Death Wish

Act I - Lavish Puppet

A shabby thin cloth was covering Noh Jin Suk’s cold body, a piece of the mildly hot wet towel was placed on his forehead. He opened his eyes slowly and he was still in the same place he was in earlier. He can still feel a slight headache. The noise of a broken T.V was playing on a news channel. He looked to the side and saw the old man preparing a table.

The old man noticed him, “You’re awake”, he said. “Do you feel better?”, he asked, trying to be nice.

Noh Jin Suk got up and touched his head. The old man then stood up to help him out, “Do you still have a headache?”, he then picked up a mug then gave it to him. “Here, drink this. It can help you ease your headache”, he said.

It was a hot herbal tea and it smelled bitter. Noh Jin Suk was hesitating because he doesn’t know the old man and cannot let his guard down, “What? Do you think I put something weird in here?”, the old man said to him. “Don’t worry, I am not a bad guy”, he wants to assure him that it was safe.

No Jin Suk still refuses to take it by looking away and being quiet, “I see, you are such a stubborn man”, to show him that it's safe, he drank a sip of the bitter herbal tea to prove it, “See, it's fine. Now take it and drink it”, he said.

Noh Jin Suk didn’t reply but he took the mug of tea and drank it. The bitterness and the hotness of the tea were burning his tongue but Noh Jin Suk didn’t feel it. He took the herbal tea in one go.

“Good”, the old man said as he bowed his head. The old man took the mug from him and put it on the kitchen sink. He then sat on the floor in front of the soban to eat, “Come here and eat, you need to gain your energy back”, he invited Noh Jin Suk.

(Note: A ‘Soban’ are small tray-like tables, usually wooden, used in Korea for carrying food and as individual dining tables.)

He didn’t eat for days and his stomach cannot stop complaining to the point it's growling. He can’t hold back and he knows that his stomach will be in pain after taking a bitter medicine with an empty stomach. He got out of the bed and step both his feet on the moist floor the sat next to the old man.

He looked at the old man who wanted to say something, “Thank you”, he said.

“Sure, sure, go ahead and dig in”, the old man offered.

Noh Jin Suk didn’t catch any moment and finally chomped some food. It was the most delicious food he ever tasted even though it's just smashed vegetable soup with vinegar. The hunger made him feel like it was the most delicious thing ever.

Both of them continued eating in peace while watching the T.V giving out static sounds. “I am sorry for this, this T.V is already broken and old, that's why it's like this”, he said to him.

The old man stood up and smacked T.V’s head. In such a way, the T.V signal became more stable. “That’s how you fix a T.V, it's like kids who won't shut up until you smack them”, he said sarcastically. The old man then continued eating.

As the old man eats, he keeps glancing at Noh Jin Suk, he wants to ask him something and start a conversation, “My name is Nam Chung Gil”, he introduced himself first, “What is your name young lad?”, he asked.

Noh Jin Suk was too busy chomping on the food but he heard him, he just looked at him and never replied, “I see, it's fine if you don’t want to tell me”, the old man grunted.

The old man’s curiosity keeps tickling his throat so he can’t help but ask again, “What happened to you anyway?”, the old man asked. “I found you lying beside the bridge unconscious in cold weather, what happened?”, again Noh Jin Suk didn’t respond.

The old man keeps spurting out the words he wanted to say, “When I change your clothes, I found several bruises and wounds all over your body, I also found some scars that must have been very deep, did you get beat up?”, the old man said all he wanted to say.

Again, Noh Jin Suk didn’t respond and kept slurping on the soup.

“I know you’re a gangster”, the old man said as he watched the television. Noh Jin Suk froze for a second and looked at the old man as a piece of thin noodle was hanging on his mouth.

“As you can see, in my old days, I was part of an organization too”, the old man raised up his sleeves and shows a mark to prove it. Noh Jin Suk looked at his wrist and made his eyebrow fold downwards.

“You recognize this?”, the old man smirked. Noh Jin Suk finally responds by nodding his head. “Of course, you’ll recognize, our group was known for being notorious”, the old man rubbed his wrist as he remembered his old times.

“Do you know this mark? I know you know this mark based on your reaction just now?”, the old man asked him.

Noh Jin Suk looked at the Television and continued slurping the noodles, “Evening Dragons”, he finally replied with spoken words, and the old man couldn’t help but smile.

“That’s right! I was part of the evening dragons back in the old times and I was . . . “, the old man kept talking about his story not knowing that Noh Jin Suk wasn’t even listening.

“You are listening, right?”, the old man finally noticed. He couldn’t help but sigh in disappointment, “Let’s just watch the news”.

The T.V was playing a news channel and both of them paid attention to it seriously as they ate.

