The Country Life Diary of a Gangster’s Secretary

Hyeseong slowly opened his eyes. Doesn’t that feeling exist? That creeping anxiety when you open your eyes slowly. Especially when you wake up after drinking, that ominous feeling doubles.

“……”

Hyeseong calmly rolled his eyes to look around.

“Whew.” 

Fortunately, it was his bedroom. Seeing the familiar scenery, the ominous feeling was being covered by relief. It seemed he had passed out after drinking yesterday. Perhaps because he was comfortable, whenever he met Park Dohyun after a long time, the alcohol went in on its own. He didn’t enjoy drinking and dancing that much, but yesterday, with the topic being what it was, he lost more self-control than usual.

Just as he thought it was fortunate that today was Sunday and was about to get out of bed and put his feet on the floor…

〈Hyeseong Cheon, what’s your password?〉

His mind, which had barely found peace, was being colored with ominousness again.  

〈Lie down straight.〉

Remembering the low voice and the hand that laid him on the bed, goosebumps spread all over his body.

Hyeseong blankly looked for his cell phone. His cell phone, which he always kept on the bedside table, was nowhere to be seen.

“Where did I put it?”

Hyeseong searched every corner of the room and eventually found his cell phone under the bed. And immediately called Dohyun.

– Mmm… Hyeseong.

Dohyun, who seemed to still be asleep, answered in a half-awake tone of voice.

“Hey, Park Dohyun. I have something to ask you.”

– Something to ask? Can’t it wait? I’m so tired after coming to Korea after a long time… 

“Never mind that. You put me in a taxi and sent me home yesterday, right?”

Hyeseong asked, ignoring Dohyun, who was whining about being sleepy. Please say yes to that. Tell me that what’s in my head is just a dream I had, please. Hyeseong just waited for the answer to come over the receiver.

– Huh? What are you talking about? You don’t remember? Your CEO came to pick you up yesterday.

Ha, Hyeseong silently grabbed his hair. As always, sad premonitions were bound to hit the mark. Whether he knew it or not, Dohyun, who had woken up in the meantime, started chattering excitedly.

From how surprised he was when Hyeseong suddenly answered the phone yesterday, to the situation where Ihyeok came to pick him up, he personally recited even the lines to explain it.

“Hey, did I… make any slip of the tongue?”

Hyeseong scratched the back of his neck. There is one reason why alcohol is scary. Alcohol above the appropriate amount makes people honest. It’s not for nothing that the saying “drunken words are sober thoughts” was created. So Hyeseong had been diligently avoiding drinking with Kwon Ihyeok.

In the past, there were many cases where the three of them, including Kang Sung-jin, went out to drink privately, but after returning from a business trip to the U.K., whenever there was such an occasion, Hyeseong would slip away. Actually, even more so after finding out that he was an omega, not a beta.

Because he couldn’t trust himself. Because he was weak to alcohol. But he let his guard down. How could he have known that he would get a call from Ihyeok while drinking with Park Dohyun? No, that’s true, but why did he say he would come to pick him up in the first place? That’s where he couldn’t understand from.

– Well, I don’t know. He came and took you right away. But it seemed like you fell asleep right away, maybe because you drank quite a bit yesterday. Wouldn’t there be no problem?

Right. Dohyun told him in college that his habit was to drink and sleep anywhere. So it must have been the same yesterday. He must have just fallen asleep.

Hyeseong couldn’t move from the bed for a while even after hanging up the phone with Dohyun. He even thought about calling Ihyeok right away and asking if he made any mistakes yesterday, but realized it was too impulsive and decided not to.

“Ha……”

Hyeseong, who lazed in bed contrary to his temperament, headed to the bathroom to wash up. In the mirror, he looked quite haggard due to yesterday’s aftermath. Then, his gaze naturally turned to the band attached to his neck.  

“……”

Hyeseong slowly removed the band. Perhaps because he had been wearing it since yesterday, strangely, the band came off easily.

“It’s still there.”

On his neck, the traces left by Ihyeok were still clearly remaining. Honestly, he had hoped it would disappear completely over the weekend, but it seemed to have been a wish. It would be a little strange if he wore it to work, but if he went without it, it would draw even more attention, so he had no choice.

Hyeseong let out a deep sigh and turned on the water.

* * *

“The construction company for the Haewonsi housing redevelopment project is likely to be confirmed today.”

“Yeah.”

“And the president of Sangwon Electronics is getting married next month. The invitation has arrived, but how should I convey your attendance?” 

“Any special schedules that day?”

“There are no planned special schedules. If you participate, it can be adjusted to that level.”

“Then tell them I will attend.”

“Yes.”

