OMLM | Chapter 13

As the car moved, the silence inside became the only companion to Yebon, who had ceased crying. He simply stared ahead, his eyes unsteady.

‘Is ahjusshi really going to kill Jung Woochan? Just like that?’

Is this even possible in Korea? All because a mere college student like him said so?

He wondered if he should tell Cha Hyuk that he didn’t actually want Woochan dead, or was Cha Hyuk just pretending to go along with him? Yebon was tormented by these thoughts.

Gripping his phone, which lay on his lap, Yebon felt a surge of strength.

“Is… is it really that easy to kill someone?”

“For some, it’s easier than eating.”

The shifting scenery somehow became eerily familiar.

“…What about you, ahjusshi?”

The car stopped near an apartment complex.

Bewildered, Yebon couldn’t help but stare at the building—it was Jung Woochan’s home.

He pressed his hand against the window, looking up at Woochan’s floor, then turned his head towards Cha Hyuk, whose eyelids fluttered nervously.

Inside the still car, with his arms propped on the steering wheel and his head resting on them, Cha Hyuk was not looking at Yebon. His gaze was fixed on the entrance of the apartment.

“Jung Woochan.” Yebon’s shoulders twitched slightly. He had never mentioned Woochan’s name to Cha Hyuk before, yet it sounded so natural coming from him.

“He left for a business trip at 1 PM and will head straight home after work. So, he should arrive between 4:30 and 4:40.”

Yebon flipped his phone to check the time. It was already 4 PM.

The pressure he had felt up to this moment seemed insignificant compared to the crossroads he found himself at now. What could Cha Hyuk be thinking?

“Are you hesitating?”

More than hesitating, he hadn’t truly meant his request to have Woochan killed. Sure, the emotion was real, but he had never intended for it to become a reality.

Yet, he couldn’t deny the enormous inconvenience he’d imposed by impulsively summoning Cha Hyuk here.

Had he let his emotions get the better of him again? He could have chosen a more rational and less burdensome approach, but the news of Woochan getting married had blinded him.

‘…Embarrassing.’

As his rationality returned, he felt mortified.

Unsure how to resolve the situation, Yebon felt nauseous.

‘Should I tell him now that I wasn’t serious?’

He knew that would be the lesser inconvenience to Cha Hyuk, but still, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

Cha Hyuk would likely not overtly express anger or criticism in front of him.

But internally? How pathetic must he think Yebon was, wasting his time like this?

‘Why do I always do this?’

Lately, Yebon had been finding more reasons to despise himself.

Checking the time again, 8 minutes had passed.

His hand clenched into a fist on his thigh, trembling, and Yebon lifted his head sharply after repeatedly twitching his lips, his face now adorned with an awkward, embarrassed smile.

“…I’m really sorry, ahjusshi. I was out of my mind earlier, and I didn’t really mean it. I’m so sorry for causing you trouble. I’ll just go home now. You were probably busy too… I’m really… sorry for wasting your time…”

Cha Hyuk simply stared at him, his dark eyes unreadable, revealing no emotion.

“I was short-sighted. It shouldn’t have come to this… I’m disgusted with myself…”

Still, no response came from Cha Hyuk, not even a change in expression. Unable to step out of the car, Yebon just kept gauging Cha Hyuk’s mood.

After a moment, Cha Hyuk exhaled deeply, leaning back against the seatback with a sound of dissatisfaction. Yebon scratched his thumbnail nervously.

“Is that really what you want? Do you think going home now will make things better?”

“…Yes. I’m okay now.”

“Really?”

Finally, Yebon let his lips droop downwards as he burst out.

“What else can I do? Even though I’m furious enough to want him dead, I don’t actually expect you to kill Woochan for me. There’s nothing I can do right now! So it’s better to stop wasting time.”

“There are more ways to express anger than just killing someone or running away and repressing it.” Yebon looked expectantly at Cha Hyuk for further explanation.

“You could lash out with insults or badmouth someone behind their back.”

