episode_0005

The beef kept grilling, and the glasses kept getting refilled.

“Ah, this guy is still no fun. You really not gonna drink? Haven’t seen you in a while, and you’re acting like this?”

Lee Jong-man taunted Han Seok sitting across from him.

“Sorry. Sorry. I’m on night duty, so I don’t think I should drink. Got to head out soon too.”

Han Dong-jin said.

“Yeah, that could be the case. How about a soft drink then, Han Seok? Soda? Cola?”

Lee Jong-man and Jin Hyun-woo frowned at Dong-jin.

Lee Jong-man tapped the table silently with his fingers before speaking up.

“Han Seok.”

“Yeah?”

“Do you still hold a grudge from high school days?”

Except for Han Seok, everyone’s gazes quickly crossed each other.

“Haha. Honestly, it’s hard to forget.”

Jong-man chuckled and said.

“Hey, it’s been 30 years. It’s all supposed to be fun memories, right? Right? Friend. Actually, you’ve forgotten too, haven’t you? It’s okay now, right?”

“Friend? You call that fun?”

Wrinkles formed between Lee Jong-man’s brows.

Han Seok said.

“I don’t consider you guys as friends. Just came here because Dong-jin said there’s free beef. That’s it, Jong-man.”

It was a phrase An Sung-chul and Jang Min-jun used to tease Lee Jong-man.

“You son of a b****!”

He suddenly stood up from his seat. Despite looking younger in body age, the lower belly fat from alcohol and meat consumption was significant.

Han Seok checked the time on his phone and said.

“Ah, had a good meal. I have something to attend to, so I should go. Let’s make sure we don’t see each other again. Okay? Because honestly, I might throw up.”

He got up from his seat and left the room.

Ha Kyung-sik also stood up.

“I’ll go too. Dong-jin, good meal.”

He rushed out of the restaurant.

Kyung-sik caught up with Han Seok as he was leaving the store.

“Han Seok.”

“What’s up? Why are you out? Keep eating meat until it chokes you to death.”

“Hey. I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For everything. What happened back in high school. I’m really sorry.”

“You knew it was something to be sorry for back then. Yet you did it anyway. Apologizing now is just to ease your conscience. It’s too late for forgiveness after 30 years; anger has piled up too much for reconciliation.”

Saying that, Han Seok walked along the sidewalk.

Kyung-sik followed quickly.

“Hey, want to walk? I’ll give you cab fare. Take a taxi.”

He took out a 50,000 won bill from his pocket and pushed it into Han Seok’s pocket.

“Oh, thanks.”

“I heard about your situation. Working in building management, right? Yeah. If you start over with determination, you can do it. If it’s you. The you that I know.”

“If you add another 50,000 won and say those words, it might feel sincere. Don’t you think?”

“You’ve gotten quite weak compared to how tough you used to be.”

“What have you been up to?”

“Me? I’ve been doing well with coins. Making a decent living. Hey! Even at your age, you must have saved up some money, right?”

“Haven’t you heard from Dong-jin that I’ve failed in business several times? …Not really. Why?”

“Even if you don’t have much, you can still get a loan. Hey, do as I say.”

He took out his phone and opened a coin app.

[Lumivecen 240 won +3%]

“Buy this. Put all your money in it. If it gets listed on another exchange next week, it could go up to 5000 won. You could make 20 times your investment.”

“Oh. Aren’t you buying it yourself?”

“Nah. I went all in on this. Look.”

He showed his account balance.

Han Seok rubbed his forehead.

“Wow, you bought 20 billion won worth? You’re really rich, huh?”

“Not to that extent. I went all in too, you know? Sold my house that I staked my life on and moved to a rented place, putting all my assets in. Anyway, trust me and buy this. Got it?”

Yeah, I got it. You went all in with your life.

“Can I see the chart for that?”

“Sure.”

Kyung-sik showed Han Seok the Lum

“Uh. Uh. It’s me. Uh. They told me to start.”

He hung up the phone.

