One day, all of a sudden, humans became beastmen.
Like a bolt from the blue striking a clear sky, like the dinosaurs going extinct overnight, humans evolved. And not just any evolution—into beastmen, their bodies undergoing animalization.
That day as well, Kwon Yi-beom was receiving a report in his office. Leaning back lazily, his gaze lifted from the document he held in his hand.
“So.” Tapping the report with his fingertips, he continued. “This is all the collection rate you managed?”
“Well, everyone says the economy’s been bad……”
“A bad economy?”
Ha. A laugh burst from Yi-beom’s lips. At the sound, the subordinate bowed his head even lower.
“When has it ever not been a bad economy?”
When he flung the report away, the scattered papers slapped harshly against the subordinate’s head and shoulders before falling to the floor. Eek—sensing Yi-beom’s foul mood, the man swallowed hard.
“I’m sorry!”
“A bad economy? The hell kind of recession is there in this market? Fuck, do people gamble after checking the economic outlook? Even when they’ve got no money, they still gamble, don’t they?”
“The situation is……”
“There you go, talking shit again.”
Because the subordinate kept adding useless explanations, a vein throbbed sharply on Yi-beom’s forehead.
“The situation? Want me to create a situation where you have to bring the money back?”
“S-sorry…!”
In the end, the subordinate who had been giving the report couldn’t even finish speaking before he was knocked away. From a short distance off, watching his vicious expression, the secretary, Jinwon, squeezed his eyes shut.
We’re fucked.
He didn’t even know how he’d ended up as a mobster’s secretary, but for ten years now, Jinwon had been serving Yi-beom. His boss, Kwon Yi-beom, had a filthy temper—but he compensated accordingly with money. A thoroughly fair and cold-blooded son of a bitch.
And there was something that son of a bitch hated more than anything…… one of them being…
“If you’re going to flap your mouth like that, I’ll cut it off. No—better yet, I’ll cut it off for you. Sound good?”
Excuses. Rambling on with this happened, that happened—he pathologically despised people tacking on unnecessary explanations. It was better to simply say, “I’m sorry.” Though getting beaten a few times would still be unavoidable.
Crash—when the table went flying, Jinwon pressed a hand to his forehead.
There goes five million won.
Do you know how much that cost? Watching the imported table roll across the floor, Jinwon shook his head. If he tried to stop Kwon Yi-beom at times like this, he’d end up just like that table.
Left with no choice, Jinwon decided to summon what Yi-beom liked most. The only thing that could rein in what he hated most was what he liked best.
Making sure he wasn’t seen, Jinwon turned on his phone beneath the table and found Eunho’s number. Then he quickly sent a text.
[Mr. Eunho, the boss says he misses you.]
As if Eunho had been looking at his phone, a reply came back quickly.
[Excuse me?]
[The boss is very sick. I think it’s lovesickness.]
In truth, it wasn’t lovesickness but rabies, yet—crash, bang—glancing toward the source of the noise, Jinwon sent another message.
[I think he’s about to collapse.]
[He seemed normal just this morning…]
[He’s the type who can’t express things like that. Just give him one call. I think he’ll recover right away.]
Of course, from rabies.
Jinwon could clearly picture Eunho blushing in embarrassment as he read the messages. No matter how he thought about it, Eunho was too good for Kwon Yi-beom.
[Okay…]
Right after the short reply came, a ringtone rang loudly through the office. It was Yi-beom’s.
The faint crease between his brows eased. Yes! Watching him pull out his phone, Jinwon sighed inwardly.
“Yeah.”
[Ahjussi, do you miss me?]
It was a random question, but it was true. He always missed Eunho. Yi-beom nodded as he answered.
“Yeah.”
[Ah…… what should I do?]
Hearing the troubled voice, the corner of Yi-beom’s lips twitched again. No doubt he was standing somewhere on the street, fidgeting. Imagining that soft, restless face, Yi-beom tossed aside the man he’d been gripping.
“Aagh!”
The subordinate who hit the floor face-first groaned. What the fuck? As flames seemed to rise in Yi-beom’s eyes, Jinwon hurried over. He quickly dragged the subordinate out of the office.
Only after confirming the door had closed did Yi-beom lean back on the sofa. A startled breath sounded in his ear.
[…Ahjussi, what was that sound?]
“Nothing.”
[You did something bad again, didn’t you?]
“Do I look like someone who does bad things to you?”
[I—I don’t really see you as someone who does good things either…… Ahjussi, did you do something good?]
Something good? After spending the whole time beating people up, Yi-beom hummed and searched his memory. Did it count as a good deed that he’d stopped himself from smashing someone with an ashtray? If he said he’d held back his strength while hitting them, Eunho might get startled and hang up.
