Mr. Kim 3
“Mr. Kim?”
I hadn’t noticed anyone until Jong-hyuk’s father and my friends had left and the car pulled away. It was because he’d deliberately made a sound.
“This is…”
Inside the black plastic bag was a can of milk tea. My head throbbed just then. Enduring the familiar dizzying headache and the ringing in my ears, I focused intently, determined not to miss a single detail.
It felt like peering into a hazy old photograph, the scene coming alive with a strange sense of buoyancy. As the tinnitus mingled with my hearing, the voices gradually sharpened into clarity.
It was my grandfather and Mr. Kim.
Ah…
For a brief moment, I couldn’t tear my eyes from my grandfather’s beloved face. In that instant, I saw teacups in their hands. My grandfather flashed an unadorned smile at Mr. Kim’s puzzled expression and said,
“It’s my favorite tea.”
Mr. Kim took a sip, his face registering surprise.
This guy can look shocked too?
“This is…”
“Milk tea, yes.”
“…”
“Surprising, isn’t it? Well, I savor it for the memories.”
The dizzying sensation made it hard to stay grounded as the conversation slowed like stretched taffy. My senses returned gradually, and I felt the cold can in my hand.
Grandpa liked milk tea?
The can was chilled, yet it carried a subtle warmth.
“Thanks. I’ll enjoy it.”
I cracked it open and drank, waiting for Mr. Kim to speak. But he said nothing until I’d finished the whole thing.
“A friend from school got hospitalized today, so I went to the hospital.”
I sensed Mr. Kim flinch, but in the darkness, I figured I’d imagined it and kept going.
“Her name’s In-ha. Turns out she was a victim of that PE teacher. I hadn’t been to school in ages, so I was out of the loop until my friend Kyung-soo filled me in.”
“…”
“But then they said the PE teacher died today. Murder. Now In-ha—the victim—is being pegged as the suspect. Could be her dad, but I doubt it. He’s so selfish; he was ashamed his daughter got hurt but held out for the biggest settlement, refusing to agree just to squeeze more money. Meanwhile, In-ha’s suffering only got worse.”
After a long silence, Mr. Kim finally spoke. He’d completed the job I’d hired him for.
“All the videos of the victims have been deleted. Took some time to track down every hidden one.”
“So they really existed. That trash. I hoped not, but…”
“There were more victims than anyone knew.”
I couldn’t hide my frustration, letting out a heavy sigh.
“Haa…”
Before my breath fully escaped, Mr. Kim gave a brief rundown on the job I’d requested.
“And I led him to that sealed well on An-nam Mountain you mentioned. No need to ask how—just know an unexpected problem cropped up there.”
I’d sent the PE teacher to that sealed well on An-nam Mountain for one reason: to maximize compensation for the victims. Sure, he was human garbage, but if he claimed poverty or filed for bankruptcy, the victims would get nothing. I’d planned to prove he’d amassed illegal wealth, paving the way for a class-action suit. That’s why Dae-baek-gong had tipped me off about the heavy burlap sack hanging in the well—I hadn’t seen it myself, but he’d described the spot.
But a problem arose?
“What…”
“You said you stumbled on some money in there, owner unknown?”
I nodded uncertainly. No way could I tell him Dae-baek-gong had revealed it in a dream—cash bundles in a burlap sack inside an old, sealed well off the An-nam Mountain trail.
Even if I did, he wouldn’t believe me. Best case, he wouldn’t think I’m crazy.
“That money was slush funds illegally stashed by the Worldpa gang.”
“What?”
Mr. Kim’s gaze pierced right through me, sending a chill down my spine. I whipped around, but the alley was empty.
I instinctively dodged his eyes… hope that didn’t look weird.
As if reading into my reaction, Mr. Kim said,
“Smart move not touching that cash right in front of you—especially not knowing whose it was.”
Did he figure out I took some of it? Or…
“You mean…”
“The PE teacher ran into a Worldpa gangster right there. But…”
“But?”
