episode_0006

“Boss. If you don’t mind… Can I ask you a question?”

Alex, the secretary who was driving, asked Hye-yoon, who was sitting in the backseat of a luxury sedan.

It was a really delicate question.

“What is it?”

“That……. I want to know what kind of relationship the boss has with this guy named Woo Sung-won. I know that he came from the same orphanage, or rather, a nursery, as the boss, but what happened back then…….”

Hye-yoon, sitting in the backseat of the car, blinked her large, clear eyes and stared at the back of her secretary’s head.

As the air grew chilly, Alex quickly took back his words.

“I’m sorry, boss. I was presumptuous. I shouldn’t have asked this……. I’m sorry.”

Hyeyoon let out a small sigh and stared blankly out the window before quietly opening her mouth.

“Seongwon has been by my side since I started walking. You may not believe it, but he was very mature when he was young. Seongwon seemed to have grown up early.”

“Oh, I see. I can’t believe that either.”

Alex, who was wearing glasses, lifted them.

Hye-yoon continued speaking indifferently.

“To exaggerate a little, that kid was my parent. At the orphanage, no one else took care of me and looked after me except Woo Sung-won. I learned how to use chopsticks from that kid. When I was very young, it was that kid who brushed my teeth every morning.”

Alex listened to his boss’ story calmly, but was quite surprised.

Boss, there was a time like that.

In addition, Woo Sung-won could be dangerous. What if he is bribed by another organization and betrays the boss? What if he tries to secretly assassinate the boss? Woo Sung-won is the only person who can approach the boss without any worries.

At that moment, Secretary Alex’s head spun around.

Hye-yoon, who had been reminiscing about the past in a relaxed voice, opened her mouth again in a calm voice.

“I’m not really interested in other people. But maybe Woo Sung-won is an exception?”

“Yes?”

Hye-yoon, with her head held high, added while crossing her legs.

“I want to own that child even if it makes his life a mess. What do you think? Is that love?”

Alex was taken aback by the unbecoming question.

It was the first time the boss had spoken about such personal feelings.

Alex hesitated and answered.

“I, I don’t know. Since you said so… isn’t it love?”

“Ha- Is that kind of soft feeling right? I don’t think so?”

“Yes?”

Hyeyoon crossed her well-stretched leg to the opposite side, shrugged her shoulders, and declared.

“It’s just an obsession like sadism. There’s no such thing as love for me.”

***

hmm……

I sat in front of the card Hye-yoon gave me and thought about it all day.

I sat cross-legged and thought for a long time, and my legs started to hurt.

Where should I use this card?

Should I get a better house?

No. I don’t know the password for this card. I need the password to withdraw money from the card… But I don’t want to contact Hye-yoon and ask her.

The moment I received this card, my life became easier, but my pride also fell a little.

Calling Hye-yoon and asking for her password would be like my pride going underground and going straight to my core.

Am I too proud? Come to think of it, I think so. Pride doesn’t feed you…

Anyway, since they gave it to me to use, I should use it.

I like the room I live in now in many ways. It’s a perfect studio apartment for living alone. I have no intention of moving.

I stood in front of the bathroom mirror and looked at myself.

I’ve gained a little weight recently. My face wasn’t that ugly to begin with, but my appearance level has plummeted since I gained weight.

At that time, I remembered what Yeonlim had said.

They heaped a bunch of curses on me. Called me a loser, a punk, a loser.

Okay, I’ll get out of that life now.

When I think about it that way, the current situation isn’t so bad.

I don’t know what kind of feeling it is, but Hye-yoon seems to care about me. There’s a connection called Bin Hye-yoon behind me.

Now I don’t have to live so miserably.

First, let’s use the card I received from Hye-yoon at the gym.

Let’s lose weight, exercise, regain confidence, and get our looks back to the Leeds days.

After making that promise, I felt better.

Once you make a decision, you must act immediately.

I quickly changed my clothes and headed to the local gym.

It was the first step towards escaping from being a loser and a loser in life.

***

The next evening.

A large mansion.

It’s a mansion as splendid as the one where Bin Hye-yoon lives.

