The Country Life Diary of a Gangster's Secretary - c81

This chapter is paid for by Nemuru!

[I’ll be done with exams tomorrow.]

 

A smile was already on Hyeseong’s face as he left the lecture hall. He sent a text to Ihyeok and looked around. The hallway was quiet since he had submitted his exam first and left. Today was the start of exam week. He felt good, perhaps because he had finished the important required subject exam with a sense of relief. 

 

Now he only had one elective major course and a required general education course exam left. Once those were done, he would have some free time for a while, so he could go see Ihyeok without overdoing it. Thinking that way made him feel excited for no reason, even though exams weren’t over yet.

 

Dohyun was probably still taking his exam, so Hyeseong planned to go down to the 1st floor lounge and study a bit more.

 

As he was walking towards the elevator, he suddenly felt lightheaded. 

 

“Ah.”

 

Hyeseong held his forehead. It seemed the effects of studying while taking short naps were slowly catching up to him.

 

Hyeseong went down to the lounge, put his things down and slumped over the desk for a moment. Just then, a text came from Ihyeok.

 

[Tomorrow?] 

 

[Yes. I’ll go as soon as I’m done.]

 

Even amid the oncoming headache, Hyeseong replied right away. Seeing the ‘1’ disappear immediately, Hyeseong indulged in the idle thought that maybe Ihyeok had been waiting for his contact too.

 

But as soon as he saw the text message on the screen, Hyeseong abruptly got up from his  chair in surprise.

 

[Hyeseong, want to come starting next week? You just finished exams this week, so rest a bit. Okay?]

 

Hyeseong’s brow gradually furrowed at the subsequent replies saying let’s meet next week. The usual Ihyeok would have said something silly like he’ll buy snacks since Hyeseong is coming. So those words telling him not to come this week were very disconcerting.

 

The reason college students look forward to their last exams being over is so they can drink and have fun as soon as possible, but Hyeseong was a bit different. Because he could only go hang out at the Taesung office once exams were all done. Because only then could he see Ihyeok. He had been anticipating this day more than any other time.

 

Hyeseong’s face slowly filled with disappointment. This had never happened before. Whenever he texted that he was coming, Ihyeok would unhesitatingly welcome Hyeseong at the office. It had even reached the point where he could comfortably drop by without contacting him first, but suddenly being told he can’t come this week…

 

[Why?]

 

Hyeseong texted back as he sat in the  chair again. The ‘1’ disappeared right away like before, but for some reason there was no reply from Ihyeok even after 5 minutes. 

 

He kept waiting, but there was no contact from Ihyeok even by the time Dohyun finished his exam and came back, and even while having lunch together.

 

[Looks like Ahjussi will be a bit busy with work this week.]

 

And with that text that came an hour later, Hyeseong experienced the feeling of strength draining from his body once again. Right. What can you do if he says he has work?

 

Leaving his disappointment behind, Hyeseong focused his gaze on his books again.

 

* * *

 

“Damn it! Hey, Kwon Ihyeok! What are you doing?”

 

In an alley not too far from the Taesung office.

 

Ihyeok had a cigarette in his mouth and was tapping away at his cell phone. To the side, bulky men had collapsed and weapons were flying around. In this place reeking of blood and filled with agonized groans, Ihyeok was blankly staring only at his phone with an indifferent expression.

 

Seongjin, who was busy beating someone up on the other side, yelled in frustration. 

 

“What else.”

 

Ihyeok roughly put his phone in his pocket and picked up a weapon that had fallen nearby. Just then, someone rushed at him from behind with a knife in one hand.

 

“Replying to Hyeseong.”

 

Ihyeok quickly turned his body and sharply twisted his head to the right. The man’s face, who had aimed his knife at the innocent space Ihyeok’s head had been, filled with irritation. 

 

Ihyeok grabbed the man’s outstretched arm and pulled. Then he struck the face of the guy who lost his balance and fell forward with the weapon.

 

There was a sound of something breaking and an agonized scream burst from the man’s mouth. Ihyeok swung his hand a few more times. Blood splattered elegantly onto his face, but he didn’t even blink.

 

After that, Ihyeok flew around like crazy in the narrow alley. He aimed only for the vital points of his enemies with the weapon he was holding. And later, he beat the hyenas trying to take his life to a pulp with his bare fists.

 

The enemies were all holding sharp, glinting knives as if they had come fully prepared, but there wasn’t even a shallow scratch to be found on Ihyeok’s body. He just took on the guys rushing at him one by one with an expressionless face.

 

“Phew.”

 

It was when Ihyeok threw the last guy who had lost consciousness to the ground.

 

“Boss!”

 

The Taesung members including Baek-do came running with ashen faces.

 

“Aigo, I’m going to die. Those bastards sure came fast.”

 

Seongjin complained as he plopped down on the ground. His condition was the same as Ihyeok’s. His Hawaiian shirt with a fancy print was completely stained red, but not a single drop was his own blood. 

 

“Are you alright?”

 

Baek-do asked as he checked Ihyeok and Seongjin’s conditions in turn. Ihyeok nodded roughly as he put another cigarette in his mouth.

 

“Baek-do.”

 

“Yes… yes?”

 

Ihyeok exhaled cigarette smoke into the air. Rubbing his stiff neck, he opened his mouth.

 

“Looks like you were right.”

