CH 56

Chapter 56

Translated by Naralara

Edited by Naralara

“I’m going out. So, don’t try anything ridiculous.”

Lee Wooyeon said as he walked out the front door. Lee Wooyeon declared that he would not let him go outside until Inseop gave an answer. And he was true to his words.

Inseop still did not get his clothes back from him and was living covered in a sheet. In the dressing room where Lee Wooyeon’s clothes were kept, he called a worker to take the hinge down and replaced it with an iron door. It was a door that wouldn’t budge even if he tried to knock it down for hundreds of days with a hammer.

It was the third day. Inseop was persevering.

When a tiger gets tired of playing with its prey, it would bite and kill it, and if it was hungry, it would eat it, but it was clear that it would never let it go. That’s why one should never participate in their game.

Except for the lack of clothes and the lack of freedom, there was no inconvenience in living in Lee Wooyeon’s house. Due to his busy schedule, Lee Wooyeon was almost always away from home, and Inseop just stayed back alone at the house.

The biggest problem was that he hadn’t called his parents for four days. He had promised to call them once every three days no matter what so that they would not worry. Even if it was through the Internet, he would have written an email, but Lee Wooyeon cut off his communication with the outside world altogether. He even left his computer in the dressing room.

Inseop put the sheet on and laid down on the sofa. He was hungry, but he didn’t even want to eat anything, and he was just dazed. Lee Wooyeon did not curse or hit him like he did that day. Sometimes his tone was wild, but it was almost the same as before. There were times when he was kind enough that he would forget that Lee Wooyeon was a scary person.

“…Jennie… ”

Inseop closed his eyes and called out Jennie’s name.

After that fight that day, he didn’t talk to Jennie. Every night Jennie would come to his window, throw stones and call Peter’s name, but he pretended not to hear. The words she said to him were unforgivable. There were some sharp truths that he did not want to admit in those words, so he could not accept her apology even more. They were the facts that he had been neglecting, and he had to acknowledge them if he accepted Jennie’s apologies.

As Peter continued to turn away, she began to write letters. At first, it was a plain message asking for forgiveness, but it became more and more harsh. She claimed that all of this was a gimmick of Philip and that he was a poor man who fell for it. He ignored the letter. Jennie, who was rejected, dismissed it as a lie. Her last letter to him was also full of cursing and swearing at Philip. 

And after receiving the last letter, two days later, Jennie committed suicide. Her mother found her dead, hanging by the doorknob of her room, and reported it to the police. She chose this method in the end because no one believed her words, that’s what she said in her suicide note.

He heard the news when he woke up in the hospital room after successfully undergoing a major surgery that lasted 13 hours. Sadness preceded the joy of living. For him, it was like the sky was falling. When his mother broke the sad news to him, he cried out that he would rather have died with Jennie. In fact, his heart had stopped due to shock during the operation. But miraculously, his heartbeat returned and he was able to be where he is now. And he heard Jennie’s last words to him. 

As a side note at the end of the will, she wrote that she should give her heart to Peter. He guessed that was why his heart stopped beating and it started beating again because Jennie gave him her heart, it was because of Jennie that he was brought back to life. So his mother requested him not to ever say that again. His mother took his hand and wept profusely. He cried too. He kept crying until the doctor gave him a sedative and he fell asleep.

When he returned home from the hospital, someone came to see him. A woman in a shabby outfit introduced herself as Jennie’s aunt. Aunt Spencer. She was the one who Jennie always spoke of. Saying she couldn’t attend Jennie’s funeral because she had been on a trip to Africa, she handed Jennie’s diary to him with tears in her eyes. After saying she wanted him to keep it and she would’ve liked it that way, Aunt Spencer left in an old navy blue wagon. He returned to his room and opened the diary. There, Jennie’s daily life was written with a hard-to-recognize handwriting. Things about a prince, a fight with her mother, a story about being bullied at school, etc. It was a series of contents that contained words like her wanting to die, wanting to kill, and again, wanting to die.

The only happy reality in it was her time spent with Peter. It was written at the end of the diary.

‘If Peter would trust me again, I could do anything.’

