Formless Chapter 75

Gangwoo, who had been quietly watching Heewoon roll his eyes, lightly kissed Heewoon’s lips. He made a smacking sound and then headed for the dressing room.

“Your mother must be waiting. Let’s go quickly.”

“Ah, yes.”

Heewoon moved his crutches. Gangwoo, who came out of the dressing room without his coat, watched Heewoon’s busy back with a bewildered expression.

“We should go together.”

“…Is that so?”

The face that turned around to ask looked foolish, so Gangwoo strode over, grabbed both his cheeks, and bit his lips.

“Ah!”

Heewoon flinched, his face crumpling, and he touched his lips with his hand. ‘No blood.’ Gangwoo pulled Heewoon’s hand down and ruffled his hair.

There was a small struggle on the stairs. Heewoon wanted to go down alone with his crutches, thinking his mother might see, but Gangwoo clicked his tongue, saying it was a pointless effort.

Heewoon ultimately couldn’t win against Gangwoo. As he was carried over Gangwoo’s shoulder down the stairs, Heewoon rolled his eyes nervously. The kitchen wasn’t visible from the stairs, but his mother might come out of the kitchen.

“Just stay still.”

Gangwoo lightly patted Heewoon’s fidgeting bottom.

As soon as he was set down on the floor after coming down the stairs, Heewoon quickly grabbed his crutches and headed to the kitchen. Even if Gangwoo laughed behind him, dumbfounded, Heewoon couldn’t hear it now.

Dinner was awkward, but not to the point of indigestion.

His mother seemed to have lowered her guard considerably. Seo Gangwoo’s appearance, suitable for winning people’s favor, likely played a part. And that would lessen the thought that Heewoon was sold for money.

When dinner was over, his mother said,

“…Um, thank you.”

His mother’s face reddened after she spoke. She was thankful, but perhaps couldn’t completely shake off the thought that her son had been sold.

His mother left the house immediately without spending any more time. When Seo Gangwoo briefly stepped away, his mother said, that he looked well.

It was natural, having eaten and slept well. The weight of debt that had heavily pressed on his shoulders no longer felt even a speck.

Except for today, when he met his mother, he had never felt pain in his chest. When he felt a sudden pain in his chest today after seeing his mother, having been well when with Seo Gangwoo, Heewoon didn’t blame himself. He merely thought selfishly that he shouldn’t see his mother for a while.

“Mom.”

Heewoon called out to his mother, who was leaving the main gate. His lips parted, then closed again. He couldn’t even carelessly say words like ‘don’t worry about me’. His mother’s face, as she turned back, had prominent cheekbones and hollow cheeks. She wore light makeup, but looked like a sick person.

His mother didn’t look well at all.

“When my leg is all better, let’s go eat something delicious.”

That was what Heewoon said, with a slight smile. Because even if he tried, nothing would change. So he wanted to be comfortable, even if it was just him instead of his mother.

“Okay. Don’t come out. The taxi is already here.”

‘Mom’s leaving.’ He waved back to his mother, who was waving. After watching the taxi his mother was in drive down the empty road, he gripped the crutches he had tucked under his arm again.

“Are you sad?”

Gangwoo, standing next to him, asked.

“No.”

Heewoon shook his head without hesitation.

Early summer arrived.

After the cast was removed, Heewoon struggled initially because he couldn’t walk properly, but as the doctor said he would recover quickly due to his youth, Heewoon was soon able to walk. He couldn’t even remember not being able to walk well now.

“Sit. Sit, Lexi. No, don’t lie down…”

Heewoon covered his face with his hand, looking at Lexi, who was lying prone on his stomach. He wasn’t close at all with this hound-like dog, but recently he had been trying to get close to it. However, Lexi would obey Seo Gangwoo’s words perfectly but intentionally ignore Heewoon’s.

“Here. Eat.”

Yet, when given a snack, he wagged his tail and ate it well. Heewoon glared at Lexi and went to sit on the bench.

He was currently at a park near his house. A few weeks ago, Heewoon had asked Gangwoo if he could take Lexi for a walk, and Gangwoo had said yes. So nowadays, Heewoon sometimes takes Lexi for a walk to the park, about 20 minutes from home, during the day. He felt he needed to do this since he wasn’t moving enough.

And on days when Gangwoo came home early, they would go for another walk together around 8 PM. He was now sharing the routine he used to secretly watch from across the giant mansion.

Heewoon leaned back on the bench and looked up at the sky. Fluffy clouds moved slowly in the slightly hazy sky. The sunlight hitting his forehead was hot, so he created shade with his hand.

He probably wouldn’t be able to come out for walks during the day after a few more weeks. He was staring blankly at the sky for a while when something soft brushed against his calf, revealed by his shorts.

Heewoon lowered his head. Lexi had placed his chin on Heewoon’s knee and was quietly looking up. Lexi was a bit cuter than he had thought before.

