The silver SUV pulled up to the curb and hissed as the engine died. Joe looked out the window at the neon sign of the pub.
It was a flashy place with tinted windows and a valet stand that looked way too expensive. He smoothed out his jacket and checked his reflection in the glass.
Beside him, Hyeon-ju was adjusting her collar, and Geon-woo and Woo-jin were sitting in the back looking stiffer than usual in their nice clothes.
Joe stepped out into the night air and felt a familiar ache in his side where the bandages were. He leaned against the door and waited for the others to pile out.
The street was busy, and he didn't like how open they were standing there.
"What a conspicuous place," Joe said as he scanned the sidewalk for any parked cars with tinted windows. "Guys, stay alert. A guy like Hong Min-beom isn't going to meet strangers without security nearby, especially not after what happened to him."
The others gave him a quick nod. Woo-jin reached over and draped an arm around Geon-woo's shoulder, looking a bit too eager to get inside.
"Bro, if you want, you can stay out of this part," Woo-jin said with a grin. "I know you don't really do the drinking thing."
Geon-woo shook his head and adjusted his sleeves. "It is okay. Joe can't drink right now because of his liver. It would be strange if Hyeon-ju started drinking too. We can't just leave all the heavy lifting to you."
Joe looked at Geon-woo and suppressed a smirk. He knew what the kid wasn't saying.
The last time Woo-jin had tried to keep up with a crowd, he was stumbling and washed out by his third glass. Relying on him to stay sharp was a gamble they couldn't afford.
They walked through the front doors and were immediately hit by a wall of bass and flashing lights. The music was so loud it made the hair on Joe's arms vibrate.
He winced and tried to ignore the throbbing in his head. The place was packed with people who looked like they had never worked a day in their lives.
They reached the host stand where a woman stood with a very expensive-looking haircut. She flashed a professional smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"How may I help you?" she asked.
Joe cleared his throat and tried to sound like he belonged there. "There is a reservation under the name Hong Min-beom. Can you check that for us?"
The woman's smile suddenly got a lot more genuine. She knew the name well since the Iil Group basically owned the floor she was standing on. She signaled a waiter to escort them through the crowd to a heavy door in the back.
Joe walked into the private room first. The silence was an immediate relief.
Hong Min-beom was sitting on a leather sofa looking nervous, and next to him was a man in a crisp suit.
The two men stood up as the group filed in. Joe noticed how the stranger scanned each of them, counting heads and checking for threats.
"Hoho, you brought quite the party with you," the stranger said as he stepped forward.
Joe kept his expression neutral and extended his hand. "I hope you don't mind. I am Joe, Yabuki Joe. I'm the one who sent the message."
The stranger gripped his hand firmly. "I am Min-beom's cousin, Hong Gang-yong."
Hyeon-ju stepped up next, looking bored as usual. "Kim Hyeon-ju."
"Oh, I am Kim Geon-woo," Geon-woo added with a polite bow.
"And I am Hong Woo-jin," Woo-jin said, already eyeing the bottles on the table.
Gang-yong gestured toward the plush chairs surrounding a low table. "Have a seat, everyone."
Joe sat down and watched Min-beom start moving bottles around. The air in the room felt tight, like a cord stretched too thin.
Gang-yong started lining up glasses and twisted the cap off a bottle of expensive whiskey.
"Let's talk over a few drinks if you guys don't mind," Gang-yong said.
Joe held up a hand before the liquor could reach a glass for him. "I have some pretty bad liver damage from a fight with Myeong-gil's thugs. I am going to have to sit this round out. I hope you can pardon me."
Min-beom's face soured instantly. He looked like a kid who just got told he couldn't play with his favorite toy. "If you don't want to drink, you can just say so. You don't have to make up stories."
Joe didn't let the smile slip. "I am not lying to you. I really hope you can understand my situation."
Gang-yong stepped in before Min-beom could say anything stupider. He looked over at Hyeon-ju and the boys. "Haha, well, I guess it will just be the rest of us then."
Hyeon-ju didn't even look at the bottle. "I am the driver. I have to get these guys home in one piece."
Joe saw Gang-yong's face fall for a split second. It was obvious the guy wanted them drunk and loose-lipped. Getting information out of a sober group was going to be a lot harder than he planned.
Joe decided to push the pace. "We are all busy men. Shall we get straight to the point?"
Min-beom sighed and looked at his cousin with a helpless expression. Gang-yong seemed less worried, probably because he knew his own security was standing just outside the door.
He turned his attention to Geon-woo and Woo-jin.
"Don't tell me you two can't drink either," Gang-yong challenged.
Woo-jin grinned and leaned in. "No, sir. We will definitely keep you company."
Gang-yong laughed and started pouring. "Good. That is what I like to hear. Now, let's drink."
Joe leaned back and watched the chaos unfold. Within twenty minutes, the room had transformed.
Woo-jin was already cheering and slamming his glass down, his face turning a bright shade of red. Geon-woo was drinking everything on his way, but even then he wasn't looking a bit drunk.
"Cheers!"
"Damn, you're a natural at this," Gang-yong yelled over the rim of a tall glass. "Let's use the big ones. These little shots are too short for real men."
Joe caught Hyeon-ju's eye across the table. She looked as annoyed as he felt, watching the display.
Joe shifted his weight and winced as a sharp pain shot through his gut. He grabbed a glass of water and watched Min-beom, who was now leaning over the table, slurring his words.
"Seriously, man," Min-beom said, gesturing wildly at Joe. "I'm so stressed because of that son of a bitch Myeong-gil. I knew you were cool when you showed up."
"I am your bro now," Woo-jin shouted, pouring more into Min-beom's glass.
"Yeah! You are my bro. Pour me another one," Min-beom replied. "Because of that stupid asshole, I lost so much hair. I have hemorrhoids now. Do you know he punched me before I could even talk?"
Joe watched Gang-yong laugh and slap the table. The officer looked just as hammered as the rest of them.
"The police commissioner fucking loves me!" Gang-yong bragged to Geon-woo. "When we're together, he calls me commissioner. I have to tell him to stop before people get ideas."
Joe leaned over to Hyeon-ju. "We're actually getting somewhere now," he whispered.
"We have to take care of this kid," Gang-yong said, pointing a shaky finger at Min-beom. "He is family. He is a good kid. Woo-jin, Geon-woo, do whatever the hell you want. We have your back forever."
Geon-woo grabbed the bottle again. "Should I pour you another one, sir?"
Gang-yong waved him off and slumped back into the leather. "I can't. My hemorrhoids are acting up. I work too much."
Joe looked at the table covered in spilled liquor and empty glasses. They had what they came for.
The tension was gone, replaced by a room full of drunk men who had completely lost all restrainslts. Joe checked his watch and signaled to Hyeon-ju that it was almost time to go.