Love Born of Pity Chapter 114

The main family house, which once felt like a frequent visit even if he stopped by just once a month, now felt more familiar than his own home. After parking below the high wall, Do Yeonjae got out of the driver’s seat and naturally went around to the passenger side. He opened the door and helped Kwon Jiho, who was about to get out on his own. A questioning gaze followed him. Do Yeonjae shamelessly pretended not to notice.

When they went up the landing and rang the doorbell, the main gate opened without anyone asking who it was. The two of them crossed the garden familiarly. He walked slowly, matching Kwon Jiho’s pace as he looked at the sparse trees, which had more falling leaves with each passing day.

“Are you cold?”

“…Um. No, I’m okay.”

“Let’s hurry inside.”

“I want to walk a little more…”

He was sleepy, but eating and then immediately falling asleep was giving him heartburn. Because he wasn’t digesting properly, it felt good when he was eating, but after he ate, it felt like the food was sitting right on his solar plexus.

“My stomach… feels uncomfortable.”

“Do you feel like you’re going to throw up?”

“No, it’s not that, but it feels a bit stuffy, I guess? Here, it feels like the naengmyeon is tangled up right here.”

A slender finger pointed to his solar plexus. The way he pressed down firmly with his palm was unusual. Do Yeonjae’s expression gradually hardened with the worry of what he would do if Kwon Jiho had indigestion. He’d thought his already pale face looked strangely washed out. It seemed something was wrong.

“I think I ate too much earlier. I should have eaten in moderation…”

“Let’s go back to the hospital. If you were in pain, you should go to the hospital, not take a walk.”

“What? To the… hospital?”

“I shouldn’t have been happy just because you finally ate something. Let’s go.”

He must have been holding in the pain again. Was his expression in the car bad because he was hiding that his stomach hurt? Do Yeonjae let go of the arm he was holding and wrapped his arm around Kwon Jiho’s shoulder. When he turned around and started heading back the way they came, a flustered Kwon Jiho told him that wasn’t it and stopped Do Yeonjae.

“Ah, no. Director. Just a moment…”

“Were you trying to endure the pain again? Why on earth… Hah.”

“No. This isn’t being sick… I didn’t endure it because I was sick, it’s just that ever since I got pregnant, it’s like this no matter what I eat. But, even though I knew that, I don’t know why I… told you this… I should have just kept it to myself.”

Kwon Jiho’s face turned bright red, and then tears like glass beads started to fall. He chided himself for blurting out words he normally would have quietly swallowed, perhaps wanting to be coddled without realizing it. Seeing Do Yeonjae’s reaction, he felt ashamed and embarrassed.

“You thought… I was being stupid again, didn’t you…”

As Kwon Jiho started to sob with sorrow, Do Yeonjae stood there flustered. He soon realized that he had genuinely thought Kwon Jiho was sick and was trying to take him to the hospital, but Kwon Jiho’s behavior was just him wanting to complain a little.

“That’s not it.”

His hand reached out first. Even though he knew Kwon Jiho didn’t want it, he pulled the small body, that didn’t even fill his arms, into a deep hug.

“I thought you were enduring pain… I was just surprised. Can you feel my heart beating?”

He pulled the hand he had always wanted to hold but couldn’t and placed it on his chest. Kwon Jiho lifted his tear-filled eyes to meet his gaze.

“I was just worried. I wasn’t angry. Stupid… I didn’t think that. Okay?”

As he answered, pressing his lips firmly against the nape of his white neck, Kwon Jiho’s body shivered. His ears flushed red from the ticklish and strange sensation. He pushed against Do Yeonjae’s chest and turned his head as soon as he pulled away.

“Jiho.”

Do Yeonjae, interpreting that action as anger, cluelessly and persistently tried to catch his eye. He was busy rubbing the wet cheek and checking his face.

“Did I upset you again?”

Because it was an unfamiliar word, an apology, which he often just passed over because of his pride, came out on its own.

“I’m sorry. I’ll be careful.”

“I just… I don’t know. I don’t know what I want to do with you either, Director…”

Kwon Jiho pulled his hand away from the one holding him and turned his body. He abandoned his plan to stroll leisurely in the garden and slipped inside the house. Do Yeonjae, left alone in an instant, stood there dazedly, replaying the situation from a moment ago.

The problem was his way of speaking, which made his concern sound like a rebuke. Even though he knew he shouldn’t treat Kwon Jiho like before, his attitude and tone didn’t change easily.

“Hah… Fuck.”

Should I hold my tongue? Should I just not open my mouth? Even though the words were clearly coming out after passing through his brain, they sounded unrefined, which was the problem. He was only mimicking a gentle tone. As he ran a hand through his hair in frustration, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

“Yes.”

—Hello, Director. I’m calling to ask if there are any changes to your afternoon schedule.

“What’s on the schedule today… Ah. Kwon Yoon Taek.”

—Yes, since it’s been postponed several times, I was wondering what you’d like to do this time… Team Leader Kang asked me to confirm if you were coming in today.

