His father didn’t say anything. It must have been because he’d realized that Seo Eunho hadn’t just threatened him, but had sincerely wanted to kill him.
Seo Eunho took a deep breath to calm his wavering heart. He needed to get a grip. If he just thought a little rationally, the answer would come. There was no need to kill him. He just needed to abandon him now. It was enough to no longer be his father’s possession.
Besides, even if he killed his father, there was no way he’d be comfortable. Seo Eunho would live buried in guilt. He knew that better himself. So this absurd impulse needed to be withdrawn.
“……Yeah, I’ve paid off all the debt.”
Seo Eunho spoke in a more subdued tone than before. His father was looking at Seo Eunho with wary eyes. Fitting for someone who had been chased by gambling debts several times and nearly died, it seemed he’d noticed that the other person had sincerely wanted to kill him.
“So it’s over.”
Swallowing the laughter that was squeezing out, Seo Eunho spoke calmly. Now it was really the end. He couldn’t do any more. Realistically, the debt had been transferred to Tae Shinwoo and he was in a position where he had to repay it, so he couldn’t say everything was over, but even so, he strangely felt relieved.
“……Mother’s age when she passed away was thirty, right? Or was it thirty-one?”
“……”
“I’m dead too now, I think.”
“Wh-what are you talking about?”
Seo Eunho’s eyes blinked slowly.
“However you live, whether you cause trouble or starve to death, it’s none of my business now.”
He’d wanted to say these words for a long time. He’d thought it would be good if he could completely sever his relationship with his father. But he couldn’t bring himself to do it, so he’d just let time pass aimlessly.
And finally, the time had come to end things with his father. Only after thinking he sincerely wanted to kill him.
“What are you saying, what, why are you saying such things? I’m your father. So how……”
Seo Eunho just looked at his father. He didn’t have the energy to answer everything he was saying. Perhaps he thought there was no need to.
He’d feel regretful. Without him, he’d have to do something to avoid starving to death. He’d have to worry about the rent right away. He was someone who didn’t know how to do anything.
Was that what had weighed on his mind so much that he’d lived carrying it? Pointless thoughts occurred to him. But no thoughts could change Seo Eunho’s mind.
“I’ve done enough.”
“Seo Eunho.”
“Or…… do you really want to die by my hand?”
Seo Eunho spoke as if muttering and turned his steps. Perhaps because his words with a face that looked like he could really do it were shocking, there was no following answer.
Seo Eunho left him and moved to the room he’d been using. His steps were quick as he put his mother’s photo and a few clothes in a bag and tried to leave the house.
“Without you, Eunho-ya, I’ll die. You know that. Hm? How can you do this to your father?”
In the meantime, his father who had gathered his senses urgently began to grab onto him. Seo Eunho snorted and didn’t even answer. Whether he died like that or not. Not knowing that it really didn’t matter anymore, he was trying to touch the sense of responsibility and sympathy he’d always lived carrying.
Seo Eunho tried to let his words flow past. It was because he was afraid his words would become another trigger and cause anger.
“……But.”
Seo Eunho, who had roughly packed his things, stood at the entrance and suddenly opened his mouth. In fact, originally he’d been planning not to give any answer no matter what his father said, but it was because a question suddenly occurred to him.
What was that bang sound from earlier? It sounded like someone knocking on the door hard.
Flustered by what he’d tried to do, he hadn’t thought deeply about the sound that had occurred right before twisting his neck. But even without thinking long, the answer came quickly.
Tae Shinwoo. Or someone Tae Shinwoo employed.
Tae Shinwoo was monitoring him. There was also the possibility that he’d continued to plant someone around this area even after returning home.
He might have banged on the door at the commotion rising inside. Whether he should be grateful or not. The shitty thought occurred and disappeared, and a more important question instantly eroded his mind.
“Where did you meet Boss Gu?”
It would seem quite out of the blue, but it was a question with its own reasons. But why? Why was someone who’d always only watched from afar deliberately waiting in front of the house? Someone who’d never once appeared in his sight. As if he’d known a commotion would occur.
When his thoughts reached that point, the next thought that occurred was that his father had no way of meeting Boss Gu at all. He was terrified of Boss Gu, getting fed up. He never set foot toward where his office was. He didn’t know how much his father went out or where he wandered around, but he was certain it wouldn’t be a path Boss Gu frequented.
Then it meant Boss Gu had come to this area…… But why would he come here? Had a new debtor appeared?
If not that…… had someone made his father meet him?
It was a kind of intuition. That Tae Shinwoo seemed to be involved in the reason his father had met Boss Gu. So he’d placed someone closer than usual and had them interfere as soon as a commotion arose in the house.
“I asked where you met him.”
The deeper his thoughts went, the greater his conviction became. Perhaps because Seo Eunho’s momentum was so menacing, his father flinched and opened his lips stutteringly.
