The Country Life Diary of a Gangster's Secretary - c47

This chapter is paid for by Nemuru!

 

Dohyun made a quite unexpected remark while eating breakfast.

 

“Yeah. I forgot but tomorrow is my mom’s birthday. There’s a family gathering tomorrow so I’m going today in advance! I need to buy some gifts too.”

 

Ah, that was an understandable reason. For a moment, Hyeseong wondered if this guy was trying to end that damned one-month living arrangement and go back, but unfortunately that didn’t seem to be the case. 

 

“Tell your mom happy birthday for me. If I had known earlier, I would have prepared something too.”

 

“It’s fine! You know well that my mom doesn’t care about that stuff anyway.”

 

Dohyun’s mother was a professor at a university hospital, and according to rumors, she seemed to be a charismatic and skilled doctor who was respected as an authority in her field.

 

Hyeseong had occasionally run into her at Dohyun’s house while doing homework during college, and even the mighty Hyeseong felt tense from her overwhelming dignity. He couldn’t help but think that Dohyun’s cheerful and carefree personality must be a mutation.

 

“Come to think of it, my mom did say she misses you too, Hyeseong.”

 

Since Dohyun was so immature and had a carefree personality, his mother was quite fond of Hyeseong. She would say every time they met how fortunate it was that a sharp and smart student like him was her son’s friend.

 

“It’s been a while since I greeted your mom too. Next time, set up an occasion for me to meet her.”

 

“Yeah, I will!”

 

“So when are you coming back?”

 

“Hmm… If I go today, I’ll probably stay with my parents for about two days?”

 

In that case, it meant Dohyun wouldn’t be able to come down for about 3 days. Hyeseong stirred his stew and nodded.

 

“Okay. Since you’re all getting together after a long time, spend some time there before coming back. Your parents are busy so you can’t meet often anyway.”

 

“Yeah, I plan to. Hyeseong, don’t skip breakfast while I’m gone! I’ll make some side dishes before I leave today.” 

 

“Hey, it’s fine. Just eat breakfast and get ready to leave right away.”

 

After stopping Dohyun who insisted on making side dishes, Hyeseong managed to send him out of the house. Watching Dohyun’s car safely depart, Hyeseong immediately started preparing. Confirming the approaching appointment time, he headed to the small neighborhood cafe he had gone to with Doo-sung last time.

 

Exchanging glances with the cafe owner, he entered and someone was already there.

 

“Team Leader Lee.”

 

“Ah, Mr. Hyeseong.”

 

“Am I a little late?”

 

“No! I just came a bit early…”

 

Hyeseong ordered an Americano and returned to his seat. The coffee that Team Leader Lee had ordered earlier was already more than half gone. It seemed he had been there for quite some time. 

 

“But is it okay for you to come out like this? I set this place as the meeting spot since it seemed a bit risky to meet near that office.”

 

“Yes, it’s fine. Our office lunch hour is usually from 1 to 2pm, but the boss and other employees are hardly there from 12 o’clock. They know I also go out during lunch to run errands, so even if I leave my seat it won’t seem strange to them.”

 

Hyeseong was glad that while he chose the location, Team Leader Lee set the time that was convenient for him.

 

“First of all, thank you for agreeing to help.”

 

“Not at all. Actually, I don’t want to live like this forever either…”

 

Lee Pilhyun, who smiled awkwardly, formally introduced himself.

 

Since meeting with Hyeseong yesterday, Pilhyun had been constantly thinking about what he had said. Although his words about helping to eliminate Kim Doo-sung and Myeongpum Capital sounded unrealistic, his heart raced at the persuasion that his life would greatly change.

 

When he first received Hyeseong’s text, he was simply afraid of betraying Kim Doo-sung as if committing a crime, so he refused. 

 

However, seeing Hyeseong, who was in a similar situation, not being intimidated but acting without hesitation to break free instead of accepting the reality before him, something began to boil up inside Pilhyun.

 

“Then before we start… this is more of a personal curiosity, but why are you working there, Team Leader Lee?”

 

“As you said before, Mr. Hyeseong, I have debt. To Kim Doo-sung. To be exact, it’s not that I borrowed it, but my younger brother did.”

 

“Your brother?”

 

“Yes. I have a much younger brother. He’s a college student and the only hope in our family that is not very well off.”

 

Pilhyun’s brother was a student at a prestigious university. After returning from the military and re-enrolling, he accidentally got involved with some club members and got into what people commonly refer to as “coins”, losing all the money he had.

 

Thinking he had suddenly lost a large sum of money, he tried to solve it on his own and resorted to private loans that he could use urgently. But the person who lent a dark hand to Pilhyun’s brother at that time was none other than Kim Doo-sung.

 

“Do you know who Kim Doo-sung’s main targets are? It’s young people, college students. That age group is vulnerable to temptation and easily collapses. My brother must have looked like good prey in Kim Doo-sung’s eyes too.”

 

“So the reason you started working at that office is also…”

 

“I went directly to Kim Doo-sung and begged him. To spare my brother. My brother is really smart, he got into a prestigious university… Our mother boasts about him so much to the neighbors. I didn’t want to ruin my brother’s life like that.”

 

So Pilhyun bowed his head and offered all the money he had saved while working as an ordinary company employee to Kim Doo-sung. Seeing that, Kim Doo-sung made a suggestion. He said he would lower the interest rate and reduce the amount to be paid each month if Pilhyun worked at the office.

