A Contracted Gangster Who Has to Die to Survive - Chapter 41

Just moments ago, my chest ached as if it were being squeezed, but now, all my nerves seemed to be focused on my lips.

“Dear passengers, please ensure that you have all your belongings with you before disembarking.”

The head of security and Mr. Kim rose from their seats, turning their heads in our direction.

Feeling as if I had been caught doing something wrong, I instinctively bit my lower lip and avoided their gaze. Choi Taejoon, too, unbuckled his seatbelt with a cool expression and spoke.

“You should take a boat back instead of a plane.”

“A boat…?”

“Yes. If you take a plane twice in a row, it might be a disaster.”

His casual joke, accompanied by a light chuckle, somehow eased my tension, making me feel like it really wasn’t a big deal.

Maybe it had been so fleeting that only I noticed. He was acting as if nothing had happened at all.

But as he was about to stand up, he tilted his head slightly.

“Wait a minute… What’s this?”

“…….”

“Woo Kyung, is this yours?”

His fingers pointed at a handkerchief tucked inside the seat’s mesh pocket.

“I don’t remember seeing this before. You don’t usually carry handkerchiefs, do you?”

“Oh.”

I had completely forgotten about it… It was the handkerchief Park Ha-hyun had given me earlier. It seemed Choi Taejoon had spotted it.

He pulled it out from the netted pocket, narrowing his eyes as he examined it.

“HERME…?”

Wait, is this from Hermès?

That’s a luxury brand!

Then it was obvious—this wasn’t mine. Choi Taejoon’s gaze, filled with suspicion, locked onto me.

“A flight attendant wouldn’t have given this to you.”

“Just leave it there. Don’t take it.”

As I reached out to grab the handkerchief, he swiftly snatched it away, lifting it into the air.

“Why throw it away? Did you throw up on it?”

“What? No!”

“Then… snot?”

“I got it all dirty with snot, sweat, and drool. It’s disgusting. Just give it to me.”

“Where did you get this?”

His relentless questioning made it clear—he wasn’t going to let this slide easily.

By then, we had already exited the cabin and were walking through the connecting passageway.

“I should explain before you misunderstand, sir.”

He still had the handkerchief in his hand. He actually brought it with him.

“First of all, please believe me when I say I have absolutely no memory of this person.”

Taejoon stared at me intently, waiting for my explanation.

“He says we went to the same high school, that we were senior and junior back then. We just happened to run into each other on the plane, and when he saw me sweating a lot, he gave me this. That’s why I told you to just leave it on the seat…”

I quickly laid out the facts as they were.

If we left it there, Park Ha-hyun—who had been sitting behind us—would probably notice and take it. If not, and he demanded compensation, I’d just pay him back.

“You just accept things from anyone even when you don’t remember them?”

“What?”

“You don’t even know who he is, and you just take whatever he gives you?”

Why was the conversation suddenly taking this turn?

“Huh? That’s mine.”

At that moment, a slender, pale hand grasped the fluttering corner of the handkerchief.

Apparently, Park Ha-hyun had just stepped out of the plane and spotted it.

Choi Taejoon and Park Ha-hyun—each holding opposite ends of the handkerchief—glared at each other.

The fabric stretched taut, as if they were in the middle of a tug-of-war, on the verge of tearing.

“This is mine,” Park Ha-hyun declared.

I clamped my hand over my mouth and took a few steps back.

Finally.

Park Ha-hyun and Choi Taejoon—two protagonists from the original story—had met.

“Who are you?”

Taejoon’s voice was cool and composed.

Before Ha-hyun could answer, I stepped in.

“He’s the owner of the handkerchief.”

“Owner?”

Both Taejoon and Ha-hyun turned to stare at me in unison. Their sharp gazes stung my cheeks.

“Ahem… Sir, this is the high school junior I mentioned earlier! Thanks for the handkerchief, Ha-hyun. Now, take it back!”

Please, just take it and disappear already.

The look of surprise on Park Ha-hyun’s face gradually faded, replaced by a dazzlingly charming smile.

“Oh, so you’re my senior’s boss!”

Letting go of the handkerchief, Ha-hyun gave a polite nod toward Taejoon.

“My apologies for any misunderstanding. I’m Park Ha-hyun, a close junior of Woo Kyung. By the way, senior, are you feeling better? You were sweating a lot earlier.”

Taejoon slowly turned to look at me.

“A close junior?”

His tone was calm, but his eyes burned with a sharp intensity.

I shook my head vehemently, desperate to make it clear.

“No! We weren’t close at all. Even if we were, I don’t remember. I have no memory of it.”

I made it crystal clear.

Taejoon’s gaze shifted back to Park Ha-hyun, as if urging him to explain.

“Oh, right. You mentioned you had an accident. That makes sense. After such a big accident, it’s only natural for your memory to be affected.”

