Chapter 937: Something Called Fate (4) |
A dizzying shock hit me. It was so overwhelming that my vision blurred for a moment.
'Han Dae-Man hadn't taken the money?'
However, he had clearly confessed with his own mouth that he had.
"What do you mean? What do you mean he didn't take it?" I asked.
Eun Ye-Jin let out a deep sigh as she spoke. "That money… it wasn't my husband who took it. It was our son who took it. Fifty million won."
"Dong-Hae hyung took the money?"
Back when I was a high school senior, Han Dong-Hae, Han Dae-Man's eldest son, was twenty-eight. He was kind, someone who used to give me pocket money and treat me like a real younger brother. And yet, Eun Ye-Jin was saying that he had taken money from the father of my opponent, Noh Tae-Soo.
Han Dong-Hae wasn't even an athlete, but he was just an ordinary office worker. It made no sense that he would be involved in match-fixing.
"Why would Dong-Hae hyung do something like that…?"
"Yes. Yooeun Construction, I think? He was so happy about just getting hired."
As soon as I said that, a long sigh escaped her lips. "While working there as a probationary employee, he caused an incident. But it turned out Yooeun Construction was actually a subsidiary of NK Construction."
NK Construction was the company run by Noh Sang-Jin, the father of my opponent, Noh Tae-Soo. And Noh Sang-Jin was also the vice president of the Boxing Association.
"Don't tell me… Noh Sang-Jin threatened Dong-Hae hyung?"
"Yes. He told Dong-Hae that he would exempt him from liability and make him a full-time employee if he cooperated with match-fixing. And he even offered him fifty million won."
The moment I heard the full story, my fists clenched without me realizing it. Saying something like that to a probationary employee was practically a setup for match-fixing from the start.
'Those bastards…'
Normally, unless it was intentional embezzlement or breach of trust, a company didn't hold an individual personally liable for damages. Especially for a probationary employee, mistakes were the responsibility of the supervisor in charge. So the fact that they threatened to hold Han Dong-Hae liable meant they had set a trap from the beginning.
"They couldn't get to Mr. Han, so they went after Dong-Hae hyung instead."
Eun Ye-Jin nodded. "That's right. But what could we do? When your own child has already taken the money, how could we, as parents, pretend it never happened?"
I didn't even need to see it to know how much the two of them must have agonized between their son and me. Just the fact that they had scraped together five million won every year despite their circumstances showed how heavy that burden had been.
And Han Dong-Hae must have suffered just as much. For a twenty-eight-year-old probationary employee, it would have been too much to bear. Knowing the Han Dong-Hae I remembered, he must have blamed himself endlessly after being trapped without a chance to resist.
Thinking that all of them had suffered because of me made my chest feel tight.
I let out a small sigh and tightly held Eun Ye-Jin's trembling hands as she finished telling the truth. "Thank you for telling me the truth. And… Dong-Hae hyung probably didn't have a choice either. So please don't blame yourselves anymore. I'm okay. I really am."
At that moment, Eun Ye-Jin lowered her head and pressed her wrinkled forehead against the back of my hand. Then she began to cry like a waterfall.
"Yoon-Ho… I can't even imagine how much you must have suffered and how much it must have hurt. But back then, we didn't know what to do… and we felt so sorry for ruining your future… we couldn't even bring ourselves to contact you. I'm sorry, Yoon-Ho. I'm so sorry. Truly… I'm so sorry…"
'I should have come sooner. I should have come earlier.'
Even after going through regression, regret washed over me for only coming now. All this time, I had only thought about the small nail lodged in my own heart. I had never once imagined that, for them, it had been a massive stake driven straight through theirs.
Not knowing what to say, I simply held Eun Ye-Jin tightly as she cried just like back then, when I hugged her after my first championship win because she looked so happy.
"I'm okay. I really am okay. So please don't cry, okay?"
At that moment, tears began pouring down my face as well as if they were washing away the towering layers of misunderstanding that had built up over time.
