IPSTDS Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Nahyuk returned to Chapter 74 and began reading the rest of the content. His eyes scanned the text quickly.

「Kim Daon left the house a bit earlier than the time he’d agreed upon with Seo Dowoong.

‘Is Seo Dowoong going to confess today?’

A charming smile appeared on Kim Daon’s lips at the thought.
Seo Dowoong had been showing signs of interest for a while without actually confessing, and it was starting to frustrate him.
Just when he was thinking he might confess first, Seo Dowoong asked to meet on Saturday afternoon.

The meeting place: Café Waveon.

It was a somewhat remote, quiet café.

They had met there from time to time before, and each time, Seo Dowoong would rent out the entire café so they wouldn’t be disturbed.

‘No one else will be there today either, right? Perfect for a confession.’

The thought of being confessed to made him hum. In high spirits, Kim Daon got into his car.

Since he had only recently bought the car, his hands still felt awkward on the wheel. He wasn’t confident in his driving, since he rarely did it.

But today, since he had to go out to the suburbs, he decided to drive instead of using public transportation.

Of course, he could’ve asked Seo Dowoong to pick him up, but he didn’t want to call him just because he wasn’t confident behind the wheel. It was a matter of pride.

So, the car Kim Daon was driving exited the city without issue and entered a quiet, mountainous area. A few more winding roads and he’d be there.

But then, a car coming from the opposite lane looked suspicious. Even though it wasn’t nighttime, its headlights were blinding.

‘Crazy bastard.’

Kim Daon tried to veer away to avoid the vehicle.

He moved as far out of the lane as he could, but the oncoming car only sped up and charged straight at him.

“…!”

Kim Daon jerked the steering wheel. But the other car was faster.
Blinded by the headlights that filled his vision, he instinctively shut his eyes—

Bang! A loud crash rang out before he even realized what had happened. Kim Daon lost consciousness immediately.

The last thing he remembered was the glaring headlights swallowing his field of vision.

Blood began to stream down the back of his hand, still gripping the steering wheel.」

“Wh-What the hell… What happened to our Daon…”

Nahyuk tried to scroll further. He desperately wanted to know what happened to Kim Daon after the crash.

But that was where Chapter 74 ended.

There was nothing more.

Sweat began to bead in Nahyuk’s palms. His hands trembled around his phone.

What filled his mind now was how reality seemed to be echoing the events of the novel.

Though it was Nahyuk, not Seo Dowoong, who was meeting Kim Daon… the time was still 4:00 p.m., the place was still Café Waveon.

And to get to that café, one had to drive through a mountain road—just like in the story.

This couldn’t be happening. Just in case, he had to call Kim Daon immediately.

With trembling fingers, Nahyuk called him. Thankfully, Kim Daon picked up right away.

– Hello?

“Daon-ah, wh-where are you right now?”

– Me? I’m not exactly sure either.

“You already left? There’s still so much time before the meeting! Wait—are you driving your own car?”

– Yeah, I am. I had nothing to do, so I just left a bit early. You can take your time, sunbae. I’ll wait with some coffee.

Why is he always so punctual? It’s nerve-wracking.

Nahyuk’s voice trembled uncontrollably.

“Y-You’re not on a winding mountain road right now, are you?”

– …How did you know? I just have to get past this road and I’ll be there…

He was already on the mountain road.

Nahyuk had no choice but to shout.

“Pull over right now!”

– Huh?

He couldn’t exactly say, “I saw your accident in a novel,” or, “I’m not really Yoon Noah.” That was out of the question. The only thing he could do was prevent the worst from happening.

“I’ll come find you. Just stay parked until I get there. And hide somewhere safe, okay?”

– What are you talking about?

“Don’t ask why, please. Just listen to me! Please…”

– …

Kim Daon fell silent, seemingly confused. A heavy pause followed on the other end of the line.

“Daon-ah! I’m begging you, please!”

Did his desperation get through? From the other end of the call, Nahyuk heard a turn signal clicking. Click, click.

It sounded like Daon might actually be following his advice. Nahyuk let out a breath of relief at the small sound.

– …You’ll explain when we meet, right?

“Yeah! Of course! I’m coming right now, so please wait just a bit.”

He had to ask Yoon Noah’s driver to take him immediately. He looked like a mess from just waking up, but Kim Daon’s safety was far more important.

