58.
At first, he might try to persuade him, but later Jeong Heejun could face an unreasonable situation. Though it wasn’t something he would normally do to a modest woman, nodding in agreement was the right move for now.
“What do you think? If you’re amenable, I could arrange a meeting in the near future.”
“I look forward to it.”
Only then did Chairman Jang stop speaking and brighten his expression.
“By the way, does Director Choi know about this matter as well?”
“Just call him Choi Director.”
“Yes, does Choi Director know about this too?”
“Hmm, you’re quite sharp. Actually, Choi Director doesn’t know. No, I can’t tell him. He despises Toho Construction. Gangsters are all the same gangsters. Why bother ranking them?”
As he spoke, he went on badmouthing Director Choi. Listening to this, Heejun internally swallowed a hollow laugh. Even gangsters who constantly preach about loyalty betray each other as easily as eating. Listening to Chairman Jang, his intentions became clear.
Chairman Jang was planning to take down Director Choi. That’s why he was trying to join hands with Toho Construction, which Choi Director so despised.
“He’s a man of loyalty, so I was somewhat conflicted, but his thinking is too rigid.”
Once, Choi Mujin had said to Chairman Jang:
‘Chairman. Even gangster business has minimum standards. If we cross that line, we’ll eventually put ourselves in danger too. So I will never work with Toho Construction.’
Come on, if you’re using people to do business, what’s so important about age and gender? Chairman Jang was even worse garbage than Choi Mujin.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Good, I like how quickly you understand.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
Heejun briefly lowered his eyes without responding. Chairman Jang was pleased with his obedient son. Well, what man would refuse a path to success? This was the right way to behave. He looked at the clean-cut Heejun and smiled contentedly. It was fortunate that he resembled his mother more than himself.
Even that modest girl would gladly accept someone like Heejun. Everything was proceeding smoothly.
* * *
Throughout the journey back to the villa, Choi Mujin said nothing. With no change in his expression, it was difficult to read his thoughts.
During this time, the car arrived at the villa. The villa had lights on as if someone was staying there.
‘Did we leave the lights on?’
Thinking this, Haseo entered and was surprised by what he saw inside. The fireplace, which had remained unlit, was burning brightly, and the sofa had been replaced with a different one. The previous one was leather, but this one was a furry sofa that looked cozy to the eye. Even the carpet on the floor had been changed to match it.
“Sit down for a moment.”
Mujin seated Haseo on the sofa and headed to the kitchen.
‘What is he planning to do?’
After a brief clattering sound, Mujin emerged from the kitchen a few minutes later. In his hand was a large mug, which he offered to Haseo.
“Thank you.”
After expressing gratitude, Haseo looked into the mug and found it filled with hot cocoa. There was even a large marshmallow floating on top. After a moment’s hesitation, Haseo took a sip of the cocoa and let out an exclamation.
“Wow!”
It seemed like the most delicious cocoa he had ever tasted in his life. He drank mindlessly, and only after emptying half of it did he come to his senses and look up. His eyes met directly with Mujin’s, who was watching him. The gaze contained a warmth he had never seen before, which momentarily flustered him.
“Ah, um.”
Haseo opened and closed his mouth, then decided to keep it shut. This time, he savored the cocoa more slowly, turning his attention to the fireplace. The crackling flames looked so warm that the tension in his body gradually released. Though there was no conversation, he strangely liked this situation.
The silence was broken when Mujin spoke first.
“Haseo.”
Instead of answering, Haseo looked at Mujin.
“About the friend you met earlier. Were you very close?”
As Haseo was considering how to answer without causing harm to Heejun, Mujin continued.
“I’d appreciate it if you could be as honest as possible.”
Even if he lied, an investigation would reveal everything. Haseo decided to tell the truth.
“We were close. We spent all our time together in elementary school.”
Haseo wrapped his hands around the mug, which still retained some warmth.
“But I never thought about wanting to meet him again later.”
“Why?”
Why? The Haseo of elementary school and the Haseo of now were vastly different. Back then, even though life was hard, he still possessed a certain pure courage. But what about now? Living a worn-out life, he had given up many things. The purity, courage, and righteousness he once had were long gone. Now he was just human garbage who went around scamming others.
