Joker 1 (Side story) Ch 6

Mailler turned Joo Hawon’s phone over in his hands. Encased in a clear jelly case, the device had no distinguishing features. Even if he tried to access it, facial recognition or a password blocked him; all he could do was answer incoming calls.

“Why did he leave it behind?”

He recalled seeing Joo Hawon around dinner.

Even at the international high school he attended, there were dozens of teachers in their early thirties, yet all of them looked like their age. And yet, the rumor that Joo Hawon had captured Taeha Kwon’s attention based on looks seemed plausible — his face was unnervingly young, flawless, every hair meticulously groomed, his skin so pale it seemed almost impossible there were pores at all.

That’s why his father had died trying to kill him.

Mailler had no particular feelings toward Kwon Yijae. He saw him only once a year at most. His mother had never even become Kwon Yijae’s consort; she had merely been a paid surrogate, nothing more. Yet she constantly reminded him to curry favor with his father, pretending to be a consort herself.

Mailler had loved his mother but thought her foolish. Kwon Yijae regarded her as less than an object, and Mailler knew the same cold appraisal would be reserved for him.

Mailler slouched on the sofa, turning Joo Hawon’s phone in his hands. Seeing Taeha Kwon and Joo Hawon in person for the first time, after having seen them countless times online, he began to doubt whether his plans had been properly set.

Even in front of Kwon Yijae, he had never felt intimidated. Yet here, facing Taeha Kwon — the man who held STA’s power in his hands — he barely managed to keep his composure. And seeing Joo Hawon sitting there, unconnected by blood yet part of this setup, Mailler felt a twist of frustration and injustice. That position should have been his, not that… intruder.

He had placed a significant bet by aligning with Tex, hoping at least to seat Taeha Kwon at his table. But nothing had come of it on the first day, and still no word had come the next day.

Had they truly decided to ignore him? A pang of disappointment struck him.

The room phone rang just after 5 p.m.

When Mailler heard Taeha Kwon request a meeting, he felt a surge of anticipation. Taeha Kwon and Joo Hawon had met Mailler about fifteen hours ago.

***

“Shall we sit in the room?”

Joo Hawon shook his head. Having finished the abalone porridge without issue, he felt comfortable. Taeha Kwon and Joo Hawon occupied one side of the three-sided sofa, while Mailler sat opposite.

“Mailler, it would be rude to say it’s a pleasure to meet you, wouldn’t it?”

Joo Hawon offered a deliberately gentle smile, though his eyes betrayed a hint of guilt.

“Not at all. It’s truly a pleasure to meet you in person.”

Mailler stood and extended his hand politely. Though he was eighteen by Korean age, he carried himself with a composure well beyond his years, and his frame was notably large. Joo Hawon rose to accept his hand. Mailler flinched slightly at the cold grip but did not withdraw first.

“Why did you want to meet me?”

Mailler returned to his seat, scheming how best to use the advantage he had gained from this meeting.

“Me?”

Taeha Kwon responded with a puzzled laugh.

“Yes…? I thought it was Taeha-hyung who contacted me, so I assumed he called for this meeting.”

“I’m not your hyung, am I?”

Taeha Kwon chuckled. Joo Hawon quietly rested his hand on Taeha Kwon’s thigh. Mailler only needed to know about Kwon Yijae’s death; it could not be revealed that Taeha Kwon’s biological father was his grandfather.

“Then… what should I call you?”

“Isn’t the age gap too wide to call me hyung?”

Mailler had been born the same year Taeha Kwon had been kidnapped.

“Mailler, I wanted to meet you. You might not be happy about it, but that’s why I asked,” Joo Hawon said.

“Hawon… hyung?”

He hesitated between calling him “Hawon-ssi,” “Hawon-nim,” or something else, and finally settled on hyung. Joo Hawon smiled gently as before and handed over the prepared cup of tea.

“I heard the story from the CEO. You’re aware of it, right?”

“Ah…”

Mailler drank the tea with a faint bitterness. He didn’t pretend to be a grieving child over his father’s death.

“I’ll be blunt. The reason you want to be entered as Aeil Kwon’s sibling… it’s because you have something you want to say to the CEO here, isn’t it?”

Joo Hawon stared steadily at Mailler’s face. Mailler sipped his tea again, then set the cup down. He wanted to answer but his lips remained sealed.

“Mailler, I’ve thought about it. You don’t really need to explain why you want to become part of Aeil Kwon’s family.”

“I just wasn’t acknowledged as family by my real family. I’m only looking for the next best thing,” Mailler said, his voice tinged with a surprising vulnerability.

“As for me… as you know, Hawon hyung…”

“After you graduate college, will STA even give you a position?”

Taeha Kwon cut him off sharply, his face filled with authority, as if he had no interest in hearing excuses.

