Macau
I arrived at the Pocheon Training Center of All Day Guard in Gyeonggi Province. I was scheduled to undergo four weeks of intensive security training here. Out of several options, I had ultimately chosen All Day Guard. There were a few reasons for my choice, but the primary one was how desperately they wanted me. We had spoken over the phone several times after our initial meeting, and each time, they practically begged me to join. I figured it was always better to go where you were truly valued.
Second, they provided accommodation, which eliminated a major headache. By the very nature of personal security, a bodyguard's living situation can become highly unstable depending on the client's schedule. Because of this, All Day Guard provided lodging during active operations. Even when off-duty, they offered dormitories to anyone who wanted them—including here at the training center. I had been stressing over where to find a place to live, so this was a massive weight off my shoulders.
The Pocheon Training Center consisted of a warehouse-like training facility, a dormitory building for room and board, and an outdoor athletic field. There, I trained alongside the other new recruits. I called them "kids," but in truth, I was the youngest one there.
The security training wasn't all that different from what I had gone through in the military. It required constant situational awareness and environmental scanning. I had to observe people closely and react sensitively to smells, sights, and sounds. All the while, I had to maintain a precise distance so as not to make the client uncomfortable, while constantly mapping out potential escape routes.
On top of that, we did a lot of vehicle-based security drills. In modern protection detail, vehicles are absolutely vital. We practiced using cars to shield clients, as well as evasive maneuvers and high-speed pursuit driving.
I also had to learn how to operate state-of-the-art equipment I had never seen in the military. Computers were a given, but we also covered CCTV operations, metal detectors, communication gear, and the control systems of mechanical and security rooms. We even trained with drones, thermal imaging cameras, and RF detectors. It was unfamiliar territory, but surprisingly fun.
The main difference from the military was the objective. While the army focused on locating, neutralizing, or annihilating the enemy, personal security prioritized the client's safety and evacuation above all else. Even if I could wipe out every single hostile in the area, the mission was a failure if the client got scratched in the process. The entire curriculum was more engaging than I expected, and I picked it up quickly.
"Good to meet you. I'm Bae Hyeonseok, the leader of Alpha Team."
"How do you do, sir. I'm Gong In-bae, assigned to Alpha Team."
"Welcome to the team. Let's work well together."
"Yes, sir."
"Shall we head in, then?"
Today was the day Alpha Team was reconvening. It was their first meeting after a three-day break following the completion of their previous protection detail. The team leader and I met briefly in his office to exchange greetings before heading into the conference room together.
The conference room looked like a meeting room in a study cafe. It had a long table, eight chairs, and a beam projector. Four men were already seated. Bae Hyeonseok looked at them and spoke casually.
"Get some good rest?"
"Yes, sir."
"Not really."
"Three days is way too short."
"You never know when the next break will be, so you've got to rest when you can. You guys haven't met him yet, right?"
"No, sir."
"This is Gong In-bae, who has been appointed as our team's new deputy team leader. Let's give him a hand."
Clap, clap, clap. Half-hearted applause barely echoed in the small room. The moment I was introduced as the deputy team leader, the looks they shot me turned sharp and cold.
"Hello. Nice to meet you all. I'm Gong In-bae."
"We can do proper introductions later. Let's take a look at our next project first."
At the team leader's words, the lights dimmed, and the projector hummed to life.
"Han Minsu. LK Group third-generation heir. You all know who he is, right?"
"We're screwed."
"I knew I had a bad dream last night for a reason."
"Talk about rotten luck."
"Of all people, we get the Lollipop."
It was my first time seeing his face, but the rest of the team seemed all too familiar with him.
"Is this your first time seeing him, Deputy?"
"Yes, sir."
"Never seen him on TV?"
"I rarely watch TV."
"He pops up on the news every now and then. Han Minsu, third-generation heir of LK Group. Just assume he's done every terrible thing a spoiled chaebol heir can do. Drunk driving is just the baseline. Assault, sexual harassment, drugs... and probably a lot more we don't even know about. But his absolute specialty is gapjil—abusing his power."
The team leader's brief but punchy introduction painted a crystal-clear picture of Han Minsu. So he's just a wealthy piece of trash. A bastard who didn't earn a single penny of his own fortune, riding on the coattails of his family's wealth. A guy whose only achievement in life was being born into the right family.
"But Team Leader, doesn't Han Minsu already have his own dedicated security detail?"
"He did. But they were all fired after that recent assault scandal. They scrambled to put together a new team, but Han Minsu didn't like them. Claimed he couldn't trust them."
"So we're stepping in?"
"Exactly."
