Love Born of Pity Chapter 136

Kwon Heeyeon asked, out of the blue and even while drunk, why on earth they were going to a harbor. It was sudden, wasn’t it? They weren’t even close to the sea, and in the middle of the night, what on earth… Then, she suddenly had an ominous thought. She pressed her back firmly against the window and looked at Do Yeonjae with anxiety.

“Suicide due to pessimism about life. How about we wrap it up as, ‘jumped into the sea impulsively while drunk’?”

“…Pardon?”

“Faking a few documents to say you were suffering from depression—that’s nothing at all.”

Do Yeonjae said that would actually be more convenient. He said it was better for no one to be around than for these shitty things, who were hardly family, to remain in a mediocre way.

“So, you’d better remember what you spouted off, if you don’t want to see your pathetic death being glossed over. Ah, well, Kwon Heeyeon, you wouldn’t know anyway.”

Even though she knew it was an absurd threat, she was scared. Kwon Heeyeon poured out everything that came to mind. She desperately tried to recall what she had said to Kwon Jiho. She felt that if she said she couldn’t remember, he would steer the wheel right away and head toward the nearest sea, wherever it was.

“I told him that everything I’ve become is because of oppa. I asked if… since Mister is a, a sponsor or something, if I couldn’t climb the social ladder like Cin… Cinderella because he’s getting married. So… I asked him to send me on a study abroad program, unless he’d forgotten who was responsible for me living like this.”

As she stammered, the vehicle had already entered a park deep in the mountains where people were scarce. She felt as if she were sobering up. She was suffocating because of this man who was emitting a menacing aura in this dark, strange place where not a single person passed by.

“Why is it because of oppa that you ended up like this, Kwon Heeyeon?”

“…Pardon? That’s because oppa said he was going to study abroad. If it weren’t for that—!”

“It’s because of oppa that you survived like a miracle, Kwon Heeyeon, and the reason you were lying there in a coma was because of a car accident. Jiho wasn’t the one holding the steering wheel, nor did he set out a bowl of water and pray for an accident to happen, yet at the end of every sentence, you say it’s because of oppa. You fucking thing. Is there anything other than a brain inside that head of yours?”

As his voice grew louder, Kwon Heeyeon got excited along with it. She clenched her fists, shaking, and shrieked.

“If oppa hadn’t said he was going to study abroad, that accident wouldn’t have happened! Both Mom and Dad died, and I barely survived too!”

“That’s why Jiho isn’t able to play the piano and is living like this, too. Because of the accident on his way to learn the piano that he loved so much. And yet, he doesn’t resent anyone.”

“…”

“The driver of the offending vehicle who caused the accident due to poor driving, the father who insisted on driving you there, the mother who said it was natural for the whole family to go to the airport together since it was the last time, and even you, who laughed saying it was great because you didn’t have to go to school. Nobody.”

Because Kwon Yoon Taek and Kwon Heeyeon kept acting like assholes, blaming Jiho, Do Yeonjae had even obtained and checked the black box footage that remained as evidence from the time of the accident. At that time, Kwon Jiho had thanked them, saying they didn’t need to go through all that trouble for him since he could just take the airport bus. His father and mother had said it was only natural to drive him since it was his last journey, and Kwon Heeyeon had laughed, saying she was skipping school thanks to oppa.

“If anyone should be resenting someone, it’s Jiho. The kid who said he would take the airport bus was followed, and now that his younger sibling has barely been kept alive, she’s spouting nonsense about it being because of oppa.”

Kwon Jiho had said that when Kwon Heeyeon was lying in a coma, even while eating a cheap, few-thousand-won pork cutlet from a snack bar, the guilt felt like a heavy weight on his chest. He was so kind that he had never once held a grudge, and he couldn’t even bring himself to hate anyone until the very end, which was why he eventually forgave him, wasn’t it? If there was an incarnation of an angel, that was Kwon Jiho, and that demon-like thing had kept driving nails into oppa’s heart until the end.

“I offered to pay for your study abroad expenses and ensure you lived without lacking anything to eat or survive. Was that so hard to understand?”

“…”

“I told you to act like you always do; who told you to act so rudely to oppa like that?”

Do Yeonjae’s expression grew more savage than before. Kwon Heeyeon took a sharp breath in. The words she stammered out—”It’s not that, I…”—could not lead to an excuse.

“Even if you couldn’t be a good younger sibling, it’s the last time, so there’s no need to leave such a bad impression. Who knows how many more times you’ll be able to see Jiho in the future, if at all.”

“…I was just frustrated, it’s not that I dislike oppa, or hate him.”

“If you were going to act like that, it would have been better to hate him. Fuck, as if that’s an excuse. But it turned out for the better. Because from now on, Kwon Jiho will only live happily and joyfully, without even thinking of someone like you.”

