Chapter 8.2

Chapter 8.2

Sungang was really determined to sit across from her and watch until she finished eating. Did it really have to come to this? When Heeju looked at him with an annoyed expression, Sungang took out his phone and glanced at the screen.

“Staring at me won’t make me look away.”

Heeju picked up the spoon and stirred the porridge. The smell of sesame oil grew stronger. She felt bad for the person who had made it, but she was on the verge of gagging. She swallowed hard, trying to suppress the nausea.

“What are you doing? Counting the grains of rice?”

Sungang raised an eyebrow as he watched her and then put his phone down.

“You said you wanted to know about your sister.”

“….”

“If you want something, let’s help each other out. Finish your food.”

She thought about whether ‘helping each other out’ was the right phrase for this situation, but it was more effective than telling her to eat if she didn’t want to die. Since she couldn’t die as she pleased for the time being, Heeju wanted to know more about her sister.

Reluctantly, she scooped up some porridge and pushed the spoon deep into her mouth. Sungang, sitting across from her, smirked.

“Acting tough when you were going to listen anyway.”

The scar across his face twisted as he smiled.

***

After finishing the meal, Sungang took Heeju outside. When she was brought here, it was late at night, and she had been confined to her room the entire time, so she hadn’t realized the sheer size of the mansion.

Indeed, the interior was quite luxurious. The hallways were long and complex like a maze, and there were too many rooms to count. As Heeju observed the security cameras scattered around the entrance, gate, and garden, she pondered.

Could someone accumulate this much wealth just by being a thug? It seemed he had long surpassed the level of an ordinary gangster.

Of course, she had no need or interest in knowing what kind of ruthless behavior Kwon Gukhyun had engaged in to become so wealthy. However, she couldn’t shake off a nagging suspicion.

Would someone like him really dive into the sea to catch a debtor who owed him 200 million won?

She recalled the hand that had grabbed her by the neck, the grip that had lifted her chin, and the voice that had pierced her eardrums when she thought she had completely stopped breathing and was pulled out of the water.

“Hey, wake up.”

“It’s a bit of a problem if you died like this…”

Wasn’t that person Kwon Gukhyun?

She wasn’t sure. Given that she was on the verge of drowning, any memory she had of that moment was bound to be unclear. At that time, she really thought she was almost following in her sister’s footsteps.

“Hey, what are you doing? This way.”

Sungang turned around and urged her to keep up. Heeju snapped out of her thoughts and followed him. The garden was filled with a chilly, desolate air, typical of winter. Despite that, the well-maintained path stretched on for quite a distance.

“Where are we going?”

Heeju asked. Sungang, walking ahead, scrunched his nose and smirked.

“Why? Tired already? You’ve been cooped up in that room, sleeping like a sick chicken, so your stamina gone to sh!-t. People need sunlight and fresh air to keep their lungs healthy. You’re a doctor, aren’t you?”

She was too out of breath to respond. Knowing her stamina was shot, where was he dragging her to?

“We’re almost there.”

They soon reached a wall. At the end of the path was a large gate. Sungang pushed the heavy iron gate open with one hand and gestured for Heeju to watch her step.

“Watch your step. Sloppy kids always die here.”

Heeju stepped through the gate. She heard the gate clang shut behind her. Beyond the gate was a garden similar to the one they had just walked through, and further ahead, another building came into view.

Sungang walked ahead and spoke.

“This is our headquarters and dormitory. Your sister used to come here too.”

Men who had been playing basketball noticed Sungang and acknowledged him. Despite it being winter, they were all shirtless, seemingly unaffected by the cold. Their bodies were adorned with tattoos of various fierce animals and birds, from snakes like Sungang’s to dragons, tigers, and eagles, covering their chests, backs, and shoulders.

If she had encountered them on the street, she would have hurried past without making eye contact. In this place, Kwon Gukhyun, who had no tattoos despite his many scars, seemed like a rare specimen.

“Sungang, who’s that? She’s pretty.”

“Mind your own business and finish what you were doing, you brats.”

Sungang flipped them off and continued walking.

“These guys, always drooling over any girl they see. It’s tiring for a girl to have a pretty face around here.”

The men, who had been snickering at each other, resumed their game, bouncing the basketball and chatting loudly.

Heeju hurried to keep up with Sungang. They finally entered the building. As the warm air enveloped her chilled body, she felt her energy drain away.

“Are you okay?”

Sungang looked at Heeju, who had turned pale from the effort of keeping up with his brisk pace, with a look of disdain.

“Seriously, you look like you’re about to collapse after just a short walk.”