Even while saying that, it was clear he found him adorable. That was because the two had an age difference of ten years. When Yoon Taerim was doing roundhouse kicks at the taekwondo studio, Jung Sanho was crying “waah” wearing diapers.
Even pitch-black Jung Sanho looked just like a baby in Yoon Taerim’s eyes. Though he’d never actually changed a poopy diaper himself, it was true they’d known each other since he was running around in diapers. From the standpoint of clearly remembering his baby appearance, even if time passed and he became an adult, he was bound to recall that image.
“Who asked you to follow me all the way here? You’re the one who stubbornly tagged along…”
“Yes yes. I understand, young master. To escort our disobedient young master home, I have to grovel on my own.”
Even while saying that, he didn’t look particularly angry. Whatever tantrum Jung Sanho threw, in Yoon Taerim’s eyes he only looked cute. He was a younger sibling he cherished normally, and given the family circumstances, he couldn’t help but feel even more affectionate.
Myeong Huiyeong, Yoon Taerim’s aunt and Jung Sanho’s mother, had originally been of a fragile disposition. Because of that, she frequently sought out her older sister Myeong Heemin, and she too freely came and went to her younger sister’s house for her only sibling.
He’d often come and gone following his mother since childhood, and even among chaebol families, he was unusually strongly attached to family.
So he couldn’t help but be curious about who this person was that his beloved cousin was so desperately hanging onto. Even pretending otherwise, knowing well how weak to affection and soft Jung Sanho’s personality was, he was all the more worried.
After contemplating, Yoon Taerim subtly broached the subject. He brought it up as indirectly as possible, but the expression on Jung Sanho’s face listening to that story already had poison rising to the brim.
“Sanho, you know though, right? You have to be careful with people.”
“I told you so many times it’s not like that! No, if hyung hadn’t suddenly contacted me in the first place saying there’s a family gathering or whatever, this wouldn’t have happened!”
“Mm, so, since I don’t know what ‘this’ is, I have nothing to say.”
“That’s…!”
Jung Sanho, extremely agitated, shut his mouth tightly. Turning his head toward the window, he rubbed his reddened earlobes.
“Hyung doesn’t need to know.”
“Hmm…”
Something definitely happened. What did he do to make the kid shake like this?
Tap tap, tapping the steering wheel with his fingers, Yoon Taerim looked at the address shown on the navigation. As far as he remembered, it was a location with no particular connection to Jung Sanho. It was too far to be a school friend, and besides that, nothing came to mind. He knew almost all of Jung Sanho’s connections. No matter how much he racked his brain, he had to consider it had no connection to such an ordinary apartment complex.
‘Who exactly is it?’
Secret friend or whatever, it seemed he’d have to properly investigate.
*
Two days had already passed since he’d exorcised Jung Sanho with a kiss. During those two days, Seungyeon spent time more peaceful than any other since his possession.
He’d cleanly settled relationships with his hyungs and noonas, and when even Jung Sanho, who’d been contacting him every few minutes, disappeared without a trace, there was no one left looking for him. With the sudden leisure, Seungyeon handled the things he’d put off one by one.
“Thank you for your business.”
“Yep! Take care!”
A vigorous greeting rang out loud enough to echo through the used car dealership. Unlike the dealer’s bright smile, Seungyeon’s face was utterly sullen.
It was good that he’d disposed of the supercar that had been full of problems, but because he processed it hastily, he had to sell it much cheaper than market price. Still, it was fortunate the car’s value was greater than the remaining loan. Thinking about the loan principal and the interest paid so far, it was actually a minus, but he was grateful enough not to be in immediate debt.
“I can earn money by working from now on.”
Though he was currently unemployed and broke, who knew what the future held? Taking this opportunity to redesign his future wasn’t bad either. Having decided to settle down in this world, he couldn’t live this impromptu for the rest of his life, could he?
Seungyeon immediately moved his steps to a nearby cafe. Sipping on iced americano, he diligently fumbled with his phone.
