FF Chapter 36

Ji Yeonwoo wanted that as well. If only he could get rid of that tiresome person from his life, he was willing to do anything. But the idea of Choi Muhyeok handling the situation changed things slightly.

“Are you planning to… kill him?”

His eyes, filled with anxiety, trembled slightly. Choi Muhyeok raised an eyebrow as he looked at him.

“If that’s what you want, I’ll do it.”

“N-no, wait a minute. That’s not what I meant. I was just asking how you plan to handle it.”

Ji Yeonwoo, startled, hurriedly waved his hands.

“I wish he would just disappear right now, but what if something bad happens to you, Muhyeok?”

Choi Muhyeok pressed his arms against the stiff hospital bed sheets and moved closer.

“So, what do you think is the best way to make him suffer? What would hurt him the most?”

Ji Yeonwoo’s face showed confusion at the returned question.

“Punishing him through the law? Or should I take care of him myself, permanently? Sure, it would feel satisfying in the moment. But don’t you think it’s too light a punishment? Considering everything he’s done to you.”

Ji Yeonwoo couldn’t tear his eyes away from his face, which was now so close their noses nearly touched. Wrinkles formed on Choi Muhyeok’s forehead and around his eyebrows as his hand gently brushed against Ji Yeonwoo’s swollen cheek.

“I’m not going to leave him alone. He damaged something precious, something I can barely touch because I treasure it so much, and he’s going to pay for that.”

Though his voice was low and filled with a dangerous edge, his touch was soft, barely brushing Ji Yeonwoo’s skin. His thumb hovered around the corner of Yeonwoo’s mouth, where ointment had been applied to a small cut.

Feeling the warmth of Choi Muhyeok’s hand, Ji Yeonwoo tilted his face forward until their noses grazed each other, and he kissed him first. His lips pressed hard, greedily parting them as he bit down on Choi Muhyeok’s lips. A sharp pain spread from the corner of his mouth. When Ji Yeonwoo let out a small gasp, Choi Muhyeok flinched and tried to pull away.

But Ji Yeonwoo wrapped his arms around Muhyeok’s neck, pulling him back into the kiss. Responding in kind, Muhyeok’s large hand cupped the back of Yeonwoo’s head as their tongues entwined, deepening the kiss with wet, audible sounds. Only when their lips were glistening with saliva did they slowly pull apart. Ji Yeonwoo was left breathless, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

“No matter what happens to Lee Hyunjun, I don’t care. Just promise me one thing.”

Choi Muhyeok, who had been quietly watching him, widened his eyes slightly.

“I’m not good enough to ask for forgiveness, but I just want him to live miserably. More than the pain I went through, I want him to live a harder, more miserable life, both in body and mind.”

“……”

“Make sure he never lives comfortably again. That’s all I want.”

A smile appeared on Choi Muhyeok’s lips, a sign of his satisfaction.

“If that’s what you want, I’ll make it happen. As much as you want.”

He gently stroked Yeonwoo’s hair, as if praising him. Receiving his touch, Ji Yeonwoo took a deep breath and added,

“And I’ll also start treatment. Honestly, I’d start right now, but I’m sure you wouldn’t allow that. So, I’ll eat well and recover quickly to start treatment soon.”

“Good. You’ve made the right decision.”

“I mean it. I’ll work really hard on getting better.”

There was a firm resolve in Yeonwoo’s voice, as if he had made a significant decision. Seeing that determination, Choi Muhyeok gazed at him with affection.

“Have you cried it all out now?”

Though tears still clung to his eyes, Ji Yeonwoo nodded vigorously. Choi Muhyeok wiped away the remaining tears with his thumb.

“It looks like the IV is finished. Shall we go home now?”

At his words, Yeonwoo turned to look at the IV stand. The fluid had already drained, and the IV bag was empty, its contents flowing through the transparent tube.