“So you allied with Aeil for that reason? Whether you become Aeil’s sibling or… lick that guy’s toes, I don’t care. I just don’t want Joo Hawon upset. Our secretary isn’t like that — he overthinks, worries too much. That’s why what you did contributed to his upset stomach.”

“That’s just because I ate too much,” Joo Hawon interjected softly, letting out a quiet sigh as if to vent some frustration at Mailler.

“I know it’s unreasonable to expect me to understand everything about your situation. And I know you don’t like me.”

“I don’t dislike you, Hawon hyung. If anything, I think you might dislike me… partly because I resemble my father…”

“You don’t resemble him much,” Joo Hawon said flatly.

Before Mailler could respond, Taeha Kwon’s phone on the side table rang. Joo Hawon glanced briefly — the caller was Kwon Jaehee.

“I’ll take this call,” Taeha said, picking up the phone and heading to the terrace before Joo Hawon could speak. Only after closing the terrace window did he answer. Joo Hawon, thinking Mailler shouldn’t overhear, turned his gaze back to the young man opposite him.

“I heard you almost died,” Mailler said.

“Yes.”

“Even if it was self-defense… I’m sorry.”

“You weren’t the one who fired the shot.”

“Still… I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to pretend to be polite with me,” Mailler muttered, realizing he had been sarcastic. Joo Hawon merely smiled as if it didn’t matter.

“Why do you live hiding everything?”

“What did you say?”

“I can see all your grievances.”

“…”

“Don’t team up with Aeil. If you’re going to pick someone, pick the CEO.”

“That’s exactly why I set this up,” Mailler said.

“I know you planned it, but you set it up wrong. This is a game you’re going to lose.”

“Why?”

“The CEO knew your intentions before I did. Yet he still tried to ignore it.”

Mailler clenched his fists. Hearing what he had already anticipated come from Joo Hawon’s mouth was unbearable.

“Stay within bounds and do as the CEO says. He keeps his promises.”

“I don’t think I’m the one who crossed the line,” Mailler muttered quietly.

He sounded weak, but his words were filled with petty defiance. Mailler knew he had erred but resolved not to back down now. Without Taeha Kwon as a shield, this man was nothing more than a spoiled child.

Who wouldn’t know? He had worked as a dealer in Macau, had been used, and everyone knew it. Even in school, relatives of Lee Kihyun had spread stories about him. Mailler wanted to rip apart the façade of that so-called noble posture.

Joo Hawon lowered his thick lashes, then lifted them again. Perhaps he really did resemble Kwon Yijae.

“Mailler, if you want a smooth life, hide your nature well. If others find out, your fall will be instant. I think you’re rougher than I expected — take my words as advice.”

The young man certainly had a temper.

“Yes, thank you for the advice,” Mailler said, bowing respectfully despite his sarcastic tone earlier.

“I still feel sorry that your father ended up like that,” Joo Hawon said, meeting Mailler’s gaze sharply.

“You really confronted Lee Kihyun?” Joo Hawon’s eyelids flickered calmly.

“There’s a relative of Lee Kihyun in my class. You have no idea how noisy they are.”

Mailler thought the rumors were likely false, given Joo Hawon’s unchanged expression. A cold breeze from the opening terrace briefly mixed with the warm room air.

“What are you talking about?”

“Nothing important.”

Mailler bit his lower lip lightly. Even if he had to endure petty gossip, Joo Hawon’s casual, magnanimous demeanor irritated him further.

“And Kwon Jaehee?”

“Nothing significant.”

Mailler’s eyes flickered with the look of someone plotting childish revenge.

“So that’s why you want to become Aeil’s sibling?”

“To be honest… when my mother sold the shares, I didn’t know anything. I just liked the money. Now I realize it was a trap.”

“Why a trap? People might think it was forcibly taken.”

“If it were me now, I’d never have sold them.”

“Who said you were born too late? Maybe Kwon Yijae just died too early.”

“CEO.”

“Did you call me?”

He had thought to say that it was too harsh for an eighteen-year-old, but he stopped. Age wouldn’t shield him here. Taeha Kwon had gone through Russian roulette at that age; Mailler had roamed the Macau underworld.

Joo Hawon, caught in the gaze of both Taeha and Mailler, remained silent, then shook his head lightly, pretending it was nothing. He had no intention of defending Mailler. Mailler had said his father’s death didn’t matter to him, but his father was still his father. How could he not grieve?

Taeha watched Joo Hawon quietly, sensing the boy’s thoughts. Joo Hawon tended to feel empathy even for younger boys like Eunjun; perhaps he felt a similar sentiment toward Mailler now.

“To be precise, I don’t want to waste my time on this kind of pointless business,” Taeha said, lowering his gaze over his tea toward Mailler.

