PAYBACK BOOK 2.

This book comes with a trigger warning: it contains angst, death, drug addiction, rape/non-consensual (not related to the main character), self-sacrifice, starvation, torture, unhealthy relationships, attempted murder, abuse, and corpses.

Chapter 1.

I felt utterly disappointed. Did I really waste my time wearing this mascot mask to cheer him up, only to get the opposite result? That's what I realised.

 

I unconsciously turned around to look at the office. Or maybe he has a mascot obsession? I realised that if he were crazy, that would be plausible. But no matter what, I don't understand the situation at all. Why did he offer to help so easily? He said he was busy today and wanted to discuss something. They'll discuss my compensation tomorrow, and they even said goodbye kindly. Even after leaving the office, the feeling of being in a trance lingered, and I still felt an inexplicable sense of pent-up frustration and unease.

 

Was I right? When I told him to pay, he said he would really give it, right? And it was something beyond expectations and extraordinary. My imagination ran wild. Did he intend to exchange millions of won for ten-won coins and then throw them at me if I asked for money? This frustrating thought kept swirling in my head.

 

I, still wearing the mascot head, stood lost in thought in the elevator lobby when I heard faint sobs. When I lifted the mascot's head to listen, the sound seemed to be coming from the restrooms at the end of the hallway. Ah, Chief Park. Just as he entered the restroom, remembering someone he had completely forgotten about, he heard loud, sobbing cries.

 

"Again, *sob* my darling... sent me a rock... *sob* *sob* *sob*! Because I work late every day, you're sending... rocks... Oh, my darling! If you leave me...How am I going to survive, huh...?”

 

Bang!

When the door was kicked hard, Chief Park, who was sitting on the toilet seat, jumped in surprise.

 

"Gasp! W-w-why did you do this?!"

 

He crouched down in fear when he suddenly saw a large mascot kick open the door and stand arrogantly. I snatched the cake box he was clutching and spoke calmly.

 

"I sent it to the wrong address."

 

After turning my back and walking out of the restroom for a while, I heard the faint voice of Chief Park, who had just regained consciousness.

 

"...Huh?"

 

Normally, I wouldn't go to Alice's maze when that lunatic isn't around, but this time I went specifically for that reason, because no matter what, there are just a few strange things. I understand he said he liked my voice when I wore the mascot mask; he's crazy, but I'm still bothered by his claim that he'd fulfil all my requests. And I didn't hear him mention the most important thing: his name. Didn't he say his last name was Han?

 

But even if I asked about this later, it would still seem like I wouldn't know the detailed background of the name, especially if he reacted in a particular way to it. There must be a reason for that. That's why I came here, because I knew there was someone who, with a little manipulation, would probably reveal the reason. Someone whose lies are instantly exposed.

 

"Ah, you have something you want to know from me?"

 

The boss asked me first, then quickly brought up his own business as if he had something to say.

 

"Hey, you 200 won guy, why didn't you come yesterday?"

 

The day before yesterday, the crazy guy who claimed to be sleepy dragged me to his house. And then I remembered the message the fake boss made up.

 

"Have you received any contact from Jay? Like messages of that kind."

 

His narrowed eyes focused on me. It seemed this person really was the one who sent the message. But how did he send it? Of course, asking would be pointless. No, because he'd probably deflect the question and only answer the one he wanted to answer.

 

"Yes, that's fine."

 

"What did he say? Nothing like... 'I miss you,' or 'I'm here,' or anything like that?"

 

"You know so much."

 

He flinched for a moment before a smile appeared on his lips.

 

"Heh heh, you know my investigative skills, don't you?"

 

I know, I know you're not good at lying, so what you said about the surname Han is probably true. I looked at him steadily before speaking as if this wasn't important.

 

"Because I don't believe that message."

 

Then, seeing him about to say something, he added, "That's right."

 

"How can I trust someone who has two names, both Han Jay and Director Yoon of Dream?" 

 

The boss froze, his eyes wide, before asking in a firm voice, "You already knew?"

