IWDAR Chapter 11

Tae-uk expected the boy in front of him to collapse at any moment, tears streaming down his face. 

Just like how he had buried that adorable head in the handkerchief Tae-uk had offered him moments ago, sobbing. 

He looked so frail that Tae-uk thought he might snap with a single touch, unable to properly support his thin body.

Perhaps he would be overwhelmed with gratitude and emotion for a long time. Tae-uk knew all too well that even the smallest act of kindness, insignificant to him, could mean the world to someone like Wooyoung. 

However, Wooyoung simply stared at Tae-uk. 

His cheeks, still flushed from crying, and the dampness around his eyes were merely remnants of past emotions. Tae-uk could easily notice Wooyoung’s silent gaze fixed steadily upon him. It was a look of scrutiny.

‘Not bad…….’ 

Tae-uk’s firm head tilted slowly. 

The kindness he offered was undeniably excessive generosity for Wooyoung’s current situation. 

Despite this, Wooyoung didn’t feel the slightest bit relieved. 

On the contrary, he was suspicious of this man named Mo Tae-uk. Wooyoung had seen countless adults extend a helping hand, claiming to have his best interests at heart. 

But what had become of them? What state were they in, and how did their lives end? The chilling sensation that had scraped his bare feet as he climbed to the hotel terrace was still so vivid.

“Why… are you trying to help me?” 

Wooyoung’s voice broke the strange, heavy silence. Tae-uk’s impassive, cool eyes locked onto Wooyoung the moment he spoke. 

Wooyoung’s voice, having only recently ceased its crying, still held a faint tremor, yet it was remarkably composed. His low, quiet voice, imbued with stillness, his voice was uniquely captivating. Tae-uk suddenly realized something.

‘Hello. I’m Han Wooyoung.’ 

He realized why his gaze was drawn to the boy in the midst of the chaotic event hall filled with noise and messy people.

‘Well…’ 

Was that really all there was to it?

Tae-uk leaned back deeply against the sofa’s headrest. 

Wooyoung instinctively recoiled, sinking his shoulders. Every small movement of the large-bodied Tae-uk drew attention. The man’s posture was relaxed, like a massive bird preening its feathers, yet strangely intimidating.

“Do I need a special reason to offer a little help?” 

Wooyoung tilted his head, seemingly puzzled, as if he didn’t care that Tae-uk had deliberately pricked his pride. 

“I  just don’t quite understand why you’re extending this…unwarranted kindness to me.”

Tae-uk’s fingers lightly tapped the armrest of the sofa. 

Han Wooyoung, despite possessing innocent eyes that wouldn’t be out of place in a foreign animation company’s typical slogan—something like, “The world is still beautiful”—was surprisingly pessimistic. Tae-uk, resting his chin on his hand, smirked.

“I think it’s a bit ridiculous to question such a trivial reason now, after all this.”

“Uh, uh……” 

That’s true… 

Wooyoung’s cheeks flushed slightly at the almost gentle tone. Only then did he realize that he hadn’t even properly thanked the man for his help, despite having accepted it.

‘And yet I was being all stubborn and defiant at the event, unable to utter a peep next to the President who kept going on about zodiac signs.’ 

No matter how bizarre the situation, how could he be so shameless? 

The man might think he’s putting on unnecessary airs. He figured he deserved to be mocked by the man in front of him. With his jaw clenched tight enough to crack a walnut, Han Wooyoung abruptly stood up as if he had made a firm resolution.

Tae-uk’s gaze followed Wooyoung’s movements. 

“Although my greeting is quite late… thank you very much for your help.”

“…….”

“And… I’d like to apologize on behalf of our President for any unpleasantness you experienced at the event.” 

Wooyoung’s clear voice echoed through the quiet space.

“Why is Han Wooyoung apologizing?”

“That’s…”

“It seems you still don’t understand why I asked if Han Wooyoung needed my help.” 

A bewildered expression crossed Wooyoung’s face at the nonchalant tone. 

And once again, a heavy silence fell.

Tae-uk’s brow furrowed slightly at the sight of the small head, bowed in a motionless, overly respectful posture. 