***
After crying for a long while, I felt strangely refreshed as if nothing had happened. Once I calmed down, I took out a handkerchief from my pocket and gently wiped the tears still lingering around Eun Ye-Jin's eyes.
"I'm really okay now, so please don't let the past hurt you anymore. I may not have succeeded as a boxer, but I've made it big in another way."
Eun Ye-Jin smiled softly. "That's right. My husband and I always watch TV and feel so proud of you. And that stubborn man talks about you so much that it makes my ears hurt. Whenever he sees you on TV, he goes over to that display case and polishes your trophies and medals, then drinks soju feeling upset."
As Eun Ye-Jin spoke, something suddenly felt off. The family photo of Han Dae-Man with his children, which used to sit on top of the TV, was nowhere to be seen.
"By the way… where's the photo of Dong-Hae hyung and Dong-Mi noona that used to be on the TV?" I asked.
Eun Ye-Jin paused, then let out a deep sigh before answering. "It's been a while since we cut ties with them."
"Why?"
"On the morning of your match, Dong-Hae came to us and confessed everything. He said he had already become a full-time employee and taken the money, so it couldn't be undone… and asked us to make you forfeit. Your coach lost his temper and, for the first time ever, hit him."
"Mr. Han… hit hyung?"
As a former boxer, Han Dae-Man had never once laid a hand on Han Dong-Hae. He would scold him if he did something wrong, but he had never used physical force. But that day, Han Dae-Man had slapped Han Dong-Hae.
Eun Ye-Jin npdded. "Yes. He said there are things a person should never do, no matter what. After that, Dong-Hae left home. And Dong-Mi, who was already living in Seoul for school at the time, ended up cutting ties as well."
I had never imagined that the match-fixing incident had torn Han Dae-Man's family apart like that. I didn't know what to say, nor could I say anything.
"…If it weren't for me…"
At that, Eun Ye-Jin shook her head firmly. "No. It's not your fault, so don't ever blame yourself. That was Dong-Hae's mistake in choosing to block your future just to survive. Do you understand?"
I was grateful that she cared more about me than even her own blood, but I couldn't just ignore everything. If a conglomerate like NK Construction had deliberately targeted Han Dong-Hae, anyone in his position would have fallen into that trap. An ordinary person without power or connections had no way to stand against something like that. And knowing the Han Dong-Hae I remembered, he must have suffered terribly after receiving that offer.
Once this was over, I decided I would help bring Han Dae-Man's family back together. If not for me, they wouldn't have been torn apart like this. And as for NK Construction—the ones behind it all—I intended to make them pay.
Taking a deep breath, I spoke to Eun Ye-Jin. "When I go back to Seoul, I'll meet Dong-Hae hyung and Dong-Mi noona and try to talk things out. And Mr. Han always listened to me, so I'll help you reconcile."
"It's… okay…"
"No. How could Dong-Hae hyung have possibly held out against a conglomerate like NK Construction? He must have felt completely trapped back then. He was only twenty-eight. We can't change the past, but from now on, you should reconcile and live happily together."
Eun Ye-Jin let out a deep sigh, but a faint smile formed on her lips. "Having my youngest son here makes me feel so reassured."
Whenever Eun Ye-Jin was in a good mood, she used to call me her youngest son. And just like now, she used to gently stroke my cheek with affection. Her once-soft hands had grown rough over time, but they were still warmer than anyone else's.
As I briefly drifted into old memories, Eun Ye-Jin suddenly stood up. "Oh my, what am I doing? I completely forgot I was going to make coffee for my youngest son. Just a moment."
Eun Ye-Jin hurried into the kitchen and turned on the gas stove.
Click, click, click.
Since it was such an old gas stove, it took quite a while of fiddling before the flame finally caught. There were countless things I wanted to replace, top to bottom. However, there was something that needed to be resolved first.
Now that I knew the full story, I immediately checked Everyday. The misunderstanding from that day had been cleared up, so once Han Dae-Man returned, all that was left was to reconcile.
