Dirt Cheap — Chapter 7

FIVE DAYS.

THE TRUTH IS...

THE YOUNG LADY CANNOT LEAVE THE HOSPITAL.

SHE WAS ALREADY LIKE THAT, BUT HER SYMPTOMS WORSENED AFTER THE PRESIDENT FORCED HER OUT LAST TIME.

WHEN IT'S SEVERE, SHE EVEN LOSES CONSCIOUSNESS LIKE THIS.

WHAT ON EARTH DID HE DO TO HER?

TO THINK HE MADE SUCH A MESS JUST BECAUSE HE COULDN'T HANDLE ONE TINY GIRL.

AM I THE FUCKING KID HERE...?

DOMINATION, AND SUBMISSION.

THE NUMBER OF HEADS BOWING BEFORE ME IS THE MEASURE OF MY POWER.

IT IS THE ‘ORGANIZATION’S’ SOLE ORDER AND ITS WAY OF PROVING ITS WORTH,

AND MAKING OTHERS SUBMIT HAS BEEN THE MOST FAMILIAR AND EASIEST THING FOR ME SINCE CHILDHOOD...

GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING TO MY NEPHEW, TOO.

DO KANG-HOO...

NOTHING MORE THAN A BASTARD CHILD MY SENILE GRANDFATHER HAD IN HIS OLD AGE...

WOW, LOOK AT MY NEPHEW'S FACE.

PLAYING AROUND WITH THAT YOUNG THING MUST'VE MADE YOU LOOK EVEN MORE HANDSOME.

HAVE YOU GOTTEN A TASTE OF HER YET?

WHAT? YOU STILL HAVEN'T EATEN?

I MEAN, HER OWN FATHER IS SPOON-FEEDING HER TO YOU. WHY WOULDN'T YOU EAT?

WANT TO HAND HER OVER TO YOUR UNCLE?

UNCLE, MY FUCKING ASS...

A PARASITE WHO ONLY SCORED A DECENT DIRECTOR TITLE FOR ROLLING IN THE BLOODBATH IN GRANDFATHER'S PLACE.

A CONNOISSEUR LIKE ME IS ESPECIALLY HELPLESS WHEN IT COMES TO PRETTY THINGS, YOU KNOW.

AN IDIOT BASTARD WHO WOULDN’T HAVE GOTTEN A SINGLE CRUMB IF MY FATHER DIDN’T HAVE MYSOPHOBIA...

SO IF YOU’RE JUST GOING TO LET HER ROT, NEPHEW, HAND HER OVER EVEN NOW. IT’S NOT TOO LATE.

HOW DARE HE EYE WHAT’S MINE.

DO YOU NOT HAVE ANY INTENTION OF WATCHING THAT FUCKING MOUTH OF YOURS, EVEN FOR A MOMENT?

...FUCKING WHAT?

FUCK, WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?

AREN’T YOU GOING TO TAKE YOUR SEAT?

WHAT. FUCKING WHAT?

IF I'VE TURNED ON MY MICROPHONE—

WOULDN'T IT BE APPROPRIATE TO SIT DOWN?

DIRECTOR DO KANG-HOO.

PEOPLE ARE ALREADY TALKING BEHIND YOUR BACK ENOUGH AS IT IS, AREN'T THEY, DIRECTOR?

CALLING YOU AN UNEDUCATED BASTARD, A BASTARD WHO DOESN'T BELONG IN THAT POSITION—

WHY, YOU LITTLE BASTARD...

SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN.

TURN ON YOUR MIC.

AND IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM, ONLY SAY WHAT YOU CAN BACK UP.

TAKING IT SERIOUSLY IS THE SAME AS ADMITTING DEFEAT.

PRICKLY AS ALWAYS. OVER A LITTLE TEASING...

...AH.

PRESIDENT JO,

I HEAR THAT YOUNG GIRL IS YOUR DAUGHTER?

