Chapter 28
Why would Yoon Juwon…
If he hated Chairman Seo enough to want to kill him, why hadn’t he thought about moving to another company, given that he was quite a well-known model? Perhaps he had some weakness being held over him?
If I assumed this, then I could somewhat understand why he’d had to kill Chairman Seo.
When I remained silent even after watching the video, Hajin spoke first.
“Nothing to say? If you want to hear the audio too, I can play it for you. That day, I successfully managed to place a voice recorder.”
My ears perked up at the mention of a voice recorder. If there was a recording, I could deduce why Yoon Juwon had killed Chairman Seo by listening to it. In the current situation where I’d abandoned my trust in Hajin, it would be better to listen to the recording rather than his words.
“I’ll listen.”
Hajin took his phone from my hand and played the recorded content.
— Chairman, I don’t think this is right. It was decided months ago that I would be the main model for Designer Kwon Chaerim’s fashion show, but now you’re telling me to change it? The stage has already been set up—I don’t understand how you expect me to change it.
— You arrogant bastard. I’ve been lenient because I felt sorry for you, but now you dare to tell me what to do? You do what I tell you to do.
— Who wouldn’t know? You’ve been lobbying hard to put Hajin there, right? But Chairman, I’m also a model belonging to Fashion Group H. No matter who goes, it would benefit the company…
— What do you know about company management to speak so recklessly? And Hajin? Just because he’s from the same orphanage as a bastard like you, don’t think that Director Seo is on the same level as you… Your delusion ends there. If you continue, I won’t overlook it either.
After the chairman’s words ended, there was just noise for a while, then came Juwon’s cursing fueled by uncontrollable anger, along with the sound of objects colliding. And finally, there was a “thud!” that seemed to be Chairman Seo falling down.
I felt hopeless about my future—suddenly becoming a murderer—but at the same time, I was relieved to know that Hajin hadn’t framed Yoon Juwon.
Relief in a situation like this…
I mocked myself and hung my head low. Not long after, my chin was grabbed by a large hand. When my chin was forcibly lifted, Hahyun was looking down at me as if he was going to devour me.
“Have your memories returned? So, are you trying to go back to how you were before? Tell me. Come on, tell me quickly. If that’s the case… I…”
Although it seemed like I’d only heard about half of the usual threat, Hahyun couldn’t continue his words. Even if there were additional words like “I’ll tie you up” or “I’ll take you to the basement,” I didn’t feel like stopping them today. Now that I’d become a murderer, being tied up didn’t seem like such a big deal.
“Hyung… why aren’t you saying anything suddenly? You should stop me before I say something bad. You should do something—whether covering my mouth with your hand or with a kiss—but why…”
Hahyun started to sob. He should have been happier if I let him say whatever he wanted, but I couldn’t understand why he was crying with such a sorrowful expression.
“I don’t want it. I really don’t… I can’t go back to how it was before. I’m scared. After doing all those sweet things… how can I go back to that time again? I like the changed hyung, I tell you. Quickly, snap out of it.”
Hahyun took my hands and covered his own mouth with them. My palm touched his lips, and the back of my hand felt his tears, making both sides moist. Even in this situation, I felt sorry for Hahyun, who was afraid and at a loss about what to do, fearing that Juwon might turn cold again.
“Stop it. This takes time. From Juwon’s perspective, it’s like he suddenly became a murderer one day—so imagine how shocked he must be.”
Hajin was right. I was already overwhelmed just trying to understand the current situation. No, actually, since I’d confirmed the video with my own eyes, I understood it—but I didn’t want to accept it. Why did I have to suffer for something I hadn’t done?
I tried to activate my own happiness circuit to regain my senses. Although I’d become a murderer, I wasn’t caught by the police, so it wasn’t the worst situation. But the more I thought like that, the more the fact that I was a murderer hit me harder.
“Hyung… no, it’s not because you’re a bad person. Okay? Hyung… Yoon Juwon, try to change your expression a bit. Look at me a little. No, it’s all my fault. When you said you didn’t want to, I shouldn’t have insisted on bringing you here…”
“…”
I just stared blankly at Hahyun. Even though I knew how my face must have looked to him, I couldn’t change my expression at all.
