Chapter 133: The Story You Don't Know

It has been over a fortnight since Geon stayed at the Red Castle. Every morning, Kiska visited, and they spent the whole day playing and bonding. Gregory, seeing the changes in his daughter, who began to express her emotions starting with laughter, also wore a smile.

One quiet afternoon, after having a simple sandwich lunch with Kiska, Miroslav came to visit Geon. Seeing Miroslav, a large man dressed in a suit, Geon greeted him.

"Miroslav. Hello?"

"Hello, Geon."

Geon glanced behind Miroslav, who was standing by the door, and asked.

"Is there something wrong? Please, come in."

"No, it's not that. I've come to deliver a message."

"Sure, go ahead."

"Today, there's a meeting between the mafia bosses, including the boss and the security personnel, many will be absent. Just in case you were planning to go out."

After thinking for a moment, Geon replied.

"I don't think I have any particular reason to go out today."

"Ah, then that's good. It would be best if you could refrain from going out today."

"Understood. I'll do that. Take care."

As Miroslav left with unfailing politeness, Byung-jun, who had been lounging on the sofa, asked.

"What did he say?"

Sitting next to Byung-jun, Geon said.

"Gregory is going out today. He said since many of the security personnel will be absent, we should refrain from going out."

"Oh, is that so? When have we ever gone out, except for that time you went to shoot a music video? We hardly ever leave."

"Haha, well, it's not like we feel suffocated here anyway."

"Of course, we don't feel suffocated! The house is as big as San Francisco Park, what's there to feel suffocated about? They give us food, drinks, snacks, TV, and don't even ask for rent. Where else would you find such a place? Plus, the security is tight. I'd love to just stay here forever if it wasn't for it being the mafia boss's house…"

"Brother!!"

As Byung-jun raised his voice, he glanced at Kiska, who was lying on the floor, drawing.

Kiska didn't seem to pay much attention, busily drawing something. Byung-jun, noticing Geon's annoyed expression, whispered apologetically.

"Sorry…"

"Please don't speak recklessly in front of Kiska. Even a child understands more than you think."

"Got it."

While Geon was glaring at Byung-jun, the outside became noisy. Curious, Geon opened the annex door to see black cars entering the house with smoke trailing behind them.

Before the car had completely stopped, Miroslav jumped out and opened the rear door of the smoking car. Geon noticed scratches on the side of the car. Byung-jun, following out, exclaimed in shock.

"What, what's that! Aren't those bullet holes?"

"What? Bullet holes?"

"Gasp! The person Miroslav is helping out!! It's Gregory!"

As Byung-jun said, Miroslav quickly entered the back door, supporting someone from the car. Seeing Gregory, pale-faced and dragging his feet, Geon urgently spoke.

"Brother! Please take care of Kiska!"

Without waiting for a reply, Geon rushed to Miroslav and gasped.

"Miroslav! What happened! Gregory!! Gregory!!"

Gregory, pale with sweat beading on his face, placed a finger to his lips. Watching Gregory gesture towards the annex, Geon lowered his voice.

"Kiska is with Byung-jun. What happened?"

Gregory, showing a weak smile, spoke in a raspy voice.

"Let's talk inside. Miroslav, let's go up."

Instead of heading to Gregory's usual study, Miroslav supported Gregory to a bedroom on the third floor and laid him on the bed. Geon, looking worried, asked.

"What happened, Miroslav?"

Miroslav, wiping the sweat from his forehead from moving Gregory, said.

"It seems there was a leak about the bosses' meeting. Right after leaving the Red Castle, we were attacked."

Geon, shocked, raised his voice.

"What? Attacked! What's Gregory's condition, then?"

Looking at Gregory, who was gasping for breath, Miroslav shook his head.

"You don't need to worry. He was shot in the left abdomen, but the bullet went through near the side, so it shouldn't be life-threatening. A doctor will be here soon."

"Shot? He was shot?"

Gregory let out a sigh and said,

"Opening the window while smoking was a mistake, even though the vehicle was armored."

Geon, alarmed, noticed blood on Miroslav's arm and exclaimed,

"Miroslav! Are you injured too? I can see blood on your arm!"

Miroslav glanced at his arm and chuckled lightly,

"It's just a graze. Don't worry."

"Still, you need to get it treated properly!"

"Yes, I will. Please, keep your voice down. It disturbs the boss."

Realizing his mistake, Geon closed his mouth as Gregory, lying on the bed, weakly said,

"Geon, come here for a moment."

