Both cheeks were swollen red, the area near his right cheekbone was bruised dark purple, his forehead was scraped raw as if it had been dragged against cement, and there were bruise marks on the back of his neck. His eyes were so puffy from crying god knows where and for how long that it was unbearable to look at them for long.
“Who did this.”
My country boy, my kid who’s only ready to be hit with my dick—who the hell did this to him?
“Which fucking bastard did this to you, huh?!”
“Let’s go inside.”
Kwon Yunsu said weakly. Lee Euishin snatched the bag from Kwon Yunsu’s hand and grabbed his arm, pulling him along. His fingertips went cold and his body trembled.
“Let go of this…”
“Fuck, going somewhere to get beat up…! Tell me. Who did it, huh?! Did you go there? Some thug’s den? Tell me the address right now.”
“……”
“That’s why I told you we should go together!”
It was somewhat novel for Kwon Yunsu. It was the first time he’d seen Lee Euishin with such a flustered expression, spitting out words so quickly. Well, it was shocking. To suddenly meet such thugs and get beaten up when he’d been living a normal life, eating meals and going to school. But it was him who got scammed, him who walked into that place on his own two feet, and him who lost his temper and talked back precisely. Of course, the worst ones were the bastards who scammed, cut off contact, and used violence, but today, self-loathing came before fury. I’m an idiot. I’m such an idiot…
“You should’ve gone with me, fuck…!”
Lee Euishin’s fingers passed over the swollen cheeks and eyes, caressing his forehead. As his fingers brushed past, it stung, making him squint, and Lee Euishin withdrew his trembling hand and clenched it into a fist. Kwon Yunsu blinked his tired eyes and said.
“Euishin-ah, let’s drink.”
“……”
“I’m not hungry. And I can’t make dinner today. Let’s eat this and go to sleep.”
Let me wash up first… Muttering weakly, Lee Euishin watched with a blank expression as Kwon Yunsu headed to the bathroom. With his tail drooping dejectedly, he looked exactly like a patriot who had lost his country. What on earth happened in half a day? Why didn’t he contact me? What kind of worthless fucking bastards would beat up someone else’s precious country boy’s face like that…
“Fucking goddamn bastards…”
Pacing around the living room, breathing furiously, he finally came to his senses at the sound of water from the bathroom. To find out what happened, where and from what bastard he got beaten up, he needed to be patient while getting him drunk. Because when something depressing happens, Kwon Yunsu’s mouth becomes heavy.
Lee Euishin took a breath and headed to the kitchen. He abandoned what he’d been preparing for dinner and made simple snacks that could serve as drinking food, laying them out on the living room table. He also took out the first aid kit that he’d been reaching for frequently these days. Seeing Kwon Yunsu constantly getting sick, hurt, and depressed filled him with a complex sense of self-loathing.
Unable to contain his anger, he emptied a can first, and in the meantime, Kwon Yunsu came out. The bruises and wounds stood out vividly on his pale face, making Lee Euishin curse like a groan. Kwon Yunsu sat down with an indifferent air and immediately opened a can. And he drank, and drank, and drank again. Lee Euishin grabbed his wrist.
“Drink slowly.”
“……”
“Slowly.”
Huu, Kwon Yunsu exhaled. Even in that brief breath, his troubled and upset feelings were clearly felt.
“I won’t say anything annoying and will wait quietly, so drink as much as you want. Eat this too.”
Putting salad on a plate and handing him a fork, Lee Euishin reached for the first aid kit. While Kwon Yunsu chewed with a blank face, he applied ointment to the bruised forehead and eyes and held an ice pack against his cheek.
“Who did this?”
It had only been a few minutes since he said he wouldn’t say anything annoying. But seeing wounds that were clearly from being beaten by someone rather than being hit by a flying ball or falling down alone, he couldn’t bear it.
“Should I punish them? Huh?”
Without interfering with the hand drinking beer, he gently stroked the cheek with the ice pack. He thought Yunsu would get angry at the coaxing tone, but Kwon Yunsu just chuckled as if he’d heard a funny joke. And he didn’t say anything. He kept laughing to himself as if it was absurd, as if it was pathetic and hilarious. The sight of him quietly laughing while just gulping down beer looked so pitiful that Lee Euishin’s vision went dark. Which fucking goddamn bastard made my country boy like this? Only when his chest, burning with rage, was about to burn black to death did Kwon Yunsu slowly open his mouth.
“You know, I…”
“……”
“It was a scam. Ugh.”
It was an answer he’d fully expected.
But thinking of the kid’s longing and effort, it was never light.
