Yang’s Master Chapter 5.2 - The Serpent and the Forbidden Fruit

Mei, aware of Yang Euijoo’s kidnapping, grabbed him and fussed over whether he was okay. Yang Euijoo instinctively patted her head. Mei, as if bursting with stories to tell, started chattering away before even sitting down.

“When’s the baby due?”

“Around October. Not long now.”

Mei gently rubbed and patted her belly, smiling shyly.

“Maybe because the due date’s near? I’ve been thinking about Yirang a lot lately. Could it be lingering attachment?”

Watching Mei babble, Yang Euijoo had a fleeting thought that he’d eaten the sandwich too quickly in the car.

“Isn’t it stifling to live alone?”

“It’s boring, but they provide everything I need. I can listen to the radio and have picture books. They talk to me a lot when they bring things.”

Mei said she wasn’t lonely with the baby, proudly showing Yang Euijoo what she’d made. She spread out a handkerchief and baby clothes, smiling. There were tiny socks and mittens too. Clutching the handkerchief, she whispered as if sharing a secret.

“When I found out I was pregnant, I was terrified, but now it’s okay. I guess you learn life by living it.”

Her words were surprisingly mature. Yang Euijoo recalled how Mei sometimes stopped him from fighting with customers at the pharmacy. She’s bolder than me. Leaning back in the chair, sipping juice, he mumbled.

“You’re not wrong…”

“Are you staying with that man for good?”

“…For now.”

Yang Euijoo grimaced. Living with Cheon Yeomyung in his mansion felt like wearing ill-fitting clothes. That intimacy and affection. What do you call a relationship where you casually invade each other’s mornings and evenings?

“It’s just temporary.”

“Going back to Yirang?”

“My home’s in Yirang.”

Hearing his curt reply, Mei’s eyes widened. To her, their benefactor, Cheon Yeomyung, and the pharmacist teacher seemed very close. Thinking of Cheon Yeomyung, who couldn’t take his eyes off Yang Euijoo, she doubted they’d part easily. But instead of saying so, Mei matched his mood. While debating baby names, she clutched her belly.

“Right, I had something to tell you…”

“What?”

The baby’s healthy. Mei’s face, feeling the baby’s lively kicks, was gloomy. Her earlier talk of naming a boy Cheong or a girl Dan had faded.

“…Quan.”

Her brown eyes cautiously looked down. Trembling, she thought of the old, horrible man who was the baby’s father.

“What if Quan’s curse affects my child?”

Yang Euijoo sat up straighter at the unfamiliar topic.

“What curse?”

Mei looked at him with reddened eyes. Cheon Yeomyung assured her there was nothing to worry about, that the baby would be healthy, but she was scared. She feared the child she’d lovingly carried would inherit Quan’s curse and die. So she confided in Yang Euijoo. She knew him as knowledgeable, perhaps able to break the curse, breaking her promise to Cheon Yeomyung.

“You don’t know? There’s a rumor Quan was cursed and lost all his children. What if my baby inherits the curse and leaves early…”

Her curly brown hair shook, tears glistening. Mei sniffled.

“I even tried to kill this baby once. I hated carrying that awful man’s child! But now I really regret it. What if the heavens punish me along with the baby? The baby’s innocent.”

Hearing Mei’s confession, something flashed through Yang Euijoo’s mind. A deeply ominous spark.

“Your benefactor said it’s fine. But if my baby leaves early because of me…”

Looking at the anxious Mei, Yang Euijoo spoke.

“Mei, just in case.”

“Teacher?”

“I’m just asking.”

His lips were dry. Feeling a raw, tearing pain in his throat, he said.

“Were Quan’s children five in number?”

Mei’s brown eyes widened.

As Yang Euijoo left Mei’s room, he ran into someone.

“Euijoo.”

Perhaps hearing of his visit to Mei, Cheon Yeomyung was waiting. He offered flowers—white baby’s breath, abundant. Yang Euijoo silently accepted the modest bouquet. Better than roses. Cheon Yeomyung seemed to finally distinguish flowers that ended up in the trash from those that didn’t. The subtle fragrance wasn’t bad.

“You said you don’t like flowers.”

“They’re pretty. Romance is beautiful because it lacks practical value.”

“You like romance.”

Sarcastic but holding the flowers, Yang Euijoo gave a small smile.

“Buy food instead.”

“Should I?”

Cheon Yeomyung, pleased with the new option, grinned broadly. He naturally wrapped an arm around Yang Euijoo’s shoulder. Yang Euijoo let it be. The tall man leaned comfortably on Yang Euijoo, who seemed stunted from malnourishment, chattering away. Surprisingly talkative. Maybe from business, he’s good at conversation.

