Chapter 55
The sedan crossed the bridge, cutting through the vibrant city. I tried my best not to be conscious of many things, such as the stiff thoughts still lingering in my mind or the presence of the man sitting next to me.
For instance, the presence of the man sitting next to me, or the stillness of my mind.
Jiwoon got out of the car first when it stopped in front of the hotel. With the driver’s door closed, only the two of us remained inside the car.
I silently prayed for myself to disappear from this world like air, until Jiwoon reached the door of the back seat. But that futile hope vanished as soon as the door opened and the cold wind rushed in.
Until the elevator reached the top floor of the hotel, no one spoke first. That silence was more terrifying than anything else.
Baek Hawon, who only glanced around with his eyes, was just as I saw him last night.
Neatly combed black hair, a luxurious suit, and a silver cuff button sparkling at the sleeve’s end.
I had encountered him in the hotel only a few times throughout my stay, and even those were fleeting encounters.
Only once, we had a proper encounter, and that was last night. Even then, he looked exactly the same, without a single strand out of place.
Ding, the elevator door opened.
Hawon, still facing forward, turned his head slightly and said, “Let’s go.”
Though his gaze was directed at Jiwoon, it felt like a dagger piercing my heart.
I felt like a death row inmate being led to the gallows as I followed him out of the elevator.
Even the carpet in the hallway seemed to absorb the sound of footsteps. The hotel room door, recognizing the iris and key card, smoothly opened.
As the door closed behind me, leaving us in the dimly lit room, my nerves, which had been taut, relaxed slightly.
Now, all we had to do was go up to the second floor. Such a casual thought.
I headed straight for the stairs. It was just after I reached the top of the stairs, trying to suppress my trembling breath.
“Cha Yeonbyeol.”
At that moment, I realized how terrifying it was to become accustomed to something.
The chandelier, now dark, gleamed white in the moonlight. Beneath it, a face hidden in darkness was revealed as the veil was lifted.
As he slowly approached, giving time for fear to set in, he never took his eyes off me.
Since the first day, Hawon had never come up to the second floor where I stayed. It was even laughable to call it a meager consideration.
That man could have whatever he wanted at any time.
“I won’t ask the same thing twice.”
Just like now, confidently stomping down the stairs, narrowing the distance between us, I couldn’t escape.
“If I give you another chance, you might regret it.”
Stopping just a few steps away from where I stood, Hawon’s body still faced forward.
Just two steps. It was within reach.
In the pouring moonlight, his face, facing me, was eerily clear, with only his pupils deepening.
“This is your first time.”
“…”
“We’re not playing a family game, but still, after seeing each other’s faces for so long, I can’t treat you like the others.”
A faint hint of a smile lingered in his trembling words.
I knew.
“A love worth risking your life for.”
“Is it still valid?”
He had already warned me.
Seeing me being rescued from Utopia and being with Yugyeom might not look good no matter how you see it.
He might not see me as being persuaded since he witnessed Yugyeom shooting me, but it could be seen as a show worth risking my life for.
“What do you think?”
Baek Hawon took one more step up. Our eyes met, separated by two steps.
“Should I give you one more chance?”
Meeting his gaze at the same height felt unfamiliar. Without blinking, I spoke up.
“Boss.”
“Answer me.”
His low voice was steady.
“With that guy.”
“…”
“Is it still valid?”
His tone was concise and dry, yet somehow felt aggressive, like a subtle attack.
“There’s nothing.”
I spoke before the silence grew too long. My nails dug into my skin as I clenched my fists tightly.
“What can I do with someone who shot me?”
I laughed, pointing exactly where the bullet had pierced. Despite the casual smile on my face, my heart was pounding.
Baek Hawon stared at me without coming closer.
Then, he reached out to me.
I fixed my gaze on the metal watch on my wrist. The hand that had approached slowly stopped just before touching my clenched fist.
“You know me as much as I know you.”
His warning gaze deepened.
But somehow, his gaze seemed to be seeking permission, and without realizing it, the tension in my clenched hand loosened.
Only then did his cold fingertips touch mine, sending a shiver down my spine.
Baek Hawon lightly held my hand and pulled it forward.
Underneath the bruised hand covered in a purplish haze, the palm, scratched and swollen, was a mess.
