Chapter 7
Hyungoh turned his head, following Hunter’s gaze. From beyond the wall came the noise of a lawn mower along with Theo’s humming.
He’s even monitoring Theo now.
Hyungoh messed up his hair. Maybe I’m just seeing things. He almost wished it was just a hallucination. What kind of relationship did those two have that they would even kiss?
I knew something felt off from the beginning. Hyungoh banged his head against the wall. Yes. It had been strange from the first meeting. The messy, eerie surroundings of the house and the disheveled Hunter to match. A man who didn’t come to pick up his nephew himself, despite agreeing to take him in, and instead sent someone else. An emotionless man who showed no curiosity about his own sister’s death…
He was truly a man full of mysteries.
“Maybe I would’ve been better off not coming here and just dealing with my relatives…”
Who knew my uncle would be so full of questions?
“Hyungoh.”
Hunter called out through the window. Startled, Hyungoh hurriedly opened it, and Hunter, tilting his head, said to him.
“It’s time to go to Michael’s.”
Hyungoh gave Hunter an awkward smile. The already unfamiliar Hunter now seemed even more alien. Yes, yes, I understand, Mr. Kim Hunter. Hyungoh muttered as he fixed his crumpled shoes beneath the bed.
What if Hunter forced himself on Michael?
In the video, Michael hadn’t seemed to move. No, had he said something? Despite having just seen it, the memory was blurry from the considerable shock. But he didn’t particularly want to watch that scene again.
If Uncle molested Michael… Hyungoh opened the front door holding a box of macarons, his face all scrunched up. If that’s the case, what should I do? Report him to the police? My own uncle?
No, wait. Then what happens to me?
Hyungoh paused momentarily, then pressed between his eyebrows. Stay calm, Choi Hyungoh. Let’s not make hasty judgments and decisions. If there’s even a small part I’ve misunderstood, then what?
Hunter, standing amidst the dewy, withering grass, smiled at Hyungoh. Hyungoh, about to harden his expression, instead put on a fake smile. To think this person is my uncle. It was a complicated feeling.
Taking large strides out of the house, Hyungoh looked at the white roof visible in the distance. If I ask Michael, I wonder if he’ll answer.
“That would be too rash.”
If I ask such a hurtful question when he already seems to dislike me… becoming friends would be impossible forever. Right. Let’s become friends first. It wasn’t certain yet. After finding out more, it wouldn’t be too late to help. Hyungoh resolved with a determined expression.
***
“Shall we play hide and seek?”
“No.”
“Then do you want to watch a movie together? I know many interesting ones.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Then…”
“I won’t do it.”
Hyungoh froze with a broad smile. Aren’t you being too cold to me? He didn’t give any chance to become friends. Even when Hyungoh mustered the courage to make suggestions, the rejections made him feel embarrassed. Hyungoh felt as if Marsha, the bodyguard watching Michael from behind a tree, was looking at him pathetically from behind her sunglasses.
“What should I do… Ah.”
“Michael.” Hyungoh called out and pulled out the macaron box he’d hidden behind his back. Ta-da. Want to eat these? Michael, who’d been looking at Hyungoh indifferently, sparkled his eyes the moment he saw the box.
“Yes.”
Those bright, twinkling eyes were really cute. Now he’s acting his age. Are macarons that good? Hyungoh shook the box curiously. Michael’s eyes moved following it.
Cute, so cute.
Hyungoh’s jaw dropped. Just yesterday, he’d been a strange boy spouting incomprehensible things, but now he looked like a pure, innocent child. Licking his lips and not taking his eyes off the box, he looked as lovable as a cat with its ears perked up.
“Did Hunter make these?”
“Hmm? I’m not sure about that.”
“Yes. Hunter made them.”
You look excited. Michael smiled broadly and bit into a macaron. My uncle made these? Hyungoh glanced at the colorfully stacked macarons. He didn’t particularly like sweets, but if they were good enough for Michael, who’d been so unresponsive, to like them, curiosity took over. As he reached out to taste one, Michael grabbed Hyungoh’s arm with a serious expression.
“They’re mine.”
At that fierce statement, Hyungoh slowly withdrew his hand. Ah. Sorry. In response to Hyungoh’s awkward apology, Michael turned his head. Hyungoh watched, chin in hand, as Michael stuffed the macarons into his mouth, as if afraid they might be taken away. You’re showing unexpected sides of yourself today.
Is he still wary of me, or is he just greedy?
Hyungoh smiled wryly looking at the empty macaron box. You’re just a kid after all. Now I’m relieved. Thanks to Hunter, it seemed like he’d found a way to become friends with Michael. It’s a bit pathetic to bribe for attention with food, but… since I’ve seen that video, I should help you.
