Passion Novel - Volume 4 - Chapter 89 - Moro

My face was so hot.

Jeong Taeui tossed and turned, rolling his body to the side. The spacious beach chair gently enveloped his skin. With his eyes closed, he fumbled beside him, picked up a towel, and covered his face. With the sunlight blocked, it was much more bearable.

Once his face was covered, the sun felt just right. The sunlight illuminating his entire body from the shoulders down felt perfectly warm, as if he had entered a low-temperature sauna. He thought he might get a bad sunburn and feel a bit sore later, but he felt so good right now that he didn’t want to get up.

“…”

Jeong Taeui opened his eyes. A large white beach towel covered his face, obscuring his vision with white. He had dozed off briefly and now, though his body felt languid, he couldn’t fall back asleep. Yet, that languor felt pleasant, so after a moment, Jeong Taeui turned his body to the opposite side, exposing the other half of his body to the sun. He pulled the slipped towel back over his face.

Was it around noon? He felt like he had slept for an hour or two. When he fell asleep, there was shade from the awning above his waist, but now the sun shone directly on his face.

Birdsong could be heard from a distance. The occasional chirps continued, high and low, without being annoying. Every now and then, a cool breeze blew, cooling his heated skin as it passed. At his feet was a clear, spacious pool. Occasional birdsong. Warm sunlight. A leisurely nap.

When had he ever enjoyed time so leisurely and relaxed? Thinking about it, even after being discharged from the military, he couldn’t truly rest comfortably for several months as he went to the hospital and recuperated. Then, just when his body felt a bit better and his mind began to relax, his uncle had burst in.

“My life has been pretty tough too… A person needs to have time to relax like this.”

Jeong Taeui mumbled to himself with a languid sigh and turned over again. The thought that it was a bit brazen to be lounging so idly in someone else’s house—especially when the owner was busy and had left early in the morning for work—was not entirely absent, but Kyle never gave Jeong Taeui any grief. He always treated him politely and courteously. Since the owner was like that, the other staff were the same.

While it helped that Jeong Taeui wasn’t the type to be easily bothered, the truth was, more than anything, this house had many guests. He realized it after staying for a few days. Among the people living in this house, those who could be considered blood relatives of the Riegrow family could be counted on one hand. The elderly parents, he heard, lived in a quiet country villa and only occasionally visited the company, rarely coming to this house. The one sister they had, he was told, married an industrialist a full twelve years her senior right after turning twenty and moved to America. In essence, Kyle Riegrow was the only family member actually living here.

He didn’t even have time to think, “Living alone in a mansion this grand…”

Besides the numerous staff, this house was always full of guests. Whether official or private, one or two people always seemed to be staying here. According to Rita, he was “a young master who loves having people in the house too much.” Jeong Taeui, who had overslept and gone to the empty dining room late to eat the vegetable soup Rita had prepared, paused upon hearing that, blinked, and then subtly asked Rita, “Young master?” Rita nodded with a natural expression and replied, “Young master.”

Rita, who had lived in this house for over 40 years since she was a fresh young woman, said she had been a nanny to the children of the house when they were young. To her, who proudly called them “the young masters and ladies I raised with my own hands,” Jeong Taeui hesitated for a moment before asking again.

“Did you raise all the sons of this house calling them ‘young master’?”

She answered definitively.

“They are still our young masters.”

“…”

Jeong Taeui could only bury his nose in the soup bowl and eat silently.

Rita wasn’t a bad person. Before he got used to her, she had a blunt and cold impression—even now, she seemed to view Jeong Taeui, an East Asian, with some skepticism—but if he asked something, she would always answer, and if Jeong Taeui was about to make a mistake, she would silently correct him and help him.

Jeong Taeui liked such people. So, even though she looked at him with disapproval, he liked Rita. She was a blunt grandmother who ultimately took care of people.

