Chapter 56 – Sister (Ha-Eun) – About The Village
* Sister (Ha-eun) – About the Village (2)
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
Junseo, having finished showering and changed first, looked at me and said that. Was I being too obvious? I didn’t want to worry him, but I couldn’t shake the melancholy about what was to come. Normally, I would have clung to Junseo while cursing, but today I didn’t have the composure to act cute.
We got dressed normally this morning without any morning wood after what happened. We walked down the street, flaunting our usual perverted couple vibe and distance, but the atmosphere was quite different from yesterday. Junseo expected to hear something important today, and I didn’t deny it. I clung to Junseo’s right arm, leading the way in my revealing outfit that everyone could see. I remembered everything that bald guy said about when and where to meet, and since it was a cafe I sometimes went to, it was a bit creepy. It became clear that the bald guy had been watching my and my sisters’ stomping grounds.
I realized again how important Junseo is…
Is this, really, the end?
I hope we don’t get replaced by another family…
“Sis?”
“We’re here.”
Junseo, having noticed my worries again, looked down at me, but all I could do was frown and avoid his gaze. It was understandable since people were already staring. Even though it was a cafe near the university, there were hardly any people, and men with grim faces and women in slightly revealing clothes were spending time casually, but I could see everything.
So, he filled this place with his underlings.
Are there people from the village here too?
To rent out an entire cafe in a university area…
He’s doing such absurd things…
“What do you want to drink?”
“Don’t order, just sit there.”
“Huh?”
Junseo must have noticed that the cafe’s atmosphere was strange. At first, he looked around, but unlike me, he didn’t know the reality, so he thought of ordering something. He probably didn’t think that someone had taken over the entire cafe. But I know this place well since I come here often. I also know what kind of part-timers the owner uses, so I couldn’t stand the sight of the man in front of me.
“It suits you well. Why don’t you just change your job?”
“I’ve heard that more than ten times today…”
The man snorted as if he had expected my words and gestured with his chin. He was wearing the cafe’s signature white shirt and brown apron uniform, which didn’t suit him at all, and was grinding something with a machine. Even though there was a grinding noise as if ice was being crushed, the cafe was eerily quiet. Moreover, as if it had been planned in advance, he hung a “Closed” sign on the cafe entrance with a clatter and even drew the curtains on the glass walls, creating a secret room.
“Ah…”
Only then did Junseo notice the change. Not only was it dark because the door was closed and the curtains were drawn, but none of the customers reacted. They were all continuing their ‘act’ as if they were hired for this, either staring at their laptops, reading books, or studying. Among that backdrop, several men were wriggling like waves, looking this way, but they weren’t getting closer, just watching from afar, waiting for the man who was grinding ice to speak.
“Who are these people?”
“Don’t worry. They can’t lay a finger on you. Right? Gangster uncle?”
“It’s irritating to be called that by you. You’re the one who should be trembling here, not the young master.”
He wasn’t wrong. I still felt chills when I thought about what that guy had done to me. But when a giant who looked like he was 2 meters tall was standing there in a waitress outfit that didn’t suit his muscles, the intimidation was bound to lessen. Even if he was a bald giant wearing sunglasses, he was less scary than the first time I saw him.
Besides, we had Junseo, whom these guys called young master. That alone guaranteed our safety. The look of loyalty in their eyes was so obvious that even I, who didn’t know much about the village, could see it. With the bald sunglasses guy bowing his head respectfully, the surrounding atmosphere completely calmed down…
“Who are you?”
“Ahem, it’s been a while since the young master’s first birthday party. I’m Jang Moon-sang. Please take care of me.”
“Young master?”
“““““Please take care of us, young master!!!!”””””
With a very loud shout, many men stood up from their seats and bowed their heads towards us. The men and women who were selected as extras did the same, and after shouting, they sat back down and immersed themselves in their original roles. Junseo was surprised by the scene and was in an ambiguous state, not saying anything.
“Don’t be scared, be confident.”
