Free Web Novel"Hey! Who the hell are you punks?"
Everyone turned toward the voice in shock.
A man pushed forward toward our table, breathing heavily, a tattoo peeking out from beneath his jacket.
"You little shits, what the hell are you doing hanging out in a place like this already? That girl’s mine. I had dibs on her a few days ago, and I was wondering why she wasn’t coming to my room—turns out she was messing around here with some brat. Hey girl, get over here!"
The woman snorted in disgust.
"Why would I go to you, huh? Ha... You’re such a piece of trash. This place just became a dump. Ugh, what the hell."
"What? What the hell did you just say to me?"
"Why? I came into your room a few times and left without touching a drink. Shouldn’t you have thought, ‘Ah, she must not like me’? You’re built like a goddamn boar and you’ve got zero awareness, huh?"
"Wow, I’m gonna lose it. Hey! You punks not getting the hell out?"
Losing the argument with the girl, the man turned his attention to us.
Not wanting to stir up any trouble, I stood up and said calmly,
"Sir, I’m sorry. I’m a legal adult now, and I just came to have a drink with some friends. We were just about to leave, so please cool down. What are you doing? Get up. Let’s go."
Hyunseong followed my lead and stood up.
But Myungsoo didn’t move an inch.
"Myungsoo, get up. Let’s go."
"Ah, I told you I wanna stay a bit longer!"
"Hey, hey. Are you drunk? I said let’s go."
"What, we need permission to get paired up now? Shit, what the hell is this?"
...Oh no, damn it.
The air instantly turned cold.
"What the hell did you just say? Shit?"
"I wasn’t talking to you, sir. Don’t get mad. I was just talking to myself. And for the record, this is my dad’s place, so don’t raise your voice here."
Our table was drawing attention. People around us started getting uneasy.
The music was still loud, so not everyone knew exactly what was being said, but it seemed like they figured some gangster was making a scene. Some people began gathering their things and leaving.
Waiters rushed over.
"Oh no! Hyungnim, why are you doing this? They’re just kids. That one’s the boss’s son, Myungsoo. Please calm down. If you go back to your room, we’ll set you up right away."
The waiters tried to grab his arms and calm him, but the tattooed man shoved them away and shouted.
"What? This punk’s the boss’s son? Fuck! What kind of brat is this? Go get the boss right now. What are you doing? If you wanna shut this place down tonight, just keep pushing it."
I leaned in and whispered to Myungsoo.
"What the hell are you doing? You could’ve just let this go quietly—why make it worse?"
"What? Did I say something wrong? Why do we have to tiptoe around someone just to have a drink? This is my dad’s place."
"You’re that drunk already? Just stop. Let’s go."
I tried to talk him down, but Myungsoo still wouldn’t budge.
He must’ve really liked that girl... But getting involved with a gangster would do no one any good.
"Hey, you wanna ruin your dad’s business? Let it go and get up."
After my repeated warnings, Myungsoo finally looked like he’d stand up reluctantly.
At that moment, Myungsoo’s father came rushing in.
"Oh no, Seongho-ssi. Why again?"
"Boss, you run this place like this? You wanna let my boys loose today? Should I just shut your shop down?"
The way Myungsoo’s father treated the tattooed man—Seongho—told me this situation was deeper than it looked.
"Don’t do this. There’s no need for anyone to raise their voice over this."
"You think I’m saying this 'cause I don’t know you’ve got no idea we run Nampo-dong now? Even though we’ve known each other for a while, I let it slide with a few bottles of booze, right? But treating me like this? That’s not right."
"Of course, of course, Seongho-ssi. My son’s still immature, that’s all. I apologize. Please, calm down and go back to your room. I’ll make it up to you properly."
In this era, nightclubs had complicated ownership structures.
Myungsoo’s father held 51% of the shares, but the rest were held by local tough guys who had some influence.
That was the only way to run a liquor business smoothly. With Saseongpa dismantled and smaller gangs swept away, it seemed thugs like this were starting to pop up all over again.
Myungsoo’s face twisted with frustration seeing his father shrink back, but thankfully he didn’t act out further.
