TIN 157

Their meal was no different from usual. Yuna diligently explained the goods she had brought, and Joo Do-hwa continued his meal, half-listening. It was obvious that he was doing it to let Yuna’s story go in one ear and out the other, even though he had no interest in food.

“Soju is already famous worldwide, so…”

But Yuna didn’t care and pointed to the soju bottle on the table, passionately promoting the product. It was developed with Geumro’s proud brewing technology, and the focus was on the smoothest possible drinking experience. She sincerely gave him an explanation as if she were dealing with a client.

It was only natural. Even though it was a visit with a purpose, the sales pitch was not a lie. Now that the cash cow called marriage had been cut off, it was better to get as much profit as possible.

Fortunately, it wasn’t difficult to give a speech for about an hour. If it was about introducing Jinro’s products, Yuna was confident that she could talk all night long. Thanks to Joo Do-hwa not interrupting her, as he had said he would listen to her story, there was no need to worry about being disturbed.

“…The already secured customer base…”

How long would it take to come down from the third floor? Ordinary people would be fine with three minutes, but Bada was currently wearing a cast. No matter how much he had crutches, it wouldn’t be easy to go up and down the stairs.

Why hadn’t his leg, which had been limping since the island, healed yet? What had that bastard Joo Do-hwa been doing, not even treating that? There were many questionable points, but it wasn’t as if she had no idea what the story was. That’s because Yuna had already said this before.

‘I guarantee that if he gets caught, he’ll break at least his ankle.’

Was it because he was born with everything under his father’s shadow, but conversely, he never properly had anything? Joo Do-hwa occasionally showed an abnormal obsession with something specific. Usually, it was related to Hyung, but this time it was a little different.

It was a simple problem. Joo Do-hwa, who had been treating the dolls he had brought as Hyung, was not treating this man as just Hyung. The way he pretended to be friendly and ingratiating was similar to what he always did, but the way he dealt with it when the other party was uncooperative was completely different from usual.

If it had been the original Joo Do-hwa, he would have killed the man on the spot the moment he caught him. Joo Do-hwa, who was obsessed with Hyung, had never been obsessed with his substitutes. Replacements that could be replaced at any time, nothing more and nothing less. Why would he bother to catch those people and bring them all the way home?

Yet Joo Do-hwa had caught the man and locked him in a room. It was not normal to call it just revenge, considering that he was even taking care of his meals. Besides, didn’t he say there was a baby in his belly?

Even though he hated babies. So much so that he didn’t even look at Omegas for fear of making a mistake. How could such a fastidious guy touch Hyung’s substitute?

When he met Hyung, Joo Do-hwa was only about six years old. No matter how smart a child he was, he was not old enough to regard someone as an object of sexual desire. So, to Joo Do-hwa, Hyung was a unique friend and brother.

But who in the world would make their brother a mess of pheromones? Even if you barely called it a crazy possessiveness towards the remnants of the past, it was a different story to lust after him, touch him, and make him pregnant.

Yes, so this is…

“…I’d like you to allow me to distribute it.”

Yuna erased the thought that had inadvertently come to mind and naturally finished the story. A momentary thought sent a chill down her spine. She almost recklessly put a name on his heart.

“I’ll pay the commission, of course.”

She habitually fiddled with the ring on her right ring finger. It was something her deceased lover had saved up money from working in the coal mine in the past. It was a memory that she wouldn’t trade for a billion dollars, and Yuna loved even the blackened fingertips. Unlike Joo Do-hwa, who was treating Bada carelessly in front of her.

“How is it?”

When Yuna asked after finishing the story, Joo Do-hwa slowly looked at Yuna. By now, most of the food in front of them had been eaten. It was slow, but it was still the result of eating.

“Do you want an answer right away?”

Joo Do-hwa, who had put down his utensils, asked in a leisurely tone. As if he was asking something too obvious to even ask. Yuna smiled prettily and shook her head, as if she thought he would say no if she said yes.

“Of course not. Take your time to think about it.”

He had some cuteness when he was young, but how did he grow up to be so obnoxious? She couldn’t even have that impression as a compliment anymore. In the first place, she wasn’t in a position to dare to think he was cute.

“Or would you like a drink? Your mind might change if you drink it.”

Feeling inexplicably unpleasant, Yuna picked up the soju bottle and held it out to him. It was a kind offer in its own way, but Joo Do-hwa just blatantly ignored it.

“You drink it.”

There was no need to feel bad. In fact, the alcohol she brought was usually prepared to screw over Joo Do-hwa. Knowing that he didn’t drink alcohol, she bothered to bring a bottle of wine with her every time.

So, when she shrugged, Joo Do-hwa checked the watch on his wrist.

“Aren’t you busy? It’s time to go.”

In effect, it was an expulsion order, and Yuna swallowed her dismay, clicking her tongue inwardly. Glancing at her phone, she saw no messages.

‘……Did it go well?’

She was supposed to be contacted once ‘Bada’ was safely out, but she hadn’t heard anything from the bodyguard. No word of him being met, put in the truck, or leaving the house.

