Before that, he should be asking himself whether he’d be able to get a boner or not. Taekjoo found himself imagining the scene. But he gathered himself quickly and shook his head. He had no space in his head for useless thoughts. Taekjoo felt like he’d throw up if he thought about it more.
“Drop it. It’s gross and not even funny.”
Taekjoo said seriously as he sat down. He ruffled his hair as he observed Hong on the monitor. The man was still in the same position, reading the same book for two days straight. Taekjoo looked up the book in case it had any clue, but there was nothing noteworthy.
The Bogdanovs still hadn’t reached out to him yet. Occasionally, people walking by would strike up a conversation with Hong, but it was clear that each interaction was just casual small talk. Hong rarely left his seat, and he never contacted anyone, much less made a call. So when exactly was he going to meet the Russians? And how was he planning to do it?
Taekjoo stared at the monitor, focused when the table banged. He glanced to his side and saw Zhenya putting down two bottles each of vodka, tequila, and cognac on the table. He placed two empty glasses in front of himself and Taekjoo, no ice, seemingly planning to drink the liquor straight. He also took out the cigar, something he smoked so often it had practically become his trademark. It was marketed as a 40th-anniversary special, and the elegance showed right from the case.
Zhenya poured the cognac first before pulling out a stick of his Cohiba Behike and dipping its tip in his glass. Then, he lit it with a cigar lighter and placed the thick roll between his lips. The entire sequence of actions flowed as naturally as a stream of water. He inhaled calmly, the tobacco burning gently, releasing the distinct aroma of Cohiba Behike.
“Smoking it this way makes it taste richer,” Zhenya said as he passed the cigar to Taekjoo, who didn’t refuse the offer. Taekjoo placed it between his lips. A thick, heavy flavor spread inside his mouth. The smoke whirled inside his mouth, then gradually went down his throat, making his eyes water and his head spin.
Zhenya watched Taekjoo have his first experience as he took out another cigar. He also filled Taekjoo’s empty glass.
“I thought you swung that way.”
“What do you mean that way?”
“You were soft even with a naked woman right before you, so I thought women didn’t turn you on.”
Zhenya put on a cheeky smile. Taekjoo, staring at him, emptied his glass of cognac right away. Inhaling his cigar, he scoffed, smiling with derision.
“How’d you come up with that crap? I like women. If the world had ended and only men were left, I would still choose celibacy over fucking a man.”
Taekjoo drew the line clearly. Just thinking about it gave him the chills. Zhenya smirked, refilling Taekjoo’s glass. It’s your fault, you’re the one making others hard—Zhenya mumbled under his breath. Taekjoo asked what he meant, but Zhenya quickly changed the subject.
“So, what kind of women do you like?”
“Why? Are you gonna set me up with someone? Where is this coming from?”
“More like traffic control. I just don’t wanna hit on someone you’ve got dibs on.”
“Problem? I didn’t know animals could grasp such a concept.”
Taekjoo was being openly sarcastic, but Zhenya simply laughed it off. Taekjoo shook his head and drained his glass. He started feeling warm and wanted another glass. He reached out to top himself off when Zhenya suddenly stopped him. Tell me—Zhenya told Taekjoo when their eyes met. Taekjoo couldn’t be bothered, so he started talking.
“Someone with curves. I prefer chubby over skinny.”
“Such a boring taste.”
“Better than having no taste at all, isn’t it?”
“What do you mean no taste? I’m offended. It might not seem like it, but I’m quite picky.”
“You know what’s offensive? For a jerk like you to reject someone. No, wait—maybe it’s better that way.”
Taekjoo kept mocking Zhenya as he snatched the bottle of vodka. While Taekjoo was pouring himself a drink, Zhenya suddenly started talking about his preference.
“I hate clinginess. Having sex with someone is fun the first time, but after that, doing it again with the same person just gets boring.”
Yeah, I can clearly see that. Zhenya was the kind of man who slept with different woman every day. He wouldn’t get what commitment meant even if it was spelled out for him. And it wasn’t just him. Many people prefer casual relationships, like one-night stands or friends with benefits. They often say they don’t want the burden or constraints of responsibility, especially when sex is just about pleasure. But most people have something called shame, which prevents them from openly displaying their promiscuity—unlike Zhenya.
Taekjoo knew it was probably pointless, but he asked anyway.
“Have you ever been with someone consistent—”
“No.”
It was an immediate response, which also meant Zhenya hadn’t had any proper relationships. To be fair, it was quite hard to picture him nursing sincere love for someone and craving that someone’s attention. Taekjoo recalled everything Zhenya had done since the moment they met—it was like a horror movie. One woman who receives all his attention and affection? Just thinking about it made Taekjoo feel sorry for this imaginary lady.
“Who knows, maybe I will if they’re stubborn and rebellious. And if they can take a rough hand without breaking easily, that just makes it even better. There’s something fun about taking control with strength, you see.”
What a sophisticated taste, Taekjoo thought to himself. But it didn’t surprise him. It seemed impossible, to begin with, for someone like Zhenya to build a relationship and start a family with someone. A normal life like that didn’t suit an abnormal bastard like him. Had he been that kind of man, he wouldn’t be here in the first place.
And things weren’t looking much different for Taekjoo either. What woman would be happy with a husband who kept his job a secret, rarely had days off, and frequently traveled for work? Unfortunately, there was little chance that Taekjoo would ever make his mother’s wish come true. He’d already fumbled with the first thing—getting a safe, stable job. Starting a loving family of his own seemed just as impossible.
“I heard Koreans depend on their parents even after they become adults. Is that true?”