Red Mansion

Chungrim took a sip of coffee without much reaction. Sung-kyung felt puzzled. He had mentioned how the cat was running around like crazy at night, yet Chungrim’s response was lukewarm at best. Shouldn’t he at least ask if he was able to sleep? Why wasn’t he saying anything? Sung-kyung added more emphatically.“It was really loud.”“What are you saying about Mero right now?”Chungrim elegantly pulled a tissue from the box at the edge of the table and wiped his mouth. Sung-kyung’s eyes followed his hand movements.“That’s… not what I meant.”Mero meowed annoyingly from behind. Chungrim stood up from the table as if responding to the cat. Even though it was noisy enough to prevent sleep, he seemed to be letting it slide. Sung-kyung took a deep breath, feeling relieved that he wouldn’t need to watch his step any longer.“Just hurry up and finish eating. Mero doesn’t leave any food either.”As he walked past, Chungrim pressed the back of Sung-kyung’s head down. With his vision lowered, he saw the half-eaten toast. Sung-kyung picked up the butter knife, spread some strawberry jam on the bread as Chungrim had done, and took a bite. It tasted much better than before.So Chungrim likes this flavor. He even picked strawberry-flavored ice cream and candy. Sung-kyung felt immense joy in discovering Chungrim’s preferences. He decided to open his notebook as soon as he got to the store today.After dropping Sung-kyung off at the Red Mansion, Chungrim left immediately. Sung-kyung was instructed to call him every hour and informed that Chungrim would be watching everything via the CCTV at the store. This surveillance was to ensure he wasn’t up to any mischief, but Sung-kyung found this level of attention rather comforting.Who else would take such measures for a debtor? Sung-kyung felt assured that Chungrim’s actions meant he was special, without a shadow of a doubt.“Hey.”Sung-kyung was stacking ramen noodles when he heard a sudden voice. He turned his head to see who it was.“You, about that money I mentioned yesterday. If you can’t give it, just ask Chungrim for more drugs.”Yesterday, he hadn’t dared to speak up, but now he seemed bold without Chungrim around.“Why should I?”“I’ve lived here for fifteen years, watching everything like a hawk. Do you think Chungrim is just doing this because of the debt? Hell no.”Dari sniffled loudly between words, his cheeks and neck marked with deep scratches. It seemed he had taken drugs again.“Here. I’ll give you half of this, so hurry up.”He pushed a small bag into the cash register. It looked like candy with its colorful packaging, but Sung-kyung knew better. His eyes flicked to the packet briefly before looking away.“It’s effective, trust me. Look at me. I didn’t sleep a wink last night.”Dari smiled slyly, his eyes unusually bright, his upper teeth mostly decayed.“Why aren’t you taking it? I’m not charging you. Just take it and call him, okay?”Sung-kyung finished stacking the ramen and threw the plastic wrap into the trash. Talking to Dari was pointless, especially when he was high. He kept sniffling behind him.“Shit! Why can’t they bring the drugs like before? This is strange!”Frustrated that his persuasion wasn’t working, Dari started yelling. He scratched his arm violently, pouring out anger indiscriminately.“I’m telling you to call him! He’ll deliver if you ask, right?”His eyes, visible through the sliding door, looked wild. Sung-kyung glanced at the store door. Thankfully, it was locked, so Dari couldn’t just barge in. He was about to close the cash register door when he paused, curious about something.“Call him already!”“Excuse me.”“What? Do you need to borrow my phone?”Dari’s interruption meant Sung-kyung was down to his last allowed sentence, according to Chungrim’s rules. Dari rummaged through his pockets, seemingly ready to lend his phone. Sung-kyung looked at the candy packet and continued.“If he’s not just a creditor, how does he see me?”Despite Dari’s impatient badgering, Sung-kyung felt oddly pleased. Did others also see Chungrim and him as something special? He couldn’t hide his smile.“What else, you ass? You’re licking his boots, hoping for scraps. Can’t you see that?”The answer he got wasn’t what he wanted. Feeling disappointed, Sung-kyung lowered his head. This was just a mutter, so it wouldn’t count.“…That’s not it.”Bang! Dari’s hand slammed against the door, rattling the thick, cloudy glass.“Quit playing word games! Tell him to bring the drugs! Now!”Like a madman, Dari banged on the door and screamed, his voice echoing down the empty hallway. Sung-kyung hurriedly closed the cash register door and locked it. He didn’t want to see Dari’s red, enraged face, so he also drew the curtain. Bang, bang! The door shook violently as Dari pounded on it.