JGA CH32

Chapter 32: The Secret Room

【Host Oppa, Host Oppa? The protagonist shou is talking to you. You’re not actually drunk, are you? Host Oppa?】

The System buzzed loudly in Qi Huai’s ear, wishing it could grow hands to shake him. Qi Huai leaned back heavily, covering his eyes, which were swimming from the lights, and took a deep breath of the alcohol-laden air.

【Host! Hoooost!!!】

“Qi Huai? Qi Huai, are you asleep? Qi Huai?” Baek Soo-kyung put down his glass and patted Qi Huai’s shoulder, his tipsy voice full of confusion. “How did you get drunk so suddenly? You were fine just a moment ago. Are you the type to just black out?”

“…Soo-kyung.”

Qi Huai gripped Baek Soo-kyung’s wrist, his brow furrowed, his eyelids heavy. “The drink was drugged. Call the police.”

Baek Soo-kyung, who had only been feigning his tipsiness, sobered up instantly. The nightclub was loud, and he thought he had misheard. “What?” he asked uncertainly.

The System’s voice was even more panicked than Baek Soo-kyung’s: 【What! What drug! Wasn’t it Baek Soo-kyung who was supposed to be drugged? Host Oppa, did you drink the wrong one, or did Gong Dog Number Four have his eye on you!!! For heaven’s sake, this frustrating world! My host is a Jinjiang seme! He can’t become a manhwa uke!】

“Shh…”

Qi Huai was getting annoyed.

The System’s shrieking came to an abrupt halt: 【Y-you…】

Qi Huai said wearily, “I don’t have much strength, but I’m not completely immobilized… Keep your voice down. You’re louder than the DJ.”

【Hmph!】 The System, feeling its heartfelt concern had been completely wasted, immediately went silent.

Qi Huai’s hand was still clutching Baek Soo-kyung’s wrist, but his grip was loosening, and he looked increasingly unwell.

Baek Soo-kyung’s eyes gradually filled with panic.

He had heard about Qi Huai’s current state from Choi Min-jun. After all, on the day of the hotel incident, Choi Min-jun had personally taught him how to handle Yoon Nam-hyuk’s various reactions after being drugged.

The boy bit his lower lip and draped Qi Huai’s arm over his own shoulder, intending to help him leave.

Just then, the promoter who had brought them the drinks earlier approached and asked politely, “Excuse me, is this gentleman drunk? If he needs to rest and sober up, we have private lounges prepared especially for intoxicated guests.”

“Huh? Is Qi Huai hyung drunk?” Shim Se-bin looked over, confused.

Seol Tae-rim laughed loudly. “Wow, he’s already passed out after just a few drinks, hahaha. Qi Huai hyung’s alcohol tolerance is so low.”

The promoter smiled. “Why don’t you leave this guest with me? That way, you three can continue drinking your champagne. How about I have the waiter bring some more fruit?”

Seol Tae-rim: “Oh, your service is so thoughtful today, hyung. How come there’s no fruit usually?”

Promoter: “The boss is having a party with his friends upstairs tonight. If we make sure every guest leaves with a smile, we get a bonus, Tae-rim-ssi.”

Baek Soo-kyung grew more and more confused. The familiar conversation between the promoter and Seol Tae-rim made him think his judgment was wrong. But Qi Huai’s state and the cry for help he had just heard should have been real…

“Sir, leave him with me. You all have fun. Just give me a call when you need to leave.” The promoter smiled and reached out to take Qi Huai.

Baek Soo-kyung suddenly held onto Qi Huai’s arm tightly. “N-no, thank you. We won’t rest here, and we don’t want the champagne either. We’ll come back another time. Thank you.”

“Huh? Why?” Seol Tae-rim was bewildered. “This champagne is great. Let’s finish it before we go. Let them take Qi Huai hyung to rest first.”

“Just listen to me!” Baek Soo-kyung said, unusually forceful. “W-we’ll talk outside.”

He forcefully tried to lift Qi Huai and leave, but the promoter and a waiter stood unmoving at the end of the booth, blocking their path. Panicked and desperate, Baek Soo-kyung couldn’t help but give the waiter a small push. “Please let us through. We’re leaving.”

The push was gentle and polite, but the promoter shot Baek Soo-kyung a look of utter astonishment. “Sir, you’re not drunk and trying to cause trouble, are you? We’re kindly offering to take your friend to rest, and you’re pushing our staff?”

Pushing?

