“Why do you even bother asking when you already figure everything out on your own? ……Ah. Ah that hurts. Don’t press there.”

Taeui grabbed Ilay’s hand and pulled it away. For a moment, it seemed as if the hand might linger stubbornly on his face, but it soon let go without resistance. Ilay gazed at Taeui with a subtle smile before tilting his head.

“Why don’t you, just once, pick a day and completely crush one of those guys who keep messing with you? If you do it right, I can’t say they’ll never bother you again, but at least they won’t be poking at you so lightly anymore.”

Taeui clicked his tongue. This was the man’s version of kindness. He was offering sound advice—advice that made perfect sense according to his logic. If Taeui were to follow the suggestion and single out one of those who casually picked fights with him, completely ‘crushing’ them, the number of skirmishes he’d face would undoubtedly drop to less than half, maybe even below 10%. But every rare fight that remained would be one where he’d have to put his life on the line. This much was clear, judging from the man’s own example.

“I don’t have the guts, courage, or skill to take on a group of guys charging at me with a bomb in hand…… Besides, for now, they’re still my colleagues, after all.”

“Colleagues.”

Ilay repeated Taeui’s words. The subtle tone of his voice carried a hint of amusement, almost bordering on mockery.

“Can you really say those colleagues bear no responsibility for the state of your face?”

“Well, in a way, that’s true.”

“Why not prune a few of those relationships? It doesn’t seem like you plan to stick around there for the long haul anyway, so just let go of what you can.”

‘Who do you mean, me?’—It would have been amusing to say that with an innocent expression, but Taeui swallowed the words down. His skill at self-preservation was improving day by day. Still, as his tightly sealed lips twitched, holding back his retort, Ilay raised a single eyebrow as if he could guess exactly what was on his mind. Self-preservation. It was necessary. With only a few months left until discharge—UNHRDO was no different from the military in Taeui’s head—it would be an utter waste to lose his life pointlessly at this stage.

Taeui smiled as innocently as he could manage and leaned back against the bench.

But pruning relationships—those words, too, were sound advice in Ilay’s way of thinking, and in their own way, a form of kindness. However, not just in moments like this but often, Taeui couldn’t help but feel how fundamentally different this man’s way of thinking was from his own. Of course, when he first joined this organization, it was with the understanding that he’d only be here for six months, but that decision had little to do with pruning relationships. At least, not directly.

“Man…… I’m not exactly great at treating others well myself.”

Taeui scratched his head and glanced at Ilay. He had no intention of lecturing or reprimanding him, but after smacking his lips briefly, he let out a sigh.

“There’s no such thing as a relationship without scars.”

“Hahaa.”

To Taeui’s brief remark, Ilay gave an even shorter, meaningless response. Taeui frowned, pulling at his hair as he stared disapprovingly at the man who seemed like he wouldn’t find it strange to get stabbed anywhere.

“I’m not exactly the nicest person myself, so with every friend I’ve known for a long time, there’s not a single one I don’t have at least one frustrating memory with. Heck, I even remember grudges from when I was 6 or 7. Uhm, but it’s not just me—they probably have their share of frustrating memories about me too. The longer you know someone, the more that happens, doesn’t it?”

Unless someone is extraordinarily thoughtful, how could there not be one or two moments of hurt in a long-standing relationship? Scars form, one, two, three, layering over each other, yet they kept meeting, and they’d continue to meet in the future.

“I may hate the little things about them, but I still like them, no question about it. What I mean is…… even if I find those small parts of the people around me annoying right now, I’ll still drag them along with my life, one way or another, for at least the next 30 years.”

Taeui mumbled to himself, recalling friends he hadn’t seen in quite a while, one by one. Yeah, as long as they’re not someone like Lieutenant Kim, even if they cause some trouble, after a few years, things usually settle back into an easygoing relationship. Meanwhile, Ilay tapped the bench’s armrest lightly with his fingertips, watching Taeui with an amused expression. From that faintly smiling gaze, Taeui realized Ilay didn’t agree with his opinion in the slightest. But that didn’t matter—he hadn’t intended to persuade him in the first place. All that mattered was that Ilay understood the underlying message: ‘You and I are different’. And Ilay wasn’t so dull or foolish that he couldn’t pick up on that much.

