Only then did Wonyoung recall that he’d been walking around in just a shirt and froze.
“D-Director, this is…”
“Secretary Yang.”
“Yes, I’ll prepare it right away.”
Before Wonyoung could make any excuses, the secretary left the room first. In the meantime, Taerim let out a long sigh and plopped down on the edge of the bed.
It was impossible to go outside in this outfit anyway. While waiting for clothes, Wonyoung, who felt awkward just standing there blankly, also stealthily sat down next to Taerim with some distance between them.
Taerim glared at him as if asking why he was sitting there, but soon gave up and said.
“Baek Heegang is currently doing an interview with a magazine company.”
“What? You even looked into that?”
“Of course. Didn’t Narae-ssi ask me knowing that too?”
“…I didn’t think that far.”
“Still, you needed me.”
Wonyoung chose his words, thinking about how to apologize. After sending out a rescue request, he’d been peacefully munching on cookies, so Taerim might feel deceived. However, Taerim’s reaction was unexpected.
“I’m glad you’re not hurt. I’m glad you’re safe. Truly.”
“…Ah.”
Wonyoung, who had been standing there with his mouth agape, belatedly expressed his gratitude.
“Th-thank you. For coming to rescue me, and for helping me like this.”
And then a moment of silence. But with what courage, Wonyoung unknowingly asked.
“Director, were you very worried about me?”
“Why bother asking.”
At Taerim’s ice-cold answer, Wonyoung chuckled. Taerim looking a bit grumpy was slightly cute. As if displeased with such a Wonyoung, Taerim threatened.
“You’ll have to properly repay me for this incident.”
“Oh, y-yes, of course.”
When Wonyoung inadvertently nodded, Taerim smiled slyly.
“Really? Then I’ll look forward to it. Let’s see what you’ll repay me with and how.”
“…”
Wonyoung averted his gaze, half in fear and half in excitement. Just in time, the secretary came back with new clothes.
Taerim stood up and said.
“Change and come out. I’ll be in the car.”
“What? Ah, yes.”
“Why do you look so reluctant? Should I help you change?”
“No!”
When Wonyoung yelled, Taerim laughed mischievously and left the room. Anyway, he was a nasty guy even when he was being nice.
A moment later, Wonyoung changed his clothes. It was an ordinary knit and slacks. But it’s definitely expensive, Wonyoung thought as he crossed over the broken door and left the place where he’d been confined. Then a notification window appeared before his eyes.
[※Mission Complete! Reward has been granted.※]
Continuation of play. That was the reward for this mission. But just because the mission was over didn’t mean everything was finished. Regardless of the mission, Wonyoung wanted to help Heegang.
Having already made his decision long ago, he got into Taerim’s car parked in front of the building.
The car departed as if the destination was already decided without being told. Wonyoung looked out the window and thought about what he should say to Heegang.
‘Why is he being blackmailed? Looking at how he confined me, it’s clearly content I shouldn’t know about.’
Lost deep in thought like that, Wonyoung absurdly ended up dozing off.
* * *
When he finally came to his senses, what unfolded before his eyes was the sight of a classroom that was unfamiliar yet familiar.
Wonyoung stood there dazed for a moment. Was a classroom… originally this red?
Of course it wasn’t. It’s just that Wonyoung was bleeding profusely.
‘Fuck! What the hell is this!’
Seeing blood gushing out from his abdomen, Wonyoung felt his vision flickering. And then, with a clanging sound, he saw a knife that had fallen to the floor.
“You, you crazy bastard!”
Someone shouted like that from behind. When he turned his head, he saw a face he’d seen once before. It was the leader of that delinquent group who had bullied Heegang when he was young.
Then.
Only then did Wonyoung look at what was in front of him. There stood Heegang, trembling convulsively in all his limbs.
There was blood on his hands, and a knife had fallen at his feet.
Wonyoung opened his mouth, but no sound came out. And then, Wonyoung’s body was shaken roughly.
“…Narae-ssi…! Narae-ssi!”
“Gasp!”
“Narae-ssi, are you conscious?”
Wonyoung, who opened his eyes while gasping for breath, faced a startled Taerim.
“Director…?”
“Did you have a nightmare? Are you okay?”
“Ah.”
Wonyoung soon realized that this was inside the car and he was on his way to find Heegang. And just now was…
‘It was the past of Baek Heegang and Narae.’
Having identified the dream, Wonyoung’s complexion darkened. Taerim, who was watching him, asked.
“Should I turn the car around?”
“…”
“It’s not too late yet.”
And as if guessing something, Taerim added this.
“If you want, I can hide your identity forever.”
However, Wonyoung immediately shook his head. Of course the mission was over. He was free. But.
Wonyoung had no intention of turning away from Heegang for such a reason. What the hell was the reason for deciding to stay in this shitty game anyway?
