Chapter 16
There was a hint of mockery in his measured tone. Punching bag. Hyungoh wondered if he’d misheard.
“Calm down, Herick. Your personality’s gotten even worse since you’ve been in the hospital. Well, it was always pretty shitty.”
Theo slapped Herick’s back sharply.
“Would you stop touching me? I’m worried your stupidity might be contagious.”
“This bastard…”
“Stop it! What are you doing to a patient?”
Hyungoh watched in horror as Theo grabbed Herick by the collar and yanked him up, even though he was lying there weak, IV lines dangling from his arm. Weren’t they supposed to be friends? The way they treated each other, they might as well have been mortal enemies.
“Don’t be so dramatic.”
Herick casually adjusted the bed to match his half-raised position. He leaned back as if nothing had happened and smiled faintly. Slippery bastard. Theo released his collar with a jerk.
Hyungoh awkwardly lowered his outstretched hand. For some reason, Herick didn’t seem to like him.
“Did Michael really do this to you?”
Hyungoh stared at the bandages wrapped around Herick’s head. Had he been hit with a hammer? Hyungoh winced at the imagined pain.
“Yes.”
“Why would Michael do that?”
“Look here.”
Herick laughed coldly.
“Why should I tell you anything about Michael?”
“Stop being childish, Herick.”
“Shut up, you gerontophile.”
“What?”
Who’s a gerontophile? As Theo shouted angrily, Herick raised his middle finger at him.
“Tell me. Why should I?”
“You might be lying.”
“Haha, what?”
Herick reached out and grabbed Hyungoh by the collar. Pulled right up to Herick’s face with no time to dodge, Hyungoh’s eyes widened.
“Look closely. This is practically a mark of Michael’s love for me.”
Herick tapped his head bandage with his finger.
“Don’t talk shit. Do you bash people’s heads with hammers when you love them? Are you psychotic?”
That’s not how it works, you crazy bastard. It would be more convincing to say Ghost hated him enough to want to beat him to death with a hammer. Theo snorted.
“Michael is special. Of course his way of treating the people he loves is different from all the pathetic fools in this world.”
“I should’ve had you committed to a mental hospital first.”
“I know. You wouldn’t understand. After all, you’re just one of those pathetic fools.”
“See, Hyungoh? I told you Ghost has a talent for bewitching people. Look at this guy—he loses his mind whenever Michael comes up.”
You should let go of his collar now. Theo removed Herick’s hand from Hyungoh.
Herick gritted his teeth and grabbed Theo’s ear. What the hell, let go of that! Theo shouted. Why are you obscuring the essence of our conversation with this low-level behavior, Theo? As Herick smiled gently while shaking Theo’s ear, Hyungoh took a step back.
This person isn’t in his right mind.
“Your face shows you don’t understand what I’m saying. To think Michael keeps someone as intellectually deficient as you by his side. Has Hunter grown senile with age?”
“Who are you calling senile? Keep treating us like old people and you’ll regret it.”
“It’s true. I heard Hunter brought someone useful from abroad and I had expectations, but it turned out to be someone so intellectually deficient.”
“What did you say?”
Hyungoh asked. Herick shrugged smugly.
“Did my uncle… talk about me that way?”
“I see you didn’t know. You really are stupid.”
“Do you know why my uncle brought me here?”
“Of course. I know better than anyone.”
“Tell me in detail.”
“Why should I?”
Herick asked mockingly. Hyungoh closed his eyes briefly and opened them again as irritation began to build. Don’t get drawn into his personality. Stay calm, Choi Hyungoh.
“Michael’s mark of love isn’t exclusive to Herick.”
Struck by a sudden idea, Hyungoh turned around and quickly pulled off his shirt. Theo, who’d been watching their argument, widened his eyes at Hyungoh’s unexpected action. What are you doing, Hyungoh? Suddenly in the mood for a strip show? Hyungoh glared at Theo, who was whistling, and pointed to his right shoulder blade.
