woo-jin chose Park Hyung-soo was also due to his fiery temper, which didn’t consider the consequences, and his influence within the prosecution, which embodied the unity of prosecutors.
Even if he died, he could leave a clear scratch on President Kim Jeong-geun’s face. And Woo-jin intended to infect that scratch.
As Kim Jeong-geun let out an irritated sigh and spoke, the legal team leader opened his mouth gloomily.
“Chief Prosecutor Park Hyung-soo is one year junior to the Prosecutor General in school, and it turns out they’re from the same hometown. He’s stickier with the prosecution’s top brass than we thought. It seems the Minister of Justice is going even further, advocating for a special investigation.”
“This is a headache. It’s like trying to plug a hole with a shovel when a hoe would’ve sufficed.”
That was why he had belittled him, thinking he was just a mere chief prosecutor, not even the Prosecutor General. It had only been a few days since the materials were handed over to Park Hyung-soo through the magnet. It was faster than Woo-jin had anticipated.
“Let’s try contacting the Blue House.”
President Kim Jeong-geun’s personal lawyer said. Woo-jin averted his gaze from the window and turned around. The lawyer connected a call somewhere and handed the phone to Kim Jeong-geun.
“Ah, hello. Brother, it’s me. It’s nothing else, but there’s this investigation being directed by the Prosecutor General, yes, that one. But I think that investigation needs to be stopped. Actually, it’s me. That money is mine. I guess trying to wrap things up before the Chairman passed away made me rush, and it showed. I was going to tell you earlier. You were on the overseas tour with the VIP, so how could I contact you? When have I ever deceived you, brother?”
Who had accompanied the President on the overseas tour? Woo-jin quickly searched the news on the phone in his hand. It was the Chief of Staff. His eyes, which had identified Take 2, glinted sharply as they stared into the darkness.
“I’ll give you a good source for something else. If they summon me, I’ll appear. But please stop that investigation. I’ll give you something else. I won’t put you in a difficult position. Of course, our Han-gyeong should invest in government projects. Yes, please do me this favor. What are you saying? Haha, yes, go ahead.”
Could the Chief of Staff pressure the Minister of Justice and the Prosecutor General?
In the end, he would move the VIP. Explaining how much Han-gyeong had contributed to this country, and the impact detaining a business figure would have on the national economy. If Han-gyeong promised trillions in facility investment, indictment would be out of the question. Regardless of how much it would cost for the next administration’s political funds, Kim Jeong-geun would not want to reveal the original owner of the overseas fund.
“Investigate thoroughly where it leaked! No one knows about this except the people in this room! Just who the hell is it?!”
Kim Jeong-geun, who had been holding back, suddenly stood up, unable to contain his anger, grabbed a coffee cup, and roughly threw it to the floor. With a loud noise, the glass shattered. Fragments scattered all the way to Woo-jin’s feet. The tense staff bowed their heads.
“Find something to offer in exchange. Something that can neatly cut the tail.”
“How far are you thinking?”
The planning and coordination general manager asked.
“Pick from among the executives. Tell them to serve three years and come out. Promise to take good care of them.”
He nodded in response. At his gesture to leave, the staff exited, and Woo-jin moved to sit in front of him.
“What a bolt from the blue this is. I should have listened to you, Woo-jin.”
Kim Jeong-geun sincerely regretted it. If he had listened to him, this mess wouldn’t have happened. He blamed himself for his unnecessary stubbornness. He was feeling weak. Woo-jin decided to make his already precarious heart even more unstable now that everything was uncertain. When you can shake something, shake it hard so that whatever falls or breaks will do so decisively.
“It’s not just the Prosecutor General; the Minister of Justice is also urging the investigation.”
“I suppose I should prepare for the possibility of detention.”
“Please prepare yourself mentally, at least.”
“…”
He didn’t spout unrealistic optimistic talk like the executives, nor did he only make fear-mongering negative statements like the lawyers. Woo-jin always judged situations objectively and only spoke objectively. It was an implication that there was a sufficient possibility of detention. A shadow of dejection fell heavily on the face of Kim Jeong-geun, who trusted Woo-jin completely. For someone who had never suffered and had only received preferential treatment, detention and investigation would be a punishment he couldn’t endure even for a single day. Kim Jeong-geun was genuinely afraid of the prosecution investigation that was now looming before him. Woo-jin dug into his weakness.
“This is driving me crazy. Put together a defense team. From senior lawyers who can catch all those prosecutor bastards like mice, whether it’s ten or a hundred.”
“I’ll discuss it with Team Leader Song.”
“The temporary shareholders’ meeting for the merger agreement is the problem. There’s no way it’ll be wrapped up before that.”
“If you’re worried about that, it might be good to grant a comprehensive proxy for Father’s voting rights, like during the Chairman’s time.”
“So quickly?”
“We don’t know when the investigation will end, and if a detention warrant is issued, someone needs to act swiftly from the outside. I heard there are only two months left until the temporary shareholders’ meeting for the merger agreement.”
“That’s why I’m going crazy. Why did this have to blow up now, of all times? I feel like a fool who got set up in a rigged Go-Stop game.”
He spoke bitterly and looked for something to drink. Seeing the glass he had thrown and broken, he called his secretary.
“Bring some ice water.”
The secretary who came in saw the broken glass pieces on the floor and turned away. He returned shortly with ice water and placed it on the coffee table. The secretary knelt on the floor, moving busily to clean up the broken glass pieces.
“Then, the things purchased with the overseas fund money under my wife’s name… no, that won’t work. Then it’s like advertising it’s mine. So-young wouldn’t work either…”
“Leave the assets purchased under borrowed names through the overseas fund as they are. Touching them will only make things bigger for no reason.”
“Then my shares?”
Woo-jin nodded.
“Articles will come out soon, and Father might even have to appear in the photo line. The stock price will fall, so at that time, have Mother or So-young purchase some under their names, and for Father’s shares, appoint the legal team leader as proxy and grant comprehensive proxy authority.”
“Secretary Kim, tell the legal team leader to come back in.”
The secretary, who was wiping the floor, swept up the glass pieces and hurriedly went out. The legal team leader soon knocked and entered.
“Prosecutor Hyun suggests I grant comprehensive proxy for my stock voting rights. What do you think?”
“I was actually about to mention that earlier. The Prosecutor General and the Minister of Justice don’t seem likely to back down easily, and the temporary shareholders’ meeting related to the merger will be held soon… I think it’s better to do it in advance rather than becoming a subject of controversy then. This merger needs to be handled quietly and smoothly.”
“Then proceed with appointing the legal team leader as proxy and granting comprehensive proxy authority.”
“I might also be investigated.”
The legal team leader shook his head, saying he couldn’t.
“Then who should it be?”
“All executives and staff will be investigated as witnesses. Some are preparing for detention. Family members won’t work either. They’re investigation targets.”
“Then who should it be? Should I pick some random passerby and grant them proxy?”
Kim Jeong-geun grimaced and pressed him. The legal team leader moistened his parched lips with his tongue and glanced at Woo-jin. Woo-jin’s eyes met his.
“Prosecutor Hyun Woo-jin… transfer the voting rights to Prosecutor Hyun. He’s practically family anyway, and if you grant proxy to Prosecutor Hyun, there won’t be any issues.”
“To Woo-jin?”
Kim Jeong-geun looked at Woo-jin. Woo-jin raised his head to the legal team leader. Why was he making such a suggestion? It was an unreasonable proposal for someone embedded in the prosecution organization. He immediately objected.
“I can’t do it. The Special Investigation Division is investigating Prosecutor Park Hyung-soo, and because of my relationship with Father, I’m already being excluded from the investigation line. If they find out stock voting rights have been transferred to me, the Prosecutor General won’t leave me alone.”
“That bastard is finished anyway, isn’t he? Right now, my life and death are more urgent, and you’re worried about Park Hyung-soo’s feelings? Woo-jin, you’re like my own child. It’s a confidential proxy; as long as none of the three of us blabs, the prosecution won’t know.”
“Father.”
Woo-jin looked at him, saying it was difficult, troublesome, please withdraw such an order. Kim Jeong-geun, who had used Woo-jin like his own limbs whenever needed, hardened his resolve. He had no interest in whether Woo-jin’s position within the prosecution organization became difficult or not; he was only desperate to find a way out. It was his irrational temperament that Woo-jin knew well.
“Legal Team Leader, prepare the documents and grant comprehensive proxy for all my stock voting rights to Woo-jin. Quietly, so no one knows.”
“Father.”
Woo-jin called him again, saying no, please reconsider.
“Prosecutor Hyun, you have to help me at a time like this. I’ll make sure you don’t face any difficulties. Team Leader Song, proceed quickly.”
Kim Jeong-geun urged the legal team leader.
“Understood. I’ll proceed immediately.”
As the legal team leader answered, Kim Jeong-geun let out a sigh of relief, as if he had put out the immediate fire, and drank all the remaining ice water. Woo-jin remained silent, lips sealed.
Woo-jin bid farewell to Kim Jeong-geun, who said he was tired, put a cigar in his mouth, and told him to go now, and left his study. He headed to the parking lot with the waiting legal team leader. As they unlocked their respective cars, the headlights flashed. The legal team leader spoke to Woo-jin in a low tone.
“I did as you instructed.”
“You did well.”
Woo-jin held the details of the funds embezzled by the legal team leader without Kim Jeong-geun’s knowledge. The legal team leader was also essentially in his grasp. The legal team leader was quick-witted and immediately grasped Woo-jin’s intention without lengthy explanation. He was easy to work with but a person with many calculations in his head. He needed to be thoroughly monitored.
“Your position will become very difficult if the prosecution finds out.”
The legal team leader said, as if hoping for that outcome.
“If it becomes difficult, I’ll just have to submit my resignation.”
Woo-jin replied nonchalantly, got in his car, and started the engine. After leaving Kim Jeong-geun’s residence and merging onto the road, he called the magnet he had attached to Hae-won.
“Is it not over yet?”
—It just ended.
“Did you finish writing the review?”
—What do I know about music? It was a bit noisy since it was a performance for kids, and they clapped after each movement, so Moon Hae-won smiled a bit. Not a mocking smile; he probably thought the kids were cute.
“Did you take pictures too?”
—I’ll send them right away.
At Woo-jin’s request to report every breath, blink, lip bite, or lick, a lengthy report detailing Hae-won’s every move arrived. Photos were also transmitted.
Woo-jin drove to the performance venue while familiarizing himself with the photos and the text content.
It wasn’t far from Kim Jeong-geun’s residence, so he arrived at the venue in twenty minutes. As soon as he got out of the car, he called Hae-won.
—What.
His voice sounded somewhat angry.
“Where are you?”
—None of your business. Don’t mind me. I won’t mind you either.
“What am I supposed to do, I was in a meeting. Should I not have the meeting and answer your call instead?”
He had been in President Kim Jeong-geun’s study when Hae-won called. Woo-jin rejected the call and sent a text saying he was in a meeting.
—Who said I called to chat? I had something to say.
“What did you want to say?”
—Forget it. I forgot. It’s useless now. And… hang up for now.
Hae-won, who seemed to have wanted to say something, ended the call. Woo-jin entered the lobby, where most of the audience had left after the performance. He saw Hae-won standing near where flower baskets were placed. He was taking pictures at the request of students in school uniforms.
Just as the magnet had reported. Someone asked for an autograph, and Moon Hae-won shyly gave one; kids clung to him to take pictures; strangely, boys liked Moon Hae-won more than girls.
Just then, a fairly tall male student was taking a selfie with his phone, placing his hand on Hae-won’s shoulder as if shyly. Hae-won slightly raised his eyes and stared at the phone camera.
“Mr. Moon Hae-won.”
Woo-jin approached them. The male student who had been holding Hae-won’s shoulder made eye contact with Woo-jin, flinched, bowed his head to Hae-won saying thank you, and stepped away.
Hae-won’s eyes widened upon discovering Woo-jin.
“What’s going on?”
Woo-jin watched the boy circling around Hae-won instead of leaving. A boy who seemed to be his friend elbowed him hard in the side and dragged him away.
Do I really have to worry about even a kid like that?
He faced a face that was more than sufficient to win others’ affection. Woo-jin had set himself to Hae-won’s preferred version.
“You thought I wasn’t coming?”
“You said you were in a meeting. You just ignored my calls saying you had to meet.”
“I wasn’t going to come since you didn’t call. I was hurt.”
“I didn’t call to ask you to come…”
“You were sitting there all gloomy thinking I wasn’t coming, weren’t you?”
“Who was sitting there gloomy? I’m a professional too.”
“Don’t lie. You were sitting there depressed. Dvořák and Vivaldi were half-hearted. You only started smiling when the kids gave a standing ovation after each movement.”
“…It was hard to concentrate because it was noisy.”
Hae-won’s face softened. His anger was nowhere to be seen. He was looking at Woo-jin with eyes that had grown to love his adorable lover a little more.
“You didn’t even know I was here, taking pictures with that kid arm-in-arm, and he was about to kiss your cheek. Did you know that?”
“Are the kids crazy?”
“Suddenly I’m in a bad mood.”
He had been in a very good mood because things with Kim Jeong-geun were going well, but seeing that sight genuinely made Woo-jin uncomfortable. Even he thought it was childish.
“To a kid? He said he’s a high school freshman.”
“High school freshmen have reproductive capabilities too.”
“Reproductive capabilities?”
“At that age, their ability to restrain themselves when they see something they want to fuck is also significantly lower.”
“You know you’re saying something really horrible, right?”
Hae-won frowned as if asking how such a thought was even possible.
“It means they can get sexually stimulated and ejaculate, by you.”
“Hyung, you’re really disgusting. They were so cute. The kids giving standing ovations after each movement.”
