The New Groom Chapter 14

“Yeah, you little brat. Once I win the lottery, I’ll get your nose fixed first. Just wait a little. Huh? I’m almost at first place; next week, I’m definitely hitting the jackpot.”

“Yes, yes. A-alright.”

“Go to the hospital tomorrow. Do you have the hospital fees?”

“I, I, I have it, hyung-nim. It’s okay.”

“What do you mean you have it, you little brat. Stop by before you go to the hospital tomorrow, I’ll cover the medical expenses. Come with Secretary Yoon, holding hands together. You got it?”

Chief Joo smiled brightly. The driver kept nodding while trembling.

“Yes, hyu, hyung-nim. Th-th-thank you.”

“Yeah, alright. Take good care of Secretary Yoon and get in. Make sure you stop by before going to the hospital, okay?”

“Yes, hyung-nim! Get home safely!”

Chief Joo, who had thrown the cigarette butt at Secretary Yoon, who was sobbing on the ground, turned around. It had been an assault lasting a full 30 minutes.

Lee Jeongrok, who had watched every single scene without missing anything, was dumbfounded. His mouth hung open, unable to close. It was his first time watching such a bloody scene of violence right in front of his eyes. Because it didn’t feel real, he just stared dazedly at Chief Joo, who was approaching with long strides. The shock of almost drowning at Go Yoongi’s villa had cleanly vanished. No, now even the memory of it was becoming blurred.

Chief Joo, who had approached nonchalantly, naturally supported the frozen Lee Jeongrok. Heat radiated from the entire body of Chief Joo, who had been beating a man for 30 minutes on a hot and humid day. His rigidly tensed muscles and scorching body temperature were transmitted fully through his wet clothes. Lee Jeongrok, who had reflexively grabbed his collar while walking, stared up at Chief Joo openly.

He felt like a different person.

Of course, he had known Chief Joo was a gangster. He hadn’t asked him directly, “Are you a gangster?”, but unless he was a fool, he had no choice but to know. It was a question where the answer was obvious just by looking at his way of speaking and behavior.

That was it. He had judged him just by his way of speaking and behavior, but he had never actually seen him do anything “gangster-like,” such as threats or violence. On the contrary, his heart had melted at the thoughtful and kind aspects that didn’t fit a gangster, so he had let his guard down and leaned on him.

How could a person do that to another person? So ruthlessly.

But, a person can also be that way for the sake of another. Can become that ruthless.

He felt like a different person, but Lee Jeongrok wasn’t afraid of Chief Joo. A foolish delusion even crossed his mind: what if he had been there with him at that villa? If the man who stood on his side so intensely, so radically, without any hesitation had been there then. He would have assaulted Go Yoongi in the same way—no, perhaps even more cruelly. He might even have beaten him to death. Thinking that, he felt reassured, as if he had gained an army of ten thousand, and the two arms supporting him felt strong like iron.

“Geez, it tickles. Why don’t you stop staring? You’re going to pierce through my face.”

“…”

“Hey? Didn’t I tell you to stop looking? I know I’m handsome even if you don’t look at me like that.”

Even though Chief Joo was openly complaining, Lee Jeongrok stared at him as if bewitched. He was so captivated by a deep friendship that couldn’t be expressed in words that he couldn’t take his eyes off him.

Chief Joo, who rode the elevator with him, brought Lee Jeongrok to the second-floor bedroom. As he trembled violently, being completely soaked, Chief Joo even showed the thoughtfulness of adjusting the air conditioner for him. Lee Jeongrok sat frozen in an armchair and watched Chief Joo. He, who had been bustling about, closing the curtains and preparing water, brought a bathrobe from the en-suite bathroom.

“Even if it’s summer, you’ll catch a cold if you stay like that. Wash up quickly and sleep.”

“…”

Instead of answering, Lee Jeongrok stared blankly at him. Chief Joo let out a deep sigh as if raising his hands in defeat at the persistent gaze.

“Yeah, I know, Chief Joo was pretty cool today, right? I know, I know. I get it, so go to sleep now.”

“…”

“I’m really going now. Treat those cheeks well. See you on Monday, General Manager. Bye-bye.”

Chief Joo, who had waved his hand, turned around. The moment he reached for the bedroom door handle, Lee Jeongrok threw away the robe and rose to his feet.

“…W, wait a second.”

