Chapter 39
Hyungoh rubbed his mouth. His stomach felt like it was boiling in a cauldron, but it was still bearable.
His mouth was now filled with a sticky aroma of alcohol. Finding the scent somehow familiar, he tried to pick up the bottle to smell it again, but Theo quickly snatched it away.
Ah. It’s exactly the same smell as the alcohol Uncle was drinking that time. The scent lingering in his mouth traveled to the tip of his nose. Theo, who had been carefully observing Hyungoh as he stared blankly at the floor, let out a sigh.
“You don’t drink.”
“Why not?”
“Because encountering another version of you once was enough.”
Theo waved his hand at Hyungoh and slammed the bottle down in front of Michael.
“Then I guess you’ll have to finish the rest of this. Right?”
Marsha twitched the hands she was holding behind her back. Herick, whose expression had darkened along with hers, hurriedly grabbed the bottle.
“Don’t do anything unnecessary.”
Theo frowned. Why are you making a fuss when the person himself is quiet? Herick held his ground, applying as much strength to his grip as Theo, who was pulling the bottle from the opposite side.
Man, his strength is incredible—my arm hurts. Theo said with a derisive smile. Whenever he exerted force, his muscles moved as if showing off. Seeing this seemed to irritate Herick, whose eyes flashed with anger.
While Herick and Theo were engaged in a battle of nerves, glaring at each other as if they could kill, Michael quietly reached for the bottle. Marsha quickly moved her foot and grabbed Michael’s shoulder. She shook her head at Michael, who was looking up at her with eyes full of innocence.
Hyungoh, who had been quietly watching the scene, tilted his head. What are you four doing? When Hyungoh muttered in Korean, all four pairs of eyes turned to him.
“Oh, please! It hasn’t even been a minute since that alcohol passed through your throat!”
Theo exclaimed incredulously. Hyungoh’s eyes were gradually becoming unfocused.
“I’m not drunk, Theo.”
“Thankfully, hearing you say that makes me more certain.”
Theo, who glared fiercely at Hyungoh, finally snatched the bottle. Herick clicked his tongue as he looked at his empty palm.
“Choi.”
Michael called softly, almost in a whisper. Hyungoh looked at Michael with eyes that were wider and more alert than usual.
Finally meeting Hyungoh’s gaze, Michael smiled broadly. Surprised by his bright smile, Hyungoh’s mouth fell open before he smiled back.
“What are you two doing?”
This is ridiculous. Theo rolled his eyes irritably at Hyungoh, who was foolishly grinning along with the giggling Michael.
“Michael, I have something to ask you.”
What exactly are you? Michael’s smile faded at Hyungoh’s question.
“Are you really a god?”
Hyungoh continued to ask questions like an innocent child, directed at Michael, who had his mouth firmly shut. Theo and Herick, who had been bickering, turned their heads toward Hyungoh. Everyone was watching him, seeing a different side of Hyungoh that he wouldn’t normally show.
“Why are you being chased by the mafia? Why are you hiding here? What’s your relationship with my uncle? And why did Marsha kill someone, and why do you act like you know everything?”
Hyungoh’s questions came like rapid fire. Theo’s expression, which had been deeply frowning, gradually brightened. Ohhh. What a good method.
Theo smiled contentedly as he watched Michael, who had stiffened without giving any answer. I should have brought drunk Hyungoh from the beginning. Herick stepped hard on Theo’s foot as he was chuckling and whispered:
“Are you just going to stand there laughing like an idiot? Stop him.”
“Ugh, why should I? These were questions I was curious about too, so this works out well.”
“Michael is uncomfortable!”
Ignoring Herick’s irritated outcry, Theo fixed his gaze back on Michael. If he’s uncomfortable, that’s even better. How long have I waited to see that poker face crumble? Even when he made eye contact with me through the curtains that day, there wasn’t any change in his expression.
Hyungoh stood up and knelt on the table. His upper body leaned heavily toward Michael. Despite being close enough that their noses would touch with just a slight movement, Hyungoh showed no sign of backing away.
“Just how much do you know?”
Hyungoh saw Michael’s pupils ripple slightly. He thought he might have seen wrong, but seeing them ripple again, he realized Michael’s emotions were being stirred.
What does he mean by how much does he know? Theo whispered, poking Herick in the side. How would I know, idiot? Herick pushed Theo’s arm away as if annoyed.
“Everything, even what Choi doesn’t know.”
Michael, who had been hesitating, finally answered.
