Chapter 1
Jin Eun-sol liked dogs.
It was a sad thing.
Despite his obsessive-compulsive disorder, he lovingly raised dogs that were allowed to run loose in the yard.
Even though he was physically weak and allergic to dog fur, he was obsessed with dogs.
One day, he stayed with his dog until he developed a fever, and I ended up calling an ambulance.
“Sister.”
(T/n: Sister here refers to Noona. Noona is a common word used as a respectful title or form of addressing an older woman by men in korea. So when Eun-sol calls her sister it means he is addressing her respectfully and he doesn’t actually consider her as his sister)
That day, I was the one who followed Jin Eun-sol to the hospital.
Jin Eun-sol’s parents were always very busy, and the only way to survive in this house was by taking care of Jin Eun-sol.
It was better than being locked up in the mansion with that sociopath, but the hospital had a terrible smell of medicine that gave me a headache.
I don’t know why this guy keeps causing trouble and bothering me.
But I couldn’t say that openly.
“Do you know why I like dogs?”
Why would I know? Anyway I am not interested in what you think.
I answered him in my mind with a twisted thought.
I didn’t really want to know.
Contrary to my thoughts, my body was busy checking Jin Eun-sol’s fever and hives after he woke up.
“What?”
I asked, trying not to sound blunt.
The guy who had just come back from a coma after fainting due to allergies smiled broadly at my question.
Sometimes I couldn’t help but think that Jin Eun-sol, who laughs like this with a screw loose, was crazy.
Jin Eun-sol opened his mouth while quietly accepting my hand that was wiping away his sweat.
“They won’t betray me. If they recognize me as their master, they’ll quickly wag their tails even if I hit them.”
“… … .”
This crazy guy… … .
“Aren’t they similar to you Sister…?”
Jin Eun-sol’s hand grabbed my arm.
Even though he was clearly sick and was groaning in pain, his grip was so strong on my arm that it seemed like he could break my wrist at any given moment.
The sound of my grinding teeth came out of nowhere.
I looked at Jin Eun-sol.
“Sister, do you recognize me as your master?”
What the hell is this?
I tried to pull my hand away from his grip with all my might, but it wouldn’t budge.
Rather, Jin Eun-sol’s fingers dug into my forearm, while filling my eyes with tears.
“If I hit you, you’ll come back to me.”
That was because I shouldn’t get kicked out of your house.
Jin Eun-sol’s my master?
Does that mean he is calling me his dog?
I was assigned to this job because of this guy, since he who would vomit if anyone else touched him.
Since there was no one else to take proper care of him, I ended up doing it myself.
And because of this, he is treating me like an animal?
“I’m not a dog… … .”
“Then what? You can’t go anywhere without my permission, right?”
That’s worse than a dog.
His dogs can atleast run around in the yard.
Jin Eun-sol said those words softly.
It was a tone that suggested he would listen to what I wanted.
But I absolutely do not believe a word that comes out of Jin Eun-sol’s mouth.
He really thinks of me as a dog, and I was tired of the way he manipulated me.
When I listened to all his requests and received a brief compliment from the landlady, Jin Eun-sol’s eyes would turn cold, and as soon as the landlady disappears, he’d grab my hair, and growl.
‘Don’t act like you’re close to my mom.’
I just liked Jin Eun-sol’s mom.
She was the only person who was kind to me and always taught Jin Eun-sol the right way of living, by telling him to get along well with me.
It was also her will that they would accept me and allow me to stay here until I became independent.
Of course, there were conditions attached, but they were nothing to me when I was an orphan.
But Jin Sol seemed to hate seeing me like that.
He only reacted that way when I was with the landlady.
Perhaps it was because the person Jin Eun-sol was most obsessed with and loved was the landlady.
It must have been really annoying to Jin Eun-sol that I kept acting like her own daughter.
No, he really must have hated that sight.
I felt disgusted by Jin Eun-sol’s two-faced nature, pretending to be nice only in front of the landlady, as if it were a lie.
Because Jin Eun-sol’s grip was so strong that it seemed like all my hair was going to be pulled out, whenever I washed my hair after that, more hairs fell out than usual.
What an unlucky kid.
Unlike me, who is two years younger but grows slowly, Jin Eun-sol grew quickly and caught up with me in no time.
‘Have you forgotten that your mom ran away? Since my mom treated you well, do you feel like she is your mom?’
To be honest, I was hurt by those words.
My mother ran away.
Because that statement wasn’t false.
The memory of my mother abandoning me and running away always felt like it grabbed me by the throat and pulled me out of the water, taking my breath away and bringing tears to my eyes.
Jin Eun-sol used to harass me like this when his mother wasn’t around.
When I was about to cry, he would laugh so hard that his mouth almost tore.
I resented that guy, and I hated him.
I couldn’t understand Jin Eun-sol.
I didn’t even want to understand.
I was also scared of how inferior I would be to others.
Even without that, I felt ashamed every time I did what Jin Sol said, and there were more than a few times when I wanted to die.
“My dog would probably wag its tail even if I tried to strangle it to death.”
This is really cruel.
Jin Eun-sol lifted the corners of his lips as if he was in ecstasy just thinking about it and let go of my hand.
“… … .”
I shut my mouth at Jin Eun-sol’s disgusting words.
