Gutter Chapter 8.1

Upon arriving in Seoul, Boss Gu got out of the car in front of a building located in the bustling streets of Gangnam. Judging by the conversation he had with his subordinate during the drive, it seemed like something had come up at a store in his managed district, requiring him to stop by.

There was no time to even look back at Boss Gu, who got out without a word, as the car started moving again. Yeonjo glanced at the subordinate who was driving.

He thought they were going to the store where Yeonjo used to work before being dragged out to the countryside, but the car was heading in a completely different direction.

“Where are we going?”

“…….”

The subordinate ignored the question. This made Yeonjo feel inexplicably anxious. It wasn’t even in the direction of the staff quarters where he originally stayed, which made him even more suspicious.

“If you just tell me the location, I’ll go there by myself….”

“How do I know you won’t run away? Who do you think I am, an idiot?”

He cut Yeonjo off firmly. Yeonjo was about to add an excuse but changed his mind. The reason he was dragged out to the countryside in the first place was because he suddenly ran out of the store and tried to escape. It was understandable that they didn’t trust him.

Having no other choice, Yeonjo closed his mouth and stared at the road. His grandmother was still sick, the debt remained, and the expenses were the same. The only thing that had changed was the location, yet he felt much more at ease than when he was in the countryside.

At ease. It was a paradoxical word for him. Could he really get used to this situation? Yeonjo was dumbfounded by his own adaptability, surrendering to misfortune.

However, unlike the quiet countryside, looking at the road packed with cars made his head feel complicated. Where was this car heading? Was he going to be transferred to another store?

‘Are you sure you’ll be obedient?’

Boss Gu’s words from just a few hours ago came to mind. Did that mean he was going to be ‘demoted’ to a lower level store? If it was a place of lower quality than where he worked before, he couldn’t even fathom how bad it would be.

If only he could have endured it at Phoenix from the beginning, his situation would have been much better than now. Because his body couldn’t handle it, it only kept getting worse. In the end, it was his fault that he was driven to this point. If only his body was normal like other people….

“We’re here, so get out quickly.”

The car had pulled into the parking lot of a dilapidated building. After parking, the subordinate spoke in a languid, annoyed voice.

As Yeonjo unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car, the subordinate came up and pushed him forward, forcing him to move.

“Go to the elevator.”

“…….”

He almost tripped and fell. Yeonjo bit his lower lip with his upper teeth and headed toward the parking lot elevator.

Seeing as they had entered a shabby building, it was likely the new store he had to work at. Even if that was the case, he had no other choice. He had to work somewhere to contribute to the hospital bills.

The elevator doors opened, and Yeonjo entered first. The subordinate followed closely behind, uncomfortably close.

“Hey, press 8.”

Yeonjo immediately pressed the button for the 8th floor. A man in a suit, who was already inside, scanned the two of them up and down with a wary look.

The elevator ascended without stopping and quickly reached the 8th floor. Again, Yeonjo exited first, followed by the subordinate.

“Room 8011.”

Where were they taking him? Yeonjo rolled his eyes anxiously as he walked down the hallway. He didn’t know what kind of building this was, but it seemed to have quite a few rooms.

Thud. Thud. The footsteps of the two men intertwined rhythmically. The sounds echoing in the hallway strangely fueled the tension.

He thought it might be staff quarters, but judging by the building’s structure, it seemed like a one-room setup where multiple people couldn’t live. It was too secluded and small to be a store.

…Could it be that they have clients come to a room?

The thought made his heart sink.

“What are you doing, it’s at the end of the hall, so walk faster.”

At the seemingly urging prodding, Yeonjo started walking again after having stopped in shock. It felt like his pace kept slowing down because of his ankle, which hadn’t fully recovered yet.

He knew from his time going to and from the stores that there were many ways to sell one’s body. Renting an entire officetel or one-room and receiving clients was one of those ways.

Yeonjo clenched his fists. The muscles in his upper body tightened, making him feel suffocated.

What are you afraid of, Cha Yeonjo? It was you who begged them to bring you anywhere and give you any work.

Yeonjo told himself, trying to calm his nerves. If Boss Gu told him to do it, he had to follow. It might even be better this way since he wouldn’t have to be forced to drink alcohol.

Trying to catch his breath, Yeonjo stood in front of room 8011.

The subordinate held a master key to the door, and it opened without a password.

“Go in.”

Yeonjo cautiously stepped inside. There was a narrow entranceway, and beyond it, a small living room.

Is this where they receive clients? Yeonjo thought, constantly scanning his surroundings.

However, the interior felt somehow desolate for a place where people came and went. It wasn’t dirty, but it wasn’t clean either. It had a strangely unorganized feel.

A single sofa in the small living room. The kitchen sink was covered in dust, as if it hadn’t been touched in a long time, and the bedroom inside was also messy and empty. Next to the sofa, a delivery box that had been opened a while ago was lying around. Men’s jackets and ties hanging here and there caught his eye.

Yeonjo was confused, unable to determine the purpose of this place. It definitely wasn’t living quarters, and it seemed even more unsuitable as a place where clients came and went.

“Where is this?”

Yeonjo gave up on figuring it out on his own and asked the question. The subordinate, who was making a phone call, shook his head as if he had heard something strange.

“Can’t you tell just by looking? It’s Hyungnim’s house.”

“Boss Gu’s house?”

“Hello. This fucking asshole. Where are you right now? What? I told you to bring it over beforehand, didn’t I? I’m already here, so get up here quickly.”

The subordinate yelled into his phone and hung up without hearing a response. Then he turned his gaze back to Yeonjo.

“Why here instead of the staff quarters….”

“That’s Hyungnim’s business. How would I know?”

Yeonjo scanned the interior again, taking in the scene he had encountered from the entrance. This was where Boss Gu lived? He was taken aback, completely caught off guard.

“Hyungnim, open the door!”

Before Yeonjo could fully grasp the situation, someone shouted from outside. The subordinate standing next to him darted out like a bullet.

“This stupid bastard. Can’t even do a simple errand properly.”

The front door opened, and a short, fat man came in, his hands full of bags.

“I had a lot to buy, so I was a little late. Geez, tough, tough.”

“Shut up and put that down.”

“Alright. By the way, who’s this…?”

He pointed at Yeonjo after putting all the bags down on the table.

“This one you brought from the store? But it’s not a girl.”

He raised his pinky finger, his eyes crinkling lasciviously. The subordinate grimaced and smacked the fat man on the head.

“Ugh!”

“Just shut up. If you’ve brought everything, let’s go now.”

“Hey, why’d you hit me?”

“Hey, there should be some necessities in there, so find them and use them. I just delivered you like Hyungnim told me to, okay?”

The subordinate shouted at Yeonjo, then dragged the fat man out with him, almost as if he were pulling him. As soon as they disappeared beyond the door, the interior, which had seemed small, suddenly felt too large in its emptiness.

“Excuse me.”

After standing there blankly for a few seconds, Yeonjo came to his senses and went to the entrance. He put on his shoes and tried to turn the doorknob, but just like at his grandmother’s house in the countryside, the door wouldn’t open. It seemed like a master key was required to enter and exit.

He tried turning the doorknob a few more times with a bewildered expression, but it wouldn’t budge. Since he had already experienced this situation before, it didn’t come as a big shock. He even gave up faster than before.

Turning around with no other choice, Yeonjo looked out the large window at the end of the living room. Unlike the old building facilities, the alley was quite spacious, and many people were walking around. It seemed like it wasn’t completely isolated from the heart of Seoul.

