IS Vol 1 Ch 1 Part 2

As punishment for breaking the taboo, Down was suddenly very busy due to a rush of customers. Seo Dong-eun darted between the kitchen and the hall, checking the order details pouring in through his earpiece.

-Room 12.

“Me, me!”

As soon as the number 12 rang out from the earpiece, an employee passing by immediately turned around and headed back toward the room. Ignoring the puzzled looks, his face was deeply flushed.

“What’s wrong with him?”

Seo Dong-eun, who was stocking the refrigerator with liquor bottles, muttered to himself. Then, Park Jae-hoon, who was working in sync beside him, looked up with wide, surprised eyes.

“Hyung, didn’t you hear?”

“What?”

“In room 12. The actor…”

Hearing that, Seo Dong-eun gave a vague nod and went back to unpacking the boxes. He had heard something about an actor, and he figured the shop was so hectic because someone with a well-known face had joined the party late. There was only one hour left until he could clock out. That was the only consolation for his current exhaustion. Park Jae-hoon, a full-time employee who often envied Seo Dong-eun for only helping out for six hours a weekend during the busiest times, groaned and stood up.

“What is it?”

When asked, Jae-hoon pointed to his earpiece. Just as things were at their craziest, when they were desperately short-handed, a signal had come through that the delivery truck had arrived. It was unusual for it to arrive at this hour, and Seo Dong-eun stood up as well, feeling puzzled.

“Why are you getting up, hyung?”

“I’ll go. If it’s arriving now, there probably isn’t much stuff. You keep doing this. I’ll head out.”

Despite what he said, there was no way the load on the truck was small. Most items coming into a bar were quite heavy and hauling them was purely the job of a low-level employee. Even considering that he worked at a bar, who would be happy to do such a task? That was why Park Jae-hoon was dragging his feet, pretending to be reluctant while gauging Seo Dong-eun’s reaction. Unsure, Jae-hoon gauged Seo Dong-eun’s intentions, and only after confirming it wasn’t just a polite gesture did his face relax. Unable to hide his delight, he beamed and even tried to wrap his arms around Seo Dong-eun’s neck to kiss him. As Seo Dong-eun recoiled in disgust, Jae-hoon chuckled, finding the reaction amusing. Park Jae-hoon, who found the world a joyful place, was still young and brimming with energy.

It was only after rushing out empty-handed that Seo Dong-eun realized the silent, early autumn rain was still falling. The drizzle, which had seemed as though it might stop at any moment, persisted. After a brief moment of hesitation, he stepped out the back door. The driver had already stepped down from the delivery truck and was opening the cargo hold.

Exchanging a nod of greeting with the driver, Seo Dong-eun repeatedly checked the various items being unloaded and carried them inside. Most were consumables like tissues, so they weren’t that heavy, but he hurried, worried they might get wet. While busy hustling everything inside, he eventually realized the driver was helping him out.

“Thank you.”

Even in the middle of working, the polite greeting came out of habit. Like a well-coordinated team, the driver would toss a box, and Seo Dong-eun would catch it and quickly push it through the back door. This process repeated several times. Despite the cool dawn air, sweat pooled on his back. His forehead was equally drenched. As he roughly wiped the bridge of his nose and under his chin and straightened his back, a tingling pain shot up from below.

“Ah.”

The driver, having confirmed that most of the items were unloaded, glanced over while organizing the ledger. He must have found it odd to see him groaning and clutching his knee. Seo Dong-eun struggled to hide the pain in his leg and adjusted his posture. His hand trembled slightly as he wiped his mouth with an awkward smile. Am I tired? He wondered, massaging his hand as he got lost in thought. Working another job immediately after finishing his company work wasn’t as easy as it sounded. By now, it was probably close to clock-out time. It would be better to take a nap in the shop’s breakroom and go straight to the office, but since he had no clothes to change into, he needed to go home. That would mean only one or two hours of sleep. In that case, it was better not to sleep at all. It was a no-brainer, but the problem was his increasingly exhausted body. His legs throbbed, and he wanted to lie down and rest even for a moment.

