OMS 43

Park Dong-sik took out the gun from his bag. He put the jewelry he’d brought from home back in its original place and finally hid the gun in the deepest, least accessible spot he could find. At first, he regretted bringing it with him, but now he felt reassured thinking there was nothing better for protecting this frail body.

Would Moon Ho-cheol have gone back to his office? What expression would he make upon seeing that the gun and gold bars were missing from the safe? As he was thinking this, as if on cue, a call came from Moon Ho-cheol. Park Dong-sik stared at the caller ID for a long time before answering.

“What is it, President Moon?”

[W-Who are you really?!]

“Didn’t I tell you not to call again? You wrote it in the statement. What did I say would happen if you broke our contract? Is your head so empty you’ve already forgotten?”

[I’m asking you first! What kind of bastard are you?!]

“Well, well. Why such informal speech all of a sudden?”

[Talk straight. You visited my office!]

“Could you speak more clearly?”

[Don’t play dumb! Otherwise, how did my gold disappear?! It’s exactly the same as the gold you gave me! Do you think this is a mere coincidence?]

Parked Dong-sik laughed out loud. “Ha ha.

“Look, President Moon. Gold is gold wherever it’s from. Why are you making ridiculous accusations and calling me a thief? Do you think you can place the blame on me that easily? I played along appropriately and paid the money, so you should just quietly back off. Are you trying to extort more with these tricks? What did you write in your statement? If you threaten me one more time, prepare to lose your head. You agreed to that. If you keep this up, I won’t hold back. My relationship with Park Dong-sik? My husband knows about that too, so don’t try any half-baked threats. If you really don’t want to die, that is.”

[You…bastard!]

“Why ‘bastard’? Don’t frame innocent people, just deal with the guys inside. The culprit is usually close by. It’s darkest under the lamp, you know? Got it?”

After hanging up abruptly, his lips curved upward into a smile. That pig must be trembling with uncontrollable rage right now. But the opponent was Lee Hee-soo. While calling him out today might have been possible, the next time would be difficult. He just had to hope the shaman stayed well hidden in the meantime. Park Dong-sik stretched out his body with a refreshed face and went out to the balcony.

With a cigarette in his mouth, he leaned on the railing and looked at the sky. It was dark all around and the moon was particularly bright. As he was admiring the crescent moon that looked like a fingernail clipping, with a sliding sound coming from the patio door, Kim Jun-han appeared on the adjacent balcony.

Park Dong-sik smiled broadly at him, which was unusual for him.

“When did you get here?”

“Just now.”

Kim Jun-han put a cigarette in his mouth and searched his pockets. Since he seemed to be looking for a lighter, checking even his other pocket, Park Dong-sik tossed him his. He caught it smoothly, lit his cigarette, and brazenly put it in his pocket. Park Dong-sik said incredulously.

“Hey, that’s mine!”

“I’ll meet you in the living room and return it then. We need to talk anyway.”

“About what?”

“You’ll know when you come.”

Wisps of smoke rose and disappeared into the air. Park Dong-sik thought about various things. Is it about the divorce again? How should I persuade this person to listen to me? While he was thinking those thoughts, Kim Jun-han put out his cigarette and went inside.

Following him to the living room, he found him searching for something at the bar.

“Wait there.”

Park Dong-sik sat down on the sofa. Soon after, Kim Jun-han came with a bottle in one hand and two glasses in the other. He put the glasses filled with ice on the table and poured the alcohol, which turned a light brown color. Park Dong-sik looked alternately at the drink and the other man’s face.

“What’s this? This is a very surprising development.”

Come to think of it, Kim Jun-han smelled like alcohol. Park Dong-sik leaned forward and sniffed. It was no wonder that he seemed unusually relaxed.

“Have you been drinking?”

“Had a drink with the chairman of Young-hwa Group.”

Isn’t Young-hwa Group one of Korea’s leading companies, on par with Daesan? The class difference was real. While some were dealing with gangsters and scared shitless, others were having refined drinks with corporate chairmen.

“Was it for business?”

“It was about remarriage.”

“Is he remarrying? Isn’t he a grandfather?”

“Not him, I mean me.”

It didn’t make sense at first. Kim Jun-han remarrying? He’s married to Lee Hee-soo. Why would he remarry? Then belatedly, he understood the situation. At first, he thought it couldn’t be, but seeing the other man’s expression made it absolutely clear to him. He laughed in disbelief as Kim Jun-han took a sip from his drink. Park Dong-sik followed suit and emptied his glass. After refilling it, the ice clinked together as it melted in the glass.