 

"Yes, and he confirmed it himself. That's why I don't believe it anymore. It's the same person, just with a different name?"

 

"About that..."

 

When I saw him hesitate, I deliberately steered the conversation back to him, emphasising my point clearly.

 

"I don't think the boss would lie to me. You're not the type to make things up, are you?" 

 

He nodded vigorously. "Of course. I'm not lying."

 

"Then why are the names different?"

 

The boss stared at me as if assessing me for a while, making me even more curious about his reaction. What reason would he have to react to something like a name like that? I intended to deny saying it, but then he answered directly, contrary to my expectations. It was a simple name issue that surprised me.

 

"Hanjay is my old name."

 

"Old name... Wait, did you change his last name?"

 

The boss forced a bitter smile and confirmed, "Ah, well, that's it." 

 

What's the backstory behind changing their last name? Actually, it's not really a big deal. What's so special about that? And normally, if you change your name, you have to state the new name, right? It's all the boss's fault for giving the wrong name from the start.

 

"That's why he's become so distant from me." 

 

Huh? I glanced up in surprise, only to see a creepy, almost insane smile at the corner of his mouth.

 

"Didn't you know I'm part of Jay's family?"

 

"Or could it be my father...?"

 

"Just relatives. No, we used to be relatives." He spoke concisely before adding in a cold tone, "If you gossip about what you just heard anywhere else, I'll make you suffer for the rest of your life. Understand?" 

 

I replied with a straight face, "Yes," and looked at him silently. It seemed there might be something else going on, which is why he emphasised it was a secret. Something else entirely. It was something deeper than just being relatives, but no matter what, it wasn't something I needed to care about. When I showed indifference, the boss returned to his normal expression.

 

"But you said Jay confirmed it himself? Judging by your personality, you probably wouldn't let something you've been scammed by slide so easily. But anyway, it probably wasn't clear to him...but it's already clear?!"

 

"Creed!" He suddenly jumped up from his chair and yelled at me.

 

"Or has my Chatchai already left?"

 

Are you kidding me? I suppressed the question I wanted to ask in return. That guy could probably win in MMA, but he's afraid he'll get beaten.

 

"Punch him? I want to land one punch on him, that's all I could ask for." I glared at the boss, annoyed.

 

"We didn't fight at all."

 

Suddenly, the boss let out a "Hmm?" and a smile spread across his face.

 

"Ah, right? My innocent Jay would never be good to anyone." I didn't expect the word "innocent" to infuriate me this much, I retorted.

 

"It looks like he's been in a fight before."

 

"The other party must have been acting like they deserved to be punched."

 

".."

 

"So, what were you thinking about?"

 

I was speechless, wondering what he was talking about, when I asked, "Yes?"

 

"You don't understand Jay's answers or actions, do you?"

 

I should be used to it by now, but I was still startled when the boss pressed me on the sore spot. Even so, I tried not to show any emotion and replied softly as if it weren't a big deal at all.

 

"It's just a little strange. I asked for compensation for him defrauding me, but he accepted far too easily."

 

"Jay, huh?"

 

The boss raised one eyebrow as if intrigued, so I nodded and added. "Yes, he said he would listen to whatever I ask for."

 

It was as if the hesitation in my tone had passed to him as well, because he was silent for a while, as if he couldn't believe it, then suddenly said, "Ah," at the same time. He laughed as if he had suddenly remembered something.

 

"Did you go to see Jay while he was at work? Around early evening, right?"

 

"Yes"

 

"Haha, that's it! That's why!"

 

"So what exactly are you talking about?" I stared at the other person, confused, before he explained in a dull voice.

 

"Hey, you're really lucky, because when Jay is really tired and sleepy, he becomes more compliant and listens to all requests that are possible. Of course, that's very rare."

 

I heard the latter part of the sentence, "Other people get grumpy when they're tired and sleepy, but Jay's a good kid, so he's not fussy at all," go in one ear and out the other. 

 

Suddenly, I remembered what happened three days ago. It was the day he said he was sleepy and unexpectedly took me to his house, which was unlike him. That day, he was so gentle, I wondered if he was a different person. That answer might explain what happened that day, but I'm not sure if he's the same way today.

