Mr Kim III

Toji stood on the side of the road, arms crossed, his expression one of sheer indifference. The air was heavy with the quiet aftermath of the chaotic fight earlier, but Toji was waiting for something much more mundane now: his car. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves nearby, and for a moment, everything seemed peaceful, almost tranquil. Toji's sharp gaze drifted toward Mr. Kim, who stood nearby, hugging his daughter, Minji. The tension between father and daughter was palpable.

Toji, always one for bluntness, broke the silence. "Mr. Kim," he said, his tone casual but carrying weight. "Would you do anything if someone tried to harm your daughter?"

Mr. Kim's arms tightened protectively around Minji, and his gaze grew steely. "I would kill them," he replied, his voice low but filled with conviction. There was no hesitation in his answer, no doubt.

Toji's lips curled into a mocking chuckle. "Then you should kill yourself," he said.

The words hung in the air like a knife, slicing through whatever hope Mr. Kim had tried to hold on to. Mr. Kim's eyes widened in shock, and for a moment, he looked like a man who had been struck in the gut. He couldn't understand what Toji meant at first, but Toji was quick to elaborate, his voice cold and sharp.

"In the 20th century," Toji continued, "the worst thing a parent can do is be poor. Imagine how much she's been holding herself back. How much she's been shrinking inside, unable to ask for anything from her good-for-nothing father." He let the words sink in, his tone devoid of empathy, but his eyes bore a cold understanding. "Even I felt pity looking at your pitiful state the other day."

Mr. Kim's face paled. His mind raced as Toji's words hit him hard, and then, like a lightning bolt, it struck him. This was the same thing that other man had told him. The man who had tormented his family, bullied his daughter, and nearly destroyed their lives. Could Toji have been the reason behind all that? His mind spiraled, and the realization made his chest tighten in shame.

He looked down at the ground, feeling the weight of guilt crushing him. Everything Toji said was true. He had failed his daughter, and though he had tried to protect her, his poverty had shackled him, made him weak in the face of real threats.

Toji's voice cut through his thoughts once more, but this time, the words were like a lifeline in the darkness.

"I can pay you millions per month if you work for me," Toji offered, his tone almost casual. "You can give her a good life, a good education… and you can be the father she deserves to trust."

Mr. Kim's head snapped up. He stared at Toji, both disbelief and hope swirling in his eyes. Millions per month? A good life for Minji? It seemed too good to be true. He opened his mouth to respond, but he hesitated. He knew how the world worked. People didn't make such offers for free, and certainly not to someone like him.

Toji could see the hesitation, the doubt flickering in Mr. Kim's eyes. He knew that to Mr. Kim, he was just some kid—a brat who seemed too young and too immature to make such bold promises. But Toji wasn't one to leave things up in the air.

With a smirk, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a sleek, golden card. Without a word, he flicked it toward Mr. Kim, who instinctively caught it. The card gleamed in the dim light, and Mr. Kim stared at it, confused. "What is this?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"That's your first salary," Toji replied with a smirk.

Mr. Kim's confusion deepened. He hadn't even agreed to anything yet, but Toji was acting like the deal had already been sealed. "But I didn't say I'd join you," Mr. Kim muttered, still staring at the card.

Toji let out a small laugh, shaking his head. "You don't even have a choice to begin with," he said, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous certainty. "I know shutting down a huge company like Junyoung would not have been easy for an average office worker like you. Pay whoever you need to pay, because the moment you accept this, you're going to be my property."

The words sent a chill down Mr. Kim's spine. Property? Toji's smirk was still there, but there was a hard edge to it, a finality that left no room for argument. Mr. Kim swallowed, his grip tightening on the golden card.

As if on cue, Toji's car—a sleek, expensive model that spoke of wealth and power—rolled up to the curb. Without another word, Toji turned and headed for the car, his white oversized T-shirt still pristine despite the chaos that had unfolded earlier. Before stepping inside, he glanced back at Mr. Kim one last time.

"See you again, Mr Kim," Toji said with a smirk, after all bargaining was one of the skills that Toji excelled at.

Mr. Kim stood there, speechless, holding the golden card in his hand. The weight of everything that had just transpired was crushing him. The golden card was no ordinary piece of plastic. He recognized it as a special type of card, only given to those with bank accounts holding over 5 billion won—equivalent to around $40 million. Whoever Toji was, he wasn't just some kid. He was someone with immense power and wealth, someone who could change Mr. Kim's entire life with a snap of his fingers.

As Toji's car drove off into the distance, Mr. Kim's mind swirled with conflicting emotions. He looked down at the card again, realizing that this was enough to pay back his benefactor, at least for now. But more than that, it was an opportunity—a way to finally provide for his daughter, to give her the life she deserved. It was a way to be a father she could be proud of.

A soft sob pulled him from his thoughts. He looked down to see Minji still crying, her arms wrapped tightly around him. Her small body shook with emotion, and her tears soaked through his shirt. He felt a deep, overwhelming sadness seeing his daughter like this, knowing that she had been hurt and betrayed by his failures.

"I'm sorry, Minji," he whispered, his voice thick with regret. "You may have to change schools now… but I promise, I'll make things better. I'll give you the life you deserve."

Minji pulled back slightly, her tear-streaked face looking up at him with wide, emotional eyes. "Dad, what are you saying?" she sobbed. "I'll never hate you. I love you. I always have."

Her words shattered the last bit of composure Mr. Kim had. He hugged her tight, his own tears mixing with hers. The guilt and shame that had weighed him down for so long began to lift, if only a little. His daughter didn't hate him. She still loved him, despite everything.

As he held her close, he looked down at the golden card once more, his resolve hardening. He would accept Toji's offer. He would do whatever it took to protect Minji, to provide for her, to be the father she needed. He wouldn't be the poor, helpless man he had been before. He would become someone Minji could be proud of.

Tightening his grip on the card, Mr. Kim made a silent vow to himself and to his daughter. I'll give you everything you desire, Minji. I'll protect you from now on. No one will ever hurt you again.

With that thought in mind, he hugged his daughter tighter, a new sense of purpose burning in his chest. The road ahead would be difficult, and working for someone like Toji would no doubt come with dangers and challenges. But for Minji, he would face any challenge, and take any risk.

After all, Mr. Kim is an ex-Sergeant and Spy who has carried out numerous missions for his country. He was so dangerous that China and Russia had dedicated teams to him. In addition, North Korea has a cash bounty for him because he attempted to assassinate their Supreme Leader twice.

He was going to be the father she deserved, no matter what.