Episode 14 #6
Jun raised an eyebrow and motioned at the crowd and towards the stage where Su-jin was deep in a rousing chorus.
“You want payment on your debts and some sort of split from the profits. Profits you’ve not exchanged anything for, in exchange for suppressing murder charges for a situation you crafted.
” Jun regarded the Merchari agent with a dark look.
“If you’re motivated by money, which you are, and if you’re brave, which seems likely, you’ll understand the better risk.
Income from an established and doubly protected source for as long as I’m profitable, or being hunted by someone with the resources to actually challenge you. ”
“You don’t know he can.”
“You wouldn’t be talking to me if he couldn’t. You’d have delivered an ultimatum, instead of pretending to. Fortunately, for you, I’ve incurred enough debt to powerful men. I don’t want to owe him anymore than I do.” Jun started to walk down the center of the street. The Merchari kept pace.
“How do we know that you’ll actually pay?”
Jun turned to face the man, waiting until a gaggle of girls had passed.
“Unlike you, I have a soul.” His lip lifted with disgust. “I know how you work. You won’t go after Sathers at first. You’ll go after one of my fans, or a distant cousin.
You’ll create consequences. I’m the one gambling, after all, that unlike Bak Gyeong, you won’t kill your sheep after shearing them, thinking they’ll never grow more wool. ”
“You’re gambling on us being smart and self-motivated.”
“Yes.” Jun watched with narrowed eyes. “I can’t give back the property in my name.
And you know that. So that’s a bargaining chip you were hoping to offer back, at least for the moment.
Perhaps in five years, I could write those properties over, but right now, no, not with the case going down about my identity and my taxes.
I won’t go back to living like a beggar, not if you want our arrangement to be hidden.
We can’t go back to a time when the other members of 5N are barely paid.
We’ve been too public with that mess. So take a reasonable cut year after year, more than you were getting from Bak Gyeong, or take a loss and make enemies. ”
“We could take the loss.”
Jun regarded the Merchari, eyes cold. “You could try. You might be successful. You could also have another dead client. You would lose all of Bak Sahyuk’s U.S.
investments. And BBB3, all of SP4700Y. My inheritor isn’t my half sisters in California, nor their mother, not my biological father, or even my missing mother, if you dug that far. ”
“Who?”
Jun smirked. “Someone with the ability to make sure no one gets anything. This is my proposal, Merchari, the one I would have given tomorrow. Give me actual numbers. Real ones. Then back the fuck off, drop the charges so I can go back to Korea and clean up SP4700Y and BBB3. Give me time for one concert tour in Korea and beyond. No interference. Then you can run the numbers, decide if you like that kind of payday. You’re getting something for practically nothing, after all. ”
“You’re not offering large margins.”
“Five percent is better than many investments. One tour, then make up your mind.”
“What about the protection payments?”
“I can’t pay unless I have a functioning business. Five percent debt payments. Nothing more.”
“I’m still not convinced selling you five isn’t easier. Five birds in the hand, versus a promise.”
Jun stared the man in the eye. “Only if I leave the other four alive to be sold.”
The man paused, tensing. You wouldn’t, his body signaled, but he wasn’t sure.
Jun’s lips twitched, but his eyes remained hard.
“We could break you. You’d bend, for your lawyer.”
Jun narrowed his eyes, stalking closer. “It’s much more likely I’d burn down another mansion.
Did your witness tell you that? I didn’t care.
I wasn’t even really there, not until he threatened Su-jin.
So tell your boss, whoever they are, tell them that.
I’ll pay the damned debt. But keep your fucking hands off my people.
I’d rather see them dead than ever know what it feels like to be treated less than human. ”
The Merchari hesitated.
Jun leaned forward. “They trust me. There wouldn’t even be any pain. They’d just go to sleep, loved. Beautiful, safe forever. My songs in their ears. They’d wake up free, beyond you, beyond me. But you and I, Bak Gyeong, Bak Sakyuk, the Merchari, you would all still be here with me.”
The Merchari stared at Jun, at his mouth. “What could you possibly do to us?”
“I’d start by cutting Bak Gyeong’s secrets out of his mouth. He’s still out there. I could find him. Then I’d take that visit to my father they keep offering me.”
The Merchari said nothing.
“Send me the numbers. I’ll show you how to make cash. I think we’d both rather I pay the damned debt. I live my life, I keep my people, you keep yours, you get your fucking money.”
Jun walked away. An ugliness had him by the throat. He lifted his eyes. Yohei stood in front of the tent, looking straight at him.
The others deserved to know. It was time.