《Flowers Are Bait》 Prologue Prologue Prologue Despite the power saw in her hand, she froze in terror. A pair of blue eyes glowed in the dark. Her feet were rooted to the spot by his bloodthirsty eyes. She was paralyzed as her eyes met with the man¡¯s who was burying a person alive. Her thoughts whirled around in her mind like a siren. Murderer¡­. That one word that she had only ever seen in news headlines shook her. Her body broke out in cold sweat and goosebumps. Her only wish had been a quiet and safe life. Was that too much to ask? Today had been wholly normal and uneventful day. She had gone to the hospital, went through her overdue bills, inspected trees that had undergone treatment for their disease, and argued with a client who had not paid their treatment fee for over a month now. It was an old habit for the tree doctor, So Lee-yeon, to go up to the mountains at night and inspect the neglected trees. Today had been a normal and casual day like any other. This mountain was a private property, but it wasn¡¯t managed at all so the overgrown trees and bushes gave the illusion of ghosts and creatures. Just like trees which are usually found in abandoned areas, the trees here suffered from malnutrition and neglect, so she took extra care of them. Always. ¡°Help! Please, help!¡± The one being buried shouted in a muffled voice. However, the screams were cut abruptly when the earth piled up on top of them, leaving only silence in the air. The tall man wore a shiny, ck, stic raincoat. He dug up the soil and piled it onto the pit as though he was familiar with this. As though, he had done this many times before. ¡°Pl-please!¡± said the voice. An arm protruded from the fresh soil, desperately scratching the ground for a handhold. ¡°I will t-tell you everything.¡± Unlike the one struggling against their imminent death, the man hummed the notes of a tune, calmly. ¡°Wrong!¡± he said, finally, ¡°You should be begging me to kill you here.¡± The silence stretched. ¡°Help¡­¡± ¡°The show has just begun,¡± said the man and pushed the hand on the ground with his shoes and kicked on it repeatedly, smashing them. ¡°Ahh!!¡± screamed the one in the ground. The man¡¯s face was stony, but he kicked like a madman. The fingers seemed to be broken and bloody. ¡°Aaaa¡­¡­!¡± The scream was muffled yet pitiful from below the ground. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that the more you scream, the more excited I get?¡± ¡°Aaaaa!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t stop doing this because a dumbass like youes out once in a while.¡± The man resembled the birch that is said to shine brightly even at night. His face was just as white and sleek. However, he didn¡¯t appear to have the color orplexion of a living person at all. She could only look in horror at the man who was looking at his face reflected on the de. ¡°Aaaaa, please!¡± The soil trembled as the cream and sobs sounded from within. A head was exposed but the man pressed down on it with his foot as though snuffing out a cigarette. With the hood of the raincoat covering half his face, she could only see his long lips. When she saw the person trying to resist gradually weaken in their movement, and then stoppletely, So Lee-yeon¡¯s mind formed a semnce of the truth. It¡¯s a murder scene! The event unfolding in front of her eyes was so shocking and unbelievable. She gulped nervously. She felt very afraid, and her hands started to sweat. She hid her phone behind her back and tried to press 112. Relying solely on her intuition and feel, she fumbled around with her phone. All her focus was on her fingers fumbling with the screen when she stepped on a branch. The cracking of the stray branch was a very insignificant sound in normal circumstances but in the dead of night, nothing was louder than the said sound. The man who had ignored the dying screams suddenly stopped shoveling. He dropped the shovel, and So Lee-yeon¡¯s gaze followed it. she couldn¡¯t breathe. She only now realized the smell of blood emanating from the motionless man on the ground. She looked at the body closely and she realized that the white shirt was all dark, drenched with blood. ¡°What the fuck is this?¡± said a voice near her, ¡°Isn¡¯t it about time you ran for your life?¡± A gunshot was fired. So Lee-yeon ran. The ground was muddy because of the rain. Her shoes sank and squelched in the damp. It was hard to run smoothly, but if she hesitated even a little, she would be caught and killed. Her heart was in her mouth and she ran. She gasped for breath but didn¡¯t stop running. The call finally connected. ¡°Hwayang Police Station,¡± said a voice. ¡°H-hello,¡± she stammered. ¡°Yes, please speak slowly.¡± She burst into tears. She was so afraid. She fumbled with the words. ¡°I s-saw somebody b-burying a body here. Please,e quick. I got caught. I a-am in danger.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°So Lee-yeon. Please, I might die.¡± ¡°Please calm down, ma¡¯am. Are you able to give me a location?¡± ¡°Y-yes. There are dozens of Japanese Oak trees here. You can also see an elm tree with arge hole. I just passed that now. Please!¡± she responded, as best as she could, trying to calm herself. Her breath wasing in rough gasps. ¡°Can you give me more information? Is there any sort of building or infrastructure nearby?¡± Lee-yeon heaved a deep breath and pulled herself together. ¡°Spruce Tree Hospital. The mountain right behind that.¡± ¡°We areing. Ma¡¯am, I don¡¯t need to tell you that if this is a prank call, there will be consequences.¡± ¡°Please. Pleasee quick.¡± She finally reached the road at the entrance to the trail towards the mountain. She tried to catch her breath. A wire thin as a thread wrapped around her neck and she was yanked back. She scratched her neck to get hold of the wire, but it was too thin and cut into her skin. ¡°Hey, you dropped this.¡± Her hair stood on end. The sound of breathing near her ear was terrifying. One hand tightened the wire around her neck while the other ced something heavy in her hand. Before she lost consciousness, she swung it with all her might towards the man. She felt the aftereffects of the heavy swing and heard something breaking as the saw collided with the man. She swung her tools twice more. The wire loosened around her neck. So Lee-yeon, petrified with fear, didn¡¯t look back. The power saw btedly roared to life. This was the first time she had met her secret patient, a vegetative man who had been lying in bed, unmoving, for two years. Chapter 1: Chapter 1: ¡°It has constipation.¡± ¡°What?¡± The principal opened his mouth, aghast. His face showed a mixture of disbelief and shock. ¡°What did you just¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not defecating well.¡± The principal looked even more taken aback, if that was even possible. How is that even possible? He wanted to say that aloud to this young woman, but his face turned red as she looked at the elementary kids wandering and running around with their backpacks. Lee-yeon stroked the tree stem gently. She didn¡¯t like him at all. She had had her fair share of such reactions before. ¡°Defecation is important. It¡¯s apletely natural and regr thing. You know that, of course.¡± The principal coughed as if he was annoyed. But he smirked as he covered his mouth, As expected, she is stupid and mad. It cost tens and thousands of dors to fix a few trees. He would rather cut them down than spend so much money on them. He contacted a shabby business run by this young woman instead of the big hospital in the city, just in case. After re-injuring the treated tree, he was going to me it on this absurd tree doctor. At least, that was his n. ¡°This tree is one of the main trees in our school. It is the symbol of greenness. Will you be able to fix it for us?¡± The principal lowered his eyebrows and asked earnestly. His n was simple. He wanted to use her and get a refund for the damages done. Then he would cut the tree down anyway. At least it would benefit his school in that way. ¡°Consider it done,¡± came the honest answer. ¡°The treatment process is not very difficult. To put it simply, it couldn¡¯t defecate properly after eating so it had developed constipation. It couldn¡¯ty its roots properly.¡± Lee-yeon looked around the school field and frowned. ¡°If trees don¡¯t defecate well, they start dying from the top. Most of them seem to be already in that process here.¡± ¡°So, how will the treatment process go?¡± asked the principal, reluctantly. He stared at Lee-yeon from head to toe. Tattered trousers, soil in the nails and a strong smell of fertilizers. He felt that she was dirty. Her clear face was smudged with soil and her hair, tied down to the nape of her neck, looked like drooping seaweed. Filthy. This woman has no appeal. I have another tree dying right in front of me. In addition to that, her soft twinkling eyes looked dull and dry when facing people. She looked pale and skinny. ¡°Principal.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± The principal answered overly politely as if he had been caught. ¡°All the soil here needs to be reced by Masato soil.¡± ¡°All?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s the cause of this. The trees can¡¯t defecate well because of the soil. By the way¡­¡± Her gaze sharpened. ¡°You saved your money, didn¡¯t you?¡± Lee-yeon walked around the principal with a dubious face. ¡°Did you bury something there?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I heard the school was recently remodeled.¡± ¡°Tiles?¡± The principal¡¯s shoulders flinched. ¡°Left-over cement?¡± ¡°Cement stic bags are also possible¡­¡± ¡°Or all of the together¡­¡± The principal wiped the sweat from his forehead and avoided her gaze. ¡®How does she know that?¡¯ To save the cost of waste disposal, the waste was instead buried in the ground. Nobody knew this but the scruffy tree doctor knew everything. ¡°When those materials meet water, they be as hard as a rock. They contaminate the soil. The roots cannot grow, and they rot. Once we dig the ground, we¡¯ll find everything anyway. I¡¯ll send you the estimate sheet by today.¡± Lee-yeon smiled innocently, wiping her sweat with the flower-patterned handkerchief that was tied around her neck. But her smile didn¡¯t reach her cold and sharp eyes. ¡°Of course, I will have to report this to the city hall first.¡± The principal approached her in a hurry with a sullen expression on his face. ¡°D-doctor, please listen to me¡­¡± ¡°You were happy to have saved your money, weren¡¯t you?¡± She looked at him. ¡°Now, payback double or triple the amount of fine. As I said, defecating is very important for nts as well as humans.¡± Lee-yeon turned around in contentment. She sighed. She knew her only staff back at the hospital would nag at her for leaving this opportunity. She turned to the principal again. She hated ying politics, but the promotion and upgrade of her hospital was also important. It was the most important thing right now. ¡°I¡¯m a doctor who loves her trees,¡± said she, ¡°I am the best at saving the trees, but I am also good at weeding out harmful¡­things.¡± ¡®Especially people like you¡¯, she said inwardly. Dozens of trees were damaged by this stupid, selfish human¡¯s greed and yet he talks about how the tree is the symbol for this school. These were the kind of people who destroyed forests to use leaves as their ashtrays. ¡°Please visit our Spruce Tree Hospital more often.¡± She forced herself to smile sweetly. Lee-yeon is a tree doctor who runs a small tree hospital on an ind located on Hwaido, Geunil-myeon, Hwayang City, close to Tongyeong to the west and Namhae to the south. Although it seems like an underdeveloped ind, it is surprisingly the secondrgest ind in Korea. It is a very beautiful and scenic tourist destination known for its sea, nts and rocks. ¡®The old man looked at me very weirdly¡¯¡­ Lee-yeon¡¯s job was like that. She had to carry tools such asdders, knives, saws, scissors and so on. She had to climb trees and inspect it as part of her job. So, people looked at Lee-yeon as though she was a wild animal. There were so many clients who called upon a ¡®female¡¯ doctor because they charged less otherwise, they would be out of business. The clients took advantage of the fact. Lee-yeon was already over thirty years old. She was used to that kind of treatment by now. She was driving her scooter along the road overseeing the emerald sea when her phone rang. She plugged the earphones to her ears and took the call. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Hey, director,¡± said a voice on the other end, ¡°If you don¡¯te within five minutes, I will unlock the 2nd floor.¡± Chapter 2: Chapter 2: The scooter, which was going straight, leaned to the side. Lee-yeon hurriedly straightened the scooter again and spoke in a hurry. ¡°Manager, wait!¡± ¡°I heard it clearly. There was a sound!¡± ¡°You must¡¯ve heard it wrong. It¡¯s an empty room so how can there be any sound?¡± ¡°Look, I am sure I heard something.¡± Lee-yeon kept a calm mind but she speeded up her scooter. The clear, usually calm scenery of Hwaido passed in a blur. ¡°I am sorry. I have already called the locksmith.¡± ¡°No!¡± she eximed. Eventually, her calm demeanor broke. She raked her mind to find a convincing reason to dissuade her manager, but she beat Lee-yeon to it. ¡°Stop your lies!¡± said the manager, ¡°Stop telling me that you locked the room because water veins are growing. I am also tired of hearing that you are drying chilies and soyabeans in that room!¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Are you a bluebeard or something? Why do you keep forbidding me from opening that door? It doesn¡¯t matter to me even if you have made a harem of men in that room!¡± Lee-yeon mouth opened wide. Gye Choo-ja, who turned sixty this year, was an arborist who helped Lee-yeon with tree treatment. She also helped manage the hospital. Spruce Tree Hospital was So Lee-yeon¡¯s, who turned thirty-two this year. She was single so she would hardly have a harem of men in the said room. Manager Gye always wanted to open the room on the second floor whenever Lee-yeon left Wangjin. And today, she had found her moment. It was understandable that Gye Choo-ja was curious and upset from having things hidden from her. But manager, thought Lee-yeon, ¡®I really can¡¯t show you the second floor!¡¯ It had been two years that the room on the second floor was treated with secrecy and mystery. A peculiar nt was hidden there, which shouldn¡¯t be discovered by others, no matter what. * * * ¡®Spruce Tree Hospital¡¯ was engraved in a beautiful font on a wooden nk that hung precariously, dropped down as Lee-yeon rushed into the hospital. The house which was shabby was stained with ivory color. However, the second floor was colored in a more urban gray tone which looked odd whenpared to the lower floors. She passed the first floor which wasmonly used simultaneously as an office and a home. She ran up the stairs in a hurry. ¡°Manager!¡± she called. ¡°Damn it!¡± said Gye Choo-ja. The locksmith was already there, about to break the lock on the door. Lee-yeon stood there, panting. ¡°I¡¯m so sick of this, for real.¡± ¡°I told you already,¡± panted Lee-yeon, ¡°There is another owner here, so I am not allowed to go in either. That is why I am leaving it empty.¡± That was half true, half a lie. ¡°Really? You aren¡¯t allowed to go in?¡± said Gye Choo-ja, folding her hands in front of her. ¡°So, how did you dry chilies and soyabeans in there then?¡± ¡°That¡­ um¡­¡± ¡°Let me just sniff the air inside this ¡®empty¡¯ room for once then.¡± ¡°The air might be moldy. There has been no venttion.¡± Lee-yeon persuades her. ¡°Really? You don¡¯t trust me, do you? Even if you hid gold and diamonds in there, I would never steal them.¡± ¡®I wouldn¡¯t mind even if you stole my gold and diamonds¡¯, thought Lee-yeon. She smiled awkwardly at Gye Choo-ja and made a gesture to head back downstairs. ¡°Curiosity killed the cats, Manager.¡± ¡°You are a liar! Why don¡¯t you talk like that with your clients?¡± ¡°But, for real¡­¡± Gye Choo-ja thought that the tree doctor had looked easy going in the beginning but as she continued her dealings with her clients who were mostly condescending men in their forties, especially civil engineers, architects and from agricultural industries, her distrust seem to show no signs of improving. ¡°Director, I¡¯m not giving up until I know the truth,¡± dered Gye Choo-ja sternly, as she retreated downstairs. Lee-yeon slumped to the floor. ¡®This damned second floor¡­¡¯ She closed her eyes, feeling tired. *** The bed was surrounded with various machines. The machines beeped and were connected to the man lying on the bed. Those were the only things keeping him alive. It was hard to tell the age of the man. With his eyes closed and his head slightly to the left, he seemed like any other person sound asleep. Thisrge body had gradually shrunk over the past two years. The skin on his arms and legs had thinned down. However, his wide, angr shoulders were the same as the night Lee-yeon saw him in the mountains. Lee-yeon sat by the patient releasing a huge sigh. It had been two years since the incident but there were no improvements. She ran her hands through her face to get rid of the fatigue. Even though she was a doctor, she was a doctor for the trees not for humans. This man ¨C even in a vegetative state- was still a man, not a tree. That night still yed in Lee-yeon¡¯s mind like a movie. ¡®Don¡¯t you need to run away?¡¯ When she swung her tool, her power saw, to protect herself the man did not move an inch that day. There were clearly bloodstains on the tip of the saw but that didn¡¯t matter to him. He did not move. Lee-yeon remembered thinking that she would breathe herst breath there. She had turned around onest time to look at her killer. The moment she turned around and met the eyes of the man. He had stopped. She saw him clenching his jaw tightly, as if in pain. And slowly but surely his heavy body fell to the ground with a thud. It was evident that someone had struck him from behind with a stone, that nowy beside the body stained with blood. The attacker was the man who would have been buried alive if Lee-yeon had not been spotted. The attacker stood tall covered with dirt and blood. He staggered looking at the body he had just attacked and as he tried to open his eyes he copsed and rolled down the hill. Sitting in that room now Lee-yeon felt chills running down her spine thinking of how easily she could have died that night. Now in this room filled with nothing but machines and silence, she looked at the body lying on the bed. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo,¡± she quietly spoke. The name still awkward on her tongue, ¡°please don¡¯t wake up¡± she continued. Pressing her temples, she took a deep breath. All she wanted was a quiet life ever since she ran away from home. For Lee-yeon an ordinary and boring life was a privilege what she yearned for. ¡°Please don¡¯t wake up,¡± she whispered. Lee-yeon buried her face in her hands because of the fatigue. At that moment, the man¡¯s finger slightly moved. Chapter 3: Chapter 3: ¡°Lee-yeon, it¡¯s time to make some changes.¡± Gye Choo-ja said with a slight sparkle in her eyes as she showed her phone screen to Lee-yeon. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± asked Lee-yeon curiously, stopping from jotting in her treatment diary. ¡°Do you know Soleil Landscaping Company?¡± Lee-yeon nodded. Everyone knew thendscapingpany. There were well know all throughout the region for their huge projects. ¡°He¡¯s the son of the president of Soleil Landscaping Company,¡± said Choo-ja wiggling her eyebrows. Lee-yeon rolled her eyes at Gye Choo-ja¡¯s excitement and checked in picture in her phone. ¡°Oh¡± she said as she withdrew her gaze from the picture and started writing in her diary again. Choo-ja furrowed her eyebrows at Lee-yeon¡¯s disinterest in the picture. ¡°This is it? A simple ¡®OH¡¯,¡± asked Choo-ja baffled. ¡°Manager, don¡¯t you think he is a little too young for you to be dating him. He can be mistaken for your grandson,¡± voiced Lee-yeon still focused on her diary. ¡°Not me, you!¡± replied Choo-ja. ¡°What?!¡± eximed Lee-yeon confused with where this conversation was headed. We can¡¯t continue with our jobs. We¡¯ve hit the limit. Our major contracts have all ended and D hospital¡¯s taking over all the other projects,¡± said Choo-ja with a soft voice. Lee-yeon could see the sadness in her eyes which she reciprocated. She clenched her jaw to cover the anger and frustration rising in her chest. D University Agricultural Biology Department Hospital. Arge tree hospital that built a new five-story building and has its own researchb. D Hospital, which entered Hwaido, aggressively provided entertainment tondscapingpanies, nurseries, civil works, and agricultural corporations. They eventually took Hwaido by storm, everyone wanted them to take over contracts. This gave them resources to build a five-story building housing their own researchb. With these developments taking ce, Lee-yeon¡¯s hospital barely survived. Their contracts disappeared overnight and with the loss of majority of their projects, the hospital depended on medical examinations at the town hall, and other few clients opting for cheaper rates. ¡°We have to do something about our situation! We can¡¯t give up,¡± voiced Choo-ja desperately. Pacing around the room. ¡°Then what should we do?!¡± Close our hospital and work at the D Hospital?!¡± spoke Lee-yeon. That¡¯s what Hwaido¡¯s entrepreneurs had been doing. ¡°Sorry Manager. I didn¡¯t mean to shout at you,¡± apologised Lee-yeon feeling bad about dumping her frustrations on her colleague. ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Do you want to go work in the D Hospital and write curses on the bathroom stalls?¡± Choo-ja snickered as she spoke. Remembering the time Lee-yeon threw manure at their construction crane and ran away during an environmental protest against a golf course permit. ¡°I know you are very clever, but you could try to steal the contract back,¡± said Choo-ja slyly holding out her phone to Lee-yeon. Seeing the mischievous gleam in Choo-ja¡¯s eyes, Lee-yeon immediately hardened her face. She showed me a picture of the man and it was obvious what she was going to say next. ¡°All you need to do is have tea with him.¡± ¡°W-what? Don¡¯t be crazy,¡± said Lee-yeon and took a step back trying to process what Choo-ja was nning. ¡°Sole¡¯s son is in Korea for a blind date. So just go and introduce yourself to him. I even have the list of girls he¡¯ll be meeting,¡± said Choo-ja wiggling her eyebrows. ¡°I¡¯m not going! You make me sound like a gold digger!¡± eximed Lee-yeon and sank into her seat. ¡°What are you talking about?!¡± Choo-ja raised her voice. Lee-yeon had never seen Choo-ja raise her voice at anyone. She was a beautiful sixty-year-olddy who didn¡¯t look her age. She was always well dressed and was the epitome of elegance in her heels. Lee-yeon always felt like an eye sore near Choo-ja as unlike her Lee-yeon preferredfortable baggy clothes. ¡°Think carefully. Love and Romance doesn¡¯t mean a thing today and you are not getting married to the dude right away. You are just going to have tea and introduce yourself to him. You will just be doing it to save your livelihood. Your hospital. It is not so bad to think about your career,¡± said Choo-ja walking around trying to make Lee-yeon think of her offer. At the end of her monologue, she stood in front of Lee-yeon and hoped she changed her mind. ¡°I do want to save my hospital but¡­¡± murmured Lee-yeon. ¡°Great!¡± said Choo-ja pping her hands, excited once again. ¡°Did I give you the hotel key?¡± asked Choo-ja who had returned to nning the how¡¯s of the meeting. Lee-yeon was still thinking of how fast the conversation took an unexpected turn. ¡®I am just doing this for my hospital. My career.¡¯ She thought and took deep breaths. ¡°But wait! Who did you hear it from?¡± asked Lee-yeon. Stopping Choo-ja from her nning and cheer. ¡°Hear what?¡± asked Choo- ja confused. ¡°About Sole¡¯s son returning to Korea. And what do you mean by the waiting list?¡± Gye Choo-ja raised her perfectly shaped eyebrows and smiled. ¡°Who will I hear it from other than the president himself?¡± ¡°What? The president? Why did he¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean why? I used to date him.¡± Choo-ja said smugly. ¡°Choo-ja!¡± Lee-yeon shouted as she jumped from her seat surprised. Choo-ja¡¯s colorful love story was somewhat like a dark fairy tale to Lee-yeon, who had little experience. Lee-yeon met Choo-ja when she was 17. At the time Lee-yeon had just run away from her home and with nothing to live on, Choo-ja took Lee-yeon under her wing. Choo-ja tried to make Lee-yeon understand that there is more to live than just working hard but the girl rejected the notion of love. While Lee-yeon was thinking of the past Choo-ja had proceeded to give yet another monologue. ¡°¡­ Destiny has nothing to do with finding a partner, you¡¯re choosing your partner by yourself. So, don¡¯t give up. Life is too short to eat food that doesn¡¯t taste good. Being anachronistic will leave you only rotten pieces of bread.¡± While Choo-ja was engrossed in her speech, Lee-yeon quickly ran away. The extremely conservative girl was very different from the free-spirited olddy. Hardly has Lee-yeon stepped out when she heard Choo-ja yell ¡°Are you going to be alone your whole life?!¡± Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Moonlight shone through the window which lighted the stairways to the second floor. A couple of creaks could be heard as a dark silhouette tried to climb the stairs in silence. The longwall clock which had been in the hospital ever since its opening, struck 12 and chimed loudly. Making a visit to the second floor every night had be a routine for Lee-yeon. Initially Lee-yeon nned to go just once but now it served as a reminder that as long as the murderery there, she was safe. Like any other day, Lee-yeon pressed the password and turned the door *** nts also have spirits, so the more people say nice things, the healthier they grow, and the more people say negative things, the sooner they die. Knowing that, Lee-yeon prayed this could be applied to her life. Words have power so she chanted in her head, ¡®Please don¡¯t wake up. You shouldn¡¯t wake up.¡¯ ¡®Please let me live a peaceful, quiet life.¡¯ As Lee-yeon opened the door in hopes of seeing the frail body lying on the bed like usual, she paused. ¡®¡­He¡¯s not¡­ here?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. She blinked once, then twice and once again. The person was always here. He was a mere ghost of a human. The bed, where only the hard shell of him remained, was empty. She felt chills down her spine and as goosebumps imed her body, she realized she might not be safe anymore. The incident of that knight reyed in her mind, reminding her of her doom. *** ¡®The man who fell off the hill may have died.¡¯ Lee-yeon thought as she looked at the pool of blood on the floor. ¡®He must have died. He rolled down the hill after getting his head smashed probably multiple times.¡¯ When she barely pulled herself together, she was left alone in the mountains. ¡®Let¡¯s, let¡¯s return home after reporting this to the police.¡¯ She was sure that she was going to get nightmares after this incident, but a new morning wille. She had to live. Lee-yeon managed to pull herself on her feet, she felt like she was going to copse but she willed her foot to take another step. She was celebrating this small victory in her mind when something heavy covered her face. She smelled something bitter and strong which made her feel faint. She tried to resist but the smell got to her head and the darkness took over her. Lee-yeon could feel her head pounding. It was hard just to open one eye. She shook her head several times to get rid of the headache and focus. ¡®Where am I?¡¯ The first thing she saw was an old flickering light bulb in the backdrop of darkness. Every time the light flickered, she saw a silhouette of a man smoking a cigar. The smoke filled the air. ¡°Who are you?¡± asked Lee-yeon with what little courage she could muster. When she tried standing up she realized that she was tied to a chair. A cold metal dug into her wrists as she tried to free her hands. The man was still smoking. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± asked an emotionless voice. The fear in her chest which stopped her from her struggle against the restraints. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll live with his head smashed like that,¡± continued the man. Lee-yeon was confused and scared so the only answer she could give was silence. ¡°The half-dead guy is my brother.¡± When the light bulb stopped blinking, her senses became suddenly sharp. Then Lee-yeon realized what was happening here. As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she tried to look around to make sense of her surroundings. Hooks hanging from the ceiling that supported the bodies of ughtered pigs. The blood dripping from the pigs made her stomach churn. Workers, wearing heavy rubber boots, walked around casually minding their own business. They didn¡¯t throw a look her way even once. They removed the intestines, cut the flesh by part, and washed the bloodstains with a long hose. She had woken up in the middle of a ughterhouse in front of a man who stood tall, wearing an expensive looking suit. The man took a long puff of his cigar and said ¡°¡°While you were sleeping, I pondered whether I should simply tear you apart, or throw it into the sea.¡± He was interrupted by a series of bangs. Lee-yeon looked around to find that it wasing from a drum at the far end of the room and froze at the desperate scream that echoed in the closed space. ¡°My brother is dying, and someone must pay for that,¡± said the voice again with an ufortable edge. Lee-yeon by now started panicking. She could hear her heart beating in her chest. Chapter 5: Chapter 5: ¡°¡­I, I think there is a bit of a misunderstanding. I¡¯m not the one who hit him in the head, that¡¯s not what I did,¡± she said tears streaming down her cheeks and continued ¡°Your brother was trying to bury someone alive when¡ª¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter with him burying someone?¡± asked the man as he tossed his cigar ashes to the side and continued ¡°and he clearly got mad when he was interrupted.¡± The man with the cold silver-rimmed sses looked like he was in histe thirties or early forties. His face was smooth without a single wrinkle. Is face had no hint of warmth. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me, it was-it was someone else. The man who was being buried suddenly hit him with a stone. It¡¯s not me who pushed him down. For real. What I did was for self-defence, but¡­ ¡ª¡± the words left her mouth trying to convince him. This was the only thing she could do to stop herself from breaking down. ¡°My brother has good ears.¡± The man was sceptical, ¡°He¡¯s neither stupid and not insensitive enough to not be able to avoid a guy approaching from behind.¡± ¡°B-but¡­¡± Lee-yeon didn¡¯t know what to do. She could feel that her life will be shattered to the point of no return if she failed to convince him. There was no witness or evidence to prove that she was there at a wrong time. She wanted to know where she was and who this person was but at that moment all that she could think about was, ¡®I need to get out of here safely.¡¯ There were constant bangs coning from the drum, which scared Lee-yeon more. ¡°Then, are you his aplice? Aplice of the man who hit my brother?¡± the man asked. ¡°Wh-What? What do you mean aplice! I don¡¯t even know him!¡± she replied. The man was indifferent to her struggle. She felt like her life was slipping through her fingers, but this man was rxed as if this was nothing but a dinner reservation. ¡°So, Lee-yeon. I don¡¯t care about who you are.¡± He spoke as he lowered his body to her level and looked right into her eyes. ¡°As someone who saw my brother slipping intoa, I really hope I can make someone pay for my brother¡¯s state. That¡¯s it!¡± ¡®Coma. The murderer was in aa?¡¯ ¡°Whether you hit him with a stone, or not, that¡¯s not really important to me. Instead, let¡¯s make a deal. If you¡¯re wise enough, you¡¯ll leave this ce safely,¡± he said with a smirk. ¡°A deal?¡± she asked unsure of what she heard. ¡°Yes. A deal.¡± The man put his cigar out into a box of meat and casually said, ¡°catch the real culprit and bring him to me. Until then, you must take care of my brother.¡± He freed her from her restraints and made her sign a contract. As he turned around to leave, he said, ¡°don¡¯t let him leave Hwaido.¡± All she could hear then was the noise from the drum gradually disappearing as it was dragged out. *** He had disappeared! All she could see was the medical equipment in the dark room lit by the moonlight. ¡®Where-where did he go?¡¯ The fear that was forgotten ever since that night she was kidnapped was revived. She could feel the tension of that day and still smell the air. The things that man said were running in her mind. ¡°While you were sleeping, I pondered whether I should simply tear you apart, or put you in a drum with cement and throw it into the sea. I really hope I can make someone pay for my brother¡¯s state.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s body trembled. That man would kill her if he found out! ¡®I must find him,¡¯ she thought and tried to calm herself. When she turned around a shadow behind the door scared startled her. It was clearly an attack. The man was hiding behind the door and rushed towards Lee-yeon and pushed her hard. The medical device fell with a bang. However, it was impossible for a person who suddenly woke up after two years of sleep to walk properly. With his knees bent and staggering, he turned Lee-yeon¡¯s body as if binding her and flopped down on the bed. One side of her cheek was pressed hard against the mattress. She wrestled with her arms and legs at the weight of the man on her back. His strength surprised her. How was he so strong after being in aa for so long. The man twisted Lee-yeon¡¯s arms behind her and with his legs made sure she couldn¡¯t move. She could feel a firm body through her thin pajamas. In particr, she was even more terrified of his thick pen*s that was pressed against her buttocks. Chapter 6: Chapter 6: She was frightened to death. Her heart was racing fast, and her chest could explode anytime. All she wanted at the moment for ground to cut open and swallow her whole. Yet, Lee-yeon somehow pulled herself together. ¡°Kwon, Kwon Chae-woo. Kwon Chae-woo.¡± On receiving no response, she gulped. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be in a good condition right now,¡± she with trembling hands reached out to her phone, ¡°I¡¯ll call you a doctor!¡± When Lee-yeon and Choo-ja were off to work or were away for a house call, the medical staff Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s brother hired was expected to be on his toes. Reaching their expectations, the medical staff who took care of Kwon Chae-woo was always on standby. He was supposed toe in through the back door they had secretly built when constructing the second floor. He was so far discharging his duties diligently and being in charge of massaging, washing, drying Kwon Chae-woo, he was keeping a close check on the equipment. There was only one thing that Lee-yeon was responsible for. To take care of him until the real culprit is caught. And not let him leave Hwaido. She froze remembering the eventful day. There was only one information that she received about him; his name being ¡®Kwon Chae-woo¡¯. Other than that, she had no idea who he was. Yet it was not difficult for her to guess, his family had great wealth and power, considering the second floor, which was built in an instant. ¡°It¡¯s not difficult for me to make you a murderer.¡± She shivered as those words began ringing in her ears. She has never felt this helpless in any situation. Already, she was found guilty and had to pay a fine for making a false report to 112 because, by the time the police arrived, there was no one left at the mountain. And the person who hit Kwon Chae-woo with a stone flew in a jiffy. It didn¡¯t take her long to recall the words of policemen¨C It¡¯s either I went insane, or the world surrounding Kwon Chae-woo is in a way more terrifying ce than I can imagine. Once, she had tried visiting the police station but at the right time, she received a phone call from Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s brother. He said he only called her to say hello, but when the call was over, a picture of him with the police chief was sent through a message. She regretted the day her destiny intersected their paths. There wasn¡¯t anything she could do. Nor her mind was in a position to find a way to escape. Even worse, she already gave up long before without even putting in the effort to fight. All she was hoping was that the man in vegetative state would never wake up. s! He was there right in front of her. His stare was not definitely something she would ever ssify asfortable. Right in the moment her mind reminded her of that one thing she must do. Never ever dare to bark at the opponent who can easily hush up the things. Hence, to not rot in prison for a false usation, despite her reluctance, she had to make sure that the murderer is in good hands. Wish, those hands weren¡¯t supposed to be hers. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo. I know that you¡¯re confused since you just woke up, but I¡¯ll exin things slowly,¡± she took a deep breath fighting his gaze. ¡°So, please let me go and stand up!¡± The man had to react the opposite. Like her destiny. He lowered his upper body and brought his face closer to hers. His giant shadow covered the bedside and an unfamiliar warmth pressed down Lee-yeon¡¯s back. In the process, the tip of his nose touched her nape. ¡°What, what the¡­!¡± she screamed at the top of her voice. The man didn¡¯t budge. He was burying his nose and inhaling the scent of Lee-yeon¡¯s body like a wild animal. His hot breath tickled her skin. ¡°Stop making a fuss and answer my questions.¡± His voice was rough. Gulping the lump formed in her throat, Lee-yeon nodded quickly. ¡°Did you lock me up?¡± ¡°What?¡± she looked at him bewildered. His tone threw her off track. Kwon Chae-woo, what kind of life did you live? Wait, why is he speaking extra politely? ¡°Or, did I lock you up?¡± Her fear soon disappeared at the absurdity of the situation. She shook her head in frustration. ¡°Absolutely not! What do you think of me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me who¡¯s asking questions here,¡± he red. ¡°Why am I here?¡± This time his voice was extra sweet. She was unfamiliar with the innocence he spoke. His polite question was no less than a threat to her. But is it because I know his true nature? When his tone of voice pressured her to answer, she spoke, ¡°You are just a patient. You woke up after a long sleep.¡± The silence stretched. She took it on her shoulders to convince him. This is the least she should be doing to save her life. ¡°It¡¯s, absolutely, not a dangerous situation. Please calm down.¡± The man who was breathing heavily regained his normal breathing pace. Perhaps her words were convincing to his ears. Since the day she¡¯s here she has constantly prayed for him to remain vegetative. He shouldn¡¯t have woken up. Things will getplicated in many ways as and when this murderer will begin to move at his will. How will Lee-yeon deal with his cruel and selfish nature? She wasn¡¯t ready. ¡°But why are you trembling?¡± His hoarse voice scratched her ears and brought her out of her thoughts. Did she see a tinge of smirk on his face? He added, ¡°Did you do something wrong to me?¡± ¡°N¡­ no?¡± Her eyes turned big at his audacity. The strength pressing her body was gone in an instant. Her body turned over like a fried egg as he grasped her roughly. Her heart slowly started pounding and her ears could catch hold of the vibrations. He brought his face dangerously closer to hers. Chapter 7: Chapter 7: Despite the tension in her throat, her eyes caught glimpses of his sharp nose and light wood-coloured iris. His hair, which had grown long enough to cover his neck, was messy, and his loose-fitting hospital clothes were shabby. Although his body shrank in size, his thick bones were still strong. Besides, his gaze. His light-coloured eyes wavering like mes gave away a strange feeling. It caused certain movements in her stomach. She was terrified to look into his glowing eyes that looked polished. His clean eyes were rather like an empty pit. He got on his feet and instinctively tied her up. Lee-yeon turned anxious and started to sweat. Such a man would never forget the woman he was trying to kill. Worst of all, the face he saw before he rolled down the hill was her! She prayed earnestly that Kwon Chae-woo would not recognize her. Lee-yeon knew if he was harbouring malice, there was a possibility that he¡¯d pour out all his anger on her. ¡°You look familiar.¡± His face looked nk as if he had emptied everything inside him. She lost the colour of her face. On receiving no response, he smirked. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo. Kwon Chae-woo,¡± he whispered with a low voice as if mimicking Lee Yeon¡¯s tone. ¡°That would most likely be my name.¡± This time his face grew serious. ¡°Are you important to me?¡± Lee-yeon heaved a deep breath. It was a strange intuition. She couldn¡¯t point out if it was a feeling of joy or fear that was making her heart race endlessly. Joy? ¡°Or, are you someone who I can just kill?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s gaze followed his movements. Chae-Woo Kwon took out the needle he had been hiding the whole time and pressed it repeatedly like a ballpoint pen. She resisted to run away. He started poking his thumb with the needle a few times. Dark red blood dripped down. She breath in rough gasps. To her, his gaze resembled that of a butcher. She could feel him taking a good look at his meat. Frightened, she poked him without a second thought. ¡°Don¡¯-don¡¯t say that. I am very important to you,¡± she tried to catch her breath, ¡°for real! Don¡¯t you remember me?¡± His perplexed face answered how confused he was. ¡°I¡¯m very close to you! We¡¯ve met each other longer than you are thinking,¡± her eyes were spinning because of the stress that had already crossed the threshold, ¡°and we¡¯re intertwined in aplicated way.¡± She remembered the contract which she was forced to sign. Those men who dragged in ck suits at night still haunt her. ¡°And we can¡¯t just end our rtionship at will,¡± she added, rubbing the skin of her forehead. Shouldn¡¯t she have simply told him to go to court back then? Maybe this would¡¯ve saved her from this vicious vegetative man. ¡°Ahh!¡± She trembled with fear as Kwon Chae-woo suddenly grabbed her face. He squeezed her cheeks so hard that they started to tingle. He wasn¡¯t controlling his power at all and she felt her jaw would break anytime. ¡°You told me you¡¯re important to me, then why are you trembling?¡± ¡°N-no, I¡¯m not!¡± ¡°Were you sold here with your fingers cut off or something?¡± She couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡°To suck the dick of a guy who can¡¯t even move or think?¡± At his harsh words, Lee-yeon felt her cheek twitching. ¡°Why can I only remember such trashy words?¡± He rubbed his forehead with a confused look. He transferred more strength to his hand, grabbing Lee-yeon¡¯s face. All her focus was on his fingers which were on the verge of suffocating her. She noticed tendons appearing over the back of his hand. ¡°Please don¡¯t scream. My ears hurt.¡± Lee-yeon clenched her teeth. A stabbing pain spread all over the bones of her face. She had no power to push his hands off. She was crying at her fate. She knew nothing about this man. All she had an idea of was his name which she heard from his brother. Everything else, be it his age, upation, education, hometown, family or medical history, she had no clue. She was constantly trying to focus her mind on what could convince him. After seeing his real side at the mountain, nothing else appeared. Not even a single escape n to save her from the man, standing right in front of her and showing wild emotions. Even if thend is unsuitable for living, you have to adapt and change ording to the environment. Like the way those nts, she loves and adores, live. The locust tree that lives lying down even if it copses, and the maple tree that grows crooked due to the wind. It was a battle. Yes, a battle! She now knew. Clenching her teeth, Lee-yeon grabbed his wrist in a hurry. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, Kwon Chae-woo!¡± Slightly frowning, he lowered his hand. His eyes popped out of sockets seeing red handprints on both of her cheeks. *** ¡°But we are not in that kind of rtionship! Don¡¯t get me wrong. We¡ªwe,¡± she raked her mind, searching for the right words, ¡°we got along very well! You were very kind.¡± She lied hoping it would persuade her. Her fingers touched the weapon around her neck, ¡°You even put a ne around my neck.¡± All the way she tried to speak naturally, but her voice cracked. The man looked down at her with an expressionless face. ¡°So, did you suck it?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I must have f*cked you like a dog.¡± Her demeanour was on the verge of breaking apart. ¡°Because you speak like someone who has been brainwashed.¡± ¡°No, no, no!¡± She eximed and shook her head, screaming internally. It was her who was trying to brainwash him, only if he gave in. Lee-yeon felt strangely annoyed at his silence. The feeling of being swayed by him was terrible. ¡°You neither treated me badly nor forced upon me anything. You never used violence or threatened me.¡± Big time lies! Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Unknown to her, she was actually convincing him for what she really wanted from him. ¡°You just couldn¡¯t do anything bad to me.¡± All he did was quietly raise and lower his eyebrows. His face showed how her words were falling in deaf ears. He didn¡¯t believe an inch of what she said. Stepping forward, he gently stroked her neck. ¡°Why?¡± She was thrown off track. His fingers were doing something to her, ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I do anything bad?¡± ¡°Uh, it¡¯s because¡­,¡± Every time the man¡¯s hand touched Lee-yeon, her heart raced like crazy. She bit her lips remembering what happened at the mountains. Getting caught by him, failing to flee and the ne in her neck! His soft touch began appearing suspicious. Lee-yeon spoke without a second thought. ¡°It¡¯s because thew says so!¡± ¡°Law?¡± ¡°Yeah, so, it¡¯s¡­,¡± this time, she bit her lip in anxiety. Choo-ja¡¯s words ringed in her ears- Destiny has nothing to do with finding a partner, you¡¯re choosing your partner by your foresight. There was a visible gleam in her eyes, ¡°If you kill me, it¡¯ll be a uxoricide.¡± She finally discovered a way to be safe from him. For the first time, some kind of colour appeared on his face. He frowned outright and dropped the needle. Lee-yeon¡¯s conscience pricked her, but she immediately covered it with a poker face. That¡¯s her way of dering her determination. ¡°Because I¡¯m-I¡¯m your wife.¡± That night, she germinated a deadly seed. * * * The unexpected always happens. And it is extremely difficult to foresee or predict those happenings. The ident right before her eyes was a case that could only be found in foreign research papers. She struggled with the right words for a while. ¡°Are you sure it got hit by lightningst night?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lee-yeon hardened her face as she looked at the recently-turned-ck tree. It had split into half. Thedy who called Lee-yeon held her hands tightly, wiping her tears with a handkerchief. ¡°This is the tree I nted when my son was born. But he¡¯s grown up now and is a part of the army. I am certainly having a bad feeling about this.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take a look at it first.¡± The tree appeared unsightly and was severely damaged. Lee-yeon frowned as if she could feel the pain of the tree and started the diagnosis. ¡°Manager, this needs surgery. Let¡¯s fill the hole with chains for now and fix the date for surgery.¡± Choo-ja, who followed her with a surgical box, whispered in a worry, ¡°What if they hold you responsible if it dies?¡± ¡°Fortunately, the roots are not damaged, so it can recover. Besides, it¡¯s the birth tree of her son.¡± Lee-yeon sat on her knees and asked, ¡°Is there enough local soil in the hospital?¡± Choo-ja sat beside her. She was surprised looking at Lee-yeon¡¯s face. Somehow, her face looked even more tired under a bright light. The dark circles under her eyes looked unusual. ¡°Manager, these days I¡¯m¡­,¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s phone rang. After checking the caller, she excused herself and moved to a quiet ce. She picked up the call. ¡°Hello?¡± The mature and calm eyes that Lee-yeon maintained even after looking at the state of the tragic tree suddenly changed. She bit her nails and walked around, resembling a gambler who ran away from a debtor. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Her eyes, which were hidden under the straw hat, trembled uncontrobly. It¡¯s been a month since Kwon Chae-woo, that vegetative man, woke up. The medical staff took him for a check, and all he told her was, ¡°he¡¯s amnesiac¡±. And the phone call that she finally got told her something very absurd. ¡°I can¡¯t tell when he¡¯s going to wake up,¡± answered the caller. She was at a loss of words and couldn¡¯tprehend the caller¡¯s intent. But then she shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying. Don¡¯t joke with me. I had a conversation with him. He even got on me.¡± She could hear him coughing over the phone. That night, when Kwon Chae-woo heard the confession, ¡°I am your wife,¡± he copsed as if he had used up all his energy. Lee-yeon immediately contacted the medical staff, and this is the result. She had been extremely nervous while waiting for his well-being. Her heart was pounding fast, and she even plucked out her hair as if she had paroxysm. After these many sleepless nights, Lee-yeon was now realising how terrible her idea was. Wife, a murderer¡¯s wife! Out of so many other usible lies, why did I? ¡°No. That¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying. It¡¯s a bit different.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°ording to the result of the brain test, it has been confirmed that his consciousness has returned. It¡¯s hard to believe that he woke up from a vegetative state, but he did. Fortunately, the result of the reaction test also seems fine. However¡­¡± Lee-yeon held her breath. She was expecting another shock. ¡°I can¡¯t tell when he¡¯s going to wake up.¡± ¡°But you just said that he woke up!¡± She frowned as she felt someone around her neck. ¡°I can¡¯t give you a definitive answer because the patient is showing rare symptoms¡± ¡°Rare symptoms?¡± Caller answered, ¡°Hypersomnia¡± She touched her lips with a confused face. ¡°It is also known as Sleeping Beauty Syndrome. I¡¯ve done all the tests I can but can¡¯t pinpoint the cause. There¡¯s nothing wrong with the brain, so this is just a guess.¡± Lee-yeon opened her mouth with a nk face. She quietly blinked her eyes. With these people around, she was somewhere getting used to unexpected turns of events. ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait and see, but if it turns out to be this syndrome,¡± the doctor turned silent. ¡°Then?¡± ¡°Once he falls asleep, he may not be able to wake up for a week, 10 days, or even more¡± Hearing no response, he continued, ¡°Currently, the patient has been sleeping for 12 days.¡± Lee-yeon wasn¡¯t aware of ways to react in such situations. ¡°For now, I¡¯ll bring him to you again.¡± When the doctor was about to end the call, Lee-yeon hurriedly called him, ¡°D-doctor, wait!¡± She took a deep breath and lifted her hat. The wind blew on her sweaty forehead. ¡°So, you mean although Kwon Chae-woo is not in a vegetative state right now, no one knows when he¡¯ll wake up, right?¡± ¡°Yes. For now, we cannot expect anything.¡± ¡°Huff,¡± Lee-yeon breathed out as if crying. The anxiety she had built up in her chest disappeared all at once. Her tightly closed eyelids trembled. ¡°Thank you. Thank you so much.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± She sighed in relief and couldn¡¯t thank God enough. ¡®Because I¡¯m, I¡¯m your wife.¡¯ Now, she can just pretend not to know anything. And can, anyways, tell him that it all happened in his dream. ¡°Thank you, doctor. Thank you!¡± Lee-yeon, who returned to the scene, spoke optimistically to the client who had not yet erased the face of despair, ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to revive this tree!¡± If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 9: Chapter 9: ¡°Thank you, doctor. Thank you!¡± The call ended as Lee-yeon finished her words. The doctor looked down at his phone with a confused face. He put his phone back in his pocket. He couldn¡¯t understand the sudden change in her voice. A patient, who¡¯s been in a vegetative state for 2 years, woke up by a miracle. Thanks to the good care, his joints were flexible and the rehabilitation went smoothly. The primitive reason being he was born with strong bones and sensitive motor nerves. Recovering in a short time, he was able to move his body freely. But strangely, his miraculous recoverysted only for a week. Since then, he has slept for 12 straight days, like a person addicted to vegetative activities. The patient had already suffered from memory problems. The doctor didn¡¯t even expect in the first ce that he would fully recover from a vegetative state. He was continuously pondering over his case when it struck him. Since the patient¡¯s head was seriously injured, the after-effects must havee in some form. But for some reason, he felt bothered. He asked the patient, ¡°Can you tell me your name?¡± ¡°Can you hear me?¡± Doctor asked, perplexed. ¡°Speak whateveres to your mind.¡± ¡°Se¡­¡± A small smile appeared on the doctor¡¯s lips. ¡°Yes, good. Just like that.¡± Later, he couldn¡¯t forget what his patient said. ¡°Please don¡¯t wake up.¡± Kwon Chae-Woo had repeated those words countless times, even in the hazy consciousness. The doctor walked down the empty hallway. He rubbed his chin and furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°Director Kwon must be upset about his younger brother.¡± He bent backwards and stretched. Although it would have been much better for Kwon Chae-woo to receive treatment at arger hospital. Director Kwon¡¯s order of sending him back to that shabby old house was somewhat strange. But it wasn¡¯t his ce to question. Although he lived a life of a caregiver in this distant life, his sry was too high to question or squabble on such details. ¡°Ah¡­,¡± he suddenly paused and snapped a finger. ¡°I forgot to tell her¡­¡± The seque Kwon Chae-woo suffered from was not just oversleeping. It was known as Sleeping Beauty Syndrome. Or, in technical terms, Klein-Levin Syndrome. It is usually apanied by symptoms of behavioral abnormalities, uncontroble urge to eat excessively, aggression and excessive sexual desire. ¡°I mean¡­he¡¯ll be okay for today.¡± It¡¯s just a day. Nothing is going to happen. He yawned. * * * ¡°Um hm hmm,¡± Lee-yeon hummed as she walked up the stairs. She had escaped death by the skin of her teeth. She had spent the day feeling miraculously rescued after falling into the cruel man¡¯s trap. When she reached the door and entered the password to open it, she felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. ¡°What the!¡± Dang. Dang. Dang. The bell rang. It was midnight and a chilling sight froze her in her spot. The back door had been pushed as though hit by a car. ¡°Where did he go¡­?¡± For more than thirty minutes, Lee-yeon wandered on the dark, dirt road where a few old electric poles stood by the side. Should I contact him? Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s brother. The ¡®A¡¯ who made Lee-yeon the ¡®B¡¯. She rubbed her phone screen repeatedly, nervously until it became very shiny. She didn¡¯t want to offer any excuses to Director Kwon to be able to control her. She tied up her long, wavy hair and sped up. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo!¡± The dogs sleeping along the way barked at her shout. Lee-yeon busily looked around and searched the narrow neighborhood. She suddenly found a strange trace. It looked like a trail left by the crawling of a huge snake. ¡°He truly is horrible¡­¡± Sheughed dryly at the absurd sight. She turned to follow the trail. When she moved closer, she heard a fluttering sound. Her heart pounded nervously at the ominous situation. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo! Put that down!¡± she shouted in shock. However, Kwon Chae-woo was already chewing at the raw flesh. His eyes were nk, and the muscles of his jaw moved as he chewed. When he groaned and spat out the raw meat from his mouth, Lee-yeon almost vomited. She restrained her urge to throw up. The rooster was already dead, its neck broken. Her hands trembled. She was terrified of this man, who stood there nonchntly with blood on his lips. This was just one of the effects of having Klein-Levin Syndrome and by the looks of his unfocused gaze, he must not be aware of what he was doing and was simply out of touch with reality. ¡°It must be difficult for you to move right now. Why did youe out?¡± Lee-yeon pretended as though she was worried about his health. Lee-yeon tried her best to gauge his mood so that she could correct herself about her telling him that she was his wife. ¡°Let¡¯s go back. You shouldn¡¯t be here.¡± Kwon Chae-woo threw the chicken and looked at Lee-yeon. His gaze which fell on her made her ufortable. He stood in the dark where the moonlight didn¡¯t reach him. He looked taller than before. He was two heads taller than her. It seemed he walked, more like crawled on the ground towards her. His sleeves, legs, and chest were all covered with dust. When the wind blew, his clothes fluttered and revealed the silhouette of his well-toned body. Slightly dazed, Lee-yeon recalled the Dragon Blood living in Socotra Ind, Yemen. A bloody tree. It was a strange tree with red blood-like sap flowing through its veins. Two years ago, she had seen Kwon Chae-woo for the first time. And a month ago, he had woken up from hisa. He had always been covered in blood, and even at this point, he was sttered with blood. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo¡­¡± ¡°Name¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± His cold gaze rested on her. It was hard to read his thoughts. Think Lee-yeon, she urged herself. Think. She was at a loss for words. She didn¡¯t know what to say. Chapter 10: Chapter 10: ¡°Where were you this whole time?¡± he asked again, before she could respond to his first question. ¡°The only face I remember is yours. But I couldn¡¯t open the door.¡± He groaned. Ignorance and confusion filled his eyes. The door on the second floor through which Lee-yeon used to enter the room could not open from the inside. He had smashed the back door and crawled on the floor just as Lee-yeon had entered the room. As she recalled the series of events, she shuddered. Kwon Chae-woo was not normal. He had woken up after twelve days of sleep all covered in sweat, dirt and blood. But there was still hope. A sign that it might be thest. Instinctively, an idea hit her. It was time. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± When Lee-yeon pretended to not know anything, the man tilted his head and frowned. ¡°Maybe you had a long, vivid dream,¡± she continued. ¡°I am the doctor who looks after you, and¡­¡± She felt a prick of her conscience. ¡°This is the vige foreman¡¯s farm. We should leave quickly. I willpensate for the chicken.¡± The man who was still frowning, looked at Lee-yeon as she spoke. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, do you remember that you were asleep all this time? You were terribly sick and unconscious. It is normal to be confused. But don¡¯t worry. You were dreaming. You are awake now.¡± She put emphasis on ¡®dreaming¡¯ just to be sure. ¡°Everything you think you saw or heard; it was your brain ying tricks on you. A coping mechanism. You need to rest. Then you will feel better.¡± However, Lee-yeon overlooked something. Her n to dismiss everything as a ¡®dream¡¯ might backfire on her. ¡°A dream?¡± said the man, slowly licking the blood away from his lips. It seems like he was truly awake now. ¡°I see.¡± He pointed to Lee-yeon¡¯s lower body. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t a dream, you wouldn¡¯t be standing here like this.¡± Puzzled, she looked down at her legs. Just then his low voice caught her ears. ¡°I only dreamed of having s*x the whole time I slept,¡± he said. Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t respond. ¡°With my wife,¡± he said, ¡°I was in and out between your legs.¡± Lee-yeon almost screamed. Her whole body froze at his words. ¡°So, I am not confused,¡± he said, ¡°I remember clearly.¡± She took a step back, instinctively. Does he remember everything that happened? The day we met on the mountain¡­ ¡°I have a wife,¡± he said, as he walked forwards towards her. ¡°And she is trying to run away right about now.¡± He walked towards her, neither too fast nor too slow. Lee-yeon desperately wanted to run away. Her legs trembled. She had nned this trap, but she was the one caught in its snare. When he was close enough to reach out and touch her, Lee-yeon finally made herself pull away. ¡°You wanted to ditch me because your husband was now a sick good-for-nothing man?¡± He is not an idiot. ¡°What¡¯s your name? Don¡¯t make me ask you again.¡± ¡°I¡­ I am So Lee-yeon,¡± she said finally. ¡°So, Lee-yeon. Lee-yeon.¡± Kwon Chae-woo licked his lips and swallowed her name, along with the blood on his lips. ¡°Why are you trying to leave me? Did I be so useless to you just because I can¡¯t use my body properly?¡± Something was definitely wrong. Something with force wrapped around her ankle tightly. She couldn¡¯t tell whether it was a shackle, the gravity of the swamp or the tail of the beast but one thing she was irrevocably sure of was that she was in danger. Her body felt the danger and was ready to run. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, that¡¯s not what I was¨D¡± ¡°No?¡± Now the situation waspletely reversed. Lee-yeon could only twiddle her thumbs. She barely managed toe up with a good enough reason. ¡°A wife that you can¡¯t remember having appeared right in front of you, so I thought it would affect you. I thought it might make you ufortable and make you feel overwhelmed. So, that was why I was¡­¡± ¡°So, you are telling me you did that for my safety?¡± He asked with such a voice devoid of emotion that it made her doubt herself. But Lee-yeon decided that was a suitable excuse and nodded her head in affirmative. ¡°Bullshit,¡± he said. ¡°Why are you doing something that I didn¡¯t even ask for? I don¡¯t want that.¡± Ever since he woke up, he had used a polite tone of voice with her. But that docile, polite voice still felt devoid of emotion right now. ¡°You told me we are married under the eyes of thew, but suddenly you are trying to give me up?¡± She could see his eyes glimmering in the dark. ¡°Someone tore everything in my mind but yours is the only face I remember,¡± he continued. ¡°I really must be your husband. I was off my mind when I realized you were trying to give me up.¡± That¡¯s because you are naturally evil. Lee-yeon tried to say something but couldn¡¯t utter a word. I am seriously dead¡­ Lee-yeon had to pretend like everything was okay. She couldn¡¯t break down right now. This could turn even worse. However, it seemed his interrogation wasn¡¯t over yet. He had an innate talent for appearing intimidating, but his weakness was that he couldn¡¯t remember anything. Lee-yeon had that advantage. She could steer him wherever she wanted using hisck of memory as a tool. But her n had backfired. ¡°I guess I loved you a lot,¡± he said. No, you didn¡¯t, you idiot! You tried to kill me! Her n had entrapped her. And now his murderous intent had turned into love. Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Lee-yeon was dragging a cart with a staggering man on it. She could feel his gaze at her back, but she didn¡¯t look back. The sounds of crickets filled the silence. ¡°How old am I?¡± he asked suddenly, leaning back in the cart. ¡°Uhm¡­.¡± Countless possibilities filled her head at the question. This was like a game. Andmine, more aptly. One wrong movement and everything could explode in her face. ¡°I am thirty-two,¡± she said, turning to look back at him. It was difficult to gauge his age just by looking at him. He as handsome with not a wrinkle on his face. He could be a high school boy for all I know. If he wore a suit, he could even be a businessman. ¡°You are the same age as me.¡± He nodded slowly. ¡°But do we always use honorific when speaking to each other?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ yes,¡± she said. ¡°You are always very polite and gentle.¡± She lied outright. She had to say something! She felt as though thorns were growing on her tongue. Trees have the ability to create branches and and new seed, they grow. Lies do too. Once lies germinate, it spreads out of control. ¡°What did I do for a living?¡± Lee-yeon was speechless. Bury people alive, that¡¯s what you do. You nt them in the ground and kill them. ¡°Uh¡­ so¡­,¡± Lee-yeon stammered. As she hesitated, she felt a tab on her elbow and looked back to see his hand touch her shoulder. She spat out words randomly. ¡°You nted well!¡± ¡°What did I nt?¡± ¡°Um¡­.¡± People. You nted people. ¡°Flowers¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You nted flowers at my hospital. That¡¯s how we met.¡± She wanted to sew her own mouth shut. * * * The man was a mess. He had dirt and wounds all over his body. After he took a shower, Lee-yeon helped apply ointment on his wounds. She frowned at the reddish scratched on his body. However, Kwon Chae-woo did not flinch or groan. There was only calm breathing. Each time she applied ointment to his wound, her hands trembled. She wanted this night to end quickly. ¡°Let¡¯s sleep here, together,¡± he said. Lee-yeon flinched. ¡°What?¡± ¡°We are married, aren¡¯t we?¡± he said, ¡°Can¡¯t we stay together here?¡± ¡°I¡­ but you are still a patient here¡­¡± ¡°Yes, I am still a patient, but I am no longer vegetative, and I am still your husband.¡± He eyes looked at Lee-yeon with a piercing gaze. She got up from the edge of the mattress instinctively. She had never thought about what it would entail for lying about being a married couple. Her heart began to race. ¡°Are you ufortable with me because I might not be the same as you remember me?¡± Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t respond. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± he looked at Lee-yeon. ¡°I will not treat you harshly. I will neither force you nor threaten you, just like the old husband you knew me as.¡± His eyes looked bleak. It felt like all the violent moments were a mirage. ¡°So, sleep here with me.¡± The doctor had told her once that when Kwon Chae-woo falls asleep, no one knew when he would wake up again. So. Making him fall asleep was the priority. Lee-yeon satid down next to him without a word. It wasn¡¯t a veryrge bed but was big enough for two people. She could smell disinfectant. ¡°I have so many things to ask,¡± he said turning to look at her. His gaze hit her like an arrow. She didn¡¯t look at him. She stared up at the ceiling. ¡°What are you most curious about?¡± she asked. ¡°How did I be a vegetative man?¡± ¡°We¡­ went to the mountain together¡­ and we met with an ident.¡± ¡°You too?¡± he said and frowned. She nodded. ¡°But I didn¡¯t get hurt a lot.¡± She avoided the details and kept it vague so that it would be easier to make up excusester. Lee-yeon¡¯s heart continued to pound. ¡°Did you take care of me since then?¡± ¡°Yes, but the medical staff struggled more than me.¡± She might be killed the moment he discovers all of this was a lie. Lee-yeon had to y it safe. She felt like she was walking on thin ice. ¡°only think about yourself for now. You will soon be able to meet your family. You have an older brother too.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember him,¡± he said. He held her hand. Lee-yeon tried not to flinch. Although it was only her hand that he had grabbed, she felt like her whole body was tied to him. ¡°The only person I need right now is Lee-yeon,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s only your face that lingers in my mind and nothing else. I guess I love you very much.¡± Love¡­. All of a sudden, the face of her parents came to her mind. Lee-yeon held her tongue holding back the urge to curse. Kwon Chae-woo lifted himself a little and draped the nket over the both of them. Lee-yeon felt at ease at the sudden warmth. It was cozy enough to relive the day¡¯s fatigue and fall asleep. As she instinctively snuggled in the nket, her eyes met his. ¡°When did we marry?