IDESGI Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Despite claiming he would go to a hotel, Yoo Ihan kept pleading, trying every possible excuse to stay at the house.

“Just porridge! I’ll just make some porridge and then go.”

Even after the porridge was done, Ihan found reason after reason to linger.

“The house is way too dry. No one can recover in air this dry. Where’s the humidifier again?”

“Oh no, the lightbulb’s dead? I can’t leave with a dead lightbulb, right?”

“Yeoul, listen. When someone’s sick and alone, you know? It only makes things worse. I’ll just stay until you fall asleep, okay?”

Yeoul stared at him like he was completely done with this, then tilted his chin toward the door.

“Enough. Get out.”

“I’m doing this because I’m so worried about you.”

“If you keep this up, I’m going home.”

“Home? Got it. Come on. We’re already home, right?”

Yeoul was stunned by Ihan’s shamelessness. Even so, he couldn’t quite hate him for it.

But even if it hurt now, Yeoul had to be cold.

Because he needed to make Yoo Ihan let go of him—within ten days.

‘Not that I even know if it’ll work…’

Still, he was determined to try. So that when he died, maybe Ihan would hurt just a little less.

“Like I said before, I like Geon-hyung.”

“…Let’s talk about this later.”

“No, I have to say it now. I’m sorry, but I can’t see you when I feel this way. Let’s break up.”

“If you keep saying stuff like that, I’ll—”

Ihan bit his lip, clearly holding back his anger, then let out a breath.

“No… Fine. I’ll go to the hotel.”

“Yoo Ihan. Listen to the rest.”

“Not now. Later. Let’s talk later.”

As Ihan turned to leave, Yeoul grabbed him and blurted everything out in a rush.

“I’m going to Zone 5. I’m going to be Geon-hyung’s Guide. And just so we’re clear—don’t touch him. Especially don’t hurt him. If you do… I’ll never forgive you.”

Yeoul played his strongest card. If he didn’t go that far, he knew there’d be no separating them in ten days.

Ihan forced a smile, clearly trying not to scowl.

“Guiding? Yeoul, we imprinted. Your match rate with Yoon Geon must’ve dropped. Why would you guide him?”

“So what if it dropped a bit? If it comes to it, I can do mucosal guiding.”

Ihan’s gaze went ice-cold. A flicker of golden light danced in his eyes as his energy flared in response to the emotion burning inside him. His twisted smile mirrored the chaos in his heart.

“Yeoul… I was your first, and you were mine. Now you’re saying you’re gonna sleep with some other bastard?”

“Yeah. Why not? We broke up.”

“…Ha. Yeoul-ah…”

He stepped toward Yeoul, who instinctively backed away—only for Ihan’s longer stride to close the distance easily.

Yeoul’s back hit the wall. Ihan caged him in with his arms and tilted his head, looking down. Only now did the difference in their height feel so daunting. That emotionless expression—Yeoul had never seen it before. It felt unfamiliar. Unsettling.

Ihan’s hand slowly stroked Yeoul’s cheek. The heat of his skin made Yeoul flinch.

“Yeoul… I wouldn’t care if you blew all my money in a scam. I want you to suck me dry. You can treat me like a dog, I’d be fine with it.”

His brown eyes, flickering with gold, were sunken and heavy.

“But what I can’t take… is you leaving me. Do you really think you can break up with me?”

“Why couldn’t I? I can live just fine without y—”

Before Yeoul could finish, Ihan let out a quiet laugh.

“Guess you didn’t understand. You can’t get rid of me just because you want to.”

“I’ve told you so many times—I don’t like you anymore. I’m sick of you. I’ll ditch you and meet another Espe—”

“Yeoul-ah. Don’t say another word.”

The hand that had been on his cheek slipped down, gently wrapping around the back of Yeoul’s neck. It wasn’t tight, but the look in Ihan’s eyes made Yeoul freeze.

“If you keep crossing lines… then I’ll have to cross mine, too.”

“What does that mean?”

“If you knew what kind of thoughts I have about you… you’d run. That’s why I’ve drawn lines for myself. Told myself not to cross them. Told myself not to scare you. So I’ve been holding back. But if you keep pushing me like this… I won’t be able to stay still.”

“……”

“Since it’s come to this… maybe I’ll finally do all the things I never let myself do.”

“…What are you going to do?”

Yeoul asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Ihan only smiled silently, a crooked grin that no longer looked innocent. Like a wolf who’d finally taken off the sheep’s mask.

Yeoul swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry.

Ihan gently caressed Yeoul’s pale, chilled cheek, then leaned in and whispered softly.

“Something bad.”

Cold sweat ran down Yeoul’s back where it touched the wall. Ihan’s eyes were serious—deadly serious. He wasn’t joking. He was declaring war.

When Seo Yeon-oh had warned him that Yoo Ihan might kill Yoon Geon, Yeoul hadn’t believed it. Our Ihan would never do something like that.

But now, seeing the chilling sharpness in Ihan’s gaze, he started to understand. Maybe that was exactly why Yeon-oh had said what he did.

“You… What are you planning to do to Geon-hyung? I said it before—if you hurt him, I won’t let it go.”

