OMS 74

Park Dong-sik discreetly slipped his hand under the pillow, feeling for the gun while forcing out a smile.

“Wow, what kind of entrance is this? You nearly made me lose the babies.”

Kim Jun-han remained expressionless, and Park Dong-sik quickly pulled out the gun and aimed it at him.

“Don’t move. This is loaded! I don’t want to kill my ex-husband and go to prison.”

As he got off the bed, Kim Jun-han followed him with just his eyes. The way he stayed still like a beast stalking its prey sent chills up and down Park Dong-sik’s spine. Park Dong-sik backed out of the bedroom, closed the door, and hurriedly descended the stairs. He couldn’t count how many times he looked back while going down.

He rushed to Kim Yoon-ah’s room and knocked.

“Ms. Yoon-ah! Kim Yoon-ah!”

His heart sank when there was no response. He opened the door, but Kim Yoon-ah wasn’t there. If Kim Jun-han had used the gun before coming upstairs, who did he deal with first? With a grim expression on his face, he ran outside. But he couldn’t move past the entrance.

Three black vehicles were lined up in the darkness. Several men in suits stood in front. Seeing his gun, they exchanged glances, and Park Dong-sik aimed his gun at one of them.

“Where’s Kim Yoon-ah? Answer while I’m asking nicely!”

Just then, the rear window of the last vehicle lowered with a whir, and Kim Yoon-ah poked her head out.

“Hee-soo, I’m here…Are you okay?”

When he threatened the man guarding the car to move, he complied readily. The others also showed no intention to stop or attack him. Still, he didn’t lower his gun. While opening the driver’s door, Park Dong-sik checked on Kim Yoon-ah’s safety again.

“Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m fine. But…”

Suddenly, shouting could be heard from afar. Someone cursing with a familiar voice. Knowing it came from the storage shed attached to the villa, Park Dong-sik hesitated. He should have just gotten in the driver’s seat and fled, but curiosity led his feet in that direction. Sure enough, the storage shed where they had once confined Lee Hee-soo’s lover was brightly lit.

It was the first time the lights had been on since they’d stayed here. Through the half-open door, he couldn’t help but gasp at the sight of the voice’s owner. Pushing the door open, he found Kim Tae-han tied hand and foot to a chair, his face bloodied. Upon seeing Park Dong-sik, he smiled broadly.

“Hee-soo!”

Simultaneously, click, a chilling sound came from behind. Turning around, Park Dong-sik clenched his jaw. Kim Jun-han had aimed his gun directly at Kim Tae-han.

“Put that gun down…This joke has gone too far.”

“I warned you multiple times. Since you couldn’t take the hint and only continued to provoke me, you have to pay the price now.”

“You’re really going to shoot? Your own brother?”

“That’s not reason enough to spare him.”

“He could be the baby’s father!”

“All the more reason to kill him.”

“…”

After contemplating his next move, Park Dong-sik strode over and picked up a sickle from the corner. He quickly cut through the tape binding Kim Tae-han’s hands and feet. Kim Tae-han stood up abruptly. Though stumbling on his feet from being tied up so long, he immediately embraced Park Dong-sik tightly.

“Hee-soo, I missed you so much…”

A sideways glance showed Kim Jun-han’s gun still aimed their way. Park Dong-sik pushed Kim Tae-han away. 

“You idiot, read the room. Do you want to get shot in this situation?” 

Kim Tae-han grinned at Kim Jun-han with his battered face.

“Hyung. You’re so annoyed, aren’t you? That Hee-soo is worried about me first.”

Now Dong-sik understood. Kim Tae-han’s mouth was a disaster waiting to happen. But surprisingly, Kim Jun-han lowered his gun. His eyes had turned as cold as ice, and anger radiated from his clenched jaw. Ah, already exhausting. Being between these people feels like being in a threshing machine.

Thinking to save lives first, Park Dong-sik grabbed Kim Tae-han’s arm. While walking toward the entrance avoiding Kim Jun-han’s gaze, the arm suddenly slipped from his grasp. When he turned around, Kim Tae-han had already been thrown into the corner with a crash.

“Ugh! Damn it, you’re really doing this!”

Stumbling to his feet, Kim Tae-han, now heated up himself, took a stance to charge. Suddenly, bang, a bullet flew past and hit the wooden wall beside him, sending splinters flying. While Kim Tae-han hesitated, a second shot was fired.

This time it was even closer. Realizing this wasn’t a joke, the smile completely disappeared from Kim Tae-han’s face. Watching Kim Jun-han reload his gun, Park Dong-sik ran over and struck the back of his neck hard with the gun handle.

“Stop!”

With a thud, Kim Jun-han’s head bowed forward. Usually, this would be enough to knock someone out, but did this man have cement in his neck? Instead of being stunned, he tilted his head back and slowly turned around.

Park Dong-sik alternately looked at his gun and Kim Jun-han’s face while backing away.

“Doesn’t…doesn’t that hurt?”

As those glaring eyes ablaze, Park Dong-sik forced out a smile. No, he smiled to survive.

“CEO, your neck is…very strong…At least you won’t have to worry about disc problems…”

Before he finished speaking, Kim Jun-han strode over, grabbed his wrist, and dragged him outside. When Kim Tae-han tried to follow, a nearby employee immediately went in to restrain him. Shouting could be heard from inside.

Overcome by fear that he might die like this, he groaned while clutching his belly. Kim Jun-han hesitated, and Park Dong-sik sank to the ground while still holding his stomach.

“Lee Hee-soo?”