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ two years ago?¡± ¡°Have you ever cried because of me?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We were newlyweds and you had to nurse me ever since,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s terrible.¡± ¡°I¡¯m used to treating patients who can¡¯t speak, so I didn¡¯t cry very much.¡± ¡°How long did we date?¡± ¡°Ah, um¡­.¡± The questions were getting a lotplicated. Lee-yeon didn¡¯t know what to do. She had been single her whole. What can she say about someone else¡¯s love life? ¡°We didn¡¯t date long. We got married right after we started dating.¡± ¡°Right after?¡± Is it wrong to say that we got married right away? There were quite a few international marriages that happened on this ind and Lee-yeon would often meet them in coffee shops. When Lee-yeon was lost in thought, he raised his eyebrows. ¡°One night?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did we sleep together right after we met? And you thought I was a perfect partner?¡± As she opened and closed his mouth in shock, he smiled. ¡°It¡¯s sad that I don¡¯t remember any of that.¡± He looked young when he smiled. His eyes especially no longer looked cold and distant. Lee-yeon looked at him in shock and fear. It was like waking up into a nightmare. ¡°Guess you were quite bold back then,¡± he said. ¡°No! That¡¯s not what it is!¡± Such a misunderstanding made her feel very ufortable. However, she couldn¡¯te up with a usible story to refute what he just said. When she was quiet, Kwon Chae-woo tilted his head and rested it on his pillow. Chapter 12: Chapter 12: ¡°Ahh, so I picked you up.¡± Lee-yeon didn¡¯t respond. ¡°I whispered sweet nothings into your ear and brought you to bed, right? I was a shameless bastard.¡± He smiled. He was enjoying listening to the memories of his past. She felt like she was losingposure. If she couldn¡¯te up with something quick, she would be the one stuck. Suddenly, Lee-yeon felt so distressed that she wanted to run far way from there. He had made her lie down on the same bed with him as though they were a married couple (which he assumed they were). Lee-yeon was scared that if she didn¡¯te up with something to stop this, he might force himself on her next time. Cold sweat trickled down her back. I have to stop this. ¡°You are actually not shameless. We weren¡¯t sexuallypatible.¡± The smile slowly disappeared from his face. ¡°It wasn¡¯t good?¡± ¡°S*x?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Who?¡± He asked. ¡°What?¡± She replied. ¡°Who wasn¡¯t good at it?¡± It took all of her effort not to avert her gaze from his, but Lee-yeon held onto his persistent gaze which was urging her to respond. ¡°Both of us?¡± He asked before she could respond. He then let out a dryugh. He then frowned and became serious once again. ¡°This is even more shocking than my memory loss.¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s eyes seemed to be strange. He usually looked amicable when he didn¡¯t know what he was doing. But his eyes at that moment looked like they knew something. He facepalmed and let out anotherugh. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying we didn¡¯t indulge in s*x after that?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What exactly was the problem?¡± His soft voice sounded determined yet subdued at the same time. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Lee-yeon felt that she was going to run out of answers soon. His questions were getting very personal and intimate, and she was finding it hard to lie out of her teeth. But she was an adult. She wouldn¡¯t let him intimidate her. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t think we werepatible with each other. I didn¡¯t feel anything the first time we did it. I still don¡¯t know what orgasm is¡­¡± Kwon Chae-woo didn¡¯t respond. ¡°You also told me once that you didn¡¯t have a very high libido and that you didn¡¯t really like doing it so much. That was actually what I liked about you. I fell in love with you because you didn¡¯t really care about being sexuallypatible. What mattered to you was only love. You were like a monk.¡± ¡°A monk? Me?¡± he said in disbelief. Perhaps he was ming himself or the Kwon Chae-woo that Lee-yeon had created. He furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°So, we were mostly in a tonic rtionship. It worked out for us both at the time,¡± she said. Lee-yeon struck the final blow. Kwon Chae-woo was speechless. He looked up at the ceiling for a while in silence. He was so quiet for such a long time that Lee-yeon was sure he had finally fallen asleep. Just when she was wondering whether she should get up and leave, Kwon Chae-woo said, ¡°So, you nursed and took care of me even though we aren¡¯t sexuallypatible.¡± Lee-yeon didn¡¯t say anything to that. It wasn¡¯t as though people took care of other people only to do the deed. What kind of twisted thinking was that? ¡°You really do love me a lot, So Lee-yeon,¡± he said finally. He let out a short sigh. Lee-yeonmented that she had caused yet another misunderstanding. She felt very ufortable, but she didn¡¯t say it out loud. She decided that the more he believed it, the safer she would be. It was the only way to keep Kwon Chae-woo away from her. ¡°Go to sleep now,¡± said Lee-yeon, putting an end to the conversation. The more she talked with him, the scarier it was that she might let slip something and would be caught in her own trap. ¡°Okay. Good night, Lee-yeon¡± He closed his eyes and turned away as though he no longer wanted to hear about his past. Lee-yeon prayed to the god of trees. Please make this man fall into a deep sleep! Aa would be very preferable. I hope he doesn¡¯t wake up for weeks. The doctor did say he was suffering from some syndrome. Please, please make him fall asleep! She prayed desperately. Just when she thought he was asleep for good, he whispered, ¡°But why wasn¡¯t I good? Was it the deed itself or my caresses that left you dissatisfied? Or¡­ was I a virgin and hence not experienced?¡± Lee-yeon was lost for words. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know for sure. I think you didn¡¯t like doing it and also that you finished very quickly¡­¡± Ugh¡­ Lee-yeon cursed herself. He fell very silent at that and muttered to himself with a short sigh. Eventually, Lee-yeon heard his breath even out and she was sure he was asleep. She tried to pry her hands away from his so that she could leave but in vain. Eventually, the day¡¯s events had made her so tired, that she drifted off to sleep right there. She had wanted to ask him just one question. Why did you kill the chicken cruelly? The next morning, Lee-yeon woke up feeling well-rested¡­ and screamed. Kwon Chae-woo looked down at her, his hand propping his head up. ¡°Good morning,¡± he greeted her in surprise. What the¡­! The doctor said he had Sleeping Beauty Syndrome! What is he doing up? She had expected Kwon Chae-woo to sleep for a few days straight because of his condition but here he was, up earlier than her and saying, ¡®good morning¡¯. His x-colored iris appeared reddish than usual in the morning sun. Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Lee-yeon stood at the corner of the room, ncing frequently at the man getting his check-ups. She felt very anxious. She patted her arms, pulled at her sleeves, and bit her nails but nothing helped to calm her down. How can this happen? How? She buried her face in her hands. Her heart pounded. She felt her whole body trembling perhaps because of her rapid pulse and anxious thoughts. ¡°It is still too early to draw any conclusions,¡± said the doctor, ¡°We need more sleep data to understand the pattern. The patient might still fall into a long sleep starting tomorrow. We will have to wait and see.¡± Today, Kwon Chae-woo had woken up ¡®normally¡¯. The man who had slept straight for three days, five days and even 12 days had suddenly woken up ¡®normally¡¯. For Lee-yeon, who had just one hope that he might fall in a deep sleep for several days, this was a shock! A stab in the back! ¡°There is nothing wrong with the patient¡¯s brain,¡± continued the doctor, ¡°There is a high chance that this might be a psychological condition. Sometimes the change is triggered when there is a shift in environment. A house feels different than a hospital, so that might have brought about some change in him. For now, it will be helpful to find the cause which defines his sleep pattern.¡± While the doctor exined, Kwon Chae-woo nced at Lee-yeon. ¡°There is just one thing thates to my mind,¡± he said. He rubbed his lower lip. ¡°And what is that?¡± asked the doctor, busy writing down on his table. ¡°I slept with my wife yesterday.¡± An awkward silence fell in the room. Lee-yeon was horrified. The doctor slowly blinked and looked at her and Kwon Chae-woo in turns. He quickly fixed hisposure and nodded. ¡°Am I to understand that you two made love?¡± ¡°No!¡± eximed Lee-yeon. ¡°We just slept on the same bed. Nothing of the sort!¡± The doctor nodded. ¡°Then let¡¯s try that for the moment,¡± said the doctor, ¡°It would be great if you two continue this and see how it goes.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s face turned dark at the news. * * * While Kwon Chae-woo went to the hospital for physical therapy, Lee-yeony down on the sofa, watching the news in exhaustion. ¡ºVoice phishing is bing more deliberate. ¡» The headline red. But Lee-yeon¡¯s head was a mess. If Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s condition improves, she won¡¯t be able to hide him. If he happens to go down to the first floor, it would only be a matter of time before Choo-ja finds out about him. But if Choo-ja does find out¡­ ¡°If this contract gets leaked, I will understand it as a breach and that there was another aplice.¡± His threat to use Lee-yeon as the murderer might affect Choo-ja. She had only two choices: either convince Kwon Chae-woo to deceive Choo-ja or tell Choo-ja everything. She was lost in her thoughts and only heard the news reporter¡¯s voice faintly. ¡º¡ªJust like this recording, the frauds threaten the victim and stop them from hanging up by saying, ¡®If you hang up the phone, we will consider it as a getaway.¡¯ This is a technique used to prevent victims from receiving help from other people. ¡» On the day of the incident, Lee-yeon had to talked with Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s brother from night till dawn. The fact that she was at her most vulnerable state and didn¡¯t have anyone to consult with, had made her more passive. Under pressure where she was being threatened, Lee-yeon had rashly signed the contract in order to escape the situation at the moment. ¡ºRecently, the way they psychologically iste the victims¡­¡» Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the TV screen. Her blood ran cold, and her hands trembled. She hugged the cushion to calm herself. She crouched down to manage her anxious thoughts that was about to overwhelm her. Ever since Kwon Chae-woo had woken up, she hadn¡¯t been able to get a good night¡¯s sleep for almost a month. It was actually a little before that when her life had started going downhill. The news reporter¡¯s voice became faint and distant, and Lee-yeon could finally figure out a way to put an end to her worries. She dialed a number on her phone. Ring. Ring. She heard the beep and tears welled up in her eyes suddenly. All her worries and struggles that she had tried to hide for two whole years began bubbling up inside her. It was finally time. ¡°Why are you calling me on a weekend?¡± said a voice from the other end of the phone. ¡°Choo-ja¡­ I¡­¡± Lee-yeon sobbed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you drunk?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do! A vegetative man will work with us here in the hospital!¡± Vegetative man? Is she on drugs? Choo-ja thought. Lee-yeon¡¯s story poured out of her, like a confession. She went at it for a long time. The details were confusing. It all sounded gibberish at first. Choo-ja ran to the hospital. When she saw Lee-yeon¡¯s face, she took a step back. Bloodshot eyes, a reddish nose, and swollen lips. Lee-yeon was blowing her nose with a pile of tissues beside her. Okay¡­ okay¡­. Choo-ja tried to make sense of everything. She witnessed a murder. The murderer chased her. He got into an ident and became vegetative. And then¡­ she brought him to the hospital¡­. Choo-ja checked the bottom of the sofa to see if Lee-yeon had hidden any bottles of alcohol. ¡°Choo-ja¡­¡± There was nothing beneath the sofa. Seeing Lee-yeon, who never cried, bursting into tears in front of her unsettled Choo-ja. What happened to her? She thought. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call the police?!¡± asked Choo-ja, incredulously. ¡°I had no choice!¡± ¡°I have never heard of such a story ever in my life! I knew how stupid you can be ever since a broke kid like you began spraying nutritional supplements on the mountain! And now, you¡¯re telling me you brought a vegetative man to the hospital. How amazing!¡± Choo-ja said sarcastically. ¡°Why are you telling me this now!¡± Choo-ja asked. ¡°Because¡­¡± It broke Choo-ja¡¯s heart to see Lee-yeon hesitating to tell her the entire truth. She hadn¡¯t changed since the first time they had met. It didn¡¯t matter how long they had been together and faced things in their lives, Lee-yeon still couldn¡¯t open her heart to her entirely. It was always the same. Lee-yeon was only ever open to the nts she loved so much. She grew up as a lonely little girl. Even if Lee-yeon looked like an adult person on the outside, Choo-ja felt that the lonely little girl was still in there somewhere. Choo-ja¡¯s anger melted away at the thought. She sat down on the sofa beside Lee-yeon. ¡°So¡­ you have been hiding a man all this time¡­¡± ¡°A vegetative man,¡± Lee-yeon corrected her, wiping her tears. ¡°So, then how can I help?¡± asked Choo-ja. ¡°Choo-ja¡­,¡± stammered Lee-yeon, looking as though she might burst into tears again. Choo-ja patted her back awkwardly. ¡°No need to thank me,¡± said Choo-ja. ¡°Okay¡­ before anything else, I have to tell you that I lied to him and said I was his wife.¡± Chapter 14: Chapter 14: ¡°What?!¡± thundered Choo-ja. Lee-yeon flinched. ¡°Are you crazy?! Are you out of your mind for real?¡± Choo-ja almost pped the back she was patting. Lee-yeon jumped up from the sofa and ran away from her, around the sofa. ¡°He doesn¡¯t remember anything. He has lost his memories! I had no choice, he held me so tight as soon as he woke up! I was scared so I lied to him so that he wouldn¡¯t kill me!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t hide the truth forever!¡± said Choo-ja. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything, Choo-ja. That man was burying a person alive! He is the kind of person who would kill you for making eye contact with him!¡± Lee-yeon gasped when she was reminded of the terrible scene. ¡°I was scared, okay? What if he had dragged me and buried me alive?¡± ¡°My goodness¡­¡± ¡°I had toe up with something! Especially when it¡¯s a monster like him.¡± Lee-yeon put her hands on her waist and stood there for a moment, looking stubborn. Choo-ja saw a gleam in her tear-filled eyes. ¡°I just want to get back my life back. I have always worked hard to make a living.¡± Her voice trembled. Choo-ja nodded. Lee-yeon wasn¡¯t the kind of person who gave up so easily. She had always wanted a quiet and peaceful life. Lee-yeon seemed terrified by the prospect of losing the reins to her life because of this man. ¡°What if he finds out about everything?¡± Lee-yeon muttered. ¡°I just have to catch the real culprit.¡± Choo-ja frowned because what Lee-yeon said did not make sense. ¡°Then everything returns to normal,¡± Lee-yeon mumbled as though trying to convince herself. She looked like a ghost with her long hair hanging haphazardly down her back. At that time, that night, all her thoughts and strength had been focused on the saw she wielded. It must have been quite a blow to push him into a vegetative state. Lee-yeon knew that everything started from that moment. Her life had gotten out of control without her being able to navigate it herself. She didn¡¯t want to be controlled. She would do anything to get her life back without getting caught in trouble for long. The man could have doubted the whole situation and harmed her. To keep the situation under control, he had HAD to lie and say that she was married to him. If she wanted him to do what she wanted, she had to make him believe that she was someone close to him that he couldn¡¯t hurt. But that didn¡¯t make any sense to Choo-ja. That cannot be the right answer. Lee-yeon doesn¡¯t know how quickly a rtionship between a man and a woman develops and changes overtime. She didn¡¯t know how tiring it could get to be stuck with the wrong person. And a murderer at that! ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not getting involved in this,¡± said Choo-ja. ¡°Please!¡± said Lee-yeon, ¡°Please just pretend like I am married, and you know everything. Please!¡± Choo-ja pressed her temples. Choo-ja had been in a marriage five times. Three of her husbands had died. She had mourned them. And this bothered her. She found the man¡¯s situation very suspicious. Why is someone like him with wealth and power here in the countryside instead of a big, fancy hospital in Seoul where he might have been taken care of better? And why is his older brother threatening Lee-yeon to take care of him? Where are his parents? ¡°Lee-yeon?¡± a voice called. Choo-ja¡¯s eyes widened at the unfamiliar voice. It was a very serious kind of voice. A voice that demanded attention from whoever listened to it. Choo-ja turned around to face him. He walked to her, down the stairs from the second floor. ¡°Hello, my son*.¡± (*Koreans call their son-inw as just son) * * * ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a tree hospital.¡± Kwon Chae-woo slowly looked around the interior. Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t stop rocking her body back and forth as though she was trying hard not to run away from the man who sat on the sofa in front of her. Choo-ja looked at Kwon Chae-woo carefully. Choo-ja had decades of data. Ever since she learned physiognomy under her favorite monk, she had never made a wrong conclusion about any person. Is this really the same man who buried a person alive? He looks so authoritative and handsome. She couldn¡¯t find any ws in his cold and neat expression. His long, straight eyes appeared warm and soft. He didn¡¯t look like a murderer. Besides, he looked morous. She could tell by his face that he was born wealthy. It would¡¯ve disappointed me if he was just a mere murderer. At the very least, he must be in a position where he holds authority and power. ¡°Mother*,¡± Kwon Chae-woo lowered his gaze and called politely. His mouth was stiff as though he was unfamiliar with such a word. ¡°Can I move over there? I want to sit beside Lee-yeon.¡± (*Koreans call their mother-inw as just mother.) Choo-ja was taken aback. She had always been someone who was calm under any situation of duress. But this time, she had momentarily lost herposure unsure of how to react. Lee-yeon froze. When both didn¡¯t respond, he looked at them questioningly. Hence, Lee-yeon moved to the other side of the sofa to sit beside him. He rxed. His eyes filling with relief. ¡°Um¡­Kwon Chae-woo, Choo-ja is not my mother. She¡¯s a staff here. She has known me for about 15 years. I think she just blurted out and called you ¡®son¡¯ because she feelsfortable with you.¡± ¡°Why do you call me by my full name?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I want you to feelfortable with me, too.¡± While Lee-yeon was lost for words unsure of how to respond to that, Choo-ja rubbed her forehead. Perhaps because he had lost his memories, his eyes only focused on Lee-yeon. FAB will have a steady schedule soon! Thank you for everyone¡¯s patience. Chapter 15: Chapter 15: ¡°Is Choo-ja someone important to you?¡± ¡°Um¡­yes.¡± Kwon Chae-woo silently stared at Lee-yeon and nodded. ¡°Then I should make an effort to receive her favor.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have¡ª¡± Even before she could finish her words, he turned to Choo-ja. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m very sorry to tell you this, but I might not be able to keep the promises I made with you before the marriage.¡± ¡°I knew that ever since you began sleeping.¡± Choo-ja responded without hesitation,pletely at ease. ¡°Lee-yeon told me I was gentle and polite.¡± ¡°Yeah, you were.¡± Choo-ja smiled at Lee-yeon. Lee-yeon could tell that she guessed this was how Lee-yeon had tricked him. ¡°I think it will take some time for me to be a husband that Lee-yeon remembers.¡± ¡°I know, and of course, I understand.¡± ¡°But it won¡¯t take that long. The doctor told me that it wouldn¡¯t be that hard because I have the inertia that will turn me back to my true self.¡± Choo-ja could see Lee-yeon flinched. ¡°Lee-yeon, when should I start working?¡± ¡°You want to work?¡± He frowned when Lee-yeon widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°Don¡¯t you find it unfair that you had to take care of everything by yourself this whole time?¡± ¡°No, but¡­you can rest! Right now, you have to focus on your recovery, Kwon Chae-woo. And it would make me less worried¡­.¡± She rubbed her pants with her sweaty palms anxiously. ¡°Chae-woo.¡± He corrected her. ¡°Huh?¡± Suddenly, he put his arms around the back of the sofa and leaned back. ¡°It¡¯s Chae-woo,¡± he said again. ¡°Call me Chae-woo.¡± As he spoke with a low voice, he lowered his head and looked straight at Lee-yeon. She found those eyes more terrifying than anything else. Lee-yeon stiffened as if someone was aiming a knife at her neck. At the sight of the woman¡¯s pale face, Kwon Chae-woo suddenly buried his face in his forearm. However, the tip of his raised eyebrows was still clearly visible. ¡°You no longer see me as a man?¡± For some reason, she couldn¡¯t even move a finger. The sudden change in the atmosphere reminded her of the day she first saw his eyes in the dark mountain. He then pressed his temple with his index finger. ¡°I¡¯m an idiot with only one thing in my head.¡± Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t respond. ¡°Your face.¡± Lee-yeon felt like she was sitting on a something sharp. She had to tread carefully. ¡°Lee-yeon, you don¡¯t know what that feels like,¡± he continued. ¡°It drives me crazy.¡± He scrunched his eyebrows as if it was causing him pain. ¡°All I have in my head is the face of a woman I don¡¯t remember properly. But it scares me to think that I might forget that too.¡± Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t take her eyes off Kwon Chae-woo, who let out a dryugh. I shouldn¡¯t feel this way, but he looks pitiful, Lee-yeon thought. ¡°I¡¯ll want to be a bad husband if that happens.¡± He reached out and gently stroked Lee-yeon¡¯s cheek. Her heart raced in horror. His fingertips were cold, and she was scared that he might be holding a string or a syringe. Her heart was beating so fast as if she had juste back from a hundred-meter run. Seeing Lee-yeon stiff, Choo-ja quietly mumbled to herself, ¡°He¡¯s not just any man.¡± Choo-ja took out her cell phone and looked for someone¡¯s number. First, I should find out who Kwon Chae-woo is. * * * That night Lee-yeon was alone on the first floor, using ¡®work¡¯ as an excuse to stay there. I will not sleep with that man today no matter what. She wanted to close and lock the door to the second floor forever, but the lock was broken, by none other than Kwon Chae-woo. When she peeked into the room through the slightly open door, she saw that the man was doing push-ups. His upper body was bare and slick with sweat while loose pants covered his lower body. He didn¡¯t even pant while working out. Muscr back, curved midline, bulged veins, and a steady pace. His recovery was remarkably fast. Lee-yeon could see a great difference between the vegetative man that he had been and the man he was now, at this moment. I feelfortable with nts, but not beasts. The clock chimed and Lee-yeon was pulled out of her thoughts to the present. Lee-yeon went to her own bedroom and closed the door. Her breath was rugged. She could feel a stabbing pain at the back of her head. Since sunset she had only one thing in her mind: How to avoid spending the night with Kwon Chae-woo? After a few seconds, there was a knock at the door. ¡°Lee-yeon,¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s voice called. She could see the shadow of the man¡¯s feet under the door where the paint had fallen off. It was her first time being very concerned about the old door that wasn¡¯t locked tightly Lee-yeon pulled the nket over her and tried to block the sound. Just go back! She repeated to herself. But even from childhood hour, no mercy was ever directed her way. Her prayers were never answered. The doorknob shook violently as if it was about to fall off. Lee-yeon bit her lip and pretended to sleep. ¡°Lee-yeon, open the door.¡± She trembled, hearing his toneless voice. She thought if she could see the eyes of the man standing outside, she would have felt a little less scared, but his low voice was enough to frighten Lee-yeon. The silence fell thickly. How many minutes have passed? Lee-yeon wondered. The wooden floor creaked outside her door. Lee-yeon flung aside the nket she had draped over herself and quietly got out of her bed. At the sound of him moving away from the door, she could finally breathe easy. The woman who imed to be his wife is avoiding her husband. What will he think of this situation? The moment the clock rang, her body moved first before she could think. Lee-yeon brought her ears close to the door. ¡°Did you think I left?¡± came the voice. Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Lee-yeon staggered back from the door in surprise. She covered her mouth and tried not to scream. ¡°Where are you going? Come closer.¡± When she looked down, the shadow of his feet appeared again through the crack beneath the door. Perhaps Kwon Chae-woo was also watching her shadow as she moved away. Then what¡¯s the creak I heard earlier¡­. Lee-yeon tried to calm her racing heart. ¡°Come closer to the door. I can¡¯t smell you.¡± ¡°W-what?!¡± ¡°Did you not know? You smell like wet grass.¡± Bam! The door shook. Lee-yeon stepped back. The light bulb flickered from the force. Her palms were wet with sweat. ¡°I don¡¯t even know who I am without you.¡± Kwon Chae-woo spoke quietly with his forehead against the door. ¡°Although my legs and arms are attached to my body, I can¡¯t really feel whether I¡¯m alive or not.¡± She heard something scratching against the door and realized, horrified, that it was his fingernails scraping on the door. The bedroom felt like a trap. The man was constantly trying to terrify and deceive her. She felt scared. ¡°So, tell me I¡¯m not in my dream¡ª¡± He hit his forehead against the door once again. ¡°Tell me I didn¡¯t go insane.¡± ¡°Tell me about my past. Anything¡¯s fine. Just convince me that I existed.¡± Bam! His breathing was rough. Lee-yeon had a momentary thought that he could easily break the old door down. She was petrified. But he didn¡¯t break it down. He just scraped the door and hit it again. Cold sweat trickled down her spine. Kind, gentle, polite¡­ She had uttered those nonsense to Kwon Chae-woo to save herself. The evidence was in front of her. He was far from anything like it. Lee-yeon was just grateful it had worked. Her lie had worked. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo.¡± The metallic doorknob rattled again at her voice. She held her hands together and took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m not wearing anything because I was taking a shower,¡± she said. She wondered if he would believe her. ¡°My eyes sting because of the shampoo. Can we talk another time? This isn¡¯t a very good time¡­¡± There wasplete silence for a moment. Unlike the wild and violent door rattling, he had stooped everything at that moment. He changed in the blink of an eye. ¡°Okay.¡± She could hear his low, heavy voice. ¡°Good night.¡± It was something she had wanted to hear so much, but she felt unconvinced. Lee-yeon rubbed her cold hands together, still on edge. ¡°Remember to keep the door locked.¡± His words were the exact opposite of how he had been acting moment before. Lee-yeon scratched her forearm reflexively in uneasiness. Creak. Finally, Kwon Chae-woo was leaving! As she watched the shadow move away from beneath the door, she tried to rx her stiff shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m telling you just in case, but please don¡¯te up to the second floor.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking of shaving my lower part after a long time.¡± Lee-yeon blinked in confusion. She could tell somehow that he was smiling. ¡°Then Lee-yeon, see youter.¡± He spoke like someone who knew that he would not see Lee-yeon for a while. Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t sleep properly. On the contrary, Kwon Chae-woo couldn¡¯t wake up for more than a week after that night. * * * Lee-yeon had a horrible dream. She woke up drenched in sweat. Her eyes were out of focus and sleep deprived. She only remembered what day it was when she felt fully awake. Ah, it¡¯s ¡®that¡¯ day¡­ She felt all her energy seep out of her body even before the day started. ¡°Director So!¡± When she checked her watch, it was way past the time she usually worked. When she got out of bed in a hurry, her vision blurred. ¡°Are you having a fever?¡± Choo-ja asked. She had juste into the room and helped Lee-yeon up. She touched her forehead to get a temperature, worry lining her forehead. ¡°Why is every day so hectic for you?¡± said Choo-ja. ¡°Take a rest today. There¡¯s not even much work to do.¡± Lee-yeon frowned and pushed Choo-ja¡¯s hands away and stood up. She clenched her hands to help her tingling hands. ¡°That is when I have more work to do,¡± said Lee-yeon. ¡°I told you not to! Why are you so stubborn? Take the day off!¡± said Choo-ja sternly, with her hands on her waist. ¡°You should just look at your nts on the second floor for today!¡± Lee-yeon veered towards the bathroom. She paused at her reflection in the mirror and turned the faucet on. The woman in the mirror looked slender. The kid with the tangled hair was long gone. It was as though she never existed. I was born wrong. The girl in the dream wrote it again and again with her tiny hands. I was born wrong. I was born wrong. She had had to write that nonstop. The stack of A4 papers far exceeded the height of young Lee-yeon. It was Lee-yeon¡¯s reflection letter that she had to write whenever she had spare time until she left home at 17. ¡°But Director So, there is something I forgot to ask,¡± said Choo-ja. ¡°Our nt son-inw has been sleeping the whole time¡­ how does he even pee?¡± If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Lee-yeon burst out into aughter. Today is a day no different from any other day. As always, everything will be okay. Because she had long since forgotten her birthday. When Choo-ja first set foot on the second floor, she had looked around the house as meticulously as a real estate agent. Seeing the neat structure and luxurious furniture, she had held out a pen and left a checkmark besides ¡®A lot of money¡¯ checkbox. ¡°I heard he goes to the washroom.¡± Said Lee-yeon. ¡°In his sleep? Like sleepwalking?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness! What a weird guy.¡± Once, Lee-yeon went to see him without much thought, but when she saw Kwon Chae-woo standing tall in the dark, she almost had a heart attack. ¡°Look at his clear skin.¡± When Choo-ja tried to reach out, Lee-yeon immediately grabbed her arm. ¡°He might wake up.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t, I already tried shaking him awake.¡± Choo-ja insisted. ¡°But still¡­.¡± Lee-yeon averted her gaze and took a step back from the bed. The fuss that continued for a few days was now blurry as though everything had been a dream. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve regained my peaceful life. Lee-yeon looked down at the man lying like the dead, with a calm face she rarely saw. Please, she prayed. Please just sleep like this. ¡°By the way, did you read the newspaper? Remember the elementary school we attended before? The principal got into a big trouble. There¡¯s a rumor saying that the yground was turned into a wastnd due to school construction¡­.¡± Choo-ja suddenly stopped talking and looked at Lee-yeon. ¡°You didn¡¯t, right?¡± Lee-yeon scratched her cheek. Choo-ja widened her eyes. ¡°Did you report it to the newspaper?!¡± asked Choo-ja. ¡°I mean¡­¡± ¡°Are you not going to do your business?! Didn¡¯t I tell you that we make our living by managing customers?!¡± Lee-yeon left the second floor without a word. She could hear Choo-ja yelling at her as she went down the stairs, but there was nothing she could do about it. ¡°Do you even have a brain¨D?!¡± Lee-yeon tried hard not to smile. It¡¯s not only the principal who abused trees and used them only for ornamental purposes. A world that values trees more than humans will nevere, Lee-yeon knew but that wasn¡¯t a problem for her. Then Lee-yeon, see youter. The sudden chill made Lee-yeon shiver. It had been a week since the man didn¡¯t wake up. Kwon Chae-woo might have expected the result of not sleeping together. * * * ¡°This is crazy!¡± Lee-yeon, who ate the soil at the root of the tree, clenched her teeth. She abruptly took off her straw hat with a grim look on her face and went straight into the restaurant. ¡°Sir!¡± ¡°Wee! Ah, you! Please leave!¡± The man frowned as soon as he saw Lee-yeon. ¡°Are you trying to kill them again?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± The man roughly tapped Lee-yeon on the shoulder and steered her out the door. She, however, held onto the door, refusing to leave. ¡°Last time, you put herbicide in the ringer and killed it¡ª¡± ¡°If you keep interrupting my business, I¡¯ll have to call the police.¡± ¡°This time, you poured seawater, didn¡¯t you?¡± She could still taste the saltiness. The customers began to murmur, seeing them quarrel. The man¡¯s face turned red. This troublesome bitch is ruining my business. ¡°I thought it was strange that the ginkgo tree kept withering.¡± ¡°I never called you! This is not your business!¡± The man pushed Lee-yeon roughly outside the restaurant. He narrowed his eyes at her. But to Lee-yeon, his worried, trembling eyes were ridiculously easy to read. ¡°Your hospital went bust because you keep snooping around from house to house like that, not minding your own business. You know that?¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°If you know, then stop doing the same thing!¡± He spat on the ground. Everyone in the vige knows So Lee-yeon, the director of Spruce Tree Hospital. Recently, she became even more well known for her notoriety when the article about the principal of the elementary school was published regarding the school construction. Many residents got tricked by her innocent face that contradicted her personality. This tree doctor didn¡¯t bother to understand people¡¯s circumstances. She rushed to save the trees as long as she could help it and people thought she was crazy. ¡°Just shut up and leave, okay?¡± said the restaurant owner. ¡°I have the right to do whatever I want to do with my tree that is on my property, and I will never call your hospital for help! Stop being a nuisance and go! You are crossing the line!¡± ¡°Then who would do it?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If not me, then who helps that ginkgo tree?¡± Lee-yeon pointed to the dying tree. ¡°I know you¡¯re trying to get rid of this because it¡¯s covering the restaurant signboard.¡± The man¡¯s face stiffened. ¡°Every morning, you spray seawater, peel the tree bark, and apply waste oil to kill it. You inject insecticide into the canopy and cut it with a chainsaw.¡¯ Her voice trembled. ¡°What will happen to them if I stop caring? Even if they appear no different from a power pole to people¡¯s eyes, these are living things! Once they have put down their roots, they deserve to live!¡± The uneasy feelings that Lee-yeon had repressed since morning led to an emotional outburst. ¡°Who are you to kill these trees? What gives you that right? What have they ever done to you?¡± She felt sick to her core. It reminded her of the small, trembling hand that held the pencil and the reflection papers that were piled up as tall as her height. ¡°It¡¯s not fair for them to be used and thrown away like that.¡± The man was angry at the childish stubbornness, but when he saw the woman¡¯s red eyes, he suddenly couldn¡¯t breathe for some reason. ¡°Do you want to hear something scary?¡± said Lee-yeon. ¡°Even after you die, the trees will live on.¡± They¡¯ll live through centuries. Lee-yeon clenched her teeth and held back her tears. Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Everything had gotten messed up. It had been a tough day and left her tired. Lee-yeon sat on the sofa, holding one of her favorite flowerpots in her arms. She was looking forfort in her nts. She instinctively looked up at the second floor. She was startled. She shook her head to clear her mind. What am I even doing? I shouldn¡¯t even be turning my eyes that way. That man has nothing to do with me! It had been a peaceful, uneventful week like Lee-yeon had always wanted. She had finally found some form on peace in her life, and she relished it. But the longer Kwon Chae-woo slept, the more sleepless nights Lee-yeon suffered. After the chaotic nights and days, she had lived with because of that man, this peace and quiet felt unsettling. She hated to admit it, but she had lived two years with the nt-like man. She had formed a kind of bnce. Maybe this was meant to happen. Lee-yeon became excessively paranoid and checked on him every night to make sure he was in aa and not awake. ¡°Oh, no, no. Just stop thinking¡­ stop thinking¡­.¡± Lee-yeon leaned forward and stuck her nose among the herbal leaves of the nt she was holding. Lee-yeon raised her head suddenly. What was that?! It was faint, but she heard a soft cry from somewhere. Frightened, she sat up straight and alert. The first thing she saw in front of her were the stairs to the second floor. She looked at them suspiciously. Lee-yeon momentarily debated with herself on what she should do, then cautiously took the stairs. She opened the shabby door on the second floor. Themp by the bedside gave off a dim light. The man who slept on the bed was so motionless that he might have been more of a statue than a human. But I did hear something¡­ Lee-yeon put her fingers close to Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s nose and mouth. She could feel his breath brushing her skin. She then stood up and looked around the room. Wasn¡¯t the sounding from here? She saw Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s mouth open slightly. Her body stiffened instinctively. But the man didn¡¯t wake up, and wordsing from his mouth weren¡¯t of threat but of sorrow. He was sobbing in his sleep. ¡°Ahh¡­.¡± Her whole body froze, starting with her ankles. Kwon Chae-woo was crying. Thick drops of tears fell from the corners of his eyes. ¡°No¡­,¡± he mumbled. His dry lips barely uttered understandable words. ¡°Go. Go now¡­.¡± His face was scrunched up in pain. Is he having a nightmare? Lee-yeon was puzzled. Well, this is new. I never thought murderers had nightmares. If you have done so many heinous things, then you deserve a nightmare. It¡¯s Karma. As she looked down at him, she felt that a weight had been lifted off her chest. Her eyes were fixed on his tears. After a moment he began gasping. ¡°Hide me¡­,¡± he stammered. ¡°Forget¡­¡± The man kept mumbling incoherently. Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t make sense of his words at all. He looked desperate and even sad. ¡°Hide me¡­!¡± His handsome face was now distorted in pain. Lee-yeon clenched and unclenched her hands not knowing what she was supposed to do at this moment. Choo-ja had praised his handsome features when she had seen him for the first time. While Lee-yeon had nodded, she had also known that he was a cold-hearted murderer, who would break anyone¡¯s neck while they were sneaking a peek at his face. But now, he just looks like he is trying to run away from something. ¡°¡ªlive¡­,¡± he gasped. Lee-yeon had to admit that she was worried about him. She turned away to go back downstairs but couldn¡¯t stop herself from ncing back again. She hesitantly turned to him and reached out a hand to wipe his tears, at least. When her hand touched his heated skin, she got a static shock. She pulled her hand away. ¡°Looks like you don¡¯t want to sleep, Kwon Chae-woo,¡± said Lee-yeon. ¡°But I don¡¯t want you to wake up.¡± ¡°Please¡­ I¡­.¡± He had only seen him sleeping. His face had either been cold or nk. Seeing him like this, sad and in tears, was strange. She wiped her hands on her pajamas. So, you are human, indeed. I had hoped you weren¡¯t¡­ ¡°But I won¡¯t feel guilty if you don¡¯t wake up forever¡­ maybe just a little. But it¡¯s better this way.¡± Lee-yeon ruffled her hair. ¡°I feel less sympathy for you than the trees out in the streets.¡± Lee-yeon let out a long, weary sigh and sat down on the chair beside the bed. Resting her chin on herp, she began mumbling rambling, ¡°Trees are clear and gentle while you belong to the poisonous group. Do you know how tricky it is to handle nts like you? Carnivorous nts are very scary.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cry,¡± said Lee-yeon as she wiped his tears away again. ¡°You have to wipe your tears yourself.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t cry because even when I did, no one heard me,¡± said Lee-yeon sadly. Only the trees, the flowers that bloom every season, listened to her story. For Lee-yeon, who had never had any friends, they have been her onlypanions. ¡°Today, I tasted the soil under the tree. It was very salty, but it shouldn¡¯t taste like that,¡± she continued. ¡°Are your tears like that too?¡± It was Lee-yeons choice to either help Kwon Chae-woo out of his nightmare, or just leave him be. She leaned towards him and whispered in his ear. ¡°Who poured seawater on you?¡± she asked. The man didn¡¯t answer but he frowned. His nose wrinkled. Kwon Chae-woo continued to gasp and groan. ¡°Today, you look like a ginkgo tree I saw at the sushi restaurant,¡± Lee-yeon grumbled. There are times when you deceive yourself and make bad decisions even when you know it could turn out to be dangerous. Lee-yeon faced him trying to forget the mild fever that she had had all day and trying to not run away in fear at what she was about to do. ¡°Consider this a birthday present,¡± she mumbled. Today had been a very bad day and she wanted to cry. She made up her mind andy down next to the man. Chapter 19: Chapter 19: A sharp sound reached his ears. Kwon Chae-woo blinked and raised his hands in front of him to brace against the sunlight pouring in. But before he could, the back of his hand collided with something¡­ someone. He turned to his side, frowning in puzzlement. Lee-yeon was sleeping beside him. She clung to his arms. Kwon Chae-woo stiffened. He forgot what he was going to say. He felt fully awake as though a bucket of ice water had been upended on his head. He vaguely remembered having a painful nightmare but all that disappeared when he saw her. Seems like this man named Kwon Chae-woo was born stupid. My head goes nk at the slightest touch from her. So Lee-yeon. My wife. A tree doctor. An ident. Kwon Chae-woo looked at the woman at his side and pondered a few things that came to his mind. All the information he heard and found out was nothing special. He clicked his tongue as if he was annoyed. He remembered the first time he saw her. The day he finally became conscious, hers was the only face etched into his memory. He still remembered the strange smell of wet grass and dirt that tickled his nose when he was near her. Memory loss came as a big blow. He felt more nauseous and frustrated than he thought he would be. In ce of everything he might have ever done from his birth, only one face lingered. He didn¡¯t remember his family, his friends, his life. Only her. It had been instinct. It hadn¡¯t taken him long to make up his mind. The only thing in his empty head was her face, so he epted her. But the more he got to know her, the stranger he found things rting to So Lee-yeon. ¡°A wife you can¡¯t even remember suddenly appeared in front of you. I was worried about how ufortable this would be for you, so that¡¯s why¡­.¡± ¡°No. I could tell at a nce why you are my wife and why you have to be my wife.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off of you.¡± ¡°Kwon, Kwon Chae-woo. Kwon Chae-woo.¡± But although her mouth imed that she was his wife, her body didn¡¯t stop trembling whenever he came close to her. Her eyes always filled with fear. Her fingers had no ring marks to indicate a wedding ring. Her house had no wedding photos of them. There was no sign of delight when she saw him, only fear. Every time he moved, she flinched. Sometimes, he wanted to gently hold her chin, turn her to face him and ask, ¡°You are my everything in this world. But why are you so afraid of me?¡± He wanted to ask her why she had nursed him back to health if she didn¡¯t want him anymore. ¡°Good morning,¡± said Lee-yeon, waking up and rubbing her eyes. Kwon Chae-woo stared at her with his chin resting on his hand and did not answer. Lee-yeon¡¯s face slowly hardened. *** Lee-yeon was on her guard, studying his face. Kwon Chae-woo could even hear her racing heartbeat. Look at her, he lifted an eyebrow and thought to himself. Was Kwon Chae-woo really kind and gentle? ¡°Lee-yeon, have you been doing okay?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡­ yes¡­¡± ¡°I have been feeling under the weather. How long did I sleep?¡± Lee-yeon slowly lowered her shoulders in relief at his gentle voice. ¡°A week and a day.¡± He stretched his neck to loosen the stiffness. There was a cracking noise. ¡°Hm¡­ now I know for sure.¡± ¡°Know what?¡± ¡°That you hold my mornings.¡± Professional findings and examinations didn¡¯t matter to him. When Lee-yeon slept by his side, he slept peacefully and woke up normally. Without her, he was unable to wake up. ¡°I also want to leave my night to you.¡± She winced and her face stiffened. She desperately tried to hide her feelings, but he knew what she was thinking. He knew she wanted to run away from him. He found it sad seeing her make an attempt to smile at that, not realizing that he had already read her mind. Perhaps So Lee-yeon had been waiting for the perfect time to escape from him this whole time just like the door of her room that didn¡¯t open no matter how hard he knocked. But he didn¡¯t know for sure. It was something he needed to figure out on his own. But, in any case, he didn¡¯t want to let her go. What kind of idiot would let go of the only memory he has? She was his everything in this world and Kwon Chae-woo was ready to be anything she wanted. He would be the ¡®kind and gentle¡¯ husband she wished for. If that is what she wants. He would do anything to make herfortable so that she might confess everything that might have happened. So Lee-yeon running away from him¡ª And Kwon Chae-woo making her stay. No one knew who would do better. ¡°Lee-yeon, sleep with me from today.¡± The way she tried to avoid his gaze. Kwon Chae-woo lowered his gaze and in doing so, noticed her wet sleeves. Ah¡­ now I understand why my eyes sting. He felt a warmth spreading in his chest. He covered his face with his hands trying to hide his smile. Chapter 20: Chapter 20: ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, won¡¯t it be better for you to take a break today?¡± Lee-yeon looked at Kwon Chae-woo in neat cks and a round t-shirt. He looked like a college student in those clothes. ¡°Are you worried I might cause trouble?¡± he asked. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that¡­,¡± Lee-yeon said hurriedly. He¡¯s like apletely different person! His messy hair, which had been left untouched for two years, was neatly cut and his bangs fell to his forehead. As a result, his facial features stood out even more. The man, loyally looking at her from under the sun, looked different from the murderer in her memory. Suddenly, the glistening raincoat he was wearing on top of the beige-tone top shed through her mind. The thought made her feel ufortable. ¡°I can go alone,¡± said Lee-yeon pulling her straw down to cover her face from the sun. All this happened because of Choo-ja. Kwon Chae-woo had nothing to wear other than the patient¡¯s clothes until Choo-japletely transformed him by buying him new clothes and giving him a haircut. Lee-yeon, who was thinking about hiding his shoes,ughed at herself. She was acting like the woodcutter from the fairytale, where the woodcutter bes anxious of the fairy wearing her winged clothes. Lee-yeon had no intention of letting Kwon Chae-woo go out. She didn¡¯t want her lies to spread. If that happened, then God knows how many times she has toe up with new lies to cover up her original lie. Her deceiving Kwon Chae-woo was already making her guilty and shortening her lifespan. She wanted him to stay inside and focus on his rehabilitation, but the fact was that his recovery rate was already excellent. What excuse should I use to not let him follow me? ¡°Lee-yeon, are you seriously going out like that?¡± Choo-ja looked at Lee-yeon¡¯s attire doubtfully. White sneakers soaked in dirt, gray suit too big for her, and a worn-out straw hat. ¡°Where¡¯s our hospital¡¯s pride?¡± ¡°It¡¯s here,¡± said Lee-yeaon proudly, holding out the file that contained the treatment log. Although she looked shabby and worked at an even shabbier hospital didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯tpetent at her job. No one tree had died under her care. That was her pride. ¡°Because you¡¯re like this, you have to take him with you.¡± Choo-ja nced at the man behind her. ¡°From now on, think of him as the face of our hospital. If you take a man like him with you, all thedies will be impressed. Who knows, our services might be sought after even more if the people think flowers will bloom for them too!¡± ¡°What are you even talking about?!¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes fluttered and she blushed. She awkwardly pretended to tidy her clothes. Today was the day of bidding briefing session for Beautiful Hwaido promoted by Hwayang City, the Korean Forest Service, and the city park office. All the officials from the three sectors would be there. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo,¡± Lee-yeon put her hand on her waist and took a deep breath. Lee-yeon was looking at the floor, hesitating to speak. She then raised her head and faced him. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ dangerous outside.¡± Choo-ja had a what-nonsense-is-this expression on her face. ¡°Especially for you, Kwon Chae-woo,¡± said Lee-yeon. ¡°Why?¡± Because if you¡¯re exposed to strong external stimuli, you may retrieve your memory. She didn¡¯t say that out loud. Kwon Chae-woo waited silently because he could see that she was trying toe up with a rational exnation. ¡°Lee-yeon, are you hiding something from me?¡± he suddenly asked. ¡°No!¡± she said hurriedly. A strange expression shed across Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face. Lee-yeon realized that this minor crack needed to be remedied quickly. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re too handsome!¡± she blurted out without knowing what to say. ¡°The ce I¡¯m heading to is full of old men. A young and kind man like you will never know how scary an old man¡¯s jealousy can be.¡± Lee-yeon wiped her sweat as if she hadpleted a big mission. ¡°Am I so pretty that you want to hide me?¡± ¡°What?¡± Kwon Chae-woo fiddled with his ear with a strange expression on his face. It was hard to tell whether he was smiling or frowning. He pulled and folded his earlobe so hard that his skin turned red. ¡°Am I pretty in your eyes?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Flustered, she murmured, not knowing what to say. After a short moment of silence, Lee-yeon decided to convey her intention as vaguely as possible. ¡°I just want you to stay at home.¡± ¡°Is it because you don¡¯t want others to see me?¡± ¡°Ah¡­,¡± the more she avoided the question, the more she kept getting stuck. Lee-yeon looked at Choo-ja pleadingly for some help. But Choo-ja was busy giggling at a distance enjoying Lee-yeon¡¯s predicament. She had no choice. She needed to convince him, appease him and persuade him somehow to make him stay in the house. ¡°We, we are newlyweds. Considering that your time had stopped due to an ident, we are still newlyweds. So, of course¡­ I want to be the only one who sees you¡­¡± Kwon Chae-woo smiled softly as though he liked that answer. ¡°Then you can¡¯t go out too.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to be apart from you even for a minute.¡± Lee-yeon was trying to find a convincing retort. ¡°I will stay quiet,¡± he continued, ¡°Just think of me as your favorite flowerpot and take me with you.¡± Lee-yeon tried not to flinch at his sharp gaze. Unlike his gentle tone of voice, his eyes looked tenacious and passionate. If she refused, he would get suspicious of her trying to iste him from the outside world. She tried onest time to use honeyed words to try and convince him. ¡°Are you sure? You¡¯re still a patient. I know that your recovery speed is excellent but to be honest with you, I don¡¯t want to bring you to a suchplicated ce, especially when you have no memory.¡± Her soft cheek, which seemed like it was going to melt by his touch, moved lovingly every time she spoke. Ignoring his intense gaze, she continued. Chapter 21: Chapter 21: ¡°I think it¡¯s too early for us to go out together.¡± She reasoned out. ¡°Is it me or you who¡¯s not ready?¡± Lee-yeon was lost for words for a second. ¡°I¡¯ll only do what you tell me,¡± he said. ¡°I will only do what you ask me to do, and only what you allow me to do. So, just let mee with you.¡± What is he talking about¡­? Lee-yeon was bewildered. It seemed she was the one with power here. Looking at him, she recalled the kind of person he was. She perhaps was a deceitful liar, but he was an obedient murderer. It left her speechless and confused. There was no other who knew how to make someone lost for words than Kwon Chae-woo. For some reason, his smiling face lingered in her mind for a long time. * * * Lee-yeon reached the lobby of the Hwaido Grand Hotel banquet hall. ¡°Look over there. Spruce Hospital is here too.¡± People began whispering to each other. The moment Lee-yeon¡¯s straw hat passed by the whispering voices stopped. The eyes ncing at her were suspicious and even fearful. Spruce Hospital was a difficult ce to define for other tree doctors. They couldn¡¯t decide whether the ce was an ally or an enemy. Especially since there was only young Lee-yeon and an old woman who fit perfectly like a pair. People gossiped about them. A young tree doctor who was a loner and didn¡¯t entertain any personal or private conversation with anyone, and the arboreal therapist, Gye Choo-ja, who used to be a heartthrob of every man in the locality. In this job, usually people were in their mid-50s or 60s, it was impossible for anyone to be unfamiliar with Choo-ja. One was an old wise tree, and another a withered flower. They certainly were a pair. Lee-yeon felt overwhelmed at the eyes of the people judging her. This is why I hate to go to ces with too many people. Eyes told of so many emotions. No person could hide their feelings in their eyes. When faced with so many unfiltered, raw emotions, Lee-yeon usually got a stomachache. Her hands were getting colder and colder. Suddenly, something warm held her hands. Startled, she flexibly pulled away but Kwon Chae-woo gently held firm. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me that you¡¯re only going to do what I tell you to do?¡± Lee-yeon red at him. The man smiled slowly. ¡°I will. Pick one.¡± Usually, his cold impression drove off anyone from approaching. But today, his smile made him look so innocent. ¡°Will it be the eyes or the mouth?¡± ¡°What?¡± asked Lee-yeon, puzzled. ¡°These people who keep looking at you. Is it the eyes or mouth that you don¡¯t want them to have? If you don¡¯t say it aloud, you can point it with your finger.¡± Her mind went nk. She felt her uneasiness disappear. ¡°Do they know that you¡¯re married?¡± ¡°What? N-no¨D¡± ¡°No?¡± He asked sharply. Was it a mistake to bring him with me? Kwon Chae-woo spoke threateningly which made Lee-yeon fear that he might get his memories back. She felt helpless. ¡°It¡¯s because¡­ you were in vegetative state for a long time. A lot of people probably don¡¯t know that I¡¯m married.¡± His eyes which scanned the ce looked scary. Lee-yeon tugged at his sleeve, fearing that all external stimuli might trigger him to recall his lost memories. ¡°Just don¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°Is that what you want?¡± ¡°You promised. That you will only do what I allow.¡± Kwon Chae-woo looked at Lee-yeon¡¯s stiff face. ¡°Was I not nice just now?¡± ¡°What?¡± She was bewildered. ¡°Don¡¯t the owners pet the dogs when they bite things that disturb them?¡± Who the hell raises dogs like that¡­? Kwon Chae-woo fiddled with Lee-yeon¡¯s long hair. He was frowning slightly. ¡°Did I do something that I¡¯m not supposed to do?¡± Lee-yeon felt as though she was floating in space. She looked at his charming face, unable to think of a suitable answer to his question. There was no hint of mischief in his light brown eyes but Lee-yeon wasn¡¯t fooled. A man with misced sense of identity in the world sometimes didn¡¯t know the line. And right now, Kwon Chae-woo could be dangerous even if he no longer recalled being a murderer. Rather than exining everything, she decided to make things clear to him. ¡°Yes.¡± Kwon Chae-woo turned to look at Lee-yeon at her stern voice. She determined not to be intimidated by his sharp and persistent gaze like she usually did. He was nning something in his head, she could see. Soon, he nodded as if he understood her. Lee-yeon finally felt relieved and let go of all tension that she had held onto. Seeing him so gentle, she almost wanted to stroke his hair. She held back on the impulse but when her hand grazed his, she couldn¡¯t help but panic. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, your hands are so hot!¡± ¡°Is that making you ufortable?¡± ¡°What? No. But do you have a fever?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± ¡°Are you sure? But what if something is wrong and your body is manifesting it in the form of a fever?¡± Kwon Chae-woo relished the moment. He had never even thought that someone worrying after him would make him feel so warm. He bit his lips, looking at Lee-yeon¡¯s face. She was unaware but Kwon Chae-woo wished he could memorize every part of her face and immortalize it in his mind. ¡± I like it.¡± ¡°What?¡± she asked, puzzled. ¡°I like the feeling of blood rushing every time I see you.¡± ¡°Are you really okay?¡± asked Lee-yeon, worried and suspicious. ¡°Very,¡± he said firmly. He smiled at her. Silence fell in the lobby. Every eye was turned towards Kwon Chae-woo and Lee-yeon. She was highly aware of it. Tall, well-toned body. Hair neatly trimmed so that his sharp nose was even more prominent. His eyebrows that sat perfectly over his eyes, and his cold, beautiful eyes. Everyone was mesmerized. Right at that moment, the door to the conference hall opened. ¡°I have to go now. You can wait here.¡± Lee-yeon turned around to follow the crowd. She realized she had been holding his hand this whole time. He held ono it a few seconds longer and then let her go. Chapter 22: Chapter 22: The Dome Project. Thergest botanical garden in Korea was to be built on Hwaido. Various attractions such as artificial waterfalls, tropical dome-type greenhouses, outdoor ecological parks, hanging gardens, and tropical rainforest recreations were public projects that Hwayang City was trying to run to be a ce of tourist attraction. The directors of each tree hospital who gathered for thepetitive bidding could not hide their greedy faces while looking at the aerial view of the 3D simtion of Hwaidome. But when the speaker¡¯s long presentation ended, the conference hall erupted into loud talks. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Someone pressed the microphone button that was attached to the long desk. The director responded mechanically without the slightest hint of emotion. ¡°I said we will make thepetitive bid through an open contest.¡± Silence fell in the conference hall once again. Everyone looked confused and bbergasted. ¡°You mean¡­ you¡¯re asking us to audition?¡± one person asked with barely retrained anger. The displeasure was reflected in everyone¡¯s faces. Despite the hostility, the director continued in the same dead-pan tone of voice, ¡°Is there any problem? We¡¯re trying to entrust the job to the best tree doctor. The nts introduced into the Hwaidome will be the world¡¯s rarest and most expensive trees. We need to make sure the best person gets hired for the job. We don¡¯t want scammers and ckers to get the job through influence of money.¡± Lee-yeon flinched at his harsh words. Even the director of D Hospital, who remained the most confident, was frowning as if this was all ridiculous. The director, in contrast, continued calmly, ¡°Open contest will be held as a tournament.¡± It would beborious and time-consuming for public officials to undertake such a big task. But due to the government¡¯s guidelines for the Green New Deal, interest in nature had to be put forward as the marketing point. ¡°As it opens on next Arbor Day, the tournament will be featured in a promotional video. Please note that the documentary film crew will be present at the contest.¡± The director then added the most important thing that everyone wanted to hear. ¡°The hospital selected in the final is guaranteed a 10-year contract with Hwaidome.¡± 10 years?! Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t believe her ears. The conference hall erupted once again in loud talks. Thergest botanical garden in Korea. The most precious and expensive trees. It was a contract that would bring a huge customer flow and an annuity. *** ¡°So, are you going to do it?¡± asked Kwon Chae-woo, ncing at Lee-yeon. Lee-yeon entered the nearby cafe, looking down the whole time. She felt exhausted after being exposed to the rapidly changing emotions of people in the conference room. Even in the midst of her exhaustion, she felt him nce at her. ¡°There will be cameras¡­.¡± Choo-ja wanted to protest but she held her tongue. But Kwon Chae-woo didn¡¯t. ¡°What about the camera?¡± He didn¡¯t want to miss out on anything when it was about her. Lee-yeon looked at him and sighed. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ I want to live as quietly as possible. If my face appears on a TV show by any chance, things might get noisy.¡± She shrugged her shoulders as if it was no big deal, but her face said something else. Kwon Chae-woo nodded, but he knew that So Lee-yeon was reluctant about something. ¡°Hey, Director So!¡± called a voice that she absolutely hated. Lee-yeon frowned but she quickly hid her annoyance and got up from her seat to greet him. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Long time no see! We live in the same area, but we rarely see each other,¡± said the director of D Hospital, Jo Kyung-cheon. He was a man with thick hair even at the age of 60 and was once Lee-yeon¡¯s boss. Seeing his face exhausted her more, mentally as well as physically. Shemented at her own bad luck having had to see his face again. There were countless reasons as to why she hated him from the core of her being. ¡°Come on, say hello to each other. You two also didn¡¯t get to see each other for a long time, right?¡± said Director Jo, as he softly patted the back of his student and pushed him forward. Lee-yeon clenched and unclenched her palm. Before moving to Hwaido, Lee-yeon had lived in Seoul in a small private room of 12-meter square. She felt ustrophobic thinking about her small, congested room. She tried hard not to frown. ¡°I called him toe to Hwaido. Two of you used to be good friends. You guys should get along well with each other. Get to know each other more. Young people should hang out more than just spend time with trees all day.¡± Director Jo had no decency and not courtesy just like in the past. Maybe it made his life easier to boss people around and make other people¡¯s life awkward and miserable. His student, Hwang Jo-yoon, looked awkward. He was still nerdy. He stroked his thin eyebrows gloomily. ¡°Lee-yeon, it¡¯s been a while¡­¡± ¡°It has,¡± said Lee-yeon, ¡°How have you been?¡± After the niceties were done, she turned away. Before moving to Hwaido, she did a practical apprenticeship for five years under Jo Kyung-cheon. After graduating from junior college, she had to work her way up from the bottom in the hospital. It goes without mentioning that people just starting out were treated like sh*t and afforded not even the basic human respect. Lee-yeon had suffered. While Hwang Jo-yoon had been the student Jo Kyung-cheon cherished the most. He was said to have been one of the top elites since his undergraduate years. But aside from that, he stalked Lee-yeon, who had nothing, whenever he got the chance. When she had seen his horrifying, sharp eyes looking through the window of her semi-basement house, Lee-yeon had reported it to the hospital. But it was Lee-yeon, not him, who had gotten fired. ¡°While you guys talk with each other, I¡¯ll-¡± Jo Kyung-cheon¡¯s gaze turned to Choo-ja. Choo-ja got up and secretly winked at Lee-yeon. It was a sign that she would try to dig up any information she could find. Lee-yeon was so very grateful. She could finally breathe a little. Chapter 23: Chapter 23: When the two left. ¡°Hey, Lee-yeon.¡± Hwang Jo-yoon stretched out his arm towards her. Just then, Kwon Chae-woo sitting next to her pulled her back onto her seat. Hwang Jo-yoon waved his hand in the air and Lee-yeon looked puzzled. ¡°Lee-yeon, I¡¯m worried.¡± Kwon Chae-woo clung to her closely. His body temperature was warm. ¡°Who is he?¡± ¡°Ahm¡­¡± Lee-yeon didn¡¯t know where to begin. As she hesitated, his arm on her waist pulled her closer. She couldn¡¯t tell whether it was anxiety or vignce that was making him act that way but when she saw Hwang Jo-yoon flinch she realized it was thetter. ¡°Is he someone I know?¡± She could understand why he was anxious. If Hwang Jo-yoon was an acquaintance, then it would make Kwon Chae-woo feel awkward to not remember him. The memories she didn¡¯t want to remember came unbidden to her mind. She swallowed her bitterness and answered him. ¡°He used to be a senior at the hospital where I used to work years before,¡± she said, ¡°You don¡¯t know him. So, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ okay,¡± said Kwon Chae-woo, nodding slowly. But he didn¡¯t retrieve his arm from her waist. Rather, he had both his arms around her and pulled her close. She wanted to tell him not to do that. ¡°Lee-yeon, who is he?¡± asked Hwang Jo-yoon, ncing at her waist. ¡°Yes, Lee-yeon. Introduce us,¡± said Kwon Chae-woo. Lee-yeon straightened her back at a sudden warm touch she felt through her clothes. ¡°This is Kwon Chae-woo. He¡¯s the man I live with.¡± I will just say we live together¡­. But Hwang Jo-yoon¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You-you¡¯re married?¡± She was at a loss for words. Kwon Chae-woo leaned towards her and whispered, ¡°You should at least nod. He is waiting.¡± Right! He urged her to answer, and she was highly aware of his arms around her waist. It tickles! Lee-yeon twisted her body away and nodded at Hwang Jo-yoon. ¡°I am her husband,¡± said Kwon Chae-woo as though to confirm it once and for all. Hwang Jo-yoon asked again. ¡°So, you are really married?¡± She was offended at his reaction. He was acting as though it was quite impossible for her to be married. But he had always been like that. She had experience dealing with him. He thought he was always right and everybody else was not. ¡°No, Lee-yeon. Wait a minute. It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t believe it. How can a person like you get married? No way. Are you alright?¡± Hwang Jo-yoon¡¯s lips trembled. Oh, how I hate him! Lee-yeon was always repulsed by him whenever she saw him secretly spitting on the flower bed whenever he thought no one was watching. She had absolutely abhorred him from the moment she learnt that he used to snip off nts in his childhood, killing them just for fun. She got really annoyed at the way his lips trembled whenever things didn¡¯t go the way he wanted. He was such a brat, ready to put the me on others and interfere in other people¡¯s life. Lee-yeon had gotten sick of the quarrel and that¡¯s why she had left the hospital for good instead of fighting for her ce. ¡°You weren¡¯t like that before,¡± said Hwang Jo-yoon. