The Rap Godfather

-3-

"I've served Hope for over 7 years now, and, I believe, as one of your best men, I deserve to voice my opinion."

Jimin has always thought Hope to be the least suitable name for a mafia clan. Especially, for one led by someone like Jung Hoseok — the man who leaves no hope.

"Which of the tasks prescribed to you you find troubling?" Hoseok asked, unconcerned, positioned comfortably in a velvet armchair, tracing the lid of his ruby ring.

"I've done things in my, er... career that some of your most experienced men considered impossible. I think it's fair to say that I have some expertise in the field. Taking that into account, I suggest..." Jimin struggled to find the right language to disagree with his don's order. "The plan I'm given should be— altered."

"What makes you think so?" Hoseok sounded amused, his face, however, gaining a barely noticeable shade of annoyance.

"I don't think you understand. No one has ever bribed officer Kim Namjoon," Jimin responded. "We should at least—"

"We're not savages, like the other smaller clans," Hoseok cut him off. "The man wouldn't be in charge of Gangnam district if he wasn't clever. When you meet him, he'll realize he'd be better off with us, rather than against us."

"The Sugar must be after him already," Jimin blurted out. "There's no way they don't know—"

"No need to worry about that," the man pronounced meaningfully.

Jimin hesitated.

"I don't mean to ask too much, but I need to be aware of—"

"You're curious whether I got something on Min Yoongi, aren't you?" Hoseok smiled bleakly. "The answer is, no. Yet, there's been a significant development in our... relationship."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"We've reached an understanding. From now on, we don't mess with them, they don't mess with us."

"W-What?" Jimin raised his eyebrows. "So we're now—at peace with Sugar? What about the districts they took? Our nightclubs in Itaewon? Our—"

"We underestimated them," Hoseok answered promptly. "The time has come to admit it, on our terms, while the situation is still under our control."

"So what now?" Park couldn't conceal bitterness in his tone. "Hope is the second most powerful?"

"I'd say we're about the same," Hoseok replied serenely. "Still the first, if you take decades of my father's and his predecessors' experience into account."

There was something else behind the words he said.

"Are you setting up—something?"

"Would I be discussing that with you, if I was, Park Jimin?"

Jimin took the hint.

"Is there anything left unclear for you regarding your job?"

Bribe the policeman, get into the boy's dressing room, steal the memory card, deliver it to the client.

Just as Jimin shook his head, someone knocked on the door.

"Mr. Jung?" proceeded the voice of Hoseok's personal assistant. "The stage will be ready in 5 minutes."

Hoseok stood up, looking himself leisurely in the mirror, the fine fabric of his stage outfit glowing in the mirror light.

"Times are changing, Jimin," the man said, as Park was about to leave. "We are changing as well, but we're stronger than ever."

Jimin left the dressing room with a sense of shame for having doubted Jung Hoseok.

The times, indeed, were changing, but it's only been playing in the mafia's favor.

In the past, clan leaders maintained power by balancing extreme violence with secrecy, which, ultimately, proved ineffective. Jung Hoseok was the first one who got rid of one of those constraints. Instead of hiding in a smoke-filled room, he became one of the most famous rappers in the world. A virtually untouchable music industry legend, he was the first clan leader ever to have his face put up on a billboard on Times Square.

He was the only one, until Min Yoongi became the second.