It should have been a time when everyone was asleep. Hyungoh had been staring vacantly at the stars twinkling in the pitch-black darkness when he was startled by movement beside him.
“Choi.”
Michael, curled up asleep next to him, called for Hyungoh in his sleep. Hyungoh, who had been leaning his back against the headboard, took Michael’s hand. Michael, who had been mumbling without even opening his eyes, seemed reassured and fell back asleep.
Hyungoh turned his gaze back to the window. The distant twinkling stars made his mind feel empty. The cool warmth of Michael’s hand transmitted through his palm somehow reminded him of that day two days ago.
It was the day when memories of his father had vaguely returned. It was also the shocking day when he witnessed someone dying before his eyes.
Hyungoh felt like his heart would stop at the existence of his father, something he had never seriously thought about before. There were more than a few suspicious things. Why had he always determined that only his mother was the trauma? He hadn’t even worried about his father, whom he had forgotten along with his mother.
Why?
In his recollection, there was a knife stuck in his stomach. His voice was murky like thick air. Hyungoh’s heart ached at the sight of him struggling to move his parched lips.
“No, Choi.”
Michael, who had come up the stairs, hugged Hyungoh tightly. Startled, Hyungoh looked down at him.
“Don’t. Don’t remember.”
“…Michael?”
Hyungoh came to his senses at Michael’s mumbling. His father had vanished. No, Choi. You’ll die. Michael tightly embraced Hyungoh’s waist.
“Wait, Michael, that hurts.”
His small fingernails dug into Hyungoh’s skin. It hurts. Hyungoh struggled to pry Michael’s arms away.
“Marsha, one of them escaped that way!”
At Theo’s distant shout, Marsha hurriedly raised her gun. But perhaps because of the injury to her shoulder, she couldn’t put strength into her arm. Seeing Marsha stumble and drop her gun, Herick quickly moved to her side.
“Take Michael and get inside the room now!”
Herick shouted urgently, his eyes fixed on the window outside. With the ensuing gunfire, Hyungoh instinctively embraced Michael.
“L-let’s go inside.”
Hyungoh hurriedly took Michael into the room. There was no time to reflect on his recollection of his father. From the moment a bullet flew in and lodged in the window of Michael’s room, which he had thought would be relatively safe, Hyungoh was desperately focused on survival.
Gunfire and screams were everywhere. The occasional moments of peace were often buried by the appearance of new intruders, and Hyungoh had to remain vigilant as he moved from room to room with Michael. It felt like being a war orphan. Until Marsha occasionally visited the room to deliver bread and water, Hyungoh was so focused on staying alert that he even forgot his hunger.
Two days passed like that. Hyungoh felt his physical limits. His mind was sharp, but his body was exhausted and powerless. He couldn’t help but envy Michael, who was sleeping deeply today. Hyungoh was only concerned with survival. He didn’t know from which direction bullets might fly this time. Someone could burst through the door with a gun at any moment.
Hyungoh unconsciously leaned toward the window and looked at the backyard. Men in black suits, who must have appeared at some point, were surrounding the mansion.
Marsha had said that they would protect us. Judging by their appearance, they seem far from being police. These people don’t seem to have particularly legitimate jobs either.
Hyungoh quietly got up from the bed. It’s been quiet for a while, so it seems safe. After quietly listening to Michael’s steady breathing, Hyungoh carefully opened the door.
How long has it been since I’ve been in the living room? Hyungoh picked up a beer bottle from the table in front of the sofa, preparing for any possible situation.
“Why are you out here?”
“Ah! Haa, Theo!”
“What was that lewd sound effect?”
Hyungoh trembled at Theo’s sudden appearance without any warning. His feet tangled as he hopped around, almost falling backward. Relieved, he put down the beer bottle. You scared me.
“And why are you still awake, Theo?”
“Just. Now that those guys are here, I have some time to rest, and I’m getting lost in random thoughts.”
Theo pointed to the men barely visible through the living room window.
“I know what you mean.”
Hyungoh glanced at the area in front of the television. The man who had been sprawled out after being shot was already gone.
“Oh, did you hurt your arm?”
“The bullet just grazed it a bit.”
Theo had a bandage on his left arm. As Hyungoh looked at him with sympathetic eyes, Theo waved his hand saying it was nothing and plopped down on the sofa.
“The intrusions from the outside guys are decreasing. I can see an end in sight.”
Well, if it drags on, they’d be at a disadvantage. Even the police, who don’t care about our business, have limits to how much they can ignore. They’ll at least try to catch those guys on the surface level.
“That’s a relief.”
“Tch, what rotten luck. Getting caught up in something like this.”
