Chapter Text
Gi-hun has never felt so powerful in his life.
When he began working for Mr. Kim, he recalled his feelings of hopelessness and despair. Every night, he wished a stranger to rescue him or pay off his debts without any strings attached. But as the weeks passed, his hope dwindled like nectar in a sieve. He endured too many sleepless nights, nursing his bleeding cuts or bruised skin with inadequate supplies. The men kept coming into his room. Countless, ravenous hands touched him until he grew numb to the pain. One evening, after shedding countless tears over his situation, Gi-hun made a vow to himself. If he managed to get out of debt and escape the clutches of this loan shark, he’d make him pay. Even if he didn’t know the exact logistics of his desired revenge, he only endeavored to make him feel a small fraction of his own pain.
And now? He could do anything he desired.
In-ho places a steady hand on his back, navigating him towards a small table. Each tortuous implement rests atop a black cloth, promising intense pain without end. Gi-hun’s eyes land on a particularly sharp dagger with an impeccable black and gold blade.
“Choose one,” he whispers into his ear. “Then we can get started.”
His delicious tone sends a shiver down his spine. Before he can reconsider it, he leans in to capture his lips in a fierce kiss. Gi-hun doesn't care if there’s three other people in the room. When they break apart, he’s flushed and his heart’s pounding in anticipation.
“Thank you,” he smiles. “I choose this one.”
His fingers rest on the dagger. In-ho’s warm hand envelops his own and takes the blade into his own hand. Then, they return their attention back to their victim. Ji-cheol grins like a mischievous feline when he spots his weapon of choice.
“Boss, let’s play a game with him first. How about - ”
Gi-hun shakes his head, “No, I want to decide this.”
“He’s right,” In-ho adds. “You don’t have a say in this. You’ve fulfilled your job already. Both of you, dismissed.”
His subordinates look astoundingly disappointed as they head back upstairs with trudging footsteps. In-ho notices his expression and chuckles.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. They’ll have plenty of other chances to toy with other victims. Tonight, it’s your turn.”
A nervous tremor travels through his limbs. He grips the dagger with a steady hand and looks over at his former loan shark. Mr. Kim’s already been through hell. His face is covered in bruises and cuts. After all the crap that he’s endured, it’s very strange to see this man in such a state. He’s fallen unconscious from his injuries, but In-ho delivers a swift kick to his stomach and he manages to wake up with a sharp gasp.
“Get up,” he snarls, tugging at his chained wrists. “Face him.”
His jaw drops in surprise, “Gi-hun? You’re behind all this?”
He steels his nerves and nods, “Yes, sir. I - ”
“Don’t call him that,” In-ho interrupts, crossing his arms. “This man isn’t your boss. He doesn’t own you anymore.”
Mr. Kim notices the dagger in his hands. Panic surges through his features as he struggles to break free from his confines. Meanwhile, In-ho looks thoroughly amused by his futile attempts.
“Well? What are you going to do with him?” In-ho asks.
“I’m…I’m going to make him suffer,” Gi-hun whispers.
“How? Be specific, jagiya. How did he hurt you?”
More memories rush to the forefront of his mind. In his early days of his job, very few clients would purchase his services. He was forced to warm this man’s bed nearly a dozen times, just for the chance to lower his debts. Even if he was against the idea, he gave into his demands after days of coercion. Tears gather in the corner of his eyes, but he refuses to let them fall. His dagger trembles in his hands.
“He…he raped me.”
The sharp words land with a dangerous tone in the din. Thankfully, his former loan shark stays silent, neither confirming or denying the accusation. In-ho shows no reaction to his confession. On the contrary, he looks more motivated to start the torturing. But he hasn’t hurt a single soul in his life. How can he stomach this entire process? Thankfully, In-ho speaks up, sensing his distress.
“I think there’s one thing we can do to make him pay.”
“What?” he asks.
“Take away his fingers.”
