Sentimental Shower

#038

Kim Ji-heon. The brown-haired man encountered in the piano room said he was twenty-nine years old this year.

He seemed to hold a different position from the many bodyguards employed by Yeon Tae-soo. His appearance didn’t look like a gangster at first glance.

As it turned out, he was in charge of Eden’s accounting. Befitting his young master-like appearance, he was said to be highly educated.

Lately, he had been running into him frequently at Eden.

When he told Yeon Tae-soo that he felt Kim Ji-heon glancing at him during their encounters, Yeon Tae-soo replied dismissively.

“Ah, that guy? I’ll beat him up.”

“No, don’t do that. Why do you try to solve everything with violence?”

“He’s lusting after you because you’re pretty.”

“You’re mistaken.”

Though he responded coldly, Yoo Seong-woo had already considered to some extent that it might be due to his appearance. More precisely, not his appearance, but his function.

If, as he had guessed before, one of his purposes was entertainment, and if he made humans feel “attraction” as per his design purpose, then Kim Ji-heon might have unknowingly fallen victim to that function.

Just as Yeon Tae-soo had come to like him.

“What do you mean, mistaken? Anyone with working eyes would have ulterior motives towards our Seong-woo.”

Yeon Tae-soo’s voice suddenly interjected between his thoughts. Somehow, his words felt deeply comforting.

He was glad to hear that it wasn’t about some function, but simply that he was pretty.

Why do you always say exactly what I want to hear at the moment I want to hear it? He couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

***

Fortunately, Yeon Tae-soo didn’t seem to have beaten up Kim Ji-heon. He encountered him again in the corridor of Eden, looking unharmed.

Yoo Seong-woo was tired, having just seen five baby cat patients simultaneously at the hospital. He was about to pass by as usual when Kim Ji-heon suddenly blocked his path.

“Doctor, could I talk to you for a moment?”

Even though he was smiling, his face somehow looked desperate, so Yoo Seong-woo had no choice but to nod.

Yoo Seong-woo let him into his room. Since he was also a guest staying in this room, he had nothing to offer, so he hurriedly procured and made instant coffee. Kim Ji-heon’s face twisted strangely after drinking a cup of coffee.

Pushing the coffee cup far away, he immediately got to the point.

“Eden has gotten much busier recently. Because there are more people coming and going. The security is still thorough, but I’m not sure what it’ll be like when party preparations start in earnest.”

He couldn’t guess why Kim Ji-heon had suddenly come to say this. When Yoo Seong-woo stared at him, Kim Ji-heon smiled gently.

“I’m saying this because President Yeon spends a lot of time with you. To minimize gaps, you should know too.”

Hearing these words spoken in a tone that lacked both hostility and goodwill, and thus sounded even more sincere, Yoo Seong-woo realized why Kim Ji-heon had come to see him.

“…You mean it’ll be dangerous when President Yeon is with me.”

Kim Ji-heon nodded.

“This is my workplace, and President Yeon is my boss. I won’t lose my job if he’s safe. So I want to protect him as much as possible.”

Kim Ji-heon, sitting across the table, leaned his upper body forward. Yoo Seong-woo faced him calmly, without surprise or flinching. Kim Ji-heon’s eyes softened a bit, then took on a slightly playful look.

“Have you ever worked with a boss who absolutely refuses to listen?”

Since it didn’t seem like a question requiring an answer, Yoo Seong-woo just looked at him silently. Kim Ji-heon straightened his upper body again and shook his head.

“President Yeon is a rascal. He’s someone who jumps around unpredictably. Working as his assistant is like hell.”

‘…What? Should I comfort him?’

While pondering how to react, Kim Ji-heon fortunately continued speaking immediately.

“So please help a bit.”

Words he hadn’t expected at all.

“…Are you saying I can help you, Mr. Kim Ji-heon?”

“No, not me, but President Yeon.”

His words were sweet. Saying that I could be of help to Yeon Tae-soo.

“I’m not a trained person.”

“But you’re closest to the President. Training is something you can receive. In fact, I wanted to talk about that too. I’ll assign someone to you, so please learn at least some self-defense. You’ll need it if you’re going to be by President Yeon’s side.”

‘…It’s a position that will be replaced soon anyway.’

Objectively, he couldn’t know how long his charm as an entertainment android would last.

If there’s a function, shouldn’t there be additional aspects to that function? At least, shouldn’t there be a visual display showing how much effect is left?

Anyway, Yeon Tae-soo hadn’t discarded him yet. And learning some self-defense would be beneficial.

Kim Ji-heon rubbed his eyes with his fingers. His demeanor had softened considerably.

His face showed a hint of fatigue. When they first met, he had looked a bit suspicious, but now he seemed more ordinary than expected.

“Mr. Kim Ji-heon, I have one thing to ask.”

