“Miro-ssi is a person with very high intelligence. Fabricating that much would be child’s play for him, wouldn’t it?”
“I think you’re misunderstanding Miro-ssi.”
Doubting the doctor’s qualifications, Eunchan showed discomfort. The doctor smiled gently and began recording something in the chart.
“Can you tell me about the Miro-ssi that you see?”
“……He gets lonely easily, he’s weak, and there are many things he’s afraid of,”
And he laughs just as easily and is also stubborn. Eunchan thought of Miro who would be diligently decorating his room at home. Sometimes he seemed scary when he appeared not in his right mind, but he was still a fragile man.
“Miro-ssi is learning emotions. Fortunately, he seems to be learning quickly through Eunchan-ssi these days. Hasn’t he been imitating things like Eunchan-ssi’s behavior?”
“That’s right.”
Miro watched and examined each and every one of Eunchan’s actions. Perhaps dressing the doll in the same clothes as himself was in the same context.
“Why does he do that?”
Why me of all people? Eunchan brought out the question he’d been wanting to ask.
“Well. Isn’t it a kind of imprinting? Like a chick that hatches from an egg does with its mother.”
“So why me?”
“I think Eunchan-ssi knows that better than I do.”
The doctor, who finished organizing the chart, took out a business card from inside his gown and held it out to Eunchan.
“Please contact me when you need to. While Eunchan-ssi is by his side, it should be okay for Miro-ssi to stop medication treatment. But that doesn’t mean you should stop it right away. Please help him reduce it gradually.”
“You mean the medicine that makes him sleep?”
“No, the medication that suppresses emotions. The greater the range of emotions running wild, the harder it will be for Miro-ssi to endure. Miro-ssi still has enough, so please tell him to take it at the right times.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Do you have any other questions?”
“No. I don’t.”
Even the information coming in now was overwhelming. Eunchan organized his breathing while letting out a long sigh. He was hired because of the stalker problem, but somehow it felt like he was getting more involved with Miro day by day. He couldn’t gauge whether it was a swimming pool with a bottom or an endless muddy swamp.
Am I someone who can get closer? How far can I handle?
In a relationship that demanded responsibility, Eunchan was lost and only paced around the same spot. I can barely handle myself, and now Miro too……. Can I really leave once the stalker issue is resolved?
He couldn’t imagine what came after.
After coming out of the examination room, Eunchan had to sit in the waiting room chair for quite a while to organize his thoughts.
He came to his senses when a text from Jang Heewoo arrived. Jeongwon Villa A-dong 1523. It wasn’t that far from the hospital. Eunchan stopped by the bathroom and washed his face. At times like this, he needed to know priorities well. Catching the stalker and finding Kim Noeul. There was no need to worry about anything else yet. As long as he was bound by contract, Eunchan had a duty to do his best.
With his mind composed, Eunchan stopped by a nearby pharmacy and bought vitamin drinks in front of Jang Heewoo’s house where he’d come. So it was a hospital visit in name—he couldn’t go empty-handed. After paying, Eunchan had to wander around the spacious area for a bit to find the entrance to the villa. Miro lived in a nice place, and his younger brother was no slouch either.
It was a structure where outsiders couldn’t enter unless residents opened it. Eunchan checked the unit number and then pressed the call number. After a bit of a dial tone, he heard a click sound connecting to unit 1523.
“It’s me, Kim Eunchan.”
Eunchan stood in front of the camera so his face could be seen well and nodded his head. As if properly confirming, the entrance door opened. Unlike regular apartments, there were no residential spaces on the first floor. There were two elevators side by side, so there was no need to wait long.
Eunchan, who pressed the 15th floor button, organized his appearance once more. It was good that he wore what Miro gave him. If it had been worn and old attire, Jang Heewoo, who already had a bad personality, would have obviously looked down on him more. As he was checking the bruise still faintly remaining on his cheek, his pocket vibrated.
[Where.are.you.now?.^^]
[I came out to work.]
Eunchan sent a reply saying he came out to work to Miro’s text. It wasn’t even afternoon yet. And he felt like he’d been neglecting Hyungsik lately, so he wanted to eat lunch with Hyungsik. As soon as he sent the text, another message arrived.
[I.miss.Eunchan.^^]
He was about to send a reply saying he’d return quickly when at that moment, ding-dong, the elevator reached the 15th floor. When he came out of the elevator, Jang Heewoo was standing with the door to unit 1523 open. Eunchan, who hurriedly shoved his phone into his pocket, greeted him politely.
“Hello.”
“Did you crawl here?”
“I took a taxi.”
With guys like this, it’s best to just smile and act like someone with a screw loose. Eunchan held out a box of vitamin drinks he bought nearby to Heewoo.
“It’s a hospital visit gift.”
“You drink it.”
“Thank you.”