Chief Joo, holding the door handle, looked back. Lee Jeongrok managed to steady his trembling legs and approached. However, he couldn’t easily open his mouth and just looked up at him silently. He wanted to say thank you or give some kind of greeting, but the words wouldn’t come out. After facing Chief Joo, who was looking down at him silently for a while, Lee Jeongrok impulsively hugged him.

Once their bodies touched, the hesitation in his heart melted away like spring snow. He felt like he might burst into tears for no reason at his warm body temperature. He hugged Chief Joo tightly and whispered.

“Th, thank you.”

“…”

“Just…”

Lee Jeongrok, who had taken a deep breath, buried his face in his shoulder.

“Thank you.”

Chief Joo did not answer. He was even grateful that he didn’t answer. Lee Jeongrok, who had exhaled a long breath, let him go.

His legs were still trembling and his startled heart was pounding, but he wasn’t as terrified to the point of panic as before. He could be alone until his wife returned. He looked up at Chief Joo and smiled vaguely. It was a heartfelt smile he had shown almost for the first time since moving to Jangchang.

“Get home safely. See you on Monday.”

“…”

Lee Jeongrok, who had turned around, walked trudgingly toward the bathroom attached to the bedroom. He wanted to quickly fill the bathtub with hot water and soak his body. It was when he threw his damp suit jacket on the floor and was leaning his hands against the wall to take off his socks one by one.

“Ouch…”

In an instant, his arm was grabbed with a force strong enough to make him scream. Lee Jeongrok was spun around with such force that he lost his balance. Chief Joo was looking down at him with an expressionless face. A startled Lee Jeongrok stammered.

“Why, why? What is…”

“You fucking asshole.”

An unexpected stream of profanity spilled out. Lee Jeongrok froze as if he had been doused with cold water. Chief Joo, breathing out through his teeth, whispered.

“Since I’ve been treating you nicely, you’re crawling up without fear, huh?”

“What did you say…”

“Why are you acting up? Being all cheeky.”

There was no time to demand an explanation. Chief Joo pushed him forcefully while holding his arm. Lee Jeongrok was tossed and tumbled onto the bed as if he had been thrown away. When the cozy and soft blanket, the familiar sensation, touched his face, he suddenly felt goosebumps.

He couldn’t even guess why Chief Joo had suddenly changed and was acting like a madman, or what was going to happen next, but Lee Jeongrok instinctively bounced up. Chief Joo grabbed him by the neck as he tried to get off the bed blindly and shoved him back onto the bed.

A fearful premonition welled up terribly from deep in his stomach. A thought he had never imagined in his entire life flashed through his head like lightning. Cold sweat broke out all over his body. Lee Jeongrok looked at Chief Joo while backing away to the head of the bed.

“Wh, what is it? All of a sudden.”

He was panting as if his lungs were turning inside out, like someone who had just sprinted.

“Why, why are you doing this, Chief Joo. Why all of a sudden…”

“I told you to just wash up quickly and sleep, General Manager.”

“What on earth…”

“Why the fuck are you wagging your tail? You dog. I was going to let you go nicely. Huh?”

Chief Joo grinned, revealing his teeth. His canines were unusually sharp. Lee Jeongrok was a bright and quick-witted man. He slowly began to understand the situation he was in.

Lee Jeongrok, with tears half-welling in his eyes, stammered.

“I… it’s still al, alright. It’s still al… Chief Joo, i, if you leave now, I, I won’t, I’ll let this slide.”

“Slide what?”

Chief Joo asked back with a smiling face.

“What, what are you going to let slide. What do you think I’m going to do.”

“I’m giving you a chance! I…”

Lee Jeongrok, who had inadvertently glanced down at his crotch, couldn’t continue. At some point, a heavy outline could be glimpsed in Chief Joo’s suit pants. It was so explicit that it couldn’t be hidden, but Chief Joo himself didn’t seem to have the slightest intention of covering it up. He clearly revealed what he wanted. Thanks to that, Lee Jeongrok now accurately understood what was about to happen to him.

“…Yo, you crazy bastard.”

Chief Joo, who licked his lower lip, laughed without a sound.

As soon as Chief Joo raised his knee onto the bed, Lee Jeongrok rolled off to the other side. Power returned to his faltering legs as if by a miracle. He kicked off the floor like an athlete and bolted. He ran toward the entrance of the bedroom with all his might, knocking over chairs, tables, and lamps.