As Hyungoh looked at Michael, who was licking the cream off his hands, with mixed feelings, he habitually raised his hand and stroked Michael’s hair.
“Don’t do that.”
“Ah, right… sorry.”
I forgot. Last time when I stroked his hair, he ran away. Hyungoh, glancing at the expressionless Michael, asked cautiously.
“Do you dislike having your hair touched?”
“No.”
“Then why are you telling me not to do it?”
“I’m not in the mood to suck it now.”
“Suck what?”
“This.”
Michael pointed between Hyungoh’s legs. Hyungoh looked down at his own crotch with a dumbfounded expression.
Huh?
“Michael, it’s time for your nap.”
“Okay.”
Marsha walked over with her face scrunched up against the strong sunlight. Michael, who’d been yawning with sleepy eyes, jumped up and approached her.
Hyungoh blankly watched the two of them walk away. The empty macaron box rolled away, blown by the wind.
“…Wait.”
Hyungoh murmured, gently covering his private area.
What did that just mean?
***
“Haah…”
Hyungoh, squatting in front of Hunter’s house gate, let out a deep sigh. His future already seemed bleak.
How, how could he do that to such a young child…!
Hyungoh groaned, pulling at his hair. He started to get increasingly angry at Hunter. What on earth have you been doing to that child? To that cute child? The more he thought about it, the more absurd and heated he became. To think that someone in human form had been doing such things. Unbelievable.
“Haah, really…”
“What are you constantly muttering about?”
“Ah, you startled me.”
Theo approached casually with his t-shirt carelessly draped over his left shoulder. Judging from his sweat-drenched body, it seemed like he’d been exercising.
“Go away, you smell like sweat.”
“Why are you so prickly?”
Theo frowned at Hyungoh’s sulky response. After leaving me behind and running away, you’ve got some nerve. Hyungoh, who’d been looking at Theo sitting next to him with displeasure, turned his head sharply.
If it weren’t for Theo, I wouldn’t have discovered that video. No, wait. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Hyungoh felt uneasy.
“So, did you delete my video?”
“Why should I?”
“What?”
“Why would I do that for you? What’s so special about Theo that I should delete it for him?”
“Hey, you really didn’t delete it?”
“Like I said, what’s so special about Theo that I…”
“No, fuck, hey!”
Theo shouted angrily. This is really infuriating. I thought I was finally going to be free from Hunter’s blackmail, but you threw away that important opportunity? He wanted to punch him, but he hesitated when he saw Hyungoh glaring back at him without any fear. Huh. You’ve got guts.
“That’s not what’s important right now.”
“What? Then what’s more important?”
“…Theo doesn’t need to know.”
“This is really… Ah, fine. Phew. Alright. Okay, then just tell me this one thing. Where’s that USB? Did it get confiscated?”
“No.”
Hyungoh tapped his pants pocket. I have it. Hyungoh smiled at Theo’s wavering eyes. Maybe I should use this to extract some information about Uncle from Theo. From the past few days, it seems like Uncle and Theo are quite close.
“Give it to me.”
“Ah, wait…!”
Theo jumped up and pounced on Hyungoh. Startled, Hyungoh was pushed down onto the ground before he could escape. What are you doing! “Just give it to me. I want to delete it quickly!” Theo, holding both of Hyungoh’s wrists with one hand, placed his other hand on Hyungoh’s pants pocket.
What’s this, where is it? Not feeling anything, Theo inserted his hand deeper.
“Ahk…!”
“Huh?”
Theo raised his head at Hyungoh, who suddenly moaned and shuddered. What’s with you all of a sudden? As Theo looked at Hyungoh like he was a pervert, Hyungoh’s face turned bright red.
“Hand… ahh, quickly remove it…!”
“What? Remove what?”
“Your hand! Remove your hand…!”
“Hand?”
Theo looked down at his hand. His hand, which had gone into Hyungoh’s pants pocket, was firmly gripping something. He was gripping it so hard that the veins on the back of his hand stood out.
What is this soft thing? It was only about the size of his thumb. While puzzling and fiddling with it, the jelly-like, soft object began to harden.
“Hnng… S-Stop…!”
“…Ah?”
Theo suddenly froze. It was a somehow familiar situation. Could this small thing be… Theo’s face froze in shock as he faced Hyungoh, whose face had turned bright red.
Crazy.
“…”
“…”
And so, Hyungoh and Theo couldn’t say a word to each other until the reddish sunset hanging on the mountainside had completely set.
