Payback - Chapter 14

t/n: also someone has been asking me if I’d tl the audio drama and the short answer is no sorry T.T too complicated plus I’d rather be picking up a new project :3

On the way home, I received a call from my manager. He told me in an excited voice that Chief Park had called Myeongshin.

‘‘Now you can go to class without Myeongshin’s interference!’’

Perhaps because he had tasted a small sense of triumph, there was a hint of excitement in his voice. When I heard that I was going to take an official class a week later, I hung up the phone and thought amusedly, ‘I have to wait a whole week?’

It wasn’t that I didn’t care about Myeongshin’s other plan to harass me, that the manager does not know, but the problem didn’t feel like a big deal. It was probably because now I had another matter to worry about. That man’s words were still floating in my head.

‘You can’t hide.’

The day won’t come when I have to hide, nor am I weak enough to run away. But I hate to admit it, I was strangely frightened by the words. Maybe it was because I believed more in the words from that man rather than just the words themselves. Sure, he’s not someone to make the same mistake twice.

Before I knew it, I saw the entrance to the shabby single basement room called home. When I thought of the small room with no bathroom and how I was barely able to lie down, sleepiness came over me. The drowsiness easily wiped away the needless worries. It doesn’t matter. He won’t be obsessed with me forever anyway.

Fortunately, the manager and Hansoo had a lot of free time, so I spent a week receiving basic guidance from the two of them. In the middle, the manager had gone somewhere for a briefing for half a day, and when he returned, he had my profile picture in his hand. It felt as if I were looking at a picture of someone other than myself, so I looked down with awkwardness, but the two of them admired them like they were looking at a picture sent by God.

“Woah~ You look like a different person!”

“Right? Doesn’t Taemin look great in pictures?”

“It’s no joke! Your eyes look more attractive in the picture. Gosh, it was photographed well. It’s 100 times better than the actual!”

“I know right. It was photographed so well~ If people look at the picture and then look at the actual one, they might think it’s a scam. Haha, don’t you think so, Taemin?”

“…”

“…”

Suddenly it became quiet. The two people holding the photo in their hands met my eyes and after a while, they turned their heads away.

“Hmmm, after looking at it carefully, it actually isn’t as good as the actual person.”

“… I mean, he didn’t take it with his feet. But! It’s true that it doesn’t look as good as reality. Even if it’s Photographer Lee, the photo isn’t better than Taemin’s natural charm. Haha~”

“Right? Even if it’s Photographer Lee… Right, come to think of it, Photographer Lee has been leaving voice messages on my phone since yesterday. Aish, I was listening to a message after class and a greasy voice saying nonsense like ‘I want to roll around naked with you baby~’ came out. What’s up with that! I almost threw up!”

The manager narrowed his eyes in surprise at Hansoo’s angry voice.

“No, why is that guy babbling nonsense on the phone?”

“Eh? Did the manager give him my number?”

When Hansoo immediately rebuked him, the manager waved his hand with a puzzled look.

“No, I didn’t mean to tell him your phone number, but he kept asking for Taemin’s number. If I didn’t, he threatened not to give me the picture, so I said it was my actor’s phone number, and I told him your phone number…”

“So you told him mine? Argh! Don’t you remember when I fought with that person when I was in high school and decided to become an artist? I wasn’t his type, so he said in front of me that he wouldn’t take my picture, so I cursed him. Then Photographer Lee got so mad.”

The manager tilted his head at Hansoo’s outburst.

“Ah, really? So what did you say at that time?”

“… I said he’ll get dumped for the rest of his life.”

“… You’re harsh.”

“Well, how would I know that he would actually keep on getting dumped. Well.”

“Then again, that’s his own fate.”

While the two of them were rambling about Photographer Lee’s fate, I finally picked up the photo in front of me and looked closely. The me in the photo had lowered his chin and looked straight into the camera from a slight tilted angle. It wasn’t a particularly cool pose or a smiling face, but strangely enough, it caught my eye, maybe because it was a revelation of myself. I remembered the time when I took this photo. During the shoot, he kept commanding me and told me to use my memory to make expressions.

‘Pwjulcf atf qfgrbc sbe tjaf atf wbra lc atf kbgiv rajcvlcu lc ogbca bo sbe.’

C ojmf qbqqfv lcab ws tfjv jr atf ifcr ojmfv wf.

Jilmx, milmx.

Ktf ojmf vlrjqqfjgfv klat atf rbecv bo atf rteaafg, yea Utbabugjqtfg Off’r fzqgfrrlbc klat atf mjwfgj vbkc rtbkfv atja P tjv fzqgfrrfv ws offilcur. Llr fsfr ibbxfv ja wf meglberis. Lbkfnfg, P kjrc’a rtbklcu jcs tjagfv lc atf qlmaegf tf abbx. Ktja’r kts la mjeuta ws fsf.

There’s no clear expression, but it felt like a certain emotion was trapped in the picture.

“Do you like that picture?”

When I looked up, Hansoo who was sitting across from me, poked his head out and looked at the picture. The manager sitting next to me also leaned in with curiosity.