“Hey, you bastard!”The sound of something being dragged was followed by the door shaking. Through the price-tag-covered window, a silhouette appeared. The lock had always been a bit loose, but it was disconcerting how easily it gave way. Sung-kyung, tense, watched the door. With a loud crash, it finally burst open, and Dari, with bloodshot eyes, stormed in. It was clear he wasn’t in his right mind.“Bring the drugs! Get them!”“Ugh.”Dari tackled Sung-kyung, who fell off his chair. They rolled on the floor, tangled together. Dari straddled Sung-kyung and started choking him. The pressure was so intense, Sung-kyung felt like his eyes would pop out.“Ugh, urk.”Sung-kyung struggled violently. In the cramped store, his kicking caused items on the shelves to fall to the floor. Soon, blood vessels stood out in the whites of Sung-kyung’s eyes. He beat and scratched the wrists of the man choking him, but to no avail.The shelf, kicked by his feet, began to shake violently. A few cans of ham fell onto the man’s back. Bang, bang—! Despite striking Dari’s body, the noise of the cans hitting the floor was loud. One would think there would be an impact, but Dari didn’t budge.“You started it, didn’t you? Why did you mess up the delivery, why?”“Mm—”Breath was scarce, and saliva pooled in his mouth. The weight the man pressed down with was overwhelming. His face felt like it was about to burst from heat, and there was a searing pain in his throat. Amidst all this, a faint trace of pleasure crept in. A tingling sensation gripped his thighs, making them twitch. Sung-kyung bent his knees and twisted his body. His blurry eyes met the lens of the CCTV.“…”Are they not watching today? They acted like they wouldn’t take their eyes off for a moment. When Dari invaded the store, he had been waiting for the phone to ring. Why? Has interest waned? Was it because he complained about the noise the cat made?They were supposed to meet at the back gate at 5 PM today, but what if they didn’t show up? Where would he go then? He didn’t even know where the key to Room 422 was… All his remaining money and belongings were there. But now, does it even matter?“…”Sung-kyung relaxed his body. He stopped scratching at Dari’s arm with his nails. Suddenly, his mother’s face flashed before his eyes. Did you feel like this when you were dying too, mom? If you closed your eyes thinking it was a relief, at least you would have felt peace.Sung-kyung’s lips, wet with saliva, trembled slightly. The slipper that had slipped off while he scratched at the cement floor rolled around pitifully.“There’s a fight going on here.”A low voice suddenly broke in. Dari’s shoulder twitched in surprise. He looked towards the door in a panic. Upon seeing the tall figure leaning against the door, he loosened his grip.Sung-kyung gasped for air, coughing violently. A long, high-pitched ringing filled his ears.“It’s that old guy again?”Chungrim kicked a can of ham that had rolled to the entrance. The can spun and stopped against Sung-kyung’s limp shoulder. Chungrim scanned the wrecked store. His frown made it clear he found the sight disgusting and didn’t want to deal with it.“What’s this, a love confession?”He picked up the candy left on the counter and laughed loudly. Pressing the rounded part, it caved in halfway. Feeling the small grains inside with his fingers, he let out a snort. He recalled how Sung-kyung reacted when under the influence. That bastard must know what happens to Sung-kyung when he takes drugs. Giving them with ill intentions was certain.“Giving leftovers so disgustingly. No wonder you’re still alone.”“Wait, n-no, it wasn’t a fight just now—”The candy wrapper crinkled as it slipped into Chungrim’s pocket. Chungrim’s logic was fitting. It didn’t take long for Dari to break the rules of Red Mansion.“Mister. Why have you been so bothersome since last time?”Chungrim roughly grabbed Dari’s collar. The hefty weight was pulled easily. The collar of his thin t-shirt stretched loosely.“Doing this on purpose? Just to piss me off?”Dari, being dragged, clung to Chungrim’s pants. The fate of those caught fighting flashed in his mind. Left in the common area or emergency exit, bloodied and unable to close their eyes…“Wait! This, he messed up the delivery before…!”Dari’s body banged against the threshold several times as Chungrim walked. Letting go of the stretched collar, Chungrim grabbed his hair. One side of Dari flailed desperately. Sung-kyung watched the scene with heated eyes.“We settled that. I gave you the drugs and kept quiet. Why keep bringing it up?”Dari’s struggling body was dragged out beyond the threshold. His terrified feet scraped against the cement floor.“Ugh—”Chungrim knelt beside the store corner, still holding Dari’s hair. Shaking it vigorously, Dari tried to explain. His blood-drained face was wretched.