After Dja Iun’s death, his friends had a really bad time. Especially the Bear and Su Won, who had been Dja Iun’s best friends. Because of the same love for him, the two young men tried hard to find who was guilty of the death of their mentor and friend because they felt they owed him for everything Dja Iun did for them in the past. Yet, no matter what they did, they didn’t find even a track that would have helped them solve that case successfully.

Until one day when, at SolHi’s advice, they followed SinJu. Thus, they found the Scorpion too. And, right after seeing him, Su Won growled, „Rat! Dja Iun died not long ago, and this one fawns in front of another Master already.” Su Won was really furious when he said these words because he didn’t know that part of the Scorpion: a miserable creature, who worshiped to the ground behind SinJu’s car when this one left the club. This view made the young man even gnash his teeth when he said, „I didn’t ever think that I would wish to kill him with my own hands. Yeah, I’ll kill him for sure.”

„Su Won, don’t make yourself uneasy,” the Bear told him confidently, touching Su Won’s shoulder. „It isn’t worth it, trust me! It’s especially not worth it to stain your hands with the blood of such a jerk. Just… let’s do what Detective Ian suggested and, after catching him, he’ll pay for everything, in jail. Killing him won’t avenge Dja Iun.”

„Just as that seeing this man in jail won’t make me feel better,” Su Won growled, disappointed. „And yes, I won’t make justice to Dja Iun this way, because this miserable… who I saved from sure death… stabbed us behind our back just to win more. You don’t even know how sorrowful I am now that I have helped him then. And… I must accept that Dja Iun has always been right: the snake, even if you warm him at your chest, will always be a snake. Just as the jerk will die a jerk.”

Saying this, Su Won was shaking with all his body. He wasn’t exaggerating saying that he felt betrayed or that he regretted having saved Scorpion from sure death. This happened two years ago when he saw him in the street. He didn’t know who Scorpion was and didn’t even care about this too much. All that mattered to him at that moment was to save someone who was in trouble and whose life was in danger. He could have found out more about that person later, as it happened after that strange day at the subway station. After that, Dja Iun and the others from the gang found out that Scorpion had a difficult life and that he lived with alcoholics parents that always beat him or left him sleeping on the street, under old boxes even when it was raining or on the subways where was damn cold.

Actually, in a subway station, Dja Iun’s gang met Scorpion for the first time. It’s better to say that they saw him at the entrance to the subway station one evening when Dja Iun and the boys, who didn’t have anything to do at that hour, decided to have a walk through the city and see what was going around. Yet, instead of finding out something important for them or about the world, they saw a kid jerking from the street and descending in a hurry the stairs of the abandoned subway station.

Scorpion didn’t descend those stairs alone but with about 15 idiots armed with thick sticks. The fifteen young men appeared about two or three minutes after the young man. Yet, even if it was still light and someone could have seen them armed and chasing someone and called the police, the fifteen idiots didn’t care too much about this. All that mattered to them at that moment was to catch up with the kid and beat him to death. And, judging by their furious growls of „Don’t lose him or the dead ones will be you,” killing the kid was something decided already.

Even if Dja Iun saw the fifteen men and knew what was waiting for the kid, he decided not to involve his team in this. He only told the others to follow him when the Bear said, „That one is a dead man for sure today.” Yet, once Dja Iun decided not to save that young man, they did the same, except for Su Won.

The young man, although he saw his fellows leaving that place, didn’t follow them but stood in the same place, eyes on the subway station’s entrance, squeezing his fists and gnashing his teeth. While looking toward there, Su Won seemed ready to set fire to the world because of his anger because, seeing that young man, it reminded him of a black period of his life. Because of his own experience, Su Won couldn’t stay away from problems that day. And, pretending not to have listened to Dja Iun’s command to follow him, he ran toward the subway and descended the stairs seconds after this.

Seeing him following the fifteen young men, Dja Iun swore. Then, furious, he looked at the others and said, „This is what I haven’t always understood about Su Won: why he was always looking for problems when I told him to stay away from them. Even so, Su Won never learns.”

„It’s not that he didn’t learn what you taught him, Dja Iun. Just…” The Bear tried to defend his friend. His words only enraged Dja Iun more. And, even if he wanted to leave Su Won there to be taught with fists by the others not to look for problems when the problems weren’t looking for him, Dja Iun still headed toward the station eventually. Not alone, but followed by his boys.

While descending the stairs, Dja Iun felt a bitter taste on the top of his tongue. He was right in feeling disgusted about that place because the dirt and the stink reminded him of a tough period of his life. Yet, although he felt that he was burning inside because of all he saw and felt, Dja Iun continued to advance.

The others, like the boys: once they had time to foolish around, why not do that?! That’s why Jae jokingly told the Bear when he found an old shoe abandoned there, a shoe he kicked when he met it on his way, „I think it’s yours, Bear! Actually, I heard you looked for one, like the Modern Cinderella.”

