Chapter 94: Left in The Rain

Tears streamed endlessly, soaking his neck and clothes.

Once the dam of emotion broke, it poured out like water bursting through shattered embankments.

The grief was too vast to contain.

Han-geon covered his face with both hands and sank down beside the bed, letting his sobs spill out without restraint.

The image of him standing there helplessly in front of him.

The clumsy, childlike hands reaching out to touch him.

And then, in the moment of being turned away, those black eyes plunging straight into the abyss.

During the week since he had left him behind, Han-geon had imagined it countless times.

If one day… he were to see Eun-gyeol in pain, would it feel satisfying then.

If he saw him crumble while crying, would he feel vindicated.

Loving Cha Eun-gyeol had been so long and so cruel that if he suffered because of him too…

Would that tight, suffocating ache in his chest finally ease, even a little.

Cha Eun-gyeol came to him and showed him exactly the appearance he had imagined.

He begged desperately in the depths of despair.

And for the first time, Han-geon was not swayed.

Even though he was the person who knew better than anyone how to break him, Han-geon did not collapse.

He poured out everything he had wanted to say to him all along.

He was cruel.

He shut him out at the door.

Yet his heart felt no better at all.

Instead, it hurt as if someone had dug it out with bare hands.

Eun-gyeol’s tear-streaked face, his pleading voice… none of it felt satisfying or cathartic.

He wished he could go back to before seeing him reduced to that state.

He wished he could live forever without knowing that version of him.

Han-geon, who had been shedding tears like someone hollowed out, finally forced himself to stand.

He staggered into the bathroom and washed his face.

Then he pulled out the large suitcase he had placed in the closet when he first arrived here.

He stuffed clothes into the empty bag at random.

He packed up everything he had brought with him when he fled here.

The room, once filled with traces of Han-geon, gradually returned to its original state.

This place, too, was no longer somewhere he could stay.

He didn’t know how Eun-gyeol had found this place, but now that he knew of it, Han-geon had to leave.

He had fled all the way here because Eun-gyeol’s presence was too overwhelming.

Every day, he had tried desperately to ship away the afterimages of Eun-gyeol that filled him to the point of agony.

To the waves.

To the sea breeze.

To the blue sky.

All of that grueling effort became meaningless in an instant.

Just meeting his gaze and exchanging a few words was enough for his inner world to be filled with him once again.

Now it was clear.

He could no longer coexist with Eun-gyeol.

The feelings that had deepened in proportion to the time he loved him had sharpened just as much, becoming a weapon capable of dealing him fatal wounds with the slightest swing.

If Eun-gyeol clung to him again with that same fragile look as before, Han-geon might not waver—but he would suffer alone like this every single time.

At that moment, there was a knock, and the door opened.

Jinwoo stepped inside cautiously and widened his eyes in shock.

“Han-geon!

What the hell is all this—!”

“…..Hyung.”

Han-geon forced himself to lift his gaze, which had been glued to the floor, and met Jinwoo’s eyes.

After burdening him so much already, leaving like this made him unbearably sorry.

“Hyung, I’m sorry… I really caused you nothing but trouble until the end.

I honestly have no face left to show you.”

“No, wait—this isn’t the issue right now, you idiot!”

Jinwoo, who had frozen in disbelief, hurried over and grabbed Han-geon’s arm.

He forcibly pried the suitcase handle from Han-geon’s hand.

“Where do you think you’re going right now.

You’re not even alone anymore!

And in this rain—where are you going!”

“…It’s raining?”

“Yeah.

It suddenly started pouring.”

Han-geon’s eyes widened.

In that instant, the very first thing he prayed for was this.

Please—let Eun-gyeol not be there right now.

Please don’t let him show himself breaking any further.

Han-geon bit his lip tightly.

No.

There was no way Cha Eun-gyeol would still be there.

Just waiting for him this long would have cracked that boy’s arrogant pride enough.

He had just been treated that coldly, and on top of that, it was raining…
There was no way.

Muttering desperately to himself, Han-geon walked to the window and reached for the curtains he had drawn earlier.

He had been so out of it that he hadn’t even heard the rain.

When he yanked the curtains open, raindrops were indeed pounding against the blackened glass.

But his hope was shattered mercilessly.

Amid the scattered streaks of rain stood a stubborn silhouette.

Seeing him crouched there motionless, a heavy fire boiled up inside Han-geon.

“…That bastard.”

Gritting his teeth, Han-geon abandoned all his belongings and bolted down from the second floor.

He intended to curse him out.

