# Chapter 19
In a mixed-use residential building in downtown Seoul, aides greeted Director Ahn who had just returned from work.
“Young Master Jiho has arrived.”
“Why is he here? Who told him to come here?”
“The young master said he wanted to see Director Ahn…”
“He could at least give some notice!”
“He told us not to inform you in advance…”
And here I was hoping to get some rest after finishing work. Director Ahn loosened his tie as he entered the living room.
Sure enough, Jiho was sitting on the sofa as if it were his own home, watching a recorded soccer game.
Director Ahn Hyungju of Ian Group felt like he was getting a migraine the moment he saw Jiho’s face.
I was living so peacefully without seeing his face lately.
“Who told you to enter someone else’s house as you please? This is breaking and entering.”
“If we’re being technical, this isn’t your house either. It belongs to Ian Group.”
“What are you saying! This is my house that I earned through legitimate work!”
Despite Director Ahn’s outburst, Jiho just kept munching on potato chips.
Thanks to this nephew who raised his blood pressure the moment he arrived, the end of his day was just wonderful.
“I thought you were having fun playing house in that little room, what’s with the change of heart?”
Director Ahn sneered.
For Director Ahn, who currently worked as Ian Group’s errand boy, “monitoring Seol Jiho” was as routine as “inspecting stores.”
It hurt his pride to follow his nephew around, but what could he do? When the higher-ups say jump, you jump…
When he went to check on his runaway nephew, Jiho was freeloading in some basement room.
It was a completely incomprehensible move. What is this guy doing pretending to be a commoner? Actually, he didn’t want to know.
He just wanted to remain ignorant of those dark intentions forever.
“Why didn’t you just live there permanently?”
“It was fun, but it’s not my place, so it’s annoying that I can’t do whatever I want.”
“…You crazy bastard.”
“Director Ahn should have shown up with better timing. Why did you run away? So uncool.”
Director Ahn recalled the memory of fleeing in confusion when Jiho appeared while he was talking to a male student in front of the studio apartment. His face flushed.
“I don’t want to get involved in your business anymore. I’m a busy person too!”
“Anyway, I’ve set it up to look like I was forcibly brought here, so play along with that.”
“Why should I play along? Are we doing some traditional Korean folk performance?”
Even as he got heated, Jiho didn’t bat an eye. It wasn’t surprising. He never was someone who listened to others.
Jiho, with an expressionless face, crumpled the empty potato chip bag and said:
“I’m planning to bring him soon.”
“Who?”
“Joo Yeomin.”
Joo Yeomin. If Director Ahn’s memory was correct, that was the name of the male student who had been helping Jiho.
He remembered seeing it in the file reported by his secretary.
“Where are you going to bring him?”
“Where else? Here.”
“You crazy bastard…!”
Not content with dating a guy, now he wants to move him into his uncle’s house? Director Ahn grabbed the back of his neck.
But Jiho looked absolutely delighted.
“I’ll bring him within a few days, so make sure to vacate the house.”
“Why don’t you just get your own place!”
“This place is perfect. I think hyung will like it. It’s quiet, and privacy is guaranteed.”
“…”
“Oh, and there’s only one bed.”
He really didn’t want to know this much about his nephew’s private life. Director Ahn shook his head with a disgusted face.
I wish people understood that being an Ian Group director is an extreme occupation…
* * *
“Ugh, my head…”
Yeomin went to work at the PC bang, clutching his upset stomach. It was the aftermath of drinking all night with Taeyang, who had broken up with his girlfriend.
He listened to the long, drawn-out story about why they fought and how they broke up for almost four hours.
Then at eleven at night, when Taeyang received a call from his girlfriend, he immediately disappeared in a taxi.
And this morning, a text arrived:
[Lee Taeyang: I got back together with Hyunju haha]
What was I even doing? Should I kill Lee Taeyang…?
‘I’ll never listen to his complaints again.’
All Yeomin was left with was heartburn and a hangover.
And maybe 1 gram of loneliness?
“Come to work when you’re sober, man.”
“…I am sober.”
“Want me to check your blood alcohol level?”
He’s really nagging. Like he hasn’t come to work drunk many times himself.
Yeomin apologized sarcastically to Manager Cha’s nagging.
“I’m sorry.”
His expression didn’t look sorry at all.
Manager Cha took a sip and then took a drink from the refrigerator, telling him to sober up.
“Even barley tea tastes like alcohol…”
Manager Cha asked the gloomy-looking Yeomin:
“Do you have an umbrella?”
“Is it going to rain?”
“They say it’s going to pour from this afternoon. Take one of the PC bang’s if you don’t have one.”
“I will. You can go now.”
“Alright. Don’t slack off.”
“Yes, sir. Please go.”
As soon as Manager Cha left, Yeomin slumped over the counter.
“Ugh… I’m really nauseous.”
He hadn’t eaten anything today, but he didn’t feel like putting anything in his stomach.
Yeomin checked his phone while lying down. Taeyang, who had gotten back with his girlfriend, had been completely silent since then. Wouldn’t a friend at least ask if you got home safely?
Yeomin entered another chat room that had accumulated unread messages.
[Joo Yeojin: What did he say? Don’t tell me he asked for the watch back?]
[Joo Yeojin: If he gave it to me and then asks for it back, he’s really a cheap bastard]
[Joo Yeojin: He looked super rich]
[Joo Yeojin: Surely he’s not actually asking for it back? You should try to persuade him]
She seemed worried after doing something rash. Well, why did you sell it in the first place?
Yeomin deleted his chat with Yeojin without hesitation. After that, his chat list was clean.
Surprisingly, there had been no contact from Jiho until now. Yeomin felt even more uneasy.
‘Is it a good thing? That he’s not asking for money or the watch back? Or is he really being held captive and had his phone taken away…’
While pondering blankly, his phone rang.
