37.
“I’ll do anything. Please spare me!”
As Haseo tried to bang his head again, Choi Mujin quickly grabbed him by the hair. Mujin had shown kindness, but Haseo was the one who betrayed him. Perhaps this was the natural consequence. If he knew he’d done wrong, begging was appropriate. He should beg again and again to calm Mujin’s anger even a little.
Choi Mujin had always thought this way and lived accordingly. But now, seeing Haseo begging so pitifully, his insides boiled. What should he call this emotion?
“You!”
Unwittingly, Choi Mujin’s voice rose. At the same time, his hand gripping Haseo tightened. Seeing Haseo acting so pathetically made his blood boil. Wouldn’t it be easier to just get rid of him? That’s how he had dealt with every traitor without exception.
Getting hurt didn’t suit his taste, so he always paid back in full. If he were to deal with Haseo the same way… When his thoughts reached that point, he suddenly felt a chill in his chest. Looking down, he saw the pitiful face forcibly lifted.
‘He would suffer.’
The strength gradually left Choi Mujin’s hand. Even when he let go, Haseo still stared at him. There was a strange feeling in that desperate gaze. Gritting his teeth, Choi Mujin stood up.
“You don’t have the right to choose. So stay put.”
With those final words, Choi Mujin left the hospital room. A doctor standing outside the door, apparently about to enter, was startled to see him.
“Treat him properly.”
“Yes? Yes! Of course!”
Leaving the doctor who answered in a trembling voice behind, Choi Mujin stood in the hospital corridor. He wanted to smoke, but this was still a hospital. Since becoming a director, he had changed from his former self.
The doctor cautiously entered the room, and soon all was quiet. The hospital rooms were basically all soundproofed, so voices from inside couldn’t be heard outside.
“Are you alright?”
Park Dongsu had already arrived at the hospital and was waiting in the corridor.
“What?”
At Choi Mujin’s response, Park Dongsu seemed to be choosing his words. But what followed was different from expected.
“It’s nothing.”
Park Dongsu didn’t explain what he meant by asking if Mujin was alright. So it wasn’t clear whether he was concerned about Choi Mujin or Lee Haseo.
Haseo stared endlessly at the door through which Choi Mujin had left. This didn’t change even after the doctor raised him and sat him on the bed.
“Oh, you’ve hurt your forehead in the meantime.”
The doctor clicked his tongue lightly when he saw Haseo’s disheveled hair. He seemed to think it was Choi Mujin who had injured Haseo’s forehead.
‘That’s not it.’
Haseo rubbed his forehead with a bitter expression, earning a reprimand from the doctor.
“Don’t touch your wound like that! What are you doing with a doctor right in front of you?”
The doctor scolded Haseo while quickly treating his forehead. He applied medicine, added gauze, and then reinserted the needle into his arm.
“This time, absolutely do not pull out the needle.”
Is this treatment even meaningful when he didn’t know what would happen? Though Haseo thought this, he nodded obediently at the doctor’s words. The feeling of dread still hadn’t disappeared and repeatedly made his heart sink.
“Grandmother…”
The doctor looked at Haseo when he unconsciously muttered this.
“Do you have a grandmother?”
“…Yes.”
“Then think of your grandmother and stay strong. It may sound silly coming from me, but you need to live to do anything.”
“Can I live?”
Haseo didn’t know much about gangster psychology, but he knew Choi Mujin was no ordinary person. After all, he had been responsible for his entire lifestyle while staying at his house. He had that much intuition.
“I think you will live.”
The doctor shrugged as he connected the IV to the needle and arranged the line.
“So stay strong.”
Haseo responded with an awkward smile.
Several days passed. Haseo blinked slowly while looking at the food tray. Though the doctor had said it was just a small hospital, from the way things ran, it didn’t seem that way. The room was excellent, and so was the food provided at every meal.
Today’s menu included seaweed soup, braised fish, seasoned vegetables, bulgogi, rolled omelette, kimchi, and white rice. Everything tasted good, as if made with care. After the meal, there was sweet dried fruit and sikhye for dessert.
