Chapter 83
“Sit down for now.”
Kwon Yuwon, who had been glaring at Woo Hyun-se, sat on the sofa without hiding his irritation. When Si-yul tried to sit next to Woo Hyun-se, Kwon Yuwon grabbed his wrist and pulled him to his side. Si-yul was fine with that and sat next to Kwon Yuwon, firmly holding his hand.
Woo Hyun-se watched them with undisguised displeasure, crossing his arms, but Si-yul didn’t even glance his way. For the first time in a long while, Si-yul’s eyes, which had been shadowed all this time, brightened a little.
“The dangerous situation has been mostly resolved now. Kwon Si-yul is safe too. However, there are still some matters to settle, so it would be best for the two of you to stay apart for the time being until everything is finished.”
“Then where is Yuwon going now?” Si-yul asked urgently, still not letting go of Kwon Yuwon’s hand. Park Hae-jung glanced at Woo Hyun-se before speaking.
“We have a separate accommodation prepared. I can’t disclose the address though.”
Si-yul’s shoulders slumped dejectedly. Kwon Yuwon patted him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders to comfort him.
Woo Hyun-se rubbed his temples and kept his gaze fixed on Si-yul. Noticing his cold stare, Kwon Yuwon pulled Si-yul closer as if trying to hide him behind himself. His displeasure was evident. If Si-yul hadn’t been there, he might have thrown a punch.
“By the way, Kwon Si-yul, I think there’s something I need to hear about.”
“What is it?”
“I’m pretty sure I told you not to meet with alphas.”
The words, spoken while staring intently at Woo Hyun-se without blinking, weren’t a lash directed at Si-yul. The arrow-like words flew towards Woo Hyun-se. The pheromones emanating from him were threatening, like a wildcat with its fur standing on end, but despite the murderous scent, Woo Hyun-se didn’t even flinch. Only Si-yul, who belatedly sensed this, gasped in surprise and grabbed Kwon Yuwon’s shoulder to stop him.
“Don’t you know Si-yul’s age? Where’s your conscience? Shit, our kid isn’t some plaything.”
“Was Kwon Si-yul a minor? I didn’t know he had a guardian.”
“Fuck, now—”
“It’s you who doesn’t know how old Kwon Si-yul is. If he’s an adult, you should let him stand on his own feet instead of coddling him forever. Control freak and gaslighting on top of that.”
“Who—!”
Kwon Yuwon stood up abruptly. He looked like he wanted to grab and beat that bastard. His fist, clenched tightly as if he might actually throw a punch, was trembling. In response, Woo Hyun-se’s scent also intensified, as if deliberately unleashed. It was an invisible war. Threats and killing intent filled the office. It wasn’t just scent, but the smell of blood.
Si-yul’s back was the one bursting in this whale fight. Only Si-yul was hit by the thorny whips the two were emitting. Both Woo Hyun-se and Kwon Yuwon were said to be dominant, and the aura they exuded seemed like it could easily crush an ant.
“…Urgh!”
His stomach churned and his head spun, and eventually, he felt like throwing up. Si-yul, who had turned as white as a sheet, covered his mouth, and as if by magic, Woo Hyun-se’s sharp scent subsided.
Park Hae-jung, who had also turned pale, though not as much as Si-yul, reached out to block Kwon Yuwon. Kwon Yuwon belatedly reined in his pheromones and sat down, panting. Though he hid his pheromones, his eyes were still fierce.
“The one who helped me was Park Hae-jung, not you.”
“And I’m the one who sent Park Hae-jung.”
Park Hae-jung let out a light sigh. Si-yul felt like sighing along with him.
It was Park Hae-jung who resolved the tense confrontation. He cut through the cold war between the two and reported in detail what had happened so far and what needed to be done going forward.
Woo Hyun-se seemed uninterested, resting his chin on his hand distractedly, but even then, he didn’t take his eyes off Si-yul. His tightly pressed lips looked sulky. As if he didn’t like seeing Si-yul sitting close to Kwon Yuwon, holding his hand tightly and listening attentively to Park Hae-jung.
“If we’re done, let’s go. We have a long way to go.”
Before Park Hae-jung could finish his report, Woo Hyun-se waved his hand and stood up. Despite clearly being the one who had called them, he treated Park Hae-jung and Kwon Yuwon like unwelcome guests. His voice and expression were tinged with irritation.
While Kwon Yuwon exhaled in disbelief, Park Hae-jung calmly stood up. He seemed quite accustomed to Woo Hyun-se’s capriciousness.
“Then we’ll be going now.”
Seeing Park Hae-jung saying goodbye, Si-yul also jumped up. At this rate, he might have to part ways with Kwon Yuwon again without having a proper conversation. Quickly looking back and forth, wondering whose sleeve to grab, Si-yul habitually reached out towards Woo Hyun-se.