He turned back to Muhyeok, who had his hand extended toward him, tilting his head as if to say, “What are you waiting for?” Ji Yeonwoo stared at the outstretched hand for a moment, then smiled faintly and took it.

A nurse arrived to remove the IV needle from his hand and pack up the equipment. A large bruise had already formed where the thicker-than-usual needle had been inserted.

As Choi Muhyeok gently rubbed the bandaged spot on Yeonwoo’s thin hand, he finally let go when he saw him swing his legs over the side of the bed.

“By the way, where are my clothes?”

Ji Yeonwoo glanced around, searching for what he had worn when he came in. He couldn’t go home in the hospital gown.

“Ah, your clothes were dirty, so I sent them to be cleaned. Here, wear this instead.”

Choi Muhyeok handed him a shopping bag that had been placed on the bed. Ji Yeonwoo’s eyes widened when he saw the luxury logo on the bag, and inside were a shirt and pants from the same brand.

It was far too extravagant for something to wear just to go home from the hospital.

“You don’t like it? I can get something else if you want.”

Seeing Yeonwoo hesitating, Muhyeok misinterpreted it as dislike and grabbed his phone, ready to make a call.

“No, no, that’s not it.”

Ji Yeonwoo quickly grabbed his hand. The truth was, it felt overwhelming, and he didn’t know how to react, but he doubted any explanation would make a difference. Muhyeok had clearly bought the clothes as a gift, and refusing would seem rude.

“I was just surprised. I’ve never received a gift like this before… It’s really nice. I’ll wear it well.”

“Then I’ll have to get you more often. Go ahead and change so we can head home.”

As Yeonwoo started unbuttoning the hospital gown, he paused.

“Why are you just standing there?”

Choi Muhyeok, who was standing a few steps away with his hands in his pants pockets, blinked in confusion.

“You need to turn around so I can change.”

Ji Yeonwoo playfully rolled his eyes as he spoke. Choi Muhyeok grinned sheepishly as if he had been caught.

“Can’t you just change?”

“Of course not. It’s embarrassing.”

“What’s there to be embarrassed about? We’ve already seen everything.”

“Still, hurry up.”

Ji Yeonwoo, now off the bed, playfully slapped Choi Muhyeok on the arm, making him laugh reluctantly as he turned around.

Not long after arriving at Choi Muhyeok’s house, Park Jinchul showed up.

As he entered the living room after taking off his shoes at the entrance, he made eye contact with Ji Yeonwoo sitting on the sofa. Park Jinchul bowed deeply toward him, catching Ji Yeonwoo off guard, causing him to awkwardly stand up and return the gesture. The mechanical awkwardness of his movements made Choi Muhyeok chuckle softly.

“I’ve brought everything as you requested.”

In Park Jinchul’s hands were a suitcase and a bag, both belonging to Ji Yeonwoo.

“Good work.”

Choi Muhyeok gave Park Jinchul a light tap on the shoulder before turning to Ji Yeonwoo.

“I figured you’d need your things, so I had him pack some essentials. Take a look inside.”

Ji Yeonwoo took the bag from Park Jinchul, quickly glanced inside, and smiled loosely.

“Thank you for gathering my things.”

As Ji Yeonwoo expressed his thanks, Park Jinchul pulled something from his pocket and handed it over.

“Oh, and here.”

It was Ji Yeonwoo’s phone, completely shattered.

“I found it under the sofa. It was already in this state when I picked it up, so I assume it may be difficult to use.”

Ji Yeonwoo gently cradled the broken phone in both hands, feeling the jagged cracks as he traced over it.

“Do you think it’s still usable? I haven’t had it for that long….”

It was already the second time recently. Even at a glance, the damage was much worse than last time. That was expected—last time it had simply fallen, but this time he had thrown it intentionally.

“As long as the screen isn’t too damaged, we should be able to recover your contacts.”

“…Do you think so?”

“Don’t worry too much. It’s just a phone. You can always get a new one.”