Chairman Yoo, who was sitting on a large sofa in his luxurious pajamas, absentmindedly thought, let out a deep sigh.

“Father. What are you so worried about?”

As his beautiful daughter approached him and spoke to him, Chairman Yoo sat up straight and responded.

“No. I’ve been thinking a lot lately… Seol-hee, sit here for a moment.”

Chairman Yoo, who had his daughter sitting in front of him, moved his lips back and forth with a look of headache before opening his mouth again.

“People are underestimating Bin Hye-yoon right now.”

“Huh? Bin Hye-yoon? Are you talking about the young woman who took the position of Black Emily’s boss?”

“Even though I’m young, I’m the same age as you.”

There was a heavy silence for a moment.

Chairman Yoo continued talking, absentmindedly tapping his fingers on the table, perhaps feeling a urge to smoke a cigarette he had quit.

“The conglomerates that do business with us must always be sensitive to where power is going. Right now, Black Emily is growing in power like crazy, but the people in power are just sitting back and watching. It’s frustrating. Really.”

“It’s still the mafia.”

“That kind of stereotype is dangerous.”

“Yes?”

Chairman Yoo stood up abruptly and continued speaking while looking out the window.

“Bin Hye-yoon is lending money to the political world and even the military. Now, we should see that she has surpassed the level of a mafia organization. Bin Hye-yoon is a person with great ambition. She is definitely not a woman who will be satisfied with being a mafia.”

“Then…….?”

“They’re going to try to eat this country.”

“Father. Would you really do that? Even so, Bin Hye-yoon is a mafia. A criminal. Can a woman born a criminal really play with high-ranking politicians?”

◦Can I play with %◦? I can already see the signs of that? ”

“Yes?”

Chairman Yoo let out a deep sigh and continued speaking seriously.

“…….Bin Hye-yoon is already managing high-ranking politicians with mafia money. She’s even taking on the job of laundering dirty money. If things continue this way, our conglomerates will inevitably bow their heads before the mafia.”

“That will never happen.”

When his daughter answered nervously, Chairman Yoo smiled warmly and responded.

“You want to avoid that too. If things continue like this, Bin Hye-yoon will only grow stronger. And if you think it’s too late, everyone will regret it.”

“Will that really happen?”

“The mafia is too dangerous. They are a bunch of people with no limits.”

Seol-hee frowned slightly and placed her hand on her forehead.

Since when did the mafia become so……. big?

Chairman Yoo was the current chairman of Hwarang Group. Hwarang Group was a huge company ranked in the top five in the business world, and its information network was very strong.

Word began to circulate among the conglomerates as well.

Black Emily is dangerous. They are sucking up all the secret power, the money of the underground economy, and even the fear of the people. It was an aggressive move that was uncontrollable.

The message circulating among the conglomerates was a kind of warning sound warning of danger.

Chairman Yoo muttered with an ashen face.

“I guess I’ll have to watch more to see how Black Emily moves. I’ll watch more and then decide.”

“How?”

“Take down the mafia. Or get on the same boat as them.”

“Father, you’re not thinking of going into business with the mafia, are you?”

Chairman Yoo answered his daughter’s question with a sad smile.

“Sometimes you have to join hands with the devil to survive. I hope that doesn’t happen.”

***

The next day.

I came to a large mart.

There were a few things I needed to buy. I had run out of ramen at home, so I needed to buy some more… I also wanted to replace my old frying pan and pot.

Ugh… By the way, after a long time of working out properly at the gym, my whole body ached.

I was so enthusiastic about running on the treadmill and lifting dumbbells that my hands and feet still feel numb.

If you overdo it from the first day and don’t take care of your condition well, you’ll just end up wasting the money you paid to the gym.

I bought the things I needed, feeling my shoulders heavy as if lead had been lifted.

I didn’t buy much, but my shopping cart was full in an instant.

I dragged my shopping cart towards the checkout counter.

There were a lot of people because it was the weekend. I think I’ll have to wait in line for a long time.

I yawned and waited for the line to go away quickly.

I looked back absentmindedly and thought, “Oh no.”

Shit. It’s Yeonlim.

