# Chapter 29
When Yeomin went upstairs to the apartment, Jiho greeted him.
“If you hadn’t come back in five minutes, I was going to look for you.”
“Why? Afraid I’d get lost?”
“No. Afraid you’d run away.”
Jiho hugged Yeomin abruptly as if he couldn’t stand it anymore.
‘…I guess he could think that. That I ran away.’
Yeomin remained calm despite Jiho’s sudden action.
Honestly, at this point he felt like, “Go ahead and do whatever you want – sure, live your life that way until you die.”
“I thought you followed Lee Taeyang hyung.”
“His place is really far from here. And all my stuff is here, how could I go?”
Enough. Let’s stop arguing. Yeomin fell silent.
Jiho, who had rested his head on Yeomin’s shoulder like a child, suddenly stared intently into Yeomin’s eyes.
“Hyung.”
“…”
For a moment, Yeomin’s heart clenched despite not having done anything wrong. Jiho asked:
“Do you smoke too, hyung?”
“…Ah, I just went to the convenience store and it’s been a while, so…”
I wondered what he was going to say. Yeomin, who had momentarily considered hitting Jiho’s head with the vase in the living room, felt relieved.
“I didn’t know you were a smoker.”
“Does it smell a lot? Sorry. I’ll make sure the smell doesn’t get into the house.”
“Instead of that, could you smoke in front of me just once?”
Crazy bastard.
“Absolutely not.”
Yeomin recoiled and pushed Jiho away.
“Or at least pretend to smoke. Your fingers are so pretty, I bet you’d look sexy holding a cigarette. What brand do you smoke, hyung?”
Damn it… what kind of obsession is this? Why is he fixated on someone else’s smoking habits?
Yeomin ran away from Jiho while absolutely protecting the cigarette pack in his pocket.
After putting on a show like a game of tag in the living room for quite some time, the exhausted Yeomin finally collapsed on the sofa.
He was out of breath, but Jiho showed no signs of fatigue. Meanwhile, the morning sunlight was pouring warmly through the large windows.
Yeomin, lying on the sofa and catching his breath, looked up at Jiho.
‘Hmm. Anyway – he’s the one who asked me first if I wanted the watch. I was curious about what this guy was up to, so I just tried it on, and he said it was his and told me to take it.’
– Some man contacted me saying he was the student’s guardian and told me that. He also paid all the rent for the remaining contract period.
In Yeomin’s mind, Jiho was like an unsolvable puzzle. What would you look like when all the pieces fit together? I don’t want to know.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Jiho smiled, looking down at Yeomin. His hand brushing Yeomin’s bangs felt ticklish.
It’s so ticklish and gentle, unlike the dark intentions hidden inside.
Yeomin spoke grumpily.
“Seol Jiho. You seem a bit crazy.”
“I’ve heard that too many times.”
Yeah… congratulations…
Yeomin’s mind was complicated about how to proceed, how to deal with Seol Jiho.
“Are you sleepy? Get some rest.”
“…I will. Don’t wake me up.”
My head feels like it’s going to explode. Yeomin surrendered to his heavy eyelids and sought some much-needed sleep.
In truth, perhaps he just wanted to escape from this headache-inducing problem somehow.
* * *
It was a rare day without morning appointments, and neither the boss nor the chairman was at the company. Director Ahn came to work late.
As he entered his office after lunch with a delicious cup of coffee, he was startled.
There was a piece of shit sitting in his office. A huge piece of shit at that.
“Why are you coming in so late? You’re getting paid for nothing.”
“I’m really sorry, but… why are you here?”
It wasn’t even a scheduled meeting. Director Ahn’s head throbbed again today because of Jiho, who was sitting smugly in his work chair, not even on the guest sofa.
You are the sole cause of my migraines, Seol Jiho.
“Am I not allowed to come here?”
“It’s not that you’re ‘not allowed,’ but rather that you ‘don’t come.’ What brings you to the company, of all places?”
Jiho typically detested the company. Except for when he was young, the times Jiho had come to the Ian Group headquarters of his own will were…
None.
But why, out of all the floors and all the offices, does it have to be MY office!
“First you took my house, and now you’re trying to take my seat?”
Director Ahn had been living in a hotel lately, something he never imagined he’d do, all thanks to Jiho. After losing his house because Jiho barged in demanding he hand it over, was the company next?
But despite Director Ahn’s defensive stance, Jiho merely snorted.
“Why would I want to steal a measly director’s position? Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill.”
How does a young brat know how to speak so offensively? Is this an innate talent?
Director Ahn almost applauded, his feelings moving beyond irritation to amazement.
“Don’t touch that carelessly! I just had that custom-made!”
Director Ahn panicked as Jiho recklessly played with the nameplate. He rushed over and snatched it from his hands.
