The Unbelievers Chapter 72

The car that had been racing through the city center got onto the outskirts road. It was clear they weren’t heading toward the downtown area.

“Is it far from here?”

“We’re almost there.”

“But, Detective. It really wasn’t me. It’s true.”

“…”

“It really wasn’t. I don’t know who this person Lee Doyun is. It’s a name I’ve heard for the first time.”

“I know.”

“…What?”

“I said, I know.”

Perhaps he was tired of Eunseong’s rambling explanations that he wasn’t Lee Doyun, as the detective responded curtly.

“If it’s not me, then why…, why do I have to be taken away? Can’t you just let me out?”

“Here? In the middle of this road?”

The detective looked around. Their car was racing forward without hesitation at a speed that kept pace with the other vehicles whizzing by.

“But how did you know my name?”

“…”

“You called me Seo Eunseong earlier.”

“…Ah, that’s what the police officer called you.”

“Officer Park didn’t tell you my name. Since the name Seo Eunseong is a fake to him anyway.”

“…”

The silence stretched long. Eunseong unfastened his seatbelt. He grabbed the front seat headrest with both hands and rattled it violently, trying to detach it. After finally finding the button and separating the piece that wouldn’t budge, he thrust the sharp support part toward him. The detective glanced back with absurd eyes before returning his gaze to the front.

“What are you doing?”

“Who are you, Detective?”

“Sigh.”

“I asked who you are! Are you really a detective? Are you a cop?! Give me the phone! Give me the phone right now!”

The detective let out a weary sigh, pulled a cell phone from his pocket, and tossed it back with a thud. Extremely tense, Eunseong thrust the support part at him as if threatening him with trembling hands, fumbled across the seat, and picked up the phone.

“A-and the password. What’s the password?”

“Try guessing. I’m a very simple human being.”

“I asked for the password!”

“I told you, try to match it.”

He was indifferent even though Eunseong was shouting. Rather, he seemed to be mocking him, and there was no sign of panic at all. Eunseong hurriedly combined passwords. 0000, 1234, 7777, 1010—as he pressed extremely simple numbers, the security lock engaged. A notice appeared saying to try again in 1 minute.

“Ah, you couldn’t even match that.”

The detective let out a lament as if it were a pity. Eunseong thrust the sharp support part at him. He poked him in the neck on purpose.

“What’s the password? Stop playing around.”

“If I were you, I wouldn’t do that. We’re driving at one hundred and twenty kilometers per hour right now.”

“You… you know I’m the successor of Seongha, right?”

“…”

Only then did eyes that had turned serious glance back at Eunseong. He wasn’t surprised at all, nor did he look at him with an expression asking what kind of out-of-the-blue nonsense that was. It meant he knew.

“Where are you taking me?”

Eunseong poked his neck with the metal. He pressed hard enough for it to hurt. The detective grimaced. He twisted his upper body, waving his hand as if chasing away a mosquito.

“I only need to do the delivery. Let’s go quietly.”

“I’m really going to stab you, Detective.”

“No way, it’s ridiculous but… do you, like, have periods and stuff too?”

“…What?”

Thinking he had misheard, Eunseong jerked his head and stared at him with eyes asking what on earth he was talking about.

“I asked if you have periods too. I don’t believe in that kind of thing.”

“What kind of bullshit are you talking about?”

“You don’t, right? How would that make sense? Ha, seriously. This is why cults are scary.”

The detective clicked his tongue, looking truly disgusted. He looked at Eunseong with a subtly loathsome gaze, eyes filled with all sorts of foul emotions that were hard to describe in words.

Fundamental loathing, suspicion, distrust—it wasn’t just that. It was mixed with longing, awe, and curiosity that could never coexist with those things. Through the rearview mirror, the detective continued to look blatantly at Eunseong’s face and body. It was a filthy look that felt almost like molestation.

“We’ll arrive soon. Sit up straight.”

“You think I can’t kill you? I’m at the end of my rope right now. I’m being exploited by the guy who stole my money and I can’t even tell him to give it back, and I have no money so I can’t even quit my job. The only kindness in my life right now is the fried egg the lady at the restaurant next door gives me. I’m still living right now because of that fried egg, you know?”

He was angry at those who looked down on him. Eunseong warned in a voice full of rage that he would never just take this lying down. The detective, who had only been quietly listening to Eunseong’s choking words, only then made an expression as if he had realized something, saying “Ah.”

“Ah, you don’t know.”

“…Know what?”

“You have no idea who you are.”

