The Bad Life Chapter 14.3 - Raymond Goodman’s Predecessor

I emptied the teacup and stood up from the chair. Crossing the glossy and shiny wooden floor to the entrance, my duffel bag and shoes were neatly placed there, as if someone had brought them at some point. I slung the bag over my shoulder and gripped the shoes, then opened the front door. I walked barefoot with thudding steps across the well-kept garden toward the swimming pool where the sound of water could be heard.

Kristin was standing on the diving board wearing a flashy floral-patterned one-piece swimsuit with a deeply plunging back. He looked like a single painting with the beautiful garden landscape as the backdrop. With his back to me, he stretched both arms straight up over his head. As his arms stretched taut, the impeccably and perfectly woven back muscles were clearly revealed without any flaws. Just as I thought his thigh muscles were tensing, Kristin dove stylishly. I stood at the edge of the swimming pool looking down at Kristin in the water.

I had never told Kristin not to live like this. I had not denied the life of enjoying midday swims in a beautiful mansion and treating someone to meals at expensive restaurants. Therefore, Kristin should not do that either. He could choose not to help me, but he could not mock the way I had lived my life.

Kristin, who had reached the opposite side in an instant and turned back, surged up above the water surface while breathing heavily. Only after rubbing his face once did he discover me. Kristin slightly furrowed his brows.

<What is it, all sticky and gross.>

Kristin adjusted the shoulder straps of his swimsuit while in the water.

<We are not done with our business?>

<……>

<Do you want to stop and go back? I am quite busy in my own way, darling.>

Kristin lightly came up onto the water and sat at the edge of the swimming pool. I stared blankly at him as he wiped his face with a dry towel, then suddenly spat out.

<You are a bastard, Kristin. A rude bastard.>

For a moment, Kristin’s body stiffened. He slowly lowered the towel and looked up at me with wide-open eyes. I stood tall with my hands in my pockets, staring fixedly down at him.

<Even though I did not show a good sight yesterday, I have no reason to be treated like an idiot in this way.>

<……>

Kristin still had a surprised expression with his mouth half-open. I continued to glare at him calmly and kept snapping.

<If you do not want to help, just say you do not want to. Do not make people feel like shit.>

<……>

<And you bastard, since I killed those guys, I said I killed them, so what do you want me to say? Should I say something like they live forever in my heart even though I killed them? It is absurd because you say such dog shit so casually.>

<…Oh my. Oh my oh my. Oh my goodness.>

Kristin let out exclamations of disbelief one after another, then raised his massive body. He was as tall as me and even bulkier than me, so even in the floral swimsuit, his appearance had quite an intimidating presence.

<Darling, you are funny. You clung to me first, begging for help and saying this and that, and I barely listened to your story, and now bastard? You say dog shit? I really, oh my, I am so exasperated. Ha.>

<I asked for help because I needed it. What is wrong with that? If you cannot help, you can just say so. Did I threaten you or do something? You are the one who suddenly smashed someone’s forehead, so what makes you so great?>

<Oh my oh my! You, you stalked me first and dug into my background like a stalker, you bitch. What kind of bitch is like this?>

<I inquired around and found you, so when did I stalk and chase you like that? Did I steal your bra or secretly monitor you?>

<Mom! Look at how you talk! Where do you get off talking about someone else’s underwear without any manners!>

<You stripped a drunk and unconscious person completely naked and put them to bed, and now you talk big.>

<I cleaned up after you passed out drunk, so where do you get the nerve to talk back? Hey! You, get out, you bitch!>

Kristin pointed toward the outside of the front gate with his finger and yelled loudly. Even if he told me not to go, I intended to leave anyway. I glared at him once, then turned my body sharply and walked away with large strides, but a surge of anger welled up inside me, so I turned back to look. I threw one more retort at Kristin, who was glaring at me with his hands on his hips.

<And fuck, do not say cute anymore.>

I left without looking back, but a sarcastic voice flew from behind me.

<At least your butt is a bit cute, so I was being nice, but you do not know gratitude and get all sulky.>

I could not possibly ignore that, so I turned around again, and Kristin was squinting his eyes and sticking out his tongue. That bastard…. The moment Kristin pulled the corners of his mouth and stuck his tongue out long, I could not endure it anymore. I threw down my bag and shoes and charged at Kristin, plunging into the swimming pool with a splash.

We sank deep enough to touch the bottom of the swimming pool, then pushed each other in the water and surged up above the surface. Coughs burst out uncontrollably. Even while wiping my face with my hands and rubbing my eyes, I was hacking because water had gotten into my nose. Kristin, who was much more accustomed to the swimming pool, came to his senses first. Kristin splashed water at me, who still had not come to my senses, and shouted.

<This kid must be crazy for real! Hey! What the hell are you doing!>

I did not even have a chance to respond. A barrage of water hit me so I could not open my mouth, and water rushed into my nose and mouth wildly. Kristin splashed water relentlessly with those massive muscular arms, to the point where I could not even gather my wits. It was almost like small waves.

I was helplessly swallowing water, then closed my eyes and thrashed with splashes. Taking advantage of the moment when the splashing weakened a bit, I clung close to Kristin and grabbed both of his wrists. I thought the splashing had finally stopped and I could breathe now, but he twisted his wrists flexibly to pull them out and instead gripped my wrists tightly. His grip strength was so strong that I could not escape at all. No matter how much I twisted my hands to pull them out, it was useless. I am strong too, but Kristin was really disgustingly strong. With my wrists held by him, I barely blinked my stinging eyes filled with water and glared at Kristin. We glared at each other with murderous intent.

Silence flowed, and in the next moment, unexpectedly, Kristin grinned. For some reason, the back of my neck prickled.

<Darling, did you hate being called cute that much?>

Kristin whispered slyly. His face came closer and closer, so I slowly backed away.

<What, what is it.>

<Your drunk face yesterday was cute too… but your wet face is even cuter.> <Why are you doing this. Let go.>

Kristin pressed his body closer and closer, so I kept backing away until my back hit the wall. In the water, Kristin’s legs slyly wrapped around. The man whispered from so close that our noses touched.

<Why is your expression like that? Darling. Are you scared?>

I just glared at him without saying a word. Kristin nipped at my nose tip and whispered playfully.

<Rawr.>

My wrists were freed. Kristin lightly swung his arms and hopped back. He climbed out of the swimming pool in one go. Water droplets dripped down from his face. Kristin draped the towel over his shoulder.

<You can forget about taking a shower. Get out right now.>

Kristin walked away behind me with the sound of his wet feet slapping. I stayed blankly in the water for a moment. When I heard the sound of the front door closing from over there, that was when I finally came to my senses a little. A sigh escaped me. I dunked my head fully into the cold water.