"I assume it's not a long-term contract. Where's the destination?"
"Macau."
"Team Leader, can't our team take on a different project? I'd honestly prefer a dangerous mission over dealing with that piece of work."
"Since when did we get to cherry-pick our clients?"
"But we're Alpha Team. Shouldn't we get at least that much consideration? We handle all the toughest assignments. If we're doing the heavy lifting, they could at least spare us the dirty work."
"There are no other teams available right now. If we don't take Han Minsu, no one else can. What do you want me to do, reject the contract?"
"..."
"I know how you guys feel. The last incident was a mess. But we've already conveyed our concerns to Han Minsu's side, so it should be a bit better this time. Besides, it's a short four-day trip. Once we get there, he'll just be holed up in the casino anyway. We can just rotate shifts. It's not a bad gig. Strictly speaking, it's an incredibly easy mission. And let's be honest, Han Minsu isn't some high-value target. He just insists he can't travel without bodyguards, but no one is actually gunning for him. Take it easy."
"Still, we can't exactly half-ass our job, can we?"
"Well, that's true."
Everyone seemed highly disgruntled about Han Minsu being their next assignment. The team leader, however, skillfully placated his men.
"Anyway, the next project is locked in with Han Minsu, so prepare accordingly. Departure is in one week."
"Yes, sir."
The moment the meeting adjourned, the team members filed out of the room in unison. The team leader shook his head in disbelief at their behavior, but he, too, quietly left the conference room without another word.
I was left sitting there all by myself. Is this really how things are supposed to go on my first day? Aren't we on the same team? A bitter smile crept onto my face. I hadn't done a single thing besides attend the meeting, yet I already felt like the team's pariah.
Still, I couldn't just sit in an empty conference room forever. I gathered my materials and stepped out, only to spot the rest of the Alpha Team gathered around the vending machine. All four of them, minus the team leader.
"Hyung, are you really just going to let this slide?"
"And if I don't?"
"We have to do something! Because you keep staying quiet, those higher-ups think they can walk all over you and treat you like dirt!"
"Dong-hyeon, watch your mouth."
"Did I say anything wrong? How long have you been busting your ass in Alpha Team, Hyung? Obviously, if the deputy position opened up, it should have gone to you. Why the hell did they bring in an outsider? And a twenty-four-year-old kid at that? It makes absolutely zero sense to plug a punk like that into the deputy slot!"
"I said, drop it."
The man they called "Hyung"—likely An Jibin—told them to stop, but his tone suggested otherwise.
"Dong-hyeon Hyung is right. We need to lodge a strong protest. Honestly, I'm pretty disappointed in the team leader this time, too. Even if management tried to force an outsider on us, he should have rejected it. How could he just roll over and accept it?"
"Exactly. The team leader dropped the ball on this one."
"The kid is twenty-four. He's younger than me! I honestly can't accept him as our deputy."
"Either way, we can't let this slide."
"So what do you want to do?"
"Whatever it takes. Either we kick that bastard out, or I'm leaving."
Listening to their conversation, it was clear they had completely misunderstood my situation. They thought I was some well-connected parachute hire. In reality, I was only here for five months to learn the ropes. Once those five months were up, I was going to form my own team and leave.
I briefly debated whether I should clear the air. But do I really need to explain myself to these assholes? They're the ones who jumped to conclusions, so why should I be the one to fix it? Why should I care? Let them misunderstand all they wanted. It wasn't my problem.
Starting the next day, we ran situational drills: airport security, casino security, and vehicular transport security. Perhaps due to their years of experience, the Alpha Team members moved in perfect, seamless harmony. I was the only one left out of sync, constantly stumbling.
"Let's run it again," the team leader said.
But time and again, issues kept cropping up. It wasn't a matter of skill, but of positioning. Someone was constantly blocking my path.
The day of departure arrived. I dressed in a suit first thing in the morning and headed to the office. The dress code was formal wear, and the only suit I owned was a luxury designer suit I had bought years ago during a military leave. I had no choice but to wear it. It wasn't like I could go naked.
When I reached the assembly point, the team was already gathered. Everyone looked taken aback when they saw me. Even the team leader seemed slightly surprised. I guess wearing luxury brands really does make a difference.
While we waited for our ride, the team leader quietly sidled up to me and whispered in my ear.
"Deputy, I get that the suit looks great on you, but try to wear something more ordinary for work. Avoid luxury brands if you can."
"Ah, my apologies, sir. I didn't know. This is the only suit I have."
"We'll let it slide this time. Just keep it in mind for the future."
