Chapter 27: Bothered
During the day, Yeon thought it was uncomfortable with people at the company constantly glancing at him, but when they returned to Kang Dohyuk’s villa after work, this situation was uncomfortable in its own way. After even Director Choi left, telling them to rest well, only Dohyuk and Yeon remained in the large house.
Being alone with Kang Dohyuk had been uncomfortable from the beginning. Since learning that he was connected to Yeon by a red thread, there hadn’t been a moment of peace. Still, until now, there had been a thin thread of hope that he could just ignore it—that since Kang Dohyuk was colder and more indifferent to him than to anyone else, they might never see each other again once this request was properly concluded.
Where had things gone wrong? Perhaps he shouldn’t have told Dohyuk the truth about the red thread. Unlike the past, nowadays more people didn’t believe in destiny or divine powers. Kang Dohyuk was someone who despised such stories enough to call them scams. Yeon had thought that if he told the truth, Dohyuk would despise him and push him away, but that had been a mistake.
While still looking at him with cold, contemptuous eyes, Dohyuk had begun to take interest.
Interest… Yes, that’s all it was. There was no deeper meaning to the kiss he had given.
Whether it was interest or anything else, it wasn’t good. The more Yeon tried to avoid it, the more deeply entangled they seemed to become.
“…you can come.”
Lost in thought, Yeon had missed what Dohyuk was saying. Ah, noticing Yeon’s brief groan, Dohyuk seemed to realize he hadn’t been listening properly and clicked his tongue.
“I said you can stay in my room starting tonight.”
Though this had originally been Yeon’s request, now it wasn’t particularly welcome. When Yeon didn’t answer, Dohyuk raised one corner of his mouth in a sneer.
“Has all that confidence to come in completely naked and watch over me disappeared?”
Back then, Yeon had been confident that nothing would happen even if he stood naked before Dohyuk. Kang Dohyuk had shown not a hint of desire for him. No, he hadn’t shown any interest at all. All that had mattered to him was his safety, so Yeon had been able to agree.
But now it was different. The light in Kang Dohyuk’s eyes when he looked at Yeon had begun to shine with a different meaning. Like a predator enjoying the sight of its prey.
“It’s… unnecessary.”
“Unnecessary?”
Dohyuk caught Yeon’s trailing words. Yeon replied with a small “yes.”
“Didn’t you say you needed the time when I’m asleep?”
When you won’t even sleep anyway. Yeon was about to retort but stopped himself. Dohyuk wasn’t saying this to mean Yeon could do what he needed to while Dohyuk slept peacefully nearby.
“The time you focus on work at the company was sufficient, so it’s fine.”
It was possible but not enough. Even though Dohyuk was focused on work, Yeon was still distracted. It was worse knowing that Dohyuk was watching him, even though he pretended not to.
“You really can’t lie.”
Dohyuk muttered while staring at Yeon.
“You don’t need to undress completely. I’ve confirmed you’re not enough of a threat to me.”
He meant that Yeon wouldn’t be undressed, so he could do his work. Yeon hesitated, unable to distinguish how much was sincere trust and how much was mockery. Either way, Yeon of Muryeong had to accept his proposal. Even if there was an element of mockery, the right thing to do was to complete his task and then let it go.
“If I can change clothes, I’ll come in.”
“Clothes?”
Dohyuk was about to ask what clothes he meant but then said “Aah” and nodded.
“If that makes you more comfortable, do as you wish.”
His lips curved into a gentle arc. That smile felt like it contained ulterior motives rather than pure consideration, making Yeon unconsciously swallow.
***
After showering, Yeon changed into his white shaman’s robe that he had worn from Muryeong. Wearing his own clothes seemed to calm his agitated feelings somewhat. After reminding himself once more to focus only on his duty as a shaman of Muryeong, he stood in front of Dohyuk’s bedroom door.
There had been days when he had sneaked in secretly, so why was it becoming increasingly difficult to turn this doorknob? Lowering his gaze, he could see the red thread entwined around his finger. Though it couldn’t possibly have weight, that finger felt particularly heavy.
With a long exhale, Yeon knocked and turned the doorknob. Dohyuk, who had been sitting on the edge of the bed, raised his head to look at him.
“You’re here.”
Yeon nodded slightly at the meaningless remark.
“I’ll pretend to sleep, so do whatever you need to.”
As if he had nothing more to say, Dohyuk immediately lay down on the bed. When he turned off the lights with a remote, only darkness remained in the room.
Standing awkwardly in the middle of the room, Yeon looked at the various colored threads waving before his eyes. Though Dohyuk had said he would pretend to sleep, the threads that had been fluctuating gradually settled as time passed. Even if he wasn’t truly asleep, this was enough for Yeon to do his work.
Closing his eyes, he searched for the thread emitting a strong energy. Moving by feeling rather than sight, he grabbed the thread and opened his eyes to confirm its color. It was clearly a malicious connection. He had grabbed it a few days ago and suppressed its energy, but it had already become stronger than before.
Who could harbor such intense malice toward Kang Dohyuk? This was clearly killing intent. The desire to kill was so strong that Yeon felt suffocated just holding the thread.
