Mother Tape Chapter 1.1

Wisoo heard the sound of dripping water in the emerald green bathroom. Even though the intervals grew further apart and the dripping eventually stopped, Wisoo could still hear it. It might just be wishful thinking.

His fingers turned white as he gripped the sink, staring intently at the mirror. Reflected within was a pale face, even though he hadn’t done anything in particular. He had also become unattractively thin.

Behind him, reflected in the mirror, was the outfit Wisoo had to wear today. It was a dark green that made his skin appear even paler, a flowing silk slip that seemed to reveal his entire ribcage.

“Ugh….”

Wisoo dry-heaved, even though he hadn’t eaten anything.

He struggled to regain his composure due to the tension and the unpleasant sensation that clung to his bones.

He steadied his shaky legs and put on the clothes. He couldn’t bring himself to look in the mirror.

He was just grateful that Chairman Kwak wasn’t rushing him today. Usually, he would have been knocking on the door, telling him to come out. It wasn’t so much fascinating as it was frightening how vigorous the old man was despite his age.

Wisoo’s body had grown cold, and even the water he hadn’t dried from his body was almost dry. Only then did Wisoo slowly leave the bathroom. After all, he didn’t like this space either.

And as soon as he opened the bathroom door, there was a crashing sound.

It was a tremendous sound. Startled, Wisoo ran towards the source of the noise and saw Chairman Kwak collapsed in the first-floor bedroom. His face was ashen as he clutched his chest. His ragged breathing seemed as if it could cease at any moment.

Wisoo was flustered, but he found himself running towards the old man who was desperately reaching out to him. The hem of the slip unpleasantly tangled around his thighs, like his long, damp hair.

“Jaekwon.”

The old man muttered in a gasping voice.

“Bring that bastard… Bring that bastard here.”

“Who is that…?”

Wisoo asked anxiously, wondering if he should call someone. He felt like if he left his position carelessly, everything would be over.

Over…?

Wisoo’s hands grew cold. That was precisely what he had wished for, but if the old man passed away and he remained alive, then what would his life be like after the old man was gone…?

“Jaekwon…. That shameless bastard….”

The old man’s eyes were already clouded over. Unaware that Wisoo’s mind was tangled like a ball of yarn, he abruptly grabbed Wisoo’s hand.

Wisoo held his breath at the startling coldness and unpleasant sensation.

“Honey.”

The old man was looking at Wisoo and, at the same time, not looking at him. Wisoo pulled his head back and bit his lip.

“I know… how hard it is because of that bastard.”

As if understanding everything, the old man smiled with infinite compassion. However, knowing who Chairman Kwak was seeing through him, Wisoo knew how disgustingly hypocritical this scene was.

So, he couldn’t even tell if this chilling disgust he was feeling was truly his own or the other person’s.

“Now I’m going… I’m going….”

Chairman Kwak, who had been smiling gently, suddenly opened his eyes wide and gripped Wisoo’s hand tightly. It was an incredible force, enough to crush his bones.

“Ah!” Wisoo let out a sharp cry. Chairman Kwak didn’t relent, pulling him closer and shouting with a skeletal face.

“You must never… care for that bastard Jaekwon.”

“Ah, it hurts…!”

“You must love only me… only me!”

Chairman Kwak died with his eyes open, spitting out a voice as if he were vomiting blood.

Before Wisoo even registered the old man’s death, he shook off the old man’s fingers like they were insects and flung away his hand.

As Wisoo gasped, clutching his hand which was marked with white fingerprints, he heard footsteps behind him.

“What’s all this commotion…? Oh my!”

At the horrified scream, Wisoo turned his head.

Standing there were the live-in nurse who cared for the owner of this damp and gloomy house every other day, and the housekeeper who helped with the chores. His gaze shifted from the deceased Chairman Kwak to Wisoo, who was clad in a silk slip.

“I, I didn’t do it….”

Wisoo mumbled in a choked voice at the contempt in their eyes.

“I didn’t do it….”

Exactly ten minutes later, the paramedics arrived. Secretary Shin, who had served Chairman Kwak, arrived ten minutes after that. He clicked his tongue at the sight of Wisoo standing there, trembling. Then, he draped his coat over him and shoved him into the dressing room of the first-floor bedroom where a man had just died, as if disposing of trash.

Inside the ambulance carrying the body, everyone thought the same thing, though they didn’t voice it aloud. They thought about that young man who created such a strangely disturbing scene, enough to elicit an uncomfortable sneer.

❖ ❖ ❖

Secretary Shin didn’t seek out Wisoo until the day of the funeral.

Confined alone in the house where no one had come, Wisoo looked incredibly haggard after just a little under three days. Secretary Shin pushed Wisoo into the bathroom, told him to wash up, and then laid out a black suit he had prepared.

Wisoo, trembling, came out and put on the clothes Secretary Shin had provided.

“How is it?”

Secretary Shin, who was smoking, asked Wisoo, who was beyond the door.

“I think I need a belt.”

The suit was loose around his waist. Secretary Shin tapped the ash from his cigarette into the ashtray he was holding.

“Did you lose more weight?”

“…….”

It wasn’t his own volition that had made his already undeniably thin body even more compulsively thin. It was the teacher’s order, following Chairman Kwak’s demands. It wasn’t his choice. To wear a women’s slip, not a unisex omega slip, but one ordered specifically to be close to the size of Chairman Kwak’s deceased wife, he had to be extremely thin.

