Joker 1 (Side Story) Ch 14

Before even exchanging farewells, Kwon Taeha’s finger pressed the end call button.

“Then what’s with the alcohol?”

He threw out the question without warning.

Knowing he was trying to divert the topic so he wouldn’t be blamed for hanging up first, Joo Hawon decided to hold back his nagging.

What bothered him more was that the man didn’t seem like someone in the mood to drink at all.

“What’s going on? You’re usually the happiest when I say we should drink.”

“Did I?”

“You did.”

Normally, he would have brought out the beer on his own, so Hawon was sure his guess was right.

On top of that, Kwon Jaehee’s words lingered in his mind.

Though Taeha didn’t show it, Hawon wondered if something serious had happened with the Killer Whale merger or with Radium.

They had lived together long enough for Hawon to know the man rarely took business matters seriously, no matter how grave they were.

But tonight, the ever-arrogant man’s face seemed to carry a faint shadow, and worry began to rise.

Others might say Kwon Taeha looked no different, but to Hawon’s eyes, he clearly did.

Lately, Taeha seemed like he wanted to say something — and at the same time, didn’t.

And somehow, that too came with a strange sense of closeness — a realization that they had come to know each other too well.

Even on vacation, Taeha was constantly buried in work, and Hawon hoped he would finally take a breather now.

He opened the whiskey bottle on his behalf, filled a glass with ice balls, and poured the drink.

When he handed it to him, Taeha offered a short word of thanks.

“Is the STA–Killer Whale merger turning out more difficult than you thought?”

“There’s nothing difficult about it.”

“Then did something else happen?”

“Why?”

He pointed his chin toward the whiskey glass — asking why he was drinking hard liquor instead of beer.

“Do you think I only ever drink beer? It’s the bottle Eva gave me as a gift. I thought it was too good to open, but today felt like the right day.”

‘With prayers for your happiness and hard work.’

It was written in neat Hangul, beautifully hand-lettered.

It was a bit superstitious, but he thought maybe it would help when things weren’t going well.

“If something’s bothering you or stressing you out, tell me. I might not solve it, but I can listen.”

“There’s really nothing like that.”

“Do you think I’ve only known you for a day or two?”

“Looks like you’ve lost your touch, Joo Hawon. I’m telling you, nothing’s wrong.”

His reaction was so calm that Hawon began to think maybe he really had misunderstood.

“Then what was that mention of Radium earlier?”

“Mm, nothing big. Just that Felix turned out to be the main culprit in the Zero stock fraud case.”

“Felix?”

His still-damp hair swayed gently in the warm air.

“Felix ended up taking all the investment money Myler’s biological mother put in. We’re collecting evidence to hand over to the prosecution. This time, he’s finally going to get a taste of prison life, don’t you think?”

Moments like this made Hawon think the Kwon family was truly exhausting.

It seemed like backstabbing and infighting were their daily routine.

“Then isn’t that good news?”

“I said it was. You’re the one acting strange, Joo Hawon.”

Taeha downed the drink like it was water.

Seeing him refill his glass like a man dying of thirst made Hawon frown.

“At least eat some cheese on an empty stomach.”

Taeha rattled the ice in his glass.

That faint sound made Hawon feel as though a crack had formed in his chest.

The way Taeha had seemed like he wanted to say something before leaving earlier, the talk about going to Mars, and even what Jaehee had said — everything about him felt different.

He was sure it was because of work.

But then, another signal rang in his head.

He’s lying.

“Ah, you said you had dinner, right? What did you eat with Ceo Jaehee?”

“Just dinner.”

“Korean? Western?”

“What’s with you?” Taeha laughed, as if finding it silly.

“Don’t tell me you’re jealous?”

“I’m just curious.”

“What did you eat?”

“The housekeeper made me dinner. There’s still some side dishes left in the fridge. What about you?”

For some reason, Taeha felt like Hawon was trying to read him.

“I just grabbed something light at the hotel lounge.”

“You did have dinner with Ceo Jaehee, right?”

Maybe he was just imagining things. Taeha set his glass down.

“Are you interrogating me?”

“It’s a yes-or-no question. Why drag it out?”

Taeha’s silence made Hawon’s toes grow cold.

“Director… would it be alright if I called Ceo Kwon Jaehee?”

“If you want to, go ahead. You don’t need my permission.”

“I just want to ask if you two met today. I’m asking if that’s really fine.”

