Joker 1 (Side Story) Ch 10

Joo Hawon pulled the seatbelt and clicked it into the buckle.

At Gimpo or Incheon Airport parking lots, the cars under STA’s name that Kwon Taeha used were always ready. Since they weren’t used for long periods at times, STA staff in Korea would occasionally check them. So there shouldn’t have been any issues, yet the car he called at Gimpo Airport was registered under Kwon Jaehee’s name.

Jaehee seemed to favor white vehicles, as even the cars they had seen in Germany were mostly white.

“Why are we using CEO Jaehee’s car?”

Taeha entered the address from the business card into the navigation. The destination was about seven kilometers away.

“When a king goes incognito, he doesn’t put a name tag saying he’s the king.”

“Haha, so we’re going incognito?”

“Next vacation, let’s hide out on some island.”

“Sounds good. Don’t buy it, just borrow it from Eva.”

Eva Kwon owned three uninhabited islands. She would occasionally leave suddenly and not return for several days. Some of the Kwon family spread rumors that she went on a honeymoon with her lover, but since Hyun Jeongwon’s death, Eva hadn’t let anyone get close to her.

Joo Hawon suddenly realized that if Kwon Taeha weren’t by his side, he would likely become like Eva—an unbearable thought that made his whole body ache. As always, he mourned her loneliness but couldn’t reach out a warm hand.

Eva was as kind to him as she was to Taeha. He wanted to match the warmth of her kindness, but whenever he met Eva, he sometimes felt like a demon who had taken her family.

He was the son of the man who had kidnapped Kwon Taeha, and in paperwork only, she was the husband of Kwon Yijae, the man whose death he had caused. And on some days, she would look at him with the gaze of the one who had made him an orphan, showing a complex mix of emotions. She had been the powerful hand that, alongside Kwon Taeha, crushed his father’s company.

The moment the car went over a speed bump, it jolted like being on a yacht. When he opened the cabin door, there were rolling pill bottles and…

Don’t think.
Don’t recall.

Everything else didn’t matter—what mattered was this life with him. He didn’t want to let the past gnaw at him and suffer when he had this chance.

“Was it good yesterday?”

The voice washed away the filth of the past creeping up from his feet. Joo Hawon felt relieved at Taeha’s gentle voice.

Motion sickness was just an illusion, but he wanted to press his nose to Taeha’s neck and smell the warmth of his breath. Instead, he calmly inhaled the cozy air inside the car.

He was a man who was sensitive to every little action. Hawon had no intention of making him uneasy with his own weakness.

“Squid sundae?”

“Yeah.”

“It was amazing. But why?”

“Because it’s from that place.”

Between the rows of pawn shops, a sign read “Sundae with 30 years of tradition.” Though the sign looked new, it gave the impression of a long-standing store.

“Shall we eat here?”

“I’m a little hungry… but let’s just go.”

Hawon changed his mind. If he went in, it might create a weird impression with the owner.

“You said you’re a little hungry.”

“Let’s see what Tangbang’s scheming is first, then we can return.”

Taeha was still puzzled that he had accepted Tangbang’s suggestion. Asking would only get him the answer that Tangbang’s true intentions weren’t known, so he didn’t repeat the question.

“You should probably let the kid ride along.”

“Tangbang?”

“Why do you think he contacted us? He needs money.”

“I heard Gangho Inn was completely burned down. Something must’ve happened in Macau.” Taeha stopped the car in front of the sundae restaurant.

“I said just go, but you really don’t listen. Don’t even know who the kid is.”

“CEO, I’m hungry.”

He couldn’t complain to someone who said they were hungry. Honestly, it was a bit cute.

“You don’t like sundae, though.”

“I tried it; it’s not bad.”

“Can’t we just go somewhere else?”

“Afraid people will find out we’re a married couple?”

“Exactly, CEO Kwon gets anxious if he can’t hide it.”

“How did you know? We’re a famous couple, but it bothers me that so many people still don’t know.”