As if they really were cute, Hae-won laughed while looking around for the boy who had already disappeared.
“I didn’t know you’d get fans.”
“He said he’ll become a regular member of our symphony.”
Woo-jin took the violin from Hae-won.
“I bought you padded jackets in every color so you’d wear them.”
When he pointed out his thin clothing, Hae-won held out his hand.
“But I wore ski gloves instead.”
Woo-jin placed Hae-won’s violin in the back seat. Hae-won, who had gotten into the passenger seat, took off his gloves and fastened his seatbelt. Woo-jin started the car and held out his hand. Hae-won chuckled and clasped his hand. Woo-jin interlocked their fingers. He squeezed tightly, as if claiming it as his own.
“…Did you know Hyung’s hands are really warm?”
“First time I’m hearing that.”
“They’re warm.”
“You mean warm compared to other guys’ hands?”
“They’re the warmest hands I’ve ever held.”
“My mood just got worse.”
“They say if your hands are warm, your heart is warm too.”
“My heart is warm too. At least I won’t cut off the wrists of the men who’ve held your hand.”
It wasn’t a joke, but Hae-won laughed as if it was absurd.
Woo-jin headed toward the underpass of a Han River bridge they had gone to once before. There were no passersby or cars due to the cold weather. Parking the car under the bridge, he took out a canned coffee from inside the dashboard and handed it to Hae-won.
Hae-won opened the still-warm canned coffee lid and took a sip. He handed the rest to Woo-jin. Woo-jin also took a sip. It was lukewarm and tasteless. It only smelled strongly of coffee. Anyway, it was something Hae-won liked.
“Did something good happen today? Ah, you got Take Two, right? Or finally Take Three, which hurts if you know?”
“…”
Unconsciously, Woo-jin stared intently at Hae-won’s face. It was probably just nonsense he blurted out while babbling, but Hae-won didn’t seem ordinary. It felt like he knew something.
Woo-jin, who finished the remaining canned coffee, spoke casually.
“Something good happened.”
“Your expression looks relaxed. First time I’ve seen that face.”
Woo-jin hadn’t done the work he actually needed to handle because he chased after Hae-won to the performance venue.
“I’ll make a quick call and come back.”
As Woo-jin grabbed his phone and tried to get out of the car, Hae-won’s hand stopped him.
“Do it here. It’s cold outside.”
“It’s a confidential investigation.”
“I wouldn’t understand even if I heard it anyway.”
It wasn’t something one could guess from hearing fragmented conversations, but Hae-won wasn’t very interested in Woo-jin’s work. He had suddenly made Woo-jin flinch by mentioning Take Two or Three, like a cow catching a mouse while stepping backward, but he was inherently indifferent.
Woo-jin turned off the Bluetooth connected to the car and put the phone to his ear. Before the signal rang twice, Jeong Ho-myung’s voice came through.
—Yes, Seonbae-nim.
“Hand Assemblyman Park’s kids over. Just prosecuting with what’s come out so far is enough. Apply legal principles for a sure prison sentence. Let him get a taste of prison.”
—Understood.
“I’m going to strip the Chief of Staff bare.”
—Huh?
Before Jeong Ho-myung’s obvious questions could pour out, Woo-jin spoke first.
“Strip the Chief of Staff himself, of course, and his parents, wife, kids, in-laws, all relatives, in-laws’ distant relatives, the house security, driver, housekeeper if there is one. Strip him completely bare, clean him out. Don’t report to the Head of department.”
—Park Yong-ho was also a ruling party assemblyman. If we clash with the Blue House again this time, the Head of department’s head might really fly off. There’s no guarantee you or I will be safe either. The atmosphere is already like walking on thin ice. The Prosecutor General and the Minister have already half risked their lives because of Han-gyeong Group.
Jeong Ho-myung spoke quite gravely.
“I’m not investigating.”
—Then you’re telling me to do it?
He asked back, startled. Woo-jin snorted. Jeong Ho-myung’s self-consciousness was excessively inflated because he often delegated tasks to him.
“Of course not you.”
—Then who?
“The special prosecution will catch it. I’ll recommend Kim Hanse as a dispatched prosecutor.”
—Prosecutor Kim Hanse? Then don’t tell me you’ve been…
Jeong Ho-myung’s voice became astonished.
“We have to push him hard. He’s doing big things.”
—I understand for now.
“Strip him without fail. Dig into his aides too. Dig into his office manager from his lawyer days too. Something has to come out. We need something definite we can hold and shake.”
—Yes, I’ll proceed.
It would be troublesome if nothing came out now. He had to make the Chief of Staff let go of Kim Jeong-geun’s hand. He had the stocks with delegated voting rights in his own hands. If the VIP didn’t interfere, Woo-jin could turn Kim Jeong-geun, who had lost his grip on the group, into a puppet. Seo Okhwa or Kim So-young would do as he said, so they would watch him swallow Han-gyeong whole without even knowing what was happening. He would pass the corruption materials to Kim Hanse and catch Take 2 and 3 at once.
As Hae-won said, Woo-jin had a good thing happen today.
After ending the call, Woo-jin was putting his phone in his jacket pocket when he sensed an intense gaze staring at him. Hae-won sitting in the passenger seat was looking at him with fervent eyes.
“What?”
“…I’m so excited right now.”
“Suddenly why?”
“What should I call Hyung, you look so bad. You seem like a real delinquent. Ah, I have a fetish for bad cops in uniform. Corrupt police officers, it’s exciting.”
“What?”
He couldn’t understand what he was saying, what he meant. Hae-won, who had unfastened his seatbelt, let out a heated breath, took off his coat, and climbed onto his lap.
Ugh, Woo-jin, embracing the weight of Hae-won clambering up, pressed the button next to the driver’s seat to push the seat back. As space opened up, Hae-won wrapped his arms around Woo-jin’s neck and urgently pressed his lips against his. Woo-jin embraced his back and parted his lips. He sucked in Hae-won’s tongue with equal urgency. As he sucked it up to the root and swallowed, Hae-won let out a weak moan. He grabbed Woo-jin’s nape, then clutched the hair on the back of his head, gripping every part his hands touched tightly, messing him up.
“Mmm, mm…”
He trapped the soft lower lip between his lips and sucked it greedily. The taste of the coffee they drank together melted into their saliva and lips. Woo-jin licked up his entire lip. Hae-won, who had been burrowing in while twisting his head, smiled.
“What are you doing… wiping it for me? Huh?”
It was like honey had been spread on his lips. Woo-jin kept licking him. Hae-won’s tongue licked along with the tongue busily licking him. Woo-jin ended up laughing too. Wrapping his arms around Woo-jin’s neck, Hae-won whispered.
“Stop licking and say something delinquent.”
“Delinquent what?”
“Like before, saying you’ll make him see prison, saying you’ll strip him bare and punish him. Saying you’ll clean him out and finish him off.”
“You want to be punished by me that much?”
He had seen Hae-won getting excited by such words before. Asking to be punished, he had stabbed a finger-thick piece of metal into his hole and masturbated in front of him. It was a day Hae-won’s whole body was determined to stimulate Woo-jin. If not for his highly trained self-control, Woo-jin wouldn’t have been able to control himself that day.
“I want to be punished. Punish me. Prosecutor-nim, please punish me. I’m a very, very bad kid. I pee anywhere and play with toys… and also, I lie well, and also make prank calls well, and also…”
“Looks like you need your butt spanked.”
Woo-jin smacked Hae-won’s butt. Smack. Hae-won, who was hit hard, parted his lips with an ‘Ah’ and moaned. Then he looked at Woo-jin dissatisfied.
“Why?”
“Say it with words.”
“Right, you want to hear my voice, don’t you?”
Hae-won quickly nodded, saying exactly that, that’s what he wanted. Hae-won liked Woo-jin’s voice. He said it was like some violin melody, and it seemed he recorded Woo-jin’s phone voice on his phone and listened to it whenever he had time.
Even when Woo-jin was right there, he would put on headphones to appreciate Woo-jin’s phone voice, and when Woo-jin looked at him incredulously, he would press his finger firmly against his lips, telling him to shut up and be quiet.
After pondering for a moment, Woo-jin opened his mouth.
“Mr. Moon Hae-won.”
“Yes, Prosecutor-nim.”
Hae-won’s eyes sparkled brightly, full of expectation as he looked at him.
“Your violations are not just one or two. Based on Criminal Act Article 254, Article 250, Article 25, stabbing someone’s eye is attempted murder, and a person who’ll be hitting thirty next year impersonating a college student is clear fraud, so fraud under Criminal Act Article 347, Criminal Act Article 231 forgery of private documents, minor offense of public urination violating Chapter 12, Article 3, fine of 100,000 won, and since you fornicated with a piece of metal leaving me out, it’s the crime of being detestable, since you deceived me, it’s the crime of deception, since you doubted me, it’s the crime of distrust, what is this. You’re a full-fledged criminal.”
“…I shouldn’t have said anything.”
Hae-won looked at Woo-jin as if dumbfounded while hugging his shoulders.
“That’s not all. What Mr. Moon Hae-won is doing right now is also the crime of obscene performance.”
“If you do an obscene performance, it’s the crime of obscene performance? Even if you only admit adults? We’re both not minors?”
Hae-won asked so innocently that Woo-jin’s eyebrow twitched.
“What are you talking about.”
“You said crime of obscene performance.”
“Not that kind of performance when an orchestra performs… this performance is.”
Woo-jin’s head was so astonished by Hae-won’s ignorance that he grabbed his forehead and let out a soft sigh.
“What does the dictionary say. What kind of performance.”
“In a state knowable to a specific or multiple people, a state where others know. Publicly, don’t you know?”
“Ahh, publicly, that kind of performance. I should report to have Prosecutor Hyun Woo-jin arrested as a flagrant offender in an hour.”
“What’s the charge.”
“Violation of the crime of obscene performance. The crime of publicly offending sexual moral sentiments.”
Woo-jin’s gaze at Hae-won, who knew the exact definition of the crime of obscene performance even though he thought ‘performance’ meant orchestra performance, became surprised and strange.
“I remembered you had drool stuck on your face.”
Hae-won tapped his own cheek, saying it was stuck here. Woo-jin couldn’t understand at all what he was saying. Anyway, it was hard to pin down. Where it would bounce, how it would bounce.
Hae-won pressed close to him, attaching his lower body.
“Then did I offend Prosecutor-nim’s sexual moral sentiments?”
“Yeah, you offended them. Very offended. To the point of anger.”
Woo-jin grabbed Hae-won’s butt and kneaded it. Hae-won’s waist moved weakly like rippling water, stimulating his lower part.
“Then I should be arrested too. Because of me, Prosecutor-nim’s dick stood straight up and his sexual moral sentiments were offended, so angry that like this… it got hard. My obscene self that offends sexual moral sentiments, Prosecutor-nim’s dick like this. Ah, so hard.”
Sitting on his thigh, Hae-won rolled his hips and reached his hand down, groping for Woo-jin’s center. The erect genitals were hard as stone. Hae-won’s fingers fiddled with Woo-jin’s lower part like a bird pecking.
“I should throw Mr. Moon Hae-won in jail.”
“Prosecutor-nim.”
“Want me to go easy?”
“No. Don’t go easy, punish me. With this, really sharply.”
Hae-won stroked and touched Woo-jin’s penis, which had fully taken shape and protruded, whispering.
If you play house, this must be the feeling, the irrationality that wanted to continue this absurd play with him evaporated Woo-jin’s reason and intellect like a cold sword.
His head grew hot. His chest was already aching. As if lacking oxygen, the inside of the car suddenly felt stuffy and hot.
“Prosecutor Hyun Woo-jin, if you buy me a uniform, do I have to wear it? I want to see. I’ll strip you. I’ll strip you completely and then devour you.”
Hae-won said while pecking his lips against Woo-jin’s. Woo-jin unbuckled his belt. Hae-won’s hand dug into that place from which a strong body odor emanated and grabbed his genitals.
It’s strange. When Woo-jin was with him, he acted differently from usual, as if fitting the right gear, but sometimes it felt like that was his true nature. Since he had received Hae-won’s confession, he no longer needed to make efforts to capture his heart. Yet Woo-jin wanted to look good to Hae-won. He didn’t want to break the illusion Hae-won had of him. He wanted to be the perfect lover to him. So he couldn’t think of anyone else.
At such a busy time, when he didn’t even have the mind to meet Hae-won due to Kim Jeong-geun’s matter, Woo-jin was receiving reports about Hae-won through magnets, faithfully performing the role of an affectionate lover, and enjoying being Hae-won’s boyfriend like a hobby.
Hae-won was the type where results were immediately visible proportional to effort. If Woo-jin made an effort, Hae-won liked him that much more, and if Woo-jin made a little more effort, Hae-won loved him that much more.
So that’s why, Woo-jin justified his own actions of ultimately getting entangled with Hae-won at this busy time by putting his hand inside Hae-won’s clothes and caressing his softly curving lower back.
∞ ∞ ∞
Even without stripping everything around, a few instances of the Chief of Staff’s own corruption popped out.
When he worked as a lawyer, there were several deposits with unclear purposes of funds, and during trials, there was a record of being charged with evidence forgery, using forged evidence, and then being processed as no charges. It meant someone, though who was unknown, covered it up. It seemed it wasn’t revealed during the hearing because it was such an old matter.
Just in case, they also investigated special admission for children and the small gallery his wife operated as director. They thought something would come out from what Han-gyeong handed over, but that side was so cleanly laundered there were no traces.
Woo-jin requested a meeting with the Chief of Staff. The Blue House Chief of Staff’s official residence was more run-down than expected. The Chief of Staff was waiting for him. The Chief of Staff, who had been sitting on the reception sofa in the office with a phoenix pattern on the wall, stood up upon seeing Woo-jin.
