Passion Novel - Volume 5 - Chapter 111

Jeong Taeui remained frozen, unmoving, as he heard that slow, calm voice over his shoulder.

“Besides, with something like this, you’ll see the public security bureau before you even get through the airport gate. If you’re going to get one, get a proper one. If you really need it, I could introduce you to a good one, Taei?”

“…I’ll ask later. I ‘absolutely’ don’t need it right now. I was just curious how much something like this costs. It doesn’t hurt to know anything, right?”

Jeong Taeui emphasized “absolutely” and turned around.

There was no lie in his words, but saying them in this situation made them sound very much like a lie, even to his own ears. See? See? This is what happens when you’re unlucky. No matter how excellent an ID you get and carry, if you’re unlucky, you end up like this.

Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue bitterly, looking up at the tall man who had appeared silently right behind him. That neat navy glove looked particularly ominous. That glove would soon be soaked and discarded, and he could only hope that he wouldn’t be the one to soak it.

Ilay, dressed in a suit that still seemed unfamiliar despite having seen him in it before, indifferently flipped through the passport a few times, then glanced at the broker sitting across from Jeong Taeui. The broker flinched and nervously alternated his gaze between Jeong Taeui and Ilay.

“Th-this gentleman, perhaps…”

The broker stammered, his words trailing off, but he seemed to know Ilay. However, Ilay showed no sign of recognition whatsoever.

“Ah, this is Ilay—Riegrow, who was with me at UNHRDO before.”

Jeong Taeui, after saying “Ilay,” glanced at Ilay and then revealed his full name. After all, his full name wasn’t a secret, even if he didn’t usually use it.

“Ah, indeed! Mr. Riegrow from T&R. I, I once met your brother—”

“Are you trying to hand this guy a forged passport?”

The broker had just started speaking with a delighted expression, but Ilay didn’t even pretend to listen. Ilay muttered slowly, as if discussing the boring weather, and casually tossed the passport onto the broker’s lap. Then he looked at Jeong Taeui and asked seriously,

“This guy isn’t the one who made your passport, is he?”

“Hmm? Oh, I don’t think so.”

Probably, he added. In fact, Jeong Taeui had never seen the person who made his passport. He had received the completed ID through a channel his uncle had provided, but he didn’t think this broker was the “master” whom no one dared to meet.

“Right. Indeed, someone Chang-in would introduce wouldn’t be selling trash like this. Besides, I’ve been incredibly busy lately and just now finally have some free time, so I’m in a pretty good mood. You just saved your life today. Go.”

Ilay’s tone remained calm and indifferent. The broker, who hadn’t even been looked at and thus didn’t realize the words were directed at him, merely blinked blankly for a moment.

However, even a dog at a local school can recite poetry after three years. Jeong Taeui immediately frowned. The broker, who clearly knew Riegrow but not properly, still didn’t seem to get the hint and opened his mouth to say something more. Riegrow casually adjusted his glove with a nonchalant gesture.

“…Then I’ll be going!”

Jeong Taeui gulped down his tea in one breath, placed the teacup on the saucer with a clatter, and abruptly stood up. Then he pretended not to know Riegrow and blocked his path.

With a face that looked like it was about to spasm, Jeong Taeui forced a smile, shook the broker’s hand, and squeezed it.

“I, too, have someone I was waiting for who has arrived, so I must be going. I hope your transaction goes well today. Then, I’ll see you again if the opportunity arises.”

“Huh? Ah, ah, yes, but—”

The broker replied distractedly, yet still glanced regretfully at Riegrow.

Yes, the younger brother of a ‘big shot’ is right in front of him, so he probably wants to talk about this and that. Besides, this guy is also famous in his own way—some even say more so than his brother. He fully understood the desire to talk to a celebrity—damn it, but you should know why he’s famous, old man—but Jeong Taeui’s kind heart told him to help this broker.

Jeong Taeui gently held Ilay’s hand, the one that had been adjusting his glove, and feigned a bright smile.

“Let’s go to the room. I had something to tell you anyway.”

“…”

Ilay’s gaze narrowed. As if he already guessed what was going through Jeong Taeui’s mind, a small snort escaped his lips after a short pause.