Rushing to Gregory's side, Geon saw him prop a pillow behind his neck, grab Geon's hand, and say,

"I have a favor to ask."

"Anything, Gregory. What is it?"

"I've been a poor father to Kiska. Just the nature of my job brings harm to her. But there's one thing this unworthy father has always done for his daughter."

Listening quietly, Geon saw Gregory smile weakly and continue,

"My daughter has had nightmares for a long time, every night. I couldn't do anything about her dreams, but I wanted to take care of her until she falls asleep. So, I've read her a fairy tale every night before sleep. I might not be able to do it now, could you do it for a few days? It's okay if Kiska sleeps in the annex."

"Of course. It's not a hard task at all. I'll do it, Gregory. Just focus on getting better."

"Heh, thank you. I'm relying on you."

Knock, knock

Hearing a knock, Miroslav opened the door and briefly spoke in Russian. Geon, quietly watching the door, heard Miroslav say,

"Boss. The doctor is here."

"Let them in. Geon, you should also go rest."

"Okay, take care of yourself. I'll come to see you often."

"Thank you."

After holding Gregory's hand for a moment, Geon left as the doctor entered.

The doctor, surprised to see Geon, widened his eyes, but Miroslav glared at the doctor and silently placed a finger on his lips. The nervous doctor quickly nodded and hurriedly began treating Gregory.

Returning to the annex with a worried look, Geon approached Byung-jun, who was anxiously waiting outside.

"What happened? Is anyone hurt?"

"Yes, Gregory has a through-and-through wound in his abdomen, and Miroslav has a graze on his arm. Both are not life-threatening."

"Phew, that's a relief at least."

"Brother, Kiska mustn't know. Let's have her stay with us for a few days."

"Hmm… that might… actually make Kiska happier."

"What?"

"Ah, nothing. Just saying. Let's go inside."

---

Washington, White House, Oval Office.

Bang!

President Harold Winston slammed his fist on the desk, shouting at the Chief of Staff,

"A shootout! What about Geon! How is Geon?"

The Chief of Staff, with a calm expression, responded,

"The attack was on the vehicle Gregory Miocic was in. At the time, Geon was at the Red Castle."

Relieved to hear that Geon was safe, Harold sighed in relief. After pondering for a while, he asked,

"Is there no way to get Geon out of there?"

"Geon entered voluntarily. It does not seem like he was forced or is being held against his will."

"Isn't it too dangerous? Even if Gregory Miocic isn't just an ordinary mafia harassing civilians, the environment around him is too dangerous. Don't you think? Who was behind the shooting?"

The Chief of Staff presented a dossier,

"Aurel Mavraj, 47, the new boss of the Albanian mafia. It's assumed the attack was carried out under his orders after he entered the country secretly three days ago."

Looking at Aurel Mavraj's photo in the dossier handed by the Chief of Staff, Harold asked,

"Is this a new face? He looks different from the Albanian mafia boss shown in previous reports, or am I mistaken?"

"You've observed correctly. The person reported earlier was Lindro Berisha, who is presumed to have been killed by Gregory Miocic about a year ago."

"Killed? Then why hasn't he been arrested?"

"We couldn't find evidence that he did it personally. The killing is also assumed, and officially, he's listed as missing since the body wasn't found."

"Hmm… Wasn't the conflict between the Albanian and Red Mafia already concluded?"

"We had reported as much, but Aurel's entry might change the situation anew."

Harold, fixating on Aurel's photo, then placed the dossier on the table and said,

"Upgrade the surveillance level on Aurel Mavraj immediately and monitor his whereabouts. If we can't find a legitimate reason to confront Gregory Miocic, let's put pressure on Aurel's side to prevent any conflict. Arrest him immediately if any illegal activity is discovered."

The Chief of Staff, looking seriously at President Harold, replied,

"He's just a musician, not even an American citizen. Why are you so concerned? If it's merely as a fan, accusations of wasting national resources can't be avoided."

Harold's eyebrows twitched as he looked up at the Chief of Staff, then sighed,

"Do you really see Geon as just another musician? That's your mistake. He is a treasure to the world. If he, while on American soil, gets hurt or worse, involved in a mafia war, it would be an international embarrassment.

Furthermore, it could create issues with diplomatic relations with countries in the Hindu world that hold him in high regard. Please treat this matter as a national issue and handle it accordingly. I'm asking you."

After looking deeply at Harold for a moment, the Chief of Staff tucked the dossier under his arm and nodded,

"Understood. I'll get in touch with the Director of the CIA, Mitchell."