That wouldn’t do. No matter how much he thought about it, Yi-beom couldn’t recall doing anything good. Maybe you only recognize a good deed after receiving one. For someone like Yi-beom, whose life had been almost entirely devoid of good things, it was too difficult a question.
[Since you’re not saying anything… I guess you didn’t……]
The best thing that had ever happened in Yi-beom’s life was meeting Jung Eunho. If he thought about it, maybe walking toward Eunho, accidentally pulling him into an embrace—maybe those had been good deeds.
As he fell silent with such useless thoughts, Eunho spoke again.
[If you’d done something good today, I was going to go out with you.]
“I did.”
[Liar……]
So small, yet so sharp. Yi-beom’s annoyed expression had already softened.
“So you’re not coming?”
[I have assignments, so I don’t think I can go. I went to your company yesterday, Ahjussi, so my, my assignments got pushed back……]
Before Yi-beom could say anything, Eunho hurriedly added—
[B-but I’ll be home early instead.]
Lovers for five years. Eunho knew exactly when Yi-beom would get angry or irritated. And of course, how to calm him down. At the urgent tone, Yi-beom couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
“Alright. I’ll head over in a bit.”
[Okay.]
“You’d better be home when I get there. It’s a promise.”
With an affirmative reply, the call ended. Yi-beom held the now-silent phone in his hand for a long while.
“If it were up to me, I’d tuck him under my arm and carry him around.”
“Oh dear, you’re saying something that’ll cause trouble again.”
Jinwon had just returned after handing off the battered subordinate to the others. Sitting down, he deliberately averted his gaze from the overturned table as he spoke.
“You’ve already gobbled up that kid whole—now you’re trying to keep him from even going to school?”
“That’s harsh. He should endure at least that much.”
“I am enduring.”
“With eyes bulging like that, what are you enduring?”
Our boss doesn’t even have a shred of conscience left. Jinwon clicked his tongue. No matter how he looked at it, that pale, innocent student didn’t suit this man at all.
As if knowing he was being cursed out internally, Yi-beom stared at Jinwon. Am I about to get hit? Just as Jinwon subtly lowered his head—
“You……”
There was more bewilderment than anger in his voice.
“What the hell is that on your head?”
“Pardon? What do you mean?”
Jinwon reached up to touch his head. At that moment, something soft pressed against his palm. Pointed and pliant…… almost like……
“Ears?”
They were like an animal’s ears. Startled, Jinwon shot to his feet. And at that moment, he saw Yi-beom too.
“Boss…… what’s with that tail……?”
“What?”
Frowning deeply, Yi-beom looked behind himself. Above the waistband of his pants, a long tail swayed lightly.
It was a tiger’s tail.
“Fuck.”
Why the hell is this here? For once, Yi-beom looked flustered.
***
As promised with Yi-beom, Eunho returned home early. It was a house far too big for two people, but it had already been three years since they’d moved in. Even the shoe cabinet as large as his bedroom felt familiar now.
He neatly took off his shoes and set them aside, then tossed his backpack next to the sofa. After washing up and changing clothes, Eunho bustled around the spacious house, padding here and there.
Wearing yellow pajamas, Eunho glanced up at the clock. It was still far too early for Yi-beom to be back.
“…Maybe I should’ve just gone to see him?”
Thinking about Yi-beom’s company, Eunho soon shook his head.
“No, that place is too scary.”
He missed Kwon Yi-beom, but he didn’t miss the people at Yi-beom’s company. Their massive builds, pitch-black suits, and rough ways of speaking always made Eunho shrink in on himself.
He definitely wears a black suit too, so why does he feel so different?
“When Ahjussi wears it, he looks cool.”
Murmuring to himself, Eunho grabbed a bag of potato chips from the drawer and flopped down on the sofa.
When he turned on the TV, a public broadcast news program came on. It was definitely what Yi-beom had been watching last night. So boring. He considered switching to a variety show, but decided to leave it as it was. He didn’t want to easily change the channel Yi-beom had been watching.
“Last night, a large-scale outbreak of violence occurred in Jung-gu. We now go live to the scene—”
The news anchor’s voice echoed through the house. Crunch. Eunho bit into a chip in rhythm with her words.
With just one person missing, the house felt completely empty. Even though they’d been dating for over five years, Eunho and his lover were still like they had been at the beginning. Thinking something Yi-beom would like to hear, Eunho popped another chip into his mouth.
At that moment, the TV screen that had been showing an open lot in Jung-gu suddenly flickered rapidly.
“This is breaking news! An abnormal phenomenon is occurring in which people are undergoing animalization. We urge everyone to remain indoors or inside their homes.”
Huh?