Hyungoh trudged over and sat down next to Theo. As he let out a deep sigh, he suddenly felt hungry. Was it because of the tension easing after Theo’s words that it would soon be over? Or was it because of the bread he’d forced himself to eat for two days just to survive? He craved spicy and stimulating food. He hadn’t really thought about missing Korean food since coming to America. Hyungoh licked his lips with a tired face.
“I want to go to Korea.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
I’m experiencing homesickness that I’ve never had before. Theo chuckled at Hyungoh’s dying voice and patted his shoulder.
“Just hang in there a little longer. I don’t know exactly what this fight means, but let’s ask Hunter when he gets here.”
“Ah. You mean my uncle.”
That irresponsible person who’s been gone for days at an age when puberty should be long past. Hyungoh had been speaking sarcastically when a thought suddenly occurred to him.
“By the way, what was at the entrance that time?”
“What?”
“At my uncle’s house. You closed the door so I couldn’t see, saying a rat had gotten in.”
“…Oh.”
That Simon guy. Theo’s expression soured.
“Someone I knew briefly before. He was dying from a gunshot wound.”
“What? But if he’s your acquaintance, why was he at my uncle’s entrance…?”
“Hey, is that important right now? There are other parts you should be questioning.”
“Which parts?”
As Hyungoh asked, Theo hesitated, recalling what Simon had told him.
“That guy lived in a neighborhood quite far from us. But he ran all the way here from there. He told me the atmosphere was ominous these days and told me to run away too.”
“Then… does that mean other areas might be in a similar situation to us right now?”
“Come to think of it, that’s what it means.”
Shit. How big is this fight? Theo said irritably.
“This is definitely related to my uncle, right?”
“…I don’t know about Hunter, but that Ghost bastard seems one hundred percent involved.”
“My uncle seems related too.”
“Ah, I don’t know. My head hurts.”
Theo, leaning back on the sofa, rubbed his face with both hands.
“Of course it’s related, how could it not be?”
Herick, who had suddenly appeared from the hallway, joined the conversation. The sudden appearance startled not only Hyungoh but Theo as well.
“What the hell, are you a ghost? Why do you appear without any warning?”
“You just described exactly how I felt earlier. Theo did the same thing to me.”
“I wasn’t that bad. But this guy’s face is pale, making him more terrifying!”
“Shut up, all of you.”
Herick glared fiercely at the two chattering on the sofa.
“Currently, other areas are safe unlike us. The guys who attacked your sex partner were probably in league with the ones trying to find this mansion. They must have been searching other areas too because they only guessed Michael was in this region but weren’t certain.”
The guys who had previously discovered Michael’s mansion could have provided confirmation, but none of them made it back alive. Herick frowned, thinking about the bodies buried in the backyard.
“So all the intruders who’ve been attacking us were people from the Gostin organization who’ve been chasing Michael?”
“That’s right.”
“That’s quite a spectacle. But how did you know he was my sex partner?”
“It’s obvious without looking. You’re surrounded by either empty-headed thugs or horny beasts.”
“What? That’s a bit harsh.”
Theo growled, apparently still having energy to fight.
So all of this was a battle to find Michael? Hyungoh was bothered by the answer Herick had given.
“What happens when they find Michael?”
“One of two things. Either they kidnap him, or they kill him.”
“…”
“I don’t know what answer you were hoping for. Did you think they’d find him, give him a gift, and go home?”
“…Fine, just stop being sarcastic.”
Theo stood up from the sofa, grumbling.
“I never thought the day would come when I’d go through this hell because of that Ghost bastard. I feel disgusted.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to sleep. I’d hate to doze off later and get my head blown off.”
Watching Theo’s retreating back, Hyungoh nodded. Right, it would be good to get some sleep to prepare for any situation. But why am I not sleepy at all?
Hyungoh, who had been sitting glumly, realized he was alone with Herick in the living room and cleared his throat.
“Well then, I should also slowly…”
“Sit down.”
Herick firmly told Hyungoh, who had been trying to stand up discreetly. Oh, what’s this about? Hyungoh looked back in surprise. I thought he’d just give me the hint to get out of his sight because he didn’t want to be with me.
“Let’s have a cozy chat, just the two of us.”
“I thought you’d stopped that kind act?”
Hyungoh said awkwardly, facing Herick with his artificial smile.
“I can’t help feeling sympathy for how tense you look.”
You must be very scared and having a hard time with this situation, right? Herick sat down right next to Hyungoh and patted his shoulder in a friendly manner. At his unfamiliar behavior, Hyungoh leaned his upper body back, looking disgruntled. What’s going on with you? What do you want? He asked with wary eyes.
“Tell me what’s on your mind.”
Hyungoh half-opened his eyes. Seeing him still wary, Herick smiled mischievously.
“I might be able to solve your worries.”
