BHB 12

Despite wincing at the loud voice hurting his ears, he had no choice but to listen carefully.

“But he was with those seniors?? Those seniors who graduated from our school! Baek Seungha’s lackeys. You know, those guys who used to hang out with gangsters!”

“Choi Youngdoo’s crew??”

“Yeah, the seniors you really hate!”

“Which room number?”

“What?”

“I’m asking which room number!”

“Oh shit, you startled me. It’s 7, room 7. But don’t just barge in! Those guys seem to be doing some real gangster stuff lately! I’ve seen them doing loan sharking around here a few times!”

Yeowon hung up without replying and stood up. He gave a vague answer to questions about where he was going and left the room.

Although he hung out with various groups during school days, Choi Youngdoo’s group that Kim Myungjoo mentioned was particularly bad. They were a year ahead, and even back then there were frequent rumors about them associating with local gang members. He had tried to avoid getting involved with them as much as possible. Even when playing rough, there were lines not to be crossed.

Choi Youngdoo especially liked Lee Taegang. It made sense – he was rich, well-built, and good at fighting, so bringing him into their group would be killing three birds with one stone. So they kept calling him out and getting him involved in fights. Of course, Yeowon didn’t stand by idly. He constantly implored Lee Taegang. Don’t hang out with those bastards. Lee Taegang, who didn’t care who he associated with, simply complied with his words. But Choi Youngdoo’s group was persistent, and although it lessened after graduation, he knew they still contacted Lee Taegang occasionally.

But when did he meet them again and even drink with them? Yeowon despised that group to the point of grinding his teeth. They were the ones who fueled Lee Taegang’s delinquency. Not only that, they would invite their gangster “brothers” to drink together, even trying to pull Lee Taegang into that world. It was as if they were determined to turn the son of a legal family into a gangster.

Above all, what he hated most was that they knew Lee Taegang was the youngest son of a congressman and were trying to use him. To get a piece of the pie somehow. Lee Taegang, who didn’t think much of his connection to his parents, seemed indifferent, but Yeowon was disgusted. No matter how reckless Lee Taegang was, he didn’t want him to fall into an irredeemable place.

“Where’s room 7?”

Though he had come out boldly, Yeowon ended up wandering in the dark corridor, unable to find the location. As he stumbled in the acrid air and dim light, he heard a familiar name.

“Is that Lee Taegang the congressman’s son?”

“Yeah. There was even a hearing about his school violence, remember?”

“What’s a hearing?”

“Geez, you ignorant bastard. Anyway, if he gets drunk and passes out, take some pictures. Oh, did you bring any drugs today?”

“Not sure. The boss might have some.”

“Try to slip some in his drink secretly. If we take pictures, it might be worth some money later?”

Yeowon turned towards the two bulky men continuing their vile conversation. He saw them enter the right corner and followed, spotting room 7.

He followed behind the two as they entered. As he kicked the door open, the boisterous atmosphere inside suddenly quieted. It seemed they were in the middle of partying, with men and women mixed together, and empty bottles rolling noisily on the floor. Lustful gazes poured onto Yeowon. He only stared at Lee Taegang, sitting side by side with Choi Youngdoo in the seat of honor.

“Hey, Lee Taegang. Come out.”

Choi Youngdoo’s face showed traces of age after a few years, but he still wore the same flashy Hawaiian shirt he always did.

“Oh? It’s Han Yeowon?”

It wasn’t Lee Taegang who greeted Yeowon, but Choi Youngdoo. He seemed to have grown bigger, but his distinctive provincial and raw appearance remained unchanged.

“Wow, are you still following Taegang around?”

“I should be asking you that. Are you still clinging to Lee Taegang’s coattails?”

Even in school days, they followed him around like baby birds following their mother. It should have been embarrassing for seniors to follow a junior around, but Choi Youngdoo persistently tried to lure Lee Taegang without any sense of dignity.

“You’re still as prickly as ever, huh?”

“I told you not to contact Lee Taegang.”

“Why should I care? What’s it to you?”

Seeing his irritating smirk as he shrugged his shoulders, Yeowon felt he wasn’t worth dealing with and turned back to Lee Taegang.

“Lee Taegang. Can’t you hear me?”

“Ooh, scary.”

Choi Youngdoo laughed mockingly, raising both hands.

“This one was Lee Taegang’s mom in high school. Or was it his bitch?”

Then he naturally put his arm around Lee Taegang’s shoulder and introduced him to his group sitting there.

“Take your hand off.”

