"I think you caught a fever," she proclaimed. She reached up to feel his forehead once more.
"No. No, I'm fine," he assured, grabbing her wrist to keep her from touching him.
She gave him a strange look. Was it just Yoori or did Tae Hyun seem a bit shyer around her? She couldn't tell if it was the fever or not, but was he blushing?
"Okay, okay," she conceded. She lowered her hand. She wasn’t too inclined to touch a sick person anyway. Whatever it was that he caught, she hoped she wouldn't catch it too.
A stampede of wind gusted pass them. Distracted by the strong chills, she averted her full attention back to Tae Hyun. He now seemed lost in thought.
"Seriously, can we please leave?" she asked desperately. Her lower lip quivered. "I really think you caught something. And if we don't leave soon, I think I might catch something too. I mean I waited five hours for Ji Hoon because he was busy with some meeting. All this cold is getting to me. I think I can feel something in my throat and – "
Tae Hyun’s brows drew together after hearing the word “meeting.”
"He had a meeting?"
The lost stupor that was present on Tae Hyun's countenance vanquished. Whatever it was that arrested his interest, it was enough to bring him back to life – with full force.
Yoori's brows inverted in confusion as well. She didn't understand why that part of her statement interested Tae Hyun so much. "Uh yeah. He said he was at an important meeting all day and that he – "
She paused. That was when it all aligned for her. The sudden realization on her face mirrored that of Tae Hyun's. The only true difference was that his was more ominous.
"Wait a second. This doesn't have anything to do with your mentor, does it?"
"Yoori,” Tae Hyun said sternly, ignoring her question. The expression on his face said it all – he was more than concerned. “What else did Ji Hoon say about this meeting?"
At this point, Yoori's pulse was already racing in fear. Tae Hyun was scaring her with his behavior.
"I – uh – " she strained to remember. The disoriented fear was blurring her senses.
"Yoori," Tae Hyun prompted again, urgency booming in his voice. "What else did Ji Hoon say about this meeting?"
She bit her bottom lip.
She finally recalled what Ji Hoon said. "That he was going back to it later tonight."
Tae Hyun's eyes enlarged.
"Fuck.” He whipped out his Blackberry in record pace, an action that left Yoori more than bewildered. Speed-dialing the number of the person he was trying to reach, Tae Hyun brought the Blackberry to his ear.
"Tae Hyun, you're scaring me," Yoori uttered. She was numb from head to toe. Why did she have such a bad feeling all of a sudden?
"One second, Yoori..." he said before muttering a curse under his breath. Whoever it was that he was calling, they weren't picking up. He closed his eyes in frustration. It was clear that he was being directed to a voicemail.
"Kang Min," Tae Hyun started anxiously, preparing to leave his message.
Yoori's eyes swelled when she heard Kang Min's name. What was going on?
"Shin Jung Min is back in Korea. Kang Min, you and Jae Won – both of you – call me back right away when you get this."
Jae Won? Yoori grew frantic as she watched Tae Hyun pull his Blackberry away from his ear. Shin Jung Min? The acceleration of her heart quickened when she registered that both Kang Min and Jae Won could be in danger. Whoever this Shin Jung Min was, she could infer from the tone in Tae Hyun's voice that he was trouble.
"What the hell is going on?" she asked, gazing at Tae Hyun with worried eyes.
"I'm taking you home," he said, ignoring her question.
As he reached for her hand, Yoori instinctively pulled it away from his grasp.
"Kang Min and Jae Won,” she inquired again. “Are they ok?"
Her heart was racing so fast that she was sure she was going to have a heart attack soon. Why wasn't Tae Hyun telling her anything?
"Yoori."
"I'm not going anywhere with you until you tell me what's going on! Where are Jae Won and Kang Min? What are you having them do? Who's Shin Jung Min? Is he the mentor you met earlier?"
"He's not my mentor," he replied firmly.
"Then who's your mentor?"
"Shin Dong Min," he answered quickly. Probably too quick. The regret in his eyes shined through as he briefly closed them in frustration. It was obviously too late for him to take it back.
