IWDAR Chapter 37

Perhaps it was because the other person was Mo Tae-uk. 

 

Wooyoung didn’t find all of this scary or horrible. He just felt a little sad. Even though he had suppressed his feelings, Wooyoung might have harbored some expectations towards Tae-uk.

 

Even though he had jumped off the building to escape, Wooyoung felt that his situation hadn’t changed at all. 

 

I’m not ‘that’ Han Wooyoung. Things are definitely different from back then. 

 

‘Well. Are things really different?’ 

 

The moments when he had felt warmth in this place felt distant. It was when Wooyoung finally closed his trembling eyelids in resignation.

 

“Ugh—”

 

He thought his lips were about to be swallowed, but what Wooyoung felt was a rush of air filling his lungs.

 

“Cough, cough…!”

 

The sudden release of his neck allowed the much-needed air to fill his lungs, and a rough cough erupted. Wooyoung, staggering and gasping for breath, looked up with tear-filled eyes.

 

Tae-uk was looking down at him, his face terrifyingly hardened. His heart pounded. The heart that had been pounding erratically since he met Tae-uk today, pounded even harder. He was afraid it might burst.

 

Tae-uk, a step away from Wooyoung, stared only at the reddened boy’s throat. At the mark he had made. 

 

The moment his dark gaze, which had been slowly moving as if scanning, finally met the clear, tearful eyes—

 

“…Sing me a song.”

 

Wooyoung looked at Tae-uk with confused eyes.

 

Tae-uk, taking a low breath, did not take his eyes off Wooyoung. The eyes that had been filled with dark lust, as if about to pin Wooyoung down at any moment, were now unreadable.

 

“You said you’d give me anything I wanted.”

 

“…CEO.”

 

“Sing me a song, Han Wooyoung.”

 

Tae-uk, who just a moment ago had felt so immense that it was impossible to refuse, now looked infinitely tired.

 

At that sight, his heart ached, and Wooyoung had to press down the hand that unconsciously reached for his chest.

 

A strange atmosphere enveloped the two.

 

Breaking the eerie silence, Tae-uk said, a hint of self-mockery in his voice, 

 

“That’s what I truly want.”

 

Even though he didn’t know what the evil spirit clinging to him would do, Mo Tae-uk didn’t want to mistreat Han Wooyoung. The man finally realized the root of his layered hesitation. In the end, he had truly come to cherish this young one.

 

｡ﾟ•┈꒰ა ♡ ໒꒱┈•  ｡ﾟ

 

“Wooyoung, are you having trouble focusing today?”

 

Startled by Sunwoo’s sudden question, Wooyoung looked up. Even with the music playing, his own image was reflected in the mirror, standing still.

 

His gaze met Habin’s calm eyes. Habin, staring at Wooyoung, strode over and turned off the music. Wooyoung’s face darkened.

 

“Tell me if you don’t want to do it. I don’t want to waste my time either, taking time out of my own schedule.”

 

Habin, with his sturdy and strong impression, had no filter in his words, in a different way than Jaewon. 

 

In a good way, he spoke frankly without embellishment or empty words, expressing himself as he was. In a bad way, he was cold. 

 

Wooyoung was also bothered by the bluntness, but it wasn’t Habin’s fault. The sharp words weren’t kind at all, but they weren’t wrong, and that’s why.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

Habin’s eyebrows rose slightly at Wooyoung’s small head bowing politely without any excuse.

 

“Why are you making the kid apologize?”

 

“I never told him to apologize.”

 

“… .”

 

‘Yeah, you’re so great.’

 

Sunwoo clicked his tongue and looked at Wooyoung with a pitiful face. 

 

Even he, who had known Habin for a long time, sometimes felt choked up by his way of speaking. 

 

The reason why Jaewon and Habin had such a big fight was probably due to Habin’s tone of voice, accounting for at least 80% of the problem. Jaewon, being strong-willed and hating to lose, would throw everything back at Habin, but Wooyoung seemed like he would fly away with just a few words from Habin.

 

“Wooyoung, are you feeling unwell somewhere? Your face has been pale since a while ago. Do you want to go to the infirmary for a bit? Did you practice too much yesterday?”

 

“No, I’m not sick at all. I stretched well today, so I don’t have any muscle aches. I can work hard again.”

