CH 15.2

Cha Yiseok’s phone vibrated on the table. On the screen was the secretary’s number. As he deliberately took his time to pick up the phone, the urgent voice of the female secretary was heard.

― Executive Director, where are you?

Cha Yiseok leaned back on the sofa and said in a sleepy voice.

“Just woke up. What time is it?”

— It’s already 11 o’clock. The Chairman has been calling me ever since.

“I think around 12 will be safe, buy some time.”

— Alright. I will do my best, but there’s a limit to what I can do… Please come quickly, Director.

The tearful secretary’s voice faded away. Cha Yiseok threw the phone on the table and sipped the cold coffee. Cha Yiseok’s fingers lightly tapped the table. The tapping speed gradually softened, and his fingers ran across the glass. The body temperature, which was slightly below normal, and the tingling sensation were the same as the skin he tasted last night. Cha Yiseok looked around the 50-pyeong hotel room, and the men sitting at the table.

“If it’s 12 o’clock, you’ll have plenty of time. Continue.”

Park Junhyung pulled up his glasses and flipped the screen.

“The key is how we can secure a sufficient stake in Taeryung to acquire management rights. Soon, we, H.K Global, will officially declare an M&A of Taeryung. After we secure more than 5% of the stock, we’ll insist on changing the incompetent management of Taeryung. The first rank is Cha Myunghwan.”

Kim Dohoon, who would be better suited to use his fist than to use his head, said.

“The evidence of tax evasion of Chairman Cha that we have collected so far is planned to be blown up based on the circumstances. At that time, Cha Myunghwan will be tied up in it, and we will also season in media manipulation…”

In the case of large corporations, it was used to evade tax from affiliates or offshore companies. Chairman Cha left the money laundering, tax evasion, etc… all of the mess to Cha Yiseok. Cha Yiseok said while sucking on a cigarette filter.

“Chairman Cha, the largest shareholder, is 11%, the first shareholder, Cha Myunghwan, 9%, I, the second shareholder, 7%, and the other members of Chairman Cha friendly group are 23%. Aside from Chairman Cha and Cha Myunghwan, I’ll turn the rest to my side. Except for Han Sungjae, among the friendly forces, Chairman Lim has the largest stake. Han Sungjae is working on that, so it will be decided soon.”

Kim Dohoon said.

“Chairman Lim is very close with Chairman Cha, it will not be easy. Also, from the perspective of a businessman, it is stable to stand on the side of Chairman Cha.”

“If he holds out uselessly, I’ll have no choice but to take out my card. It’ll be fun to show the snuff film.”

“Snuff film?”

“Yes. It contains the secret personal life of Chairman Lim.”

The men’s eyes widened. The CES Company under the name of Cha Yiseok was a paper company created for Taeryung’s tax evasion. However, Cha Yiseok avoided the eyes of Chairman Cha and set up a team in charge of patent rights and a research and development team for automobile-related technology, which was Taeryung’s mainstream company. They were stealing Taeryung’s slush funds toward the CES Company through various other document manipulations.

First of all, Cha Yiseok’s Brains1, disguised as Hong Kong funds, create another offshore company, H.K. Global, and attempted mergers and acquisitions in Taeryung. Then Cha Yiseok himself appears and saves Taeryung from panic. If the public opinion of shareholders is driven to Cha Yiseok, the perfect finale of this scenario was to remove Chairman Cha and Cha Myunghwan side by side and take the position of CEO for himself.

“In a nutshell, it’s a scam between the two of us trying to get the girl we’ve always looked at. One is the role of a hooligan.”

Cha Yiseok tapped the Brains with his fingertips.

“One acts as an apostle of justice.”

Then he changed the direction of his fingers and turned towards himself.

“The apostle of justice appears in front of the hooligan who harasses the woman, saves them, and gets their trust and eats them up. People are moved by the surprisingly obvious technique.”

Kim Dohoon asked seriously.

“What do you plan to do after swallowing Taeryung?”

Cha Yiseok looked around with a sharp gaze. Now that all the plans had been drawn, all that remained was to put it into practice on the monumental day when Cha Myunghwan’s breath stopped.

“I’m thinking. Should I clean it all up and sell it to the red-light district, or put it in a small room and have guests take it?”

———

Cha Yiseok closed the car door and raised his shirt sleeve. He was leaving work after guarding his seat in moderation. In the morning, Cha Myunghwan called and whined to bring the healer. The sun was setting when he left Taeryung’s office building. He got into the car and pressed the call button with one hand. Paradiso’s boss’s voice was heard.

“Is Yaba ready?”

A moment of silence passed.

― I’m sorry, but it will be a little difficult today.

“Why?”

— He has a cold. It seems that the guy who didn’t sing all of a sudden was overworked.

It was Cha Yiseok who was silent this time. It was true that he hungrily pounced on Yaba last night, but he didn’t go all the way. It seemed that he was weaker than he looked to be sick to that extent. And Cha Yiseok asked a question that had been running through his mind the whole time.

“Did you make Yaba sell his body too?”

The president’s voice became cold.

— What do you mean?

“You would know better what I mean.”

The drug that Yaba believed to be an antidepressant was GHB. Originally used as an anesthetic or sleeping pill to relieve pain, it was now more commonly used as a date rape drug. A poisonous neuroleptic that made people lethargic even if they take just one pill, so that even if someone tried to rape them, they will be idle. If you eat five pills a day like that, sooner or later you will become dull. It was dangerous to run out into the street after taking such a drug.

The boss said,

― As you know, it is absolutely forbidden to do that on the upper floors of our store. But I’m curious as to why Executive Director Cha thinks that way.

“The drug you give Yaba makes me think so.”

