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♡♢♤♧
His suit was outstanding. Bright red. Silk. Or was it velvet?
Perfectly polished black shoes. Perfectly styled black hair.
Swirling around his, presumably, red wine.
Classy.
His face was a reflection of his appearance.
Outstanding, perfect, and once more, classy.
The only thing missing were emotions.
The man had a poker face so serious that it should be addressed individually.
“All-in.”
A raise of his brow.
Was it an invitation, or a dare?
Either way, Donghun lost.
Royal flush.
Unbelievable.
“Amazing game. Let me know when you want to play again,” Donghun said.
Another eyebrow raise.
“Could I perhaps treat you on some wine?”
He couldn’t say no to that.
“Of course. I’d like to get to know your strategy.”
The other man chuckled.
“A good show man never tells his secret.”
“We’ll see about that.”
With just a signal of the other’s hand, a woman came rushing forward to pour them a glass of wine.
“Have I by any chance seen you before?” Donghun asked.
His curiosity had been spiked ever since he entered the casino and his eye fell on the man.
“I’m the owner’s son. You could say I’m around here a lot,” the man answered.
His eyes swiftly scanned Donghun.
“I’m Park Junhee. Nice to meet you.” He held out his hand, decorated by a variety of silver rings.
“Likewise. I’m Lee Donghun.” Donghun gently shook it.
“A royal flush, huh?” Donghun said with disbelief.
“I guess you’re my lucky charm.” Junhee sipped from his wine.
There was a silence while Donghun sipped from his, too. He wasn’t a wine expert, but it tasted more expensive than any wine that he had ever had.
Maybe he should say something about that.
“I thought you’d pull the badge on me sooner,” Junhee said.
Donghun almost, almost choked on his wine. He thought he had a good cover holding up.
Junhee set his wine aside, folded his hands over his lap and crossed his legs.
“Lee Donghun, age twenty-seven, born in Gyeonggi-do. A son and a brother. Why don’t you tell me why you’re really here?” Junhee’s face was smug.
Donghun was slightly panicking, but he didn’t let it show.
His few years of police education and poker 101 knowledge hadn’t taught him what to do when your cover gets blown by a guy that might know more about you than you know about him.
“Do you want to arrest me? Or make money?” Junhee suggested, after Donghun hadn’t said anything.
He watched Junhee grab a remaining card from the poker-table.
“Or do you want to learn some card tricks?” He laughed, making the ace of hearts become the ace of spades with a snap of his fingers.
“To be honest, Park Junhee,” Donghun leaned forward in his chair, “I’d love to arrest you. But I don’t have any evidence against you. You’re like quicksilver.”
He snatched the ace of spades from Junhee’s hand, revealing that they were actually two cards.
“Quicksilver? That one’s new.” Junhee seemed satisfied by the nickname.
“Fluid and toxic. I can find myself in that.”
“Why don’t you hang around for a while? Gather your evidence. Try to catch me.” He finished off his wine, stood up from the chair and buttoned his suit jacket.
Donghun was left behind, wondering.
Park Junhee was more confident than he had thought he would be.
He reasoned he had no other choice than to ‘hang around’.
His boss would fire him immediately if he failed this case.
His first case.
It was supposed to be easy.
But Junhee proved to be anything but easy.
And thus Donghun watched. And watched, and watched.
If Junhee didn’t pull a royal flush, he at least pulled a regular flush.
Nothing beneath that.
Nothing suspicious.
Nothing he could use against Junhee.
The only thing slightly worrying was the amount of wine Junhee consumed.
But that wasn’t why he was here.
Hours passed.
The length of the game depended on the skill level of the players, but one thing was always the same.
Junhee was always the best player.
Junhee always won.
And not a trick to be seen.
He ended with four of a kind. He had probably downed an entire way too expensive wine bottle in the process.
“It was nice to play with you, ladies and gentlemen.” Junhee bowed.
“It was an honour, Mr. Park,” Donghun heard the other players say.
He didn’t quite understood why losing so much money to the richest guy at the casino was an honour.
Junhee signalled Donghun with two fingers after the game had ended to follow him into a room for staff only. Away from the buzzing people and noises.
“So, have you caught onto anything yet?” Junhee asked after he closed the door, leaning against it with his hands in his pockets.
Donghun took a step closer.
“No I haven’t, Quicksilver.” It was meant to sound mocking, but it fed Junhee’s ego even more.
“What a disappointment. You wouldn’t want to fail your first case, would you?” Junhee knew way more about him than he had anticipated.
