Revenge [Ryujin x Hyunjin]

(26). Gossip

90% of the guests at the KeumOh founding party were obviously YongSung gangsters. They were all wearing black suits as if it was a uniform and had thug-like faces. They might as well have stuck signs on their foreheads that said ‘I am a gangster’.

The gangsters of YongSung and the drug traffickers all had distinctive features that set them apart from the normal employees who worked in front of computers in the KeumOh office building. Having seen enough of these kinds of people at Serim, Ryujin wasn’t scared. She was merely struck with awe as all these men lowered their heads when Hyunjin passed by.

"Straighten my tie for me." Hyunjin ordered.

After sitting down at their table, Hyunjin looked around the room and took a sip of wine. Then he lowered his head to Ryujin's ear.

"It looks fine." Ryujin said.

Ryujin distanced herself from him a little before tilting her head. Hyunjin clicked his tongue and brought his head close to hers once again.

"Just do as I say."

Ryujin helplessly straightened his tie and his shirt collar. She glanced at the white, folded handkerchief in his chest pocket. She recalled where it had been used and felt a rush of embarrassment flood over her.

"Can’t you please take this out?" Ryujin spoke.

"Didn’t you tell me that it was gentlemanly for a man to carry around a handkerchief?"

"But it isn’t supposed to be used for that."

"Why is it okay to use it to clean your face but not other places?"

Hyunjin gave her a languid smile. A few days ago, when Hyunjin had used his handkerchief to wipe the dirt off her face, Ryujin had called him a gentleman. If she could take back her words now, she would have.

Even though they had sex in the car just moments ago, Hyunjin kept a straight face as he greeted the guests. As expected, Ryujin merely smiled prettily like a mannequin and played her role at his side. Instead of his secretary, Ryujin felt as if she were playing the role of Hwang Hyunjin's woman. It was a strange feeling, but she couldn’t show her discomfort.

All the men’s glances that had come her way subsided in an instant when she sat down next to Hyunjin. They didn’t even greet her. While it was refreshing to be treated like an invisible person, it also blocked any opportunity for her to approach someone else to obtain more information. Ryujin smiled bitterly.

"Good work, Hyung-nim."

A man lowered his head and spoke in a country accent. Hyunjin raised his liquor glass in the man’s direction.

"I also heard that you’ve been through a lot lately."

"I shouldn’t have used part-timers in the first place. Who knew those young bastards would take the gold and run? I heard they’re in prison right now, but I’m thinking of tightening the screws on them as soon as they get out."

"It’ll be dangerous, so stay low for now. I heard there’s been an emergency in the Japanese customs, so they’re cracking down pretty hard."

"Yes, sir. I wanted to thank you for blocking the efforts of those bastards at the Yamamoto-gumi…"

"It’s fine. Don’t worry about any of that and just eat and drink before heading back down."

Many more men took turns coming up to Hyunjin's table and bowed their heads. Sitting next to him, Ryujin held her champagne flute and ate her food as she looked around the room.

Even though it was formally called a founding party, everyone here was eating and joking around noisily. Korean food and western food, Chinese food and Japanese food. The cuisines of many different countries continued to be brought out haphazardly. Tables were full of wine, soju, whiskey, beer, rice wine, sake, and kaoliang liquor.