Taeha handed him his phone.

Their eyes met, and Hawon tried to read the flicker in his gaze.

When Taeha reached out, seemingly about to call Jaehee himself, Hawon stopped him instead.

“If you say yes, I’ll look pathetic. And if you say no, how will you explain it?”

— ‘Because I’m so busy I barely have time to eat, thanks to someone.’

He didn’t want to doubt, but Jaehee’s earlier words contradicted Taeha.

“If you’re that curious, call him yourself.”

He turned the phone screen around so it faced Hawon.

Hawon knew the passcode, but his hand wouldn’t move.

Did he really meet Jaehee?

Taeha was so composed that he felt like the crazy one for doubting.

“What, afraid you’ll look like a fool?”

“…Just answer yes or no. Did you meet Director Kwon Jaehee today?”

Taeha’s Adam’s apple moved as he swallowed the drink — and the silence along with it.

Even though he’d been given a chance to speak, he didn’t answer.

If he really had met Jaehee, he probably would’ve laughed and pulled Hawon into his arms.

Told him to be even more suspicious, because he liked it when Hawon got jealous.

“I’m not going to ask Ceo Jaehee myself. So tell me the truth.”

He was the one who monitored Hawon’s every move, questioned him whenever he went quiet — and now, he was the one lying.

Hawon couldn’t help feeling stubborn.

And a little hurt, too, that Taeha had made a secret of it.

“Fine, I didn’t meet him.”

The tension that had unconsciously stiffened his whole body drained out all at once.

He admitted, just as calmly, that he had lied since the moment he left.

Hawon didn’t understand why it felt like he was lying down in a grave he had dug himself.

“Then who was it? Someone important enough to lie to me about?”

He let out a helpless breath, disgusted by his own voice — it sounded like a man accusing his lover of cheating.

“Someone important?”

The scoff came from Taeha.

“Do I even have anyone important besides you?”

“If you were going to lie, you should’ve hidden it properly.”

“I thought I did. You’re just the one who dug it up.”

It had been so long since they’d spoken with such sharpness that it felt almost unfamiliar.

They had rarely fought before — barely even once.

“If you want someone who’ll turn a blind eye no matter what you do, why live with me?”

“No matter how angry you are, there are things you can say and things you shouldn’t.”

“So you’re going to act shameless now?”

“Stop dressing it up and ask directly. Did I cheat on you?”

If he hadn’t trusted Taeha, he might have tortured himself with thoughts of the man meeting someone else.

But he knew every ounce of Taeha’s emotion was directed solely at him.

To pretend otherwise would’ve been self-deception.

Still… could he be completely sure?

Hadn’t there been at least one lie — during one of those business trips or overseas assignments?

…No. Joo Hawon believed in Kwon Taeha.

If he were to meet someone else, he wouldn’t hide it.

He would simply hand over an astronomical amount of money and tell him they were done.

Then, he himself would suffocate to death under that mountain of cash…

And yet, like a man suffering from depression, his mind kept spiraling into dark, endless thoughts.

How had they come this far?

When he was so certain that no one else but each other could offer comfort, no gentle words came out.

“Really? You met someone other than me?” Joo Hawon lifted the glass Kwon Taeha had set down and drank the remaining liquor.

“…….”

At the silence that followed, his heart sank hard. The liquor he’d gulped down seemed to scorch every organ as it passed.

Had it been arrogance to think that this man’s heart belonged wholly to him? His fingers trembled, and he clenched his fist.

“I thought it couldn’t be true, but I guess I was wrong.” His long, slanted eyes glimmered with a cold, piercing color.

“You just treated my feelings like they were cheap.”

“Whether they’re cheap or precious, I wouldn’t know. I haven’t seen them myself.”

The veins on the back of Kwon Taeha’s hand bulged threateningly.

It was enough to make Joo Hawon think that Eva’s gift, sitting nearby, might soon shatter against the wall.

“Are you serious?”

“…

“Have I never once shown you how I feel?”

“Then why do you keep making me lose trust in you? If I did the same thing, how do you think you’d feel?”

“My filthy imagination would probably kick in.”

Watching Kwon Taeha speak as if grinding the words out, Joo Hawon took several shallow breaths.

“You’re not planning to tell me, are you?”

“I’m not.”

“Then let’s stop. I’ll pretend none of this happened. Are you satisfied now?”