The team leader patted my shoulder. Just then, our ride arrived, and we piled in. Normally, we did our own driving during domestic operations, but for overseas trips, the company provided transportation to the airport.
Hannam-dong. An SUV and a luxury sedan pulled into an apartment complex. In the distance, someone was waving at us.
"There's Secretary Choi. Pull up right in front of him."
The cars stopped in front of Secretary Choi, and we all got out to wait for our client. Seeing us, Secretary Choi rushed over to the team leader.
"Team Leader Bae, thank you for your hard work."
"Not at all. You're the one who always has it rough, Secretary Choi."
"Please take good care of our director."
"Pardon?"
"I'd love to accompany him, but I have some urgent company business to take care of. This isn't much, but please use it to grab a nice meal over there."
Secretary Choi pulled an envelope from his breast pocket and slipped it into Team Leader Bae's pocket. Flustered, the team leader stared at him with an exasperated look. Avoiding his gaze, Secretary Choi quickly raised his phone to his ear.
"Yes, Director. You're on your way down? Yes, yes, I'm waiting right out front."
"The director is coming out."
At his words, we instantly switched into professional mode. We opened the car doors and scanned the surroundings, alert for any potential threats.
A moment later, the lobby doors slid open, and Director Han Minsu stepped out. He had a pale, pampered face that practically screamed wealth. His expression was bright and carefree, clearly untouched by a single day of hardship. With perfectly styled hair and a practiced smile, he wore a stylish combination of cotton trousers and a cardigan. He greeted us with casual familiarity the moment he saw us.
"Hey there~"
"We will escort you, sir."
As the team leader escorted him, Han Minsu's eyes locked onto me.
"Ohhh~ Dior!"
"Damn, look at that. We've got bodyguards wearing Dior now."
"How amusing. You, ride in this car with me."
The original plan was for only the team leader to ride in the sedan while the rest of us took the SUV, but I ended up squeezed into the sedan with them. The moment we got in, Han Minsu spoke up.
"Let's make a quick stop in Sangam-dong. Someone asked to tag along when they heard I was heading to Macau. You guys know Kang Yeeun, right? The actress from that weekend drama. We've gotten pretty close lately, and she said she wanted to come."
He delivered this absolute garbage request with a bright, cheerful smile. He had already cut our schedule incredibly tight because he hated waiting at the airport, and now he wanted us to detour to Sangam-dong. We only had two hours left before our flight departed. Making a detour to Sangam-dong would make things dangerously tight. But in this line of work, saying "no" wasn't an option. The team leader quickly radioed the lead vehicle.
Even before the team leader finished his transmission, the car began to move. The team leader's face was already a mask of deep anxiety. Ah, so this is what they mean by gapjil. It was power-tripping delivered with the most innocent, carefree expression imaginable. He spoke with a face that asked, Why is this even an issue? It was a form of abuse completely devoid of malice. In Han Minsu's world, this was just how things worked. He lived in a reality where he only had to speak, and things happened. How? Why should Han Minsu care about the details? That was for the people getting paid to figure out. No matter how difficult it was, it wasn't his problem. All he knew was that we would stop by Sangam-dong, pick up his companion, and board the plane.
"What, is there a problem? It's on the way anyway, so it shouldn't matter, right?"
"Not at all, sir. We will get there as quickly as possible."
Just because both are in the west doesn't mean they're "on the way," buddy.
"By the way, I haven't seen you before, Dior."
"I was assigned to your detail starting today, sir."
"Your family must be loaded if you're wearing stuff like that to work. You look pretty young, too."
"No, sir."
"What do you mean 'no'? Your family isn't rich, or you're not young?"
"..."
"Why aren't you answering? Did I ask for your bank statement? I couldn't care less about that. It's just small talk."
"..."
"Why are you being so stiff? I'm just trying to be friendly. I'm asking because I like you. Why the stone wall? Who knows? You might end up as my personal bodyguard."
This bastard was casually uttering my worst nightmare.
"Director, the road is a bit congested, so we'll be taking a detour. The ride might get a little bumpy."
"Ugh, I hate bumpy rides."
Only then did he grab the overhead handle and close his eyes. Even though we were in a Maybach, the driver was pushing it so fast and hard that the car was shaking. I subtly shifted my weight, doing my part to make the ride feel just a little bit rougher.
After running several red lights, we finally arrived at Kang Yeeun's apartment.
"Babe, I'm here. Come on down."
"Okay."
But five minutes passed, then ten, and there was still no sign of her. The team leader gently nudged him.
"Director, we really must leave now. Our flight window is extremely tight."
"Why is she taking so long?"