[Everyday V13]
[Date: April 28, 2021]
[Fortune of the Day: The last chance to clear up long-standing misunderstandings. Miss this moment, and you'll regret it for the rest of your life.]
'What is this? Why isn't it disappearing?'
I thought I had heard everything, but the fortune remained unchanged.
'Is there still something I don't know? Or is there something Han Dae-Man hadn't told Eun Ye-Jin yet?'
I thought it over carefully, but I couldn't figure it out.
Just in case there was a clue, I asked Eun Ye-Jin, "Ma'am, did Mr. Han say anything else when he came home that day?"
"You mean the day of your match?"
"Yes."
Screech.
At that moment, the kettle whistled as it came to a boil. Eun Ye-Jin turned off the gas and poured the water into a mug she had already prepared.
Drip, drip, drip.
As Eun Ye-Jin stirred the mug with a teaspoon, she answered, "Other than drinking strong soju endlessly without even any side dishes, no."
"Then what about today? He came to the orphanage and left ten million won. Could something have changed in his mind?"
"Oh, right. He did say he had something to take care of today. But you know how he is—he doesn't talk much. So I just thought he was happy to return the fifty million won Dong-Hae had taken, by giving it to you instead."
That was all Eun Ye-Jin knew.
At that moment, the clock pointed to 9:40 p.m. The fortune still suggested that something would happen involving Han Dae-Man, so I asked her one more favor.
"Could you try calling him? I want to see him as soon as possible."
"Ah, alright."
Eun Ye-Jin pulled out a worn phone from her pocket, its paint chipped in places. It was the same old flip phone I had seen nine years ago. She pressed the buttons instead of a touchscreen, struggling as they didn't respond easily.
'Once today is over, I'll replace everything for them.'
I wanted to bring them to Seoul immediately, but first, I had to make sure there would be nothing left to regret. However, Han Dae-Man didn't answer.
"He's not picking up."
"I'll try calling. Is he still using the same number?"
"No. He changed it after cutting ties with Dong-Hae. Here."
I quickly dialed the number Eun Ye-Jin gave me.
[Connecting to voicemail…]
For some reason, the call didn't go through at first, but on the third attempt, it finally connected.
-Hello.
A firm, hardened voice came through. Now that I knew what he had been carrying all these years, my voice trembled with emotion.
"Mr. Han…"
Han Dae-Man recognized my voice instantly.
-Yoon-Ho… it's you. It's been a while. But what's wrong with your voice? Did something happen?
After nine years, with all those misunderstandings between us, he spoke as if we had only parted yesterday. And the first thing he did was worry about me. At that moment, my chest ached once more. Just like back then, and even now, I could feel how much he cared for me.
"Mr. Han, I'm at your house in Gwangju. And… I heard everything from Mrs. Eun. I'm truly sorry."
Han Dae-Man fell silent for a moment. Then he slowly spoke again.
-No. It's all my fault, so why would you be the one apologizing? I'm the one who's sorry. I should've tried harder to understand you back then and explained things, but I couldn't. I'm sorry, Yoon-Ho. Go ahead and curse this incompetent coach.
Hearing him blame himself without hesitation pierced straight through my chest. However, now wasn't the time to talk like this. To clear Everyday's fortune, I needed to meet him first.
"Mr. Han, where are you right now? I'll come to you."
At that moment, Han Dae-Man's tone rose slightly.
-No, don't. I'm meeting someone near the house and I'll head home right after, so you don't need to come out. I was actually planning to call you today for the first time in a while… Maybe fate is helping us.
Then, I heard a commotion over the line.
-Mr. Han Dae-Man?
-Oh, Reporter Kim! Over here!
Amid the noisy chatter, Han Dae-Man's voice mixed with others in the background.
-Yoon-Ho, don't worry. I'll make sure to restore your honor. And this time… I'll protect you no matter what.
'Restore my honor? Protect me? What on earth is he about to do?'
"Mr. Han, what do you mean—"
-Ah, Yoon-Ho, my battery's dying. I'll hang up. See you at home later.
Click.
