IOB Ch 30 – END.

Choi Yisak faced Han Yeseo and took a sip of his drink. His fingertips, perfectly manicured without a single hangnail, lightly touched his sideburns and then pulled away. It was a habit Choi Yisak had whenever he was anxious. He was in a state of great discomfort. Normally, he would feel a sense of stability and enjoyment in meeting with Han Yeseo, but today, he did not even have the composure for that.

I should not have seen that.

Choi Yisak thought, touching his hair once again. His stomach churned. Han Yeseo’s praises about Woo Seonrim’s debut album, which she spoke of with a flushed face, did not register in his ears.

“Is something troubling you these days?”

“Ah…”

Han Yeseo quickly noticed that something was off with Choi Yisak. The two were one of the few friends each other had. If one were to narrowly and strictly define a friend as ‘an acquaintance to whom you can confide all your innermost thoughts,’ they might even be each other’s only friend.

Over the past few months, after Choi Yisak fully acknowledged his feelings and began a romantic relationship for the first time in his life, he had asked Han Yeseo for help several times. In that process, he had no choice but to naturally confess his history of being a virgin. As he sought advice from Han Yeseo, who had a lot of dating experience, he naturally came to rely on her.

In many ways, the recent few months had been a truly confusing time for Choi Yisak. While he and his partner were fumbling awkwardly as dating novices, Woo Seonrim’s album was released. The Jaeyu Group, whose corporate chairman had suddenly died, was staggering, and complicated internal politics were underway.

His family situation was also a complete mess. A fight over shares broke out between the first and third children, and the first child secretly leaked his own stepmother’s embezzlement to the press. The stock prices fell, the company’s image collapsed, and the airline, which had been perpetually in the red, was sold off. Still, there was a saying that wealth lasts for three generations. Since the Jaeyu Group was only in its second generation, the family was unlikely to fall to ruin completely.

However, Choi Yisak, of all people, was distant from the chaos happening within his family. To the point where he himself found it strange, only his surroundings were peaceful. Was it because he had long since stepped away from the fight for management rights and was satisfied with the inheritance that had fallen into his hands? Was it because he was planning to step down from his position as a director at the agency and go abroad soon to seriously study arts management? In any case, no one bothered him.

Choi Yisak could not comfortably enjoy the tranquility that had been granted to him for the first time in his 30 years of life. A strange sense of dissonance always followed him.

…This is weird. My life has never gone this smoothly before. Why do I not feel like shit these days? He was always plagued by this sort of bewilderment. It was because he had not adapted to the happiness that was so suddenly placed in his hands. Because his life had always been a mess somewhere.

Isn’t it a good thing to be at peace? Let’s not be so sensitive. He tried to soothe himself and dull his intuition, which tended to work in an ominous direction. It seemed to be successful to some extent. Until a few days ago, before he saw that video.

Han Yeseo gazed at Choi Yisak for a moment before speaking first.

“You’ll be going abroad with your lover soon, so why do you look so grim?”

“It’s just, how should I put it. I feel unsettled.”

“Did Woo Seonrim say something about me meeting you again?”

“No, it’s not that.”

Woo Seonrim, who used to have a fit and glare just at the mention of Han Yeseo’s name, had at some point become gentle. I’m meeting up with Yeseo. Even when Choi Yisak cautiously uttered these words while watching his expression, he would readily see him off, telling him to have a good time.

He must have built up his trust in me. While Choi Yisak felt more at ease, he also felt strangely disappointed. He knew it was not normal to feel regretful that the obsession had lessened, so he did not show it on the outside.

Choi Yisak stirred his drink with a straw. Clink, clink. The ice cubes clattered against each other, making a sound. He did this for a long while, and just before Han Yeseo’s patience wore thin, he parted his lips.

“Seonrim is a bit strange.”

Han Yeseo raised an eyebrow.

“Why?”

“I think he’s hiding something from me.”

“Cheating? Did he find another man?”

“Seonrim is not the type of person to do that.”

“Ah, yes, of course.”