His nonchalant tone suggests that they could be discussing the weather. Gi-hun was expecting a proposal like this, but it feels very different when spoken aloud. Their victim flails in his constraints, desperately sobbing for mercy now. He tunes out his words. Over the course of several months, he shed buckets of tears because of this person. He refuses to feel any sympathy right now.
“I think that’s a good idea,” Gi-hun replies, his lips quivering into a smile.
“I’m glad you think so,” he grins. “I’ll hold him steady for you.”
He feels more confident with the mob boss on his side, navigating him through this encounter. In-ho pins his wrist to the table with an iron grip, while he desperately tries to break free. He also shoves a gag into his mouth. Gi-hun knows just how strong he is. But he’s never sawed off a person’s finger or hand before. He thinks back to all the horror movies that he used to watch when he was younger. Could a blade even sever the bone? Perhaps one of the axes would be better suited to this type of torture. Those thoughts circle his head, but he decides to begin.
Mr. Kim screeches into his gag when the dagger hits his pinky finger. Tears roll down his cheeks, while sweat glistens at his brow. He begins sawing in a repetitive motion, ignoring the copious amounts of blood dripping over the table. The stench floods the air, nearly making him retch. He manages to sever the tendon, but once he hits the bone, the dagger refuses to go further. Gi-hun moves onto the other finger, his heart pounding in his chest.
“Should I keep going?”
In-ho only smiles, “I’m so proud of you.”
His praise floods his mind, filling him with the strangest sense of satisfaction. He blocks out the rest of the world and focuses on the task at hand. Mr. Kim’s pleas for mercy disappear into thin air as he keeps slicing away at his tendons and veins, partially severing each one. The stench in the air grows to an unbearable odor. Gi-hun never believed he could have the stomach to hurt somebody like this. When he finally finishes the last thumb, he can’t inhale a full breath. In-ho’s warm hand rests on his back, gently tugging him away from the pain. Drops of blood cover his hands and shirt.
“I’ll take it from here. Look away if you need to.”
He gulps, “I’ll be ok.”
The loan shark’s screams grow louder as In-ho takes one of the axes from the table. Gi-hun can’t stomach the sound of his voice anymore. He sits in the corner, covering his ears until it’s all over. At this point, his entire body is shaking from the adrenaline. Gi-hun has to remind himself that this is normal in their criminal world and he needs to accept it. Once a loud gunshot explodes across the room, he finally looks up.
A corpse with glassy eyes looks back at him. He chokes on his breath, swallowing his tears. Gi-hun really doesn’t wish to ask about the latest form of torture. In-ho drops the weapon, panting heavily as he wraps his arms around his shoulders. His mind takes a moment to catch up with his surroundings. Then, he melts into his touch and begins sobbing loudly.
“Poor baby,” he whispers, brushing his hair from his face. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I thought you’d be ok with this.”
Gi-hun heaves a breath, “I’m ok, I’m fine. Really. He deserved it, I know he did.”
He stops his rambling when In-ho gathers him into his arms again. His limbs practically go numb when the mob boss carries him up the flight of stairs again. He burrows his face into his warm, broad chest as a question pops into his mind.
“He’s really dead?” he whispers.
In-ho nods, “Your debts to him are gone. Forever. One of his cronies may try to take the mantle, but I’ve got a spy. He’ll overturn his organization pretty soon. Hee-soon will handle the cleanup in an hour. Don’t worry about him anymore, ok? I had a hot bath drawn for you.”
His racing mind slows down as they head upstairs to his bathroom. A steaming bathtub with fresh soaps and lovely bath salts awaits him. He decides to file away his concerns for another time. Perhaps his ghost will haunt him someday, but he’ll handle that situation later. In-ho sets him down and begins undressing him with a careful hand. Gi-hun whines when he sees the bright bloodstain splotches over the fabric of his silk shirt.
“It’s ok, I’ll buy you a new one,” In-ho grins. “Get in the tub. That’s an order.”
