A Contracted Gangster Who Has to Die to Survive - Chapter 37

I asked the police to hold Baek Team Leader only until I left the airport.

“Hyun Woo Kyung! You think I’ll let this slide?!”

Baek Team Leader struggled a bit, putting on a show of resistance before letting himself be dragged away. He must have realized there was no better way to escape this mess unscathed.

After all, once he revealed his identity to the police, they would have to let him go. And now, there was no risk of a direct confrontation between him and Choi Taejoon.

It had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, but I felt surprisingly proud of myself for handling it so cleverly.

Kim, who had been busy on the phone, finally returned, looking relieved.

“I’ve booked tickets for the next flight. You can wait in the lounge until boarding.”

Following Kim’s lead, we moved to the VIP lounge. While Kim continued his phone calls, the head of security and I kept glancing at Taejoon, gauging his mood.

Something about his expression was off. He looked both angry and exhausted.

Strangely enough, he hadn’t looked in my direction even once. If anything, it felt like he was deliberately ignoring me.

As we waited for the elevator, I stole a glance at him.

Well, it made sense. He had been dragged into this mess on what was supposed to be a business trip. On top of that, he had been treated like a criminal.

The elevator arrived, and I quickly pressed the open button.

“Please, go ahead.”

Taejoon stepped in first, followed by Kim and the head of security. Since none of them were small men, the space felt even more cramped, so I pressed myself against the number panel at the front.

I watched the floor numbers change in silence, and the moment we arrived, I pressed the open button again as fast as I could. I wanted out of this suffocating atmosphere.

The doors slid open, and Taejoon stepped out. Even Kim let out a quiet sigh of relief.

So it wasn’t just me feeling the tension.

“This way, please…”

An airline staff member guided us to a private lounge.

Soft classical music played in the background, and the lounge itself was spacious and comfortable.

We passed a buffet table offering alcoholic beverages, an assortment of drinks, light snacks, sandwiches, and other finger foods before heading further inside.

“Hyun Woo Kyung, please go out and bring something for the executive director to eat.”

I was actually grateful for the errand. Just stepping out of that suffocating room gave me some breathing space.

But the relief didn’t last long.

When I returned, Taejoon and Kim were in the middle of a conversation.

From their quick back-and-forth exchange, I could sense the tension in Kim’s voice.

“…Interim CEO. And six rookie actors. Also…”

The moment I placed the dishes down, the conversation halted.

A second later, I heard Taejoon click his tongue in disapproval.

Startled, I nearly dropped the water bottle I had been setting down. It wobbled before rolling off the table and onto the carpet.

It stopped right in front of Taejoon’s polished shoes.

I immediately knelt down to pick it up, but he was faster.

Taejoon grabbed the bottle first, then looked down at me with an even more displeased expression.

“Hyun Woo Kyung.”

“Yes?”

I turned my head just in time to see Kim frowning deeply, silently signaling me to leave.

“Hyun Woo Kyung, go eat something outside.”

“…Understood.”

I knew what that really meant—stay out of sight.

What did I even do wrong? It was just a water bottle. Was that really such a big deal?

Frustrated, I piled small sandwiches onto a plate and moved to a quiet corner.

What even is this flavor?

Honestly, I couldn’t remember how anything tasted. I had never lost my appetite before, no matter how stressed I was, but now… I was hungry, yet nothing seemed appealing. It was a strange, unsettling feeling.

Not long after, we finally boarded the flight to Jeju.

Ugh… my stomach feels awful.

And then, a problem arose.

As the plane ascended, I felt my organs sink before shifting uncomfortably back into place.

A sharp pain twisted in my stomach, and nausea bubbled up.

I clenched my eyes shut, trying to push through the discomfort, then weakly turned to the head of security.

“Sir… have we taken off yet?”

“You scaredy-cat. We took off ages ago.”

“We’re flying okay, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Then… why is it shaking so much? This is normal, right?”

“Nope. Definitely not normal. We’re probably about to crash. You brought a parachute, right?”

“Don’t joke about that….”

Outside the plane’s window, the sky stretched endlessly, a brilliant blue dotted with fluffy white clouds. But my body was a complete wreck.

