I understand how this little boy feels and what he's going through right now but I don't believe this is what he should be doing.
Or is this what should I be doing? Should I want Nico dead, too?
"I know, but you hunt criminals, right?" Chan said.
"Yes, those who have bounty on their heads, and we surrender them to the cops." Jeonghan explained.
"I will put the bounty on him instead." I offered.
"When you do that, you have to request it yourself, then you have to show up for the trial proceedings. You don't have a direct relation with the case so.."
"Then I will give the money to Chan and he can put the bounty himself."
"Then that's over incentivizing. See, usually those who are behind the syndicates, whether small time or bigtime, have bounty. This bounty system will stop the series of crimes sooner. If you do this on every criminal, the legal system will be useless."
"But Chan-"
"Joshua, I want you to trust the cops on this."
These words came from Jeonghan's mouth again. When I lost my dad, he also told me to trust the cops and
"Trust the cops and go back to my life." I said.
"What?"
"In short, you won't help us."
"It's not like that. We have principles to-"
"Okay. We get it. Sorry to bother you."
"Hey-"
He reached his hand but I avoided it and approached Chan.
"Do want to have lunch with me?"
"Me? Uhm.."
"Oh, okay."
"No! I don't have money.."
"Ah. It's okay, my treat."
I took the jasmine from Jun and we left the room.
"Wait." Jeonghan grabbed my wrist.
"It's okay. I get it. Principles, cops, everything."
"Don't do this alone."
He's making me laugh. He saved me and then left me alone in this world I don't know how to live in anymore. Now he told us he can't help Chan. Then he's telling me not to do this alone?
I only smiled at him and left.
Chan and I went to a burger place. I'm craving for burger with fries and cola. I want to eat my frustrations away.
"Thanks for the treat and for offering your help." Chan watched me take my first bite.
"No worries. You deserve a treat."
I noticed he hasn't touched his food.
"Don't just watch. Eat up."
"Joshua, what do you do for a living? Why do you have so much money?"
"I have my own clinic."
"Oh! Can I be your part timer?"
"What? Ah, you see, uhm."
"Am I asking too much?"
"No, uhm, it's because."
I motioned for him to come closer.
"I'm an underground doctor." I whispered.
"Oh.."
"For a man that works illegally, you're quiet charitable." He said.
"No no no. Not like that."
"Can I work part time?"
"Didn't you hear what I say?"
"I'll go the school or hospital in the morning and I'll work in your clinic at night."
"It can be dangerous."
"It's okay. I just want to be with someone. I don't want to be alone. You were the first person to show kindness to me since papa died, the first person to try to save me, so.."
I can totally relate to him. All we wanted was to be with someone at the moment. It's hard to feel lonely.
"Okay okay. If you want, you can live in my condo, too."
"Wow! I mean, you're helping me a lot, is it okay?"
"Yeah. I'm living alone, I also lost my dad so."
"Ohh. I'm sorry."
"Shh, let's just eat."
I feel less burdened somehow even though I'm going to take care of another person. I looked at him and I thought, maybe this is what it feels like to have a brother.
It's the third day of living with Chan, so far we're comfortable with each other. He is completing his internship in Gangnam General Hospital which is on the way from our condo to the clinic. So I drive there to fetch him.
When I reached the hospital, I noticed men in black polo roaming around the hospital. I actually saw these men last night.
"Joshuaaa." Chan waved.
"Look." I pointed the black polo men. "Do you think Mr. Choi is one of them?"
"They have the same outfit, but I can't see him."
"Let's close the clinic tonight. I want to observe them."
We sat inside my car while drinking iced coffee. It's 9 pm and still no Mr. Choi.
"I'm sleepy." I said.
"You can't sleep. You suggested this."
Then we saw three black polo guys walked out the hospital and rode the car.
"Don't be sleepy. I don't have license so I can't drive for you." Chan said.
"Keep me awake then."
I started the engine and followed them.
We arrived at a normal looking antique shop. It's still open so the men went through the entrance.
"That's totally suspicious. Let's check the backdoor." Chan went down as soon as I parked.
We went at the back and saw a door beside the dumpster. It is locked. But we saw a ventilation window on top of it.
We looked at each other and nodded to agree to sneak in through that. I volunteered to carry him and he will open the door from the inside.
"Boy, you're heavy."
"Shhh."
Chan reached for the window and tried to open it. He struggled and wiggled while my joints are snapping.
"Move it!" I shouted a whisper.
"Almost there!"
And viola, he opened it and jumped on the other side.
"Joshua!" Chan called from the inside.
"What?"
"Can you go through the window instead? It's padlocked from the inside."
"Really?!"
I looked at the trash bin, nope, I don't want to step on that.
"Faster!"
"Fine!"
I stepped on it and reached for the window.
"Who are you?"
A man in the same outfit pointed his gun at me.
"Uhm, Joshua?"
"Wait, stay there."
I raised my hands.
"Yeah, well, there's a man inside pointing his gun at me so I can't move." Chan said.
Chan and I reunited with the help of these men with guns. They brought us inside the antique shop through the entrance.
"Hey, it's a faster route." I said optimistically.
"Yeah, route to hell."
The men swayed a huge banner and revealed a door. They pushed us inside while still pointing their guns at us.
Inside is a sad room. Grey wall paintings, a desk set in front of the jalousies and in the middle of the room are long wooden table in between two black couches.
The rolling chair turned, a man with porcelain white skin smiled at us.
"Hi. Welcome to my antique shop."
