Chapter 63: A Scary Woman (2)

The attention of all the passers-by were focused on Kang Ra-Eun and the others because of the unexpected trouble. Ma Yeong-Jun was not stupid; he knew that Ra-Eun’s reputation could be harmed if he blew the situation up any bigger. He was planning on letting them go with just a simple warning, but...

“It’s a shame to just let them go like this,” Ra-Eun said while giving Yeong-Jun a look.

Since long ago, Ra-Eun had a firm conviction that one should always pay someone back in folds. Revenge was now her entire being, and it was not exclusive to Kim Han-Gyo and Kim Chi-Yeol.

Ra-Eun would not take humiliation lying down, even for the smallest things. There have even been murder cases simply for shoulder-checking in Korea. There was no need to go so far as to take their lives, but in exchange...

“These sons of bitches need to be taught a proper lesson.”

Ra-Eun’s words terrified the three thugs. It sent shivers down their spine.

Yeong-Jun smirked, and looked toward his men.

“You heard her.”

The subordinates would take care of educating them. Park Du-Chil, Yeong-Jun’s executive officer, dragged the three thugs into a deserted alleyway along with the other subordinates.

Kang Ra-Hyuk whispered to Ra-Eun, “Hey, Ra-Eun... Who are these people?”

He looked slightly scared by the men who looked far more dangerous than the thugs who had shoulder-checked him.

Ra-Eun answered as if they were no one special, “They’re just kind misters who do volunteer work here and there.”

It was an obvious lie.

***

Ra-Eun sent Ra-Hyuk home first. He was persistent in staying with her since he couldn’t just leave her alone, but he could not bend Ra-Eun’s stubborn will. Ra-Eun forced Ra-Hyuk to go back home and decided to have a meeting with Yeong-Jun.

In the meantime, Du-Chil returned to report to Yeong-Jun.

“We’ve taken care of them, boss.”

“You made sure to teach them to never mess with us again, right?” Yeong-Jun asked.

“Yes. We also drilled into their heads that they’ll see us again if they report about what happened to the police.”

Yeong-Jun turned his gaze to Ra-Eun, his eyes seemingly asking her if she was satisfied. Ra-Eun nodded. She would have liked to teach them a lesson personally, but it would be a huge problem if it got out to the public that an actress beat the crap out of three men. Yeong-Jun and his men were very useful in times like this.

Ra-Eun asked Yeong-Jun after cooling her rage down with an iced coffee, “You’re here to see me, right?”

Du-Chil’s eyebrow twitched.

“How dare you talk that way to our...”

He responded very aggressively because he had already been humiliated by Ra-Eun twice. However, he could not raise his voice any further in Yeong-Jun’s presence. Also, since what Ra-Eun had said was true, he had no choice but to stay put. If he didn’t, Yeong-Jun might beat him up like he himself had done to the three thugs.

Yeong-Jun immediately responded to Ra-Eun, “I see that you have deep connections to the financial and political circles.”

By political circle, he was talking about Congresswoman Hong who Ra-Eun had been getting close to lately, and Chairman Ji in terms of the financial circle.

Yeong-Jun had only one goal.

“I feel like we’ll be able to rake in some profits just by sticking with you.”

Yeong-Jun could no longer stay as a loan shark in such a small pond. He wanted to move on to someplace even bigger. He did not want to stay as a frog in the well any longer. To get out of that well, he needed the ladder that was Kang Ra-Eun.

Ra-Eun giggled.

“You must be dissatisfied with your current life.”

“Shouldn’t a man always strive for something bigger?”

Ra-Eun understood that sentiment very well, since she had also thought the same. That was why she rose to become the leader of a bigshot politician’s security team, although it ended up being the worst decision of her life.

“Well, alright,” Ra-Eun replied.

Yeong-Jun and his men would become her hands and legs, the chess pieces on her board.

“But you’d better clean up your criminal identity.” n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Their current identity was sure to become her Achilles’ heel in the future. The fact that she was connected to gangsters and loan sharks was something that could ruin her in an instant.

“Also, close down your money-lending business and don’t ever act like gangsters again.”

Du-Chil responded aggressively, “Then how do you expect us to make a living?”

“There are tons of ways for you to make a living,” Ra-Eun said as she handed Yeong-Jun a card from her wallet. “I happen to be starting a business soon. I’ll employ you and your men.”

***

Park Seol-Hun could not believe his eyes. The loan sharks whom he never wanted to see ever again had been waiting for him in his office. Ra-Eun, who was standing right in the middle of them, greeted him with a wave.

“Hey, mister.”

“Hey... my ass! Why are these people here?!”

“They’ll be working with you from now on.”

“Whaaat?!”