“But how did a person raised by such a kind grandmother become such a heinous murderer…”

Jeong Taeui mumbled to himself without realizing it. And he turned his heated body over once more.

But it wasn’t Rita’s fault. Kyle, who was also raised by Rita, was a perfectly normal and upstanding person, wasn’t he?

“Then, rather than the environmental factor theory, it’s the genetic theory… But how different can the genes of siblings be, even if they’re born as brothers?”

Ultimately, without knowing why Ilay had become a person of such a personality, Jeong Taeui shook his head under the towel. It was unknowable. Indeed, if he thought about it that way, he and his twin brother, who shared the same environment and inherited the same genes, were also very different, weren’t they? It seemed there was something innate that couldn’t be explained by environment or genetics alone.

“…I wonder if that crazy bastard is doing well… Well, who could harm him anyway? He’s the kind of guy who’d survive perfectly even if thrown into the scorching heat of the desert.”

He was curious, but not worried. In a different sense than his brother, worrying about a person like Ilay seemed like the most useless thing there could be.

However, even if he was curious, he had no intention of finding out more details. It was obvious that doing so would only increase his anxiety and fear. After leaving the island, he had contacted his uncle a couple of times. This was because his uncle had told him to call once every one or two weeks, if not regularly.

At first, just in case, he deliberately went to the airport two days before departing from Hong Kong to make the call. His uncle had offered to let him use an identity that even his uncle wouldn’t know, but he hadn’t received an answer that they wouldn’t try to track him. He expected that the origin of the call would have been figured out the moment he finished and hung up. However, Jeong Taeui was confident that he wouldn’t be easily tracked. Even if not, he had a shred of faith.

That even if his uncle personally found Jeong Taeui’s location, he wouldn’t reveal it unless something extraordinary happened.

He didn’t know how Ilay would try to find him. Or perhaps he might cut him off entirely and not even attempt to search. Of course, considering his personality, it seemed likely he’d obsessively track him down and strip him to the bone, but he didn’t know what he was doing now.

When he subtly asked his uncle during a call, his uncle simply smiled calmly and said briefly.

“Yes, if by any chance you get caught… you’ll die.”

He wouldn’t even die a peaceful death. Jeong Taeui knew several ways to kill a person painfully over a very long time, and he didn’t think Ilay knew less than him. It wouldn’t be strange at all if Ilay knew several methods beyond the most brutal murder methods he knew. …Indeed, he’d just have to keep running away.

Jeong Taeui shuddered at the thought of “if by any chance I get caught.” Just the thought sent chills down his spine. No horror thriller could compare.

“But it’s a bit of a shame…”

Rubbing his goosebump-covered arms even in the hot sunlight, Jeong Taeui quietly mumbled. As time passes, past memories fade. Pleasant memories become even more pleasant, painful memories become nostalgic or they are gradually forgotten. Jeong Taeui liked such a flow of time.

He would never meet the people from that place again. Even if he happened to run into them on the street someday, he wouldn’t intentionally contact them to meet. Ilay, of course, was out of the question. He had to run away from him, after all. But if a lot of time passed, and memories faded and were embellished, and if rumors came that the terrifying man had softened even a little, then it might be good to meet him again. …Though he couldn’t imagine that temper changing with age right now.

Anyway, it was good. Even if he didn’t know which corner Ilay was rummaging through and searching right now, at least under this lamplight, he was safe. No matter how much they searched for a Korean named Jeong Taeui, such a person wouldn’t appear. He had gone missing in Hong Kong, and all news of him had ceased. The person leisurely drifting around was Kim Youngsoo, enjoying a vacation right under Ilay Riegrow’s nose, possessing one of the most common names in Korea.

Jeong Taeui turned over again and lay down, letting out a languid sigh. Anyway, he was resting very well and productively… Where was his brother supposed to be found?