 

"Hmm, why? You don't believe what I said?"

 

When I couldn't reply, he laughed hysterically, like he was comforting a child.

 

"Because Jay cares about you, he's probably going to listen to you."

 

No matter how many times I heard the word, it never sounded familiar. Finally, I couldn't help but ask.

 

"What exactly is it about me that he cherishes?"

 

Actually, I think the boss is unlikely to say anything substantial. Even if he gives a reason, it's probably just his personal opinion, and I probably wouldn't either. I totally agree, but he looked surprised, as if asking, "You didn't know that?" and then said something I didn't expect.

 

"What are you talking about? Didn't Jay say you could speak to him without using polite language?" Suddenly, my mind went blank. Hmm... come to think of it, that's true.

 

I emerged from Alice's maze in shock at the fact that, while the madman wasn't exactly possessive, he didn't hold a grudge against me for some things. That's just his personality, but he still didn't mind that I spoke without politeness. I walked out the front door of the building feeling puzzled and, at that moment, almost crashed into a car that had braked suddenly. Luckily, my reflexes were quite quick, so I dodged backwards in time and avoided being hit by the car. But I still lost my balance and fell. 

 

I instinctively raised my hands to protect my face from injury while rolling on the ground. While just being an acting trainee, I guess I've gotten used to life like Kara by now. Sigh. I stood up, feeling bitter, just as I heard a door open. A car with its engine roaring 'Beep!' was followed by someone striding briskly towards me. As the figure stopped in front of me, I immediately heard a curse.

 

"Damn it! Do you know whose car this is, that you filthy bastard dare block it without looking where you're going?" 

 

I was standing there minding my own business, but when I glanced up, I saw a giant man in a black suit raising one leg while cursing. Raising his leg like that...who would do that? I could tell he was definitely going to kick me.

 

Thump

I quickly rolled away before a terrifying gust of wind whizzed past where I had been standing. "Damn it," I cursed inwardly as I strained my legs to get back to my feet. As if on springs, the moment I stood up, my opponent, who was a head taller than me, strode menacingly towards me. I glared at him and spoke in a deep voice.

 

"How am I supposed to know whose car it is, you bastard?" Upon hearing the cold voice, the other person's lips immediately curved into a mocking smile.

 

"Damn it, you bastard!"

 

*Thump!* A heavy punch swung towards me. After dodging the attack, I immediately put up my guard. The sound of the air cutting through was enough to identify the other person. How strong is he? Because even the slightest touch could knock me out. Damn it! 

 

Tension surged through my entire body, my nerves tingling intensely. I dodged backwards, trying to avoid the barrage of punches, before extending my arms in a crouching position, not letting the opportunity go to waste.

 

*Thud!*

When my opponent attacked the exposed side, I quickly moved to the side. My quick, familiar boxing footwork allowed me to dodge his punch just in time. But as I stepped back to avoid the punch that narrowly missed my temple, goosebumps covered my entire body.

 

"That filthy brat!" He roared as he took long strides after me. Of course, he moved faster than I as I stepped back, so a collision was inevitable. In an instant, People rushed in and blocked us—no, more accurately, they blocked right in front of me.

 

"Cough, cough...I apologise."

 

The club manager was breathing heavily as he stood in front of me. After a moment, he looked up at the towering figure and spoke in a calmer tone.

 

"I think there might be a misunderstanding. This gentleman is a customer of our club..."

 

"Misunderstanding? What misunderstanding? Tell me, so I can teach you a lesson, just like you said," the giant man sneered, speaking menacingly before provocatively tilting his head.

 

"What did I tell you to say?"

 

I tried to push the club manager away and instead intended to stand in front of him. It wasn't my fault, and he was the only one attacking. Even so, the club manager gently pushed my hand away as I was about to move, as if signalling me not to come out. After a moment of hesitation, the club manager spoke.

 

"He probably didn't see the car when he came out of the building. He didn't intend to do that... again!"

 

Slap!

