By Zephyria 
If there is one thing I did right in my life, it was entering law school. Because of that, many parts of my life changed. Conversely, there were countless choices I regretted. If I had to pick a few, I wonder if Im Gyeong would be among them.
If I had treated him with moderate courtesy when I encountered him at the host bar, if I had just apologized and ended it when I saw him for the second time at my family home, if I hadn’t gone to the gathering where Assemblyman Choi was called… if I had done those things, could I have avoided this situation?
“Kh!”
Lying on the ground, I stared at the tip of the knife descending toward my throat. The eyes of the man mounted on my chest flashed with murderous intent. I barely held on by gripping the hand holding the knife, but I was gradually reaching my limit.
Im Gyeong!
I don’t know why I called his name. Surprisingly, Im Gyeong flew in from somewhere and delivered a powerful kick to the man on top of me. Having touched the threshold of death, for that moment, the man felt like an angel. When he reached out his hand, I gripped it, and he pulled me up with force.
“Are you okay?”
It was a kindness that felt out of place in a location where lives were being fought for so fiercely.
I picked up a fallen wooden club and rejoined the fight. Parts of the road were now a mess, mixed with rainwater and blood. Looking beside me, I saw Im Gyeong covered in blood, smiling eerily. The tip of the knife in his hand ruthlessly pierced the opponent’s vital points.
The only thought that came to mind was that he was a lunatic. But I had no choice if I wanted to live. These people had come here today with the purpose of killing us. I didn’t know whether Kang Hee-shin or Im Gyeong was the target, but they didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving either of us alive.
Rumble, crash! Thunder and lightning struck from the sky. I repeatedly wiped the rainwater flowing down my face and put strength into the hand gripping the club. I have to endure. I can’t die here. I have to hold on and get out of here somehow. The attackers seemed flustered by our fierce reaction, and their momentum had waned compared to the beginning.
Thunder flashed again, and car lights approached from the distance. Had they called in more of their gang? I hoped that wasn’t the case. Soon, the car stopped and a man stepped out. He looked familiar. A man wearing glasses calmly opened an umbrella and walked toward us with steady steps. Upon spotting the man, Im Gyeong waved brazenly and smiled.
“What a pleasure to see you.”
Tatsuki sighed and held the umbrella over Im Gyeong.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to die of old age because of you, Young Master.”
The attackers seemed confused at first, but the atmosphere shifted once they realized he had come alone. Perhaps thinking that one more person wouldn’t change anything, their voices grew louder. “Kill that bastard too!” Just as they readjusted their grip on their knives, Tatsuki pulled something from his coat.
Bang—
The sound that shook the entire mountain made the opponents freeze.
Tatsuki said nothing and aimed the gun at them.
“I do not wish to escalate this. Stop right here.”
“Fu—fuck! You think we don’t know that’s a blank?”
“I only warn you once.”
“You piece of shit. Look at him acting tough.”
One man, driven by some kind of nerve, charged forward first, and simultaneously, his head vanished. Hee-shin looked back at the man named Tatsuki in shock. Then, he grabbed the arm of the man aiming the gun.
“Stop it.”
The men screamed and scattered. Having properly grasped the situation, they quickly evacuated and turned their cars around. Having sold out their loyalty, they left behind those who were wounded and groaning. Just as the car was about to depart, Tatsuki fired a shot and popped the tire. With a pop, the car swayed from side to side before crashing into the mountain boundary and stopping.
The man skillfully swapped the magazine and headed toward the car. It was a loyalty that was chillingly impressive. That’s how I knew. That I couldn’t stop him any further. That these weren’t the kind of people who would be grateful for being spared. That instead of repaying the favor, they would bring even more comrades next time to bury us.
So, even though I knew it was cowardly, I didn’t step in. Meanwhile, with a small gasp, Im Gyeong collapsed beside me. Startled, I saw him clutching his side, breathing heavily.
“What is it? Are you hurt? Let me see.”
When he moved his hand, blood surged out. His originally pale face had turned even whiter, looking like a corpse. When did he get stabbed? He fought like that while being stabbed? This crazy human… Without hesitation, I took off the shirt I was wearing and pressed it against his abdomen. “Hold this tight.”
“Am I dying?”
Im Gyeong asked with a sly smile.
“I don’t think the wound is deep.”
“Liar. Your expression looks serious.”
Tatsuki’s expression, upon returning, also darkened.
“It would be better to go to a hospital than to wait for an ambulance. I know a small hospital downtown that operates at night.”
