“Raise, 300.”
“You can’t even manage your expression and you’re bluffing. It’s all written on your face.”
“No way? That bastard over there is the one who’s bluffing.”
“Why don’t you stop wasting time and place your bet?”
The hand movements exchanging cards became busy. Until then, Kang Siwon was quietly watching from the side. Then a suspicious scene caught his eye.
Hou Yeqing, who had been on a losing streak and was trying to leave the table, switched cards in a split second while remaining in the game. The others didn’t seem to notice at all, but Kang Siwon clearly witnessed it. The card that popped out from inside his shirt sleeve naturally mixed into his hand. It was a technique commonly called ‘bottom dealing.’
He didn’t know where this rich young master had learned such shabby tricks, but it didn’t seem like something he’d only done for a day or two. If this had been a proper gambling den, his wrist would have been cut off, Kang Siwon clicked his tongue inwardly.
Of course, he had no intention of exposing it. If he opened his mouth for no reason, it would only create a troublesome situation, and there was absolutely no reason to endure that.
“Agh! A straight comes out there?”
“This is a scam!”
“Haha, just gracefully admit defeat.”
“This is…”
The round ended, and the men threw down their cards. The winner of this round, Feng Tao, shamelessly swept up the stacks of cash on the table.
“You’re terrible at hosting, Feng Tao. What kind of host picks his guests’ wallets clean?”
“But I invited S-class guests, didn’t I?”
Feng Tao checked the avant-garde designed clock hanging on one wall. Kang Siwon also checked the time, and it was already 7:30 PM.
“When are those sexy ones coming?”
“Wait 30 more minutes. If you’re bored, another round in the meantime?”
“No thanks. Why would I let you strip me down to my underwear.”
“You’re going to take off your underwear anyway, so…”
At their suggestive exchange of glances and words, all the hair on Kang Siwon’s body seemed to stand on end.
He could tell immediately. In a little while, people like call boys or call girls would be coming.
“Should we wet our throats with drinks until then?”
“Sounds good. I’ve got it prepared, so go ahead and drink.”
At Feng Tao’s words, the men got up from their seats and headed somewhere. Feng Tao himself didn’t leave the table, busy organizing the stacks of money. Kang Siwon stood awkwardly, not knowing whether he should follow the men or stay next to Feng Tao.
“Xiao Wei, sorry. Were you bored just standing there?”
“Not at all.”
He answered immediately. Far from being bored, he’d been anxious the whole time wondering what he’d do if they tried to deal him cards too. Whether Feng Tao knew this or not, he spoke with a pitying expression.
“But the stakes got too high, I had no choice. I couldn’t just let you join without betting anything, right? Of course, if it’s Xiao Wei’s request, I’d happily lend you money, but…”
“It’s fine.”
“You’re generous. Anyway, don’t be too disappointed, there’ll be another chance later. Yeah, let’s play blackjack today too.”
Feng Tao, who had approached closer, stuffed money into Kang Siwon’s shirt pocket. At the hand that subtly rubbed over his thin shirt as it passed, Kang Siwon hardened his expression.
“I’ll return this.”
“No need. It’s for your transportation costs coming all the way here, and money to use when we play games later.”
Feng Tao grabbed the wrist of Kang Siwon, who was trying to pull out the cash, and dragged him somewhere. Kang Siwon moved his feet while suppressing the desire to shake off that wrist immediately. He thought he just needed to endure a little longer, but this goddamn penthouse was so spacious that the path to another room was quite far.
When they arrived at the actual dining room, Feng Tao’s friends were already holding drinks. From wine to spirits to beer, the variety was diverse and the smell of alcohol wafted through the air. Naturally reminded of his recent mistake, Kang Siwon felt queasy inside.
“Xiao Wei, what do you want for your first glass? Wine? Beer?”
“…Wine, please.”
If he couldn’t refuse anyway, choosing wine was better. Unlike beer that’s poured until it overflows the glass, wine is only poured to fill a third of the glass. It was much easier to pretend to drink and then dump it.
Feng Tao poured red wine and held out a glass. Just then, as if a quarrel had broken out, a commotion arose from the bar table area.
“Hey, wait a minute!”
