Mother Tape Chapter 4.1

Just as Wisoo had realized that Jaekwon possessed an appearance that drew the attention of others, Jaekwon, too, was newly noticing that Wisoo stood out quite a bit among complete strangers.

“It was a good idea to keep him buried away.”

There were many male bastards who were shamelessly scanning Wisoo up and down. Among them, of course, were women as well. There were rhinoceros-like types who seemed to believe that pheromones were something to be wielded threateningly like a horn, so Jaekwon knew that it was mainly the Alphas who were eyeing Wisoo.

They would look at Wisoo first, and then at Jaekwon. Just as Jaekwon had said, the two of them appeared to be quite an ostentatious couple. At least, judging by pheromones alone.

However, in every other aspect, they were so awkwardly distant that they looked more like strangers than a couple, to the point where they even seemed suspicious in the eyes of Betas.

“This is definitely better than the hospital, isn’t it?”

Jaekwon asked Wisoo. The reason Wisoo was trying to stick less closely to Jaekwon, unlike his usual self, was because he was fascinated by being in a place like this for the first time. He was completely absorbed in looking around. Of course, people still carried grime on their shoulders or feet, but it wasn’t to the point where it was difficult to keep his eyes open like it was at the hospital.

“Mr. Seon Wisoo.”

Jaekwon caught hold of Wisoo, who was now so captivated by the large chandelier on the ceiling that he was spinning in circles with his head tilted all the way back.

Wisoo glanced back and forth between Jaekwon’s wrist and the chandelier.

“Did you see it? It’s so sparkly.”

“I know,” Jaekwon replied.

“There’s probably one on the inside, too. Isn’t there? A chandelier.”

He grabbed a passing employee and asked abruptly. The employee nodded bewilderedly. Jaekwon’s heart grew impatient, needing to seat Wisoo somewhere else before his cousin, Kwak Jaekyung, arrived.

However, despite having arrived with plenty of time before the appointed hour, Jaekwon frowned at the sight of Kwak Jaekyung, who was visible the moment he stepped inside.

Unlike Jaekwon, who was in a thin summer knit, beige trousers, and driving shoes, with a watch as his only metal accessory, Kwak Jaekyung was wearing a full three-piece suit complete with a vest, a tie pin, cufflinks, a watch, and so on…. He was decked out in everything as if arming himself. It was to hide his body in those things, to avoid being pushed around by Kwak Jaekwon, to avoid revealing that he was being threatened.

Unfortunately, Jaekwon did not notice Kwak Jaekyung’s efforts. It was because he didn’t make the effort to try and figure him out in the first place. Kwak Jaekwon was that kind of person. Just as he did not prove himself to others, he did not wish for others to prove themselves to him either.

“Welcome, Jaekwon. It’s good to see you.”

Jaekwon, who had been slowly alternating his gaze between the hand extended for a handshake and the face, raised the corner of his mouth.

“Why did you come so early? What a pain….”

Kwak Jaekyung gestured with his eyes toward Wisoo, who was standing next to Jaekwon.

“Hello. We didn’t get to greet each other properly back then, did we? We’ve met before.”

“……”

“I am Kwak Jaekyung. Jaekwon’s cousin.”

“Let’s sit down first. I’m hungry.”

Jaekwon bypassed Kwak Jaekyung as if he were a pillar. Wisoo, being pulled along by his hand, inadvertently turned his head. Then, his eyes met Kwak Jaekyung, who was standing there with a murderously hardened expression.

Perhaps feeling the gaze, their eyes met. The hardened expression instantly changed into an affable smile.

‘He doesn’t resemble Chairman Kwak or Mr. Kwak Jaekwon…. And….’

Wisoo lowered his gaze to Kwak Jaekyung’s feet.

The problem wasn’t the footprints he left behind. It was that there was so much blackness clinging to him, it seemed like a puddle might form even when he was just standing still. It looked like it would reek of a foul odor like tar, and like no matter how much you scraped it away, a distorted foot would emerge instead of a white one….

“What should I order for you? I mean, this gentleman here.”

Kwak Jaekyung asked, extending a hand toward Wisoo. Wisoo lifted his head from his feet but did not answer. He only looked at Kwak Jaekyung with a wary gaze and sat closer to Jaekwon.

Jaekwon found that a little fascinating. Because Seon Wisoo had been clingy toward him from the very beginning without being shy, he hadn’t known that he was selective about people like this. To be sure, he remembered Wisoo hiding behind Secretary Shin like that when they first met, but unlike his gaze toward Kwak Jaekyung, it had been a look full of curiosity.

Jaekwon found this situation amusing, and he felt a sense of pride in Seon Wisoo. He rested his arm on the back of the chair Wisoo was sitting in and answered for him.

“Just some caffeine-free tea.”

“Wow. Looks like Kwak Jaekwon really did become the guardian. Taking care of everything for him.”

Jaekwon didn’t rise to the rather sarcastic comment. If it was a provocation, it was too amateurish.

“Then what about you, Kwak Jaekwon?”

“I’ll just have a Jack and Coke.”

“Then, two Jack and Cokes and a chamomile tea, iced? Cold? Or hot? Hmm, make it a cold one, please.”

Nodding his head at the mention of “cold” was the first expression of will that Wisoo showed to Kwak Jaekyung.

“But what should we do with this gentleman here? It’s a bit awkward to speak freely.”

“If it’s something hard to say freely in front of others, you shouldn’t have invited us to a place like this, or you shouldn’t say it at all.”

“Are you two the same age?”

Before Kwak Jaekyung’s expression could contort at Jaekwon’s words, Wisoo asked. Forgetting to even express his displeasure at hearing Wisoo’s voice for the first time, Kwak Jaekyung turned to look.

Of course, Wisoo hadn’t asked Kwak Jaekyung. He had asked Jaekwon.

“Yes. We are the same age.”

Jaekwon replied, looking up as the freshly made Jack and Coke arrived. The ordered drinks were placed at their respective spots. Wisoo took an interest in the dark beverage that had a sweet smell. Kwak Jaekyung forgot what he was about to ask—why Mr. Kwak Jaekwon seemed so much like a superior even though they were the same age. Of course, that was because of the way Jaekwon treated Kwak Jaekyung….

“Just smell it.”

Jaekwon lifted his glass to let Wisoo take a sniff. Kwak Jaekyung observed the two of them with a peculiar look. When Wisoo unconsciously puckered his lips at the sweet smell, Jaekwon immediately took the glass away.

“It’s alcohol. It might not smell like it, but if you smell carefully, you can smell it, the alcohol.”

“Why, is this gentleman here a minor? That’s right. You called him a kid before, didn’t you?”

“It’s not ‘this gentleman here,’ it’s Mr. Seon Wisoo.”

Just as Wisoo had asked about their age a moment ago, this time it was Kwak Jaekyung who asked.

“He can try alcohol when we get home. He’s like this because he hasn’t touched alcohol before.”

Jaekwon spoke without giving his attention to either of them. He stirred his glass with a muddler and gestured with his eyes to get to the point quickly.

Jaekwon had no reason to be nervous, nor was he so eager that his body was burning with impatience, so he had no hesitation in getting straight to the main topic, but Kwak Jaekyung was not the same. Kwak Jaekyung called out to Wisoo, saying, “Mr. Seon Wisoo.”

“Should I order you a cake?”

