Cyclic Destiny
Next day, D-Workshop.
Park Jae-hyeok, Hyeon Jin-cheol, and Park Sang-gyu were working in the workshop.
The security team's job was simple.
To check if anyone was stealing organs.
To check if any logs were trying to escape before organ harvesting.
Their main duty was to monitor if such things happened.
Park Jae-hyeok and Hyeon Jin-cheol were performing their duties while monitoring the organ harvesting site.
Meanwhile, Park Jae-hyeok was closely observing the organ harvesting site and collecting information about D-Workshop.
While Hyeon Jin-cheol was monitoring the organ harvesting process of another victim, he sighed and said to Park Jae-hyeok.
"There's no way to stop it. Cutting, sawing, tearing..."
"It wasn't that bad even for the 'sow'."
"So you're telling me we have to watch this for two months straight?"
"It's not exactly two months, who knows if it will be three months or a year."
"Amazing. Do these people even have an appetite after seeing this?"
At that moment, someone behind them spoke.
"Humans are adaptive animals, you know. After just a month of watching this, you get used to it and can eat chicken without a problem."
Hyeon Jin-cheol and Park Jae-hyeok turned around, and a man was smiling at them.
"Think positively. By doing this work, we're helping people who are dying to live."
[Do Jong-seok, Section Manager of D-Workshop]
"Huh, nice to meet you."
"But where did the chief go?"
"That... He went to the bathroom to pick up something again."
Jong-seok sighed.
"Sigh... That friend has a really weak stomach. So how is he supposed to survive in this world..."
And Jong-seok clicked his tongue.
"No abnormalities?"
"Yes. We checked that all harvested organs are refrigerated at 24 degrees, and verified that the quantity matches the order."
"Good. Sometimes there are bastards who try to divert the kernels to another place and demand more, so keep a close watch like this."
"Understood."
At that moment, Park Sang-gyu came in, and Jong-seok said to him.
"Did you go to the bathroom?"
"...Yes. Sorry."
"No. It's better than vomiting on the floor. Good job."
And Jong-seok patted his shoulder and said encouragingly.
"Whenever you're having a hard time, take pride in the work we do. People who can't get proper organ transplants at the hospital because of lack of money receive cheap organ transplants with our help and start a new life. Sometimes even hospitals that lack organs for transplant receive our help."
Jong-seok pointed to the victim on the operating table where organs were being harvested and continued.
"These people are making a noble sacrifice for others. They signed the consent form, what can we do? So, please don't think too hard about this job with unnecessary pity."
'How disgusting and shitty a lie this is.'
Park Jae-hyeok glared at Jong-seok without anyone noticing and clenched his fist.
The consent form Jong-seok was talking about was a twisted, convoluted sentence agreeing to forfeit his own body.
They used this consent form to dig deeply into the victim's tense situation, for example, if they had huge debts or family members were sick, to shake the victim's mind.
That way, the victims wouldn't have the mental capacity to read the document properly and would sign it, becoming victims of organ trafficking.
Sometimes they kidnap people in remote places, but mostly they use this method.
"Ah, right. The boss said he'll have a drinking party later, what do you think? Can you join?"
Park Jae-hyeok asked Jong-seok.
"A drinking party?"
"If you don't want to go, don't go... But the boss usually wants everyone to attend. To develop team spirit among us, or something."
'He's forcing us to go.'
Thinking this, Park Jae-hyeok said to Jong-seok.
"I'll go."
And Hyeon Jin-cheol and Park Sang-gyu also looked at each other and said.
"I'll go too."
"Me too..."
"OK. I'll tell the boss that all dispatched staff will attend. Don't say anything else later."
"Understood."
With that, Jong-seok walked down the hallway, and when he disappeared from sight, Hyeon Jin-cheol sighed.
"Sigh... It's amazing that people can drink or eat after seeing that."
"After watching that for several years, you get used to it."
"Actually, I don't want to go... If I don't go, I'll be noticed?"
"Exactly."
"Damn, life in society is so shitty..."
And Hyeon Jin-cheol sighed.
So, the three of them performed their duties in an environment that was about to shatter their spirits.
