Pay With Your Heart

Chapter 414: Likes Trouble.

Ji-Tae had a gentle smile curving his lips which most people would call awkward as he wasn’t one to give an honest smile. His eyes gleamed with genuine appreciation as his finger trailed along the screen of his phone, touching the picture he was intently staring at.

He turned to the man standing by his side and he tilted the phone towards him. “Isn’t she beautiful?” He asked, his eyes staring at the man and patiently awaiting his answer.

The man looked at the phone and affirmatively nodded. “More than beautiful, boss.” He concurred making Ji-Tae’s lips tip wider as he returned his gaze to his phone, completely pleased with his response.

“Indeed, she’s more than beautiful.” He said with that same smile.

His eyes trailed along the pair of fair legs that were partially covered in black hose stockings, her little black dress perfectly accentuating her curves which he had always found himself imagining when he was alone. Oh, the things he had imagined since he met her.

“I have no doubt she’s going to cause me too much trouble. But I like trouble.” He smiled, his eyes glistening with mischief as he lits up a stick of cigarette between his lips before dialling a number.

“So annoying.” He hissed and tutted when the call wasn’t answered after the second ring, but after the third ring the call finally connected.

.....

“I thought you weren’t going to pick up.” He uttered in his usual lazy tone the moment he noticed the call has been received.

He listened to the ruffling sound from the other side of the phone and he guessed she was still in bed. He heard her yawn before her voice came through the phone.

“What do you want? Why are you calling me?” Her hoarse voice came sounding with displeasure. It was always a cold reception whenever he called her and he has gotten used to it. She always sounded like she’d rather speak to a snake than with him, and he wouldn’t lie that he wasn’t enjoying her torture. Her torture over him was amusing to him.

“I’m your brother, little girl, so I’m supposed to call you.” He calmly replied, not in the least offended by her cold attitude towards him. He was used to it, and he believed this was how she expressed her sisterly affection. He tried not to scoff at that thought.

He heard a pause from her end, and he could guess she was looking at the time. She has a habit for it, and when her response came he wasn’t surprised. “Ji-Tae it’s 6:30 in the morning. It’s too early to ruin my day, so tell me why are you calling me?”

“You’re never going to like me, are you?”

“Never. Not when you chose to be a pain to everyone in the family. I wonder why you still have to ask.” She irritably hissed. “Now tell me why you interrupted my sleep at this hour or I’m going to end this call.” She sternly told him making Ji-Tae’s lips twitch.

“You really should stay away from that mentor of yours. You’re beginning to sound like him.”

“I’d rather sound like him than sound like a creep like you, brother. You talk like a sloth!” She bit out, the word brother dripping with a lot of sarcasm that had Ji-Tae smiling.

“Tsk. You’re so annoying, little sister.” He softly hissed, but his lips curved up when he remembered why he has called. “I thought you might be in trouble, so I got you a little surprise.” He said with a happy smile even though he knew she wasn’t going to give the response other people would give at a moment like this, but he was okay.

“Surprise? What surprise? And what trouble are you talking about?” Ni-Na asked back, utterly confused to what he was talking about.

“Check your phone.” He told her.

“Why?” Ni-Na asked in a suspicious tone.

Ji-Tae warily sighed. “Just do as you’re told for once and check your phone.” His lips tipped up when he heard the ruffling noise from the other side.

He chuckled when he heard her cold voice from the other side. She was just as predictable as always. She wasn’t going to change, was she? “Why did you send me money? I didn’t ask you for anything.” Ni-Na flatly told him.

Ji-Tae hissed. “Is that how you’re supposed to say thank you. Here I am trying to be a good brother, and you can’t even be appreciative.”

“I’ll be appreciative if you stop being a pain in the ass. If you stop making mom and dad worry about brother Dan-Han killing you out of anger which will be due to your recklessness! When you stop being a prodigal child, I’ll start appreciating the universe for giving me a brother like you.” She blankly told him. “Now tell me why you sent me money?” She demanded without bothering to hide the coldness in her voice.

Ji-Tae’s lips twitch after hearing her little rant. “For once I’m happy to know that you actually care about me. It really touches my heart, little sis. And you don’t have to worry about our precious cousin. He’ll have to around for him to hurt me, so I really doubt he’d be able to do that.”

“What do you mean?” Ni-Na asked, her tone suddenly turning serious and suspicious.

Ji-Tae sighed dismissively. “You don’t have to worry about me or your lovely cousin. Just use the money to take yourself out. I heard your favorite designer is launching out some new bags and clothes, why don’t you go buy yourself some stuff. You’ve deserved it, and try to take sister in-law with you. She could do with more of what I’ve seen.”

“What did you see?”

“You want to see too?” He amusedly asked, knowing ignoring her question and asking him one of his was going to upset her.

“Lee Ji-Tae!”

“I love you too, princess. My regards to Dan-Han. Tell him I’m doing a good job.”

“You really are a creep.”

“And you make me smile, kiddo. Kisses for you.” He chuckled and ended the call. He could imagine the irritated look on her face at the moment, but he doesn’t care.

He turned to the phone to the man standing by his side, the smile on his face slowly fading away. “Have you been able to reach him?” He asked, while the man shook his head.

“Checked his home?”

“Yes. No one was in.” The man replied.

“What about his mother’s home? His wife’s and kids?”

“No one.”

“That’s interesting.” Ji-Tae mumbled out.

He turned and looked away for a while. “What about, A-Yeong? Has she gone missing too?”

“She hasn’t stepped out of her place in the last three days since she returned from the hospital. Her windows are shut as usual but they can detect someone in the apartment.” The man reported.

Ji-Tae fell into a silent thought. He tossed the cigarette that has almost burnt out to the floor and lit up another. He chugged down the whiskey in his glass before taking a long drag of his ciagrette.

“Do you think it’s strange that that promiscuous fool has just disappeared, and I’m yet to receive my cargo? And also President Lee is somehow in City-A having a holiday with two beautiful women at his side?” He turned and looked at the burly man who was raptly listening to him. He drummed his fingers on arm of his chair.

“Should I go confirm?” The man asked without answering his question, because he had no answer.

“Confirm?” Ji-Tae thoughtfully muttered, his finger twirling around the empty glass. Confirming was something they had to do.

He set the glass to the floor as he sat upright. “Make a call, I want A-Yeong’s house checked. I won’t put it past Dan-Han to play a trick or two. If there’s anything he’s good at, it is that.”

“And if she isn’t?” The man asked.

“Then we’ll know why he’s currently sitting dock in City-A, and I’m here in Country B. It would mean he’s finally caught on.” Ji-Tae wryly scoffed at that thought.

The man standing beside him had a confused frown on his face. “Are you saying that he might have discovered your plans?”

Ji-Tae’s brows drew together for a short while and he shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not. But whichever it is, I don’t think there’s need to be fazed. It might be a little hiccup, but that’s has never been my trump card over him. It was meant to be a distraction and I guess it’s serving its purpose after all.”

“So we’re still going with the plan?” The man wanted to confirm.

“Yes, we are. It’s going to be a pretty good one. Let’s see how president Lee will crawl his way out of it.”

“I doubt he will.”

“Don’t underestimate the enemy, Paul. The Lee men are nothing but stupid, and I must admit, my cousin does in best in trying to meet up, only problem is he’s beginning to feel like a god, but not for long. His days are numbered, that I’m sure of.”