“No. He’ll get a sugar high. He just started eating sweet things.”

“What? Is he really an adult? You really are treating him like a kid, Kwak Jaekwon.”

“The inside of his body might be a kid’s. So, the main point.”

Wisoo was not at all displeased that Kwak Jaekwon was proceeding with and rejecting things on his own without listening to a single word he said. On the contrary, it was comfortable.

Wisoo drank his fragrant, water-like tea, occasionally lowering his gaze under the table. There, a black, damp puddle had pooled, having flowed from Kwak Jaekyung’s feet. Fearing it might touch him, he repeatedly tensed and relaxed the tips of his toes, and when that wasn’t enough, he pressed his body even tighter against Jaekwon.

From Kwak Jaekyung’s perspective, it was strange that Jaekwon seemed perfectly fine with them being unnecessarily close despite the wide seating space. It was impossible not to be curious about their relationship.

“You two are very close, aren’t you?”

“It’s just so-so.”

“Then why do you use polite language?”

“We aren’t on terms to speak casually, are we?”

The appropriately drawn line was enough to make their relationship seem ominous and uncomfortable to pry into for those who knew what role Wisoo had played in the house until less than a month ago.

“So… are you two really…. No, never mind. Mr. Seon Wisoo, could you excuse yourself for a moment? We have something to talk about, just the two of us. Jaekwon. Please understand, this is because you brought a companion without telling me.”

Jaekwon downed his Jack and Coke and rubbed his brow. Then, he had Seon Wisoo move to a seat that was a little farther away, but still within his line of sight.

“Tell me when you’ve finished drinking.”

Jaekwon said to Seon Wisoo and turned back. Even as Jaekwon returned, Kwak Jaekyung kept his gaze fixed behind him, on the spot where Seon Wisoo was.

“Planning to keep him by your side?”

After Jaekwon returned, Kwak Jaekyung’s tone changed somewhat. To the openly sarcastic tone, Jaekwon retorted as he brought the glass to his lips.

“I was told to keep him by my side. By Father.”

“What?”

“That must be why he made me the guardian.”

“Uncle said that?”

“If you don’t know anything, why did you come here?”

Jaekwon raised just one corner of his mouth crookedly. He finally made eye contact with Kwak Jaekyung. As if he were acknowledging Kwak Jaekyung’s presence there for the first time.

“Stop beating around the bush and get to the point. Don’t pretend you don’t know.”

“…You know I make movies, right?”

“I know.”

Of course, he knew. Jaekwon even knew a few secrets related to Kwak Jaekyung’s company. Just because he had been away from Korea didn’t mean he was ignorant of his family members’ affairs. Kwak Jaekwon had always secretly listened to news about them. Like the wiretapping that had been rampant during the Cold War era.

“I’ll say this, swallowing all my pride. Honestly, my last few works didn’t get very good results.”

“It wasn’t that they weren’t very good, they were rotten.”

Jaekwon grinned, recalling the rotten tomato icon.

Jaekyung bit his lip hard, but only for a moment. He soon smiled brightly. Jaekwon thought that Kwak Jaekyung had more talent for appearing in movies, even in a minor role, than for making more disastrous ones.

“But Jaekwon. This time, it’s a sure thing. I ran my feet ragged to buy this screenplay. This will work. It’s guaranteed to work. I have a feeling. This time it’s for real. I plan to do it properly.”

His words were long. As much as he was being loud about it, never mind the expectation that was nonexistent to begin with, even the slightest bit of interest Jaekwon had plummeted. Boredom seeped from Jaekwon as he propped his brow bone with his index and middle fingers.

“And so?”

“Just because I made a few mistakes, people aren’t really listening to me. This one is really going to do well, but the scale of the screenplay is big, so it needs quite a bit of money.”

Money can be gathered for a good screenplay regardless of previous works. Although he knew that the world these days doesn’t run on such pure artistic spirit.

Where on earth did he get such a ridiculously cliché and lousy screenplay to be acting like this. Jaekwon, who hated beating around the bush, clasped his hands and placed them on his thigh.

“So you’re just openly saying you need money, aren’t you?”

“…I need you to invest a little. If word gets out that Uncle’s side has invested, the funding sources will open up quickly.”

Jaekwon cast his gaze toward the ‘that person’ Kwak Jaekyung was referring to.

“Then I guess I brought the right person. Since that old man’s fortune is tied to that person.”

“Right. I know, I know. But right now, you’re the intermediary, aren’t you?”

Kwak Jaekyung grinned.

“And it’s not like he’d know much about business or money matters, so isn’t it better for us to have this kind of uninteresting and boring conversation by ourselves?”

Kwak Jaekyung was treating Wisoo like someone legally incompetent.

Jaekwon rested his head on his hand, forming a tripod with his index, middle, and thumb, and closed his eyes. The conversation was so boring. At least Seon Wisoo, while being bewildering and sometimes infuriating, was never boring. In that respect, Kwak Jaekyung was worse than the person he was treating as legally incompetent.

“If you’re really uncomfortable, I can go over and strike up a conversation and try to get close. Who knows, maybe we’ll become close in no time? To be honest, I also thought that person was not at fault at all.”

“You didn’t even know his name.”

“Is a name important? It’s not like he’s a luxury brand.”

“……”

There was nothing to say. Jaekwon felt a bit chagrined, wondering if he had looked this pathetic when he had called Wisoo a derogatory term for a stepmother.

“Jaekwon. I’m not the only one who knows. On the contrary, you should know that I’m one of the ones who sees Mr. Seon Wisoo without prejudice.”

Jaekwon was tired of Kwak Jaekyung’s carelessly spewed words. And the aftertaste was unpleasant. What was this confidence, acting as if he knew so well when he clearly didn’t. In the time Kwak Jaekyung hadn’t seen him, had he gone from being just a moron to a motherfucker who was really fucking good at acting?

“It’s not just Chairman Kwak; that person is subtly famous among other chairmen and their wives, too.”

“……”

“I also know that Uncle would, very occasionally, lend him to someone as if doing a great favor. Of course, he kept it a secret from our father and other relatives.”

“Are you telling me this now expecting praise?”

“No. I’m asking you to see my loyalty.”

Jaekwon was sick and tired of it. It was certain now. He would much rather listen to Seon Wisoo’s nonsense. At least that, even if it was preposterous nonsense, was interesting.

“Put in a good word for me. It’s all your money anyway, isn’t it?”

“Hmm.”

“I’m glad I got to meet Mr. Seon Wisoo like this. I’ll try to have a personal conversation with Mr. Seon Wisoo, too. I’m not ignoring that person, it’s just that it was originally your fortune, so huh? I’m respecting you.”

“Your tongue is too long, Jaekyung. You talk so much you look pathetic.”

Right now, Wisoo had finished his one cup of chamomile tea and was looking at the menu. His eyes sparkled and then his face would scrunch up; he was busy. Strangely, Jaekwon felt like he could tell what situation Wisoo was in just from those changes in expression. His eyes sparkled when he was looking at the dessert menu, where the names alone made his mouth water, and his face scrunched up when his mouth was watering but he couldn’t understand what on earth it was talking about.

It was strange. The Seon Wisoo that the blood-related kin in front of him was talking about, no matter how generously one tried to interpret it, was nothing more or less than a courtesan, yet the Seon Wisoo sitting over there secretly wanting to eat something sweet was far removed from such acts of prostitution.

