HRDT Ch 16

It had been fifteen days since their relationship was severed, and Raewon, just like anyone else would, was nursing a feeling of loneliness.

After the sun had set, he came out with a can of beer and sat on the wide wooden porch. The wide open garden was so meticulously cared for that just looking at it felt good. It was starkly different from the place that used to be full of flying dust.

“…That wasn’t even a garden. It was just a leftover empty lot.”

Even though there was no one to hear him, Raewon muttered with a smile. As he took a sip of beer, his gaze remained fixed on the landscaping. Despite having a much more splendid view before him, his mind, strangely, only recalled the shabby empty lot. His heart grew heavy.

As the chilly night breeze blew, his body flinched slightly. Nevertheless, he did not put down the cold beer can in his hand. Raewon no longer drinks hard liquor. Although his house is full of expensive alcohol, on days he craves a drink, he just makes do with beer. He had made a habit of it.

Raewon’s resolve was still firm. He was diligently learning the work, and he filled in his shortcomings by studying on his own or with the help of a lawyer. He was still very clumsy and had a long way to go, but he was growing little by little like that.

As he reached out his hand over the fine-grained wooden floor, his cell phone, which he had carelessly tossed aside, suddenly brushed against his fingertips. Thud. Raewon picked up the spotless, scratch-free cell phone.

The newly activated phone was still quiet as he had not yet shared his contact information with those around him. Since he had decided to get his act together, it was right to cut off contact with his existing connections.

When he tapped the screen with his thumb, the phone quickly emitted a bright light. Tok tok. Raewon opened his message box out of habit.

The only contents within were text messages from a delivery driver or communications from his lawyer. The saved contacts were just as simple. Two housekeepers, the lawyer, and Choi Taejin.

Raewon stared blankly at the familiar phone number. A hollow laugh escaped him as if he had lost his mind.

He had no idea why he had saved it when he didn’t even have the courage to call.

Fearing he might call in his sleep, or perhaps while drunk, he ended up pressing the delete button. Even so, he had Taejin’s contact information memorized by heart. Since he couldn’t erase his memory, the only way was to keep a firm grip on his mind. Raewon took another sip of beer with a sigh.

Feeling too lonely to drink alone, he pulled up a photo of the former chairman from his photo album. Raewon propped the phone up next to a pillar and tilted back the half-empty beer can.

“Maybe it’s because I came from living in a bustling house, but it’s so quiet. This place is too… unnecessarily spacious, I think.”

He started talking to himself. If the housekeeper saw him muttering alone while looking at the garden late at night, she might think he had finally gone mad.

“Grandma, praise me. Tell me I’m doing well. That I’m admirable.”

Nevertheless, Raewon steadfastly continued his monologue. There was no reply, but it was virtually no different from being with the former chairman.

“What I regret a little is… I think I only said very cruel things at the end. Choi Taejin’s expression back then… he looked really hurt.”

Raewon quietly looked down at the paving stones laid on the lawn. What he was clearly looking at was a rough stone path, but what flickered before his eyes was Choi Taejin’s face.

In contrast to the coldly hardened face, his dark eyes had wavered with disgust and sadness. If he hadn’t clenched his teeth and held back at that moment, he might have grabbed him without realizing it.

The reason he cut off Choi Taejin was for his own sake, but also because he wanted him to live well. Raewon moistened his bitter mouth with beer.

“What good would it do for Choi Taejin to get involved with a guy like me? It’s better for him to quickly meet a good woman, start a family, and live his life. Don’t you think?”

Yes, there should be a more wonderful person by Choi Taejin’s side. Someone who would support him well and not bother him.

“I would just be whining all the time. If he kept experiencing that, he would have gotten sick of it himself first, right? Ah, I wonder if he’s already sick of me now?”

Though his lips were smiling, the breath he exhaled was as heavy as if the ground were collapsing. Raewon forced himself to soothe his mood and drained the remaining beer. Gulp gulp.

“What’s the use of saying this now, it’s all pointless.”

With words an old man might say, he crushed the empty beer can. Perhaps because he felt depressed, one can somehow felt insufficient.

Heave. He pushed his heavy bottom up and walked towards the kitchen. When he opened the refrigerator, it seemed the one he had taken out earlier was the last one. Raewon immediately grabbed his wallet and went out. The convenience store was a 5 minute walk away.

Streetlights were scattered here and there, but since it was night, the street was quite dark. Moreover, this area was a residential district with almost no commercial businesses, so the atmosphere was even more deserted.

Raewon walked leisurely along the smoothly paved road. It was when he was walking while looking only at the ground, his half-closed eyes blinking slowly.

On the deserted street, someone suddenly popped out from somewhere, pushed Raewon’s shoulder hard, and walked away. Pushed by the unexpected force, Raewon fell backward helplessly.

