Chapter Text
Mujin
♤
2022
"-and then this guy whose head is so over the clouds because his whole fucking family is in the Police, missed the target. Missed. The. Target. Can you believe it?" Jiwoo cut herself and laughed loudly. "He couldn't even hit a 2 but when you listen to him, you would think he is Katniss Everdeen or something. She is an excellent archer in a book series," she added hurriedly when Mujin burrowed a little. "I read it last week. They make us read one book for each week because they don't want us to die out of boredom. Or they want us to die out of boredom. Depends on who you ask. I think i like dystopian books with strong female main characters. Do you read, sir?"
He just continued to smoke while looking at her. She probably didn't expect an answer so she just gambled on.
"There are some mafia books, too but they are so cringe. I mean no mafia would just leave everything he works for his whole life for a girl he just met, right? Mostly stupid romance books. I can write better than most of them since i am in mafia now." She laughed again then realized Mujin was giving her a dark look. "I mean -i thought it wouldn't be suspicious since i tell people i want to go into Narcotics, right? Would it be a problem? Okay, no more mafia books. Don't look at me like that. It's like you are looking for a reason to get angry with me, sir."
Mujin didn't know what to do with her mood swings. She was literally like a roller coaster -one moment, she was talking nonstop whatever he looked interested or not, one moment she didn't even seem like she was alive. He was just ignoring her chatting most of the time since he wanted her to feel connected to him to gain her loyalty. And she was always saying some stuff about herself between her lines that he could use against her later.
But if he had to be one hundred percent honest with himself and add one more reason, he was somehow addicted to her presence. He liked whatever she was talkative or silent and he enjoyed to hear about her life for some reason.
"What did you score?" he asked ignoring all of the other stuff she talked about.
"12, of course. You don't have to insult me, sir."
Mujin smirked at her. "Good. Busy week, huh?"
"Yes," she answered and sighed. "I don't like school. I wish i could just get into the Narco right now. How was your week?" she asked cheerfully.
Mujin looked at her smiling face and wondered if he already managed to win her over.
"Same as usual," he decided to answer to her. "We started making international business. I was out of country for a business this Thursday. And there was a raid to the club yesterday. We got into a fight with Chilsung last Friday. Nothing exciting like your days, clearly. All boring stuff."
Jiwoo looked at him for a moment then burst into laughing. He couldn't help but chuckle also.
Now
Mujin just got back from his meeting with Jiwoo and got together with his lawyer at the courtyard of the hotel. He was still trying to drink the shit Jiwoo made for him.
"They offer their ship for the meeting on Wednesday. After midnight. What should we tell them?"
"Tell them i will be there if i see their boss on the ship also. We will check before going in. And no helicopters. Otherwise no deal."
Mujin was used to going these meetings with big campaigns of other countries but this one was just risky. On the ship and without their boss? No way.
He was not just any other boss of a gang. He was the head of the biggest drug ring in the country and they better know about it before having him brought to them. The price was so big that he couldn't just ignore the offer but he gotta be cautious anyway.
"Okay, sir. I will let them know. Goodnight."
Mujin bowed his head to her as a gesture and watched her leave before stopping her.
"Miss Kang," she turned to him with a suprised face. "Does it ever bother you that you are kind of an isolated member of the gang?"
Her shock grew bigger at his question.
"No, sir. I am happy where i am."
Mujin looked at her suspiciously.
"Tell me how you truly feel. That's an order. I will know if you lie."
"Well..." she looked a little unsure but continued. "I wouldn't say it bothers me but sometimes i wonder who would actually care if i died. Or i wonder if i truly touched someone's life in my whole life. It feels lonely sometimes but i know it is safer for me this way. I can do my job as a lawyer to a pretty good price and have a luxury life like i always wanted. I have cars, money, world trip on holidays and everything thanks to you. So no, i am not bothered."
"Hmmm. So no rose without a thorn?"
"Exactly, sir."
"I see." Mujin looked at her curiously while he absorbed her words. He realized that was the first time he heard about her personal thoughts since she became his employee.
Because you never cared to ask her about it.
I don't care about my members' personal feelings. I just care about their works.
But you do care about one certain member's feelings, right?
No, i just care about her doubts about the gang and me. I need her to stay loyal to me.
"Is this about me, sir?" Miss Kang asked worriedly and interrupted Mujin's thoughts. He gave her a half smile.
"No. It is about another isolated member. I feel like she has some doubts about the gang time to time."
"Well, women are more complicated than men when it comes to emotions, sir. But i'm sure she will see you are doing this for her own safety and accept it after a time like i did."
Mujin studied her behind his bottle. He wondered if she could be right about Jiwoo coming around.
Probably not since Miss Kang knows all about the gang stuff beforehand and Jiwoo learns just a few of them after everything already happened.
But she will learn some of them even before me now she is in the Narco.
Yeah but that would hardly make her feel bonded to the gang.
"Goodnight, Miss Kang. Good job today."
"Goodnight, sir."
Taeju came to him after a couple of minutes.
"Miss Kang is saying you will go to the meeting by yourself? Is that true?"
"Yes. They want me." he got ready to another argument with Taeju.
"So? They better know you are the fucking leader of -what are you drinking?"
Mujin sighed. Years passed and Taeju lost nothing from his skeptical nature.
You owe where you are today to his skeptical nature, said the fucking noise in his head again so he hurriedly answer Taeju to don't listen to it.
"Chamomile tea. Want some?" he asked already knowing the answer.
"No. Since when do you -" Mujin smirked when he saw Taeju's face grimaced with realization. "She gave it to you, didn't you? You don't drink anything except alcohol including water, but you just carelessly drank this thing that a girl who is about to be in the Narco gave to you. Perfect."
"She is in the Narco," Mujin corrected him. "She made it in today. Things would be much easier for us after she gain their trust."
