Episode 19

“If there’s anything I need to improve, could you let me know? I’ll do my best to adjust based on your feedback. Seong-min’s grades have improved a lot, and he’s been keeping up well with the lessons.”

With desperation in her voice, So-hee tried to persuade Seong-min’s mother. Because of her right ear’s hearing loss, many parents hesitated to hire her, making it difficult to find new tutoring jobs.

At least the current ones acknowledged her skills, and she had been able to maintain these group lessons steadily without losing students.

“It’s not that… ah, I feel awkward even saying this.”

“Please, ma’am, I really don’t mind. Feel free to speak comfortably.”

“It’s just… I think you’re a bit of a distraction to a kid who’s right in the middle of puberty. Of course, it’s not your fault. But this is a time when he should be focusing on studying, not having his attention wander elsewhere.”

“I’m… not sure I follow.”

Seong-min’s mother waved her hand as if to stop the conversation, her expression awkward and uneasy—yet a flicker of discomfort was unmistakable.

In that moment, So-hee recalled the odd behaviors she had noticed from her recently.

She would often enter the room during lessons, bringing snacks, or suggest that the door be left open for ventilation. It was Seong-min’s mother who had recommended adding Seong-min’s two friends to the lessons, saying that group tutoring might be better than one-on-one.

Now, So-hee finally understood what the concern was. If it was that, then it wasn’t something she could change the mother’s mind about.

“Anyway, I’m sorry. I should’ve looked for a male tutor from the start, but your fee was just too affordable… So I’ll make the payment for this month and we’ll end the lessons here, alright?”

Unable to persuade her, So-hee left the apartment building with a heavy heart. Losing this group lesson, which had been a major part of her income, left her at a complete loss.

In a situation where every penny—whether interest or principal—was desperately needed, even the part-time job interview she had lined up at the convenience store had to go well. There was no room for failure.

* * *

A cold tension filled the visitation room. The real problem was that Koo Myung-chul’s visits were becoming less frequent.

“Did you cheat on me or something?”

Jin Hye-yeon snapped right away, her voice sharp with irritation. Koo Myung-chul forced a smile. She hadn’t lost that nasty temper, even behind bars. He was honestly sick of putting up with it, but it seemed there was still something left to squeeze out of her, so he couldn’t ditch her just yet.

“Why’re you like this? I’ve been loyal, even holding things down on the outside for you. You paranoid or something?”

There was definitely the scent of some hidden money in the air, but no proof. All things considered, he wasn’t ready to toss her aside yet.

“Then why’ve you barely shown up for visits? It’s not like you’ve got a job like everyone else.”

Without realizing it, Koo Myung-chul clenched his fists, then loosened them. Honestly, if she hadn’t dropped that story, he would’ve vanished long ago. It was right after Jin Hye-yeon first landed in prison.

At her first visit, she had been visibly anxious, practically begging him to come often. Sensing his lukewarm reaction, she said there was a big payout coming and that he just needed to wait until she got out.

With that money, the two of them could live easy, never worrying about cash again.

When he brought it up a few days later, she claimed it was the drugs talking and that she didn’t remember any of it—but he knew. It wasn’t nonsense. Something was there.

“Babe, come on, don’t be like that. You remember Jong-seop, right? My buddy. I told you I’ve been busy helping with his business.”

“You? Helping? With what money? Don’t tell me you took out the villa’s deposit.”

Hye-yeon, you’re sharp again now that the drugs have worn off. Truth was, he’d already blown that money gambling a while ago. Feeling guilty, Koo Myung-chul raised his voice.

“You think I’d do that? What kind of idiot would that make me?”

“You’ve been less than human more than once, Koo Myung-chul. Don’t forget I ended up in here cleaning up your mess.”

Like she hadn’t been eager to jump into it herself. Koo Myung-chul laughed bitterly inside.

They’d met back in their hustling days, at a host bar. His plan was to scam some rich madam, retire early, and live comfortably with people calling him “boss.” But of all people, he got hooked by broke-as-hell Jin Hye-yeon. She was good-looking, and he’d just planned to mooch a bit of cash off her, keep her around for fun.

But suddenly she started acting like she owned him—ditched her husband and daughter to tail him around like a shadow, calling herself his woman.

She pressured him to quit hosting, saying she’d take care of him, that she’d provide. After that, he figured to hell with it and borrowed money from loan sharks to invest in a business, which tanked one after another.

