PAHO 12

“You were the one who moved forcibly, not staying still.”

“I was just being considerate, trying to help you suck it better.”

“Considerate? By suddenly and one-sidedly shoving your dick down my throat?”

“You had to put it in your mouth anyway, so I saved you the trouble.”

At the utterly ridiculous words, Nam Gyeonhwa frowned with a look of disbelief. He was a beastly man who was completely unpredictable. Of course, Nam Gyeonhwa himself hadn’t lived his life prioritizing morality in all matters, but he had his own standards and common sense, and at the very least, he didn’t enjoy exercising unnecessary violence.

On the other hand, the man in front of him was not just shameless; he interpreted everything in a self-centered way and seemed to take it for granted. It went beyond being cruel and dangerous, to the point of inspiring an unpleasant fear.

“So, you’re not going to do it anymore?”

He grabbed his still impressively large penis and rubbed the fleshy mass against Nam Gyeonhwa’s cheek. At the vulgar gesture, Nam Gyeonhwa pushed his thigh away hard and said, as if spitting out the words.

“Get that fucking thing away from me.”

“It’s not a fucking thing, it’s a dick.”

“Dick or fucking thing, I’m not doing it anymore. So call the guards or do whatever you want.”

Judging by his attitude, it was clear he would act as he pleased even if he had done it properly. It would be better to bring in the security guards and look for a chance to escape. Na Taebeom, who was snickering while looking down into his fiercely upturned eyes, straightened his underwear and robe.

“I think you’re mistaken about something. This is my room, and you are an uninvited guest who has entered my territory.”

“So?”

“Don’t order me around.”

Unlike his smiling face, his voice was dripping with killing intent.

“Do you know what happens to the guys who get arrested in the underground?”

Nam Gyeonhwa did not answer. Na Taebeom, who had licked his lower lip, fiddled with his chin.

“Things are a little different down here from up there. The way things are handled changes from day to day. If things go wrong, we could half-cripple them and sell them off to a deep-sea fishing vessel, or put them in a drum with cement and dump them in the sea off Incheon, and no one would say a thing. That’s why this neighborhood gets so damn crowded around general or presidential elections. The process is less complicated and simpler than with Chinese contractors.”

“…Is that a threat?”

“I’m not particularly trying to threaten you, just telling you to know your place.”

Na Taebeom, lightly rubbing both his wrists with his hands, grinned.

“When I set my mind to something, I have to see it through to the end.”

Sensing a chilling premonition, Nam Gyeonhwa hurriedly composed himself and moved back to avoid him, but he was quickly blocked by Na Taebeom’s arm. With the force of his arm pressing down on his neck, Nam Gyeonhwa grabbed his arm with both hands, extended his legs back, and kicked him hard in the stomach. Na Taebeom, who briefly staggered from the counterattack, quickly regained his balance and clung to Nam Gyeonhwa. The stand lamp, knocked over by Nam Gyeonhwa’s body as he was pushed back, fell to the floor with a loud crash.

“Get, off me, you damn, bastard!”

Nam Gyeonhwa shouted, resisting the force of his arms and knees pressing down on him. Despite his stubborn struggles, Na Taebeom pressed down on his gripped neck with nonchalant ease.

As his airway was blocked, the light in front of his eyes scattered chaotically. Nam Gyeonhwa, who had been moving his arms and legs wildly to push Na Taebeom away, threw his chin back and gasped for breath. The moment his eyes met Na Taebeom’s, Nam Gyeonhwa suddenly headbutted him in the face with all his might.

Taking advantage of the moment Na Taebeom staggered from the unexpected blow, Nam Gyeonhwa grabbed his neck and moved far away. The inside of his neck, which had been squeezed by the thick palm, throbbed as if sharp pieces of stone were embedded in it, but he had no time to assess the pain.

Nam Gyeonhwa, who had rushed blindly toward the front door, grabbed the doorknob and twisted it frantically. However, whether the lock on the inside was broken or not, it showed no sign of opening even after several attempts.

“Ah, that was a pretty good hit.”

Na Taebeom, who had been covering his face for a moment, touched his jaw here and there and then spat on the carpet. After confirming that it was mixed with specks of blood, he let out a dry laugh.

“I guess I underestimated you.”

He lightly brushed back his disheveled hair. His muttering voice was so damp and gloomy that it was clear he was angry.

Glancing sideways at Na Taebeom, who was striding toward him, Nam Gyeonhwa, still holding the handle, slammed his right shoulder hard against the door. Bang, bang, just as it seemed the door was about to give way from the merciless impacts, Na Taebeom, who had been waiting, rushed in quickly, grabbed Nam Gyeonhwa’s arm, and twisted it. With the sound of a bone snapping, an excruciating pain erupted from his right arm.

“Heok!”

The intense pain that shot through his spine even made his legs give out. Na Taebeom easily pulled the stumbling Nam Gyeonhwa, spun his body around, and then drove his fist hard into his abdomen.

The shock that started in his stomach rang all the way up to his head, and instead of a groan, a gush of sour fluid poured out from between his parted lips. It was a dizzying pain that literally made his vision go black.

“Maybe it’s because it’s been a while since I’ve been hit, but this feels fucking awful.”

