Devil’s Music

 After spending a delightful time at a late-night wine party in Leontine Price's room the previous day, the three immediately fell asleep as soon as they boarded their flight. Despite the long journey, they were more refreshed upon arrival than when they had departed, promising to see each other again at school in a few days as they parted at JFK Airport in New York. Geon, with his face covered, was scanning his surroundings when he spotted Miroslav standing in front of a long Chrysler C 300 limousine in the parking lot. Miroslav, recognizing Geon despite his covered face, rushed over to take his luggage.

"Ah! Miroslav! It's alright, I can take that."

Miroslav insisted, taking the luggage almost out of Geon's hands, "I should handle this. Besides, the lady has been waiting for you all day. Hurry along."

As Geon looked up at the sky, he could feel the evening darken, signaling it was time to move. Miroslav, having already loaded Geon's luggage into the trunk, was gesturing towards the back seat. As Geon quickly got into the car, it sped off like a rocket. With the thought of Kiska having waited the entire day, Geon called Byungjun.

"Hey! Hey! Ki, Kiska! Kay, it's a call!"

"Ye... Yes?"

"Hey! When are you coming!"

"I'm on my way from the airport now, meeting Miroslav and riding back, hyung."

"You hear that? Kay's on his way now, stop pinching, Kiska! Ouch!!"

"Ha, you've been through a lot, hyung."

"Ouch!! Hey, Geon, just tell her you'll be there soon, I'll pass you to Kiska."

"Alright, hyung."

Knock knock knock

As the sound of knocking came from the other side of the phone, Geon, with a smile, said in a bright voice, "Kiska! I'm on my way. I'll be there in about 30 minutes, so just wait a bit longer, sorry I'm late."

Knock knock knock

"Kiska, give me the phone. Geon, you'll be here in 30 minutes, right?"

"Ha, yes, hyung."

"Alright, hurry up. If you're even a minute late, I'm dead. Oh, and I've prepared what we talked about earlier. Give it to Gregory when you arrive."

"What? Oh! The guarantee for Kiska?"

"Yeah, I've left it in your room. It's in two large bags."

"Got it, hyng. I'll be there soon."

"Hurry up, man!!!!!!"

With a laugh, Geon admired the New York skyline through the window, playing with a rabbit doll in his hand. As the car turned towards Brooklyn, he saw the Red Castle through the window and Kiska, standing at the front gate holding Byungjun's hand, bursting into laughter. Kiska, dressed in a pink dress and a white rabbit fur coat, struggled to run towards the approaching car, letting go of Byungjun's hand. Byungjun, holding onto Kiska's hand tighter, shouted warnings of danger, prompting Geon to stop from opening the window until the car safely halted. As soon as the car stopped, Geon got out and opened his arms wide.

"Kiska!! I'm here!"

Finally letting go of her hand, Byungjun watched as Kiska sprinted and clung to Geon's neck. Lifting Kiska, Geon gently touched her plump cheeks, asking, "Did you wait long?"

Kiska, barely able to nod amidst her excitement, locked eyes with Geon, who then raised the hidden rabbit doll to her eye level and shook it.

"Ta-da! It's a rabbit doll!"

Kiska's face lit up with a bright smile as she hugged the doll. The rabbit doll, slightly larger, reached down to Kiska's knees, indicating she had to hold it tightly to prevent it from dragging on the floor. Holding the doll tightly, Kiska looked at its face and smiled brightly, prompting Geon to approach Byungjun.

"Ha, you've had it tough, haven't you?"

Byungjun, touching his stomach and puffing out his cheeks, responded, "I lost 2 kilograms while you were gone. Running here every morning to check if you've returned, climbing into my bed to stomp on my stomach so I couldn't sleep, and suddenly crying while eating so I couldn't even eat. Don't ever go anywhere again. I thought I was going to die."

Holding Kiska, Geon laughed.

"Ha, understood. Let's go inside, it's cold."

Riding in the golf cart driven by Miroslav to the guest

 house for the first time in a while, Miroslav approached as they disembarked.