On my wrist, Jin Eun-sol’s handprint was clear, and on the inside, even the crescent-shaped fingernail marks were perfectly imprinted.
I felt a tingling sensation as if my blocked blood vessels had been cleared.
I wish I was drunk and out of my mind like him and acted however I wanted.
No, isn’t talking nonsense under the influence of drugs his nature?
It’s okay.
I just wish Jin Sol would go back to sleep.
“Haa… … Sister, my head hurts.”
Jin Eun-sol furrowed his brows fiercely and let out a groan.
A voice full of nervousness… .
I wonder where your aggressive personality went.
The boy groaned, his face buried in the pillow, his eyes closed.
He looked quite sick.
What a disgusting guy.
Even if he was hurt, it wasn’t actually hurting him.
“Does it hurt a lot?”
“Ugh, it’s frustrating… … .”
Jin Eun-sol’s fever seemed to be rising again.
“I’ll call a nurse.”
I glanced at Jin Eun-sol briefly and then turned to head towards the lobby.
If only Jin Sol hadn’t grabbed my wrist again.
I sighed inwardly and asked, ‘Why?’
He replied immediately,
“Calling someone… Don’t you know I hate people?”
Jin Eun-sol’s irritated voice only made me feel resentful.
Then what? Do you think I’m a doctor or something?
I straightway shut my mouth.
Jin Eun-sol hated hospitals.
It was because of his severe obsessive-compulsive disorder.
He often got an IV, injection, or diagnosis, and every time that happened, Jin Eun-sol felt nauseous.
He would vomit, pouring out everything inside him.
He retched so hard that his esophagus was about to burst.
I thought he was doing it on purpose, but seeing Jin Eun-sol vomiting so hard that the tears started coming out of his eyes, it seemed that it wasn’t the case.
Anyway, who will receive that spit?
Now, I feel empty and scared if I don’t have any back up plan for his pent up frustration.
Of course, at the hospital, I just endured it quietly and cleaned after him.
If other kids at school accidentally touched Jin Eun-sol… … .
It was scary to even imagine.
I was thinking that it was fortunate that I didn’t go to the same school as Jin Eun-sol.
Jin Eun-sol was rude to everyone he was with, even when his own parents touched him.
Perhaps Jin Eun-sol’s devilish temperament was due to his parents neglecting him under the pretense of being sick.
“Just stay still. Don’t annoy me.”
“……Okay.”
I brought a chair around and sat down near Jin Eun-sol’s bed.
If I call a nurse, Jin Eun-sol will definitely vomit again.
It will still be my job to clean it up.
Yeah, if he gets sick, is it only him who suffers? Certainly not. It is me who will suffer more than him.
Jin Eun-sol was still holding my arm and was breathing raggedly.
It was a thin sound, as if he was about to run out of breath.
“……Sister.”
Jin Sol called me again.
“Huh?”
“Touch my head and forehead.”
Jin Eun-sol’s thick fingers pulled me towards him.
My hand touched Jin Eun-sol’s forehead, which was soaked with sweat.
Why does he vomit when others touch him, but not when I do?
Even that was unfair.
That’s why Jin Eun-sol’s parents accepted me.
I was regretting it a little now.
If it weren’t for the hostess’s compliments, saying that I was special and truly amazing, I would have declined such a request.
I fell for that pretty face that looked at me like I was some great person.
Because she was cool and always beautiful.
Unlike my mother, she was kind and affectionate to me.
So it was clear that I had done something so stupid.
I dug into his sweaty hair and gently stroked his forehead.
“You sweat a lot.”
“Yeah… … I’m going to wake up later and wash up.”
“Okay.”
Okay.
I didn’t say the last word, but just patted Jin Eun-sol’s hair.
Anyway, he will feel better soon by tomorrow morning.
Tomorrow morning, Jin Eun-sol will go to school.
Then I will be free from this work.
The days when I couldn’t see Jin Eun-sol for more than half a day were the best days of my life.
It’s really painful when Jin Eun-sol gets sick like this when I cannot enjoy my freedom.
Sometimes I wish he was dead, but other times I wish he was healthy enough to go to school without missing a single day.
No… … .
If Jin Eun-sol dies, my privileges will disappear and I will not be able to remain here.
I’m not old enough yet to be able to do other housework.
I wish time would just pass quickly.
“Asleep…?”
Jin Eun-sol, had become quiet before I knew it, so I took away the hand that I had placed on his forehead.
Looks like he’s really asleep.
I ran straight to the bathroom and washed my hands.
Is he the only noble person who feels dirty?
I’m not the type of person who can touch other people’s sweat without any problem.
I washed my hands thoroughly, while even putting soap on them.
I hated Jin Eun-sol.
I hated him so much.
He always ignored me. But he always forced his wishes on me.
It’s just like grabbing someone’s hair and forcing them to look you in the eye.
It’s similar to the feeling when I called my mom dirty after she ran away with a man.
Just, that’s it.
I hated them all.
“Calm down…….”
Let’s be patient.
As Jin Eun-sol gets older, he will spend more time at school.
I am okay.
I am really okay.
Because I’m 16 now.
Yeah.
Although it is still a bit far away, Jin Eun-sol will graduate from middle school in just a little over a year.
* * *
