Thirteen Hours
Apr. 25th, 2012 09:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wonderlifeAuthor: Nichole
Rated: PG
Word Count: 1,000
Story Title: Thirteen Hours
Summary: After he and Ling'er are attacked, Chan-wook goes to an old friend for help
The thin one came through the door first, his dirty nails ripping at the ugly yellow wallpaper. The thin one was followed by a round one with a thick mustache. Mustache went straight for Ling’er; he pulled her up by her long hair. Ling’er struggled for only a moment, before Chan-wook yelled for her to stop. Thin Guy and another, this one all awkward limbs and broad shoulders, cornered Chan-wook against the room’s only window.
Before they even said it, Chan-wook knew why they were there. He owed money, lots of it, too many different people. Chan-wook wasn’t sure who they were there in place of, but he was sure they weren’t told to be polite. He knew that much from the way Mustache was holding Ling’er by the back of her hair.
“Now listen. . .I. . .I can pay. Just don’t, don’t hurt her.” Chan-wook’s voice was quivering more than he wanted it to. Now they knew Ling’er was important to him – now they could use her.
Thin Guy laughed loudly, almost as if Chan-wook had told a joke. Broad-shoulders and Mustache joined in a moment later.
“Now Mr. Geum,” Thin Gut began slowly, his voice mincing and dark. “why would we hurt such a beautiful little girl?” Behind him, Mustache smiled widely and tugged Ling’er by the hair; she let out a tiny scream of pain, but didn’t try and fight him. “I bet she hasn’t even had a boyfriend. Why would we hurt hey before she’s even started to have a life?”
“I can pay.” Chan-wook repeated. “I can. Just tell me who I owe and how much. I can get it, just give me a day or two and I –“
Chan-wook’s words were cut off by Broad-shoulders punching Chan-wook square in the mouth.
“You had a month to pay Mr. Hong back, Mr. Geum. A whole thirty-one days.” Thin Guy stated flatly. “You failed to do so, and now it’s come to this. We’ve been told to get the amount you owe Mr. Hong in any way possible.”
He glanced over to Mustache and Ling’er briefly, before turning back to Chan-wook. “You’re little girl is very beautiful. What is she, half-Chinese and half-Westerner? That’s very popular at the bars these days. . .” Thin Guy trailed off, letting the implications of his words hang in the air.
“She. . .I can pay.” Chan-wook repeated again. “I can pay.” He said the repeated lamely. That was the only thought in his head: “I can pay.”
Think Guy and Mustache exchanged a look. “Alright. You have thirteen hours to come up with the 800,000,000 won you owe Mr. Hong. After that, well, I can’t be held responsible for what my friends do to you and your girl.” Thin Guy offered Chan-wook a polite smile, before giving Mustache a nod.
Roughly, Mustache threw Ling’er back against the wall, causing the thin paper thing to fall apart; Ling’er fell, butt first onto the frozen ground outside.
*
A bundle of nerves, Chan-wook paced the tiny office. He wasn’t sure what was making him more nervous – all the books on the shelves in the office or the fact that the owner of the office had read all of them. The owner of the office was a smart, educated man – Chan-wook had never done well around that sort.
Behind him, the office door opened. A portly, middle aged man with thinning hair walked in; his suit cost more money than Mason paid in monthly rent. Chan-wook wasn’t sure if that made him more or less nervous.
“Geum Chan-wook,” the portly man laughed happily. “you have gotten old.”
Feeling more relaxed, Chan-wook returned the laugh. “Hey, Park Ki Soo you’re not all the young yourself.”
Again, the two men laughed before exchanging a quick hug.
“You’ve come to see me for a favor?” Ki Soo asked casually. “You only ever call to ask that I see to all those burial mounds. But, you never visit.”
“Yeah,” Chan-wook nodded, suddenly feeling nervous again. Helplessly, he flopped down into the chair opposite Ki Soo’s desk. “I need your help. I know what you do now,”
“I’m a business man.”
“You’re a mobster. We started off in the same gang, and you went up in the world. I respect that.”
Ki Soo gave Chan-wook a hard look. “You. . .you’re just a low level gambler and con-man. You’re always broke and taking in kids. . .you need money, don’t you?”
“800,000,000 won. Think of it as a loan.”
“It will be a loan. Paid back, in full – plus interest within two years. If I decide to give it to you. And, the only reason I would is if it’s a good cause and because of our past relationship.”
“I owe money to a Mr. Hong.” Chan-wook ran a hand through his hair in disbelief. “I don’t even remember who he is. But, his men said they’d take my youngest and sell her to a bar if I don’t pay up in ten hours.”
“Where’s the girl now?”
“Safe. With one of my boys.” Chan-wook swallows. “She’s s teenager, sickly, she can hardly see and I already. . . I saved her once, I can’t let her down this time. Please, Park Ki Soo, don’t make me go back there and tell them I don’t have the money.”
Ki Soo was silent for a long moment after that. He leaned back in his dark leather chair and just stared at Chan-wook with an unreadable expression on his wrinkled face.
“I’ll give it to you. But, you pay me back in two years, with 2% interest, or I’ll take the girl. Got it?”
Chan-wook nodded, reached over the desk, and quickly shook Ki Soo’s hand. “I got it. Thank you, Park Ki Soo. Thank you so much.”
“Well,” Ki Soo shrugged. “it’s the least I can do for Geum Chan-wook, the only student of the great Kang. And, the only guy whose ever saved my life.”
