A Contracted Gangster Who Has to Die to Survive - Chapter 83

Wait!  I had a choice? I could decide for myself whether to stay at Choi Taejoon’s place or not?

I stared at him in disbelief.

He had personally packed up my things and kicked me out.

And now, he was standing there, looking like I had somehow wronged him like he was furious, resentful, and utterly offended.

Make up your damn mind!

“…I had nowhere else to go but Park Ha-hyun’s place. What was I supposed to do? Sleep in a shelter? Camp out in one of those places that take in the homeless?”

The moment those words left my mouth, Choi Taejoon’s lips, which had parted slightly, snapped shut.

“Why did you have nowhere else to go?”

The anger that had been simmering beneath the surface suddenly cooled, replaced by something colder—something dangerous.

“W-Where else could I have gone?”

“…If you’re not deliberately trying to piss me off, then stop dodging the question and give me a straight answer. Why there?”

“I told you—I had no other options! Look, I get that you don’t like the idea of me staying with Park Ha-hyun, but getting this worked up over it—”

A twisted smirk tugged at Choi Taejoon’s lips.

“Oh? So it’s not about emotions? You two dated in high school, didn’t you? Still feeling sentimental about it?”

Was this guy serious?

“…No! That’s not what I meant by ‘emotional.’ I meant don’t act irrationally.”

Was he okay? What was with that face? That dead serious expression?

“I already told you—I don’t even remember any of that. Even if I had done something with him back then, if I don’t remember it, it might as well have never happened. And even if I did remember, why does it matter now?”

The past was the past. It wasn’t something that could be changed.

And if he really wanted to bring up the past, then—

How many things had happened between him and Park Ha-hyun in Alcohol Swab?

I had read through those parts so many times, I practically had them memorized.

So what if there was something between me and Park Ha-hyun in some long-forgotten past?

“…So you moved in with him over that?”

The moment the word moved in came out of his mouth, he bit down hard on his lower lip—like the thought alone was disgusting.

Oh, for fuck’s sake.

“Director Choi, this isn’t ‘moving in.’ It’s like—like taking care of a houseplant.”

Park Ha-hyun had just adopted me, basically.

Team Leader Baek had said, Just take him in and make sure he doesn’t starve, and Park Ha-hyun had followed orders.

Choi Taejoon narrowed his eyes. After a pause, he spoke slowly.

“…Who the hell celebrates a houseplant’s birthday?”

“…Ah. Good point.”

Maybe I should’ve compared myself to a dog or a cat. At least people actually celebrated their pets’ birthdays.

He exhaled sharply, looking resigned.

“…Do whatever you want.”

If Director Kim had been doing his job properly, Choi Taejoon would’ve already known where I was. But since Director Kim had been completely out of it lately, he clearly hadn’t reported anything.

And whatever Park Ha-hyun had texted him—well, considering that he had raced over in just 19 minutes, he had definitely been prepared to drag me out of there by force.

He pressed the elevator button.

“Go.”

I glanced between him and the open elevator doors before stepping inside, limping slightly.

“Alright, then. I’ll be going.”

I even gave a polite little nod.

“……”

“Go.”

“…I am.”

“…Then why aren’t you?”

He frowned.

“…Because you’re still holding the button.”

His hand was firmly pressing the open button, keeping the doors from closing.

“Let go.”

I tried not to laugh, shifting my weight onto my injured foot to keep a straight face.

He was clearly pissed. Annoyed. Frustrated. But mostly, he was thrown off.

“…The entire time I was in the hospital. You were with him, weren’t you?”

“Well… yeah, I guess.”

At my response, he let out a quiet, pained exhale.

“Why?”

That accusatory tone—what the hell was he expecting me to say?

What else could I have done? He was the one who threw me out.

Did he expect me to just die on the streets?

Sure, I had a death wish, but starving to death wasn’t exactly high on my list of preferred methods.

“You’re not seriously asking that, are you? My home is in Jeju Island—I can’t just go there whenever I want. The Gaenari Crew moved without telling anyone where they went. The only friend I had, Minsu, wasn’t answering my calls.”

“…Jeju? The Gaenari Crew?”

“And what was I supposed to do? I was completely broke. I was running out of ways to survive at the hospital. And you changed your house’s password, so I couldn’t even go back if I wanted to!”

At that, his expression subtly shifted.

“…You were broke?”

“Of course I was broke! And on top of that, every single Taeseong Industries employee was avoiding me like the plague! Because I put you in the hospital. Three times. Who the hell was going to take me in?!”

Before I could finish, he cut me off.

“…You were starving?”

What?

Had he seriously not realized?

“When did I ever let you go hungry? What about Mrs. Kim?”