“You’re welcome to visit anytime you want. And don’t worry about those handcuffs for arresting me, we can use them for plenty of other things too.” Junhee winked, and unblocked the door for Donghun to leave.
He swallowed thickly, and hastily left without a word.
He had to get transferred to another case.
This wasn’t going to work.
♡♢♤♧
Donghun was right at Park’s Casino again.
He had asked, no, begged, to be transferred. He was met by his boss that, complications aside, had said he was a pussy.
He walked through the big, golden doors into the open space. Tables at the front, machines all the way at the back and the bar at the side.
He remembered it like it was a week ago. Which it was.
It didn’t take long for his wandering eyes to spot Junhee. He was seated at the front table, the one he usually played at. His suit was blue this time, eye-catching between the grey and black ones of other men like himself.
He observed from the side, watching Junhee go all-in. And winning. To no one’s surprise.
While the staff emptied the table, Junhee made eye-contact with Donghun. He smiled as if he had seen him standing there all along. As if he had performed a show just for him.
(Maybe he had.)
Junhee walked up to him.
“Mr. Lee, I’d like to say I’ve missed you. I’m sorry you couldn’t be transferred.”
“It’s fine. I’ll catch you, soon,” Donghun said confidently, although it wasn’t real.
Junhee didn’t seem to notice, or care.
“I have to say I’m intrigued,” Junhee replied.
“Where would you like to start, Mr. Lee?”
He hesitated.
“An interview in which you confess,” he decided to say. It was a joke.
“But of course. Please follow along.”
What?
“Please sit.” Junhee gestured towards the smaller green poker table, accompanied by two chairs.
Apparently Junhee also played more... intimate poker games.
He did as he was told, and got the recorder out of his front pocket.
He was sure Junhee would retreat.
But he had to record it.
Otherwise he had no evidence at all.
He pushed the record button.
“Park Junhee, 18th of September, Park’s Casino at,” Junhee checked his Rolex, “10:56 pm.”
Donghun couldn’t help but furrow his brows. How did he know how this worked? He must’ve done this before.
He didn’t know if that was calming or alarming. Probably the latter.
“Right... So, Park Junhee, do you admit to conning possibly hundreds of people, fraud and extortion?” Donghun asked him.
He still thought Junhee was joking about doing an interview.
Junhee folded his hands in his lap and crossed his legs.
His signature pose.
“I do, Mr. Lee.”
“Do you feel any sort of remorse?”
“No, I’m a sociopath.”
“Wh-“
What? Was he joking? Was he not? This whole interview was off. He would never so suddenly agree to do this and confess. Donghun was beginning to get scared. He shifted in his seat. Would he be the one being handcuffed soon by Junhee’s accomplices and thrown into his basement?
“What do you do with the money?” he asked instead. His voice trembled a little.
“I buy wine. Expensive ones. I blackmail people to shut up about me, or to tell good stories about me. I buy cars just to crash them.”
Donghun’s brain short-circuited.
“Thank you for your confession, Park Junhee.” He pressed the stop button on the recorder, and put it back into his front pocket.
There was a silence in which both of them looked at each other. Junhee with amusement, and Donghun with suspicion.
Junhee got up from the chair, stroked his suit and straightened his tie.
“Did you really, truly think, I’m that fucking stupid?” Junhee asked. He took slow steps in Donghun’s direction.
He didn’t know if he should fight or run.
Junhee’s delicate fingers traced his chest, only to fish out the recorder from his front pocket.
“No.” He grabbed Junhee’s wrist.
He couldn’t let him take it.
He had to finish this case.
“You fucking policemen always think that you’re better than me. You’re the good guy and I’m always the bad guy!”
Junhee swiftly pulled his wrist from Donghun’s strong grip, and threw the recorder against the wall. Smashing it into tiny and tinier pieces. You didn’t need to be an expert to know that the tape was now unusable.
Junhee laughed, on the verge of hysterical. The late night jazz playing on the background didn’t make it any better.
“Oh, I’m sorry. It looks like you don’t have any evidence left.” Junhee let the pieces fall out of his hands.
Donghun wasn’t even mad. He had expected that something along these lines would happen. Junhee wouldn’t blindly confess.
So Donghun felt oh so happy to know that he had another recorder in his back-pocket the whole time.
“Much appreciated, Mr. Park. Really. Thank you for your cooperation,” he said.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to show you something else, Mr. Lee.”
