The New Groom Chapter 25

“No, it’s about your cheeks. I really did do that, but anyway. Since Inho and Secretary Yoon got slapped a few times, those weakling bastards got a few bruises on their faces, right? On top of that, since our Executive Director’s cheeks were swollen puffy, I’m sure people think I lined you all up and gave you a beating. The President heard that ridiculous rumor and called me in a little while ago to ask. He asked if I had beaten you.”

“…Th-the rumor?”

“But you told them it was mosquito bites, didn’t you? How can you come up with such an excuse? The Seoul National University prestige is weeping, weeping. Kyahaha.”

Knowing the full story drained me of energy. The tears that had been half-spilling out vanished as if they’d never been there. Lee Jeongrok’s legs lost all strength, and he slumped down, abandoning all decorum. Joo Seungchan squatted down as well to face him. His face, grinning broadly with the umbrella handle resting on his shoulder, was so detestable it made me want to cry.

“Honestly, how are you going to get by in this world with such a weak heart, Young Master? You would have been in real trouble if it weren’t for me.”

I don’t know about anything else, but if it weren’t for Joo Seungchan, life would have been a hundred times easier.

“If you cry on the street, the rumor will spread even more. Stop. Stop those tears, Young Master.”

“I’m not crying. I said I’m not.”

“Your eyes are welling up, yet you’re still trying to act tough.”

“…”

“Oh? Are you looking at me provocatively again?”

“When did I…”

“Damn it, what do I do. I think I’m getting hard again.”

“…”

I was so dumbfounded I had nothing to say.

Lee Jeongrok remained squatting, holding his forehead. Joo Seungchan didn’t urge him and waited. He puffed on a cigarette, spun his umbrella to splash water, and whenever he saw a familiar face among the passersby, he would cheerfully strike up a conversation, saying, “What did you have for lunch? Is it good there?” He was acting so distractedly that Lee Jeongrok eventually stood up.

Joo Seungchan walked through the pouring rain without hesitation. He strode ahead without a care, regardless of whether his shoes got stained or his pant hems got soaked. Lee Jeongrok pushed aside even his rage and hatred for Joo Seungchan and fell into pure bewilderment.

How can someone be so carefree? How can such a simple-minded, ignorant human exist in this world? Does he even think while he lives? Does he even know what thinking is? Joo Seungchan didn’t feel like a human wearing the same skin. He felt like a beast, similar to a person but like a monkey or a chimpanzee.

Somehow, he was swept along, and even as they sat facing each other at the galbitang restaurant, he intently stared only at Joo Seungchan’s face.

“Why?”

Joo Seungchan, who had been taking out and setting down their utensils, said abruptly.

“Is Seungchan’s face too handsome?”

“…”

“Is it handsome even if you look again and again? Just can’t take your eyes off me? You want to keep looking at me over and over? Is that it?”

“What on earth do you believe in to be so confident?”

Lee Jeongrok asked, half out of anger and half out of pure curiosity.

“Do you really think you’ll be fine even after committing… that kind of act?”

“I am fine, though.”

“That’s what I mean. I’m asking how long you think you’ll continue to be fine. You… damn it, dealing with a gangster bastard like you is nothing.”

“Whoa, damn. I’ve lived long enough to see the day I get threatened by the Young Master.”

It was, in his own way, a killing blow, but Joo Seungchan laughed it off. His face, which only cared about cutting up kimchi and radish for his side dish or thinking about stuffing his face, was deathly detestable. I wanted to throw the jar of cubed radish at Joo Seungchan’s thick skull.

“Do you think I’ll just take this lying down?”

“Then what are you going to do about it?”

Joo Seungchan asked back, crunching on a large piece of cubed radish.

“Are you going to tell on me to the Young Lady? Or the President?”

“…”

“If you want to report me, go ahead. I’m curious to see what will happen, too.”

A thousand fires were burning inside me. Lee Jeongrok, thoroughly provoked, leaned his upper body deeply forward and growled.

“Do you think it’s necessary to make a scene just to get rid of one gangster bastard? I can just contact my friends in Seoul and look into it. If you throw a few pennies at trash-like pigs like you, you’ll even kill people, right? Why would I make a big deal out of it when I could just bring in such a butcher to take care of it?”

“Try it then.”

