Passion Novel - Chapter 2

Staring at his uncle, Jeong Taeui finally let out a sigh.

‘What. It’s not one of us — it’s both of us. Biologically, at least. I know that. So what’s your point?’

It wasn’t a secret. Their father had told them directly when they were old enough to understand. He had calmly sat them down and explained it — that he couldn’t have children on his own, so with his younger brother’s help, they were born.

Nothing much had changed. Father was still Father, and Uncle was still Uncle. Even within a single phenomenon, there can be only one fact, but multiple truths.

However, back then, Father also said, “So if your uncle ever says something strange someday, just follow along thinking that it must be right.”

It wasn’t solely because of those words, but the brothers, following their father’s request, were always respectful toward their uncle. And aside from occasionally putting them in difficult situations, Uncle was a pleasant and good-natured person. But, dear Father in heaven… Uncle says strange things more often than not.

“No, not both of you — just one. Ever since before you were born. When your father found out you were twins, he said he would give one of you to me. So originally, you two were meant to be separated at birth and raised as cousins. But you were so attached to each other, always clinging together, that he gave up on separating you — and thus, you avoided being parted.”

See? Uncle’s saying strange things again. When Jeong Taeui stared at him with suspicion, his uncle seemed to catch on and immediately put on a serious face. His emphasis on how this was the truth made him look even more suspicious, but he wasn’t the type to lie. Besides, somehow… a feeling began to creep in.

Maybe that was it. Maybe that was the thing Father didn’t want to tell them directly. That one of his sons was meant to be given to his brother. Come to think of it, back then, Father had fallen silent for a moment before quietly adding,

“If the time ever comes when you must do so, treat your uncle as you would your father and follow him.”

Was this the time Father had been referring to? When Uncle would make such a request?

There was no way to know. But if it was something Father had already accepted, there was no point in raising his voice in objection. Even though his brother wasn’t here, Jeong Taeui was sure he would reach a similar conclusion. Jeong Taeui was quick to give up. You could call it adaptability — or just going with the flow.

“Yes, Uncle… My cousin just happened to step out. Should I tell him to call you when he gets back?”

As Jeong Taeui spoke, his uncle burst into laughter. The way his face lit up in laughter made him resemble his father even more. Honestly, they looked so alike that no one would have a hard time believing they were father and son. Even their personalities seemed somewhat similar.

When his brother came back, he was going to be shocked to find out their father had suddenly changed. Or maybe not. Come to think of it, Jeong Taeui had rarely seen his brother express surprise — at least not outwardly.

“There’s no time to wait around for someone who isn’t here. Starting today, Taeui, you’re my son. Come with me. Pack your things. You only need the essentials — the rest, you can get there.”

Uncle sounded cheerful, his voice tinged with laughter. But Jeong Taeui didn’t find this situation amusing at all. Hearing such strange things back-to-back within the span of a single day… it was an unusual experience, but not an enjoyable one.

“Me?”

“Yes, Jeong Taeui. My son.”

It felt like a heavy weight was settling onto his shoulders. Finally taking things seriously, Jeong Taeui looked straight at his uncle, frowning.

It wasn’t just his uncle’s sudden claim of parental rights that bothered him, but also the question of why his long-bachelor uncle — who had been living perfectly well on his own — suddenly needed a son.

“Do I have to go?”

“Think of it as an act of filial piety, my son.”

“I’d rather not, Father. Can’t I just be an unfilial child?”

Uncle burst into a hearty laugh. With the significant age gap between him and Father, Uncle was closer in age to Jeong Taeui than his own brother. That made Uncle feel less like an elder and more like an older brother.

Still laughing, Uncle stood up and walked over to Jeong Taeui. Then, without warning, he smacked him on the head. It was far from the light tap you’d call playful.

“Ow!”

Clutching his head, Jeong Taeui glared at him in protest, but Uncle kept his smile and spoke calmly.

“You ungrateful brat — I went out of my way to get you discharged early, and this is how you thank me? Talking about being an unfilial child? You deserve more of this.”

“Ow! Ow! Stop! It really hurts, Uncle! I’m serious!”

Even the sting of his hand felt just like his brother’s. Honestly, his brother would probably be a better fit as this man’s son. While his brother was usually too laid-back for violence, when waking Jeong Taeui by shaking his shoulders or slapping his face to jolt him out of sleep paralysis, his hands always packed a punch.

After thoroughly smacking him around, Uncle calmly sat back down, as if nothing had happened. Meanwhile, Jeong Taeui nursed his sore head, muttering under his breath.

“I did think it was strange how easily I got discharged even though my mandatory service period still had a long way to go… Uncle, was that your doing?”

“Yeah. Jaeui told me. Said his poor little brother was falling apart in the army — body and soul.”

“…It wasn’t… that bad…”

Sure, there was that time he nearly died in the military hospital, and his fellow soldiers constantly picked fights with him, and the mental stress was pretty bad… Okay, maybe it was that bad.

