Chapter 21: Memories Intertwined
The doctor who examined Yeon lying on the cot at the end of the hallway turned to Dohyuk.
“There doesn’t seem to be any serious issue. I suspect it’s accumulated fatigue, but if you want a more accurate examination, it would be better to visit the hospital. Shall I make an appointment for you?”
Dohyuk shook his head at the doctor’s question. Even if Yeon had a chronic illness, it wasn’t his concern.
“Please keep this a secret from my mother.”
The doctor was the Baekwha Foundation’s physician. Although he wouldn’t deliberately tell his mother, Dohyuk made the request in advance to prevent any accidental slip. The doctor nodded with a smile. The request for secrecy made him glance at Yeon, probably wondering if there was something going on between them.
“He’s an employee. My mother sent him, but I don’t want her to worry if she hears he suddenly collapsed.”
Dohyuk preemptively blocked any unnecessary misunderstanding, having read the doctor’s thoughts.
“Recently, he hasn’t been eating properly or sleeping well, which seems to be the cause,” Director Choi said after the doctor left and they moved to the living room.
Dohyuk clicked his tongue as if disgusted that someone would collapse from just that.
“He’s still useful, so keep him in decent condition. It’s troublesome if he keeps collapsing like this.”
“Understood.”
Though he gave instructions to Director Choi, it was actually a problem beyond the director’s control. Yeon wasn’t sleeping because he was trying to use the time when Dohyuk was asleep. He should have realized by now that it was impossible after experiencing it for a few days, but he was still being stubborn.
Dohyuk was sensitive enough that he couldn’t sleep deeply even when alone. So he could never fall asleep with Yeon in the same room. It would be better if Yeon could somehow manage when he was awake. Since Dohyuk had never seen the dozens or hundreds of threads Yeon mentioned, he couldn’t gauge how intricately they were entangled.
Was that guy not even thinking of taking the easy way out? Frankly speaking, he could just lie and say he’d cut the ill-fated ties without actually doing so. After all, neither Dohyuk nor anyone else could see them. Nobody would know whether he’d cut them or not.
‘What I know is that if I stay by your side, I’ll die, and after I die, you won’t live much longer either. That’s about it.’
Dohyuk mulled over Yeon’s words. If what he said was true, could the opposite also be possible? If he died first, would it affect Yeon too? Was that why Yeon was so stubbornly trying to cut the malicious ties?
The more he thought about it, the more this thread connecting him to Yeon seemed like a goddamn nuisance. A bond tied to death—wasn’t that the very definition of an ill-fated relationship? That’s why that guy was so desperate to cut it.
Dohyuk didn’t care about Yeon’s wishes. He kept him around because he needed him now.
“Investigate this Muyeong character. He’s said to be the leader of Muryeong, but that’s probably not his real name. He receives hundreds of millions of won for each job, but he wouldn’t just pile all that money in a safe. He must have a real name. Track the bank accounts connected to Hovan Gallery too. Since it seems he receives requests through them, the representative of Hovan Gallery must also be taking a commission. And track his phone usage records as well.”
Even if the shamans belonging to Muryeong, including Yeon, didn’t have resident registrations, this Muyeong person would definitely have one. When money moves, it always leaves traces. It might be different for someone like Yeon who owned nothing, but since this Muyeong person owned things, he was different. So he would definitely leave a trail.
“Ah, one more thing. Investigate all vehicles that enter and exit Hovan Gallery.”
“The vehicles?”
“It seems the shamans move by car when they leave Muryeong. They apparently switch to the client’s car midway, but either way, they must come and go from Hovan Gallery. So don’t miss a single one, investigate them all.”
Despite being instructed to investigate all cars—which would number in the dozens daily just for gallery visitors—Director Choi didn’t seem flustered. When working, Kang Dohyuk was the type who wouldn’t tolerate any gaps that might allow the other party to escape. Consequently, any investigation had to be thorough, scraping all the way to the bottom to satisfy him. Being accustomed to this style, this directive was just routine for Director Choi.
***
It was a day with a chilly wind. The sound of leaves rustling in the wind was loud. Whoosh—as the leaves were swept by the wind, the smell of blood grew stronger.
With each step, there was a squelching sound. Looking down, the ground was completely soaked in blood. The dark red blood staining his shoes crept up his white garment. There was no time to be disgusted by the eerie scene.
Thwick. The sword pierced through flesh. More than pain, there was sadness. Because of the pitying look on that person’s face, because of having to leave this person again… That’s why the tears came.
‘Please… please, you must survive…’
He begged, though he also knew what would happen next. Yet foolishly, he hoped once more that fate might take a different path.
A blood-soaked hand caressed his cheek. At that moment, those hands that had always been cool felt so warm, making his heart ache even more.
‘If I’m born again…’
That day, for the first and last time, he saw that face clouded with sorrow.