“Alright, I’m curious what that ‘something to tell me’ is, but there’s something bothering me, so let’s go up in a bit.”

Ilay said that, and lightly tapped the back of Jeong Taeui’s hand, which was gripping his. Jeong Taeui frowned.

“Hey, even if it’s not UNHRDO here. It’s not extraterritoriality. Killing someone in the middle of a hotel—”

“…”

As if telling him to continue, Ilay looked down at Jeong Taeui, his lips barely upturned. That smile was definitely a sneer. Jeong Taeui fell silent. Ilay’s smile deepened.

“I know what you’re thinking, Taei, but if that had been a proper passport you were holding, perhaps, but I’m not so wicked as to lay a hand on a small fry who sells such shoddy goods.”

Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue, staring blankly at Ilay. It was regrettable that he couldn’t seize the opportunity to retort, even though there were countless ways to pick a fight. The broker’s face, hearing words like “shoddy goods” and “small fry,” instantly crumpled like paper, but he didn’t realize that this was a blessing in disguise. If he had been a big-shot forger selling genuinely excellent items, he would have been unlucky enough to die today.

Unlike Jeong Taeui, who had been consistently unlucky lately, the broker seemed to be a very lucky man. Just then, his client seemed to have arrived, and he regretfully glanced between Jeong Taeui and Ilay, then briefly said goodbye and left.

Jeong Taeui, who had been facing off against Ilay until the broker and the unfamiliar middle-aged man walked away and completely disappeared from sight, sighed and sat back down only after they vanished. He suddenly felt a surge of fatigue he hadn’t had before. Jeong Taeui fiddled with the empty glass, watching Ilay sit down in the opposite chair.

“…Why are you here?”

Jeong Taeui finally asked why the man, who had been out of sight and hadn’t contacted him once, had suddenly appeared without warning. Ilay retorted briefly, as if he had asked an obvious question.

“Because it’s Friday. Did you forget already?”

He had been thinking about it until the day before yesterday, but he had completely forgotten. Come to think of it, this man always came to Hong Kong from the island on weekends to handle company matters.

Ilay called a waiter and ordered a drink. His gesture, tapping the menu, was light. As he had said himself, he seemed to be in a good mood today. He even smiled politely when his eyes met the waiter’s.

Jeong Taeui picked up the glass of water the waiter had filled for him, then blinked blankly and stared at him. Ilay must have felt his gaze, as he looked back. Jeong Taeui grumbled disapprovingly at him, who was asking with his eyes, “Why?”

“No, you just seem to be in a very good mood today.”

“Hmm…?”

Ilay shrugged ambiguously.

See, he really does seem to be in a good mood. His eyes are slightly curved.

Jeong Taeui kept his mouth shut to avoid making any unnecessary mistakes and provoking the man, who seemed to be in a rare good mood. There was nothing bad about it. He was much easier to deal with when he was in a good mood than when he was in a bad mood. Besides, it was the first time he had seen his face in days, so there was no reason to be in a bad mood.

If there was one thing that bothered him.

“Could you—take off those gloves?”

Jeong Taeui said, swallowing the unspoken words, They look really menacing. Ilay raised an eyebrow slightly, then surprisingly, obediently took off his gloves. His pale, beautiful hands, which one could never imagine being contained within those ominous gloves, were revealed.

“Right, you used to like these hands. …No, was that not the case? Like this—”

Jeong Taeui, who had unconsciously been captivated by his hands for a moment, flinched when they suddenly came close to his face. He instinctively recoiled slightly and looked at Ilay. He quickly gathered his instinctively rising guard, but it was a step too late.

Ilay, who had been steadily watching Jeong Taeui, chuckled and withdrew his hand. Then he leaned comfortably back on the sofa and asked,

“Alright, then, tell me what you were waiting for me for.”

“What?”

Jeong Taeui looked at him in confusion, wondering what this guy was suddenly talking about. Only after a few seconds of silence did he recall that he had told the broker earlier that “the person I was waiting for has arrived.”

“Oh, that…”

Jeong Taeui scratched his head. Ilay, as if seeing right through his attempt to come up with an excuse, happily pressed the point further.

