Chapter 99

#99 < Unexpected Situation (2) >

The photo, which still boasted a glossy sheen even under the soft lighting, was clearly taken not long ago.

Shin Sang-yeol, who had picked up the photo, compared the one he pulled from his pocket with the one Moon Seok-il handed over.

Despite the difference between black-and-white and color, they were similar enough to confirm it was the same person.

“It seems to match. Can I hear the details?”

“That wasn’t part of the request. If you want to know more, double the fee.”

Shin Sang-yeol instinctively flinched at Moon Seok-il’s husky voice, which brushed off the question as if it were nothing.

Shin Sang-yeol awkwardly scratched his ear. He had heard Moon Seok-il was a top-tier professional, but the man’s aura alone was intimidating. No wonder he was so hard to approach. Rumor had it that his predecessor, Manager Baek Young-rim, had wet himself during their meeting.

“Well, that’s not the important part. But with just this photo, it’s hard to determine the outcome, right? The initial request was—”

“To kill him.”

Moon Seok-il cut him off in a low voice. His timing was slow but precise.

Shin Sang-yeol forced an awkward smile, his face pale.

“Ah, there seems to be some misunderstanding—”

“Bring him in. It’s better if you don’t. That woman made the request. Let’s stop playing word games.”

Shin Sang-yeol let out a long sigh. Only then did the tension ease, and his work came back to mind. Shin Sang-yeol prided himself on being cold and rational when it came to business. He realized he had been momentarily shaken by meeting a man who lived in a different world.

The corner of his mouth twitched upward.

“Yes. What I mean is, I’d like to see the results. To anyone, this photo looks like a living person, doesn’t it?”

“Of course, it’s a photo taken before the job was done.”

The photo showed a blurry background of the sky, buildings, passing people, and a few cars surrounding the subject.

It was a secretly taken photo of Son Kwang-yeon laughing heartily as he left the medical center. He had probably been suggesting they go eat tonkatsu. For some reason, his son seemed to dislike tonkatsu.

‘What a strange kid. These days, kids are obsessed with tonkatsu.’

Moon Seok-il, momentarily reminiscing about that day, pushed a newspaper toward Shin Sang-yeol.

Shin Sang-yeol took the newspaper and found a short article. A red pen had kindly underlined it.

「Vehicle crash in OO City, driver in his 30s dead」

······ The article covered how the vehicle had burned to ashes, and the body was severely damaged.

“Hmm, what a shame. It would’ve been nice to see the post-job photo.”

Even as he said this, Shin Sang-yeol was smiling. His expression was almost sinister. It was only natural, given that he was expressing regret over not seeing the corpse.

Underneath it all, there was a sense of relief that he could finally report the completion of a dirty job.

‘Birds of a feather flock together.’

Moon Seok-il shook his head inwardly. Working under someone who ordered such things, was this kind of personality just the norm?

“The police will have more detailed evidence. If someone wants me dead, they’ll have the ability to access that information.”

“Well, other staff will handle that, but your skills are already legendary in our department.”

Shin Sang-yeol mumbled something about whether it was the secretarial office or an affiliated office.

Shin Sang-yeol, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, stood up. He tucked the photo and newspaper into his pocket.

“I’ll deliver the success case after final confirmation.”

Moon Seok-il nodded. Shin Sang-yeol offered a handshake, but Moon Seok-il ignored it, sipping his barley tea instead. However, his eyes, hidden behind sunglasses, continued to glare at Shin Sang-yeol.

His appearance was that of a gentleman, but his sharp, venomous eyes didn’t match his round face. They were snake-like eyes, giving off an unsettling impression.

As expected, Shin Sang-yeol was signaling to someone in the corner of the cafe.

“Well then.”

Shin Sang-yeol bowed lightly and turned to leave.

After Shin Sang-yeol left the cafe, Moon Seok-il stroked his chin and twitched his lips.

“Follow him. Search every corner.”

It was time to prepare for a counterattack. This wasn’t just for Son Jin-hyeok.

Moon Seok-il and his team were also fully exposed.

Moon Seok-il sat for over 30 minutes after Shin Sang-yeol had completely left. He had no plans to enjoy music or romance. He simply wanted to pass the time while checking on his team’s progress.

The interior lighting matched the dark night. He felt it suited him more than the outside world, brightly lit by streetlights beyond the glass. He also liked the sticky music playing, though he couldn’t tell which country it was from. The female singer, with a voice like an auntie, was singing something that sounded like a chanson.