Secretary Shin entered the room and rummaged through the dressing room. He muttered, “There was something like this here?” and pulled out a belt, a youthful style that didn’t suit Chairman Kwak. It still had its tag on, having never been used.

Wisoo tore off the tag and put on the belt.

In the car, Wisoo sipped the protein drink Secretary Shin handed him and ignored his repeated warnings.

“The young master will be coming today.”

Outside, the lush vegetation, welcoming summer, radiated a vibrant, almost sickeningly bright green. It was suffocating just to look at it.

“You don’t need to know anything about the young master. If you happen to run into him, don’t pry, don’t fuss, just stay quiet. The elders know about your existence, but the young master doesn’t, so keep your mouth shut, especially.”

Instead of replying, Wisoo breathed, “Haa,” onto the car window. Having consumed nothing but a thick protein drink, he could hardly have any energy. He slumped over and traced the tiresome trees with his fingertips. The drawing looked like broccoli.

Glancing at him from the side, Secretary Shin casually remarked, “He’s not the type to believe stories like his father hiring a psychic to see his dead wife. It’s much better to keep your mouth shut and be misunderstood than to say something foolish and be labeled crazy.”

“I wouldn’t do that,” Wisoo replied weakly, his forehead resting against the drawing he had made.

“Why would I say such things, as if there’s any connection between him and me?”

Secretary Shin overestimated him. He constantly suspected Wisoo of using Chairman Kwak for personal gain and even after hearing the cause of death was a heart attack, he had searched through his meager belongings. Wisoo knew better than anyone that he wasn’t capable of such things. Besides, with his stomach this empty, how could he have the energy to do anything? Wisoo squeezed his eyes shut.

The funeral was to be held at the temple Chairman Kwak frequented. Exhausted from being dragged around by Secretary Shin, Wisoo excused himself to use the restroom and slipped away for a moment.

It was a large temple. Like playing hide-and-seek, Wisoo hid behind each temple pillar, peeking his head out. Then he saw sleek, black cars arriving one after another.

Wisoo took off his shoes and walked stealthily. Thanks to the temple’s location on a hillside, he could see the people coming up from below, albeit small.

Each person carried something heavy on their shoulders, like a burden. The shapes were sometimes hideous, sometimes melancholic. Sometimes they were dainty, and other times they resembled a child, a cat, or a puppy. In any case, everyone carried at least one.

However, only one person, who arrived late, had nothing on their shoulders.

Wisoo’s body, leaning against a pillar of the main hall, naturally tilted forward. Just as he was about to tumble out onto the veranda, someone grabbed him from behind.

“You little…!”

It was Secretary Shin, his eyes glaring behind his glasses.

Instead of flinching, Wisoo immediately apologized.

“I’m sorry.”

Secretary Shin, who interpreted this immediate apology as suspicious and cunning, dragged Wisoo away without even giving him time to put his shoes on properly. His arm ached where he was grabbed, but Wisoo followed silently.

“Monks. Don’t be in such a hurry, please take your time.”

A Buddhist nun added kindly, smiling. Secretary Shin bowed his head in greeting, but other than that brief moment, he quickly dragged Wisoo away again.

As they were about to round the main hall, Secretary Shin suddenly stopped in his tracks. Wisoo barely avoided bumping into him and exhaled the stale breath that had been stuck in his chest, replaced by a fresh breeze that suddenly washed over him.

And he lifted his head toward the source of that breeze.

Standing there was the man with nothing on his shoulders.

‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened.’

The teacher lived by those words. People were drawn to them. Wisoo could recognize those who would be most easily swayed, the desperate ones.

This man wasn’t one of them. He was the kind who would scoff and pass by even if the teacher called out to him… the kind who, in the midst of the humid, sweltering summer, would dispel the moisture and heat, cooling a sweaty forehead and allowing one to breathe freely… like a very dark and cool shade.

❖ ❖ ❖

Kwak Jaekwon’s first reaction upon hearing of his father’s death was to say he was busy and to tell him later. By the time he heard the news again, it was twelve hours before the funeral. The time of death was past 10 pm, so the procedures had been delayed by a day, and yet….

Jaekwon unilaterally informed them to postpone the funeral slightly and caught the earliest flight, boarding at the last call. He only then recalled how long it had been since he’d been back to his home country. Eight years. It wasn’t something to be sentimental about. Jaekwon picked up his tablet to double-check the work he had almost finished. His father’s death had no impact on him whatsoever.

After a thirteen-hour flight and a three-hour car ride, Kwak Jaekwon finally arrived at his father’s house.

“What about the house he used to live in?”

Jaekwon, who had naturally assumed they would head to Seoul, frowned at the dense vegetation that unfolded before him. Listening to the incessant chirping of cicadas amidst the mountains and fields was anything but pleasant for him, having not slept a wink during the entire flight.

“He moved here five years ago.”

“Since when did the old man’s taste become the quiet countryside?”

It seemed people change when they are about to die. Jaekwon, who had been absent throughout, ascended the garden path dressed in a black suit, black tie, and a rather flashy and gaudy silver tie pin. If this was the case, he might as well have lived in the mountains with his belongings scattered around. Jaekwon couldn’t understand why the garden path was such a winding uphill climb.

“Where is the funeral home?”

“It’s ten minutes away. We can leave immediately.”

“Let me off the hook, I flew all night. I want to shower.”

He was tugging at his tie when he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

“Sir?”

Despite the voice calling him from behind, he held his breath. He narrowed his eyes, waiting to see if what he had just glimpsed would reappear.

But it didn’t reappear no matter how long he waited.