"Hello? Yeah, why are you so late? What? Your dog won't let go of you? Just put it down and get out here. We're going to miss the flight."
He clicked his tongue, hung up, and spoke loud enough for us to hear.
"She's just too soft-hearted. It's a real problem."
A moment later, Kang Yeeun emerged, struggling to drag a suitcase that looked bigger than she was. I had to admit, she was definitely a celebrity—she was stunningly beautiful. We immediately grabbed her suitcase, threw it in the trunk, made sure both of them were securely inside, and took off. We slapped emergency warning lights onto the roof of our security vehicles. It was illegal, but we had no choice. We just figured the company would cover the fines.
"Step on it."
We arrived at the airport. We dashed straight to the check-in counter and barely made it in the nick of time. While the rest of us were gasping for breath, Han Minsu and Kang Yeeun were completely unfazed, giggling and chatting away. Are these bastards actually enjoying this? Our hearts had been in our throats. Missing a flight would have caused a massive headache, so we had driven like absolute maniacs to make it. But now, these two would probably think this was the standard. They'd assume two hours was plenty of time to detour to Sangam-dong and still make it to Incheon. Next time, they'd probably cut the window even shorter. Just thinking about it gave me a massive headache.
But there was an even bigger headache waiting for us. On the flight to Macau, we huddled up for an emergency meeting to adjust our security formation. Protecting a single target is entirely different from protecting two. Up until now, we had only practiced guarding one person—Han Minsu. But now, we had two principals to protect. Just because Han Minsu was the one paying didn't mean we could simply ignore Kang Yeeun if something happened. We spent the flight frantically revising our routes and schedules.
We landed at Macau International Airport. A vehicle sent by the hotel was waiting for us. After a quick security sweep of the car, we headed to the hotel. Unlike us, who were completely exhausted, Han Minsu and Kang Yeeun were bursting with energy and headed straight for the casino. Maybe it's because they eat high-end health food all the time, but their stamina is unreal.
We split into pairs, quietly keeping watch over Han Minsu and Kang Yeeun. We constantly scanned the area, looking for suspicious individuals or potential threats. My partner, Jeong Donghyeon, clearly disliked me and didn't utter a single word to me. He just silently kept his eyes on Han Minsu and the surrounding crowd. Having nothing to say to him either, I matched his silence.
Completely oblivious to our efforts, Han Minsu grew increasingly frustrated as his losing streak continued.
"Fuck, what is this? I keep losing."
"Statistically, I should have won at least once by sheer luck, shouldn't I?"
"Fucking hell, my luck is absolute trash today. Fuck this, I'm done, I'm done."
Despite his words, his hand kept tapping the table, demanding more cards.
"Hey, Dior. Go exchange this for chips."
"Fuck, go exchange this too."
"Is it because I don't have enough capital?"
We rotated shifts every two hours, resting and returning to duty. It wasn't physically demanding, but it was incredibly draining. We had to maintain constant vigilance, scanning and analyzing our surroundings. Since this was my first real detail, it was even harder for me because I hadn't yet learned what required my full attention and what could be safely ignored.
Just as our shift was coming to an end and we were preparing to hand over to the next rotation—
"Fuck, this is complete bullshit," Han Minsu spat, crumpling his cards.
"Oppa, I'm tired."
"Should we call it a night?"
"Yeah, let's get some rest."
"I'm done for today. Let's head up."
We radioed in Han Minsu's movement, and the standby team confirmed the route was clear, telling us to bring him straight up to his suite. As he walked out of the casino, Han Minsu handed me a card-sized piece of paper. It had a glossy, shimmering purple coating. I stared at him, wondering what it was.
"Go to the address written on there. They'll hand you an envelope. Just bring it back to me."
I glanced at Jeong Donghyeon beside me. He gave a subtle nod. Taking the slip of paper, I headed toward the address written on it.
It was a club located not far from our hotel. As I tried to enter, the bouncers blocked my path. I told them I was there to pick up a package and showed them the purple slip Han Minsu had given me. Their demeanor changed instantly, and they let me through—in fact, they went as far as to escort me inside.
We bypassed the crowded dance floor and headed down to the basement. After passing several private, discreet rooms, we walked through a narrow corridor barely wide enough for a single person to squeeze through, which opened up into another hidden bar. Countless bottles of alcohol lined the shelves, and sitting in front of them was a woman dressed in a chi-pao. She verified the slip of paper in my hand, handed over a paper envelope, and immediately looked away. It was a clear sign that our business was concluded. But for me, it was just beginning.
"Can I buy more of this?"
"As long as you have the money."
"Do you accept barter?"