Looking up at Choi Muhyeok, Ji Yeonwoo smiled widely, eyes crinkling. Choi Muhyeok found it endearing and lightly touched his cheek with a finger.

Suddenly remembering that Park Jinchul was still there, Choi Muhyeok coughed into his fist, as if embarrassed.

“Why don’t you rest for a bit? We need to have a meeting.”

As Ji Yeonwoo grabbed his suitcase to head to the bedroom, Park Jinchul quickly stepped forward to move the luggage for him. When Park Jinchul returned to the living room, Choi Muhyeok gestured toward him.

“How did it go?”

“Oh, yes. I looked into it, but after that, his whereabouts are unclear. No matter how hard we searched… I’ll explain more inside.”

Choi Muhyeok and Park Jinchul entered the study. The door closed with a faint sound, and Ji Yeonwoo stood there for a moment, staring at it.

He had a rough idea of who the meeting would be about. It was hard to brush off as a business issue, given the major incident that had just occurred.

So, they’re looking for Lee Hyunjun.

Considering the clear power imbalance, it would likely be difficult for Lee Hyunjun to show himself anytime soon. He must know that he wouldn’t be left alone if caught. Still, Ji Yeonwoo didn’t think he could stay hidden for too long.

He knew the people of that family all too well. By now, Lee Hyunjun was probably no better than a disowned child in their eyes. Ji Yeonwoo remembered that Lee Hyunjun’s father had never been pleased with his son, always feeling something was lacking. But still, he hadn’t seemed this broken down before. It was strange how unstable his words and mental state had become compared to back then.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Ji Yeonwoo pushed those thoughts aside and went into the bathroom. The feeling of not being properly clean while in the hospital had become unbearable. He washed himself thoroughly under the stream of water from the shower, and by the time he came out, Choi Muhyeok and Park Jinchul were still talking in the study.

“…This is taking a while.”

Dressed in a bathrobe, Ji Yeonwoo sat on the bed, drying his wet hair with a towel. Even though he had only been here a few times, the bedroom didn’t feel awkward anymore, likely due to the familiar scent of Choi Muhyeok that lingered in the air.

Absentmindedly, Ji Yeonwoo fiddled with the jagged cracks of his phone’s screen. When he tapped it, the display flickered on. Most of the screen was responsive, but several parts of it were unresponsive to touch.

Seeing numerous missed calls, he carefully navigated to the phone app after several attempts. Most of the missed calls were from his friend Seo Eungyeom and his mother.

Thinking of how worried his mother must be, he pressed the call button. Even that took several tries before the phone finally began ringing. As soon as the call connected, his mother’s voice sounded from the other side, “Yeonwoo?”

“Mom.”

The moment he spoke, he heard a sigh of relief from the other end.

[Yeonwoo, what happened? I kept calling, but you didn’t answer. You’re not home either. Did something happen? Where are you?]

“I’m sorry. You must have been worried.”

[‘Worried’ doesn’t even begin to describe it. Do you know how scared I was?]

“I should have called sooner… A lot happened, but nothing too serious. I’m sorry for making you worry.”

He lied. Since Ji Yeonwoo’s parents were already worried about the possibility of him running into Lee Hyunjun, he couldn’t tell them the truth.

“Actually… I’m staying at my boyfriend’s house right now,” he said.

[Boyfriend?]

As expected, his mother’s surprised voice followed. Still, Ji Yeonwoo felt this was something he shouldn’t hide. They’d find out eventually, so there was no point in keeping it a secret.

“Yes. I’m staying here while I undergo a genetic test. They said I needed a guardian present.”

His mother fell silent. Though she had always said the test was fine, she seemed taken aback. It wasn’t surprising—her reaction made sense given the circumstances.

[So you’re not coming home, then.]

After a long pause, her voice returned, tinged with concern.

“You and Dad are both busy. Besides, it’s more comfortable here.”

The other end of the line went quiet again. Ji Yeonwoo could only hear faint breathing and the muted conversation between his parents. He began to worry if he had been too blunt, preparing to add something more, but his mother spoke first.