"The boss says he'll drop by for a moment."

Geon, putting Kiska down, nodded in acknowledgment.

"Just a moment, I have something to bring."

Entering the guest house to retrieve two large bags, Miroslav quickly took them into his arms. Geon, looking apologetic, said to Miroslav, "They might be heavy. I'll carry one."

The bags, appearing large and heavy when Geon lifted them, seemed small in Miroslav's large frame. Miroslav, shaking his head, gestured towards the main house.

"I'll handle these. You go ahead. They've been waiting for you."

"Ah, alright. I'll go first then."

Geon advanced towards the main house, where another member of the organization greeted him. Reaching the second-floor study, Geon knocked on the door. Without waiting for a response, the door swung open to reveal a delighted Gregory.

"Oh! Finally!"

Gregory, uncharacteristically, hugged Geon tightly. Slightly taken aback, Geon received several hearty pats on the shoulder from Gregory, who then laughed heartily and gestured for him to enter.

"Come in!"

Smiling awkwardly, Geon entered the study and sat on the sofa. As the door opened again, Miroslav entered with the bags. Standing up to receive them, Geon thanked Miroslav.

"Thank you, Miroslav."

"It's nothing. I'll leave you to talk."

As Miroslav left the room, Gregory, habitually biting on a cigar, glanced at Geon before lighting it and asking with a smirk.

"So, did you enjoy your trip?"

"Ha, yes, it was fun."

Gregory took a deep drag of the cigar, exhaled, and chuckled.

"I thought I was going to die. Kiska cried so much."

Geon, scratching his head awkwardly, watched as Gregory laughed and came forward to sit on the edge of the desk.

"No need to apologize, right? It was my request for you to spend time with Kiska. It's not your fault, so don't look like that. But what's in those bags?"

As Geon lifted the bags onto the desk, Gregory, stepping away from the desk without touching the bags, asked.

"Usually, these bags contain money or drugs.. Since you're not giving me drugs, it must be money?"

Geon, placing his hand on the bag, adopted a more serious demeanor.

"I think I need to apologize first. Kiska is your daughter, and I may have been rude for revealing her name to the world without your permission and for releasing an album without formally contracting her as a songwriter. I'm sorry, Gregory."

Gregory stared at Geon before placing the cigar back in his mouth and standing by the window.

"Hmm.. I know why you did it, so I'm not upset. But I'd appreciate it if you'd consult me in the future. I am Kiska's father, after all."

Geon bowed slightly.

"Yes, I will. This is Kiska's share of the album's earnings."

Gregory glanced at the bags and chuckled.

"You see this mansion and still think I need that kind of chump change? Just give it to Kiska as pocket money."

Geon hesitantly said, "Um... Gregory. This is over 5 million dollars."

"What?"

Gregory, cigar still in mouth, dropped his arms in shock.

"5 million dollars? What are you talking about? Even if it's a special preparation for Kiska, that's too much."

Geon, scratching his head, awkwardly laughed.

"Ah... It might sound like bragging but... haha, well..."

Gregory waited quietly for Geon to continue.

"That's... calculated based on the percentage given to a new songwriter. It wasn't my calculation; the company did it, so it should be correct."

Gregory stared at Geon for a long moment before approaching and opening the bag. Upon seeing the stacks of money filling the bag, Gregory removed the cigar from his mouth and looked at Geon with disbelief.

"Geon, exactly how much are you making? Are you earning more than a mafia like me?"

"Ha... I'm not exactly sure how much I'm making..."

Shaking his head, Gregory picked up a bundle of 100-dollar bills and handed it to Geon. Confused, Geon watched as Gregory explained, waving the money.

"Give this to Kiska. It's money she and you earned, so it's right for you to give it. I'll create an account for Kiska and deposit the rest."

Geon, taking the money with a smile, said, "I will. Please tell Byungjun about Kiska's account. The earnings from the music will continue to come in, so it'll

 be deposited monthly on a set date."