He had to admit he liked being called that. It made him feel classy, too.
Considering he still had the other recorder in his back-pocket, he reasoned he should take every chance he could possibly get at exposing Junhee.
And so he followed along.
They went out a back entry, slightly worrying Donghun because it brought back the image of him being attacked by Junhee’s accomplices, but they continued walked along into the parking garage.
It was like they were in a movie. A horror one. The building was only lit by a few poor flickering lights, the concrete ceiling so low Donghun felt like he had to crouch down.
“Please choose your favorite.” Junhee spinned around on his feet so that he was walking backwards, spreading his arms.
“Are- are all of these yours?” Donghun asked.
“Fuck yeah they are,” Junhee answered self-satisfied.
Rows of cars. A lot. Very much. Many cars. Some shiny black, other neon colours that hurt his eyes.
Unimaginable.
“Don’t be shy. Tell me,” Junhee encouraged him.
“I- I like the blue Porsche,” Donghun said.
“Excellent choice. Kudos for considering the colour of my suit in the process.” Junhee loosened his tie, took it off and unbuttoned the first few buttons of his dress shirt.
Okay...
“Hop on in, policeman,” Junhee said.
He unlocked the car with a beep, and opened the doors. The car smelled entirely new, as if no one had even touched it before. The rumbling of the engine when Junhee started the car might‘ve been one of the best sounds he had ever heard.
A smile creeped onto his face. Junhee noticed as he adjusted the rear-view mirror. He initiated eye-contact through it.
“Get ready for the ride of your life.”
Junhee hadn’t been kidding when he said that. He drove slowly at first while they were still in the city, but as they moved onto highways and country roads Donghun was sure they had exceeded the speed limit up to the amount where they could get arrested for it.
But right then, with his ass on the most expensive seat ever, he didn’t care one bit.
Junhee had even opened the roof. Donghun felt like he could fly, with the wind through his brown hair and the only feelings being adrenaline and freedom. Although it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to let go and try to actually fly.
He had even mimicked Junhee’s screaming, which in any other situation would‘ve been highly embarrassing.
He had never felt more alive.
Eventually Junhee drove them back towards the edge of the city.
They both took a moment to calm down.
Until Junhee spoke up.
“I won’t purposely crash this one. You can have it.”
He was breathing heavily.
He couldn’t accept it. It would undoubtedly raise a lot of questions. But for now, he wanted to drive in it.
“Maybe you’re not that much of a selfish fraud after all.”
“Maybe you’re not that much of a shit head cop after all.”
The recorder in this pocket suddenly felt way heavier than before.
Back home, he wondered if anything he had confessed was true.
♡♢♤♧
Donghun had stayed home for a few days. He would like to say it was because of the paperwork he had to file about his first case, but in reality he couldn’t get any work done.
His mind kept running in circles. He kept replaying the tape.
It was stuck in his head by now.
It was at the third day of staying home, where a big newspaper article grabbed his attention.
He rubbed his eyes, thinking that he might have been dreaming.
“Alias ‘Quicksilver’ funds 6 million to police force.”
It was a way for Junhee to earn his attention. No one else knew of that nickname.
It didn’t take long for Donghun to get his basic, black suit and white dress shirt on again. He hastily made his way over to the garage where the Porsche was parked. His Porsche. He should give it back.
Only for him to be surprised once again.
There was a stack of approximately fifty poker chips on the dashboard and an ace of spades.
Donghun looked around. No one to be seen.
He carefully picked up the card. There was a message scribbled onto it.
‘Come play with me.’ - quicksilver
This was going wrong. Oh, so wrong. But he couldn’t oppress the excitement that rushed through him.
After years of choosing studying over a social life, even doing something bad like this excited him.
He didn’t even question how Junhee knew where the car was and how he got in.
♡♢♤♧
“Mr. Lee, I believe?” Donghun was immediately met my a man upon entering the casino.
“Yes.” He smiled politely.
“Mr. Park is expecting you.”
He traced the footsteps of the male, entering the private room. The same one he had been in when Junhee confessed.
“Mr. Lee. I see you got my note,” Junhee said after the door closed.
“Please, sit down.”
Donghun did as he was told. The room hadn’t changed, it was still a dark room decorated with gold to match with the theme of the casino. The only difference being that the small poker table was set up now.
Junhee wore a dark blue suit, his jacket decorated with silver patterns. How could he always look so perfect?
“Are you gonna show me a magic trick, Quicksilver?” Donghun asked.