However, he could see several black sedans and people dressed in black suits in front of the building. They were particularly noticeable because they were larger than average people. Since it was Boss Gu’s house, it seemed like related people were stationed around. Surely they weren’t standing guard at the entrance just to watch him.

“…Trapped again.”

Yeonjo muttered in resignation as he moved away from the window. He paced back and forth in the living room, lost in thought.

What was he supposed to do here? He thought they would at least let him go to work at a store, let alone lend him money.

There was no point in coming to Seoul if this was going to happen. What was the point of bringing him all the way here and locking him up? Boss Gu, the only one who knew the answer, was nowhere to be seen. He needed Boss Gu to return so they could talk or he could ask questions.

Yeonjo sighed and looked for a place to sit, as he felt uncomfortable just standing around awkwardly. However, whether it was the sofa or the dining table chairs, everything was covered in dust, making it impossible to rest comfortably. The bed seemed to be the only clean spot, but everywhere else was a mess.

After being in a car driving on unpaved roads for so long, he was so tired that he wanted to lie down and sleep anywhere. But this was Boss Gu’s house. There was no way he could comfortably rest on his bed.

Moreover, the dust made him cough and gag, so he couldn’t just stay still.

Yeonjo had no choice but to drag his weary body and start cleaning. He opened all the windows and vacuumed the dust that had settled on the floor and sofa. Fortunately, the cleaning supplies were relatively well-organized, as if someone occasionally came to clean the house.

After removing the dust, the kitchen caught his eye. On the dining table were the things the subordinate had left.

A large shopping bag with the logo of a large supermarket. Inside, household items and simple ingredients were haphazardly mixed together, making it heavier than it looked. They must have been hurriedly picked up at the supermarket.

Judging by the atmosphere, it seemed like they were bought for him, not Boss Gu. Did that mean he wouldn’t be able to leave here for a while?

He wished he could at least work at a store. Feelings of injustice surged up again. He hadn’t expected Boss Gu to readily grant his request, but the reality of not being able to do anything but clean while leaving his sick grandmother behind made him incredibly depressed.

With a sullen expression, Yeonjo put the ingredients in the refrigerator first and then started organizing the remaining household items in the shopping bag. It was a hassle to take out each item because there were so many small things inside.

Yeonjo irritably turned the shopping bag upside down and dumped everything onto the table.

“Uh.”

Then he froze, his eyes widening as he discovered a heavy wad of cash spilling out.

Yeonjo blinked several times, his eyes fixed on the bundles of 50,000 won bills mixed in with shampoo and combs.

“Why is this… here….”

Did the subordinate put it in there by mistake? Yeonjo picked up the money that had rolled onto the floor as he roughly emptied the bag and gathered it on one side of the table. Four bundles of 5 million won each. A total of 20 million won.

The amount was large, so it was quite heavy and bulky. No matter how much he thought about it, there was no way this large sum of money could have accidentally come to him. More than anything, wasn’t counting money their job? Besides, the subordinate had done the shopping himself, so there was no way he could not know what was inside. In the end, it meant it was being given to him….

But why? When he had desperately begged for money, Boss Gu had said he wasn’t worth that much, and there hadn’t been any mention of it since, so he naturally assumed it would be ignored.

Yeonjo stared at the money in front of him with a serious expression. After several minutes of contemplation, Yeonjo carefully gathered the money. Whatever the reason, this was enough to immediately start his grandmother’s treatment and hire a 24-hour caregiver. If there was any money left over, he could also use it for his own medication.

Even though it was all debt in his name, it was better than nothing. In his current situation, he wouldn’t be able to borrow this much money anywhere.

After carefully looking around the officetel with the wad of cash in hand, Yeonjo decided to put it deep inside the shoe cabinet. He resolved to take it immediately to the hospital when he was allowed to go out.

The bottom corner of the shoe cabinet wouldn’t be noticeable unless someone bent down and looked inside. Yeonjo was very satisfied with the spot he found. Having money in hand made him feel instantly lighter.

Then he began to make plans for how to use the money. First, he would buy his grandmother something delicious and get her new winter clothes. The ones she had were at least a decade old. He would also buy the expensive nutritional supplements the hospital recommended, and since lying in a hospital bed for a long time would make her body stiff, a simple shoulder massager would be a good gift.

It was an imagination that made the corners of his mouth turn up involuntarily. But it felt somehow guilty to be comfortably thinking about where to spend the money without working. Yeonjo felt uncomfortable just sitting idly on the sofa.

He had no choice but to get up again. He finished cleaning the kitchen and rummaged through the ingredients to see what he could cook.

What did he used to like?

“…….”

Yeonjo flinched at the thought that came to him unbidden. It felt incredibly unfamiliar and awkward to apply memories from the orphanage to the current Boss Gu. It was uncertain whether he still liked the food he used to enjoy back then, and more than anything, it was an unpleasant past for both him and Boss Gu.

Yeonjo hurriedly opened the refrigerator to shake off the old memories that came flooding back whenever he thought of Boss Gu. He took out the kimchi he saw first, placed it on the cutting board he had washed, and started chopping it.

But he couldn’t completely erase the thoughts about him. How did he escape from the room that caught fire that day? If he escaped, why didn’t he see him outside the building…?

The memories of that time were excessively vivid, as if highlighted in fluorescent marker, yet there were also vague parts. It was because he had been half out of his mind ever since he left the basement single room, leaving him behind.

Had he missed something back then? If he had looked for him more thoroughly outside the building, at least they wouldn’t have reunited in such a wretched state. Yeonjo’s grip on the knife tightened involuntarily.

But still, why like this….

It was only natural for him to resent Cha Yeonjo, who had abandoned him.

What was he harboring beneath the surface of those stale emotions? He wondered why he had readily lent him money despite the seething hatred. Was all this simply to keep him close and repay him for the past until he was satisfied?

‘So devoted, it’s fucking bringing tears to my eyes.’

Suddenly, Boss Gu’s voice, muttered before they came up to Seoul, echoed in his ears. Just as Yeonjo was about to recall what happened next, the front door suddenly burst open with a loud bang.

“Are you behaving in there?”

The subordinate barged in unexpectedly. Yeonjo, who was chopping kimchi, flinched in surprise. In doing so, he mishandled the knife and slightly cut the tip of his thumb.

“Ow.”

“What? You are here. It was so quiet for a while, I thought you’d run off somewhere.”

Boss Gu’s subordinate muttered to himself, looking embarrassed as he saw Yeonjo in the kitchen. It seemed that he found it suspicious that the interior, which had been noisy from the cleaning, had suddenly become quiet.

He strode inside without a word and carefully checked the open windows. He seemed to be assessing whether he could fit through them and escape.

Yeonjo kept his mouth shut, looking at his shoes, which he hadn’t even taken off. He had just finished cleaning.

“Don’t cause any trouble and stay here quietly. I’ll be checking in unexpectedly.”

Having decided that it would be impossible for an adult to escape through the window, the subordinate headed back to the entrance. He grinned at Yeonjo in the kitchen. Just as he had come in, he slammed the door shut and left.

He had been startled for a moment, but he hadn’t expected those people to knock before entering and leaving anyway. Yeonjo rinsed his bleeding finger under running water. And then silently resumed cooking. It wasn’t difficult since he had often watched his grandmother cook and had the habit of cooking himself when he had the time.

He put the aged kimchi in a pot, added oil, and stir-fried it with meat. Soon, smoke started to rise with a sizzling sound as it simmered. It smelled pretty good for something made in a hurry with limited ingredients.

