RB 11

The clock hands were already pointing at 7 in the morning. The two of them moved from Opo to Yeorok’s main residence and had another time to talk.

Because too many things had happened in just one night, Eunho’s eyes looked somewhat blank. His face looked not only tired but also a little absentminded, and Yeorok laughed when he saw him. He was leaning on the sofa, and was writing something intently.

“Are you sleepy?”

“…Yes, a little.”

“Try to stay awake for a bit. This is the most important moment.”

Yeorok spread two sheets of paper on the sofa table between them. He even turned them around so Eunho could read them more easily.

“It is a contract. Read it slowly. If you have any questions, you can ask as much as you want.”

Eunho blinked his eyelids. He held what was called the contract in his hand and he furrowed his brow. His bloodshot eyes started to move slightly along the letters.

“I wrote it so that Sim Eunho-ssi can understand it as easily as possible. Even if the formality is a bit lacking, I hope you will understand.”

How kind, Eunho nodded.

The contract that Chairman Choi Yeorok had written himself was only about one page long. The handwriting was rather neat for something scribbled quickly with a fountain pen.

Article 1. Party B agrees to receive body modification and behavioral correction according to Party A’s standards.

Article 2. Party B obeys all of Party A’s instructions during the contract period and faithfully fulfills the contract terms.

Article 3. Party A supports Party B with food, clothing, housing, and all supplies and expenses necessary for life during the contract period.

Article 4. On the day the contract ends, Party A pays Party B the promised reward. The content of the reward follows the attached document.

Article 5. Party B must not disclose the content of this contract to any third party not permitted by Party A. If this is violated, the clause in Article 4 is automatically nullified.

After reading up to that point, Eunho dipped his thumb in the ink pad. He tried to press his seal immediately, but Yeorok, who was sitting across from him, quickly grabbed his wrist.

“Did you really read it carefully?”

Eunho blinked slowly. He wondered if he looked that stupid.

“Yes.”

“Do you not have any questions, or anything else to add?”

“Not really….”

He skimmed the contract one more time out of courtesy, but there was nothing to object to. Wasn’t it what he had already heard? He had to imitate Choi Yoonho, and if he did it faithfully, he would receive Choi Yoonho’s share of the inheritance. Even though the writing was somewhat stiff, the contract was written concisely, so it was not difficult to understand.

But Yeorok frowned, he looked displeased.

“You are too naïve for no reason….”

He let go of Eunho’s wrist, but before he could stamp his seal, he took the contract back first. Still dumbfounded, Yeorok laughed dryly.

“It only contains my demands. Before a contract, mutual agreement is the basis.”

“I checked the contents written in the attachment too. And you also said you would support me with everything during the contract period….”

“That is obvious. Sim Eunho, if you have something you want, you should actively ask for it.”

Eunho lightly scratched his cheek where the bandage was stuck. He did not think the reward was lacking. On the contrary, Choi Yoonho’s inheritance share was far beyond anything he could ever dream of, and Eunho was not greedy for money in the first place.

“I don’t really have anything I want.”

Yeorok sighed. He looked at Eunho like he was pathetic, no better than a hollow shell.

“Do you even know what body modification means? I worded it that way on purpose. Are you not even scared?”

“I have no one to rely on except you now, Chairman.”

“……”

“It means you can use me as much as you want.”

Eunho had no family, and no friends. He did not even want to return to his old life. Who would care if he disappeared from this world? Rather, he was looking forward to the new life he would face after throwing away his past one.

“Not having greed is not something I welcome much.” Yeorok muttered with a frown.

“The things I will make you do from now on will be very hard. There will be times when you want to give up. To endure that, Sim Eunho-ssi, don’t you also need a goal?”

“…If that is the case.”

Eunho curled the finger without ink on it. The provocation from the other side made the greed he had hidden suddenly rise.

Would it be alright….

Even so, he decided to bring it up very carefully.

“I hope you will let me live as Choi Yoonho for the rest of my life.”

“……”

“Even after the contract ends.”

His voice was slow, but it was not trembling.

Yeorok raised his eyes and stared at Eunho’s face. He thought he was endlessly soft and weak, but he made an unexpected demand.

“I will warn you in advance, Choi Yoonho’s life will not be easy.”

“It does not matter.”

Yeorok hesitated for a moment, then he picked up his fountain pen again. He started writing an additional clause at the end of the contract.

