Are you crazy? Me going back to you? After getting out of the taxi, Soo-hyun ran straight to the subway station. Going down the stairs, he noticed homeless people scattered around. Passing them by, he hurried toward the storage lockers. He entered the locker password on the screen and went to number 45, pulling the door open.

A black backpack occupied the space inside. He pulled the bag halfway out and unzipped it to find it full of cash. The very money he had withdrawn using Yang Ho-beom’s credit card. He was glad he’d put it in a storage locker just in case. Soo-hyun took out the bonds from inside his clothes, placed them in the bag, and turned around with his belongings.

Pulling down the hood attached to his clothes, he left the subway station and headed to a nearby bus terminal. Due to the late hour, there weren’t many people at the terminal. Most buses had stopped running, with only a few remaining. After purchasing a ticket for the farthest destination, Yeosu, Soo-hyun sat among people watching TV.

Time passed, well beyond the one hour Ho-beom had mentioned. Feeling tense, he found himself constantly scanning his surroundings. One by one, the seated passengers departed, and soon it was time for Soo-hyun’s bus to arrive. He stood up and walked toward gate 8, where several people were already waiting.

Soo-hyun took out his phone from his pocket. He recalled conversations with friends he hadn’t deleted yet. After turning on his phone, he tried to delete messages and reset the device when suddenly a message arrived.

It was from Yang Ho-beom.

A chill ran down his neck. Could he be here? Soo-hyun looked around while checking his phone. There was a photo attached. It showed someone in a hospital, with bandages wrapped around their head and wearing a respirator. As Soo-hyun stared at the man in the photo, his eyes gradually widened. Then, as if on cue, another message arrived.

[You’d better come before the respirator is removed.]

Ha… Haha… With disbelieving eyes, Soo-hyun zoomed in on the photo. Though the face was old and wrinkled, it belonged to a man who existed in his memories. His father. Baek Gwang-mu. Why? No, how did Yang Ho-beom get his picture…?

He felt confused. But what mattered now wasn’t why his father was captured. The important thing was that going there meant death for him. Soo-hyun steeled his resolve and reset his phone before tossing it into a trash can.

Just then, the bus arrived. As the doors opened, people boarded one by one. Soo-hyun sat in a secluded back seat and looked out the window with a troubled expression. The driver, who had briefly stepped away, returned to close the doors and start the engine.

During that brief moment, Soo-hyun struggled with conflicting thoughts but soon reached a conclusion. He didn’t want to be harmed by that man anymore. He had already decided that if caught, he didn’t care whether he lived or died. So leaving now was the right choice.

***

Ah. Ho-beom pressed his temple and grimaced. Whatever had been slipped into his drink, the headache hadn’t subsided since he woke up. As he let out a small sigh, Director Yoon in the front seat turned around with a concerned expression.

“Are you alright?”

“No. My head feels like it’s splitting open.”

He wasn’t sure if this was from the mysterious drug or because of Baek Soo-hyun. Grinning and coming on to me for s*x, then hitting me over the head and running off? It was so absurd and unbelievable that he couldn’t even feel angry. Where did the plan begin? When he offered to buy a birthday gift? Or when they ate at the restaurant? Did he deliberately contact Kim Tae-shin? Or was it from when he mentioned Seo Min-jun?

“Am I pathetic?”

When he asked Director Yoon, the man gave a barely perceptible smile.

“You seem more human now.”

Ho-beom laughed at that comment. Had anyone else ever blindsided him like this in his life? It was a mistake to underestimate him as just a pretty idiot. Or to be honest, he’d let himself get distracted. When Soo-hyun suggested s*x, he should have simply refused. While angry at his uncharacteristic choice, he was also curious about how much Baek Soo-hyun actually knew.

“Will Baek Soo-hyun come?”

Ho-beom leaned his head back against the seat and replied:

“He will. He’s inadequately wicked.”

Meanwhile, the car had arrived at the hotel. Taking the elevator to the PH floor, they opened the door to find someone’s silhouette visible through the translucent glass of the swimming pool. That someone came out after moving back and forth. It was Baek Soo-hyun, changed into work clothes with a mop in hand.

Ho-beom smiled and turned to Director Yoon.

“See? What did I tell you?”

And then the smile vanished from Ho-beom’s face. Soo-hyun saw Ho-beom, gave a casual bow, and continued cleaning. Even as Ho-beom approached him, he kept mopping the floor. His face looked haggard, appearing like he hadn’t slept.