“I’ve made up my mind.”

“Jaekwon.”

“I don’t waste money on trash.”

“Hey. What do you mean, trash…! Don’t tell me, is it because I ignored that person?”

“I’d like to say no, but it doesn’t seem like that’s not it. You need money? Go find investors yourself and run your feet ragged. You want to do art? It’s your art, so you figure it out. You want to borrow money but also keep your pride? Then go to a bank.”

Jaekwon got up from his seat. To stop Jaekwon, Kwak Jaekyung reached out and carelessly grabbed Jaekwon’s hand, covering it with his own.

“Do you have any idea how many people have glanced at Mr. Seon Wisoo while you weren’t looking? If you’re going to get upset over every little thing with just me, you won’t be able to live in Seoul. No. How are you going to live in this country, being so tired all the time?”

“……”

Just as Kwak Jaekyung said, there were indeed quite a few gazes furtively glancing toward Seon Wisoo.

Those gazes were less blatant than how Kwak Jaekyung had looked at Wisoo in the mansion, but they were similar in their grimness. As far as Jaekwon knew, Kwak Jaekyung was a Beta. Jaekwon let out a dry laugh. A mumble of “Ah…” sounded extremely languid.

“That’s because I’ve been pouring out my pheromones all over the place.”

“……”

“It’s because I’ve painstakingly drenched that person all the way to his insides with my scent, which you can’t smell.”

“Do you think that’s the only reason? Surely you don’t think I’m the only one who knows the rumors about Mr. Seon Wisoo, do you, Jaekwon? Korea is a small world. Especially for people like you and me, there are even fewer of us.”

If it was a threat, it was a shallow one. Jaekwon couldn’t understand what Kwak Jaekyung was banking on to try and make this deal that offered him no benefit and no interest.

“It is a small world. Seeing as even dumbasses like you can survive.”

Jaekwon pulled his hand out from under Kwak Jaekyung’s. Then he picked up his empty glass. He was intending to move seats.

“Next time, you’d better bring a more interesting story. No, perhaps my rumors will find you first. In this small world of Korea, the rumor that Kwak Bonyoung’s son is living with the Omega who used to warm his father’s bed.”

Of course, he had no intention or plan to do so. But Jaekwon found himself making this provocation without realizing it. If he could stir up this muddy water that pretended to be elegant, wouldn’t that, in its own way, fall under his preferred hobby of ‘breaking things’?

Jaekwon clinked his glass against Kwak Jaekyung’s. A clear sound rang out.

“And stop trying to copy me now.”

The reason he had left Kwak Jaekyung alone, who had been subtly imitating him since they were young, was because he posed no threat. But if he was going to come at him like this, then that was no longer the case.

Jaekwon left Kwak Jaekyung, whose face was a mess of humiliation, behind him and approached Wisoo. To feel so humiliated by just this that he couldn’t even stand up, he was worse than Seon Wisoo. Because Seon Wisoo had been unfazed by the countless thorny words he himself had spat out.

“Mr. Seon Wisoo, get up. I’ll pick out a cake for you. Let’s go home and eat it.”

“Home?”

“Yes. Home. We have to go back, don’t we? Are you going to sleep here?”

Wisoo didn’t want to sleep anywhere, no matter how splendid the hotel, if Jaekwon wasn’t there. Jaekwon muttered to himself that he shouldn’t have had the drink. He thought it would be fine to sober up a bit while buying a cake in this neighborhood. Jaekwon roughly scanned the names of the cakes Wisoo had been looking at for a long time and helped him to his feet.

Wisoo, being led by Jaekwon, walked on and then looked back at Kwak Jaekyung, who would have been left behind.

And there, he saw the exact same scene as with those who would adopt a dead expression the moment they saw him, as if they had never smiled.

Kwak Jaekyung’s face, which had been trembling as if in outrage, changed to a triumphant-looking deadpan the moment Jaekwon turned his back. As if he had never felt anger or humiliation. And, when his eyes met Wisoo’s, he smiled brightly. His lips, stretched as if they would tear, moved, soundlessly forming a name.

Seon, saeng, nim.

Teacher.

Kwak Jaekyung’s pallor had now transferred to Wisoo. Wisoo kept looking back as if something was chasing him. Kwak Jaekyung was still in his spot, but now it felt like it wasn’t him but the Teacher who was following closely behind.

“Ah, you’re making it hard to walk.”

Jaekwon grumbled because Wisoo had started gripping his arm too tightly and clinging to him like a piece of gum.

But Wisoo still couldn’t let go. The Teacher was behind him. He was watching him. He frantically looked around. The dazzling chandeliers and marble walls no longer entered his vision; he only saw people with black, damp soles.

There were many who carried burdens on their shoulders. And the Teacher was uncannily good at finding and loving such places. How foolish of him to have felt relieved because it wasn’t the hospital. The Teacher didn’t love places with many dead people, but places just like this….

❖ ❖ ❖

When they came out of the hotel, they found a relatively quiet street. It seemed that just as the hotel itself was old, this neighborhood had also aged.

Jaekwon picked out a cake similar to the one Wisoo had been looking at, along with a few other desserts—one moderately sweet and one barely sweet at all. This was for Seon Wisoo, who had almost no tolerance for sweet things.

There was a certain fun in carefully breaking, one by one, the rules that someone else had set. He had always enjoyed this kind of thing, and among all the rules Kwak Jaekwon had encountered so far, Seon Wisoo was the most nonsensical and complex person. It was only natural that he was more fun than a 4×4 Rubik’s cube.

But this time, that enjoyment wasn’t as great. Instead, a slight irritation kept getting on his nerves. He thought he would feel a bit better if he bought these sweets to feed Seon Wisoo and thought about screwing over that Teacher whose face he didn’t even know….

“Mr. Kwak Jaekwon’s cousin, what does he do for a living?”

Jaekwon let out a sigh at Wisoo’s question.

“The timing is bad. That’s the topic I want to talk about the least right now.”

But Wisoo had to ask. Not after Jaekwon’s cousin had clearly said, “Teacher,” to him.

“Di, did you talk about me by any chance?”

Coincidentally, that too was a landmine. Jaekwon turned to Wisoo with a cold gaze.

“How strange. Didn’t you say you only listen to dead people, Mr. Seon Wisoo? Did Kwak Jaekyung die without my knowledge?”

“That’s not it, that person….”

He couldn’t say, “He knows the Teacher,” likely because he didn’t want even the Teacher’s shadow to touch Kwak Jaekwon. He wished Kwak Jaekwon would not get entangled with that place. He, of all people, had to stay in a dark, warm, and clean place.

“What about that person. Do you know him?”

Jaekwon put down the tray, somewhat as if taking out his anger. The cashier, sensing the murderous atmosphere, kept sneaking glances at them. It was hard not to be interested in the sight of an excessively handsome man and another man who, though handsome, gave a much stronger impression of being pretty, arguing in polite language.

“I think it would be better if you didn’t know him….”

Jaekwon, having finished paying and received the bag, muttered as he walked out. It was a grumble through clenched teeth.

Even in the midst of that, Wisoo scurried after him with short steps, trying not to fall too far behind Jaekwon.

“Kwak Jaekyung definitely knew about you, Mr. Seon Wisoo.”

