Threat (14)
I parted ways with the kids and headed home, then registered at a nearby gym. A proper fitness club. Sure, there were other programs like GX and spinning right next door, but I signed up for the weight training first. After the last operation, watching our security team move and thinking about extreme situations, I realized I needed to be able to handle at least that much myself. That was why I decided to start working out.
Since it was my first day, I had a consultation with the gym manager. He kept suggesting I should get a personal trainer, saying that with PT I could even aim for a body profile shoot or a fitness competition. Even after I told him I was fine, he wouldn't let it go, so I eventually said I'd think about it while I kept coming. As he processed my registration, he looked somehow disappointed. My gut feeling was that he'd just lost a sucker. That's exactly what it felt like.
I ran on the treadmill, did some basic machine work, showered, and stepped out to find a message waiting. It was a Skylight message from someone I didn't know.
The blunt question caught me off guard at first. I had no idea who it was. This was my first time dealing with the white sock lady.
The moment she said predecessor, it clicked.
She was direct, but not particularly difficult. At least, not yet.
That was a little scary.
Was I getting shaken down? Her tone sounded like it could turn into "one slap per hundred won" at any moment.
Huh? She was exchanging currency? Without even charging a commission? I was grateful, but...
I decided to test the waters. I needed dollars anyway.
I'd take care of all of it. A savior had appeared. But what kind of organization had a European director and could casually throw around a billion won in operational funds?
I hadn't heard anything. But asking any more felt like it would get me cleaned up, so I offered an extra five percent on the exchange. She accepted immediately.
Out of that, I sent five million dollars to Gonzales. Paying off both the emotional debt and the actual monetary debt felt incredibly refreshing. The moment he received it, he messaged me.
I wondered if he was mourning his dead friend by cursing him out. And was the white sock lady really the intelligence operative that Flashmob had mentioned before? Did she already know everything I'd done? Like some kind of Big Brother? If she really belonged to a state agency, I was likely to get burned for asking, so I tucked the curiosity away in the corner of my mind.
A week later, I found myself seriously wondering what this person thought of me. In just one week, she contacted me three times and had me run errands. The day after the currency exchange, she asked me to reserve five rooms at a hotel in Gangnam. A few days later, she wanted three plane tickets from Incheon to Shanghai. Finally, she told me to rent an office in Yongsan under a borrowed name—for a full year, paid in advance, including maintenance fees.
Of course, I delegated everything to Secretary Ko, but something about it didn't sit right with me. Still, she paid me. In dollars, no less. I held it in. If she'd actually been shaking me down, I might have had to settle it with blood. I promised myself that the next time she asked for a favor, I'd get angry. Then the contact suddenly stopped.
The days were gradually getting warmer. Perfect weather for being active. The university was in festival mode, with singers coming in and the whole campus buzzing with excitement. As for me... I was at home studying. What was I studying? Foreign currency earning. The methods for earning foreign currency within the legal boundaries of this country were ridiculously difficult. Individuals were limited to ten thousand dollars, and even that had to go through a foreign exchange bank. Exporting was another option, but that required actual physical goods, which was tough. Even the currency exchange shops I'd looked into had to report every transaction to the government or risk violating foreign exchange laws. Breaking into the local shops in Myeongdong seemed difficult too. In the end, it all came down to fighting over commissions.
Just in case, I posted on Skylight, relying on its anonymity.
I received a warning from the operator. After getting warned, I realized I looked like I was boycotting the store right in front of it. Since I'd already repaid Gonzales, I'd take it slow and wait for the right opportunity. In the meantime, I continued moving cocaine in small amounts. I sent another kilogram to the Philippines and distributed one kilogram domestically through the sales division. Gonzales had said small quantities were fine.
For the next month, I was essentially closed for business. Of course, the sales division was still selling well. But after handling several major deals, I had no results to show. No overseas orders either. I whined a bit to Executive Director Ha, but he just told me to take this chance to rest. Then he asked if I knew about something. When I asked what, he brought up the three major drug organizations in Korea. My curiosity was piqued. I really was curious, so I asked him to tell me. His answer was ridiculous.
"First place: Sales Division 1. Second place: Sales Division 2. Third place: Sales Division 3."
That dad joke really wasn't funny. When I told him it wasn't even amusing, Executive Director Ha replied, "It's true, though?" If it was a fact, then it was at least a little satisfying.
The next day, I made plans for a date with Miju. I went to visit her at her internship site and happened to meet the professor from the company where she was interning. He was quite handsome. Nice voice, too. If he were any younger, I might have felt the need to keep an eye on him. But I heard he was retiring in a few years. Still, why hadn't the report come in? I thought I'd requested information on him before. I'd have to ask about it when I got home.
The topic of living together never came up. As expected, her father had been furious. I told her not to be too discouraged, that I'd do even better from now on, and that wrapped it up.
In May, a junior from the law department suggested a mountain hike for a date, so we went to Donghaksa Temple instead. I hadn't driven alone this time. She'd learned to drive in the meantime and was commuting, so she handled it steadily and well. I once again realized the truth that having someone else drive is the most comfortable thing in the world.
When I had a moment, I asked Secretary Ko for another background check on the professor Miju was meeting and the company details.
"Director Jo already submitted a report on that. I'll send it up again."
I must have forgotten. "Have you been well?"
"I am, as long as you don't show up."
What a joke. The monk was the same as ever. The temple's sign looked a bit faded; I should donate a bit more. "Miju, you've come."
Why was the temperature difference between us so big? We offered prayers together, then had some tea. After walking along the valley for a while, the sun was already starting to set. We hadn't done much, but time had flown by.
On the way back to Seoul, I asked about her internship. "How's the internship going?"
"It's good overall. But the professor seems to be in poor health."
"He collapsed last week, you know?"
"Sigh... Doesn't he need to rest?"
"Right? But the thing is, even though biosimilars are called copy drugs, there are still slight differences. In efficacy, in the base sequence..."
"He keeps saying it's almost done, it's almost done, and he can't let it go."
He certainly had a lot of greed. "And it seems the research funds are a bit short, so even the full-time seniors are struggling."
The mood grew heavy, so I changed the subject. What else was there? We talked about places to travel. I left out the Cancun story. She still felt guilty, thinking she'd ruined the trip because of her. I suggested the Philippines. Since my brother had said things had stabilized there, it should be fine to go. When she asked why the Philippines, I told her I knew a good hotel and that I'd book us a room and introduce her to some people I knew. Miju teased me, saying I sure knew a lot of people. I joked back that since I was in international trade, I was supposed to know people all over the world. We chatted back and forth until we arrived in Seoul. I dropped Miju off first, then headed home.
When I arrived, Madame Lee and Secretary Ko greeted me warmly. If there are people who welcome you when you come home, that's what family is.