Chapter 9
"You again, you fucking bastard. I told you I’d pay, didn’t I? Shit, what a goddamn nuisance."
"You won money at Gwang-pal’s house. I know you did. Pay up."
“...What?"
The man hesitated for a moment before stepping past the gate. He was massive—not as much as Mu-gyeong, who was still waiting in the car, but tall and thick for his age. His rough, gravelly voice didn’t stop spewing curses. His shoves against Hongju’s shoulder came just as relentlessly.
"You little shit, you spying on me now? You got your ass beat last time, and you still don’t get it?"
A hand the size of a pot lid slammed across Hongju’s cheek. The first sensation was a sharp sting, then a searing heat, as if he'd been burned. Then, warmth trickled past his lips. He didn’t have time to check if his lip had split or if he’d bitten the inside of his mouth before more heavy punches rained down.
“Ugh—”
Hongju staggered back, but the man lunged at him, grabbing a fistful of his hair. He yanked his head back and struck his face again, three or four times in quick succession. Smack. Smack. Every hit sent a harsh sound echoing through the air, and Hongju’s cheeks darkened with bruises.
"Fucking disgusting. I said I’d pay, and yet you’re tailing me like some goddamn beggar?"
The man spat at Hongju’s feet before turning away. Hongju wiped the wetness from his lips with the back of his hand and took a step forward. Just as the man was about to step past the gate, Hongju grabbed him by the hair and shoved him against the wall. He was so much smaller in comparison that the force nearly knocked him off balance, but he managed to stop the man from walking away.
"You son of a bitch!"
The man rubbed his arm where he’d hit the wall and glared viciously.