CH 257

A car with its headlights on was driving non-stop on the dark road. The night lights passing through the window significantly decreased as they approached the destination.

In the car where there was a strange silence, Han Yi-gyeol turned his eyes and called Kwon Se-hyun, who was sitting next to him.

“Se-hyun hyung-nim.”

“Why?”

Park Seok-jae was sitting in the passenger seat, so he couldn’t talk as usual. He could feel Park Seok-jae’s subordinate, the driver, sitting in front of him and Park Seok-jae, listening to their conversation.

“When we’re done with this… what are you going to do?”

Kwon Se-hyun also turned his head to a random question and looked at Han Yi-gyeol. It was dark in the car, so he couldn’t really see what kind of expression he was making.

“What’s the point. We have to manage the store as we have been doing.”

“And then?”

“And? And… we have to think about how to solve the hardiness problem. Even if we win this battle, it cannot be completely finished.”

Han Yi-gyeol, who quietly listened to the answer, smiled and spoke in a playful tone.

“It’s really boring.”

“I used to live a boring life.”

“Since you lived a boring life, is it impossible to try something else?”

A yellow street lamp flashed past the car window. In that brief moment, Han Yi-gyeol’s eyes were full of complexities that were difficult to explain.

Maybe that’s why, Kwon Se-hyun also opened his mouth with a slightly serious attitude, unlike just before.

“Even if I said there’s something else, I didn’t even know what it was.”

“Traveling or doing hobbies… there are things like that. Everyone else is doing it.”

“I don’t have time to do that.”

“It’s not that you don’t have time to try, it’s that you don’t even think about it.”

Kwon Se-hyun couldn’t refute the resolute remark and kept his mouth shut.

“You don’t have to do something grand. On your days off, you can go to the Han River to get some air or find and read more of Hyung-nim’s favourite fantasy novel… something like that.”

Han Yi-gyeol was like this when he was about to forget. Without hesitation, he dug into his heart and stabbed him painfully.

That kind of behaviour was unpleasant at first. But now… well. It strangely touched his heart. If someone else had said something like that, he would have just ignored it, but if it was Han Yi-gyeol, that wasn’t the case.

“Wouldn’t that make it a little more lively? Stop going up on the rooftop and shivering.”

“I guess I’m living a pretty boring life. Talking about all these things.”

“I know, right. I’m not usually good at saying things like this… I just suddenly have a thought. If it sounds like a meddling, just let it slide.”

“Well. It’s not worth it.”

“I just felt that way. Every time I see you, Hyung-nim just work at the store. I think I don’t want you to waste your little precious time.”

“It’s a waste of everything.”

Even though he said that, Kwon Se-hyun couldn’t calm his heartbeat from before.

Is that possible? That he lived like other people.

“…I’ll think about it once this is done.”

However… until now, trusting him had nothing to lose, so he wondered if this would be okay. In response to Kwon Se-hyun’s willingness to consider it, Han Yi-gyeol raised the corner of his mouth slightly.

“Good.”

With that word, Han Yi-gyeol turned his head toward the window. Kwon Se-hyun, who had been staring at his round head for a while, also turned to the car window and noticed that the glass was a little wet.

‘Is it raining?’

It didn’t seem like it was pouring, as there was no sound of rain. Park Seok-jae gave a short, empty cough.

“Hyung-nim, we are here now.”

The entrance to the construction site with a high iron plate appeared opposite the headlights.

“What should we do?”

“Move the car straight inside.”

“Yes. Keep going.”

The driver listened to Park Seok-jae’s command and increased the speed a little. The car that entered the construction site without a blockage soon stopped. The car door opened and Kwon Se-hyun stepped onto the soil slightly wet from the rain and stood there.

The drizzle was pouring down. The surrounding area was grey due to the cloudy sky with wide dark clouds and a hazy fog. After that, Han Yi-gyeol, Park Seok-jae, and the driver got off without turning off the car’s headlights.

Buuung, took the lead and followed Han Yi-gyeol’s car that entered the construction site, followed by cars with store employees. As soon as the car stopped, Go Dong-ju, who got out, quickly stood next to Kwon Se-hyun.

“Hyung-nim.”

“Go Dong-ju, look over there.”

Go Dong-ju, who was looking at his body first because he was worried about Kwon Se-hyun, who had come in a different car than himself, lifted his head at those words. He could see the men slowly gathering through the light fog. Each had a weapon in their hand, such as a baseball bat, an iron pipe, or a knife.

“They are Gyeongseong guys.”

“There will also be Sacheonghwa.”

At Go Dong-ju’s words, Han Yi-gyeol walked over and added. Kwon Se-hyun frowned at the sight of them gathering quickly as if they were waiting for them to come.

‘As expected, they were aware of the attack.’

Enemies came from all directions, blocking the escape route. The number was also much higher than either he or Han Yi-gyeol had expected. It seemed that there were well over 70 people.

“Never apart from my side.”

When Han Yi-gyeol, who stood close to Kwon Se-hyun, gave a blink, the other five, except for Kim Woo-jin, formed a round shape with the employees. In the centre, Kwon Se-hyun, Han Yi-gyeol, Park Seok-jae, and Kim Woo-jin and four drivers remained.

“Hyu, Hyung-nim. The number is much more than I was told, is this okay?”

Park Seok-jae, who was watching the situation, asked with a trembling voice, dripping down something from his temple, not knowing whether it was cold sweat or rain. Kwon Se-hyun, who had a face hardened with tension, responded slowly while facing Han Yi-gyeol.

