Jiwon’s expression worsened in real time. He quickly flipped through the pages, wanting to see the final balance. Flip, flip. His hand stopped. He was shocked by the final number.
“Final balance… 0 won?”
“Your income was all used to pay off your debt.”
“What?”
Jiwon frowned deeply at Jak’s words. No. He had to calm down. It was true—he’d come here to pay off his debt. Even if he earned thousands, it was just a drop in the bucket compared to his hundreds of millions in debt. Jak explained.
“This month’s net profit is 5,385,340 won. This amount was used to pay off your debt.”
It was ambiguous. 5 million won a month was a lot of money. It was certainly more than a fresh graduate like Jiwon could earn.
But after everything he’d been through, the income was only 5,385,340 won. And all of it went to paying off his debt, leaving nothing in his hands.
This reality made Jiwon feel empty. His engineering-trained mind quickly did the math.
His total debt was around 1.4 billion won. With various loans, it added up to that. Assuming he paid off 5 million won this month and continued to earn the same amount for a year, he’d pay off 60 million won. 60 million was a lot, but it was nothing compared to 1.4 billion.
That meant he’d have to work for about 24 years as the Leader to pay off all his debt and be free. 1.4 billion was that kind of money. Jiwon’s head spun. He felt cheated. No, he had been cheated. Jak had tricked him! Back then… Didn’t he say he could earn tens of millions a year?
“The numbers are way off from what you said at first!”
“Check the sales again.”
Jiwon quickly rechecked the sales. The income was indeed in the thousands. So earning tens of millions a year wasn’t impossible—if there were no expenses. But everything, even breathing, cost money here.
And the labor costs were substantial—Jak’s salary, Yoon Jaemin’s medical and travel expenses, and even Kim Seonghee’s travel expenses… It was outrageous.
It wasn’t wrong, but… There were too many items that seemed to be siphoning off his money. Jiwon closed the statement with a blank expression. Jak tried to comfort him.
“This is actually pretty good. There are one-time expenses in the first month.”
“……”
It wasn’t comforting at all. Ju-heon, who had been quietly listening, also tried to console him.
“You’ll definitely do better in the future, Leader.”
“Do better at what…?”
At Jiwon’s question, Ju-heon fell silent again. Jak smiled gently and said,
“Sex, of course.”
“……”
“Leader, think positively. When you first came here, you didn’t know how to do anything. But now you’ve learned so much. You’ve improved at giving blowjobs, and now you can even come from just your ass…”
“Stop, stop it!”
Hearing it said so directly made him want to disappear from shame. Jiwon fanned his burning face with his hand. Ju-heon was nodding in agreement, which only made it worse. Jiwon couldn’t tell if this was comfort or humiliation.
“You really have talent, Leader.”
“……”
“Not everyone can come from just their ass.”
Jak was serious. Jiwon didn’t want to talk about this anymore, so he just closed his eyes tightly and nodded. Then he gripped the statement tightly in his hand.
If he just went along like this, he’d never escape this place. Jiwon thought. Jak had said it too—find the next Leader, or find his parents. Or else, get close to Kim Seonghee. That was the best advice Jak could give. Jiwon agreed with that part.
But Jiwon had another thought. Was there another way? Should he say he’d work more actively? Right now, he didn’t even feel like he was living. What should he do? Jiwon felt utterly lost. He resented his parents for creating the debt and running away. He resented himself for impulsively taking on this job.
“Ah. Leader.”
“Yes?”
“I’ll be away for about three days next week.”
“Why?”
“I’m accompanying Kim Seonghee on an overseas trip.”
Jak muttered as if it were a nuisance.
“He doesn’t look it, but he has a fear of flying.”
“Ah… So he needs someone he knows to feel safe?”
“No. He wants someone to die with him if the plane goes down.”
Jiwon fell silent. Kim Seonghee was truly unpredictable.
“Anyway, that’s how it is. Ju-heon will be with you, so don’t worry too much. I’ve cleared your schedule, so you can rest.”
Jiwon nodded. A slightly impure thought began to bloom in his mind.
The thought was simple: While Jak was away, he wanted to get outside, even if just for a moment. Not just outside the leader’s office, but outside the church grounds.
He was desperate. 24 years as the Leader was unbearable. Getting close to Kim Seonghee might never work. Escaping, even for a day, seemed better. His parents had run away from their debts—why couldn’t he, their son, do the same?
Of course, if he was caught, things might get worse. But considering everything, Jiwon thought it was worth a try. Especially now, with Jak away—this was his best chance. If he let it slip by, he’d regret it later.
***
Early in the morning, Jak quietly visited the leader’s office. He gazed at the sleeping Jiwon, lost in thought for a moment, but there was no time. His flight was imminent.
“Leader, behave yourself.”
Jak whispered softly. Jiwon frowned in his sleep, muttering,
“Ugh… Kim Seonghee, no…”
He must be dreaming of being tormented by Seonghee. Jak quietly closed the bedroom door and left. Ju-heon was already waiting outside.
“Take good care of the Leader.”
Ju-heon silently nodded. It was a journey of two nights and three days—long if long, short if short. Jak hoped nothing would happen in the meantime and left the leader’s office.
Click. As soon as the door closed, Jiwon’s eyes snapped open. He knew this was his last chance. He couldn’t rot here for 24 years. Getting close to Kim Seonghee might never work. Escaping, even for a day, seemed better. The thought took hold, and he became reckless.
Around 10 AM, Jiwon yawned and stepped out of the bedroom. Ju-heon had been waiting since dawn. Jiwon greeted him with a sleepy smile.
“Good morning.”
“It’s an honor to see you, Leader.”
Ju-heon always greeted him like that. At first, it was uncomfortable, but now he was getting used to it. He was amazed at how much he’d adapted.
“I’ve prepared a simple meal.”
“……”
On the table was a boiled chicken breast, two eggs, and a glass of milk. Just looking at it made his throat feel dry and blocked. But he smiled anyway.
“Thanks.”
He sat on the sofa and started eating. He had to eat to do anything. As he ate, one glass of milk wasn’t enough, so he drank two more. His throat was parched.
“Shall we go for a walk?”
Jiwon suggested, asking Ju-heon to prepare training clothes. The flowing leader’s robe would be too cumbersome to run in.
The plan was this: Go outside for a walk with Ju-heon, then suddenly say he needed to use the restroom and disappear into the woods. Then run without looking back.
Jiwon was afraid of the mountains, but so what? They were just mountains. No matter how scary, they couldn’t be scarier than his debt. If he just kept walking, he’d find a house, or at least a road. There, he could ask for help, pretend to have amnesia, and start a new life.
He was that desperate. 24 years as the Leader was worse than living as a fool with no memories. Jiwon was tired and exhausted. He wanted to escape. Maybe it was because of his parents. They’d run away from their debts—why couldn’t he, their son, do the same?
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
