Chapter 69
“Please be careful.”
There was a clinking sound as coins hit the floor of the public phone booth. Si-yul hung his head, then lifted it and leaned the back of his head against the wall. There was nothing he could do from here. He could only pray for Kwon Yuwon’s safety.
“Don’t get hurt, and if it seems dangerous, run away immediately. Think of yourself first, no matter what.”
– “Our Kwon Si-yul has grown up. Even worrying about his hyung.”
“Please…”
Si-yul gritted his teeth. The other’s light attitude, as if joking, while he was sick with worry, set his heart on fire. In the past, Kwon Yuwon had beat his chest saying he couldn’t die before Si-yul’s time, but now it was the opposite.
– “You take care of yourself. I’m going to live to see you get married, have kids, and watch those kids get married too.”
That seemed a bit far-fetched. Instead of splashing muddy water on Kwon Yuwon’s ambitious dream, Si-yul just laughed. He couldn’t say he felt at ease, but he had enough composure to laugh at the joke, if only a little.
“So, what are you going to do?”
Silence came through the receiver. Si-yul didn’t push. He knew that if he rushed Yuwon here, given his personality, he would likely hang up saying he had no time. Having spent so many years together, Si-yul knew Yuwon just as well as Yuwon knew him.
The sound of coins dropping rang out once more. Only then did Kwon Yuwon open his heavy mouth.
– “I’m going to gouge out the pig’s eyes.”
Si-yul understood immediately. It was slang used among drug dealers, meaning he was going to frame someone else. He guessed that the reason for pocketing the drugs was probably related to this plan.
– “Let’s hang up now. I’m out of coins. Take care of yourself.”
Si-yul wanted to reply, “You’re the one who needs to be careful, you’re making my heart race with worry,” but as the call ended, only a cold dial tone reached his ears. Si-yul looked at the darkened phone screen, then hung his head and ran his hand through the back of his hair in the opposite direction. His hair quickly became messy, but it was neater than his tangled insides.
“…”
After sighing repeatedly, he suddenly stood up. There was no time to waste. While he was dawdling, people desperate to find Kwon Yuwon might burst in here.
Si-yul pulled his hood down low and dashed out of the inn. He wracked his brains thinking of the safest place, but couldn’t come up with anything other than Woo Hyun-se’s place. It was the only place unknown to people related to Kwon Yuwon and his work.
Thinking he should cut ties with the inn completely now, Si-yul hurried to leave the neighborhood. He probably wouldn’t go out anywhere on holidays anyway, but as Yuwon said, he’d have to live just going between home and the store until it was safe. It might be frustrating, but what could he do when his life was at stake?
“This is driving me crazy.”
He wasn’t angry at Kwon Yuwon for putting him in this predicament. He was just worried. Worried that Yuwon might be caught by those guys and suffer some terrible fate. He wanted to find out where Yuwon was and help as much as he could, but his involvement might actually become a burden to Yuwon.
At times like this, it was better to lay low. Si-yul suppressed his urge to act and hurried his steps towards Woo Hyun-se’s house.
* * *
He debated whether to tell Woo Hyun-se the truth. But when he actually stood in front of Woo Hyun-se, the words wouldn’t come out. He had already asked him to check if Kwon Yuwon was okay, and it seemed too shameless to ask for help now, saying that guy was in a dangerous situation after causing big trouble.
Above all, if Woo Hyun-se got involved and ended up in a difficult position, how could he handle that guilt? He had no choice since he had been involved before, but for Woo Hyun-se, it would be nothing but an unexpected calamity.
Keeping his mouth shut was the best strategy. Si-yul tried hard to hide his burning anxiety. But just as one can’t hide a sneeze, worry seeped out in the sighs he let out from time to time, no matter how hard he tried not to show it.
Woo Hyun-se, being so close, couldn’t have missed it. Watching Si-yul stare at the TV while sighing like a kettle, he wrapped an arm around Si-yul’s waist and pulled him into his embrace. Despite the sudden hug, Si-yul wasn’t surprised and just wriggled to burrow deeper into Woo Hyun-se’s arms.
“You’re sighing again.”
“Am I?”
“Yeah. That’s the twelfth time.”
“That many?”
Si-yul had been completely unaware that he was sighing as frequently as breathing in and out. It seemed his troubled mind was causing him to let out big sighs often. He rubbed his heavy chest and pulled up the corners of his mouth.