When Yeowon warned him with a snarling voice, Choi Youngdoo smiled slyly and obediently removed his arm.

“So what if you followed me all the way here? You’re not in high school anymore. Isn’t it time to stop acting like Lee Taegang’s guardian?”

“It’s hard to stop because of bastards like you. Those guys who just came in, they’re your lackeys, aren’t they?”

When Yeowon pointed at the two burly men who had been making noise in the hallway earlier, they frowned menacingly, seemingly offended at being singled out. Their behavior was unmistakably that of thugs.

“What are you going to do with Taegang’s photos? Send them to his dad for blackmail?”

Choi Youngdoo’s smile finally faded. His expression revealed that his shady plan had been exposed. Despite being adults now, their behavior hadn’t changed from high school.

“You don’t seem to know, but do you think his dad would bat an eye at something like that? His mom’s a lawyer and his brother’s a prosecutor at the Seoul District Prosecutors’ Office. Do you think they’d let a low-level thug like you get away with petty blackmail?”

“You fucking—!”

Choi Youngdoo’s face contorted angrily, seemingly triggered by the accurate description of his lowly status. Yeowon enjoyed watching his reaction and laughed heartily.

“Stop this nonsense, you idiot. Why do you keep hanging around when you’re not even in our league?”

“You wanna die?”

“Or is your ass itching for something?”

Yeowon pushed away Choi Youngdoo’s shoulder as he clenched his fist, ready to pounce. After giving him a proper humiliation and laughing, Youngdoo grabbed Yeowon’s collar. Being of similar height, the collar grab wasn’t particularly threatening.

“Hey, you bastard. Don’t you know I’ve been letting you off easy all this time?”

“Oh, thank you so much?”

“You son of a—!”

Just as Yeowon was about to kick Youngdoo’s shin, anticipating where a punch might come from, Youngdoo’s head suddenly jerked backward 90 degrees. Youngdoo’s head was thrown back so violently that he let out a choked sound, his eyes widening in surprise.

“……”

Lee Taegang’s hand, as large as a person’s face, was mercilessly gripping the back of Youngdoo’s head. Youngdoo’s face instantly paled, and he was at a loss for words. Taegang’s gaze, looking down at Youngdoo, was as cold as a dead lion’s.

“I told you you’d be fucked if you raised a hand carelessly.”

“He started it first… Ugh!”

Taegang grabbed Youngdoo’s hair even more forcefully as he tried to explain himself. Youngdoo coughed strangely as his head was pulled back.

As Taegang emotionlessly raised an empty whiskey bottle by the neck, Yeowon urgently called out to stop him.

“Taegang.”

At the quiet call, Taegang hesitated, then sighed coldly and threw Youngdoo to the ground. Everyone was silent and tense, while Youngdoo, sprawled on the floor, breathed heavily as if grateful to be alive, forgetting his pride.

Taegang walked past Yeowon, who was standing still, with an expressionless face as if nothing had happened. He left the place without hesitation. Feeling the obvious air of annoyance, Yeowon unconsciously swallowed and followed Taegang, who was already moving away.

Yeowon felt strange about Taegang’s attitude of passing by as if no one was there. Was it because this kind of dismissal was a first? It was an unfamiliarly unpleasant feeling.

“Hey.”

Yeowon called out while looking at Taegang’s back, but the owner of the broad back didn’t turn around. Yeowon’s eyes narrowed.

“Hey!”

“……”

“Are you ignoring me?”

“……”

“Why did you meet those bastards? Since when have you been in contact with them?”

Yeowon persistently questioned Taegang while following him to the end. Taegang didn’t give any answer as they passed through the corridor, down the stairs, and out of the club.

“I told you not to meet them. Didn’t I say that guys like that all think the same when they meet you?”

“……”

“Are you going to keep ignoring me? Are you not going to talk to me anymore?”

As Yeowon shouted angrily while watching Taegang’s back as he tried to catch a taxi on the main road, the large body finally stopped. His long hair touching his shoulders swayed in the wind as Taegang’s sculptured profile was revealed as he turned.

“Do I have anything to say to a dirty bastard?”

The knife-like words came out of his expressionless face. Yeowon’s voice, which had been speaking confidently, faltered.

“I don’t think there’s much to say.”

Taegang added when Yeowon hesitated in surprise. His tone was cold, as if there was nothing more to discuss. Then, just as he was about to open the back door of a taxi, Yeowon quickly approached and closed the opened door. He then grabbed Taegang’s wrist and moved to a secluded alley. Though it seemed like he wouldn’t follow, Taegang came along obediently.