IOTF Ch 3

It was a relief. Despite being a host, I had a sense of professional responsibility. More clients meant a more stable income, and my first client had been generous, so it wouldn’t hurt to keep her happy.

“So, why did the manager call you out?”

“Just for the contract.”

“Ah, so you’re signing?”

I didn’t want to answer right away, so I held out my hand to Ji Yeonwoo. “Got a cigarette?”

“Yeah. Want to smoke one before we go in?”

We got back into the elevator. As soon as the doors opened on the first floor, I lit a cigarette, stepping outside the building to inhale deeply. The nicotine spread through my body, masking the lingering smell of semen.

“Hyung, are you okay?”

No. I’m not okay.

I’m a host, but I never intended to suck a man’s dick.

I had a certain pride in only working at straight clubs. If it hadn’t been for that incident in Seoul, I’d still be receiving gifts from rich women, traveling with them, and watching my bank account grow.

I wouldn’t have a split lip from sucking some asshole owner’s dick.

“Hyung, don’t worry about Moonzora. He started working here just a month before you. He was at a straight club in Pohang, apparently a top earner there. He was supposed to go to Namgu-dong, but ended up here instead…”

His words caught my attention.

“Versace in Namgu-dong?”

“Yeah. You were also supposed to go to Versace, right?”

It seemed I wasn’t the only one. Ji Yeonwoo had wanted to come here with the manager, but that wasn’t my case. I hadn’t borrowed any advance payments or had debts covered. I’d come here because it was supposed to be a straight club.

“The previous owner of Queens owed our owner some money, and since he couldn’t pay it back, he just handed the place over. The old owner was terrible at managing the hosts, so the place got infested with druggies. Hosts and customers were hooking up left and right, and the whole Yeonsan area went crazy.”

“……”

“Our owner was going to sell this place, but then there was a rumor about the dried pollack factory across the street being included in a redevelopment project. See that empty factory building? From there to this block, it’s all going to be one big development, and the prime spot connected to that huge lot is this Queens building. The two-story house right next door is also owned by our owner, so it’s a big deal. He decided to run the business until the redevelopment is confirmed.”

I looked at the large, deserted factory in the distance. I’d wondered what that eyesore was; it was an old factory site. But more importantly, if Yeonwoo was right, and the three-story Queens building was at the center of a redevelopment project, it was a significant amount of money.

“Since the opening was rushed, Manager Kang brought a few hosts with him, but some of them left after a few days, so he sent some of the hosts who were supposed to go to Versace here.”

“……”

“Moonzora hyung was originally supposed to go to Versace, that’s why he left Pohang.”

Learning unnecessary details made me feel even worse. It felt like all of this was happening because of my bad luck.

“So, what’s your contract period?”

“What about yours?”

“Mine is two years. A 50 million won advance and the manager got me a small officetel to live in.”

Damn. A 50 million won advance and an officetel meant Ji Yeonwoo was a prized recruit. It explained his arrogance.

“What about the ace here?”

“Ah, Hyun hyung was personally recruited by the manager, so he probably gets at least three times what I do.”

“Three times?”

“Hyun hyung is a nationwide star. There are even women who come from overseas just to see him.”

“Then why isn’t he here now?”

“He’s getting some work done.”

Ji Yeonwoo giggled and poked his crotch with his finger.

“The ring he had inserted in his dick got crooked, so he went down to Busan to get it fixed.”

I turned my gaze to the dark sea, exhaling smoke at the ridiculous reason. The unfamiliar, salty smell wrinkled my nose. Yeonwoo spoke.

“But hyung, you’re just like Hyun hyung.”

I wondered if he meant I looked like the type to get a dick ring.

“You don’t seem like you belong here.”

“……”

“You look like you got a huge advance.”

He meant it as a compliment, but I couldn’t take it that way. The image of me sucking the owner’s dick kept flashing in my mind, making my legs tremble. It wasn’t fear, but shame and rage. I wondered if I could even bring myself to sign the contract.