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You are not the kind of person to date a man. You hated being with people. I know you, Lee-yeon.¡± Lee-yeon rolled her eyes at his audacity. ¡°Who understands a woman who only has time for trees and fertilizers? How can anyone fall in love with someone like that? You used to make fertilizers in the weekend and didn¡¯t even go out. This must be a mistake. I am the only one who could ept you for being the way you are.¡± Lee-yeon was amazed. She should have been angry, but she was so amazed at how little a person could change. How is it that he hasn¡¯t changed at all? ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m not by your side, so you made such a mistake¡­.¡± Hwang Jo-yoon widened his eyes and trembled in anger. Her head began to hurt from overwhelming stress. She was reminded of how helpless she had felt at her tiny ce. Hwang Jo-yoon would always follow her and she couldn¡¯t even afford to move to a new ce at that time. On days when Lee-yeon took detours not willing to go home out of fear, he would burst into a rage. She had always gotten angry at her humble beginnings. Nevertheless, she had forced herself to bear with it because she had to fill in her practice hours at the hospital. She had tolerated everything so that she could have her own practice, her own quiet life. And she finally made it this far by herself. And now¡­ ¡°Why are you making such a fuss about this?¡± ¡°No, Lee-yeon. Was the time between you and me of any importance to you?¡± ¡°Clearly not. I never liked you. I hated you. You made my life miserable. It has been years since I left that hospital. I made my own ce in the world. And I couldn¡¯t be any happier about it. As you can see, I have a husband. I have my own practice. I am living the best life I could have dreamed of. It looks like you are still stuck in the phase of your life where you act like a spoiled brat and look down on me. Grow up.¡± ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± He licked his lips. ¡°You really are shamelessly making a fuss in front of my husband.¡± ¡°Is he really your husband?!¡± he suddenly shouted. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Bring the family rtions certificate! Until then, I won¡¯t believe it!¡± Lee-yeon froze. She didn¡¯t any anything. Hwang Jo-yoon didn¡¯t trouble her. But if Kwon Chae-woo asked for it, then everything would be revealed. Her lie would be caught. She felt a prick at her conscience. She hated Hwang Jo-yoon for trying to ruin her life even after all these years. Just then, she heard a faint grunt. It was a sound that only Lee-yeon could hear. Chapter 24: Chapter 24: ¡°Lee-yeon¡­ Lee-yeon¡­¡± Lee-yeon felt an odd mix of emotions when she heard her name being called. The way Kwon Chae-woo called her name sounded so different from the way Hwang Jo-yoon did. Kwon Chae-woo pressed his fingers to his temple as though this was giving him a headache. ¡°Stop calling my wife¡¯s name before I kill you.¡± His cold gaze was sharp as a de. Kwon Chae-woo, at that moment, looked a man possessed. A beast in a human mask. It could have been an illusion, but she felt the temperature drop. The tension in the air was palpable. Hwang Jo-yoon froze, holding his breath. It wasn¡¯t only him who held his breath, Lee-yeon didn¡¯t dare move. She recalled the murderer she had seen two years ago. What if his headache leads him to recalling his past? Lee-yeon felt restless. Her heart pounded. Kwon Chae-woo turned to look at the ss on the table. He let go of her hand he was holding. What is he thinking? What is he going to do? Is he going to¡­ No! Lee-yeon hurriedly grabbed his arm and and ced it on her waist. Kwon Chae-woo paused for a moment and turned to look at her. His eyes were cold and t like a calm sea. ¡°Do I really have to stay still?¡± he asked. Lee-yeon didn¡¯t respond. ¡°About what I asked earlier¡­ eyes and the mouth. I really want you to choose this time.¡± His face was gentle and calm, as though he had never been angry before. ¡°Or maybe the right ball or the left?¡± Lee-yeon blinked in confusion. ¡°Are those options better than before?¡± he asked. * * * To diffuse the situation and to prevent Kwon Chae-woo acting out, Lee-yeon hurriedly left the cafe with him. Her heart pounded so hard that she thought it might explode. To protect Kwon Chae-woo from harm, shehurriedly left the cafe with him. In the meantime, her heart started beating so fast that it felt like it was going to explode. ¡°¡­before I kill you.¡± The doctor had said that his memories might return at any time. Her blood ran cold at the thought. She felt scared and helpless. She was terrified that the events of the day had triggered him in some way. No¡­ it¡¯s too early to jump into any conclusions. She tried to calm herself. Her face darkened. Nothing stimted Kwon Chae-woo. He observed and reacted to her mood constantly. When Lee-yeon felt the slightest difort, the man quickly took a stance. It was like she had his leash, and she was doing a very bad job of keeping him under control. Lee-yeon clenched her fist. I shouldn¡¯t ruin my own ns¡­. She decided to be more careful and try to not disy her anxiety in front of Kwon Chae-woo. She had to remain calm and resolute in front of him. Every time she lost herposure, he would get triggered, so she had to be careful. ¡°I will bring this matter to a close with Hwang Jo-yoon!¡± she dered after returning home. Kwon Chae-woo turned to her with a cold expression. ¡°Lee-yeon¡­,¡± he began. ¡°There is nothing to worry about,¡± she said hurriedly, ¡°I will solve it publicly and legally. So don¡¯t dwell on whatever happened today, alright? What if your head starts hurting again?¡± She studied his face. Kwon Chae-woo let out a short sigh and ran his fingers through his hair. ¡°Are you telling me you intend to meet him again?¡± ¡°I mean¡­,¡± Lee-yeon stopped and jumped up. ¡°The Open Contest! I want to win against D Hospital and bring them down a peg! That will show them.¡± She made a fist to disy her unwavering resolve. Kwon Chae-woo took off her straw hat and her sweater. ¡°What did that bastard do to you?¡± ¡°Um¡­.¡± Lee-yeon didn¡¯t know how to answer that. She didn¡¯t want to go into the details. ¡°He is just annoying. He always was. Every time I talked to him back then, it¡¯s like talking to a wall.¡± ¡°Is there anything I can help you with?¡± he asked. ¡°Help me by being happy,¡± she said, ¡°I want you to only see good things from now.¡± He frowned slightly, then smiled. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not very difficult.¡± He looked at her fondly. Lee-yeon scratched the nape of her neck and turned away from his gaze awkwardly. ¡°By the way, Kwon Chae-woo¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Why did you say you would kill him?¡± She looked up at him. ¡°I am sorry,¡± he said, lowering his head. ¡°No¡­ don¡¯t apologize. I was just curious. I have never seen saying something like that.¡± Kwon Chae-woo looked at her. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Every time he called you by your name so rudely, I nearly went out of my mind. I felt angry.¡± ¡°Were you really going to¡­¡± ¡°I was trying to restrain myself from ripping out his mouth.¡± Kwon Chae-woo clenched his jaw. ¡°You looked so ufortable. It seemed to me that you would burst into tears. I wanted him to shut up.¡± Lee-yeon slowly raised her head. Their eyes met. A flicker of relief shed across his face as though he could finally breathe again. ¡°That man was already dead in my mind, Lee-yeon,¡± Kwon Chae-woo said, touching her eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t be gently and friendly towards people like him even if I tried to.¡± He smiled sheepishly. Chapter 25: Chapter 25: ¡°So you¡¯re doing it for real?¡± asked Choo-ja, surprised. She had just returned. Choo-ja knew well about Lee-yeon¡¯s aversion to interacting with other people. The constant followers of Lee-yeon from elementary school to university had been rumors, not friends. She was always very anxious and self-conscious among other people. ¡°Are you really going to do it?¡± asked Choo-ja again. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that cameramen might be there and too many people?¡± ¡°I might get eliminated even before that happens.¡­¡± Lee-yeon fidgeted with her hands and avoided Choo-ja¡¯s gaze. ¡°For now, my only goal is to take down D Hospital.¡± Choo-ja could only blink, perplexed. She sounded so determined. Why is so determined while looking at Kwon Chae-woo at that? Choo-ja watched Lee-yeon closely. Did something happen? ¡°Sorry, I am not being any helpful,¡± said Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°No! It¡¯s alright. You have always been there.¡± His face darkened. No matter how much he thought about it, her words didn¡¯t sound like thepliment it was meant to be. ¡°Lee-yeon, what do you even like about me? I can neither help during the day or night. I feel worthless.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you were like a nt.¡± ¡°What?¡± Oops. Lee-yeon smiled at him, trying to undo the damage. ¡°I meant that you were always so quiet and gentle, lost in your own world,¡± she said, ¡°Often you wouldn¡¯t answer my calls. I have always been the one who talked endlessly, while you listened to me quietly.¡± Choo-ja nodded, supporting her statement. She was probably talking about the time when he was in a vegetative state. My, my¡­ she can spin very convincing lies. ¡°¡­And I became morefortable with you as time passed.¡± Choo-ja frowned. She wasn¡¯t sure whether Lee-yeon was lying to make it sound like the truth or her inner true feelings were actually bursting out of her mouth right now. Sometimes, when you fight a monster, you be the monster. Choo-ja looked at Lee-yeon. Is she lying to deceive him or herself? ¡°Does that answer your question?¡± asked Lee-yeon. Kwon Chae-woo stared at Lee-yeon deeply, as though his gaze was trying to drown her. * * * ¡°Should we go to bed now?¡± The time had finallye. She had known from the time she had woken him, driven by needless sympathy, that she would not be able toe up with a convincing enough excuse to refuse to share the bed with him. She couldn¡¯t find a way out of this problem. If she suggested using different bedrooms, doubts and questions would surely spring up. And Kwon Chae-woo would forever be suspicious of her. ¡°I will take a shower and meet you up on the second floor,¡± she said. ¡°Well, can we shower together then?¡± ¡°What?! No,¡± said Lee-yeon, shocked. ¡°Why are you so surprised?¡± asked Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°Because I am¡­ I was brought up in a conservative household,¡± she said hurriedly. ¡°I was always taught it was scandalous to even sit near a boy after the age of seven. I know it sounds weird but that was how I was raised.¡± ¡°Wow¡­ does that include your husband too?¡± ¡°Marriage is not a free pass to everything, you know.¡± ¡°Then what is?¡± Kwon Chae-woo moved closer to her. ¡°Teach me, Lee-yeon,¡± he said softly. ¡°There are a lot of things I have forgotten.¡± She tried to say something but was at a loss for words. ¡°Lee-yeon?¡± ¡°Y-yes?!¡± she squeaked. ¡°I think my self-efficacy will go down if you continuously avoid doing anything with me. You never use me as your husband.¡± Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t respond. ¡°Because I am like this, you neglected me for a week and didn¡¯t wake me up. You don¡¯t really need me. Am I wrong?¡± Her blood suddenly ran cold. He wasn¡¯t wrong, and that made her frustrated and embarrassed. It seemed like the man had read her innermost thoughts that she had wanted to hide the most. ¡°The doctor said nothing is certain yet. And I was always by your side when you were asleep¡­¡± They were pathetic excuses and she knew it. Even Lee-yeon herself found her excuses half-hearted, and she trailed off. The man shook his head as if he didn¡¯t care. ¡°I only know that you hold my mornings.¡± His words evoked a strange sense of guilt in her. Her being insincere could make him doubt everything. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to teach me,¡± he said, ¡°But don¡¯t let that deny me from doing my job as your husband.¡± ¡°And that ¡®job¡¯ entails taking a shower together?¡± asked Lee-yeon reluctantly. He tilted his head and looked at her. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, Lee-yeon. What are you afraid of? We surely have been intimate in our rtion before, right? This is just a shower.¡± Lee-yeon was lost for words. Her lies wereing back to bite her. ¡°The reason why we had no interest in having sex might have been probably because we are always so distant,¡± he suggested, ¡°Be a little open with me.¡± Lee-yeon ran out of excuses and no longer had anything to say. She just wanted him to be quiet. ¡°Okay,¡± she said, ¡°I will let you wash my back. Only my back, nothing more.¡± He smiled contentedly. Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Ssh- The sh of water was just frightening now. This is crazy! Absolutely crazy! After getting into the bathtub, Lee-yeon turned her back towards the door and faced the wall. Although she was the one trying to deceive him, she felt like she was losing. ¨DKnock, knock. He knocked on the bathroom door. ¡°Ce in.¡± Her heart raced. She had witnessed this man burying a person alive in the mountain two years ago. He had tried to kill her too! Is it really okay to do this? I want to erase this moment. The foggy bathroom air made her feel dizzier. ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± She had now be familiar with the sound of his voice calling her name. She was surrounded by warm air and hot water, but a coldness touched her heart. Kwon Chae-woo dragged the chair nearer to the bathtub. ¡°Are you feeling okay?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is it just the back you want me to wash?¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± Lee-yeon intentionally made the water frothy to make more bubbles in the bathtub. From the moment Kwon Chae-woo came inside the bathroom, she gazed straight at the wall. She thought it was immensely better to turn her back to him than to face him, in which case, he might see her chest. ¡°Are you wearing your panties?¡± She could hear his faintugh. ¡°What?! You can see that?¡± Lee-yeon flinched. She made a cloud of bubbles around her to obscure everything. She could feel his gaze. ¡°Are you wearing that because you are embarrassed?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be more embarrassed than me? You have no memory whatsoever. I-I am quite used to it, but I am worried it might be ufortable for you to see me like this¡­¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Kwon Che-woo plunged his hand in the water in the bathtub and Lee-yeon flinched suddenly. Her back stiffened. Her words were opposite to her actions. ¡°Why are you acting so cute Lee-yeon?¡± She had to guess his actions solely by relying on her hearing. It made her even more nervous. ¡°Why are you still being needlessly considerate?¡± Heughed yfully. His hand was still inside the water.Lee-yeon wanted to turn around and face him but she had no choice. She didn¡¯t want to show him her front. Kwon Chae-woo also wasn¡¯t really as calm as he made it out to be. When he saw her slender back, he felt an urge to touch her skin, caress her. There was no part of her body that didn¡¯t catch her attention. If I be greedy and let my desires consume me, will she run away? He wondered. He looked at her back, her nape, her fragile shoulders, and her thin waist. Kwon Chae-woo felt a stir at the lower part of his body. He was already hard. Hemented losing his memory. Maybe he had been allowed to touch every part of her body before. He would have spread her legs and kissed her. Kwon Chae-woo frowned. He wanted his memory back. She had said that they weren¡¯t sexuallypatible, but his body said otherwise. There was never a moment as this when he wanted his memories back so desperately. ¡°Lee-yeon, what is this?¡± He blurted as his fingers slid down the skin of her back, tracing her scars. ¡°Get a towel! A towel!¡± Lee-yeon eximed, trembling at his touch. But Kwon Chae-woo only stroked Lee-yeon¡¯s old scars without a word. He let his fingers linger a while above each of them as though he could absorb them into his skin. ¡°Were you abused?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± His touch made her shiver. She turned her face to look at him over her shoulders. ¡°That¡¯s not an answer.¡± She lowered her head onto her knees. Seeing her slump like that made him feel sad. He wanted to bite her nape. His emotions were all haywire. An unbearable desire settled within him. He pushed the chair back and stood up. ¡°Who did this to you?¡± A scar is a sign of abuse, thought Kwon Chae-woo. He didn¡¯t need his memory to understand that. The scars looked as though her skin had been stabbed with a sharp tip, maybe the tip of a pen or scissors. He frowned. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me if you don¡¯t want to.¡± Lee-yeon shook her head. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to talk about it, but she was just confused. This was all very new to her. Nobody had ever asked her about it in her entire life. Nobody had ever been interested in her life. So she didn¡¯t know how to answer. People had med her for it. Everyone had assumed she was a troubled child who was worthless so instead her family was the one having a hard time dealing with her. She had thought she deserved the abuse and neglect she received. Lee-yeon sshed some water on her face and hoped her eyes would stop stinging. ¡°My family.¡± Kwon Chae-woo remained silent. His suspicions about Kwon Chae-woo being ¡®gentle and kind¡¯ began to grow stronger. What if he had done this too before he lost his memories? It wasn¡¯t just the scars, he could see ck spot were bruises used to be on her skin. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to believe me,¡± said Lee-yeon with resignation. ¡°I believe you,¡± said Kwon Chae-woo at once. Lee-yeon¡¯s shoulders flinched. ¡°Your family must have been pretty garbage to do this to you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but there must have been a reason for it.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reasonstrong enough to hit a child until it leaves scars.¡± He clenched his teeth, suppressing his anger. ¡°It can happen even you love your child too much.¡± He had rushed to her always from the moment he woke up, trying to get close to her, like an animal in heat. Kwon Chae-woo was wrecked with guilt. He could now guess the reason behind her aversion to touch, or any form of intimacy. Kwon Chae-woo froze as though the truth had hit him like a blow. ¡°Love can turn into anger so fast,¡± said Lee-yeon. ¡°Humans are different from trees. They don¡¯t love unconditionally despite their ims. When anything bears bad fruit, people can¡¯t stand it.¡± Kwon Chae-woo closed his eyes tightly.Everything made sense. He could finally understand her behaviors. He couldn¡¯t brush off the thought that he might have been part of the problem. The way she was terrified of him could mean their marriage had also done terrible things to her. Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Kwon Chae-woo silently caressed her skin. Lee-yeon tried hard to ignore the feeling of his hand touching her back. ¡°What are you doing? Use the washcloth over there.¡± ¡°It looks painful.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If I use the washcloth, it might make your skin sore.¡± ¡°What? Then¡­ what is the point of taking a bath?¡± Lee-yeon bent over and hid the bruises she got from branches and thorns. This was normal in the type of environment she worked in. ¡°Then let¡¯s skip the bath today¡­¡± ¡°What the¡­ are you kidding me?¡± Lee-yeon turned around and stared at him, furious. First, he wanted to bathe together even when she refused and now, he was saying this. ¡°I¡¯ll just¨D¡± He paused for a moment. ¡°I will do it my way.¡± His warm palms touched her back. With his rough hands, he gently massaged her shoulders. Whenever he pressed the middle part of her back, she flinched. She was ufortable of the heat between his palms and her skin. Lee-yeon bit her lips and held her breath. The air was humid and moist and warm. When the tip of his finger brushed under her breasts, she quickly covered them with her forearms. He rubbed his thumbs in circles along the spine down to her waist. Lee-yeon felt like melting into the hot water. Feeling awkward and nervous, Lee-yeon fixed her eyes on the ceiling. It¡¯s because of the water. The water is hot and it feels like my face is burning. * * * After taking a shower together, she was less reluctant to lie on the same bed with him. The warm bath, however, had made her cozy and drowsy. She let out a weary sigh. ¡°Goodnight, Kwon Chae-woo.¡± He lifted the nket, draped it on her andid down beside her on the bed. The mattress suddenly felt too small to Lee-yeon. But she felt sofortable that she slowly closed her eyes. Today was such a long day, she thought, will everyday be like this? It¡¯s the first time I spent the day together with him. Not everything was as I had wished for but¡­ it wasn¡¯t entirely bad¡­ ¡°Are you sleepy already?¡± ¡°Yes¡­,¡± mumbled Lee-yeon, then she jerked up awake and sat upright. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± asked Kwon Chae-woo. Why am I feeling thisfortable? Lee-yeon panicked. Did I just think the day wasn¡¯t entirely bad? What is wrong with me?! The man tried to kill me, and I hit him with a saw! He might just kill me if he gets his memory back. Lee-yeon made a fist and hit herself on the head. Kwon Chae-woo got up and grabbed her small fists. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked. Lee-yeon looked at him. What the hell is this? Am I really thisfortable lying next to a murderer? Get a grip, Lee-yeon! Don¡¯t forget about the ughterhouse! How the hell can I sleep peacefully next to a murderer? Lee-yeon¡¯s face turned pale and she turned away. ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± Kwon Chae-woo held her chin and turned her face to him. When their eyes met, Lee-yeon immediately closed hers, trying to brush off her thoughts. ¡°Open your eyes.¡± He said gently. Lee-yeon didn¡¯t open her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re acting like this. Why did you put your leg out on the floor?¡¯ She had instinctively lowered her leg on the floor, ready to bolt. She wanted to turn her face away from him but he held on. She bit her lips in protest. Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face stiffened at her rejection. ¡°Are you really not going to open your eyes? Are you not going to even look at me? You don¡¯t even want to talk to me?¡± Lee-yeon didn¡¯t respond to the man¡¯s impatient voice. ¡°Lee-yeon, have you ever made someone go crazy?¡± Just then, Kwon Chae-woo bit Lee-yeon¡¯s neck lightly. Lee-yeon opened her eyes in surprise. A short scream escaped her mouth. ¡°The answer is probably no, because you are being too reckless.¡± He buried his head in her neck, licked, and sucked her skin even harder. He was biting and scratching her like a person who had lost his mind. Her body odor was heady enough to seduce him. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Lee-yeon squirmed in his grip and groaned in pain. But it only made him more excited. His head went nk. He only wanted to quench his thirst and nothing else mattered to him anymore. He held her face with one hand, and the other one grabbed the back of her head. He wanted to have every part of her, even her blood. ¡°Ah!¡± cried Lee-yeon. Kwon Chae-woo pressed his teeth deeper into her soft skin. His thirst had been ignited since morning. His drawers were slowly getting wet because of the prec*m exuded from the tip of his manhood. Just the act of licking her nape made him heated. This is not enough, I want more, he thought. Something deep inside him craved for more. Kwon Chae-woo wanted to devour her, body and soul. Chapter 28: Chapter 28: ¡°Is your memory back?¡± asked Lee-yeon, trembling in his arms. Her question startled him. ¡°Is it?!¡± she asked again. Lee-yeon was scared. A loyal and gentle person suddenly biting her neck so aggressively could only mean he was back. He was insane. She was scared of the worst scenario that could happen. He could kill her. ¡°Is your memory back?¡± Her voice was distraught. It sounded fearful. It brought Kwon Chae-woo to the present. He stopped what he was doing. He looked at her bruised neck and at Lee-yeon who was trembling. It looked painful. ¡°No¡­,¡± he said, ashamed, ¡°No, Lee-yeon.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes reflect fear and suspicion. Her blood ran cold. She studied Kwon Chae-woo with terrified eyes. She looked at him as though she saw a monster. Kwon Chae-woo was ovee with a sense of guilt and shame. Her eyes told the story of the kind of person he might have been in the past. When his excitement quietened down, he was only left feeling ashamed. ¡°Lee-yeon, I¡¯m sorry.¡± he said. ¡°I lost my mind for a while and made a mistake.¡± He ran his hand through his hair and lowered his head. He then covered his eyes with his palms. ¡°I am really sorry.¡± However, questions were boiling within him. But why would she ask me if my memories were back? Is it because I touched her? What did Kwon Chae-woo of the past do to her for her to react like this? He took a deep breath to calm himself. He took a deep breath to calm himself down. ¡°Lee-yeon, we¡¯d better not sleep together today.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That will be my punishment. I will give up my morning.¡± He looked at her. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it extends to a month or two. Don¡¯t wake me up until you can forgive me.¡± Kwon Chae-woo got up from the bed. What the hell does he mean? Is he for real? Lee-yeon watched with wide eyes as he started walking away. She was immensely relieved that his memory wasn¡¯t back and she could sleep alone. She winced as she felt her neck. She got up from the bed and followed Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, wait!¡± He looked up at her urgent voice from the bottom of the stairs. When their eyes met, he cursed in a low voice. Lee-yeon could tell that it was a really bad cuss word. *** Kwon Chae-woo opened his mouth slightly and frowned as if in pain. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you alright?¡± asked Lee-yeon, confused. She walked down the stairs but Kwon Chae-woo held up a hand to stop her. ¡°Just stay there,¡± he said with a restrained voice. ¡°Why?¡± she asked. ¡°If youe any closer, I won¡¯t be able to let you sleep alone. So, just stay there.¡± Lee-yeon didn¡¯t move. ¡°Or, is it that you want to see me c*m?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes involuntarily turned to his lower body. She realized he was still aroused. ¡°Does that mean you want to see it?¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°What?! N-no!¡± said Lee-yeon and averted her eyes. ¡°Really?¡± he said, ¡°You just looked very interested seconds ago.¡± ¡°I was not,¡± Lee-yeon shot back. ¡°I was just checking to see if any dropped on the floor. As the owner of this house, I have to keep it clean. I can¡¯t afford to be as careless unlike someone.¡± She was annoyed. She avoided his gaze. ¡°The floor is fine. For now,¡± he said, equally annoyed. ¡°But if you make me stand here like this, it won¡¯t be fine for long.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s face turned red. Kwon Chae-woo clenched his teeth as though he had a hard time holding himself back. Her blushing made it harder for him. As soon as he made up his mind, he quickly turned around and crossed the first floor. Lee-yeon watched nkly at him walking away. She then realized she hade here to say something. ¡°Wait!¡± she said, bounding after him. ¡°If you want to sleep alone, then we should change rooms. Wait, why are you going to my room? Where will I¡ª¡± Kwon Chae-woo had mmed the door close and locked the room from inside. This was the first time she had seen him like this. Meanwhile, Kwon Chae-woo tried hard to ignore her voice. Her bed with her odor was a terrible paradise to him. It reminded him of her. He buried his face in her pillow and stroked and rubbed his member to satiate his yearning for her. * * * ¡°Is it just you, Choo-ja, and me in this hospital?¡± Kwon Chae-woo had once asked on his way to the meeting banquet. ¡°There is one more person. But he is more like an insect doctor. But¡­ it¡¯s been a while since we have seen him. He is busy with school.¡± ¡°Is he also a teacher?¡± ¡°Um¡­ he goes to elementary school.¡± Lee-yeon hadn¡¯t given any more information. Kwon Chae-woo would eventually meet him after all. ¡°Director!¡± The front door swung open, and a voice of a young boy filled the room. The child was carrying a big backpack that looked like it was about to pop with the contents, but his stride was purposeful. The child was holding a transparent insect box in his arms. Chapter 29: Chapter 29: It was Lee Gyu-baek, a 7-year-old boy, who had just entered elementary school. ¡°Now I can tell the difference between arge twenty-eight-spotteddybug and an ordinary twenty-eight-spotteddybug by myself. This summer I will catch the Chinese star-fat fly and study it.¡± As always, Gyu-baek rambled on about his knowledge rather than a ¡®hello¡¯. The child took a seat, took out a book on insects and started reading. There were two good news. One, first tournament criteria for the Hwaidome Project was revealed. Second, the insect doctor had finally visited the hospital after a long time. Lee-yeon waved at the child and turned back to heputer. A total of 50panies participated in an open screening. Among them, the first opponent of Spruce Hospital was Green Tree Hospital, which she knew a lot about. The hospital was considered stable in many ways, including skills, reputation, and career. Judging from the objective management indicators, Spruce Hospital has a long way to go to bepared with Green Tree Hospital. ¡°So, what¡¯s the first tournament about?¡± asked Choo-ja, walkingup to her. ¡°Pruning.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve been makingsuch a fuss about this contest that I thought the first challenge would be a difficult one. But¡­ pruning? Really? That¡¯s a piece of cake! Do you want me to clean the scissors for you?¡± ¡°I know. But the thing is¡­.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The tree is 30 meters tall.¡± Chho-ja and Lee-yeon looked at each other and fell silent. The problem was that the tree was as high as a ten-storey building. It seemed that the city of Hwayang had saved theplicated cases just for this public contests. Lee-yeon looked intently at the picture attached to the email. A deformed, narrowly bent branch of the tree was stretching out to the road.If it broke, it would be a disaster. It could fall on the cars driving below and cause a terrible ident. ¡°Wait, what does this mean?¡± Choo-ja frowned, reading the email. ¡°You can¡¯t use adder-truck?¡± By making the situationplicated, the organizers had made their intention clear. ¡°Looks like we will have to climb the tree by ourselves.¡± The test seemed to be focused on the stamina of the tree doctors. The tree doctor¡¯s job was physically demanding and they often had to climb trees to perform surgeries. The test was targeted to see if the tree doctors were dedicated and unafraid to do just that. ¡°But even if you can climbthat tree, the branches might not withstand the weight of a person!¡± said Choo-ja. She was right. Climbing such a tall tree and pruning it wasn¡¯t going to be easy. Lee-yeon nced at Gyu-baek, who had walked up to the door to Lee-yeon¡¯s room. ¡°Wait!¡± said Lee-yeon, ¡°You can¡¯t go in there!¡± Lee-yeon ran to stop him but the child was faster. He turned the door-knob and entered her room. Silence fell. A man was lying on Lee-yeon¡¯s bed. The curtains to her room was closed. His pale skin and eyshes looked as though frozen. ¡°Never seen an insect like this before.¡± Gyu-baek widened his eyes and mumbled. The child¡¯s eyes twinkled at the unexpected sight. Then, he carefully pulled down the nket covering the man. ¡°This male insect consists of a head, torso, and legs, and boasts a perfect body with his two arms and two legs.¡± Gyu-Baek spoke as if he was writing down an entry in anencyclopedia. It was Gyu-baek¡¯s own way of making sense of strangers. ¡°It is characterized by its length longer than the bed,rge hands and feet, and a sharp nose.¡± Gyu-baek said, touching his nose bridge. ¡°The male genitalia¡ª¡± ¡°Stop, stop!¡± Lee-yeon pulled the child out of the room and closed the door. Gyu-baek looked up at Lee-yeon with bright eyes filled with curiosity. ¡°Is he your boyfriend?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Male enters the female¡¯s nest to spend estrus with her or guard their eggs. Animal Encyclopedia, page one hundred and ny-three.¡± Lee-yeon coughed and scratched the back of her neck. ¡°I told you it¡¯s not like that.¡± ¡°You caught the male and stuffed him.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°That male¡­ he is a rare species.¡± Confused, Lee-yeon looked at Gyu-baek without a word. ¡°I like the shape of the male. He looks cool. With his strength and body, he¡¯ll be a good hunter. His teeth are hard. His legs are strong.¡± Gyu-Baek¡¯s eyes twinkled with excitement. Lee-yeon let out a long, weary sigh. ¡°Gyu-baek, he¡¯s not rare but dangerous.¡± ¡°Strong males are inherently dangerous.¡± Not knowing what to say, Lee-yeon rubbed her forehead. Gyu-baek didn¡¯t stop his annoying chatter. ¡°The male doesn¡¯t wake up. He sleeps even during the day. You only like nts. Therefore, you probably caught him by using poison.¡± Lee-yeon shook her head. She opened the living room curtains to ventte the overheated room. A scream escaped her mouth. Hwang Jo-yoon was at the window, climbing it like an insect and trying to look inside. He cheeks were pressed against the window ss. She gathered herself from the shock and opened the window. ¡°What in hell are you doing here?¡± ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± Hwang Jo-yoon looked at Lee-yeon sadly. ¡°I saw a kid going into your house.¡± ¡°So?¡± Hwang Jo-yoon nced over Lee-yeon¡¯s shoulder. Gyu-baek looked at him and started writing down in his encyclopedia again. ¡°This male, which consists of a head, belly, and legs, has a very strange shape. He doesn¡¯t look good,¡± muttered Gyu-baek. ¡°Gyu-baek.¡± Lee-yeon tried to stop him. ¡°With two arms and two legs, he barely has the assortment, but his appearance outside the window looks very weird. He seems out of his mind.¡± Chapter 30: Chapter 30: ¡°What did you say¨D?!¡± Hwang Jo-yoon raised his voice as though he was offended. ¡°Ho-ho,¡± said Gyu-baek as if he had found the most interesting thing ever. ¡°It even foams at the mouth.¡± The child was right. But that didn¡¯t sit right with Hwang Jo-yoon. No one ever could guess what would make him go crazy. Lee-yeon shut the window, made Gyu-baek sit on the sofa and went out the front door. Hwang Jo-yoon stood there, waiting. ¡°If you snoop around my ce again, I¡¯ll call the police,¡± said Lee-yeon. ¡°Is he your child?¡± ¡°That is none of your business.¡± Gyu-baek was a brilliant child. People were amazed when they found out that he worked at the hospital while being in elementary school. However, Hwang Jo-yoon¡¯s question was meddling in her personal life. ¡°So Lee-yeon!¡± he cried. ¡°Was¡­was it because of him that you disappeared like that?¡± ¡°What do you mean I disappeared? I got fired because of you.¡± ¡°No way¡­ I took good care of you and looked after you! But how! How can you, of all people, have a child!¡± Lee-yeon sighed. He clearly wasn¡¯t listening at all. His eyes twitched in rage and he pressed his palms to his face. ¡°I¡¯m calling the police.¡± Lee-yeon took out her phone and dialed for the police. ¡°Lee-yeon, no matter how much I think about it, I can¡¯t believe you got married. Were you forced to live with him because of some debt or due to unavoidable circumstances? If that¡¯s the case, I understand. I can help.¡± I really hate those eyes. Vile, filthy thing. He was an idiot. He loved nothing and no one more than himself. He always wanted to y the savior even when nobody needed one. Least of all, Lee-yeon. She just wanted him to disappear from her life. He was a fool and a stalker. And he knew how to wield his influence. It was a sad and frustrating thing to be a target of someone as petty as him. ¡°Hello, police station?¡± said Lee-yeon, ring at Hwang Jo-yoon. ¡°A stalker broke into my house.¡± ¡°Lee-yeon, I¡¯m just really worried about you!¡± said Hwang Jo-yoon animatedly. ¡°Seems like he¡¯s drunk,¡± said Lee-yeon into the phone. ¡°He¡¯s making a scene and talking nonsense.¡± ¡°So Lee-yeon!¡± Hwang Jo-yoon¡¯s face turned red and acted as though she had betrayed him. ¡°Is caring for you considered a crime?!¡± Lee-yeon put the phone away from her ear for a second. ¡°No, but stalking someone is definitely a crime, and so is snakingly climbing up their windows. You find pleasure in killing insects!¡± Her eyes are unfamiliar.Hwang Jo-yoon thought to himself. The So Lee-yeon he remembered from the past had been a lonely, easy-going girl who had been easy to convince and subdue. Director So of today gave off a very different aura. Somebody who had witnessed a murder and had been forced to live with a murderer for two years would obviously change. Lee-yeon had always lived on edge and alert about everything. It was no surprise that she was more cautious now. For Lee-yeon, every day was a danger and she had to tread carefully. The man in front of her right now didn¡¯t really faze her as much as it would have, in the past. She had be bold. ¡°It¡¯s just funny how you y with ants, kill small helpless insects and pretend to be so mighty. Even my eight-year-old Gyu-baek doesn¡¯t do that. It¡¯s funny how a child is more mature than you, an adult man.¡± Hwang Jo-yoon¡¯s lips twitched in anger. ¡°Are, are you sure about who your husband is? When we metst time, it seemed like he had a problem controlling his temper. Are you not struggling to live with a man like him?¡± He sounded pushy. ¡°Am I asking too much? We can go to the district office together, and you can show me the document, and it¡¯s all done!¡± ¡°Enough!¡± yelled Lee-yeon. ¡°I don¡¯t have to prove anything to you. Who the hell are you anyway?¡± ¡°Your attitude is driving me crazy, you know that?¡± He shouted with his spit flying. ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m a psycho, it¡¯s that you¡¯re the bitch that drives me to act like this!¡± Lee-yeon realized that nothing she said would matter. She didn¡¯t want to argue with the worthless shit anymore. I¡¯d rather just beat him up and break his jaw. When Lee-yeon raised her arm as if to throw a handful of dirt piled up on the cart, Hwang Jo-yoon staggered back. ¡°Mind your own businesses. My personal life is not your concern. There¡¯s absolutely nothing about you that¡¯s appealing. I wonder where your confidencees from, you worthless piece of shit.¡± It had been several years since Lee-yeon got kicked out of Hospital D because of Hwang Jo-yoon. He imed to love her, but the truth was he could never love anyone but himself. He was toxic. He was a stalker. He just wanted to own her. He probably tried making other women¡¯s life miserable and when they didn¡¯t put up with his shit, he was targeting Lee-yeon again because she had been easier to control in the past. ¡°I have a very scary husband,¡± said Lee-yeon. ¡°Lee-yeon¡­¡± said Hwang Jo-yoon, almost begging. ¡°He isn¡¯t afraid of anybody. And yes, he sometimes has difficulty controlling his temper. Not with me though. He does bite, you know. So, if I were you, I would run.¡± Suddenly she was reminded of ¡®the night¡¯ when Kwon Chae-woo buried his face in her neck. She suddenly became embarrassed and let out a cough. She then lowered her voice and spoke firmly. ¡°Besides, he¡¯s good at burying things.¡± She gestured towards the yard full of shovels. ¡°You better stay out of sight. He is already angry at you.¡± Lee-yeon turned around and went inside. Hwang Jo-yoon was not someone who heeded any kind of warning. He stared at her receding back and recalled the twenty-two-year-old Lee-yeon whom he had known. I must lead this straymb to the right path, he thought. Cold spring breeze blew. Lee-yeon closed the curtain. Hwang Jo-yoon was still standing outside, staring at her coldly. His eyes reminded her of the ck lens of a camera. He looked angry. Lee-yeon¡¯s face hardened. She was sick of his creepy eyes. From that day, Hwang Jo -yoon¡¯s stalking started yet again. Chapter 31: Chapter 31: I want to wake Kwon Chae-woo. The thought of Kwon Chae-woo upied him. She could think of nothing else. ¡°Really¡­again?¡± The police officer at the front door was bored. Lee-yeon was stressed. It didn¡¯t matter how many calls she made, nothing ever changed. Every morning when she opened the door, she found roses at the porch. She could feel his tenacious gaze everywhere. She ran in Hwang Jo-yoon multiple times a day. He seemed to be wherever she was. He would say hello to her. She wouldn¡¯t respond. She was on the verge of a mental breakdown. I should have called the police when he was clinging on my window. Filth, vile cockroach! Lee-yeon collected the fingerprints from the windowsill with tapes. She even bought and set up a trap for catching animals. ¡°As I said before, his face and identity cannot be confirmed by the CCTV cameras. Besides, several people other than the man also nced at your house over the wall.¡± ¡° What about the roses?¡± ¡°There is an alibi who can confirm that Hwang Jo-yoon was already at his work at that time.¡± Lee-yeon wiped her face, looking stressed. Her face darkened even more. ¡°Then what am I supposed to do? You are the police! He watches me all day. You are supposed to help me.¡± ¡°Is that how you feel?¡± The police looked at her and let out a sigh. Lee-yeon knew he was judging her. His tone was so very patronizing. She felt helpless and discouraged to speak more. In the end, the police left without offering her any solution. A young policewoman who had been watching everything unfold came up to her. After making sure the policeman was in his car, she whispered to Lee-yeon. ¡°Local big-shots are involved in this case,¡± said the policewoman. ¡°What?¡± said Lee-yeon. She felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. ¡°I went to Hospital D to check Hwang Jo-yoon¡¯s alibi, but the authorities immediately contacted our police box, warning us not to mess with them.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s fear hade true. She couldn¡¯t respond. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The policewoman looked at her sympathetically.Lee-yeon nodded. It was no surprise that Director Jo was trying to take advantage of his connections again. ¡°And there¡¯s a record that you made a false report two years ago, so¡­¡± said the policewoman softly. Then she nodded a goodbye and left her. She was telling Lee-yeon that big-shots were involved, and her false report two years ago didn¡¯t work in her favor at all. So I shouldn¡¯t do anything? * * * ¡°Make up your mind before waking him up.¡± Choo-ja said unexpectedly seeing Lee-yeon in the room watching Kwon Chae-woo intently. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lee-yeon had be ragged. She had lost so much weight because of all the stress. Choo-ja looked at Lee-yeon with pity in her eyes. ¡°If you are going to use him, you should give something in return too.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What I¡¯m saying is that you should make up your mind. If you want to treat him like a murderer to the end, then it doesn¡¯t matter. But if you seek his help¡­ itplicates things.¡± Choo-ja looked into her eyes. ¡°Forget about the old Kwon Chae-woo, no matter what he did. Treat him like a new man¡± Lee-yeon looked at Choo-ja in shock. ¡°He doesn¡¯t remember who he is. His memory is wiped clean. He is nothing right now,¡± said Choo-ja. Lee-yeon wanted to leave the room. *** A murderer is a murderer. It doesn¡¯t matter whether he had the memory of the crime he hadmitted. It doesn¡¯t erase the fact that he had killed someone and lee-yeon had seen him. Just because he doesn¡¯t remember it doesn¡¯t mean he hadn¡¯tmitted a crime. A person was dead. Knowing that eased Lee-yeon¡¯s guilt of lying to Kwon Chae-woo a little. But Choo-ja was telling Lee-yeon to take one step further. ¡°Lee-yeon, that man doesn¡¯t have any memory. Kwon Chae-woo is not the same person you saw at the mountain. He is apletely new person that neither you nor Kwon Chae-woo himself knows.¡± So, Lee-yeon didn¡¯t know what to say. It wasn¡¯t as easy as Choo-ja said it was. He wasn¡¯t a ¡®new¡¯ person. He was still who he was: A murderer. If she woke him, it would be easy to convince him. Her problem would be solved if he threatened Hwang Jo-yoon. He would never show his face here again. But¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll stay in the office until morning.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about this,¡± said Lee-yeon, ¡°I need to clear my mind a bit.¡± Lee-yeon crossed the living room and went into the office. Choo-ja heard a rustling sound, and she found Lee-yeon wearing hertex surgical gloves. It seemed like Lee-yeon was going to spend the whole night making a new fertilizer. She skillfullyid a stic sheet on the table and pulled a ck tin from the mini-fridge. Choo-ja closed the door and left her to her devices. Choo-ja quietly opened Lee-yeon¡¯s bedroom door. She looked at Kwon Chae-woo peacefully sleeping on the bed. She had recently received a call from the inquiry agency where she had put in a request to verify Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s identity. ¡°Ma¡¯am, please do not call here again. We are out of this! We do not require you to pay the rest of the inquiry fee. In fact, we will refund your whole money. Please do not contact us again.¡± The agency had hung up immediately after. When Choo-ja tried to contact them again, their number was out of service. It had confused her immensely. She had found a clue regarding the mountain behind the Spruce Tree Hospital. The mountain, the unmanagednd around it and the surround trails was of a size equivalent to 1/4 of Hwaido. It was all owned by one person: Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°Lee-yeon¡­ what kind of a man did you bring to this house?¡± murmured Choo-ja to herself. Hi, thanks for reading this chapter. Please consider supporting this novel by leaving a review on Novelupdates! If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Kwon Chae-woo had a very long dream. But the moment he opened his eyes, he forgot everything about it. He frowned in annoyance. But his frustration evaporated when he felt warmth in his arms. ¡°Lee-yeon¡­¡± Lee-yeon slept with her face buried in his arms. He checked the hem of her sleeves. The ends of her sleeves were wet with tears likest time. He was sick of his nightmares. It made him feel pathetic when she saw him crying. ¡°Lee-yeon.¡­¡± Kwon Chae-woo had no idea how much time had passed. He tried to gently shake her awake so that he could ask her how long he had slept. But she snuggled against his chest. She was always so frightened ad on edge when he was close. He smiled seeing her sleeping peacefully against his chest. He didn¡¯t want to wake her anymore. He studied her face. Her eyelids twitched and she frowned. Is she having a bad dream? He rested his chin on is hand and watched her sleep. Just then, Lee-yeon slowly fluttered her eyes open. When she saw him, her eyes widened in recognition. Kwon Chae-woo felt his emptiness being filled by a soothing satisfaction. ¡°Good morning,¡± he said. ¡°Ah!¡± A cry involuntarilyescaped from her mouth. She was always shocked no matter how many times this happened. She could never get used to Kwon Chae-woo who slept like the dead days on end and suddenly woke up one day greeting her. It always felt disturbing. The corners of his mouth rose into a smile. ¡°H-hi,¡± said Lee-yeon, still groggy with sleep. ¡°How long was I asleep?¡± he asked. ¡°Um¡­ today is the eighth day.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ why did you wake me up so early? I deserve a longer punishment.¡± He reached out and removed the bandage from her neck. Her neck was still reddish where he had bit her. His face darkened. ¡°It¡¯s still bruised.¡± Tears welled up in Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes. She bit on her lips to hold back her tears. The veins on Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s neck throbbed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Lee-yeon?¡± he asked gently. He sat up straight and stroked her cheeks. It was then that he noticed that she had dark circles under her eyes and her cheeks were so hollow. She had lost a lot of weight. Kwon Chae-woo took her hands in his. ¡°Tell me what happened.¡± He looked at her. ¡°I am never leaving you alone ever again. I am not going to let you seep alone either. I will snatch you up or barge into your room if you don¡¯t tell me.¡± After a pause, Lee-yeon finally spoke up. ¡°A few things have bothered me. I tried to solve these on my own, but¡­ things aren¡¯t going the way I expected, and it¡¯s driving me crazy, so¡­ I¡­¡± Kwon Chae-woo silently stroked her hands. Her pulse was racing. She was just rambling now. ¡°Lee-yeon¡­ calm down.¡± Kwon Chae-woo looked into her eyes, trying to calm her down. She finally could calm her breathing. Kwon Chae-woo wiped her tears away. ¡°Remember Hwang Jo-yoon?¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face turned dark at the mention of his name. ¡°What about that bastard?¡± he asked in a low voice. ¡°He has been stalking me. He is always standing on the yard in front of the main door.¡± Lee-yeon wondered if Hwang Jo-yoon was trying to get a peek at Kwon Chae-woo instead of her. He probably thought she was lying about her marriage. Maybe Hwang Jo-yoon became more shameless and bolder because he didn¡¯t see Kwon Chae-woo in the house. Lee-yeon had been able to take a picture of him. She had been trembling in fear as she took it. Hwang Jo-yoon had smiled brazenly at her as though he feared nothing. Lee-yeon had immediately called the police but no one hade. Even behind the closed curtains, her blood had run cold because she could still his creepy eyes everywhere. In the end, there was only one ce where Lee-yeon could escape to. Kwon Chae-woo wasn¡¯t a switch she could turn on and off. It would be unfair to him as a human being. She had made up her mind. She would ask for his help, onest time. She felt guilty for using him whenever she needed and wishing for him to sleep other times. Despite everything, she knew that this man could put an end to her suffering once and for all. He would be more effective than the ignorant and corrupted police. Right now, what she needed was not thezy, insincere police but a ferocious wolf. Lee-yeon refused to be subdued and scared. She refused to take any more of Hwang Jo-yoon¡¯s shit. She faced Kwon Chae-woo with determined face and told him everything. ¡°You must have had a hard time.¡± Kwon Chae-woo said, after listening to him calmly. Kwon Chae-woo restrained himself from spitting curses at Hwang Jo-yoon. His rage boiled. He clenched his fists. ¡°I will take care of it.¡± He scowled at Hwang Jo-yoon¡¯s name but hugged Lee-yeon warmly. ¡°Leave it to your husband, Lee-yeon. You take some rest, alright?¡± ¡°Ah¡­I¡­¡± ¡°Just sleep well and eat well. Everything will be alright.¡± He hugged her even tighter. ¡°W-wait. N-no!¡± Lee-yeon pushed him away from her. Her eyes were filled with doubt and hesitation. She avoided his gaze and scratched at a spot on her cheek. Lee-yeon suddenly pushed the man away from her. For some reason, her eyes were filled with hesitation. She avoided the man¡¯s gaze and scratched her white cheek. ¡°I already caught that bug.¡± She said in hesitation. * * * Hwang Jo-yoon is the kind of person who doesn¡¯t know how to give up. It was that trait in him which allowed him to snag the first ce throughout his school years. He had graduated college with the same mentality and started working. He had never grown beyond that. He applied the same mentality to his rtionships. His belief was that there was nothing you couldn¡¯t achieve if you kept at it long enough. Unfortunately, he applied the same theory to people and rtionships without respecting what the other person might want. I put so much effort and time on you for five years¡­ ! I always escorted you from behind¡ªin case you might be afraid of walking alone at night. I even guided you to the right path so that you don¡¯t get along with toxic city friends. On rainy days, I often stayed up all night in front of your house like a bodyguard in case you might have trouble sleeping. But you always treated my pure love like garbage. One day, Hwang Jo-yoon found out that Lee-yeon had moved to an ind and opened a small hospital. He also heard the news that her hospital was failing. It wasn¡¯t even that surprising for him because he was well aware of So Lee-yeon¡¯s rebellious personality and the consequences it brought. After that, Hwang Jo-yoon bought the house across from Lee-yeon¡¯s hospital to use it only as a studio. All for Lee-yeon. But marriage?! How can you marry someone other than me?! So, Lee-yeon didn¡¯t get along with people. Anyone who knew her would already know that after they spent a while with her. In her twenties, she was even less social than she was now. She had no time for people. All her time was dedicated to learning about nts and trees. Her co-workers and supposed ¡®friends¡¯ always insulted her and called her crazy. They always insinuated that she go see a psychiatrist for her avoidance of people and obsession with nts. But she never let that get to her. As he had expected, Lee-yeon hadn¡¯t changed much. Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Hwang Jo-yoon tried to move but his limbs were tied very tightly. It was even impossible for him to stand. Every time he tried to wriggle free, he could smell the fertilizer on his philtrum. He tried to scream but the gag on his mouth muffled everything. The texture of the cloth that pushed past his blurry consciousness made his throat itch. He wanted to vomit. ¡°You tied it well.¡± The man bent on one knee and examined the knots. ¡°I thought it woulde in handy so I learnt how to.¡± ¡°How did you catch him?¡± ¡°With a pepper spray gun,¡± said Lee-yeon. ¡°I had prepared it because it¡¯s highly effective against pests. I knew Hwang Jo-yoon would be stalking me. It¡¯s amusing that it only took a vegetable tear gas to catch him.¡± ¡°I am very proud of you, Lee-yeon.¡± The man looked up at Lee-yeon warmly. Hwang Jo-yoon red. Why was the assholeing out of the house? Hwang Jo-yoon struggled and whimpered. Those two looked at him like he was a vile cockroach that had crawled into their house. There was no humanity in the gaze of the man looking at him. He looked as thought he could gut Hwang Jo-yoon¡¯s intestines and wouldn¡¯t bat an eye. Cold sweat ran down Hwang Jo-yoon¡¯s face. ¡°Leave it to me from here.¡± He stood up without taking his eyes off Hwang Jo-yoon. Lee-yeon grabbed Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s sleeves. ¡°You can¡¯t tell the cops! They¡¯ll just release him. They didn¡¯t help me at all. There¡¯s a CCTV in the yard. It must have filmed my attack. No one will see it as self-defense. The police are on his side. He is well-connected with those with money and a powerful background.¡± She stared at Kwon Chae-woo, wide-eyed. The man caressed her hair. He leaned towards her and stroked her cheek. ¡°I won¡¯t report it, I promise.¡± Lee-yeon didn¡¯t seem convinced. ¡°Did you forget? I will only do what you tell me to. So, don¡¯t worry. Just tell me what you want me to do to him,¡± Kwon Chae-woo urged. ¡°If you tell me to beat him up, I will,¡± said Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°If you tell me to remove his bones, I will.¡± She trembled. ¡°Just¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± said Kwon Chae-woo gently. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to see him ever again!¡± said Lee-yeon. Kwon Chae-woo nodded. ¡°That¡¯s good enough. It will be done.¡± ¡°I am not telling you to kill him, though! Don¡¯t kill him!¡± The most important thing with Kwon Chae-woo was that she should be very clear. He smirked. ¡°I won¡¯t kill him.¡± Lee-yeon looked at him. She didn¡¯t know what to make of his words and his smirk. But he only looked back fondly at her. Maybe Choo-ja was right. Maybe Kwon Chae-woo was only an empty vessel now. What he became depended on his environment. ¡°How can I even do that here?¡± he said with a smile. ¡°This is not a very suitable ce to kill someone.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s thinking fled out of her mind. Here she was thinking he was a new man, an empty vessel and he¡­ ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t want anyone killed. I don¡¯t want to be arrested as a murder suspect!¡± Kwon Chae-woo chuckled. She realized he was teasing her. ¡°I will do no such thing. I will just try to persuade him to not bother you. You should go home and take a nap. I will be there soon.¡± Lee-yeon hesitated. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, don¡¯t forget I was the one who caught him. I will be held under suspicion.¡± Kwon Chae-woo lifted an eyebrow at her words. ¡°Please don¡¯t get angry and lose your head. Don¡¯t get excited either! You¡­ you might get a headache and that won¡¯t be good!¡± Heughed. ¡°Don¡¯tugh. You still haven¡¯t recoveredpletely. I promised you that we would only see good things together and I am sorry for breaking that promise and making you do this.¡± He found her adorable. ¡°He never believed we were married,¡± she continued. ¡°That¡¯s why I wanted to show him. That¡¯s all. Nothing more than that, do you understand?¡± ¡°I understand,¡± he said while scratching his eyebrow with his thumb and trying to hide his smile. She was just too cute. He just wanted to carry her and take her back home. At least she looked relieved. She left reluctantly. Hwang Jo-yoon struggled as he saw her leaving. He tried to shout but only muffled whines were heard. He had no idea what they were talking about a while earlier. He had shamelessly wandered in and around her house thinking she was helpless. She had always been helpless. She could never do anything except trembling fear. He had climbed up the window and watched her face pale as she saw him. I still have power over you, he had thought. Until that day he had staked her and peeked into the window again. She had been angry. She had walked to him with firm steps and sprayed the pepper into his eyes and face. He screamed because of the burning in his eyes. She had then picked up a shovel and beat him up good. She had looked murderous. Why did her eyes look like that? Her face had been pale but her eyes¡­ ¡°Hwang Jo-yoon,¡± said Kwon Chae-woo, as he leaned at eye-level and grabbed his chin harshly. His brutal grip did not match his serene face. ¡°Where do you live?¡± He wanted to resist but he couldn¡¯t shake off the man¡¯s grip. ¡°I asked you where do you live?¡± said kwon Chae-woo, tightening his grip. He still looked serene. Almost bored. He looked as though he would yawn any minute now. Contrary to how he looked, his hands gripped so tightly as though he wouldn¡¯t mind crushing Hwang Jo-yoon¡¯s jaw. ¡°Uhhh¡­.!¡± ¡°Ahh, my apologies,¡± said Kwon Chae-woo looking at his gag. ¡°How could you answer with a gag that thick. It almost covers your whole mouth. Lee-yeon knows her work well. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± Kwon Chae-woo let go of his chin and untied the gag. Hwang Jo-yoon coughed to clear his throat. His nausea spilled down his lips as drool. ¡°But where did she learn to bite the finger that was down her throat?¡± sneered Hwang Jo-yoon. ¡°I am going to sue you all. Are you really So Lee-yeon¡¯s husband?¡± The man who had been staring in the air leaned towards him, his eyes sharp. He was quiet but he knew how to get the atmosphere to wrap around him when he needed. Hwang Jo-yoon leaned back. ¡°Show me proof then,¡± he said. ¡°Documents, legal forms, anything! Just show me.¡± ¡°I hate asking the third time,¡± said Kwon Chae-woo, ¡°Where do you live?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me? I am not telling you anything until you bring me some kind of proof. There is no way you are married to Lee-yeon.¡± ¡°Should I guess?¡± Kwon Chae-woo asked. He stood up and grabbed Hwang Jo-yoon¡¯s cors. His hands and feet were tied so kwon Chae-woo dragged him. ¡°Ah¡­! Let go! I said let go!¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°Lee-yeon, Lee-yeon!¡± screamed Hwang Jo-yoon. Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face hardened. ¡°I told you to stop calling her name.¡± ¡°Lee-yeon!¡± He struggled frantically. Kwon Chae-woo grabbed a handful of stones from the yard and shoved them inside Hwang Jo-yoon¡¯s mouth. ¡°Ughh¡­ uughh¡­.!¡± ¡°When I warn you kindly, you don¡¯t listen.¡± ¡°AAAAH!¡± ¡°Shut your mouth. Don¡¯t wake Lee-yeon.¡± Kwon Chae-woo clenched Hwang Jo-yoon¡¯s mouth shut. The stones were grinding between his teeth. The pain was almost unbearable. Hwang Jo-yoon started screaming hysterically. Chapter 34: Chapter 34: ¡°If you don¡¯t want to lose your teeth, shut your mouth.¡± He nodded in fear. ¡°Good boy!¡± Kwon Chae-woo dragged Hwang Jo-yoon out of the house. There was no one passing by on the street outside. Hwang Jo-yoon burst into tears. Kwon Chae-woo walked without hesitation to the house across the street. It was the house Hwang Jo-yoon had recently bought. Hwang Jo-yoon struggled. He was bleeding from his mouth. He was scared to go into that house with this man. ¡°Are you wondering how I found out about your hide-out?¡± asked Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°Well, one night, I was outside on the porch of the hospital, and I looked at this house across the street. If I were to be intimate with Lee-yeon, anyone looking outside the window of this house would see everything.¡± His voice was hoarse, as though he was trying to restrain his anger. ¡°You should have hidden until the end so that Lee-yeon wouldn¡¯t have noticed you,¡± said Kwon Chae-woo, dangerously, ¡°You only made her suffer.¡± Hwang Jo-yoon was petrified. ¡°It¡¯s better to grow up than act like a kid in an adult body and get kicked.¡± Kwon Chae-woo dragged the man, kicked the front door open. An instant before Hwang Jo-yoon was dragged inside, he saw a pedestrian walking by carrying a stic bag. He yelled desperately at the person. It was his only chance. The man in the baseball cap stopped in his tracks. He looked at them. He would definitely have seen Hwang Jo-yoon with his hands tied. He saw me! He saw me! A glimmer of hope shed across his face, but the pedestrian turned away and walked on in a hurry. Hisst hope was gone. Another pedestrian walked into another house in the neighborhood without a nce. What¡¯s wrong with the people in this country! There was no escape for Hwang Jo-yoon. The man with the baseball cap entered the house and put down the stic bag on the floor. Newspapers were scattered everywhere; some were piled up in bundles. Some kind of high-magnification lens was installed near the window. The man sat by the instrument and peered through it at Lee-yeon¡¯s house like it was his daily routine. He was making a fuss yesterday, and it looks like the man has been finally caught. ¡°He messed with the wrong person. He was caught by the master,¡± murmured the man. It was his first-time seeing Kwon Chae-woo so close in years. But this happiness over reunion didn¡¯tst long. The moment he saw Kwon Chae-woo mercilessly dragging the man inside the house, goosebumps broke out on his skin. If only he wasn¡¯t injured in the head¡­. The man¡¯s eyes widened, and he pulled out his phone. Kwon Chae-woo looked strangely calm. He had never seen him so calm and docile. As far as he had known him, Kwon Chae-woo had a fiery temper and murderous intent. It seemed that he had really lost his memory. ¡°Director, this is Beom-hee.¡± My master¡­ even if he was rendered docile by the injury, he is still capable of murder. * * * For the first time in days, Lee-yeon was d she could enjoy a deep and sound sleep. She sat in her bed and enjoyed the peace. She was subconsciously getting used to the unfamiliar scent on her pillow. For the first time in a while, Lee-yeon could enjoy deep and sound sleep. Just then the face of a man shed through her mind. So much for peace! She rubbed her eyes and walked to the living room. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo¡­¡± The man standing at the wok table, trimming bright red flowers looked quite adept at removing the thorns and pruning them without any sort of reluctance. Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes widened. Kwon Chae-woo looked at Lee-yeon standing in the middle of the living room. ¡°Lee-yeon,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± He put the flowers down. Looking at him casually smiling at her, she felt that the pat events of the week had been so unreal. He walked to her. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked. ¡°I have been practicing flower arrangement.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well, I want to start working again,¡± he said, ¡°I want to get back to my normal life. Or what it used to be before I lost my memory.¡± Lee-yeon felt a prick of her conscience. She had never felt any regrets with the lies she had created because she had done it to save herself. But¡­ right now she couldn¡¯t look him in the face. She turned her eyes away. ¡°Where did you get the flowers from?¡± ¡°I picked them from the flowerbed outside.¡±He gestured towards the window. Lee-yeon nced at him as he looked at the window. He had a sharp jawline and smooth skin. He turned back to her, and their eyes met. ¡°Do you want me to tie your hair up?¡±he offered. ¡°Ah¡­ I look a bit messy now, right?¡± Embarrassed, Lee-yeonbed her hair with her hand. ¡°No,¡± he calmly walked closer to her and grabbed her shoulders and turned her around. ¡°It¡¯s just an excuse because I want to touch your hair.¡± Chapter 35: Chapter 35: He pulled off the rubber band that held the flowers together. He gathered her hair up to tie them. His eyes caught on the nape of her neck. ¡°Hwang Jo-yoon won¡¯t be any more trouble,¡± he said. He felt her body stiffen. ¡°So, you don¡¯t need to worry anymore,¡± he said gently. Lee-yeon touched her hair awkwardly. She felt different from usual with her hair tied up. ¡°So pretty,¡±said Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°Um¡­ Me?¡± She asked. The man smiled and leaned against the table. ¡°You can hide behind your work clothes all you want,¡± he said, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t fool me. When youe to bed at night after a shower, I know how pretty you are.¡± Lee-yeon blushed. She was speechless. ¡°Do you even know how that drives me crazy?¡± She stood there without a word and covered her face with her hands. * * * The scarlet sunset shone on her small back.Lee-yeon, with surgical gloves, was busy cleaning out the flower bed. She was skillful in what she did. She gently touched the nts, watered them, tilled the soil and cut the ragged branches and offshoots. She was very focused on taking care of the nts. Kwon Chae-woo looked at her, mesmerized, half-wishing to divert her attention from the nts to him. Did she take care of me like that when I was in a vegetative state? He wondered. He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her. Lee-yeon reminded him of a creature from a fairy tale. He was so attracted to her. He wanted to abduct her and take her somece where only they could be together. Lee-yeon hid behind thickyers of clothes and the dirt. But Kwon Chae-woo knew whaty underneath. A fidgety girl with soft skin and scars. He was enthralled by her small nose, pretty eyes and red lips. She seemed entirely unaware of how beautiful she actually was. Kwon Chae-woo tried not to stare but it didn¡¯t work. The more he looked at her, the more he wanted to be closer to her. Lee-yeon strokes that tiny leaf, and yet my body trembles¡­ Time seemed to pass very slowly. Lee-yeon wiped the sweat from her forehead and caressed the flower nts as thoughplimenting it. She then picked up the fallen flowers from the ground and turned and smiled suddenly at Kwon Chae-woo. He was taken aback. It was the first time she had looked at him and smiled so brightly from the time he had met her. He swallowed and clenched his fists. That smiled contained all his happiness. ¡®You¡­ Are you really So Lee-yeon¡¯s husband?¡­ Bring me proof. Show me proof that you guys are married!¡¯ Kwon Chae-woo recalled Hwang Jo-yoon¡¯s words from days past. He looked at her. ¡°Lee-yeon, have you ever tried sucking a flower?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I tried it a few times when I was young.