“I know. We’re nothing to each other and I have no right to say things like this. But still, I’m so upset that I can’t even be someone you can rely on.”
Ray Jun said with a sob. It seemed he tried to hold back his tears, but he couldn’t hide the trembling at the end of his voice.
His sincerity was conveyed, and Kang Siwon’s heart ached along with him. Deceiving someone who thought of him this much was truly an awful thing to do.
“Don’t cry. Why are you crying? Your pretty face will become ugly.”
“Am I pretty, Xie Wei?”
“Is that what’s important right now?”
It was absurd, but it was just like Ray Jun. Kang Siwon sighed.
Come to think of it, from the moment he was caught hesitating to exchange money for Tian Feifei, it was already exposed that he had tried to participate in a crime. If Ray Jun was going to report it to higher-ups, he would have done so already, but instead he even pleaded for Kang Siwon to rely on him. In that case, wouldn’t it be better to explain now? While he still liked him. Even knowing it was a cowardly mindset, he rationalized to himself that this would be the direction that would hurt Ray Jun less.
“Yeah, you’re right. Ju Xiang threatened me. I know as a Sovereign employee you can’t just let this slide, but please turn a blind eye just this once. After all, it ended as an attempt anyway… Please.”
“If that helps you, I will. Honestly, what could I do to Ma Zhuihui even if you weren’t involved? Even if I went around blabbing about this, Ma Zhuihui would block it all anyway, right?”
“You knew who Ma Zhuihui was?”
“Of course. How could I not know? He’s infamous. Verbally abusing subordinates is basic for him, and calling them to his house on weekends to run personal errands. Are you the one who didn’t know about Ma Zhuihui until now?”
“…Yeah.”
Ray Jun knew more than expected, so Kang Siwon was a bit dazed. It made him feel foolish for struggling so hard to hide the information.
“Even though he acts like such a tyrant, no one can say anything to Ma Zhuihui. Because he has so much power within Sovereign.”
“How is this company structured that all the higher-ups are rotten to the core?”
“Haha, right?”
Ray Jun, who let out a small laugh, muttered.
“But why would someone like Ma Zhuihui bother with the underhanded tactic of re-exchange? When he owns so much real estate.”
“Ah, that’s…”
Kang Siwon, who had opened his mouth without thinking, hesitated. Ray Jun gently stroked his head while subtly pressing him.
“Mm, that’s what?”
Should I talk about it? Kang Siwon hesitated. Of course he shouldn’t, but having come this far, a few more words wouldn’t make much difference.
“He needs money urgently, but since he can’t sell real estate right away, it seems he’s doing the re-exchange.”
“What would he need urgent cash for? Is he trying to buy art or something?”
“How did you…”
“Ma Zhuihui is also famous as an antique art lover. According to an employee who’s been to his house, the house is practically a small art museum. By the way, what does he want to buy this time?”
“Something about a Baroque-era religious painting.”
Ray Jun, who seemed to be thinking about something, quickly spoke again.
“It must be smuggling.”
“Huh?”
This time he was truly surprised. How could he grasp the situation this well when he wasn’t even at the scene where the Baeksa Faction gave orders? However, Ray Jun explained smoothly as if it were obvious.
“If he were purchasing the work through legitimate channels, there’d be no need to prepare dirty money. In the end, doesn’t it just mean he’s bringing it in through smuggling routes?”
“…I suppose so.”
Listening to it, it was plausible reasoning. If he could deduce that much, it seemed he hadn’t leaked any great secrets, which was fortunate. Ray Jun even patted his back, which calmed his anxiety considerably.
“How exactly does smuggling work anyway? Can you believe such things happen somewhere in Macau, Xie Wei?”
“It’s probably not Macau but Hong Kong. I heard it’s Tuen Mun Port.”
“I see. It’s a scary world.”
Ray Jun clicked his tongue as if disgusted and pulled Kang Siwon tightly into his arms.
“I just want to live exchanging affection with Xie Wei without seeing such dirty things.”
“What nonsense.”
It was fortunate that Ray Jun stopped crying, but it seemed his characteristic romantic streak had flared up.
But Kang Siwon also secretly wished for it. If he could cleanly settle the debt attached to him and the contractual relationship with the Baeksa Faction, he wanted to date Ray Jun normally.
