He doesn’t also know me like Jung Sanho does, right?
With a track record, he couldn’t let his guard down about anything. Seungyeon glanced at the man’s face repeatedly. Even though he didn’t have an overtly menacing impression, an indescribable sense of intimidation was felt. How should he put it, exactly like a character who appears in gangster movies—the protagonist’s rival and final villain, well-built and good at fighting, who engages in a final showdown with the protagonist?
As his thoughts reached that point, a name suddenly came to mind. The background of being Tae Muhyuk’s friend, a person close enough to meet separately with Baek Sehee, and most of all, that fierce face…
‘Don’t tell me…’
One possible person came to mind. The accomplice who’d taken on all the dirty work behind Tae Muhyuk. Though he was like Tae Muhyuk’s right hand, he was a person who later sided with Baek Sehee.
Tae Muhyuk’s friend, ‘Go Won,’ who’d also made great contributions to Tae Muhyuk getting massively backstabbed and falling to ruin.
As Seungyeon remembered, Go Won was a character in the drama who was perhaps even closer to a villain than the actual villain. All the illegal work that Tae Muhyuk ordered was carried out through Go Won. He even regarded killing people as trivial. He didn’t discriminate between means and methods for his purposes and committed all those illegalities without batting an eye through connections extending into political and business circles.
Could this man be that man?
Even while conversing with his happy noona, Seungyeon couldn’t help but be conscious of Go Won. Since he was a man who’d never appeared on screen even once until the drama ended, it was also fascinating to be facing him directly. Come to think of it, the people here all boasted appearances that rivaled the leads, even characters who could be considered minor roles. Jung Sanho too, and that oriental medicine doctor too.
“Oh right, Seungyeon. Can you tell Mom that I need to stop by the house this weekend to pick up some things?”
“Yeah, got it.”
“What about the package I sent last time? Did it arrive okay? They said it was really delicious, so I sent one to the house.”
“Ah, Mom was saying something about that. It’s delicious, but the portion is too much—”
While exchanging conversation for a while, his gaze met Go Won’s. Though no particular words were exchanged, just making eye contact made him feel intimidated like someone who’d done something terribly wrong. Seungyeon smiled awkwardly and grabbed his noona’s arm.
“Noona, but I should get going now too… So, um, that friend of my brother-in-law… wouldn’t he be busy too?”
“Oh my, look at me. Seungyeon, then let’s meet this weekend. Won-ssi, I’m sorry.”
Baek Sehee hurriedly offered a greeting. Go Won nodded to indicate it was fine and gestured toward the elevator with his chin.
“Sehee-ssi, go down first. I’ll follow after taking care of some business.”
Along with the word ‘business,’ he looked at Seungyeon. Baek Sehee, holding her shopping bag, disappeared into the elevator saying to take it slow. Seungyeon, who’d been only reading the room until then, bowed his head with the most good-natured smile he could muster.
“It was nice meeting you. Then I’ll be on my way…”
“Was it Baek Seungyeon?”
Go Won abruptly spoke. His gaze was peculiarly cold, as if gauging the value of an object. Seungyeon awkwardly replied.
“Yes, uh, I’m Sehee noona’s younger brother, Baek Seungyeon.”
Unlike his obedient answer, a red light was flashing in Seungyeon’s head.
Setting aside the terrifying attitude, it was a relationship that wouldn’t be much help even if they got involved. The work Go Won did would soon become Tae Muhyuk’s weakness. There was no need for Seungyeon to stop Go Won while considering penalties, and even if he did, it wouldn’t help Baek Sehee anyway.
Besides, there was nothing to stop or whatever. What Seungyeon could do at best was find lost items, clear up misunderstandings, convey facts to related people, and gather evidence. He didn’t have the guts to stop a gangster ahjussi from slicing and dicing people. No, even if he had the guts, he didn’t want to. After all, you only have one life, so shouldn’t you not throw it around so recklessly?
For now, he wanted to somehow end this awkward encounter. While contemplating how to escape naturally and less noticeably, his head gradually lowered. To anyone watching, he looked completely intimidated, but it didn’t matter. If anyone stood in front of Go Won, their head would automatically bow, right?
“Raise your head.”
