A Contracted Gangster Who Has to Die to Survive - Chapter 40

As I hesitated, Choi Taejoon continued his questioning. It felt as if I were trapped in an interrogation room.

“You said he was the worst.”

“…Yes.”

“You find him absolutely disgusting.”

“That’s true, but….”

“Then were you two close enough to be matching lips and speaking in unison?”

When I couldn’t answer right away, he changed the direction of his questioning.

“How often does he contact you?”

“Mostly through phone calls.”

“Then how did he know your flight schedule and show up at the airport?”

“…It seems like he found out somehow.”

“How?”

He was essentially asking if I had been feeding Baek Team Leader information about my schedule.

“…I don’t know.”

It was probably because the police were tracking Choi Taejoon’s movements, which naturally led them to me as well—but that wasn’t something I could reveal.

“That’s strange….”

“Exactly! Even I find it weird. How did he manage to track me all the way here? He must be a stalker.”

Choi Taejoon rubbed his jaw, his gaze fixed on me.

“So, what were you two agreeing on?”

“That’s… ah, ouch, my stomach again….”

It wasn’t even a lie. Just when I thought the pain had eased, it flared up again. I exaggerated slightly, clutching my stomach and speaking in a weak, trembling voice.

“…What I was saying was….”

I wasn’t sure if he actually believed me or if he was just letting it slide.

“Forget it. Tell me later. Where exactly does it hurt? Are you sure it’s just indigestion?”

“I told him that you were here. That I’d tell you everything he did to me….”

“I said, don’t talk about that.”

I stopped mid-sentence and looked at him. His expression was filled with genuine concern as he studied me carefully.

“I think I feel a little better now….”

Now I just felt guilty. I straightened my posture and reassured him that I was fine, then continued in a clearer voice.

“Baek President said we should pretend to be uncle and nephew. That’s what he meant by matching lips.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know….”

That was the best my imagination could come up with.

If I thought about it too much, there were a lot of strange things about it. But judging by Choi Taejoon’s expression, he seemed to accept it without much suspicion.

Maybe because he himself had introduced me as a distant relative to his employees, he found it plausible.

And, judging by the look on his face, he didn’t like it one bit.

It was funny in a way. If we followed Baek Team Leader’s logic, that would mean the three of us—him, me, and Choi Taejoon—were one big happy family.

“Interesting… that little rat.”

At this rate, Baek Team Leader might disappear from this story before I did.

“…And your stomach?”

“It’s… better than before.”

“And your mood?”

“My mood?”

“You looked upset. Or sulky.”

“It’s not that. I was just trying to read your mood….”

Choi Taejoon let out an incredulous chuckle.

“I didn’t know you cared about my mood.”

He didn’t know? A man like him, so oblivious—how had he even survived in this world?

“…Everyone watches your mood. It’d be nice if you were a little more expressive, smiled more often….”

I trailed off, realizing how ridiculous that sounded. A cheerful, smiling Choi Taejoon? That was straight out of a horror movie. Maybe it was better to leave things as they were.

“I am always like this.”

Oh, come on. He couldn’t possibly believe that.

“The moment you walk into a room, everyone freezes like bricks in a freezer.”

“Bricks in a freezer?”

“Yeah. Rock-hard and unmovable.”

“You too?”

“Huh?”

“I don’t care about the others. I’m asking about you, Hyun Woo-kyung.”

“……”

He was looking at me with a serious expression, as if he were genuinely curious about my answer.

“…I feel relieved when you show up.”

For a split second, the corner of his lips twitched.

He quickly forced his mouth back down into a frown, but I could see the amusement in his eyes.

He liked that. He one hundred percent liked hearing that.

Oh wow. Choi Taejoon was… kind of cute?

“For me, seeing you is a relief. But at the same time, I feel bad for being a nuisance to you. You did say I was annoying earlier.”

He frowned slightly, looking as if he had no idea what I was talking about. Then, as if remembering, he let out a small sigh.

“Ah.”

“If you’re sick, it’s a hassle. It just gives me one more thing to worry about.”

Then, as if uncomfortable with his own words, Choi Taejoon awkwardly touched his earlobe.

“…It’s a real nuisance.”

It wasn’t a compliment, nor was it a confession. His tone wasn’t even particularly kind. In fact, it could have been taken as an insult. And yet, an inexplicable warmth crept up inside me, making me feel strangely happy.