Hearing the joke, the Bear didn’t lose his temper or get enraged. He only stopped, took the shoe in his hand, and checked the size, which was difficult to see because the shoe was old and chewed by mice. Even so, smiling, he said, „I think it’s yours, Jae. 43. You are the only one wearing this size, right? I barely get to 40.” His remark made the others burst into laughter because the joke had been a good one.

Even Dja Iun smiled listening to that joke. Then, when he remembered why they were there, he said in a serious voice, „That’s enough!” After that, at a slow step and with his hand in his pockets while moving the lollipop from one side of his mouth to the other, he advanced more and more in the darkness of the subway station.

He became attentive when darkness surrounded them and started to hear a hollow sound from the distance. Whose sound they heard wasn’t difficult to understand. It became clearer when they heard Su Won swearing eventually and Scorpion, whom they didn’t know at that time, yelling at the attackers to go away and leave them alone. The scamps didn’t care about this, just as they showed no mercy. They only started to hit even harder with the sticks on the victims’backs, making the two moan each time they felt the stick touching their back.

Maybe they wouldn’t have survived that night if Dja Iun and his boys hadn’t been there. Getting to the place where the two were beaten up and seeing the fifteen idiots punching, slapping, and kicking the victims, they had been about to pounce on them and show them what means to be weak or outnumbered. Yet, they stood calm because of Dja Iun, who yelled eventually, „That’s been enough!”

His gang and especially the fact that they got there to poke their noses in someone else’s business drove the boss of the idiots crazy. This one, slowly rotating on his heels, turned toward Dja Iun and looked at him and his five fellows like a mad pitbull. Seeing that the enemy was outnumbered, he smiled at first. Then, he swore and yelled at Dja Iun, „Get lost, puppy!”

Dja Iun burst into laughter, staring at the individual who measured 1.9 in height, who was half-bald in front while on the back of his head, he had black long and thinning hair, up to the shoulders, which was grabbed in a ponytail. Because of the ponytail, which looked more like the tail of a pig, Dja Iun laughed with all his heart at that moment. The same his boys did because that tail was really weird. Not only because of this did Dja Iun laugh but also because he knew who the idiot in front of him was - a guy who they called Owl or In Ho. Why had they called him Owl, nobody knew. Yet, all of them knew why they started to call him a horned owl - it was because of the tail and of the small curled baby hair on the temples.

Actually, who gave that idiot the name of a horned owl had been Dja Iun, although they had never had problems with each other. Even so, seeing what that one could do, he told Jae about this, and Jae, who was a guy who couldn’t keep secrets, told others. Because of this, they started to make fun of Owl and his guys at the subway station, knowing that the nickname was an insult to Owl.

By making fun of him, they managed to enrage the man, who suddenly growled at them, „I told you to get lost from here. Didn’t you hear me?” Yet, neither Dja Iun nor his boys moved from their place. They only continued to stare at Owl, with a sour face this time, a hint that they hated that scream or to be given orders to them. Yet, not only had they seemed with wattle. Owl was the same. And, even if knew very well that acting as he was acting at that moment meant to have an enemy like Dja Iun, whom everybody respected, he suddenly hissed through his teeth, „You: dogs and trash that you are! You don’t hear when someone nicely talks to you, right? You like the tough way. Well, be as you wish because you looked for it!” And, suddenly, he tried to hit Dja Iun’s head with the stick he held with both hands.

Dja Iun wasn’t also stupid and he wasn’t also at his first street fight. That’s why, when he saw that Owl intended to hit him, he just stepped aside. He didn’t seem at all bothered or scared by that attack. He didn’t even take his hands out of his pockets or drop the lollypop when he moved aside. Thus, stepping out of Owl’s way, Dja Iun forced this one to stumble while passing by him. Yet, even if Owl tried hard to keep his balance, he fell eventually due to the slippery floor, which was stained by grease and other dirt. Thus, he got lying on his stomach eventually.

Owl didn’t stay calm after this. Once the shock wore off, he stood up and, cussing and cursing, pounced on Dja Iun again. Yet, despite his efforts, he couldn’t touch his rival. Instead, he received many kicks and slaps from Dja Iun, who decided that once it was possible why not teach him some manners?! Something he was doing great!

Eventually, seeing that Owl wasn’t giving up, no matter how many blows he didn’t receive, and when he saw that the other members of Owl’s gang pounced on them, Dja Iun gave the order to his boys and a real fight started between them. It hadn’t been a short fight, but lasted for about fifteen minutes, the time when many of them suffered. Even so, they managed to defeat Owl’s gang eventually, although they also had bruises and scratches on their skin. They even made Owl promise, instead of his freedom, of course, not to hunt down Scorpion ever and leave him alone. After that, when Owl promised and even swore that he’d be a good guy from now on, Dja Iun let him go.