As the Chief of Staff left, Harold was left alone, staring down at the photo of Aurel Mavraj on his desk. It almost seemed as if Aurel was staring back at him, challenging him from within the photograph.

Five days had passed, but Gregory was still having difficulty moving around. Fortunately, the surgery conducted in his bedroom went well, and Miroslav, having stitched up and bandaged his torn arm, wore a shirt over it to prevent Kiska from noticing the injury.

During this time, Geon had been bringing Kiska to his bed every night to sleep, while he shared a bed with Byungjun. On the sixth day, just like any other day, after spending the whole day with Kiska, Geon approached her with a smile as she sat on the bed in her cute bunny pajamas, waiting.

"What book shall I read to you today, Kiska?"

As Kiska looked up at Geon with her big, adorable eyes, he sat down on a chair beside the bed.

"Today... I've run out of books to read. Shall I tell you an old tale instead?"

As Geon caressed Kiska's hair, he began his story.

"In a certain village lived a wealthy man, known for his greed and miserliness, which made him unpopular among the villagers. One day, he sought the advice of a wise old man, known for his wisdom."

"'Sir, even though I've promised to distribute all my wealth to the poor neighbors after I die, people still hate me and call me a miser. What should I do?'"

Kiska's interest seemed piqued as she watched Geon, who gently stroked the top of her head as he continued.

"The old man shared a story with the wealthy man."

"'A pig once went to a cow to complain. 'You only give milk, yet people love you. I give my entire life to provide everything for them, yet why don't they love me?'"

"'The cow, listening quietly, replied to the pig, 'It's because I give while I am alive, but you give after death.'"

As Geon continued his story in a soft and gentle voice, Kiska, who seemed a bit sleepy, made eye contact with him.

"Looking at the wealthy man, the old man said, 'Doing small deeds now is more valuable than planning big ones for later. Only those who start with small, seemingly insignificant tasks can achieve greater deeds later.' Kiska, you too can be someone who starts with small things, right?"

As Kiska blinked her sleepy eyes, Geon sang a short lullaby and stroked her head. Soon, the young girl fell into a deep sleep, breathing softly. After confirming that Kiska was fully asleep, Geon quietly got up and left the room.

Geon gently closed the door without making a sound and headed towards Byungjun's room. Upon opening the door, he saw Byungjun in his underwear, lying on the bed and looking at his phone.

"Ah, hyung. Please put on some pants. Kiska is here, after all."

Byungjun covered his lower body with a blanket and laughed.

"I find this comfortable, you know. Come sit."

As Geon sat on the bed, leaning next to Byungjun, Byungjun showed him the phone, chuckling.

"Did you know today marks exactly one week since your single was released?"

"Has it already been that long? I've lost track of time since I haven't been going out."

"Yeah, well, same here. Anyway, look at this. You've entered the Billboard HOT 100 at number 11, right in the first week. See the New marker here? Straight to number 11, kid!"

Byungjun patted Geon on the shoulder as if to congratulate him. Geon grimaced as if in pain but soon laughed.

"I'm glad the response has been good. Haha."

Byungjun scrolled down on his phone and continued.

"You've been topping the real-time charts in Korea for a week straight, weekly charts included. You're also dominating the Baidu charts in China, the Oricon charts in Japan, and the electronic charts in the UK."

"Haha, must be thanks to Kiska, huh."

Byungjun tossed the phone aside and said,

"You know you're getting a ton of interview requests, right? You can't keep hiding away like this."

Geon's eyes widened in surprise.

"Hiding? Who's hiding?"

"You, man. You're not leaving this place. What, should the reporters come to a mafia boss's house for an interview?"

"Ah... So that's why. I can step out for a bit. Just schedule them. Don't refuse and make a bigger issue later."

"Really? Hm... Alright. But what about Kiska?"

Geon looked troubled for a moment, then Byungjun suggested,

"The nanny usually takes Kiska for a bath around two in the afternoon, right?"

"That's usually the time, yeah."

"Then let's schedule it for after 2:30. How about sneaking out then?"

"Um... But if Kiska finishes her bath and I

'm not there, she'll look for me..."

"What then, man? You know she won't let you go anywhere without her."

"Um... When are you planning to schedule it?"

"The reporters are on standby 24/7. We could even do it tomorrow if you say the word."

"Then schedule it for tomorrow. It'll just be for an hour, right?"

"Tomorrow, for real? Alright!"

Byungjun sprang up, grabbed the phone, and began sending emails. Watching this, Geon chuckled and headed towards the shower, noticing a door slightly ajar and pushing it closed.

