Passion Novel - Volume 3 - Chapter 58 - T&R Inc

It was hot. The yellowish sunlight, directly hitting his right cheek as he sat by the window reading the newspaper, heated half his face despite the late hour of dusk.

Nevertheless, Jeong Taeui, who had been silently turning pages, looked up because he felt a gaze. The tickling gaze was harder to endure than the hot sun. Jeong Taeui lifted his eyes from the newspaper and traced the source of the gaze that poured onto his side profile. A woman sitting a little distance away, glancing at her watch as if waiting for someone, was looking towards Jeong Taeui. However, the moment Jeong Taeui lifted his head, her slightly averted gaze reflexively met his, and only then did he realize she wasn’t looking at him.

The end of her gaze reached the angular pillar majestically standing next to where Jeong Taeui was sitting. More precisely, it was the mirror attached to one of the pillar’s sides. She had merely been checking her appearance in the mirror. Jeong Taeui, unconsciously following her gaze to the pillar, discovered his own face reflected there. He found himself frowning without realizing it.

“What a sight…”

The reason the woman flinched and recoiled the moment their eyes met was starkly revealed in the mirror. His face, hideously swollen, was distorted into an irregular shape, and his eyelids, temples, and jaw were uniformly stained red, yellow, and blue. The split lip with a blood clot was just a minor detail. His original appearance wasn’t particularly unsightly; he could walk anywhere with his head held high without being called ugly. But now, his original features were nowhere to be found. Moreover, beneath this swollen face was a shoddy suit. He looked exactly like a low-level bullet shield for some shady organization. No one around him would believe it, but just half a day ago, Jeong Taeui’s face was perfectly fine. He had one or two unavoidable bruises or cuts from his regular training, but even this morning, his face wasn’t so unbearable.

A body takes a long time to heal but only a moment to be damaged.

The incident occurred late in the morning, about an hour before noon. He was relaxing in the lounge, listening to music, when two colleagues he wasn’t particularly close to suddenly started fighting nearby. They weren’t children; they were old enough to take responsibility for their own brawls, so Jeong Taeui had no intention of getting involved. Even when his chair was violently struck during their fight, nearly making him slide off, he didn’t tell them to stop. He merely said, “If you’re going to fight, take it outside.”

The spark, however, flew in an unexpected direction. The words, “This guy, he’s that European bastard’s slave,” were the trigger. Incredibly, the two men who had been fighting each other suddenly ganged up on Jeong Taeui, punching him. Caught off guard, Jeong Taeui took a few blows, and in an instant, he flared up at this unfair situation and returned every punch. There was more than one injustice. Not only did the two men who were fighting suddenly unite to attack Jeong Taeui, but it was also utterly absurd that they hated “that European bastard” yet lacked the guts to challenge him directly, resorting to attacking Jeong Taeui as a second-best option.

‘Did these guys collectively eat something rotten? I don’t know where they threw it away, but go pick up that discarded reason, huh?!’

The shout Jeong Taeui let out while beating them wasn’t just for the two of them. It was also for the other team members who were surrounding them, watching, without any intention of stopping the blatant injustice. Among these onlookers were some of Jeong Taeui’s own teammates. That made his indignation burn even hotter.

In the end, after gleefully pounding them, he took just as many hits. He received makeshift treatment at the infirmary, but after a short while, his face swelled up, becoming mottled with bruises. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon when this happened.

Jeong Taeui stroked his face, thinking that if it was going to turn out like this, he wished they had at least waited one more day before fighting. His jaw, swollen blue-black, throbbed even with the slightest touch. He had plans for the evening. A broker, whom he had met through Alta’s introduction, had contacted him saying he had procured Jeong Taeui’s ordered item, and they had arranged a meeting last week. He had planned to enjoy himself for a bit, then take a ferry to Hong Kong in the afternoon, meet the broker, and return.