Choi Yisak retorted defensively. He had not a single doubt about Woo Seonrim’s love. Rather, he was worried because that love was too excessive.

Not long ago, Choi Yisak had been busy organizing his life in Korea in preparation for leaving the country. His early 30s were not a bad time to start a new field of study. There was also a need to get away from his chaotic family.

He sold some of the shares he owned to convert them into cash and also organized his real estate assets appropriately. It was enough money to live comfortably for a few years, or in fact, for the rest of his life, as long as he did not get greedy with business ventures. Moreover, there was unearned income that came in steadily every month from a building in his name.

While everything was being resolved smoothly, Choi Yisak discovered something. As he was clearing out his office at the company, his eyes were suddenly drawn to the backup cloud.

The CCTV footage from the camera installed at his home was saved in real-time to both his phone and his computer. The videos contained footage of Woo Seonrim walking around the house looking bored, Woo Seonrim playing the piano, and Woo Seonrim deliberately taking off his underwear and masturbating in front of the CCTV lens as if to put on a show.

He thought he might as well take a look before wiping the cloud clean. It was a voyeuristic desire to observe his lover’s past daily life, and simply that. Choi Yisak knew that such a desire was not normal, but since Woo Seonrim was also quite abnormal, he thought it was okay.

While rummaging through old data out of such curiosity, a video with an unforgettable date caught his eye. The day Choi Byeonggwan died.

The time was just past midnight. The entrance CCTV had captured Woo Seonrim leaving the house. That can’t be right. Choi Yisak, feeling puzzled, was about to scroll back and forth through the video but stopped.

On that day, Woo Seonrim had definitely been asleep next to him. Choi Yisak clearly remembered the moment he received the phone call informing him of the death and woke Woo Seonrim up.

…He must have woken up for a bit in the early morning and went for a walk. Is there really a need to look closely at the footage from such an unsettling day? He would have come back home in a few dozen minutes anyway.

The effort to suppress his own curiosity did not last long. Choi Yisak opened the file and checked what time Woo Seonrim returned home. It was not a few dozen minutes later, but several hours later that Woo Seonrim came back home.

Woo Seonrim, who had entered through the front door, lifted his head and stared intently at the CCTV. Through the monitor screen, Choi Yisak’s eyes met with the Woo Seonrim of that day. Woo Seonrim seemed to be saying something, his mouth moving silently. He rewound and focused on the shape of his lips.

‘I love you.’

The moment he read Woo Seonrim’s words, a faint chill ran down his entire body.

On the very day Choi Byeonggwan died, the few hours Woo Seonrim was away from home. What on earth had happened then? He could not bring himself to ask Woo Seonrim directly about that day. Only a sense of frustration endlessly piled up. He felt he could not bear it alone, so he had come to see Han Yeseo. Although, he could not bring himself to carelessly open his mouth even to Han Yeseo.

Han Yeseo gazed at Choi Yisak’s deathly pale face and said.

“What are you worrying so much about? Mr. Yisak, you need to live your life a little more simply.”

“…Me?”

“You think too much. That’s how you get a mental illness.”

“I know that too.”

“If you know, then why are you like this?”

“…”

“If there’s something you’re curious about, you can just ask Woo Seonrim directly.”

“What if the answer I get is not what I want, but something else…”

“Break up, then.”

Han Yeseo’s words were simple and firm.

“…Break up?”

For a moment, Choi Yisak’s heart sank. It felt as if his entire chest was collapsing.

“You can just break up. Is life really such a big deal?”

“How, how can we break up. We’re about to go abroad. Is breaking up that easy?”

“What’s so difficult about it? Get him a manager and send Woo Seonrim by himself. Just support him from behind. I’ll take responsibility for his future performance activities.”

“…”

“If you can’t handle Woo Seonrim, then you should break up. Meeting and breaking up is a part of people’s lives.”

“But.”

Choi Yisak could not continue his words right away. Although his reason knew that everything Han Yeseo said was right, an instinctive sense of rejection kept rising up.

At this moment, Han Yeseo was constantly thinking of only one sentence in her head.