[News Anchor: Yesterday night at 9:45 pm, a boy was found dead by his brother inside their own home lying bloody on the flooded floor in the bathroom. Here we have Lim Ji Soo for the incident report]

[News Reporter: We are here at the sight of the incident where the crime happened. The reports from the police and investigators said that the boy opened a door for an unknown stranger as they were no signs of a break-in. The stranger then strangled the child after entering the boy’s home. The boy then loses his consciousness. The stranger took him inside the bathroom and stabbed him several times. What’s even much worse is that the culprit plucks both of the boy’s eyes out. It was extreme brutality. The autopsy said that the boy was still alive at that point where his eyes were getting plucked out and were bleeding to death . . .]

Two of them couldn't believe what they were hearing to the point they didn’t realize that they stopped eating, “Waah, who dares do this to an innocent little child? I can’t believe there are some pure evil people who are now wandering in this country, they don’t deserve to be called humans!”, the old man was so upset that he slammed the table.

“Even if the evening dragons were known for being a notorious organization, we still have a moral code to follow. Hurting women and children are out of the ring!”, the old man was at the peak of his breath and kept crumpling his hand. “Isn’t that right?”, the old man looked at him with resentment in his eyes. Noh Jin Suk nods in response.

“This country was doomed since the wishing game came”, the old man took a deep breath and started complaining, “The world became more chaotic because of that game!”, the old man continued eating in an aggressive way.

“I can’t believe people are willing to die just to get what they wanted, aren’t I right?”, the old man asked Noh Jin Suk but he didn’t hear what he said because he was too focused on the news.

After some time, both of them finished their meals. “Thanks for the food”, Noh Jin Suk thanked the old man with a poker face. The old man nods his head while he smiles as a response.

Noh Jin Suk then tries helping to clean the table, “No, no leave it to me. Go back to the bed and rest”.

“No, let me help”, Noh Jin Suk insisted.

“I said go back to your bed and rest”, the old man scolded him. Noh Jin Suk can’t say anything back to him and went back to bed.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Inside the fancy dining hall, there are six people at the dining table, eating graciously with proper high-class etiquette. Numerous helpers were at the side of the big hall waiting to do their task as the Lee Family ate their dinner together. At first, it seems like just a family get-together after a long day of work. When you look closely, you can feel this uncomfortable feeling that shows dominance.

Lee Yoon Ho and his family were known to be perfect in the public eye, but in reality, it's just a family that thinks that fortune is everything. They are a family that believes where money is the reason why the world is running. A family where the rule is asserted and neglects endearment to each other.

A dominating tiger is reigning over this hypocritical family, the father of the family. Lee Bok Nam does not give warmth to the family. He is like a cold neutral who sees his family as pawns and uses them for his own benefit. His purpose was just to be a tool for their family's reputation.

Lee Yoon Ho has suffered a bearing weight of responsibility given by his family ever since he was born. They all expect him to grow perfect and mistakes are not included in their morals. He didn’t have a proper childhood, love wasn’t given to him at an early age, he was given scoldings and slaps instead.

Since he was young, his will was already written for him to follow. He grew up following the orders of his family. All he wanted was to be the owner of his own life. Lee Yoon Ho doesn’t know his real mother, he grew up without a motherly love which every child should have but he believed that having no mother can make him more tactful and braver.

When he was in high school, he was always at the top of his class in both academic and athletic performance. He was known as the boy next door at their school. No one knows the real reason behind the success of his achievements despite being young. He was forced to spend his entire youth studying that every day wore him out. He knew he had to do this to avoid being disowned by his own family. He feared his father the most. Every lesson of his father is a command for him, he is like a manipulated soldier who is being controlled by a sadistic commander.

Lee Yoon Ho’s life was not for him to decide, it must be decided by his father. He wants to live like a free child, but destiny is setting him up, different from what he desires. He became a successful adult but was still shackled away from his freedom. Lee Yoon ho is shown to the public as the heir JLee Group, because of this title, he tries to show perfectness to them but deep inside, he is not happy.

“Yoon Ho, how’s the project along with KisLin going?”, his father asked him.

“It's been perfect father, it will be a successful project, I can assure you”, Lee Yoon Ho responds to his father with respect.

“It should be”, his father’s attitude changed, “Your single failure could ruin my reputation”, his father looked at him and the tension of the dinner became denser and uncomfy.

“No need to worry about that, father. I have already foreseen the possible situations and it's all good”, Lee Yoon Ho wanted to assure his father.

“Really? How sure are you?”, his father looked at him more seriously than the other family members, who cannot eat in peace, they know that this beast will open his mouth again.

“I am a hundred percent sure, father”, he replied with the best possible outcome.

His father continued eating and the dinner became more peaceful again after Lee Yoon Ho successfully tamed the hungry beast.

"Appa, will you throw fortune on the wishing game again?", his half sister asked, she just want attention from him

"Not sure, we have an important project with WiC and I invest a large amount of fortune into that research", his father answered.

"Then get that money by gambling, you won a hefty amount last year, why not this year?", she said.