“The business registration number was fake, the company number was stolen, the mobile number was disconnected, the email bounced back. And at the office… some gangster-like ahjussi was drinking or packing up, … he just crazily hit my face and grabbed my head and slammed it against the wall, I don’t even remember how I got hit. Is asking if Kim Seonhyeok-ssi was there something to get beaten for?”
“No.”
Meeting eyes with Kwon Yunsu, who was getting tipsy, Lee Euishin shook his head seriously. No. Even if you’d screamed at the top of your lungs demanding they bring that guy out and caused a ruckus, anyone who hits my country boy is a fucking bastard. Stroking the head of Kwon Yunsu, whose eyes were turning red from the injustice, Lee Euishin picked up a strawberry and put it in his mouth.
“But I was really scared. When my nosebleed was pouring, he threw tissues at me hard and told me to get lost. So I really got lost. Ah fuck… I couldn’t even ask for the money back.”
“If you’d asked for money, he would’ve gone even crazier. You did well. It’s best to avoid shit like that.”
And I’ll definitely lock them behind bars.
When he praised him for doing well, Kwon Yunsu became sullen instead. With his face flushed red from the alcohol, he lowered his head and sprawled out on the living room floor.
Although early summer had arrived, since Kwon Yunsu had suffered a severe illness recently, Lee Euishin had been paying attention to avoiding exposure to the cold. He pulled down the t-shirt that had rolled up to the middle of his back and lifted his head to place it on his own lap. Kwon Yunsu, who was naturally the baby and a whiner, quickly settled in and curled up his body.
He’s only twenty years old. After coming home beaten by a stranger, his heart must have weakened considerably. Thinking his parents would be upset, he probably didn’t even think about contacting home. As he slowly patted his back, Kwon Yunsu, with his eyes closed, made a small sobbing sound.
“…Euishin-ah, I’m such a fucking idiot…”
“……”
“Just fucking pathetic.”
No matter how much he’d opposed the trip, no matter how much he’d mocked him for choosing the hard path when there was an easy one, he couldn’t deny how desperately Kwon Yunsu had wanted that trip. Those soccer idiots would be even more upset if they noticed something had happened to him and found out he hadn’t booked the tickets.
In that situation, he could have definitely done something. Paying for two plane tickets was nothing. But Lee Euishin stayed still. Even if it meant hearing Kwon Yunsu’s resentment for a long time, even if he’d be cursed at for being petty, he didn’t want those bastards to steal Kwon Yunsu’s twentieth summer. Because this summer, he and Kwon Yunsu had something they absolutely had to do.
“Use my money.”
Pretending not to notice the faint wetness in his eyes, Lee Euishin said bluntly.
“…Use my money, Kwon Yunsu.”
Kwon Yunsu laughed lowly and shifted his body.
“Why would I use your money?”
“Why? Is nouveau riche money too dirty to use?”
“…What nouveau riche… Hey, your grandfather would cry if he heard that.”
It was something he learned after leaving the village he’d lived in all his life, but Lee Euishin’s paternal family was like something out of a morality tale book—a yangban family that had looked after the region for generations. But nouveau riche? Lee Euishin is such a classless guy. Unreasonably cranky and yet affectionate. Why… why are you so good to me…
“I’m not going on the trip…”
It’s all bothersome now…
Those words, dropped weakly with all his spirit crushed, fell sweetly on Lee Euishin’s ears.
Am I too much? …Is my personality too bad?
The fact that Kwon Yunsu’s body and heart were hurt, that his heartfelt longing had absurdly reached a lull, that trash who dared to scam my country boy exists somewhere in this world… all of it was damnable, yet still, he was glad that Kwon Yunsu wouldn’t go far away. He wished he wouldn’t go anywhere and would just stay in his embrace. If only he’d do that,
“…I’ll catch them for you.”
I’ll do anything. Really, whatever you tell me to do…
Kwon Yunsu fell into exhausted sleep. Stroking the hair that felt soft in his hand, Lee Euishin made a promise. Because if I commit a crime with my own hands, I won’t be able to see you, I’ll somehow make those bastards eat prison food.
Confirming his even breathing, Lee Euishin reached for Kwon Yunsu’s phone and the convenience store bag. When he shook out the contents, a box of tissues came out along with a snack bag. On the surface of the box with pastel flower patterns was written the phrase “Ireum Human Resources Development” along with a phone number. The name of the translation company he’d seen in Kwon Yunsu’s phone photo album was also “Ireum Translation.” About thirty minutes later, sitting still and searching various things, Lee Euishin finally pressed the call button.
If they’re guys who rent an officetel and eat up college students’ snot-nosed money, they’re probably trash with several fraud convictions who go in and out of prison like visiting their hometown. I know he’s not the type to be interested in this kind of crime, but…