He realized that she had fallen into despair because he had let go of her hand. So he lost Jennie.

Choi Inseop pressed the corners of his eyes with his palm. Tears welled up just thinking about the past.

Jennie wrote a diary which was full of curses towards Philip. Even on the days she talked about the prince’s kindness towards her, she wrote in her diary about Philip ignoring her and tormenting her. At first he didn’t believe Jennie’s diary. However, as time passed, it became difficult to ignore her loneliness. Every time Jennie wrote something about Philip, she poured love and curses on him. She said that Phillip was tormenting her, and that the only way out of this suffering was to kill him. In the diary, she wrote on the last day that she was apologetic towards Peter, that if he would believe her, and that Philip had tormented her, so she asked him to take her revenge. Whether it was true or not was a fact only Jennie knew.

Since she passed away with the truth, there was nothing he could do but believe in it.

But he could do nothing.

Inseop covered his face with his palms. His lack of power was the same then and now. He was the same as before, naked and sprawled out with no strength at all.

What the hell did he do? What did he do? He believed Jennie’s words, and after coming here, he only harmed other people.

“Ha… really…”

He thought it was amazing and he laughed out loud. If he told anyone about this, it was obvious that they would only laugh at how stupid his revenge is. 

“Jennie… I came here to get revenge… But I got caught.”

As he spoke, he became even more miserable. He worked hard to sharpen the blade of revenge and ran to kill the monster, but he couldn’t even use it properly and the knife was taken away and he turned into the monster’s hostage. Even worse, he was so moved by the terrifying monster that after he tried to find his weakness, he just tried to return home.

If someone made this into a children’s book and sold it, even if they sold it for 100 won a book, they won’t be able to sell even five. How in the world can there be a story like this?

Inseop covered himself with the sheets all the way to the top of his head and constantly blamed himself. Then, as soon as he closed his eyes for a moment, it was as if he had fallen asleep. When he woke up to the sound of the door opening in his sleep, he heard a gentle sigh of a man from the bedside.

“I’m amazed.”

That was understandable. Obviously, the two of them were having a fight right now, but when he got home, he found that the other person was sleeping on the sofa with only a sheet on.

Inseop pretended to be asleep and waited for Lee Wooyeon to leave. He heard the sound of the heavy door of the dressing room being opened to change clothes. Inseop thought about getting up and running into the dress room and stealing any clothes and leaving, but he was afraid of the consequences.

No, obviously he wouldn’t even be able to run a few steps, as he would be grabbed by his hair and dragged around, and this time he would be locked up in the dressing room.

Taking a deep breath, Inseop erased his brief dream of escaping. After changing all the clothes, Lee Wooyeon came out to the living room. Contrary to Inseop’s expectation that he would take water from the refrigerator and go inside, Lee Wooyeon walked back to the sofa. Then he lifted Inseop while holding the sheet.

Choi Inseop screamed inwardly. Still, whenever Lee Wooyeon’s fingertips touched his body, he got chills and goosebumps. He wanted to avoid being held in his arms like this. But from the beginning, he pretended to be sleeping, so he struggled and couldn’t get out.

Lee Wooyeon threw Inseop on the bed. Feeling the presence of him lying next to him, Inseop tensed up inside the bed.

“Good night.”

The light in the room went out. Inseop breathlessly waited for the man lying next to him to fall asleep. Soon, the sound of Lee Wooyeon’s breathing evened out.

He lowered the sheet slightly with his fingertips, and Inseop looked to the side. Lee Wooyeon’e eyes were closed and he was asleep. Inseop slowly got down from the bed.

Lee Wooyeon put down his cell phone…

“… … !”

Inseop found Lee Wooyeon’s cell phone near the table, and ran quickly to grab it. Once he calls his parents, tell them all is well… He wasn’t, but he had to tell them not to worry.

He quickly dialed the number and Inseop crouched, covering the phone with his hand. After ringing five or six times, he heard his mother’s voice saying ‘Hello’.

<It’s me, Peter.>

<Peter? Where are you? I couldn’t even call you. You said you’ll come yesterday but there was no contact. What the hell happened?>

As expected, his mother asked questions in a worried voice. Inseop silenced his voice as much as possible and whispered.