I lit another cigarette, my anger reigniting.

“Hey, want to grab a drink after work?”

Ji Yeonwoo looked at my split lip and nodded.

“Sure. I know a good place. Let’s go together.”

I took a long drag of my newly lit cigarette.

It had been a truly shitty day.

˚｡⋆

I woke up to sunlight flooding the room, illuminating the hideous yellow wallpaper.

The bright light made me wince.

Ah, fuck. My head hurts.

I sat up in bed, clutching my head. On the nightstand were a hangover cure, an empty water bottle, and scattered bills.

I didn’t remember how I got back, but I’d at least taken off my shoes and suit. I got out of bed and picked up my phone from the floor. Thankfully, the screen of my new phone, which I’d bought right before leaving Seoul, was intact. I checked for missed calls and messages.

[Hyung, send me a text when you wake up. I’m worried because you were really drunk last night. You had a rough day, but tomorrow will be better.]

Ji Yeonwoo was good at playing the nice guy, or maybe he thought he owed me something. I remembered him picking up the tab and calling a taxi for me last night, even after I’d made a scene at the barbecue restaurant.

I vaguely recalled drunkenly yelling, “I’m going to burn that place down!” I hoped no one had heard me. A number flashed on the screen.

It was the manager. I glanced at my reflection in the small, grimy mirror on the table. My hair was a mess, my stomach was concave, and my split lip was crusted with blood.

The call went to voicemail, followed by a text message.

I clicked on it and read the contents.

The manager’s message made me fall back onto the bed.

I got in a taxi and headed to the address the manager had sent.

As we drove away from the downtown area with its low buildings and towards the coast, the sparkling sea with its fishing boats came into view.

“This is Hoomoon Raw Fish Restaurant.”

“Ah, yes. Please stop here.”

I paid and got out of the car. I put on my sunglasses and walked along the breakwater until I spotted a shabby restaurant with a couple of plastic tables.

I shuffled towards it. My head throbbed, and my stomach churned from last night’s drinking.

As I approached the restaurant, the manager, who had been staring at his phone, looked up.

“Oh, you’re here?”

“Why did you call me?”

“Why? I called my boy out for a meal, do I need a reason?”

The manager ordered two bowls of mulhoe (spicy raw fish soup). He looked at my face, hidden behind sunglasses, and frowned.

“They said you got hit. In the face?”

He seemed genuinely surprised. I looked at him from behind my sunglasses before slowly taking them off. My split lip seemed even more prominent now. He cursed.

“Wow, fuck. He messed up your face.”

“……”

“Fuck, I kept you here because of your face. How could he… is he crazy?”

He leaned closer, trying to get a better look at my split lip. I waved him away.

“Why did you get hit?”

I wanted to ask him the same question.

Why did he force me to do that? Was everything he said in the room last night true? If it was just a twisted way to train a host, he was the lowest of the low.

“You said you went out with the owner last night.”

“Yeah, I did. We went to Versace and checked on the guys there. I was looking for any promising new faces, but none of them compared to you, so I came back. So stop avoiding the question. Tell me why you got hit. If it was a fistfight, it wouldn’t have ended like this. It looks like you just got slapped. So, why?”

I was silent. I’d assumed the manager knew what had happened. I thought the owner would have at least hinted that he’d made me give him head. It seemed I was wrong.

“…Does the owner often hit the hosts?”

“Just hitting? Getting off with a slap like you is nothing.”

Our bowls of mulhoe arrived. Raw fish floated in stainless steel bowls, and I remembered what the manager had said about the owner on my first day.

That my flesh could be sliced like sashimi and fed to the fish…

“You know how sneaky host boys are, right? The psychology of guys who make money sucking women’s pussies is obvious. They try to swindle rich customers, gamble away the money they earn from seconds. Honestly, you’re not here because you got caught running a scam, are you?”

I lit a cigarette instead of answering.