“I should have endured even if you said you didn’t like it, I shouldn’t have acted mean, and I shouldn’t have cursed… Hyung, I’ll do anything as long as you don’t say you want to go back to how things were before. I won’t curse, I won’t harass you, and I absolutely won’t mention tying you up. Please snap out of it.”
Hahyun clung to me, crying sorrowfully with a helpless expression. Hajin, who’d been watching, pulled Hahyun away from me. After forcefully restraining Hahyun, who was struggling not to be separated, and making him sit on the sofa, Hajin looked at me with emotionless eyes.
“The misunderstanding should be cleared up now, so what do you want to do?”
“First, I want to know the exact situation. Am I a wanted criminal? Or just a suspect?”
“Hmm… Since you disappeared at the same time Chairman Seo died, you’ve become a wanted person. The police haven’t seen this video yet, and the company has filed a missing person report for you since you don’t have family. So they intend to issue a warrant, find you, and investigate. Don’t worry too much. They’re trying to find you because they don’t have clear evidence yet.”
It meant I was a person suspected of being a murderer anyway. I felt despair wash over me.
“The amnesiac you seems somewhat easier to talk to, so I’m saying this…”
Hajin paused for a moment while speaking. I was so tense about what he was going to say that my lips dried up.
“Actually, I feel the same as Hahyun. I like the kindness you’ve shown over these past few weeks, so I can’t go back to how things were before either.”
A long sigh followed. After several attempts to speak again, moving his lips, he continued after a while.
“What do you want to do? Will you leave us and risk going outside? Or will you stay with us and continue like now?”
Hajin spoke as if I had a choice. But there was only one option I could choose.
“I’ll just stay as we are now.”
Hajin nodded at my brief answer. I turned my eyes to Hahyun. He was still pouring out tears.
“Hahyun-ssi, I couldn’t answer because I was thinking due to the shock, but my memories haven’t returned. So I don’t remember anything about what you did to me or how you did it. I have nothing to hate or dislike.”
Hahyun raised his head. He looked like a young child, breathing rapidly as if speaking was difficult.
“Really? You really don’t remember anything?”
I nodded weakly.
“Then, you don’t hate me?”
“No.”
“Haah… That’s a relief.”
“But if you tell me to smile right now, I can’t do that for you. Because I never thought I would become a murderer…”
Hahyun glanced at me cautiously and then spoke up.
“Um, I’m saying this because you might misunderstand.”
“What misunderstanding?”
“Well, I just said I wouldn’t be mean to you and wouldn’t curse, right?”
I tried hard to suppress my laughter, which was inappropriate for the situation, and spoke seriously.
“So? Does that mean if I don’t hate you, you’ll be mean to me and curse at me from now on?”
“No! That’s not it. It’s, it’s just…”
Hahyun hesitated for a while, dragging his words out, then stammered in a tiny voice.
“I didn’t mean I wouldn’t engage in skinship. Not by force, but if you don’t even let me kiss you, I might curse. Still, promise me you won’t hate me.”
Hahyun’s expression as he said this looked very desperate. Since it was about skinship and not something else, I kept my mouth shut to answer carefully, but Hahyun wiped his tears and grabbed my hand tightly.
“Answer me now.”
“As long as it’s not too severe, okay.”
Pretending to give in, I nodded, and Hahyun smiled brightly as if he’d never cried.
***
After a difficult afternoon for all three of us, we finished dinner and gathered again in the living room because Hajin said he had something to tell us. While Hajin was preparing drinks, Hahyun whispered to me in a lowered voice.
“Hyung, tonight is Hajin hyung’s turn…”
“Is that so? I thought he would tell us to go straight to the bedroom.”
“I’d like to be with you a bit longer… but I feel uneasy.”
When Hahyun said that, I also started to feel anxious. What was he going to say that created such an atmosphere?
Meanwhile, Hajin placed a cup of tea in front of each of us. Even though it was job’s tears tea that I liked, I didn’t feel like drinking it because I couldn’t even predict what bomb was about to drop.
“What are you going to say…”
“Juwon, thank you for agreeing to stay with us.”