“The food here is delicious, so eat it all. Lee Haseo-ssi, you’re too thin.”
A nurse who came in periodically to check on him said with a smile.
“Yes, thank you.”
Haseo organized the empty dishes while watching the nurse. For days, there had been no sign of Choi Mujin. The same was true for Park Dongsu, who always assisted him. As a result, the only people he met were the doctor and the nurse.
“Excuse me.”
“Yes?”
“Is it possible to leave the hospital room?”
“Leave the room? Of course you can. It must be boring just watching TV in your room, right? Would you like to go to the lounge?”
Unexpectedly, permission was readily granted.
“Or the small garden inside is nice too. It’s safe because it’s surrounded by high walls and buildings. The doctor’s hobby is gardening, so it’s quite nice to look at.”
“I guess leaving the hospital is not allowed, right?”
Only then did the nurse’s expression become awkward.
“Hmm, I don’t think that would be possible. You still need more rest.”
Though she phrased it kindly, Haseo understood what she meant. My freedom extends only that far. Haseo smiled casually.
“I see. I should get healthy soon.”
The aftereffects of the drug had already been completely recovered. Because of that, the IV had been removed, and besides a few pills he took occasionally, there was nothing that could really be called treatment. He had asked what was in the pills, suspecting something, but the only answer was that they were vitamins.
‘If only I had a phone, I could have searched.’
He couldn’t bring himself to ask for one. It would be troublesome for Haseo if he unnecessarily raised their suspicions. As days passed like this, Haseo regained his health despite his anxiety.
‘Even in this situation.’
He sometimes felt pathetic for eating and sleeping well.
“You can be discharged now.”
At the doctor’s words, Haseo tightly clasped his hands. Where would he go after discharge? While thinking this, Park Dongsu appeared after a long time.
“Lee Haseo-ssi. It’s been a while.”
“Hello.”
Park Dongsu placed the heavily loaded paper bags he was carrying on the table beside the bed.
“The discharge procedures are complete. We need to move now, so change your clothes first.”
Then he took out clothes one by one from the bag. There was new underwear, a fluffy sweater made of a material Haseo had never seen before, matching pants, and even shoes. They were clothes too good for someone who had committed a sin.
‘Is this for a death row inmate’s last moments?’
If so, all of this made sense. While Park Dongsu had his back turned, Haseo carefully put on each item of clothing. Perhaps because he had gained some weight and his complexion had improved, once dressed, he looked like a young master from a wealthy family. Though in reality, he was just a beggar.
“I’m dressed.”
“Then let’s go.”
Haseo followed Park Dongsu with the feeling of a cow heading to slaughter. As they left the hospital and drove in the car, he saw familiar roads. He had expected to be taken to some remote place. The car stopped at Choi Mujin’s house, where he had been staying.
Though it hadn’t been that long since he left, his heart raced. Would Choi Mujin be waiting inside when he opened this door? Haseo awkwardly pressed the password.
Beep beep.
The password hadn’t changed. Glancing down at the shoe rack, there were no shoes placed there. No one was home.
“You can do whatever you want at home. So rest comfortably.”
Park Dongsu said this and sat down on the living room sofa.
‘I don’t understand the intention.’
What exactly did they want from him? Haseo chewed his lip and entered the room. Contrary to his expectations, the room was neatly organized. Just in case, he reached under the sheets, but couldn’t feel the phone.
‘I was caught.’
Of course. After what happened, they must have searched the room. Haseo withdrew his hand from the sheets and looked around. Then he realized that the box he had placed in the corner of the room was gone. At the same time, his heart sank again. Because it contained not only old clothes.
His grandmother’s photos were also there. Haseo hurriedly examined the room. Before long, he found his grandmother’s photos on the bedside table. The framed photos were neatly standing.
“I don’t understand.”
The clothes that had been in the box were neatly arranged in the wardrobe. Not a single item of Haseo’s had disappeared.
“Why?”
He couldn’t fathom Choi Mujin’s intentions at all.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