‘Don’t appear before me again. I too will not seek you out…’
Tears that fell from those eyes landed on Yeon’s cheek.
Let’s never meet again. For your sake, and for mine… I pray that in the next life, we’ll live as complete strangers.
As his vision darkened, he hoped and prayed that those final words would come true. That his bond with that person would finally end with this life…
Waking with a gasp, Yeon stared at the ceiling for a long time in the same lying position. His chest still ached. He touched the area where the sword had penetrated, confirming there was nothing wrong, and only then did he take a long breath.
Belatedly, he realized his cheeks were wet with tears. Sometimes his heart would ache like this from memories that were his but not his. He slowly steadied his breathing, sat up, and wiped his wet cheeks with the back of his hand. Afraid that Kang Dohyuk might discover him, he didn’t move until his tears had completely dried.
As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he realized he was in the room at the end of the hallway. It felt unfamiliar, as he had only entered it a couple of times to change clothes.
What time could it be? He looked around, but there was nothing to check the time with. Judging by the darkness outside, it seemed to be the middle of the night.
“Ah…”
Come to think of it, in the living room…
He sighed and ran a hand over his face. He hadn’t been feeling well since Dohyuk had grabbed him to talk. He thought he could somehow endure it, but it seemed he had overestimated himself. He remembered Dohyuk going out to the veranda, but his memory after that was blank.
So I must have collapsed in front of him after all.
He worried about what Dohyuk might have thought, but then remembered his personality and let out a hollow laugh. Even if he died right here, Dohyuk wouldn’t bat an eye. He might even feel relieved that the nuisance following him around was gone.
Yet it still bothered him because of the intertwined memories from the past. The image of that cold face crumbling at his death was imprinted like a brand…
He slowly got off the bed. Fortunately, the dizziness had subsided. It seemed he had recovered somewhat after sleeping for a while. He raised his right hand, opening and closing his fist repeatedly. After confirming that blood was flowing into his once cold hand, he left the room.
The living room was dark too. Was Kang Dohyuk asleep? He stood in front of Dohyuk’s bedroom, debating whether to go in. The thought that he would have to undress completely again made it impossible for him to turn the doorknob.
Should I just skip today?
Thinking about the malicious bond that was increasingly emanating killing intent made him uneasy, but he didn’t feel like he could do anything about it right now anyway. If Dohyuk would just sleep peacefully, he might try to push himself, but it was obvious that Dohyuk would wake the moment he opened the door.
If there was any silver lining, it was that he could now watch over Dohyuk during the day as well. Somehow, he could manage bit by bit when the situation allowed. He had never found it this difficult to work on a request. Well, the fact that the subject was Kang Dohyuk had already doomed it from the start.
Returning to the living room, he saw his shaman’s robe neatly folded on the table next to the sofa. It was exactly as he had left it the night before when entering Dohyuk’s bedroom. He looked back and forth between the clothes he was wearing, provided by Director Choi, and the white shaman’s robe, debating whether to change. Considering convenience, the clothes he was wearing were obviously better, but having always worn that robe, he felt more comfortable in it.
If I wear that, Kang Dohyuk will frown again in the morning. He’ll forbid me from wearing it anyway.
Thinking that far, it seemed foolish to change just to wear it for a few hours. In the end, he gave up and lay down on the sofa. There wasn’t much difference between the cot in the room and this sofa. If anything, perhaps because it was an expensive sofa, the cushions seemed even softer.
He unfolded his shaman’s robe and covered himself with it. Just that seemed to calm his turbulent mind somewhat. Though he didn’t feel like sleep would come, he closed his eyes. He needed to force himself to sleep so he could endure tomorrow.
***
The moment Yeon entered the Dragon Holdings headquarters, he thought yesterday’s trip to Daejeon had been better. People passing by all glanced at him, wondering who this person standing beside Director Choi was. There had been no mention of hiring a new employee, and especially since Kang Dohyuk didn’t keep anyone close except Director Choi, it drew even more attention.
It was the same when they went up to the managing director’s office. The employees sitting in the secretary’s office right next to the executive office stood up in unison to greet Dohyuk, but hesitated when they spotted Yeon beside him. After giving them just a nod in greeting, Dohyuk entered his office, gesturing for Yeon to follow.
“Is he a visitor?” one of the secretaries asked Director Choi. She added that if they had been informed about a visitor in advance, they would have prepared tea or something.
Director Choi shook his head. “He’s not a visitor, so don’t worry about it. There’s no need to prepare anything.”
“Excuse me?”
Finding this instruction even more puzzling, the secretaries exchanged glances.
“He will be accompanying the Managing Director for a while. If I had to define his role… think of him as something like a bodyguard.”
“A bodyguard?”
That statement surprised them even more. Rather than protecting Kang Dohyuk, he looked like someone who needed protection from Kang Dohyuk… They all thought similarly but didn’t dare voice it, instead just glancing at the closed door of the managing director’s office.
