TIOAWN Chapter 21

Even with his disapproving expression right in front of her, she couldn’t help but feel relieved that her father hadn’t appeared.

 

If her father didn’t show up in the future, would that mean she could stay by his side?

 

Would that mean she wouldn’t have to hear her father shouting at her to draw anymore?

 

If that were the case, she thought she might be able to remain by his side forever.

 

Such a foolish thought.

 

Thud. A dull noise seized Ha-yoon’s nerves. A large man fell helplessly onto the sandy beach.

 

Moo-geon, who had raised his hand to stop Kang-heon’s actions, began to move.

 

One step. Two steps. As Moo-geon approached, the fallen man’s body trembled violently.

 

In just three steps, Moo-geon stood before him and pressed his foot onto the man’s abdomen.

 

“Report.”

 

Was this what they called him all the way here for? Moo-geon muttered chillingly.

 

“He was definitely in Yangyang as of yesterday. I confirmed it with Mr. Kang ’s men.”

 

Moo-geon pressed his foot harder. The man let out a short groan.

 

“Yesterday?”

 

Moo-geon’s tone lowered, signaling dissatisfaction.

 

To summon him here just to say ‘yesterday’…

 

His gaze, looking down, sharpened instantly.

 

And even the explanation was insufficient.

 

Moo-geon flicked his index finger lightly. At that signal, Kang-heon quickly stepped closer to his side.

 

“It seems that the people Seo Myung-sik brought into the house were worked by Mr. Kang for construction projects. Late last night, Seo Myung-sik took off with the deeds to the houses, lands, and lease deposits they had put up as collateral. Because of that, Kang Hyung-sik has been searching high and low for Seo Myung-sik, combing through every inch of Yangyang.”

 

Kang-heon, who had clasped his hands behind his back while finishing his report, lowered his gaze.

 

The problem wasn’t just that Seo Myung-sik had escaped within a day but also the lackadaisical attitude of the subordinates who assumed he would remain in Yangyang.

 

The subordinates, lined up and sensing Moo-geon’s mood, simultaneously dropped their heads onto the sandy beach.

 

“Seo Myung-sik wouldn’t just sit in the house, collecting a commission from Mr. Kang.”

 

He wouldn’t be satisfied with such paltry money.

 

Moo-geon pronounced each word, biting them out slowly.

 

“Chief Ji, raise your head.”

  

At Moo-geon’s command, Kang-heon quickly lifted his head. At the same time, a groan escaped from the mouth of the man lying under Moo-geon’s foot, pressed into the sand.

 

As Moo-geon continued speaking, the man’s groaning grew louder.

 

“So, you’re telling me to leave now?”

 

Moo-geon asked in an indifferent tone, staring arrogantly at the groaning man beneath him.

 

“C-Chief. There’s a body at the house where Seo Myung-sik was staying.”

 

The man, struggling to breathe under the pressure on his abdomen, finally managed to speak.

 

“And?”

 

As if asking what difference it made, Moo-geon’s expression didn’t change. The man stammered and continued.

 

Kang-heon watched him intently, holding his breath.

 

“Mr.Kang’s men say it’s someone Seo Myung-sik had dealings with. They claim the person was threatening to kill Seo Myung-sik with a knife but, unable to find him at the house, ended up setting himself on fire.”

 

“So that garbage Seo Myung-sik couldn’t kick his old habits even here.”

 

Moo-geon’s lips moved slowly, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

 

The fact that the discovered body wasn’t Seo Myung-sik himself made the information utterly useless. Moo-geon’s cold gaze landed on Ha-yoon, who was holding her breath.

 

Ah, right. Seo Ha-yoon was here.

 

Looking at Seo Ha-yoon, who seemed as though she would kneel if ordered, beg if asked, and obediently follow his every command, Moo-geon twisted his lips.

 

She had already proven her worth, even going so far as to offer herself without hesitation, so what reaction would she show this time?

 

A tingling sensation rose from his core, and the blood circulating in his toes rushed upward, flooding his head.

 

“Seo Ha-yoon.”

 

At the mere sound of her name, her long lashes fluttered. Her clear eyes turned to him, and as if it were the most natural thing, she stepped closer.

 

“Did… did someone’s body catch fire?”

 

“What did I just hear?” She asked again, as if she couldn’t immediately comprehend what he had said.

 

“How painful must it have been to die like that?”

 

“How can a person’s body catch on fire?”

 

In the midst of it, the name Seo Myung-sik was mentioned. That would mean her father… is connected to this.

 

Ha-yoon shook her head as if rejecting reality, clutching the hem of her coat.

 

“Yes,” came the reply.

 

A faint chuckle escaped Moo-geon’s lips. Though his eyes were cold and stiff, a smooth curve formed at the edge of his mouth.

 

“Keep ignoring it, if you can. Let’s see if you can remain composed after seeing everything your father has done.”

 

Moo-geon turned his body.

 

“Lead the way.”