As Yeonjo was pouring water into the pot to adjust the seasoning, he suddenly recalled the subordinate’s grinning smile and paused. He felt like he was being mocked.

The thought made him feel hypocritical for cooking for Boss Gu. It wasn’t as if he was going to serve him this kimchi stew as a thank you for receiving the money. It was just pathetic and groveling. The thought that Boss Gu would also laugh at him like the subordinate did made his stomach feel heavy, as if he had indigestion.

…Even if it’s not for him, I have to eat too.

After much deliberation, Yeonjo rationalized it that way and tasted it with a spoon once more. It had a rich and spicy flavor, similar to how he usually made it. Although it looked appetizing, Yeonjo, who had lost his appetite, covered the pot and turned off the gas. He didn’t want to eat anything.

Boss Gu returned to the officetel around dawn, after a long period of absence.

Meanwhile, Yeonjo had cleaned, diligently cooked, washed up, and fallen asleep on the sofa while waiting quietly for his return.

“Who is it…”

Yeonjo blinked awake at the sound of the door opening and looked around. A dark figure was moving in the darkness. Even without confirming his face, he could recognize him as Boss Gu by his imposing physique alone.

He threw his jacket carelessly on the living room floor and went into the bedroom without a word. Yeonjo instinctively picked up the clothes scattered on the cleanly swept floor. And he cautiously followed Boss Gu.

As he approached him, the scent of alcohol and women’s perfume wafted strongly from his large frame. It was a familiar scent to Yeonjo. Spending all night at the store, all sorts of traces naturally permeated his body.

Yeonjo fumbled for the wall and turned on the light switch. Only then could he see Boss Gu’s face, somewhat languid from the alcohol. His brow furrowed as if he didn’t like that the dark room had brightened. Even though he must have seen Yeonjo standing next to him, he simply unbuttoned his shirt quickly without any reaction.

Yeonjo, observing Boss Gu’s mood, neatly hung the jacket he was holding on a hanger.

He hesitated, unsure what to say first. Should he thank him for providing the money? Or ask for permission to go out?

“Move.”

At that moment, Boss Gu stepped close to Yeonjo and gave a low command. He seemed to be heading to the bathroom. Yeonjo, who had been hesitating, blurted out,

“I’ll go back to the staff quarters now.”

Here, the staff quarters naturally referred to the place where the store employees stayed. After much thought, he had come to the assumption that the reason he was brought to the officetel was to deliver the money. If not, there was no reason for him to continue staying here.

He had spoken quite clearly, so there was no way Boss Gu could have missed it, but he went into the bathroom without acknowledging it.

“Hey!”

The door slammed shut in his face, cutting him off. Yeonjo blinked, staring blankly at the pattern on the door for a while. A few seconds later, the sound of running water came from inside.

Did he not want to talk to him? But if not now, he didn’t know when another opportunity to go outside would come.

Yeonjo paced in front of the bathroom, waiting for him to finish showering. While doing so, he noticed that the boiler’s hot water function was turned off, so he quickly turned it on.

Since he had just turned on the hot water, it wouldn’t come out warm right away. Could he be showering in cold water? During that brief moment of pointless worry, Boss Gu finished his shower and came out of the bathroom. Yeonjo flinched, not expecting him to be shirtless.

He went to the living room with a towel wrapped around his lower body and gulped down water. Even a large 2-liter water bottle emptied quickly in the hands of such a large man. Yeonjo grew increasingly anxious as Boss Gu treated him as if he were invisible.

As Boss Gu went back to the bedroom, Yeonjo repeated what he had said earlier.

“I’ll go back to the staff quarters now…”

“I had it demolished.”

Boss Gu, who had taken out a cigarette and lit it, sat on the bed and cut Yeonjo off. And as if knowing what Yeonjo was about to ask, he added the reason.

“I’m going to build a new building there. I cleared out all the rooms.”

It was a firm tone, as if telling him not to argue any further. He seemed somewhat annoyed by Yeonjo chasing him around, asking to be let out.

Yeonjo thought about the few belongings he had left at the quarters. He felt a pang of regret thinking that they would all be thrown away, but that wasn’t the important thing. He hadn’t considered it his home, but the fact that the place he had been staying was completely gone was a serious problem.

“Then somewhere else…”

“Where are you going to go?”

Boss Gu took a deep drag of his cigarette and asked coldly. Yeonjo was speechless. He could manage outside for a day or so after leaving, but after that, he wouldn’t have anywhere proper to sleep.

“Do you even have anywhere to go?”

With a cigarette between his fingers, he tilted his head and looked up at Yeonjo as if genuinely curious. He seemed to have drunk quite a bit, so he wasn’t as sharp as usual, but he didn’t seem vulnerable either.

Yeonjo parted his lips. But he couldn’t form a suitable answer. Honestly, he didn’t have the courage to go back to the shanty he used to live in. He hadn’t had reason to go back since his grandmother became ill and was hospitalized, and since it was originally a poorly built illegal house, there had been constant talk of demolition. Because of that, he had already entrusted his important belongings to an acquaintance of his grandmother’s.

“What have you been doing all your life that you can’t even afford a single room at your age?”

“…….”

Seeing Yeonjo’s hesitation, Boss Gu scoffed. A wisp of cigarette smoke curled from his lips.

“Stop talking nonsense and stay here.”

He spoke emphatically, as if giving a warning. Yeonjo couldn’t bring himself to ask “why.” Even if he heard the reason, his miserable current situation wouldn’t change.

“Thank you for the… money. I’ll start working at the store tomorrow.”

Yeonjo added in an uncertain voice. He had to work to pay off his debt.

“Do as you please.”

Unlike his worries, permission to work was easily granted. This meant he wasn’t completely confined here. A sigh of relief escaped him.

Yeonjo, who had been standing awkwardly, turned away from Boss Gu’s openly scrutinizing gaze. As he was about to leave the room, he suddenly remembered the kimchi stew he had made.

“Ah, I made some food with the ingredients in the refrigerator earlier. Do you… want some?”

He saw Boss Gu’s well-built torso expand as he took another deep drag of his cigarette. When Boss Gu gave neither confirmation nor denial, Yeonjo hesitantly opened the door and went out, then added after a pause,

“If you don’t want any, I’ll eat it alone.”

Yeonjo came to the kitchen as if fleeing and berated himself as he turned on the stove. He was bothered because he felt like he had spoken petulantly. Maybe he shouldn’t have added that last part.

He had assumed Boss Gu didn’t want any because he hadn’t said anything, but a while later, Boss Gu came out of the room, dressed. He sat down at the table, looking at the bubbling stew.

That meant he wanted to eat, right? Yeonjo hurriedly took out another bowl of rice.

“Just a moment. It’s almost done.”

Unlike his own, he pressed the rice firmly into the bowl and placed it in front of Boss Gu with a spoon, then filled a soup bowl with the boiling stew. He also took out the simple side dishes he had prepared from the refrigerator, making it a decent meal.

Yeonjo sat across from Boss Gu, his face slightly flushed from warming the stew over the stove. He was hungry since he hadn’t eaten all day, so he had to eat something anyway, but the thought of sharing a meal with him suddenly made his hunger disappear.

On the other hand, Boss Gu started eating without any hesitation. Only the occasional clinking of utensils echoed in the officetel. Yeonjo diligently moved his spoon, his head lowered like someone who had committed a crime.

He regretted eating with someone who made him uncomfortable. He should have eaten alone earlier in the day. Eating facing him was still an ordeal.