Looking up, he saw Kim Jun-han’s worried face. Oh? What’s with that expression? Are you trying to kill me or save me? Anyway, forget it, eat this! Park Dong-sik grabbed a handful of sand from the ground and threw it mercilessly in Kim Jun-han’s face.

Ugh, while he covered his face with his hands, this time Park Dong-sik struck properly with the gun, putting his full weight behind it. With a thud, Kim Jun-han’s body staggered, and Park Dong-sik immediately sprang up and ran to the car. While he shouted for people to move aside at gunpoint, Kim Yoon-ah had already quickly moved to the driver’s seat.

Nice, Kim Yoon-ah!

As soon as he jumped into the passenger seat, she hurriedly turned the car around. No one stepped forward to stop them. They must all be intimidated by my force. See that? I took down your boss with one hit. Haha, Park Dong-sik laughed boldly while shouting at Kim Yoon-ah to floor it.

While driving down the hill, they belatedly noticed something spread across the road. They hit the brakes, but it was too late. One wheel tilted with a thud, followed by the others. The car increasingly wobbled, losing speed until it finally stopped in the middle of the road.

“Huh? What’s wrong with this? Hee-soo. I’ll get out and check.”

Park Dong-sik sighed, held her shoulder, and shook his head. 

“Leave it. All the tires are blown.” 

Then he leaned his head against the seat and cursed under his breath. Shortly after, someone knocked on the window. Looking out resignedly, he saw Kim Jun-han standing there with blood on his forehead. His pristine shirt was now stained with blood.

Left with no other choice, he lowered the window, and Kim Jun-han spoke in a terribly low voice.

“Get out. Let’s go without making this difficult.”

***

Sitting in the passenger seat, Park Dong-sik continuously watched the car ahead. It carried Kim Yoon-ah and Kim Tae-han, and he couldn’t relax, worried they might be harmed. Then he looked at Kim Jun-han driving. He had gauze taped above his eyebrow, but blood was still seeping through.

While feeling sorry, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Kim Jun-han had deserved what he got.

“Where are we going?”

No answer.

Park Dong-sik sighed and asked again.

“CEO Kim Jun-han. Where are we going?”

“Seoul.”

“Why? To kill all three of us?”

“We’re going to the hospital. The obstetrics department.”

Park Dong-sik’s jaw dropped in disbelief.

“Look here, CEO Kim. I’m six months pregnant. Do you even know what condition a baby is in at six months? Damn, was I the only one who read the book you gave me? How can your first thought be taking me to the hospital? You’re really a ruthless person.”

Kim Jun-han replied calmly.

“You couldn’t get medical care while hiding. We need to check the babies’ condition, don’t we?”

Park Dong-sik fell silent, embarrassed. Ah…so that’s why we’re going. Truth be told, he was worried too. His belly wasn’t growing as much as expected, and he barely felt any movement. Yet he was suspicious that this might be a trick to force an abortion on him. If they could just hold out a little longer…

While looking down at his belly, Kim Jun-han turned on some soft piano music. Then he reached back for a blanket and handed it to Park Dong-sik.

“Get some sleep. It’s a long drive.”

“Giving medicine after causing the illness?”

“If you hadn’t run away in the first place, none of this would’ve happened.”

“Get your facts straight. I ran because you insisted on the abortion!”

“Didn’t you want to terminate too? You had no attachment to the baby. You just wanted the money. I offered more than enough, so what was the problem?”

True. He’d even offered more money than Madam Song. It could have been simple—terminate, take the money, and break up. The fear that Kim Jun-han might harm him after the divorce was just an excuse. Maybe…I didn’t want to terminate the pregnancy…

“Did your mind change because you thought it was Tae-han’s baby?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m asking if you genuinely fell in love with Kim Tae-han.”

Why are you curious about that? You never showed the slightest interest in Hee-soo. You didn’t care who he was with. Why is someone who started preparing for remarriage right after divorce acting like this? Park Dong-sik sneered at Kim Jun-han.

“Even if I did fall for Kim Tae-han, it wouldn’t be my fault. It would be yours for making me lonely.”

Kim Jun-han pulled over to the shoulder. With a screech, he bit his lip hard before releasing it and turning around. Fear gripped Park Dong-sik that he might strangle him right then and there.

“Don’t misunderstand. It’s Hee-soo that Kim Tae-han loves. Not you.”

Park Dong-sik was stunned by the unexpected words.

“What…?”

“And it was Hee-soo I made lonely. Not you.”

What are you talking about?

“At least with you…” Kim Jun-han paused, and Park Dong-sik stared at his lips.

“I tried to do right. You know?”

Park Dong-sik was speechless. For some unknown reason, Kim Jun-han was distinguishing between Lee Hee-soo and Park Dong-sik. Not as the same person, but as completely different people. Why? Why acknowledge an entity that doesn’t even have a shell? It felt strange. My body is already dead and turned to dust, so why…

His heart pounded in his chest and unknown emotions flooded in, making his head spin. Finally, he turned away from Kim Jun-han. Outside was complete darkness. As he bit his lip hard, the car started moving again. Both fell silent.

He closed his eyes, trying to sort out his jumbled thoughts. Whether due to the quiet music or released tension, drowsiness began to set in. Falling asleep with his head in the tiger’s mouth, such a thing was ridiculous even to himself.

As he nodded off, he felt the seat reclining and hands covering him with the blanket. A hand briefly touched his forehead before withdrawing. Suddenly, he remembered something from the hospital.

Was that you who visited that day, Kim Jun-han?
He wanted to ask this, but his consciousness sank below the surface. I shouldn’t sleep…Jun-han might bury me alive…I need to protect Kim Yoon-ah and Kim Tae-han…