After confirming all items were received, the driver got Seo Dong-eun’s signature and drove away. Brushing back his hair, damp from the drizzle, Seo Dong-eun turned to head back inside. No matter how much he racked his brain, no clear solution emerged and his fatigue-heavy legs dragged across the floor of their own accord. It was then that he saw a silhouette of a person at the back of the building, in a place where no one should have been. People sometimes wandered into the area, mistaking it for a smoking zone so the entrance was usually blocked off, but it seemed someone had taken a wrong turn today.

For a moment, he considered calling someone else from inside but ultimately decided against it. It would be faster to handle it himself. Seo Dong-eun headed that way calmly. He needed to send back the customer wandering in a restricted area. His body was still tired, but it wasn’t unbearable. It was just a bit troublesome that his creaking legs didn’t move as easily as he would have liked.

“Excuse me, if you stay here…”

As he spoke, he turned the corner of a secluded nook. He found himself facing a man’s back. An alleyway at dawn, with a black sky and dim lighting as the backdrop. The man stood at the very end of the dead-end street. Despite being dressed entirely in a black suit that blended in with the dark background, his presence was strikingly vivid. He was overwhelming in every sense of the word. Was it because he was tall? Because of his sharp, well-defined frame? Seo Dong-eun hadn’t known that so many thoughts could cross his mind in such a short time. Nor did he realize that he had been holding his breath as he stared at the man’s back.

It was nothing more than a glimpse from behind. Aside from a faint glimpse of a profile, nothing else was clearly visible. Belatedly, Seo Dong-eun realized his mistake. A white hand reached over the man’s shoulder. The hand embracing the man’s neck was so small compared to his broad shoulders that it couldn’t even grip them properly. That made it even more erotic. The wet sounds of friction cutting through the sound of the rain along with their natural, groping movements, left no doubt about exactly what they were doing.

In situations like this, the right thing was to pretend not to notice. After all, things like this weren’t uncommon in a place that sold alcohol and entertained people. But Seo Dong-eun, who was about to turn around immediately, found himself unable to.

The man, who had noticed Seo Dong-eun’s presence long ago, stopped what he was doing and turned his head toward the sound. As the man shifted his body, the person who had been completely hidden by him came into view. It was the owner of the hand that had wrinkled the once-pristine suit. The woman, who couldn’t even open her eyes properly due to the lingering afterglow of an ecstatic kiss, only then seemed to realize there was someone watching them. Her already round eyes widened even further. A spark of clarity returned instantly to her dazed, dreamy eyes as she grasped the situation. With an unbelievable speed for someone who had been sharing such intimacy until a moment ago, she covered her face and whipped herself around.

It was understandable. The woman was someone famous enough for even Seo Dong-eun to recognize. She was definitely a celebrity. He thought he’d heard his roommate, Ra Ju-o, rambling about her being a singer, but while her face was familiar, her name or specific field of work didn’t immediately come to mind. Lost in thought, Seo Dong-eun still couldn’t tear his gaze away. A celebrity rapidly rising to stardom kissing in the back alley of a host bar called ‘Down’ was a bizarre sight that even Seo Dong-eun had never seen before.

“What.”

Only upon hearing the low voice did he snap back to his senses. Seo Dong-eun quickly bowed his head and stepped back. It would be a disaster if a misunderstanding arose here. Moreover, the person in question was a celebrity. The best course of action was to pretend he hadn’t seen anything.

“I-I’m sorry. This entrance is for staff only, so you can’t be back here. If you go around to the side, it connects to the back gate. I’m apologize.”

Seo Dong-eun apologized and bowed repeatedly, he even pointed out the way back. From his lowered line of sight, he saw the smooth legs of the man and the woman. Unlike them, who were sheltered from the rain between the buildings, Seo Dong-eun was already soaking wet. His wet hair hung haphazardly, covering his face, and his whole body began to tremble, perhaps because his body temperature had dropped without him noticing.