<Something happened, but I’ll be back soon.>

<What? I can’t hear clearly. Peter, speak out loud.>

<Some work… !>

The phone swung over his head.

<I don’t think I will be able to come back for a while because I have some work at the company. Please understand. I’ll hang up now.>

After finishing the call in fluent English, Lee Wooyeon pressed the power button of the cell phone and threw it on the sofa. Inseop looked at Lee Wooyeon with a look as if he had seen a ghost.

… No, he was more afraid of Lee Wooyeon than a ghost right now.

When did he come out? He couldn’t even hear his footsteps…

“I think I said no calls.”

“Uh, I have to call my mother once every three days. I promised.”

“What does that have to do with me?”

“… Lee Wooyeon also has a mother, so can you try to understand?”

As a last resort, he tried to explain using ‘mothers’ that everyone has.

“I haven’t talked to my mom on the phone for, let’s see, more than four or five years?”

“…”

He was someone whose emotions did not work. Inseop quelled his despair and fixed the sheet.

“Don’t be such a virgin. I won’t be excited by your naked body.”

“… !”

Inseop bowed his head as his ears grew bright red. A strange smile spread across Lee Wooyeon’s lips when he saw it.

“What? Are you really a virgin? Haven’t you done anything?”

“… ”

“It looks like you’ve been living as a virgin until now because you want to try it with me.”

“Oh, no… ”

He didn’t live as a virgin because he wanted to try with Lee Wooyeon. He had been living with his virginity because he had never been on a date with anyone because he was not popular.

“Mr. Inseop, which part of me do you like so much?”

“…”

Inseop pursed his lips and turned his head to the side. Lee Wooyeon reached out and forced his head towards him.

“Which part of me do you like?”

A fierce chill flashed in Lee Wooyeon’s smiling eyes.

Desperate to answer just anything, Inseop replied that he liked his shoulders.

“Why?”

“…It’s broad.”

“Ah, so the last time…”

Lee Wooyeon smiled brightly as he recalled pleasant memories and continued.

“Would you like me to put it in?”

“――!”

“It’s a shame. If you were a woman, I would have put it in at least once.”

“No, no, no way.”

He wanted to avoid this kind of atmosphere. Inseop grabbed the sheet and walked to the sofa. However, Lee Wooyeon persistently followed.

“Have you ever thought of me?”

“――!”

“What did you imagine?”

“Ah, I don’t. It’s not like that.”

He shook his head resolutely, but Lee Wooyeon did not listen.

“Did you imagine me putting it in your back? Thinking like that, you will satisfy your desires alone, right?”

Inseop, who sat in the corner of the sofa, covered the sheets all the way to the top of his head and expressed that he did not want to talk any more. Lee Wooyeon grabbed the sheet. Choi Inseop tried his best to hold on, but because he was someone he could not overpower, the sheet was quickly taken away by Lee Wooyeon.

Inseop, who had become naked, floundered like a drowning person and tried to cover himself with the hem of the sheet. Lee Wooyeon gently pushed him away and said,

“Answer me. Then I will give it to you.”

“Ah, I don’t. I don’t think like that, I don’t.”

“Why not? You said you like me so much.”

It was peaceful for three days, so Inseop thought that Lee Wooyeon was protecting his last pride. He was just now realizing that it was a huge mistake.

“You don’t mean to say that you have a platonic love at this age, do you? Well, is that it? Even then, you sucked my dick very nicely.”

Lee Wooyeon said vulgar words casually. His voice was so sweet and supple that it felt unrealistic because of the large gap between the content and the voice.

“Sorry. This is because I woke up in a very bad mood because of Inseop.”

It was a voice that was not at all sorry.

“I’m sorry…”

“It’s annoying because I can’t even bring a woman home.”

“Then just let me go…”

“Damn it, shut your mouth when I say something nice.”

Lee Wooyeon threw the sheet he was holding on the floor. Inseop shrugged and moved his body to the corner of the sofa.

“How can I trust you and just let you go?”

“…Well, then, how will you trust me and use me as a manager again?”

