Chapter 24: Beautiful Jaja

It was on the way home late at night, as usual.

It was no different from what I had expected.

"Ah..."

"... I love you."

"... Yes."

People sometimes make strange choices.

At first, it was out of politeness, but as time passed, whether my heart changed or it was truly meant to be, I somehow couldn't hate her.

"I like you too."

Eventually, a positive answer came back.

"... You must have someone very precious to you as well."

"I do."

She seemed to be sincerely worried about me.

"Then what about you?"

"......"

I looked into her eyes without a word.

"Love is such a beautiful thing. Shouldn't you think of your precious person first?"

"...."

What thoughts was she lost in?

"As for me, I will be with you."

"... Look, it's not too late even now. It's okay."

"It's okay."

"... I see."

I looked straight into her eyes and said, "Then, can I kiss you now?"

"....."

She said nothing.

Looking into her eyes, for some reason, I could tell that she was afraid.

"Um..."

"Yes."

"What are you thinking about right now?"

"... To be honest, I'm not really sure myself."

"........"

"But I don't regret choosing you."

"....."

"I am going to choose you."

I quietly looked into her eyes.

"I love you."

I carefully pressed my lips against hers.

"....."

She didn't say anything.

I cupped her cheeks and hungered for her lips.

I craved her lips.

Her lips were soft.

Her eyes were shining.

I pulled her body into an embrace.

She didn't say anything.

I undressed her.

She didn't say anything.

I explored her body.

She didn't say anything.

I looked into her eyes.

She was crying.

I hugged her.

She didn't say anything.

Her eyes were still weeping.

I stroked her hair.

She didn't say anything.

Her eyes were still weeping.

I kissed her.

"... Why?"

"...."

"What's wrong?"

"....."

"I just... wanted to see you."

"...."

"I... I might just end up loving you."

I laughed at her words.

"... Maybe you will."

"I... I love you."

I didn't say anything in response to her words.

She smiled.

"....."

"......"

"I love you."

I said nothing.

"... I love you."

"....."

"I love you, you."

"....."

I hugged her.

"... I love you."

She smiled.

"... I love you."

I kissed her cheek.

"Me too."

She smiled.

"....."

I hugged her.

"Goodnight."

She smiled.

"Yes."

"See you tomorrow."

She smiled.

"Yes."

I hugged her.

"I love you."

She smiled.

"....."

I stroked her hair.

"I love you."

She smiled.

"....."

"Me too."

I laughed at her words.

"Goodnight."

She smiled.

"Yes."

I hugged her.

"I love you."

She smiled.

"....."

I hugged her.

"....."

I hugged her.

"... I love you."

I stroked her hair.

"I love you."

She smiled.

"....."

"... I love you."

"....."

I hugged her.

"... I love you."

"....."

"I love you."

"....."

"I love you, you."

"....."

"I love you."

"....."

"I love you."

"....."

"I love you."

"....."

"I love you."

"....."

"I love you."

"....."

"I love you."

"....."

"I love you."

"....."

"I love you."

"....."

"I love you."

"....."

"I love you."

"....."

"I love you."

"....."

"I love you."

"....."

"I love you."

"....."

"I love you."

"....."

"I love you."

"....."

"I love you."

"....."

"I love you."

"....."

"I love you."

"....."

"I love you."

"....."

"I love you."

"....."

---

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Stabbing in the Back**

A man in a suit stopped in front of the office of the Director of Audit at Central Intelligence.

It was the same man who had been torturing Park Cheolgu.

*Knock, knock, knock.*

"Director, it's Seo Muncheol."

"Come in."

Seo Muncheol saluted the Director of Audit.

"The Public Security Bureau took Park Cheolgu away. We hadn't even finished the investigation yet. They were acting completely reckless."

"I know. I gave permission for them to take him. I got an earful from above."

The Director of Audit pointed toward the ceiling with his finger.

"Director, Ukwang Construction won't stay quiet if they find out about this."

"That's just what you think."

The Director of Audit was relaxed.

"What Ukwang wants is results, not the process. We just need to bring them definitive results."

"That's the problem. We still haven't found the Ukwang Construction bribery Capital Account that Park Cheolgu made off with."

"Do you think I'm so stupid that I just let Park Cheolgu go for nothing? Or that I'm intimidated by the Director of Public Security?"