AT THIS RATE, WILL THEY EVEN BE ABLE TO GET MARRIED?

I EXPECTED AS MUCH!

I KNEW HE HAD AN ULTERIOR MOTIVE. MARRIAGE, MY FOOT.

ONCE HE TAKES EUN-SOO TO THE CHAIRMAN, HE'S JUST PLOTTING TO KICK ME OUT IMMEDIATELY.

DO-HEON'S ATTITUDE TOWARD THIS IS COMPLETELY UNSETTLING.

THERE'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING...

BUT I CAN'T JUST ACT RASHLY BASED ON INTUITION ALONE...

NO, THAT'S NOT RIGHT.

I MUST REMEMBER I'VE BEEN PUSHED TO THE EDGE OF A CLIFF. RIGHT NOW, THERE IS ONLY LIFE OR DEATH–THERE ARE NO OTHER CHOICES.

THIS IS THE TIME TO USE ANY MEANS NECESSARY.

CHIEF YOON.

YES, SIR.

LET'S GET EUN-SOO OUT OF THE HOSPITAL FIRST.

PARDON? BUT THE YOUNG LADY IS ADAMANTLY REFUSING, ISN'T SHE?

AS I RECALL, SHE PUT UP A FIERCE RESISTANCE LAST TIME AS WELL...

SHE HAS TO COME OUT TO GET MARRIED ANYWAY. NO MATTER HOW MUCH I THINK ABOUT IT, WE HAVE TO DRAG HER OUT FIRST TO GET THINGS MOVING.

WE'LL HAVE THEM RUB SHOULDERS OR WHATEVER IT TAKES SO THEY GROW ATTACHED TO EACH OTHER. I HAVE TO TRY SOMETHING.

IN THAT CASE...

I WILL WATCH HER FOR A FEW DAYS THIS TIME AND BRING HER OUT QUIETLY.

IT CAUSED QUITE A SCENE LAST TIME, AFTER ALL.

RIGHT. HANDLE IT WELL SO THERE'S NO DISTURBANCE, AND BRING HER HERE IN ONE PIECE.

HER FLESH AND BLOOD IS MY LIFELINE.

RIGHT NOW, THAT'S MY ONLY WAY TO SURVIVE.

ARE YOU ALL RIGHT, MANAGING DIRECTOR?

I SHOULD TAKE YOU HOME, RIGHT, MANAGING DIRECTOR?

WHAT ABOUT THIS AFTERNOON'S CANCELED SCHEDULE?

I RESCHEDULED IT. I SHARED IT WITH YOU VIA MESSENGER.

HELLO. THIS IS JO EUN-SOO. MY PAINTBRUSH WENT MISSING, SO I’M CONTACTING YOU TO SEE IF YOU MIGHT HAVE IT, MANAGING DIRECTOR.

FIRST SHE CALLED ME A PURE THUG, AND NOW I’M MANAGING DIRECTOR AGAIN.

IT'S NOT LIKE SHE ONLY JUST NOTICED THE BRUSH WAS MISSING.

SHE PROBABLY HESITATED QUITE A BIT BEFORE REACHING OUT.

EXPECTING HER TO REACH OUT ON HER OWN WITHOUT EVEN GIVING HER MY NUMBER WAS A SCUMBAG MOVE ON MY PART.

SECRETARY PARK.

YES, MANAGING DIRECTOR.

LET'S HEAD TO THE HOSPITAL.

IS HE IGNORING MY TEXT?

IT WAS A GIFT THAT MASTER RYU CHUN-SOO EVEN ENGRAVED FOR ME...

I CAN'T JUST STAY STILL LIKE THIS.

LET ME CHECK THE WALKING PATH AGAIN.

IF MRS. CHU WERE HERE, SHE CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE STOPPED ME,

BUT SHE'S AWAY AT THE MAIN HOUSE IN SEOUL TODAY.

UNLESS SOMEONE THREW IT AWAY, THERE'S NO WAY IT ISN'T THERE.