“That Jaehoon guy was a con artist. Are you any different?”

“……”

“You know Jaehoon isn’t much to look at. He’s not even that good in bed. But that bastard could con someone out of an apartment with a single scam. You worked with him, so you must have picked up some tricks. That’s probably why the owner hit you.”

“……”

“It’s a warning to keep your scams to yourself and behave while you’re here.”

Even though I knew he was fishing, his words made me freeze. I should have told him he was wrong, but the idea that the owner had hit me because of a scam made me react unconsciously.

“Ah, you don’t know anything.”

“What don’t I know? The way you’re reacting tells me I’m right. Do you know how many hosts from Seoul come down here and run scams? The women they con call gangsters to trash the place, threaten to kill people… You look like the type, so the owner probably warned you.”

It wasn’t true, but it was strangely convincing. I was trying to interpret it as a warning to stick to providing seconds, but the manager’s explanation made a disturbing kind of sense.

“But weren’t you acting strange yesterday? It’s the owner’s own club, he called for hosts, why were you so flustered?”

Both Han Doopil and the manager had acted strangely. When I mentioned this, the manager stopped eating.

“I thought it was weird too. Our owner hates hosts, but he especially avoids coming down during business hours. Even when signing contracts, he does it in his third-floor office, he never even looks at the rooms. But yesterday, he booked a room and called for hosts.”

What was this about? He hated hosts, yet he’d done that to me?

“Did he do the same thing at Versace?”

“Yeah. Our owner fucking hates host boys. He doesn’t even deal with anyone below manager level. That’s why Baegil hyung always does the hitting for him.”

I dropped my cigarette ash.

“Baegil… the guy with the leather gloves and the scar next to his lip.”

“Yeah. Didn’t you get slapped by Baegil hyung?”

It wasn’t a slap, and the owner had shoved his own dick in my mouth. But suddenly, it hit me that it was the gloved man, not the owner, who initially unzipped his pants.

He tried to make me suck his subordinate’s dick. And when I apologized and offered to suck the owner’s, the owner had paused, as if considering it.

Any normal man, unless he had some bizarre fetish, would have made me suck his own cock. Unless he was a voyeur, he should have wanted me to suck his dick…

“…Yes… that’s right.”

The owner had been consistent from the beginning. It wasn’t a slap, as the manager thought, but he definitely seemed to dislike direct contact with hosts.

“It was unexpected that he called you to the room, but it makes sense as a warning to stay out of trouble and not run any scams. He probably wanted to check you out, since you’re a similar level host to Hyun.”

The manager handed me a yellow envelope from the plastic chair next to him.

“That’s why he called me out this early to have you sign the contract.”

I hesitated to take it.

“What are you waiting for?”

“……”

“It’s a contract without the seconds clause. The owner said you don’t have to do seconds.”

Sigh. Fuck. What was going on?

I’d arrived at a third-rate, run-down club, encountered a sleazy customer, and gotten into a fight with another host. Then I’d sucked the owner’s dick and almost had a mental breakdown. And now, not even a day later, I was being presented with a contract.

Did they think I was so desperate that I’d meekly sign after all that?

“You got four regulars in just two days. You probably earned the most in TC on your first day. There’s even some extra money a first-timer left specifically for you. You should sign and stay. You’re about to make a lot of money, and the owner said you don’t have to do seconds.”

If it were my first day, I would have jumped at the offer. But things were different now. The manager’s words had unsettled me. Earlier, I’d just felt disgusted and humiliated, thinking I’d stooped to sucking a man’s dick. But now, something felt wrong.

“Are you playing hard to get?”

“No.”

“Now that the owner’s giving you special treatment, are you thinking about the advance payment?”

The manager chuckled. He leaned closer, his still-handsome face close to mine.

“A piece of paper might not seem important, but once you see what’s written on it, you’ll change your mind.”

“……”

“The owner must like you. I saw that he’s offering you an advance payment.”

The mention of an advance made my eyes widen.