“Ah, that’s the photo that Photographer Lee liked. Nice picture, huh?….This is a photo that gives a kind of subtle feeling when looking at it. It came out pretty well, right? It’s a picture that gives you a subtle feeling of something. That’s why, in fact, even though I have to choose a picture of you smiling on my profile, I keep thinking about this. What do you think, Hansoo?”

Hansoo took the photo and examined it closely.

“Hmm, it has an intense impression but…”

He examined the photo closely as if he were an expert, and then raised his eyes and continued.

“You look sad.”

He looked at me as if asking for an opinion and immediately handed over the picture to the manager next to him. The manager, who was looking closely at the picture, nodded as if he agreed, and the two murmured some more, but I couldn’t hear it. Only the pictures that the manager gave me again caught my eyes. I made eye contact with myself. I recalled the face that I had been thinking of when I took that picture, but now I didn’t have any particular feeling.

The day before the class, I received a similar text.

“Come now.”

I was annoyed by his unannounced command, but I got up and headed back to the store I had been to. I was moving obediently because I didn’t think it was troublesome. Strangely enough, I’ve never been happy when I meet him, but I never felt like I hated him. Why was that? I was definitely pissed off. As I put my doubts behind me and approached the entrance, the security guard I saw immediately, recognized me.

“Mr. Lee Baekwon. I heard that you were coming.”

“…”

I stopped and measured the guard’s height. If I use a flying kick here, could I hit him in the head? As I seriously thought about it, he led me to the back, not to the entrance that I had gone down the last time. When I followed him down a long corridor on the first floor, I saw a staircase that was even narrower than the entrance.

“If you go down this way, someone who will guide you is waiting downstairs.”

He politely bowed his head slightly as he pointed down the stairs. Until the end, he showed courtesy.

“Have a good time, Mr. Lee Baekwon.”

After he sent me off, as I went down to the basement, I realized that it was too late and too troublesome to correct my name. An unfamiliar face was greeting me below with a bright smile.

“Welcome, Mr. Lee Baekwon.”

The place where the employee, who had an impressive smile, took me was not the room I went to last time. The only thing that I was familiar with was the corridor. The way out of the maze where employees frequented. I saw him pass the room I had entered before, and soon after, the employee knocked on a door. Then he stepped aside and signaled me to enter.

“He’s waiting inside.”

This situation was similar to that of a week ago. I asked the same question as I did then when I asked the club manager.

“Who is the person inside?”

This time I heard an answer.

“The boss.”

It couldn’t be a guardian could it? I thought it was a little absurd in my mind, I opened the door and suddenly heard a gruff voice.

“Are you the Lee Baekwon who seduced Jay?”

My eyes met a man standing across from me. A man in his 40s, overly muscular like those often seen in gyms, with his arms crossed, looked at me from the bottom up as I closed the door behind my back. Was he really that person’s guardian? I laughed. If I had to choose one person who didn’t need a guardian the most in the world, I would definitely recommend that person.

On the contrary, wasn’t his image like a manipulator behind the scenes? So it would be more suited for this man to have affection for him and consider me a love rival. Don’t tell me I’ll have to listen continuously to this uncle’s discontentment.

“What’s this? You don’t look special at all?”

He spat out discontentedly, and approached me and examined me from side to side.

“What in the world did you seduce him with?”

His question got on my nerves and I spat out whatever.

“Money.”

“What?!!!”

It seems he was really taken aback, to the point of taking a step back.

“Uh, how much did you use to seduce him?”

“… 200 won.”

“!”

His face, stiffened by the shock, stared at me for a long time. After a while, he changed his expression and spat out in a low voice.

“Well done.”

I wanted to ask ‘for what?’ but I endured it. This time it was my turn to look at him startled as a cold voice came from him.

“200 won is not the amount of money, but your name. In other words, you’re implying that you used yourself to seduce him. At the same time, were you trying to make me laugh? Hm, you’re especially smart, it seems.”

It was a compliment, but I wasn’t elated at all. I just kept silent because I was dumbfounded and irritated, but he, who interpreted as he liked, folded his arms again and observed me leisurely. When I looked at him closely, he did give off a feeling that was somewhat of a boss. Even though small in stature, his hulking appearance played a part, he was a person who showed apparent strength.

“But you must be more special if Jay lets you into the room he works in. Speaking of Jay, he’s the type of guy who won’t even glance at any of the kids begging to come here. Especially! Men. So show me. That you’re more special than them.”

“Why should I?”

As if he knew this question would come, he immediately responded.

“Otherwise, I won’t allow you to come here again.”

A slight smile must have appeared on my lips when I heard the good news. He caught sight of it and narrowed his eyes.

“Do you think this is ridiculous? Smiling fearlessly in front of me. And implicitly revealing that you’re testing me if I could really do it or not! Alright, at least you have guts. Like a man!”

The absurd interpretation ended with a compliment. And my frustration continued.

“Come, hurry up and prove it with that spirit.”

“I don’t want to.”

It was truly troublesome. He froze, then fixed his expression again.