“I’m afraid not. Maybe another day, when I’m in a good mood. I’d like to teach you proper poker, the last time we played together has been weeks ago. And you weren’t very good,” Junhee answered.
Donghun gritted his teeth.
“I thought the rule was that a good show man never tells his secret.”
“Exceptions are a confirmation of the rule. You, Mr. Lee, are the exception.” Junhee leaned forward over the table and pointed his finger at him.
“You have potential.”
“I’m a policeman, Mr. Park.”
“Please, let me show you. I promise I’ll be a better teacher than the online teacher.” He smiled as he leaned back again, rubbing his thumb over the tip of his index finger and middle finger.
The hand-sign for money.
“If you’d rather play strip poker that’s fine with me too,” Junhee said.
“Shut up. Let’s just get it over with.”
Junhee smiled contently as he filled their glasses up with wine.
“And now, which cards do you have?”
Donghun scanned the two cards in his hands along with the five cards on the table, his tongue slightly sticking out of his mouth due to hard thinking.
“An ace, king, queen, jack and a ten.”
“Of which suit?”
“All hearts.”
“Now what is that called?”
“A- a royal flush.”
Holy shit.
“An ace-high royal flush. The highest possible hand in poker,” Junhee said as if it was the most normal thing.
To him it probably was.
But to Donghun, it was insane. He didn’t even know how he ended up with these cards throughout the game. He slowly laid them down on the table.
“This is impossible,” Donghun said full of disbelief.
“Nothing’s impossible. Just highly improbable. I mean, I taught a policeman how to be a fraud,” Junhee said.
“I’m not a fraud. You’re the fraud,” Donghun said. What was happening?
“I am. And I just taught you my trick. I’m pretty sure that makes you complicit. And besides, I’ve recorded it all.”
There was a ripping sound as Junhee’s hand reacher under the table, returning with a recorder in his hand.
Donghun swallowed a lump in his throat. He was so fucking stupid.
“I guess we’re both the bad guy now.” Junhee smiled the brightest Donghun had ever seen.
“So if you arrest me, we’ll be going down together. Isn’t that romantic?” Junhee added.
Donghun couldn’t speak. He couldn’t process what had just happened.
“We should have dinner someday. As accomplices.” Junhee grabbed another card and got a pen out of his front pocket.
“Call me.”
And with that, he left Donghun behind.
♡♢♤♧
He had freaked out. Lost his mind. He had driven in his blue Porsche, like that night with Junhee. It had cleared his mind more than he would want to admit.
He realised that as long as he kept silent, Junhee would too. Because if Junhee would release the tape, his own crime would be admitted.
So ultimately, everything was in Donghun’s hands.
He had to take the initiative.
And thus he called.
“Hello, Mr Lee.” He heard Junhee speak through the phone. How did he know it was him who called?
“Hi, Mr. Park.”
“Calling for that dinner?”
“Yes. But mostly, I think we should... Talk about things. As rational adults.”
There was a faint chuckle.
“But of course. I will pick you up at eight.”
No more words were spoken.
Donghun had spent a considerable amount of time on his appearance. He didn’t want to wear the same suit again. He had rushed out to get a grey suit. Not as classy as Junhee’s, but it was impossible to beat that.
No, highly improbable.
“Please stand. Spread your arms and legs,” said the man that got out of the front seat of the car.
At first he was intimidated, but soon was clear that he was being searched. The man took his phone and keys out of his pocket. Clever move.
Donghun side-eyed Junhee in his white suit with black details.
After him, Junhee got searched too.
Clean.
“How am I supposed to trust you? You’re being searched by your own guy,” Donghun reasoned, his hands in his now empty pockets.
“You can search me yourself if you want,” Junhee smirked.
That bastard.
He decided to do so anyway. He wasn’t going to take any dumb decisions anymore.
He gently traced his hands over Junhee’s body. Ghosted over it, almost.
He shouldn’t think too much of it. As a policeman this was basically part of his job. Yeah, that was it. He was just doing his job all along.
He felt something in Junhee’s back-pocket. Donghun smiled. Obviously Junhee couldn’t be trusted. Obviously he had done his job right by searching him.
Or so he thought until he pulled the thing out of his back-pocket.
He brought it up to Junhee’s face.
It was a condom.
Donghun’s face distorted.
“Is there something wrong with precaution?” Junhee asked. Now he was the one with a smile on his face.
“You’re disgusting.”
“You’re the one with your hands on my ass.”
