CH 22.3

With Cocaine at the forefront, the beautiful harmony created by the youth was scattered. When the song ended, Chairman Kim invariably clapped his hands exaggeratedly. Cocaine walked over to the old man sitting alone. It was Chairman Kim, who usually ignored the other singers and asked for Cocaine alone. But today, while sipping cognac, he looked around the masked young men. He seemed to have something else to say, but he only drank cognac. Chairman Kim put his drinking glass down on the table, and then he broke the silence.

“By the way, where’s that kid?”

“Who…”

“The kid I saw at Director Cha’s villa before.”

Cocaine felt a smile disappearing from his mouth. When he entered the room, he thought that Chairman Kim had an unusual atmosphere because of what happened at the villa. But it wasn’t. The cold tone in his tone was something he couldn’t help himself.

“He was not feeling well today, so he left early. But why…”

Chairman Kim looked at Cocaine and smiled.

“It’s not a big deal, I didn’t think much of it because of the situation at the time, but strangely, as time went on, that child’s voice kept ringing in my ears. Haha…”

His eyes flickered. The blue-illuminated walls surrounded by artificial forests were dreamy. The discolored landscape seemed like another world. Chairman Kim let all the singers out and said hastily.

“Don’t feel too bad. It’s just that grandpa was senile and got carried away by the sound…”

What’s wrong with Cocaine’s expression? Why did he have to be told such a thing?

“Why would I feel bad? Maybe you will like it when you hear it.”

What’s wrong with that? No, it wasn’t wrong. Yaba had to have days like this sometimes. Because he was dragged here, forcibly castrated, and forced to go to the back room, so he only had a hard time. Plants that live in shaded places need sunlight sometimes. Cocaine repeated it like a spell, like a curse. He was suddenly curious. Cocaine asked in a stiff tone.

“By the way, Chairman Cha… Did he say nothing? Like being reminded of Yaba’s song without realizing it like you…”

“Hm. I haven’t heard of such a thing. Chairman Cha is not very interested in music, and I often hear that he has no blood or tears. Anyway, he’s busy with the company and CEO Cha now so he probably won’t have time to be hung up about that. Haha… Oh. Pretend you didn’t hear it!”

The old man sweated to relieve Cocaine’s mood. Cocaine gave the old man the smile he wanted. He didn’t know that smiling was such an energy-requiring exercise. He sang a few more songs and left the therapy room. As he walked down the T-shaped hallway, Hashish was waiting at the entrance of the waiting room. His eyes, examining his own complexion, grew heavier.

“What’s the matter? Are you still unwell?”

“I guess it’s just that I’m tired after worrying about various things.”

“Not only now, but you have been having a hard time ever since. This won’t do. Cancel all reservations today. Customers can’t even say anything if you’re sick.”

“But they’re still waiting, I can’t cancel. It’s alright.”

He walked down the hallway with Hashish behind him. The sound of footsteps absorbed by the carpet was silent.

***

Yaba crossed the dimly lit living room and entered the room, eager to be alone. He cleansed his body first before performing his sacred ritual. The gaze at the thugs at the hairdresser was amazing. No matter how much the snot-dripping child cried, no one had the courage to drive them away. The hairdresser in charge of him recommended a volume perm. The woman’s cruel smile was reluctant, but it seemed like a good bait to get rid of the thugs. Taking advantage of the loose surveillance, he sneaked out while shampooing and went to the chemical drug store safely today.

He walked to the desk, wiping his hair with a towel. His slightly wavy hair was a little awkward. He found the envelope he would use before making the medicine. He also prepared a measuring spoon in case he failed to control his strength. Pulling out the drawer, a black crevice was revealed. Those who live in the light forget that there is something behind the light. They relax and get screwed over.

Yaba took a sip of laughter into his mouth. He reached out and groped into the black space. The envelope did not get stuck. The moment he looked inside, his head was as empty as the empty space. There was nothing. The poison bag was gone. He rubbed his eyes but couldn’t find it again. It was the same when he searched under the desk, the bed, and the closet. He circled the room and ran to the bathroom. He opened his personal closet, turned bath items over, and searched for an envelope in each compartment. There was nothing to be seen. He gasped for breath. No way, no way… Yaba turned his attention to Cocaine’s cabinet. It’s impossible, but there was one thing left.

He opened Cocaine’s cabinet and peeked through the shampoo display. He lowered his hand to the compartment below and picked up the well-folded towel. At that moment, he turned pale. There was a poison bag between the towels. He picked up the envelope with trembling hands.

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t remember. Unless he was sleepwalking, there was no reason to put this in Cocaine’s closet unless he was out of his mind. Sweat dripped down his back. No way… If Cocaine had moved it… No. He never goes through other people’s desks. Even if that were the case, he wouldn’t be able to guess the identity of this envelope.

Ah! Yaba exclaimed. Yes! He had put it in his sleep and forgot. He almost got caught when the thugs went on a rampage before, and there was no risk of them rummaging through Cocaine’s drawers. He must have anticipated all that and moved it himself. He was proud of himself, who made good use of the wisdom of his ancestors that it was dark under the lamp. Then his head cleared and the heart maintained a normal rate.

