A Scorching Day Chapter 27

Ki Joon and Gawon began walking side by side. Matching their steps, Ki Joon told Gawon for the first time about what had happened at his previous school.

He said he’d been having a meal with some older guys from the same gym—he’d since quit but they used to train together—when he ended up getting caught up in a fight with delinquents from another school. Unfortunately, those guys had been drinking, which was against school rules, so the situation escalated even further.

By the time he came to his senses, there were easily dozens of people gathered. The brawl was quite large, and the lines between perpetrator and victim were blurred. But unluckily for him, some of those guys’ families were closely tied to his father’s business.

Caught in the middle of complicated interests, Ki Joon ended up being forcibly transferred. It was an excessively heavy punishment to receive just for being there, and for fighting back against someone who threw the first punch.

“But well, it’s not like our family is the type to make a big deal out of things like fistfights.”

Ki Joon said, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

“Actually… I don’t like telling anyone about my family. So I’ve never said it out loud to anyone before.”

“…Yeah.”

“It’s just with you… I felt like it’d be okay.”

“…”

“My family—they’re gangsters. My father and my uncle, all of them.”

Ki Joon confessed in a calm voice. Instead of looking at him in surprise, Gawon kept walking, staring straight ahead.

So it had finally come out of Ki Joon’s mouth. The words he had least wanted to hear from this kid.

His chest grew heavy, as if a stone had settled on it. People whose very names made his blood run cold. The ones who had been choking the life out of him and his mother his entire life. Ki Joon was telling him that he had grown up in the hands of such cruel people.

He couldn’t give any answer at all. No matter how much it was Ki Joon, he couldn’t just nod casually. Gawon swallowed a sigh and dropped his gaze.

“They’re gangsters, but it’s corporate-style, so outwardly they look like regular company executives. Of course, what they actually do is completely different. Anyway, my father is very busy. He’s naturally aloof too, so I pretty much grew up alone. Ah, my mom passed away when I was ten.”

“…I see.”

“There’s an ajumma who takes care of the housework, and my father’s secretary handles all the external matters. It’s roughly that kind of atmosphere.”

Ki Joon shrugged lightly and laughed. So his mother had passed away. Gawon didn’t answer rashly, only quietly nodded. He suddenly remembered feeling deflated when he’d heard there was an ajumma working for him, and felt a little embarrassed.

“My father wants me to take over what he does. But I don’t want to be a thug. I want to succeed through sports. I want to go to college for that too.”

His dazzlingly white sneakers tapped lightly against the ground. Ki Joon’s profile, now looking up at the sunset-colored sky, was neat and composed.

“So I can’t get tangled up in things like fights. If something like that happens one more time, they say I have to give up on college and everything and come into the company to learn the business.”

“…Ah.”

“Sports would be over then too. I probably wouldn’t even be able to go to school. I’d be locked up at home.”

…Can’t go to school? Locked up where…? Gawon’s face filled with shock. Ki Joon chuckled and added.

“My dad, when he gets angry, he’s no joke. During that gang fight incident too, I got beaten until my shinbone was shattered. I transferred here as soon as the bone healed.”

“…Wow.”

“He went ballistic, asking why I was hanging out with such pathetic bastards, saying if I wanted to act like a thug so badly I should just join an organization properly. He had a hard time settling with the victims one by one.”

“Your father is really strict, huh.”

Ki Joon let out a laugh. His face was playful, but there was a strangely lonely look to it too.

“‘Strict’… that sounds like something about other fathers. Ours is a bit more, abnormal. It’s not exactly normal, after all.”

Gawon slowly nodded.

Now he understood. Why Ki Joon had acted the way he did earlier.

During the commotion, Ki Joon had not lifted a single finger and took all the hits. There were plenty of witnesses to testify to that. Moreover, those seniors were already known as the lowest of the low in school. If a school violence committee were convened, Ki Joon would inevitably win one hundred percent.

But still, Ki Joon didn’t want any punishment at all. Not even a school violence committee, nor even a civil settlement. He could win in the process of convening the committee, but the moment his parents were summoned, the path would have to turn toward something Ki Joon didn’t want.

“Anyway, that’s my situation. So that’s why I couldn’t fight back earlier.”

“…Yeah.”

“Sorry. For making you worry. It must have been frustrating seeing me just get hit, right?”

The scent of soap suddenly wafted over. Taking advantage of his unguarded moment, Ki Joon even stopped walking and stroked his head. An incredibly gentle voice, the scent of Ki Joon drawing closer. His heart pounded violently, so Gawon deliberately shoved his body away roughly.

“Frustrated, who. I was just annoyed. You kept saying you were good at fighting, but you just stood there taking it.”

“Hahaha.”