"Shin..." she looked at Tae Hyun in the purest of confusion. "Then who is Shin Jung Min?"
Why did he have the same surname as Tae Hyun’s mentor?
Questions after questions churned in her mind. Without holding back, it all came flowing out of her lips. "And what's the big deal with all these meetings that you and Ji Hoon have been going to today? What’s happening?” Realization dawned on her. "Does this have anything to do with that man that everyone has been mentioning? Ju Won?"
Tae Hyun muttered a string of expletives at the situation he was thrown in. He reached his hand out to her again. "All these questions, I'll answer them...but only if you take my hand and leave with me now."
Yoori grabbed Tae Hyun's hand without hesitation and followed him as they descended down the hill. Moving away from the peacefulness of the sleeping grass and dancing trees, the pit in Yoori's stomach had already formed to warn her against the new set of information she was about to receive. Prior to listening to the answers Tae Hyun was about to enlighten her with, Yoori had already ascertained that this long night was about to become longer.
She could sense it.
For the next few hours, she was about to embark on one hell of a night.
The foundational knowledge for the Underworld had been set. Now, it was not only time for Yoori to find out how this society worked, but it was also time for her to find out who the other powerful players of the Underworld were.
“That’s why people kneel before me.”
31: Hold on Tight – There’s Layers
In states of urgency, there are certain characteristics that you forgo in the interest of encouraging productivity and effectiveness. In the case of Kwon Tae Hyun, the one characteristic trait he relinquished in the interest of getting Choi Yoori home so he could quickly deal with helping Kang Min and Jae Won was his secretive nature.
Even though Yoori had always known that when the time called for it, Tae Hyun wouldn't disappoint in terms of “getting down to business,” she honestly thought he would've been a bit more reticent before he decided to give her any answers. It goes without saying that, as they migrated back to his motorcycle, she was more than surprised at the efficiency Tae Hyun displayed. He wasted no time in getting down to the specifics and telling her what she needed to know.
"One of the more important things you should learn before anything else,” Tae Hyun began, pulling her with him as they descended down the grassy slope. “Is that there are different layers in our world."
"Layers?" Yoori asked, staggered that he was so quick to address her questions.
Even though she had since deduced the seriousness of the situation, the simple fact that Tae Hyun was so anxious to get the answers out of the way only further validated her fears. Something big was happening and it was serious enough that he just wanted to get her home as quickly as possible so he could start “taking care” of stuff.
He nodded at her question, the efficiency in his voice still intact. "There are three different layers to the Underworld and different groups of people who rule over them."
He took a moment to survey their surroundings. When it appeared as if he was satisfied with the silence in the empty park, he continued, his pace quickening slightly.
"The first layer is the one open to public scrutiny. The ones who control the inner workings of this layer are known as the 'Corporate Crime Lords'. The corrupt businessmen, politicians, and influential public figures – all the ones you see on TV – they are the ones who make the law flexible for th
ose in their inner circle."
"Inner circle?"
He nodded. "The individuals in each layer work interchangeably. If you want any type of power in your own layer, you have to make your alliances with certain groups from each layer."
She gave him the gaze that pretty much said: “Go into more detail.”
He obliged. "I grew up and went to school with two of the more powerful heirs to the 1st layer. The Serpents family and those two corporate families pretty much watch each other's backs. When they need me to ‘take care' of certain people or make 'certain things' happen, I make it happen. It is in my best interest to help them rise to the top because that would ultimately mean –"
"You will gain as much power as them," Yoori provided in understanding, her gaze never leaving his profile. Another big gust of wind flew past their mobile bodies. "So what do these Corporate Crime Lords help you with?"
"Confidentiality," Tae Hyun answered simply, his pace quickening when the distant view of his Yamaha motorcycle was in sight.
