MPK Ch 15

With only ten minutes left until the cafe’s opening, the door swung open nonchalantly. I scowled at the man who appeared as if nothing was wrong. I stepped in front of the counter, blocking him from entering further.

“Don’t come here anymore.”

My uncle simply smiled, unfazed.

“And why not?”

“You didn’t approach me with good intentions toward Baekyeon.”

“How would you know that?”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair and pulling a small device from my apron pocket. A miniature camera.

“Before you act so brazen, shouldn’t you explain this first?”

He always showed up early in the morning, yet that day he came in the afternoon. Right after Woo Baekyeon had visited.

Thinking back further, how did he always manage to show up just as I was starting my shift? The other two part-timers were unaware of his existence. Yet, I felt like he’d been coming to the cafe almost daily for two months.

Adding to the suspicion, the unease I felt from the ‘lucky stone’ the moment my uncle appeared led me to smash the crimson rock that very day, searching for the cause. Damn it, how did I not notice this before?

“Ah, I saw that! When you smashed it with your bare hand, wearing a glove. It was impressive. That’s the first time I thought Baekyeon might not be a bad choice for a spouse.”

His bizarre topic changes, which usually derailed our conversations, now sent a chill down my spine.

“A kidnapper like you has no right to bother someone who’s finally living a peaceful life.”

“So, you’ve heard. But do you believe it?”

“…What do you mean?”

“Did I really kidnap Baekyeon? He always teased his uncle who loved to play pranks. Maybe those incidents mixed with a scary memory.”

“I visited my family home for Lunar New Year.”

“…Aha.”

Even if, by some chance, Woo Baekyeon’s childhood memories were confused and mistaken.

“I told you. I’ll side with my family.”

“That hurts. We’re family too.”

“Oh, cut the crap.”

I had vowed to be careful with my words around Woo Baekyeon, but I had no such obligation with this man. My uncle shrugged, smiling. That same easygoing smile that made him seem so affable.

“It wasn’t intentional. Well, that doesn’t sound right. It was… a day when I snapped after being pushed too far.”

“…Ha.”

“The police must have been frustrated. It was impulsive, the scene reeked of an amateur kidnapper, and every piece of evidence they gathered vanished without a trace, thanks to someone higher up.”

“…….”

“You know, right? It was the chairman who let the kidnapper go. If Baekyeon had the power he has now, he would’ve known it was his grandfather’s doing.”

“Yes. I heard that bullshit about how he did it to give Baekyeon the company without any issues. The chairman isn’t faultless, but you’re obviously more harmful to Woo Baekyeon.”

“Ah. You met my father too. He still adores Baekyeon. Showing his face less than six months after the wedding.”

He clenched and unclenched his left hand.

“It’s always been like that. If I were left-handed, I’d be the black sheep of the family. If Baekyeon were left-handed, a genius would be born.”

I recalled him saying something similar once. But.

“Woo Baekyeon is right-handed. If you’re going to torment someone with your delusions, at least do your research.”

“Ah, he must have switched to using his right hand. Like me.”

“…….”

“My first nephew was so cute when he was born. He was the first family member younger than me, and people said he looked a lot like me. In college, I always said I had to go home early to see my nephew, I was always doting on him. After Baekyeon lost his parents at seven, I cared for him even more. Maybe because he received so much love, he got married and is living happily ever after for the whole nation to see.”

“So what?”

“I thought this much would be enough for him to forgive his uncle’s one mistake. But he’s still holding a grudge.”

“…Fuck, this guy’s an irredeemable piece of shit. I listened thinking there might be something to it, but he’s just spewing bullshit.”

Judging by his expression, which looked like he’d never heard such vulgar language in his life, he must have lived comfortably as the chairman’s son despite committing a kidnapping. Because he never got caught.

“Never come near this cafe or Woo Baekyeon again. If I see even a hair of you, I won’t let it slide.”

His brazen smile finally cracked.

“I told you earlier. The chairman covered up all my wrongdoings to give Baekyeon a flawless victory.”

My uncle took a step closer.

“What if I do something to you here? The result would be the same.”

“I’ll return those words to you.”

Huh.

“What if I drag you to the corner of this cafe and beat you to a pulp? I’m sure the evidence would disappear just the same, especially since I’m married to him, his name-couple.”

“…….”

“You must have thought I was young because I’m the same age as Woo Baekyeon. But to me, you look small and pathetic.”

An average person’s fitness level, past middle age. He wouldn’t stand a chance against someone in their 20s who’s worked physically demanding jobs their whole life.

But it seemed my uncle had just realized this. He looked at me, standing opposite him, as if seeing me as a different being for the first time.

“Threatening a child with violence might have worked, but 16 years have passed. You’ve aged, and he’s grown. Don’t approach him.”

My uncle, who had been staring at me with a sharp gaze, slowly lowered his shoulders.

“Time has passed. A lot of time.”

“…….”

“Even for this generation, isn’t this too much? Treating your spouse’s parent like this.”

“Parent? Who’s a parent…”

“You may not know, but in that family, I’m the only one who can be a father to Baekyeon. I’ve consistently sent him birthday and Christmas presents every year.”

He mumbled, sounding a bit unhinged. A realization that came far too late.

“Hmm, after observing for a couple of months, I still don’t approve of you. But Baekyeon brought you here, and he’d hate me if I opposed it. I’m not that narrow-minded.”

