SU | Chapter 4.5

In truth, as Ji Youngwon had suspected, the cookies were just an excuse. Yoo Han had something he wanted to say, but the words were trapped in his throat, making him restless.

“Director. Uh….”

“…….”

“That guy you brought home yesterday….”

Ji Youngwon remained silent, still watching Yoo Han intently.

“If you ever feel like calling someone over again… or someone else….”

Yoo Han’s voice trailed off as he swallowed hard, his throat dry.

“Would you call me instead?”

Even faced with Yoo Han’s bold request, Ji Youngwon remained composed. He neither sneered nor chastised him.

“Why?”

This time, Yoo Han answered without a moment’s hesitation.

“I already told you. I’m doing this because I like you.”

“You’re fine with being treated however, as long as it’s by someone you like?”

Yoo Han blinked, caught off guard by Ji Youngwon’s unexpected words. He repeated the question.

“Even if I treat you like trash, as long as you like me, it’s all good? Is that your thing?”

“…No, that’s not it.”

“Then don’t act like an idiot, asking me to call you.”

Finally, Ji Youngwon let out a dry laugh. Yoo Han, feeling desperate, gripped the blanket tightly.

“It’s not about liking being treated like that… but who wouldn’t be upset if someone they liked was sleeping with someone else?”

“You really throw that word ‘like’ around easily.”

“But I mean it.”

Ji Youngwon rubbed his face in exasperation. Hearing Yoo Han’s earnest confession, he couldn’t help but think of Kim Minjae.

The previous day. When Ji Youngwon entered the basement apartment, he immediately grabbed Kim Minjae by the neck and ruthlessly hit the area around his forehead. Just before his face caved in from the blows, Kim Minjae fell to the ground, spattering blood.

“Aaack! Who are you, you bastard… Ha, ha. Say it with words, fuck…!”

Under Ji Youngwon’s rough hands and feet, Kim Minjae’s body was brutally beaten until he suddenly stopped struggling.

“No… Yoo Han… Ugh. Did Yoo Han send you?”

Kim Minjae quickly realized that Ji Youngwon had come at Yoo Han’s behest, shivering under the sudden violence. Ji Youngwon sat crouched in front of the bloodied Kim Minjae, shaking off his wrists, splattered with blood over his suit.

No matter how cursed his life was, Kim Minjae was not accustomed to such ruthless violence, trembling his lips in Ji Youngwon’s nonchalant presence.

“Five million won and the heirloom ring. Where are they?”

Ji Youngwon asked cleanly as Kim Minjae held his breath and asked about Yoo Han’s whereabouts.

“Huh… I’ll tell him when he comes directly. Hoo. Call Yoo Han.”

Kim Minjae, uncharacteristically brazen for someone who had run off with someone else’s money, even showed his shameless side. After a moment of thought, Ji Youngwon slapped Kim Minjae’s cheek.

“Kim Minjae-ssi.”

‘…….’

“You didn’t spend the money, huh?”

Kim Minjae struggled to open his severely swollen right eye. When he remained silent, biting his lip, Ji Youngwon genuinely curious, asked, “Why?”

Taking deep breaths to suppress his urge to throw up, Kim Minjae finally burst out, “That bastard was going to dump me… To dump me! That’s why I… Ugh, damn bastard, just trying to get his attention. Ha… Fuck!”

Ji Youngwon’s eyes narrowed. After rambling nonsensically for a while, Kim Minjae suddenly lifted his head.

“Yoo Han, that jerk has no money either. That rag-like bastard… Ugh, maybe he offered his holes, huh? Fuck… strutting around like a peacock, made it all the way here.”

“Yeah, keep talking.”

As Ji Youngwon loosened his watch, Kim Minjae chuckled as if enlightened and muttered, “Ahjussi. Ha, wake up. That kid… he pretends to wag his tail because he likes you but ends up making a fool out of everyone, right?”

“……”

“That bastard is really the cruel one. Uh…”

Kim Minjae then endured another merciless beating. Eventually, he closed his eyes as if fainting, his head hitting the floor with a thud as foam dripped from his mouth. Ji Youngwon called for Gu Executive and Gu Kangsan who were outside to handle the aftermath and searched the house, finding five million won and a keepsake ring in a white envelope.

After a while, Ji Youngwon, who had been burying his face in his palm, looked up.

“For the time being, come running when I call. I’ll pay you as much as you want.”

“……?”

Yoo Han frowned at the words ‘money’ and ‘for the time being’.

“What do you mean by money, and why… why just for the time being?”

Ji Youngwon sighed briefly.

“You get what you give, you pay back what you receive. Can’t you understand?”

The thought of continuing a relationship with Yoo Han seemed more appealing than he’d expected, as their night together had been surprisingly satisfying.

It was too early to end their fling after just one night, and Ji Youngwon planned to pay accordingly. Moreover, he didn’t want to believe in unconditional affection. That was a separate issue from acknowledging Yoo Han’s goodness.

Perhaps he wanted to create an invisible barrier between them under the guise of an equivalent exchange.

However, Yoo Han, looking hurt, faltered.

“I don’t take a fee. I told you, I’m with you because I like you.”

Ji Youngwon responded as if he had heard something unbelievable.

“You need the money.”

“I don’t need money…”

“What?”

“I’m already compensating with the bell runner jobs, and… you’re also providing food here.”

Ji Youngwon furrowed his brows.

“If you’re not planning to die of old age in the office, shouldn’t you start planning your head out?”

“…….”

