Chapter 25: The Thorn You Cannot See

“…”

“You don’t know anything about the boss. Seriously, who throws knives at someone just because they got touched a little?”

Cherry pointed at the wall of the office. Yi-jae had never paid much attention to it because it was dark, but the spot Cherry indicated was covered in marks where knives had been embedded. The tiger painting beside it had always drawn her eye, so she’d never noticed before.

“And this time he even choked someone. He really meant to kill him.”

“…But he didn’t.”

“Right. Thanks to you.”

Cherry answered cynically, lifting her eyes.

It felt strange. Until recently, Cherry had been openly coveting Chae Ju-han. Even the day after that incident, she still had. Had something happened between Cherry and Chae Ju-han in the meantime, or…

“So does it make you feel superior? Because you think the boss treats you specially or something?”

“…It’s not like that.”

“The person he really treats specially is someone else. It’s not you.”

Cherry snorted and took out a bottle of bright red gel polish. Even while smoothly painting Madam Yoon’s nails, she kept talking.

“Remember that Hong Kong guest I mentioned? Honestly, I don’t know how much you know, but whatever it is, that woman is more than that. The night she showed up, the club was at its peak. So many high rollers came that entire carts of liquor were wheeled into every VIP room. I nearly fell off the pole staring at all that expensive alcohol. Anyway, that’s not the important part. Suddenly the music stopped, and they kicked everyone out, the customers, the dancers, the waiters. They even threw Madam out. Those bastards were completely insane.”

“Even Madam?”

For years, Madam had practically run the club. Yet they had tossed her out as if it were nothing.

“They locked the kitchen staff in the kitchen and had them cook all night. Suspicious, right? Way too suspicious. Just because one young woman showed up, they threw away an entire weekend night’s revenue. Do you know how much money that is? So I poked Madam until she checked the CCTV footage. I wanted to see what that amazing face looked like. And do you know what I found?”

Was she a celebrity? Some incredible heiress? Yi-jae couldn’t imagine it and shook her head.

“Nothing. There was nothing.”

“What?”

“They turned off all the CCTV the moment she entered. And even if there had been footage, they deleted every last bit of it. Not even the hem of her clothes was recorded. Isn’t that incredible? They’re really something.”

Cherry stopped doing Madam’s nails altogether and clapped dramatically.

“And that’s what special treatment really looks like. Whatever you think you’ve been getting, it isn’t that special.”

After finishing the bright red nails, Cherry slid Madam Yoon’s hand under the LED lamp.

Madam Yoon clicked her tongue.

“She must’ve been a VVIP.”

“Not just a VVIP. She was definitely connected to Hong Kong somehow. The fact that they cleared out all the waiters and had organization members personally serve the food says it all. Those prideful bastards waiting on a young woman? That woman was someone incredibly important.”

“She belongs to a different world than us. Don’t try too hard to find out.”

“Why not? Unlike flower shop unni, we have at least one foot in this world.”

“It’s a different world. Don’t try to learn about it.”

It was a warning directed at both of them.

Madam Yoon pulled her hand out from beneath the lamp and admired it before choosing Christmas-themed nail decorations. Since the end of the year was approaching, Cherry fussed about wanting the same design.

“Oh, right. Actually, the next day was even worse.”

Cherry continued, clearly trying to provoke Yi-jae. The mocking look on her face made Yi-jae not want to ask, but curiosity won.

“What happened?”

“Looks like they spent the whole night doing something on the club’s main stage. Some kind of orgy party. We mopped it all up afterward, but there was semen and body fluids everywhere, on the stage, under the stage. Ugh, disgusting. We all had to clean that dried-up mess. Seriously, what a f*cking nightmare. Ugh, just thinking about it makes me sick. I could throw up.”

Cherry gagged dramatically as she tried to place a nail decoration with tweezers. After failing several times, Madam Yoon shot her an icy glare.

“Cherry, keep your mouth shut.”

“Why? She’s our ‘sister-in-law,’ isn’t she? The boss officially declared her family.”

“There was blood in that mop water.”

“What?”

Cherry froze. Yi-jae clutched the flowerpot in her arms tighter.

“Whatever happened here that day… it might not have been what we imagined.”

Madam slid her hand back under the lamp. Harsh light flooded the room.