“I definitely saw a white foot.”

“A white foot, sir?”

That’s impossible. Everyone should be at the funeral home…. Secretary Hwang Gujo mumbled.

Jaekwon waited. But no matter how long he waited, there was no sign of anyone. Only then did he start walking again.

“Did I see wrong?”

He couldn’t have. Jaekwon was certain. He was someone who scoffed at hallucinations and optical illusions. He didn’t believe in anything he couldn’t logically comprehend. He was tired and on edge, but he wasn’t so out of it that he would see hallucinations. So there must be something there.

“I’m going to wash up. Make up some excuse.”

“What?!”

“Say I lost my luggage or something.”

You didn’t even bring enough to lose anything!

Gujo made a frustrated face.

But Jaekwon was already on his way to the bathroom, shedding his jacket and shirt like a snake shedding its skin.

The bathroom design was beautiful and, at the same time, dirty. That’s what it was like, according to Jaekwon’s taste. Jaekwon picked up a bottle of massage gel, then threw it down, feeling nauseous. He wanted to throw everything away, thinking that the dead old man had used these things, but what could he do? He had to wash up now.

Jaekwon clicked his tongue at the glossy green tiles. It took talent to interpret classic style so vulgarly. The old man lived stuck in his youth. It wasn’t dementia. It was just his greed and attachment to the past.

“I’m hesitant to even touch this stuff, in case it’s some kind of aphrodisiac.”

Jaekwon muttered, drying his hair with a towel. Unlike the old man, the scent of the shower products was youthful. Jaekwon was thirty-five, and the old man was seventy-four. This scent suited Jaekwon better, so it was clear what age group the old man had been aiming for.

“You really have to go now, sir. Your uncles are causing a scene.”

Hwang Gujo urged him, fidgeting. Jaekwon didn’t want to stay long in this strange, gloomy house, a peculiar mix of Western-style and traditional Korean architecture. He threw the dryer down irritably as he dried his hair.

“Alright. Let’s go, let’s go.”

His hair was still a little damp, but what did it matter? Jaekwon got dressed, tied his tie, and stepped down from the platform.

Thirty minutes had passed. He thought he had been relatively quick, but apparently not. It was an awkward amount of time. He should have either been properly late or on time.

As he stepped down, shaking his arm as if to shake off his discomfort, Jaekwon suddenly asked Gujo,

“Are there any other doors here?”

Hwang Gujo also seemed unfamiliar with the place, as it was his first time there.

“Never mind. Let’s go. Let’s get this over with and go back.”

Jaekwon clicked his tongue and led the way.

This was the most cumbersome, annoying, and unpleasant task he had ever handled.

❖ ❖ ❖

Even though they had rented out an entire funeral home, there wasn’t enough space for all the flower wreaths. Jaekwon, hands in his pockets, entered the funeral home and chuckled as he read the names on the condolence ribbons – politicians, businesspeople, and even journalists. This was because the funeral home itself was quiet. It was filled with only white flowers.

“Oh…. Isn’t that Jaekwon?”

As he stepped into the cool interior, the old man’s brothers, who had been huddled together whispering, rose from their seats. They hesitantly approached and acknowledged him.

“It’s been a while. How many years has it been? Was it a difficult journey?”

“We… took good care of your brother’s embalming. The funeral will be held at the temple he frequented, so it’ll be just in time if we leave now….”

“It’s been a while, uncles. You’ve aged a lot.”

Jaekwon replied, nodding his head.

“I haven’t been able to properly care for my father due to my busy schedule. You’ve worked hard in place of this unfilial son. Let’s finish this quickly. We’re cremating him anyway, aren’t we?”

“Cremation? … No. He prepared a burial plot.”

The second oldest of the four brothers stepped forward. He seemed to have taken the lead, as the other brothers just watched.

“…He decided to be buried next to your mother.”

When Jaekwon remained silent for a long time, the elderly and middle-aged men exchanged glances.

“Ha!”

Jaekwon burst out laughing, making the already chilly funeral home feel even colder.

After laughing for a while, Jaekwon finally spoke.

“These people are amusing, aren’t they?”

Jaekwon’s mother’s health deteriorated rapidly after giving birth to him. It was presumed she had postpartum depression, but such knowledge was somewhat lacking at the time. Jaekwon thought it was the man he called father who lacked common sense.

Even so, they pumped her full of all kinds of medication. Kwak Bonyoung, Jaekwon’s biological father, seemed to think that was love, if it could even be called that. He took care of his wife. Or rather, confined her would be more accurate. Paranoia, obsession, his brain must have deteriorated early, because he would flip between fits of rage and then pathetically beg and cry on his knees several times a day. In the end, his mother chose to end her own life.

Jaekwon was eighteen years old at the time, and it was early autumn.

It was a long time, he thought. At least for his mother, it must have felt like an eternity.

The relationship between mother and son wasn’t bad. There was only one villain. However, Kwak Bonyoung seemed to think that villain was someone else. Kwak Jaekwon.

‘You’re a horrible person. Don’t follow me even after you die. Don’t you dare be buried next to me.’

Those were his mother’s last words. In her final moments, his mother was terribly weak. It was winter, so she was bundled up from head to toe. Even so, he could see how much weight she had lost.

Since middle school, he had been sent away to boarding schools, almost as if he had been banished. Of course, it was Kwak Bonyoung’s order. Because of this, Jaekwon, who had to stay at the dormitory back then, should be grateful that it was the beginning of the weekend, allowing him to witness his mother’s last moments. Or so he wondered.