Yang Euijoo recalled the scar on Cheon Yeomyung’s palm from yesterday. Only twelve hours had passed, yet it felt like eons, as if glaciers had melted.

“Why so down? Did the lady say something?”

“Oh, just… Seeing Mei made me feel low.”

“Why?”

Feeling golden, beast-like eyes scanning him, Yang Euijoo spoke calmly.

“Seeing her struggle doesn’t feel good. One crazy guy messed up both our lives.”

“That crazy guy’s me?”

Yang Euijoo snorted at the shameless question.

“You know you’re crazy?”

“Know thyself. Good advice.”

Cheon Yeomyung replied brazenly, unfazed by Yang Euijoo’s sharp rebuke. Yang Euijoo fiddled with the bouquet’s plastic wrap and asked.

“Who said that?”

“Socrates. Heard of him?”

“How would I know your friend? Sounds like a druggie.”

Golden eyes glanced at Yang Euijoo. Deciding whether to explain Socrates, he smoothly deflected.

“Fair enough. But I think I’m doing my best for both of you. Don’t you feel it?”

“Oh, sure. So grateful I could cry. Should I?”

Cheon Yeomyung playfully tapped Yang Euijoo’s head, amused by his sarcasm.

“I only like crying in bed. You seem happy badmouthing me.”

“So refined.”

Yang Euijoo pushed Cheon Yeomyung, who casually mentioned bedroom matters, and walked ahead. His grip tightened on the bouquet. A chill ran through him. For a moment, out of Cheon Yeomyung’s sight, his face hardened.

[There’s a wicked, greedy, violent boss with five children, but the heavens punished him, and they all died.

…The old boss tries to protect his child, but his many sins make him lose both the child and his business?]

He was foolish. It wasn’t a book story—it was Quan’s. Why didn’t he realize? He should’ve known it was Quan’s story the moment he heard it.

Cheon Yeomyung hid nothing from Yang Euijoo. That Mei’s baby was Quan’s, that Quan was desperate to find her—he revealed it all. So Yang Euijoo believed just that. With 90% of the information given, he didn’t sense the missing critical context.

That child will surely die. Cheon Yeomyung would use Mei and the baby to drive Quan to despair. How… could a human do that? Reassuring Mei while planning to kill her newborn before her eyes? Pretending to protect her?

‘Why? Just trust me once.’

In a dark theater with the screen off, the man’s whisper watching him flashed through his mind. That naive trust. A luxury for someone ignorant of their place.

Yang Euijoo suppressed the urge to grab Cheon Yeomyung’s collar and scream. Fearing his calm facade would crumble, he forced a smile. If Cheon Yeomyung sensed his thoughts, both would be locked in that room, unable to leave.

No, Mei would be confined, and he’d die. In the basement where Du Shanchong was held? Yang Euijoo wanted to curse him like he did with pharmacy customers.

“Let’s eat and head back. There’s a good restaurant nearby.”

“Don’t want a place with lots of spoons.”

“How about an Indian curry place? You can eat with your hands.”

Ignoring Yang Euijoo’s sullenness, Cheon Yeomyung slowly left Mei’s building, putting him in the car and glancing at the structure. His sinister eyes scanned it briefly. For a moment, he entertained a hypothetical, but dismissed it lightly. What could happen? With that rare naive thought, he got in beside Yang Euijoo, ordering a favorite Sichuan restaurant.

They spent the meal pleasantly. Yang Euijoo expected a scolding for leaving with Roserock, but Cheon Yeomyung didn’t mind, even encouraging dining out. Yang Euijoo met his piercing gaze with defiance instead of avoidance.

“Is there gold on my face? It’s getting holes.”

Cheon Yeomyung took his grumbling lightly, continuing casual talk. Yang Euijoo watched him try to feed him more while eating mapo tofu, his patience wearing thin.

“Is something on my face? Why keep staring?”

His impatience bled into his voice. Yang Euijoo snapped, and Cheon Yeomyung brushed it off. They were the same as yesterday. Yang Euijoo suddenly felt it was all dreamlike.

“Because you’re pretty?”

Cheon Yeomyung answered as usual, unchanged. Playful, teasing, affectionate to his lover. Yang Euijoo gulped sweet iced tea and stood. Cheon Yeomyung followed like a stray dog, chattering.

“Why ignore me? I looked because you’re pretty. You’re surprisingly fussy about compliments.”