What a fucking soap opera…

She truly could not understand how two men, who looked perfect if not just fine on the outside, could be dating in such a tiring way. She often thought that she should not have gotten involved with the two men in the first place, but when she came to her senses, she was already helping them. Now, it was too late for her to back out as well.

Han Yeseo was the type of person who cut people off easily, but she could not do so with just those two. The first reason was that she had fallen for Woo Seonrim’s musicality. The second was that Choi Yisak resembled her. His wounds stimulated her own wounds. Things like their circumstances of being subtly ignored for being an illegitimate child, or the fact that they immersed themselves in music to endure life.

That was why she had accepted Woo Seonrim’s request.

‘I want you to help me, Ms. Han Yeseo. It’s to protect the Director-nim.’

‘You want me to hold onto this video? It’s disgusting enough to make me puke.’

‘Wasn’t he a person who deserved to die?’

‘He is repulsive. He did die a good death, but… what if I go and report this right now, how could you bring something like this to me? Aren’t you underestimating my civic duty too much.’

‘You won’t do that.’

Woo Seonrim had an uncanny ability to read people. Why would she release this? It was like obtaining a chess piece that could shake the Jaeyu Group.

‘What if Choi Jaeyoung finds out I have the backup copy and tries to harm me?’

‘The beloved youngest daughter of the Hyun-jin Group’s chairman?’

‘…Mr. Seonrim, you’re a really insidious person, aren’t you?’

‘Am I wrong?’

‘The fact that you’re right is what makes you insidious.’

Choi Yisak was a man with no ambition for success, but Han Yeseo was different. She did her best to climb higher. From her young days of being an outsider in her family, she had resolved to survive no matter what.

First, she poured all her effort into capturing the heart of the chairman, who was the head of Hanjin Group and her biological father. Once she gained the chairman’s affection, she was no longer blatantly ignored. A person had to have several weapons to protect themselves.

‘Does Mr. Yisak really not know anything?’

‘Are you going to go and tell him?’

‘I think Mr. Yisak will be shocked. He is surprisingly soft-hearted, you know.’

‘Still, it will probably be less shocking than killing Choi Byeonggwan himself.’

‘So there really is someone who would even kill a person for love…’

‘Am I very disgusting?’

‘Yes… But it’s also karma for what Chairman Choi has built up. If he had lived a proper life, he wouldn’t have ended up like this, right? Why would he go around having illegitimate children so promiscuously. It’s disgusting, really. Living as an illegitimate child is so tiring. But Mr. Seonrim, you’re not in your right mind either. That’s for sure.’

‘If you want to reveal the truth to the Director-nim, you can go ahead and do so.’

‘…’

‘I did it fully prepared for that possibility.’

Crazy bastard. Han Yeseo muttered inwardly as she mulled over the conversation she had with Woo Seonrim. She briefly considered whether she should subtly toss a fragment of the truth to Choi Yisak, who was feeling a sense of dissonance.

However, looking at Choi Yisak’s state, it seemed there was no need for that.

It was not that Choi Yisak did not know. He had an intuition that Woo Seonrim was involved in Choi Byeonggwan’s death. He was just desperately trying to ignore and avoid it.

“I think Mr. Yisak truly loves his partner.”

“…Do I look like it?”

“Yes.”

Han Yeseo was certain that whether he knew the truth or not, that man would never break up with Woo Seonrim. Choi Yisak was not normal either. He must have realized long ago that Woo Seonrim was strange, yet wasn’t he busy sticking right to him instead of running away?

In the end, the two needed each other. Although they might be quite warped human beings from an objective standpoint, to each other, they were a perfect match, neither lacking nor excessive.

۶ৎ

The house, with much of the luggage moved out, felt empty. Woo Seonrim and Choi Yisak’s departure date was drawing closer and closer. They planned to go abroad in advance to adapt to the life there before submitting their applications to the music conservatory. Han Yeseo, who had watched this entire process from the side, summed it up in one sentence.

‘It seems less like studying abroad and more like you’re going overseas to start a newlywed life.’

That was not a very wrong statement.

