Taeseok's Fate (1)
Time flowed on once again.
Having entered the Police University, Jaehyuk was organizing his belongings in the dormitory with his roommate.
“Um… what’s your name?”
At that moment, his roommate, who had been unpacking, spoke to him. Jaehyuk looked at the other boy and answered.
“Park Jaehyuk. You?”
“I’m Heo Jeongtae. Let’s get along well.”
Jeongtae flashed him a bright smile. He was slightly shorter than Jaehyuk, with narrower shoulders and a friendly, approachable face.
“I’m from Daegu. Where are you from?”
“Seoul.”
“Really? Your house is closer than mine. Lucky you.”
Jeongtae continued unpacking while asking another question.
“Why did you come to the Police University?”
“……Because after I graduate, there’s something I absolutely have to do.”
Jaehyuk’s goal was to devote every ounce of his strength to bringing down the Gangryonghoe after graduating from the Police University. Some people might ask why he didn’t just graduate from any university, become a regular police officer, and then go after the syndicate. But Jaehyuk believed it would be far more effective to become a high-ranking police executive and participate more deeply in operations against the Gangryonghoe. That was why he had chosen the Police University.
“If it’s personal, I won’t ask any more. My older brother was a cop, you know.”
“Your brother was a police officer?”
“Yeah. A lot of people ask why I didn’t just take the regular civil service exam for the police… but the reason I want to become a high-ranking officer is partly because of my brother.”
“Why? Was it his wish?”
“……Yeah. He used to say all the time that it would be great if I went to the Police University and became an outstanding officer. That someone like me could become an even better cop than he was… At that time…”
As Jeongtae spoke, the corners of his eyes turned slightly red. Jaehyuk sensed there was a personal story behind it and chose not to press further.
“If it’s hard to talk about, you don’t have to.”
“Yeah… okay.”
While the two of them continued organizing their luggage, Jaehyuk kept talking to ease the awkwardness.
“What are your hobbies?”
“Me? I like playing games.”
“Oh, games? We’re pretty similar then.”
“You play games too?”
“Yeah. LOM and Guardians.”
“Exactly the same as me. Want to go to a PC bang together sometime?”
“Sounds good. But is there a PC bang nearby…??”
“We can take a taxi. It takes about ten minutes.”
The two of them gradually grew more comfortable, sharing stories about their hobbies.
Several months later, at a certain hotel in Seoul.
The building was the Crown Hotel, operated by the Gangryonghoe. In one of the luxurious rooms in the hotel’s basement, a dark transaction was taking place.
A blond, blue-eyed Caucasian man who appeared to be in his mid-forties sat with one leg crossed on a single-person sofa. He asked the question in Russian to Taeyang, who sat across from him. Taeyang answered with a faint smile.
Ivan wore a gray suit and brown leather shoes, with a gold watch on his left wrist. At first glance, he gave off the impression of a refined European gentleman. Yet the way he sat with his legs crossed, smoking a cigarette, created a stark contrast—making him seem incredibly rude and arrogant.
Despite that polished appearance, Ivan was not someone the Gangryonghoe, including Taeyang, could treat lightly.
‘No matter how many times I see him, he’s a disgusting bastard. But I can’t afford to act carelessly. He holds considerable influence inside the Komarov Bratva and he’s the boss’s brother-in-law. If I get on his bad side…’
Ivan removed the cigarette butt from his mouth and blew smoke toward the ceiling. Then, without changing posture, he flicked his right wrist, still holding the butt. The white man standing behind him immediately brought over an ashtray. Ivan stubbed out the cigarette and asked Taeyang in Russian once more.
“[Of course.]”
At Taeyang’s reply, Ivan gave an order without even turning his head.
At Ivan’s command, several large white men carried several styrofoam boxes and set them down on the table between Taeyang and Ivan. Ivan uncrossed his legs, smiled at Taeyang, and said,
Taeyang opened the boxes. Inside were frozen mackerel. He pulled them out one by one until he found various pistols—without magazines—hidden beneath the pile. He picked up a Colt M1911A1, examined it from every angle, and placed it back inside the box.
“[Thank you.]”
Taeyang snapped his left fingers. The men standing behind him brought paper boxes and set them on the table.
Ivan took out a can of Spam from one of the boxes. When he removed the plastic lid, tightly rolled hundred-dollar bills were revealed. Ivan grinned. The weapons deal between the Gangryonghoe and the Komarov Bratva seemed to be proceeding without any problems.
A short while later, after the transaction was complete, Taeyang and his subordinates were walking through the hotel lobby when one of his men spoke up.
“Sir, I need to use the restroom for a moment.”
“Yeah, go ahead.”
The man hurried into a stall and began typing a message on his phone. The content read:
“Bear” was slang for the Russian Red Mafia Komarov Bratva, while “wolf” referred to the Gangryonghoe. “Eating their prey together” meant the two organizations had conducted an illicit arms deal.