“I’m curious what you have to say that requires going all the way to the room.”

“Uh…”

Jeong Taeui stammered, staring at Ilay. In fact, if he thought about it, there was a lot he had to say. Most of it was difficult to say openly, but he always had things to say. Especially after spending several days practically under house arrest like this.

How long do I have to stay like this? Or, If you’re going to put someone on surveillance, at least put someone competent enough so I don’t even notice their presence.

“Oh, right. You know, you already know that I’m not really planning to shake off surveillance and run off anywhere.”

More precisely, I can’t run off, Jeong Taeui added with a frown. The thought naturally brought back the pain in his ankle. Ilay raised an eyebrow but said nothing, nodding as if telling him to continue.

“Just because a person is bored and lightly shakes off surveillance for a leisurely stroll alone, huh? What kind of situation is it where they actually beat up a patient with an injured ankle and even use anesthetic spray to drag them away? My ankle was just starting to get better, do you know how much it hurt?”

He listened quietly to Jeong Taeui’s grumbling without taking his eyes off him, then fell into thought for a moment. His cold eyes briefly wandered in the air, but he soon spoke calmly.

“For a patient with an injured ankle, you jumped quite well from a pedestrian bridge several meters high, they said. When I heard that, I thought you were fully recovered.”

“That’s… I jumped because I thought that height would be fine. I didn’t think they’d actually try to beat someone to death.”

“Right, so that’s how it is…”

Ilay muttered to himself. Jeong Taeui fell silent. His gaze, fixed on Jeong Taeui, wasn’t looking at Jeong Taeui. He was lost in thought. Then he suddenly chuckled.

“I thought you’d just come back to the hotel obediently, but indeed.”

He chuckled softly, seemingly amused. Just then, a waiter approached and placed tea on the table before retreating. Warm steam rose from the teacup.

Jeong Taeui frowned slightly and looked at him suspiciously. He tried to guess why he was suddenly laughing. But the hints were too few. He even casually wiped his face, wondering if there was something on it. Ilay eventually stopped laughing. But a hint of amusement still lingered in his eyes.

“This time, I’ll have to commend your escaping skills.”

“Huh?”

“It means that what happened after you jumped from the pedestrian bridge is not my concern.”

Jeong Taeui stared intently at Ilay. Ilay let out a contented sigh, “Hmm,” then picked up the gloves he had taken off and began putting them back on. Jeong Taeui tilted his head slightly, watching his ominous movements.

“Why are you putting those on again?”

“Something’s been bothering me for a while, and now I know what it is. Wait here for a moment. I’ll be back before the tea gets cold.”

“What—”

But before Jeong Taeui could say anything, Ilay, who had risen from his seat, began walking purposefully and quickly towards a certain direction. Jeong Taeui stared blankly at his retreating figure, which quickly moved away, without a chance to say anything.

It was then. Across the lobby, a man who had been sitting on a sofa in front of the desk, reading a newspaper, stood up and began running towards the opposite side of the hotel. There was quite a distance between them. Ilay seemed to smile slightly, then quickened his pace a bit. His figure soon disappeared from sight.

Jeong Taeui, left alone without understanding what was happening, blinked blankly, his gaze fixed in that direction.

“Uh…?”

Jeong Taeui scratched his head aimlessly and tilted his head. Slowly, a bad feeling crept in. It was a premonition with some basis, as if an unpleasant sight was about to unfold before his eyes.

Jeong Taeui glared at the teacup steaming in front of him. Perhaps it would be better to quickly go back to his room right now. Even if he saw an unpleasant sight, there was a world of difference between experiencing that situation in public and experiencing it in a private space. Of course, in some cases—like when he felt he might be the protagonist of that unpleasant tragedy—it seemed safer to be in a crowded place, but this was a little different.

Jeong Taeui glared at the hot-looking tea, then glanced in the direction Ilay had disappeared. There was no sign of him reappearing. Indeed, the distance was considerable. It was a distance difficult to cover, and even if he sprinted, he wouldn’t be able to catch up easily. Unless he shot him in the leg and dragged him back…

Jeong Taeui shook his head at the thought.