Donghun got in the limousine and shut the door.
♡♢♤♧
“We’ll have your best wine, please.” Junhee ordered when a waitress came over to their table.
The restaurant was fancy, and by no doubt expensive. Everything was white and dustless. They were seated all the way at the back, looking out over a river from the window next to them.
The waitress returned with two big glasses of red wine. Donghun was frightened he might spill it.
Junhee swirled his wine around, and took a sip with a satisfied hum.
“You do love your wine, huh?” Donghun said.
“I certainly do. I love my alcohol, to be more specific,” Junhee said while eyeing the glass.
“I have a feeling we’re not here for smalltalk, though.”
“No, we’re not. I think we should break up.”
“Break up? As what? Friends, lovers?”
“You know what I mean. This could damage my entire career. This could damage your entire life.”
“I know. You have our fate in your pretty hands. But you probably already figured that out. You’re a smart man.” Junhee sipped from his wine again. Or more like, gulped.
“It’s your choice. You can leave. Fail your first case. Or maybe you’ll manage to get transferred. But you can also choose to join me. To earn lots and lots of money. You won’t ever need to work again.”
Donghun drank from his wine as he let it sink in. The way Junhee worded things made anything sound attractive.
He shouldn’t fall for it.
“You can be my inside man. You will be my lucky charm, Donghun.”
That was the first time Junhee had called him by his first name.
The wine burned in his throat. How much alcohol was there even in this? How many bottles had he and Junhee consumed already? Probably more than they had eaten food.
It was fully dark outside, the lights from inside reflected on the river from outside.
“I’ll do it,” Donghun spoke up.
“Do what?”
“Become your accomplice.”
Donghun had realised he had nothing to lose. Junhee was impossible to catch, he had seen it himself. And as long as Donghun didn’t release the tape, neither of them would be in danger.
Besides, he didn’t want to lose the only aspect of excitement in his life.
He could retreat anytime, right?
Junhee smiled.
“Please tell me your not doing it for the money only.”
“I’m not.”
“Interesting. Tell me more.” Junhee leaned forward on his elbows, holding his head up with his hands.
“I haven’t felt alive in a long, long time. Until now.” Donghun admitted.
“This is my only source of excitement. And believe me, I’ve tried everything.”
Junhee tilted his head. It looked as if there was a question on his lips, but he didn’t ask.
“Fine. Money is solely the source of conflict.” Junhee smiled, but it didn’t look genuine.
“Then why do you keep gambling?” Donghun had to ask.
“I’m supposed to be the moneymaker of the family.”
Donghun looked him in his eyes. Tried to tell if he was lying or not. If he had to choose a feeling that was closest to the one in Junhee’s eyes, it would be pain. Tucked away, very well.
“Do you trust me, Junhee?” Donghun then asked.
“Do I have a choice?”
“Don’t answer my question with another question. Yes or no.”
“Yes.”
“Good. I trust you, too.”
“Good.”
Junhee gulped down the last of his wine.
He leaned over the table, motioning Donghun to come closer.
Junhee began whispering in his ear with a slightly slurred voice.
“Then tell me, Donghun, have you ever been fucked in a limousine?”
♡♢♤♧
His head was pounding in the rhythm of his heartbeat. A sharp sting shot up to his eyes when he tried to open them.
His body felt heavy. Too heavy.
He took a while to regulate his breathing, and tried to open his eyes again.
He had no idea where he was.
There wasn’t much to recognise, the room was completely dark except for a faint stripe of sunlight leaking from the curtains opposite of him.
There was something on his chest. Something heavy. It made him panic a little.
It took him mere seconds to identify the object.
Park Junhee.
Wait, what?
Park Junhee?
Memories slowly entered his fatigued mind. Memories of the clinking of wine glasses and cutlery.
Memories of the black, comfy limousine.
Shit.
He sighed loudly. Too loud. The head on his chest moved. The hands grabbed his shirt.
Then Junhee suddenly raised his head.
He seemed to be just as confused as Donghun.
His eyes were half-closed when he looked at him.
“Do you remember?” Junhee asked. His voice was a little hoarse.
“Yeah,” Donghun answered.
“Do you mind?” Junhee asked.
“Not really,” Donghun answered.
“Cool. Lets just... stay... for a little longer...” Junhee’s voice slowed down while he spoke.
Donghun hummed in agreement.
Junhee nestled himself onto Donghun’s chest again. Donghun allowed himself to close his eyes, slightly lessening his headache.
