By Zephyria 
From what Han Seung-jae had seen and heard so far, the relationship between Seo Young-hwan and Seo Yi-kyung had been quite affectionate. He had heard that Yi-kyung had even shed tears and postponed his marriage because he wanted to finish university by his father’s side.
However, when they faced each other at the hospital, no such affectionate emotion was felt. Rather, they acted as if they were strangers.
“If you don’t want to meet him, I can make it so he can’t approach you at all.”
Was it an illusion that Han Seung-jae’s tone was softer than it had been in the painting studio? However, his eyes were not like that at all.
Seo Yi-kyung felt the back of his neck grow cold, just as he had a moment ago. Also, the image of Seo Dong-hu he had seen at the hospital flashed before his eyes. Bandages wrapped around his head, unable to use both arms.
“If you’re done, you may leave.”
Han Seung-jae barked at Butler Do, who was still standing there. Butler Do, who had filled the ceramic table with plates, left the room. Han Seung-jae turned his head forward and beckoned with his hand. It seemed he was telling him to eat.
“Are you planning to hospitalize me?”
Seo Yi-kyung’s voice was small, but Han Seung-jae understood and nodded.
“If necessary, it wouldn’t be a difficult task.”
Seo Yi-kyung moved the hand that had been touching the water glass and picked up a spoon. Han Seung-jae did not seem to be joking. In fact, he was not the type of person to make slips of the tongue. Once he made a decision, he crushed whatever stood in his way and pushed forward.
‘He’s coming to find me?’
In the original work, the person who persistently sought out ‘Seo Yi-kyung’ was Seo Dong-hu. Occasionally, it was Seo Young-hwan. However, since he had said everything he needed to say at the hospital, he had vaguely thought they wouldn’t come looking for him anymore.
Seo Yi-kyung scooped up a bit of warm soup and brought it to his lips.
Glancing sideways at Han Seung-jae, he saw him rubbing his cheek with his fingertips. He seemed to be soothing the tongue he had bitten earlier.
* * *
The next day, Seo Yi-kyung headed to the art supply store with Butler Do. This was because Han Seung-jae had told him to visit the store as he left for work. It seemed he was bothered by the paints and tools that had been stepped on the previous day.
He seemed to believe those were items Seo Yi-kyung cherished, but in truth, Seo Yi-kyung didn’t feel a strong attachment to the tools. Strictly speaking, all the brushes looked the same, and the paints all looked similar in color.
Especially since it felt like he was being told to paint again, his shoulders felt even heavier.
Throughout the ride in the sedan, Butler Do expressed great anticipation to Seo Yi-kyung, saying that instead of the usual store, they were going to a larger one recommended by Secretary Park. Seo Yi-kyung, of course, seemed to have expected as much. That was because the ‘Seo Yi-kyung’ who handled tools at the art store had been very joyful.
However, the current Seo Yi-kyung did nothing more than nod while listening to Butler Do.
“How about this one?”
Butler Do unfolded a brown leather case that seemed suitable for carrying brushes.
“It’s nice.”
At Seo Yi-kyung’s meaningless words, Butler Do picked it up without hesitation. After that, he held up a high-end circular brush holder. Suddenly, Seo Yi-kyung’s gaze landed on the price tag. How many zeros were there? The thought that it was too expensive came first. Couldn’t brushes just be placed on the work table and used? Or they could be put in a pencil holder.
“Why are you putting it back? Do you not like it?”
Butler Do, who had been looking at the circular brush holder, turned his head. It was because Seo Yi-kyung had put the leather pencil case back where it belonged.
Butler Do’s eyes were filled with lingering regret as he watched this.
“You said it was okay to buy anything.”
Even when he was at the main house, Seo Yi-kyung had purchased relatively cheap tools. He also maintained them frequently, using them cleanly for a long time.
It seemed that habit had remained ingrained in him, which made Butler Do’s heart ache. Back then, his father, Seo Young-hwan, had scolded him for spending too much money on useless things, and Seo Dong-hu would recklessly take them, use them haphazardly, and return them. Furthermore, it was common for them to be lost.
Seo Dong-hu hadn’t needed art tools; he had done it simply to see Seo Yi-kyung sad, anxious, and suffering.
Whenever Seo Yi-kyung, stomping his feet, showed even a little bit of anger, Seo Dong-hu would immediately run to their father. As such incidents piled up one by one, Seo Yi-kyung stopped showing his inner feelings.
“Still, it’s too expensive.”
Seo Yi-kyung turned and walked in the opposite direction. He had followed Butler Do inside, and every item here was expensive.
He had wondered why there were so few people the further they went inside. Perhaps it wasn’t just because it was early.
“Shall we buy this? You don’t have this brush.”
Butler Do repeatedly persuaded him, saying the brush tip was very thin and suitable for delicate work, but unlike before, Seo Yi-kyung shook his head.
“I think it’s better to buy it next time.”
After fiddling with a few brushes and tools, Seo Yi-kyung eventually left the art store empty-handed without buying anything. He didn’t feel quite right using Han Seung-jae’s money.
The driver, who had been leaning against the parked car, straightened his posture and opened the rear door. It was as Seo Yi-kyung headed toward the open sedan.
“Help me!”