"Unlike regular rankings, the different layers have a different set of statuses in the Underworld. For our world, the crime lords of the 3rd layer are more powerful than the rest. We oversee everything. Murders, weapons smuggling, extortion, counterfeit money, assassinations, blackmailing, illegal gambling, and finally every gang's bread winner—drug trafficking. The 3rd layer essentially controls how the entire outside world works. It's just that our layer has come to learn that ruling a country is best done in the shadows. This is the reason why confidentiality is crucial. Our brothers in the 1st layer understand this and helps support that endeavor."
Yoori was reminded of the story Chae Young told her about the Underworld, how no pictures were taken and that only the ones active in the Underworld would know the face of each gang leader. So there was the importance of confidentiality.
They went over the 1st and 3rd layer, yet she still hadn't heard the citation of the three names from earlier. "What about the 2nd layer?" she verbalized, knowing this was the layer that would be of importance for the night.
"The rulers of the 2nd layer are the ones we in the 1st and 3rd call 'The Advisors.’"
"The Advisors?"
Tae Hyun nodded. "They are the ones who have ruled both layers and have since retired from both worlds.” He locked eyes with her. “And there's only three that hold any real power in that layer."
"Just three?"
"Just three," he confirmed. He didn't seem to like that it was such a small and exclusive number as well.
"Shin Dong Min is your Advisor," Yoori thought out loud. "That means Shin Jung Min is Ji Hoon's advisor." She peered up at him. "So Ju Won is the 3rd Advisor?"
"The eldest and most influential Advisor," Tae Hyun corrected.
He backtracked upon seeing the confusion on Yoori's face. "Seo Ju Won, Shin Dong Min and Shin Jung Min were the top crime lords of their time. Their affairs had them ruling in both the 1st and 3rd layer. During their reign, Seo Ju Won was the appointed high crime lord of their era and was the one calling the shots."
"What about the other two?"
"Shin Dong Min and Shin Jung Min are brothers, Jung Min being the elder one. The brothers first started out as bodyguards for Ju Won. As Ju Won grew into power, so did they. Though the brothers had since formed their own successful crime syndicates and held reputable positions as corporate crime lords, their loyalties never strayed too far from Ju Won."
"So is that the reason why Ju Won has that much power over you and Ji Hoon? That's why you couldn't kill each other at the warehouse? Because of Ju Won's orders?"
It didn't make much sense to Yoori. Logic would dictate that from Tae Hyun's explanations, the 2nd layer had little power in comparison to the 3rd layer.
"Request," Tae Hyun emphasized upon hearing her use the term “order.” "The 2nd layer, however influential they are, doesn't get fear but respect from me. I imagine this is the case for Ji Hoon as well. At their age, the only silver lining in their survival is the fact that they've since retired from active Underworld life. At the end of the day, everyone in all three layers know that the true Lords of the Underworld are the ones who preside over the 3rd layer. Seo Ju Won and the Shins know this, which is why they are picking their alliances and investing in that alliance. The one reason why their 'requests' holds any power in the 3rd layer is because of the monetary value they bring to us."
"Their fortunes," Yoori supplied mindlessly.
Tae Hyun forged on as a subtle way of telling Yoori that so far her understanding was correct.
"Shin Dong Min has been like a father to me. He has been my mentor before my inauguration as the King of Serpents and he continues to be my mentor today. Because of the absence of my own father, he taught me everything I needed to know to be an effective crime lord in the Underworld. From his expertise in martial arts, weaponry, and the connection to his vast inner circles, everything was bestowed to me and bestowed only to me. And, much like a father, he trusts that I would be the one who rules the Underworld in the end. So as a token of his confidence, I was given the one thing that would aid in all of that."
"You're the heir to his empire," Yoori said instinctively.
Tae Hyun nodded, taking another look around once they stepped off the grass and onto the pavement that led the way to his motorcycle.
"And Shin Jung Min favors Ji Hoon?" Yoori asked, struggling to keep up with Tae Hyun. His pace rivaled even the speed of light.
"The Shin brothers, although they grew into power together, are infamous for always butting heads. There was probably only one thing in their lives that they didn't butt heads about, but they do not disappoint with other aspects. It makes sense that each of them would choose to support two opposing Kings."
