Passion Novel - Chapter 135

Memories, the more you try to erase them from your mind, the more they resurface in a chain reaction. Jeong Taeui covered his mouth and lowered his head. Without needing a mirror, he knew his face must be a sight to behold right now. Not only was it completely flushed, but his crestfallen expression must have been quite embarrassing.

His lips felt throbbing. Of course, it was just his imagination, but Jeong Taeui needlessly rubbed around his jaw.

Damn it.

The moment that massive chunk of flesh pounded down his throat, his breath caught. It wasn’t a metaphor; he literally couldn’t breathe. Nausea surged reflexively at the sensation of his Adam’s apple being struck, but he couldn’t even vomit properly. He just gagged and flailed.

He wanted to bite him. No, if he could have, he would have truly bitten him, without thinking about the consequences.

However, sensing his intention—or perhaps having anticipated it from the start—the hand holding Jeong Taeui’s mouth open tightened. Jeong Taeui, his voice choked, screamed inwardly that it hurt, though no one heard him. He felt as if his lower jaw was separating from his upper jaw in that rough grip.

The memory of that time sent shivers down his spine just thinking about it.

Damn it. He had tried so hard to forget it that he had somewhat forgotten, but now it came back to him.

Jeong Taeui remained still, feeling as if he would truly collapse and not be able to get up if he recalled the lingering taste, smell, and temperature in his mouth, so he quickly shook his head vigorously. Then, with a sudden flash in his eyes, he looked at the broker. The broker, who had been looking at Jeong Taeui with a bewildered expression, flinched when their eyes suddenly met.

“You look a bit pale today…? Are you alright?”

“No, I’m fine. More importantly, how’s business these days? I heard that crackdowns have become more severe lately, so it must be tough.”

Jeong Taeui changed the subject. It seemed a hundred times better to quickly create a new topic and focus on it.

“Crackdowns? They’re useless. Only the small fry get caught. If the public security bureau showed up right here for someone like me, it wouldn’t matter at all.”

The broker smoothly followed Jeong Taeui’s change of subject. Jeong Taeui nodded beside him as he confidently waved his hand.

Since he was a bit of a bluffer anyway, he had to take his words with a grain of salt, but seeing him often make appointments in the same place while doing such dangerous work, he must have some reliable connections. Indeed, it was an industry difficult to enter without some kind of backing in the first place.

The waiter brought the tea. Jeong Taeui gestured to him, calling him over from the table where he had been sitting earlier.

Jeong Taeui picked up his teacup, glancing at the teacup already placed in front of the broker.

When he was silent for a moment, the conversation drifted. The scattered topic hovered in the air. Indeed, being alone with someone wasn’t very comfortable unless they were close enough to talk endlessly about anything without awkwardness.

Jeong Taeui, who wasn’t the type to care much about such things, thought, Who cares? and slowly drank his tea. It seemed the other party couldn’t bear the silence, as the broker looked down at his watch and muttered,

“It’s about time for them to arrive…”

“…Ah. Then I should move seats—”

Jeong Taeui suddenly had a thought and put down his cup. He hadn’t realized it earlier because he had been distracted. Unless it was a transaction meant to be known to everyone, there was no reason for anyone else to be present. It was obvious the client wouldn’t want others around.

However, as Jeong Taeui showed signs of getting up, the broker waved his hand.

“No, it’s fine. There’s still a little time, so finish your drink and go. I came a bit early, you see.”

“Ah, yes…”

Jeong Taeui, who was half-standing, hesitated for a moment and then sat back down. He was alone anyway, and it felt awkward to move tables to drink tea alone and then get up, so he decided to just get up and go to his room when he saw the client arrive a little later.

“By the way… are there any good items these days?”

Jeong Taeui habitually spun the teacup on its saucer and glanced at the broker.

Asking what kind of item he was dealing in was forbidden. So, he usually asked indirectly. However, Jeong Taeui wasn’t curious enough to ask indirectly, and he didn’t care who he sold what to. Having witnessed large-scale arms dealing firsthand, small-scale personal arms transactions now seemed as ordinary as drinking tea in a place like this.