Do Yeonjae wanted to stay by Kwon Jiho’s side and spend time with him today as well, but he had already ruined the mood. In that case, it was time to finally take care of the matter he had been putting off.

“I should go. Shall we go and hear what kind of sincere method he’ll use to repay his debt?”

Running a hand through his hair and letting out a long sigh, Do Yeonjae’s gaze turned to the door Kwon Jiho had entered moments ago. It would be nice if he could cheer him up a little before leaving, but he wasn’t sure if that was something he could do.

“It will take about 30 minutes.”

—I will be waiting.

“Alright.”

Even after ending the call, Do Yeonjae couldn’t move right away. He lingered nearby, constantly wondering if it was okay to go inside. The hand gripping the doorknob moved cautiously. When he quietly opened the door and stepped inside, the interior was so silent, without a single noise, that you wouldn’t have known anyone was there.

“…Mr. Kwon Jiho.”

Is he asleep? Worried he might disturb his sweet sleep, he entered without making a sound. In the living room, the flowers he had brought a few days ago were still beautifully arranged in a vase. They weren’t as fresh as they were at first, but they hadn’t wilted to the point of being unsightly.

He still hasn’t thrown them away. Kwon Jiho had placed flowers everywhere in the house where his eyes could reach, making it almost pointless that he himself had kept his mouth shut when Kwon Jiho didn’t ask what they were. Is it okay to think that he likes them?

It would be easy if he just asked what Kwon Jiho liked and disliked, but he couldn’t bring himself to open his mouth. He felt like he would be asked why he was asking such a thing now. Letting out a sigh out of habit, Do Yeonjae put the bingsu he had bought in the freezer and headed straight for the bedroom.

“Jiho.”

He called his name once more in front of the door before opening it, but there was no reply. After waiting for a few seconds, he pulled the handle to the side and slipped his body through the opening. In the dark room, Kwon Jiho, who hadn’t even turned on the light, was lying down, having already changed his clothes. He had thought he was asleep, but his eyes were wide open.

Do Yeonjae approached the bed and sat on the edge. He hesitated about whether he could touch him, and the hand he finally extended cupped his cheek.

“I have to go out for a little while.”

“…”

“If you think of anything you want to eat, let me know. I’ll buy it for you.”

Instead of answering, Kwon Jiho closed his eyes. His stomach was churning. Acid reflux kept rising. A familiar sensation welled up as if the morning sickness that had subsided was returning. He wanted to throw up everything in his stomach right away. Right now, he just wanted Do Yeonjae to leave quickly. Pushing away the hand caressing his cheek, he curled his body up even tighter.

“…I’ll be back.”

Do Yeonjae misunderstood his act of pushing him away as him being very angry. The pale complexion was hidden by the yellow mood light, so he didn’t notice, and he missed the cold sweat beading on the white forehead as he withdrew his hand.

He simply stood up from his seat, filled with regret. He looked back before leaving the bedroom, but Kwon Jiho’s posture hadn’t changed. The only thought in his mind was that he had to get back quickly while Kwon Jiho was sleeping.

♬⋆.˚

He got into the car that had arrived early and was waiting in front of the main house. He nodded vaguely as he listened to a brief report on Kwon Yoon Taek.

“He’s begging, saying he’ll never appear in front of Mr. Kwon Jiho again.”

“As if I could believe that. Who was it that dumped his debt and then slyly showed up to pester Kwon Jiho because he needed money?”

“…”

“Living his life crazed with gambling, irresponsibly, and yet he’s curious about what happened to his own child.”

Do Yeonjae continued indifferently, his eyes on the rapidly changing scenery outside.

“He wants to act like a father, but he’s not in a position to. Fuck. It’s a real soap opera.”

Leaning his head against the headrest, Do Yeonjae pressed his eyes shut. While he hoped his meeting with Kwon Yoon Taek wouldn’t be long, he wondered what Kwon Jiho was doing right now.

He felt like contacting him, but he didn’t think Kwon Jiho would even answer the phone, let alone tell him what he was doing. Then again. He wanted to be rejected like that, but he didn’t even know his phone number. Because Kwon Jiho had left behind everything he had bought for him.

“He’s such trash, so forgiveness won’t be easy, right?”

“Wouldn’t that be the case?”

The trash Do Yeonjae was talking about was himself, but Chief Kim assumed it was a question about Kwon Yoon Taek and gave his answer.

“No matter how kind Mr. Kwon Jiho is, I don’t think it will be easy.”

He had completely driven the nail in.

The atmosphere turned chilly in an instant. Not knowing what had gotten on his nerves this time, Chief Kim quietly shut his mouth. Because it was an unpaved road, he was constantly on edge about the car rattling as he drove. They drove a bit further up the mountain path. The vehicle finally stopped in front of a shabby mountain cabin.

A large man was sitting on the old wooden stairs. As if the headlights were blinding, he covered his face with one palm and waved his other hand dismissively.