¡± ¡°Then teach me.¡± ¡°Teach you what?¡± Lee-yeon, carrying flower petals in both hands. Kwon Chae-woo walked towards the wall and picked a white acacia. Lee-yeon flinched and tried to stop him, but the flower was plucked in the blink of an eye. ¡°I want you to teach me how to suck and lick it all the way to the bottom.¡± She looked at him perplexed. ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to leave anything behind.¡± *** The petals from her hands fluttered away in the wind. It was only acacia in his hands, but it reminded her of the helpless chicken he had killed. Lee-yeon held her breath. Kwon Chae-woo raised the acacia to her mouth. ¡°You have to demonstrate first.¡± Her face was nk and pale. Kwon Chae-woo looked at her as though studying her. While Lee-yeon sucked the acacia, the man¡¯s gaze was fixed on her lips. ¡°One more time.¡± He put the flower in her mouth again. A cold finger touched her lower lip. ¡°Is it good?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I think it tasted good when I was young, but now it¡¯s not as sweet as I remember. Maybe I have be used to sweeter snacks¡­¡± ¡°Then how about using your tongue?¡± ¡°What?¡± Her eyes widened at the unexpected question. ¡°If you look here, there is a hole through which honeyes out¡ª¡± He pointed to the tip of the acacia ¡°So you just suck, and that¡¯s it?¡±she asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be possible to eat the whole thing by sticking your tongue into the hole? It¡¯s a waste if you leave it. Try.¡± He handed her the flower again, telling her to try it. She knew that there was something strange about the situation, but she couldn¡¯t really say with any uracy. She nced at Kwon Chae-woo and began to lick the tip of the acacia. Se heard a shortugh and her face turned red. She was embarrassed for falling for this. ¡°This is not how I usually eat!¡± ¡°Then how?¡± ¡°I just chew on the tip a little¡­ ¡± ¡°You chew it?¡± ¡°Yes, if you chew it, the remaining honey will pop¡­¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s shadowy on her. Lee-yeon had a feeling that if she went any closer to him, she would be swallowed up by his shadow. ¡°It¡¯s actually not bad to eat like that.¡± He also started sucking on a flower, but his eyes never left Lee-yeon. ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± He reached out a finger and rubbed on her lips. She stepped back from him suddenly. ¡°Sorry¡­ the honey dripped down your lips.¡± Liar. Lee-yeon knew that there was nothing on her face. Nevertheless, she blushed at his touch. ¡°I think I prefer to eat it peeled.¡± Chapter 36: Chapter 36: The front door mmed shut behind them and their lips met. Kwon Chae-woo pushed her against the wall and sucked on her lower lip. He pushed his tongue into her mouth while his hands pulled at her hair. Lee-yeon¡¯s neck shuddered at the sensation. This was her first time experiencing something like this. She had never imagined herself getting so close to a man with his tongue down her throat. The man nibbled at her lips and pushed his tongue deeper. With their mouth smacked against each other, all her thoughts were scattered. Lee-yeon could only gasp for breath because this was so overwhelming. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Wait, wait¡­. What the hell is happening? We were just eating flowers until just a few minutes ago! Lee-yeon thought about what happened a while earlier. There had been a very strange atmosphere between them under than sunset. Lee-yeon was grappling with unfamiliar feelings when Kwon Chae-woo suddenly pulled her into the house for a kiss. His face had hardened. That was how this started. She tried to push him away, but he was too strong. He sucked at her lips passionately and pulled her to him even more firmly. His tongue stubbornly stroked and licked hers. She pushed hard against his chest. Their eyes met. Unlike his warm lips, his eyes were cold. Lee-yeon flinched. Kwon Chae-woo pulled her closer to him. He held her tightly and sucked on her lips, deepening his kiss. He sucked all the nectar that the flower had left in her mouth. Their sound filled the house. Lee-yeon trembled and epted the kiss. I should stop him, she thought weakly. She pushed him and hit him on his shoulders as hard as she could, but he pushed her towards the sofa without taking his lips off of her even for a second. Lee-yeon hit him harder. She turned her head away, avoiding his kiss. He just turned her to him and kissed her again while his other hand pressed her waist to him. The more she pushed him, the more he held her. They tripped and fell on the sofa. He leaned over her and finally broke the kiss. He was panting. His sharp eyes reminded her of a wild animal. ¡°Would it be okay to ask my wife if I can sleep with her?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡­um¡­,¡± Lee-yeon didn¡¯t know what to say. Something hard and thick pressed against her stomach. She could tell what it was. It urged her to answer fast. ¡°Did you forget that we are in a tonic rtionship?¡¯ ¡°That was the old days.¡± Kwon Chae-woo slightly frowned. ¡°I am not the same person.¡± He smiled. ¡°Forget about the old Kwon Chae-woo and let me help you have fun.¡± Lee-yeon had always molded the rtionship as she saw fit. She had been the one who got to make the decisions but now everything seemed chaotic. She felt helpless and confused. He lowered his head and kissed her again. ¡°I will be gentle,¡± he whispered. Unlike a moment ago, when he was aggressively thrusting his tongue inside her mouth, he ced a chaste, gentle kiss on her lips now. But his eyes told another story entirely. ¡°Trust me,¡± he said, ¡°I will stop if you tell me to stop. I will go on, if you tell me to.¡± He bit her at the neckline of her shirt, grazing her br*asts. Lee-yeon curled her toes in anticipation. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s difficult for me.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked. Lee-yeon tried to think of something. Anything at all. ¡°You¡­ you probably won¡¯t like it either, because¡­,¡± she raked her brain for excuses. ¡°Because I am¡­ very insensitive when ites to things like this! Not intentionally but, I justy there like a rock until it finishes. Trust me, we have done this before. It didn¡¯t work.¡± Her words rang in the silent room. ¡°That¡¯s funny,¡± he said. ¡°What is?¡± ¡°You. Making excuses.¡± He smirked. ¡°I wonder how many interesting excuses you have prepared in that mind of yours.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s face hardened. ¡°If we really got married and we really love each other, you need toe up with better excuses,¡± he said. ¡°Juste up with something more convincing next time.¡± He lifted her up so that she was sitting up on the sofa. * * * Lee-yeon felt that it was really embarrassing having to use the same bed with Kwon Chae-woo after what had happened in the day. While she showered, Kwon Chae-woo had dropped by her office and picked up a book. She sat awkwardly on the bed, trying not to look at him. ¡°Goodnight, Lee-yeon,¡± he said. ¡°Are you not going to sleep?¡± she asked, surprised. ¡°You go to sleep first,¡± he said, ¡°I want to read a little before I sleep.¡± He turned off the light and walked to the bed. He then turned on the bedsidemp, pulled the nket over him and leaned back to read. The silence in the room was only disturbed by the sound of pages turning. But it wasn¡¯t only Kwon Chae-woo who wasn¡¯t sleepy. It was close to midnight and Lee-yeon didn¡¯t feel drowsy. She didn¡¯t know whether it was because she was anxious and fidgety or because she had woken up sote in the morning that it had been almost afternoon. In the end, Lee-yeon pretended to sleep while sneakily observing Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s profile in the nket. He quietly read the book. He seemed like a different person. He was certainly different from the one who had kissed her so aggressively in the afternoon. Lee-yeon found it unfair because it seemed like she was the only one who couldn¡¯t stop thinking about what had happened. His every move, every word made her feel nervous and anxious. She didn¡¯t know what to do. Just then, Kwon Chae-woo closed the book with a snap. Chapter 37: Chapter 37: ¡°Are you telling me not to read a book?¡± Kwon Chae-woo turned his head and looked down at Lee-yeon. His eyes were suffocatingly silent like a tranquil sea. ¡°What? But what did I do?¡± ¡°How can I concentrate on my book when my wife is looking at me like that?¡± He let out a long sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°It¡¯s because I can¡¯t sleep.¡± He put the book down as he looked into her big eyes. ¡°Then, Lee-yeon, can you tell me about the old days?¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°About the two of us. For example, our first-¡± ¡°¨Dour first night?¡± Kwon Chae-wooy down on her side. His slightly twitched eyebrows looked dissatisfied. ¡°Not that one, but about how we first met.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear about a worthless bastard who only c*ms quickly.¡± Immediately, Lee-yeon coughed in awkwardness, hoping he wouldn¡¯t notice her flustered cheeks. ¡®A man in a ck raincoat holding a shovel was in the mountain¡­¡¯ Lee-yeon tried to erase the image that immediately came to her mind. She instead said, ¡°We met in the mountains. I left my belongings behind that day, but you thankfully followed me and gave it to me. That¡¯s how we met.¡± Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t that hard to change the genre from horror to romance. ¡°That¡¯s ssic.¡± ¡°Yeah, it was.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that it was a handkerchief that I brought to you.¡± Hearing his question, Lee-yeon smiled and swallowed words she couldn¡¯t say. ¡®It was my favorite electric saw.¡¯ ¡°It was just a smallb.¡± The man also smiled as if he was trying to picture their first meeting in his head. When she saw the man¡¯s eyes softly smiling at her, she suddenly had the bitter taste of guilt in her mouth. ¡°From now on, you will have to be more faithful to your husband if it¡¯s true that we got married because we really love each other.¡± She remembered Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s words which now rang in her ears. It was full of hope and affection. ¡®If only he knew¡­¡¯ The more lies she made, the more she felt like she was being pushed to the edge of a cliff. Kwon Chae-woo seemed obedient most of the time. But once in a while, he would say things that made her blood run cold. And that meant that he was still doubting. Therefore, Lee-yeon needed to make lies that appeared more sincere. ¡®There¡¯s a saying that one climbs over a hill only to face yet another hill, and I guess I¡¯m the one who¡¯s climbing that hill right now.¡¯ * * * ¡°Is Spruce Tree Hospital here?¡± Finally, it was the day of the open tournament. ¡°Yes, we are here!¡± Lee-yeon raised her hand as she gasped. On the slope of the dense forest with a twone road behind it, people gathered there looked up at the 30-meter-tall Ginkgo tree with their mouths open in astonishment. Anyone could tell at a nce that the crooked branch was dangerous. Besides, the orientation of the other trees surrounding the crooked Ginkgo tree was also leaning in a dangerous angle. ¡°There are two other people besides Director So Lee-yeon working in Spruce Tree Hospital, am I right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Wait what?!¡± She turned to the inspector and asked again. ¡°Two people?¡± Of course, in her mind, Spruce Tree Hospital was a prestigious hospital consisting of tree doctor So Lee-yeon herself, arborist Gye Choo-ja, flower arranger Kwon Chae-woo, and insect doctor Lee Gyu-baek. But the reality was that the two women were barely paying the electricity bill to run a hospital. ¡®But who¡¯s the other officially registered employee besides Choo-ja?¡¯ ¡°It says here it¡¯s Mr. Kwon Chae-woo.¡± ¡®What?! But as the director, I¡¯ve never officially registered him as the hospital¡¯s employee!¡¯ Lee-yeon was frozen in ce, as much so as if she had been turned to stone. But when she noticed Kwon Chae-woo staring at her right next to her, she quickly smiled and pretended like she wasn¡¯t surprised at all. ¡°Yes, yes¡­. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡®I see. If someone secretly did this, there is only one person thates to my mind right now.¡¯ It can only be that man. Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s older brother, Kwon Ki-seok. Lee-yeon pressed her forehead with her finger and closed her eyes. The man who reminded her of his existence asionally. The thought of him made her tense, and her breathing got faster. ¨C So Lee-yeon, how have you been? He called Lee-yeon once every three months. The intention was clear. His call was the firewood that was trying to ignite her tension. Just hearing his voice reminded her of the threat of that night. As the number of calls piled up, Lee-yeon slowly lost her will. ¡®¡­I feel like he¡¯s watching me.¡¯ Her heart began to thrum wildly against her chest. ¡®When will I be free from the shackles¡­?¡¯ When Kwon Chae-woo was in a vegetative state up to the moment of his awakening, Lee-yeon had been stressed. She thought she would lose her mind eventually. Luckily, there were times of respite when she could forget of the man residing under her roof. All the expenses, including the nursing cost, were taken care of by Kwon Ki-seok. Besides, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s doctor regrly visited for a medical check-up. Lee-yeon didn¡¯t have to worry about anything and could focus on her work. As if everything that had happened on that night was a dream, Lee-yeon quickly returned to her normal life, and everything was peaceful. She sometimes couldn¡¯t believe she came out of the ughterhouse without a single finger cut off. To Kwon Ki-seok, Lee-yeon was a hostage, and to Lee-yeon, Kwon Chae-woo was a hostage, her lifeline. But ever since Kwon Chae-woo woke up, everything changed. A seed of suspicion began sprouting in her because it didn¡¯t make sense that a man like Kwon Ki-seok still couldn¡¯t catch the real culprit after two years had passed. Perhaps she had already foolishly walked into the prison built by Kwon Ki-seok. Chapter 38: Chapter 38: ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s hand lifted Lee-yeon¡¯s face. His warm palm gently melted her frozen cheeks. ¡°The tournament has begun.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± His voice woke up Lee-yeon, who was lost in thoughts. She bit the tip of her tongue at the sudden warmth. Just then, someone shouted. ¡°We will start with the Green Tree Hospital!¡±. Lee-yeon sped her hands and stretched out her arms. ¡®Thinking about an unanswerable question right now doesn¡¯t help at all.¡¯ Soon, the camera started recording. The director of Green Hospital and a staff member tied a rope around their waist. After finishing the preparations, they quickly grabbed the saw for pruning and began climbing the tree. Seeing him climbing the tree without hesitation, Lee-yeon clenched her fists. Just then, she heard a sigh behind her. ¡°I don¡¯t understand this situation. Are you telling me you¡¯re going to do that?¡± Kwon Chae-woo was standing there with his face distorted by anger and confusion. Since she had never told Kwon Chae-woo about the details of the tournament, it must have taken some time for him to figure out what was going on. Lee-yeon shrugged her shoulders, shading her eyes with her hands. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of heights.¡± Kwon Chae-woo looked up at the crooked tree and appeared unimpressed, ¡°That¡¯s not the problem. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°I still have to do it. I¡¯m good at climbing trees like a monkey.¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s frown deepened, swallowing the stinging words that almost came out from his mouth like a fire. ¡®Good at climbing trees? But your face is growing pale.¡¯ Although it was clear that she was tense, Lee-yeon pretended like she was not afraid of anything. ¡°¡­!¡± A few minutester. Suddenly, there was amotion from above. Then she saw the director of Green Hospitaling down without even getting closer to the branch. As soon as his feetnded on the ground, the director shook his head firmly and burst intoughter. ¡°Do they want us to die or something¡­?¡± He muttered to himself and turned to Lee-yeon. ¡°You should think twice before doing this, Director So. The branches are more curved than I thought. I couldn¡¯t even climb on them, afraid that they would snap.¡± Lee-yeon held her breath. Choo-ja, who was standing right next to her, tried to convince her to give up. ¡°Lee-yeon, wouldn¡¯t it be better for us to withdraw from this test?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What if something happens? Even if you won¡¯t win the mary reward, at least you are safe. Let¡¯s just withdraw¡ª¡± ¡°Then our hospital will be eliminated immediately.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes looked very determined. Choo-ja snorted at her. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you didn¡¯t want to be in front of the cameras?¡± ¡°¡­But I¡¯m sure this is something I can do well.¡± Lee-yeon muttered as she turned her head away. ¡°Do you really want to take a risk like this? If you treat the clients more friendly, they¡¯ll keeping to our hospital one after another!¡± Choo-ja¡¯s using voice was enough to make the bystanders look their way. ¡°That sounds very unlikely¡­¡± To her syurprise, Choo-ja sneakily winked at Lee-yeon and nced at Kwon Chae-woo. Lee-yeon could immediately tell what her wink meant and dropped her head in embarrassment. It was to appease Kwon Chae-woo, insinuating that Lee-yeon doesn¡¯t entertain men other than him. ¡®You can do this, Lee-yeon. You even fought Kwon Chae-woo with a saw in the mountain and won, so this is a piece of cake.¡¯ ¡°Are you ready, Spruce Tree Hospital?¡± The manager who was taking notes on the tablet called Lee-yeon. Kwon Chae-woo stopped her and snatched the rope she was holding over her head. ¡°Lee-yeon, it¡¯s not toote yet.¡± ¡°Give it back!¡± She stood on tiptoe and stretched out her arms. ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you if you go home with me.¡± ¡°Are you kidding with me right now?¡± ¡°I wish I was. Why are you being so reckless?¡± Looking at him, Lee-yeon was suddenly lost for words. She had never seen Kwon Chae-woo looked so worried. ¡°¡­Yes, I¡¯m scared, but responsibilityes before that. This is apetitive bid, and I¡¯m willing to participate. So, give me the rope.¡± Silence. ¡°You said you¡¯ll do whatever I tell you to do.¡± When Kwon Chae-woo still kept his mouth shut, Lee-yeon asked, cing her hand on her waist without realizing it. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, are you trying to argue with me right now?¡± ¡®Ah, I didn¡¯t mean to say something childish like this¡­.¡¯ Lee-yeon wanted to take back her words, but it was already toote. The moment Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s eyes narrowed, her heart beat faster, and her hands immediately became sweaty. He stared at Lee-yeon but soon lowered his gaze. ¡°No, Lee-yeon. How can I ever do that?¡± It was hard to read his face, but his eyes looked darker than usual. The obedient man tied the rope around Lee-yeon¡¯s waist. Surprisingly, he hooked and knotted the rope step by step. Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes widened at the skillful and quick movements of his hands. Just then, a raspy voice brought her back from her reverie. ¡°You don¡¯t even think about your husband, do you?¡± Every time he checked the joints, her body wobbled back and forth like paper. Kwon Chae-woo clenched his jaw so tight that she could hear the creak of bone. Lee-yeon held her breath. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to disturb you, I just wanted to protect you. And I wasn¡¯t kidding, I really wanted you tofort me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m anxious.¡± Lee-yeon could only blink her eyes at the man¡¯s voice. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go anywhere far.¡± His cold eyes were boiling. ¡°I made it clear that I don¡¯t want to be apart from you, even a little.¡± His gaze contained no malice, no hate, no irrational satisfaction from anger. It was fundamentally different from what she saw from her family. All she could see was the pure affection towards her. She suddenly felt her heart tickle. Chapter 39: Chapter 39: ¡°Spruce Hospital, are you ready?¡± It was only then that Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes left Kwon Chae-woo. Choo-ja handed the saw with a worried face. Lee-yeon carried the saw on her back and covered her palms with rosin powder. ¡®Your blood was on this saw.¡¯ Lee-yeon confessed inwardly. She deceived and tamed a man who lost his memory. She couldn¡¯t stop feeling ufortable seeing a man who was being brainwashed in the participation of his brother too. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± She ignored the man¡¯s gaze. She was light on her feet, skillfully climbing the tree. Her thighs, knees, and elbows got scratched everywhere in an instant, but she didn¡¯t stop moving. After 40 minutes of climbing a 30-meter tall ginkgo tree, her clothes were soaked with sweat. The problem was that her arms and legs started to feel numb even before she could start cutting the branches. Still, she thought of the tree that had been neglected for a long time and clenched her teeth. She wanted to help the tree, which had to bear its burden. As she got closer to the crooked branch, Lee-yeon became more impatient. When she finally reached near the top, she turned towards the crooked branch. The bent branch could not bear the weight of Lee-yeon and began to sway in arge parab. ¡°Uh, oh.¡±In her entire life, Lee-yeon had never thought that she was afraid of heights, but¨D ¡®I am actually afraid of heights¡­¡­?¡¯ It¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t have acrophobia, it¡¯s that she just wasn¡¯t aware of it because she had never experienced climbing this high. When she arrived at the top of the tree, her heart pounded, and her legs trembled. ¡®Now I know why the director of Green Hospital gave up.¡¯ It was almost impossible to stand on the shaking twisted branches. ¡®If it fails to withstand my weight and breaks, it will strike the road behind.¡¯ ¡°Ah!¡± Just then, a startled scream erupted from below. Several people began shouting at once, but Lee-yeon didn¡¯t even have time to look around. The sound of people shouting hit the back of her head like a wave. It was when Lee-yeon, who had managed to keep her bnce, grabbed the saw. Suddenly, her body tilted, and her strength drained from her thighs. ¡®Ah sh*t!¡¯ She slipped helplessly. Thanks to the rope, she won¡¯t die. However, since it was her first time working at such height, Lee-yeon instinctively closed her eyes in fright. ¡®I¡¯m falling¡­!¡¯ It was when she was about to pass out. Someone held her body tight and lifted her waist. It hurt as if her ribs were about to break. ¡°I got you.¡± Lee-yeon had a sudden sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach at the sound of the voice. Kwon Chae-woo was holding her in his arms with his big hands tightly wrapped around her waist. Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°K-kwon Chae-woo?¡± Lee-yeon quickly turned her head to the man. What came into her eyes was the sharp tip of his nose and his eyes containing a mix of relief and anger. When Lee-yeon realized that the man hade this far without any equipment, she yelled. ¡°Are you crazy?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all okay. I won¡¯t let you get hurt.¡± Kwon Chae-woo began to soothe her, misunderstanding that she was frightened, not because of him. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like¡­!¡± Lee-yeon became speechless for a moment. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you! I might die of a heart attack because of you!¡± ¡®Come to think of it, he has always been like that since we first met.¡¯ ¡®He tried to bury a person alive, chased after me, woke up from a vegetative state, killed a chicken, fell into a long sleep again, and then shed tears.¡¯ ¡®And now, this man climbed to the top of the tree without any equipment or skills as if he had made up his mind to die.¡¯ ¡°Why are you so reckless?¡± The man¡¯s hands were already covered with scratches. Unlike Lee-yeon, who was fully equipped with gloves and equipment, all he had was irrational tenacity. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know. Do you?¡± He took a deep breath and buried his face on Lee-yeon¡¯s shoulder. His hot breath tickled her heart. ¡°You decide.¡± ¡°Decide what?¡± ¡°Whether you¡¯re going to be dragged down by me or not.¡± At the man¡¯s calm voice, Lee-yeon answered without a second¡¯s hesitation. ¡°I will do it to the end.¡± The abnormal growth of branches harms the roots as well. Lee-yeon was no longer thinking about the tournament. The only thought inside her head was that she wanted to help the tree. ¡°Okay, then get on my back.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll cut it, so you instruct me.¡± Lee-yeon widened her eyes in shock. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even have a rope. Step back!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Even if I fall and die, you¡¯ll live.¡± Lee-yeon yelled again since she could no longer tolerate his nonsense. ¡°Never say that again! If you get injured, my life will end too! You get it?¡± ¡®Do you know how scary your family is? If you die, they¡¯ll put me in the drum and throw me in the ocean immediately!¡¯ Lee-yeon gasped for breath. The words she had to swallow whirled inside her. ¡°Actually, you climbing up here is crazy enough!¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry. Please don¡¯t be angry.¡± He rubbed his nose against her nape. ¡°And putting aside safety, I¡¯m the tree doctor. And I¡¯m obviously way better at using a saw than you!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So, l, listen to me!¡± Her face was red, and her voice shook. She could speak so confidently because she wasn¡¯t facing him. When she lifted her chin in contentment, she felt a warm breath touching her nape. It seemed like the man was smiling. ¡°There will be punishment once we get down from this tree, so hold on tight.¡± ¡°What¨D¡± In an instant, Kwon Chae-woo hugged her like a piece of luggage and put her on his back. ¡°What the¡­! Kwon Chae-woo!¡±Lee-yeon screamed and hugged his neck tightly. Experiencing a sudden change at the height of 30 m made her desperately cling to him. His back was surprisinglyfortable. It was her first time getting on someone¡¯s back. Everything was unfamiliar and frightening, and her heart pounded fast with an unknowing feeling. Chapter 40: Chapter 40: ¡°Give me the saw.¡± Without giving her time to think, Kwon Chae-woo bent his body and ced his hands on the branch, ready to do the job. ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± Lee-yeon tried not to panic and pacified her racing heart as she handed the saw. Kwon Chae-woo was in the most defenseless state. If she strangles him or hits his head from behind, he will be thrown off guard. Her eyes subtly dimmed. ¡°¨Dyeon.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Lee-yeon!¡± ¡°Y-yes?!¡± Startled, her body stiffened. ¡°Tell me what to do.¡± ¡°Oh¡­okay.¡± Lee-yeon shook her head a few times to regain herposure. Just then, the saw started to spin with noise. She gave detailed instructions on how to hold it, at which direction to point the de, and how much strength he should exert in his arms. What surprised Lee-yeon was that Kwon Chae-woo carried out each step skillfully and smoothly. His dexterity was much better than that of any veteran man. ¡°¡ªYou are doing great! Please put in more force.¡± ¡°Like this?¡± ¡°Yes, just like that!¡±Lee-yeon craned her neck to have a better view¡ª the frown on her face showing just how focused she was. She waspletely absorbed in Kwon Chae-woo cutting the branch. ¡°Now, just keep up your strength until the end!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°More, more, harder!¡± Kwon Chae-woo flinched and rubbed his ear over his shoulder. ¡°How about now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good, perfect. Ah-! Wait, don¡¯t take it out yet!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Put it back in! Don¡¯t pull it out before I tell you to. Push it deep inside! Good, lower your wrist a little!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s there! Yes, there!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Ha! We¡¯re almost there! You¡¯re doing great! A little more! Now hold on!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Onest time! Harder! Now, take it out¡ª!¡± Finally, the branch fell with a cracking sound. ¡°Ha! Ha! Kwon Chae-woo, that was perfect!¡± Lee-yeon gasped for breath. Then, she noticed Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s shoulder stiff. He seemed very nervous, so sheplimented him with an unusual disy of friendliness to relieve his tension. ¡°It was tough, right? But it looks like you have more talent in this job than I thought. You got power and dexterity. You did amazing!¡± Suddenly, Kwon Chae-woo let out a sigh. If only she knew. ¡°Lee-yeon, you have talent in teaching.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re a good teacher.¡± Lee-yeon smiled, and Kwon Chae-woo clenched his teeth, repressing his desire. The branch was finally removed. In its ce was a stump but a new, healthy branch would surely grow from it soon. *** She looked up at the cloudless blue sky. The air was fresh and clear after the storm. ¡°He suddenly started climbing up like Tarzan with bare hands. I thought he went insane!¡± At the dinner party held to celebrate passing the first test, Lee-yeon stuffed her face with grilled meat. ¡°At first, he just watched you going up without even blinking his eyes, but right after you stumbled, he climbed up the tree like a jaguar.¡± ¡®That¡¯s why there was a suddenmotion under the tree.¡¯ Lee-yeon scratched her nape as she listened to what happened while she was up on the tree. Perhaps because of the grill afront her, she could feel the heat on her face rising. She nced at Kwon Chae-woo, who was putting perfectly grilled meats on her te like a mother feeding her child even before she could empty it. ¡°Let me fill a ss for the one who did the most important job today.¡±It was Choo-ja, with a wide smile on her face as she relished in victory brought by Kwon Chae-woo. When Choo-ja was about to fill Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s ss with soju, Lee-yeon put down her chopsticks and rubbed her knees of dust, preparing to stand up. ¡°Choo-ja, drinking is not good for someone who¡¯s sick¡­.¡± ¡°Sick? You mean he¡¯s sick¨D?¡± Choo-ja snorted. ¡°Can a sick person climb a tree and hold ady with one arm? If he¡¯s sick, then I¡¯m already dead.¡± Lee-yeon quietly turned her gaze to the grill, unable to say anything in reply. What then caught her eyes was Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s fingers touching the ss. His fingers had a few calluses, but they were surprisingly pretty. ¡°But if he drinks¡­¡± ¡®His memory mighte back¡­¡¯ Thest few words she couldn¡¯t say lingered on her tongue. But Choo-ja, who was already drunk, couldn¡¯t read Lee-yeon¡¯s now, and instead just continued to pour soju into his ss. ¡°Here. Take it, my son.¡± Strong, firm hands took hold of the ss which looks delicate now. But, Kwon Chae-woo didn¡¯t throw it down his throat immediately. He instead turned to Lee-yeon as if asking for permission and Lee-yeon was quick to y upper hand. She snatched the ss from his hand and finished it without leaving a single drop. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Choo-ja stood up, widening her eyes. ¡°From now on, if you fill his ss, then it¡¯s mine!¡± ¡°What are you talking about? You can¡¯t even drink that much!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t just judge his health on his physical strength. Drinking is not good for the brain cells! I¡¯ll drink instead of him!¡± Lee-yeon was determined to not let Kwon Chae-woo be intoxicated. However, not so long after she finished the ss of alcohol, her legs began to sway on their own and her vision shook until her all she could see wasplete darkness. Yet, she didn¡¯t hit the ground. When she opened her eyes, she was floating in the air instead, face t against something soft yet toned. She shook her dangling legs a little. Chapter 41: Chapter 41: ¡°Lee-yeon, stop moving.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± She felt as if she was lying on a cloud. Lee-yeon rubbed her face and pressed her cheeks on Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s back. ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± A familiar voice spoke beside her ear. ¡°You don¡¯t like me drinking?¡± The alcohol taking over her senses, Lee-yeon started smiling like a kid on a sugar rus without any idea that she was being carried by Kwon Chae-woo on his back. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡­If you drink, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll remember everything.¡± Kwon Chae-woo, who had been walking silently, suddenly stopped. The faint smile on his face was immediately wiped off. Stories about men who change and act like a gangster when they are intoxicated are asmon as rotten cigarette butts on the streets. Kwon Chae-woo did not forget the old scars he¡¯d seen on Lee-yeon¡¯s body. His face darkened at the thought that made him feel miserable. When Kwon Chae-woo was about to move to shake off the feeling of shame and guilt, Lee-yeon murmured something again. ¡°Do you know? This rtionship is abnormal. No matter how much I think about it, I think this is crazy. I think I lost my mind back then. I shouldn¡¯t have epted it¡­¡± With each word she said, Lee-yeon twisted the knife in his heart. It was her true, inner thoughts that Kwon Chae-woo always wanted to hear. He was not satisfied at all, but rather, he felt as if something was stuck in his throat. It was a shabby ending. Lee-yeon was regretting their marriage. ¡°Did you want to run away?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ve thought about it, but I couldn¡¯t. Even if I want to, I can¡¯t, and I have been like this since I was young.¡± ¡°Have you tried running away?¡± ¡°Of course, I even went to the police station.¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face distorted. ¡®What could have possibly made her go to the police station?¡¯ Assuming the worst, Kwon Chae-woo clenched his teeth so hard that his jaw ached. ¡®Kwon Chae-woo, you bastard!¡¯ He med and trampled on his past self, which he couldn¡¯t even remember, over and over again. He put it in a coffin and buried it deep in the ground. ¡°I just¡­. want it all to end one day.¡± She muttered like a person who submitted to one¡¯s fate. There was no hope or excitement in her feeble voice. ¡°Lee-yeon, were you scared of me?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Did you want to live without me?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± A drowsy voice murmured again. ¡®I lost my memory but I made Lee-yeon live with the painful memories I left to her. Why am I selfish ¡®till the end?¡¯ ¡°Did I ever hurt you physically?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± His body stiffened coldly at the answer that came out from her mouth without a second¡¯s hesitation. He trembled in anger, not towards Lee-yeon but himself. It was the moment when his doubts became truths. ¡°Regrly?¡± ¡°I think you were like that to not just me but anyone else.¡± Kwon Chae-woo closed his eyes to suppress anger. His breathing suddenly became difficult. But¨D ¡®If this is an opportunity. If I¡¯m given a second chance to make up for the way I treated her.¡¯ Rather than dwelling on the unreachable past, Kwon Chae-woo began to think of what he should do to change tomorrow and the days ahead. He put strength in his hands holding Lee-yeon as if not to lose her. *** ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just leave me to die. You should have just spit on my face and run away when I was in aa.¡± Kwon Chae-woo continued as he ridiculed his past. He was a terrible burden to Lee-yeon, he realized. If she had thrown away that burden, she would have led a happy life. Besides, there must have been plenty of men lining up to marry a young and capable woman. ¡®But Kwon Chae-woo without Lee-yeon¨D¡¯ ¡®I would not have woken up.¡¯ In other words, it is impossible for him to lead a normal life without Lee-yeon. He needs her. Instead of just watching her leave him, Kwon Chae-woo would like topensate for all the hardship he thought he caused her. He was going to make her choose him, to return to him willingly. Make her believe that it was her will toe back to him, not through coercion. And make her realize that the safest and the mostfortable ce for her was beside him, not anywhere else. ¡°Even if you ran away at that time, no one would have med you.¡± Kwon Chae-woo spoke thoughtfully with dim eyes. ¡°¡­But, there¡¯s a clear promise between us.¡± Surprise evident in Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face, he remained silent and listened. ¡°It was a promise, an obligation I couldn¡¯t break. That¡¯s why people tell you to think twice when signing a contract¡­ Although I regret it, even if I go back, I would still have signed the contract.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°At the time, that was the only way.¡± Kwon Chae-woo couldn¡¯t say anything as if his throat was clogged. He didn¡¯t know she would mention the word ¡°promise¡±, which he thought was about their marriage vow, despite how badly he treated her. The promise, something Lee-yeon valued more than her own safety. A strong sense of belonging wrapped around him. His life was no longer insecure and disappointing. Slowly from the bottom, Lee-yeon was filling up his life. ¡°Lee-yeon, do you like me?¡± She didn¡¯t respond. Kwon Chae-woo shook her body once, but she didn¡¯t move. It was when they almost arrived at the house that the answer came out from her mouth. A hand touched his neck. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t, don¡¯t even ask me that.¡± ¡®If I¡¯m really given a second chance¡ª¡¯ ¡®Then God is on my side.¡¯ A cold smile appeared on his face. He won¡¯t waste this chance. Chapter 42: Chapter 42: It was already morning when Lee-yeon woke up with a headache. She got up from the bed, not knowing how the dinner party ended. Just then, the bathroom door opened, and a man wrapped in arge towel, dripping water, walked out. His wide shoulders and the water cascading down his toned chest caught Lee-yeon¡¯s attention immediately. ¡°Good morning¡± ¡°What, what is that?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I mean, why are you¡­¡± Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the man who had juste out from the shower. She knew that observing a half-naked person was not a manner, but human curiosity was more tenacious than she thought. Her hangover went away like magic. Her eyes then turned to the towel that covered his lower body. ¡®The silhouette under the fabric¡­¡­.¡¯ ¡°Lee-yeon, do you remember what I said after the dinner party yesterday?¡± ¡°Y-yes?¡± Lee-yeon flinched and looked up at Kwon Chae-woo. She brushed her hair and pretended like she was unperturbed, but there was no way to hide her blushing face. ¡°What¡­ did you say?¡± ¡°I said my memory came back a little bit.¡± He said with a frown. ¡°What?!¡±Her mouth was wide open, and her face turned pale. The dust floating in the air seemed to have stifled her. It suddenly became difficult to breathe. ¡°W¡ªwhat did you just-¡±Her voice trembled. He stepped closer, the water dripping from his hair started to form a valley on ran down Lee-yeon¡¯s knees. Kwon Chae-woo looked down at Lee-yeon and said in a calm voice. ¡°I was going to kill myself.¡± Her eyes widened as if time had stopped. ¡®He was¡­. going to kill himself?¡¯ It was something Lee-yeon didn¡¯t know. Her body became so stiff that she couldn¡¯t even manage to pry her mouth open. Since she was the one who knew the truth and hid the truth, she always got the upper in her rtionship with Kwon Chae-woo. But for the first time, their position changed. ¡°I died two years ago.¡± Kwon Chae-woo knelt on the bed and looked down at her. His posture looked like he was begging for forgiveness, but in Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes, he looked authoritative. Between the man¡¯s knees, Lee-yeon¡¯s legs were bound. She was so close to him that she could see the tiny water droplets dripping down his abs. ¡°I¡¯m dead.¡± He repeated as if trying to brainwash her. ¡°That Kwon Chae-woo is dead.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I never wanted him to wake up.¡± It was not only Lee-yeon who took advantage of the memory loss. Kwon Chae-woo wanted tofort her by erasing all his past. He wanted to tell her that the man who gave her unrecoverable wounds was gone. If only he could squeeze in even a little bit of Lee-yeon¡¯s closed heart and be a new sprout, he wouldn¡¯t feel guilty about lying. ¡°¡­ Do you, do you really remember?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes filled with confusion. ¡®The man who was burying a person was trying to kill himself?¡¯ ¡®No way.¡¯ Lee-yeon narrowed her eyes, and Kwon Chae-woo did not avoid her gaze. Suddenly, she remembered the moment when her eyes met with Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s in the dark mountain that night. ¡®He seemed surprised to see me.¡¯ ¡®Come to think of it, I know nothing about Kwon Chae-woo.¡¯ What nightmares he has every night, and why, as Kwon Ki-seok said, a person who has sensitive hearing got attacked from behind. There were too many unknowns in the first ce to doubt his confession, so every attempt felt useless. In that respect, she was no different from Kwon Chae-woo, who lost his memory because she knew nothing about him. As if insisting on his innocence, the man looked her straight in the eyes. ¡°There is only one thing you need to remember from now on.¡± She wanted to organize her thoughts, but the man didn¡¯t allow even the slightest gap. Lee-yeon broke out in a cold sweat despite his mellow, soothing voice. ¡°Because you told me I was a kind and gentle husband, I wanted to be such a husband from now on. So, I filled my empty head with only your words.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Because your words are my first milestone to change.¡± ¡°Keep in mind. Your first husband died two years ago. I¡¯m not your ex-husband. If you still have a ring, throw it away, and if there are any pictures you took with him, burn them.¡± Lee-yeon didn¡¯t know how to react. ¡°You now have a new husband, and I¡¯m not going to lose to ¡®that Kwon Chae-woo¡¯ in your memory.¡± He revealed his fierce possessiveness. ¡°Since you started taming me, you have to take responsibility until the end.¡± Lee-yeon held her breath without realizing it. The man who put shackles on his own neck was beaming, and she couldn¡¯t tell if that was a good thing or not. * * * Clear eyes, creaseless forehead, Kwon Chae-woo was enjoying the morning sun shining through the window. Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t get used to the man sitting at the table eating breakfast with her. ¡®¡­Why is he not asking anything? If his memory ising back, he must have a lot of questions. Did Kwon Chae-woo really tried to kill himself?¡¯ However, Kwon Chae-woo, who was only interested in the present and even made bean sprout soup in the morning for Lee-yeon. She began to study the man¡¯s face. He was sitting in a straight posture, and the way he held the chopsticks was perfect as the images from the textbook. There was no sound of tableware hitting or chewing food. Lee-yeon slightly frowned as the unexpected silence fell between them. She put the spoon down as she rubbed her cheek. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± He immediately turned his eyes to her. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to say to me? Anything you¡¯re curious about.¡± ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Lee-yeon bit her lips. ¡®Tak¨D¡¯ Just then, Kwon Chae-woo put down his chopsticks. It was the first noise he made since he had sat down at the table. Chapter 43: Chapter 43: The man who had been sitting up straight facepalmed and bent over as though he was suffering from pain. He leaned forward holding either side of the narrow table. His knuckles were white. ¡°Whenever I think of your ex-husband, I feel nauseous.¡± Kwon Chae-woo drew a clear line between him and the Kwon Chae-woo before he lost his memory as if they were two different beings. Lee-yeon remembered him crying in his sleep. His sleeves were never dry. ¡°Still¡­ aren¡¯t you even a bit curious about your past? About what might have happened to you¡­¡± But Kwon Chae-woo shook his head. His face was stiff. He didn¡¯t want to talk about their unhappy marriage nor wanted Lee-yeon to bring up any unpleasant memories. He put down his chopsticks and lowered his eyes. ¡°I know I can¡¯t run away from my past self. I mean the past and the present have to live in the same body but I know he was going to of egret,¡± he said, ¡°I don¡¯t know much about my past but the past me was a stupid bastard who could only jump to the worst conclusions.¡± Lee-yeon scratched the back of her neck and tried to drown herplicated emotions. ¡°Did that bastard make good money?¡± he suddenly asked, raising his head to look at her. ¡°Um¡­ not really.¡± Lee-yeon avoided his gaze. Kwon Chae-woo snorted. ¡°I knew it.¡± ¡°You do know you are talking about yourself?¡± said Lee-yeon slowly. ¡°You have a strong sense of responsibility, and that sometimes bes a problem for you,¡± he said, ¡°You don¡¯t seem to know when to take on responsibility and when to draw your boundaries to keep people out. Why are you living like this?¡± Lee-yeon slowly lowered her spoon feeling his words prick at her conscience. ¡°No more sacrifices,¡± said Kwon Chae-woo sadly. ¡°If you let in a man with an empty brain and a problematic past, you should take full advantage of him.¡± Kwon Chae-woo smiled at her. His eyes looked so sad and innocent. Lee-yeon forgot what she was about to say and stared at him. ¡°I am so sorry for whatever I might have done in the past,¡± he said, ¡°I don¡¯t have any recollection of it. You are the only person in the world who makes me human. I can¡¯t even wake up without you by my side.¡± Lee-yeon bit her lips. ¡°But people don¡¯t change that easily,¡± she said. ¡°I understand you can¡¯t trust mepletely. But I have no recollection,¡± he said. ¡°Who are youparing me to? Do you think I am no different from how I used to be in the past?¡± ¡°Um¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°If you end up not being able to erase that trash from your memory, I¡¯ll get rid of my d**k.¡± Lee-yeon scooped a spoonful of rice and put it in her mouth. She didn¡¯t know what to do. She was relieved for now that she didn¡¯t need to talk with food in her mouth. She didn¡¯t know whether she felt d of his obedience or his unwavering faith towards her. ¡°I can be anyone you want, Lee-yeon,¡± he said gently. Seeing Kwon Chae-woo trying so hard to convince her, Lee-yeon held back her smile. * * * ¡°I don¡¯t think we were properly introduced before.¡± A child appeared in front of Kwon Chae-woo, who was on the floor doing his push-ups. Kwon Chae-woo stopped and got up. The boy was so small he only reached Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s waist. ¡°Who¡¯s this little boy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Lee Gyu-baek. A first-grader at Willow Tree Elementary School.¡± The child craned his neck to look up at Kwon Chae-woo. Gyu-baek admired the man¡¯s abs. Just then Gyu-baek saw Lee-yeon through the window. He looked at Kwon Chae-woo and then at Lee-yeon outside the window. He pped his little hands together. ¡°I can smell it!¡± he said. ¡°What?¡± The child sat down on the floor and took out a book out of his bag. He flipped the pages in a hurry. Kwon Chae-woo crossed his arms and looked at the child. ¡°Male ring-tailed lemurs secrete floral scents to attract females. They flirt and try to win their heart by smell,¡± he said after a while, ¡°that¡¯s what the male smells like, right now.¡± His eyes were twinkling with confidence. *Lemurs ¨C a type of wild animal Kwon Chae-woo scratched the tip pf his eyebrow with his forefinger. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, child,¡± he said, ¡°but that¡¯s just sweat you smell.¡± ¡°The male must be younger than the director.¡± ¡°No, she said we are about the same age.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be. You¡¯re in trouble. Then you¡¯ll smell bad.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a disadvantage. Younger lemurs emit pheromone substances stronger and longer than older ones. The older females don¡¯t like the smell.¡± Kwon Chae-woo looked at the child, speechless. ¡°The male is now in trouble,¡± said the child. He smiled at the kid and wiped the sweat dripping down the tip of his chin with the back of his hand. He just wanted tough but he restrained himself. ¡°Our director is very popr,¡± said the child. ¡°How popr?¡± ¡°Sawmill carpenter, nursery dealer, and a reporter from the Ministry of Environment stop by once in a while. They all smell like you.¡± The child looked at him. ¡°The male needs to try harder.¡± The child was distracted by the line of ants near his feet. Kwon Chae-woo realized who this kid was. Is he the insect doctor that Lee-yeon told me about? Something about an elementary school¡­ Kwon Chae-woo sat down on the balls of his feet and held out a hand to the child to shake. ¡°Yes, male lemur,¡± said the child. ¡°From now on, you will be my assistant.¡± Chapter 44: Chapter 44: It was a quiet afternoon. Lee-yeon was enjoying her warm tea as the sunlight entered through the wide window. It was the day of Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s sleep inspection and a visit to Mt. Dongak. She lifted the mug to her lips and watched the man doing push-ups under the tree without faltering. His rms and back muscles shone in the sun. His legs stretched wide¡­ No! No! Lee-yeon recalled Kwon Chae-woo the other night when he hade out of the bathroom with just a towel wrapped around his waist. She shook her head in embarrassment. Lower part of his body reminded her of a giant mushroom and she always had to remind her self to not be too curious about it. ¡°Female peacocks focus on the upper part of the male¡¯s tail from far away but focus on the lower part when close.¡± Lee-yeon almost dropped her mug. She turned around to see a Gyu-baek walking towards her while staring out of the window. His face was expressionless. She greeted him calmly trying to brush off thoughts about Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°How long have you been there?¡± she asked. ¡°Have you eaten?¡± ¡°The director was looking at the male¡¯s reproductive organ,¡± dered Gyu-baek. ¡°Gyu-baek!¡± ¡°Female peacocks value the colour and length of the feathers. Shape and pattern also matter.¡± Lee-yeon frowned. ¡°Very picky peacocks.¡± ¡°The director also looks for excellent qualities in a male.¡± The child piped in confidently again. ¡°What?¡± ¡°She is also picky.¡± Lee-yeon was lost for words. She shoved a cookie into Gyu-baek¡¯s mouth to shut him up. Out of habit, she checked him behind his ears for dirt. After making sure everything was clean, she handed him a ss of milk. Gyu-baek pulled out a thick encyclopaedia from his bag and looked up at Lee-yeon again. His eyes were sharp and clear. ¡°Director, watch out for the elephants.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Be careful.¡± The child tapped a page of the book with his finger with a serious face. The Estrus of Animals It was the chapter that Gyu-baek had been readingtely. A huge elephant with its ears wide open filled half of the page. ¡°A male elephant, who¡¯s thirsty for love, bes a monster.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Male elephants turn violent when they are in estrus. It¡¯s the time when you should never approach them.¡± Gyu-baek rambled on. His fingers tapping on the book as though he was anxious. *estrus ¨C heat cycle of animals *** ¡°When estrus begins, the elephant¡¯s temples swell and a viscous fluid flow through its skin.¡± It was quite a terrifying thing to listen to. ¡°They also be uncontrobly ferocious. Elephants who fail to control their emotions attack whatever might catch their eyes. The director needs to watch out for the male.¡± Whether or not Gyu-baek knew the meaning of the term estrus, Lee-yeon was just happy to see Gyu-baek talking so passionately. Meanwhile Gyu-baek¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t stray away from the window. She was surprised that the child was showing interest in something other than insects and encyclopaedias. Why is he so interested in Kwon Chae-woo? ¡°When elephants are ready to love¡ª¡± Kwon Chae-woo seemed to be done with his workout, he entered through the door. Lee-yeon shoved another cookie into Gyu-baek¡¯s mouth to shut him up. They be blinded by love. The child was about to say if not for the piece of sweet lodged between his mouth. * * * ¡°Gyu-baek is just a strange child. He doesn¡¯t mean any harm by it,¡± said Lee-yeon on her way to the hospital in an old truck that had a faded ¡®Spruce Hospital¡¯ sticker on it. ¡°He wasn¡¯t calling you a lemur to be rude¡­¡± ¡°I know,¡± said Kwon Cha-woo. ¡°When he is obsessed with a topic, he just sticks to it no matter what.¡± ¡°I guess I am simr in that matter.¡± Her hand on the steering wheel trembled. She could feel his intense gaze from the time she got in the truck. Kwon Chae-woo, seated at the passenger side, stared at her. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, look ahead. Ahead.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not even driving, do I need to?¡± ¡°It will be no good for you if I cause an ident because of that.¡± ¡°Are you going to cause one?¡± ¡°Maybe!¡± She could somehow feel the heat on her skin. He sighed as if he wasn¡¯t satisfied. But he turned his head away. ¡°Lee-yeon, I need an ID.¡± It was a red light. Lee-yeon mmed the breaks so hard that she jerked forward almost hitting the steering wheel. Kwon Chae-woo was quick. He thrust his arms between her and the steering wheel, shielding her. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked. Lee-yeon was hyper-aware of her chest pressing against his arms. She couldn¡¯t even lift her head because she felt her face burning with embarrassment. She was aware of the fabric separating her n*pples from his arms. She felt a tingle down below and instinctively closed her legs. It was a weird sensation. ¡°Lee-yeon, what¡¯s wrong? Are you alright?¡± ¡°Nothing is wrong! I am fine.¡± Lee-yeon leaned back on her seat. ¡°Um¡­ Kwon Chae-woo, you are too close.¡± Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Kwon Chae-woo had leaned towards her when shielding her. Now his face was very close to her. One of his hands was on the driver¡¯s seat while the other hand blocked the steering wheel. Lee-yeon looked into his brown eyes. When his eyes moved to her lips. She realized she was holding her breath. ¡°What is this about getting an ID all of a sudden?¡± she asked. He was quiet. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo?¡± she urged. ¡°I want to get a job,¡± he said and looked at her. Their eyes met. Lee-yeon felt beads of sweat on her neck and forehead. ¡°Even if I have no memory, I can still use my body to work.¡± Beep! Only after the sound from behind did he finally retreat to his seat. ¡°I want to get a phone and open a bank ount so I can start working.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s heart started beating fast. This was a bad sign. * * * ¡°He¡¯s recovering well.¡± The doctor craned his neck and looked into theputer monitor. The screen was filled with EEG graphs and figures that Lee-yeon could not understand. The doctor stood up from a rolling chair and faced Lee-yeon. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s true that the presence or absence of Ms. So Lee-yeon impacts the patient¡¯s sleep pattern. It¡¯s probably a psychological problem, and there can be a number of reasons for this.¡± Lee-yeon had been trying to deny that fact for days now. With the doctor confirming it, she had nowhere to escape. ¡°The fact that the patient only remembers Ms. So Lee-yeon¡¯s face can be a hint.¡± Behind the transparent wall, Kwon Chae-woo, in a patient uniform, was lying with dozens of tubes pasted to his head. When he woke up, he groped his empty bedside as if looking for Lee-yeon and turned his eyes over the ss wall. ¡°This is just a guess on my part, but it can be that the patient suffered some extreme shock before the ident¡ª¡± Who? Kwon Chae-woo? I am the one who suffered extreme shock, Lee-yeon thought, bewildered. The doctor paused for a moment. ¡°It can be that he was hypnotized in a vegetative state.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lee-yeon frowned, confused. ¡°It¡¯s just that the patient doesn¡¯t remember. It can be that his brain umted what he had heard while he was in an unconscious state for two years.¡± The doctor rubbed his chin with his arms crossed. ¡°Because right after the patient woke up from the vegetative state, he said something like this.¡± His dark eyes turned to Lee-yeon. ¡°Please don¡¯t wake up.¡± The doctor suspects that Kwon Chae-woo had heard this several times while he was ina. Those words felt like a p to Lee-yeon. She clenched her hands together and lowered her head. Her pulse was racing. She found it hard to breathe. When Kwon Chae-woo slept, she was constantly there talking to him, begging him to sleep forever and not to wake up. ¡°That¡­ that Sleeping Beauty syndrome¡ª¡± ¡°You mean Kleine-Levin syndrome.¡± ¡°Yes, that one. Is it curable?¡± ¡°There is no specific treatment method. So, for now, I think Ms. So Lee-yeon¡¯s role is the most important one for his recovery.¡± An indescribable sense of responsibility weighed on her chest. Did my words really flow to him and shaped his thoughts? Why am I feeling so ufortable and guilty? He tried to kill me! Her face darkened as if a shadow had fallen on it. She felt that the fear she felt towards him was justified, considering what she had gone through. And that was reason enough to want him to sleep forever. On the other hand, guilt rose in her heart. ¡°Did you find anything strange about the patient?¡± The doctor continued as he took off his white coat. ¡°Usually, this syndrome is apanied by symptoms such as aggression, hypersexuality, and behavioural abnormalities. Have you ever noticed any of these symptoms at home?¡± Lee-yeon was nervous. Too many answers came to mind. ¡°Behavioural abnormalities and hypersexuality?¡± ¡°Well, not all patients show such signs but most do. If you think he is showing any of these symptoms, please let me know,¡± said the doctor. ¡°It would be difficult to live with someone like that in one house.¡± Lee-yeon recalled his behaviours at home. ¡°What kind of behavioural abnormalities?¡± ¡°Hm¡­ anything that he might do differently. Sometimes it manifests as intense emotions, excitement, impulsiveness and increased sexual desire.¡± Lee-yeon realized that what the doctor described was urate to how Kwon Chae-woo sometimes acted. He had smashed the second-floor door. He had bitten a live chicken and killed it. He had relieved himselfst time and kissed her out of the blue. He had even climbed a 30-meter tree without any equipment. Whenever Hwang Jo-yoon had called Lee-yeon¡¯s name, he had shown most excessive and aggressive reaction. I thought he acted that way because of his nature but based on what the doctor just said¡­ It can be that his strange behaviours are symptoms of his illness¡­ Lee-yeon didn¡¯t know how to react. The doctor walked over and tapped the ss window. The medical staff began to remove the tubes attached to Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s head. The doctor looked at Kwon Chae-woo carefully as he got up from the bed. ¡°There is no patient who does not rely on medicine.¡± Lee-yeon, who had only been staring at her feet, lifted her head. ¡°The patient knows that he needs you, Ms. So Lee-yeon. I am sure he will cling to you and even show some obsession towards you¡­ for years. Are you prepared for that?¡± The doctor looked at her. It felt like he knew everything. Lee-yeon reminded herself that the doctor in front of her was nothing more than a puppet of Kwon Ki-seok. She couldn¡¯t reveal her trepidations no matter how much she wanted to. ¡°I do sympathize with the patient more.¡± The doctor muttered as he tilted his head. ¡°Because the patient will have to beg you for the rest of his life.¡± Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Lee-yeon was climbing the mountain with a visiting bag to check the trees that was aided through the surgeries. Lee-yeon, who was used to walking on uneven ground, quickly pushed her way through the thick bushes and followed a winding path. ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± Kwon Chae-woo stubbornly followed her all the way to the mountain, despite the many times she told him to return home. Just then, he snatched the visiting bag from Lee-yeon¡¯s hand. ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Lee-yeon, who was walking forward without even giving a nce behind, stopped helplessly. Her face was as stiff as a statue. ¡°You don¡¯t look okay.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Are you not feeling well? Or is it because you¡¯re mad at me?¡± His sharp eyes studied Lee-yeon¡¯s face. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that¡ª¡±Lee-yeon did not finish her words and instead let out a sigh. Continuing her made up excuse was futile as Kwon Chae-woo could read her like an open book. Unlike her denial, her face was certainly telling him that she was not alright. Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s intense gaze showed how determined he was to find out the cause that made her so unhappy. It was only then that her expression, which had remained looking sullen since they left the hospital, rxed. ¡°It¡¯s because I heard something shocking.¡± ¡°From who?¡± Lee-yeon was unable to emit an answer. ¡°From the doctor?¡± Seeing his brows scrunched together, Lee-yeon waved her hands. ¡°No, no. Me! From me!¡± Shewas surprised at the panic her voice had unveiled. If all the man¡¯s strange behaviors were due to the symptoms of the disease, not to the blindness created by her lies, it meant Lee-yeon had another retreat route. However, she couldn¡¯t understand herself feeling ridiculed rather than happy. She felt a heavy burden on her back. ¡°I must¡¯ve been born under an unlucky star.¡± She said with a sigh. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I underestimated how f**ked up my life is¡­..¡± Lee-yeon muttered to herself as she pped herself on the forehead. ¡°Stop it.¡± Kwon Chae-woo covered her forehead with his hand. The leaves shook above their heads in the breeze, akin to the woman¡¯s calmness before Kwon Chae-woo. But he didn¡¯t know Lee-yeon was having an internal battle. She was a mess. ¡°Mm¡­ there are many trees I have to check. Wouldn¡¯t it be better for you to go back now?¡± ¡°Does that mean you want to be alone?¡± Lee-yeon avoided his gaze and scratched her head. The man raised his brows as if trying read her thoughts but eventually withdrew his gaze and stepped back. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just follow you from behind.¡± ¡°It bothers me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the way back. And taking the bus is still difficult for me. It¡¯s all because I don¡¯t have anything in my head except you.¡± ¡®He always pretends to be sick and weak only at times like this.¡¯ As if to prove her thought, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s eyes were glistening like that of a wildcat, which didn¡¯t match with his slightly pouted lips. Just then, heabruptly turned his head. ¡°¡­!¡± His eyes became sharp, and his neckline from below his ear to his corbone was taut as a tugged string. Lee-yeon swallowed at the sudden change in the atmosphere. Deep wrinkles formed on his forehead. His face, focused on something other than her, was frighteningly serious that Lee-yeon felt like her existence was forgotten for a moment. ¡°What¡¯s wrong¨D¡± ¡°When I give you a signal, don¡¯t look back and run as fast as you can.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kwon Chae-woo grabbed Lee-yeon¡¯s wrist and pulled her towards him. ¡°You¡¯re good at climbing trees. Can you climb this tree and stay up there for a while?¡± In a moment of confusion, Kwon Chae-woo pushed her back. Hard. His hands felt scalding hot that Lee-yeon flinched in surprise. Kwaeeeee¨D! The ground shook. A chill ran down her spine at a menacing growl. Turning to where the sound wasing from, she saw a big, wild boar running down from the uphill. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo!¡± ¡°Go up, Lee-yeon! Now!¡± It was a harsh voice. Scared witless of his authoritative gaze, Lee-yeon climbed up the tree like an obedient child. Her feet slipped, and her hands trembled. Kwon Chae-woo opened her visiting bag, and without hesitation, pulled out a hatchet and several stakes. ¡°Ouch¡­! Kwon Chae-woo, don¡¯t do anything risky! That¡¯s used for cutting down trees, not for ughtering animals! I¡¯ll call the rescue center, soe up first!¡± She grabbed a branch and stretched out one hand. But the man did not listen. Biting her lips, she turned on her phone in a hurry. Meanwhile, Kwon Chae-woo was axing a tree. The time he spent striking the tree dozens of times was only a few seconds. After a few more hits, he managed to make a groove in the tree. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, what are you doing? Run!¡± The wild boar was approaching fast, but the man was still axing the tree. ¡°Stop! Put that down!¡± He didn¡¯t listen and continued what he was doing. ¡°I said put that down!¡± ¡°Just stay there still.¡± ¡°Are you trying to die or something?!¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Kwon Chae-wooughed although there was nothing funny about the situation. ¡°There is only one reason why dogs turn their backs.¡± At his calm reaction to the boar, Lee-yeon was lost for words. She couldn¡¯t understand what was going on in the man¡¯s head. Hi, thanks for reading this chapter. Please consider supporting this novel by leaving a review on Novelupdates! If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Browse the Table of Contents or Be a Patron now Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 47: Chapter 47: ¡°Kwon Chae-woo! I don¡¯t need a husband who doesn¡¯t even listen to me!¡± While Lee-yeon was hitting her own chest in frustration, he moved even closer to the direction of the approaching animal. When he came into the boar¡¯s sight, the beast snarled even more wildly and rushed towards him. With nothing to do but be a witness of the disaster that was about to fall before her very eyes, Lee-yeon covered her mouth tightly with both hands. The moment when the boar¡¯s fangs came close up to Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face, he quickly turned the stake he was holding. It stabbed the wild boar, and blood spurted from its neck. Although it was a fatal wound, the wild boar only paused for a second and began to butt Kwon Chae-woo again. He was pushed and pushed, and eventually, to the tree where Lee-yeon climbed up. ¡®You can¡¯t die!¡¯ Lee-yeon held her phone with trembling hands, and for the first time, she hoped for the man¡¯s safety. However, Kwon Chae-woo clearly didn¡¯t regard this as a predicament. In fact, he was¡­ smiling. With agilityparable to that of professional hunters, he pierced the stake between the axe marks he had just made. The beast, unable to slow down, couldn¡¯t stop before the sharp de pierced into its body. Kueehhhhh- At the painful howl, the mountain birds flew away. While holding onto the shaking tree, Lee-yeon didn¡¯t take her eyes off the man. What gave her creeps was that Kwon Chae-woo was smiling as if he was ying a fun game. Just then, he began to wield the axe he was holding firmly. Whoosh. Whoosh. Blood spattered every time he swung the axe. When he grabbed the boar¡¯s protruding fang and tore the carotid artery inside it, he was covered in blood from head to foot. The man looked like he had been painted bright red. The red water seeped between his teeth. ¡°Ew¡­!¡± The man looked like he had been painted bright red. The red liquid oozed between his teeth. After making a terrible noise, the beast staggered as if it was exhausted. ¡°You cane down now, Lee-yeon.¡± Her mouth was dry, and her heart was beating fast. For some reason, she felt like she shouldn¡¯t go down. It was as if she was in a manga and became the sister who escaped from a tiger because of the man who constantly made her choose between ¡°Don¡¯t die¡± and ¡°Don¡¯t kill.