LFD | Chapter 2.1

A long time had passed.

“Snore… snort… phhhew.”

Yoongyeon, fast asleep, showed no signs of waking even as midnight approached. His snores were loud enough to rattle the windows. Though the sofa was uncomfortable, he only shifted slightly before a sudden chill made him slowly open his eyes.

The living room was pitch black. But since when had a summer night become this cold? His body shivered uncontrollably.

“Ugh, why is it so cold?”

He hugged his arms, rubbing them for warmth, when a low voice cut through the dark.

“Sixty thousand won.”

Yoongyeon’s eyes snapped open at the icy tone. He lifted his head and spotted the man standing diagonally across from him. Even in the darkness, Dojae’s sharp gaze glinted.

Instinctively, Yoongyeon shot up from the sofa. The weight of that stare made it hard to breathe. Then, the lingering smell of food hit him, and his eyes slowly drifted to the table.

‘Ah… I’m screwed.’

Reading his expression, Dojae rested his elbow on the armrest, propping his chin on his hand.

“You said you’d pay me back, right?”

“……”

Yoongyeon cursed the man from earlier in his head. Did he really go and collect the money? How petty.

But in reality, Dojae had noticed the leftover food the moment he walked in and questioned his subordinate.

“He said to send the bill to me?”

“……”

Yoongyeon pressed his lips together, unable to meet Dojae’s eyes. He wanted to ask why the man had to glare at him like a murderer in the dark without even turning on the lights, but he didn’t dare. The moonlight streaming in was bright enough to make Dojae’s expression painfully clear, so Yoongyeon blamed the moon instead.

“They say a dog’s life is a happy one. Looks about right.”

“…But why sixty thousand?”

“……”

“The jokbal was only forty-five thousand. Even with delivery, it’s fifty…”

Yoongyeon had ordered plenty of side dishes to go with the pork. But as he tried to argue, his gaze followed Dojae’s and landed on the beer cans scattered on the floor. No way… He looked back at Dojae, who smirked.

“One can’s on the house.”

Dojae stood up, leaving Yoongyeon gaping, and headed inside. But he paused mid-step, glancing back with a jerk of his chin.

“Clean this up before you sleep. If it’s still like this tomorrow, your bed’s gonna be a doghouse.”

Thud. Yoongyeon’s breath hitched. Even in the dark, he could see it. Dojae’s lips were smiling, but his eyes weren’t.

Once Dojae disappeared, Yoongyeon scrambled to clean the table. He didn’t forget to grumble under his breath.

“For someone with so much money, he’s so petty about food. Then why not stock up if you don’t want me to eat it? What, is the person staying here supposed to starve to death?”

He kept his voice low enough that Dojae wouldn’t hear, but he muttered nonstop anyway.

“Cold as ice. Who needs AC when you’ve got him around?”

Grumbling, he carried the empty cans to the kitchen. Unsure where to put them, he glanced around until he spotted a door in the corner. He opened it. Bingo. A utility room with recycling bins.

“Just think of it as buying drinks for a friend. It’s only five cans.”

“Since when were you my friend?”

Yoongyeon froze mid-motion, cans clattering into the bin. Dojae’s voice came from behind him. The man opened the fridge, grabbed a water bottle, and shut it again, but Yoongyeon stayed rigid. When no sound followed, he risked a glance back.

Dojae was leaning against the fridge, sipping water while watching him.

Under that stare, Yoongyeon carefully slipped out of the utility room. He inched past Dojae, speaking cautiously.

“…Since yesterday?”

“Pfft.”

Water sprayed from Dojae’s mouth, hitting Yoongyeon’s cheek. To Yoongyeon, it felt like he’d been spat on, though technically, it wasn’t the same. The liquid dripped down from his hairline. Judging by the sticky sensation, it wasn’t just water.

“Ugh—cough—I didn’t mean to—pfft—”

Dojae kept laughing, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Yoongyeon stood frozen, water dripping off him. He wiped his chin and flicked the moisture away before muttering, face stiff.

“Use words. I can understand words just fine.”

He didn’t dare glare, so he exhaled deeply and bit his lower lip instead. The more he held back, the harder Dojae laughed.

“Ahem….ha…You good?”

Dojae barely contained his amusement, tilting his head to check Yoongyeon’s expression. Yoongyeon shot him a glare but didn’t answer, stomping back to the living room to finish cleaning. Inside, he seethed.

‘What a jerk. Who spits on someone’s face and laughs? Think you can do anything ‘cause you’re rich? Or ‘cause you’re the boss? Freaking gangster.’

