Disappointing

Chang Wook put on a jacket and walked outside all the way to the gate. There was a black car, parked right outside.

The lights quickly turned on and blinded him a bit. He then saw two people walking towards him. Since it was dark, he couldn't tell who they were but he could see their outline. One was thin, while the other one was tall and buff. The thin one said "Frisk him" the other one walked towards Chang Wook and started to pat him down.

Chang Wook could now see him. He was taller than he expected and very buff too. He was wearing a black suit and he was also bald, but on his head he had a dragon tattoo. When he was finished frisking him the two made eye contact. Chang Wook couldn't help but acknowledge the man was quite intimidating.

"Nothing" said the buff man that frisked him. Then Chang Wook was pushed forwards towards the car and was in front of the skinny guy. This guy was wearing a white suit with a white hat and sunglasses.

"Wow, the moon must be burning his eyes" Chang Wook said to himself. The back door was already opened and the skinny guy told him to get in.

Once inside the car, the skinny guy sat next to him, the buff guy took the passenger seat and then they were off.

These two men and the driver, none of them looked familiar. What are they trying to do? If its ransom money they wouldn't kidnap two people. And a kid is far more valuable than an adult man.

"Where are you taking me?" Chang Wook asked.

"To our contractor" the man sitting next to Chang Wook answered "I wonder what you did to piss him off so much" he chuckled.

To Chang Wook, although these men carried firearms, the skinny guy next to him didn't seem like the type that would shoot him if he talked to him. If anything this man looked like he wanted to talk with him as he glanced at Chang Wook various times with an anticipated smile.

"What's your contractor's name?" Chang Wook asked.

The skinny guy let out a "HA!" and then went on to explain "We don't ask names. The less we know, the better"

"So you're okay with kidnapping a child but you draw the line in knowing someone's name?" Chang Wook asked. The skinny guy looked at the buff guy and the driver looked at them shrugging.

"Isn't that a bit unprofessional?" Chang Wook asked.

The skinny guy got angry at Chang Wook's comment and yelled "Hey!" he then took his gun and pointed it at Chang Wook "Now who's unprofessional?"

Chang Wook thought he should feel intimidated but with their reactions he couldn't take him seriously.

"Still you" Chang Wook answered.

The buff guy and the driver laughed.

The skinny guy although angry, ended up laughing because the laughter was contagious. Chang Wook tried not to laugh as well, after all, he was supposed to be a hostage.

"This guy is funny" the buff guy said.

"If you weren't going to die soon, we might have asked you out to get some chicken" the skinny guy said.

Chang Wook smile but then looked at his shocked.

"Did you just say die?" Chang Wook asked.

"Well, our contractor wants us to take you to an abandoned warehouse in the outskirts of town. If it's not to kill you, it's to hurt you…really, really bad" the skinny guy emphasized on the double really.

Although Chang Wook was shocked, he was also a bit disappointed. He was going to be taken to an abandoned warehouse. That is such a cliché.

He sighed disappointedly which made the men in the car look at him confused.

"Aren't you scared?" the skinny guy asked.

"Um…I guess but don't you think it's a bit cliché? Why not take me to a nice hotel or a cabin in the woods that has a furniture and a comfortable house?" Chang Wook asked.

The men looked at each other with faces that said "Is this guy actually whining about not liking the place where he is going to die?"

"Can't you guys change the destination?" Chang Wook asked "I mean, it's not like you guys rented the abandoned warehouse. I'm guessing you guys get paid by the hour so the longer you take, the more money you get, right?"

The men looked at each other shocked that they didn't think about that "Actually, we already got paid" the buff guy said.

Chang Wook clicked his tongue at them and shook his head "That's not how you guys should do business. Rather than getting your contractor to pay you a bunch of money right away. You should stretch it out and put conditions. Like, what if the hostage fights back and breaks your nose? You should get paid for risking your life"

The men nodded as if struck by genius.

"Wow, we never thought of that" the skinny guy said with a grin.

"Yeah. Rather than taking it out on the hostage, you should take it out on the contractor that put you in such a difficult position" Chang Wook added.

The men applauded Chang Wook for his insight, then he realized that he just helped kidnappers become better at kidnapping.

The skinny guy's phone suddenly rang, when he answered, the voice on the other side of the phone was so loud that Chang Wook could hear the person ask "Do you have him with you?" The voice sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite put his finger on who it was.

Kidnappers tend to be people you know. So although he might not know the men that are with him in the car. The one that payed them, he must definitely know him.

"Yeah, we got him" the skinny guy answered. He looked at Chang Wook as if he were contemplating something and then asked to the person on the other side of the phone "Listen, I was wondering…"

"Don't tell me you're getting cold feet. You're supposed to be the best of the best at this!" the other person yelled.

Chang Wook has definitely heard that voice before.

"Just get him hear and your job is done. The rest of your payment will be delivered then" the person on the other end of the phone hung up and the skinny guy looked at the phone as if debating something.

"What's wrong boss?" the buff guy asked.

The skinny guy ignored the question by asking another one "Are we close?"

"Yeah. Just a bit more to go" the driver answered.

Chang Wook quickly came into realization and exclaimed "Wah!" which made the other men in the car jump.

"Gosh, you scared me" the skinny guy told him.

"I know who it is that bought you guys!" Chang Wook said with a smile that quickly faded "Ugh…I know who it is that bought you guys" he repeated but this time he was disappointed.

"What's with that expression?" the skinny guy asked "It's like you wanted the guy to be a mob boss or something."

"Life is sometimes disappointing, isn't it?" Chang Wook said as he lowered his head.

The guys were wondering if he was okay. The skinny guy patted him on the back "Hey, don't be like that" he said "Don't be sad"

"As the philosopher John Stuart Mill said, you must learn to seek your happiness by limiting your desires, rather than attempting to satisfy them" the buff guy said. Which made everyone in the car suddenly look at him.

"I majored in philosophy" he said and everyone in the car nodded.

"Wow. I never would have guessed" the skinny guy said.

"It's good that you decided to go towards higher education" Chang Wook said. The buff guy had a shy smile.

"I studied biology" the driver said. Everyone in the car was surprised.

Chang Wook quickly realized that he was getting along with his kidnappers "What's going on? Is this what Stockholm syndrome is like?" he asked himself.