“Let’s go, come on. Let’s eat.”

Hawon unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped out first, playfully wondering if Taeha could eat sundae soup. Taeha got out of the car and approached Hawon waiting for him.

“But even if Gangho Inn was destroyed, why would Tangbang need money?”

“Everything there burned down.”

Taeha’s tone was detached, as if watching a fire from across the river. Hawon, however, was shocked.

“Why?”

“Who knows? When the police raided them, he couldn’t deny selling marijuana and other drugs, so he probably fled to Korea.”

“…”

Hawon quietly opened the door for Taeha.

As far as he remembered, Tangbang had connections with the Macau police, usually avoiding most crackdowns. Did he make an enemy, or did something else happen while he didn’t know?

No one around seemed to know the news from Macau. Jahan was currently in the US, so he wouldn’t know either.

“Sit anywhere that’s free.”

The owner skipped any greeting and spoke roughly. Hawon, startled by the rudeness, relaxed a little. Fortunately, the interior was clean, and the wooden tables seemed recently replaced despite the 30-year history.

“So Tangbang’s completely broke?”

Hawon leaned slightly toward Taeha to speak quietly. Being close, his scent brushed Taeha’s nose. When he showered, cheap shampoo made him frown, but now, Hawon’s natural scent mixed with the room’s warmth made his lower body tingle.

“Don’t even think about charity.”

“I’m not crazy. And I don’t think he’s completely broke.” Tangbang still had unreleased Wikileaks information; if he wanted, he could make a huge sum.

“Would you like to order?”

The owner, with patchy facial hair and no menu, approached the table.

“…Huh? You… foreigner?”

The owner, clearly reluctant to work, was startled, pointing at Taeha with his finger before quickly lowering it. He immediately brought a menu, gesturing for them to choose.

“You bought this yesterday… and today, the same thing?”

Hawon didn’t care. Actually, he seemed more overwhelmed than concerned, unsure how to act toward a foreign guest.

“Takeout again? Are you sure your wife… this, this is okay?” The man mimicked a stomach, circling it with his hand.

“Here.”

“Ah! You scared me!”

Only then did the owner turn to Hawon.

“Two sundae soups and one squid sundae, please.”

“..…Are you together?”

“Yes.”

The owner blinked rapidly, then laughed awkwardly.

“Oh my, you could have placed your order sooner if you wanted to.” The person who never gave him the chance to speak kept talking as if only his words mattered.

“Hey, I thought that gentleman was a foreigner with a Korean wife, but I guess not?”

“Ah… no, I don’t think so.”

“Well, yesterday I caused a whole scene all by myself with hand gestures and everything, right? I imagined all sorts of things. So you’re the person who called yesterday? No, why would you send a foreigner to make someone uncomfortable?”

The owner had mistaken Joo Hawon for the person who called the sundae restaurant yesterday. Hawon just smiled and didn’t add a word.

“Still, offering a hundred times the money was a bit much. It makes it seem like I left the door open just because I needed that money.”

“I wanted it so badly. Sorry about that.”

“Oh my, you even smile so nicely that I can’t get angry.”

“ch hatte Recht. Du bist total beliebt.” (I told you, right? Everyone in the world seems interested in you.) The owner, reacting to this, glanced at Hawon and asked in a low voice, “That’s not English, right?” Hawon just nodded once and continued to smile.

Muttering about how bland some people were, the owner walked toward the kitchen and relayed the order correctly to the chef.

“Hast du gestern so getan, als ob du kein Koreanisch konntest?” (Did you pretend not to know Korean yesterday?)

“Ja.” (Yes.)

“Und warum hat er dich gefragt, ob deine Frau schwanger ist?” (Then why did he ask if your wife was pregnant?)

“Ich habe meinen Kopf geschüttelt, als er mich mit Händen und Füßen danach gefragt hat, ob sie schwanger ist. Er hat es wohl missverstanden und seitdem denkt er sich allemoglichen Szenarios aus. Genau wie eben auch.” (He asked me with all gestures if my wife was pregnant, and I just shook my head. Ever since then, he’s been misunderstanding everything on his own. Just like just now.)