“Then, then you know…”
Hyungoh’s voice cracked as if choked. If you know everything, even what I don’t know, then all you need to do is tell me. All the questions I’ve asked, and—
about my mother.
Michael slowly shook his head as he faced Hyungoh, who was smiling faintly.
“Don’t die.”
“What? Haha. What are you saying, Michael? Why would I die?”
Hyungoh laughed at Michael’s unexpected words. Is he trying to joke in this situation? But Hyungoh soon withdrew his smile. Michael’s expression was deadly serious. His eyes were full of conviction, as if his words weren’t nonsense.
“Why aren’t you answering?”
I asked why I would die. Hyungoh said. Michael’s clear, bright gaze was starting to become irritating.
“Answer me, Michael. Why would I die?”
Michael shook his head. Seeing Michael with his mouth tightly shut, Hyungoh’s face hardened.
As the atmosphere grew tense, Marsha put her hand on Hyungoh’s shoulder. But Hyungoh roughly brushed her hand away. At this, Herick frowned and jumped up to approach Hyungoh, but Theo, who was beside him, grabbed Herick’s arm.
“Wait, wait. Why is everyone suddenly getting so worked up?”
Calm down. Theo raised both hands high and shouted.
“You said you’d help me, right? Michael.”
“Hey, Hyungoh. You need to calm down too…”
“If you knew everything, you should have told me.”
Not knowing anything, suspecting, worrying, being cautious. Hyungoh’s breathing gradually became rougher.
“Do you know how I’ve been feeling lately? Like I’m standing on the cross of a high church, barely able to place my feet. Like I’ll fall headfirst to the ground and die if I move even slightly.”
After blurting this out in Korean with an agitated tone, Hyungoh then stopped breathing as if trying to calm himself. That’s why I asked for your help. Reopening his mouth, Hyungoh grabbed Michael’s arms with a gentle voice.
“Answer me, Michael. Okay?”
Hyungoh tried to smile awkwardly. Marsha, Herick, and Theo surrounded the two with tense expressions.
Michael opened his mouth. Hyungoh swallowed dryly, his eyes sparkling. He was ready to accept whatever Michael would tell him. Anything would be better than not knowing.
But Michael soon closed his mouth again. Looking anxiously at Michael, who had lowered his eyes, Hyungoh tightened his grip on his arms. Michael shook his head. Michael? As Hyungoh called him, the speed of his head-shaking increased.
Michael. Hyungoh called him once more. Angered by Michael, who was shaking his head with his eyes tightly shut, Hyungoh shouted.
“Answer me!”
…Huh.
Huh?
Hyungoh covered his mouth. He heard his voice overlapping with someone else’s familiar voice.
Marsha and Herick separated Hyungoh and Michael. Marsha grabbed Hyungoh’s collar and pulled him back, while Herick tightly embraced Michael and shot a contemptuous look at Hyungoh.
Hyungoh ran his hands over his face and grabbed his hair. It hurts. My head hurts. Theo, who had been touching his forehead as Hyungoh gasped for breath, narrowed his eyes. What’s wrong with you? Theo supported Hyungoh’s body, which was collapsing as he lost his balance, along with Marsha.
Answer me!
A scene flashed through Hyungoh’s mind.
A man with shaggy hair tightly grabbed his mother’s arms and shouted at the top of his lungs. There was a purple wine stain on his mother’s white dress. Did that man do it? Was that what happened? His mother’s eyes met Hyungoh’s as she struggled to break free from the man.
His heart sank. The moment he saw that look, guilt hidden deep in his heart rushed in like a tsunami. As Hyungoh stumbled backward, his mother pointed down with an angry face. Hyungoh was stepping on a broken wine glass.
“Choi!”
Memories twisted and tangled. Who is that man? His eyes are hidden by his bangs. But I feel like I know him.
A sound like fingernails scraping a chalkboard kept repeating in his ears. When he barely managed to open his tightly closed eyes, Michael was approaching.
“What the fuck! Put that down!”
Theo’s voice from behind sounded urgent. Hyungoh turned his eyes back to look at Michael. In his hand was a vodka bottle as thick as Theo’s forearm.
“Why is that…”
Before Hyungoh could finish his sentence, Michael raised the bottle high. Then, with a dull thud, impact struck his head. Feeling the world spinning, Hyungoh closed his eyes.
“Choi.”
Beyond his gradually sinking consciousness, Michael’s voice could be heard.
Why are you calling me? Naturally, no voice came out. Feeling as if his body was floating, drowsiness came over him, and Michael’s fading voice touched him shyly.
Don’t die. Understand?
