Projection Novel (Completed) - Chapter 15

Kwon Sejin’s day was clear. After being dragged into school by him, he confirmed that Cheon Sejoo had left, then went outside to get a flea market paper, went back into school, put studying aside to look for part-time jobs, and then just ate and left school.

He had worried for a moment that Sejin might be refusing to attend school because of bullies, but clearly, that was not the case at all. If it were truly school refusal, he should have left school as soon as he departed. Not lingering there like waiting for a regular shop to open, and then just eating and leaving.

For Cheon Sejoo, who routinely ranked first in nationwide mock exams, this behavior was utterly unacceptable. If Kwon Sejin were his younger brother, he would have been scolded to death.

How can there be a kid who lives his life so aimlessly? Of course, there were plenty of people around him, especially at Sinsa Capital, who lived carelessly and ruined their lives, but Cheon Sejoo couldn’t just watch Kwon Sejin become one of them. No matter how it started, he was a child under his protection now. He couldn’t just stand by and watch Kwon Sejin treat school like a free meal service and throw away his opportunities.

“It’s mine! Why are you tearing it?!”

Rip, rip, as Cheon Sejoo tore the newspaper, Sejin huffed and yelled. His white skin was translucent and thin, so his eyes easily reddened when he got a little agitated. This time too, Sejin glared at Cheon Sejoo with red eyes as if he was about to cry. Of course, he wasn’t scary at all. Cheon Sejoo met his gaze and threatened him.

“Don’t you want to see your mom?”

“……”

At that question, the slender jawline, not prominently masculine, became more distinct. Sejin clenched his teeth and looked up at Cheon Sejoo.

“I told you that if you attend school well while you’re at my place, I’d take you back there. Is this ‘attending school well’ by your standards?”

“Ha…”

Cheon Sejoo’s words seemed to Sejin like mere nagging. He sighed briefly, then irritably ran a hand through his hair. His untidy long hair became disheveled, and his cat-like eyes became sharper. Sejin soon opened his mouth.

“What exactly is ‘attending school well’? Isn’t it enough to just attend?”

“Waking up early, getting there on time, attending classes diligently without skipping, and even staying for evening self-study. Not just eating and fooling around like you.”

“Evening self-study, what about it…”

It’s been gone for ages. Sejin muttered disbelievingly, then explained as if truly exasperated.

“You just don’t know our school’s atmosphere. No one studies during class there. Even the teachers don’t teach properly. Rather than being cooped up there all day, it’s more beneficial for me to just fulfill the attendance days and come out to do a part-time job. All I need is a diploma, right? From my perspective, that’s ‘attending school well’.”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

Cheon Sejoo summarily dismissed Sejin’s excuse.

“No, I’m telling you, it’s not the atmosphere you’re thinking of!”

Sejin argued, but Cheon Sejoo heard his words only as an excuse. There were always kids who didn’t study, everywhere. Saying he couldn’t study because he was caught up in that atmosphere was just an excuse. Unless Kwon Sejin himself was one of those ‘kids who didn’t study,’ learning was entirely up to his own will.

It was a rather old-fashioned thought, but Cheon Sejoo was sincere. He was a person who had studied all weekend in a noisy orphanage with twenty children and achieved first place nationally. He thwack-ed the torn newspaper into the ashcan and spoke with a displeased expression.

“The school atmosphere, damn it. It’s all the same everywhere. Are you going to keep talking nonsense?”

“It’s really not like that…!”

They weren’t getting anywhere. It was when Sejin, exasperated, raised his voice.

“Director.”

A huge shadow fell behind Sejin. At the low voice from behind, Sejin turned his head with a startled expression. A man in a gangster suit, like Cheon Sejoo, stood there. It was Moon Seonhyuk, who had come looking for Cheon Sejoo.

Seonhyuk looked down at Sejin, who had dared to raise his voice at Cheon Sejoo, with cold eyes. Standing there with an expressionless face, he exuded a chilling aura, as if he were about to kill someone. But Kwon Sejin was not intimidated. What are you looking at? Seeing Sejin glare back at Moon Seonhyuk with such an expression, Cheon Sejoo’s head started to ache.

“Why? Do you have something to say?”