As if my churning stomach wasn’t bad enough, my heart clenched painfully in my chest, and my insides twisted with nausea. I had never experienced this before—maybe I had a hidden fear of flying?

Just before boarding, I had been excited, even thrilled. Now, I felt like I was in hell. Cold sweat trickled down my temples, and my mouth was unbearably dry.

Every slight tremor or vibration sent a wave of panic through me, making me wonder if we were about to drop out of the sky.

“Aagh!”

“You look completely fine, so why are you such a scaredy-cat?”

“I-It’s my first time… flying. How much longer do we have?”

The head of security leaned back against his seat, eyes closed.

“Get some rest. Things will get busy once we land.”

“Sir, please don’t fall asleep. I’m really scared….”

He merely frowned, looking mildly irritated, but didn’t respond.

Desperate for some reassurance, I turned my gaze toward Taejoon.

He was seated on the opposite side of the aisle, slightly ahead of me, alongside Kim. The two of them were engrossed in conversation, studying a tablet with serious expressions.

Clearly, he was too busy to deal with me acting like a child.

“I-I’m just going to the restroom for a moment.”

The second the seatbelt sign turned off, I practically sprang out of my seat, stumbling toward the lavatory. Maybe splashing some cold water on my face would help.

The reflection staring back at me in the mirror was horrifying.

My face was ghostly pale, my lips dry and cracked, and my eyes sunken with dark circles. The lingering fear and indigestion had drained every ounce of color from my skin.

After hastily washing my face, I opened the door—only to find Taejoon standing right in front of me.

“S-Sir.”

I wiped my damp forehead with the back of my hand, struggling to catch my breath. My chest felt unbearably tight, like there wasn’t enough air reaching my lungs.

“Why do you look like that?”

“It’s nothing… just feeling a little nauseous.”

Each word I spoke made my chest tighten even more, my head pounding as if it might split open.

But Taejoon’s expression remained cold and indifferent.

It wasn’t just his usual aloofness—it was complete detachment. He looked at me the way someone might glance at a stone on the sidewalk or a pattern on a brick wall. His gaze held no warmth, no emotion.

“Go back to your seat.”

Without another word, he brushed past me, his icy stare lingering only for a moment before he walked away.

“…Yes, sir.”

As I staggered back to my seat, an unexpected wave of bitterness welled up inside me.

It wasn’t like I expected anything from him.

Sure, there wasn’t much he could do for me on a plane, but still… how could he be so indifferent when someone was obviously unwell?

I knew he had been in a bad mood, but I hadn’t thought it had anything to do with me.

…Unless it was because of me?

A memory suddenly surfaced—his earlier words echoing in my head.

“You two… are kissing?”

No way. That’s ridiculous.

The thought was so absurd that I forced myself to dismiss it, shaking my head.

Back in my seat, my condition only worsened. My head throbbed, my heart pounded wildly, and every breath felt shallow and forced.

The head of security, deep in sleep, remained blissfully unaware of my suffering.

I exhaled shakily, closing my eyes in an attempt to calm myself.

The moment I leaned my head back against the seat, a cool, gentle hand pressed against my forehead.

“You don’t have a fever. Are you feeling sick?”

“…?”

“Jeez, you’re sweating like crazy.”

Who…?

Blinking dizzily, I lifted my gaze, half-expecting to see Taejoon.

But it wasn’t him.

The man looking down at me had smooth, fair skin, rosy cheeks, and large, deer-like eyes that shimmered with warmth. His features were almost overwhelmingly sweet—borderline too affectionate.

He beamed brightly, clearly overjoyed to see me.

“It’s been a while, senior.”

Senior?

I rubbed my eyes, sitting up slightly. Only then did I realize his hand was still resting on my forehead. As soon as I moved, he withdrew it.

Who in the Alcohol Swab world would greet me this enthusiastically?

No matter how much I wracked my brain, I couldn’t think of anyone.

And whoever he was, he was close enough to casually touch me like this.

“You really don’t look well. That’s upsetting.”

A junior who would call Hyun Woo Kyung senior?

My mind raced, desperately trying to place him.

Who the hell was this guy?

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