The Country Life Diary of a Gangster’s Secretary

This chapter is paid for by Mimzy! 

It was well past 10 PM. Ihyeok was blankly staring at a glass of whiskey in a quiet space. This private bar in Gangnam was a place he had frequented for a long time. He liked it because the seats were divided into sections, so it was quiet and he didn’t have to mind others’ eyes.

“Hey, you bad bastard Kwon Ihyeok.”

Of course, that’s only if the person who came with him was quiet.

“You cut off Hyeseong? How could you do that?”

With his tongue heavily slurred, Seongjin pointed a finger at Ihyeok. When he told Seongjin to go ahead and wait since work ended late, he didn’t know Seongjin would be drinking until he was wasted. From the moment Ihyeok arrived, Seongjin had already half-losted his mind.

“When did I cut him off? Cheon Hyeseong said he was leaving first.”

“Then you should have stopped him. Huh? What do you do just leaving him like that? What kind of existence is Hyeseong to me?”

Seongjin made an ugly crying face, his features contorting. His face already looked rough, but making that expression made it even more unbearable to look at.

“Hey, if you’re drunk, get lost. Or shut up and drink.”

In the first place, the only people Ihyeok could drink so comfortably with were Kang Seongjin or Hyeseong. Everyone else was tied to him through interests, so if he showed even a slight gap, he didn’t know when or where they might turn and stab him in the back.

Even when living as a gangster, Ihyeok always had to be wary of his surroundings. Back then, he could literally get stabbed in the back, and now he had to do that to protect his position and what he had built up. The only ones he could let loose with and comfortably relax his guard around were this foolish Kang Seongjin and Cheon Hyeseong.

“Hyung Ihyeok!”

That’s when it happened. The curtain of the space where Ihyeok and Seongjin were was suddenly drawn open and a familiar man entered with a smile.

“You come here often these days. I came for a friend’s birthday today and was so surprised to hear you were here too, hyung.”

Saying that Sihyeon sat down next to Kwon Ihyeok with a grin as if it was a familiar spot. He was the son of a construction company president in the same industry as Taesung, the type of punk who relied on his family background and lived like a hooligan. 

“When did I tell you to sit down?”

“Aw, I was so disappointed I couldn’t greet you at the Sangwon Electronics president’s wedding. Cut me some slack.”

He was one of the omegas eyeing the superior alpha Kwon Ihyeok. Watching him blatantly snuggle up, Ihyeok sighed. 

These types of guys had been running more rampant lately. Honestly, with his temper, he would have more than taught him a lesson by breaking the arm that was linked with his, but Ihyeok was now in a position where he couldn’t do that.

Seongjin was already sprawled on the table, constantly mumbling something. It seemed he would fall into deep sleep soon.

“I’ll pour you a glass.”

“No need.”

“Ah, I heard Taesung took the Haewon City construction project this time. I heard from my dad. Congrats.”

Sihyeon was smiling and trying his best to keep the conversation going with Ihyeok. He was even subtly releasing pheromones. Last time too, when Ihyeok came here feeling frustrated after realizing Hyeseong’s resignation was serious, Sihyeon had blatantly released pheromones like now.

At that time, he had left it alone because he wanted to get drunk in the noisy atmosphere for a change to blow away his complicated mood, but not now. It was annoying and unpleasant.

“Ah, hyung, if you haven’t hired a good secretary yet, let me know. In my dad’s company too, and I can look for good talent for you.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Aw, didn’t your secretary quit? That Cheon… what was it? Anyway, wouldn’t it be inconvenient if the secretary who worked for a long time suddenly quit? Should I find some good guys for you?”

As the superior alpha Kwon Ihyeok of Taesung Construction became famous in their world, naturally more people came to know about Hyeseong too. It was a well-known fact among those in the know that the Taesung CEO had a capable secretary.

“Ha.”

Ihyeok let out a snort. He thought even these trashy things were taking an interest in Hyeseong now.

“By the way, isn’t that secretary too much? Ah, I remember now. The name is Cheon Hyeseong, right? Quitting suddenly during this busy period when the construction company has been selected.”

Thinking Ihyeok was showing interest in this conversation, Sihyeon excitedly began to run his mouth.

“I mean, that secretary Cheon Hyeseong or whatever worked with you for 6 years, hyung. But how can he quit just like that? Without even finding a successor. How can he, as a decent human being……”

“Hey.”

That’s when it happened. Ihyeok got up and grabbed Sihyeon’s hair.

“Ack!”

