"Hey, appa." Minjun's greeting was relatively casual and he could see his father's eyes narrow, so he bowed deeper than he normally would have for anyone and then walked over, for now ignoring the guy his father was talking to. Cheap suit and not even sitting down, clearly not someone high up in the ranks. "You wanted to see me?"
"Yes, but I can't remember asking you to barge in. No manners." The man was rolling his eyes, but he also smiled a little, gesturing to the chair next to him. "Sit down, Minjun. What are you wearing? It's embarrassing, this boy here just brings me my tea and he's more put together than you."
Minjun let himself fall into the chair, shrugging his shoulders, his shirt almost falling off one shoulder. "It's brand stuff, appa. Young people these days, am I right?" He laughed at himself and finally looked at the guy his father was praising. He was well put together, admittedly. "I suck at making tea too, just saying. He's vastly more qualified."
"He's good at tea. But he tells me he has other talents too. Tell me again, Gyungho-ssi. What do you think you are good at?"
"Mostly the tea." Gyungho knew that the Kim family leader didn't like showiness, he wasn't one of those guys. He liked humbled, hard working, people who proved themselves. And that was what he was trying to do. He didn't try to win him over with card tricks or big talk, he just started to get him a tea every day. And then he started to make the tea himself and also bring a newspaper. Now, here they were, actually talking.
It was interesting, people were fascinating. He looked at Minjun, already taking notes about all the things he could pick up on. Clearly he was not just a clone of his father.
"I'm pretty good at cards though." Gyungho shrugged and then kept his head low, out of politeness. "I've been playing cards since I was five. My step-dad said even then, I was a natural tazza. I don't know if it's true but I did win a lot of lunch money."
"A tazza, huh? I'm a bit of a gambling man myself." Mr Kim smiled, enjoying the light conversation. It was good to have a change of pace from dealing with more important business. "What about you, Minjun?"
"Hm? Oh, I don't gamble. I only ever do things I'm completely sure of." Given Minjun's all or nothing approach to life, not gambling was maybe for the best. Especially given the power and money he could wield. "I like watching it though, card games. It's sexy."
He leaned back, looking Gyungho over. "You should have him man a table, appa. Women are going to focus more on his looks than their losses."
"You think so?" Mr Kim laughed, then looked at Gyungho. "Are you popular with the ladies? I can see that. Tall and manly. But then, you never know, Minjun has a lot of lady friends too and he doesn't look it."
"I'm rich, I don't need height or charm." Minjun winked, obviously not feeling chastised. "Show me a card trick, I wanna see."
"I do get a lot of women excited to see me coming when I serve drinks at the tables. It's flattering, I guess. Kinda new to me too, getting a suit really changed my life." With a playful smile, he shrugged his shoulders and then looked over at Minjun, noticing that he was very much the opposite of his father. Not cautious, not humble and definitely looking for more showmanship.
Balancing both was tricky so he considered what his best move was.
He pulled out his deck and shuffled it idly in his hands. "I'm not a magician, just a gambler. All my tricks happen during a game. I can make any card disappear and reappear as I need it to. Like this." He showed Minjun a hand of four cards he drew, closed them up and when he fans them back out, they'd all magically changed in a blink of an eye.
Slight of hand and quick timing was so crucial for this. "I'm more than a pretty face and someone who makes good tea, I gamble well. Maybe better than I make tea. Maybe."
"Well, I'm sold." Minjun leaned back again, smirking as he held up one hand above his head. "I'd rank him pretty face--" He lowered his hand significantly. "--then cards and--" Finally he just waved his hand vaguely. "--then tea. I don't know, I don't care much about tea."
That face though? Oh yeah. He could see the appeal.
"I'll have to think about it," his father conceded, "That's the shame with the boys that have your kind of drive and talent, I can't keep them making me tea for too long." Much as he enjoyed his tea.
"I have space at one of my places, if you want to lend him out," Minjun offered.
His father nodded, but looked at Gyungho. "Do you know anything about the kind of business my son does?"
"Give me a chance to play cards and I swear, I'll still make you tea every day. I can bring it before work." And Gyungho really meant it. He did that kind of stuff for his eomma so he didn't mind doing it for the nice guy who gave him enough cash to even afford to own a suit. As far as he was concerned, he owed him. "Besides, I like our talks."
Mostly they were about weather, birds and politics but it was kind of fun.
Like talking to his own dad, honestly. Only less birds and more cars. "I'm afraid not, sir. I know ... it's clubs, right? Or am I forgetting. Sorry, I'm kind of new to this whole game. I don't know a lot besides cards and tea."
"You are a very sweet boy." Mr Kim smiled at him and then just nodded, actually finding it a good sign that Gyungho didn't seem to have looked into it too much yet. At his level, less signs of ambition were a good thing, it tended to ensure more loyalty. "Minjun, explain your business to Gyungho-ssi."
"My business is entertainment. I organise fights, races, gambling, that kind of stuff. And yes, clubbing too. From high rollers to the low down, really just a different ambience, same business. For you, I'd imagine, rich widows? Bored wives of busy men? Single businesswomen? There's your target market. I hope you can flirt."