“But why the chart?” Kyung-sik looked at Han-seok.

Han-seok said, “5.”

“Huh?”

“4. 3. 2.”

“Four-three-two? What’s that?”

“1. Ding. Eeyup! Surge!”

It was that moment.

The chart of LumiVexen Coin fluctuated up and down—

“Huh? What’s this?”

In Kyung-sik’s moment of confusion,

Swoosh—

A blue bar began to plummet downwards.

“Huh? Huh? Huh?”

In an instant, LumiVexen dropped below 200 won, plunging rapidly to 150, 80 without giving Kyung-sik a chance to react.

“What’s going on? Kyung-sik. Why is this suddenly happening? Shouldn’t we sell?”

“Damn it. What the hell! What the hell!”

Trembling, Kyung-sik cried out.

62 won. 31 won. 11 won.

8 won.

“No! Nooooo!”

Suddenly, he collapsed on all fours, wailing in all directions.

Passersby glanced curiously.

A medium-sized sedan approached and stopped in front of him.

Secretary Kim came out and opened the rear door.

“Kyung-sik, I’m not sure what’s going on… Take care. I have to go for something.”

“Nooooo!”

“Don’t despair too much, Kyung-sik. You can start over. You can do it.”

Han-seok patted Kyung-sik’s shoulder as he wailed and got into the car.

Secretary Kim closed the door politely and moved to the driver’s seat.

The wheels of the sedan turned and soon disappeared.

###############################

A week passed.

Ha Kyung-sik committed suicide.

Even BD40 couldn’t prevent his suicide.

Han-seok didn’t directly manipulate the market.

Additional information gathered by intelligence on Ha Kyung-sik.

He made money through coins by selling information in a chat room.

Han-seok mobilized informants to find those manipulating the market immediately.

Those who had raised the coin from 20 won to 240 won were spreading false information in the chat room, claiming it would reach 5000 won before crashing.

Han-seok threatened the group to release the false information in the room where Ha Kyung-sik was present and instructed them on when to crash.

Due to their limited influence, threatening them was not difficult.

The manipulators were not big shots but were connected to the coin exchange employees.

One day, animal carcasses were found in their refrigerators, and their family members were mysteriously getting injured daily.

If someone secretly contacted them offering money after releasing false information and causing a crash.

The operation proceeded as planned.

Since all they had to do was release false information and cause a crash, it was a win-win situation.

“I’ll use 50,000 won well. Kyung-sik. Start fresh in this world.”

Looking out over Seoul’s morning through the office’s glass window.

Snow was falling.

Two recorders were placed on Han-seok’s desk.

They were recorders installed at the barbecue restaurant.

They contained everything the men discussed when Han-seok wasn’t there.

The contents matched 100% with the documents investigated by the informants.

Assets, occupation and personality, health status, family relationships.

His vague plan became clear.

“They all have daughters. And they’re all pretty… healthy… It should be fun.”

Ring.

A text message appeared on his phone.

[801 002 5135]

“Ah, these spam jerks.”

Han-seok’s mouth curled up. It wasn’t spam; it was a message from an informant.

800 represented Kang Jae-hoon, and 801 stood for his daughter, Kang Ah-jin.

002 indicated that the second plan among several was now executable, and 513 was a serial number used when managing several buildings owned by Han-seok.

In short, preparations for executing a plan related to Kang Jae-hoon’s daughter, Kang Ah-jin, were set at building 513.

The final 5 meant the fifth floor of building 513.

Han-seok put on his coat.

At the barbecue restaurant, Jongman’s words suddenly came to mind.

“It’s all for fun, right? Huh? Buddy.”

“Yeah. It’s not about revenge. I’m just doing it for fun too. So, it’s okay, right?”

He left the office.

###############################

A girl who resembled a kitten opened her eyes.

“Damn. Why isn’t he here, that bastard.”

“He’ll be here soon.”

“I have to go to work.”

