5. A Tricky Meeting with My Business Partner
Yoon Kang-chul's question gave me pause.
Should I just lay it all out?
But how much does this guy really trust me?
From his perspective, I'm just some twenty-year-old punk.
Sure, we'd spent six months locked up together, seeing all each other's ugly sides in that tiny cell.
But even so, would he really buy my pitch hook, line, and sinker when it came to a make-or-break shot at the big time?
'Hmm... how to play this...'
Truth was, the answer had to be no.
Unless he'd popped some magic pills.
And this place? Yoon Kang-chul's joint? Even to my eyes, it stuck out like a sore thumb.
High-end, yeah, but straight out of early 2000s room salon vibes.
Coming here made it click why everyone in the slammer had either doubted my stories or eaten them up.
'This spot... no matter how you slice it, the nightlife level here's pathetically low compared to where I came from.'
Maybe it was just this one place.
Or maybe I was being arrogant.
So I probed gently.
"Bro, real talk... if I straight-up told you right now to tweak this or fix that, you think you'd actually do it?"
"Huh?"
"Exactly what I said. Gotta tread careful from my end. I'm young, y'know? And you know my style—I don't talk unless I'm sure."
Yoon Kang-chul's grin faded, his face hardening.
He finally got the point, letting out a late "Hmm..." as he mulled it over.
I crossed my arms and stared him down steady.
If he showed even a flicker of doubt here?
I'd drop a vague hint and bounce.
Not my shop anyway. Whether he crashed or soared, none of my business.
Knock knock.
"Uh... bro? Bringing the booze first."
Some lackey waiter dude hustled in with a bottle of Valentine 17, clocked the heavy vibe, and froze.
Yoon Kang-chul gave a small nod, and the guy quickly set up the drinks before slipping out careful-like.
A brutal silence stretched on forever.
Guess my question had nailed the core.
Yoon Kang-chul wasn't dumb.
Clink, pour...
How long passed?
Once he'd sorted his thoughts, Yoon Kang-chul poured the shots.
He filled my glass and his with straight liquor, then spoke cautious.
"Lil' bro."
"Yeah."
"I wanna make it big, y'know."
He slammed it back.
I watched him quiet, and he topped off an under-rock glass, downed another, then kept going.
"You see how I dropped everything for one call from you?"
"Hmm... maybe you just missed me?"
I shrugged, and he barked a big laugh before spilling self-deprecating.
"Crazy bastard. Lil' bro, I ain't got no fancy education, but I went to the pen for someone else 'cause I wanna succeed. Started thuggin' in my early twenties, and now at my age, handed a joint? Rare as hell."
Mouth tasting bitter, he locked eyes fierce and raised his glass to me.
"And day one out, I hear from you and come runnin' like a dog, shoving everything aside. Get what that means?"
That desperate, huh?
His face said yeah.
I swallowed what I wanted to say and raised mine.
"Dunno... I'm no thug."
Clink. Under-rock—half the glass straight hooch—down the hatch.
"Tch."
"Kya, lil' bro drinks like a champ? Thought you were bullshittin'."
Shit booze after ages; mouth went numb.
Stuff like this was for kissing guest ass back in the day.
I grabbed the Valentine, poured his full, and flicked the bottle's ass with my finger.
The slow pour turned torrent.
Thud. Set it down, stroked my chin, locked eyes.
"This means no backstabbing, right?"
Didn't care how much he trusted me.
Long as he didn't hide my cut.
Plus, thug connections? Handy as fuck in modern life, from experience.
Mutual benefit, no poison.
Long as no dope.
"Heh, this that Peach Garden Oath shit?"
"Blood brothers is overkill... business partners sounds good."
"Partners, huh. OK! Bottoms up."
Gulp.
And so the serious biz talk kicked off.
"Who's inside?"
"...Dunno? Some bro he met in the pen, I think."
Madam Kim Ji-hyun smacked her lips subtle at the doorman's blank reply.
Thirty minutes they'd been in there.
What big talk kept him blowing off choices?
Guests due soon; impatience built.
'No way he's flipping shop policy outta nowhere?'
New boss Yoon Kang-chul after old Jeong got canned.
Met him a few times—young guy, she recalled.
Why our shop always stuck with greenhorns?
Anxiety swelled.
That prick Jeong got five girls to quit after screwing 'em.
This place was her blood and sweat, barely on track.
'If this one's another girl-crazy psycho...'
Maiking advances weren't forever; another round and it was over.