Without a second thought, Tatsuki handed over the car keys.
“I will clean up this side. I leave the Young Master in your hands.”
I took the keys, loaded Im Gyeong into the car, and started the engine.
Looking beside me, Im Gyeong had his eyes closed and didn’t move a muscle.
“You can’t fall asleep.”
“I’m not sleeping. I’m thinking.”
“What on earth are you thinking about at a time like this?”
“I’m glad it was me, and not Kang Hee-shin.”
“…You can still joke?”
Im Gyeong didn’t answer, just smiled and leaned his head against the window. I could see at a glance that blood was seeping through the shirt I had used for pressure. I grew anxious. Fortunately, the rain gradually began to stop. I increased my speed, entered the city, and headed for the only hospital with an emergency room. As I parked the car hurriedly and got out, a dozing security guard stepped out of the booth.
“How can I help you?”
“Emergency patient. Stab wound to the left abdomen, happened about 20 minutes ago.”
Following the guidance, I went inside and a doctor rushed out. The emergency room was crowded with sick people. The doctor’s expression darkened as he removed the pressure shirt. “Let’s get a CT scan first. I think we need to check for internal bleeding.”
Since he mentioned a CT scan, I wondered if it wasn’t fatal. Following his lead, the other medical staff moved busily. At the nurse’s request to register, I went to the desk, signed in, and waited for a long time again.
In the meantime, I received a call from the man named Tatsuki. He asked a few things about Im Gyeong’s condition and whether a transfer to another hospital was necessary, then hung up. I wondered if he had cleaned up the scene of the accident. I thought it was fortunate that there were no passing cars since it was a remote area. Shooting in the middle of South Korea. And multiple people at once. It was absurd, and I couldn’t believe the reality of it.
“I think you need treatment; would you come this way?”
At the nurse’s question, I finally looked down at my own appearance. My pants and shirt were a mess, soaked in blood, the backs of my hands were all scraped, and there were abrasions on my cheeks and arms. A short while later, a nurse came and provided emergency treatment. After waiting for a long time again, Im Gyeong came out of the operating room.
Lying on a mobile bed, he fortunately seemed to have regained some color in his complexion.
Then, instead of answering the question of whether he was okay, he scanned every inch of Kang Hee-shin’s body.
“Are you hurt?”
“Huh?”
“Your face.”
“It’s nothing. Just a little scratch.”
“Of all places, your face. How upsetting.”
As soon as I heard those words, my brow furrowed involuntarily. What does that even mean? Before I had time to think it over, the doctor arrived. He said I was lucky, and that if it had gone just a bit deeper, the intestines would have been perforated. He said he would need to be hospitalized for a few days and that a transfer to Seoul was possible if desired.
After the doctor left, I got a call from the insurance company. They said they came to tow the car, but neither the car nor the person was there. Seeing how calmly they asked, it seemed the man named Tatsuki had cleaned up properly. As I let out a sigh of relief, Im Gyeong stared intently at me.
“What? Do you need something?”
“I want to go to the bathroom.”
“Can you sit up? I’ll support you.”
Wearing a patient’s gown, Im Gyeong grimaced as he stood up.
He let out a soft “ah” and dropped his head, so I checked his complexion.
“Are you okay? Should I just bring you a urinal?”
At the mention of a urinal, Im Gyeong looked disgusted. That disgusted expression was a bit cute. He’s always so brazen, but at times like this, he seems like a normal human being. At this point, I felt an impulse to forcibly shove a urinal toward him. Perhaps I am also quite a pervert, not unlike this bastard.
Struggling to stand, Im Gyeong staggered forward.
Startled, I caught and held the man who was larger than me.
When I asked if he was okay, he just shook his head weakly.
“I’m dizzy. Maybe I lost too much blood.”
Since he ended up completely embraced by me, a few people nearby glanced our way.
“Ho—how long are you going to stay like this? Stand up straight.”
“Just a moment. It’s because I’m dizzy.”
“I’ll go get a wheelchair. Move away a bit.”
“Ah, if you let go now, I’ll collapse.”
“…….”
“If I fall and crack my skull and become a cripple, will Mr. Kang Hee-shin take responsibility?”
Turning my head slightly, I saw this bastard resting his face on my shoulder and grinning. Flustered, I pushed him away abruptly, and a groan of “ugh!” was heard. Since a nearby nurse was watching, I quickly supported Im Gyeong again. He kept giggling with his head down, as if something was amusing. Glaring at the top of Im Gyeong’s head, I ground my teeth.