However, my resolution wavered immediately, without any backbone. The terrifying vibration sound that seemed to be tormenting me turned my mind completely blank for a moment.
‘What should I do?’
Thinking about Baek Sahyun persistently clutching his phone sent chills running down my spine repeatedly. Fuck, I’m screwed. The encroaching anxiety made my palms break out in cold sweat.
It wasn’t clear at which point in the story I had been possessed, but what if this was part of the climax in the plot? Then what would I do? In that case, I, no—Nam Heejae would be like a mouse trapped in a box, wouldn’t he?
Let me explain a bit more.
I mean, what if a situation arose where Baek Sahyun, blinded by jealousy, came to beat up Nam Heejae? Just like “that” episode I had read with shock.
The memory of Baek Sahyun’s bizarre behavior in the fifth chapter, “Trap,” overwhelmed my mind.
– Heejae.
– Mmph, mmph!
– Why the disappointed expression? You brought this on yourself.
The horrific episode where Nam Heejae, attacked by armed robbers who appeared out of nowhere, was moved to a remote basement and subjected to severe torture.
Of course, the villain was Baek Sahyun.
– Did you think I wouldn’t know you were playing both sides? You’ve always been sloppy. In handling matters.
A maddened Baek Sahyun had one-sidedly pushed Nam Heejae down and beaten him. Without even being given a proper chance to explain himself, Nam Heejae had been tortured for a full 12 hours and was nearly hovering between life and death.
The level of violence was merciless, befitting an adult novel.
Bruises were just the beginning; his arms and legs were almost dislocated… Fuck. I think I must have cursed Baek Sahyun a hundred times while reading, with chills running down my spine.
– Did you treat Eunwoo’s ankle well?
– Pl-please spare me…
– Answer me first. Your ears and mouth are working fine, aren’t they?
According to Baek Sahyun, Nam Heejae’s crime was ‘aiding escape.’ Simply put, it was ‘the crime of hiding Chae Eunwoo who had fled from him with a broken ankle.’
Here’s what happened:
A few weeks before the kidnapping incident, Nam Heejae received several desperate text messages from Chae Eunwoo.
– Please save me
– Heejae hyung
– Hyuuung
– I have nowhere to go
– I feel like I’m going to die
– Baek Sahyun is going to kill me
– Hyung
From those 7 messages, Nam Heejae could sense the urgency.
Chae Eunwoo’s whereabouts were uncertain at the time, and Nam Heejae intuited that he was struggling in the clutches of his inhuman friend, Baek Sahyun.
– Hyung. I… I, it’s, it’s been a while.
In reality, Chae Eunwoo had been imprisoned in Baek Sahyun’s mansion ever since taking a leave of absence from school, and had barely managed to escape after enduring harsh torture and verbal abuse.
– Eunwoo. What happened to you… why are you in this state?
– I’m sorry, but I can’t walk. *sob*… my ankle.
– What happened to your ankle?
– *sob*.
Chae Eunwoo’s right ankle was severely twisted, leaving him unable to walk properly. Unable to ignore him, Nam Heejae ultimately ruined his own life by showing excessive kindness.
He carried Chae Eunwoo on his back to the hotel where he was staying, called his personal doctor to treat him without revealing his identity, and prepared nutritious meals for him three times a day.
Chae Eunwoo, trying to respond with the same kindness shown to him, melted Nam Heejae’s heart with his sunny face and personality, and Nam Heejae fell hard for him.
They seemed like an ideal couple, but…
– Eunwoo, any contact?
As expected, their peace didn’t last long. Baek Sahyun, who hadn’t contacted them at all until then, belatedly sent a message inquiring about Chae Eunwoo’s whereabouts.
Could he have figured out the situation? Nam Heejae had such doubts immediately.
But his mind wasn’t working quickly. Or rather, he didn’t have time to think complexly. That day, Chae Eunwoo was strangely suffering from a high fever, so Nam Heejae was focused solely on taking care of him.
So Nam Heejae decided to feign ignorance.
– What are you talking about?
If Baek Sahyun was truly desperate, he would have mobilized manpower to find Chae Eunwoo anyway.
But judging by the fact that he had only sent one text message, it seemed like he was just annoyed that a toy he had been playing with had disappeared.
So Nam Heejae came to an easy conclusion, not realizing that this was all Baek Sahyun’s ‘trap.’
– Eunwoo. Try some of this porridge.
– Urgh, urp.
From that point on, cracks began to appear in Nam Heejae and Chae Eunwoo’s peaceful cohabitation. Chae Eunwoo, who had been eating well, was now repeatedly gagging at the smell of food.
