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“Hyeon,” Yeo Halyun called his friend, and Sama Hyeon turned to him with a raised eyebrow.
“What?”
Yeo Halyun rolled his eyes.
“I literally called you here to talk about my situation, and yet you’re not paying attention…” Yeo Halyun grumbled.
“Time is money, y’know,” Sama Hyeon fired back. “Unlike you, I have a company to run and various business deals to make… You wouldn’t know since you’re not that rich…”
Yeo Halyun didn’t rise to the bait. Instead, he took a deep breath.
“As I was saying, I need you to help me. I’m meeting Cheonhee’s foster father for the first time today, and I need to make a good impression.”
Sama Hyeon’s eyes widened at his words.
“Wait, hang on a second… You’re meeting Cheonhee’s foster dad? For the first time??”
“Yeah,” Yeo Halyun nodded.
“Oh my god…” Sama Hyeon shook his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe you’re just now meeting him…”
“Yeah, Cheonhee said it takes a while for his dad to accept people…” Yeo Halyun trailed off.
Sama Hyeon snorted. “Was that all he said? Cheonhee didn’t say anything else?”
“Hmm, he did say his father was pretty fierce and owned several guns, but I think that’s about it…”
“You’re crazy,” Sama Hyeon spat out. “You’ve been dating Jin Cheonhee for, what, a year and a half? And during this time, you didn’t think to do some research on his father?”
“What the… Should I be concerned?” Yeo Halyun asked. “No… It doesn’t matter though, does it? Cheonhee and I are in love…”
“Pffft haahahahaaa!” Sama Hyeon let out a manic laugh, giggling as he hit the table. A few customers in the store turned to glare at their table, but Sama Hyeon paid no mind.
Yeo Halyun didn’t care either — he knew that every time he met Sama Hyeon in public, there was a real risk of getting labeled as crazy….
“I didn’t call you here for you to laugh at me,” Yeo Halyun hissed. “I’m here because I’m meeting Cheonhee’s father tonight, and I—”
“TONIGHT?!” Sama Hyeon shrieked, and a few people sent disapproving glares.
“Yeah,” Yeo Halyun nodded. “That’s why I called you here. I need you to give me some… encouragement, you know? Hype me up for later…”
“You’re calling me for advice?” Sama Hyeon giggled.
Yeo Halyun frowned.
“Well, in hindsight, it was a pretty dumb idea…” he muttered.
“Besides, I’m not exactly here for advice… more of a…” Yeo Halyun searched for the right word.
“A pep talk?” Sama Hyeon suggested.
“Yes! Something like that! I just need you to tell me that I can do it, and so on,” Yeo Halyun explained.
“…You’re not the type to need pep talks though, right?” Sama Hyeon snarked, but then his eyes narrowed.
“You must be really nervous about all this then!” Sama Hyeon realized. “I mean, if you’re going so far as to ask me for advice…”
“A pep talk, Hyeon, a pep talk…” Yeo Halyun corrected. “I wouldn’t go to you for advice even if you were the last person on earth.”
“If I were the last person on earth, you’d be dead,” Sama Hyeon smirked.
“…Touche,” Yeo Halyun rolled his eyes. “Come on, just get to the point and give me some… pep talk.”
“Alright,” Sama Hyeon nodded gracefully. “I’ll do my best.”
“Hmm… where should I start?” Sama Hyeon murmured.
“You know what, Halyun? I’m sure you can do this,” Sama Hyeon began speaking. “Isn’t it just meeting your boyfriend’s father? It’ll be a piece of cake for you.”
“Aren’t you a model son-in-law? You have a great job, a stable income, and you’ve got the looks… I’m sure your father-in-law will love you!” Sama Hyeon gushed.
“…Why do I feel like…”
“No no… Be quiet,” Sama Hyeon hushed Yeo Halyun with a finger.
“Even if Cheonhee’s foster father is a well-known lunatic who only has eyes for his son… Even if Cheonhee's foster father is infamous in the underworld for that once incident when he cut off a man's fingers for daring to hit Cheonhee… Even if Cheonhee's foster father literally sleeps with a knife under his pillow and has taught Cheonhee how to castrate men…. Even after all of that, I'm sure you'll do well,” Sama Hyeon smiled gently.
“After all, you should always have faith in your abilities, Halyun! Even if your father-in-law decides to stab you in your sleep, I'm sure you'll recover from it ASAP! And even if he decides to cut off your hands as a warning not to hurt his son, I'm sure you'll stay strong! After all, aren't you just amazing and awesome!” Sama Hyeon's voice was laced with faux kindness, making Yeo Halyun cringe.
“Hey, Hyeon, I don't think I need this anymor—”
“None of that nonsense!” Sama Hyeon hissed, eyes ablaze with passion.
“You're the one who asked for this, remember?”
“Now, don't you worry at all… I'm sure once your father-in-law sees how handsome you are, he definitely won't think of you as an evil vixen who seduced his poor son and will break his heart someday… He definitely won't hurt you in advance, and he definitely won't threaten to have you skinned alive if you so much as hurt Cheonhee…”
“…I don't think this is the kind of pep talk I signed up for,” Yeo Halyun muttered.
“Right?” Sama Hyeon flashed a toothy grin. “And look at me, being so generous and kind, even offering you more than what you asked for…”
“That's not…”
“Yeo Halyun,” Sama Hyeon's tone took a dark turn.
Yeo Halyun gulped. He wasn't scared of Sama Hyeon, no… but when his friend got like this… he meant business.
“Who is the one giving a pep talk right now?” Sama Hyeon asked.
“…You,” Yeo Halyun begrudgingly admitted.
“That's right! So listen to me!!! And don't talk on your own!” Sama Hyeon exclaimed.
“Now… let's talk about how your father-in-law definitely won't murder you… in front of Cheonhee, at least…”
“…”
Inside his study, Jaegal Lin locked eyes with his most trusted subordinate, Yooho.
“You understand I am meeting my potential son-in-law for the first time today, yes?” Jaegal Lin spoke.
“I know, Sir,” Yooho nodded firmly.
“I need… advice. Or some sort of pep-talk,” Jaegal Lin stated as-a-matter-of-factly.
Yooho scratched his chin thoughtfully.
“Sir… if I may, there is only one sentence I can give you.”
“Go on,” Jaegal nodded.
“Please, Sir…. No murder,” Yooho said empathically.
Jaegal Lin smiled. “Well that's easy,” he chuckled.
“I shall simply maim him.”
“…No.”
“What do you mean no??” Jaegal seemed quite offended.
“Please, Sir, my workload is enough…” Yooho sighed wearily.
“I will double your salary.” Jaegal shrugged.
“…I shall make preparations to hide the body, Sir,” Yooho grinned, giving his Boss a thumbs up.
Jaegal Lin smiled.
“That's more like it.”