Who is Kim Si-jin Byeoljang Nabri?
"Who the hell is this Kim Si-jin Byeoljang Nabri guy?"
"Ah, I'm starving. Should've eaten before heading out."
I grumbled about rushing off as I stepped into the restaurant.
The inn's courtyard had several low wooden platforms set up like outdoor seating, and the closed-off rooms echoed with raucous chatter.
"Aigoo! Come on in! How many in your party?"
An ajumma who seemed to work there approached with a fawning smile. But her eyes told a different story. They glared at me like a Hahoe mask's forced grin.
I held up a single index finger right in her face.
"Just one."
The moment she clocked it was a solo diner—no cover charge in sight—her smile vanished.
"We don't seat singles. What're we gonna do?"
"I'll order for two."
"Still, it's just one person..."
"C'mon, cut me a break, sis."
"Oh ho ho ho!"
The ajumma, older than my own mom, perked up at "sis," her lips curling sky-high.
"What? Sis? You think I look that young?"
"Of course. Anyone pretty's a sis."
"Ho ho ho! Alright then, come on in. Your sis here'll whip up something delicious!"
Beaming now, she led me to a platform.
I climbed up, sat by the low table, and asked for the menu.
"What's good here, sis?"
"It's a gukbap joint—what do you think? Gukbap!"
"One gukbap then."
"..."
"And some sliced pork, too. A bottle of takju while you're at it."
"Ho ho ho! You got it! Sis'll bring it right out!"
Her lips had drooped cold at the single gukbap order, but the add-ons flipped her back to grinning as she bustled off.
"Wahaha!"
A booming laugh erupted from the closed room.
"Pour it up! Drink up! Uhahaha!"
Sounded like a daytime booze fest.
"Hey, little bro! Your grub's here!"
She was back with a tray faster than expected. I watched her set down the gukbap, pork slices, and liquor bottle, then asked,
"Sis, that room's throwing a rager in broad daylight?"
"Huh?"
She glanced at the room I pointed to, smirking slyly. Then she leaned in like she was spilling secrets.
"Little bro, know who's in there?"
"Who?"
"Who else? Kim Si-jin Byeoljang Nabri."
Kim Si-jin.
My heart raced at the name. Just to be sure, I pressed,
"And who's that supposed to be?"
"Heh, really? You live under a rock or what? You don't know Kim Si-jin Byeoljang Nabri?"
"Yeah, pretty much locked away somewhere."
I brushed off the prying and steered back.
"So, what's this Byeoljang Nabri like?"
"Little bro, you hear about that uproar in Jeonju last year? The arm found under the bridge?"
"Oh yeah! Three dead, all scum who'd messed with the killer's mom."
"Right! Right! If you know that, then this too—the beast from Wansanju raping women left and right."
"Heard that one! Turns out he'd hit like ten victims."
"You know all that and not Kim Si-jin Byeoljang Nabri? He nabbed 'em all."
"No kidding?"
I tilted my head like I was clueless, picking up a slice of pork with my chopsticks and nodding toward the room.
"So he's in there, huh? Kim Si-jin Byeoljang Nabri?"
"Yup. Wanna meet him?"
"Kinda curious. They say he's a real looker."
"Wh-what? Really?"
She squinted like it was news to her, staring at the room as if picturing him, then shook her head.
"Nah, don't think so."
"C'mon, what're you talking about."
I tilted the bottle into my bowl, downed the sour takju in one go, grabbed another pork slice, and chewed noisily.
"They say he's so handsome, the whole place lights up when he shows. Flowers bloom, sick folks heal—y'know, that vibe."
"Pfft! What, is he Buddha?"
She snorted, waving it off.
"Really? Guess I heard wrong."
I soothed my gut with more pork and changed tack.
"Anyway, looks like he's got his crew. Pretty rowdy."
"Yeah, brought two or three underlings."
Two or three? Minus Kim Si-jin...
"Piece of cake."
"Huh? What'd you say, little bro?"
"Nothing, just mumbling. Dig in, sis."
I started eating, ignoring her puzzled stare. She eyed me like I was nuts, then headed to the kitchen.
I slurped gukbap, glancing at the room. Kim Si-jin and his goons were still holed up laughing.
They wouldn't come out till I finished... ah, shit. Flag stood.
"Hey! Time to head out!"
The door flew open. Out lumbered a hulking brute.
Next one, another brute.
Then another.
And another.
Tsk. This ain't good.
Four heads, but strength like ten.
They were all built like tanks—heads a full size above average men, shoulders wide as two abreast.
No way, so I just scoped for Kim Si-jin. The best-looking one there.
Or the least ugly.
Wait, human-looking one... none?
One flat-nosed, one bucktoothed, one-eyed, cross-eyed. Not dissing the disabled, but no clue who was Kim Si-jin.
