MIM 2

“It’s true! He’s the son of the Ma family! What kind of windfall is this?”

“That young master? Rumor had it he never set foot outside the mansion. Is it true?”

“Yeah, it is. Look at that hair. Such appearance is uncommon.”

The gang’s attention instantly shifted to Jae-seung. At some point, the brown-eyed boy stepped back and crossed his arms as if he were watching someone else’s business. Consider yourself lucky! We hit the jackpot today, so we’re in a good mood.  Those surrounding Jae-seung declared to the boy standing alone. I have no intention of chasing you any further today.

“According to rumors, his hair used to be black but gradually turned that color. As if he’s been cursed.”

The thin man said, pointing to Jae-seung’s silver hair. As the circle surrounding him became increasingly menacingly narrow, Jae-seung only looked at the brown-eyed boy.

He will save me. It’s only right that he ‘compensates’ me with his life after I saved him.

But as if mocking that fleeting belief, the very next moment the boy disappeared from sight.

“…Unbelievable.”

He’s gone.

After glancing around for a while, Jae-seung let out a short breath. He ran away. His lips twitched slightly, unable to contain his anger.

I saved his life. Even if he devoted his entire life loyally by my side, it wouldn’t be enough.

I wanted to take him home.

I wanted him!

His ragged breathing grew louder and his head felt hot. As his blurred vision from rage cleared, a piece of wood rolled toward his feet. It was covered with sharp protruding nails. The moment he noticed it, a shadow loomed over him.

His vision was red. It was the back of the boy with brown eyes that Jae-seung had wanted – the one he thought had run away.

The stench of blood made it hard to breathe properly. Turning his head to avoid the thick stream of blood, his gaze met the shattered skull. The woman who had been holding the piece of wood lay collapsed dead on top of a man’s belly. Her throat appeared to be cut by something sharp, blood gushing everywhere. The lingering sight of those lifeless eyes made him dizzy. It was the first time he had seen a human corpse.

The shock was unreal. Jae-seung watched in a daze at the people fighting with blood splattering before his eyes. How long had it been? He clenched his blood-stained palm, and as he opened it, his body went limp. As his feet left the ground, his vision began to violently shake.

The boy was running at an unbelievable speed while hoisting Jae-seung up with one arm. Jae-seung tilted his head back to look up at the boy reeking strongly of blood. The boy jumped into a dark alley where he could not see an inch in front of him and did not hesitate for a moment as he chose one of the paths that looked similar. Like someone who has run to the same place thousands of times until they were out of breath and their lungs hurt.

So cold and indifferent that he couldn’t even imagine that the boy just killed someone.

Finally, as the pursuers disappeared one by one, only the two of them remained. Glaring at the boy’s cold eyes, Jae-seung let out a heated breath.

“You didn’t actually save me, did you?”

The boy lifted the corner of his mouth into a smirk and ran into an alley that was barely wide enough for one person. He even laughed out loud at the thought of slipping into such a tight space, as if bidding farewell to the quiet neighborhood.

* * *

“The young master appears to have gotten lost and is wandering around. I contacted you because I thought I should send him home.”

The boy held his phone at an angle while looking down at Jae-seung. His tied-up hands felt numb from the commotion, and the dusty air in the warehouse, resembling ruins, made him cough incessantly. Jae-seung looked up at the boy with bloodshot eyes. The boy propped up one leg and calmly recited the lines of a kidnapper, kindly putting the conversation on speakerphone so Jae-seung could hear everything.

“I could deliver him directly too, but then I’d have to charge a service fee, Ma’am.”

—Just tell me the place, time, and amount, and I’ll come to get him.

“It seems there’s been a misunderstanding. I didn’t kidnap the young master, I’m simply temporarily protecting him to ensure his safe return.”

It would be better if he just openly demanded money instead of daring to use the word ‘protecting.’ He was not only despicable and shameless but also a lowlife thug. Jae-seung hadn’t intended to get involved with those kinds who kill each other. Jae-seung gritted his teeth in anger.

—What you want is money. I know that already, so why put on this act? Resorting to threats while trying to preserve your dignity?

Listening with one ear to his mother’s sharp words, the boy leisurely took cash out of Jae-seung’s backpack and calmly counted it.

“Threats? That’s uncalled for. The young master actually saved my life today. We’re practically friends now.”

—What?

“To commemorate the occasion, we even took a photo together. Since you’re quite famous, I’d love to brag a little…Can I show it to my friends, just briefly? His hair color is really pretty.”