Though the person he was meeting didn’t require much formality, he was still someone he should meet with some courtesy. Moreover, the meeting place was the lobby of a five-star hotel—though they would move elsewhere after meeting. It wasn’t the appropriate situation or location to show up with a face that looked like it had been dragged through a brawl.

“Damn it. If they were going to fight pointlessly, they should have done it tomorrow instead.”

Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue, stroking his face. His face, which he had taken comfort in never being called ugly, despite not being able to call it handsome, was now beyond ugly; it was no longer human.

As Jeong Taeui bitterly grimaced and ran a hand over his face in front of the mirror, a man approached him like a shadow from behind. Their eyes met in the mirror, the man’s gaze fierce as a ghost’s.

“What’s so pretty about that face that doesn’t even look human that you’re examining it so carefully?”

“Were you so engrossed in the bathroom that you peed on your pants? Why are you picking a fight all of a sudden?”

Just moving his mouth to speak made his temples throb. His face must really be a mess. As Jeong Taeui looked back at the mirror and muttered casually, the man glared at him ferociously before sitting on the single-seater couch nearby.

“You drag someone all the way to Hong Kong out of the blue, and then the person you’re supposed to meet is nowhere in sight, that’s why. If you’re messing with me and didn’t even make an appointment, I swear I’ll kill you.”

“You think I’d waste my precious time messing with you? Sorry, but I’d rather not.”

“I have no desire whatsoever to spend time with a guy who hugs firearms and treats them like his lover, clinging to them for dear life. What if the enthusiast is right?” Jeong Taeui added, shaking his head. The firearm enthusiast, Moro, instantly lit up.

“Am I a carrier of some infectious disease?! I have no desire whatsoever to share even a speck of my love for my beauties with you! Damn it, on this precious Saturday, when I should be cleaning and maintaining my beauties, why do I have to come all the way here with you? Hurry up and give me the Colt! I’ll go straight back once I have that!”

“Just wait, that guy will be here soon. …Ow, ow.”

Jeong Taeui, who had been violently shaken by Moro’s hand clutching his collar, winced as his back hit the chair repeatedly, the impact reverberating to his face. His brutally beaten face, no longer human, hurt. Seeing Jeong Taeui rub his face and mutter, “Ow, that hurts,” Moro seemed to realize why he was in pain and clicked his tongue, releasing his grip.

“I don’t want to be with you either. What if I catch your habit of getting hit just by being next to a rough stone?”

Though it was a boomerang he himself had thrown, it pierced his heart like a dagger. Jeong Taeui clutched his face, bending deeply at the waist. He wanted to shout at the top of his lungs that he wasn’t that type of person originally, and even now, though he was a bit (a lot) unlucky, his nature hadn’t changed like that, but it wouldn’t have been convincing.

“At least it’s a rare weekend, and I’m having a decent holiday away from any rough stones, so why bring that up, you damn Moro?”

Jeong Taeui muttered through his hands covering his face. If he thought about it, he was the one next to the rough stone all week, but on weekends, the rough stone always left for Hong Kong as soon as the regular workday ended on Friday afternoon, only to return on Sunday night. Sometimes he even returned on Monday morning. So Jeong Taeui usually spent peaceful days on weekends, completely unrelated to the rough stone. Yet, it was others who persistently made him think of the rough stone. They kept bringing up the topic of the rough stone whenever they saw Jeong Taeui, calling him “that European guy,” “that crazy guy.”

Jeong Taeui, who tried his best not to think about him if he couldn’t see him, secretly thought to himself whenever he saw such colleagues, ‘Actually, you guys don’t hate him; you’re just so fond of him you can’t bear it. That’s why you keep bringing him up in conversation and dwelling on him. You warped creatures of love-hate.’ Of course, he never said it out loud, knowing he would be fatally ostracized if he did.

Moro clicked his tongue, looking at Jeong Taeui with pity. “You know, you seem reasonably clever, but sometimes you do incomprehensibly stupid things. You just leisurely walk toward a cliff on a clear, sunny day, even when you can clearly see what’s ahead.”