“30 years, huh. Then what about after 30 years?”

“Are you stupid? Why even ask?”

Taeui replied with a sulky tone. Ilay’s lips curled into a faint smile as he asked again.

“You’re saying you’ll keep dragging them along? Those guys from the branch?”

“Well…… I didn’t mean those guys in particular, but who knows, really.”

“Who knows? That doesn’t match what you just said.”

“What can I say? Most of them don’t have anything clear for me to really hate or like yet.”

Taeui frowned. You couldn’t possibly drag along every person you encounter and collide with in life. The ones you do keep in your life aren’t entirely up to you alone, either. The moments when you catch a glimpse of something to hate or love about someone are fleeting, brief instants. Perhaps, in truth, what weaves the fabric of relationships between people isn’t the entirety of the time they’ve known each other, but a handful of those fleeting moments.

……Well, even if it’s been at least a few months since he last saw any of them. Wonder what they’re all up to now.

Taeui stared blankly, thinking of his friends beyond the sea on the other side of the setting sun. Just then, Ilay, who had been watching him with an amused expression, suddenly raised his hand. With his large hand nearly covering Taeui’s face, he slowly brushed it down, tracing each of the many scars on his face.

“If it’s about the parts of those branch guys to hate, haven’t you seen plenty already? ———Look, even this.”

“Ah…… oouch! I told you not to press that!”

Taeui yelped in frustration as Ilay deliberately pressed down on the bruise at his temple with his middle finger before letting his hand glide downward. Ilay chuckled as he withdrew his hand.

‘If it’s about the parts of yours I hate, I’ve seen more than enough to fill a lifetime—overflowing, even. Sometimes, I feel like if someone handed me a knife, I might actually commit murder, you bastard. But since I value my life, I can’t bring myself to say it—or act on it.’

Taeui glared at Ilay with a fierce expression, rubbing his face furiously.

“This isn’t so much about hating you…… it’s more like wanting to punch you really hard.”

Muttering to himself, Taeui added: “That’s why I don’t just take the hits—I hit back too.”

Suddenly, Ilay burst into laughter. It wasn’t particularly loud, but it was clear he found it incredibly amusing. His laugh was cheerful and refreshing, and he kept at it for a while, as if he couldn’t stop. Between chuckles, he occasionally muttered: “Ah, so that’s how it is”, and continued laughing, thoroughly entertained by something only he seemed to understand.

Taeui stared at him with a puzzled expression. It wasn’t often that Ilay laughed like this. Sure, he often let out those ambiguous chuckles that were hard to tell if they were mocking or not. Occasionally, he’d laugh aloud too. But this—this cheerful, refreshing laugh that seemed so pure—it was unexpected, making him look almost like a boy without a care in the world. Taeui found himself watching him intently. Fine, laugh if you want. Whatever it was that amused you so much, go ahead and enjoy it. The way Ilay’s eyes crinkled slightly as he smiled was oddly appealing. Even knowing his true nature, Taeui felt like he could almost be fooled into believing it was a warm, so gentle smile. If he always laughed like that, the metaphorical knives thrown his way might go from a hundred to ninety-nine. Yeah, this guy’s personality might be utterly wretched, but his appearance, in contrast, almost seemed to make up for it.

Taeui gazed at Ilay absentmindedly. When Ilay’s laughter finally subsided, he glanced at Taeui with eyes still glimmering with amusement and gestured toward him.

“What about me, then?”

“Huh?”

Taeui was about to ask: ‘What do you mean?’ but then flinched as he recalled the flow of their earlier conversation. If someone asked him to list the things he hated about this man, he could easily name a dozen on the spot. As for the things he liked…… he’d probably have to think hard the entire time he was listing those dozen dislikes just to come up with one.

“……Do I really have to say it?”

Taeui asked seriously. Even though he tried to sound casual, he could feel his own expression growing grim and somber. He didn’t want to lie about something like this, but if he spoke his true feelings, it wouldn’t end well. Ilay, this time, didn’t laugh as brightly as before, but he chuckled softly, as if mildly amused.

