IPSTDS Chapter 95

Chapter 95

Of course, Nahyuk had no intention of accepting Seo Dowoong’s feelings, but the problem lay with Seo Dowoong himself.

The Seo Dowoong Nahyuk knew from the original story wasn’t the type to easily abandon his conviction once he was certain he liked someone.

He would probably go so far as to act high-handedly if that’s what it took to win Nahyuk’s heart.

In the middle of all that, the name “Park Sangcheol” proved to be a clever card.

Seo Dowoong hated Park Sangcheol almost as much as Nahyuk did. What’s more, Yoon Noah had a history of colluding with Park Sangcheol.

If Nahyuk confessed that he had met with Sangcheol again, and that Sangcheol had proposed some vile scheme to him—

‘Seo Dowoong will come to hate me.’

Even if Nahyuk claimed he had refused to join Sangcheol’s plot, Seo Dowoong might still remember the past and doubt him, unable to trust him fully.

That would only intensify his resentment toward Nahyuk.

As the saying went, even dog dung could be used as medicine. In this case, Park Sangcheol was that dog dung.

“Before that, Yoon Noah.”

The voice belonged to Lee Kangil, who had stayed quiet until now, unable to find a chance to interject.

“Hm?”

“You’re sure you won’t join hands with Park Sangcheol, right? I heard something similar happened before.”

Kangil’s gaze had grown sharper, flicking between Nahyuk and Kim Daon.

“Of course I won’t. No matter how much I dislike Seo Dowoong, that doesn’t mean I want to side with Park Sangcheol.”

“Good. That’s the right choice. And no matter how much you want to protect Daon, you must never put yourself in danger. And before you cause any trouble, you tell me first.”

“Do I look like a kid to you… like I’d go around causing trouble?”

“You may be calm now, but you weren’t like that before.”

He was clearly aiming those words at the real Yoon Noah.

Nahyuk nodded without protest. He didn’t want to give Kangil or Daon any more reasons to worry.

“Since the topic’s come up, should I tell Seo Dowoong right now?”

Though he hadn’t mentioned it to Kangil or Daon, Nahyuk had been receiving repeated texts and calls from Seo Dowoong. He hadn’t checked them yet, having only glanced at the sender while on the move and speaking with Park Sangcheol.

He pulled his phone from his pocket and finally opened the messages Seo Dowoong had sent.

Talk to me again.

I’m still hurting.

The moment he read the two back-to-back messages, his head throbbed.

Even though Nahyuk had rejected his absurd confession, it seemed Seo Dowoong still couldn’t let go.

“Pathetic.”

That was Kangil’s remark, having inadvertently seen the messages while seated right beside him.

He smirked mockingly and looked at Nahyuk, as if to ask whether Daon knew about Seo Dowoong’s confession.

Nahyuk answered only with a faint smile before rising from his seat.

“I’ll step out for a call.”

Since Kangil was perceptive, he’d probably already pieced things together from Nahyuk’s expression and actions. He would also understand not to say anything reckless since Daon was unaware.

Daon furrowed his brows slightly, as though he had something to say, but he didn’t stop Nahyuk from leaving the café.

Nahyuk stepped outside and went into a nearby alley.

He called Seo Dowoong, and before long, his voice came through. The same Seo Dowoong who had never once answered Yoon Noah’s calls in the original story.

“Why’ve you been so hard to reach?”

His first words sounded almost like a sulk.

Had Seo Dowoong completely forgotten how they parted ways?

That he had coldly told Nahyuk he hated him, that he had stormed out of that barren house? Did he now think of that as nothing more than a dream?

Nahyuk found himself answering with a curt tone.

“Why should I take your calls? We’re not even friends.”

“…We’re not friends, no.”

“Exactly. You know it too.”

“How could I be friends with someone I love?”

“…”

The words felt unbearable, so Nahyuk shifted the topic.

“I didn’t call because I was worried about you. I have a reason.”

“What reason?”

“I just met Park Sangcheol.”

Nahyuk expected him to spit out something dripping with contempt. Something like, Of course. You’d always end up with scum like him.

Though Nahyuk didn’t enjoy cruelty, he found himself almost anticipating that contempt. His heart even beat faster at the thought.

But Seo Dowoong’s answer doused his expectations.

“Did he threaten you again?”

His tone wasn’t accusatory—it was concerned. The unexpected reaction left Nahyuk at a loss for words.

“Answer me, Yoon Noah. Did Park Sangcheol try to use you again, like before?”

“…This really isn’t the time for you to be worrying about me. Aren’t you even curious about what kind of threat it was?”

“Where are you right now?”

“…”

“You’d better tell me before I find you myself.”

