RFL Ch 17
by soapa“This place has the best okonomiyaki. I eat it at least once a week.”
Yiso brandished the small spatulas she held in both hands. Her gaze, fixed on the empty griddle, was combative.
“Let’s try one of each and then order more. If we’re still hungry, we can get yakisoba too!”
“Yakisoba?”
Song Jaeyi repeated the word, his pronunciation making it sound French. Yiso burst out laughing, clutching her stomach and wiping away tears.
“Jaeyi, you’ve never had yakisoba? Oh my god… We have to order some now. Excuse me! We’ll also take one yakisoba, please.”
They had already ordered six dishes for three people. For okonomiyaki alone, they had ordered four: regular, seafood, kimchi, and cheese. They had also added takoyaki and highballs. Thanks to Yiso rattling off the orders before Sooin could even look at the menu, he hadn’t yet seen the prices.
This seems like too much… He was about to say something when the first dishes arrived. The hot griddle was filled, and the owner, who seemed to know Yiso, brought them a beer they hadn’t ordered.
“It’s on the house.”
“Awesome! I’ll come back tomorrow! Thanks!”
While Yiso was excitedly chattering, Sooin checked the bill. The total, with the yakisoba added, was a hefty amount to be paid for by a freshman. Sooin sighed, the sound lost in the sizzling of the griddle.
Sooin tapped the table lightly. Yiso, who had been completely engrossed in watching the dancing bonito flakes, jumped and looked up. “Yes?”
“Yiso, I’ll buy you lunch at the cafeteria later.”
“What? No! You won’t go if I offer to pay again!”
“No, I’ll really let you treat me at the cafeteria.”
“No way! I’m absolutely paying today.”
Yiso turned her head sharply, giving Sooin a fierce look. She snatched the bill from in front of Sooin and clutched it to her chest. Seeing her determined expression, Sooin laughed helplessly.
“This place is too expensive.”
“It’s not expensive at all! I’ve been treated a lot, and I was a total burden with the assignments. Just let me do this.”
“Even so, how can I let a twenty-year-old…”
Letting someone younger than Suye pay for his meal was unacceptable to Sooin. He needed backup.
He looked at Song Jaeyi with a deliberately troubled expression, but Jaeyi just shrugged indifferently. He seemed unconcerned, his gaze fixed on the takoyaki Yiso was transferring to his plate. Then, instead of offering support, he launched a counterattack.
“Can’t you buy a meal for someone if they’re young?”
“Exactly!”
The two-person army Sooin thought he’d disbanded had reformed. Sooin blinked, momentarily speechless.
Meanwhile, Song Jaeyi took the serving utensils from Yiso and cut a large piece of the steaming okonomiyaki, placing it on Sooin’s plate.
“You can want to do something for someone even if they’re young.”
This was definitely payback. Even though Sooin knew, he decided to play along. He sighed and picked up his chopsticks.
Yiso’s claim that she could eat two servings by herself wasn’t an exaggeration. The mountain of food that had seemed impossible to finish quickly disappeared thanks to her and Song Jaeyi. Sooin, already full just from watching them, put down his chopsticks earlier than usual.
“By the way, Jaeyi, were you badly hurt that day? I was so surprised when I heard about it from Junyong.”
As they were finishing their meal, Yiso cautiously brought up the topic. Sooin had anticipated this since Yiso had been so insistent on paying. Song Jaeyi poked at his yakisoba and nodded nonchalantly.
“Did Pyo Hyungyeon take care of your hospital bills and everything? I heard he dropped out.”
“Dropped out?”
“Uh, yeah. Didn’t you know…?”
Sooin had found it strange that Pyo Hyungyeon, who had bombarded him with calls and texts on the day of the incident, had suddenly gone silent. But dropping out after haunting the school like a ghost for ten years?
Sooin frowned at the unexpected news, but Song Jaeyi remained calm. His side profile, framed by the brown noodles, looked peaceful.
“Oh my god, so he just disappeared without paying your medical bills? Without even settling things?”
Yiso rolled up her sleeves as if she was about to hunt Pyo Hyungyeon down. Finally, the quiet Song Jaeyi looked up. He put down his chopsticks and glanced at Sooin for some reason.
“It’s taken care of.”
His overly brief reply clearly hid something. Sooin narrowed his eyes at him.
Despite surely feeling Sooin’s sharp gaze, Song Jaeyi avoided eye contact, pretending to be focused on the food he was trying for the first time. His insistence on eating was suspicious.
