Lovely Monsters Chapter 52

He asked back, but at the same time, Choi Seongjin realized the truth. The room he was currently staying in had been provided by the organization—more accurately, by the manager’s side. After he had brought two people and sold them off, the manager had given him the address as if doing him a favor. Since there was no reason not to accept it, he had used that house like his own only during work periods.

“The videos filmed there… I think he’s making pocket money by selling them to those young masters. They even have it playing right now.”

“…….”

After delivering the words, the employee immediately avoided the area. Left alone, Choi Seongjin belatedly burst into laughter for no reason. It wasn’t funny and there was nothing to laugh about, yet a burst of laughter erupted even as he tried to stop it.

Another employee who discovered Choi Seongjin laughing like that wore a disgusted expression for a moment, then spoke from a distance without coming near.

“Choi Seongjin, the manager said to come to Room 12… are you going? Well, anyway, I’ve delivered the message.”

What on earth was he thinking at that moment? Whether the alcohol he’d poured down like an addiction had melted his brain, or whether he had lost his mind, Choi Seongjin stood up and walked toward Room 12 as if possessed.

Even if he went, there was nothing else Choi Seongjin could do. He wasn’t in a position to challenge the manager, and that was even more true for the young masters who would be watching the video.

Even while knowing this, Choi Seongjin kept walking. Until finally, he saw the letters “Room 12” written on the door.

“…….”

Only then did he come to his senses a little. Choi Seongjin, exhaling slowly, began to tremble despite himself. All sorts of noisy sounds were coming from every room in the vicinity, but the sound coming from Room 12 was clearer than anything else. Because it was familiar.

[I… I can’t do that again.]

[Why? You did it just fine last time.]

[It’s strange if you ke-keep touching me there.]

The voices of Kim Heejo and himself came from Room 12. Choi Seongjin recalled the things that had happened in that room one by one.

Kim Heejo had confessed to Choi Seongjin in that room. With a face nearly on the verge of tears, he had rambled on about how much he liked Choi Seongjin and from when he had started liking him. Then he said he liked him so, so much. It was truly a raw confession without a single bit of embellishment.

Choi Seongjin had known about Kim Heejo’s feelings from before but was intentionally pretending not to know. He wasn’t sure why. Was it because he would have to start managing him once they started dating, and he lacked the leeway at the time? Or was he trying to make him anxious? It might have been both.

However, the moment he heard the confession, he sincerely laughed. He just laughed. Only now did Choi Seongjin realize or come to accept the reason why he had laughed.

It was because he was happy.

He was happy.

Because he loved Kim Heejo, he had been happy to receive the confession.

“…….”

the moment he told himself that truth, the inside of the room he entered upon opening the door was a small hell.

Kim Heejo, staring at a large screen while forced to sit in a chair; the young masters, snickering behind him while grabbing Kim Heejo’s hair; the manager, who was out of his mind over a massive amount of money. And Choi Seongjin and Kim Heejo inside the video that was playing.

[Ah… Heejo. Why won’t you call me ‘darling’?]

Choi Seongjin froze on the spot.

“Oh, Choi Seongjin! You’ve come at just the right time. I was going to bring you here anyway.”

The manager, who looked high on drugs along with the young masters, came walking over unsteadily. He tapped his shoulder and whispered quietly.

“Hey, if we get a tip this time, I’ll give you half, okay? Huh? Do a good job this time too. Got it?”

[Sob, ah, ah, hng…!]

Even amidst that, the two naked bodies were entangling in the video. Choi Seongjin’s gaze moved back and forth between the screen and the manager before reaching Kim Heejo.

“Hey, Kim Heejo. Pull yourself together.”

The man slapped Kim Heejo’s cheek until his face turned, and when he didn’t budge, he grabbed his hair and arms from both sides and forced him to stand up. However, Kim Heejo could not stand on his two legs, and his filthy thighs were merely trembling.

“Look closely. It’s your lover who sold you out. When you were doing it with that bastard, you made a fuss saying it was fine even if he came inside you, but when you’re with us, you’re just crying and wailing….”