“At, at the supermarket…… He came for some reason, so……”
“……”
“I didn’t pay on time, so thinking it was about that, I tried to run away…… He said the debt was all paid off so there’s nothing to run from……”
And at his father’s answer that came back, Seo Eunho couldn’t hide his twisting face. It wasn’t different from his expectation. Tae Shinwoo had informed his father that the debt had already been paid off.
He didn’t know why he’d done that. As always, Tae Shinwoo was outside the scope of his understanding.
Whether he’d done it this way to cause another new problem, or to see with his own eyes what kind of reaction he’d show at the news that his father, whom he’d endured and taken responsibility for while firmly suppressing everything, had paid off the debt, hoping he’d realize what kind of stupid thing he’d been continuing.
In fact, whatever the reason, it didn’t matter. Whatever the intention, what was important was that the result was nothing but Tae Shinwoo tormenting him. Seo Eunho twisted the corners of his lips and burst into laughter. It seemed like everyone was living thinking only about how to make him more miserable.
His father would be miserable just from him not being there. The long time he’d endured for his father was regrettable, but it was enough that he’d decided to turn away from him now.
Then what about Tae Shinwoo? What should he do about Tae Shinwoo who endlessly tormented him?
The ceaseless rising anger turned toward Tae Shinwoo without being resolved. He was sick and tired of all these situations he had to handle alone every time. He even thought it would be nice if they could take even a portion of the anger and suffering he felt.
“My part is over now.”
Seo Eunho grabbed whatever money he could from his pocket and poured it out to his father. Because his father didn’t have time to reach out his hand, the bundle of bills scattered on the floor. Seo Eunho looked at the falling money with a heavy face.
It was money Tae Shinwoo had shoved at him as pocket money after making him give fellatio until his mouth was sore. Had he calculated up to here? It was a thought that made a hollow laugh come out on its own.
Seo Eunho immediately turned his steps. His destination wasn’t decided, but wherever it was didn’t matter. Since he didn’t have to pay the debt, with the money he’d saved up, he could get about one room in a gosiwon. If that didn’t work out, it would be enough to just sleep rough.
Of course, all these thoughts were meaningless. Thinking of the person who would be waiting outside, where his residence would be was no different from already being decided.
“……”
When he came outside, leaving behind his father who seemed to have lost his words and couldn’t even grab him, Seo Eunho faced an unfamiliar man. Seo Eunho immediately knew he was Tae Shinwoo’s person. And also the fact that he was the very person who had banged on the door hard.
Seo Eunho ignored the man and walked first. Perhaps thinking there was nothing to hide since their eyes had met, the man followed him closely. Seo Eunho acted as if he couldn’t see him.
“The Managing Director says to come to the hotel.”
And before long, the man opened his mouth from behind. Probably having waited for Tae Shinwoo’s answer, his cell phone also vibrated with good timing. The caller was Tae Shinwoo, and it contained a dry message telling him to go to the hotel.
Was the situation created just for this?
Seo Eunho just stared blankly at his cell phone for a while. He was so angry his chest ached. However, even if Tae Shinwoo had laid out the board, it was Seo Eunho himself who had moved as he wanted. Tae Shinwoo would be quite satisfied watching himself who had moved as he wanted. Without considering at all emotions like the anger, sadness, and resentment he would feel while acting that way.
Seo Eunho let out a sigh and looked at the man waiting for him to move. Then he nodded his head toward him. It meant he would move as he said.
As if he’d been waiting, the man walked ahead of Seo Eunho. When they reached the three-way intersection, he could see a well-maintained car parked. The man personally opened the car door, and Seo Eunho got in the car without refusing.
“……”
As expected, Seo Eunho wanted Tae Shinwoo to feel suffering. He wanted to hurt Tae Shinwoo who played with him after placing him in his palm as the absolute superior party.
Of course, it wasn’t like he had any great plan. Seo Eunho decided to think simply.
Not giving what Tae Shinwoo wanted to have. Not becoming his thing until the end, even now 12 years later when he showed enthusiasm for confining him in his palm and playing with him. Being his possession, but ultimately not giving his heart.
If it was certain that Tae Shinwoo wanted his heart, the maximum rebellion Seo Eunho could do was exactly that. Getting everything that could be obtained and not giving what he wanted.
Could this have any impact on Tae Shinwoo? Seo Eunho smiled slightly. There’s no way. But unable to overcome the frustration that felt like he had to do something, he was thinking such thoughts.
He wouldn’t give anything. Tae Shinwoo would only have his empty shell. So he hoped he’d be a little angry, hoped he’d be a little frustrated and suffering. With a small wish that he’d have at least that much impact, Seo Eunho closed his eyes. The car was running toward the hotel Tae Shinwoo had mentioned.