As Woo-jin bowed his head slightly, the elderly man offered a handshake with a proper smile. Woo-jin greeted him politely.
“Nice to meet you, Chief of Staff-nim. I’m Hyun Woo-jin from the Central District Prosecutors’ Office Special Division 3.”
“I received Deputy Chief Prosecutor’s contact. I’ve heard a lot about you too.”
Woo-jin didn’t have the leisure to make small talk and waste time. There were times to slow down the investigation speed and times to push so the opponent couldn’t even defend—now was a speed battle. He had to get the special prosecution passed before Kim Jeong-geun prepared defenses.
Woo-jin sat in the seat he was offered. The Chief of Staff offered him tea.
“Did you hear about me from President Kim Jeong-geun by any chance?”
“…President Kim Jeong-geun, you say.”
He asked back as if he didn’t know at all. He couldn’t hide his brow stiffening for an instant.
“The prosecution isn’t trying to set up a confrontation with the Blue House.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“You’ll have to help us detain President Kim Jeong-geun and put him on trial.”
“It’s still just suspicions. Nothing has been properly revealed. Besides, aren’t you the person who almost became President Kim Jeong-geun’s son-in-law?”
Having spoken as if he didn’t know Kim Jeong-geun, the Chief of Staff was quick-witted. He tried to probe Woo-jin’s true intentions.
“Please let it proceed as a special prosecution. I mean, don’t interfere.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Does Mr. Kim know you’re doing this?”
“I understand you’re aiming for the general election next year.”
Woo-jin took out the internal investigation materials. The Chief of Staff’s face rapidly turned cold as he opened the file handed to him and flipped through the documents. He chewed the inside of his cheek. His previously composed expression vanished, revealing the raw, greedy face of a man desperately clinging to power, now twisted with malice.
“Instead of your admirable deeds as a lawyer, scandals will be flowing out in the news every day. You’ll naturally have to give up on the general election, and this position will soon be vacant. Your wife will also be attacked. I know you had no ill intent, but for a lawyer’s wife, she seems to know far too little about the law. It’s not a crime worthy of prison time, but it will be difficult to recover your current image.”
“Why are you doing this? Mr. Kim treats you like a son.”
Rubbing his brow, he set down his own corruption file on the coffee table as if throwing it.
“If a special prosecutor is discussed, please persuade the VIPs to pass it immediately.”
Woo-jin gave him half of the documents he brought and kept the other half. The Chief of Staff’s eyes twitched convulsively as he watched his own corruption disappear into Woo-jin’s briefcase.
“It’s not just this. Han-gyeong Group also has materials on you.”
“What?”
“President Kim Jeong-geun is a businessman. He doesn’t just give money to anyone without expecting something in return.”
“You son of a bitch…….”
He clenched his fist and ground his teeth. The words weren’t for Woo-jin, but for Kim Jeong-geun, whom he was thinking of. Woo-jin hadn’t found it yet, but Han-gyeong’s secret ledger likely contained a list of slush funds for political figures, including the Chief of Staff.
“If a special prosecutor is discussed, we’ll conduct a seizure and search and find that ledger for you. Because of that ledger alone, a special prosecutor is absolutely necessary.”
Woo-jin needed that too. It was something Kim Ha-young hadn’t been able to bring him.
“Why on earth are you doing this? Even if President Kim is arrested, it won’t do you any good.”
“President Kim Jeong-geun mustn’t know.”
“……Then what you’re saying is.”
“You’ve never seen me. I’ll decide later whether to hand these materials over to the press, depending on what you do.”
“How can I believe that? I can’t cooperate without knowing why you’re doing this.”
As Woo-jin stood up, the Chief of Staff looked up at him with reasonable suspicion. Take 2 was less threatening than he had feared. It was more advantageous to leave him be. Woo-jin changed his plan to eliminate both Take 2 and Take 3 at once and decided to join hands with Take 2.
“Are you asking because you don’t know? It’s just me doing my job because I’m a prosecutor.”
Woo-jin looked at the Chief of Staff with eyes that found it even stranger to ask such a thing. As if doing something utterly natural, betraying Kim Jeong-geun, who had almost become family, and stabbing him in the back, Woo-jin continued without a hint of guilt or hesitation on his face.
“Not everything is good, so I just choose the lesser of two evils. I’ll take my time figuring out whether you’re the worst or the lesser evil.”
“…….”
“I’ll be going.”
Woo-jin, who had been ignoring Kim So-young’s calls, finally answered when the missed calls exceeded ten. The special prosecutor investigation into President Kim Jeong-geun and Han-gyeong Group was on the verge of passing the National Assembly.
Han-gyeong would be safe; only President Kim Jeong-geun, his close associates, advisors, and those who shared his intentions were expected to fall. Woo-jin had materials and evidence that could take him down in one go. Among them were things given by Kim Ha-young and things given by Kim So-young. Once the seizure and search were conducted after the special prosecutor investigation, the secret ledger detailing the uses of the slush funds would also fall into his hands.
Woo-jin was dying of curiosity to know the extent of the area he could control and who was on the list he could leash. He cooled his excitement and answered So-young’s call.
“Yeah, So-young.”
―Did you see the news? They say Dad might be arrested.
“I’m looking into it as much as I can. I’m talking to the higher-ups to get him included in the special prosecutor investigation, so tell your father to wait calmly. The more this happens, the cooler he needs to be.”
―Mom is crying and making a scene all day; the house is a mess. Can’t you come by?
Seo Okhwa was likely to face hardships she never expected, so it was better for her to cry now in advance.
“Tell your father and mother I can’t contact them. I can only help if I somehow get into the special prosecutor investigation. If I’m excluded too, it’ll become difficult.”
―So does that mean the special prosecutor will pass?
“It seems so.”
―Ah, what do I do? Dad won’t really be arrested, will he?
“Don’t worry about that. Move up the study abroad we talked about before.”
―How can I leave in this situation?
“You might get implicated too. There are a lot of things under your name that could be problematic. Leave it to me here and get out of the country as soon as possible.”
―I haven’t done anything wrong.
She hadn’t done anything wrong, but he had covered up his affair with So-young with a hastily concocted lie to Hae-won, and he couldn’t leave the two of them under the same Seoul sky. Any possibility of Hae-won learning the truth had to be removed in advance. Moon Hae-won had many aspects that gave him a headache.
He frightened So-young, telling her she needed to leave quickly. After ending the call, Woo-jin put his phone in his jacket pocket and opened the door to the Chief’s Office.
Lee Seung-min, who was on a call with someone, raised his hand, signaling him to wait a moment.
Woo-jin didn’t sit on the sofa but walked along the wall of his office. He stopped in front of a framed photo on the wall.
It was a picture of Lee Seung-min smiling brightly after making a hole-in-one at the Central District Prosecutors’ Office golf tournament. Next to it were photos from a commemorative ceremony where he received an appreciation plaque and a group photo taken at the summit of Bukhansan Mountain during the Special Investigation Division hiking competition.
He finished his call, put on his jacket, buttoned it up, and approached Woo-jin. Lee Seung-min and Woo-jin looked together at the group photo taken at the summit of Bukhansan Mountain.
“Two years have already passed. We should have another hiking competition, right? Where should we go this time? How about Hallasan Mountain?”
“Only two years have passed, but you’ve aged a lot, Chief.”
“It’s because of you. Because of you, all my internal organs have shriveled up. The Prosecutor General wants to see us briefly; let’s go together. The National Assembly Speaker, floor leaders from both parties, and what, the Judiciary Committee members are coming to discuss the special prosecutor. They want to set guidelines.”
“Please leave me out. I know nothing.”
Woo-jin should have no connection to the special prosecutor investigation of President Kim Jeong-geun.
“Does it make sense that you know nothing?”
“The special prosecutor will pass within a week. You must include Kim Hanse in the dispatched prosecutors.”
“What are you talking about? Why would I recommend Kim Hanse over you, Woo-jin? Are you crazy? And don’t you know what will happen if Kim Hanse is put on the special prosecutor?”
Lee Seung-min had no reason to recommend Kim Hanse from another team. He didn’t particularly like him either, as he didn’t know how to assimilate into the organization. No prosecutor in a management position liked Kim Hanse. Moreover, no matter how special the prosecutor investigation was, it was just a media play. Woo-jin had no reason to take down President Kim Jeong-geun. Even though he hadn’t become his son-in-law, their families had been close for a long time, making them as tight as family, so Woo-jin needed to be on the special prosecutor investigation to help Kim Jeong-geun.
Kim Jeong-geun had the financial resources to smoothly promote Woo-jin to Prosecutor General and even further to Minister of Justice. Lee Seung-min asked, half in disbelief.
“Then the special prosecutor is.”
“Attorney Lee Jae-hoon.”
“……Are you serious?”
For someone who knew the relationship between President Kim Jeong-geun and Woo-jin well, it was hard to understand. His heart was already sinking, and every word Woo-jin uttered was a bomb. Lee Seung-min felt as if he had been hit by a series of body blows. His words were unbelievable.
“If you commit a crime, you must be punished. No matter who it is. Can President Kim Jeong-geun avoid it? Are our prosecutors that lax?”
“Weren’t you intentionally expanding the case to later dismiss it as no charges? If it’s Attorney Lee Jae-hoon, it’s the end for Kim Jeong-geun. Don’t you know who Lee Jae-hoon is? The guy who took down VIPs in his prime, do you think he’ll go easy on Kim Jeong-geun?”
Utterly unable to understand the situation, Lee Seung-min made a serious face, grabbed Woo-jin’s arm, and pulled him to sit on the sofa. He wanted to sit down and talk seriously.
“Why are you suddenly like this? Did you eat something wrong?”
“My Take 3 is Kim Jeong-geun. Not Take 2.”
“Wasn’t that just to make Kim Jeong-geun nervous? You numbered him because you really intend to take him down? That numbering, man, that’s you ranking the things you consider important, right?”
Recalling that his own name wasn’t on that numbered list, Lee Seung-min asked again in a tense voice.
“You have to number them properly so you don’t forget. The numbers have no other meaning. They’re just to help me remember.”
Woo-jin said nonchalantly. It was because they were important that he prioritized them, and attaching numbers just made all calculations faster. If the alphabet made calculations faster, he would have used letters.
Lee Seung-min, who had firmly believed that Woo-jin had orchestrated this entire scenario to corner Kim Jeong-geun and then play the savior who rescues him, turned pale.
“I don’t understand you even more, Chief. I’m just doing my job. Should I not work and just play around then?”
Woo-jin found Lee Seung-min, who asked such questions, even stranger. As if utterly unable to comprehend Woo-jin’s actions, Lee Seung-min stared at him with a blank expression.
A crime had been committed, and irrational things were blatantly happening; staying quiet was the stranger thing. No matter how many years they had known each other or how close they had almost become as family, he couldn’t just overlook such irrationality, and Woo-jin had decided to become a prosecutor because he disliked that. Because he wanted to correct the irrationality.
“If Kim Jeong-geun finds out, he won’t leave you alone.”
“That’s why you must ensure he doesn’t know. Don’t touch Han-gyeong. We’re just changing the owner. Think about it: a proper owner sits and controls the conglomerate. What would happen if the person holding the details of Kim Jeong-geun’s bribes and slush funds held their leashes? This world would become much brighter, right?”
It was an overly idealistic story. It was the kind of dream-like talk that the usually realistic, even cynical, Woo-jin couldn’t possibly utter. Lee Seung-min, who knew well that it was Woo-jin who had brought things this far by taking down Park Hyung-soo, couldn’t dismiss it as nonsense. He was serious.
Lee Seung-min’s face grew serious, his heart sinking as he clenched his fist tightly. Sweat seeped from his hand.
“Who is the owner that changes?”
“Don’t try to find out that much.”
“……Is it you?”
“Appoint Attorney Lee Jae-hoon as the special prosecutor, and you must include Kim Hanse in the special prosecutor investigation. If you tell the Prosecutor General, the VIPs will appoint Attorney Lee Jae-hoon. You should go now. The Prosecutor General is waiting.”
Woo-jin stood up without answering his question.
On the day the special prosecutor investigation passed the National Assembly with the agreement of both parties, Woo-jin stood in front of Hae-won’s officetel door, holding the champagne he had saved. He entered the door lock code three times, and all three were wrong. A warning sound beeped.
Woo-jin let out an annoyed sigh. There was no time to check the CCTV or call an expert. Woo-jin called Hae-won.
“Where are you.”
―I’m at the officetel?
“Open the door. No, what’s the code.”
―Guess.
At the absurd statement, Woo-jin raised his head. Tired and annoyed, perhaps because it was so ridiculous, a hearty laugh escaped him.
“Did you just change the last digit?”
―No, this time it’s very complicated.
“Can’t you just open the door quickly? It’s very cold outside.”
He deliberately spoke in a heavy tone. While others would flinch at such a tone from Woo-jin and change their posture and attitude, Hae-won didn’t even pretend to listen. Instead, he went even further.
―You always manage to figure it out and get in, Hyung. Get in on your own.
“At least give me a hint.”
He spoke with the sentiment of begging not to make him do something that would kill him.
―It’s the sum of my birthdate and your birthdate. Since mental math is hard, I’ll just tell you the last digit as a bonus. It’s three.
The call ended. He slowly exhaled, suppressing something boiling inside, and contacted Jeong Ho-myung.
―Yes, Seonbae.
“Moon Hae-won, male. Look up the personal details for S-dong Terra Tower, Unit 2205.”
―Please wait a moment.
Only the sound of keyboard tapping was heard; Jeong Ho-myung said nothing. He stared at the officetel door, feeling like an idiot as he waited.
