Double Junk - 74

“No.”

Jin-geol firmly denied.

“If I forgave him, that would be a lie. No matter how much I beat him, even if he kneels before me and begs, it won’t bring back my dead brother, Jin-su.”

“Is that so?”

“But since the boss took a liking to him, I thought there was no point in showing that I dislike Ajin.”

It was an honest statement. The sentences flowed smoothly. Though Jin-geol might not know everything, his genuine anger toward Ajin seemed evident.

Seokju dropped the half-smoked cigarette onto the ground, then crushed it with the toe of his shoe amid the dry grass. The once vibrant ember died out. Seokju looked at the insignificant demise of the cigarette with a dry gaze.

Jin-geol exhaled quietly. Then, he straightened his shoulders and chest, staring directly at Seokju. The subtle excitement and the faint anger that had lingered in his expression under the moonlight were completely gone.

Seokju, who had been observing the same face as he turned away, asked in a low voice, “But why did you ask about Ajin? Is something wrong? Don’t tell me… it’s related to Myung-jin hyungnim?”

At that moment, Seokju’s brow suddenly narrowed. In an instant, a strange smile flickered darkly across Jin-geol’s face and disappeared. Ajin, Myung-jin, hyungnim – smiling simultaneously at the mention of these three people created an uncanny and grotesque scene.

Thanks to that, Seokju’s mood plummeted to the bottom.

Seokju, who was leaning against the wall, approached Jin-geol closely. His large shadow covered Jin-geol’s head under the moonlight. Unconsciously, Jin-geol took a step back, swallowing dry saliva.

“Why, why are you looking at me like that?”

“Why are you laughing?”

“…Yes?”

“Why are you laughing?”

“Oh, did I laugh? It’s dark, maybe you saw it wrong.”

Jin-geol brushed his own lips lightly with his thumb and forefinger. In response, a smile crept up on Seokju’s lips. It was a bright smile that stretched his lips wide.

“Is that so? Did I see it wrong? Because it’s dark?”

Although he had a good-looking and handsome face, Jin-geol felt a chill for some reason. It was already a cold winter night, and he felt as if his body was freezing solid. In his anxious state, Seokju suddenly stepped back.

Bang!

A sharp and thunderous sound echoed through the world. Startled, Jin-geol shivered, his shoulders trembling. He looked around, trying to find the source of the loud noise. Then, he quickly realized that Seokju held a black gun in his hand, gleaming in the moonlight.

At the same time, the area around his ribs became scorching hot as if it were on fire. Jin-geol, breathless, looked down. There was a bullet hole, and warm bl00d flowed steadily through it.

Staring dumbfounded at the bizarre sight, Jin-geol turned his gaze back to Seokju. Seokju, with raised eyebrows, raised the gun as if showing it off.

“Sorry. I shot in the dark.”

With those words, Jin-geol collapsed backward. The icy ground, hardened by the cold, painfully struck the back of his head. The night sky, adorned with countless stars, filled his vision. With wide-open eyes, Jin-geol let out a faint groan.

“Hyungnim… why… why…”

Seokju approached, like an anguished fish floundering on the shore. He knelt down, bending one knee, and held Jin-geol’s chin with the still-warm gun.

“I’ve been feeling quite complicated lately.”

“Why are you doing this…”

“So, I don’t even have time to worry about you. I’m sorry.”

Jin-geol coughed as if responding to Seokju’s words. As he did, warm bl00d gushed out.

Seokju leisurely observed Jin-geol, who was on the verge of death. His face appeared unusually cold and stern.

It wasn’t because he didn’t show it, but Seokju was currently in a very, very enraged state. It was unavoidable given that Myung-jin’s finger and lung were cut, leaving him in a comatose state. Seokju couldn’t help but feel furious.

Already running a high fever, the anger bubbling in his chest made his forehead hot, his eyeballs burning, and his heart felt as if it were being squeezed by a burning iron coil.

The anger of someone dear being hurt. The guilt of not protecting that person. The self-loathing for not knowing anything until his person ended up in such a state.

All of this rendered Seokju deaf and blind. The level of anger he felt now was comparable to when his father roamed the streets and never returned.

In the midst of all this, he didn’t want to bother paying attention to the suspicious Jin-geol. It was a bit… troublesome and annoying.

“Still, seeing you smiling like that, whether Ajin is a man or not, I understand that there’s no point in being swayed by that.”

At his words, Jin-geol’s eyes, nose, and mouth widened in surprise.

“Hyungnim. No, cough, no. That’s not it…”

He gestured with his hand, and Seokju’s hem touched it. As Jin-geol tried to grab it, Deok-jae, who had approached unnoticed, firmly stepped on Jin-geol’s hand. The hem of Seokju’s garment that had touched him a moment ago was now out of reach.

Jin-geol’s complexion turned pale. His pupils wandered aimlessly.

This can’t be happening. This is not right. The situation shouldn’t be unfolding like this. He shouldn’t die already.