"Huh? Who're you?"
Staring too hard, my eyes locked with the cross-eyed guy's.
Or did they? Where's he looking? Me? Or the blue sky?
"Uh, h-hello."
I stood mid-bite and bowed.
"Overheard you folks while eating. Kim Si-jin Byeoljang Nabri's here? Which one's...?"
"Hahat!"
Cross-eyes burst out laughing, turning to flat-nose.
"Byeoljang Nabri! Some punk here wants to pay respects!"
"Me?"
Flat-nose, about to leave, turned and approached.
I hopped off the platform, slipped on my straw sandals, and looked up at him.
"You really Kim Si-jin Byeoljang Nabri?"
"Uhahaha!"
He roared with laughter at my question, scanning his buddies like check this, then nodded at me.
"Yup! Kim Si-jin, that's me!"
"Whoa!"
I backed up in awe, hands over mouth, eyeing him closely.
"R-really? You're really Lord Kim Si-jin?"
"Damn right! Check this out."
Flat-nose whipped a sword from his robe, sheath and all. Cat-skin patched sheath thrust forward proudly.
"This here's the royal eosa-geum straight from His Majesty!"
"N-no way? C-can I touch it?"
"Why not!"
I reached gingerly, but he yanked it back before contact.
"But! You cover our bar tab!"
"Yes sir!"
"Wait, wha?"
"The booze tab! On me! How could I not after what you've done for us, Byeoljang Nabri? Planned to pay anyway!"
"Heh, haha! You know a good man when you see one!"
Flat-nose laughed, eyeing his crew. I seized the distraction.
Thwack!
"Uh, huh?"
I grabbed the hand holding his so-called eosa-geum, right sleeve.
"The hell's this?"
Ignoring flat-nose's question, my other hand snagged his collar.
Twisted my body, yanked his center over my shoulder, bent forward, and slammed him down.
Thud!
The massive bulk hit pavement, ground shaking.
"...!"
Flat-nose writhed in gut-wrenching agony, mouth gaping silently.
Confirmed subdued, I turned to the others.
They froze at the sudden assault. I prepped the next.
Kicked off the platform, leaped high. Landed on cross-eyes' shoulder, left hand clamping his head.
Right elbow drove into his crown.
"Urk!"
Cross-eyes stiffened with a groan, then collapsed limp.
I forward-rolled off before he hit, absorbing impact, sprang up at one-eye.
"Grk!"
Two down, they reacted. One-eye, snared by sleeve and collar, instinctively reared back.
I hooked my foot between his legs, shoved him over.
Thump!
"Ack!"
Air whooshed from his lungs in a groan. Less brutal than flat-nose's slam, but innards still churning.
"Hah, hah, hah."
Three down in seconds, I panted upright.
"Y-you, you, you bastard!"
Buckteeth, last man, drew his blade, edging back but boasting,
"Y-you! Know who I am? I'm Dongnae Blade-master!"
"Oh yeah?"
Something I'd always wanted to say.
"Jeongeup Gunslinger."
I drew one of my twin semi-auto pistols from my robe, aimed at Dongnae Blade-master.
He dropped sword, hands shooting up like surrender.
"M-mercy! Spare me, just once!"
"Depends on you."
Thumbed the hammer, sidestepped away, toward the ajumma.
"Wh-wh-what the...!"
She trembled, still in shock.
I switched pistol to left, pulled a metal badge from my robe with right.
"Sis, take this to the magistrate's office and fetch some guys? Caught some impersonators."
"Y-yes...?"
"Get people. Hurry. Here."
Her shaky hands took the badge. Engraved:
Jeolla Provincial Office
Jeonju Magistrate's Court
Temporary Byeoljang Kim Si-jin
"K-Kim Si...!"
Hangul below the hanja spelled my name clear.
I flashed a grin at her bulging eyes.
"See? Handsome in person, right?"
She clapped trembling hands over her mouth, unblinking.
Savoring the perfect reaction, back to business.
"Now you've seen my pretty face. Run to the yamen and bring backup. Haul these clowns away."
"Y-yes! R-right back!"
She dodged the stirring impostors and fled the restaurant.
I watched her go, then addressed the groaning fakes rising with scowls.
"Hey. Over to that wall. Kneel, hands up. Now."
I aimed to say do it or eat lead.
They grimaced like fucked, but followed—wrinkles over bullet holes, any day.
"Turn around and your head's gone. For real. Test me."
Pistol lowered but hammer cocked, I returned to my platform.
Resumed eating. Pork cold, but gukbap still warm. Lucky.
Taking four bruisers unscathed. Stumbling on fakes while hunting them on an empty stomach.
Third-year stress had my head splitting, but now I'd ace exams clear-headed.