Bowing deeply, Seo Dong-eun left as quietly as possible. For some reason, he felt incredibly flustered and confused. By the time he regained his composure, he had already made his way back inside the shop without realizing it. He had been that absent-minded. Seo Dong-eun slapped his own cheeks and shook his head. He walked down the hallway, resolving to leave work on time. As the bustling crowd of customers finally thinned, the shop seemed to quiet down in the span of just a few minutes. Even as he tried to distract himself, his body kept shaking too much to be explained by a mere cold. Wrapping his arms around his trembling shoulders, Seo Dong-eun walked straight ahead.

Pressed tightly against the hallway wall, like a frightened child afraid someone might be chasing him.

Thump!

Then, as soon as he rounded the corner of the hallway, he collided with someone. A loud thud echoed through the space. Seo Dong-eun tumbled backward. It was only natural given that his legs were not properly supporting his body.

“Ah!”

Unlike Seo Dong-eun, who gasped and couldn’t even open his mouth from the sudden impact, a scream like an exclamation burst from the other person.

“Kim Dong-a!”

It was at that moment. The scent of the rain-soaked outside air suddenly drew closer. Seo Dong-eun fumbled to steady himself against the wall. He managed to push his upper body up, but his back, which had hit the floor during the fall, hurt too much for him to move easily. As he blinked rapidly while catching his breath, a huddled figure came into view not too far from him. Before he could even process who he had collided with, the owner of the voice, bypassing the helpless Seo Dong-eun, quickly approached the other person.

“Kim Dong-a!”

When the angry voice rang out clearly again, Seo Dong-eun momentarily forgot why he was here. Time became tangled, and his vision blurred. What stood out was a voice, different from the one in his memories, clearly that of an adult. It was unmistakably the voice of someone Seo Dong-eun knew. Perhaps that was why he knew who it was before even seeing his face. And why he also recognized who the back he had tried so hard to ignore a moment ago belonged to.

“Are you okay?”

The man, still with his back turned, carefully pulled the person called Kim Dong-a who had fallen to the floor, into his arms. After lifting Kim Dong-a with the utmost care, the man’s gaze immediately shifted to the responsible for all of this. Unable to avoid the situation, he had no choice but to endure. A chilling gaze pierced right through Seo Dong-eun.

It felt like he had seen him.

He felt as if their eyes had met through the strands of hair falling over his face. He couldn’t avoid it. He might be completely exposed without a chance to escape.

“Ah, I’m okay.”

However, that gaze soon turned elsewhere because of Kim Dong-a who, having regained consciousness, squirmed in the man’s arms. Even while checking Kim Dong-a’s condition, the man made no effort to hide his anger.

“What do you mean you’re okay? Look at your ankle. You said you sprained it last time. Stand up.”

The man even knelt on the floor to tend to one of Kim Dong-a’s ankles. Meanwhile, the commotion gradually drew people in. Despite the numerous gazes, the man did not hesitate to lower his body, his shirt stretching taut across his bent back.

The man Seo Dong-eun knew wasn’t that kind of person. But even back then the man had treated Kim Dong-a differently. Thinking of it that way, it was understandable.

“Dong-eun.”

Director Kang rushed over and gripped Seo Dong-eun’s shoulder with a pale face. Only then did Seo Dong-eun realize his own awkward position, standing amidst a crowd of people. He probably wasn’t the only one to notice. The people who had been whispering while watching the man and Kim Dong-a also seemed to finally remember Seo Dong-eun’s existence, which hadn’t been particularly noteworthy, and turned their eyes toward him. All eyes suddenly fell on him. His pale face suddenly flushed with heat.

“What happened?”

Director Kang asked Seo Dong-eun in a low voice, glancing at the man and Kim Dong-a. He tried to say something, his lips moving, but he couldn’t get the words out, as if his throat were tightly blocked.

“No, it’s my fault. It’s not his fault.”