Was it possible for words like nuisance and hassle to sound this affectionate? My ears started to burn for no reason. It almost felt like his hand, instead of fidgeting with his own earlobe, was reaching out and brushing against me.

“…B-But you scolded me for not taking care of myself properly.”

“Let’s just drop it.”

With a small smirk, he flicked my forehead.

“…You’re picking on a sick person.”

“What was hurting again?”

“My stomach….”

“Ah, right. Your stomach.”

“A-And my heart’s been racing….”

Choi Taejoon’s hand briefly rested on each place I mentioned before pulling away. Wherever his hand touched, heat seemed to linger, spreading through my body.

“And?”

His lips curled into a sly smile.

“I-It… it kind of feels like I’m already better.”

Damn it. He was infuriating—and yet, sexy. Staring at his face up close was making my mind go blank.

Neither of us spoke.

Only the deep hum of the airplane engine and the faint rush of wind filled the silence between us.

“Why are you staring at me like that?”

“I just find it fascinating.”

“What?”

“Your face.”

“What about it?”

“I don’t know.”

This time, I was the one who laughed. I must have been feeling better if I had the energy to joke around.

“We’ll be landing soon. Try to get some rest.”

The Choi Taejoon I knew from Alcohol Swab was the coldest villain I had ever come across in a novel.

He treated everyone with a complete lack of emotion—except for Park Ha-hyun. Around him, he became uncontrollable, burning like an open flame.

A contradiction in itself—fiery ice. That was how I had always seen him.

But why did he keep showing me a different side?

My vision swam as dizziness overtook me.

Had I been too captivated by his face? Was I losing my mind?

“Ahh!”

No, that wasn’t it.

Why was the plane shaking like this?!

As the aircraft descended, the turbulence grew worse, shaking violently compared to anything before. I gripped my seatbelt tightly and took a deep breath.

“We… we’re not crashing, right?”

“We are. We’re literally dropping downward.”

“D-Don’t joke about that!”

He didn’t even smile as he continued.

“Well, at least you don’t have to go looking for a way to die.”

“H-Hey! That’s not funny! Aah! W-We’re actually falling?!”

The plane suddenly dipped, sending my stomach plummeting along with it. It felt like I was sinking into an endless void.

Another jolt. My insides lurched, my fear doubling with each drop.

Without thinking, I clutched onto Choi Taejoon’s injured arm.

“Ugh.”

My vision blurred, my heart pounding so violently it felt like it might burst. My jaw ached from clenching my teeth too hard.

“You begged me to kill you before. But I guess a plane crash isn’t your preferred method.”

“D-Don’t joke about that! Hahh… I don’t want to die like this. I’ll make sure it’s painless when I go.”

“You’re so damn picky.”

His tone remained gruff, but his hand covered my trembling one, steady and warm.

“It’s fine. It’ll be over soon.”

His touch was firm, reassuring. Reassuring—that was the last thing I should have felt toward Choi Taejoon.

Between him and Hyun Woo-kyung, there had never been room for such emotions.

So why did I feel them now?

There was no time to dwell on it. I was too busy being utterly terrified.

“Ugh!”

With a final jolt, the plane thudded against the ground. The impact rattled through my entire body.

Then, as if nothing had happened, the aircraft smoothly began rolling down the runway.

“We’ve landed. Jeju Island.”

Sweat clung to my back and palms. My lips trembled uncontrollably.

“Hah… Finally. S-Solid ground.”

I was alive.

Like a drenched towel, I slumped in my seat, completely drained. Then, before I could think, I instinctively reached out and clung to Choi Taejoon.

“Haha… It’s over. We really made it.”

The relief of surviving wiped away every other emotion—fear, exhaustion, even my stomachache.

“…This is a bit much.”

His voice was closer than expected. That was when I realized—I was hugging him.

Ba-dump.

The sound of a heartbeat pounded in my ears, but I wasn’t sure whose it was.

Realizing my mistake, I quickly pushed off his chest, trying to act casual.

“S-Sorry about that. I just, ah…!”

As I jerked backward—

“……!”

My lips barely brushed against his cheek.

It was an accident. A total accident!

But I wasn’t the only one who was startled.

Choi Taejoon, uncharacteristically wide-eyed, stared at me, his brows slightly raised.

— Ladies and gentlemen, welcome…

As the announcement played over the speakers, his lips pressed together tightly.

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