“Let’s keep going, Director.”
“Alright, then.”
Taerim replied more readily than expected and turned his gaze away. As if he knew it would be like this.
Wonyoung, who was staring intently at him, somehow felt his heart gradually becoming more at ease as he looked forward. Then one notification window appeared.
[Seeing Taerim’s handsome face makes you feel good. Your mind and body are stabilized. Anxiety -30]
…This dirty Narae who only brightens up at faces.
Wonyoung dismissed the notification window and steeled his resolve. Not knowing what would soon befall him.
* * *
“The interview just ended. They say there’s no next schedule. He probably went to the car by now.”
At Taerim’s words after talking on the phone with someone, Wonyoung’s heart grew urgent.
“I’ll look for the parking lot, then!”
“I’ll look around once too.”
“Thank you!”
Wonyoung bowed in greeting and hastened his steps. He had to find him before Heegang caused trouble.
“Heegang!”
Wonyoung searched around calling Heegang’s name, but Heegang’s figure wasn’t easily visible. But then, a familiar van caught his eye. It was Heegang’s van.
“Heegang!”
Wonyoung hurriedly ran over and knocked on the door, but there was no one inside. The desperate Wonyoung looked around, when suddenly an emergency exit leading to the stairs caught his eye.
‘Maybe.’
Wonyoung pushed open the slightly open door and entered inside. When he raised his head, he saw two silhouettes standing under a dim sensor light on the stairs one floor up. One of the two was Heegang, whom he’d been so desperately searching for.
“Hee…”
Wonyoung was about to call Heegang when someone suddenly covered his mouth from behind.
“Stay still.”
Wonyoung didn’t resist. It was Taerim’s voice. Also, now wasn’t the time to act rashly. He needed to watch the situation more.
Stopping the emotions that kept trying to surge forward, Wonyoung cooled his head.
Soon the conversation between the two people above could be heard.
“Give me 1 billion won.”
“…Okay. I’ll give it to you.”
At those words, Wonyoung flinched. That bastard was definitely the blackmailer.
Then Heegang’s voice asking calmly could be heard.
“Why are you doing this now?”
“Why? Is why important?”
“Because you lost all your fortune in stock investments? Because you even got divorced over that? And in the midst of all that, your stomach hurt seeing your pathetic high school classmate doing well?”
“What…? H-how did you…”
High school classmate? Then does that mean the blackmailer is one of the guys who bullied Heegang when he was young?
Wonyoung felt heat rushing to his head at that fact. Strength naturally entered both his fists. In contrast, Heegang’s voice remained calm.
“Did you think I wouldn’t do at least that much background research?”
“S-so what! You just need to hand over the money! You should be grateful that I’m turning a blind eye to a crazy psychopath bastard like you. Something like you should be weeded out from society and then some!”
‘What the hell are you going on about?’
[You become furious at the blackmailer’s selfish behavior. Anger +150 added to all actions.]
[Status: Enraged! (╯°Д°)╯ ┻━┻]
Wonyoung gritted his teeth without even paying attention to the status window. Heegang had done his best to blend into the world, whatever the reason. And yet, without knowing that effort and sacrifice, to carelessly babble about being weeded out or whatever.
He knew Baek Heegang wasn’t normal, but without knowing anything about him, he absolutely couldn’t forgive such blabbering. It was a mindset of ‘even if we insult our kid, I’ll do it.’
And then a choice appeared before his eyes.
[Listen to Heegang’s truth.]
[Intervene and mediate the situation.]
* * *
Meanwhile, the blackmailer who had been fuming alone, when Heegang showed no reaction, soon poked at another spot.
“You think I don’t know? That you’re clinging around Narae?”
“…You were monitoring Rae?”
“I was monitoring you. You stuck to him so shamelessly. Bastard with no conscience.”
“…”
Heegang fell silent. Those words were all correct. He was shameless and had no conscience. He’d lived thinking what can be done about being born this way, but it was different only in front of Rae.
He wanted to be a good person. He wanted to be someone he could like.
But…
‘It was impossible for me from the start. From the moment I confined Rae, it was all over.’
That’s not what a normal person would do.
The gentle Narae had accepted even that, but how long could this precarious secret be maintained? The longer it went on, the greater the wound Rae would receive when he learned the truth.
An abnormal person like him shouldn’t be by Rae’s side. He knew that. From long ago.
‘So this is an opportunity, Baek Heegang.’
Don’t hesitate.
He glanced down at the shadow cast in the corridor one floor below and opened his mouth.
“Yeah, I know too. I kil… Rae…”
“Kuhek!”
Heegang’s eyes widened as he was continuing to speak. Because the blackmailer who had been sneering in front of him just now had been drop-kicked and sent flying.
Yeah, drop-kicked…
