Chapter 100
“What? You’ve already finished your meal and even had dessert?”
Dr. Hong, who hadn’t grasped the hidden meaning, visibly slumped his shoulders in disappointment. His expression suggested he hadn’t expected them to have enjoyed refreshments already, as it had just passed noon and was approaching the early afternoon.
Unlike the world that seemed to sparkle as if sprinkled with stardust, seeing Dr. Hong’s despairing look as if the sky had fallen made Eun-hwi’s heart ache.
Quickly raising both hands, Eun-hwi waved them widely to the sides, denying it.
“We haven’t eaten yet. We just had some candy together!”
“Oh, is that so? You must be hungry then. Let’s go eat, young master. I know a suitable place.”
“…A suitable place?”
“Yes. It’s a restaurant specializing in Joseon Dynasty royal cuisine, with a breathtaking view overlooking Gyeongbokgung Palace. On a clear day like today without fine dust, you can see Inwangsan and Bukaksan mountains clearly. It’s a wonderful place. I’m sure you’ll like it, young master.”
Although the person called the manager had brought food earlier for a late breakfast, due to enjoying night activities all night long, he had no appetite and only ate something that looked like rice porridge called soup.
While he wanted to be alone with Yeo Moon-beom, his ears perked up at the mention of being able to see the palace. Eun-hwi turned his head to look at his lover intently, seeking to confirm his opinion.
“Let’s not interfere. They need to have their date.”
As expected, Yeo Moon-beom, furrowing his brow, scolded Dr. Hong in an irritated voice.
“…Date? What’s a date?”
“Yes, young master. A date is another meaning of the English word ‘date’ which refers to a specific day, but it also means an act where two people who have affection for each other meet to spend private time together… Huh? A date?”
Dr. Hong’s eyes suddenly widened as he was rambling on with his explanation. Pushing up his glasses that had slid down his nose, he looked at Yeo Moon-beom with an expression that seemed to demand an explanation.
“Moon-beom, can I tell him?”
“Do as you like.”
As soon as permission was granted, Eun-hwi gathered his fidgeting fingers together, covered his mouth to prevent any sound from escaping, and whispered into Dr. Hong’s ear.
“You know, Dr. Hong-salgwi, I’ve decided to date Moon-beom. He said he’d be my lover.”
Dr. Hong had been so supportive that he even offered to look into effective seduction techniques first.
But instead of exuberantly congratulating them with something like “You’ve finally won Mr. Yeo’s heart! Congratulations, Dokkaebi! I’m overjoyed for you!”, he asked Yeo Moon-beom with a darkened expression and lowered voice.
“Mr. Yeo. Are you serious?”
“Why? Does it not seem sincere?”
“…”
At the returned question, Dr. Hong tightly closed his mouth and wore a contemplative look. Eun-hwi’s eyes caught a glimpse of fear flashing across his unfocused gaze staring into space.
‘I’d like Mr. Yeo to continue staying with Dokkaebi too.’
‘I’m telling you this sincerely.’
The words he had spoken to him didn’t seem to be lies. Curious about the reason for this completely unexpected reaction, the half-dokkaebi tilted his head slightly to look at Dr. Hong’s face.
“What’s wrong, Dr. Hong-salgwi? Is it hard to believe that Moon-beom would like someone like me?”
“Ah, no, that’s not it. I was just surprised that your relationship progressed so suddenly.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I guess I got emotional without realizing it. It feels like watching a grown child become independent. So this is what parental feelings are like. Sniff.”
The troubled look soon faded, and Dr. Hong switched back to his usual exaggerated gestures and tone as he spoke to Eun-hwi.
“Congratulations, young master. You no longer need to worry and fret. I’m relieved as well.”
Seeing Dr. Hong finally congratulate him with a cheerful smile, a joyful smile spread across the half-dokkaebi’s face.
He was about to reply with thanks, saying it was all thanks to Dr. Hong’s advice on how to flirt, when Yeo Moon-beom, who had been quietly watching the two with his arms folded, spoke up.
“Eun-hwi.”
“Mm?”
“Can you go to the bathroom by yourself?”
“…Huh?”
“It’ll take at least 40 minutes to get to Gyeongbokgung, so wouldn’t it be better to go beforehand? I’ll check with the doctor which route is fastest, so try going by yourself once.”
Surprised by the unexpected suggestion, Eun-hwi unconsciously parted his lips and stared at Yeo Moon-beom. A strange light seeped into his amber eyes that shone like jewels.
“Moon-beom, are we going to the palace?”
“If Eun-hwi wants to see it, of course we’ll go. We’ll eat there and then go shopping for clothes.”