Yet, Owl accepted the pact that night because he had no other choice than to do this once his skull was cracked and his nose was badly bleeding. Thus, if he hadn’t received medical care urgently, he was sure he would have seen the Lady with the scythe that night for sure. Because of this, when he had been free to go, he ran as soon as possible from there.

Not only Owl had his head cracked that night. The same happened to Su Won. And, besides the cracked head, he also had a broken arm and a few broken ribs. Even so, he was happy that Scorpion was alive, although they took him to the Emergency Room more dead than alive that night. Yet, he survived and Su Won brought him into their gang eventually.

Although he accepted Scorpion among them, Dja Iun never liked him because he considered that Scorpion was a fake person. At the same time, Dja Iun considered that the young man could stab someone in the back for his own profit. Yet, because he loved Su Won and appreciated him for being a good friend, he never said anything against Scorpion. This didn’t mean that he didn’t keep an eye on Scorpion because he felt that he’d betray them one day although they saved him that night from sure death.

***

Dja Iun definitely never liked Scorpion because this one reminded him about himself and about how he had been in the past. Yes, Dja Iun had been a bad boy in his childhood and youth when he didn’t lose a chance to fight with someone. Sometimes, he was forced to fight two or three times a day: at school, in the street, or wherever it was necessary. Because of this, he was known as the hooligan of the village, a boy who would become nobody in life.

Yet, what so few knew was that Dja Iun was a fighter with class. The son of a taekwondo trainer, the boy had been trained by his father since he was little. Because of this, he knew how to attack so as not to hurt someone to death. His father also taught him not to fight ever outside the ring. And, because of good discipline and being devoted to his principles, Dja Iun won a bunch of medals and was seen by others as a future Gold Medalist Sportsman at the Olympic Games.

Everything changed for Dja Iun when he was thirteen. At that age, his father had been killed one night on the way back home. Dja Iun’s father hadn’t been a random victim of a thief or drunk person but of his worst enemy. This made Dja Iun feel that life and the whole world were unfair to them and this was so because the one who killed his father did that because of envy and took revenge on his former friend and colleague. Yes, Dja Iun’s father and his assassin had been good friends in the past. Nevertheless, because of envy and because the criminal considered that he was „demeaned” by his rival, he thought that night to resort to drastic measures.

Before the fateful night, Iun Min Hiok and his rival started the fights due to the many competitions won by Min Hiok as a Sportsman. Then, when both of them became trainers in Seoul, the argument and rivalry between them continued. The reason? Trainer Iun got a lot of medals in the most important competitions with his Sportsmen, „not taking into account” that others also deserved them. At least this is what his rival thought. Nevertheless, although it had been explained to him that everything was correct and that Iun won the medals on merit, the rival considered that trainer Iun used „tricks” to win, dishonestly competed, and never even thought about understanding that maybe he was wrong or did something wrong while training his pupils.

Because of this, the fights between them became more frequent. They weren’t simply arguing or insulting each other but were punching and kicking each other. However, not even this had been enough because, soon after this, the lawsuits were more frequent than ever and because of the most absurd reasons. Seeing that not even this way he could knock his rival down, the rival trainer decided to resort to drastic measures. And, one rainy summer night when Iun Min Hiok was returning home after work on a dark narrow street in Seoul City, he fell victim to a cowardly attack - of his old friend and his eternal rival, Lim BoSun, who stabbed him in his back.

His father’s death has been for little Dja Iun, who lived with his maternal grandparents at that time, a harsh slap from Life. It’s better to say that Life slapped him for the second time because, after his mother’s death when he was nine, his father brought him to his grandparents, telling him that he didn’t have enough time to take care of him. What Iun Min Hiok never told his son was that he left his son with his grandparents because he started to fear for Dja Iun’s life too because of Lim BoSun’s threats. However, little Dja Iun considered the separation from his father a betrayal. Because of this, he started to fight every single kid that gave him a reason to fight just to cool his soul, which he always felt on fire without knowing that, four years later, at the age of thirteen, he would remain without his father too.

The death of his only parent turned the young man into a savage person. And, what he started to dream of the most was to see Lim BoSun dead. The reason? His father’s assassin received only ten years for his crime and this was because of a good lawyer, who pleaded in court as a reason for the crime „Uncontrollable emotional states, which made him not think normally and pushed him to commit murder.” Thus, when a psychologist confirmed the „Uncontrollable emotional states,” Lim BoSun received fewer years behind bars because the judge considered that he was devoid of discernment capacity when he killed his rival.