Even as he got out of bed, clinging to his phone like a lifeline, he heard the sound of a car door closing on the other end. Kim Daon must’ve gotten out of the car.

“Daon-ah, I know it’s a mountain road, so it might be hard to find a good spot, but just try to stay somewhere safe…”

And then it happened.

Bang—! A loud crash, loud enough to shake the airwaves, burst through the phone.

“D-Daon-ah!”

Nahyuk called his name desperately, but all he got in return was the sound of the call being disconnected.

Panicking, Nahyuk bolted out of his room and began searching for Yoon Noah’s standby driver.

“M-Mister! I have to go somewhere urgently… Please, help me.”

“Young master? What’s going on?”

“Just drive—please!”

“…Understood.”

Sensing the urgency in the situation, the driver quickened his pace. Before long, Nahyuk was in the car.

He gave the driver the destination and then called the fire department to report Kim Daon’s situation. Just in case.

He didn’t know exactly what had happened, but that ‘crash’—he definitely heard it. He wasn’t hallucinating.

Something had happened. That much was certain.

“Sir—can we go just a little faster, please?”

His anxiety made him snap at the driver unintentionally. That’s how desperate he felt.

“I’ll do my best, young master.”

The driver responded seriously and pressed harder on the gas.

Nahyuk stared blankly out the window as the scenery raced past, biting his lower lip.

Tears welled in his eyes at the thought that something might’ve happened to Daon. He forced them back.

The only small comfort was that, befitting someone who had to deal with the high-maintenance Yoon Noah, the driver’s skills were top-tier. Realistically, the real Yoon Noah probably always demanded they go faster.

‘Please, let him be okay.’

Nahyuk prayed all the way to their destination. He had never believed in God, but now he prayed to every god there might be.

How much time had passed?

The car began to tilt right, then left. They had reached the winding mountain road and the driver wasn’t slowing down.

Soon, the driver spoke, sounding troubled.

“Young master, I think there’s been an accident up ahead. I can’t go any farther.”

An accident.

This was it. This had to be where Kim Daon was.

“Th-thank you!”

Without another word, Nahyuk jumped out of the back seat. He heard the driver call out behind him—“Young master!”—but he didn’t have the presence of mind to respond.

All he could think about was finding Kim Daon, who he feared might be hurt, or worse.

“Daon-ah!”

He called out for him like he was looking for a lost brother—or a lover who had walked away.

His desperate cries drew glances from the medics and police controlling the scene.

“Daon-ah, where are you?!”

Then a voice answered from somewhere nearby.

“…Sunbae!”

Nahyuk thought it was a miracle.

He turned toward the voice. There, wearing a dark green sweater, was Kim Daon.

There wasn’t a single scratch on his handsome face. And judging from the way he was walking over, he didn’t seem injured at all.

Ina Hyuk stumbled like someone about to collapse and ran toward him.

“Daon-ah… Hah. You’re really okay. I was so terrified something had happened… ngh.”

Gripping the front of Daon’s sweater tightly, Nahyuk let out a shaky breath. All his tension and fear unraveled in an instant, leaving him weak in the knees.

He dropped to the ground.

“Sunbae, you…”

Kim Daon trailed off, his brows furrowing slightly.

Even the wrinkles on his beautiful face looked heartbreakingly delicate—so much so that Nahyuk couldn’t take his eyes off him, even as his heart clenched painfully in his chest.

“Urgh…”

A low sound of pain escaped from between Nahyuk’s teeth.

The chest pain that had gone quiet for a few days suddenly flared up, like his heart was being wrung out. It felt just like the agony he’d experienced in Radena.

In no time, his whole body stiffened, to the point where he couldn’t even lift a finger. Even breathing became a struggle.

He could hear tinnitus in his ears, and Daon’s voice was broken into fragments.

“Sunbae!”

‘I can’t pass out now…’

But he had reached his limit. He could no longer endure the pain, or keep his mind together.

Ina Hyuk collapsed on the asphalt. His flickering vision faded to black.

He felt his body being lifted… sirens…

“Sunbae, you’re not allowed to die before explaining everything to me.”

That was the last thing he heard—Kim Daon’s voice, demanding an explanation.

Then Nahyuk lost consciousness completely.