The problem started with the fact that he ended up being assigned to the same unit as the guys he had the worst relationships with at the academy. In the end, he almost killed someone, almost got killed himself, and after being discharged, he completely severed ties with them. He didn’t want to think about it anymore, and there was no reason to.

As the memories he had tried to forget resurfaced, Jeong Tae-ui sighed quietly, feeling a wave of gloom. He had been discharged four months ago and was now officially an unemployed young man. Although his leg still ached when the weather was bad, it had healed completely, and his body was in good shape. He figured it was about time he started doing something.

“So, why do you suddenly need a son? Where are you planning to send him?”

When Jeong Tae-ui asked with a hint of resignation, his uncle responded with a rare, serious smile.

“I don’t really care if it’s a son or not. I just need someone useful. After a huge fight with the European branch a while back, our numbers took a serious hit. We need to fill the headcount somehow.”

“…….”

“…That’s just an excuse. Honestly, I need someone lucky.”

His uncle paused for a moment. Jeong Tae-ui waited silently for him to continue. There was no need to point out that the talk about headcount was just a pretext—he already knew that much. If there were really just a manpower shortage, there were enough people desperate to join that they could line up all the way to the other side of the planet. His uncle wouldn’t have come all this way just for that. But if it was someone lucky they needed, Jeong Tae-ui clearly wasn’t the right fit—and his uncle knew that, too.

“In half a year, the head of our branch will be moving to the North American headquarters. That means the two deputy directors are already battling it out behind the scenes to take his place. You know how factional struggles go. Because of that, my boss’s ambitions make my life a lot more complicated. Since I have to support my direct superior’s bid for the position, things are going to get pretty intense in the next six months. There will be a lot of dirty, underhanded tactics at play. What I need is someone who can survive through all that with a bit of luck.”

“I’m not exactly known for being lucky.”

“Well… you’re the next best thing. What do you say?”

“What do you mean, what do I say? Who would be happy being called the next best thing?”

Jeong Tae-ui replied dryly, though he wasn’t really offended. Considering someone like Jeong Jae-ui was considered the best, it was a miracle that his uncle even saw him as a decent substitute. Jeong Tae-ui could only half understand his uncle’s situation. The half he did understand told him this was going to be a huge headache. The very mention of factional battles made his head hurt—and the organization his uncle belonged to sounded disturbingly similar to the rigid, hierarchical military environment he had just escaped.

“You’re with the Asia branch, right?”

“That’s right.”

“If you’re looking for someone more talented and luckier than me, you’ll find plenty. Just pick anyone you want from the endless supply.”

“I’ve already told you the dirty details—there’s no backing out after hearing all that.”

“Oh, please. This is probably an open secret anyway. Good luck with your battles, and I hope your boss gets promoted safely.”

Waving his hand dismissively, Jeong Tae-ui stood up and began clearing the empty dishes. But before he could get far, his uncle grabbed his wrist firmly. Jeong Tae-ui clicked his tongue. Judging by his uncle’s expression, he was serious. And that made it harder to refuse.

“Uncle… you know why this won’t work. Please don’t push it.”

Jeong Tae-ui sighed loudly, his voice filled with frustration. His uncle’s expression remained serious as he asked quietly.

“Tell me why not. If you have a convincing reason, I’ll look for someone else.”

“You already know why.”

“Humor me.”

Jeong Tae-ui couldn’t understand what his uncle was thinking. By all logic, there was no reason it had to be him. If it were Jeong Jae-ui, maybe—but there were countless people like Jeong Tae-ui out there.

“Uncle, first of all, I hate anything like the military. I’ve had more than enough of that authoritative, closed-off environment.”

“We’re not the military. We just do a bit of intense physical training. Sure, we handle some classified cases, so it’s a bit secretive, but we’re not authoritarian. Once you join, the only ranks above you are the head, the two deputies, and six instructors. You’ll hardly ever see the top three. Everyone else? Just colleagues. Now, any other reasons?”

“…My body’s still not in great shape.”

“I know you’re fully recovered.”

“I’m just not in the hospital anymore. My knee still aches when the weather’s bad, and my body feels sore.”

“Everyone there’s the same. We’ve all taken a bullet or broken a few bones. Next excuse?”

“I’m not even the kind of person you’re looking for. I’m average—average luck, average skills.”

His uncle’s eyes curved into a slight smile. After studying Jeong Tae-ui for a moment, he spoke slowly.

“What I need is someone who can do their job well and survive for a long time. And believe it or not, I think pretty highly of you. I’ve done my homework—I’ve reviewed your records from the academy up until recently. You have the most essential skill for survival.”

“And what’s that?”

“Awareness.”

“….”

Just when Jeong Tae-ui thought the conversation was getting serious, his uncle hit him with an unexpected word. He had been half-expecting some kind of compliment, but this left him deflated.

“Uncle… what do you mean by ‘intuition’…?”

“Why? Are you disappointed?”

“Rather than disappointed… yes, I am disappointed.”

As Jeong Taeui murmured, slowly shaking his head, his uncle laughed softly.

