A Contracted Gangster Who Has to Die to Survive - Chapter 77

The moment I stepped into the hospital room, the sharp scent of antiseptics stung my nose.

Then, a low, cold voice followed.

“…Who is it?”

“It’s… me.”

Neither of us could see the other from where we stood.

As I hesitated, his voice cut through the air, sharper this time.

“Who let you in? Get out.”

I fidgeted with the bouquet in my hands before quickly turning around.

“S-sorry. I’ll be leaving now.”

I had overheard the guards earlier, wondering whether it was a good idea to let me in. Now, just from his voice, I could tell—Taejoon was in a terrible mood.

“…Then, please rest well.”

“Wait.”

I had just reached for the door handle when he stopped me.

“Woo Kyung?”

“Yes? Y-yes, it’s me.”

“…Come in.”

I peeked around the corner, unsure.

“Are you sure I can?”

Taejoon ran a hand down his face and gestured for me to enter. As his long fingers slid down, revealing his flawless features, I couldn’t help but grin.

Though… what had put him in such a foul mood?

Then, I noticed Mr. Kim standing by his bedside.

What had they been discussing that left them both looking so grim?

“…….”

Even without knowing the details, one thing was clear—I had terrible timing.

“Uh, I-I’ll come back later. You two should finish your discussion.”

Taejoon frowned, clearly not in the mood to repeat himself.

“You’re involved in this too. Stay.”

“Me? Why—”

“I was going to call you anyway.”

Involved?

In what?

I hesitated before stepping closer.

That’s when Taejoon’s eyes landed on the bouquet in my hands.

“Oh! Let me put this in a vase first. Where—”

I glanced around but saw no empty vase. There was already one filled with fresh flowers, but I couldn’t just toss them out to make room for mine.

“Where are you going?”

“Looking for a vase—”

“Leave it on the table. Someone else will take care of it later.”

I had been hoping to stall a little longer, but that was no longer an option.

Reluctantly, I shuffled forward and stood beside Mr. Kim.

I didn’t know what was going on yet, but every instinct in me screamed that this conversation was not going to be good for me.

“Mr. Kim. Explain it again.”

Mr. Kim lifted his head, his gaze locking onto mine.

Immediately, I recalled that night—the way he had left me outside that bar where Jae-wook Kang had been waiting.

How he had dragged me out of bed, shoved a knife into my hands, and told me to avenge Choi Taejoon.

My pulse quickened.

“As I told you before, sir,” Mr. Kim began in his usual flat tone, “the assassin who attempted to kill you in Jeju Island confessed that he was hired by Jae-wook Kang. Upon hearing this, Woo Kyung volunteered to seek revenge. I simply assisted.”

When the hell did I ‘volunteer’?!

I had been forced into it!

“Sir! That’s not what happened—”

Mr. Kim cut me off.

“Regardless, it was my oversight.”

Then, bowing his head slightly, he quickly added,

“It was a failure on my part to believe such reckless words. I should have stopped him, but I let my emotions cloud my judgment after what happened to you. Unconsciously, I must have supported his impulsive decision.”

I had said it.

I had said I would pay with my life.

Those words had come out of my mouth.

Taejoon turned to me, as if waiting for my confirmation.

“Is it true? Did you say that?”

“I did. But it’s not what you think.”

“Then explain.”

“I never said I’d kill Jae-wook Kang. I said I would die.”

At my response, Taejoon let out a deep sigh, pressing his fingers to his temple.

He seemed to be piecing things together now.

“It was all Mr. Kim. He forced me into it. He even threatened to make Kim Min-su do it if I refused.”

I glanced at Mr. Kim, who was now staring at me with a hint of frustration.

“Woo Kyung, you misunderstand. I never forced you to go. And everyone in that room heard you say, ‘I will repay this with my life.’”

“H-how does that translate to me killing Jae-wook Kang?!”

I was practically shouting now.

“You dragged me out of bed, shoved me into a van, and dumped me there! Do you have any idea how terrified I was? And then you handed me a knife and told me to kill him!”

At my words, Mr. Kim’s expression twitched slightly—his first real reaction.

“Is that true?” Taejoon asked, his voice cold.

“It is not, sir. There seems to have been a miscommunication.”

“Regardless, I had no intention of killing him. Mr. Kim forced my hand the entire time.”

I made sure to emphasize it one more time.

“You… you know me well, right? I’m not reckless enough to willingly throw myself into a death trap like that.”

At my last remark, Taejoon narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Yeah. I know you well.”

Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.

From the way he was looking at me, it was clear he did think I was reckless enough to do something that stupid.

Taejoon remained silent for a long moment.

He seemed to be weighing the truth of our words, turning them over in his mind.

Well, it’s not like I made it easy for him.

I had spent how long going on about how I wanted to die? About how I was going to leave and find someone to kill me?

But no matter how badly I wanted to die, I wasn’t stupid enough to want to die at Jae-wook Kang’s hands.

“T-that’s not it. That’s not what’s happening in your head right now.”

“Oh? And how would you know what I’m thinking?”

I waved my hands in protest.

“Because I do! And let’s be real, I’m just a temp in this gang. What kind of idiot would grab a knife and charge straight into enemy territory? Against Jae-wook Kang, of all people? I wouldn’t even get a clean death—!”

“A temp in the gang?”

Come on, he knew how much I feared a painful death. If I had really been willing to die, I would’ve let Jae-wook kill me back at the abandoned warehouse.

“I mean… an intern gangster… whatever, the point is, I didn’t do it.”

Taejoon exhaled sharply, then turned to Mr. Kim.

“Anything else?”

“No, sir. That is all I have to say.”

“Alright. Then tell me this—”

Taejoon leveled a sharp gaze at him.

“You’re saying Jae-wook Kang was the one who ordered the hit on me?”

“Yes, sir.”

“The man who stabbed me—he said that himself?”

“He did. Word for word—‘Jae-wook Kang ordered me to kill Executive Director Choi Taejoon.’”

Taejoon let out a low, frustrated groan.

“Alright. If you say you heard it, then you must have. And maybe Woo Kyung, desperate to die, did volunteer for revenge.”

…Wait, what?

He was believing Kim over me?

I knew the two of them were close, but wasn’t it just common sense that I wouldn’t do something like this?

His judgment must have been clouded from his injuries.

“Thank you for trusting me, sir,” Kim finally said, looking relieved. His tense shoulders eased, and his voice carried more confidence.

“…That being said.”

Taejoon studied Kim for a long moment before speaking again in an almost lazy tone.

“Why did Jae-wook send someone all the way to Jeju to kill me?”

Kim’s face tightened slightly.

“If he really wanted me dead, he could have done it in Seoul. It would’ve been easier.”

“Well… a hit like that requires minimal personnel. That means security is weaker, and it makes it easier to…”

Kim trailed off, thinking.

“I don’t know the exact reason, but it’s possible the job was simply easier to execute there. And there may have been some cooperation with the local police.”

“Yeah, makes sense. Alright. Then what did Jae-wook get out of it?”

“Excuse me?”

Kim looked puzzled—because, from his perspective, the answer was obvious.

“If he wanted to get ahead in the competition, eliminating you was the most logical step.”

“So, you’re saying that what Jae-wook wants most is for me to disappear?”

Taejoon’s eyes glinted coldly.

“Yes, sir.”

“Then why did the assassin target Woo Kyung?”

“…What?”

Both Kim and I froze, wide-eyed.

“I don’t follow. What do you mean…?”

“The assassin wasn’t trying to kill me.”

Taejoon casually lifted a hand and pointed at me.

“He was after Woo Kyung.”

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