Before the two, especially Kwon Sejin, could say anything unnecessary and create more tiresome trouble, Cheon Sejoo spoke first. At his voice, Moon Seonhyuk’s face returned to its unexpressive state, as if nothing had happened, and he looked at Cheon Sejoo. He replied politely, “No, sir. I came out to look for you as you weren’t coming in.”

“Oh. Anything else, any new developments?”

He glanced at Sejin, then shook his head in response to the question. Cheon Sejoo sighed briefly at Seonhyuk, then waved a hand at him.

“Alright. You can go. I’m leaving first, so tell everyone to finish what they’re doing and wrap up the work. I’ll report to the CEO.”

“Understood. Shall I escort you?”

“No, it’s fine.”

At the brief refusal, Moon Seonhyuk nodded. Then he bowed deeply to Cheon Sejoo, politely saying, “Please go in, sir,” and turned around. Once Seonhyuk disappeared, Cheon Sejoo placed a hand on Sejin’s small head, who was trying to subtly slip out of the alley. His soft, fine hair wrapped around his hand.

“Get off me.”

Sejin grumbled and tried to pull away, but he couldn’t escape Cheon Sejoo’s skilled grip. Unable to resist Cheon Sejoo’s pushing, disguised as stroking his head, he was eventually dragged to the parking lot on the first floor of the studio. Cheon Sejoo practically shoved Sejin into his car, then got into the driver’s seat. He buckled his seatbelt, looked at Sejin, whose white cheeks were puffed out in a pout, and then said as he stepped on the accelerator, “I think you’ve got something mistaken. I didn’t bring you here to treat you like a stray dog. I’m giving you a place to sleep for one night.”

He felt the need to make Sejin aware of his situation. Of course, Cheon Sejoo didn’t want to force him, but it was troublesome for someone he was living with to act rebellious and say they were going their own way. Because if anything happened to Sejin, he would surely regret it. He wanted to be certain that Sejin was under his influence, even if it wasn’t visible.

“……”

Sejin frowned at the phrase “stray dog.” Regardless, Cheon Sejoo continued, “While you’re in my house, do as I say. Am I asking you to get a first-grade score on a mock exam? What’s so hard about that to make you act this way?”

“No. Whether I attend school well or not, I don’t know what that has to do with you. I’ll make side dishes, I’ll clean the house, I think I’m paying enough to stay at your place, so why are you meddling in my private life?”

The reply to his well-intentioned words was, as expected, twisted. Cheon Sejoo closed his eyes tightly, composed himself, and slowly took a breath. He knew that he shouldn’t nag a teenage boy, but he didn’t know how to have a deep conversation.

Cheon Hyein, before she died, was a docile child who would simply nod at Cheon Sejoo’s words, and the younger children at the orphanage generally never contradicted Sejoo’s words, making this situation even more unfamiliar. He just felt an instinctive urge to act.

Would he listen if I hit him? Cheon Sejoo bit his lip and looked to the side. But Sejin was a child who couldn’t be hit. A face so small it could be covered by Cheon Sejoo’s palm, a face so white that even a paper cut would show significantly, small lips, and thin cheeks… He looked so fragile that if he hit him even once, he might not sleep for days from guilt. Of course, his body was just like any boy’s.

He looked at him with the intention to hit him, only to realize that Sejin was born with a face so beautiful it made him hesitate. Cheon Sejoo ultimately decided to have a serious talk with him at home and kept his mouth shut. Sejin didn’t press him for an answer either, so the drive home was simply steeped in silence.

During a weekday afternoon, there was hardly any traffic. The car drove for a short while before entering the underground parking lot. However, as Cheon Sejoo headed towards his designated parking spot, he suddenly saw a familiar sedan following his car and cursed under his breath. Shin Gyoyeon’s car was entering.

It was very early on a Wednesday afternoon for the CEO to leave work, but it wasn’t strange for someone who acted as he pleased. Damn, bad timing. Cheon Sejoo clicked his tongue and parked in an empty spot. He watched the black sedan pass him and park near the elevator, then turned to Sejin.

“Hey.”