He was afraid to die, but he had to say it.

“So I’m asking you to believe me.”

“…”

“Convince me that what you say is true. By any means.”

“Why…Why are you saying that? I am… Lee Wooyeon … I like you… if you believe that… what will… change?”

In a crying voice, Inseop asked a question that had been in his mind for days. Lee Wooyeon said, “Well,” and sat down next to Inseop. Inseop was so nervous that whenever Lee Wooyeon moved, his heart sank.

“What will change?”

Lee Wooyeon mumbled, talking to himself with a terrifying expression on his face.

“… ”

That’s what he just asked.

An unhappy cry echoed in Inseop’s chest.

Lee Wooyeon, sitting next to him, stared at Inseop and repeated ‘what would be different’. Because he was really curious about it, Inseop was more frustrated because he didn’t know what Lee Wooyeon was thinking.

Sitting with his back on the sofa, Lee Wooyeon was immersed in thought for a long time. Eventually, he looked at Inseop with his soft smile restored and said,

“I’m curious to see what will change, so let’s find out.”

***

When Lee Wooyeon took Choi Inseop to the office, the expressions on the faces of CEO Kim and Manager Cha were that of astonishment. Manager Cha grabbed Inseop’s arm and asked if he was okay, if there were any injuries, and what happened. As Inseop was hesitating because he could not answer, this time CEO Kim ran in and grabbed Inseop’s hand and questioned him like a rapid-fire cannon. What happened to you and Kim Haeshin, why did you suddenly quit your job and contact Kim Haeshin, tell me what happened in the meantime, etc.

In the end, the question baptism ended only after Lee Wooyeon led CEO Kim into the representative room. When it was just the two of them standing outside the office, Manager Cha cautiously opened his mouth.

“What’s the matter?”

“… I’m sorry.”

“Still, looking at your face… I don’t think it’s the worst.”

Manager Cha was muttering to himself, and he lowered his head, unable to say what he wanted to say: It’s not inseop, this is the worst.

“Inseop, do you know what’s going on?”

“ …Roughly.”

“I kept calling, but your phone was turned off. I was worried.”

“I know… I’m sorry.”

Inseop had not seen his cell phone since that day, so he had nothing to say.

After a moment’s hesitation, the manager lowered his voice and whispered.

“I’m from the same agency, so it’s a bit awkward to say things like this, but Mr. Inseop… I prefer not to have anything to do with Lee Wooyeon.”

“… Yes.”

‘I’m sorry. It looks like I’m already involved.”.

“Lee Wooyeon, somehow, has a good image and is good at acting, and that’s… So… Inseop. Run away.”

Before Cha could finish his last meaningful words, the door to the representative office opened and Lee Wooyeon exclaimed in a bright voice.

“Mr. Choi Inseop. Come and sign the contract. Hurry up.”

“….”

“…”

Manager Cha and Inseop stared at each other’s faces without saying a word. There was a lot of comfort and sorrow in those silent gazes.

After signing the contract in the representative office, the people in the office congratulated Inseop. ’Congrats on coming back, why did you quit, you’re back, so let’s do our best in the future.’

Receiving the congratulatory words, Inseop answered their greetings with a smile, not wanting to cause them worry. The female employee in charge of the schedule handed Inseop Lee Wooyeon’s schedule and a rough plan for one month.

“The details will come down once a week. Even if I don’t explain it, you’ll know.”

“… Yes. Thank you.”

Inseop took the paper with a depressed face and put it in his pocket.

“Aren’t you going to write it down in your notebook?”

“Excuse me?”

“You always wrote down everything I said in your notebook. When I saw that, I thought Inseop was very cute. It’s like seeing my son, who is an elementary school student, going to school and writing down every word.”

“Ah, yes… … A, a good son.”

Inseop smiled awkwardly and shook his head. The notebook, along with his passport, was buried deep in Lee Wooyeon’s safe. Maybe he didn’t see the picture in the notebook, so Lee Wooyeon didn’t say a word about it. It was a fortune out of misfortune. No, the misfortune was too great for it to be called a fortune.

As he stood in front of the elevator door and waited for the elevator to arrive, Lee Wooyeon quietly whispered to him

“Laugh a little.”

