Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Royal Family 5-1
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Seo Ji-hyeok, having left the club, called for the driver and took Han Ji-young's car to her officetel apartment.
And before pulling into the parking lot, he got out and leaned through the window to peer at Han Ji-young's face.
"Want a shot of soju?"
"No. Tonight... better not."
"Alright then. Get some rest. Tomorrow, take the morning off and we'll head out around two."
"Tomorrow's Saturday, you know?"
"Yeah, I know. We'll go in one car. I'll swing by here with my car. Oh, and plan for about three days away. I'll head out first."
"Ah..."
Han Ji-young let out a short sigh as she watched Ji-hyeok turn and walk away without a moment's hesitation, but her pride kept her from calling him back.
And so the two wrapped up their long day.
The next day at two in the afternoon.
Ji-hyeok called exactly on time from in front of Han Ji-young's officetel.
She had been waiting downstairs and stepped out as soon as her phone rang.
"That's quite a big bag."
"Isn't it manners for a guy not to comment on a woman's bag?"
Han Ji-young's tone was prickly.
Her face looked haggard, clearly from a sleepless night, but Ji-hyeok just smirked and loaded the bag into the trunk.
"It'll take about five hours. Let me know if you need a rest stop along the way."
"Where are we going that takes five hours?"
"Oh, didn't I mention? Yangseon City."
"Yangseon City? Ilshin Chemical?"
"Yeah."
"Do they work weekends? Why head out on a Saturday?"
"We're not going to the office."
Han Ji-young's voice stayed sharp, but Ji-hyeok didn't let it bother him.
And that only seemed to irk her more, as she slammed the passenger door hard when she got in.
"It won't break from that."
"I know."
"We're off."
Ji-hyeok's car glided smoothly away.
Of course, being Saturday at two, with all the traffic fleeing Seoul, they couldn't go very fast...
After stop-and-go driving, Ji-hyeok pulled into the first rest area.
"What do you want to drink?"
"Coffee."
It wasn't intentional, but they hadn't exchanged many words since setting off.
Ji-hyeok hummed along to the music, and Ji-young gradually settled into enjoying the Saturday afternoon drive.
By the time they reached the rest area, she seemed to have completely forgotten her initial mood from getting in the car, her demeanor bright and lively.
Even more relaxed than the polished version she showed at the office.
With Ji-hyeok's coffee order in hand, Ji-young skipped lightly into the rest stop, while he headed to the restroom.
A moment later, she returned with her hands full.
Coffee, bottled water, baked potatoes, dried squid...
For a split second, watching Han Ji-young bounce toward the car, Ji-hyeok thought that must be her true face.
Not Taesung Group Assistant Manager Han Ji-young, but twenty-six-year-old Han Ji-young.
They arrived at the reserved hotel at eight o'clock.
Partly because they'd stopped at rest areas a bit too often, but after the long drive, even Ji-hyeok felt a touch fatigued.
In the hotel lobby, Han Ji-young looked mildly surprised.
"Honestly, this is unexpected."
"What is?"
"I didn't expect a hotel like this to be here."
"You're really turning Yangseon City upside down with talk like that. It's one of the fastest-growing places in Korea these days. Let's drop our bags in the rooms first. I hear the hotel restaurant is decent. We need dinner anyway."
"Sure. See you here in thirty minutes."
"Thirty minutes?"
"That's the minimum. Don't try to negotiate."
Ji-hyeok smirked at Han Ji-young, who held up one finger with a firm expression.
A short while later, as Ji-hyeok sat on a lobby sofa after stowing his bag, Han Ji-young appeared in a vibrant dress.
She turned heads in the lobby, drawing everyone's gaze for a moment.
It must have been a hectic thirty minutes for her to look that put-together.
She approached Ji-hyeok lightly, drawing eyes as she went, and spoke in a bright voice.
"Not late, right?"
"No. I looked it up—there's a good bulgogi spot nearby. Hotel or outside?"
"Outside means taking the car?"
"Nah, it's walkable."
"Outside it is, then."
"Sounds good."
A cool autumn breeze greeted them refreshingly as they stepped out of the hotel.
Han Ji-young's skirt fluttered, and her steps were light and peppy.
True to Ji-hyeok's word, a ten-minute walk brought them to the restaurant.
Han Ji-young pored over the menu brought by the server, then ordered beef bulgogi and a bottle of soju.
-Pop!
"The soju we missed yesterday."
She uncapped the soju bottle that came with the side dishes, filled Ji-hyeok's glass, handed him the bottle, and let him fill hers.
-Clink!
After lightly toasting, Ji-hyeok downed his shot in one go, and Ji-young emptied hers just as quickly.
"You hold your liquor well."
"My first department head loved to drink. He'd drag us out till dawn and then check the next morning who showed up properly. I was always the last to leave and the first to arrive."
"Tough life."
"Yeah. That's when it started—people behind my back calling me a tough bitch."
