By Zephyria It was a low voice, but there was something overwhelming about it. Even with the tension momentarily clouding my vision, it was hard to look directly at Assemblyman Choi In-taek.
“The Assemblyman doesn’t know our schedule, so he might think that way.”
I couldn’t read any emotion in his low voice. I tried to look up at Sung Se-han, but I swallowed hard.
After a moment of suffocating silence, Assemblyman Choi In-taek’s voice continued.
“Sit down first.”
When Assemblyman Choi In-taek sat down in the seat of honor on the sofa, Sung Se-han turned to me.
“Let’s go sit down.”
I tried not to show it, but it seemed Sung Se-han had noticed that I was very nervous. His large hand slowly patted my back.
“It’s okay. I’ll explain it well.”
Sung Se-han, who had taken me to the sofa, sat down in the seat to the right of the Assemblyman. When I sat down next to him, Sung Se-han turned his body towards the Assemblyman.
“Assemblyman, this friend and I have only met twice. It seems he misunderstood something today and followed me here.”
When Sung Se-han said that in a dry tone, it really felt like we weren’t that close. I put my hands on my knees and bit my lip tightly.
I wanted to slap myself for feeling disappointed even in this moment, and tell myself to please get my act together.
“Hmm.”
Assemblyman Choi In-taek’s gaze, which had been on Sung Se-han, shifted to me. I reflexively stood up from my seat.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Sky Blue Lee Tae-kyung, uh.”
Sung Se-han, grabbing my forearm, sat me back down. As if telling me to stay still, he gripped my forearm tightly but didn’t look at me.
“Until you’re done saying what you need to say to me, I’ll have this friend wait in the garden.”
The moment I turned my head sharply and saw Sung Se-han’s resolute profile, heat rushed to my head.
Even after saying all that, my heart felt like it was going to burst because Sung Se-han was so insistent on sending me away.
Sung Se-han, I’m sorry, but I already know.
Councilor Choi In-taek is your maternal Grandfather, isn’t he?
The person who locked you in that tiny room for seven years, the person who threw you into unspeakable pain, is Councilor Choi In-taek. Am I wrong?
Sung Se-han, who had been blocking me with his back, turned and looked at me.
“Go wait outside.”
I don’t want to. I said I’d stay with you. I glared at him with all my might, but Sung Se-han’s expression didn’t change.
“I’ll leave as soon as the councilor is done talking…”
“Let’s hear what Lee Tae-kyung is misunderstanding.”
As Councilor Choi In-taek’s leisurely voice rang out, a dazzling light swirled in Sung Se-han’s usually calm brown eyes.
You really don’t listen. Sung Se-han muttered to himself and raised one corner of his mouth. How could he give such a beautiful eye smile at a time like this? I could only stare at Sung Se-han with a dazed look.
“I’ll tell you.”
Sung Se-han’s large hand stroked my hair as he passed by.
“Some strange bastards, or rather, suspicious-looking men, were camped out in the parking lot, so this friend of mine naturally thought it was dangerous.”
He maintained his polite attitude as always, but Sung Se-han’s precarious tone made my heart beat anxiously.
“Those bastards took Perfect Puzzle Sung Se-han, so he came to rescue me. This good friend of mine.”
Councilor Choi In-taek leaned back on the sofa and smiled gently. But even in that appearance, an imposing aura that made people nervous flowed out.
Young, handsome, and with a good physique, Councilor Choi In-taek didn’t look like he was in his sixties at all. He was a person with tremendous charisma that was directly conveyed. In particular, the moment I thought the councilor’s eyes resembled Sung Se-han’s, goosebumps rose on my back.
“That friend of yours seems to think of you a lot, Se-han.”
At Councilor Choi In-taek’s words, I glanced at Sung Se-han. Sung Se-han, sitting upright, was wearing a faint smile.
“There’s nothing special about it. There are people everywhere who think of me.”
“Still, it’s rare for you to have someone you particularly care about, Se-han.”
Ah. I almost made a sound because I felt such a strong sense of incongruity at the words that came out of the councilor’s mouth.
“I don’t know what you think you know about me to say such things.”
Sung Se-han didn’t hide his displeasure.
“Se-han.”
Councilor Choi In-taek, crossing his legs in a leisurely motion, pointed at Sung Se-han with his finger.
