CH 12.2

Yaba was dragged by Imsoo and arrived at the villa in a spur. In a room reminiscent of a luxurious hospital room, there was a woman who had a dying and terminal cancer patient as her husband. She raised her wavy hair neatly and spoke gently, but wrapped her body in luxury clothes. Because her husband had a caregiver, she could wear such clothes. Yaba scratched the red velvet mask and looked around the room.

“Where’s Yiseok?”

“Is Yiseok your friend? You are a lot younger than him, how can you call his name casually? Ah, never mind, just sing.”

“He isn’t here?”

“He can’t come today because he’s busy.”

“Why?”

“Are there one or two things that Executive Director Cha is busy with? Why are you asking presumptuously?”

Yaba walked like a man without joints. Belly fat folded or rolled or droopy in the chair. It was the chair that Cha Yiseok usually sat on. The antique chair groaned, unable to bear his hefty weight. Meanwhile, Cha Myunghwan’s eyelids were closed as if he had suffered from something all night, and his eyes were bloodshot. The bloodless face was worse than before. But for today alone, he felt a different sense of impatience in him rather than possessing eyes being chased by death. He said with a croaking sputum breath.

“Aren’t you going to sing?”

“Wait for me to catch my breath.”

Cha Myunghwan’s wife spoke despite him not asking.

“I’m sorry for calling you so suddenly. I too slept well since the last time Mr. Cocaine came. I couldn’t sleep without painkillers every night… Of course, I slept a little too much.”

“If you’re going to say something useless, get out. No, since we’re on the topic, please don’t come in at this time from now on.”

Cha Myunghwan glanced at his wife. Yaba furrowed his brows.

“Are you crazy? You want me to stay with you alone and singing? Why do you always just think of yourself?”

“I get frustrated just looking at her. I think the disease will get worse. Get out of here!”

The woman was ashamed of her husband telling her off but he did not turn back firmly. Cha Myunghwan pushed his weeping wife away with affectionless eyes. Yaba looked at Cha Myunghwan and said.

“Trash that cannot be recycled.”

“Are you talking to me now?”

“It’s annoying to have to explain things one by one. If the shoe fits.”

His nose twitched at those words, but unlike before, was not full of arrogance.

“Never mind, sing a song! What are you going to sing today? Last time, I was surprised you started without notice.”

“Mozart’s Requiem, Schubert the Demon King.”

“Why are all the songs you sing like that? Either dying or going crazy… Can’t we sing a more beautiful song?”

“I like this kind of song. If you don’t want to hear it, close your ears.”

“Ah, fine. It doesn’t matter, so hurry up.”

At Cha Myunghwan’s gesture, Yaba let out a sigh and raised only his upper body. It was difficult to get up. Today’s songs were Mozart’s “Requiem in d minor, Days of Wrath” and Schubert’s “The Devil”. One was a choral song and one was a tenor song, but Paradiso sometimes changed it to solo or soprano. Of course, it was an arrangement for Cocaine. Yaba sat on the chair and pulled out the Requiem.

Dies irae! dies illa Solvet saeclum in favilla!

Day of Wrath! Sorrow Day! All things will become ashes!

Quando judex est venturus Cuncta stricte discussurus

People will tremble in fear when they come down to judge!

It was difficult to sing by himself as the chorus continued and the chords had to be constantly followed, but it didn’t matter. An unmistakable voice spread across the space. He gave strength to the voice he barely let out and added an insincere technique. As soon as the song started, Cha Myunghwan relaxed his expression and leaned against the pillow, unlike his rude words. He took a deep breath, like a man who had ever endured without oxygen. Throughout, his sunken eyes clinging onto Yaba was unpleasant..

Yaba muddled his words like chewing bland gum. His mind was scattered, and he could hardly enter the world of singing. Cha Yiseok didn’t seem to be coming today. Cha Yiseok made a big mistake. He didn’t know that it was dangerous to leave him alone like this. In his absence, he could not guarantee how he would make a slip of a tongue and divulge his conspiracy. So Cha Yiseok should never let his guard down and not monitor him. After finishing “Demon King”, Yaba left without hesitation.

“Hey! Are you going already? One more song!”

“No. I’m only going to do two songs in the future. Know that.”

There were strict rules. He had only two scrotums, and if he added more songs, they would burst. In addition, if the balls were to be implanted later, the scrotum had to be treated with care. So he ignored Cha Myunghwan and grabbed the doorknob.

At that moment, a stronger force from outside pushed the door. It was Cha Yiseok who came in. Yaba’s heart rate accelerated. His shoulders, soaked in the scent of winter, were shaken by the harsh breath, and his hair, which should have been neatly groomed, was a little messy. He stared at Yaba with eyes more gloomy than the air surrounding him. Then, he aimed his unrefined gaze on Cha Myunghwan. The air stiffened in an instant. As if biting his neck, Cha Myunghwan shrugged his shoulders and avoided his gaze.

