Chapter 39 – Test (3)
“You speak Korean very well.”
Those were the first words I uttered as I climbed the stairs of the mansion. Ichie’s uncle, wearing dark brown sunglasses, laughed at that and nodded. Behind us, men in black suits were following us. Ichie’s uncle said.
“It makes sense… In Hangul, do well with me, we also decided to write Hangul in Yogiseo. I wish you well.”
“No. On the contrary, Miss Ichie is so competent that I get more help.”
Ichie’s uncle burst out laughing at that, so he said something to Ichie in Japanese. Ichie shook his head and frowned, and his uncle smiled wider and nodded. It was like a pleasant conversation between relatives, and I was all very happy.
It was a bunch of yakuza that came into being.
“Come in. It leaks a bit.”
It seemed to mean shabby. I nodded and cautiously stepped onto the porch. A well-polished floor was left behind, revealing a tidy interior of the room. There was a warm carpet on the pale yellow marble floor, a large TV and a sofa. There was a separate kitchen, in which a large dining table was set up.
As the uncle nodded, the man in the black suit behind him spread the table wide and stood on either side of the room. It was like saying hello to a department store VIP, so I had no choice but to hesitate. My uncle laughed at the way I hesitated and said,
“Don’t worry. These people. I am not a suspicious person. Our… Bodyguard. He is like a bodyguard.”
Ichie nodded her head and agreed. My uncle asked the men in black suits.
“Yes?”
“Yes! That’s right! Older brother!”
The man in the front responded as a representative. The atmosphere instantly hardened. An atmosphere of making a mistake spread among the men in suits. My uncle smiled and said in a chilly atmosphere.
“Go… It’s because we’re like a family. That’s why I call him brother.”
At his uncle’s words, the men in black suits nodded again. I just nodded without speaking. I glanced at Ichie and she said.
“They are good people.”
“…Okay.”
I decided not to say anything. Carp tattoos are glancing at you, you have a stern look, and you say hello as big brother, but you might not be a yakuza, right? At this point, it’s a guess to think it’s not, but I decided to say no for now.
We started talking again. Uncle seemed very curious about her academy life, which Ichie had not heard about. I also mentioned that Ichie is very diligent in her classes at her academy, and that she placed third in the paper test this time.
“Oh number three. In a sense. Well done.”
Ichie said thank you in Japanese. A warm air flow spread between the two. In the polite tone that even made me tired, my uncle nodded at his subordinate with a sharp expression again. One of his subordinates hurriedly got up from his seat with a sorry look on his face and went to the kitchen to prepare teacups and teapots. Said the uncle
“They said they were selling tea, but I’m sorry I was late. Get ready now.”
“Thank you.”
A man in a suit hurriedly came running. He looked a little hasty. His uncle said to him with a benevolent face.
“Come slowly. No one says anything.”
“Yes! Sorry!”
Even after answering, he staggered his body with his bewildered face, as if he was sorry. Every time he leaned over to pick up his tray, the other men watching looked giddy or shook his shoulders, begging him not to spill the contents.
The man, who had barely balanced himself, cautiously walked over to the table and set down the tray. At the same time, a sharp knife fell from his chest. A gray knife with a carp tattoo. It was in a scabbard, but anyone could tell that it was a sword.
It was good to hold in one hand, and it was a good knife to stab anyone. The man froze while holding the tray, and his uncle was also staring blankly at the hake knife with a smile on his face. He casually picked up his sword and said.
“Fruit… I’m getting ready to peel the fruit… That, let the fruit come out quickly.”
The subordinate, out of habit, tried to answer, but nodded his head and quietly ran to the refrigerator. My uncle said with a smile, probably thinking that the atmosphere had been settled.
“Carl, this… At the gift shop (souvenir shop)… I buy it.”
Ichie nodded.
“I think it is really pretty. Uncle.”
“Isn’t it?”
The two laughed lightly. At the same time, the black suits around them also smiled lightly and promoted a friendly atmosphere. Wouldn’t it be better to just say that I noticed the yakuza here? But even if I said it now, I would still deny it, and the atmosphere would deteriorate. I intended to tell Ichie separately later.
“Here it is.”
In the meantime, the subordinate who had taken fruit out of the refrigerator placed two apples on a plate in front of my uncle. Uncle laughed, drew out a gray knife, and examined the blade. The blade was so blue that it felt like it would cut me even if I touched it. Examining the blade with a serious face, he nodded and started slicing the apple.