His fingers touching the thread felt like they were burning. He almost lost his grip. Gritting his teeth, he applied force to his fingers. A white light formed and seeped into the thread. Simultaneously, the black energy climbed up Yeon’s fingers.
Boom. The black energy that had been instantly absorbed seemed to race all the way to his heart. Feeling his chest constrict, Yeon gasped and sank to the floor. The thread that had escaped from between his fingers waved in the air as if mocking him.
Yeon remained seated, massaging his aching right hand with his left. Looking up, he saw the black thread he had lost floating in the air before settling calmly. The black thread wasn’t the only one. There was another with similar malice, though it didn’t emit as strong an energy. It was hidden among hundreds of threads, but its ominous nature was not much different from this one.
How should he handle that one too? One was already overwhelming, yet there were multiple people with such strong resentment… He wanted to grab Dohyuk by the collar and shake him, asking what kind of life he had lived.
Finding the cause would make the solution easier. After all, whether the connection between people would turn evil or good depended on the hearts of the two individuals. But since Kang Dohyuk wasn’t opening his heart to Yeon, all he could do each time was try to alleviate the immediate malice a little. Repeating this wouldn’t lead to a fundamental solution. It was just a temporary measure.
Still, thinking that he should at least do what he could, Yeon got up again and sought out the minor malicious connections floating around Dohyuk. He cut one by one the threads containing grievances and hurts that couldn’t yet be called hatred, praying that the hearts of those people would be calmed even a little.
Cutting malicious connections was not only for Kang Dohyuk’s benefit but also for the benefit of the other party. Actions taken with evil intent always leave harm to the doer as well. So Yeon prayed for forgiveness just once, for understanding just once… Not that Kang Dohyuk was right, but that the resentment they harbored for him wouldn’t bring misfortune to themselves…
In the silent darkness, each time Yeon, dressed in white shaman’s robes, cut a malicious connection, white light formed and then disappeared repeatedly.
***
How much time had passed? Dohyuk quietly raised his upper body, without making a sound or showing any sign of movement. His gaze turned to Yeon, who had fallen asleep sitting in a corner of the room. Seeing him curled up with his legs drawn together, a small sigh escaped Dohyuk’s lips.
If he had finished his work, he could have returned to his own room, but he lacked even basic flexibility. Dohyuk was both astounded and exasperated by his single-minded focus.
He was exactly the type Dohyuk detested having as a subordinate. He preferred someone like Director Choi, who moved with tact and perception even without being told, not someone like Yeon who insisted on doing things his own stubborn way.
He didn’t like him. He found him irritating. Yet why was he still keeping him around? Was it because of this red thread or whatever they were entangled in?
Ha, a short laugh escaped. It seemed he had been unconsciously influenced by that shaman’s words all this time.
Red thread? So what?
Dohyuk got off the bed and approached Yeon. The fact that he didn’t move an inch even when Dohyuk came right in front of him indicated he was truly asleep. Bending his knees to sit, Dohyuk lifted Yeon’s face. As his curled-up posture collapsed, he slid sideways.
Though Dohyuk thought he would wake up, Yeon still didn’t move at all. Moreover, Yeon’s skin felt excessively cold to the touch.
Could he be dead?
Frowning, Dohyuk raised his hand to Yeon’s neck and felt a faint but definite pulse. Another sigh escaped. He, who had never batted an eye even when driving someone to the brink of death, had momentarily panicked at the thought that this guy might be dead.
‘What I know is that after I die, you won’t live much longer either…’
Perhaps those words had affected him. Even if he claimed not to believe it, it still bothered him. With a long sigh, Dohyuk brushed his bangs up and looked down at Yeon, who had collapsed like a corpse, and let out a hollow laugh.
“You’re bothering me in many ways.”
He put his arms under Yeon’s shoulders and knees and lifted him up. He was surprised at how easily Yeon could be lifted. Though he knew Yeon was thin, he was still a man with height, so Dohyuk had expected some weight.
No wonder he collapses so easily, being this frail.
Clicking his tongue, Dohyuk laid Yeon on his bed. He turned on the sleep light with the remote and examined Yeon. With the dim sleep light, he couldn’t check his complexion. But…
He lifted Yeon’s arm and rolled up his sleeve. As expected, that black energy he had seen before was spreading up his forearm.
So much for saying he wasn’t a scapegoat.
Unconsciously tensing his brow as he looked at it, Dohyuk let out a “ha,” an empty breath. Whether he was a scapegoat or not, whether there was actual harm to Yeon or not, what did it matter? Muryeong had received a large sum of money, and Yeon was just doing his job for the money received.
Though his mind was clearly making a cold judgment, for some reason, it felt uncomfortable, like a stone stuck in his throat. Whether it was his imagination or not, looking at Yeon, who seemed particularly pale today, made his mood sink further.
‘For some reason, each time I repeat this, the color gradually faded.’
Dohyuk remembered what Yeon had said about his eye and hair color. He reached out and played with Yeon’s hair.
This color, which looks mysterious to others, is also the result of accepting misfortune…
It wasn’t beautiful at all. This was evidence of a curse.
