CH 191

Jo Gyu-Min anxiously stared at the clock in his office.

'It's getting late, isn't it?'

It had already been two hours since he last spoke on the phone with Kang Jin-Ho. Jo Gyu-Min tried to call again out of concern, but Kang Jin-Ho didn't answer his phone.

'I'm getting worried here.'

Jo Gyu-Min couldn't help but wonder if something bad had happened to Kang Jin-Ho, but he shook his head in the end.

'There's no need to worry about him, right?'

Didn't Jo Gyu-Min witness 'it' back in China? Kang Jin-Ho was no ordinary man. Something untoward happening to him was simply unimaginable. Someone with such unexplainable powers meeting with 'accident' just wouldn't make any sense. Even so...

'That assailant is also not an ordinary person, right? So...'

Indeed, someone capable of erasing all of their traces from countless CCTV cameras couldn't have been an ordinary person. On top of that, didn't Kang Jin-Ho say the assailant attacked him and got away unscathed?

Jo Gyu-Min put his phone down, then stared listlessly at the ceiling.

'I don't understand it at all.'

Both Kang Jin-Ho and that assailant were far from what would be classified as a 'normal' human being. To think such individuals walked among regular civilians...

When it was 'only' Kang Jin-Ho, he seemed like a special existence. However, with the emergence of more people like him, Jo Gyu-Min began having different thoughts. What if... there were a surprisingly large number of such individuals living among ordinary humans? And what if they simply chose not to reveal themselves publicly?

Jo Gyu-Min's expression gradually stiffened. Even he had to admit his suspicion didn't sound so outrageous anymore. Besides, his suspicion didn't spring from people similar to Kang Jin-Ho revealing themselves. No, it was the world itself.

'How come no one is talking about a topic this huge?'

Kang Jin-Ho was working on a skyscraper when he fell. Although no one died, a person falling from somewhere high up like that in broad daylight should have made international news. However, news broadcasts and online discussion boards remained deafeningly silent. In the world of rampant social media, it simply made no sense that not a single witness had posted anything on their profile.

Someone, or some group, had to be systematically shutting down any news about that incident. However, even the government would find it nearly impossible to silence all those eyewitnesses. However, Jo Gyu-Min was experiencing it himself.

'Maybe, this world is operating completely differently from what I knew all along...?'

After the many questions he worked so hard to bury deep inside the recesses of his mind began resurfacing once again, Jo Gyu-Min couldn't help but think about all those incomprehensible things that happened in the past. Before he could delve deeper, though, his phone rang first.

Jo Gyu-Min shot up to his feet after confirming Kang Jin-Ho's name on the screen and hurriedly answered the call. “Mister Jin-Ho?”

- Yes, it's me.

“I'm so relieved to hear your voice. Looks like nothing bad happened.”

- What do you mean?

Jo Gyu-Min sighed in relief at Kang Jin-Ho's voice which sounded like his usual self. Even though his head knew he didn't have to worry about Kang Jin-Ho, his heart couldn't remain that way. His concern leapfrogged his logic when there was no communication between them, even though he knew things would end up this way.

“What happened to him?”

- Still alive.

However, that reply sounded like, “I've left him more or less alive.”

Jo Gyu-Min closed his eyes and silently offered his prayer for the assailant that got caught in Kang Jin-Ho's nefarious plot. However, that individual attacked first, so he had no excuses in this case.

“Understood. However, how big was the confrontation? Do you need my help to deal with the aftermath?”

- No, there's no need. Someone else will likely do that for us.

“I see...” Jo Gyu-Min nodded. Listening to Kang Jin-Ho's reply helped him figure out something else. It seemed that Kang Jin-Ho was already aware of some people potentially showing up soon to clean up the mess he was leaving behind. However, he sounded vague about it, as if he too wasn't a hundred percent sure about the mysterious 'they'.

“Understood. Still, just in case, I'll have the surroundings investigated.”

- Got it.

“And Mister Jin-Ho. I'm asking in preparation for the future, but... Can you tell me the identity of the assailant’s employer, and why they are aiming for your life?”

- He's from China. That side wanted to know what kind of a person I was.

“What kind of a person, you say?” Jo Gyu-Min asked back in slight stupefaction.

Kang Jin-Ho's next reply sounded hushed.

Theft is never good, try looking at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.

- Don't worry. I made sure to let him know.

