Chapter 3 – The Pine Tree and the Orchid (Part 3)

“Boss, you’re here.”

It was around midnight. As Hee-tae lifted the turquoise curtain at the gambling house entrance and walked in, the bouncers greeted him with loud voices. His business card read “Executive Director Jang,” he was referred to as manager or boss in different places, with no particular system dictating the titles. It wasn’t that there was a grand structure behind these titles; it was just the way things were here. Hee-tae responded perfunctorily with a nod and went inside, frowning at the jade-colored curtain that caught his hand. The beads of jade suddenly bothered him. A man as thin as a tree branch noticed his displeasure and hurried over to ask.

“Is there a problem, sir?”

“Hey, take down this curtain. Whose taste is this? It’s f*cking ugly.”

Hee-tae clicked his tongue at the man. After seeing Soo-yeon’s exhibition, he began to notice his surroundings more. He had sold countless ceramics and paintings, but Soo-yeon’s painting was different.

The title of the piece: Crimson.

He hadn’t known it was Soo-yeon’s work. He had seen replicas circulating in the market but was encountering the original for the first time. He was overwhelmed by the sheer size of the piece that occupied an entire wall, wondering how such fierce spirit could emanate from Soo-yeon’s small frame. The man, looking puzzled and wary, spoke up.

“This was something you ordered before, boss…”

“You’re talking back now? Your tongue is long.”

“No, sir. I’ll take it down immediately.”

The man, hearing Hee-tae’s threat, shook his head vigorously in denial. Only then did Hee-tae smile leisurely and look around. Around the round table, men with stubbly beards and dark circles under their eyes were smoking cigarettes and holding cards. Noticing a waiter subtly stealing a chip while changing the ashtray, Hee-tae grabbed his wrist. As the waiter flinched in surprise, Hee-tae picked up the chip with his other hand and said,

“You seem to have a lot of hands, don’t you?”

“B-boss…”

The waiter trembled so much he couldn’t even look at Hee-tae. The sense of impending doom, as if his wrist would be cut off, brought tears to his eyes. Strangely, Hee-tae didn’t feel like punishing this inadequate person. What fun would it be to cut off this wrist now? Thieves would just go somewhere else and end up with the same result. Not wanting to waste his energy, Hee-tae let go.

“But I’ll let you off today, just this once.”

Hee-tae took the chip the waiter had stolen and headed back to the table. As the round ended and one of the men was about to leave, Hee-tae casually put an arm around his shoulder. The man flinched at Hee-tae’s size and turned around in surprise. Hee-tae smiled broadly, trying to appear friendly.

“Ah, boss, you have been coming here often lately. How’s it going today? Any luck?”

“No, my luck hasn’t been good at all.”

“Tsk, that’s tough. I’m not usually like this but I’ll let you have this one. Just for you, boss.”

Hee-tae slid the chip he was holding among the man’s chips and smiled. He laughed, saying they ran a good business and to come often, and the man also laughed, showing his gums. If he had returned the chip, claiming it was dropped, it would have been considered stolen. Even though that was true, he would still be suspected if it weren’t. It was evidence that being kind to those living a harsh life brought no benefits. As soon as he turned around, Hee-tae erased his smile and spoke to the man.

“Pay him for the day and send him off.”

“What? Did something happen?”

“No, just his face pisses me off.”

Hee-tae didn’t bother mentioning the stolen chip and responded indifferently. Even if he overlooked the theft once, he had no intention of keeping such a person around. A rotten root would always repeat the same actions. Just like that fool who borrowed money and bragged about his girlfriend being rich. The moment Soo-yeon’s face came to mind, Hee-tae’s mood plummeted. The waiter, tense about his fate, repeatedly bowed to Hee-tae after receiving the termination notice.

“Thank you. Thank you so much, boss.”

“If I get annoyed, I’ll hit your face first, so stop thanking me and get lost.”

Hee-tae said as he passed the waiter. He kicked open the office door inside and slumped into a chair. He took out a pack of cigarettes, but finding it empty, he crumpled it and threw it away. Frustration surged, and he felt the sudden urge to kick the desk.

Soo-yeon didn’t know, but the night she spent with Hee-tae, she was tormented by nightmares and groaned in her sleep. While he went to get some water, Soo-yeon, who had fallen asleep, was hugging a pillow like a person and pleading.