Sejin’s mouth was straight and sullen. He just looked back at Cheon Sejoo with a look full of displeasure, without replying. There was no benefit to letting that rude kid catch Shin Gyoyeon’s eye. But if he didn’t get out of the car, he would only be more suspicious, so he had to make him stand as if he wasn’t there. Thinking so, he told Sejin, “Unfrown. Get in the elevator and keep your mouth shut until we get up to the house.”

“I was planning to do that even if you didn’t tell me.”

“……”

This kid, really. Cheon Sejoo looked disapprovingly at Sejin, who replied with such confidence, then got out of the car. He confirmed Sejin was following him out, adjusted his clothes, and approached the elevator. Shin Gyoyeon stood in front of the elevator, its doors just opening, with an expressionless face.

“CEO, good afternoon.”

Cheon Sejoo greeted him in a subdued voice and bowed his head. CEO? At the polite demeanor, Sejin, standing behind him, gave Shin Gyoyeon a wary glance. But then, a faint smile appeared on Shin Gyoyeon’s previously expressionless face. When Sejin met the eyes of the man who was scanning him with a gentle expression, he hesitated, then bowed his head. Hello, he involuntarily blurted out. Shin Gyoyeon also smiled with his eyes, bowed to Sejin, then turned his gaze back to Cheon Sejoo.

“Good afternoon. Director Cheon, you’re leaving early.”

“…I finished some urgent matters.”

Cheon Sejoo replied with a sullen tone to Shin Gyoyeon’s polite honorifics. Then, Shin Gyoyeon’s eyes, still containing a hint of amusement, swept past Cheon Sejoo and landed on Sejin. Cheon Sejoo subtly shifted his body to hide Sejin behind him, then reached out and held the elevator door open.

“Please go first.”

“Thank you.”

“……”

His demeanor was exceedingly polite. Cheon Sejoo couldn’t hide his discomfort at seeing Shin Gyoyeon’s masked face after a long time.

He subtly blocked Shin Gyoyeon’s line of sight and quietly reached out to pull Sejin’s wrist. Squeak, with the sound of sneakers sliding on the elevator floor, Sejin was pulled in helplessly and stood in a corner behind Shin Gyoyeon.

“What…”

Before he could even say “What are you doing?”, his hand was seized.

Sejin was speechless upon seeing the large hand interlocking fingers with his. It wasn’t affectionate at all; it just hurt as a silent signal was given by pressing his thumb into his knuckles. Only then did Sejin remember Cheon Sejoo’s words to keep his mouth shut until they got home and rolled his eyes.

Glance, Sejin’s gaze went to Shin Gyoyeon’s back, who stood diagonally across from them. He seems like a polite and sensible person, unlike the gangster-like Cheon Sejoo, but the fact that he’s telling me not to say anything means there’s something suspicious about him too. Thinking that, Sejin clamped his mouth shut and carefully lifted his hand to push away Cheon Sejoo’s palm.

“……”

As the elevator ascended, Cheon Sejoo and Sejin’s gazes met in the mirror. Cheon Sejoo nodded with an approving look, then completely released his hand from him.

Ding-dong, soon the bell rang, announcing the elevator’s arrival at the 41st floor. Cheon Sejoo again extended his hand as before. He gently pushed Sejin, who stood obediently, out of the elevator. Sejin looked back with a bewildered expression.

“Go on first.”

Cheon Sejoo, replying to Sejin’s obvious what-is-it gaze, quickly pressed the close button. Soon, Sejin’s exasperated expression disappeared from his sight.

Once only the two of them were left inside, a suddenly chilling atmosphere descended. Shin Gyoyeon, whose face was now expressionless unlike when Sejin was present, turned to Cheon Sejoo and said, “I didn’t know you had such dangerous tastes.”

There was no particular emotion in his voice, but that made it all the more chilling. He didn’t allow his subordinates to touch minors. He didn’t know why Han Jong-hyeon was an exception, but that was how it was. Cheon Sejoo shook his head and clarified his misunderstanding.

“It’s not like that. He’s a child I’m temporarily looking after due to circumstances.”

“…I see.”

At his explanation, Shin Gyoyeon looked at Cheon Sejoo with a calm gaze, then nodded. Cheon Sejoo sighed in relief internally at his unsuspecting attitude, then held open the quickly opening elevator door with his hand.

“Please step out.”