―Moon Hae-won, S-dong Terra Tower, Unit 2205, male, age twenty-nine, no wanted records, no criminal record, no unpaid fines, a clean civilian. What about it?
“Birthdate.”
Woo-jin memorized Hae-won’s birthdate as Jeong Ho-myung read it out and hung up. He quickly did the mental math. The mental math didn’t go well. No matter how smart he was, Woo-jin wasn’t a calculator. He could have used his phone, but he didn’t even think of that; Woo-jin, made an idiot by Hae-won, calculated by drawing numbers on the wall with his finger. Having found the answer, he quickly unlocked the door lock and flung the door open. Hae-won, lying face down on the bed reading a book, turned to look at him with a startled face.
“How did you open it? Did you already calculate all that?”
“Of course. What do you take me for?”
What’s so hard about adding a few numbers?
Hae-won smiled the brightest smile Woo-jin had ever seen, ran to him, and hugged him tightly. Woo-jin, who almost dropped the champagne on the floor, barely managed to support Hae-won’s buttocks, lift him, and stagger. Kissing every place he could reach with smacking sounds, Hae-won pulled a trick before Woo-jin could get angry. He was good at pulling tricks. Woo-jin was tired of him constantly changing the door lock code.
Holding Hae-won, Woo-jin took off his shoes and moved inside, set the champagne on the table, and set down his briefcase. Holding Hae-won steadily with both hands, he straightened out Hae-won, who was frantically kissing his cheek, forehead, earlobe, and nape, and walked toward the bed. He was about to throw him onto the bed but stopped.
Tomorrow was Hae-won’s birthday. Only then did Woo-jin go, Ah. Moon Hae-won had changed the door lock code because he wanted to let him know when his birthday was.
“I thought you wouldn’t know. I thought Hyung didn’t care about me.”
“How could I not know it’s our Hae-won’s birthday?”
“I really thought you didn’t know. You didn’t say anything this morning either.”
Woo-jin held Hae-won and pressed his knee against the bed. The full weight of Hae-won, dangling, went to his nape. He lay down as if collapsing while holding him. Wrapping his arms around Woo-jin’s neck, Hae-won gave him a kiss akin to a confession. He opened his lips and strongly sucked the hot, entwining tongue. They kissed frantically and then parted lips.
Hae-won looked up at him dazedly, panting.
“It would be stranger if I didn’t know your birthday.”
“Among all my fingers and toes, Hyun Woo-jin, you’re the best.”
“Hae-won.”
Woo-jin’s brow furrowed with displeasure as he recalled Hae-won’s lovers, whom he had said couldn’t be counted even using all his fingers and toes.
“I’m sorry. I won’t say that again.”
Hae-won apologized, pulling a trick as if admitting fault.
“I love you, Hyun Woo-jin.”
What on earth is a birthday? It’s just a date that comes every year.
While he remained unmoved by any affectionate words of seduction, his eyes were enchanted, moved by something as trivial as a birthday, taking on a bewitching light.
“You were busy all along. You seemed busy, so I wasn’t going to say……, but just in case.”
“Just in case, you tested me?”
“I’m really looking forward to it.”
“…….”
Why are you looking forward to it? What are you looking forward to?
Woo-jin looked down at him for a long time, then got up. Signaling that he was going out for a smoke, he went outside. He took out his phone with a tired face.
―What’s the matter now?
“I think I need to leave the country.”
―Because of the special prosecutor?
“Killing two birds with one stone. Reserve two plane tickets for tomorrow evening. To Bangkok. Returning next Monday would be good.”
It’s the day the VIP’s special prosecutor appointment ends. Killing two birds with one stone, it seemed good to be out of Korea. And when he returned, he needed to extract the secret ledger during the seizure and search. He had told Kim Jeong-geun not to worry, as there would be no seizure and search for him; it was just a show to calm public opinion for now.
―Tomorrow is Friday evening, and next week is a holiday. There’s no way there would be seats.
“If it were impossible, why would I call you? Book first class. Seats for me and that Moon Hae-won you looked up earlier.”
―What, are you extracting a special prosecutor witness? You need to give me the passports to book anything.”
“Do I sound like I’m asking a favor right now?”
When Woo-jin spoke in a chilling voice, the man who had been grumbling even held his breath.
―……Understood.
“I’m heading straight to the airport, so send the confirmed ticket by email.”
―Yes.
“Tell the Head of department I’m away on a business trip, keep it vague.”
―Should I say not to ask for details?
At Jeong Ho-myung’s words, Woo-jin chuckled. It was something he often said. Whenever he advised not to ask for details, Lee Seung-min never asked anything.
“Right, digging into details would only make things tiresome for both of us.”
―I’ll contact you.
Woo-jin put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it.
After taking the time to smoke one cigarette, he went inside. He soon met eyes with Hae-won.
“What’s that champagne? Is it my birthday present?”
Hae-won pointed at the champagne he had brought. As if asking whether he really intended to settle for dinner with just that and brush off his birthday, Hae-won wore a somewhat disappointed expression.
Woo-jin was dumbfounded and laughed inwardly. Hae-won was just the same—spoiled rotten and now drowning in excessive self-importance, not knowing his place.
“You caught me. If you hadn’t changed the door lock code, I could’ve sneaked in and hidden it.”
“……Well, Hyung, you do have some pride after all, I guess.”
“What?”
“Bring wine next time. I’m not a fan of champagne.”
With a lukewarm expression, Hae-won approached and belittled the champagne Woo-jin had saved to open after dealing with Take 3—though it wasn’t prepared for Hae-won’s birthday.
Unaware that Woo-jin was looking at him disapprovingly, Hae-won asked, “What are you making for dinner?” A man who remained indifferent even when offered a watch more expensive than his own annual salary would naturally be indifferent and lukewarm no matter what was offered.
To surprise Hae-won, Woo-jin would probably have to do something outrageous like learning the violin and performing gracefully in front of him—only then might he pretend to be startled. It was a natural reaction from someone who naturally treated a violin like first-class seating and whose very saliva seemed high-class.
For some reason, Woo-jin found that unsatisfying and kept wanting to teach him. Whenever he did, Hae-won would call him an old fogey, and not knowing exactly what defined an old fogey, Woo-jin had to ask Jeong Ho-myung the silly question of who seemed the most old fogey-like at the Central District Prosecutors’ Office. When Jeong Ho-myung answered that it was the Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Special Investigation Division, he finally understood how unpleasant and insulting the term “old fogey” was.
“I’m hungry. What are you making?”
“…….”
Though he had started cooking because takeout didn’t suit his taste, it wasn’t to offer to someone else. Woo-jin quietly looked down at Hae-won, who was selfish—even more so than himself. Hae-won blinked up at him. The lingering emotion of being moved that Woo-jin remembered his birthday had already vanished, replaced by a look of zero expectations toward Woo-jin, who seemed intent on brushing off his birthday with just a bottle of champagne for dinner.
“I think I have to go.”
“What?”
“I just stopped by briefly. I have to go.”
“Without even eating dinner? You have to eat dinner.”
“I was planning to, but I got an urgent call.”
“Who are you kidding? If that’s the case, you shouldn’t have come. I waited a long time because you said you were coming.”
“Sorry. I’ll call you after work.”
“You bastard.”
“I don’t know why someone with such a pretty face uses such harsh language.”
“You bastard.”
“You know I particularly dislike dogs, right?”
As Woo-jin frowned, Hae-won rolled his eyes and awkwardly muttered his limited repertoire.
“……Fucking bastard.”
“Let’s open the champagne tomorrow. We’ll have something delicious tomorrow too.”
As Woo-jin gathered his jacket and bag and turned to leave, Hae-won quickly wrapped his arms around Woo-jin’s waist, asking if he was really leaving, and was dragged along as Woo-jin moved. Woo-jin reached the entrance and put on his shoes.
“How urgent is it? How long will it take? I want to be together today. Tomorrow’s my birthday, you know. You have to congratulate me at midnight. I was planning to record you saying ‘Happy Birthday’ to me the moment it struck twelve.”
It was impossible to tell whether he liked people or disregarded them. Woo-jin let out a deep sigh, still held by Hae-won around the waist.
“Let go.”
“Call quickly. Say you got into a car accident.”
“Don’t talk nonsense and let go.”
“Call and say you can’t come.”
As Woo-jin tried to pry off the hands tightly gripping his waist, Hae-won stubbornly tightened his hold again.
“Hyung, I can’t work because of you.”
“Why would I act like this on any other day? It’s my birthday. Are you going to leave me alone on my birthday? Don’t you know how cruel that is?”
“That’s why I stopped by briefly. To at least see your face before leaving.”
“If you’re going to be like this, if you’re going to treat me so insignificantly……”
Who treated him insignificantly? Who acted lukewarm? Hae-won seemed to resolve something, biting his lip tightly, then released his arms from Woo-jin’s waist and stepped back. Woo-jon looked back at him.
“If I’m going to be like this? Then what do you want to do?”
“…….”
“What do you want to do?”
“…….”
He probably wanted to say he wanted to break up or that he didn’t want to see him anymore. Even if it was said in anger, knowing Woo-jin wouldn’t accept it, Hae-won remained silent, glaring at him.
With a frighteningly hardened expression, Woo-jin also stared piercingly at him. Like a frog facing a glaring predator, Hae-won’s eyes trembled resentfully.
“I asked what you want to do.”
“……Don’t go.”
“Hae-won, what do you want to do?”
“I don’t want to do anything, so don’t go.”
“I told you, if you bring something up, finish it properly. Be clear about what you’re saying. Don’t make me ask the same thing multiple times. How many times have I asked you the same thing now?”
“Don’t lecture me like an old fogey. I’m not a student.”
Even though the low tone that clearly suppressed the other party was rather calm, Hae-won seemed afraid of something, flinching and stepping back as Woo-jin took a step forward.
“Then what do you want to do?”
“……I’ll get you fired as a prosecutor.”
“…….”
“I’ll make it so you can’t work as a prosecutor.”
“Is that all?”
“…….”
As Woo-jin took another step forward, Hae-won stepped back again. Hae-won’s eyes glanced at his shoe-clad feet stepping into the living room.
“Is that what you wanted to say?”
“Don’t scare me. Do you think I’m afraid of you?”
“I told you not to call me ‘you.’”
“It’s my choice. Whether I call you ‘you,’ ‘mister,’ or ‘bastard.’”
Woo-jin let out a light sigh. Hae-won’s expression twisted. It seemed he was flustered by his own babbling, which only worsened the situation, mixed with feelings of unfairness, sorrow, sadness, and other emotions Woo-jin couldn’t fathom. Hae-won’s hand grabbed the hem of his clothes. Gripping tightly, he looked up at Woo-jin.
“……I’m sorry.”
“Continue what you were saying earlier.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Did you want to say you want to break up?”
“No. No.”
Hae-won shook his head quickly. Absolutely not, he vehemently denied ever having such thoughts or feelings.
“If you want to do that, you can do it anytime.”
“…….”
“I’m tired of you too.”
“What?”
“I said I’m tired of you too.”
Hae-won’s lips trembled from sorrow and sadness. His eyes, looking as if they would crumble if touched, wavered aimlessly.
“Is it so wrong that I said I want to be with Hyung because it’s my birthday, that I thought it would be okay today, that it would be allowed?”
“It’s not wrong. I already know your mouth is too loose.”
“……Don’t you like me?”
“…….”
When Woo-jin didn’t answer, Hae-won’s eyes were stained with shock. Unable to let go of Woo-jin’s shirt hem, Hae-won looked at him and scrunched his face painfully, like a child overcome with sorrow.
“Do you dislike me but put up with me because I cling to you?”
“No.”
“You said you’re tired. You said to tell you anytime if I want to break up.”
“Being tired is the truth. I’m exhausted from liking a certain conscience-less twenty-nine-year-old who acts like a college student too much.”
At Woo-jin’s words, which were neither sweet nor cool, Hae-won stared at him blankly. Too much that it’s tiring—Woo-jin, swept up by emotion and accepting it as fatigue, hardened his brow as if reconsidering his own words. Woo-jin was sometimes tired of Hae-won. That was sincere.
As if unable to understand, Hae-won asked.
“Then why did you say you want to break up?”
“I never said that. You were about to.”
“…….”
Only then did Hae-won realize Woo-jin had thrown back the same words in a different way, as if to make him taste his own medicine, and twisted his face even more sorrowfully. Woo-jin grabbed Hae-won’s arm, which seemed about to burst into tears, and pulled him into an embrace. It was a thoroughly calculated timing.
“Hyung, Hyung is really a bad person.”
Hae-won, who had slumped into his embrace, burst out emotionally. He punched Woo-jin’s back. As if he hated him, yet as if he really liked him.
“So watch your mouth.”
“Bad bastard, bad person. Do you know how surprised I was just now? Bastard, bastard!”
Hae-won’s chest, pressed against his, was trembling heavily. Woo-jin held the dizzily trembling Hae-won with a calm tone and steady heartbeat, patting his back. Hae-won, who had finally calmed down in Woo-jin’s embrace, lifted his face from Woo-jin’s shoulder. His eyes were red.
“I want to be together today. Really. Please. Hyung, Woo-jin Hyung. Prosecutor, civil servant.”
“……Alright.”
Even though he had intended to from the start, Woo-jin acted as if he had no choice, as if he had ultimately lost to Hae-won, shaking his head self-deprecatingly as he stepped down from the living room floor in his shoes to the entrance and took off his shoes. Hae-won, moved by this, didn’t let go, clinging to Woo-jin’s back as if hanging onto him, following his movements. Woo-jin asked Hae-won in a gentle voice.
“What should I make for dinner? Is there anything you want to eat?”
“Anything. Whatever Hyung makes is good. It’s all delicious. It’s all the best.”