Choi Yisak, who had just parted ways with Han Yeseo, returned home with a complicated heart. Even after meeting her, his cluttered mind was not organized. In fact, it had become more complicated. His heart sank when he heard the advice to break up if things got difficult.

As he was trudging into the living room, he came face to face with Woo Seonrim, who looked like he had just gotten out of the shower.

“You came from seeing Han Yeseo?”

Woo Seonrim was wearing only a single piece of underwear and was drying his hair with a towel.

“Put on some clothes…”

“You once said you liked my body, Yisak.”

At some point between the two of them, their first names had become established like terms of endearment. At first, Choi Yisak had gotten angry, saying that a guy who was four years younger was casually calling him by his name, but now he found the title ‘hyung’ more awkward. On the rare occasions he was called hyung, he would even get irritated, saying it was embarrassing.

The more he did that, the more Woo Seonrim found it fun to watch Choi Yisak’s reaction, inserting the word ‘hyung’ at just the right moments.

“You said you liked it, hyung. My body.”

It was like this.

Choi Yisak reflexively grimaced and took a step back. As Woo Seonrim approached with a blank expression, his forehead grew hot and his mind became flustered. His head was already a complicated mess, but with his vision filled with pale skin, his reason scattered for a moment.

I shouldn’t have suggested we work out together. Choi Yisak regretted it. Woo Seonrim’s body, which had a lean frame with appropriately defined small muscles, struck right at the heart of his preferences. When Woo Seonrim pushed forward using his body and face as weapons, he would fall for it helplessly.

He kept wanting to push everything to the back of his mind. As if he had never seen the CCTV footage from the day Choi Byeonggwan died. Still, Choi Yisak could not bring himself to delete the video and had saved it separately on his phone.

The questions he wanted to ask Woo Seonrim bubbled up in his throat.

Why were you out of the house for several hours at that time?

What on earth were you doing?

Of all days, on the very day you left the house without my knowledge, the old man who tormented me died, and only a strange tranquility has continued for me… Is this entire situation simply a coincidence?

Do you think it’s a coincidence?

He could not bring himself to utter any of these words. He felt that the moment he asked directly, he would not be able to turn anything back. He was constantly conflicted between curiosity and fear.

Woo Seonrim scanned the blankly standing Choi Yisak with an uncomfortable gaze, then took a bold step forward. Thump, he grabbed Choi Yisak’s head with both hands and pressed their foreheads together. His hair, still wet with moisture, clung to Choi Yisak’s skin.

“You’re strange today.”

Woo Seonrim astutely noticed that Choi Yisak was in a state that was somehow different from usual.

“What did Han Yeseo say?”

“…No.”

“Then why are you like this?”

Choi Yisak swallowed his dry saliva and then spoke.

“Woo Seonrim.”

“Yes.”

“Seonrim-ah.”

“…”

“Can I ask just one thing?”

“Anything.”

“You won’t lie?”

Woo Seonrim, still with his forehead pressed against Choi Yisak’s, nodded his head.

“You… on the dawn of the day President Choi… my dad died, where were you?”

Could Woo Seonrim have been involved in Choi Byeonggwan’s death? It was a situation that couldn’t help but raise such suspicions. What if it was not a suspicion but a fact?

…What should I do?

Choi Yisak looked up and carefully observed Woo Seonrim. Without any sign of surprise or bewilderment, Woo Seonrim’s face was serene. It did not betray any change whatsoever.

“I went out for a little while that day.”

And then he answered without much thought. Choi Yisak, who had asked with great tension, felt deflated. He was momentarily at a loss for words at Woo Seonrim’s calmer-than-expected reaction. It was actually Woo Seonrim who broke the silence and spoke first.

“Do you perhaps suspect me?”

“…What?”

“I didn’t kill him. I don’t lie to Yisak.”

I just omit information. Woo Seonrim swallowed the rest of his words. There was no need to go out of his way to reveal too much. Unless Yisak found out the whole truth by himself. If he were to present evidence and interrogate him, he was planning to meekly tell the entire truth of that day.

“I did not kill him.”