Sooin gently stroked Song Jaeyi’s thigh under the table. The startled thigh muscle twitched, and their eyes met. Song Jaeyi gave him a look that said “Are you crazy?” Sooin smiled sweetly.
“Why, are you done eating?”
He asked kindly, and Yiso across the table shrieked, complaining about how lovey-dovey they were, how it was typical of couples in the honeymoon phase. She picked up her wallet and stood to pay.
“Ugh! Sooin, your eyes are practically dripping honey!”
While the observer saw honey dripping, the recipient of said honey remained silent, his thigh stiff. His expression was less one of affection and more one of warning. Sooin tightened his grip on Jaeyi’s thigh and smiled.
“We’ll have a lot to talk about today too.”
He murmured, and another shriek came from the distance. He quickly withdrew his hand, wondering if their under-the-table antics had been discovered, just as Yiso yelled from the cash register, her voice filled with frustration.
“Jaeyi! When did you pay?”
❤︎₊ ⊹
To appease the furious Yiso, the three of them stopped by a café. Yiso, who had been fuming the whole time, bought an expensive drink and a whole cake to go. Even after that, she reluctantly left, grinding her teeth and promising to buy them lunch next time. By then, it was already evening.
Sooin’s car was parked in the university’s above-ground parking lot. In the still-bright early summer evening, Sooin and Song Jaeyi walked uphill, enjoying the cool breeze. The trees were lush green, and small, charming shops lined both sides of the street. The occasional laughter of passersby sounded like music. As Yiso had said, it was a perfect setting for a couple in the honeymoon phase.
However, the two walked in silence, unusually quiet for a couple who had spent the previous night entangled in each other’s arms. The conversation only began after they got into the car.
“I wondered why Pyo Hyungyeon suddenly went quiet.”
“….”
“I thought maybe there was a new poster up on campus or something. But your settlement money was the collateral?”
Song Jaeyi started the car without a word. The car, which had been abandoned in front of Sooin’s apartment for days, was perfectly fine. The wheels rolled smoothly and silently down the road.
“So that bastard agreed not to take money from you if you didn’t take money from him?”
“I just let him off the hook because he begged so much.”
“And him dropping out?”
“I guess he was too embarrassed to stay.”
Even Song Jaeyi, who would normally at least pretend to be considerate, was unyielding today. It was probably because of their earlier round in the car that morning. Sooin sighed deeply and looked out the window.
Is dating always this difficult?
Sooin had never found dating difficult. He accommodated his partners’ needs, and if it became too much, he broke up with them. But Song Jaeyi was different from the start. Even before acknowledging his feelings, Sooin had a vague sense that if he got involved with Jaeyi, it wouldn’t be a casual relationship that ended as easily as his previous ones.
“You take care of my problems without asking, but you tell me not to do anything for you.”
Their unusual relationship had been like this lately. Passionate kisses, entangled bodies, feelings of unparalleled love, followed by sudden cold wars. Even though Sooin tried to control his fluctuating emotions, it always ended the same way.
“Hyung also said you absolutely won’t quit your job. I won’t budge on this either. I absolutely won’t let Hyung be put in danger.”
“Isn’t it enough that I’m worried about you, that I’m even sleeping at your place and barely going to the hospital?”
“I’m not telling you to quit your job altogether. Just for a month. Can’t you do that?”
“Exams are coming up soon. Telling me to stop tutoring before exams is like telling me to quit altogether.”
“But it’s dangerous-”
“Jaeyi, not being able to earn money is the most dangerous thing for me.”
Song Jaeyi closed his mouth, his expression frustrated. At least he hadn’t said “I’ll provide for you” since Sooin had gotten serious with him.
“And don’t ever do that again. Don’t get beaten up for me, and don’t make deals with that kind of bastard because of me.”
“….”
“At least lie to me, okay?”
The white car pulled up in front of Song Jaeyi’s house, having taken the now familiar route. Sooin chuckled dryly at Song Jaeyi’s continued silence.
“Forget it. Let’s sleep separately tonight.”
“No way. That’s so unfair.”
As soon as Sooin opened the car door and got out, Song Jaeyi followed, grabbing his hand and intertwining their fingers as if he wouldn’t let go. Sooin’s resolve crumbled, and he laughed.
“I’m kidding. I need to prepare for my tutoring sessions. I told you, exams are coming up soon.”