Such an absurd reason drove Dja Iun crazy. He was there the day Lim BoSun was sentenced. And, kicking the chair on which he sat during the trial, a chair that fell with a bang to the floor, Dja Iun shouted, „Devoid of discernment, my ass! He was able to think when he killed my father. I’m sure of this!” Yet, even if the boy was sure of what he said, nobody believed his words. On the contrary, the moment he pounced on Lim BoSun, intending to kill him, the judge ordered the guards to take Dja Iun out of the Courtroom. While the two men took him out of there, Dja Iun kept yelling at Lim BoSun, telling him not to think that it was over and that sooner or later he would kill him. Yet, Fate wasn’t on Dja Iun’s side, just as it hadn’t been on Lim BoSun’s side because this one died in prison eventually after a fight with one of the prisoners. He died stabbed, just as he killed his victim, a few months after he got behind bars.

The death of his father’s assassin didn’t comfort Dja Iun. On the contrary, he turned even more savage and aggressive than he was. The only ones whom he respected were his grandparents, who took care of him since he was nine. The boy helped only them and only to them he never told a bad word, although they often scolded him for his bad behavior. And, if they asked him why he did that or that and if he liked to have his hands and face always scratched and injured, the teenager always answered the same, „I do that because I won’t ever allow others to trample me under feet! I’m not weak or invalid. I’m also not stupid to let others hit me and do nothing as my father did, who was killed because he couldn’t twist his rival’s neck… a bastard!” Then, as each time they had such a talk, Dja Iun was leaving, slamming the door behind him and missing from home for days.

***

Remembering his friend’s history and that Dja Iun had often told him not to trust Scorpion, Su Won sighed. Yet, it was too late for regrets already, just as it was too late to change the past. What could they change was the present and he was determined to do that. Because of this, he told himself that if necessary, he’d kill Scorpion just to do justice to Dja Iun. In the meantime, he had to wait and see if SolHi and Bear’s plan about looking for evidence against Scorpion would work.

Su Won was actually more than sure they would find the evidence because Nam Sang Ki, as it was Scorpion’s real name, was a really slippery fellow. Su Won finally found out about this new feature of Scorpion even if he considered that he had done that too late. At the same time, he found out that Scorpion loved only himself and that he had always looked for his own profit and not for the welfare of others. Because of this, Scorpion was always complaining that he was left behind and that the team didn’t see him as one of them or that he wasn’t believed, and many more complaints that Su Won didn’t remember already. Complaints that had convinced Dja Iun once and for all that Scorpion wasn’t a fellow to trust. Yet, although he also told Su Won about this, Su Won had never believed him. That’s why Dja Iun stopped telling Su Won such things and tried to change Scorpion. Yet, seeing that it was of no use, he left him alone and just moved on. A big mistake because if Dja Iun had kept an eye on Scorpion all that time, maybe he would have still been alive.

„Or maybe the dead one would have been Scorpion and not Dja Iun,” Su Won suddenly murmured.

What do you mean?” The Bear asked, eyes still on the entrance to the club, even after Scorpion had entered the club. Yet, to enter the same club, they had feared because they could have been recognized and their plan would have failed for sure.

„At nothing in particular,” responded Su Won drily. Then, seeing Scorpion leaving the club and looking toward the place where they were both of them pulled to a shelter. To their great surprise, Scorpion didn’t see them. He only lit a cigarette and headed in the opposite direction from where the two young men spied on him. Thus, seeing him slowly moving away, Su Won told his friend, „Let’s follow him!” After that, on the sly, they followed Scorpion, convinced to take his mask off that night.

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Scorpion, unaware that he was followed, kept advancing toward another nightclub he used to frequent. Because of this, he headed up the street and not down it where his friends were. He was ecstatic because he’d been paid for his betrayal and he had money to have some fun that night. For the same reason, Scorpion started to hum a melody at one moment, enjoying the thought that he’d be spoiled that night, without suspecting that behind him, like two cunning cats, two of his former friends were coming, having a single thought in their minds - to give him to death that night with no remorse.

***

„Where is he?” SolHi asked the Bear and Su Won a few days after the evening when they followed Scorpion for the first time to the other nightclub. At that moment, they were not that far from the entrance of the same club, after they followed Scorpion there again.

Hearing SolHi’s question, So Won cooked his nose. Then, spitting to the side, with contempt, he hissed through his teeth, „In the club over there.” His contempt had nothing to do with SolHi but with everything that he found out about Scorpion in the last few days.

Looking at the image of the pole dancer, which was hanging right above the entrance, next to the name of the club „The Night Pleasures,” SolHi smiled. Then, looking at the young men, she said, „I see your friend has a specific taste for… „girls.”

„Rather for pros…tes,” said Su Won, furious, kicking the sidewalk. „Something I had never suspected because… if I had known that for such „girls,” he would betray us, I would have twisted his neck a long time ago. I haven’t been the friend of such a guy… one that loves to live like that when our friend is dead.”

SolHi, to the two men’s surprise, calmly responded, „Why shouldn’t he love life? He has money, he can have fun, and he can love life too. Or what: did you think that those like him, who used to stab others behind their backs, would cry after those who died because of them? If yes, you are definitely innocent then.”

