F56

Naturally, the health check results that came back a week later showed nothing wrong. With that, Yeonho resolved to ease his mind and was finally able to regain a semblance of peace even at home. He deliberately came home early in the evening, plopped down on the sofa, and started munching on potato chips.

A short while later, Seong Junhee came and sat beside him. Just having him come closer made Yeonho tense up, and his body temperature rose. But since he wasn’t planning to sever this family bond anyway, it was up to him to overcome this. He forced himself to act as naturally as possible around Seong Junhee.

It was the first conversation they’d had in a long time. As usual, Junhee spoke like a father figure.

“You’ve been staying up all night playing games lately, haven’t you?”

“Yeah. It’s fun. You should try it too.”

Yeonho replied brightly, like a clueless kid. Junhee was also the one who scolded him on behalf of his stepfather, who couldn’t bring himself to.

“Don’t play too late. Go to bed on time. Don’t you doze off during lectures?”

Junhee spoke as he snatched a chip from Yeonho’s hand. Yeonho held the bag out in his direction and answered.

“Of course not.”

“Now that I’ve started lecturing myself, I don’t like it when students fall asleep in class.”

“You’re working hard too, huh. Don’t worry. I’ll stay awake for your sake.”

“Good. Take care of your health.”

“Yeah. Thanks. I’m always reassured knowing you’re around.”

That was how their ordinary conversation ended. Yeonho believed everything was resolved now. If it had been a momentary impulse or a mistake, he could forgive him. And since this was a blended family, nothing needed to change in what had otherwise been a perfectly maintained relationship.

And then, after a full month of thought, he told Junhee what he’d decided.

“I’m going to move out this week. Thanks for letting me live here so comfortably. And for finding me such a nice place.”

Junhee, who had been leaving the living room, suddenly stepped backward and returned to the sofa.

“Where are you going? Back to our parents’ house?”

“No. I’m planning to live near campus with a friend.”

He intended to move into the place Siwoo had helped him find. He’d been a little hesitant to move out too soon, but by now, the timing felt appropriate.

Once Siwoo graduated, they were going to live together for real. That meant Yeonho wouldn’t live with his family again. Junhee would probably get married within three years to the girlfriend he was dating now. So from now on, they’d only have to see each other at safe, family gatherings.

But contrary to Yeonho’s expectations, Junhee seemed visibly upset.

“You can’t live with me, but you can live with a friend?”

“He said it’s hard to cover rent alone. I’m helping out.”

“Don’t lie. You’re dating someone, aren’t you?”

Yeonho had been eating chips while staring at the television. At that, he paused and turned his head toward Junhee. Their eyes met.

He figured being honest was the right choice. There was no reason to hide the fact that he was in a relationship. On the contrary, it was better to make it absolutely clear. Looking Junhee straight in the eye, he said,

“Yeah. I am. So you figured it out.”

Junhee continued questioning him, unmoved by Yeonho’s honesty.

“You’re only twenty. What do you think you’re doing living with your lover already?”

“I said I’m living with a friend. A guy.”

“Exactly. A male lover.”

Junhee gave him a creepy smile, like he already knew everything. Only his mouth was smiling. His eyes weren’t.

Yeonho found him revolting, but didn’t let it shake him. He just laughed, incredulous.

“So what. What’s it to you. Adults can live together if they want.”

Junhee adjusted his glasses, shook his head, and went on.

“No, I’m saying this because our sweet, innocent Yeonho… ever since you started dating, you’ve gotten filthy.”

“What did you just say?”

Yeonho snapped. His eyes turned fierce, and he glared at Junhee.

“Did I hear that right? Did you really say that to me? Huh?”

In all thirteen years, Yeonho had never once raised his voice at Junhee like this. But the disappointment he felt toward him was too great to hide. Junhee, too, seemed furious about Yeonho’s decision to move out. His eyes gleamed with something unsettling, and he began to spit out things he’d never said before.

“You’ve been screwing around so much since you started college that you moan like a cheap slut the moment someone brushes your skin. Is this how I raised you?”

“You’re insane. I feel like throwing up. Mind if I puke right here on the floor?”

Chills ran up from his toes. The memory of Junhee touching his body and the words he’d just heard slammed together, and the nausea became unbearable. Yeonho decided he wouldn’t endure it anymore. He couldn’t breathe the same air as him, not for one more second.

“…..You’re disgusting. I’m leaving this house today. I’ll get the rest of my stuff tomorrow, so don’t worry about it.”

He jumped to his feet, grabbed his phone and car keys, and headed for the door. But Junhee suddenly reached for him with the same soft expression he used to wear, gently grabbing his hand and pleading.

“It’s all because of him. He’s the one who changed you. My Yeonho used to love me more than anyone. Now you’re addicted to sex, spreading your legs for some guy, and going crazy. You come home and don’t even look at me, just go straight to your room to sleep.”

“What the hell are you saying? Let go of me. I’m leaving. Get your hands off my body.”

Yeonho shouted, recoiling from Junhee’s touch in disgust.