If he insisted on lying, Joo Hawon had no intention of asking further.

This would probably stay in his chest, and he’d suspect him again and again.

And Kwon Taeha would know that, too. But there was nothing to be done for someone who refused to offer any explanation.

The heat from the fireplace seemed to lick at his eyes, and he pressed his palm against them before letting go.

“If I stop now, does that make you fine?”

“You’d know that better than I do.”

“Should we have sex?”

“……”

He was dumbfounded—beyond astonishment. His lips even parted in disbelief.

“You won’t be able to trust me anymore, right? Then can you still roll around in the same bed, in the same house, with a man like that? If you can, then take it off.”

“Why are you saying things like that?”

“Didn’t you just say you’d stop arguing? Then show me. Show me you can treat me the same as before.”

He didn’t seem interested in arguing anymore.

He just gave him two choices: strip or don’t. Then he took another drink.

As his emotions twisted further, cruel words kept rising to Joo Hawon’s tongue.

“I can’t. No—I won’t.”

“Then if I sleep with you from now on, is that rape?”

The real issue was his lie, yet since he wouldn’t tell the truth, they just circled back to the same place again and again.

He tried to think positively—maybe there was a reason, a story he couldn’t tell—but it was pointless.

“If you need time to think, I’ll give it to you. Just don’t throw words around carelessly.”

“I don’t need to think.”

“I need you.”

“Oh, so now you can’t even think straight next to me?”

Apparently, Kwon Taeha was just as twisted.

Joo Hawon swallowed the words that would’ve cut like knives and stood up.

“Where are you going? I’m the one who lied, like you said. So why are you the one walking away?”

“Because you’re not willing to talk. Why should I sit here drinking with someone like that?”

“Sit down.”

‘I said sit down.’

He suddenly remembered that night when the glass shattered with a crash.

A rainy night in Macau.

But that memory faded quickly—this time, the energy felt completely different.

Why did the man before him look so tormented? Joo Hawon couldn’t make sense of it.

Wasn’t he the one in the wrong?

“Are you regretting putting down a fault clause in our civil union now?”

“What?”

“I don’t want your money or your company shares. I’m not thinking about suing you, either.”

Kwon Taeha’s jaw tensed hard.

“How far are you planning to take this?” A shadow of pain carved deep between his brows.

“…Guess I’ve got a filthy imagination too, huh.”

“Joo Hawon.”

Kwon Taeha’s voice held him still.

He wanted nothing more than to storm off to his room, but his feet wouldn’t move.

When he looked into the man’s eyes, they were red and bloodshot—consumed by the heat of the fire.

“Can’t we just… let this go?”

It sounded like a plea—for forgiveness, for one mistake.

It was strange.

He’d slashed him with his words, but he hadn’t truly believed Kwon Taeha was cheating.

He was just angry—furious that his lie had caused them to fight like this.

But now, Kwon Taeha seemed to be saying his trust had been misplaced.

The disbelief burned hot in his eyes.

“What if once… turns into twice? I don’t think I could even forgive you once…”

Suddenly, Kwon Taeha let out a hollow, emotionless laugh.

Misunderstanding upon misunderstanding had tangled them beyond repair.

His lie had spiraled into something entirely different, producing an absurd result.

That he’d cheated.

It wasn’t even worth defending, but now he couldn’t think of any way to undo this mess.

Joo Hawon was already hurt—utterly convinced of the wrong thing.

—Emotions aren’t like business deals. You can’t control or suppress them and expect them to resolve.

He’d never imagined it would twist this far.

Kwon Jaehee had been right again.

Joo Hawon turned away.

Even though grabbing him by the collar and hitting him might not have been enough, he only showed his back.

The solid ground beneath them had turned out to be a swamp, and he looked ready to walk away.

Had he failed to give him assurance all this time?

He was the one who’d made him doubt, and now the veins in his neck pulsed so hard they looked ready to burst.

He wanted to reclaim his honor from Joo Hawon—the man who’d dishonored his feelings—but to do that, he had to undo the misunderstanding.

Yet he couldn’t speak.

“CEO Kwon.”

Joo Hawon called to him like it was the last chance.

“You’ve… done something to me you should never have done.”

The thread of trust snapped.

Joo Hawon cut it cleanly.

Kwon Taeha felt like a rotten stench, long festering inside him, was seeping out.

“Joo Hawon.”

His voice, flat and low, caught him again.