“Oh my, dear. Are you alright?”

The man who had pushed Raewon turned back and extended a hand. Bending at the waist, he said, “I’m sorry,” but the voice delivering the apology was very calm, not like that of someone who was sorry.

Raewon ignored the helping hand and slowly pushed himself up from the ground. His palms stung, and when he looked, he saw that the skin was half scraped off from being scratched on the asphalt floor.

“Haa, you should have been more careful.”

Raewon carefully brushed off his dirt-covered hands, being careful not to touch the wound. There was no way he would feel good about an accident that came like a bolt from the blue.

“Are you hurt?”

The man grabbed Raewon’s wrist fiercely. He was too casual about touching someone else’s body.

“Excuse me.”

Raewon did not hide his annoyance at the other’s rude behavior. He tried to shake off the captured hand, but at that moment, his eyes met the man’s, who had moved closer.

His sharp, upturned eyes looked like those of someone who had been stripped of emotion. One could have thought they were just ordinary monolid eyes, but a chilling sensation spread from his wrist to the crown of his head. Raewon hastily pulled his wrist away and cautiously stepped backward.

“I-I’m fine.”

“But you’re hurt, just a moment….”

“No, I’m fine!”

When he stepped back, the man would step forward by the same amount. An instinct told him that he absolutely must not get close. The goosebumps that had spread over his entire body were warning him.

Just then, he heard the sound of cackling laughter like an auditory hallucination. When he turned his head, he could see members of the volunteer neighborhood watch walking over, shining flashlights.

Without a second thought, Raewon ran towards them at full tilt. The convenience store and everything else could wait; all he could think about was that he had to get out of here no matter what.

“Haa, c-could you please walk me home?”

The middle-aged women hesitated for a moment upon seeing Raewon, whose face was deathly pale and who was sweating profusely.

“My, young man, what’s the matter? Are you sick?”

“Just… if you could just walk with me to that hanok over there.”

As Raewon pleaded with them, he kept glancing back. The man had stopped dead in his tracks where he was before and was still watching Raewon. This was definitely not normal. An ordinary person would have already gone on his way, but the sight of him standing still was like seeing a ghost.

When Raewon grabbed the arm of an auntie who was about his mother’s age and clung to her, the volunteer patrol woman smiled and patted the back of his arm. Pat pat.

“My goodness, how can you be so scared? Goodness, not a little daughter but a grown man. Alright, let’s go, let’s go.”

The kind women willingly changed their direction and accompanied Raewon. Even as they walked slowly, Raewon could not look back again. He was afraid the man might still be standing there. He didn’t have the courage to check with his own eyes, so he started to quicken his pace. As he walked diligently, cold sweat soaked the nape of his neck. The wound on his palm didn’t even hurt anymore.

As soon as he arrived, Raewon firmly locked the main gate. Even after personally locking the triple safety device with his own hands, he didn’t feel safe. Suddenly, the wall, which was only about a handspan taller than his head, came into view. He knew it had a sensor detection function, but visually, it looked too flimsy. It was a moment he found himself unexpectedly missing the barbed wire fence of his old house.

Only after requesting patrol service through the security company’s app could Raewon relax. He came inside, washed his hands thoroughly, and also washed his face. The face reflected in the mirror looked as pale as a corpse.

It seemed he was done for in terms of sleeping today. If he tried to force himself to sleep, he was sure to have a nightmare, so Raewon decided to just stay up all night.

Staggering, he entered his grandmother’s room. Inside the mother-of-pearl chest, there were still a ton of documents he hadn’t looked at yet.

Could he finish this within the month? A sigh escaped him automatically as he faced the overwhelming amount of work for one person. Raewon plopped down on the warm ondol floor and began to take out all the piles of paper inside.

He put both hands in and rummaged through the chest as if gathering fallen leaves with a rake, when suddenly an unfamiliar texture touched his fingertips. When he took it out, it was a small ring box.

Usually, valuables like gold bars, necklaces, and rings were kept in a separate safe, so a solitary ring box was quite unexpected. What is this doing here…. Raewon muttered as he opened the ring box.

Inside was not jewelry, but a rusty key. Raewon abruptly shot up from his spot and headed towards the safe in the corner of the room.

He quickly pressed the twelve-digit password. Beep. When the lock released, the first things to appear were glittering gold trinkets. But Raewon paid no mind to the expensive items and was only interested in the bottom drawer.

When he pushed the key into the hole, a sensation of a perfect fit, like placing the last piece of a puzzle, was transmitted to his fingertips. A thrilling sense of pleasure arose in that moment.

His grandmother’s safe drawer had been an inviolable domain that could never be opened. Before, he had no clue what was inside. That secret was finally being opened today.