That evening, in a bar in Suwon.
The members of D-Workshop each had their own rooms and were enjoying drinking and singing.
"Drink as much as you want!! Everything I buy!!"
"Whoa!! Boss is the best!!"
The boss, Je Gal Sang-hwan, was singing with Park Jae-hyeok, Hyeon Jin-cheol, and Park Sang-gyu in the same room.
And Do Jong-seok and Kwak Hyo-chan were also there.
"Whoa, as expected from the boss!! Your singing is amazing!!"
[Kwak Hyo-chan, Deputy Manager of D-Workshop]
"Your singing is better than Jay Will's, boss!!"
Park Jae-hyeok looked at this scene with disgust, turned his head to the side where no one was, and gulped down his drink.
At that moment, the door to the room opened, and two men entered.
"Hey, Je Gal!! Are you singing well?"
[Sim Gi-hwan, Owner of the Bar]
"Simson!! My best friend!!"
And the man behind Gi-hwan made eye contact with Park Jae-hyeok.
Park Jae-hyeok stared at him blankly.
As if he had seen him somewhere before.
'Seo Yeong-seok...?'
In his past life, Seo Yeong-seok was a Gangryonghoe gangster who helped him escape.
At that time, Yeong-seok was affiliated with Crown Capital like Jeong-han, and since he was very close to Jeong-han, he helped the two escape.
But along with Hyeon Dong-cheol, Yang Seungho, etc., who helped Park Jae-hyeok at that time, he was killed in a fierce attack by Gangryonghoe gangsters.
'What is this person...? Is he looking at me?'
Of course, the current Yeong-seok didn't know why Park Jae-hyeok was staring at him like that, as he had never seen him before.
Park Jae-hyeok, who realized that the current Yeong-seok had no connection to his past self, turned his gaze elsewhere.
At that moment, Sang-hwan saw Yeong-seok behind Gi-hwan and spoke to him.
"What? Long time no see, Director Seo!"
"Long time no see, boss."
Yeong-seok greeted Sang-hwan politely, and Gi-hwan asked Sang-hwan.
"By the way, those three friends I haven't seen before..."
"They're not new recruits from our side, they're dispatched staff. They came from headquarters."
"Ah, from headquarters? I was in headquarters before too. Nice to meet you."
Sang-hwan smiled slyly and introduced Gi-hwan to the three.
"Here is Simson, or rather Sim Gi-hwan, who used to work at the hotel headquarters. Now he's mainly running girls and spiking drinks here, but back then..."
However, Sang-hwan's words didn't reach Park Jae-hyeok's ears.
'He was a gangster even in the past life... Is it the same here...'
Thinking this, Park Jae-hyeok felt a heaviness in his chest.
"By the way, how old are you?"
Gi-hwan asked Park Jae-hyeok.
"We are all 27 years old."
"27? Yeong-seok is also 27. If the four of you are friends, great!!"
And Gi-hwan laughed heartily, and Yeong-seok maintained a stiff expression and stayed silent.
"Let's have some girls join in. Want to play with the girls?"
"Me!!"
When Sang-hwan asked, Jong-seok and Hyo-chan raised their hands and answered.
At that moment, Gi-hwan asked the dispatched staff who didn't answer.
"You guys aren't joining?"
Then Yeong-seok said to Gi-hwan.
"Boss. Can we book a separate room to play? It seems like it would take up a lot of space if we call the girls too."
"Is that so...? Then book a room for the 27-year-olds to play."
With that said, Gi-hwan gestured as if he could leave, and Yeong-seok took the three out of the room.
In the other room, Yeong-seok sat down and spoke to them.
"You said you were from Crown Hotel headquarters?"
Then Sang-gyu answered.
"Yeah... Yes."
"I heard earlier. All four of you are 27. You can speak casually."
At that moment, Hyeon Jin-cheol, slightly drunk, asked Yeong-seok.
"By the way, where are you from? You seem to have a Gyeongsang accent... Jeolla? Chungcheong? That slight accent..."
"Is my speech that strange?"
And Yeong-seok poured himself a drink.
"Yeah... If it was unpleasant, sorry. I was just curious..."
