Vol 2 Ch 7

CEO Jang seemed to have the intention of playing dress-up with me like a doll. He sent clothes through his subordinates several times a day. They filled my closets with luxury items I had never even touched, let alone worn.

I chose one of them and slipped my head into the top. As I pulled it down with my body, the fabric clung tightly to my waist and chest. The clothes he sent always fit me perfectly. The man had keenly observed even the fat I had recently lost. His meticulousness was enough to make me click my tongue in disbelief.

I was fully dressed and about to leave. A watch I had placed on the nightstand caught my eye. If I went out without wearing it, he’d nitpick again, so I strapped it onto my wrist. The watch, gleaming with its worth, didn’t stir any emotions in me. It felt awkward and strange, as though I had borrowed it from someone else. Cold and heavy, all I could feel was the discomfort of having something strapped to my wrist. Even if it were shackles, it wouldn’t have felt much different.

– Don’t come in your uniform today. Dress properly. You’ll be joining me as my guest.

After abruptly informing me of the schedule and hanging up, CEO Jang was with Kim Miran at the clubhouse. I hadn’t expected to see her. For a moment, I was a bit flustered, realizing I had kept them waiting, but I quickly deduced they were discussing business, as Kim Miran’s expression looked far more serious than usual.

I walked slowly, making sure they noticed my presence. Kim Miran spotted me first and gave me a once-over. Her eyes narrowed slyly.

“The kid reeks of money.”

Kim Miran uncrossed her legs and stood up.

“He looks like a nouveau riche.”

CEO Jang turned to look at me, his eyes glinting like his black leather wallet when they touched my wrist. He seemed quite pleased. Nouveau riche. He seemed to like that word.

We headed toward the lounge together. The caddy, ready and waiting, welcomed the clients. Well-trained, he bowed his head toward the VIPs.

I stiffened my lips as I looked at the smiling caddy. It was him—the bastard who had stolen my money.

The unusually scorching sun clung to my forehead and cheeks. The grass, fully exposed to the sunlight, reflected dazzling rays into my eyes.

The glare was too much. I tried to shield my eyes with my hand, but for some reason, my body wouldn’t obey. My vision grew hazy, and my mind started drifting away. All I could manage was a few twitches of my fingertips.

“…Won.”

As I wrestled with my uncooperative body in silence, a sharp voice jolted my submerged consciousness.

“…Seo Suwon.”

Startled, I jerked my head toward the source of the voice. A tall man stood there, the blazing sun at his back, watching me.

“What are you standing there dazed for?”

“…S-sorry.”

CEO Jang clicked his tongue as he removed his gloves. His large frame spun around as he handed the golf club to the caddy and climbed into the golf cart. Fearing his cold voice would pierce through me again, I quickly followed and got into the cart. Kim Miran, sitting in the front row, glanced back at me with a smile.

“Look at your red cheeks. I told you to stay under the umbrella.”

CEO Jang’s voice sliced through the dry air.

“Completely out of it.”

A skilled employee, who had efficiently handled the golf bag, boarded the cart last. The vehicle smoothly glided over the green grass.

“……”

I fidgeted in my seat. The space could comfortably fit three people, but since CEO Jang, who had shoulders wider than most, occupied one side, even the slightest movement on my part would cause our shoulders to bump.

As the cart tilted to the right, so did my body. I clenched my hands, trying hard not to brush against him.

CEO Jang quickly noticed the quiet struggle I was waging. He sighed and muttered.

“Stay still.”

It was the tone one would use to scold a restless puppy. Of course, his gaze wasn’t as gentle as his tone.

I took my hands off the seat and rested them on my thighs. I scratched beneath my nails.

It felt like there was an invisible thorn lodged in there. Or perhaps a tiny pebble stuck in my shoe, irritating me with every step.

…All of this was because of that bastard Kim Miran had brought. The one who had stolen my money.

Objectively, the guy was good-looking, and Kim Miran clearly liked his appearance. CEO Jang didn’t bat an eye at the guy’s face, so I was the only one with an issue here.

The cart, rolling over the grass, stopped near the marked spot. The irritating guy, who was still as bothersome as the endless peeling skin on my lips, diligently took care of Kim Miran’s golf bag. His smiling face was annoyingly smooth. Thinking that my money might have contributed to that smile twisted my insides.

I clenched my hands tightly, as if trying to squeeze the thorn pricking under my skin.

I placed the ball in the marked spot and gripped the golf club. Lowering my posture, I firmly planted my legs to hit the ball. The expensive fabric clung tightly to my legs.