¡± (¡®The sister who escaped from a tiger¡¯ is an expression that derives from the Korean fairytale called ¡®The Sun and The Moon.¡¯) ¡°Do you want me to go up?¡± ¡°No!¡± She responded firmly. ¡°My legs, my legs are shaking. I¡¯ll take a breather for a second and go down. Kwon Chae Woo, you should¡­ also calm down.¡­.¡± ¡°You think I¡¯m excited?¡± When she nced down, Kwon Chae-woo was no different from usual, except his chest was slightly heaving up and down to catch a breath. Rather, he was still and calm as a fog. ¡°Oh, I see. You must have wanted to see me getting excited covered in blood.¡± He clearly had different ideas in his head. Turning his shoulder as if he was about to do a stretch, he continued, ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, just say it. Do you want to see my p*nis get excited?¡± ¡°What the f¨D, no!¡± ¡°I told you I can do anything you want.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a pervert!¡± Lee-yeon made it clear. At the same time, the doctor¡¯s words of concern and the serious look on his face lingered in her mind. ¡®Behavioral abnormalities, aggression, hypersexuality.¡¯ Those three words perfectly described the present Kwon Chae-woo. When he noticed that she was holding her breath, he wiped the blood clean from his face with the back of his hand and asked. ¡°Were you scared?¡± ¡°I¡¯m more scared of your face now.¡± With that, he burst outughing. ¡°Don¡¯tugh with an axe in your hand!¡± Anyone who saw them would mistake the guy for a killer waiting for his prey under the tree. Lee-yeon held onto the tree even more tightly. She felt the strong urge to erase the moment she felt the slightest betrayal at the doctor¡¯s diagnosis. ¡®I really have to get my head straight from now on to be a better liar.¡¯ Just then, Lee-yeon heard Kwon Chae-woo, with his back slightly bent over, moaning in pain. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, Are you all right?¡± She stuck out her face between the branches. Because he acted so fine, Lee-yeon forgot that Kwon Chae-woo just fought with a big, wild boar. ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡± Seeing the man not moving, Lee-yeon sensed something was wrong. It was when she was about to switch branchesto move closer to Kwon Chae-woo that the axe fell to the ground. ¡°As you told me, I put down the axe.¡± He straightened his back and waved his hand. ¡°So now it¡¯s your turn toe down.¡± Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Kwon Chae-woo got bruises all over his body. When she cut his clothes drenched in blood with a scissor, bluish, angry bruises covered his upper body. A beast weighing more than 500 kg pushed him with all its might, so it was no different from a traffic ident. The ligament in his wrist, which had been holding the stake under the boar¡¯s neck, was badly damaged. The doctor, who rushed to the emergency room after receiving her phone call, was surprised when he saw Kwon Chae-woo. It was because the man was only mildly injured, and he didn¡¯t look like someone who came back from fighting a wild boar. ¡°I will go to your house in a little while.¡± After giving first aid, the doctor left with an aluminum tray. Thanks to the doctor, they didn¡¯t have toplete any forms or documents at the reception. She drove the car to the emergency room without a second thought, and she could have gotten into a situation in which she couldn¡¯t even write down her husband¡¯s resident registration number. ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± When the curtains closed, only two people were left in the bed. Lee-yeon, exhausted, plopped down on the edge of the bed. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to ask you ¨C who is he?¡± ¡°¡­Who?¡± ¡°The man.¡± Kwon Chae-woo nodded carelessly towards where the doctor was sitting. ¡°The doctor?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kwon Chae-woo looked at her with an intense gaze. His torso was covered in white bandages, and his face with dried bloodstains made him look like a gangster fresh from a fight. ¡°What about him? He¡¯s just a doctor.¡± Confused, Lee-yeon tilted her head. ¡°Hm.¡± A cold re trying to determine if it¡¯s a lie or not. The way he stared at her without blinking once was enough to give her goosebumps. Frightened, Lee-yeon suddenly became a wife trying to justify herself. ¡°He¡¯s your doctor, Kwon Chae-woo.¡± She was met with his silence, so she continued. ¡°He has been in charge of taking care of you since you were in a vegetative state. You saw him go back and forth from home to the hospital, right? That¡¯s because he¡¯s your doctor¨D.¡± ¡°Are we that rich?¡± He cut her off in the middle. ¡°How did you hire a personal doctor whoes right away with one phone call?¡± ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Her heart thrummed wildly against her chest. She couldn¡¯t determhe intention behind his question, but his slightly raised brow made her nervous. ¡°One whomits a fault would think everyone speaks of it.¡± This saying crossed her mind. She was overthinking and it won¡¯t help in this situation. ¡®If I fail to give him a good answer, he¡¯ll start to doubt everything and eventually uncover the lies.¡¯ ¡°Y-your family, I mean your older brother, gave full support!¡± She said in haste, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, he¡¯s a good doctor, so don¡¯t worry. Why would your family send us someone who¡¯s not qualified? He worked really hard day and night.¡± ¡°Day and night?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Did that persone in and out of your house when you were alone?¡± Suddenly, Kwon Chae-woo brought his face close to hers. ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°Did he?¡± He asked again in a cold voice that pressured her. ¡°Yes¡­? That¡¯s what¡¯s good about having a personal doctor.¡± At the same time, Lee-yeon took a step back and his dark brown eyes that resembled trees slightly trembled. She made sure to not blink even for once to not miss even the slightest change on the man¡¯s face. ¡°So, is that guy the first person whoes to your mind in a situation like this?¡± Kwon Chae-woo brushed her hair with his hand slowly. ¡°It¡¯s because you got hurt, and he¡¯s your doctor¨D¡± ¡°What did he do day and night?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ give treatments?¡± ¡°Who treated who and how?¡± He grabbed the neck of his t-shirt and wiped his chin. He clenched his teeth so hard that the cracking sound even reached her ear. It was then that she sensed something strange about the man. ¡°Are we talking about the same doctor right now? I don¡¯t really understand what you¡¯re talking about.¡± He remained silent and looked sullenly at the wall. ¡°Do you want me to call the doctor again? I think what happened earlier impacted your cognitive abilities.¡± Lee-yeon stared at his face and tilted her head to get a better view of him. Kwon Chae-woo let out a short sigh and uttered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He closed his eyes for a while, ¡°For being oversensitive about small things.¡± With bloodstains on his face, Kwon Chae-woo looked like an actor in the waiting room without makeup. He continued, ¡°It seemed like you were dependent on that doctor. And it was after you talked with him that you suddenly wanted to be alone.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lee-yeon rubbed her clothes and tried to avoid his prating gaze. ¡°Thinking that he came in and out of your house while I was lying down like a useless idiot¨D,¡± He grimaced, ¡°I couldn¡¯t control my anger.¡± He pressed his temples and let out a long breath. Lee-yeon dropped her head. She could somewhat understand why Kwon Chae-woo tended to overthink since he lost all his memory, but for some reason, he went too far when it came to people associated with her. ¡®Is this really because of the syndrome?¡¯ ¡°The one who caught the boar, are you here?¡± Suddenly, the curtains were parted open, and a firm voice like that of an announcer spoke. Seeing Kwon Chae-woo, a woman smiled, revealing her charming snaggletooth. ¡°Ah, he¡¯s here.¡± The woman was wearing arge jacket with the logo of Wildlife Rescue Center. She was tall, had a freckled face, and was not wearing any makeup. ¡°Hello.¡± She bowed at the two of them. ¡°We just came back from cleaning the carcass of the boar. Just in case, we¡¯ve also done the ASF virus test.¡± Behind the curtain, men in the same color jackets were standing around. They were curiously looking at Kwon Chae-woo with gleaming eyes. ¡°Thank you so much for catching¨D, I mean, reporting it. There was a lot of pressure from the authorities. He was notorious for being a man-eating wild boar because he kept biting and killing people.¡± Her voice sounded somewhat excited. ¡°Since the size of this boar was much bigger than the normal ones, we created a separate hunting team to be prepared, but I guess that wasn¡¯t needed.¡± She scratched her head as she smiled. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen a boar hunted with his carotid artery torn.¡± The woman looked at Kwon Chae-woo with eyes twinkling with admiration. Her cheeks were blushing like apples, and the smile on her lips grew even broader. ¡°With an axe and a stake, right?¡± The woman couldn¡¯t hide her excitement that her voice trembled noticeably. However, none of the two mirrored her enthusiasm. Kwon Chae-woo closed his eyes quietly, pretending that he had not heard her. Hence, Lee-yeon, who couldn¡¯t bear the silence, answered instead of him. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ah, I apologize for my rudeness. My name is Joo Dong-mi, and I work for the mammal team at the rescue center.¡± Suddenly, there was a whistling sound from behind. The men in the same jacket as hers put fingers in their mouths and cheered. Joo Dong-mi, whose face turned bright red in an instant shouted. ¡°Please give me your phone number!¡± Surprised by her voice, Lee-yeon flinched back. Noticing that, Kwon Chae-woo immediately grabbed and pulled her wrist. Chapter 49: Chapter 49: ¡°Excuse me but how do you know each other?¡± Joo Dong-mi looked back and forth between them. Lee-yeon looked into the man¡¯s stubborn eyes. ¡°He is my¡­ employee.¡± If everything was because of his syndrome¡­. She had to make sure whether it was his passion or his disease. ¡°Why do you leave out that we¡¯re sleeping together every night?¡± Kwon Chae-wooughed. His scoff was so poignant that Joo Dong-mi opened her eyes wide and was checking the atmosphere. There was a sudden silence. ¡°Ah, is that so? You¡¯re young so you can. It¡¯s a necessity for this generation.¡± Joo Dong-mi seemed stiff for a moment but now she appeared rxed again. She looked very confident, inside and out. ¡°Then can I have a business card?¡± ¡°Employees doesn¡¯t have a business card yet, but I do. Is this okay?¡± Lee-yeon handed Joo Dong-mi her business card. Joo Dong-mi bowed politely and epted the card. ¡°You are a tree doctor?¡± her eyes widened and she looked at Lee-yeon happily. And then she suggestively bit her lips while scanning Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°How can a tree hospital employee beat a boar down with an axe? Aren¡¯t you wasting your talent too openly? What do you do in the tree hospital?¡± she asked. ¡°I trim flowers.¡± Kwon Chae-woo answered nonchntly. ¡°F-flowers?¡± The spark in her face faded. She frowned and turned towards Lee-yeon. ¡°By the way, there are times where we wound the trees when we do rescues in the mountain. Can I contact you then?¡± Lee-yeon was flustered as she had never found customers like this before. But she nodded. ¡°Of course! We will be happy to help.¡± Even during all of this, Joo Dong-mi¡¯s eager eyes were still on Kwon Chae-woo. Even when she knew that he was holding another woman¡¯s hands and had eyes only for the said woman, she didn¡¯t seem to care. Lee-yeon found Joo Dong-mi quite confident in herself. Even when it was Kwon Chae-woo who had to take the test, Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t help feeling she was being roped into it too. ¡°I hope you get well quickly. And next time we meet, please tell me your name first.¡± And just like that, Joo Dong-mi was gone. She was like a storm, here one moment, gone the next. Her co-workers huddled patted her on her back. ¡°I don¡¯t know what this is all about, Lee-yeon,¡± said Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°Employee?¡± His voice was low and dangerous. ¡°You coulde up with nothing else? Why did you throw me under the bus again?¡± His re wasn¡¯t normal. Lee-yeon swallowed. ¡°What if I had decided to do something?¡± he asked. ¡°Well¡­ Joo Dong-mi¡­,¡± Lee-yeon tried to exin. ¡°Joo Dong-mi again?¡± Kwon Chae-woo got up from the bed and walked to her. His shadow towered over her. Heughed dangerously. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything since you touch nothing else but trees,¡± he said. The eyes that stared at her looked strange. ¡°You are treating your own dog like shit, Lee-yeon.¡± *** Neither of them had talked during the drive home. Kwon Chae-woo stared out of the window and Lee-yeon focused on the steering wheel. The atmosphere in the air was tensed. Lee-yeon caught his eye in the mirror. She had nced at him to find out that he had been ncing at her too. He slightly raised his brows but his face had some kind of dark joy hidden behind the eyes. Lee-yeon turned away in surprise. Her mouth was dry and her heart pounded. She could feel his stare. The side of her face that turned to him felt ticklish. It was as though she could feel his gaze on her cheek. The feeling remained until they reached home. It had been suffocating. Kwon Chae-woo pulled off the shirt by the neck in a rush the moment he crossed the door to the inside of the house. The hard cast on his wrist was visible. The bandage was wrapped around his top. His face and head crusted with dried blood. He turned and looked at her. ¡°Wash me.¡± ¡°What? M-me?¡± ¡°If a dog is dirty, the owner should wash it clean,¡± he said. ¡°I am practically your dog.¡± Lee-yeon was speechless. ¡°Well, that¡¯s the basic,¡± he said, scratching his head. ¡°But you only ever touch trees, so maybe you don¡¯t know how.¡± ¡°You told me not to serve you!¡± ¡°Service is an act without a reward.¡± He smiled while walking closer. ¡°I have all the intention to reciprocate in multiple to whatever you do. You just thought that I¡¯m a freeloader? Neither are you.¡± Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t answer. ¡°So, wash me.¡±¡¯ His tone was calm but she froze. The tub was small. Kwon Chae-wooid down casually with his feet at the end of the tub. Whenever he moved, water sshed onto the floor. The blood that had crusted in his hair trickled down and mixed like ink in the water. He leaned back in the tub staring at Lee-yeon. Drops of watertched onto his skin. Lee-yeon frowned. ¡°Your bondage is all wet!¡± she said. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. You said that doctor ising back.¡± His voice was calm, lulled by the water. ¡°Then why did you go into the tub with your pants on?¡± She asked incredulously. ¡°I couldn¡¯t undo the buckle because my hand hurts.¡± ¡°You expect me to believe that?¡± It was an absurd and stupid excuse. A man who was able to kill a boar was acting so fragile to the point he couldn¡¯t unbuckle his pants! The audacity, thought Lee-yeon. ¡°You could just as well use your other hand.¡± ¡°I tried,¡± he said with a smirk. ¡°I couldn¡¯t do it. I felt so miserable.¡± He rubbed his cheek with his normal hand. His arm rested on the edge of the tub. His eyes never wavered from her. Those deep orbs seemed to smile at her. Chapter 50: Chapter 50: ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because of all the time I spent in a vegetative state, but I feel scared and uneasy when I can¡¯t control my body.¡± He was pretending to be weak. ¡°Lee-yeon, hurry. I want to wash up fast and rest.¡± Lee-yeaon was scared but she couldn¡¯t just up and leave. She didn¡¯t want to rile him. Nothing good woulde out of aggravating a man when his memory was supposedly returning. ¡°I will use the towels to wash you,¡± said Lee-yeon, getting the towels from the hanger. ¡°Unbuckle me first.¡± Lee-yeon put her hand in the tub. The temperature warmed and soothed her. She carefully touched his pant. He let out a little sigh. Lee-yeon had closed her eyes. When she opened them, she saw his face very close. ¡°That¡¯s not the spot, Lee-yeon,¡± he said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Those are my balls you are touching,¡± he said with a smirk. ¡°Go a little higher for the zip.¡± She snatched her hand back in surprise. Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s smile disappeared. He then grabbed her arms and pulled her into the tub with him. Her clothes were all wet now. Lee-yeon pushed his chest away and lifted her head in anger. ¡°Don¡¯t y around!¡± she yelled. ¡°You started it.¡± She wanted to wipe that smirk off his face. ¡°I did not!¡± ¡°How can I not be furious when my own wife puts me on a market?¡± he said. ¡°And you were in charge.¡± Weren¡¯t we done talking about that? She saw kwon Chae-woo¡¯s scowl and realized he had bee holding back until this moment. Their fight was just beginning. ¡°There are times where I want to teach you a lesson,¡± he said in a low voice. ¡°What do you¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of holding the leash when you don¡¯t even take advantage of it?¡± Lee-yeon was speechless. What is he even talking about? ¡°You tremble just unbuckling my pants,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re so unused to me being under you, but you thought about selling me to another woman?¡± Lee-yeon stared at him. ¡°Didn¡¯t you find it a waste?¡± He lowered his head and nibbled gently on Lee-yeon¡¯s br*ast that stuck out from the top of her brassiere. Lee-yeon gasped. Her heart pounded at the sudden bite. Isn¡¯t this a fight? She tried her best to ignore the heat building down her waist and pushed him away hard. But he was too heavy. He suddenly lifted her up and ced her on the tub. Now, she was beneath him. The water sshed out of the tub at the movement. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, t- this is¡­.¡± The body on top of her towered over her. Kwon Chae-woo looked at her with bloodshot eyes. ¡°If you are going to give me away, you should try me first,¡± he said. Lee-yeon was speechless. ¡°Use me properly before you dismiss me.¡± ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, it¡¯s not like that,¡± she said. She couldn¡¯t tell him the truth. She needed to determine whether all this was his illness talking. She didn¡¯t know how to exin that to him. His reaction wasn¡¯t good. ¡°You pretend to be so conservative whenever Ie near you,¡± he said, ¡®If you were, why would you swap me to another woman? I didn¡¯t think I would get backstabbed by someone who pretends to be so loyal.¡± ¡°Kwon Chae-woo¡­¡± ¡°Were you always like this?¡± he asked. ¡°Since you can¡¯t throw me out directly because you feel like I am your responsibility, you dump me on other people instead?¡± Lee-yeon was so flustered. She didn¡¯t know what to say. She wanted to defend herself but she could only manage an asional ¡®uh¡¯ or ¡®huh¡¯. ¡°Of course, I said I would do anything you wanted,¡± he said. ¡°I need to rify for thest time. Do you really want me to f*ck another woman?¡± Lee-yeon was speechless. She hadn¡¯t meant anything like that. ¡°Is that what you want?¡± he asked coldly. Who even said that? Lee-yeon realized miserably that his thoughts and behavior were always so extreme. The doctor was right. ¡°You want that?¡± ¡°No!¡± She shook her head. Every time she moved; the water sshed. ¡°Exin to me properly. Or else I¡¯m going to misunderstand that you¡¯re trying to get rid of me because you¡¯re curious of how other¡¯s d*ck tastes.¡± Lee-yeon didn¡¯t respond. What was he even talking about? ¡°I¡¯m a little empty in my head so I¡¯m self-critical,¡± he exined. Lee-yeon had gotten used to his gentle, obedient side. This waspletely unexpected. Lee-yeon feltpletely confused. He spoke calmly enough but he looked angry. Lee-yeon felt frustrated. She waspletely clueless on how to handle the situation. Kwon Chae-woo looked at her and smiled. ¡°Is that your final answer?¡± ¡°I¡­ what?¡­ no.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he said. ¡°I understand perfectly.¡± He lowered his head and sucked on Lee-yeon¡¯s lips. He dug his tongue into her mouth. The water sshed out of the tub. Her lips were moist so it opened readily. His eyes were calm. His hot breath was on her skin. He was intertwined with her from their waist, to their mouth. His strong hands wrapped around her face as he kissed her. Every time they moved; the water spill out of the tub. His chest pressed against hers. His tongue yed with hers. Lee-yeon gasped as his knee pried her legs apart. They were pressed so close together. His manhood was hard and it poked against the bottom of her belly. It brushed against her over her clothes and left her quivering. He gathered her bre*sts in his rough hands. He lowered his lips from her lips to her cheeks, then to her neck. Every time, his tongue brushed her skin, she felt the heat build up. His hands found their way underneath her clothes in a hurry. He grabbed her perky br*asts and sucked on them. His tongue brushed over the tip. Lee-yeon moaned. She felt weak and shivery. If her legs weren¡¯t intertwined with his, she would have just fallen in the water. She felt her grip on the sides of the tub weakening. Suddenly, she was lifted up by her waist and her pants were pulled off. While she fumbled in surprise, his thick hands rested on her panties. Chapter 51: Chapter 51: ¡°Wait¡­.!¡± Lee-yeon pushed him away but kwon Chae-woo wouldn¡¯t budge. He looked her in the eye and found her lips again. His nose pressed down on her cheek. His hot palm rubbed against her panties. She wasn¡¯t pushing him away anymore. She felt something for the first time in her life. He rubbed her cl*t slowly. She bit her lips to withheld her moans. His strong forearm held her to him. Kwon Chae-woo was breathless too. She gasped for breath. Every time he kissed her and rubbed her, moans tore out of her. Kwon Chae-woo, seeing her aroused, grabbed the back of her head and deepened his kiss. He kissed her frantically and passionately. He kept rubbing her there, over her panties. Her heart raced and the heat she felt boiled within her. Kwon Chae-woo swore. He pulled at her panties, partly taking them off. She felt the rush of water sshing against her privates. Lee-yeon took ragged breaths to calm herself. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo,¡± she mumbled. ¡°You are sick right now.¡¯ His hands stopped. Lee-yeon panted and tried to calm her breathing. His eyes acknowledged her. ¡°Yes, I am. My d*ick is.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant!¡± Lee-yeon bit her lips. Kwon Chae-woo continued fondling her and making it harder for her to exin. She pushed him as hard as she could. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo,¡± she said, ¡°Just listen. The doctor told me that there are many symptoms apanying your syndrome. It includes aggressiveness, impulsiveness, hypersexuality. These symptoms fit you. This is what you are doing right now!¡± Kwon Chae-woo stared at her. His eyes looked so innocent. ¡°Just calm yourself,¡± she said. ¡°This might just be part of your symptoms. Thispulsion and your horniness. It could be your disease. So, just stop for a moment.¡± He scoffed. He tucked a stray hair behind her ears. His hand was gentle but his eyes were dark. ¡°That is just nonsense,¡± he said. ¡°You just want to believe that.¡± He got off her and leaned against the wall. ¡°The doctors might not be right all the time. But you were so easily persuaded. Do you think I don¡¯t know what my own body wants?¡± He washed his face and ran his fingers through his hair to get them out of his eyes. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right,¡± he said. ¡°let¡¯s say my brain is screwed up and I be hard whenever I see you.¡± The crusted blood fell in rivulets down his face. ¡°Since, I am not well, does that mean I can act as sick as I want?¡± She was then lifted up and ced harshly on the bed. Lee-yeon was reminded of their second meeting when he had woken up from his vegetative state and then attacked her. ¡°K-Kwon Chae-woo¡­,¡± she tried to protest. He crawled on top of her. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Please. This is¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of my illness, or whatever you want to believe,¡± he said with smirk and pulled her by the cor, leaning close. His lips aggressively found hers. Lee-yeon froze, in spite of herself. Her eyes were teary. Kwon Chae-woo suddenly stopped. He looked at her teary eyes and went quiet. He frowned. He then sighed a sad sigh as though this caused him so much pain. Why is he acting like this? I am the one who is scared! ¡°Don¡¯t do this,¡± she pleaded. ¡°Don¡¯t take out your anger in this manner. You aren¡¯t like this.¡± Lee-yeon didn¡¯t know him beyond the fact that he had been a murderer. But the new person he had be hadn¡¯t been like this. He was never aggressive or violent. He had respected her wishes and her opinion. He had cared for her. ¡°Then how much more do I have to endure you?¡± he looked at her. His eyes looked tired. ¡°Do you know how many times I have to hold myself back from grabbing you and taking you right there?¡± He gritted his teeth. Lee-yeon shrank at the sound of his voice. ¡°You tried to leave me in the mountain,¡± he said. ¡°You almost shoved me towards another woman. You ignore my emotions and always make this syndrome an excuse.¡± ¡°You tell me, was that right of you?¡± he asked. His eyes really looked bloodshot. He looked very tired. Too many things had happened. He had to deal with Hwang Jo-yoon after waking up from his sleep, he had climbed a tree which he had never done before. He had even gone to that social and then to the hospital for a check-up. On top of all that, he had beaten down a boar. He must really be exhausted. But Lee-yeon treating him just as a patient ruined him. Kwon Chae-woo was shaken just by her breathing. Lee-yeon thought that maybe he was mentally exhausted because he had hurt his head. ¡°Perhaps, you are just ying with me because I¡¯m a handicap?¡± he suggested. Lee-yeon lowered her eyes guiltily. It wasn¡¯tpletely untrue. Chapter 52: Chapter 52: ¡°How much more do I have to endure this?¡± ¡°I am sorry,¡± she mumbled. Lee-yeon could have defended herself but at this time, she though he was right. She had used him when she needed him. ¡°Are you ying with me because I¡¯m a handicap?¡± She had lied to him. She had fed him stories just because he had no memory of his past life. ¡°I am sorry. I think I did a little because I was confused.¡± She had to tread carefully. A little bit of truth and honesty so that he can ept her exnation. He had no memory of his own so she had the upper hand. Maybe she could try and diffuse the situation. At least that was how she had rationalized so far. But¡ª ¡°Who¡¯s really the one being swayed from the deep down.¡± He bumped his forehead to hers. Their nose met and their hair got mixed. Lee-yeon opened her eyes wide at the sudden bump and forgot about everything she was about to say. Strangely she couldn¡¯t say a word. She had a few excuses that came into her mind but she couldn¡¯t utter a word. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But I¡­.¡± I don¡¯t believe in emotion. That was the closest thing to how she felt. But that was something she should have been hiding because she was still pretending to be his wife. ¡°I still worry about you¡­.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± His voice was cold. ¡°Then I will just be a crazy person for you.¡± He pulled off her top suddenly and caressed her lower back. She felt goosebumps on her skin because of the cold. ¡°A crazy person with sickness of his d*ck erecting uncontrobly. I can do that, if you need an excuse.¡± He looked at her. ¡°So, humor me.¡± He pulled her brassier off and fondled her br*asts. Her smooth skin was squished in his thick, rough palms. ¡°Kwon, Chae-woo, wait¡­.!¡± He lowered his lips and took her br*ast in his mouth. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo¡­¡± His tongue brushed her tip and sent her quivering. His hands fumbled lower and took her panties off. The cold air that touched her naked bottom felt dirty. Lee-yeon tried to push him away weakly, but his mouth ying with her chest rendered her unable to think. His teeth grazed on the tip and he gently bit her. He looked at her as he did it. She moaned. The inside of her thighs felt hot and burned. She wasn¡¯t used to something like this. She didn¡¯t like this. This was all so sudden. She instinctively grabbed his writs and he let go. ¡°Lee-yeon, you love me,¡± he said. ¡°So, how can you doubt your husband?¡± he smiled and lowered his head towards her thighs. Lee-yeon clenched her legs together but he simply grabbed her thighs and pried them open. The hands that grabbed her bottom was rough and firm. Kwon Chae-woo buried his lips between her legs without hesitation. She felt his hot breath on her skin before the tip of his nose touched her skin. Her privates were sensitive and swollen. He sucked and nibbled on her cl*t and yed with it with his tongue. Lee-yeon gasped and shuddered. He licked her and rubbed her down there, asionally sucking her erged lump to evoke pleasure. Her toes curled and she grabbed his hair. She buckled without intending too. As his mouth yed with her, she felt like she would lose her mind. His thump pried her lower lips open and his lips and tongue became even more tenacious. When he bit on her sensitive part gently, the heat built up so much that she arched her back not able to take it anymore. Her vision blurred and pin pricks of light blinded her sight. She let out a long moan. He didn¡¯t stop there. He drank all her fluid. When she thought that she was gaining her sanity back, Kwon Chae-woo pulled her bottom to him and imitated with his tongue what he wanted to do to her. He sucked her skin even more. Her mind went nk. Her body felt weak. Thump, thump, thump. Her hazy mind instantly became clear when she heard the footsteps. ¡°Someone¡¯sing!¡± she eximed as she pushed his head away. She could hear them on the stairs now leading to the second-floor window. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo!¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s heart pounded. She was terrified that someone might see them like this, naked. But he wouldn¡¯t stop. He justughed. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo! Someone¡¯sing! It must be the doctor!¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°What?!¡± She half-listed herself on her hands and red at him. ¡°You crazy bastard! Let me go! What will they think if they saw us like this? What about my reputation?¡± ¡°Then I think the bastard who ising here should know what happens when they sneak into a newlywed¡¯s room. And don¡¯t worry about your reputation, I am your husband, not a stranger.¡± His lips were slippery from a clear liquid. Lee-yeon knew what it was. She looked away. Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Sweat dripped down Lee-yeon¡¯s body when she felt door lock was being pressed. ¡°He even knows the password?¡± Kwon Chae-woo scoffed. All this time whenever doctor visited, either Kwon Chae-woo was unconscious or Lee-yeon herself opened the door for doctor. That¡¯s why doctor standing outside the house couldn¡¯t understand why he found door locked this time. Inside, despite the criticality of situation, Kwon Chae-woo sucked Lee-yeon¡¯s neck on purpose. Her face colour drained, ¡°Stop, stop! Do you hear me?¡± ¡°No.¡± Lee-yeon froze at his audacity. At the moment, they heard buzzer indicating that the password entered is incorrect. Not giving in, doctor started pressing numbers again. Lee-yeon felt rushed. ¡°I told you to stop!¡± Since her requests were given a deaf ear, this time, she warned Kwon Chae-woo by hitting his head lightly. He lifted his brow with an odd expression. ¡°If I stop¡­?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What are you going to do for me, if I stop now?¡± ¡°Are you asking this for real?¡± She raised her brows. Careful knocks were heard from outside. But to Lee-yeon, it was more of a rush than a horsewhip. She was trying to think of ways with which they could escape this situation. To her surprise, she yelled because Kwon Chae-woo was touching her private part again. ¡°Ok!¡± She muttered hurriedly, controlling her erratic breaths. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you want, anything but touching!¡± ¡°Anything?¡± Kwon Chae-woo smirked. She nodded furiously, ncing at the door. He lifted the tip of her lips andpletely took his hands off her body. The moment he stood up, front door opened revealing doctor. Lee-yeon froze as she didn¡¯t get a chance to hide her bottoms. But Kwon Chae-woo was quick in wrapping a nket over her. He lifted her up like a princess. The doctor couldn¡¯t believe his eyes and stammered, ¡°Uhhh¡­¡±. By then, Kwon Chae-woo covered her entirely with a nket. There was not even a single hair shown. Kwon Chae-woo red at the intruder aggressively and soon barked, ¡°You didn¡¯t learn ethics in elementary school?¡± Purposely, he picked a fight while going downstairs. All this while doctor felt lost. His mind was numb remembering Lee-yeon¡¯s pants andce panties thatid carelessly on the bed. * * * ¡°You have to put me down!¡± Lee-yeon yelled when Kwon Chae-woo continued holding her. They came back to the room a while ago. Insides of nket felt hot and stuffy. Her eyes finally met him when the nket that was covering her head went down. Kwon Chae-woo didn¡¯t break the eye lock rather frowned his brows. Frowning deeper, he confessed, ¡°I still don¡¯t know the password of this house. But that bastard pressed it like it was his home.¡± He was gritting her teeth. I don¡¯t know the number to the backdoor either. The backdoor was meant to be used only by the medical staff. Whereas second floor was renovated by Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s brother. ¡°What¡¯s the password?¡± Her body turned stiff, and gaze shifted downwards. She obviously had nothing to respond. He added, ¡°I swear I won¡¯t let it go if it¡¯s our wedding anniversary, your birthday, or your cell phone number which that b*astard pressed so naturally.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Lee-yeon felt stupid at her question. Ignoring, he further remarked, ¡°C¡¯mon, think of it, I don¡¯t know anything. Is it from our wedding anniversary, your birthday and cell phone number?¡± Lee-yeon was silent. ¡°Why do I know nothing?¡± He hugged Lee-yeon hard and dug his face. He rubbed his head so hard that her shoulders were hurting despite nket was acting as a cushion. ¡°I¡¯m your husband but I know you less than others. I feel so impatient whenever this happens.¡± His left cheek brushed her ears instantly transferring his warmth. ¡°Even though I probably knew before,¡± he continued. No, you didn¡¯t! Lee-yeon tried hard to cover up her nk expressions. She loosened herself from his hold and consoled, ¡°It¡¯s, ok. You are hurt.¡± He creepily mumbled, ¡°But I still can¡¯t forgive myself.¡± Slowly determination took over. He continued, ¡°Let¡¯s start with the backdoor password. To avoid this helpless feeling, I need to know everything concerning you and your life.¡± ¡°Uh,¡± she was tongue-tied. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± He was being unnecessarily curious. It was only better if Kwon Chae-woo decently ignored housework. But as he was getting used to the fact of losing past memories, he was inevitably getting interested. Into Lee-yeon and everything around her. He didn¡¯t care to ask about his past, family or hobbies, but he was showcasing this weird obsession about Lee-yeon. Her head hurt thinking of ways to escape this situation. ¡°Kwon, Kwon Chae-woo,¡± she called. Atst, the thing that can turn his attention stuck her. ¡°By the way, in my life, I¡¯ve never made that sound before.¡± S*x it is. She knew she hit jackpot when his eyes loosened up and his face suddenly became nk. ¡°You want to keep doing that with me?¡± Lee-yeon squirmed her hand out and touched his lips. He turned his head. His ears revealed him blushing. ¡°You need to get better quickly. I¡¯ve only touched trees before, so I¡¯m not even surprised at something that¡¯s just normal hard!¡± She eximed. Silence. ¡°So, put your bandage on and recover quickly.¡± ¡°Are you doing this on purpose?¡± He clenched her chin hard without meeting her eyes. The man¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple moved as he felt anxious. ¡°When are you going to stop making me such a fool? You¡¯reparing me to a tree-¡± He didn¡¯t finish his sentence as he kicked his tongue in frustration. ¡°So, I can get my hopes up.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Lee-yeon passed him an odd look ¡°Your palms that only touched trees.¡± A brief silence passed. ¡°I¡¯ll be better quicker.¡± He was all time pressing his lips. Soon, the tip of his lips squirmed oddly like he was trying to hold backughter. Lee-yeon went nk. She dug her face within her knees. The corner of her heart was bing dark. She really didn¡¯t like this part about herself. Chapter 54: Chapter 54: It was dark outside. It¡¯s an everyday routine for sky to turn gloomy for some people by the time night arrives. Lee-yeon was staring at the man that was sobbing like he was having a nightmare. The man who was aggressive, wily, and was extreme during the day became a weak boy each night. One hardly knows who really wants to cry. ¡°Go,¡± Inhaling heavily, Kwon Chae-woo whispered. Lee-yeon chose to stay silent and be by his side. ¡°I¡¯lle¡­¡± He continued murmuring one thing or other which she couldn¡¯t decipher. Another set of tears escaped his eyes which Lee-yeon wiped with calm expression. Whenever she watched Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s nights, her heart felt heavy. Why is this man so sad? One day he was looking for someone, someday he was hiding it, some day he was running away. Why? Lee-yeon stood up. She couldn¡¯t bear watching his trembling lips. His condition was deeply affecting her. But for some reason, she didn¡¯t want to leave him alone tonight. She slowly made her way outside and went downstairs. The office that was filled of smell of soil and herbs was now messy with bunch of stuff. She opened drawer after drawer, rummaging each one for a while. Finally, she fished her hand out with an old CD. Her eyes were glistening with happiness. That CD was the first gift she received from someone special. This memory is also linked with the first tree. Her fingers stopped at the roughness behind the old surface of CD. It was a ssic record. Noting down one of the titles in her cell phone¡¯s notepad, she ced CD back inside her drawer. Going upstairs, her footsteps were light. She again lied beside Kwon Chae-woo and yed must on her smartphone. [Bach: Suite for Cello Solo No. 1 In G, BWV 1007-1. Prelude] Only the man¡¯s crying mixed with the melody of this masterpiece was being absorbed with the night like moonlight. Otherwise, the room was quiet and only had a sleepingmp on. While listening to the music she missed for the longest time, Lee-yeon was hoping Kwon Chae-woo would fall into deep slumber. For the first time, moons and stars together witnessed how the man¡¯s crying started to calm. *** ¡°You just have to go and smile!¡± ¡°But I still don¡¯t want to do that.¡± Lee-yeon frowned and turned her head. Choo-ja who was shaking evening dress covered in a vinyl bag red at her. Today, there was a celebration party for the owner of Joorim Seedling Park Limited, an agricultural corporation celebrating 40th year. For all the people working in agriculture or forest industry, Chairman Lim has been that superstar who cannot be forgotten. He has been effectively maintaining this region for years. And Choo-ja strongly felt Lee-yeon should show up before him. Lee-yeon opposed the thought. She didn¡¯t want to do it because of the dress Choo-ja was holding. As Choo-ja noticed the way Lee-yeon was looking at it, she spoke first. ¡°Not again! It¡¯s not revealing and looks nice.¡± Choo-ja knows how Lee-yeon preferred to keep herself wrappedpletely and was extremely careful when choosing a dress for her. The calm mermaid dress with square neck. Because of thick green, it looked elegant. The length that reached her calves and the line that emphasized her waist was luxurious. Lee-yeon, who was looking at it without any expression, pointed at her bedroom, ¡°In my closet, I have lots to wear.¡± ¡°Please! Those aren¡¯t clothes but mere covers.¡± Choo-ja shed her eyes like she wouldn¡¯t back down. Kwon Chae-woo walked downstairs. His ck suit highlighted long legs and straight shoulder line. Suit covering him looked like his natural skin. Neither did he pull the sleeves up or stretched his neck while touching the cors. Hair which reached underneath his eyebrows, untied tie and white socks¡ªhe looked dishevelled but nheless dashing. Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t take her eyes off him. It felt as if she never knew this man. The shiny ck raincoat. Loose patient clothes. Her mind suddenly popped up a nonsense thought. What if he¡¯s not the real Kwon Chae-woo? And this thought nowhere made her happy. Choo-ja¡¯s voice broke her trance. ¡°Now I can only trust my son-inw.¡± She handed over Lee-yeon¡¯s clothes to Kwon Chae-woo. Kwon Chae-woo was quick in exchanging nces between dress in his hold and pouting Lee-yeon. Understanding, he lifted the tip of his lips. ¡°I believe in you.¡± ¡°Choo-ja-¡± Lee-yeon re-warned her but Choo-ja turned her back pretending she saw no warningsing her way. Her ability to ignore was as high ss as her quick wit. It wasn¡¯t like Choo-ja didn¡¯t know why Lee-yeon was trying to cover herself. She knew her story inside out, nheless she was hoping for a change. She wasn¡¯t in a rush after 10 years long wait. But this seemed a great opportunity to initiate the same. Someday, Lee-yeon has toe out of her cocoon and turn into a butterfly. ¡°Lee-yeon, you don¡¯t like this?¡± She refused to answer. Kwon Chae-woo lifted his eyebrow and crossed his arms. ¡°Then I¡¯ll use it on this.¡± ¡°Use what?¡± ¡°My wish.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Lee-yeon remember you told me you¡¯ll do anything that I asked once but touching?¡± Lee-yeon opened and closed her mouth. She was not in a position to speak. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for that, why would I have stopped? There was so much more for me to lick.¡± Lee-yeon was nk. Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s wit left her bbergasted. Chapter 55: Chapter 55: The moment Lee-yeon walked her way inside the hotel, fancy wreaths fall above her, making their way into her eyes. She tightly clenched Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s arm that she was loosely holding. A short sigh escaped her lips. In her head, she was all ready with her ns on ending this quick. I¡¯ll show my face to Chairman Lim and run. Lee-yeon was clearly notfortable with her outfit. Her stockings were tight around her legs and tickled every time she walked. She was desperate in folding her knees in and out. To top it all, square neck continued to reveal her corbones. She felt unfamiliar with herself. Wearing high heels, showing off her calves and slow pace. ¡°Do you feel nervous?¡± He lowered his gaze while escorting Lee-yeon. Lee-yeon was busy wondering how despite his casually brushed hair, he looked differed because of a slight forehead show. His leisure demeanor was oddly stable making him look like an adult. Her thoughts made it difficult for her to find a single ce to stare. She took her own sweet time before answering, ¡°Not nervous, just a little ufortable.¡± Her eyes travelled from his eyes till nose. There was a perfect ration between them. His sensual lips and chin ler gathered attention. He was a sight to be seen at a ce like this. ¡°Are you Lee-yeon?¡± Jo Kyung-chun, the director of the D hospital, examined Lee-yeon up and down; his eyes opened like a bull. Her half-tied hair waved whenever she moved. Her white-tone skin and pretty facial features looked rather new. Director Jo couldn¡¯t keep his eyes off. Her thick green dress outlined her thin body and smooth skin well. ¡°Wow, Hwang Jo-yoon would be surprised!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be off first,¡± Lee-yeon felt annoyed and walked past him coldly. For a long time, she has used her fashion and smell to keep people away. It was her way of using thorns and it worked pretty well. Of course, there were exceptions like Hwang Jo-yoon. She was confident that her life was different from her parents. Love and emotion aren¡¯t required in her life. Loneliness is the only way to save her. ¡°Lee-yeon, are you not feeling well. Should we leave?¡± Kwon Chae-woo held her hand tightly. She suffocated and jerked his hands off. ¡°No, I¡¯m not leaving.¡± I¡¯m not going to leave one step out of this line. She pushed down what wasing up from her stomach and averted her attention to the people who were busyughing. ¡°Director!¡± A woman walked towards them, waving her long arms. Being owner of an amazing body, she was wearing a ck see-through dress that fit her curves perfectly. ¡°Umm, who are you?¡± Lee-yeon blinked in surprise. There was nothing more critical than for a director of a hospital to not recognize someone in a social gathering. ¡°I¡¯m Joo Dong-mi!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Lee-yeon eximed unintentionally. Joo Dong-mi lookedplete different from her previous version with no makeup and her big, oversized coat. ¡°Hi.¡± ¡°Wow! I never imagined meeting you here!¡± Tall and thin, flowing short hair and elegant makeup made her look quite urban. Lee-yeon watched Joo Dong-mi pass her ss of champagne to the server. It was smooth as if she was familiar with that setting. Lee-yeon questioned herself. Was she mistaken considering Joo Dong-mi, looking like a fancy carnivorous beauty, looked more natural to her than the Joo Dong-mi that looked in in the emergency room? Joo Dong-mi blinked one of her eyes adeptly as if she heard Lee-yeon¡¯s question. She remarked, ¡°My uncle is the guest of honour tonight.¡± ¡°Chairman Lim?¡± Joo Dong-mi smiled and nodded without a word. She lifted the tip of her lips thickly when her eyes caught Kwon Chae-woo nicely dressed. Lee-yeon felt like her throat swelled. ¡°You said you¡¯ll tell me your name when we meet again.¡± Joo Dong-mi tilted her head confidently. Kwon Chae-woo stayed silent. His eyes were chasing Lee-yeon tenaciously with an unknown expression. Joo Dong-mi noticed his unwavering gaze and soon changed her target. ¡°Can I talk to your employee alone?¡± She was clearly asking Lee-yeon to leave. Lee-yeon was about to step back as she was trying to negate her face hardening with a smile when Kwon Chae-woo whispered quietly near her ears, ¡°You¡¯re not paying attention,¡± In the party full of all kinds of beautiful and loud noises, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s soft voice shook her like a thunder. ¡°You should behave well like a married woman. Lee-yeon, there will be no forgiving for your mistakes this time.¡± He said, awaiting her response. She stuck her neck up, it was starting to get very suffocating. To her displeasure, her thin bones lining corbones stuck out too. Before she knew it, her heels were briskly walking away from everything, dodging Joo Dong-mi, champagne, and dresses. Lights, and Kwon Chae-woo. She didn¡¯t stop until she was enveloped with the chilly air of the night. *** Lee-yeon sighed in relief. This ce was less suffocating and little better. As she mindlessly walked in the garden, many round trees cut ¡®nicely¡¯ from human¡¯s perspective appeared. Lee-yeon pushed down all those random thoughts that were pushing down her heart and started checking their health. ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± Her back turned stern at an old voice. There was only one person this voice belonged to. She turned around frowning. As expected, Hwang Jo-yoon, with big gauze on his forehead and nose, holding onto a crutch, was ring at her. He became momentarily nk when he noticed Lee-yeon¡¯s dress. ¡°What are you wearing?¡± Even though she was seeing him in horrible state, she couldn¡¯t feel any emotion. If anything, that bruised eye suit him well. But if she were to feel sorry, she felt this emotion more for those trees wrapped by thousands of small light bulbs. These light bulb decorations ruin their growth. Bulbs slowly dries up their skin and leaves end up turning brown. ¡°You¡¯repletely ignoring me now?¡± She was snapped out of her train of thoughts. ¡°The least you could do is say sorry!¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± Hwang Jo-yoon limped his way and pointed at her like putting a dart in her. ¡°Your husband isn¡¯t normal.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t, as well.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You think it¡¯s normal for an educated person to rub his cheek against someone else¡¯s window?¡± Lee-yeon responded drily. Hwang Jo-yoon¡¯s face flushed and in response, he red at her. Chapter 56: Chapter 56: ¡°Look at me!¡± Hwang Jo-yoon shouted. ¡°My husband must have been generous, to not have killed you.¡± Lee-yeon shrugged her shoulders and tried to walk away. ¡°At least he gets to breathe normally, unlike me!¡± Lee-yeon was bored with this conversation. Her fear of Hwang Jo-yoon no longer gued her. She turned to leave him behind. ¡°Your husband thinks he knows you better than me?!¡± Hwang Jo-yoon screamed. ¡°Does the bastard know about your family?!¡± Lee-yeon stopped, frozen in her tracks at his words. Her face went nk. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t know about your family, then you have a fraudulent marriage,¡± Hwang Jo-yoon continued on, behind her. Lee-yeon could not think of the words in which to respond. ¡°What kind of man in this world, what kind of a family, would ept a child like you? Do you know how sensitive people are about family circumstances? This is how a woman is judged to be worthy of marriage.¡± Lee-yeon barely managed to keep her head high. She clenched her fists as tightly as she could. Her short fingernails dug deep into her palms, bringing a sensation of pain. ¡°If you hid this when you got married, he could even go to a court and ask for an annulment. If he had known about your family¡¯s status beforehand, your husband probably would not have even married you. He would have doubted if you were a woman who could manage to take care of a family.¡± At this moment, Lee-yeon needed a treerge enough where she could disappear amongst the branches. Hidden in the leaves of such a tree, she could rx and breathe in the clean air of the world. ¡°How can he live with the child of adulterers? It¡¯s disgusting.¡± Hwang Jo-yoon was relentless. ¡°You are an illegitimate child. Did I not hear that your father is actually your uncle?¡± Lee-yeon felt like she was going to be sick. She covered her mouth, fighting to hold back the bile. But Hwang Jo-yoon wouldn¡¯t stop. ¡°You were born with a mess of a life from the very beginning. From filth. To think that I pitied you and even told you, you were pretty. That¡¯s why bastards that don¡¯t have a true family are¡­!¡± Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer and bent over vomited the contents of her stomach. Hwang Jo-yoon quickly stepped back to avoid the stream. The truth she fought so hard to conceal was out. Lee-yeon¡¯s aunt was several years younger than her mother. Lee-yeon¡¯s mother had to leave high school and raise her sister, as the parents were absent. As time passed, each sister got married and had children. However, when her mother suddenly became pregnant with Lee-yeon, though she had supposedly given up sex due to her age, there was only one obvious exnation. She had been caught in an affair with her sister¡¯s husband. And a much younger man, as well. Her mother had even called it ¡°love¡±. How could someone cheat on a sister who she had raised like her own? That too, with her own brother-inw. How was that love? After the fact was discovered, the two adulterers fled in the night, leaving the newborn baby behind in a shattered home. Her aunt was destroyed, betrayed by her older sister and her husband, who had been her first love. So Lee-yeon was raised by her aunt, and her mother¡¯s husband who remained behind. They became Lee-yeon¡¯s parents, taking the ce of the sinners who ran for the hills. The only thing left, in what used to be the homes of two happy families, were the spouses who lost their partners and the children who had lost their parents. All of them struggled with a sense of betrayal. Lee-yeon grew to the age of seventeen in a home that seemed as hollow as a ruin. This was why she had such anger. The capricious aunt took care of Lee-yeon and hated her at the same time. She fed her, whipped her when she misbehaved, and threw her on the street in the cold when she became older. Lee-yeon remembered one day when she identally called the woman who was raising her ¡®Aunt¡¯. She was forced to write a reflection letter for hours, while sitting on the fresh welts of a whipping and tears streaming from her eyes. She still did not understand what she had done wrong, as she repeated the words ¡®Because she was the errant child.¡¯ Lee-yeon¡¯s cousins/ half-brothers couldn¡¯t stand to see her smile. Even though they shared the same tragedy, they would use Lee-yeon of being responsible for the misfortune and sin. Each year, whenever she moved up to a new ss in school, they secretly spread a wide variety of degrading rumours amongst her ssmates. She heard every single one of them: My mother told me that her mother had an affair and ran away leaving her behind.It¡¯s more horrible than just being born out of wedlock.Dirty blood!If you make eye contact with her, you will die! I heard that if you talk to her, your mom and dad will also have an affair! The rumors had started when she entered elementary school and continued until Lee-yeon became an adult. She was forced to change jobs three times. Wherever she went, or whatever ties she cut off contact with, her cousins were there to uproot her life. As a result, she had be wary of men, distant from people, and was happier to be alone. It seemed like only solitude could save her. The continuance of a quiet life. Maintaining her daily routine. Living a life thatplete and alone, like a tree. She began to retreat to nature even more. The only moments she felt rxed were under the trees. Lee-yeon tried to be one with the nts, to exist on the same level as them. Hwang-Jo-yoon¡¯s piercing voice cut through her thoughts and reflections, drawing her back to reality. ¡°He may hate me at first but, over time, your husband will thank me.¡± Hwang Jo-yoon smiled like he had achieved a victory. Lee-yeon¡¯s body began to tremble once more. Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face contorted in pain, his one eye twitching, as the sudden headache split his skull like lightning. His hand was trembling as he reached out to grab her. He stopped and ced his hands to his skull, as music added to the pain. ¡°Can I help you?¡± The woman he had been reaching for asked. ¡°Bach.¡± This was the only thing he couldprehend right now. ¡°What?¡± Joo Dong-mi looked at the man, confused by his answer. Kwon Chae-woo looked around to find the source of the music. Joo Dong-mi followed his gaze and saw that he was showing interest in the string music trio ying on the street. Kwon Chae-woo was staring at them with intensity. Joo Dong-mi was ustomed to seeing wild animals in the street, cornered, and exposing their teeth. However, something about this man disturbed her, with his sharp eyebrows and vacant stare. She shook her head, saddened at the sight. ¡°Cello Solo No.1 Prelude,¡± Kwon Chae-woo murmured softly, his words clearpared to his mind. Joo Dong-mi was taken aback. ¡°Do you like thisposition?¡± she asked. Kwon Chae-woo remained silent. After losing his memory, the title of the music spilled forth from the void. There were no feelings attached to it, just a name. He broke out in a cold sweat, as his heart begin to beat rapidly. The ensemble of strings, vibrating as if the shrill pitches were going to tear the very fabric of reality, made him feel sick and his breathing tight. He quickly undid his tie and pulled the top button of his cor open. ¡°Hey, I know this is a clich¨¦, but haven¡¯t I seen you before? For some strange reason, you look familiar.¡± Joo Dong-mi waited for an answer but was met with the continued nk stare. ¡°Are you okay? You¡¯re sweating.¡± Kwon Chae-woo instinctively looked around for So Lee-yeon. He remembered her and, right now, he thought that only seeing her would calm his trembling heart. An image of a cozy garden beyond a wall of ss, that extended from floor to ceiling, entered the chaos. Standing before it, he saw Lee-yeon covering her mouth and staggering as if drunk. The music cut off abruptly. So had every other sound. He clenched his fists in the silence. His mind was beginning to shatter. He turned his back on the woman before him, both on the street and in his mind, and ran. Joo Dong-mi reached out a hand to stop him, then thought better of it. Calling after him, she said ¡°Next time, tell me your name and maybe I can help you.¡± She remained in ce for a moment as she struggled to remember where she had seen the man before. * * * With both hands, Lee-yeon drank water from the fountain in the center of the garden. After rinsing the bile out of her mouth, she contemted running away again. As if by instinct, she found arge tree that she could hide in and sat down behind it. She tried to calm her erratic breathing, but she couldn¡¯t seem to gain control of it. Lee-yeon pulled the restrictive clothing away from her neck and concentrated on rxing. It had been a long time since shest hyperventted. Her chest ached. Unable to control the rapid breaths, she clutched at the ground with both hands, connecting to the energy of nature. She could still see the man on the crutches, taunting her. He was smiling in joy from his torment. ¡°Yeah, this is the So Lee-yeon I knew,¡± he had mocked in glee. ¡°I missed you, Lee-yeon. I really missed this.¡± He had looked her in the eyes as he slowly and methodically crushed the nts beneath him. ¡°No matter how many schrs say that nts are sentient, that they have emotions, I find the whole idea amusing. It¡¯s just a patch of grass. I have the power to save it or kill it. Just as I do you.¡± Lee-yeon moaned as the image in her mind, once again, Hwang Jo-yoon reached out to touch her. But before Hwang Jo-yoon could get his hands on her, he fell on the floor with a thud. Kwon Chae-woo stood there looking exasperated. He pulled Hwang Jo-yoon roughly up from the ground. ¡°K-kwon Chae-woo,¡± Lee-yeon managed murmur. ¡°Shh,¡± said Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Don¡¯t worry. Just try to breath.¡± Kwon Chae-woo ripped out Hwang Jo-yoon¡¯s tie and stuffed it in his mouth while holding him in a choke-hold by his neck. Hwang Jo-yoon pulled at Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s hand desperately as though he wasn¡¯t able to breathe. He appeared red in the face while Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face only reflected coldness. Lee-yeon looked at the scene nkly and her breath stabilized a little. Kwon Chae-woo pulled the man over to a tree and tied him with his tie skillfully. ¡°Let go of me, you bastard!¡± ¡°Do you want me to tie your neck instead of your hands?¡± asked Kwon Chae-woo in a low voice so that only Hwang Jo-yoon could hear him. Hwang Jo-yoon froze. ¡°I think I exined it very clearly to you thest time¡­ we met.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± He struggled pitifully. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that the more you do this, the more I get excited to make you suffer?¡± said Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°Stupid bastards who think they are tough really kill me.¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s eyes glittered. Hwang Jo-yoon swallowed. After he was beaten by Kwon Chae-woo, he had gone to get a medical certificate as evidence so that he could put Kwon Chae-woo behind bars. But around dawn, he had gotten a call from Director Jo Kyung-cheon. ¡°There¡¯s someone here who wants to see you. But exactly how do you know this guy?¡± Director Jo Kyung-cheon had repeatedly told him to not trigger the guy because he had a hard time with the person. At the drinking party, Hwang Jo-yoon met a man who seemed to be the same age as him at best. Despite the location, there was not a single bottle of alcohol in sight. A face without the hint of a smile, hair shaved like a soldier¡­ ¡°You!¡± he had cried in that bar. It had been the man from next door! The bastard had ignored Hwang Jo-yoon¡¯s call for help when he was dragged away by Kwon Chae-woo! At that moment, a yellow envelope fell at his feet. ¡°This is the message from the director,¡± the man had said. Director? Who¡¯s the director? Hwang Jo-yoon had looked around. He blinked at the iprehensible situation, and then picked up the envelope. When he checked the contents, he turned pale. The man had noticed his stiff face and gotten up from his seat. ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish.¡± ¡°Who the hell are you people?!¡± When Hwang Jo-yoon was an undergraduate, he once sold cannabis seedlings that he had secretly grown to teenagers. He was almost put behind bars, but his record was erased with the help of Professor Jo Kyung-cheon. Why the hell is this here¡­ ¡°Jo Kyung-cheon is smart, but it seems like the same cannot be said about you.¡± The man told him, ¡°Do I have to teach you the direction that you have to bow? If you had fun with young masterjust go home and wipe your feet, why get the medical certificate?¡± ¡°What do you mean, young master¨D?¡± The man pointed at his wrecked face. ¡°The director is watching you, Hwang Jo-yoon.¡± Kwon Ki-seok, CEO of Suguk Pharmaceutical. Jo Kyung-cheon had be a professor with the support from the Kwon family. They were still behind the scenes regarding everything, acting as a sponsor. Is he really just about 40 years old? Suguk Pharmaceutical, which ranked No. 1 in pharmaceuticalpany brand reputation, was apany that gained more fame because of its young and handsome CEO. That was nofort. Hwang Jo-yoon suffered a sense of defeat whenever he saw his bruised face in the mirror. So Director Kwon and ¡®young master¡¯ are somehow rted? Young master, my ass! He was a thug and a bully. Hwang Jo-yoon gritted his teeth. Chapter 58: Chapter 58: ¡°You are making a mistake! I was trying to help you!¡± Kwon Chae-woo turned away from Hwang Jo-yoon. He struggled with all his might, struggling where he was bound to the tree. ¡°I¡¯m trying to help you before you get trapped by a gold digger, damn it! Do you know what kind of b*tch So Lee-yeon is?¡± Kwon Chae-woo walked to Lee-yeon and leaned down to her. He hugged her quietly. His hands wrapped around her and pulled her close. She didn¡¯t push him away. ¡°She is from apletely broken family! And that¡¯s because the same family members fell in love with each other andmitted adultery ¡ª¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°You know?¡± asked Hwang Jo-yoon in disbelief. ¡°I¡¯m her husband, of course I know everything about her. She told me.¡± Kwon Chae-woo dismissed Hwang Jo-yoon. He pulled Lee-yeon to him and hugged her. Lee-yeon could finally breathe a little properly. Hwang Jo-yoon tried to spread his venom again. But they ignored him as they walked in the garden away from him. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°The tree,¡± said Lee-yeon. ¡°If leave him tied around it, the branches might break. It might harm the tree.¡± He pressed his lips to her forehead. His heart ached for her. She was in pain but still she worried about her trees. ¡°The staff will find him soon enough and let him go,¡± said kwon Chae-woo. ¡°But now is not the time for you to worry about trees, Lee-yeon.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I told you that I¡¯m ruthless, didn¡¯t I?¡± he said. ¡°If you run away, then don¡¯t get caught.¡± He went deeper into the garden with Lee-yeon. His headache disappeared like it had never been there in the first ce. ¡°You!¡± Hwang Jo-yoon trebled as he saw the man appear in front of him. The same man he had met in the bar. ¡°I told you to live quietly.¡± The man was in a server¡¯s costume as though he had just been serving guests in the party. ¡°Fuck Director Kwon,¡± shouted Hwang Jo-yoon. ¡°You are all thugs! Every time you open your mouth, you threaten people. Do you think the stench of bullies can be covered so easily?¡± ¡°Who is So Lee-yeon¡¯s husband?¡± asked Hwang Jo-yoon. ¡°Is he a thug too? Does he kill people as well?¡± Jang Beom-hee suddenly raised his head from his phone. He had been putting up a front like a veteran soldier but he had momentarily lost hisposure. ¡°Young master is different from us.¡± He pressed send on the phone. It read: Get the bucket ready. After a while, only a tie remained on the tree, swaying in the wind. The man was no longer seen. * * * ¡°I am sorry,¡± said Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°I did exin very clearly to that bastard to not bother you again. But I didn¡¯t expect him to appear in front of you again.¡± The Venus Garden, the pride of Hwaido Grand Hotel, was mysterious and beautiful. Kwon Chae-woo led Lee-yeon towards the thicket of trees. Lee-yeon followed quietly. They sat down under thergest tree they could find. ¡°Did you¡­ did you hear what Hwang Jo-yoon said about my family?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°My¡­ family story.¡± She couldn¡¯t look at him. However, kwon Chae-woo didn¡¯t care about that. He wanted to tuck her hair behind her ear. ¡°We are a married couple,¡± he said. ¡°Of course, I would have known, wouldn¡¯t I? It¡¯s just I forgot it with the rest of my past.¡± So, you don¡¯t know about it¡­. It all felt absurd and strange to her. Just a while ago he was acting cranky because he didn¡¯t know anything about her. Here he was now iming he might know about everything just tofort her. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t tell you. Even before marriage,¡± she said. ¡°I deceived you.¡± A heavy silence fell between them. Lee-yeon dreaded what came next. She had confessed now. Even if it wasn¡¯t the whole truth. She had deceived him. She was even deceiving him right now. The Kwon Chae-woo burst intoughter. Lee-yeon was confused. She didn¡¯t know what she had expected. Anger, maybe. But hisughter didn¡¯t match the situation at all. She looked at him. Kwon Chae-woo leaned back on the tree with his hands behind his head. He looked so rxed. ¡°Then why are you telling me now?¡± he asked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you implying that I am now more reliable and trustworthy than I was before?¡± He looked at her. ¡°Is this a confession?¡± How did it get interpreted that way? He squinted his eyes in the sun and smiled at her. His eyes only looked at her, unwaveringly. ¡°Lee-yeon, if you do this suddenly, then I might get turned on. Just saying.¡± ¡°No¡­ I¡­ it¡¯s not like that,¡± said Lee-yeon hurriedly. ¡°I just meant that I led you on. You were led on by a woman with aplicated family history. Think of the situation a little!¡± ¡°I maybe an idiot so I don¡¯t know about that,¡± he dabbed at his dry lips. ¡°But if it is you, I think I like being led on.¡± Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s eyes were twinkling and it lit up the night. She stared at him nkly for a while and then blushed. She bit her lip in nervousness. ¡°I am not a gold-digger¡­¡± she mumbled. ¡°A shame,¡± he said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind you being one anding after me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re broke,¡± said Lee-yeon, amused. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say my family was rich?¡± ¡°They are very scary.¡± Lee-yeon sighed. ¡°My family was aplete mess.¡± It was better to not get close to people too much. She felt torn. She wanted to tell him about her family while still wanting to build a wall around her. ¡°We were rted by blood,¡± she said. ¡°But we couldn¡¯t really bring ourselves to be a family.¡± Kwon Chae-woo listened patiently. ¡°I was called Song-yeon at home,¡± she said. ¡°Song-yeon?¡± She nodded. ¡°It was sort of like a nickname.¡± When the name So Lee-yeon is written vertically, it read as Song-yeon. So that name had stuck with her. ¡°Song-yeon is the soot from burning pine trees.¡± Lee-yeon paused. ¡°I was considered a dirty stain on the image of my family.¡± Just then, there was an eruption of noise and fireworks lit up the sky. She could distantly hear people cheering and apuding. Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the dazzling and colourful shower of light in the sky. If only they could fill my empty heart with warmth, thought Lee-yeon. I would do anything not to miss my family. ¡°Is that how you¡¯ve been seeing yourself till now?¡± His calm eyes looked at her. ¡°As a stain or soot? Is that how you see yourself?¡± His gentle eyes made her heart ache. His eyes seem to urge her for an answer. His eyes were like mirrors. And she didn¡¯t see herself reflected as a stain or soot in his eyes. It made her see herself, for the first time, as an independent and resilient woman who had survived despite all odds. A Tree Doctor, a caregiver. She had ovee bullying from her co-workers and cousins. She had thrived in spite of difficult conditions. ¡°Do you know that after a forest fire, the tree still lives and makes a forest anew?¡¯ ¡°Hm¡­ and?¡± he asked. ¡°I might have been Song-yeon but now I am a Tree Doctor.¡± He smiled at her. ¡°I have built myself up anew,¡± she said, her voice cracking. She managed to smile and didn¡¯t mind the welling up of tears in her eyes. A barren childhood had prevented her from putting down her roots. At a time when she should have been discovering the world and growing up strong, she had rotted and dried. With thorns in her life, he had only learnt to distance herself from others. She had painful memories but she had tried her best. Maybe a flower would not bloom in a ce like this but¡­ maybe someone¡­ She had hoped that someone could tell her that she had done her best and it was enough. That she was good enough. ¡°It might not be pretty, but it¡¯s me.¡± The fireworks erupted again. Kwon Chae-woo smiled brightly at her. His smile was so warm that it melted her heart. He wrapped his rms around her and pulled her close. ¡°I knew it!¡± he said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think a person who even picks up fallen petals from the ground with so much care would ever think of herself as a dirty stain.¡± Fireworks went off one after another simultaneously. People cheered. But Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t hear anything else. It was as though she was removed from the rest of the world. She was only aware of her closeness with Kwon Chae-woo and her pounding heart. It was different from how she had met him in the mountains months before. Lee-yeon clenched her sweaty hands. At that moment, she thought of running away. But she stayed her ground. ¡°I wanted to live a quiet life away from people. I was afraid of them. I was afraid of how they saw me. I chose trees instead of people,¡± She blurted. ¡°They epted me. Trees don¡¯t have prejudices. The forest was the only ce where I felt safe, but¡­.¡± He was still looking at her patiently. ¡°But you¡­¡± She looked at him. ¡°You constantly¡­.¡± She trailed off. ¡°Go on,¡± he urged. ¡°You are poisonous,¡± she blurted. ¡°I think so. I think you are poisonous.¡± She suddenly skipped over what she had wanted to say. She panicked. He was patient. He waited. He knew she was dancing around the words she actually wanted to utter. He would let her. ¡°So?¡± he asked. His calm and steady voice helped her gather herself. ¡°So¡­ I¡­¡± Another batch of fireworks lit up the sky. ¡°I think I really do have a second husband. A new man.¡± ¡°What?¡± he asked, now utterly confused. ¡°I no longer see the old Kwon Chae-woo. You are a changed man,¡± Lee-yeon dered. She looked as though what she said was embarrassing. She didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry at herself. Chapter 60: Chapter 60: ¡°Something is going on between you two, isn¡¯t there?¡± Lee-yeon raised the cup of coffee to her mouth. She often seemed lost in thought and Kwon Chae-woo had no eyes for anything except her. Choo-ja was certain something had happened between them. ¡°What?¡± Lee-yeon asked. Her hands holding the coffee cup trembled slightly. Choo-ja narrowed her eyes. ¡°Did you do it with him?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Was it good?¡± ¡°Choo-ja!¡± ¡°Looks like you perfectly know what I am talking about.¡± Choo-jaughed. She smiled teasingly at Lee-yeon who was fanning herself and trying to hide her blushing cheeks. Lee-yeon had been seventeen when her parents had run away. They had met their deaths on the same day. Choo-ja had met the girl at the funeral. She had been skinny and pale with long ck hair. She had looked like a ghost herself. Her father¡¯s funeral had been in the room on the left and her mother¡¯s, on the right. The girl had looked very lost in between. In the end, the girl had lowered her head and stood there frozen. The townspeople who came to pay their respects frowned at her. Choo-ja, at that time, had just reunited with the love of her life. She had seen the girl at the funeral. Apparently, one of them was her fianc¨¦¡¯s distant rtive. Ch¡ªja had nced at the young girl while she helped with the funeral. Lee-yeon had stood there numb and frozen as though she couldn¡¯t feel anything anymore. Like a dead tree. Nobody went near her or talked to her. Only the family that was in mourning directed at her a murderous look from time to time. They looked at her as though they were going to cut down this dead tree if they had the chance. It was a bizarre moment. However, Choo-ja was quick to see that no matter how they looked at her, Lee-yeon was the one who held the family together. The family came together in shared hatred for her. Not love. Choo-ja understood that someone who grew up in families like that wouldck the ability to trust someone else. Despite being so young, she had looked so tired and despairing. Choo-ja had been mesmerized by her at that time. Lee-yeon was kicked out of her family¡¯s house after that and she kept transitioning between her distant rtives¡¯ households. In the end, Choo-ja had asked the poor girl toe live with her and her lover. The three of them had lived happily. Until Choo-ja¡¯s fianc¨¦, the poet, had passed away from cancer. He was the first and thest man Choo-ja gave her heart to. Lee-yeon had watched her live in love. This time Choo-ja wanted to do the same. She wanted to see Lee-yeon surrounded by love. ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Lee-yeon stared at Choo-ja. ¡°I know you have grown up in a ce without much love or happiness, but you are strong.¡± Sometimes, Choo-ja couldn¡¯t figure out whether Lee-yeon was strong or actually foolish. She didn¡¯t know whether Lee-yeon was frugal or hopeless. But Choo-ja wanted Lee-yeon, for once, to desire more for herself. She wanted Lee-yeon to take a chance in life with people. Neither Hwaido nor the hospital, may she find the home she so misses, Choo-ja prayed. ¡°Love can sometimes appear like a natural disaster which destroys everything in its wake,¡± said Choo-ja. ¡°But not everyone ends up like your parents.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s face darkened at the mention of her parents. ¡°You already know the joy of love.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Is it a singing tree?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes widened. *** The little girl who isted herself from everyone else in the world started to heal. She felt weed in the lush greenery, away from people. ¡°Lee-yeon, what are you thinking about?¡± ¡°Trees.¡± Kwon Chae-woo raised his eyebrows at her answer. This day was same as every other day except Choo-ja had gotten mad at her for leaving the celebrations in the middle. But the celebrations were days ago. ¡ºRecently, illegal harvesting of forest products such as matsutake mushrooms, pine nuts, wild medicinal herbs, and wild ginseng has been on the rise. ¡» The voice of the new reporter on the TV filled the living room. Lee-yeon hadn¡¯t been herself after the celebrations. She often found herself spacing out and staring nkly at nothing in particr. ¡ºRecently, their method has be more sophisticated. They began to move systematically to avoid crackdowns. Reporter Hwang Ji-yeon on the report¡» Suddenly, the TV was turned off and static red on the surface of the screen. It was only then that she was wrenched back to the present. Lee-yeon turned her head in confusion and met Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s eyes, who held his chin up on his palm and looked at her. ¡°Why did you turn off the TV?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe I need attention,¡± said Kwon Chae-woo. His eyes looked dreamy and he had a ready smile on his lips. It gave her goosebumps. ¡°What should I do to get your attention? Should I bite your shoes and bark like a dog?¡± he leaned closer to Lee-yeon. ¡°You always leave me alone,¡± he said. ¡°What are you thinking about so intensely? You seem more lost these days than ever before.¡± ¡°I¡­um¡­,¡± mumbled Lee-yeon. ¡®I was thinking about a¡­ tree.¡± Lee-yeon scratched her head. She wasn¡¯t lying. A singing tree¡­ Choo-ja had brought up precious memories from her past that Lee-yeon had forgotten. She had never expected for her past toe up. ¡°A tree¡­,¡± kwon Chae-woo frowned. ¡°My wife seems to be lost in thought about thick trees and she can¡¯t even spare a second to look at her husband¡¯s d**k.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that!¡± Lee-yeon protested. Chapter 61: Chapter 61: His face didn¡¯t change. Lee-yeon knew Kwon Chae-woo could be annoying when he sulked. ¡°You know the hospital. I named it after a tree I liked when I was young. I was just recalling that.¡± It was that tree that had given her hope to live when she had found herself despairing at seventeen years of age. She still remembered the forest vividly. The lush green grass. Sunlight filtering through the leaves. Lee-yeon had met a singing tree in that forest. It was the only precious and warm memory she had of her childhood. ¡°Now that you can¡¯t give me away to someone else, you are trying to evade me mentally?¡± Lee-yeon was going to protest when Kwon Chae-woo gently grabbed her chin and turned her face to look him in the eye. It seemed that she had been spacing out again without realizing it. His calm eyes reflected her face. ¡°I can tell what you¡¯re lost again just from your face.¡± Lee-yeon smiled awkwardly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were from a conservative family?¡± ¡°I am,¡± she said. ¡°Then it seems you are only conservative towards me.¡± He shook his head slowly. ¡°Am I boring?¡± ¡°What?¡± asked Lee-yeon. ¡°I understand that I might not be so much fun to be with,¡± he said. ¡°You are only interested in tress, and I am not interesting enough to get your attention.¡± He stared at her in disappointment. He leaned back on the sofa and closed his eyes. He sighed. ¡°I¡¯d rather be a vegetative man again,¡± he said. ¡°Because you will only think of me then.¡± Lee-yeon was speechless. She didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°When will the daye when you can love only me?¡± His mncholic voice hit her like a pack of bricks. Her words tugged at her heart. Kwon Chae-woo opened his eyes and looked at her. The soft carpet touched her feet. She could feel the warm fabric of the sofa. She was aware of even the flowerpots that filled her living room. A deafening silence fell. Each second felt like an hour. Bzzz. Bzzz. Lee-yeon¡¯s phone started ringing and ripped apart the silence in the room. Her face hardened as she stared at her phone screen. Lee-yeon abruptly got up from the sofa. ¡°Who is it?¡± asked Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°Nobody,¡± she said. She rejected the call with her trembling fingers. She dropped her hands by her side still clutching the phone. It rang again. Lee-yeon nced at her phone again. Kwon Chae-woo leaned over and snatched the phone from her hands before she had time to move it away. ¡°No!¡± she shouted. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo!¡± He frowned at the name on the phone screen. Kwon Ki-seok. Lee-yeon lunged at him to get her phone back. But he dodged her and epted the call. ¡°Hello,¡± said Kwon Chae-woo. Lee-yeon red at him. He turned the speaker ¡®on¡¯ and ced the phone on the sofa. Lee-yeon froze. She was at a loss for ideas. ¡°Who are you?¡± asked Kwon Chae-woo. The man on the other side did not speak. Kwon Chae-woo clenched his teeth. Who is this bastard that startles Lee-yeon so much? ¡°It¡¯s your brother,¡± said the man on the phone. Lee-yeon could hear the smirk in his voice. She flinched. Kwon Chae-woo raised an eyebrow at her, questioningly. He was asking her if that was true. Lee-yeon gave a nod. ¡°So Lee-yeon,¡± said the voice. It reminded her of a slippery, poisonous snake. ¡°How are you?¡± ¡°Hello,¡± she squeaked out. ¡°I have been very busy with work, so I haven¡¯t kept in contact,¡± said the man. Lee-yeon closed her eyes in fear. She wished this nightmare would end. Such a bad timing!If any of us lets anything slip, it¡¯s all over. One slip and everything she had created will fall. She will be exposed. Lee-yeon bit her lips. ¡°I heard the news,¡± came the voice from the phone. ¡°I know he woke up and is not in a normal state.¡± Lee-yeon nced at Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°But it seems you are interesting after all,¡± said the man. ¡°I am sorry? What do you mean?¡± asked Lee-yeon, dreading the worse. ¡°To do such a thing,¡± said the voice. ¡°How reckless!¡± ¡°Well¡­ I¡­,¡± stammered Lee-yeon. Her heart was beating so viciously she thought it would burst. She recalled the bloody ughterhouse that she was dragged into. She remembered everything with vivid details. She even remembered grabbing the contractor¡¯s hand as she hung from the cliff. He knew! He knew the lies she had concocted to tame his brother. He knew everything! ¡°Of course, I understand why you must have done it,¡± continued the intimidating voice. ¡°Maybe you did it without knowing what kind of a man he is. But¡­ you have made a big mistake.¡± Lee-yeon felt like she would suffocate. She was about to bury her head in her hands when she felt Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s gently taking her hands in his. The tall tree, the moonlit night, and the fireworks shed through her mind. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± he said to her. ¡°I don¡¯t care. I can¡¯t even remember his face anyway, so I can¡¯t really believe all this bullshit. I am not even curious about my family.¡± Kwon Chae-woo frowned. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± said the voice from the phone. What if Kwon Ki-seok blurts out everything? Lee-yeon closed her eyes and prepared herself for the worse. She had a feeling that this was all going to go down terribly. ¡°I am talking about thepetition. I heard that you are participating in the bidding?¡± said the voice, suddenly turning friendly in tone. ¡°I just wanted to warn you that the screening process might be extremely difficult. They will try everything to make you lose. You are the only female director participating. Also, it¡¯s a big project. They won¡¯t choose a random small hospital for it unless you show them something different and formidable.¡± Lee-yeon dropped her hands. She didn¡¯t know what to do. At the same time, she felt a sense of relief. She had thought that Kwon Ki-seok would have revealed everything just to spite her. What is he ying at? Chapter 62: Chapter 62: ¡°So Lee-yeon,¡± continued the voice from the phone. ¡°I have already made this clear on the first day we met.¡± Lee-yeon was very confused now. ¡°You have all my support,¡± said the voice. ¡°I will, of course, send you resources. I don¡¯t care if you have made my brother a hospital employee, a housekeeper or your toy. Just don¡¯t forget what you need to do.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll catch the real criminal and put him in your ce.¡± ¡°Try your best to keep him inside Hwaido.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s face hardened as she remembered his words. She murmured her affirmative looking pale. Kwon Chae-woo nced at the phone and then at Lee-yeon. He let out a sigh of frustration. ¡°Why are you ordering my wife?¡± he said in annoyance. ¡°If you are going to say something as stupid, don¡¯t call her ever again!¡± Kwon Ki-seok smirked. His brother¡¯s voice sounded so innocent, so unlike the ferocious and reckless man he used to be before the ident. The youngest son of the feared gangster family. His dear brother that he had raised. Kwon Chae-woo had outright refused any care and resources from his parents. He would always grit his teeth and draw a line between himself and everyone else. But Kwon Chae-woo sounds like a tamed animal now. ¡°Director Jo.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± bowed Jo Kyung-cheon. He looked as though there was immense pressure on his shoulders, literally. That hadn¡¯t changed since the time he first visited this ce in a school uniform. A houseposed of dozens of hanok. The ck tiles that resembled waves looked as peaceful as a flock of cranes. But the deeper he went, the more suffocating it got. It felt as though he had entered the serpent¡¯s mouth. The Kwon family. A name that was only whispered in fear. The Kwon family was one of the three major real estate managers in Korea. An organization with enormous economic power, and the centre of the Blue House that dominated the shadows. It was said that Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s grandfather had created his empire by lending money to smallpanies in need to capital. The money he invested had double and tripled to tens of billions of dors. After 80 years, the Kwon family had be so powerful that they were the forerunners of almost everyrge corporation that were currently in the Republic of Korea. They had established themselves as an unwavering and authoritative shadow of the country. The stories about Chairman Kwon giving up an entire site for the Central Intelligence Agency and loaning them his hunting dogs as Blue Falcons were still whispered. The court became the National Security Agency and transformed back into the National Intelligence Service. The hounds formed a private organization under direct control of the president and has been set up as a group responsible for cleaning up the mess. The president might be smart, but Chairman Kwon was smarter. He secured his ce as a major shareholder. He did all this without ever leaving his mansion. The influence of the Kwon family, which had been managed unwaveringly for nearly a century, was even stronger than before. Their business was at the centre of their sess. Their predominant business was lending loans. Chairman kwon enjoyed his dirty work. He also nurtured the elites more than anyone else. He thirsted to expand his influence and his power beyond this ce to the outside world. He also supported children from poor families who had the potential to do something great. Kwon family, in this way, raised many children and provided top-tier education for them to dominate every facet of society. It was how the kwon family maintained their power. Jo Kyung-cheon had been one of those children. ¡°Director. I apologize for what happened.¡± ¡°No, sir. It is I who must apologize. I didn¡¯t know Hwang Jo-yoon would cause such trouble.¡± ¡°I heard that he was your favourite student.¡± ¡°I once entertained the idea of training him because he showed potential. That is all.¡± Jo Kyung-cheon had caught Hwang Jo-yoon in his undergraduate studies cultivated illegal drugs. He had though he could train the young man enough to entrust him with the drug cultivation in Hwaido. All his efforts had gone down the drain and just because of Hwang Jo-yoon¡¯s reckless behaviour. When he had found out Hwang Jo-yoon had gotten involved in a mess rted to Director Kwon, he had cut him off from his business. ¡°Is it going well?¡± asked Kwon Ki-seok. After Chairman Kwon¡¯s death, Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s father had broken the family tradition and revealed himself. Hispany swallowed the Hydrangea Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. which was in a difficult circumstance at the time. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s all going very smooth.¡± ¡°No one must know about the rare nt.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. I will keep that in mind.¡± Jo Kyung-cheon bowed. A face shed through his mind. Kwon Ki-seok had made the researchers disappear one after another. It was to keep things confidential. Sweat beaded Jo Kyung-cheon¡¯s forehead. ¡°Hwaido is very important.¡± There was no ce on the ind where the power of Kwon family did not reach. The entire Hwaido was a useful incineration spot for the family¡¯s mess. ¡°You have to win the Hwaidome project,¡± said Kwon Ki-seok. Jo Kyun-cheon knew that it wasn¡¯t a request, or a wish for his well-being. He knew he had to win. * * * ¡°Have you been treated like that all this time?¡± asked Kwon Chae-woo, caressing her hand that he held. Lee-yeon¡¯s face was very pale. ¡°Why do you even bother with them?¡± Kwon Chae-woo didn¡¯t understand why Lee-yeon lowered her head at that man¡¯s words and try to be extra polite to him. He wasn¡¯t even her boss. ¡°I¡­ just¡­. He has nevere here. He has also never said anything bad to me. He only calls about once every month. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Kwon Chae-woo let out sigh. ¡°This is all because of me, isn¡¯t it? Just because I don¡¯t remember anything.¡± ¡°What?¡¯ ¡°My family looks down on you because they know I don¡¯t remember anything. I just¡­ feel like I have failed you. I am so sorry, Lee-yeon.¡± She felt a prick of her conscience. She wasn¡¯t in a ce to ept his apology. Now when she had brought this on herself by all the lies she had created. ¡°Did you already know my family was like that?¡± He asked. ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t know in the beginning,¡± answered Lee-yeon slowly. She avoided his gaze. ¡°Did I¡­ hide my family background when I approached you? I can tell from just his voice that my brothercks a lot as a human being.¡± He looked at her questioningly. ¡°Did I deceive you to get you to marry me?¡± he asked. ¡°No¡­,¡± said Lee-yeon. She wanted to reassure him but didn¡¯t know how to. ¡°We didn¡¯t know much about each other¡¯s families when we got married. And I¡­ I didn¡¯t bring it up¡­¡± Kwon Chae-woo squeezed her handfortingly. Is face looked sad. ¡°I feel like I owe you a lot.¡± ¡°Why?¡± asked Lee-yeon. ¡°I feel that I am somehow responsible for all the hardships you are facing,¡± he said. He lowered his forehead to the back of her hand. His heavy breath melted on her skin. Kwon Chae-woo wasn¡¯t wrong. Lee-yeon had gotten involved in many crazy incidences after she had met him. She had lived her life in fear. But still, she felt her eyes water as she heard him admit it. Chapter 63: Chapter 63: ¡°What can I do?¡± he asked, his eyes full of emotion. ¡°What can I do that will fix things?¡± Lee-yeon closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Kwon Chae-woo was offering something she never had in her life before. ¡°Just¡­¡± She was trying to slow down her rapidly beating heart. ¡°Just be calm. Don¡¯t get angry and things won¡¯t get hard. I just wish your syndrome would get better.¡± Kwon Chae-woo looked frustrated. So Lee-yeon was so damn stubborn. He promised himself that he would break down the wall she hid behind. *** ¡°It¡¯s no use. You don¡¯t qualify anyway.¡± Gyu-baek said, as he read through the encyclopedia quickly. He and Kwon Chae-woo sat at a table in the sunlight, exchanging psychological warfare. Kwon Chae-woo rested his chin on his hands, his face expressionless. ¡°Only me, a young monkey, has a chance,¡± Gyu-baek continued. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to inform you professor, but monkeys are different from people,¡± Kwon Chae-woo retorted. ¡°They¡¯re both animals. Their habits are simr,¡± Gyu-baek insisted. ¡°Young monkeys smell good.¡± Kwon-Chae-wooughed. The boy would not stop talking about monkeys. A baby monkey would never survive in society. ¡°People might think I smell bad. I have you know, I wash up well, professor,¡± Kwon Chae-woo needed to stop humouring the child. ¡°In human society, young men are not popr.¡± He held up his hand to count off the reasons on his fingers. ¡°You don¡¯t have any savings, you¡¯re busy trying to stay alive, you haven¡¯t any experiences in the world, you¡¯re not mature, you have no sense of responsibility¡­¡± ¡°But you also don¡¯t have any money,¡± Gyu-baek interrupted. Kwon Chae-woo stopped and stared at the child. ¡°You don¡¯t have a job. You¡¯re unemployed. You lie around all day. You boast about your experience. Your wife does all the work. It¡¯s the worst when a monkey is old and still doesn¡¯t have anything.¡± Kwon Chae-woo felt like his head was going to explode in anger from the insults he was taking. ¡°You¡¯ve been basically living like an insect.¡± Gyu-baek nced up at him. ¡°You have the same characteristics as a beetlerva: eat, sleep, poo, repeat.¡± Kwon Chae-woo stuttered and spit, unable to find any words. Gyu-baek just buried himself back into his book, with a sly grin on his face. *** The announcement for the second tournament was released. Lee-yeon quickly read the email with excitement, but she became stern as she scrolled down. Last year, due to five days of continuous rain, there were massivendslides that poured down from the mountains. The muck, that flowed like waves in the ocean, swallowed houses and cars. Casualties numbered in the hundreds. It was a terrifying disaster. Approximately thirty houses were swept away entirely, and electricity was cut off to thousands of households. Even though Lee-yeon had been living a fair distance from the disaster zone, she still needed to use a back-up generator to keep the medical devices attached to Kwon Chae-woo running. She was troubled with the information in the email. The second tournament was being held in the very region the disaster had urred. It involved rescuing trees. The Forest Service would be opening up the closed region for the contestants to enter. The goal of thepetition was forest restoration. To nt as many trees as possible within the twenty-four-hour time limit. Contestants were allowed to bring onepanion. Lee-yeon felt her stamina being drained already, just by reading about the event. ¡°Lee-yeon, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯re going to visit a patient at five?¡± Kwon Chae-woo walked into Lee-yeon¡¯s office holding adle. Lee-yeon stared at the man in the apron for a moment, then quickly jumped out of her chair with a shriek ¡°Is it time already?¡± Lee-yeon started panicking. ¡°What are you going to eat?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll eat whatever when Ie back, so go ahead and have your dinner. And don¡¯t wait up!¡± Kwon Chae-woo stopped her with thedle as she tried to run out the door. ¡°Take me with you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lee-yeon didn¡¯t have time for this. ¡°If you can¡¯t share a meal with me at home, then take me with you and make me work,¡± his eyes had taken on that serious quality again. ¡°I¡¯ll be your shovel and your axe.¡± The way he spoke of himself, as an object, disturbed her. She didn¡¯t want him talking like this again. Especially since the first time she met him he was burying a person alive. ¡°I prefer that you stay at home. Clean, cook, meditate with flowers, whatever. Just stay calm. That will make me feel relieved.¡± Kwon Chae-woo frowned. In his ears, Gyu-baek¡¯s voice was taunting him. ¡°You want me to be like a flower?¡± he said, his voice turning sinister. Lee-yeon flinched in spite of herself. He was starting to realize her intentions of keeping him shut away in the house as much as possible. ¡°I was wondering if it¡¯s morefortable for you if I were the submissive kind of husband.¡± His eyes that didn¡¯t reveal his feelings. Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking. The best thing was to just be honest with him. ¡°Yes. It is.¡± Kwon Chae-woo didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°I just want you to be safe.¡± There was no reaction from him. But his expressionless face felt like a darkness hovering over Lee-yeon. Their eyes red at each other. Then Kwon Chae-woo did something for the first time, more out of disgust than out of eptance. He agreed. ¡°I will,¡± he whispered. No matter how she phrased it, it was clear that Lee-yeon was just trying to keep him locked up. She had certainly dropped the idea a while ago of him getting identification so he could get a job. Even though his so-called brother was holding her hostage, Lee-yeon had no intention of trying to get help from Kwon Chae-woo. The only thing she wanted to do was eliminate his aggressiveness and turn him into a pretty flower. But it was pointless, for he was born an animal. But, for now, he would y her game. He smiled. ¡°Then for today, I¡¯ll pack food for you,¡± Kwon Chae-woo said. Lee-yeon nodded. She needed to believe that he was trying to do as she asked. *** Lee-yeon kneeled in front of the destroyed tree. Its bark waspletely peeling off as it was feasted on by caterpirs. She finished spraying the pesticide and removed hertex gloves. The guardian beside her shoved his hands in his jacket pockets and studied her work. ¡°So, doctor. I¡¯m curious about something¡­¡± ¡°We don¡¯t cut down trees,¡± Lee-yeon interrupted. The guardian looked startled at Lee-yeon¡¯s sudden statement. ¡°Many clients request it. They seem to think that if the diseased tree roots grow into the tombs and wrap around the bodies of their ancestors, their descendants will have back luck.¡± She saw the guardian nce at the tomb that stood beside the tree. His eyes widened at the thought that she read his mind. ¡°They want us to destroy trees that are hundreds of years old,¡± Lee-yeon continued. ¡°The world still doesn¡¯t know the value of a tree.¡± Lee-yeon closed her tool bag and fixed her straw hat. ¡°If you cut down this tree, there will be nothing around to protect the tomb. If your ancestors are that important, thene by more often and take care of the trees.¡± Chapter 64: Chapter 64: ¡°Do you know your face changes the moment you look at a tree?¡± Kwon Chae-woo had been watching Lee-yeon working from the edge of the grove. He took her bag from her to lighten her load. ¡°I just feelfortable around trees.¡± Lee-yeon smiled. As the sun started to set in a glow of red, Kwon Chae-woo couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of his wife¡¯s smile. ¡°Comfortable?¡± he asked, ¡°Yes. The poet Rilke wrote poems underneath a tree beside hisne and Schubert rxed underneath a lime tree. Even Gautama Buddha was born underneath the tree of souci and gained wisdom underneath a linden tree.¡± She turned around to face Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°People have no issue living without love, but everything in the world will be contaminated if there are no trees.¡± ¡°So, what did you do that was underneath a tree?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± A memory entered Lee-yeon¡¯s mind, but she stopped herself from saying it. ¡°What? Was it your first kiss?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Then, what was it?¡± ¡°I often took refuge under a tree,¡± Lee-yeon answered, looking away. ¡°And listened to music there.¡± Kwon Chae-woo realized that he wasn¡¯t part of the memory she was thinking about. It made him sad. ¡°What kind of music?¡± he asked. ¡°String music.¡± Kwon Chae-woo frowned. A memory rushed into his head of the melody he heard at the party. The sharp sound of a stringed instrument cut right through his nerves, causing nausea and a headache. It had been an unusual reaction. ¡°The German spruce is used to make stringed instruments.¡± Kwon-Chae-woo tried to clear his head as she continued on. ¡°I find it astonishing that I treat hurt trees, yet someone else will cut it to create an instrument. Is the death of a tree worth the sound of music?¡± As she was contemted these philosophies, Kwon Chae-woo tripped over a broken branch. Lee-yeon stopped, looking around. The surrounding trees were all marred with gashes about fifty centimetres long that seemed to be made by a sharp knife. Her face became concerned. If not treated, the phloem would be damaged and nutrients would no longer be transferred to the roots. If the bark peeled off anymore, the trees would eventually starve to death. Who in the world would do this? Lee-yeon thought. She went to the trees to take a closer look. At least seven or eight trees had the same wounds that appeared to have been made by a human. They almost appeared to be directional symbols that had been carved into the trunks. Lee-yeon followed the wounds of the trees, half-believing they would lead her to the culprit. The directions changed quickly, like the paths of a maze, and she became dizzy as she walked around in circles. Finally, her random steps ended at a banner half-falling of a post. The corners of the faded warning statement were turning ck, having been exposed to the elements for a number of years. It was a ¡®No Trespassing¡¯ sign. The forested area beyond it was thick with growth and she couldn¡¯t see too far in. Usually, these warnings meant there was a cliff or steep drop-off just beyond. Lee-yeon felt weak. She turned to Kwon Chae-woo, only to find that he was not with her. The forest behind her was empty. She must have left him behind as she ran off following the injured trees. She began to feel a sense of panic. This was both their first time in the forests of this mountain. The sun was getting lower and if it got dark, neither of them would be able to find their way out. Lee-yeon trembled. She needed to retrace her footsteps quickly and find him. As she began heading back the way she hade, six people carrying garbage bags appeared from amongst the trees. They appeared to be gathering items from the forest floor. Lee-yeon assumed it was garbage that had been left by uncaring hikers, and that filled her with joy. The people nodded as they passed by her, heading towards the off-limits area. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go in there,¡± she told them. The people stopped, looking back at her, confused. ¡°It¡¯s a dead end in there. It could be dangerous,¡± she exined. One of the men spoke up and asked, ¡°Are you a city employee?¡± He looked around the area. ¡°Are you alone?¡± He spoke with the regional dialect, so he must have been from the area. ¡°No. My husband is following me¡­¡± The man rushed over, getting right into her face. ¡°I thought we had a deal, but you want something more?¡± he snarled. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± She suddenly felt as if she were in danger. She turned to leave, but the men circled her, closing her in. ¡°Which are you? Are you from the city or police?¡± Lee-yeon waved her hands in denial ¡°I¡¯m a tree doctor!¡± The men erupted with sinisterughter. They certainly didn¡¯t believe her. Then it urred to her. This mountain was known for the cement of tombs, not for hiking. So, what were they doing here? A news bulletin came back to her. People had been illegally harvesting trumpet mushroom, pine nuts, herbs, and ginseng from the wilnds. These were protected areas. Lee-yeon tried to appear calm, as she surreptitiously put her hand into her pocket to find the familiar rectangle of her phone. ¡°I meet lots of annoying people like you. They always lie to me.¡± The man¡¯s expression was bing more frightening. ¡°But do you know what happened after?¡± he asked. *** ¡°Kwon Chae-woo!¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s head turned towards the voice in the air. It was faint, almost as if it was a trick of the wind. He frowned, trying to figure out the direction it wasing from. He started running, unsure if he was going the right way. He cursed the fact that there weren¡¯t any proper trails on this mountain. The ground was getting hard to see, as the dusk closed in. A huge boulder covered in moss suddenly appeared from the shadows. Kwon Chae-woo jumped over it, at thest minute, and continued running through the bush. ¡°Lee-yeon!¡± he called back to the forest. He was cursing himself for getting distracted. He had been focusing on the broken branch he had found, envisioning how he would carve it and make it a gift for Lee-yeon. When he finally looked up, he realized that he was alone in the middle of the forest. After running through the brush for some time, he heard the movements of a group of people ahead of him. Through the branches of the trees, he could see a group of men carrying the limp body of a woman. ¡°You f*cking bastards,¡± he swore to himself. It was clear the woman was Lee-yeon. She appeared to be unconscious, as if she had been hit by a blunt object. He hoped it was nothing worse. He followed them as they carried her past a ¡®No Trespassing¡¯ sign and disappeared into some thick brush. Lying, discarded on the ground in front of where the group disappeared, was Lee-yeon¡¯s medical bag. He opened it and shoved anything that looked like it could be used as a weapon into his pockets. He decided that he was going to take his time eliminating these men. He was going to cut off all their fingers for touching Lee-yeon. Then he had the intention of shoving those fingers down their throats as well. He started imagining all of the merciless and brutal things he would do to these men, when Lee-yeon¡¯s voice echoed though his head. ¡®Be calm,¡¯ it said. ¡®Don¡¯t get angry and things won¡¯t get hard. I just wish your syndrome would get better.¡¯ Surprising, the rage within him began to slowly quell. Heughed. It was a twisted sound.! Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Kwon Chae-woo could never be a saint. He knew his mentality was developed to be mean and harsh. The cruel thoughts and violence were as natural as using utensils. It shamed him to think that his wife was so weak and fearful. He couldn¡¯t be with her simply on an emotional basis. For their rtionship to flourish, it was important that their worlds be closer, not just one side liking the other. It needed something more than feelings. However, it felt like the huge gap could never be filled between So Lee-yeon, who wanted her husband to be restrained and docile, and Kwon Chae-woo, who would y a boar with no hesitation. The worlds they walked in were pr opposites. After today, I¡¯ll try to calm my natural tendencies, he thought as he chased after the men with eyes full of vengeance. But you will also have toe towards me and harden your disposition. After running by the ¡®No Trespassing¡¯ sign and struggling through the thick bush, he burst into a clearing where several grimy storage containers had been dumped. Kwon Chae-woo quickly lowered himself behind an outcropping of boulders and surveyed the area. Two ss greenhouses had been erected amongst the storage containers and a strange smell emanated from them. ¡°Who are you?¡± A thick club pressed down against his back. Kwon Chae-woo lifted his hands in surrender. Judging by the dialect of the man standing behind him, he knew where the man was from. Standing slowly, Kwon suddenly swung around, grabbing the club and pulling the man forward. As the man stumbled, he swung an arm around the man neck and began squeezing his throat in a choke hold. The man struggled in his arm, after recovering from the shock of being overpowered. Kwon continued to apply pressure to the man¡¯s throat, whose face was turning from blue to a deep purple. ¡°Why are you bad people always so slow?¡± Kwon Chae-woo said to the man in his arms. ¡±Never mind. I need to ask you a favour.¡± The man¡¯s eyes were starting to falter and Kwon released him just before he passed out. The man gasped and sputtered for breath. Kwon Chae-woo looked at the man struggling to breathe. He wet his lips. ¡°Don¡¯t be loud and hit me once,¡± Kwon said, smiling. *** A harsh chemical smell overcame her senses. As Lee-yeon regained consciousness, she realized she was tied to a chair. The spot on her head, where she had been hit, throbbed with a dull pain. The rough rope pressed down on her tender skin, squeezing her to the point of immobility. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake!¡± A man approached her, removing his white mask. She could see other masked men beyond the person who addressed her. They were busy at tables, processing flowers that were as red as blood. Lee-yeon knew instantly what they were: poppies. When did the peaceful life on this ind be so unpredictable? Lee-yeon admonished herself at the fact that she kept somehow getting involved in dangerous situations. Is Kwon Chae-woo all right? she thought. The mountains be extremely more dangerous after dark. If he was lost, no one would be able to find him until the sun came up. Her concern was more for him, then for herself, right now. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m talking to you. What are you looking at?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s head was wrenched back by her hair. ¡°Are you not scared?¡± Lee-yeon closed her eyes to shut out the disconcerting feature of her captor. He may be as aggressive as Kwon Chae-woo, but he certainly wasn¡¯t anything like him in any other way. ¡°People like you die here,¡± the man threatened her. ¡°Others tried to sneak in.¡± She was scared of her own situation, yet her mind kept drifting back to Kwon Chae-woo being left alone in the woods. He didn¡¯t even have a cell phone. The man took Lee-yeon¡¯ silence to mean she was hiding something. He turned her head left and right, looking into her ears. ¡°Are you wired?¡± he asked. ¡°No ear mics. Let¡¯s check your clothes.¡± Lee-yeon red at the man, as he tapped on her to see if there were any hidden mics. He couldn¡¯t look inside the ropes, but he felt up all of the uncovered areas. He spent a little too much time feeling around the more intimate areas, and it disgusted her. She refused to show any reaction and held her breath as she was vited. The man stopped at the sound of a loud thump at the door. The entire room silenced, and all the workers looked towards the entrance as the door opened. There was a short, young man standing in the portal, holding a dagger to his hostage. Lee-yeon¡¯s determination to stay calm, gave way. The hostage the man held at knife point was Kwon Chae-woo. Lee-yeon wasn¡¯t sure how badly he was hurt, but there was blood streaming from his nose and mouth and his cheeks were swollen. Kwon Chae-woo stumbled, as his captor shoved him inside, and it looked like he was having hard time keeping bnce. Waves of different emotions were ignited within her. Anger, relief, worry. Her mind was a chaos of reactions. ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± Kwon Chae-woo croaked her name as he noticed her. He had scanned the entire room and taken every detail in. Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Kwon Chae-woo dropped his head, his face a myriad of different colours from the beating. The young man never noticed any change, but Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s movements seemed to get smoother, as if he had regained control of his body. ¡°There certainly are some random things on this tiny ass ind,¡± Kwon Chae-woo rasped defiantly. ¡°I can¡¯t even go to a pic with Lee-yeon anymore, without feeling uneasy.¡± Kwon Chae-woo frowned and turned to the man holding the knife on him. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too dangerous for anyone to have children here?¡± The young man, holding Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s arm, looked shock as he didn¡¯t know what to make of his hostage¡¯s strange behavior. In fact, the young man was more scared of Kwon Chae-woo. The young man was used to craziness. The drugs they produced destroyed any sense of rationality. People who were affected reverted back to a primordial nature whether they wanted to or not. He had seen it all, but nothing like what this man did. Kwon Chae-woo had been asked to be beaten when the young man had snuck up on him spying. And the strangest thing was that Kwon appeared to have a clear mind. The young man threw some punches, at Kwon¡¯s request, but Kwon didn¡¯t feel it was enough so began hitting himself. It was the most psychotic action the young man had ever witnessed. After Kwon had beaten himself ck and blue, he turned to the young man and asked, ¡°Do I look pathetic? My wife takes good care of the sick and pathetic.¡± The young man was sure that Kwon was on some form of drugs he had never seen. He had heard that bath salts caused this sort of behaviour. Maybe, Kwon hade here to get more drugs? The young man went through all of the possibilities in his mind. Then Kwon took it one step further, picking up a rock. As if the initial strikes weren¡¯t enough, Kwon began mming the rock into his nose and lips without hesitation. The young man actually tried to stop Kwon from causing any further abuse to himself. He was frightened, as he watched Kwon bleed without any sense of regret or pain. Kwon finished with the beating, smeared dirt all over his clothes, messed up his hair and then handed a knife to the young man ¡°Drag me in as a prisoner.¡± Kwon ordered. ¡°You don¡¯t have to¡­¡± the young man began, really wanting nothing to do with Kwon anymore. ¡°You don¡¯t know how to deal with a bastard who was spying on you, do you?¡± Kwon asked. The young man didn¡¯t know what to do. He had thought about yelling to the others. They had killed plenty of people, but for some reason the young man didn¡¯t think they could kill Kwon. Now that they had returned to the base, the young man was just hoping he would make it through the next few minutes. He watched as Kwon Chae-woo went to the other prisoner tied to a chair and knelt by her side. ¡°Are you hurt at all?¡± Kwon asked Lee-yeon. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, for letting you go.¡± Lee-yeon felt sad that she had got them into this position. Kwon¡¯s face looked even worse, closer up. Her heart raced as she watched the group of drug dealers slowly encircle them with steel pipes in hand. Yet, Kwon Chae-woo seemed to not even see them, and rested his chin on her thigh. ¡°Lee-yeon, are you hungry?¡± Kwon asked. ¡°Should we set up our pic here?¡± Lee-yeon stared at him as if he had gone insane. Sure, this looked like a peaceful cabin in the woods, if it wasn¡¯t for the drugs and the men who appeared intent on killing them. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, we¡¯re in trouble,¡± she said harshly, trying to break him out of whatever fantasy he appeared stuck in. Kwon Chae-woo nodded his head slightly. Kwon Chae-woo turned and spat blood at the men surrounding them. ¡°Are you growing drugs?¡± he asked. ¡°Who is this crazy bastard?¡± one of the drug dealers asked. Kwon Chae-woo turned back to Lee-yeon and said, ¡°Lee-yeon, let¡¯s move tomorrow.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lee-yeon was beginning to think that Kwon Chae-woo hadpletely lost it. ¡°You work in the mountain. Do you think I¡¯m going to let you go back to work after this has happened? You won¡¯t even let mee with you to protect you. So, if you want to keep meeting murderers¡­¡± Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s plea came into Lee-Yeon¡¯s mind. He said to make sure Kwon Chae-woo never left Hwaido. ¡°I like Hwaido,¡± she said. ¡°Even if it¡¯s this messed up?¡± Kwon Chae-woo said, indicating the men who had surrounded them and were watching the conversation as if it was a daily soap opera. Lee-yeon didn¡¯t have anything to say. How did ite to this? she thought. Beautiful Hwaido. She loved the ind since the first time she set foot on it, looking for a ce to live. She could never leave this natural wonder, surrounded by forests and sea. ¡°You guys are making meugh. You still think you can go home?¡± One of the drug dealers mocked their interaction, then mmed the sledgehammer he was holding on to Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s foot. Kwon Chae-woo howled, showing pain for the first time. Lee-yeon screamed. ¡°We¡¯ll pretend we haven¡¯t seen anything!¡± she shouted to the men. Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Kwon Chae-woo was biting his lip, drawing blood in an attempt to not make any sound. He buried his face into Lee-yeon¡¯s thigh and moaned. ¡°We¡¯re just ordinary people!¡± Lee-yeon tried to plead to the drug dealers. ¡°Think about it,¡± the man with the sledgehammer said, ¡°Is it more beneficial to us if we let you live or if we kill you?¡± Lee-yeon just stared at the men in fear. ¡°Dice up the man so we can bag him and take him to the boat for dumping.¡± All the thugs advanced at once. They pulled Kwon Chae-woo away from Lee-yeon and started stomping on him and striking him with the steel pipes. Kwon-Chae-woo didn¡¯t resist and just curled up in a fetus position to try and protect the vulnerable parts of his anatomy. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo!¡± Lee-yeon screamed as she strained against her bonds. ¡°Stop! Please, stop!¡± Kwon Chae-woo body was convulsing on the floor. He had a split on his brow that was pouring blood, and bruises were purpling on every inch of his exposed skin. Lee-yeon struggled harder, but there was nothing she could do. ¡°What are you doing? Get up Kwon Chae-woo! Are you just going to let them beat you?¡± Lee-yeon cried, her voice trembling. One of the drug dealers lifted a steel pipe, aiming for it toe crashing down on Kwon¡¯s head. Lee-yeon tried to stand, while still attached to the chair, and ended up falling over. ¡°Please not the head! Don¡¯t hit his head! If you need to hit him, hit anywhere else, just not the head!¡± Lee-yeon cried. The man stopped; the steel pipe held over his head. ¡°Please! His head is weak! If he gets hit in the head, it can be really bad! Please don¡¯t do this!¡± Lee-yeon tried to crawl across the floor to her husband, dragging the chair she was attached to with her. The steel pipe started it¡¯s swing downwards. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, move!¡± Kwon Chae-woo suddenly rolled to the side. The steel pipe struck the empty floor. But the rest of the men did not stop pummeling him. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, what are you doing!?¡± Lee-yeon shouted. ¡°Why are you letting beat them beat you!? You¡¯re not that person! Hit them, hit them! You¡¯re capable of fighting back!¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be doing that.¡± He moaned between strikes. ¡°You don¡¯t want me to be violent.¡± Lee-yeon could not believe what she was hearing. This situation was entirely different. ¡°Are you really that stupid? They¡¯re killing you! This is not the time to act all noble! F*cking kill them,¡± she shrieked. Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s lips curved up in a smile of joy. She had finallye up to his level. His eyed cleared and he moaned in pleasure. Taking out a dagger he had hidden in his coat, he began slicing at the thugs, cutting tendons in their ankles and stabbing into the muscles of their calves. Kwon Chae-woo actions were fluid, and the men began falling like freshly harvested sugar cane. Lee-yeon flinched and closed her eyes. She could hear the sickening sounds as Kwon Chae-woo started smashing their skulls in by mming their heads against the table. When the sounds of suffering died down, Lee-yeon slowly opened her eyes. It was if the room had been hosed down with blood. It pooled on the floor, ran down the walls, and dripped from the ceiling. Lee-yeon fought the urge to vomit and shook her head, trying to remove the sight before her. Yet, if this situation ever urred again, she would say the same thing to Kwon. One dealer still stood in this drug farm on the beautiful ind of Hwaido. They needed to get past him so they could reveal to the authorities this location. Maybe there were more drug dens on the other mountains. It was important that they found them all. ¡°What are you?¡± It was the man with the sledgehammer who still stood, his eyes wide in fear at the sight of the bloody mess that was Kwon. Kwon Chae-woo wiped the de of his knife clean on his clothes and ignored the man¡¯s question. The drug dealer attempted onest attack in desperation. Kwon Chae-woo dodged the heavily swinging hammer and got within the man¡¯s guard. Grasping the man¡¯s arms, he flipped him to the ground. The many on the ground, moaning in pain. He picked up the hammer and swung it down on the man¡¯s feet, just like what had been done to him. Then he raised the hammer again and smashed it down on the man¡¯s hands, in retribution for touching Lee-yeon. This entire time, his face showed no emotion. When the massacre had beenpleted, Kwon Chae-woo dug through the pockets of the bodies. He collected a number of cell phones. Then he made his way to Lee-yeon. ¡°Are you all right?¡± he asked, as he sat her up and cut the ropes that held her. ¡°Yes.¡± Lee-yeon tried to control her fear, not only from the drug dealers that had tortured her, but from the man he had be just now. Kwon Chae-woo saw the terror in her eyes and he became saddened at what he put her through. Chapter 68: Chapter 68: ¡°No one¡¯s dead,¡± Kwon Chae-woo assured her. ¡°Lee-yeon, are you all right?¡± Kwon Chae-woo seemed to be the one who was injured the most. Cuts and bruises covered his body. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo,¡± Lee-yeon whispered weakly, ¡°Offense would¡¯ve been the best defense.¡± Her heart was heavy with guilt. She had forgotten that Kwon Chae-woo was the kind of man who would take Lee-yeon¡¯s words as if they were the words of God. She med herself, thinking that it was her fault that he got hurt simply because she tried to change him into someone he wasn¡¯t. Kwon Chae-woo did not resist even though he was being beaten up and tortured. The terrible pain he endured had left a deep mark on her heart. ¡°I¡¯m okay, Kwon Chae-woo.¡± Lee-yeon took a deep breath and nced up at him. ¡°There will be times when you¡¯ll want to smash things, and there will be times when you¡¯ll just want to spend a quiet night with someone else. It¡¯s totally normal to feel that way. You will feel that way, not because you¡¯re mentally sick, but because that¡¯s what your instinct says. I tried to change you to someone I thought you should be, but the truth is everyone is different.¡± Lee-yeon nodded her head as if trying to convince herself. ¡°From now on, don¡¯t try to change yourself for me. These days, being a good fighter can be a plus. With your level of skill, you can help Gyu-baek catch insects with wings, or you can protect your family from bad people like these men we met today. Thank you for saving me.¡± Lee-yeon avoided Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s gaze the whole time she spoke. Kwon Chae-woo furrowed his eyebrows and put on a sweet smile. Ignoring the throbbing pain, all he could feel was a tingle in his heart. ¡°Let¡¯s go home now. Let¡¯s get out of here. But, before that, can you take a picture of this ce?¡± Lee-yeon turned on the camera on her phone and started collecting photos for evidence. Kwon Chae-woo rummaged through the old phones he took from the men¡¯s pockets. They all seemed to be burner phones. As he scanned the message boxes with cold eyes, the corners of his lips twitched upward. Tiriri- Suddenly, one of the phones rang through the cold night air. Lee-yeon, who was nearby, held her breath when she saw the name on the small screen. ¡¸Jo Kyung-cheon¡¹ Lee-yeon stretched out her arm to pick up the phone when a hand stopped her. She shrieked, almost having a heart attack, from Kwon Chae-woo sneaking up behind her. For some reason, he had a thin ck cloth over his head. ¡°What, what are you doing?¡± she asked. ¡°Lee-yeon, do you want to go boating with me?¡± ¡°What?¡± He was scaring her again. ¡°We haven¡¯t been able to finish our date, so why don¡¯t we go boating?¡± Lee-yeon could hear Kwon Chae-woo humming joyfully under the cloth. * * * Hwaido is an ind. When you travel a few kilometers from the mountains to the wharf, you¡¯re able see the fishing boats floating in a line. Lee-yeon sped her palms as she watched the quickly changing scenery outside the car window. The old van rattled badly every time it hit a bump in the road. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, are you out of your mind?¡± Lee-yeon asked nervously. ¡°Why are you doing this to me? You¡¯re scaring the life out of me.¡± Kwon Chae-woo was still wearing the ck cloth on his head and had bound his two hands with rope. Anyone who saw him would mistake him for a hostage. ¡°You told me to smash everything if I wanted to. I want to be useful.¡± He had a murderous look in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll be your proud husband who deserves to be awarded.¡± Whatever you¡¯re trying to say, if you¡¯re dressed up like that, nothing will sound convincing at all, Lee-yeon thought. If she were to wrap a rope around his neck, he would have looked like someone who was about to be executed. The thin cloth stuck to his mouth every time he breathed. Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t make up her mind whether she should call Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s brother for help or call the police first. ¡°By the way, Lee-yeon. Was flower arranging the only thing I did before I got into the ident?¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly asking me that?¡± ¡°Because I feel like I¡¯m more used to using a knife than creating art with flowers. I know where and how I need to stab people to kill them instantly. My brain can tell me hundreds of ways to torture people, ways that will give them the greatest pain.¡± Kwon Chae-woo said all of this without the slightest hint of emotion in his voice. Lee-yeon sped her hands tightly and swallowed. I take back everything I said. You should never be allowed to leave the house. She pretended as if she wasn¡¯t surprised at his words. She spoke in what she hoped was a calm and convincing voice. ¡°Your hobby¡­was boxing.¡± Chapter 69: Chapter 69: ¡°Is that so?¡± Kwon Chae-woo leaned his head back against the headrest. Lee-yeon turned back to looking out the window. Her heart was pounding fast. The leash of control she had on Kwon was quickly slipping away always and it made her anxious. She could see her worried face in the reflection of the window. After another ten minutes, the van slowed to a stop. ¡°Lee-yeon, stay in the car,¡± Kwon Chae-woo instructed. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°But¡­!¡± ¡°I brought a bento box, you can eat that while you wait.¡± Kwon chae-woo got out of the car without saying anything further. He opened the back and let out two of the men from the gang that they had brought with them. He instructed them to drag him out on to the wharf. The two men, who were weak and shaking from the numerous wounds they had obtained from the fight earlier, looked at each other, unsure of what to make of this crazy man standing before them. ¡°Do you guys think this is a joke?¡± Kwon Chae-woo asked. ¡°You guys made a mistake in the very beginning. You should¡¯ve shot me as soon as you saw me. Didn¡¯t the middle manager teach you that?¡± The two men stood in silence, confused and frightened. ¡°Buck up and stop shaking,¡± Kwon Chae-woo scolded. ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s on my way to a quick death right now, but if anyone saw us, they would think you guys are the hostages.¡± One of the young men clenched his teeth and looked at Kwon Chae-woo, trying to make out his face under the ck cloth. ¡°Are you the manager?¡± he asked. ¡°Are you here to check on how we¡¯re doing?¡± Kwon Chae-woo found it funny that the young man could ask him such a question. He broke into a smile that was hidden beneath his veil. * * * The ship was moving away from thend. When the sound of the old motor faded, Lee-yeon got out of the van and walked to the shore. The dark sea swallowed Kwon Chae-woo without a trace. Only the lights of the fishing boat shone like a small lighthouse on the water. She paced around the dark dock in the chilly sea breeze. ¡®They cultivate the poppies in the mountains and process them on the sea.¡¯ Kwon chae-woo had said. He had discovered that their base was located on a ship by interrogating the gang members. Kwon Chae-woo had chosen one man to set an example to the others, by breaking all ten of his fingers in front of the rest. This quickly loosened the other men¡¯s tongues. At least he had done this after he had sent Lee-yeon out of the container. During the interrogations, Lee-yeon went into the greenhouse to collect more photo evidence. She didn¡¯t know whether if her hands were shaking because of the mass amount of red poppies staring back, or because of the desperate screams from the shipping container echoing through the hillside Now Kwon Chae-woo had disappeared on a boat. It¡¯s Kwon Chae-woo. It may be pointless to worry like this, she thought. But he went out to sea. He¡¯s never been to sea. What if they throw him in? What if he can¡¯t swim? Is where he¡¯s going considered outside of Hwaido? *** Is he outside of Hwaido? Is he? As soon as the thought came across her mind, a chill ran down her spine. Her face turned pale, stark white against the backdrop of the dark sea. She pressed her hand to her chest and tried to remain standing, as her legs shook. The sudden re of a shlight blinded Lee-yeon. The light poured over her like molten iron. Lee-yeon covered her eyes. The light shifted downwards to the ground in front of her. As her eyes adjusted back to the darkness she had been standing in, she could make out the figure who stood before her. It was a cop wearing a fluorescent vest. ¡°Who are you?¡± the officer asked. ¡°Can you show me some ID?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Lee-yeon asked. ¡°We have been having an issue with attempted stowaways,¡± the cop answered as he moved towards her. Lee-yeon did not have good experiences with policemen and decided at that moment to run instead of asking for help. How can I trust the police in Hwaido? Lee-yeon thought as she fled. She had begun to suspect everyone of having deceitful motives. Recalling what the gang members had said about city hall employees and police officers, Lee-yeon had reached the conclusion that city officials have been feeding money to run the drug trade andw enforcement has been protecting them. Therefore, there was no one she could fully trust. The policeman blew a whistle and ran after her. Lee-yeon felt like her legs were going to give out, but she couldn¡¯t stop running. She made it back to the van that had been parked up the road, hurriedly locked the door, and started the engine. The cop caught up with her and banged on the window as she began to pull away. Lee-yeon turned the steering wheel, swerving and causing the officer to tumble into the ditch beside theneway. Lee-yeon stepped on the gas, leaving the officer behind. She was gasping for breath, as she drove away. The phone she had thrown on to the passenger seat started to ring. ncing in the rearview mirror to make sure she wasn¡¯t being followed, she reached over and hit the answer button. Chapter 70: Chapter 70: ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°So Lee-yeon?¡± Lee-yeon hit the brake suddenly, causing her to bite her tongue. She cursed under her breath. It was Kwon Ki-seok. ¡°Hello? What is the reason for your call?¡± ¡°Where is Chae-woo?¡± Arge drop of sweat dripped off Lee-yeon¡¯s forehead. He knows, she thought. He already knows everything. Lee-yeon frowned at the inexplicable sense of defeat. It felt like shackles had closed on her lungs and started squeezing. ¡°Bring him,¡± the voice on the phone ordered. ¡°If you break the contract like this, I won¡¯t show you any mercy. I have been letting you do whatever you want, and you know that. Don¡¯t make me angry. You know the consequences.¡± Lee-yeon quickly turned the steering wheel and headed back to the dock, her panic growing. * * * A terrible smell of drugs, mixed with fish, leaked out from inside the cabin. ¡°So, who is it this time?¡± On the deck, a man with a cut across his cheek asked the youngest man before him. He nudged the prisoner with a dirty boot. ¡°He¡¯s pretty calm. Is he from the district office?¡± Anyone brought to the ship usually cried and begged for mercy. But today¡¯s guest is no fun at all, the scarred man thought ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the younger drug dealer said. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. Whoever he is, he¡¯s going to die with a hole in his head.¡± The scarred man, looked to the younger dealer. ¡°Bring it,¡± he instructed him. The scarred man raised his right hand, the ship¡¯s lights suddenly turned off. The other fishing boats that surrounded them also turned off their lights. A heavy silence fell in the middle of the sea, as if to cover the sin that was about to bemitted. ¡°What are you doing?¡± the scarred man asked as the dealer refused to move. ¡°I said bring it. Don¡¯t make me repeat myself.¡± He pped the young man, who appeared to be in a daze. ¡°What is wrong with you today?¡± ¡°Be careful,¡± the young man said. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a trap,¡± the young man whispered in the darkness. Kwon Chae-woo, who had taken off the cloth from his head while the two dealers argued, was now standing behind the scarred man. He quickly stabbed the man three times, then threw him into the sea with a huge ssh. As if they¡¯d just seen a ghost, everyone on the deck froze. There was a momentary silence. ¡°Catch him!¡± someone shouted. Ten men rushed out of the cabin, and the massacre began. Amidst the stabbing knives, that seemed toe from every direction, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s hands moved rapidly up and down, left and right. He blocked the des rushing towards him, knocking them out of the air as if they were toys. His heart pounded fast, pumping hot blood throughout his body. Impossibly unable to make a single counterattack, the men on the deck fell into the cold sea one by one. In a matter of minutes, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s hands and face were covered with blood. It was something more than the madness that gleamed in his eyes. With a loud explosion, a bullet clipped Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s thigh and lodged in the deck. The young dealer was pointing the gun at Kwon Chae-woo with shaking hands. ¡°Don¡¯t move! Or else I¡¯ll shoot, you bastard!¡± he cried with a nervous voice. Kwon Chae-woo turned. As soon as the dealer saw Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s bloodthirsty eyes, the color disappeared from the young man¡¯s face. Kwon Chae-woo approached him slowly and put his forehead against the barrel of the gun. ¡°Do it,¡± Kwon Chae-woo said, his voice unwavering. ¡°You can¡¯t be any older than twenty?¡± The young man did not know how to respond, and just stood shaking in fear. Kwon Chae-woo grabbed the young man¡¯s hand and repositioned the gun in it. ¡°Hold it like this,¡± Kwon Chae-woo said. ¡°And pull the trigger.¡± The young man hesitated, frozen in fear, so Kwon Chae-woo punched a fist into his throat. The young man fell to the floor, gasping for breath and his face turning blue. Kwon Chae-woo picked up the gun and entered the cabin. It was a workroom. The first thing that he noticed were the skinny old men sitting at a table calmly, oblivious to the chaos outside. Their backs were curved over the tabletop, their hands moving non-stop blending and packaging the drugs. Various sks, purification equipment, and stic wrappers were scattered all over the floor. Kwon Chae-woo was speechless at the sight of not only the elderly but also children being forced to pack drugs. A series of bullets fired into the cabin from somewhere outside. The windows shattered, and Kwon Chae-woo lowered his body to the floor, leaning his back against the wall. One of the packagers was hit and slumped dead in his chair. The rest of the ves continued to process the drugs, regardless of the bullets flying around them. Kwon Chae-woo checked the number of bullets left in the gun he had taken from the young man outside. Carefully raising his head to one of the broken windows, he scanned outside. In the moonlight, he could make out the shadows of snipers with guns standing on the surrounding fishing boats. Raising his arm and taking aim, he took out each gun man one by one. As they fell, the remaining shooters started firing wildly, unsure of where Kwon Chae-woo was. Bullets ricocheted off the deck. The barrage slowly diminished as each gunman fell. Last one, Kwon Chae-woo thought as he pulled the trigger. There was a click, but no discharge. Fuck! He crouched back down into the cabin, desperately looking for another gun. A loud explosion, as if from a collision, echoed from outside. The shooting stopped. Kwon Chae-woo crawled to the doorway to see the cause of the noise. Chapter 71: Chapter 71: Thest fishing boat with a sniper, that Kwon Chae-woo failed to take out, had been rammed by another old, rattling boat. The sniper had fallen into the sea and was iling in the water. A string of lights shone from this new boat. The bright light blinded Kwon Chae-woo, and he needed to shield his eyes to see the identity of this neer. He blinked a couple of times at the unexpected face. ¡°Lee-yeon?