By Zephyria “So, you’re asking for a handout now. If you wanted Gyeoul to die so badly, you should have left quietly. Consider him dead.”
“You son of a bitch! What do you know! My life was ruined because of that kid… I’m completely ruined because of him. Completely, completely… Hngh. How do you think I survived that hellhole… It’s all because of him! No, it’s all your fault! If you hadn’t seduced that innocent kid! It’s you, it’s you! If only you died!”
The woman suddenly grabbed my collar and shook me violently. She was trembling, seemingly unable to control her anger. Her eyes rolled back, and white foam even appeared at the corners of her mouth. How could such a decent Gyeoul be born from such a piece of human garbage?
A crazy person was capable of superhuman strength. I tried to shake off her hand gripping my collar, but it only tightened. I was suffocating. However, I couldn’t overcome the imbalance of power due to the difference in size.
Clear anger surged within me.
I wanted to tell her that she was the one who ruined Gyeoul’s life. Gyeoul was indifferent even in the face of humiliating violence. As if it were a daily occurrence, as if it were natural.
He was clearly still wounded to the point of not being able to escape the shadows, but he didn’t even show it. And you’re just…
“Get lost before I call the police.”
“Do you think I’m a joke? A joke? Do you think I can’t ruin that kid’s life? I’m his mother. I can ruin him anytime!”
A scream filled with nothing but malice echoed through the street. The woman started to cry and then began to laugh, consumed by madness. The bizarre laughter, like scraping metal, pierced my eardrums.
People in suits began to pass by the alleyway, which had been deserted. Not many people would simply ignore such a sound. It was a chilling sound that would make anyone look at least once.
That wouldn’t do. Fortunately, she hadn’t shouted Gyeoul’s name yet, but there was no guarantee she wouldn’t in the future. And what if someone who knew Gyeoul happened to pass by here?
I had to get this crazy person away from the company as soon as possible.
If it could be resolved with money, that would be enough. I had no intention of continuing to give her money. If I could just get through this moment. I was willing to pay whatever it took.
“…How much will it take for you to leave?”
“Hmm hmm. Now you’re talking some sense.”
She suddenly became refined, just like in the past. Like a noble crane adorned with honor. Despite looking like she would crawl on the ground, elegance was revealed. It was an old gesture that must have faded long ago.
The hand gripping my collar slowly loosened.
The woman wiped away her tears and neatly straightened her clothes. She tucked her disheveled hair behind her ears. Hmm hmm, she even hummed an unpleasant tune. As if nothing had happened.
A chill ran down my spine. It felt like a warning alarm was going off. The woman, who had suddenly become cheerful, looked like a completely different person.
“…”
“Just the cost of raising that kid is worth billions, actually. But there’s no way he’d have that kind of money at his age… For now, it seems like sending 3 million won every month would be enough. I was going to ask for 5 million won, but I held back since you’re just a stranger. I’m making a concession, so you can do that much, right? Think of it as proxy filial piety. If you don’t want to give money, tell that kid.”
“…”
“First, can you give me your phone number? I need to be able to contact you to keep sending the money. Why would I just leave without any assurance? I don’t need any other information. As long as you send the money regularly, we’ll never have to see each other again. I’ll text you my account number.”
She spoke quickly, as if not giving me a chance to interrupt. She didn’t even breathe or blink while uttering those long words. She looked like someone with a severe mental illness.
It was disgusting. She had given up on being human. Abandoning all shame and embarrassment, only chasing after money. She must have been like that from the beginning.
My stomach churned. I wanted to throw up right away. The woman held out her phone to me. Everything else was old, worn, and dirty, but the phone was the latest model.
I silently wrote down my contact information and handed it back. The woman immediately called. With a venomous look, as if she wouldn’t let it go if it was a fake number.
My phone vibrated. Only then did her expression relax again.
“Now get lost.”
“Then take care, friend. I didn’t even ask your name. You’re my son’s lover, right? Huh?”
“…You don’t need to know until the end. It’s a relationship that ends as long as you send the money properly. And don’t call him your son. Never again.”
“Well… it doesn’t matter as long as I get the money. If you change your phone number, I’ll go find Gyeoul and ruin everything, so keep that in mind. Judging by your attitude, it seems like you’re around here…”
The woman, dragging out her words, left with a haughty expression. However, her staggering gait, as if she were drunk, couldn’t be hidden.
