TTD Ch 21

“I heard something big happened today.”

Chairman Kang set his drink down and asked about the incidents of the day. Kim Seon-young, his wife, scooped up food with tongs and placed it on his plate. The rest of the family, including Seok-joo, turned to look at Il-hyun.

“It wasn’t that big of a deal.”

Chairman Kang clicked his tongue when Il-hyun responded briefly.

“Someone almost died, but it’s not a big deal.”

“I’m not dead, I’m alive. Thanks to that, I was able to eat the delicious food that my stepmother prepared with great care.”

Il-hyun thanked Kim Seon-young with his eyes as he picked up the ribs with chopsticks. Ja-kyung was well aware that he was attempting to irritate Kim Seon-young. He could tell roughly by the way he spoke to Kang Seok-joo or his expression that the two were not close friends. Actually, it was odd if there was someone who was on good terms with Kang Il-hyun.

Unsurprisingly, Kim Seon-young forced a smile to the point that her cheeks tremble. Chairman Kang focused his attention on Ja-kyung rather than Il-hyun’s attitude. 

“I had a visitor and gave him a messy appearance.  Please bear with me.”

Ja-kyung responded politely.

“It’s alright, Chairman.”

“I thought about it, but since Kang’s house seems dangerous, how about staying here? Kang Seok-joo is also here.”

It was as if the recently swallowed meat had been piled on top of the unexpected offer. Thank you for your consideration, but he needed to bring something from there. And the discomfort was the same here and there. Kang Seok-joo urges him to do so with his eyes.

It was amusing to act as if we had become close friends simply because we had played together a few times. A child was simply a child. He squinted at Kang Il-hyun, who was sitting next to him, but he chewed the food in his mouth like a machine and did not respond.

“I appreciate the favor, but I feel comfortable there. Director Kang is also nice to me.”

“Really?”

Even Chairman Kang doesn’t seem to believe him when he says Kang Il-hyun was nice to him. Would the father who gave birth have had such a reaction if he had behaved normally? It was completely understandable. Kang Il-hyun smiles as if he already knew. Ja-kyung had no idea why he was smiling, but he seemed satisfied.

They ate while conversing. He laughed at times, and it was more normal than he thought. He had no idea what they were thinking on the inside, but on the outside, they looked like any other family. Even in the midst of it, Ja-kyung could feel the subtle war of nerves going back and forth once in a while.

Who hired him to kill Kang Il-hyun? Before coming to Korea, he expected two people. Kang Tae-han and Kang Seok-joo. Those who will keep Kang Il-hyun in check during the succession battle. Ja-kyung didn’t know much about Kang Tae-han, and Kang Seok-joo was still young, so his mother may have taken the initiative.

But Chairman Kang cannot be ignored either. On this day, he has witnessed many cases where parents asked him to get rid of their children and vice versa.

The reason was simple. Power. It could sometimes make bloodshed worse than anything else. But, looking back, Chairman Kang and Kang Il-hyun’s relationship didn’t seem all that bad. Of course, it wasn’t the only thing he could see with his eyes.

Lastly, Kang Il-hyun. He may have made the request himself, but Ja-kyung has yet to receive an answer. He received a call this morning from Wang Han, who informed him that Dmitry was leaving for a vacation in Russia and would return in a few days. Why, of all times…

“Would you like a drink?”

Chairman Kang offered a drink, and Ja-kyung smiled with a troubled face.

“I… I’m not good at drinking…”

“Haha. You’re so different from your father.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Anyway, get a drink. You should learn to drink from an adult. Think of it as your father’s place and accept it.”

Ja-kyung took a glass of wine and held it out politely. The light yellow liquor has a strong aroma and a pleasant taste. Kang Il-hyun gave him a brief glance but said nothing. After drinking so many times, he got drunk.

Ja-kyung wasn’t the type to enjoy drinking.  He could only drink two or three cans of beer at most. People’s voices were whispering later as he endured it without showing it. His eyelids were becoming heavier, and drowsiness was pouring in him. Il-hyun, who was sitting next to him, got up and brought ice water, which he set aside.

When Il-hyun asked if he was okay, he strengthened his eyes and looked at him, fearful of being caught drunk. He was a little grateful for the unexpected consideration. He could be mistaken, but Il-hyun smiled kindly and his eyes were warm. Ja-kyung nodded and moved his gaze forward. Because of the alcohol, his face was flushed.

***

His head kept tilted to the side. Even when he tried to relax, his body couldn’t make it work. It was embarrassing to be drunk after a few drinks, but he also thought he needed to stretch out and go to sleep. He has not slept soundly for a single day since coming to Korea.

His vision became increasingly hazy. His consciousness wandered far away, and he fell asleep just like that. He pondered how long it had been. When Ja-kyung opened his eyes, he felt a strange sensation on his cheek. Kang Il-hyun’s side face was very close to him as he lifted his head and looked to the side. He later discovered that he had dozed off on his shoulder.

