My Bloody Valentine - 60

Han never left his room unless it was the end of business hours at Tacenda. This was because of Nam Junho’s warning not to work as a hostess or waitress.

Han was afraid of almost everyone working here, including Nam Junho. But the most frightening person was him.

“Oh, hello.”

Around 10 pm, when business was gradually picking up, Manager Jo Kyeong-Cheol knocked on Han’s door.

“Let’s talk for a bit?”

“Huh? Ah…yes.”

Determined to accept any beatings as punishment, Han opened the door and let Manager Jo Kyeong-Cheol inside his room. Looking around Han’s room slowly, Kyeong-Cheol bluntly asked,

“Why are you holed up here not working?”

“Huh? Ah…that’s because…”

“Didn’t you say you’d work as a waitress? I saw you walking around in the uniform.”

His gaze looked like he could slap his cheek at any moment.

Han had previously disguised himself as a woman and deceived him before running away right in front of him. Even if he got beaten up, he had no excuse, and in this business, any kindness like not hitting him was a rare blessing.

Somewhat relieved that Kyeong-Cheol, though blunt, didn’t seem like he would hit him, Han calmly responded,

“Ah…I did for a bit. But Manager Nam Junho told me not to work as a hostess or waitress…”

“Who?”

“Manager Nam Junho.”

“Then how are you going to pay back the money?”

“…..”.

Seeing Han unable to answer, Kyeong-Cheol paused for a moment before saying what he wanted.

“We’re a bit short-staffed upstairs because of too many customers. Could you come up and help out just for today?”

“Me?”

“Why? You don’t want to?”

“Ah, no, it’s not that…”

“I don’t want to deal with you either. Do you think I’d call someone like you unless it was absolutely necessary?”

“…..”.

Han remembered Minkyu saying they needed all the hands they could get, even cat’s paws, when customers were flooding in before. Seeing Han hesitating, Kyeong-Cheol added,

“CEO Jang and Manager Nam are out anyway. So it doesn’t matter, right?”

“Ah…I guess so.”

“Everyone else is working hard, and you want to slack off alone? Look at this selfish bastard.”

“No, no. I’ll go. Let me change into the uniform and come right up.”

With an expression of ‘you should have just said so’, Jo Kyeong-Cheol left. Han briefly worried if Taeshin or Manager Nam Junho would take issue with this later, but since both were out, helping out briefly didn’t seem too bad.

Putting on the waitress uniform for the first time in a while, Han went up to the basement level 1 as instructed by Manager Jo Kyeong-Cheol.

Every waitress was assigned a room, designated by the manager or supervisor. Han first headed to the counter area to find out who would give him instructions. As usual, one of the managers including Jina was manning the counter, but today it was Manager Jo Kyeong-Cheol.

“Where should I go?”

“Room 1.”

While each room had precious gemstone names, most employees simply referred to them by numbers for ease. The numbering system was like a code that only employees used so customers couldn’t understand.

Room 1 was the largest room at Tacenda, reserved for the most important customers.

“Since it’s an important customer, make sure amenities like ice and wet tissues are well-stocked.”

“Yes.”

Han went to the supply room and got ashtrays and wet tissues. Then he headed to Room 1, unaware of what would happen to him.

It was the room Manager Jo Kyeong-cheol had emphasized multiple times had an important customer.

“Excuse me.”

Han carefully entered the empty room. It was strange. There was only one man sitting on the sofa that could seat over ten people, with Yujung sitting next to him.

To spare Yujung, Han pretended not to notice her as she cleared the overflowing ashtray and replaced it with a new one, even though there was only one customer.

Manager Jo had clearly said it was an important customer, but the customer looked like a mess, making one wonder if the manager got the room wrong.

He was wearing a black suit, but had fresh bruises and scabs all over his exposed body, shaking his hands like someone with an anxiety disorder.

The tall, slim man’s hollow gaze swept over Han. His gaze was eerie, the eyes of someone who had nothing to lose, backed into a corner.

“Are you Han?”

The man asked in a slurred voice. The moment Han heard his name from his lips, an intense hunch, too powerful to miss even for that brief instant, flashed through her.

