episode_0048

I went to the mart to shop.

Honestly, there wasn’t anything I needed urgently.

I was bored just staying at home, so I went out to do some light shopping.

Since I started living with Hye-yoon recently, I’ve become much more financially secure and I’ve also discovered the joy of shopping.

Um… Before I met Hye-yoon, I only looked for discounted products. Now I don’t have to do that.

When you are wandering around a large mart and choosing items to buy.

In the corner selling daily necessities, a woman suddenly spoke to me.

“Are you Woo Sung-won?”

Huh? Who is it?

I stepped back in surprise.

She looks like she’s a little over 30 years old. She has neat short hair and gives off a mature, working-class vibe.

But who is this older sister? I’m seeing her for the first time.

I stared at the woman’s face intently and then reacted.

“…….Who are you? Do you know me?”

“Ah. I am this kind of person. Please take my business card.”

The woman handed me a small, white business card.

Modern Journal Group Kim Seo-jeong?

reporter?

As I tilted my head without taking my eyes off the business card, Kim Seo-jeong immediately thrust her phone at me and continued speaking.

“Yes. I am Kim Seo-jeong, a reporter at Modern Journal Group. I cover current affairs and society. Woo Seong-won. Are you dating Bin Hye-yoon?”

What the heck? This piece of trash?

What are you doing, handing me your phone? Are you doing an interview?

When I frowned and didn’t answer, Kim Seo-jeong continued speaking.

“This is an important issue these days. Of course, Black Emily is so arrogant that no one is reporting on it.”

“Yes??”

“Many of my colleagues in the industry have gone missing while covering this story. Black Emily’s clutches have also reached the media world.”

Um… somehow.

There have been quite a few things going on between Hye-yoon and I in the meantime, but there has been almost no media coverage of it.

It was all possible because Black Emily threatened and provoked the reporters.

Doesn’t this reporter know that she’s doing something dangerous right now? If she bothers me here, Black Emily won’t leave this reporter alone either.

It won’t work. I’ll have to try to bluff.

“You know you’re doing something dangerous right now, right? These days, covering the mafia is a life-threatening thing, right?”

“Mr. Woo Sung-won. Mr. Woo Sung-won is also a mafia?”

Ugh… I tried to bluff and chase this reporter away, but it didn’t work.

Is this some kind of reporter who can’t be threatened?

“No. I’m not a mafia. I’m not related to Hye-yoon either. Well, thank you.”

“Wait. Wait a minute.”

Kim Seo-jeong caught me.

“What is your relationship with Yoo Seol-hee of Hwarang Group? There are many speculations that Seong-won is the link between Black Emily and Hwarang Group… Is that right?”

I turned my head and glared at Kim Seo-jeong.

It’s quite annoying. Really.

“Who says that?”

When I asked with annoyance, Kim Seo-jeong placed her hands on her waist and answered confidently.

“There’s a source for everything. You…… You were invited to Yoo Seol-hee’s birthday party along with Bin Hye-yoon, right? You’re currently receiving VIP treatment from Black Emily. How long do you think Black Emily and Hwarang Group will be on the same boat? What are Black Emily’s business goals?”

Hmm….. He seems like a person with a strong sense of professionalism.

“I don’t know. That kind of thing. I just came out to look around.”

“Hey. Right. Tell me. Mr. Woo Sung-won is an insider at Black Emily.”

Insider?

I?

At that moment, it felt like those words had hit me in the back of the head.

Yeah. I guess that’s how I’ll look to outsiders… I might even look like a mafia member…

By the way, this won’t work. If I keep leaving this reporter alone, she’ll follow me around and annoy me.

I chewed on all of Kim Seo-jeong’s questions, waited for an opportunity, and then quickly ran away to a crowded place.

“Huh? Hey, wait a minute! Mr. Woo Sung-won!”

I ran to the bathroom because I thought they wouldn’t chase me here.

What is that woman?

Do you have two lives? If you keep bothering me like that, Black Emily won’t let you go?

I was like, oh no.

Why am I thinking like this?

I’m not a mafia…….

Did Bin Hye-yoon’s way of thinking get transferred to me?

***

Hyeyoon is back.

I came back a day earlier than scheduled.

As soon as Hye-yoon got home, she put down her carrier bag and collapsed on the sofa.

“Ah. I’m tired. I’m tired.”

“How did things go?”

When I asked, while holding the gamepad and playing a game, Hye-yoon, who was covering her face with both hands, answered.

“I think it will work out better than I thought. Starting a business is not easy, but…….”

Suddenly, Hyeyoon reached out for the remote control and turned off the game I was playing.