“There’s nothing to be disappointed about. Someone like Jaeui, who has special luck, is an exception, but for the vast majority of ordinary people, intuition is an essential survival tool. In other words, a sense. Depending on how sharp your sense is compared to others, it can mean the difference between life and death.”

His uncle’s voice dipped slightly at the end. Though Jeong Taeui had never faced the countless life-or-death situations his uncle spoke of, he could still vaguely understand what he meant by that ‘sense.’

“So, what’s next?”

“Pardon?”

“The other reason. There must be one, right?”

His uncle gestured as if urging him to continue. His expression made it clear that what had been said so far wasn’t a convincing enough reason. If it had been, there wouldn’t have been any need for a rebuttal.

Jeong Taeui silently gazed at his uncle, who met his eyes without urging him further, patiently waiting for him to speak.

Sometimes, Jeong Taeui found himself surprised by his older brother. Not because of his genius or his uncanny luck—those had long since become familiar, like the air he breathed—but because his brother often seemed to understand him better than he understood himself.

Despite having grown up together for over a quarter of a century—though their separate lives meant they weren’t always side by side—they knew each other well enough. Yet every so often, Jung Jaeui would catch him off guard.

He would point out traits or thoughts Jeong Taeui hadn’t even been conscious of. Without even meaning to observe, Jung Jaeui had a knack for grasping people’s true nature.

In that sense, this uncle was remarkably similar to Jung Jaeui.

“….”

Though Jeong Taeui had never spoken about it or shown any signs, and though he hadn’t met his uncle that often, it felt like his uncle already knew. Or even if he didn’t, he wouldn’t be surprised by anything Jeong Taeui said.

“…If I enter a place filled with only men, it’ll be dangerous.”

Jeong Taeui mumbled gloomily. As his face darkened, his uncle’s eyebrows twitched slightly before he burst into amused laughter.

“Dangerous for whom?”

Before Jeong Taeui could even grasp the meaning of the question, his uncle continued.

“For you? Or for the other guys?”

Jeong Taeui frowned slightly, falling into thought before finally answering.

“If I had to choose, probably me.”

“You? Why? Are you afraid those guys will drag you off and attack you?”

As his uncle spoke in a tone of playful curiosity, Jeong Taeui glared at him with clear disapproval. Eventually, he clicked his tongue and sighed, murmuring as if resigning himself.

“No… more like I’m afraid I’ll drag them off and attack them.”

“I didn’t know your range of attack was so wide. Well, if you want to, and if you can, go ahead. It’s a society where strength rules—so long as it’s not your superior, you can do whatever you want.”

“…Are you saying as long as you’re strong, you can attack anyone?!”

As Jeong Taeui shouted in disbelief, his uncle spread his hands with an easy smile. There were times when it was hard to tell if his uncle was joking or serious. Clicking his tongue again, Jeong Taeui ran a frustrated hand through his hair and glared at his uncle.

“You know what I mean. Why pretend you don’t?”

“Well, the only thing I can guess in this context is that you have a tendency to find the same sex attractive. Is there anything else I should know?”

“That’s more than enough to make my life difficult.”

“Was it really that exhausting to beat up that foul-mouthed fellow you served with and get discharged?”

Jeong Taeui glared at his uncle fiercely for a long moment before finally sighing, leaning his head against the wall as if drained. See? He already knew. It wasn’t even surprising anymore.

His uncle reached for a cup from a nearby cupboard and poured water from a kettle, sipping it as if it were some fine tea. Then, after savoring it thoughtfully, he spoke again.

“Taeui. If you had framed this issue from a slightly different perspective, I might have found your reasoning more convincing. But the way you put it just now… I can’t agree with it.”

“What different perspective?”

Too tired to argue anymore, Jeong Taeui’s voice sagged with weariness. Smiling mischievously, his uncle replied.

“For example, if you said you were scared those other guys might attack you.”

“Uncle, that’s not funny….”

With a heavy sigh, Jeong Taeui slumped even further. His uncle’s words sounded like a joke, but his expression was serious when he spoke next.

“So? Any other reasons?”

Jeong Taeui let out a long sigh and fell silent for a while before finally mumbling in defeat.

“…Half a year?”

Hearing that, his uncle’s eyes sparkled with amusement as he broke into a delighted grin.

“Half a year. Until the next general manager is appointed. After that, you can do whatever you want. Quit if you want, or stay if you find you like the work. And even if you quit, you won’t have time to worry about job hunting—scouts will be pounding on your door the moment you’re available. Where you go will be your only concern. Having our organization on your resume will be a brilliant achievement.”

“Sure… whatever you say.”

Feeling completely drained, Jeong Taeui slumped into his chair like a marathon runner collapsing at the finish line—without even a shred of satisfaction. But when he glanced at the clock on the wall, it was still only the beginning of the workday.

No one can predict the future, but who would’ve thought such an unexpected change would come crashing down like this?

He should’ve trusted his bad feeling from this morning. It had been spot on.

In the end, maybe his uncle’s words about having good intuition were more accurate than he’d realized.