Yeonjo, forcing himself to eat, became curious about Boss Gu’s reaction, so he slightly raised his head and glanced across the table. Boss Gu’s rice and soup bowls were already more than half empty.

He hadn’t even had a few bites yet. Did that mean it was delicious? …But it was hard to say for sure. In the countryside, he never complained about food that was barely edible, so maybe he was just eating this without thinking much of it.

He should have just let it go, but a nagging curiosity lingered in his mouth like a sore.

“…Is it good?”

“Yeah.”

Boss Gu answered without hesitation. He seemed to have a sense of taste since he could tell if something was delicious, but how had he eaten such food in the countryside? Was his sense of taste just significantly duller than average? Despite hearing a clear “yes,” he felt somewhat uneasy.

The meal continued in a suffocating silence. Yeonjo, who had been picking at his rice and soup, was just about to reach for the side dishes when someone started knocking on the front door.

Before Yeonjo could speak, Boss Gu got up and went to the intercom. After checking the face of the person outside, he opened the door immediately.

“What is it?”

“Hyungnim! I’m sorry to interrupt, but I think you need to come out right away. The guys from the Nokyang-dong brawl last time have come down here and are causing a ruckus….”

The subordinate, who had suddenly arrived, bowed in the hallway and quickly explained the situation. He spoke in a hushed tone as if afraid someone might overhear, but since the surroundings were so quiet, Yeonjo could hear the conversation from the kitchen. Yeonjo tilted his head with a puzzled look and glanced at the two men standing at the entrance.

“Is it Hong Gi-hyuk again?”

“I think so.”

Hong Gi-hyuk? Who was that? Yeonjo blinked, his ears perked up at the conversation.

“How many?”

“More than 30. One of our guys got stabbed and can’t walk, and it’s payment day, so everyone’s out, and we’re short-handed. Those cowardly bastards definitely planned this ambush on purpose. Especially Hong Gi-hyuk, he has a huge grudge against Hyungnim.”

“Where are they gathered now?”

“In the basement parking lot of the Jooeum Building in Guro-dong…”

Before the subordinate could finish, Boss Gu turned and went into the bedroom. He came back out with the jacket and gloves Yeonjo had hung on the hanger and put on his shoes without hesitation.

“Fucking hell, what a bother.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Tell them we’re leaving right away.”

“Yes, Hyungnim.”

Boss Gu, who was about to close the door and leave, paused. He turned his head briefly to check the kitchen and jerked his chin towards Yeonjo.

“Tell the guys to keep a close eye on him.”

“Understood.”

Before Yeonjo could process the situation, the door slammed shut with a loud bang! The hurried sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway.

As the noise subsided, Yeonjo finally relaxed his stiff body and stood up from his seat. From what he’d heard, it seemed like an emergency. He felt anxious, wondering if Boss Gu might get hurt. But even if he worried, it wouldn’t change anything.

After pacing around the living room for a while, Yeonjo had no choice but to return to the kitchen and clear the table. Boss Gu’s bowl was clean, as he was a fast eater, but Yeonjo’s was still more than half full. However, he had completely lost his appetite after being startled by the subordinate’s sudden visit. Despite having cleaned, he still found it hard to breathe properly, perhaps due to the change in environment.

Barely managing his churning stomach, Yeonjo finished washing the dishes and took out a new toothbrush. He must have had severe indigestion because his already pale face was completely devoid of color. In the end, while brushing his teeth, he had to grab the toilet and throw up everything he had eaten due to the rising nausea.

Managing to steady himself, Yeonjo finished brushing his teeth and stumbled over to the sofa to lie down.

When did he last take his medicine? He hadn’t taken it since he was dragged out to the countryside, so it had been quite a while. He had to remember to go to the hospital soon and get a new prescription.

He had no memory of falling asleep, but when he woke up, it was midday. As soon as he opened his eyes, the bright light streaming through the living room window stung his retinas. Yeonjo sat up abruptly and looked around. Then, remembering the events of the early morning, he tiptoed towards the bedroom.

Boss Gu was lying in bed, as if he had returned at some point. Just like when he was awake, his sleeping expression was also stiff. Looking at his exposed face and arms, he didn’t seem to be injured, thankfully.

Relieved, Yeonjo splashed water on his face at the kitchen sink. The shopping bag the subordinate had brought yesterday also contained a few clean, thin sets of clothes, so he took one out and put it on. He would probably have to shower at the store. He would have to go into the bedroom to use the bathroom, and he didn’t want to risk waking Boss Gu by making noise in there.

After getting ready, Yeonjo took the money he had hidden in the shoe cabinet and carefully tried the front door. Surprisingly, it opened smoothly, as if Boss Gu’s words about letting him do as he pleased about going to work hadn’t been empty.

“You really came to work?”

The store manager stared at Yeonjo entering the store with a look of disbelief. Yeonjo calmly nodded.

“How did you get here?”

“By car. Someone gave me a ride….”

Getting to the store wasn’t difficult. As soon as he left the officetel, one of Boss Gu’s subordinates, who had been guarding the entrance, recognized Yeonjo and gave him a lift. Before heading to the store, he even stopped by the bank to transfer money to the hospital and deposit the remaining amount into his account.

“What are you… never mind. Anyway, go inside and change your clothes.”

“Why do I need to change my clothes?”

Yeonjo turned to the mirror next to the counter to check if there was anything wrong with his clothes. The manager, who was calling another employee from inside the store, gave Yeonjo’s clueless, pale face an incredulous look.

“Why do you need to change? All waiters have to wear uniforms.”

“Me?”

A waiter? This was the first time he’d heard of it.

“Manager. Did you call?”

“Yes. Get him changed into a uniform and make him a name tag.”

“Okay…”

The manager waved his hand dismissively, as if telling him to go. But Yeonjo couldn’t understand what was going on.

“Wait a minute. I wasn’t originally a waiter.”

“Didn’t you hear from Gu Mun-cheon?”

“Hear what?”

“Damn it! If you’re going to give someone a task, at least tell them beforehand. That cheeky young bastard, dumping everything on me!”

The manager jumped up and down in anger. Then, glancing at Yeonjo standing blankly beside him, he forced himself to calm down.

“Well… ask Boss Gu later about how this happened. Cha Yeonjo, you’ll be working as a waiter, not a host. You know the general gist of the work, right?”

He wanted to protest that this was happening without any prior notice, but the manager passed Yeonjo off to another employee and turned away. Just then, the store phone rang, allowing him to easily ignore Yeonjo by picking up the receiver.

It was hard to grasp what was happening. Suddenly being told to work as a waiter. Boss Gu himself hadn’t even said anything like that. Could there have been a misunderstanding in the process of relaying the message?

Yeonjo followed the employee leading the way with a confused look. He had no other choice. He had borrowed money, so he had to at least pretend to comply with their demands.

Even the employee guiding him didn’t seem to know the circumstances, making it difficult to ask. He would have to talk to the manager separately after work.

“Here’s your uniform. The ones on top are all clean, and you can put them in the basket inside after closing.”

“…….”

“What are you waiting for? Take it.”

He couldn’t just not work. Yeonjo reluctantly took the uniform the employee offered and held it up against himself. The size seemed to fit roughly.

“Should I change now?”

“You can. Oh, if you need a locker, use this one. Waiters all share, so take care of your valuables.”

“…….”

“It’s best not to carry too many belongings. Things get lost here all the time.”

“I’ll be careful.”

Yeonjo looked at the shared locker the employee had pointed out. It was neatly organized to separate everyone’s belongings, but he didn’t want to use it. The smell of ingrained nicotine and perfume was so strong that he didn’t want to go near it.