His father looked at Yoon Ho, "What do you think? Yoon Ho-yah?", his father wanted him to make the decision and test his intuitions.

Yoon Ho puts down his fork and knife and answered, "I think we should stop gambling ensure the safety of our company's reputation", he answered.

"I heard that the WiC's underground gambling facility have been leaked to public", he stated. "We can't let ourselves regret this action when were found soon enough", he stated his opinion.

"So, what's your decision", his father really wanted him to answer.

He picks up the fork and knife then started cutting the tender meat, "It's a no", he answered and chewed a piece of meat.

His father is always interested in him, he wants to know his son from his late wife, but he only wants a good result. He expects that Lee Yoon Ho must be flawless in order to have a clean and quintessential reputation. They are almost done, it was a quiet dinner but it feels like they have fought a war.

The family finally finished their dinner and the helpers immediately cleaned the table carefully. It only took a minute to clean the table up because of the numerous helpers present in the dining hall. The father usually leaves after the dinner is finished, but this time he didn’t. No one can leave the table if the head of the family is still there. Every time that Lee Yoon Ho’s father stays after dinner, it means he has some announcements to make. Their family members sat properly like they are soldiers in line and waited for the head to call its announcement.

“Everyone, please congratulate my eldest son”, the chairman claps his hands as if there was a piece of good news about Lee Yoon Ho.

Everyone was confused about what he meant but they still clap their hands even though they don't know the reason why. “What did you do, brother?”, his sixteen-year-old half-brother asked him.

Lee Yoon Ho was sitting beside him. “As you can see, your brother is engaged!”, everyone at the table was surprised by the sudden engagement.

They clapped their hands more loudly and congratulated Lee Yoon Ho as if it was a good outcome for them, they were satisfied and excited. On the other side, Lee Yoon Ho felt devastated about the news but tried to hide his real feeling behind his smile.

“Hubby? Who’s the bride?”, Lee Yoon Ho's stepmother asked his father with a big smile on her face.

“The eldest daughter of the Choi Corporation”, his stepmother covers his mouth because of the surprise.

His stepmother looked at him with a smile but Lee Yoon Ho knows his stepmother’s true intention, “You are one of a lucky man, Yoon Ho-ah”, his stepmother giggled.

Lee Yoon Ho doesn’t have a choice but to get along as his father was present, “Thank you, eomeoni”, Lee Yoon Ho was forced to reply to her.

(‘Eomeoni’, the first term is the formal way of saying mother, while the second term ‘umma or eomma’ is the informal way of saying of ‘mama or mom’)

“I already discussed and negotiate properly with Mr. Choi, both of us agreed that after the wedding, the Choi Corporation and JLee Group will form together and sign an official partnership”, everyone was so satisfied that the excitement inside them was lifting up their hearts.

“Oooh! I am so excited!”, his stepmother giggles, “When is the wedding, honey?”, his stepmother asked as she clasped her hands together.

“The wedding will be held in the next two months”, his father replied.

His father looked at him and himself to smile unable to refuse his father’s decision. “Lee Yoo Ho, you better be a good husband to your future wife”, his father reminded him.

Lee Yoon Ho wanted to refuse but he can’t disobey his father, “I will take care of her as if she was my everything, father”, Lee Yoon Ho then smiles brightly.

Hearing the response that his father wanted, his father chuckled. “Good”, his father then leaves the table and leaves the dining hall along with his helpers to assist him.

After his father left, the lively atmosphere turned off and the place became quiet as if a sunny gentle rain turned into grey clouds with no rain. Every member who was still sitting at the table stood up except for Lee Yoon Ho, to leave the dining hall.

His stepmother went to him and touched his shoulders, “Congrats, boy. You got lucky this time”, Lee Yoon Ho removed her hands from his shoulder aggressively.

Lee Yoon Ho stood up, “Who says you can touch me, woman?”, Lee Yoon Ho glares at her.

His stepmother couldn’t help but gulp with the tallness of Lee Yoon Ho, “You think, you’re so almighty now because you have grown?”, his stepmother smirked.

“Maybe?”, Lee Yoon Ho tilts his head from the side. His stepmother felt threatened with a single word.

She turned around as she held her handbag tightly. “Anyways, congratulations”, his stepmother then left the dining hall.

Lee Yoon Ho sat back down and brood over his thoughts. He wanted to cry but he couldn't. He slams the table and gritted his teeth out of anger.

Random emotions came into him, not knowing what to do anymore. He hated himself for not standing up against his will. He long wished to be the one to control his life but no matter what he tells himself, he just can’t.

He grew up being a person with no purpose, he can’t function without the guidance of his father. He is like a robot that is made to follow his user’s order no matter what it is. All he ever wanted was to be the owner of his own life, but pusillanimity is there to block his desires.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

[End of Act I - Lavish Puppet]

[Next - Desolate Lives]