“He doesn’t do that lately. It’s because I raised the rod every time he did.”

“Then he just blubbers from being hit, you retard.”

Even while the men’s mockery circled chillingly, Kim Heejo was looking at Choi Seongjin. With a terrifyingly cold expression—so much so that the dazed expression shown until just now felt like a lie—he stared straight at Choi Seongjin alone.

Pinned by that gaze, Choi Seongjin noticed belatedly.

That a large knife was held in Kim Heejo’s hand.

A large knife that had no business being in a place like this.

“…!”

Kim Heejo swinging that knife happened in an instant. The young masters nearby recoiled in horror.

“What is that? Where did he get that again?”

“Hey, hey, hey, call an employee. Call an employee.”

But the tip of the blade was pointed not at them, but at Kim Heejo himself.

“Heejo!”

Kim Heejo stabbed his own stomach with the knife.

And he didn’t just stab it once, but several times—deeply, so the blade couldn’t be seen—thud, thud, thud, thud… not simply stabbing, but as if tearing it apart… Choi Seongjin felt like he was going to lose his mind. By the time he managed to move his body, Kim Heejo’s body was already so soaked in blood that it looked like a dark red hole.

Choi Seongjin rushed to the collapsing Kim Heejo and barely managed to catch the leaning body, but he could not stop the blood from pouring out.

“Heejo, Heejo, no, I was wrong… I’m sorry, I’m sorry…!”

Words of atonement that were far too late flowed out incoherently, but Kim Heejo’s eyes were looking at something other than Choi Seongjin. His pupils, looking at something that was clearly there despite being very far away, shone brightly. Soon, Kim Heejo moved his trembling lips and said:

“Please come to me. Turn this place into hell….”

Those were his last words. After his slightly convulsing body lost its strength completely, his pupils darkened as if a curtain had fallen.

Choi Seongjin didn’t remember well what happened afterward. While he was wailing after losing his reason, he could only see Kim Heejo, and everything else was blurry.

That was also why he was the slowest to notice the sense of incongruity.

Recognizing that something was strange, Choi Seongjin looked around while hugging Kim Heejo. The floor is entirely bright red. No matter how many times he had stabbed his stomach, this was too much—an absurdly large amount of blood. Furthermore, the blood that had completely drenched the floor was now staining even the walls.

“Fuck, what! What the hell is it!”

The men, who had recognized the strangeness earlier, ran toward where the door was, but the door—already swallowed by the blood—would not open. No, it had disappeared. Room 12 was now turning into a completely different space.

…A train?

It was far too wide, but it was definitely similar to the interior of a train. Choi Seongjin, looking around at the changed world, widened his eyes upon discovering windows that had appeared on both sides. The train was clattering toward somewhere, but what could be seen outside the window was a deep sea where pitch-black darkness wriggled.

“Aaaaahhhhh!”

Choi Seongjin, who was rolling his eyes in confusion, suddenly snapped to his senses. It was because the manager and the young masters were screaming unsightly screams.

Choi Seongjin, who had been in a daze, was seized by monsters approaching from behind; after losing his hold on Kim Heejo, he was dragged away somewhere without even being able to resist. Only after being hung in a high place could he see the surroundings in detail.

Monsters. More monsters.

No matter where he looked, there were nothing but monsters. Inside the large passenger car, monsters of all different appearances came surging in like a tide.

It was hell.

∞ ∞ ∞

A large hole has opened in Kim Heejo’s head, and despair is pouring repeatedly into that hole. It is because he was deceived.

Kim Heejo’s stomach was ripped long. It is because he ripped his stomach himself.

Kim Heejo’s legs are shackled. Therefore, he cannot run away.

So, Kim Heejo was destined to suffer inside a narrow room forever.

But he suddenly realized. That there is a way to not have to be in pain.

If he gave up just one thing, he didn’t need to be in pain anymore.

Since all pain stems from the fact that Kim Heejo is a human, he just needs to not be a human.

That’s all it takes.