Baek Soo-kyung found it absurd. “When did I push anyone? I just want to leave. You’re the ones standing there not moving!”

The promoter sneered. “The nightclub is dark and noisy. If you need something, you should just say so. You started it yourself and now you’re blaming us. You’re being too unreasonable, sir.”

The surrounding waiters gradually gathered around them, and two security guards pushed through the crowd. Drunken brawls were common in nightclubs, and the other guests, annoyed, moved away, afraid of getting caught in the crossfire.

Baek Soo-kyung’s hands and feet trembled with anger.

The two drunks, Seol Tae-rim and Shim Se-bin, didn’t even understand how it had all started. They were powerless to intervene. Soon, they, along with Baek Soo-kyung, were unceremoniously escorted out of the nightclub.

Amidst the pushing and shoving, by the time Baek Soo-kyung realized what was happening, the “drunken” Qi Huai was nowhere to be seen.

“Where’s Qi Huai? The person who was with us!” Baek Soo-kyung demanded of the promoter, his eyes wide.

The promoter looked surprised. “You didn’t hear? Oh my, honestly…”

He looked both speechless and incredulous. “Sir, your friend said he was too tired, so he asked a waiter to take him to rest. If you’re worried, you can call him. Please don’t make things difficult for our staff anymore, okay?”

With that, the promoter turned and walked away. Two tall, sturdy security guards stood like towers at the nightclub entrance, their sharp eyes fixed on Baek Soo-kyung and the others, watching their every move.

Baek Soo-kyung’s face grew paler. He took out his phone and called Qi Huai.

The January night was freezing, but the bar street was still bustling with young people moving between nightclubs, their laughter and tipsy cheer creating a lively atmosphere. Their arms were stamped with the entry marks of different clubs as they roughhoused past him.

But Baek Soo-kyung’s heart felt as if it had been frozen solid.

Qi Huai’s phone was unreachable.

The cold wind sobered up Seol Tae-rim and Shim Se-bin a little, and they started to complain.

“Soo-kyung… what’s going on? Is something urgent?”

“Yeah, that bottle of champagne was expensive. We only had a third of it left. If Qi Huai hyung was tired, he should have just gone to rest. We could have taken him with us after we finished.”

“You don’t know anything!” Baek Soo-kyung gritted his teeth. “Qi Huai hyung wasn’t drunk at all. How could he suddenly pass out after just one more glass of champagne!”

Seol Tae-rim was perplexed. “He just has a low tolerance… a lot of people get drunk all of a sudden. What’s so strange about that?”

No, no, that’s not it at all!

No one knew Qi Huai’s situation better than Baek Soo-kyung. Before Qi Huai had uttered the word “police,” Baek Soo-kyung had tried several times to lean against him, using his tipsiness as an excuse, but the other had precisely dodged him every time. What kind of “smart” drunk was that! That’s why he found it so strange. How could Qi Huai have suddenly fallen asleep?

Baek Soo-kyung’s mind raced. He suddenly remembered that when he had told Seok-jin sunbae he was going to a nightclub that night, the other had joked with him: Our Soo-kyung is so cute, don’t get drugged and stolen away.

Was that what Seok-jin sunbae meant…

Why didn’t he tell me?

Baek Soo-kyung’s face paled and flushed in turn, but he didn’t have time to think about it. He had to call the police first.

A few minutes later, two police officers arrived. The one in front was in his forties and looked experienced. The one behind him was a young officer, not much older than Baek Soo-kyung, who looked like a rookie.

Baek Soo-kyung anxiously grabbed the older officer’s arm. “Officer, please, you have to save my friend. We came to the nightclub, and he suddenly passed out after drinking the champagne they gave us. The people at the club said they took him to rest, but they kicked us out. Now my friend isn’t answering his phone, and I’m very worried about his safety. Please, you have to help me.”

The older officer patiently calmed him down. “We understand your request. Please calm down first. I need to ask you a few questions, okay?”

Baek Soo-kyung nodded quickly.

Officer: “Before your friend drank that glass of champagne, did he drink any other alcohol?”

“Yes.”

“How much?”

“About three to five glasses, or maybe six or seven.”

“Ah… so too much to remember clearly, is that right?”

“But he definitely wasn’t drunk!”

“The champagne you mentioned, did everyone drink it? Or only your friend?”

“…Everyone drank it. But, but.” Baek Soo-kyung was frantic. “But my friend wasn’t drunk. He was sober before he drank the champagne.”