"Heh, is that so? I might end up making less than Kiska at this rate."

Geon chuckled, shaking the bundle of money in his hand.

"But isn't this too much money to give to a ten-year-old? Looks like it could be about ten thousand dollars."

Gregory waved his hand dismissively.

"She's my daughter. The only daughter of Gregory. The first money she earns should be of that scale. If you're free tomorrow, take Kiska out. She's been waiting for you. Let her buy whatever she wants with her own money."

Geon nodded.

"I was actually going to ask for your permission to take her out. We'll go out and have fun."

"That would be nice. You must be tired, so go ahead. Since you're here, Kiska will probably stay in the guest house tonight, right?"

"Ha, probably."

"Alright then. Off you go."

After bidding Gregory farewell, Geon returned to the guest house where Kiska, sitting on the steps waiting, ran up to grab his hand. Lifting Kiska, Geon entered the guest house with a smile as the sound of Byungjun showering echoed. Seating Kiska on the sofa, Geon extended the bundle of money with a grin.

"Kiska. This is your money. You know what money is, right?"

Kiska nodded, taking the bundle of money from Geon with a curious gaze.

"Ha, you know I made music with the lyrics you wrote, right? This is your share of the money we made. It's the first money Kiska has ever made. Do you understand?"

As Kiska tilted her head in confusion, Geon laughed and pinched her cheek.

"Let's go shopping tomorrow! Buy whatever you want with this money! How about that?"

Kiska, momentarily stunned, beamed at the mention of going out and waved the bundle of money above her head in delight. Watching her, Geon affectionately ruffled her hair, saying, "Alright, we'll go after lunch tomorrow, so think about what you want to buy, okay? I'll go take a shower."

Geon passed Byungjun, emerging from the shower, and headed into the bathroom. Kiska, gazing at the bundle of money, then looked out the window towards Gregory's study on the second floor of the main house. Alternating her gaze between the light seeping from the study and the money in her small hands, Kiska appeared thoughtful.

 The next day, Geon Kim woke up to the sound of someone running towards his room and opening the door. Half-awake, he propped himself up in bed and saw the door open. Kiska, in her pajamas, rushed in and smiled brightly at Geon, who was lying in bed.

"Mmm... Kiska? What's up so early?"

Kiska grinned and was about to close the door again when Geon, stretching his arms, said, "Where are you going? Come here."

Kiska stopped, smiled again, and jumped onto the bed. Geon hugged her and stroked her hair before laying back down.

"I'll sleep for five more minutes. You should sleep a bit more too."

Kiska, lying next to Geon, silently watched his profile and then, placing her hand on his chest, felt his heartbeat. Soon, she closed her eyes and fell asleep, relieved that Geon's return wasn't a dream. She quickly fell back to sleep with her thumb in her mouth, comforted by the reality.

After days of Kiska jumping on him every morning, Byungjun woke up late in the morning. Kiska's daily morning invasions, barging into the room, had led to Byungjun sleeping in shorts and a T-shirt. With his hair a mess, he climbed out of bed and went to the living room. He opened the refrigerator, grabbed a bottle of water, and drank directly from it before opening Geon's room door with the bottle still in his mouth.

Byungjun, with the bottle's spout in his mouth, opened the door and quickly removed the bottle, wiping the water dribbling from his mouth. Seeing the two sleeping together, he dashed in and started spraying water on Geon's face.

"Hey, you bastard! You finally did something you shouldn't have!!"

"Ah, what the heck! Who is it!"

Byungjun, squeezing the middle of the water bottle, sprayed water on Geon's face, then rubbed Geon's face with his frog-like hands. While holding Geon in a headlock, Byungjun yelled.

"It's not true, right?! Say it isn't so!"

"Ugh! Brother.. I, I can't breathe"

"You perverted pedophile! What did you do to cute Kiska!"

"Ugh! Ugh, bro, brother!"