“I told you to leave.”

I pointed to the door. Just then, five or six bodyguards burst through the cafe door.

“Mr. Woo Jonghun, by order of the chairman, you are prohibited from approaching Mr. Jung Hankyung against his will. Please leave.”

“Ah. They must have come in because it looked like we were fighting. We weren’t, right?”

“…….”

“It was a pleasure. And honestly, some of your menu items are cheap, so change them.”

The bodyguards dragged my uncle out more forcefully. The last one remaining bowed to me.

“The chairman gave strict orders to prevent any further disturbances at your cafe.”

“…….”

“We’ll be going now. Have a good day.”

I watched them leave, feeling a mix of emotions. It felt like a massive problem from the past had been covered with a thin cloth. The oozing pus was now visible even to me, who had just come into Woo Baekyeon’s life.

I was most angry that all of this was hurting Woo Baekyeon.

It was past opening time. Time to greet customers. I flipped the sign on the door, but the turmoil in my heart wouldn’t settle. Winter had more cloudy days, but today felt particularly overcast. The weather did nothing to lift my heavy mood.

“Iced tea.”

A curt order from a customer who came in just after lunchtime. It wasn’t unusual for people to speak informally and just hand over their card. It happened several times a day.

“Ah, add two shots and oatmeal.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Can’t you? You have all the extra options.”

“It’s… possible, but it’s the first time I’ve received that order. Are you sure? Have you tried it at another cafe?”

“Yes. That’s why I’m ordering it.”

“You only paid for the iced tea, so I’ll charge you separately for the additions. Could you take your card out and insert it again?”

“Just do it yourself.”

I had no choice but to take his card and insert it again myself. I wondered if the drink would even taste good. Would it be like milk tea with added shots? While waiting for the card authorization, I took the oatmeal from the refrigerator below the POS system. I was grinding the coffee beans when…

“I want to change my order. With the extra charges, it’s better to order something else.”

“Ah… Excuse me?”

“You haven’t started the machine yet, so it’s fine, right?”

“…Go ahead.”

Something I would normally laugh off felt tiring today. No, Jung Hankyung, pull yourself together. Your bad mood is personal; it has nothing to do with the customer.

“What would you like to change it to?”

“Strawberry banana yogurt smoothie.”

“Please give me the card you used, and I’ll cancel and re-charge it.”

“Okay.”

I processed the new payment and put the oatmeal and other ingredients back. I finished the smoothie and called the customer, who was scanning the menu again before handing me his card.

“Blueberry yogurt smoothie and mango juice, to go.”

“They’re all blended drinks, so it’ll take about 15 minutes.”

“Okay. Just make it as fast as possible.”

“Yes, sir.”

See? I thought he was a picky customer, but he ended up ordering three expensive drinks. He was my highest-paying customer so far today. I forced myself to think positively; I couldn’t bring my down mood home to Woo Baekyeon. I quickly blended the two drinks.

“Here’s your order. I’ll put them in a carrier.”

“Thanks. And there’s a big spill over there.”

“I’ll check it out. Have a good day.”

The customer, who had been indifferent the whole time, had a slight smile as he left with his drinks. Feeling a bit of pride, I went to the table he had pointed out.

“Oh, dear…”

Someone had spilled a drink all over it. I cleaned the table and floor, returned to the counter to organize the ingredients, and washed the two blenders. Dealing with other customers who came in, an hour passed in a blur.

“Phew.”

Finally able to take a breath, I sat down just as heavy rain started pouring outside. The weather had been muggy all day; it seemed a downpour was on its way.

“I wonder how long it will rain… Huh?”

I reached for my phone to check the weather forecast, but it wasn’t where I usually left it. Did I put it in my pocket? I checked my apron and pant pockets, but it wasn’t there.

Where did I leave it? I checked next to the sink and around the table I had just cleaned. Did I even take my phone out today? I went to the staff room and checked my coat pockets, but it was nowhere to be found.

“Ugh, where did I put it?”

I was working alone, so I couldn’t ask anyone to call me. To be precise, I was completely alone in the cafe. It was a rainy Tuesday, so there were no customers.

Unable to give up, I rummaged through my apron pocket again, but of course, it wasn’t there. Instead, I found something I had shown someone earlier.

The miniature camera Woo Baekyeon’s uncle had hidden.

“…….”

The unsettling feeling I’d briefly forgotten resurfaced. Running my hands through my hair, I sighed and went to my laptop. I could check the CCTV footage to see where I’d left it. That was better than stewing in frustration. I rewound the footage to this morning, when I arrived.

On the grayscale screen, I unlocked the door and immediately took out my phone. Right, I’d texted Woo Baekyeon out of habit to let him know I had opened the cafe. And then… hmm? I’d left it next to the coffee grinder as usual.

My uncle had entered while I was washing my hands and putting on my apron. His smirking face made my stomach churn again.

Then, I froze, clutching my arm. Every time I looked away, sighing in exasperation, he stared at me with a chilling intensity.

“What the hell…”

With a sinking feeling, I opened the previous recordings of his visits.

When we talked, his whole face crinkled with a smile. But the moment I stepped behind the counter, his expression would vanish, and his eyes would follow me. As if observing a lab rat.

This was the man who had tormented Woo Baekyeon for 16 years.

“Ha…”

Suddenly, I longed to hear Woo Baekyeon’s voice. Even a curt reply, complaining about an unannounced call, would be fine. I needed to make him chuckle with a silly joke to lift my spirits.

