Cunning and Evil

REMEDY

CONTENT WARNING

EXPLICIT. Please don't read if you're a minor, or if you're uncomfortable with this theme.

***

Ri Chung Ryeol lit his tobacco, offering one to his political allies that was sitting in his office.

"So, your son is now the majority floor leader, huh?" He took one from Chung Ryeol and lit it with a lighter he brought, "Is dumping my daughter a part of that plan too?"

He knew this was going to blow up in his face.

"Their separation wasn't part of the plan." the seasoned politician continued, "...and neither being the Majority Floor Leader."

"So you're telling me that this is all Ri Jeong Hyeok?"

He sighed and took a puff from his tobacco, "Let's talk about something else."

"Alright then," his actions were mimicked by Minister Seo, "Daegu as the speaker, would you believe?"

"It should've been Seoul." There was bitterness in Chung Ryeol's voice, and he did not dare to hide it.

"Yoon was a force to be reckoned with. She had been supporting your son prior to his election."

He hissed, "Don't get me started with Yoon. That woman had been a block on my path since time immemorial. Now she's ruining the career path I had set for Jeong Hyeok."

"Do you need to use Choi again?"

"That son of a bitch." Chung Ryeol almost threw the glass of rum they've been drinking. "I would never trust that snake again."

Silence ensued between the two statesmen, as they both drew up plans that could tip off the circumstances to their favor. "Maybe I can help."

"What do you have in mind?"

Minister Seo took his phone and dialed a number, "Dan? Where are you?"

***

It was not a coincidence that Representative Yoon and Representative Ri arrived at the Moon Ban Lee Meeting Room at the same time for the meeting on the bill they jointly authored, yet the statesmen made sure that it looked like one.

"Good Morning, Miss Yoon." Hong Chan Sik greeted the boss he'd been waiting for the past 15 minutes. She was in her usual black blazer with a white dress underneath, exuding the politician aura from head to toe. He handed her a set of documents which she gladly took in between her fingers before she turned to him with a genuine smile that looked out of place in her usually stoic face.

Imagine Hong Chan Sik's bewilderment. Yoon Seri never smiles as early as 8:25 in the morning. 

On the other side of the room where the Representative of Seoul chose to enter, Pyo Chi Su was about to greet Ri Jeong Hyeok when the latter beat him to it, jolting him with a double-pat on his back. "Hey, Mr. Pyo. Morning!"

His chief of staff handed him his cup of coffee, internally guessing what could have made his boss' morning great. He had to thank whoever it was, because at least Ri Jeong Hyeok wouldn't bite his head off when he tells him that his research team has still yet to finish the paper he asked about urban farming in Seoul.

In the team's defense, the task was only assigned at 5:00 PM last night.

Assemblyman Ri immediately sipped and groaned when the liquid reached his throat. "Ah, that's great coffee. Thanks."