He really hadn’t been able to put much effort into his tutoring materials lately because of his busy schedule. Now that he had quit his café job, he couldn’t afford to lose his tutoring clients, so he had to focus more.
Song Jaeyi, who had always wanted him to quit tutoring, looked like he had a lot to say. But he seemed to want to avoid a third fight, his lips twitching as he suppressed his words. Sooin found his reaction endearing and swung their joined hands as he entered the house.
As soon as they took off their shoes, Song Jaeyi opened the study door wide. The two white dolls with their goofy expressions greeted Sooin.
“Tell me when you’re done. I won’t disturb you.”
In recent days, Song Jaeyi had insisted on holding Sooin close, even during short phone calls. But today, he was offering Sooin his own space. Sooin smiled, surprised. Song Jaeyi mumbled, “But we’re sleeping together.”
Perhaps it truly was the honeymoon phase, because the cold war was meaningless. Sooin’s lips curved into a smile at that single sentence. He pulled Song Jaeyi closer and kissed him, thinking, You cute thing. It took a while to push away Song Jaeyi, who was trying to take advantage of the opportunity, and escape to the bathroom.
❤︎₊ ⊹
There were many unusual things about Song Jaeyi’s house. One thing Sooin found particularly hard to get used to was the long window in the study door.
“…Did he install this for this very reason?”
Song Jaeyi lingered by the door several times while Sooin was creating practice test papers. Each time, their eyes met through the long window. The sight of Jaeyi waiting by the door like a puppy weakened Sooin’s resolve.
Sooin finally chuckled and stood up. Even before he opened the door, Song Jaeyi’s expression, visible through the window, brightened. Are you done? His expectant eyes looked like a child’s.
“It’ll take about thirty more minutes.”
At the announcement that there was still more to do, Song Jaeyi’s expression visibly deflated. His face instantly cooled, as if asking why Sooin had bothered coming out.
“Go shower and get in bed. Hyung will join you after showering too.”
Sooin chuckled and squeezed Song Jaeyi’s hand before letting go. As if that was a signal, Song Jaeyi’s expression brightened again as he headed towards the bathroom. He slammed the door shut without a word, and Sooin could see him undressing through the window.
Normally, bathroom windows are frosted… Sooin thought Jaeyi’s taste was strange, but he stood there for a while, watching him until he disappeared behind the shower curtain.
Smiling, Sooin returned to his desk and picked up his pen. He only had about three more practice problems to add.
I should go into the bathroom and tease him after he finishes showering, if I’m done before then. As he was entertaining this mischievous thought, his phone vibrated.
It had been mostly silent since Pyo Hyungyeon had disappeared, with only Choi Jooyoung calling occasionally. Wondering if the café needed him urgently, Sooin quickly answered.
“Hello, this is Kim Sooin.”
— I finally get to hear the name I missed earlier.
A deep, low chuckle came from the other end. Sooin instinctively checked the study door. It was still quiet behind the long window.
— I’d like to meet and talk. Would you have some time, Mr. Kim Sooin?
The man chuckled smoothly, his voice polite and relaxed. Sooin took a slow, deep breath, refusing to be intimidated by his casual demeanor.
“Actually, I have quite a bit to say myself.”
He smiled sweetly, careful not to let his voice waver.
“But I’m not sure if I’ll be able to meet. My situation is a bit complicated.”
Your son is watching me every second of the day. Even without saying it, Sooin felt the man knew the situation. His probing reply was met with a hearty laugh from the phone.
— You’re so straightforward, aren’t you? Better than my son.
“….”
— If you’re willing to meet, Mr. Kim Sooin, we can make it happen.
“I’d prefer a quiet approach.”
— Haha, of course. What good is it to be loud?
The man chuckled pleasantly for a long moment before ending the call with a promise to see Sooin soon. He hadn’t specified a date, time, or place, but Sooin had a feeling he would be meeting the man in the near future.
❤︎₊ ⊹
Three days passed, but the man remained silent. No one slipped him a secret note like in a movie, and no mysterious stranger tried to kidnap him. It was as if Sooin was the only one eager for contact.
Worried that Song Jaeyi might see it, Sooin had immediately deleted the call log. He hadn’t expected the silence to drag on for so long and hadn’t saved the man’s number anywhere else. He had no way to contact him.
Sooin sighed and ran a hand through his hair, nervously gripping the longer strands as he checked his phone for the umpteenth time that day. There were no missed calls.
“Are you waiting for a call?”
“Huh? No, let’s go.”