Of course, he could just spend time playing without searching and then say, “Uncle, I couldn’t find him. Goodbye for now,” and end it, but he had made a promise. Although he had made it clear that he couldn’t guarantee finding him, since he had spoken the words, he felt he should at least make a show of keeping it. But it was impossible to know. He couldn’t use public authority—though he didn’t think the situation would particularly improve even if he could—so where was he supposed to find such an elusive person?

Jeong Jaeui was never the kind of person who could be found just because someone wanted to find him. If he didn’t want to be found, and if it didn’t ultimately turn out to be fortunate for Jeong Jaeui, then one had to give up on the idea of meeting him.

“Well… I wonder where our lucky brother is leisurely wandering…”

Muttering that it was difficult since he had no leads, he was fumbling through old memories for clues when he heard footsteps approaching from a distance. Someone was coming towards the pool. Thinking it was another guest staying at the house, or a new guest, or one of the staff coming to clean or do garden work, Jeong Taeui removed the towel from his head. As the footsteps approached, voices also entered. It seemed there was more than one person.

“…That’s something that hasn’t been commercialized at this stage, so it’s a bit difficult to hand over. We haven’t even done the first test firing.”

It was Kyle’s voice.

The busy homeowner, who had already left for work when Jeong Taeui woke up that morning and whose presence he hadn’t seen, seemed to have returned. Since it was still around noon, he might just be stopping by briefly before leaving again.

He must have brought a guest. He didn’t know if this person would stay for a few days or just stopped by, but he vaguely heard talk of weapons.

He had thought it several times, but he really was a man who liked people. Or should he say he liked guests? Indeed, now that he thought about it, his uncle seemed gentle but was by no means an easy person, yet they had been friends for nearly 20 years, so how much more would he be with others?

“But if you want, I can arrange for a test. I think I’ll have time around the afternoon the day after tomorrow, would that be okay?”

The voice was very close now, just around the corner, about to meet him.

Still, since the homeowner was here, he should greet him, Jeong Taeui thought, roughly putting on his shirt over his shoulders and getting up. Then, the guest’s ecstatic voice followed.

“Really?! Of course! I can make time anytime! Even if I don’t have it, I’ll make it! A renewed and reproduced model of the 1875 Remington, that beautiful child!”

Before the words even finished, Jeong Taeui was already lying back on the beach bench, covered by the beach towel. He wrapped himself completely, lest even a single strand of hair show.

That voice he couldn’t forget. That ecstatic tone when talking about guns. That chilling thought process that described a weapon as a beautiful child.

As far as Jeong Taeui knew, there was only one person like that. Someone so petty and utterly persistent that if you so much as touched one of his prized possessions, you’d be in endless trouble. And oddly enough, the voice was identical.

“Alright, then come to the company at 3:30 PM the day after tomorrow. I’ll tell Louie, so come straight to my room. —This is your room. The window opens right onto the pool, so feel free to use it as you please. Let’s see, your vacation is until next weekend, isn’t it, Moro?”

“Yes, I’ve booked a flight for Saturday evening. I’ll be indebted to you until then.”

“Indebted? Please, make yourself comfortable. …Oh. We already had a guest here. Let’s see…”

Kyle’s voice was directly above his head. And another presence, standing close beside him, was clearly felt. Jeong Taeui lay motionless, determined never to remove the beach towel that was wrapped tightly around his head. Greeting Kyle would be the polite thing to do as a guest, but absolutely not now.

Moro. Moro! Moro!!

It wasn’t just the voice. The name was identical to that bastard Jeong Taeui knew. Why had that damn guy come to this peaceful mansion as a guest?

Thinking about it, it wasn’t strange at all. Jeong Taeui, a complete stranger—and even of unclear identity—who had only met Kyle a few days ago, was also staying as a guest in this mansion. So there was no reason why Moro shouldn’t be a guest here. Besides, this homeowner was a weapons dealer second to none, and Moro was a weapons fanatic second to none.

Come to think of it, he vaguely remembered hearing that Moro was acquainted with Ilay’s family. Something about working with their company before joining UNHRDO. If so, Moro being here was far more understandable and reasonable than Jeong Taeui being here.

