BHB 125

He also made sure to repay Do Youngjae for his help. While he was happy to accept treats of food and drinks, he absolutely refused to take any money. Still, feeling that he should compensate him for the meals he’d had at his mother’s place, he forced some money on him before leaving.

He contacted Baek Seungha separately as well. He only wanted to apologize for not getting back to him sooner due to the chaos and for causing trouble when he hadn’t even realized he’d covered his shift at work. Baek Seungha dismissed his formal apology, only suggesting that he buy him a drink sometime.

“Man, your dad’s face has been on TV all day long,” Kim Myungjoo complained, eating one of the badly peeled apples that Yeowon had struggled to prepare. 

He thought he should let him visit Lee Taegang in the hospital at least once, since he had suffered so much that day. Taking advantage of a day with less surveillance, he invited Kim Myungjoo and Jin Youngchae. As a proper host, he’d tried to prepare some fruit gifts that had arrived from somewhere, but it wasn’t easy at all.

“Oh shit. Look at the state of these apples. The peel is thicker than before.”

“Shut up. It’s not easy.” Yeowon was half-exhausted as if he’d been in battle. 

Was peeling a few fruits always this difficult? 

He had no experience with manual labor. This fact had become increasingly apparent to him lately. He didn’t have much time left before leaving Korea, and wouldn’t he need to do something to make a living there? Even if Lee Taegang had secretly saved a lot of money, they couldn’t just live idly without doing anything.

“We’ll take care of Choi Youngdoo on our end,” Jin Youngchae, dressed in a suit and also eating the apples, brought up the main business.

“He’s been keeping a low profile since your dad cut him off,” Kim Myungjoo added.

Yeowon put down the fruit he was peeling with a sour expression as the name of a person he had been trying not to think about came up. The sight of him striking Lee Taegang’s head still remained like a nightmare. The hateful cries, Lee Taegang’s desperation, the flowing blood and the sound of impact. It was a horrific moment.

“I already beat his face to a pulp, so he probably can’t show it in public anyway,” Yeowon said casually, glancing at the wounds across his knuckles. After furiously beating Choi Youngdoo, he had been unconscious for quite some time, and his hands had been in tatters from hitting him relentlessly.

“He got too cocky. We were ignoring him because it would be troublesome to clash, but if we had known he would act up like this, we would have dealt with him sooner,” Jin Youngchae said with an annoyed frown.

“If you’re going to do it, do it properly.”

When Lee Taegang, looking surprisingly healthy for a patient, spoke briefly, Jin Youngchae nodded without hesitation.

“By the way, are you really sick? You look way too normal for someone who supposedly had their head cracked open.”

Kim Myungjoo seemed amazed by his healthy appearance, as if he couldn’t quite believe his own words about the injury.

“The doctors were surprised at how his bones are already healing. His body must be incredibly healthy,” Yeowon said, giving Lee Taegang a sidelong glance with an expression that was both amazed and impressed. He really did have an exceptional body.

“Anyway, you should worry about those who need worrying about,” Kim Myungjoo clicked his tongue lightly as if he’d expected this.

“So are you really leaving Korea this time?” Jin Youngchae asked casually while gulping down the coffee he’d brought as a get-well gift, having heard most of the story. 

Instead of answering, Yeowon looked at Lee Taegang. As he passed the question to the one in charge of this situation, Lee Taegang, who had been looking elsewhere, signaled to Yeowon as if asking for fruit. Although he knew he was just being childishly demanding when he had a perfectly good hand, Yeowon obediently fed him the fruit.

“What are you two doing…?” Kim Myungjoo’s eyes twisted as if he’d seen something ridiculous. 

Yeowon cleared his throat slightly and retorted, “He got hurt because of me.”

“If someone gets hurt because of you, you feed them too?”

“…If they ask for it, I can do it.” Yeowon muttered hesitantly.

“Oh my god. This disease has gotten worse. Why don’t you two go out and set up a house together?”

“Then I’ll come visit later!” Jin Youngchae said nonchalantly as he continued putting sliced apples into his mouth.

“Will you pay for my plane ticket if I come to visit?” Kim Myungjoo asked with gleaming eyes, as if it was already a given that he would visit. 

Lee Taegang, who had been quietly listening, retorted with an irritated face, “You make plenty of money yourself.”

“You’re just rich, asshole. I heard that the company you invested in went public. Where do you get that kind of information?”

“You think I attend those pointless meetings for nothing?”

“Ah, shit. Those guys don’t give me that kind of information. Say my background isn’t good enough.”

“But I hooked those guys up with your club, didn’t I? Milk them well. They only know money and sex, so they should be easy to handle.”