“The guy was just checking on it during off-hours—only one of them. Makes sense for a big stash; they wouldn’t tell too many underlings. Things got heated, and since both were big adult men, the Worldpa guy with the weapon came out on top.”
“So…”
“Worldpa will bury this. It happened near the well, so recovering the slush funds is near impossible anyway. No reason to risk exposing their boss to the cops.”
I was at a loss for words. I knew the killer. But the police had pinned it on the victim for a quick close. Even if a third party stepped up claiming a Worldpa gangster did it, who’d buy it?
At least they wouldn’t think I’m framing them out of a grudge.
“…”
“The police are under fire for all these violent cases. They’ll grab any suspect they can. If word gets out the rape victim took private revenge, they’ll look even worse—so they’ll rush an arrest, announce it solved, and close the book.”
Mr. Kim had predicted the victim’s bind too. Detectives staking out the hospital entrance, vowing to nab the suspect—it was obvious to anyone they wanted this wrapped fast.
“Even if a quick investigation isn’t the answer.”
“Exactly.”
“So I grabbed every burlap sack that might’ve held the money from that well.”
“What?”
Mr. Kim met my baffled stare without flinching.
I thought he didn’t do illegal stuff?
“Figured returning the slush funds to Worldpa would get them to turn over the killer cleanly. High chance they’d bite if they got their money back.”
Makes sense. Low-level thugs are disposable. They’d prioritize the long-hoarded cash.
“Saying the odds were high means…”
“One of the sacks I recovered had a hole in the bottom.”
I forced myself not to look away this time. Did he accept my effort? The silence that followed felt endless to me.
“…”
I held my breath, staring tensely. Finally, he spoke.
“Probably rotted through. The lowlife checking it monthly isn’t clocking in like some office drone. He’d be a salaryman otherwise, not a gangster.”
“You mean…”
“Poor maintenance—fell in and vanished. Could’ve salvaged jewelry from the others, but one had a ten-thousand-won bill snagged on the tied top. Very old issue.”
Mr. Kim explained the damaged money at unusual length, almost like he was insisting that’s how he saw it.
Especially about that sack with the old bill… like he’s telling me his take on what happened.
“So…”
“Old bills like that? Water-damaged, worthless even if recovered.”
“…?”
“Worldpa would’ve come after whoever contacted them for the rest if only part was returned. Lucky we spotted signs it was ruined before trying to negotiate.”
I listened and thought it through as he finished.
Does he really believe it was just an old sack that gave way?
“That means…”
“No dealing with Worldpa now.”
“In-ha… then…”
“She’ll stay the prime suspect.”
The PE teacher being trash was undeniable. If someone killed him, it should feel good. But if his death hurt the victims more, I had to stop that.
Especially since it all started with my request.
“Your job this time was to destroy any illegal victim videos he might have and lead him to that An-nam Mountain well. Unwanted outcome, but the job’s done.”
“Yeah. Done.”
I acknowledged it hollowly, and Mr. Kim fell silent.
“…”
What did he mean by job complete? Was he saying since I’d asked and it was finished, it was off his hands—no more concern? Or…
“If the job’s done and you’re okay with it, Mr. Kim, I’d like to request a new one.”
He’d been standing still in the shadows. Was it my body strengthening spell from Dae-baek-gong that let me sense his faint nod?
“Then let’s do a new one. Catch the killer who murdered the PE teacher. Or… make them confess, or get solid proof to the police. Whatever—in-ha’s name needs clearing.”
“…”
Mr. Kim said nothing to my new request. He downed the now-cold milk tea in one go against the winter chill, stared at me steadily, nodded without a word, turned, and walked away into the growing blur of night.
As he faded into the darkness, I called out.
“You completed the job and took a new one—you need a down payment!”
“Already got it.”
He glanced back, a faint smirk tugging his lip, then vanished into the dark street.
I stood there dazed, staring into the night, thinking.
No way… no way… then?
From the well? I scanned again, but all I saw was a shooting star flickering out against the darkened sky.