Chapter 34
A pattern of overlapping circular lines without even the tiniest smudge. It was the ceiling pattern he’d grown accustomed to by now. As he kept staring, an optical illusion made the jumbled circles seem to spin round and round.
Hyungoh blinked his sticky eyes. Uncomfortable with his awkward position—only his buttocks on the bed while lying down—he kept fidgeting with his feet that touched the floor. I’m going to get a cramp. Hyungoh made a groaning sound. Yet contrary to his desire to get up, his hands were gently patting Michael, who was asleep in his arms.
Help me.
Remembering the embarrassing words he’d uttered, Hyungoh’s cheeks flushed red with heat. “Help me”? Help with what, exactly?
The desperate emotion from dawn had long since disappeared. Why did I say such a thing? It’s not like I can take it back. He deeply regretted showing his vulnerable side to someone else.
To be honest, what he meant when asking Michael for help wasn’t that profound. It was more like grasping at straws out of exhaustion. The situation’s so complicated. Michael probably won’t think too deeply about it. Hopefully. Hyungoh scratched his head.
“That’s right.”
I still haven’t heard how Michael knew about the relationship between my mother and uncle. Perhaps my uncle told him before?
It’s Maria’s birthday.
Hunter had definitely said that. Yesterday had been her birthday. Michael seemed to know this as well, almost prophesying that Hunter would tell the story about Maria on that specific day. He must have known Hunter would become emotional on that day.
So what was Hunter thinking when he shared such personal stories with Michael?
“…Because Michael resembles my mother?”
Hyungoh murmured quietly at the thought that suddenly came to him. Yes, that’s right. Michael had said so. According to Hunter, Michael and his mother resembled each other.
He felt like he’d finally found one piece among countless puzzle pieces. An uncle in love with his mother. But a love that could never be fulfilled. Hunter would have known that better than anyone.
That’s why he would have projected his desire onto Michael, who resembled his mother. So the conclusion is that after his mother died, Hunter, overwhelmed by grief and longing, eventually started depending on Michael, who was merely a substitute… something like that.
It’s quite a plausible development. Hyungoh carefully moved his body to lay Michael on the bed. It sounds like the plot of a third-rate novel full of clichés, though.
After stretching his arms and legs, Hyungoh turned his head quickly. Beside him, Michael was sleeping soundly, curled up like a shrimp.
Hyungoh gently stroked Michael’s fair cheek. Although he’d successfully grown closer to Michael since that day when Michael cried profusely, Hyungoh still couldn’t figure out his personality. To simply call him a cute and kind child felt uncomfortable for more than one or two reasons.
Even if the story about his mother that had bothered him initially could be dismissed as Michael just babbling and getting lucky, or perhaps Hunter had told him about it, Hyungoh couldn’t easily accept that Michael had hit Herick’s head with a hammer.
Herick clearly has good feelings—or perhaps something more—towards Michael. But where does Michael stand? Either way, he must either like or dislike him. After raising his upper body and stretching again, Hyungoh got off the bed and pulled back the window curtain. Hidden by the curtain, he hadn’t realized that bright morning sunlight was already shining outside.
Light secretly crept through the curtains and extended toward Michael. As he stirred as if the light was too bright, Hyungoh quickly closed the curtains.
“…”
Hyungoh paused, then pulled back the curtains again to look outside. Marsha was standing with her back to an orange tree, talking with someone beside her. It was a familiar back view. Pressing his forehead against the window and staring intently, the person conveniently turned around.
Indeed, it was Hunter. Did he come looking for me? Their eyes met, but Hyungoh didn’t look away. Instead, he stared back more persistently. Is he trying to explain about yesterday? Or has he finally decided to talk about his past?
Hunter smiled slightly. It was the same artificial smile as before. After exchanging a few more words with Marsha, he turned away without hesitation. Blankly watching Hunter walking calmly toward the front gate, Hyungoh suddenly came to his senses and moved. Wait, I can’t let him leave like this.
The front door burst open with a bang, and Hunter stopped in his tracks. He’d noticed Hyungoh frantically chasing after him. Hunter let out a slight sigh unbeknownst to Hyungoh and turned around.
“Good morning.”
After this formal greeting, Hunter plastered that fake smile on his face again. What good morning? Hyungoh let out a scoff of disbelief.
“Don’t you have anything else to say?”
“Hmm, if you’re disappointed, should we have a morning kiss?”
“I didn’t follow you out to exchange jokes.”
“How disappointing. I just wanted to get closer to my only nephew.”
“We already got closer yesterday, didn’t we?”
“Yesterday?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know. It won’t work.”
“Haha.”
Hunter laughed as he quickly checked his wristwatch.
“I won’t pretend I don’t know, but unfortunately, I don’t have much time right now.”
“You said you loved my mother.”
Hunter erased his smile. Since he kept trying to run away, Hyungoh had to drive in a wedge. This way, at least he could get some minimal answers. Hyungoh observed Hunter’s change in expression with cold eyes.
