And so Baek Sahyun drove the whole way humming a bizarrely tuned song. I, who had been sneaking glances at him, decided to just give up and sleep. Even if Baek Sahyun really crashed the car somewhere, it seemed I could reduce the pain by dying while asleep.
I did feel gazes poking my cheek from time to time, but I endured strongly. I wanted to even make snoring sounds, but I held back thinking I’d get slapped hard on the cheek if I did.
Leaning back the especially plush car seat and sleeping soundly was practically paradise itself. It might have been because Baek Sahyun’s driving skills were quite capable that I could sleep even more comfortably.
Anyway, I who had been knocked out so deeply I nearly drooled was pulled out of sleep by him.
Smack!
“Shi…t, why are you hitting my cheeks and acting crazy…”
Baek Sahyun was wickedly alternating slaps on both my cheeks. His strength was so good that the pain was indescribable, so I had no choice but to open my eyes.
The guy who had been staring blankly down at me clicked open my seatbelt and said:
“Sorry. No matter how much I shook you, you wouldn’t wake up.”
“Don’t tell me you’re calling that an excuse?”
“That’s right. Then why would I do it?”
“……”
“If you’re awake, hurry and get out. We’ve arrived.”
“You’re really a bastard.”
I didn’t even need to see it. He probably shook me a little and then thought ‘great’ and excitedly assaulted me. But Baek Sahyun asked hatefully:
“What, should I have kissed you instead?”
“……”
“Would you have gotten out quietly without complaining then?”
As expected of the world’s gay bastard, even his way of thinking was deplorable beyond words.
“Never mind. I should just stop talking.”
Reminding myself of the realization that ignoring a crazy person is the remedy, I flung open the car door.
With this, I finally arrived at that Baek Sahyun bastard’s super-luxurious villa. Recalling the typo-filled text the original Nam Heejae had sent him made one corner of my heart ache.
Baek Sahyun would have mercilessly punished Nam Heejae right here and arbitrarily threatened him. Otherwise there’s no way he would have suddenly sent an apology text at dawn.
“…Wow. What kind of palace is this?”
I, who had somehow naturally ended up moving the suitcases from the trunk, muttered. Because the villa landscape I faced right before my eyes literally looked similar to a palace.
Even when I entered inside, an old gentleman in a suit, no. An old butler came out to greet Baek Sahyun. He who greeted Baek Sahyun with a kind face offered a gentle greeting.
“It’s been a long time since you’ve visited, young master.”
At that sight, I became newly captivated by the thought that that Baek Sahyun bastard was indeed a chaebol. A butler. Does this even make sense in 21st century Republic of Korea?
Ah, right. This wasn’t the Republic of Korea I knew. Maybe it’s a setting that’s possible because it’s a novel.
I who had been struggling to drag three suitcases could finally breathe a sigh of relief only after the villa staff took the luggage instead.
Whew, I almost lost my arms but fortunately. That conscienceless Baek Sahyun. Just how many bags did he pack? It’s not like he came on a school trip alone.
“When he’s even stronger than me.”
I grumbled and cracked my stiff shoulders. Baek Sahyun who had been exchanging greetings for quite a while suddenly turned to look at me at that moment.
I who was pricked by my own foot awkwardly pulled up my lips. When I smiled as if grimacing, the butler standing next to Baek Sahyun showed puzzlement.
“…Young Master Heejae?”
It was a bewildered tone. Crazy, he’s calling me young master!
I became embarrassed at the special word I’d only heard in movies or dramas. I’m not even the real Nam Heejae, so I felt awkward wondering if it was okay for me to receive such VIP treatment.
The butler with a good build for his age approached with great strides.
“Young master, are you feeling unwell anywhere?”
Then didn’t he touch my forehead and cheeks asking me. He seemed to be checking my temperature, but I who was burdened by physical contact with others hurriedly pulled back my upper body. I actually felt repulsed by this kind of affectionate skinship.
“I’m, I’m fine.”
It was because the warmth of another person felt through Nam Heejae’s skin gave me more guilt than expected. Whether it was okay to live stealing someone else’s flesh like this…, questions arose from time to time.
Whenever that happened, I would always ask and answer myself.
…Perhaps the story would differ depending on whether it’s a body that was abandoned or a body that was lost.
Anyway, I thought. This place was a private villa where Baek Sahyun and Nam Heejae had traveled together every vacation. In other words, the certain incidents that occurred here were definitely somehow connected to the real Nam Heejae’s evaporation.
Therefore, I planned to secretly inquire here and there and collect evidence later when night deepened. There would be some traces remaining.
That’s when it happened.
“I’m planning to swim first today.”
While the old butler was nagging at me, Baek Sahyun who pulled my waist and drew me to his side added leisurely:
“So please prepare the meal about two hours from now, and during that time don’t let anyone get near the pool. Not even any signs of people.”
“Yes, young master.”
“And please prepare the necessary items in the room.”
Ominous words were continuing to pour down from above my head.
After that, Baek Sahyun walked steadily toward outside the villa while back-hugging me in that state.
