IRLPLBIO Chapter 50 Part 1

드르르륵.

Jeong Seung-dae, loudly dragging his carrier, whistled. Jae-gu’s eyebrows shot up sharply as he watched Jeong Seung-dae, who was excitedly skipping and even jumping in the entryway.

“Well, look at you?”

Jeong Seung-dae saw Jae-gu standing with his arms crossed but, far from being intimidated, raised his arm briskly.

“Hello, bro! I’m back!”

“Hello, my foot.”

Jae-gu tilted his head wryly and crooked a finger. He was slumped deep into the sofa with his feet on the table, and his toes were twitching nervously.

Sensing that something was amiss, Jeong Seung-dae promptly closed his beaming mouth. He scurried over and stood at attention, his eyes darting about wildly. He was trying to grasp the situation belatedly, but it was already difficult to get information from an annoyed Jae-gu.

“Uhm, what seems to be the matter…?”

“Why haven’t you been in contact, you?”

“Huh? Th-that’s…”

Jeong Seung-dae subtly shifted his gaze. He was looking at Kwang-cheol approaching from behind Jae-gu.

Kwang-cheol gave a charming smile and subtly pressed a finger to his lips, and Jeong Seung-dae nodded gravely. It meant that ‘that day’s’ events were a secret between the two of them.

But then, the very next moment, his face became aggrieved. If Kwang-cheol wasn’t going to help, Jeong Seung-dae himself was the only one who had to deal with Jae-gu.

“Ah, you told me to handle it myself, so I was handling it well myself…”

“Right, I told you to handle it, but did I tell you to shut up and keep it all to yourself? What am I supposed to think when a con artist goes silent? Huh?”

“Uhm, it’s not a con… No, before that, you were the one who suggested this job in the first place…”

“Tsk.”

Jae-gu made a sound of swallowing air, and Jeong Seung-dae immediately shut his mouth. Then, with an even more aggrieved look, he glanced at Kwang-cheol. His eyes pleaded for at least a word of support.

“Hyung, can’t you listen to him slowly?”

“How can I trust a con artist bastard?”

“It’s not about building trust; it’s about trusting the money.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Just as you said, Leo Jeong is a con artist, so he’ll move towards whatever is more profitable.”

Kwang-cheol’s hand wrapped around Jae-gu’s shoulder. Jae-gu flinched, feeling intensely hot for a moment.

Kwang-cheol was greatly pleased that Jae-gu was conscious of him. Even if Jae-gu was completely oblivious in such matters, persistent effort eventually paid off, and the realization was incredibly sweet.

Only Jeong Seung-dae, already branded a con artist even before properly conning anyone, grumbled his dissatisfaction inwardly.

“Then he won’t betray us. Because we promised a greater profit.”

Kwang-cheol looked directly at Jeong Seung-dae as if asking, ‘Right?’ His slightly narrowed eyes seemed to dig deep into a person’s true intentions.

Jeong Seung-dae’s knees buckled in fright, and he involuntarily pressed them together. His head bobbed up and down uncontrollably, against his will.

“…Alright.”

Jae-gu told Jeong Seung-dae, “Sit.” As he hurriedly plopped onto the sofa, Jeong Seung-dae glanced at Kwang-cheol one more time. The intense aura that had previously startled him was nowhere to be found in Kwang-cheol’s expression as he looked at Jae-gu.

Jeong Seung-dae had met Kwang-cheol without Jae-gu only once, before Kwang-cheol’s meeting with Han Yun-cheol. Kwang-cheol, who had even rented an officetel as a means to spruce up Jeong Seung-dae’s appearance, had arrived a step ahead on the day Jeong Seung-dae moved in.

Jeong Seung-dae had found Kwang-cheol very difficult from their first meeting. If his fear of Jae-gu stemmed from violence, an inexplicable sense of intimidation emanated from Kwang-cheol.

From Kwang-cheol in his school uniform, Jeong Seung-dae strangely envisioned a beast half-hidden in the darkness. The moment the beast’s pupils slightly narrowed, exploring its prey, Jeong Seung-dae’s liver shriveled up with it.

Outward appearance or age didn’t matter. The moment predator and prey, dominance and submission, were divided, Jeong Seung-dae’s position was set.

“Wh-what did you call me for…?”

Jeong Seung-dae wasn’t ashamed that his voice was trembling to a ridiculous degree. If anyone had seen Kwang-cheol like this, they, too, would have been as polite as he was.

As soon as Jeong Seung-dae sat down, Kwang-cheol got straight to the point.

“Let’s establish an investment company.”

These weren’t words an innocent-faced youth in a school uniform should be uttering. Jeong Seung-dae’s hands, resting on his knees, twitched. He suddenly thought that Jae-gu and Kwang-cheol were alike in their abruptness.

But that was that, and this was this. He needed to know exactly what kind of work he was being asked to do. He wasn’t a vending machine that popped out whatever he was told to do; he couldn’t endlessly take on tasks. Jeong Seung-dae raised his head, prepared to object if necessary.

“Wh-what! What are you… saying…?”

“…”

“I… I need to know so I can do the work…”

Looking into Kwang-cheol’s eyes, which seemed unfazed even if a mountain collapsed before him, Jeong Seung-dae’s considerable courage completely deflated. His voice dropping significantly, Jeong Seung-dae watched Kwang-cheol warily.

While Jeong Seung-dae’s expression changed dramatically, Kwang-cheol’s remained inscrutable. It was a moment later that Kwang-cheol’s silent lips parted.

“I’m not suggesting we create one domestically. The British Virgin Islands or Hong Kong would be acceptable.”

“A-are you serious? This isn’t a metaphor, is it?”

“Do I look like I’m joking?”

“Ah, no, it’s not that… Of course, you wouldn’t be…”

“Then, perhaps, you don’t have a passport?”

Kwang-cheol tilted his head slightly. He seemed to be pondering if Jeong Seung-dae couldn’t get a passport, assuming he had no prior criminal record.

His face burning, Jeong Seung-dae quickly shook his head.

“It’s not that…”

He cleared his throat and spoke properly again. He couldn’t just say “Yes, yes” every time. Since it was his job, wasn’t it okay to offer an opinion? Of course, if Jae-gu overheard this thought, he’d probably get smacked hard enough to have a hole punched in his head.