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What is love if not a testament to the trials and tribulations endured by another, the burdens and hardships experienced in one’s own life now shared across two souls, an impossible weight carried by two hearts? For most people such an onus would be sealed with a vow, the binding of rings proclaiming a promise made before God that they would remain faithful in spite of any obstacle, sickness and death but a hindrance to their unwavering devotion.
But for Do-young such an oath had been made in blood, his hands covering Dong-soo’s fingers as the knife lowered into Moon Sang-guk’s chest, puncturing his heart and leaving nothing but his corpse, a relic stripped of its soul, void of life. It was upon this altar that he declared his love, a wordless pledge of support and unity that Dong-soo could hardly fathom, for such an emotion had always been one of complexity and affliction, something he never truly understood.
He witnessed the first of its failings when he was just a child, his father’s abandonment proof that love waned over time, his binding union with his mother easily fractured and irrevocably broken. He carried that sentiment into his marriage with Hye-young, a lingering fear that hung over their relationship even in its early stages. Dong-soo would do anything to keep it from falling apart, showering her with gifts that put him in debt, buying an apartment that his salary couldn’t afford and withholding the truth even if it kept her in the dark. He was still doing that now, lying to her, but this time it wasn’t to protect their marriage, he was doing it to protect himself.
For it had been long since he strayed from the path of righteousness, the roads he travelled full of mist and murky waters. The man he had become wouldn’t be accepted by her heart, her love was reserved solely for the good and the just, the weak and the hunted. Yet there was another that would provide him with solace, the consolation of their presence calming his nerves and his trembling fingers.
Apprehension wasn’t the cause of his condition, the symptoms neither prompted by fear or an unwillingness to act. His hesitation spurred from the gravity of this single moment, the choice of life and death in the palm of his hands. For days he had wanted Moon Sang-guk dead, for hours on end he dreamed of its fruition, planning each step in excruciating detail. Yet when it came time to enact his desire, the weight of such a sin began to bear down on him, his soul crying out for heaven’s intervention.
But even if the angels came it would make no difference, even if God had sent down his only son it would not matter, for the Devil had sent his own saviour, a fiend of vile nature and one capable of completing such a task. And yet despite possessing such abilities, he didn’t force the act or manipulate his decision, Do-young simply placed his hands over his lawyer’s, the warmth of his touch melting away the cold that gnawed at his skin.
The gesture was so profound and intimately professed that Dong-soo found himself at ease, his muscles loosening as he leaned back into his frame, Do-young’s chin resting on his shoulder, his arms enveloped around his body. In that moment Dong-soo felt his lungs expand and his lips part, allowing the air that was trapped inside to escape from his mouth and disperse into the open. With it followed all of his anxieties and everything that made him timorous, along with every concern and every worry that stopped him from carrying out what he sorely wanted. In this moment he was free, the weight lifted off his soul by a single touch.
So with Do-young’s aid, he pressed the knife into Moon Sang-guk’s chest and delivered the final blow to the man that had ruined his life, the old goat nothing more than a common kill, the first of many.
*****
He spent the night at Do-young’s manor after that, the grandeur of his abode more comforting than the compact space of his apartment. But despite his employer’s insistence on sleeping in one of the guest bedrooms upstairs, Dong-soo remained in the living room and lay on the couch closest to the furnace, his eyes entranced by the fire, it’s true power controlled and contained by the hearth in which it was caged, tamed by domesticity.
In the end, Do-young decided to stay with him and took a seat on the couch across from his lawyer, studying him in silence as he revelled in a glass of wine. It was only when Oh-jae informed them that Moon Sang-guk’s body was disposed of, his corpse now lying at the bottom of the ocean, that Dong-soo finally went to sleep, his eyes shut in a peaceful slumber.
Do-young had never seen him so still, his lawyer was always so frantic, always on the move, adamant on getting things done precisely when he needed to. But now he was motionless, his lingering concerns rendered silent by a single fact - Moon Sang-guk was dead. Now he could rest, even dream if such a thing was still possible. What would his dreams be of? What idyllic thoughts would bring him sanctuary in this moment?
The questions plagued the gangster’s mind, spurred on by a hidden want that he could never admit, not even to himself. Even now as he watched Dong-soo sleep a protective inclination washed over him, a desire to make sure that he was alright, that he was safe. But the proof of that lay right before him, his lawyer at peace under his own roof, warmed by the flames of his own furnace. Yet still, Do-young wanted to be certain…had to be certain.
So he encouraged his feet to move forward, to approach the couch upon which Dong-soo lay and to see for his own eyes the state of his mind. But he couldn’t do it, his heart unwilling to give in to such a weakness. He was a gangster after all, a callous killer that deserved nothing but damnation and eternal punishment. What made him think that he was entitled to protect anyone, that he warranted such comfort? Upon reflection Do-young knew it was foolish, a rash decision that would’ve caused more harm than good. So he remained in his seat, content with being his guardian for the night and the owner of this home that he sought as his haven.