“About me?! How? Where did he say he saw me? Who was I with?!”

All of these were questions prompted by the existence of the Teacher that Kwak Jaekyung had mentioned. But to Jaekwon, every single one was a bullseye. A continuous jackpot. Except it wasn’t bursting up into the sky, but sinking down below.

Jaekwon, who had been about to go back up to the hotel, stopped in his tracks and looked down at Wisoo.

On Wisoo’s clear forehead, small beads of sweat had formed. It seemed that coming into the city, where the air was stuffier and the heat stronger, was making him sweat when he usually didn’t. Or was he breaking out in a cold sweat because he had a guilty conscience?

Jaekwon pressed the center of Wisoo’s forehead firmly with his thumb. Aah, Wisoo squeezed his eyes shut. The sweat was lukewarm.

“He said you were famous.”

Jaekwon, who had kept his thumb there until a pinkish mark was left on Wisoo’s forehead, said, trying his best to sound composed.

“In this small country, and within the even smaller and more closed-off community of chairmen’s wives and chairmen, they said they know Mr. Seon Wisoo. That old man, I mean….”

Jaekwon paused with a sharp intake of breath, “Hoo-ook.” It was to keep from acting too emotionally. Emotion is thought…. It originates from thought, and it is the head that decides emotion. He had to repeat that to himself. Only then would he be able to find the reason why he was feeling so bad right now.

“Did Kwak Bonyoung, my father, lend you out?”

But fuck, I can’t find it.

Jaekwon was confused whether his anger was due to the filthiness of the man named Kwak Bonyoung, or due to Seon Wisoo for showing such a side of himself that others could whisper about it so grimly. The confusion only brought displeasure.

“……”

Wisoo, who had been answering and speaking so well, to the point of seeming brazen, kept his mouth firmly shut at those words.

The surroundings became quiet. It was to the point where he wished he could hear the sound of cicadas, even though it wasn’t their season yet.

Jaekwon pressed the bridge of his nose between his eyes and let out a sigh. He turned to walk away, but then turned back again.

“Who else did you meet.”

Kwak Jaekwon’s voice dropped very low. Nevertheless, his body also began to heat up from the effort of trying to maintain at least a minimum of respect. It was purely because he was pissed off.

“Who… who… do you remember their names?”

“……”

Wisoo still did not open his mouth. That silence was driving Jaekwon mad.

Jaekwon gripped Wisoo tightly by the shoulder. Then he gritted his teeth and muttered.

“Back then… you said you and Kwak Bonyoung were together for five years. Then you were a minor for most of that time, weren’t you. Huh…?”

“……”

“That’s what’s driving me crazy. Me.”

“…That’s not it.”

Wisoo replied, biting his lip hard as well.

“It’s because you’re worried I might have warmed other people’s beds.”

Wisoo’s words were like a splash of cold water on Jaekwon.

“Mr. Kwak Jaekwon… you still see me that way.”

The tearful voice was like the clang of a gong that struck Jaekwon again and again.

“I’m telling you I really didn’t….”

“No, it’s not that I think that.”

Is that really not it? Jaekwon, too, was not certain. This was a very rare occurrence. Above all, even though all the circumstances, the witnesses, the disgusting accomplices, and the rumors were pushing him to think that way, he found himself wanting to follow what his ‘feeling’ was telling him. The ‘feeling’ that Seon Wisoo was not that kind of person.

“I don’t want to be seen that way by you either, Mr. Kwak Jaekwon.”

Wisoo finally cried. Jaekwon was greatly flustered by the tears of Wisoo, who hadn’t even cried when he had spanked his bottom.

The Teacher would be harsher when he cried. Severe discipline would follow. Wisoo had been conditioned to learn that tears and laughter, the natural expressions of joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure, were inevitably followed by discipline. And yet, the tears came, and he didn’t want to stop them.

The few passersby looked at the two of them as they walked past. The same went for the drivers passing by. It was only then that Jaekwon realized that Seon Wisoo was certainly capable of attracting the attention of not just Alphas, but Betas as well. It wasn’t just Kwak Jaekyung.

While Jaekwon held onto Wisoo and fiercely guarded their surroundings, Wisoo wiped his eyes with the back of his clenched fist. Then, with a stuffy voice, he made a bold demand.

“Please tell me about Mr. Kwak Jaekyung. I need to know.”

Jaekwon didn’t know anything about Kwak Jaekyung either. Other than the fact that he was a bastard with no talent who lived off his family’s connections.

“We are not even close.”

The tense atmosphere seemed to have little room for improvement. Both Seon Wisoo and Kwak Jaekwon were buried in their own problems. Wisoo was slightly better off. Wisoo at least had a valid reason. He also had desperation. It was just unfortunate that in the ways of the world, especially when limited to dealings, being the desperate party generally put one at a disadvantage rather than an advantage.

“And there will be no chance for you and him to become close either, Mr. Seon Wisoo. No matter how much Wisoo-ssi wants to.”

That was the first moment Kwak Jaekwon called him Wisoo-ssi, not Mr. Seon Wisoo.

Unfortunately, because of the atmosphere and the timing, the two of them overlooked that moment.

Even though it was a short distance, instead of the hotel shuttle bus prepared to make the uphill walk more comfortable, the two chose to walk up. Jaekwon headed toward that place which was gloomy, which architecturally was a house but in heart and sentiment did not feel like a home at all, with the lukewarm desserts that had already lost their freshness and Wisoo who was lost somewhere in his thoughts. The place with the bathroom enveloped in a sinister green.

❖ ❖ ❖

Unfortunately, Jaekwon’s anger did not subside.

It was because Wisoo had asked about Kwak Jaekyung several more times on the way.

“Why the hell are you curious about that bastard?”

In the end, Jaekwon had no choice but to ask, using a swear word.

On this matter, Wisoo could not yield an inch either. It was for Kwak Jaekwon’s sake. It was better for him not to know about the Teacher. Wisoo wanted to be with Jaekwon forever, but he was certain that Jaekwon would have no such intention. Then, to Kwak Jaekwon, he would be nothing more than a place he stopped by for a short while. One cannot drag such a person into the world one lives in.

“I know nothing. I only know his profession, age, and name. I don’t even know his sexual orientation, let alone who he has dated, so I don’t think I can give you the story Mr. Seon Wisoo desires.”

Jaekwon got out of the car first and went inside.

Wisoo stood blankly for a moment, then followed after him.

And he discovered the back of Jaekwon standing stock-still in the entryway, not having fully entered the house.

“Have you returned from your outing?”

Inside the house was Secretary Shin.

At the appearance of Secretary Shin following Kwak Jaekyung, Wisoo took a step back.

“…Busy day today.”

Jaekwon, whose displeasure was evident, also smiled crookedly.

With the Teacher, there are no coincidences. Therefore, the sudden appearance of Secretary Shin following Kwak Jaekyung, who was presumed to know of the Teacher’s existence, no matter how one looked at it, seemed to be telling Wisoo this:

Where could you possibly go, if you were to leave.

Secretary Shin’s real name was Shin Mohyuk, and he was in his mid-to-late fifties. He had served Kwak Bonyoung, who was called either Teacher or Chairman Kwak, since his mid-twenties. In the military, he was a driver for a general, and thanks to that, he was able to meet Kwak Bonyoung.