Mujin raised the bottle and drank what is left of the tea.
It better be useful to insomnia, my girl. I am sure even if you put poison in it it wouldn't taste this bad.
"I don't know, Choi. I just don't trust her."
"Don't i know it," Mujin said looking at his right hand man. "You two better get used to each other though. You will be seeing each other more probably since she is not in the Academy anymore."
"Why? Does she still need a babysitter?" Taeju grumbled but changed his tone when he saw Mujin's look. "Okay. I'm sorry, sir. I will try to ignore her for your sake. And i am coming with you to the meeting."
"No way," Mujin said. "You know it will be risky. At least one of us should stay behind as a what if situation."
"And it should be you," Taeju said stubbornnessly. "If you are going, then i'm going. You know i could help with you convincing them real fast."
Mujin had to give him that. Taeju was always a snarky man and could get into people's skin with his words unlike Mujin. He could see he was gonna be a perfect boss one day. So he was glad the young man was so loyal to him that he didn't even consider to let Mujin go to his own death so he could be the boss.
"Fine, Taeju. Leave me alone now." Taeju left without a word.
Mujin picked up his phone and dialed Sangwoo's number who was at his last year in the Academy.
"Sir? I can't talk so much right now. Is everything okay?"
"Yes, Sangwoo. I wanted to know if you are doing fine."
"Thank you, sir. I am doing pretty well. Graduation is one month later as you know. Then i am in the Narco after a year."
"And after that you will be right back in the gang, don't worry. Goodnight." Mujin hang up on him and put his phone to his pocket.
He made the habit of checking up Sangwoo everytime Jiwoo messed with his head. And it did happened a lot. That was a relief for him to know that Sangwoo was just around the corner to finish the job he gave to Jiwoo and Mujin could kill Jiwoo anytime he wanted.
For the last 5 years, he thought about just killing her a few times. Not because he already had an inside man who was about to be in the Narco. It was because Jiwoo confused him.
He knew he was heartless enough to just finish her off if he had to, but he admitted himself that he liked the fact that she trusts him a long time ago.
But this night, he felt like he was not lying really when he told her he trusts her. And it bothered him so much.
He planned to win her trust but he didn't plan to lose his' to her.
Do i actually trust her? She clearly trusts me but she doesn't know me. Why would i trust her even though i know her?
Because you raised her and you know she only has you. You chose the one who had no choice but you.
I can't trust a girl whose father betrayed me the worst. Betrayal could be running in their family.
Her father risked his life for you when he had no trust in you. She would do everything for you since she also trusts you.
Mujin tried to clear his mind and went to his bed hoping Jiwoo's tea actually works.
They were just about to make the deal with the Japan organizators when the police came.
The Narcotics came.
He was furious just as they got themselves out of the fire zone. He saw Jiwoo and that Pildo bloke from the corner of his eye. Jiwoo's gun was aimed at Sergeant's arm but he was still angry at her that she didn't let him know.
That's the end of the argument, then. She should have told me this no matter what. I was wrong to trust her.
Listen to her first. That's just her 3rd day in the Narco. You know she already has issues in the office.
Mujin threw his tie and phone to opposite sides of the room. He ripped open his shirt and pour himself a drink.
I knew something was off about this meeting. What kind of an idiot suggests a meeting in a place nowhere to run?
The kind of idiot who made a deal with the Police.
He drank the whole visky and threw the glass to the wall also.
"Did they capture any of our men?"
"Only one, sir." Taeju answered. "Thankfully we didn't go crowded."
"Learn how many of their men got arrested. Call Miss Kang immediately for our man and possible evidents we left."
"Yes, sir." Taeju hung back hesitatly but he knew better to argue with him at that moment so he left.
Just answer her, his 2nd voice said to him. She wouldn't call you constantly if she was really digging your hole.
Or she would do that thinking i wouldn't expect her to do.
Mujin watched the phone rang and opened it at the last minute.
"Boss? Why aren't you answering? I swear they didn't tell me. You know they don't trust me still."
"Couldn't you find a break to send a message?" he held his voice cold to not show her his dissappointment.
"No, they always watch me. They collected our phones before the operation, anyway. There was just no way. I'm sorry. You are okay though, right?"
"Yes," he said flatly. He still couldn't bring himself to forgive her for some reason. "Was it you who shot the machine?"
"...no." she said after a short pause. "I was planning to but they are just so suspicious of me, sir. Sergeant would definitely saw and i would be kicked out of Narco. So i didn't do anything before i heard the shot. We didn't even make it to the ship yet at that moment anyway. I think they will give me a break now since i didn't give any trouble."
"Do they suspect you about the shoot?" he asked.
"They did first but Sergeant and two of my teammes were just next to me and they confirmed to superiors it wasn't me. So i am fine. It was probably some other new Corporal in other teams."
"Fine." Mujin thought about how hard it would be changing the bullets if it was her who shot so he was glad it wasn't.
Going back to trusting her, then.
Shouldn't i?
You tell me. Why are you giving her a cold shoulder still?
"So we are good?" she asked silently.
"Whatever."
"Goodnight, boss."
He hung up the phone and lighted up a cigaratte.
Why did she hesitate to answer about the bullet? Is she lying? But it would be better for her to just say it was her who shot.
No, she was probably worried about you would get angry at her when you hear she didn't even shoot to warn you.
Mujin inhaled from his cigarette deeply and looked outside of the window.
He was not disturbed that she didn't tell him about the operation. He believed she didn't know about it. But would she shoot if no one shot before her? Would she choose herself over him? That disturbed Mujin. He expected her to put him first before everything, even herself. But her hesitant answer got him suspicious.
He put a note to his mind to test her soon about what her first choice would be.
Herself or Mujin.