“He’s offering you an advance and no seconds clause? That means he has high expectations for you. He wants you to fill in for Hyun while he’s gone. Consider the slap as covered by the advance, and stay with me.”

“……”

“Honestly, I’ve never seen our owner do this much for anyone.”

I put my sunglasses back on. The yellow envelope seemed brighter now that my eyes were shielded from the sun.

An advance. How much?

Unlike a loan shark’s advance, this was money I could pay back gradually while working here, without interest. Whether it was 1 million or 5 million a month, once I paid it back, I could set my own TC rate.

“Yeonwoo said he got an advance too.”

“He’s someone I brought to train. I can’t be a manager in the countryside forever. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but Queens won’t last long.”

I remembered what Ji Yeonwoo had said.

About the redevelopment. That the business would run until it was confirmed.

“I want to be called ‘owner’ someday.”

“Is that why you took over Queens? With the promise of getting your own club?”

The manager chuckled.

“You’re pretty sharp. You’re right. He promised to set me up with a nice bar if I helped secure this place. Otherwise, why would I be stuck in this backwater town, taking care of these bitches?”

He added, “I came here because I trust President Joo.” It was then that I finally understood how everything had started and how it was all connected.

A key building in a soon-to-be-redeveloped area. The owner, who had bought the building and the surrounding land, took over Queens and started the business. He recruited a successful manager from Incheon and brought him here with hosts like Ji Yeonwoo.

But when hosts started leaving, he transferred those meant for Versace to Queens. With their ace out of commission, and me arriving on Jaehoon’s recommendation, he was using the advance payment to keep me here.

Understanding the situation made everything feel pointless. The determination I’d felt when I first arrived seemed so foolish now that I let out a self-deprecating laugh.

“I’ll think about it.”

“Just sign it, what’s there to think about?”

“I was only supposed to stay for a week.”

The manager looked stunned. He probably thought I’d sign without hesitation. He’d called me out to ask why I’d been hit, but now I was stalling.

“That was then. Our owner is like that, so I took care of it. Now he likes you and is even offering you an advance? Be honest, you caused trouble in Seoul and you’re hiding out here, aren’t you?”

“……”

“You got caught running a scam on a customer and came here on Jaehoon’s recommendation, right? And you’re going to refuse this opportunity?”

He tapped the table with his fist as if to emphasize his point.

“I didn’t cause trouble. I was falsely accused. I’m not hiding, I came here on my own.”

“Are you playing word games with me?”

“No, I really just wanted to come down here for a while. And even if I did cause trouble, it doesn’t affect you as long as I don’t cause problems here.”

I checked a new text message and stood up. The manager stared at me, dumbfounded.

“Tell the owner I’m leaving in a week. I appreciate the offer of an advance, but I can’t work with people who treat me like a criminal.”

“Hey, Sunjung, I…”

“I’ll be at work on time today.”

I left the yellow envelope on the table and walked away, ignoring whatever the manager yelled after me.

I walked along the breakwater, hailed a taxi, and told the driver to take me downtown. I’d been here for three days and hadn’t even seen the city yet.

I got off in the Yeonsan shopping district, went into a random hangover soup restaurant, and ate a bowl of soup before strolling down the street. The 4 p.m. streets were crowded, but nothing compared to Seoul. Even the main street was narrow and short, with nothing much to see.

I went into a clothing store and bought some decent clothes. Checking the time, it was almost 5 p.m., the time Jaehoon had told me to call. Shopping bag in hand, I entered a cafe.

I ordered an iced coffee and settled into a corner booth. Before the coffee even arrived, I called Jaehoon.

“Hyung, can you talk?”

—Yeah, it’s okay.

“Tell me what the atmosphere is like in Seoul. Are they still looking for me?”

Right before I left Seoul, Collin’s men had stormed into the club. They’d grabbed me by the hair, and if I hadn’t made a run for it, I would have been caught instead of Park Jun and probably beaten half to death.