"I'll do fine with that, don't worry." With a playful smile, he leaned back, looking eager to play along and get in good with these two. More money meant more power, better living accommodations and, luckily, more money to send to eomma. Which mattered a lot to him. He really wanted to buy her a nice little apartment somewhere with no stairs and nice people.
"Just tell me what to do and I'll do it. I'm all yours." Gyungho winked, hoping this guy wasn't going to be a total dick once his dad wasn't in the room. "Just tell me when to start."
"We can talk." Minjun glanced at his father. "After we are done here, of course." His father had called him here and he had a feeling it wasn't just to discuss some low-level tea boy, as handsome and charming as he might be.
"That's right. Thank you for the tea, Gyungho-ssi. You can leave now." Because, no, he didn't need anyone listening in when they discussed Namjoon.
"Okay, thanks for having me." Gyungho got up and bowed, hoping that Minjun did get in touch and give him a chance, he really wanted to do well at this and make a new name for himself. He would be a tazza, just like his appa. "I'll see you tomorrow, I'll bring oolong."
With a polite smile, he made his way out and left the two gangsters to talk business.
It was quite a while after that Minjun left the office, looking thoughtful. His emotions tended to be very obvious, one of the many reasons it was a good idea he wasn't a gambler. "Sangwoo?"
He walked down the hallway, waiting for his friend to fall into step with him. One of the things one got used to, always having guards around. He was happy that he happened to be close friends with his. "Did you see where the tea boy went? The hot guy who left before."
"The suit guy with the charming smile? Yeah, he went off that way." He gestured to the left and then shrugged his shoulders. "I think he was heading to the bus stop. Was he talking with your dad?" Usually Sangwoo didn't ask questions, it made him perfect for gangsters but when it came to Minjun, he knew that Minjun liked to be asked things.
It wasn't like he expected an answer or cared about one.
"Yeah, he's just the guy who brings him tea right now. But apparently he's good with cards, so I told him I'd bring him in to man a table some time. Women would love him, can you imagine?" Easy money to be made here. But since it seemed like the guy had left, Minjun just headed back out toward his car. "Hot guys just make business better."
In his esteem, anyway. "My appa's still freaking out over Joonie."
"Doesn't seem like he's got a lot of cash, must have really impressed your father to get that suit." Just saying. Either he gambled a lot or Gyungho had earned some favour. Either way, Sangwoo watched him board the number two bus and he knew the kind of stops that place had. Not really swank town like this area. "Women will throw themselves at him. Make sure he's not just doing this to get laid."
With a shrug, he shoved his hands in his pockets. "Isn't he always?"
"Whatever. If he's doing it to get laid, he could still get us money. Just gotta be sure he has the right attitude about it." It was all a question of commitment, more or less, but Minjun had a good feeling. Or he just thought Gyungho was hot, one or the other. "You can get to know him when he's around, he doesn't have to know we're close."
Always a good way to feel someone out. Sangwoo was good for that. "And, yeah, I guess he always is. But now he's talking ways to draw him out. I don't know, I wish I could get through to Joonie. My appa is thinking about making him fend for himself for a while, incognito."
"Okay, if you want me to." Sangwoo didn't want to do it but if Minjun asked, he did it. That was their dynamic. He did whatever his boss wanted of him and he did it happily. It was kind of the role he'd always had. "Not sure how pally I can get with the guy but I'll stick nearby and see what happens."
He didn't always make friends but he was very good judge of character. Also an excellent wingman when he had to be. "I don't got any answers, your brother has always been like that. Maybe talk to him? Maybe... I don't know-- bring him a crab to the hallway?" Might encourage him to leave his room. "Lure him out."
"I'll try texting him. I don't know. I don't want to pressure him, but... There is pressure." Obviously. Minjun didn't really have any answers either, but he wanted to support his brother as much as possible. "Maybe it's not a bad idea, him going out on his own, away from this shit. I could give him starting money, appa doesn't have to know."
"He would know. Where do you think he's think Namjoon gets money from? And besides, you coddle him, he'll go harder on him. You gotta just stop." He had tried to advise Minjun against meddling before but Minjoon never listened. Sadly. The trouble was that no matter what Minjun did to help, he only hindered. "He doesn't like you being soft on him, it makes it worse. Just give things space and let them unfold."
"He doesn't like when I ignore him either. Or when I'm harsh on him." Minjun shrugged, waiting for the driver to open the door for him and then getting into the car. And, yeah, perhaps he was pouting. "He doesn't like me." And that was really kind of painful to be aware of, especially since he didn't know what to do about it.
"You're right." He hated that. "I'll just give him a heads up about appa's plans. Maybe he'll have a good time out there."
"He doesn't hate you either. It's complicated. Siblings always are. Look, you just gotta... relax about it. He's a teenager, he's weird, he's not grown into himself yet. He'll get over it and love you again soon." It always took a while for teenagers to grow up and become people who made sense and were well motivated. This was all this was. Namjoon just had to grow up and it'd come - sooner or later.
