CHAPTERS
The tutoring game, half-decided by threat, began as soon as Jae-an’s cold subsided. Lying dazed, watching TV, Jae-an jolted at the phone’s ring, rising from the sofa. Drawn to the relentless ringing, he stood before it but hesitated, hand frozen. What if it wasn’t Jae-rim? Still, he couldn’t let it ring out. After deliberating, he grabbed the receiver, his curled fingers gripping it tightly. “…Thought it might not be you.” Though his throat’s swelling had eased, his…- 110.9 K • Ongoing
- "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8" Lee Jae-an’s father, Lee Han-yoon ajussi, went to church. It seemed natural. Ajussi was kind, gentle, and looked innocent enough to believe in God. In contrast, my father seemed more suited to hell—cursing with every sentence, body covered in messy tattoos, acting crude and sleazy. Maybe because of ajussi’s faith, Jae-an’s house was filled with Christian items: a framed Bible verse, a…
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- Twirling a pencil, Jae-rim grunted and stood up. A math problem had stumped him for thirty minutes. If it were impossibly hard, he’d have skipped it, but its near-solvable nature sparked his competitive streak.Stretching, he left his room for the living room. A serene Sunday morning stillness hung over the house, the TV murmuring low, but the sofa was empty. The kitchen and narrow hallway showed no sign of Lee Jae-an.Jae-an moved quietly, his actions subdued. Even on the sofa, where cushions or blankets…
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- “….” “Running away silently… I was wrong… I won’t do it again.” Jae-rim let out a bitter laugh. He didn’t want an apology for trying to die from those pretty lips. Nor for escaping. He just wanted to hear Jae-an say he wanted to live. Pressing his thumb against Jae-an’s foolish lips, which gave only wrong answers, Jae-rim offered his own wrong answer. “I’m sorry for getting turned on by you, hyung. Seeing you naked up close… it messes with my…
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- By late evening, the unlit room was shrouded in darkness. Jae-an, dozing against the wall, lifted his eyelids at the sound of the door lock disengaging. It was time for Jae-rim to return. Jae-rim flung the door open and flicked on the light. The sudden brightness flooded the dim space, making Jae-an wince and shield his face. “Startled?” Dressed in a suit, Jae-rim walked toward Jae-an, who was slumped against the wall. “Had to rush to see you, hyung.” Despite his leisurely steps,…
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- If humanity were ranked on a scale, Jae-an, not Jae-rim, would fall among the wicked. He wasn’t always this unstable, pathetic wreck. Mild depression lingered, but he could pass as an ordinary person. Yet, after his maternal grandmother’s funeral, his mind rapidly deteriorated. At twenty-eight, in autumn, his grandmother passed away. That day, Jae-an learned the exact reason his mother took her own life. His mother despised not only his father but also Jae-an, who resembled him, leading to…
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- Past Arc - Recognition “Ah…!” Jae-rim, grimacing, rushed to the washing machine. He hit the pause button and lifted the lid. Clothes floated in the water-filled drum. This was the second time today he’d stopped it. After soccer, he’d hung his sweaty T-shirt to dry (Jae-an’s nagging was endless if he tossed it wet into the basket) but forgot to add it to the wash. Now, he realized he’d forgotten something else. ‘Jae-an’s towel…’ Jae-an’s apartment, an older unit,…
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- Feeling persistent vibrations, Jae-an opened his eyes. A rustling, ticklish sensation creased his brow. It was as if someone were brushing a feather across his face. “Ticklish?” A low laugh echoed beyond his ear. The voice sparked dizziness, and Jae-an shook his head, burying his face deeper into what he lay on. Something firm yet soft, oddly warm, pressed against his cheek. Opening his eyes, the world was sideways. He realized it wasn’t the world but himself, lying on his side. The…
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- Bursting out of the house, Jae-an ran without stopping until he reached an unfamiliar neighborhood. The soft indoor slippers stabbed pain into his soles with every pebble. Escaping the upscale villa district, he entered a bustling area with old apartments and shops. Each gasping breath tasted of blood, but the thought of Jae-rim watching the CCTV kept him from pausing. ‘The station.’ Spotting a subway entrance, Jae-an dashed down the stairs. He needed a crowded, bright place to catch his…
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- When alone, his wrists and ankles were always bound. To use the bathroom, he had to call Jae-rim using the phone on the nightstand. Only when Jae-rim returned home were the restraints removed. Meals were taken with Jae-rim, roughly two a day. These were the rules Jae-an learned during a week of unrelenting confinement. Stripped of freedom as punishment for his suicide attempt, he spent his days lost in thought, his vacant gaze drifting across the bedroom. The mobiles, picture frames, vases,…
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