"Red or blue?" The man questioned as he smirked.
Badump! Badump! Hyun's heart beat a little faster than it had previously. His hand's were sweaty and the contents in his pockets slipped between his fingers. Was this some sort of set up? That notification on Hyun's phone gave him shivers, his awareness now on point.
"Red," Hyun would call over to the suited man in the most firm voice he could muster.
Hyun stepped closer to him, his black earrings dangled from his ears, bobbing with every step and wavering in the breeze. His bagged eyes squinted at the too finely groomed person in front of him, like he was trying to read his mind. The dark long sleeve hung loosely, covering all of his hand but half of the fingers, dark finger nails revealing themselves against the white skin.
The man in front of him had brown, almost black wavy hair that swooped back. The deep blue suit on the man was finely fitted, and his eyes were a black, possibly brown. His professional look was irritating to Hyun, but he kept it as cool as he could. The guy reminded him of some salesman, but mostly like the leader of group he owes money, though he knew it couldn't be him.
"Can we start now?" The man questioned Hyun, once again with a small smile lining his face.
"Yeah, we can," Hyun stated as he held his hand out for the envelope.
The red square layed on his palm before being lowered to his side. Hyun backed up as the man took the blue one, dropping it onto the concrete. Hyuns eyes still scanned around the street.
"What's your name?" Hyun asked, sounding a little more like a demand but still enough to not evoke defensiveness.
"My name does not matter, Hyun," He said politely back while keeping his eyes on Hyun's, "You can go first."
Hyun would narrow his eyes and rear his arm back, readying a powerful throw onto the other envelope. His gaze would shift to the blue square, his target. What if he failed to flip the envelope over? He tried not to worry too much, he just focused on giving it his all, after all, he wasn't the worst at ddakji.
With one forceful movement, he smashed the red envelope into the blue one, clashing into a purple blur. Flip! The blue square spun into the air. Hyun's heart sped up. The red square landed to the side as the blue square, to the misfortune of Hyun, flipped again. Flip! It tapped onto it's same side that it started.
"Uh..." Hyun swallowed hard, a bead of sweat fell down his cheek. Still bent over a little from the throw he muttered, "Your turn."
The man's hand swiftly snatched up the blue square, letting Hyun's eyes catch up to his. A smile once again crossed his mouth. The cuffed hands let a impactful boom emit from the lightning quick toss to the ground. Hyun gasped as the envelope flipped. It flipped once. Hyun swallowed hard again, planting his hand into his pocket to clutch his knife, shaking a little bit.
"So?" The man asked expectantly, giving an eyebrow raise and smile to Hyun.
"Well..." Hyun thought of what debt he would be into, speaking lowly, "I don't exactly have the money at the moment."
The man took a stride forward and unleashed a slap across his cheek, instantly reddening his face. Hyun fell down and onto his back. His knife accidently clattered out onto the pavement from his hand. He glared daggers at the man looming over him.
"What the hell was that for!?" Hyun angrily cried to the man, clumsily stuffing the pocket knife back into his pocket, almost opened. The man just stared and smiled before replying.
"Every slap will decrease the amount you owe by 100%," He announced to Hyun, at first confusing him.
"Are you serious-?" Hyun asked him while gathering himself back onto his feet. He asked the question hopefully yet doubtingly.
All he did was nod in response, then hold his hand up with the red envelope inside it, once more holding it out. If he was honest, then what harm would It do to try again? Maybe he could win the next game and just go back in.
"Fine, let me do it again," Hyun dusted himself off and took the envelope straight into the air to release it's force down for the second time. He had to win this time. He just had to, if not then he surely wouldn't be able to pay off his debt.
SLAM! The envelope smacked the other stronger than either had imagined. It flew up into the air. This time he was sure it would be flipped over. Flip! It spun wildly in the air. Flip! Hyun let a groan escape his lips as it landed upon it's side, balancing upright. It slowly tipped to the right where it would have made Hyun the winner, but it wasn't the case, as another breeze came at the wrong time. It tapped itself to the left, leaving Hyun's eyes twitching with frustration.
"This is hopeless if you have an unfair advantage!" He raised his voice a little while tightening his fists, complaining.
The man had thrown his envelope during Hyun's small rant, the red one being in the air flipping already. It flipped once, and landed just like last time, perfectly. He turned to face his opponent and smiled.
"Again?" The man asked while grinning ear to ear.
He looked down and took a deep breath. He couldn't even look up before being slapped across his other cheek this time, startling him. Hyun thought about arguing or slapping him back, but quickly thought rationally once more.
"Okay, one more time," Hyun said convincingly calm through clenched teeth.
Hyun clutched his envelope, took a deep breath, and released it downwards. It clapped off the other like before, but this time it seemed weaker. It only spun a little. It landed, to his surprise, on it's opposite side, meaning he had won it.
"I-I told you I would make this quick," Hyun let out as he sighed in relief, kneeling over to take a breather.
After a moment, a clicking sound happened. Hyun snapped his head to look at the origin of the sound, which was the suitcase being opened up. He outstretched his arm to provide Hyun with his earned money. Noticing the slight hesitation he nodded and gave a reassuring look to him.
After he would accept the cash, Hyun would give a quick almost reluctant bow, "Thank you for the money."
Hyun turned on his heels, reaching for the doorhandle to enter the shop again. A presence of the man still took it's place behind him.