“To keep getting the deliveries…”“Oh. Are you trying to make me feel guilty?”Chungrim laughed aloud, and Dari pointed back towards the store.“That, that! To keep his mind straight, ugh!”Pulling hard on his hair, Chungrim tilted his head.“I never meant for you to think you could do it just because I did.”“No, I didn’t hit him, I didn’t. Really…”Recently, there had been another delivery mistake. Back then, Chungrim had given new drugs without complaint. Though it must have been a loss for him. With customers dropping and issues arising, Chungrim must have been concerned. He thought bringing up the delivery would work as an excuse. But this time, it didn’t.“You really live like a junkie bastard.”Chungrim slammed Dari’s head into the store wall. Bang! Bang, bang! Each impact created a dull noise. As Dari struggled more, Chungrim’s arm, gripping his hair, tensed with prominent veins.After a few more spine-chilling noises echoed in the messy corridor, Chungrim pulled Dari’s head from the wall. Blood gushed from his split forehead. The blood that ran down his nose and cheek pooled at his chin.The spectators who had come out at the noise were busy whispering. To them, this scene was just entertainment. Where to leave the body today? Common area? Emergency exit? Roof? Those trivial things were more intriguing.Though Dari cast pleading eyes at them, no one stepped forward. Many had been annoyed by his cocky attitude with the drugs. His teeth, stained with blood, ground coldly.Chungrim’s thick arm drew a high arc. His clenched fist gained speed as it aimed for Dari’s cheek.“Things are getting wild.”A voice filled with irritation came from behind. Chungrim didn’t stop his movements and struck Dari’s face again. The sound of a dull impact followed, suggesting he had hit his cheekbone.“Oh, hey, you’re here?”So you noticed, finally. Chungrim forced a grin, shaking his hand. His cold, glimmering eyes fixed on Gyurim. Standing in the corner, Gyurim frowned. A few streaks of blood ran down the wall of the store.“What are you doing here?”“…What are you doing?”“Ah, just in time. There was a fight here, and I was breaking it up.”He grabbed Dari’s hair, which was sprawled on the floor, and shook it. Blood droplets fell from the man’s chin, staining the cement floor.“Look at his face. You can tell this bastard started it.”Chungrim grinned widely, ignoring Gyurim’s stoic expression, and motioned to the men standing behind him.“What are you waiting for? Take him away.”“…”“This junkie bastard is practically begging to die.”The hesitant men moved only after Gyurim gave a slight nod. Several large men surrounded Dari, who couldn’t even put up a fight. The man screamed through his split lips.“Let go! Let go of me!”His face, twisted with fear, screamed. A trail of blood stretched along the hallway.“Put him in the common area. Make sure everyone sees what happens when you mess up.”“Understood.”Chungrim’s last words were more of a warning to the twins than anything else. The unspoken tension between their gazes was sharp. Dari’s screams echoed from the far end of the hallway for quite some time. It was easy to deal with a deranged junkie without getting your hands too dirty.“Why didn’t Surim come? He loves stuff like this, holding the mic and showing off.”Chungrim laughed, rolling up his shirt sleeve that had slipped down during the earlier scuffle. “Are we lowering the deposit again this month?” he sneered.“…Leave the cleanup to them and follow me.”“Your guys are too slow. I want to make sure it’s done right.”“Stop making noise and come on. We need to talk.”Chungrim glanced at his watch. “4:56,” he muttered.“Got a prior engagement?”“That guy’s off work soon. I need to take him.”If they had come all this way knowing about Kim Sung-kyung, they’d likely cause trouble if left alone. Chungrim gently pushed Gyurim’s shoulder away from the store entrance. Gyurim clicked his tongue when he saw the bloodstains on his sleeve. He tilted his head, peering into the store where his brother had entered.“Hey.”Chungrim lightly kicked the feet of the skinny man leaning against the cash register. The man in the apron looked up suddenly.“Lock up the store.”“Yes, sir…”The man, who didn’t look well, quickly got up at Chungrim’s command. He pulled a set of keys from his apron pocket and moved toward the door. He came face to face with Gyurim, who was blocking the entrance. Gyurim scrutinized Sung-kyung’s face carefully. It was different from the photos, but this was the guy.“…”“…”Sung-kyung couldn’t fail to recognize the twins, especially this close where he could see their scars. Why were they here? Was it because of Dari? Would he get dragged into this too? Sung-kyung swallowed hard, his throat aching with each movement.Then, a hand pressed down on the back of his head, making him bow. He saw his foot in a single slipper; his white sock was dirty.