He had intended never to write anything about Choi Yoonho in the contract. Because it could become a weakness for him.

Article 6. Even after the contract ends, Party B lives with the identity of ‘Choi Yoonho.’ Party A raises no objection to this.

Yeorok showed Eunho the newly added clause. Eunho stared at the contract with serious eyes, he demanded that Choi Yoonho’s resident registration number also be written next to Choi Yoonho’s name.

Yeorok wet his lips with his tongue and obediently accepted the demand. He thought he must not take him too lightly. The nib of the fountain pen left a graceful line on the paper.

“You have talent for negotiation.”

“…Me?”

“Yes. I had no intention of giving this much…. You got something bigger than I thought.”

Because he kept acting so dull, Yeorok had felt frustrated and was about to hand him something extra, but Eunho ended up getting something unexpected instead. Yeorok found the situation absurd and laughed.

Even so, the reason he accepted Eunho’s demand was because Yeorok also had his own plan. True to his thorough personality, he had already prepared for the situation one year later.

“What else?”

Eunho shook his head. This time, before Yeorok could stop him, he quickly stamped his seal.

“Here too.”

Yeorok placed two sheets side by side and explained in detail how to countersign. It was a contract that no one but them should know about, yet he treated every step with care, not skipping anything.

In the end, Yeorok also pressed his personal seal onto the contract.

“I look forward to working with you.”

When Yeorok reached out for a handshake, Eunho wiped his sweaty palm once on his pants, then clasped Yeorok’s hand. His red-stained thumb hovered awkwardly in the air.

Once the contract was finished, the outside was already bright. Yeorok gathered the papers and cracked his neck. It had been an exhausting day for him too. A trace of fatigue showed on his handsome face.

“Then now….”

After looking out the window for a while, Yeorok narrowed his eyes as if he was gauging the schedule ahead. His gaze turned to the front. When he saw Eunho struggling to keep his eyes open, he sighed.

“Get a little sleep.”

The study had a side door. When he opened it, a single bed was sitting inside. Yeorok pushed Eunho’s back and forced him to sit on it. His polite voice followed.

“I will wake you later. Rest.”

“…Chairman.”

Eunho barely managed to call out to him. Yeorok, who had been about to close the door and leave, slowly turned back.

“Thank you for helping me.”

“……”

Those deep black eyes looked at Eunho. When he wasn’t smiling, Choi Yeorok seemed more like a beautiful painting than a person, there was no way to guess his thoughts.

He finally lifted the corners of his mouth. It was a fake smile, but only then did he look human.

“The same goes for me.”

When the door closed, silence filled the room.

Eunho carefully lay down on the bed and looked at the ceiling. His whole body felt heavy, and the bed was indescribably soft. His head was tangled with thoughts, but his weak stamina gave in first.

He did not want to sleep, but he was slowly being dragged into drowsiness. He felt like if he opened his eyes, that moldy one-room would appear again.

As if it had all been a dream.

As if to tell him that his life was still stuck in the mud.

After about two hours, there was a knock on the door.

Eunho, who wasn’t in a deep sleep, immediately opened his eyes.

“Did you sleep well?”

He heard an ordinary morning greeting.

Eunho’s eyes still saw the room with the white wallpaper. Fortunately, it was not a dream. But the reality was no less difficult.

As soon as he recognized where he was, his drowsiness vanished and reality settled in. And when he saw Choi Yeorok, he clearly felt how his life would change from here and what he would have to endure.

Yeorok’s clothes were different from two hours ago, but his face still showed clear signs of fatigue. Unlike Eunho, who had at least slept a little, it seemed Yeorok had not slept even briefly. Eunho guessed that while he was asleep, Yeorok had been busy handling the rapidly moving situation.

“…Yes. Did you sleep well?”

Eunho replied awkwardly.

When he straightened up his back and sat, Yeorok stepped closer and carefully examined his face. The wounds from the beating had not healed overnight; instead the bruises had grown darker. A scab had formed on his split lip, adding to the worn look of his face.

The more Yeorok looked at the mottled colors, the more serious his expression became.

“……”

When Yeorok’s gaze lingered persistently on his face, Eunho did not know where to put his eyes, so he only stared at the black tie in front of him.

He stood close to him, and a cool fragrance emanated from him. It smelled so good that Eunho quietly inhaled it. Yeorok straightened his posture and stepped back.

“Go wash and come out. Let’s have breakfast.”