Sooin answered quickly with a forced smile, quickly erasing his irritation and putting on a cheerful expression as he pulled Song Jaeyi closer. Song Jaeyi, his large frame bent as he leaned into Sooin’s embrace, asked flatly, “Really?”
“Yeah, it’s Choi Jooyoung.”
Sooin sold out his friend and walked towards the familiar car. Fortunately, Song Jaeyi didn’t pry further and opened the driver’s side door.
“What time is your tutoring session today?”
“Six o’clock. Let’s go straight there after the hospital.”
Song Jaeyi nodded briefly and started the car. He navigated skillfully, no longer needing the GPS. They quickly left the university area and merged onto the main road.
The familiar route to the hospital stretched out before them. Sooin stared at the road he could now draw with his eyes closed, his mind still preoccupied with the man’s call.
What should he do if the man didn’t contact him? He wanted to do something for Song Jaeyi, but what could he do if he couldn’t even meet the man? His expression darkened with helpless frustration.
“We’re meeting soon.”
Suddenly, Song Jaeyi interrupted his thoughts. As if reading Sooin’s troubled mind, he continued, “With him.” Sooin looked at him in surprise.
“…Who? That…,”
Even if the man was a devil, he was still Song Jaeyi’s father. It felt disrespectful to refer to him as “that man.” Sooin hesitated, his lips opening and closing, before finally asking, “Your father?”
The word felt repulsive even as he said it, and he frowned involuntarily. Song Jaeyi mirrored his expression, frowning twice as hard.
“Yes, that bastard.”
He clarified the term neatly and chuckled self-deprecatingly.
“He contacted me yesterday, right after I made plans with my mother. He wants to meet and talk.”
“Do you think he’s willing to listen?”
“I think so. He seems afraid I’ll tell my mother.”
The man wouldn’t have contacted Sooin if he was planning to give up so easily. Sooin kept his uneasy thoughts to himself.
“He says he’ll leave. He probably has conditions, though.”
Song Jaeyi’s profile looked strangely relieved. He had only heard the words “I’ll leave,” without any apology or acknowledgement, yet he seemed ready to put everything behind him.
“…Jaeyi.”
“Yes.”
“Let’s say he leaves, just like he said. Will that be the end of it?”
If the devil retreated so easily, Song Jaeyi would likely never reveal the truth. He would continue to deceive his mother and maintain the facade of a happy childhood. It was an incredibly unfair ending.
Song Jaeyi turned the steering wheel without a word, smoothly navigating a corner and slowing down. The hospital was now in sight.
“…If I can.”
“….”
“If I can, I’d rather my mother never found out.”
Song Jaeyi spoke casually as he slowly drove through the parking lot, his eyes scanning for an empty space, dry and focused. His movements as he expertly parked the car were mechanical, devoid of sadness or regret. Only a strange lightness remained.
His lack of reaction only fueled Sooin’s frustration. He sighed heavily and leaned his head against the window, closing his eyes. A throbbing pain started in his temples.
“He’s the one who should be punished, why are you the only one suffering for the rest of your life… it makes me upset.”
His eyes burned with anger and frustration, but he didn’t want to direct it at Song Jaeyi. His words, spoken with weary resignation, sounded weak and pathetic, like a murmur to himself.
“The later she finds out, the more painful it will be for her. The fact that she couldn’t be there for you when you were struggling.”
He knew a few words wouldn’t convince Song Jaeyi right now. It was better to stay quiet and not aggravate his wounds with unnecessary words. He knew this logically, but he couldn’t stop himself. Even as he tried to keep his mouth shut, a burning emotion surged through his heart, welling up inside him.
“I should have asked more questions back then. Listened more carefully. I shouldn’t have scolded you so carelessly without knowing anything.”
His voice cracked with emotion. His excessive empathy was betraying his true feelings.
“She’ll regret… for the rest of her life… that she wasn’t on your side in those small moments.”
Sooin scrubbed his face roughly and pressed his hot eyelids. The dampness of his eyelashes against his wrist embarrassed him.
I really didn’t intend to say any of this…
He had let his pent-up emotions explode, and it was no different from taking it out on Jaeyi. He hadn’t helped him; he had only added to his burden. Sooin chided himself for his irrational behavior and quickly composed himself, taking deep breaths and pushing down the turbulent emotions.
“Sorry, I overstepped.”
Sooin wiped his eyes again and smiled, letting out an awkward chuckle. He opened the car door. “Let’s go.” He tried to sound casual. There was no reply, but he quickly got out of the car.