The noise and the bouncing bed woke Kiska, who sat up and saw Byungjun applying a submission hold on Geon, who was turning red and continuously tapping out on Byungjun's arm. Kiska, rubbing her eyes, watched them in confusion and then started laughing, clapping her hands above her head. Byungjun, pressing down on Geon, turned to Kiska's clapping and said with a bewildered expression.

"Do you know how long it's been since Kiska laughed in the morning? She used to either pinch with scary eyes or cry with sad ones every day. What time did she get here?"

"Ugh, bro, let go of me first.."

"What time did she come?"

"I, I don't know. It was still half asleep. Maybe about an hour ago?"

"Ah.. You came to check if she was here."

"What? You saw her come yesterday. We played for a while before sleeping."

"She wanted to make sure it wasn't a dream."

Geon, turning his gaze, looked at Kiska rolling around the bed, laughing, with interest. Byungjun released his grip, and Geon, sitting up, opened his arms. Kiska jumped into his embrace and sat on his legs, pinching his face and laughing. After making eye contact with the girl and playing with her fingers for a moment, Geon suggested,

"Kiska, how about we go out a bit early? Let's go to Logan's shop and have avocado sandwiches for lunch?"

Kiska, in her white pajamas, jumped up, raised her hands above her head, and twirled around on the bed. Byungjun, watching her adorable reaction, chuckled and said,

"That means yes, right? It's an easy response to understand. So, we're going out early?"

Geon nodded at Kiska's happy reaction.

"Yes, we have some time before lunch, and instead of waiting around doing nothing, it's better to go out and get some fresh air. You're coming too, right?"

Byungjun, getting off the bed, replied,

"Of course. The boss said not to let you go anywhere alone anymore. I'll get the car ready."

"Thanks, brother."

Kiska, watching Byungjun leave the room, looked at Geon and Byungjun alternately, then lowered her head to look at her pajamas. After a moment of thought, Kiska hurriedly ran out, heading straight for the governess to pick out pretty clothes to wear. Geon chuckled and headed to the shower.

Soon after, Geon

, dressed in a knee-length khaki parka, black jeans, black boots, and hiding his face with a hat, sunglasses, and a mask, left the annex. He saw Kiska, in a pink coat with a small white bag slung diagonally and a black mask, holding Byungjun's hand in front of the waiting black car. Byungjun, wearing a blue parka, spoke to an organization member next to him, who quickly got into the car.

Geon took Kiska's hand and got into the car, and Byungjun, in the passenger seat, turned to speak.

"Today, there will be twenty bodyguards for our outing. I asked for people who don't look too much like mafia members, so they've arranged for guards who've been in the organization for less than two years. Miroslav will be in charge, but he'll come a bit later, just so you know."

Geon, choosing to sit on the comfortable sofa of the spacious car instead, stroked Kiska's head as she played with a bunny toy on his lap.

"Less than two years? Are you sure that's okay?"

Byungjun chuckled, making eye contact with Geon.

"Where do you think we are? Even if they've been here for less than two years, those two years mean they've been in the organization here. They're from Russia, where they've been in gang life for a long time. To come here, they had to have been active mafia members in their home country for at least ten years, reliable people. Don't worry and let's go."

Reassured by Byungjun's words, Geon spent the time explaining various signs and sights to Kiska, who pointed them out with her finger. When the car stopped in front of Logan's shop, Geon checked his wristwatch before getting out and said to Byungjun,

"You should eat with us. The avocado sandwiches here are delicious. It's not even 11 yet, so it won't be too crowded."

Byungjun, without turning back, waved his hand.

"Nah, I hate those. I'm a carnivorous dinosaur. I don't eat sandwiches without meat. I'll buy a burger and eat separately. I'll tell the bodyguards to wait outside."

Geon entered Logan's shop with Kiska's hand in his. A male customer was choosing bread in front of the display, and a staff member greeted them with a kind smile.

"Welcome."

The staff, looking curiously at the two with their faces covered, pointed at the display and said,

"We bake fresh bread every morning. Please take a look."