Seeing Kwon Heeyeon start to sob, Do Yeonjae let out an annoyed sigh, opened the glove box, and took out an envelope to hand to her.

“It’s not the country you said you wanted to go to. Why would I do that for someone like you? There’s no need to contact me when you arrive. Your brain is smaller than a monkey’s, so I don’t even have the thought to make you do anything else.”

“I wanted London or Canada…!”

“Australia isn’t bad, but it might get bad depending on how you act.”

Inside the envelope, there was only brief information about the home where Kwon Heeyeon would be staying. If she had just done as she was told, she could have lived in a clean apartment. Being stupid is hereditary.

“Where… where is this?”

“It’s a home-stay type accommodation that friends who are studying abroad for the first time often choose. They’ll give you dinner, so you only have to worry about breakfast and lunch.”

“This is… this is, this is different from what we promised!”

“Did you keep the promise you made to me?”

Do Yeonjae did not offer any advice like telling her to live diligently or not to throw her miracle-saved life into the mud by dating other Koreans.

“I will only give you living expenses until you adapt to that side. Since I will only support you for a minimum of 3 months to a maximum of 6 months, find your own way to survive.”

Until her departure date, which wasn’t far off, Kwon Heeyeon would be living in a designated studio apartment near the airport. Just in case she tried to run away, he couldn’t let her cling to Kwon Jiho in a messy and wretched way.

“It’s too, too different from what we promised! I won’t go! Where do you get off doing this! This is fraud, fraud!”

“That’s why I told you to go after eating—why did you have to run that mouth of yours?”

“…Mister, you told me to beg to be sent to study abroad!”

“So did you only beg, you fucking thing, until the very end? Do you really need to be hit to come to your senses?”

As Do Yeonjae let go of the steering wheel and turned his upper body to snap at her, Kwon Heeyeon screamed in fear and clung to the car door. Even though she clicked the handle as if she were going to get out, for some reason, it wouldn’t open.

“Behave until your departure.”

“Mister!”

“Should I rip that mouth open for you to lower your voice?”

His hand, which had moved slowly, tapped Kwon Heeyeon’s cheek with a moderate amount of force. Kwon Heeyeon distorted her face at the heavy sound and unpleasant impact. Do Yeonjae shook his hand in the air as if something dirty had touched it. After searching the inner pocket of his jacket, he took out a handkerchief, wiped the fingers that had touched Kwon Heeyeon clean, and took out his phone.

“If you act loudly, you won’t be studying abroad, you’ll really be rolling in the mud.”

“…”

“Yes, it’s a bit better now that you’re keeping your mouth shut.”

Kwon Heeyeon glanced nervously at Do Yeonjae. It looked like he was sending a message, but she couldn’t tell who he was contacting. Was he telling her to just wait? What on earth… Not only did he show no signs of returning, but he even looked subtly happy.

“You seem anxious.”

“…”

“If you insist on not leaving, the situation will get worse. Since you’re stupid, you should remember that well.”

It was then. A vehicle slowly entered from the entrance of the empty park parking lot, flashing its headlights. Kwon Heeyeon’s pupils trembled uncontrollably. The pitch-black car only came to a complete stop after it had passed the wide, spacious area and purposely pulled up close to Do Yeonjae’s car.

“M, Mister. If you let me at least… at least apologize to oppa—!”

“You will never be able to live while contacting him, whether by phone or in person. Jiho will periodically receive messages that you sent saying you arrived safely and are doing well, but… it won’t actually be you sending them.”

“B, but, I’m his younger sibling… we’re family, how can you keep me from oppa!”

“You know better than anyone that you and Jiho are strangers. Get out, your time is up.”

Only then did Kwon Heeyeon realize the gravity of the situation and start to cry, but she had to cover her mouth with her hand due to Do Yeonjae’s sincere threat that he would really rip her mouth open if she were to act loudly.

♬⋆.˚

Returning home after sending Kwon Heeyeon away, Do Yeonjae felt light enough to fly. Kwon Heeyeon would probably never be able to face Kwon Jiho again for the rest of her life. Was the word “forever” always this meaningful? The world was all pink at the thought that he alone would remain as family in Kwon Jiho’s life. Time had passed the dawn and the sun was slowly rising.

Do Yeonjae opened the car door after tidying up his seat and confirming once more that there were no traces left of Kwon Heeyeon, who was already gone. Although Kwon Jiho didn’t know it yet, he had made a plan to stay at the main house until the weekend and then leave next week. Since he had said they wanted to be together, it would be soon, even if he said he didn’t want to.

Do Yeonjae, who had stepped out of the car, breathed in the dawn air to the fullest. Refreshing. From the day he climbed the wall for the first time in his life until today, the long and arduous time felt just like a dream. The past was embellished as if his relationship with Kwon Jiho had been perfect from the very beginning.

Well, every romance is originally accompanied by hardships and adversity. That is why the result is even more beautiful.