The excessively formal display made Tae-uk find the whole situation amusing. Because of his large build and naturally intimidating expression when he wasn’t smiling, people close to him often joked that he must have been a gangster in a past life. 

With the much smaller boy practically on his knees, he really did look like a villain.

“There’s no need to be so overly formal. I wasn’t expecting gratitude in the first place.” 

Despite Tae-uk’s words, Wooyoung’s small head remained stubbornly lowered. With a sigh, Tae-uk stood up from hi seat. He gently reached out and grasped Wooyoung’s shoulder and throat, lifting his bowed body upright.

‘Ah, he’s really small.’ 

He had noticed it when he carried Wooyoung here in his arms, but he truly was small. 

He wasn’t referring simply to height or build—Wooyoung was of average male stature—but rather the feeling that everything about Han Wooyoung was endlessly small: his round face that could fit in one hand, his excessively thin frame, his withdrawn hands and feet, and so on. 

Tae-uk knew very well that this kind of physique shone in front of the camera.

“How old are you?”

“I’m twenty… this year,” 

Wooyoung replied, having been abruptly straightened up. He almost said twenty-five.

“Twenty, huh?” 

The man scanned Wooyoung’s slender neck and hunched shoulders, which seemed like they might break with the slightest pressure, and gave a dry laugh. 

In his past life, even in his mid-twenties, people still saw Wooyoung as young. It was subtly different from being natural youthful-features. 

What Wooyoung felt from those who treated him like a child was that they used the emotion of cuteness as a way to diminish him as a person, based on his age. After diminishing him, their intentions were clear.

‘You’re young and naive, so you have to do as I say.’ 

Wooyoung lowered his gaze, accustomed to the situation he’d experienced countless times. Just looking at the man’s large hands that had lifted him, he could easily imagine how much of a fledgling he appeared to be.

“All grown up.”

“……Yes?” 

Wooyoung involuntarily lifted his head at the man’s indifferent tone. A playful glint flickered across the man’s face at Wooyoung’s bewildered expression.

“No offense, Han Wooyoung, but I thought you were a minor.”

Is he making fun of me? 

Unable to discern Tae-uk’s intentions, Wooyoung simply parted his lips before lowering his head again. 

“I’m… I’m not a minor.”

“I know.” 

At the nonchalant reply, Wooyoung felt dejected.

‘Baby.’ 

A sudden shiver ran down his spine. The slimy tone and laughter poked at him from a corner of his mind. He hated looking young. Being treated like a child was truly awful.

Tae-uk let out a light sigh as he observed Wooyoung, who remained motionless with his lips tightly sealed. Just as Mo Tae-uk was an enigma to Han Wooyoung, Han Wooyoung was the same to Mo Tae-uk. 

It was difficult to gauge his reactions, no matter what he said.

“I wasn’t expecting an apology from Han Wooyoung in the first place, so I’ll just accept your thanks.”

“……Thank you for understanding.” 

Tae-uk’s gaze lingered on Wooyoung’s thin shoulders, but he turned away and rose up from his seay. Mo Tae-uk was inherently a busy man. 

He didn’t have the luxury of devoting much time to a trainee from another agency whom he barely knew, especially if they didn’t want his help. 

Ignoring the fact that he had offered his own bed to this trainee, the man turned away from Wooyoung indifferently.

“……!” 

Han Wooyoung was quick-witted. 

He immediately sensed the impending dismissal. He clutched the USB drive in his back pocket. The lukewarm plastic pressed against his fingertips. It contained a song he had recorded a few days ago at a recording studio. Soohee had grumbled, “Who uses USB drives these days?” but eventually gave in to Wooyoung’s request and transferred the song.

‘Unwarranted kindness……’ 

Han Wooyoung believed such a thing didn’t exist in his life. That’s why he was constantly suspicious. 

But after finding himself in this parallel world or past life or whatever it was overnight, he wondered if he’d been receiving this illusory “unwarranted kindness” all along. 

Realizing this, Wooyoung thought he shouldn’t act foolishly anymore. For Soohee’s sake, who had given him a chance to escape Hyun-jong despite having nothing to gain.

“I… I need your help, CEO Mo.”