Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Royal Family 2-2
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Waiting to greet Ji-hyeok in room 401 was Professor Lee Yong-ju from Korea University's Philosophy Department.
The woman seemed to be hiding in the master bedroom, and considering she'd thrown on her clothes in a hurry, Lee Yong-ju greeted Seo Ji-hyeok looking much like she did at school.
"Seo Ji-hyeok, majoring in Political Science?"
"Yes. You taught my class, but looks like you don't remember."
"It rings a bell... Anyway, I'll get straight to the point. What do you want?"
"Ah, it's this."
Ji-hyeok pulled a rolled-up bundle of papers from his inner pocket and unfolded it with both hands. The title page read:
[The Spirit of the Age and the Role of Philosophy.]
Lee Yong-ju stared at the paper and Ji-hyeok alternately, looking puzzled for a moment.
"This is... a report, isn't it?"
"Yes. The assignment you gave instead of the final exam. On the spirit of the age and the role of philosophy."
"And?"
"See here? D+. The grade you gave me. I just can't wrap my head around why it's a D+."
"So... you're saying you were hanging off the fourth-floor window because of this?"
"Among other things. Truth is, I'm on leave this semester, but suddenly I have to graduate this year. If it weren't for that, I'd have just swallowed the bad grade. But I did the math, and if this gets bumped to a C or higher, I'll have enough credits to graduate. That's why I'm here."
"So you want me to help you graduate?"
"Help? No. I'm demanding a proper grade."
"Demanding? You got that grade for a reason, didn't you?"
"I checked all the reports that got A+. Some were straight copy-pastes from the internet. What kind of criteria are you using to grade?"
"Listen here. Grading is at the professor's discretion. You're overstepping."
That was when it happened.
- Slap!
Ji-hyeok's palm flew like the wind and struck Lee Yong-ju's cheek.
With that single slap, the atmosphere, which had briefly seemed like a normal student-professor conversation, shifted in an instant.
"Overstepping? You skip classes, fool around with a girl four years younger than your daughter in broad daylight, and think you can grade my report on the spirit of the age and philosophy? Aren't you the one overstepping? You're not about to claim this is some profound reflection on modern sex and love, are you?"
At Ji-hyeok's words, Lee Yong-ju's mouth snapped shut, as if he'd briefly remembered he was a professor.
He glanced around cautiously before speaking carefully.
"But... as you know, the grade correction period is already over..."
"That's for you to handle."
"Then... if I change the grade..."
"I saw nothing."
"A... alright. I'll do that."
"Do it now."
"R... right now?"
"Or do you want to do it in front of your wife? You carry your laptop everywhere. Do it now."
"A... alright. But just in case, any photos..."
"What, you won't do it without photos? Should I strip you and take one now?"
"N... no, that's fine... I get it. I'll do it now."
At Ji-hyeok's irritated tone, Lee Yong-ju flinched and grabbed the laptop bag from the sofa.
Right in front of Ji-hyeok, he changed the grade himself.
"Is... that good?"
"Yes. Feels better now. Guess bottling it up really does make you sick. Right, Professor?"
"Then..."
"You can go. You've got class. Or continue what you were doing?"
Lee Yong-ju glanced at the firmly shut master bedroom door but didn't agonize long.
He hurriedly gathered his things and bolted without looking back.
Tsking at the professor's retreating figure, Ji-hyeok let out a small sigh and headed to the master bedroom.
- Knock! Knock!
"Heo Yu-rim, open the door."
"........."
"Don't open it, and I'll break it down. You know my temper."
Ji-hyeok's major was Political Science.
And Heo Yu-rim, currently in the room, was also a Political Science major.
So they knew each other well.
Even if not, Ji-hyeok was so infamous on campus that any social sciences student would have a hard time not knowing him...
Eventually, at Ji-hyeok's irritated voice, the door creaked open after a moment, and Heo Yu-rim emerged.
"O... oppa."
"Sit down first."
Ji-hyeok sat on the sofa first, and Heo Yu-rim cautiously sat on the floor, all huddled up.
"Cut the crap. I know you. Sit on the sofa. No acting."
Heo Yu-rim looked up and stuck out her tongue playfully.
"Hehe, doesn't work on oppa after all."
"Didn't I tell you not to do this stuff?"
"What stuff? You mean love?"
"Love?"
"Yeah. Love. I love Lee Yong-ju."
"The guy who ditched you and ran without looking back? You know what I'd do and still call that love?"
"Yeah. That's his charm. Scaredy-cat but loyal to his desires. It's hilarious—he gets a call from his wife mid-act, pulls out, takes it outside, then comes back. And he always remembers the condom... When I tease him at school, that conflicted face... It's so much fun."
Now perched on the sofa, sitting cross-legged facing Ji-hyeok, Heo Yu-rim chatted excitedly.
Ji-hyeok couldn't help but smirk at her.
"Shut up. I'm here to collect a debt."
At the word "debt," a flicker of surprise crossed Heo Yu-rim's face.
But she quickly reverted to her usual expression.
Full of allure.
"Surprised. Oppa saying something like that. Fine. If not for you, I'd be dead by that psycho. What won't I give? Spill. Me? You're always welcome."
