The Taste of Money (2)
-You bastards have really struck it rich.
I heard Black’s voice from inside my ear.
Then, after swallowing a mouthful of melon, Mong-Doo said to me.
“Partying like this is also hard work. It’s so tiring that I could just die.”
Of course he was actually talking to Black.
Both Mong-Doo and I had tiny earphones concealed in our ears.
With a huff of exhaustion, I followed his lead.
“That’s right. Not just anyone can do something like this.”
-What! These bastards. Hey! If that’s the case, get out! Let me take your place instead.
This was already the third weekend that Mong-Doo and I had come here to clock some hours.
With work on the case filling our weekdays, it felt like we were cutting our lives short by running over here every weekend.
“How is your girlfriend these days?”
“Well, like usual.”
By mentioning our sister-in-law2, Mong-Doo delivered a counterblow.
While laughing, I had played along with him.
-Cheeky bastards…
“That’s right. What about the products? Are you keeping them safe?”
-They’re fine, punk. The storage stayed clear today as well.
The team leader was keeping an eye on the drugs that Dal-Gon had told us about.
It was in case one of the Guma gang members found a clue from somewhere else and came looking for it.
While reclining our weary bodies on the sofa, Mong-Doo and I sipped our drinks.
Although we had to drink because of the atmosphere, we couldn’t let ourselves get drunk so it wasn’t too hard on us.
-Anyway, will today be a bust as well?
“We can’t let that happen.”
This was already our third try.
Placing our faith in the saying, ‘anything can be solved with enough money’, we had put this plan into practice.
But although we had thrown out a line to try and hook the club’s manager, Madam Shim had yet to make an appearance after all this time.
Something might even have come up to prevent her from appearing.
Even though we needed to meet her in the first place, just to see if we could make any progress on our case.
At first the plan had been to try and buy her favor using money, but by now it seemed like it would be enough of a success to just catch a glimpse of her.
Because Song Dae-Ak’s trail was growing increasingly colder.
I took a gulp of my drink.
The burning sensation slid down my throat.
-Newbie. Give me a pan of the room.
While pretending to tidy my shirt, I grabbed hold of a button.
The lens that was disguised in the button had already captured every inch of Exodus’s interior.
Following Black’s instruction, I swung it left and right.
-Hm. Have they changed the stage’ structure? It’s a little different from the last time.
At that moment.
Crash-
“Kyaaa!”
“This bitch!”
I heard the sound of a commotion coming from a nearby table.
That table also had group seating and several men were gathered around it.
As wine bottles and glasses rolled off the table and smashed on the floor, it attracted the stares of the surrounding guests.
Over there, a man was roughly pulling on a lady’s hair.
Rather than his youthful looks, the man’s tacky attire was his most memorable feature.
“Oh my. What’s going on?”
“Where did Manager-oppa go?”
“He left for the office earlier saying that he needed to settle some accounts.”
“That old man. Why is he doing something like that now of all times? Did the rest of the oppas go with him?”
Of all the times this could have happened, only the waiters remained in the hall and there was no one left who was able to handle the rowdy guest.
The other guests who were with him also became flustered, and tried to pull his arm away.
Looking at their outfits, they weren’t just some hanger-ons.
But even though they all appeared to at least be friends, it was clear who was the leader of this pack.
“Moon-Joong-ah. Let’s not do this…”
“Let go. This lowly bitch!”
Slap-!
“Aaah!”
The rough hand of the man called Moon-Joong struck the woman’s cheek.
Just as I had reflexively stood up to head over there-
“Buddy.”
Mong-Doo grabbed on to me.
“Before you move, think of the big picture. Remember why we’re here.”
Footnotes:
2. Black’s wife if this wasn’t clear.