¡± His wife, who was the most innocent of women, was holding the wheel of the boat that caused the ident. She backed off from the boat she struck and turned the wheel, driving to where Kwon Chae-woo stood. As she pulled alongside the ship, she held up her arms to him while trying to keep her bnce on the rocking boat. Kwon Chae-woo reached down and quickly lifted her on to the deck. He didn¡¯t let go and embraced her tightly, taking in her warmth. The ice that had been running through his veins started melting and he could feel the blood pumping through his body again. ¡°Why did youe here?¡± Kwon Chae-woo asked, as he buried his face in the crook of her neck. ¡°I told you it was dangerous.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s heart pounded so loudly, she could barely hear him. The man was covered in blood again, she didn¡¯t care. She was just concerned about the half-dead look in his eyes, and his battered body. ¡°Lee-yeon, I don¡¯t feel good,¡± Kwon Chae-woo croaked. ¡°I want to go home.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I came here,¡± Lee-yeon whispered. ¡°To pick you up. To take you home. Let¡¯s go home now.¡± His expression quickly changed. The killer¡¯s face disappeared. His eyes, that had been drifting slowly to the abyss, now had a hint of life to them again. Lee-yeon observed him change, chills running down her spine. How he could be two such different people in one body disturbed her to no end. *** ¡°Did you call the police?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lee-yeon said sadly. As they were approaching the dock, with Lee-yeon at the wheel of the drug boat, her hands began to tremble. They could see the lights of police cruisers on the shore and a coast guard boat was making its way through the waters towards them. ¡°They¡¯re here to arrest me,¡± she said. ¡°Did I hear that wrong?¡± Kwon Chae-woo asked. If they were going to arrest anyone, it would be him. ¡°No, you heard right. I stole a boat.¡± Kwon Chae-woo was speechless for the first time. It was hard to take his eyes off of her. He felt an unexinable wave of pride in Lee-yeon right now. He needed that feeling of happiness. It had been a horribly, messy day. A day where he had allowed his inner demons toe out. He was afraid of that demon, who ughtered people like a machine. There was no guilt, as body after body fell in front of him. All he could calcte was how to kill more effectively and quickly. Something came to him, and his eyes became dark once more. ¡°Lee-yeon, what does my face look like? Am I still me?¡± He was barely able to speak, as he grunted out the words in fear. Lee-yeon just frowned at him, having no clue what he meant. ¡°Do I still look human?¡± Kwon Chae-woo asked. ¡°Am I still human?¡± ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, what are you¡­¡° Lee-yeon stared into his eyes and stopped talking, sharing the guilt he was feeling. She picked up a towel and started wiping the blood from his face. He really was a mess, but she wasn¡¯t going to tell him that. In the shing lights of the police cars, she smiled at Kwon-Chae-woo. ¡°You are still human,¡± she told him. ¡°But what if you¡¯re not human?¡± he asked ¡°I think you forgot; you were in a vegetative state. You couldn¡¯t move. And I was the doctor that fixed you.¡± She smiled as he trembled in her arms. *** The police overwhelmed them the moment they got off the boat. The first one they tried to arrest was Lee-yeon. They had been called by a local officer who said the woman refused to identify herself and he suspected her of being a smuggler when she stole a boat. But they couldn¡¯t get anywhere near her to make the arrest. The man she was with, held her in his embrace and refused to let her go. ¡°Do you also want to get arrested as well, for obstruction of justice? Let her go!¡± the police demanded. ¡°Fine, bring me in as well,¡± Kwon Chae-woo shouted back. ¡°Are you going to use those handcuffs? Put one cuff on this woman and the other on me.¡± The cops didn¡¯t know what to do. This man seemed crazy. But, before they could rectify the situation, their attention was directed somewhere else. ¡°Lieutenant!¡± someone shouted. The boat the two individuals came in on was covered in blood and riddled with bullet holes. It looked like something out of a horror movie. Police started leading the old men and children, who had survived the massacre, from the boathouse where they were still cowering. All of the officers turned their attentions away from Lee-yeon and began concentrating on the crime scene on the boat. Jang Beom-hee, who was disguised as one of the officers, moaned while staring at the Kwon family¡¯s boat. ¡°Young master, what did you do,¡± he whispered into the night. Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Something was wrong. Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t stop running the past two weeks through her mind. Stealing a boat, ramming a ship, being lifted into Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s embrace, the sight of the carnage he left behind. All of it still haunted her. It felt like someone, who was scared of water, had their feet in the sea. The feeling of the wavesing in made that person flinch every time the crest crashed on the shore. ¡°Choo-ja, I need you to check something,¡± Lee-yeon said. ¡°What is it?¡± Choo-ja asked, lifting her head and looking at Lee-yeon with her magnifiers on. ¡°Normal men. Do you know any normal men? Please, introduce me to one.¡± Choo-ja blinked. ¡°Introduce you? Did I hear that right?¡± Lee-yeon rubbed her face like she was tired. ¡°You said that So¡¯s son was interested in having a date before?¡± ¡°Director So, are you serious?¡± Choo-ja ced her hand on Lee-yeon¡¯s forehead but couldn¡¯t sense a fever. ¡°Choo-ja, have you heard of misattribution of arousal?¡± Lee-yeon asked. ¡°It was theory that said when you meet someone on a suspension bridge, you get more aroused than when you meet them on t ground. You easily get confused between the excitement and fear of the dangerous situation, and the normal anxieties of love.¡± Her heart always skipped a beat for Kwon Chae-woo when she was in a scary situation. Whenever something big happened. She needed to know if it was the situation or if it really was love. Lee-yeon held Choo-ja by the arms, looking desperate. ¡°So, normal men. As many as you can find!¡± *** The day, from two weeks ago, still went through her mind. Lee-yeon was anxious about the police that wereing to take her in; what would happen to them if they were taken to the station. Currently Kwon Chae-woo had no ID. That meant they wouldn¡¯t know his resident registration number. His crazy, scary criminal record mighte out if they check his fingerprints. Also, it could reveal that they were both single and not married. When Kwon Chae-woo wouldn¡¯t let her go from his embrace, Lee-yeon was trying to think up a n. Lee-yeon felt sick that she had to be so deceptive. But she also didn¡¯t want to be caught. The police tried to separate them, but Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s strong grip wrapped around Lee-yeon¡¯s shoulders even harder. Her cheek hurt from being crushed against his hard chest. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo,¡± she mumbled from beneath his arms. ¡°Let¡¯s call your brother.¡± His arms weakened and a heavy weight fell against her. Kwon Chae-woo was falling. Lee-yeon struggled to support his upper body. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo!¡± ¡°Lee-yeon¡­¡± He clenched at his forehead, trying not to lose his consciousness. ¡°Let¡¯s¡­go¡­¡± She stumbled from his weight, and the police rushed to help her. ¡°We¡¯lle with you!¡± Lee-yeon told the police. ¡°Just take us to the hospital first!¡± They were rushed to the hospital in the back of a police cruiser and Kwon Chae-woo was immediately seen by a doctor. The bullet had only grazed his thigh, but they needed to stop the bleeding. ¡°He will need to be admitted for a while,¡± the doctor informed her. Lee-yeon looked at Kwon Chae-woo. His lips were busted, he had wounds all over his body, his cheeks were swollen and bruised, and his eyes had almost swollen shut. He looked like he had just lost a vicious boxing match. ¡°His body needs rest,¡± the doctor continued. ¡°His temperature, pulse, and blood pressure are all low. I think it¡¯s a good idea for him to have some induced sleep, so his body can recover.¡± ¡°How many days,¡± Lee-yeon asked. ¡°Probably three or four, then we will reassess.¡± Lee-yeon nodded and they took Kwon Chae-woo away to find him a room. Lee-yeon apanied the officers to the police station by herself, so that she could prove she wasn¡¯t a smuggler. After handing over the photos of the drug farm and cooperating with all of their questions, they let her go with only a fine for vandalism. She was happy that she could clear everything up so they wouldn¡¯t have to question Kwon Chae-woo. When she finally returned home, she was unable to sleep. She wasn¡¯t used to such a quiet house. She felt a chill, even though the heat of the summer had permeated the house. Lee-yeon tried lying on the sofa, lying on her bed, and even went to the second floor, but the sleepless night continued. It was strange, after everything that had urred, that she wasn¡¯t falling over with exhaustion. All she could think of was the adrenaline was still pumping hard in her veins. Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t hold it anymore as she curled up on the sofa and made a call. ¡°Choo-ja, it¡¯s Lee-yeon,¡± she said when there was a faint hello on the other end. ¡°What time is it?¡± Choo-ja asked, half-asleep. ¡°Three in the morning.¡± ¡°Oh my god! Why are you calling sote? Howe you¡¯re not sleeping?¡± Even Choo-ja¡¯s voice was not enough to fill the silence of the house. Lee-yeon looked around the living room. The house was full of Kwon Chae-woo stuff. It seemed like everywhere she looked, she could see his trace. The cup he was drinking with, the dumbbell he used for exercise, the cushion he was leaned against. Everything was annoying her. After filling in Choo-ja with all of the details, she said, ¡°I¡¯m not going to wake Kwon Chae-woo up tomorrow.¡± Lee-yeon chewed on her nails while hugging her knees. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to wake the man up this time, but I keep wanting to wake him up for some reason.¡± Chapter 73: Chapter 73: ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± Herst memory was being curled up like a shrimp and lying beside Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s side at the hospital. She moaned as the sunlight tried to pry open her closed lids. Something shaded the brightness that blinded her. ¡°How is that? Is that better?¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s voice pulled herpletely into a state of alertness. Her eyes opened. He was smiling faintly at her, with his battered face. The morning sunshine was beaming through the thin curtains of the hospital room. ¡°Why did you take so long toe back. I was waiting. Lee-yeon, I¡¯m hurt.¡± Lee-yeon could see the dried tracks of tears on his cheeks. Lee-yeon realized why she had the temptation to wake up Kwon Chae-woo. He might have been left alone, trapped in his nightmares. Lee-yeon pulled her sleeve down, without saying a word, and wiped his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re the end of this nightmare,¡± Kwon Chae-woo whispered to her. She stared at him in shock. ¡°You¡¯re always the end of my nightmares.¡± Looking at the man¡¯s hopeful eyes, she realized that he saw her as the only person that could wake him up from his nightmares. But for Lee-yeon, the words horrified her. There was something in the back of her mind that was telling her this was all wrong. An anxiety that she just couldn¡¯t ce. It had something to do with herself. Her life with Kwon Chae-woo yed out through her mind. From their first meeting in the forest, to bondage in bed, the day he grabbed a live chicken, and on and on. She saw them in front of Hwang Jo-yoon, on top of a 30m tree, in front of a boar, at the smelly drug farm, on a shaking boat. There was a power that made her do things she wouldn¡¯t normally do. It might be because Kwon Chae-woo lived in a world of terror. So, she gets surrounded by that terror, gets used to it, and gets absorbed by it. She sat up, shaking. ¡°Lee-yeon, where are you going?¡± Kwon Chae-woo asked. As Lee-yeon turned around and met his brown eyes. His eyes travelled over her body, taking her in. They had power over her, and she couldn¡¯te out and say what she has been feeling. Her heart was being torn in pieces. She was supposed to be meeting with Choo-ja today, to be introduced to ¡°normal¡± men. She needed to see if her feeling for Kwon Chae-woo were real or if they were just a product of fear. If she couldn¡¯t figure out the truth about her emotions, then she would be lost. ¡°You¡¯re not going to the mountain alone again, are you?¡± Kwon Chae-woo asked. ¡°No,¡± she assured him. Kwon Chae-woo had always been sensitive to Lee-yeon going out to the wilderness for work alone. Thanks to that, she had to let Choo-ja do most of the work, at least until Kwon Chae-woo until recovered a bit. ¡°Then where are you going?¡± Kwon Chae-woo pried. ¡°I¡¯m going to meet a friend.¡± She simply said. ¡°You have friends?¡± Lee-yeon blushed as she didn¡¯t know how to take that question. Kwon Chae-woo quickly realized his mistake and tried to exin. ¡°It¡¯s just that no one else came to see me, and you never brought a guest. I had always assumed that it was just the two of us, relying on each other.¡± His gaze stuck into her like a harpoon. Her heart started beating hard. The anger quickly dissipated in his eyes, and hey back on the hospital bed. ¡°They¡¯ll be releasing me today. I¡¯ll have dinner ready for you when you get home. Come back early.¡± Lee-yeon forced a smile and quickly moved to the door of the hospital room, as if she had been freed from a trap. As she was about to leave, she heard his voice from behind her. ¡°You look pretty today, Lee-yeon.¡± Kwon Chae-woo red at her with cold eyes and a twisted grin on his face. ¡°Three police officers were reced, and eight others got fired.¡± Jang Beom-hee, wearing his earphone, was still staring out the window at Lee-yeon¡¯s house. The project, secretly operated inside a remodeled fishing boat, was in the middle of the ocean. They werepletely devastated by the youngest master of the Kwon Family. A drug boat, photographs of a stic house, and the Korean-Chinese who oversaw the fields. There were plenty of incriminating evidence. Everyone on the boat was arrested and handed over to prosecution. The only article that was ever published about the incident encouraged the public¡¯s hatred towards the Korean-Chinese. They were the scapegoats so that the real masterminds of the crime were sheltered. The case was made against the Korean-Chinese for secretly cultivating and smuggling harmful drugs. What should I do with Chae-woo? Director Kwon sighed. Jang Beom-hee¡¯s face hardened. Some of the police officers who had discovered the crime and were unyielding were punished. While others happily epted the hush money to sweep the case under the rug. However, the person who was in real trouble was Kwon Chae-woo. My customers were offended. It¡¯s my job as his older brother to punish him for what he did, isn¡¯t it? * * * Kwon Chae-woo stood by the window and watched Lee-yeon as she slowly walked away. His face was indifferent, but his eyes remained unwaveringly focused on her until she disappeared from his sight. He sat upright on his sofa. His hands rested on his knees. He didn¡¯t move. He was frozen as if someone had turned off the power switch inside him. The only way of knowing whether he was alive was his slow blinking eyes. The moment Lee-yeon left, Kwon Chae-woo felt as though time had stopped for him. Existing in a space without Lee-yeon was strange for him. He felt the gravity weighing him down as he imagined her face in his mind. ¡®Where are you going without me? Who are you meeting? Is it a guy? Who is he? How did you get to know him? He clenched his fist so hard that his knuckled turned white. These questions seemed highly immature, and he wanted to be calm. But he couldn¡¯t restrain the anger boiling inside him. The light-blue blouse and jeans she wore was perfect for the summer. Kwon Chae-woo had watched, captivated. He had never seen that outfit before. When she got ready in a hurry and rushed to the door to leave, he had almost wanted to grab her arm and make her stay. When are youing back? He bit his question down. He ran his hand through his hair and leaned back on the sofa as though he would copse any minute. It was hard for him to think of a life without her. After all, he had no memory to fall back on. Memories form a huge part of a person. Without it, Kwon Chae-woo felt unreal. He did not seem to exist tangibly. He felt that his emptiness was only filled by Lee-yeon. So, he rushed to fill himself at her every move and her every word. So Lee-yeon¡¯s husband. As far as he knew, that was his only identity and his only value. asionally, he was filled with doubts and distrust, but he brushed them off. If Lee-yeon was by his side, he didn¡¯t care. However, So Lee-yeon would still show her back to him as if trying to test his patience. Kwon Chae-woo got up from the sofa. He needed to clear his head. Chapter 74: Chapter 74: The first man she met was older than her. He was an owner of a small bookstore. Lee-yeon looked at the man curiously trying to appear nonchnt. His smile did not leave his face the whole time she talked. He listened to her very attentively and constantly looked her in the eyes as if she was a very important customer. Lee-yeon thought the man was very thoughtful. ¡°What is your favorite tree, Lee-yeon?¡± I can feel a high level of EQ in his question. He was the kind of man Lee-yeon tried to turn Kwon Chae-woo into. Someone kind and thoughtful¡­ No! Lee-yeon shook her head. Stop thinking about him. I didn¡¯te all the way here just to think about Kwon Chae-woo. Lee-yeon pushed aside her thoughts and tried to focus on the man in front of him. ¡°I like spruce,¡± she said as an answer to his question. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it. Isn¡¯t that tree usually used to make musical instruments?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Lee-yeon smiled. ¡°Is there any particr reason you like that tree?¡± Lee-yeon paused for a moment. ¡°I think because of my childhood memories associated with it. It has a nice name, too.¡± She shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Huh?¡± The man tilted his head in confusion. Lee-yeon raised her teacup to her lips. ¡°There was a small tree in the mountain behind where I lived when I was young.¡± The man listened to her politely and intently. She smiled. ¡°It was a small tree, but it had dense leaves, So, I used to sit under that tree because it gave a lot of shade. This might sound weird but whenever I sat under it, I could hear a music from somewhere else. Whenever I leaned back on its trunk, I could hear a melody.¡± She couldn¡¯t help smiling at the memory. ¡°Weren¡¯t you just dreaming?¡± Choo-ja had said the same thing when she told her about that. Once, Lee-yeon had brought Choo-ja to the mountain to prove it to her, but the forest that day was embarrassingly silent. ¡°It was real,¡± said Lee-yeon. Lee-yeon had climbed the mountain again the next day. The melody drifted to her as if it had been waiting for her all this time. It was then she realized that the tree only sang when she was alone. ¡°Was it a spruce tree?¡± ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t.¡± Lee-yeon shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t remember clearly. When I went back there for a visit, the area had been cleared for redevelopment.¡± Her voice was dull, but her eyes were filled with certain kind of longing. ¡°I named it the ¡®tree that sings alone¡¯. But I came to understand that some people call spruce by that name. So, I also started calling it spruce.¡± ¡°Sounds like a fairytale.¡± The man smiled softly. Bzzzz, Bzzzz. The man¡¯s phone on the table rang. When he looked at his phone, his face darkened. ¡°It¡¯s alright. You can take that call.¡± The man thanked her and picked up the call. ¡°Yes, Ji Soo¡­¡± He was no longer the calm and attentive man he was a while ago. He fidgeted and looked out of the window with wet eyes, He seemed anxious. ¡°Did you feed your baby? How about the medicine? I bought some porridge. Why didn¡¯t you give him that first?¡± Lee-yeon watched him out of the corner of her eyes as she ate her cake. ¡°Well then¡­ I¡¯ll stop by on my way home.¡± He pressed his forehead and let out a sigh, ¡°Don¡¯t say that! I told you.¡± He raised his voice and gritted his teeth as if he was trying hard to restrain himself. Lee-yeon wondered what was wrong as she took another bite of her cake. ¡°Don¡¯t mind my mother.¡± His mother is involved as well? ¡°Why are you saying this isn¡¯t any of my business? We¡¯ve known each other since middle school!¡± said the man, frustrated. ¡°If he¡¯s your child, he¡¯s my child, too.¡± As the conversation continued, the sweet cake tasted too repulsive in Lee-yeon¡¯s mouth. As she took herst bite, she observed the man carefully who changed every second with that call. Choo-ja, I think I just heard something hrious. This guy seems to have a twisted logic. I am not sure he knows that. He seems considerate but something feels weird¡­. He¡¯s out. * * * At a small township office. The staff, who was sitting at the window, dropped the papers in her hand when she saw a tall, good-looking guy walk into the office. The man¡¯s eyes which looked around the office rested on the staff. ¡°Hello,¡± the staff greeted, nervously. ¡°How may I help you?¡± Kwon Chae-woo stood there for a while as if lost in thought, then raised his eyebrows. ¡°I came to check on a family rtionship certificate.¡± His voice held no emotion. Chapter 75: Chapter 75: ¡°Can you please provide me with your ID?¡± It was a question the staff had asked a countless time but today her voice faltered. ¡°Do I need to?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I lost it. What should I do if I don¡¯t have it with me now?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ then would you kindly fill out an application for reissuance of your ID first?¡± She hurriedly handed him a form. The application form required a resident registration number which he had no idea about. Kwon Chae-woo frowned. The staff stared at the man frozen over the application form. Kwon Chae-woo put down his pen and rubbed his temples. ¡°Can I borrow your phone for a second? I need to call someone.¡± ¡°My phone?¡± the staff asked. It was a little unusual to see someone without a phone these days. But his eyes, although handsome, looked very threatening, so she obliged. She pushed her phone forwards on the table. Kwon Chae-woo picked up the phone and slowly dialed a number. His jaw clenched as an unpleasant voice answered. ¡°Hello, it¡¯s me,¡± said Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°¡­ Chae-woo?¡± There was no hint of emotion in that cold voice. Kwon Chae-woo had the same voice. He still didn¡¯t know why he felt so hostile towards his brother. His emotion waspletely different from when he had learnt So Lee-yeon was his wife. ¡°I memorized your number when I was trying to erase it without Lee-yeon knowing.¡± There was no response from the other end. Kwon Chae-woo let out a short sigh. ¡°It¡¯s hard to forget someone as annoying as you.¡± A heavy silence followed. The only sound hat was heard from the other end was of the man tapping on his desk. ¡°So, what¡¯s the matter?¡± asked his brother. ¡°I need my resident registration number.¡± A short, dryugh escaped from Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s mouth. ¡°Looks like your memory isn¡¯t back yet.¡± It was hard to tell whether it was relief or disappointment that was heard in his voice. ¡°My resident registration number,¡± repeated Kwon Chae-woo, unwilling to extend the conversation any more than necessary. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask So Lee-yeon?¡± He knew that Kwon Ki-seok was trying to provoke him. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say her name.¡± ¡°She would tear down the sky if you asked her to,¡± said kwon Ki-seok. ¡°She is quite¡­ loyal.¡± Kwon Chae-woo held the phone a little away from his ears and closed his eyes as though trying to restrain his anger. With an effort, Kwon Chae-woo held back the barrage of curse words wanting to erupt from his mouth. ¡°You¡¯d better not make me repeat myself,¡± said Kwon Chae-woo coldly. ¡°What is the name of the document you need, Chae-woo,¡± said Kwon Ki-seok. ¡°Family rtion certificate.¡± Kwon Ki-seok burst outughing. The tendons stood out on Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s hand that was holding the phone. ¡°But it would take some time to get your ID card,¡± said his brother. ¡°That¡¯s not your business,¡± snapped Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°Of course. But since you managed to surprise me, I will dly give you a gift.¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°Wait there for a bit,¡± said Kwon Ki-seok and ended the call. Kwon Chae-woo put down the phone on the table with mixed feelings. Several minutes passed and someone walked out of the door from inside of the office. The man looked panicked. He was the head of the township office. He half-ran to Kwon Chae-woo looking very pale. ¡°We will try our best to reissue your ID within today,¡± stammered the man. He handed Kwon Chae-woo a piece of paper with a trembling hand. Family Rtion Certificate. Kwon Chae-woo quickly looked through the document. * * * ¡°What do you think marriage is?¡± The second man Lee-yeon met was a carpenter close to her age with impressively thick arms. His tanned skin and loud voice made Lee-yeon flinch. But the man was very friendly to talk to. The man, who had been chatting endlessly about his hobbies, suddenly changed the topic with that question. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Lee-yeon hesitated. I think marriage is a¡­ tomb. The man shrugged his shoulders and ced his huge hands on the table. ¡°Marriage is a major life event for me.¡± Lee-yeon nodded and listened attentively. ¡°You said you are thirty-two, right?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll probably rte to what I¡¯m saying.¡± ¡°Rte to what exactly?¡± asked Lee-yeon in genuine confusion. ¡°Showing our parents that we are living a happy life!¡± said the man, excitedly. Lee-yeon didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Things have changed, and I wouldn¡¯t expect sacrifices from my wife, of course,¡± he said. ¡°I want to go camping or travel abroad for a month with my mother and father-inw.¡± His eyes twinkled. ¡°What do you think about that, Miss Lee-yeon?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Lee-yeon suddenly found it very difficult to breathe. She knew his intentions were good. But the moment he had said ¡®marriage¡¯, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face had drifted in her mind. She shook her head to brush off the thought. ¡°It does seem like you have some great ns, but¡­¡± Lee-yeon took a deep breath and smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t really love my family.¡± ¡°What?¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened. Lee-yeon didn¡¯t miss the frown that appeared on his face for a fleeting moment. Lee-yeon had a sinking feeling in her stomach. The realization that she might not really be able to meet someone ordinary to enjoy her time hit her like a blow. Lee-yeon felt ashamed of herself. She had been rejected and shamed so many times, and yet she never learnt. She always tried to be someone she was not so that she could live a life she couldn¡¯t have. Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t connect with any of the men she met. One couldn¡¯t let go of his first love, and the other one was a devoted son. Both were wonderful people who were ready to live together with someone else. But in Lee-yeon¡¯s world, there was no one there. She only had those trees she had nted. She realized that their world was not made for her. She might not even be able to live in it, after all. ¡°You¡¯re all I have and all I need. And I thought this was the same for you, too.¡± If only I could hear that again, What¡¯s wrong with me?! The man in front of her took a sip of his coffee. ¡°Miss Lee-yeon, what¡¯s your ideal type?¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t think I have one.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s face darkened. There was something that Hwang Jo-yoon had said that she couldn¡¯t deny or forget. ¡°You¡¯re not the kind of woman who can date a man! You hate being with people!¡± ¡®Who in the world would understand a woman who goes to see trees every night and makes fertilizer at home even on weekends?¡± She turned back to the window to watch the pouring rain. Her heart pounded. Her face turned red. Am I going insane? Lee-yeon rubbed her eyes as if she couldn¡¯t believe what she saw. Outside the window, she saw a man standing alone in the heavy rain. Everyone on the street was running to avoid the rain and take some shelter but Kwon Chae-woo stood there frozen like a statue, facing the caf¨¦ where she was. Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Why is he¡­ All her attention was now focused outside. The rain fell on the window. How long has he been standing there? wondered Lee-yeon. Her fingers were cold. She bit her lower lip anxiously. She felt as though she had been caught doing something she shouldn¡¯t have. Kwon Chae-woo had been only staring at Lee-yeon. His gaze shifted from her to the man sitting across from her. He looked cold and frightening. Lee-yeon got up suddenly. Her knees bumped the table. ¡°Lee-yeon?¡± said the man as he held the corner of the table that almost toppled. ¡°I am so sorry. I have to go home.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Lee-yeon picked up her bag and looked at the man. He looked confused. ¡°I am sorry. I think this is a mistake.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°I¡­ um¡­ I think I am morefortable with someone who has less attachments to family than I do, I prefer someone who forgot their past history with other women and chooses to be with only me.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± His eyes widened. ¡°My ideal type. I feelfortable with someone like that,¡± she continued. ¡°I want to be with someone who wouldn¡¯t react shockingly when the timees for me to reveal my problems. I guess that would only happen if my partner had his own problems. Otherwise, it will be difficult to understand each other. I don¡¯t like to feel like I am the only one who is broken.¡± ¡°Lee-yeon. That sounds a little dangerous. I don¡¯t know what you are going through, but you deserve someone better than the ones at the bottom of the barrel.¡± She nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. But usually with trees, they have insect bites mostly at the lowest level.¡± Lee-yeon carried her bag. Her gaze rifted out of the window again. ¡°But chestnuts are an exception. Those insect bites form a characteristic pattern of the chestnut tree. Iplete without them.¡± She looked a little solemn, but her voice was firm. Lee-yeon bowed her head and bid him goodbye. She left the caf¨¦. When she went out, Kwon Chae-woo was no longer there. Lee-yeon felt restless and looked around for him. She checked every alleyway without realizing that her clothes were getting wet. Someone pulled on her arm. She was pinned to a wall. She recognized the faint scent before she screamed. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo.¡± His wet shirt was stuck to his chest and showed the outline of his body. His dark air was wet, and the rainwater flowed down to his nose. ¡°You¡¯re trying to get rid of me.¡± He lowered his head. ¡°I can smell it from here.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s neck was stiff. She flinched even at his smallest actions. Her body trembled. Lee-yeon was familiar with being cornered like this. She clenched her fists. She wasn¡¯t going to be swayed by his charm anymore. This time, she decided to act like him. ¡°I can see whoever I want to. I was just trying to have a social life. What about you? Why are you walking around in the rain?¡± Lee-yeon red at him. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me you were going out, either. What did you do this time?¡± She could feel a vein throbbing in her neck with the stress. ¡°I went to get my ID,¡± he said indifferently. She froze. Her eyes widened. ¡°You seem surprised, Lee-yeon,¡± he said. ¡°Well, that¡¯s because¡­¡± The two of them red at each other in the rain, getting even more drenched. Lee-yeon didn¡¯t know what he was thinking. ¡°I¡¯m just not enough for you, am I?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I will never be enough for you. So, you went to meet other men behind my back?¡± His voice was sharp and threatening. ¡°Is it because I am not pleasuring you? You sometimes forget I am your husband. Do you really expect me to open you up by force when you aren¡¯t ready?¡± She looked at him, stunned. Her whole body froze. Kwon Chae-woo frowned and sighed. He ced his head on her shoulder in defeat. ¡°Am I that much of a monster? You really can¡¯t separate the present me from you¡¯re the past version of me who was your husband, huh?¡± He looked at her pleadingly. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too much? Do you really enjoy making me go crazy like this?¡± Lee-yeon flinched at his gaze. Heughed at her reaction. ¡°I know that I was a monster in the past. The Kwon Chae-woo you are trying so desperately to hide from existence. To make me into a new person but what lies have you been telling me?¡± Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t even breathe at his words. ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡± Did he finally remember something? Does he remember what he was doing that night? Lee-yeon fretted. ¡°Let¡¯s just stop beating around the bush,¡± he said suddenly. ¡°I know you hate me, Lee-yeon.¡± ¡°What?¡± she stammered. ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that?¡± Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t think straight. ¡°I understand. I know you want to get rid of a person like me who might have hit his wife and has no means to support his family.¡± ¡°What are you even saying¡­ hit your wife?!¡± Lee-yeon blinked. Chapter 77: Chapter 77: Kwon Chae-woo gritted his teeth as he continued, ¡°But I feel wronged. I feel like I am just starting out clean but since you know about my past and I don¡¯t, it has already caught up with me without me getting a chance to be something else. How do you expect me to willingly ept that?¡± His voice was dry. ¡°I am so sorry,¡± he said. ¡°I think I will go all the way with you. This is where I stop being considerate.¡± Hisrge hands grabbed her waist tightly and pulled her closer. The heat in his eyes scared her. Lee-yeon grabbed the hem of his shirt with her cold hands. ¡°You didn¡¯t hit me!¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s a¡­ misunderstanding. Where did you even get the idea?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t?¡± Lee-yeon opened her mouth as if to say something then shut it again. She remembered the time when they had first¡­ met. He had been burying a body. She found out. She was almost murdered. Kwon Chae-woo grabbed her chin as she tried to avert his eyes. He turned her face to look at him. He leaned down to her as though he was going to m into her. He was so close. ¡°Then tell me why you are so scared of me,¡± he said in a low voice. ¡°From the time I regained consciousness until right now. Why do you flinch at my slightest touch? Why did you keep calling me ¡®Mr. Kwon Chae-woo¡¯ as though you deliberately wanted to put distance between us? You always try to run away from me. I need to hear it. Tell me the truth.¡± His eyes looked shard. Lee-yeon wanted to run. She regretteding out of that caf¨¦. The raindrops hit her face so hard it stung. ¡°That¡¯s because¡­ I¡­¡± He stared unwaveringly at Lee-yeon. Her small attempt at distinguishing between her fear and her fluttering heart had failed. Whenever she saw him, her heart pounded. It kept messing up the boundary that she set up. She was scared and yet d to see him. She wanted to run away and yet she felt like she needed him. Everything crashed together. ¡°What are you trying to hide from me?¡± he asked. Her guilt grew. ¡°I¡­ I have been lying to you!¡± ¡°I know that.¡± ¡°No! We never even signed a marriage license!¡± she closed her eyes and shouted. It was the first time she had spat out the truth. She didn¡¯t dare open her eyes. The rain streamed down her face. After a while, when she could only hear silence, she opened her eyes to see Kwon Chae-woo smiling. She got goosebumps. His expression wasn¡¯t that of surprise or shock. He looked as though he expected something like this. He looked at her as though she had lied again. ¡°I really can¡¯t be nice to you, can I?¡± *** She didn¡¯t know how they arrived home. ¡°Ahhh!¡± His lips crashed onto her violently. His tongue was inside her mouth and trying to devour her. Her lips were bitten continuously. His weight crushed her. This felt more like a punishment than a kiss. His kiss became frantic and even more aggressive. She pushed him with all her might but Kwon Chae-woo only held her tighter. The wrist he had grabbed during the taxi ride home smarted. He had looked out of the window the whole ride while Lee-yeon had stolen some cautious nces towards him. Lee-yeon had rationalized. Maybe he feels cheated because everything he knew was now a lie. Maybe the truth of the matter had hit him hard. Lee-yeon realized that she needed to give him time to process the information about their nonexistent marriage. But the moment they reached home, he pinned her against the wall and kissed her. ¡°Kwon¡­!¡± She hadn¡¯t even been able to call his name. His thick tongue was in her mouth. She poked at his shin with her toe. He finally pulled away, sucking her lips hard. His eyes were dark. Lee-yeon tried to catch her breath. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about that misunderstanding.¡± The cold eyes were unyielding. Lee-yeon felt so small in front of that gaze. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, please¡­¡± ¡°What I am trying to say is that there are couples who live together even without signing a marriage license¡­¡± Kwon Chae-woo sighed. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if you just shut that mouth of yours?¡± Lee-yeon lowered her head dejectedly. Kwon Chae-woo stared at her lowered head for a while. He then turned around and took his wet shirt off. Lee-yeon shivered with cold. She instinctively knew what Kwon Chae-woo was going to do. She felt the air pierce through her skin. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for lying,¡± she said. Inwardly, she hated being so submissive. But she had to prioritize. Rather than pulling on his leash, it was better to let go a little. Kwon Chae-woo was shaken by her words so she needed to tread carefully. ¡°You are quite enjoying the fact that I have no memory of my past, aren¡¯t you? You keep lying to me about outrageous things,¡± he said sarcastically. Chapter 78: Chapter 78: ¡°What? No¡­ I¡ª¡± ¡°It seems you really want to get rid of me since you are now lying about our marriage.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ I wasn¡¯t! I can even prove it,¡± she said. ¡°Prove it then,¡± he said. ¡°I will get the family rtionship certificate tomorrow and show it to you,¡± she said. Kwon Chae-woo sighed and took out a folded piece of paper from his coat pocket. He handed it to her and lifted his chin, gesturing for her to open it. His cold gaze remained unrelenting on her. She opened the folded paper and looked at it. She froze as though she had been hit by a massive wave. She felt paralyzed. The Family Rtions Certificate showed So Lee-yeon as Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s wife no matter how many times she read it. She was stunned. ¡°What is this?!¡± This must be forged, she thought. It has to be forged! How is this possible? ¡°You are really shameless, aren¡¯t you? Lying outright to my face yet again.¡± She remembered the man who was smoking a thick cigar. He had threatened her to make her life hell if she didn¡¯t agree to him. Wouldn¡¯t it be possible for him to do something like this andpletely alter her life? ¡°So, that¡¯s why you are meeting other men behind my back. You want to meet someone ¡®kind and warm¡¯ like you wanted and remarry?¡± She was at a loss for words. ¡°It¡¯s easy to convince your dumbass of a husband, isn¡¯t it?¡± He stared at Lee-yeon miserably. ¡°You could have convinced me that we never signed a marriage license and then just run away.¡± He stroked her neck and grabbed it. ¡°Lee-yeon, how is it that we aren¡¯t married? How is it that I am not your husband? Tell me once again.¡± His harsh voice sounded dangerous. Lee-yeon winced. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid, Kwon Chae-woo,¡± she said, aware of his hand on her neck. His eyes didn¡¯t look human. Lee-yeon¡¯s heart pounded. Her mouth was dry. His hot palm melted her wet body. ¡°Just because you have lied about that, I am not going to be a gentleman today,¡± he said. His hand lifted her wet blouse and brushed down her back. He unhooked her bra. The lips she couldn¡¯t refuse came down on her lips again. ¡°How could you be so na?ve?¡± he whispered. His lips crashed hard on hers and she flinched at his hot breath. She felt cold and chilly, but a heat was rising in her. Her feelings were all mixed. Since she couldn¡¯t push him away, she wrapped her arms around his back and pulled him to her. Kwon Chae-woo grunted as though no matter how much they touched; it wasn¡¯t enough for him. His tongue was aggressive in her mouth. It poked and explored. His kiss was frantic¡­ almost primal. She held onto his shoulders as her knees trembled. She felt as though her legs would give in and she would fall any moment. Kwon Chae-woo lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He carried her to her room. His lips never stopped. She felt breathless every time his lips sucked on hers. He pulled away and ced her on the bed. He stared at her as he leaned over her. Their chests rose and fell frantically as they tried to catch their breaths. Kwon Chae-woo let out a swear and bit her lips again. His hot tongue skillfully explored her mouth. He ripped off her clothes. She gasped in surprise as the buttons rolled on the floor. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo¡ª¡± ¡°Lee-yeon. Don¡¯t. No more lies.¡± He fumbled with the buckle on her belt. His eyes were full of lust. She couldn¡¯t tell whether his face was wet because of rainwater or sweat. ¡°I don¡¯t want to y this charade of being a husband and wife just on the surface. I want you for real.¡± As her bra was already unhooked, her chest was bare. Kwon Chae-woo leaned down and took it in his mouth. He started sucking on them, making her tremble. ¡°Ahh,¡± she gasped. She felt heat rise somewhere below. She could feel his tongue on her chest crushing her tip. She tried to breathe. She felt herself bing wet somewhere down below. She had never felt this hot and flustered so she didn¡¯t know what to do. She was out of breath. Kwon Chae-woo finally unbuckled her pants and pulled them down as he gently nibbled on the tip of her br*ast. ¡°Ahhh,¡± she moaned as he rubbed her most sensitive part. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo¡­¡± He pulled down her panties to her butt and spread her legs wide. He touched her more. He rubbed the cl*t between his fingers making her lose all sense of reality. He clenched his teeth as he felt the soft and sensitive wet part. ¡°Ahhh, mm!¡± she moaned. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, please promise me something.¡± He shoved a finger within her without warning. She buckled and leaned over his shoulder, panting. ¡°Never¡­ahh¡­ get your memory back. Never. Mmm ahhhh!¡± Her body fluid was already wet on his finger. This was the first time he had felt her insides. It was softer than he had imagined. He was aroused. His eyes filled with desire. He just wanted to shove his thing inside her without any regard, but he restrained himself. He was already hard. He looked into her eyes. ¡°Is that important to you in this situation?¡± he asked hoarsely. ¡°Yes,¡± she sighed in pleasure. ¡°Would it be¡­ easier for you to ept our rtionship if I don¡¯t get my memory back?¡± he asked. She looked at him with shaky eyes. ¡°Yes.¡± Hi, thanks for reading this chapter. Please consider supporting this novel by leaving a review on Novelupdates! If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 79: Chapter 79: ¡°Then I won¡¯t.¡± Kwon Chae-woo nodded pushing his finger deeper into her. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s not something you can make a promise about,¡± she said. Whenever his fingers touched her, she gasped. ¡°Even so, I¡¯ll try. If my memory is what¡¯s stopping you from spending time with me, then I don¡¯t need it. I would¡¯ve buried it myself even if you didn¡¯t ask.¡± He meant it. He let go of any hopes or desire of having his memories back. It was better to see her like this, wanting him as much as he wanted her, and if he had to forgo his memory for it, then so be it. It wasn¡¯t a very difficult choice for Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°But I need a promise from you too,¡± he said, thrusting his fingers in and out of her. She gasped and panted, ¡°I want you to remember whose wife you are.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s ears turned red as she heard a wet sucking sound from below. She bit her lips as she felt her lower lips contract and expand. She breathed roughly and started to sweat. ¡°Ahhhh¡­¡± Whenever she flinched or her waist buckled, his fingers moved even more roughly. ¡°If ever you lie to me again or meet some other bastard behind my back¡­.¡± His lips came down on her hard. ¡°I am not letting you off the hook so easily.¡± He thrust another finger in without a warning and she felt her thighs open wide. Even though she had surrenderedpletely, she wanted to open wider. It was a very strange sensation that Lee-yeon wanted tough and cry at the same time. ¡°Can you imagine how awful my life would be without you?¡± he said. ¡°But you do need to be punished if you do something wrong.¡± He looked at her. She had swallowed his fingers whole. He felt like he would spin out of control at this rate. He frowned as he strained against his pants. He wanted to make her scream in pleasure, but he was afraid she would hate him for it. ¡°Lee-yeon, like me just a little,¡± he said, rubbing her sensitive parts and not stopping his fingers. She moaned. She forgot about being embarrassed because she was naked. Even though his fingers kept shoving and rubbing her, she was still reluctant. ¡°Even when I am cruel,¡± he said, buckling off the belt on his pants. ¡°You of all people can embrace me.¡± ¡°You are my wife,¡± he said as he pulled down his underwear. He was hard. The thing was so big it stunned her momentarily. What the hell is that? Lee-yeon¡¯s face became stiff. ¡°Why do you act like this is the first time you have seen your husband naked?¡± he chuckled. ¡°Uh well¡­.¡± She couldn¡¯t think properly. ¡°It¡¯s been a while¡­¡± It¡¯s my first time seeing a man naked¡­ ¡°Ah, right. I was in vegetative state.¡± He rubbed himself. Lee-yeon swallowed. She knew about intercourse between a man and a woman. But she had never imagined it would feel this obscene. It looked like that thing would give her more pain than pleasure. ¡°Well, this might be a problem, Lee-yeon.¡± He took the rest of Lee-yeon¡¯s pants and undergarments offpletely and crawled over her. ¡°I have no memory of doing it with you¡­¡± He grabbed her chest and fondled it. ¡°I am a virgin in that sense.¡± She could feel his hardness at her entrance. ¡°So, you will have to guide me since you have more experience.¡± Of course, he knew what to do even if he had no memory, but he wanted to involve Lee-yeon more actively. ¡°You said we weren¡¯t good at it.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ yes¡­¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s try it from the beginning.¡± He kissed her behind her ears to her corbone, down to her chest and her bellybutton. He trailed kisses after kisses on her as he gently pried her thighs open again. ¡°A person tends to get really hungry when a delicious meal is in front of him,¡± he said. She felt his nose touch her down below. He spread her wide. Her waist buckled in anticipation. His tongue found its way in and licked like a dog. It rubbed against her most sensitive part and made her wet. He pressed down on her cl*t and sent her reeling at the edge of consciousness. Lee-yeon moaned. His hands crushed her butt. As he kept shoving his tongue in, she climaxed. Kwon Chae-woo sucked on her fluids. ¡°Mm¡­ Ahh!¡± She trembled. She felt so exhausted that she couldn¡¯t move but she wanted more. ¡°I am sorry I don¡¯t know what I am supposed to do,¡± he said mockingly as he rubbed her below. His eyes gleamed. He poised between her legs. His hardness seeking entrance. The veins around his neck popped as though he was trying so hard to retrain himself. He could wait any longer. She clenched the sheets in her fist as he thrust into her. He could feel him hot and hard inside her. She swallowed her scream. He cursed but she couldn¡¯t hear him. At first, she was blinded by pain as he filled herpletely. But slowly the pain subsided as he slid out halfway. An odd pleasure filled her instead. She could feel a heat build up within her. Kwon Chae-woo grabbed her hips and pushed himself in again. She couldn¡¯t withhold her moans. ¡°Lee-yeon, was it like this the first time for you too? F*ck, it¡¯s so good I am going to die,¡± he said roughly. He thrust in and out. The sound reverberated in the room. His other hand was on her chest. He could see she was aroused too. He got even more excited at the sight. He slid out halfway and shoved in harder. ¡°Mm¡­ Ahhh!¡± Lee-yeon was so deeply moved by the pleasure that she felt afraid. She felt her body heating up and then cooling down at the same time. All emotions and feelings were jumbled inside her. She felt so confused at this strange sensation. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Her insides felt as though they contracted and expanded not knowing what to do with it. Kwon Chae-woo moaned at the feeling. He sank his teeth into her neck and thrust harder, unable to control himself. Her insides swallowed him whole. ¡°Lee-yeon¡­ Lee-yeon,¡± he moaned. He grabbed at her chest and kissed her. Her body trembled, close to another climax. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo¡­ I¡­uhhh¡­¡± She panted. ¡°No,¡± he said. He lifted one of her legs and ced it on his shoulder to open her wide so that it would be easier for her. The eyes that looked at Lee-yeon looked feverish. He thrust again while she moaned. ¡°Call me Chae-woo¡­,¡± he grunted. Chapter 80: Chapter 80: His hard shaft went deeper. As he rubbed against her, it pierced something deep inside her. She couldn¡¯t control herself anymore. The pleasure was impossible. ¡°Hng¡­. Ahhhh!¡± she moaned. Lee-yeon¡¯s insides squeezed tighter. Kwon Chae-woo closed his eyes and groaned. He gritted his teeth. When he saw her hard n*pples and her neck, he wanted toe so badly. He was barely able to hold back. She moaned and grabbed the pillow tightly as Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s thrusts became frantic. His length was shoved so hard and fast that she felt scared for a moment. This was truly an act of animals. She felt as though she would die momentarily every time he thrust inside her and was out of breath. ¡°It¡¯s strange, Lee-yeon,¡± he whispered hoarsely as he thrust in and out of her. ¡°Why does it seem like you are a virgin to me?¡± His eyes that looked at her were confused. He looked at her body below him. Her face seemed flustered. Her body trembled. Her hands didn¡¯t embrace him, not even a little. It was almost like she didn¡¯t know what to do with her body in this situation. ¡°Why does it seem like it¡¯s your first time?¡± he asked. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense. We were married way back.¡± She bit her lower lips trying to keep her pleasure under control and averted his eyes. As he moved frantically against her, she couldn¡¯t help but moan again. ¡°Tell me, Lee-yeon,¡± he whispered. ¡°Why do you act so timid?¡± She couldn¡¯t speak. He couldn¡¯t make sense of anything except him inside her and the pleasure that it gave. Her walls were torn down. Her mind was nk. ¡°Did¡­ the previous Kwon Chae-woo didn¡¯t do it like this?¡± he thrust into her, and her fluid flowed out. ¡°Hmm¡­ is that it?¡± Kwon Chae-woo grunted, grabbed her thighs and pushed himself even more in a hurry. I haven¡¯t done much and she is already¡­ As he thrust inside her, he caressed her lower part. It wasn¡¯t enough. Lee-yeon felt like she was going to burn with the heat. ¡°Tell me,¡± he whispered. ¡°Do I feel like a foreign man?¡± He was panting now. His eyes looked bloodshot. Lee-yeon knew that question came out of jealousy. ¡°How could we have been sexually ipatible, Lee-yeon? This feels so good. It was a lie, wasn¡¯t it? You are a liar.¡± He buried his head onto her chest. Her body felt too hot. Her mind waspletely nk. ¡°That bastard probably did it every day. Can¡¯t I do it a little?¡± he said hoarsely. He buried his head onto her chest and refused to look at her. He grunted as he shoved inside her. Lee-yeon panted. The pleasure was too overwhelming. ¡°I¡¯m your husband now, so you should spread only for me,¡± he said in a low voice. ¡°You said we didn¡¯t do it. Do you know what your inside is like? Just who do you think I am that you¡¯re suddenly so weing?¡± His thrusts became rough. ¡°Why won¡¯t you touch me?¡± he asked. ¡°Why won¡¯t you touch me even a little?¡± She felt like she was on fire. His body was too hot. She was going to burn. ¡°It¡¯s fun to watch you like this. Somedays you hold onto me tightly as if out of some damned responsibility. But some other day, you meet someone else. You are just too much.¡± He let out a moan. His eyes shone like a beast¡¯s. One hand held her down while the other caressed her. Lee-yeon felt as though her mind might turnpletely into mush. ¡°Chae-woo¡­,¡± she whimpered. Kwon Chae-woo heard her tiny voice. His hips, that thrust so hard that it was sending her reeling to the edge, suddenly stopped. He stared at her. ¡°Don¡¯t you look down on me, you idiot,¡± she said, panting. ¡°It¡¯s reasonable for someone to not be that good in bed. Not everyone¡¯s the same! If the one who is bad in bed is me, so what? I am the one who consented to sleep with you. Why are you making me feel ipetent?!¡± Her anger was justified. She didn¡¯t know what to do with her body because she had never done this before. And she couldn¡¯t understand all the strange feelings. Even so, he didn¡¯t need to spell it out to her. ¡°You are really so heartless. You have no kindness. No bedroom manners, that¡¯s for sure.¡± Kwon Chae-woo was stunned. She grabbed her waist and lifted her up to sit on his thigh. Lee-yeon wrapped her arms around his shoulders instinctively. Somehow, his hardness found its way back into her. She gasped. She let out a low moan as he moved against him. Kwon Chae-woo liked seeing her like this. He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her face. As she moved against him, he slid his hand down and touched her below. She buckled. ¡®That¡¯s right. Fill yourself up as much as you want to, Lee-yeon,¡± he whispered. Kwon Chae-woo held her tight. He kissed her neck and on her cheek. She felt flustered but she kept moving against him. She dug her nails into his shoulders. She moved faster and harder until she felt as though she couldn¡¯t anymore. Heid her on the bed and continued thrusting into her, most gently. She looked up at him. This was the first time she had gathered to see him as he was. He moaned and slid out of her, spraying her belly with a white liquid. He sounded as though he was ready to retire anytime soon and settled himself beside Lee-yeon who looked just as exhausted. Kwon Chae-woo, after a while, raised his head from her shoulders and looked at her. ¡°You look more beautiful when you are messy.¡± He smiled and pulled her close to him. Lee-yeon could only stare at him as he slept. Chapter 81: Chapter 81: A moonless dawn. Someone staggered across the backyard. The figure dragged itself as though it couldn¡¯t walk properly. It was Lee-yeon who hade out secretly after Kwon Chae-woo had drifted off to sleep. Someone had said it right, at the end of pleasure was only pain. She felt all the muscles in her body ache. Her lower ce hurt a lot. It felt strange as though he was still inside her. She still remembered his eyes, his moans, his skin against hers¡­ If she let her guard down even for a few seconds, her mind drifted off to that moment. ¡°Phew¡­.¡± She sat on the wooden stool and sighed. I made a mistake. A huge one¡­ Lee-yeon rubbed her face. She felt tired. Kwon Chae-woo was still in her mind but it didn¡¯t make her happy. She felt like she could never be happy. It felt like she had dug her own grave this time. Lee-yeon stared at her phone and scowled at the name that popped up. Kwon Ki-seok. He picked up the phone on the first ring. He always did when she called. She was enraged. He was the one behind this mess. She understood why Choo-ja had smacked her on her back when she found out that she had slept with Kwon Chae-woo. Choo-ja was worried that this would get moreplicated if emotions were involved. She took a deep breath. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, please promise me something. Never¡­ahh¡­ get your memory back. Never.¡± ¡°Then I won¡¯t.¡± Lee-yeon closed her eyes and sighed. Then she opened it again with a twisted determination settling in her heart. She had a white handkerchief in her hand. When she unfolded it, there was a thin gray string nestled there. She had hidden it two years ago. Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s string. He had attacked her with this string in the forest that day. He had wrapped it around her neck and had almost killed her. Is it used in some kind of a factory? It¡¯s thin like an aluminum string, but hard and stic¡­ Lee-yeon turned on the lighter and set fire to the string. I will do the same. I will never remember that day again¡­ Her heart pounded as though she was doing something wrong. Kwon Chae-woo was sometimes rough but he was nice to her. He couldn¡¯t even wake up if she wasn¡¯t by his side. He worried about being abandoned by her. All of it held her together and strengthened her resolve. She threw the burning string on the ground and covered it with dirt. That night she let go of everything¡­ *** ¡°Lee-yeon, it¡¯s time to wake up,¡± said a gentle voice. But she was too tired. She snuggled deeper into her nket. She smelled coffee. A rough but gentle hand brushed her hair back from her face. She opened her eyes with difficulty to see a tray with coffee and sandwich. Along with the man who had made them for her. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± He smiled radiantly. ¡°Uh¡­¡± The sunlight seeped through the curtains and brightened the room. After a pause, Lee-yeon¡¯s face turned red. She was embarrassed to see him. Lee-yeon pulled the nket all the way up and hid inside it. Kwon Chae-woo didn¡¯t like that she was trying to avoid the whole situation, but he understood that it was only natural. ording to Choo-ja, the first experience for a woman is 80% hype. She would always say that men woulde at you as though they could do something amazing, but it ended up being nothing much. But Lee-yeon knew better. She had almost cked out. Choo-ja, it was me who offered nothing in return! When Lee-yeon woke up, she saw that everything had changed. She had been cleaned and dressed in fresh new pajamas. Her ripped clothes were nowhere in sight. The stained bedsheet was gone too. The room looked clean. It looked like nothing had happened herest night. Lee-yeon looked around in confusion. She wondered if she had imagined it but the throbbing pain between her legs said otherwise. When she realized that he had cleaned everything, including her, she blushed. ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± He pulled the nket away. Messy hair covered her eyes. He leaned over to her. ¡°Thank you very much for yesterday!¡± she blurted out. ¡°I appreciate your hospitality.¡± Heughed. ¡°This feels weird,¡± he said, looking at her in amusement. ¡°I feel like you will have me a couple of bucks to use it for the taxi to go home.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you really want to say that after what we did yesterday, Lee-yeon?¡± ¡°Ah. No¡­¡± ¡°I might have surprised you more than expected. I guess I went harder on you because you wouldn¡¯t even touch me a little.¡± He smirked. ¡°But I am d you appreciate my ¡®hospitality¡¯.¡± Lee-yeon opened her mouth to retort but Kwon Chae-woo changed the subject. ¡°Does it hurt anywhere?¡± he asked. ¡°Well, the way you manhandled mest night, what do you think?¡± She didn¡¯t want to be nice to the man who was teasing her early in the morning. Kwon Chae-woo bit on his lips to hold back hisughter. ¡°I wanted to talk to you about something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± she asked. ¡°The way you lied yesterday.¡± Lee-yeon lowered her head in shame. It was not good for a legally married woman to see other men behind her husband¡¯s back. Although she wasn¡¯t married to him for real, she still felt guilty. She felt like her parents had cheated on their spouses. She felt ashamed. ¡°I am going to tell you this again,¡± said Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you do. You won¡¯t be able to rip me off with those tiny hands.¡± He was about to touch her hair when she flinched. Lee-yeon covered her face with her hands. She felt suffocated. ¡°Lee-yeon,¡± he called her name gently. ¡°It was all my fault,¡± she mumbled. Her voice trembled. Kwon Chae-woo looked at her. ¡°I really wasn¡¯t nning on it. I wasn¡¯t seeing other men in the way you think. I was just¡­ curious. I wanted to see how other men were different from you. Whether my heart pounded for them like the way it does for you. I just wanted to check.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Because I really¡­¡± Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t utter the words. Kwon Chae-woo stared at her. She didn¡¯t remove her hands from her face. ¡°I just¡­ you are so scary. I am afraid of you when I think about the kind of person you used to be. When you said you would be my dog, it was a little better to be with you. I always looked at you while you slept¡­¡± Kwon Chae-woo raised his eyebrows when he heard this. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I feel so annoyed with someone,¡± she continued in a soft voice. ¡°Everyday feels annoying because of you.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked. And why are you blushing? Your ears are turning red¡­ Chapter 82: Chapter 82: He put the tray away on the side table. He leaned over to her and gently pulled her hands from her face. But she turned away from him and averted his eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d get caught. No, I meant I didn¡¯t think it would turn out like this.¡± She tried to wriggled her way into the nket again. Kwon Chae-woo softly grabbed her trembling wrist. ¡°Lee-yeon. Look at me.¡± She shook her head. He pulled the nket away and kissed the back of her hand softly. She flinched. ¡°If you want to hide, a nket isn¡¯t enough.¡± He pulled her to him and hugged her tightly. She felt a strangefort in his hands. ¡°So, what was it likeparing me to other men? I want to hear the result.¡± Lee-yeon squirmed against his chest. He waited patiently. ¡°I didn¡¯t think of anything. I saw you through that window in the caf¨¦.¡± She remembered vividly the way he had stood outside that window, in the pouring rain. ¡°I just wanted to go home,¡± she mumbled. ¡°With you.¡± He hugged her tighter. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then why do you keep pushing me away? Look at me.¡± Lee-yeon turned her head and looked at him. ¡°Tell me, has something changed about me?¡± he asked. When she looked at him, she just recalled what had happened yesterday. The way he had kissed and licked her down there¡­ Her face red red, and she couldn¡¯t meet his eyes. Did everyone live a life like that at night? Wondered Lee-yeon. This was all such a new experience. ¡°Uh¡­.¡± She stared at him. That was such a random question. If she thought about it, she realized that his eyes were back to normal and there was no predatory gleam there like yesterday. His clothes were buttoned up neatly. But all this just reminded her of how he had been yesterday: raw and naked. She blushed again. She coughed and cleared her throat. ¡°Uh¡­ I guess you look a bit more handsome? Kwon Chae-woo smirked and opened his mouth to say something. She quickly changed her words. ¡°No? Then¡­ has your skin got better? Your face looks clean.¡± Kwon Chae-woo smiled. His gaze was so intense that it reminded her ofst night again. ¡°Thank you for thepliment,¡± he said. ¡°But my face was clean when I woke up.¡± ¡°Then?¡± Kwon Chae-woo lowered his head and kissed her. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and she melted like cream. ¡°There was no trace of crying,¡± he said. She realized that was true! Even when she had sneaked out a little bit around dawn, she hadn¡¯t heard him sobbing! She looked at him, surprised. She smiled brightly. ¡°What do you think the reason was, Lee-yeon?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I don¡¯t know?¡± As she thought about it, he smiled. ¡°I think I do.¡± *** She finished the sandwich and coffee he had made for her and locked herself in her office for two whole hours. She could hear Kwon Chae-woo washing the dishes and vacuuming the house. She was curious to see why he was doing house chores, but she wasn¡¯t confident enough to go outside and face him. ¡°Seems like sex avoids even nightmares.¡± Thankfully the man didn¡¯t barge into the office. Lee-yeon scratched her head and tried not to think about it. Lee-yeon spent her morning hiding in the office. She then decided to take care of her garden. She sneaked outside and pulled some weeds. She was then preparing the hose to water her garden when she heard a voice. ¡°Is Director So Lee-yeon here?¡± The gate of the Spruce Tree Hospital opened. Joo Dong-mi, who was wearing quite arge jacket, walked in. She smiled as her eyes met Lee-yeon¡¯s. ¡°Howdy!¡± Mature yet yful. Respectful yet rowdy. ¡°Hello. What brings you here?¡± Lee-yeon shut the hose. Joo Dong-mi looked around the area as though she was looking for someone else. Lee-yeon¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Isn¡¯t that employee here yet?¡± she asked. ¡°He is inside but why are you¡­?¡± Joo Dong-mi smiled radiantly. ¡°I wanted to say something to him.¡± Lee-yeon clenched the hose tightly. ¡°Is it okay if I go in and talk with him for a moment?¡± asked Joo Dong-mi. She scratched her head and looked at Lee-yeon. ¡°I will tell you the truth, I like him and would like to¡ª,¡±. Lee-yeon¡¯s face became stiff. ¡°Ms. Joo Dong-mi,¡± she interrupted. ¡°Actually, there is something I need to tell you.¡± She dropped the hose and wiped her hands on the side of her pants. It was scary for Lee-yeon to speak the truth. She had only learnt to hide the truth. The truth about her parents. The family she lived with. The truth about her birth. She had never interacted with anyone enough to talk to them honestly. But today, she wanted to tell the truth. She didn¡¯t want to let go of something she cherished so easily. She wanted to stand her ground. Otherwise, everyone would be like her cousins who always wanted to ruin her life by taking away everything she had. ¡°He¡¯s not really my employee but my¡­¡± Joo Dong-mi¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°He is not an employee here?!¡± Lee-yeon flinched as Joo Dong-mi stepped close to her. She was just too enthusiastic a person to deal with. ¡°Yes, he is not an employee. Instead, he is my boy¡ª¡± ¡°Your boy toy?¡± said Joo Dong-mi eagerly. ¡°What?! No!¡± said Lee-yeon, stunned. ¡°So¡­ he is your boy toy. Wow!¡± Lee-yeon was actually speechless. She stared nkly at Joo Dong-mi. ¡°You look so innocent, but you are like me! Don¡¯t worry, your secret is safe with me,¡± said Joo Dong-mi. ¡°It¡¯s good to know.¡± Joo Dong-mi extended her hand in a handshake. Lee0yeon shook her hands in a daze. ¡°A woman should indeed have a boy toy or two, if you ask me,¡± she said eagerly. Who the hell is this person? She is like a mini Choo-ja¡­. Lee-yeon opened her mouth to respond but Joo Dong-mi wouldn¡¯t give her a chance. ¡°It¡¯s a waste to marry and bemitted to a person. You shouldn¡¯t let him move beyond your pants,¡± said Joo Dong-mi sagely. Lee-yeon nodded nkly. This was the weirdest conversation she ever had. ¡°Do you drink?