– Eunwoo. You… don’t tell me.
Nam Heejae intuitively realized that he was experiencing morning sickness.
– Hyung… hyung, this is. Well.
Chae Eunwoo desperately tried to explain, but they were all just lame excuses.
– My stomach, my stomach doesn’t feel good. That’s why.
A guy who had been imprisoned in Baek Sahyun’s mansion, who had been ill for days, now gags immediately after smelling porridge?
The answer was all too clear and simple.
A sharp question—are you perhaps an Omega—rose to the tip of Nam Heejae’s tongue, but he deliberately suppressed it. He judged that moral responsibility came before expressing his sense of betrayal.
Of course, this led him to make a decision that might seem cold-hearted.
– Let’s go back. Eunwoo. There’s no other way.
Whether he was pregnant or not, it wasn’t good to spend time meaninglessly here. The sensible solution was to go to Baek Sahyun, who was obviously the father, tell him the truth, and get help.
Of course, this judgment was only possible on the premise that ‘common sense’ applied to Baek Sahyun, but to Chae Eunwoo, who knew the true nature of that madman, it was nonsense.
– Please listen to me, Heejae hyung… I didn’t mean to deceive you, I, I, I…
– …
– I like you… so that’s why.
In his desperation, Chae Eunwoo attempted an unplanned confession, struggling to gain Nam Heejae’s mercy. But to Nam Heejae, it just looked like a lie to avoid the situation.
– Eunwoo. Don’t you think saying such things now is irresponsible?
Looking at Nam Heejae’s face, stained with disgust and betrayal, Chae Eunwoo felt deep despair.
The emotional description seemed to fill almost an entire page, but honestly, I thought Chae Eunwoo was being overly dramatic, so I just skipped it. Wasn’t he the one who came to Nam Heejae and got him involved, and now he’s being so pathetic?
– Don’t worry too much. Baek Sahyun isn’t the type to treat poorly someone who’s carrying his child.
– …
– Besides, we can’t keep hiding here forever. We need to think calmly.
Nam Heejae calmly expounded his opinion, but from a reader’s perspective, it was equally nonsensical. To expect moral consciousness from a man who had imprisoned and committed violence out of possessiveness.
In my opinion, Nam Heejae probably didn’t have the luxury to think sensibly. He must have felt betrayed, consciously or unconsciously, by the fact that the junior he cared for had deceived him.
– *gasp*, *sob*…
Of course, Chae Eunwoo also experienced considerable betrayal. After welcoming him with a warm attitude, to turn his back so coldly because he was an Omega—he must have felt quite resentful toward Nam Heejae.
This marked a complete misalignment of their emotions. The opportunity shifted to Baek Sahyun’s side.
– I’ve been waiting. Eunwoo.
Chae Eunwoo was driven back to Baek Sahyun’s house in Nam Heejae’s car, and Baek Sahyun welcomed his Omega with a sorrowful expression. Embracing him with his entire body, Baek Sahyun used the shackles of love-hate.
– Did Heejae treat you well?
– …
– Why would he send back someone who’s even pregnant? How hurtful.
– …
– Ah, that’s right. Heejae would vomit just smelling an Omega’s scent.
– …
– He must have gotten tired of smelling the dirty scent coming from our Eunwoo. Right?
All while gently scratching Chae Eunwoo’s wounded heart.
In fact, all of this was Baek Sahyun’s scheme to perfectly separate Nam Heejae and Chae Eunwoo. By showing Chae Eunwoo how much Nam Heejae despised Omegas, he completely shattered Chae Eunwoo’s one-sided love.
It was also convenient to frame Nam Heejae for hiding Chae Eunwoo. He must have wanted to get rid of that already irritating bastard in the process.
He completely disregarded the fact that he and Nam Heejae had maintained a fairly amicable relationship as friends. In Baek Sahyun’s mind, crazy with love… there was only the burning desire to possess Chae Eunwoo.
It was heartbreaking to see how Chae Eunwoo had ended up being strung along by such a madman. After losing both his parents and struggling through life, why had God sent someone like Baek Sahyun to this poor child? Sigh.
Oh, come to think of it, this world wasn’t created by God but by an author… Then I should criticize that hack writer who created this kind of world and made Chae Eunwoo suffer.
Even if he’s just a fictional character, isn’t it too much to pair him with a psychopath like Baek Sahyun?
But as unfortunate as it was, I had absolutely no desire to get involved in their mess.
