My Bloody Valentine - 8

| Chapter 8

There was a large wolf.

Tears lined its eyes, and it was a handsome wolf with a shiny, moist black nose. With a body as large as a calf, it made one wonder if it might be a sled dog from a cold region, albeit with a bit of exaggeration.

Han sat down in front of it.

“Hello?”

The wolf, which had comfortably rested its head on its crossed front paws, eyes closed, opened them slowly in response to Han’s greeting.

“Wow…”

Awe flowed out in admiration of Han’s improvised greeting. The wolf’s eyes were a color Han had never seen before.

At first glance, they appeared turquoise, but the area between the pupil and iris was so bright that it almost looked white, as if peering into an iceberg that had been formed for millions of years. It was mysterious but also somewhat intimidating.

Han was slightly surprised by the unexpected cool color of the wolf’s eyes but pretended to be indifferent.

He had always wanted to raise a dog since he was a child. However, it was an impossible dream in the orphanage where he grew up.

“Wow, you look really cool…”

Sitting down, Han approached the wolf with short duck steps and reached out his hand toward the forehead of the wolf with a mix of ash and brown fur that looked shiny and felt soft from a distance.

At that moment, as if feeling uncomfortable, the wolf slowly stood up.

With a creaking sound, the wolf raised its nose, creating folds on its snout, and its terrifyingly sharp fangs were revealed.

But captivated by those iceberg-like eyes, Han couldn’t withdraw his outstretched hand and froze in place.

“Why… why… what did I do wrong?”

With a sound like claws scratching the floor, the wolf jumped towards Han, accompanied by a snarling noise. It was only then that Han realized.

Oh, you’re not a dog. You’re a wolf.

After being swept away by a shock like being struck by lightning, Han suddenly looked down at his own hand. The area below the wrist, bitten by the wolf, was gone.

“Aaah!!”

“Kyaaah!”

Quickly sitting up, Han hurriedly examined his hand. Fortunately, the hand was still attached to his wrist.

“What the heck! You scared me!”

Turning his head, Han saw a woman frowning at him. Red lipstick connected her lips to her cheeks. It seemed she had reached such a state because of him during her makeup.

“Sorry… ugh…”

As Han tried to apologize, he wrapped both hands around his neck and curled his body. It hurt as if his throat would tear apart, just like when he suffered from severe pharyngitis. Only now did he realize the reality.

The event where he helplessly shook in the wolf’s grip while his hair was being pulled, just like being eaten by a wolf in a nightmare, was as horrifying as he had dreamed.

He looked down at his hand, still feeling the sensation of the hard object forced into his throat. The swallowed saliva had a metallic taste, like iron.

The woman, who had put down her lipstick and was pulling out cosmetic tissues from a box nervously, glanced at Han through the mirror.

“…Are you okay?”

Even with her question, Han couldn’t answer that he was okay, even with empty words. The inside of his throat felt sore, and the area around the esophagus was stinging and uncomfortable, much like when he had reflux esophagitis. The pain in his swollen face was hardly noticeable because his throat hurt so much.

Only belatedly did Han raise his head.

“I heard someone saw you coming out of Jang’s room a little while ago. Did you, by any chance, sleep with Jang?”

“….!”

Han’s pupils shook slightly. Why did this woman, who seemed to take it for granted that such things could happen between men here, ask about Jang’s affairs?

Han turned his head away, avoiding her question. The woman, interpreting Han’s silence as confirmation, gasped and took a surprised breath.

“There were rumors about Director Jang having an affair, but I guess that wasn’t the case? So, how much did he pay you?”

“…?”

With a puzzled look, Han turned his gaze to the woman. Not understanding, he slightly shook his head, and the woman was astonished again. This time, her expression seemed more dumbfounded than surprised.

“He didn’t pay you at all? Crazy! Even if he’s the boss, that’s not right! Damn it, Jang, you bastard.”

“…”

Although Han didn’t fully understand what she was saying, he felt a hidden sense of gratitude toward the woman who expressed anger on his behalf.

The woman, who had risen, went to a refrigerator in one corner of the waiting room, clicking her sharp heels like needles.

Inside the refrigerator, ice packs for reducing the swelling of a puffy face filled one compartment.

“I’m ‘Yoo Jung.’ My foreign name, and I’m twenty-eight.”

Handing Han an ice pack with the advertisement slogan of a plastic surgery clinic, Yoo Jung introduced herself.

“Thank… you. I’m ‘Lee Han.’ I’m also foreign… and twenty-eight.”

Replying with a hoarse voice, as if he had just returned from a concert shouting, Han accepted the ice pack from Jung.

Looking at herself through the mirror, Jung, who tied her hair sitting in front of a makeup table, spoke.

“Your face looks pretty. It even reminds me of some celebrity.”