As if reading his thoughts, a command like a threat immediately followed. The moment he flinched and slowly raised his head, he saw Go Won standing right in front of his nose. The eyes staring intently were fierce. If I upset him even slightly, he’ll hit me, slice me, cut me.
To prevent escape, Go Won grabbed Seungyeon’s chin. He turned Seungyeon’s face this way and that, openly admiring it. A murmur followed as if finding it fascinating.
“You really do look alike.”
There was no subject, but it was clear who he was comparing him to. Baek Sehee, right? Hadn’t he muttered they looked alike just before? Seungyeon had never particularly thought they looked alike, but since they were siblings, they might look similar.
However, he had absolutely no idea why he was showing this much interest. He tried to grab Go Won’s hand and push it away, but it didn’t budge. Cold sweat trickled down in the situation where he’d just become someone holding a wrist.
While Seungyeon smiled awkwardly and struggled desperately to somehow push him away, the hand gripping his chin tightened a bit more. At his face lifted almost taut, Seungyeon squinted his eyes. Isn’t this position, like, a bit too much?
“I’ve heard a lot about you. Unlike Sehee-ssi’s younger brother, your reputation is filthy.”
“What reputation… First, let go of this and talk…”
In the flustered Seungyeon’s pupils was reflected the face of the man who burst into laughter. He approached brazenly close. Close enough to kiss, he could feel even his breath. The lowered gaze was full of curiosity.
“Why? Aren’t you used to this kind of thing? You’d do it a lot when hitting on people. You’re good with your body, right?”
Every time he spoke, their lips brushed precariously. Pain was felt from the tightly gripped chin to the point of stinging. Every time he put strength in his body to try to escape, an even greater force held him and wouldn’t let go.
“Ah, or do you only use your back so you don’t know the top well? Don’t you do it much with your mouth?”
A voice that was either ridicule or mockery disturbed his ears. Go Won reached out his hand. He grabbed him as if wrapping around his waist and pulled him strongly. Seungyeon’s center of gravity was firmly pressed against his thigh.
“Interesting.”
With a laugh, Go Won retreated backward without hesitation. Seungyeon, who barely found freedom, blushed and stepped backward. His heart pounded because of Go Won, who gave him shame without any care in such an open place. Go Won stared intently at Seungyeon’s face for a long while. With a smile like a well-fed lion, he whispered.
“I like worn-out things.”
*
Seungyeon moved his steps as if fleeing. Even until he escaped from the department store, Go Won’s figure wasn’t visible. On one hand he thought it was fortunate, but on the other, he just felt at a loss about what to do now.
As if to prove the words of liking him were sincere, the status window appeared the moment Go Won finished his business. However, this time it was a bit different from before.
[A ‘Specific Person’ has been added! The currently registered Specific Persons total 3. Once registered, a Specific Person cannot be changed.]
[All Specific Persons have been registered! Through Specific Persons, you can directly or indirectly influence the protagonist’s critical decisions and adjust the possessed body’s fate.]
Both ‘the protagonist’s critical decisions’ and ‘the possessed body’s fate’ were very difficult for Seungyeon to understand. Wasn’t that so? Who exactly is the protagonist from where to where? Is it just these two people, Baek Sehee and Tae Jeyoung, or just Baek Sehee? Or am I also included in that protagonist? Originally, the protagonist of life is oneself, so thinking about it that way, couldn’t you call all people protagonists?
On top of that, the possessed body’s fate—what kind of ghost-eating nonsense is that?
“Status window or whatever, you should be grateful you have no physical form. Otherwise I’d have smacked you already.”
He ground his teeth and muttered. Seungyeon, who’d reached a deserted alley, leaned against the wall and crouched down weakly. He was only confused by the situation flowing regardless of his will.
Whatever rumor Go Won heard, he thought it probably wasn’t anything good. Otherwise he wouldn’t have acted that way. Seungyeon wore a bitter smile.
“He seems to see me as a complete piece of trash slut…”
Tracing back Baek Seungyeon’s behavior so far, it actually wasn’t wrong. He was both a piece of trash and a slut.
Even if the contents had changed, there was no way to prove it, so in others’ eyes, he was that kind of person.