In the dark living room, in front of the closed door, stood a small figure. Kiska, who had been tapping one foot on the floor in front of the closed door, dashed back into her room.

* * *

The next morning, after a walk in the garden with Kiska, Geon, having just finished lunch, asked the nanny,

"You'll be taking Kiska for her bath, right? It's bath time."

The nanny, watching Kiska smear ice cream all over her face, smiled and replied,

"With her looking like this, of course, we must. Can I take her now?"

"Yes, please do."

"Alright then, missy. Eating ice cream all messy like this. What are we going to do with you? Let's go, it's time for a bath."

As Kiska held the nanny's hand and headed upstairs to the bathroom, she glanced at Geon and Byungjun, who were finishing their coffee.

Byungjun, noticing Kiska's glance, pretended to be surprised and looked away. As Kiska and the nanny ascended the stairs, Byungjun stood up and said,

"Let's go!"

Byungjun and Geon quickly left the main building and headed towards their car. Miroslav, who had been waiting outside, said,

"Kay, the boss said to stop by for a moment before you leave."

"Ah, is that so? Okay."

Byungjun hurriedly added,

"We'll be back before Kiska comes out, right?"

"Yes, the boss just has a quick message, so it'll be over soon."

Leaving Byungjun in the car, Geon followed Miroslav to Gregory's bedroom, where they found Gregory lighting a cigar, half-sitting up in bed.

"Gregory! You're smoking a cigar already? It hasn't been that long since your surgery."

As Geon scolded him, Gregory chuckled and exhaled smoke, saying,

"I've heard enough of that from the nanny, so let's not go there. You're going out today?"

Geon sat down beside his bed and replied,

"Yes, I have an interview."

"But, really, without any security?"

"It's a meeting with hundreds of reporters, Gregory. I can't bring the organization's members to that."

"Can't we dress them up nicely at least?"

Geon looked incredulously at Miroslav, who was standing beside the bed with his hands clasped, and Gregory turned to look Miroslav up and down before chuckling,

"Even in a suit, it'd be obvious. So, who's handling your security?"

"The company has contracted a security firm to send about ten people. They said they'd be waiting at the press conference venue."

"Hmm... Alright. If anything happens, call me right away. Kiska isn't throwing a fit to go with you?"

"She went with the nanny for a bath. I plan to sneak out and return."

"Ha, Kiska will throw a tantrum when she finds out. Alright, go on then."

"Please take care of yourself today as well, and stop smoking that cigar."

After a brief conversation with Gregory, Geon rushed down to the car. Byungjun, waiting in the car, rolled down the window and signaled to a low-ranking organization member, chosen for his relatively decent appearance, to start the vehicle.

The car sped past the garden and exited through the main gate, previously opened by an organization member, leaving the heavily guarded Red Castle behind.

As they enjoyed the fresh air outside for the first time in a while, Byungjun turned to Geon and said,

"Though it was announced suddenly last night, there'll be a lot of reporters waiting. I spoke with the director this morning; we've made additional arrangements with the security company, so around thirty personnel will be there. Don't worry."

Geon smiled and nodded.

"I was a bit worried when you said only ten people, but that's a relief. It feels strange, going out with just one car after so long, haha. It feels freeing, but also like something's missing."

As Geon's car entered downtown Brooklyn, three cars suddenly emerged from an alley and started following them.

Men with menacing looks inside an old sky-blue Cadillac observed Geon's car closely. One of them, a man with a thick beard covering half his face

, watched from the passenger seat before turning back and saying,

"Boss. It's a car from Red Castle, but we can't tell who's inside."

The man in the back seat, cleaning a Glock 19 with a towel, glanced through the windshield at Geon's car and said,

"Follow them. It'd be great if it's Miocic, but he wouldn't be out alone like this. If it's a mid-level boss or higher, we take them down."

"Yes, boss."

As Geon's car was pursued by the three vehicles, more than ten cars parked illegally on both sides of the road started moving in unison.

One of the drivers, holding a walkie-talkie in one hand while driving, shouted,

"This is Alpha. A chick has attracted a snake... Repeat. A chick has attracted a snake."

CIA vehicles joined the pursuit, unaware to Byungjun and Geon, who were preoccupied with discussing their presentation for the interview.

Meanwhile, a small figure hidden in the trunk of their car was waiting to surprise Geon with a smile, heart pounding and breath held as the car stopped.

Back at Red Castle's bathhouse, the nanny whistled while adding bubble bath to the water, calling out for Kiska.

"Missy~ Missy? Where have you gone again?"