The above-ground parking lot was always crowded. Cars were packed tightly into every space, and the narrow parking spots made the aisles even tighter. It was a constant inconvenience for Sooin, with his large frame.
But today, he welcomed the inability to walk side-by-side. Like someone pushing through thick bushes, Sooin deliberately walked through the narrow passages between the cars. He wanted to hide his expression a little longer, until his still-trembling breath calmed completely.
“Hyung.”
But Song Jaeyi always knew how to catch him off guard. He followed Sooin even into the tight space and hugged him from behind, his arms strong and firm around Sooin’s waist.
“Are you upset because of me?”
Jaeyi’s lips moved against Sooin’s neck, tickling him. Sooin chuckled softly, shrinking back slightly.
“Yes.”
Sooin drew out his laughter, answering lightly, as if it were a half-hearted joke. He was anxious that Song Jaeyi might try to comfort him. He needed to lift the somber mood quickly.
“I’m sorry.”
The words he least wanted to hear came. Sooin’s eyes widened, and he turned around, pulling away from Jaeyi’s embrace and facing him.
“Hey, no… Jaeyi, don’t apologize to me. You did nothing wrong.”
Who should be apologizing right now? Sooin barely managed to control his surging emotions and looked into Song Jaeyi’s beautiful eyes. “Do you understand?” he asked, his gaze firm.
Song Jaeyi smiled silently.
“That’s not what I meant.”
His rare smile bloomed like wisteria flowers. Sooin suppressed the urge to pull him close and kiss him. “What do you mean?” he asked, his voice quiet as a breath, his mind elsewhere.
“I like that you’re upset because of me.”
Sooin, who had been staring blankly at Song Jaeyi’s lips, blinked belatedly. What was he talking about? His thoughts churned slowly.
“I want you to regret it more. So much that you can never leave me.”
Song Jaeyi murmured softly, gently stroking the skin under Sooin’s eyes. The warm touch spread like fire across the sensitive skin, making Sooin’s whole body flush.
“I didn’t know it would feel this good that you cried because of me.”
“….”
“Actually, I wanted you to cry more.”
Song Jaeyi’s eyes were as warm as his touch. Despite the intense desire in his gaze, he smiled sweetly.
“Is it wrong to think like this too?”
Song Jaeyi was brazen, unlike someone confessing a sin. He didn’t beg for forgiveness or ask for punishment. He simply smiled sweetly, his usual cocky self.
Sooin wasn’t particularly forgiving. He was hard on himself, and his standards for others were high. He had never forgiven anyone who couldn’t offer a sincere apology for their mistakes.
“No, you did well.”
But now, he genuinely liked what Song Jaeyi had said. It felt so right that a smile spread across his face.
“Think like that all you want. You did well, very well.”
He even patted Jaeyi’s butt playfully, and the bright smile vanished instantly. Song Jaeyi’s expression returned to its usual coldness, and he raised an eyebrow.
“…What? Why are you talking to me like a child?”
“Does it sound like that?”
Sooin chuckled and tugged on Song Jaeyi’s ear. Jaeyi sighed softly and obediently leaned closer. Sooin pressed his lips to Jaeyi’s ear and whispered, a deliberately suggestive murmur against his earlobe.
You can make me cry again tonight.
He even winked, as if making a lewd suggestion, and Song Jaeyi instantly recoiled, his face scrunching up in disgust. But Sooin remained unfazed, chuckling.
“Still think I’m treating you like a child?”
Shamelessness was key to dirty jokes. Sooin smirked and started walking again, and the stunned Song Jaeyi followed after a moment, his annoyance evident in his footsteps.
“God, you’re such a pervert…”
A faint scent of pheromones followed his grumbling. The familiar scent of rainforest flowers, which Sooin had been inhaling constantly lately, tickled his nose. Pleased, Sooin chuckled and replied insincerely, “Suit yourself.”
“Who said I didn’t like it?”
As soon as they left the parking area, Song Jaeyi caught up and stood beside him, grabbing his hand and intertwining their fingers as if to say he wouldn’t allow Sooin to retract his offer. The strength of his grip seemed to promise a long night.
❤︎₊ ⊹
Sooin’s visits to the hospital were always the same. After checking on Suye and helping the caregiver with any difficult tasks, a quiet time would follow.
After updating Suye on his day, Sooin would sit quietly and look out the window, absorbing the scenery without speaking. He would occasionally comment on the weather, but that was about it.
