CH 251

“Hmm…”

Park Seok-jae, who was looking at me smiling and shaking hands with a strange expression, opened his mouth as he put down the coffee on the table.

“Somehow, he’s a friend you don’t really fit with.”

“Is that so?”

Kwon Se-hyun smiled awkwardly at those words. It added to the irritation in the already heavy chest.

Of course, it was true that Han Yi-gyeol didn’t fit Kwon Se-hyun because he looked pretty. But I didn’t want to hear that from anyone else’s mouth.

Especially Park Seok-jae, why did that bastard say such a thing with confidence when he had a nasty appearance too?

‘…I can see it now.’

At that time, I didn’t feel anything strange and had to quietly accept my situation.

I smiled bitterly inwardly and forcefully straightened my eyebrows, which kept frowning. Then, I naturally placed my arm on Kwon Se-hyun’s shoulder, who was standing next to me, and hugged him.

“Am I seen that way? I think our Se-hyun hyung-nim and I are a very good pair.”

Kwon Se-hyun and Park Seok-jae were both perplexed when I spoke in a deliberately cheerful and made-up voice. I continued looking at Kwon Se-hyun with my round eyes as he couldn’t hit my arm that was on his shoulder.

“Actually, I was in a situation where I was in urgent need of money, but thanks to Hyung-nim, I was able to work here. How grateful I am. Besides, we have similar personalities. Right, Hyung-nim?”

I also threw away the title of the Boss I usually used and gave my arm strength to gently press him down. Kwon Se-hyun, who was crushed on his shoulders with A-rank strength, responded quickly with a smile similar to mine.

“Oh, um. That’s right. I feel like I have a handy little brother. And the fact that this guy came into existence is still quite unbelievable.”

Kwon Se-hyun put his hand on the back of my head and rubbed my chin like a dog. My face shook in response to the movement of his hands. Maybe I shouldn’t help him?

“Is, is that so? Well, looking at it this way, it seems like the two of you are really similar…”

“Haha…”

I shed an awkward laugh in line with Park Seok-jae’s words, and when I secretly loosened my shoulder, Kwon Se-hyun took his hand off my head as if he was waiting.

“Ahem… so? What brings you here today?”

Kwon Se-hyun, who awkwardly gave the distance from my side, coughed in vain and changed the topic. Park Seok-jae also opened his mouth as he took out his share of coffee from the tray, perhaps only then he had thought of something.

“Of course, I came because I was worried. Hyung-nim, I heard you got some insults yesterday.”

“Yesterday? Ah, are you talking about Gyeongseong?”

“Who else is there other than Gyeongseong? I heard that quite a few people came… how about the kids?”

“No one was seriously injured. Fortunately.”

At that point, Park Seok-jae glanced at me. Originally, I would have left my seat, but now I don’t really want to. I blinked my eyes with a smile.

Park Seok-jae couldn’t kick me out, unless the owner, Kwon Se-hyun, told me to leave anyway.

“There’s only one coffee left. You drink this.”

Rather, Kwon Se-hyun gave me the rest of the Americano. He must have noticed something in my unusual attitude and was trying to keep me by his side.

‘At times like this, it’s a little more convenient.’

The fact that there was another me meant that we could understand each other to some extent without needing to explain. It was the first thing I discovered.

When I sat down on the sofa with Kwon Se-hyun, Park Seok-jae ended up sitting opposite.

“How did you hear the news?”

Park Seok-jae, who drank the coffee like water as if his stomach was burning, answered straight away.

“My kids passed by and heard the situation and told me.”

The club that Park Seok-jae managed was a bit out of Gangnam, but it’s not that far away.

So Kwon Se-hyun would think that it wouldn’t be suspicious if his subordinates wandered around Dies.

“I knew from before that Gyeongseong had been eyeing this store. It’s not surprising.”

“Isn’t this the first time you’ve been attacked openly like this? Hey, you don’t have to worry too much because Director is always watching you…”

Kwon Se-hyun’s eyes fluttered for a moment, but he nodded his head without expressing it.

“Well, there’s definitely something like that.”

“As expected! Director helped you yesterday.”

The timing of this incident was different, so the man and Gyeongseong had nothing to do with it, but I didn’t bother to correct it.

Among the four traitors Kwon Se-hyun was thinking of, Park Seok-jae was also included… At this point, Park Seok-jae was already suspicious enough. So, there was no need to tell him about the store’s situation.

“So? How did the situation end?”

“I caught a guy with quite a bit of power in Gyeongseong. I haven’t been able to figure it out properly yet because I don’t have time to spare.”

“Then can you later tell me the information you got? I will lend you my power.”

“…lend me your support?”

Kwon Se-hyun’s black eyes fell coldly.

“Ah. Of course, I don’t think that Hyung-nim and the kids below will lose easily.”

“Right. I think so, too. So I don’t need your help, Park Seok-jae.”

Park Seok-jae, who felt the atmosphere around him change a little, adjusted his posture and explained to Kwon Se-hyun.

“Listen to me, Hyung-nim. I’m not saying I’m going to help with a light heart.”

“Explain.”

“People called Sacheonghwa (사청화)… have you ever heard of it?”

“Sacheonghwa?”

“It’s said a group belongs to the Black Society and the number is enormous.”

Black Society (黑社會, criminal underworld). It was a general term used to describe a group of criminals who gathered to escape the law in China. The Triad (三合會), commonly known as the Chinese Mafia, could also be considered to be included in the Black Society.