“I’m really sorry, Ajin. After graduating from high school, you’re the only person I can rely on. It could be dangerous for you to be alone…

Mi-hyun, that girl, after graduating, she just disappeared…”

The two were in a place connected to the rooftop of an officetel building.

“Why should I be the one protecting your manhood?”

“I’ll give you 50,000 won. How about that? Hm?”

“This is ridiculous. How much are you getting?”

“Hm?”

“If a client or something comes here and you service him, how much do you charge?”

“I usually charge 15… But I’ll raise it to 20. So, I’ll give you 10.”

“Is she a prostitute? Hey. If you’re charging 20, why are you giving me half? Ugh… Give me 50,000.”

“Okay! Thanks. Ajin, would you like to try too? You can earn almost 1 million a day if you do this 8 times a day.”

“No! I’ve never done it before.”

Suddenly, footsteps were heard from below.

Someone was coming up the stairs. Ajin frowned as the middle-aged man, who seemed unlikely to ever match up, ascended.

With lustful eyes full of desire, he glanced back and forth between Ajin and her friend.

“Rabbit?”

“Yes…”

Her friend nodded at Ajin, looking for approval.

“Fella 15?”

“Yes.”

“I’m in a hurry. Should we do it now?”

The man dropped his pants.

Her friend knelt in front of the man, familiarly positioning herself in front of his crotch.

Ajin turned away with a grimace.

The man whispered, “Would you take it in your mouth by any chance?”

“Oral is 20…”

“If I give you 25, will you swallow?”

“I’m sorry. That’s not possible.”

“What about your friend? Won’t she join? If both of you take turns in oral, I’ll pay you 30 each, totaling 60.”

Ajin and her friend locked eyes.

“Will you do it?”

Without a word in response to her friend’s proposal, Ajin shook her head.

“Let’s do it together. I’ll give you 80.”

The man seemed particularly drawn to Ajin’s face.

“N-no, I won’t.”

Ajin glared at him.

Her friend was already vigorously shaking the man’s thumb-sized manhood.

Passing her friend over, the man said, “It can’t be helped. I’ll settle for 20. Just kissing and fondling breasts, right?”

“Kissing is a bit…”

“You’re picky. I’ll give you 25 for kissing, fondling breasts, and letting me touch your private parts. If you do well, I’ll pay you 30.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Soon, her friend’s head began to move in a steady rhythm, creating muffled sounds in the quiet building.

With nothing else to do, Ajin leaned against the wall, staring at her phone.

After a while, sounds of moaning and rustling clothes could be heard.

Ajin pretended not to look, but stole a glance in that direction. The man was sucking her friend’s chest while slipping his hand into her friend’s pants and moving vigorously.

Her friend either endured the discomfort or suppressed a moan, frowning.

Shortly after, her friend began to suck the man again.

“It’s done.”

“Yes.”

The man moaned, and her friend took his semen in her mouth.

“Ugh. Pfft.”

She spat out the semen onto the marble floor.

At that moment, footsteps were heard coming up from below the stairs.

The man and her friend hastily dressed.

Unexpectedly, the rooftop door creaked open, revealing a muscular man in his late twenties.

He spotted the ejaculate on the floor and shouted, “These bastards are in someone else’s building.”

The man and her friend started running down the stairs.

In a corner, Ahjin tried to escape but being inside, he was easily caught by the landlord.

“I finally caught you.”

“Me? It wasn’t me. I didn’t do anything.”

“Come here. Let’s go to the police station.”

Hanseok pulled his arm, but Ahjin resisted.

It would be troublesome if he got involved with the police when he also had to work part-time.

“Excuse me. Just a moment.”

“What?”

“I really didn’t do it. I was just standing next to it.”

“Sounds like an accomplice.”

“…Wait. Please look at this once…”

Ahjin quickly rolled his eyes. The sound of his brain working at full capacity could be heard.

The audacious kitten finally spoke after some thought.

“I-I’ll do it once for you.”

“Do what?”

“Just once… I’ll suck it for you.”