“……”

Inside the drawer was a bundle of worn-out documents. Was it an important contract? Perhaps it could be something like an account book of wrongdoings. Raewon first took out all the files and paper envelopes contained within. They were so old that the covers were all frayed and had turned yellow.

From the moment he turned the file cover, Raewon froze.

This was not a simple contract. It was a collection of materials from a murder case, densely packed with gory photos.

The victims of the murder case that occurred 20 years ago were people Raewon knew well. How could he not know his own parents’ names?

Raewon had only known that his biological parents had passed away in an unfortunate accident. Since it happened when he was just a newborn, he didn’t know the detailed circumstances. It was just that whenever he occasionally asked about his biological parents, the former chairman would show him their wedding photo and tell him only pleasant things.

The faces of the parents Raewon remembered were of a young man and woman in a wedding dress and a tuxedo. The faces that had been only smiling happily had been transformed into the images of the victims who had died in the photographs. Seeing them with their eyes unable to close, shedding only tears of blood, Raewon experienced cognitive dissonance for a time. Not only was it unbelievable, but he felt his mind grow faint, as if someone had struck his head with a blunt object.

The materials his grandmother had hidden in the safe were all investigation records regarding Raewon’s parents. From the crime scene investigation report to the autopsy confirmation, and even the court verdict. The amount was too vast to read through entirely, but he could sufficiently deduce how horrific this murder case had been.

Raewon also found a badly crumpled letter. It contained a message saying that the writer would definitely come to kill him one day. The spelling was poor and the handwriting was ugly, but the madness the killer had pressed into the letter could be read just as it was.

Until that point, Raewon seemed to have been unable to accept reality. But the moment he saw the killer’s personal information and his actual face that followed, he was terrified and threw the file.

It was definitely the man he had run into on his way to the convenience store earlier. Although it was a photo from 20 years ago, he had only aged; his facial features had not changed. Meeting those chilling eyes again, Raewon’s lungs shriveled. His chest heaved like crazy as if a wave of hyperventilation had hit him.

“Heok, heu.”

His whole body trembled as if catching a chill. Raewon, on all fours, frantically scattered the pile of documents on the floor. The moment he saw his cell phone underneath, he snatched it up as if it were the only lifeline that could save him. He didn’t know who to ask for help. The police? The lawyer? But only one person came to mind.

His trembling fingers dialed Choi Taejin’s number on their own. While the long dial tone continued, Raewon covered his mouth and nose, barely swallowing his ragged breaths. Tears flowed helplessly from the successive shocks and fear.

At that time, Taejin was sipping a drink alone in his empty officetel.

His body was so exhausted it wouldn’t be strange if he collapsed right away, yet his mind only grew clearer as time passed. He couldn’t seem to fall asleep these days. Even when he drank, far from getting drunk, his nerves only became sharply honed, and past memories muddled his mind.

A sigh escaped him on its own. It seemed Jin Raewon’s sleeping disorder had been passed on to him. Taejin pressed his hot eyelids firmly and let the remaining alcohol flow down his throat. Gulp.

Just then, the cell phone he had placed beside him rang noisily. It was an unknown number, so his interest quickly faded. Taejin tossed the silenced phone aside and filled his empty glass with more alcohol. Even while he slowly emptied the glass, the phone continued to flash a static light. He could no longer ignore the calls that came again and again, tirelessly. Taejin laid his weary body down on the sofa and reluctantly answered the phone.

“Yes.”

—…….

The other person was silent. Hearing only panting breaths over the speaker, Taejin’s eyes contorted fiercely. Just as a harsh curse was about to erupt from his mouth, a thread-like voice flowed into his ear.

—……Excuse me.

Taejin froze in the middle of ruffling his hair. Still frowning, he focused on the delicate voice.

But Raewon couldn’t seem to continue speaking. As he hesitated for a frustratingly long time, Taejin couldn’t stand it and spoke first.

“What is it.”

—…….

“If you have nothing to say, I’m hanging up.”

Unlike his cold tone, Taejin couldn’t take the phone away from his ear. He was catching every single one of Raewon’s trembling breaths. Every nerve cell in his body was on edge to the point that the back of his neck grew stiff.

He could hear Raewon taking a deep breath over the phone. Listening to the breath, which was heavy with tension, made Taejin’s own palms sweat. He silently chewed the inside of his lip, squeezing out what little patience he had left.

—I’m sorry but…… there’s something I want to ask.

“Go ahead.”

—Do you know about Woo Jihwan?

At those words, his upper body shot up. His body had reacted before he could even think. For a moment, Taejin’s breath caught in his throat as if he had been doused with cold water. Gasp. A chill began to spread down his spine.