Arriving at the swimming pool that boasted a scale large enough to rival any sports center, I couldn’t help but exclaim, wow. Baek Sahyun whispered softly:
“Do you like swimming?”
If I said I liked it, it was a nuance that he’d try waterboarding saying let’s have fun playing around. So I wanted to deny it, but honestly I quite liked swimming.
Sergeant Jang Woohyun, wasn’t my nickname ‘seal’ during my military days?
Right. Now that it’s come to this, let’s show the power of having completed military service. I finished my resolution and flung off my top. Baek Sahyun looked at me like looking at a pervert.
“Come on. Don’t drive people crazy and start, Baek Sahyun.”
But I was dignified. He had definitely ordered the butler grandfather to prepare a meal two hours later. Then, in other words, doesn’t that mean for the next two hours I’m scheduled to be waterboarded by him? Since you should pull out a bull’s horn while it’s hot, I boldly pestered Baek Sahyun.
“I want to finish quickly and eat, so don’t delay. At this rate my belly skin will stick to my back skin.”
“……”
“Hey, aren’t you starting quickly? Don’t you want to play in the water?”
Baek Sahyun was a self-proclaimed water play addict. A pervert who enjoyed putting others in water and making them struggle. I slapped down on Nam Heejae’s chest, which was elastic befitting young blood, that is, my chest, and declared:
“Let’s do it, water play.”
Nevertheless, when Baek Sahyun didn’t budge, I started to wonder. Ah, could it be because of the pants?
“Even in this situation, being picky about cleanliness…”
I clicked my tongue and grabbed my waistband. He must have been standing there glaring like that because he didn’t like the sight of going into the pool with pants on.
Thud, it was the moment I unfastened the buckle without hesitation. A snow-white hand flew in and swung at the back of my head. Thwack! Unable to withstand that power, I fell into the water with a splash.
“Uwah, fuck! What!”
Water entered every hole in my face and I coughed violently. That’s when it happened. Baek Sahyun, who had been watching me floundering from above the pool, said reproachfully:
“This is a swimming pool, not a hot spring.”
So what? Don’t I have eyes? Who said I didn’t know it was a pool? Just as I was about to shout, he showed me his broad back and spat out:
“…Go up and change into a swimsuit and come out.”
“Dude. If you’re a psychopath, go to a mental hospital! Don’t be out in society!”
“I was going to let you look for a bit…, I didn’t know your body would heat up and you’d rush at me like this.”
However, he was truly the worst opponent. Baek Sahyun, who only slightly turned his head to look at me, giggled while only spouting what he wanted to say.
Anyway, Heejae-ya.
“I like that you’re entertaining.”
“Is that so…? I dislike that you’re not entertaining.”
I had more to say, but I decided to consider it nothing because my one and only life was precious.
❖ ❖ ❖
“Baek Sahyun, this damn bastard!”
Following Baek Sahyun’s advice that no matter how starved I was for swimming, this place wasn’t a hot spring so he’d appreciate it if I’d cover my body as much as possible, I came up to the second floor room snapping angrily.
Damn it. Though I’d only done manual labor all my life, I wasn’t completely without manners and common sense either. As if I was crazy enough to strip and dive like kids bathing.
It just seemed unnecessary to even change into a swimsuit anyway since I’d be waterboarded next.
When I opened the door fuming, swimming trunks and a rash guard folded neatly at sharp angles came into view. Seeing them placed on the bed, it seemed the villa staff had prepared them in advance.
Come to think of it, that Baek Sahyun bastard seemed to have said to prepare something….
“Hmm.”
After quickly finishing changing, I bowed my head and carefully inspected the fit.
Standing in front of the full-length mirror prepared in one corner of the room, the clothes fit quite satisfactorily. The outline of the abs caught in the tights looked quite solid. The chest was honestly excellent too, and when I forcibly strained the veins in my neck, even wild beauty overflowed.
One regrettable thing was that the skin was too pale white. If it had been tanned to a bronze color, it would have been perfect to my taste.
But well, this is an overall satisfactory body. If it had been my original body, wouldn’t the abs only show if I tightened my lower abdomen until my face turned red?
I felt sorry to Nam Heejae for somehow getting to enjoy luxury by getting this young body for free…, no wait. Fuck, Nam Heejae, just where exactly did you escape to?
I quickly changed my mind. Right. What luxury is this anyway?
Recalling being mortgaged to Baek Sahyun, depression immediately came over me.
Right now I was just taking Nam Heejae’s place in suffering the ordeals he should experience. I’d be the one sacrificed in the Alpha-Omega love battle. I’d be the one fucked.
“Still, let’s get it together, Jang Woohyun.”
I shook my head vigorously as if chasing away negativity.
Since it’s come to this anyway, let’s endure safely until I find some way, such determination surged up repeatedly. Good. Don’t fall for that monstrous gay Baek Sahyun bastard’s clutches and endure. At least until I return this body to Nam Heejae, let’s try not to be dragged to a torture chamber.