„What we thought is that we respected each other if not being loyal. At least we deserved that after we saved him from many shits. I see that everything was in vain and that we have never known him.”

„Dja Iun knew him,” Su Won suddenly said, surprising the Bear and SolHi. „He even told me about this, and not only once. I have never believed him instead. If I had done this…”

„…it wouldn’t have served for anything,” said SolHi. „Let’s not forget that those like Scorpion always find a way to one’s heart. Even if you had pushed him away from you, he would have found a way to do what he did anyway. Eventually, he did what he knew the best: he spread his venom around. And, if he has been involved in Dja Iun’s death, we’ll find out for sure: sooner or later, starting today.”

„Do you intend to enter the club, detective?” Su Won asked.

„Yes, I have to. Otherwise, we won’t find out ever what he looks for in that club. And, if he does something illegal, we have the perfect chance to put the paw on him then. It’ll be easier for us to make him talk at the police station or Prosecution.”

„I doubt this,” murmured Su Won. „Yet… trying will serve us at least for something. That’s why we come with you, detective. It might be dangerous for you if entering that club alone.”

SolHi smiled. „If I enter there with you, it’ll be even more dangerous. Why? Because if someone recognizes you, we are all dead. More than this, if Scorpion sees you, he’ll run away for sure. I don’t want this. I won’t allow him to run or find him somewhere, dead, as we found the waiter. He won’t die until he tells us what he knows.”

„Even so, Su Won is right, Detective Ian. Entering that club alone can be dangerous.”

„Who says I’ll be alone?” Replied SolHi, smiling. After that, he pointed with her head behind her. „I am not going to hunt alone ever. That’s why I brought help: SuJin, Inspector Yu, Detective Kan, and that one over there is Detective Oh Yoon Suk.”

Seeing the four men, Su Won and the Bear pulled a few steps back. They did that because they realized that the four men were detectives and this made them fear. SolHi smiled instead, seeing them acting like that. „Don’t worry,” she said. „They aren’t here for you. For the moment. Only if you had something to do with Dja Iun’s death. Yet, as we have agreed about this detail already, I have summoned them here for something else because I can lose Scorpion if I enter there alone. Meanwhile, you stay here and watch the door. If he sees us and tries to run, don’t lose him! Did you understand me?”

„Yes, ma’am!” Su Won and the Bear replied at the same time.

„Perfect then! Let’s go!” She told the detectives. Then she had been the first one to head toward the club.

SuJin, Inspector Yu, and Yoon Suk followed her right away. Kan instead remained behind, mumbling, „What the hell am I doing here?” Even so, even if he was upset, he still followed his four fellows. Yet, he regretted having come there because he would have liked to sleep and not hunt scorpions at night.

In fact, he entered that group by pure chance because when Inspector Yu and he returned to the Prosecution, they saw that SolHi and SuJin rushed somewhere. How SuJin got to follow SolHi? Simple. He took her phone when she was about to read the text message received from the Bear. Thus, as he found out about her plan and she was afraid that he could tell the others what she wanted to do SolHi took him with her. This didn’t impede SuJin from mumbling all the time while they exited the building, „You definitely look for the devil, Nuna! How the hell could you think about going there at night? It’s dangerous and…” Thus, too focused on arguing with each other, none of them noticed Yu and Kan. And, as they couldn’t get rid of them later, SuJin was forced to tell them about their plan. On the way to the club, they also picked up Yoon Suk, telling him that it was a damn urgent job and they needed him.

Being about to enter the „Lion’s cage” as SuJin told SolHi that night, Kan started to regret that he didn’t force SolHi to give up on her plan of hunting Scorpion. Yet, as it was a well-done job already, he contented himself with only growling, damn furious, „Ah, Prosecutor Han, ah: I thought you had some blood in your veins and could keep SolHi away from problems. Yet, I see that I’ve been wrong because you can only talk but act less. Damn, you definitely can’t control the woman you say you love.” After that, reproachfully shaking his head, Kan entered the club too.

***

The inside of the club „The Night Pleasures” was as ordinary as possible. It was built from red bricks, which were clearly seen while descending the stairs and this was probably because the owner chose to keep the „rustic” front of the walls. Also for „rusticity,” he let the white material used for finishing be seen between the bricks.

Then, here and there on the walls, many paintings were seen. They weren’t expensive, although the owner considered the opposite. The connoisseurs could have even said that the paintings were frumpy, painted by a second or third-rate painter, who also had no idea what the hell he painted on the white cloth. Yet, being bought by a stupid who considered those paintings a „masterpiece,” meant he didn’t fail in choosing his profession, although he did everything to assure everybody of this by painting those caricatures.