He had wondered why Jiho had suddenly come to the company without notice. Jiho looked like a sulky child full of mischief.
Since he was young, whenever he felt twisted inside or wanted to throw a tantrum, he would seek out his uncle, Director Ahn.
He’s a genius at finding people who would listen to him like suckers. He’s incredibly smart.
Director Ahn said with a tired face:
“Just state your business and leave quickly. I have work to do.”
“About Joo Yeomin.”
The name that came from Jiho’s mouth wasn’t surprising to Director Ahn at all.
He had already completed a background check while Jiho was staying at Yeomin’s place, and it was also Director Ahn who had paid all of Yeomin’s remaining rent to his landlord.
Of course, this wasn’t done of Director Ahn’s own will, but under Jiho’s instructions.
‘Instructions’ sounds unpleasant. I’m still the elder here, aren’t I?
“Hyung doesn’t increase his belongings.”
“What?”
“He doesn’t increase his belongings. At home.”
What is this crazy guy saying? Director Ahn looked at Jiho as if he were insane.
“He must be the type who doesn’t have many possessions.”
Jiho was irritated by Director Ahn’s halfhearted response.
“No matter what he eats at home, he cleans up without leaving a trace, and he doesn’t even mess up the bedding. He doesn’t buy things either. And he barely uses the things that are already there. He keeps his toothbrush, towel, and books all packed in his bag.”
Crazy guy. Director Ahn looked at Jiho with that expression.
“Are you saying it’s a problem that he’s neat?”
“I’m saying he acts like someone who’s ready to leave at any moment.”
Jiho anxiously bit his lip.
This time, Director Ahn truly began to fear his nephew.
‘Should I call this the love of the century? Or a creepy obsession?’
Either way, it wasn’t something the recipient would feel particularly good about. No, if it were him, he would find it extremely eerie.
“I know how he was at his own place, so why doesn’t he act the same way at our house?”
That’s not your house, it’s my house! Director Ahn wanted to correct him but held back.
His ears wouldn’t hear anything right now anyway.
“Maybe you’re the one acting like you want him to leave at any time?”
Director Ahn hit the nail on the head. He hadn’t lived his life for nothing, after all.
Jiho had totally missed the point, and badly at that. This wasn’t the time to be stomping his feet over his senior neatly tidying his bedding.
“If you really like him, try expressing it in a more normal way.”
“It’s different from liking.”
“How is it different?”
Although his method might be crazy, if he’s upset about something as trivial as cleaning up crumbs because he cares so much about that person’s actions… isn’t that the feeling of liking someone?
Director Ahn, a thoroughly common-sensical and ordinary person, was perplexed.
Jiho spoke as if talking to himself:
“I want him to be completely mine. When people like someone, do they just date? But when you date, you eventually break up. Even when you get married, you end up divorcing. Like you, uncle.”
Is that a personal attack out of nowhere? Director Ahn, feeling offended, replied sarcastically.
“Anyway, you and he can’t get married in this country. And he wouldn’t do it with you either.”
As expected, Jiho’s face showed zero impact.
“That’s not what I want. I want to do everything for Joo Yeomin. I want to be everything to him. I want to know everything about hyung, and there shouldn’t be any part of hyung that I don’t know. His joys and sorrows should all be because of me.”
“Jiho. Why don’t you consider getting counseling?”
That seems like a disorder. Director Ahn pretended to search for a number, muttering, “Where is Dr. Choi’s number?”
Then he emphasized again:
“That’s not love.”
“So why does it have to be love?”
…When he asks it like that, there’s not much to say. Director Ahn was lost in thought about this rather difficult question.
“Most people are more drawn to love.”
“Why?”
“Well, it’s familiar.”
“Would hyung want to be in love?”
Surprisingly, for the first time ever, Jiho seemed to consider Director Ahn’s words and fell into contemplation.
Seeing his nephew, who had always been like a massive bomb, pondering like an adolescent boy, Director Ahn felt a new sense of emotion.
Somehow, as the more experienced adult, he felt like he should offer some plausible advice.
And if Jiho could become less twisted and follow a straighter path… Director Ahn’s workload would decrease. He could get his house back faster too.
“For starters, try asking him to date you.”
If you like someone and want to become something to that person (although Jiho had said he wanted to be ‘everything’), the next logical chapter would naturally be ‘dating.’
In response to Director Ahn’s quite normal advice, Jiho suddenly stood up as if he had reached an epiphany.
“Thanks, uncle.”
‘Did he just thank me?’
Director Ahn sighed as he watched Jiho excitedly rush out of the office.
Then, feeling an ominous sensation rising gently, he muttered:
“What if he gets rejected and comes back…?”
That would truly be the end of the world. Director Ahn’s worries deepened.
