TIOAWN Chapter 24

“Jin Bo-young is after Seo Ha-yoon.”

 

At that monotonous utterance, the air inside the car grew icily cold.

 

The final fragment of a cutter blade broke off, and a tiny piece of the last cigarette ash lightly fell.

 

If I think about what Song Woo-jin did to mess with me, there’s no way I’ll let Jin Bo-young get what he’s so desperately searching for.

 

Especially if that target is Seo Ha-yoon, who has been within my grasp…

 

Moo-geon’s dark pupils glinted sharply.

 

“What should we do, Sir?”

 

Seo Myung-sik was not among those indebted to Jin Bo-young. So, there’s no way Seo Ha-yoon could be used as collateral.

 

“Dig into Seo Ha-yoon’s accounts. Include all the accounts under borrowed names.”

 

Since the goal had been to crush Seo Myung-sik, Seo Ha-yoon’s accounts hadn’t been checked yet.

 

So small… Did she inherit her father’s debts or something massive?

 

“I heard Seo Myung-sik frequented Gallery R.”

 

Among the well-worn routes of Seo Myung-sik, which I read over and over until the documents were frayed, the one place that stood out as unusual and incomprehensible was ‘Gallery R.’

 

I wondered if, after enjoying the taste of money, he had started reaching for art as well.

 

A flicker of color glimmered over Moo-geon’s deep black eyes.

 

Jin Bo-young, who has spent a lifetime painting, is so urgently, and somewhat secretly, looking for Seo Ha-yoon.

 

Jin Bo-young. Seo Myung-sik. Seo Ha-yoon.

 

Moo-geon’s pitch-black eyes, as if soaked in ink, sharpened their focus.

 

A painting.

 

Could it possibly be Seo Ha-yoon’s painting?

 

The winter landscape filling the front door and the lines casually sketched on tissue paper passed through his mind one after another.

 

“Compile a complete list of all the paintings Gallery R has sold to this date, those planned for future sales, and any donated or collected works. I want nothing left out.”

 

It was a concise and direct order.

 

“I’ll get on it immediately.”

 

“Turn the car around.”

 

Kang-heon’s eyebrows twitched at the sudden command from his boss, who never reversed decisions.

 

“Pardon?”

 

When Kiseok asked cluelessly, Kang-heon pressed his shoulder down in warning.

 

In an even tone, Moo-geon gave his reply, gazing indifferently out the window with lips set in a hard line. Though his thoughts were inscrutable, one thing was clear.

 

Cherry.

 

Kang-heon noticed his boss rolling a single cherry between his large fingers, over and over again.

 

And finally, he clenched it tightly in his fist.

 

“We’ll return to the spot where the car was parked earlier.”

 

Ji Kang-heon responded in a calm voice, signaling to Kiseok to step on the gas.

 

***

 

Ha-yoon kept her hands moving without pause. She gripped so tightly that the edge of the seashell pressed into her skin, eventually drawing blood.

 

“Because of my dad, someone…”

 

…died.

 

The crushing reality was too much to bear, and her heart felt as if it were being squeezed tightly. If she stopped moving her hands for even a moment, a gruesome corpse loomed before her eyes.

 

“Ha…”

 

Ha-yoon pressed her lips together, taking deep breaths through her nose as she repeatedly moved her hands.

 

Cha Moo-geon filled the sand beach. Dawn light crept into the dark, and a cold wind scratched her cheeks and froze her hands.

 

Blowing on her hands, Ha-yoon dropped the seashell. She pulled her knees to her chest and sat, gazing at the sea in silence, when a wave of sorrow washed over her.

 

“What should I have done?”

 

Everywhere her eyes wandered, there was Cha Moo-geon. She didn’t even need to focus on a single spot. Waves crashing boldly brushed against Moo-geon’s hair and forehead.

 

“What am I supposed to do in times like this? There’s no one to ask. There’s no one but you, Cha Moo-geon.”

 

“Look straight ahead,” he used to say, gripping her head to make sure she couldn’t look away.

 

Yet he never told her what she was supposed to do, nor did he wait for her.

 

Her heart felt hollow, and her entire body was cold.

 

“You told me to prove it. To show you my worth. Then you should’ve told me how to prove it…”

 

She wanted to clench her fists and lightly tap his shoulders with them.

 

There’s so much debt left. So much to repay.

 

How could he disappear without any explanation?

 

“Why are you doing this to me…? What do you want?”

 

It’s so strange. The moment he turned away, deciding he wouldn’t even bother collecting his debt from her, she should’ve felt relieved. The shackles around her ankles should’ve felt broken, setting her free.

 

But all she felt was cold. The boundless outdoors were too vast and overwhelming for her. Even as she curled up and rubbed her cheeks, warmth wouldn’t return.

 

“Will you come… back?”

 

If all it takes is waiting, should she just wait?

 

He was never kind to her, but every time she was on the verge of collapse, he’d appear out of nowhere. Maybe this time, he’s planning to return in that same unkind way.

 

Her weakly muttered words were swallowed by the waves, disappearing without a trace.

 

“Draw, Seo Ha-yoon.”

 

Her father used to say that. On days when he suddenly disappeared, he always left her with that stern warning.

 

“Bring me Seo Myung-sik.”