Han couldn’t understand the situation where a woman who looked like a doll herself was complimenting his appearance. He blinked his eyes, seemingly dumbfounded by the unexpected praise.

“I had my eyes and nose done.”

Still looking at Han with a stupid face, Jung laughed, making a sound like “poot.” At that moment, someone barged into the room. It was one of the managers overseeing the staff.

“Ms. Yoo Jung, it’s time.”

The smile on Jung’s lips, which had been present, disappeared without a trace, and she returned to her initially haughty expression. Perhaps that was her professional look for work.

“Han-ah, see you again.”

Calling out Han’s name as if they had known each other for a long time, she left the room with a thin-heeled click, piercing the tiled floor.

Alone, Han sat on the sofa, and his reflection appeared in the mirror. Nothing seemed the same as yesterday. It was his flashy clothing and the remnants of violence on his face.

Han glanced at the clock on the wall.

5 AM. Normally, it was a time he wouldn’t wake up. He used to get up at 6 AM to prepare for work. The realization that today he would be absent from the convenience store without notice followed.

Ah… I should call in advance that I can’t go to the convenience store.

Even if he was absent for several days due to illness, if he called in advance, they would find a substitute or even come themselves if it was inconvenient. But now, in this situation, what use would it be?

Han felt a strange sensation. From the kidnapping incident to being bitten by a frightening man and receiving comfort from a stranger woman, all these events were happening overnight and were simply unbelievable. But the aftermath lingering in his body was too strong to dismiss it as a dream.

Staring blankly at his messed-up face in the mirror, holding an ice pack to his cheek, when the door opened, an unwelcome face approached.

“Oh, you’re up so soon?”

“…”

Passing by, Jina smirked, reading resentment in Han’s pupils.

“Staring at me like that won’t make me feel any more sorry.”

Sitting on a diagonal sofa, Jina handed Han a document.

“Your debt is a total of 1 billion 7 thousand. The Green Money inherited the debts from the credit card company and the savings bank, and they’ve brought your debts from Green Money. Now, we’re your creditors.”

“…? How much… is it…?”

“Interest is 20% per year. You just need to pay 2.84 million won in interest every month. There’s also a way to pay both principal and interest, but you can ask Director Nam Jun-ho about that later. He handles accounting here.”

As if hearing words in a different language, Han stared blankly at the document handed to him by Jina. Upon seeing his name and resident registration number at the top, he was surprised once, and looking at the debt amount below, he felt a dizzying sensation for a moment.

The numbers on the repayment schedule sheet seemed to pop out from the paper and spin in the air. The amount listed as the debt was in a unit of money he had never seen before, and the monthly interest, even if he worked tirelessly at a part-time job, was an amount he couldn’t cover.

“What… is this…?”

“Check it with your own eyes. Don’t play the victim, acting like you don’t deserve this.”

It was recorded that he had applied for a credit card from a card company a year and a half ago. It was absurd. Han had never even tried to apply for a credit card.

Although one would have at least one credit card if they were an adult, it turned out that the conditions for issuance were surprisingly strict. Han just gave up. It wasn’t something essential, and he didn’t want to hear unnecessary rejection from someone.

“I-I never applied for a card…?”

“Well, records say otherwise. Four cards, a savings bank, and even a phone loan. Quite lively.”

Han didn’t even repay the four credit cards he received the maximum revolving and cash services from. If the debt is not repaid for a certain period, credit card companies often transfer the debt to a loan shark company.

The one who took over that debt was Green Money, operated by Jang Tae-shin.

“It’s… unbelievable.”

“Have you ever lent your phone or ID to someone?”

“…!”

At Jina’s words, a face flashed through Han’s mind. A shadow gradually fell on Han’s face.

“Anyone coming to mind?”

Han quietly looked down at the documents. There were bank account numbers he had not opened and cards in his name, all recorded.

With just an ID and a phone number from someone, there was nothing you couldn’t do these days. Seeing the phone number of another telecommunications company registered in his name, Han’s expression stiffened.

Now I understand why I didn’t receive any urging messages.

All of this was the result of what Hajun had done. The ladder he rode down from the illegal gambling site dragged him down to a realm below humans.

“OriJinally, we deduct a 10% pre-interest. In your case, you’d have to pay 1 billion 870 million won. But I’ll cut you some slack. As an apology for Director Jang Tae-shin’s rudeness in the beginning.”

“…!”

As soon as the name ‘Jang Tae-shin’ was mentioned, Han’s pupils, who had been staring at the documents, trembled.

“Wait… What did you just say…?”

“Deducting pre-interest?”

“No, uh… the name.”

“Jang Tae-shin?”

“…”

The name that seemed like a dream when he heard it before seemed to come to mind subconsciously, and it was none other than the name of that man. It was the name of the man he thought of desperately for salvation.

Han clenched his fists tightly, feeling unjust.

“…Unbelievable…”