He was far too deep into this already.
When Donghun woke up for the second time today, his headache was gone, and so was Junhee.
He slowly sat up and tried to fix his hair. He still couldn’t remember how exactly he ended up in Junhee’s bed. It was probably better that way though.
The door opened with a creaking noise.
“Hey,” Junhee walked in, seemingly freshly showered.
“Hi.” Donghun’s voice wasn’t quite working yet.
“Food or shower first?” Junhee asked.
“Shower.”
“Follow me.”
Donghun reluctantly got out of the bed. The shower had been nice, though. He felt disgusting before. He was forced to use Junhee’s expensive looking soap and shampoo. They smelled exactly like him.
Junhee had given him sweats and a shirt to wear. It surprised him. It was weird to even think about him owning anything other than suits.
Donghun looked down at the toast on a plate. Junhee sat opposite of him from the wooden dining table. Even in casual attire such as slacks and a shirt he looked classy.
“I told you that there’s nothing wrong with precaution,” Junhee smiled cockily.
Donghun choked on his food, but his coughing fit didn’t last long.
Luckily Junhee saw it as a sign to shut up about it.
“So, your house is quite... messy.” Donghun broke the silence, changing the subject.
He was referring to the infinite amount of glass shreds carefully wiped to the edge of the room. To the teared up couch. To the broken picture frames. It was nothing for perfect Junhee.
“I guessed. No need to worry about it, though. Or at least you don’t,” Junhee answered, looking around.
“Would you like something to drink?” Junhee asked.
Donghun looked up. He sounded nervous. His hands were slightly shaking. They were nothing like the steady poker hands he was used to.
“I’m fine, thanks,” Donghun said.
“Okay. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be back soon.” And with that Junhee left to the kitchen.
♡♢♤♧
“Are you ready? My accomplice?” Junhee smiled at Donghun’s reflection in the mirror. He was wearing one of Junhee’s suits. The blue one, to be exact. He had to be properly dressed for the occasion, or so Junhee had said.
They drove to Park’s Casino in Junhee’s black Mercedes.
He noticed he kept looking at him through the rear-view mirror.
They had gone over everything. Hand signals, coughing, feet tapping. For now Donghun was supposed to play along, not win. It would raise too much suspicion. And according to Junhee, he’d make the cheating too obvious. Donghun protested, but Junhee promised to let him win. Once. One day.
Junhee won, again. And again, and again.
A day had passed. Donghun had stayed at Junhee’s house. Slept in his bed. Together. It was stupid. During the day they’d act like they barely knew each other, by night they were so close to each other their heartbeats matched. Not that he payed attention to it.
Now the day had arrived. Now was Donghun’s time to shine.
Junhee had told him everything, he knew all the ins and outs. Poker really wasn’t so difficult if you knew how to cheat properly. Or maybe Junhee was just a really good teacher. Or maybe he just couldn’t keep his eyes off him.
He did right as he had revised with Junhee.
Fold, raise, call, and so on.
He won. As expected.
He had to check his hand of cards again. He really got another ace high royal flush. An ace, king, queen, jack and a ten. Spades this time.
He had earned his whole monthly salary. Thrice.
His eyes immediately searched for Junhee, who was watching from the bar.
Donghun smiled proudly at him. Junhee smiled back. But it wasn’t the same, proud smile. There was something not quite right.
“You should have seen their faces! They couldn’t believe a newbie like me beated them with the highest hand of cards.” Donghun was enthusiastically retelling the three games that he won today from his own point of view.
Junhee just nodded while he kept his eyes on the road and hands on the steering wheel.
“Is there something wrong? Did I mess something up?” Donghun asked. He had expected Junhee to be excited about this, but it was nowhere to be seen.
“I thought we were accomplices.”
“We are. Nothing more than that.”
♡♢♤♧
The house was too silent. Donghun couldn’t bear it. It was now his third night here, but he was alone. He didn’t know where Junhee was. He hadn’t heard a noise since he got into the bed. Junhee’s bed.
He closed his eyes. He told himself he’d worry about it tomorrow.
A loud banging noise woke him up. He was instantly alarmed. Footsteps ran up the stairs, towards the room he was in. In a state of sheer panic he rolled out of the bed in order to be able to defend himself.
“Donghun, it’s me!” The now familiar voice of Junhee called. The bedroom door swung open. In the doorframe was a very disheveled Junhee. Bags under his eyes, messed up hair, seemingly also in panic.
