HIDDEN 153

“Mr. Lee, thank you.”

“Not at all.”

As I greeted him while getting into the car, Lee Kyung-jin looked down. He looked a bit overwhelmed by the security vehicles lined up in front and behind, which made me burst into laughter.

“Kwon Yi-kang worries too much. Every time I go out, I feel quite burdened too.”

“Still, you never know what might happen, so it’s not bad to be cautious.”

Lee Kyung-jin frowned, perhaps recalling the time I was dragged away by Kwon Yi-kang’s father.

Perhaps the destination had been announced in advance, as the cars in front pulled away, and Lee Kyung-jin drove after them. After glancing back to confirm that the cars behind were following in a line, I leaned back comfortably into the seat.

“Mr. Lee, why don’t you just hand in your resignation now?”

“……Pardon?”

“I’m getting married soon and moving, so it would be better for you to move over to my side completely rather than walking on eggshells there.”

“Ah, is that what you meant?”

“Or did you think I was telling you to quit?”

How did he see me? Were we that cold toward each other?

I hadn’t mentioned it because I thought I’d be living in a one-room apartment eating only ramen after marrying Kwon Yi-kang, but it seemed Kwon Yi-kang’s father wasn’t going to kick him out.

Between the fact that he was diligently attending the company without much fuss and the fact that he had recently changed the title of a house to my name for us to move into, it seemed he had no intention of kicking him out as a pauper.

“Kwon Yi-kang gave you his business card unauthorized copy[unauthorized copy]last time, telling you to move over here. I’d visit our siteprefer to have someone I know by my side. Do you dislike me, Mr. Lee?”

“Not at all. I like you.”

“By the way, it’s a bit surprising that you’re still receiving a salary. With the Chairman’s personality, he would have fired you already.”

“It seems he was momentarily distracted because noisy incidents kept happening. Actually, I’ve already decided to work only until the end of this month.”

“You should have told me that sooner. Were you just going to be quietly fired if I hadn’t brought it up?”

What a frustrating man. He was about to become unemployed and yet he kept his mouth shut.

“That worked out well. I’ll tell Kwon Yi-kang.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. You do all my errands, so I’m the one who’s grateful.”

Just today, he looked into things I asked for and took me to the places I wanted to go. I was grateful in many ways, but I was especially grateful that he never asked for reasons.

“Are the wedding preparations going well?”

“Kwon Yi-kang said he’ll take care of everything, so I don’t need to worry. But I doubt Kwon Yi-kang is preparing it himself. He’ll probably hire someone.”

“Where are you going for your honeymoon?”

“I heard it’s some island called Bali. I don’t know exactly where it’s located, but the plane will take us there. I told them I’ve never seen the ocean, and they said I should see as much of it as I want.”

“Bali. That sounds lovely.”

“It’s my first trip, so I think anywhere would be great.”

Back when I was Min Jae-hee, before I died of cancer, I used to think that I wished I could at least go on a unauthorized copytrip. Since I had never seen the ocean, [Read on Read BL Novels]I thought it would be nice to see it once before I died. In the end, however, I died without even seeing a valley, let alone the ocean.

I never dreamed that my first trip would be abroad, and a honeymoon at that. Regardless, after meeting Kwon Yi-kang, I’m getting to experience all sorts of things.

“I’m glad I’m alive.”

When I was diagnosed with cancer, I felt that even dying was a pathetic affair, yet at the same time, I felt a sense of relief that I wouldn’t have to suffer anymore. Though it wasn’t my intention, I woke up in Cha Soo-kyung’s body and fought tooth and nail to survive.

Experiencing things I wanted, things I didn’t want, and things I never expected, I came to face a wider world and a world I had never known.

“It’s also really nice to actually look forward to the days I have left to live.”

“He would be happy too.”

The car arrived at its destination and came to a smooth stop. Stepping out from the driver’s seat, Lee Kyung-jin opened the door for me to exit and spoke.

“If the person who saved you sees you living happily and joyfully, Young Master, they will feel visit our site[unauthorized copy]that it was all worth it.”

I didn’t know if it was a compliment or a consolation, but it was hard to easily agree with Lee Kyung-jin’s words.

As the culprit who died while trying to save Cha Soo-kyung, if I were in a position to watch from the afterlife instead of being here, I think I would have hurled curses rather than feeling a sense of reward.

Cha Soo-kyung would likely feel the same. Even if he tried to commit suicide due to depression and eventually died, his feelings must be complicated seeing my soul inhabit his body and live in his stead.

Would he be saying something like, Thank you for living well in my place? His own life was suffocating and pathetic; seeing me live joyfully, breaking things like a delinquent, causing a stir in the household, and hooking a brilliant Alpha, his heart must be in turmoil.

“Is this the place?”

“Yes, they said the burial took place here at the Yutaek Garden.”

“Thank you. I’ll go in slowly by myself from here.”

