Dirty Sweet Baby Chapter 56

Cha Moogyul. To be honest, even those three syllables were not easy for Heeheon. He considered just changing it back to something like “jerk,” but decided that wasn’t right and gave up. His hesitant thumb wandered over the screen, twitching for a while. Cha Moogyul watched Heeheon change the contact name, then gave a short, light scoff and turned his gaze out the window.

Unlike the quiet special residential district, which was sparsely populated with major facilities concentrated in the center, the general residential district was packed with buildings and teeming with people everywhere one looked. Heeheon put his phone away in his pocket and also turned his head to stare out the car window. The streetlights and traffic lights lined up one after another along the straight road, the countless signboards, the sound of music from a store coming from somewhere, a loud honk, reinforced concrete apartments…

It was his hometown, seen for the first time in a long while.

The land where Baek Heeheon was born and raised. The memories stirred a sense of nostalgia. Although it had become a place he could never return to, it was true that his heart swelled at this visit after five years. Longing and gladness, and also regret, anxiety, guilt… The prodigal son, guilty of leaving home at a young age, had finally returned in a state of immorality.

Heeheon slowly lowered his head and hunched over. As if confessing his wrongdoings to someone in advance and observing a moment of silence.

The day flew by quickly.

As he had forewarned, the schedule was tight. It was so busy that Heeheon began to wonder if they had to visit all twelve general residential districts like this. Cha Moogyul stopped by various places and met with many people. Among them, he stayed the longest at the Musan Group corporate headquarters. Everywhere he went, attention gathered and crowds formed.

Countless requests for handshakes, requests to take pictures, favorable gazes, cheers, welcomes… People gave Cha Moogyul and Baek Heeheon an extremely warm reception. As enthusiastic as if the two of them had truly saved the country.

‘Honestly, I didn’t expect it to be this intense.’

He knew that the public’s attention on Cha Moogyul and Baek Heeheon was high, but he hadn’t imagined it would be this sensational. At this rate, it seemed their status was higher than any other famous Awakened being Heeheon had known until now. Even higher than other S-rank Awakened. Cha Moogyul’s meticulous media management must have created a huge response.

As post-manifestation Awakened born in a general residential district, Cha Moogyul and Baek Heeheon were ingrained in the public’s perception as “our heroes for the civilians,” and this gave them a special quality different from other Awakened who lived amongst themselves in the special residential district. Simply put, it meant they were hometown heroes.

‘What does that matter? We’re all comrades-in-arms, risking our one and only life to fight.’

In fact, from Heeheon’s perspective, he thought the Awakened who were judged as such from birth, isolated in the special residential district, trained as soldiers their entire lives, and dedicated their lives to the nation were more amazing. They were in a position where they couldn’t live an ordinary life from birth, even if they wanted to.

However, this was Heeheon’s perspective, having observed the Awakened up close, while the perspective of civilians living far from the Awakened was different. While they admired, envied, and followed the Awakened who protected them, they also held a certain complex about the fact that such heroes were different beings from birth.

Come to think of it, back when Baek Heeheon was around 10, he used to think the Awakened who brilliantly used their powers to subdue creatures were so cool, and he’d harbored a desire to be like them at least once. After that, of course, it had hurt his heart quite a bit to realize that he was a non-Awakened and it was impossible for him to become like the people on TV.

Thinking of it that way, it was understandable that civilians felt closer to and more enthusiastically supported the post-manifestation Cha Moogyul and Baek Heeheon.

‘Besides, Cha Moogyul is, well, Cha Moogyul.’

Even back when he was a non-Awakened, he was already a unique existence who drew all the attention. The sole heir to Musan Group. A perfect being who possessed all the outstanding advantages. And now that he had even become an S-rank Esper, the fervent support pouring toward him would only increase, not decrease.

Anyway, Heeheon accompanied Cha Moogyul to each location according to his murderous schedule as his dedicated guide. Cha Moogyul seemed extremely busy with work, attending meetings and checking on sites, but Heeheon only had to follow behind him, so he wasn’t particularly busy or had much to do.

Among them, occasionally an overzealous fan would appear and try to rush them rudely, acting without restraint, but thankfully the six bodyguards protecting Heeheon’s vicinity thoroughly blocked them. Heeheon didn’t even need to move an inch from his spot.

‘Wait. Come to think of it, why are all six of them stuck around me?’

What about Cha Moogyul?

