The Constant | Choi Mujin

three

I found myself calling a taxi to the Liber Casino Hotel. I kept calling Jiwoo but she wouldn't pick up. Either she's been kidnapped or she's being an idiot. I prefer the second option.

The taxi eventually came to a stop and I rushed to the hotel's door.

"Is Choi Mujin here? I need to speak with him. O-or have you seen a teenage girl come here?" I asked the guards on the front door. They don't look happy to see me.

They send each other looks and report it to their superior. 

They opened the door.

Thank god.

I rushed inside, following the man that opened the door. As soon I arrived at what looked like Mujin's private room, I didn't pass the chance to look around. The room looked elegantly furnished, with bottles of expensive alcohol stacked in the bar corner and the expensive wooden desk standing in the middle of it. On top of it laid a box and a picture of the CCTV footage.

And Jiwoo was clutching her face as she sobs onto the floor, with Mujin looking irritated. 

My eyes wide open, I quickly ran over to comfort Jiwoo.

"Forgive her, please! She's just a child" I begged, hugging my sister.

Mujin averted my gaze, turning his back away. The atmosphere was tense and it didn't help that a drug lord was in the same room as us. 

I heard him sigh. "Throw them out"

As his secretary came to us, Jiwoo thrashed out of my arms and took away the stuff she brought. What a brat.

I made sure Jiwoo left before I tried to speak to Mujin.

"Um, uncle? I-" 

"Did I not tell you to leave?" 

"What did Jiwoo ask of you?"

He was now furious. His secretary sensed this and tried to grab my arm, but Mujin stopped him and grabbed the collar of my blazer.

"What is it with your family? I've never met anyone as infuriating as the load of you"

I kind of shit my pants a little. I've made a mental note to keep quiet from now on. 

"Sorry... I just- If I knew what she asked of you, I can make her less annoying to you. Let's be real here, you don't want to associate with us and neither do I. Jiwoo is still in high school."

Hearing my super reasonable take, he let me go. 

"Revenge. That's what she asked. Now get out of my face."

*

I can't even look at Jiwoo. How dumb does she have to be? Did she not think of the possibility of our dad being murdered by his people? I mean, you don't know what the world of crimes is like. And asking for revenge? What a child.

Today Jiwoo is out and about, trying to find a witness so we could get a case. As if anyone would come forward. No one wants to be associated with druggies.

I am also busy of course, taking photoshoots and trying to find a big project to work on. Then, maybe I can clean our family name. From druggies to hotties. 

I already have many connections in the industry, but my name has been in the dirt for months after dad's warrant was released. Then, I plunged to the shitholes. That's why Jiwoo is so set on revenge but I still hold mixed feelings. Our dad wasn't a good person. He sold drugs. He had it coming.

It's not like I'm not sad about it. I am. Truly. But I will not lose my mind over it and join those brutes. Ever.

"Ayeonggg!!" A random staff called out my name. "Your dress has been altered. Try it on!"

I snapped out of my thoughts and ran off to work.

*

As I was taking off my dress, my phone buzzed.

"Found a clue about dad's murderer. Will send u location."

Ah, fuck. Here we go again.

I ran out of the studio in the same clothes I was in the photoshoot.

"Hey! You can't wear that out!"

"Put it on my tab!"

Whatever that means. 

*

Jiwoo was nowhere to be seen on the location she sent. Or was I in the wrong alley? I tried opening my third eye, the phone flashlight, but my phone ran out of battery.

Okay, today's events are starting to piss me off.

I walked around and turns out, I'm in the wrong alley. But ooh, a convenience store that sells tasers? Ok, I'm sold.

The taser in my hand zapped every two seconds because I was nervous, gripping it too hard.

And there I was. I saw Jiwoo in a big hoodie, talking to a gang of delinquents. They seem suspicious as hell. This doesn't feel right. The men start to taunt her and take the money before giving her information. They started to shove her around. Oh, no.

"BACK OFF!" I yelled, coming between my sister and the brutes.

They whistled at my body and laughed.

"Oh, what a pretty lady!"

"Shut up, fuck face"

They laughed and started coming closer, trying to touch me. 

"So fiesty! Let's see if you can still keep that up after we play with you"

Gross.

I swung my taser to try and tried to tase him, but I missed, falling face-first into the ground like a loser. They laughed at me of course. Funnn.

I was about to get up and kick their balls, before one of them punched me in the face, knocking me out cold. 

*

I woke up to someone carrying me over their shoulders. I was still groggy from that incident, making me sniff the person and hug them tighter like a pillow. "Eww.. You smell like cigarettes. Stinky," They probably got annoyed cause they immediately drop me to my ass.

"Owwie..." I rubbed my bum.

I looked up to see my lord and savior... Choi Mujin? 

Oh, and there's a really beat-up Jiwoo.