A Contracted Gangster Who Has to Die to Survive - Chapter 51

Chapter 51

“That medicine, I found out what it is.”

A shiver ran through my fingertips, and I was sure my voice trembled even more.

“E-Executive Director, I can explain everything! So, about that you see.”

“It’s a digestive aid.”

“Yes, a digest wait, what?”

“It’s a digestive aid.”

Taejoon repeated himself, watching me with a curious expression as if puzzled by my reaction. He picked up his phone again and read aloud the message from Director Kim.

“There’s no need for a detailed chemical analysis. The active ingredients match those in a widely used digestive medicine. I’ve attached reference materials. If a more thorough examination is required…”

Taejoon lifted his gaze, meeting my eyes.

“That’s what it is.”

“…Oh. A digestive aid.”

I had assumed it would take days for an analysis. No wonder the results came back so quickly.

I nodded absentmindedly, still half in a daze.

“…Yes, yes! It’s a digestive aid.”

“So? You said you’d explain everything. Go ahead.”

Park Ha-hyun had insisted it was a controlled substance and urged me to retrieve it no matter what.

Taejoon didn’t seem like he was lying.

Which meant was Director Kim the one lying to him?

No, that didn’t make sense, he had no reason to.

If both Taejoon and Director Kim were telling the truth, then the one who had been lying all along was Park Ha-hyun.

That insane bastard, why?!

“I was just going to say that I must have been too drunk yesterday to think straight.”

Taejoon’s gaze narrowed slightly.

“That’s not it. What were you really going to say?”

In the end, I had caused a massive commotion over digestive medicine.

To make things worse, I had stubbornly resisted giving it up going so far as to fight for it only to give myself a nosebleed in the process.

Now that I knew it wasn’t a banned substance, my panic felt ridiculous.

With no other excuse coming to mind, I just blurted out the first thing I could think of.

“…Park Ha-hyun has been acting overly friendly toward me.”

“……”

“He keeps insisting we were close back in school that we were senior and junior. But as I’ve mentioned before, I don’t remember him at all.”

“And?”

“I guess he was just excited to see me again after all these years. So we talked for a bit, and then…”

Taejoon crossed his legs, silently signaling me to continue.

“…And then, out of nowhere, he insisted on giving me something. I took it without thinking, and apparently, that was it.”

“But the moment I said it was digestive medicine, you accepted it immediately.”

“…Yes, that’s true.”

“Then what did you think it was before?”

I sucked in a breath and glanced away.

Then, squeezing my eyes shut, I muttered under my breath, barely loud enough to be heard.

Screw it. Whatever happens, happens.

“…An aphrodisiac.”

“……”

Taejoon’s sharp eyes widened considerably.

Then, after a brief pause, he cleared his throat and uncrossed his legs.

“…What?”

“I thought it was an aphrodisiac.”

My hands trembled as I grabbed my glass of water.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Taejoon’s neck turning visibly red.

“Pfft…”

I took a deep breath, trying to gather myself.

“That’s why I couldn’t bring myself to say anything. It was just too embarrassing…”

Yes. This level of shock value would at least justify my earlier panic.

If I had received that kind of drug and tried to hide it, my reaction would have made sense.

A necessary sacrifice for survival. Give up a limb to save the body.

No, in this case, it felt more like exposing myself completely with no way to defend myself.

Taejoon leaned back in his chair, rubbing his now very flushed neck.

“…Do you even realize what you’re saying?”

“Of course! I know, I totally know! I mean, come on, I’m not a kid.”

Taejoon leaned forward slightly, crossing his legs in the opposite direction. Then, he clicked his tongue, letting out a scoff before picking up the pack of cigarettes on the table.

“So tell me, why would you need something like that?”

“I don’t need it. That’s what I’m saying! He said he was giving me something good, and I had no idea that’s what it was. But then you suddenly showed up, and I panicked. I overreacted. I was also drunk…”

I could see it, the moment his disbelief started shifting into reluctant understanding.

It was working. He was buying it.

But just as I began to feel relieved, Taejoon’s eyes glinted with renewed interest.

“What kind of conversation would lead to someone giving you that kind of drug?”

“…Just normal small talk. You know, everyday stuff. Health, vitamins, exercise, travel that kind of thing.”

Cold sweat trickled down my back.

Had I gone too far? I thought I had managed to get away with it, but judging by his expression, maybe not.

“Since when did that topic become part of everyday conversation?”

The unlit cigarette rested between his lips as he tilted his head slightly.

“Or were you two that close?”

Taejoon looked almost offended that such a thing had even come out of his own mouth.