I grabbed Myungsoo’s arm and tried to leave quietly, coat in hand.
But then—
"Hey! Where the hell do you think you’re going? Stop right there!"
"Seongho-ssi, let the kids go. What are you doing, standing there like that? Myungsoo, go home, okay?"
Myungsoo’s father blocked the tattooed man from stepping closer to us.
We were trying to slip away quickly when—
Smack!
If not for that sound...
"Hey, boss. Am I a joke to you? I was trying to be nice, show some respect to an elder, and you pull this? I told them to stop, and you let them go? What does that make me?"
Even the people dancing, the DJ spinning tracks, and the drinkers froze to stare.
Myungsoo’s father clutched his cheek, stunned, just staring at the tattooed man.
"Everyone get out. This place is done for tonight."
A bunch of goons, probably the man’s underlings, began forcing people out.
It took only ten minutes for the once-loud nightclub to fall completely silent.
"Boss."
"...Speak."
"You should act right when people treat you with respect. Shit, what the hell is this? A grown man getting slapped in front of kids and just standing there like it’s nothing?"
The tattooed man turned to us and waved.
"You punks. Get over here."
"Seongho-ssi..."
Myungsoo’s father tried to stop him, but the glare he got shut him up.
The man stepped up to Myungsoo and barked.
"Say it again. What? What the fuck did you say?"
"..."
"What? Talked big before, now you’re scared, huh? Life’s funny, right? Living like a prince ‘cause your dad owns the place, thinking gangsters are beneath you?"
"I’m sorry. Please forgive me."
Myungsoo apologized, but the man kept going.
"Because of you, look at this mess. Your dad got slapped in the face for your bullshit. Fuck, this is ridiculous."
"..."
Myungsoo lowered his head without a word.
The man smacked the back of Myungsoo’s head.
"How old are you?"
"Twenty."
"Hah, still just a baby. I’m letting this go tonight only because you’re the boss’s kid. But you’ve gotta take a few hits."
Seeing the man raise his hand to strike, Myungsoo’s father jumped back in.
"Seongho-ssi, please stop. It’s my fault. Let him go. I’m begging you."
Trying desperately to shield his son, he grabbed the man’s sleeve.
But the man scoffed like he couldn’t believe it.
"What the hell, boss? You think I’m some clown because I don’t go around beating people up? He takes a few hits, it’s done. Why are you interfering?"
"He’s my kid. Hit me instead."
That’s how Myungsoo’s dad always was.
When we got into trouble, Hyunseong’s dad handled anything involving the police. Money problems? Myungsoo’s dad took care of it.
He was the one who loved Myungsoo the most.
In my previous life, when Myungsoo ended up with a limp, his dad sold off everything he owned in Busan and disappeared overnight.
"You really wanna lose your business, boss?"
"If I can’t protect my son, what’s the point of running this place? Just leave."
He was stronger than anyone else I knew. Seeing that, the tattooed man lifted his hand again in anger.
I grabbed it.
"That’s enough. We’re all sorry. My friend drank too much and made a mistake. If you let this end here, I’d be grateful."
"And who the hell are you? Did you just grab my hand? Am I seeing things? Guys, you saw that, right?"
"Yes, hyungnim."
The man looked at me, then his hand, and laughed in disbelief.
I released his hand and spoke.
"No one hits a parent in front of their child. You’ve done enough already, haven’t you? Let’s stop here."
"Wow. You’ve got guts. What’s your name?"
"Kim Muhyuk."
"Kim Muhyuk? Wanna work under me?"
Like a wolf cub would serve under a mangy mutt.
"I’m sorry."
"Sorry?"
One of his goons whispered something into his ear.
"Oh! You’re that crazy dog from Dongsung Tech, huh?"
"You’ve heard of me?"
"You’re famous. The punk who turned his life around and made it into Korea University—people in the neighborhood wouldn’t shut up about it. Damn. I like you. You sure you don’t wanna work for me?"
"I’m sorry."
The repeated refusals darkened his expression.
"You think I’m some low-level thug? You not gonna answer me? You want me to gouge your eyes out and suck them dry?"
