Sooho

Chapter 113: < Protect – Episode 112 – New York Festival [5] >

Hashim Nagir didn’t run away or even try to hide.

The New York advertising festival, which was being held one month before they normally opened in previous years, was introduced through multiple exhibition centers and art halls around New York. New York loved art, especially modern art, classic, advertising art, and Broadway musicals. Writing and drawing were different modes of expression, but whether they used tools or just their bodies, art was art.

What’s art anyway?

If someone asked Ahn Soo Ho that question, he would have said this.

“Art is being hungry.”

“Isn’t that an immature answer?”

“I don’t know. What’s the point of displaying Picasso’s 30 million dollar painting? You must as well spend that money on food. I agree that art has a way of diversifying human civilization. But what’s the use of that to people who are starving to death? If you talk about art in front of them, you might get killed.”

Advertising copies which were like a sex symbol to conservative artists who thought there were different classes of art were an embarrassment. In that sense, New York’s Museum of Art put on unconventional exhibits every year. Today’s topic was the question of if there’s a difference between alcohol, cigarettes, sex, and drugs.

Was it a matter of using and misusing? Or did it have something to do with progressivism and conservatism? The common trait was that they all draw a lot of interest among all nationalities and genders. Whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.

“But then again, I’ve heard of one crazy artist who stayed up for 120 hours just to gain artistic inspiration.”

“So what happened? Did they make a masterpiece?”

“No, they died. They probably took stimulants to stay awake. Come to think of it, there’s no difference between famous artists and mad people. Gogh even cut off his own ear. They weren’t as crazy as Gogh, but Rene and Dali weren’t normal either.”

Surrealism was a type of art that was trending at one point and something that normal people couldn’t understand. What was art anyway? If someone asked Hashim Nagir this question, he would have said this.

“Art is for the public.”

“Really?”

“The public doesn’t own the art, but it’s not like commoners can use the Sotherby’s.”

The worth of an art work was determined by mankind, but the person who won the bidding for that art was the one who actually owned it. Ahn Soo Ho and Hashim met at a museum in New York. He must have been expecting him because he wasn’t very surprised.

“Are you going to kill me, Soo Ho?”

“No. Why? Do you want to die?”

“No way!”

Hashim shook his head violently at Ahn Soo Ho’s question.

“What about Jenkins?”

“He’s going to need to learn a lesson.”

“So you’re not going to kill him.”

“Hey, I’m not some psychopath that goes around killing everyone, okay?”

“So you’re going to kill him.”

“Haha.”

A man the size of a bear came out from the corner. Ahn Soo Ho wasn’t a small man, but the guy who just came out was over 2 meters tall. Even Do Kyung Ho was small compared to him.

“Peter.”

“Soo Ho! Haha! Nice to see you!”

With added excitement, his voice couldn’t help but get louder. Ahn Soo Ho knitted his brows at Peter, who didn’t follow basic etiquette of being in public places.

Peter Jenkins.

He was Lila’s uncle, the king of Rosaola, and a refreshing man. Many people perceived his “my-way” behavior as cool and confident. However, he just looked like a scared dog to Ahn Soo Ho. Peter was so crazy about his niece that there were even stories about how he tracked down every single person who left mean comments on her Twitter and fought them all.

“How’s Lila?”

“I’m sure you’ve put your men on her. You should know better than me.”

“Haha.”

He laughed off at Ahn Soo Ho’s criticism. It was true though. Half of Lila’s staff were brought in by him.

“I just want her to be happy.”

“Happiness is something she should find herself.”

“But she’s still young and naïve, so I should help her as her uncle.”

“Are you sure you’re from Argentina?”

Peter could have been a Korean disguised as a white guy. No matter how much Latinos valued family, it was rare to see someone’s uncle meddling in their niece’s married life.

“Anyway, I didn’t do anything wrong, Soo Ho.”

“This won’t do. You need a serious beating.”

Ahn Soo Ho, Hashim, and Peter left Manhattan and went to a boxing center in the Bronx. If one had to pick one sport that North America was crazy about it, it was definitely soccer. But what would the next one be? In contrast to Brazil who was crazy about soccer. Argentina had a lot of interest in boxing.

Peter invested as much money in American boxing as he did in Argentina since he visited the States often. The boxing gym that the three of them visited was one that he financially supported. The director welcomed him but tilted his head when Peter asked to borrow the ring. Peter wasn’t just an ordinary sponsor. He was a boxing mania who was good enough to be an amateur athlete of his own.

After all, he was over 2 meters tall with a strong punch.

‘Huh?’

Peter had put on all his protective equipment. Ahn Soo Ho, on the other hand just put on a glove and went in. Shouldn’t it be the opposite? The director agreed to be the referee. As soon as the director felt that Peter was nervous, he tilted his head once more.

‘He’s not from the Philippines… Is he from Japan?”