Sometimes, people would advise him to talk to Suye more, even if he was in a vegetative state, just in case he could hear. Sooin would smile politely and agree, but that was all. His visits were always quiet.
In truth, Sooin believed that his younger brother, Suye, could hear everything. Because he believed it—or rather, because he wanted to believe it—it was even harder to open up. He was afraid of accidentally saying something he couldn’t take back.
He was afraid. Afraid that his struggles would show. Afraid that he might let out a complaint.
Lately, however, the atmosphere of Sooin’s visits had changed. With Choi Jooyoung and Song Jaeyi visiting frequently, snacks piled up, and the caregiver, who now had another friend at the hospital, seemed much brighter.
“It’s nice that our handsome young man comes so often these days. It keeps me from getting bored. Suye must be happy too.”
“Yes.”
“Oh my, he doesn’t even deny it.”
Song Jaeyi was even more taciturn than Sooin, but he was adored by the caregiver. They seemed to have become close quickly after the day Sooin had left them alone for a while to see the doctor. The caregiver would burst into laughter even at Jaeyi’s curt replies.
“Oh, the doctor was looking for you earlier. He said you were coming today.”
The caregiver, who had been unpacking snacks with Song Jaeyi, suddenly clapped her hands.
“The doctor?”
“Yes, he said it was good news.”
Could there have been a significant change in Suye’s condition? Sooin, who had been unknowingly tense at the mention of the doctor, felt a surge of hope. His face brightened, and he put down the towel he was folding and stood up.
“I’ll be right back.”
Song Jaeyi looked up at him with a reluctant expression. It was an expected reaction, considering Jaeyi followed him even to the bathroom at home, claiming it was dangerous. Sooin waited, giving him some time.
After a moment, Jaeyi nodded slightly, his lips still pouting in disapproval. Sooin found his reaction endearing and left the room with a smile.
Shortly after leaving a message at the nurse’s station, the doctor came up. He approached with his lab coat billowing around him and, unusually, led Sooin to the cafeteria.
Sooin felt a strange sense of unease. He had never met with the doctor alone anywhere other than the examination room, patient room, or hospital hallway. They weren’t close enough to share coffee, and Sooin hadn’t even considered the possibility.
Suddenly, coffee? An awkward silence hung in the air as they sat down at a table with their separately paid drinks. The cafeteria was almost empty, making the space feel vast and hollow. The franchise café he’d passed on the way was packed, but this place was strangely deserted. Come to think of it, Sooin had never used this cafeteria in the nearly three years he’d been visiting the hospital. He glanced around the all-white space.
The doctor finally spoke, sliding a small leaflet across the table.
“We’ve always had support programs every year, but…”
The palm-sized paper had the title “White Love Foundation Medical Support Program” printed in large letters.
“Usually, only patients with incurable diseases or rare cancers are eligible, so Kim Suye wasn’t.”
Sooin carefully opened the leaflet. Next to a photo of smiling volunteers and patients, various support items were listed. As the doctor had said, it was a list of things that didn’t apply to Suye. Sooin slowly put down the leaflet and looked at the doctor, his expression still filled with questions.
“But we received a large donation to the foundation recently.”
The doctor looked nervous, unlike someone delivering good news. He glanced around and fidgeted with his fingers, looking like a guilty man. Sooin’s expression hardened.
“There’s a businessman who wants to sponsor Kim Suye.”
Good news with a bad smell. Sooin instinctively sensed misfortune and bit his lip.
“…How does he know about Suye’s situation? Did you contact anyone, doctor?”
His teeth clenched involuntarily, but Sooin managed to ask politely. The doctor waved his hands frantically, denying it vehemently and rambling about patient confidentiality. Just then, someone gently placed a hand on Sooin’s shoulder.
“Perfect timing.”
A deep voice spoke from above. The man greeted the doctor casually, as if they were acquainted, and then took Sooin’s coffee with a chuckle.
“Be careful not to spill the coffee this time, okay?”
He grinned and opened the lid, taking a loud sip before saying with disdain, “Ugh, tastes cheap.”
He clicked his tongue and tossed the half-full cup into a nearby trash can. The cup clattered against the metal, and Sooin’s heart sank.
He knew this man was dangerous. Sooin had prepared himself every time Song Jaeyi had warned him about his father. He had considered the possibility of being kidnapped, threatened, or even beaten.
He thought he could handle anything for Song Jaeyi’s sake. Because Jaeyi was the one who made him willing to face the fear of losing someone precious again.