A soft sigh leaked out of Jo Gyu-Min's lips even though he didn't mean to. He could already imagine how wretched the assailant's current state had to be. “I see. It must've been hard for you, Mister Jin-Ho. Go home and get some rest.”

- I will. Well, then…

The call ended there. Jo Gyu-Min slowly shook his head as he sat back on the chair.

'I still keep on forgetting, don't I...'

Despite constantly reminding himself to not let his guard down, Jo Gyu-Min kept on forgetting about how scary Kang Jin-Ho truly was. Well, watching the young man go about his daily life had that kind of effect. As such, Jo Gyu-Min's confusion was most likely the result of the great disparity between Kang Jin-Ho's 'usual' slight-daftness and his terrifying side, which only emerged when he was facing off against enemies out to harm him.

Jo Gyu-Min told himself to be more mindful of his conduct in front of Kang Jin-Ho from now on.

'However... China, is it?'

Of course, Kang Jin-Ho had done some things in China that could become a problem. But to think that the Chinese would send someone all the way to Korea because of that, though...

Jo Gyu-Min gravely pondered what he should do about this before picking up his phone again. “Hello. Please inform the Chairman that I need to speak to him as soon as possible.”

***

Baek Hyeon-Jeong suddenly addressed her son. “Jin-Ho.”

“Yes, Mother?” Kang Jin-Ho looked over the breakfast and stared at his mother.

“Son, it seems you'll have to stop by at a filming location.”

“Filming location?” Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head in slight confusion. A filming location? Did she mean a TV station? “Did something happen to Eun-Yeong?”

A 'filming location' would surely involve Kang Eun-Yeong, so Kang Jin-Ho's line of thinking wasn't entirely wrong.

Baek Hyeon-Jeong narrowed her eyes. “Don't you know your little sister got a part in a drama recently?”

“Oh? Really?” Kang Jin-Ho's head tilting intensified. Wasn't Kang Eun-Yeong an idol? A singer? Why would a singer get a role in a drama? Her job was to sing on a stage, after all. “I had no idea, Mother.”

“...I see. Well, in any case. She's acting in a drama, but that girl carelessly left something behind. Looks like you'll have to take it to her.”

Kang Jin-Ho's head tilted so much he was practically resting it on his shoulder. Things necessary during filming shouldn't even be found at home, so what was this all about?

“Mother? What am I supposed to deliver to Eun-Yeong?”

“A ‘pact.”

When Kang Jin-Ho heard that, he became serious and gravely nodded away. “I see. This son will make sure to remind your daughter about her pact with the family.”

Baek Hyeon-Jeong looked at her son weirdly. “What are you talking about? I meant this, a compact. It's a makeup kit, son.”

“...Oh.” Kang Jin-Ho received a paper bag from his mother while inwardly groaning. “But, wouldn't the film set have their own makeup people? Why do I need to deliver this to Eun-Yeong?”

“This is an expensive makeup kit, Jin-Ho. Eun-Yeong directly purchased it from an overseas supplier, saying it suits her skin the best. But she forgot it at home and has been calling me since early morning to whine at me. Can't you just take it to her?”

“Hmm...” Kang Jin-Ho groaned again, then slowly nodded. “Understood. But where is the filming location?”

“Mm? Where was it again? Hold on...” Baek Hyeon-Jeong scrolled through her phone's screen, then smiled at her son. “It's in Yeongdeok.[1]”

“...I'm sorry?”

“You should hurry and get going, son.”

“W-wait a minute, Mother?”

***

Vroooom...

Kang Jin-Ho groaned once again while depressing the accelerator of his vehicle.

'I'm not getting a lot of chance to ride my Golden Elephant these days, huh.'

It seemed that after his discharge from the military, Kang Jin-Ho hadn't gotten much riding time on the saddle of his trusty bicycle. Then again, his scope of activity had become far wider than before. And that meant some distances were simply too great to be covered on a bicycle, even if the rider was none other than Kang Jin-Ho.

Besides, he had gotten a lot more familiar with this Lamborghini's capabilities at this point. Traveling at a speed incomparably faster than what the Golden Elephant could produce was also pretty entertaining in its own right.

“...But why do they need to travel to Yeongdeok to shoot a TV show?”

If the production wanted a place near the ocean, they could have used Incheon or even somewhere in Gangwon province, so why did they have to go so far away? Kang Jin-Ho just couldn't understand it.

Vroooom!