 

The man, who had been curling his body tightly and trembling, reluctantly stood up and started leading the way.

 

After walking for about ten minutes along the coast, they came to an isolated area where an abandoned greenhouse stood.

 

“This is it,” the man said.

 

He quickly took out a lantern and lit up the area.

 

The greenhouse’s frame remained intact, but there were scorched marks here and there. The snow underfoot, white and crunchy, stood in stark contrast to the sooty remnants.

 

There was no need to step inside. Near the entrance of the greenhouse lay a corpse, so badly charred that it was difficult to describe it as human.

 

At Moo-geon’s signal, the man kicked a knife lying next to the corpse with his foot.

 

“Sir, here’s a piece of paper the deceased was holding,” he said.

 

The paper, blackened and partially burned, still bore faint traces of writing that were barely legible.

 

[You bastard. I’ll kill you. Seo Myung-sik.]

 

The bold, heavily pressed letters made it clear how much anger the deceased had harbored.

 

“If the police get involved, it’ll cause a big commotion. That’s why Mr. Kang’s men rushed in with fire extinguishers to put out the flames,” explained the man standing next to Moo-geon.

 

He added that in rural areas, fires during winter were not uncommon, and luckily, there had been a fire extinguisher nearby, limiting the damage.

 

“So, the greenhouse has been completely abandoned, hasn’t it?” 

 

Otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense to leave a burned corpse unattended with no one guarding the place.

 

“Mr. Kang’s already furious over Seo Myung-sik escaping. Now with this incident, I doubt he has any intention of dealing with the body. He’ll probably have someone bury it before sunrise.”

 

In the end, Seo Myung-sik had killed another person.

 

Moo-geon’s gaze, as he stared down at the corpse, darkened as though ink had seeped into his eyes.

 

Ha-yoon instinctively stepped back, her feet faltering.

 

“Seo Ha-yoon.”

 

At that moment, Moo-geon wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her forward.

 

“Open your eyes.”

 

“…”

 

“What’s it like to live on money earned by people like this?”

 

Ha-yoon forced her tightly shut eyelids to open.

 

Ruptured eyes, protruding brow bones, torn and distorted skin. Even the melted fingers. The corpse, barely retaining a human form, was so shocking that she was left speechless.

 

Why?

 

What did my father do that was so terrible for this to happen?

 

“I asked how it feels.”

 

Moo-geon grabbed Ha-yoon’s shoulders and turned her to face him, his eyes locking onto hers with such intensity that it felt as though he was drawing her into them.

 

Ha-yoon staggered.

 

“…”

 

She had never imagined this.

 

She had never imagined that such a devastating tragedy could unfold because of her father.

 

With slow but resolute motions, Ha-yoon shook her head, conveying that she truly had not known.

 

“Now you know,” Moo-geon said.

 

“You’ve seen it with your own eyes.”

 

As if to say he wouldn’t allow any childish excuses, as if to say he wouldn’t let her escape from reality, Moo-geon gripped the back of her neck tightly.

 

“Look carefully.”

 

It seemed like the charred corpse was saying something to her.

 

A shiver ran down her spine. As she met its flickering gaze beneath the half-closed eyelids, her heart felt like it was scraping against rough edges.

 

I lived off this person’s suffering?

 

Is it because of me that this man ended up in such a miserable state?

 

It was hard to believe, but it was reality. She tried to look away as she always did, gazing into the distance to escape, but Moo-geon’s grip on her neck made it impossible to turn away.

 

“Why aren’t you saying anything?”

 

His displeasure was palpable. The cold anger radiating from him was clear. Moo-geon found Ha-yoon’s reaction unsettling. Even faced with such a horrific sight, she neither cried nor collapsed in fear.

 

Frustrated, Moo-geon tightened his grip on her nape.

 

Despite the strength in his hand, strong enough to make her body twist, Ha-yoon remained still. Her tightly bitten lip hurt from the pressure, but she didn’t let out a single groan.

 

Moo-geon let out a deep sigh, his chest expanding heavily.

 

Was he wrong to assume she’d be shocked, given how sheltered her life had been? Then again, being Seo Myung-sik’s daughter, it wasn’t surprising that she didn’t feel even a shred of guilt after seeing this.

 

Hah. The unpleasantness rising from his core was enough to make his legs numb.

 

Perhaps she really was just as thick-skinned as her father.

 

Moo-geon was about to roughly turn Ha-yoon’s body when—

 

“Is it really because of me?”

 

Her voice, barely above a whisper, was so faint that only Moo-geon could hear it.

 

Of course, she wouldn’t think so. She, who had lived a life of luxury and comfort, oblivious to hardship. Her continued denial of her father’s deeds proved she was no different from Seo Myung-sik.

 

“While I ate and slept comfortably… others, others were…”

 

Her mind was blank. She couldn’t think of anything. The charred man before her was the only thing holding her gaze, refusing to let go.

 

What do I do?

 

What am I supposed to do?

 

Her stomach churned, even though she hadn’t eaten anything.