Later that evening, Jin-woo dialed Jae-sun's number, a subtle smirk on his face as he prepared for the next phase of his plan. As the phone rang, he rehearsed his tone, slipping into an air of casual concern mixed with curiosity.
Jae-sun picked up on the third ring. "Hey, Jin-woo! What's up?"
"Hey, Jae-sun," Jin-woo replied, his tone measured. "I thought I'd give you a heads-up. You know that bartender you were talking about? Word around here is she's planning something… a bit unconventional. I heard a rumor that she might be trying to get back at you in a pretty twisted way."
Jae-sun's interest was piqued immediately. "Oh? What kind of revenge are we talking about?"
"Well," Jin-woo continued, his voice carrying a touch of mock hesitation, "I overheard her saying something about how her 'boyfriend' might go after… well, someone close to you. Let's just say she hinted that her boyfriend might try to get involved with your mother. I know it sounds strange, but she seemed pretty set on it."
There was a long silence on the other end before Jae-sun finally replied, his tone low and simmering. "Are you saying she's planning to send her boyfriend to seduce my mother?"
Jin-woo let out a sigh, pretending to share Jae-sun's frustration. "Look, I didn't want to believe it either. But from what I overheard, she sounded serious. I figured you'd want to know so you could… you know, keep an eye on her. It's a twisted way to get revenge, but some people will go to any length to make a point."
Jae-sun's voice turned cold. "Thanks for the heads-up, Jin-woo. I'll handle it. Maybe we should meet up tonight to figure out how to put an end to this little scheme."
"Sounds like a plan," Jin-woo replied smoothly. "Let's meet at the usual spot. I think we can come up with something that'll make her regret ever crossing you."
As they hung up, Jin-woo leaned back, satisfied. With Jae-sun's attention now divided, his mind would be preoccupied with paranoia and suspicion. This false lead would keep him distracted, allowing Jin-woo more time to tighten his grip on Jae-sun's life and reputation.
That night, Jin-woo met Jae-sun at the bar, both of them nursing drinks as they discussed their so-called "plan" to deal with the bartender. Jin-woo expertly stoked Jae-sun's growing paranoia, feeding him subtle suggestions that made him question everything around him.
Jae-sun left that night certain he'd gained the upper hand, never realizing that he was, in fact, falling right into Jin-woo's trap. And as Jin-woo watched him leave, he knew the final steps of his plan were just beginning. Soon, every piece of Jae-sun's carefully constructed world would come crashing down — all by his own misguided choices and the doubts Jin-woo had planted.
Jae-sun paced restlessly in the shadowed street outside his mother's house, eyes fixed on the front door. He'd left his mother with a quick excuse about a "friend emergency" and had rushed over, wanting to prove Jin-woo's rumor wrong — or, if necessary, confront the man he suspected was there to seduce her.
After a tense wait, he spotted a figure approach the house. The man entered without hesitation, slipping inside as if he were familiar with the place. Jae-sun felt a surge of anger and disbelief as the lights dimmed in his mother's room. Moments later, shadows moved across the windows, confirming his worst suspicions.
Unable to contain himself any longer, Jae-sun pulled out his phone and dialed Jin-woo, his voice barely controlled.
"Jin-woo, it's happening," he hissed, feeling desperate and betrayed. "The guy's here. He's in my mother's house, and they're… I need you to come and help me deal with this."
There was a brief silence on the other end before Jin-woo's voice came through, calm and laced with a subtle mockery. "Jae-sun, I'd love to help, but I'm a bit busy myself right now."
"What?" Jae-sun sputtered, confused by Jin-woo's lack of urgency.
"You see, I'm currently… keeping your mother company." Jin-woo's voice turned cold, yet laced with satisfaction. "I'd say I'm taking very good care of her tonight, so you don't need to worry about anything."
The realization hit Jae-sun like a punch to the gut. The betrayal, the setup, the twisted manipulation — it all unraveled in his mind as he stood there, helpless and humiliated.
Jae-sun couldn't hold back his fury any longer. He stormed into his mother's house, finding Jin-woo waiting calmly in the living room. His mother, clearly shaken but standing near Jin-woo, watched as her son's face contorted in rage and disbelief.
"You—" Jae-sun's voice was a low growl, but before he could continue, Jin-woo raised a hand to silence him, a satisfied glint in his eyes.
Jae-Sun's mother got up as Jin-woo looked at her with a smile.
"Don't worry. I will explain him how about you get ready inside?"
"But..."
"Please."
Jae-Sun's Mother went inside to get dressed as she listened from inside the room.
"Before you say anything you'll regret," Jin-woo interrupted smoothly, "I'd consider your position right now. You see, I've recorded every little thing and would let the whole world know about your humiliation."
Jae-Sun clenched his teeths,
"Or I could Just kill you right here."
"Yes, but the bartender has the cooy which she would upload in 2 minutes unless you do as I Say or If I am safe speaking of bartender, I have also recorded every little threat, every word you spat at that bartender." Jin-woo's tone was calm but carried an edge that made Jae-sun's blood run cold. "It's enough to ensure you'll spend quite some time in a cell too with a humiliation as a bonus."
