Lights Don't Go Out in the Annex - Chapter 16
CHAPTER 16
Leeseo carefully lifted his hand that was draped in the armrest of the chair and examined his wound attentively.
“Did you disinfect this …… with alcohol?”
Mixed with blood, the drops of whisky fell from the tips of Tae-gyeom’s fingers. The strong scent of alcohol filled the air.
“That’s how they do it in the movies.”
Kwon Tae-gyeom watched Leeseo closely as she examined his wound. She picked up the bottle of alcohol on the table and checked the alcohol content on the label. It was quite strong.
“It’s better than nothing. But for a wound like this, it’s better to go to the hospital and get this stitched up. Since it’s on your palm, if you leave it alone, it’s going to keep opening up and healing will be slow.”
“I don’t like hospitals.”
Feeling out of place, Leeseo lifted her eyes and looked at Tae-gyeom’s face. A grown man saying he didn’t like hospitals, it was so childish…
The face of the man who spoke immaturely like a child was overly handsome. Delicate facial features and long, thick eyelashes that would naturally capture one’s attention. His deep and intense gaze felt like it could bind someone in place.
A gaze that clung like mud. Leeseo pursed her dry lips, enveloped by a strange feeling that she couldn’t quite control.
Gazing at Leeseo intently, Tae-gyeom said,
“You’re a medical student, right? So do something about it.”
Leeseo’s pupils vibrated for a moment.
How could this man know my background?
Of course, if he wanted to find out about her, it wouldn’t be a difficult task. He could just grab anyone working in the mansion and ask them a few questions, and they would easily spill out the story of her upbringing.
But somehow, Leeseo couldn’t quite picture Tae-gyeom interrogating Mrs. Seo about her. At one point, Tae-gyeom had scolded Leeseo and told her not to even look at him, and then suddenly asking about her. He was truly an unpredictable man that Leeseo had no way to know what he was thinking.
Something warm surged up and down in her stomach. It was an indescribable sensation that made her flustered. She swallowed her inexplicably heated breath and bit her lip.
Leeseo opened the first aid kit in silence and began treating him. Luckily, the bleeding had nearly stopped. She doused the area with antiseptic, the smell of alcohol permeating the wound.
Despite the pain, Tae-gyeom didn’t even flinch. Leeseo stared at his sleek face in disbelief.
His earlier words of being in pain seemed like a complete lie A normal person would have screamed, but he didn’t even let out a small groan. His face was oddly expressionless. It made Leeseo wonder if he might have some sort of pain insensitivity, as she finished applying the dressing on the wound.
“I’ve done the treatment for now, but make sure to go to the hospital first thing in the morning.”
Tae-gyeom didn’t answer, instead, inspected his hand, turning it around. Leeseo cleaned up the mess around from the treatment, arranged the first aid kit, and took out painkillers, setting them down on the table.
“Take them if it hurts. I’ll get you some water.”
Leeseo walked out of the bedroom and tossed the blood-stained bandages into the trash can. When she opened the fridge, she found it still stocked with liquor and water. She sighed.
Why does he live like this?
She knew about his unfortunate childhood, but not everyone who’s been through a difficult past ends up living like this.
He had locked himself away in this world of debauchery that he had created, ruling like a king, but somehow, was still lonely and lacking. He deliberately neglected his scars to be treated.
As he tended to the wound on his hand, Leeseo couldn’t help but recall his face, which had been staring with unwavering eyes. His emotionless, silent eyes that could not be read.
What had he been looking at before I came here?
From his bedroom window where he had been sitting, her container home could be seen directly ahead.
Leeseo shook her head, snapping out of her thoughts Whether Tae-gyeom drowns in alcohol or neglects himself, it had nothing to do with her.
Just do what needs to be done and leave.
Reminding herself of this, she took a water bottle in her hand and opened the bedroom door again.
“What are you doing?”
Quickly approaching the bed, Leeseo snatched the glass Tae-gyeom was sipping from. He looked up from where he had been lying, sprawled on the bed with two pillows propped up against the headboard. He stared at the stolen glass in disbelief.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“You’re hurt, and you shouldn’t drink for a while until your wounds heal.”