“Still, you should eat something delicious. It’s our Hae-won’s birthday. Hyung will make the most delicious thing for you.”
“Hyung is really like a bastard.”
“Hae-won.”
“Yeah, but I really like it. I like that chilling feeling.”
“Let’s speak more nicely.”
Woo-jin opened the refrigerator, took out ingredients, and stood in front of the kitchen counter. Hae-won buried his face in Woo-jin’s back, holding him as if afraid he might disappear any moment, and spoke.
“Hyung……”
“Yeah.”
“Hyung, I want to touch your dick. Moon Hae-won’s. It’s mine, right?”
Woo-jin’s hand, chopping carrots, paused. He glanced back. His eyes met Hae-won’s, whose face was flushed red for some reason. Hae-won spoke to Woo-jin’s bewildered gaze.
“Isn’t it a bit much to cook while someone’s touching your dick?”
“It is a bit much.”
“I want to touch it. I want to touch it so badly I might go crazy. Give this to me as a gift. I want a toy. I want Hyung’s dick. I’ll beat it whenever I think of it.”
The hands that had been holding his waist all along subtly loosened and slid down to Woo-jin’s lower body. Woo-jin’s gaze, which had been looking back at Hae-won, turned toward the hand heading to a lewd place.
Since he didn’t say anything specifically, Hae-won took it as permission and stealthily touched Woo-jin’s genitals. What had been softly held in his hand swelled in volume and hardened in firmness. The penis rose as it was stimulated.
“Ahh……”
As if Woo-jin were touching his own, Hae-won let out a pained moan, fondling Woo-jin’s genitals and tenderly stroking what had swollen tautly inside his pants.
“It’s definitely to the left. Is the left more comfortable?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never thought about the direction.”
“You can’t cook, can you?”
“I can.”
“Then can I keep touching you?”
“Touch me if you can handle the aftermath.”
“Ah, I’m really looking forward to it.”
Woo-jin could control that level of caress. As Hae-won’s hand fondled the clearly shaped genitals, Woo-jin continued cooking.
Just before midnight, Hae-won, who had prepared to record with his phone, shoved the phone in Woo-jin’s face. Woo-jin, lying on the bed with his head propped on his arm, naked, opened his mouth with an awkward expression.
“Happy birthday.”
“Name, name.”
“Moon Hae-won.”
“Affectionately.”
“Hae-won.”
“Together.”
“Happy birthday, Hae-won.”
“I love you.”
“…….”
“You know you’ve never once said ‘I love you’ to me, right?”
“Me?”
“You haven’t. Hurry.”
“…….”
“Hurry.”
Seeing Hae-won urgently urge him, Woo-jin realized that the birthday gift Hae-won wanted, what he wanted to demand under the guise of his birthday, was the word “I love you.” Woo-jin had thought Hae-won belittled the champagne he had saved (though it wasn’t prepared to celebrate Hae-won’s birthday) and the dinner he was making.
So he had tried to fix that bad habit. But he felt hollow realizing that what Hae-won wanted wasn’t a watch more expensive than his annual salary, nor a bankbook with around a hundred million won (Hae-won tended to obsess over savings), but merely a three-syllable word. He felt played by Hae-won.
“Hurry up. There’s no time.”
“I love you.”
“……Once more.”
“I love you. Moon Hae-won.”
“…….”
“Done?”
Hae-won slowly nodded, pressed stop on the phone recording as if storing something truly precious, and stared at the device for a long time. Then he got up, brought over headphones that delivered high-quality sound, put them on, and listened to the recorded voice on his phone over and over again, even though the person was lying right beside him.
Woo-jin gazed at him intently. Hae-won’s lips curled into a smile each time he heard Woo-jin’s voice saying “I love you.” After listening repeatedly until he was sick of it, as if his thirst was somewhat quenched, he finally took off the headphones and turned his gaze to Woo-jin.
“It’s the best. The best birthday gift I’ve ever received.”
“You really are something else. I think I understand what it means to be pissed off because of you.”
Even though Hae-won was happy hearing his own voice, Woo-jin’s expression twisted.
“I was really pissed off because of Hyung earlier too.”
Hae-won lay down beside him, took Woo-jin’s arm, straightened it, patted it like a pillow, and laid his head on it. Then he met Woo-jin’s gaze.
Looking into Woo-jin’s eyes, Hae-won said.
“It’s only because it’s Hyun Woo-jin that I let it slide.”
“If it weren’t Hyun Woo-jin.”
“I would’ve been scolded over a hundred times by now.”
“Do you like me that much?”
Woo-jin noticed his own heart, which held a subtle expectation as he waited for Hae-won’s answer after asking the question.
“I like you enough to want to cut off your dick and carry it around.”
It wasn’t the answer he wanted, but knowing Hae-won wasn’t the type to give the answer he wanted straightforwardly, Woo-jin was somewhat satisfied.
With his arm still serving as a pillow, Woo-jin raised himself and climbed on top of Hae-won. He kissed Hae-won’s cheek, brought his lips to his ear, and whispered in a low tone—the deep voice Hae-won liked most.
“What do you think about shoving what you want to cut off and carry around into your mouth right now?”
“Into my mouth……?”
“Yeah, I want to shove it into our Hae-won’s mouth and thrust until your breath cuts off.”
“I’ve never done that before.”
“What?”
Woo-jin lifted his head and looked down at Hae-won in surprise. Hae-won blinked up at him.
“I’ve never done it with my mouth.”
“Don’t lie. Someone as promiscuous as you must have done it.”
One of Woo-jin’s eyebrows twitched. He couldn’t believe it, yet on the other hand, his chest tingled with an inexplicable sense of anticipation.
“But our prosecutor’s language is quite harsh. Who taught you such dirty words?”
“Don’t subtly change the subject.”
“Then break your phone. I’ll do it for you.”
“…….”
“Run away to a deserted island with me. Starting tomorrow. Then I’ll suck it for you every day.”
“…….”
Hae-won lifted his head and licked Woo-jin’s lips, who was pondering over such a trivial matter, as if to say he’d lick them like this. Woo-jin raised his body. He grabbed both cheeks of the lying Hae-won and forced his penis into the lips that tried to avoid it, saying no.
∞ ∞ ∞
“Are you busy tonight?”
“I have plans.”
“Today? Of all days?”
Woo-jin, who had straightened his neck tie, touched his tousled hair and looked back at Hae-won, who had chased after him the moment he got up. The corner of Hae-won’s mouth was torn, and he pressed the sore end of his lip with his hand, going “Ow, ow,” while grimacing.
Woo-jin slipped his arms into his jacket and said.
“I have plans. With you.”
“What, an old man joke? Not funny at all.”
Hae-won kept grimacing, saying it really wasn’t funny and that his lip hurt. Woo-jin, finished preparing for work, spoke to Hae-won, who looked disheveled from not being fully awake.
“You said let’s run away to a deserted island starting tomorrow.”
“What?”
“You tore my lip, so you better keep your promise. And I still haven’t opened my birthday present.”
“Birthday present?”
“It’s our Hae-won’s birthday—can’t just let it pass.”
And in December, just a few days after Hae-won’s birthday, he would turn thirty. He wouldn’t have to think about that irrational jinx anymore. Until then, Woo-jin intended to be careful. He wouldn’t make the same mistakes he had with Kim Ha-young or Lee Tae-shin. Failure left as failure remains failure, but if you learn something from failure, it ceases to be failure. He had to ensure Hae-won safely passed the age of twenty-nine. Hae-won was different from them, and the completion of his possession of Hae-won was drawing near.
“Bring your passport and bag to the airport. By five.”
“……We’re going on a trip?”
“Going to a deserted island forever is tough, so we’ll go for three nights and four days. Somewhere close.”
“Where?”
“Bangkok.”
“Really?”
Since it was a place he had tried to go but couldn’t due to Woo-jin’s interference, Hae-won’s eyes widened as if he couldn’t believe it.
“Just pack a few summer outfits. Come to the airport by five. Oh, and leave your violin behind. You won’t have time to touch it anyway.”
After nodding busily, saying he understood, not to worry, that he’d definitely be there on time, Woo-jin kissed Hae-won’s cheek and went to work.
After finishing his work roughly, Woo-jin also packed his carry-on and headed to the airport. Hae-won, who had arrived first, was waiting for him. They received their boarding passes at the first-class check-in counter. A flight attendant moved their luggage and guided them through the fast track.
They sat in the leisurely lounge, waiting for the gate to open. Woo-jin, who had been reading a newspaper, took out his ringing phone.
“…….”
Hae-won, who had been playing a game on his phone, turned his head urgently as if he had expected this and stared at him.
Hae-won, who had endured him for a year, knew better than anyone that Woo-jin wasn’t in a position to travel leisurely, and he couldn’t relax until they boarded the plane and it took off—he had even tried to snatch Woo-jin’s phone earlier to turn it off.
See, didn’t a call come for him after all? Hae-won looked at him anxiously, foreseeing the worst-case scenario—that they might not be able to go on the trip, or that he might have to go alone.
Woo-jin patted the air, telling him it wasn’t like that, not to worry, and got up from the sofa. He walked to a secluded area and answered the call.
“Yes.”
―What’s going on? Why haven’t you been reachable?
It was Kim Jeong-geun. Having learned that the special prosecutor bill had been submitted to the National Assembly, he had been pressuring his legal team and, frustrated, had even contacted Woo-jin.
“You know the Chairman entrusted his stock voting rights to me.”
It was something Woo-jin had warned and cautioned about. Kim Jeong-geun had ignored Woo-jin’s warning and forcibly transferred his stock voting rights to Woo-jin as he pleased. He must have known that the prosecution had eventually found out, putting Woo-jin in a rather awkward situation.
―Oh dear, that must be difficult. So, what did the Chairman say?
“He told me to back off. He said not to interfere, as I could get entangled if things go wrong.”
―What should I do? I’d feel more at ease if you were here, even as a prosecutor.
“I’m on my way to the provinces right now. I’ve been assigned to the investigation there. I’ll go down and monitor the situation first.”
―How long? How long will it take?
“It’s hard to talk for long since even my phone isn’t safe. The more this happens, the calmer you need to be, and consult well with Team Leader Song.”
―You’re still in touch with Team Leader Song, right?
“Of course, we should be. I’ll do my best.”
―Alright, Woo-jin. I’m counting on you.
“You need to show that you’re cooperating with the prosecution’s investigation to calm public opinion.”
―I’m doing that.
“Then I’ll hang up. Take care of yourself.”
Woo-jin ended the call with him and blocked his number as spam. The plane to Bangkok was visible beyond the glass wall where he stood.
Woo-jin put his phone in his pocket and turned around. Hae-won was talking to someone. A woman who looked like a college student was holding out a piece of paper, smiling with uncontrollable delight and even bouncing on her feet. Hae-won took out sunglasses and put them on, waving his hands dismissively. As if he had seen a celebrity he usually admired, Woo-jin walked over to the delighted woman and Hae-won.
“What’s going on?”
“Ah, Hyun Manager. Handle this, will you?”
“What?”
Hae-won flapped his hands, saying it was troublesome, so just take care of it quickly and tactfully. It was a signal to get rid of the woman in front of him or send her far away. Woo-jin turned to her. The woman flinched when their eyes met.
“What is it?”
“I’m Oppa’s fan, can I get an autograph? I won’t take a photo. Can I just get an autograph?”
“An autograph?”
Was she a classical fan? Hae-won wasn’t that famous of a violinist. He was just an orchestra member sitting at the very back of the second violins in the symphony.
“I still have that photo book.”
“Hyun Manager.”
Hurry up, get rid of her, Hae-won urged Woo-jin with an irritated gesture. Woo-jin inadvertently hardened his expression and politely told the woman he was sorry but it would be difficult, and that this wasn’t proper etiquette. At Woo-jin’s cold tone, the woman hesitated, looked at Hae-won regretfully, and turned away.
“What was the call about? Was it long? Do you have to go now?”
Hae-won slightly pulled down his sunglasses, resting them on the tip of his nose, and asked in a quiet voice.
“Who’s the manager?”
Woo-jin shook his head, saying it wasn’t like that, and sat down, asking who he was calling a manager. His expression asked what on earth he was doing.
Hae-won, conscious of the surrounding gazes, covered his face with his sunglasses and whispered.
“My face stands out. People sometimes mistake me for a celebrity. She said she’s a fan even though she’s never seen me before.”
“Does that make sense?”
“That’s not important right now.”
Hae-won sighed, leaned closer to Woo-jin, and whispered. As he kept whispering in his ear, Woo-jin’s shoulder tingled.
“Then what is important?”
“Hyung, wear sunglasses too. You already stand out, and if rumors spread that a prosecutor is traveling with a man, what then? I’d be happy if Hyung got fired from the prosecution……, but you like that job, don’t you?”
“What nonsense.”
As Woo-jin was saying it was absurd, he noticed the glances of people in the lounge, watching him and Hae-won due to the small misunderstanding that had unfolded.
Is he a Hallyu star? A model? Not a movie actor?
He could even hear whispering. Hae-won took sunglasses from Woo-jin’s bag and put them on his face.
“Don’t worry. I’ll cover for you so no one recognizes Hyung.”
Hae-won nodded meaningfully, as if to say he’d handle it so Woo-jin wouldn’t face such disgraceful things as getting fired from public office.
Though he didn’t know what he was talking about or what he was trying to do, due to the earlier woman’s misunderstanding, the Koreans in the lounge now regarded Hae-won as a real celebrity and looked at him with curious eyes. Woo-jin pulled his sunglasses up tightly.
As an employee clearing empty buffet plates in the lounge passed by, Hae-won stopped him.
“Excuse me.”