[If that was the case, you should have told me sooner. I was worried something had happened.]

“…”

[Nothing bad happened, right? I heard Lee Hyunjun is back in Korea. He hasn’t come looking for you, has he?]

Her sudden concern at the end of the conversation caught him off guard. Ji Yeonwoo instinctively held his breath—his mother’s intuition was sharp, as always.

“No, nothing bad happened. It’s not like that.”

Trying to reassure her, Ji Yeonwoo felt it wasn’t enough and added, “Once the tests are done, I’ll come home with my boyfriend.”

[ … ]

“He’s a good person, Mom.”

But her voice, tinged with disapproval, soon followed.

[You said the same thing when you brought him home. Do you remember that?]

Had he said that? He didn’t even remember now, but his mother seemed to recall every detail.

[Yeonwoo, money and all those things don’t matter. All that matters is someone who cherishes you for life. You know that, right?]

Ji Yeonwoo hesitated and closed his mouth. For a brief moment, many thoughts flashed through his mind. His own wounds might have left the same scars on his mother, and the thought pained him.

[Anyway, I’m glad nothing happened. I’m relieved you’re getting treatment.]

“I’ll call you again later.”

As they exchanged goodbyes and ended the call, Ji Yeonwoo heard voices from the living room—his father’s meeting must have just ended. With a heavy mix of guilt and concern weighing on his heart, he stood up from the bed, only for his phone to ring again.

This time, it was Seo Eungyeom calling.

“Hey, Eungyeom.”

As soon as he answered, Seo Eungyeom’s worried voice came loudly from the other end.

[Hey, Ji Yeonwoo. What’s going on? Did something happen?]

The moment Ji Yeonwoo picked up, Seo Eungyeom started firing questions at him like a rapid-fire machine gun.

[The guy at the flower shop said your place was closed. The nearby shop owners were worried and even asked me if you were okay because you haven’t opened in days.]

“…”

[I called, but you didn’t answer, and no one’s been home. Do you know how scared I was? I couldn’t even tell your mom because I didn’t want her to worry.]

“I’ve just… been dealing with something.”

[Dealing with what? Are you sick again? Is it the pheromone issue?]

“No, it’s not that…”

His voice caught in his throat. There was a time when Ji Yeonwoo had lived as though his world had collapsed. People often experience failures in life, but being swept into a marriage and divorce at such a young age had taken so much from him. On the surface, he had lost his pheromones, but the shattered relationships that followed couldn’t be ignored.

People he had once thought were close, with whom he had shared everything, turned away the moment they learned about his pheromone deficiency. The only one who stayed by his side was Seo Eungyeom. At 24, he had to rebuild his entire social life from scratch.

Meeting people wasn’t difficult, but maintaining deep relationships was. He kept people at arm’s length, building casual connections while maintaining just enough distance to avoid discomfort.

Still, the fact that these acquaintances were concerned for him despite not being close felt strangely moving.

[Ji Yeonwoo, what’s going on? Tell me. I’ll help however I can.]

Ji Yeonwoo took a small breath and finally spoke.

“Eungyeom, the truth is… Lee Hyunjun came to my house.”

[What?!]

As expected, Seo Eungyeom’s voice shot up in shock.

[Are you serious? The Lee Hyunjun I know?]

“…Yeah.”

[Wow… I had my suspicions, but he’s even crazier than I thought. Why would he come to your place? Did you report him?]

“No. But Muhyeok showed up right then, and…”

[Oh my God.]

Seo Eungyeom let out a low groan, his voice fading into silence. Ji Yeonwoo could almost picture the look on his face and couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

[Are you okay?]

Seo Eungyeom’s voice was full of concern. Heat welled up in Ji Yeonwoo’s eyes, and he had to blink it away.

“Yeah.”

It seemed like it was easier to talk to a friend. Things he hadn’t been able to tell his mother flowed freely when talking to Seo Eungyeom.