“What is going on?” Donghun tried to approach Junhee, but he flinched away.
“Close the door. Don’t come out no matter what you hear. Keep quiet.”
And with that Junhee closed the door and ran back down the stairs again.
Donghun was frightened to say the least. He waited in front of the door, placing his ear near it to hear better. He didn’t get any time to think. The front door was opened. Heavy footsteps. More than one person? He listened again. No, just one. Their footsteps were very irregular, as if they were drunk.
“We need to talk.” The voice of an approximately older man sounded. His tone was low, he spoke slowly and a little slurred.
“Y- yes.”
Junhee’s voice. Small.
“I saw you with that boy. You’re setting him up, aren’t you? Trying to replace you?”
Donghun bit his lip. He looked around the room. He had to do something.
“Do you want to get away? After the misery you’ve reflected upon me? Did you think I’d let you go?” The man’s voice was beginning to sound angrier and angrier.
Donghun tiptoed around the room, now not being able to hear what the man was saying. He had to be honest and confess that he had searched Junhee’s room before. So he knew where the recorder was. He lifted the plant and took the recorder from underneath it. He dusted off the dirt with his hands, and shuffled back towards the door.
He took a deep breath.
And opened it.
Just the slightest bit to stick the recorder through. Just so that it could record the sound but not be seen.
“You’re so stupid, Junhee! After all I’ve done for you, you just decide to leave? Do you think we have enough money yet? Do you?”
Silence.
Followed by the deafening sound of what he guessed must be the man’s flat hand against Junhee’s soft skin.
“You can’t get away from me, Junhee. You have to make money. My money!”
More ear-piercing sounds. Flat hands. Fists. He couldn’t tell.
Surprised yelps from Junhee. Sobs, even.
Donghun cringed at every noise, balling his fists.
He felt powerless.
“Say it.”
“I- I will make money. I will do everything you ask.”
“Whose money?”
“Your money, father.”
Everything clicked in his mind. His knees almost gave out. Junhee’s dad… Junhee’s dad. Junhee had been forced all along.
“I expect to see you tomorrow. Without your boy toy.”
The sound of one last kick.
The sound of the door falling closed.
Sobbing.
Donghun ran downstairs, seeing Junhee lay on the grey, cold, tiled floor. He was in a weird position on his side. His body was shaking. Splatters of red were on the floor.
“Junhee? Junhee, oh my god!”
He crouched down beside Junhee, not knowing what to do. Could he touch him? Would he freak out? He noticed the source of the splatters quickly. There was a line of blood seeping out from his nose. Donghun rushed to get a towel from the kitchen.
“It’s me, Donghun.” He tried to console Junhee. But he didn’t even look at him. He stared into nothing. His eyes were glassy while tears rolled over his cheeks.
“I’m going to touch you, okay? I’m going to clean you up,” Donghun said. He didn’t want Junhee to be scared by any of his actions, so he decided to announce them. He carefully let the towel touch Junhee’s face. He didn’t react. He wiped away the blood from his nose with slow strokes. Still no reaction. Luckily the bleeding had stopped already.
He waited.
Junhee was still sobbing, letting out small sounds. His body kept convulsing. His face was pale in contrast to the marks covering it. He watched him clench his jaw and grit his teeth.
He knew Junhee was hurt.
Seeing him like this hurt Donghun, too.
He reached out, covering Junhee’s hand with his own. It appeared to bring him back from his state of shock. He pierced Donghun’s eyes with his own, not blinking once.
Then he saw.
It was the pain in his eyes.
But this time it wasn’t tucked away.
It was all there for him to see.
Donghun properly held Junhee’s hand, entwining their fingers. Hoping for any bodily reaction. Junhee weakly squeezed it.
“Does it hurt?”
Junhee squeezed again.
Donghun let himself lie down next to Junhee on the floor. He used his remaining hand to wipe away some of his tears, making sure not to touch the red patch on his cheek.
“I won’t leave you behind like this.”
He engulfed Junhee in his arms, letting him cry and scream out against his chest.
There was a knot tightening in Donghun’s heart.
♡♢♤♧
“We should talk,” Donghun said to Junhee in the early morning. After the incident of last night, neither of them had said a word. There had only been silence while Donghun had put ice on his bruises. Wiped his tears away. Tucked him into bed.
Donghun had gotten a few hours of sleep. Junhee hadn’t slept at all.
“About what?” Junhee asked, sitting opposite of him.