When he looked up, his expression was dejected. He gestured with his eyes toward the living room table. A black bag sat there.

“Everything I got from you is in there.”

Ho-beom checked his wristwatch.

“I gave you one hour, but you show up after twelve.”

Soo-hyun, who had been downcast, sharpened his gaze and glared at Ho-beom.

“You deceived me first.”

“So?”

Without further words, Soo-hyun pulled a white envelope from his pocket and held it out to Yang Ho-beom. Ho-beom’s gaze moved downward, scanning the envelope’s exterior. Resignation letter. When Ho-beom didn’t take it and just glared, Soo-hyun placed it on the table.

“I don’t want to be involved with you anymore. I’ve returned everything, so I’m quitting.”

“What about Baek Gwang-mu?”

At Ho-beom’s words, Soo-hyun pressed his lips tightly together. In truth, he had questions he wanted to ask Baek Gwang-mu. Why didn’t he come to save his mother and him back then? Did he really not know Soo-hyun was alive, or rather, did he even try to find out? Judging by his condition in the photo, he wouldn’t be able to answer right away, but still.

“Do whatever you want. K＊ll him or save him.”

As he put the cleaning tools in the bucket and tried to leave, Ho-beom called out to him.

Wait. I have something for you. He went inside and returned moments later with something. A yellow document envelope. Seeing Soo-hyun just staring at it, he thrust it against Soo-hyun’s chest and gestured with his eyes. Get out. With that, Soo-hyun took the elevator down.

He had expected Ho-beom to go berserk and threaten to kill him on sight, but he was surprisingly quiet. While relieved, Soo-hyun also felt more frightened and suspicious, wondering if Ho-beom had some scheme in mind. Back at his quarters, Soo-hyun was about to pack his belongings but decided to open the envelope Ho-beom had given him first.

A sheet of paper came out with it. What trick is this now? The words at the very top of the paper caught Soo-hyun’s eye. Statement? Starting with “I woke up to a loud noise at 00:00 on 0000,” the handwriting looked familiar.

As he read on, Soo-hyun’s eyes grew wider.

[When I rushed over, Baek Soo-hyun had already stabbed the victim, Jung Dong-cheol, multiple times with a knife. I tried to stop him and got wounds on my hands and face, and when I tried to call 119 quickly, I couldn’t because of Baek Soo-hyun’s threats.]

Soo-hyun was shocked. His fingertips holding the paper began to tremble. What is this…? And below was the name of the person who wrote the statement. Soo-hyun collapsed onto the bed. His hand lost strength, and the paper fell to the floor.

The familiar name written at the end of the statement.

Soo-hyun could only breathe heavily, overwhelmed by emotion.

His eyeballs burned like they were being scalded, and his chest felt constricted.

[I have a lot to be sorry for.]

Was this… what he meant? Unable to believe it, he picked up the paper again. The handwriting was too similar to Seo Min-jun’s to think it was forged. The handwriting he had learned while being taught Korean, practicing countless times.

Struggling with his anguish, Soo-hyun jumped to his feet. Going back upstairs, he ran into Director Yoon who was just coming out. Passing by the man who gave a slight nod, he went inside. But Yang Ho-beom was nowhere to be seen.

Splash. The sound of water came from the swimming pool. Rushing in, he found Yang Ho-beom swimming underwater with fluid movements. He called out “Hey,” but Ho-beom couldn’t have heard him. Soo-hyun composed himself and called out again.

After a moment, Ho-beom surfaced, wiped the water from his face, and smiled brightly. You’re back?

Suppressing his welling indignation, Soo-hyun held out the paper to Ho-beom.

“You fabricated this, didn’t you?”

Ho-beom came closer, resting his crossed arms on the edge of the pool, and looked up at Soo-hyun.

“That’s what you’d like to believe, isn’t it?”

“Tell me the truth. You don’t know anything.”

“I don’t know everything, but I do know this. Seo Min-jun helped put Baek Soo-hyun away.”

Soo-hyun clenched his molars.

No way. It can’t be.

Do you really think it can’t be?

He wanted to believe it couldn’t, but the evidence was too clear.

Despite trying hard to hold back, his vision blurred.

“What? Feeling wronged now?”

Chicken-pea sized tears dropped down.

F*ck.

Embarrassed, he quickly wiped them away as Yang Ho-beom looked up at him with a pitying smile.

“That’s why, Soo-hyun. Why give your heart to a b＊stard like that?”