Joo Seungchan sniffled. I didn’t expect him to be scared by this level of threat, but the fact that he really didn’t even blink made me so angry my body felt hot. Joo Seungchan poured oil onto his already boiling insides.

“Nice. You have friends who will call a hitman for you and risk going to prison for the Young Master. Honestly, I thought you lived a totally wasted life. Since you got married and never even met a friend once. Kyahaha.”

“…”

“Whether you call a hitman and bury me in a mountain, or dump me in the East Sea, just do whatever you want, Young Master. I like mountains, I like the sea, I like everything.”

“…You, you.”

His cackling made my stomach turn. Since he wasn’t swayed in the slightest, a stubbornness surged up to my throat. Lee Jeongrok snapped without even taking a breath.

“Gangster bastards like you don’t know how scary the world is. You act all high and mighty with just a pathetic fist, but that pathetic fist is nothing. You bug-like bastard. Try it? Why don’t you try it? Yeah, you dog son of a bitch. Watch your back at night. I’ll pay you back exactly the same and kill you.”

“That’s right. Gangster bastards like me are blockheads, so we don’t know how scary the world is. But you’re not like that, Young Master.”

“What did I…”

“You have so, so many things you’re afraid of, Young Master. Don’t you?”

Joo Seungchan, who was resting his elbows on the table, spread out his five fingers. He counted them off one by one, listing the things Lee Jeongrok was “afraid of.”

“You’re afraid you’ll get caught by the Young Lady, afraid you’ll fall out of favor with the President, afraid you’ll lose your position to Yoongi hyung-nim, afraid your friends will find out you’re living like this, and most of all, you’re just so, so afraid of Seungchan.”

“…Who’s afraid. That’s… I’m not afraid. Someone like you…”

“But I don’t have anything I’m afraid of.”

Just in time, the ordered galbitang and dumplings arrived. Facing the steaming clay pot of galbitang, Joo Seungchan flicked his spoon.

“People who have a lot like you, Young Master, have a lot to lose, so they have a lot to be afraid of, but a penniless guy like me has nothing to be afraid of. Because I have absolutely nothing.”

“…You cheeky bastard.”

Lee Jeongrok scoffed loudly.

“There is no one in this world who has nothing to lose.”

That’s right. There is no one in this world who has nothing to lose. And there is certainly no one who has nothing to fear. Even if you just cut your finger, you feel the stinging pain, so why would you have nothing to lose? No one in the world wants to cut their finger for no reason.

Unexpectedly, Joo Seungchan agreed right away.

“Yeah, that’s right. No matter how penniless I am, there is one thing I’m afraid of losing.”

“…”

I had an overwhelming urge to ask what it was, but I didn’t think he would tell me even if I asked. However, unexpectedly, Joo Seungchan went on obediently.

“You, Young Master.”

“…”

“I only need you. So, if you and I clash, it’s a fight I’ll always win.”

A curse escaped my lips involuntarily.

“You crazy bastard…”

“Yup, Seungchan is a crazy bastard. Crazy for our Young Master…”

“Shut up. Keep your mouth shut. Please, don’t say things like that, please.”

“Haha.”

“…”

Even after being cursed at to his face, Joo Seungchan just grinned happily. I was struck dumb, and my nose was blocked with frustration. I realized this is what it feels like to talk to a wall. I no longer had the energy to refute his absurd nonsense. I just didn’t want to engage in conversation. I didn’t want to deal with him, and I certainly didn’t want to sit and eat with him.

Joo Seungchan chatted nonchalantly, mixing rice into his galbitang.

“You’re a greedy person, Young Master. Thanks to that, I have nothing to worry about.”

“…”

Joo Seungchan ate greedily, as if the steaming broth wasn’t even hot. Lee Jeongrok, who had been huffing because his rage hadn’t subsided, snatched up his spoon.

Lee Jeongrok, who had devoured the galbitang and dumplings while burning with rage and fervor, ended up with severe indigestion. As soon as he arrived at the company, he threw up everything he had eaten. He collapsed onto the floor of the restroom attached to his office and vomited out every last drop of the soup remaining in his stomach. Joo Seungchan, who was squatting beside him, patted his back a bit aggressively. He hit him hard enough to make a thumping sound, but instead of being painful, it was refreshing. Thanks to that, it felt like the terrible indigestion was beginning to subside.