Swallow Hunting - Chapter 49.1
Without looking far, the fact that he had readily accepted Han Young-hwa’s absurd request was proof of that. What kind of person, unless they had a hole in their head, would willingly crawl into the jaws of death just because they were told to? No matter how much he was threatened, in Yohan’s eyes, it was something that could have easily been ignored.
Consequently, he couldn’t help but worry like a parent watching a child near the water.
“The day you actually manage to play someone, I’ll sear my own palms.”
Yohan teased Hae-jun, even showing him his open palms. Fuming, Hae-jun opened his mouth to share one of his more colorful anecdotes.
“That’s only because you don’t know. You have no idea how well I can seduce people. The moment I open my mouth, it’s just…!”
Hae-jun, who was about to brag with a bit of bravado, suddenly shut his mouth tight. It was because a memory from a few days ago flashed through his mind like a bolt of lightning. The events of that day—lying on the dining table, calling out to Lee Kang-ju, nearly dying, and ending it all with a kiss. Technically, that also fell under the category of things that happened “the moment he opened his mouth.”
Heat rushed to his face in an instant. Hae-jun thumped his hot forehead with his palm. Yohan gave him a strange look, but his body reacted uncontrollably to the sudden surge of heat.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“…It’s nothing.”
“The moment you open your mouth, what?”
“…I cause trouble.”
He pulled down his zipper to let in the cold winter wind. Yohan let out a snort and changed the subject.
“Do you have a photo of that guy? Your guest.”
“Why a photo?”
“To read his face. See if he’s a pushover or not.”
Was he asking because he already knew? Coincidentally, there was one photo he had taken. As he pulled it up on the screen and thrust it forward, Yohan narrowed his eyes and scrutinized it from every angle. With his lower lip tucked out, his expression was that of a face reader with fifty years of experience.
“Hey, stay away from this guy.”
After a long silence, Yohan handed back the phone and firmly pressed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. He suddenly looked extremely tired.
“Why? Isn’t he handsome?”
“Handsome, my ass. Are your eyes attached to the soles of your feet? This guy looks like he’d eat a person alive.”
Yohan was appalled and snapped at him, but Hae-jun simply tucked his phone away indifferently.
He had known the man reeked of blood since their first meeting. He had even seen him beat someone up with his own eyes. At first, Hae-jun was also scared and tried to avoid him.
But whether it was fate or a cruel trick of the gods, they kept getting entangled. Didn’t he save Hae-jun when he was about to jump off the bridge? Didn’t he get him an IV drip and give him nutritional supplements as a gift? And didn’t he follow the date course Hae-jun had arbitrarily planned without a word of complaint? He even promised to deal with the crazy guy and willingly gave up a corner of his own home.
People are bound to be drawn to unexpected sides of others. To Hae-jun, Lee Kang-ju was a continuous series of unexpected twists.
“He might have that kind of vibe, but he’s a decent person. Surprisingly, he helps me a lot. He gives me a lot of money, too.”
Yohan looked at Hae-jun with a twisted mouth and an expression of pure disgust. Then, he eventually shook his head.
“This guy, he’s the type to pick your bones clean. You’re no match for him.”
“Hey, why say something so harsh?”
“Since you say he pays well, I can’t tell you to quit right this second… but wrap things up as soon as possible. Find someone else. Even a seventy year old grandpa might be better.”
“Is he really that bad?”
“Even among gangsters, there are pushovers who give away everything. I’ve seen guys who take out private loans just because someone sucked them off a little… but that guy isn’t one of them.”
“He’s kinder than you’d think.”
He had become helplessly swept up in that minor kindness. The kindness that might seem like nothing to others had been floating around in his head the whole time. He couldn’t move on from the kiss. Hae-jun twisted his fingers behind his back so Yohan wouldn’t see.
“I’ve heard people say I’m good at reading faces while rolling around in this industry, Cha Hae-jun. That guy is just, really not it.”
What on earth was written on Lee Kang-ju’s face? He looked closely at the photo and even zoomed in. But no matter how he looked at it, the man was just handsome without a single flaw. His eyes were long and sharp at first glance, but when he smiled softly, he looked so radiant that everything seemed to melt.
“I’m only saying this because I’m worried about you.”
“I’m not a kid, what is there to worry about?”
“Because I’m the one who introduced you to this business.”
Yohan hung his head low. He might be feeling guilty, despite there being absolutely no reason for it.
“I’m the one who made the choice.”
Hae-jun patted Yohan’s shoulder to show him it was okay. Nevertheless, Yohan didn’t straighten his shoulders for a long time.
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