“Really?”
“Of course. Really and truly. You can go to the bathroom by yourself, right?”
“Okay. I’ll be right back!”
He had gone to such lengths to be considerate, and to be a good, loved child, one should be able to do things on their own. The half-dokkaebi nodded vigorously and searched for the location of the restroom with eyes full of anticipation and curiosity.
“The bathroom is at the end of that corridor. Be careful not to let your hat fall off. You have your phone, right? Call me right away if you’re not sure where you are.”
“Okay!”
Eun-hwi took out the phone he had put in his pants pocket, gripped it tightly in his hand, and ran off to where Yeo Moon-beom had pointed with his fingertip. His legs were still shaky from the effects of their activities that had continued until morning.
Only after the small, white, adorably rabbit-like figure disappeared from view did Yeo Moon-beom remove the smile from his eyes and ask dryly.
“What was that reaction all about?”
His gaze, expressing displeasure with his whole body, was infinitely cold.
Taking a Zippo lighter out of his pocket and slowly rubbing the diagonally scratched mark with his thumb, he spoke to Bang Ki-bong, who remained silent, as if admonishing him.
“Whether I’m sincere or not. That’s none of your business, Mr. Bang. Isn’t that right?”
“…”
“Don’t ruin the mood and make the kid anxious for no reason.”
To dare ask about sincerity without knowing one’s place.
Especially in front of the half-dokkaebi.
It was a question that crossed the line by far. Yeo Moon-beom raised his eyebrows at Bang Ki-bong, who was acting as if he had some special relationship with him.
As if to say, don’t misunderstand any further. If you interfere with me even a little, I really won’t let you live.
As a born con artist, he had the ability to quickly read others’ emotions.
The playboy image that was attached to him despite not having separate sexual relationships was due to his skill in being able to push and pull deftly after sensing the other person’s feelings.
‘I like Eun-hwi too.’
However, the words about wanting to date and build a castle just for the two of them, with emotions beyond friendship, were the truth without a shred of lies.
The destructive desire to taint that purity untouched by even a speck of dust had somehow changed into a longing to be dyed together with the transparency that the child named Kim Eun-hwi possessed.
‘I’m sick and tired of living day by day with my blood drying up. I want to live a different life in the castle I build with Eun-hwi.’
He had believed all his life that once a person falls to the bottom, they can never climb out of that place.
He thought that someone like him, whose only goal in life was revenge, had no right to walk into the light, that only the darkness of hell was the place where he could exist.
Until he met Eun-hwi.
While revenge was still his top priority, Eun-hwi was too cute to act solely based on calculations for that purpose. It seemed that if they stayed together, Eun-hwi would purify the darkness he possessed with a bright light like the full moon.
Thus, he wanted to dote on that child who easily trembled at the slightest stimulation, who manipulated him impudently with an innocent face, who desperately wanted to become his lover, without parting for even a moment.
He wanted to keep him by his side with a pure heart that didn’t calculate anything, rather than using him out of necessity.
However, it was inappropriate to call that emotion love.
The love that Yeo Moon-beom knew was staying by the side of the one you love even if it meant throwing away everything you had.
He didn’t have the heart to sacrifice himself like his mother, who gave up her precious life for her child, abandoning her dream of becoming a singer and enduring the stigma of being an unwed mother.
Although he was lusting after that body covered in soft white down that was unbelievably pure.
In any case, even if he never felt the emotion called love in his lifetime, he had no intention of letting go. It was true that he wanted to enjoy dating Eun-hwi, and if he could just hold onto him in a relationship called lovers, that was enough.
‘There probably isn’t a bigger bastard than me.’
Knowing full well it was deception, yet wanting him with such a selfish heart – it seemed he truly was a good-for-nothing thief whose conscience had died.
Click, tap, click—
The sound of opening and closing the lighter lid rang out amidst the gentle piano melody. Bang Ki-bong swallowed dryly as he faced the small flickering blue flame, even though the ignition wheel hadn’t been turned to create friction.
To display such power as to float dokkaebi fire effortlessly in broad daylight full of yang energy could only mean one thing.
It meant absolutely do not do anything to go against him.
However, undeterred by the blatant threat, Bang Ki-bong slowly opened his mouth.
“I told you before that there was something that bothered me too much to just let go, didn’t I?”
“What is it?”
“…Well, you see.”
“If you’re thinking of brushing it off again with some nonsense about it being a secret until Wolhwa’s marine ecosystem research is finished… You know what will happen, right?”
Yeo Moon-beom twisted his lips in a smile.
Click.
The lighter lid closed, and the dokkaebi fire disappeared without a trace.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