 

“Compared to my brother, I’m nothing special, so I accepted right away.”

 

He was probably working without receiving proper pay. It was an endless slave contract. Hyeseong sighed involuntarily, but the more reason they had to stop Kim Doo-sung.

 

“By the way, Mr. Hyeseong, how are you planning to take down Kim Doo-sung?”

 

“Team Leader Lee, Myeongpum Capital is managed by Seohyeon Corporation, right?”

 

“Yes, that’s right. Although Seohyeon Corporation looks like a decent company on the outside, it’s not at all. It’s a gangster company. Myeongpum Capital is one of the many offices managed by Seohyeon.”

 

As expected. In the past, Seohyeon and Taesung had joined hands and defeated Baekdae, and it seemed Baekdae had been absorbed into Seohyeon. That connection continues to this day.

 

“Then, I assume it’s also true that Kim Doo-sung is embezzling money that should go to Seohyeon?”

 

“How, how did you know…”

 

Pilhyun widened his eyes in surprise. This was also as Hyeseong predicted. Pilhyun’s eyes gradually filled with more trust.

 

“Originally, a portion of the profits from Myeongpum Capital must be paid to Seohyeon. But Kim Doo-sung…”

 

Even though there was no one in the cafe, Pilhyun, who had become accustomed to being cautious, looked around and lowered his voice.

 

“He manipulates the monthly profits every time. The money left in between all goes into Kim Doo-sung’s wallet.”

 

It was a shallow trick. The principle was to pay a portion of the profits from the illegal private loan office to Seohyeon, but it seemed Kim Doo-sung was embezzling money by manipulating the profits themselves from the beginning.

 

“In short, he’s pocketing the money.”

 

“Yes, that’s right.”

 

Pilhyun nodded, a little startled by the raw jargon.

 

“You seem to know very well, Mr. Hyeseong.”

 

“Ah, I’ve seen a lot of that in the past too.”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

Pilhyun almost choked at Hyeseong’s nonchalant words. But the reason he was able to quickly draw out possibilities and make predictions like this was because he was truly familiar with such matters.

 

When working for the Taesung gang, he occasionally saw this repertoire. Usually, large-scale organizations absorb other organizations and place them under their umbrella, and sometimes he witnessed the guys below secretly intercepting the money they had to pay and completely disappearing when caught.

 

“Then, the account book that Kim Doo-sung mentioned…”

 

“It’s an account book that records the manipulated profits and the money he embezzled.”

 

“From what I heard, it seems like you manage that, Team Leader Lee. Can you secretly take it out?”

 

“Ah… actually, I create and manage the account book, but it’s kept in Kim Doo-sung’s room. He keeps it in the top drawer of his desk, locked with a key. I write it, show it to him, and he checks it and puts it away.”

 

It seemed he managed the important account book diligently after all.

 

“Moreover, there has been some pressure from Seohyeon lately that the profits are too low… I don’t know if Seohyeon has noticed, but Kim Doo-sung will probably be cautious and thoroughly manage the account book. That’s probably why he’s so desperate to get more people to sign up for the products to you, Mr. Hyeseong.”

 

Pilhyun added that everyone is obsessed with recruiting customers these days to somehow secure the money to send to Seohyeon.

 

“Hmm, it’s not an easy situation. For now, we need that account book the most.”

 

As Hyeseong frowned, lost in thought, Pilhyun carefully asked after checking his reaction.

 

“I’m sorry to interrupt your thoughts, but I have one question. Why are you doing this, Mr. Hyeseong?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Instead of reporting to the police, you alone are seriously… fighting with gangsters, which can’t be easy.”

 

Although he trusted Hyeseong, Pilhyun was a little curious about his serious intent to confront Kim Doo-sung.

 

“Team Leader Lee, you know I came here to retire in the countryside, right?”

 

“Yes, yes.”

 

“That’s why. I want to rest comfortably, but they won’t leave me alone. If we report to the police, those bastards will find a way to escape. It’s uncertain if punishment will even be possible in the first place. In that case, it’s best to cut them off completely.”

 

Moreover, while he could ignore Kim Doo-sung and avoid him, he might cause trouble in the village again. Hyeseong didn’t want his bad luck to harm others as well.

 

Hearing the answer, Pilhyun admired him inwardly. Despite the difficult task ahead, his remarkably calm and principled attitude was respectable, even though he was younger than him.

 

“I… Mr. Hyeseong, I’ll try to take it out.”

 

“Is it possible? If it’s difficult to take out the account book, just take a picture and send it to me. That’s realistically the best method.”

 

“Yes!”

 

Pilhyun showed his clenched fist with slightly worried eyes. There was still anxiety on his face, but it definitely felt different from before.

 

“I want to confront them at least once like you, Mr. Hyeseong.”

 

“Yes. Then I’ll leave it to you. If it seems even a little dangerous, let go immediately. Oh, and delete the texts we exchanged every day too.”

 

“Yes.”

 

With the discussion somewhat concluded, the two got up from their seats.

 

“Then I’ll contact you.”

 

“Yes, please…”

 

As he got up from his seat, his head suddenly spun. Hyeseong grabbed the table, frowning.

 

“Mr. Hyeseong, are you okay?”

 

“Ah, yes. I’m fine.”

 

He was starting to feel a little feverish and a headache was coming on. Was the pheromone trying to come out again? Hyeseong hurriedly parted with Team Leader Lee and quickly headed home.

This chapter is paid for by Nemuru!