“…”

“Like a dog brought to the slaughterhouse, what is it? Am I forcibly dragging you, Mr. Inseop? That’s not it.”

As if he was saying “I feel a little bad, but do you want to go get some fresh air?” Lee Wooyeon told Inseop to persuade him because he was curious about the results.

It was absurd, Choi Inseop protested, asking what the heck that meant. He said he was wrong, but … he wanted take revenge for what he did to his friend… he even said he did this because he like Lee Wooyeon, but if he says he won’t believe him anyway, at this point, he was just trying to harass him.

Of course, all these words were barely said, his voice trembling, sounding like an ant was crawling out of his mouth. Lee Wooyeon, who nodded his head seriously, saying yes, that is it, said as soon as Inseop finished speaking in a weeping voice.

‘So, when will you start working?’

It was an infinite loophole. No matter how much he tried to hold on, Lee Wooyeon only interpreted it as he liked. In the end, he made Choi Inseop reply that he would return to the manager’s job.

The first thing Inseop did when he came out with the underwear and clothes that Lee Wooyeon had bought him was to come to the office and sign the contract.

Looking at CEO Kim’s pale face in a few days, Inseop could only guess how much heartache he had suffered. CEO Kim watched Inseop signing the contract with a complicated expression. He didn’t like having someone who left once, who seemed to be having a difficult time, as Lee Wooyeon’s manager again, but above all, the fact that Lee Wooyeon came back with Inseop made him very uncomfortable.

Of course, the most uncomfortable and worst among them was Choi Inseop. While he promised Jennie to get revenge, he was in a situation where he would be eaten by Lee Wooyeon if he made a mistake.

The only comforting thing was the picture in the notebook in Lee Wooyeon’s safe. He didn’t do any harm to Lee Wooyeon with the picture, but he thought he could at least make an excuse when he went to see Jennie if he took the picture back.

The biggest problem right now was to release the innocent Choi Inseop by letting the words “I believe”’ come out of Lee Wooyeon’s mouth.

Inseop, who sat in the driver’s seat of the van after a long time, took the steering wheel in his hands with a complicated heart. Lee Wooyeon, who came in after him, closed the door and asks.

“What about music?”

“… Shall I turn it on?”

“Yes. Because I like the songs that Inseop has selected for me.”

“… … .”

Inseop searched the glovebox and took out the CD he had burned. He left it in case he needed it, but manager Cha didn’t seem to have touched it. Inseop properly took one out and pushed it into the audio.

After checking the schedule, Inseop asked Lee Wooyeon.

“You have time, would you like to go home?”

In fact, after taking Lee Wooyeon home, he wanted to go back to his house and clean up the mess. If the owner of the house saw it, he would have kicked him out immediately. Inseop thought it was a good thing that he left the money in his bank account as an emergency fund. Once he handed all the money to the landlord, and entrusted it to repair it, he decided to renew the contract again.

“What are you going to do, Mr. Inseop?”

“What?”

“What are you going to do when I get home?”

“… I will go to my house.”

“America?”

Lee Wooyeon’s voice was particularly ferocious.

“No… there. The rooftop room.”

“Ah, you don’t have to worry about that anymore. Because I took care of everything.”

Lee Wooyeon said as if he had read Inseop’s mind.

“You dealt with it?”

“I threw away all your luggage and paid for the repairs. Of course, the house will go out to someone else as planned.”

“…Then where am I going to live?”

It was like a rant. It was more difficult than picking a star in the sky to find a clean room with such a cheap house price among those close to the company.

“I’ll give you a room.”

“It’s fine. I will find a room for myself.”

“How can I believe Choi Inseop and leave you alone? What are you going to do by yourself?”

“… I’m not going to do anything.”

“I have to trust you to believe you.”

He didn’t even have the energy to pursue it anymore. Inseop held the steering wheel with a depressed face and sighed.

“… Where would you like to go?”

“ALright. I just thought of a place to go.”

Saying that, Lee Wooyeon’s eyes narrowed like a crescent moon. At the same time, anxiety crept into Inseop’s heart.