Jaekwon watched the horrifying spectacle of his parents until the very end. His unconscious mother miraculously regained consciousness as soon as Kwak Bonyoung arrived. As if she had been waiting for that moment, she poured out curses. So consumed by hatred, so focused on cursing, his mother momentarily forgot about Jaekwon’s existence. And that moment became eternity.

Still, Jaekwon wanted to honor his mother’s last wish, as he always felt a deep affection for her. Did Kwak Bonyoung feel any remorse? Jaekwon clearly remembered him wailing and begging her not to go, saying he would not be buried next to her. Even if those words were sincere, they wouldn’t reach the deceased, and they wouldn’t erase what he had done to her. The dead were finally free, and the tears of the surviving villain only stank.

After his mother’s funeral, Jaekwon left the country of his own accord. Kwak Bonyoung didn’t try to stop him, and there were no goodbyes. Still, he occasionally, for almost a day, set foot on this land. It was for his mother’s memorial service, and father and son visited the grave at different times. So, how long had it been since they had even seen each other’s faces?

“It’s absurd. What ‘next to her’?”

It was a shame he couldn’t see his father’s face, as it was all wrapped up. Because the chief mourner had to write the deceased’s name under the coffin, the space beneath Kwak Jaekwon’s feet was still blank.

“It’s fine. This man wouldn’t want me to write his name anyway.”

“Still….”

“I’ve seen him, so it’s fine. Close it.”

Jaekwon nodded. The coffin was closed again, and only then did they hammer in the nails that had been postponed until now.

Even though there was no particular smell, Jaekwon felt a stench clinging to him, so he left the room where the funeral rites had been performed and lit a cigarette. His uncle, who must have been looking for him, was sweating profusely as he looked around. Even though Jaekwon saw him, he pretended not to.

Dabbing his forehead with a handkerchief, his uncle approached and called out to him. Still, Jaekwon didn’t turn around and didn’t put out his cigarette.

“Jaekwon. It was your father’s last wish. He wanted to lie next to your mother.”

So, those wails were indeed fleeting. Jaekwon sneered.

“Well, that was Mother’s last wish too. She told me, ‘You’re a horrible person, so don’t even think about lying next to me.’”

Jaekwon repeatedly opened and closed his mouth as if teasing. In sync with his movements, smoke puffed out in little rings.

“You… haven’t even opened the will yet. Are you sure you can act so arrogant?”

He chuckled at those words and pulled a portable ashtray from his pocket. It was custom-made and engraved with Kwak Jaekwon’s initials. Only after stubbing out his cigarette did he turn to his uncle.

“You speak as if you already know the contents of the will.”

“…….”

“I don’t care if I don’t get a single penny. I’ve earned enough to take care of myself.”

“You….”

“Rather than that, you weren’t exactly close with your brother, so why are you suddenly so concerned about Father’s burial plot? It’s not like the dead will suddenly give you more scraps just because you do this.”

Jaekwon’s uncle looked as if his blood pressure would spike and he would collapse at any moment due to Jaekwon’s teasing tone and upturned inflection.

However, he quickly regained his composure and retorted,

“You’ll regret it.”

“Such a cliché line, it makes my knees tremble.”

“You haven’t seen that person yet, have you?”

That person?

Jaekwon furrowed his brows, then put on a smiling face and asked,

“Ah, so after pretending to be so heartbroken over Mother, he found a new woman? How old is my new… sibling?”

“It’s not a sibling.”

His uncle sneered. He seemed even more confident than when he had mentioned the will. Jaekwon lit another cigarette, frowning at him.

“Not a sibling, he says.”

With a strange expression, he raised his pinky finger. The thick gold ring on his finger gleamed brightly in the early summer sun. It was a light that induced a migraine.

❖ ❖ ❖

Jaekwon swallowed a migraine pill and rubbed his temples. Just seeing his uncle’s gloomy smile as he denied it being a sibling, he could roughly guess the story.

“It’s not surprising that Father had a lover. I even asked him directly, ‘So you’ve found a new woman?’”

With a throbbing head, Jaekwon voiced his thoughts, wanting to release some of the pain.

“But I wonder why he’s being so smug about it.”

They were on their way to the temple. It was located deep in the mountains, a temple frequented by influential figures. A mountain house and a mountain temple – he really went all out.

The air conditioner was already blasting, cold enough for someone less sensitive to heat to complain, but Jaekwon didn’t say anything about adjusting the temperature. The chilling, unpleasant coldness that seeped into his bones was like his pillow, so his way of dealing with the chill was to drive it out with more chill.

“I’ve been looking into it,” Hwang Gujo began.

“It seems there was a reason why your father moved his residence.”

“Of course, there was a reason. There’s no way he would suddenly change his residence without a reason.”

“It’s the reason that’s unsettling.”

Hwang Gujo frowned.

“Everyone is making excuses and beating around the bush, but it’s obvious they’re hiding the real reason.”

“Now that the old man is dead, there’s no reason to hide a young lover whose support has been cut off. Is the young lover’s name in the will or something?”

“I’m not sure. But it seems this lover isn’t ordinary.”

“What the hell. Is he a minor?”

Kwak Jaekwon snapped sarcastically.

And he would soon meet this person he had only been speculating about.

As soon as Jaekwon saw the face before him, he asked,

“Adult?”

Next to the pale face he encountered behind the main hall, stood the gloomy fellow who had served the old man. That said it all. A male… clinging to the secretary who had served him his entire life.

“Adult… yes.”