‘angel’
“Angel?”
Herick read the word carved into Hyungoh’s shoulder blade. His expression was indifferent. So what.
Hmm? Theo moved closer to Hyungoh’s back as if he’d discovered something strange. What’s this? It’s not a tattoo.
“It’s a knife wound.”
“…Yeah, well.”
“Oh-ho. I didn’t know you were into that sort of thing.”
“It’s less my preference and more Michael’s.”
“What?”
“Michael did this, I said.”
Herick quickly pulled away from the bed. Michael? His eyes lost focus again. Fortunately, the provocation seemed to have worked.
“Wow, crazy. Michael’s started laying hands on you too?”
“What can I do if I like it?”
A lie, of course.
A knife wound. So it was a scar carved with a knife. Hyungoh touched his rough, protruding scar with a troubled expression.
In truth, Hyungoh himself didn’t know when or from whom this scar had come. More precisely, he couldn’t remember. He’d discovered it while feeling his back due to a stiff sensation before coming to America. He thought it might be a pimple, but when he checked in the mirror, it was a rather grotesque scar.
Hyungoh put his shirt back on. Unless I’ve gone crazy, I couldn’t have done this to myself. It was strange. Whenever he tried to recall who might have done it, his head would feel like it was splitting apart. It was similar to the pain he felt whenever he tried to remember his mother.
“Michael wouldn’t do that.”
“Hmm, that’s exactly what I was saying earlier.”
“He wouldn’t easily get attached to a worm like you.”
“That’s what makes it more curious, doesn’t it? Why Michael is so particularly fond of me when he doesn’t easily get attached.”
Hyungoh smiled slyly.
“If you answer my question, I’ll answer yours.”
Ooh. Theo quietly admired Hyungoh’s clever trick. Herick was glaring fiercely at Hyungoh. That won’t work no matter how you look at me. That guy has quite a bit of guts. Theo sat in a chair and settled in to watch the battle of nerves between Herick and Hyungoh.
“You answer first.”
“No.”
As Hyungoh raised both hands and took light steps backward, Herick quietly cursed.
“Fine. I’ll speak first.”
Listen well, Herick said.
“You’re just a replacement Hunter brought in for me.”
At Herick’s simple and clear answer, Hyungoh stopped in his tracks.
“With Michael’s condition deteriorating recently, he prepared for when I might be seriously injured and unable to be by Michael’s side.”
“What do you mean by his condition deteriorating?”
“It’s similar to puberty. Michael has always been emotionally unstable. Because he gets very lonely, someone always needs to be with him.”
“So my uncle brought me here because he needed someone to take care of Michael.”
Herick nodded.
Hyungoh felt mixed emotions. He’d expected that Hunter must have had some reason for bringing him. And he’d roughly anticipated that the reason would be for Hunter’s own benefit, not for Hyungoh’s sake. For all the various scenarios he’d imagined, it was quite a simple and empty reason.
I see. So that’s why he brought me.
But somehow, his chest felt tight and stinging. Thinking about whether he was hurt, he realized that wasn’t quite it either. He’d never had much faith in Hunter to begin with, and had no expectation that Hunter had taken him in out of genuine concern.
Rationally speaking, he should’ve questioned why Hunter was so devoted to caring for Michael. But he set that issue aside for now. He felt somehow depressed and pitiful. Perhaps because he sensed that his situation was heading in a decidedly unfavorable direction.
Hyungoh felt that he was being used by Hunter. How does Uncle see me? As a mere puppet that moves according to his schemes?
This is unpleasant. Hyungoh’s head throbbed. What made it worse was that his own situation of being used somehow didn’t feel entirely unfamiliar.
“Now it’s your turn.”
Answer me, Herick said. Hyungoh, who’d been emanating a gloomy atmosphere, raised his head to face Herick. Theo vaguely noticed that Hyungoh’s complexion had darkened. Hunter brought that guy because of Ghost? Why do both of them care so much about Ghost? What’s so cute about him? Theo frowned, unable to understand.