“Such a big guy.”

Heewoon vigorously stroked Lexi’s head and neck. Lexi shook his head from side to side, then settled down at Heewoon’s feet and lay down. His tail wagged in the air. Heewoon long-stroked Lexi’s muscular body and leaned back on the bench again.

It was a peaceful afternoon. He drank the water he had brought, gave some to Lexi, and then stood up. Lexi resisted standing up, so Heewoon covered his face with his hand, but Lexi eventually stood up on his own after a moment.

He always did this, when he could just lift him in one go. It was like he was playing hard to get.

Heewoon suddenly took out the mobile phone from his pants pocket to check for any messages. There were none.

He always told him to call frequently, but he himself wouldn’t contact him unless he had a reason. Heewoon glared at the mobile phone, then put it back in his pocket.

He stretched and started walking. Lexi naturally went and stood in front of Heewoon. He had developed a habit of wrapping the harness leash around his wrist, just in case Lexi suddenly ran off, but that had never happened. Heewoon grew to like Gangwoo’s dog even more.

After leaving the park and walking a bit, a woman holding a small dog in her arms watched Lexi intently. Heewoon gripped the leash a little tighter, thinking that such a small dog would be in big trouble if Lexi just played. Sure enough, the woman approached Heewoon.

“Oh, he’s really handsome.”

Heewoon smiled awkwardly at the woman’s words.

“How old is he? Is he full-grown?”

“Uh…”

Heewoon drew out the end of his words and looked down at Lexi. Lexi was sniffing a flower nearby. Looking at the small dog in the woman’s arms, Lexi seemed to look even bigger.

When Lexi stood up straight, he reached Heewoon’s chest and was as heavy as a person. Sometimes, when he excitedly jumped on Heewoon, Heewoon would stumble and even fall a few times.

‘He’s big, but that doesn’t mean he’s old… He’s definitely over one year old. He’s not still growing, is he?’

“I don’t know.”

When he answered that after agonizing, the woman gave him a strange look.

“He’s not my dog.”

Heewoon gave the woman a slight bow and walked on. “Lexi, let’s go.” For some reason, Lexi obeyed him at once this time. It was a relief.

The way home was slightly uphill. The breeze was cool, but the sun was hot, making it a bit warm. By the time he arrived home, he had a slight sweat on his forehead.

After taking a shower, he wanted ice cream.

He had already showered, so he didn’t want to go out again. It would soon be 5 o’clock, so maybe Gangwoo would come. Heewoon lay prone on the bed, holding his mobile phone to his ear.

—Hello?

“Yes, Gangwoo. I…”

—Yes.

“I want ice cream.”

Silence flowed over the receiver. But soon, a small laugh burst like water droplets.

—You want ice cream?

It was a sweet and soft voice, as if comforting a child. Heewoon now answered such a voice without difficulty.

“Because it’s hot.”

—Did you go for a walk?

“Uh.”

—Ah. But I’ll be late today. Is it okay if you eat ice cream a little later?

“How late?”

—Well. Don’t wait, just go to sleep.

Heewoon answered “Got it” and hung up the phone. He lay with his cheek against the pillow. His mobile phone came into view.

Recently, Seo Gangwoo had become busy again. He said he no longer went to his father’s company, but Heewoon didn’t know why he was busy. While he himself was meticulously questioned all day about what he did, Gangwoo wouldn’t tell him anything about why he was busy, when he would come home, or what he did today.

Heewoon ate dinner alone today, read some books, then went out to walk Lexi. And then returned, showered, and went to bed. He felt he had spoken about five words all day. Answering the staff member who asked if he would eat lunch, and having a conversation with the woman he met on his walk.

He thought Gangwoo would come home early today since he left at dawn. He felt like he was locked up at home while Seo Gangwoo roamed freely.

Just as Heewoon was about to put down his mobile phone and close his eyes, he heard footsteps. Gangwoo, who had entered quietly, didn’t approach but went to the dressing room and then immediately went out. He seemed to be using a bathroom other than the one in the room.

Heewoon subtly checked the phone’s clock. 11:46 PM. Had he been working until this time? Well, he shouldn’t complain about working. Seo Gangwoo must be very tired too.

It turned out Seo Gangwoo was a very diligent murderer. He worked day and night, even bringing work home.

When he heard footsteps in the hallway, Heewoon buried his mobile phone deep in the pillow and closed his eyes. He felt Seo Gangwoo standing by the bed. He seemed to be standing there, looking at Heewoon, instead of going to his own spot. Heewoon was diligent in pretending to sleep. He worried he might be caught because the dim light was on, but Gangwoo moved away.

The mattress shook slightly, and he felt a presence behind him. A hand touched the back of his head. The hand, stroking gently, slowly ran down the back of his neck. It was ticklish, so Heewoon squeezed his eyes shut.