By Zephyria 
“Are you admitting that your son is guilty?”
“It’s true that he hangs around lowlifes, but he didn’t kill anyone. He doesn’t have the guts for that. You know that as well, don’t you, Prosecutor?”
“I do?”
“Why? Did Chairman Yoon not inform you of that?”
Kang Hee-shin did not hide his displeased expression.
“I do not know how you are aware of the relationship between Yoon Se-na and me, but I have not let any personal disagreements or emotions interfere with this case.”
“Of course you wouldn’t. But do you think others feel the same way?”
“…….”
“If it makes you that uncomfortable, you can simply hand my son’s case over to another prosecutor.”
In the midst of a silence so stark it felt desolate, Hee-shin grabbed his coat and stood up first. Im Gyeong, who had arranged the meeting, merely watched the situation with an amused expression without intervening.
“Please excuse me. I had an urgent appointment that I completely forgot about.”
After a polite farewell, he stepped outside. Two black cars and a sports car were parked in a line. The wind was biting as he strode through the dark alley toward the main road. As he tightened the collar of his coat, a light flashed behind him. He turned to see a black sedan pulling up beside him.
The rear window rolled down, revealing Im Gyeong’s face.
What happened to his own car? Did he drink…
He looks like the type to get behind the wheel while wasted, yet he’s surprisingly law-abiding.
“Get in. I’ll give you a ride.”
Looking back, Assemblyman Choi’s car was pulling away in the opposite direction. The brightly lit shop had gone dark as if it had never been lit at all. The situation from a moment ago felt surreal, as if it had been a dream.
“I can walk.”
As he tried to pass by, the car door opened and Im Gyeong stepped out. He blocked Hee-shin’s path. Hee-shin looked up and stared intently at his face. In the dark alley, only his eyes seemed to glow, like a predator stalking its prey. Of course, looking only at his face, he suited an angel more than a predator.
“Don’t be like that; let’s go have a drink. We still have things to discuss.”
“If I had known the person introducing us was Assemblyman Choi, I would have refused.”
“That’s why I didn’t tell you.”
“…….”
“Think wisely. There’s still no evidence.”
“I can start looking for evidence now.”
“I’m not telling you to give up, but to wait for the right moment.”
“When? Choi Yoon-oh is fleeing abroad as early as next month.”
“If Prosecutor Kang Hee-shin says he’s dropping the investigation, he’ll stay in Korea, won’t he?”
“How do you know that?”
Im Gyeong licked his lower lip and pondered for a moment.
“Can I be honest with you?”
“Go ahead.”
“The guy supplying drugs to Choi Yoon-oh is an acquaintance of mine. I heard he sets up the drugs and sends them whenever there’s a party. Choi Yoon-oh would never do it unless it’s the drugs that guy makes. If he’s planning to bolt overseas, he’ll contact him first. But things are still quiet.”
As Hee-shin looked at him with a stunned expression, he continued.
“So wait, and then eat it slowly. Unripe fruit is only bitter.”
It was clear this man didn’t know how the expression “eat it” (take it/consume it) was typically used in this context. That was why he could say such a thing with such a composed face.
“Do you happen to do drugs too?”
Im Gyeong rolled up his shirt sleeve and held out his forearm.
“Do I look like the type?”
Honestly, he did look like the type. When Hee-shin didn’t answer, he shoved his forearm right in front of his eyes. A faint, deep woody scent wafted from him. Hee-shin frowned openly and pushed the arm away.
“That’s enough. Move it.”
“Want me to show you other spots?”
“Why are you being so clingy? And do you realize your position will become awkward if I eventually arrest Choi Yoon-oh?”
“Awkward? Why? Because I’m close with Assemblyman Choi?”
“Aren’t you?”
“Look here, Mr. Kang Hee-shin. Even if Assemblyman Choi ruins himself overnight, there are plenty of people who would help me. My work won’t be hindered just because I lose one old geezer like him. Do you understand?”
“…….”
“I guess you thought we were quite close since I even bought him makgeolli?”
When Hee-shin remained silent, Im Gyeong leaned his face in close.
At a distance where their breath could touch, he whispered in his ear.
“Does this make us look close too?”
As Hee-shin frowned and pulled back, Im Gyeong naturally draped an arm over his shoulder.
“Let’s go. If you refuse this time too, I’m really going to pout.”
When Hee-shin glared at him in disbelief, Im Gyeong simply dragged him and stuffed him into the car. Reluctantly, he sat in the back, and the car soon departed. Throughout the ride, Im Gyeong didn’t say much. Hee-shin also just stared out the window. It was the same scenery as when he arrived, but perhaps because he had met Assemblyman Choi, it felt even more desolate.
The car eventually arrived near Hee-shin’s home. Since the car stopped at the entrance of the complex, he hurried out. Thanks for the ride. Go home. He shut the door without hesitation, but Im Gyeong followed him out from the other side. At first, Hee-shin thought he was going to say goodbye, but Im Gyeong’s car drove off abruptly without a word.
Hee-shin watched the receding car with a bewildered expression.
“Aren’t you going home?”
“If I’ve come this far, you should at least give me a cup of tea.”
“…….”
“Since when did Korean hospitality become so stingy?”
Hee-shin had never invited anyone to his home. The same went for Yoon Se-na.
They had always met at hotels or her studio apartment.
“Enough. Just go. I’m so tired I feel like I’m going to collapse. I don’t want to bicker with you any longer.”
The moment he finished speaking, his phone rang.