It wasn’t ignoring—he was afraid speaking would unleash irreversible anger. Yet his mind was calmer than before. Not even this calm when leaving the ship. Funny. Yang Euijoo watched the man following like a childish kid after paying.

“…What happened when you got Du Shanchong?”

“Oh.”

Cheon Yeomyung smiled awkwardly. Yang Euijoo held his troubled smile in his gaze. The past month… blindfolded, fattening up, was undeniably fun. So he asked, his voice steadier than expected.

“…You’re hiding something, aren’t you?”

Please, just once.

“Hmm.”

Cheon Yeomyung’s face grew serious, his eyes lowering. After a glance at Yang Euijoo, he began.

“…I did put someone on Du Shanchong.”

“…Forget that, the burn.”

“Oh.”

Cheon Yeomyung finally grasped what Yang Euijoo meant. His conservative, sensitive, surprisingly moral lover had learned about the cigar burn on his stomach. Pretending to gauge his anger, he touched his lips. His lover’s upset over his scar wasn’t a bad feeling. Caught in that impulsive thrill, Cheon Yeomyung forgot the slight unease.

“Mad? Sorry. Euijoo, he didn’t just hit you once or twice. As your lover, don’t I have to give something small to protect you?”

Bastard. Yang Euijoo burned with rage.

“Stop solving everything with violence.”

“You, fighting customers in Yirang, say that?”

“Shut up.”

The kinder Cheon Yeomyung was, the more Yang Euijoo suffered. Bastard. Son of a bitch. Forever cursed.

“Who burns their body with a cigar to get someone like him?”

“Not a cigarette, a cigar… Sorry. Won’t happen again.”

“What next?”

Yang Euijoo gritted his teeth. There’d never be a next time.

I won’t do it again.

Cheon Yeomyung spent the day soothing the angry Yang Euijoo. Usually meticulous, he was clumsy in love, thinking Yang Euijoo was only mad about the scar. Sure, betting to get Du Shanchong, fighting Quan, and settling with a cigar burn seemed excessive, but he felt neither bad nor at a loss. His body had too many scars for one more to ruin its aesthetics.

He was just puzzled by Yang Euijoo’s intense anger. So he didn’t blame Roserock. To soothe Yang Euijoo, upset by her words, he even suggested meeting Mei first.

“Enough. Do I look like a fool?”

Still prickly, Yang Euijoo coldly rejected Cheon Yeomyung’s obvious ploy and strolled the courtyard in longer, slightly thicker clothes. The garden at the mansion’s center, styled like a modern Edinburgh estate, was quaint and sentimental, suiting neither Yang Euijoo nor Cheon Yeomyung.

Yang Euijoo wore clothes in Cheon Yeomyung’s favorite color. The long, purple silk traditional outfit reaching his ankles suited him well. Cheon Yeomyung was pleased, knowing Yang Euijoo, raised on a ship, had no connection to Hong Kong’s traditional attire. As long as the wearer suited it, didn’t clothes fulfill their role?

“Candy?”

Cheon Yeomyung popped a lemon candy, meant for himself, into Yang Euijoo’s mouth and kissed him. A tangy, sweet flavor filled it. Yang Euijoo chewed the large candy, its strong lemon taste overwhelming. Seizing the moment, he let his trembling voice and contorted face show freely. Without such moments, he couldn’t control his expressions, suffering insomnia lately. Naturally, Cheon Yeomyung shouldn’t know.

“Too sour. You buy this stuff?”

“Sometimes, when I want to smoke but also kiss. Kissing after smoking isn’t manners.”

“Your manners are rotting in a swamp.”

Ignoring Cheon Yeomyung, Yang Euijoo stared blankly at the courtyard. Everything felt futilely swept away. Thousands of thoughts swirled in his mind.

“Why are you kind to me?”

The words were pathetically absurd. Yang Euijoo decided never to eat fish and chips again, to quit smoking, avoid whiskey, and hate movies. His greatest hatred was reserved for the stranger with glowing golden eyes.

“Because you’re my lover?”

“I wasn’t kind to all my lovers like you. My men talk, didn’t you hear?”

Yang Euijoo recalled talks with Linlin, Yirang’s words, Roserock’s grumbling. They all said the boss was sweet to the teacher like he was on drugs. Hearing it so much, his mind must’ve broken. To think he considered trusting him just once after being told to. All his conflicts felt laughable. He didn’t want to imagine how Cheon Yeomyung mocked him.

“Because I’m pretty?”

So Yang Euijoo echoed Cheon Yeomyung’s silly words.

