“This relationship is a transaction with money. If you hadn’t agreed, there would be no 2 billion either. As I said before, I don’t want emotions getting tangled up.”
Chaehun was dismayed by the emotionless explanation. The emotion he had just felt shattered completely. He was also a little hurt.
How prettily you put it.
Chaehun only grumbled inwardly. He couldn’t understand why someone who had a lot of money, a handsome face, and was even good at that would want to meet him by spending a huge sum of 2 billion won. He suppressed the urge to ask if it was because he was so captivated by his body after sleeping with him once.
Thanks to that, he came to his senses. If this was business, he just had to respond accordingly.
Chaehun picked up the envelope.
“It was 2 billion, right?”
“That’s right. 2 billion.”
“Is something else possible too? Not money, but violent things?”
At the word violence, Seunggeon’s expression became subtle. It was hard to tell if he was frowning or trying to smile.
“What kind of thing?”
“Among the investors, there’s someone called President Yoon…”
Chaehun briefly conveyed only the facts of what had happened. From his hyung Kang Suchan pushing President Yoon and injuring him, to President Yoon proposing marriage with Kang Yeonghwan as a settlement condition, to Kang Suchan’s leg breaking in a hit-and-run accident, to President Yoon’s blatant threats—he told everything.
“I know it’s a shameless request, but this is more urgent than money.”
Chaehun had no choice but to cling to him, pride and all. If there really were thugs behind President Yoon, there were limits to what bodyguards or fixers alone could do. They needed greater power. He wondered if Seunggeon, who had the chairman of Taehwa Group as his maternal grandfather, might have some method. It seemed that in reality, not just in dramas or movies, chaebols were connected to violence.
“There are many ways to deal with such bastards.”
Chaehun was startled yet relieved by the word “deal.”
“I’d like it to be as soon as possible. We got through today safely, but we don’t know what will happen tomorrow.”
“I’ll take action right away tomorrow, so now read the contract.”
Seunggeon pointed at the document envelope with his finger. Only then did Chaehun take out the contract and start reading. The contract content written in technical terms starting with Party A and Party B wasn’t much different from what Seunggeon had said before.
The term was one year. One day on the weekend was mandatory, and one day during the week as needed belonged to Seunggeon. Which day between Saturday and Sunday it would be was set to be adjusted according to Seunggeon’s schedule. It was the same for weekdays. Although he had to be summoned unilaterally, for the price of 2 billion won it was quite simple.
Besides what Seunggeon had mentioned, there were a few additional conditions. One was that as long as it wasn’t illegal or immoral, he must not refuse Seunggeon’s requests. Another was that he must not reveal their relationship to a third party. Lastly, it specified that if a third party demanded information about Seunggeon, or attempted to persuade or threaten him to participate in something that would disadvantage Seunggeon, he must report that fact without concealment.
The first and second were at least understandable. Although requests that weren’t illegal or immoral was too broad, he accepted it since it meant maintaining a minimum baseline.
What was strange was the last condition. This required the premise that he could be persuaded or threatened because of his relationship with Seunggeon. An ordinary person wouldn’t prevent something like this in advance.
Well, he’s the maternal grandson of Taehwa Group’s chairman, so he’s far from an ordinary person.
Chaehun finished reading the contract and raised his head. His eyes met directly with Seunggeon’s, who was staring at him intently. The guy who still looked tired spoke first.
“Did you finish reading?”
“There doesn’t seem to be anything particular to fix. More than that, reading this makes it seem like there are people who hate you.”
“Quite a few.”
When he asked just in case, Seunggeon confirmed it. Even though he said there were people who hated him, he didn’t seem particularly displeased.
Chaehun hadn’t thought deeply about the fact that Seunggeon was the maternal grandson of Taehwa Group’s chairman. Even if you were part of a chaebol family, influence varied greatly. He would have enough money to say “2 billion or so.” On top of that, there was his unusual history of almost being kidnapped right before the college entrance exam.
Perhaps he was entangled in dangerous interests. He couldn’t back out of the deal with him now, but he was curious about what he was curious about.
“Can you tell me what kind of work you do? I’m just curious.”
“No. Don’t try to find out.”
“……?”
