Three Eight-Chapter 19

"......I didn't go that far."

As Hongju parted his lips, blood that had oozed from the wound mixed with the ointment and soaked into the folds of his skin, unable to blend with it.

"That's something to brag about."

He muttered with a smirk and finally released Hongju. As he walked away, Hongju let out the breath he had been holding in. A bitter taste of ointment lingered in his mouth.

"Uh? He's going inside."

Doksu mumbled quietly. Had he been watching from the window? Just at the right moment, Guppping came out of the room. He smiled brightly, as if he were happy to see Mu-gyeong, the same person who had been tricked just days ago over his severed finger.

"CEO Mu-gyeong is here? But what’s this? I thought he wasn’t coming today, so I already set up the table."

Mu-gyeong shrugged but didn’t stop walking, signaling indifference. A flash of excitement appeared in Guppping’s eyes. This was the signal that the game was about to begin.

"He’s my ex, just started to get into Hwatu... He’ll clean up and leave before dawn. Please bear with me a little. You’re okay with that, right?"

"If business is going well, that’s fine."

Guppping, grinning like an idiot, wrapped his arm around Mu-gyeong’s waist as if escorting him. Guppping seemed fairly bulky, but next to Mu-gyeong, he looked small.

"Here’s coffee. Wait, do you want beer, CEO Mu-gyeong?"

Before stepping through the door, Mu-gyeong paused for a moment and glanced over toward Hongju, who was wiping his mouth with a tissue. Hongju, as if caught by his gaze, froze in place.

"Expensive water."

"Expensive water? Ah... okay! Hongju, buy a good bottle of water. Doksu, take my place and catch the cards."

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"Yes."

The chair next to Hongju scraped against the floor. Doksu, as if he had been waiting, hurried toward the back room. Hongju took out a 10,000-won bill from the drawer. After asking a passing staff member to save his seat, he left the house.

He shouldn’t play the cards. If CEO Mu-gyeong ends up broke after losing all his money, then there would be no hope left for Hongju. He had given the hint, so Mu-gyeong shouldn’t catch the cards. He was a smart person, so he would have understood.

"They say he’s the type to smell money."

Believing this made Hongju feel at ease. He nodded and quickened his pace, muttering about the "expensive water" as he went.

"Goodbye."

What kind of water could cost more than 1,000 won per bottle? Hongju stuffed the water bottle Mu-gyeong had bought for him into his pocket. Then, he pulled out his phone, which had run out of battery. Fortunately, he had noticed a convenience store selling portable chargers earlier. He connected the charger and stashed the phone back into his inner pocket. By the time he reached his destination, he should be able to turn it on again.

While zipping up his coat, Hongju noticed a hole in the front hem of his padded jacket. He rubbed his fingers over the worn area. The spot where it had been burned with cigarette ash on Mu-gyeong’s first day at the house now had a full hole in it.

"Once I pay off the debt, I’ll... buy a new padded jacket."

It was a modest wish for the first thing he’d do when he gained freedom. How much would a good padded jacket cost? How much would he need to work to earn enough to buy one that would keep him warm in the dead of winter? He could manage through the summer, but winter was unbearable, and every day was a struggle.

Hongju made a rough guess of the price as he drank his share of the water. It was the cheapest one available. After finishing half the bottle, Hongju drank the rest as he neared the house. He would have to endure thirst for a while once he went back inside.

When he swallowed the last sip, he immediately headed for the back room. As soon as he entered the house, he looked around for Mu-gyeong. Luckily, he was sitting by the window, smoking a cigarette. His gaze was fixed on the window that was covered with plastic.

"Here."

Hongju made sure to say something, but Mu-gyeong didn’t even glance at him. Instead of responding, he merely gestured toward the window with his chin. Hongju quietly placed the bottle down and scanned the room. Everyone seemed focused on the game, but in reality, they were likely all paying attention to the scene in the room. They were probably just waiting for the right moment to pull Mu-gyeong into the game.

"......"

Knowing that there were people watching, Hongju couldn’t stand there for too long. He wiped the remaining moisture from his hands on his padded jacket and turned his body. He wanted to say one more thing, but maybe it was better to just send a message. As he considered this, he glanced behind him. This time, his eyes met Mu-gyeong’s.

"You look damn suspicious. You’re not messing with me, are you?"

"Chief Yang, embarrassed after being beaten by a rookie? Oh well. I’ll take care of it, sis."

Hongju silently shook his head while observing the noisy conversation at the table. It was his silent way of telling Mu-gyeong not to get involved in the game. But Mu-gyeong, with no expression, simply turned his gaze back to the window, as though they had never made eye contact.

With a small sigh, Hongju took a step forward. Suddenly, Doksu pulled out his phone.

"Eh? I’ve got an important call. I’m going to miss this round."

"What? No way, if someone drops out in the middle, the odds will be off."

"Sorry. It’s really an important call."

Despite the complaints, Doksu set down his cards. He quickly answered the phone and stood up.