 

Cha Moo-geon had commanded her. In a tone she was all too familiar with, as if offering one last ounce of mercy.

 

In the middle of her living room, where he had abruptly barged in. Outside the home she had been thrown out of. In that barely livable one-room space, where the wallpaper was torn.

 

He had said the same words before disappearing and reappearing again.

 

Ha-yoon recalled Moo-geon’s retreating back.

 

“This time… he won’t come back.”

 

He didn’t leave a single word behind. So, there’s no way he’s coming back.

 

Only then did Ha-yoon realize why her heart felt frozen solid.

 

What’s the point of waiting when it’s a farewell without any room for doubt?

 

Her lower abdomen ached, and her waist felt stiff. Ha-yoon frowned.

 

“Ah.”

 

Her heart pounded rapidly, as if it were racing, then slowed down so much that it became difficult to breathe properly.

 

Ha-yoon’s gaze landed on the bubbling, white foam.

 

Appearing and disappearing with the waves. Appearing again and disappearing. As she quietly watched it, it felt as though the ocean, cradled in the night, drew closer without boundaries.

 

“Could I also…”

 

Could I disappear into that endless darkness?

 

Would that be easier than now?

 

Her eyelids felt heavy. They fluttered as if about to close at any moment.

 

Her body swayed, carried by the breeze.

 

It felt as though the ocean was right in front of her, drawing nearer, then fading far away again.

 

Ha-yoon forced her blurry vision to focus as she took one step, then another. Even when the cold seawater splashed and the crashing waves painfully struck her ankles, she didn’t stop.

 

The seawater, flung up by the strong wind, struck her cheek.

 

“Ah, it’s cold.”

 

She snapped back to her senses. Should I go back? She hesitated, and just then, a wave struck loudly.

 

As she wobbled, unable to keep her balance, the wave seemed to embrace her eagerly.

 

The pull of the water came in an instant. The seawater that had swallowed her ankles and calves without a trace now crept up, devouring her thighs bit by bit.

 

How far had I walked?

 

Her pale lips turned blue, and her body trembled uncontrollably.

 

“It’s cold.”

 

There was no feeling left in her neck or cheeks.

 

I should go back. Pressing her lips together and mustering strength in her legs, she found she couldn’t take a step, as the current surged violently.

 

Seeing the waves growing larger, Ha-yoon shut her eyes, overwhelmed with fear.

 

Suddenly, her arm was yanked backward, and her body was pulled without resistance.

 

“Cha…”

 

Moo-geon?

 

Her lips mumbled his name involuntarily.

 

Had I drawn his face too many times in the sand?

 

Is that why I’m seeing things? Ha-yoon blinked.

 

“Are you really so overwhelmed by seeing just one corpse that you can’t handle what your father did?”

 

Even bowing her head. Even saying she was sorry. Were they nothing more than attempts to escape the situation?

 

Moo-geon pulled her roughly, as if disappointed.

 

“Is that what Seo Myung-sik taught you?”

 

His cold eyes. His firm grip. The sound of his voice piercing through the humid sea breeze.

 

Ah, it’s Cha Moo-geon.

 

Even though her hair fluttered in the wind, half-obscuring her view, Ha-yoon clearly recognized him.

 

“If it’s too hard, just go ahead and die.”

 

No, that’s not it. Ha-yoon shook her head absently.

 

“No matter how much you’ve learned only cowardly ways…”

 

He growled.

 

“Behaving irresponsibly is unacceptable.”

 

Cowardly. Irresponsible. His words, as sharp as accusations, poured out toward Ha-yoon.

 

“Cha Moo-geon…”

 

Ha-yoon muttered softly with her small lips. Her feeble lips couldn’t manage a long explanation and merely repeated Moo-geon’s name.

 

“…Cha Moo-geon…”

 

As if that were the only word she’d learned in such a short time, Ha-yoon kept repeating his name.

 

Moo-geon, who had been sharply interrogating her, unexpectedly fell silent, staring only at her lips.

 

So Ha-yoon tried to force herself to speak. Struggling to move her frozen lips.

 

“…Cha Moo-geon.”

 

The more she repeated his name, the more his expression twisted. His eyebrows twitched as if irritated, and his throat bobbed as if suppressing his emotions.

 

“Cha… Moo…”

 

Geon.

 

The moment she gave strength to the last syllable, her chin tilted up, and his black pupils fully captured her. Before she could register what was happening, she realized his hot lips were engulfing hers.

 

Their upper bodies pressed together, and her soft flesh was treated roughly.

 

When Ha-yoon instinctively pursed her lips, Moo-geon smirked mockingly and pressed her cheeks with his thumb and forefinger.

 

With the gentle pressure, her lips parted, and he moved aggressively, his movements domineering as he covered her lips with his saliva.

 

“Hngh.”

 

Only after a faint moan escaped did the invading tongue, almost violent, fully enter.

 

Was it because she dared to utter his name? Or was it punishment for failing to pronounce it properly?

 

Intent on licking away her frozen tongue, determined to melt it.

 

Without explanation, he acted utterly unkindly.

 

Ha-yoon’s slender neck tilted backward, and saliva continuously slid down as she gulped.

 

Up, down. Sideways, diagonally. The sudden intruder roamed her mouth as if it were his own, without any sense of direction, morality, or conscience.