Chapter 11: The Price of Blood

Moreover, the amount BraveSeal777 had spent purchasing recordings over the course of a month reached several million won.
Even though Premon was an amateur platform with relatively low rates, once the payments piled up, the total ballooned in the blink of an eye.

Seonyul felt burdened by an income that exceeded what most entry-level workers earned in a month.

It felt wiser to treat this as a special experience and stop here.
Without getting greedy, he planned to delete his Premon account today, on his scheduled payday.

‘I should contact him once.’

Seonyul felt deeply grateful to BraveSeal777.
Not only had he helped him financially during a difficult time, but Seonyul could genuinely feel how much the man loved his voice and acting.
Whenever they exchanged messages, it felt like reassurance that the path he had chosen was not wrong.
Maybe he was overinterpreting the words of someone he had never even met face-to-face.
Still, he did not want to deny the emotions he had felt in those moments.

“Seonyul~ Tomorrow’s your day off—want to go out for chicken and beer with the staff tonight?”

Late at night, after all the customers had left, the manager approached Seonyul as he was getting ready to clock out.
Behind the manager, Lee Hongik shook his head vigorously, silently signaling Seonyul to refuse.

“……I already have plans with a friend today.”

“Hm, really? That’s a shame. I even lie for you when people come looking for you, you know. Next time, do me a favor and make some time for me~.”

With a smiling face, the manager patted Seonyul’s shoulder before turning away to tidy up the dining area.
Feeling disgusted where he had been touched, Seonyul brushed his shoulder off with his other hand.

“Hyung, don’t ever fall for tricks like that.
You’re the only one he asked to go for chicken and beer tonight, you know?
He’s just trying to drink alone with you.”

“I won’t fall for it. Don’t worry.”

“How can I not worry? If you’re gone, all the dishwashing’s on me.”

Seonyul snorted softly at Hongik’s blunt honesty.

The last time Seonyul had gone out to serve tables, Hongik had been rushing back and forth between assisting with cooking and washing dishes, only to spill a huge pot of stock all over the floor.
Since then, Hongik had taken extra care of Seonyul compared to the other staff.

“But are you okay?
He doesn’t pull that crap with you?”

“Hyung, just look at my face.”

“Ah.”

Seonyul nodded in understanding, prompting Hongik to grumble, “That’s just cruel.”
Trying to comfort him, Seonyul awkwardly said that Hongik was handsome too, only for Hongik to grab him by the collar and shake him, accusing him of mockery.

Hongik also mentioned that the manager chose part-timers based on looks when hiring.

Thinking back, it did explain why the manager had blatantly looked Seonyul up and down during the interview.
As Seonyul gathered his things and headed outside, he deliberately ignored the manager’s lingering gaze.

‘No matter where you go, guys like that are always the problem.’

Since Seonyul spent all his working hours in the kitchen, he couldn’t tell whether the person who had come looking for him was the younger brother he had seen before, or someone else sent by him.

Still, it bothered him that someone kept showing up even after being told, “Kang Seonyul doesn’t work here.”

Maybe someone had only come once, and the rest were lies fabricated by the manager.

If the intent was to keep bringing it up to make him feel indebted, it was a miscalculation.
When it came to people like the manager, Seonyul could be merciless.

Back in his rooftop room, Seonyul powered on his laptop.
He planned to say goodbye to BraveSeal777 and delete his account.

Sneaking around and hiding his activities had made him feel like he was doing something shameful, but now it was finally time to cleanly end this phase of his life.

It was also time to wrap up his brief connection with BraveSeal777.
The feeling was bittersweet.

Bzz.
Bzz.

The name “Mom” appeared on his phone screen along with her photo.
Seonyul hesitated, worried she might bring up money again.
But only for a moment.
She rarely called at this hour—what if something had happened to Unyul?
Concern for his sick sibling won out, and Seonyul answered.

“Hello—?”

– Seonyul!
– Your father… he went into surgery.
– What do we do?
– He slipped while delivering on his motorcycle.
– What if something happens to him?
– Hngh…!

“Mom, where are you right now?
Are you at the hospital?”

– Yeah…
– This is all my fault, my fault.
– If I hadn’t bought him that motorcycle and told him to start over… this wouldn’t have happened…
– Oh, Seonyul’s dad…!