It was not a lie. No, it was rather the only truth he had not told others. Because Choi Byeonggwan’s breath had stopped before he could even kill him.

“But… I did want to kill him.”

Woo Seonrim hugged Choi Yisak tightly. Choi Yisak held his breath for a moment, remaining quietly trapped in the embrace.

“I’m resentful. That person tormented Yisak, you, hyung.”

“…”

“If you had told me to kill him, I would have.”

“Woo Seonrim.”

“I wanted Yisak to be at peace. For that to happen, it was much better for Choi Byeonggwan to not be in this world. Am I wrong?”

“Seonrim-ah.”

“It should have been that way. I could have done it…”

Truly, the opportunity to end his life with his own hands was right before him. Woo Seonrim tightened his grip, clutching Choi Yisak’s shoulder blades fiercely.

Buried in the firm embrace, Choi Yisak’s breathing became ragged. He could not quite understand what he had just heard. Seeing Seonrim panting and spitting out words quickly, it seemed it was truly not a lie. However, instead of feeling relieved, he was seized by a strange feeling.

“…What kind of crazy nonsense are you talking about. You can’t kill someone for my sake.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean, why.”

Did he have to explain common sense one by one? Choi Yisak felt his breath catch in his throat.

“People say they would even give their life for love. What’s so wrong with not being able to give up someone else’s life.”

“Who says that. Did you read another strange novel? Stop reading romance novels. Do you think your dating skills will improve by reading those?”

“You told me to learn from them…”

“Haa.”

“I was studying in my own way, so why are you giving me a hard time. Then what should I study for dating. Should I go out and meet someone else?”

“Do you want to die?”

“If Yisak tells me to die, I will die.”

“…”

“Is it not the same for you, Yisak? Of course, it is fine even if you are not. I think it is enough for just me to have that level of resolve.”

Choi Yisak remained silent for a moment. In truth, he also had a guilty conscience. He was the one who had gotten caught by Choi Jaeyoung while running around trying to protect Woo Seonrim and was accused of patricide.

I did things that didn’t fit my nature to protect that crazy bastard… Enduring nausea to suck up to Choi Byeonggwan, always being tense not knowing when the order to kill would come, having nightmares. He had decided to do all those things solely for Woo Seonrim. Although he did not succeed.

Do I have the right to interrogate him? Choi Yisak fell into a fundamental dilemma. I also did all sorts of things behind Woo Seonrim’s back. It is okay for me but not for Woo Seonrim? Anyway, he said he didn’t kill him. Isn’t that okay?

His mind was in chaos. It seemed useless to continue the conversation like this. It did not look like he would get anything more out of it right now even if he seriously continued the interrogation. Choi Yisak knew he was weak when it came to Woo Seonrim. Especially while looking into Woo Seonrim’s eyes, proper rational thinking was impossible.

Choi Yisak let out a sigh and said in a weary voice.

“I get it, I get it all, but…”

“Yes.”

“Still… don’t kill people.”

“I told you I didn’t kill anyone.”

“I’m telling you not to kill anyone in the future either. What if you get caught and go to prison.”

“So it’s okay as long as I don’t get caught?”

“That’s… not it. Anyway, if you go to prison, I’ll be left all alone. I’ll be bored.”

“Ah.”

Woo Seonrim paused for a moment, then nodded his head.

“I didn’t think of that.”

“What?”

“You don’t want to be separated from me.”

“…”

“So you would rather endure the pain that I would get rid of for you. Yisak, you like me more than I expected.”

Through their pressed chests, he could feel Woo Seonrim’s heart pounding rapidly. Choi Yisak felt deflated again. This bastard… is he getting excited in this situation?

“You, you son of a bitch. If I didn’t like you, would I be packing my bags saying I’m following you?”

Choi Yisak suddenly flared up and kicked Woo Seonrim in the shin.

“Ouch. I just didn’t know it was to this extent.”

“What don’t you know? How can you not know. You’re talking in a way that pisses me off, you son of a bitch. Have I ever done anything wrong to you? How small did you think my feelings were? I even let you fuck me from behind. And you ignore a person’s sincere feelings like this?”