“We only get one life. Don’t get yourself killed by running your mouth.”

****

A chill ran down Yi-jae’s spine as she descended the stairs, only to run into Manager Kim again. She bowed and was about to leave when he called after her.

“I saw the boss at the boxing gym.”

Yi-jae turned around.

Was Manager Kim actually part of the organization? She’d always thought guarding the club entrance while eating dried pollock and chatting was his true calling.

“I’ve seen the boss going in and out of the boxing gym these past few days. If you smoke in the alley beside it, you can see the entrance. He hasn’t been coming to the club, but he goes to the gym every day. He might be there today too. I mean… if you’re looking for him, maybe you should check there.”

He scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

“Honestly, things have been tense around the club lately. It’d be nice if you could calm him down a little. Not that I trust you that much or anything. Just… while you’re at it.”

Yi-jae bowed and headed for the boxing gym.

****

It had been a long time.

But the atmosphere inside was too cold for nostalgia.

Back then, the place had always been crowded with organization members. She never would have come alone without Chae Ju-han.

She remembered the gym as a place full of heat. Not like this.

There were no footsteps, no punches hitting punching bags. Not even breathing. It was strange. The place had always smelled of sweat. No matter how much they aired it out, the hot, thick scent of sweat had soaked into every corner.

Maybe something had happened because of the Hong Kong guest.

Yi-jae gripped the flowerpot tightly and quietly surveyed the area.

“Mmnh…”

A faint moan echoed from somewhere.

Someone was hurt.

She had no idea how badly, and bit her lip anxiously. Maybe she’d have to call an ambulance.

“Ahh… mmmh!”

The m*ans grew louder and louder.

They were coming from the coach’s office.

How badly injured was someone to make sounds like that…?

She hurried toward the source.

“Ah! Honey! It feels so good!”

Yi-jae froze.

Heavy impacts echoed through the boxing gym. The space was so silent that the moans reverberated.

I’ve seen the boss going to the boxing gym every day.

At the very least, she needed to see the man’s face.

Through the frosted glass, she could make out explicit movements. The bodies pressed together were so large she couldn’t be sure.

The man looked as big as Chae Ju-han. Maybe even bigger. Or maybe the tangled bodies just looked larger together.

As she hesitated over whether to open the door.

Ring!

Her seventy-two-hour alarm went off.

As she frantically searched through her jacket pocket for her phone, Yi-jae fled the boxing gym. She ran down the stairs and found the phone in her pants pocket, shutting off the alarm.

“Who the f*ck’s there?!”

The man burst out after her, roaring as he threw open the gym door. In his haste, he hadn’t managed to pull his pants up all the way.

From halfway down the stairs, all Yi-jae could see was what was dangling there.

It wasn’t Chae Ju-han.

Definitely not.

Wiping the sweat brought on by running, Yi-jae shoved the phone deep into her pocket. Soil had spilled out of the flowerpot bag, staining the kraft paper black.

She left the building and hurried down the alley.

Without realizing it, her feet carried her toward Chae Ju-han’s apartment.

Even though she didn’t know if he still lived there.

The apartment was dark.

She stared at the unlit windows for a while before turning away.

Where was Chae Ju-han now?

Had he been summoned by that Hong Kong guest? If she was really that important, had Chae Ju-han joined her party? Was he spending his nights in debauchery like that night at the club? Had he forgotten Yi-jae because he was having too much fun?

The alarm she had reset had already gone off.

It had been over three days since she’d seen him.

The Chae Ju-han who used to come find her before the time limit expired no longer existed.

Now Go Yi-jae was the only one waiting for Chae Ju-han.

Yi-jae closed her eyes.

The freezing wind against her cheeks felt sharp enough to cut her skin. The cold felt even harsher than before, and she hunched her shoulders and hurried back to the flower shop.

Tonight, she’d turn the heat on and sleep warmly.

She’d slept poorly for nights because of the cold drafts.

At least tonight, she wanted to rest.

Jingle.

The shop door was open.

She was certain she’d locked it after putting up the sign asking customers to call if they needed anything.

The moment a chill ran through her gut, Yi-jae gripped the flowerpot tightly.

If necessary, she’d use it as a weapon.

With a tense expression, she slowly pushed the door open and stepped inside.

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