"You know, performing in more games like this can earn you more money?" He would be holding something out to him from what he could notice in the glass reflection.
"Just take this, and give us a call," He would say to him, and as Hyun turned he realized it was a card. Maybe a business card of some sort, beige and with some print of a number on it.
"I'll think about it, thanks," Hyun took it between his index and thumb in an almost pinching way. As he flipped it over, he also found out that the other side contained a couple shapes, placed in an odd way.
Looking up, the man was already entering a vehicle that had stopped on the side of the road. He would really need to stop pondering things for too long, Hyun told himself. The door swung open and he made his way up to the back where Ha-Joon had been the whole time. She noticed him immediately.
"How could you run off like that?" Ha-Joon demanded, putting her finger up in his face, "And where did our customer go-?"
"It's alright, just calm down Ha-Joon," He would say while waving his hand in front of him to swat her hand away gently. His hand would wrap itself around hers, opening it up. He would pull 20,000 of his money out from his pocket, placing it in her hand, "Just take this as payment, okay?"
"H-How did you get this much money-?" She managed to let out in a whisper, her eyes glancing up at his.
"Don't worry about it, just take it," Hyun smiled kindly and patted her shoulder.
"You mugged that man outside didn't you!?" She scowled at Hyun, shaking her head and holding out her hand with the money in it. He saw right through her attempt at denying the money, putting his hand completely around hers lightly, making her wrap her fingers around the money.
"I didn't, now take the money since I know you need it," Hyun gave her another kind look, as she seemed to let up her fake attitude. She smiled back as he slowly pulled his hand back, "Let's get back to work, okay?"
Ha-Joon's eyes were filled with what looked like admiration, maybe something else. She finally let herself sigh and loosen up, "Thank you Hyun, really," She would think for a moment, "You don't have to give me this though, are you sure?"
"You know that I care about your well being, right? I know you haven't been doing well with this place financially lately, so take it like a gift. I realize I'm not very helpful, so let me be helpful to you this once," Hyun would look down, his eyes holding back becoming teary. For the last time, possibly, he thought. She could obviously tell he wasn't okay, instantly putting her hand around his.
"Hyun..." Ha-Joon said to him in a soft voice, "Are you okay?
"Yes, I am fine. Thank you, Ha-Joon," His eyes would finally meet hers once more, no tears, but a deep pain was visible on his face.
"Let us get back to work, a customer is coming," Hyun muttered to her, looking over her shoulder. Wait, he noticed something familiar. It was someone's voice, familiar for the wrong reasons. He slid his free hand in his pocket, the other still held by Ha-Joon.
"Hyun Yee better be around here, or I'll have to kill you, got it?" A muffled and rough man's voice became clear through the glass door. Hyun could finally make out his attire and it all fit together.
"Ha-Joon, hide!" Hyun gently pushed her into an open closet of food supplies, "Stay safe."
With two motions Hyun pulled open the back door and dashed out as soon as the first member of their group stepped in. Footsteps blasted through the shop along with shouts. Hyun panted shallowly as he sprinted full speed down the sidewalk, his shoes pounding into the hard ground in long strides.
Hyun looked over his shoulder to see the group following him, some dragging behind, but out of what he could see two were in the lead. They were gaining on him. His palms and armpits were drenched with sweat, until finally he passed some people, hoping that they would obscure the pursuers view of him.
His hand thudded into an alleys wall to stop his movement, dodging in, crashing into a trash can and toppling over it. Clanging and sounds didn't seem to be that worrisome considering that the outside was just as loud. Hyun tried to stand, but he was exhausted. His legs throbbed and his hands were scraped.
A figure entered the dark alley, obviously wore out. His head hung low and he propped himself on the wall, holding a butterfly knife out at his side, some light reflecting off the walls, "I caught you now, you bastard!"
"Leave, or I'll cut your throat," Hyun stated firmly as he snapped his pocket knife open, finding his footing and taking a quick look behind him into the alley even further. A fire escape ladder hung down a few feet away.
"You got the money? If not, you'll do as payment," He coughed as he stepped forward. His hand whipped the blade around, and he smiled under the hair that covered his face messily.
The man spout a couple more things off, but like usual Hyun was focusing on something else, lost in thought. He knew he wouldn't be able to fight him without getting hurt, possibly dead, and if one of the others showed up he was definitely dead. Sweating and out of breath, he smirked.
"If you think you can get me, then do it-!" Hyun blared, turning around and pushing off the wall to hang on the ladder, climbing up it as the man below lurched forward and looked up. The guy was going to get up after him but stopped as his friend finally arrived, the other two were still not visible.
Hyun continued his ascent, up to a point that someone's window was ajar. He slid it open and hopped in. It was dark and had a fan blowing, along with being cluttered. He knocked some things over but was able to lay them in their original places, predicting that nobody was home. Hyun opened the door and made his way down the hall and stairs, his legs and feet still sore.
On his way down the staircase, he checked his phone. Some notifications from Kyong that were unread from the morning, and the other message he had received from the people he had debt with. He also had gotten one a couple minutes ago, from Ha-Joon. He swiped away all but hers, though he did put his phone In his pocket.
What if they were still down there? Well, he pulled his knife out again and prepared himself, sitting at the bottom of the staircase for around 10 minutes. His mind raced the whole time.
Inhaling a deep breath, he prepared himself and exited the building into the sunlight.