Hyeon-ju sat buried deep in the sofa. She kept her eyes fixed on Tae-ho with a look of pure suspicion.
"What exactly is the problem?"
Tae-ho let out a heavy sigh and shook his head. He looked toward the wall like he was seeing something far away.
"Let's just stay away from Smile Capital. I will have Yang-jung take care of Jae-myeong and his men quietly."
Hyeon-ju raised her voice because she was frustrated. "Why? Why do we have to avoid them?"
"Those people treat human lives like they are lighter than a fly. I am thinking of moving the bookstore soon, too."
"Grandpa!"
Hyeon-ju tried to push him for more answers but Tae-ho locked eyes with her. His pupils held the weight of years of regret and bone-deep exhaustion.
"Hyeon-ju. Look at me. I am old and tired. I do not have the strength or the courage left to fight them anymore. I just want to live out my remaining days in peace. I want to teach you what you need to know and organize the things I want to leave to you when I am gone. That is the only thing I want right now. Do you understand?"
Hyeon-ju stayed silent for a moment before giving a slow and reluctant nod. A thin smile finally appeared on Tae-ho's lips.
"Good. And thank you."
---
The next morning, Joe's weathered wooden front door began to scream in protest before he could even open his eyes.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
"Hey! You brat! I know you are in there! Get out here right now!"
The landlord's screeching made Joe's eyelids twitch. He had fallen asleep late the night before and his head felt like it was splitting open. Outside, someone was rattling the doorknob like they wanted to break it.
"Where do you get off playing dead? Hey! Joe! Your rent is months late! Do I look like a joke to you?!"
Joe pulled the blanket over his head to find some silence but the man would not give up. He added a heavy kick to the rhythm.
THWACK!
"I said get out here! If I do not see that money today, I am tossing your junk into the hallway! Open this door!"
Joe endured it as long as he could before pushing himself up. His hair was a mess and his eyes were half-closed as he trudged toward the door. He could hear the landlord wheezing on the other side.
"You hear me? You are dead meat! Before I call the cops, you better—"
Joe yanked the door wide open.
The landlord was caught mid-kick and stumbled forward because his foot met nothing but air. Joe leaned against the doorframe and looked down at the old man with a cold gaze.
The sudden sight of Joe made the landlord swallow his curses. He stared at Joe's solid chest and the scars on his skin. The old man took a frantic step back.
Joe slapped a wad of cash against the man's chest.
"Take it."
The landlord stared at the money and his anger turned into total confusion. "What is this? Is this real?"
Joe gave a disinterested shrug and started to close the door. "What? You do not recognize good money? It is real. I did not rob a bank."
The landlord's wife came scurrying up the stairs right then. She wanted to apologize for her husband but she froze when she saw Joe. She stared at his muscles and his long hair and stayed still.
Joe gave her a flat look and shut the door. His stomach let out a loud rumble immediately. He checked the fridge but only found medicine bottles and expired milk.
He threw on some clothes and headed out to find something decent to eat.
---
A black van with a loud engine slunk into the narrow alleyway not long after Joe left. The doors slid open and three men with violent faces stepped out.
Viper spat on the pavement as he scanned the area. He held a folder with Joe's personal details inside.
"This the place?"
A subordinate pointed at the old building. "Yeah. Unit 302. I am positive."
They stormed up the stairs with their heavy boots thundering against the concrete. When they reached the third floor, Viper delivered a crushing kick to Joe's door.
BOOM!
"Hey! Joe! I know you are in there! Crawl out right now!"
The hallway shook from the impact. Viper kicked the door again when nobody answered.
"Where are you hiding? I heard you were a boxer in Japan. Did you leave your balls back there? If you do not open up, I am breaking in and snapping every bone in your body!"
The other thugs joined in and barked their own threats.
"Hey! You foreign piece of trash! Come out while we are asking nicely! Unless you want today to be your funeral!"
Viper pulled a blade from his pocket and dragged the tip across the wood. The metal made a sickening screeching sound.
"Hey, Joe! You really thought you could touch our boys and get away with it? I am going to rip your tongue out, you son of a bitch!"
The quiet building turned into a place of terror. Neighbors locked their doors and stayed hidden.
The landlord came charging up the stairs with his voice booming. He had just put Joe's cash in his pocket and felt very brave.
"You lowlife pieces of trash! Who do you think you are acting like you own the place?! You are friends with that brat in 302, aren't you? You are all a bunch of thugs!"
The men stopped kicking the door and turned around. Viper let out a dry snort.
"This old man must have lost his mind. Hey, watch your mouth before I rip it off your face."
"What? Rip it off? You punks! Get out before I call the cops! You and that kid are all the same scum!"
The thugs' eyes turned predatory in an instant.
"I was going to let you slide, but I guess you are asking for it."
Viper grabbed the landlord by the collar and slammed him against the wall.
BAM!
"AGH!"
His wife shrieked and lunged forward to grab the thug's arm.
"Oh my god, please stop! He just has a big mouth! I am so sorry, please let him go!"
The men did not stop. They threw the landlord to the floor and drove their boots into his ribs.
THUD! THWACK!
"AGH! HURRK! Help me! I am sorry! Please stop!"
The landlord's bravery was gone. He crawled on the floor and rubbed his hands together to beg for mercy.
"Nothing but a loud old man. Keep stomping him."
"AGHH! Save me! Honey, call the police!"
The wife reached for her phone with trembling hands but a thug snatched her wrist.
"Where do you think you are calling? I do not think you understand yet."
The man grabbed her by the hair and pinned her against the wall. Tears ran down her face.
"Please stop. We are sorry. We were wrong."
"I know you are sorry, but my mood is already ruined. You are not bad looking for your age. Why don't you come with us for a bit?"
The thugs let out a dirty laugh and one reached for her clothes. A flat voice drifted from the top of the stairs right then.
"What exactly are you guys doing here?"
Joe was standing there with his hands in his hoodie pockets. He looked down at them like he was more annoyed than anything else.