It was Kim Dong-a who rescued Seo Dong-eun, who was flustered and at a loss for what to do. Without realizing it, Seo Dong-eun stole a glance at Kim Dong-a, who was catching his breath while leaning comfortably against the man. The more he watched Kim Dong-a languidly brushing back his hair and the man who couldn’t take his eyes off him, the more it hurt to look.

“More importantly, the people…”

Kim Dong-a said, looking around awkwardly. There was no one who wouldn’t drool over such juicy gossip, which had previously been nothing more than speculation, unfolding before their eyes. The true, hidden partner of a man who only dealt with omegas was the beta Kim Dong-a. That was a widely known fact in the industry and an ideal scenario for a public thirsty for a true love story. Seo Dong-eun was also well aware that countless people were waiting to see when the two longtime friends would accept each other as lovers and finally see their romance blossom.

Director Kang urgently called the ‘lunks’ via radio. The lunks, who typically appeared whenever any trouble broke out in the establishment, were Wi Du-hong’s subordinates and were exclusively tasked with handling such situations. As the hulking men moved with precision, the onlookers—a mix of customers and employees—scattered in an instant.

“I am sorry. Our employee made a mistake. I apologize once again.”

Director Kang stepped in front of Seo Dong-eun and bowed deeply. Kim Dong-a didn’t even give him a second glance, merely nodding vaguely before turning away. He seemed eager to leave the scene, but the real issue wasn’t Kim Dong-a.

“Do you think an apology solves this?”

The man who had been glaring at Seo Dong-eun and Executive Director Kang the entire time spoke up, casually draping his arm around Kim Dong-a’s shoulders. He was likely the main target of the onlookers’ curiosity, the occupant of room 12. Seo Dong-eun blamed himself for not checking which actor was staying in room 12. He had never dreamed he would meet that man here and in such an absurd way. While you never know what could happen, he had been too complacent.

“If you have suffered any damages or sustained any injuries, we will cover the full cost of treatment. I will speak to the owner separately about providing some sort of compensation… Ah, and regarding your clothes as well.”

Director Kang rambled on, trying to show as much sincerity as possible. Usually, in such cases, even if a minor altercation were to break out in a bar, the celebrity’s side was eager to wrap things up first if one of their stars was involved. Since similar cases had occurred several times here at Down, it was a familiar sight to Seo Dong-eun. When an establishment went to such lengths to smooth things over, people usually just let it slide, regardless of how annoyed they might be. A celebrity causing trouble at a provincial bar in the dead of night was the perfect narrative for a scandal after all.

But as expected, none of that mattered to the man in front of him. To him, Kim Dong-a was far more precious. Sensing this, Seo Dong-eun bit his lip and clasped his hands together tightly. The man’s eyes flashed dangerously. With his gaze fixed on the employee visibly trembling while hiding behind Director Kang, the man resembled a beast about to tear into that worthless neck. Perhaps Kim Dong-a, who was gripping his arm tightly, was the only reason he held back; Seo Dong-eun couldn’t even lift his head, his nerves stretched to the breaking point.

The moment the dominant alpha’s mood soured, the very air seemed to shift. Seo Dong-eun couldn’t have been the only one to notice. Even Director Kang, a beta who couldn’t properly perceive pheromones, stiffened his expression.

“Hey, you in the back. You’re the one who messed up, so come here and apologize yourself.”

Seo Dong-eun held his breath as he waited for the moment to pass; he realized the man’s words were aimed at him but couldn’t bring himself to step forward. Director Kang didn’t seem to want that either, as he simply gave a small wave of his hand behind his back, visible only to Seo Dong-eun.

“Kwon Woo-kyung. What’s gotten into you? Are you drunk? Stop it now.”

“You got hurt.”

Kwon Woo-kyung, who brushed off Kim Dong-a’s comments, stared straight at Seo Dong-eun hidden behind Director Kang. It was a gaze so savage it felt as if he would strip him to the bone. It felt as if he could see through everything. As soon as he lifted his head, their eyes met. Seo Dong-eun, who had been trying to avoid him, flinched and hunched his shoulders at the searing gaze.

“That little rat from before.”