He flicked a glance at Yoori to make sure she was okay with the quick pace. Yoori adopted a reassuring smile, hiding the fact that she was actually panting relentlessly. Damn being out of shape!
When he was satisfied that she could manage, he proceeded with the enlightenment. "Shin Dong Min hates Ji Hoon and Shin Jung Min hates me. There's a breakeven effect to the rivalry between Ji Hoon and myself because both brothers' empires are roughly worth the same. So as of now, Ji Hoon and I are going after the one thing that would tip the pendulum of power in our direction."
"The only one left to sway the support is Ju Won," Yoori responded, understanding more and more about how things worked now.
Tae Hyun gave a stiff nod.
"Seo Ju Won has absolutely no power," he said with an agitated voice. It was evident he had never been too fond of Ju Won either. "He does, however, hold a lot of influence. His fortune is endless. The one who inherits his empire is almost guaranteed the Underworld on a silver platter. Ju Won knows this and has been dangling it in front of us. His public request to have the Serpents and the Skulls halt in killing one another until his 65th birthday was a power play on his part. Ju Won is by no means a peaceful crime lord. He couldn’t care less who dies and who survives. He just wants it known that although he has no direct power, he does have influence. And being the greedy crime lords that we have become, the prospect of getting an old man's fortune is enough to instill some patience within us – me at least."
Yoori could see that Tae Hyun was already losing his patience with the old man.
"That's why the two of you have been following his 'requests.’ He's still in the midst of choosing one of you to become his heir," said Yoori breathlessly.
All this accelerated walking was getting to her. Why did it feel so short when they were headed toward the hill, and now, when they were heading back to the motorcycle, it felt like an odyssey?
Unaware of the continual panting on Yoori's part, Tae Hyun hurried to finish up his explanation of how the 2nd layer worked. "Right now, it's just a matter of expanding our respective gangs and creating a stronger name for ourselves. Ju Won is a businessman at heart. He would only invest in the King he sees as having the highest potential to ruling all three layers."
"My favor has picked up since the recruitment of Jae Won's gang."
"Okay, now I know who everyone is. So where's Jae Won and Kang Min?” she asked, watching as he threw one leg over the motorcycle. “What have they been doing for the past week?"
There was a short pause as he situated himself on the bike. "Do you remember what I said I'll do for you when I found out that Jin Ae's men attacked you?"
In light of all that had happened to Yoori, getting assaulted from Jin Ae's men was the last thing that crossed her mind. Yet, as she recalled Tae Hyun saying to Kang Min that he wanted those responsible for the assault to kneel before him, dread seeped into the marrow of her bones.
"You had Jae Won and Kang Min go after Jin Ae?"
"It shouldn't have taken more than a week, but it did," he began, frustration brewing in his voice. "It took more than a week because Jin Ae and her men went into hiding. It never occurred to me that she was stupid enough to hide out in her uncle's mansion while he was out of the country. Everyone knows that Ju Won goes crazy when anyone enters that precious mansion of his without him there as a host."
"So that's where Jae Won and Kang Min are? At Ju Won's mansion retrieving Jin Ae?" Her words scrutinized his impulsive decision. "Why would you have them go through all of that? Just to have Jin Ae and her men kneel before you?"
"I told you I'll have them kneeling before you," he retorted, as if the specifics of his reasoning would make him seem less reckless.
"At the expense of Jae Won and Kang Min's safety?"
Though Yoori wouldn't go as far as saying that she had since forgiven Jin Ae and her men, this wasn't an issue that she wanted Jae Won, Kang Min, or Tae Hyun, for that matter, to actually deal with; especially if it meant that it'll put them in danger.
"It wasn't supposed to be dangerous," Tae Hyun clarified, reading her mind. "Jae Won had to prove himself to me. Ju Won was out of the country with Shin Jung Min. They were not supposed to be back for another week. I didn't know they were back until you told me that Ji Hoon has been in a meeting all day as well."
Welcome to the Underworld (A Welcome to the Underworld Novel, Book 1) Page 38