Kill Your X Chapter 8

“Be quiet.”

Si Yeonho drank every shot I randomly picked for him. Even with several empty glasses around, his face didn’t flush, and his posture stayed impeccable. The relentless gaze that seemed to pierce through me, indifferent yet intense, remained unchanged.

I nibbled on the mountain of appetizers on the table while scanning the bar’s interior. People who came with partners, those still looking for a match, and curious first-timers mingled, creating a feverish atmosphere.

Seeing someone I didn’t know lead their partner upstairs, I straightened my back. I couldn’t keep dawdling with small talk like this.

“Yeonho.”

“Yes.”

Pretending to be tipsy, I propped my chin on my hand and looked at him. Maybe it was the vibe, but his sleek, handsome face and loyal eyes fixed solely on me made my heart race.

“So, you…”

When I tried to speak, my mouth wouldn’t cooperate. I chewed my lower lip nervously before finally getting to the point.

“Are you rich? Do you make a lot of money?”

His eyes went blank for a moment. Anyone with their wits about them would reconsider their opinion of someone just for asking that question.

“Honestly, I like guys who are loaded and well-endowed.”

“I’m not sure about the criteria for being rich or well-endowed.”

Suddenly, Si Yeonho, built like a doorframe, stood and sat next to me. He grabbed my hand without asking and pressed it against his crotch, making my eyes widen in shock.

“Want to teach me about the latter first?”

The sheer heft was vivid even through his pants. Flustered, I pushed him away hard.

“What—what are you doing? Go back to your seat. Now.”

“You haven’t answered me yet.”

“I’ll answer if you sit back down.”

Si Yeonho obediently returned to his original seat. What just happened? The culprit of the little commotion looked utterly unfazed. I felt like I was getting sidetracked before even broaching the main topic. As I shook off the lingering sensation in my hand under the table, he pressed me.

“The well-endowed criteria.”

“Look… originally, I care more about the first part than the second. Realistically, at our age, you can’t ignore a partner’s financial situation, right?”

“Ah, money.”

“Yeah. You’re probably wondering why I’m harping on money when we’ve barely met a few times. To be honest…”

Hyun Jin was right a hundred times over. Being a jerk takes practice, and trying to pull off a debt sob story, which wasn’t in my nature, made my throat close up.

“I’ve got some debt. From second-tier—no, third-tier lenders.”

“Loan sharks?”

Thankfully, he caught on quickly.

“Yeah. I needed money urgently, so I borrowed it, but now I can’t handle it. My family’s not poor, but due to circumstances, I can’t ask my parents for help.”

Not knowing how much he’d dug into my background, I mixed truth with lies. He might know about my family, but I doubted he had details on my bank account.

Expecting him to ask what the “urgent need” was, I rehearsed my excuse, but Si Yeonho focused on something else.

“How much did you borrow?”

“A billion.”

“Just that?”

“The principal was that much, but with interest, it’s ballooned to 1.7 billion, almost 1.8 billion.”

A billion was already a big number by my standards, but his “just that” made the scale double in an instant. I watched his reaction, my heart threatening to leap out of my chest. His pale face was still unreadable.

“I couldn’t pay it back on time, so they’ve been showing up at my place, threatening me. It’s only a matter of time before they tell my workplace, and if that happens, my life’s over.”

“Probably.”

“So, Yeonho, could you… lend me some money?”

Please, please, get lost. Who in their right mind would stick with a boyfriend they just started dating who asks for a loan to cover nearly 2 billion in loan shark debt?

No matter how rich Si Yeonho might be, this should be enough to make him lose interest. Even a thousand-year love would flee from debt collectors, right?

“Give me your account number.”

“…Huh?”

But there he was.

“Your account number, sunbae.”

Si Yeonho asked again, holding his phone. Right in front of me, a lovesick fool actually existed.

As I sat there stunned, he started to hand me his phone, urging me to input the account number. While I frantically thought of ways to escape this mess, Si Yeonho pulled his hand back.

“No, wait.”

I let out the breath I’d been holding. Of course. Thank goodness this young guy came to his senses, even if a bit late. I poured out crocodile tears, feigning regret.

“Yeah, I figured it wouldn’t work. With my situation, dating’s probably off the table. I’m sorry for making you wait ten years. I know it sounds materialistic, but even if I meet someone, I’d want them to easily cover my 1.8 billion debt—”

“Sending it to your account might cause tax issues.”