“Not asking about my personal information is also a condition. I won’t stop various stories from flowing into your ears anyway, but don’t try to find anything out from me. I’ll write it in the contract, so understand it that way.”
Seunggeon’s voice was cold. He didn’t seem annoyed, but he drew the line precisely.
Chaehun clicked his tongue inwardly. They say a word can repay a thousand yang of debt, but this guy was the type to earn beatings with his mouth. Although Seunggeon’s attitude was disappointing, there was nothing he could do. That’s how it was supposed to be from the start.
“I won’t pry into what you do. But do I have to use honorifics with you, or do I have to humor you? Is that also a condition?”
“No.”
“I’m going to criticize you openly like a fogey, and you’re going to get cursed at a lot because of that way of talking.”
Chaehun conveyed that he was cursing at him inwardly right now. Even though he had thrown away his pride for 2 billion won, he had to say what needed to be said to someone who was a high school classmate and had been a friend. He didn’t care if Seunggeon got angry.
However, instead of frowning, Seunggeon smiled faintly.
“My maternal grandmother said something similar.”
“Your grandmother seems like a good person.”
Chaehun sided with Seunggeon’s grandmother, whose face he didn’t even know, while putting the contract back into the document envelope.
“There’s nothing to fix about this itself. However, I don’t see any clauses related to breach of contract. You said there’s a penalty?”
“If there’s no penalty, you’re not going to keep your promise?”
“I will keep it.”
“Then it doesn’t matter. There’s no need to necessarily leave it in writing.”
Chaehun understood without difficulty that this meant he would take forceful action without mentioning it in the contract. He had said there were many ways to deal with people like President Yoon. That meant Seunggeon could use the same methods on Chaehun as well.
“That’s scary.”
“It’s better than a penalty being double the 2 billion.”
“That’s definitely scarier. Let’s sign after adding the content. You said you’d take action on President Yoon’s matter tomorrow…. When do we start doing it with you?”
What Seunggeon proposed a deal for by spending 2 billion won was because of sex. Although he hadn’t signed the contract, if he resolved the President Yoon issue, the effect would be from now. Chaehun asked Seunggeon to make it clear.
“There’s no need to particularly postpone it.”
“You want to do it now?”
“Yeah. Go wash up. I’ll wash up too.”
He really was going to do it. Chaehun blankly watched Seunggeon get up holding the document envelope. He had already prepared himself when he came here. Still, now that they were actually going to do it, his heart felt solidly frozen.
“Before that…”
“You have more to say?”
“Let’s drink some alcohol.”
“……?”
Seunggeon tilted his head as if puzzled. The sight of this large guy with a rough-looking face doing that resembled that of a big dog.
Chaehun knew he was trying to escape reality. Anyway, it was a moment when alcohol was needed.
“I can’t do it sober. No, I can do it. But I feel a bit… Just because. Order something strong. Something potent. I’m the type who becomes proactive when I drink… No, never mind that. I’ll go wash up. I’ll use the bathroom in the bedroom.”
Chaehun, who had been saying anything and everything, quickly pulled himself together and got up. He found the bathroom in the bedroom and let out a long sigh.
“Ugh. My life is getting twisted.”
As Seunggeon said, this relationship was indeed a transaction with money. Even though he had thrown away his pride, it didn’t mean the current situation wasn’t miserable.
Chaehun shook his head. The more deeply he thought about it, the more his heart felt tattered. There was no need to think about it so hard. It was just having sex. Meeting Seunggeon could have been lucky. If not, not only his own life but his entire family’s lives would have been twisted.
After sighing once more, Chaehun raised his head to look in the mirror. The pale-faced man reflected in the mirror seemed somehow frightened.
Chaehun deliberately tensed his face and tapped his cheeks. He didn’t want to show Seunggeon that he was scared, nor did he want to act listlessly without enthusiasm. It was no big deal. Chaehun cast that spell on himself.
* * *
As Chaehun was putting on his bathrobe, he hesitated for a moment. He wavered over whether to wear underwear underneath or not. He didn’t like feeling exposed down there, but he’d have to take it off soon anyway.
“Ugh.”
Chaehun, who didn’t like having to worry about this itself, made a bold decision. He roughly dried his hair, hung his clothes in the powder room attached to the bathroom, and went out to the bedroom.