Seo Yi-kyung turned his head toward the direction of the voice. There, three men in black suits stood surrounding one person. The face of the person shouting among them looked familiar. It was Jin Seon-yu.
“That person is…”
Simultaneously with Butler Do’s murmur, Jin Seon-yu bit the hand that was grabbing and pulling him. He broke through the gap between the men and ran over quickly.
Seo Yi-kyung blinked as he watched Jin Seon-yu running toward him.
“Yi-kyung!”
He rushed over and stood behind Seo Yi-kyung’s back. Rough breathing could be heard right behind him. Then, the three men in black suits rushed in.
The loud sound of heavy dress shoes echoed, and they surrounded Seo Yi-kyung. Blocking both sides so he couldn’t escape, they tried to grab Jin Seon-yu’s arm to pull him away.
“These people are trying to kidnap me!”
“What on earth is going on?”
Butler Do stepped forward and stood in front of the suited men. He was polite compared to their rough behavior. He couldn’t exert any intimidation. Behind him, Seo Yi-kyung raised his hand and covered his right ear. Jin Seon-yu’s screaming for help felt like it would make his ears fall off.
“Get out of the way. Don’t get hurt by interfering in other people’s business, and just go on your way.”
A suited man shoved Butler Do aside. Slipping through that gap, the hand of a man nearby gripped the wrist of Jin Seon-yu, who was holding onto Seo Yi-kyung’s waist.
“Hiek!”
Jin Seon-yu jumped. Between Seon-yu, who was holding onto Seo Yi-kyung’s side to hold on, and the men pulling his wrist, Seo Yi-kyung’s legs swayed from side to side. Unable to keep his balance, his body tilted. He was pushed forward and then pulled back; dizziness rapidly rose before his eyes.
“Please, stop…”
Seo Yi-kyung grabbed the arm of the man holding Seon-yu’s wrist. The firm strength wrapping around his palm was powerful. It wasn’t something he could pull away.
Eventually, Seo Yi-kyung, who had been dragged here and there, collapsed. Before his knees hit the asphalt ground, Butler Do reached out with both arms and barely caught him by the shoulders.
In front of Butler Do, the driver was stepping forward.
Though his vision was spinning and he couldn’t see clearly, Seo Yi-kyung felt the surroundings becoming noisy. As the driver, outnumbered, looked somewhere, people emerged from a car parked a short distance away.
They ran over quickly and pushed away the people surrounding Seo Yi-kyung in one breath.
“Ha, ah…”
“Haa… haa…”
Seo Yi-kyung’s slow breathing and Jin Seon-yu’s labored breathing alternated. A scuffle was in full swing in front of them, but unlike before, the men could not touch Seo Yi-kyung’s body at all. They were asking each other which organization they belonged to.
Seo Yi-kyung touched his forehead and looked to the side. Even then, Jin Seon-yu remained clinging to his side. As Seo Yi-kyung slowly turned his head, the suited men next to the driver grabbed the others by their collars with brutal force and pushed them back. It was a volatile situation where they looked ready to swing punches at each other.
Han Seung-jae’s voice swept through his ears.
—I can make it so he can’t approach you at all.
He hadn’t even asked him to do so, but had he already stationed people? Since he was a man who hated it when anything went wrong with his plans, it seemed possible. But still.
“Young Master, please get in the car for now.”
Butler Do led Seo Yi-kyung into the car. This was because people’s gazes were gathering. Jin Seon-yu climbed into the car along with him. Butler Do closed the door and took his seat in the passenger seat.
Throughout the drive as the driver pulled away, the suited men were reflected in the rearview mirror. They were continuously confronting each other.
* * *
When the car stopped at a red light in front of a crosswalk, the driver asked.
“Where shall I take you?”
The driver looked at Seo Yi-kyung through the rearview mirror and waited for an answer. Previously, they would have just returned home, so there would have been no need to ask, but today the situation was a bit different, so he seemed to want to confirm.
Seo Yi-kyung was equally perplexed. He couldn’t just leave Seon-yu behind, but to take him home, it felt like he would need Han Seung-jae’s permission.
“Let’s eat first. I haven’t eaten anything since lunch that day.”
Jin Seon-yu lowered the corners of his eyes and rubbed his stomach.
“Let’s go home.”
At Seo Yi-kyung’s words, the driver turned the steering wheel.
“Phew, I almost got kidnapped and dragged away.”
Jin Seon-yu pulled his sleeve to wipe the cold sweat on his forehead. Seo Yi-kyung stared blankly at the clothes he was wearing.
The same hooded tracksuit and short shorts he had worn when they met a few days ago. No, they were a bit more stained than then.
In the original work, the encounter between ‘Seo Yi-kyung’ and Jin Seon-yu began with the episode of receiving a wedding invitation. Even then, it was received formally because they were middle school classmates.
But why did they end up meeting?
Moreover, there was still quite a bit of time left before the two of them got married.
Suddenly, he recalled his own image—putting in every effort to paint despite lacking the talent, and even going outside to try and draw somehow. And hadn’t he met Jin Seon-yu there?
That was an action ‘Seo Yi-kyung’ had not taken in the original work. He had spent most of his time in a large, luxurious painting studio.
So, is the content of the original work changing?
Or is it even possible for it to change?