"Oh" Kang Seung raised a curious eyebrow, "And what does my Precious Grandson want for his birthday?"
I smirked and leaned towards his ear and whispered, "I want to go to your Private Horse Club and see your Ponies!"
Hearing my request, instantly Seung's face darkened, "Now where did you learn about that?" his grip on my shoulder tightened. He was like a startled tiger wondering whether it should pounce or not.
"A lot of people tell me things, even special secrets, you know how popular I am" I smiled up at him, looking him right in the eyes. For a while, we silently faced off against each other; he was trying to figure me out and I was toying with him.
Eventually, Kang Seung's frown cracked into a smile. Soon enough he began to chuckle as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world.
"Of course you would know about my Private Horse club. I shouldn't be surprised, I should expect at least that from a little devil like you" he laughed.
Then, just as quickly as his laughter appeared, it instantly faded away. His mouth formed a thin line and a calculative look appeared on his old face.
"Now what does a barely two-year-old child want to do at my Horse club, hmm?" he asked.
I batted my eyelashes up at him in response.
Kang Seung's Private Horse Club.
It was a place that was briefly mentioned in the novel 'Overcoming Obstacles.
In the story, after Song Jae's family had been murdered he barely escaped from his burning home with his life. The hired killer still hot on his heels.
He ran barefoot and bloody to the police station and he reported the event. However, when he went to the Station bathroom he overheard two officers talking. These cops were on Kang family's payroll and he soon realised that not only were the Police working with the killer but that the whole thing was orchestrated by his classmate, Kang Ho.
After learning that Kang Ho was behind this, Song Jae was initially outraged but he soon became cautious. He knew of the influence of the KangMung Group, but he did not understand Kang Ho's position in the family. As far as Song Jae knew, Kang Ho had the resources and power to mobilise all kinds of people to chase him, he feared that he would be hunted down and killed if he stayed in South Korea any longer. So he decided to run, leave the country, and get his revenge later.
After coming to that decision, Song Jae ran from the police station and found an old friend of his father's who was a retired gangster. That friend got Song Jae out of the country, through a smuggling ring called 'Golden Hoove'.
Now, Golden Hoove was an underground black market organisation. They had various branches which dealt with various crimes from smuggling weaponry, drugs, and people. In the novel, it was called 'the largest human trafficking ring in the World'. Golden Hoove was untouchable because it was owned by the super-rich and elite. Not only were its connections vast but so were its bloodied hands. It was another cog in society that kept crime afloat, made the poor poorer and the rich richer.
In South Korea, the Kang family was the largest sponsor of 'Golden Hoove', and Kang Seung was known to be a close friend with the leader of the underground organisation. Kang Seung's Private Horse Club was actually a front for Golden Hoove's Korean branch.
In the novel, Song Jae was smuggled out of the country through the Private Horse Club, which he later found out to be a Golden Hoove branch that was owned by Kang Seung.
Ironically, if the Kang Ho in the novel had been even the tiniest bit favoured by his Grandfather or the Kang family, he would have easily been able to use Golden Hoove's resources and Song Jae would have never made it out of the country alive. But as you know, that wasn't the case.
....
I smiled adoringly up at my Grandad, "What do you mean? I want to see your ponies, your races, and what you have on offer. Oh, and I would like to take my Butler, Min Ho, with me, so that he can also enjoy the experience."
Kang Seung stared at me seriously for a minute but then his bottom lip began to twitch and he burst into loud laughter, "Oh I really can't figure you out, no child acts the way you do. Are you a once in a millennia child prodigy like the papers hail you to be, or did my Son produce the anti-christ, hahaha!"
He laughed for a few more minutes more before his eyes darkly twinkled at me, "Why not, my father always said you can never start too young when it comes to learning about the world. I'll give that twisted little soul of yours something to feast on."
Do you remember when I said I liked Kang Seung, yeah I like him. We were definitely the same type of animal, but he severely underestimated me. Compared to me he was like a cub walking around and dabbling in some hunts, I was a well-versed monster prowling the fields. He wanted to give my soul something to feast on, but the Horse Club was a place only capable of whetting my appetite. No, the only reason I wanted to go was for Min Ho. This would be his push.
TWO WEEKS LATER
The day came about. There were five of us in the car. Kang Seung's Korean-English secretary William Kim, Kang Seung's bodyguard Chul Soo, Kang Seung, Min Ho, and myself.
All Min Ho had been told was that Kang Seung was taking me to his Horse Club as a birthday surprise. Thinking that we were off to see actual ponies and animals, Min Ho was happily strapped in the back seat holding my hand while he danced a stuffed horse toy in my face.
He had absolutely no idea what was waiting for him at that club.
For a man so hung up on Karma and justice, this place would break his little mind. But no worries, I would be there to offer him a hand and give him support.
A wide smile appeared on my small face, I couldn't stop the chuckles from leaving my throat. The very anticipation of seeing Min Ho's face when he realised the truth, made me tingle all over. It's like when you break-in new shoes and they finally get comfortable enough for you to freely walk in them.
I was about to break-in Min Ho.
How fun.