#228 Boss! #228 Boss!
"Haa..."
Jungbo let out a deep sigh as he gathered his things and stepped out of the house. He had a name—Lacar Green—but ever since Steel Armor, his boss, started calling him Jungbo, that name felt more natural than his real one.
'At most a month.'
That's what the doctor had said after examining his mother. A man whose job was to save lives had handed him despair instead of hope.
'Save her! If you don't want to die, save her, you bastard!'
'I'm a doctor, not a god. I'm sorry.'
Out in the world, everyone treated him with caution. After all, he was a subordinate of Steel Armor, the S-rank villain who ruled over more than ten districts. But in front of the doctor, even his title as mid-boss of the infamous Skull Head Gang meant nothing.
'Mother...'
The doctor said she wouldn't last beyond a month, but Jungbo couldn't just let her go like this, so empty and hollow. He was her only child, and she'd sacrificed everything to raise him right—holding back her pain, skipping her own hospital visits to buy him just one more meal.
Yet despite all her devoted efforts, Jungbo had still veered down the wrong path. Their dire family situation made college a pipe dream. He'd studied hard as a kid, dreaming of honoring her by getting into university, and his grades were good enough. But money? There was none. He couldn't tell her; she'd sell her own organs to make it happen if he did.
In the end, Jungbo gave up school to earn cash, starting at a construction site. He didn't last three hours before getting kicked out. For a bookish kid like him, that rough world was unbearable—getting shoved and shoving back.
Eventually, he ended up as a low-rank grunt for a villain called Scorpion King. He lied to his mother, saying it was a small company job. Telling her the truth would break her heart.
But surviving in a villain gang—where lives hung by a thread—was even tougher than the construction site for a greenhorn like him. Still, thinking of his mother, Jungbo gritted his teeth and endured through sheer spite and grit.
"Wh-what the hell is this..."
When he got his first paycheck, despair hit hard. A hundred dollars. That's all he earned risking his neck for a month. Complaining? No way. He'd seen a guy who tried get bisected by Scorpion King.
Jungbo sank into deep despair. But where there's despair, is there hope too? Scorpion King didn't last long; a new villain absorbed his gang. Villain name: Steel Armor, the most infamous in Dark City, an S-rank with superhuman power.
Jungbo saw his chance. Staying a low-rank grunt forever wouldn't let him care for his mother properly. He rolled the dice with his life.
"This is the room the boss—no, the heroin user—used."
While the other grunts hung back, Jungbo took the lead, guiding Steel Armor into Scorpion King's old quarters and making sure the boss saw his face. It was just a simple escort, but the payoff was huge. The new boss, Steel Armor, made him mid-boss. And while the others got their heads shaved and skull tattoos, Jungbo kept his hair. What a relief.
After that, he handled tons of tasks from Steel Armor, nearly dying a few times. But thoughts of his mother kept him going.
Steel Armor seemed indifferent to the gang, like he wondered why he'd even absorbed it. Naturally, managing the drug profits fell to Jungbo.
"....."
Facing a mountain of cash for the first time, Jungbo swallowed hard. Just a little skim could buy his mother nice clothes, good food, medicine.
"...No. I can't do that."
He resisted the temptation. Sure, he was mid-boss of the villain Skull Head Gang, but his mother hadn't raised him that way. Even when others skimmed sales, Jungbo never touched a dime.
"Save up and move first. Live in a better place, take care of Mother properly."
That was his dream—his only one. Work piled up like he needed ten bodies, but watching his bank account grow let him dream on.
But dreams are called dreams because you can't achieve them.
*****
"....."
Jungbo froze in front of the hospital where his mother was admitted.
"Maybe... instead..."
He also managed Steel Armor's account at Hero Bank. He knew the password, of course. Steal that massive fortune, find a healing superpower user—maybe he could save her!
"....."
Jungbo turned away. If it saved his mother, he'd die smiling even at Steel Armor's hands.
"....."
He stopped. But then what about her? If he saved her and died, who'd care for her?
"Haa..."
After agonizing on the street, Jungbo turned back. Even if he stole the money and saved her, she'd blame herself for pushing him to crime and end it all.
All he could do was stay by her side until the end.
*****
"Mom, I'm back... Huh? M-Mom? Mom!"
Jungbo panicked entering the room. She'd been there when he left to grab clothes from home, but now she—and their bags—were gone.
'N-no way...!'
A horrible thought flashed: Had she passed while he was away?
"M-Mom! Mom! Mooom!"
He screamed, searching frantically.
"Hey! No yelling in the hospital!"
A woman stopped him. Her name tag read [Bae Sujung].
"Mom—no, my mother! Where is she? She didn't... pass, did she?"
"Your mother? What's her name?"
"Rawin Green."
"Green? Oh...!"
Bae Sujung, the nurse who'd tilted her head at first, nodded in recognition.
"Mrs. Rawin Green was moved to the VIP ward ten minutes ago."
"...What? VIP ward?"
"Yes. Follow me. I'll show you."
"Uh, okay..."
What the hell was going on? VIP ward?
*****
Following Nurse Bae Sujung to the 11th-floor VIP wing, Jungbo reached the room where his mother supposedly was.