Jae-sun froze, his fists clenching as he registered the threat. His mind raced, but he knew he had no way out. The evidence, the rumors, the entire scheme — Jin-woo had him in a chokehold, and he'd never seen it coming.
"Now," Jin-woo continued, holding out his phone with a screen open to a transfer app. "You're going to send everything in your account to that bartender. Call it compensation for the trouble you caused. Right now."
Jae-sun's jaw tightened, but with a muttered curse, he pulled out his own phone and completed the transfer, the humiliation burning him from the inside. As soon as the transaction was confirmed, Jin-woo gave him a mocking smile.
"Now get out," Jin-woo said softly, barely containing his satisfaction. "And don't let me see you around here again."
Humiliated and seething, Jae-sun stormed out of the house, heading down the street with barely contained rage. But his escape was short-lived. Just as he reached the corner, flashing red and blue lights appeared, and two police officers stepped out, intercepting him. Confused, he barely had time to react before they cuffed him, one officer reading his rights while the other held him steady.
The officers thanked Jin-woo, who had provided the evidence of Jae-sun's threats and blackmailing attempts against the bartender. Standing beside his mother, Jin-woo watched Jae-sun being led to the squad car, a satisfied smile playing at the edges of his lips.
Jin-woo placed a comforting hand on Jae-sun's mother's shoulder, reassuring her as they watched Jae-sun disappear into the back of the police car, his fate sealed by the very tactics he had used on so many others.
Jin-woo watched as Jae-sun's mother, Seon-mi, sank into a nearby chair, her expression a mixture of sorrow and resignation. He knew that this moment, the fallout of everything he'd orchestrated, would come with its own price.
Seon-mi looked up at him, her gaze heavy. "Did… did you really do all this?" she asked quietly, her voice laced with both sadness and disbelief.
Jin-woo took a steadying breath, choosing his words carefully. "Yes," he admitted. "But I did it for my family — for those who deserved better than what Jae-sun offered. He paid the price because he wanted to spare the humuliation not becaaue he cared. He saw you hmas his property not as a mother. That itself is a definition of a scum. He would have only hurt more people if left unchecked."
She closed her eyes, seeming to absorb the weight of his words. "I knew he wasn't perfect," she said, her voice strained, "but he was my son. You took him away, even if it was his own fault."
He didn't deny it. Instead, he offered her a choice. "If you feel I deserve punishment, then call the police on me too. I won't resist."
Seon-mi looked at him with sad, knowing eyes. She shook her head slowly, the resignation in her voice breaking as she spoke. "No… if you did this for family, then I understand. And I know you didn't recorded any of our intimate moments. You just said that to make him feek humuliated. I know when someone is teeling the truth. It was also my fault that i gnored my son's bad habits and behaviour. I should have known you were pannimg this when you revealed you had a wife and just want to talk for a while. As if you just wanted to create a fake scene. But that's what won me over and we went real. Your feelings were real as gentle as you are. And as I said you did it for your family. Si I understand. But there is a price. You have to leave. I can't see you anymore, knowing everything you've done."
Jin-woo nodded, accepting her terms. He reached into his pocket, pulling out an envelope filled with money that Jae-sun had secretly withheld from her over the years. "He kept this from you, or rather stole that's the only time he came home i assume." he said quietly, setting it down on the table beside her. "He was gonna use it to hurt more people for his enjoyment and pleasure. It's better if you Use it for yourself. To rebuild. It's yours anyways."
She looked at the envelope, her expression softening for a moment. "Thank you," she whispered, the sadness still there but tempered with a touch of gratitude.
Without another word, Jin-woo turned and walked toward the door, feeling the weight of his actions settle over him. He had achieved what he set out to do, but it hadn't come without a cost. Stepping outside, he took one last look at the house before heading into the night, knowing this chapter was closed — even if it had left scars in its wake.
Later that night, Jin-woo's phone buzzed with a message from the bartender, Mi-rae. After everything had unfolded, she wanted to express her gratitude. He had helped her, not only with her situation but also by ridding her of the looming threat that Jae-sun had posed.
"Thank you for everything," Mi-rae had texted him, followed by a quiet invitation to her place.
Jin-woo arrived at her apartment a short while later, and Mi-rae welcomed him in, her eyes warm with appreciation. They shared a drink, their conversation gradually relaxing as they recounted the whirlwind events that had led them there. As the evening wore on, Mi-rae's gratitude became something more, a silent but unmistakable connection growing between them.
Eventually, their unspoken understanding led them closer, and they shared an intimate moment that spoke of comfort, relief, and a sense of newfound freedom. In that quiet night, Jin-woo and Mi-rae found a moment of solace with each other, each knowing that they were stepping into a new chapter, leaving the turmoil of the past behind.
As dawn approached, Jin-woo left Mi-rae's apartment, feeling a rare sense of calm. Though he'd paid a price, his plan had unfolded as he intended, and now, he looked forward to whatever lay ahead.