As always, the morning schedule briefing was proceeding smoothly. Hyeseong, who had perfectly conveyed the day’s schedule and matters that needed to be approved immediately, closed the tablet.

“And lastly.”

“Yeah.”

“I apologize for yesterday.”

Hyeseong said in a usual tone without changing his expression. If someone saw it, they would think even that was part of the report, to the extent that his voice was consistently monotonous.  

“You don’t have to be sorry. I acted on my own too.”

“Yes. Well.”

It was a slightly stranger reaction than expected. Hyeseong had been thinking all night yesterday. What would Ihyeok say when he brought this up? There was one most likely hypothesis.

Usually, he would pry and ask why he drank so much when he doesn’t drink much, and then tease him, ending with hinting why he doesn’t go drinking with him. But…

“What time does the morning meeting start?”

“Ah, it starts at 10.”

“Let’s head down.”

After that, there was no mention of yesterday’s events. Even while walking down the corridor after leaving the CEO’s office and riding the elevator, there was no word from Ihyeok. What is it? This strange sense of discomfort. Of course, it was comfortable that he didn’t persistently pester him, but strangely, it was on his mind.

“Hyeseong.”

As soon as they got on the elevator and pressed the 3rd floor where the large conference room was, Ihyeok called Hyeseong.

“Yes.”

Then Ihyeok suddenly reached out and put his hand on Hyeseong’s neck. To be exact, on the band attached to it.  

“Looks like you got bitten pretty badly by a mosquito?”

“Ah……”

Hyeseong flinched slightly and backed away. He was startled. Hyeseong fake coughed, trying not to show his flustered state as much as possible.

“I know, right? It must have been a tough one.”

“…Yeah.”

Even when the elevator arrived on the 3rd floor and they entered the conference room, there was no word from Ihyeok.

* * *

Late at night. Ihyeok got in the car alone. He usually had a chauffeur with him, but today he had personal business, so he had told him to go in first. 

After getting into the luxury sedan, Ihyeok started the engine and quickly left the parking lot. And he moved the steering wheel without hesitation like a person with a set destination. Ihyeok, who was caught at a red light, tapped the steering wheel and blankly stared out the window. The lights of numerous buildings that do not turn off despite the late hour, car lights, traffic light colors, splendid colors combined to colorfully fill Ihyeok’s vacant eyes.

The light turned green and Ihyeok turned the steering wheel to slowly drive the car into a park with few people. He parked the car in the innermost parking lot of the small and humble park that did not fit the city center.  

There was nothing around the parking lot. There was only a course path for walking. Even that was quiet with no people. Ihyeok’s eyes, which had been shining splendidly until just now, were now darkly sunken. Ihyeok slowly got out of the car and took out a cigarette from inside his jacket. It was when he was leaning against the car door and lighting it.

“Oh my, CEO Kwon.”

Then a man approached from afar, grinning. A thin windbreaker outfit with flashy printed pants and short-cut hair. And in his hand, he was carrying what people commonly call a day-labor bag.

“Shit. Look at that outfit.”

Ihyeok shook his head as if he was fed up seeing the man’s attire.

“Hey, you curse as soon as you see me.”

“Because you go around in that kind of outfit, people see you as a petty gangster punk.”

“You know I’ve let go of that now. Now I’m living properly doing private detective work. It hurts to hear that. Hyung.”

At the old title, Ihyeok’s brows furrowed on their own.

“Don’t call me by that title. Hyeseong doesn’t like it.”

“Ah, is Hyeseong hyung doing well?”

Instead of answering, Ihyeok took a long drag on his cigarette. 

“But why did you call me here?”

The man looked around with a stupid face.  

“Why would I call a punk doing private detective work?”

“Huh? You want to give me a job?”

Ihyeok silently nodded. But the man tilted his head as if he didn’t understand.

“But rather than me, a mere private detective agency owner, wouldn’t it be better for you… no, CEO Kwon, to find out with your great capital and power? You can just ask Hyeseong hyung.”

“It’s a personal matter. And I can’t ask Cheon Hyeseong either.”

“Why?”

Ihyeok let out a long sigh and threw the cigarette on the ground. What should he do with that stupid guy who needs to be explained one by one? Thinking that, Ihyeok finally opened his mouth.

“What I’m going to ask you to do is about Cheon Hyeseong.” 

“Ye… Yes?!”

The man raised his voice as if surprised. He thought it wouldn’t be an ordinary matter when Ihyeok called him here, but it was something he hadn’t expected at all.

“Find out about Cheon Hyeseong’s personal relationships. Guys he’s had any connection with or brushed past, from college, no, from childhood until now. And among them, the guys who are still connected with him. All of them.”