“Please rest assured, we understand how you feel,” the officer said, placating him. “My colleague and I will go inside and take a look, okay?”

“Okay, thank you.”

The two officers went into the nightclub.

Baek Soo-kyung, Seol Tae-rim, and the others waited at the entrance for nearly half an hour before they came out.

The officer said to Baek Soo-kyung, “Your friend has already left.”

Baek Soo-kyung was stunned. “That’s impossible. We’ve been at the door the whole time. We didn’t see him come out.”

The officer was very polite. “For fire safety reasons, nightclubs have more than one main entrance. There are also staff passages. If your friend was drunk, he might have found a hotel nearby to rest. A drunk person might not hear their phone. I suggest you call the hotel front desks and describe your friend’s appearance.”

Baek Soo-kyung was shocked and helpless. “But—”

“Sir, do you know how many ‘missing person’ cases there are on the bar street every day?” the officer suddenly said in a low voice. “Your friend had already had a lot to drink before that glass of champagne. The nightclub has CCTV, and it’s very clear. People who drink too much at once are prone to blacking out. Some people even sleep in the bushes for a night after blacking out, and their friends and family can’t find them. They only wake up and go home the next day. The only terrible thing that happens is they catch a cold. So please be patient. Your friend will definitely be home by morning, okay?”

Baek Soo-kyung stared at him with wide eyes. The older officer met his gaze calmly, but the young officer looked down, avoiding his eyes. Baek Soo-kyung suddenly understood. They knew Qi Huai hadn’t left.

Seol Tae-rim had said this nightclub was protected by someone important. Perhaps that important person was someone even the police were afraid of. Who could it be? A higher-ranking police officer? A prosecutor? Or the president?

No matter who it was, they were people he couldn’t afford to offend, right?

Seol Tae-rim foolishly patted Baek Soo-kyung’s shoulder. “Soo-kyung, I think the officer has a point. I have a lot of friends who just wander off when they’re drunk. They even call me the next day to yell at me. Don’t worry.”

Shim Se-bin was more perceptive than Seol Tae-rim. He understood everything but was powerless to do anything. He could only tug on Baek Soo-kyung’s sleeve. “Soo-kyung sunbae, some things are beyond our control. Let’s listen to the officer and wait.”

Baek Soo-kyung bit his lower lip and, with a last shred of hope, dialed Park Seok-jin’s number. He quickly and detailedly described what had happened.

He only said it was a friend, not that it was Qi Huai. Park Seok-jin didn’t ask either, because he wasn’t very interested in his cute junior’s circle of nobodies.

“Mmm… you mean, your friend was drugged at a nightclub and taken away by someone. The nightclub is protected by someone important, and even the police won’t get involved. Is that right? Which nightclub?”

Baek Soo-kyung gripped the phone tighter. “It’s Heaven. Have you heard of it, Seok-jin sunbae?”

Park Seok-jin was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed. “Oh, so it’s Heaven.”

“You know it?” Baek Soo-kyung instantly felt a surge of hope, his eyes lighting up. “Then can Seok-jin sunbae help…”

“Soo-kyung,” Park Seok-jin said gently. “I do know the owner of Heaven. But… he’s a very powerful person. Although I don’t like him, I don’t want to mess with him. If it’s a very important friend, I can ask for you, but I might owe him a very, very big favor for it, and you will also make him angry. Do you think you can bear the consequences?”

Consequences?

Baek Soo-kyung was suddenly stunned.

In his mind, Park Seok-jin had always been an all-powerful figure. Even Choi Min-jun had gone to great lengths to get leverage on him for his own benefit. His role in the mini-series was recommended by him, and changing his manager was just a matter of a word from him.

Such a powerful Park Seok-jin, a sunbae with so much say in the company and the entertainment industry, had someone he didn’t want to offend. Who could that person be?

Baek Soo-kyung’s silence amused Park Seok-jin. He continued to speak to him patiently and gently, “How about this, Soo-kyung? I actually have two ideas. You can choose for yourself. First, let’s just pretend this never happened. The police told you he has already left, so you just assume he really has. At the very least, I can promise you that he will come back healthy and whole the next morning. He won’t even report it himself, and he’ll probably never mention it again. You’ve done everything you could. Even if he blames you, at worst you just lose a friend. You’re a rising star in the entertainment industry. You won’t be short of friends in the future, Soo-kyung.”

