Chapter 22
“He clearly wants revenge.”
In the dark room, Hyungoh’s face glowed blue from the screen light as he typed on his laptop keyboard, huddled under a blanket. Despite checking multiple times that both the door and window were locked, he still couldn’t feel at ease.
- Calm down, Hyungoh.
- Calm? You’re telling me to calm down? Could you stay calm if you were in my shoes?
- Why are you acting so unlike yourself, friend? Let’s think about this calmly.
What does he mean, unlike myself? How well does he even know me? Hyungoh’s frown deepened before he hung his head and scratched the back of it vigorously. No, no. I shouldn’t be like this. Why am I snapping at someone who doesn’t deserve it, Choi Hyungoh?
He was right—Hyungoh needed to stay calm. Especially in a crisis like this.
- Federico didn’t look happy. He’s definitely going to hurt me.
- Don’t be so scared. As long as Michael is by your side, they won’t dare touch you.
- Why?
- He’s weak when it comes to Michael.
- But why?
Taylor took a moment before responding.
- From what I’ve heard, he cherishes Michael like his own son. That’s probably why Michael has such strong influence within the Gostin Family.
- So Michael isn’t actually his son?
- Of course not. The man is a pedophile. He only gets aroused by children who haven’t gone through puberty, so he couldn’t have gotten anyone pregnant.
- Disgusting bastard.
- That disgusting bastard is the incredible man who wrote the history of the global drug and prostitution markets.
- And I’m the one who caught his eye?
- Well, I can’t argue with that.
“Haah…”
Hyungoh buried his face in his pillow. The situation seemed to be heading in an even worse direction than he’d feared. Why did Michael say that? Was it intentional or a mistake? Hyungoh gave a hollow laugh at the answer he already knew.
Mistake? As if.
Just looking at everyone fawning over Michael made it obvious he was a high-ranking executive. Would someone like that slip up in front of the boss? Ridiculous. The current Michael wouldn’t make such a mistake, even if his younger self might have. In this world where one wrong move could cost you your life, Michael certainly wouldn’t be oblivious to that fact.
- Did Federico say anything else?
Taylor asked. Hyungoh shook his head as if Taylor were right in front of him. He did say something else. In reality, Federico had only muttered one sentence while stroking his mouth in that tense atmosphere.
My intuition is still useful, I see.
The problem was that this one sentence felt more threatening than anything else could have been. Since Taylor was a skilled hacker who excelled at gathering sensitive information, Hyungoh decided to trust him when he said Federico wouldn’t touch him as long as he stayed close to Michael. That was the only way he could maintain any semblance of calm.
- But is Michael really not that man’s biological son?
- Haha. It would be more believable to say Federico was his birth mother!
- I’m asking because it’s strange. Michael called him “Father.”
- That’s how mafia members usually address each other.
I guess so. Hyungoh recalled Michael’s family history as told by Hunter. Parents who died early, a small child living alone in a vast mansion with no one to lean on. That’s definitely what he’d said.
But I never heard that story directly from Michael. Hunter could have been lying. Still suspicious, Hyungoh suddenly remembered Herick. Wait. Didn’t Herick call Federico “Boss” earlier?
- But others just call him “Boss”?
- Well, they call him that too. But in front of the boss, everyone must call him “Father.” You know, Federico is a pervert who gets off on forbidden love. Many people have died because of it.
- What?
- Never mind, just a tasteless joke. Anyway, how are you holding up?
- How am I what?
- Things have gotten more complicated because of your uncle. So, do you hate him even more now?
- I can’t hate him any more than I already do.
Hyungoh let out a heavy sigh as he typed. There’s no point in resenting him—it won’t bring my uncle back, and it won’t easily fix this situation. Rather than wasting time on resentment, I’d be better off figuring out how to protect myself.
- Still, don’t hate him too much.
The faint mechanical hum continued, and soon Taylor’s reply came through. Maybe he had unavoidable reasons?
Hyungoh smirked at the response. Unavoidable reasons?
