Chapter Text
"You're fired."
"..Pardon me, sir?" In-ho stiffened under the man's gaze.
"Return your badge, and leave my office. You're dismissed."
He swallowed dry, cold sweat pricking at the back of his neck. "I don't think I understand."
"Oh but you do," his boss leaned forward, resting his elbows on the hardwood table, eyes still burning through In-ho. "You've taken a bribe. And from a convict off all people! I don't tolerate such things."
"It wasn't a bribe," he replied flatly.
"You took money."
"It was for my wife's medical bills, it wasn't-"
"Enough," his monotone voice cut through as he leaned back in his cushioned chair, waving his hand. "You're dismissed."
"Sir, you don't-"
"You're dismissed." The tone of his voice remained maddeningly neutral.
"Yes, sir," In-ho bowed lightly, before turning on his heel, and his world crumpled.
A train passed. Then another. And then another. A digital clock on the wall read 18:30, then 18:45, then 19:00.
In an empty metro station, In-ho sat motionless on a bench. Slightly hunched over, head low, he carved his gaze into the tiles of the floor like it would give up answers if he stared enough.
Fired?! After all he's done for them, after all those years of flawless duty? How is he supposed to get the money now? There’s not much time, a week at most. Even if he managed to get a new job this quick, the paycheck wouldn't arrive until the end of the month. But she needs the surgery now. If he doesn't do anything, he could-
No. He shook his head, chasing the thoughts away. He won’t lose her. He’ll figure something out. He always does.
“Excuse me, sir?” a voice spoke up beside him, calm and pleasant, but in the stillness it came to his ears like a shout, tearing him violently out of his thoughts.
In-ho looked up, his gaze meeting a tall, broad shouldered man dressed in a neat grey suit, black hair combed back with slick elegance. You could say he looked rather handsome.
“Could I sit beside you?” the man continued, offering him a polite smile.
In-ho briefly gazed over the other benches, wondering why he decided to sit on the singular bench that was already occupied.
Regardless, he wordlessly scooted over to the side to offer him more space.
The man sat down, placing a black briefcase down between them. His movements were deliberate, flowing with meticulous precision, almost unnaturally so. His legs were spaced out evenly, his back perfectly straight… He felt more like a robot than a human.
“I couldn’t help but notice you let all the trains pass,” the man remarked, throwing a casual glance to the tracks. “Is something the matter?”
In-ho followed his gaze, before shaking his head. “Just enjoying a quiet evening after a hard day.” Half of it was true. It was a terrible day.
“I see,” the man said, but nothing in his voice indicated he cared about the answer. “Well, sir, would you like to liven up your evening with a little game?”
Ah, so a scammer. Should've expected that. Strangers never talk to other people on the street. Not in Seoul. “I don’t have time for games.” He looked away, moving a bit further from the man. Still, he kept smiling. He opened his briefcase and turned it around in a one grand move. It seemed almost rehearsed, like he had done it a hundred times today already. Maybe he had.
In-ho didn’t care to look, but when the man opened the briefcase, bright colours caught his eye. The inside revealed three things - two neatly arranged stacks of paper squares, blue and red, and one ungodly amount of 50 000 won bills. Despite trying not to, he couldn’t help but stare.
“I believe you are familiar with the game ddakji?” The man picked one of each coloured squares and held them up.
He nodded, tearing his eyes away from the money.
“Would you be up to play with me? If you flip my square, I will give you 100 000 won.”
In-ho scoffed. Who was this guy? A bored millionaire? “And if I don’t?” There’s always a catch to these things. Nobody gives out money for free.
“You will simply repay me the same amount. I will let you start.”
In-ho considered his options, scanning the man’s face. His smile, whilst rather disarming, didn’t quite reach his eyes, giving it an odd, creepy feel. Like a pretty mask hiding something hideous beneath. And yet, his offer sounded genuine.
Who knows what his true motives are, but he might as well try. If things turned for the worse, he could always run, or knock his lights out. This man’s outfit wouldn’t allow him much of a chase or a fight. And he can't get fired twice.
“Alright.”
The man smiled ever so wider, standing up, In-ho following suit.
“Which colour would you like to play as?”
In-ho briefly looked over the squares. Red. Blue. Red seemed to call to him, so he picked that one.
With that, the man placed his blue square on the ground, motioning towards it.
In-ho gripped his tile, lifted his arm far above his head, and then struck the blue one with all the force he could muster. A loud bang echoed through the station. The squares jumped- but didn’t flip.
With a brief sigh, he stepped away.
The man picked his blue square and in one precise move slammed it against the other, his entire body arching with the force.
Bang.
The red one flipped. Of course. Of course. It was obvious this would happen.
“How unfortunate,” the man frowned slightly, but his voice was full of glee.
In-ho eyed the exit, masking it with a nervous tick.
“Hmm? Something wrong?”
Let’s try honesty first. “I don’t have the money to pay you back.”
“Ah, no matter. You can pay with your body.”
What? Oh god, what the hell did I get into.
But before he could ask for clarification, the man’s hand flew to his face with a blur. A thunderous slap pierced the air, almost as loud as the ddakji throws, sending sharp pain through his face.
“Ah! What the hell?!” His hands shot up, instinctively covering his stinging cheek.