‘I won’t paint anymore…’

Standing at the doorway with a cup of water, Hee-tae watched Soo-yeon sobbing pitifully. She clutched the pillow tightly as if afraid of losing it and pleaded. He slowly approached the woman trapped in a nightmare. Even though they had broken up, she kept pleading, as if she had been cruelly dumped or was wandering through her saddest memories.

‘I won’t do anything. Anything that makes you uncomfortable… I won’t do it.’

It was ironic to think that her idiot ex-boyfriend had dared to tell Chae Soo-yeon, a renowned painter, not to paint because he found it bothersome. Clearly, he was so full of insecurities that he couldn’t stand to see someone more successful than him.

Hee-tae watched Soo-yeon sobbing in a broken voice for a long time. As her voice faded, her sobs also got lost in the depths of sleep. Seeing Soo-yeon asleep with swollen eyes, Hee-tae took the pillow she was hugging and replaced it with himself.

‘No…’

Feeling the emptiness left by the missing pillow, Soo-yeon murmured intermittently. But when she grabbed Hee-tae’s arm, she pressed her forehead against it and curled up. She probably wouldn’t have done this if she were awake. Looking down at her rubbing her cheek against his arm, Hee-tae pulled her closer by the waist.

He didn’t usually like sticking close to people after s*x. It wasn’t a romantic relationship, and there was no need to stay in bed with someone he was just fooling around with. Yet, he buried his nose in Soo-yeon’s neck and pressed his ear to her skin. Hearing the slow thumping, he closed his eyes, and when he opened them the next day, she was gone.

[I’m at the studio.]

Hearing the notification buzz, Hee-tae checked his phone and saw a message from Soo-yeon. Considering how she had abruptly left, it was quite a development to be in contact with her now.

It was disappointing that she responded so late, only after midnight, to his morning message asking to see her. However, just reading her message, he could almost hear her calm, monotonous voice, and it slightly improved his crumpled mood. Pressing the call button quickly, he heard her voice after a few rings.

– Hello?”

“Are you inside a dream tunnel or something? The signal is terrible.”

– I’m in the middle of organizing right now, so that’s why… Ah… No!”

After the rustling sound of paper, he heard Soo-yeon scream. Following her desperate cry of “No,” a loud crash echoed through the phone. Instinctively, Hee-tae stood up. Hearing her moan in pain, he furrowed his brow and called out to her.

“Soo-yeon. Soo-yeon, are you okay?”

– …I spilled everything. I practically soaked myself.

Her voice sounded close to a sigh. The distant voice now rang clearly in Hee-tae’s ears. It seemed she had nearly spilled some paint, and in her rush to save her phone, she got herself thoroughly wet. Imagining a more dangerous situation, Hee-tae let out a sigh of relief. Despite her cold demeanor, she had many vulnerabilities and gaps, making those around her anxious. Hee-tae asked her again.

“You have a knack for scaring people. You didn’t hurt yourself, did you? Your bony wrist isn’t twisted, right?”

– Bony… I’m not hurt.

“Then why do you make me get up like this? Do you know how heavy my butt is? Ah, since I’m up, why don’t you show me around?”

– Show you around? In this state?

Soo-yeon responded in a voice filled with disbelief. Her tone implied she thought he was out of his mind. Hearing her shocked voice made Hee-tae happy. This side of her, annoyed, feisty, and proud, suited her much better than being clingy and tearful. Chae Soo-yeon, who got annoyed, threw tantrums, and maintained her pride. Hee-tae walked towards the office door as he spoke.

“Give me your address. There are many ways I can find out even if you don’t tell me.”

– Don’t come. I’m going to take a shower.

“Then I have more reason to come.”

Hee-tae replied, laughing at her naivety for telling him she was going to shower. A man approached him with a photo of the redesigned screen for the door. Hee-tae tapped his lips with his finger, signaling him to be quiet. He no longer cared if the screen was jade or ash-colored. His attention was entirely on Soo-yeon, who was sounding displeased on the phone.

– I said don’t come.

“You kindly told me you’re going to shower, so I should run over there.”

– I didn’t tell you to come.

Hee-tae deliberately pressed the end button while hearing her frustrated voice over the phone.

He already missed her. She was probably raising her eyebrows in irritation. He imagined her biting her lips, trying to hide her discomfort.

That’s why Hee-tae enjoyed teasing her with childish and trivial remarks. Just imagining what it would be like to lick her paint-covered body, or what sounds she would make, brought a smile to his face and a pull in his lower abdomen. Soo-yeon, just by existing, brought color to his life. Though she didn’t know it.