Why did we have to meet here of all places?

And she’s with that guy called her boyfriend.

I quickly turned my head forward and avoided eye contact.

Yeonlim must have seen me too.

Because our eyes met. And Yeonlim didn’t forget to give me that contemptuous look.

Damn….. the world really is small.

Why did I meet that woman in a place like this?

Yeonlim’s boyfriend is a guy who looks like a thin anchovy. At least he’s not handsome.

Is Yeonlim saying that a guy like that is much more handsome than me?

This is incredible.

As I tried to keep a calm expression and keep my gaze straight ahead, the line gradually shortened.

Finally I stood in front of the checkout counter.

Phew. That’s a relief. I’ll just quickly calculate the cost and go home.

As the mart employee scanned the items with a barcode scanner, I handed over the card I had received from Hye-yoon.

“Oh my. Oh my. It’s a Royal First Class card.”

A supermarket employee who looked to be in his thirties reacted in surprise.

“Yes?”

“This is a card that only the really rich use. I guess the customer has a lot of money. This is my first time seeing it in real life.”

Oh, really? I just knew it was a VIP credit card… Oh… Was it that much?

But the conversation between me and the mart employee was overheard by the people standing next to me and the people standing behind me. So the commotion grew louder.

-Royal First Class Card……. Wow……. I can really see with my own eyes the person who uses that card.

-Why does someone so rich go to the supermarket to do his own shopping? Why can’t he just have someone else do it for him?

-Shh. I’ll listen. Be quiet.

-They won’t give you a Royal First Class card unless you’re a tycoon. Does that guy look like a tycoon?

Ugh……shit.

From now on, I should refrain from using this card in crowded places.

As I was grumbling and packing the items I bought into the box, my eyes met with Yeonlim’s couple who were calculating the bill next to me.

What is it? What are you looking at? Are you picking on something?

…….I wanted to say that, but I couldn’t.

Just look down and pack the stuff into the box.

But Yeonlim’s eyes were strange. She looked at me with a slightly surprised expression.

Why are you looking at me like that? Why are you like that?

…….Ah. I heard that you use the Royal First Class Card.

Did the expression on his face change because I used that card?

Wow… This is incredible. Really.

I snorted and put the box containing the items down on the delivery stack. Now, this box will be delivered to my room on its own.

I confessed that I liked such a frivolous woman, dated her, and got dumped again…

Disillusionment set in.

After that, I left the mart without ever making eye contact with Yeonlim again.

***

That night.

I fell into a deep sleep and woke up to the sound of my phone ringing.

I reached out my hand gropingly to check my phone screen, and I felt annoyed.

What the heck? This isn’t even a registered number? Who’s calling at this hour?

I answered the phone with an annoyed voice.

“Who are you? Who are you to be calling at this hour of the morning? Huh? Your manners are crappy. Seriously.”

“What? You were sleeping after all?”

Hyeyoon’s voice.

I woke up wide awake.

“Huh? Huh. I was sleeping, that’s right. What time is it now… 1 a.m.? Hyeyoon. Isn’t this the time when people are usually sleeping?”

“You’re unemployed now. Don’t unemployed people sleep late?”

“I am a person who lives diligently even like this. Ah-”

I yawned.

Hyeyoon opened her mouth after a brief pause.

“I have severe insomnia. When it gets bad, I can barely fall asleep after three days. I can’t sleep and I’m going crazy.”

“Huh? Really? How about taking some sleeping pills?”

Do I have to listen to Hye-yoon whining in the middle of the night?

But Hye-yoon is the boss of the mafia now, so she can’t just say things she doesn’t like.

“Sleeping pills and such are fine. I’ll send a car right now, so come to my house right now. I think I’ll be able to sleep well if I talk to you.”

“What? You want me to come to your house right now?”

“Why? You don’t like it?”

“……..Okay. I’ll go.”

“Okay. I’ll send the car now, so change your clothes and wait.”

So the call ended.

I stared at my phone and then got ready to change my clothes.

Bin Hye-yoon That kid lacks common sense. Everything goes his way.

I wish I could teach you some common sense. Aham…….

I yawned again.