The general called Kwak Bonyoung Mr. Kwak. When Shin Mohyuk’s two-year-plus military service was complete and his discharge was imminent, Kwak Bonyoung asked if he knew how to play Go, and upon hearing that he did, he gave him his business card.

‘Tight-lipped, a good driver, and good at Go, you’re perfect. If you have nothing to do when you return to society, contact me.’

After returning to society, Shin Mohyuk worked at a company that manufactured and exported crayons and paints, but after a big fight with the president, he contacted Kwak Bonyoung on his way out. He was twenty-five at the time.

Since then, his hot-headed temper from his youth had died down, his driving skills had improved further, and his Go skills had grown to a quite remarkable level for an amateur. His personal assets had also grown to a considerable size, and above all, he had come to accumulate various secrets about Kwak Bonyoung in his personal safe. Of course, that personal safe was inside Shin Mohyuk’s head, so it couldn’t be taken out even if you split his head with an axe.

Ah, and one last thing.

Shin Mohyuk and Kwak Jaekwon’s mother did not get along, and Kwak Jaekwon, of course, also disliked Secretary Shin. It wasn’t that there was a dirty scandal between his mother and Shin Mohyuk. Of course, such a rumor did circulate for a short time, but the fact that it wasn’t true could be proven by the single fact that Shin Mohyuk was not buried alive at the hands of Kwak Bonyoung. It was just that Shin Mohyuk, the man more often called Secretary Shin than by his name, was excessively loyal to Kwak Bonyoung, and his mother and he himself had merely detested Kwak Bonyoung.

“You seem to be doing well, it’s good to see, Young Master.”

“What. Are you being sarcastic?”

Jaekwon retorted. Secretary Shin, with his brown eyes that had become somewhat cloudy with age, cast his gaze toward Wisoo, who was behind Jaekwon.

“You seem to be doing well.”

“……”

Wisoo showed a level of discomfort that was incomparable to when he had been shy around Kwak Jaekyung. Considering the number of times they had met and the time they had spent together, he should have been happier to see him than Kwak Jaekwon or Kwak Jaekyung.

Then again. Jaekwon, too, had felt like a stranger to his biological father even after living with him for over a decade.

“Why are you here? To check on the house? Or did you suddenly feel the need to take care of Mr. Seon Wisoo?”

Jaekwon treated Secretary Shin like an object and went inside. Wisoo scurried after him with a start. Secretary Shin stared intently at Wisoo following Jaekwon, like a chick mistaking the first thing it sees for its mother and following it.

“I came to see Mr. Seon Wisoo.”

“Then you should have come earlier. This person collapsed.”

“Is that so? It was a frequent occurrence.”

Jaekwon, opening a transparent, unlabeled plastic bottle, turned to look at Secretary Shin as if he were flabbergasted.

Wisoo was holding his breath, hiding his body behind Jaekwon.

Secretary Shin was someone who had seen him and Chairman Kwak together several times. Even just counting the times he was lucid, it was enough to count on five fingers. That meant that including the times he wasn’t lucid, it could exceed ten fingers.

“And you just left the kid neglected?”

“You two seem to have gotten close. Calling him a kid, and all. It’s a good sight.”

“You are not a good sight, Secretary Shin. Get out.”

“Have you decided to become his guardian?”

Wisoo’s body flinched. Jaekwon had certainly told him to ask for his life while making him kiss him, and had mentioned being a guardian, but he had never confirmed it.

“Ah…. Just when I’m trying to think about it, people keep coming and pushing my back.”

Jaekwon took out his phone. Then he called Hwang Gujo and said this. He cut off Hwang Gujo, who spat out, “I’m almost there!” as if he were somewhat annoyed.

“Tell Lawyer Na Hakyung. I’ll be Seon Wisoo’s guardian.”

—What?!

Before Hwang Gujo could say more, Jaekwon ended the call. Then he looked at Secretary Shin with a gaze that said, ‘There, satisfied?’

Even though his future had been decided regardless of his own will, Wisoo was simply surprised that Jaekwon was becoming his guardian and looked up at him. Of course, Jaekwon did not look at Wisoo.

“It has turned out as you wished. Father will be happy too. That his son finally took in the young Omega he was looking after.”

“Yes. He will be pleased.”

“……”

“The Chairman loved his wife very much.”

Jaekwon threw the water-filled plastic bottle as it was. With a thud, the bottle spewed its contents onto Secretary Shin and rolled to the side. The remaining water trickled onto the floor.

“My visit today is because of Mr. Seon Wisoo.”

Secretary Shin took out a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at his glasses, his graying sideburns, and the skin of his forehead, which was smooth for his age.

“Wisoo. Have you been taking your medicine well?”

Medicine…?

Jaekwon’s face hardened fiercely as he turned around.

Medicine. In front of Jaekwon’s eyes, white, flat pills poured out in a rush. Even though it was just a hallucination, the sensation it gave was vivid. His masseter muscle bulged as if chewing a non-existent pill, and bitter saliva welled up.

Seon Wisoo was trembling, his eyes fixed on the empty air, not looking at either Secretary Shin or himself. And Jaekwon, too, noticed Wisoo like that.

He was just about to ask, but his voice was choked as if his throat were being strangled.

“Medicine. What medicine.”

“It’s a medicine Mr. Seon Wisoo has been taking consistently. I mentioned he collapses from time to time, right? It was prescribed for that. His body is weak.”

His body is weak, he says.

Jaekwon sneered. That was not something the person who had neglected Seon Wisoo for days should say. Swallowing the still-rising bitter saliva, Jaekwon muttered.

“Secretary Shin. Others may be fooled by your lies, but not me. It’s not that kind of medicine, is it.”

“If you believe it to be so, then it becomes that kind of medicine. Seon Wisoo. Come here. It’s medicine from the Teacher.”

At the word “Teacher,” Wisoo felt a sensation as if he were freezing from the top of his head to the soles of his feet. It felt like his blood was dropping straight down. His lips became parched.

“What kind of medicine is it?”

He could feel Jaekwon trying to act affectionate, but at this moment, it was no help. It was because Jaekwon could protect him from the dead, but it was impossible for him to do so from the living.

Wisoo, trembling, walked out from behind Jaekwon.

“Seon Wisoo.”

This time, even when he heard himself being called without any effort to seem affectionate, he couldn’t help it. Kwak Jaekwon was a person who would just brush past him for a moment, and he himself had to be there forever.

“Have you been taking it well all this time?”

He hadn’t. Since Chairman Kwak died, he hadn’t touched it at all. Secretary Shin patted Wisoo’s shoulder.

“Don’t be too relaxed just because the Chairman is no longer here.”

Wisoo nodded quietly.

In retrospect, Seon Wisoo was more forward than he was obedient. But in front of Secretary Shin, he was acting as if he couldn’t even voice his own opinion. The scene of Seon Wisoo, whose spirit was not just broken but dead, and Secretary Shin, who had made him that way… it was like a scene from a very bizarre and unpleasant movie.

Jaekwon walked over, pushed Secretary Shin away, and took Wisoo’s medicine packet. But unlike those prepared at any other pharmacy, it had neither its use nor its name written on it. Without needing to look any further, Jaekwon crumpled the thing in his hand at once, as if to tear it to shreds. At the crisp sound, Wisoo quietly flinched.

“It is a good medicine for Wisoo.”