It was business talk between them. Come to think of it, Yeowon knew nothing about that side of things. It seemed Lee Taegang had a reason for attending those meetings he claimed to dislike. He had thought it was just something his family forced him to do. Surprisingly, it seemed he hadn’t been living without any purpose. Well, he was smart, so he’d do well at anything. If he hadn’t become close with him, he might have become even more impressive. As their parents had said. He really would have walked a path paved with gold.

“But do you really have to go as far as leaving Korea?” While Yeowon was lost in thought, Kim Myungjoo continued regretfully. Lee Taegang didn’t give any particular answer, but Kim Myungjoo added another question, “And Han Yeowon, do you have to go with him too? I know you two are a set, but is it really necessary?”

He seemed genuinely disappointed as he pressed Yeowon as well. From their perspective, it was a fair question. No matter how close they were, there was no need to change their residence. He could feel Lee Taegang’s gaze. He seemed to be waiting for his answer.

“…He’d be lonely if he went alone.”

When he gave this flimsy excuse, Kim Myungjoo made a strange face.

“Well, well.” Kim Myungjoo frowned as if he had said something absurd.

“Anyway, he can’t do anything without me.”

“…Well, that’s true. That hulk of a guy has been following you around since high school.”

He nodded in agreement at Yeowon’s retort.

“I remember how he would always call and bother me when he couldn’t reach you.”

At that moment, Lee Taegang’s eye twitched.

“Where’s Han Yeowon? Find Han Yeowon. Has Han Yeowon eaten? Shit, thinking about it now, it’s infuriating.”

Yeowon cleared his throat softly after hearing about Lee Taegang’s antics. Now that he understood the nature of his excessive behavior, he felt embarrassed. Feeling his ears might get hot from embarrassment, he deliberately pushed Kim Myungjoo’s back and changed the subject.

“Why are you dredging up old stories? Hey, if you’re done eating, leave.”

“I was about to go anyway. Take care of yourself.”

Kim Myungjoo patted Lee Taegang’s shoulder, and he responded with a small laugh and a brief “Sure” as a farewell. 

Jin Youngchae, who had only been eating whatever he could get his hands on, also said he’d keep in touch before following Kim Myungjoo out of the hospital room. With the attention-scattered guy and the mountain-sized guy gone, the hospital room finally seemed quiet and comfortable.

“You really harassed all the people around me in various ways.”

“Who was the one always getting into trouble when out of sight?” Lee Taegang sat on the edge of the bed, facing him as he sat on the folding chair. He subtly reached for his hand, playing with it as if toying with his fingers. He always did this when they were alone.

“…It tickles.”

It was still a bit unfamiliar to him how the atmosphere always changed like this when they were alone. His relationship with Lee Taegang had always been close yet straightforward. Being together has always been comfortable. Even when they had sex, he hadn’t felt this way the entire time they were together. This feeling of tingling with every breath. A truly strange sensation he had never experienced even once when dating women.

Finding the feeling unfamiliar, he gently pulled his hand away and stood up to clean up what the others had left behind.

“By the way, have you really not heard anything from your family yet?”

He changed the subject while cleaning up the trash and washing his hands at the sink. It was true that he was curious and anxious since there hadn’t been any other incidents since then. But instead of answering, he just stared at him with displeasure.

“Come here.” He nodded toward where he had been sitting earlier.

“Why? I’m cleaning right now.”

“Do it later.”

“Are you going to do it?”

“I didn’t tell you to do it either. Just leave it.”

Well, that was true. Yeowon stopped cleaning and stood in front of him.

“What is it?” He asked, hiding his embarrassment from his intent gaze that suggested he had something to say. 

After pondering for a moment, he opened his mouth, “I’m wondering if you’re really okay with it.”

When his eyebrow twitched at not understanding the subject of his matter of fact question, Lee Taegang added, “Living abroad with me.”

Ah, Yeowon let out a short sigh as he realized the intent of his question.

“Then who else would I live with?”

“…”

“Alone? Here?”

“…You hate that kind of thing. Being in a strange place with no one around. I’m asking because it’s not just a vacation.”

“Stop it. That kind of thoughtful concern doesn’t suit you.” Yeowon responded with a light laugh. Despite his smiling words, his expression remained unchanged, and after thinking briefly, he slowly spoke, “What would you do if I said I wasn’t going?”

Instead of answering, Lee Taegang met his gaze with a stubborn face that seemed to say, ‘Would I do that?’

“Even if I refused to go, your father wouldn’t leave us alone anyway.”

“There are other options too.”

Knowing what those other options were, Yeowon immediately glared at him with a crumpled expression.

“Hey. That’s…”

“I’m not saying this without thinking.”

“…”

“I have some things in my hands too.”

“What are you talking about?”

“That’s why I really hope that man wins the presidential election.”

“…”

“Because then he’ll have so much more to lose.”

“…”

“Only when he has a lot to lose can I use what I have in my hands.” Lee Taegang continued speaking with an unconcerned face. Like someone who had prepared many things precisely for that day.