Chapter Text
Joon Mo can't feel his legs. It's not normal. He can't focus on what the doctors are saying. How is this possible? He was supposed to come out of it unhurt. But now... he knows it's all over. His life, career, everything. And he just stares at the ceiling without doing or noticing anything. This isn't what he wanted to achieve.
The knife went too deep. Luckily Seungho didn't die but the doctors say his legs are not working. The knife damaged the spine.
Gicheul has no idea what to do. Seungho can't continue with the gang. It hurts him to leave a loyal man just because of this, but he can't allow the gang to have weaknesses. And Seungho will be in danger if he stays. He won't be able to fight for himself if the time where it's needed comes.
"We'll come back. I promise. We'll help you." gangster promises.
Seungho got hurt saving him, it's only natural that it will be repaid. The least he can do is make sure he'll have anything he needs to live the rest of his days without having to worry.
Gicheul said something. Joon Mo didn't listen to what he said. He can't bear to stay here. He wants to go home. To do that, he starts by calling his colleagues. They pick up.
"Hey, I know it's a strange request, but can you come and pick me up from the hospital? I'll send an address. I'm not able to continue with the mission."
He ends the call before they can ask anything. Questions can come later.
"What happened to you?"
"Nothing. Just life."
"It's not nothing. You're a cripple!"
"And I can't do anything about it! Let's not talk about it anymore. I want to go home."
"But how will you manage?" they ask, worried about him "It was an undercover job. We won't be able to get you any compensation."
Joon Mo shakes his head. He doesn't want to deal with it. All he wants is to go home and talk to Euijeong freely.
The bed is empty when they come back later. Where's Seungho? Where was he taken?
"Some men took him away in the morning." says the nurse who Gicheul asks about his location.
"Do you remember them? Do you know who they were?"
Nurse shakes her head. She has no idea. Gangster tries to find him by looking at the CCTV, but there's nothing. Those crucial hours are missing. Gicheul wants to break something. How can it happen to him? He was supposed to pay that debt back. What now? How will he find someone who went missing in broad daylight? It's sure that he was taken away. By himself, he would’ve never been able to leave. Cruel truth it is, but it's true. Seungho couldn't do anything.
How long has it been again? Joon Mo has no idea. Feels like infinity. He's bored out of his mind but constantly tired at the same time. What is the world expecting from him after this? What is He expecting from the world now? Well, pretty much nothing. He can't do his job. It was his life goal to be a police officer. To be better than his father. Now he may end up just the same.
After being persuaded by her family, Euijeong is divorcing him. It was not her first choice but she understands what his condition means. So does he and he lets her go. He's not going to make her suffer with him because society thinks she should. No, her family's just wishing her the best. And he will always remain close to her. They depart on good terms. Who knows, if not pressured, maybe she would've stayed because Joon Mo knows for sure that she cared.
He's lonely. He isn't used to sitting inside all day but now it's all he can do. If he tries to go outside, people will stare and he has trouble moving. Every little hole in the road makes moving harder than it should be.
If he could turn back time, he would never take that offer. It was a mistake.
They still haven't found where Seungho disappeared to. Gicheul's feeling like he has failed. He promised to do something and then couldn't keep that promise. And Euijeong is going through divorce. Finally. Jung Gicheul remembers how useless her husband was during her mother's funeral. He has to spend some time with her other family members while he waits for her so they could go out. They are talking about her husband quite shamelessly. With some things Gicheul can agree. He was nothing good. Even his face was bad. Seungho looked better. He still can't understand how Euijeong could choose someone like him.
"And on top of that, he just had to become half paralysed after disappearing without any explanation. Who knows, he could’ve been fooling around with some other women."
That piques Gicheul's interest. How many half paralysed men are there around. Could it be?... He listens some more but there's nothing interesting anymore. Is Seungho somehow related to this Park Joon Mo? Can't be, but what if? There was one member who later pointed out that strange things started happening after Seungho joined. Gangster didn't take it too seriously at that time but now he's almost unbearably interested in Euijeong's useless husband.
Who is he exactly? How did he become like that?
Euijeong seems to be ashamed. She tries to change the topic when Gicheul asks her about him. So he makes it clear that he wants to meet him. Then it becomes obvious that she wants him away from her husband. Maybe she's afraid Joon Mo will tell him her secrets or anger him. He doesn't have a vulgar mouth, does he? As he knows that Euijeong won't give him the address, he asks from her brothers. They're much more helpful with that. He has it by the time he leaves.