“Kwon Woo-kyung! That’s enough, leave it alone. We don’t want this to become a bigger deal either. Please just make sure to keep a tight lid on things here.”

Only when Kim Dong-a stepped forward did the situation seem to settle. Even then, Seo Dong-eun continued to tremble. Had he recognized him all along? To what extent, and how? Pale with shock, Seo Dong-eun fell into a state of confusion.

In the meantime, Kim Dong-a led Kwon Woo-kyung away. Unable to withstand the piercing gaze that lingered until the moment he disappeared, Seo Dong-eun staggered slightly. Then, as if he had been waiting nearby, Park Jae-hoon stepped in, steadying Seo Dong-eun by the shoulders.

“Hyung, hyung. Are you okay? Wow, that guy is a total psycho, just like the rumors say.”

“Lower your voice!”

Director Kang scolded Park Jae-hoon for his loose tongue and checked on Seo Dong-eun. Seo Dong-eun was so pale that it was impossible to tell if he was even breathing properly.

“Dong-eun, Seo Dong-eun. Are you okay? Huh?”

“Hyung, Hyung!”

He could hear a voice calling him, but he was in no state to answer. His eyelids trembled and twitched. Seo Dong-eun was more shocked by the fact that this chance encounter had ended just like that than the fact that he had run into Kwon Woo-kyung. He had run into Kwon Woo-kyung, but nothing happened. It was only natural and should have been a relief. That was to be expected. And yet…

Unconsciously, Seo Dong-eun clutched his tightly constricted heart. He let out a shallow gasp, but for some reason, he still couldn’t catch his breath.

“This won’t do. Move him to the lounge.”

At Director Kang’s word, Park Jae-hoon supported Seo Dong-eun, practically carrying him. His legs, already devoid of strength, could no longer function and merely dragged along the floor.

“…No, no. I’m okay. I’m sorry, Director. I should have been more careful… I’m truly, truly sorry.”

Only after making halfway down the hall did Seo Dong-eun regain his composure, leaning against the wall to steady himself. He immediately apologized to Director Kang. Director Kang clicked his tongue softly at the sight and turned away first, seemingly having no intention of scolding him further. He would be quite busy from now on as he had to ensure everyone kept their mouths shut, from the employees to the customers who had witnessed the incident.

“Hyung, are you really okay?”

Park Jae-hoon asked worriedly, watching Seo Dong-eun as he caught his breath while leaning against the wall. Seo Dong-eun tried to force a smile and nodded, but his frozen expression only distorted unnaturally.

“Wow, so it wasn’t just a rumor after all? Look at that, those two really are in that kind of relationship. Right? If those two are friends, then I don’t have any friends. You could practically see sparks of rage flying from Kwon Woo-kyung’s eyes when it looked like Kim Dong-ah got hurt.”

Park Jae-hoon continued to chatter incessantly in a hushed tone. He seemed to want to share what he had seen and gossip, but it didn’t even register in Seo Dong-eun’s ears. As the shock faded, a wave of worry rushed in.

“After seeing nothing but Omegas all this time, do you think Kwon Woo-kyung is just using them as a smokescreen to hide the fact that Kim Do-an is the real one? Because he loves him so damn much.”

Giggling, Park Jae-hoon openly stared in the direction where Kwon Woo-kyung and Kim Dong-a had disappeared. He rambled on about how truly handsome he was, and how Kim Dong-a’s atmosphere was mysterious enough to be alluring. Nodding vaguely to Park Jae-hoon’s unwanted chatter, Seo Dong-eun finally wiped the cold sweat from his palms. The fact that the end of the day felt so distant now that a brand new day was starting made it all feel so surreal.

---

“Oh my, there are dating rumors about them again.”

At the murmur coming from beside him, Seo Dong-eun was able to reign in his wandering thoughts. He had ultimately shown up to work after staying up all night. His body felt so sluggish it was hard to bear. To make matters worse, he had a cold, and his knees, overworked from the previous night, were throbbed painfully. While the weather had cleared and the rain had stopped, once his legs were worn down, they tended to give out easily, leaving Seo Dong-eun in a difficult spot.

