IPSTDS Chapter 96

Chapter 96

‘I took a picture of you being with Kim Daon…’

Seo Dowoong trembled with disgust at Park Sangcheol’s slyness.

He had tried to be careful, but there was no way of knowing when Park Sangcheol had started following him and taken the picture.

Would he finally leave him alone only if he buried him quietly somewhere?

But there was one thing Park Sangcheol had overlooked. He was no longer a high school student. He was no longer someone desperately struggling for his parents’ approval.

He had the means to keep an article from ever being published.

Even so, Park Sangcheol would no doubt find some cunning way—using gossip rags or video outlets—to stain his reputation.

It would be troublesome, but Seo Dowoong felt confident he could handle it.

Besides, the photo only showed the back of him holding hands, not kissing or anything more intimate.

It even looked as though it had been taken from far away. He could simply claim it was someone else. The rumors would die down quickly.

Still, he wanted to make sure Park Sangcheol never set foot in society again for dragging his name into scandal. He had to pay for recklessly targeting the wrong person.

It was then that Yoon Noah’s voice came.

“…I think you’ll manage to clean it up somehow. But I’m worried about Daon.”

For the first time since meeting Yoon Noah, Seo Dowoong frowned.

“You’re saying you’re not worried about me, but about Kim Daon?”

You’re telling me you’ve already gotten that close with Kim Daon?

It was hard to believe. Until just recently, he had been desperate to tear Kim Daon apart.

“Yeah. Daon’s just an ordinary office worker. What if people find out you were with him and he ends up being ostracized or bullied?”

“And you don’t think I’ll be the one ostracized?”

“Why would you be? Who would dare ostracize an executive director?”

“…”

Seo Dowoong stayed silent. Yoon Noah was right; he couldn’t argue. Still, he didn’t like how it sounded.

“When did you get so close with Kim Daon?”

“Just… we live nearby, so we run into each other a lot…”

Yoon Noah trailed off as if he didn’t want to explain.

His red lips twitched faintly, lips too full to look away from.

Were his lips always that pretty?

The heat lingering in his chest seemed to spread through his body. Was it because Yoon Noah valued Kim Daon more, or was it something else entirely? Maybe both.

After a moment of silence, Yoon Noah changed the subject, leaving Daon out.

“That’s not what matters right now. You’ll make sure to deal with Park Sangcheol, right? Can I trust you?”

His tone carried an edge, and his expression seemed to darken quickly.

He bit his lower lip now and then, frowning slightly, as though suffering from a pain Seo Dowoong could not understand.

“You can trust me. But I wish you’d worry about me, too.”

“I’ll say this again. I don’t like you. So I don’t worry about you.”

“I’ll apologize for the way I’ve treated you. So you should let go of your grudge. You’re not a child. How long are you going to sulk? Do you really expect me to believe you don’t like me?”

“I’m not sulking… I really don’t like you.”

The more he said he hated him, the hotter Seo Dowoong’s chest burned.

“What will it take for you to forgive me? Should I get on my knees?”

“No, that’s not what I want.”

Hearing nothing but rejection made Seo Dowoong’s irritation grow.

He had thrown away his pride and was trying to yield, but why wouldn’t Yoon Noah acknowledge his sincerity? That alone was infuriating.

Finally, unable to contain his rising anger, Seo Dowoong pressed the issue.

“Fine. Since the only one you’re worried about is Kim Daon, let’s talk about him.”

“What?”

“If you don’t want anything to happen to Kim Daon, then like me again.”

“Don’t say something so ridiculous.”

“I’m serious. It’s not even hard. You used to like me anyway. Like me again, and at the same time you’ll be protecting Kim Daon. It’s not like you’re in love with him.”

“Daon’s just a little brother I care about.”

“Exactly. So hurry up and say you will.”

“Seo Dowoong, that kind of deal is… ha. Wait a moment.”

Yoon Noah exhaled shallowly, and his head lowered. His eyes, which had never once looked away from Seo Dowoong, were half closed.

One small hand pressed against his chest. His shoulders curled in, trembling.

He looked as though he could collapse at any moment.

“What’s wrong all of a sudden?”

“Ha…”

Seo Dowoong rose from his seat and pulled Yoon Noah into his arms.

Ever since they met, Yoon Noah had done nothing but say he hated him. He should have pushed him away, but now he only stayed still, looking truly sick.