He even thought he might really beat him senseless, just as he had asked.

Why were you so selfish to the very end.

Did you really have to make someone’s heart this uncomfortable before you felt satisfied.

I ran all the way here because you were too heavy, too painful to bear—did you really have to steal even this place from me.

Han-geon flung open the gate and snarled in a rough voice.

“Get up.”

There was no response, no movement from Eun-gyeol, who was crouched with his face buried between his knees.

His shoulders and hair were already soaked through with rain.

Looking down at him, Han-geon shouted.

“I said get up!

Don’t just sit there like that!”

He grabbed Eun-gyeol’s shoulder and shook him roughly.

But the moment his hand touched that rain-soaked body, Han-geon’s eyes flew open.

Eun-gyeol’s body dangled limply, like a doll with its strings cut.

“Hey… Cha Eun-gyeol.”

“…..”

“Cha Eun-gyeol.

Eun-gyeol!”

Han-geon hurriedly crouched down, trying to lift his face with both hands.

But despite his frantic calls, Eun-gyeol did not raise his head.

His limp body slowly tilted to the side.

Though his skin was wet with rain, it burned with feverish heat.

“Wh-what is this—”

“Hyung!”

Eun-gyeol had collapsed completely, unconscious.

Jinwoo, who had followed after him, widened his eyes in shock.

Throwing aside the umbrella he had brought, he helped Han-geon lift Eun-gyeol up.

Without sparing a second thought, Han-geon hoisted Eun-gyeol onto his back.

“Hyung, please help me.

Let us get him inside.”

“Put him down.

I’ll carry him.

You’re in no condition—”

“No.

I’ll do it.

Let’s just get inside quickly.”

The two men moved swiftly and brought Eun-gyeol into the house.

After laying him flat in the living room, Han-geon fetched a towel and wiped down his soaked body.

Then he pulled out his own clothes from the fully packed suitcase and changed him into them.

“Ha, seriously… Han-geon, should I call 119?”

Jinwoo asked irritably, raking a hand through his hair.

At that moment, Han-geon recalled the instructions he had once heard from the chief manager.

To avoid public attention as much as possible, unless it was a major emergency, treatment was usually handled at home by a private physician.

“Ah… no. 119 would be… not good.

Um… Hyung.

Could you do me a favor?”

“Huh?

What is it?”

“Could you call this number… and ask them to come as soon as possible?

He looks really sick…”

Han-geon held out the chief manager’s number.

Jinwoo accepted it with a heavy expression and nodded.

While Jinwoo was on the phone with the chief manager, Han-geon stood there blankly, looking down at Eun-gyeol’s face.

His pale complexion.

Lips completely drained of color.

A face that had become half its size in just a week, dark shadows under his eyes, an unkempt appearance that spoke volumes of the anguish he had endured.

As far as Han-geon remembered, Eun-gyeol had only ever collapsed like this when they were in elementary school.

As an adult, he had been physically strong.

How little had he eaten, how little had he slept, to end up like this.

A deep sigh escaped from somewhere deep inside him.

Without realizing it, Han-geon’s hand reached for Eun-gyeol’s forehead.

Touching that feverish heat, he bit his lip.

Pulling his hand away, Han-geon slowly withdrew his gaze and stood up.

“Then, Hyung… I should get going now.”

“Do you really… have to go this far?”

“…I’m sorry.

And… Hyung, I know it’s shameless, but… until the manager gets here… please take care of him.”

Jinwoo’s face crumpled instantly.

Veins bulged thickly along his neck.

“Han-geon… you bastard.

What are you even trying to do, going this far…”

“…..”

“Where are you going.

You should at least tell me that, Han-geon.”

“…Hyung, once I’ve settled down somewhere… I’ll contact you again.”

Holding the suitcase, Han-geon bowed deeply to Jinwoo.

“Thank you for these past few days.

I’ll never forget this kindness.

I’ll repay it, no matter what.”

As Han-geon silently slipped his feet into his shoes, Jinwoo could not bring himself to speak.

He could only look at him with troubled eyes.

Leaving them behind, Han-geon turned and slowly opened the door.

The thickened rain rushed toward him.

Jinwoo followed and placed an umbrella in his hand.

When Han-geon returned his tight embrace, his eyes burned red.

After saying his goodbyes, Han-geon crossed the yard and went out through the gate.

In the dark, silent surroundings, only the sound of rain striking the umbrella filled his ears.

Cutting through the darkness, he walked steadily to the main road and climbed into an empty taxi.

A quiet sigh escaped him and clung to the damp window.