CEO Jang’s creepy gaze slowly slid over the fabric clinging to my legs. I rolled my tongue inside my mouth.

…Seriously, what a consistent pervert.

The ball flew just the distance I intended and settled on the field. As I stood there, still holding the golf club, watching the ball bounce around, that annoying guy approached and extended his hands toward me.

“You can hand it over to me.”

His respectful attitude, as if I were a customer, made me hand over the club mechanically. He received it with both hands, flashing a professional smile. The way it looked so perfectly crafted made me avert my gaze.

I let my hand drop beside my thigh. My ridiculously expensive watch slipped down and landed with a small thud on the back of my hand. A subtle tension persisted between him and me. I couldn’t focus on the game at all because of how much he was getting on my nerves.

Standing on the green, I calculated the distance. It was a bit far to sink the ball in one shot. CEO Jang had promised a tip if I made it in, so I concentrated and nailed the shot.

As promised, a check from CEO Jang’s wallet made its way into my hand.

“…Wow.”

That guy, standing off to the side, let out an exclamation. Then, with a disgusting smile for some reason, he started complimenting me.

“Impressive.”

I furrowed my brow slightly because I couldn’t figure him out.

“I always knew Mr. Seo Suwon was good at his job.”

“…”

“But I’ve never seen a male employee get that many tips before.”

His words, smoothly delivered as if coated in honey, were far from a compliment. If I were to translate them, it meant something like, ‘I’ve never seen a whore like you before.’ CEO Jang’s lips curved upward. He looked at me with amusement, then lit a cigarette. I gripped the golf club tighter in my hand.

And that wasn’t even the worst part.

At one point, he spilled sticky alcohol all over my clothes. When Kim Miran mentioned she was thirsty, that guy prepared whiskey for her. He gave her a glass, another to CEO Jang, and finally offered one to me. I didn’t show it, but I was taken aback. I wanted to throw it away, half-suspecting it was poisoned. But if I didn’t accept it, things would get awkward, so I had no choice but to extend my hand.

“…Oh!”

But I dropped it. No, I didn’t even get to touch it before he let go, causing the drink to spill all over my hand, clothes, and shoes. He exaggeratedly apologized, quickly bowing his head.

“I’m sorry.”

CEO Jang and Kim Miran’s eyes darted toward me. I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek. I was sure he did it on purpose, and it annoyed me to no end, but I couldn’t show my emotions in this setting. I muttered faintly to him, who still had his head lowered, hiding his face.

“…It’s fine.”

I brushed off my soaked clothes and walked over to the sink. I washed my sticky hands with soap and roughly rubbed my clothes. The yellow stain left on my white outfit didn’t disappear; instead, it spread like paint. How much was this outfit again? Must be at least in the million-won range. Damn bastard. I was furiously scrubbing my clothes, angry at that guy who’d pretended to be so sorry, when I felt something unsettling behind me.

I quickly turned around, and sure enough, there he was, standing behind me, grinning that slimy smile before disappearing. I glared after him, then checked the back of my shirt. Sure enough, there was sticky spit smeared on it.

“…Ha.”

F*ck. A curse escaped my lips.

***

The parts under my armpits and behind my knees felt sticky. I went into the shower room, reserved for customers only, and rinsed off the grimy liquid with cool water. I just wanted to collapse on a bed, but unfortunately, the two business people didn’t seem ready to let me go.

They were gathered in room 420, gambling under the guise of business. With nothing to wager, I sat there idly, playing the role of dealer, and they pulled me into the game whenever they pleased.

Kim Miran, glancing at her cards, seemed satisfied, while CEO Jang wore his usual unreadable expression.

It was my turn to pull my cards and flip them over. Once again, my hand was terrible. No pairs, and the numbers were low too. Even here, my luck was abysmal.

“…”

“…”

I flipped my cards early and declared, “Fold.” Quietly, bets and calls went around the table. Kim Miran was gradually pushed back by CEO Jang’s calm and unflinching calls. She squinted as she lit a cigarette.

“Honey, you’re not toying with me again, are you?”

“As if.”

She chewed on her lower lip meticulously before finally folding. CEO Jang, wearing a victor’s smile, revealed his hand. Seeing his cards, Kim Miran let out a dry laugh.

“What the hell?”

No pair. The highest number was just a 5. It was a losing hand, even against mine. The woman clicked her tongue, having fallen for his trickery once again.

This time, it was CEO Jang’s turn to deal. He casually rolled up his shirt sleeves and began shuffling the cards. The cards, which looked tiny in his hands, made crisp sounds as they switched positions.

