Chapter Text
The blood spilled from the man’s intestines, all the flesh from the chest to the stomach was shredded. He didn’t even know that man’s name, but he killed him without a second thought.
The feeling of the putrid metallic smell spread across the hallways, there was no one else here. Only him and the now dead man. To be fair, a small dispute happened, leading the other man to challenge him, it seems it was the man’s demise for essentially using cheap tricks. He brought a fork, planning to use it as a makeshift weapon, now look who’s dead with their guts spilling out.
This was honestly a disgusting image in front of Taeui, but Taeui didn’t feel anger, guilt or anything of that nature. In fact, what he had felt would be called “tranquility”?
Has he gone mad?
Yes, he surely has. Anyone who hadn’t seen sunlight in days while being forced to live in a confined space would too. Everyone here was insane, including Jeong Taeui.
Blood was all over his hands up to his forearm. The floor was covered in blood, the other man laid lifeless on the floor, left eye out of its socket. While the man’s stomach looked like shredded chicken on the cutting board. Only God knows how long he laid there with his own murderer staring at him, the corpse's face pale and lacking any blood circulation. The blood all dried on his stomach, it was no longer red, it was dark, nearly black. Taeui only softly murmured “it’s kind of sticky…”
Taeui stared at the dead man in front of him, the dead man’s face lacked any emotion, as if he was at peace. Taeui wondered if he could even feel the same peace, if the weird burning ache in his heart would ever truly fade. However just today, the moment he stabbed the man with their fork, he felt calm. His mind was clear, his heart was beating slowly and he felt lighter.
Taeui felt a presence, not a dangerous one. Though, someone was here. He turned his head to face the man. Ah, it’s likely one of the dead guy’s friends.
“Are you here to fight me too?” Taeui rang out. The friend stayed silent, he seemed shocked at the scene at hand.
“What-what did you do to him?” What did he do to him? Well, he killed the man by shredding him, that’s what he did. Taeui subtly furrowed his brows, not enough of it to be visible that he was indeed annoyed. “Well… he wanted to fight, but he pulled out a fork after realizing he was losing.”
Taeui had truly gone mad.
UNHRDO or the United Nations Human Resources Development Organization, an organization that specializes in training and sending top talent to run important groups and public agencies. According to officials, as soon as someone completes the program, they are flooded with offers from recruiters. Many universities and students aim for this organization, as it seems to land you a life of comfort as long as you got in.
Even so, there is still one person that the organization itself would aim to recruit—Jeong Jaeui.
Taeui knew second hand how Jeong Jaeui was basically worshiped. How everyone wanted a piece of his older twin brother, the calls happened since they were little children. People have even tried to kidnap his brother, even so, it was unsuccessful. As his brother got older, many seemed to have given up, yet the talk was still the same. How his brother had all the luck of the world, how he was the genius of the millennia.
He looked at the door, it’s as if his brother permanently vanished.
His gaze stayed there for a while, while his right hand was still mid air, his brother was an odd person. Someone he never really understood despite being the closest to him. It was hard to understand a blessed prodigy, especially when they were in a league of their own, within their own world above everyone else. No one else could reach him, not even his own twin.
So how was he picked to be in UNHRDO instead of his brother?
——
Taeui felt his knee cramp up. Ah, that always happens when the weather is bad. But today especially, he felt as if it was a day of bad luck. He was just trying to enjoy his meal, simple as it is. He lacked money to have a better meal, red beans, kimchi, rice and some soup. That’s all he could afford.
The meal was more enjoyable, since he didn’t feel the pressure of his twin being with him. But today, there seemed to be a bad omen approaching.
Jeong Jaeui left 4 days ago, it was regular routine. His brother would leave for a few days to do something, what wasn’t normal was his cryptic words when he left “I need to experience some bad luck myself.” He was just rubbing it in Taeui’s face that he had good luck, oh well. It didn’t matter, with his twin, without his twin, he still wouldn’t have his brother’s luck.
The paper thin walls of the apartment left no space for privacy, rather he liked it or not, he could always hear the footsteps if someone was coming to visit. Today was no different. Faint footsteps approaching, but who could that be? Jeaui would never come back so quickly, most of the time he left for a week or more.
*ding dong*
The doorbell, he hadn’t heard of that in a while, now he was sure it wasn’t his brother, his brother would have just let himself in. “Coming.” Taeui sad dejectedly, now which guest would be so impolite as to not even give him a notice in advance, it’s not like he was giving out hangug-eo (new year’s pocket money) so why was someone visiting.
What greeted him was not his brother, but instead someone who wore a nicely fitted uniform, he recalled the last time he saw such a uniform. It was three years ago, taeui nearly died removing landmines, then he almost died again from complications during the surgery. There was also one bastard who kept testing Jeong Taeui’s patience.
Three times. He let him of the hook, the fourth? He snapped and nearly beat the guy to death. After that, he was discharged from the army without even fulfilling half of his mandatory military service, which his uncle helped him with. That's the last time he saw the uniform. And whenever he did, nothing good would come out of it.
“Uncle Chang In, you should have called first. And if you’re planning to fine Jaeui, well. He isn’t here.” Taeui held a plain expression, not really annoyed, not really happy.
“He isn’t? When’s he coming?”
“How should I know? I haven’t heard from him since he left four days ago.”
“Isn’t there a way to reach him? You live with him after all.”
“He wouldn’t be Jeong Jaeui if he was that easy to get ahold of, you should know that.”
Chang In propped up his chin with his hand, contemplating while he murmured the words “What should I do…”. Suddenly, a growl came from Chang In’s stomach. “If you’re that hungry, I guess you could join me. The food isn’t good, but it’s filling.”
“I’m not sure when Jaeui will be back. Do you want me to ask Jaeui to call you when he gets here?”
“No… there’s no time for that.” In what world would he be this rushed.
“Jeong Taeui.” There’s that bad omen again…
“Uncle Chang In…I’m not sure why you’re looking for Jaeui, but you know that I won’t be able to fill the role he fills.” Chang In just looked at him with a smile.
His father once said “when the time comes, I want you to listen to your uncle as if he was your father.” Taeui wondered if he was referring to right now. “When the time comes” does it just mean “when uncle requests it of you.”
“We don’t have time for someone who’s not here. From today on, I’d like you to follow me, so come with me Taeui.”
“Where are you trying to send me?”
“I need someone that is useful, there are power struggles no matter where you go. In six months, the director of our branch is going to join the headquarters in the U.S. so behind the scenes, two vice directors beneath him are fighting for his position. One of which is my direct superior, who I need to help with.
What I’m saying is, I need someone in the middle of that battle and survive.”
“And you’re sure I can survive? Can I just…not go. My luck is pretty bad.”
“Fullfill your duty as a son of my brother.”
“I’d rather not dear uncle…”
Ouch! Why did Chang In hit him?! Damn it, this bruise will hurt for a while… at least it’s being covered by his hair.
“You ungrateful brat, after I help you get discharged,you’re shirking your duties? You deserve a few more punches!”
“You have good intuition Taeui. You can survive living there”
“Six months. After that, you are free to do whatever you want. You can quit, or you can keep working if the lifestyle is to your liking. Even if you quit, you’ll be flooded with job offers from recruiters, so you don’t need to worry about finding a new job.” Damn it, Taeui would rather be unemployed! If his uncle needs to practically bribe him, that place is no good!