“Yes, sir,” he giggles.
His feet tremble as he splashes into the tub and begins scrubbing his skin with a cloth. The repetitive motion brings a level of normalcy to their situation now. He can’t believe that he just assisted in torturing and killing a man. Gi-hun winces at the memories as bile builds up in the back of his throat. Sensing his distress, In-ho takes the washcloth from his hands.
“You need to relax,” he frowns, scrubbing his back with the fresh lavender soap suds. “I’m sorry I sprung this on you. I thought you could handle it - ”
“I can!” Gi-hun insists stubbornly. “It just threw me off, that’s all.”
“Well, I suppose you never forget your first.”
“I just never thought I could stomach something like that.”
“He was a horrible man,” In-ho adds. “Much like the rest of them out there. You’re better off away from him.”
“Horrible? Like you?” Gi-hun asks in a small voice. “Feels a little…hypocritical.”
An awkward tension floods the air before In-ho chuckles.
“I suppose so. But I’ve never laid a hand on anyone the way he did. You should know that, jagiya. That’s a horrid kind of evil. The disgusting things he put you through…I think he deserved a more painful, agonizing death than that."
Gi-hun nods in agreement, biting his lip. The mob boss continues washing his back and pouring water over his head. He even washes his hair with an expensive brand of shampoo that fills the air with citrus scents. Before long, he’s been cleaned up with all the blood washed down the drain. Gi-hun allows him to dry him off with a fluffy towel. In-ho can’t resist giving him a light slap on his plush ass before dressing him in a blue velvet robe.
When they arrive into their bedroom, his heart skips a beat. Thick piles of cash litter the silk sheets. His jaw drops in amazement.
“It’s yours,” In-ho explains with a victorious grin. “It seems that your loan shark had quite a bit of money on him - oof!”
He doesn't get another word out. Gi-hun pins him to the bed with an excited laugh, capturing his lips into a kiss once more. They make love on top of that pile of money while he slowly rides his cock. He remembers their first night together where he bandaged his wounds and admires how far they’ve come. In-ho eventually loses his patience and flips their positions before tugging him on all fours. He groans when Gi-hun canters his hips up, begging for more.
“All mine,” he whispers into his ear. “Forever.”
Once he enters him, Gi-hun can’t hold back his moans any longer. The bed creaks with every single thrust as he grips the bedsheets, clinging to them for support. He’s never felt pleasure like this before. It radiates out of him and he grows ravenous for this sensation, desperate for more ecstasy. When he comes, he practically passes out on the pillows as In-ho keeps fucking him until he spills his release inside. He moans as he pulls out, while his warm seed trickles down his inner thighs. Then, Gi-hun hears a camera flash and opens his eyes with a lazy groan.
“What are you…”
“Need to save this for later,” In-ho explains with a cheeky grin. “All messy like that? It’s ravishing.”
Gi-hun snuggles up next to him while he tries to clean him up with a cloth. Before long, he feels himself drifting away, while his body relaxes from the adrenaline of the day. In-ho holds him, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead and murmuring soft words that he can barely hear in his drowsy state.
The following day, he’s antsy on their way to his new doctor. He’s heard that IUD removal can be painful, so he’s not looking forward to it. In-ho holds his hand the entire time as his name’s called. When the procedure begins, he’s surprised that it only takes a couple of minutes. Aside from some cramping, it’s far less painful than the insertion process. His blood test results also reveal that he’s clean without any signs of infections. As they’re on their way back home, Gi-hun brings up another topic.
“I was thinking about going on the pill now.”
His brow furrows, “Why would you do that?”
“Uh, seriously?” he sighs, crossing his arms. “I could get pregnant!”
“Jagiya, don’t worry about it,” he grins. “You’ll be ok.”
“So, you want kids? I mean, we haven’t really talked about it…”
His voice trails off, thinking about a world where they could be far away from danger with their kids. And safe too.
“I have a plan, I promise,” In-ho reassures him. “That day will come sooner than you think.”