“What, are you worried I’ll kill Yoon Geon?”

Ihan replied casually, and Yeoul’s face turned ghostly white.

“Yoo Ihan!”

“Not like I have any reason not to. Yeoul, I’m strong—stronger than Geon. You know that better than anyone. If you keep pushing me like this… I don’t think I can just leave him alone.”

Staggered by the shock, Yeoul pressed even closer to the wall. His voice trembled like a wind-blown branch.

“Yoo Ihan, you…”

Ihan’s long fingers gently brushed against Yeoul’s ear. His voice, no different from the usual sweet tone, tickled at his earlobe.

“Yeoul-ah, this is how you give a warning.”

Yeoul flinched. Ihan stepped back by one pace.

“Don’t worry. I won’t kill him. I’d hate to see you crying over that bastard.”

Ihan’s playful eyes curved softly, but inside them was a glint of savage desire. The air between them was so taut with tension it felt like the atmosphere itself was warping.

Strangely, Ihan looked like he was enjoying this situation. Why was he so composed?

‘Why is he so calm…? What does he know that I don’t?’

That alone made him even more afraid.

‘…What exactly is this “bad thing” you’re planning to do?’

Without answering, Ihan simply smiled and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of Yeoul’s head.

“Rest, Yeoul-ah. I love you.”

With those words, he turned and left. The front door opened and closed behind him. Yeoul remained frozen in place until the light over the entrance turned off.

Only then did he let out the breath he’d been holding.

“What the hell are you going to do…”

He couldn’t guess what Ihan was plotting now—and that uncertainty made him anxious. But that didn’t mean he planned to stop.

‘You don’t know it, but… you already did the worst thing you could’ve done to me.’

A faint, powerless laugh escaped Yeoul’s lips.

‘So I’m going to do something bad to you too.’

Just like Yoo Ihan had died—twice—for Han Yeoul, without ever realizing how much it hurt.

‘…I was hoping you’d never know.’

But now there were only ten days left.

Could he really make Ihan hate him in that short time? He had hoped to prevent Ihan from following the same path as him—but it was already too late. Still, his resolve remained unchanged.

This time, he would save Ihan.

Even if it meant hurting him in a way that felt like death.

“Because I’ll die in your place.”

‘You live.’

The words crumbled inside his mouth. Though his voice was thick with the threat of tears, his eyes stayed dry.

Sometimes, people who are truly heartbroken… can’t even cry.

His clenched fists trembled, and his nails dug into his palms until blood trickled down.

And then, suddenly—his stomach growled.

Yeoul let out a breathless laugh.

‘Even now, my body’s hungry.’

Even a body marked for death still clung stubbornly to life.

He walked over to the table and stared at the porridge Ihan had made. When he lifted the lid, steam curled gently upward. It was abalone porridge.

He took a big spoonful and brought it to his mouth.

Ihan’s goofy, smiling face floated in the air before fading.

Yeoul forced down one bite after another. In the end, he finished the entire bowl.

And that night, he threw it all up.

Yeoul could no longer digest Ihan’s love.

A love that risked everything—only ever made people miserable.

“Yoo Ihan… What are we going to do.”

And still, Yeoul whispered,

“I miss you.”

---

Yeoul called Yoon Geon the next day.

“Hey, Geon-hyu—”

—Han Yeoul. Where are you.

Before he could even finish greeting him, Geon’s urgent voice cut in. Yeoul replied calmly.

“I’m sorry, hyung. I came back to Zone 1. I’m home now.”

There was a brief pause before Geon spoke again.

—Home?

“Yes. Did you return to Zone 3?”

—Are you okay? Nothing happened?

“Yes. Nothing happened.”

—I see.

“Yes, hyung. I’ll let you go now. And… I’m sorry.”

—For what?

Even though Geon wasn’t in front of him, Yeoul forced a small smile. This was the last goodbye he would give him. He wanted to at least sound like he was doing okay.

“For everything. I’m just sorry for everything. When it comes to you, that’s all I seem to be.”

—Don’t be sorry. That’s not why I did any of this.

“I know. I’ll hang up now. Take… care.”

—Han Yeoul.

“Yes?”

—I’ll call you again. Make sure you answer.

“…Okay. I will.”

But Yeoul knew he probably wouldn’t be able to keep that promise.

Yoon Geon, now disconnected from the call, looked up at a small villa.

‘So your home… is still with Yoo Ihan.’

He’d come all the way to Zone 1 after digging up Yeoul’s registered address—but he hadn’t been able to find him. Apparently, the semi-basement room listed under Yeoul’s name wasn’t where he really lived.

‘But it doesn’t matter.’

From now on, I can be your home. Just like you were mine.

He had let Yeoul go, hoping he’d find happiness—but when he saw him again, Yeoul looked more miserable than anyone else in the world.

Yoon Geon was determined to make up for the mistake he made two years ago. One act of self-sacrifice—giving up his own happiness in the name of someone else’s—had been more than enough.

‘If you’re going to be unhappy either way, Han Yeoul…’

His gaze locked on the old, rundown villa, eyes burning with intensity.

‘Be unhappy by my side.’

He wasn’t going to let Han Yeoul go again.

Not this time.

Never again.