“You didn’t team up with Aeil out of dreams or hope. Speak plainly about your purpose.”

Any talk of adopting Mailler as a sibling was merely Aeil’s twisted whim. Taeha saw it as a weapon aimed at others, though harmless against him. With Joo Hawon, however, it could have unpredictable effects, so he sought a compromise for now.

“I honestly never planned to actually become Aeil hyung’s sibling. Unless you’re a fool… But if I didn’t do at least this, there was no way to make up for my mom’s mistake when she liquidated her STA shares, so I shook hands,” Mailler admitted.

It was essentially a form of protest, a way to get noticed by Taeha Kwon.

“Enough excuses. Once you finish graduate school, take whatever parachute they throw at you. If you’re capable, you might skip a grade, but looking at the crowd you run with, I doubt you’ll even pass without barely scraping by.”

“…I don’t have the money to even go to graduate school.”

Joo Hawon’s eyes widened, and Kwon Taeha remained indifferent. He had expected some pride, but the honest answer left him internally exasperated. Now, he would likely add pity to his sympathy. Taeha crossed his arms, bracing himself against an unwanted scene.

“Money… why?”

The STA shares that had been liquidated were no small amount; even a lifetime of leisure wouldn’t have matched that fortune. Joo Hawon simply couldn’t comprehend it. Even with extravagant habits, how could someone spend it all? Buy a few islands, maybe?

Before he could voice the thought, Mailler confessed the truth.

“My mom… she was scammed.”

“Scammed?”

“Someone defrauded her in stocks, she lost a lot of money, and then… got involved in options trading… and that turned into debt.”

Joo Hawon understood immediately that Mailler wasn’t talking about lavish gifts; he meant stock options.

“All that money?”

“I tried to recover what she lost through futures trading, but the leverage was four times… basically, I invested 100 million won, and the debt became 400 million.”

Joo Hawon sighed quietly. Even he, who dabbled in stocks, understood this well. A guiding principle he knew: Avoid guarantees, private loans, and stock futures; if you do, half your life is already successful. Unlike normal stocks, futures could go negative, making them extremely risky.

Of course, Mailler’s actions followed from the earlier scam. How exactly his mother had been scammed… Joo Hawon didn’t press further. He didn’t want to blame a victim for being defrauded.

“I don’t know how they approached my mom, and maybe you two don’t either. It’s a company called Zero, an eco-friendly generator business, and they initiated contact with us.” The company name was unfamiliar to Joo Hawon.

“They leaked a source that they were partnering with Radium,” Mailler added, prompting a soft exhale from Joo Hawon.

Radium was one of the companies under the so-called Pl STA. The STA Group had numerous subsidiaries, the most famous being STA Corporation, where Taeha Kwon worked, followed by Tex. Other subsidiaries focused on distribution or entertainment, and Radium specialized in semiconductors.

There had once been a scandal within STA: a small Korean company, Zero, had circulated false rumors about a contract with Radium. At the time, Joo Hawon was more focused on overseas stocks, but he understood the gist. Investors, misled by the rumors, drove Zero’s stock price sky-high, only for it to crash when the truth came out. Meanwhile, company executives had already cashed out and fled abroad. The stock became worthless — so much so that jokes circulated about the company named Zero ending up at zero.

“The source seemed solid enough to fool me. I was even invited to Zero’s headquarters, which looked decent. They seemed aware that we had sold STA shares… and if Zero partnered with Radium, the stock would rise, so my mom invested heavily. Only a few knew this source. At first, the returns were incredible, but once it was revealed as a scam, we couldn’t recover the investment.”

Essentially, the fraudsters attached themselves to Mailler’s mother as soon as they sensed her large fortune, just as professional gamblers target big jackpot winners in a casino. They tempted her with promises of immense gains, and she poured money into it. Joo Hawon could visualize it easily — greed and temptation made people reach out blindly.

Wanting more money wasn’t inherently wrong, but seeking luck could make one lose everything. That was the lesson Joo Hawon had seen repeatedly.

“Hawon,” Taeha called, making Joo Hawon flinch.

“Why are you looking at me?”

“Don’t tell me you’re suspicious?”

Joo Hawon’s eyes widened as if he had been pricked. He wasn’t thinking that Taeha had set a trap; rather, given that this involved the STA Group, a fleeting doubt had crossed his mind. Of course, Radium had also been used by Zero, so it was unlikely. He felt genuinely apologetic for having treated Taeha like a villain.

“I just thought you were handsome,” Taeha said.

“You seem embarrassed,” he teased, poking Joo Hawon’s cheek with his finger. Despite the unjust treatment, Joo Hawon couldn’t help but smile.

“So because you’re a victim of fraud, you want me to play charity work?”

“I want sponsorship,” Mailler said boldly. Taeha’s smile faded.