“This came up before Lee Hee-soo lost his memories.”

“Ah…”

“He understood too.”

Park Dong-sik scoffed.

“I see now you were preparing to move on. Still, isn’t it bad manners to meet someone else before getting divorced?”

“That’s rich coming from someone who had sex with their brother-in-law right next to my bedroom, clearly wanting to be caught in the act.”

“…”

“Want me to continue?”

Park Dong-sik sheepishly drank his alcohol. Right. I shouldn’t be talking. Why did I get upset and talk back? It was an incomprehensible reaction. I could have stayed neutral just by keeping my mouth shut.

“So what’s your point? That you want a quick divorce because you have someone to remarry?”

“I have a question.”

“Say it.”

“I’d like you to be honest, just for today.”

Why is he being like this…? It’s intimidating when he gets serious like this.

“Where did you go today?”

Park Dong-sik swallowed hard. This guy…does he know something? His next thought was about surveillance. If he had him followed, wouldn’t he know everything? If he’s just guessing…While speculating, Kim Jun-han held out something. It was a tablet. The screen showed footage of him meeting with Moon Ho-cheol.

Park Dong-sik moistened his parched lips with his tongue and smiled casually.

“What’s this? You had me followed?”

“Answer first.”

Park Dong-sik rubbed the nape of his neck. Despite trying to stay calm, cold sweat ran down his back. Right, might as well be brazen about it now. Being too clever could lead to worse consequences.

“You know Park Dong-sik, right? You asked about him before.”

“I did.”

“I met him a few times. He seemed like a good person…But apparently, he borrowed money and died. That president knows about my relationship with him…he’s threatening me to pay instead. So I paid…The shaman is someone I knew through your mother…we weren’t even close but I got dragged into it…was unfairly trapped…”

Truth and lies were intricately mixed together. Kim Jun-han stared intently at the tablet screen, fingers interlocked. Park Dong-sik grabbed his glass, driven by burning thirst. After downing it in one shot, heat spread throughout his body. As he tried to sigh discreetly, Kim Jun-han broke his long silence.

“Nothing else to say?”

“No…”

The gaze fixed on the tablet now turned to Park Dong-sik. He felt like he was being strangled by the penetrating gaze.

“Sorry but…can I go in now? I’m really tired today.”

As he stood up to head to the bedroom, he suddenly heard a familiar voice behind him.

[They really messed up that face. The shaman our mother-in-law cherishes so much.]

At the sudden voice, Park Dong-sik whirled around.

The conversation continued playing from the tablet.

[I heard you went to the funeral, and even paid off the debt of that hyung who was close to him.]

Kim Jun-han pressed pause, his gaze as he looked at him was unwavering.

Park Dong-sik stood rooted to the spot.

“Up to here is the truth.”

Kim Jun-han pressed play again.

[How could someone so powerful not see this coming? If you’d avoided it, we wouldn’t both be in this mess. Or can’t shamans see their own future?]

[Why so formal? You were dismissing me as an ignorant evil spirit earlier.]

[You saw clearly how I burned gold bars to save you, right? A whole billion won, a billion!]

Park Dong-sik strode over and snatched the tablet out of the other man’s hands.

The sound continued playing.

[It’s you, isn’t it?]

[Park Dong—]

He slammed the tablet to the floor with all his might. Not satisfied with stomping on it repeatedly, he even poured alcohol over it. Yet the sound still continued to play.

[What difference does it make whether I am or not? Like you said, I’m Lee Hee-soo now. Park Dong-sik is dead.]

Ah, fuck. His mind went blank right then and there. His hand holding the bottle trembled, and a chill ran up and down his spine. Kim Jun-han, who had been watching him with a sideways look, slowly stood up. He approached Park Dong-sik and quietly looked down at his face. Park Dong-sik’s lips quivered. He needed to come up with a plausible excuse, but it wasn’t easy.

“T-This is because your mother said I was possessed…I was just joking…”

Even this barely managed excuse sounded pathetic to his ears.

Kim Jun-han reached out his hand. Park Dong-sik flinched, thinking he would be hit, but instead, Kim Jun-han covered his nose and mouth with his large hand while staring intently at his eyes. 

The tension was so suffocating that he couldn’t even blink.

After a long stare, Kim Jun-han whispered in a cold tone.

“Now that I look closely, you do resemble him.”

“…”

“You have the same look in your eyes from the funeral portrait.”