“Is there anything you need, sir?”
“No. It’s not that. I have about a hundred thousand Instagram followers, you see.”
“Huh?”
What on earth is he talking about? Woo-jin and the employee both looked at him with puzzled expressions simultaneously.
“How frustrating. Don’t you understand? Since my face is well-known, being in such an open space is a bit burdensome. Isn’t there a private space where privacy is guaranteed? Hyun Manager, say something.”
Hae-won poked Woo-jin’s side with his elbow.
What on earth is he trying to do…….
As Woo-jin reluctantly looked at him, as if to say that’s how it turned out, please read the situation, the employee exclaimed, “Ah!” and glanced around.
“Well, there’s a separate VIP area. Would you like to wait there?”
“That would be great. Manager, let’s go.”
Having gotten what he wanted, Hae-won got up from his seat and arrogantly wiggled his finger at Woo-jin. He gestured for him to bring his carry-on and followed the lounge employee ahead. Woo-jin pulled his carry-on and followed behind.
The employee guided them to a small space with a sofa, a table, and a monitor displaying the timetable on the wall, opened the door to the VIP room, and said,
“Shall I bring you something to drink?”
“I’ll have a croissant with butter and jam, and an iced latte for my drink. Hyun Manager?”
“……I’m fine.”
“Our manager says he’s fine.”
The employee nodded and turned away. Woo-jin and Hae-won went inside. Hae-won plopped down on the sofa and let out a deep sigh.
“Ah, traveling with a prosecutor is exhausting. My face is too noticeable. I guess I stand out too much.”
It wasn’t narcissistic self-admiration for his own face; his tone suggested he was already exhausted from covering for Woo-jin, who was in public office. Woo-jin, speechless, looked at Hae-won and unfolded the newspaper he had been reading on the sofa.
“Let’s not go outside the hotel.”
“Do as you please.”
“To protect the prosecutor in public office, I have no choice. I’ll endure it. Hyung, don’t worry about anything. I’ll handle it. Just trust me.”
Woo-jin was about to say that such behavior would make them even more noticeable but stopped and just read the newspaper.
He checked the media’s stance and public opinion regarding the special prosecutor. Everything was going smoothly. Everything was going according to plan. The one who kept deviating from his plans and intentions with unexpected actions wasn’t Kim Jeong-geun but Hae-won sitting beside him.
After waiting about an hour in the lounge, boarding began. To keep Woo-jin from standing out, Hae-won deliberately made himself noticeable. He busily imitated a star-struck, troublesome unknown celebrity.
When someone looked, he looked for his manager, snatched the newspaper Woo-jin was holding to cover his face, and acted in a way that provoked dislike, as if public attention was tiring and irritating. Indeed, a few people glanced at Hae-won uncomfortably and muttered.
It was chaotic even after sitting in their airplane seats. He gestured to the flight attendant bringing welcome juice and wet towels to come closer as if giving a secret order, and when she bowed politely, he whispered.
“Excuse me. People keep staring, so it’s a bit uncomfortable. Since I’m a public figure with a well-known face. Can you cover this area privately?”
“Huh?”
“I have over a hundred thousand Instagram followers.”
“……And?”
“Wouldn’t I be uncomfortable then? You don’t use Instagram, do you? With so many people here, having over a hundred thousand followers is really tiring. Many people talk to me or act like they know me, and many take secret photos and such. Also, portrait rights, that’s important, you know?”
Half of the twelve first-class seats were empty. No one was paying attention to Woo-jin and Hae-won. Moreover, half of them were foreigners.
“Manager, say something.”
With an irritated gesture as if asking why she didn’t understand, Hae-won poked Woo-jin’s side again. He was trying hard to prevent the prosecutor from being caught traveling with a man, but Woo-jin was dissatisfied with the situation.
“If he’s uncomfortable, do whatever you can.”
At Woo-jin’s words, the flight attendant trailed off, saying yes, and fell into thought.
“It’s difficult to put up a separate curtain.”
“Then can’t you cover it with something like a newspaper?”
As the flight attendant spoke to Woo-jin, the manager, Hae-won cut in and asked.
“If you’re uncomfortable, shall I move you to the front seat? The restroom is at the back, so passengers probably won’t pass by there.”
“Shall we? Manager, what do you think? Should we do that?”
The front seat in first class was empty. Woo-jin was annoyed but moved seats to go along with Hae-won’s tune. Only after moving seats did Hae-won take off his sunglasses and let out a sigh of relief. Woo-jin also took off his sunglasses and hung them on his clothes.
“Since I acted like a troublemaker, everyone will be busy cursing me and won’t remember Hyung. I should act up more. I need to divert attention with my face.”
Hae-won called the flight attendant, bothering her to bring this and that. In the midst of it, he put on an act, scolding and grumbling at Woo-jin, who was sitting quietly, for being a manager who couldn’t even do his job, and caused a fuss all by himself.
Woo-jin just watched him quietly. Only after the plane took off and they finished their meal did Hae-won keenly check around to see if anyone was looking and sat back properly.
“Ah, I’m tired. How many newspapers are you planning to read, Hyung?”
“I’m done now.”
After checking all the morning editions from different newspapers, Woo-jin leaned back in his seat. He was about to close his eyes until arrival when Hae-won’s hand subtly grabbed the back of Woo-jin’s hand.
Woo-jin opened his eyes. While secretly holding and touching his hand, Hae-won looked around again to see if anyone was watching. No one was paying attention, but he alone was wary of his surroundings, looking exactly like a meerkat. Woo-jin looked at Hae-won, who was busily putting on a show, and burst out laughing. Meanwhile, Hae-won’s hand was busily rubbing and fidgeting. Woo-jin took that hand and brought it to his lower body. Hae-won, startled, turned his gaze to him.
“No one’s watching. Don’t worry.”
“Someone in public office is bold.”
“I won’t lose my prosecutor’s head just for traveling with you, so don’t overdo it.”
“……Is that so?”
“Sit comfortably.”
Hae-won turned his upper body toward Woo-jin and leaned back in his seat. Then he subtly fidgeted with his hand placed on Woo-jin’s lower body. Unintentionally, Woo-jin’s genitals grew erect. Hae-won’s breathing hitched slightly.
The genitals, shifted to the left, straightened their shape, causing the shape of the pants on his thigh to bulge as if an umbrella had been folded and placed there. Hae-won looked at his, moving his hand along the silhouette. The shape of the glans was clear through the fabric.
As he moved his fingers along that part, Woo-jin’s thigh twitched.
“Ugh…….”
His breathing also became uneven. Just as Hae-won’s hand was subtly rubbing and touching him, and Woo-jin reached out to gently hold Hae-won’s cheek and touch his lips,
“Later, when the lights go out, with my mouth……, Manager, what do you think?”
A shadow suddenly loomed overhead, startling Hae-won, who withdrew his hand from Woo-jin’s lower body and spread the newspaper Woo-jin had been reading over it.
“No, I clearly said I was here, Manager, couldn’t you even see that?”
Hae-won huffed and scolded Woo-jin. Woo-jin looked back at the suddenly looming shadow. A flight attendant approached with a bright smile and placed peanut snacks on Hae-won’s table.
“Peanut service. Shall I shell them for you, or leave them as is?”
“Ah, I don’t eat peanuts.”
“Shall I bring you something else?”
“Please put up a curtain here. It’s really uncomfortable. Things keep suddenly appearing out of nowhere, startling people. Ah, what a fright.”
Even as Hae-won spoke discontentedly, the flight attendant, unable to hide her fond gaze, smiled.
“I’ll be careful not to disturb you. Is there anything else you need?”
“The service is so excessive it’s uncomfortable. Please treat me like I’m not here. Please, I beg you. You probably don’t understand my uncomfortable situation since you don’t have many Instagram followers.”
“I’m sorry for causing discomfort, sir. I’ll tell the other flight attendants to be careful too. If you need anything, please press the flight attendant call button.”
“Yes, yes, got it. Please, go now.”
As Hae-won shooed her away with a wave, as if chasing away birds landing on crops he had carefully nurtured, the flight attendant smiled and turned away. Hae-won lifted his head slightly, checked the surroundings, sat down, and let out a big breath.
“Whew, I thought my heart would drop. Hyung, you know we almost got caught just now, right? Being a public official must be really exhausting. We almost got arrested for public indecency. There’s something about maintaining conduct for public officials, right? Isn’t there?”
Woo-jin removed the newspaper covering his lower body.
“Cover your face with that eye mask.”
“Huh?”
Woo-jin pointed to the eye mask prepared on each seat. He thought only men liked that face, but women were also going crazy. It was clear that it wasn’t just cute in his eyes. Hae-won had a face that was quite exhausting to take around.
Hae-won held the eye mask against various parts of his face, one that would only cover down to his chin if he didn’t cover his eyes, and spoke.
“How is this supposed to hide my face? And I need to draw attention with my face to shield Hyung from exposure as much as possible.”
“Stop that nonsense and just cover your face. Wear a hat or something.”
“Oh, right, I didn’t pack a hat. Didn’t even think of it. Hyung suddenly said let’s go on a trip this morning, so my mind was completely blank. Who would’ve thought that stoic Prosecutor Hyun Woo-jin would prepare such a surprise gift. That stoic Prosecutor Hyun Woo-jin, in my mouth…, darling, that thing, just…, panting and gasping while stretching my mouth wide open like this….”
“Cover it up quickly.”
Hae-won wore the eye mask like a mask over his chin and looked at Woo-jin. Woo-jin pulled it up to cover Hae-won’s nose and mouth.
“Assume we won’t step a foot outside the hotel.”
“Can’t we go to the pool?”
“I’ll change it to a pool villa.”
“Then in the pool….”
“…….”
“In a pool with just the two of us… I’ve never committed public indecency in a pool before… The prosecutor just casually thinks about committing crimes like it’s nothing. This won’t do. You need to be punished.”
“Just go to sleep.”
Woo-jin subtly pulled down the eye mask covering the nose and mouth, secretly glanced at the muttering mouth, covered it with his hand, and forcibly leaned Hae-won back into the seat.
∞ ∞ ∞
Woo-jin, who arrived at Incheon Airport on a Monday morning flight, exited the arrival lobby wearing a thick coat over his summer clothes. He received the car brought by the parking attendant.
He loaded two suitcases into the trunk. Hae-won, whose skin had tanned under Bangkok’s hot sun during the short trip, was wearing sunglasses and staring intently somewhere. Woo-jin turned his head to where Hae-won was looking.
The large TV screen in the airport arrival lobby was visible through the glass wall. Kim Jeong-geun, wearing a gray suit, stood with his head bowed on the prosecution photo line. He faced hundreds of camera flashes with a hardened expression.
Hae-won looked at Woo-jin.
“Isn’t that President Kim Jeong-geun?”
“Get in quickly.”
Getting into the car with Hae-won, Woo-jin left the airport. Leaning his elbow on the console and extending his hand, Hae-won, who had been quietly watching the hand, took hold of it.
Hae-won likes holding hands. Hae-won likes doing things in the pool. Hae-won likes Thai food. He likes the sound of Hyun Woo-jin’s voice on the phone and is good at secretly taking pictures of Hyun Woo-jin. A few more data points about him had been added.
“Actually, when I broke up with Hyung, I was planning to go to Bangkok but couldn’t.”
“Why? You should’ve gone to change your mood.”
“It’s not that I didn’t want to go…, don’t even say it. After breaking up with Hyung, only bad things kept happening like Murphy’s law. Even if I tell you, you probably won’t believe it. I thought I was really going crazy back then. I guess my unlucky year is truly unlucky.”
Hae-won shook his head vigorously, saying it was truly terrible. Woo-jin tightened his grip on the held hand.
“See, if you had listened to me, that wouldn’t have happened. Take off your sunglasses.”
Hae-won took off his sunglasses and hung them on his round-neck shirt. Hae-won grabbed his face as he drove and kissed his right cheek.
“Thank you. This is the first time I’ve gotten such an amazing birthday present. I want to go again. It was really fun.”
“Happy birthday.”
Even though he had already celebrated his birthday intensely, Woo-jin congratulated him again. Next year, he wanted to celebrate even more intensely. He wanted to celebrate him safely passing twenty-nine. They didn’t leave the pool villa and stayed only there, and time passed incredibly quickly. He also newly learned that Hae-won becomes bolder and more proactive in unfamiliar places.
“But that was President Kim Jeong-geun earlier, right?”
“I didn’t see it clearly.”
“You don’t know what’s going on? You’re close with him, aren’t you?”
“You said he’s a dog.”
“…….”
“That’s not what I meant…, not like that. I just spoke without thinking.”
Because that had been the pretext for their temporary separation, Hae-won’s eyes welled up and trembled. He had insulted Woo-jin, asking if he was that house’s dog, if he was selling his body to take over Han-gyeong Group. Woo-jin patted his hand, saying it was okay.
“If someone sees me as a dog, I plan not to be close with them from now on. Others might really see me as a dog too.”
“…….”
Utterly deflated, Hae-won lowered his eyes. It was a remark made to prevent further questions about Kim Jeong-geun, but it ended up dampening Hae-won’s spirits.
“It’s not our department, and the special investigation team is handling it, so I don’t know anything.”
“Well, he must have done something wrong. He’ll probably be out soon. I got a call from the lady not long ago.”
“Lady?”
“Soprano Seo Okhwa.”
“Don’t get close to her. It’s a bit uncomfortable to see.”
“Okay, manager.”
Hae-won nodded that he would do so. Hae-won, who was adorably obedient, was literally so cute that Woo-jin stopped the car and gave him a long kiss on the lips.
He dropped Hae-won off at the officetel. Having taken an unplanned vacation to both avoid Kim Jeong-geun’s contact and celebrate Hae-won’s birthday, Woo-jin changed into a suit and headed straight to the Central District Prosecutors’ Office.