Rated: PG
Word Count: 1,000
Story Title: Thirteen Hours
Summary: After he and Ling'er are attacked, Chan-wook goes to an old friend for help
The thin one came through the door first, his dirty nails ripping at the ugly yellow wallpaper. The thin one was followed by a round one with a thick mustache. Mustache went straight for Ling’er; he pulled her up by her long hair. Ling’er struggled for only a moment, before Chan-wook yelled for her to stop. Thin Guy and another, this one all awkward limbs and broad shoulders, cornered Chan-wook against the room’s only window.
Before they even said it, Chan-wook knew why they were there. He owed money, lots of it, too many different people. Chan-wook wasn’t sure who they were there in place of, but he was sure they weren’t told to be polite. He knew that much from the way Mustache was holding Ling’er by the back of her hair.
“Now listen. . .I. . .I can pay. Just don’t, don’t hurt her.” Chan-wook’s voice was quivering more than he wanted it to. Now they knew Ling’er was important to him – now they could use her.
Thin Guy laughed loudly, almost as if Chan-wook had told a joke. Broad-shoulders and Mustache joined in a moment later.
“Now Mr. Geum,” Thin Gut began slowly, his voice mincing and dark. “why would we hurt such a beautiful little girl?” Behind him, Mustache smiled widely and tugged Ling’er by the hair; she let out a tiny scream of pain, but didn’t try and fight him. “I bet she hasn’t even had a boyfriend. Why would we hurt hey before she’s even started to have a life?”
“I can pay.” Chan-wook repeated. “I can. Just tell me who I owe and how much. I can get it, just give me a day or two and I –“
Chan-wook’s words were cut off by Broad-shoulders punching Chan-wook square in the mouth.
“You had a month to pay Mr. Hong back, Mr. Geum. A whole thirty-one days.” Thin Guy stated flatly. “You failed to do so, and now it’s come to this. We’ve been told to get the amount you owe Mr. Hong in any way possible.”
He glanced over to Mustache and Ling’er briefly, before turning back to Chan-wook. “You’re little girl is very beautiful. What is she, half-Chinese and half-Westerner? That’s very popular at the bars these days. . .” Thin Guy trailed off, letting the implications of his words hang in the air.
“She. . .I can pay.” Chan-wook repeated again. “I can pay.” He said the repeated lamely. That was the only thought in his head: “I can pay.”
Think Guy and Mustache exchanged a look. “Alright. You have thirteen hours to come up with the 800,000,000 won you owe Mr. Hong. After that, well, I can’t be held responsible for what my friends do to you and your girl.” Thin Guy offered Chan-wook a polite smile, before giving Mustache a nod.
Roughly, Mustache threw Ling’er back against the wall, causing the thin paper thing to fall apart; Ling’er fell, butt first onto the frozen ground outside.
*
A bundle of nerves, Chan-wook paced the tiny office. He wasn’t sure what was making him more nervous – all the books on the shelves in the office or the fact that the owner of the office had read all of them. The owner of the office was a smart, educated man – Chan-wook had never done well around that sort.
Behind him, the office door opened. A portly, middle aged man with thinning hair walked in; his suit cost more money than Mason paid in monthly rent. Chan-wook wasn’t sure if that made him more or less nervous.
“Geum Chan-wook,” the portly man laughed happily. “you have gotten old.”
Feeling more relaxed, Chan-wook returned the laugh. “Hey, Park Ki Soo you’re not all the young yourself.”
Again, the two men laughed before exchanging a quick hug.
“You’ve come to see me for a favor?” Ki Soo asked casually. “You only ever call to ask that I see to all those burial mounds. But, you never visit.”
“Yeah,” Chan-wook nodded, suddenly feeling nervous again. Helplessly, he flopped down into the chair opposite Ki Soo’s desk. “I need your help. I know what you do now,”
“I’m a business man.”
“You’re a mobster. We started off in the same gang, and you went up in the world. I respect that.”
Ki Soo gave Chan-wook a hard look. “You. . .you’re just a low level gambler and con-man. You’re always broke and taking in kids. . .you need money, don’t you?”
“800,000,000 won. Think of it as a loan.”
“It will be a loan. Paid back, in full – plus interest within two years. If I decide to give it to you. And, the only reason I would is if it’s a good cause and because of our past relationship.”
“I owe money to a Mr. Hong.” Chan-wook ran a hand through his hair in disbelief. “I don’t even remember who he is. But, his men said they’d take my youngest and sell her to a bar if I don’t pay up in ten hours.”
“Where’s the girl now?”
“Safe. With one of my boys.” Chan-wook swallows. “She’s s teenager, sickly, she can hardly see and I already. . . I saved her once, I can’t let her down this time. Please, Park Ki Soo, don’t make me go back there and tell them I don’t have the money.”
Ki Soo was silent for a long moment after that. He leaned back in his dark leather chair and just stared at Chan-wook with an unreadable expression on his wrinkled face.
“I’ll give it to you. But, you pay me back in two years, with 2% interest, or I’ll take the girl. Got it?”
Chan-wook nodded, reached over the desk, and quickly shook Ki Soo’s hand. “I got it. Thank you, Park Ki Soo. Thank you so much.”
“Well,” Ki Soo shrugged. “it’s the least I can do for Geum Chan-wook, the only student of the great Kang. And, the only guy whose ever saved my life.”