Maybe because it was such an old phone, Han Dae-Man abruptly ended the call, saying his battery had run out.
'Mr. Han… you can't expose this!'
Noh Sang-Jin of NK Construction was connected to the family of Noh Hyun-Hee, the wife of the chairman of HK Inc. On top of that, as vice president of the Boxing Association, he had plenty of half-baked thugs under his command. If Han Dae-Man tried to target him through the press, there was no telling what might happen.
I immediately called him back, but Han Dae-Man didn't pick up. In the end, I decided to go find him myself. There had been a lot of background noise, meaning he was most likely in a café.
"Ma'am, is there a café nearby that Mr. Han usually goes to? He said he was meeting a reporter."
"I'm not sure. He only drinks my coffee. But why would he meet a reporter?"
"I'm not sure either. But… I'll go find him."
I quickly turned and headed for the front door.
Eun Ye-Jin looked at me with concern. "You'll come back, right?"
"Of course! I'll be back soon, and we'll have that coffee. And tonight, I'm eating your ramen for a late-night snack."
Eun Ye-Jin smiled warmly. "Alright. I'll make it delicious with green onions and two eggs… so make sure you come back."
Eun Ye-Jin and her husband used to insist that athletes needed protein, always putting two eggs in my ramen. Forgotten memories began to surface, but to protect those memories, Han Dae-Man had to be safe.
"Yes! I'll bring him back with me."
I said it like a promise, then left my business card with my number by the entrance and rushed out of the house. Right after, I called the security team stationed near Angel Orphanage.
"This is Jung Yoon-Ho. Starting now, please search for one person around Gwangju Station to the cafés and shops near CK Cinema."
-Understood.
Then I called Kang Eun-Gi and Chief Choi Go-Yoon. Kang Eun-Gi had plenty of connections in Gwangju, and Choi Go-Yoon had affiliated investigation agencies.
And I began searching every café near the house.
The current time was 10 p.m. There were now only two hours left until the day ended.
***
The current time was 10:30 p.m. As I was drenched in sweat from searching the cafés near CK Cinema, Security Team Lead Oh Cheol-Min pulled up in front of me.
Screech.
"Mr. Jung, get in. We found him!"
I quickly jumped into the passenger seat and asked, "Where is he?"
"We got word that he met a reporter at an underground coffee shop called 'Nabi' near CK Cinema, then left about five minutes ago."
It took time because it wasn't a café but an old-style coffee shop.
"Then is he still around there?"
"No. We pulled footage through a police security camera. His car was seen heading up the side road next to Best High School."
Behind Gwangju Best High School, where I had graduated from, was a mountain called Chilsasan. If you went up that road, there was a large corporate training facility. I had no idea why he would go there, but a chill ran down my spine. It was surrounded by mountains. If something happened there, no one would know.
"Are we going alone?"
"No. My team, President Kang Eun-Gi's people, and Chief Choi Go-Yoon's side have all been told to gather there. It seemed suspicious for someone to head to a training center at this hour."
"Good call."
By the time we finished talking, we had already reached the road leading up to the training center.
Vroom.
Pressing the accelerator, we sped up the slope. And soon the massive building came into view ahead.
Clunk.
As we parked in the wide lot at the top, I was forced to take in an unbelievable sight. In the open yard of the training center, around twenty slender men in suits stood in a circle. And in front of them, one man in a suit had grabbed Han Dae-Man by the collar—his face badly swollen.
"Coach Han. What were you thinking, pulling something like that without fear, huh?"
"I… was wrong… so please… at least spare… Yoon-Ho…"
'This is what the fortune meant?'
The man holding Han Dae-Man by the collar was someone I could never forget. Not a connection, but a curse.
His identity was the Asian Games gold medalist, and the very man who had beaten me through match-fixing during the national team selection.
'Noh Tae-Soo.'
"Noh Tae-Soo! You fucking bastard! Let go of him right now!"
I shouted at the top of my lungs and kicked the door open as I jumped out of the car.
'Noh Tae-Soo. You're dead today.'