—Collin has calmed down a lot. If it were before, he’d be brandishing a knife by now. But he’s become more docile after finding out that Park Jun screwed him over and ran off. Our owner also shielded you, so things have gotten better. But stay put for now. Collin aside, the guys who invested in him think you and Jun are in cahoots.

Fuck. The thought of Park Jun made my blood boil. I should have told him to fuck off when he offered me that deal. Jaehoon had warned me that Park Jun had been acting strange, frequenting shady places. He hadn’t been back to our shared apartment for almost a month.

He was always a wild one, so I’d assumed he’d hooked a rich client and was traveling abroad. But it had all been a setup. My hands trembled at the thought.

“What about Madam Jo?”

—That bitch ran off like she planned to, leaving a trail of debts. She’s apparently skipped from Macau to China. Collin sent his men to China, so she’ll probably get caught soon.

“It’s a race between Collin and the police, then.”

—Exactly. Detective Kim hasn’t contacted you, has he?

I took a long gulp of my iced coffee.

“No contact since they confirmed I was a victim.”

If he contacted me again, he was a real son of a bitch. He’d brought me in without a warrant, interrogated me for 36 hours without sleep, and even strip-searched me.

Despite all that, they found no evidence against me. The more they investigated, the more it became clear that Park Jun had deliberately used me.

“The owner doesn’t know I’m here, right?”

—I told him to leave you alone. There’s no benefit in him knowing, and if Collin asks, it’ll be awkward for him to lie.

He was right. There was no point in involving the owner of Marine City.

Collin and the owner were close, so there was no guarantee he wouldn’t tell Collin about me.

“Are you okay, hyung?”

—Why wouldn’t I be?

“But what if Collin’s men bother you…”

Jaehoon cut me off.

—Even Collin knows you didn’t mention his name to Detective Kim. He knows you kept your mouth shut even when Kim was giving you hell. He won’t touch you so easily. And if Collin threatens me to find out where you are, do you think I’ll just sit back and do nothing? I’ll call Detective Kim and tell him that ‘Lee Soyoon, suspected of aiding and abetting the escape of drug trafficker Park Jun, is being threatened.’ That hot-headed detective will find whoever threatened you in no time.

I agreed. Even if Jaehoon didn’t tell them, they could find me. And it wouldn’t benefit anyone to mess with someone Detective Kim had investigated.

“You’re going through a lot, hyung.”

—I’m not the one going through a lot. You’re the one who trusted the owner and got close to Park Jun.

I gulped down half my coffee. My throat burned, and the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth as my split lip reopened.

—How are you doing?

The incident with the owner flashed through my mind, but I didn’t want to talk about it.

“There’s a lot of hazing and bullshit. Can you find me another place to work?”

—Is it that unbearable?

Yes, it’s unbearable. Fucking hell, I had to suck the owner’s huge dick.

—I heard Manager Kang is good at managing his hosts. Apart from the time he poached all the hosts from Incheon and pissed off the owners there, he’s good with money and doesn’t cause problems.

“I don’t know. I’m just not feeling it anymore. I want to go somewhere else. If there’s nowhere else to go, I’ll figure something out…”

I was about to say I’d go to interviews at other clubs when Jaehoon interrupted.

—Don’t say that. Why would you look for a place yourself when I’m here? And with your looks, you could easily be the ace of a straight club. You had to leave Seoul in a hurry, but you’re not someone to be treated like that.

He told me he’d take care of it and I should just wait. I heard the sound of a lighter flicking.

—Do you need money? Should I send you some?

“No, it’s okay. I already owe you 7 million. You’re struggling yourself these days without any scams.”

He chuckled at my teasing tone. “I can’t send you a lot, but a few million is fine.”

He told me he’d look into it and call me back. After hanging up, with his words ringing in my ears – stick it out for a few more days, even if it’s shitty – I suddenly became curious about the contract in the yellow envelope.