To Hyungoh, Hunter was nothing but a despicable man. A man who harbored feelings he shouldn’t have for his own sister, and who manipulated a young boy at will because he resembled her. That was Hunter.
Hyungoh’s trust in Hunter had hit rock bottom ever since. For someone like that, “unavoidable reasons” would surely be nothing more than some flimsy excuse born from whatever would have hurt him.
Hyungoh closed his laptop. Pushing the curtain aside slightly to look outside, he saw dawn breaking, the sun shyly peeking over the horizon. Yet sleep still eluded him. How could he possibly sleep in this situation?
After staring blankly at the ceiling for a moment, Hyungoh stroked the warm laptop beside him. Is he even still alive? He wasn’t particularly worried about Hunter, but something felt off. If the person who posed the riddle disappeared, there would be no one left to provide the answer.
“Aagh…!”
Hyungoh clutched his head and let out a weak scream. The stifling pressure he’d been suppressing surged up like bile, tormenting him. No matter how he looked at it, Michael’s words and actions bothered him. He definitely still has it out for me. I’m sure of it.
In the end, Hyungoh couldn’t sleep a wink.
Late in the morning, Herick flinched when he ran into Hyungoh, who looked like he’d aged a decade overnight. His appearance was terrible—dry, flaky skin, hollow eyes, and faint wrinkles between his eyebrows from frowning so much.
“If you’re from the future, I wish you’d go back. I want the present Choi.”
“Don’t tease me.”
“Is this because of what happened yesterday?”
Hyungoh answered Herick’s question with a miserable look. Herick nodded as if he’d expected it, gazing down at Hyungoh slumped on the bed.
“It was intense.”
“What was Michael thinking when he said that?”
“I warned you, didn’t I? He’s different from before.”
“You mean he no longer likes me with a pure heart?”
“…”
“Don’t confuse me too, Herick. What does that even mean?”
“Don’t overthink it, Choi.”
“No, I really don’t understand—”
“If I tell you everything,”
Herick knelt on one knee to meet Hyungoh’s eyes.
“You’ll just run away again.”
He smiled faintly. So stop trying to figure it out, Herick said lightly.
But Hyungoh couldn’t take those words lightly. His heart sank. It was a line that felt familiar. When was it? When? Finding the source of this déjà vu was like searching for a tiny pebble buried in sand. Hyungoh tried to hide his flustered expression and calmly searched through his memories.
How could I run away and leave you behind? That won’t happen.
Ah. Hyungoh’s mouth fell open at the sudden recollection. He’d heard a similar line from Michael before. It was the day he’d promised not to run away.
That promise had been ruthlessly broken because he’d never truly intended to keep it in the first place. If promises were like mirrors, then a broken promise would have become glass shards piercing Michael’s heart. Without blood or tears. Hyungoh’s casual thoughtlessness had ended up wounding Michael.
So Hyungoh kept his mouth shut. He couldn’t plead with Herick anymore. He no longer had the courage to make promises he wouldn’t keep.
“Michael is waiting for you. Let’s go.”
Herick spoke to Hyungoh, who sat with his mouth closed and a gloomy expression. Have you given up already? I thought you’d ask more questions, even if you had to lie about not running away.
Herick frowned slightly at how easily Hyungoh had given up. But soon he smiled and extended his hand to Hyungoh, who obediently took it. A single memory had weighed down his heart.
“Don’t look so gloomy. No one’s going to eat you.”
Herick said as they walked down the corridor. His shoes made a soft sound against the carpet. Hyungoh tried to smile but couldn’t. He only swallowed hard at the sight of Michael’s door in the distance.
“Come in.”
When Herick knocked, Michael granted permission in a quiet voice. That’s a relief. Michael seems to be in a good mood today. Herick whispered to Hyungoh and opened the door.
Michael had apparently stopped sharpening knives, as the knife sharpener was no longer on his desk. Instead, neatly stacked piles of documents occupied the space. Michael, sitting on the sofa in front of the desk, smiled brightly when he made eye contact with Hyungoh.