Unaware his face betrayed every thought, he kept cursing silently until Dojae walked in with his water bottle and sat on the sofa. Watching Yoongyeon noisily tidy up, he asked,

“Thought about how you’ll pay me back?”

“…You said with my body.”

Still upset, Yoongyeon yanked a tissue to wipe his face before tossing it into the trash bag. His voice dripped with resentment.

“Be specific.”

“……”

“Didn’t think about it, huh? Too busy eating and sleeping.”

“That’s not—”

He hesitated. It wasn’t wrong. What could he even do here? The only thing he’d ever been good at was swindling people and he couldn’t exactly scam Dojae. Suddenly, curiosity got the better of him.

“Why did you bring me here?”

Yoongyeon turned, staring straight at Dojae. The man took a sip of water, thinking for a moment before answering.

“Because it’s fun watching you.”

“…?”

“I’ve been bored lately.”

With the organization going corporate, work had become smooth, too smooth. No blood on his hands, just paperwork. And that was dull.

“So you kidnap people because you’re bored?”

Dojae laughed at the absurdity of the question.

“And you? You stole someone’s wallet.”

“……”

“You’re okay, but I’m not?”

Yoongyeon looked away. He’d started this. Arguing morals wouldn’t help him. He tied the trash bag tightly and sighed.

“So what do you want me to do? Give me a job if you want me to ‘pay with my body.’”

“Do you even know how to do anything?”

The condescension grated on him. Worse, it kept leaving him speechless. Yoongyeon stood, trash bag in hand, hoping his height would give him an edge, but their eyelines matched. Annoying.

“Try giving me something to do first, then judge.”

He said curtly and headed to the kitchen. But behind him, Dojae called out in a voice full of amusement,

“Sort the recycling properly.”

Yoongyeon halted. He looked down at the bag. Trash and plastic were mixed together.

“Ugh… damn it.”

Whether Dojae heard that soft curse or not, he chuckled silently. Yoongyeon dropped the bag on the dining table and dug through it. Food waste was mixed in, too.

“Sigh… This is so annoying.”

Yoongyeon had no choice but to disassemble it by hand. Every time food touched his hands, he let out a whiny, “Ugh!”

Dojae sat quietly, watching with amusement until Yoongyeon finished. Each groan made the corner of his lips twitch higher.

After completing the recycling, Yoongyeon squeezed out a mountain of soap and scrubbed his hands at the sink. Drying them off, he plopped onto the sofa, whining.

“Saltwater and shrimp paste… Ugh. Knew today was cursed.”

Even though he muttered under his breath, it was loud enough for Dojae to hear. The man studied him before speaking again.

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-three.”

Yoongyeon sniffed his hands, scowling at the lingering fishy stench.

‘Pretty sure there’s baby shrimp stuck under my nails.’

He glared at his short nails, scrubbing them obsessively even though the smell was probably all in his head.

“Kim Minho? That your school friend?”

“Hyuk.“

“…?”

“It’s Kim Minhyuk. We grew up in the same orphanage.”

Minhyuk or Minho, Dojae didn’t care. But Yoongyeon’s insistence was funny, so he let it slide. At “orphanage,” he hummed and nodded.

“What’d you do before this?”

“Ate and slept.”

“…Not today. Before.“

Dojae’s eyes narrowed. Yoongyeon kept scrubbing his nails, answering indifferently.

“Uh… collecting?”

“Collecting?”

Not understanding, Dojae tilted his head. Yoongyeon answered casually.

“People’s wallets.”

“…Wow, what a flex.”

Yoongyeon shot him a glare before his reddened fingertips stung too much from all the rubbing, forcing him to stop. He met Dojae’s eyes.

“But I’m changing careers.”

“Why?”

Yoongyeon narrowed his eyes, staring hard before answering slowly.

“Accidentally collected a landmine. Can’t exactly return it.”

“Pfft—HA!”

Dojae burst out laughing. Yoongyeon watched him before looking away, lips twitching irritably. He was cursing inside.

“Did some math earlier.”

Yoongyeon looked up at that, watching closely to see what Dojae would say next.

“That wallet you tossed? 11,480,000 won.”

“You told me to throw it!”

“You’re really not scared of me, are you?”

Dojae’s face turned frigid. Yoongyeon lowered his head slightly. He was scared. But it wasn’t fair.

“That’s not—”

“Don’t interrupt. I hate that.”

“…Yes.”

Dojae exhaled lightly and tapped the sofa armrest with his fingers.

“Wallet: 11,480,000. Cash: 1,820,000. Food and drinks today: 60,000.”

He paused, scanning Yoongyeon, knowing full well the guy had no way to pay.

“Total: 13,360,000 won. Think you can cover that?”