Confirming the caller was Yoon Se-na, he slipped the phone back into his coat.
“Yoon Se-na?”
“Please leave. If you keep following me, neither of us is going to look good.”
“You threaten people like you breathe, don’t you? You were like this when we first met, too. Why didn’t you become a gangster instead of a prosecutor? You seem to have a knack for it.”
Hee-shin gnashed his teeth and glared before turning around. Endure it. As he strode toward the complex, he heard the sound of footsteps following him. After walking for a while, he whipped around to find Im Gyeong following along.
Regardless, he stood before the common entrance and pressed the passcode. He entered quickly, leaving Im Gyeong blocked by the door. With his hands in his coat pockets, Im Gyeong tapped on the glass with a pitiful expression.
“Just coffee. Is that not allowed?”
Hee-shin gestured for him to leave. Though it was a gesture, it clearly meant get lost immediately. Im Gyeong ignored him and pressed his face flat against the glass. His handsome face was comically squashed. Hee-shin thought it was quite a talent to do that with a face like that. He ignored him and tried to take the elevator, but he heard the sound of the door opening behind him. Sure enough, Im Gyeong had managed to get through.
“How did you get in?”
“I just pressed a random unit number and someone let me in. The people in this apartment have better hospitality than you.”
It was absurd. Someone must have seen his face on the intercom, known he was a stranger, and still let him in. He didn’t know who lived in that unit, but they were a liability. The world was so dangerous these days. Or did they let him in because of his face? Even so, how could they? Knowing what might be hidden behind that pretty face.
As Hee-shin stood there glaring, Im Gyeong came over, grabbed his shoulder, and pushed him forward.
“Let’s go. I want to see your place.”
“Why are you like this? Your personality is weird. Are you a stalker?”
“Is it because your house is dirty?”
“…….”
“Is it piled high with trash?”
“…….”
“I figured. It would be strange if it were clean when you spend all your time cooped up in the Prosecutor’s Office.”
“It’s… not that dirty.”
“Then that’s fine. Let’s go. Hurry.”
Ah, fuck. He had accidentally let himself be drawn in because he felt called out. Since there was no sign of the man leaving, he sighed and headed for the elevator. Since they were both men, there was no need for modesty, and it was starting to look ridiculous to keep trying to kick him out.
After pressing 8, Im Gyeong remained silent during the ascent. He only showed a brief interest in a promotional flyer stuck to the wall, much like his subordinate had. Upon arriving at the 8th floor, Hee-shin tapped his key card and entered, and Im Gyeong followed him in nonchalantly.
“Wait here. I’ll tidy up a bit.”
“Why go that far? It’s not like we’re a man and a woman.”
“No, still,”
Im Gyeong ignored him and pushed his way inside. Then, seeing the scene before him, he let out a displeased exclamation of “Wow.” He shook his head at the piles of documents that were not only stacked on the desk but rolling around on the floor, and muttered something in Japanese.
“What did you just say?”
“Don’t mind me.”
“Did you curse?”
“Korean curses are so flavorful; why would I bother cursing in Japanese?”
That was true. Despite saying so, Hee-shin felt embarrassed and hurriedly tidied the mess. He had let him in because he was a man; if it had been a woman, he would never have shown her this side of his life. Seeing the stack of empty cup noodle containers in one corner, Im Gyeong clicked his tongue.
“It’s a miracle you’re still alive.”
“I eat most of my meals out.”
“Do you only sleep here?”
“Yes.”
“Alone?”
“Yes.”
He boiled water in the kettle, quickly stirred in a packet of instant coffee, and placed it on the table. It was a signal to drink and leave quickly, but Im Gyeong didn’t even look at the coffee; he just stared blankly at Kang Hee-shin’s face. Yoon Se-na’s phone call came through again.
“Don’t mind me and take it.”
After warning him to sit still and not move, Hee-shin headed to the bedroom.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, he answered the phone and heard Yoon Se-na’s voice through the receiver.
—Oppaaa— where are you? Are you busy today too? Can’t you come pick me up?
Judging by the way her words trailed off, she must have been drinking. He had also been drinking, but he couldn’t refuse. Even if he didn’t drive himself, he had to at least pretend to go pick her up. That was likely what Yoon Se-na wanted. It wasn’t frequent, but she acted spoiled like this occasionally. He just hadn’t expected it to be today.
“Where are you? I’ll be there now.”
A low laugh was heard over the phone. See? I told you my oppa would come pick me up. Whether there were friends around or not, several voices chimed in, saying “Hello?” and greeting him.
—Never mind. I was joking. But are you home?
“Yeah.”
—Were you working?
Hee-shin kept his mouth shut and looked ahead. Im Gyeong had appeared at some point and was leaning against the doorframe, eating ice cream with a teaspoon. It was gall enough that he had rummaged through someone else’s refrigerator without permission, but in the meantime, he had even found and put on a pair of new slippers from the drawer. As Hee-shin let out a low sigh, Yoon Se-na’s voice continued.
—Oppa?
Instead of lying, he stared straight at Im Gyeong.
“I’m with Im Gyeong. Your half-brother.”
Yoon Se-na’s voice grew slightly sharp.
—Why is Im Gyeong there?
Hee-shin answered calmly.
“Ask him yourself. Why he wanted to come to my house.”
Then, he held out the phone toward Im Gyeong. With the teaspoon still in his mouth, Im Gyeong smiled. He had a look that said, Look at this? but that was none of Hee-shin’s concern.