Si Yeonho cut me off.

“I’ll prepare the cash by tomorrow and bring it to you.”

This time, my brain truly froze. He’s joking, right? Not a million, not ten million, but 1.8 billion. That’s not some neighborhood dog’s name.

“Do you need it sooner?”

As if he’d rush things if I asked, Si Yeonho fiddled with his phone. There wasn’t a trace of playfulness in his demeanor, and a primal sense of danger hit me. One wrong move, and I’d fall into the trap I’d set myself.

“No, no. On second thought, I was too hasty. You don’t have to help me. It’s my mess, so I should clean it up. Right?”

“Where’d you borrow the money?”

I was scrambling to mop up the spilled water when Si Yeonho smashed my bucket. I wanted to drown myself in a glass for the lies that didn’t even break even.

“Yeonho, let’s drop this. Anyway, I’m too stressed to date right now. As an apology, I’ll cover dinner tonight—”

“They came to your house. Threatened you.”

“Well, yeah, but if I’d paid on time, it wouldn’t have happened, right? They’re just doing their job.”

“Taehan Capital? Bando Credit? Ninegate Loans? Oneogen Cash?”

Names of companies I’d never heard of poured from his mouth. They sounded shadier than first-tier lenders—probably all illegal loan sharks.

“None of those? If it’s a smaller outfit with a branch in your area…”

“Yeonho, why’s that important right now?”

“It’s important. You could get hurt.”

He beckoned me closer, so I leaned forward. He lightly caressed my cheek. His touch was warm, but it wasn’t rooted in affection. His eyes looked more like he was sizing up an enemy to crush.

“I haven’t even gotten to touch you properly yet. I can’t let others treat you carelessly.”

His quiet voice struck my heart clearly.

“How could I let a life I spared go to waste?”

With that faint murmur, Si Yeonho withdrew his hand. The soft contact felt like a mirage.

“I’ll make sure the money’s ready without a hitch, so don’t worry.”

“Wait. A life you spared—what does that mean—ugh!”

I couldn’t finish the sentence. My vision suddenly split in two. It’s absurd to say this after drinking so much, but it wasn’t drunkenness—the sensation was distinctly different.

It’s ridiculous, but it felt like a third entity was forcing my consciousness to shut down. My soul seemed to tremble in fear.

“What… are you…”

Mustering my remaining strength, I threw out the question. My body wouldn’t obey anymore, and I couldn’t argue with the cryptic response that came back.

“That’s for you, Gyujin sunbae.”

The clue I heard just before blacking out was, as ever, unhelpful.

“I’ll tell you when you remember my real name.”

He whispered in my dream.

✽✽✽

No matter how much I drank the night before, unless it’s a weekend or holiday, a worker’s fate is to clock in at the set time.

The familiar alarm blared, and I woke with a splitting headache, like my skull was cleaved in half. It was my peaceful, boring home, my bedroom, my bed.

How’d I get home yesterday?

I didn’t think I drank enough to black out, but skipping workouts lately must’ve tanked my stamina.

I remembered meeting Si Yeonho at the bar I hadn’t visited in ages. But after that, my memories were spotty. It felt similar to when I tried forcing myself to recall past moments tied to him.

“Si Yeonho, why’s that guy so… fleeting? He’s not a ghost.”

I used to think of him mostly late at night, but now he was on my mind the moment I opened my eyes. Being passively dragged around without control over the relationship wasn’t exactly pleasant. And to top it off, I didn’t even relieve my pent-up urges last night.

That’s why I spent longer than usual in the bathroom. As always, I planned to grab a slice of bread for a light breakfast, but my stomach was so queasy I skipped it. I threw on some plain clothes, grabbed my car keys and work bag, and headed out.

“What the hell?”

As I was about to leave, a thudding sound came from the front door, like something heavy had toppled over. Craning my neck, I saw six 007 briefcases spilled on the floor. A black plastic bag hung separately on the doorknob.

A fragment of last night’s forgotten memory surged back. Scrambling so no one would see, I hauled the briefcases inside. The click of unlocking them made my heart feel like it was tearing apart.

“…Crazy.”

I’d hoped it wasn’t true, but the briefcases were stuffed with cash. I counted a bundle of 50,000-won notes on the spot and reached enlightenment. The cash, split across six briefcases, totaled exactly 2 billion won.