“Yes.”

“Why did you come by my room that time?”

Kim Ji-heon slightly opened his mouth, then closed it. A flash of confusion crossed his face, but he quickly composed himself, showing skill in managing his expressions.

“Because I had a misunderstanding.”

“…A misunderstanding.”

Kim Ji-heon let out a small sigh. After fidgeting with his lips for a while, he finally seemed to give up on what he wanted to say and blurted out:

“Dr. Yoo, you suddenly appeared and entered Eden. You know well that Eden isn’t a place just anyone can enter, right?”

Yoo Seong-woo nodded. Eden isn’t a place you can enter just because you have a lot of money. Isn’t that why there’s such a fuss about greatly reducing entry restrictions for this upcoming party?

“And no matter how much we investigated, we couldn’t find out anything about your past.”

Yoo Seong-woo, who had been listening indifferently, widened his eyes.

“You investigated my background?”

“Isn’t that obvious? Anyone would find you suspicious. How could we not find even a single name about how you’ve lived?”

That’s because I’m an android. Fortunately, it seemed they hadn’t discovered that fact. Well, if he had found out, Yeon Tae-soo would already know too, and then he wouldn’t have left me alone.

“Anyway, if you notice anything even slightly suspicious, make sure to tell us. That’s why I came to see you today.”

“Yes, I understand.”

He already knew that Eden had been in turmoil lately, even without being told. He had already planned to tell Yeon Tae-soo immediately if he saw anything suspicious.

“Originally, Eden procures its sales items from District 2. There’s no need to go far, and it’s convenient to resolve everything within the district we belong to.”

Since Eden is a gambling house, items like alcohol and cigarettes are sold a lot. Not only that, but hard-to-get luxury items are also sold to VIPs. The commission taken in the middle is quite substantial, not falling behind the money earned from gambling.

“But for some time now, we’ve been receiving trade requests from other districts too. It means more and more places are paying attention to Eden.”

“Isn’t that good?”

“Well… It would be good if only customers were coming… But it won’t be just customers.”

Yoo Seong-woo’s eyes narrowed as he listened to Kim Ji-heon. He moistened his lips with his tongue behind his mask. Those who aren’t customers. Then they must be coming to establish trade, but he doesn’t seem happy about it. It wasn’t just a reluctance due to increased workload.

“Perhaps… are they coming to see President Yeon, not Eden?”

Kim Ji-heon nodded, looking slightly surprised.

“You’ve guessed correctly.”

“What kind of person is President Yeon?”

A massive golden building. Eden itself was valuable enough. But if President Yeon was more popular than that, he must be an extremely special person.

In other words, someone who could casually enter and leave a place like this neighborhood’s public exhibition hall as if it were his personal property.

“As expected… the President hasn’t told you either.”

“Told me what?”

Kim Ji-heon hesitated for a long time. He seemed to be contemplating whether he should say this himself.

“…How do you think we won against the European Union in the last war?”

“Wasn’t it because our military power was superior?”

Kim Ji-heon shook his head.

“The defending side is at a much greater disadvantage than the invading side. Moreover, with the explosion incident at the Mount Jiri mine, the military’s morale must have fallen even further. Yet, the Republic of Korea’s army won.”

“…So there must have been something that brought a decisive victory.”

Satisfied with the answer, Kim Ji-heon smiled brightly. He was truly a man with a good smile.

“The European Union hired quite a few mercenary groups to fill their lack of troops. The problem was that they had to entrust even key areas to these mercenary groups, and as a result, they shared even parts that required security…”

‘I was a mercenary.’

Yeon Tae-soo’s words naturally came to mind. No way.

“One mercenary defected to our side in the latter half of the war. He originally had Republic of Korea citizenship but had gone abroad. The information he provided was a great help.”

It was indeed as he had thought. The mercenary Yeon Tae-soo unilaterally broke his contract with the European Union and returned to his homeland. Bringing information that would help win the war.

“President Yeon is a war hero. Although he himself rejects that title.”

“…Is that true? I heard that no one knows about President Yeon’s past.”

“Yes. Ordinary people don’t know about President Yeon’s past. Most high-ranking military officers don’t know this fact either. Only those who really know, know.”

Yoo Seong-woo frowned at the unbelievable words.

“They’re half-doubting and want to know if the rumors are true. With exactly the same expression you have now, Doctor. But there’s no way to know for sure since the President himself doesn’t reveal it.”

He seemed like a man who wouldn’t have an ounce of patriotism. To think such a person was a war hero.

He must have done it with a purpose, but Yoo Seong-woo couldn’t fathom what it might be. Of course, it wasn’t his business to know.

But there was one question.

‘Then why is the Ministry of Defense targeting Yeon Tae-soo? If he’s a war hero, shouldn’t they be protecting him instead?’