As he spoke, his temper flared up even more, and Choi Yisak began to punch Woo Seonrim’s back. Woo Seonrim took the blows calmly and continued to cling to Choi Yisak.

“Get off, get off, you bastard.”

“I understand. So Yisak loves me too.”

“You son of a bitch.”

“Of course, I love Yisak too.”

“Just empty words…”

“I love you.”

Woo Seonrim whispered with a shameless expression and pressed his lips against his. Choi Yisak’s face contorted into a deep frown, but he did not refuse. It was a daily occurrence for him to get angry and shout over trivial words, only to have it all smoothed over with kisses and physical affection.

Choi Yisak’s raised eyebrows trembled, and then he closed his eyes as if in surrender. Still with a lingering sense of unease deep in his chest.

۶ৎ

A bastard crazy for dick… Choi Yisak swore at himself inwardly and stared blankly at the bedroom ceiling.

Just a few hours ago, he had been racking his brain thinking about Choi Byeonggwan’s death. When he came to his senses, he was already rolling around naked in bed with Woo Seonrim, and it was right after he had woken up from falling asleep as if he had fainted after doing that for a long time.

“Fuck…”

Choi Yisak muttered softly. He felt a sense of skepticism towards himself for getting so worked up and engrossed in sex in the blink of an eye, even while talking about killing someone or not. He tried to count in his head how many times he had ejaculated but gave up. While everyone else was enjoying themselves, I was suffering from a strange sexual desire by myself, and now, belatedly, what the hell is this…

It was all because of Woo Seonrim. Choi Yisak glanced at his lover lying next to him. Woo Seonrim was fast asleep with his mouth slightly open. For some reason, his complexion looked better than usual.

Someone’s ass is throbbing like hell right now. Choi Yisak was about to smack Woo Seonrim but stopped. In the end, he lowered his hand that was hovering in the air and turned his body to lie facing Woo Seonrim. Then he stared blankly at the sleeping person’s face.

Woo Seonrim was beautiful. He looked like a pure being that transcended the secular world, as if he had nothing to do with evil deeds.

The Woo Seonrim captured on the CCTV screen and the Woo Seonrim right in front of his eyes. Which of the two should he believe? Which one was closer to the real him? Being awake alone in the quiet dawn, he felt like his head was finally working normally.

‘That person tormented Yisak, you, hyung. If you had told me to kill him, I would have.’

Then he recalled the voice in which not a hint of hesitation could be felt. It was definitely not a normal way of thinking.

Choi Yisak mulled over Woo Seonrim’s words for a long time and then carefully moved his hand. The two were so close that their noses could touch if they were not careful.

Choi Yisak gently placed his index and middle fingers on Woo Seonrim’s neck. He touched the place where blood flowed and the pulse beat with his fingertips. He quietly felt the texture of a living person’s skin. The skin of the dead Choi Byeonggwan had been cold and hard, but Woo Seonrim’s was soft and moderately warm.

For some reason, he felt like he was going to cry. The very fact that Woo Seonrim was alive was precious, and every breath he took was cherished.

What if someone were to torment such a person? What if that bastard named Daebumcheonwang came back to life and loitered around Woo Seonrim, and because of that, Woo Seonrim suffered…

Would I have let him live?

Choi Yisak took a deep breath and quickly removed his hand from Woo Seonrim’s neck. Even though he had only imagined it in his head for a moment, a strong murderous intent towards a man whose face he did not even know boiled up within him.

Without a doubt, he would want to kill him.

If Yisak had asked him to kill him, he would have done his best to try to kill him.

…I see. I’m not normal either. Only then did Choi Yisak realize something and let out a small, bitter laugh.

Choi Yisak believed that there were sins that could only be repaid with death. Even if his father had genuinely repented and asked for forgiveness, he would not have been able to forgive him. He would have mulled over the scene of the day his mother hanged herself and lamented why Choi Byeonggwan was still breathing.