"Shut up."
"Not joking. Anyway, whatever oppa wants, I can handle it. Wait, one question first."
"Shoot."
"Paying the debt won't make you ghost me, right?"
"Depends on you."
"Tch! Always 'depends.' Fine. What is it? Or I could pay interest first in that room. Hot."
"I said shut up. Let's squeeze some money from your dad."
"Money? How much?"
"Around ten billion."
"For real? That'll do it?"
"Plenty. We'll hit your mom too."
"Deal. What do I do?"
"One of the photos you have."
"Of Lee Yong-ju?"
"Yeah."
No sooner had Ji-hyeok answered than Heo Yu-rim dashed into the room.
She dashed back out, pink phone in hand.
"Pick a cute one of me?"
"No, pick one that'll make your dad flip."
"Hmm... gotta be pretty explicit then."
After fiddling with her phone for a bit, Heo Yu-rim grinned and looked up—just as Ji-hyeok's phone pinged with a message.
He checked it. The photo was blatantly lewd.
"Good."
"Oppa."
"What?"
"Doesn't do anything for you?"
"Jealous?"
"Would be nice."
The Heo Yu-rim that Ji-hyeok knew was affection-starved.
That's why she always craved love.
And that desperation pulled her away from morals and ethics.
She indulged in the thrill of risky relationships and threw herself into forbidden desires.
That's why she ended up owing Ji-hyeok a debt.
There were plenty of crazies in the world, and she even wanted their affection.
Because she saw herself as the villain.
Because she thought she'd have no regrets even in death.
But when her life was truly at stake, she begged to live.
Ji-hyeok was the one who saved her then.
And Ji-hyeok saw that her deprivation stemmed from her parents.
Parents who gave their daughter money instead of love.
"If you don't like it, say so now. We don't have to do it this way."
"Nah. Sucks I can't watch, but whatever. Tell me later what face Dad makes. That amount won't even dent his fortune. Oh, and I'm seeing Seyeon Group's second son. That could be good leverage too."
"Got it. I'm out."
"Wait, oppa. When you coming back to school?"
"Not. Saw it? Just got my graduation credits. And I got a job."
"For real? A job? You? Where?"
"Later. With the guys."
"When? When you coming?"
"I'll call."
"Promise. Or I'll blow up your phone a hundred times a day. Ignore me, and you'll see me on the news. Stripping in Gwanghwamun Square with your name around my neck."
At Heo Yu-rim's sharp glare, Ji-hyeok smirked and ruffled her hair wildly.
Feeling her hot gaze on his back, Ji-hyeok left the villa.
─────
Ji-hyeok drove briskly from the villa and arrived in Geocheon-dong, Gangdong-gu.
There too, he parked in the public lot and walked about five minutes to his destination.
[Daecheon Transport Co., Ltd.]
A long wooden sign hung on the pillar of the wide entrance designed for easy vehicle access.
Next to the weathered sign, yellow taxis streamed in and out endlessly—it was shift change.
Ji-hyeok slipped inside alongside an incoming vehicle.
He was wary of the guard post by the entrance, but with so many people coming and going, the guard was just staring at his phone.
Once inside, Ji-hyeok passed the dispatch room where drivers gathered and entered the building lobby.
He hefted a water jug by the hallway purifier onto his shoulder and started up the stairs.
Moments later, he reached the third-floor president's office.
He set down the jug and tried the door handle, but it was locked.
It wasn't quitting time yet...
Pressing his ear to the door...
"Yeah, like that... good."
"Really? You like it? I'm good, right?"
"Yeah... ugh..."
Hearing the voices leaking through, Ji-hyeok smirked.
'Runs in the family.'
Having roughly gauged the situation inside, Ji-hyeok set down the jug and pressed against the door.
One hand on the wall, the other on the locked handle, he exhaled lightly... then yanked his right hand toward his body with force.
- Crack!
The sturdy door popped open easily.
The lock mechanism shattered like a cookie.
Ji-hyeok flung the door wide, stepped one foot inside, and immediately pulled out his phone to start snapping photos.
- Click! Click! Click! Click!...
The scene inside was just as expected.
The pot-bellied man sat in his chair, shirt on but pants off.
A naked woman straddled his lap, shaking her hips. Whether to muffle any noise or due to his kink, she had her own underwear in her mouth, stifling her moans.
Once again, the woman screamed first.
"KyaAaAaAh!"
"What the hell? Who are you? Get out, you bastard!"
Thinking him an employee perhaps, the man bellowed even in his shock.
But Ji-hyeok raised a hand, three fingers up, signaling silence.
"Shh! Someone might hear. Put some clothes on first?"
The man glared furiously, but since he was the one in a hurry, he shoved the woman off his lap and stood to pull on his pants.
Meanwhile, she scrambled into her clothes, and Ji-hyeok waited on the sofa until it was sorted.
"Who the hell are you? Stay right there, you son of a bitch."
The man's name was Heo Gyu-seok.
President of Daecheon Transport, big player in Seoul's taxi scene with 1,800 cabs.
This was Heo Yu-rim's father.