“Who’s resting here, fallen asleep… Ah, it’s Kim.”

Even with Jeong Taeui’s face completely wrapped, Kyle seemed to recognize him quickly and spoke briefly. Perhaps Moro looked puzzled beside him, as Kyle explained, “He’s a guest who’s been staying for a few days.” Moro replied, “Ah, I see,” and seemed to show no particular curiosity about Jeong Taeui. Footsteps receded, and a voice was heard changing the subject, “The garden is still magnificent. The birch forest leading down that path is still there, isn’t it?” Kyle’s footsteps also moved away, and Jeong Taeui inwardly sighed.

But a flight for next Saturday evening. Did that mean Moro would be staying here until then? Naturally, the chances of them meeting face-to-face would increase. That was definitely not desirable.

He had to leave this place tonight. It was regrettable to leave such a relaxed and comfortable hideout, but he couldn’t endure it if the hideout turned into a tiger’s den.

Moro, that damn guy. You and I really don’t help each other’s lives, do we? Perhaps in fact, Moro was an ill-fated connection on par with Lieutenant Kim. But this was still better. If they parted quietly without him noticing, there wouldn’t be any more trouble.

Jeong Taeui’s right side was scorching in the sun, but he didn’t dare to move, fearing the towel would fall off, and lay motionless as if dead. He vowed to rush into his room as soon as they went somewhere else, waiting for their presence, which was a few steps away but still within sight, to disappear.

However, it was then.

“Kim, how long are you going to be lazy like that? A person needs to get up and move a bit. Besides, it’s mealtime now. If you don’t eat your meals properly, you’ll get an upset stomach.”

A cold, nagging voice came from beyond the glass door. Rita, Jeong Taeui was always grateful for her kindness, which seemed aloof but actually took good care of people, ensuring they ate every meal properly. But at this moment, he was anything but grateful. Jeong Taeui pretended to be deeply asleep, not moving or answering.

“Ah, Rita, leave him be. He seems to be in a deep sleep.”

Kyle, from a distance, helpfully interjected, but Rita, who had come out through the glass door, approached Jeong Taeui with quick steps.

“Sleeping this much during the day will mess up your day and night cycle and be bad for your health, young master. Kim has been lying here since 10 AM and look how sunburned his skin is. He’ll suffer from the stinging later.”

Rita, Rita, thank you but I’m not happy. Please, just leave me alone at this moment, unless you want to see me die. That guy Moro is never someone you can relax around. Jeong Taeui cried out inwardly, shedding tears of blood. But his cry didn’t seem to reach Rita.

“Kim, get up!”

Suddenly, his vision brightened.

In front of him, Rita, with her neat white platinum hair tied up, was looking down at him. And beyond the backrest of the beach bench, he saw Kyle’s calm, smiling face looking at him.

“Hey, Kim. You seem to have gone to bed late yesterday. Get up, the sun is already high in the sky.”

“Ah… yes…”

Jeong Taeui replied awkwardly, glancing away.

Behind Kyle, a few steps further towards the birch forest, Moro was visible. Moro, who had been looking into the forest, let out a sigh of admiration and turned around.

“Wow, it really is beautiful even from a distance. I should take a walk there in the evening.”

As he finished speaking, the smile vanished from Moro’s face. It was because he saw a familiar face staring intently at him.

“Isn’t it? Talk of development came up, but neither my father nor I have any intention of abandoning that forest, even for a fortune, so we left it as it is.”

Over Kyle’s shoulder, who was smiling and turning to Moro, Jeong Taeui’s expression hardened like a ghost. With wide, glaring eyes, Jeong Taeui stared at Moro and mouthed, ‘Shut up.’ Kyle turned back, puzzled by Moro’s expression, who was just blinking his wide eyes at Jeong Taeui. Jeong Taeui, as if nothing had happened, smiled and approached Kyle.

