Apollo’s Heart - Chapter 29

Chapter 29 – Confessions (1)

The paper door slid open and the servers, wearing semi-traditional clothes similar to the owner’s, brought in the dishes. The large table was soon filled with clean and beautiful fare.

“Would you like anything to drink, sir?”

“I’m all right. Yuri, would you like something?”

“I’m okay as well.”

“Please enjoy your meal.” The server left the room and closed the door. Jae-won attentively encouraged her to eat.

“Please go ahead.” He took a piece of savory pancake and placed it on the plate in front of Yuri. Whether it was due to her hunger, or the chef’s skills, everything was absolutely delicious. Yuri was honestly impressed.

“They do a great job here.”

“Right? The owner’s family has been running the place for three generations. I’m here pretty often. Please have as much as you want.”

Jae-won comfortably led the conversation, occasionally recommending dishes for Yuri to try. He asked about the piece that his team was looking to buy, and she answered to the best of her knowledge. His experience in the hospitality industry had extensively trained him in table and conversation manners.

“How’s New York these days?”

Jae-won had spent most of his childhood in the US, and knew New York City very well. He would still visit a few times a year, to see his brother who lived there. The conversation naturally became focused on the city. Amazingly, his brother’s apartment was very close to Roy Chang’s studio. Jae-won seemed surprised when Yuri mentioned this.

“I’ve always been curious about that building, since it has such a unique exterior. I had no idea it was his studio. Does it by any chance also serve as a gallery? I’d love to come visit.”

“That’s right. It has some of Roy’s work, as well as some pieces by his assistants. Please do drop by next time you’re in town.”

“Is your work also displayed there?”

“Just a few.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing them.”

Jae-won dropped her off at her hotel after dinner. She thanked him before getting out of the car. “Thank you for dinner. I’m greatly indebted to you for your help today.”

“Please don’t worry about that. I really enjoyed having dinner with you. And here’s my card. Would it be possible for you to give me a call before you leave the country?”

“If you wanted to talk about the contract, the agency would handle…”

“No, not about that.”

Yuri pulled away the hand that was about to take his card. Seeing her hesitation, he added, “Don’t feel pressured. I just want us to be friends. Please, I’m starting to feel a little embarrassed here.”

Yuri reluctantly took the card from his hand.

“I may not have a chance to call you before I go.”

“That’s okay.” He smiled gently. She gave him a polite nod and went into the hotel. What a long day this had been. Yuri dropped to the floor as soon as she entered her room.

***

Tae-jun buried himself deep in the seat of his car, feeling as if all sensations in his body were being focused on one thing, as vivid as the perception of a hunter who finally re-encountered, after a few days of waiting, a prey that he had lost. He could barely contain the excitement that brewed in his body ever since he had been informed of Hye-seong Jin’s capture.

Instead of pulling the trigger of his shotgun, the hunter clasped his hands together and closed his eyes.

Jin-seong Construction. It had been one of the top fifty construction firms in the country, built upon the reputation of Jin-seong Hotel and the influence wielded by Jin-seong’s mayor, In-bae Lee.

Tae-jun had lusted after Jin-seong Hotel. This was when Seo-in Group was devoting itself to its hospitality business, in an attempt to rid itself of the foul reputation from its beginnings as a weapons company. He needed to absorb Jin-seong Hotel, the key tourist landmark in the region.

But Myeong-je Jin, a man who had gotten his start in a local gang, was not the type of person you could talk things out with. The negotiations had gone down the drain. The only remaining option was to exercise force. Tae-jun and Jay came up with a plot to destroy Jin-seong Construction. Their target was the Star Road Shopping Mall project, Jin-seong Construction’s collaboration with Yu-seong Corporation.

Jay managed to win over the shop owners at the open-air market, on whose land the shopping mall was supposed to be built. The shop owners refused to sell the land under his orchestration, while Tae-jun put pressure on the finance industry and successfully limited the cash flow into Jin-seong’s project.

Unable to handle the debts snowballing due to the delay in construction, Jin-seong Construction ended up setting fire to the market where some shop owners were still holding out in protest. Ten or so people were killed or injured. The Jin-seong gang and the construction company were tried in the court of public opinion.

Jin-seong construction’s downfall followed according to Tae-jun’s plan. Mr. Jin had invested everything in Star Road, including In-bae Lee’s election funds, and he was desperate enough to sell the hotel to make up the losses. And when he finally did, he also sold a woman pretending to be his daughter as part of the deal.

Tae-jun slowly opened his eyes.

At first he thought a year would be enough. Enough time for him to satisfy whatever it was that he was feeling–possessiveness or perhaps simple lust–and get tired of her and leave without regrets. He had had actresses, models, and even women from upper-class families at his side, and a year had always been enough. In some cases it was too long.

So he did not understand why he lusted after Yuri more intensely the more he had her. He did not have the capacity to understand his own heart, which was continuing to react with such force after four years.

The car arrived at Jay’s vacation house after two hours or so. The house was perfect for secretive or unseemly business, isolated from the quiet village nearby. Jin-wook and his men were waiting for him.

The men recognized Tae-jun and bowed their heads. Jin-wook, who was standing at the entrance, approached him and reported, “He was in Incheon, trading US dollars against Russian sailors, the Chinese, and Korean-Chinese. His bodyguard put up a fight, but we managed.”

“Is he inside?”

“Two of my guys are watching him.” Jin-wook led him into the house.

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