Trying to cover the losses, Jin Hye-yeon sold her body when she was younger, then sold drugs as she got older. Eventually, she got hooked herself and ended up behind bars.

Watching her closely, Koo Myung-chul put on a pained expression, his lips twitching from the strain of forcing a smile.

“Of course, babe. That’s why I’m here, breaking my back to come see you all the time.”

“Typical host trash—good for nothing but running your mouth.”

Checking the dwindling visitation time, Jin Hye-yeon suddenly lowered her voice, shifting into something secretive.

“Hey, Koo Myung-chul. Can you check something out for me?”

“What is it now?”

What headache is she trying to rope me into this time? He asked lazily.

“Kim Joong-sik sold the debt.”

“What? Seriously?”

Even Koo Myung-chul couldn’t hide his surprise. Kim Joong-sik was infamous for being dirty and petty, even in their world. He’d squeeze people dry, using them until there was nothing left, then sell whatever he could.

But he wasn’t the type to sell a debt—he was a twisted freak who enjoyed using it to torment people, not just collect.

“Who’d he sell it to?”

“No clue. That’s why I want you to find out. Something’s fishy. Kim Joong-sik’s not the kind of guy who just hands off debts.”

“If he’d sold Yoon So-hee directly, he could’ve made good money. Why pass that up? That is weird.”

Koo Myung-chul thought of Jin Hye-yeon’s daughter, Yoon So-hee, whom he’d run into at the prison. She was the spitting image of her mother—only prettier. Not just pretty, she had the kind of allure that could bring the dead back to life.

As a product, she was top-tier. Kim Joong-sik could’ve kept milking her for interest, then sold her to some upscale joint for a hefty price. Jin Hye-yeon had mentioned it once—that he planned to do exactly that, and she was hoping to use it as leverage to squeeze some hush money out of him.

Back then, Koo Myung-chul had felt disgusted by Jin Hye-yeon—what kind of mother tries to sell her own daughter? But after seeing So-hee in person, his thoughts had shifted. With a face and body like that, it felt like a waste to just let her be.

She’d inherited her mother’s nasty temper and resisted him, so he never got his hands on her, but the regret had lingered.

Thinking about So-hee, who looked exactly like what Jin Hye-yeon must’ve been at twenty, Koo Myung-chul licked his lips. Just his type—big tits, young, and ripe.

“Alright. But if you say anything to the kid, she’ll bolt, right? So don’t let it show. Just go check things out quietly.”

“Got it. Then give me her house key code or something. I’ll snoop around.”

“That place is so old there’s no door lock. It’s just a regular key, and I made a copy. I’ve hidden it, you see, and it’s….”

If this went well, he might get both the cash Jin Hye-yeon stashed and her daughter in his hands. Koo Myung-chul’s eyes gleamed.

“You get it? Think you can do it without getting caught?”

“Hye-yeon, don’t you trust me?”

“Trust? Screw you.”

Having done his mental math, Koo Myung-chul gave a filthy grin.

* * *

The convenience store where So-hee had her interview was located in a busy part of town and seemed to have plenty of customers, likely due to its large size.

She fought back her nerves and stepped inside, where loud music blared from the speakers.

Beeeep. The familiar ringing echoed in her ear. So-hee pressed her palm briefly to her left ear, then lowered it and walked to the counter. A middle-aged woman, who seemed to be the owner, was wearing earphones and didn’t even notice So-hee until she spoke.

“Hello, I’m Yoon So-hee. I have an interview today.”

The owner pulled out one earphone and gave So-hee a sweeping look, up and down. The uncomfortable stare made her shrink in place.

Even over the phone, the woman hadn’t sounded particularly kind, and now in person, her expression was just as sharp.

“Ah, yeah. You’re the student on leave, right? You’re early.”

Her weak ear couldn’t pick up the woman’s voice over the music. To make things worse, the owner was wearing a mask, so she couldn’t even read her lips.

“You said you’ve worked at a convenience store before. We get a lot of stock here, and you’re so scrawny—can you even handle carrying it?”

“I, um….”

No matter how much she tilted her left ear, the words were chopped and scattered. Embarrassed, her pale cheeks flushed red.

“I’m sorry, but I have trouble hearing. Could you take off your mask when you speak?”

“What?”

“I have hearing loss in one ear… I’m really sorry.”

With a face full of irritation, the owner yanked the speaker volume knob. The music cut off instantly, and her voice rang out loud and harsh in the now-silent store.

“What the hell? Why’d a deaf girl apply for this job?”