But for that, I needed to find my phone. I rewound the footage again, focusing on the moments after the customer who changed his order had arrived. My phone was still in its place. Puzzled, I fast-forwarded the video, and at some point, the phone vanished.

“What?”

I rewound to just before the phone disappeared and played it in slow motion. I was turning around to make the drink, and… the customer, pretending to fidget, slipped my phone into his pocket. Then he calmly took his drink and left.

“No way… Why the hell would he steal that…”

While leaving my phone within easy reach from outside the counter was careless, I normally wouldn’t expect someone to steal it. That cheap phone wouldn’t even fetch anything second-hand. And any attempt to phish my contacts would fail. They all knew I was married to a chaebol heir; a sob story about needing money wouldn’t fly. …Wow, quite the systematic approach. He was the one who spilled the drink on the table, too. Over an hour had passed since he left, so it was too late to report it.

I’d have to suspend the service and get a new phone when I got home. But before that, I needed to tell Woo Baekyeon about this absurd incident.

“…….”

But why did I feel so uneasy?

It was just a feeling. A sense that something was wrong, somewhere I couldn’t see…. My desire to hear Woo Baekyeon’s voice intensified. But there was no way to contact him from the cafe where my phone had been stolen.

As I stood frozen, thunder rumbled in the clouds. It was 3 PM. Woo Baekyeon’s work hours had gradually increased since the Lunar New Year holiday. He should be at the office now.

I snatched my wallet, locked the cafe, and stepped out into the rain. I realized I had left my umbrella, but hailing a cab was more urgent.

“Woosung Electronics, Gangnam headquarters!”

As we entered Gangnam-daero, traffic slowed due to the rain and traffic lights. Three blocks away from the Woosung Electronics building, I paid the fare and jumped out.

My pant legs were soaked as I ran through the wet streets. It was nearing March, but I was the only one outside without a coat in the cold winter rain. The only one desperately running through the drenched streets.

The Woosung Electronics lobby was brightly lit, unaffected by the gloomy weather. A few people who looked like office workers passed by.

‘Unless they have outside appointments, most of them work here.’

Woo Baekyeon’s office was probably on a higher floor. I ran towards the elevators but was stopped by a beep. The security gates wouldn’t open for me without an employee ID. I tried to push through, but the alarm blared louder. People stared.

“Hey, who are you?”

A man in a security uniform approached me.

“Uh… I… Woo Baekyeon. Is he inside? Can I see him?”

“Excuse me?”

“If you tell me what floor he’s on, I’ll go up.”

“You can’t just do that, no matter who you’re looking for. You need to call him and have him come down.”

“My phone…”

If I had it, I would have called him already! I grabbed the security guard.

“Excuse me, can I borrow your phone?!”

“Oh, is that why you’re out in the cold without a phone?”

The guard scratched his head and pulled out his flip phone. As I took it, my hand froze.

…I didn’t know his number.

“He’s… Woo Baekyeon… He’s a director, I think. He’s my age, 28. Please connect me.”

The more I mumbled, the more embarrassed I became, realizing how little I knew about Woo Baekyeon. The guard’s sympathetic expression hardened, and he snatched his phone back.

“What? Are you crazy, wandering around in this weather dressed like that? Not everyone on TV is your friend.”

He was right; I looked like a mess, and I had no way to prove my relationship with Woo Baekyeon. Besides, it was absurd to demand a call to a director. I would have stopped me too.

As I felt the judging stares, reality sunk in, dispelling the strange anxiety that had gripped me while watching the CCTV footage. The condescending looks of the office workers added to my shame.

Jung Hankyung.

But as I was about to turn around, the thought of someone made me stop. It would be best to hear that Woo Baekyeon was safe and then get scolded for my foolish behavior.

“Please connect me to Secretary Shin Kanghee! It’s really urgent!”

“We get tons of people like you here! Who are you?!”

“I…”

Frustration and anxiety gnawed at me, and I bit my lip. I was Woo Baekyeon’s husband. I was the person whose face was blurred on the news, and I was here because I thought he might be in danger, but I had no way to prove it…

Marriage, news.

Name.

‘Oh, right.’

I pulled down my turtleneck.

“I’m married to Woo Baekyeon!”

Here was undeniable proof.

“What…”

The guard still looked skeptical. But the people who had been glancing at us started murmuring, “Wait, aren’t they that name couple?”

“Well, I guess that’s… possible. I’ll try contacting the secretary’s office, but…”

“Is something the matter?”

A familiar deep voice startled me. I turned to see the head of the chairman’s security detail, the man I had met at Woo Baekyeon’s family home during the Lunar New Year holiday, approaching me.

“Oh. Young Master’s… why are you here looking like that?”

“Please let me talk to Woo Baekyeon!”

I grabbed him, blurting out my request.

“…Young Master, I mean, the director left early today, as far as I know.”

The security chief looked around, sensing something was amiss. The sky had grown darker as the sun began to set.

💍

The day was overcast.

Baekyeon stared out at the city, shrouded in a strange, muddled palette of colors. The clouds obscured the sun, darkening the world outside, but the room he was in was brightly lit, almost blindingly white.

The assault he had endured, blindfolded and kidnapped in a mountain cabin, had left him with a deep-seated fear of the dark. Since that day, Baekyeon had lost the darkness.