‘Now I just need to attach the files and send it!!’
Go Seongmin. An undercover police officer embedded in the Gangryonghoe.
Just as Seongmin was about to upload the photos and videos of the deal that he had captured with the tiny camera hidden in his wristwatch, someone knocked on the stall door and spoke in Korean.
“Excuse me. Is someone in there?”
“Sorry. Please wait just a moment. I’ll be right out.”
The instant he replied and tried to send the file, three muffled thwumps sounded. Bullets tore through the stall door and struck Seongmin in the wrist and abdomen.
“Ugh!!”
Seongmin staggered with a groan. From the adjacent stall came several metallic clicks, and then a black-haired white man swiftly vaulted over into Seongmin’s stall.
The white man aimed a Walther PPQ M2 fitted with a suppressor at him. Even while wounded, Seongmin drew a knife, preparing to fight back. The white man dodged the blade with agile movements and swung his right elbow toward Seongmin’s head. Seongmin raised his left arm to block it, then flipped the knife so the blade pointed downward and swung again. But the white man struck Seongmin’s arm aside with his left hand and slammed the edge of that same hand into Seongmin’s throat. As Seongmin faltered, the man fired two rounds into his thigh.
“Argh!!”
Seongmin staggered once more. The white man drove his right elbow into Seongmin’s jaw, knocking him out cold.
At that moment the door opened, revealing Seo Taeyang and two of his subordinates. They aimed Walther PPK pistols equipped with suppressors at both Seongmin and the white man. The white man picked up the phone Seongmin had dropped during the struggle. He tapped the screen just before it went dark and handed the device to Taeyang.
“Take a look.”
Denis Komarov. A killer for the Komarov Bratva.
Taeyang took the phone from Denis and looked at the photos and videos of the weapons transaction between the Gangryonghoe and the Komarov Bratva. His eyes burned with murderous intent as he glared at the unconscious Seongmin.
“Will the Gangryonghoe handle the disposal yourselves?”
Denis removed the suppressor from his pistol and slipped it into his pocket, asking the question in fluent Korean. Taeyang answered.
“We will. We’ll load him up and take him out immediately.”
At Taeyang’s hand signal, a cleaner entered the restroom. His subordinates shoved the unconscious Seongmin into a cleaning cart, injected something into his neck, and covered him with a white sheet.
“Take him to the basement. There are still guests in the hotel, so move as discreetly as possible.”
“Understood, sir.”
Several months later.
August had arrived. On summer break, Jaehyuk was riding the train home. As he stared blankly at the scenery passing by the window of the speeding train, something suddenly flashed through his mind.
‘Wait a second… This year is 2020… Isn’t this the year Taeseok hyung dies?’
Jaehyuk hurriedly turned on his phone and checked the date.
‘August 3rd. Eight days left. I need to prepare thoroughly…’
Just then, his phone vibrated. The caller was Min Taeseok.
“Hey, hyung.”
“Hey there, Inspector!!”
“I haven’t graduated yet. How long are you going to keep teasing me with that?”
“Until you graduate?”
“Ugh, seriously…”
“I heard you’re on break. When are you free?”
“Huh? Aren’t you busy, hyung?”
“Well… a few cases pop up now and then, but it’s not that bad.”
‘Is it still before the incident…?’
Thinking that, Jaehyuk asked cautiously, just in case.
“Hyung. Has there been any incident involving Russian mafia trading weapons with local gangsters?”
“Huh? No? Nothing that big has happened.”
‘Good. It hasn’t happened yet. There’s still plenty of time to prepare. If I stay by Taeseok hyung’s side and protect him until that day… his fate can change just like Suyeon’s!!’
While Jaehyuk’s mind raced, formulating a plan to prevent Taeseok’s death, Taeseok asked him,
“So when are you free?”
“Why?”
“Let’s grab a drink. To celebrate you becoming an adult.”
“Drinks…? Sure, I’m in.”
“And later we should hang out with Dahyun too. You’ve been stuck in the dorms at the Police University, so we haven’t seen you much. I figured we should meet up a lot while you’re on break.”
“……”
At those words, Jaehyuk once again felt that Taeseok was like a real older brother to him. Because of that, his resolve to not let Taeseok die in this life grew even stronger than before.
“What’s wrong? Why aren’t you saying anything? Bad signal…?”
“……Yeah. Got it. See you later.”
“Alright. See you soon.”
Taeseok ended the call. Jaehyuk slipped his phone back into his pocket.
‘This time too… I can change it, right…? I can, can’t I…?’
Though he had made up his mind, a corner of Jaehyuk’s heart was still filled with anxiety. But he soon shook off that unease and reaffirmed his determination.
‘No negative thoughts. I can change it this time too.’
Before he knew it, the train carrying Jaehyuk had arrived at Seoul Station. He got off and headed home.