Double Junk - 55

55

“How do those bastards know what the neighbors are making in the backyard or where the medicine is kept?” Seokju asked, sweeping his bangs away from his forehead.

“Well…”

“It’s not like there’s a certain amount of medicine every day, and the day it’s made is scheduled. How would those Jung-ho-pa guys who came once know about it?”

“…Could there be a spy among us?”

Seokju took a deep breath. It was a statement that shouldn’t have come out. Betrayal. Seokju was overly sensitive to it. That’s why he didn’t want to give much weight to that hypothesis.

“Myungjin, if we suspect our own family, there’s no end to it. The ones here right now aren’t people who’ve been together for a day or two. Even though I’ve searched every kid’s room, do you think it’s really suspicious enough to have done something?”

“…I’m sorry, Hyungnim. I was too hasty in my thoughts. But, if not, I can’t think of anyone else but Jin-geol.”

Seokju nodded slowly. He pulled down his tie, rubbing his lips against it.

“That’s right. No matter what I think about it, it’s only him…”

“Then, should we deal with it right away?”

“Will the missing medicine appear just because we deal with it?”

“But still, damn it, we need to do something about it so our hearts can ease a bit.”

Seokju let out a sigh. It was a valid point. Even though torturing Jin-geol and tearing him to pieces wouldn’t bring back the medicine, at least it would ease their frustration. But still, something felt off. Seokju couldn’t understand Jin-geol’s actions at all.

Seokju called Myungjin, rolling up his loosened tie.

“Myungjin.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s say I planted you as a spy among the Jung-ho-pa.”

“Yes?”

“Just for example.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Then, until you gain their trust, until you can plot a big plan, would you endure it? Or would you immediately bring back the medicine, steal the account book, cut off the boss’s head, things that may not be possible?”

“Uh…”

Myungjin looked up at the dark sky for a moment and then lowered his gaze again. Then, scratching the scar under his chin, he made a determined expression. It seemed like he vaguely understood Seokju’s words.

Seokju put his arm around Myungjin’s shoulder and continued his inquiry.

“Jin-geol came in instead of me, even though he had to endure being beaten with a sword. He lay in a coma at the hospital for several months.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Even though it seems crazy to crawl in like that just to get into the Jung-ho-pa, in any case, there might be another crazy person. It’s not bad to be suspicious and keep being suspicious.”

“…”

“But even if that’s the case, was it to steal medicine? Even if it’s medicine, there’s already an abundance in Jung-ho-pa. Why would he crawl back in here?”

“…”

“If he comes back here, won’t it be obvious that he’ll be searched?”

Seokju looked at the warehouse in the distance.

On the opposite side of the kitchen, there was a parking lot. At the end of it were two warehouses, one storing weapons, including guns and knives, and the other left temporarily empty.

Right now, Jin-geol was huddled, trapped there. One of the armed members of the organization stood in front of him, preventing anyone from approaching or entering.

Myungjin looked at the warehouse following Seokju’s gaze.

“What if they did it to make us think something strange?”

“Well… We can’t really gauge how smart Park Ki-heon is. Even though we planted a spy, he didn’t seem tough enough to give orders right away.”

The questions continued. Finding an answer didn’t seem easy. Seokju and Myungjin sighed simultaneously.

Ajin repeated the process of waking up repeatedly until the dawn seeped through the window. He couldn’t seem to sleep deeply.

The floor was warm, the blanket thick enough, and yet, he couldn’t sleep. He struggled to sleep for an hour and kept waking up.

It was too cold. Goosebumps rose on his cheek. His feet were cold, and the tip of his nose was freezing, so he had to wrap it with his hands.

Even though it was autumn, winter was still far away. He couldn’t understand why it was so cold and chilly. After tossing and turning for a while, he realized.

It was because Seokju wasn’t there.

The warm embrace in which he used to sleep was absent. He missed Seokju’s gentle and warm breath brushing against his neck and ear, and the large hand caressing his stomach and buttocks. Ironically, the space between his thighs, where Seokju used to insert himself, felt empty.

Ajin put his hands between his thighs. It brought a bit of comfort, though it was slender compared to Seokju’s warmth.

Having given up on sleep, Ajin slowly blinked his eyes, staring into the void. Seokju hadn’t returned all night. He couldn’t tell if he was still in the house or if he had left. Ajin was also curious about what happened to Jin-geol, whether he was alive or dead.

“If 50 million won is missing, it’s a big deal…”

He must be very angry. Ajin had never seen Seokju get angry. Even when cutting off a pig’s arm or when the Jung-ho-pa came, his face was stiff, but he didn’t seem angry. This time, he would be truly angry.

“It might be fortunate that he’s not coming into the room.”

