Double Junk - 23

Chapter 23

Ajin absentmindedly poured water into a basin, and as if in retaliation, the still water suddenly splashed and surged toward Ajin’s pale foot. Ajin leaped in place.

“Ouch, it’s hot!”

He clutched his foot, and his face turned red as if it was boiling.

“Oh my, Ajin, are you okay?”

“Why is this one so clumsy? We’re so busy. Take it outside and cool it with cold water.”

As the servants reached out to soothe Ajin, the door connecting to the courtyard, the one leading to the alley, swung open with a force. A large shadow barged into the kitchen, and all eyes turned to it.

It was Myungjin.

The servants, who had seen his face, gathered to discuss. Myungjin had earned the highest aversion due to his past act of slashing a male employee’s throat at a gambling den. He wrung his blood-soaked hands, of unknown origin, and bit into something.

“Ajin? Who’s Ajin?”

At this, Ajin’s shoulders stiffened. He didn’t need to raise his hand or move forward; he was already exposed to Myungjin because the other servants were looking at him.

Ajin hesitated for a moment and then walked out with hesitant steps.

“Uh, I’m here.”

“Seokju asks for you to come. Bring a basin and a towel with you.”

“Okay!”

Ajin hurriedly answered and took the basin. He noticed that the bottom of the basin was slightly dented, so he exchanged it for a smoother, cleaner one. With the basin in hand and filled with hot water, he tucked a towel at his side.

Myungjin had disappeared by then. With his mismatched legs, Ajin went through the kitchen doorway. The path was most likely taken in the evening, but it was daytime, and servants covered in blood were bustling in and out of various rooms, so Ajin circled the outside veranda.

He left the basin in front of Seokju’s room and knocked on the door.

“Boss, I’m here. It’s Ajin.”

There was a brief silence. Then a low voice said, “Come in.” Ajin opened the door, placed the basin inside, and closed the door behind him.

Seokju, sitting on the sofa, stretched his long legs to the side. His torso was bare, and in one hand, he held a loaded gun. In the other, he had a handful of bullets.

“Ajin, hello.”

With just a loincloth and a bare chest, he had a revolver in one hand and a handful of bullets in the other.

“I’m not good with guns.”

Ajin said fearfully in a trembling voice.

“It’s not a gun. It’s my back; it’s injured, and I can’t reach it.”

Ajin brought the basin toward Seokju. Seokju got up from the sofa, and Ajin sat down. Ajin kneeled down, and his hands helped Seokju take off his loincloth. Ajin helped him pull it down to his thighs and sighed.

Ajin’s face turned pale. He adjusted his kneeling position and dipped the towel into the hot water, then wrung it out. Although the water had been boiling a moment ago, his fingers didn’t feel the heat due to his shock.

Ajin carefully wiped away the blood from the wound. Fresh blood oozed out intermittently over the older blood, sticking together in a sticky mess. Even with gentle wiping, it wasn’t easy to remove.

Wrinkles appeared on Ajin’s forehead. “Boss, you need to go to a big hospital. You have to disinfect it with alcohol, get stitches, and take medication.”

“I need to go to a big hospital?”

Seokju imitated Ajin’s childlike speech and chuckled. Ajin pinched Seokju’s side lightly. Seokju had a deep knife wound on his back, and he was laughing. It was unbelievable.

“Stop laughing, please. With such a big wound, you’ll die, really.”

Seokju laughed again. His broad back trembled. It was quite amusing. Ajin poked Seokju’s side, trying to annoy him.

“Stop laughing, please, stop. The wound will open.”

Seokju chuckled again. He reached out and grabbed Ajin’s wrist.

“If you keep touching me like that, I might get aroused again.”

“…”

“This time, I’ll put it between your buttocks instead of between your thighs.”

Ajin quickly withdrew his hand. Seokju laughed softly.

Ajin inwardly sighed. This was not the time for jokes. He had been beaten so badly; had he been hit on the head? Why was he laughing so much? He wanted to poke him until his flesh fell off. But with his back soaked in blood, he couldn’t do that.

Ajin looked irritated, poking Seokju’s side. Seokju reached out and held Ajin’s wrist.

“Keep poking me like that, and I’ll get an erection again.”

“…”

“This time, I’ll put it between your buttocks instead of between your thighs.”

Ajin quickly withdrew his hand. Seokju chuckled and Ajin clicked his tongue in his mind. He really needs to calm down. Maybe he hit his head… Why is he laughing so much? He exhaled deeply and continued to clean Seokju’s wounds.

