Page 62 of Damian & Jun, Episodes 13-16
The man didn’t look German, despite the name. Hardly his real name, most likely. Damian went through the motions of handshaking and smiling. He welcomed them both to the dinner, not letting the ick of sitting down with someone comfortable buying and selling human beings settle on his tongue. They had a plan, a trap. He just had to stick with it to the end. How could such a monster look and sound so normal? Because in the end, most of them did.
Just like Thaddeus had. Just like Bak Gyeong had. Demons in demure facades.
Mi Hi summoned everyone to sit a few moments later. As the crowd moved towards their seats, Neumann put himself in Jun’s path, addressing him. Jun spoke to him briefly, mask flawless. Damian couldn’t hear what was said.
Jun and Damian didn’t sit together at the meal. The Residency and 5N broke up and spread around the room. Each of them made a point to stand up at points and work the room. After the third toast in a row was pressured on him, Damian escaped briefly to a seat beside Richard. “We should have brought Cedric to drink for us.”
Richard chuckled. “They’re working all of you hard, but you and Jun most.”
“We’re going to have to just send the boys out.” Damian rubbed his head. “I think they want to see what Jun and I are like together when we’re drunk.”
Richard smiled, watching the room, nodding along to the music. “Keep them guessing.”
“We will.”
Jun stood up at the microphone at the front of the room. Damian checked his watch. It was that time already. Their plan was moving forward.
Jun politely cleared his throat and raised his glass in a toast. Then he held up tickets.
“We have a limited amount of reserved tickets for the after party tomorrow. Please see one of us, Su-jin, Geun, Jaewoong, Yohei, or myself if you’d like to have one. Remember, the after party is part fundraiser. Everyone who comes will have the opportunity to have any one of us sing whatever you want, karaoke style, for a price. All proceeds will go to the charity on the ticket you purchase. We have three charities we’re supporting, a children’s fund, disaster relief, and an art installation, right here in Seoul. Please, go easy on us. We will be exhausted.” Jun bowed, hands together, to the audience, who laughed. The other four 5N members mimicked Jun from wherever they were in the room.
Damian forced himself not to hold his breath and to go on smiling and clapping. He turned to the business woman standing next him and said, “Who would you ask to sing and what?”
She raised her eyebrows, then laughed and blushed, shaking her head. Her cheeks were already flushed with alcohol.
“No, really,” Damian cajoled.
She giggled and leaned towards him, speaking behind her hand. “Yohei. And for a song…too sexy…”
Damian frowned. “I don’t know that song.”
“It’s English, and old. The one where they’re too sexy for their…” Her voice trailed upwards and she tugged on her blouse. “I don’t know the title.”
Damian laughed. “That’s old!”
She faked slapping him and went on blushing.
He shook his head as if he were disappointed in her.
“Don’t judge,” she said. “You’re dating Gang Junseo.”
Damian grinned, showing teeth. “Touché.”
He palmed one of the tickets he was carrying and made his way through the room, offering them to his short list. A list he’d just mentally adjusted. They had eyes on so many of the Merchari in preparation for their plan, but the one who’d spoken to Jun at the comeback party, the one passing under the name Neumann, wasn’t nailed down for the next day.
He found Neumann talking in a circle with several businessmen, including two marked Merchari allies and clients. Damian settled into their circle, calling out the two Merchari clients by name, as they’d met before. They were already on the after party list, known party animals that had been easy to sweep up in Émeric’s social engineering.
“So I’ll see all of you tomorrow,” Damian said.
“Not Neumann,” one of the clients said.
“Oh, well, since you’re all friends. Just make sure you buy a song for the children’s fund.” Damian pulled a ticket out and passed it to Neumann. “That’s my last one, don’t waste it.” He grinned, letting a slight drunkenness seep into his voice.
There was general back slapping all around and promises to drag Neumann with if he forgot. Damian slipped away, ready to be done. It was still another thirty minutes before he made it to the door and another ten before Jun joined him.
Richard would see the party through to the end with Collin, supported by two of his vice-presidents in East Asia. Damian knew them. He was in good hands. For now, Jun needed to get home and get sleep. Tomorrow was about to arrive and it was going to be several days rolled into one.
Jun