“What, what happened?”

“Look at this. Kwon Woo-kyung and Kim Dong-a are caught up in another dating scandal. Look at the photos. He looks so handsome, doesn’t he? Kwon Woo-kyung’s gaze is absolutely insane.”

“What, I thought it was something new. It’s not like this is the first or second time for those two.”

“They were caught leaving a hotel together and heading to a hospital! Huh? It was near our office.”

“Honestly, they do look good together. Right, Dong-eun-ssi?”

Startled by the sudden spotlight, Seo Dong-eun turned his head in bewilderment. The dating scandal had hit number one on the real-time search rankings as soon as the article was posted and was dominating the front pages of various web portals. It was impossible to miss; the articles popped up the moment he went online. The coworker next to him, who was chatting while reading one of the many articles, glanced at So Dong-eun and continued.

“Dong-eun-ssi is a fan of Kwon Woo-kyung, right?”

“Really? Dong-eun-ssi is?”

“I… I am?”

Seo Dong-eun was visibly dumbstruck by a fact that even he hadn’t known. The two of them laughed loudly as they watched his gaze shift through the air, wavering pitifully. Only then did he realize they were teasing him, but there was no hiding his already flushed face.

“No, but really, I bet Dong-eun-ssi is a fan of Kwon Woo-kyung. Dong-eun-ssi doesn’t usually know much about celebrities and such. But he knew Kwon Woo-kyung. Whenever Kwon Woo-kyung’s name comes up, his ears perk up and his eyes sparkle.”

“Oh, I see. Our Dong-eun-ssi likes Kwon Woo-kyung? Then if I want to seduce Dong-eun-ssi, I should suggest going to see a Kwon Woo-kyung movie next time.”

A few more joking remarks were exchanged, but Seo Dong-eun remained silent, rubbing his heated face. A fan of Kwon Woo-kyung. A movie starring actor Kwon Woo-kyung… He told himself it was merely a matter of tracking someone he needed to avoid. It was the excuse Seo Dong-eun had constantly repeated since Kwon Woo-kyung first appeared in the world as an actor.

Seo Dong-eun vividly remembered the day he accidentally came face-to-face with the person he never thought he would see again. He would likely never be able to forget it. In the advertisement filling the vast blank space of the department store’s exterior wall, Kwon Woo-kyung was no longer the boy he once knew. He was said to be a young actor who had shot to stardom overnight. Seo Dong-eun couldn’t believe that person and Kwon Woo-kyung were the same individual. He had assumed that Kwon Woo-kyung would naturally inherit one of the many businesses of the Kwon family. Or perhaps enter politics after gaining a moderate level of recognition, just as his father had.

However, Kwon Woo-kyung had thoroughly hidden his background and started as an unknown actor. He wondered if being an actor had been his dream, but it was impossible to know for sure. The luck in being with Kwon Woo-kyung hadn’t lasted long for Seo Dong-eun, and the time was too short to hear such personal stories from him.

Seo Dong-eun knew quite a lot about actor Kwon Woo-kyung. He had looked up all his works. At first, he looked into him out of anxiety and fear, but later, his gaze was drawn to him so instinctively he couldn’t help it.

Knowing where and how Kwon Woo-kyung lived was important for his own escape. He had watched him while brainwashing himself like that. He watched him shine on the television and cinema screens. Until he soared so high he finally reached a place beyond his grasp.

But now, even Seo Dong-eun couldn’t tell. Whether that was truly the reason or not, self-deception was bound to crumble before long.

Leaving the chattering employees behind, Seo Dong-eun cautiously stepped out of the office. No sooner had he done so than his phone rang. It was a call he had been waiting for, but he still wasn’t happy to receive it.

“Yes.”

-Hey, cutie. What’s up? Calling the boss, of all people?

Even though an accident had occurred at his establishment, Wi Du-hong remained nonchalant. To hide the scowl that was instinctively forming on his face, Seo Dong-eun had to retreat to a secluded area near the emergency stairs before he could properly take the call.