“Ho~ Indeed, you’re saying you’re not that easy? Surprising confidence and courage. And that tone. I have a lot to say to you, but there is this lingering feeling that this matter cannot be settled yet. Fine, for now I’ll let you be and see what happens.”

The situation ended in a ridiculous way. I examined his eyes closely as he concluded in a low, powerful voice. Did he do drugs? I looked at his eyes with suspicion, but I only confirmed unwanted conclusions. His eyes were unexpectedly clear and transparent for his age. I felt more shocked that he was sober, so I was taken aback, but I heard a question.

“If you’re curious about anything, just ask.”

Curious about? As I asked with my eyes, he explained, frustrated.

“You passed my difficult first interview here, so you can ask me anything you’re curious about.”

The word “first interview” caught my attention more than “ask me anything”. So there’s another interview? I asked a question, suspecting that this was a trap dug by that madman.

“That madm… that person, Jay, what’s his name?”

“Name? It’s Jay.”

“Isn’t that an English name? He must have a real name.”

I prepared my mind in advance that I might be surprised in case the boss showed an unexpected reaction. As expected, he opened his eyes wide and was surprised. Then he looked at me for a long time and murmured in a low voice.

“Real name… I didn’t expect you to ask that question. You really are not ordinary at all.”

His exaggerated interpretations went out of one ear.

“Jay is his English name, but also his Korean name.”

After explaining, he added a sigh and said a name.

“Huu, his real name is Han Jay.”

Perhaps because of the boss’s expression that I did not immediately answer him. After he said his name, his face staring into the air for a moment looked sad for some reason. That feeling soon disappeared, but something bothered me. Why did he react like that to the name? Then, remembering his exaggerated personality, I immediately stopped being curious. Well, it’s not a big deal. Anyway, if his last name is Han, at least he’s not Director Yoon.

“Isn’t it pretty?”

Suddenly, I heard a bright voice asking.

“What are you talking about?”

“I mean the name. Huuu, actually, when Jay was young, he hated his own name, but when he went to America, he was like a child, saying he liked it because he didn’t have to create a foreign name. Of course, he’s a pretty and kind guy, just like his name. Especially his smile, it’s like an angel.”

“… Who?”

“I’m talking about Jay. Jay. What, you dare think of something else while I’m talking? Aha~ That’s right, speaking of names, I remembered your peculiar name, and thought of the sad and tearful past that must be intertwined with it! If someone asked for 200 won to get coffee from a vending machine, for the agony of your youth when you felt the confusion of your identity, so I’ll forgive you. I’m not that petty. Hahaha~”

I’d rather he didn’t forgive. But he was very indulgent, and pushed me out of the room, looking at his watch, before I could explain.

“Come on, Jay will be waiting for you, so get out.”

I was forced to turn my body and grabbed the doorknob and opened it. I hadn’t said much, but I felt more tired than I had in any other conversation. Thinking that it would be better to face the madman, I hurriedly took a step forward, and before I could even take a single step, he called me.

“Right, Baekwon.”

“…”

“Oh? Were you just startled?”

I couldn’t help but be surprised by the question he asked in wonder. The moment he called me, I really was slightly startled. But it shouldn’t have been apparent on my face so how did he notice? I put off my surprise and turned my head right away as if it was my name.

“Do you have more to say?”

“Oh, I forgot to tell you. Please keep it a secret that I told you his name.”

What was the big deal about saying a name? The only thing I knew more was that the last name was Han. He repeated it to me, as if it were important.

“You must never tell Jay that I told him. Understand? Be sure to keep it a secret…”

“What secret?”

The next question wasn’t mine. Suddenly, I turned my head to the voice I heard right behind my back, and I saw the madman leaning against the door frame.

“What’s the secret that I shouldn’t know?”

He smiled goodnaturedly and asked gently. However, the atmosphere in the room cooled rapidly. The boss was frozen with his mouth slightly open, not fooled by his smile like me. However, he soon coughed and put up an impression.

“What are you talking about? T-there’s no such thing as a secret. W-what secret did I say?”

He looked like someone who just revealed a hundred secrets. And although the madman would not have missed this, he lightly indicated that he understood to the boss who was frozen. The boss, who had turned ugly, then relaxed his shoulders and ordered the two of us.

“If you already know, then both of you should go out. And Jay, stop hanging around my store. Because you work so hard until dawn every day, the employees follow you and work harder, which gives me the burden of paying more! Don’t you feel bad about that! Go home early today. If there’s any tonics or red ginseng lying around, eat it and sleep, okay? I don’t want to see you anyway, so get out of my sight.”

It was a tone of irritation, but the content was strangely the opposite. Moreover, he, who was getting angry and telling us to leave, had two boxes of tonics in both hands to give to the madman. He handed them with a bothered look, saying, “since no one is eating, take care of it” but on the box, it was clearly written ‘Jay’s’ with a thick marker. Of course, the madman didn’t take it. I had to accept it, but I heard a grim warning in my ear before the door closed.

“If you dare to eat mine, you’ll die.”