“That too. I’m picky about looks.”

Lowering his voice solemnly, he spoke playfully. Yang Euijoo stared blankly. They’d gone to pools, beaches, theaters. Talking was fun. Not knowing Cheon Yeomyung well, he sometimes wanted to learn more.

Not this, though. If he’d stayed ignorantly deceived until it ended, that’d be better. He could’ve lived as Cheon Yeomyung’s lover until his interest faded.

“Your men talk, but not about important things.”

“Really? First time hearing that.”

“Like what happened with Hongryong in Yirang. That’s why you hate Quan.”

Cheon Yeomyung touched his lips at the calm voice. Worried his lover might harden his face, he was relieved Yang Euijoo still smiled. So he chuckled, relieved.

“Rose Rock, right?”

“…Will confirming hurt Rose Rock?”

“No. She probably gave advice too.”

“She said not to ask when you’re not yourself.”

“See, she did.”

Cheon Yeomyung inwardly thought Yang Euijoo was smart for heeding Rose Rock’s advice. Though an unwelcome topic, selling a pitiful past to soothe an upset lover wasn’t hard.

Scratching his cheek, Cheon Yeomyung pulled Yang Euijoo to a bench and sat, lifting him onto his lap. Yang Euijoo paled at the man’s strength, treating an adult like a doll. Cheon Yeomyung buried his face in his nape. His thin chest swelled in shock.

“Where to start? My family was a mess, so I had a complex. Soon after becoming Byukhae’s boss, Quan picked a fight over it… It’s embarrassing to tell you. Anyway, I’m still mad at Quan for it.”

Listening to Cheon Yeomyung mumble, Yang Euijoo stared at the sky. Days were noticeably shorter, the sun struggling to set. Long nights were good. Hong Kong wasn’t too cold, so moving at night was safe.

“Still mad about something from seven years ago?”

“Euijoo, sometimes people experience unforgivable things. Quan did that to me, and I was younger than you then.”

So, not satisfied with killing all Quan’s children, you plan to kill an unborn baby too? Yang Euijoo wanted to ask but suppressed it.

“Can I ask what he did?”

“I can ask, but I won’t give you an answer. It’s not a pleasant story to hear.”

Cheon Yeomyung had stained his hands with an immense amount of blood because of that incident. He raged, tearing apart the things he cherished in front of Quan, shredding them to pieces. The story of the proud boss of Hongryong being mocked for trying to uphold his pride in front of a young punk spread through every corner of the back alleys. As a result, everyone became cautious about what they said in his presence.

At twenty years old, Cheon Yeomyung became an unspoken rule. At twenty-three, Cheon Yeomyung was a tragedy, and now, at thirty, Cheon Yeomyung had become skilled enough to occasionally bring up that incident jokingly, but at twenty-three, he was not.

Back then, Cheon Yeomyung suffered from such severe insomnia that he could not sleep at night without sleeping pills or other low-quality drugs.

“Even so, you probably did something violent…”

Sighing as he spoke, Yang Euijoo was tightly embraced by Cheon Yeomyung, who, instead of agreeing or making excuses, whined.

“The scar on my stomach hurts so much.”

“Well, who told you to get your belly burned for bringing that crazy guy? If you had said something, I wouldn’t have even suggested letting him go!”

Looking at the pale face shouting loudly, Cheon Yeomyung smiled brightly.

He liked Yang Euijoo. Unlike himself, who relied on drugs and alcohol to sleep, he liked Yang Euijoo’s stubborn belief that refused to beg for drugs even when drinking. He liked his subtle softness and the obvious affection Yang Euijoo had developed for him.

“Babe, I’m your first love, right?”

“Unbelievable…!”

Yang Euijoo exclaimed with a laugh, as if exasperated by Cheon Yeomyung’s shameless words. Cheon Yeomyung laughed gleefully in response. Watching Cheon Yeomyung laugh out loud, Yang Euijoo unhesitatingly grabbed the man’s hair, pretending to pull it. The man let his carefully styled hair, which highlighted his handsome face, get messed up by Yang Euijoo’s playful gestures.

Soon, the courtyard became lively. Yang Euijoo shouted loudly to be let down while Cheon Yeomyung, acting mischievous, hoisted him over his shoulder like a sack and headed back to the mansion, causing Yang Euijoo to give up on something.

Yes, Cheon Yeomyung might be the only first love in Yang Euijoo’s life. Even knowing everything about him was wrong, he was a living luxury, the source of futile daydreams, held in Yang Euijoo’s eyes. Looking at the light that scattered like his name, Yang Euijoo wrapped his arms around Cheon Yeomyung’s neck.

