Looking back at Kangwoo, Heewoon could see his cold face, so he quickly lowered his head. The frightening silence continued for a moment.
“Come with me.”
“Ah, I have a part-time job….”
“Isn’t that still at 8:30?”
Heewoon’s face twisted in surprise, as he didn’t know that Kangwoo knew about that too. He was about to make up another excuse, but Seo Kangwoo let out a sigh. Heewoon asked in a small voice, feeling bad.
“W-why do you want me to come with you?”
“I was thinking of just talking with you….”
Looking at Heewoon, whose eyes seemed to signal for help, Kangwoo added.
“Looking at you like this, I think you need a little beating.”
Terrified, Heewoon moved quickly. With his determination ahead of him, he accidentally hit Kangwoo’s solid shoulder with his face. Kangwoo grabbed Heewoon’s trembling arm and smirked.
The two headed towards the main gate. Heewoon stuck close behind Kangwoo, showing his willingness to follow along obediently.
“Come next to me.”
Kangwoo said as he turned back and saw Heewoon’s drooping back of his head.
“Okay.”
Heewoon moved to his side and continued to stay close to Kangwoo, so close that their arms or hands brushed each other occasionally. Each time, Heewoon would flinch in surprise and Kangwoo would just stare at him.
There was a foreign car parked in the alley. People who were openly gawking at the car pretended not to see when the car owner appeared.
“Get in.”
Kangwoo opened the backseat door and gestured for Heewoon to get in. After he hesitantly got in, Kangwoo followed in. Heewoon looked around in surprise, his eyes wide, as the windows were heavily tinted, it was impossible to see inside the car from outside.
As the car door closed with a thud, Heewoon realized he had no way to protect himself now as there were no numerous cellphones around him.
Kangwoo silently looked at Heewoon, who had his head down, his bangs covering his eyes. He had a white bandage on his narrow cheek, and his round ears were red from being nervous. Covered inside his hoodie, there was a slight redness on his neck. Kangwoo noticed his trembling hands resting on his thin thighs and spoke up.
“Look up.”
Heewoon lifted his head. His eyes were shut tight, gritting his teeth.
“What, do you want me to hit you?”
Heewoon’s eyes snapped open at Kangwoo’s nonchalant remark.
“N-no!”
His voice cracked because he replied urgently. Heewoon looked at Kangwoo cautiously. Kangwoo’s gaze was fixed at him, as if he was trying to decide whether or not to hit him.
“I thought you wanted to get hit again.”
“No.”
“Because you were acting like a dick all day.”
Kangwoo’s soft voice sounded somewhat rough. Heewoon bit his lip and remained quiet.
“It’s not like I’m an infectious virus. Why are you running away?”
“That’s… uh…”
“You scored a night with me, and now you want to ditch me?”
“N-no!”
Heewoon waved his hands in protest, feeling unjustified, both outwardly and inwardly. To think that Kangwoo said he scored a night with him.
It was a desperate night for him to stay alive. To Heewoon, the act was different from having sex.
“Then?”
Heewoon squeezed his trembling hands tightly and tried not to shake as he spoke.
“I thought that it would be more comfortable for you too if I stayed unnoticeable, and I…I’m just scared.”
Kangwoo stared at his bloodshot eyes and his dark pupils. When he raised his hand, Heewoon flinched. What a coward. Kangwoo mocked him inside his thoughts as he gently cupped his cheek and brushed away his swollen eyelids with his thumb.
Heewoon flinched and closed his eyes. Then, a soft voice was heard in his ears.
“You’re scared, and were you crying again?”
“…only on Saturday.”
As Heewoon mumbled, Kangwoo chuckled briefly. His round fingertips brushed past his eyelashes and grazed the corner of his eye.
“So you only cried on Saturday, and you didn’t cry yesterday and today?”
His tone sounded like he was talking to a child. However, it didn’t seem like Kangwoo would hit him right now, so Heewoon nodded his head with his eyes cautiously open. Kangwoo’s large hand gently caressed his cheek.
Their eyes met. His light double eyelids and dark pupils curved.
It was a sweet smile. It made him seem completely unrelated to anything bad or dirty. Which gave Heewoon even more goosebumps.
“I thought a lot about you over the weekend, Sunbae.”
“….”
The gentle voice was very similar to that smile. Heewoon clenched his fists tightly.
“Did you as well, Sunbae?”
“I, I also thought about you a lot.”
As soon as Kangwoo’s eyebrows slightly twitched, Heewoon blurted out his words anxiously. Unlike Heewoon who was standing up straight with a stiff back, Kangwoo leaned back on the seat loosely and tilted his head to the side.
“How much did you think about me?”
“…Huh?”
Heewoon swallowed his dry saliva and timidly spoke, with his round eyes.
“I couldn’t… sleep.”