“……”

Secretary Shin said, undaunted by Jaekwon’s gaze, who was glaring at him sideways.

“And a necessary one.”

“Is that true, Mr. Seon Wisoo?”

Even though he was asking him while still glaring at Secretary Shin, Wisoo could not easily answer Jaekwon. He himself didn’t know what the contents were either. If he had known, he wouldn’t have swallowed it no matter what tricks he had to use, even if Chairman Kwak was there. Because a spirit of defiance and a sense of self, which had not disappeared no matter how much the Teacher tried to teach and uproot it, remained in Wisoo.

“You will regret it if you don’t make him take it.”

Secretary Shin smiled placidly. That smile was like that of a mannequin made of inorganic material, and one cannot imagine how unpleasant it was.

“Fine. Leave it all to me, and get out. Secretary Shin.”

“I have finished my business anyway.”

“Send me the name of the medicine on your way out.”

Jaekwon pushed Secretary Shin out toward the entrance as if shoving him. Just then, Hwang Gujo, who was opening the door to come in, let out a short scream of ‘Ugh!’ as a body was pushed toward him.

“Excuse me.”

Even while being thrown out like a piece of luggage, Secretary Shin did not lose his dignity. He tightened his tie a bit more and gave a simple apology to Hwang Gujo. As he was about to pass by Hwang Gujo, who had stepped aside in a daze, he turned his body as if he had just remembered something and looked at Jaekwon.

“Young Master, you are becoming like the Chairman.”

“What…?”

“I see Chairman Kwak in your eyes.”

In Jaekwon’s eyes, there was not a dead person, but gunpowder. Shin Mohyuk lit a fire to that which explodes at the smallest spark. Jaekwon gritted his teeth and shouted at Shin Mohyuk.

“Mr. Shin Mohyuk. Get the hell out before I kill you. Right now.”

“I will see you again.”

Shin Mohyuk, bowing with an impudent attitude, left the house.

Hwang Gujo was aghast at the sight of Jaekwon gripping the doorframe so tightly it looked like it would crumble. He had rarely seen him this angry in the nearly twenty years he had known him.

“What, what! What did that bastard say!”

Even to Gujo’s urging as a friend, Jaekwon did not answer and turned his body. He strode toward Wisoo and snatched the medicine packet that he was holding tightly in his pale hand.

“Hwang Gujo.”

“Huh, huh? What’s this?”

Hwang Gujo caught the medicine that Jaekwon threw at him in a daze. Jaekwon had to struggle not to lay a hand on Wisoo’s body.

Being angry meant not being in control of oneself. Alphas had a more emotional and impulsive side compared to Betas or Omegas. They were weak to instinct, and that, along with their innate physical characteristics, brought about a danger that would otherwise only be seen in untamed beasts.

The reason he had become a Dominant was the same. He had violent urges, and to control and perfectly refine them, he cultivated patience. That was Kwak Jaekwon’s way of abusing himself by dominating others.

And there was a rule. Never to do it when he was angry.

But he wanted to break that rule like crazy. Could it be because Seon Wisoo was an Omega? He wanted to take this person up to the second floor, lock the door, and strictly regulate his breathing and ejaculation down to the minute and second.

So before he did that….

“Tell me. What that is.”

Wisoo and Jaekwon were never a good match to begin with, but today it was particularly striking. They were like parallel lines that would never touch.

“Just fucking tell me what you’re hiding!”

“Oh my, CEO. CEO, calm down.”

“Do you have to take it? Is that it? I don’t know what it is, but at least tell me that. But why haven’t you been taking it until now.”

Jaekwon easily shook off Hwang Gujo who was holding him back. Then he threw open all the kitchen cupboards. What he was looking for was not in the cupboards. Next were the drawers. While opening the drawers, he realized that what he thought was just a pillar next to the wine cellar was actually a flip-up door. The door opened as soon as he slammed it down, and inside, what he was looking for was found.

Wisoo watched helplessly as Jaekwon took out all of that medicine and poured it onto the floor. His clenched fists trembled so much that he hid them behind his back. If he showed fear or pain, the Teacher would scold him more. When the Teacher wasn’t around, people who might have been his employees or disciples took his place.

To Wisoo, this space now was no different from the secret room where he used to be scolded like that.

“Why.”

Jaekwon muttered, covering his face.

“Why won’t you talk. I don’t even know what it is, no, maybe you know but you’re not telling me, fuck if I know. Secretary Shin says it’s necessary for you, but you don’t take it. You just collapse in front of me.”

“……”

“And then you suddenly take an interest in Kwak Jaekyung. And that bastard’s eyes are practically dripping with cum when he looks at you.”

Wisoo snapped his head up. And then his eyes met Jaekwon’s, who had lowered the hands that had been covering his face. It was completely dark.

From the direction of the stairs, splish, splash, the sound of wet footsteps could be heard. Wisoo whipped his head in that direction. He hurriedly looked at the stairs, but it wasn’t there. To be precise, it was the ceiling above the stairs. Footprints were being left, splat, splat, on the dark brown, latticed wooden ceiling.

Wisoo ran to Jaekwon. But Jaekwon took a large step back.

“This medicine, I have to know what it is.”

The murmuring Jaekwon felt unusually drained of strength, unlike his usual self.

“I’ll find out what it is, and if it’s necessary, I’ll force Mr. Seon Wisoo’s mouth open and make him take it.”

Splat, splat. Crunch, cruunch….

“If it’s unnecessary… then I’ll melt it all away.”

“Mr. Kwak Jaekwon, I understand. I understand, so….”

The hair on the back of Wisoo’s neck stood on end. Goosebumps erupted all over his body. Right now, it was above their heads. That thing.

“So please stop being sad….”

Wisoo, his face contorted, pleaded tearfully.

Hwang Gujo, who had been watching the two of them blankly, muttered, “Sad, you say…?” Wisoo grabbed Jaekwon’s arm and stomped his feet, saying, “Don’t be sad. Please.”

Jaekwon, too, muttered, “Am I sad?” Only then did he realize he was feeling as if the world’s axis had tilted. His heart pounded as if he were severely dizzy and about to be sick.

While Jaekwon caught his breath and calmed his body, which was swollen with agitation, and while his mind barely found its way back to reason, the thing on the ceiling began to reach out its hand toward Wisoo.

Wisoo let out a shriek and burrowed into Jaekwon. Jaekwon, who had been about to push him away, was somewhat flustered when Wisoo refused to back down, even digging his fingernails into his waist. But thanks to that, he sobered up a little. The thing that had come close to Wisoo’s nape quickly withdrew its hand.

“Don’t be sad. Please. If Mr. Kwak Jaekwon is sad….”

Wisoo, though on the verge of tears, did not let any fall in the end.

“Then I become too unhappy.”

“…Is that what you’re saying to me, who is angry because of you right now?”

Jaekwon asked back in a dumbfounded voice.

“Do you think I would care about that?”

On the contrary, to Wisoo, those words were the same as Jaekwon having regained his senses, so he rubbed against him even more. The thing above had not yet left. It was full of lingering attachment. No, that was precisely why, even after 49 days, it remained in this world and ended up becoming that thing.

“The medicine, I’ll take the medicine well.”

Jaekwon blankly looked up at the ceiling.

A long sigh escaped him, as if a breath that had been held in by his tensed-up body was released. The tension in his trapezius muscles also eased. Without realizing it, he stroked Wisoo, who was clinging to him.