“…Are you telling me to curse at Woochan or gossip about him to you? How would that change anything?”

“What I said was just a few examples out of many. How you express your anger should be a compromise between you and your current emotions. It’s about showing your anger responsibly.”

His fingers, which had been anxiously scratching, finally stopped.

Yebon bowed his head as if deep in thought.

“Emotions aren’t naturally compartmentalized; they’re expressed in various ways. If repressed, they often cause issues in other forms.”

Like bursting into tears from extreme anger or leading oneself into dangerous situations due to anxiety.

“So, it might be good to somewhat cater to your current feelings.”

“But… based solely on my feelings, I might be overreacting. Someone else might think it’s something to just get over.”

Tick, tick, the regular tapping of his fingers against the steering wheel filled the air.

Cha Hyuk looked ahead for a moment before speaking calmly.

“It’s not always right to justify feelings, but emotions can’t be viewed objectively. Humans see the world through their own perspectives.”

His own perspective… Yebon muttered to himself.

“That doesn’t mean I or anyone else is necessarily wrong.”

Yebon stared at his phone clutched in his hand.

His gaze drifted past Cha Hyuk, hovering in the air before his adam’s apple bobbed.

“…I think I need to talk to Woochan.”

“If you think you need to, then you should.”

“If you’re busy, you can drop me off and go. I don’t want to impose any further…”

As he trailed off, Yebon pursed his lips and fidgeted with his fingers. Cha Hyuk tilted his head, puzzled.

“I’ll… try to make it quick…”

With his cheeks tinged a light pink, Yebon glanced up at Cha Hyuk, whose mouth twitched slightly.

“Could you wait for me…? It’s a bit comforting to know you’re nearby…”

Fearing rejection, his light eyes trembled slightly.

From below his eyes to the tips of his ears, slowly reddening, he looked so vulnerable that one might want to kiss every inch.

As Cha Hyuk’s lips began to part, he suddenly covered his mouth with his hand and turned his head.

“…Ahjusshi?” Yebon cautiously reached out, moving closer to Cha Hyuk, who then placed a large hand on Yebon’s head.

Cha Hyuk turned his head slightly and spoke. “I’ve got plenty of time, so take your time.”

At that, Yebon’s face brightened, and he nodded.

He put his bag on the passenger seat and stepped out of the car, heading towards the apartment complex.

Cha Hyuk watched his back, then leaned his forehead against the steering wheel and exhaled deeply.

“What am I going to do…” Too deep in thought, a self-deprecating murmur escaped him quietly.

After moving a distance from the car, Yebon glanced back once.

He had always seemed more composed and introspective than he appeared… but today, Yebon finally understood why Cha Hyuk had studied psychology. He suited it more than anyone.

Then a thought struck him. Why did ahjusshi become a gangster? It didn’t seem like something he would have chosen willingly.

Recalling Cha Hyuk’s firm and calm voice, Yebon called Woochan.

“You said you’d block me.” The sarcasm was evident. Hearing Woochan’s voice made Yebon’s stomach flip, forcing him to pause for breath.

“I’m near your house. It seemed like you had something to say too—”

“What? Where did you say you are?” Yebon grimaced and pulled the phone away from his ear. Why was he yelling?

“I’m near your apartment. I have things to say too.”

“…Wow, Kang Yebon. Have you decided to go all out? If you have something to say, you should make an appointment. Is it polite to just show up at someone’s house like this?”

…Do you even know what politeness is?

Yebon nearly let out a harsh retort but restrained himself. He was here to hear the truth from Woochan and get an apology, not to fight.

“Let’s talk. You had things to say too.” A sharp silence followed.

“Kang Yebon, you’re really hitting rock bottom. I guess I didn’t know you at all.”

“Stay there.” The call ended abruptly with those words.

Woochan must have realized what Yebon wanted to discuss. Yet, his response…

Really kill him? Yebon glanced at the black car parked behind. Somehow, it felt reassuring.