"Sounded like a compliment."
"It did. I didn't mind. Proof is, I made assistant manager in just a few years and got posted to Strategy Office."
-Glug...
Han Ji-young poured herself another glass.
And downed it in one gulp.
"Never told anyone this, but honestly, that year in Strategy was hell. We'd see one or two desks empty every month. No room for even the tiniest mistake. But the rewards for success are real. Not a single Taesung Group executive in their forties who didn't come from Strategy."
"You could go back if you want."
"No way. I'm not an idiot. Think they'd send me back if I requested a transfer? Fat chance. I'd end up at some local factory for sure. Taesung has more than enough people like me to trip over."
Instead of replying to her self-deprecating tone, Ji-hyeok lifted the soju bottle and filled his glass.
As he moved to refill hers, the bulgogi arrived, pausing the conversation.
"Let's hold off on the serious talk and eat first. I'm starving."
"Me too."
Han Ji-young readily agreed to Ji-hyeok's suggestion and picked up her chopsticks.
But then.
"Ah, damn. Talk about timing."
"Huh?"
Ji-hyeok grimaced and set his chopsticks down.
As she popped a piece of bulgogi into her mouth, Ji-young tilted her head and followed his gaze.
And then...
"Cough!"
So startled, she choked on the bulgogi and started coughing.
Entering through the door was that manager from the club last night.
She came in with a beaming smile and waved at Ji-hyeok.
Following her were a dozen rough-looking men filing into the restaurant.
"Oppa, hi! It's been less than a day, but I'm so glad to see you. Right?"
The manager plopped down at the table next to Ji-hyeok, grinning like she really meant it.
Meanwhile, Ji-hyeok poured water for Ji-young, who drank it down and finally calmed her cough.
Only then did he turn to the manager.
"You don't listen to advice."
"No matter how I think about it, more money is always better for making a life out here."
"They're giving you more here?"
"Yeah. More than you offered."
"And for that, you need the video I have?"
"Exactly. Oppa, let's keep it simple. Yeah?"
As the men entered, the other customers started glancing around nervously and slipping out one by one.
Soon, only Ji-hyeok and Ji-young's table remained.
That's when a square-jawed man sat across from the manager.
"Who the hell is this punk?"
"You talking to me?"
"Who else is there?"
"And who the hell are you?"
"What? Holy shit, look at this ballsy fuck. Don't know who you are, but this is Yangseon turf. Even Busan boys fold here, got it?"
"Really? You think Busan guys actually see this backwater dump that way?"
"You little shit!"
The man spat curses and shot to his feet.
But Ji-hyeok calmly picked up a piece of bulgogi and ate it.
He was sure they wouldn't trash the place.
And sure enough.
The man kicked his chair aside violently.
-Crash!
Ever since the men walked in, Han Ji-young's face had been on the verge of tears.
Terror filled her eyes, her body rigid, hands clenched into fists on her thighs.
When the man kicked the chair, she couldn't even scream, just shrank back tightly.
"Hey, you fuck! There's a chick here—don't wanna get dragged out like a dog, then come quietly. Got it?"
Ji-hyeok rinsed his mouth with water and stood slowly.
"Too bad, it was good. Alright, let's go."
As Ji-hyeok rose, the man turned and led the way out.
Ji-hyeok turned to Han Ji-young.
"Let's go."
"Huh? What about... the police?"
"Too much hassle. And from the vibe, calling them won't help much. Come on."
"Still... shouldn't we call?"
"What did I say? Where's it safe?"
"Next to... you."
Ji-hyeok gave a gentle smile to Ji-young, who had unconsciously called him "you," and offered his hand.
"Right. Up you get."
Hesitantly, she took his hand, and in that instant, her anxiety melted away.
Why? Why was that?
This kind of fear was new to her.
The closest thing was high school, when a guy followed her and she sprinted home for dear life.
But this was worse.
Surrounded by menacing thugs, not knowing what they'd do.
Yet just having this man beside her,
just holding his hand,
and the fear vanished.
What? Why? Am I crazy?
Leading the bewildered Han Ji-young outside, Ji-hyeok found himself surrounded by the men and herded around to the back of the restaurant.
There was an open lot big enough for volleyball.
Probably extra space for busy times—parasols and chairs were stacked to one side.
They were pushed toward the back of the lot.
And that's when it happened.
"Here, hold this."
Ji-hyeok pulled out his phone, switched to video mode, and handed it to Ji-young.
Then the boss-looking man from before stepped forward.
"What the fuck you doing? See, this is why I hate Seoul pricks. What, think filming scares me? This is Yangseon, you moron! Boys."
"Yeah, boss."
"Beat him down."
"Got it."
Nine men started moving in response.
But at that moment.
Ji-hyeok tilted his head slightly and locked eyes with the manager standing beside the boss, watching him with curious interest.
He gave her a quick wink.
Ji-hyeok sprang into action the instant her eyes widened in shock.