Losing the darkness also led to a dislike of gloomy days. As soon as the sun began to set, everything turned dark, and occasionally, incidents like power outages occurred. On days like this, he usually didn’t leave his upstairs bedroom. He would stay in the soundproofed room, curtains drawn, lights blazing, where he couldn’t tell day from night, spending his time in quiet solitude.

But since Jung Hankyung had moved in, the perfect silence had vanished. Footsteps and voices now echoed in the house that had been a vacuum of sound. He would even call up from downstairs, urging Woo Baekyeon to come down.

So, Baekyeon had ventured out of his room. Today, he had been brave enough to come downstairs even though he was alone. Hankyung would come home, and Baekyeon would be waiting on the living room sofa. He had to be here to see him first.

He knew better than anyone how pathetic he looked, consumed by his trauma. Even as Hankyung learned more about him, Baekyeon was determined not to reveal this side of himself.

His appearance, which Hankyung had repeatedly complimented as beautiful, his intellect, which Hankyung had admired… all of it would disappear, replaced by a broken shell.

Suddenly, his left hand trembled. The memory of the pain triggered a wave of fear. He pressed his right hand over the name Jung Hankyung, tattooed on his left wrist. The outline of the scar beneath the ink was palpable. Gripping the uneven letters seemed to calm the tremors.

Hankyung hadn’t contacted him all day, probably busy with customers. Baekyeon wished he would come home soon. If it got any later, he might have to retreat upstairs.

“…Come home soon.”

Let’s talk, have dinner. Tell me about your day. Baekyeon fidgeted with his phone. Just then, a notification popped up. It was the person he was waiting for.

Jung Hankyung: I cut my finger and the fingerprint sensor isn’t working. Open the door ㅜㅜ 3:51 PM

Cut his finger?

Baekyeon shot up from the sofa. Did he cut himself on a broken dish? Or burn himself with hot water? It couldn’t be anything serious, right?

While a cheerful smile suited Jung Hankyung, Baekyeon could easily imagine him injured. Their first meeting, which Jung Hankyung didn’t remember, he had been hurt then, too.

The message sent a pang through his chest. He ran to the front door and flung it open.

“What were you doing to hurt yourself, you clumsy oaf?”

Ah, he should have spoken more gently.

Regret, as always, came too late. But he hoped the sharpness would be forgotten when Jung Hankyung walked in with a grin.

That’s how it should have been.

“Baekyeon, hello there!”

Why?

“We get to see each other alone today, without any interruptions! How have you been?”

“…Uh… uh…”

His left hand, which had just calmed down, started shaking violently again. His resolve not to react, formed after their unexpected encounter at the cafe a few weeks ago, crumbled in the face of this sudden situation.

Why. Why was this man here?

Through his blurring vision, he saw the phone in Woo Jonghun’s hand. A black, budget model. The same phone Baekyeon had nagged him to replace because of its cracked screen.

“What did you do to Jung Hankyung!”

“Ha. Father really… This house is too big. It’s better for a child’s emotional development to start small. He’s no help with things like this.”

“Where is Jung Hankyung!”

Baekyeon grabbed the man who was about to step inside. He thought he would grab Woo Jonghun’s wrist, but his hand landed on his shoulder.

But that was the limit of his mustered courage. The moment their eyes met, nausea welled up inside him, threatening to make him vomit.

“Look at this. You’re already being disrespectful.”

Woo Jonghun easily shook Baekyeon off and stepped inside. He invaded the house where Baekyeon had lived alone for so long, the space he had barely managed to share with Jung Hankyung.

No.

His instincts screamed. Woo Jonghun’s shoes trod the hallway where Baekyeon had giggled and kissed Hankyung, reaching the living room where Baekyeon had been waiting for him. Baekyeon hallucinated bloodstains appearing with every step.

His height, his strength, all cultivated over the years, were useless. Helplessly watching the intruder, Baekyeon moved as Woo Jonghun turned towards the right. That was Hankyung’s room. The room Baekyeon had furnished with a bed and a wardrobe before their wedding, anticipating their life together. Jung Hankyung’s sanctuary within Woo Baekyeon’s space.

Jung Hankyung.

Jung Hankyung.

Baekyeon stumbled forward. Knowing grabbing him was pointless, he darted ahead and shoved Woo Jonghun with all his might.

Thud!

“Give me that phone…!”

“…….”

Woo Jonghun glanced back at his feet, forced back by the shove. Baekyeon hadn’t even used his full strength. He would have normally missed this detail, but Jung Hankyung’s words echoed in his mind.

‘16 years have passed. You’ve aged, and he’s grown.’

No, Woo Baekyeon was still a child, haunted by the nightmare of the dark cabin.

“Ah, this?”

Woo Jonghun casually lifted the phone. Baekyeon swung his arm, trying to snatch it. He missed, but the phone flew out of Woo Jonghun’s hand, smashing against the wall. The unexpected turn of events filled Baekyeon with terror.

“Ah… ah…”

“Did you two fight? You must have hated it enough to break the phone. I thought you two didn’t look like a good match anyway.”

“Where is Jung Hankyung! Answer me!”

“At that age, it’s natural to prioritize romance, but… I can’t help but feel a little hurt.”

Woo Jonghun placed a hand on Baekyeon’s shoulder. The simple gesture was enough to make Baekyeon, despite being taller, feel powerless.

“Baekyeon, call me Dad.”