"..."
Why the hell would I work under you?
I kept my expression neutral since I was the one apologizing, but the silence must’ve rubbed him the wrong way.
"This bastard really is crazy. Look at those eyes. You got a death wish or something?"
I could take ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) him one-on-one, maybe—but there were too many goons around.
Still, I hadn’t stepped forward without a plan.
One of the big guys by the entrance came running.
"Hyungnim!"
"What? What’s the fuss now?"
"It’s Dongsu hyung. Park Dongsu." freёwebnoѵel.com
"What the fuck did you say? Dongsu?!"
Earlier, when the tattooed man had approached our table, I’d noticed someone familiar leaving.
"Hey! Kid!"
That unmistakable voice rang out from behind.
Park Dongsu.
Though he kept calling me “kid,” I’d told him I wasn’t.
I turned to see him entering the nightclub with a few men, grinning.
"What the hell? Why’s that bastard here?"
The tattooed man, now clearly rattled, stumbled over his words.
Park Dongsu waved at him.
"Well, well, if it isn’t Byun Seongho? Long time no see. I’m surprised you’re not behind bars." frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
"What the hell? This is my turf. What are you doing here?"
"Ah, asshole. Not even gonna say hi after all this time? You’re still a punk, huh? The kid standing in front of you? He’s my ‘kid’."
At those words, Byun Seongho glanced my way.
"Is this a hit?"
"What the fuck are you on about? Why the hell would I go through all that for a nobody like you? I heard you got into it with my kid, so I came."
"...."
Byun Seongho bit his lip.
Ignoring him, Park Dongsu laughed and waved at me.
"Hey, kid. This hyung is glad to see you."
"I’m not your kid, old man."
"Kekeke. Still talking back, even now."
Park Dongsu’s men surrounded the place, instantly shifting the mood.
Looking at Myungsoo’s father, I could see he still didn’t fully grasp what was happening.
"Alright, Seongho. Let’s have ourselves a talk."
After securing the room, Park Dongsu plopped into a seat, brimming with confidence.
Byun Seongho hesitated, then sat in front of him.
"How many years has it been, Seongho? Seven? You’ve grown a lot, reaching all the way to Nampo-dong."
"...Let’s drop it."
"Drop it? I haven’t even started."
I didn’t know the exact details of their relationship, but it was clear who held the power here: Park Dongsu.
Seeing the conversation would drag on, I stepped up.
"Sir, I’ll be taking my friends home now. Thank you for your help."
Park Dongsu turned to me and waved his hand.
"Hey, kid. Hang on. You’re an adult now—let this hyung treat you to a drink."
"All good, but could you stop calling me ‘kid’?"
"Ahahaha! That’s why I like you."
"By the way, the owner here is my friend’s dad. I hope you’ll keep that in mind. Also... the whiskey here’s fake. People still pull shady shit like that?"
Park Dongsu looked at Byun Seongho and chuckled.
"Damn. Still can’t shake off the thug habits, huh? You haven’t changed one bit. Who the hell tampers with liquor these days? You’re just spitting on your own face."
"..."
Ignoring the silent Byun Seongho, Park Dongsu looked back at me.
"Still gonna hang around?"
"No. My friends are drunk, and we’re heading out. Thank you again."
I ignored whatever else he was going to say and returned to the others.
"Let’s go. If I drink with you again, I’m a dog."
"...Sorry."
I approached Myungsoo’s dad and bowed.
"Sir, I’ll visit again soon. Mr. Park Dongsu will probably look out for you. And... check the liquor shipments more carefully. Seems like someone’s playing dirty."
"Oh? Oh, okay. Take Myungsoo home, alright?"
"Yes, don’t worry. We’ll just crash at my place tonight."
"Alright then. I’ll buy you boys a drink next time. Stop by before you head to Seoul."
"Yes, sir."
Just as we were leaving the nightclub together, Park Dongsu’s loud voice rang out.
"Hey! Kid! Let’s have a drink before you go to Seoul! I’ll come find you soon!"
Ha... Still calling me “kid” to the end.
<Hey! Kid!> End.