“Our doctor has worked so hard. I hope you’ll continue to take good care of him, right?”
“Of course, I should be asking you for favors. Well then, I’ll be going. I hope you two have a pleasant chat.”
But seeing the doctor bowing repeatedly, almost frantically, made Sooin’s heart race. Despite all his preparations, he had never imagined Suye being involved. It was a tactic he hadn’t anticipated.
The man took the doctor’s empty seat. He pushed the doctor’s abandoned coffee aside dismissively and smiled warmly.
“I think you and I are the same kind of people, Mr. Kim Sooin.”
Sooin’s mouth went dry, and his hands turned cold. He clenched his fists, repeating to himself: Don’t be scared. Don’t tremble. We can just transfer hospitals. Suye is still okay.
“You see, those born rich are often stupid, aren’t they? They’ve never achieved anything on their own. They don’t even think about achieving anything more. They just waste time, squandering what they have. It would be a completely different story if it were in the hands of smart people like us, wouldn’t it?”
“…….”
“But God is so cruel… He always gives trials to those with talent.”
The man, crossing his legs, picked up the leaflet with two fingers, as if it were something dirty, and clicked his tongue.
“I simply want to help you, Mr. Kim Sooin. You remind me of myself when I was younger.”
The man’s dark eyes gleamed. His deep, sinister gaze seemed to be assessing Sooin, searching for weaknesses. Sooin forced his stiff mind to work.
“How do you intend to help me?”
He asked as calmly as he could, feigning composure, and the man seemed satisfied, murmuring, “That’s more like it.” Sooin pushed his luck and gave the man a long, drawn-out smile. The man laughed heartily and leaned closer.
“We should cover the medical expenses, caregiving fees, and legal fees, of course. It’s a shame for a young man with dreams to be tied down to a hospital.”
“…….”
“Tuition is a given, too. And your current lawyer seems rather inadequate. Transferring the case to a law firm I know would resolve things much faster.”
It was an offer worth hundreds of millions, if not billions, in the long run. The man was casually offering an amount that wasn’t even mentioned in the leaflet he had just thrown away.
But Sooin wasn’t a fool, as the man had said. He knew that easy money always came with a hefty price.
“And what do I have to do in return?”
At the calm question, the man chuckled pleasantly. He smiled broadly, his gums showing, and placed a small bottle of pills on the table. The pills inside the transparent container looked ordinary.
“It’s a very simple task for a smart person like you, Mr. Kim Sooin. Just give these to my son and take him to a hotel.”
“…Is it a rut inducer?”
The man winked, looking like a teacher about to reward a student for a correct answer.
“Even as a child, one pill wasn’t enough to break his control… It’s safer to give him three.”
It was the same tactic used in the Bekoom parking garage incident, but crueler. Drug his lover? The man’s eyes gleamed as he described his wicked plan. He was certain Sooin wouldn’t refuse.
“You’re a smart man, Mr. Kim Sooin. Not soft like my son. You’re not a fool who would throw away a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a fleeting love, are you?”
Sooin stared at the man in silence. He found the man’s pretense of generosity, while holding Sooin’s weakness against him, disgusting. He wanted to spit in his face.
But that wouldn’t get him anywhere. Sooin suppressed his anger and leaned forward instead, his long arm reaching out and snatching the man’s coffee cup.
He tossed the straw the man had used and opened the lid. He gulped down the cold coffee, the cool liquid calming his burning insides. Sooin wiped his mouth roughly and murmured, “You won’t care about him after selling him off to a rich family?”
The man, his smile now gone, raised an eyebrow, as if asking what Sooin meant. Sooin sighed deeply.
“I’m asking if I can still see Song Jaeyi after he gets married.”
“Ah…”
The man’s face brightened as he belatedly understood the question. His furrowed brows curved into a smile.
“I don’t care if you two set up house together after you bring me the shares. It’s just a sham marriage, a business transaction.”
“And I can have both.”
“Exactly.”
Sooin pretended to consider the offer, drawing out his breath as his gaze fell upon the pill bottle.
“Even so, I don’t want to drug someone I care about. I’ll try persuading him first.”
“Persuade him?”
The man scoffed. Persuade someone who wouldn’t even listen when drugged? Sooin ignored him and tapped the pill bottle nonchalantly.
“The situation is different now. I wasn’t there before, was I? Back then, he would have been forced into an unhappy marriage with a complete stranger if he impregnated an omega. Now, he’s facing the prospect of breaking up with someone he loves.”
