Formless Chapter 80

Heewoon’s eyes widened. His face turned pale as he opened his lips.

“I, I didn’t forget! That’s why I came.”

“…”

Gangwoo, with slightly furrowed brows, grabbed the back of Heewoon’s neck and yanked him forward. His frightened face came closer.

“You said you wouldn’t lie again. Don’t you remember?”

At that moment, the sensation of hard pliers was etched in Heewoon’s mouth. The metallic taste and murderous gaze flashed together.

“Y-yes, I remember.”

“But.”

“…I-I’m sorry. I forgot you said I could follow you.”

The hand gripping his jaw relaxed. Gangwoo sighed.

“You keep getting on my nerves lately. What’s wrong with you? Huh?”

Gangwoo gently rubbed Heewoon’s cheek, then tapped it. He hit him without much force, but it was enough to instill fear in Heewoon.

“I was wrong, Gangwoo. I forgot what you said, but you suddenly went out at night, so… I was curious. You’re busy every day…”

Gangwoo’s hardened mouth softened slightly.

“So. You came out without saying anything because you want another cast?”

“No! I don’t want it, Gangwoo.”

Heewoon turned pale and shook his head. He took a step closer to Gangwoo and clung to his arm. Gangwoo’s gaze lingered there for a moment.

“Y-you secretly…”

It might not be a secret meeting. Seo Gangwoo wouldn’t need to hide anything from him. Heewoon looked directly at Gangwoo. He put force into his voice and asked.

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

He never thought he would have to say this in such a disadvantageous situation. It should have been said more accusingly.

But suddenly a question arose. Could he even accuse Seo Gangwoo? Aren’t they not that kind of relationship? He was just supposed to do whatever Seo Gangwoo told him to do.

Heewoon’s eyelashes lowered. Focusing his gaze on them, Gangwoo gritted his teeth. And let out a sharp laugh.

“You’re still saying such stupid things.”

Heewoon stepped back as Gangwoo got up from the table he was sitting on. It was an instinctive movement.

“Do I look like I’m playing games, sunbae? Damn it, a girlfriend.”

“B-but you are.”

“Are you really missing something upstairs?”

Gangwoo grabbed Heewoon’s white neck. He didn’t apply force, just enveloped it, but Heewoon’s eyes widened, and he froze.

“Why do you keep doing idiotic things?”

Heewoon let out a small cough. His neck wasn’t being squeezed, but he just coughed.

Gangwoo, who had glanced at the neck caught in his grip, withdrew his hand. Cold fingertips brushed his nape and moved away. Tap, he touched Heewoon’s cheek and said.

“Are you acting like this because I keep letting you off?”

“…”

Heewoon met a cold gaze. It was a confrontation he hadn’t had in a long time. He should be scared, but it touched something he had suppressed.

“…You… You meet women!”

The voice, pulled up from below his chest, scraped his throat as it burst out. Immediately, his throat hurt, and he coughed, cough, cough. Gangwoo furrowed his brows.

“Me?”

“I saw it. A KakaoTalk message from a woman.”

Heewoon’s eyes lit up as he watched Gangwoo’s expression, which seemed to not understand.

“There was even a heart next to the name.”

He was angry, but his voice trembled so much that it sounded like he was crying. Heewoon forced himself to continue speaking.

“And you went into the study to take the call.”

“…Ah.”

Seo Gangwoo seemed to just remember something. Heewoon did not stop.

“Did you go out on the weekend to meet that woman too? What about me? Am I just kept at home just for sex…”

“Stop.”

Gangwoo cut him off. His eyes flashed.

“If it was just for sex, I would have tied you to the bed. Why would I feed you and dress you?”

“…”

Heewoon swallowed a trembling breath. Gangwoo was terrifying, but he tried his hardest to make his eyes sharp. Gangwoo, whose gaze met his, turned his head and let out a scoff.

“You’re scary when you’re angry, sunbae.”

His tone implied he wasn’t scared at all. Heewoon felt the anger that had been hiding deep down growing even larger.

“Who is Jiyoung?”

Gangwoo’s mouth twitched. Gangwoo wiped his mouth with his hand, then cleared his throat.

“It’s a misunderstanding. Please sit here first.”

Gangwoo tapped the table. When Heewoon pretended not to hear, Gangwoo grabbed Heewoon’s waist and sat him on the table. He was embarrassed that his body had been momentarily suspended in the air against his will. He tried to get down, but Gangwoo said, “Sit,” again, so he decided to sit obediently.

“I told you to ask me everything, didn’t I?”

Heewoon did not lift his head at Gangwoo’s words. His gaze kept looking at the boundary between the floor and the wall. Watching Heewoon like that, Gangwoo rubbed his forehead as if embarrassed.

“Here. Look.”

Gangwoo suddenly held out his phone to Heewoon. Heewoon looked back and forth between Gangwoo and the phone, then took it and lowered his head. It was a KakaoTalk conversation. With someone named [K. Royal Tour Han Jiyoung].