The young face, with a thoroughly frightened expression, nodded and stuck close to the secretary of his deceased lover. Jaekwon asked with a smile,

“You know who I am, right?”

“…….”

“You’re avoiding me because you know….”

“Young Master.”

“Oh, come on, it’s been ages since I graduated from being called ‘Young Master.’ Cut the cheesy talk, Secretary Shin.”

“…….”

“So, is this my father’s… that?”

Jaekwon raised his pinky finger and wiggled it in the air. The young face’s gaze followed his finger. Seeing this, Jaekwon snapped his fingers. Startled, the young face looked at him instead of his hand, and Jaekwon grinned.

“I knew his tastes were dirty, but damn…. He really did it all, huh?”

Words quite different from his smile escaped his lips.

The young face looked as if he was about to hide completely behind Secretary Shin. Secretary Shin was almost as tall as Jaekwon. If the young face really wanted to hide, he could easily be concealed.

“The funeral procession will begin soon. You should take your place.”

“I don’t think that old man wants to see me even on his way out.”

“There are people watching.”

Jaekwon ignored him and fumbled for a cigarette. However, at Secretary Shin’s words, “Smoking is strictly prohibited on temple grounds,” he clicked his tongue.

“Secretary Shin, you’re still so stiff. You’re almost sixty, try to relax a bit.”

“…….”

“So, what’s your name? I should at least know my stepmother’s name.”

He was tired, annoyed, and irritated. His mood was at rock bottom, so he needed to take it out on someone, even if it was the young face. And his outburst was appropriate in time, place, and reason.

The young face completely hid behind Secretary Shin. Secretary Shin, whose hair was now half-gray, tilted his head as if trying to hear what he was mumbling. Did he sleep with the secretary too, instead of just the old man? Or did the relatively younger Secretary Shin do him instead of the old man? What peculiar taste. Vulgar, unfiltered thoughts flickered in and out of Jaekwon’s mind.

“Go inside first.”

Secretary Shin spoke to the young face hiding behind him. Although it was a whisper, Jaekwon heard it clearly.

“Even though I came prepared to not receive any inheritance, he calls me ‘Young Master’ and then treats me like I’m invisible?”

Jaekwon muttered, covering the back of his neck with his hand and tilting his head as if fatigued.

The young face was watching him from behind Secretary Shin. Jaekwon wondered why he was staring at him like that. Had being around old men made him crave a young guy? Jaekwon’s opinion of the young face had already plummeted below rock bottom.

“Hurry.”

Secretary Shin urged the young face. Hesitantly, he emerged, surprisingly, not from behind the secretary but from in front of him. In other words, he stood between Jaekwon and the secretary.

“Seon Wisoo.”

“What?”

Unaware of the sudden crumpling of the face behind him, the young face spoke to Jaekwon.

“I’m Seon Wisoo.”

A fading voice. A voice so soft it was almost inaudible.

Before Jaekwon could ask again, the young face, having stated his name, darted into the main hall. It was a famous poem, what was it… The “withered cabbage leaf” footsteps mentioned in that poem were exactly like that.

“What was that about?”

Jaekwon asked with a hollow laugh.

“He’s a Shin. Is he your grandson or something, Secretary?”

“No, sir.”

“I see. It would be a bit much if he sold his own flesh and blood, grandson or nephew, to our old man.”

“…….”

“Well, considering some overly loyal people would even suck dick, maybe it’s not that strange?”

“No, sir.”

Secretary Shin replied through gritted teeth.

“It’s not what you think, Young Master.”

Jaekwon stepped closer, filling the space left by Seon Wisoo. Even though they were of similar height, Secretary Shin was now over sixty and his back wasn’t as straight as it used to be. Moreover, Jaekwon had a much larger build.

“It’s not what I think, my ass….”

“…….”

“Do you think I can’t fucking… smell it…?”

A menacing atmosphere descended. Just then, the bell rang. The resounding “Deeng” dispelled the suffocating tension. Jaekwon looked up at the mountain ridge where the bell tolled, then stepped back.

“This family is a real circus.”

Chuckling, Jaekwon headed towards the main hall.

“Don’t even dream of a burial. Cremation systems are pretty good these days. You can even make same-day reservations, you know?”

It had been forecast to rain, and mist was rising from the mountainside, even faster than the dark clouds.

❖ ❖ ❖

The sounds of the wooden fish and the Buddhist chants didn’t reach Wisoo’s ears, flowing past him without effect. No one paid attention to Wisoo, who was sitting dazed in the furthest corner. It was probably thanks to Secretary Shin, who was sitting next to him like a wall.

Everyone here was a stranger. The housekeeper, the one person he had talked to and greeted the most, wasn’t there. He wasn’t sure if she hadn’t been invited, despite having served the chairman the longest, or if she had chosen not to come.

‘There’s only one teacher, so you can call me Chairman.’

The old man, who had said that to him with a kind smile, now had a stern, hardened expression in his portrait. It was a picture for the living, couldn’t he have smiled a little?

Wisoo deliberately unfocused his eyes, letting his gaze drift blankly. He didn’t want to see anything he didn’t want to see.

Then, Wisoo’s gaze naturally settled on the large back of the man sitting in the center of the front row. His straight back and perfectly squared shoulders were aesthetically pleasing. But the most beautiful part was his face.

However, more than his appearance, it was the aura he exuded that captivated Wisoo. The coolness he emanated, like a breeze after a long spell of muggy weather.

