Codename Anastasia Novel (End) - Chapter 26

He openly sneered, but it couldn’t have any impact. He shook his head and gulped down the cognac. He was starting to feel warm, and wanted one more glass. He reached out to pour himself one, but Zhenya suddenly grabbed the bottle, stopping him. Their eyes met, and Zhenya said, “Tell me,” demanding an answer to his previous question. Annoyed, he replied casually.

“A woman with big breasts and hips? And I prefer plump over skinny.”

“Your taste is quite obvious.”

“Isn’t it better than having no taste?”

“No taste, how rude. Believe it or not, I have my standards.”

“For you to filter someone out, that’s truly rude. No, perhaps that’s even better?”

He repeatedly sneered and snatched the bottle. While he refilled his glass, Zhenya prattled on about things he hadn’t even been asked.

“I can’t stand clinginess. Sex is only fun once, doing it more than once with the same person is tiresome.”

Of course, you would. A man who changes partners every day certainly wouldn’t have any concept of fidelity. Even without him, there are quite a few people who prefer casual relationships like one-night stands or sex partners. They don’t want to apply heavy and old-fashioned standards of responsibility to sex, whose purpose is mutual enjoyment. Yet, everyone else has some decorum and doesn’t reveal their promiscuous tendencies as unreservedly as he does.

Knowing it was a meaningless question, he still asked, just in case.

“You’ve obviously never had a continuous relationship with a specific person, right?”

“No.”

The answer came instantly. That meant he had never properly dated. Of course, it was hard to imagine him harboring pure affection for anyone, or craving love. Even forcing himself to recall his eccentric behavior and visualize it, it was nothing short of a horror. A woman who received all of his interest and love. The mere thought made him feel sorry and pitying.

“Perhaps, if she’s strong-willed and rebellious. It would be even better if she didn’t break even when handled roughly. There’s a thrill in overpowering with force, you see.”

The more he listened, the more refined his taste seemed to be. It wasn’t surprising. From the beginning, it seemed impossible for someone like Zhenya to put effort into one person and, furthermore, build a family. Such a normal and ordinary life simply didn’t suit him. If he were that kind of man, he wouldn’t be here in the first place.

Kwon Taekjoo’s own situation, despite his assurances, was not much different. What kind of woman would welcome a husband who never revealed what he did, had almost no days off, and went on business trips as often as he ate? It seemed he would never be able to fulfill his mother’s wish. He had already stumbled from the start by having a safe job, so even building a harmonious family seemed distant.

“They say Koreans can’t leave their parents’ nest even after they’re grown. Is that true?”

The topic of conversation suddenly shifted. He seemed to have lost interest in talking about women because of Kwon Taekjoo’s indifferent reaction. Even so, it was too sudden a question. When Kwon Taekjoo looked at him quizzically, Zhenya lightly gestured with his chin towards him.

“You call her constantly and report your every move.”

“That’s all? Why are you so curious about that?”

“If you admit you’re a mama’s boy, there’d be no reason to be curious.”

“It’s just my mother being overprotective.”

He sighed resignedly. He had never spilled personal family matters to anyone. Even Chief Im only guessed at Kwon Taekjoo’s family situation through observation.

But why now, and why was he grumbling to Zhenya, of all people? It wasn’t because of the alcohol. Perhaps it was okay because he wouldn’t see the man again after this mission. Unless, implicitly, that irresponsible thought had occurred to him.

“My maternal grandfather, my father, and even my older brother. All the men in my mother’s life who were involved in the family were soldiers. As if by promise, all three of them died in the line of duty. I’m the only blood relative left by her side, so her worries are immense. She even tells me not to drive because South Korea has a high traffic accident rate. She’s been like that since my father died, and it’s gotten worse with each passing year. After my brother died, I couldn’t even stay out overnight as I pleased.”

What was meant as a lighthearted remark made Zhenya’s expression turn quite serious.

“Everyone dies once anyway.”

Was that supposed to be comforting? He truly had no ordinary aspect about him, no matter how you looked at it. If he told his mother, who was losing sleep worrying about her son, “Everyone dies once anyway,” she would surely be delighted. Seeing this man, so different in thought, action, and emotion, made him curious about his family. What kind of parents would raise a human being so utterly lacking?

In the meantime, his glass emptied. He waited for a moment, but Zhenya just sat there blankly. He could have poured himself one again, as before, but Kwon Taekjoo didn’t. He merely lightly tapped the table with the empty glass. Only then did Zhenya say, “Ah,” and poured him a full glass of tequila. He downed it in one gulp, then licked the back of his hand. He clicked his tongue at the unrefreshing aftertaste.