“By the way, can I ask you something? Oh, don’t get me wrong. I’m just curious.”

“What is it?”

“Did you retire from being a host? Or are you tied up?”

The employee asked in a suggestive voice, rubbing his hands. He had leaned in close to Yeonjo. Yeonjo took a step to the side, uncomfortable with the excessive attention.

“…….”

He couldn’t think of a suitable answer to the unexpected question. “Retiring” meant that a host or a girl had settled down with a client. That could mean marriage, cohabitation, or even a temporary sponsorship relationship. “Tied up” meant that they weren’t seeing other people for a certain period for one specific client.

“With Boss Gu, I mean. You know what I’m talking about, right?”

Yeonjo’s case was a bit ambiguous to define with those terms.

“Cut it out. Why would they make him work if he’s retired?”

Just then, someone burst through the door. A man stood at the entrance with a large brown duffel bag in hand, looking as though he’d just arrived for his shift.

“Oh, hyung, you’re early? Aren’t you curious? Boss Gu’s keeping him, you know!”

The man walked towards the lockers, clicking his tongue dismissively.

“It’s not like Boss Gu’s short on cash. He manages so many stores in Gangnam alone, why would he send someone he’s keeping to work as a waiter?”

“Well… that’s true.”

“He probably just slept with him a few times and now he’s in and out of his house. That kind of thing happens all the time.”

“Eh, the manager was talking like there’s something going on between them.”

“That old man’s a coward. He always grovels in front of gangsters.”

The man, who seemed to be a senior employee, pushed Yeonjo aside and placed his duffel bag in a locker. The employee who had been hovering around Yeonjo looked on with a somewhat disappointed expression. He seemed to want to ask more, but hesitated, as if afraid of offending the senior employee.

Yeonjo didn’t want to get involved in a power struggle by occupying a central locker, so he went to the side and started changing his clothes.

“Excuse me. What’s the hourly wage for waiters?”

Yeonjo, quietly buttoning his shirt, suddenly voiced his question.

“You changed into the uniform without even knowing that?”

The employee brightened at Yeonjo’s question and quickly approached him. He whispered the daily wage in Yeonjo’s ear as if it were a great secret. It was lower than he expected. Perhaps noticing Yeonjo’s disappointment, the employee patted him on the shoulder reassuringly.

“The hourly wage sucks, but if you get good tips, it’s pretty decent. ”

“Really?”

“If you just cater to the big spenders in the private rooms, you can make a living. That’s why most waiters come here, for the tips.”

He naturally started changing into his uniform next to Yeonjo.

“You’re asking about the hourly wage… are you short on cash? Why did you suddenly switch from being a host to a waiter? Is it because of something with Boss Gu…?”

“Hey, will you shut up? I told you to stop being nosy.”

The senior employee slammed his locker shut and raised his voice.

“But… I’m just curious….”

“If you give him this much attention and treat him like he’s special, he’ll start acting like he is. If he came in as the youngest, he should work at the bottom. What are you doing sticking so close to the newbie?”

At the senior employee’s scolding, the other employee meekly shut his mouth. And after that, he didn’t speak to Yeonjo again. That was more comfortable for Yeonjo as well. He didn’t want to get caught up in their curiosity, nor did he want to receive special treatment because of Boss Gu.

Yeonjo quietly put on his uniform and went out, diligently carrying out the tasks he was given and preparing for opening. He set up the dishes in the kitchen so they could be used immediately for cooking, and carefully checked the glasses for any chips. He kept himself busy by learning how to clean the floors, remove dust from the carpets, clean the sofas, and set the tables. As he did so, the whispers and attention from the people around him gradually faded.

“Cha Yeonjo. Come into the office for a moment.”

Once the store’s opening preparations were complete, the manager, who had been ignoring him, called for Yeonjo. He could feel the gazes of the hosts and waiters around him. Yeonjo deliberately ignored their stares and followed the manager into the office.

“What is it?”

“Uh, sit down over there. There’s something you need to check.”

The manager rummaged through the brown envelopes stacked on the small office desk, covered in dust.

“I’m sure I put it here… where did it go? Damn, look at this dust. These guys never clean properly, but they sure collect their paychecks on time.”

He searched a few more places, then clapped his hands as he found the envelope with Yeonjo’s name on it. And he came over to the table where Yeonjo was sitting.

“Did you learn a lot about the work? I heard you’re quick and efficient.”

“I’m working hard.”

Yeonjo replied dryly. Everyone seemed to work rather casually, so it wasn’t difficult for Yeonjo to help out discreetly. He was confident in such chores because he had a lot of experience. The only problem was the extremely low hourly wage.

“But you haven’t explained why my duties suddenly changed. I…”

“I told you to ask Gu Mun-cheon. I didn’t change it because I wanted to.”

The manager stomped his foot hard, as if to completely shut down the conversation on that topic.

“Forget about that. …Well, it’s good to hear that the work is manageable. Hmm, ahem. Anyway, the reason I called you wasn’t anything special… These are some documents that came for you. Check them, sign and stamp them, and then you can go.”

The manager handed Yeonjo a few sheets of paper. Unable to get a word in edgewise, Yeonjo began reading the densely written document at his urging.

Even though Yeonjo’s expression noticeably stiffened, the manager waited silently until he finished reading.

“…….”

“As you can see, the loan amount and repayment date are on the second page, so check carefully to make sure it’s correct. It’s quite a large sum.”

As he said, the document specified the principal and interest of the loans Yeonjo had taken from the store and Boss Gu. Including, of course, the 20 million won he had borrowed upon arriving in Seoul.

Since he couldn’t repay the principal while confined in the countryside, the interest had accrued further, and it was an amount he couldn’t repay even if he worked diligently as a waiter. Even if he went back to selling his body, it would be the same.

He had never considered the money Boss Gu gave him to be free, but seeing the numbers printed down to the last won made his heart sink. Even if he somehow managed to repay the principal, a staggering amount of interest was listed, an amount he couldn’t even begin to handle.

Yeonjo frowned and clutched the documents in his hand. The paper crumpled helplessly under his grip. This was why he had tried so hard to avoid using private loans.

It was his mistake to keep borrowing from Boss Gu when he didn’t have the ability to repay. But did he have any other choice? He had chosen this because it was the only way to prioritize his grandmother.

He might have vaguely known this would happen. It wasn’t anything new, but a sense of discomfort, whose origin he couldn’t pinpoint, grated on his nerves. In those few seconds, his stomach churned.

“Seriously. This is the first time I’ve seen someone so clueless.”

“…….”

At the manager’s words, Yeonjo raised his head. The manager grimaced and brushed the dust off his desk, then slammed his hand down on it.

“I heard you’re even living at his place, so why don’t you know? If you just wag your tongue a little, he’d take care of that measly sum.”

“Who? Boss Gu?”

“Yes. That money is less than pocket change to him.”

The manager stared at Yeonjo with a look of utter exasperation. He crossed his arms and waited for a reply, thinking he had given some great advice. But Yeonjo didn’t say anything. The situation wasn’t something that could be resolved so simply.

“Sigh, kid. You’re old enough, yet you’re being unnecessarily stubborn.”

“…….”

“Is it stubbornness, or pride? It’s all pointless. Oh, and also, check this and sign it.”

The manager pulled out another sheet of paper and slid it across the table. Yeonjo’s eyes, having seen the words written at the top, were filled with even deeper shock than before.

—Physical Rights Waiver Agreement

“This is….”

