It was around the time the Cheon Su-han slot machine incident quieted down. For the school vacation, I departed for Busan with Myeong-soo and Hyeon-seong. After dropping the two of them off at their respective homes, I arrived at 'our' house.
From the moment I opened the gate and stepped inside, a feeling of deep affection swelled up from a corner of my heart. As I opened the front door, the smell of Grandma's soybean paste stew tickled the tip of my nose.
"Grandma! I'm here!"
Grandma, who had been in the kitchen, wiped her hands on her apron and came running.
"Oh my, my baby, you went through a lot coming all this way. Hurry up and wash. Grandma has made food."
"Grandma, let me give you a hug."
"Why are you doing this, it's embarrassing? I smell."
"Why? What's wrong with my Grandma's smell? It's so nice. If anyone says anything, tell me. I'll scold them."
I hugged Grandma tightly.
Grandma's smell. It's nice!
Grandma patted my back and said.
"Okay, okay, you worked hard."
"Grandma, I missed you. Did you not miss me?"
"I know, so hurry up and wash up and come out."
"Yeah, yeah."
I feel like I become a little kid in front of Grandma. Why didn't I know this kind of happiness before? I quickly took a shower, changed my clothes, and came out.
"I made your favorite side dishes because my baby was coming."
"Did you know I cried in Seoul because I wanted to eat Grandma's food?"
"Nonsense."
Grandma smiled, seemingly in a good mood. Grandma just sat quietly and watched me.
"Grandma, let's eat."
"Hurry up and eat."
I scooped up a large spoonful of steaming white rice and put it in my mouth. And when I took a spoonful of Grandma's soybean paste stew, this was heaven.
"Is it good?"
"Yeah, Grandma, you eat quickly too."
"Alright. Eat up fast."
Grandma smiled and picked up her spoon.
"Is Seoul life bearable? It's hard, isn't it?"
"No, other than you not being there, it's alright. But Grandma, aren't you lonely by yourself? Weren't you bored?"
Grandma shook her head.
"No. I go to the senior center, and pass the time like that. The weather is nice these days, so I stroll around nearby with the other grandmas a lot."
"You did well, my Grandma."
"Are the in-laws treating you well?"
"Yeah."
"What about school?"
"I'm attending it well. Myeong-soo and I go to the same school, so we go together. So it's definitely less boring. I've gotten very close with my classmates."
"My Mu-hyeok will do well anywhere. That's why Grandma is so happy."
"What do you mean..."
I called Grandma almost every day from Seoul. Thinking she might be lonely by herself, even if I had plans in the evening, I made sure to call her at least once every two days. But even though I heard her voice that often, it was much better to see her face in person.
I talked with Grandma until late at night that day. I spent the day like that in our warm home.
Depart Officetel in Jung-gu, Busan. Park Dong-soo's office.
"How is it? I don't know even if I look at it."
Park Dong-soo and a man were having a conversation. The man, who was looking at some documents in front of Park Dong-soo, raised his head. The man with a sharp face that didn't suit a gangster at all opened his mouth.
"Boss, is this everything?"
Park Dong-soo nodded.
"Why? Is there a problem?"
"Isn't this the organization that dominated the Seomyeon area? It seems way too small compared to what I thought."
"Really? You don't think they played tricks, do you? They would be done for if they did."
"Hmm..."
The man looking at the documents repeatedly tilted his head. Park Dong-soo waved his hand.
"You know, all the big organizations got locked up because of the War on Crime. Isn't that why it's like this?"
"Phew... If this is all there is, it can't be helped for now. Is there a reason you just made them submit and keep letting them manage that side? No matter how much I think about it, I can't understand your thoughts, Boss Park."
"If you just use force unconditionally, they'll only resist. You just have to let them figure out a way to make a living to some extent."
The man let out a deep sigh as if it was a headache.
"Things running in a difficult way is the same even in this field."
"Hahaha, of course it is. Oh right, you haven't seen my younger brother, have you? He's a really smart kid. He's in Busan right now, so take a look at him at the office later."
"If you say so."
The man's reaction was quite unenthusiastic, but Park Dong-soo didn't care. The man's name popped out of Park Dong-soo's mouth.
"Sang-geun, he's the kid I told to go find you. Isn't it fascinating? The punk who just turned twenty has a face that looks like he has lived through the whole world. You should take a look too. Then you'll know what my words mean."
Lee Sang-geun chuckled at those words and said.
"How much of the world could a twenty-year-old kid have lived through anyway? My ears are going to fall off. Please stop talking about it."
"Hahaha."
At that time. Several men were gathered in a room of a nightclub in Seomyeon.
"So, what Boss Byeon is saying right now is that we should work together to take out Park Dong-soo, right?"
"That's right. Dong-soo doesn't have many direct subordinates right now. We can strike fast, ignore the kids, and just take out Park Dong-soo. Isn't that right, bosses?"