No, it was definitely better to retreat to his room quickly. Those gloves he put on seemed ominous. Jeong Taeui had no desire to let everyone know he was acquainted with a murderer or someone equivalent.

As soon as that thought occurred to him, he quickly gathered his wallet, jacket, and other belongings. Since Ilay knew his room anyway, he would come there if he wasn’t at the table when he returned.

“The bill here—”

When he called a waiter who was passing by, the waiter, with a kind smile and a few words of greeting, pointed to the counter. Jeong Taeui’s attempt to hobble away from the table in a hurry as soon as he heard him, however, failed.

Before he could even take a few steps from the table, a few short screams, a commotion, and a chilling silence, as if cold water had been poured, rushed over from the other side of the hotel. And the waiter standing next to him also stared blankly in that direction.

Jeong Taeui inwardly contorted his face, seeing the waiter’s wide eyes looking over his shoulder. He knew instinctively that he was a step too late.

He didn’t want to turn around. He wanted to pretend nothing had happened, finish settling the bill, and return to his room. But in front of the dazed or disgusted expressions of the people, Jeong Taeui could only sigh and let his shoulders slump. When the silence finally stopped a few steps behind him, Jeong Taeui, who desperately didn’t want to turn around, had to hear a voice calling him.

“Is the tea already cold? That can’t be.”

The calm voice, as if nothing had happened, muttered in confusion. Clink, the sound of a teacup being picked up and sipped was clearly audible in the silence.

“See, it’s not cold yet. I told you to wait, Taei.”

“…”

Are you Guan Yu or something? Jeong Taeui grumbled inwardly, then slowly, slowly turned around with a very disgruntled expression.

It was the scene he had expected. A scene exactly as he had anticipated, though not desired, unfolded before his eyes. Ilay casually tossed what he had lightly held in one hand onto an empty chair beside him. Thud, something that slumped onto the empty chair like a waterlogged cotton ball was—presumably—a person. To be precise, it looked like a blood-soaked cotton ball.

The mangled face had lost its human shape, but that was just one punch. Indeed, if he had hit him twice with that fist, his face wouldn’t have been the only thing mangled. An arm ‘slightly’ broken, a leg ‘slightly’ broken.

He could imagine the scene without even seeing it. He must have caught the wildly fleeing man and immediately broken his leg. Then, to prevent him from moving—or even thinking about moving—he would have dragged him along.

To catch up and drag someone from that distance so quickly, even though the man wasn’t even jogging slowly, this guy was truly not human, no matter how much he thought about it. He couldn’t be human. Jeong Taeui decided that the next time he met Kyle, he would seriously ask if the company’s research institute genuinely researched weapons.

Ilay stripped off his gloves, which were soaked black in places, and tossed them onto the man, then sat down. He picked up the teacup, still steaming warmly, and moistened his lips.

“…”

Jeong Taeui stood frozen, barely suppressing the urge to escape that very spot, and stared blankly at him. Ilay glanced at Jeong Taeui.

“Why are you standing when your leg is injured?”

“…I don’t feel like sitting with someone who looks like their life is hanging by a thread, fighting for every second.”

Jeong Taeui inwardly groaned and replied. Blood was seeping from the man lying on the chair. Ilay chuckled briefly.

“No, it’s just that his head is a bit injured and it looks like a lot of blood, but it’s not actually that serious. I’ll send him to the hospital, making sure his life isn’t in danger. Before that, I just need to ask him one thing.”

Jeong Taeui glared at the blood pooling on the chair. It didn’t just look like a lot of blood…

However, Jeong Taeui, unfortunately, knew the wisest course of action in this situation. He clicked his tongue, approached the table, and plopped down onto a chair, grumbling discontentedly.

“If you have something to ask, ask quickly. I want to go back to my room.”

Feeling the sharp gazes around him, Jeong Taeui looked at the man with some concern, wondering if he would even be able to answer. It seemed only a matter of time before the public security bureau arrived.

However, with utmost composure, Ilay turned slightly and lightly gestured to a man standing by a pillar a little distance away. The man nodded and made a call somewhere.