Of course, even if twenty assailants jumped out, not just overzealous fans, he would be able to subdue them in an instant with his powers…

‘…’

Heeheon carefully raised his eyes and stole a glance at him in the middle of a meeting. The executives of Musan Group were seated with him. Even when facing middle-aged men much older than him, he didn’t seem intimidated in the least. Cha Moogyul, who faced them with fierce eyes and solidified his position, looked more passionate than the version of him Heeheon had known until now.

Cha Moogyul, born with everything from the start. Heeheon had only ever thought it natural for him to be a unique, extraordinary, and distant idol. But in this moment, he felt a distinct fervor from him that he had never read before.

‘Right… It wouldn’t have been easy to achieve his current position at that age.’

There was no way it was easy. Even for Cha Moogyul. It was illogical to think everything was just given to him without any effort. Even after becoming an Esper, Cha Moogyul had worked busily. And he had never skipped his daily training. Heeheon actually knew how he usually spent his days. Just as diamonds are formed under intense pressure, Cha Moogyul must have been a being forged by overcoming equally intense pressure.

To dismiss him flatly by saying he had everything from birth, that Cha Moogyul was just destined for it, was too…

‘He is cool. Damn it.’

Heeheon buried his face in his palms. He didn’t know what he was supposed to do, falling for him again even after coming all this way. Was it okay to keep dragging out this half-hearted, neither-here-nor-there feeling? All the way here in the general residential district. He felt endlessly frustrated and lost, not knowing how he would face his mother or how he should act around Cha Moogyul.

Unfortunately, time did not wait for Heeheon. The executive meeting ended before he had a chance to sort out his thoughts and calm his heart.

“Follow me.”

Cha Moogyul pulled Heeheon along and got into the black sedan again. The six bodyguards and Secretary Jo were with them. The once clear sky was now slowly being painted by the evening glow. The scorching heat of summer had faded, and the cool early evening breeze of autumn blew. Lost in thought, Heeheon silently rested his chin on his hand and looked out the window.

“All external appointments for today have been concluded. You have one dinner appointment with the Chairman and Madam at the main residence. Shall I take you home now, Director?”

“Wait a moment.”

Cha Moogyul stopped Secretary Jo. Then, he cast a glance at Heeheon.

“Let’s stop by a nearby flower shop.”

“Yes, sir. I will take you there right away.”

A flower shop…?

Heeheon reflexively turned his head toward him. Their gazes met precisely in the middle. Eyes as black as darkness reflected Heeheon.

“What, were you planning on going empty-handed?”

“Ah.”

Only then did it hit Heeheon. Cha Moogyul let out a light laugh.

It was his mother, whom he was seeing for the first time in five years. Whether Baek Heeheon was troubled or not, his current psychological state wasn’t what was important right now. Just as he said, he felt he should at least bring some flowers. And he needed to get a grip. Heeheon bit the inside of his cheek hard. He clenched his fists tightly as he chewed on it until it felt raw. A little bit of the dead light in his eyes returned.

Cha Moogyul lazily reached out his hand and poked Heeheon’s cheek with his index finger.

“And fix your expression. You should smile a little.”

“I got it. Don’t worry about it.”

And stop touching me in the car…

Heeheon slightly twisted his body to avoid his hand. With Secretary Jo and the chauffeur sitting in the front seats, he had no choice but to dodge.

“You’re scowling too much, hyung. You’ll make Madam weep again.”

“…Don’t say pointless things.”

“What to do. It’s not pointless.”

Cha Moogyul stretched his long arm and touched Heeheon’s face again. This time, he pressed the corner of his mouth with his index finger, pushing it up. Heeheon’s lips were physically bent, and a forced smile was drawn on his pale face.

“Try smiling. I’ll check your expression for you.”

“Hey… Cha Moogyul.”

“Smile.”

Heeheon let out a long sigh internally. This was enough to make him go crazy. But he couldn’t raise his voice in the car. He figured he should just do as he wanted. Heeheon glared at him and pulled his lips back slightly to smile.

“There. Happy?”

“…”

“You’re happy now.”

Seeing Heeheon’s smile, which appeared and disappeared in an instant, Cha Moogyul burst out laughing. Heeheon was just puzzled, not knowing why he was laughing.

“What. Was… something wrong with it?”

“No.”

Cha Moogyul was still chuckling. Secretary Jo, sitting in the passenger seat, had his shoulders strangely stiff and rigid. It was just a guess, but it seemed he was a bit taken aback seeing Cha Moogyul laugh his head off.