The red supercar, which he affectionately named Zoom Zoom, issued a low, bassy exhaust note as it sped toward the destination. Kang Jin-Ho only needed around half of the time estimated by the GPS navigation system to reach the filming location. After finding a suitable parking space, he got out of the car only to sigh again after sensing that the crowd's attention was fixated on him.

“Do I need to put a cover on the car or something...?”

His car's biggest downside was when he needed to get in or out. Obviously, a car driving closer while making a racket would draw people's attention. And when such a car parked somewhere close by, those same people would wait to see just who was driving it. Kang Jin-Ho escaped from the skin-prickling attention aimed at his face and hurriedly sought out a deserted location before taking out his phone to call Kang Eun-Yeong.

“Where are you, Eun-Yeong?”

- Is that you, orabeoni~?

“I said, where are you?” Kang Jin-Ho hurriedly muttered, his voice sounding anxious. He wanted to quickly hand over this paper bag and get out of here as soon as possible.

- I'm in the middle of a makeup session... Sorry, but can't you come over here?

Kang Jin-Ho shuddered grandly. “Can't you come out for a second?”

- No can do. If I exit from the makeup trailer, that's gonna delay the process, and... the unnies working here won't get a break, you see?

“...Got it. Where are you, then?”

- If you go past the entrance and head deeper, you'll see a bunch of trailers. I'm in one of them, so hurry. I can't speak now, so talk to you later.

Drop.

The call ended there. Kang Jin-Ho sucked in a few deep breaths. What a difficult mission this was, finding the one trailer with Kang Eun-Yeong in it amidst the gaggle of people over there.

'...Here I go!'

Kang Jin-Ho's eyes gleamed in a determined light as he stepped into the busy crowd.

***

“Sorry, sir. But you can't go inside,” said the security guard standing before the makeup trailer's entrance.

“Is Kang Eun-Yeong inside?” Kang Jin-Ho asked the guard.

“Kang Eun-Yeong? I don't know anyone by that name.”

“...It's Kang Se-Ah, then.”

“...Aha, Miss Kang Se-Ah?” The guard scanned Kang Jin-Ho from top to bottom, then shook his head. “You still can't go inside. If you want to give her a present, deliver it to her agency.”

“No, wait, I...”

“And outsiders are not allowed to enter the film location, so how did you get this far? You're not supposed to be here, sir. Please exit the premises right away.”

“No, listen. I'm not here to deliver presents. She said she needed something from home, so I brought it over.”

“Yes, yes, sure thing... Please hand that something over to her agency, sir. No matter what, you are not going inside, so turn around and go home, sir. Before I call the police, that is.”

Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded at the firm attitude of the security guard. It wouldn't be strange to lose one's temper in a situation like this, but Kang Jin-Ho didn't feel that way. He was actually glad to see this level of strict security. If he was allowed inside without anyone stopping him—that would have enraged him even more.

Kang Jin-Ho pulled out his phone and called his little sister. “Yeah, I'm right outside but can't go in. So, you gotta come out instead.”

After that brief explanation, he ended the call and stood around waiting for Kang Eun-Yeong.

“...Mm?” The security guard narrowed his eyes at how relaxed Kang Jin-Ho was, then did a double take on the young man's face.

'Huh? Isn't he...?'

Didn't this young man appear in that famous online clip involving Kang Se-Ah? This young man had the same face as Kang Se-Ah's older brother who did that impromptu interview. He was currently wearing a baseball cap low down on his head, making it harder to identify him. Now that the guard had taken a closer look, however, he became sure of it.

The guard tried to say something. “E-excuse—”

But the trailer's door suddenly flew open as Kang Eun-Yeong peeked her head out. “Orabeoni~!”

Kang Jin-Ho shot a glare at her while slowly gritting his teeth. “You...!”

However, she urgently ran up to him even before he could admonish her, then began pulling him by his arm toward the trailer. “Hurry! Come on!”

“Urgh...”

After Kang Jin-Ho and Kang Eun-Yeong disappeared into the trailer, and the door slammed shut behind them, the security guard quietly groaned at length.

'Gee whiz. I'd have recognized him without that cap, though.'

Kang Se-Ah's older brother was wearing a cheap baseball cap along with a worn-out and fading tracksuit. Wasn't that a standard outfit for any aspiring stalker?

“I don't get it. He’s good-looking, so why does he dress that way?” The security guard slowly shook his head.

1. The county of Yeongdeok is over 240km away from Seoul. ☜