He was tired, even though he hadn’t done much. There were splotchy stains on the ceiling. Could it be something like water mold?

“So don’t be so sad, and don’t be depressed either.”

“…I get it. I get it, so let go of this.”

“Just a little. Just a little longer.”

Wisoo mumbled. Was he now looking out for his own selfish interests? Jaekwon, who let out a dry laugh, left Wisoo as he was, as the force of his embrace, given with all his might, was rather nice. This must be why they have separate things like hug pillows in foreign countries.

As his mind calmed down, the mold on the ceiling slowly disappeared. Jaekwon blinked, dismissing it as something he had misseen or a shadow. Wisoo heard the sound of wet footsteps receding as if fleeing. A slow, creaking gait followed behind it. The slow footsteps passed by him and Jaekwon. Wisoo, held in Jaekwon’s arms, slowly blinked his eyes. Just as Jaekwon had done toward the ceiling, he saw the specter of Chairman Kwak, panting and chasing after it.

“Mr. Seon Wisoo.”

Jaekwon called Wisoo quietly.

“Yes.”

“I’m planning to sleep where Hwang Gujo is sleeping today.”

“……”

“For today, I don’t want to wash up in that green bathroom.”

“Okay.”

Wisoo closed his eyes. Anywhere was fine as long as Jaekwon was comfortable. From the looks of it, today’s Jaekwon seemed likely to have a nightmare in the room. Because Jaekwon’s nightmares, unlike those of people who always carry fatigue on their shoulders and feet, were clean and delicious, so all the ‘things’ from the whole town would gather. Wisoo added that it was a very good idea.

“You’ll… take me with you, right?”

As if he had just realized he hadn’t mentioned himself, Wisoo asked, resting his chin on Jaekwon’s chest and looking up.

“……”

Jaekwon looked down at Wisoo like that, then nodded.

“I have to, what else can I do.”

Creak, creak. The second floor swayed noisily. People think the sounds made by the ceiling floorboards shifting slightly are a natural occurrence in a wooden house in humid weather. But Wisoo knows. Those are the sounds of being chased and fleeing, of hating and of loving and hating.

Chairman Kwak’s 49th day memorial. Wisoo hopes that day comes quickly. So that at least one thing that torments Jaekwon will leave.

❖ ❖ ❖

They rode in Hwang Gujo’s car and left the suburbs together. The road was quiet, but streetlights were sparse, so they had to turn on the headlights.

He said it would take about 30 minutes to get there. Less than 5 minutes after they started, Jaekwon rested his head on Wisoo’s shoulder and fell asleep. At first, he thought he wasn’t really sleeping but just pretending. Hwang Gujo, who was watching the two of them through the rearview mirror, saw Wisoo, who was tense like a crisp new banknote, and chuckled, reassuring him.

“He’s really asleep. He always sleeps that well in the car.”

“Really…?”

“Yes. He’s the type to fall asleep easily wherever he lays his head. Of course, being human, there are times when he has trouble sleeping, too.”

“…That’s a relief.”

Wisoo was genuinely relieved that Jaekwon was a person who slept well and ate well.

While they were far from that house, Hwang Gujo’s shoulders had become a little cleaner. In the passenger seat, there was a paper bag containing a book that seemed to have been bought at Jaekwon’s request, and a take-out food bag. The smell of a new book and the mouth-watering aroma of spices emanated at the same time.

Wisoo’s stomach rumbled as he smelled it. It was loud enough for Hwang Gujo to hear.

“Are you hungry? I bought plenty of food. Let’s eat when we get there. We can order room service if it’s not enough, but it’s not that tasty.”

“I was just curious about the smell. It’s a unique smell.”

“I bought some pad thai, pu pad pong curry, tom yum goong, morning glory, and some fried rice.”

The names of the food, which contained many ‘p’ sounds, were impossible to guess, and it was even difficult to repeat them at once. Wisoo muttered, “Pad, pa, pu-dong…” and then gave up.

Instead, he looked out the window. It was a quiet and secluded road where it wouldn’t be surprising if a water deer suddenly jumped out.

“Did you travel this way?”

“Yes. It might look like this, but the road is well-paved.”

“Weren’t you scared coming here?”

“I’m not the type to get scared just because I’m driving alone in a car at night.”

“Still… over there….”

“Yes?”

Wisoo swallowed the words that he was seeing a figure standing with its head bowed low every 100 meters. If he had seen it once by chance, it would be one thing, but if it appeared repeatedly like this, its identity was obvious. When he was young, he used to say it every time he saw it, without knowing any better. And in the end, even the people who had given birth to him began to find him scary and horrifying.

The fact that Jaekwon and Hwang Gujo didn’t believe his words at all was sometimes disappointing, but on the other hand, if he thought that was why they didn’t see him as horrifying, it was a decent trade-off.

“What did you do alone in that house, Mr. Seon Wisoo? You didn’t have a phone, so, did you watch TV?”

“I watched that very occasionally. I read books.”

“Oh my. You’re a good kid.”

“Is that being a good kid?”

“There aren’t as many people who read books these days as there used to be.”

Wisoo doesn’t know how other people live. So it’s hard to rashly believe Hwang Gujo’s words. It could just be a compliment.

He continued to look out the window, and just as the eighth figure that appeared was about to raise its head, he quickly turned his face and changed the subject.

“My phone turned off, what should I do?”

“You can charge it. Ah. Did I not give you a charger? I’ll do it for you at the hotel.”

“Then it will turn back on?”

“Of course.”

“That’s a relief….”

Wisoo thought he had broken it. He had no idea how anxious he had been over the machine that had died, turning black and not responding no matter what. He couldn’t even tell Jaekwon, for fear of being scolded, “See, I told you not to call so often.” He had thought that only machines were quiet even when they were dead, and then wondered if this was the reason people looked for him. Because looking at the unresponsive machine, he had thought, “So this is what loneliness is.”

Wisoo yawned quietly. He had done a lot of things all day. And so he, too, was a little tired.

Hwang Gujo, seeing him dozing off, turned the air conditioner down a little. Then Wisoo soon closed his eyes and fell into a gentle sleep.

There were about 10 minutes left until they reached the hotel. Hwang Gujo crossed the speed bumps a little more carefully.

Upon arriving at the hotel, Jaekwon and Hwang Gujo, at Wisoo’s earnest plea, ended up booking a suite where the three of them could sleep together. Fortunately, there was a large room available, thanks to the hotel being a popular destination for families with dogs on holidays.

Just as they got on the elevator and the doors were about to close, someone jumped on, saying, “Just a moment!” It was a family with a dog, the one mentioned in the lobby. A white, medium-sized dog with a curled tail was panting and smiling.

“Thank you!”

The party, who had offered their thanks to Jaekwon for waiting for them, muttered, “Oh my.” It was because of the rarely seen handsome man.

However, that admiration was brief. Soon, the medium-sized dog started barking ferociously at Wisoo.

“Oh, oh my. What’s wrong with him.”

“Janggun, what’s wrong! Don’t do that! I’m so sorry. He’s not usually like this….”

Wisoo bowed his head slightly and hid further behind Jaekwon.