There was a scheduled search and seizure at the home of Han-gyeong Group’s President Kim Jeong-geun tomorrow. A special prosecution office had been set up near the district prosecutors’ office, and all sorts of documents and equipment were being moved.
While heading to his office, Woo-jin saw Kim Hanse and stopped. Kim Hanse also noticed him and slowed his hurried pace. They stood facing each other on the stair landing. The fact that the relationship between Kim Hanse and him wasn’t particularly good was known by most people working at the Central District Prosecutors’ Office. One investigator, seeing him and Kim Hanse, deliberately took a detour around the stairs.
“I heard you joined the special prosecution.”
Woo-jin said with a smile on his face.
“That’s how it turned out.”
Not knowing that even that was Woo-jin’s doing, Kim Hanse replied indifferently.
“You’ll get to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office before me.”
“Someone like you who’s only good at politics is more needed at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office than a fool like me who only investigates. I don’t expect it. And I’m comfortable here.”
“Investigate properly. Don’t miss a single thing.”
“……I heard something strange today.”
Kim Hanse took a step closer, standing right in front of Woo-jin. With both hands shoved in his pants pockets, Woo-jin tilted his head toward him approaching. Kim Hanse spoke close to Woo-jin’s ear, as if worried someone might hear.
“I heard you were engaged to President Kim Jeong-geun’s daughter?”
“…….”
“And that woman died?”
“…….”
“What kind of act is this? What do you really want?”
“Kim Hanse, are you the only prosecutor? I’m a prosecutor too.”
“You’re not a prosecutor. Hyun Woo-jin, you’re human trash.”
“I want the world to change more than anyone, just like you. Even if the methods are different, your goal and mine are the same.”
At Woo-jin’s words, Kim Hanse faltered. He glared at Woo-jin with a face that found it utterly unbelievable. Then, with a sneer twisting his lips as if finding it absurd, he said,
“Hey, don’t talk nonsense. It’s not even funny.”
He deliberately bumped hard into Woo-jin’s shoulder and walked away. Woo-jin brushed off his shoulder as if dirty from the hit and went up the stairs.
He headed to Head of Department Lee Seung-min’s room. Jeong Ho-myung, who spotted Woo-jin, quickly followed. They knocked on the head of department’s office and entered. Lee Seung-min, who had been waiting for Woo-jin, stood up from looking at his laptop while shaking his leg.
“I put Kim Hanse in the special prosecution. The Blue House will appoint a special prosecutor tomorrow. I was so anxious I even asked the Chief Prosecutor to put Ho-myung in too.”
When Woo-jin looked back at Jeong Ho-myung, he nodded toward Woo-jin.
“As soon as the special prosecutor appointment is announced, we’ll conduct a surprise search and seizure tomorrow. Since the guidelines are supposed to come down this afternoon, the special prosecution probably doesn’t know yet. Send Kim Hanse to the Han-gyeong headquarters, and you must send Prosecutor Jeong to President Kim Jeong-geun’s residence. There’s something to bring.”
Woo-jin explained the search and seizure to Jeong Ho-myung. Having already received the details from the Chief of Staff who got the Blue House memo, the dispatched prosecutor and investigators from the special prosecution, along with police planted by the Chief of Staff, were scheduled to participate. Woo-jin roughly knew where his slush fund usage, secret ledgers, and important documents were. He explained to Jeong Ho-myung the location of Kim Jeong-geun’s safe, which would be impossible to find without an insider. It was decided to send Kim Hanse to the Han-gyeong headquarters where the planning and coordination office was, and Woo-jin would accompany the search and seizure team to Kim Jeong-geun’s residence.
“But where have you been? Your face looks a bit tanned? I heard you took a key witness out?”
“It’s better you don’t know.”
Brushing off Lee Seung-min’s question vaguely, Woo-jin got up from the sofa.
Parting with Lee Seung-min, who was hurriedly heading to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, Woo-jin and Jeong Ho-myung headed to the building rooftop.
Woo-jin put the cigarette Jeong Ho-myung offered into his mouth and tilted his head to the light he provided. Jeong Ho-myung also put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it. The smoke they exhaled scattered quickly with the wind.
Jeong Ho-myung lowered his voice even though no one was around.
“The head of department is very curious about why you’re doing this, Seonbae.”
“It’s not the head of department who’s curious, but someone else. Keep a close eye on who Lee Seung-min frequently calls or meets.”
“……Yes.”
Woo-jin fundamentally trusted no one. The very concept of trusting someone didn’t exist. He had never trusted anyone in his life. He didn’t even trust his own parents. Jeong Ho-myung was the same. However, during his early days as a prosecutor, he had made a mistake serious enough to have to leave his prosecutor’s robe, and Woo-jin had cleaned it up for him. Jeong Ho-myung knew better than anyone that Woo-jin possessed all his materials.
“And you don’t need to report exactly where I go.”
“I’m sorry. He kept asking so much.”
“You don’t even need to say I went with a key witness.”
“……I’m sorry. I was thoughtless.”
Jeong Ho-myung bowed his head as if apologetic to Woo-jin, who had only exercised precisely necessary leadership at the right times.
“There are no allies or enemies here for me. You just follow the guidelines I give. Do only what you’re told.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Woo-jin threw the fully smoked cigarette at Jeong Ho-myung’s feet as he bowed his head and crushed it with his shoe.
Woo-jin left the rooftop and returned to the office.
“Did you have a good business trip, prosecutor?”
“Thank you for your hard work while I was away. Let’s handle urgent matters first.”
After exchanging greetings with the practical officers, Woo-jin entered his personal workspace, took off his jacket to hang it, and sat at his desk.
After over ten hours of surprise search and seizure at Kim Jeong-geun’s residence, Jeong Ho-myung found what Woo-jin wanted. Although the Chief of Staff’s calls kept coming, Woo-jin ignored them and headed to Kim Jeong-geun’s residence after all the special prosecution and investigators had left. Even with dozens of Han-gyeong legal team members and bodyguards holding out, they couldn’t nullify the court’s search and seizure warrant.
The manager overseeing the residence hurriedly approached upon seeing Woo-jin.
“The special prosecution withdrew about an hour ago.”
“And Madam?”
“She’s not coming out of the bedroom. They didn’t just take documents; they even went through Madam’s safe and took everything, even things that looked like scraps of paper, like trash.”
Woo-jin entered Kim Jeong-geun’s study with the manager. The devastated interior was a mess. Employees who were cleaning bowed their heads in greeting upon seeing Woo-jin.
He meticulously examined the study to see if the special prosecution had conducted the search and seizure properly. There seemed to be a few places they missed, but since they took the important things, the rest were unnecessary. There was nothing among what the special prosecution took that he didn’t know about.
“Woo-jin.”
He turned at the voice calling him tearfully. Seo Okhwa stood with a makeup-less face. As Woo-jin approached, Seo Okhwa’s legs gave way, and she staggered. He quickly reached out to support her.
“Please go inside. They’re cleaning up.”
“What is this? Is he really going to be arrested?”
“If by any chance he is arrested, we’ll apply for a detention review. I’ve discussed everything with the defense team.”
“It can’t be, right? Did he do a lot wrong? What did he do so wrong?”
“…….”
“Did he do a lot wrong?”
“Yes.”
Woo-jin spoke sorrowfully but truthfully.
“You have to stop it somehow. They say that special prosecutor isn’t an ordinary person, is that true? Is he going to prison?”
Seo Okhwa, with a pale, disbelieving face, asked Woo-jin the same thing over and over.
“Please pull yourself together first, Madam. I’ll do whatever it takes to get him out, so please don’t worry. There’s a temporary shareholders’ meeting for the merger contract soon, and you can’t be like this. You need to keep your wits about you while he’s not here.”
Woo-jin firmly gripped Seo Okhwa’s arm he was supporting, shaking it slightly, telling her she mustn’t waver, she must pull herself together. Urging her that she must do something on Kim Jeong-geun’s behalf, Seo Okhwa trembled with fear.
“Woo-jin, I can’t do that. You know that. I don’t know anything about business. I don’t know anything.”
“The legal team head has instructions from the president, so just do as the legal team head says.”
“Team Leader Song? Call Team Leader Song. What kind of person is he that he couldn’t stop one search and seizure? Are you saying he entrusted work to someone like that?”
“He’s in continuous meetings with the president’s defense team. Team Leader Song is there too.”
Kim Jeong-geun’s defense team was composed of legal professionals who could move the entire Supreme Court. If veteran legal professionals defended Kim Jeong-geun, the special prosecution’s position would become quite burdensome. He had anticipated it, but the defense list received from Team Leader Song was more formidable than expected.
“Woo-jin, don’t go, stay here.”
Seo Okhwa, swaying confusedly, pleaded with Woo-jin.
“There are people at the prosecution who know about my relationship with the president. They’re not ones to speak easily, but I think it will be difficult for me to come here from now on, so I came to tell you that. I barely made it today too. I’ll cover for the president from the inside somehow.”
“What do we do now, Woo-jin, what do we do now? Huh?”
“Don’t worry. Han-gyeong won’t collapse that easily.”
At the ruthlessly firm tone, Seo Okhwa looked up at him blankly and nodded, yes, that’s right. She tightly closed her lips and kept nodding.
Woo-jin, looking at the crumbling Seo Okhwa, lifted his gaze to So-young standing behind the study door. She too was looking at them with a pale face.
“So-young, please take Madam inside.”
So-young approached, supported Seo Okhwa, and took her to the bedroom. Woo-jin looked around the study again, as if checking the employees cleaning up methodically.
After giving various instructions to the managing director about things to take care of, Woo-jin finally turned his eyes to So-young, who was standing waiting for their conversation to end.
He stepped out first, suggesting they talk outside. So-young followed him. Walking through the dim garden, Woo-jin spoke to So-young, who was adjusting the shawl over her shoulders.
“Take good care of Madam. She must be shocked.”
“……Dad’s going to prison, right?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“There was no need to make such a fuss. The Blue House is determined to kill our dad.”
“Don’t jump to conclusions. I don’t know yet.”
Woo-jin didn’t jump to conclusions. Even though he had obtained details of personal slush fund embezzlement and secret ledgers, and all corruption materials were perfectly prepared, Woo-jin didn’t hastily conclude his downfall. No one knows who will flip the tables. Even though he had prepared perfectly, Kim Jeong-geun might have prepared even more meticulously. He had to consider the possibility that Kim Jeong-geun might not serve prison time. First, he needed to cut off his limbs. Whether Kim Jeong-geun paid for his crimes or not wasn’t the immediate important issue. Gaining control of Han-gyeong’s capital and slush funds and holding the list of political and business lobbyists was more important.
“You’ll take over, right, Woo-jin? The company…, this is ours. It mustn’t fall into others’ hands.”
The desire of the haves to not relinquish their possessions is several times more tenacious, strong, and persistent than the desire of the have-nots to possess what they don’t have.
So-young firmly believed that Han-gyeong Group was theirs. That was natural to her. She had grown up that way and lived enjoying it.
“I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen.”
“Aren’t you going to get kicked out of the prosecution because of Dad?”
“Don’t worry about things like that.”
“I’m sorry. Because of us, things turned out like this.”
“How are your study abroad preparations going?”
“I’ve looked into schools. But what about Mom?”
“You’re also under investigation.”
“……I’m scared. What’s really going to happen to us?”
“First, take good care of Madam. I’ll find out when would be good for you to depart.”
“I understand,” So-young replied weakly, her voice barely audible. Woo-jin patted her shoulder and turned away.
Hae-won’s indifference and insensitivity toward others was sometimes convenient. He had no interest whatsoever in what Woo-jin was looking at. Woo-jin was examining Han-gyeong’s secret ledgers and important documents, spread out one by one on the floor of Hae-won’s officetel. Any space of his own was dangerous for reviewing such classified materials. Hae-won’s officetel, completely unrelated, was the safest and most suitable place Woo-jin knew.
The Chief of Staff kept calling, but he didn’t answer. If he could just verify this evidence, he could take down half the high-ranking officials in the Blue House. The same went for members of the National Assembly. There was a long list of those who deserved to serve actual prison sentences, be stripped of their parliamentary seats, and lose their eligibility for future elections.
Woo-jin sighed at the longer-than-expected list. He rested his forehead on his arm, propped on one bent knee. It was obvious that some who believed this list had been seized in the surprise raid and flowed into the special prosecutor’s office would try every trick to save Kim Jeong-geun. Before that, he had to cut the last lifeline that could rescue Kim Jeong-geun. Woo-jin contacted a reporter he knew who covered the prosecution.
“Hello, Reporter Eun.”
―What brings you to call at this late hour, sir?
“I was wondering if you’d heard anything about the special prosecutor.”
―Haven’t heard anything specific yet. They conducted a raid today, right? Heard nothing came of it?
“I don’t know the details either, but it seems the slush fund transaction records didn’t surface.”
―What?
The reporter’s tone changed. There was a sound of him shifting in his seat.
“I hear the slush fund transaction ledgers didn’t come out in the special prosecutor’s raid. An anonymous prosecution source said so.”
Said Woo-jin, the anonymous prosecution source.
―Are you sure?
“That would be good news for those trembling in fear. The special prosecutor must be frowning.”
―Without that, it’s like a steamed bun without filling. Aha, the slush fund details didn’t surface…
“There must be many worried people.”
―Indeed. There must be many worried people.
The reporter replied meaningfully. Woo-jin spoke in a light tone, as if sharing everyday news.
“I was just curious if you knew anything, so I called.”
―What could I possibly know? Even you don’t know, sir.
“Let’s have a drink together sometime.”
―Sure. We’ll treat you.