The document the manager handed him this time stated that if the debt was not repaid, Yeonjo would forfeit his physical rights as collateral.

“Hey, you there. Yeah, you.”

The private room was filled with ear-splitting laughter and curses. Yeonjo, who was clearing the empty plates from the table, turned his head at the sound of someone calling him. A customer sitting in the middle of the sofa was gesturing for him to come closer.

“Go out and buy me a pack of cigarettes.”

He handed Yeonjo ten thousand won and gave him the errand.

“What kind should I get you?”

“Parliament. And, that guy who came in during the selection earlier, the one at the very end.”

The customer abruptly pulled Yeonjo down by his shoulder. Forced to bend over, he felt the customer’s lips close to his ear as he whispered. The hot breath made him uncomfortable. Yeonjo, hiding his disgust, composed his expression and thought quickly.

“The one in the light blue shirt? With slightly long bangs…?”

“Yeah, that’s him! Does he drink well?”

The customer pointed discontentedly at the host who had fallen asleep drunk beside him.

“This guy can’t hold his liquor, he’s already passed out. He’s useless now, so if that other guy can drink, tell him to come over. We’re just getting started, and he already passed out. What a buzzkill.”

“Understood.”

Yeonjo pocketed the money and finished clearing the plates. Perhaps this room was specifically for customers with high tolerances, because everyone seemed fine despite the table being full of empty glasses. The room was filled with the dizzying mix of drunken chatter and singing.

Yeonjo, escaping the room, first sought out the host in the light blue shirt. He seemed to have already been in another room and come back out, as he was in the waiting area, fixing his disheveled hair. As instructed by the customer, he led the host to the room, quickly took off his waiter’s apron, and headed for the exit.

The guards standing in front of the store saw Yeonjo’s face and approached him, asking what was going on.

“Cigarette errand.”

“Kyujin, you go.”

The guards generally prevented Yeonjo from leaving the store. Even small errands for customers were done by one of the guards.

Yeonjo received the cigarettes and change from the guard who quickly returned from the convenience store and went back to the private room.

“Oh, thanks. But you look like you should be working as a host here. Are you really just a waiter?”

The customer, who immediately took out a cigarette and lit it after receiving the cigarettes and change, observed Yeonjo. Then, along with a joke about contacting him if he ever decided to work as a host, he gave him a tip. As Yeonjo thanked him and was about to leave, the customer called him back.

“Why are you leaving so coldly? Have a drink with us.”

He abruptly offered Yeonjo a freshly poured glass, and Yeonjo had no choice but to accept and drink it. He knew that politely refusing a drunk customer would only prolong the situation.

Once Yeonjo emptied the glass, the customer let him go. Finally free, he stepped out into the hallway and breathed a sigh of relief. The private rooms were filled with a mixture of smells and poor air quality, making him nauseous if he stayed too long.

Yeonjo walked down the hallway, checking his watch. From his few days of experience as a waiter, he knew it was around the time customers started leaving. Some of the previously full rooms were now empty, giving the place a quieter feel.

Since there were no more calls for waiters, Yeonjo headed to the kitchen to find something else to do. The large sink was piled high with dirty dishes, but there was no one there, as if they had gone out for a smoke during the lull. Certainly, now that peak time had passed, there were hardly any food orders.

But knowing that calls could suddenly come flooding in, Yeonjo decided to quickly wash the frequently used dishes and glasses. First, he picked up the food scraps scattered on the floor and put the condiment bottles back in their places. Then, he filled the sink with soapy water and started washing the dishes.

Bending over the sink, he felt a stiffness in his shoulders and back. His ankle also started to throb, perhaps from carrying the heavy trays. Even though he hadn’t drunk much, the alcohol was strong, and he felt slightly lightheaded.

But he didn’t want to rest. Even though it was tiring, it was better to keep himself busy like this. Whenever he had even a moment of free time, negative thoughts would creep in.

After diligently finishing cleaning up, Yeonjo left the store and returned to the officetel. The lights inside were all off, but he noticed Boss Gu’s shoes by the door, indicating he had returned.

Yeonjo washed his hands in the kitchen, changed his clothes, and went straight to the living room sofa to sleep. He had showered at the store after work, so there was no need to wash up again. He thought he would fall asleep right away because he was exhausted, but as soon as he lay down, his mind became clear. For some reason, he had barely slept since coming to this officetel.

As the surroundings became quiet, the document he received from the manager a few days ago inevitably came to mind.

The physical rights waiver agreement.

In the end, Yeonjo had signed the document that day. He had never properly discussed it with Boss Gu. However, its meaning couldn’t have been clearer. His life was now completely in Boss Gu’s hands.

Yeonjo sighed deeply, feeling a tightness in his chest. No matter how deeply he inhaled and exhaled, he felt short of breath.

How was he going to pay off his debt? His waiter’s wages weren’t enough. Even with tips, he couldn’t keep up with the rate at which his debt was increasing. Would he ever be able to escape this alive?

Perhaps Boss Gu, like a snake, was slowly tightening the noose, waiting to devour him whole when he finally struggled for breath, on the verge of death.

Yes. It wasn’t a past that could be easily settled. Accepting it as karmic retribution, he didn’t feel entirely angry about the reality of Boss Gu controlling his life. Perhaps it was only right. Considering the boy from those days who had trusted him completely.

When he closed his eyes, he vividly recalled the two eyes that had looked up at him, filled with silent tears, in the dark, cramped room of the orphanage. The boy’s eyes that had relied solely on Cha Yeonjo, as if nothing else existed in the world….

Yeonjo rubbed his face. And he forced himself to push away the memories that weighed him down. But falling asleep was still difficult.

After tossing and turning for a long time, fully awake, he finally drifted off into a light sleep just before dawn.

Life with the two of them was dry. At the store, many people treated Yeonjo cautiously, aware of his relationship with Boss Gu, but Yeonjo wasn’t as special to Boss Gu as they assumed. Even though they lived in the same house, they remained strictly strangers.

Since coming to this officetel, Boss Gu hadn’t spared Yeonjo a glance. He was so indifferent that Yeonjo wondered if he had been brought here like an impulsively purchased piece of furniture, something to be placed in the house and occasionally looked at.

It wasn’t to satisfy Boss Gu’s desires whenever he felt like it, as it had been in the countryside. Sometimes, Yeonjo felt as though Boss Gu had completely forgotten about his existence; he never laid a finger on him. There was no warm conversation between them, so Yeonjo often pretended to be asleep to avoid interacting with Boss Gu. On days he couldn’t feign sleep, the entirety of their shared routine consisted of sitting across from each other and eating the meal Yeonjo had prepared while Boss Gu was out.

“Where’s my turtleneck?”

Boss Gu suddenly entered the kitchen as he was getting dressed to go out. Yeonjo, who was preparing ingredients for cooking, turned around in surprise.

Boss Gu usually wore shirts, but sometimes he wore a black turtleneck under his jacket. Although Boss Gu hadn’t specifically asked him to, Yeonjo, who had naturally taken over the household chores since arriving at the officetel, racked his brain to remember where the turtleneck was.

“I… washed it.”

“…….”

“It’s probably not dry yet.”

Yeonjo swallowed hard. Looking at Boss Gu’s hardened expression, he felt like he might grab him by the collar at any moment and yell at him for doing something unnecessary.

“Sh, should I dry it with a hairdryer?”

Yeonjo added, his face cringing. Boss Gu turned around without a word.

“Forget it.”

He went into the bedroom and took out a different shirt from the closet. Yeonjo anxiously watched him as he moved around the living room, getting ready to go out. There was something he had wanted to say for several days, but he couldn’t find the right timing.