Haseo stammered this out.
“Human garbage?”
When Haseo nodded at Mujin’s questioning words, he laughed.
“Haseo. You call yourself human garbage for just that much?”
He came closer and looked at Haseo.
“Then how do I appear to you?”
At this sharp question, Haseo momentarily lost his words. If Haseo, who had committed fraud, was human garbage, what should someone like Mujin, who had done worse things, be called? After much hesitation, he uttered one appropriate word.
“A devil?”
But that seemed to amuse Mujin.
“A devil? No, I’m not such a grand being. I’m just non-recyclable garbage.”
It was an excessively harsh assessment for self-evaluation.
“And you are not garbage.”
“What?”
“Weren’t the people you swindled all ones who had something they felt guilty about anyway?”
No, but normal people don’t scam even such individuals. Whether deceiving good people or bad people, crime is crime. So Haseo too was a criminal. When he explained this, Mujin ruffled Haseo’s hair.
“Ah!”
“If you have a conscience, you’re not garbage.”
Mujin firmly concluded. But hadn’t he just said he himself was garbage? Did that mean he didn’t even have the minimum conscience? Mujin seemed to notice Haseo’s gaze. He briefly took the mug Haseo was holding and placed it on a nearby table. Then he took Haseo’s hand and placed it on his palm.
His thick-jointed fingers gently rubbed Haseo’s smooth fingernails.
“Haseo. You know.”
Mujin spoke as if confessing.
“I’ve pulled out someone’s fingernails before.”
If what Mujin was saying was true, it was a chilling story. Pulling out a person’s fingernails.
“All ten fingernails, without anesthesia. The person wailed and begged, but I didn’t listen. Would you like to know how I did it?”
Sometimes people try to pull out fingernails with pliers. But actually, it’s not easy to pull them out in one go that way. So I use tools. There’s a specific tool—you slide it under the fingernail and hit the other end sharply, and the nail pops right up. As Mujin continued speaking, Haseo’s fingertips grew cold. Haseo squeezed his eyes shut, opened them again, and asked him.
“Why, why did you pull them out?”
“Why? Because they had sinned against me.”
In modern times, those who commit crimes are supposed to stand before the law. But Mujin lived in a world where that didn’t apply.
“What if those people…”
“What if those people what?”
“What if they report you?”
“Haseo. Do you think they could report me? There’s a saying: The law is far, but fists are near.”
They had already been sent abroad, but even if they hadn’t been, they couldn’t have reported Mujin. If they valued their lives, that’s how it had to be. Haseo looked with fearful eyes at the fingernails Mujin was caressing. And in a shrinking voice, he asked.
“Why are you telling me this?”
At first, he hadn’t said anything at all. Why was he telling him now?
“Do you really not know?”
Mujin removed his fingers and kissed the back of Haseo’s hand. Soft, warm lips landed on his cold hand. Yet warmth did not return.
‘Do I really not know?’
No, it was because he thought he knew that he was more frightened. Initially, Mujin hadn’t told Haseo anything because he had considered letting him go at some point. If that was the case, it wasn’t difficult to guess why he was now sharing his story.
Because he had no intention of letting go. Haseo exhaled thinly as he watched Mujin’s lips pull away. For a moment, he couldn’t breathe.
“Haseo seems to know the reason.”
Saying this, Mujin picked up the mug again and gave it back to Haseo.
“Finish drinking.”
Though his appetite had completely disappeared, Haseo picked up the mug as Mujin instructed. Since it was liquid, he could somehow manage to drink it all. The fireplace’s light and the soft furry sofa no longer felt warm, but he endured. Because there would be no one to help him.
After barely emptying the cocoa, Mujin lightly washed the mug and placed it on the rack.
“Now that you’ve finished, let’s wash up.”
Haseo obediently entered the bathroom as Mujin directed. Mujin didn’t bother to follow him in. So Haseo was able to have some time alone. He first turned on the cold water and wet his face. Only then did his body collapse from the delayed trembling. He managed not to fall by holding onto the sink, but couldn’t avoid sitting down on the floor.
“Ugh, ngh.”
He was scared. He had felt afraid of Mujin before, but never to this extent. It was as if he were a different person. No, he felt like a monster.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