If only he had never believed in him forever. If he had feared and rejected this man forever, even the fragments of his dreams would have been so simple that they left no trace.

That was what made it despairing.

🐑

Whenever Cheon Yeomyung left and Yang Euijoo was alone, he fell into deep thought. He struggled with himself countless times. Mei was a stranger. She wasn’t part of his life. Even if she died or the child she cherished died, it wouldn’t ruin Yang Euijoo’s life. But then, what reason was there for Mei and her child to have to die? That crude humanity kept tormenting Yang Euijoo.

Every time Yang Euijoo wanted to turn a blind eye, he thought of Mei. She had hand-stitched a jeogori, saying she would dress her child in it when they reached their hundredth day. Mei, showing off that small, adorable outfit, seemed so childish…

Yang Euijoo, soaking in the bathtub, rubbed his forehead with his fist. It was excruciating pain. In truth, anyone could see that Yang Euijoo had only one choice. As usual, he could ignore everything and find a way to save himself, and that would be the end of it. Quan, that crazy old man, didn’t matter, nor did Mei’s life, someone he had only greeted a few times and sold drugs to. Children die easily as they grow. If he thought of the child as one bound to die early, it was easier.

But Yang Euijoo couldn’t do that.

Irresponsible guilt tormented him. Even if he succeeded in getting Mei out and escaping, would they live well? Leaving Hong Kong, without even citizenship, what could he do? Having lived twenty-five years as a penniless beggar, it was an absurd idea. He didn’t want to die a dog’s death.

“Life is really, damn it…”

Muttering curses mixed with the hot water, Yang Euijoo let out a hollow laugh. It was because he had said the same thing before at Cheon Yeomyung’s mansion. That was funny. Back then, Yang Euijoo was so frustrated, feeling like his life was ruined just by being entangled with Cheon Yeomyung. But his foolish mind, forgetting even the despair, had lived intoxicated by the comfort Cheon Yeomyung offered.

The sound of water droplets falling echoed in the bathroom, wider and brighter than Yirang’s house. Yang Euijoo covered his face with his slightly open hands, breathing quietly. The hot water seemed to fill his lungs. He couldn’t breathe.

The delivery was imminent. The due date was approaching. Even so, running away with a newborn baby was better than facing a dog’s death. Yang Euijoo bit his lips hard and rose from the bathtub.

For now, it was crucial to keep Cheon Yeomyung off guard. Lately, Cheon Yeomyung was so immersed in their love games that he seemed willing to give up the mansion if asked. Damn it, what a grand way to fall in love. He freed the guy he brought in threatening to kill with cigarette burns, while planning to secretly kill the one he believed he’d protect.

Yang Euijoo pretended to know nothing about everything. He was skilled at lying. Surprisingly, his heart was calm. He smiled calmly in front of Cheon Yeomyung, and when it seemed his lies might be exposed, he kissed him first and had sex. Sex with the man was as intense as ever. He knew how to give pleasure.

“Ah…”

Yang Euijoo, lying face down on the bed, panted under Cheon Yeomyung. The sticky pleasure that seemed to melt his lower body caused liquid to drip from his organ. He shuddered with his lips parted. How fortunate that desire and pleasure were not the same as his mind? He had become so depraved, as Cheon Yeomyung said, that he nearly fainted every time the large organ penetrated him.

The blunt organ dug deep into his insides, pressing heavily within. Yang Euijoo, muttering that this act might be mentally healthier, said,

“Damn it, just cut it off…”

“You’d miss it if I did, so why say that?”

Cheon Yeomyung brushed off Yang Euijoo’s words lightly, pressing his lower abdomen firmly. Every time a subtle curve appeared on his flat abdomen, he had the crude thought that his lover’s skills were impressive, but he didn’t say it out loud. He didn’t want to be slapped by his lover during sex.

To be precise, Cheon Yeomyung preferred slapping his bed partner’s cheeks or choking their neck. Of course, knowing he’d be beaten with fierce curses if he did that to Yang Euijoo, he acted affectionately as his lover desired, constantly rubbing the outline of the organ protruding from his lower abdomen.

“Ha, stop… I said, ah!”

Yang Euijoo sobbed, burying his face in the bed sheets. Cheon Yeomyung, with his organ inserted into another’s body, smirked, enveloped in the strange pleasure as if masturbating with his hand. He felt addicted to the tight grip that seemed to swallow him whole. Cheon Yeomyung grabbed the cheeks of Yang Euijoo, who was sprawled on the bed, unable to regain his senses, and pulled him up. The lips, panting with hazy eyes, were wet with saliva.

