Chapter 66: Watch Closely

“I-I was wrong! Heesung, don’t. Please?”

“What do you think I’m going to do?”

Lee Yunwoo was stupid in strange ways. He must have thought I was going to hurt myself.

Why would I do something so pointless?

Lee Yunwoo was always good to Heesung when Heesung was hurt. And when the cause of the hurt was himself, the effect doubled. He’d flounder, not knowing what to do, and trail behind Heesung.

Cutting himself was more effective than cutting Lee Yunwoo.

“Watch closely. You’re the one doing this.”

Heesung carved those words into Lee Yunwoo’s mind. He was satisfied watching Lee Yunwoo sob as if he might collapse at any moment.

Seeing blood was nothing.

Lee Yunwoo would behave himself for a while.

Lee Yunwoo followed him around like he’d lost his mind. These days he was barely sane.

In that state, he kept tagging along. Even while Heesung was in the hospital after surgery, he stayed by his side.

Heesung didn’t like how gaunt his face had become. But remembering that even that was because of him, he felt satisfied.

‘Why does he look so pathetic even when he sleeps?’

Heesung looked down quietly at Lee Yunwoo, who had his head buried in Heesung’s bed. He toyed with his fine hair.

His arm was bandaged up to the wrist, so even wiggling his fingers pressed against it. He liked that, so he deliberately stroked Yunwoo’s hair a few more times.

Heesung got up and lifted him into his arms. He laid him down on the bed he’d been lying in just moments ago.

Lee Yunwoo made a wheezing sound. Heesung stared at his face, then waved his hand in front of his closed eyes a few times. Yunwoo was still wheezing, fast asleep.

He must have fallen into a deep sleep for the first time in a while.

Though it was called a hospital room, it was furnished like a hotel. Past the space with the bed was a sitting room. Heesung crossed that too.

After a short hallway, he reached the hospital corridor. A man was standing in front of the long bench.

“Don’t let anyone in.”

“Yes.”

Heesung had been in a good mood lately. So even now, heading out to handle a bothersome matter, he was less irritated than usual.

Even though he had to meet someone. Someone he didn’t particularly like, someone he might even dislike, but also, in a way, someone he was grateful to.

Heesung went down the stairs. With a cardigan over his hospital gown, he looked like a visitor rather than a patient.

The lower floor was as quiet as the upper one. Heesung entered the room with the light on. Someone inside hurriedly rose at the sound of him.

A woman came over with quick, short steps, in an exaggerated voice.

“Oh my. Heesung. What is all this? You said you got hurt in Yunwoo’s place last time, didn’t you? Is it the same this time? Did those thugs come after you again?”

An incompetent guardian. Thanks to her, he had a place to stand, though.

“I’m sorry for making you come all this way.”

“Oh, don’t be. You’re hurt. I should be the one coming to you.”

Heesung found it fascinating every time he saw Lee Yunwoo’s mother, Hwayoung. It was fascinating how she favored one son. It was fascinating how she discriminated against Lee Yunwoo, when no matter how you looked at him, he was the prettier one. It was also fascinating how she followed Wonhwa’s words without any question.

When told to move far away, leaving her son behind, why had she said yes without asking? She accepted so readily that he hadn’t even needed to prepare an excuse.

She could do anything for her first son, and nothing for her second.

That was probably why Lee Yunwoo kept his distance from his mother, too. Someone starving for affection knows exactly who will give them a scrap of attention and who won’t.

And just in time, Hwayoung needed Heesung’s help. Her first son, who only ever caused trouble, had finally gotten into an accident. He hadn’t regained consciousness even after surgery.

The enormous cost was not something Hwayoung could cover alone.

How could the right thing happen at exactly the right time? Everything in the world was helping Heesung. Anyone watching would think he had done it all in secret.

‘……’

It would look that way. It would only look that way. Heesung laughed to himself.

“That hospital I mentioned before. I’ll arrange the transfer, of course, and I’ll cover the hospital bills. Until he recovers.”

“……Really? You, why?”

“Instead, don’t let Yunwoo see you from now on.”

Heesung said his business outright. He needed to get back to the room quickly.

Lee Yunwoo hadn’t been able to sleep long these days. He seemed to be sleeping deeply now, but he’d probably wake up soon and come looking for Heesung.

He couldn’t leave the room anyway, and no one could get in. But Heesung had to be right there when Yunwoo came looking for him.

The face Yunwoo made when he called Heesung’s name, stumbling over it, was new and good every time.

“If you absolutely have to meet him, get my permission first. Don’t contact him either.”