Jae-seung could not hold back his boiling anger and rolled his body from side to side. He was blatantly lying about taking a photo! His mouth was stuffed with a tattered cloth rag, making it suffocating. The boy let out a small chuckle watching Jae-seung violently roll around on the floor, kicking up dust. He swept up all the cash and shoved it into his pocket, then examined the backpack to estimate its value.

—500 million.

The boy raised his eyebrows as the sum was thrown in without delay. He narrowed his eyes as if he were estimating Jae-seung’s worth instead of the bag.

—Delete all photo data. Don’t even mention a word about my son anywhere. Break a single promise and the deal’s off.

“Understood.”

The boy accepted the offer right away without further delay. As if he had done this kind of thing a few times at his young age, he rattled off a list of safe locations and methods to conduct the transaction. While his attention was focused on the call, Jae-seung slipped his long fingers through the gaps of the knot. After vigorously working at the rough makeshift rope, it loosened.

—Oh, one last thing.

The boy turned around at Jae-seung’s mother’s last remark. Jae-seung clenched his teeth and raised his head to meet his gaze. As he contemplated when to lunge at the boy and looked for potential weapons nearby, his mother’s cold voice settled between them.

—Not a single hair on Jae-seung must be harmed.

The boy’s eyes curved slightly as he looked down at Jae-seung. He concluded the conversation by neatly accepting the conditions and sat down on his knees in front of Jae-seung.

His condescending gaze was sickening. For a brief moment, Jae-seung had wanted to take him home and keep him, but a dog that couldn’t even recognize its own savior was useless. Calling him an animal was too generous.

Even though all his emotions were evident on his face, the boy did not blink an eye. He even showed mercy by removing the cloth Jae-seung was holding. As soon as his tongue was free, Jae-seung began to write evil words.

“You ungrateful bastard! Have you no shame repaying kindness with malice!”

“I am ashamed, Your Highness.”

The boy just bowed his head and smiled mischievously. There was dried dark red blood on his fluttering sleeves and on the nose of his shoes.

“I should have let a scum like you die.”

“Haha, do you think you saved my life?”

“You’d be dead if not for me!”

As Jae-seung glared, the boy only smiled. Perhaps in a good mood because of the money, he spoke in an affectionate tone.

“Then let’s say I saved your life too. If those guys had caught you earlier, it wouldn’t have been a pretty sight. There’s a pervert among them who likes kids. How about we call it even for saving each other and make peace?”

“I’d rather be caught by those bastards!”

“Want to experience their perverted acts? If you ask nicely, I might not refuse.”

To think he nearly ruined his first outing trying to save such a vile thug! Jae-seung clenched his jaw and shifted his eyes past the boy’s shoulder. There was a chipped ceramic cup on the table behind it as if someone had lived there for a while.

Eyeing the cracked cup discolored with age, Jae-seung quoted a phrase his mother often used:

“A bastard like you is destined to never receive love your entire life.”

At that moment, a crease formed between the boy’s consistently placid brows. Not missing the moment of hesitation, Jae-seung ran out like a wild dog with his hands free. He smashed the cup on the floor with force, grabbed a sharp piece in his hand, and lunged at the boy.

“Argh!”

As the boy raised an arm to defend himself, the sharp fragment scratched his solid forearm. The fragment only peeled off the outer skin before falling and rolling away. In his overly agitated state, Jae-seung also lost his balance and tumbled headfirst. Just before squeezing his eyes shut, he noticed a wooden crate.

He braced for the sharp corner to tear into his forehead, but there was no pain. After crashing onto the rough wooden surface and inhaling a cloud of dust, he finally sensed a gentle hand cradling the back of his head.

What? Jae-seung slowly lifted his trembling eyelids and shrugged his shoulders in shock.

The boy’s brown eyes were right in front of his face. The eyes he had thought were dark actually had a lighter shade up close, and instead of a bloody stench, a light, warm fragrance tickled his nose.

The boy had one hand wrapped around Jae-seung’s head. His eyes, which had widened significantly from his hurried approach, showed a slightly puzzled expression, and his cheek was slightly bruised.

Despite his arm bleeding from being pierced, instead of getting angry, the boy carefully pried open the small hand that had gripped the broken shard. Seeing Jae-seung’s unharmed palm, he smiled. You, a guy like you… His murmuring voice tickled Jae-seung’s ear.

“Are destined to not have a single hair harmed until the day you die.”

The boy whispered with a smile, embracing Jae-seung fully in both arms as if holding the most precious thing in the world.