PASSION Chapter 4 Part 9

Chapter 4 Part 9

"Let go of that hand."

A desolate voice rang out.

The muzzle of the Colt that Tae-ui held behind Rigrow stopped at his cervical spine.

Rigrow paused while gripping the man's neck. Leaning back slightly to press his neck against the muzzle, he smiled calmly and muttered:

"Shooting this close, your wrist won't survive either."

"Don't move. I think losing a wrist is a hundred times better than losing my life."

"...I was wrong about you. I absolutely hate idiots who throw away their lives playing hero in matters that don't concern them."

"I said don't move."

Strength entered the hand holding the Colt. Without even blinking while whispering, Tae-ui focused on every tiny movement he made. Meanwhile, he cursed himself internally.

What does it matter if one stupid guy dies that you're butting in where you don't belong. You're not just digging your own grave but laying the sod and lying down in it.

Having moved without thinking twice, following his instincts, Tae-ui now felt like biting his tongue at the current situation. But what was done was done. He was prepared to see it through to the end. Though somehow this monster of a man seemed like he might move like a zombie even with his head blown apart, which was terrifying.

There was a sound of Rigrow laughing. With his low laughter his shoulders moved slightly up and down.

"Haha, well this is... What should I do..."

Muttering as if troubled, Rigrow slowly released his grip on the man's neck. Perhaps from being too tense, Tae-ui flinched involuntarily when his hand moved.

Even without anyone explaining, he could understand the meaning of "what should I do." It meant how should I destroy this newly appeared guy.

Strength steadily entered Tae-ui's hand.

Just one moment, if he let his guard down for just one moment that would be the moment his life ended.

When Rigrow completely removed his hand from the man's neck.

At that moment, the man who had been nearly unconscious instead started shouting with bloodshot eyes.

"Shoot! Just shoot I tell you! Shoot him!"

At those shouts, Tae-ui nearly actually pulled the trigger while being tensed to the limit watching every tiny movement of Rigrow's hands.

Seeing the man who didn't even appreciate the grace of someone trying to save him at their own risk just shouting such things, Tae-ui felt a surge of anger.

"...What a perfect pair of madmen. So you want to die and I got in your way, is that it. Listen here, later - if I'm alive - you're getting hit by me."

Just as Tae-ui was grinding out those words, Rigrow who seemed to be releasing the man smiled slightly and lifted his heel from the ground.

In that instant, an ominous feeling descended pitch black.

That's when,

"What do you all think you're doing."

A frost-like voice flew overhead. Multiple footsteps overlapped approaching firmly from the door. Tae-ui, who had nearly pulled the trigger finger on the Colt, stopped moving and turned to look.

His uncle was entering. Behind him followed that former driver who was his uncle's Officer. The moment he saw his uncle's face, Tae-ui let out an "Ugh."

His uncle entered with an expressionless face and after briefly looking around seemed to grasp the situation, approaching them directly with empty hands without any weapons. Seeing Tae-ui holding the Colt, he frowned.

"Personal weapons are prohibited within the branch. Didn't you know that, Jung Tae-ui?"

"...I know."

"Whose is it?"

"....It's mine."

"Yours, you say. Fine, if that's what you're saying let's go with that. Come up to the instructor's office right now."

Though his uncle finished speaking, Tae-ui hesitated briefly. Rigrow was still standing in front of him, and the muzzle was pressed right against his cervical spine. The moment he moved this muzzle even slightly, it felt like this man would tear out his throat.

This man wasn't someone who would restrain his actions just because others were watching.

His uncle turned his gaze to the man still in Rigrow's grip.

"Louis. Were you trying to kill him?"

"----Yes! This bastard deserves to die!"

"Fine, you go to solitary. Cool your head there for about half a year."

After finishing speaking concisely to that man as well, his uncle finally looked at Rigrow. His expression clouded with a sigh as he looked at him. His headache was clearly visible.

"Rigrow."