“I heard what your dad said to you. Setting me up? To replace you? I think you owe me a brief explanation.” The words of the other’s dad been stuck in his mind.
Junhee sighed. Trembled.
“My father makes me do this. I have to. Or else-’’
“I know.”
“I knew you were coming to investigate. To arrest me. I wanted to set you up, so that you could make the money for me. So that my father would leave me alone.” Junhee spoke softly, as if his dad was listening.
Donghun wanted to say something, but Junhee continued.
“You were an easy target. I had you right where I wanted. But along the way, I realised I didn’t want to do this to you. I knew how bad it was. I began to- to care about you. I felt guilty for the first time in my life.”
“I’m so sorry, Junhee.”
“No, I am.”
Silence.
“You’re the victim, Junhee. Not the criminal.”
Junhee’s hands were shaking around the glass of wine.
“I’m no different from my dad. We’re both criminals. We’re both alcoholics!” Junhee slammed his fist onto the table. His face flinched from the pain.
“You’re not the criminal, you’re the victim,’’ Donghun repeated.
“Of emotional and physical abuse.”
His face was covered in marks, bruises were on his arm and his eyes were bloodshot.
Donghun fished the recorder from his pocket and placed it onto the table.
Junhee looked at it with confusion.
“Are you going to arrest me now?” Junhee asked. His eyes widened in panic.
“I recorded it. You and your dad. It’s evidence, to arrest him.” Donghun explained.
Junhee looked as if he didn’t believe him. Donghun couldn’t blame him. As a policeman, he was supposed to arrest Junhee according to his case.
He pushed the button of the recorder, allowing the voice of Junhee’s dad to play once again.
Junhee cringed at the sound. Donghun quickly turned it off.
“I’m sorry.”
“What am I supposed to do? He’s my father, Donghun.” His voice was softer now.
“I can’t do this.”
“You can. We can. I will help you. If we get this to the police, you’ll be inviolable,” Donghun said.
He pried Junhee’s fingers from the wine glass. His hand was cold. Junhee’s eyes lingered on their hands.
They were still accomplices, but the purpose had changed.
“How long will it take?”
“I can get on it right away. It won’t take more than a couple days to file the report and start the arrest.”
Junhee sighed. His voice trembled. He rolled his lip between his teeth. Donghun could only hope he’d make the right decision.
“Donghun?”
“Yes?”
“Don’t leave me behind after this.”
“I won’t.”
♡♢♤♧
It only took him a day to file the report. As in twenty four hours. For Junhee he was willing to pull an all-nighter.
Speaking of, Junhee had been soundly asleep in Donghun’s bed the entire time, wrapped up in the purple bed sheets.
He tried to work as quietly as possible. Not pressing the keys on the keyboard too roughly.
Hours later, Donghun was finally able to hit ‘send’.
He stretched his arms as he felt the weight fall off his shoulders.
Everything would be okay.
He turned around in his office chair, silently observing Junhee.
Honestly, poker wasn’t what gave him the rush of excitement. This case wasn’t what gave him the rush of excitement.
Somewhere inside his heart, he knew that all this time, Junhee had been the cause of it.
When Donghun went to bed at the fine hour of 5am, he was cuddled up by a sleepy Junhee.
And he wouldn’t want it any other way.
♡♢♤♧
Donghun hung up the phonecall.
“It’s done.”
Junhee’s dad had been arrested. There was not a word about Junhee and Donghun getting involved. Junhee’s dad was the big, bad guy everyone had their eyes on. Park’s Casino was instantly closed. Donghun was infinitely praised for getting a catch way bigger than the initial goal. His boss would regret calling him a pussy now.
“Really?” Junhee asked, shifting on their couch.
“It’s over. He has been successfully arrested,” Donghun said.
“I’m safe. You’re safe. We’re safe!” Junhee let the words spill from his mouth, as if saying them out loud would make him believe them.
Donghun smiled. He couldn’t wait to never see Junhee in pain again. He wanted him to be happy, forever.
“I don’t know what to say,” Junhee said, and pulled Donghun into a hug.
He let his arms hold Junhee against him.
“You’ve really been my lucky charm after all, Mr. Lee.”
Junhee eagerly kissed Donghun’s anticipating lips.
They still had a long way to go.
But for now, everything was okay.
♡e♢n♤d♧
(“I will never have to wear a suit again in my life,” Junhee exclaimed happily.
Donghun held their hands in between their bodies.
“Promise me you’ll wear a suit once more when we get married.”)