"Maybe he will. Maybe he'll hate it. Either way, it'll happen."
"Sure. Whatever. I don't care." And Minjun leaned against Sangwoo's chest and closed his eyes. What? Friends cuddled. Made him feel better. He didn't have to be a big bad gangster 24/7, not as if he was in the Min Clan. He could be a gangster and be cute sometimes.
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"Yes, but I can't remember asking you to barge in. No manners." The man was rolling his eyes, but he also smiled a little, gesturing to the chair next to him. "Sit down, Minjun. What are you wearing? It's embarrassing, this boy here just brings me my tea and he's more put together than you."
Minjun let himself fall into the chair, shrugging his shoulders, his shirt almost falling off one shoulder. "It's brand stuff, appa. Young people these days, am I right?" He laughed at himself and finally looked at the guy his father was praising. He was well put together, admittedly. "I suck at making tea too, just saying. He's vastly more qualified."
"He's good at tea. But he tells me he has other talents too. Tell me again, Gyungho-ssi. What do you think you are good at?"
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It was interesting, people were fascinating. He looked at Minjun, already taking notes about all the things he could pick up on. Clearly he was not just a clone of his father.
"I'm pretty good at cards though." Gyungho shrugged and then kept his head low, out of politeness. "I've been playing cards since I was five. My step-dad said even then, I was a natural tazza. I don't know if it's true but I did win a lot of lunch money."
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"Hm? Oh, I don't gamble. I only ever do things I'm completely sure of." Given Minjun's all or nothing approach to life, not gambling was maybe for the best. Especially given the power and money he could wield. "I like watching it though, card games. It's sexy."
He leaned back, looking Gyungho over. "You should have him man a table, appa. Women are going to focus more on his looks than their losses."
"You think so?" Mr Kim laughed, then looked at Gyungho. "Are you popular with the ladies? I can see that. Tall and manly. But then, you never know, Minjun has a lot of lady friends too and he doesn't look it."
"I'm rich, I don't need height or charm." Minjun winked, obviously not feeling chastised. "Show me a card trick, I wanna see."
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Balancing both was tricky so he considered what his best move was.
He pulled out his deck and shuffled it idly in his hands. "I'm not a magician, just a gambler. All my tricks happen during a game. I can make any card disappear and reappear as I need it to. Like this." He showed Minjun a hand of four cards he drew, closed them up and when he fans them back out, they'd all magically changed in a blink of an eye.
Slight of hand and quick timing was so crucial for this. "I'm more than a pretty face and someone who makes good tea, I gamble well. Maybe better than I make tea. Maybe."
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That face though? Oh yeah. He could see the appeal.
"I'll have to think about it," his father conceded, "That's the shame with the boys that have your kind of drive and talent, I can't keep them making me tea for too long." Much as he enjoyed his tea.
"I have space at one of my places, if you want to lend him out," Minjun offered.
His father nodded, but looked at Gyungho. "Do you know anything about the kind of business my son does?"
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Mostly they were about weather, birds and politics but it was kind of fun.
Like talking to his own dad, honestly. Only less birds and more cars. "I'm afraid not, sir. I know ... it's clubs, right? Or am I forgetting. Sorry, I'm kind of new to this whole game. I don't know a lot besides cards and tea."
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"My business is entertainment. I organise fights, races, gambling, that kind of stuff. And yes, clubbing too. From high rollers to the low down, really just a different ambience, same business. For you, I'd imagine, rich widows? Bored wives of busy men? Single businesswomen? There's your target market. I hope you can flirt."
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"Just tell me what to do and I'll do it. I'm all yours." Gyungho winked, hoping this guy wasn't going to be a total dick once his dad wasn't in the room. "Just tell me when to start."
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"That's right. Thank you for the tea, Gyungho-ssi. You can leave now." Because, no, he didn't need anyone listening in when they discussed Namjoon.
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With a polite smile, he made his way out and left the two gangsters to talk business.
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He walked down the hallway, waiting for his friend to fall into step with him. One of the things one got used to, always having guards around. He was happy that he happened to be close friends with his. "Did you see where the tea boy went? The hot guy who left before."
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It wasn't like he expected an answer or cared about one.
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In his esteem, anyway. "My appa's still freaking out over Joonie."
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With a shrug, he shoved his hands in his pockets. "Isn't he always?"
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Always a good way to feel someone out. Sangwoo was good for that. "And, yeah, I guess he always is. But now he's talking ways to draw him out. I don't know, I wish I could get through to Joonie. My appa is thinking about making him fend for himself for a while, incognito."
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He didn't always make friends but he was very good judge of character. Also an excellent wingman when he had to be. "I don't got any answers, your brother has always been like that. Maybe talk to him? Maybe... I don't know-- bring him a crab to the hallway?" Might encourage him to leave his room. "Lure him out."
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"You're right." He hated that. "I'll just give him a heads up about appa's plans. Maybe he'll have a good time out there."
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"Maybe he will. Maybe he'll hate it. Either way, it'll happen."
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