When their eyes met, he grimaced briefly as if troubled, then smiled with that same troubled expression. Shrugging slightly, he pleaded as if wronged:

"I didn't do anything. He suddenly points a .50 caliber revolver at me, what am I supposed to do? Just get shot and die? I had no choice if I wanted to live."

Rigrow's excuse mixing informal speech was fundamentally very reasonable. Even though the arm he was gripping was swollen purple at an unnatural angle, and anyone could see he had been overwhelmingly stronger.

His uncle clicked his tongue a couple times as if annoyed. Then glancing at Tae-ui who still had the muzzle aimed at Rigrow's nape, he spoke to him:

"Release Louis and take two steps forward. My poor member is trembling behind you."

"You mean that poor member jabbing my neck with a gun muzzle?"

Rigrow muttered as if wronged. Though grumbling "That's too much, Instructor," Rigrow released Louis. But not before pressing down once more on the twisted forearm. Then he lightly struck the back of the screaming man's head with his palm. Though "lightly," there was a thwack sound and the man's eyes bulged as if they would pop out.

When his uncle turned around and nodded at the fallen revolver, the Officer standing a step behind came forward to pick it up. Taking it, his uncle gauged its heavy weight and clicked his tongue. After tapping that extremely heavy weapon perfect for destroying large objects beyond just killing people, he suddenly struck Louis with the barrel.

"You crazy fool, what idiot aims something like this at people. When you get out of solitary, you're retaking weapons engineering lectures first."

Clicking his tongue, his uncle threw the revolver back to the Officer. Then he kicked and rolled aside Louis who had collapsed without even being able to cry out.

With his path cleared, Rigrow straightened up with a subtle smile. Pressing his neck firmly against the muzzle was clearly deliberate. Rigrow smiled slightly then slowly took one step forward. And another step.

Tae-ui watched him intently while unhurriedly lowering the gun, placing the Colt on his uncle's outstretched hand as he approached from the side.

Rigrow who had stepped back two steps as his uncle said turned around. Meeting his eyes as he stared blankly at him, Tae-ui saw he was looking at him with a faint smile. His hands opening and closing as if regretful came into view.

What would have happened if his uncle had entered just a little later then? He couldn't know how this man would have acted. But that pitch black instinctive anxiety that had come then was still clearly chilling his spine. He newly realized it had truly been dangerous. ...No, perhaps the real danger was yet to come. Indeed, now he understood why he always wore those gloves he said he wore because he hated getting blood on his hands.

Tae-ui became deeply gloomy.

It seemed the military education emphasizing camaraderie still hadn't left his body. What did it matter if some guy he had nothing to do with died, yet his body had moved reflexively.

Suddenly feeling a gaze on him, he gloomily turned to see his uncle looking at him. His uncle made a tongue-clicking gesture while looking at him with a face that said "you fool." Though his uncle had given him precious advice, he couldn't have done anything more certain to get marked.

"Jung Tae-ui. Just what were you trying to do with an empty gun?"

His uncle spoke as if finding him pathetic. The Colt jingled very lightly in his uncle's hand.

Tae-ui said nothing with a dejected face. He had known from the weight when he pulled the Colt from Moller's clothes. But to stop that man, that gamble was his only option.

Rigrow who had been watching Tae-ui from a distance paused briefly. His expression became strange. Then finally he laughed as if dumbfounded. As if finding it more and more unbelievable the more he thought about it, that low intermittent laughter continued for a while.

Then that laughter stopped abruptly.

Looking straight at Tae-ui, Rigrow muttered as if engraving it:

"Tae-ui, Jung Tae-ui you say."

It was the most precise pronunciation he had heard in recent times. Hearing that whisper as if rolling the name in his mouth, Tae-ui became even more depressed. A turbulent future was already unfolding in that voice.

Uncle, can't I go to solitary instead of Louis? I'm fine being locked up for half a year, please isolate me.

He would have to try begging while clinging to his uncle's pants when they went up to the instructor's office.

***