“I mean, because you’re busy, I didn’t want to bother you…”

“I told you to wait until tomorrow, didn’t you?”

Cha Yiseok pulled his lips together, but it was just a simple muscle movement. He was not stingy when it came to laughter, but he never smiled.

———

Yaba turned off the faucet. Ha… He took off his mask and patted his warm cheeks with the palm of his hand. The droopy cheeks fluttered. The pig’s reflection in the mirror was covered with a red velvet mask and tied with a ribbon. The mask touched the wound on his forehead and it stinged. Even though he listened to Cocaine sing for half a day every day, the wound never healed. It was better that way. The cell phone in his back pocket tapped his cheek. Imsoo spoke.

— It’s over, what are you doing not leaving?

“I’m going.”

He hung up the phone and went outside. The smell of tobacco spread in the hallway. When he moved his gaze following the smell, Cha Yiseok was leaning against the wall in the hallway, facing his sister-in-law. She had a youthful vitality, very unlike a woman who had a terminal cancer patient as his husband. She didn’t take his eyes off Cha Yiseok’s sharp nose and lips biting a cigarette. The look in her eyes was far from being one that was looking at her brother-in-law. The woman realised Yaba was standing at the bathroom door, and she removed her tenacious gaze. Cha Yiseok’s gaze followed. Yaba passed them by.

“I’d like to treat you to tea, Mr. Cocaine, but last time you just left, so we couldn’t even talk properly, right?”

“No need.”

“It’s uncomfortable for me to let you leave like this. It won’t take much time…”

Yaba looked at the woman with thorny eyes. Cha Yiseok said to his sister-in-law, wrapping his hand around Yaba’s shoulder.

“Go first. I’m going to have a word with him for a while.”

Yaba’s nerves were concentrated on my shoulders and I felt stiff as if I were going to sink.

“Then come downstairs.”

The woman glanced at the place Cha Yiseok touched and went down the stairs. Cha Yiseok dragged Yaba to the end of the hallway. He bent down and said lowly.

“Don’t come here at will.”

“Giha sent me.”

“I need to make that part a little more clear. Don’t even come here unless it’s through me.”

“You told me to do whatever I wanted. Why are you changing your words?”

“Only with my consent.”

Yaba stared into his sharp gaze.

“No matter how much I want to come, I can’t come if you say no? No matter how much I don’t want to, I have to come if you ask me to?”

His sharp eyes narrowed.

“I didn’t know you’d want to come back here.”

“There’s no reason not to come. It’s fun to provoke Cha Myunghwan every time he’s acting pathetic.”

Cha Yiseok met his gaze with a cold face. There was a glint in his dark eyes.

“Cocaine is prideful but when it comes to work, he is thorough when it comes to work.”

“You are Cocaine now.” Cha Yiseok added lowly.

With a relaxed smile, he plucked Yaba’s nails, skinned his head, and splashed hot water into his eardrums1. It was only now that he knew for sure that it was he whom Cocaine sang to that certain morning. Yaba glanced at his open coat. His shirt and jacket were dishevelled like a man who ran out of bed.

“Who are you to tell me what to do?”

The voice was clogged up.

“A person who has rights to you.”

He was arrogant and determined. Yaba’s eyes deepened. He knew from the beginning that he was traded like a commodity. When this act was over, Kang Giha would collect a large sum of money. Cha Yiseok would defend Cocaine and gain even more. All he had to do was take care of himself. Can you keep it until the end?

“I’m quitting. Find someone else.”

He walked straight past him.

“Hey…”

His hand grabbed Yaba and violently pushed him against the wall. The feathers on his mask shuddered. Glaring eyes collided.

“I know you’re emotional, but you’re cute only in moderation. Don’t even dream unless I let you.”

“Let go of me!”

“Be quiet. There are more ears around than you think. Someone may have already heard us now.”

It was strange. He had the eyes of a savage, hungry for something. He had such a savage and vicious face that he doubted whether this was what he was seeing. Yaba shook off the eerie hand and walked away. At that moment, the ribbon pulled back and his mask fell off his face. Yaba instinctively held onto his mask and stiffened. A strong arm wrapped around Yaba’s waist. The sound of laughter scattered across his shoulders, and an unfamiliar breath reached his ears.

“It’s simple. If you listen carefully, no one will be hurt.”

“Let’s have some tea.” Cha Yiseok bit Yaba’s earlobe tightly. He lifted him up and stretched his legs up the stairs.