— …

No, Yaba had overly smooth skin. The armpits, as well as the hairless genitals and clean pink holes, belonged to a boy who knew nothing about sex. Then what the hell was that face?

“If not, never mind. I will take him to the hospital, so prepare him first.”

The boss said hurriedly.

— He has already been to the hospital. The doctor said he should get a good rest today. As you know, the vocal cords are a matter directly related to the life of a singer, so I don’t think he will be able to sing until he recovers from the cold.

His backbone pulled sharply. Afterwards, Cha Yiseok clenched his teeth and let out a long sigh.

“Hey. I become very sensitive when I deviate from my plans. If I don’t move on time and within the set schedule, things will always go wrong. Thanks to you, I’ve already had two setbacks. If you don’t plan on making me angry again, have him ready. Where is. Yaba. Now?”

The boss answered in a very sullen voice.

— … He is at the accommodation.

“How pretty you are when you are obedient. Show your sincerity so that my stake is not wasted.”

Cha Yiseok cut the call unilaterally and broke his handle. As he looked at the end of the line of cars on the road, he realized that he had not yet done drugs today. He usually took more drugs than he ate meals, but it was a strange phenomenon. It must be that Yaba’s lullaby lingered in his ears the whole time, so he wasn’t even reminded of it. The crossroad signal changed. As he turned the corner, an imported confectionery shop caught his eye. Cha Yiseok placed his chin on his arm on his handle and brushed his lips.

“Welcome.”

As he entered the confectionery shop, a female employee with his hair neatly brushed off greeted her. Inside the store, three or four customers were putting their sweets in baskets in front of the shelves. Cha Yiseok approached the female employee.

“Do you have it? A candy that you won’t be able to tell if it is a drug or a candy.”

“Yes?”

The woman’s eyes widened. She corrected her puzzled eyes and led him to a elongated glass shelf. Various colored candies were displayed in luxuriously decorated glass jars. Cha Yiseok looked at each candy one by one, choosing the color that best suited him when it was placed on Yaba’s tongue. Cha Yiseok tapped the red candy with his finger.

“How about this?”

“Ah, it tastes sour, so anyone can tell it’s candy. How about this? It’s a new product for those who don’t like sweets, it’s not shiny, so it’s like a pill…”

The female employee pointed to a candy the size of a fingernail. The dark wine-colored crystals did not have the luster characteristic of candy, but had an attractive oval shape. The woman picked up one with tongs and handed it to Cha Yiseok. Cha Yiseok rolled the candy on his tongue. The color and taste were all satisfactory. His eyes gleamed softly.

“Pack everything you have for now.”

***

Yaba stayed in the dormitory all morning, lying in bed. The whole bed was rattling because of the vibrating cell phone from before. He tossed and turned the whole time, and inadvertently rested his head against the edge of the pillow. If he looked back, he would see a virgin ghost with a torn mouth lying on the left side, but he decided to give it up for today. He didn’t have the power to exorcise ghosts, and everything was helpless. The area around the eyes and cheekbones hit by Kang Giha were swollen and very painful, and the body was terribly cold. Before he knew it, his hair had grown and pricked his eyes. He was going to get up early tomorrow and go to the hairdresser.

He sang a lullaby to Cha Yiseok, and the missing balls were also discovered. The two most important things in his life were laid bare in front of Cha Yiseok at once. Doesn’t matter. He must have forgotten everything this time, as always.

An empty scrotum and a lullaby…

Again the phone vibrated on the bed. The number printed on the screen was Imsoo. He didn’t even have the strength to pick up his phone, and if he heard his voice, he felt like he was going to vomit the porridge he ate in the morning. The thigh of Kang Giha, which Yaba had stabbed with scissors, was completely healed by the song of Cocaine. In the end, Kang Giha did not press the remote control. He didn’t even keep Yaba in a warehouse. Kang Giha sometimes did unexpected things, which caused Yaba to feel anxious.

Cocaine came out of the bathroom and threw the wet towel into the basket. As he quietly laid himself on the bed, the mattress sank further. Cocaine showed his back without saying a word. After hesitating for a while, he said.

“Do not misunderstand. Because the boss suddenly came and I couldn’t do anything about it.”

The occasional sigh showed how much Cocaine wanted to ask something. Yaba decided to show his generosity after a long time.

“Are you dying to know where I’ve been?”

Cocaine looked back and answered.

“Okay. I’m curious. Do you know how surprised I was when you suddenly disappeared at dawn?”

“I was frustrated, so I went to get some air, and I happened to meet someone. I was with him.”

Yaba’s lips became cruel.

“But it’s someone you know.”

Cocaine’s eyes widened. There must have been only one person who crossed his mind. That both he and Cocaine knew well. The key was how painful it is. Cocaine asked in a low voice.

“What the hell is the reason?”

“What?”

“Why are you provoking others with useless delusions?”

“Did my words provoke you?”

Cocaine kept his mouth shut, but he didn’t seem to believe what Yaba was saying. He must have concluded that he had been with Cha Yiseok as a delusion. Oh, come to think of it, maybe Cocaine was right. Because sometimes Yaba had fantasies even though it was something he had experienced vividly. His insides felt a little stiff. Yaba said, looking up at the ceiling with blurred eyes.

“If something like this happens again in the future, don’t hesitate to let me know. Because I will too.”

Cocaine, who was looking at him with innocent eyes, curled his lips coldly.

“Okay. Thanks to you, I feel at ease.”

Ten years ago, Yaba’s tip brought him to this hell. Yaba’s life was also messed up by Cocaine. Now in this mud, they bit each other’s ankles and twisted them so that no one could climb into the outside world. Will they ever be able to be friends with each other? Just like the time when they sat next to each other in an alley back then and got to know each other…