Seeing the paintings, Yu reproachfully shook his head. Then, he ironically said, „It’s what I consider pure talent and value.” He said this, looking at the caricature of a man with a big nose, which the owner exposed right in the middle of the wall.

Hearing him talking like that, Kan, who was descending the stairs right behind the Inspector, jokingly said, „Are you hinting to me what to gift you when you retire?”

Inspector Yu didn’t lose his temper. He only looked past his shoulder, at Kan’s nose, and said, „I rather think that’s the perfect gift for you once it’s the perfect painting of your nose. Like two drops of water, by the way.”

For „audacity,” Kan rewarded Yu with a growl, a hint that the Inspector managed to awaken the bulldog from the detective’s soul. A damn good bulldog, anyway, something that made his colleagues often joke when he acted like this, telling him, „Calm, boy: you still have to grow a little to bite!”

After a few more steps descended, they stopped when they got next to SolHi. She, finishing descending the stairs, stopped and carefully looked around. This is how she saw Scorpion and told others, „He’s over there!”

She hadn’t been at all wrong regarding Scorpion because he was definitely living in style. At that moment, he was sitting on one of the blue velvet couches, somewhere to the right, in a protected and private area of the club, right next to a door that led to the basement. He wasn’t alone but accompanied by a few young women who were barely dressed and who were begging for attention and caresses while sticking to him like the chewing gum to someone’s hair.

At the sight of Scorpion, SuJin smiled and said, „Sweet life he has! A luxury one no other!” For this, he received a palm over his head from his father. This quickly returned him to reality, understanding that he talked more than he should have done. He even bit his lower lip not to say something more.

SuJin smiled eventually when Kan said to protect him, „What’s your problem with the boy, ogre? Let him have fun while he’s still young. Or what, have you never been nineteen? Or, don’t tell me, were you worse than him, changing the girls like the gloves?”

Yu showed his fangs to Kan, a hint that he didn’t taste the joke. Then, in a serious tone, he said, „At his age, I was washing the floor of the restaurants to have money to eat. During the night because I was studying during the day. And, when I was two years older than him, I worked like a demon to feed two more souls. One of those large mouths that asked for food was this one’s, for whom you asked me to give him more „freedom.”

This „emotional confession” didn’t impress Kan too much. He just suddenly passed by Yu, ironically saying, „If you had a kid at that age, it meant that you knew life better than us. Others, at thirty, still live with their mothers. So, instead of scolding him, you should be grateful to him for turning you into an important man.”

The argument between Kan and Yu made SolHi and SuJin exchange glances. Eventually, SuJin shrugged, somehow bored, because it wasn’t the first time he heard the two men teasing each other. Yet, he couldn’t deny that he felt protected by Kan. Moreover, when Kan put a hand on his shoulder, SuJin smiled, satisfied. Yet, when his father hissed into his ear, „Do you feel as if you are taking flight?” SuJin rotated on his heels and rushed toward one of the tables to avoid another slap from his father.

Alone with SolHi, Inspector Yu finally approached her. Then, looking at Kan and SuJin, they saw them approaching a waiter and asking for a „table with a better view.” The two even smiled because Kan’s trick worked and they received a table from where Scorpion’s table was clearly seen. This also made Yu eventually say, „He said he had no idea about clubbing.”

„Who? Sombe Kan?”

„Him, of course, and not SuJin! I know my boy is more than familiar with such places. Just like the one over there, who you suspect having businesses with Min SinJu.”

„I don’t only suspect,” SolHi confidently said, not losing sight of Scorpion. „I have evidence of this.” Then, she gave her phone to the inspector and headed toward the table at which Kan and SuJin sat already. Yet, she sat with her back to Scorpion to make sure he wouldn’t recognize her.

While she headed toward the table, Yu looked at the photos. There, he saw Scorpion worshiping in front of SinJu’s car. That’s why the Inspector ironically said, „I thought the puppies were old-fashioned already. I’ve been wrong.” After that, he also headed toward the table.

Once at the table, Yu made a sign to SolHi to sit on the seat next to her. Then he sat on her seat, somehow protecting her not to be seen by Scorpion. The reason? He knew already that Scorpion used to be part of Iun Dja Iun’s gang and that he knew SolHi. That’s why, if he had seen SolHi there, it wouldn’t have been difficult for him to understand why she was doing there. Not when he found out that Dja Iun had strong feelings for SolHi and that he gave up on his life to protect her, something that could have been a perfect reason for SolHi to look for revenge.

The protective way in which the Inspector acted when he leaned in front a little when Scorpion looked at their table, made SuJin grin. Then, leaning over the table, the young man whispered into his old man’s ear, „I have something to use and blackmail you now. And, if you do not do what I want, I’ll tell Mother about this.”

Hearing SuJin talking like that, Kan slowly slapped his head, just as Yu used to do to his son. After that, the detective hissed into the boy’s ear, „Ia, Yu SuJin, are you a man or a p…? If you are a man, you should also know that a man never betrays another one. Moreover, if he’s your father.”