Wisoo stared blankly at the man’s back. He had a handsome face. His slightly damp hair fell naturally. It was a bit long, enough to tuck behind his ears. Yet, it couldn’t conceal his sharp aura. He was like the sword hanging behind the chairman’s desk. But his lips curved mischievously, and his eyes, a grayish hue, seemed like they would become transparent in the sunlight, drawing you in. If only it weren’t for the mist….

Above all, the biggest reason Wisoo couldn’t take his eyes off him was that he carried nothing. He was clean and transparent because he carried nothing. Wisoo felt like he could breathe, as if he were standing beneath a giant pine tree that had lived for hundreds of years.

‘I want to stand next to him again.’

“Seon Wisoo.”

Just then, Secretary Shin called him, as if waking him from a dream.

Wisoo realized he had been leaning forward without even realizing it. Startled, he straightened himself. At that moment, the man who had drawn him in, the man he had been leaning towards, turned his head. He glanced at Wisoo over his shoulder. Their eyes met.

I want to know your name.

Wisoo’s lips parted slightly.

Everyone carried something on their shoulders, on their heads, or on their stomachs, sometimes even in their groin, but he carried nothing. Wisoo wanted to know the name of the empty man. He wanted to ask, how can you be so quiet amidst all this noise?

The man didn’t seem surprised that their eyes met, as if he had already been aware that Wisoo was looking at him. Instead, he immediately turned his head back. Wisoo licked his lips nervously.

“Be patient. It will be over soon.”

Secretary Shin spoke firmly, thinking Wisoo was fidgeting from boredom.

But that wasn’t it. Wisoo wasn’t bored, nor did he want to leave. He liked it here. He just wanted to sit next to that man.

Wisoo disliked and, at the same time, feared Secretary Shin. So he had no choice but to obey. He sat still, planting his restless buttocks firmly on his heels. Then, he looked at the portrait.

The old man who had obsessed over him was no longer in this world. So what would happen to him now? Would he be sold off to someone else? Only then could Wisoo truly compose himself. No matter how curious he was about that man, such desires could only be harbored by those with free will. Seon Wisoo was someone whose life was only somewhat peaceful if he went where he was told and came when he was called.

“Wisoo.”

Secretary Shin called Wisoo in a low, gentle voice.

“Is your teacher here?”

Wisoo shrank back. He scanned the floor, which was entirely black. He quickly averted his gaze, lest their eyes meet.

But there was nothing sweeping the floor. Wisoo bit his lip repeatedly, then shook his head.

“No. He isn’t here….”

Actually, Wisoo had a feeling that even if he could come, he wouldn’t have. That was because this person was here. That man. The quiet, clean, empty man.

Wisoo yearned for the man who scoffed at him, mocked him, and looked down on him.

❖ ❖ ❖

After the funeral, Jaekwon indulged his suppressed craving for a cigarette. The tobacco burned rapidly with each inhale.

“Investigate that.”

With a frown, he pointed, not with his finger, but with his cigarette, at Seon Wisoo. Hwang Gujo first noticed Seon Wisoo’s ankles.

Whether his pants were too short or it was the fashion, the pale man’s ankles were exposed. Was he not wearing socks? He was wearing slippers, inappropriately for the time and place. Moreover, they were too big for his feet. His white feet stood out.

“Were those the feet you saw at your father’s house?”

“I don’t know. I never caught him and checked.”

Jaekwon flicked the ash off his cigarette and lit another one. Smoking was strictly prohibited within the temple grounds, but once outside the main gate, it was a different story. Standing at the top of the stairs, Jaekwon looked down at the black cars lined up below as if he were born to it. Among them, Seon Wisoo stood out, even though he was wearing the same black clothes as everyone else. It wasn’t just because of his pale face. It wasn’t because of his youthful appearance, nor was it because of his particularly attractive face.

“He’s unsettling.”

Jaekwon summed him up in a single word.

Perhaps because he was unsettled, the second cigarette tasted bland. He stubbed it out in the ashtray and bowed his head to the four heavenly kings with their glaring eyes. Gujo laughed as he watched Jaekwon bow once to the left and once to the right.

“You’re so respectful here, but why are you like that to your father’s teacher?”

“Are you seriously asking me why?”

“No. I’m joking. Of course, you should be respectful.”

Hwang Gujo immediately corrected himself and bowed his head as well.

As they descended the stairs, the relatives, disgusted with Jaekwon, left. The remaining people were those holding positions of authority, their bodyguards, Seon Wisoo, and Secretary Shin. What was their relationship, really? Jaekwon stroked his chin, looking back and forth between Secretary Shin and Seon Wisoo. They didn’t resemble each other, but he thought it would be interesting to see what Seon Wisoo would look like with white hair.

“Why aren’t you leaving?”

Jaekwon asked nonchalantly, his mood lifted after announcing to his relatives that he had arbitrarily sent the hearse to the crematorium.

“We cannot go to the residence yet.”

“And?”

“The chairman’s will is in his study.”

“So? What does that have to do with anything?”

“The chairman instructed that it only be read by his lawyer, the Young Master, and…”

Secretary Shin glanced at Wisoo.

“…this person.”

Jaekwon didn’t reply and opened the car door. It was Secretary Shin who stopped him as he was about to leave, blatantly ignoring him.

“Move. Old bones don’t heal easily.”

Even at Jaekwon’s smiling threat, Secretary Shin didn’t budge. Instead, he called out to Seon Wisoo, who was standing at a distance.

“There is one more condition.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake….”

He knew at a glance that it would be something troublesome. Jaekwon cursed under his breath, smiling.

