Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Joker Captain
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Son Gwang-yeon had to watch his wife's mood for two whole days.
It was already July, the weather scorching hot, yet a chill wind blew from his wife. It was worse than the time he'd caught that winter cold and had to make the rounds at the hospital.
"Shangnyori?"
Heh heh hek-?
It was because of Yu-jin, who kept calling General by that weird name while pointing at him.
Even as she watched General wolfing down his dog food without a care.
"Ogu ogu, our Shangnyori's eating well, isn't he?"
Even when she'd drawn a picture in the yard.
"Mom! Yu-jin drew Shangnyori-."
Even when looking at her picture book, pointing at the puppy and spelling it out clearly.
"Mom, Mom. This is Shangnyori, right?"
"Yu-jin-ah, that's a puppy, right?"
Han Yu-young just stroked her daughter's head and gently corrected her, acting like some monk in silent meditation, not scolding her husband.
"Mom, I'm off to school."
"Okay, our son, drive carefully."
Still, she smiled warmly at her son heading to school.
So Jin-hyuk pedaled away, oblivious to the tension at home.
Son Gwang-yeon pouted as he watched his wife enter the empty house.
'Ugh-, she only hates me.'
The one who'd caused the trouble was his son, so why take it out on him? Was this the loneliness of the family head? He even felt abandoned in the world. Checking his watch, he neatly propped up the broom he'd used to sweep the yard and headed inside.
'Time to establish the family head's authority.'
It was mealtime.
Having endured two days of the cold shoulder, his wife must be prepared too.
No more enduring the sorrow of picking unripe fruits from the yard. Even though Han Yu-young had faithfully prepared meals, he'd shrunk in on himself and only eaten half bowls, making the sky look yellow.
Before the passionate pleas of a Seoul man, his wife would surely laugh off her low pressure and heap his rice high.
"Eup!"
Son Gwang-yeon, hyping himself up, humbly and politely opened the front door.
Time passed, and near the school, some of the involved students and all the parents gathered.
At a glance, it looked like victim and perpetrator were swapped, but the resolution proceeded as discussed in the principal's office.
As Hong Gi-jun had requested before leaving for Seoul, Kang Jun-seong and his fellow detective took charge, calculating that the wanted man Yun Gil-jung might show up. They couldn't ignore Hong Gi-jun's sincerity—slipping them envelopes, saying detectives' pockets weren't light and investigation funds were short.
The third-years, still in casts and bandages, hung their heads under Kang Jun-seong's stern lecture. Their parents did the same. At mentions of gas and glue huffing, they gritted their teeth; at talk of playing days-off games or mimicking loan sharks, their faces flushed red. When it came out they'd drunk with the girls, some parents clutched their chests, struggling to breathe.
"Do the parents have anything to say?"
"We hope it's not too shocking. We pray for the students' speedy recovery."
Han Yu-young forced a smile to comfort the students, who barely managed to nod—their casts prevented more.
Son Gwang-yeon gritted his teeth recalling the insults against his wife amid Jin-hyuk's rampage. He kept eyeing the satisfyingly hefty glass ashtray on the table.
One of the victims' parents mumbled.
"......Thank you for the medical bills."
Even to their own eyes, their kids' actions weren't honorable, so shame as parents was natural. At first, the parents had plotted to extract settlement money beyond medical costs, but seeing the county governor and politicians, even the neighboring city's police chief, bow to Son Gwang-yeon made them give up clean. A bone with just enough meat is easy to gnaw, but lunging at a thick, tough hunk of meat risks dislocating your jaw.
"Any students with something to say? If not, stamp the agreements and-."
Jin-hyuk had words, but bit his lip.
'Let's never meet again.'
Yun Sung-dong and the third-years couldn't even look at Jin-hyuk, thinking the same inwardly. Meeting Jin-hyuk's icy gaze recalled that day's terror, making breathing hard.
Hong Gi-jun, back in Seoul, dove into his busy days again.
The saying "ten bodies wouldn't suffice" seemed made for him.
First, he sought his brother-in-law Yu Mun-sik.
'Need to settle Yun Gil-jung first for peace of mind.'
From Kang Jun-seong, he was a dangerous man capable of anything.
Waiting in the Sein Chemical president's office, Yu Mun-sik entered with a smiling face.
Handsome like his sister Yu Se-ra, inheriting their mother's looks.
"Brother-in-law, waited long?"
"Just arrived."
Hong Gi-jun sat on the sofa, easing tired eyes with steam from green tea, speaking casually like to a subordinate.
"Need to expand the EST team."
"You know those guys make more than you, right?"
Yu Mun-sik grinned across from him.
"Dad finds out, big trouble, no?"
"Don't worry. I'll handle it. Soon, control directly by me-."
Ahem. Hong Gi-jun cut himself off.
But Yu Mun-sik got it, tossing a good-natured laugh. His brother-in-law Hong Gi-jun was slated to become Sein Electronics president soon. The world called him Yu Mun-sik's fierce rival.
'Rival my foot.'
Hong Gi-jun would free him. Words Yu Mun-sik had harbored for years.
"Sure. Not just anyone, my brother-in-law asks, so help. But those guys—what've they been doing over a year? Not planning a coup, right?"
That playful expression. He'd dreamed of acting—real or fake, hard to tell. But seeing the face like Yu Se-ra's, it made sense why his personality was that way.
Should he tell him?