“Alright, fine. I’m in a good mood today, so I’ll save it for next time. ————Shall we go, then?”

As Ilay stood up smoothly after speaking, Taeui stared up at him blankly. “Where to?” – He muttered, and Ilay shrugged, tilting his head.

“A suit. I said I’d buy you one, remember? I know a good place over in Kowloon*, but unfortunately, I’ve got an appointment right after this, so there’s no time to head over there. Pacific Place will have something decent enough. Unless, of course, you have a preference?”

At Ilay’s question, Taeui blinked in confusion, his expression still blank. “No, not really.” – He mumbled, shaking his head. ‘A suit? All of a sudden? What, what, what’s this about?’ – Before he could fully process what was happening, he missed his chance to refuse altogether.

**************************

It seemed he had fallen into a deep sleep. Taeui only managed to open his eyes when he felt someone gripping his shoulder and gently shaking him. Glancing to the side, he saw his uncle standing over him in a robe, drying his damp hair.

“You must be exhausted. Didn’t even wake up when someone came in, took a shower, and came back out.”

“I wasn’t that tired…… Just meant to close my eyes for a bit, but I must’ve fallen into a deep sleep. ……What time is it?”

“A little past 10. ……Wow. Your face looks…… colorful. What happened this time?”

As Taeui let out a sleepy sigh and groggily sat up, his uncle, seated across from him, frowned. Having been away on a business trip all week, his uncle must have just returned—his carry-on bag sat abandoned in a corner of the room.

“It’s always like this, isn’t it? When you have to work under someone who deserves to be stabbed more than a few times, this is what happens. And believe it or not, this is after getting treatment.”

Taeui mumbled as he carefully rubbed his cheek with the back of his hand. Right after the beating, he had gone straight to the infirmary, where Kyoho handed him medicine, gauze, and other supplies to treat his injuries. And, unbelievably, even Ilay had given him some medicine.

After leaving Pacific Place, Ilay had parted ways, saying: “I have an appointment this evening, so I’ll be off. It’s a shame we can’t head back together.” On his way out, he had even stopped by a pharmacy to buy medicine and handed it to Taeui.

‘There’s a proverb in my country that fits this situation perfectly’ – Taeui thought to himself, letting Ilay dab ointment on the cut at the corner of his mouth. With uncharacteristic seriousness, Ilay carefully applied the ointment with light taps, his expression oddly grave. Only when he seemed satisfied did he lift his hand lightly, turn, and walk away.

‘That guy is impossible to figure out.’ – Still, while Ilay was the one who caused the trouble, he also brought the remedy, making it hard to lay all the blame on him. In this situation, the most Taeui could do was blame the person responsible for creating the mess in the first place. Rubbing his cheek, he fixed a pointed glare on the one he deemed the true culprit behind it all.

“Uncle, this debt is huge. I’m going to remember it for the next 20 years at least.”

“Don’t say that to me, say it to the ones who hit you. Honestly, those reckless fools. Why don’t you pick one out and crush them once and for all?”

Taeui let out a small sigh. His uncle was saying something similar to what that person would say. The difference was that that person meant it wholeheartedly, while his uncle was only half-serious. Stretching out his stiff body, Taeui muttered: “If it’s strength or skill we’re talking about, I’d be the one getting crushed if I went up against the people here.” Not wanting to linger on a topic he wasn’t fond of, he quickly shifted the subject.

“How was South America? Did your work go well?”

“It’s all internal work within the same organization, so there’s nothing to say about it going well or not. I just went because they sent me.”

“Hmm. Promotions or advancements to higher posts are all tied to other branches too, right?”

“Pretty much.”

‘Then that answer about it being internal work and not mattering doesn’t really hold up, Uncle.’ – Taeui conveyed with his eyes. His uncle met his gaze, smiling faintly but saying nothing in response. It was clear he had no intention of answering.

Well, to be fair, Taeui was an outsider. Even though he was currently part of the organization, he neither understood the intention behind it nor felt any real sense of belonging. After all, it wasn’t like he had chosen to join of his own accord.

“Well, it’s your work, Uncle. I’m sure you’ll handle it just fine.”