The detective, who had stopped the car at a red light, looked back significantly and stared intently at Eunseong’s face. He smirked and mocked Eunseong.

“Who am I?”

“It would be better not to know.”

“Who am I?!”

“Ugh, if it were me, I would have committed suicide.”

He shuddered and said such a horrible thing casually, that if he were Eunseong, he would have killed himself.

“…Who am I?!”

Strength was added to Eunseong’s hand. The face of the detective, who had been acting slick the whole time, stiffened. The sharp tip of the metal dug deeply into his neck. He scrunched his brow at the sharp pain.

“Don’t ask me… ask the people of your family.”

…Family?

Eunseong, who was replaying the detective’s words, flinched and pulled back in surprise when the man groaned in pain. A streak of blood was flowing down his neck. The detective quickly grabbed some tissues and pressed them against his neck. Eunseong’s hands trembled violently at what he had done.

He continued driving through a dark industrial zone. Eunseong gripped the headrest tightly.

It was the first time he had ever actually injured someone. He had only intended to threaten him, but he had stabbed him. His hands gripping the headrest were shaking uncontrollably, but he did not set it down.

“Fuck, what a temper.”

As if he hadn’t been stabbed deeply, he pulled away the tissue he had been pressing against his neck and gauged the amount of bleeding. He withdrew his eyes, which had looked at the pale and trembling Eunseong with both loathing and pity, and drove into a secluded area.

He finally stopped the car and got out first. Eunseong did not wait for the door to be opened; he raised the headrest high to break the window, but because the door clicked open, he stumbled from the force he was exerting.

The detective who opened the door stepped back a few paces. Eunseong got out of the car holding the headrest threateningly. Eunseong, looking around, suddenly dropped the weapon he had been holding onto for dear life onto the ground.

It was the sedan he usually rode in. And Yoo Siun was standing next to it.

“…Mister.”

His knees, which had been soaked in tension the entire time, gave way, and Eunseong felt a light dizziness from the pouring relief.

Yoo Siun was standing there. Eunseong approached him with staggering steps. Yoo Siun also walked toward Eunseong with an expression of finally being able to set down a great burden.

He wanted to throw himself into the man’s arms, but he couldn’t bring himself to go any closer and hesitated a few steps away. He wasn’t supposed to like him, and that was why he had run away to avoid him. It was an escape he had undertaken, vowing never to see him again, never to meet him again.

During that short period outside his fence, Eunseong had to endure all sorts of harsh things. Looking at Yoo Siun, he realized that it had been hard to handle, and that in his heart, he had wanted to give up and collapse if only given the chance.

The one who pulled the blankly standing Eunseong into a hug first was Yoo Siun. The scent of his cologne, his body heat, and the weight of a body he had always wanted to hold like this made his heart swell.

Eunseong also wrapped his arms around the man’s waist.

“Mister, Mister, Mister… sob.”

Eunseong burst into tears like a child. Yoo Siun wrapped his arms around Eunseong as if to crush him and trembled with regret. The overwhelming energy of having finally, at last, obtained what he had been desperately and anxiously searching for made him shake.

“…Caught you.”

Yoo Siun muttered softly while holding Eunseong to his chest.

∞ ∞ ∞

It had only been about a month, but it felt as if a year, no, more than two years had passed. Eunseong looked strangely at the security staff who lowered the car window to check the passengers and raised the barrier.

Eunseong, who was looking back anew at the road toward Yoo Siun’s residence, turned his gaze to the hand covering the back of his own. Yoo Siun’s hand, looking indifferently ahead, was covering and holding Eunseong’s hand. Hidden by the large hand, Eunseong couldn’t even see his own hand.

“…Mister, your mysophobia. Is it all better?”

“Yeah.”

“Is it okay now?”

“It’s okay, now.”

It was a nonchalant remark made while looking straight ahead without even a glance, but it contained a sweet warmth that tugged at the corners of Eunseong’s eyes.

“About that detective earlier.”

“Let’s talk once we go inside.”

“…”

After passing the barrier, they had to drive up a bit further.

Finally, the car came to a stop at the entrance of the villa. Manager Nam was standing outside. Seeing Eunseong get out of the car, Manager Nam let out a violent sigh of relief that seemed to deflate his chest.

“Mr. Eunseong, really… I understand, but if you do this again, really, truly, you are going to get in big trouble then.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“I am really scary when I’m angry. I’ve just never been scary until now.”

He tried to look stern and fierce in his own way as he warned that he would not let it slide next time, but it seemed Eunseong wasn’t listening.

“…I missed you, Manager. Really. I missed you the most, Manager.”