It took a while to be sure that Boss Gu wasn’t in a particularly bad mood. Only when Boss Gu picked up his car keys and headed for the door did Yeonjo hurriedly speak.

“Aren’t you going to eat?”

“I have to go.”

He put on his shoes without even glancing at Yeonjo.

“Then, wait!”

Yeonjo stopped him without thinking, afraid that he would leave the officetel just like that.

“What is it?”

“Ah.”

“Make it quick, I’m busy.”

He irritably brushed his hair back, as if annoyed by his damp hair falling onto his forehead. Yeonjo, avoiding his gaze, finally brought up the main point.

“Can I… visit my grandmother in the hospital? Even just for a little while?”

Since he started working as a waiter, he had barely been keeping up with his schedule of working all night, waking up in the afternoon, and going to work, so he didn’t have the time to visit the hospital. Also, to go anywhere outside the store, he needed Boss Gu’s permission.

“She seems to be doing well. Talking about your dear grandmother so affectionately in front of me.”

Only then did Boss Gu look directly at Yeonjo. It was a chilling voice that made every hair on his body stand on end. Feeling threatened, Yeonjo involuntarily took a step back.

“She’s been sick for a long time. I just want to see how her treatment is going, just for 10 minutes…”

“…….”

“I won’t do anything else, I’ll be back really quickly. It might sound ridiculous, but I’m her only guardian, so if I don’t visit…”

“Does your grandmother think so too?”

“…What?”

He opened the front door with a grim expression. Boss Gu’s subordinate was already waiting in the hallway.

“I’ll just check on her and come out. Even just for 5 minutes!”

Yeonjo approached him to plead again, but Boss Gu left with the slam of the closing door.

“Sigh….”

Yeonjo returned to the kitchen and sat down at the table, his head in his hands. The officetel felt particularly empty now that he was gone. He felt a tightness in his chest.

He had to finish cooking, air out and clean the place, and get ready for work, but he felt too drained to move a finger.

“What are you doing, Cha Yeonjo?”

Yeonjo muttered to himself derisively. What was he even doing here?

‘Does your grandmother think so too?’

Boss Gu’s parting words lingered uneasily in his mind. No matter how hard he tried to shake them off, they clung to him like residue, stirring up his long-held anxieties.

But his thoughts weren’t wrong. His grandmother had no family, and hadn’t she even lost the grandson she cherished like her own life? He was the only one who could care for his sick grandmother; he was her only grandson. So it was natural for him to worry. No matter what anyone said.

“Hey! Are you in there? Open the door!”

He had dozed off at the table. Yeonjo opened his eyes to the sound of someone pounding on the front door as if they were going to break it down. A gruff voice echoed down the hallway.

“Damn it. Hyungnim told me not to open it, and I don’t have a key. Did he actually run off somewhere…? Huh?”

Startled, he rushed to open the door, and he saw the familiar face of the subordinate. He stopped mid-sentence and looked down at Yeonjo, who was standing in front of the open door.

“Why are you taking so long to answer?”

“I fell asleep. What’s going on?”

“What’s going on? Just come out quickly.”

“Uh, it’s not… time for work yet.”

Yeonjo blinked his sleepy eyes, checking the time.

“What are you talking about? You’re going to the hospital, right?”

“The hospital?”

Hospital. It was an unexpected word, and his remaining sleepiness vanished instantly. The subordinate scratched his chin and asked again at Yeonjo’s clueless reaction.

“Hyungnim said so.”

“…….”

“No? Suit yourself if you don’t want to go.”

“No! Wait, wait a minute. I’ll just change and come right out!”

He had been worried because he heard his grandmother was suffering from a cold the last time they spoke on the phone from the countryside, but she greeted Yeonjo warmly. Without a single word of complaint about why he had come so late. As soon as he arrived, his grandmother gave him so much fruit and snacks that were in the hospital room that he ate until he was about to burst. It was fortunate that he hadn’t eaten beforehand.

His grandmother, wearing a scarf over her shaved head due to the cold weather, looked strangely gaunt, perhaps because of Yeonjo’s worry. He was so concerned that he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

“Are you leaving already?”

He wanted to take a longer walk with her and talk more, but he had to check if she was getting along with the caregiver and also talk to the doctor, so he couldn’t stay with his grandmother for long. Boss Gu hadn’t given him much time anyway.

It was frustrating that he couldn’t see her as much as he wanted, even though she was alive and well. Yeonjo felt his heart ache at his grandmother’s disappointed voice.

“I have to go back to work.”

“…Alright. You must be busy. I was being thoughtless, keeping you here for so long.”

“No, it’s okay. I’ll stay longer next time. I can call you more often now, so if you need anything, tell me right away.”

“Need anything? I just want to see my sweet Yeonjo’s face more often.”

“I’ll… come again soon. I promise.”

Yeonjo held his grandmother’s hand tightly and made a promise. The hand that used to smell perpetually of fish from selling fish at the market every day now had the faint, sterile scent of the hospital.

“My one and only puppy. I’m so sorry for making you go through so much…”

Yeonjo shook his head, denying her words. He clenched his jaw and suppressed his voice, lest any weakness escape him. And he linked his pinky finger with his grandmother’s gnarled one and repeated his promise to come back soon, as if making a vow to himself.

He had to leave the hospital room to make it back in time for work, despite his reluctance. It was especially difficult today to force a smile as he said goodbye to his grandmother, telling her he would be staying in Seoul now, so he could visit soon.

As soon as he left the room, Boss Gu’s subordinate, who had been waiting outside, strode towards him. Seeing him standing there, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, to control him, Yeonjo felt a surge of desire to run away. But even if his emotions intensified, he had no right to say anything to the subordinate. He had no right whatsoever.

Yeonjo got into the car driven by the subordinate, his face dark. The quiet atmosphere of the car was oppressive. He wished they would arrive at the store quickly. Once he was there, immersed in the chaotic flow of laughter, chatter, and sex, his troubled mind would become empty.

He wanted to hide within that chaos as soon as possible.

Yeonjo took off his shoes after returning to the officetel after closing. At the same time, a chilling coldness climbed from the tips of his toes throughout his body.

The dim interior, the dry air, the eeriness of the pre-dawn hours. It was the same officetel scene as usual, but the atmosphere felt strangely different.

Yeonjo looked down at the shoe cabinet. Boss Gu’s shoes were scattered haphazardly, as if he hadn’t had time to put them away properly.

Was he already home? He usually came back later. Yeonjo neatly arranged his black shoes and then went into the living room.

He thought he would thank Boss Gu if he saw him. After all, it was thanks to him that he was able to go to the hospital today. Judging by the lack of any sounds, he might be asleep, but Yeonjo turned on the kitchen light just in case.

“What’s this?”

As he was about to head to the bedroom, Yeonjo noticed stains on the floor of the hallway connecting the living room and kitchen and bent down. Unidentifiable marks, like dirt or paint, were scattered across the living room floor. Strangely, only on the floor….

Yeonjo’s body suddenly stiffened.

“Blood?”

The moment he recalled the word, the unknown substance on the floor that had looked like paint now truly looked like blood. Yeonjo fumbled for the wall and turned on another fluorescent light, then scanned the officetel. And he found Boss Gu without difficulty.

“Hey!”

As expected, Boss Gu was sprawled on the sofa. His shirt was soaked in blood.

Yeonjo rushed over to where he lay. The blood seemed to be flowing particularly heavily from around his side. With horrified eyes, Yeonjo gently shook Boss Gu’s shoulder. But his large, rock-like body didn’t budge.