Is there something wrong with me as a person, getting used to this kind of thing? Jeong Taeui thought, tasting bitterness in his mouth. This is why they say society encourages drinking. People don’t just become evil on their own.

Jeong Taeui had merely asked to keep the conversation going, but the broker seemed to have misunderstood somewhat. Perhaps many people were surprisingly curious about who he sold what items to, as he immediately seemed to misunderstand in that direction.

He waved his hand and said casually,

“No, today’s not a big deal. Someone asked me to get a passport, so that’s what this is about.”

“Passport?”

Jeong Taeui, who had been fiddling with his teacup, stopped. A bitter and regrettable memory came to mind.

No matter how many perfect IDs you have, if you’re unlucky, you’ll get caught anywhere. He wanted to tell that unknown person who asked for a passport, but if he did, this broker would probably glare at him for interfering with his business.

“…”

Now, he had no intention of trying the same method again by fabricating a new identity. Perhaps if he tried to escape in a different way. The same method usually yielded the same results.

But…

“A passport, huh… Is it usable?”

Jeong Taeui leaned over the table and asked in a low voice. The broker raised his eyes, saying, “Hmm?” then confidently declared, “Of course!” He rummaged in his pocket, as if he was even going to show it.

Jeong Taeui swallowed the question, Even if it’s a forged passport made for a reason, is it okay to show it to a stranger? and accepted the red passport the broker offered.

The identity his uncle had prepared for him before was perfect. In fact, Jeong Taeui wasn’t good enough at discerning forged documents or counterfeit money to tell the difference easily, so unless it was a very clumsy fake, he couldn’t distinguish between an excellent forgery and a crude one.

So Jeong Taeui couldn’t tell if this passport in his hand was truly something the broker could proudly boast about.

But it looks real enough at a glance… I wonder how experts tell the difference.

Jeong Taeui fiddled with the passport, lost in thought for a moment. Forged identity, huh. It was a method with significant limitations, especially for people from small countries, particularly those with their own unique languages. Jeong Taeui, for example, could converse adequately—quite fluently, in fact—in English, partly due to his brother’s influence and frequent trips abroad since childhood, but if he spoke for a long time, his pronunciation and accent would inevitably differ from a native speaker’s.

“It’s still not a good enough method to use repeatedly…”

Jeong Taeui muttered to himself, shaking his head.

…But it doesn’t hurt to know.

“Something like this, if you want a decent one, how much would it…?”

But before Jeong Taeui could finish his sentence.

Suddenly, a hand reached out from behind Jeong Taeui, over his shoulder. A hand wearing a neat navy glove elegantly took the passport from Jeong Taeui’s hand.

“Wang Liming? If your language isn’t fluent enough, it’s best to give up on forging foreign nationalities.”

Flap, flap, the sound of the passport being flipped through came from behind him.

Jeong Taeui remained frozen, unmoving, as he heard that slow, calm voice over his shoulder.

“Besides, with something like this, you’ll see the public security bureau before you even get through the airport gate. If you’re going to get one, get a proper one. If you really need it, I could introduce you to a good one, Taei?”

“…I’ll ask later. I ‘absolutely’ don’t need it right now. I was just curious how much something like this costs. It doesn’t hurt to know anything, right?”

Jeong Taeui emphasized “absolutely” and turned around.

There was no lie in his words, but saying them in this situation made them sound very much like a lie, even to his own ears. See? See? This is what happens when you’re unlucky. No matter how excellent an ID you get and carry, if you’re unlucky, you end up like this.

Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue bitterly, looking up at the tall man who had appeared silently right behind him. That neat navy glove looked particularly ominous. That glove would soon be soaked and discarded, and he could only hope that he wouldn’t be the one to soak it.

Ilay, dressed in a suit that still seemed unfamiliar despite having seen him in it before, indifferently flipped through the passport a few times, then glanced at the broker sitting across from Jeong Taeui. The broker flinched and nervously alternated his gaze between Jeong Taeui and Ilay.