It felt like the background music and the faint sound of a band playing from the next room were suddenly muted. An ominous premonition, like the calm before a storm signaling something was about to happen.

Just as Han finished setting the table and was about to get up, he suddenly looked down at his chest. In the rush of being called up to work, he had forgotten to put on her nametag.

So how did that man know her name?

The thought sent a chill down her spine.

“Are you Han?”

Han’s anxious gaze left the man and turned to Yujung sitting next to him. Yujung’s expression was more serious than ever as she slightly shook her head, signaling Han not to give himself away.

“Ah, no I’m not.”

Han’s voice trembled terribly as he answered. The man looked at him suspiciously and asked again.

“Really not?”

Han’s wavering eyes turned back to Yujung.

‘Run away,’ Yujung mouthed.

In an instant, the man noticed Han’s gaze shift ever so slightly away from him. With lightning speed, he whipped his head towards Yujung.

“You bi-…”

Quickly grasping the situation, the man moved rapidly. It looked like he grabbed Yujung in an embrace, but Han thought she saw something glint in his hand. And when he released Yujung, she remained still, staring at Han as if someone had hit pause.

The man was holding a jungle knife drenched in blood.

In the frozen stillness, the white lace covering Yujung’s dress began staining red from the inside out. The floral lace decorations below her chest turned red one by one.

Like hitting play again, the scene resumed. The man slowly stood up.

“All I need is one of your fingers.”

“…!”

“Cooperate and I’ll remove it cleanly. If I can’t get it, I die.”

Wiping the knife with a wet towel, the man stood as Yujung quietly rose behind him. She then grabbed a whiskey bottle next to her and smashed it over his head.

As the thick bottle shattered, blood gushed from the man’s forehead. With that, Yujung collapsed limply onto the sofa.

“Yujung-ah!”

“Damn it!”

Though it didn’t seem fatal, the man staggered a few times, bleeding profusely from his head. He gripped the knife and turned back towards Jeong.

At that moment, the door opened and Woo-sin entered carrying a fruit platter. Woo-sin’s gaze quickly swept across the room. His body reacted faster than his mind.

Woo-sin sprang forward like lightning and flung the platter at the man’s face. The instant the man’s vision was blocked, Woo-sin struck him in the solar plexus with his shoe.

Following through as the man doubled over, Woo-sin wrenched his wrist. With a clang, the knife fell and slid under the sofa.

Realizing he was outmatched, the man quickly tried to flee. Woo-sin immediately gave chase. Screams and shouts echoed down the hallway, followed by another clashing sound as they grappled again.

The dazed Han rushed over to Jeong. Kneeling beside her on the sofa, Han’s palms and knees were cut by shards of glass, but he felt no pain.

Han pressed his palm firmly against Jeong’s bleeding ribcage area and grabbed his phone with his other hand. But the protruding bloody shards kept preventing his phone from recognizing his fingerprint. Each time, tears streamed down Han’s face.

Finally making the 119 emergency call, Han’s hand was weakly grasped by Jeong.

“Han-ah……”

Jeong couldn’t deny that perhaps she had grown fond of Han as a form of escapism – cradling and protecting this clean, frail being in this filthy world, indulging in base self-satisfaction.

But she felt she couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“I like you…. I like you, Han-ah.”

“Don’t, don’t talk. You’ll lose strength……”

“We need to pay off our debts quickly and get out of here.”

“Don’t say that! Jeong-ah…..”

Han suddenly recalled when they had joked that talking about dreams after leaving this place was like a death flag.

He could feel Jeong’s body trembling through the hand pressing her wound. Or perhaps it was his own trembling.

“I’m so tired……”

Jeong, who had been working over ten tables a night lately, closed her eyes with a faint smile.

Han felt like a powerless spectator unable to affect the plot, watching the life drain from Jeong’s body.

Suddenly, a face flashed through Han’s mind.

His blood-soaked, trembling hand grabbed the phone again. And before the second ring finished, he answered.

“Han…?”

“……'”

“Tell me. I’m listening.”

“Jang…Taeshin…”

“…..”.

There was silence on the other end.

“Help me……”