“Who do you think raised you? You need to know that no one knows you better than I do.”
The moment Councilor Choi In-taek’s voice fell, I raised my head sharply. I had no choice but to look straight at the person whose gaze I had been struggling to meet until now.
Because of the blatant attitude of the person who had caused Sung Se-han so much pain, I couldn’t hide my grinding teeth.
“Councilor.”
Unlike me, who was clumsy and couldn’t hide my emotions, Sung Se-han’s face still had a smile on it.
“Unfortunately, that’s not something I’m proud of.”
The moment I felt a chill emanating from Sung Se-han and my shoulders shrank, I felt a sense of futility.
These two people were undeniably alike.
Sung Se-han resembled Kang Robin Sunbae, Mom, and Grandfather, and he must have been born with many of Grandmother’s features.
Despite having so many family members, Sung Se-han had to endure a long time alone. He had only been born, but he had to endure a harsh time as if he had committed a crime.
The fact that these family members were the ones who provided Sung Se-han with such a terrible childhood was an unchangeable truth.
No matter how much time is twisted and changed, Sung Se-han still has to live with the scars of the past.
Who can compensate him?
Even if some compensation comes, can it heal Sung Se-han?
Suddenly, my head was ringing and I felt dizzy, so I covered my eyes with my hand.
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
Sung Se-han, who noticed my condition, grabbed my wrist and pulled it down. Even so, I didn’t want to show my face, so I bowed my head deeply.
“Where do you feel uncomfortable?”
Sung Se-han’s voice, which had been so firm just a moment ago, was shaking. I gritted my teeth and shook my head.
“It’s nothing.”
When I raised my head, I saw Sung Se-han’s cold face.
“I guess I was too nervous. I was a little dizzy, but I’m fine now.”
“Councilor.”
Sung Se-han turned his body while holding my wrist.
“This friend doesn’t seem to be feeling well. Let’s go to the garden first…”
“There are things that child needs to hear, so wait.”
The moment there was a mention of me, the hand that was holding my wrist tightened. Feeling him tense up, I strangely felt calmer.
I watched Councilor Choi In-taek get up from the sofa and walk to the side table by the window without missing a beat.
“I’ve found something very interesting.”
Councilor Choi In-taek, who took out a gray envelope from the drawer, turned to look at us.
“Since Lee Tae-kyung is here, it would be good to check it together.”
“Ah, really.”
Sung Se-han, who had been sitting upright until now, slumped back against the sofa. And he swept his hair back roughly as if he was dumbfounded.
“I didn’t know you had a petty thief hobby.”
A petty thief to the councilor? I looked back and forth between Sung Se-han and the councilor with puzzled eyes.
“Would Lee Tae-kyung like to check it himself?”
Thud. A fairly thick envelope was thrown towards me. Not knowing what to do, I sent a bewildered look to Sung Se-han.
“You can look.”
Sung Se-han, leaning back on the sofa with his head tilted back, was staring at the ceiling.
He had been holding back well until now, but was he suddenly going to go wild? I couldn’t help but be aware of the councilor’s gaze because of Sung Se-han’s delinquent posture, with his long legs and arms stretched out haphazardly.
“Go ahead and check it.”
Fortunately, Councilor Choi In-taek didn’t seem to care about Sung Se-han and gestured for me to hurry.
“Yes.”
I bowed my head and reached out to the table in front of me. The thick envelope was quite heavy, and I felt a sense of burden as if I were picking up several books.
What on earth is this? Curiosity arose, and my hands opening the envelope became impatient.
“Huh?”
The moment I pulled something out as I grabbed it, my mouth dropped open.
“Uh…?”
As I took out a handful, palm-sized photos poured onto my lap. My eyes widened and my mouth opened even wider.
“Wh-what is this? Uh, how…?”
I kept uttering bewildered voices because I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
“These are… all my photos…?”
All of them, all of them were my photos. However, what I couldn’t believe was that all those photos were not of me as I am now.
My appearance from elementary school, middle school, and high school were all mixed together, all photos taken of me secretly. The expression “speechless” was made for times like this.
“What on earth is this…!”
Even as I frantically flipped through the photos, sighs kept leaking out. My head was heating up, and my face became hot in an instant.
No, if that’s the case, just come find me. Why do such crazy things…