“…Ugh, huh, ugh…!”

Baekyeon clamped his left hand over his mouth. That voice, those words.

‘Why are you my dad, Uncle? You’re not.’

‘That’s not true. Baekyeon, think again.’

‘…What?’

“What can a father not do for his son? Even if you bring someone I don’t approve of, I should understand and let it go. So call me Dad. I’ll tell you where Jung Hankyung is.”

“…Ah, huh, ah…”

“Baekyeon. Da—ddy.”

He spoke slowly, like teaching a child, patting Baekyeon’s back. Crazy. This man was insane. He hadn’t changed at all since that day. The uncertainty of what he might have done to Hankyung was Baekyeon’s greatest fear.

‘Call me Dad! You look just like me! Why!’

Baekyeon’s left-hand fingers twitched, bending and twisting grotesquely. He had made his hand like this, saying those words. With every strike, excruciating pain, and his hand…

“Aaaaaaaaagh!!!!!”

A child’s scream echoed in his head. Baekyeon screamed, reliving the agony.

“Stop it, stop, stop it. Aaaaaaaaagh!”

“You were like this back then, Baekyeon.”

His soft hair was gripped tightly.

“Dad would forgive you if you just said one word. Why are you being so stubborn?”

Hearing these words from the person he wanted to disappear from his life was unbearably repulsive. Tears streamed down his face, like a twelve-year-old child.

But if Jung Hankyung was in danger, if this would ensure his safety…

“Huh… uh…”

He didn’t have the courage of the child who had dared to question him, not anymore. The 16 years lived in fear had nurtured his terror alongside him.

“Ah… uh…”

Tears fell before I could speak. They dripped onto my twisted hand, tracing the uneven bumps hidden beneath the name Jung Hankyung. The person gripping my hair smiled cruelly.

“Huh, aaaaaah!!!”

I shoved him away and ran. Down the hall, to the entrance, I threw myself into the elevator, frantically pressing the close button as I heard his pursuing footsteps. Thankfully, the doors closed quickly.

“Jung Hankyung, Jung Hankyung.”

I didn’t need to make a deal with Woo Jonghun; I could find him myself. I had people at my disposal, and enough power. I could deploy them to the cafe, the surrounding area, or even all of Seoul. Jung Hankyung was much stronger than me; he’d be fine. He had to be.

As I waited for the elevator to descend, I called Director Shin Kanghee.

“Find Jung Hankyung.”

Director! Where are you right now?

“Jung Hankyung, qu, quick. Find him. That person, huah, uh, huh.”

Ugh…! My back buckled. I gripped the elevator handrail, suppressing the urge to vomit. I was pathetic.

Jung Hankyung is strong. Using that as an excuse, I ultimately chose to protect my trauma instead of his safety. Weak and useless. That’s what I was.

I looked out the elevator window. The sun hadn’t fully set yet. It was gloomy because of the rain, not because it was evening.

“I’m afraid of the dark, not the rain. It’s okay. It’s okay…”

Muttering like I was hypnotizing myself, I reached my car in the underground parking lot. I didn’t drive often, but I had learned thoroughly. I smoothly navigated the brightly lit parking lot, turned the corner, passed the entrance, and emerged outside. The cafe was a 20-minute drive. I could reach Jung Hankyung before sunset.

I pressed the accelerator. The car should move forward… forward… but…

“…….”

My SUV stopped under the first streetlight. My foot was pressed firmly on the brake, refusing to move.

“Why… why is this happening…?”

Why won’t it move? Why!

I punched my thigh hard enough to bruise. But my legs were rooted to the spot, paralyzed by my cowardly true self, unable to take a single step outside my safe zone.

Honk!

The car behind me honked, then swerved around me, the driver yelling something I couldn’t hear. The world darkened, my mind growing hazy. Someone opened the driver’s side door.

“You shouldn’t be driving in this state.”

It was Woo Jonghun. He reached inside and engaged the parking brake. He looked down at me with satisfaction as I trembled, gasping for breath, unable to resist.

Just then, several cars entered through the main gate. Baekyeon’s secretary and bodyguards rushed out.

“Oh dear. Was I too relaxed?”

“Woo Baekyeon! Woo Baekyeon, where are you? Woo Baekyeon!”

I heard Hankyung’s voice in the distance. He got out of his car, followed by the head of security.

Jung Hankyung, you’re safe. …Thank goodness.

“You came with some scary people. What do you see in a guy like that?”

“…….”

“Dad has to go now. I’ve prepared so much for my Baekyeon, but if Grandpa catches me here, it’ll be no use. I’m so disappointed, too.”

“Wh, wh… what are you going to do…”

His hand rested on my head. I felt like I was being covered in filthy mud as he stroked my hair.

“I’ll come see you again soon. Love you, Baekyeon.”

Woo Jonghun disappeared, and the murmurs around me grew louder. I collapsed onto the steering wheel. Darkness descended. My hand ached terribly, as if every bone had been crushed.

💍

The head of security helped me contact Secretary Shin Kanghee, who told me she had called Woo Baekyeon but he wasn’t answering. After hearing that she would immediately send people to Heaven’s Castle, I got a ride from the security chief.

The car passed through the gates of Heaven’s Castle. I could see a group of people gathered in the distance.

“Woo Baekyeon!”

Ah.

A car parked under a streetlight, its interior lights blazing.

I recognized it.