“A shame there’s no lemon.”

“Ah, so you’re into that? If I had known earlier, I would have gotten a woman and some lemon.”

Zhenya smiled suggestively, recalling something. He also gently touched his own collarbone.

“Enough. Tell me about yourself.”

“About what?”

“The usual. Family relations, interests, stuff like that.”

“Hmm. If you insist. I have many siblings. Thanks to that, I don’t have to appease unusually attentive parents. When I’m bored, I seek out women. I have no interest in unsightly acts like peeping at others and masturbating.”

He continued to mock Kwon Taekjoo in rapid succession, then showed a satisfied expression. Kwon Taekjoo also gave him an artificial smile.

“Do your parents know you go around doing this?”

“What did I do?”

“You kill people who bother you.”

“I think you’re mistaken. I don’t just kill innocent people. Didn’t I tell you repeatedly? I only deal with self-defense.”

“Why don’t you just say it clearly? What you do is excessive force.”

“It’s self-defense because they were actually harming me or intended to. If I were weaker than I am now, it wouldn’t be them dying, but me.”

He shamelessly claimed to be a benevolent victim. As if he had no choice, and had simply defended himself. To say it was justified to kill someone for being a little noisy or for following him was absurd. At this rate, he might try to kill him just for stepping on his shadow.

He clicked his tongue vehemently. But he had no intention of wasting time with preachiness that wouldn’t work. It didn’t matter what the man did or where he went, as long as he didn’t harm Kwon Taekjoo himself. Nagging only came from affection, after all.

As the mood ripened, he attempted a more candid conversation.

“You, well. From what I see, you’re not financially strapped, so why are you involved in this kind of work?”

“I told you that before.”

“You did. You said you were involved in this solely for the blueprint. That if you got it, you could develop an unprecedented weapon and, of course, become incredibly rich. But the more I think about it, the less I understand. You seem to already be incredibly rich even without the blueprint.”

“There’s nothing wrong with having a lot of money.”

“You’re going to die anyway. What, are you dreaming of eternal life? Or are you so obsessed with money that you don’t care if you sell out your country and put yourself in danger?”

“I didn’t know you were so interested in me?”

“Because you’re a type I’ve never met before. Usually, I can guess why someone would do something, but you’re completely unfathomable. A rich lunatic who lacks nothing, why would someone like that… Ah, my apologies. My true feelings slipped out inadvertently.”

He called him a ‘rich lunatic’, but instead of being offended, Zhenya merely grinned. He answered Kwon Taekjoo’s question casually.

“Because it seems fun. If it’s interesting, I just go for it. The problem is it rarely happens.”

It wasn’t extreme sports, and to talk about ‘interest’ when his life could be gone in the blink of an eye. It would be more human if he had said he joined purely for money, being completely obsessed with it. Though he couldn’t expect much from a man who casually ripped people apart and killed them.

Around that time, Zhenya subtly shifted his posture. His hair, catching the light, shone even more brightly. It was too bright to be blonde, and too yellow to be white. It sparkled with every slight movement, constantly drawing his gaze.

“They say there aren’t many blond Russians, unexpectedly. Is that hair color genetic? Or dyed?”

He asked, staring absentmindedly without realizing it. Zhenya suddenly leaned his upper body forward. Natural platinum blonde hair filled his vision.

“None of my blood relatives have this hair color either. It’s a mutation. Want to touch it?”

“No, thank you.”

He refused point-blank. Zhenya pulled back his body and laughed heartily.

It didn’t feel like they had been talking for long, but the scenery outside the window was already starting to darken. The day in a confined space felt several times longer than usual, but today was an exception. It seemed to be due to the many events since morning and the effects of alcohol. As he drank more, his consistently tense consciousness calmly settled down. His body’s sensations also loosened.

In the meantime, Zhenya refilled Kwon Taekjoo’s empty glass. Since then, the glass never seemed to be dry.

“Can you hold your liquor?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never been drunk, so I don’t know my exact limit, but this much is easy.”

“Hmm?”

Zhenya provocatively stared at Kwon Taekjoo, feigning suspicion. But Kwon Taekjoo didn’t fall for his shallow trick. Even with the sneering gaze, he steadfastly moistened his lips at his own pace. He hated being drunk and vulnerable. If not for anyone else, he felt he shouldn’t pass out before Zhenya. It was just a vague feeling. Nothing might happen, rendering his caution meaningless. It could even be an unnecessary psychological battle. Even if that were the case, he didn’t want to put himself at risk in front of an uncertain opponent.