—I was just wondering if you might know…… He’s a murderer, ah, of course I don’t think you’d know everything about all criminals. It’s just that you’re the only person I can ask right now. So… he was released from prison not long ago… he might commit another crime and he might be living in Seoul…….

What Raewon was saying was somewhat incoherent and rambling. His breathing became ragged again. At that, Taejin shot up from the sofa. From the hasty movement, the table was pushed and the glass and bottle on top went tumbling messily. Clatter.

“Where are you.”

Before even hearing the answer, Taejin was already walking towards the entryway. While slipping his shoes on, he kept his hearing on high alert.

—At home…… I’m at home right now.

“Don’t move, just stay right there.”

After leaving a short instruction, he immediately bolted out of the house. This was no time for pride. Unable to hide his urgency, Taejin practically ran down the long corridor. Unspoken curses rolled around in his mouth.

It had been 20 minutes since the call ended.

Raewon was clutching his silent phone, waiting only for Taejin. His frightened eyes were busy constantly minding the space beyond the wall.

BANG BANG BANG!

Startled by the pounding on the gate, Raewon let out a gasp. Heok. He clutched his own pounding heart and just darted his eyes around. What should he do? His mind, gone blank, was slacking off and couldn’t make a decision.

“Open it.”

A low voice came from outside the gate. It was undoubtedly Choi Taejin. Only then did Raewon toss his phone aside and rush to the door.

Even the fingers undoing the lock were trembling pathetically. When the gate opened, the figure of the man standing outside came into Raewon’s view. The moment he saw Taejin’s face, a wave of relief washed over him, and his knees, which he had been barely holding up, buckled.

Taejin stepped over the threshold without permission and grabbed Raewon’s upper arm as he crumbled downward. He set the limp body upright and scanned Raewon’s condition in detail with his own eyes.

Anyone could see he was thoroughly terrified. He was so devoid of color that it looked like he might collapse any moment. Taejin closed the main gate, securing it in place of the owner.

“How do you know Woo Jihwan.”

Then, he immediately began to interrogate him. Raewon took a sharp breath and just moved his lips a few times. Was he even breathing properly? Watching him, Taejin’s own pupils were also shaking.

“I…… I was going through the safe and found something.”

As Raewon falteringly explained the situation, the back of his red, scraped hand suddenly caught Taejin’s eye.

He suddenly snatched Raewon’s hand. When he turned it over, the area below the palm was all scratched up and a mess.

“What happened to your hand.”

“…I fell.”

Raewon twisted his captured wrist. Isn’t that not what’s important right now? But Taejin’s thoughts were different. His dark eyes moved down and landed on the white feet treading on the grass. How out of it must he have been to think of running out barefoot?

“And you say you’re going to stand on your own two feet like this.”

“……”

“I’d feel more at ease with a child left by the water than you.”

Taejin lifted Raewon up in his arms in a flash. Not only did he support his bottom with ease, but even his steps were light. Raewon struggled, but he couldn’t break Taejin’s will. In the end, as if he couldn’t win, he wrapped his arms around his shoulder.

“Put me down. I’ll walk on my own feet.”

“If you were going to do that, why are your arms around me.”

“……”

“Do you think I’m doing this because you’re pretty?”

Every word Choi Taejin threw was barbed. While spitting out cold words, the arm wrapped around his waist tightened further. The hand supporting him so he wouldn’t fall was exceedingly steady.

Raewon silently lowered his head and rested his chin on the broad shoulder. The embrace he was in after so long had not changed one bit from what he remembered.

Resolve is such a fleeting thing. Just by having one solid pillar of support in front of him, his worries and tension were swept away at once.

Raewon simply could not break free from this embrace. Just for today, just for one day. Justifying it as unavoidable this time, he hugged Taejin’s neck tightly.

Before asking about the situation, Taejin took care of Raewon’s palm first. He applied ointment to the broken skin, added gauze, and then wrapped a bandage around it. The treatment was excessive for the wound.

“……”

Raewon did not argue with this and simply watched quietly. His lowered gaze landed on the bridge of Choi Taejin’s nose, who was kneeling on one knee on the floor. His head was bowed, he was silent the whole time, and he seemed a little angry. Looking at his furrowed brow, which was creased as if in a frown, he had the thought of wanting to unconsciously smooth it out.

Raewon barely managed to curl the fingers that wanted to reach out. Before he knew it, Taejin was even personally wiping his dirty feet with a wet wipe. As if it were natural for him to be of service, every single touch was without any hesitation.

“……Did you drink?”

“Yeah.”

“You didn’t drive here, did you?”

“Took a taxi.”

