NOVEL NEXT Chapter 39.1
Pricking The Persimmon That You’re Not Allowed to Eat1 (1)
The timing coincided with the day of the Joongmae Gang Incident.
That confirmed it. Aeryuwon was connected to the Joongmae Gang, and that meant that it had to be connected with Wang Ong-Gu as well.
However, I was getting a bad feeling.
The missing organs that were harvested from the abandoned hospital.
Could they be…
“What’s the process like for the kids getting adopted?”
“Since they’re usually being adopted by families from outside the country, we get a lot of foreigners visiting the children. Then once the adoption is confirmed, we hold a small party, and then the principal and a driver will take the child to the airport on that very day.”
“Foreigners?”
“Ah. Now that I think about it, didn’t they visit yesterday as well?”
“Mhm. You didn’t get to see them because you were late. It looks like So-Yeon will probably be leaving us next.”
At this point, Sang-Beom and Ji-Hye began chatting away to each other.
But this, this was something that I definitely needed to dig deeper into.
Although I would like to snoop through the director’s office without Jin Hwa-An knowing about it…
As I was lost in my own thoughts, Sang-Beom knocked on the table.
“Hyung.”
“Yeah?”
“Remember what you said earlier? If I helped you out, then you’d give me whatever I want.”
“That’s what I said.”
I thought that I could vaguely guess what he would ask for.
Sang-Beom grabbed my hand with a serious look on his face.
Even though I’m a cop, I also happen to be rich, so in his eyes I might look something like Batman.
“Although I don’t know what’s going on, I swear I’ll do whatever you tell me to do. In return, let’s search for my older brother together.”
“Hey. Choi Sang-Beom.”
Ji-Hye, who was sitting beside him, reminded him with a concerned expression.
“You can’t say such a thing so carelessly. How can you promise that you’ll do whatever he asks? And even without making that sort of request, it’s the police’s duty to find him anyway.”
“It’s already been five years. Apart from my family, there is no one who’s still searching for him. Although I didn’t know that there was a police officer among my brother’s friends…”
A note of resentment that had been concealed within Sang-Beom’s voice revealed itself here.
“I’m sorry, but it’s only been a few years since I became a police officer.”
“So what! Don’t you need our help right now? This works out for the both of us.”
That’s right. He made a good point. This arrangement suited me fine.
But I had to say that I felt a bit uncomfortable dragging kids into this sort of matter.
As I hesitated, Sang-Beom burst up from his seat.
“Or else, I could go running to the principal right now? What would she do if I told her that a police officer was asking me all sorts of weird questions?”
“Hey, sit your ass back down. And stay seated, you punk.”
Faced with my calm response, Sang-Beom reluctantly sat back down.
Hmm. Looks like it can’t be helped.
It’s not like I don’t know how stubborn this guy is. Besides he’s just asking me to find his hyung, nothing else.
I’ll just have to pull them out if things get too risky for them.
I nodded my head as if in reluctant acceptance.
“Fine. When’s your next scheduled volunteering time?”
“It’s the day after tomorrow.”
“I’ll visit Aeryuwon during that time. Try and create a chance for me to snoop around alone.”
“That sort of thing is my specialty.”
Ji-Hye stared at Sang-Beom with a worried frown.
No matter what happens, it looks like Sang-Beom’s happiness would only be fulfilled if I could help this friend of his become my sister-in-law.
For now, I just rose from my seat with a smile.
“I’m counting on your discretion.”
“Yes. Don’t worry about it.”
“Fine then. I’m a bit busy at the moment, so I’ll be leaving first. Have some more tteokbokki before you go.”
Leaving the children behind, I walked out of the snack bar.
Checking the time, it was already evening.
I’d set out this morning to grill some of the Joongmae Gang’s thugs, but I had already reaped a big harvest in advance.
I got into my car and headed towards the hospital.
***
On the 8th floor of the Chung-Ang University Hospital.
Since the thugs from the Joongmae Gang were being hospitalized here, the police had stationed a tight guard around the place.
I showed my police badge to the officer who intercepted me and entered the ward.
Within lay Wi Yeon-Gil, whose face was swollen like a balloon.
His expression darkened as soon as he saw me.
As his limbs were bound to the bed, he was stuck in a state where he couldn’t move a muscle. I dragged a chair over to his bedside and sat down next to him.
“An impertinent bastard like you, who doesn’t even pay his taxes, is just a waste of the hospital fees. Hurry up and get moving so that we can have you sleep tight in jail.”
“滚出去操你.”2
“I know you just cursed at me. While I’m still speaking politely, make sure to reply in Korean.”
“…since I don’t have anything to say, just leave.”
“Ju Sa-Oh. You know that if you get taken to China like this, all that’s waiting for you is a death sentence, right?”
Footnote:
1 A Korean idiom that has a similar meaning to the English idiom ‘sour grapes’. Describes the feeling of someone who is jealous of what others have.
2 “Get lost and fuck you.”