“You can take care of supporting my stepmother, Secretary Shin… you two were closer than father and son anyway.”

“I told you the condition for opening the will.”

“…….”

“It’s the deceased’s wishes.”

Jaekwon tapped on the car seat and glanced at Seon Wisoo. Standing next to Secretary Shin, Seon Wisoo had a bewildered expression, as if unsure of what was going on.

“Before we get into the deceased’s wishes and all that, what is it exactly? Am I supposed to treat him like my stepmother or something?”

“They weren’t in that kind of relationship. Let me be clear about that.”

“Then what is it?”

Jaekwon drew out the word “what,” making it sound like “whaaat,” mockingly.

Secretary Shin knew Jaekwon to some extent. He knew that Jaekwon was a highly rational person and quite cynical about anything he couldn’t comprehend, namely supernatural phenomena.

So, Secretary Shin stared intently at Wisoo, who was standing behind Jaekwon, and said,

“The chairman saw his wife through Seon Wisoo. Seon Wisoo was like a mirror that allowed the chairman to see his wife.”

Jaekwon burst out laughing. Secretary Shin had euphemistically described Wisoo’s role as a psychic, but to him and Hwang Gujo, it sounded like typical, obvious nonsense.

“What? So I did see right.”

Secretary Shin didn’t bother to correct Jaekwon’s misunderstanding. He wasn’t interested enough in Seon Wisoo to make that effort.

“After hearing what Secretary Shin said, I’m even more convinced it’s a family matter. So, after we open the will, the rest will be my business to deal with.”

Jaekwon reached out past Secretary Shin. In an instant, he grabbed Seon Wisoo and pulled him to his side. He positioned himself as if he were holding Seon Wisoo from behind, then grabbed the car door and looked up at Secretary Shin. His expression suggested that this whole situation was a joke. Inappropriate for the time and place.

“The old man made some lame excuses driven by his lust. And with a guy who doesn’t even resemble my mother.”

Secretary Shin frowned at Jaekwon’s utter flippancy, muttering with a smirk.

“Oh, but I didn’t pack much, so I’ll be leaving soon. So, Secretary Shin, don’t forget to take good care of Father’s lover.”

Secretary Shin protested that their relationship wasn’t like that, but Jaekwon ignored him and closed the car door. The black sedan started smoothly, gliding away like oil on water. Secretary Shin watched the departing car with a strange look in his eyes, and only after it was out of sight did he move from his spot.

Jaekwon closed his eyes and ignored the gaze that kept stealing glances at him. The person kept looking as if something was on his face. Did he think it wouldn’t be noticeable?

Jaekwon generously excused Seon Wisoo, figuring he must find a handsome, young face fascinating after having only seen old men for so long. When Jaekwon remained motionless with his eyes closed, Seon Wisoo seemed to think he had fallen asleep and started staring even more openly. Jaekwon felt his cheeks tickle. He finally chuckled.

“What? Is your new son’s face that handsome?”

“…….”

“I am quite good-looking. I understand. But it’s a bit rude to stare at someone’s face as if they’re an exhibit.”

Since there was no reply, Jaekwon opened his eyes and turned to look at Seon Wisoo.

“I wonder what the old man liked about you. He acted like he hated anyone with a dick.”

“Ah….”

Wisoo swayed helplessly as Jaekwon grabbed him and spun him around. Every line of his face, as it turned this way and that like a scarecrow, was clean. What could the old man have possibly done with such a young person? It was obvious. He was trash who would talk about loving his wife while not hesitating to bring others into his bed. A disgusting breed beyond redemption. Jaekwon didn’t hesitate to insult the dead.

“Were you that good in bed?”

“…….”

He interpreted Wisoo’s silence in his own way, then brushed his hands off. He didn’t want to touch what Kwak Bonyoung had touched. Jaekwon’s hatred for him was deeper than what could be seen.

Meanwhile, the car headed towards the shabby house that was left to rot or be demolished by him.

As they approached the house, Wisoo’s expression gradually darkened. Jaekwon, fatigued from the long flight and the task he had just dealt with like homework, had closed his eyes again and didn’t see it.

The overgrown shrubs surrounding the house further intensified its eerie atmosphere. Wisoo tried his best to avoid looking at the roof or eaves, unconsciously moving closer and closer to Jaekwon. He behaved like a cat seeking a patch of sunlight.

“We’ve arrived.”

At Hwang Gujo’s words, Jaekwon opened his eyes. He then noticed Wisoo pressed close to him, the warmth and pressure against his side.

“Gujo, did we take a compact car?”

Hwang Gujo, wondering what nonsense he was talking about, chuckled at the close proximity between Wisoo and Jaekwon.

“Yes, sir. I changed cars. Parking spaces are narrow in Korea.”

Wisoo looked bewildered at the playful exchange between Hwang Gujo and Jaekwon.

“Still, being this close is a bit of an invasion of personal space, don’t you think?”

Jaekwon patted his thigh, and only then did Wisoo realize he was sitting too close.

Jaekwon exuded no dampness or darkness, so Wisoo had instinctively moved towards him to repel the damp chill. However, explaining this wouldn’t help. The teacher had taught him to avoid anything bright and fresh, saying it wouldn’t help him. And Chairman Kwak, Jaekwon’s father, having heard this, would push him even harder whenever he cried out in distress.

“Ah, sorry….”

Before his apology, devoid of any excuse, could finish, Jaekwon was already swinging his long legs out of the car.