Shin Gyoyeon resided on the 43rd floor, two floors above Cheon Sejoo’s apartment. It was a distance from which he could quickly rush down and handle any situation. Despite Cheon Sejoo’s sudden visit, Shin Gyoyeon didn’t ask for the reason. He simply opened the keypad quietly and disappeared into his home.

Following him, Cheon Sejoo observed the unchanging interior of the house. The combination of monotonous, monochrome decor and brightly colored paintings that didn’t match was utterly bizarre. It was a house perfectly suited for a psychopath like Shin Gyoyeon. His own house, though empty due to a lack of furniture, still had more humanity than this.

“Whiskey?”

The man, who had taken off his jacket and hung it on a chair, turned to Cheon Sejoo and asked. No, thank you, Cheon Sejoo shook his head, so the man poured only his own drink straight, then strode away. The man headed to the study at the end of the hallway. Cheon Sejoo watched him settle in front of the computer in the study, then stood behind the monitor.

“Source of funds?”

As if no preamble was needed, Shin Gyoyeon, who was moving his mouse, asked. Cheon Sejoo looked into his eyes and replied, “There is none. The deliveryman received no money whatsoever.”

“…None?”

Shin Gyoyeon was paying considerable attention to this delivery incident. And for good reason, it was the most sensitive issue among DG’s businesses. Even with connections to police executives, if talk of drugs surfaced through someone’s mouth, there was a limit to how much they could control it. Though rotten inside, South Korea outwardly presented itself as a drug-free nation, and there were countless people who trembled at the mention of even marijuana, which was legal in some countries. If an article were to break, they had to be prepared for utter chaos.

Therefore, to avoid trouble with political and financial figures who condoned their children’s club attendance, management had to be meticulous.

“The drugs were diverted, but no money was received…”

Shin Gyoyeon repeated Cheon Sejoo’s words, tapping the desk with his fingertips. Tap, tap, at the regular sound, Cheon Sejoo waited with his hands clasped behind his back. Then Shin Gyoyeon asked, “So, what’s the conclusion?”

“We suspect it was the deliveryman’s personal doing.”

With Sejin in the car, on the silent drive home, Cheon Sejoo had reached his conclusion. Many held grievances against DG. But none of them would handle things so clumsily.

The drugs hadn’t arrived on time. As soon as that fact became known, Shin Jihan had apprehended the first deliveryman. Pulled out of his house where he was sleeping, the deliveryman asserted his innocence, and when that claim was confirmed, Shin Jihan sought out the second deliveryman. However, the second deliveryman had already gone into hiding, so he requested Shin Gyoyeon’s help.

At Shin Gyoyeon’s command, Cheon Sejoo’s disposal team tracked down the hidden second deliveryman. He was discovered hiding near Incheon Port and exercised his right to silence from the moment he was dragged to the studio. However, under their harsh torture, he finally opened his mouth, and his story was consistent.

The deliveryman said he had only done as he was told “from above” and revealed the location of the drugs. When asked why he resisted if he was going to confess that he had boldly hidden the drugs inside Shin Jihan’s club, he added that he was told by “above” never to speak. Here, the “above” the deliveryman referred to was Dalma.

So there was only one conclusion.

This was an act committed by the deliveryman, holding a grudge against Dalma.

“Are you sure?”

If asked why he thought so, he had many explanations. But Shin Gyoyeon asked Cheon Sejoo only one thing. It was a question of how much he trusted his own judgment. The man Cheon Sejoo served, though a psychopath, was infinitely fond of and trusted his subordinates. Thus, he could add his thoughts without hesitation.

“About 90% certain.”

At that reply, Shin Gyoyeon chuckled and raised his eyes. His chilling three-whites stared directly at Cheon Sejoo. He leisurely crossed his arms and asked, “What’s the remaining 10%?”

“Dalma tried to divert the drugs, failed, and then framed the deliveryman.”

However, that speculation had significant flaws. It was something Shin Gyoyeon could quickly realize even without Cheon Sejoo explaining further. The man slowly tilted his head and said to Cheon Sejoo, “Isn’t there no reason for that?”

“Yes. So it’s 9%.”

There was also a 1% chance. Shin Gyoyeon raised the corner of his mouth as if intrigued and gestured with his chin for an explanation. To that, Cheon Sejoo put forward his final hypothesis.