Those lips felt amazing when they sucked him off. Cheon Yeomyung kissed the wet lips without hesitation. Yang Euijoo, his body melting limply, opened his hot lips to meet the man. It felt like he was dissolving. The heat rose so intensely that the little thought he had left broke down. Yang Euijoo sobbed as he sucked on the man’s tongue.

“Why are you crying already?”

Cheon Yeomyung, wiping Yang Euijoo’s tear-streaked cheeks, asked soothingly. Yang Euijoo said nothing, only whimpering.

“My lover, I told you to only cry in bed, and you’re really going all out…”

With a troubled expression, Cheon Yeomyung caressed Yang Euijoo’s wet face. His sympathetic voice ended there. Yang Euijoo half-clung to Cheon Yeomyung, who pulled his hands to hold his shoulders. Soon, he let out a scream-like cry with all his might. The deeply penetrating organ pressed heavily inside. It was a rough insertion that shook his entire body.

“Ah!”

Yang Euijoo trembled, letting out a shrill cry. Every time the organ scraped and dug into the soft, wet inner walls, something dripped from below. Yang Euijoo screamed for it to stop while spreading his legs. He climaxed with every shake, like a complete mess. Then, intoxicated by even more intense pleasure, he lost his mind.

Yang Euijoo, as Cheon Yeomyung instructed, climbed on top of him and moved his hips himself. The man’s semen, released multiple times, filled his abdomen as the erect organ thrust in. It felt like his brain was being pierced. His gray eyes rolled back as he panted.

“Ugh, ah!”

“Ha, damn it…”

The slick sound of wet hips swallowing the organ echoed through the room. Cheon Yeomyung, drenched in sweat, grabbed the body that made slurping sounds every time it slid and swallowed his organ, folding it in half and pressing it down. He thrust his organ inside several times. Yang Euijoo wailed from below.

“Ah, no! Ah! Stop… ah!”

The tear-choked voice sounded as sweet as if it had reached heaven. Cheon Yeomyung bit and licked Yang Euijoo’s lips roughly, ejaculating while tightly fitting his organ into his insides. Yang Euijoo whimpered, panting heavily. His hazy eyes blinked a few times before drooping limply. As Cheon Yeomyung pulled out the organ he had pressed in tightly, he asked,

“Asleep?”

“No, damn it…”

“Touchy.”

“It’s not touchy, it’s annoying.”

What’s the difference? Cheon Yeomyung wondered silently but obediently let go of Yang Euijoo. He then wet a towel prepared on the table. Yang Euijoo quietly accepted Cheon Yeomyung’s now-familiar care. The warm towel cleaned his wet body, making him feel slightly better. Cheon Yeomyung, humming lightly as if enjoying cleaning his lover’s body, seemed content. Staring blankly at his disheveled appearance, Yang Euijoo opened his mouth.

“Maybe…”

He paused for a moment. Yang Euijoo asked himself: Is this a story that doesn’t feel out of place now? Will it raise suspicion? Is my voice steady? How much can I deceive this man?

“Hm?”

A kind, warm gaze touched Yang Euijoo’s face. Bastard. Yang Euijoo muttered to himself.

“Can I stop by Yirang for a bit? Li Su, I mean, Du Shanchong’s wife…”

“I know, Li Su. The woman who helped the teacher early on, right?”

He knows everything. Of course, he must have done a background check. Yang Euijoo pushed the wet sheets away with his toes and leaned forward slightly. The man, casually wiping the inside of his thighs, raised an eyebrow slightly as Yang Euijoo’s hand touched his.

“I disappeared, so she must be worried. I want to check in with her.”

“Send someone.”

“I want to talk to her face-to-face.”

“…Is your lover her instead of me? Why do you want to see her?”

Cheon Yeomyung was slightly annoyed at Yang Euijoo’s request. But Yang Euijoo matched his annoyance.

“Do you think it’s easy living just looking at your face? If you’re not sending me back to Yirang soon, at least let me go say hi.”

“Why do you like people so much?”

Cheon Yeomyung grumbled about his lack of social skills but nodded.

“It’s my first time hearing pillow talk, so I’ll grant it. Ah, you brought it up now on purpose, didn’t you? No wonder you didn’t pass out and sleep like usual.”

Cheon Yeomyung knew best that Yang Euijoo always felt grateful to Li Su. He collected every detail about Yang Euijoo, down to a single grain of rice. He had read that Li Su had cooked pig porridge to keep Yang Euijoo alive. Showing his face unguarded once might provoke Quan and be beneficial.