“Uh…”
However, although he was surprised, he didn’t seem flustered, so there was no need for my advice. It was in his blood; Junseo was always meant to be above others. It wasn’t just because he was my younger brother, but he was just that kind of kid. He seemed to have quickly regained his senses, sat down normally on a chair in front of the counter table, took a breath, and then opened his mouth.
“Mr. Jang Moon-sang.”
“Just call me Moon-sang. Don’t you get the gist of my relationship with the young master?”
“Then, Moon-sang.”
‘Junseo, you crazy bastard…’
“…………”
Whether he was thoughtless or bold, Junseo was speaking informally within minutes of meeting him. No matter what, it wasn’t easy to speak informally to someone older than you. Especially for Junseo, who was born in this country full of Confucianism. Nevertheless, my foolish brother committed such an outrage. Even the bald guy was surprised by that fact, his eyebrows twitching slightly. I secretly wanted to say, “He’s just like his father,” but I knew that was a forbidden word for Junseo, so the bald guy didn’t say it. As if it was natural, Junseo’s rude mouth opened once more to the man who was asking a question.
“Yes, young master. Is there anything you need? We have all kinds of drinks, so how about something to drink while we talk…”
“Do you have anything I can drink from a bottle?”
“A bottle…?”
“A bottle of alcohol would be fine too.”
“We did bring a few bottles of what our guys drink from the village…”
The bald guy’s face faltered once more at that question. There was a guy in front of him ordering a bottle of alcohol at a cafe. It wasn’t like they didn’t have any, and Jang Moon-sang gestured to his subordinate to bring a bottle of alcohol.
However, at this time, we still didn’t know.
Neither I, nor the bald guy, nor the surrounding subordinates, had any idea how Junseo was feeling.
I never imagined my brother would be this much of an idiot…?!
“So, today, something, something, right? I know there’s a reeeeeally important story. Yeah, I know it really well. I’m curious about the relationship between you, these people, grandma, that bastard, and our family. So, I calmed myself down and came out, okay? But, mister. Before we start talking, can I ask you something?”
“Yes. Ask me anything.”
“Did you mess with my family’s onahole? This, this, this shitty thing.”
“Junseo…?!
The way Junseo spoke was clearly how he talked when he was angry. He was smiling with a vulgar tone as if he was on the internet, and anyone could see that he was furious.
I was bewildered by that sight.
The bald guy held his breath.
Just before he said ‘yes’.
“You shitty bastard!!!!”
“Ugh?!”
───Clang!
It took a few seconds for the remnants of the glass bottle to fall from the bald guy and roll on the floor.
And I heard the sound of alcohol pouring into my ears.
“Ahem… um…”
A very slight trickle of blood. Moon-sang’s reaction was calm even though his head had been hit with a bottle. The people around us and I opened our mouths slightly and inhaled, quietly watching how the situation would unfold.
“I always end up with this role… Brother, even after death, you’re leaving everything to me…”
He muttered quietly to himself. I had no time to understand what that meant. But Junseo seemed to understand, and even though he was reacting like that, he didn’t care at all, sat back down, and dropped the remains of the bottle on the floor with a clatter.
“Young master, are you okay? You got hit by a shard.”
“Wipe your face first.”
“Yes.”
The bald guy wiped his head with a towel that was nearby and put the ground ice into a plastic container. Watching that, my heart and the hearts of the onlookers became one. They were surprised that they were allowing such an obvious act of violence as if they had been together for decades, even though they were meeting for the first time. That sense of incongruity went down everyone’s throats and tickled something in their hearts.
“Do you two know each other?”
“No.”
“We met for the first time today.”
“What the hell are you guys…”
I was the one who brought him, but I was the one who was surprised. Junseo still seemed upset, but he had calmed down since he wasn’t swinging the bottle anymore. The bald guy also wiped his head and took a steady breath, then recommended that we move the table while holding the drink he had made.
In other words, the main topic was about to begin, but…
‘It’s very different from what I expected………’
My mood was still unsettled, perhaps because I couldn’t understand what the two of them had just done.