“I did.”
He answered. His eyes didn’t waver like someone caught off guard, nor did he ramble nervously. Yes, I knew from the beginning he wouldn’t be an easy opponent. Hyungoh straightened his neck even more.
“I’d like to hear the story.”
“Well, there’s nothing special. Is family love that suspicious to you?”
“I never said it was suspicious.”
“It’s written all over your face.”
“…”
“Let’s talk later then.”
“Wait…!”
As Hyungoh tried to grab the man who was turning away, Hunter quietly raised his arm.
“That’s far enough.”
Hyungoh stopped with his hand stretched toward Hunter. Hunter’s voice had sunk with unusual seriousness, unlike his usual tone.
“I have nothing more to tell you.”
“Uncle…!”
“What more are you trying to find out at this point?”
He turned his head sideways and glared at Hyungoh from behind his horn-rimmed glasses.
“In any case, I had nothing to do with your mother’s death.”
What?
At his unexpected statement, Hyungoh lowered his outstretched hand lifelessly. Hunter, who had remained silent with Hyungoh, eventually walked out through the front gate. Until he started his car and disappeared from sight, Hyungoh just stared blankly ahead.
***
It was a quiet road. On this vast, lonely prairie road, all that remained were two cars with contrasting atmospheres.
In the yellow sports car speeding ahead, five or six burly men were precariously seated, dancing merrily. The music was turned up so loud that even the back seats vibrated.
Behind it, Hunter’s car followed at a distance. The situation made it impossible to overtake since the car ahead was stubbornly positioned in the center, ignoring the lanes.
The mobile phone on the passenger seat of Hunter’s car had rung more than ten times. The loud music and ringtone mixed chaotically.
My luck hasn’t been good lately. Hunter, with an expressionless face, struck the steering wheel with his fist. A loud honk made the climaxing music sound like mere noise.
A man sitting in the middle of the back seat grimaced and looked back. Hunter quickly scanned him up and down. Various tattoos covered his bare upper body. Hunter carefully examined his cleanly shaved head and discovered the letters F and C written on his forehead.
Ah. Hunter smirked. The FC gang that willingly serves as the Cenaline Family’s henchmen. If you continue down this road, you’ll reach a famous tourist city—are they planning to pass through looking like that?
They’re something else. Do they enjoy reckless challenges, or are they just stupid?
They suddenly stopped and began jumping out of the car. They weren’t even carrying weapons.
Just stupid guys after all. This is why they’re mere lackeys. It feels like everything’s getting in my way.
Hunter pressed hard on the accelerator. The men had no time to escape as the suddenly speeding car crashed into them.
“Isn’t he crazy?”
“Drag that Asian out!”
Two men were hit by the car and thrown, while another was trapped between their car and Hunter’s, screaming. Only then did the remaining men frantically start looking for weapons.
Hunter opened his car door and quickly pulled a gun from his waist. Two magnificent gunshots spread across the field. Two men with holes in their broad backs collapsed lifelessly. When the man trapped between the cars screamed again, Hunter personally shoved the gun barrel into his mouth and pulled the trigger.
“Would you mind turning off the music?”
Hunter approached a man who’d fallen to the ground. From the looks of it, he had a youthful face that seemed about the same age as Hyungoh. Since he wasn’t bald like the others, he appeared to be a new recruit who’d joined recently.
However, he seemed perceptive enough to quickly enter the car with a calm face and turn off the radio. His long fingers were trembling. Hunter, who was staring intently at the back of the man wearing loose, tattered clothes, tilted his head.
With his neatly cut blonde hair and snow-white skin, rather than a delinquent, he looked more like a noble young master from a wealthy family.
He slightly raised the man’s clothes with the gun barrel. Red kiss marks and blue bruises covered his pale skin. There were no tattoos related to the FC gang.
A civilian. Hunter thought. He seemed to have been kidnapped after catching the gang’s eye. Were they planning to make him look like this and sell him to the prostitution market? Hunter lowered his gun.
It would be a waste of bullets on someone insignificant. Also, since his luck didn’t seem good today, it was better to keep spare bullets. When Hunter tucked the gun back into his waist, the man’s rigid expression somewhat relaxed.
“Excuse me…”
The man called out to Hunter as he turned away. Hunter ignored his words and walked steadily forward. Oh, blood got on my sleeve. Hunter took out a handkerchief to wipe his sleeve, but seeing it spread further, he clicked his tongue. The handkerchief he tossed behind him rode the wind and landed at the man’s feet.
“Would you tell me your name?”
Hunter smirked at the formal speech that contrasted with the situation. More interesting than he looks. Does he think I saved him?
“It’s proper etiquette to introduce yourself before asking someone else’s name.”
Hunter turned around and said with a gentle smile. The man hesitated at his words and soon closed his mouth. Hunter shrugged as if he’d expected this and moved his feet again. After a moment of hesitation watching Hunter’s retreating back, the man finally seemed to decide and answered.
“My name is… Taylor Scofield.”