His small body, trembling pitifully in his arms, made Seo Dowoong’s heart ache.

He had thought the illness was improving. Was he wrong?

“Should we go to the hospital?”

Yoon Noah barely moved his head, too weak to answer. It was impossible to tell if he meant yes or no.

Without hesitation, Seo Dowoong lifted him gently into his arms.

Half-unconscious, Yoon Noah leaned quietly against him.

It wasn’t the right moment to be thinking this, but Seo Dowoong found himself strangely pleased to have him in his arms like this.

He left the café, carried him to his car parked nearby, and pressed down on the accelerator.

* * *

Fortunately, there happened to be a hospital nearby where Yoon Noah had been receiving treatment. Seo Dowoong knew of the place from looking into Noah’s background.

He called for Noah’s personal doctor to examine him, but gained little from it. The only explanation was that Noah’s sudden collapse had been caused by his incurable illness.

The doctor muttered the usual dull lines about waiting and hoping the condition would improve with time.

So Seo Dowoong brought Noah back to his officetel.

The boy didn’t even realize he had been taken there, lying unconscious without waking. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Seo Dowoong looked down at Noah as he let out shallow breaths.

He brushed back his sweat-soaked bangs, and saw his brow furrow faintly. Bringing his fingers close to Noah’s nose, he felt the faint warmth of his breathing.

“What if you really end up dying?”

Until now, Noah’s death had never been something he had seriously considered.

Seo Dowoong had always been certain Noah wouldn’t die.

The illness wasn’t one with a high fatality rate, and Noah had been diligently taking Lee Kangil’s experimental medicine.

But after watching him collapse so many times, even that conviction had begun to crack.

It seemed possible Noah might die suddenly, in some unforeseen moment.

Now, after finally lowering his foolish pride and admitting he liked him—what if Noah died?

His stomach churned.

Yoon Noah was within reach, yet it felt as if he might vanish at any second.

Seo Dowoong clasped tightly onto his hot hand.

“What do I have to do for you to come back to me like before?”

If he used the things Noah had come to care about as leverage to threaten him, would that keep him by his side?

Seo Dowoong couldn’t think of any other solution.

* * *

Meanwhile, unconscious Nahyuk was dreaming.

The dream’s setting was a schoolyard, in a dim corridor where no sunlight reached.

Yoon Noah stood near the back door as if being punished, unable to enter the classroom. Through the slightly open door came the voices of classmates inside.

“…Seo Dowoong, did you really fight with Yoon Noah?”

It was the voice of a boy who sometimes hung around with Seo Dowoong. Seo Dowoong answered, his tone devoid of emotion.

“No, we didn’t fight.”

“Then why are you ignoring him for so long? I wanted to ask, but the air between you two was too tense.”

Noah swallowed nervously as he eavesdropped, secretly hoping Seo Dowoong would defend him.

“It’s not that we fought. I’m ignoring him on purpose.”

“Why?”

“Why should I bother with someone who sticks to Park Sangcheol?”

“Hey, but you two have been friends for ages.”

“Friends?”

Seo Dowoong clicked his tongue loudly before continuing.

“I’ve never once thought of Yoon Noah as a friend.”

“Then what is he? Some obedient dog?”

“Well…”

Noah couldn’t bring himself to listen any further. Seo Dowoong’s words—that he had never once thought of him as a friend—stabbed into his chest, and tears welled up.

Silently, he turned away from the classroom and walked down the corridor, farther and farther away. Hot tears slipped down his face.

And then, of all people, he ran straight into Park Sangcheol.

“Our Noah, crying so prettily.”

“Don’t talk to me. I’m not in the mood.”

“Why not? Because of Seo Dowoong? I told you, he’s only going to disappoint you more.”

“…”

Damn it all—Park Sangcheol wasn’t wrong. Noah had thought there was no further disappointment left when it came to Seo Dowoong, but now he was completely let down.

Never once thought of him as a friend…

Then what had all their time together been for?

Had Seo Dowoong only ever seen him as some obedient mutt to keep by his side? Was he the only one who had thought those times were happiness?

Just then, Park Sangcheol draped an arm over Noah’s shoulder and whispered in his ear like the devil.

“The offer I made you before still stands. All you have to do is lure Seo Dowoong to the place I told you about.”

Through tear-reddened eyes, Yoon Noah looked up at him.

“…Where do you want me to bring him?”