Please Set the Table (1)
Two men were seated, facing each other through a transparent pane of glass.
One was dressed in a blue coverall and the other in a flashy, leopard-print shirt.
The man in the blue coverall was the first to speak.
“It’s been a while, Gil-Sik-hyungnim.”
The man called Gil-Sik felt the gorge rise up to the back of his throat.
He couldn’t believe that this guy, who had decided to act up while they were in a serious crisis, was playing innocent.
However for now he had to hold back for a bit in order to get what he wanted.
“That it has. Dal-Gon-ah, how are you doing on the inside?”
“It’s not too bad. The most I can complain about is the floor being a bit too cold.”
“Sounds like you’re having it hard.”
“How is Dae-Ak-hyungnim doing?”
The conversation naturally turned in that direction.
Towards the reason that Gil-Sik had come looking for Dal-Gon today.
“I’ve heard that you made Hyungnim a promise.”
“…”
“So why, all of a sudden, have you gone back on your word? After Hyungnim swore that he would take responsibility for your mother’s medical bills.”
Dal-Gon had pleaded innocent at his trial that took place recently.
Although it was true that he had taken part in the gang fight, he denied being involved in the management of the nightclub and claimed that he was only following the orders of his superiors.
Thanks to the help of a competent lawyer, the trial was postponed and a lot of the blame was placed squarely onto Song Dae-Ak.
Dal-Gon’s face fell into a guilty frown.
As the silence flowed on, he eventually seemed to have reaffirmed his decision.
“Hyungnim. My sincere apologies for that. But more than the hospital bills, when I thought of my mother having to live all alone, I just couldn’t-”
“You idiot. Do you really think that Hyungnim will just let this go unanswered? As someone who knows Hyungnim personally, how could you do something like this?”
Undertones of reproof and regret were buried in Gil-Sik’s voice.
Because he was aware that Song Dae-Ak would turn his anger onto Dal-Gon’s mother.
Noticing this, Dal-Gon’s expression grew fearsome.
“If you lay a finger on my mother, I won’t let any of you rest in peace.”
“Big words from a guy trapped in jail.”
“Despite being locked up, I still have my means. Do you really think I have no hands on the outside?”
“So you really want to go then?”
As their voices steadily rose, the guard who was standing in the back shot them a glance.
Noh Gil-Sik noticed the look and lowered his voice.
“This punk. Just why do you think I’m here? Don’t you realize it’s to help you out.”
Noh Gil-Sik and Dal-Gon were like brothers.
He was the one who had picked Dal-Gon out of all the other rank-and-file and had raised him to the position of being a figurehead as well as a bookkeeper.
Since he had taken the effort to come looking for Dal-Gon despite the organization being under police surveillance, it seemed that the care Gil-Sik had shown him wasn’t just a front.
As Dal-Gon realized this, his expression loosened up.
“That’s why, during the next trial just do what you’ve promised. I’ve hidden your mother in a different location, but it’s only a matter of time before they find it. I’ll try to persuade the boss, so just-”
“Gil-Sik-hyungnim.”
Dal-Gon interrupted him.
Over the past few, eventful years, he had met a lot of people.
Among these there were good friends who had sworn an oath of brotherhood with him and promised to look out for each other.
However in a situation like this, when things had gotten rough, there was only one person who had come looking for him.
So he wanted to repay this guy in his own small way.
“Do you know if the rumour could perhaps be true?”
“What? Which rumour?”
“The rumour that the Guma Gang haven’t just taken the nightclub, they’ve also swallowed up the boss’ slush fund.”
“Who’s spitting out such rubbish?”
Noh Gil-Sik found it to be absurd.
Although they were on the back foot, they were confident that it was only temporary, so how could such baseless rumors be spreading behind their backs.
“But it was a detective who said it.”
Despite his disbelief, it seemed that the source of these rumors couldn’t be dismissed so easily.
“They said that the boss has run out of money, so he won’t be able to escape any longer.”
“Bullshit. Is that why you did it? Because you heard that sort of rumour and you didn’t think that we’d be able to pay for the hospital bills?”
“It wasn’t just because of that.”