Midday Guest Chapter 25

By the time I thought Haeundang might collapse at this rate, the noise gradually subsided.

Fragments of the shattered electric fan were scattered everywhere, and behind them, I could see Kim Sunwoo fainted with his eyes rolled back. When I turned my gaze away to avoid the sight, people—I couldn’t tell if they were corpses or fainted bodies—were piled up like a mountain.

It looked as if the place had been hit by a bomb. Cha Seokjoo, walking through the wreckage in his boots, sat down with his knees folded beside Yiwon. The face of the man who had just swept away the hooligans was as calm as if nothing had happened.

“Why is it that every time I see you, you’re getting beaten up?”

I know, right. I tried to speak, but my throat was so tight that I couldn’t. It was also a situation where I couldn’t say a single word because of the towel stuffed into my mouth.

Cha Seokjoo, looking down at Yiwon with those characteristically calm eyes, reached out.

“It’s bothering me.”

I thought he was going to pull the towel out, but his fingertips headed somewhere else. Cha Seokjoo brushed Yiwon’s messily disheveled hair back and let out a small hm.

A large hand cupped Yiwon’s chin. Holding Yiwon’s helplessly turning face fixed toward him, he just stared without saying a word.

A faint light was visible behind Cha Seokjoo’s back. Was it already time for the sun to rise? I tried blinking. Looking outside again, the world was still passing through the pitch-black night.

Cha Seokjoo, turning Yiwon’s face from side to side, clicked his tongue.

“Say, ah.”

“… .”

“You can’t?”

Yiwon was flustered by the words that sounded like he was coaxing a child, but soon nodded to signify he would do as told. Not long after he opened his mouth, the gag was pulled out.

The places grazed by the rough towel were stinging, making his eyes narrow reflexively. While he caught his breath and touched the area around his mouth, a hand lunged toward Yiwon’s face.

“What are you doing? Take it.”

“… .”

“Even if you don’t want to, you have to take it. You are far too entangled in our business.”

It was a blood-stained hand. However, it didn’t take very long to decide whether or not to take it. If it hadn’t been for Cha Seokjoo, he would be rolling on the floor right now clutching a severed finger.

Yiwon held Cha Seokjoo’s hand and added a few words.

“…Thank you.”

“It’s a bit embarrassing to hear such thanks.”

Having finished speaking, Cha Seokjoo pulled Yiwon up. Wearing an unreadable expression, he pointed toward Yiwon’s face with a flick of his chin.

“Your pretty face is all burst. It’ll last a while.”

I decided to pretend I didn’t hear the strange remark he just made. Yiwon quickly changed the subject.

“…As long as my hands are fine, it’s okay.”

“That’s true. Thanks to that, I even get to interlock fingers like this.”

Cha Seokjoo held up their joined hands. Yiwon, staring blankly down at them, finally let out a stupid “Ah” and spread his hand wide.

Even at the gesture to let go, Cha Seokjoo showed no sign of pulling away. On the contrary, Yiwon was pulled along, staggering from the force of the hand gripping him tight and drawing him in.

Cha Seokjoo had a good build to match his height. His hands and feet were all indescribably large, and his strength was immense. How could I have the knack to withstand such a person?

“…Ah.”

He almost leaned disgracefully into the man’s chest, but managed to stop by putting strength into his toes. Then Cha Seokjoo took a large step closer and faced Yiwon. With a face carrying a faint smile, he continued.

“And here you were pretending to be fine.”

Cha Seokjoo squeezed and shook the interlocked hand. Only then could I realize that my physical state was not normal. Starting from the hand, moving to the arm, and eventually his whole body was trembling.

Yiwon, startled, shook off his hand.

He had never wanted to look weak. It was the same regarding Cha Seokjoo. It wasn’t intentional, but if he had appeared fine until now, it was a great relief to Yiwon.

“I’m okay. Something like this will heal quickly if I rest.”

“Right, let’s lie down before you collapse.”

Cha Seokjoo shouted toward the wooden porch.

“Taesik.”

“Yes, Director.”

“What about them?”

“I’ve gathered them in the yard. What should I do?”

“Package them well and deliver them. I’m going to get some rest.”

After saying that, Cha Seokjoo handed a bundle of envelopes to Oh Taesik.

“Yes, Director. As a matter of fact, I’ve already spread out the bedding in the room.”

“Yeah, good job.”

At Cha Seokjoo’s casual word of praise, Oh Taesik practically danced for joy and bowed deeply, saying, “Then please rest, Director.”

Yiwon turned his back to him. Looking at the room that had become a total wreck, his chest felt tight.

Even a house facing immediate demolition probably wouldn’t be this messy. As he bent his waist to pick up the pieces of the shattered fan propeller, he was pulled away by Cha Seokjoo’s hand tugging on his wrist.