“What did I do?”

“It doesn’t seem like you’re aiming for advancement, so you should naturally distance yourself from that rough stone and hide among the pebbles for your own well-being. But why do you insist on staying next to the rough stone, getting hit by pebbles and broken by the rough stone? Look around you now. Who’s on your side among your colleagues? It’s all gone, isn’t it? And do you really think that crazy Ligrow would consider you an ally? No way, absolutely no way.”

Moro clicked his tongue and shook his head. Jeong Taeui, still bent at the waist, only turned his head to glance up at Moro. Although Moro usually couldn’t stand Jeong Taeui, he seemed to pity Jeong Taeui’s situation, as his eyes, narrowed in a frown, held sympathy.

“Did I walk to the cliff on my own? I was pushed. Why does no one believe me, even after I’ve said it a hundred times?”

“In my opinion, you have a strong tendency to jump off cliffs on your own. You walk into a tiger’s den on your own accord and stick your head into its jaws. See? It’s like that even now. Why did you choose this place as your meeting spot, of all places? It’s a hotel lobby. Hong Kong is littered with other luxury hotels, so why pick this specific one?”

“Does a tiger live in this hotel? Is there a cliff behind the hotel? Then what’s that Pacific Place over there? Maybe that shopping mall sells cliffs and tigers as a set?”

“There’s a cliff right next to the hotel, and a tiger is waiting below with its jaws wide open, you idiot! Can’t you see the Lippo Centre across the street?!”

As Jeong Taeui shouted indignantly, Moro retorted just as loudly. Intimidated by his force, Jeong Taeui shut his mouth and frowned. The Shangri-La. It was a luxury hotel located in the heart of Hong Kong Island. He had been to this internationally chained hotel, situated in a bustling commercial area filled with skyscrapers and major global corporations, several times before, but he had never heard of a cliff inhabited by tigers in Admiralty, where high-end shops lined the streets. Moreover, the Lippo Centre, standing firmly in the direction Moro pointed, didn’t look like it was built on a cliff’s edge at all. Jeong Taeui stared at the Lippo Centre. The twin buildings, strikingly similar and standing side by side, housed countless public and private companies. It seemed many Hong Kongers avoided it, deeming it an inauspicious building according to feng shui, but Moro didn’t seem to mean it in that sense.

“What’s wrong with that—”

Jeong Taeui, turning his head to point at the Lippo Centre, lowered his hand as he saw the person he was waiting for approaching. It was the broker he was scheduled to meet there today. The broker, too, saw Jeong Taeui and lightly raised a hand in acknowledgement.

“Haha, I’m a little late. My apologies, I had to meet with an important person.”

“Not at all. We just arrived ourselves.” Jeong Taeui replied politely, remembering how Alta, who had introduced him, had flattered this man by calling him “teacher.” Though Moro was currently giving him dirty looks, Jeong Taeui couldn’t let his position be compromised. He didn’t forget to poke Moro’s side once, who was simply staring blankly at the broker.

“And this friend…?” Perhaps because of his line of work, the broker looked wary, almost displeased, upon seeing the unfamiliar face, and quietly asked. Jeong Taeui flashed his most friendly smile and patted Moro’s shoulder affectionately.

“This friend is the one who found the item. He has extensive hobbies in that area.”

“Ah, I see…” The broker nodded. Moro glared uncomfortably at Jeong Taeui, who was acting overly familiar, but he had at least enough sense not to babble anything unnecessary.

“Right, it’s a bit awkward to talk here. I’ve booked a room upstairs, so let’s head up.”

Following the broker who had already stood up, Jeong Taeui quickly shook off Moro’s hand, which had just pinched his wrist, and waved his hand dismissively. Moro grumbled to himself. “Why did we have to come to this hotel when we could have just met in a room from the start, or at a partitioned restaurant?”

