VICTOIRE

 Summer of 2020

A glass of the finest wine swirls in his hold. The sound of laughter harmonizing with the shuffle of cards, spins of the Russian Roulette and curses from the unlucky, play a background music to his playground. He smiles and pushes a stack of tokens forward. His gambler's conceit surfaces. "I'll quit when I'm ahead.", he thought to himself.

"But you are ahead...", his subconscious chides. He makes eye contact with the croupier and grins. 

One quick swig of his remaining drink then he pushes all his tokens forward. 

"All in?", a beautiful blonde says beside him and he answers with a grin. "Cocky", she adds eyeing him with interest that conveyed more than the money he's playing for. The bachelor was in a sleek black tuxedo, with a white undershirt. His hair pushed back in gelled perfection and his cufflinks blinds anyone who looks. "How sure are you that you'll win this?"

He puts on a playful smirk and leans close to whisper, "As certain as I am, that you will end up on my bed tonight." Then he winks before he looks back at the hand shuffling the cards. 

Queen of Hearts

King of Diamonds

Ace of Spades

When the hand stopped, so did his world.

"I'll wait for you by the Larvotto. Can you get here in 5?", he says onto the receiver as he lights a cigarette in his hotel room, courtesy of the casino. The clear blue black skies, seemingly adorned with diamonds over Monègasque, masks the charade he had been playing since he arrived. His eyes stray on the woman on his bed, the same one who played beside him, uninvited. Her back to him. Her dress intact. Never trust a who picks you up at a casino, unless she's got the winning cards.

And he knew, he always had the lucky hand.

Strays of pink and orange begin to shine on the horizon.

"It's time to go.", he says when the person on the other line ceased to talk. "Let's go back home."

Dressed in a casual white shirt, torn jeans and black leather jacket, he plays with the dirt on the ground with his black boots. He scans the area and quite a few people made their way to the beach early today. Maybe some of them spent the night. He thought the Larvotto would be peaceful at this time but he was mistaken. He saw group of girls look his way and waved. He smiled cordially then looked the opposite side where a guy was openly checking him out then winked at him. He could only look down and pray for the moron who called him in the wee hours of the morning, to arrive. He now regrets getting off the car and stretching his legs, but what use would it be if the hood of the vintage Mercedes was down anyway.

He hears a shout of "Oi!" and he looks to where it came from. The voice belonged to a guy with gelled-back red hair, carrying two red berkins. He had a goofy smile plastered on his face and the look of annoyance of the other person, made him laugh.

"You're 30 minutes late.", the younger of the two comments before opening the door to the driver's seat and getting in. The other follows after dumping his things at the back of the car. He lays his black tux on the bags and sits shotgun.

"I had to cash out.", the other grins. The younger one turns to his passenger. His face turning from skeptic to wonder and finally, a smile. The radio plays, Comin' Up From Behind, a Marcy Playground catchy beat. "Drive.", the older one commands. "I'll tell you all about it on the way."

"I'm gobsmacked! How do you even do that?", the young man asked as they cruised their way to the marina.

"I got lucky!", the passenger puffs on his cigarette and inhales the nicotine but the rush of air around him, robs him of it faster than it could reach his senses.

"You are always lucky. Sometimes I think you cheat, but knowing you for years now, makes me think otherwise. You'll surely get caught if you did."

"Are you saying I'm not smart enough?"

"We both know you're not!", the driver says and the passenger rolls his eyes at him. 

 "I hope you didn't bring women to the yacht. My sea nymph is a jealous girl."

"Jiyong-hyung, you know me. I don't do unnecessary trysts in foreign lands.", the driver says.

"Why not?", Jiyong asks. "This is the perfect time to loose your inhibitions and pretend you're someone that you are not! No one knows you in this place!"

"I'd rather enjoy my freedom in a different way.", his companion answers with his eyes on the road. "I don't get to do this often in Seoul. Besides, I don't really like the attention when its both men and women giving it."

He sounded conceited, but the older guy knew that it was the truth. He pats the younger one's shoulder. "You're too beautiful to ignore, Taehyun. That's why I never insist on taking you with me in the game room. You'll gather too much on lookers and make me lose my concentration. 