Taeui scratched his head and spoke nonchalantly. Unlike his lucky older brother, this uncle was the type you didn’t really worry about, no matter where he was thrown. Besides, whether the UNHRDO Director changed or the U.S. President changed, it wasn’t like the world would turn upside down.

What Taeui really wanted, though, was for his immediate superior to change. That would be a dream come true.

“You went out over the weekend, didn’t you? Did anything interesting happen?”

“Oh, Hong Kong? I went out yesterday and came back the same day. What could’ve been interesting in that short time?”

“Why not? You could’ve accidentally wandered into a hidden alley and discovered a charming old bookstore or something. Or maybe you ran into a familiar face while walking down the street. Even if it wasn’t exactly a welcome face, it could still count as something interesting.”

Taeui paused mid-scratch. His uncle, casually running a hand through his hair, smiled faintly when their eyes met. Taeui, still looking drowsy, stared at him with a sullen expression before clicking his tongue in annoyance.

“Word sure travels fast. I guess even news without legs managed to fly all the way to South America, huh?”

“I took the incoming ship with Riegrow.”

His uncle opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. “Want a beer?” – He asked Taeui. When Taeui nodded and held out his hand, his uncle tossed him a can. Carefully, Taeui opened the pull-tab, making sure the foam didn’t overflow. Although it didn’t erupt spectacularly, bubbles still frothed out, and he sipped them away with a slurp. Then, as if it were nothing, he muttered casually.

“He’s definitely got a diamond spoon in his mouth.”

“Huh? That guy? Yeah, not just any diamond, but top-quality.”

“……Well…… I’m not so sure about that.”

When judging a person, wealth and family background are undeniably important factors from a realistic perspective. But for a man like him, his personality alone was enough to cancel out all those advantages. As Taeui gulped down his beer, he quietly watched his uncle. His uncle, too lazy to brew tea today, was sipping plain water from a cup. Noticing the gaze on him, he looked up and met Taeui’s eyes with a puzzled expression. Taeui, as if it were nothing, spoke in a calm tone.

“T&R is definitely a company that can’t be ignored in this industry. Both in terms of scale and substance.”

“Exactly. There’s probably no one in this field who hasn’t heard of the name. The person running it right now has exceptional business skills.”

“Ah, you mean that friend of yours, Uncle?”

“That’s right. He’s also Riegrow’s older brother.”

“Hmm. It’s true that running a business requires exceptional skills in many areas. You need a broad network, and especially in that industry, you have to stay attuned to the system’s dynamics. You’d constantly have to keep an eye on politics, and the lobbying efforts must be intense. In that field, close ties between business and politics are practically unavoidable.”

Taeui nodded but paused as he took his lips off the beer can, glancing up at the ceiling for a moment before tilting his head.

“But that family must be pretty good at lobbying, huh? I mean, UNHRDO is still an international organization, after all. For them to grant such conveniences…… I kept wondering why they bothered to transfer Ilay to the Asia branch in the first place.”

“…………”

His uncle silently watched Taeui. As Taeui pretended not to notice, sipping his beer nonchalantly, his uncle’s gaze softened. With a slight *Clink*, he set his water cup down, leaned against the wall, and crossed his arms.

“When you’re in the arms industry, lobbying skills are pretty much a given. As for Riegrow being sent to this branch, it’s not exactly for the reason you’re thinking.”

“……?”

“Well, that’s a sensitive issue, so let’s talk about it some other time when the opportunity arises…… Anyway, despite a few minor issues within the branch, Rick is managing to balance both branch work and company business just fine, so it’s not a big deal, is it?”

‘No, Uncle, it’s definitely a big deal. Those so-called ‘minor issues’ within the branch are anything but minor. Just look at my face and then tell me it’s not a big deal.’

Taeui stared silently at his uncle. Seeing the faintly resentful look in his eyes, his uncle let out an awkward chuckle, clearly feeling a bit guilty. The bruises and gauze-covered cuts must have finally hit home, eliciting some sense of regret. Noticing this, Taeui felt slightly better and couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.