Woo Baekyeon was helped out of the driver’s seat. He took some medicine from Secretary Shin and swallowed, then walked towards the lighted path.

“Woo Baekyeon! Wait! Let’s go together! Woo Baekyeon!”

I was close enough for him to hear me, but he walked into the building as if he hadn’t. I ran after him, but Secretary Shin stopped me, holding out her phone.

“It’s the Director.”

“…Hello?”

Why was he calling instead of meeting me…? I took the phone hesitantly.

“Woo Baekyeon.”

Jung Hankyung, what are you doing?

I had clearly seen him stumbling, but his voice was as cool and composed as always.

You can’t even keep track of your belongings, causing all this commotion?

“I’m sorry. I messed up. Are you okay? Let’s go up together. Wait for me. I’ll be right there…”

No. I don’t want to see your face right now. I’m very angry.

“I’m sorry. Let me see your face…”

Is sorry enough?

“…….”

His cold, accusatory voice wavered for a moment, the sound of suppressed nausea. But when he continued, his voice was steady again.

I was interrupted in the middle of something important because of you. I’m going to stay upstairs. Don’t try to find me.

“Something important? At this hour?”

—It’s urgent.

He hung up. I ran into the building.

The elevator carrying Woo Baekyeon had already departed. My reflection in the glass doors slowly lowered its hand, like a broken video.

‘It’s urgent.’

When had I heard those words before?

Dark colors filled my mind, like the drizzling rain under the now fully set sun. Woo Baekyeon’s sudden actions, his rejection of me, and his unilateral disappearance.

“Secretary Shin.”

“…Yes.”

“Baekyeon…”

I bit my lip, recalling a certain memory.

Then I asked.

“Is he as busy as he was when he suddenly disappeared while we were eating at that restaurant in Jeju?”

Secretary Shin’s eyes widened. Her gaze flickered before she closed her eyes tightly.

“Mr. Jung Hankyung.”

“Yes?”

“There’s no medicine or treatment for phantom pain. You can only hope for the pain to end quickly.”

“…….”

“Please take good care of him.”

I bolted. Ignoring the elevator, which was now passing the 10th floor, I took the emergency stairs.

I couldn’t wait for it to reach the top floor, come back down, and then for him to arrive home. My patience had run out.

“Let’s see, Woo Baekyeon.”

30 floors. It was the perfect, albeit terrible, test of my stamina and desperation.

I took the stairs three at a time.

Only one person occupied my thoughts.

Woo Baekyeon, who would have come home early from work and sat in the living room.

Woo Baekyeon, who would have asked when I was coming home, glanced at the setting sun from the doorway, and then gone upstairs.

When he realized I was late, caught up in his uncle’s scheme, how did he, someone who never left his safe zone after dark, manage to step outside?

How terrified must he have been as he took those steps?

A wave of emotion washed over me. I slammed my fist against the railing and ran again.

Sweat dripped down my face, my breath ragged, when I checked the floor number: 16, past the halfway mark. The elevator was passing the 19th floor.

I gritted my teeth and resumed my ascent. Motion sensors lit up each floor as I passed. From the outside, it must have looked like a flame rising towards the penthouse. I felt like I was burning up. I pushed off the railing, propelling myself upward. My shoulders ached with the repeated motion.

26, 27, 28. I was so out of breath, I tasted blood.

“I’m definitely starting to work out again after today…”

I vowed, slamming against the closed door between the 29th and 30th floors.

The 29th floor had access control. I pressed my finger against the black pad, and my fingerprint was recognized.

The door opened, and I rushed towards the familiar entrance.

The brightly lit penthouse, even at night.

The most expensive apartment in Korea. The vast expanse of the top floor.

“Ugh…”

A thud echoed from above, the sound of someone struggling to climb. I followed the sound. The upper floor, like that other day, had all its doors tightly shut.

“…….”

I touched my stinging throat. I didn’t know if it was from running or if my name was reacting to him.

Instead of the bedroom where Woo Baekyeon had invited me in several times, my hand reached for the doorknob of the adjacent room.

A jolt, like electricity, shot up my arm, confirming I had the right room. I tried the knob, but it was locked.

“Woo Baekyeon. It’s me.”

“Go away.”

“Open the door.”

“I’m angry! I don’t want to see your face! Stop bothering me and go away! I told you I have work to do!”

“…….”

Catching my breath, I asked.

“When will you be finished?”

“I… don’t know.”

“Is it that urgent?”

“Uh…”

Was he unaware of the pained cry choked back in his voice? Or was my own throat so tight that I couldn’t tell?

I gripped the doorknob and asked.

“From now on… whenever it gets dark, will you always be busy with urgent work, alone?”

“…You…”

“Baekyeon.”

Woo Baekyeon didn’t answer, but his breathing grew ragged.

I realized then that every moment I had spent with Woo Baekyeon had been bright. We always met outside during the day, or inside brightly lit buildings after sunset.

The sound of suppressed pain, like swallowing something back, grew louder from within the room. I tightened my grip and slammed my fist against the doorknob.

“Come out this instant, you idiot!”

Bang! Bang! Bang! The creaking doorknob finally gave way. I threw the door open.

Woo Baekyeon was collapsed on the floor, his eyes bloodshot, his lips cracked. His wide eyes focused on me, my image growing larger.

“Woo Baekyeon!”

“D, don’t come near me. Don’t look, ugh…!”