I thanked him for his hard work in looking into it [stolen content]and began to walk slowly. visit our siteThe men who stepped out of the security vehicles scanned the surroundings, and Lee Kyung-jin followed behind me, keeping a distance of about ten paces.

They could just give me some time alone. Even as I thought that, I realized it couldn’t be helped since this was their job.

Since I was dropped off nearby, there was no risk of getting lost. Perhaps because it was a weekday afternoon, there weren’t many people, and no staff members asked why I had come. Like the many others who visit this place, I was merely one of the left-behind, coming to say goodbye to someone.

Since it was called Yutaek Garden, I expected a burial on a small mountain or hill, but it was simply an altar built outdoors. With walls and a ceiling made of transparent panels to shield from wind and rain, it looked like a common shelter or a smoking booth from the outside.

After confirming that no one was inside the garden, Lee Kyung-jin stood guard outside. I walked forward calmly and stood before the altar.

There was nothing here that specifically reminded me of Cha Soo-kyung or Min Jae-hee. It was a communal grave where no tombs, tombstones, ancestral tablets, or even a single photograph could be found. I was likely just one of the many cremated remains that passed through here, and perhaps they had already been moved elsewhere.

Nevertheless, I felt I had to come here once.

It wasn’t to confirm anything, but simply to put a period to something inside me. No, since neither Cha Soo-kyung’s life nor my own has truly ended, it would be better to call it a comma.

Min Jae-hee, who lived pathetically amidst a pile of trash, stolen contentis dead, unauthorized copyand having donned the shell of Cha Soo-kyung, I have finished the revenge for Min Jae-hee’s life. All Read on Read BL Novelsthat remains now is to break free from the past and revenge and live my own life fully. I stood here to take that first step.

“Why did you come here alone?”

I smiled at the familiar voice. I didn’t even have to look back to know who was approaching me.

“You really follow me everywhere. Are you a stalker?”

“Don’t you know the saying that a married couple is one heart and one body? Since we are one heart and one body, it’s only natural that I follow wherever you go.”

Honestly, he’s too good with words.

The moment I started a mass migration leading a security detail, the destination must have reached Kwon Yi-kang’s ears. It was obvious that he couldn’t bear to let me be alone for even a moment and rushed over immediately.

Leaning my body against the arm wrapping around my waist, I tilted my head back to look up at Kwon Yi-kang’s face. His sharp jawline looked especially sexy today.

“Do you believe that humans have souls?”

“Hmm, I’m not sure.”

“Me neither. Seeing as I woke up in Cha Soo-kyung’s body, the body and the soul definitely seem to be different. Still, I still don’t know.”

If my soul is in Cha Soo-kyung’s body, where would Cha Soo-kyung’s soul be? Min Jae-hee’s physical body was cremated and vanished, so where did Cha Soo-kyung’s soul go?

Maybe he attained Nirvana, happy that his wish to die was granted, or maybe he’s grinding his teeth while looking down at me living in his body.

“Did you think you could find out by coming here?”

“No. Just… it felt like a turning point.”

“What kind of turning point?”

“A point to shake off my past, break free from what bound me, and start sketching my future.”

I feel as if I am standing here to erase a wall covered in messy scribbles and paint it anew.

I have cleanly erased the stain called Cha Baek-joo, who first defiled the pathetic wall of Min Jae-hee’s life—a life that was desperately harsh, painful, hungry, and unfair. The gouges and scratches may not disappear, but at least I can draw a new picture on the freshly white-painted wall.

“This is the last place I existed as Min Jae-hee. I’ve spent so much energy and time dealing with the complicated family history and revenge. Now, I’m starting over from here.”

I could call it a mindset, or a resolution. Whatever I call it, I wanted to shake off the old emotions. I wanted to take a new step forward. I wanted to live dreaming of the future, not the past.

No longer as the Min Jae-hee of a dark past, but as the Min Jae-hee who will live in Cha Soo-kyung’s body together with Kwon Yi-kang by my side and the child to be born.

“No matter who you are, who you live as, what you break free from, or what you sketch… just remember that I will always be by your side.”

“You’re stating the obvious. You’re the driving force that allows me to sketch a future.”

If it weren’t for Kwon Yi-kang, would I be [stolen content]standing [Read on Read BL Novels]here? I could guarantee that no matter the situation, it wouldn’t be better than Read on Read BL Novelsit is now. In the life that begins now, Kwon Yi-kang is practically my everything.

“Here.”

Kwon Yi-kang held out the chrysanthemums he was carrying. He had bought two, perhaps intending for us to leave one each, but I took both.

One for my dead physical body, and one for the dead soul of Cha Soo-kyung.

Hiding a thin streak of selfishness, hoping that he wouldn’t linger around me out of lingering attachment, I solemnly placed the chrysanthemums on the altar and prayed for Cha Soo-kyung’s peace.

* * *