HYDP C32

Chapter 32

Cheonjung was seriously beginning to consider filing medical expense claims with health insurance on account of Sanhong.

“Sigh… Fine. I get it, you’re interested in Sanhong. But you still have to do your job. We’re not letting you go.”

“Love.”

“What?”

“It’s not that I got interested in Sanhong. I love him.”

“…What the hell, you’ve barely even known him. And you’re already spouting off about love?”

“If this isn’t love, then what is?”

“……”

Watching Cheonguk, who had been grinning but now turned cold and radiated killing intent, Cheonjung decided to just brush it off and kept talking.

“Do you realize one of you is worth several people’s efforts?”

“Sigh… I wonder what Sanhong’s doing right now.”

“Anyway, report back to duty in two days. And your ID card… damn, the reissuance procedure is a real pain.”

“My Sanhong’s an omega. It’s way too dangerous for him to live in this Fucked-up country… Maybe I should just wipe out all those alpha bastards.”

“You’ll get a temporary card for now. Tap that and head upstairs.”

“I bet Sanhong’s crying right now, saying he misses me.”

“…Will you listen to me for once, you bastard!”

But Cheonjung’s words, laced with contempt, were useless. Cheonguk had no intention of listening at all, treating him like nothing more than background scenery. Cheonjung decided to give up early.

“…Just report back to duty first. Handle the aftermath later. We’re too short-staffed right now, without you we really can’t manage.”

“Then tell me more about Sanhong. How was he when he worked here?”

Just then something flashed through Cheonjung’s mind. Seeing his chance, he quickly made his proposal.

“I’ll tell you once you’re back on duty.”

“Fuck, pulling rank now, huh?”

“And I’ll tell Sanhong too.”

“Deal.”

Cheonjung finally felt relieved at having persuaded him. Though watching how ridiculously happy Cheonguk looked at that, he could only shake his head. Meanwhile, Cheonguk held the contract he and Sanhong had exchanged close to his chest and continued chain-smoking. The car soon grew choked with smoke.

Cheonjung, driven to swearing out loud by such inconsiderate behavior, reached for the window handle. Then, suddenly, something caught his eye.

Knock, knock.

Someone tapped on the driver’s window. Two men stood outside. He recognized them instantly.

“Please step out with us for a moment, Team Leader Cheon.”

They were Ha Jin-uk’s subordinates.

Cheonguk rolled down the window and blew a thick drag of smoke straight into their faces. Even in the face of such rudeness, they didn’t bat an eye, only stared down silently at him.

Cheonjung, fearing a fight might break out, reached out a hand, but it was brushed away lightly. Cheonguk climbed out of the car with absolute calm.

“…That rude bastard.”

With that, he followed Jin-uk’s men out. Cheonjung only prayed it wouldn’t come to a fistfight.

Underground parking lot.

From a distance, Jin-uk caught sight of his foreign car crumpled in wreckage. His eyes twitched as he strode toward Cheonguk, two security agents trailing behind.

Cheonguk sat slouched against the smoking booth, cigarette dangling from his lips, admiring Jin-uk’s car. His men stood stiffly beside him.

“That car must’ve cost a pretty penny, huh? Hey, ethics pimp. Who bought it for you this time? Or did you get someone to suck your dick again in exchange?”

“……”

Cheonguk intentionally spaced out his words, savoring the mockery.

Jin-uk’s face hardened. Waving the security agents away, he approached Cheonguk slowly.

“You do realize exactly what you’ve done, don’t you?”

Cheonguk flicked the ash from his cigarette. Smoke trailed right up into Jin-uk’s nose.

“Yeah. Turns out the front windshield cracks real easy.”

“You’re going to formally apologize right now and pay for the full cost of repairs. Otherwise—”

“Otherwise, I get down on my knees before you and say, ‘I’m sorry, Team Leader Ha. I wasn’t in my right mind?’ That it?”

“……”

Without warning, Cheonguk lowered himself to the rough asphalt, carefully folding his hands together, and bowed deeply before Jin-uk.

“Damn, that’s hilarious. Been a while since I laughed this hard. Hey, Audit—you should at least wash your face first.”

“This counts as obstruction of duty and destruction of property. If you don’t want to be hauled before the disciplinary committee, then kneel properly.”

Smirking, Cheonguk plucked the cigarette from his lips and pressed the burning tip into the asphalt until the ember died out.

“How about letting the audit pimp slap me across the face once? Go ahead.”

“It’s because of people like you, Team Leader Cheon, that the organizational system crumbles. Pull yourself together.”

“At least I’m not a whore like you are.”

“……”

Jin-uk’s jaw muscles tensed. The security agents and subordinates shifted uncomfortably, stepping back to gauge the situation.

Cheonguk moved in slowly toward him.