“I’ll see you off.”

While she was feeling anxious, Joo Do-hwa rose from his seat first. She frowned, wondering why he was suddenly seeing her off, and those loathsome words spilled from his lips.

“Like you said, it’s a shame to end it like this. Between us.”

“…….”

Goosebumps prickled her skin. He sometimes acted friendly on his own accord, but it felt strange when he initiated it. Joo Do-hwa probably knew that, which was why he was smiling so irritatingly.

The two headed to the garden side by side. The driver, having heard that Yuna was leaving, would have moved the car from the garage to the entrance. Silently following Joo Do-hwa outside, Yuna saw the truck parked behind her limousine and pressed her lips shut.

“…….”

The truck with ‘GEUMRO’ written on it, and the bodyguard standing in front of it with a troubled expression. The two things meant one thing. He, ‘Bada’, had decided to stay in this house. Despite everything she had said, he had ultimately decided not to run away.

“……Thanks for seeing me off.”

Perhaps he hadn’t had enough time to come down. Even while thinking that, Yuna opened her mouth as if nothing was wrong. His life was his choice, so there was no need to be disappointed. The disappointment she felt now was probably just because she couldn’t get one over on Joo Do-hwa.

“Then, I’ll be going…….”

“Young Master.”

But before she could finish her sentence, Henry rushed out from inside the mansion. Approaching with an uncharacteristic speed, Henry glanced at Yuna before whispering something in Joo Do-hwa’s ear. She couldn’t hear the content, but she clearly saw Joo Do-hwa quietly curling up the corners of his lips as he listened to the story.

“……Ah.”

A sigh escaped his lips. Yuna unconsciously clenched her fists and straightened her posture. An utterly calm answer flowed from Joo Do-hwa’s mouth.

“I understand.”

Why? For a moment, a chilling premonition ran down her neck. The feeling of being choked by the bright yellow gaze that rolled over made her feel uneasy.

Henry, having finished his report, took a step back. Sensing the unusual atmosphere, Yuna couldn’t say anything and looked back and forth between the two. After a moment of silence, Joo Do-hwa gently called out to Yuna.

“What to do, Yuna.”

Scratch, the sound of marble scraping against shoes. It was because Yuna had unconsciously taken a step back. She glanced behind her to check if there was a bodyguard behind her.

Knowing or not knowing Yuna’s heart, Joo Do-hwa opened his mouth as if he was truly sorry.

“Something troublesome has happened.”

“……What troublesome thing?”

An ominous premonition surged wildly. Surely not, it couldn’t be. She tried hard to stay calm, but he shattered Yuna’s composure with a single word.

“Hyung has disappeared.”

“…….”

The blood in her whole body turned cold. Yuna tried not to look at the truck and widened her eyes. She had to act surprised, but her reaction now was genuine, not acting.

“A person with an injured leg…… even broke the window in his room.”

Hadn’t he decided not to leave? To stay in this house, to conform because he couldn’t choose?

“Bada-ssi, disappeared?”

Even as she asked back as if nothing was wrong, her heart was beating faster and faster. Because only one place came to mind where ‘Bada’, who had left the room, would finally arrive. The bodyguard’s troubled face, the thought that it might have been for a different reason than what she had accepted.

“Do-hwa, where would a person with an injured leg go? He’s probably in the house.”

She didn’t show any signs of panic. Yuna just added casually that she should check the CCTV footage. It was a genuinely natural response, but Joo Do-hwa chuckled and curled up the corners of his lips.

“You’re so unnecessarily kind.”

“…….”

It didn’t sound like a compliment. Not because of his tone, but because of his coldly frozen eyes.

“That damn truck…….”

There was no time to recognize the small murmur. Joo Do-hwa moved without hesitation. Walking briskly to the truck, Joo Do-hwa threw open the closed door of the cargo hold.

‘Shit.’

Yuna squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth. Had she taken this whole process too lightly? She never thought she would be caught so easily. Even while considering the possibility, she had bet everything on the probability of success.

“…….”

But after a long time, there was no reaction from Joo Do-hwa. Yuna belatedly squinted and examined his face. The angle was ambiguous, so she couldn’t see the inside of the truck, but Joo Do-hwa’s coldly hardened expression was clearly visible.

‘What is it?’

Why is he like that? Thinking that, Yuna slowly took a step forward. It was to check the inside of the truck as well.

The moment she looked inside the opened door.

“…….”

Yuna’s eyes widened. Inside the wide-open door, there were only soju boxes with ‘GEUMRO’ written on them. There wasn’t even a strand of hair, let alone a man, in the space that had been left empty for one person to enter.

‘…He’s not here?’

The feeling of bewilderment was temporary. Joo Do-hwa, who had been blankly frozen, suddenly raised his head. Bright yellow eyes trembled, and red lips slowly parted.

“…Hyung.”

At the call that was like a sigh, Yuna belatedly followed him and raised her head. The highest point of the mansion. Above the roof where you wouldn’t normally go.

Bada was standing on the edge of it.