Cold water running over his body never felt this good. It was summer and after a 2-hour game of shooting hoops, Donggab just wanted to enjoy this moment of a nice cold shower. After a satisfying shower, he stepped out and was about to grab his towel when he swiftly moved toward the ankle strap hung next to his towel and took his dagger out, pointing toward a figure in his bathroom.

“Woah woah!!! It’s just me, hyung!” the figure responded with arms up.

“Damn it, Dokki!” Donggab cursed at the unwelcomed intruder in his private bathroom.

“C’mon, hyung. Your door was opened.” Dokki informed.

“Yeah, well, you could have waited outside.” Donggab said as he grabbed his towel to wrap it around his waist. “Why did you come in? You find pleasure in seeing me ?”

“Hahahaha!!” Dokki laughed out loud. “Hyung, sometimes it’s the jokes you make that can cause you trouble. I just wanted to surprise you and am glad you still have some good defence reflexes.”

Donggab walked out of the bathroom toward his walk-in wardrobe to pick out his clothes. He remembered to close the doors this time so he could change in private without Dokki’s nosy in there.

“What trouble?” Donggab asked his friend through the doors as he took out a long-sleeve white Fendi shirt to put on. Dokki was his trusty and loyal counterpart whom he left complete charge of Southern Seoul district while Donggab oversaw the whole of Seoul in the mafia world.

“Huh?” Dokki was unsure of the rather brief question.

“What trouble would I cause with my jokes?” Donggab elaborated as he put on a pair of white jeans.

“Oh that!” Dokki added. “Yes, your gay jokes, hyung. Some people may not take it lightly.”

“My joke was not gay.” Donggab came out of his wardrobe as he spotted Dokki sitting comfortably on his bed. “And get your off my bed.”

“Saying I find pleasure in seeing you , hyung, is a so-gay joke. It may be funny to me but some of the clan leaders won’t take it lightly.” Dokki got his up and followed his older friend out of the room to the living room.

“What nonsense? Since when are they this sensitive? They love my jokes.” Donggab countered.

“Hyung, the reason of my visit today is actually to tell you of some rumors going around among the clans now. And yeah, it’s some gay rumor.” Dokki made himself a coffee as he took a seat opposite Donggab and threw him a can of his favorite ice coffee.

“What gay rumor?” Donggab switched on his TV as he opened the can of ice coffee and took a sip.

“The clans are questioning your ual orientation now. Some er is spreading rumors that you are gay and how they could have let a gay man be chairman of the clans.” Dokki reported.

Donggab spit out his coffee in response, staining his nice clean carpet.

“!” Donggab cursed as he rushed to a side table to grab a wet tissue and started wiping vigorously at the coffee stain on his cream carpet.

“See, hyung…this is how those rumors came about. They say you are some neat freak.” Dokki explained further as he watched Donggab clean the carpet. “You keep your crib so clean and neat without the need of a full-time maid. Then there is the lack of women around you. You are reaching your mid-30s and still living alone. And then when you are at the night clubs with clients or clan leaders, you are always declining the company of women. Those bosses who are married are also happily frolicking with these women but you the bachelor isn’t doing any that…..And this is the classic one, hyung. They say you seemed to like to praise how handsome some of the bosses’ right-hand men are. And yes, of course including your own right-hand man.”

Donggab stopped cleaning his carpet and threw the wet tissue into a bin. He slouched in his sofa as he pointed out. “My right-hand man is indeed handsome. I was stating facts. Zino is handsome enough to get the female customers into my casino and bar. There’s nothing gay about me saying that.”

“I know you aren’t gay, dude. I’ve been your close friend for a long time but some idiot is making some of the clan leaders doubt your leadership and you need to do some damage control now.”

“Who’s the idiot spreading the rumor then?”

“We don’t know. But I do know the rumor is not sitting well, especially with the newer clan leaders.” 

Donggab shook his head. As expected with clan leaders who had not worked long enough with him. He earned the nickname The Quiett because he was a cool, calm and quiet clan boss who did not share much about his personal life with fellow clan leaders and especially to these new guys. But the rumor about him being gay was unexpected. He did not know whether to laugh or cuss at such a dumb rumor. Yeah, his last relationship was like 3 years ago and most of his relationships did not last more than 4 months. Women leave him when they could not handle his lack of time and commitment to them. He has had casual flings but it would still grow into something more and the relationship dramas would ensue so he finally decided not to have any of that as well. His commitment to his business and sustainability of his brothers-in-arms clans was enough to keep him occupied and away from women. But he never knew that would also reflect badly on his leadership skills?  

“So what do they expect me to do? Get a girlfriend? Get married? Why do I need to prove anything to them?!” Donggab shook his head in disbelief.

“I don’t know, hyung. Just date. Date any girl. There are so many of them vying for you anyway. And why didn’t you date that girl I introduce you 2 weeks ago?” Dokki asked.

“She’s a gold-digger.”

“ hell! All of them are. Just date, and then move on to new ones when you get tired. And it’s not like you are running out of money!”

“I just prefer to just date one who….who can move my heart, ok. I don’t know. I just feel numb if I date casually and sometimes, I feel like I date the girl out of pity. Doesn’t feel right too.”

“Who in cares about the movement of the heart, hyung! Don’t you need ? Don’t you miss ? Just them es and get rid of those dumb rumors!” Dokki gave his frank advice.

“Dokki….” Donggab shook his head at his long-time younger friend and stated. “I’m the chairman of the 5 most powerful clans in Korea. I wanna crush those dumb gay rumors, I don’t need to do it the boy way. I do it the don’t-mess-with-the-boss way. Now get those clan leaders on the line and arrange a clan meeting this Friday. They think I’m gay? I’ll them hard this Friday for believing such rumors!”

Dokki nodded and smiled. “Now that’s what I’m talking about!”

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