TTD Ch 67

Kang Il-hyun’s thick brows and long eyelashes were in front of Ja-kyung when he opened his eyes. It was unusual to see him so calm. He stood up and looked for a cigarette after withdrawing Il-hyun’s arm from his waist. He turned around with a cigarette on his lips, but Il-hyun, who had already opened his eyes, was smiling sweetly.

“Did you sleep well?”

His deep voice seemed to be filled with sadness. He instantly extended his hand to Ja-kyung. Il-hyun laughed as Ja-kyung frowned and shook his head in displeasure.

“No, cigarettes.”

Damn, Ja-kyung thought he was asking for another hug. He was embarrassed because he felt like he had a strange imagination alone, so he quickly handed him a cigarette and a lighter. Il-hyun got up and lit the cigarette. The front of the gown he was wearing with his slightly tousled hair parted, showing his strong chest muscles.

His profile as he exhaled long smoke was like a scene from a movie. Compared to Ja-kyung, who had thin lines, Kang Il-hyun had thick features. Ja-kyung was jealous of that. Because he looks much more manly and strong.

Still, he finished his cigarette bitterly, consoling himself that he had a slightly better personality.

“What are you doing after work tomorrow?”

“Well… I’m not sure.”

“If you don’t mind, would you like to have dinner? Just the two of us.”

It sounded like a request for a date. Ja-kyung moved his tongue in his mouth, struggling to find the words to say.

“It’s okay to refuse if you don’t like it.”

It was a very gentlemanly tone, and Ja-kyung was very unfamiliar with it. What’s wrong with him since last night? Could it be that he was born as a new person on his mother’s memorial day? Ja-kyung couldn’t get used to having a normal conversation.

He waited for an answer, and Ja-kyung nodded his head in thought.

“I think I’ll be busy tomorrow, so let’s eat the day after tomorrow. Lunch.”

The corners of Il-hyun’s lips went up. Let’s do that.

“Then can you go downstairs now? I don’t want to run into my brothers.”

He obediently got out of bed and approached Ja-kyung at his request. Ja-kyung took a cautious step back, and Il-hyun past him and went towards the entrance. He returned his gaze as he grasped the doorknob.

“Wash up and come down. Let’s have breakfast together.”

He smiled and walked out of the room. Ja-kyung looked at the door through which Il-hyun exited with a confused expression. Is he sincere? No way, even if people change overnight, how can they change so drastically? It’s difficult to call it acting, but it’s also difficult to tell…

Oh, he has absolutely no idea. Ja-kyung eventually went into the bathroom to wash up.

***

Ja-kyung drove to the designated location and looked out the window. The rain didn’t seem to stop, and the weather remained wet and sticky. It was the kind of weather that made him depressed. He wondered if Kang Il-hyun was also affected by the weather, and for several days he behaved like a gentle sheep.

“I mean CEO Kang. Don’t you think he has changed?”

Wang Han shrugged in response to Wang Lun’s question. Finally, he turned around and asked Ja-kyung, who was sitting in the back seat, but he received no response.

“Did he really have a crush on Wei?”

Wang Han tapped his arm and told him not to do it as he laughed at the joke. Despite Wang Lun’s teasing, Ja-kyung only looked out the window and remained silent. He noticed a black car following behind them as the car moved.

They had been sent by Kang Il-hyun. They claimed it was for protection, but they knew better than anyone that the purpose of monitoring was more important, so the three of them pretended not to know. As the car got closer to their destination, all three of them became less talkative.

The place to work was a club, and getting in was difficult due to the club’s membership system. Kang Il-hyun had gotten him a membership card ahead of time and he decided to use it. The further the car went inside, the more Ja-kyung realized he was on a familiar street.

It was near the club where he met Kang Seok-joo. The car descended underground under the guidance of the navigation system. After stopping the car, Ja-kyung got out wearing black sunglasses. Ja-kyung entered the club while the two waited.

Ja-kyung was led by an employee who stood at the front. The path to follow him was a maze. When people arrived at the entrance, the well-built staff checked their identities and searched them. When he handed out his card, a man with the name Chief on his name tag gave him a businesslike smile.

“Sorry. We are checking the body of all customers to prevent accidents in the future. I’d appreciate it if you could follow it.”

Ja-kyung smiled and nodded in response to the polite request. Ja-kyung’s body was soon scanned by the metal detector. He didn’t mind that the clock was ticking. He went inside after making sure there was nothing on him.

Boom, boom, it felt like the floor was shaking with the sound of the music. Lights flashed from the ceiling, and a topless DJ moved his hands dazzlingly to the beat in the center of the stage. There was a swimming pool next to the dancing people, and there were weed smokers everywhere. It was not much different from the previous club he had visited with Kang Seok-joo.