“Do you think you know Michael better than anyone else?”
“No one knows Michael as well as I do.”
“Then you must already know why Michael carved this scar on me.”
“…”
When Herick fell silent, Hyungoh let out a small sigh as if he’d expected it.
“Do you believe Michael when he says he’s a god?”
Hyungoh asked. As soon as the word ‘god’ came out, Herick stiffened as if caught off guard. It was definitely a different reaction from Theo, who was standing with his mouth open in bewilderment.
After keeping silent for a moment, Herick opened his mouth quietly.
“Michael can save me.”
At Herick’s words, Theo let out a hollow laugh.
“Wow, quite the devout believer we have here.”
Hyungoh, who’d been quietly watching Theo as he mocked with exaggerated open hands, eventually pressed his lips together.
Special, special, and special again.
That’s how Michael seemed to appear in Herick’s eyes. Hyungoh swallowed a laugh internally. What great things does everyone want from that small, young child?
“Then Herick might need to reconsider his beliefs.”
“What does that mean?”
“This scar I have—it wasn’t Michael’s doing.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Hyungoh turned around without hesitation and left the hospital room. There was no response, but the terrifying energy he felt from behind represented Herick’s state well enough.
Walking down the corridor, deliberately ignoring the cold stares of people sitting on the bench, Hyungoh suddenly recalled the day when he’d first heard Herick’s name. Until just a few hours ago, Hyungoh had thought Michael’s murmuring at that time seemed like calling for a missed lover. But now he changed his mind.
What if it wasn’t out of longing, but out of resentment?
Hyungoh was already empathizing with Michael. To a child only fifteen years old, saying things like he could save him… They’d been close, so Michael must’ve grown up hearing such things constantly. Hyungoh was starting to understand Michael’s chuunibyou-like personality.
“Hey, Hyungoh!”
Theo tapped Hyungoh’s shoulder. Startled, Hyungoh quickly stopped walking.
“Are you going to ride the motorcycle alone?”
“Ah…”
“Let’s go.”
Theo, looking pleased, put his arm around Hyungoh’s shoulders. Thanks to you, I feel like all my frustrations have cleared up. Theo giggled as he spoke.
“But how does Herick know my uncle?”
“Because we’re neighbors. Herick used to live right next door to me, though that was in the past.”
“Then how did he get close to Michael? Wait, did you say they’re family?”
Hyungoh, who’d been nodding to himself, stopped abruptly. Wait a minute. Come to think of it, they’re family!
“You said they’re family. But is it okay for him to talk about Michael loving him and stuff like that?”
“I told you. There’s no normal person in our area. As you’ve seen, he’s not normal either.”
“So they’re definitely family?”
“I don’t know that either.”
“What? You said you were childhood friends with Herick.”
“Well, that just means I’ve known him for a long time. And people around here tend not to talk about personal things like family history. Why? Because every single one of them is messed up.”
Including me, of course. Theo, who’d come outside, threw a helmet at Hyungoh. If we kept talking, a whole day wouldn’t be enough. It’s like a city of outlaws. In our area, there are jokes that beyond incest, there’s a high probability that half-human, half-beast creatures exist because people have done “that” with animal offspring.
Hyungoh wanted to cover his ears. But he had to hold onto Theo’s waist as he started the engine. It was chaos. Eventually, to calm himself down, he sang the national anthem internally. He didn’t want to think about anything. It was a last struggle against the horrific facts.
Looking up at the already darkening night sky, thousands of stars were illuminating themselves. It was a momentarily stabilizing moment. Under the same sky, some people are enjoying happiness eating warm meals prepared by their parents, others are having a joyous drinking party with friends after a long time, but here I am, trembling in the cold wind while racing down an eerie highway where nothing can be seen. The thought made him feel complicated.