„And? If he’s my father, should I close my eyes when he betrays my mother?”

„Ia, Yu SuJin, when I betrayed your mother? You… you…” Yu stuttered. His reaction had nothing to do with his fear that his wife could have found out about this because she knew very well whom she was married to and that he wouldn’t have ever betrayed her. Yet, he couldn’t deny that he was unpleasantly surprised by his son’s reaction, who was more than capable of blackmailing others. A hint that he would have a lot of problems with him in the future.

Seeing the confusion on his father’s face, SuJin smiled. Then, he cheerfully said, „I was just joking. Don’t take it personally, old man! And… don’t worry, your „romance” with the younger colleague is safe with me.”

„And my fist kissing your beard is also a sure thing if you don’t keep your mouth shut,” SolHi told him. „Why? Because the „younger colleague” of your father disliked the joke about the „romance.” And… change the subject!”

„Got it, boss,” the young man jokingly said. After that, when the waiter approached them, SuJin took a beer.

The beer got to Kan eventually, who rushed to take it from the young man’s hand. Then, looking at the waiter, Kan told him, smiling, „Only juice for children, please!” A remark that made SuJin cook his nose, while the others smiled. Just as the waiter did.

„He can drink today! Yet, only one beer,” Yu said in a sure voice when he saw SuJin frowning. Yet, he allowed his son to drink that night because he was afraid that the waiter would suspect that they weren’t there to drink. A permission that made SuJin smile, damn happy!”

***

About an hour after they entered the club and started that weird game of „spying on a scorpion,” who didn’t do anything else but drink and kiss his companions, Scorpion finally stood up. Yet, although he stood up, he was staggering to his feet, about to lose his balance. More than this, to be able to walk, he needed to be supported by one of the girls who was with him. Otherwise, he would have fallen for sure, hitting the corner of the table with his head, doing a favor to the whole world though.

Eventually, he left the table. Not alone, but with the girl that supported him not to lose his balance. Though, thrilled, Scorpion grabbed her by the wrist eventually, pulling her behind him toward the door of the basement. Soon after this, when the door closed behind Scorpion and the girl, Yu made a sign to SuJin, and he stood up too, heading toward the same door. And, to make sure he wouldn’t be caught by one of the „eagles” that were guarding the club, SuJin pretended to clean the clothes he had on, yawning all the time, a hint that he was „bored” and at all interested by the rest what happened around.

Then, when he was sure that none of the guardians saw him, SuJin sneaked through that door, which he carefully closed behind him. And, once at the basement, surprise-surprise: he saw all along that hall many closed doors of the booths where the clients, who paid for „special treatment,” got with the girls. Even so, even if the doors of those booths were closed, SuJin didn’t lose his temper but started to open them one by one just to see where exactly Scorpion was.

SuJin found Scorpion in one of the booths at the end of that hall, whose door wasn’t closed. The reason? Scorpion and the girl seemed to have been in a „rush” and forgot to close the door completely when they entered. Thus, they gave SuJin the chance to see Scorpion sitting on the couch, with the girl on his lap in a very sexy and hot position. Yet, „incendiary” wasn’t only the girl’s movements but also the fact that Scorpion, who was ecstatic and wanted more and more, poured some white dust on one of the girl’s breasts, which he „sniffed” right away.

Seeing him, with the camera on already because he knew he would find something interesting in the basement, SuJin smiled. After that, he murmured, „I haven’t expected less from you, bro! You are exactly on my taste: those who know how life should be lived.” Then, to have a better view, SuJin put his hand through the half-open door and filmed everything he could.

Eventually, he’d been forced to hide the phone when the door of the basement opened. Aware that the guardians might have come to check the place if it was clean and safe and that it wasn’t a good idea to be caught spying on someone there, SuJin pretended to be drunk, swinging his arms around his body and pretending to try to grab something not to fall. And, to be everything credible, the boy started to murmur something unintelligible.

SuJin even hiccupped at one point when one of the guardians yelled „What are you doing there?” when he saw the boy. Thus, he received a vague answer from SuJin, who murmured a „the toilet” at the end. Because of this, he’d been grabbed by the collar by the same guard and pushed toward the stairs. Then, not paying attention to the fact that SuJin was „barely keeping his balance,” the two guardians grabbed him by the arms eventually and pulled him after them toward the exit door.

Passing by the table where Yu and the rest were sitting, SuJin winked at them, seeing the three detectives staring at him with wide-open eyes because they had never expected to see the young man looking like that… like a real drunker. What they thought when they had sent the boy there was that he would have apologized if he had been caught, telling the guards that he was there looking for the bathroom. Instead of this, SuJin chose to play, and he did that damn well because the moment they got to the street and the two bodyguards threw him away like a sack of vegetables, poor SuJin went heels over head, screaming blue murder and begging not to be swung because he was dizzy.