“I guess the food I ate earlier isn’t digesting well.”
Si-yul watched Woo Hyun-se’s reaction, hoping his lie would be believed. Woo Hyun-se rubbed his chin for a moment, then took Si-yul’s hand. He pressed hard between Si-yul’s index finger and thumb, causing Si-yul to involuntarily let out a groan. When Si-yul yelped “Ow, ow, ow” at the sharp pain, Woo Hyun-se’s touch softened slightly.
“It seems like there’s more to it than just that.”
“No, really. It’s just indigestion.”
“Do you have something on your mind?”
“No!”
The end of his voice cracked as he blurted it out hastily. Si-yul firmly closed his lips and shook his head.
“There’s nothing like that. No worries. What would I have to worry about?”
“Is that so?”
As if that was the extent of his interest, Woo Hyun-se lowered his eyes and kneaded Si-yul’s hand, then firmly gripped the soft flesh between his fingers, his wrist, lower arm, and upper arm with his large hand before letting go. Due to his strong grip, red hand marks were left on Si-yul’s white arm.
When told to sit down on the sofa, Si-yul obediently moved to sit between Woo Hyun-se’s legs. This time it was his shoulders’ turn. Unlike the previous firm grip, the gentle strokes made Si-yul’s body feel languid. Then, a single word dropped onto Si-yul’s crown.
“Kwon Yuwon?”
As if a caterpillar had fallen on his head, Si-yul turned around startled. His eyes wavered. He quickly averted his gaze, but his momentarily exposed thoughts were more than enough to give him away.
“How did you know?”
Realizing lies were useless at this point, Si-yul spoke honestly. It was uncanny. He could have guessed other reasons, but he pinpointed Kwon Yuwon specifically.
“Just a hunch.”
Woo Hyun-se grinned mischievously, a smile that Si-yul missed as he had lowered his head. Of course, what else could be troubling him besides Kwon Yuwon, after talking about the dream featuring him and asking to check on him?
Although he was so busy that even two bodies wouldn’t be enough, it wasn’t him but Hae-jung who would do the actual investigating anyway. Before long, Hae-jung, with dark circles under her eyes, brought information like a carrier pigeon. Everything from the past to current whereabouts, without missing anything. As expected of a talent earning two to three times more than others.
“I think Yuwon has gotten into trouble.”
Si-yul’s voice was gloomy. Woo Hyun-se, although knowing all the details of the incident, pretended to know nothing and pulled Si-yul up to sit on his thigh. Si-yul curled up and rested his head on Woo Hyun-se’s shoulder.
“He said he diverted some drugs.”
Kwon Yuwon had attached himself to a broker based in a provincial metropolitan city. Since he couldn’t make big money just from drug deliveries, it seems he was trying to get into the business properly. For some reason, his mind changed midway and he diverted some drugs, and now it appeared he was cooperating with the prosecution, saying he would take down everything related to drugs.
The timing was terrible. It was like jumping into a fire pit while carrying kindling. At this rate, he would either be abandoned by one side or lose his life while being tortured. So Woo Hyun-se had urgently sent Hae-jung. At least to keep him alive.
“The pig used to supply drugs before. We cut contact after something bad happened, but he contacted Yuwon again.”
In truth, Woo Hyun-se didn’t care or have any interest in whether Kwon Yuwon died away from home or was killed by someone. He was outside his circle of concern. If it weren’t for Kwon Si-yul, he wouldn’t have thought to save him even if he was in mortal danger right before his eyes.
Suddenly, a scene from his memory flashed by. Woo Hyun-se stared down at Si-yul’s black crown. There was a time when he had helped someone without any benefit or calculation. Kwon Si-yul, who had desperately begged for help while shedding tears.
Why was that?
Was it really true that he helped without expecting anything in return? Woo Hyun-se couldn’t trust himself.
Unaware of Woo Hyun-se’s inner thoughts, Si-yul leaned against his chest and spoke softly. Perhaps he had been waiting for someone to ask him. As if believing that sharing his worries with someone else would lighten the weight a little.
“He said he wouldn’t do it back then… Kwon Yuwon lied to me.”
“That’s bad.”
“Yuwon is good. That pig is the bad one.”
Like a parent wrapping a child in their skirt, Si-yul insisted that his friend was innocent and it was the group he associated with that was bad. Woo Hyun-se narrowed his eyes and tilted his head back.
The word ‘pig’ bothered him.