Kwon Se-hyun, who knew that well like me, frowned slightly.

“Why suddenly Black Society?”

“I’m sure Hyung-nim knows well the fact that big customers from China have been buying Korean land and buildings since a few years ago.”

As it wasn’t a light subject, Park Seok-jae’s voice was low and dark.

“As far as I know, it seems that China has also intervened in the investment related to Gangnam.”

“Since when?”

“I don’t know the exact time. Recently, the kids below me have been reporting that there are strange people among Gyeongseong.”

“Is that Sacheonghwa?”

“Yes. In some ways, they are more dangerous than the Japanese Yakuza group. No, rather than yakuza… it’s called Hangure (한구레, here). It’s like a quasi-gangster.”

“Hangure…”

“Sacheonghwa doesn’t follow the law and move systematically like the yakuza or mafia. They carry Gyeongseong on their backs and go their own way. There are so many that it’s difficult to quickly identify the number of people.”

There were a lot of numbers. This was the most worrying thing for Kwon Se-hyun, who barely had enough power to protect a single store called Dies.

“I’m not trying to help out for nothing. Haven’t I been taking orders from Director for quite some time and checking Gyeongseong?”

“Hmm…”

Kwon Se-hyun, who leaned against the back of the sofa with his arms crossed, pondered for a moment.

“I know what you’re talking about. The Chinese power… I didn’t even think of that, but thank you for letting me know in advance.”

“What kind of thank you between Hyung-nim and me? Don’t think like that.”

“I can’t just take it. I’ll call you when I get something from Gyeongseong we caught. I think we should think more about getting help instead.”

“…um, I understand.”

Park Seok-jae also took a step back, thinking that it would be unreasonable to push further here. Park Seok-jae, who put the empty plastic cup down on the table, got up.

“Then call me later, Hyung-nim. I’m leaving for today.”

“Why, don’t you go take a break?”

At Kwon Se-hyun’s words, who stood up, Park Seok-jae laughed.

“We can’t disrupt business. Let’s have a drink next time. I will buy.”

“I’ll buy it myself. Go carefully. See you next time.”

Park Seok-jae bowed politely and left the office. Kwon Se-hyun, who then took a long sigh, pressed his hands tightly to his eyes with a complicated expression.

“…are you okay?”

When I asked about his rather tired appearance, Kwon Se-hyun raised his eyebrows and raised the corners of his mouth.

“Why does it feel not real?”

“Well, I heard a lot of things I didn’t expect, so it’s worth it. The Black Society or Sacheonghwa…”

Me and Kwon Se-hyun didn’t put anything into our mouths, so the ice on two glasses of Americano melted and the colour faded. I got up and approached Kwon Se-hyun.

“What are you going to do?”

“First, we need to get information about Gyeongseong from the chief. Let’s check if it’s true that the people called Sacheonghwa intervened.”

“After we did it. What if that was really true?”

Kwon Se-hyun slowly raised his bowed head and made eye contact with me, who was standing in front of him.

“Gyeongseong won’t back down. Until they take this store away. Even more so if it has been invested in Chinese capital.”

“……”

“There may be numbers that are different from yesterday who come in. Right now, today, some of the employees might be dragged by them.”

“……”

“Are you confident in protecting this store and its employees from such problems?”

“…what do you want to say?”

“You can’t keep it.”

Can’t keep it. As soon as I affirmed that, Kwon Se-hyun’s face was painfully contorted.

“Is what you said now information about the future?”

“Yes. You can’t protect not only yourself but also the store and the employees who trust and follow you.”

“Are you saying I should accept Park Seok-jae’s offer? You don’t know, but Park Seok-jae…”

“Park Seok-jae doesn’t matter.”

I closed my eyes slowly and opened them. Just before my death, that moment came to mind.

“You can’t change the future with Park Seok-jae’s proposal.”

“…then what do you want me to do?”

Unable to hold back his emotions, the words he spat out were full of heat. However, Kwon Se-hyun’s face, which came close to my nose, was terribly calm, unlike his voice.

“Escape or give up the store… do you think that would be possible? Neither I nor the kids have any place to get away from him.”

“……”

“I can keep it. I will definitely keep it. Somehow.”

Kwon Se-hyun looked at me with his bloodshot red eyes and said as if grudging. Without turning away from it, he accepted them all as I slowly raised my hand and grabbed Kwon Se-hyun’s wrist. A slight tremor passed through my palm.

“Then tell me.”

“What?”

“If you really want to protect it, just tell me.”

I thought that I felt like this was going to happen to me from the moment I first entered this space and met Kwon Se-hyun.

Who could resist. It was an opportunity to change the future that ended in regret and to watch it in person. Even if it was a fake created, it had meaning in itself.

“No matter how much it was created, it doesn’t seem to be any different from the reality that we’ve met like this.”

Suddenly, I remembered what Cheon Sa-yeon said that I had heard in front of the office. Right, that’s what he meant.

Even if Kwon Se-hyun, who is next to me, was created, the emotions and judgments he felt were solely his responsibility. For us, this moment was a reality.

“Ask me to help you.”

“……”

“I will help you… please ask me that, Kwon Se-hyun.”

Kwon Se-hyun, who was close enough to feel the breath, opened his eyes wide. Seeing that, I smiled. It was the first sincere smile I made since entering this space.