Since the owner kept glancing their way, Hawon ended up speaking to Kwon Taeha in German. The sundae soup quickly arrived, scooped from the boiling pot into bowls. The accompanying cubed radish kimchi and fresh kimchi were generous in portion.

“But will that foreign gentleman like it? Even among Koreans, many young people don’t like sundae soup.”

“It’s fine. He enjoyed the squid sundae and native sundae yesterday too.”

“Oh really? Well, our chef’s skill is impressive. He’s specialized in sundae for thirty years.”

“It’s thirty-two years this year!”

An older woman peeked out from the kitchen. Soon, the steaming squid sundae was served, and their gaze naturally fixed on Kwon Taeha.

In Seoul it would be normal, but near a domestic-customer-only casino, seeing a foreigner was rare. Foreigners could enter, but hardly anyone came all the way to Jeongseon. Foreigner-only casinos were abundant in Seoul and Jeju hotels, so it was natural that they found it unusual.

“Eat.”

Expressionless, Taeha picked up his spoon and stirred the soup briskly. He took a spoonful and swallowed with a gulp. Despite people watching, he didn’t care at all, which only made Hawon feel self-conscious.

“Dies schmeckt schlecht.” (It tastes bad.)

“Iss es einfach.” (Just eat it.)

Hawon, startled, snapped at him.

“ich dart jawohl noch sagen, wenn es nicht schmeckt, oder nicht?” (If it tastes bad, I should say it, right? Not say it’s good?)

“Es schmeckt nicht schlecht, es ist nur nicht dein Geschmack. Mir schmeckt es gut.” (It’s not bad; it’s just not your taste. I like it.)

Watching Hawon eat, Taeha mirrored him. Luckily, they didn’t mix rice into the soup; they picked out the ingredients and combined them with rice.

“The kimchi is really good.”

Hawon couldn’t help but exclaim. Yesterday, there had been no kimchi, so he hadn’t expected such flavor. It could almost be considered a kimchi specialty rather than just a thirty-year sundae shop. Taeha tried some of the fresh kimchi, then ended up drinking an entire bowl of water.

“So cute.”

“Du bist süß. Wenn du Deutsch sprichst, scheinst du mir immer noch ein Baby zu sein. Du bist vielleicht erwachsen, nur wenn Haare an deinem Schwanz zu wachsen beginnen.” (You’re the cute one. When you speak German, you still seem like a baby. Maybe you’ll be an adult only when hair grows on your… you know.) 

Hawon, as if noting the remark at the table, loaded a spoonful of rice into his mouth. Having only had a light room-service breakfast, the warm soup was a welcome comfort. He chewed slowly to avoid indigestion.

“Seeing you eat makes me happy.”

Hawon widened his eyes, and the owner at the counter also widened theirs in surprise.

“Rede weiter auf Deutsch wie sonst.” (Keep speaking German like usual.)

“Okay, Schatz.” (Alright, darling.)

“Im Ernst? Was soll das denn jetzt?” (Seriously? Are you going to keep doing this?)

“Dies gefallt dir, oder? Na, deine Ohren sind ganz rot geworden.” (You like it, don’t pretend not to. Your ears are red.) 

Hawon immediately covered his ears with his hands.

“Mir ist warm. Du hast das nur missverstanden.” (I’m warm; don’t misunderstand.)

“Na klar.” (Alright.)

As they continued speaking softly, the owner just tilted his head as if unsure what he had heard.

Taeha removed his shoes and ran his legs along Hawon’s from knees to ankles. Hawon only rubbed his now-red ears. Then he removed his own shoes and nudged Taeha’s feet back into place.

“Kwon Taeha, do you really want to get scolded?”

Taeha paused for a moment, then laughed heartily.

“You’re pretending not to understand Korean, right? That’s why it comes out this way?”

“Why? You’re complaining? Saying weird things at the table again.”