Yeonho fled, driving straight to the home Siwoo had prepared for them. But even there, he couldn’t sleep at all. He dug out every piece of Siwoo’s clothing from the laundry basket and buried himself in them, but sleep never came.

That morning, without seeing Siwoo, he timed his visit to the house to coincide with Seong Junhee’s work hours so that no one would be home. The only things he planned to take were a few electronic devices, books, and clothes. Even then, more than half of his belongings had already been moved to the place he shared with Siwoo. Whatever was left behind, he didn’t care if Junhee threw it away.

He entered his room to pack. On top of his desk sat Junhee’s laptop and an old phone. Both were turned on, as if left there deliberately for him to see. Yeonho stared blankly at the laptop screen.

What he saw was a post uploaded two hours ago to an online forum plastered with illegal gambling ads.

My new stepmom’s son. Rate him.

Yeonho scrolled down with the mouse and, after reading the content of the post, collapsed to the floor. When had that photo been taken?

After reading the comments of strangers evaluating his naked body like meat on display, Yeonho’s lips and hands began to tremble as he hurriedly deleted the post. He checked to see if Junhee had uploaded anything else. Should he be grateful he hadn’t posted his face?

The phone beside the laptop wasn’t locked. As soon as he turned on the screen, a grid of photo thumbnails appeared. Yeonho dropped the phone and screamed.

“Aah…!”

He scrambled across the floor and picked it back up. He couldn’t even guess when those pictures had been taken. Some were dated from before they had lived together, from a time when no one ever visited this house.

But Yeonho didn’t cry. He wasn’t scared anymore. In fact, he felt relieved. Family, memories, none of it mattered now. At last, he had a reason to hate that piece of trash completely and erase him from his life.

Snapping out of it, Yeonho stood with fire in his eyes and called Junhee.

“You fucking bastard.”

He never imagined that the first curse to ever leave his lips would be aimed at the one who had only ever taught him sweet words.

“After all the trust I gave you, all the love, you did this to me? You sick pervert.”

[So why did you betray me? You said you’d marry me. Why’d you go back on your word and sleep with someone else? I waited until you were grown.]

“Maybe I studied so hard that I went crazy. I was a kid who lost his dad and was happy to have a new family, remember? And you’ve never stopped dating. You already have someone you’re going to marry.”

[You and I are different. I’m the eldest son. How could we ever be the same? Even if I get married, you still belong to me. Pure and untouched.]

“Shut up.”

Putting the call on speaker, Yeonho shoved the laptop and old phone into a large bag as evidence.

“I’m going to Mom and Dad right now and showing them all of this. Then I’m going to the police. I’m sure you’ve backed up all these photos. I don’t care. Leak them, show my face if you want, do whatever the hell you want, you piece of shit. I’ll kill you.”

[Sure. Go ahead. I’ll talk too.]

“What the hell do you have to say?”

[Third-year architecture student Kim Yeonho, K University. I’ll tell Director Kim Joongseok of Gangmoon Construction everything. His son secretly got an apartment with his parents’ money to have gay sex with another guy.]

“……”

[Yeonho, I know more about that guy than you do. How much do you really know about him? Do you even know what his parents do? Bet you didn’t know his dad’s company is the one building our resort.]

“……”

[So why do you think he never told you anything about his family? It’s obvious. He’s going to mess around with guys all he wants in college, then disappear one day and marry the girl his parents picked so he can inherit the business.]

Yeonho clenched his fists. In a calm, chilling voice, he said,

“If you touch him, you die with me. I can kill someone.”

[You and I, we’re the closest people in the world, right? Don’t leave the house. Stay put until I get back. And take those things out of that tacky bag.]

“What? Are you watching me right now?”

Yeonho’s face turned pale. He scanned the room in panic. Watching him? Since when? From the beginning? Was he watching alone? Were others watching too? If the camera had been installed earlier, had he even seen him with Siwoo?

No, it must have been set up this morning, after getting angry about Yeonho saying he’d move out. That had to be it. Where would it be? The built-in closet? The bookshelf? The lamp? The picture frame?

Soon, Yeonho reached out toward the Bluetooth speaker Junhee had given him as a college entrance gift.

***

With a gaunt face, Yeonho went to see Siwoo, who had just come out of the shower.

“You’re late today. Did you oversleep?”

Yeonho nodded silently and absentmindedly began drying Siwoo’s wet hair with a towel as he murmured,

“My boyfriend’s body is covered in bruises.”

“Ugly, right? I’ll get rid of them fast. While I’m healing, I can’t hold you properly, so I keep putting it off.”

Siwoo rubbed at the marks on his body with a hint of embarrassment. Yeonho slowly blinked and gently ran his fingers over the mark he had left on Siwoo’s neck.

Lately, he had been leaving hickeys on Siwoo’s neck every chance he got. The one he had left most recently was so strong and greedy that it had turned into a dark purple bruise, like he’d been struck.

In a quiet voice, Yeonho murmured,

“You already have so many wounds… why did I have to leave another bruise…”

It was all because of his childish, selfish desire to have this person entirely to himself.