Kim Miran crossed her legs the other way and tapped the back of a cigarette pack against her thigh.

“Honey, the new product is really good.”

CEO Jang’s lips stretched into a long smile. While Kim Miran seemed touched by his smile, I found myself distracted by my own thoughts. Was that an act too? Like the smiles employees put on like masks.

He distributed the cards, his muscular forearms flexing under his shirt, making the movement look threatening.

“Local quality is always cleaner, isn’t it?”

“Anything else feels like a headache now.”

Just when I thought they’d forgotten me, treating me like I was invisible, CEO Jang handed me my cards. I checked my hand again. It was still terrible. But with the previous round in mind, I decided to stay in this time.

“Call.”

“Looks like Seo Suwon’s got something good,” Kim Miran teased, lightly pinching my cheek before letting go. CEO Jang stared at my face for a moment before extinguishing his cigarette on the tablecloth. It felt as though he was doing that to the spot Kim Miran had touched.

A sudden chill made me glance at the window, but it was shut tight.

CEO Jang lit another cigarette, tossing his Zippo onto the table as he asked, “Aren’t you hungry?”

“…No.”

He blew out smoke, his slanted eyes narrowing into thin lines as he smiled. Even that smile felt unsettling, sending a shiver down my spine.

“You’re at the age where you should be eating well.”

The man, clearly only concerned with himself, asked again what I wanted to eat. Even the dry saliva I swallowed tasted bitter. I didn’t feel like putting anything in my mouth. It would be self-torture.

But, ignoring my feelings, he gestured with his chin, insisting I tell him what I wanted to eat.

“…Something light.”

Not even listening, he declared that meat would be best.

“Maybe a glass of wine with it.”

“…Yes.”

I stood up and headed toward the phone. I ordered some meat and wine for a light snack from the front desk. While the game was paused, Kim Miran rolled another cigarette, and CEO Jang idly rested his chin on the back of his hand.

Returning to my seat, I picked up my cards again. As the turns passed, useless cards piled up on one side of the table.

“…Hmm.”

Kim Miran tilted her head slightly, as if trying to read my thoughts. After some consideration, she folded. The turn went to CEO Jang, who also laid down his cards, folding as well. The moment I saw his cards, I quickly flipped mine again.

I opened my mouth in shock. A royal straight flush. There was no way these were my cards. Kim Miran, clueless, rubbed my cheek with the hand holding her cigarette.

“Well, no wonder you were so confident.”

I looked up at CEO Jang. His face was as unreadable as ever. He tapped his cards with his fingers.

It seemed like he had switched my hand while I was on the phone and Kim Miran was rolling her cigarette.

Silence filled the room. It was Kim Miran who broke it. As she took the final drag of her cigarette, she handed me some cash out of habit.

“Suwon, could you get me a pack of cigarettes?”

I jumped up from my seat out of habit. I started walking without much thought, but then stopped abruptly. CEO Jang’s gaze was fixed on the bills in my hand. His sharp jawline twitched. It seemed like he was waiting to see what I would do.

Knock knock. 

There was a knock at the door.

“Room service.”

I opened the door. That thief was standing outside. He walked in without acknowledging me and placed the food on the table. While he busied himself with setting everything up, I stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do with the money in my hand.

CEO Jang frowned, his gaze tilting slightly. His expression hardened more and more. It was the same look he gave me when he watched me crawl on the floor, picking up shards of broken glass. That same expression, those same movements. He was clearly displeased.

Noticing that, I quietly spoke up.

“…Hey.”

There was no strength in my voice. Still, the thief, being sharp, quickly stopped what he was doing and looked at me. I slowly approached him and handed him the money. He glanced at the bill in my hand, then looked back at me.

“Yes, did you call for me?”

The corner of his mouth twitched slightly, then went back to normal.

“Could you get me a pack of cigarettes?”

For a brief moment, his face cracked, but it quickly returned to normal. The emotion that surfaced through that crack was undoubtedly humiliation.

“…Yes, understood.”

He muttered the words softly, taking the bill from me with both hands before leaving the room. His movements were smooth, but I noticed his lips trembling as he took the money from me.

I returned to my seat. CEO Jang patted the back of my head and handed me a fork.

“Let’s get this in your mouth.”

CEO Jang smiled, satisfied. He took pleasure in the strangest things. I wondered what kind of fetish this could be. I jabbed a piece of meat with the fork and put it in my mouth, thinking about what had just happened.

It was true that CEO Jang had given me the best hand to play. But…

…He was also the one who had dealt me the worst hand to begin with.