“Oh, come on.”

“You have to eat spicy food like a man. And someone worse than me keeps talking about his lower half.”

“Again.”

Hawon wondered if he was digging his own grave. Being called “not manly” made him feel like he should prove himself on the bed.

“Fine, let’s just eat now.” Hawon surrendered first.

“Again.”

Taeha’s lips moved playfully.

“Again, or the ‘again’ of a lunatic.”

“…..”

Joo Hawon found Kwon Taeha, who was flabbergasted, amusing, and pounded his chest with his spoon.

“Feeling wronged, huh? So, who told you to lie?”

With that, Hawon slowly finished his meal. Taeha matched his pace and cleared a bowl of rice just as methodically.

“Kwon Taeha, I’ll pay for this.”

As they were leaving, Hawon unexpectedly raised the white flag and offered to pay, and Taeha struggled to restrain his hand from reaching out around Hawon’s waist. He looked like a cautious hedgehog, unsure of how Hawon might react. Just by smiling, Hawon softened the bristly tension immediately.

When Taeha lifted his shoulder, Hawon, slightly hesitant, didn’t pull away. They often initiated physical contact with each other when alone, yet as soon as they stepped outside, everything became awkward. So any mischievous behavior from Taeha was entirely Hawon’s fault.

Once Hawon, wrapped in Taeha’s arm, stepped outside, he memorized the sign precisely. He wasn’t sure if he would return to Jeongseon, but if he did, it would be a place he wanted to visit again.

The owner waved, saying to come again if the opportunity arose. Hawon thanked him again for the meal and then sat in the passenger seat.

Sighing deeply at last, he muttered, “I wonder if our CEO’s nose hasn’t grown.”

“You just rubbed it on my nipples, so it went down well.” Taeha leaned in and rubbed against Hawon’s chest.

“Ah, don’t do that.”

Hawon twisted, laughing at the ticklish sensation.

“How badly did you want to harass me that you thought this was the perfect chance?”

“Haha, uhuh, I said stop. It’s ticklish.” Taeha was now moving along Hawon’s ribs with his nose.

“You eat spicy food like a man, so why is this place like this?”

Suddenly, he slid his hand inside Hawon’s pants. Pressing on the smooth area that had become an erogenous zone, Hawon flinched as if his lower half had been touched.

“That… haah, has nothing to do with this. Stop, stop tickling me.”

Hawon breathed heavily from the ticklishness. Taeha paused, looking at him. The white car was heavily tinted, so no one could see inside, but Hawon had briefly glanced at the restaurant before looking back at him. Taeha leaned in and planted relentless kisses on his cheeks and lips.

“Ha… I want to go back to the hotel. I got excited by the manly, innocent Joo Hawon.” Taeha took Hawon’s hand and placed it under his chin. Once teased, it was a give-and-take between them.

“Alright, stop teasing me. As soon as you satisfy your appetite, it’s your lust next?”

“Why? With you, my desire comes first. Even if I starve for three days, whenever I see you, I’m like a horny dog,” Hawon removed his hand from Taeha’s groin and covered Taeha’s mouth.

“Don’t dirty the dog.”

Taeha showered kisses even on Hawon’s palm. Hawon then reciprocated, kissing Taeha’s palm just as much.

“Should be on me, not that.”

Suddenly, Taeha took Hawon’s hand and sucked it in. He kissed every part where Hawon’s lips had touched, barely opening his eyes, as if not wanting to miss a single spot. His gaze alone was intensely arousing, and it was the expression that made Hawon most sexually vulnerable. At this rate, he might be overwhelmed.

“This is going to break Tangbang’s neck.”

“Whether his neck breaks or not, who cares?”

“Let’s go quickly and return to our home in Seoul.”

“Want to roll around in bed?”

Hawon didn’t protest, even though Taeha hadn’t actually said that. The more their bodies intertwined, the more restless and addicted Hawon felt. The car, which had been idling and growling for some time, finally began to move. They had only 5 km left to their destination.