It was the hand that was kicked by Yuhwa, painful and perhaps forgotten.
“This should be enough for you to understand.”
His lips whispered lazily, seeming to smile subtly.
“There won’t be a next time.”
***
As the curtains were drawn, the early morning sunlight flooded the room.
Rubbing my stiff eyes with the back of my hand, I moved my weak legs and collapsed onto the bed.
The spectacular night, the morning, then again the night, and now this morning.
Embracing vivid memories as I lay in the room, I thought and thought again. Eventually, I fell asleep, perhaps for the second night.
Letting out a long sigh, I halted the memories trying to resurface.
“…Thirsty.”
Why must the human body be so troublesome? Once I became aware of it, the thirst became even more intense.
In the end, without even changing my clothes, I left the room.
Descending the stairs, my steps paused as a fleeting memory flashed by.
“As much as I know you, you know me.”
The dark voice from that night filled my mind heavily.
“Could it be…?”
I had no way of knowing if he was still on the first floor at this hour or if he had already left the hotel. I had never woken up before noon.
Should I go back up?
Yes, a few more hours without water wouldn’t kill me. Just as I came to a simple conclusion and turned around…
“…”
The chandelier, spanning two floors, gleamed brightly as it did that night. But now, it was a bright morning where even the slightest change in expression could not be missed.
Sunlight poured in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, filling the room with a white glow.
He sat there like a picture-perfect scene.
“You’re awake.”
He wore the suit draped over his shoulders, with the black dress shirt underneath. There was no tie, and the top two buttons were left undone.
Instead of flipping through the pages, he closed the book.
“I was planning to wake you up if you didn’t get up today.”
Baek Hawon turned his head to gaze at me. His calm demeanor was accentuated by the black hair covering his forehead.
His gaze scanned me up and down, assessing my state.
My hair, tossed and turned after tossing and turning in bed for over a day, was disheveled, and I only wore a bathrobe since I didn’t have proper sleepwear.
Baek Hawon withdrew his indifferent gaze and stood up from his seat.
“Get ready and come out.”
“…Where to?”
My voice, strained, sounded oddly shrill, and I closed my eyes tightly, swallowing curses.
They say the early bird catches the worm.
It felt awkwardly different from the memory of just being turned around. If viewed separately from this moment, it seemed like we should exchange morning greetings.
But that illusion shattered within seconds.
Baek Hawon glanced me up and down, then twisted his lips.
“It’s fine to go like that.”
“Just give me thirty more minutes.”
You naughty child. I turned back and went to my room.
***
It was an hour later when I finally emerged from my room.
It wasn’t intentional. I must have dozed off while soaking in the bathtub, and when I woke up, forty minutes had already passed.
As a result, I didn’t even have time to properly dry my hair and just grabbed some clothes to put on.
But as I descended the stairs, an inevitable hope rose within me.
What if I hadn’t been late and just left? I’m not the type to wait for someone.
That hope grew uncontrollably as I looked at the empty living room. Just as I tried to suppress the corners of my mouth rising in joy…
“…Should we?”
A faint voice was heard from the direction of the entrance. The conversation was seeping in through the open door.
“Yugyeom contacting us right after your tire burst seems to make him the most likely suspect.”
“What about the CCTV?”
“There’s no footage from that time. It’s more likely they hired a hacker than Jongsoo deleting it himself.”
“A hacker… Come to think of it, we were looking for a hacker.”
“Yes. However, there hasn’t been any unusual activity recently. And what about Yugyeom?”
“Killing him now won’t do us any good.”
Even through the roughly heard conversation, I could tell it was Baek Hawon.
I hadn’t intended to eavesdrop, but I couldn’t just open the door and leave at this timing, so I leaned closer to the door to hear better.
“That old man has such a wicked hobby. Spoiling his children, huh.”
Spoiling. Was there a word that didn’t suit Yugyeom more?
It was true that the leader of Utopia had brought Yugyeom himself closer.
But if all of that stemmed from a parental-like love, Yugyeom wouldn’t be in his current state.
To him, children were nothing more than possessions.
A hunting dog that should move as I wished. Whether tightening the leash would strangle the dog or not was none of my concern.
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Editor: Red
Translator Note:
Hello there! This is Sid. I hope you liked it<3
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