In front of the monumental event of possession, other things had somewhat fizzled out. Everything except having his mom was a minus. For an equivalent exchange of Baek Seungyeon’s life with his own life, the loss was painfully severe. The academic achievements Seungyeon had built up, his career, the money he’d saved—there wasn’t a single thing similar. Though his mom was alive, he could no longer see his real older sister and brothers. Of course, his noona and hyungs would eat well and live well on their own, so he wasn’t particularly worried, but…
“Still, the bank account balance, is this for real right now?”
It was embarrassing to make the excuse ‘because he’s young’ when Baek Seungyeon was twenty-three. Unemployed, jobless, high school dropout, with only a pile of debt and a total of 2.19 million won in the bank. What can you do with a measly 2.19 million won? Even that had only avoided being in the negative thanks to the 3 million won he’d recently received from Jung Sanho as daily wages. After paying fees when selling the car, getting documents, and spending on this and that, what remained was 2.19 million won. Without the money Jung Sanho gave, he probably wouldn’t have been able to sell the car for lack of money to pay the fees.
He naturally became solemn before the tiny number. At this rate, bankruptcy wasn’t far off, and then he might have no choice but to reach out to his mom or Baek Sehee again. Even if I can’t show filial piety, I shouldn’t cause harm, but why is that so difficult? Seungyeon rubbed his throbbing head.
“Right, let’s earn money first. There must be something I can do.”
He looked through job postings to see what he could do immediately. If there was something he was confident in, it would be physical labor? For now, he’d completed military service and the cast was off, so if he worked hard at a factory somewhere, it seemed it would be okay. Short-term part-time work seemed fine, and factories providing room and board didn’t look bad for working a few months. While scanning the salaries in the job postings, other thoughts inevitably began to creep up in Seungyeon’s mind. In a world where even doing hard labor for a month gave 2.5 million won, at most 3 million, Jung Sanho had given him 3 million for one day’s meeting.
“If it’s three hundred per time… even meeting just once a week would be twelve hundred a month…”
If he did that for just 3 months, an ordinary office worker’s annual salary would be in his hands. When there’s an easy path, is it really right to deliberately go into a factory and suffer?
The temptation of unearned income was quite intense. Of course, when Jung Sanho had committed unreasonable atrocities, he’d resolved never to face him again, money or not. But after squaring up and facing his bank account, his judgment immediately became clouded.
Isn’t there a saying, high risk, high return? If it’s someone who throws three hundred for one meeting, couldn’t they throw a bit of a tantrum? It seems right to accommodate that much from this side…
At that time, Seungyeon was also angry and couldn’t see anything. Only after seeing Jung Sanho’s retreating figure fleeing with a red face did he belatedly come to his senses.
Recalling that day’s memory, Seungyeon subtly rubbed his lips. Honestly speaking, both then and thinking about it now, it wasn’t particularly a bad feeling. It wasn’t unpleasant and it wasn’t strange.
At the time, he was just too busy watching Jung Sanho’s reaction, not knowing what to do. The eyes trembling from embarrassment, the fidgeting body, even the stiffly frozen tongue—he didn’t particularly think it was unpleasant. No, rather, he seemed to have liked it a bit…
“My taste is too trashy.”
Seungyeon let out a deep “whew” sigh and rubbed his face with his hands. At this rate, I have no right to criticize the real Baek Seungyeon. Enticing an innocent kid and doing bad things was the same for both. No, this side was worse in terms of directly doing something.
Was I really possessed by something? Why did I do that? He had difficulty finding answers regarding his relationship with Jung Sanho or how to treat him.
The more Jung Sanho revealed his sincerity, the more Seungyeon felt guilty. It would’ve been better if Jung Sanho’s purpose had been clear, whether body or whatever, but he expressed affection for Seungyeon without wanting anything. Even if he looked prickly on the outside, Seungyeon knew best how sincere Jung Sanho was. He had no confidence in catching up to those feelings at all.
Perhaps for Jung Sanho’s sake too, wouldn’t it be right to part ways at this point?
“Even though I need money… still, you can’t play with someone’s feelings.”
For now, if he accommodated what he wanted and received money or penalty nullification in return, Seungyeon had nothing to lose. But if these meetings repeated? It would be no different from what Baek Seungyeon did. Covering one’s eyes and saying ‘ow’ couldn’t hide the act of exploiting someone’s feelings for gain.