Because he had been grabbed by the collar, unable to even fall, Nam Gyeonhwa had to helplessly take the blows to his stomach. Na Taebeom kicked at his crumpled body with a blank expression. To avoid the blows that were intentionally concentrated only on his right shoulder, arm, and stomach, Nam Gyeonhwa curled his body up tightly.

“Why aren’t you fighting back? Have you lost all your spirit already?”

Even when Na Taebeom grabbed his head, pulled it back, and asked again, Nam Gyeonhwa swallowed the blood that had pooled in his mouth and avoided his eyes. Na Taebeom’s expression hardened icily at the complete disregard, and just as he spat a curse and raised his arm again.

Ring, ring, ring, an old-fashioned telephone bell rang from somewhere. The antique telephone that had fallen over next to the overturned stand lamp was loudly announcing the call.

“Fuck, what now?”

Na Taebeom, who had thrown Nam Gyeonhwa to the floor as if tossing him aside, walked to the phone and roughly picked up the receiver.

“Where did you shove the intercom and cell phone that you’re calling me on this thing out of the blue?”

Nam Gyeonhwa, lying face down on the floor, laboriously raised his head and looked up at Na Taebeom. Na Taebeom, leaning slightly on the desk, was taking the call seriously, despite his annoyed expression. When he turned his head to the other side, the door was still open.

“Yeah?”

Forcing his body, which was lying on its side, to sit up, Nam Gyeonhwa gasped for breath. He was clutching his right shoulder and stumbling as he walked.

“No, I’m going to go ask him myself, so don’t kill him, keep him alive.”

Click, followed by the sound of the phone being put down, the heavy presence pressing on the carpeted floor stuck to his back. Soon, a huge shadow covered Nam Gyeonhwa’s body as he limped out into the corridor.

As soon as he felt a hand on his shoulder, Nam Gyeonhwa spun around and shook off the touch. His body, from which cold sweat was endlessly pouring, felt like it was sinking even just standing still. Na Taebeom tilted his head to the side and laughed out loud.

“Playing with you like this is fun, but I have somewhere I need to be right now.”

He swallowed a scream at the force of the hand gripping his right shoulder. The pain was so paralyzing that it was hard to even struggle slightly. Na Taebeom dragged Nam Gyeonhwa back into the room, opened an inner door, and shoved him inside.

“Stay here and watch the house quietly until I get back.”

Before he had a chance to compose his sprawled body, the door closed, and in an instant, all sides went dark. Even after the footsteps faded away, Nam Gyeonhwa lay on his side for a long time. There was not a single part of him that didn’t hurt. His head was dizzy, his throat and chest were sore, and from his stomach down, the sensation was numb. He had braced himself for this, but it was beyond his imagination. If he hadn’t curled up to avoid the vital points, he wouldn’t have even been able to breathe.

After repeatedly taking ragged breaths, Nam Gyeonhwa forced his body up. Crawling to the recently closed door, he got on his knees and fumbled for the doorknob with his mouth. However, it seemed to be a type that locked from the outside, as only an uncomfortable clicking sound repeated itself.

Realizing it was of little use, Nam Gyeonhwa leaned his back against the door, exhausted. The intense pain that started in his broken arm was shaking his back and shoulder blades. His battered stomach also throbbed severely, as if his intestines were being squeezed with every cough.

“Ha, fuck, this sucks.”

Curses came out naturally. He had no intention of sitting and waiting as Na Taebeom wished, but in this state, it wouldn’t be easy to open even a single locked door.

Still, he had to move. If he gave up and lost consciousness, it would be the end. Swallowing a ragged breath, Nam Gyeonhwa got on his knees and slowly crawled forward. A sharp chill seeped into his body, drenched in cold sweat, but he gritted his teeth and thoroughly examined his surroundings.

After moving around the dark room and fumbling with his hands, Nam Gyeonhwa found a drawer containing shirts and neckties. This would be enough for first aid. Taking out a shirt and a few ties, he wrapped his shoulder and arm as if with a pressure bandage. It still hurt, but thanks to the makeshift treatment, it was more bearable than before.

Now that it had come to this, it was almost a relief that his arm was broken. If his limbs had been intact, Na Taebeom would never have left him alone. At the very least, he would have tied him up, so this kind of free movement would have been unthinkable.

Perhaps now was the only chance to escape this place.

After taking a moment to catch his breath, Nam Gyeonhwa stood up and rummaged through the dark room without hesitation. Inside the room, besides the shirts and ties, there were also pants and other clothes neatly arranged.

They were of a monstrous size, matching his physique, but for Nam Gyeonhwa, this made them easier to layer. If he wore several layers of clothes, he would look bigger on the outside, so he might be able to fool them, at least crudely. Besides, since Na Taebeom had just left after taking a call, it was highly likely that the surveillance in this area would be lax.

After a long time, having layered several pieces of clothing, Nam Gyeonhwa pushed hard against the door with his less painful left shoulder. Since it was a door attached to the room, both the door and the lock were much weaker than the front door. After ramming it with his whole body about ten times, crack, with the sound of wood splitting, the door fell forward. Nam Gyeonhwa fell with it, but thanks to the layered clothing acting as a cushion, the impact was not very great.