How hard is it to take vitamins? Eunchan quickly thanked him and took the drinks back. Jang Heewoo let out an incredulous laugh saying this was the first time he’d seen such a shameless guy, but Eunchan pretended not to hear. When he entered the house, it surprisingly smelled like people lived there. It was cozier and warmer than Miro’s house. The wallpaper and furniture matched in pale beige and wood tones blended well together. The homeowner must have good sense. When he passed through the hallway and came out to the living room, he could see the quiet city scenery through the window.
“Do you paint?”
Instead of a TV, a large easel was placed in the middle of the living room. As if he’d been working on it just now, a half-finished canvas was placed on the easel and paint and brushes were rolling around here and there on the table.
“What did hyung say?”
“Wait a minute, I think I’ve seen this somewhere.”
He knew nothing about art, but the colors used and the feeling were similar to what had been in Miro’s house. Eunchan slowly appreciated the painting. It looked like a straight and old tree, but somehow it seemed powerless and withered. Should I say it had no vitality?
“Unlike how you look, you go to exhibitions, fitting.”
Right, his talent for provoking people is excellent. Eunchan turned around with a smiling face.
“I saw something similar at Miro-ssi’s house. Do they exhibit things like this too? Surprising……. I thought only well-painted pictures were submitted to exhibitions.”
You eat shit too. Eunchan sat comfortably on the sofa and crossed his legs.
“You look like you’d think that. Like someone who’s uneducated.”
Jang Heewoo growled and sharpened his edge at the exchange. However, since being uneducated was true, Eunchan wasn’t particularly affected.
“At least give me some tea.”
“Just drink that.”
“Should I?”
Jang Heewoo sat on the stool and faced Eunchan. Eunchan immediately opened the box he bought and took out a drink to drink. Absurd gazes poured on his face, but he didn’t care at all. What thickened while doing errand center work wasn’t his wallet but his skin.
After pouring vitamins down his throat all at once, Eunchan put down the empty bottle. He didn’t forget to add an exclamation of satisfaction—”Keu.”
“Do you even know what a hospital visit means?”
“You said you wouldn’t drink it. You didn’t even give me tea.”
Everything is your fault. Eunchan crossed his arms and glared at Jang Heewoo.
“Whatever. Just tell me what you came for. What did hyung tell you?”
Jang Heewoo, who pressed his forehead as if tired, raised the white flag first. His complexion was pale, making him still look sick somewhere. Feeling a bit guilty for making a sick person eat shit and lightly touching his nerves, Eunchan felt a twinge of conscience.
“So, um, how are you feeling?”
“Did hyung ask about my health? Fuck, he knows better than anyone, is he trying to piss me off or what!”
“Calm down.”
Jang Heewoo, who kicked the table with his foot, couldn’t hold back his anger and huffed. No, is asking how you’re doing something to get so angry about? It was just brought up like a common greeting, but he didn’t know it would provoke Jang Heewoo like this. Eunchan picked up the paint spilled on the floor and the scattered brushes.
“What else did he say? That he’s going to kill me this time for sure?”
“Why would Miro-ssi kill Heewoo-ssi?”
Who was the person who massaged your limbs and took care of you when you collapsed? Eunchan frowned and clicked his tongue.
“Right, you’re someone hyung hired. Completely fallen for that bastard…….”
“Who? Me? No, I’m not?”
Hired person, completely fallen for. Eunchan, who fit both things Jang Heewoo said, jumped up and waved his hands. His pricked heart hurt.
“What did he make you do?”
“What do you mean make me do? What about this floor? When will all this paint come off?”
“Is it your house? Don’t worry about it.”
That’s right. It’s not my house anyway. Eunchan put the brush he picked up back down on the floor.
“You two don’t get along, I see.”
If he thinks he’ll kill him, the rift must be quite deep. Eunchan asked while moving the empty drink bottle far away in case Jang Heewoo threw it in his temper.
“Would you like it if you were me? Don’t say useless things, just tell me what hyung said and leave.”
“When you collapsed, Miro-ssi massaged your limbs and contacted the hospital.”
The hyung still takes care of him because he’s his younger brother, but the younger brother side still seems immature. Having heard bad things about the younger brother, Eunchan naturally looked at the younger brother from Miro’s perspective.
“He did it with a purpose. If he really worried about me, would I be like this?”
As if his head hurt, Jang Heewoo placed his hand on his forehead and breathed heavily.
“Does Miro-ssi know you’re sick too?”
You’re not the only one who’s sick. Being the younger brother and leaving his hyung alone and lonely in that big house. Even at the hospital, he made Eunchan, who wasn’t even family but a stranger, act as the guardian.
“Why? He’s sick too? Good, we can die together then.”
“……He’s mentally ill.”
“I know. That bastard’s crazy.”
He said sick, not crazy. Eunchan clicked his tongue with disapproving eyes.
“He’s been like that since he was young. That bastard wouldn’t even make a sound when getting beaten. Every time I see that bastard’s empty eyes, I get chills. He’s like a ghost.”
