The Unbelievers Chapter 49

“I am sorry. Then I will go immediately and move Eunseong.”

“If he happens to look for me, tell him I went on an overseas business trip.”

“Understood.”

Looking at him with a heavy heart—at the man who was trying to fulfill his responsibility toward Eunseong by any means necessary—Manager Nam offered a bow and left the office.

Manager Nam headed straight to Yoo Siun’s residence. Eunseong was packing his bags alone. Even just considering the things Yoo Siun had bought for him, there was a truckload of clothes and shoes, but Eunseong said he wouldn’t take them. He was taking the bag containing money and was diligently packing only things like textbooks and workbooks, even though he never studied. Rather than neatly packing items, it looked as if he were throwing everything together.

“Still, shouldn’t you take your clothes? If you have to buy everything new anyway, that will also be spending the CEO’s money.”

Manager Nam made a point that hit home. Eunseong snapped his head around to look at the man who spoke so spitefully, but soon replied in a drained voice.

“… Then I’ll only take the clothes.”

“Take everything you’ve been using. If we buy them again, that’s all the CEO’s money.”

“….”

Eunseong stopped packing and got up to bring the bag where he kept his money. He placed the money he took out from the bag on the floor and said.

“Could you deliver this to the Mister? And please be sure to tell him that I will pay it all back later.”

“….”

Is it really not a resonance?

Does he simply like Yoo Siun emotionally, mistaking interest and protection for affection, just as the man said?

Despite Yoo Siun’s warning, Manager Nam could not shake that thought and watched Eunseong as if observing him.

If it were resonance, it seemed clear that Eunseong was not experiencing painful sexual sensations, contrary to what he had heard. It could be because he was still young, and in any case, while Manager Nam had heard stories, this was his first time seeing a ‘Great Rift’ in person, so he knew nothing for certain.

The existence from the prophecy known as the ‘Great Rift’ showed no outward signs at all. His mother, whom he had only seen in photos, was quite a beauty, and Eunseong’s handsome face, resembling his biological mother, could not serve as proof of that existence.

Looking at him from the outside, Eunseong was nothing more than a pretty-looking male student. It was notable that he wasn’t just pretty, but remarkably beautiful.

He had only heard about the mark Eunseong possessed. He had not confirmed it with his own eyes. That was the only piece of evidence that Eunseong was the ‘Great Rift.’ He merely presumed it based on the fact that Seo Jeonggi had fled with the child upon discovering the mark, and that presumption alone could put Eunseong in danger.

No event that could be explained as a clear resonance was visible in either Eunseong or Yoo Siun. The excessively rational Yoo Siun did not believe in the existence of the ‘Great Rift’ itself, nor did he believe in things like marks or resonance. Furthermore, being puritanical to a fault, he would have guarded against and never even considered having such feelings for Eunseong. Although Yoo Siun’s reaction was suspiciously different from usual, as he claimed, no feelings of pain were felt by either of them to call it a resonance.

There was no disagreement that Yoo Siun was handsome enough to make anyone fall for him, and it was perhaps natural that Eunseong, who had lived through harsh treatment from his father, came to like Yoo Siun, who tried to do everything he wanted. Eunseong simply looked like a naive boy who liked him, just as Yoo Siun said.

Manager Nam knew that, whether he believed it or not, a desire to confirm that Eunseong was that existence was inherent within Yoo Siun as much as himself. However, he also knew the fact that the man’s reason was firmly suppressing that desire, ensuring he would never do such a thing.

“The CEO is worrying about you a lot, Eunseong.”

“I can take care of myself. No one needs to worry about me.”

“I’m not just saying that; he is truly sincere. Truly, truly… I mean, sincerely.”

Vague words were unlike Manager Nam. Eunseong’s eyes looked at him in bewilderment. He was looking with a dissatisfied gaze that seemed to ask what he was supposed to do about it.

“I suppose so. Since we’re relatives.”

“… That’s right.”

“I know too. That the Mister and I are relatives.”

“As long as you know, that’s enough. You have a good relative. Live with gratitude.”

“….”

Eunseong glared at Manager Nam. If the man knew how heart-wrenchingly painful his chest felt right now, he wouldn’t be able to utter such words.

Eunseong had shown his heart without hiding it and was rejected by him. As a distant relative, rejecting him was the proper way to behave, but this was the first time he had ever liked someone, and the first time he had ever felt the desire to be close to anyone; yet, rather than a proper confession, he was suppressed and ignored the moment he dared to speak.