How can I get out of this situation? How can I survive? How can I… how can I…

As he struggled, gasping for breath, a gun appeared before his eyes. Behind it, Seokju’s face, blurred and hazy, came into view. He spoke with his characteristic low voice, indifferent and ruthless.

“Thanks for letting me live.”

“Ugh…”

“I’ll be generous with your funeral. I don’t know when the funeral will be held.”

Seokju shrugged. At the same time, another bang! echoed. A large, black hole appeared in Jin-geol’s right eye. The opposite eye was wide open as if it were about to pop out.

Seokju pursed his lips. He felt the bl00d splatter on his cheek. Trying to wipe it off with his palm, Deok-jae, who had been stepping on Jin-geol’s hand, offered a handkerchief.

Seokju accepted it with a wry smile. Why the hell did this rough guy carry something like this… And if he carried it, why give it to wipe off bl00d…

“Thanks, Deok-jae.”

“Ah, no problem, hyungnim.”

Seokju wiped his cheek with the handkerchief. However, the bl00d mixed with brain matter proved not easy to clean. A faint annoyance appeared in the furrow of his brows. Then, taking a deep breath, he looked into the distance of the night sky.

He still didn’t know anything. Nothing could be confirmed.

What was in that photo? Was Ajin really a man? Why did she lie to me? Should I know more lies she told me?

No, no. It doesn’t matter. What’s important now is Myung-jin.

Does she have a central role in why Myung-jin is lying in the hospital bed? If so, how did she manipulate the Myeokguk with medicine and send the prostitutes home? Why did Doin, who stabbed Myung-jin’s chest, scream Ajin’s name? He needed to know.

So whether Ajin was a man or not wasn’t important. It shouldn’t have been swayed by such things. That’s why he dealt with Jin-geol.

Seokju lowered the handkerchief after wiping away all the bl00d. Deok-jae discreetly pulled it out and tucked it into his pocket. Then, he gestured to the organization members standing behind him. It was time to handle Jin-geol’s body.

At that moment, Seokju called Deok-jae quietly.

“Deok-jae.”

“Yes, hyungnim.”

“Cut this guy’s throat and send him to the Myeokguk tavern.”

“…Yes? But then he won’t stay still over there.”

“That’s right.”

“Should I go and flip the place?”

“No. If you make a fuss, it was meant to send good liquor. Apologize politely for bringing the wrong one, bring another bottle of liquor. Any bottle from the company warehouse will do.”

“…Yes.”

Deok-jae tilted his head strangely as if finding it odd, but he quickly gave a positive response. Perhaps he had thoughts about Seokju. Seokju patted Deok-jae’s shoulder.

“Observe his reaction. See if Jin-geol’s face makes Ajin feel awkward, angry, or maybe even sad. Pay close attention.”

“Yes, hyungnim.”

Deok-jae bowed slightly and left. Several organization members carried Jin-geol’s body and followed him, disappearing.

The once noisy world returned to silence. Only the rustling sound of the night wind prevailed. Seokju, with his hands in his pants pocket, looked down at the bl00dy traces left on the ground by Jin-geol.

Judgment is his responsibility. Judging by Jin-geol’s miserable state, he thought Ajin might have fallen into a pit, but she might not be innocent. If that were the case, it would be fortunate. It had to be that way.

Seokju’s eyes, pondering the matter, were sharper than usual. As he exhaled, taking out a new cigarette, his eyes fell on the remaining bl00dstains of Jin-geol on the dirt floor.

“It’s my responsibility. From the looks of Jin-geol, Ajin probably got involved in something, and it’s not just an innocent mistake. If that’s the case, it’s fortunate. That’s the way it should be.”

While contemplating, Seokju’s eyes became more determined than usual. As he blew out smoke, he lit a new cigarette.

“Hyungnim! Hyungnim!”

In the distance, a lower-ranking organization member urgently called Seokju, rushing towards him. Seokju’s eyebrows furrowed. What could it be now? Could something have happened to Myung-jin? As he massaged his temple, the organization member arrived, panting heavily.

Then, he conveyed unexpected and unimaginable news.

“Miss Ggot is missing!”

Seokju’s mouth slightly agape.

“What did you say?”

The cigarette he had been casually smoking fell downwards. After a brief pause, he ran towards the hospital. The organization members hurriedly followed him.

Seokju might not have known, but there had been a conversation between Ajin and Ggot regarding Jin-geol’s death. On the day Ajin wielded the ladle against Jin-geol, just before Ggot collapsed.

“Ahjumma, what do you have to say to Jin-geol?!”

“I told him to leave the house!”

“What?!”

“If that guy continues to stay here, he’ll definitely die. So, I told him to leave.”

“……Is Ahjumma worried about Jin-geol? Does Ahjumma like Jin-geol more than me?”

“Crazy person. Scoop out your nonsense. Why would I be worried about that guy? Because he’s not someone who will die alone, and when he goes to the afterlife, he’ll surely drag someone with him. That’s why I told him to leave.”

When going to the afterlife, he’ll surely drag someone with him.

Surely, someone will be dragged with him…