“Stop playing games. It’s been a while since I’ve seen your face, but you’re looking at the game?”

“Huh?”

“Please put your knees on me. I want to lie down with your head on my knees.”

As I put my legs together, Hyeyoon lay down with her head on my lap.

Hyeyoon, who was looking up at my face, smiled and opened her mouth.

“Nothing has changed.”

“It’s only been a week. Do you think my face will change because I haven’t seen you in that time?”

“It was a week that felt like seven years to me. Don’t you want to be skinship?”

Um….. Hye-yoon has been clinging to me lately……

I think it’s even more so today because it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you. At times like this, I have to listen to Hye-yoon.

As I carefully reached out and touched Hye-yoon’s face, Hye-yoon let out a relieved sigh.

“Nothing happened while I was away, right?”

Hyeyoon asked.

I met Chairman Yoo Seon-ho and had a casual date with Seol-hee, but I think it would be better not to talk about that.

Ellin also decided not to tell Hye-yoon about that.

After thinking about this and that, I opened my mouth and said, “Ah.”

“How do you deal with reporters?”

“Reporter? What reporter?”

“No. Aren’t the reporters just going to do investigative reporting and reporting on Black Emily? How do you stop those reporters?”

“Hmm,” Hye-yoon said, hesitating for a moment before answering.

“Offer bribes, warn, threaten, and if they don’t listen, kill them. It’s like dealing with a reporter’s rascal. It’s easier than cracking a boiled egg.”

…….This is a typical Hye-yoon way of handling things.

I tried to reveal reporter Kim Seo-jeong’s real name in front of Hye-yoon, but it just wouldn’t work.

If I reveal my real name here, I think that reporter’s older sister will die.

I just need to edit it appropriately and tell you.

“I went to the mart to do some grocery shopping, and a reporter I had never seen before followed me around and tried to get me to interview him. I don’t know which reporter he was from or what media outlet… I just ran away without saying anything.”

“Run away? Are you avoiding the reporter?”

Hyeyoon’s voice became a little colder.

Ugh… Did I say that for nothing?

Hyeyoon remained in cold silence for a moment before opening her mouth again.

“Next time, if a reporter like that comes along, take his business card and give it to me. I’ll cut off his arms and legs and throw them into the Han River.”

…….It’s scary because it doesn’t seem like a joke.

***

That night. Deep in the dawn.

Han Hyun-ho was sitting alone in the living room, drinking soju.

When the phone in front of him rang, Han Hyun-ho quickly picked it up.

“Is this Mr. Han Hyun-ho’s phone?”

“Yes. I am Han Hyeon-hop.”

“I heard what you said to Hoo Jae-gu. Are you trying to get rid of that witch-like woman?”

The voice on the phone was cheerful yet relaxed.

Um… Are you really one of Black Emily’s executives?

Han Hyun-ho carefully drank the liquor in his cup and answered.

“That’s what it was planned to be. How is Bin Hye-yoon doing these days?”

“She’s a real witch. She’s suffocating the executives. Black Emily needs that woman to disappear. She’s just trying to eat and live, but she doesn’t know how to do that kind of thing. ”

Oh. Are you an executive of Black Emily?

Han Hyun-ho asked more questions to make sure.

“What about Woo Sung-won?”

“Woo Sung-won? Oh. That shabby guy? Bin Hye-yoon is crazy about him these days. Maybe Woo Sung-won, even though he looks shabby, is good at finishing off night shifts.”

Han Hyun-ho clenched his fist.

As expected, Bin Hye-yoon is with that beggar…

“A mafia boss is your lover? That’s ridiculous.”

As Han Hyun-ho muttered cynically, the Black Emily executive who had called answered with a chuckle.

“What. Right. Do you know that guy is being treated on the same level as Bin Hye-yoon within Black Emily right now? He’s ruined his life by biting a woman. Well, if you hit Bin Hye-yoon’s butt, you’ll have to kill that bastard too.”

“Should I do that?”

Han Hyun-ho, who had finally become confident, smiled brightly.

Judging from the fact that he’s spilling all this information, this guy is definitely an executive at Black Emily.

Han Hyun-ho sat with his legs crossed and spoke seriously.

“Please pass on the security status of Black Emily to us. We need to blow Bin Hye-yoon’s head off, but that fucking fucking organization must be so brutal in terms of security.”

“That’ll take me some time, too. Even within Black Emily, security status information is top secret.”

“You must give me certain information. I have to send it all at once.”

“I know. I’d rather tear that bitch to pieces… but to be sure, I’ll have to send her home in one blow.”