It was really difficult to match Seo Kangwoo’s ever-changing mood. Heewoon waited nervously, afraid that his answer might worsen his situation.
Kangwoo, who was staring at Heewoon, reached out his hand. Heewoon instinctively hunched his shoulders, expecting to be hit.
“Look here.”
“….”
He really thought that Kangwoo would hit him. Seo Kangwoo’s voice was too quiet, and the heavy silence made it even worse.
Kangwoo brushed the sunken lower part of Heewoon’s eyes and looked closely into his eyes. So it’s because you didn’t get any sleep. He suddenly asked, murmuring to himself,
“What did you have for lunch?”
“Uh…”
Heewoon could only blink his eyes at the unexpected question. What did he eat again? While Heewoon was lost in thought, Kangwoo removed a corner of the gauze attached to his cheek. He checked the colorful bruise on his cheek, and as he put the gauze back on, he pressed on his cheek, causing Heewoon’s small face to flinch in pain.
“Is the question difficult?”
“No, no. I had my meal in the convenience store.”
“So, what did you eat?”
“I think… I ate bread?”
Kangwoo slightly furrowed his brows, lightly poking Heewoon’s forehead.
“You’re this skinny because you’re only eating bread.”
Seo Kangwoo acted as if they were close friends. He touched Heewoon’s earlobe and said,
“Let’s have dinner.”
Heewoon had no choice but to say yes.
Kangwoo pulled Heewoon’s head and let him rest on his shoulder. His large hand covered Heewoon’s eyes as he leaned on him awkwardly.
They drove for about 20 minutes.
Then, they arrived at Kangwoo’s house. A place where Heewoon had been coming every day until last week.
Looking out the window, Kangwoo asked Heewoon if he wasn’t sleeping. It was natural that he couldn’t sleep. As he was leaning on a murderer’s shoulder.
***
He had been watching the house from across the street for a month, but it was his first time entering the house. Heewoon was nervous as he crossed the large yard, through the front door, and across the luxurious living room.
“Do you like it?”
Kangwoo tilted his head and looked into Heewoon’s face.
“Huh? Your house is really nice.”
“You must have wanted to come in and see it.”
Heewoon hesitated but nodded, and Kangwoo smiled broadly.
“I didn’t know what you like, so I told them to prepare a Korean meal.”
“Ah, hmm… thanks.”
As Heewoon walked with Kangwoo, who seemed to be in a good mood, he saw several people working in the house. He thought to himself, do they know? Do they know that Seo Kangwoo killed someone?
And maybe, it wasn’t the first time.
The spacious dining table was filled with a variety of food. Heewoon, sitting across from Kangwoo, picked up his spoon very awkwardly. He felt like he was sitting on thorns. Although the food looked delicious, he couldn’t bring his appetite.
And then, Kangwoo casually threw a bombshell at Heewoon.
“Have lunch together with me from tomorrow on.”
Heewoon clenched the spoon that he almost dropped. His mind was racing. He swallowed his dry saliva and spoke.
“…Uh, if you’re watching my actions because you think I might tell someone, you really don’t need to.”
Clank.
Kangwoo put down his chopsticks. Heewoon was startled and added that he was being serious. Kangwoo held his chin and stared at Heewoon’s frightened face.
“Watching… I am watching you?”
“…N-no.”
“I haven’t even given this a name yet.”
Kangwoo muttered and chuckled. He tapped the table several times and said,
“I know that Sumnae won’t tell anyone. How can a kid who’s trembling from just getting slapped a few times do it.”
Right?
Heewoon awkwardly nodded his head in agreement. Kangwoo grinned as he watched Heewoon play along with himself getting cussed on.
“Stop thinking too much and eat your meal.”
Heewoon was about to say something but held it back.
Seo Kangwoo was playing with him. It was ominous. What if he killed him while playing around? What if he broke something in his body? Maybe it would be better to report him to the police. If the police couldn’t handle it, then maybe it would be better to run away to his brother in the Philippines.
But then, what about the debt?
Those people wouldn’t let his mother and himself go to the Philippines. Even if they managed to escape without being caught, they would have to live on the run for the rest of their lives. That was just as bleak as their remaining debt.
Kangwoo’s brows furrowed as he looked at Heewoon’s pale face.
“Why are you so upset? Am I bullying you or something?”
“…No. But, I thought it would be easier if we didn’t see each other. I’ll be sure to avoid you…”
His voice trailed off. After that, there was only silence. Heewoon bit his lip and fiddled with his spoon.
It was Seo Kangwoo’s laughter that broke the silence.
I was being nice for nothing. Muttering to himself, Kangwoo stood up from the chair. He looked at Heewoon and asked gently,
“Sunbae, can you want to stand up for a moment?”
“…Huh?”
Heewoon wobbly stood up from his chair, not knowing that he would soon stumble and fall to the ground with it.
Triple update today!
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