Joon Mo lives quite far away. Is it his own choice or are they forcing him to do so? Gicheul's curious. He rings the doorbell but no one comes to open. He checks the door and finds it open. Either Joon Mo doesn't fear thieves or he's just done with everything and the world just moves around him without him getting involved in it.
Gicheul doesn't announce his arrival. He doesn't find it necessary after ringing the doorbell. And it's far more entertaining to walk around in an empty apartment without being invited in. There's a thrill to it. Joon Mo doesn’t notice his arrival and as soon as gangster sees the figure, he's glad for the fact. It's Seungho. Seungho's familiar figure. Although he has lost a lot of weight and looks really tired and sick. But it's still undoubtedly him. Gicheul observes him for a while in a safe distance from where the man couldn't possibly see him.
He's barely moving at all. It seems to take him great effort to do that. There's almost nothing left of the man who gangster knew. Seungho was shining bright, this man here is dull. He's not even looking at his direction but Gicheul knows for sure that his eyes look dead. To lose one's freedom like this, it's a great blow from what some never recover. Will Seungho be like them?
Gicheul's so focused thinking about these things that it takes him time before he realises even more burning matters. Seungho is Park Joon Mo, who used to be Euijeong's husband and who was a cop. Seungho was a traitor. A cop. A liar. Gicheul feels rage burning up within him. Although this man has already suffered his share, gangster wants him to pay for his lies. He steps out from his hidden spot and walks in front of Joon Mo, who freezes, his face showing horror. He knows he’s been found out.
What's He doing here? Joon Mo feels such a heavy pressure in the air that he can't even move when Gicheul smiles at him.
"Hello Seungho. Our previous meeting was somewhat lacking it seems. Will you introduce yourself again?"
Joon Mo gets himself together and improvises. Somehow it sounds better than the truth.
"I'm Park Joon Mo. But who are you? Why are you in my house? I'm calling the police!"
Now it plays for him that he's genuinely scared. Gicheul looks surprised but not angry. More like amused even. Not that it helps Joon Mo to ease his mind.
Gicheul takes the phone away from the desk in front of him before he can even grab it. He's helpless. Whatever happens will stay in the house.
It's obvious that Joon Mo is lying. Gicheul knows he played Seungho, but he's so good at acting that Gicheul finds himself amused and dragged in by his performance. It's almost real. Gangster lets him play on. It's funny. But when Joon Mo reaches for the phone, that's when Gicheul has to interfere. Police can't get involved.
"Well, it seems that you're not the person who I'm looking for. Do you know anyone named Kwon Seungho, who is in a condition similar to yours? He has a long scar on his back."
"No I don't. I have no connection with the world outside this apartment." Joon Mo denies that he knows the name. But that he's only in this room is obvious.
"Do you have anyone who helps you or are you here alone?" Gicheul asks while looking around. There are no signs of any other habitants.
"I can manage."
Gicheul doesn't believe so. He looks utterly terrible.
"I'm looking for my friend as some unknown people took him away. But while I'm searching for him, I just have to ask, won't you help me? You look like someone who could make people talk."
Joon Mo smiles weakly like someone old "Definitely not. I don't want to go outside. I can't talk to people and I can't help you."
That's when Gicheul leans closer to him and now it's his turn to smile "It's not a request but an order. Please cooperate. I can be reaaaaly scary. And I have the means to make my threats come to life. I'm a gangster."
Joon Mo stares at him in disbelief. But he's looking more lively than he did before. And Gicheul finds it amusing. As if he's the God, making people come back to life at his will and breaking them down the very next second. It gives him a thrill. He's going to play with Joon Mo this way for a while.
Why is he announcing his occupation so loudly? Did he really fall for this? Joon Mo is confused. But he knows he’s being threatened and that the situation is dangerous for him. What can he do? Nothing. His phone is in boss's hands and he can't move.
"What do you want me to do?" he has no choice left but to surrender.
"Didn't you listen to me? I want you to make people talk. Make them tell me where Kwon Seungho disappeared to."
It's a ridiculous request. Joon Mo wants to refuse so badly. But it's not an option.
"Is there anyone he met before going missing? You should start searching from there."
"You're coming with me."
"No way in hell. I'm staying here, you'll bring me the people and I'll make them talk just like you want me to. But I won't come outside."