He wishes that he could be more forward and direct with him. Instead, he broaches another difficult topic, since they’re already on the subject.
“What about your brother?”
In-ho frowns, “What about him?”
“He’s looking for you, yeobo,” he whispers, placing a comforting hand on his arm. “You need to reach out and talk to him.”
“He won’t understand,” In-ho replies sharply. “He never will. There’s no point in trying. Focus on your own concerns.”
He decides to drop the topic for the moment. Instead, Gi-hun presses his face to the glass of their car’s window, watching the bustling city. During the evening, In-ho’s mood has improved greatly, so he suggests taking a trip to that casino again. He offers him a luxurious black dress, which pairs perfectly with the pearl necklace and white fur jacket. Gi-hun feels like a completely different person when they enter the gaming floor. All eyes turn to their table when he sits down in In-ho’s lap, while the dealer begins shuffling the cards for another blackjack game. He takes a long sip of champagne, enjoying the fizzy, bubbly taste. Ji-cheol and Hee-soon are guarding them tonight with guns at their belts.
“Have you played before?” In-ho asks.
He shakes his head, “Teach me.”
As he patiently explains the rules of the game, Gi-hun melts into his touch. He can’t resist giving him soft, warm kisses against his throat as the other players grow impatient. He’s never been one for public displays of affection, but he feels safe in his arms tonight. He makes his bet, enjoying the thrill of gambling once again, yet with someone else’s money. Gi-hun calls for a hit several times, making sure that he doesn’t exceed twenty-one. After he wins the first round with two Queens and an Ace, his face lights up with excitement.
“Congratulations,” In-ho whispers into his ear. “You have some skill.”
“Beginner’s luck,” he replies, rolling his eyes.
“Still,” he shrugs, taking a sip of champagne. “You knew when to call it.”
The cacophony of eager roulette tables and ringing slot machines drown out his hearing. When the dealer begins another round, Gi-hun suddenly notices a strange sight. He spots a pair of men in plain clothes, lingering in the corners of the room. When one of them shifts, he notes the familiar outline of a gun at their belt. His heart starts to pound.
“In-ho?”
“What is it, baby?”
“I…I think - ”
Then, the room explodes.
Guests shriek as gunfire erupts across the room, aiming for the main floor. Many of them sprint towards the exits, carrying any winnings in their hands. In-ho takes this opportunity to shove him underneath the blackjack table, while he extracts his own gun from his belt and ducks his head from any flying bullets. Gi-hun tugs his arm in desperation.
“Don’t leave me!”
“Stay with No-eul,” he orders, gesturing for her to come over. “You need to get out. I have to handle this, ok? I’ll be back soon.”
“But - but I - ”
He doesn’t manage to speak. In-ho kisses him before releasing his arm and entering the fray. Gi-hun notes that he’s taking cover before firing his shots at the gunmen. His heart pounds in horror. A single bullet could separate them forever. Then, No-eul arrives at his side with her own weapon in hand.
“Let’s go,” she whispers. “Now!”
Gi-hun kicks off the expensive heels as he sprints off into the backrooms, shielding his head from gunfire. She returns each strike in equal measure. He wishes that he had his own weapon. Before he can ask her, they manage to make it away from the main floor and towards the exit. His hands are covered in shards of glass after he ducked down. No-eul notices his injury and promises to get him medical attention later. A car’s waiting for them in the corner. He hastily gets inside, ignoring his impulse to run back into the casino. She starts the engine and they drive off into the darkest hours of night.
“Will In-ho be alright?” he asks.
She takes a second to reply. Gi-hun loves that she never minces her words. He always appreciates an honest answer.
“Truthfully? I don’t know,” she admits. “We’ve got Hyun-jun and Dae-ho on guard tonight. They’re pretty good shots.”
“Not as good as you,” he points out.
In the rearview mirror, he notices a rare smile from her as he grips the edge of the car seats.