He soaked the bloodied towel in water and squeezed it. The dripping sound echoed in the spacious room. He squeezed the towel gently, and it was hard to remove the blood, which had dried.

Ajin wrinkled his forehead as he struggled to clean the wounds. Seokju suddenly reached for his own forehead as if to gesture Ajin to listen. Ajin interpreted it as an indication for him to be quiet. He didn’t want Myungjin to misunderstand.

“Myungjin…”

A knock came from beyond the door. A muffled voice followed, “Hyungnim, it’s me, Myungjin.”

Seokju answered without even looking at the door. Ajin swallowed nervously.

The door opened soon after, and Myungjin entered. Ajin inconspicuously hid behind Seokju.

Myungjin, with his loincloth unfurled, sat down. He had a bandage wrapped around his bicep, and from the way the blood had seeped through, his injury didn’t seem too severe. However, the other gang members who had accompanied him appeared more seriously injured.

Ajin scowled. Myungjin had always followed Seokju around, calling him “Hyungnim.” He seemed to have been beaten less than Seokju. Ajin found it a bit annoying.

“Hyungnim, the doctors have arrived.”

“Good. Tell them to treat the guys first.”

“But still—”

“Listen to me. I won’t die even if I get treated tomorrow.”

“Yes.”

“For the guys who can’t be treated at home, send them to the hospital quickly. Money is not an issue, so do everything they need, including surgery and medication. Also, don’t forget to send some strong guys with them. Provide them with guns.”

“Yes, boss.”

Myungjin nodded earnestly several times. He then took a deep breath and sat down, coming closer to Seokju by about a foot. His eye corners twitched with pain. After licking his dry, pale lips, he began speaking slowly.

“What about Sangpil and Deoksu’s funerals?”

“…Let’s focus on saving those whose lives are still hanging by a thread.”

“Alright.”

“And ‘that guy’?”

“Oh, ‘that guy’ was seriously injured, so we sent him to the hospital on his way here. I don’t think our family members are in any condition to be aiming for him separately.”

“I see. Let me know as soon as you hear any news.”

“Yes. Should we bring your meal to your room?”

“Yes. Let the others eat in their rooms as well. Don’t ask those who are feeling unwell to come out.”

“Understood.”

Myungjin suddenly got up. He bowed deeply to Seokju, then turned to leave. As he walked toward the door, Ajin was about to heave a sigh of relief. However, Myungjin abruptly turned his head back.

“Oh, Ajin?”

In response to his sudden call, Ajin jumped and stammered, “Yes, yes?”

“Myungjin, treat him well.”

“…Yes.”

Ajin responded with a voice that seemed as if he were dying. Myungjin fluttered his loincloth and left. When the door closed, Ajin let out a breath he had been holding. He dipped the cold towel into the water again, and Seokju, who had been smiling to himself, asked.

“Are you afraid of Myungjin?”

“Yes.”

“Why? He’s cute.”

Ajin’s face contorted in disgust. He had a face like a bruised tiger on a bear’s paw, and he couldn’t fathom what was cute about him.

“…Boss, you must be truly blind. When the doctor comes, get treatment for your back and eyes too.”

Seokju burst out laughing at the serious tone of Ajin’s voice.

As Ajin continued to carefully wipe away all the blood from Seokju’s back, the doctor didn’t knock on the door. Ajin wondered when he would arrive and strained his ears to listen. The sound of footsteps reverberated through the corridor. Someone was running back and forth. In the distance, screams could be heard clearly.

Without seeing it, Ajin knew it was a brawl.

Ajin’s lips were tight, and as he listened, Seokju suddenly turned his head to the side.

“Hey. Ajin.”

Ajin jumped and turned his head in response to his name being called.

“Yes, boss?”

“Take good care of Myungjin.”

“…Yes.”

Ajin replied in a voice that sounded like he was on his deathbed. Myungjin quickly got up, bowed to Seokju, and left. When the door closed, Ajin exhaled deeply. He dipped the cold towel back into the water, and Seokju, who had been skillfully wrapping a bandage around himself, ruffled his hair.

“It’s okay. It’s nothing serious.”

“Nothing serious, and yet people are dying?”

Ajin retorted, his lips pursed. Seokju pressed his lips together. He considered telling Ajin that they were just troublemakers causing a ruckus, but he decided against it. There was no need to share unpleasant stories.

“It’s something that occasionally happens when you’re in this line of work.”

Ajin’s expression darkened at that.

“So, that’s why you killed people in the gambling den so easily? Because it occasionally happens?”