“Your car scratches real easy, and so do you. Both of you have a nice feel to scuff up.”

“…Ha.”

“Damn. Before you start preaching ethics, at least go wash. Seriously.”

“……”

“You reek of chestnut flowers.”

Jin-uk’s nose flushed hot red. He stepped straight up to Cheonguk and seized him by the collar. His teeth ground together, but words couldn’t get out.

One of the security agents moved cautiously forward, but Jin-uk waved him off.

“Keep acting this shameless and I’ll take it all the way.”

Cheonguk scoffed, forcibly tearing Jin-uk’s grip from his collar.

“It all comes down to who ends up crippled, doesn’t it? I can live with losing an arm.”

At that, Jin-uk flinched.

He knew it wasn’t mere bluffing. There was no hesitation in Cheonguk’s stare. If anything, it was Cheonguk who was waiting.

“Couldn’t win a war of words, so you thought you’d throw the first punch? Typical of an audit pimp.”

Still laughing, Cheonguk gave Jin-uk’s shoulder a light tap and walked past him.

“Hey. Weather’s Fucking great out today. Stop driving that piece of shit. Walk instead, Team Leader Ha.”

Behind him, Jin-uk clenched his teeth, barely steadying his breathing. Watching Cheonguk’s back, smug from what he thought was victory, Jin-uk resolved firmly: he would not stoop to such a childish fight.

It had just passed three in the morning.

These days, thanks to a certain someone, Sanhong had been trying to restore his drained energy. Rarely, he took a few sleeping pills, and now in the back room of the pawnshop he was out cold, so deeply asleep he wouldn’t have noticed being carried away.

His phone buzzed. But Sanhong didn’t stir.

The vibration ended, only to start again seconds later. Another missed call. When the rattling finally stopped, a strange noise echoed from the pawnshop’s front door.

Of course, Sanhong remained unaware.

He had locked everything tightly, and it was the dead of night—no one would visit at this hour. Add the sleeping pills on top, and there was no way he’d notice anything.

But in vain. The meticulously set-up CCTV was dead, powerless, and in no time the heavy door swung wide open.

“Damn. This door’s got a missing steel core or what?”

Because the lock gave way so easily, Cheonguk entered cursing, a sour look on his face. His pride even stung a little. He hadn’t expected it to be this flimsy. Still, only someone like him could have picked it open, and the thought pleased him. He looked around in satisfaction.

“Sanhong, you asleep?”

It was 3:10 A.M. The hour when anyone would surely be sleeping. Even so, Cheonguk strode through the pawnshop without the slightest caution. Then he pulled open the fridge, searching for something edible.

“Well, that’s Fucked.”

With nothing to eat inside, he plucked a single candy from the corner, popped it into his mouth without unwrapping, then pushed the wrapper out with his tongue and spat it onto the floor.

“Not answering my calls, blocking me out like this…”

In the still dawn, a familiar scent teased his nostrils. Cheonguk tapped his feet restlessly as he moved deeper.

Thud!

Smash—his shin struck the sharp edge of a metal shelf, dead on. The sound was almost like flesh splitting.

“…Fuck…”

His shin throbbed and burned to the point of cold sweat. Yet even as pain seared through him, he shoved open the bedroom door.

Rattle—!

“Well, would you look at that. Sleeping so deep you wouldn’t notice even if someone kidnapped you and sucked between your pale thighs?”

“……”

“Should I do the sucking for you?”

As expected, Sanhong was there, wrapped up tightly in blankets, sleeping peacefully. He looked like a soft rolled omelet, his small frame curled beautifully.

Without hesitation, Cheonguk stepped inside. Earth stuck beneath his boots marked up the clean floor. Since he’d snuck in once already a few days prior, he moved with unruffled familiarity.

On the table above Sanhong’s head lay a pill bottle of sleeping tablets. Picking it up to inspect, he clicked his tongue in disapproval, shaking his head with regret.

“Should’ve let me put you to sleep instead.”

“……”

“You’re sleeping damn well though. Didn’t even wake at the sound of my shin cracking.”

Cheonguk leaned down, pulling back the blanket a little, wanting to see more of his face. Eyes shut, that beautiful, almost sacred face… Cheonguk stared quietly.

Sure, breaking in like this was definitely a crime. But he was ready to take whatever punishment came, if it was for Sanhong.

Quick to act by nature, his feelings might’ve looked reckless, but in truth there was never anything light about them. He had always been utterly sincere.

After a long while of simply drinking him in with his eyes, Cheonguk finally lowered his lips close to Sanhong’s small ear.

Footnotes

 

 

1. “Chestnut flower smell” (밤꽃 냄새) – A vulgar Korean slang; refers to a strong, semen-like odor. Here it’s used to taunt Jin-uk with degrading imagery.