“Come back soon. Hurry back, okay?”

Cheon Yeomyung smiled generously. Since it had been a while since Yang Euijoo asked for something, he let his guard down for a moment.

🐑

Yirang, visited after a long time, had a landscape that hardly changed. Complex signs, intertwined as if invading each other but not quite crossing the line, hung over the narrow alley. Some had spiderwebs, some had broken wires, and some had rotting ropes dangling, as if they too were part of the signs’ decoration.

Yang Euijoo stared blankly at the gray, shimmering scenery of Yirang at dawn, where the morning sun barely rose. The familiar place felt strangely unfamiliar. Not that the mansion had become familiar either. Yang Euijoo glanced down at his feet. Clean black sneakers stepped on the dirty, dusty ground. The lightweight sneakers, reaching up to his ankles, had a white star printed on them.

Yang Euijoo recalled Cheon Yeomyung, who, for some reason in a good mood today, had personally put the uncomfortable sneakers on him while humming. The man who carefully tied the white laces didn’t forget to kiss Yang Euijoo’s cheek.

“We’ll be nearby. Going inside Yirang would be too conspicuous.”

There wasn’t a trace of suspicion in the voice. It was like asking if he could order two more plates of dim sum at a restaurant. Yang Euijoo, who had thought of dozens of excuses to keep Rinrin from following him into Yirang, let out a weak laugh. It was only Yang Euijoo who couldn’t sleep due to anxiety, only Yang Euijoo who feared betrayal and retribution.

Rinrin’s willingness was clearly decided by Cheon Yeomyung. Even Cheon Yeomyung didn’t suspect Yang Euijoo’s betrayal. Everything was fortunate for Yang Euijoo.

“Still, just in case, wear a hat. Your face stands out a bit, teacher.”

Rinrin chattered, handing Yang Euijoo a black ball cap matching his shoes. Her eyes sparkled clearly, her hair tied up like freshly baked bread rolls on either side of her head. Yang Euijoo silently took the hat and pulled it low over his head.

“And this too.”

She handed him a gun next. Yang Euijoo felt the gun seemed familiar.

“There are exactly two bullets, so be careful. One for warning, one for real. If we hear a warning shot, we’ll enter Yirang immediately.”

Making a terrifying remark, Rinrin flipped the gun over. As his shooting and self-defense teacher, she pointed to the safety for confirmation.

“Don’t forget to release the safety before shooting, and return the gun to the boss when you’re back.”

With that, Rinrin completely let go of the gun. Where her fingers had been, Yang Euijoo could read Cheon Yeomyung’s signature engraved on it. The gun, which didn’t look new, bore the marks of being well-used, molded to the man’s hand.

For someone who seems to use and discard guns casually, he keeps things for a long time. The more he learned, the more Yang Euijoo felt Cheon Yeomyung differed from his first impression. He tucked the gun into his waistband.

“Doesn’t Byeokhae have even one gun? I have to borrow one?”

Grumbling, Yang Euijoo saw Rinrin smile brightly. Her fluffy hair tied on both sides swayed.

“Right? The boss is surprisingly stingy! Have a good trip.”

Waving at Rinrin, Yang Euijoo pulled the hat lower. The anxiety that Quan’s men might appear from anywhere wasn’t even in his mind to begin with.

Yang Euijoo first went to find Li Su. She was still in the same spot, selling wonton noodles as always. Yang Euijoo shouted without realizing it.

“Auntie Su!”

Li Su, who was straining impurities from the broth without fully straightening her back, widened her eyes.

“Euijoo!”

Li Su let out a small cry and rushed toward Yang Euijoo clumsily. It was very early in the morning, so there were no customers yet. It was indeed early to visit a shop preparing food. Yang Euijoo pushed through the cold air that stung his nose and ran to Li Su. The two soon had an emotional reunion. Yang Euijoo felt his body ache from Li Su’s tight embrace, smelling her sweat and the broth made from pork fat.

Surprisingly, it was only then that he realized what he had missed.

“How did this happen? You have no idea how shocked I was when he told me about you…!”

Li Su couldn’t continue and sobbed. Yang Euijoo savored the warmth of Li Su’s embrace for a moment. After a while, Li Su stopped crying, wiping the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand and inspecting Yang Euijoo’s body.

“Are you okay? Are you healthy? How did you end up with that man…?”