—Well, when Mrs. Green raised her hand and cut off the chairman...
—Really? My goodness. My kid wouldn't do that.
—You don't know her well, ma'am. She's meek usually, but steps up when needed... You know, like a day-and-night type?
—Huh? Day-and-night?
—Ah... It's a good thing. A compliment.
"....?"
Jungbo tilted his head at the voices inside. One was his mother's. Whose was the other?
"Go on in."
"Huh? Oh, thanks..."
Nurse Bae Sujung smiled and left for her duties. Jungbo entered cautiously.
"Plus, a few ladies at our company like Mrs. Green... Oh? Ah! Mrs. Green is here?"
"....?"
A stranger sat by his mother. He met Jungbo's eyes with a friendly smile and approached.
"Who..."
"Shut up. I'm Sting right now, so act smart if you don't wanna die."
"...Boss?"
The face was new, but the voice gave it away. Steel Armor. His one and only boss.
Steel Armor hugged Jungbo, patting his back.
"Hey, buddy! Why didn't you tell me your mom was sick?"
"Huh?"
"Didn't you know this hospital has a deal with our company? Employee families get VIP rooms."
"Huh?"
"This hurts my feelings. Hearing about it from someone else? I treat you like a little bro—should've told your big bro right away!"
"Huh?"
For the record, Steel Armor was 30; Jungbo, 35.
Steel Armor dragged him before his mother.
"Ma'am, look at this guy. Jungbo—no, Mr. Green—is so damn quiet, he never opens up unless pushed."
"The kid's just shy. Forgive him, Mr. Sting."
"I get it, but it stings. And when are you gonna drop the formal talk? You're Green's mom, so you're mine too. Think of me as a son from today—speak easy!"
"Hohoho. Really?"
"Of course! Want me to start? Mom~?"
"Hohoho. Alright, alright. Casual from now on."
"Hehe! No mom talks formal to her son. Loosen up already."
"Got it, Sting."
"Kyaa~ Feels like real family now. I'll visit often, Mom~?"
"What often? I'm grateful you came today. And take good care of our Car from now on."
"No way!"
"Huh?"
His mother blinked at Steel Armor's refusal.
"You just went formal again. That's why no!"
"Ah... Hohoho. Take care of our Car, then."
"Now yes! I'll treat him like blood kin."
"Thanks to you, I can go easy."
"Mom..."
Jungbo choked up at her words. Steel Armor did too.
"Hehe! Mom, I told you not to say that. Live long, watch Green marry a good girl, have cute kids, and live happily ever after."
"...Yeah. I will. No, I will. I'll make sure our Car lives happy."
"That's it, Mom! Positive thinking is power! Beat cancer with positivity!"
"Hohoho."
His mother's smile at Steel Armor's over-the-top act melted Jungbo again.
'Boss...'
It was Steel Armor's first human side, and seeing the famous villain speak for his mother like this nearly brought tears.
An hour later, Steel Armor stood.
"Whoa, time flies. Mom, gotta go—company stuff."
"Oh my, I kept a busy man. Go on. Thanks for coming."
"Hehe, formal again. Next time, treat me like a son, okay?"
"Hoho. Will do. Car, see him out."
"R-right. This way, Sti... Mr. Sting."
"Sting my ass to your bro. Anyway, let's go. Mom, I'll be back!"
"Hohoho."
Steel Armor bowed deeply to Jungbo's mother before leaving with him.
"Uh... Boss."
"Jungbo, you bastard."
Out of the hospital, Steel Armor crossed his arms, back to his usual self. Jungbo instinctively bowed at attention.
"Sorry..."
"Why didn't you say anything? And why no skimming?"
"...Huh?"
Jungbo peeked up at the unexpected question. Steel Armor had assumed he'd blown skimmed cash on gambling or stocks. But talking to his mother revealed the truth: Jungbo hadn't skimmed at all. His low take-home pay screamed skimming, but nope.
"Jungbo, you bastard... A villain exec this honest?"
"Huh?"
"Why don't I care about your pay? So you can skim decently. But you didn't?"
"Uh..."
Jungbo panicked. Not skimming was good, right? So why the scolding?
"Anyway, I covered the overdue bills, so don't worry. VIP room's prepaid too."
"B-Boss...!"
"And... in three days, I'll fix your mom right up. Just nurse her good till then. Got it?"
"R-really? My mom... can live?"
Jungbo's eyes widened at Steel Armor's words. All doctors had given up on her. But he could save her?
"You doubt me? I'm Steel Armor. Think there's anything I can't do in Dark City?"
"N-no! I believe you! I trust the boss!"
"Damn right. Who am I? Anyway, once Mom's better, get back to work. Shit, the gang's a mess without you."
"Yes sir! If Mom lives... ngh...!"
"...Men don't cry that easy, you punk. I'm out."
The guy who'd bawled at Rachel's play patted his shoulder and turned.
A few steps in, he paused.
"Hey, this unpaid leave from our company?"
"....."
"You punk. Really going now."
"Tha..."
Jungbo bowed ninety degrees to Steel Armor's back, just like he'd done to his mother.
"Thank you, Boss!"
Steel Armor waved without looking back, vanishing into the street.