— TEASER TWO
REVERIE \ waking up...
an offer
an offerJaebum, he thinks he hears. Jaebum waits at the end of the dock, watching the water ripple between his toes. The sun is setting on the horizon. The world is tinged pink. He hears his name again, more insistent: Jaebum!
There are footsteps behind him, careful and steady. Jaebum throws his head over his shoulder, eyes landing on a familiar pair of sneakers. His heart races in his chest and his palms turn clammy. Jaebum's eyes flit upward—
Only for the dock to collapse from beneath him, and he's thrown back into the world of consciousness. His breath leaves his lungs in an instant. Jaebum's head is spinning. His mouth twists into a scowl as he stares up at his former mentor.
"God, you look disgusting. When was the last time you shaved, Im Jaebum?"
Park Hoon offers him a hand, but Jaebum brushes it away and gets up on shaky feet. He chooses not to answer the question.
His throat is dry, voice croaky with sleep. He heads to the kitchen for a glass of water. The older man follows him, making unnecessary comments.
"Nice vase you got there. Hey, how's Nora? She still shredding up your curtains every other week?"
Jaebum glares as he gulps the water. "I had to give her away. The landlord hates pets." He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. "Cut the small talk, hyung. What do you want?"
"Oh, it's not what I want, Jaebum. You turn on the news lately?" Jaebum shrugs. "I'll take that as a yes."
Hoon pulls out a manila folder from under his arm and places it on the marble counter. There's a name on the top: MOON JUNGHO.
"The director?"
Hoon nods and pats the folder. "Open it up."
Jaebum does, and dozens of papers pour out. Most of them are transcripts of questionings, along with some photographic evidence. Jaebum knows next to nothing about this man or the case, but he can tell the evidence is scarce.
Hoon sifts through the pile and pulls out a photo. The innocent doe eyes of the nation's first love stare into the camera. Jaebum wonders if they're the result of acting.
"At the start of the case, Bae Suji claimed to have memory loss, and thus has no recollection of recent events. It's been weeks, and the police and the doctors aren't getting anywhere," Hoon says.
Jaebum scowls. "They should try harder, then."
"They have been. But they've turned to... other methods." There's a glint in Hoon's eye. one that says, I'm going to convince you no matter what. Jaebum recognizes it instantly, after years of seeing it in his own eyes.
"You know who works there now? The chemist of your last job. What's his name again?" Hoon places a hand on his chin, pretending to be deep in thought.
Jaebum's blood boils. How dare he? Jaebum wants to lash out, to scream, to rage until his throat is raw and Hoon has bruises all over his smug face.
"Ah! I remember now," Hoon exclaims. "K—"
"Stop," Jaebum booms. His fists are clenched tightly at his sides. Hoon raises an eyebrow.
"And, funny story, he recommended you for the job!"
This must be some sort of sick joke. "I said I was done with extraction," Jaebum says.
Hoon steps closer, lowers his voice. "Hear this, Jae. They're offering five-hundred million won. And, here's the best part: immunity from the business. If you take this, it'll be your last job."
Jaebum stares at the floor, contemplating. It isn't the first offer he's gotten in the last year. They always seem to find him again, wanting him to take their secrets for money.
Five-hundred million won, for a mere extraction job? Apparently he's voiced this, because Hoon shrugs. "It's Bae Suji and the country's best director. They're worth a lot of money, or at least he was."
To live comfortably, free of corporations hunting him down... isn't that he was striving for?
Jaebum looks at the older man. His gaze is resolute. Hoon simply smiles. "Good." He slides the documents closer to Jaebum, and moves to leave. "Assemble your team, Jae. And choose your people more wisely."
The front door clicks shut behind him. Jaebum is left in the kitchen, and dwelling on his former mentor's last words.
There are footsteps behind him, careful and steady. Jaebum throws his head over his shoulder, eyes landing on a familiar pair of sneakers. His heart races in his chest and his palms turn clammy. Jaebum's eyes flit upward—
Only for the dock to collapse from beneath him, and he's thrown back into the world of consciousness. His breath leaves his lungs in an instant. Jaebum's head is spinning. His mouth twists into a scowl as he stares up at his former mentor.
"God, you look disgusting. When was the last time you shaved, Im Jaebum?"
Park Hoon offers him a hand, but Jaebum brushes it away and gets up on shaky feet. He chooses not to answer the question.
His throat is dry, voice croaky with sleep. He heads to the kitchen for a glass of water. The older man follows him, making unnecessary comments.
"Nice vase you got there. Hey, how's Nora? She still shredding up your curtains every other week?"
Jaebum glares as he gulps the water. "I had to give her away. The landlord hates pets." He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. "Cut the small talk, hyung. What do you want?"
"Oh, it's not what I want, Jaebum. You turn on the news lately?" Jaebum shrugs. "I'll take that as a yes."
Hoon pulls out a manila folder from under his arm and places it on the marble counter. There's a name on the top: MOON JUNGHO.
"The director?"
Hoon nods and pats the folder. "Open it up."
Jaebum does, and dozens of papers pour out. Most of them are transcripts of questionings, along with some photographic evidence. Jaebum knows next to nothing about this man or the case, but he can tell the evidence is scarce.
Hoon sifts through the pile and pulls out a photo. The innocent doe eyes of the nation's first love stare into the camera. Jaebum wonders if they're the result of acting.
"At the start of the case, Bae Suji claimed to have memory loss, and thus has no recollection of recent events. It's been weeks, and the police and the doctors aren't getting anywhere," Hoon says.
Jaebum scowls. "They should try harder, then."
"They have been. But they've turned to... other methods." There's a glint in Hoon's eye. one that says, I'm going to convince you no matter what. Jaebum recognizes it instantly, after years of seeing it in his own eyes.
"You know who works there now? The chemist of your last job. What's his name again?" Hoon places a hand on his chin, pretending to be deep in thought.
Jaebum's blood boils. How dare he? Jaebum wants to lash out, to scream, to rage until his throat is raw and Hoon has bruises all over his smug face.
"Ah! I remember now," Hoon exclaims. "K—"
"Stop," Jaebum booms. His fists are clenched tightly at his sides. Hoon raises an eyebrow.
"And, funny story, he recommended you for the job!"
This must be some sort of sick joke. "I said I was done with extraction," Jaebum says.
Hoon steps closer, lowers his voice. "Hear this, Jae. They're offering five-hundred million won. And, here's the best part: immunity from the business. If you take this, it'll be your last job."
Jaebum stares at the floor, contemplating. It isn't the first offer he's gotten in the last year. They always seem to find him again, wanting him to take their secrets for money.
Five-hundred million won, for a mere extraction job? Apparently he's voiced this, because Hoon shrugs. "It's Bae Suji and the country's best director. They're worth a lot of money, or at least he was."
To live comfortably, free of corporations hunting him down... isn't that he was striving for?
Jaebum looks at the older man. His gaze is resolute. Hoon simply smiles. "Good." He slides the documents closer to Jaebum, and moves to leave. "Assemble your team, Jae. And choose your people more wisely."
The front door clicks shut behind him. Jaebum is left in the kitchen, and dwelling on his former mentor's last words.
AUTHOR'S NOTE fyi, 500 million won is $433578 USD :-00000 also, the last line is directly from the movie. hope you enjoyed this teaser! let's get applying <3
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