He got out of the bathroom and sat down in front of the water purifier, opening the envelope and mixing the drugs he bought today. He lifted the lid of the water purifier and dispersed the poison. 0.01 grams of cyanide, 0.6 grams of acetylcholine, 0.3 grams of reserpine. It was just the right amount for 15 liters of water. He was a pro. A momentary mistake should not ruin a work that has been painstakingly worked for a long time. He had to wash my hands thoroughly. If he touched his lips or rubbed his eyes with poison-stained hands, bad things would happen. He shook the water purifier body to mix well.

The sacred plan to destroy Cocaine was about to end soon. At that time, they could jump down the cliff together holding hands so that he would not feel lonely. All these original sins would be forgiven then. His head rose with joy, and his thoughts about Cha Yiseok were diluted.

It was that moment when he turned around with a smile of satisfaction.

Yaba shuddered like a man struck by lightning. The envelopes and measuring spoons he was holding were thrown away with a loud noise. With his back to the dark living room, someone was standing behind the open door. It was Cocaine.

His heart almost fell out. The bugs laid flat on their stomachs and held their breath. There was no darkness to hide his expression because of the light. A little powder leaked out of the bag that fell on the floor. The situation was unfavorable. Yaba thought that this day might come someday. But he didn’t think it was now.

Did Cocaine see? Since when? Why was he here, when, since when…

Cocaine, who had been silent for a while, opened his mouth.

“What are you doing there?”

Yaba clenched his fists to hide the tremors.

“Why are you entering like a rat or a mouse?”

The hysterical voice didn’t seem to belong to him. The drop in temperature did not rise. Yaba forced his voice out.

“… What are you doing at this hour? What about the store?”

“I was not feeling well, so I canceled my reservations. The other kids decided to substitute for me today.”

“… Since when have you been there?”

It was a clumsy question. His voice trembled to the point of being pathetic. Cocaine’s lips slowly opened like a slow video.

“Since you opened the water purifier lid.”

“… !!”

Bugs popped out of the eyeballs and pores and covered the whole scene. Yaba’s heart swelled up and down as he breathed. Don’t panic. He was a pro. But what could he say when asked? What?

“What have you been working so hard on that you didn’t notice me coming in?”

The face of Cocaine was crushed in his vision because of the blur in front of Yaba’s eyes.

“What would I be doing in front of the water purifier? Can’t you see I’m trying to drink water?”

“You don’t even drink the water from the water purifier in this room.”

He noticed. He noticed.

“I’m too lazy to go to the refrigerator. Why? Can I drink some water in this room?”

“It’s not that you can’t… It looked like you were putting something in the water purifier.”

His heart was beating like it was about to fall out. Reflexively, Yaba looked at the envelope that had fallen at his feet. The envelope seemed to be tens of thousands of miles away. Cocaine’s gaze followed. Cocaine’s eyes that had been directed there rose again and were entangled in Yaba’s eyes. That unknown expression, the terrible silence caught his breath.

“Why don’t you turn on the lights in the living room?”

There was the sound of someone coming in. It was Hashish. Just as Cocaine’s attention turned to the door, Yaba nimbly bent over and picked up the drugs bag and measuring spoon. He removed the traces by rubbing the powder that had fallen on the floor with his feet.

“I’ll wash up first.”

Yaba walked into the bathroom as leisurely as possible. He turned the shower on the strongest setting, opened the toilet water tank lid, and hid the envelope inside. He couldn’t calm down. He put his ear against the door and strained his attention. The voices of the two could be heard faintly. His heart sank. Did he get caught? Did he get caught? He got caught. Cocaine figured it out. He was acting like he didn’t know with innocent eyes. He must be plotting a plot with Hashish right now. He might wait for him to come out and then hang his neck. Cocaine might scream and burst his head. He fell as sweat dripped down his back, scratching the fat.

He needed medicine. Taking it made him bolder, and his thinking optimistic. He finished all of Cha Yiseok’s antidepressants. The medicine Kang Giha gave was outside. He instinctively looked through the window attached to the bathroom. Yaba got up on the toilet. As he poked his head out the window, the wind’s whistle scratched his cheek. Yaba climbed on top of the window with all his might. All of a sudden, he wondered what his penalty points were.

***

“What are you doing standing there?”

When Cocaine didn’t budge, Hashish came over and smacked him on the shoulder.

“Because Yaba was here first.”

“Where did he come from… I thought I was alone with you for the first time in a while.”

Hashish wrinkled his face and smacked his lips. Cocaine looked at the water purifier where the lid closed. When he arrived and entered the room earlier, Yaba was obviously doing something with the water purifier. Yaba always roamed around the water purifier but never drank a drop of water. To a strange extent. Cocaine walked over to the water purifier on the other side of the room. He approached the spot where Yaba had stepped on a while ago.

‘But why don’t you ever drink the water in this room? Even though there is a water purifier right next door, you always drink only what is in the refrigerator. Does the water purifier contain poison?’

‘Did you do something to get poisoned?’

Cocaine stared at one of the floors and then ran his fingers across the floor. He withdrew his finger and looked at it for a while.

“If… If you were Yaba, what would you put in this water purifier?”

What? Hashish asked with a grin. There was the sound of water leaking out of the bathroom. Cocaine stared at the door. It was probably a couple of months ago that Yaba started hanging around Cocaine’s water. Around that time, the escaped Paradiso singers were caught at the airport. It was a time when a top actor announced his marriage for speeding, and a famous singer performed in Korea. And it was around the time when Cha Yiseok became a regular.

Cocaine pulled his gaze away from the bathroom door, brushing off his hands like dust.

“If I were Yaba…”

His face was cold.