Geon smiled slightly and asked,

"Where's Logan?"

The staff, surprised at the mention of Logan's name by Geon, exclaimed,

"Oh, you're a friend of the boss? Just a moment."

The staff opened the kitchen door and went inside, while Geon and Kiska took a seat at a table by the window. Soon, Logan emerged from the kitchen, wiping his hands with a towel. Seeing Geon at the table, his eyes widened. Logan quickly rounded the counter and hurried to the table, glancing at the bread-choosing customer and spoke quietly but swiftly.

"Kay! You're back! And Miss Kiska is here too! Haha, thanks for not forgetting to visit."

"Haha, we came for the avocado sandwiches."

"Right, right. I'll make them right away. Orange juice for you?"

"I'll have milk. What about Kiska?"

Kiska, only looking at the bunny toy in her hand, didn't react, making Geon chuckle and say,

"Just two glasses of milk, please."

"Got it, just wait a bit!"

Logan quickly prepared two sandwiches, brought them over with milk and bread on a tray, and sat opposite them. He unwrapped the sandwiches for Kiska, handing one to her, and asked Geon,

"Did you see the news from Ireland? You'll be re-enrolling soon? Will we see each other more often?"

Geon, after taking a bite of the sandwich and drinking some milk, nodded.

"Yes, I'll come more often once I re-enroll. Haha"

"That's good. This place is known as Kay's favorite, and I've been called a fraud for not having Kay around. Haha"

Geon rolled his eyes, laughing.

"You're not trying to use me, are you? Haha"

Logan, gesturing dismissively, said,

"Goodness! Why would I do that? I'm satisfied just seeing you come by occasionally to buy bread. Haha, so you came out with Miss Kiska?"

Geon, cleaning the sauce off Kiska's cheek, said,

"Yes, Kiska's been staying at home too much, so I brought her out."

Logan looked at them curiously and asked,

"Huh? Miss Kiska stays at home? Where do you live?"

"In Brooklyn."

"Oh, are you still living at the Bronx Zoo?"

"Haha, when are you talking about? No."

"Then where do you live?"

"I live in Brooklyn too."

"Oh, so you and Miss Kiska are neighbors? That's quite the connection."

"Ah... Yes, something like that. Haha"

Geon, nearly slipping into dangerous conversation, fumbled his words. He hurriedly stuffed the rest of his sandwich into his mouth and waited for Kiska to finish before wiping her mouth and promptly getting up. Logan, seeing Geon rise so quickly, said with a disappointed look,

"Why, leaving already? You've barely arrived."

Geon went to the counter, placed money down, and smiled.

"I have a lot to do today. Oh, Logan. Do you know of any good department stores near Brooklyn or Manhattan for shopping?"

Logan crossed his arms, thought for a moment, then snapped his fingers.

"Ah! Do you know Brooklyn's 87th Street? There's a big department store called Century 21 there. A few years back, there was an accident, and the department store got a bit damaged. So, they renovated it for over six months. Thanks to the renovation, it's now considered the most beautifully interior-designed department store in the area. You should check it out. Last time I saw, they seemed to be having a lot of sales in the basement stores."

"Brooklyn's 87th Street? Ah, that's close. Thanks, Logan."

"No problem, just come by more often, haha"

"Sure, I will. Haha"

After leaving Logan's shop, Geon got into the waiting car. Byungjun, eating a burger in the passenger seat, turned to him.

"What, you're done already? I get you, but Kiska shouldn't eat so quickly."

Geon, touching Kiska's slightly bloated belly, laughed.

"We left right after Kiska finished. I almost blurted out where we live while off guard. Haha"

"What? You, shut your mouth!"

"Haha, I didn't say it."

Byungjun, burger in mouth, gestured to the organization member to start driving, and the car smoothly moved off.

"Where to now? Did you decide on a shopping place?"

Geon, looking out the window, replied,

"Century 21 department store on Brooklyn's 87th Street."

Byungjun looked at the organization member in the driver's seat, who nodded, knowing the location.