A chilling screeching sound cut through the air.

 

"Is that all that nonsense just an excuse? The car the chairman was in had to brake suddenly because of this jerk! How are you going to compensate for it?" 

 

I was stunned for a moment, just staring silently at the other person. I wanted to lay hands on this hulking, burly man who was acting so unreasonably right now, but a club member immediately reacted when he blocked my way again. He bent down ninety degrees and shouted.

 

"We sincerely apologise. If any problems arise, we will fully compensate you."

 

"Damn it! What can you do about compensating someone after an accident? If you killed someone, you just apologise, and that's it, huh?" 

 

What nonsense was he spouting? I was so annoyed that I was about to leave again, but the club manager, who had restrained me, pushed me back again.

 

"How can we make you feel better, Mr Chairman? Today, we will take full responsibility for everything until you feel better."

 

Relax! Relax!

The club manager's face turned red from the force of two consecutive slaps. Although he couldn't withstand the force and his body swayed, the smile remained on his face.

 

"Please come inside."

 

The giant man lifted his chin and cursed under his breath, "Damn it!" Just as he was about to say something more, another voice interrupted, stopping him.

 

"Sang Tae-ah, that's enough."

 

A voice, old and hoarse as if choked with phlegm, spoke. Upon hearing it, the giant man immediately turned and bowed.

 

"Mr Chairman, are you alright?"

 

A small man in his early seventies stood beside a luxurious car as the other man approached. But his eyes, fixed on me, peered past the giant man. The moment our eyes met, a shiver ran down my spine for no reason. I'd seen some wicked people who felt inhuman, but this old man was utterly different. His eyes seemed unlike human eyes.

 

"You are so arrogant!"

 

The old man's serpentine eyes followed the hoarse, irritating voice that intruded into my senses as he asked..."How dare you look directly at me?"

 

By the time the old man's body fully turned towards me, my field of vision was completely obscured.

 

"Haha, Chairman Kim, it's been a long time since you've been here."

 

The club owner, who appeared out of nowhere, subtly blocked the old man's path and led him through the entrance. After a few words of conversation, they continued inside. Finally, the old man turned around before walking through the entrance. His venomous, serpentine eyes fixed on me, as if to say he would let me go just this once before disappearing. 

 

The moment the old man and the giant disappeared, I realised I had clenched my fists tightly. Then, someone who had forgotten everything whispered something urgently to me.

 

"Please get out of here quickly."

 

When I looked at him with a questioning gaze, as if asking "Why?", he added in a low voice.

 

"Since Chairman Kim has arrived, Song Yoo-han will probably follow soon."

 

Then the club manager disappeared quickly, but I couldn't move from where I was. After a while, I realised who Chairman Kim was. He was Myungshin's sponsor.

 

The reason I came back to Alice's maze again, even though the club manager was gone for the month, is that I hate the feeling of being indebted to others.

 

"I heard you were looking for me."

 

The club manager frowned slightly as he walked down the hallway, seemingly displeased that I hadn't left yet, so I got straight to the point. More than before? No, hand him the convenience store bag you're holding.

 

"What is that?"

 

The club manager, whose cheek was bruised, asked in bewilderment. Upon seeing the contents of the bag, he blinked in surprise, for it was a bag of assorted porridge.

 

"Your mouth isn't completely torn apart inside, is it?"

 

After we spoke and turned to walk away, he called out to me. Looking at me with a questioning gaze, I asked, "Why?" and saw him smile warmly.

 

"The boss has probably contacted you already, but I think it would be better if you didn't come here for a while."

 

"……"

 

"A celebrity under Chairman Kim's management is asking us to find someone. It's pretty obvious who that celebrity is. It must be Myungshin. If so, the person he's looking for is someone named 'Two Hundred Won.' So we told him we didn't know him. Could you please cooperate?" 

 

When I nodded, he smiled, then nervously turned around and disappeared. As I went up the stairs, I kept thinking about the club manager, smiling despite the bruises. Green was more likely to bring up Chairman Kim with his snake-like eyes, or Myungshin searching for two hundred won.