Feng Tao shouted something and approached his friends. Kang Siwon didn’t miss the opportunity and poured the wine into the sink. The crimson liquid disappeared in an instant.
He, who didn’t drink alcohol, had always endured drinking gatherings this way even when he was working in Korea. He’d pretended to drink so much that he’d even accumulated know-how, though he never thought he’d be doing this in Macau too.
“Those bastards are already drunk and making a fuss. Ah, you already finished? I’ll give you another glass.”
Feng Tao, who had returned in the meantime, held out the wine bottle again. While having no choice but to accept the wine, Kang Siwon bit his lower lip in dismay. If he kept pouring every time the glass was empty like this, it would be useless no matter how much he dumped.
Ding-.
An electronic sound rang from afar. It sounded like the noise the elevator door made when it opened earlier. At the same time, Feng Tao and his friends cheered and headed to the living room.
“They must be here!”
It must be those so-called ‘S-class’ people they’d called for 8 o’clock. Whatever their identity, right now they were like relief pitchers for him.
Left alone in the dining room, Kang Siwon dumped the wine again. The crimson liquid that would cost hundreds of thousands of won per glass flowed down the sink drain.
* * *
In the noisy music, Feng Tao’s group were each messily entangled with men or women, playing around.
Gambling, alcohol, and sexual desire. The atmosphere where they’d been enjoying poker among themselves had disappeared somewhere despite the vulgar talk, and it had transformed into a den of decadence.
Suspicious sounds could be heard from the living room area, but he didn’t particularly want to know what they were. Kang Siwon, still standing in a corner of the dining room, deliberately kept his gaze down.
It would be good to slip out of the penthouse taking advantage of this opportunity, but to do so he’d have to cross through the living room where Feng Tao was, so there was no choice. At least it was fortunate that Feng Tao was focused on entertaining his guests and had no energy to pay attention to him.
However, the moment he thought that, Feng Tao appeared with a suggestive smile. He approached Kang Siwon with leisurely steps and said,
“Sorry, were you bored?”
“No. Not really…”
“How about a round of blackjack as an apology?”
That gambling addict and pervert seemed to throw even his advances in the form of blackjack. Of course he detested gambling, but if he refused here, it was obvious he’d be offered alcohol again. In that case, it seemed better to just shuffle cards a few times.
“Yes. But I’d prefer not to bet anything.”
“Mm, let’s do that.”
“Then I’ll do the shuffle.”
Kang Siwon picked up the deck of playing cards on the table. Recalling how Ray Jun had shuffled, he tried to follow his hand movements. Feng Tao’s gaze stuck intently to the long, straight fingers shuffling the cards.
“Should I be the dealer too?”
“Yeah. Then I’ll do it the next round.”
Thinking there shouldn’t be a next round, Kang Siwon dealt the cards. Soon blackjack began.
“Hit.”
“Stand.”
“Hit, one more.”
The game continued boringly.
Perhaps because there were only two players, or perhaps because no money was at stake, there was no tension at all.
Kang Siwon, who had no interest in the game, was reluctantly moving his hands, and even Feng Tao seemed unable to concentrate for some reason. As if he had some other purpose.
“I’m thirsty. I should drink some wine.”
Just then, Feng Tao put down his cards and stood up.
“Xiao Wei, you’ll have a glass too, right?”
“I’m fine.”
“Still, drink. I’m the one giving it to you.”
“…”
It was a moment when he missed certain someone who would offer alcohol but not force it.
Kang Siwon looked suspiciously at Feng Tao’s back as he headed somewhere. The wine they’d been drinking earlier was here in the dining room, so where was he going? In the first place, it was the first time gambling addict Feng Tao had left his seat in the middle of a game.
A moment later, Feng Tao returned holding a wine glass in each hand. He set down one glass each in front of Kang Siwon and himself.
“Drink, Xiao Wei.”
“…”
This wasn’t the first time Feng Tao had offered him wine today, but this time something was strange. His instincts were sending warnings.
In a split second, Kang Siwon displayed quick wit. He turned his head sharply and shouted,
“Oh!”
“Huh? What?”
Feng Tao naturally turned his gaze following Kang Siwon. Kang Siwon didn’t miss the opportunity and switched the two glasses.