Baek Soo-kyung was stunned. “He’s my friend. He’s been very good to me. I can’t…”

“Our Soo-kyung is such a kind child. In that case, there’s a second option. The mini-series you’re in has started airing, right? The supporting role you play is quite popular, and your IG followers have probably increased a lot. Why don’t you go live and expose this? The nightclub might release your friend due to public pressure. But your future… Soo-kyung, that person is a truly powerful figure.”

The call ended.

Baek Soo-kyung stood there, dazed.

The two police officers had left long ago. While he was on the phone with Seok-jin sunbae, Seol Tae-rim and Shim Se-bin had also made excuses and left.

Now, only he was left at the entrance of Heaven, along with the two sharp-eyed security guards and the ordinary citizens passing by, oblivious to the truth.

Baek Soo-kyung stubbornly kept calling Qi Huai, hot tears falling in the biting cold wind, until he had made the twentieth call—

He also left.

---

On the third floor of Heaven, in the owner’s private lounge.

Kim Min-kyung hung up the phone, bored, and tossed it onto the sofa. “Hmph~ those guys are gone, and the police are gone too. That fair-skinned boy was so indignant, resisting and calling the police. I thought something interesting might happen tonight. So much for that. Boring.”

He completely stripped off the silk shirt that was already hanging precariously on his body and lightly stepped on the lower abdomen of the person before him, who was covered by a red silk skirt, with his expensive, brand-new red-soled leather shoes. He asked with a roguish smile, “Chul-woo, what beef do you have with Yoon Nam-hyuk, hmm? You’re the one who leaked the video from Choi Min-jun’s phone, right? No wonder you asked me to help you investigate that anonymous phone number. That required using the prosecutor’s office’s special privileges. How are you going to repay me?”

Eun Chul-woo smiled and caressed Kim Min-kyung’s calf, his index fingertip circling the inside of the other’s knee. “How do you want me to repay you? How about I stay here all night?”

“You said it~” Kim Min-kyung hummed with a smile. “Chul-woo hyung, I like you in a red skirt. The black one is nice too, but the red one is better.”

He pressed down with his foot, the sole of his shoe lightly grinding against the other. The person being stepped on let out a soft gasp. “Is that so? Then I’ll wear a red skirt every time I see you from now on.”

“It’s better if you wear nothing at all,” Kim Min-kyung said, leaning over Eun Chul-woo and nibbling on his earlobe and shoulder. “Smell.”

Eun Chul-woo pressed his nose against the side of Kim Min-kyung’s neck and took a deep breath. “Smells good. Is it the perfume I gave you?”

“Mmm~ It’s a pity my perfume endorsement deal doesn’t end for a long time, so I can only wear the brand’s perfume usually. But when I see you from now on, I’ll wear the custom scent you gave me. I’m good, right?”

Eun Chul-woo kissed his way down Kim Min-kyung’s neck, his voice muffled. “Mmm, you’re very good. Good everywhere.”

“Is that so? In that case…” Kim Min-kyung narrowed his eyes and lifted Eun Chul-woo’s chin, lightly nibbling on his wheat-colored Adam’s apple. “Why don’t you tell me, Chul-woo hyung? Why are you so against Yoon Nam-hyuk? Even though we’re not that close, our parents were old acquaintances. Can’t you give me some face—Ah!”

Eun Chul-woo grabbed Kim Min-kyung’s sensitive spot and kneaded it, making him cry out in pain and then tremble with pleasure.

Eun Chul-woo said softly, “I’ll tell you, Min-kyung. But not now.”

Kim Min-kyung nodded haphazardly. “Then we’ll talk about it next time.”

---

In the basement of Heaven.

There were three secret rooms here, reserved for top-tier VIPs. All sorts of shady deals and illicit activities, even secret dealings within the prosecutor’s office, were conducted here.

Qi Huai was thrown onto a bed, alone, his eyes covered with a black blindfold, his wrists tied to the headboard.

Qi Huai had only drunk half of the drug that made one’s limbs go weak, so it didn’t have much effect. The real trouble was the aphrodisiac.

“Has the relationship progress between Baek Soo-kyung and Kim Min-kyung changed?” Qi Huai asked, gritting his teeth and letting out a hot breath.

【Still “Strangers,” no change.】 The System said in a small voice.

But no change now didn’t mean no change later. Even if Qi Huai could untie the ropes now and had the strength to escape, he still planned to wait.