Tae-gyeom let out a weak laugh. Leeseo was looking down at him with a stern expression, as if she were the dormitory supervisor or something.
“Oh, that’s inconvenient.”
“You should abstain from drinking for at least a week, if you want to get better.”
He said in a low voice.
“I tend to need either alcohol or sex to get me to sleep.”
“…….”
Leeseo was dumbfounded, lost for words as she stared at him. Whatever his sleep pattern was, it was none of her business, but Tae-gyeom was spouting nonsense in an arrogant, brash manner, as if he were shifting the responsibility onto her.
“Looks like you’ll have to help with that.”
He leisurely looked at Leeseo and smiled mischievously. It wasn’t the kind of flirting that goes on between men and women, but rather the kind that is clearly intended to embarrass her.
His gaze lingered on her for a while, savoring the embarrassment that had spread across her face. The corners of his lips curled up in a sly smile.
In that moment, Leeseo felt an odd surge of competitiveness, to strike back at him. She didn’t want to be foolishly played by him. She wanted to strip away his composure and leave him flustered, just as much as she was.
Leeseo looked down at Tae-gyeom’s bandaged right hand with a pitying glance.
“What about your other hand?”
In response, Tae-gyeom burst out laughing. Under the blinding lights, his white and even teeth were revealed. Instead of becoming flustered, he seemed to be completely amused, grinning like a carefree boy.
“Spank rice cake with these?”
Leeseo stared at his smiling face as if mesmerized.
“Don’t worry, my dick is fine.”
Despite the embarrassingly blunt words that left his mouth, his eyes softened. Gentle creases formed around his eyes, skillfully drawing an exquisite arc. His eye smile was dangerously alluring.
“…I’m not interested. Who, would worry about that…”
Leeseo retorted, barely able to compose herself. But, his strikingly handsome face seemed to grow more boyishly mischievous in response.
“Also, I’m left-handed.”
With a teasing whisper, his left hand extended like a snake. Before she could even react, her wrist was grabbed and her body was abruptly pulled towards him.
“Ah……!”
Leeseo flopped to the side of the bed where he was reclining. His face, wearing a leisurely smile, appeared composed, yet his large and strong hand had firmly bound her wrist, pinning her down.
She tried to twist her wrist and pull it free, but she could feel his grip tighten. Her brow furrowed. Seeing her reaction, he loosened his grip on her wrist but didn’t release her completely.
A strange, indescribable sensation flashed through her as he scrutinized her reaction. Leeseo’s eyes snapped open and she glared at Tae-gyeom
“Let me go.”
“You don’t like it? Don’t you like it?”
He stroked the back of Leeseo’s hand with his thumb and whispered lewdly.
“I’m good at this, you know.”
Goosebumps rose along the flesh where his fingertips brushed, sending chills down her spine.
It felt as though a slick snake was slithering up her body, constricting with all its might. Her stomach felt ticklish and jittery. Her heart pounded wildly, a strange sensation she’d never experienced before. Gritting her teeth, she retorted.
“…Find someone else to play with.”
Tae-gyeom shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and muttered.
“Too much trouble.”
From his lack of enthusiasm, Leeseo realized that he was just playing a petty prank. She felt like a fool for getting caught up in his pathetic antics and responding so directly.
There was no reason behind his whims. He rules like a king in a world where he can do whatever he wants and no one can criticize or oppose him.
He was simply indulging obscenities for his own shallow amusement, reveling in the reactions of those flustered by his antics. There was no need for her to be ensnared in such trivial pranks and waste her emotions any longer.
She understand that there was no point in wasting any more emotional energy confronting this man. She also knew that it was time to walk away from his futile engagement.
“Why are you doing this to me?”
Still, she couldn’t suppress the overwhelming emotions welling up within her.
She was curious, and she couldn’t bear it any longer. He treated people as if they were transparent, picking fights without reason and telling her not to interfere in his affairs, yet today, he had summoned her here for some purpose.
“Well…”
His gaze bore into her like vines. Tae-gyeom fixed his eyes on Leeseo’s face as if trying to see through her.