Now Taejoon was looking at the handkerchief in his hand as if it were some kind of biohazardous waste.

“Take it. Here.”

Ha-hyun took the handkerchief but then unexpectedly turned to me.

“Actually, why don’t you keep it, senior?”

“What? Why would I?”

As I blinked at him in confusion, his lips curled into a radiant smile.

“Just take it, senior. That way, we’ll have a natural excuse to meet again.”

“…What?”

Park Ha-hyun rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a pen. He then scribbled something on the handkerchief before placing it back into my hand.

“I wrote down my number. Let’s grab a meal once we’re both less busy.”

The only reason Choi Taejoon hadn’t torn the handkerchief to shreds was probably because one of his hands was still in a cast.

Feeling the cold tension beside me, I sneaked a glance at Taejoon. His expression was darker than I had ever seen before.

His slightly parted lips revealed clenched white teeth. He was definitely smiling, but his face betrayed his frustration, as if he didn’t know what to do with his anger.

“…That little punk is insufferable.”

His low murmur struck my ears like a dart.

Had Park Ha-hyun heard that too? Of course, he had.

“Sorry? What did you say?”

Choi Taejoon ran a hand across his forehead before speaking again, his tone brisk.

“It seems my employee unintentionally owed you a favor. I’ll compensate you for it.”

He pulled out his wallet, took out a few checks, and held them out.

Park Ha-hyun looked at him before replying in a slightly subdued voice.

“There’s no need for compensation over a simple handkerchief.”

“Oh? But a simple handkerchief is enough for you to ask someone out for a meal?”

“I wasn’t going to ask for a meal—I was going to buy one.”

For the first time, I wondered if Taejoon might actually lose in a verbal exchange.

He blinked, momentarily lost for words, seemingly unsure of how to counter Ha-hyun’s smug retort.

After a brief silence, Taejoon called for Mr. Kim.

“Yes, sir.”

“Compensate him.”

With that curt instruction, Taejoon turned on his heel and walked away.

“I don’t need money.”

A sharp tearing sound followed immediately.

“Gasp—”

Mr. Kim had handed over the checks, only for Park Ha-hyun to rip them apart on the spot.

At the same time, Taejoon’s brows furrowed deeply.

I recalled Park Ha-hyun’s character in the original story—he wasn’t one to back down. He always clashed with Taejoon, refused to let anything slide, and fought back until he ultimately faced even harsher consequences.

Two strong-willed personalities constantly at each other’s throats.

Of course, in the original story, it was always Ha-hyun who ended up crumbling.

“If you’re calling it a debt, it’s far too trivial for that. And I don’t need someone else to repay it for me. Besides, I don’t see why my senior’s boss is interfering in something between us.”

One person throwing a fit was already exhausting enough, but provoking Taejoon on top of that? There was no way he’d let this slide.

“…What did you say your name was?”

A low, chilling voice slipped from between Taejoon’s teeth.

“Park Ha-hyun!”

But it wasn’t Ha-hyun who answered.

Instead, it was a woman—the CEO of his company—who suddenly called out his name.

“What are you still doing here? I was waiting for you, but you never came….”

She must have realized that Ha-hyun hadn’t followed after her and returned to find him.

“Oh my, Director Choi Taejoon?”

“…….”

“I didn’t expect to run into you here. I’m Song Seo-hee. You remember me, don’t you? I heard you were supposed to arrive before us….”

With a poised smile, Song Seo-hee extended her hand for a handshake. Though his expression remained rigid, Taejoon forced himself to accept it.

Instead, Mr. Kim stepped forward, bowing deeply and responding smoothly.

“It’s been a while, CEO Song. Had we known we were on the same flight, we would’ve greeted you earlier.”

Song Seo-hee was sharp.

At first glance, she seemed like someone oblivious to the nuances of power and negotiation, but in reality, she was highly calculating—perfectly aware of when to feign innocence for her own benefit.

She had already pieced together the situation—Ha-hyun’s defiance, the torn checks, Taejoon’s scowl—and yet, she asked with a perfectly composed expression.

“By the way, Director Choi, do you and our Ha-hyun know each other?”

“No.”

“No.”

Both sides responded simultaneously, their voices laced with irritation.

“I had planned on introducing you formally, but I suppose we’re doing this in a rather chaotic setting. Ha-hyun, go ahead and introduce yourself.”

She placed a gentle hand on his back, as if soothing him.

“This is our company’s newest rookie actor, Park Ha-hyun. And this is Director Choi Taejoon, who will be overseeing the operations of ST Entertainment for the time being.”

Following her cue, Park Ha-hyun gave a polite bow, while Taejoon merely inclined his head slightly, remaining stony-faced and silent.

As she glanced between them, Song Seo-hee’s lips curved into a knowing smile, her dark lipstick accentuating the expression.

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