“Hey, aren’t you going to lock up?”Sung-kyung quickly moved under the annoyed voice. Gyurim didn’t step aside, so he squeezed through the narrow gap. He locked the ice cream freezer and the household refrigerator. As Sung-kyung continued tidying up, the onlookers at the end of the hallway started to disperse.Ignoring the disappearing spectators, Sung-kyung finished his task. He flipped the chairs onto the plastic tables and pushed them close to the large fan. After turning off the fan, he tied everything up with a chain and locked it. The register had already been locked, so only the store door remained.“…”“…”Gyurim stood against the corner, arms crossed, staring at him. Chungrim was the same. What’s their deal? Avoiding their gazes, Sung-kyung stepped inside the store. He took off his apron and pocketed his phone. Chungrim’s clothes were dusty.He brushed the dust off his backside and took off his remaining slipper. He put on the shoes neatly placed behind the cooler. All new things Chungrim had provided. He moved carefully to keep them clean.Even while locking the store door, he felt the persistent stares on his back.“It’s done.”Chungrim extended his hand. Sung-kyung placed the keyring in his large palm. The keys went into Chungrim’s pocket.“Where are you going? Lead the way.”Gyurim looked at Sung-kyung with disdain. He was just an ordinary guy—skinny, pale. His bangs were a mess, like a rat had chewed on them. Nothing appealing about him.Yet, he wore expensive clothes. Chungrim’s doing, no doubt. He couldn’t understand what Chungrim saw in him. Clicking his tongue, Gyurim turned away.Sung-kyung rode along with Chungrim in Chungrim’s car. “Don’t listen to him, don’t talk to him, don’t raise your head, don’t look at him.” The orders kept coming. The low voice continued until they arrived at the restaurant, and each time, Sung-kyung nodded obediently.As they entered the room, an appetizing smell hit them. A lavish spread that Sung-kyung had never seen in his life was laid out. There were so many side dishes that even if he just took a bit of each, he would quickly empty his bowl. Chungrim preferred pizza or pasta, but Gyurim seemed to like traditional Korean meals.“We came here to talk about the mansion. Why bring me all the way here?”It seemed Chungrim didn’t expect to bring Sung-kyung inside, as there were only two bowls on the table. Chungrim tossed the bowl in front of him towards Sung-kyung and asked the waiter to bring another setting.“Are you saying I should leave him in the car when we’re at the restaurant? How petty.”Chungrim muttered loudly, clicking his tongue.“…Sigh.”“Just say it.”Sung-kyung felt like he was sitting on pins and needles. He wanted to leave right away, but he stayed put because of what Chungrim had repeatedly drilled into his ears earlier. Stay close by. Don’t make a sound.Hearing Gyurim’s long sigh, Sung-kyung straightened up and glanced around. It was a small movement, but Chungrim’s gaze fixed on him immediately.“Even if he’s living there—”“There’s no one he can tell anyway.”A large hand briefly touched the back of Sung-kyung’s head before withdrawing. It was more of a suppressive gesture than a caress. Sung-kyung lowered his eyes again.The uncomfortable meal began. At first, Gyurim seemed to be watching them, but as time passed, he didn’t say much.“Let’s hand it over before the city cracks down. I heard there’s talk of tightening control because of the recent article about Jang Eun-myung getting stabbed and catching a thief. The mansion folks might get another year…”Gyurim hesitated, conscious of Sung-kyung. He was reluctant to say such things in front of someone from the mansion. But he soon finished his sentence.“…of extraction.”The parents of Jang Eun-myung, the newly elected mayor, had participated in protests to demolish the Red Mansion over 20 years ago. Jang Eun-myung’s father was beaten by a thug during the protest, resulting in the loss of hearing in one ear.Jang Eun-myung had shown consistent interest in the Red Mansion, even giving interviews about it up until last year. Although he hadn’t made it a campaign promise, it was clear that the troublesome Red Mansion would be his top priority now.That meant it would be difficult to engage in conspicuous activities like drug dealing or contract work, so it would be more comfortable to quickly hand it over to President Kim and turn the residents into contractors.