The four bosses were each lost in their own thoughts. Everyone was busy weighing their own gains and losses in their heads. Byeon Seong-ho merely stimulated their greed a little...
'That son of a bitch, how dare he humiliate me like that in front of the younger brothers? Let's see you suffer too!' The man who looked the oldest among the four opened his mouth first.
"Seong-ho, after we take out Park Dong-soo, what about the territories?"
"Oh man, Brother Ki-hun. Why are you already calculating that? Let's just deal with it first, and we can talk about it after. Isn't that right? Boss Kim, Boss Son?"
At those words, the sly-looking man like a rat called 'Boss Son' opened his mouth.
"No, we need to decide things like this first. Are we going to have a knife fight among ourselves after dealing with Park Dong-soo? That would mean we all die together. Let's decide in advance."
Then, a fat, pig-like man who had been quiet spoke up.
"Brothers, I'm fine with everything. But shouldn't we ask Brother Sa-seong before we divide the territories? We need a justification so the younger brothers will follow us, right? Don't you think?"
At Kim Byeong-soo's words, the other three also nodded. The sly-looking Son Kang-seok subtly checked Heo Ki-hun's expression and said.
"For Brother Sa-seong, Brother Ki-hun, who is the most senior, should go. We need someone of the right level, don't we?"
"That's right."
"I think so too."
Receiving the gazes of the other three, Heo Ki-hun blurted out.
"Hmm, then I will take Seomyeon. Seong-ho, Byeong-soo, Kang-seok, all three of you are okay with that, right?"
"Hmm..."
When no one answered, Heo Ki-hun frowned.
"Then I'm not going to see Brother Sa-seong. Anyone can see I'd be taking the bullet for this, so why would I do that? It's not like you punks see me as a pushover."
Kim Byeong-soo and Son Kang-seok quickly answered.
"Brother, why are you so hasty? We got it. Go ahead. Take Seomyeon. We'll talk among ourselves for the rest."
"Yes, Brother, do as you want."
Byeon Seong-ho tried to hold out without answering. However, under the stares of the other two, he had no choice but to answer.
"Hah... let's do that. Brother Ki-hun will take the Seomyeon area. Instead, make sure to get the clear order from Brother Sa-seong. Got it?"
"Don't worry about that. Dong-soo went into hiding by himself without even telling Brother Sa-seong, didn't he? That's why Brother Sa-seong' feelings are hurt towards Dong-soo too. He's only keeping quiet because Dong-soo is supporting him in prison. We can just support him in prison instead, can't we?"
"Of course."
Hahaha!
The laughter of the four filled the room.
"Then let's just drink some alcohol now. I'll set the date after I meet Brother Sa-seong, so Seong-ho, you make sure to check that punk Dong-soo's schedule well. You know what I mean, right?"
"Of course I do. He and I contact each other often, don't we? Once the rough date is out, I'll take care of the location."
That day, they drank until they were dead drunk, and laughed and chatted for a long time about the flowery path that would unfold in their future.
A week had already passed since I came down to Busan. During that time, other than having a simple drinking gathering with the guys once, I just rolled around at home without a care in the world. Out of nowhere, I received a phone call.
"This is Kim Mu-hyeok." - Ah, it's me, Yoon Chang-ho.
"Yes, Chief Prosecutor." - You're in Busan, right?
"Yes, I contacted you before I went down, didn't I? Is something the matter?" - Nothing much, just that Cheon Su-han's first trial verdict is coming out soon, right?
I wanted to hear your thoughts on it.
"Hmm... I think it would be good to proceed just as you agreed with my grandfather for now." - Right?
I had a one-on-one meeting with the President this time. It was a first in my life as a prosecutor. He praised me for handling this matter well, and you don't know how good it felt, hahaha.
I gave an appropriate laugh and responded to his words. - It's all thanks to you. Even I didn't know going down to Busan would turn into a blessing. I was just thinking of taking off my uniform and becoming a lawyer.
"I'm also glad I got to know you, Chief Prosecutor. It feels like having a college senior and an uncle." - Hahaha, you really have a way with words.
Anyway, once the first trial verdict is out, it will be out of my hands. You know that, right? I could meddle until the second trial, but if we're proceeding as agreed, it seems better for me to not intervene any further.
What do you think?
"Please do so. But what do you think will happen to the prosecutor who took the fall? I heard he was getting an offer to become a National Assembly member." - Hah... it's a headache as it is.
He says he's going to stay in the prosecution till the end. He's already marked, so he's not in a position to go anywhere high. You know, that ridiculous principle of prosecutorial unity clearly exists.
"He's going to continue being a prosecutor?" - Yeah.
The Prosecutor General contacted him before the President stepped in, and told him to leak it to the broadcasting stations, promising to have his back.
