Flowers Are Bait

Hwang Jo-yoon tried to move but his limbs were tied very tightly. It was even impossible for him to stand. Every time he tried to wriggle free, he could smell the fertilizer on his philtrum.

He tried to scream but the gag on his mouth muffled everything. The texture of the cloth that pushed past his blurry consciousness made his throat itch. He wanted to vomit.

“You tied it well.” The man bent on one knee and examined the knots.

“I thought it would come in handy so I learnt how to.”

“How did you catch him?”

“With a pepper spray gun,” said Lee-yeon. “I had prepared it because it’s highly effective against pests. I knew Hwang Jo-yoon would be stalking me. It’s amusing that it only took a vegetable tear gas to catch him.”

“I am very proud of you, Lee-yeon.” The man looked up at Lee-yeon warmly. Hwang Jo-yoon glared.

Why was the asshole coming out of the house? Hwang Jo-yoon struggled and whimpered. Those two looked at him like he was a vile cockroach that had crawled into their house. There was no humanity in the gaze of the man looking at him. He looked as thought he could gut Hwang Jo-yoon’s intestines and wouldn’t bat an eye. Cold sweat ran down Hwang Jo-yoon’s face.

“Leave it to me from here.” He stood up without taking his eyes off Hwang Jo-yoon. Lee-yeon grabbed Kwon Chae-woo’s sleeves.

“You can’t tell the cops! They’ll just release him. They didn’t help me at all. There’s a CCTV in the yard. It must have filmed my attack. No one will see it as self-defense. The police are on his side. He is well-connected with those with money and a powerful background.” She stared at Kwon Chae-woo, wide-eyed.

The man caressed her hair. He leaned towards her and stroked her cheek. “I won’t report it, I promise.”

Lee-yeon didn’t seem convinced. “Did you forget? I will only do what you tell me to. So, don’t worry. Just tell me what you want me to do to him,” Kwon Chae-woo urged.

“If you tell me to beat him up, I will,” said Kwon Chae-woo. “If you tell me to remove his bones, I will.”

She trembled. “Just…”

“Yes?” said Kwon Chae-woo gently.

“I just don’t want to see him ever again!” said Lee-yeon.

Kwon Chae-woo nodded. “That’s good enough. It will be done.”

“I am not telling you to kill him, though! Don’t kill him!” The most important thing with Kwon Chae-woo was that she should be very clear.

He smirked. “I won’t kill him.”

Lee-yeon looked at him. She didn’t know what to make of his words and his smirk. But he only looked back fondly at her. Maybe Choo-ja was right. Maybe Kwon Chae-woo was only an empty vessel now. What he became depended on his environment.

“How can I even do that here?” he said with a smile. “This is not a very suitable place to kill someone.”

Lee-yeon’s thinking fled out of her mind. Here she was thinking he was a new man, an empty vessel and he…

“I… I don’t want anyone killed. I don’t want to be arrested as a murder suspect!”

Kwon Chae-woo chuckled. She realized he was teasing her. “I will do no such thing. I will just try to persuade him to not bother you. You should go home and take a nap. I will be there soon.”

Lee-yeon hesitated. “Kwon Chae-woo, don’t forget I was the one who caught him. I will be held under suspicion.”

Kwon Chae-woo lifted an eyebrow at her words. “Please don’t get angry and lose your head. Don’t get excited either! You… you might get a headache and that won’t be good!”

He laughed. “Don’t laugh. You still haven’t recovered completely. I promised you that we would only see good things together and I am sorry for breaking that promise and making you do this.”

He found her adorable. “He never believed we were married,” she continued. “That’s why I wanted to show him. That’s all. Nothing more than that, do you understand?”

“I understand,” he said while scratching his eyebrow with his thumb and trying to hide his smile. She was just too cute. He just wanted to carry her and take her back home. At least she looked relieved. She left reluctantly.

Hwang Jo-yoon struggled as he saw her leaving. He tried to shout but only muffled whines were heard. He had no idea what they were talking about a while earlier. He had shamelessly wandered in and around her house thinking she was helpless. She had always been helpless. She could never do anything except trembling fear.

He had climbed up the window and watched her face pale as she saw him. I still have power over you, he had thought. Until that day he had staked her and peeked into the window again. She had been angry. She had walked to him with firm steps and sprayed the pepper into his eyes and face. He screamed because of the burning in his eyes. She had then picked up a shovel and beat him up good.

She had looked murderous. Why did her eyes look like that? Her face had been pale but her eyes…

“Hwang Jo-yoon,” said Kwon Chae-woo, as he leaned at eye-level and grabbed his chin harshly. His brutal grip did not match his serene face. “Where do you live?”

He wanted to resist but he couldn’t shake off the man’s grip. “I asked you where do you live?” said kwon Chae-woo, tightening his grip. He still looked serene. Almost bored. He looked as though he would yawn any minute now.

Contrary to how he looked, his hands gripped so tightly as though he wouldn’t mind crushing Hwang Jo-yoon’s jaw.

“Uhhh….!”

“Ahh, my apologies,” said Kwon Chae-woo looking at his gag. “How could you answer with a gag that thick. It almost covers your whole mouth. Lee-yeon knows her work well. Don’t you agree?”

Kwon Chae-woo let go of his chin and untied the gag. Hwang Jo-yoon coughed to clear his throat. His nausea spilled down his lips as drool. “But where did she learn to bite the finger that was down her throat?” sneered Hwang Jo-yoon. “I am going to sue you all. Are you really So Lee-yeon’s husband?”

The man who had been staring in the air leaned towards him, his eyes sharp. He was quiet but he knew how to get the atmosphere to wrap around him when he needed. Hwang Jo-yoon leaned back.

“Show me proof then,” he said. “Documents, legal forms, anything! Just show me.”

“I hate asking the third time,” said Kwon Chae-woo, “Where do you live?”

“Didn’t you hear me? I am not telling you anything until you bring me some kind of proof. There is no way you are married to Lee-yeon.”

“Should I guess?” Kwon Chae-woo asked. He stood up and grabbed Hwang Jo-yoon’s collars. His hands and feet were tied so kwon Chae-woo dragged him.

“Ah…! Let go! I said let go!”

“Shut up.”

“Lee-yeon, Lee-yeon!” screamed Hwang Jo-yoon.

Kwon Chae-woo’s face hardened. “I told you to stop calling her name.”

“Lee-yeon!” He struggled frantically. Kwon Chae-woo grabbed a handful of stones from the yard and shoved them inside Hwang Jo-yoon’s mouth.

“Ughh… uughh….!”

“When I warn you kindly, you don’t listen.”

“AAAAH!”

“Shut your mouth. Don’t wake Lee-yeon.” Kwon Chae-woo clenched Hwang Jo-yoon’s mouth shut. The stones were grinding between his teeth. The pain was almost unbearable. Hwang Jo-yoon started screaming hysterically.