Hwayoung’s eyes darted around without direction. Lee Yunwoo did exactly that when he was flustered. That one thing, he’d definitely gotten from her.

Hwayoung spoke haltingly.

“Heesung, you, what are you trying to do, why……”

“Is that important right now?”

Heesung asked her sincerely.

“Do you not want to?”

If she said no, he would have proposed a different method. But Heesung hadn’t planned any further than this.

Because,

“I’m not against it! Of course I’m grateful. ……I was just curious.”

The possibility of Hwayoung saying no had never existed in the first place. If he said he’d pay off Lee Sunwoo’s debts, she would nod without a second word.

She asked him, almost slyly.

“But Heesung, are you and Yunwoo that close……? Close enough for that?”

There was a lot buried in that question. Was he paying because they were that close? If so, could she get more out of him?

He’d said he’d give her money if she moved far away. Now he was saying he’d clear all the debts if she just stayed out of sight. If she could figure out his ulterior motive, maybe there was more to gain……

Heesung narrowed his eyes. Hwayoung quickly added an excuse.

“No, of course I know you two are close. I was just wondering if you were close enough to pay off debts.”

Hwayoung was asking because she knew. She knew Heesung had done all kinds of things to get close to Lee Yunwoo.

Wonhwa had manipulated Hwayoung. And so Hwayoung had pushed Lee Yunwoo’s back. Be close with Heesung, go to the villa, Heesung will take good care of you……

Because he knew Hwayoung had received favors from Wonhwa, Lee Yunwoo couldn’t fully reject his mother’s words. All of this had been done step by step.

Heesung didn’t respond to that.

“If you need anything else, tell me then.”

“Oh, okay. All right.”

“And call Yunwoo soon. Tell him again about his brother’s accident. He seems to have forgotten, since he’s out of his mind right now. Cry and act as sad as you can.”

“Act sad……? Ah, okay. Got it.”

Since Hwayoung had agreed, there was nothing left to see. He left the room, and Hwayoung didn’t stop him.

Heesung thought, ‘Did she end this so cleanly because she was afraid she’d take back her words if the conversation went on any longer?’

The hallway was quiet. Heesung hurried back to the room.

Before planning what came next, he had to go see Lee Yunwoo.

What Lee Yunwoo needed to learn now was that he had no one to lean on but Heesung. Soon he’d send him to the hospital to see his mother and brother. Then he’d truly realize where he stood.

And Heesung no longer had any intention of playing nice with Lee Yunwoo. He would do as he pleased. All those days of trying to look good had been a waste.

He looked forward to what was ahead. He couldn’t wait to see Lee Yunwoo settle quietly into his grasp.

* * *

The hospital room was warm, but the tip of my nose was cold. I took a breath and spoke.

“I’m going.”

“Yeah. Mom can’t leave.”

Mom didn’t even look at me. She couldn’t. Would I even register in her eyes right now?

I took the elevator down and stood in front of the hospital. A banner hung high above was covered with flashy words about some center, about being number one, but the grayish-blue building just looked bleak.

I stood quietly, looking up at the building.

“Hah……”

The breath that burst from my mouth didn’t even rise that high. It lingered around my face. I watched the white vapor scatter weakly, then lowered my eyes.

People were coming and going in front of the hospital lobby. It was so bustling I wondered whether there were really this many sick people in the world.

Before long, a white car pushed through the crowd and stopped right in front of me. A familiar car.

The passenger window rolled down, and an even more familiar voice flowed out.

“Yunwoo.”

The voice calling me sent a chill into my bones. I gave a small shiver and met the eyes of the person in the driver’s seat.

His eyes curved into a smile as he spoke.

“It’s been a while.”

“……Yeah.”

“You missed me, didn’t you?”

‘A while’? It had only been half a day. I got into the car weakly. Yoon Heesung drove with ease.

Yoon Heesung had gotten his license quickly. Even with his arm in bandages, he did whatever he wanted. Only I, without a single wound, was still trapped in that moment.

Then I realized Yoon Heesung’s right arm on the wheel looked bare. The reddish wound on his forearm came into view, unobstructed.

“……You took that off. The bandage.”

The word “bandage” hadn’t come to mind for a moment, so I stumbled. Yoon Heesung gave a light nod.

“Yeah. It felt stuffy. And I think it’s fine to take it off now.”

As he said that, he turned his palm toward me, then gripped the wheel again. There was a scar on his palm, healed long ago but still clearly white.

I knew better than anyone how it had come to be. I dropped my head.

And at the words that followed, I clenched my fist.

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