Until the moment she was no longer visible, that unpleasant humming lingered in my ears. My head became hot in the sweltering summer heat. I felt nauseous, as if I had heatstroke. It felt like I had encountered very dirty filth. The bottom of humanity was even more disgusting and miserable than I had imagined.
I took a deep breath. My lungs ached as if they would burst. Then, my phone vibrated again. Fortunately, this time it was Gyeoul.
…Yes, it didn’t matter as long as you were okay. 3 million won was enough if it meant that human would never approach Gyeoul again.
I slowly started to breathe again. Although I couldn’t block the sharp words directed at Gyeoul at the time, I could protect him now. Even if it was a method that Gyeoul definitely hated.
Where are you? I’m so excited about our lunch date that I feel like I’m going to cross the river.
“I’m late because I was parking. I’m almost there. I’ll be there soon.”
Take your time. What’s the worst that can happen? The Head of department will scold you more? I have a lot of things to be scolded for anyway, so I’ll just listen to them all at once.
Gyeoul laughed playfully. It was a sweet resonance.
Listening to that voice calmed my nausea. It felt like I was finally freed from the disgust. The self-reproach that I had pushed Gyeoul into the same abyss as me, and the wicked obsession that I couldn’t give up on Gyeoul despite that. It all scattered in an instant. Gyeoul was still by my side.
Yes, that was enough.
A smile spread across my face, following Gyeoul’s. If I thought of it as the price of having you, nothing felt burdensome. If just a few bucks could keep you from facing that face even for a moment. I could handle it enough.
As long as Gyeoul’s wounds didn’t fester…
I could do anything for that. Even if it meant I fell into the swamp.
∗ ∗ ∗
Daily life flowed smoothly.
The project I had been working on recently was a huge success.
The operating profit increased by more than 200%, and a generous bonus was given out. In particular, the analysis showed that securing favorable terms in the contract with the overseas buyer was the main reason, and we heard rumors that our team deserved a lot of credit. The person in charge of the contract for this project was none other than me.
The Head of department put his hand on my shoulder, saying casually, “There will be good news soon.” I also liked the newly moved-in house, and the commute time was drastically reduced, which made the quality of life twice as good. This even led to an increase in individual ability. Work efficiency was good. Fatigue was reduced, and my mind was clear. How long has it been since this happened…?
Being alone wasn’t bad either.
“I’m leaving work first. Everyone, eat dinner and work. It’s bad for your health. We have to see each other for a long time.”
“Head of section Park, have you already finished organizing?”
Assistant manager Park, who was busy organizing data, poked his head over the monitor. The dark circles under his eyes were so pitiful to look at. I lightly tossed him a chocolate from my desk. Assistant manager Park looked at me strangely as he received the chocolate, with my coat draped over my arm. He had a look of disbelief.
“Yeah. I had a dinner appointment, so I worked a little harder.”
That much was nothing. It was an easy level of work that could be finished quickly if you were proficient in Excel, well. It was something I did so often that I was used to it and could do it quickly. I finished reviewing and submitted the approval around 4 PM.
It wasn’t a particularly busy season right now, so there wasn’t much accumulated work. I drank coffee and pulled forward tasks with a lot of time left and processed them.
“You’ve already done that much? You’re really crazy. But do you have an appointment today too? What’s wrong with you, Head of section?”
“A friend is coming over for a housewarming.”
“Tennis the day before yesterday, climbing yesterday, housewarming today. Did something change in your mind? Until recently, you went straight home.”
“Well… I did.”
I nodded readily. Assistant manager Park kept talking to me, probably because he didn’t want to work. Looking at the amount he had left, he would have to work late into the night. I could clearly see how he felt, and I laughed.
He was a Hubae I had raised from scratch, teaching him everything. I coaxed him when he cried, buying him coffee and desserts. How could I not have affection for him, after bringing him this far?
“You don’t want to work, do you.”
“…Yes.”
“Finish quickly and go home. It’s unfair to be stuck at the company until Friday. If you’re hungry, take something from my snack box. If you do a good job, I’ll buy you lunch on Monday. I’m really leaving now. Have a good weekend, everyone.”
I put on my coat and casually said goodbye, leaving the office.
I had invited Hyeon-seong and Yeon-woo to my house at the same time, but Yeon-woo had an urgent matter and only Hyeon-seong was coming. The housewarming was just an excuse to drink anyway, so it didn’t matter if I saw Yeon-woo next time. Today, we would probably only talk about the breakup. However…