Though the replies were curt, Raewon knew Choi Taejin’s true nature well. If he had been truly bothered, he wouldn’t have even answered, nor would he have come running at a moment’s notice after receiving his call. Even the act of kneeling below the sofa and wiping his feet was not something Choi Taejin would normally do.

Just a short while ago, in this very spot, they had clawed at and wounded each other. They had cut ties as if they would never meet again, but now, to be in a situation where he was being cared for in the same place felt surreal.

Raewon quietly looked down at Taejin’s high nose bridge. So many storms had passed in a short period that his head felt slightly dazed, as if in a dream.

Just then, Taejin raised his head. It was natural that their eyes met. He, too, stopped what he was doing and gazed at Raewon.

The clashing gazes held countless unspoken emotions. Both of their faces were haggard, and like people who hadn’t slept for days, the areas under their eyes were dark.

“What about Woo Jihwan.”

“……”

“Explain the situation. Everything, without leaving anything out.”

Taejin straightened the knee he had bent and slowly stood up. His tall, dark figure dominated the space before Raewon, and Raewon’s gaze followed him up. It was time to return to reality.

Instead of explaining, Raewon stood up and pulled on Taejin’s sleeve. He led him to his grandmother’s room. When he opened the door, Taejin stepped inside first. The documents scattered on the floor caught his eye.

Taejin crouched down like a detective surveying a crime scene and began to read the scattered papers. He realized that the secret the former chairman had tried so hard to hide had been discovered. And in its rawest form, at that.

Taejin was also seeing the case records for the first time. The visual materials were quite graphic for a civilian to see. Moreover, if it was related to his own parents, the shock Raewon must have received would have been immense.

“I think… I met Woo Jihwan.”

“What?”

Taejin threw down the document he was holding and immediately stood up. When he turned around, Raewon, with a surprisingly calm face, met his gaze.

“I bumped into him on my way to the convenience store earlier, and his face was the same.”

“Why are you telling me this now!”

Taejin rarely raised his voice. For a moment, anger shot to the top of his head, and he had no intention of holding it back.

But he soon let out a sigh and clenched his jaw tight. He shouldn’t take his anger out on an innocent person. It was none other than himself who had neglected Jin Raewon’s protection.

He immediately called Manager Goo.

“Check Woo Jihwan’s movements. Report back as soon as you find out where he is and what he’s doing.”

He had also withdrawn the surveillance team from Woo Jihwan’s side. Ruminating on his regret, Taejin failed to notice the way Raewon was looking at him.

“……You knew.”

Raewon let out a hollow laugh. He felt drained of all energy.

“The reason I took you on from the beginning was because of Woo Jihwan. The former chairman was in the middle of making full preparations to catch that bastard and kill him.”

Now that things had come to this, there was nothing left to hide. In any case, with the former chairman dead, he had no obligation to keep the secret.

“Why did you hide it.”

“Because it would do you no good to know. And the former chairman wanted it to be kept a secret. That was a condition of the contract.”

“You could have told me later. After the funeral…”

“Was there ever a chance for that?”

It felt like it could turn into another fight at any moment. Just then, a phone call broke the flow of the conversation. Taejin silently picked up his phone.

“Yeah, go ahead.”

—Woo Jihwan’s whereabouts are unknown. We’re reviewing the CCTV footage, and the last time he was seen was leaving his house four days ago. Since then, he has completely vanished from the Daerim-dong area.

Upon hearing Manager Goo’s report, Taejin’s eyes squeezed shut. His sharp jawline tensed in succession. Taejin forced down his bursting anger, conscious of Raewon standing in front of him.

He ordered Manager Goo to find Woo Jihwan’s whereabouts by any means necessary. After the short call ended, an uncomfortable silence fell in the room. Taejin let out a deep breath and ran a hand through his bangs. He could clearly feel how on edge he was, with his nerves completely frayed.

He finally spoke after a long moment.

“You probably feel it too. That your situation is not very safe.”

“……”

“The less a bastard values his own life, the harder he is to deal with. And Woo Jihwan is even more so because his actions are unpredictable.”

While Taejin continued to speak, Raewon listened calmly. For someone with no color in his face, Raewon’s expression looked calmer than expected.

Rather, it was Taejin who had become anxious. He took a long, steadying breath to make the best possible judgment. For now, he had to resolve the issue of Jin Raewon’s residence first.

“Decide. Whether you’ll come with me, or stay here.”

He cast aside his pride and offered a helping hand first. Taejin no longer had the authority to force him. All choices had to be made by Jin Raewon, and he needed to respect that.

“……”

Raewon looked down at the ground without answering. Soon, he shook his head. As if he had expected it, Taejin let out a small breath. Jin Raewon had a considerably stubborn side. Even in a situation where his life was on the line, he refused to bend.

“Instead, don’t even think about taking a single step outside the house.”