“Why… how, how did this happen?”

After sitting there blankly for a few seconds, Yeonjo came to his senses and took off Boss Gu’s shirt. He managed to unbutton it and pull it aside, revealing his torn flesh where his side had been wounded.

The surrounding area was covered in blood, making it difficult to determine how deep the wound was. Was he stabbed? Then what should he do?

He was so shocked that the thought of calling an ambulance didn’t immediately occur to him. Yeonjo stared, his face pale, at the blood that had gotten on his hands while he fumbled with the shirt. Beyond his bloodstained hand, he saw Boss Gu. With his eyes closed, Boss Gu looked somewhat pale, perhaps from blood loss.

Surprisingly, in his weakened state, he could faintly make out the boyish face from his childhood. A fleeting trace, but it was there.

“Rags?”

Yeonjo’s heart sank at the word he uttered.

“Ah…”

Now that he had found traces of that boy, he couldn’t maintain his composure. The day the boy had come home badly beaten because he was small and talked too much, he had lain in his room like this, as if dead. Quietly covered with the blanket Yeonjo used. He hadn’t even made a sound, just like now.

A tingling sensation shot through his chest, as if someone had punched him. Yeonjo felt an unbearable pain, just looking at him with his eyes closed. The helplessness he felt in his childhood, when he couldn’t even take him to a hospital, resurfaced, triggering a sharp sense of self-loathing.

He thought he had forgotten it all, but it was as vivid as yesterday. Why was everything related to him so…

“Baby, open your eyes. Wh, what happened?”

Yeonjo placed his ear on his chest to check if his heart was beating. He shook his arm a few more times, trying to wake him, and then finally remembered the ambulance.

“Oh, right. My phone. Where’s my… phone…”

Why hadn’t he thought of calling for help? Stupid. Yeonjo fumbled around, searching for his phone. Did he put it in his pants pocket, or his jacket…?

As he moved around frantically, he looked up, and to his astonishment, the boy’s closed eyes slowly opened.

Yeonjo froze. Looking into those dark, inky eyes, he felt like he had been suddenly dropped back into the musty, gloomy room of the orphanage.

The countless days, emotions, and memories he experienced with him there exploded in his mind like fireworks.

“…….”

“…….”

If only, that day. If only he had run away with him instead of leaving him in that room. Could all of this – the burns, the wounds, the festering emotions of the past – have been erased?

Even though he was angry because he couldn’t understand Boss Gu’s actions towards him, if he had to choose the worse villain between the two, it was ultimately Cha Yeonjo himself. All of this was a tragedy stemming from his choice that day.

Yeonjo, looking at Boss Gu, managed to mutter, “I think we need to go to the hospital.”

“This is nothing.”

“The wound is bleeding continuously. If we leave it like this…”

“I called someone to take care of it, so shut up. You’re making my head hurt.”

Boss Gu spoke as if he didn’t feel any pain. Even though there were beads of cold sweat on his temples and his lips were devoid of color, he didn’t make a single sound of pain.

Come to think of it, he was like that during their first reunion, too. Despite the clear lacerations on his back, he had sat there calmly, drinking. But pain wouldn’t discriminate. And there was no telling when the person he called would arrive.

Yeonjo turned to look for the first-aid kit. Fortunately, he remembered seeing it while cleaning the officetel. He took out the kit, placed it in front of Boss Gu, and pulled out the antiseptic and bandages. He intended to at least stop the bleeding for now.

“Sit up for a moment.”

Yeonjo insisted. Boss Gu looked at Yeonjo with a somewhat annoyed expression but sat up without a word. When he took off his shirt completely, Yeonjo saw cuts from something sharp on his right arm and hand as well.

Taking a deep breath at the sight of the blood trickling down, Yeonjo first disinfected the wound on his side. Boss Gu’s firm abdominal muscles twitched slightly.

Fortunately, the wound wasn’t as deep as he had feared. It was a shallow cut on the surface, not a fatal injury that would threaten his life. He felt relieved.

“Please bear with it… even if it hurts.”

Yeonjo, who had been busily tending the wound, paused for a moment. The bumpy scars from burns, healed long ago, spread from his back to his side.

“…….”

The wide, deep marks seemed to writhe slightly, as if reproaching Yeonjo. He wanted to close his eyes and shut out the sight.

Forcing himself to ignore the urge to run away, Yeonjo continued what he was doing. Seeing the burns up close and applying medicine to them was a cruel process. It felt like he was dealing with the remnants of his past mistakes.

Boss Gu was now sitting comfortably on the sofa. And he looked down intently at Yeonjo, who had finished treating his side and arm and was now applying gauze to his right hand.

“What did you call me earlier?”

Yeonjo flinched and looked up at Boss Gu’s question. But he continued wrapping the gauze as if he hadn’t been flustered at all. As Boss Gu clenched and unclenched his fist as if to distract him, the carefully placed gauze came loose.

“…….”

Yeonjo checked Boss Gu’s expression, wondering if he had hurt him. Realizing that Boss Gu had been teasing him, he silently took out a new piece of gauze.

This time, Boss Gu reached out his uninjured hand and touched the nape of Yeonjo’s neck. His touch was careful, yet firm, like a child pressing piano keys one by one. Then he pressed his thumb against the hollow of Yeonjo’s throat, checking his pulsing heartbeat. Yeonjo trembled like a bird drenched in rain.

“Why did you stop? Keep going.”

Boss Gu urged Yeonjo, who was frozen, and held out his injured hand.

“I’m not in the mood for games.”

“I’m not playing.”

He moved the hand that had been on Yeonjo’s collarbone up to cup his pale face. Then his rough fingers parted Yeonjo’s red lips and traced the line of his teeth.

Yeonjo tried to pull his head back, but Boss Gu wouldn’t let go. He held Yeonjo’s face in place and persistently explored his mouth, pressing his tongue against Yeonjo’s. Yeonjo, giving up on escaping, licked Boss Gu’s fingers.

“Haa…”

His thick, long thumb traced the inside of Yeonjo’s mouth, from his molars to his canines and incisors. A stinging sensation arose whenever the rough surface of his finger, bumpy and scarred from the burns, grazed against his gums and tongue. Yeonjo’s cheek puffed out as Boss Gu’s finger probed the soft flesh inside. Yeonjo closed his lips and licked Boss Gu’s finger again, feeling like he would drool if he stayed still.

The moment his small front teeth grazed Boss Gu’s finger, his steady breath hitched. The faint scent of cigarettes and the dry winter air mingled around him, creating a strange sensation.

If this continues…

Ding-dong, ding-dong.

The doorbell rang sharply, piercing through his clouded thoughts. Yeonjo flinched and sat up from the floor. Boss Gu, who had been sitting on the sofa, also withdrew his hand this time.

He was fully erect. As he turned away without hesitation to open the door, the distance between them naturally widened. It was probably the person he had called to treat his wounds.

“Hyungnim, how are you feeling? This is Dr. Choi, I brought him to look at your wound…”

Hearing the conversation from the entrance, Yeonjo stood up and straightened his hair and clothes. He fled into the bedroom before they could enter the living room and ran his tongue over the inside of his still-tingling mouth.

“Oh, Hyungnim. Speaking of which, about the guy you told me to look for last time.”

“What happened?”

“We found him.”

Yeonjo’s phone vibrated as the subordinate gave his hushed reply. He had been wondering where it was; it had been in his back pocket. Yeonjo, still dazed, checked the screen. The caller was Old Man Kim.