Just as he was about to pinch Moro’s side again, annoyed by his constant complaints about the hotel, the broker, who was a few steps ahead, glanced back as if he had heard him.

“What, you don’t like it? Haha, then next time I’ll choose somewhere else. Today, you see, I had a prior appointment right next door. I told you before, didn’t I? That a large branch office moved into Hong Kong. Well, it moved into the Lippo Centre over there. Coming straight here after taking care of business there, this place was simply the most suitable.”

It was fortunate that the broker didn’t seem displeased by Moro’s complaints, but the man’s words made Moro’s face crumple. Jeong Taeui scratched his head, glancing at Moro. He knew nothing about Chinese feng shui, but he felt a strong agreement with the opinion that that building was inauspicious.

“Ah, I see. What kind of branch office is it?”

“Hmm, well, to put it simply, it’s a type of military supplier. They’re involved in supply and manufacturing, and they’re a company second to none in that industry. You’d probably know the name if you heard it…”

He had thought Chinese feng shui was nonsense, but he suddenly had a feeling it might be surprisingly accurate. Jeong Taeui subtly looked at Moro. As usual, Moro wore an expression that suggested everything in the world annoyed him, and he trudged along with a sullen look.

“Hey, Moro. That military supplier that moved in over there—”

Just as Jeong Taeui was about to open his mouth, the broker, who had arrived at the elevator, turned to him. “But why is your face like that? I almost didn’t recognize you at first. Who on earth has the guts to beat up talent from UNHRDO like that?”

Jeong Taeui closed his mouth, swallowing his words. Who else but the other talents at UNHRDO? Moro, who contributed excellently to Jeong Taeui’s mental suffering, even if not directly participating in his physical ordeals, clicked his tongue upon seeing Jeong Taeui’s gloomy face. However, his feigned concern for Jeong Taeui was short-lived. As soon as they reached the room that arrived shortly after, and the broker pulled out a Colt, Moro completely disregarded Jeong Taeui and rushed towards the gun, his eyes sparkling.

T&R Inc.

His gaze, which had been scanning the tightly packed nameplates in one corner of the lobby on the first floor, stopped at one with a simple yet sophisticated font. It seemed to have moved in recently, as the unblemished nameplate shone like a blade. No one paid attention to Jeong Taeui, who was looking at the nameplate with a swollen face, as if he had just emerged from a group assault. Busy people in suits occasionally murmured into their phones in languages Jeong Taeui couldn’t understand, brushing past him. The only person who seemed to pay him any mind was perhaps a neatly uniformed security guard.

“Can I help you?”

The guard, who had been observing Jeong Taeui from a little distance, approached quietly and asked after a few minutes, seeing that Jeong Taeui was lost in thought and showed no sign of moving. Jeong Taeui gave the guard a brief, serious look, then pointed at the nameplate.

“That one. T&R Inc….”

“Ah, yes. They moved in recently. Do you have business there? If you tell me who you’re looking for, I can contact them for you.”

“No, not really… If something comes to mind, I’ll go up myself.”

The guard looked at Jeong Taeui, who was muttering an obviously suspicious answer with an unruffled expression, with a slightly stunned look, then spoke with a firmer tone. “There are security devices on each floor, so you can’t enter without a security card.”

“I see… I don’t really have any particular business in mind, after all.”

Jeong Taeui rubbed his chin and mumbled, then sighed and took a step back. He turned, feeling the guard’s extremely suspicious gaze on the back of his head.

The broker and Moro got along exceptionally well. It turned out the broker also had a considerable enthusiast’s temperament. With two people who loved firearms and weapons meeting, it was as if they had been friends for decades. The conversation, which began with the Colt, eventually veered into territory beyond Jeong Taeui’s comprehension. He had thought he possessed some knowledge of weaponry, but he was completely mistaken. Indeed, the world of enthusiasts was deep.