“Follow me.”

“To where…?”

“If you sleep here, you’ll be kidnapped by a ghost.”

“There are no ghosts in Haeundang.”

“I’m just saying it, so don’t talk back and just follow me.”

For Yiwon, even a brief brush with Cha Seokjoo made his nerves stand on end and his heart uncomfortable. To use the same room as such a person… it was impossible.

“I was just telling you that I’ll just sleep here.”

“I’m tired. Let’s go quietly.”

“I’m thankful you saved me, but—”

Cha Seokjoo stopped walking and looked down at Yiwon.

“Want a piggyback ride?”

“… .”

“No? Then there’s the option of going via a princess carry.”

“… .”

“There is one more method left. But I don’t want to use that one on you.”

There weren’t many choices. He especially didn’t want to know about the last one. Forced to cross the wooden porch, Yiwon ended up receiving the greetings of Cha Seokjoo’s employees alongside him.

“Have a good night, Director.”

The spare room was clean. Yiwon, who was looking around to see if there were any damaged walls or furniture, snapped out of it when he saw Cha Seokjoo stride inside first.

“Did you borrow money from Kim Sunwoo?”

“…Yes.”

It was ridiculous to hide it now that everything was out in the open. After he gave a straight answer, Cha Seokjoo narrowed his eyes.

“Why are you only telling me that now?”

It was absurd. Was he supposed to ramble on about how much debt he had and how many years he had been tormented to a person he was meeting for the first time—someone who was chasing his creditor? Since he was displaying a pouty expression thanks to his swollen cheeks, Cha Seokjoo asked as he took off his suit jacket.

“How much.”

The tie was tucked into the space between his shirt buttons. It was the style of someone used to fighting. I had heard that if one engages in a fistfight with a tie hanging down to the waist, it’s common to have the neck grabbed and be slammed to the floor, which is why they do that.

While I was staring blankly at that sight, Cha Seokjoo let out a tsk of disapproval. I didn’t know why, but I didn’t want to tell him.

“I’ve almost paid it all back.”

“I said, how much.”

The end of Cha Seokjoo’s sentence grew sharp. However, I didn’t have the strength to talk back, and I had even less strength to look back at the past. Yiwon slid his gaze down and collapsed onto the blankets. No use talking about a miserable story; it would only make his head ache. They say pain shared is doubled.

“I’m sorry, but I’ll just impose on you for today.”

“Now you’re just blatantly ignoring what I say.”

“It’s because I have no energy.”

“… .”

“It’s true.”

Cha Seokjoo let out a sharp breath as if it were absurd, but he didn’t say anything more unpleasant. Once I knew he wouldn’t press further, the tension eased.

Cha Seokjoo glanced at the air conditioner attached to the ceiling and asked.

“Should I turn it on?”

“Do as you please.”

“The sick person’s mood comes first. How do you usually sleep?”

“I don’t turn it on.”

Cha Seokjoo, who was about to press the remote toward the air conditioner, looked at Yiwon and asked.

“Are you the type who doesn’t really get hot?”

“I get very hot.”

“Then why do you sleep without turning it on? Did you get air conditioning sickness or something?”

“Because it’s a 2-in-1.”

“2-in-1?”

“Since it’s an air conditioner bought as a set of two, I only installed it in the guest rooms.”

“…Unbelievable.”

Beep, beep, beep. The cheerful notification sounds stopped, and cool air began to pour out. Since I really didn’t have the energy to lift a single finger anymore, I lay spread-eagled, and Cha Seokjoo approached with his top off.

Yiwon, startled, jerked his head to the side. When he looked up at Cha Seokjoo in a strange posture—as if someone had plucked just his head and moved it aside—the man stopped in his tracks and added an explanation.

“I don’t wear clothes when I sleep.”

“…TMI…”

“What?”

Cha Seokjoo said while fluttering his hands in the pockets of his training shorts.

“I put these on as a special consideration, and you’re going to talk like that?”

Where did the man who was brutally throwing punches just a moment ago go? A person who seems calm and quiet, yet often says unexpected things when he opens his mouth. That Cha Seokjoo kept drawing Yiwon’s gaze.

I thought it would be awkward and uncomfortable, but once I entered the room, it was the opposite. In front of the now-familiar Cha Seokjoo, jokes slipped out easily. If I stay longer, I feel like I’ll become a frivolous person. Yiwon got up and fled to the bathroom.

After they took turns showering, the clock hands were already heading toward five in the morning. Cha Seokjoo, who lay down first, took the left side. He was already asleep, showing no movement.

Yiwon crawled slowly toward the right side. Barely getting his body onto the bedding, he swallowed a groan.

“… .”

His eyes were wide awake. His heart was still beating fast as well.