His long legs stepped over the threshold of the room. Taejin walked out as if he were about to leave this place immediately. Whether it was to see him off or something else, Raewon diligently followed behind him.

Past the maze-like hallway, the wide-open wooden porch would soon appear. Just as he was about to turn the corner, Raewon suddenly grabbed the hem of his clothes.

“……Are you leaving?”

It wasn’t actually that strong of a grip. But Taejin’s legs couldn’t take a single step, as if someone had shackled them.

“……”

When he slowly turned around, he could see the top of Raewon’s head. He had been looking at the floor since earlier, so only the small head came into Taejin’s view.

“I know it’s a shameless request… but can’t you just sleep here for tonight?”

“……”

“……Just for one night.”

The fingers clutching the hem of his clothes were trembling faintly. Raewon had been swallowing down his fear. He hadn’t shown it until now, but the moment he saw Taejin leaving, he had instinctively grabbed onto him.

“Alright, just for one night.”

Taejin readily agreed. Thanks to that, he too now had a reason to stay by Raewon’s side. His frustrated heart was relieved by just a single touch.

Raewon finished preparing for bed and lay down. Feeling another person’s warmth in the bed he always used alone made his heart pound for no reason. Thinking he wouldn’t be able to sleep like this, he turned on his side. With Choi Taejin behind his back, his mind felt much more at ease.

“Thank you for coming.”

As he muttered softly, a deflated-sounding laugh came from behind him. Instead of answering, Taejin just let out a long sigh.

It was just one more person in the room, but the familiar space was filled with a new, unfamiliar scent. Raewon took a deep breath, filling his lungs with Choi Taejin’s scent that he hadn’t smelled in a long time. His anxious heart calmed, and the tension in his body slowly melted away.

“Just in case, I should write a will.”

Raewon mumbled as if talking to himself. His voice was slow and weak, as if he were already drunk on sleep.

“I don’t have any family to leave my fortune to… If I die, I think I’ll donate it to society.”

A rustling sound came from behind him. Rustle. Soon, a firm arm wrapped around Raewon’s waist. Taejin, who had also turned to lie on his side, had moved close and was hugging Raewon tightly.

“Don’t say useless things. Just you try writing something like a will.”

He said threateningly, his voice low. His heavy breathing tickled Raewon’s ear.

“I won’t let you die. That will never happen.”

Those words sounded like a promise he was repeating to himself. On the back of the arm wrapped around his waist, a vein throbbed. It was constricting and hard to breathe, but Raewon welcomed that confinement. He nodded silently and placed his hand over the firm arm.

The warm body heat felt from their touching skin slowly melts his tense body. It was a sense of fulfillment he hadn’t felt in a long time. He had a feeling that he would be able to sleep soundly, at least for tonight. Raewon let go of his complicated thoughts and slowly drifted off to sleep.

When he woke up, it was already well past noon. Due to his exhausted mind and body, he had slept so deeply he hadn’t realized the time passing.

Raewon rubbed his swollen eyes and looked around the bed. The man who had lain down and slept with him was nowhere to be found. He didn’t even know when he had left.

“……”

In any case, the promise was only for one night. It was a luxury to be immersed in feelings of disappointment.

When he came out of the room, a familiar person was standing smack in the middle of the living room. As soon as Yeo Huido saw Raewon, he flashed his signature white teeth and grinned.

“Good morning. Oh, or is it afternoon?”

“You… what are you.”

Raewon was so dumbfounded he couldn’t even offer a greeting. As he blinked his large eyes, Yeo Huido slyly closed the distance and approached.

“Big brother’s orders. He said to stay at this house for the time being and stick close to the young master.”

“By whose authority. I never gave permission.”

“Come on, are we strangers? Just think of me as a dog guarding the yard. If you can’t stand the sight of me in the house, I can really just stay in the yard, so don’t worry about it too much.”

At the nonchalant words, Raewon was at a loss for words. He rubbed his face, still heavy with sleep, and let out a deep sigh.

“Is it just you?”

“There are a few others besides me…”

No other presence was felt in the large house. Just in case, Raewon went outside. When he opened the main gate, he saw the peaceful scenery of the residential area, no different from usual. Since it was an originally quiet and tranquil neighborhood, the gangsters loitering around pretending to be passersby stood out even more.

Although they were dressed in casual clothes, intending to hide their identities, the tattoos peeking out from under their short-sleeved shirts, their large builds, and their intimidating impressions could absolutely not be hidden.

Even when they made eye contact with Raewon, they feigned ignorance and looked away. They just strolled around the house like people out for a walk. Not knowing that it made them look even more suspicious.

“The residents are going to report them at this rate.”

“We picked only the ones with gentle-looking faces. Is it really that bad?”