As Ajin pulled the blanket up to his head and sighed, creaking footsteps were heard. Ajin tensed. Could it be Seokju? Or was it an intruder taking advantage of the confusion?

He peeked out with a swift movement. Perhaps Seokju. Or maybe a mysterious intruder sneaking in.

His large pupils rolled around. The door opened. Seokju stood there in the dimly lit corridor, having turned off the lights. Ajin sat up straight.

“President?”

“Oh, you’re awake? Sorry. Go back to sleep.”

Seokju walked into the room, taking off his shirt, heading straight for the bathroom. The door closed with a click, and the sound of running water echoed.

“…”

Ajin, blinking his eyes, sat up. Then, he brightly illuminated the room. He rummaged through the chest and took out a new shirt, socks, and a tie. He also neatly took out a suit jacket and hung it on a hanger. The neatly folded handkerchief was spread out.

No one asked him to do it, but his body moved on its own. Having lived his whole life watching over others, he had developed this habit.

When Ajin finished preparing Seokju’s clothes, Seokju came out of the bathroom. The cold seemed to rush in with him. His sturdy and rugged naked body was entirely damp. Water droplets clung to the ends of his black hair.

Ajin quickly offered a towel. Seokju reached out to take it. A smile, almost imperceptible, played on his lips.

“Thank you.”

“Are you heading to work right away?”

“Yeah.”

“What about the medicine… couldn’t find it?”

“…Yeah.”

Seokju vigorously tousled his hair as he headed towards the living room. Ajin pointed to the shirt he had prepared in advance. Seokju turned in that direction. Ajin lingered by his side, holding the towel and helping tidy up the collar of the shirt.

Normally, Seokju would have teased him affectionately, saying things like, “Why are you being so gentle today? Are you trying to look pretty? Do you want to eat well from morning, or do you want Myungjin to get annoyed if you don’t go to work? How about kissing a bit?”. But today, he only prepared to go to work with a stern expression.

Thanks to that, Ajin’s mood also sank. In a hushed voice, he asked, “Does it take a long time to make the medicine again?”

“To fill 5 kg, it’ll take until around this week.”

“I don’t know much, but… wouldn’t someone who planned to buy the medicine understand if it takes that long?”

To this, Seokju chuckled, and Ajin looked at him, wondering if it was a ridiculous remark.

Seokju, with a watch on his wrist, took the suit jacket Ajin was holding. Then, he generously stroked Ajin’s head.

“I hope so.”

“I think so.”

Seokju lowered his head, sucking on Ajin’s lips entirely, before letting go. He then stepped back, feeling regretful, and approached again. Gripping Ajin’s waist affectionately, he gazed deeply into his eyes.

“I might not come in today.”

“Why, why?”

“There are many people to meet.”

A heavy cloud of clouds hung over Ajin’s face. He would have to sleep alone again. Just the thought of spending the night alone made him already fear the night. As Ajin bit his lower lip in unease, Seokju lightly tapped the back of his finger on Ajin’s cheek.

“If it’s so scary, call the Flower Lady, and sleep with her.”

“Well, I’m not scared at all.”

Ajin said, eyes wide open. Seokju chuckled. Holding a cigarette and a lighter in one hand, he draped the jacket over his arm and headed for the door.

“I’m going. Don’t skip meals.”

“… You too, sir.”

“Yeah. Don’t come out. It’s cold.”

Seokju restrained Ajin, who was about to follow him. Then, without even saying goodbye, he left the room. Between the closing doors, the organization members, dressed in suits and draped in jackets, were visible. It seemed like they were waiting for Seokju.

As Ajin craned his neck to see Seokju’s retreating figure, the door clicked shut.

* * *

Seokju hadn’t come home for three days. Myungjin and the organization members hadn’t come either. Occasionally, a low-ranking member visited the house to gather clothes, including socks and underwear. Then, the servants rushed to pack things like rice balls and kimbap, even though they weren’t asked to.

The member thanked them and bowed before leaving. The servants watched him leave with an unnecessary sense of longing. Ajin followed them, hoping to hear news of Seokju.

However, the member left without saying a word. As he disappeared beyond the gate, the servants stared at the departing car with a wistful look.

“Is the Tae-hoe-pa in trouble?”

“Oh, come on. No way. Just because some medicine is missing…”

“What do you mean, ‘just’? They say 50 million won is gone. That means trouble!”

“Oh… is that so? Ah, it shouldn’t be. This place is good.”

“Right? There’s no place that pays as well as here. The work isn’t that hard either…”

“If it weren’t for those gangsters causing trouble, everything would be fine. We’re not as bad as those Yangachi.”

“True. Compared to the Jung-ho-pa guys, we’re at a decent level. Ah, it’s a mess… We need to resolve it quickly.”

“But is Jin-geol still in the warehouse?”