“Um, can’t we at least have a meal together?”
He couldn’t just let them go like this, not knowing when this situation would be resolved. He wanted to at least feed him a warm meal with soup. If Woo Hyun-se said no, he was ready to use the money he had secretly saved up.
“It seems too heartless to just send him away like this.”
His once plump cheeks had sunken in, and his arms had become as thin as a twig. How much must he have suffered? A lump formed in Si-yul’s throat as sympathy welled up. Even if it was trouble he brought upon himself, blood is thicker than water, and seeing his shabby appearance made Si-yul’s heart heavy.
Woo Hyun-se stared at Si-yul for a moment, then let out a quiet sigh and nodded. When he said he would make a reservation, Si-yul’s face lit up. He had expected to be rejected, given how displeased Woo Hyun-se had seemed.
Grinning, he turned to look at Kwon Yuwon. Unlike the beaming Si-yul, Kwon Yuwon’s expression wasn’t very good. He looked like he had tasted bitter bile. When his eyes met Si-yul’s, he forced a smile, but it didn’t last long.
The atmosphere during the meal was stiff. Even a business meeting would have been more convivial than this. Woo Hyun-se and Park Hae-jung were silent as if they had nothing to say except for eating, while Si-yul and Kwon Yuwon chattered away. They were busy picking fish meat for each other and placing it on top of their rice.
Si-yul ate his fill for once. He usually left half a bowl of rice, but this time he cleaned his plate without leaving a single grain. With Woo Hyun-se and Kwon Yuwon competing to put side dishes on his spoon, there was no room left in his stomach even for a drop of water.
When it was time to part with Kwon Yuwon, they hugged for a long time, just like they did at first. The words “Can’t we go back to that inn where we used to live?” rose to Si-yul’s throat. But Si-yul swallowed those words in the end.
In the past, he might have blurted it out without thinking, but now he knew the reality. It was clear that being by his side would only result in endless hardship. Rather, it was right to stay with Park Hae-jung until everything was completely over.
He thought a security guard would drive him home, but surprisingly, Woo Hyun-se took the wheel himself. Si-yul leaned his head against the window and gazed intently at his profile. It reminded him of the old days. Back then, when he would secretly steal glances at his reflection in the window, afraid of being caught.
His nose bridge like a slide, his lips, his jawline, his cheek where Si-yul had pressed his lips – nothing had changed, yet somehow it felt very distant. It felt hazy, as if it was somewhere out of reach even if he stretched out his hand.
“Hyung, what about work?”
“I have enough time to take Kwon Si-yul home.”
With a full stomach, his body felt languid and his eyelids heavy. Si-yul wriggled and burrowed deeper into the seat. Woo Hyun-se’s voice sounded like a lullaby.
“How do you feel?”
“Good. I’m so relieved that Yuwon is safe. I was really worried, you know. I even had a dream recently where Yuwon was lying in some strange pit, and when I called his name, he suddenly got up and started running in the opposite direction. It was so scary… I’m really relieved.”
Si-yul chirped like a bird. He hadn’t talked this much in a long time. His mind was much more at ease compared to when he was cooped up at home. Above all, knowing that Kwon Yuwon, whom he had worried about the most, was safe took a huge weight off his shoulders. No, it felt like ten weights had been lifted.
“It was worth bringing him here then.”
Woo Hyun-se chuckled. Si-yul, whose eyes had been drooping, suddenly opened them wide.
“You brought him here?”
“Yeah. The crisis was over, and you seemed to miss him. I insisted he come right away even though he was whining about it being difficult.”
He grinned, showing his teeth between his lips. In contrast, Si-yul felt queasy. He tilted his head and pressed firmly on his solar plexus. He couldn’t tell if it was his mood that was churning, his head, or if he had simply eaten too much.
The only thing that was clear was that Woo Hyun-se, who had brought Kwon Yuwon all the way here for him, showed him that he was safe, and even treated him to a meal, was the cause of his discomfort.
Don’t be kind. Don’t be considerate. It’s enough now, these efforts aren’t necessary anymore, but Woo Hyun-se always easily ignores and surpasses Si-yul’s wishes. He tries to revive the affection that should be killed and kill the hatred that should be kept alive. Si-yul wiped his mouth, holding back a sigh that was trying to escape.
“…Thank you. Hyung. Really. Thank you so much.”
For helping Kwon Yuwon, and for showing him that he’s safe. Even if he couldn’t spend his life with Woo Hyun-se, he would never forget this kindness until the day he died.
“No need for thanks between us. Just tell me anytime. I’ll bring him to you whenever you want.”
He shrugged and answered as if it was no big deal. That behavior, no different from usual, felt awkward to Si-yul. It felt like he was the only one who had changed. As if he was the only one having nightmares, the only one drowning.