Woo Seonrim also suffered a pain that could only be liberated by the death of the other party. Because Choi Yisak empathized with that more keenly than anyone else, he would have taken up a knife for Woo Seonrim. Without hesitation.

‘I wanted Yisak to be at peace. For that to happen, it was much better for Choi Byeonggwan to not be in this world.’

Of course, Woo Seonrim knew everything precisely as well.

A life where one could only find peace by killing someone. That was their common ground. Of course, this would not make them completely free from the past.

Choi Yisak never expected to forget everything and live like a normal person in the first place. He would just bury it. He might seem fine on the outside, but at some point, his breath would suddenly catch, and convulsions would come.

But there was no other choice. He was a man who deserved to die.

Sometimes, he would add a sweet self-justification. Appropriate forgetting and avoidance open up a breathing hole. Forget. Pretend not to see. It is unavoidable in order to live.

“…”

Choi Yisak lay down again, facing the ceiling. Even as the bitter laugh escaped him, his eyes grew hot. The only person who could understand him like this was right next to him. It was a life where he did not know if he was lucky or unlucky.

۶ৎ

“You didn’t leave anything behind, right?”

“No.”

The day they headed to the airport to leave Korea.

As Choi Yisak left the entrance for the last time, he stopped for a moment and looked up. The space where the CCTV had been attached was empty. Woo Seonrim, who was already standing outside the door, stared at Choi Yisak for a moment and then followed his gaze.

“Yisak. Why are you looking there?”

A low voice echoed through the entrance. Only then did Choi Yisak turn his head and meet Woo Seonrim’s eyes.

“No, let’s go.”

“…”

“Why is your face so pale? Did you not sleep well yesterday?”

“…I’m just so excited for the future. The thought of leaving this place and the two of us living together.”

Choi Yisak thought about what he had done last night and forced the corners of his mouth up even more. Yesterday, he had deleted all the CCTV video backups. Because there was no need to leave behind anything that could be used to find fault. He had also taken down all the CCTVs he had installed. As if they had never existed in the first place.

As if he had not seen anything.

A moment of silence flowed between the two. Then, Choi Yisak took a step forward first and approached Woo Seonrim’s side.

“Hey.”

“Yes.”

“I love you.”

“…”

“Let’s go.”

“…What?”

Choi Yisak threw out the words abruptly and strode forward. Woo Seonrim, who had been frozen for a moment, belatedly followed behind Choi Yisak.

“What? Hey. What did you just say?”

“What should we eat for lunch.”

“You said you love me.”

“Korean food would be good, right?”

“No. Do not change the subject.”

“Hey, Driver Kim is waiting downstairs. Let’s get a move on, okay? Driver Kim even moved all the luggage in advance. At this rate, we’ll be controversial for abusing our power.”

Choi Yisak moved his feet quickly, almost as if he were running. Thump, thump, the sound of his footsteps echoed loudly on the floor.

“Hyung.”

“You only call me hyung at times like this. Get lost. It’s creepy.”

“Why, why are you saying you love me now? You could have said it on a special day. You didn’t even give me a chance to record it. What on earth is this? It’s the first time you’re saying it… How can a person have no romance every single time?”

“Then I’ll take it back. Just consider it something that never happened.”

“That’s not the point right now. Say you love me one more time right now.”

“Why should I? Just get in the elevator.”

Choi Yisak, who had entered the elevator first, beckoned with his fingertips. Woo Seonrim, with a pale face, let out a sigh and reluctantly went to stand next to Choi Yisak.

“No, I mean, for a couple that’s dating, you’re too stingy with the words ‘I love you’.”

“It’s because you’re so obsessive about it that I want to say it even less.”

“You’re really annoying.”

The elevator doors slowly closed, hiding the two people.

“Do I have to say it for you to know? That’s a prejudice. You should fix your mindset.”

“How can I know if you don’t say it?”

“You’re one to talk, you clam up whenever you’re at a disadvantage.”

“Ah, please just say you love me one more time. I didn’t hear it properly.”

Until the doors closed completely, the sound of the two people’s voices continued endlessly as usual, creating an echo.

It was like a single melody.