*****
“What will you do now?”
It was a straightforward question, one that should’ve been simple enough to answer yet Dong-soo couldn’t formulate a response, his mind troubled with the bittersweet reality of his predicament. Both of their enemies had been dealt with, Kim Jae-yeol was behind bars and Moon Sang-guk was six feet under, his corpse sinking to the bottom of the ocean, an arduous journey to hell’s fiery gates. So what remained of their alliance now? Was there any reason to continue such a partnership?
Dong-soo had promised his family for weeks now that they’d move to Australia once he acquired enough money for the emigration. But the truth is he always had the funds to relocate, the initial payment that Do-young had given him would’ve paid for the plane tickets, a new house and all the essentials that they’d need. So what was keeping him here? Why didn’t he feel satisfied with leaving all of this behind?
As the lawyer poked at his breakfast with a fork, his appetite no longer keen for the food that was placed before him, he pondered deeply on his situation, a crossroad that would change the course of his life. Do-young watched him intently as he sat on the other side of the dining table, his breath hitched as he waited eagerly for his answer.
“I suppose retirement would be the most logical decision. It would be good to rest easy for a while.”
The gangster lowered his head after hearing his reply, refusing to show the disappointment that was riddled across his face. Deep down he knew that Dong-soo would choose the safest path forward, the one that led to the security of a brighter future, prospects that were bathed in the warmth of the summer rain and the rays of a golden moon. Still, that didn’t change how much his answer hurt, it didn’t fill the void that was now etched into his heart.
“But my soul has never known peace, even now it aches for more,” Dong-soo confessed, his admission perplexing Do-young and peeking his curiosity. “I think there’s more that we can achieve together, I reckon we could even part the clouds if we wanted to.”
Do-young raised his head after that, his eyes lifting to meet the gaze of his companion, his proclamation as powerful as a prophet’s sermon, confidently spoken and divine in its declaration.
“So the question you should be asking me is, what are we going to do now?”
And there it was, the answer Do-young had been waiting to hear, the decision he had prayed into existence manifesting before his eyes. Dong-soo was staying in Shinnam, he was remaining by his side and their alliance was far from over, in fact it had only just begun.
*****
Weeks had passed since Dong-soo made his decision and not even hours after the wheels started to turn, bringing into motion their joint plan to reign supreme over this corruptible city. Using his association to Detective Chul-jin, the lawyer silenced any suspicions the police force had on Do-young and his connection to the disappearance of Moon Sang-guk by sending him on a trail of breadcrumbs that led him down the rabbit hole and into the lair of the Family Gang. He managed to set them up for murder and in an attempt to resist capture the hoodlums started a firefight, one that was initiated by a hired mole who used the battle to kill Detective Chul-jin and the leader of their rival gang, effortlessly getting rid of two birds with one stone.
That was the first of their problems solved. The next would involve the establishment of the marine casino, a project that had been in the works since Kim Jae-yeol was in charge. But this time it would be completed because Mr Kim didn’t have what Do-young possessed and that was a man undyingly loyal to a common cause, driven by an insatiable hunger that pulled his soul in a single direction, back to him.
So after creating his own law firm, he set about using his newfound influence to invite the most prestigious and wealthy of people in all of Shinnam to a dinner party, hosted by none other than his suave and charming partner in crime. Do-young was a master of persuasion, he knew just what words to say to convince anyone to do anything and never was that skill more useful than it was here. The donors ate up every word that came out of his mouth, sweet lies and throwaway compliments that followed with the promise of investment and public support. It was everything they needed to make this event a success and soon the opening of their casino would follow.
But that night also came with bad news, a consequence of overlooking a significant aspect that would cause everything to come crashing down. That night, Beom-jae took Min-hee and Hye-young to the airport and got on a plane to Australia, leaving Dong-soo alone and isolated from his family. He saw this coming, though upon reflection he should’ve taken the signs more seriously because after Moon Sang-guk’s disappearance, Beom-jae had grown sceptical of his brother, more so after he realised that his relationship with Do-young had grown stronger after the incident.
After questioning Dong-soo about his involvement, his brother’s frantic answers and perturbed silence was enough to make him believe the worst. He had either killed him or had a hand in his murder and Beom-jae wanted nothing to do with a man capable of such a sin. So on the day of their dinner party, when Dong-soo was with Do-young chatting up potential investors, his family fled like a thief in the night, cutting off all contact and disowning him completely, making Dong-soo a stranger to his own, a forgettable part of their past.
Upon finding his apartment empty, the belongings of his wife and niece absent along with the proof of their existence, Dong-soo sought solace at Do-young’s manor, a castle with high walls and darkened hallways, a fortified stronghold that had become a second home to him, a palace befitting two demons alike in more ways than one.