‘As expected, they’re a filthy bunch.’

Ever since taking on the request, he had always been tailed. From errand centers to gangsters, even retired special forces. Whether it was because they didn’t trust his skills or wanted to monitor if he was doing the job properly, he couldn’t tell. He had shaken off the clumsy ones, but the clever trackers were a problem.

He had instructed Kim In-rang and Kang Heon-chang to catch them, but they chose to commit suicide instead. Some swallowed poison, others jumped from high places. They must have known what kind of torture awaited them, being experienced in the same field.

‘Thankfully, they didn’t visit my home.’

Otherwise, his teammates’ families might have been exposed. Moving in complex routes was like a textbook in this industry, so the trackers probably didn’t complain.

‘Anyway, it won’t last long.’

Moon Seok-il had caught a distinct scent from the client. It was the foul, chilling stench of a serpent surrounded by money. Such people never give up. They had also accurately pinpointed Son Kwang-yeon’s location.

‘But I made a promise with my life on the line.’

Money was just the minimum contract tool. Spit it out or return it, and it’s over. But breaking a death contract made with one’s life as collateral could only be resolved with death. He could die for his friends, but he didn’t want to see them suffer.

‘What on earth was that?’

Moon Seok-il shuddered as he recalled the nightmare from Chuseok. It was a sharp, solid chill, like the fangs of a snake.

As if to ensure no stray thoughts or resistance, a curse had been placed. Could the term “grim reaper” even begin to describe such a being······.

Moon Seok-il’s shoulders twitched.

Beep beep beep-. The alarm from his wristwatch snapped him out of his thoughts.

Thirty minutes had passed since Shin Sang-yeol left. His reliable teammates would be shadowing the man with snake-like eyes.

Moon Seok-il left without hesitation.

As he was about to exit the cafe, he saw the reflection of four men rising from their seats in the glass door. It was nothing surprising. Predictable opponents were always easier to handle. Having survived the grasp of that monster in the countryside, these petty fixers looked like one-legged rabbits.

‘Cute guys.’

The corner of Moon Seok-il’s mouth, which had been expressionless, twitched upward.

***

“Is Jin-hyeok asleep?”

“Not yet.”

Jin-hyeok couldn’t fall asleep.

He had too much energy from skipping his daily workout, and the kids were squirming on either side, each pinning down one of his arms. It was more like a prison sentence than a break. He thought people’s lives followed their nicknames.

“No. Just lie down.”

Hong Ki-jun gently pressed down on Jin-hyeok’s chest as he tried to get up.

A mild scent of alcohol wafted from his breath. He must have only had a sip since he had work tomorrow.

“I’ve been so busy, I haven’t even properly seen our Jin-hyeok. So I came up for a bit.”

“Okay.”

Jin-hyeok lay still, only rolling his eyes to look at Hong Ki-jun. It looked silly, but what could he do when an adult told him to stay put? Teenager Son Jin-hyeok listens well to adults.

But had this man always been this tall? Standing in the dark room, he felt like a giant. He was already the vice chairman of Sein Group. He wasn’t such an aggressive businessman in the past, but even knowing the future, his growth was impressive.

He had become the group chairman before, but it was largely due to his wife’s efforts. He had no greed for fame or wealth. Maybe seeing his father succeed in the countryside motivated him to push that timeline forward by over ten years.

As he pondered, Hong Ki-jun asked in a gentle voice.

“Anything troubling you?”

What could be troubling in a place that’s not the military······.

Your daughter’s making it hard. Her sleeping habits are terrible.

But he couldn’t say that······.

“Some strange people were snooping around during Chuseok.”

“Strange people? Lots of people come to check out the land.”

“They were watching our house all day.”

He had only mentioned to his dad that suspicious people had come. The truth was too bizarre to reveal. Who would believe they were sent packing after being knocked out?

Anyway, it was something he had decided to bring up. He was grateful Hong Ki-jun asked at the right time.

Hong Ki-jun’s breathing slowed.

Though he stood with his back to the light, embracing the darkness, Jin-hyeok felt his gaze was piercingly sharp.

“Watching?”

“Yes. Definitely.”

He could only hope Hong Ki-jun would believe him. He couldn’t possibly say he had forced Moon Seok-il and his team to find out.

“They looked like athletes. People who come to check out land usually have potbellies, but these guys didn’t. They wore sunglasses, had short hair, and striped suits.”

What’s the big deal about striped suits? But Jin-hyeok relayed the information as he had observed. Thinking about it, the people who came to check out land didn’t wear striped suits.