Yeo Huido, who had followed him out at some point, muttered as he peeked his face through the gate. At that, Raewon just let out a hollow laugh. He didn’t even know where to begin pointing things out.

Raewon closed the gate and went back inside the house. As always, Yeo Huido followed behind him like a shadow.

“Did you eat breakfast?”

“No.”

“Auntie, can we have some food, please.”

When Raewon called out loudly, the housekeeper who had been doing chores somewhere came running with short steps. She glanced at Yeo Huido’s face from the side of her eyes. He looked like he had a hearty appetite, so she was just thinking she would have to cook a whole pot of rice.

“You’ll have to make a lot of rice. There are many mouths to feed.”

As if reading her thoughts, Raewon added the request. Then he turned around and added a word to Yeo Huido.

“Tell the guys outside to come in too. Before the police show up.”

As soon as permission was granted, the thugs rushed into Cheongyeondang as if they had been waiting.

With six large men sitting around it, even the spacious dining table was full. Perhaps they were all hungry, as they were busy shoveling rice and side dishes into their mouths. Shovel shovel.

“Where is Choi Taejin?”

Raewon asked in a deliberately indifferent voice.

“He had some urgent business to take care of. He’ll probably come when it’s more or less wrapped up, don’t you think?”

“……”

Raewon’s gaze hovered only over the white rice. His face, lost in thought, looked as if he were counting the grains of rice.

At that, Yeo Huido stopped eating and just stared at Raewon’s face. He had known for a while that the relationship between his big brother and Jin Raewon had fallen apart. But seeing how things were going, it was a situation where they couldn’t forget each other, with lingering feelings dripping from them.

“……Is there no possibility of you getting back together?”

“What.”

“With big brother. Why don’t you just date him, taking this opportunity.”

Raewon just shook his head silently. There was no sign of hesitation.

“I’m not saying you have to be like lovers… but more than anything, being with big brother will give you peace of mind.”

“I can just hire bodyguards. Mind your own business.”

“……”

“And you guys go back after you finish eating. And don’t talk about things like personal protection.”

Raewon sighed and put down his chopsticks. He had no appetite to begin with. Instead, he took out his phone and called his lawyer. After a short dial tone, a familiar voice was heard, and he immediately started talking.

“It’s me. I don’t think I’ll be able to meet with you for a while. Let’s proceed slowly with everything except for the urgent matters. Yes, you can send it by email. I’ll review it and call you if I need your opinion on anything.”

Yeo Huido, with his chopsticks in his mouth, stared blankly at Raewon’s face while he was on the phone. He wondered if this was the Jin Raewon he knew. Aside from the somber mood, his appearance while discussing work with the lawyer looked remarkably more mature. He found himself watching, fascinated, without even realizing it.

Suddenly, Raewon lifted his gaze. When their eyes met, Yeo Huido quickly feigned indifference. He just continued to pretend to eat, moving his mouth for no reason.

What to do, he was about to be kicked out without a doubt once he finished eating. If that happened, he might die even before Jin Raewon did.

In the afternoon, Raewon called a security company and had a consultation about his situation. The security team leader, dressed in a neat suit, had a good physique and a clean-cut impression. Although he was smaller than the Yurim-pa members, one could see a unique dependability that came from years of training.

After listening to the explanation for a while and examining the contract, he felt a presence hovering behind him.

Even then, Yeo Huido had not left and was loitering around Raewon. When Raewon glared at him fiercely, he looked around furtively but never left his spot.

“Aren’t you leaving?”

When he finally threw a harsh word, Yeo Huido approached with a rather brazen expression.

“Why are you wasting money on pointless things. Sixteen million for a month of security? That’s crazy, just crazy.”

“Are you worried about my wallet right now?”

“I know you have a lot of money, young master. But it’s still a waste of money. Moreover, it’s for personal protection… wouldn’t we be more trustworthy!”

“Look here.”

The security team leader, who had been silently listening to the conversation, couldn’t stand it anymore and chimed in.

“We are qualitatively different from gangsters like you. We are a professional force composed only of graduates from the security department.”

At those words, the corners of Yeo Huido’s mouth twitched.

“Goodness, do you learn how to fight in college these days? A passing dog would laugh.”

“VIP protection is different from general personal protection. It requires special people to handle it. Do you think it’s something that can be done by just having any Tom, Dick, or Harry by your side?”

“Do you even know how to hold a weapon? Have you ever been in a knife fight? You don’t know shit but you run your mouth.”

“Truly low-class.”

“Don’t just flap your gums, if you’ve got a problem, come at me, you bastard.”

The atmosphere grew increasingly hostile. It was a hair-trigger situation where a fight could break out if someone snapped. But Raewon only focused on the contract, as if it were not his business.

