Plunder (2)
"Is he really coming?"
"Why? Worried he might not show?"
"Yeah."
"Relax. I just checked on KakaoTalk. He's on his way."
"Really? Heh heh heh."
In the royal suite of a four-star resort hotel in Chungju, a man and a woman lay sprawled naked across the bed, upper bodies bare as they traded light conversation. The sheets were a tangled mess, testament to the fierce passion they had burned through the night before.
"There's something I've been curious about…"
"What?"
"Why do you hate Hyeonju so much, oppa?"
"Me?"
"Yeah. You make it so obvious."
"…You're right. That bitch is fucking unbearable."
A mean glint flickered through the man's eyes as he spat the crude curse.
"So… was it true? She shot you down like the rumors say?"
The woman smiled with feigned innocence, but she could not hide the cunning fox-light in her gaze.
"She did. A bitch with nothing going for her, not even a decent ass…"
An Hyeonju had flatly ignored his bold advance back then. The humiliation had festered into pure rage ever since.
"Still mad about it?"
"Yeah."
"So what are you going to do when you see her today?"
"What else? Smash whatever's left of her mental game into dust."
"Is that so?"
The woman smiled with a knowing edge.
Choi Yurin—a fellow female pro who had debuted the same year and trained at the same range. She had summoned An Hyeonju today to help the man exact his revenge.
"She doesn't know I'm coming, right?"
"Nope."
"Good girl."
"But I don't have any info on the guy she's bringing either."
"Nothing at all?"
"She didn't say a word."
"What kind of idiot has the balls to hang around that bitch?"
Jealousy twisted the man's expression at the mere thought of An Hyeonju's companion.
His name was Park Dojun—currently ranked third among male pro golfers in Korea. His game was solid, and his family background was nothing to sneeze at; his father ran a mid-sized company. Tall, proven on the course, and blessed with a face that got more attention than his scores. He kept his athletic physique on full display through a personal YouTube channel that had nearly half a million subscribers, all fans. Among male golfers, his popularity sat near the top.
And years ago, An Hyeonju had rejected him to his face.
"What, are you jealous?"
Choi Yurin traced her fingers smoothly across Park Dojun's chest as she asked. Her eyes curved in a smile, yet the look within them was cold.
Womanizing bastard.
They had kept up their physical arrangement, but she felt no love for him. Lately her form had slipped noticeably, and she needed a sponsor. Appearing regularly on Park Dojun's channel had given her the connection—and a boost in fame. Riding that wave, she had even launched her own YouTube channel recently. Park Dojun was still a man worth using for a long while yet. Today she was simply playing bait in the scheme he had cooked up.
"Aren't you the one who's jealous?"
Park Dojun shot back with a mocking smile. Something reptilian and vicious in his eyes made Choi Yurin shudder. Pretty face or not, she was never his type.
"Me? Haha. No way. I know my place."
Choi Yurin swallowed her pride for the moment.
Someday I'll watch you crash and burn. Guaranteed.
Venom gathered behind her narrowed eyes. She was only bowing her head temporarily for the sake of her goal. In the pro world, pride was the one thing that kept her standing.
"That's why I keep pushing you up. Heh heh."
Park Dojun specialized in finding a person's weak spot and exploiting it for his own ends. A sly grin spread across his face as he roughly snaked an arm around Choi Yurin's waist and pulled her close.
It was barely dawn, the sun only just beginning to rise. After rolling around all night, Park Dojun's lust had already recharged.
"Ahh…"
Choi Yurin let out a familiar moan and gave her hips a soft little sway.
"We're… not that close."
An Hyeonju admitted it honestly.
"Not close? Then why the round?"
"I need field practice. Playing with someone near your level is essential for keeping match sense sharp. I haven't set foot on a course in a whole year."
If she ever wanted a real comeback, course rounds were non-negotiable. Once that competitive feel slipped away, clawing it back was brutal work.
"Are you still feeling the effects of that whole mess?"
"…Korea's a small country. And my face got plastered everywhere."
An Hyeonju's expression hardened as she spoke. Talking about it in front of Ha Taewoong made her feel ashamed. At the time her stance had been pure defiance. Looking back, she regretted not handling the moment more wisely. If she had just gritted her teeth and gotten through that single incident… her daily life might never have collapsed this far.
"You did the right thing. That's why heaven sent a lucky charm like me your way. Hahaha."
As if sensing her mood, Ha Taewoong broke the tension with a hearty laugh.
"You… a lucky charm?"
"Am I not?"