“Well, it’s fine. Everyone should have the experience of working themselves to death for a few months at least once in their lives. They say even metal gets stronger from being hammered. ……Though personally, I don’t need a life as tough as steel; I’d be perfectly happy living as something softer, like wrought iron.”

At the part about being hammered, Taeui’s words trailed off slightly before he hurriedly added the follow-up. Words have power, after all, and he had no desire for a life filled with endless trials just to become stronger. Once he was out of here, he planned to return to his peaceful homeland and live a modest, quiet life in his own home—a life far removed from the chaos and turmoil of this place.

“Wrought iron, huh…… Well, if it’s possible, that sounds nice too. I always wanted a life like water—flowing freely without being blocked by the obstacles of the world.”

The unspoken continuation – but it didn’t turn out that way; you’ll have to keep pushing forward too – seemed to linger in the air, and Taeui frowned at the thought. It felt like an unwelcome sentiment, and as he muttered complaints under his breath, his uncle burst into laughter.

“But Ilay once said he only helps out with his brother’s work a little. If he’s handling business every weekend, you can’t exactly call that just helping out. Well, I guess it makes sense since it’s a family business.”

“Hmm———maybe they’ve got their own reasons for it. Don’t you think so?”

His uncle shrugged and tilted his head, and Taeui quickly realized: Time to drop this topic.

It was always best to let go of conversations his uncle didn’t want to drag out.

“Oh, right. Your birthday is coming up soon. Have you heard from Jaeui recently?”

“If there were anything like that, surely someone like you, who hears all the street gossip from Hong Kong even at the South America branch, would know.” 

Taeui said and waved his hand dismissively. Now that he thought about it, his birthday was coming up soon. If he was planning to call, it would be around the time he might start receiving a call himself. In fact, even earlier that morning, he’d tried calling home while he had some free time, but no one answered. Perhaps the house would be left untouched until he returned. There was nothing to worry about, but he couldn’t help wondering where it was being left.

“I wonder what they’re up to…… If I hear from them, I’ll tell them to give you a call too.”

There were always so many people asking about his older brother, and if he had to call each of them, Jeong Jae-ui’s phone bill would be unbearable. Of course, even if it was a collect call, those people would be more than willing to pick up. As Taeui took the last few sips of his beer, his uncle nodded thoughtfully and then, unexpectedly, spoke up.

“What do you want for your birthday gift?”

“Huh?”

Taeui blinked, swallowing the beer he had just taken a gulp of. It was something he hadn’t heard in a long time. He wasn’t really the type to celebrate birthdays, and while sometimes his siblings would buy each other something, the mention of a birthday gift was completely foreign. Moreover, this wasn’t someone who had ever given him a gift each year, and until recently, they hadn’t even seen each other properly for years. Suddenly talking about birthday presents seemed out of place. Taeui let out a small laugh and waved his hand dismissively.

“It’s fine. No need for a gift all of a sudden.”

“You should take it while you can. After today, when are you ever going to get a birthday gift from me again?”

“Hmm…… Well, then, can I just go home now?”

“Rejected.”

After thinking it over seriously, before Taeui’s request was even finished, his uncle firmly shook his head. Taeui muttered a quick “Tsk” and scratched his head.

“I really don’t need it. There’s nothing I want…… Oh. So that’s why, huh?”

Taeui suddenly stopped scratching his head and mumbled out loud. His uncle, unable to make sense of the remark, tilted his head and asked: “Huh?”

Taeui shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s nothing, really. Yesterday, Ilay suddenly dragged me to a tailor, saying he was going to buy me a suit. I was wondering what that was about, but I guess it was his way of giving me a birthday gift. Honestly, I never thought he’d be the type to do something like that.”

“…… I never thought that guy would be the type to do something like that either.”

His uncle stared at Taeui with a look as if he had just heard something completely bizarre. Feeling a little flustered by the suspicious gaze, Taeui waved his hand as if to assure him that he wasn’t lying.

“I’m telling you, it was weird. I was wondering why on earth he suddenly wanted to buy me a suit.”

“Honestly, it made me think of Hercules’ death……” – Taeui added gloomily. His uncle tilted his head in confusion but soon smiled, responding with an amused tone.

“Well, now I’m curious. What kind of suit was it?”