Misfortune arrives without warning.
As if everything you suffered before was nothing.

************

“Mom, are we really paying for Dad’s hospital bills?
We’re strangers now.
He caused the accident—why should we pay?”

“Kang Unyul, don’t say such immature things!
Your father is fighting for his life in the ICU, and the first thing you talk about is money?”

“Then when else are we supposed to talk about it?
He doesn’t even have private insurance, and his health insurance payments are overdue.
Is there anyone in this house with money besides hyung?
Are you going to ask him for money again?
Can’t you see he’s already struggling?
Please, stop taking care of that divorced domestic abuser and take care of your son instead!”

“He got into an accident while delivering on the motorcycle I bought him.
Do you have any idea what kind of hell your mother is in right now? How can you be nothing like your brother?
Try to resemble Seonyul even half as much!”

“Did you forget all the times Dad hit you?
And before and after the divorce, he never paid a single won in child support!
He made your life miserable—why can’t you cut him off already?”

“Enough!
Seonyul might have the right to talk about money, but you don’t!”

Seonyul’s father had suffered fractures in both legs, multiple spinal fractures, organ damage, and even a cerebral hemorrhage.
After emergency surgery, he was admitted to the ICU.

He had regained consciousness, but his condition was not stable enough to move to a general ward, so they had to monitor him further.

Seonyul agreed with Unyul’s words—why should they pay for his hospital bills?
But he also couldn’t ignore his guilt-ridden mother.

There was no one left she could borrow money from.
Where else could she possibly get it?
The fear that she might resort to something illegal made his chest tighten.
Seonyul grabbed his younger sibling’s shoulder and pressed down firmly.

“How much do you need?”

“About five million won… just to clear the overdue health insurance.”

“This is the last time.
Be realistic.
We can’t take responsibility for that man.”

“Mm… I know.
I do have a conscience—I won’t make my son suffer any more than this.
First I’ll reinstate the insurance and look into financial aid.”

“Five million? Where does hyung even have that kind of money?!”

Unyul shouted angrily.
Right.

Where would the money come from?

But there was no taking back words once spoken.

Their mother was already clutching Seonyul’s hands, crying and thanking him.
Furious, Unyul spun around and groped along the wall back to his room.

Bang!

The door slammed shut.

“I’m sorry your mom is so useless.
If only I could get a loan, I wouldn’t have to ask you for help…
It’s all my fault.
My fault… oh, oh…”

Seonyul supported his dizzy mother and laid her down on the bedding.
Her hands, rough from years of kitchen and cleaning work, stroked the back of his hand before her eyes slowly closed, exhaustion finally overtaking her.
After pulling the blanket up to her chin, Seonyul stepped out and knocked on Unyul’s door.

“Unyul.”

“…How long are you going to keep living like this, hyung?
Mom and I both know your work hasn’t been going well.
No proper job, loans taken out just to cover living expenses—you’ve got nowhere left to borrow from.
So why do you think Mom still does this, even knowing all that?
Because you keep giving her money.
If she acts pitiful and weak, you can’t turn away.
She stretches her legs where she knows she can lie down.
Please wake up already!”

The tightly shut door showed no sign of opening.
Only Unyul’s sharp voice rang out.
None of what he said was wrong.
Yet Seonyul couldn’t abandon their mother.
When he was young, the image of her throwing herself in front of him as his father swung a soju bottle was etched into his mind like a tattoo, leaving him unable to move on.

Because he couldn’t hate his mother, his resentment toward his father only grew.
Was he really planning to drag his family down until the very end?
If only he’d just die already.
Uselessly stubbornly clinging to life…

Feeling suffocated, Seonyul grabbed his things and left the apartment.
He loved his family more than anyone, yet for some reason, he could never stay long once he came home.

Drip.
Shaaah.

Raindrops began to fall, and by the time he reached the train station, rain poured down in sheets.
Sitting on a platform bench, staring blankly at the sky, his thoughts circled endlessly around money.
Money, money, money.
Was it raining in Seoul too?
He didn’t even have money—would he have to buy an umbrella?
How much did he need?
How much was he short?
Where could he possibly get it?