Then he picked up the glass he was holding and splashed it directly on Sihyeon’s face. Perhaps because the liquor got in his eyes and stung, Sihyeon blinked ludicrously. He was busy wiping the liquor flowing down his face with his hand.

“What are you doing right…!”

Sihyeon raised his voice and looked up at Ihyeok, who was still gripping his hair. His eyes still stung so he couldn’t see well, but he could feel it. Ihyeok’s coldly subdued expression.

Like a terrifying beast whose mere existence was scary without having to do anything grand, the sheer terror began to spread throughout his body from that utterly indifferent expression.

“Sihyeon. Is Hyeseong your friend?”

“……Pardon?”

“Why are you casually calling his name and going crazy? I’ve been tolerating your dog-like behavior. Why are you provoking me?”

“Hyung, wa, wait, let go of this first……”

The overwhelmed Sihyeon grabbed Ihyeok’s hand with his trembling fingers.

“I haven’t even heard Hyeseong call me hyung once, so stop with that damn way of addressing him too, okay?”

“Ye…… Yes. I’m sorry.”

Sihyeon was finally realizing it now. What kind of person Kwon Ihyeok was? He was the leader of the Taesung gang that had once made a name for itself and rewrote the hierarchy of the gangs. Right. He was on a different level from the owners of ordinary companies.

“Son of a bitch, really.”

When Ihyeok swore as if he couldn’t contain his anger, Sihyeon’s shoulders trembled. He thought he might really get hit this time.

“Get lost.”

Ihyeok released the hair he had been gripping. Then Sihyeon quickly bowed his head several times and hastily ran out. As the inside became quiet again, Ihyeok plopped down on a chair. He irritably wiped the liquor on his hand and leaned back deeply.

Kang Seongjin had long fallen asleep. He had drunk so much that even when a commotion broke out in front of him, he was peacefully snoring away. If Hyeseong were here, he probably would have said Director Kang wouldn’t notice even if a war broke out outside, without batting an eye.

These days, his mind was filled with thoughts of Hyeseong. After he quit, Ihyeok couldn’t even see his face. Perhaps because he couldn’t see the person he always saw, it felt like Cheon Hyeseong’s face was drawn whenever he closed his eyes.

Ihyeok roughly asked the shop owner to take care of Kang Seongjin and came outside. And he immediately called someone.

– Yes. Hello……

Han Deok-soo’s unconfident voice came from the other end of the line.

“Deok-soo.”

– Yes.

“Is what I asked you before still the same?”

– Ah, hyung, didn’t I tell you?

Deok-soo also raised his voice as if frustrated. It seemed he had a lot pent up.

– Hyung, I dug into everything around Hyeseong, but there wasn’t a single person like you asked for. To begin with, his personal relationships aren’t that wide. I looked into everything but there really was no lover or anything like that.

Ihyeok habitually took out a cigarette. He had quit at Hyeseong’s advice but recently started smoking again.

“Are you sure?”

When he attended the Sangwon Electronics’ wedding, he received the first contact from Deok-soo since the day he made the request. He had told Deok-soo to report by text if possible so Hyeseong wouldn’t find out, and a long message had come.

He read it right away, but the contents weren’t very satisfactory. 

There was nothing. There was no one around Cheon Hyeseong who gave off the nuance of being a lover or anything like that. Honestly, when he heard that answer, contradictory emotions arose at the same time. The anxious heart that had been worried there might really be someone settled down a bit, but at the same time, there was the curiosity of what that kiss mark was then.

As long as there was physical evidence, it was clear that someone existed. Did he perhaps hide it thoroughly? But why? Not understanding, Ihyeok had instructed Deok-soo to investigate a bit more in detail, saying he would give him as much time as needed.

– Yes. It’s really certain. You know my skills, why are you like this?

“Sigh……”

Ihyeok deeply inhaled the cigarette and leaned against the corner of the shop. People passing by glanced at him with a look that seemed to say he had a story as he smoked.

“Fine, keep looking into it. Until someone comes up. I’ll look into it on my end too.”

A crying sound was heard from the other end of the line, but Ihyeok ignored it and continued.

“And what about the additional thing I asked?”

– Ah, I found that out right away. I’ll send it to you by text in a bit.

Telling him to hang up now and send it right away, Ihyeok ended the call with Deok-soo. In less than a minute, a text arrived from him.

[I looked into the address hyung Hyeseong moved to and it’s Seo-in City. A place called Myeongwol-myeon in Seo-in City and I’ve attached the detailed address below.]

Seo-in City, Myeongwol-myeon. It was a place Ihyeok knew well too. He finished smoking and looked up at the pitch-black sky.

TN: Thank you so much, Mimzy!