He covered his mouth with both hands, curling up to avoid my gaze.

“What’s wrong!”

I grabbed his shoulders and pulled him up. His entire body was drenched in sweat, yet his skin was ice cold.

“Ugh, huh, huh… ugh.”

My own stupidity, my inability to know what to do, infuriated me. I cupped his cold cheeks, brushing his sweat-drenched forehead.

As my hand passed over his head, Woo Baekyeon slowly opened his tear-filled eyes.

“J, Jung Hankyung.”

His red, chapped lips parted.

“I… I’m hurt…”

“Hurt? Where?”

Like a dam bursting, Woo Baekyeon’s face contorted.

“My hand hurts so, so much. Ah, ah…!”

His hand?

I looked down. He was clutching his left wrist with his right hand. His left hand, the one with my name on it, was bent like a gnarled, grotesque tree branch, as if every bone was broken. The moment my hand touched his…

“It hurts! Aaaaagh!!!”

It was a piercing shriek, a sound I had never heard from Woo Baekyeon, who was usually so soft-spoken, even his anger tinged with a certain primness. He tried to push me away as he screamed, as if he couldn’t bear for me to see him like this.

I pulled him into a hug with one arm and took his left hand with the other, bringing it to my neck, to my name. It was as if my body knew what to do.

“It hurts, ah, ah! It hurts! Help me, it hurts so much!! Huah, ah…!”

Woo Baekyeon sobbed uncontrollably. I held him tighter. His cries resonated within me, my own eyes stinging.

How long had he been crying alone in this room?

Confined to this house, after marrying me, giving me the entire lower floor, what had he been thinking, all alone upstairs?

After a while, Woo Baekyeon’s trembling fingers touched my name. He choked out the words.

“Why weren’t you there for me? I was scared too, why didn’t you… save me?”

It was like a long-held breath finally released. I buried his face in my chest. My shoulder was soaked with his tears.

“Save me too, Jung Hankyung, save me too…”

Ah.

It wasn’t just because we had both been in similar situations. He had seen me as a savior. He had been using me to bind his wounds.

“I’m sorry.”

“Huh, huh, uh, ah…! It hurts, stop, why… huah… only me…”

“Baekyeon, I’m sorry.”

I knew it was a meaningless apology, but I couldn’t stop saying it. Woo Baekyeon looked so hurt, and if these words could ease his pain, even a little, I would say them a thousand times.

I had never known night could be so cruel. Woo Baekyeon suffered as if morning would never come. I wanted to bring him all the light in the world to stop his agonizing cries.

If I had to give him my own light, I would gladly do so. I couldn’t stop the ancient ocean of his pain, but I could hold him until the waves subsided.

Thump.

His head fell against my shoulder.

“…Are you feeling a little better now?”

A small nod.

I tried to support him, to help him to the bedroom, but he pushed himself up, using my arm for support, and stumbled towards the wall, his hand tracing its surface. He walked into the bathroom. Even in this state, his need to wash his face first was so like him. He emerged, drying his face with a towel, his wet hair cold against my skin, but his eyes and cheeks were still flushed.

We sat side-by-side on the bed. Even then, he pulled away when I tried to hold his arm.

His head hung low, his chest heaving with silent sobs. He pressed his hands against his eyes, then after a long moment, looked up.

I waited silently. I would stay like this until sunrise if I had to. Even if he fell asleep alone, I didn’t want to leave him.

“…It’s a side effect of the kidnapping.”

His voice, raspy after all the crying, finally broke the silence.

“The pain in your hand?”

“It was badly injured. I had to have several surgeries.”

He rubbed the back of his hand. Despite having calmed down, the scratches, seemingly self-inflicted, remained.

“Can I see it?”

“…….”

He silently offered his hand. I gently traced the lines of his hand, from his wrist to his fingertips. How had I not noticed? His hand, the hand of someone who seemed to have only known comfort and luxury, was so scarred. Beneath my name, the skin was a patchwork of surgical scars.

“Your hand hurts when it’s dark?”

He nodded slightly.

I rubbed his hand, which lay limp in mine. Tremors ran through it, aftershocks of his earlier pain. Each time, he tried to pull away, but I held on. After a few attempts, he let me hold his hand.

“Jung Hankyung.”

His voice trembled with anxiety.

“Even if you’re tired of me… now that you know my weakness, now that you’ve seen me like this, divorce is impossible. I can’t let you go. Being married to me isn’t a bad deal, objectively speaking. I don’t have children, so you’ll be the heir…”

“…….”

“You might not like having a mentally… unstable spouse, but as long as there are no unexpected situations, no one will find out. All my treatments are with a private doctor, so there are no medical records. You can’t use this as grounds for divorce.”

I thought I had broken down his walls.

But he was still desperately scraping together pieces of himself, building a hiding place. I had never met anyone so stubbornly insistent on being alone.

“Woo Baekyeon, do you not want to break up with me?”

“…No.”

“Then, instead of all those rambling words, tell me something that will truly bind me to you. Say those words.”

“I’ll do anything you want,”

“Ah, wrong! You’ve wasted one of your three chances.”

Woo Baekyeon finally looked up at me, his eyes glistening with fresh tears.

“…What do you want?”

“Hmm, you got the number of syllables and the last word right. Second chance, wrong. One left.”

“There’s no such thing…!”

“Uh-oh, is that your last try?”

“…!”