“There’s something I wanted to ask.”

-What is it, why have you been calling me non-stop since dawn? You’re making my heart flutter.

“I met Kwon Woo-kyung.”

He was slightly surprised that the name slipped out of his mouth more easily than expected. Despite it being a name he hadn’t spoken in a very long time, perhaps because it had become so famous, there wasn’t much emotion attached to it.

-What?

As expected, President Wi knew nothing. Seo Dong-eun let out a small sigh and continued.

“Yesterday, at the shop.”

-What? You brat! Why were you at the shop yesterday…

President Wi, who had been on the verge of losing his temper, hesitated for a moment with a low groan as he finally remembered. It was President Wi himself who had called Seo Dong-eun in yesterday, even though he wasn’t scheduled to work. It might have been nothing more than a prank to him, but his actions ultimately led to a meeting between two people who never should have crossed paths.

-Ah, fuck, so you’re the one who caused that mess yesterday? That bastard Director Kang, reporting it like this…

President Wi hurled curses at Director Kang in a fit of rage. It seemed that Director Kang, concerned for Seo Dong-eun, had omitted his name from the report. Since Director Kang only knew that Seo Dong-eun was in debt to Wi Du-hong, he wouldn’t know the accident itself wasn’t the most critical issue at hand.

-So? What did that bastard say?

“He didn’t recognize me.”

-What?

“I ran into him twice yesterday. But both times… actually, I’m not sure. I don’t know if he just didn’t see me or if he truly didn’t recognize me.”

Or if he was pretending not to know. The silhouette of the man kissing a woman between buildings was definitely Kwon Woo-kyung. He must have seen him back then. However, after that, when he collided with Kim Dong-a, Kwon Woo-kyung’s attitude was that of dealing with a stranger who had made a series of mistakes rather than recognizing ‘Seo Dong-eun.’ No matter how much he turned it over in his mind, he couldn’t nail down exactly what Kwon Woo-kyung was thinking.

“That’s why I called to ask.”

-Ask what.

“What did you do with Choi Hyun-seo?”

Wi Du-hong did not answer immediately to the words whispered as softly as possible. For a very brief moment, he seemed to hesitate, and the sound of lips parting could be heard over the phone. Then, a moment later.

-He’s dead. No, I killed him. Choi Hyun-seo is gone.

It was something he already knew, but the reason he insisted on confirming it was that he was still anxious. Seo Dong-eun bit his nails and stared nervously into the air.

“Kwon Woo-kyung knows too, right?”

-Of course. He’d be crazy not to know the guy he used to pull that crazy shit with is dead. If it weren’t for that bastard, there would’ve been no need to handle it that way.

Smacking his lips, Wi Du-hong spoke as if Choi Hyun-seo’s death was Kwon Woo-kyung’s fault. Despite being an accomplice himself. And Seo Dong-eun was also a participant in that crime.

-It’s possible he didn’t recognize you. Enough time has passed for mountains and rivers to change. It’s better if he doesn’t recognize you. He’s probably forgotten. He has to forget. Considering the shit he pulled back then with that god-awful temper of his. Ha, anyway, I got it. For the time being, don’t come to the shop. Not until I tell you to come. ’ll let you know once I see how things play out.

“…Yes.”

With that, the call ended. Seo Dong-eun stared blankly at the phone screen that had long since gone dark. All that was reflected there was Seo Dong-eun with a weary and haggard face. Time had passed, and unlike Kwon Woo-kyung, who had become an actor appearing on the big screen, he was nothing more than an ordinary person. He didn’t think someone like Kwon Woo-kyung would remember such an unremarkable face for long.

Whatever happened back then…Yes, he must have forgotten. As he organized his thoughts, the accumulated fatigue seemed to weigh heavily on his shoulders. Seo Dong-eun left the emergency stairs with slow steps. The hollow feeling somewhere inside his body was both familiar and strange. Was it a sense of relief? He hoped it was. That’s what Seo Dong-eun wished for.