"But you drag me to your secret escapades!"

"You're the only one with as much courage, as I do."

"Not many of your friends know that you gamble a lot and they will skin me alive if they knew I let you. If not for the freedom and me-time I get, i probably wouldn't be with you right now.", Taehyun says. "And don't ask me when we'll be in Monaco again. With your luck and love for gambling, I'd say we'll be here next week!"

Jiyong laughs at the smart come back. He studies the younger guy quietly. Nam Taehyun was young, 4 years his junior. His golden brown hair was in disarray but the middle part could still be distinguished. He had fair skin and his features were strikingly beautiful for a guy that most people, be it man or woman, couldn't help but stop and stare. 

"Why do you insist on being an introvert when I know that you also enjoy company?", Jiyong asks out of curiosity once they reach the marina where his Sea Nymph was anchored.

"Who wouldn't, when I'm always surrounded by idiots?", Taehyun answered and Jiyong let out a laugh.

"Then be glad you're with me."

"I always am, Jiyong hyung!", Taehyun smiles at Jiyong but the latter felt his hair stand on end at the fake enthusiasm he got from the younger one. But then, the younger one's smile becomes gentle, then he adds. "I may not look it, but I am always thankful."

And Jiyong knew, Taehyun meant it.

If people knew them 5 years ago, no one would guess that Kwon Jiyong and Nam Taehyun would be as good as brothers. Jiyong was the only son of real estate moguls and a senior at Seoul National when Taehyun, only son of  a business tycoon and a ballerina, enrolled as a freshman. Their parents were partners but they never interacted with each other until the year they both lost them. 

The Kwon's newest building was under construction. It was rumored to be the largest shopping mall that will be ever built in Asia. Investors from around the world have been interested in getting a share and the bidding came at a high price. Mr. Nam invested everything he had but Mr. Kwon only got half and still chose him to run the business. Mr. Kwon knew he was rich, but he was only rich. Mr. Nam knew how to run the business and the former was wise enough to acknowledge. They trusted each other more than anyone. Maybe even more than their own wives. 

Fast forward to the year that the largest mall in Asia opened. Its name was all over newspapers and the television, both in the local and international news. Especially when a bomb detonated on site and killed both Jiyong and Taehyun's parents.

Perhaps it was pity, but maybe more a proof that Kwon Jiyong had a heart despite the bad reputation he put up with in school. He was as broken and lost as Taehyun, facing a responsibility that they both weren't prepared for. They had to face the investors, the lawyers, the media, a day just after their loss. Hiding their true motives with a word of condolence but both knew what all of them were really after. They wanted the Kwon's and the Nam's money. It was  inhumane and Kwon Jiyong wanted nothing of the hypocrisy. Nam Taehyun thought the same. Jiyong invited Taehyun and their respective lawyers to talk about a plan to sell everything that connected them to the tragedy that cost them both their family. They didn't care about the price. They just wanted out of it. 

Having the money from the sale, along with the old investments their parents made and were still operational but run by a loyal board, Jiyong and Taehyun began a life of their own. They paid people to run their businesses and keep them from bankruptcy while they both decide on what to do with themselves.

Kwon Jiyong had always wanted a business of his own despite getting side-tracked by his secret hobby, while Taehyun wanted to pursue the arts. After Taehyun graduated, he sold the mansion that he used to live in and sought out Jiyong. He asked for help in finding a place that had a great view but was away from the public's eye.

But to make the story short, he wanted Kwon Jiyong's place.

"You are crazy! What makes you think that I will sell my place to you?"

"Then let me rent in a room.", Taehyun argued. 

"You are ing nuts!"

"No, just desperate."

Kwon Jiyong sighed and massaged his temples. His place was definitely big and he didn't really invite a lot of people in, just his closest and dearest friends. There were probably only about 5 or 6. He doesn't even bring women to his home. 

"How did you even find my place?", Jiyong asked. "Only my friends know and they wouldn't sell me out!"

Taehyun walked close to the glass walls that framed Jiyong's house, facing the lake then pointed out straight, west to be exact. "You see that strip of land?" Jiyong nodded. "My parents owned it. I own it now but it is filled with tourists