Left alone in the car, Wisoo looked around anxiously. Then, Jaekwon, leaning in, asked,

“Aren’t you coming out?”

“I, I’m coming.”

“You can stay here if the car is more comfortable, but I’ll be taking this car, so…”

He smiled, drawing a ruthless line.

“I’m coming…”

Muttering his reply, Wisoo got out of the car. The sound of Hwang Gujo closing the heavy car door sounded like the closing of a soundproof door.

The three men stood, each gazing at the house with different emotions. Hwang Gujo wondered how his boss would dismantle the house and tear down the very foundation, Kwak Jaekwon calculated the property’s worth, and Wisoo… wondered if this place would become his coffin.

“Where’s the lawyer?”

“He’ll be here soon. Why don’t you get some rest inside?”

“It’s hard to sleep when I’m not comfortable.”

“Where will you sleep?”

Wisoo suddenly interjected into their conversation. Jaekwon looked down at him askance.

“Why? Are you trying to jump ship before the old man’s even cold?”

Jaekwon’s speech was far from polite. And the current conversation was based on the premise that Seon Wisoo had lived as he had assumed, with a corresponding mindset and values. Vulgar, materialistic, and strange. Completely different from his appearance.

“The first floor is better than the second floor for sleeping.”

However, Wisoo ignored Jaekwon’s remark and offered serious advice.

“You might have nightmares if you sleep on the second floor.”

“Oh, please. I’m not a child. The first floor is fine.”

Jaekwon, hands in his pockets, his tall frame slightly hunched as if fatigued, chuckled.

“How would I know what you two did on the first floor? I might be a bit of a neat freak, you know.”

The unlocked front door swung open loosely. Jaekwon entered, leaving Wisoo and Hwang Gujo in the yard. Left alone with the young, in fact, youthful Wisoo, Hwang Gujo offered some consolation.

“He has a sharp tongue. I’m sure you understand.”

It was less of an apology and more of a dry, perfunctory reassurance.

Wisoo nodded silently. This reaction surprised Hwang Gujo. He seemed unexpectedly calm, showing no sign of distress or offense.

“Please persuade him. Tell him the first floor is better.”

“I guess there’s a reason.”

Did they have sex on the second floor instead of the first? Like boss, like employee. Hwang Gujo, too, made assumptions based on Jaekwon’s prejudices and judgments about Wisoo. He, too, knew about Kwak Bonyoung.

“It’s just… humid. On the second floor.”

Wisoo mumbled and remained rooted to the spot after his reply.

“Aren’t you going inside?”

“…I suppose I should.”

“Well, you can’t sleep in the car.”

Hwang Gujo jingled the car keys. He has the keys too, you know. Wisoo, looking back and forth between Hwang Gujo’s retreating figure and the front door, habitually picked at a hangnail, then scurried inside as if fleeing.

Scurried inside as if fleeing, even if those words were a paradox for Wisoo.

“Hwang Gujo!”

The first thing he heard inside was Kwak Jaekwon’s irritated voice.

“There’s only cold water here. What’s going on?”

“The boiler must be off.”

“It should work even if it’s off. And there was definitely hot water a few hours ago.”

“Well, it might come on if you wait a bit. Can’t you wait?”

Hwang Gujo shook his head as if scolding a childish younger brother. How can I wait? Kwak Jaekwon emerged, dripping water, seemingly unconcerned about being seen by others. Rather, it was Wisoo who widened his eyes at the unexpected sight of Kwak Jaekwon’s naked body.

Perhaps because it was wet, Kwak Jaekwon’s naked form resembled a marine mammal. His firm muscles looked toned, and his serratus anterior muscles, stretched taut, looked like scales. Despite being wet, he exuded vitality, not dampness. Even in his surprise, Wisoo couldn’t take his eyes off him.

Sensing his gaze, Kwak Jaekwon turned to look at Wisoo and sneered openly.

“You’re staring quite openly. Are you getting a hard-on seeing a young guy after dealing with only old men?”

“Oh, come on…”

Hwang Gujo, who had returned after turning on the boiler, expressed his disapproval.

“The hot water should be working now. It’s an old house, so the system is a bit classic.”

“It’s old, not classic.”

Kwak Jaekwon, still naked, opened the cellar door. The old man, despite his vulgar taste, had a surprisingly good collection. After a quick glance, Jaekwon picked out a bottle of 30-year-old whiskey and poured himself a glass.

“This is classic.”

Turning around with his glass in hand, he noticed the remarkably open layout of the house. Even the wall that would normally separate the living room and kitchen had been completely removed, leaving the first floor, except for a bedroom and a bathroom, completely open. Even with such an open plan, it was hard to feel comfortable.

That’s right. He felt uncomfortable. What was this uneasy feeling? Like a panopticon, with every corner exposed….

Frowning, Jaekwon ran his tongue over his lips to remove a drop of whiskey, then turned to Seon Wisoo, still feeling his gaze.

Wisoo was standing there like a scarecrow.

“Make yourself comfortable. You’ve lived here longer than me, so don’t be shy.”

Jaekwon emptied his glass and headed back to the bathroom. The thought of the old man washing and doing God knows what in this bathroom intensified his discomfort. However, the real reason he was being so fussy, even though he had already showered a few hours ago, was to wash away the lingering scent of incense clinging to his skin.

Jaekwon clicked his tongue at the bathroom’s still-distasteful design. Then, he suddenly chuckled.

“Definitely not my stepmother’s style.”

If Seon Wisoo had been standing there, he would have looked alarmingly pale. In this wicked green space, like a pitiful victim.