 

Baek-do gulped and looked at the bloody scene unfolding before his eyes. Well over a dozen burly men were collapsed on the ground. Even just the knives scattered about were considerable. Fortunately, the two didn’t seem to be seriously injured, but in a way, that was also quite unbelievable.

 

“What was it again? Yuseong-pa?”

 

Just as Baek-do was feeling their grandeur once more, Ihyeok tilted his head with sunken eyes.

 

“Aish, you idiot. It’s Yushin, not Yuseong.”

 

Seongjin clicked his tongue and put the cigarette the subordinate handed him in his mouth.

 

“Right. Those bastards.”

 

“Don’t tell me… are all these guys from Yushin-pa?”

 

Ihyeok nodded and bent over. He snuffed out his cigarette on the right thumb of a guy who had passed out next to him. Baek-do’s gaze naturally went there. The thumb of the guy teetering on the brink of death without even realizing his finger was being burned was stained black.

 

Baek-do knew well what that meant. It was a kind of mark within Yushin-pa to identify their members.

 

He had gotten a call from the guy driving Ihyeok and Seongjin saying they had been ambushed, and rushed over like crazy only to find this scene. 

 

Indeed, the only ones who would dare mess with Taesung in this area now were Yushin-pa.

 

“Man, these bastards were really scary. Who would have thought they’d be hiding near the soup restaurant and attack?”

 

Seongjin shook his head and grumbled. It was as Seongjin said. The demolition job was roughly wrapped up and Ihyeok and Seongjin had headed to the sauna in the morning for the first time in a while. After warming up their bodies, they were coming out of their regular soup restaurant of 30 years after filling their stomachs, not expecting a knife to come flying from behind.

 

“They probably deliberately targeted you, Boss.”

 

“Probably. If they just trample me and Kwon Ihyeok, it’s over for Taesung.”

 

Seongjin got up from his spot, supporting his back. 

 

“What should we do, Boss? These bastards will never let go of prey they’ve targeted once. Seems like they came up to Seoul determined…”

 

At Baek-do’s words, everyone’s gaze naturally turned to Ihyeok. He was pressing the screen with his blood-covered hands.

 

“Find them. The head of those bastards.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Baek-do answered in a booming voice at the words implying they would also take action.

 

“By when?”

 

“Well… Actually, not much is known about the Yushin-pa leader so by next week…”

 

“This week.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

A calm voice was heard behind him as he was leaving the alley.

 

“Let’s find him by this week.”

 

“That, that might be a bit tight…”

 

At Baek-do’s words, Ihyeok stopped in his tracks. In that moment, Baek-do felt it. That he had made a mistake.

 

Ihyeok slowly turned his head. What settled on his blood-splattered face was a clear smile.

 

“Do it. This place needs to be safe for me to comfortably call Hyeseong over.”

 

Baek-do knew well the meaning of that smile Ihyeok showed.

 

Moreover, Ihyeok had been unusually on edge lately compared to normal. Ever since Hyeseong stopped coming to the office for a few weeks.

 

So he bowed his waist without further comment. Only his booming voice saying he would absolutely get it done rang through the alley.

 

* * *

 

“Ah, it’s finally over!”

 

“Hey, tell the kids to come to that pub!”

 

The faces of the students leaving the lecture hall were excited. As soon as the last general education course exam ended, the students were moving faster than anyone to quickly drown the accumulated stress in alcohol.

 

The only one sitting alone in the middle of the lecture hall, slowly gathering his things, was Hyeseong.

 

“Hyeseong! Did your exams go well?”

 

“Yeah. More or less.”

 

Dohyun was no different from the other kids. Until a few days ago, he looked completely devoid of energy as if he was about to die, but now he was more lively than anyone.

 

“I totally bombed it.”

 

“But why doesn’t your face look like you bombed it?”

 

“That’s obviously because exams are over!”

 

Dohyun even made silly jokes to close junior classmates passing by, saying it was great. Seeing that, Hyeseong chuckled and got up, picking up his bag.

 

“You’re going straight there, right Hyeseong?”

 

Perhaps it was because they always stuck together. Dohyun had roughly figured out Hyeseong’s routine by now.

 

“Yeah. Well.”

 

Hyeseong mumbled with a gloomy expression. There was no need to tell Dohyun that Ihyeok had told him not to come this week. As soon as they left the department building, Dohyun disappeared towards the busy streets, probably to drink with his club members.

 

After parting with Dohyun, Hyeseong habitually entered the messenger chat with Ihyeok. Contrary to his faint hope, there was no contact from Ihyeok.

 

He must know that exams ended today. He thought Ihyeok would at least send some small talk like asking if they went well or telling him to eat something good since he’s done.

 

Hyeseong let out a short sigh and headed to the bus stop. On the way home, riding a quiet bus, he leaned his head against the window and blankly watched the scenery outside.

 

What on earth was he so busy with? Ihyeok had quite often subtly asked for Hyeseong’s opinion on matters within the organization.

 

Wanting to be helpful to Ihyeok, Hyeseong always told him efficient solutions and it was becoming a natural thing. 

 

But this time, he didn’t even tell him what it was about and just said he was busy so don’t come. He understood, but he couldn’t help feeling sad.

 

Just then, a familiar bus stop name flowed out from the broadcast. If he got off here and walked for just 5 minutes, he would reach the office where Ihyeok was.

 

“……”

 

After thinking for a moment, Hyeseong gave a short nod and stretched out his hand. The lively sound of the stop bell rang through the bus.

This chapter is paid for by Nemuru!