Hong Gi-jun rolled his eyes briefly. No. No one would understand.
"Just one of the businesses in planning. Still classified. But to you alone—it's something that'll help the company. The family too."
President Yu Mun-sik nodded sullenly.
As expected, vague words didn't land with him. His manner with unfamiliar fields mirrored Yu Se-ra's.
Leaving Yu Mun-sik scratching his sideburns, Hong Gi-jun exited the office.
A passing employee bowed.
"Good day, President!"
Still just a manager, yet the sycophantic greeting drew a snort.
From Sein Chemical's president's office, Hong Gi-jun found a payphone booth. Amid the roar of cars on the eight-lane road, closing the door made it a perfect private space.
"Captain Yang—no, Team Leader Yang there? Yes, I'll hold."
He flashed a palm and slight smile to the man waiting outside.
World where long payphone calls get you stabbed. Not strong like Son Gwang-yeon or fighter like Son Jin-hyuk, so caution needed.
"Team Leader Yang? Got the docs I sent registered? Forty gangsters—how many needed? Originally over two hundred, but weaklings vanished. Detective Kang says scattered near your area. Riot squad has intel, but they're not grouped. Mobilizing police over that wide rural spread headaches them more. Cities differ—aha, yes?"
A reliable response came through the receiver.
Not my money, but spending it feels good like this?
"Handle them somehow, hand to police. Vacation? Come Chuseok, I'll figure it. Keep up the good work. And must find Yun Gil-jung, deal with him. Yes. Methods to you. Of course, per diem covered."
Whew- a sigh escaped. Protecting one friend was this hard.
'Definitely need to cover bases for no loose ends.'
Deep in his wife's family debt, but marrying well, he thought again. Must treat Se-ra right.
Next? Hong Gi-jun tapped his forehead, reviewing plans.
Pressed redial to end call properly, placed receiver on body, exited—300 won in, 60 left. Rising to 30 won next February, but good personal comms without company eyes.
Bowed to the waiting man behind.
"Sorry it took long."
"Hahaha, no problem!"
The man grinned broadly at Hong Gi-jun.
At payphones, balance buys manners.
Park Yong-seok got a week grounded for involvement.
Cleaning the trash incinerator, following Lee Byung-se around for playground repairs.
Even patching fence holes—including the dog hole he'd made himself, drawing a reluctant sigh.
"Teacher, I really saw the Grim Reaper."
"Grounding comfy? Off to the psych ward?"
Post-grounding, Park Yong-seok never spoke of reapers again. Psych ward scarier than reapers.
Jin-hyuk, feeling unfair, asked the student supervisor for grounding. Guilt weighed heavy. But refused.
"You did nothing wrong? I'd have done the same. Self-defense, know it? Self-defense? In that spot, the disadvantaged's countermeasures must be allowed. School rules more flexible than law there. Hey-, back in my day, I was Taekwondo, kickboxing-."
True to a civics teacher.
Words and info poured nonstop from the supervisor. Useless to Jin-hyuk. Maybe punishment by eardrum rupture.
Jin-hyuk yes-yes-ed out of the counseling room.
In the hall, spotting Park Yong-seok dodging glances, Jin-hyuk approached. Partly to reassure.
"Don't bully others, live upright."
"......Yeah."
"You're behind on lessons, right?"
"......"
Jin-hyuk's belief: students must study.
Park Yong-seok started tutoring from Jin-hyuk between Lee Seung-hoon and Shin Woo-sung.
"Scared? But it clicks well......"
Who scares most? To Chae Gyu-ho's question, Park Yong-seok's finger wavered between Son Jin-hyuk, Lee Seung-hoon, Shin Woo-sung. All had temple guardian glare.
"Caught up, so can I stop- ah?"
Park Yong-seok endured honorifics with extreme patience.
One evening, Jin-hyuk saw Dad on the phone with Hong Gi-jun, pointing at the newspaper.
Dad away, he checked it.
Yun XX (42, male) vanished in Gumi, Gyeongbuk.
- Wanted for murder, violence, organized crime. Police: "Vanished like smoke."
Why Dad and Hong Gi-jun discussed? No clue.
Figured interest since Yun Sung-dong's dad.
'Evil always swift, they say.'
And stronger.
Rolling it in his mouth felt off. Rarely used phrase surfacing. Comfort to police criticized for no arrest.
'Better if he came to me.'
Quiet, secluded spot ideal.
Jin-hyuk clenched and unclenched fists. Illusion that harming others strengthened him? From fat realtor to middle school wrestling club first day, Yun Sung-dong gang. Body reacting to violence.
'Puberty growth spurt.'
Right after the seven beat by Jin-hyuk left school, he asked Dad to distribute bread and drinks to all students.
Common then, apology from troublemaker.
"Not Delmont, I'll take Picnic!"
"Soboro chokes-."
"Trade one Choco Pie for two Big Pies?"
"200 won for Zec-Zec?"
Too many students for uniform items—school became market. Cool trades everywhere.
No wonder this nation of barterers made Junggo Land or Hongdangmu Market.
Classmates distancing Jin-hyuk vanished. Kids cheered "Joker Captain!" at surprise snacks. Jin-hyuk grateful for that.
In the uproar, peace returned.
'Woo-sung's future changed?'
Hoped so.
For Shin Woo-sung, this mess.
Secret unspoken.
'Not just Woo-sung, one more.'
That student fine now too.