“It wasn’t like that! He was just being weird, one-sidedly.”

Taejoon leaned in further, his presence looming over me.

“So, when were you planning to take it?”

“I wasn’t! I never intended to take it!”

He was suddenly way too close, and I instinctively shrank back, my shoulders stiffening.

“If you’re already at the point where you’re relying on drugs, what’s next?”

“I told you, I don’t use that stuff! I’m perfectly healthy, vibrant, full of life, energetic,”

What the hell was I even saying?

“So, what? You were looking for something more exciting?”

“No! I’m perfectly fine as I am! Completely fine!”

“Oh?”

His eyes flashed with amusement.

I opened my mouth to say more, but immediately clamped it shut.

With every word I spoke, his smirk only grew wider.

He was enjoying this.

“C-Can we please just drop this topic? I already feel awful about getting tricked, and now you’re just messing with me.”

“…Why would that bastard lie to you?”

“That’s exactly what I want to know!”

It didn’t make sense. Why would Park Ha-hyun go out of his way to deceive me like that?

After all that fearmongering about how dangerous the drug was, it turned out to be nothing more than a common digestive aid.

“…When I see him, I swear, ”

That bastard.

Once we got to the filming site, he was done.

By the time we arrived on set, the torrential rain from last night had finally eased into a brief lull.

Today’s location was Jeju’s Andeok Valley, featuring dramatic cliffs and lush forest scenery.

Stepping onto a film set for the first time in a long while, I felt my previous irritation momentarily fade into excitement.

Even my plan to strangle Park Ha-hyun took a backseat as I glanced around, feeling a sense of nostalgia.

Before getting stuck in this mess, I had at least occasionally been around filming locations. But ever since I became Woo Kyung from Alcohol Swab, such experiences had become a distant memory.

However, something about the atmosphere felt off.

Instead of the usual buzz of excitement, a cloud of tension hung over the cast and crew. Frustration was evident on their faces.

“Let me introduce you. This is Director Min. And over here is Executive Director Choi.”

At Song’s introduction, the director simply gave a brief nod from his chair.

His attitude was disrespectful, but before I could even feel offended, the scene was already rolling.

It was an action sequence against the backdrop of the valley, a fight scene where the lead actor took down his enemies.

Oh.

A jolt of recognition struck me.

It was him.

The arrogant, insufferable lead actor who, in the original novel, kept harassing Park Ha-hyun.

In the book, this guy deliberately “messed up” their fight choreography, using it as an excuse to hit Ha-hyun for real.

At first, he pretended it was an accident. But as filming continued, he started blaming Ha-hyun for the mistakes, saying his poor timing was causing the issues.

“Park Ha-hyun, if you keep acting like you’re hurt, you’re making me look bad. And come on, getting hit a few times is normal in action scenes, isn’t it? Right, Director?”

It was all petty jealousy.

The lead hated that Ha-hyun was better looking and a better actor than him.

Eventually, after taking enough hits, Park Ha-hyun snapped and landed a solid punch to the guy’s face.

That was the moment Taejoon first took an interest in him.

“Who the hell is that guy?”

I still remembered Taejoon’s line from the novel.

But now, watching the scene unfold, I realized something was different.

Every time the lead actor tried to land a blow, Ha-hyun effortlessly dodged.

Like a slippery eel, he avoided every single hit.

The lead actor was growing increasingly frustrated, his irritation bleeding into his performance.

This was throwing off the entire shoot.

And when the lead actor started throwing a fit over not getting his way, the filming schedule fell apart completely.

“Cut! For god’s sake cut!”

Director Min’s exasperated voice rang through the set, cutting through the already tense atmosphere.

I could see why he was pissed.

Between the lead actor’s tantrum and the general chaos on set, everything was a mess.

“Let’s take a break.”

Throwing up his hands, the director stormed off.

Then, looking absolutely drained, he turned to Song.

“Representative Song. Could I have five minutes of your time?”

Judging by his expression, I could already guess what he wanted.

He was probably going to ask Song to convince Ha-hyun to just take the hits for the sake of the shoot.

“…Of course.”

As Song and the others followed the director toward the trailer, I was left alone.

Finally, my chance.

I immediately turned to search for Ha-hyun.

“Where are you going, Woo Kyung?”

Director Kim’s voice stopped me in my tracks.

Damn it.

“I’ll just be a moment! I’ll catch up with you soon.”

Thankfully, before he could question me further, Taejoon called his name.

As Director Kim turned away, I grabbed a water bottle from a nearby table and made my way toward Park Ha-hyun.

That bastard.

He had so much explaining to do.Bottom of Form

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