“For every slap, I’ll take off 100 grand.”
In-ho blinked. Once. Twice. Processing the information.
What kind of sadistic freak is this guy? Slapping strangers on the street? That's aggravated assault! But on the other hand… you don’t find 100 grand on the ground. What’s a couple slaps compared to that..? He’s had worse.
“..another round.”
And so it went. In-ho threw his square without success, the man flipped his, he got slapped, and then they played another round. It was frustrating and painful, turning his cheek bright red and his arms sore from the effort, but he was too far to stop now. While that money wasn’t much, it could help him get back on his feet and buy him some time while he figures things out. He just had to push through and ignore the man’s obnoxious smirk.
At least there aren't any onlookers. He couldn’t imagine getting slapped by a man on a crowded station, people turning heads after the sounds and pointing fingers at the strange endeavour.
He couldn’t tell how many rounds they played until he finally managed to flip the man’s blue tile “Yes!” he shouted a bit too loud, grinning from ear to ear, victorious glee washing over him.
“Congratulations,” the man announced ceremoniously, clapping slowly. Then he reached into the suitcase and handed him a pair of 50 grand bills. “Here, as promised.”
In-ho looked them over, checking they’re real, before folding them in his wallet.
In the meantime, the man closed his briefcase and turned to leave, determination pouring out of his movements as if he had a grand purpose to attend to now.
“What do you get out of this?” In-ho asked, the question shooting out of him faster than he expected.
The man stopped, turning to him with a brief smile. “A pleasant evening after a hard day.”
In-ho furrowed his brow. So he just enjoys slapping people in his free time? Or what does he mean by that?
Seemingly amused by his puzzled expression, the man leaned a bit closer before handing In-ho a small beige card. “If you enjoyed playing with me, there are more games like this where you can earn even more money.”
In-ho looked the card over. One side was adorned with 3 black symbols - a circle, a triangle, and a square - and the other with a phone number.
He looked back up to ask the man about it, but he was already gone, like dust in the wind. The station turned quiet once more, as if the man was never there at all.
He scoffed at the absurdity of it all.
But perhaps this could be their way out.
The sky slowly darkened, painting the clouds in vibrant reds and pinks. Chill breeze ruffled his hair, bringing a scent of disinfection and sterility.
With no bench in sight, he sat down on the cold stairs leading towards the hospital. He could practically hear her scolding him that he'll get sick if he sits on the ground like that.
Faint smile tugging at his lips, he dialed her number.
“In-ho!” Her soft voice called out of the phone, beaming with joy. He could feel the smile on her face, his features melting into a smile of his own.
“Hi, love. I hope I'm not calling too late?”
“No, no, it's alright.”
“I'm sorry for not visiting today..”
“It's okay, I know you're busy with work.”
“How are you?”
“Ah, you know, the usual. Not too bad. I'm getting by.” She then chuckled a bit. “Today I tried to tell the nurses to get me something else than that awful tea, but they just won't listen to me!”
He smirked at the idea of her stubbornly refusing to drink unless they gave her something proper. “Finally met someone who can rival your stubbornness?”
“Hey-” She pouted, but a light chuckle escaped her.
“How's the baby?”
“Oh, she's doing good. The doctor said she's strong.” Another soft chuckle escaped her. “She started kicking when you called. I think she can hear you.”
He smiled ever wider, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. If only he could be with them right now..
With a weary sigh, he leaned on the railing, running a hand through his hair.
“...is everything alright? You sound worried.”
“Oh, yeah. I just.. I just got…” He paused, thinking about what to tell her. As much as he hated lying to her, she was in no position to receive bad news. She needed to stay in good spirits if she is to carry on. “I got an offer for a business trip that pays good money.”
“Oh that's awesome!”
“Yeah, but.. I'll be out of town for a while, and not sure when I'll come back.”
She grew quiet.
“But I'll try to call if work allows me, alright?”
“You better, because it's literally the only interesting thing that happens all day.” She remarked teasingly, before indistinct chatter drowned her out. “Oh I'm sorry, but I'll have to go soon. You know, bed time.”
“At 9 o’ clock?” He chuckled.
“Yeah, you know, hospital rules. They turn the lights off and everything. I'll have to hang up.”
“Of course. Talk to you later. Love you.”
“Love you more.”
“Love you to infinity.”
She laughed softly, her sweet voice lingering in his ears long after the phone turned quiet.
But then the surroundings creeped back, sending him to the cold concrete of the city again. Cool wind pushed out the warmth of his cheeks, and the humming of cars drowned out the brief moment of peace that filled his otherwise busy mind.
He took a deep breath, hands dropping in his lap. He sat there, silent and unmoving, considering his options.
Is this the right choice? He doesn't even know what game he'd play and how much he'd get for it. For all he knew, he might have to ride out of the country for a month.
But he had no better idea. Might be worth a shot to at least try.
He reached into his pocket, taking out the card he received earlier. He turned it over and after one final moment of deliberation, he dialed the number on the back.
“Hello? Who's calling.”
“Hello, this is Hwang In-ho. You gave me your business card earlier.”
“Do you wish to participate in the game?”
He paused briefly. It's now or never.
“Yes.”