As he got up, Kang Il-hyun turned around.

“Did you sleep well?”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know, on the Director’s shoulder…”

“It’s fine. I have broad shoulders, so I can stand it.”

“…”

What… He was bragging all of sudden. Ja-kyung wiped his mouth in case he drooled. It was a good sleep while leaning on the shoulder of the person he was about to kill. He lamented inside, and his eyes widened as he looked out the window.

The car had already stopped in an unfamiliar location. Then he noticed that both the driver’s and passenger’s seats were empty. Ja-kyung realized at that point that Il-hyun had been giving him his shoulder for quite some time.

“Where are we…?”

“My house.”

“Director’s house?”

“I’m going to sleep here today. I’m tired of going far.”

He was the first to open the door and got off, and Ja-kyung followed behind him. There were a lot of cars in the underground parking lot, but the majority of them were imported cars worth hundreds of millions of wons. Kang Il-hyun swiped his card at the parking lot entrance, and the door opened. Guards greeted them everywhere.

He noticed people everywhere as he walked past them. There were several luxury halls in department stores, in addition to high-end restaurants. They took the escalator up to the second floor. A swimming pool, a party room, a guest room, and even a fitness center were available. The 13th floor was automatically recognized when Il-hyun took the elevator in the middle and swiped his card.

When they arrived on the 13th floor, Ja-kyung noticed that one floor was occupied by two households. When Il-hyun asked where he was going to sleep, Ja-kyung’s eyes widened. Does this mean that both belong to Kang Il-hyun? Il-hyun suggested the room on the right when there was no response from Ja-kyung. He claimed that the view from there would be better.

As soon as he opened the door and entered the house, the sensor and other lights worked. All the lights in the house turned on and Ja-kyung paused for a moment. The colorful and cute interior was in stark contrast to Kang Il-hyun’s other house where he had stayed.

“Your tastes are very different.”

Ja-kyung, who was looking around the house, spit it out unknowingly, and Il-hyun laughed bitterly.

“This is my sister’s preference. She made this look while I was away on a business trip, and I came back to this.”

Ah. No wonder. He said that it didn’t quite fit. Still, given Kang Il-hyun’s personality, it was surprising that he didn’t change everything. Ja-kyung’s eyes twinkled as he looked at the adorable things. He also enjoyed collecting small props, which Wang Han never understood.

While looking, he found a small elephant sculpture and picked it up with his hand. His favorite animal was an elephant. Big, dependable, intelligent, and devoted to his family.

“Your sister’s tastes are similar to mine.”

Ja-kyung looked back with a smile, Kang Il-hyun looked at him with an expressionless face.

“Do you like it?”

“Yes?”

“You really similar to Kang Yoo-jung. Because she likes that type of thing.”

Ja-kyung was embarrassed. Of course, there was no reason to dislike such a beauty. She’s attractive, has a pleasant personality, and is a doctor, so if he gets hurt on the job, she can treat him right away. Even though he wasn’t aware of it, the tip of his lips rose up. At the same, one of Il-hyun’s brows rose crookedly.

“Are you smiling?”

“Smile, who’s smiling…”

“You’re stuttering.”

Ja-kyung blushed as he looked at him. He thought it as a warning not to look at his sister. Their eyes met, and Kang Il-hyun still had a cold expression on his face.

“Stop dreaming. Wake up. Yi An is not my sister’s type.”

For a brief moment, Ja-kyung wondered if Il-hyun was truly interested in him. Even in the basement or when there was a sniper, it was not something he could do to a man like him.

If that’s the case, it might be a good idea to use Kang Il-hyun as much as possible. But what if that was a trap? Emotions were sufficient to fabricate lies. Should he give this a try?

“Then what about you Director?”

Ja-kyung asked with a soft gaze. Il-hyun’s eyebrows were slightly distorted.

“What is your type, Director?”

What did he read from the look on Ja-kyung’s face? He smiled as he looked at him.

“Why are you acting cute?”

Il-hyun stepped forward. Ja-kyung did not take a step back this time. In front of him was a reward worth five million won. It was never a small sum of money. It was a chance to completely float off the ground. Kang Il-hyun’s hand was placed on his shoulder and slid up to his neck. Ja-kyung’s throat tightened with tension every time Il-hyun’s fingertips touched his skin.

Il-hyun lightly tapped Ja-kyung’s cheeks with his fingertips as if playing a piano, and then wrapped his palm around the entire cheeks. His hands were warm.

“You want to know?”

He asked, and Ja-kyung was silent.

“Tell me. Are you really curious?”

Ja-kyung opened his lips, which had been tightly closed. Fuck. Five million won. Five million won. This was a five-million-dollar thing in front of him, not a man.

“Yes. Let me know.”

His lips curved upward. The hand that had been touching his cheek naturally fell behind his neck, and Il-hyun’s smooth lips approached him slowly.