“Welcome, Choi. Did you sleep well?”
“…Yeah.”
“I’m glad to hear you slept well. Come here.”
Michael stretched his hand out toward Hyungoh. Herick secretly pushed Hyungoh’s back as he made a sour face. Go on. That’s what his look said. Hyungoh followed Michael with a forced laugh and sat beside him. The corners of his mouth began to tremble.
“I heard an interesting story today, so I called you to chat after so long.”
“What… story?”
“A story you’ll like, Choi.”
Michael’s bright, distinct eyes stared directly at Hyungoh’s haggard face. The intensity of his gaze was almost uncomfortable. Did I shave this morning? Hyungoh self-consciously touched his chin, then noticed a paper on the table in front of the sofa.
It was difficult to decipher the curly handwriting. Michael followed Hyungoh’s gaze to the paper.
“A hacker from the Cenaline Family recently uncovered the personal information of one of our members on assignment in Colombia and passed it to the FBI.”
“Shit.”
Herick, who had flopped down on the sofa opposite Michael, cursed. Michael shrugged and crumpled the handwritten paper, tossing it behind him. Hyungoh looked at Michael with puzzled eyes.
“Father’s already been in a bad mood lately.”
“What about Jake?”
“He deserves punishment. Some hacker he is—drinking away while his server got breached.”
“That’s surprising. He was known to be pretty competent.”
“Not anymore.”
Michael murmured with a faint smile.
“Without the multitalented Hunter, we’re facing this kind of humiliation after all these years.”
When Hunter was mentioned, Hyungoh instinctively lowered his eyes. Why bring up my uncle again out of nowhere? Are they blaming him because he was the Underboss?
Listening to the conversation, Hyungoh began to grasp the situation. So the Cenaline Family—a notorious mafia organization rivaling the Gostin Family across all American states—had severely embarrassed the Gostin Family. And instead of secretly summoning and threatening or persuading the rival family member who’d successfully hacked them, they’d sold him out to the FBI, meaning they hadn’t gained anything from it.
Yes. It was literally a provocation. In other words, a psychological battle.
“So, Choi.”
“Y-yes?”
“How about you give it a try?”
“What?”
“The hacker job, I mean.”
Michael mimicked typing with his hands. Hyungoh’s eyes widened. What? Hyungoh blinked and silently repeated Michael’s words.
You want me to work as the organization’s hacker?
“H-how could I…”
“If you help us, Father would be very pleased.”
Michael covered his mouth slightly with his hand and whispered. Hyungoh flinched at the warm breath against his ear.
Hyungoh turned his head stiffly to face Michael.
Federico… would be pleased?
The atmosphere was strange. No, everything about him—his tone, expression, gaze—was off. What is this feeling? It’s a very familiar feeling.
His vision blurred. While not particularly perceptive, Hyungoh wasn’t completely clueless either. He’d worked as a police officer for nearly nine years. As the perpetual youngest in both age and experience, he’d diligently honed his ability to read situations.
And that skill suddenly kicked in right now.
Ah.
It really was intentional.
Hyungoh’s mind cleared. His vision sharpened, and he could breathe again. But this was by no means a positive change. It was the moment he discovered the worst possible option for his own life.
It’s a trap. It was a trap.
To make sure I have no choice but to take the hacker job, to make it impossible for me to refuse… he told Federico, the boss, that I’m Hunter’s nephew. If I refuse this offer too, I’ll forever be a thorn in Federico’s side.
It wasn’t revenge or resentment.
Ha. Hyungoh laughed out loud, mirroring Michael’s smile. Ha. Haha. Now he finally began to understand Herick’s warning.
It was fascinating. This was his second trip to America. The first time, Hunter had brought him here, and the second time, Michael. And these two had something in common. The reason they’d brought Hyungoh to their side was chillingly identical.
Hyungoh clenched his damp fists so tightly that his veins stood out. Michael before him gradually overlapped with the image of Hunter when they’d first met eleven years ago.
Now even you are trying to use me.