“Yeah. It will be fine.”

Compared to an enemy with more than 70 people, Kwon Se-hyun had 23 employees, Han Yi-gyeol, and his five people. There were 28 people in total. It was a gap that couldn’t be won unless they were lucky… Park Seok-jae would think that.

Kwon Se-hyun looked back at Cheon Sa-yeon, Ha Tae-heon, Park Geon-ho, and Woo Seo-hyuk, who were standing leisurely even when they saw the blade flashing in the car headlight, and thought about it. If these people fight together… As Han Yi-gyeol said, he was able to win.

“Bring it on, you bastards!”

The battle started with the loud cry of Go Dong-ju, who was in the lead, just like everyone else. The fight was quite intense from the start, perhaps thanks to the fact that there were more people involved than when the store was attacked and it was an empty construction site.

“Kkeuk, kuaaak!”

“Aaagh! My, my arm…!”

Among them, the ones who stood out the most were Han Yi-gyeol’s people.

Woo Seo-hyuk with his restrained movements that didn’t move more than necessary, Park Geon-ho, who happily swung a blood-stained iron pipe from where he picked it up, plus Cheon Sa-yeon and Ha Tae-heon, who barely move, Gyeongseong and Sacheonghwa fell out before they even tried to do anything.

There were many people who were hit in the face or at a vital point and passed out at once, or collapsed screaming with parts of their body broken. After a few minutes of that, the men who were running confidently began to notice.

“Crazy guys…”

Go Dong-ju, who saw the amazing appearance, muttered while rubbing his nosebleed with the back of his hand. He couldn’t believe it even though he had already seen it once when he fought in the store.

“Hey, fuck! Don’t be scared and run at once, you morons! We have a lot!”

At the sight of his subordinates who couldn’t rush forward with the momentum, one of the Gyeongseong chiefs shouted. At those words, the enemies who had been exchanging glances with each other slowly moved and changed their positions.

Five or six people approached, aiming for Park Geon-ho, Woo Seo-hyuk, Cheon Sa-yeon, and Ha Tae-heon, who defeated the most opponents. The intention was to attack as a group and take down four people first.

“Hyung-nim, can we really just watch this? We have survived so far, but now…”

Park Seok-jae opened his mouth with a much paler complexion than before. Kwon Se-hyun immediately noticed that the atmosphere around Park Seok-jae and the drivers behind him was changing rapidly.

“…no. I’m not going to interfere. It’s enough for now.”

The reason Kwon Se-hyun didn’t participate in the fight was because of Han Yi-gyeol’s request. As long as the employees weren’t in danger, Kwon Se-hyun agreed to do the same.

Upon hearing the answer, Park Seok-jae’s expression worsened even more. However, Kwon Se-hyun focused more on Han Yi-gyeol than Park Seok-jae.

‘I think he’s waiting for something.’

Outwardly, there was no change in his expression, but rather, he was more concerned about it. He seemed so preoccupied with other things that he couldn’t concentrate on the fight.

Uaak! Even while Kwon Se-hyun was looking at Han Yi-gyeol, screams were constantly heard from around him.

Ha Tae-heon, who easily avoided the weapon without moving his hands against the rushing Gyeongseong, swung his foot and the enemy flew into the air and crashed them. Woo Seo-hyuk grabbed one of Sacheonghwas with a sullen face and threw him to the ground.

Cheon Sa-yeon and Park Geon-ho were no different. Even if they rushed to form a group, the difference in skills was too great and the result was the same.

“Fuck… what, what nonsense is this…”

Park Seok-jae, who watched the fight with his anxious face, wiped his sweaty palms on his pants. As time passed, the rain gradually became thicker.

Gyeongseong and Sacheonghwa, which filled the area, had noticeably decreased. Excluding those who passed out or were injured, fewer than 10 people were standing properly.

With the end in sight, Kwon Se-hyun lowered his stiff shoulders a little and let out a long sigh of relief. In contrast to the opponents with all broken bones, all the employees were relatively fine with no major injuries.

Wherever he looked, it was a perfect victory for them.

“Damn it, damn it…”

Park Seok-jae, who was biting his nails and rolling his wide eyes, put his trembling hand into his trouser pocket and opened his mouth.

“Hyu, Hyung-nim. I’m sorry.”

“What?”

“Uh, I… I couldn’t help it. Shit, I…”

Park Seok-jae pulled out his hand from his pocket with something, and in instant, a jackknife was pulled out and inserted it into Kwon Se-hyun’s chest. No, he tried to stab it in.

“……!”

A white hand popped out from the side and grabbed the blade of the jackknife without hesitation. Kwon Se-hyun, who saw the jackknife pointing towards his body belatedly, took a deep breath and backed away.

Ssaaaa, the sound of Park Seok-jae’s panting echoed through the sound of rain. Seeing Han Yi-gyeol blocking his jackknife with his bare hands, his face turned blue as if he had seen a ghost.

Bright red blood flowed from Han Yi-gyeol’s hand holding the blade. Han Yi-gyeol, who was looking down at the jackknife with an expressionless gaze, muttered a little in a dismayed voice.

“Still… I believed you a little until the end.”

He might not make this choice. However, even if the future and Kwon Se-hyun changed, Park Seok-jae didn’t change.

“Da, daamn it! Let me go now! Let… kook!”

Park Seok-jae, who was standing there screaming without being able to take the jackknife due to his immense grip, was hit hard in the face by Han Yi-gyeol’s skillful turned round kick.