“Mrs. Kim? How was I supposed to see her? I didn’t live there anymore. Was I supposed to show up at her door at every mealtime like, ‘Excuse me, could you spare a meal?’ Oh, wait—I couldn’t even do that. Because I couldn’t get past the damn elevator!”

“…What?”

The sharp beep of the elevator alarm sounded.

“…You should probably let go of the button before you break it.”

Choi Taejoon’s expression was unreadable.

But one thing was clear—he had absolutely no idea what had been happening to me.

“You were the one who told me to leave. You even had Director Kim throw me out.”

“…I did?”

For the first time since I had possessed this body, I saw true confusion on Choi Taejoon’s face. I had certainly never seen such an expression in Alcohol Swab.

At that moment, the elevator suddenly began to ascend.

It seemed this building’s elevators had an automatic function—after a certain amount of time, the doors would close and head to the designated floor.

Even as he held down the open button, the doors continued to close. Through the narrowing gap, I could still see his face.

I cupped my hands around my mouth and shouted through the closing doors.

“Yes! You were the one who did that, Director Choi!”

The doors shut with a jarring clang, causing a slight jolt inside the elevator. After a brief pause, it resumed its climb.

…This was strange.

He genuinely looked like he had no idea I had been kicked out.

And Choi Taejoon wasn’t the type to pretend not to know something—he had no reason to lie about it.

Which meant there was only one explanation.

That damn Director Kim had lied. Again.

The elevator stopped at the first floor.

For a moment, I thought it might be Choi Taejoon—but no.

An elderly couple, returning from their evening walk, stood outside. They greeted me politely but hesitated when their eyes landed on my bare feet and the bloodstains trailing onto the floor.

“Oh, I just… forgot to put on my shoes,” I explained, folding my hands together apologetically. “Please, go ahead.”

They still looked uncertain, but they stepped inside. Just as the doors were about to close—

THUD—

“…Huh?”

The elevator shook violently, and the doors slammed back open.

And standing right there, in the open doorway—was Choi Taejoon.

“W-What are you doing?”

Had he just sprinted up an entire flight of stairs?

His breath was only slightly uneven, but his eyes—sharp and furious—glowed like those of a predator that had finally caught its prey.

Before I could react, he stepped inside.

The elderly couple let out a startled gasp.

I forced a stiff smile and reassured them, “It’s fine, don’t worry. He looks scary, but he doesn’t attack civilians.”

The four of us stood in silence as the elevator resumed its ascent.

“You really think I told them to kick you out?”

“You’re saying you didn’t tell Director Kim, ‘Throw Hyun Woo Kyung out’?”

“I never said that.”

“…I knew something was off.”

A string of vicious curses spilled from his mouth—every single one directed at Director Kim.

“In the hospital, I told you I’d be leaving, and you told me to do whatever I wanted. So I thought that was your way of saying I should leave.”

“I never told you to leave.”

“…Are you seriously telling me you don’t remember?”

I distinctly recalled our last conversation before I left.

I had begged him to kill me.

And he had refused—over and over.

Frustrated, I had finally said, “Fine, I’ll just go then.”

And his exact words in response?

“Do whatever you want. The decision is yours.”

I repeated his words back to him.

His expression darkened, his voice rising in frustration.

“How the hell does that mean leave my house?”

“…I don’t know! I just assumed!”

“Because Director Kim packed your things and told you to go?”

“Yes! So I thought—”

“Enough. I don’t want to hear about Director Kim anymore.”

He cut me off, his voice laced with thinly veiled anger.

Honestly, I couldn’t blame Director Kim for wanting me gone.

In the original story, I was supposed to be dead.

But instead, I was still here, screwing up the plot, throwing everything off track.

Maybe, as a character, Director Kim had simply been trying to correct the course of events—by getting rid of me, by whatever means necessary.

Choi Taejoon’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.

“I’m telling you one last time. I never kicked you out.”

I must have frowned slightly without realizing it because he repeated himself, as if desperate to make me believe him.

“I never told you to leave.”

“…Alright.”

“From now on, check with me first before assuming anything.”

“…Got it.”

The storm in his eyes finally settled.

As if on cue, the elevator reached its destination, and the doors slid open.

The elderly couple practically bolted out.

Choi Taejoon, still watching me closely, asked,

“You’re coming with me, right?”

“Yes.”

His brows furrowed slightly, as if he didn’t entirely trust my answer.

“…Which house? Here or mine?”

I hesitated for just a second, watching his expression carefully.

His lips were pressed into a firm line, but his eyes—those damn eyes—held an almost nervous anticipation.

“…Obviously,” I said, letting a small smile creep in.

“I’m going to your house.”

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