How much was the advance? What was the contract period? The owner had said one year if he liked me, six months if not. If it were a clean three months, I might consider it, but the thought of his dick made me shudder.

I finished my iced coffee, grimacing at the blood staining the rim of the glass.

Horse cocks always draw blood.

I went back to the motel to change. Ji Yeonwoo had told me there was a hair salon near Namgu-dong that specialized in host hairstyles, but I didn’t have time, so I got a quick trim nearby.

I put on my new, moderately priced shirt and got out of the taxi. I saw the van driven by the young guy. I bought three packs of cigarettes at the convenience store on the first floor and went up to the second floor. Moonzora was on the phone outside the club.

He was wearing a shiny silk shirt and a designer belt. He was a bit fleshy for his height, especially in the thighs.

He frowned when he saw me get out of the elevator. I ignored him and went inside, opening the door to the waiting room.

The other hosts, already dressed for work, were eating instant noodles and kimbap. Some were playing poker and smoking.

I put the shopping bag with my new clothes in my locker and checked my slightly shorter hair. I’d asked for my forehead to be exposed, but maybe they’d cut it too short. My whole face was on display, and the two moles under my left eye seemed more prominent.

“Did you go shopping downtown?”

One of the hosts I’d been chosen with before spoke to me from behind, a triangle kimbap in his hand.

“The dry cleaner’s was closed, so I couldn’t pick up my suit.”

“Where are you staying?”

“Yeoju Motel.”

His expression faltered slightly at my answer.

“Isn’t that place really run-down?”

“I don’t know. The young driver took me there.”

“Ah, you should have asked to go to La Belle Motel. Many hosts from out of town stay there, so you can easily book laundry and haircuts. There’s a supermarket and a hair salon right in front, and a dry cleaner’s next door, so it’s really convenient.”

He couldn’t understand why I’d gone to Yeoju, but I only had a few days left. I’d gotten used to the yellow wallpaper and the smell of urine from the cracked toilet. It was dirty and old, but the hot water in the basement bathhouse was a plus.

“Should I call and reserve a room for you there? You could stay there for a month and then look for a studio apartment… it’s much better…”

“No, it’s okay.”

I appreciated his kindness, but there was no need. Jaehoon said he’d contact me soon, and I’d rather leave Yeonsan than move to another motel.

I checked the bandage covering my split lip and sprayed some cologne on my wrist. Ji Yeonwoo must have arrived; I heard his boisterous voice. I asked one of the kitchen ladies for a piece of bread and sat on the edge of the sofa, munching on it.

I sat next to a host who was playing a game on his phone. Replies from the customers I’d texted earlier started coming in.

The woman from my first night apologized, saying she couldn’t come because it was her husband’s birthday. She said she’d come at 11 p.m. tomorrow and asked me to keep my schedule open. I was about to click on the next message when I heard the manager’s voice.

“Hoyoung, Jiji, and Sunjung, come with me.”

The manager opened the door and called out our names.

I got up, still chewing on my bread. I left the waiting room and stood outside room number 3. The other two hosts grumbled, “Shit, we’re screwed.”

I ignored them and went into the room, launching into my usual spiel. Three female customers chose me and Jiji. The other host left. I wondered why, then it hit me.

Moonzora, the one who’d been preening by the elevator.

Sure enough, he entered the room and immediately frowned when he saw me.

“Moonzora, come here.”

The woman sitting in the center beckoned him, and he rushed to her side, snuggling into her embrace. She must have brought him a gift; a shiny shopping bag sat next to the shabby sofa. He offered her a plate of food.

“I got you your favorite takoyaki. I nagged the kitchen ladies so much to make this for you. Here, noona, say ah~”

Moonzora wasn’t bad looking. He had a rugged charm, was good at flattering customers, and didn’t shy away from drinking. I briefly wondered what it would be like to work with him, then focused on the customer approaching me.

I kissed her hand, which smelled faintly of money, and mixed her a drink with iced tea and alcohol.

This was my fourth night in Yeonsan.