Woo-jin ended the call. Before tonight was over, the news that the slush fund transaction records hadn’t been found in the raid would reach those losing sleep over it.
As long as this was in his hands, Woo-jin now had nothing to fear or dread. He planned to photocopy a page each time someone acted up and distribute them to reporters.
Checking that his laptop battery was nearly dead, Woo-jin shifted his gaze to Hae-won, who was lying face down on the bed reading a book.
Hae-won liked mystery novels. Woo-jin watched him for a long time, admiring Hae-won’s face as he read with a serious expression, tracking the culprit. Seeing that Hae-won didn’t even notice his stare despite his intense gaze, Woo-jin spoke up.
“Do you have a power strip at home?”
“…Huh?”
Hae-won finally looked up and met his eyes after a long moment.
“Do you have a spare power strip? Or should I buy one?”
There was absolutely no free outlet to plug in the laptop charger. Woo-jin thought he should also tidy up those tangled wires hanging on the wall.
Hae-won wasn’t messy by nature, but in the eyes of Woo-jin, who was evaluated as having cleanliness bordering on obsessive-compulsive disorder, Hae-won’s tidiness couldn’t possibly satisfy him. Since he expected to have free time ahead, he thought he should clean up Hae-won’s officetel.
“Ah, that? It should be in the utility room.”
At Hae-won’s words, Woo-jin got up and entered the utility room. Inside, all sorts of miscellaneous items not usually used were piled into a large box.
Woo-jin rummaged through the box and found the power strip. He thought he should start organizing here when he had time. It was even more chaotic because it was out of sight. He pulled out the power strip from the box. The long cord dragged out, bringing along items from the box. As he coiled the cable around his arm and put the fallen items back into the box, he suddenly froze.
“…”
It was a photo of Lee Tae-shin.
Lee Tae-shin stood next to the bust Woo-jin had handed over to the second son of K-One Group for 100 million won, laundering money in the process, smiling gently. Woo-jin clutched the photo and peered back into the box.
He overturned the box. As the dusty items scattered, another photo of Tae-shin emerged. This time, he was standing in front of a sculpture Woo-jin had handed over to the grandson of the Jeonju clan in Myeongdong for 200 million won. Rummaging through the fallen items on the floor, Woo-jin found a notebook and picked it up. He felt intense disgust toward the investigators who had illegally searched Hae-won’s officetel.
As Woo-jin flipped through the notebook, the utility room door clicked open, and he turned his head.
“Couldn’t find it? Is it not there?”
Hae-won opened the door, poking only his face in to ask. Woo-jin picked up the power strip he had thrown on the floor. He subtly hid the notebook on the opposite side so Hae-won wouldn’t see it.
“Clean this up. What is all this?”
“Don’t know. Some crazy person made a mess before, and I just piled it up roughly. I’m going to throw it all away.”
“I’ll just tidy this up and leave.”
“Just leave it. I’m throwing it away anyway. I got rid of some things back then, but left the heavy stuff.”
“You want me to leave it like this?”
Woo-jin showed him the sole of his foot standing in the dust. One foot was black with dust, the other clean. Hae-won averted his gaze, pretending not to know, closed the door, and disappeared. Woo-jin stood stepping on the dust and flipped through the notebook.
[He said he wanted to see me today and get serious. I pinched the back of my hand, thinking it was a dream. The back of my hand hurt. It wasn’t a dream. He also said if I had anyone I was seeing, I should end it. Thinking it was a dream, this time I pinched my cheek. It wasn’t a dream.]
[He keeps asking about Gyeongwon Industries, about Father.]
[It was hard to refuse his proposal. He said to contact him when I was determined to take off my clothes in front of him. I knew what that meant. I wanted to at least pretend to think it over, but after hearing those words yesterday, I stayed up all night. As soon as day broke, I contacted him. I told him I wanted to take off my clothes in front of him from the first time I saw him. He said he wanted to meet tonight, to come to the L Hotel.]
[Will I be able to forget tonight? Has there ever been a moment in my life so overwhelming? I love that person so much. I love him so much that tears keep coming.]
“What are you doing?”
The utility room door opened again. Woo-jin looked up. Hae-won had a rag in his hand. He seemed about to come in and start cleaning. Woo-jin put away the notebook and said.
“I’ll clean it. Stay out.”
“It’s fine. You’ll just nag later.”
“I said stay out.”
“I’m throwing it all away. Just put it in there. I’ll take it out tomorrow.”
“Alright. I’ll put everything in. I’m hungry. Isn’t there anything to eat?”
“You’re hungry? What should I buy? Hyung, what do you want to eat?”
“Buy hamburgers.”
“…”
Hae-won stared at him with strange eyes. Woo-jin asked, meeting those puzzled eyes.
“Why?”
When he asked why he was staring like that, Hae-won frowned, still looking puzzled.
“You said that stuff is garbage.”
“Ah, right.”
“Don’t force yourself to eat something you hate because of me. I’ll buy something else.”
“Okay, thanks.”
The sound of Hae-won getting dressed and leaving the officetel was heard.
Woo-jin maintained an expressionless face and took the notebook out of the box. He left the utility room. He picked up his cigarette pack and lighter. Woo-jin also opened the officetel door and went outside. He went up to the building’s rooftop.
The rooftop was chilly. Leaning against a secluded wall where nothing would disturb him, Woo-jin flipped through the notebook. He brought it close to the faint light spilling from the neon sign of the opposite building.
[Now I don’t know what’s what. He just smoked and looked at me. Tied to an iron pillar, I had to become not a person but a beast. Dogs chased me. I ran like prey chased by wild animals into the black forest, into the mountains. It was a miracle I came back alive from there. He, who drove me home, had a pitiful look in his eyes as if I couldn’t even endure this. He said I seemed to enjoy it quite a bit. He had no idea how I felt. Something inside me shattered. I was breathing but not alive. Not dead, but not alive either. What should I do. What should I do… I keep feeling suffocated. Something feels like it’s tightening.]
As Woo-jin had feared, Lee Tae-shin had recorded everything about the bunker. Majoring in sculpture, he had uselessly used his talent to sketch the inside of the bunker almost identically and drew himself tied to a pole and being tormented with intense pen strokes. One could tell from the deep pen marks, almost tearing the paper, that something in his mind had broken.
Woo-jin’s eyebrow twitched. What hadn’t appeared even after combing through Hae-won’s officetel like a fine-tooth comb was now in his hands. If it had been there, there was no way they wouldn’t have found it. If it had been there and they hadn’t found it, it would be more than enough to have all the investigators’ heads. Woo-jin, who had been furious at the investigators, soon realized it was circumstantially impossible for them not to have found it. This notebook and photos must have been delivered to Hae-won after the illegal search.
[He is a snake. He is a slaughterer who eats human flesh. A snake that ruins souls and eventually devours them. I heard he had a fiancée and that she committed suicide. He killed her. He was killing me too.
What’s most difficult is not that he didn’t love me. What’s truly difficult, truly agonizing, unbearably painful is that he cannot love anyone, anyone at all.
He has no emotions. He feels nothing—no pain, no anguish, no sadness. A man who would sell even his own parents for his purpose would see someone like me as less than an insect.
The fact that I still love and want such a person drives me insane. That’s why those who loved him left. Like me…, and like his fiancée…]
The possibility that Hae-won might have seen this occurred to him. It must have been Hae-won who put this notebook and photos in the box. Woo-jin furrowed his brow at that assumption. If Hae-won had seen the contents, it would become a headache. He recalled what Hae-won had done, knowing about his relationship with So-young. Hae-won had tried to abandon him, saying it was wrong. He had treated him like trash. That resolute Hae-won had clung to him as if lying when Woo-jin cleared up the misunderstanding.
He hadn’t seen it. With his indifferent nature toward others, he must have received this, thrown it away like trash, and forgotten about it.
“Wrote such nonsense with such care.”
He was blaming himself for Ha-young’s death too, and for Lee Tae-shin’s own suicide attempt. Woo-jin hadn’t pushed anyone’s back. He had just diligently done what he had to do.
The last written piece wasn’t a diary entry but a letter. A warning to Moon Hae-won, whom Lee Tae-shin believed to be a friend.
[Hae-won, that person might come looking for you. If you two meet, you must stay away from him at all costs. No, Hae-won, you must run away. If you see that person, run away. Hyun Woo-jin loves no one. That person will devour you. Run away. Please run away.]
Lee Tae-shin must have sensed that somehow, after his suicide, Woo-jin and Hae-won would meet. He must have known that if Woo-jin saw Hae-won, he would want to drag him to the bunker.
After staring at Lee Tae-shin’s notebook for a long time, Woo-jin put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it. He inserted the two photos Lee Tae-shin left behind, like clues to Woo-jin’s deeds, between the notebook pages and pressed the lighter. A blue flame shot up. He brought the fragile flame to the edge of the notebook.
As the wind blew, the flame, sucking in oxygen, flared up fiercely. The fire began to burn the paper. In the crimson flames, his face was momentarily revealed clearly. A terribly indifferent face with no expectation, no sorrow, no regret.
Woo-jin held the edge of the notebook and quietly watched the burning paper and flying sparks. The black plum blossom from which Ha-young had hanged herself also had this dark red hue. While hanging Ha-young, the black plum blossom was blooming its petals luxuriantly.
As even the thick core burned entirely, Lee Tae-shin’s final records and his letter to his friend turned to charred fragments and crumbled away. He threw the completely burned remnants of the notebook to the ground. He stepped on them, crushing all the char and ashes. Only a bleak, blackened trace remained on the cement floor, like a black plum blossom stump.
Woo-jin finished his cigarette and looked down at the ashen city.
The neon sign lights revealed one layer of his face.
“…Run away?”
Run away. Unconditionally run away from Hyun Woo-jin.
Run away, Hae-won.
Lee Tae-shin, whom he believed to be insensitive, had noticed Woo-jin’s true nature, just like Kim Ha-young. That he was a snake, a slaughterer, a monster who felt no emotion even as maggots boiled and rotted in his chest.
He threw the fully burned butt on the ground. The last cigarette smoke flowed from his lips. He stepped on the weakly remaining embers, smoldering them.
He smirked and muttered to himself.
“Sorry about this. I can’t deliver that letter to our Hae-won.”
The letter Lee Tae-shin left for Hae-won had become black soot, impossible to even guess what it originally was.
Hae-won was standing blankly alone in the officetel. As Woo-jin opened the door, Hae-won’s gaze turned toward him.
“Were you on a call?”
“Went for a smoke. What did you buy?”
“I bought ramen.”
“You know how to cook ramen, right?”
“Even so, that question is harsh. I know how to cook ramen.”
Hae-won had already turned on the induction cooktop and put water in a pot. Woo-jin walked behind him and hugged Hae-won’s waist as he cooked the ramen. He rested his chin on Hae-won’s shoulder and rubbed his cheek against it.
“That tickles.”
Hae-won shrugged his shoulders.
“Should we go on another trip?”
“Really? Where to?”
“Wherever our Hae-won wants to go.”
“Then let’s go to a ski resort. I want to snowboard.”
“What if you hurt your hand?”
“I’ll wear thick gloves.”
“Look at me.”
Hae-won looked back. His eyes met Woo-jin’s. Woo-jin smiled a perfectly drawn, handsome smile and kissed Hae-won’s cheek.
“Alright. I’ll clean up.”
Without Woo-jin saying anything, Hae-won spoke as if understanding, as if telling him to stop.
“Suddenly talking about cleaning.”
“You’re hinting for me to clean, aren’t you?”
“No. I’ll clean it up. The manager will do everything, so don’t even lift a finger.”
“You complained it was messy before.”
“From now on, I’ll do everything.”
“How can I ask someone who doesn’t even have time to sleep to clean my place too? I have a conscience too.”
“Hae-won, you don’t do anything. Hyung will do everything. Everything.”
“…Then you know I really won’t do anything, right?”
Hae-won said, gazing at him steadily. Woo-jin let out a refreshing laugh. He stopped Hae-won’s hand as he was about to put the ramen into the boiling pot.
“Let’s eat later.”
“You said you were hungry.”
“I feel like having something else now.”
“…Again?”
“Again.”
“Anyway, you old man were born with stamina. Be thankful to your parents.”
“You called me impotent before.”
“When did I?”
Hae-won turned off the induction cooktop and turned around. Woo-jin put his arm around his shoulder, embracing him. Woo-jin tilted his head and kissed Hae-won’s lips. He let out a satisfied low moan and devoured Hae-won’s lips and tongue. He sucked and swallowed saliva. As their lips rubbed fiercely together, Woo-jin’s hand stroked Hae-won’s hair and slowly clenched. Gradually, strength entered that grip, and Hae-won’s face contorted in pain.
“Ugh…!”
It hurts, Hae-won grabbed the back of Woo-jin’s hand gripping his hair. A vicious force made the knuckles and tendons bulge on the back of his hand.
Run away? Who says you can.
Who do you think will let you run away?
A black forest spread in Woo-jin’s rotten mind. That black forest was precisely where Hyun Woo-jin existed, and the journey he would live from now on. Woo-jin placed Hae-won in that vast forest.
The strength in his fingers, gripping hard enough to pull Hae-won’s scalp, loosened. Woo-jin cupped his cheeks with both hands full. He tilted his head and made their lips firmly interlock as if applying sticky glue.
The skin that met his was warm, and his breath carried a sweet scent. Woo-jin wrapped his arms around Hae-won’s back, which staggered under his force. Hae-won’s lower back trembled with a shudder as he gasped urgently. Woo-jin pushed his damp tongue deep inside, cutting off his breath. In the carnivorous way he devoured Hae-won, taking his time, there was a sweet taste.
Into the thrill Part 1 Fin