Yoongyeon narrowed his eyes at Dojae’s sarcastic tone, one corner of his mouth twisting up crookedly in displeasure. He was irritated. And he wanted to make sure Dojae felt that irritation too.

“Can’t afford it?”

At that, Dojae bit his lower lip deeply and smiled. That smile was terrifying. Yoongyeon gulped audibly.

“You’ll just need to diligently fulfill your debt repayment obligations moving forward. Understood? Hmm?”

Dojae’s voice sounded gentle on the surface, but there were daggers beneath those words. Yoongyeon stayed silent for a moment before finally snapping and raising his head defiantly.

“Even if you’re making me work, you have to feed me properly! Isn’t it illegal to make someone work without providing meals?”

Dojae looked at Yoongyeon’s bold declaration with complete indifference.

“What exactly did you do today? Eat and sleep? At this rate, I should be charging you for lodging.”

“What?!”

“Should I… calculate those lodging fees too?”

Yoongyeon trembled violently. This bastard dragged me here, won’t feed me, scolds me for eating and sleeping, and now wants to squeeze money out of me for every little thing! He cursed Dojae with his eyes.

“From now on, your job is to entertain me.”

Truthfully, Dojae had brought Yoongyeon here out of boredom. Not to raise him or anything like that, just as a little amusement to spice up his dull daily life.

He planned to tease him for a while before letting him go. Ten million won was nothing to Dojae – just pocket change he could write off.

“What?! What kind of nonsense is that?!”

Dojae stood up, his face lighting up with amusement.

“Watching you keeps me from getting bored. You’re very entertaining. If you don’t piss me off, I’ll send you back soon. But if you do make me angry…you understand, right?”

“What am I, a comedian?!”

Yoongyeon shot up from his seat, eyes blazing as he glared. Dojae took a step forward, making Yoongyeon flinch back. Dojae pressed his index finger firmly against Yoongyeon’s forehead, forcing him to slowly sink back onto the sofa.

“Urk.”

“You really don’t fear me at all, do you?”

Yoongyeon, now thoroughly pissed off, slowly lowered his gaze. Dojae chuckled softly from above him before withdrawing his finger and turning away.

“Can’t tell if you’ve completely lost your sense of self-preservation or if I’ve just gotten too soft.”

He clicked his tongue briefly before walking off.

Yoongyeon glared at his retreating back while rubbing his forehead, then defiantly raised his middle finger. Just then, Dojae suddenly turned around.

Caught off guard, Yoongyeon blinked rapidly, his still-raised middle finger trembling slightly. Dojae had apparently turned back to say something, but seeing that finger made his brow gradually darken. Looking at his expression, Yoongyeon thought his finger might actually get broken.

“…Very… pretty, hyungnim.”

Yoongyeon slowly raised his hand higher, pointing at the sparkling chandelier above. Carefully adjusting his hand position, he lowered his middle finger and extended his index finger instead.

“Hah.”

Dojae let out a disbelieving laugh, his expression turning dangerous.

Yoongyeon desperately prayed today wouldn’t be his funeral day as he quickly stood from the sofa. Dojae ground his molars as he approached. Sensing the murderous intent, Yoongyeon discreetly put distance between them by circling around the sofa. When Dojae kept coming, he suddenly bolted.

“Goodnight, hyungnim!”

His feet pounded up the stairs faster than he’d ever run before. Dojae didn’t give chase, but the laser-like glare burned into his back. Yoongyeon barely managed to slip into a random room on the second floor, locking the door behind him.

“Haa… phew… Almost died.”

He collapsed onto the bed, trying to calm his racing heart.

The sheets smelled luxurious – a stark contrast to his own sweat-stained clothes. He hadn’t noticed earlier, too hungry and exhausted, but he looked like a wreck. He was amazed Dojae hadn’t said anything about it.

“I need a shower…”

He glanced around the room like it was his own, opening the closet, drawers, even the window. The height made escape impossible.

“Shower first, think tomorrow.”

The problem was he had no clothes to change into after the shower. After a moment of thought, he decided to shower first and worry later. Stripping off his clothes one by one like shedding a skin, he walked into the en suite bathroom. He filled the bathtub with water, tossed in a bath bomb, and started to relax. He was already getting used to this house.

“Ahhh… perfect.”

The hot water melted his tension away. Leaning back, he let out an old-man sigh, resting his head against the tiles.

“This is paradise.”

Compared to his cramped apartment and cold showers, this was heaven. Sure, home was more comfortable…well, maybe not. Actually, maybe it wasn’t. But either way, enjoying such luxury for free was thrilling.

“When else would I get to bathe in a place like this without spending a dime?”