 

“Hmm… .”

 

Wooyoung, who had come to the practice room today, looked very unwell, as if something had happened overnight. 

 

Wooyoung’s dance practice had been going on since morning, but unlike yesterday when he was full of enthusiasm and even did extra practice, Wooyoung seemed somewhat uneasy today.

 

‘He said he’s staying with the president right now.’ 

 

Yoo Sunwoo was quick-witted. 

 

There must have been a reason why Wooyoung, who only went between home and the company these days, looked like he hadn’t eaten anything properly overnight.

 

“Let’s take a 5-minute break.”

 

As if he was concerned about what Sunwoo said about Wooyoung’s health, Habin was the first to suggest a break.

 

Anyone with eyes could see that Wooyoung’s already pale face was almost as white as a sheet of paper. 

 

Wooyoung, momentarily flustered, sat down obediently on the practice room floor with Habin and Sunwoo. Sunwoo smiled at the cute sight, forgetting his previous worries.

 

“Wooyoung looks just like a rabbit.”

 

“A, a rabbit?”

 

“Yeah. White, reddish around the eyes, and a round nose.”

 

Wooyoung felt a little shy because he hadn’t heard that he resembled an animal very often.

 

“I don’t think I look like one at all… .”

 

“No, you really do. You’re exactly the same. Right, Sun Habin?”

 

“… .”

 

Wooyoung felt extremely awkward as Habin’s heavy gaze followed him. He seemed like he was about to throw cold water on the conversation by saying, “I’m a person,” but Habin just remained silent for a long time. 

 

Uncomfortable with Habin’s persistent stare, Wooyoung blurted out something random.

 

“Maybe it’s because I’m born in the year of the rabbit.” 

 

“… What?”

 

He didn’t expect Sunwoo to furrow his brows at that, though. 

 

Wooyoung, and even Habin, looked at him with puzzled eyes at Sunwoo’s hardened expression, which was usually filled with a gentle smile.

 

“What did you say, Wooyoung?”

 

“I’m born in the year of the rabbit… .”

 

Sunwoo closed his mouth at Wooyoung’s words. After a long silence, Sunwoo slowly got up from his seat.

 

“Okay, break time’s over. Let’s practice again.”

 

“Yes, yes.”

 

Habin, too, went back to turn on the music, seemingly uninterested in Sunwoo’s state.

 

Meanwhile, Sunwoo, who was adjusting the formation, asked Wooyoung, 

 

“Wooyoung, when did you say you were coming back to the dorm?”

 

“I’m not sure about that yet… .”

 

“Is that so?”

 

The music started playing as he nodded lightly. 

 

Under Habin’s instructions, who was now standing next to him, Wooyoung did his best to follow the choreography. 

 

Dancing was hard work. Fortunately, Eden’s first title track had a refreshing concept, so the choreography wasn’t too difficult.

 

Wooyoung tried to clear his mind as much as possible as he moved his body. Actually, he just wanted to escape from the problems that had been troubling his heart last night, but…

 

｡ﾟ•┈꒰ა ♡ ໒꒱┈•  ｡ﾟ

 

The secretarial staff, who were together in the CEO’s office, were on high alert because of Tae-uk’s consistently bad mood lately.

 

Mo Tae-uk was an excellent boss, but he had a remarkable talent for intimidating people with his mere presence.

 

Do-hoon, who had received a call from Mo Nak-hyun just yesterday, looked at Tae-uk with complicated eyes. 

 

The man seemed to be intentionally avoiding his grandfather’s contact.

 

“Handle it without any inconvenience. Prepare everything he needs.”

 

“…Understood.”

 

Tae-uk’s expression was fierce as he handed over the matter of Wooyoung’s relocation. Do-hoon had to suppress a sigh at the aura that seemed like Tae-uk would drag someone in and beat them up at any moment.

 

‘So Wooyoung is finally leaving.’ 

 

It was impossible for a trainee about to debut to stay at Tae-uk’s mansion forever, but Do-hoon was worried about Tae-uk being left alone. 

 

Mo Nak-hyun’s angry voice, asking if he would regret it only after something happened, had stopped him in his tracks.

 

Do-hoon, who came out of the CEO’s office, spotted Sunwoo striding towards him as he stepped out of the elevator.