"No. Even after three years here, this damn accent doesn't change."
Park Jae-hyeok recalled Yeong-seok's origin.
'Seo Yeong-seok... Was it 2024? He was a defector who defected alone at that time.'
Yeong-seok had defected alone from North Korea at 24 years old.
Recalling this fact, Park Jae-hyeok looked at him with sympathy.
'After that, I heard his mother and younger sister also defected to South Korea... At that time, contact was lost and I couldn't know if they were alive or dead.'
"Sigh... Sorry if I ruined the mood. Want me to call the girls?"
"I will!! I still have young daughters!!"
Hyeon Jin-cheol waved his hand and shouted, and Sang-gyu hesitated and answered.
"Yeah... Call me too."
"I'm passing. I have a girlfriend."
"Aigoo, look at this bastard? When you're having fun, have fun, don't stop!! As long as you don't beat the meat!! Call the girls and do a duet!!"
"Stop saying that."
"OK. Then I'll call the girls for you only."
With that said, Yeong-seok pressed the bell.
After a while, a man entered, and Yeong-seok said to him.
"Two girls here. Send them in."
"Understood, Director."
After some time.
Hyeon Jin-cheol and Park Sang-gyu stopped singing and were having lewd time with the girls.
Compared to Hyeon Jin-cheol actively engaging in sticky affection with the girl he didn't know where he learned it from,
Park Sang-gyu was awkward like a fish out of water and followed the girl's actions, mixing with her body.
"Hey, oppa? Are you not doing it?"
The girl who was mixing with Sang-gyu asked Park Jae-hyeok, and Yeong-seok answered her.
"Dabin-ah. Don't try to seduce customers who don't want to."
"Hing... But the director doesn't do it?"
"Stop. It doesn't appeal to me today."
So, Park Jae-hyeok and Yeong-seok were just singing or drinking.
At that moment, Yeong-seok, who was drinking, put down his empty glass, stood up, and said to Park Jae-hyeok.
"Let's get some fresh air for a bit."
Leaving Hyeon Jin-cheol and Park Sang-gyu who were having a great time with the girls,
Park Jae-hyeok and Yeong-seok went outside for a bit.
And Yeong-seok asked Park Jae-hyeok.
"Do you smoke?"
"No. Do you?"
"No. I don't smoke either?"
'Wait... Yeong-seok was a smoker...?'
Park Jae-hyeok stared at Yeong-seok blankly, and he rummaged through his pocket and offered Park Jae-hyeok a stick of candy.
"I use this instead when I crave cigarettes. I'm quitting now."
"You're quitting? How long has it been?"
"Not long. About a month? I met my younger sister who came to Korea for a short time, and she doesn't like it when I smell like cigarettes."
'Younger sister... She made it to Korea safely here. Good.'
And the two ate the candy, and Park Jae-hyeok asked Yeong-seok subtly.
"Are you on good terms with your younger sister?"
"Well, I usually take care of her. She's a late bloomer. And she's obedient too."
"How many years older is your younger sister?"
"11 years."
"You must have received a lot of love from your family."
"Family... I did receive a lot of love."
The expression on Yeong-seok's face when saying this looked sad.
Seeing this, Park Jae-hyeok guessed that Yeong-seok's younger sister had successfully defected.
"Is my speech that strange?"
"A little? I don't think it's strange."
"Really? Hearing North Korean speech here makes me feel... some kind of aversion?"
"I don't feel that. I had a friend who defected among my friends."
With that said, Park Jae-hyeok recalled the Yeong-seok from his past life.
"Where was that friend from?"
"Pyeonganbuk-do, Cheonma-gun."
"We're from the same place? I'll be happy to meet you later."
With that, Park Jae-hyeok couldn't help but smile bitterly.
So, Yeong-seok and Park Jae-hyeok talked outside for a long time, and the night grew deeper.
"Now, let's go back in. By now, everyone should be asleep."
"Yeah. Let's go back in."
And before entering, Park Jae-hyeok stared at the moon in the sky.
'Is this how fates turn around...'
After staring at the moon for a while, Park Jae-hyeok followed Yeong-seok into the bar.