My uncle was a man whose hands were softer than expected. He had the hands of a female cosmetics model, with manicure on the tips of his nails. What? What are you doing? The uncle smiled and nodded his head, then handed me an apple cut into the shape of a rabbit.
Hand dexterity was better than expected. I nodded and said.
“Thank you, I will eat.”
“No. Please take good care of our reason.”
Leaving behind his uncle’s greeting, he chewed on a crisp apple. Ichi also seemed to like apples, shaking his shoulders slightly and eating them. Eating an apple, I asked.
“Did you come to Korea from Japan for sightseeing?”
Uncle nodded. He said.
“I’m coming to play. Gangnam, Miyeong-dong, everything is fine.”
“They say that Ichie has a lot of places to play in Japan, so I would like to go and visit.”
His uncle was delighted to hear that, and pulled out a business card from his bosom. A business card with a lipstick shape on it had Japanese written on it. The pink lettering was very cute. But I couldn’t read the text. Said the uncle
“It’s my own shop, so when I come to Japan, I come over.”
I leaned over to Ichie and handed out my business card. Ichie looked at his business card, raised his eyebrows slightly, and looked at his uncle. My uncle nodded, looked at his business card again, and started reading.
“Pity Killer Karen-chan.”
“…What kind of killer?”
“My uncle. It is run by a bar. Uncle. This is the bar madam ‘Karen-chan’.”
“…Your uncle is Karen-chan?”
What do you mean? What do you mean? Ichie pointed down and said.
“Here, Okama Bar.”
“No…”
I was about to spit out curse words. I managed to endure the swear words with the strong mental strength I gained through training with the Almighty.
My uncle, as if belatedly realizing the situation, reached out and took my business card. Then he hurriedly rummaged through his inner pocket, gave me another business card, and took the business card that was in my hand. He raised both hands to me and said.
“I’m a bit confused because I’ve done several businesses. Not there, here. I play here.”
The business card my uncle handed me back had the name of an ordinary bar written on it. The business card was made of a luxurious material, and the name was written in gold. Ichie said.
“Ichigaya Noboru. My uncle’s real name.”
“If you meet the name written there, I will let you play for free. Reasonably, it’s a friend, so it’s a service.”
“Oh, thank you. I will definitely stop by when I go to Japan.”
Uncle chuckled. I decided to take good care of the business card I received. Didn’t you know Maybe someday I’ll write something
The setting sun was burning red at the end of the straight alley. A few sparrows flew towards the setting sun, burning me black. I had to walk towards the shimmering edge and return home. After having a pleasant conversation a little while ago, when I came out, I felt like my pulse was loosening up.
Ichie followed me down to the first floor. She stood next to me and said.
“How was it today?”
“My uncle and I all seemed like good people. Ichie grew up being loved.”
“That’s right. All of them are good people.”
I looked at Ichie. She looked a little awkward in her expression. I realized now that I have to speak. I had fun today, but next time I don’t have to hide it like this, I hate it as a yakuza and I won’t keep my distance, so just show me your usual appearance. I opened my mouth.
“Ichie, that’s what I wanted to say earlier…”
“What is it?”
“That, my uncle, and my family… Yakuza… Joe?”
Hearing those words, Ichie returned to a calm complexion. She was very excited because she had a fun conversation with me earlier. Faced with the setting sun, her face was vermilion. So I couldn’t tell exactly what color she was facing me.
Probably, even in the ichi, you can’t see my expression with my back to the sunset. My appearance reflected in the backlight would look extremely dark. She said.
“…I’m not a yakuza.”
“So, that…”
I couldn’t help but laugh. It was clear that she misunderstood my words. It was clear that she misunderstood that I would push her away, that her yakuza would hate her. I felt the need to clarify. We’re a team no matter what, and you won’t be abandoned because of your background or family.
Ichie said.
“Father. My family said it was different from the yakuza that are common on the streets. I am not a yakuza.”
“…Okay. I wasn’t a yakuza. Sorry for the misunderstanding.”
Mac is lost. Was she unexpectedly unwilling to hide her family? It was time to go back.
Ichie looked at me and smiled. Then she came running and she hugged me and spun around. In an instant, the setting sun that entered my field of vision shone dazzlingly. I closed my eyes. That’s why I couldn’t see Ichie’s expression. Ichie said.
“Still, thank you for not hating me.”
I said, shaking her head.
“We are a team. I don’t push it away like that.”
Ichigo’s voice was heard.
“That’s right. We are a team.”