"...... I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way."

The Director of Audit spun his chair around.

"Park Cheolgu, that guy is the most stubborn of the stubborn; he'd die before he opens his mouth. Isn't his stiffness quite something?"

"But..."

"You shouldn't try to break a persistent and fierce guy with force. You'll just end up exhausting each other after days of a power struggle. It's better to dig a trap and stab him in the back."

The Director of Audit put a cigarette in his mouth.

"Every guy who has returned from the brink of death acts the same way. The first thing they do when they're released is take care of the most important thing to them. For some, it's money; for others, family; and for some, revenge."

The Director of Audit flicked his lighter.

"Park Cheolgu knows very well why he almost died. Let's try to intercept that bribery ledger easily this time."

He exhaled a long trail of cigarette smoke while looking at Seo Muncheol.

"What about the tail?"

"I've put one on him."

"Finish this job yourself. Let's handle it clearly so there's no aftermath."

"Yes, sir. I understand."

"You may leave."

Seo Muncheol, who was about to bow and leave, stopped and turned around.

"By any chance, what level of force is permissible?"

"That's for you to decide. Just don't leave any traces."

The Director of Audit stroked his chin.

"He's a guy who was tortured for two whole days. Do you really think he'll be able to put up a proper fight?"

Seo Muncheol also smiled sinisterly.

"You're right. Park Cheolgu, that guy, has rotted away in a minor post for so long that he’s become a toothless tiger."

***

I stuck close to Uncle Cheolgu and read the notes.






Uncle Cheolgu had attached five exclamation points only to the part that said , and he had drawn five stars and five consecutive underlines.





That wasn't all.






I finally have a rough idea of how things are going.

The order of the information I read about Taeseong Group was just swapped, but the content is the same.

'President Cha Yunseong of Taeseong Construction, the younger brother of Chairman Cha... He was preparing for independence early on.'

I could guess the reason for that as well.

'Taeseong Construction is the place Chairman Cha designated for my father’s share. So, it seems the President of Taeseong Construction, feeling his position threatened, started having other ideas.'

If so, what was Chairman Cha doing while things were turning out like this?

'It seems he was turning a blind eye to his brother’s incompetence for a while. Planning to sweep it all away once his youngest son returned.'

However, Chairman Cha's calculations were disrupted by situational misfortunes.

'Because my father, who had been driving Taeseong Construction by winning several major construction orders abroad, died suddenly.'

Overseas construction projects were canceled one after another, and claims for damages due to delays in domestic construction projects poured in like a flood.

It was the result of the complacent management of Taeseong Construction's President and executives.

'On top of that, the fire accident at Tae-seong Chemical happened too.'

Twenty-three people died in this accident, and 166 people were transported to the hospital.

Bad news had broken out consecutively in just ten days.

'The President, who was greatly enraged, even joined in to pressure Chairman Cha. Chairman Cha immediately made a public apology and established the Taeseong Foundation by contributing 3 billion won of his personal wealth. He stepped down from the chairman's position for a while as an act of self-reflection.'

Taeseong was set on a path of uncontrollable deterioration, collapsing like dominoes before they could even take action.

They had to give up on the bid for the Line 2 Subway construction.

As a result, Ukwang won the Line 2 Subway construction and monopolized the land near the subway stations, reaping huge market profits.

'A while later, the President of Taeseong Construction separated the affiliates under the name of a "loyal decision," saying he would take responsibility for Taeseong Construction's debts alone. At that time, Tae-seong Chemical was also taken by Ukwang, right?'

This is the record of the future that I know.

'It turns out the President of Taeseong Construction was the one who started the snowball rolling first? That’s why he’s busy meeting major shareholders and bank presidents at this point, playing tricks while buying stocks under borrowed names.'

How much does Chairman Cha know at this point?

In the past, he stood by with the arrogance that he could deal with it at any time, only to be stabbed in the back.

If Chairman Cha acts the same way this time, my father will not be able to avoid disaster.

'That won’t do!'

I clenched my two fists tightly.

My mother said she still loves my father deeply.

So, unless my father completely ignores my mother and turns his back on her, I have no intention of ignoring him either until then.

'I can’t stand to see someone overturn my family’s, my people’s livelihood! Taeseong Construction belongs to my father!'

Wait. Isn't this actually a good opportunity?