Ki Joon let out a hearty laugh. The tension that had been wound tight all day because of the commotion surprisingly melted away easily with that one smile.

Ki Joon, who could agitate him this much, was so annoying that Gawon narrowed his eyes and glared at him. He felt like finding fault and scolding him for no reason.

“Actually, it’s all just bluff, isn’t it? When it comes down to it, you can’t really fight, can you?”

“Hmm… is that so?”

Even with his face swollen and split in places, the relaxed way he tilted his head was annoyingly handsome. As always, there was no one who could match his slyness.

“Why. Were you going to be disappointed if I was just a nobody?”

“I was already disappointed after watching you get hit.”

“Ah, that won’t do. I want to look cool in front of our Gawon.”

“Dream on. There was nothing cool about you getting beaten up.”

No matter how much he taunted and provoked, Ki Joon rarely faltered. Ki Joon grinned slyly and brought his face close.

“I might have lost the fight… but what about my face? Is there any chance there?”

“Just know that you look really ugly right now.”

Gawon averted his glaring gaze and began walking ahead, his steps pattering. He’d spoken harshly, but the bruise near the dimple on his cheek weighed on his mind.

“…Aren’t you going to the hospital?”

“I don’t need to. What’s the big deal with this.”

Gawon’s face, which had been softening slightly, hardened again. Seeing his sharpened eyes, Ki Joon hurriedly added.

“I’ll do it at home. At home. We have a first aid kit.”

“How is that going to help.”

“It’s just bruises anyway. It’s fine. This kind of injury heals quickly.”

Even though his face was a mess enough to make anyone gasp, Ki Joon looked unbothered. He must get hurt like this often from working out. Ki Joon seemed so accustomed to tending to his own wounds alone.

He said he grew up alone. Without his father’s or mother’s care. This kid must have also endured the emptiness of an empty room all by himself.

He didn’t like it. The image of Ki Joon, grinning like a screw-loose fool in front of him, while at home tending to his painful wounds alone.

He squeezed his eyes shut. Took a deep breath in, and let it out. When he opened his eyes again, the first thing he saw was nothing other than the bruise on Ki Joon’s cheek. And the torn skin around his eyes and lips.

Gawon slowly opened his mouth.

“…Can I help you a little? With treating your wounds.”

∞ ∞ ∞

He had followed with the sole purpose of tending to his wounds, but Ki Joon’s house was beyond what Gawon had vaguely expected. From the moment he saw the two-story house with a garden and even a garage, he couldn’t help but feel intimidated.

His face flushed again. What must Ki Joon have thought when he saw his own house, crammed together like crab shells in a narrow alley with no yard or front gate?

“Excuse me.”

Seeing Gawon greet in a small voice and step inside, Ki Joon smiled as if he found him cute.

“Make yourself at home. No one’s here.”

“…Yeah.”

As Ki Joon said, the house was empty. The interior was incredibly spacious. On the first floor, antique furniture, old porcelain, calligraphy works, and such were appropriately arranged, and in the center of the living room, a staircase leading to the second floor was visible. Ki Joon led Gawon upstairs.

“Oh.”

Ki Joon, crossing the hallway, suddenly stopped in his tracks and spoke with an awkward expression.

“…Are you okay with cats? Any allergies or anything.”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

Gawon slowly nodded. He didn’t particularly like dogs or cats, but he did find them cute when he met them in the alley sometimes. If he had leftover food, he’d share some, and he’d pet them too.

Come to think of it… Gawon gave a wry smile. He remembered the time Ki Joon had been unfairly beaten up by him. Because of the cat’s name.

“This is my room.”

Ki Joon opened the door. The first thing that caught his eye was the cat tower positioned straight ahead. Next to it were a desk and bookshelf, and across from them, a bed. Gloves hanging on the wall and posters of foreign athletes—whose names Gawon didn’t recognize—striking poses were also noticeable.

At Ki Joon’s invitation to come in comfortably, Gawon slowly stepped inside. The familiar scent that always came from Ki Joon hit him strongly. Afraid that his rapidly pounding heart would be noticed, Gawon took off his bag and carefully set it down in a corner.

Just then, the cat that had been hiding inside the house attached to the cat tower jumped down. Watching the cat approach with a meow and rub its face against Ki Joon’s shin, Gawon smiled faintly.

“So cute. Is this Sunny?”

“…Huh?”

He had asked in a deliberately casual voice. But Ki Joon flinched, his eyes going round, and shook his head hurriedly.

“No? …M… Munsik. It’s Munsik, actually?”

“Huh? But last time you clearly…”

“I changed its name. I thought it suited it better.”

As if afraid that name might escape Gawon’s lips, Ki Joon answered almost without breathing. It was absurd. Gawon stared at Ki Joon quietly and then couldn’t help but burst out laughing.