It was Yeojin. She’s always so impatient. Since there were no customers and it was quiet, Yeomin answered the call.
“Who is this?”
– Hey, why are you ignoring me!
The moment he answered coldly, a sharp voice came through.
– How did it go! Did he ask for the watch back?
“You’re actually worried? Why do you cause problems if you’re going to worry?”
– I’m thinking about getting a refund for my language school, what’s it to you!
“Forget it.”
It’s better to just consider the money gone. When have I ever lived in abundance anyway?
It’s frustrating to think that all I did was end up doing Yeojin a favor by living with Jiho… but what can I do?
– By the way, how did he know about me?
“What?”
– Did you ask him how he knew I was your sister?
I didn’t ask.
“…”
– I thought so. Tsk.
At the time, I was too overwhelmed, annoyed, and tired… even arguing with Jiho was exhausting, so I didn’t think to interrogate him about that.
“Well, he could have just guessed…”
– You said you never told anyone about having a sister. He could have thought I was a girlfriend or someone you were seeing, but he recognized me as your sister at a glance?
“He knew I don’t have a girlfriend or anyone I’m seeing, so that’s probably why.”
– Joo Yeomin. I told you not to live like me. Don’t just let things slide weakly like that.
Weak? Joo Yeomin? Me?
Taeyang and his classmates would laugh if they heard that. Even Seol Jiho would find it absurd.
Me being ‘weak’… that really hurts my pride.
Yeomin responded sharply.
“Just mind your own business and focus on your work.”
– Make sure of it, make sure. If he keeps pestering you about the watch, you can pull out that card and fight back. Ask him if he’s been investigating you and go on the offensive!
“I won’t be seeing him anymore anyway. I’m hanging up.”
The longer the call went on, the more annoyed he would get. Yeomin ended the call. Yeojin just made him more troubled.
As he was rubbing his stomach that was still upset from yesterday’s hangover, a sudden influx of customers rushed in.
Just when I thought I might get an easy day.
“It’s raining so hard. I’m soaked to my underwear.”
“It doesn’t look like it’ll stop soon, huh? Oh! Part-timer! Long time no see.”
“Seems like it’s raining a lot outside.”
“It’s crazy. I wonder if this whole place is going to flood today.”
In the dark PC bang with no windows, the only sign that it was raining was the customers’ wet umbrellas and clothes.
‘It’s not good if it rains a lot…’
Yeomin looked worriedly toward the door.
[Expected to be the heaviest rain of this summer, with a heavy rain advisory issued for the metropolitan area, and rain expected to continue until night…]
TV and internet portals were filled with news about the rain all day.
Meanwhile, why were there so many customers at the PC bang? From the afternoon, Yeomin was busy without a moment to spare.
Earlier, a customer suddenly complained that their computer had turned off, and he had to scramble to resolve it.
Right after that, a dozen elementary school students who had just finished academy classes rushed in, causing another round of chaos.
Thanks to all this, Yeomin didn’t even have the leisure to ponder how Jiho knew about Yeojin’s existence.
When he finally gathered his senses, it was already time for his shift change.
Mingyu, the next part-timer, came in completely soaked.
“Wow, why is the rain so savage?”
“Didn’t you use an umbrella, Mingyu?”
“I did, but it’s still like this. Take a long umbrella, hyung. Lots of customers today, huh?”
“Yeah. I couldn’t catch a break. I’m heading out now.”
“Get home safely!”
Yeomin took the longest umbrella from those abandoned at the PC bang. From the stairwell, the sound of pouring rain was no joke.
What kind of rain is coming down so fiercely?
‘…Wait. Did I close my window when I left?’
With that sudden thought, Yeomin became anxious. He opened his umbrella as he exited the commercial building.
But the umbrella was completely useless. The strong wind was causing the rain to fall sideways.
“Damn it…”
Is this what it feels like to be slapped by rain? Not only was his face wet from the rain, but his pant cuffs and sneakers were also damp.
Due to the rain that had been falling all day, muddy water had formed a stream that was being frightfully sucked into the drain.
Yeomin walked while cursing. With each step, water squeezed out of his wet sneakers.
‘Ugh, so gross.’
Suddenly, a strong gust of wind caused his long umbrella to bend pitifully.
And just then, a passing car drove through a puddle. Splash! Yeomin, who was waiting at the crosswalk, took the full brunt of the water spray.
“This, shit… Hey!”
Heated, Yeomin shouted at the back of the car. But even that was drowned out by the sound of rain.
Throwing away the now useless umbrella, Yeomin pulled his hood down and ran home thinking, ‘Whatever.’
I need to take a shower as soon as I get in.
When he reached the villa, the landlord, who was rarely seen, was running out wearing a raincoat.
“Oh my! Isn’t it the young man from 101? Where have you been until now!”
“Ah, hello.”
“What hello! How could you leave your window open and be away in this weather?”
“What?”
“It’s already a disaster when it rains due to leaks, what were you thinking? Go in quickly and check!”
Yeomin couldn’t believe the scene unfolding before him. No. He didn’t want to believe it…
This damn neighborhood was always a mess every time it rained. It was a chronic problem where the sewer would backflow and water would surge up during heavy rain.
And of course, Yeomin’s semi-basement room was located closest to that sewer. Water was gushing in through the slightly open window.
Yeomin ran into his house, feeling dizzy. His world went dark.
“Fuck…”
The muddy water had already soaked his blanket and mattress, creating a sea of water.
Not only was the wallpaper wet from the leaking water, but even the old laptop he had left on the bed that morning while watching a drama…
‘If hell exists, it must be this place.’
Am I… being punished? But what did I do wrong?
It’s enough to make him wonder if someone had placed a curse on him.