Since Du Shanchong had seen Yang Euijoo with Cheon Yeomyung, it made sense that he told his wife, Li Su. Looking at Li Su, whose anxiety was palpable, Yang Euijoo opened his stiff lips. It was dawn, and thankfully, Cheon Yeomyung, mistaking Yang Euijoo for a soft-hearted person, had easily allowed everything.

“Auntie Su, please help me one more time.”

“Euijoo?”

Li Su’s eyes widened. Her face soon turned pale. Yang Euijoo clung to Li Su. In Yirang, she was the only one he could trust.

Yang Euijoo now went to meet the second person. Feeling like someone was following him, his steps grew hurried. The familiar dirt of Yirang stuck to the soles of his clean shoes. A single drop of muck splattered, staining the edge of the white star on his shoe. Too trivial to notice, Yang Euijoo felt the heel of the new, ill-fitting shoe rub against his ankle as he entered the general store.

As soon as he opened the store’s door, a bell rang loudly. Yang Euijoo raised his voice without waiting.

“Linda! Linda, are you here?”

He wandered around the unattended store, trying to recall where Linda’s room was, banging on the gray walls.

“Quiet down, you pathetic fool.”

After searching for Linda for a while, she emerged from a hidden door, straightening her hunched back and looking at Yang Euijoo. The smudged reading glasses on her nose faintly reflected the light.

“Linda!”

“Shh, I said be quiet.”

Linda, as if neither glad to see Yang Euijoo after so long nor curious about what he’d been doing for months, waved her wrinkled hand to silence him and slowly walked to the counter. She rummaged through a drawer and pulled out a yellow matchbox. Seeing it, Yang Euijoo recalled the matchbox he’d picked up from Linda’s store and forgotten to return.

“Sit down. Don’t stand there like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Lighting a match, Linda ignited a small oil lamp.

“Linda, I…”

“I know why you’re here without you saying it. Didn’t I tell you to watch out for that snake?”

Linda clicked her tongue as if it were obvious, not listening to Yang Euijoo’s words. She buttoned up her cardigan, stuffing the large wooden buttons into narrow buttonholes, looking like she was wrapped in a gray blanket.

“Pharmacist, do you remember what I said?”

“What…”

“I said I’d have a place to hide you. Give up on that girl. Then I’ll find a way to keep you alive.”

At Linda’s words, Yang Euijoo’s expression turned complex. It was something he had agonized over forever. That girl… If he gave up on Mei, there would have been no need to come to Yirang in such desperation. He could have burned time away, intoxicated by the pleasure and affection Cheon Yeomyung offered.

But the conflict in his heart and hearing a choice from Linda felt entirely different. Yang Euijoo looked into Linda’s eyes for a moment. There was no golden glint like Cheon Yeomyung’s, no gaze that tore through a person like a snake.

“You’re not trying to act like a saint in a situation like this, are you? Sure, Mei’s pitiful, but she’s not your responsibility. Is she your sister or something? People abandon their own family all the time, so why are you so desperate to save a stranger? Live a little more humanly.”

Linda’s voice was unusually sharp. Yang Euijoo couldn’t find any words and held his breath. The heavy air of Yirang and the unusually cold dawn pressed down on his shoulders.

“Humanly… that’s…”

Yang Euijoo, with an expression like Li Su’s, roughly rubbed his face.

“That’s not easy, Linda.”

“Idiot, who do you think you are to take care of someone?”

“Linda, damn it, I know. I know pretending not to know and living on wouldn’t cause any problems. I’ve lived like that here, so what’s one more thing? This is a place where you can kill someone, right?”

Yang Euijoo’s eyes reddened. He wanted to argue like this with Cheon Yeomyung. Why didn’t you hide everything perfectly?

“Mei…”

“…”

“She asked me to choose a name for her child.”

“Pharmacist.”

“I’m the one who’d let her child die.”

Would it have been easier if he could completely pretend not to know? Yang Euijoo, with his reddened eyes, smiled faintly. It was a fragile smile. Linda looked somber.

“…I don’t know if you’ll succeed.”

Finally, letting out a small sigh, Linda muttered. Yang Euijoo, with a faint smile that seemed to dissolve in the dawn mist, took off the hat pressing heavily on his head and held it in his hand.

“I know that man.”

No matter how much he played along with Cheon Yeomyung’s love games, talking about love or dates, it would be useless. He recalled how Cheon Yeomyung’s lips, when answering the phone, slid coldly without the slightest movement. Such a man wouldn’t spare Mei and her child. No, if he had any intention of sparing them, he wouldn’t have deceived Yang Euijoo with such a facade.

“Linda, please help me.”