Stepping out of the rain and into his abode, Dong-soo was greeted by a man covered in black robes, his chest exposed by the loose buttons that did little to hide the muscular physique that lay underneath his garments. As Dong-soo trailed his eyes down his burly frame, he followed the path of scars that lined his body, some of them old and some of them new. They were like strokes of paint on a canvas, ink fading off the parchment, creating a poem unique to one individual, an intimate work of art.
Burning with the urge to know their meaning, the lawyer stretched out his hand towards him, his fingers desperate to feel the warmth of his skin and the tapestry of scars that told his story. As they made contact, Dong-soo felt the chill in his palm evaporate, the heat radiating off Do-young’s skin melting away the cold that gnawed at his body. He needed more, needed to consume all the warmth he had left, every last drop. But as Dong-soo slithered his fingers up his throat towards the curves of his lips, Do-young grabbed his wrist, bringing his daring feat to an end.
“Stop,” he said, his tone mellow but firm enough for him to listen. Then as he surveyed the damp browns of his lawyer’s eyes, his gaze full of autumn blues and earthly grief, he became riddled with concern. “What’s wrong?”
Dong-soo lowered his head at his question, his silence resoundingly loud and poignantly wretched.
“They’re gone.”
“Who is?”
“Beom-jae, Hye-young and Min-hee,” he revealed, dismally, the reality like a bullet to his heart, choking his lungs and affecting his breathing. “They’ve gone to Australia and changed their phone numbers. I can’t call them, I don’t know where they are…”
The pace of his breath was quickening now, the chill of the rain causing his body to shiver as tears poured profusely from his eyes. Soon the weight of his reality began to bear down on him, forcing the lawyer to his knees as he cried out before his Devil, bleeding out his soul on the floor of his home.
Selfishly, Do-young couldn’t be happier about his current circumstances. With his family gone, he no longer had to fight for his attention, his heart could belong to him and him alone. But considering how aggrieved their departure had made him feel, such a task would be difficult to achieve and one that would take a lot of convincing.
“They’ve abandoned you,” the gangster said, his statement rather harsh despite there being some truth to his words.
“I lost their trust first,” Dong-soo defended, his heart in opposition to such a fact.
“This has never been about trust or faith, it’s been about loyalty and the willingness to endure all obstacles. Is that not what you promised before God? What she promised?”
Dong-soo looked at the ring fastened around his finger, the wedding band feeling more worthless than a strip of gold that’s been tarnished and sullied by years of rust.
“Such vows should be upheld, should they not?” Do-young continued. “Kept close to the heart.”
Then suddenly the gangster lowered himself before his lawyer, kneeling in front of him like a pilgrim in prayer. Such an act was too profound for Dong-soo to fully take in, a show of humility and defencelessness that he had never witnessed let alone thought was possible. At this height they were both equal, two souls bare and vulnerable, prey to the will of their own desires.
Enveloping his cold hands into the warmth of his embrace, Do-young brought Dong-soo’s palm to his chest, his fingers pressed against his skin once more.
“Remember that night when you killed Moon Sang-guk and I held your hands just like this?” Do-young recalled, softly. “That night I pledged myself to you, that night I became yours. Could you say the same?”
But Dong-soo shook his head with regret, an admission of truth that struck the gangster deeply.
“I have yet to bind myself to you,” he confessed, his words tinged with provocation. “But I might know of a way that I could.”
Then his gaze dropped to Do-young’s lips, his mouth offering a gateway to his soul and passage to the darkest parts of himself, secrets hidden under bone and skin, the very essence of his mortality. Dong-soo wondered what it would taste like to consume him, to savour every truth and every lie, to know him better than he knew himself, to truly become one.
“My heart is not a weapon,” Do-young warned, slightly afraid for what would follow next.
“Neither is my own,” Dong-soo replied, his voice nothing more than a whisper. “But I would risk my soul if I could have you tonight.”
For his own sanity, Do-young searched the depths of his gaze, looking for falsehoods and untruths. “And how will you have me? As your lover, a paramour that you can discard on a whim?”
Slowly Dong-soo leaned forward, closing the gap between them until he was a mere breadth away from his lips. And this time Do-young didn’t hinder his approach, he remained still and allowed himself to become powerless to his will, vulnerable to heartbreak and torment.
“No, I will have you as you are, as my king and my god, my one true solace.”
And with that Dong-soo cupped his face in his hands and guided his lips to his mouth, intertwining their souls and binding their hearts through an intimate act of devotion, a benevolent form of worship reserved solely for those that knew the power of true love. Dong-soo hadn’t known what such an emotion meant before, even now he was still trying to figure it out but maybe, just maybe this is what the poets spoke of. Maybe this is what many had tried and failed to find in their lifetimes, a real love, one tested and confronted by the the world’s many challenges.