Chapter 21: I’m going to report you

“Then I’ll do it, so don’t move.”

As I nodded, Han Yeoreum began applying antiseptic with a cotton swab.
An unpleasant sensation, like sharp needles pricking my palm, brought me back to my senses, and I let out a pathetic groan.

“Ugh.”
“Bear with it. It’ll be over soon.”

Easier said than done.

“Now, take off your socks.”
“Wait, can we take a break?”
“We have to do it now.”

Han Yeoreum said that and pulled off my left sock.

“Ugh…”

A broken toenail, barely hanging on. Stained with blood and dangling precariously, it was almost grotesque. It had stung a little, but I hadn’t realized it was this bad.

“How can you rest in this state?”

After a few more minutes of pathetic groans, I was finally released.

“Go to the hospital as soon as it gets light tomorrow. This is just first aid. You might have internal injuries.”
“Yeah…”

Overwhelmed by a strange fatigue, I lay down and picked up my smartphone.

“What do you want to eat?”

Han Yeoreum blinked at my question, her expression uncomprehending. Was my explanation insufficient?

“I mean dinner. It’s getting late to go to a restaurant, so I was wondering if we should order delivery. Is there anything you want to eat?”
“…”
“Then I’ll just order anything.”
“Hey.”

Han Yeoreum clutched her sleeve, hesitating for a moment before speaking.

“Think about it again.”
“Think about what again?”
“Think about what you said earlier. I left suddenly, and we were both too agitated, so I think we reached a strange conclusion.”
“About figuring things out together?”

Han Yeoreum nodded silently.

“I’ve already thought about it enough and made my decision. I’m not going back on it.”
“…You might get reported to the police.”
“Probably.”
“It’s not a laughing matter. Your life will be ruined.”
“That won’t happen. I’ll hire a bunch of expensive lawyers.”
“No, it doesn’t make sense. Why would you do that?”

Reason?
I turned my head and looked at the ceiling. Yes, I had been thinking about this last night, staring at this ceiling.

“I thought it wouldn’t matter if I died.”

My voice, tinged with loneliness, echoed off the ceiling. Han Yeoreum watched me with a hardened expression, but there was no surprise on her face.

“And today, I realized that was a stupid thought.”

I couldn’t just die when I realized there were still so many things I could do, no, so many things I had to do.

“If it weren’t for you, I would have never known. Is it strange to want the best for your savior?”
“Savior? I didn’t do anything that great…”
“No, you did.”

Han Yeoreum, at a loss for words at my somewhat arrogant attitude, fiddled with her sleeve and barely managed to speak.

“I’ll be annoying. I’ll meddle in everything and only say irritating things.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll spend money recklessly too. I’ll eat whatever I want and buy whatever clothes I want.”
“Go ahead. It’ll be comfortable for both of us. While you’re at it, why don’t you drop the formalities? I saw you speaking casually earlier, why are you suddenly using honorifics again?”

I answered casually on purpose, and she replied in a slightly irritated voice,

“Stop joking and answer seriously! Do you think I really can’t—”
“Then you stop talking nonsense first. If you were that shameless, you would have done it already.”

Han Yeoreum lowered her gaze, looking resentful at my comment.

“…You just missed your last chance. I won’t be responsible if you regret it later.”

Her voice, despite the barbed words, was tinged with a hint of emotion, but I decided not to point it out.

“Okay, I’ll be counting on you.”

With those words, I turned towards the wall, lay down, and closed my eyes. As my consciousness faded, I heard a sniffle.

****

“Ah.”

The loud ringing of the doorbell startled me awake. The estimated delivery time was supposed to be a little over an hour, but it seemed like I had fallen into a deep sleep.
Han Yeoreum stopped me as I sat up, rubbing my stinging eyes.

“It’s okay, I’ll get it.”

She seems to be serious about dropping the formalities.
It’s fine, it’s better than wearing a clumsy mask. Alright, I should get up and set the table.

“Hic…”

Hearing a faint scream from the entrance, I rushed over and saw Han Yeoreum, her wrist grabbed by a man in a motorcycle helmet, trembling.

“Hey, what are you doing—”
“Heh… You’re much cuter up close…”

The man muttered and took off his helmet.