The white dog was still baring its teeth and growling. In the end, its owner had to hold it. Wisoo hid tightly behind Jaekwon so that the dog named Janggun couldn’t see him. Jaekwon, who had by now grown accustomed to Wisoo’s such behavior, used his own body to shield him, but Janggun sniffed furiously as if he had caught a scent.

Fortunately, they were staying on a floor below the one where Jaekwon, Wisoo, and Hwang Gujo were staying, so they got off first. In the arms of its owner, who was bowing and saying, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” the dog stared intently at Wisoo and growled until the doors closed.

“…That dog is fierce.”

Hwang Gujo muttered out of awkwardness. It was clear to anyone that the dog’s hostility was directed at Wisoo.

“It’s okay.”

Wisoo muttered in a completely deflated voice.

Animals generally didn’t like him. Not just dogs, but cats too. There was a time when he saw a ginger cat that had snuck into the yard and his eyes lit up in delight, only for the cat to arch its back and hiss fiercely at him. And the cat never came back again.

“It’s really okay.”

His voice, muttering to himself even though no one had asked further, sounded really not okay.

Feeling sorry for him, Hwang Gujo gestured to Jaekwon with his eyes. Jaekwon mouthed, “What?” Hwang Gujo kept looking back and forth between Jaekwon and Wisoo with his eyes, but Jaekwon didn’t comfort Wisoo. They reached the floor where their room was faster than that.

Jaekwon strode off, and Wisoo grabbed the hem of his jacket and busily followed. Hwang Gujo clicked his tongue and followed the two of them.

“Hey, do you even know the room number?”

Only then did the two of them, no, Jaekwon, stop. Because of that, Wisoo, who had been walking with his eyes on his feet, bumped into Jaekwon’s back with a thud, and his cry of “Ouch…” echoed in the silent hallway.

❖ ❖ ❖

The three of them pulled a table together and had a meal.

“You bought a lot.”

“You should be glad. We ended up eating it all anyway.”

“Did you buy it with my card?”

“I bought it with my card, but I’m going to put it on the receipt. CEO, no, Kwak Jaekwon eats so much, you know.”

“Either treat me like the CEO or just quit it.”

“I’ll do as I please?”

Jaekwon let out a dry laugh at Hwang Gujo’s annoying attitude.

Jaekwon, unconcerned about the extra charge, brought beer from the bar. It was a room for four, so there were four cans. He brought them all and placed one in front of Hwang Gujo and himself, then, after a moment’s hesitation, he placed one in front of Wisoo as well.

“If you want to try it, try it now.”

Alcohol was a taboo beyond sugar and saltiness. It was something truly harmful, different from the tastes that were inevitably added when cooking. The Teacher had defined this as poison and said something terrible would happen if he drank it.

However, Wisoo knew that the people he met, especially those who longed for someone through him or wanted to vent their grudges even through him, always drank this. Chairman Kwak’s house, too, had all sorts of bottles.

“Are you going to drink it?”

Jaekwon asked again. After a little more hesitation, Wisoo nodded. As if Wisoo couldn’t even open a can, Jaekwon opened it for him.

Alcohol was now added to the meal that smelled spicy and sour. For Wisoo, it was as good as being filled with forbidden things.

“Then, shall we eat?”

Of course, to the hungry Hwang Gujo and Jaekwon, it was just an appetizing meal.

Wisoo carefully observed how Hwang Gujo and Jaekwon ate. Pretending to ponder what to eat first, he followed the way they ate.

Jaekwon portioned out the food onto a disposable plate. Then, without looking at Wisoo, he held it out. The red soup called tom yum goong was poured into a paper cup.

“Don’t mind us and eat slowly.”

It was a considerate gesture, seeing Wisoo constantly hesitating and being a beat behind.

Wisoo bowed his head in thanks and, without lifting it, smiled quietly. His cheeks puffed up and color returned to them.

“The taste is unique, so if you find something strange while eating, you can spit it out.”

Hwang Gujo added, mumbling. Among them, Wisoo looked like a very young youngest brother. In terms of age difference, that was actually the case.

“How is it?”

Hwang Gujo asked with interest. Wisoo was chewing on the noodles and was about to say it was delicious when his face suddenly contorted.

“It, it tastes strange….”

As he made a “Ugh…” sound, unable to swallow or spit it out, Hwang Gujo said, “Oops,” and, “It has cilantro in it. You must have chewed on that.” Apart from the pity, his tearful face looked exactly like an emoji used on phones, and he burst out laughing.

Jaekwon wiped his mouth and pulled out a tissue, holding it out to Wisoo’s mouth.

“Spit it out.”

“…It tastes like bubbles.”

“You ate it right. Spit it out here.”

Wisoo mumbled and then carefully spat it out. Jaekwon nonchalantly crumpled it up and threw it into the trash can.

The taste of bubbles still lingered in Wisoo’s mouth, tormenting him. Groaning, “Ugh, ugh,” and writhing, Wisoo finally grabbed the beer that had been opened but not yet touched, and drank it down.

At the sight of him gulping it down, Hwang Gujo clapped his hands, saying, “Ooh.” Jaekwon watched Wisoo intently, then drank his own beer as well.

He must have taken about four big gulps. Wisoo put the can down with a clatter. Curious about his impression of his first drink, Jaekwon unconsciously leaned his body in that direction.

“You live your lives drinking things that are less tasty than I thought….”

“What?”

“Being an adult isn’t all that great after all, it seems.”

Jaekwon laughed shortly, finding it absurd. Hwang Gujo, who was generous with his laughter, slapped his thigh and laughed heartily.

Wisoo picked out the shrimp and ate them one by one. This continued for a few chopsticks’ worth, and then he began to grab at the empty air. Wisoo said he was hot and drank more beer. It was too late for Jaekwon, who had sensed what was happening, to try and stop him.

Even though it was a 250ml can, Wisoo, who had nearly finished it, soon had his eyes become hazy and moist. His face and neck were red.

“Mr. Seon Wisoo.”

Jaekwon called out in a reluctant voice.

“I want to go to the bathroom.”

It was his first time drinking, so Wisoo, not knowing any better, deliberately enunciated his words so as not to reveal that something was wrong with him. He thought he was quite impressive for doing so.

However, that was only his own thought, and in reality, it sounded like this.

Iwa go do da bafrum….

Wisoo, who stood up staggering, tried to head to the bathroom. Hwang Gujo, who shot up, caught Wisoo’s chest as he was about to fall forward, and Jaekwon grabbed Wisoo’s back and shoulder.

The two big brothers, or uncle-like men, who had barely caught him after he had tumbled over, let out a deep sigh.

“CEO, you’ve inherited quite a handful, haven’t you?”

“…It’s all like this, what Kwak Bonyoung gave me.”

Jaekwon lifted Wisoo into his arms, carried him to the bedroom, and laid him down. His face was red and his lips were plump and swollen. The same went for the area under his eyes. Jaekwon put his hands in his pockets and stared at him for a while, then turned off the reading light and came out.

Wisoo woke up because of a throbbing pain in his lower abdomen, just like the throbbing in his head. It was a headache and the urge to urinate.

“Ugh…”

He held his head and sat up. The headache was one thing, but the urge to urinate was very urgent. Wisoo stood up staggering and bumped his leg on the nightstand.

“Ouch…!”

It hurt, and it was urgent. Tears welled up in his eyes. As Wisoo held his shin and desperately tried to endure the pain in order to get to the bathroom quickly, the light suddenly turned on.