From the beginning, the cost was not a concern. He had to consider how many people would be stationed at the house, whether their identities were certain, and whether their skills were outstanding enough to be trusted. As Yeo Huido said, glib talk was just a pleasing facade. Since it was a matter of entrusting his life, he had to review it carefully.

While the loud shouting went back and forth, Raewon finished his long deliberation and picked up a pen. Just as he was about to sign the bottom of the contract, someone smoothly pulled the paper out from under it. Swoosh. When Raewon looked up in surprise, Taejin was right next to him.

“Barely made it in time.”

He nonchalantly tore the contract to shreds. Rip.

“What… what do you think you’re doing.”

Raewon asked, half-stunned.

“Hey!”

The security team leader, who had been sitting quietly even during Yeo Huido’s provocations, shot up from his seat this time as if he really couldn’t take it anymore. He reached out an arm to discipline the man who was committing one rude act after another.

But the security team leader couldn’t even grab Taejin’s collar and was subdued in an instant. Thud! It didn’t even take 20 seconds for him to be slammed onto the sofa table in a kneeling position.

The security team leader’s face turned white with shock. He tried to twist his body, but with his arm bent behind his back, he couldn’t move an inch. If the opponent applied just a little more force from here, his wrist bone would shatter.

The difference in level was stark. While the security team leader was trembling, unable to overcome his shame, Yeo Huido puffed out his chest and grinned. With Choi Taejin’s appearance, he looked as if he had gained a powerful army.

“Haa, stop it. What on earth are you doing.”

Raewon lamented, covering his face with his hands. When he pleaded for him to stop, saying he understood, Taejin finally let go of the man he was holding down. Yeo Huido, as if taking on the role of a taskmaster, kicked the security team leader out of the house. His momentum was at its peak.

In the meantime, Taejin knelt down to meet Raewon’s eye level. He never touched him first. His widespread hands rested on either side of the sofa where Raewon was sitting, and while keeping him enclosed in his arms, he first checked on Raewon’s mood.

“I’ll get lost on my own once the Woo Jihwan matter is resolved, so let’s just be together until then.”

“……”

“Don’t worry. I’ll disappear completely from your life. There won’t be any more clinging. This is the last time.”

Raewon slowly raised his head. The face he met was the same indifferent Choi Taejin he had always seen.

But this was the first time he had seen him cast aside his pride and bend down like this. It was a moment when the resolve he had been suppressing all this time crumbled in an instant. Raewon quietly bit his lip. Even if he wanted to hold onto Taejin, he had neither the courage nor the shamelessness.

“Should I write you a contract?”

Taejin added another word in a casual voice. A bitter smile spread across his lips. Inwardly he was anxious, but he tried to feign composure.

“Why do you care about my business.”

“Because I care.”

“……”

“I want you to sleep well, I want your every day to be peaceful.”

“……”

“I’m so worried about you that I can’t do anything right now. Work, whatever, I can’t get a grip on anything.”

“……”

“So this is something I’m doing for myself. I’m taking care of you so that I can live well.”

Taejin acted selfish until the end. But anyone who could understand his words would not fail to discern the truth contained within them. Raewon couldn’t bring himself to meet his gaze and just looked down at the floor. How could he refuse? He, too, wanted Taejin’s life to be peaceful.

“Then……, it can’t be helped.”

In the end, he answered as if he couldn’t win. As he himself was embarrassed, Raewon’s white skin, from his neck to his forehead, turned red in an instant. He tried to cover his flushed face with his palms, but before he could, Taejin pulled Raewon into a tight hug.

Raewon’s hands hesitated before embracing him back. Just being in his arms made him feel at ease, as if he had found his nest. At this rate, would he even be able to let go of Choi Taejin later? It seemed he was probably doomed. Raewon buried his forehead in the broad shoulder and let out a breath that was close to a sigh.

“We don’t know where Woo Jihwan is hiding right now. We’re searching by any means necessary, but it probably won’t be easy.”

The urgent matter to be dealt with since the morning was to locate Woo Jihwan. Taejin had Raewon sit down and began to explain the current situation step by step.

“There’s a high possibility he’s waiting for the right moment.”

Woo Jihwan was a persistent and cautious man. It was predicted that he would not move rashly without certainty. Moreover, if he had been observing Jin Raewon all this time, there was a high probability that he also knew about his relationship with the Yurim-pa.

Raewon, who had been listening silently, had a question.

“But… why does this person want to kill me? Now that my grandmother has passed away… is there any point?”

“Because he’s a bastard who waited 20 years for the day he would kill you. There’s a high chance he’s buried in that.”

A misguided conviction consumes a person whole. They can’t judge what is right or wrong, and achieving their goal becomes their entire life.