The words made Nahyuk sigh. He had never liked controlling types, and coming from someone he didn’t even like, the pressure grated on him even more.

“So, what you’re saying is you want to meet and talk in person?”

“Yeah.”

“Want to come to where I am now?”

“But Yoon Noah, I’m sick right now.”

…And what was he supposed to do with that?

At first, he thought he had only kept the thought to himself. But before he knew it, the words slipped out.

“So what.”

The reply sounded so much like the real Yoon Noah that Nahyuk startled himself.

Sometimes he felt as though he was blending with the original owner of this body. But to think even his rough tone was starting to seep through.

He figured Seo Dowoong would snap in irritation. Yet again, the reaction was not what Nahyuk expected.

Through the receiver came the sound of laughter. Seo Dowoong laughed like a madman, even coughing between bursts.

“So since I’m sick, that means I’m asking you to come to my house.”

“Didn’t you just say I should tell you where I am?”

“I changed my mind. If we’re going to meet anyway, come to my place.”

“Forget it. If that’s how it is, we’ll talk over the phone.”

It was nothing more than a pointless power struggle. The ridiculous thing was that Nahyuk didn’t want to lose at it either.

Of course, he had no desire to go to Seo Dowoong’s house, and he liked the idea of being alone with him in an enclosed space even less.

After all, Seo Dowoong had once forced a kiss on him. There was no guarantee he wouldn’t try something like that again.

“Then I’ll come to you. I won’t hear it over the phone—I’ll only listen face to face.”

Seo Dowoong’s voice sounded almost like he was yielding. With a sigh, Nahyuk gave him the nearby address.

* * *

In the past, when Yoon Noah and he still got along, there had been times when they stayed up together until morning. For the first time in a long while, Seo Dowoong recalled those days.

Back then, the two of them talked about pointless things, discussed futures that hadn’t yet arrived, wasted energy worrying over nothing, and even played games they normally didn’t enjoy.

Those were truly peaceful days. Days when neither anguish nor loneliness ever crossed his mind.

It was only much later that he realized that peaceful time had given him something close to happiness.

Only now, when no one remained by his side, did he come to understand the happiness he had once held. He hadn’t realized it while it was still in his grasp.

Today, of all days, he found himself longing for those times that could never return. Was being left alone now his punishment for failing to treasure that happiness when he had it?

As he drove toward the address Yoon Noah had given him, Seo Dowoong found old memories surfacing—memories he had deliberately buried during the years he despised Noah.

He feared that recalling the past might make him close to Noah again.

If they became close, and Noah disappointed or used him once more…

If he had to relive that devastation again, his heart might not be able to endure it. He never wanted to feel that sense of betrayal again.

And yet, when Noah brought up Park Sangcheol’s name, he wasn’t as shaken as he’d thought he would be.

On the contrary, he found himself more worried about Noah being hurt by Sangcheol than feeling betrayed.

How laughably empty the fear he had carried for so long now seemed.

Perhaps it was because he had finally admitted something he once refused to acknowledge—that he liked Yoon Noah. Once he admitted it, an odd desire to trust Noah unconditionally had taken root as well.

But in that moment, Noah’s cold voice echoed in his ears.

‘Sorry, Seo Dowoong. I don’t like you.’

Was he still holding a grudge for all the years of cold neglect?

Seo Dowoong remained convinced that Noah didn’t truly hate him.

After all, Noah had liked him for more than a year or two. That steadfast devotion couldn’t simply vanish in an instant—unless Noah had somehow become a different person entirely.

Lost in thoughts of Noah as he drove, Seo Dowoong finally parked his car and went into the café Noah had told him about.

Finding him wasn’t difficult. There was only one man sitting upright with a perfectly rounded back of the head.

Seo Dowoong sat down across from him.

“Hello.”

Even though his greeting was unusually kind, Noah only met him with a severe, expressionless face. The memory of the old Noah—smiling foolishly even when told not to—suddenly came to mind.

Who would have thought he’d come to miss that smile?

“You look well. I’ve still been sick since you left.”

“I don’t care whether you’re sick or not.”

“Well, at least you’re not wishing I’d suffer. That’s a relief.”

After answering that way, Seo Dowoong glanced around discreetly.

Perhaps because he had emphasized before hanging up not to bring anyone else, no other figures were in sight. Seo Dowoong was glad for that.

“I don’t want to talk about much else… I’ll just say what I have to about Park Sangcheol.”

“Go on.”

Seo Dowoong had assumed Sangcheol had brought up the school violence incident to Noah. He had already heard about that matter from Kim Daon.

But what Noah said next was rather unexpected.