The news was like a bolt from the blue in Seol-Hun’s perspective, but Ra-Eun was still smiling.

“What? You said you were short-handed,” Ra-Eun remarked.

“This and that are completely different!”

This was a clothing business, but Yeong-Jun and his men had absolutely no experience in the clothing industry. Fashion design aside, they had never even done office work before. However, there was still use to them.

“They can handle the heavy-duty work. Have them work at the warehouse or something. I’m sure you’ll find a use for them.”

“B-But even so...” Seol-Hun muttered.

Du-Chil’s anger took the better of him and he slammed his fist down onto the desk.

“What?! Are you saying you don’t want to work with us?!”

“Th-That’s not it...”

Ra-Eun said as she patted Seol-Hun’s shoulder, “I made them promise me that they’ll listen to you, so teach them well. Oh, and these are the newly-designed leggings and female sneakers, right?”

“Uhh, yeah...”

“I’ll be taking a few samples. I want to get people’s opinions on them. I’ll leave you to it, then.”

“Wait, you’re leaving me alone here? Seriously?”

Ra-Eun left the office while leaving behind Seol-Hun, who was begging her not to go. She was sure that the adults would figure things out by themselves.

Probably.

***

It was Saturday morning. Seo Yi-Seo nagged at Seo-Yi-Jun who was laying down on the sofa without even washing up.

“Weren’t you supposed to be helping Dad at the cafe today?”

“...I’m going in the afternoon.”

“You were supposed to start in the morning. Sigh, for God’s sake.”

Yi-Seo sighed deeply, but Yi-Jun showed no signs of budging. He already found it annoying that he had to help out on the weekend. As he was thinking of heading out to help after lazing around as much as possible, a notification came to his phone. He checked to see if a friend had texted him.

“...!”

He had gotten a text from the target of his unrequited love, Kang Ra-Eun.

[Are you free at 11 AM? I want to show you something.]

He immediately replied that he was free as soon as he checked the text. And then, he sprang out of the sofa and rushed to the bathroom.

He exclaimed while repeatedly knocking on the locked door, “Sis! I have to go out right now, so come out already!”

“What? You said you were going out in the afternoon!” Yi-Seo said in confusion.

“Something really important came up! Hurry!”

He did not have the leeway to be late when Lady Kang Ra-Eun herself was calling him.

***

Yi-Jun arrived at Starlight Road where they planned to meet. However, not only was Ra-Eun not there, but two men were sitting at a table instead.

“Hm? What are you doing here, Yi-Jun?”

Choi Sang-Woon recognized Yi-Jun right away. Park Se-Woon, who was sitting across from Sang-Woon, asked him who Yi-Jun was.

“He’s Seo-Yi-Jun, Yi-Seo’s little brother. He’s a year younger than us,” Sang-Woon answered.

“Oh, Yi-Seo’s brother? Man, I thought Ra-Eun had called over yet another guy.”

Se-Woon’s intuition was scarily accurate in situations like this.

Yi-Jun carefully asked the two men, “Were you two also called over by Ra-Eun noona?”

Sang-Woon and Se-Woon’s faces stiffened. Judging from their conversation, all three of them had been called over by Ra-Eun.

“Tch, I thought she only called for me,” Se-Woon said while clicking his tongue.

Sang-Woon and Yi-Jun were also thinking the same thing; they were simply not saying it. The cafe door opened while the three men were sharing a table.

“Oh, there you guys are,” Ra-Eun said.

Their eyes widened as soon as they saw her. She was wearing an oversized yellow hoodie, a tight pair of pink leggings and white sneakers. Her clothes looked sporty yet displayed sexiness with her accentuated hip and leg lines.

Ra-Eun asked the three men while pointing at her lower body, “What do you think?”

“About what...?” they asked.

“The leggings and sneakers. I’m asking how they look from a male perspective.”

They had finally realized why Ra-Eun had called them. It was to get their opinions on her new pieces of clothing. She had gotten opinions from women, and all that she needed now were those from men.

“It looks alright...”

“I think it looks great on you.”

“Me too.”

Any clothes that stuck to Ra-Eun’s skin were bound to look great on her since her figure was so stunning. The sneaker design was pretty good as well. Ra-Eun smiled in satisfaction.

“Okay, got it. You’re dismissed,” she remarked.

“...Huh?”

“That’s it?”

Ra-Eun casually responded, “Yeah. What else would we do here?”

“...”

“...”

“...”

The three men were silent. None of them could ask Ra-Eun to grab a meal together while the two other men were right there. They were in a tough spot.

“Nothing, right? Then, see ya.”

Ra-Eun left the cafe while they were pondering about what to do. The three men sighed in tandem with Ra-Eun’s departure like it was planned.