“I heard a factory in Hong Kong exploded, so the drug supply will be reduced even if we don’t intervene. If we cause a few more delivery accidents, they’ll be even more pressured.”Even if he pretended not to hear, familiar words made Sung-kyung’s ears perk up. He had been involved in a delivery accident before. Chungrim’s words sounded like he had caused the delivery accident on purpose. Come to think of it, he had met Kwon Chungrim on the night he was making a delivery. And then…“Get in since we’re at the destination.”His chopsticks paused. Despite the disappearance of the drugs, Chungrim had nonchalantly promised to send new ones. He hadn’t looked for the person who took the drugs even though he had witnessed it clearly. He had firmly said there was no need to worry anymore. These things came to mind one by one. Could it be that Kwon Chungrim had orchestrated it all?Sung-kyung, who had been picking at his rice, glanced sideways. As if waiting, their eyes met. Chungrim gestured with his chin to eat. Sung-kyung picked up his spoon.“They said President Kim would calculate the amount again? Are they trying to bargain for a lower price?”“They can’t lower it too much. They know they can’t ignore the monthly resident fees.”The conversation was strange. They were talking about the mansion, then about a low price, then about handing it over. It sounded as if they were planning to sell the Red Mansion.“….”If they were really planning to hand over the Red Mansion, what would happen to him? Would they just pass him along to the new manager? Would they say he’s a slut and can be used whenever they want? His hand holding the water cup trembled finely. The water in the cup shook violently.In the end, Sung-kyung couldn’t even finish half of his meal. He thought about when he would ever get to eat such food again, but it wouldn’t go down easily. The fear that he would be abandoned along with the Red Mansion wouldn’t leave him.“You get in first.”The three of them left the restaurant together. When the car they had left with the valet was brought out, Chungrim pushed Sung-kyung into the passenger seat. It was a rough gesture as if to quickly get him out of sight.Thud—! After closing the door, Chungrim stood in front of the passenger window, aligning his gaze with his brother.“Hyung. I couldn’t ask earlier.”“What?”“Why did you come to the store? To see him?”Chungrim tilted his head slightly. The weather was hot since the rainy season had ended, but the air was still damp. Sweat would form on his back even if he did nothing.“For various reasons.”“Did you bring money again? Are you planning to play with Kwon Chungrim again?”Chungrim’s expression was cold when he mentioned money, and a sigh crossed Gyurim’s face as he answered.“I just wanted to see his face, so I forgot to bring money. Does he like money?”“Who doesn’t like money?”There was an invisible wall between them. It wasn’t noticeable usually, but once Chungrim started sharpening his tone, the wall would rise endlessly.“Keep forgetting, hyung. It would be better if you forgot completely.”Gyurim stretched his neck left and right and held back his words.“But next time, tell me first. If you’re caught on camera, won’t I misunderstand?”“…”So he had installed something in the store too. No wonder the CCTV line installed in Chungrim’s living room had been cut. He hadn’t had a reason to check it until he heard the ridiculous claim that Gyurim was meeting a man. He found out while checking just in case. He had even brought it into the house. Gyurim gently rubbed the soft flesh below his lip with his tongue.Seeing Gyurim looking troubled, Chungrim smiled brightly. He then patted his brother’s shoulder lightly as if brushing something off and left the spot without any hesitation. Watching the car move away, Gyurim sighed.“It’ll be a mess if he gets involved.”Kim Sung-kyung. The man he had spent the whole day eating with. He came to give a warning to take what he could and leave before things got ugly, wondering if, as Chungrim had said, it was just a relationship for fun. He never imagined seeing Chungrim throwing punches in front of the store. There was a time when he used to say he hated sweaty work.“Shall we go?”A voice urging him came from behind. Gyurim took his eyes off the car that had driven away.“Alright.”For now, he would have to visit separately once more. He hadn’t managed to ask anything properly because of Chungrim’s sharp demeanor, but he did realize one thing clearly.“No matter how much he hits, curses, or treats him like shit, he only looks at me.”That was true. Throughout the meal, Kim Sung-kyung glanced at Chungrim hundreds of times. His eyes followed where Chungrim’s chopsticks went, his chest rising and falling between breaths, and even his forearm pouring water. His intense and gloomy gaze never left Chungrim. Maybe his younger brother had placed Kim Sung-kyung next to him just to show that.Gyurim got into the car and sent a message to Surim.[Leave it alone for now. I’ll go check again.]He couldn’t let his emotional twin brother cause a commotion first.