Hong Ki-jun, who had been quietly listening, asked.

“Even with bodyguards, you’re still uneasy?”

“Yes. Mom and my sibling are vulnerable.”

Hong Ki-jun let out a short sigh and patted Jin-hyeok’s chest.

“Don’t worry, sleep well.”

“What about mom and dad—”

“I said don’t worry.”

Hey, this guy’s not letting me speak.

I was going to ask if our parents are asleep.

You don’t know my heart at all.

As if on cue, Yoo Se-ra’s laughter drifted up from the first floor. So they’re not asleep.

Mom and Yoo Se-ra turn into chatterboxes whenever they meet.

“I’ll handle it, so you just live happily, Jin-hyeok.”

It was a rare, serious, and soft tone from the usually cheerful Hong Ki-jun.

For some reason, those words struck a chord in Jin-hyeok’s heart.

“Sleep. You must be tired after the long trip.”

“Okay.”

As soon as Jin-hyeok answered, Yoo-jin hugged his neck and started whispering in his ear. It was Son Yoo-jin’s sleep-inducing mumble, audible only to Jin-hyeok.

‘Ddandog. Nenogrom illeet food bwiose.’

Like a sleep anesthetic, his consciousness gradually faded until it snapped.

Even Hong Ki-jun found it fascinating. The guy he was talking to had fallen asleep as if he’d been knocked out.

“I’ll take care of Soo-jung, okay?”

At the same time.

As if ignoring Hong Ki-jun’s attempt to hug his daughter, she and Son Jin-hyeok were drawn to each other like magnets.

Hong Ki-jun chuckled and turned away without hesitation.

As he opened the door to leave, he glanced back.

The corner of his mouth was raised, and his eyes held a warm, affectionate smile.

“Take care of our daughter.”

It was a heartfelt message he hadn’t been able to convey.

*

The adults’ warm time ended, and the night deepened.

The door slid open, and Hong Ki-jun entered.

He sat on the bed and gently patted Hong Soo-jung’s buttocks.

He knew that if his daughter, who had bad sleeping habits, woke up, she wouldn’t fall back asleep easily.

Huuuu-.

He let out a long sigh, like someone with deep regrets.

Perhaps emboldened by the alcohol, Hong Ki-jun quietly moved his lips after confirming that the three lives on the bed were all asleep.

“I wonder if you saw the report in the chairman’s study. It was a childish attempt. If you’re the person from back then, maybe you could help me.”

Hong Ki-jun’s eyes grew distant.

“I don’t know everything either. It’s absurd to think I do. I can’t even remember the economic newspaper I read yesterday.”

He wasn’t speaking for anyone to hear. It was just the ramblings of someone who had returned to a past that had become a foreign world.

Hong Ki-jun was lonely.

There was no one to share his loneliness with, but he hoped the person lying here would understand. After all, he was the only one who knew the history of Jin-hyeok’s long struggle.

“I realized how difficult it is, how dangerous the challenge is. Living through a world you’ve already lived is hard enough, but being the group’s actual helmsman, navigating unfamiliar waves alone—”

Hong Ki-jun’s rambling was cut short.

Whoosh-!

The already dark room grew darker as Jin-hyeok’s shadow loomed larger.

Hong Ki-jun, startled, closed his mouth and hunched over. His movement to shield his young daughter was as swift as a cat’s.

The shadow filling the room glared at Hong Ki-jun with angry eyes.

【Old man, what are you doing? Are you trying to break the contract?】

Hong Ki-jun, sitting up, narrowed his eyes.

The black shadow, undulating like an ocean, was unfamiliar, but the voice was recognizable.

It was undoubtedly the being who had placed the curse that made Hong Ki-jun lonely.

Staring into the void where eyes should be, he calmly spoke.

“You’ve been here all along······?”

【I do not exist there.】

Hong Ki-jun nodded, still staring at the shadow.

By saying “there,” it meant the being was not in this space but remained in his own location.

“Won’t they wake up?”

He gestured to the three lives lying in the dark.

【Impossible. Only a marked soul can hear my voice. I’ve paused time in that world just in case.】

Hong Ki-jun took a deep breath.

His expression was unreadable—relief or regret.

“If you’re not here, why have you come now?”

【You hastened death······.】

Ah, so he had been caught.

Hong Ki-jun closed his eyes slowly, as if accepting his fate, and took a calm breath.

The five years he had spent, like a blazing fire, flashed before his eyes.

It was a fierce yet happy flame.