The Philippines and Japan were famous for Asian boxing. As soon as they were told to begin, Peter stepped back. In contrast to Peter who had his guard up, Ahn Soo Ho slowly approached his opponent. He approached Peter as if he was just taking a walk in the park.

“Ugh!”

Peter, who threw the first punch, wobbled after his fist bounced back. He got hit by his own punch.

“Oh!”

Short exclamations could be heard from here and there. This wasn’t possible without an amazing vision and great reflexes. Since the gym was filled with athletes, those who were watching were amazed. After that, it was simply Ahn Soo Ho’s stage. He threw a punch that his opponent couldn’t possibly handle.

Despite wearing a mouthpiece, a scream came out from in between his teeth. Peter wanted to surrender, but his pride wouldn’t let him. He then saw stars in front of his eyes and then passed out.

“Stop! Stop!”

It all happened so fast that the referee didn’t even have a chance to stop him. Ahn Soo Ho was instructed to go back to the corner. He just blankly stared at Peter who fainted on the canvass. People might think he was just being a baby with his big size, but if Ahn Soo Ho wanted to kill someone, he was capable of doing so with just one finger.

As soon as their friend and sponsor lost the match, they all glared at Ahn Soo Ho. But Ahn Soo Ho just smirked.

‘Is this some kind of a teenage boy’s cartoon or something?’

However, Ahn Soo Ho provoked them even further. He shook his hand that had a glove on it.

“Come on, baby.”

Ahn Soo Ho heard some cursing that started and ended with “f*ck”. The director tried to calm the people down, but a black man suddenly entered the ring and was ready to fight Ahn Soo Ho.

Pow-

Just one blow.

That was how it ended. He K.Oed the black man after just one punch. That was only the beginning. Boxing came with strict rules, but since this wasn’t an official match, they had a little more freedom. Each one came in one by one, and whether it was one punch or two, none of them lasted past the first round.

“Do you want to die or something?”

Ahn Soo Ho’s punch had no mercy.

The gym only regained its peace once all the amateurs got punched to the ground. Pros were pros because they didn’t let their emotions control them. The director begged him to debut at his gym. He was charmed by his strong fist, but he wasn’t sure if there was enough reason for him to fly all the way to the States to box.

“Ugh.”

“Don’t be a baby.”

That was what Ahn Soo Ho said to Peter, who woke up with a groan.

“Are you going to kill me, Soo Ho?”

“You’re alive now, aren’t you?”

“Shit!”

Peter’s face was all swollen. He was never good-looking, to begin with anyway. It didn’t really matter. Ahn Soo Ho thought that he actually looked better now. Hashim hadn’t said anything since earlier because he was afraid he would be called to the ring, too.

Ahn Soo Ho looked at his watch.

It was 6 o’clock in the states. The sun had set earlier than he expected. The three of them returned to Manhattan. Ahn Soo Ho didn’t consider Hashim and Peter as his friends. He had no interest in having friends who were all about partying and had perverted natures.

“I’ll end it here this time, but I won’t let you off easily next time.”

The outcome was somewhat lukewarm. Hashim must have felt less tense now because he finally spoke up.

“Is this really how we’re ending it?”

“Why? Do you want me to really kill you?”

“Don’t joke about things like that!”

Hashim sprung up.

If anyone else had said this, he would have taken care of him however he could, but Ahn Soo Ho was someone that even he was afraid of. He should have ignored Peter’s request from the very beginning. Looking back on it, it was just out of his obsession over Lila. Since Ahn Soo Ho took care of the Jang Seol Hyun matter, he was suddenly curious about something.

“Is this New York terrorist attack related to Saudi in any way?”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

Hashim flinched but answered calmly.

“You already know that there’s going to be a big attack on New York.”

“Where did you hear that?”

“Don’t be like that.”

In response, Hashim and Peter looked at each other.

“This one has nothing to do with us. This was actually started by the Yankees. It’s a disgusting seed that they planted.”

“Disgusting seed?”

“You can think of it as an extension of the Sao Paolo scandal.”

Ahn Soo Ho stroked his chin and then slammed his fist into his other hand.

“Ultra?”

Djorkaeff insisted that many countries and organizations bought the brainwashing soldiers program.

“Dumb bastards think those monsters can be controlled, but what controls a monster is a bigger and stronger monster.”

“So when did it start?”

“Did you receive a request?”

“No.”

Ahn Soo Ho denied it.

Hashim and Peter looked at their watches. It was getting close to 7 o’clock. New York was already dark, and the beautiful view of the city that never sleeps was like a whole different world.

“When is it going to start?”

Hashim showed a strange expression on his face.

“Right now.”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

As the lights went out, the bulbs exploded. The fancy neon sign lost its light. The blackout washed out the entire city like a wave. Some cars had crashed into each other as soon as the streetlights went out. After that, a siren could be heard.

Wee-woo! Honk! Honk!

New York was swallowed up by darkness.

< Protect – Episode 112 – New York Festival [5] > The end.