Phew...
But it's already been decided to send him to the Jeju District Prosecutors' Office. It had changed from the original history. He was originally someone who ran for the National Assembly, but this time, because of my intervention, he had grabbed Chief Prosecutor Yoon's line.
"Tell him to stay down there for now. I will compensate him so there are no issues with his livelihood, so why don't you pretend to give him a cash bonus, Chief Prosecutor? Isn't there no one better as a hunting dog than him?" - Hahaha, you're really a funny person.
Alright.
If I actually rise to be the Prosecutor General later, I can just accept him into the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.
"Yes, and tell him if it really doesn't work out, I'll even support his election funds for the National Assembly, so the choice is his." - Alright.
Let's have a meal at that place when you come to Seoul.
"Yes, Chief Prosecutor. I'll hang up now."
As long as my grandfather was around, I couldn't completely eliminate the brothers Cheon Su-man and Cheon Su-han yet. I should be satisfied with making them eat prison food for now.
"Mu-hyeok! Come eat."
At the sound of Grandma calling from outside, I got out of bed and stretched.
"Okay, Grandma! I'm coming out now."
I went out, ate the lunch Grandma prepared for me, washed up, and got ready to head out. I had to meet with Park Dong-soo and talk about the work in Busan and the advancement into Seoul. If it was left empty for too long, there was a high probability that other punks would eventually take over.
We had to establish a bridgehead for advancing into Seoul as quickly as possible... I wonder how much of Busan has been sorted out. I drove my car and arrived at Depart.
I went up the stairs to Park Dong-soo's office on the third floor. Two of Park Dong-soo's subordinates were standing in front of the office. They gave a simple bow and opened the door.
Several big guys were waiting in the rather large open office, but Park Dong-soo was nowhere to be seen.
"He is inside. Please go in."
After responding with a smile to the words of the big guy I had never seen before, I opened the door to the boss's office and walked in.
"Hey! Little brother! How long has it been? Wow, it's good to see you! Come on in."
He hadn't changed at all.
"Phew..."
I let out a sigh and closed the door. The person sitting with Park Dong-soo glanced over here. His youthful appearance was a bit unfamiliar, but I could immediately recognize him.
Gangster lawyer Lee Sang-geun. He was a gangster with a lawyer's license who had advanced into Gangnam, a prime district even in Seoul. I remembered that he entered the gangster world after helping out gangsters in Busan when he was young, so he was the man I introduced to Park Dong-soo.
"You're Mr. Lee Sang-geun, right? Nice to meet you."
"Kim Mu-hyeok? That's you, right? Wow! It's my first time seeing you, but why do I feel so familiar with you? The boss talked about you so much that your name is stuck in my ears, really."
"Hahaha..."
I brushed off the awkwardness with a sheepish laugh.
"Little brother? I'm feeling disappointed? You're ignoring me and greeting Sang-geun? Wow, this isn't right."
"Yes, yes, hello. It's been a while, right? You've gained a lot of weight. You should take care of your body. A knife wouldn't even go into your belly. If you gained weight with that thought in mind, then you've succeeded."
Park Dong-soo wore a blank expression at my words. Lee Sang-geun also looked flabbergasted and stared at me like I was a crazy person.
"Wahahahahaha! This crazy bastard. Absolute lunatic. This is why I like you, you know? I was worried this damn punk might have changed after going to Seoul, but you're exactly the same, exactly the same."
"Let's sit down first. We have a lot to talk about once you're done with what you were doing."
I sat there for about 10 minutes, listening to Lee Sang-geun and Park Dong-soo's conversation. Soon, seemingly having wrapped up their business, Park Dong-soo looked at me and said.
"So, why? What did you want to talk about?"
"How much of Busan have you sorted out?"
"Phew... Why are you pressing me so much? Why?"
"The situation has changed a bit. I think we need to establish a bridgehead in Seoul as fast as possible."
"Seoul? Already?"
"Yes. You need to go to Seoul and..."
It was then.
Crash. Clang.
Suddenly, with the sound of things breaking and scattering, curses were exchanged, and it got noisy outside. Park Dong-soo's right-hand man, Yang Su-hyeong, burst through the door and shouted.
"Brother Dong-soo! It's an attack, an attack!"
"What are you blabbering about? Who?"
Park Dong-soo and Lee Sang-geun stood up from their seats.
"Seomyeon, Yeonsan District, Bosu District, Hadan... It looks like they've all allied together! We are outnumbered. It'll take time for our guys to arrive, so what do we do?"
At that moment, about a dozen men entered the office. There was a familiar face among them. It was Byeon Seong-ho.
"Hah! Dong-soo, you bastard. Did you think you could live after ignoring me like that? What's this, that kid is here too? We can take care of both at once. How lucky."
'What is this now.' I swallowed the sigh that was about to escape inwardly.