“Thanks to you, I was enjoying a leisurely rest….And this person?”

“Ah, he’s an old friend of mine. Moro. His name is Moro Keith, and he’s currently at the UNHRDO Asia branch. He’s quite a talent, despite appearances. Moro, say hello. This is Kim, who’s been staying at our house for a few days, Kim Yongsoo.”

Ignoring the slight difference in pronunciation, Jeong Taeui smiled and bowed slightly to Moro.

“Hello, I’m Kim Youngsoo. I’m staying here thanks to Mr. Riegrow’s generosity. Nice to meet you.”

“Haha, I told you to call me Kyle. I told you that calling me Riegrow in this house doesn’t refer to me.”

Beyond Kyle’s gently laughing voice, Moro’s wide-eyed gaze and Jeong Taeui’s fierce gaze intersected.

Just then, Rita, returning inside the mansion, called Kyle.

“Young master, Gale has been waiting to see you for a while now. He’s been waiting for two hours already, so please stop by the reception room before coming to the dining room, for his sake.”

“Gale? For two hours? Oh, what urgent matter could it be. —Ah, I’ll excuse myself for a moment, you two go to the dining room first. You can start eating if you like.”

“No, I’ll wait until you come before eating. Meals are more delicious when eaten together.”

Jeong Taeui said politely, with an unblemished smile. Kyle chuckled and, with a brief nod, disappeared into the mansion. The timing was perfect, as if it had been orchestrated, leaving only Jeong Taeui and Moro. As soon as Kyle and Rita disappeared, the polite smile vanished from Jeong Taeui’s face as if wiped clean.

“Alright, then shall we go to the dining room? Rita’s cooking is excellent.”

“Yes, Rita’s cooking is excellent. But—Kim Yongsoo?!”

“Call me Kim.”

“Alright, Kim.”

Moro nodded, called him that, and then broke into a wide smile. It was a very generous and good-natured smile. Moro nodded several times, mumbling “Hmm, hmm,” then suddenly stopped nodding.

“…Kim, my foot. Why are you here, Taei! Since when was your family name Kim?!”

“How should I know? Well, he probably went to his family’s house.”

“You heartless bastard. Aren’t you worried that a colleague you ate out of the same pot with at the same branch quit?”

“You bastard…! Why should I worry about Xinlu, whom you don’t even worry about! He was originally the son of a prestigious rich family, so his family would either set up a company for him or he’d manage on his own. Why worry about someone who lives better than me?”

Moro shrieked, looking as if he had heard all sorts of nonsense. Jeong Taeui looked at Moro, then let out a deep sigh. He suddenly felt drained.

His words were right, in a way. Xinlu was only a frail and delicate child in Jeong Taeui’s impression, but in reality, he was an extremely clever and intelligent child. He was someone who would do well no matter what he did, without others needing to worry. It was far better for that child to find his own path rather than being tied to Jeong Taeui. Rather, it was Jeong Taeui himself who should be worried, not Xinlu. Jeong Taeui stood up, supporting his knees as if with great effort. He thought he should firmly put Moro in his place again, but he was too drained to even yell.

“You, you know this, but don’t tell anyone in this house that you know me, and don’t tell anyone anywhere that you saw me here. No, don’t say you saw me here or anywhere. Just forget about me entirely. We’re not the type of people who want to be remembered by each other, are we?”

Jeong Taeui spoke to Moro as if admonishing him. Moro, with a twisted face, scrutinized Jeong Taeui from head to toe, then suddenly mumbled with a malicious drawl.

“Come to think of it, I wasn’t really interested, so I didn’t pay attention… but you, there were some strange rumors circulating about you and Rick.”

Flitch.

Jeong Taeui’s face instantly showed that he had been caught off guard. He felt Moro’s piercing gaze and hastily composed his expression, but it was too late. Moro was incredibly quick-witted, especially in moments like these.