“To think Dojin has been playing alone with someone like this all this time, he’s too much…”

Messy brown hair, like a broom. And a sluggish yet somehow sharp, ominous voice that put my senses on edge.
Yes, I knew this person.

“Oh Minseo.”
“Yeah… Hi, Dojin…”

Oh Minseo waved with a bright smile.

“What is all this?”
“What do you mean? It’s a housewarming party… With a little surprise…? You were surprised too, weren’t you, Dojin…?”
“You knew the address?”
“Yeah… I knew it as soon as you moved in… But you seemed to want some alone time, Dojin, so I was wondering when to come, and today seemed like the perfect day…”

Oh Minseo came inside and started looking around.

“Wow… It’s clean, pretty… You picked a really nice place…? Oh, right…”

Oh Minseo handed me the chicken box she was holding.

“This is a housewarming gift… I sent the money to your account, Dojin, so don’t worry…”
“You didn’t come all this way just to give me this.”
“Ah~. That’s right…”

Oh Minseo stood on her tiptoes and whispered in my ear.

“I’m going to report you.”
“What?”
“I’m going to report you… You kidnapped a runaway, a high school girl, didn’t you, now… Wow, I’m so excited… I wonder if our Dojin will be on the news…”

Han Yeoreum, who had been standing blankly at the entrance, rushed over and grabbed Oh Minseo’s arm.

“It’s not like that. This person didn’t want to, but I threatened him. I told him to let me in if he didn’t want to become a s*x offender.”
“Come on… Who would believe that…? Even if it were true, I don’t think the court would listen…?”

Oh Minseo lightly brushed off Han Yeoreum’s arm and continued.

“You don’t want that, do you…? To be behind bars at your age…”
“So you’re threatening me.”

Oh Minseo squirmed and moved her lips, as if embarrassed by my words.

“No, you know it’s not true… How could I threaten Dojin, I know my place…”
“Then what are you doing now?”
“A request… A request from a completely subordinate position… You wouldn’t be scared even if I reported you, would you…?”
“Probably not.”

I wouldn’t have even started if that were the case.

“Yeah, so let’s make a deal, a win-win… A deal… If you grant me one small request, I’ll do everything you want… For example, guaranteeing that girl’s identity…”
“How can you do that?”
“Come on, you know very well that there’s nothing money can’t solve in this country…”
“Even so, that’s not something money can solve.”
“It’s a bit complicated if you go into detail… Hmm, just know that my family has deep connections in that area…”

I spoke to Oh Minseo, who was looking up at me as if urging me to answer.

“Let’s hear what it is first.”
“What!?”

Oh Minseo frowned at Han Yeoreum’s outburst. Han Yeoreum, her face pale, waved her hands, trying to say something, as if she couldn’t understand.

“Why?”
“No, you, you, are you out of your mind? If you’re doing this because of me, it’ll just be a burden—”
“It’s not like that. There’s a more important reason.”

Oh Minseo twisted her lips with interest at my answer.

“What could it be, I’m so curious… But it’s late today, and I’m tired from riding that stupid motorcycle, so let’s hear it tomorrow…?”

I just nodded without answering.

“Then come to my place around lunchtime tomorrow… Let’s continue talking then…”
“Before that,”

I decided to voice what had been bothering me.

“I want to know why you’re doing this.”
“Ah~… Dojin, you’re so mean, I’m tired… But well, since you agreed to listen to me, I guess I should do this much for you…”

Oh Minseo yawned lightly, as if tired, moved her lips, and then slowly spoke.

“Life is so boring~… I can’t just die, so I bought toys, luxury goods, traveled, watched a lot of movies and dramas, and even tried drugs, but it wasn’t much fun… It all gets boring eventually… But, but you know…”

A deep abyss stared back at me, as if trying to swallow my eyes.

“There’s just one thing… Watching you guys dig your own graves, it’s so refreshing… It’s so much fun… Even dramas can’t compare to this…?”

Oh Minseo said that and gently stroked the back of my hand.

“But someone is trying to end it all. I don’t like that…”

Oh Minseo spoke in a cold, sharp voice.

“Anyway, it’s too much trouble to say more, so let’s just leave it at this for now… I’ll tell you more tomorrow if you want…”
“Okay.”

As I answered, I finally felt the fog in my mind dissipate.
Yes.

This is the beginning.