"Ha…"
His playful jab chased the shadow from An Hyeonju's face and drew a smile. Ha Taewoong might still be listed as a high-school sophomore, but the way he treated her felt like a caring older brother. The warm atmosphere she had felt from the moment she climbed into the car—partly the heated seats, sure, but mostly the unique air he carried—settled over her. Coffee, the cabin heater, even snacks thoughtfully prepared… Ha Taewoong's careful attention to detail.
And that embrace was broad, too…
The memory of tumbling into his arms kept flashing back at random moments. An Hyeonju had never once dated. Aside from her father's, she had never even held a man's hand. Yet Ha Taewoong's hold had been warm and peaceful. Even now, thinking of it again…
"Is it too warm?"
"Hm?"
"Your face looks flushed."
"Oh… yeah, a little warm."
"I'll turn the temperature down."
Ha Taewoong's driving looked nothing like a beginner's. The car itself was excellent, which might have helped the illusion—but he was clearly reading signals and traffic flow like a veteran with a decade behind the wheel.
"For a rookie, you drive really well."
"I'm a prodigy, you know."
"What?"
"Hahaha."
His bright, pleasant laugh filled the cabin. Watching him quietly, An Hyeonju felt a deep smile curve her own lips.
"Do you know who we're playing with?"
"No idea."
"Hmm."
A shadow crossed Ha Taewoong's face. He let out a short, thoughtful sound, as if something had clicked into place.
"Just hypothetically… if the other side starts playing dirty, what should we do?"
"Dirty?"
"Just if."
"…Use your own judgment. Stay within the law."
"Yes, ma'am! Then I'll decide on the spot and report after the fact."
An Hyeonju was not exactly thrilled about today's invitation either. Choi Yurin was both a colleague and a rival. Even back when they were still trainees at the same range, Choi Yurin had been jealous of her. Once they turned pro and An Hyeonju landed a major sponsor, the resentment had turned open. Choi Yurin had made a habit of bad-mouthing her to the amateur trainees, completely unprompted. Kind-hearted An Hyeonju had simply endured it; she never wanted to blow things out of proportion. She had learned early that a pro proved herself with results. After that she rose steadily while Choi Yurin's form crumbled and the gap between them widened. If the Shinyang Financial Group scandal had never erupted right around then…
An invitation from someone whose relationship with her was already chilly. There was nothing to be purely happy about. An Hyeonju suspected Choi Yurin had an agenda of her own. That was why she had decided to bring Ha Taewoong—the one person she instinctively trusted—along as her partner.
Screech.
They arrived at Shail CC in Chungju. The car rolled to a stop in the parking lot.
Click.
"Here we are."
Ha Taewoong had already stepped out and opened the passenger door like a perfect gentleman. An Hyeonju climbed out in high spirits.
Right then—
"Hyeonju~!"
A familiar voice rang out right nearby. An Hyeonju turned toward the sound. The door of a Mercedes S-Class swung open and a woman stepped out.
"Yurin…"
It was Choi Yurin.
"You never once got in touch this whole time? I was hurt~. Fellow debutantes aren't supposed to do that~"
This was the same Choi Yurin who had not even sent a single consoling text while An Hyeonju was drowning in the scandal. Now she approached with an exaggerated, sickeningly sweet tone. Her fox-like face wore a smile, yet her eyes were ice-cold.
"You know what my situation was."
An Hyeonju met her gaze squarely. Walking beside Ha Taewoong seemed to fill her with an inexplicable strength.
"Of course I do. That's why I made time for you even though things are tough~"
Choi Yurin made a show of claiming she had arranged everything for An Hyeonju's sake.
"Pro An! Long time no see."
A man climbed out of the Mercedes driver's seat and called out as if they were old friends.
"…!!"
An Hyeonju's eyes flew wide in shock.
One of the men who had hit on her relentlessly while she was still an active pro. After the Shinyang Financial Group scandal he had contacted her even more blatantly, offering to give her a chance to clear her name on his personal YouTube channel—if she would just grab a drink with him first. He had pressed the invitation several times and finally even floated the idea of sponsorship. Park Dojun. She had blocked his number after that. She had never imagined he would show up here.
"Hyeonju, say hello. He's your senior~"
Choi Yurin giggled and gestured for her to greet him. By pro debut standards, Park Dojun was indeed her senior.
"Ah… hello."
"Haha. Right. It's been a while."
Park Dojun returned the greeting with a manly smile, but a chill lingered in his eyes.
Maybe I should just leave…
An Hyeonju had zero desire to play a round with Park Dojun. She was still debating whether to turn around when—
"Noona! You should introduce these people to me too, shouldn't you?"