There were only a few one-sided messages. Most were photos and files, and the one at the very bottom was a file named “Major Hawaiian Attractions.” He also saw the message [Is it okay to talk?] and read all the way up.

No matter how he looked at it, this was…

“This person’s name is…”

“I don’t know. There might have been a problem with the app, or they might have set their name differently.”

Heewoon pressed his lips together. And stared intently at the phone.

[Seo Gangwoo Mr., Woo Heewoon Mr. reservation completed.]

It clearly seemed to be a travel agent. The phone disappeared from his dazed vision. Heewoon slowly raised his head and looked at Gangwoo.

“Did you think I was cheating?”

A crooked smile appeared in Heewoon’s eyes. His lips pouted uncontrollably, so Heewoon bit and released his lips. Gangwoo smiled, watching his lips, which were marked white with teeth, quickly fill with scarlet.

“So you followed me.”

His voice was gentle. I’m sorry. I hid it because I wanted to surprise you. A complaint flowed between Heewoon’s lips as Gangwoo soothed him softly.

“I thought you were busy with work, but a woman… Because you were KakaoTalk-ing with a woman, I was so…”

Heewoon pressed his trembling lips together, then opened them again.

“You made me misunderstand, and then you choked me… Heugh.”

Finally, tears joined his words, which were trembling and growing smaller. Tears flowed down his cheeks and dangled at the tip of his chin.

“When did I ever choke you?”

Gangwoo, who laughed as if it were absurd, hugged Heewoon’s shoulder and wiped away his tears. He said in a low, soft voice.

“I thought it was similar to when sunbae asked if I had a girlfriend before. Why, there were times when sunbae acted like we weren’t lovers.”

Heewoon shuddered. He felt like his neck would really be choked if he said he still thought they weren’t lovers. Perhaps he shivered involuntarily, as Gangwoo hugged him a little tighter. Just then, snot came out, and when he sniffled, Gangwoo clicked his tongue.

“Are you very cold?”

Yes, he replied, leaning his cheek against Gangwoo’s chest. Gangwoo rubbed Heewoon’s other cheek with one hand.

“Why aren’t they coming out? Stupid bastards.”

Gangwoo said, looking at the door. Heewoon looked up slightly, and Gangwoo explained.

“They shouldn’t know sunbae is here. We’ll wait a bit and then leave.”

“Ah… Okay.”

Heewoon recalled the old face and the blood-soaked, unrecognizable face he had seen earlier. His neck and shoulders stiffened. Gangwoo gently stroked Heewoon’s arm, then took off his suit jacket.

“It’s not that cold…”

Gangwoo put the jacket on Heewoon and fastened the buttons. Standing in front of Heewoon to dress him, Gangwoo stared intently at Heewoon’s reddened eyes. He placed a hand on Heewoon’s shoulder and lightly rubbed the corner of his eye with his thumb. His lips slowly parted.

“I don’t cheat. With this here, do you think I’d even notice anything else?”

‘This,’ was referring to Heewoon.

“Ask me first before you suspect. Don’t do stupid things.”

“…”

“You’re my lover.”

A stinging pain was felt as he rubbed the corner of his eye hard. Heewoon looked into Gangwoo’s eyes. And he understood. Seo Gangwoo was being understanding with him right now.

“Earlier, you should have asked if I was cheating, not if I had a girlfriend.”

Seo Gangwoo, who had said he didn’t necessarily need a lover, secretly became possessive.

“Understood?”

“Yes.”

Heewoon nodded. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be a lover.

That was when it happened. A sound came from the corridor. Startled by the sound of multiple footsteps, Heewoon clutched Gangwoo’s shirt. And he went into Gangwoo’s arms as if to hide. The thoughts that he was not a suitable person to hide with and that he was the most suitable person came in succession.

Why do you, who are so afraid, only choose to follow me to places like this? He chuckled lowly, muttering. A large hand calmly stroked his back.

“Next time you follow me, tell me in advance. I’ll even leave the door open and make a hiding place for sunbae.”

Gangwoo said kindly. There was no way he would tail him again, but Heewoon said.

“If I tell you in advance, it’s not tailing.”

“Hmm, is that so? I’ll have to find a way. If you get caught the wrong way, sunbae could be in danger.”

Danger. Heewoon recalled the axe.

“Ah… I’ll just tell you in advance.”

“Then do that.”

Gangwoo rubbed his lips on Heewoon’s forehead. Then, suddenly, he chuckled. His clearly protruding Adam’s apple moved as if dancing.

“Ah, Woo Heewoon…”

Heewoon’s name, mixed with laughter, had an unusually sweet resonance.

Gangwoo embraced Heewoon. He patted his back and kissed his head multiple times. Heewoon felt the tension leaving his body and rested his chin on Gangwoo’s shoulder.

And when he lowered his gaze. He discovered a dark red stain on Gangwoo’s trouser hem. Sharp red images flashed in his mind. What happened to that man earlier?

“Since we’re already out, shall we go for a drive before heading in?”

A soft voice broke the train of thought. Heewoon blinked a couple of times. The stain did not disappear.

“Okay.”