Yoo Han remained silent. He couldn’t stay here forever, and it was obvious that Kim Minjae had likely spent all the money, so planning for independence was the right move. However, Yoo Han felt deeply upset by Ji Youngwon’s insinuation that he was preparing to let him go. Truthfully, he had casually hoped to find a cafe job after finding his mother’s keepsake ring and wrapping up Kim Minjae’s affair.

“Still, I don’t want to take money from you, Director.”

“Huh.”

Ji Youngwon sighed and rubbed the area around his eyebrow.

“So what do you want then? Tell me something other than money.”

The conversation was heading in an unexpected direction. Ji Youngwon was baffled by Yoo Han’s insistence on avoiding material demands. Yoo Han eagerly voiced his desires.

“Be kind to me.”

“……”

“I don’t like being hurt. And I’m scared of finding pleasure in that pain.”

Ji Youngwon sighed deeply, covering his mouth with a large hand.

“And I’ll come over when you want me to… but please ask for my opinion too. Ask if I’m okay with it.”

“Again.”

“And since I’m a man too, let me call you when I feel like it. Of course, I’ll ask for your opinion too.”

After hearing Yoo Han’s final words, Ji Youngwon chuckled wryly, shaking his head.

“Is this a proposition for sex or for a relationship…”

Yoo Han panicked at the mention of ‘relationship’ and waved his hands.

“No, that’s not what I meant!”

Despite his desperate denial, it was hard not to slip into misunderstanding given the situation. Ji Youngwon seemed amused by Yoo Han’s passionate reaction but frowned slightly.

“Anyway, let’s keep our relationship on equal footing, it’s better for both of us.”

“Yes, do that.”

Ji Youngwon thought their sexual escapade wouldn’t last long. Relationships that progress without clear calculations carry unexpected risks, and he disliked uncertain bets. Trusting Yoo Han’s affection straightforwardly was also a gamble.

“I’ve told you everything now, so I’ll listen to what you want this time.”

Ji Youngwon answered simply, without a hint of hesitation.

“Take good care of yourself.”

“What?”

“I despise others touching what’s mine.”

Body care… hands… Yoo Han couldn’t fully grasp and asked confusedly, “Specifically, what…?”

“Wandering around naked in bathhouses, picking up shabby padding and wearing it because it’s warm.”

“What?”

Yoo Han was dumbfounded, his pupils dilating. Ji Youngwon seemed to have been waiting to voice such embarrassing demands. After a few seconds of failing to gather his thoughts, Yoo Han finally managed to respond.

“No… I have to go to the bathhouse because I don’t have a proper place to wash. And it looks like it’ll stay that way. And the long padding was just given by brother Heesang out of pity, I couldn’t refuse it, so I’m actually grateful—”

Ji Youngwon raised his hand as if to stop him.

“Is it so hard to take a piece of advice to take care of yourself? I said I’d listen to whatever you want without complaining.”

“……”

“There’s a limit to unfair deals.”

That’s not what I meant… Yoo Han faltered, his eyebrows furrowing deeply. Ji Youngwon sighed heavily and continued.

“Firstly, if you want to wash, use the shower on the third floor of the office. If that team asks, just mention my name; don’t worry and go wash up.”

“Wait… There’s a shower there? I’ve only seen a toilet…”

Yoo Han felt incredibly unjust; he hadn’t been informed of this crucial fact until now. How his back ached every time he washed his hair over the sink!

“If you don’t like it, never mind.”

Ji Youngwon seemed too annoyed to explain. The third floor, housing a digital forensics team, was equipped for all-nighters, given the nature of their work recovering or wiping memory from digital devices. The welfare and treatment for these forensic experts from national research institutes were on a different level from other informants.

“No, it’s great. I just feel a bit wronged that you’re telling me this now…”

Had he known, he wouldn’t have been scared to explore the building more.

Ji Youngwon ignored Yoo Han’s pouting and added,

“Secondly, I’ll buy you new clothes tomorrow, so throw away what you’ve got.”

Yoo Han was shocked twice: first, that Ji Youngwon was spending money on him, and second, at the directive to discard perfectly good clothes.

“Uh… Thank you for offering, but—”

“Why, what now?”

Ji Youngwon was getting frustrated with the repetitive conversation.

“It’s just hard to understand why you’d throw away perfectly good clothes.”

“Do those look perfectly good to you?”

“……”

“Heesang Kim must have patted your butt and shoulders plenty when he handed you that padding.”

Yoo Han froze at this precise detail. How could he have known there was touching involved…? Surely, Ji Youngwon had some psychic abilities. Heesang, known for his snake tattoo, did often touch him more than necessary. If there had been any malicious intent, Yoo Han would have noticed sooner.

Ji Youngwon didn’t give Yoo Han any room to ponder and pressed on.

“So the money I give you is a fee, and the items from others are just gifts?”

“…It’s not like that, don’t twist my words…”

“Then stop talking nonsense and do as I say. I don’t like other people’s marks on what’s mine.”

It was true, not just about Yoo Han. This was also one of Ji Youngwon’s twisted habits. Even though he ran a successful detective agency, he didn’t set up branch managers in different areas. Expanding the business and making money would have been easier, but Ji Youngwon needed to control everything himself to be satisfied. This trait made him hypersensitive to any possession once it fell into his hands, whether it was people or objects. His overreaction to marks made by others stemmed from this as well.

“I’m not going to do anything useless.”

“I know.”

Yoo Han lost the words to respond and simply nodded quietly.

‘This really feels like… like being scolded by a possessive boyfriend’

Just considering the situation, it was hard not to fall into that misperception. It was surprising that Ji Youngwon listened to requests for gentleness without a fuss, yet now he was even touching on chastity. Yoo Han found it somewhat pleasing not to be interfered with and had to make an effort to suppress a smile.