“Ah—it’s a custom-made suit, so I need to go back for the fitting. I just got the measurements yesterday. What was it…… the shop manager gave me a business card.”

Taeui rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a crumpled business card, handing it over. His uncle took the card and asked.

“Ah, so you went for a custom suit?”

“Yeah. We didn’t have much time, so when he suggested we just go into the first store we saw, I figured it’d be ready-made. But it turned out to be custom.”

Taeui muttered to himself: “It was a bit overwhelming, but now that I think of it as a birthday gift, the pressure’s eased up a little. But now, does that mean I should get him something too?” Next to him, his uncle stared blankly at the business card. He flipped it over once, then continued to scrutinize it intently.

“Is this what you got, Caraceni*?”

“It was something like that…… Ah, I guess you know the shop, Uncle?”

“……Well…… not personally. I’ve never had a suit made there.”

His uncle muttered as he waved the business card, then blinked and tilted his head.

“? What’s wrong?”

“No…… I was just thinking for a moment why Rick would go and get you a suit. His sense of money is pretty different from most people’s, but he doesn’t just throw money around carelessly.”

“Does he owe you something? No, he’s not the type to care about that.” – His uncle muttered, shaking his head as if confused. Taeui glanced at the business card his uncle handed back to him. Somehow, the weight of the burden he had felt lighter earlier now seemed to return, growing heavier.

“Uncle…… please don’t say it’s expensive. I’m just a poor, ordinary person with no savings to pay back what I’ve received…… Though, if worse comes to worst, I could always just return it as it is.”

“Well…… what’s with this sudden gift assault?”

“Right?……Maybe he fell in love with me at first sight, who knows?”

Taeui scratched his head, finding it pointless to think further on the matter and feeling a bit annoyed. He muttered casually: “No, he’s not that kind of person, really”, only to be met with his uncle’s serious tone as he replied earnestly: “You think so?” Exasperated, Taeui waved his hand, as if to brush it off. 

‘It was just a joke, why’s this sharp uncle taking it so seriously?’

Taeui tossed the empty beer can into the trash and got to his feet with ease. It was getting late, so it was about time he headed back to his room. When he made his way down to the 6th floor, he’d no doubt encounter more faces in the hallway, all scowling at him, but by now, he had grown used to it. It was the consequence of choosing the wrong superior. He could only hope that, as long as he was here, things would pass by without any more trouble until the day he finally left.

As those thoughts crossed his mind, Taeui suddenly recalled another potential issue looming ahead, one that made him worry about another disruption. He furrowed his brow slightly and glanced back at his uncle.

“Speaking of which, we’ll be doing joint training with the South America branch soon, right?”

“That’s right. Among the things we discussed this time, that was one of them—the selection of the Instructors who will be leading the teams abroad.”

“If half of them are coming from South America, where are we sending people from here?”

“Australia.”

“Are you staying here for this training, Uncle, or are you going to Australia?”

“I stayed behind last time, so I’ll probably be going this time.”

“Hmm―――. Australia and South America…… How’s the relationship with those branches? Are they good with us here?”

Taeui asked seriously, furrowing his brow, but his uncle laughed out loud, then waved his hand as if to reassure him.

“There’s no such thing as a ‘friendly’ branch. But don’t worry, the relationship between the Asia and Europe branches is about as good as it gets. Anyway, don’t stress. There are no notorious murderers with a reputation as bad as ours in the other branches.”

“No, I think the fact that there’s a murderer in our branch is also part of the problem.” 

Taeui muttered gloomily. He had learned this from experience, hadn’t he? Just because they were on the same side didn’t mean he could rely on Ilay as a trustworthy ally. Moreover, he had heard that during joint training, incidents of killings motivated by grudges weren’t exactly rare, even within the same branch. Considering the internal grudges within the branch, could there be a more dangerous place than the Asia branch right now? The more he thought about it, the more downcast he became.

****************************

*Caraceni is a prestigious Italian tailoring house, often referred to as the ‘father of Italian bespoke tailoring’. Founded in 1913 by Domenico Caraceni, it is renowned for its handcrafted suits that showcase timeless elegance and impeccable craftsmanship.