Out of the club, SolHi, Kan, and Yu clearly saw how SuJin was treated and that while falling he sprained his shoulder. Even so, they did nothing to help him, aware that it could have ruined the operation. Actually, it wasn’t necessary to intervene because SuJin was doing great without their help. And that „he was doing great” wasn’t at all an exaggeration because, struggling to stand up, he was rolling from one side to the other, asking the other clients for help. He even complained at one point that he „lost his head,” and this after he lost the cap when he fell. Then, seeing it eventually a few meters from him, SuJin started to crawl on all fours toward it, making poor Yu, who widened his eyes when seeing his son acting like that, swear that he would crack SuJin’s head for sure after this because he hadn’t ever expected something like this from his son.

Yet, Yu had been forced to leave that lesson for later when he felt Kan’s hand touching his shoulder. Then, discreetly, Kan made a sign to the Inspector, letting him know that it was the right time to hit the pike because a lot of curious people were already there. After that, without waiting to see what Yu would do, Kan and SolHi left, followed by Yoon Suk, who left the club later, trying not to be spotted by the other viewers.

Inspector Yu, seeing Kan, Yoon Suk, and SolHi leaving and understanding that SuJin wouldn’t leave that place in one piece if not helping him, passed by his son, pretending to intend to leave that place. Seeing his father so close to him, SuJin grabbed Yu’s leg with both arms. Then, laying his head on his father’s leg, he looked up and murmured, „Uncle, what time is it? Three o’clock?! Yes, the perfect hour to see the Martians coming!” A remark that stunned Yu completely. Yet, understanding that by saying this, SuJin gave him the perfect chance to „pick him up” and leave that place, he grabbed his boy by the collar. Then, dragging SuJin after him, Inspector Yu loudly said to be heard by everyone that he was taking the boy with him to show him how the elders should be treated and where exactly the Martians could be found.

What amazed Yu after this was to see that none of those who watched the show in front of the club followed them. Not even the guardians did that. The guards only laughed when they saw Yu dragging SuJin after him, happy that they „got rid of the problem” so easily.

Once alone and with no curious crow around, SuJin snapped at his father. „You could have been kinder with me. Not the other, but I sprained my shoulder when those idiots threw me to the ground.”

„Then, you shouldn’t have pretended to be drunk.”

„And? What should I have done then when they caught me? To tell them that I was looking for a girl there?”

Yu cooked his nose. „Not a girl, but the toilet.”

„As though they would have believed me.” Then, seeing Kan, Yoon Suk, and SolHi approaching them, SuJin forgot about the pain and everything and happily smiled.

SolHi, at all impressed by his smile, asked in a serious voice, „Did you find something there?”

„Did you doubt it?!” SuJin replied, still smiling. Then he showed the four detectives the video with Scorpion having certain pleasures sniffed from off the girl’s chest.

Seeing the video, SolHi frowned. „Damn, cobra! Some are dead while this one has such pleasures! And… sombe, tell me that you still have a good friend at Narcotics!”

„As though someone can hide something like this from you,” mumbled Kan. Then, taking the phone out of his pocket, the detective took a few steps away from them to make a phone call.

Behind Kan, SolHi and SuJin gave a five because they had made a damn good team that night. „The best team ever,” SolHi murmured in the end, thrilled.

***

A couple of hours after that phone call Kan gave, the DEA operative group appeared in front of „The Night Pleasures.” By coming there, they hit the jackpot because they not only captured a lot of drug dealers and drug addicts, but they also took care no one would escape after being interrogated. They especially took care to pick Scorpion up because after him they had come there when Kan had been so kind and sent his friend the video SuJin filmed in the basement.

Kan sent that video to his friend to make sure he would convince him to come there. He was an old fox for sure, as GhiYon named him once because, although he called his friend to tell him about a rumor he heard, he changed his mind right away that one picked up and told him about the video he had. Where that video was filmed? In the Club „The Night Pleasures,” Kan responded right away. And, aware of what kind of business some people had there, the DEA appeared that night there, after receiving Kan’s video by email.

Seeing the DEA searching that place and how they took Scorpion in custody, SolHi told Kan, „Now I understand why others say that nothing escapes from you, sombe!”

„I can say the same thing about you,” replied Kan, smiling.

„What do you mean?”

„At nothing in particular. Anyway, once the bait was swallowed, let’s wait for the big fish to fall into the trap.”

„Something I doubt, sombe.”

„Why? Do you think he won’t give Min SinJu away just to save his ass?”

„Exactly. Scorpion won’t do that because he cares about his life. Even so, it’s a step taken in front eventually. And… how to solve this problem, we’ll see later.” Then, turning her back to the four men, SolHi left that place in a hurry.