“Thank you,” she replies. “But my job right now is more important. Far more important.”
“What job is that?”
“Getting you out. You are his prized possession, after all.”
His heart sinks in annoyance, “Is that what he called me?”
“It’s what the other guards said,” she explains hastily. “I can’t take credit.”
“And who were they?” he continues. “The gunmen?”
“I…I don’t know. I didn’t recognize any of them. If I had to bet, maybe they’re some of your loan shark’s cronies. They’re probably angry that In-ho killed their boss.”
His jaw drops, “Were they here for…for me?”
No-eul shrugs, “Maybe. Look, it’s a long drive home. We’ll get some answers soon. You need your rest, Gi-hun-ssi. Lay down and get some sleep, ok?”
He stares down at his bleeding hands with shards of glass embedded in his shaking palms. Guilt weighs his soul down like a rusted anchor. He had no idea that In-ho’s gift would end up causing so much damage. Silent tears begin rolling down his cheeks. This was supposed to be a fun night out and he had to ruin it. Did those men want to kidnap him and drag him back to that brothel, so he could pay off his debts? He won’t know until In-ho returns. If he returns tonight. No-eul senses his distress and offers a first-aid kit stashed in the glove compartment. In the dim lighting, he manages to clean his own hands and pull the glass out with a pair of tweezers. By the time they arrive home, he disinfects the cuts and wipes his tear stained face.
“Thank you,” he whispers as she escorts him back upstairs. “Truly.”
No-eul nods, “I’ll be outside your door if you need me.”
Gi-hun doesn’t get a wink of sleep that night. He tosses and turns in a pair of boxers, shaping his pillow into a more comfortable form. Even if he drifts off for a minute, his nighttime wanderings only consist of gunfire, corpses, and loud screams. He shrieks when In-ho dies in his dreams, his body drowning in a river of blood. No-eul checks on him, but he assures her that he’s fine. But it’s a complete lie. He’s never been less fine in his life. Gi-hun checks his phone, knowing that calling him would be a terrible idea. He’s probably still in that gunfight and announcing his location would only help their enemies. Then, he recalls Jun-ho’s proposal. Gi-hun hates himself for thinking about this idea, but he doesn’t really have a choice at the moment. He could help them right now. With shaking fingers, he grabs the photo from his drawer and flips it over. As he’s dialing his number, he prays that he’s awake. A sleepy voice answers him on the last ring.
“Hello?”
“Jun-ho-ssi?”
“Who is this?”
“I…It’s Seong Gi-hun. Do you remember me?”
“Of course I do,” he replies. “What’s going on? It’s three in the morning!”
“Your brother’s in danger,” Gi-hun explains. “You’re aware of the casino that he owns, right?”
Jun-ho stifles a yawn, “I think so. I have the address. I’m not on duty tonight, though.”
“It doesn’t matter. There’s been a shootout. I don’t know if he’s still alive. But if he is, once the police arrive on scene, they’re going to…they’ll arrest him.”
“What do you need me to do?” he snaps. “He made it pretty obvious that he doesn’t want to see me.”
“Save him,” he begs. “Bring him back home.”
“He’ll be facing severe charges for - ”
“Jun-ho-ssi, can you listen to me?” he sighs. “Get him out of there. Somehow or someway, alright? I’ll forever be in your debt.”
After a long silence, Gi-hun wonders if he’s crossed a line. Finally, the detective groans.
“I swear, I’m…ok, I’ll do it.”
He hangs up after that, leaving him to wait for the news. No-eul senses his insomnia and enters the room a few minutes later, bearing a cup of barley tea. They get into a hushed conversation as they anxiously await updates from the others. She tells him about how she got involved in the first place. A question floats through his mind and he musters up the courage to say it aloud.
“But how did you even become so loyal to him in the first place?” he asks.
“I…I was separated from my daughter at the border,” she explains in a small voice. “I thought I’d never see her again. He managed to get a hold of his contacts and pull some strings. We were reunited only a few months ago.”