“….”
“But if he accepts the deal, he can still be with me, and he can continue keeping the secret from his mother… Jaeyi has nothing to lose.”
The man stared at Sooin for a long moment, his assessing gaze sharp, but Sooin didn’t avoid it. He simply blinked nonchalantly and pushed the pill bottle towards the man.
“Let’s use the drugs if persuasion doesn’t work.”
The man finally burst into laughter, shaking his head in disbelief. Seeing him, Sooin felt a sense of relief. Okay, I can set a trap. Just as he thought this, the man sneered, “Well… considering he overcame his claustrophobia and even went to a movie theater, the chances aren’t that low.”
Sooin’s heart sank.
❤︎₊ ⊹
After the man left, Sooin walked out of the hospital lobby in a daze. His leaden steps carried him towards the taxi stand. He opened the door of the first cab in line and got in.
The cab quickly left the hospital and sped down the main road. The realization that he had left without his phone briefly crossed his mind, but it was quickly forgotten. The middle-aged man’s voice echoed repeatedly in his hazy mind.
“He’s so weak. He developed a trauma from something so trivial. At first, he couldn’t even ride in cars or elevators…”
“I spent a fortune trying to cure that stupid illness. And over two years of my time. But he’s still not fully cured, he has to take tranquilizers even to get on a plane… it’s pathetic, isn’t it?”
The disgusting voice reverberated in his head. Sooin squeezed his eyes shut and searched his memories.
How many times had he been in a car or an elevator with Song Jaeyi? Numerous memories surfaced, each one a painful blow.
Song Jaeyi’s unusually stiff and awkward posture in the movie theater, the coldness of his hands. His unusually docile and submissive behavior at the bar that night, as if he had no energy. The frequently open windows in his house. Jaeyi’s reply when Sooin had joked about the glass-paned doors being perverse.
“It’s suffocating without them.”
The memories weighed heavily on his chest, making him nauseous. He wanted to get out of the cab and throw up.
But Sooin had something he needed to do right now. To truly take responsibility for Song Jaeyi, not just with words, he couldn’t postpone it any longer.
Fortunately, Choi Jooyoung was at his office. He stared at Sooin, who had appeared out of nowhere, as if he’d seen a ghost. Before Jooyoung could even ask what was going on, Sooin demanded cab fare.
Choi Jooyoung, who had just been extorted twenty thousand won by his unannounced friend, grumbled, “Seriously?” as he made him coffee. Sooin, sick of coffee, pushed the cup aside and placed something else in its place.
“This.”
Sooin placed his wristwatch on the table. Choi Jooyoung, knowing it was a family heirloom, blinked in confusion. “What about it?” his eyes asked. Sooin replied quietly,
“How much do you think I can get for it?”
“…What?”
“It has some scratches. Would a few hundred be too much?”
“Hey, if you’re that desperate, I can…”
Choi Jooyoung, who had started to get angry, suddenly stopped. He knew Kim Sooin, who had always refused financial help, would never accept his offer. He sighed in frustration and asked a different question.
“What do you need it for?”
“I want to hire someone to keep an eye on Song Jaeyi. Like the security detail we talked about before.”
Despite his resolve, there were things he couldn’t let go of. He had drawn a line, insisting on continuing his work even though he knew it worried Song Jaeyi. The thought of the man harming Suye had terrified him, making him want to run away. He could take a beating for Song Jaeyi a hundred times over, but he desperately wanted to protect his own vulnerabilities.
But Song Jaeyi had already given Sooin everything. Yet, he hadn’t asked for anything in return. Realizing this, Sooin felt even more disgusted with himself than with the man.
“And I’m going to quit all my jobs for a while. I’ll transfer Suye to a different hospital too.”
It was time to shed the last vestiges of his hypocrisy. Sooin rubbed his thumb across the slightly cracked watch face.
“I probably won’t be able to visit the hospital much… I’ll need your help with that. Deduct the cost from the money you get for the watch. Keep the rest if it’s not enough.”
When Sooin looked at Choi Jooyoung again, his expression was slightly lighter, his eyes filled with both affection and relief. Choi Jooyoung sighed deeply. It was a comically exaggerated sound, inappropriate for the situation.
“What the hell are you getting yourself into?”
Grumbling, Choi Jooyoung walked to his desk. He rummaged through several drawers, pulled out some documents, and returned with a small box instead of papers. It was a velvet case, the perfect size for a watch or a ring.