Going up to the second floor, a woman playing in the pool finds Ja-kyung and flirts with him with a glass of champagne. Ja-kyung smiled and proceeded upstairs. Young people were rubbing their bodies and whispering in each other ears all over the place.

According to what he knew in advance, the target secretly distributed drugs and administered them himself in a second-floor room. Prostitution is also practiced in the hotel above the club. Guards were stationed throughout the corridor as he walked. They exchanged radio calls and occasionally glanced at Ja-kyung, but they didn’t do anything in particular.

Ja-kyung leaned against the railing and looked down. After about twenty minutes, a group of people comes up the stairs. Ja-kyung checked them out by moving only his eyes while wearing sunglasses. Choi Man-sik was here.

His shaved head was covered in tattoos all the way up to his neck, and his face was clearly marked with knife cuts. They walked past Ja-kyung and into the room where the last guard was stationed. Someone tapped him on the shoulder as his eyes paused for a moment. His eyes widened as he turned back. It was Kang Seok-joo.

Kang Seok-joo was also surprised and hugged him as if he was happy.

“Wow! Damn it! It’s been a long time! I didn’t think I’m wrong but you’re Yi An, right?”

Ja-kyung put his sunglasses on the tip of his nose and smiled awkwardly after barely shoving him off. Ah, why is he here… The scent of alcohol emanated from him. A year has passed, and he has not changed. He motioned with his hands for his group to go first, and they soon disappeared as they entered the room.

“It’s been a really long time. When did you come? Why didn’t you contact me when you came? I thought you were a different person because you took off your glasses.”

Ja-kyung smiled.

“Uh… Actually, I came secretly without telling the family. I’d like you to keep it a secret too.”

He tapped Ja-kyung’s arm.

“Don’t worry about that.”

“Thanks.”

“Oh! Don’t you know the news?”

Kang Seok-joo, who thought he would go soon, asked excitedly if he knew what had happened. On the day Ja-kyung left, he learned that Kang Il-hyun had been shot at the inauguration ceremony. He didn’t know who the culprit was, but he cursed harshly, saying that his shooting skills were mediocre that he should have shot his head, and that Il-hyun only survived because he only shot his thigh. Ja-kyung smiled bitterly. My skills are mediocre.

Ja-kyung wanted him to stop, but he didn’t think Seok-joo would let him go because he had so much to say. The cell phone in his pocket rang just then. Ja-kyung checked and his eyes widened. It was under the name bastard.

“Sorry. I have to answer the phone.”

Seok-joo invited him to come over if he was bored and pointed to the room where he was staying. After a rough nod, Ja-kyung answered the phone. Kang Il-hyun’s voice could be heard on the other side.

[Are you working?]

Normally, he would have been annoyed, but now that Il-hyun had saved him from Kang Seok-joo, he was relieved.

“Not yet.”

[I called because I had a question.]

“Say it.”

[What kind of flowers do you like?]

Ja-kyung wondered if he heard it wrong.  He suddenly called and asked what kind of flowers he liked. He noticed Choi Man-shik walking from a distance while wondering what Il-hyun intention was. Ja-kyung slowly turned away. When there was no response, Il-hyun asked again.

“Well… I don’t know…”

He followed Choi Man-sik. While walking on the phone, he noticed him going into the bathroom and hung up the phone.  He entered the bathroom and shut the door. Ja-kyung was unable to locate him. As he went through the compartments one by one, he heard a voice from the last one.

He went into the compartment next to him, rolled up his shirt, and untied the cord he had wrapped around his abdomen. The cord had already been knotted, as was the case with the execution of death row prisoners. His voice raised as Ja-kyung carefully stepped onto the toilet.

“Fuck. Then you should have paid more. Anyway, the Russians have no conscience. Where are you going to eat for free!”

Ja-kyung wrapped the rope around Choi Man-shik’s neck at the same time. Surprised, he looked up, and Ja-kyung jumped down the toilet, lowered himself, and quickly pulled the rope. Kheuk, kheuk, kheuk, a groan of pain came from the other side, 

Ja-kyung gritted his teeth and quickly wrapped the rope around his arm, further tightening the man’s neck. It is difficult to struggle due to its large size. The rope was pulled taut as if it would snap, and the partition shook as they struggled. The rope suddenly loosened, and bang! The sound of a door being kicked open could be heard.

Ja-kyung hurried out after confirming the cut rope. Fuck. Choi Man-sik, who had been in the next compartment, was holding a knife in one hand and untangling the rope around his neck. Tsk. Ja-kyung clicked his tongue and took a few steps back.

Choi Man-sik attacked him with reddened eyes and an evil face at that moment.

“You fucking bastard!”