“I think one of the organization’s executives was involved.”

“Unless they’re crazy.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

If the “above” the deliveryman mentioned was one of the organization’s executives, then his attitude would be understandable. He wouldn’t have opened his mouth until the end because an executive had ordered him. But among the organization’s executives, no one would dare to rebel against Shin Gyoyeon so clumsily. Those who had expressed dissatisfaction with Chairman Shin Gyeong-ju’s successor designation were no longer of this world.

It hadn’t even been two years since the bloodbath, and no one was brave enough to plan such a thing after witnessing it firsthand. Moreover, Shin Gyoyeon was now in a position where he would not be impacted by anything anyone did. So, unless they were crazy, such a thing couldn’t happen.

“I did see Director Han Jong-hyeon at the location where the drugs were found, but I don’t believe he’s involved in this.”

Cheon Sejoo added with a confident voice. At that, Shin Gyoyeon raised an eyebrow and sneered. He, too, showed an attitude of not even caring about Han Jong-hyeon. He seemed to think for a moment, then nodded.

“Good work.”

Without adding anything further, he turned his gaze to the monitor. It meant there was no need to investigate this matter any further. It seemed he believed the 90% probability. To that, Cheon Sejoo quietly bowed and left the study. Thud, he closed the door, sighed in that spot, and then walked away.

As he moved further away from the bleak space, he could breathe easier. He had been seeing that man for five years, but he felt uncomfortable every time he saw him. Cheon Sejoo roughly ruffled his hair, closed the door to room 4300, and took the elevator standing there back down to the 41st floor.

But waiting in front of the opened elevator door was Sejin, crouched next to the entrance shoe rack, just like last time. Cheon Sejoo’s brow furrowed fiercely as he faced the utterly gloomy sight.

Why does he always sit in that position? Frustration welled up.

“What are you doing? I told you to go inside.”

At his cool, subdued voice, Sejin got up from his spot and replied, “I don’t know the password.”

“Didn’t you bring the card key?”

He had told him to use the card key in the shoe cabinet by the entrance, but it seemed he hadn’t brought it. Well, he had been with him whenever he went out, and he had only pretended to go to school and stayed holed up at home, so it made sense he wouldn’t know where the card key was. Cheon Sejoo sighed briefly and pressed the keypad.

“2580*. Memorize it.”

It was just numbers to be pressed in a line. Sejin looked at Cheon Sejoo as if he were being careless about security, then nodded. “Memorize it,” he replied briefly. Cheon Sejoo murmured quietly and entered first.

“You’re not that stupid then.”

“……”

The beautiful face reflected in the double door clearly showed annoyance. Feeling his irritation somewhat subsided at Sejin’s lively reaction, Cheon Sejoo walked into the living room. He pointed to the sofa, telling Sejin to sit down as he followed him in. He needed to finish what he hadn’t said earlier.

As he sat down with a sullen face, Cheon Sejoo rummaged through his pocket for a cigarette. He looked at the now clean ashtray with an odd expression, then lit a cigarette and smoked. After briefly organizing his thoughts, Cheon Sejoo soon asked Sejin what he had been curious about.

“What’s your rank in school?”

“…21st.”

At the unexpected answer, Cheon Sejoo raised an eyebrow. The corners of his eyes lifted, and a glimmer of surprise appeared in his pupils. He skips school so much, but he’s 21st? He’s smarter than I thought? Cheon Sejoo, who had thought so for a moment, then realized something was off when he saw Sejin avoiding his gaze.

“You mean 21st in the whole school, right?”

“……”

There was no reply to his confirming question. Cheon Sejoo frowned, wondering, No way. But even if it’s his class rank, isn’t that still halfway? However, that was a thought he could only have because when he was a high school student, there were about 41 students in a class. Without knowing that fact, Cheon Sejoo asked, “How many kids are in your class?”

At least up to 30 would be acceptable. He could treat them as human beings at that point. As he leisurely smoked, a small, mumbled voice was heard.

“Twenty-one.”

Cheon Sejoo couldn’t say anything.

1. Donggwi-eojin: Means to return together to destruction, referring to attacking an opponent with the intention of dying together, or the act of dying with an opponent.