That's something he absolutely refuses to do. Not that he can't but he just doesn't want to. Anything but that.
Gicheul smiles again.
"You don't have a choice"
Gicheul knows why he's trying to stay inside. It's obvious. That's why he doesn't leave Joon Mo with any other choices. He dared to lie to him. No one can do that. He's making him as uncomfortable as possible while waiting for him to slip up. It's no use to punish him when he's acting like he doesn't know what he did wrong. Gicheul wants him to learn. So as soon as Joon Mo gives up and admits that he played Seungho, gangster will take his sweet time to school him about the importance of telling the truth.
But until then, he's playing along. The fun will last longer this way. At some point Joon Mo will start to feel cornered and he'll break. And Gicheul will be there to observe it.
"Let’s go."
He prepares Joon Mo so he could go outside and take him along. He's reluctant but Gicheul ignores it. He can express his displeasure all he wants but gangster won't stop because of it.
Joon Mo shivers when they finally meet the frosty air outside. He must've been so comfortable in his little apartment that coldness and even fresh air feel unfamiliar to him. Gicheul notices the stares a little after that. People just can't help but to be curious or feel disgusted if something is different and they hardly ever hide it. Gangster makes himself look confident and pushes Joon Mo further while Joon Mo hides his face. He feels ashamed although he hasn't done anything wrong.
And Gicheul smiles because it's going exactly like he wants it to.
Why is Gicheul doing this to him? Did he really fall for his lies? Joon Mo is starting to doubt it. He clearly said that he doesn't want to go outside but Gicheul didn't listen and dragged him out. He didn't do such things before. Normal people had no idea what his true nature is like. Did his disappearance change him?
"Where are we going?" he finally dares to ask after his nervousness and anxiety have gone down a little. It's been a while since he last saw people who he didn't know.
"To meet some people. You'll like them."
Gicheul can say that, but he isn't convinced. He doubts if they'll get along.
And he's right. Has Gicheul lost his mind?! These are enemies! Even if Joon Mo was a normal person who doesn't know anything about gangs, he would know that this person sitting in front of him is dangerous. Deadly even. Is he one of those who wounded him? How did Gicheul manage to call him here?
"Look what the cat dragged in. You should be dead." The man sitting in front of them starts off by mocking him.
Joon Mo holds his anger. He can't be exposed. So instead he greets the man like they're meeting for the first time. He offers him his hand for a handshake.
"Hello, my name is Park Joon Mo. I don't think we have ever met before. Are you sure you're not mistaking me for someone else?"
"No way. There's only one you. But if you have a twin, tell me. I have business with someone who looks just like you."
"No. I don't have a twin. What do you know about someone named Kwon Seungho? He disappeared. "
"If I knew I wouldn't tell you. But he looks like you. We want to find him too. He's too dangerous to be left beside Jung Gicheul."
While the man says this he stares right at Gicheul.
"Is this your new pet after Kwon Seungho went away? They look like each other's spitting images. Are you sure you're not playing me right now?"
"Sir, I can tell you, I have never seen you before."
"Must be true. Otherwise I wouldn't get called a Sir."
Gicheul doesn't say anything but Joon Mo senses that he's irritated.
"You're useless to us. We'll get going first."
He pushes Joon Mo outside.
He's pissed. How dare they call Seungho his pet? No, he never considered man that. Although yes, he was always with him like a loyal dog. Sad that it was only a cover. He was good.
They go into a park and Gicheul sits down. He needs to think. What will force Joon Mo to accept the fact that he lied? He can't think of anything. But there's that scar. No, he needs to prepare for that plan. Right now, Joon Mo thinks he has fallen for his lies. Maybe he should propose that they go talk to his ex? When he acted as Seungho, he talked to her and Gicheul is sure it would be an awkward conversation between them. Especially now, after the divorce. As gangster learned, when Euijeong told him about it, it wasn't true, but now it's official. They've broken up.
No, that plan is out of options. He can't let Euijeong know that he has contacted her husband and that he knows Joon Mo was undercover. She would find an excuse to put him behind bars so their failed mission wouldn't come to light.
That's why he shoos away a stray cat who found Joon Mo's lap a great napping spot and takes man back to his apartment.
"I'll come back. Don't do anything stupid while I'm away and don't tell anyone I was here. You can do that right?" He asks it with a smile and Joon Mo nods.
"Good. We'll be great friends."
Gicheul leaves, whistling. It has been a great day.