He knew it was wrong, but there was no need to react like that. Yoo Siun even spoke as if Eunseong were mistaking his feelings for something else. Eunseong felt a sense of shame at his touch, which patted him while saying he was just confused and not to worry because it was a feeling that would soon be forgotten. Even right now, he missed him. He wanted to throw the money directly in his face.

Watching Eunseong pack his bags with his lips pressed tightly together, Manager Nam brought in staff to pack the rest of the belongings.

Even if there were many, Eunseong’s luggage, which wouldn’t even fill a single one-ton truck, was organized instantly by the helping hands.

Eunseong got into the car driven by Manager Nam and stared out the window with his chin propped up listlessly. He had no expectations for the new place where he would be living. His face was full of dissatisfaction and looked only sullen.

“When did the Mister say he would come visit after I move?”

“An overseas schedule has been set for the CEO, so he is not expected to be in Korea for the time being.”

“Pardon? When is he going?”

“The day after tomorrow, no, he leaves tomorrow.”

“Are you saying I really have to stay there all by myself?”

“I will be there. Didn’t you say before that you wanted to live with me?”

“You don’t come every day either, Manager.”

“I will go every day. Don’t worry about that.”

“I’m not worried….”

“The CEO left after asking me to look after you well.”

Eunseong, who had sat up straight from his slumped position and questioned Manager Nam as if about to climb into the front seat, leaned back and let out an incredulous breath.

“What business trip… I know he’s avoiding me on purpose so he doesn’t have to see me.”

“Is there a reason the CEO would have to do that?”

“That’s because I… to the Mister.”

Eunseong, sitting sullenly, was about to blurt it out to Manager Nam, but realized that saying such things would only make things harder for Yoo Siun and backed off.

“What to the CEO?”

Manager Nam, who was driving safely while watching the road ahead, stopped the car at a red light and asked. Manager Nam was also different from usual. He kept asking Eunseong things and gave him lingering, observant looks.

“Did the Mister tell you to find out what I’m thinking?”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because it’s strange how you keep prying, Manager. You aren’t usually interested in me, Manager.”

“That is a misunderstanding. Looking after you is the most important task among my duties.”

“That’s why I hate it.”

“….”

“That’s why I hate the Mister. Because he makes people confused… because he keeps making people misunderstand.”

The face of the sulking Eunseong was contorting pitifully. Eunseong looked back at the receding street outside the car window, trying not to show his expression to Manager Nam. He didn’t realize that his emotional face, looking as if he might cry at any moment, was reflected in the window. To anyone watching, he didn’t look like he had resonated with Yoo Siun, but simply looked like a boy who liked Yoo Siun.

Was Yoo Siun’s word correct after all?

Was it all nonsense?

Tiling his head in wonder, Manager Nam smoothly stepped on the accelerator at the green light.

Even after arriving at the penthouse, which was nearly eighty pyeong with only one unit per floor, Eunseong showed no particular signs of admiration. Since he had moved from a place surrounded by an elegant hanok and a beautiful garden, it might have felt a bit shabby in comparison. Even so, it was an excessively large house for Eunseong to stay in alone, and Eunseong seemed both worried and burdened by that fact.

“This is the security key, and you must not give it to anyone.”

“You don’t have to say something so obvious.”

“It is obvious, but I am emphasizing it because it is very important.”

Manager Nam handed over the security card and introduced the penthouse. Each room was equipped with an emergency phone that connected directly to him. If anything happened, simply picking up the receiver and pressing a button would immediately contact Manager Nam and the security team.

“I’ll be an adult once I take the Suneung. You don’t need to go this far.”

“But you aren’t one yet. Are you an adult right now, Eunseong?”

“… Not right now.”

“I’ll show you how to set the security here, so make a note of it. You must do it without fail before going to sleep.”

After Manager Nam, who had even shown him how to set the security for the entire house when going out, wrote down the steps for setting the security in order and posted them on the wall on behalf of Eunseong, who wasn’t taking notes.

“I heard you said you were going to attend an academy.”

“I’ll take care of it myself.”

“I hope you realize by now that a person of the Seongha family cannot take care of everything on their own.”

“….”

Eunseong felt suffocated. Everything from one to ten was control and restraint. When he lived with Yoo Siun, it felt like being protected within his fence, but in the current situation where he had to stay alone, all of Manager Nam’s advice felt like unbearable interference.