"CEO, how have you been? Me? I’m always good."

Doksu, with his arm casually around Hongju’s shoulder, walked out of the room. His steps, as if dragged, felt heavy. As they moved farther from the room, Doksu put the phone back in his pocket.

"We’re starting now."

His words, spoken into his left ear, faintly drifted into Hongju’s right ear.

"......"

Now that Doksu was out of the room, someone was needed for the next round. The only person left who was not involved in the game was Mu-gyeong, so Hongju would likely propose it to him first. Normally, he wouldn’t turn down such a suggestion and would play along, but how Mu-gyeong would react was still uncertain. After all, he hadn’t shown any interest in gambling, nor was he the type to comply easily when someone asked him.

Still, the unease remained. Hongju wanted to look back, but Doksu’s firm grip on his shoulder made it hard to do so. There was no sound behind him.

"Sigh."

Hongju had no reason to enter the room unless someone asked him to run an errand, so he nervously chewed on his lips the entire time. He secretly entered the bathroom a few times to send text messages.

[Don’t get involved in the game.]

[Don’t catch the cards.]

There was no reply. How much time had passed? Hongju, pretending to sweep the floor with a broom, headed toward the back room. Just as he was about to reach the doorway, Yang Siljang suddenly appeared. Startled, Hongju took a step back.

"What are you doing? Go get the new Hwatu deck."

"...Yes."

As he turned around, he tried to glance inside, but Yang Siljang blocked the view, making it difficult. Hongju quickly put down the broom and grabbed the new Hwatu deck. This time, he had a reason to go in, so he walked into the room without hesitation.

"......"

The moment he saw the table, he had to squeeze his eyes shut. Piles of cash were stacked on one side of the table, where Mu-gyeong was sitting. Even under his hand, the stacks of bills were piled high. How long had this been going on?

"What are you standing there like an idiot for? Bring it!"

Mu-gyeong snapped irritably. Only then did Hongju come to his senses and tear open the Hwatu deck packaging to hand it over. He briefly glanced at Mu-gyeong, but all he did was exhale a puff of smoke.

For an ordinary person, gambling is the most common route to getting hooked. Anyone who wins a few rounds will start to become interested in how much more they can win. Just one more round... two rounds... no, three rounds... With those futile hopes, many end up losing everything. Even when everything falls apart, there are countless people who can’t stop. That’s why he had told himself not to get involved in the game.

"......"

Hongju gritted his teeth again, clenching the lips that had only just stopped bleeding. Moving slowly away from the table, Mu-gyeong glanced at him.

"Really. Why are you so slow? Like a sucker."

The corner of his mouth lifted into a smirk. Hongju, seeing that smile, instinctively understood. Mu-gyeong had clearly entered the game knowing full well that he was targeting him.

"......"

Hongju, leaving the room, couldn’t sit still for long. What was Mu-gyeong thinking, getting involved in the game? Especially since he had so much money, it was impossible to even guess how much he could lose. Hongju circled around the desk, staring at the back room at the end of the hallway.

"What are you doing, making so much noise?"

Guppping and Doksu were climbing the stairs side by side. They immediately approached Hongju.

"Come here."

"I have to stay here and save my seat."

"Here! Here! Watch the seat for me, okay?"

Guppping called over one of the staff members and had them sit down. Then he grabbed a can of coffee from the small fridge and handed it to Hongju. Without warning, he pulled Hongju towards him. Trying to break free, Hongju realized there was a considerable strength difference. Doksu just stood by, silently watching.

"What’s going on?"

"You’re going into the game."

"Me? You said you were bringing someone else."

He had said that he would bring someone for the last round. Hadn’t he been able to find anyone? Hongju, flustered, stopped walking. Of all places, it was the table where Mu-gyeong was. He couldn’t be part of a game that was taking Mu-gyeong’s money. It would be no different than cutting the rope he was holding onto.

"There’s no one. You do it."

Guppping pulled him relentlessly. As Hongju raised his voice in protest, Guppping pressed his finger to Hongju’s lips and slapped him across the head. Then, he repeated his plan to Hongju once more.

"When Yang Siljang looks for a lighter, °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° raise the stakes. Got it?"

"Why me...?"

Slap. The harsh strike on his cheek made Hongju’s head jerk to the side. He gasped for air as Guppping grabbed his hair with his hand, pulling him roughly.

"Why, huh? You don’t want to pay your debt? Want to live your whole life like this, with your insides drained out until you die? Or should I just grab your old man in the Philippines and keep him in your place? Huh?"

The painful tug on his hair made Hongju dizzy, and a loud ringing filled his ears. He clenched his teeth, trying to endure.

"......"

"The money you’ll make from the house will decrease if that bastard drops out. Then your debt will get cleared faster. Think better, huh?"

Guppping mumbled into his left ear, and Hongju could only catch fragments of the words. But looking at Guppping’s sharp gaze, Hongju understood what he was implying.

Even though he had gained Mu-gyeong’s attention, he knew he could never escape this grim house.