There was no meaningful conversation. They merely repeated the act of emptying and refilling their respective glasses. It felt like playing a boring game that would only end when someone fell out. He could have stopped drinking, but he wanted to get Zhenya drunk and resolve his lingering discomfort.

Gradually, his tongue grew numb, and he could no longer detect the characteristic bitter taste of alcohol. The same went for its unique aroma and flavor. It felt like he was just drinking water. As he kept craving hydration due to a burning sensation in his stomach, he drank an unknown, large quantity. His consciousness did not easily falter. Kwon Taekjoo was fundamentally a strong drinker. The problem was that his opponent was too.

At some point, his vision even blurred. Zhenya was also not in a normal state. The two occasionally poured alcohol into places other than their glasses. The table, carpet, and their clothes became a mess. Empty liquor bottles lay scattered on the floor. It was already their fifth straight bottle. As the alcohol truly took hold, their mood floated erratically. They exchanged silly jokes as if in a competition, tapped the table, and guffawed like madmen. They even flung open the window and let out screams. Actions they would never have done sober unfolded unreservedly, beyond the control of reason.

“Chief Im would be astonished if he saw this.”

He chuckled, muttering. He then cocked his head, stopping midway through refilling his glass. It was because the surroundings had grown silent. The consistent sound of the train wheels rolling on the tracks was all he heard, and nothing else. It seemed only Kwon Taekjoo himself was talking. Kwon Taekjoo realized Zhenya had fallen silent only when the alcohol he was pouring overflowed the glass and thoroughly soaked his knees.

He looked up. Zhenya was sitting with his arms crossed and eyes closed. His long breaths, the steady rise and fall of his chest, and his motionless eyelids proved he was asleep. Kwon Taekjoo stretched out his arm as if to poke his eyes, but there was no reaction. A snicker. A satisfied smile spread across Kwon Taekjoo’s lips.

“Just with this much… what a young master, a young master.”

He shook his head, mocking him. Although it wasn’t a drinking contest, he felt triumphant thinking he had beaten Zhenya. That, too, was probably due to the alcohol.

Kwon Taekjoo raised his glass, brimming with vodka, as if to celebrate. Half of the contained liquor sloshed and spilled. His right arm, holding the glass, became drenched. He swayed his arm unsteadily, barely managing to bring the glass to his lips. Half the vodka that remained filled his mouth.

Kwon Taekjoo’s swaying body promptly collapsed. With a thud, his upper body fell forward onto the table. The hand holding the glass also dropped limply.

For a moment, there was no movement in the cabin. Soon, Kwon Taekjoo’s sweet breath flowed out. Having not slept properly for a full day, combined with the alcohol, he was completely passed out. His prone back repeatedly swelled and slowly sank.

“…….”

How much time had passed? Zhenya, who had fallen asleep sitting up, opened his eyes. For some reason, his eyelids rolled up without any resistance. As if he hadn’t slept for a single moment, as if he hadn’t even been drunk. His emotionless eyes clearly took in Kwon Taekjoo. It was a calm and quiet gaze.

He picked up the half-smoked custom cigar. The tip of the cigar was charred black. He neatly cut off that part with a specialized cutter. Then, he lit the smoothly cut body with a torch. The cigar quickly burned, emitting thick smoke. During this, Zhenya’s gaze remained fixed on Kwon Taekjoo. To be precise, he stared intently at Kwon Taekjoo’s hand extended towards him.

He habitually pressed the cigar cutter. The two blades meshed, creating a metallic friction sound. With his white, long fingers, he slowly traced Kwon Taekjoo’s hand. He carefully outlined the contours and straight fingers, then slightly tilted his head. Meanwhile, the cigar cutter in Zhenya’s opposite hand continued to make a sinister click-clack sound. With his index finger, he gently lifted Kwon Taekjoo’s ring finger. A chilling smile spread across his pale face.

He lifted his heavy eyelids. Familiar scenery came into his tilted vision. The entrance directly in front of him, the sound of the train running, and the feel of the table pressed against his cheek. His senses slowly awakened, and synesthesia came alive. His cheek felt unusually damp, and the unfamiliar scent of cognac wafted up.

He groaned, sitting up. The table where his cheek had rested was completely drenched in alcohol. His own state, sprawled there, was beyond words.