He would wait for Kim Min-kyung, the one who had drugged him, to come in. He planned to beat him up first, then tie him to the headboard for the night. That way, the first encounter between Baek Soo-kyung and Kim Min-kyung would be a complete failure, and if he wanted revenge, he could only come after Qi Huai.

【Host Oppa… are you okay?】 The System asked worriedly from its corner.

Qi Huai’s lips curled into a very annoyed smile. “I’m fine. Thanks for asking.”

The System made a few “mmm, mmm” sounds and didn’t dare to speak further. Is Host Oppa really fine or just pretending? it thought. You’re about to burst through your pants. Are you sure you’re fine?

Oh my God…

That’s a big package.

Is this the legendary manhwa thermos flask?

A 500ml bottle of mineral water is already thick enough. Host Oppa’s probably isn’t that exaggerated, right? After all, his pants haven’t ripped yet, so I can’t see…

Aigoo…¹

Hehehe… it could probably fill it up in one go, right? Eheehee… and after it’s full, it drips, drips, drips down, and then it’s filled up again and again… hehehe…

The manhwa world is so delicious. The entire System turned red, frantically tearing at the air and chewing loudly.

Qi Huai was getting annoyed by the sound of the System chomping like a wild dog. Just as he was about to tell it to shut up, he heard a click from the door.

Someone was coming.

Qi Huai’s wrist twitched, his fingertips slipping into the knot of the rope. He had untied it long ago, just waiting for the moment Kim Min-kyung came closer. He would use this nylon rope to strangle him and teach him a good lesson about who he could and couldn’t mess with.

The sound of expensive, handmade Italian shoe soles rubbing against the wool carpet filled the air. The nylon rope in Qi Huai’s hand was ready.

But the System suddenly exclaimed in shock: 【Yoon Nam-hyuk?】

Yoon Nam-hyuk?

Qi Huai was stunned.

The footsteps approached the bedside. Although Qi Huai’s eyes were covered, he could smell the faint scent of smoke and alcohol on the other person, as well as his familiar perfume.

The light scent of black tea mixed with the bitterness of caramel—it was a scent Qi Huai had smelled up close more than once.

It was indeed Yoon Nam-hyuk.

What is he doing—

A cool fingertip suddenly landed on Qi Huai’s forehead, tracing a path from his brow to the tip of his nose, then over his lips. It lingered at his Adam’s apple, kneading it several times in a vengeful manner, as if getting back at him for the “deep-seated hatred” of being touched until he sprayed in the bathroom stall that day.

Qi Huai’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

His breathing grew heavier.

“Yoon Nam-hyuk,” he warned, his voice hoarse. “Stop messing around. What are you doing here?”

He wanted to ask where Kim Min-kyung was, but logically, he shouldn’t know these things, so he couldn’t ask. He could only ask about Baek Soo-kyung’s whereabouts. “Yoon Nam-hyuk, where are the people who were with me? Are Baek Soo-kyung and the others safe? Yoon Nam-hyuk?”

Silence.

The owner of the fingers didn’t speak, nor did he stop.

Clearly, Qi Huai’s question had made him angry, and his touch became rougher. From light, teasing strokes to heavy-handed kneading, his hands slid over his collarbone, his chest, his abs, and then continued downwards.

“Yoon—ngh.”

Qi Huai let out a low gasp.

The body in his hands was like a fish on a chopping block, at his mercy. Watching Qi Huai bite his lip and gasp, his brow furrowed, Yoon Nam-hyuk suddenly forgot that his original intention was to teach him a “lesson.”

He had only planned to touch him a little, to scare him, to show him the dangers of letting his guard down at a nightclub, and to get revenge for being touched until he lost his composure last time.

But the other’s burning body temperature, tense waist and abdomen, rapidly rising and falling chest muscles, and his unique yet pleasant scent… everything about him was incredibly sexy. Touching such a body was addictive. The familiar tingling sensation shot up from the base of his spine. His cool fingertips went from warm to scalding, his breathing quickening. Yoon Nam-hyuk pressed his lips together, leaned in to sniff at the collar of Qi Huai’s shirt, and felt himself getting hot all over.

Qi Huai sensed that something was wrong with Yoon Nam-hyuk.

He forcefully suppressed the throbbing in his temples and the last thread of his rationality, trying his best to keep his voice steady. “Are you planning to sleep with me, Yoon Nam-hyuk?”

---

¹Aigoo (아이고): A common Korean exclamation of surprise, exasperation, or mild distress, similar to “oh my” or “geez.”