His hands, gripping my shoulders and arms, froze. I leaned towards him, waiting for his lips, barely an inch away, to part.

His eyes flickered, pondering the hint I had given him.

○○해. Three syllables ending in ‘해’.

Like a word unintentionally escaping, a softly spoken confession slipped between his trembling lips.

“I like you.”

A beat later, Woo Baekyeon’s eyes widened, surprised by his own words.

I grinned, a wave of relief washing over me.

“Correct.”

Woo Baekyeon took a step closer, and I closed the remaining distance, pulling him into a kiss. He fell back onto the bed, startled, and I deepened the kiss, cupping his cheeks in my hands.

Everyone wants to be loved. Why did you have to hide it, Baekyeon?

“Jung Hankyung…”

But the feelings that reached me were far greater than what I had coaxed out of him.

His lips trembled against mine, and I delved deeper, thanking him for the hard-won confession. Sincerely.

Woo Baekyeon, who had never relinquished control of a kiss, no matter how clumsy, simply stared at me, passively accepting my invasion, offering no resistance.

The kiss ended quickly, our lips separating with a soft sound. Woo Baekyeon gripped my arms, which were on either side of him.

“Jung Hankyung, do you… perhaps you too…”

A quick peck.

I silenced him with a kiss.

“Me…”

Another peck.

“Hmm? What was that?”

“Why do you like me…”

A peck.

“Tell me.”

“H, how can I talk when you’re doing this.”

“Oh. You’re not answering because it’s obvious, right?”

His face flushed crimson with pure, undeniable affection.

He pulled me closer, hugging me tightly, as if we would disappear into the bed if it were made of sand.

“I…”

Nestled against him, I heard his soft, trembling, yet clear voice.

“I like you, Jung Hankyung.”

I nuzzled my face into his shoulder in response. He took a deep breath.

“But… I can’t go outside after sunset.”

“…….”

“I can’t turn off the lights for you when you fall asleep first.”

“…….”

“We can’t go to the movies…”

And then… like a secret he had desperately hidden away, he whispered.

“We can’t… turn off the living room lights and watch the fireworks together.”

Ah. I could picture it.

New Year’s Eve, when I had asked him to come down to watch the fireworks, and he had no choice but to refuse, trapped in his brightly lit room.

I held him tighter.

“I’m sorry I didn’t realize sooner.”

“…….”

“Thank you. I never thought I’d have a family again, that I would be loved so much.”

High up in the Heaven’s Castle penthouse, we revealed our deepest wounds to each other.

Woo Baekyeon’s twelve-year-old past, and my eighteen-year-old past.

We had fallen in love with each other’s imperfections.

I tossed my turtleneck onto the floor and collapsed onto the plush bed.

“I’m sleeping here tonight. Don’t move me. We’ll wake up together in the morning.”

“…You’ll be uncomfortable.”

“I can sleep anywhere. I used to nap in front of concert speakers.”

Since discovering my phone was stolen, I had spent half the day running and shouting… I must have burned at least a thousand calories, so I would sleep well tonight. After running around in the winter rain, the warmth of the blankets felt soothing, despite the lingering aches in my body.

“What are you doing? Come lie down.”

“…….”

Woo Baekyeon hesitated, looking around the brightly lit room.

“Ah, the light is fine, but it’s a bit cold up here.”

“Cold? The temperature…”

“No one wants to hear you say something unromantic like ‘I’ll turn up the heat.’ Just come cuddle next to me.”

“…….”

The bed dipped beside me under Woo Baekyeon’s weight. I turned to face him.

Hearing the rustle of the blankets, he glanced at me and slowly turned on his side. We were close, like we were about to have sex, but our gazes were soft, like the touch of the blankets, rather than filled with lust.

“Jung Hankyung.”

“Yes.”

Surprisingly, the shy princess spoke first.

“I’d like to hear you say it…”

“Say what?”

Our fingers intertwined beneath the covers, a touch as light as a tickle.

“What am I… to you?”

After asking, Woo Baekyeon hid his mouth in the blankets, pretending to look down. My voice softened, as if his shyness was contagious.

“My spouse. My name… couple.”

“That was true even before you liked me.”

“…….”

My heart raced, like when I was running up the stairs. 15th floor, 16th floor, 20th floor. The faster I searched for the perfect answer, the faster my heart beat. The anticipation and nervousness in his eyes, peeking out from the blankets, only intensified my feelings.

When I finally landed on a simple, unadorned answer, I felt a flush of warmth, like reaching the top floor and stepping into the light.

“Someone I married with the premise of having an amazing relationship. …How’s that?”

“Good.”

His answer came instantly, without a pause. Laughter bubbled up from my racing heart, like reaching the final step and being bathed in light.

“If we fall asleep like this, the first thing I’ll see when I wake up will be you.”

“…….”

I cupped his cheek.

“Goodnight, Baekyeon.”

It wasn’t a lie that I could sleep anywhere. My exhausted body craved rest.

Soon, even with my eyes closed, a warm shadow fell over my vision, like the shadow of someone’s hand.

“Goodnight… Hankyung.”

A soft voice reached me as I drifted off to sleep.

At the same time, I remembered the expression and words of the man who had just left.

‘I’ll see you again soon.’

Pretending to be half-asleep, I snuggled closer to the warmth beside me. He didn’t resist. The steady beat of his heart, growing stronger, filled the bright room like white noise.