Even knowing it was impossible, that foolish wish kept growing stubbornly day by day.
* * *
Dawn when blue light rippled. Ray Jun looked at Xie Wei, who was sound asleep.
Usually his eyes were sharp, giving him a fierce impression, but with his eyes closed, he only looked docile. Ray Jun poked the tip of his nose.
“Xie Wei.”
Even when he called his name, there wasn’t the slightest movement. Ray Jun became a little bored. He knew it was an evening shift today, but still, this was the guy who usually woke up early to prepare. Since he said he planned to quit soon anyway, maybe he didn’t want to bother being diligent.
“…”
The corners of his mouth, which had been drawing a faint smile, turned down. Ray Jun quietly got up.
Before leaving the dormitory, he looked around the living room anew. Because furniture was tightly arranged in the small space, it felt quite shabby. Each piece of furniture and accessory bore traces of the two people’s life together like fingerprints.
In fact, Ray Jun would also be leaving this place soon. Perhaps because of that, even this cramped dormitory didn’t look all that bad. Playing house-like cohabitation alone with Xie Wei was quite fun. Of course, that didn’t mean he wanted to continue living here.
Ray Jun closed the front door without lingering attachment and went outside.
While walking leisurely like taking a stroll toward Sovereign, a familiar figure from behind near the main gate caught his eye. Ray Jun sidled up next to them.
“Hello.”
“Oh, Ray Jun!”
“Good morning.”
Ray Jun greeted with a bright smile. His face from any angle was that of a sociable workplace colleague. At that appearance, the woman also returned a smile.
“Are you on your way to work now? Day shift?”
“Yes. What about you, Zuiyan? Don’t you usually come to work later?”
“There’s too much work. Haaam…”
Zuiyan yawned long.
“You must be tired. I heard the legal team also worked overtime for a while because of the charity foundation incident.”
“Haa, exactly. We still haven’t resolved that issue, and new problems keep erupting, so I’m going crazy. I don’t know why there are only incidents these days.”
“What happened again?”
Zuiyan from the legal team, though from a different department, was Ray Jun’s excellent workplace colleague. In other words, despite having a high position, she had a loose tongue. She would readily share interesting rumors with just a little prompting.
“A temporary board meeting was suddenly scheduled. I’m swamped preparing for that right now.”
If they were convening a temporary board meeting at this point, the agenda must surely be because of the equity trust implementation request. With 15% of the CEO’s shares about to be transferred to a foreigner whose face they didn’t even know, it was natural for the board to be turned upside down. No matter how much they put their heads together and chattered, it would be useless though.
The very person who dropped a bomb on Sovereign Resort, Ray Jun, made a sympathetic expression and asked.
“When is the meeting?”
“Next Wednesday already. Isn’t that crazy?”
“Ah, that really is tight. It must be tough for you. But especially at times like this, take care of your health. While eating delicious desserts too.”
Building intimacy with workplace colleagues was very easy. Empathy, consolation, and formal well-wishes were enough. Ray Jun had formed good relationships with the majority of casino employees this way. Zuiyan also seemed to feel better as she raised the corners of her mouth.
“Thanks. You know, honestly lately it’s been so hard I’ve been thinking I should just quit.”
“You could do that. You’ve worked hard all this time.”
“Haa, should I really just throw in my resignation letter…”
Ray Jun’s eyes narrowed at the words “resignation letter.”
Zuiyan saying she wanted to quit was just a habit of speech, so she wouldn’t actually do it. The problem was Xie Wei. That guy really seemed ready to leave at any moment, and he absolutely didn’t like it.
Wasn’t it ridiculous to begin with? Where else would that smartass go to get beaten up and come back just to lie under the covers? If he hadn’t helped him, he might have already been dragged before Feng Tao.
“Resigning… doesn’t seem like it’ll work out.”
At the muttered words released coldly, Zuiyan nodded.
“I suppose not, if I want to make money. My credit card bill came out really high, you know. Debt is basically my leash.”
“That’s right. Debt is always the problem.”
Ray Jun received Zuiyan’s playful remark and muttered. Thinking that what he had only been considering, he should probably put into action after all.