'If I play this right, I can solve even the troublesome problems all at once, right?'

My mind began to race busily.

'Honestly, it doesn’t matter to me even if Taeseong Construction isn’t related to Ukwang Construction’s bribery scandal.'

It wasn't for nothing that this rough paper was glowing golden!

There was something else I noticed.

A worker from Tae-seong Chemical who supposedly met with Kim Gwangpil of Ukwang Construction several times.

'A person from Ukwang Construction is meeting with someone from Tae-seong Chemical, not even Taeseong Construction? They didn’t even have any particular friendship or interaction before that? It’s definitely suspicious in many ways. I’ll need to look into this more closely.'

I neatly folded the paper I received from Uncle Cheolgu and tucked it into my pocket.

It was then.

"Young Master, please take shelter inside the house immediately!"

A Taeseong Group bodyguard who was standing watch near the gate came running.

He had a serious expression.

"What's going on?"

"First, get to a safe place. I'll report after that!"

The words "safety" and "shelter" came out of the bodyguard's mouth.

Uncle Cheolgu jumped up.

His eyes, flashing sharply, were filled with murderous intent and hostility.

"What is it?"

I grabbed Uncle Cheolgu's arm.

"Uncle, your body hasn't recovered yet."

"It's just a bit of skin damage. This much will heal if I just put some spit on it."

"Young Master, then excuse me for a moment."

It was when the Taeseong Group bodyguard picked me up and ran.

Along with a loud noise, a man's scream was heard.

"Ugh!"

The sound of someone being beaten followed.

"Got him!"

"Hold him!"

"We caught them on this side, too! All captures complete!"

"That's enough. Knock them out for now and drag them over!"

*Drag, drag, drag.*

The Taeseong Group bodyguards dragged over two unconscious men.

Uncle Cheolgu suddenly started laughing loudly.

"Well now, who do we have here?"

The unconscious men couldn't answer.

Instead, a Taeseong Group bodyguard asked, "Do you happen to know them?"

I also craned my neck to look.

However, the distance was too far.

In addition, the Taeseong Group bodyguards were surrounding them, so I couldn't see properly.

'Hey, Suhosin!'

**[You want me to increase the volume?]**

'What’s the point of listening to the breathing of guys who passed out? This is the time for vision sharing!'

**[Understood.]**

My vision changed.

***

The Grim Reaper dug in between the Taeseong Group bodyguards.

Only then could I properly identify the face of the man lying on the ground.

'This guy is the one who tortured Uncle Cheolgu!'

The guy who pushed him relentlessly, asking who was behind him!

The one who slapped him and shoved his head into a water tank!

In short, he’s Ukwang’s lackey!

"Well, um, that is..."

The moment I thought that Uncle Cheolgu's eyes, looking down at the two unconscious men, were flashing with madness...

"I don't know them."

Uncle Cheolgu played it completely cool.

"But what were these guys doing when they were caught?"

"They were caught trying to climb over the wall of this house secretly."

"Aha, so you're saying they're thieves?"

Uncle Cheolgu searched the guy's pockets without hesitation.

His speed was faster than the eye!

The moment he pulled a handgun from the guy's pocket with his right hand, he performed a secret trick with his left hand!

He had secretly pocketed their IDs and important belongings first.

The bodyguards were shocked.

"A gun...!"

"These crazy bastards! They came carrying guns!"

Firearm use was prohibited in the Republic of Korea.

It was natural for the Taeseong Group bodyguards' eyes to turn fierce.

'Wait. There’s a Central Intelligence mark on that holster?'

But this time, too, Uncle Cheolgu was faster.

While showing the loaded bullets with his right hand, he skillfully made off with the holster with his left hand.

It was a skill that would make a back-alley pickpocket cry.

"Looking at them now, these bastards weren't just thieves, but robbers?"

The eyes of the Taeseong Group bodyguards became even fiercer.

"Drag these bastards to the basement. I need to make them open their mouths."

"How many minutes could it possibly take to crush these bastards?"

Uncle Cheolgu grinned, revealing his gums.

"Haven't you heard of Central Intelligence?"

The place that could extract a confession that didn't even exist!

"Trust me and leave it to me."

I had said he looked just like a brown bear.

When he rolled up his sleeves, his exposed forearms looked as thick as a person's thigh.

It was, so to speak, the time for truth.