“East Sea’s waters and Baekdusan Mountain, Until they dry and wear away—”
“What? I can’t hear you!”
“God protect our land forever, Long live our nation…”
With his homesickness suddenly welling up, Hyungoh bowed his head deeply. The merciless sound of wind hitting his ears cooled his head a little.
***
Hyungoh staggered into the house. His stomach churned from Theo’s aggressive driving. I’m never riding with him again. Hyungoh took slow, deep breaths to calm his stomach.
The living room was still quiet. Is Uncle already asleep? He was about to go straight to his room from fatigue when the particularly cold-looking study door caught his attention. Maybe I should just check quickly before going up. He was concerned about Hunter, who hadn’t shown his face all day. I’m sure everything’s fine. With an uneasy feeling, Hyungoh hurriedly knocked on the door.
There was no answer. A faint smell of alcohol wafted through the crack in the door. Wrinkling his nose, Hyungoh turned the handle.
“Uncle?”
Hunter was sitting quietly in front of a television bathed in grayish light. The smell of alcohol grew stronger as Hyungoh approached him. When he reached Hunter’s side, empty vodka bottles appeared on the table in front of the sofa.
“Do you know what day it is today?”
Hunter asked in his usual leisurely tone. His gaze remained fixed on the television screen.
“I’m not sure.”
“It’s Maria’s birthday.”
Hunter silently pointed to the seat beside him. Feeling an uneasy atmosphere, Hyungoh was considering just returning to his room when Hunter grabbed his hand and forced him to sit on the sofa. Startled, Hyungoh looked at Hunter, who met his gaze with a seemingly normal complexion.
“The day a genius artist first showed her face to the world.”
Hunter caressed Hyungoh’s face slowly, as if savoring it. His eyes glistened with desire.
“Uncle, I think you’re drunk.”
Hyungoh turned his head sharply, rejecting Hunter’s touch. His eyes moved uncontrollably from the persistent gaze he could feel even without looking.
“The eyes? No, not that. Not the nose either… Yes, the lips might resemble hers a bit.”
Hunter placed his hand on Hyungoh’s face again and muttered. Your slightly upturned corner of the mouth was just like bright red feathers.
When Hyungoh tried to turn his head again, Hunter forcefully pushed him down on the sofa.
“What are you—”
Hyungoh was horrified by Hunter’s action of pinning down his hands. Are you crazy? Hunter’s face, illuminated by the pale screen light, looked even more terrifying.
No matter how much he tried to shake off Hunter’s hands, he couldn’t overcome his strength. Hyungoh shouted at the horrific feeling of helplessness that gave him goosebumps.
“Let go of me!”
In that moment, the CCTV footage of Michael and Hunter automatically played in his mind. It was a memory he didn’t want to recall.
In the pitch-black screen, Hunter, who’d laid Michael on the bed, gradually transformed into a terrifying monster. Hyungoh’s eyes trembled. His breath caught at the images forming in his mind on their own.
“Did you… did you do this to Michael too?”
“You really don’t resemble her. Different from Maria.”
“I asked if you did this to Michael too!”
“Maria doesn’t behave that way, Hyungoh.”
How strange that there’s not a single resemblance. Hunter whispered in a deeply sunken voice.
He’s not in his right mind. Hyungoh thought. In his current state, it didn’t seem like they could communicate. Hyungoh calmed himself. His heart was beating fast, intensifying his emotions. This won’t do. Think rationally. Hyungoh quietly exhaled and swallowed hard. Think calmly about how to escape this situation, Choi Hyungoh.
“Maria… who is Maria, Uncle?”
It was a name he’d heard from Michael too. Wasn’t she someone Uncle loved? Hunter scoffed at Hyungoh’s question.
“Who else would she be?”
Hunter answered as he caressed Hyungoh’s stomach with his fingers as if tickling him.
“She’s your one and only mother, Choi Hyungoh.”