“You expect sponsorship from someone whose money got stolen in a few years?”

“That stock was legitimately traded,” Mailler shot back.

“Mailler, you don’t know basic trading etiquette. If you came to beg, you should act accordingly.” Taeha tensed his body to prevent Mailler from jumping up, sensing the young man’s humiliation.

“Sponsorship isn’t my field. If you want help, go to the secretary,” he said, slamming his fist on the sofa.

“The rest was my money anyway! If only the Landrys issue hadn’t erupted!”

The cold tension in the room far exceeded the earlier chill from the breeze. Mailler was too excited to sense it. Years ago, STA Corporation and Tex had been fined billions for illegal arms sales through Landrys. STA Corporation’s fine was covered by Kwon Yijae’s assets, leaving Mailler with only about 20 billion won of what should have been a much larger inheritance. He often swallowed his frustration in silence.

Mailler couldn’t understand why STA and Tex had voluntarily confessed to crimes that were disadvantageous to themselves. There was no one threatening them; they had cut into their own company’s assets. Taeha Kwon and Aeil Kwon had personally enacted this self-inflicted damage.

“I don’t know why Taeha hyung and Aeil hyung confessed to arms sales, but because of that, nearly all of Dad’s fortune was wiped out,” Mailler said, letting slip an intent that anyone in the room could understand.

He’s convinced that because I was supposed to inherit too much, Taeha hyung teamed up with Aeil to take Dad down first, he must have thought.

Joo Hawon pressed his lips tightly together to stop a sigh. Mailler, caught in all the questions and irrationalities, was like a whirlwind that would spin endlessly if no one stopped him.

But the truth was nothing extraordinary.

The public disclosure of weapons sales to countries in civil war had been a price Taeha Kwon paid to save Joo Hawon. He had negotiated with Aeil to find the boy who had nearly died in the waters of Macau. In exchange, he had to give 10 percent of his shares to Aeil, which could have allowed Aeil to seize STA’s control.

Taeha chose instead to destroy the shares he had handed over to Aeil rather than letting them be taken. That was why STA and Tex had both been fined billions.

Later, he earned the title of moral and upright successor, but even that was brief; people had long forgotten him. The things that drew the most attention were him and his family distance.

Mailler could not possibly process all of this, and Joo Hawon had no intention of explaining the truth. His concern was only for the wrist where a missing chip had once been.

Joo Hawon glanced at the silent Taeha Kwon, uneasy. Strangely, he could not read Taeha’s expression. Taeha was usually readable when it concerned himself, but it was difficult to guess what he thought when dealing with others.

Even though Taeha had met Joo Hawon’s gaze, it was almost as if he were asking, Why are you staring? Joo Hawon realized then: Taeha wasn’t angry about Landrys or the inheritance; he just wanted Mailler, who was being troublesome, out of his sight. If Mailler went too far here, there would be nothing left to gain—not even sponsorship.

“You see, Mailler,” Joo Hawon said. Mailler didn’t respond, but Joo Hawon wasn’t expecting one.

“That was a penalty. And the inheritance you received wasn’t exactly a small amount.”

Not a small amount? Joo Hawon had assumed he would inherit a massive mansion from his father, yet what he actually received was the size of a studio. The starting point of their assumptions had always differed. Mailler, too, had been born a third-generation chaebol and had received heir training in the shadow of Kwon Yijae.

Someone so wealthy suddenly found themselves in debt, still far from adulthood, still in need of education. Whatever Mailler’s temperament, Joo Hawon could not ignore his situation.

Moreover, Mailler had staked everything on becoming Aeil’s sibling, so it was unclear how he might react if his request for sponsorship was denied. He could very well grit his teeth and stir up trouble.

“Well, I’ll… arrange the sponsorship for now,” Joo Hawon said. Taeha clicked his tongue lightly, as if saying, That’s more like it.

“Our secretary wants it, so we’ll do it. The discussion seems over, so you can leave.”

Mailler looked at them with distrust in his eyes, doubting verbal promises. Joo Hawon knew what that silence meant.

“There’s a staff member in charge of sponsorship, so I’ll set a meeting within this week.”

“…Thank you,” Mailler replied, hiding his defiance, bowing twice to both Joo Hawon and Taeha.

“Waiting for your contact,” he added.

Even though the sponsorship, graduate school, and a seat at STA after graduation had been agreed upon fairly, Mailler suddenly realized the gravity of his own position. In a word, he felt miserable.

Everything had originally been his: this room, STA, everything Taeha held. He clenched his empty fist, thinking it all had been his.

As Mailler closed the door, Joo Hawon felt a sense of déjà vu in his eyes. It was the same hunger he had seen countless times at casino tables—the desire of those who wanted all the chips piled high on the table. Seeing it radiate from Mailler made Joo Hawon’s head throb.