TTD 159

-Side Story 2.7-

“Traffic is incredibly backed up. What time does the event start?”

“7 o’clock.”

“Is CEO Kang coming straight from his return?”

“Yeah.”

“Businessmen are really busy.”

Wang Lun subtly gauged Ja-kyung’s mood. The romance article about Kang Il-hyun that had been making noise for several days had disappeared as if it never happened, only occasionally popping up on YouTube and social media. Both companies had released statements saying they were nothing to each other, and since there was no evidence other than the photo taken in front of the restaurant, people seemed to think it was just a happening.

Ja-kyung looked at the street trees swaying in the wind. Today was the day when distinguished people were gathering for a charity night event, and ten days ago, Ja-kyung had received a request from Kang Il-hyun. To ruin the event.

More precisely, it was a commission to snipe when a certain congressman who was hosting the event gave a speech. He said to cause a commotion appropriately without killing anyone. The media had reported several times that the man’s approval rating was already declining due to strange rumors lately.

The man had announced he would respond strongly to rumors that he was connected to the yakuza, but Kang Il-hyun wanted to drive the nail in. At this point, it was suspicious whether Kang Il-hyun had spread those rumors too.

“We’re here.”

At Wang Han’s words, Ja-kyung pulled his hood over. The building across from the event venue was a hotel, and today’s job would be carried out from there.

“Cut the electricity when it’s time.”

Wang Lun acted pompous, saying not to worry and to just trust him. After entering the hotel, he received a card under someone else’s name at the desk and headed to the 4th floor. He entered the room, and after sitting on the bed for about 5 minutes, the lights went completely out.

He grabbed his bag and came out to find several people murmuring in the hallway. What’s going on? Is there a fire? If there was a fire, the alarm would have gone off. I can’t see anything. Don’t push. While people were in confusion, Ja-kyung went up to the 8th floor through the emergency exit stairs.

When he held the pre-prepared card to room 804, the door opened. Going inside, it was dark and silent without any warmth. Going to the window and slightly pulling back the curtain, the city lights poured in. A few more minutes passed and electricity came back to the entire hotel.

Ja-kyung took out the bag that had been prepared under the bed with all the indoor lights off. Opening the cover, a sniper rifle was neatly disassembled. While taking it out and assembling it, he checked the time. About an hour remained until the job, and in the meantime, a call came from Kang Il-hyun.

“Yes.”

[Where are you?]

“I’ve entered the building across.”

[Want to go eat something delicious after we’re done?]

Ja-kyung pondered but nothing he wanted to eat came to mind. He answered “anything” and as he finished the final assembly, he heard someone’s voice together. When he realized it was a woman, his ears perked up.

Only then did he remember Kang Il-hyun’s mention of bringing a partner. Did he take someone else? As he kept his mouth tightly shut, Kang Il-hyun said goodbye, saying they’d see each other later, and hung up. Ja-kyung, who had been staring at the disconnected phone, clicked his tongue.

Irrelevant thoughts would only interfere with the job.

Kang Il-hyun wasn’t the type to fool around, and he didn’t need to be jealous either.

30 minutes remained. He relaxed his body appropriately, pulled over a chair, and sat down. After slightly pulling back the curtain, he fixed the gun barrel on the window frame instead of a tripod. Soon the event would start and the target would stand at the podium as the first order.

The room was dark and silent. In contrast, the party venue across was crowded with people. Finding Kang Il-hyun among them wasn’t difficult. First, his appearance stood out even from a distance. Quite a few people had gathered around him. A woman tapped his smiling shoulder. After a brief conversation, another woman appeared.

It seemed he didn’t have a partner. He was secretly relieved at that fact, then gradually irritation rose.

Focus, focus. Don’t mess up over nothing.

CEO Kang had clarified they were nothing, and Ja-kyung didn’t doubt him either. But he didn’t actively clarify, did he? Don’t worry about it, it’s nothing. That was all.

Plus, what was that marriage talk about? It also pissed him off that he didn’t mention anything about that. Conversely, if he had done that, he would have roasted him. Didn’t he make all that fuss about cutting off his dick just over an ex-girlfriend story?

His emotions were in turmoil to the point where it was ridiculous that he had been complacent about being a generous man unlike someone else. After taking several deep breaths, Ja-kyung got into position. As the ceremony proceeded, everyone’s eyes were facing forward.

Shortly after, someone appeared in front of the podium.

The face of a politician often seen on TV came into the scope.

People clapped intermittently during the speech. Time passed, and when the speech was nearing its end, Ja-kyung stopped breathing and pulled the trigger toward above the man’s head. One side of the hanging chandelier shattered with a crash and the interior of the event hall instantly became chaos.

Security guards surrounded the congressman and evacuated, and the people who had been elegantly showing off scattered in shock and ran toward the entrance. Next, he aimed at a large ice sculpture. The well-crafted sculpture shattered to pieces, and blinds hurriedly came down, covering the windows.

Even in that moment, Kang Il-hyun was laughing leisurely while drinking wine among the fleeing people. Just then, he turned his head to look this way. Was it praise for doing well? He raised his wine glass toward the direction where Ja-kyung was.

What was he thinking? At the same time, Ja-kyung pulled the trigger and shattered that wine glass. The glass broke and fragments and red wine poured over Kang Il-hyun’s head. His handsome face contorted and he made an astounded expression.

The blinds came down completely, blocking the interior of the event hall, and Ja-kyung sent a radio message somewhere.

“It’s done. Start.”

In an instant, the hotel lost power again and this time even the fire alarm activated. People rushed out and Ja-kyung grabbed his bag and mixed in with the crowd. As he exited the hotel, dozens of police cars and fire trucks were rushing over from afar.

Outside the event hall across the way, invited guests in dresses and tuxedos were running out, and at the entrance, reporters were camped out busily moving to catch a scoop. Ja-kyung hurriedly got into a nearby black sedan.

“Where’s Lun hyung?”

“There are too many eyes watching, so he said he’d come separately. I told him to do that.”

Just then, a call came in. It was Kang Il-hyun. As soon as he answered, his laughter flowed out.

[Honey. You surprised me. I almost pissed myself from happiness, you know?]

“You should have. Would’ve been worth seeing.”

[I briefly remembered the old days. You’re not running away like back then, right?]

When he didn’t answer even the joke, Kang Il-hyun’s tone lowered a bit more.

[Did I do something wrong?]

Ja-kyung bit his lips firmly. Why did he do that? He should have just done his job and finished. He acted impulsively and did something unnecessary. Recalling Kang Il-hyun’s face covered in wine, he felt slightly sorry. He moved his lips to say something, but Kang Il-hyun spoke first.

[Could it be, are you angry because of that article?]

Ja-kyung frowned. He looked at Wang Han sitting in the driver’s seat and let out a quiet sigh. The sound of sirens was getting louder beyond the receiver. The scene was in a more chaotic atmosphere as if the police had arrived.

“…I don’t like you being with someone else. It pisses me the fuck off….”

Whether he heard the crawling voice or not, it was quiet. Was it too noisy to hear? Or did the call disconnect? When he checked, the numbers on the screen kept changing. Just as he brought it back to his ear, he heard a pleasantly laughing sound.

[I should hurry home. I need to go and hug you.]

Embarrassment rushed in belatedly and he unilaterally hung up. Looking forward, Wang Han’s shoulders holding the steering wheel were constantly shaking. Even when he punched his shoulder telling him not to laugh, he had no intention of stopping. He thought he’d be teased about this for a while, but still, expressing his feelings made him feel a bit relieved.