He blinks in surprise, “Really? That’s so…kind of him.”
She chuckles, “He didn’t do it out of the goodness of his heart. It’s manipulative, Gi-hun-ssi. Just to make sure you’re in his debt forever.”
“I don’t want to think of it like that,” he frowns. “I only think…”
His voice trails off, contemplating this new piece of information. They sit together in silence for another long hour before she begins guarding the hallways again. Meanwhile, he lays back down and tries to get to sleep without any success. The sun’s nearly crossed the horizon when he hears the doors opening.
Gi-hun practically leaps out of bed and dashes down the hall with No-eul at his back. Terror still runs through his veins, but he needs to see the truth right now for the sake of his sanity. The sight in front of his eyes only brings him a semblance of relief.
In-ho looks incredibly exhausted. Sweat coats his brow as he limps over with Jun-ho helping him over to a couch. Ji-cheol enters the room with them too, locking the door tightly.
“Were we followed?” In-ho asks.
He shakes his head, “I would’ve seen some signs.”
Gi-hun notices his wounded leg and walks over with concern. In-ho pulls him into his arms tightly, breathing in his scent.
“You’re ok,” he whispers with a sigh.
“I am,” he replies softly, nuzzling his neck. “That was a pretty sneaky thing you did behind my back, love. Calling my brother to come help us.”
He braces himself for another tirade, but to his amazement, both brothers look relieved to have been reunited. Gi-hun beams at the sight of them. He knows that the difficult conversations will come later. As the others drift off to another room, they’re left alone. Then, In-ho speaks up and delivers the most important news of all.
“I bought us a place,” he explains. “On Jeju.”
“Jeju Island?”
“It’s like a safe house. Somewhere that they won’t find us. I think it’s the best place to lie low.”
“What about everything here?” Gi-hun asks with a frown. “Your operations and everything?”
“I trust them to handle things until it all dies down. Don’t worry, it’ll be ok. Do you want to go?”
He nods, “When?”
“Probably by tomorrow.”
He draws his attention back to the wounded leg and immediately begins looking for the first-aid kit with bandages. As he’s cleaning up his cuts, Gi-hun thinks about their future together. He’s never even been out of the city in years. A vacation sounds really nice. They continue talking about the attack at the casino and In-ho confirms the details about the gunmen. They really were part of Mr. Kim’s gang. He shudders, thinking about how close they came to getting killed or captured.
Packing their bags takes longer than he expects. As he gets on the plane, he hugs Jun-ho and the others, promising to keep in touch for the next month. The flight only takes about an hour, but he’s still paranoid and worried about their enemies coming after them. Before long, their plane touches down and they get into a taxi that takes them to their place. When they arrive, his jaw drops in awe.
“This? This is ours?”
In-ho smiles, putting an arm around his shoulder. “Where else?”
“It’s much too fancy for us.”
“Nothing’s too much for you, jagiya.”
His words make him more ecstatic than ever. The two story house sits right next to the seashore. Seagulls caw as palm trees swing in the breeze. He trudges through the sands with his suitcase as In-ho unlocks the door. When he enters, he’s struck by how quiet and peaceful the fresh ocean air is. It’s so different from the city. He collapses onto a soft couch with a loud sigh.
“Oh, my,” he laughs. “I could get used to this.”
They spend their nights at the ocean’s shore, building a bonfire and collecting seashells. He never leaves In-ho’s side, not even for a moment. He swims in the ocean in a pair of tight speedos, while he enjoys the view. They make breakfast together every single morning. Before long, they fall into a comfortable domestic routine and he can’t imagine a more relaxing vacation.
“Are you happy?” In-ho asks, while they’re cuddling on the couch one night.
“More than anything,” he replies.
Their enemies are still waiting for them back in the city. But they’ll deal with it when the time comes.
For now, he’s content to sit back and enjoy this vacation.
They’ve earned it, after all.