At the Crossroads

Chapter 9

The next morning, Jinyoung removed the voice recorder from its hiding place. The desire to play the recording at once was too much. But he was not going to risk getting caught by Kim Shiwoo while listening to it in his room.

Besides, he had caught a glimpse of Kim Shiwoo in the restaurant for breakfast. Most likely he would be back here once he finished his breakfast. Jinyoung quickened the cleaning process and fortunately when he was done, Kim Shiwoo was not back yet.

Both he and Youngjae were kept busy the whole morning. When they got their lunch break, it was later than usual. Even then, BamBam had waited for them and they were so hungry they started to dig in once the lunchboxes had been opened. Only when their stomaches had been pretty much filled, they could chat a little.

They were enjoying the orange segments Jinyoung had brought when the staff room door opened and Jimin's head appeared.

"Finished?" she asked.

They checked the wall clock; the lunch break was not over yet.

"It's only been twenty minutes!" BamBam said, his hand reaching for another orange segment.

"I know. I'm not asking you. I'm asking Jinyoung."

"Me? Why? It's almost finished." Jinyoung wiped his lips and hands with a tissue.

"Two lattes to 7/11. I wish I could send someone else. But they asked for your service," said Jimin, apologetically.

Of course. Who else? Jinyoung wanted to correct her that it was not 'they'; it was Mark Tuan only.

"Why Jinyoung hyung?" BamBam asked, puzzled.

"Well," Youngjae said, glancing at Jinyoung, "I guess one of them fancies Jinyoung hyung. He keeps asking for our hyung."

Jinyoung cleared his throat, "He's just trying to annoy me in any way possible. Nothing else. I'll get going. Keep my lunchbox beside my bag."

He nodded at Jimin and followed her out. Before a month was over, the whole hotel would probably have an idea that there was something between him and Mark. Of course, it would just be a false rumour because there was nothing between them. At least, that was what Jinyoung believed.

He continued to the cafe and got two lattes. He was going to Kim Shiwoo's room and two lattes meant Mark was with him. At least, Jinyoung would not have to meet Mark alone.

When he got there, he gave a loud knock, before opening the door. Mark and Kim Shiwoo were on the couches, sitting opposite each other and playing chess. Mark was facing the door and Jinyoung avoided his eyes as he approached the table.

"Your lattes are here," Jinyoung bent to place them on the table. He knew Mark's eyes had not been back to the chessboard since he had entered. Asshole.

Kim Shiwoo did not bother looking at him. His eyes were intent and his brows were knitted, most surely thinking of the next move.

Jinyoung straightened up but Mark got a hand around him and pulled him, causing him to fall on the couch next to Mark. Only then Kim Shiwoo turned to look at them and his serious expression was replaced with an amused one. This man really liked seeing someone forced and harassed, Jinyoung criticised.

"Mr. Tuan, I need to get back downstairs," Jinyoung tried.

"You're already distracted, Mark?" Kim Shiwoo said, "Seems like I'm going to win this time."

"I don't think so. My energy's just been refilled," Mark smirked, tightening his hand around Jinyoung's waist. He squeezed Jinyoung's stomach muscles through the fabric.

"Can I just come back later? I think I'm disturbing you." Jinyoung saw not much hope, however. Mark's eyes were full of mischief.

"Disturb me all you want. How'll you? I'll only be purely disturbed if you kiss me."

Kim Shiwoo laughed and Mark added, "In front of Shiwoo hyung."

No matter which way Jinyoung took, he only ended up being the victim of Mark's perverted talk. He tried to remove Mark's hand, which was around him, but Mark pulled him so that Jinyoung could sit on his lap.

Jinyoung regretted trying. Having learned his lesson, he stayed still and a while later, Mark and Kim Shiwoo were back at their game.

Jinyoung could finally relax when he got back to his apartment. Usually, he went to bed after a shower and a meal. But today, he had the recording to check.

What would he find out there? The game was going to be over? But what they needed was not just Kim Shiwoo. If he really was a mafia boss, they would have to track his gang as well.

Jinyoung changed into pyjamas and sat at the bedside table, before taking out the voice recorder from his bag.

The recording started with the sounds of a chair being moved and footsteps. These were his own actions. What followed were also his own sounds. It was nearly three hours before he heard what he assumed were Kim Shiwoo's sounds.

It was not only Kim Shiwoo's but there was Junghee as well. If not for their voices, he would have thought Kim Shiwoo was alone.

"This afternoon, Mark and I are gonna play golf. Be with me. It won't take long."

There was a moment of silence and then Junghee's voice was heard. "I must get back home before it's dark. I promised Shinny we'd have the dinner outside."

Shinny? Who was he? Or she? Jinyoung could not ponder much as he heard Kim Shiwoo. "I said it wouldn't take long! All you think about, care about, is your son. What about me? After everything I've done for you, you still haven't changed! You cold woman!"

"Haven't I been trying?" A pause. "I don't want to talk about this."

Junghee had a son? Judging from this conversation, she was probably a widow. And seemed like, she and Kim Shiwoo, their feelings were not mutual. That was not surprising, however.

It was complete silence afterwards. Then there were moving sounds and something like the sounds of bottles and glasses. No more voices were heard.

Much later, Kim Shiwoo was talking about leaving for the golf course. Then they were apparently leaving the room and silence ensued.

For the rest of the recording, there were only the sounds of someone, assumedly Kim Shiwoo, moving around. No more conversations and no suspicious phone calls.