The Black Emily executive who made the call chuckled again and asked.

“It seems like it’s not something a rich family’s loser would do……. Is there someone behind it?”

“That’s hard to say. Well, imagine that there’s someone bigger than Bin Hye-yoon.”

“Okay. Let’s do better in the future. I’ll send you the security information as soon as I get it.”

So the call ended.

Han Hyun-ho, who was staring at the phone screen while holding it with one hand, moved the menu and stared at Hye-yoon’s photo in the photo album folder.

Han Hyun-ho, who was fiddling with his phone screen with his hand, chuckled and muttered to himself.

“Yeah. Play nice with that damn bastard. If you don’t become mine, you die. Right?”

***

Black Emily Building.

I went there and met Alex.

The place we met was the underground lobby.

“Kim Seo-jeong…….?”

Alex responded sharply, pushing up his glasses.

I was talking about the reporter who approached me.

Even if I didn’t tell Hye-yoon directly, I thought it would be a good idea to tell Alex. My relationship with Alex has been getting better lately.

“I know that name. He’s one of the reporters who’s been bothering our organization lately.”

Alex said, pushing his glasses back up with his gloved hand.

“Are you going to kill me?”

“No. No matter how powerful our organization is, we can’t just kill a reporter. After persuasion and threats, if they don’t work, we kill them.”

Um….. Now that I think about it, Hye-yoon said something similar.

He said that he killed them through a process of bribery and threats. Perhaps this organization operates more systematically than we think.

“Anyway, thank you for the good information, my lord. Next time Kim Seo-jeong appears, please contact me right away. I will go to the scene and take care of it immediately.”

“Ah, no…… well….. there’s no need to do that…….”

It’s fortunate that Alex and I have become closer since the last Ellen incident…

What should I say? Alex changed so suddenly that I felt a bit burdened. Now Alex treats me like Hye-yoon.

“Now, even within our organization, everyone knows about you.”

Alex changed the subject so naturally.

“Yes?”

“Most people in the organization know that the young master is very important to the boss. So there may be executives who approach the young master personally to gain the boss’ favor. Has there ever been a case like that before?”

……There has never been such a person before.

“No, there wasn’t any.”

“That’s fortunate. If there is such an executive, please let me know immediately.”

“Why?”

“Anyone who tries to use the young master to gain the boss’ favor is not worthy of being a Black Emily. I will deal with such people. They are obviously just people who interfere with the organization.”

Hmm… I think Alex has acknowledged me now.

Well… I barely did anything, but I guess it’s fortunate that things turned out this way.

Soon, mafia bosses came swarming in from over there.

The executives bowed their heads to me politely and then left.

Yeah……. Is this reality?

***

That night.

High-class restaurant.

Young politicians and bureaucrats were gathered together, drinking, each with a woman sitting next to them.

“How do you deal with Bin Hye-yoon?”

Someone working at the Department of National Security opened up and said:

Yeonlim’s ears perked up as she sat down and poured drinks for the customers.

The old congressman sitting across from me answered.

“The old man is looking at Bin Hye-yoon with great dislike. He’s going to kill her soon… I don’t know what method he’ll use. He’s such a sly old man.”

“Bin Hye-yoon has grown too much. It’s time to cut it off.”

Yeonlim whispered with an effortless, charming smile.

“Just some mafia scum… Are the higher-ups worried about guys like that?”

Then the young official, who had pulled Yeonlim into his arms, whispered.

“Of course. They’re just mafia punks……. Oh my. Fuck. Yeonlim-ah. You pouring me drinks makes me melt today. Melting. Can we go for a second round?”

“Oh my…… I’m embarrassed.”

When Yeonlim blushed and made an embarrassed expression, the official who was hugging her opened his mouth wide.

“Please hurry up and take out the mafia. They come to my store all the time, rob me, and annoy me.”

As Yeonlim opened her mouth to see the reactions of those around her, the member of the National Assembly sitting across from her answered.

“Yeonlim is so cheeky that I like her……. Where did that kind of woman come from? Yeah. Yeonlim. Don’t worry. The old man has started to move. Got it? ”

“Oh my…….”

As Yeonlim blushed again in embarrassment, the congressman sitting across from her smiled with satisfaction.

Yeonlim adapted to her new job surprisingly well.

He was already reborn as the ace of the establishment favored by high-ranking officials.

Perhaps it was thanks to Yeonrim’s wit and eloquence.

I wonder if this is something I’m suited for.

Yeonlim had that thought, but shook her head and came to her senses.

Because I got some important information.

I have to report to the boss.