Kim Ji-hyun gnawed her nails, eyeing the sealed VIP tight.
"Hey!"
Chat wrapping; faint sound leaked from the room.
Doorman bolted; she swallowed hard.
Creeeak—
"Bro need anything...?"
"Yeah, we're doin' choices now, call the girls. And booze—not this, uh... that whatsis... y'know."
Voice fading, but snippets slipped.
"Just do Golden Blue."
"Nah, lil' bro's here—gotta rep as big bro."
"Then Blue if you got it."
"Blue? Not Golden? What's that?"
"They'll know outside."
"Ah, OK. Hey! Blue—one bottle. Girls now."
"Yes, bro."
'What the hell, not even a regular.'
Doorman eased back, shut the door quiet, approached her.
"Sis. Blue? Get one, show the girls for choice."
"What?"
"Blue. Or Mlu?"
"..."
Kim Ji-hyun's head spun already, but she nodded.
'Fine. First day managing. Good booze ain't bad.'
At least no Valentine 30; silver lining.
Asked the doorman.
"That bro inside—troublemaker?"
"Huh? Dunno... just kinda..."
Doorman tilted vague.
Frustrated, she pressed.
"What? Style?"
"Just... short... total nerd?"
He clamped his mouth post-say, panicked.
Kim Ji-hyun grew puzzled.
"OK, whatever. I'll peek during choice."
Why so worried, though?
She shoved doorman aside, rounded up girls in waitroom.
"Girls, choice for room two. One's the new manager—Yoon, some've met. Uh... watch mouths in there. Got it?"
"Yes!"
"Oh, right. Sera—pretty fox friend when?"
"Uh... sec?"
Fox-faced Sera checked phone, beamed.
"...First floor now!"
"Perfect. You pair with her. Tell her up ASAP?"
"Yess~!"
"Hi...?"
Mid-drinks with Yoon Kang-chul, a cute mid-20s slipped in.
"Hey, sis."
"Hoho... Kang-chul. Long time~ Heard."
"Yeah. Got it. Please to work with."
"Nah... I should beg~"
Early 30s-ish, warm eye-smile lady.
Like a sexy celeb who'd scammed and ghosted.
Figure screamed ex-hostess madam.
Outfit sleek—Apgujeong rental or vet of the game.
I half-moon smiled back at her greet.
"Yeah, nice. Kim Hyung-chul."
"Oh, yes~ The bro, right? Look so young."
My brow twitched.
First time hit with that 'who're you?' glare—no immunity.
'Fuck. Right, she knew Pig Hyung-chul.'
Madam instincts sharp; wary already.
Won't reach this if original body.
Gotta smash quests, buy shop shit, level up quick.
"Haha, yeah. You look young too, sis."
(Worked on the age, huh.)
Couldn't lose; matched her vibe smile.
She tilted smug, nodded lots.
"Hohoho... Choices first. Girls~!"
Push once, pinned forever—this biz rule.
Had to parry, but cute reaction.
Staredown choice-time began.
Five girls filed in batches.
'Hmm, sizes decent.'
No hype from vibe, but Gangnam average by my standards.
Mapping roadmap ahead.
Felt madam and Yoon Kang-chul side-eyeing me.
I nodded Yoon: send 'em out if no pick.
"Second batch~?"
Yoon tilted; madam solo-called next.
"Yeah, saw good. Bro, pick quick."
I eyed Yoon at this pointless shit.
Gonna work with these girls; choosing here?
Not a thug; can't.
"...No pick, lil' bro?"
"Nah. Just booze."
"Oh, pick with—bro picks too~!"
"Yeah, grab one. My treat."
I shrugged bored.
"Then me and sis drink. Got questions."
"Eh... me?"
"Yeah, you."
Sudden tag flustered her.
My no thanks. Open time; stealing madam breaks code.
She got it, stepped back.
"Hohong... See, girls? Sis ain't dead yet? Wait tho~ Two more ungiven."
Last batch: two as first left.
"Hi~ Sera here."
"Uh... Suzy...?"
That instant, fate's irony hit hard.
"Bro, these two. You Sera. Me Suzy."
"Uh, huh? Liked that first-batch one...?"
"Nah. Came together—obvious pair. These."
"Hmm... fine. Not here to play."
"Oh! Lucky~ Yeah! Sera fits age, pretty? Plus Suzy first day~"
Thus, I met the bitch who'd landed me in prison.
Current college kid Lee Ji-soo from that cafe.
"Ah, hi...?"