“Th-this gentleman, perhaps…”

The broker stammered, his words trailing off, but he seemed to know Ilay. However, Ilay showed no sign of recognition whatsoever.

“Ah, this is Ilay—Riegrow, who was with me at UNHRDO before.”

Jeong Taeui, after saying “Ilay,” glanced at Ilay and then revealed his full name. After all, his full name wasn’t a secret, even if he didn’t usually use it.

“Ah, indeed! Mr. Riegrow from T&R. I, I once met your brother—”

“Are you trying to hand this guy a forged passport?”

The broker had just started speaking with a delighted expression, but Ilay didn’t even pretend to listen. Ilay muttered slowly, as if discussing the boring weather, and casually tossed the passport onto the broker’s lap. Then he looked at Jeong Taeui and asked seriously,

“This guy isn’t the one who made your passport, is he?”

“Hmm? Oh, I don’t think so.”

Probably, he added. In fact, Jeong Taeui had never seen the person who made his passport. He had received the completed ID through a channel his uncle had provided, but he didn’t think this broker was the “master” whom no one dared to meet.

“Right. Indeed, someone Chang-in would introduce wouldn’t be selling trash like this. Besides, I’ve been incredibly busy lately and just now finally have some free time, so I’m in a pretty good mood. You just saved your life today. Go.”

Ilay’s tone remained calm and indifferent. The broker, who hadn’t even been looked at and thus didn’t realize the words were directed at him, merely blinked blankly for a moment.

However, even a dog at a local school can recite poetry after three years. Jeong Taeui immediately frowned. The broker, who clearly knew Riegrow but not properly, still didn’t seem to get the hint and opened his mouth to say something more. Riegrow casually adjusted his glove with a nonchalant gesture.

“…Then I’ll be going!”

Jeong Taeui gulped down his tea in one breath, placed the teacup on the saucer with a clatter, and abruptly stood up. Then he pretended not to know Riegrow and blocked his path.

With a face that looked like it was about to spasm, Jeong Taeui forced a smile, shook the broker’s hand, and squeezed it.

“I, too, have someone I was waiting for who has arrived, so I must be going. I hope your transaction goes well today. Then, I’ll see you again if the opportunity arises.”

“Huh? Ah, ah, yes, but—”

The broker replied distractedly, yet still glanced regretfully at Riegrow.

Yes, the younger brother of a ‘big shot’ is right in front of him, so he probably wants to talk about this and that. Besides, this guy is also famous in his own way—some even say more so than his brother. He fully understood the desire to talk to a celebrity—damn it, but you should know why he’s famous, old man—but Jeong Taeui’s kind heart told him to help this broker.

Jeong Taeui gently held Ilay’s hand, the one that had been adjusting his glove, and feigned a bright smile.

“Let’s go to the room. I had something to tell you anyway.”

“…”

Ilay’s gaze narrowed. As if he already guessed what was going through Jeong Taeui’s mind, a small snort escaped his lips after a short pause.

“Alright, I’m curious what that ‘something to tell me’ is, but there’s something bothering me, so let’s go up in a bit.”

Ilay said that, and lightly tapped the back of Jeong Taeui’s hand, which was gripping his. Jeong Taeui frowned.

“Hey, even if it’s not UNHRDO here. It’s not extraterritoriality. Killing someone in the middle of a hotel—”

“…”

As if telling him to continue, Ilay looked down at Jeong Taeui, his lips barely upturned. That smile was definitely a sneer. Jeong Taeui fell silent. Ilay’s smile deepened.

“I know what you’re thinking, Taei, but if that had been a proper passport you were holding, perhaps, but I’m not so wicked as to lay a hand on a small fry who sells such shoddy goods.”

Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue, staring blankly at Ilay. It was regrettable that he couldn’t seize the opportunity to retort, even though there were countless ways to pick a fight. The broker’s face, hearing words like “shoddy goods” and “small fry,” instantly crumpled like paper, but he didn’t realize that this was a blessing in disguise. If he had been a big-shot forger selling genuinely excellent items, he would have been unlucky enough to die today.