¡± Joo Dong-mi suddenly asked. ¡°No. I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Wow! Then you do it sober? I can¡¯t have fun sober,¡± Joo Dong-mi looked at her in reverence. ¡°I was getting lonely on this tiny ind. Nobody wants to just have fun withoutmitments. But you, you don¡¯t hide it! I honestly respect you. I drink like a fish. Could we drink together sometimes? Have a long talk?¡± Lee-yeon was awkward. She never had anyone be this friendly to her. But right then, Joo Dong-mi said something to her that annoyed her greatly. ¡°Then can I borrow him?¡± she asked. ¡°Please, Director! Please give him to me!¡± Chapter 83: Chapter 83: Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t help but let the words slip through her lips. ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± Then, Kwon Chae-woo stepped into the room, interrupting her thoughts. Lee-yeon felt her heart pound against her chest, as if she had been caught doing something she wasn¡¯t supposed to. All the while, Kwon Chae-woo eyed her carefully and stepped towards her. At the sight of the man, Joo Dong-mi¡¯s eyes lit up. She had found her prey. ¡°Howdy!¡± she greeted enthusiastically. ¡°I came here to ask you something.¡± Kwon Chae-woo nced at her before turning back to Lee-yeon, uninterested in Joo Dong-mi¡¯s antics. ¡°Why are you out?¡± he asked Lee-yeon. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± When she didn¡¯t answer, he took his cardigan off and wrapped it around her, rubbing her neck with his hot palm¡ªa touch that could only be shared by two people who had done so much more. Lee-yeon straightened her back, pushing away her lewd thoughts. ¡°Lee-yeon,¡± Kwon Chae-woo repeated. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Lee-yeon shook her head then looked up at Joo Dong-mi. ¡°She has a question for you.¡± Grinning, Joo Dong-mi fished a business card from her bag and held it out for Kwon Chae-woo to take. ¡°Let me introduce myself again,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m Joo Dong-mi from the Mammal Team for Wildlife Rescue Center.¡± She smiled at Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°And I¡¯m here to scout you.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes widened at Joo Dong-mi¡¯s words. When she noticed that Kwon Chae-woo hadn¡¯t moved, she poked his side and motioned for him to take the card. But, lost in his thoughts, Kwon Chae-woo just stared off at the leaves falling on the ground. Unphased, Joo Dong-mi continued with her stered smile. ¡°I tried to talk to him at the party,¡± she exined. ¡°But he wasn¡¯t listening.¡± She remembered that night, how she had beenpletely ignored, how Kwon Chae-woo hadn¡¯t taken his eyes off Lee-yeon the entire time. It was almost as if he was trying to count her eyshes with how intently he was gazing at her. It had bothered Joo Dong-mi more than she would have liked to admit. She tried to brush the memory away. ¡°Your stamina, reflex, and creativity,¡± she continued. ¡°I want it all.¡± It was true. At first, she sought him for herself, but she never really did have a habit of hanging onto a man for very long. Especially not the way that Kwon Chae-woo was evidently hanging onto this tiny woman, Lee-yeon. It was almost like the Japanese Mastiff¡¯s characteristic of never letting anything go after you had it. He was so focused on Lee-yeon that just the thought of having to focus on anything else would have aggravated him. With how she was with animals, Joo Dong-mi didn¡¯t typically use her head to deal with situations, choosing instead to trust her instincts. It was what fed her hunger. It was what made her want to be the youngest member of the team at 24. The biggest problem for Hwaido was theck of manpower. It was a ce full of mountains and wildlife that required a certain amount of strength to deal with. A young, unemployed man living on the ind was amodity that had to be used to their advantage. While all the other employees at the center were also busy looking for a sessor, Joo Dong-mi was the only one who had been aggressive about it. ¡°We need someone with basic education or a license, but, of course, I can help with all of that,¡± Joo Dong-mi said. ¡°You¡¯ll just need to follow instructions, carry an axe or a stake, and I, your senior, will take care of the rest.¡± Joo Dong-mi could tell that Kwon Chae-woo wasn¡¯t listening to her, so she turned to Lee-yeon instead, deciding to use the dynamic between the two of them to her advantage. ¡°What do you find attractive in men, Lee-yeon?¡± she asked. ¡°Me?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Yes,¡± Joo Dong-mi smiled. ¡°Family men are more the trend these days. But they typically work too, don¡¯t they?¡± Lee-yeon nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Joo Dong-mi continued. ¡°But they¡¯d have to earn the money legally, right?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Lee-yeon said. ¡°Then,¡± Joo Dong-mi added, ¡°wouldn¡¯t you want a man who could handle responsibility and do good deeds? A man who is employed?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes widened as she realized what Joo Dong-mi was getting at. Kwon Chae-woo, realizing this too, turned away from Lee-yeon and stared sharply at the other woman. ¡®Can I ever treat him like a junior?¡¯ Under his gaze, Joo Dong-mi felt herself stiffen. She didn¡¯t how she could treat this man as her junior at work, but she knew she had to pull through if she wanted the best for herself. ¡°A man who is good at night is all well and good,¡± Joo Dong-mi said, trying to sound as calm as possible. ¡°But a man who is great during the day gets the wife¡¯s respect.¡± Before Kwon Chae-woo could even react, Lee-yeon frowned. ¡°But Kwon Chae-woo is sick,¡± she said. ¡°If he has to run around too much or lift heavy things, it would be dangerous.¡± She looked at Kwon Chae-woo at her side. ¡°He won¡¯t recover.¡± Chapter 84: Chapter 84: The truth was that she didn¡¯t want him near an axe now that he was starting anew. While there was no denying Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s old personality, there was no need to bring him back to his old ways now, not when things were so normal. ¡°And he isn¡¯t used to being around others anymore,¡± she added. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to keep him home for now.¡± She tried to use words that wouldn¡¯t portray him in a bad way. Kwon Chae-woo grimaced at the kindness Lee-yeon had offered him, but he couldn¡¯t let himself do as she wished. He pulled her towards him. ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t expect nothing of me,¡± he told her. ¡°That¡¯s not my style.¡± Before Lee-yeon could say something, he added, ¡°I want your attention. I don¡¯t need your protection.¡± Kwon Chae-woo turned to Joo Dong-mi. ¡°I¡¯ll contact you after discussing things with my wife,¡± was what he said, but, really, he just wanted the woman to get out. Joo Dong-mi blinked. ¡°Your wife?¡± she asked, looking between the two of them. She looked at Lee-yeon. ¡°He¡¯s your husband?!¡± While Joo Dong-mi liked men, the thought of a husband was too much for her. She paled as Lee-yeon turned away, avoiding her gaze. ¡®Why would you do that to me, Lee-yeon?¡¯ she eximed. Lee-yeon never rified to her that she was indeed this man¡¯s wife. She looked up at Kwon Chae-woo again and felt a chill run through her spine at the thought of his marriage to the director. It just didn¡¯t make sense. ¡®Aren¡¯t tame people supposed to be with tame people as well?¡¯ Unable to keep herselfposed and with no intention of separating them, Joo Dong-mi turned on her heel and left. There was silence in the yard after the door shut. ¡°Lee-yeon, are you embarrassed of me?¡± Kwon Chae-woo asked suddenly. Lee-yeon looked at him. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Just tell me that you¡¯re embarrassed that I¡¯m talentless and jobless,¡± he said. ¡°Or is it something else? I feel like I already know.¡± Lee-yeon looked away from him. Kwon Chae-woo realized that his suspicions were true. She still didn¡¯t trust him. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you lock me up here because you want to protect me.¡± He grabbed the back of her neck to make her look at him. ¡°But you should only be doing that out of love, not because you¡¯re afraid I¡¯ll turn into a monster the moment I leave alone, not because you don¡¯t trust me.¡± ¡°I promised yesterday that I¡¯d try my best,¡± he told her. ¡°That I¡¯d bury it myself. You think that was a joke?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes shot up towards him. ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± she said. ¡°I was¡­ jealous.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re going to live in fear of that all the time?¡± Kwon Chae-woo asked. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to realize the weight of your words.¡± He watched as Lee-yeon looked away from him. ¡°Even if I go back to the old me, why would things change between us?¡± he spat. ¡°I¡¯m all over you, so why are you scared?¡± Lee-yeon looked at him and found both anger and sadness in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± she choked out. ¡°I know it¡¯s unfair. I just can¡¯t control my feelings!¡± *** ¡°I don¡¯t care if you work,¡± Lee-yeon admitted further. ¡°But I can¡¯t take you working with another woman.¡± ¡°With another woman?¡± Kwon Chae-woo asked. ¡°I¡¯m a bit jealous,¡± Lee-yeon told him. She could feel the embarrassment bubble up with her. Jealousy wasn¡¯t exactly something she was proud of. Then, Kwon Chae-woo pulled her out of her thoughts and into a searing kiss. It was rushed and frenzied, and Lee-yeon opened her lips to let him slip his tongue through. Their tongues shed against each other, hot and wet. Lee-yeon could still feel her fears despite the kiss. It was not something she could be rid of easily and she knew that, at the end of the day, there would always be a part of her that didn¡¯t trust Kwon Chae-woo. He had never been in a rtionship before so he was certain in theirs in ways that Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t be. The killer and the witness, intiff and defendant. He didn¡¯t know what she was keeping from him. Even so, she pushed all of that aside and stretched her arms out. She would ept what she could take even if everything felt unreal. Kwon Chae-woo wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into an embrace, still keeping his lips pressed against hers. Lee-yeon tried not to think about what they looked like, with hisrge build towering over her. They were twisting and turning, practically sucking on each other. Lee-yeon realized that what other people did to her¡ªpointing at her, beating her, cussing her out¡ªbecame different when Kwon Chae-woo did it. Every action contained affection. Even if he came in hard and hurt her, deep inside, she felt like a child being caressed warmly. But she had lied. She had lied about things that woulde out sooner orter. Whatever fleeting moments they shared now wouldn¡¯tst forever. Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Lee-yeon felt sick as she remembered that these are all an illusion. ¡°If I don¡¯t remember anything, our rtionship will get easier?¡± He had told her before, which she answered a treacherous ¡°yes¡±. Lies are being piled up. Even so, she wanted to live a normal life, so she could cherish memories of this time forever. It was all an hourss that Lee-yeon had flipped, and the sand was slipping quickly. Finally pulling his lips away, Kwon Chae-woo grinned at her. ¡°I think it would be a good idea if I worked,¡± he said. ¡°Your reaction is really turning me on. It¡¯sgetting harder.¡± Lee-yeon was dumfounded and blushed at his bluntness, trying her best to restrain herself from looking down.. Kwon Chae-woo looked at her. ¡°I¡¯ll work,¡± he told her. ¡°No matter what the work may be.¡± Lee-yeon bit her lip. She didn¡¯t know how Kwon Chae-woo would handle being an animal rescuer. He seemed more like the type to hunt them. *** Joo Dong-mi stared at the door as it closed behind her. She hoped Lee-yeon would forgive her for her actions towards her husband. It wasn¡¯t right to meddle in the business of another family, much more show interest to a married man right in front of his wife. She turned around a corner scratching her head, feeling ridiculous of how things turned out when suddenly she saw something which piqued her interest. ¡®I feel like I¡¯ve seen him somewhere before¡­. But where?¡¯ She caught sight of a man leaning against the wall of the house. She would have just walked by, but his physique reeled her in. It was rare to see a man like this in Hwaido. And it was also strange to see one hanging about in the middle of the week. Most of all, he looked very familiar to her. ¡°Hey there,¡± she smiled. As she approached, Jang Beom-hee flinched. He had expected her to walk past him, but now she was looking right at him. He pulled his cap down but that didn¡¯t stop Joo Dong-mi from trying to get a proper look at him. ¡°Howdy!¡± she said. ¡°Do you live nearby?¡± He didn¡¯t answer but she could see his throat bob. ¡°I work for the Wildlife Rescue Center,¡± Joo Dong-mi exined, showing the logo on her jacket. Ignoring her, Jang Beom-hee tried to walk away. But Joo Dong-mi stopped him. She was used to herding animals. ¡°I have no bad intentions,¡± she said. ¡°But have we met before? Your face seems familiar.¡± Jang Beom-hee tried to evade her gaze, but he failed. ¡°Oh! I remember!¡± Joo Dong-mi eximed. ¡°You¡¯re the server that took my ss at my uncle¡¯s party!¡± The man became flustered right away. Jang Beom-hee knew Joo Dong-mi, of course. He knew everyone that knew the young master and Lee-yeon. It was also partly a mistake when he took her ss, he had hoped she wouldn¡¯t have remembered him for that. ¡°I knew it,¡± Joo Dong-mi smiled to herself. ¡°I recognize people pretty easily. But your clothes¡­¡± She stepped back a little to study him. ¡°Are you a police then?¡± Jang Beom-hee froze, and Joo Dong-mi pouted. She looked down at his clothes, even if he already knew what he was wearing. He had been using his police uniform after wrapping up an incident at the drug farm. How could he be so unlucky? Why did someone have to recognize him? Instinctively, he reached into his pocket and clutched his small knife. ¡°What is it about this town?¡± Joo Dong-miughed,pletely oblivious to the man¡¯s difort. ¡°There seems to be so many people with the perfect physique nowadays.¡± She rubbed the back of her neck. ¡°But why was a police at my uncle¡¯s party? Was it like an undercover thing? Did my uncle get involved in some moneyundering? He¡¯s not a bad person but he seems like the type to something like that.¡± As Joo Dong-mi reached up to rub her chin, Jang Beom-hee pushed her off and started to walk away. ¡°Hey! What¡¯s your name?!¡± Joo Dong-mi persisted. ¡°How old are you?!¡± Just as she was about to say something else, Jang Beom-hee grabbed her cor and mmed her against a wall. ¡°Don¡¯t get in my way,¡± he finally said, his voice grave. He let her go but, just as he was about to leave, a flying kick threw him off. Before he could regain his bnce, she had already wrapped a rope around his ankle and pulled him in. ¡°Can police even do that to a citizen?¡± she demanded. ¡°What are you, you bastard?¡± Jang Beom-hee nced at the door nervously. If Kwon Chae-woo came out now, it would be very bad. Jang Beom-hee¡¯s job was to protect the Young Master and keep Hwaido under control. His role wasn¡¯t supposed to cause amotion like this. Deciding on the best course of action, he lowered his body and covered Joo Dong-mi¡¯s mouth with his hand. ¡°Just be quiet first,¡± he said. He sighed and ran a hand over his face. ¡°What is it that you want?¡± Joo Dong-mi¡¯s eyes lit up. Chapter 86: Chapter 86: ¡°I said let¡¯s do well together!¡± Treating as many trees as possible within the time limit was the task. Lee-yeon, aftering into the closed town for the second test, red at Kwon Chae-woo with her lips all swollen. The messiness of the town reflected how she felt. It was almost summer. Lee-yeon wore a jumpsuit and stomped away. ¡°Who forgot to tell me in 24 hours, Lee-yeon?¡± ¡°I said it¡¯ll only be overnight!¡± ¡°Outdoor camping in the middle of the mountain. Sleeping on a nk at the bottom part of the mountain slide¡ª¡± The judge could be heard from afar. Kwon Chae-wooposed himself while he listened to the judge. It seemed like he prefers beating the crap out of thugs than the prospect of Lee-yeon sleeping outdoors for a night. She was annoyed at the man looking after her like a mother hen, but she also wanted tough. She didn¡¯t know how to react. She wasn¡¯t familiar with receiving such attention. The opponent was Me Tree Hospital. She didn¡¯t like that she had to leave Choo-ja behind, but she had no regrets. Since the drug farm incident, she didn¡¯t leave Kwon Chae-woo on the hospital bed. Lee-yeon had prepped him for this day. So, he won¡¯t have much trouble assisting her. Lee-yeon stopped in her tracks. A familiar face in the Me Tree Hospital team made her bite the insides of her lips. Director Jo Kyung-cheon¡­ He was her former boss. What was more troubling was his name was on the thug¡¯s phone, who was maintaining the drug farm. But the investigation became a farce and the only answer she received whenever she visited the D hospital was that the director wasn¡¯t there. She had almost given up¡­ He approached her with a smile. ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± The first person to react to his voice was Kwon Chae-woo. He wrapped his arm around her waist, protectively, and red at the man. Jo Kyung-cheon looked away from him after a while. ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been looking for me?¡± ¡°What are you doing in Hwaido?¡± Lee-yeon lowered her voice and red at him coldly. ¡°It better not be what I think it is.¡± ¡°Lee-yeon, I was the first to bring you here.¡± She frowned at the random chatter. She knew what Jo Kyung-cheon was talking about. He probably meant the time she came to Hwaido for a business trip not long after she got hired at his tree hospital. Jo Kyung-cheon stared impassively at Lee-yeon, who kept her mouth shut. He just remembered the conversation he had with Executive Kwon. ¡°How is the ning along?¡± ¡°It¡¯s going smoothly.¡± ¡°You should make sure no one finds out about that rare nt.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± If she didn¡¯t find that nt, everything would have been better¡­ Jo Kyung-cheon¡¯s face darkened. Seven years ago, something rare was discovered in a swamp at Hwaido. During the training, Lee-yeon had taken a wrong turn into the swamp and Jo Kyung-cheon had benefited from it. It was a type of nt that wasn¡¯t even known to the world yet. It had no name. But a rumor of a rare nt started originating. There was an incident where it was uprooted from its roots, and it suddenly disappeared. It was the Kwon family¡¯s doing. And a few yearster, the researchers who studied the nt disappeared. He had used Hwang Jo-yoon¡¯s behavior as an excuse to kick So Lee-yeon out of the hospital. He had no idea that she would settle in Hwaido. Jo Kyung-cheon took a step forward towards her with mixed feelings. ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± ¡°Stop there.¡± Kwon Chae-woo stopped him. As the two men red at each other, Lee-yeon bit her tongue in anticipation. ¡°This is my husband,¡± said Lee-yeon as a way of introduction. ¡°What?!¡± Jo Kyung-cheon was surprised. Director Jo felt that there were many ws in Lee-yeon from the time she worked in his hospital, so he was shocked to hear that she was now wed. ¡°Lee-yeon, can¡¯t you stop here?¡± Jo Kyung-cheon boldly asked her. ¡°Stop what?¡± ¡°Hwaidome.¡± ¡°Are you asking me to forfeit? Why should I?¡± Jo Kyung-cheon realized that she didn¡¯t know anything. As he walked past her, he whispered, ¡°You keep your mouth shut if you don¡¯t want to die.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Only Lee-yeon could hear him. But there was no way Kwon Chae-woo wouldn¡¯t have noticed with those sensitive ears of his. He was about to lunge at the director when Lee-yeon hurriedly tugged at his sleeve. She shook her head and Kwon Chae-woo frowned, but he calmed down. Lee-yeon stared nkly at the spot where Jo Kyung-cheon had been standing. She couldn¡¯t tell if that was a threat or a warning. Chapter 87: Chapter 87: The items that the Forest Service gave out were divided and distributed to the hospitals. Two backpacks that held items for sleeping. A bag for diagnostic items, tablet PC, supporting sticks for climbing mountains and other necessary items. The system was simple. The picture taken by the tablet PC on the fully treated tree was sent to the judge. This round was about speed. One must be able to quickly diagnose and treat the tree. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, we¡¯re going now. Get ready.¡± Lee-yeon put on her backpack and tapped at Kwon Chae-woo, who was busy reading the map. He didn¡¯t even blink as he checked every little mark on the map. A small drone was flying over their head, and the timer on the tablet PC started. Lee-yeon nced at Me Tree Hospital and went in a different direction. She didn¡¯t look so joyful as she looked around the dark forest. There were so many trees that were broken. Last year, thendslide had destroyed much of the mountain terrain. The ground was full of rocks and tree barks. Their shoes turned muddy. They felt like they were walking in an abandoned ce. The weather was also murky. ¡°I think we have lots to do today.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lee-yeon tilted her head a little. Kwon Chae-woo stopped talking after they walked into the forest. He looked serious and sensitive. Lee-yeon also became serious as he looked different than usual. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you not feel well? Does your head hurt?¡± Kwon Chae-woo smiled dryly. ¡°You have always been curious about my head.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°At the drug farm. When I was getting hit, do you remember what you said?¡± She couldn¡¯t remember everything clearly. She was running on adrenaline then. Kwon Chae-woo yfully nudged her forehead. ¡°You said not to ever hit me on my head.¡± He smiled. Lee-yeon looked down as she blushed. She took a seat and started with the emergency treatment. The foremost thing Lee-yeon did was to cut ruined branches and restore the bnce of the trees. She did her best connecting the broken branches and fastening them with steel. It was basically like putting a cast on the tree. After she was done treating, she quickly moved onto other trees like a chipmunk. Kwon Chae-woo was busy giving her the tools she needed while also taking pictures. ¡°There are many trees that are already dead.¡± Most of them were split in half or had drowned. ¡°A healthy tree blossoms in a short period and withers, but unhealthy trees have only few leaves. Look at this. Most trees are like that right?¡± There were many curved branches on trees that still had some flowers on it. But looked sickly and were about to wither. Kwon Chae-woo frowned as he listened to Lee-yeon. ¡°That¡¯s a sad story.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°They blossom but wither so fast.¡± He said morosely. ¡°The flower season is short,¡± Lee-yeon said casually, but Kwon Chae-woo was still frowning. ¡°Then I¡¯ll never give you a flower.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a sign of a very short lifespan.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lee-yeon felt a prick in her heart. He understood the trees, but she did want flowers from him even if it represented a short lifespan. She just focused on connecting the yellow rubber tube. She was about to put the tube into the holes when¡­ ¡°¡­¡± His face changed again. Lee-yeon knew that expression too well. *** ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Another wild boar?¡± Lee-yeon stopped what she was doing and lowered her voice. But Kwon Chae-woo was frowning and staring somewhere else. She was nervous. Kwon Chae-woo looked at Lee-yeon. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is, and what that sound means.¡± Lee-yeon looked nervous so Kwon Chae-woo changed the subject. ¡°Lee-yeon, do you really want that Hwaidome project?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± She scratched her cheek. ¡°Do you think others willugh at how ridiculous it sounds?¡± ¡°No. There¡¯s no one that likes trees as much as you,¡± said Kwon Chae-woo gently. She could see that he was still tense, and his fists were clenched. He kept hearing a sound. It had started the moment they had entered the forest. The sound came from random directions. It bothered him. He was on his guard, but his face looked calm. He didn¡¯t want to worry Lee-yeon. This project was her dream. ¡°Well out of everything, be it the contract or the money¡­¡± Kwon Chae-woo raised his eyebrow at the sound again. A bird flew by. Was it just wings pping? ¡°I thought I would do well since you¡¯re watching, Kwon Chae-woo.¡± Her soft voice calmed his riled up senses. ¡°I really had nothing to say when I couldn¡¯t be myself in front of Hwang Jo-yoon. I thought that I shouldn¡¯t dy it any longer as I saw you reacting to everything. So that¡¯s why I wanted to face it like an adult. Especially with the skills I have.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Even though Kwon Chae-woo had extraordinary hearing, in that moment the world had gone dead silent. He couldn¡¯t hear anything. He took everything in. Her eyes, her lips, her eyebrows¡­ Hi! If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Also, please consider supporting this novel by leaving a review on Novelupdates! Thank you so much. Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 88: Chapter 88: ¡°I was hoping you would find inner peace watching me work. It hasn¡¯t been long since you woke up, so I¡¯ll do my best. I¡¯ll buy you lots of nice things once I win the money.¡± He was mesmerized by Lee-yeon¡¯s innocently sparkling eyes. ¡°And I love treating sick trees.¡± Her smile undid her, and he leaned down and kissed her. His fingers starved for her skin. Her mouth was sweet on his. She tried to take a step back. He kissed her frantically. She was out of breath. The forest was the worst ce for a kiss with their hands muddy and filthy. Even so, they kissed passionately, forgetting about the work they must do. It was when the man couldn¡¯t handle it anymore and grabbed Lee-yeon¡¯s breast that she pushed him away. He was already hard and Lee-yeon could feel it on her lower abdomen. As she whined like it hurt, and their lips finally parted. The first thing she saw was Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s bloodshot eyes and the vein popping on his forehead. ¡°We can¡¯t do that here. We¡¯re in the middle of apetition¡­¡± ¡°I know.¡± They were both panting hard. They couldn¡¯t take their eyes off each other¡¯s lips. ¡°I-I have to tie the rest of the wire.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lee-yeon went to work. Even though she just took only a few steps, the air was different. The wind was refreshing. Her lips hurt like they were stung by a bee, and she felt his gaze on her. She felt herself bing hot, so she had to keep moving her hands. She first wrapped a long wire on one side and tied another tree that looked like it was about to fall. Then she pulled the healthy tree¡¯s wire tightly. Her face became stiff. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kwon Chae-woo pulled her hands off the wire. Lee-yeon blushed. Lee-yeon felt a little embarrassed at the man who was looking into her eyes so intensely. ¡°This will hurt a lot for the tree.¡± Kwon Chae-woo stared at the tree that was sustaining its life with just one wire attached to another. He smiled. ¡°Why are you smiling?¡± asked Lee-yeon. ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± he said. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m that tree that¡¯s about to fall.¡± He gestured to the tree which was about to die. ¡°But why do you feel bad for the healthy tree, Lee-yeon?¡± ¡°Well, because it¡¯ll be a support for the other tree for the rest of its life. This wire will hurt it a lot. It¡¯ll dig into its bark and leave a scar.¡± ¡°Poor tree.¡± It sounded a little sarcastic. As Lee-yeon frowned, Kwon Chae-woo pointed at the wounded tree. ¡°I feel like that one isughing. It¡¯s enjoying itself. It likes that it can look at this beautiful tree for the rest of its life.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t say anything to that. She stared at the two trees that she had tied together and still couldn¡¯te to the same conclusion as Kwon Chae-woo. She just brushed off her arms and began packing her tools. And that moment, Kwon Chae-woo suddenly pulled at her wrist. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo!¡± She almost lost her bnce, but he dragged her with him. He started to run, pulling her with him. Her wrist hurt from his grip. She was running with him now. It was hard to match his pace. Her legs hurt and she was panting hard. Kwon Chae-woo knew Lee-yeon was struggling but he neither looked back at her nor slowed down. He was grabbing her wrist for dear life. She got cramps from running so hard. ¡°The treatment bag! We can¡¯t leave that¡ª¡± ¡°Run as hard as you can!¡± His voice cracked. Lee-yeon¡¯s heart dropped as she saw his face stiffen. Kwon Chae-woo was carrying both of their backpacks and kept dragging her along with him. The ground shook. ¡°Uh¡­ What?!¡± A faint vibration apanied the unfamiliar sound. She turned around to look instinctively. ¡°What¡ª¡° The mountain was copsing. Was it because of pouring rain thest couple of days? A huge amount of mud and rocks wereing down in andslide. No matter where she looked, there was nowhere to escape. The top of the tree wasn¡¯t safe either. The trees were already so weak that they wouldn¡¯t be able to handle their weights. Last year, thendslide had almost covered the whole town. Lee-yeon screamed. She couldn¡¯t run anymore. Kwon Chae-woo lifted her up and carried her on his shoulders. ¡°¡­¡± What she saw was terrifying! The swamp was overflowing. The wave that was swallowing the forest was quickly approaching them as though it intended to swallow them too. Chapter 89: Chapter 89: ¡°Kwon Chae-woo,¡± she called out softly. She could feel herself growing weaker as the words tumbled out of her mouth. She couldn¡¯t believe she was witnessing thendslide in person. All the trees in the surroundings broke and began to lose their shape. The stone wall was built to stop thendslide froming in from both sides, but it didn¡¯t stop the horrors thaty beyond. ¡°Lee-yeon,¡± Kwon Chae-woo said, panting as he came to her. He had grown tired from having to carry Lee-yeon and all their belongings. ¡°Listen carefully.¡± Lee-yeon watched him with panicked eyes, hanging onto his every word. ¡°If you go left from here,¡± Kwon Chae-woo continued as he caught his breath, ¡°there should be a small cave where you can take cover.¡± He tried his best to piece together his memory of the map he had painstakingly tried to memorize. He had learned that, in the past, Hwaido had been used as a military base. People had built caves all over it for all sorts of reasons, so they were in abundance here. Distracted by his thoughts, Kwon Chae-woo nearly tripped on a rock. He could feel himself losing his bnce until he managed to find stable ground. He moved his grip around Lee-yeon between her legs to make sure he didn¡¯t drop her. ¡°The cave,¡± he said, picking up hisst thought, ¡°it¡¯s narrow. You should be able to fit in there.¡± His voice could barely be heard as his breath quickened from exhaustion. ¡°Get in the cave, block it with a bag, and hold.¡± Lee-yeon stared at him, blinking. She didn¡¯t understand what he meant and all she could do was look at him with a worried expression. As she ran through what Kwon Chae-woo had said in her head, she felt her mouth dry and her heart sink. His words had bothered her. She grabbed his clothes tightly, her grip growing fierce by the minute. Around them, the trees continued to break. ¡°What about you, Kwon Chae-woo?¡± she demanded. The man simply panted. His breath was shallow. When she realized what he meant with his n, Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes widened. She looked at Kwon Chae-woo pleadingly, as if she was asking him to give her an answer. When he refused to speak, she shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not going alone!¡± she eximed. Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s eyes flicked to hers. He looked away. ¡°Please,¡± he said. ¡°Just listen to me.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes grew hard. She thrashed against him. ¡°No!¡± ¡°So Lee-yeon!¡± Kwon Chae-woo said loudly. His harsh tone forced Lee-yeon into silence. ¡°Keep it together,¡± he told her. ¡°Do you want to die here?¡± His words dripped with anger. There was no warmth to his tone, only the harsh reality of the situation that they were in. Lee-yeon froze. She knew why he was making her do this. Her head understood, but her heart simply refused to give into reality. She shook her head again. ¡°No,¡± she said quietly. ¡°But still¡­ I can¡¯t go alone.¡± Her grip on him was tight enough to leave bruises on both of them. Her expression remained as she red at him defiantly. The ground shook as thendslide rolled towards them. Kwon Chae-woo moved to let Lee-yeon go and take cover, but she thrashed and screamed at him. ¡°You can¡¯t make me do this!¡± she yelled. Her voice was shrill as she strained to speak louder than the chaos around them. ¡°I can¡¯t do this alone!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be a fool!¡± Kwon Chae-woo shouted back. He was desperate now, watching as the trees beyond them slowly began to disappear. ¡°Who are you to stop me from saving my wife?¡± He was not going to bend on this. He would force her to leave, no matter what it took. Lee-yeon despaired. She believed that Kwon Chae-woo was being deeply selfish and unfair, even more unfair than thendslide that was destroying everything around them. She could feel her heart pound against her chest as she wept. ¡°Please, don¡¯t do this, Kwon Chae-woo. Please don¡¯t,¡± she begged, hoping that he would hear her. ¡°You said that you would listen to me! You said that you would do whatever I told you to. You promised! So why are you making me do this? Why are you always like this?¡± Why is all this so easy for you? she wondered. Why is it so easy for you to ept me? Why was it so hard for me to ept you? The ground wasing up closer to them now. Lee-yeon watched as mud began to bury Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s feet and pull her away from him. She could feel herself beginning to drift farther away. ¡°Don¡¯t let go!¡± she shouted. Kwon Chae-woo could feel his exhaustion slip away as Lee-yeon only grew more insistent. Even during andslide, now of all times, she was determined to keep him by her side. Chapter 90: Chapter 90: You can¡¯t leave me here! He could only imagine the way her mind was working. I don¡¯t want to stay in a scary ce by myself! Lee-yeon grabbed him by the arm and tried to hold him close. But the force pushed them away and, no matter how many times she tried to take hold, he would just move to make her let go. Despite this, she was persistent. Shetched on tightly, even scratching his skin as she did. Roughly pulling himself away from her, Kwon Chae-woo threw Lee-yeon and the backpacks to the ground. He pushed her into the cave and stacked the two backpacks at the entrance, ignoring her protests. ¡°Hold on tight!¡± Lee-yeon was livid. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo!¡± ¡°We could have done so much more,¡± she could hear him say outside the cave. ¡°So, if you die in a ce like this, I¡¯ll kill you again.¡± Lee-yeon listened to his words, eyes welling with tears. They weren¡¯t the words of a man saying goodbye. They were unwavering and present. They were alive. But then thendslide swallowed him whole and Lee-yeon could do nothing. She could feel the connection between the two of them physically untether. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo!¡± she cried. Her screams echoed in the cave. Dirt began to seep through the spaces between the two bags and Lee-yeon was afraid that she would end up getting swept away too. She held on for dear life. The bags shook and her arms ached as she pushed them. She held on until her bones hurt, but it was just impossible to block it all. Her clothes were sttered with mud as the force of thendslide continued to push against her. It was all happening so quickly. She had no clue what was happening, and it all hit her so fast. Kwon Chae-woo was gone. He was just gone. The world was copsing around her. But then, miraculously, thendslide stopped. The mud was already up to her waist, but the force had stopped. Her clothes were soaked and her lips had gone blue from the cold. Her whole body ached. She leaned against the wall and let out a sob. She buried her face in her hands and cried. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo,¡± she called out softly. ¡°Are you out there? Chae-woo? Are you out there?¡± No reply came, only the silence of the cave apanied her here. After a moment, Lee-yeon tried to pull herself together. She wiped the tears from her eyes and pushed herself from the wall. Her back hurt terribly and the cold was beginning toe through the entrance. She found the backpack that had been buried in the mud. She pulled it up and found the tablet PC that sat in the front pocket. She grabbed it and hurriedly turned it on. The screen shed and, in the dim light, she saw that there was no Wi-Fi here. But that wasn¡¯t what caught her attention. What caught her attention was the wallpaper of the tablet. It was a picture of her treating the trees. Kwon Chae-woo must¡¯ve taken it. Lee-yeon felt a lump in her throat form as she let out a cry. He had told her he would kill her if she died here. That bast*rd, she thought. I should have been the one to tell him that. She closed her eyes for a long time as her pain washed over her. When she finally opened them, she was determined. She would find him. In all this chaos, I will find you. *** She knew that she wouldn¡¯t be safe if she just waited here in fear. Even now, the mud was still slowly trickling into the cave. Her face became hard as the mud reached her waist and then, eventually, caught up to her corbones. She had to get out. Even if she was hurt, she wanted to be close to him. She pushed the bag away and, as she did, water came in and went up to her chin. She let out a startled sound when it first rushed towards her. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and dove into the muddy water. Small pieces of debris rubbed against her face and her skin stung like salt being rubbed over an open wound. When she emerged, she looked like a soldier in camouge,pletely covered in mud. As she looked around, she began to pale. She figured that the mud would have messed with the forest, but she couldn¡¯t have imagined the carnage that she faced as she stepped forward. All the trees she could see had been destroyed. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo!¡± she called out. She shouted from the top of her lungs, but no reply came. He was nowhere to be seen. Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t tell where he had been swept off to or where he could have been buried. So she kept moving forward in hopes of finding where he was. She continued to call him, ¡°Kwon Chae-woo!¡± As she waded through the mud, it felt like she was being weighed down by two tires, pulling her away from where she wanted to go. Her body began to give, but it was nothingpared to the despair she felt inside. Chapter 91: Chapter 91: As she shouted for Kwon Chae-woo again, lightning shed in the distance. She knew that it was a cloudy day but, as rain began to pour, she felt her mouth dry. Then, at that very moment, she saw a drone flying up in the sky. She waved her arms around and called out. ¡°Here!¡± she shouted. ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± It had been a bigndslide. A disaster management team would be moving quickly to deal with the aftermath. Soon, a rescue team woulde and save her. Her throat tightened as she imagined being rescued without having found Kwon Chae-woo first. She needed to find him quickly. She continued pushing through the mud, sliding and nearly falling as she went forward. Her arms strained as she used them to get through the mud and her clothes, now soaked in mud, only seemed to weigh her down more with every step she took. Where could Kwon Chae-woo be? Her lips trembled as she began to hopelessness. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She could already feel the tearsing, but she didn¡¯t want to cry yet. As she opened her eyes to keep going, she saw it: a body caught between the trees. With all her energy, Lee-yeon started to run, but her body eventually gave in and she had to stop. Crying, she shouted, ¡°Kwon Chae-woo!¡± The state he was in was not much different from Lee-yeon¡¯s. His face was covered in mud and she could barely see his face. She pushed herself towards him and managed to reach him after struggling. She took a rope from her bag and wrapped it around Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s waist. She flipped him over carefully and felt her heart stop when she finally saw that his eyes were closed. He didn¡¯t move. Kwon Chae-woo was still and Lee-yeon almost believed he was dead. There was blood on his forehead and she thought it must have been ripped by a rock. Lee-yeon trembled as she leaned down and pressed her head against his chest. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo?¡± she said quietly. ¡°Can you hear me?¡± She was mostly just talking to herself, but she couldn¡¯t stand not talking to him. She reached her hand to his neck and checked his pulse. She let out a sigh, she didn¡¯t know if it was out of relief or resentment. ¡°Please,¡± she whispered. ¡°Please stay with me.¡± She turned his head and took out what dirt she could from his mouth. She had never had an interest in saving other people¡¯s lives, but, at that moment, she regretted only knowing how to take care of trees. She clenched her teeth. She wouldn¡¯t stop until he woke up. As she searched for a nket to cover him, she saw his eyes flicker open. She rushed over to him and held him. His eyes opened and met hers. Her eyes filled with tears. At that moment, she felt nothing but gratitude. His decision to save her had scared her and she knew that she didn¡¯t want to be alone like that again. ¡°I think I know now,¡± she said softly. ¡°The two trees I wrapped with wire¡ªthey may have been strange, but I know now. They just wanted to feel each other¡¯s warmth.¡± Kwon Chae-woo frowned. His eyes seemed far away and unfamiliar to her. He seemed different,pletely different. Lee-yeon wondered if it was because he was in pain. Maybe it was just because he was ufortable. Then, in a husky voice he asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes widened. Kwon Chae-woo looked around. ¡°Fuck,¡± he said. ¡°What is going on here?¡± Lee-yeon froze as Kwon Chae-woo looked around the forest and swore at everything he saw. His voice was cold and his gaze was focused on everything but Lee-yeon. He staggered up to his feet then grabbed his arm and hissed. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Lee-yeon asked, standing up beside him. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She moved her hand to touch him, but she pped it away. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me,¡± he said. His eyes were zed over, almost like he was drugged. He took his shoulder and popped it back in roughly. Lee-yeon shrank into herself as she watched him be the person he was before. He looked down at her and clicked his tongue, groaning as pain shot through his body. Lee-yeon was still. She was in shock after everything that happened. Then he grabbed her arm. ¡°What is all of this?¡± he demanded. ¡°Who are you? Why am I here?¡± Lee-yeon was quiet as he continued to ramble and look around frantically. She refused to face the reality that she knew was there. It hurt more than everything she had gone through during thendslide. ¡°I¡¯m asking you,¡± Kwon Chae-woo said harshly. ¡°Who are you?¡± Without thinking, Lee-yeon stepped forward and hit Kwon Chae-woo in the head. He grabbed at the side of his head that she hit and turned to her, ring. ¡°Do you want to die?¡± Panicking, Lee-yeon backed away from him. ¡°No,¡± she shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lee-yeon swallowed. ¡°Just faint again.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kwon Chae-woo looked bewildered. ¡°This isn¡¯t right!¡± Lee-yeon eximed. ¡°This isn¡¯t right.¡± Everything was a mess now. Chapter 92: Chapter 92: Lee-yeon could feel goosebumps all over her body as she held back a scream. ¡°No, this can¡¯t be!¡± she eximed. She was beginning to see the reality of the situation, but she refused to believe it. It wasn¡¯t right. Kwon Chae-woo pressed a hand to his head and held it as if he had a headache. ¡°What the f*ck?¡± he grumbled. He looked like he was about to pass out. He kept moving his head like he was trying to clear something from his vision but couldn¡¯t. ¡°Just rest and calm down,¡± Lee-yeon told him. ¡°You aren¡¯t yourself right now. This isn¡¯t right. This isn¡¯t you. It just can¡¯t be.¡± She bit her nails anxiously and tasted the dirt that had gathered underneath. Kwon Chae-woo paled as he turned to face her. Lee-yeon could hear him mumbling under his breath. ¡°You¡­¡± he groaned as his eyes began to close. Lee-yeon reached out to cover his eyes and he slowly began to sumb to sleep. He flitted in and out of consciousness for a moment before falling asleeppletely. His knees buckled as they gave in, and he copsed into Lee-yeon¡¯s arms. She tried her best to hold him up and keep him from hitting his head on anything as he fell. ¡°We¡¯ll meet again,¡± she whispered to him in a trembling voice. ¡°We¡¯ll meet again, and you¡¯ll go back to being my husband.¡± *** A rescue team arrived not long after that and they managed to make the situation easier to deal with. When Lee-yeon heard their helicopter and saw the orange vests wade through the mud, she expected to feel relieved. But she felt nothing. As they ced her on a stretcher and brought her to the bottom of the mountain, her mind waspletely nk. The second tournament had been canceled because of thendslide but, luckily, there were no casualties. The Forest Agency was busy handling the situation and most of the members were running around to make sure that everything was okay. Lee-yeon could do nothing but watch Kwon Chae-woo and feel herself fall into despair. A member of the rescue team opened the ambnce door for Lee-yeon and asked her, ¡°Are youing?¡± Even if she knew that she should, Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t seem to get her body to move. She simply stood there, covered in mud, as the rescue member walked to her with a worried look. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked. Lee-yeon didn¡¯t know how to answer. Her mind was racing and yet it was alsopletely still. What had just happened? What went wrong? She remembered Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s voice when he had asked her who she was. It was cold and sharp. He seemed distant, like he didn¡¯t know who she was at all. He wasn¡¯t the man that she knew he was. The way he had looked at her made her feel like she was falling off a cliff. It crushed her. He had looked at her as if she was nothing to him and it had hurt her more than she could ever imagine. She couldn¡¯t find it in herself to get into the ambnce out of fear that he would look at her like that again. Maybe she had grown too familiar with the way he loved her, the way he seemed to worship her. The way he had looked at her was a ssh of cold water in the face of the marriage they had both held dear. The voice of the rescue team member snapped her out of her thoughts. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Oh, sorry! Yes, of course,¡± Lee-yeon said as she stepped into the ambnce and sat down beside her unconscious husband. She was in charge of keeping him safe. Although she didn¡¯t feel ready for that responsibility, she knew that it was one she would have to ept. She wanted him back so that she could get to know the parts of him that were yet to be discovered. She wanted him back because she valued the love he had given so much. ¡°Pleasee back,¡± she said to him quietly. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, pleasee back to me.¡± The door of the ambnce closed. *** ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with him,¡± the doctor said. ¡°His wound will heal and he will regain his consciousness soon.¡± Lee-yeon nodded as she nced at Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s body on the hospital bed. ¡°Thank you,¡± she told the doctor. He nodded at her and left her alone in the room with her husband¡¯s sleeping body. As soon as he was gone, Lee-yeon copsed onto the floor. When they arrived at the hospital, the doctor had taken Kwon Chae-woo to the mortuary. As he was in a vegetative state, they needed to have him washed and handled carefully. While they examined him, they showed Lee-yeon to the VIP room to take a shower and wash away all the dirt on her body. She threw her muddy clothes away and changed into a hospital gown. When she was done, she found Kwon Chae-woo lying perfectly still on his bed. Chapter 93: Chapter 93: What will happen if I approach him? Lee-yeon wondered to herself. She sat on the sofa across the room from the bed and dried her hair with a towel. Although she knew he was still unconscious, she couldn¡¯t help herself from ncing at Kwon Chae-woo to see if anything had changed. She could see his face now. He was no longer covered in mud and looked much better than he had looked when she found him in the wreckage earlier. Unable to keep still, Lee-yeon kept pacing towards the bed, away from it, and all around the room. She just watched him, hoping that he would finally wake up. After a few hours, she heard the nket move. She looked at the bed, frozen as Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s eyes began to open. They were already in the hospital, but she felt like she was stuck in the mud all over again. She was just as frightened as she had been in the forest. She held her breath as they locked eyes. She gripped the bed frame as he stared at her wordlessly. His eyes went over her body, looking at her from head to toe. The silence was suffocating. Finally, Kwon Chae-woo spoke. ¡°Come here,¡± he said gently. Lee-yeon didn¡¯t move. She just continued to look at him with wide, unsure eyes. Kwon Chae-woo frowned. ¡°Why are you standing so far away?¡± he asked, moving his eyes to indicate the distance between the two of them. ¡°You¡¯re acting like you don¡¯t know me.¡± Still, Lee-yeon didn¡¯t move. ¡°Lee-yeon,¡± Kwon Chae-woo said sadly. At the sound of her name, tears began to fall from Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes. She buried her face in her hands as she began to sob. Kwon Chae-woo got out of his bed at once. He winced a little as pain shot through his body, but he ignored it as he pulled his wife into his arms. ¡°Lee-yeon,¡± he said again. She broke into another wave of sobs. Just the sound of him calling her name was enough to break her. ¡°It¡¯s really you, right?¡± she asked. ¡°You¡¯re Kwon Chae-woo. You¡¯re my husband, right?¡± When she looked up at him, she found him staring at her with that adoring look that she knew all too well. ¡°You¡¯re Kwon Chae-woo, the man who can hunt a wild boar, hit people well, and use a knife, right?¡± she asked. ¡°You¡¯re the man who packs great pic baskets, brings flowers, and sucks on the flowers with me, right?¡± Kwon Chae-woo looked at her tenderly and stared right into her eyes. ¡°If I¡¯m not your husband, then who am I?¡± He was frowning as if the very thought of not being her husband was an offense on his character. ¡°Lee-yeon, have you ever sucked on a flower with someone other than me?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes widened at his question. ¡°What?¡± she asked in shock. ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°Then why are you acting as if you have?¡± he asked. There was jealousy in his eyes. Lee-yeon was taken aback by his question. You acted like you didn¡¯t know me, she wanted to say. But she kept it in. Instead, she said, ¡°I was so worried that you were gone.¡± She rubbed her eyes until they felt raw. Everything that had happened continued to flood her mind. She remembered Kwon Chae-woo shoving her into the cave and leaving her alone. She remembered finding him unconscious in the midst of all the mud and debris. She remembered him speaking to her in his real voice. Except that wasn¡¯t his real voice. His real voice was no longer that of Kwon Chae-woo, the killer. His real voice was that of Kwon Chae-woo, the man that held her tightly and refused to let her go. This was his real voice. This was who he really was. ¡°I thought I lost you,¡± she said as she continued to cry. ¡°I thought that it was really the end.¡± She gripped Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s sleeves harshly. ¡°No matter what happens, I don¡¯t care what you want, you will never leave me like that again.¡± Kwon Chae-woo frowned. He pulled Lee-yeon closer and held her tight. She looked so small and cold, he just wanted her to feel safe and warm again. He hated seeing her like this. ¡°Lee-yeon,¡± he said, his voice low. ¡°I will do the same thing if that ever happens again. I will always save you first.¡± At his words, Lee-yeon tried to be free from his grasp. She pulled and squirmed as she attempted to push him off. He just pressed her closer to his chest. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said like he was truly pleading for her forgiveness. ¡°You are the only thing that I want to save. You have to let me.¡± As Lee-yeon struggled against him, he simply rubbed her back. ¡°I can¡¯t give you what you want.¡± ¡°Kwon Chae-woo,¡± Lee-yeon cried, finally standing still. ¡°Take your clothes off and hold me.¡± Chapter 94: Chapter 94: His breath caught in his throat. Lee-yeon looked up to see him staring off. There was a silence between them and, eventually, Kwon Chae-woo broke it by licking his lips nervously. Lee-yeon just held her breath and stared at him, waiting for an answer. ¡°Lee-yeon,¡± Kwon Chae-woo finally said. ¡°Were you hurt?¡± She didn¡¯t answer. Whatever suggestivement she had made seemed to be pushed to the side by his question. He was changing the subject. He even took a step back to put some distance between the two of them. ¡°Does it hurt here?¡± he asked, his handing close to her stomach but stopping before he could touch it. He remembered pushing her stomach when he kicked the backpack off. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Lee-yeon said as she red at Kwon Chae-woo uncharacteristically. It had taken her all her courage to voice out her request and he hadpletely ignored her. She was embarrassed but, above all, she felt extremely challenged. In a quiet but firm voice she said, ¡°Don¡¯t get a job.¡± Kwon Chae-woo couldn¡¯t help but scratch his head at all. Lee-yeon¡¯s unpredictability had thrown him off. ¡°You don¡¯t like your husband earning money?¡± he asked. ¡°You keep hurting yourself to save me,¡± Lee-yeon said, ignoring his question. He couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°I think I should be telling you to not work,¡± he said. ¡°I may not be a famous tree doctor, but I can¡¯t earn enough to not let you starve.¡± He didn¡¯t understand the innocent intentions behind her words and it made him restless, forcing him to close his eyes and ce his hands behind his head listlessly. ¡°Lee-yeon, don¡¯t make me an ipetent man,¡± he said, but his voice was too soft for her to hear. When he calmed down, he opened his eyes and looked at her. ¡°We need to look ahead,¡± he told her. ¡°I need a job so that we can manage our lives moving forward.¡± Lee-yeon frowned. She lowered her head and held Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s sleeve weakly. ¡°Even if I whine?¡± ¡°Whine?¡± ¡°Like if I said that you really, really don¡¯t have to work and ask you to just stay home?¡± Kwon Chae-woo narrowed his eyes. ¡°Will you really have to go out even if I whine?¡± Lee-yeon asked him. ¡°This is the third request I¡¯ve asked of you, will you not let me get what I want?¡± Kwon Chae-woo stared at Lee-yeon as she yed with his sleeve. It was simr to the way she was in the beginning, when she was frightened of him, but it was also different in some way. She was still afraid, but, this time, she wasn¡¯t afraid of him. Instead of pushing him away, she wanted him closer to her. He realized it was over for him now. She had ignited a fire within him that even he couldn¡¯t put out. ¡°Are you nagging me?¡± he asked. ¡°You want me to listen to my wife? Is that it?¡± Although he tried his hardest, he couldn¡¯t hide theughter that was bubbling beneath his words. ¡°Why do you want me to be at home all the time? So you can bang me?¡± Lee-yeon was startled at how quickly the tone had shifted. ¡°Sorry?¡± Kwon Chae-woo shrugged. ¡°I could be going around and hunting wild animals, but you want me to stay home,¡± he said. ¡°If that¡¯s really what you want, then you¡¯ll need to perform.¡± Lee-yeon looked at him, then, hesitantly, she asked, ¡°How many times do you want it then?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about numbers,¡± he said. ¡°I just want to have you every night.¡± Lee-yeon blinked. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, there¡¯s a reason why people only work five days a week,¡± she tried to exin. ¡°People aren¡¯t meant to overwork themselves.¡± ¡°So, you want to lock me up at home, but you can¡¯t even let me have that?¡± Kwon Chae-woo asked. ¡°That hardly seems fair, Lee-yeon.¡± She looked away and avoided his gaze. She nced at the door of the hospital room. Kwon Chae-woo walked over to the door and locked it. ¡°Now,¡± he said in a warning tone. ¡°Tell me if you¡¯re hurt.¡± As the tone shifted, the words he had used to change the subject earlier took on a different meaning. Her heart started racing as Kwon Chae-woo sat on the bed and tapped his thigh. ¡°Come here,¡± he said. He began to remove his hospital gown. There was a bandage over his shoulder that drew Lee-yeon¡¯s focus on his hard abs. Lee-yeon blushed as she hesitantly stepped forward. As she sat on his thigh, Kwon Chae-woo pulled her roughly by the waist. She could feel his hard cock press against her side. ¡°It was like this since you asked me to hold you,¡± he whispered into her ear. Lee-yeon turned to meet his eyes. Kwon Chae-woo just smirked. ¡°I got turned on when I saw you wearing that hospital gown,¡± he said. ¡°They look a lot like your pajamas.¡± His voice lowered as he leaned in closer. ¡°I held back because I thought that, if we had sex in the hospital, you wouldn¡¯t be able to make a proper sound.¡± Lee-yeon swallowed. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything.¡± With that, she took his face into her hands and crashed her lips into his. Kwon Chae-woo was stunned at the sudden action but, as her smell began to fill his senses, he rxed into the kiss. She bit his lower lip just like Kwon Chae-woo usually did. He flinched at the unfamiliar sensation. He let out a breath and pulled her in closer, his grip on her waist bing firm. He opened his lips and her tongue pushed against his wildly. He let out a moan as he felt her hot breath against his skin, then continued to kiss her like it was all that mattered. Lee-yeon¡¯s back curved and she was pulled against Kwon Chae-woo. She was on cloud nine. Kwon Chae-woo grabbed her thighs and pulled her closer to his cock. Every time they pulled away from the kiss for air, a wet, sloppy sound filled the room. Eventually, Kwon Chae-woo moved his lips away from Lee-yeon¡¯s and began to suck on her earlobes. A shiver ran through her spine as his lips lowered to her neck and bit into her skin. Lee-yeon let out a moan as she felt heat begin to build between her legs. She felt him reach under her shirt, then, suddenly, he froze. ¡°Where¡¯s your bra?¡± he growled. Lee-yeon whined at the loss of contact and pulled back to look at Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°I don¡¯t have any spares¡­¡± ¡°And your underwear?¡± She shook her head. She saw Kwon Chae-woo inhale sharply before he pulled the hospital gown from her. He held her breasts in his hands and, groaning, hetched onto her nipple. Lee-yeon let out a moan. Hi! If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Also, please consider supporting this novel by leaving a review on Novelupdates! Thank you so much. Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 95: Chapter 95: Kwon Chae-woo wrapped his tongue around Lee-yeon¡¯s swollen nipple and sucked on it, groaning against her skin as he did. Every now and then, he would stop to flick it, and her toes would curl as she let out a moan. The more contact he had with her nipple, the harder it seemed to be, and the more he continued to suck on it. He squeezed her breasts as his lips worked against her skin and Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t help the sinful sounds that slipped from her lips. Finally, Kwon Chae-woo pulled away. ¡°Sit on my face,¡± he said. Her mind hazy from pleasure, Lee-yeon looked at him with clouded eyes. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Here,¡± Kwon Chae-woo said as he tapped on his lips. He leaned back andy down on the bed, pulling her thighs towards him as he did. Still lost in her thoughts, Lee-yeon didn¡¯t even realize what he was doing until he tried to pull her close. ¡°Wait!¡± she said. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I need to suck you properly,¡± he told her. Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a little much?¡± Ignoring her protests, Kwon Chae-woo began to pull her closer. ¡°Come up here, Lee-yeon,¡± he said as he aggressively began to undress her and pull her thighs over his head. Frantically, Lee-yeon held onto the headboard to try to keep her bnce. A blush spread across her cheeks when she realized that she was nowpletely naked. ¡°Lee-yeon, you¡¯re so pretty,¡± Kwon Chae-woo told her innocently, as if his face wasn¡¯t right in front of her heat. He could see her struggling to keep herself up and away from him and his eyes became darker. For her sake, he tried to hide his smile when he realized how naughty the position that they were in was. But he eventually lost his patience and decided to take matters into his own hands. Roughly, he pushed Lee-yeon¡¯s thighs down so that she was exactly where he wanted her. Lee-yeon let out sounds of pleasure as Kwon Chae-woo began to nibble on the insides of her thighs. Then, he stuck his tongue out and licked a stripe of her pussy. ¡°Oh!¡± Lee-yeon eximed, her thighs beginning to tremble. She gripped the headboard with all her might. As he continued to lick and kiss her growing heat, Kwon Chae-woo could feel her tender flesh pulsing which just made the experience more stimting. Eventually, he pushed his tongue inside her and Lee-yeon let out a moan. She squirmed as he began to suck on her clit. Lee-yeon¡¯s arms were shaking now as moans continued to pour out of her mouth. Kwon Chae-woo kept ying with her hole, sucking it and licking it, as he squeezed her thigh tightly. The more Lee-yeon tried to squirm out of his grasp, the tighter his grip became. The soundsing from Kwon Chae-woo were dirty as he slurped and licked at her witness. He would stick his tongue out and rub it against the spot inside her that brought her that made her back arch. Lee-yeon could feel the heat between her legs start to grow as he touched her where she was most sensitive. If she wasn¡¯t so dazed by the pleasure of it, she would have been embarrassed by the soundsing from both of them. Then, Kwon Chae-woo lifted Lee-yeon up and changed their positions so that shey beneath him. He pulled down his pants and quickly tugged his underwear away. His cock pped against his stomach and he frowned as he saw the pre-cum dripping from the tip. ¡°Lee-yeon, is it true that the flower is the nt¡¯s reproductive organ?¡± he asked. Lee-yeon nodded, her eyebrows furrowed as she was unsure of where he was going with his. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Kwon Chae-woo smirked down at her. ¡°Then I don¡¯t need another flower.¡± He spread her legs and brushed his hardness against skin. Lee-yeon moaned as it touched her sensitive clit. Then, out of nowhere, Kwon Chae-woo thrust sharply into her. They both moaned at the action. Lee-yeon could feel her body tingling with pleasure and pain. She reached down to try and soothe herself, but Kwon Chae-woo beat her to it and began to rub her side gently. ¡°A condom,¡± Lee-yeon suddenly said, eyes shooting open. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, you¡¯re not wearing a condom!¡± Kwon Chae-woo watched her panic with a smile. ¡°Why should I wear one?¡± he asked as he rubbed her clit. Her head rolled back in pleasure. ¡°Do I not deserve to be a dad?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s hips moved against him instinctively. She tried to speak, but her words were swallowed by her groans. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering, huh?¡± Kwon Chae-woo teased her, continuing his attack on her clit. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter anyway. I¡¯ll still be a dad even if you keep your mouth shut.¡± When she didn¡¯t answer again, he scoffed and started to pull out of her. As she felt herself start to grow empty, Lee-yeon felt a chill run through her spine. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Kwon Chae-woo whispered before plunging right back into her in one swift movement. She let out a scream as he thrust in and out of her wildly. ¡°I have no intention of giving up on anything.¡± Chapter 96: Chapter 96: Lee-yeon could feel the knot in her stomach be tighter. Her mind felt nk. She would have thought she was drifting off into space if Kwon Chae-woo hadn¡¯t leaned down right in front of her face. Her hand came up to caress his face. ¡°You¡¯re really Kwon Chae-woo, right?¡± she asked. He nuzzled into her palm and she rxed. ¡°You really came back, right?¡± Kwon Chae-woo could tell that Lee-yeon was talking more to herself than anything. He would have been upset if her soft eyes weren¡¯t staring right up at him and her hand wasn¡¯t holding his face. ¡°More,¡± she whined. ¡°Chae-woo, more please.¡± Obliging, Kwon Chae-woo moved faster and deeper. Between her moans, Lee-yeon said, ¡°I won¡¯te likest time. Tonight, we¡¯ll go for as long as we can.¡± Kwon Chae-woo narrowed his eyes. ¡°Stop talking,¡± he told her. ¡°If you don¡¯t stop talking, I¡¯lle in your mouth.¡± He was pounding his cock in and out of her mercilessly. It was rushed and primal, the hospital room bing hot from all their panting. As Lee-yeon tried to bite back a moan with her lips, Kwon Chae-woo kissed her deeply, swallowing her sounds. He felt himself grow harder. ¡°Do you like it when I pull out?¡± he asked her, his breath hot on her ear. He watched her reaction as he slowly pulled out of her and quickly thrust back inside. Every time he shoved his cock in, he could see her tremble and squirm. It felt like he was ying a game and he had just managed to make a critical hit. Lee-yeon writhed in pleasure as his thrusts became deeper and harder. She was growing wet with every little thing that he did and that only made Kwon Chae-woo pump into her faster. She liked feeling his thighs p against her own and the loud, wet sounds they made when they collided. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re trying to turn me on,¡± Kwon Chae-woo groaned. He looked down at where the two of them connected and nearly drooled at the sight of her juices coating his length. ¡°You don¡¯t get anything out of it.¡± Suddenly, he pulled out of Lee-yeon. Before she could even react, he had already flipped her over. He lifted her hips and pushed into her from behind. She was moaning loudly before she could even react to the primal position that they were in. He was reaching deeper inside of her in the new position. She could feel the pleasure build in her head. The more he moved, the more she felt like crying. With one powerful thrust, his tip mmed against her cervix and Lee-yeon fell forward, her face buried in the pillows as she let out cries of pleasure. Continuing his punishing pace, Kwon Chae-woo grabbed Lee-yeon¡¯s hips tight enough to bruise them. He pulled her against him and, as he bottomed out, he leaned down to her ear and asked, ¡°Lee-yeon, is this how I do it?¡± Lee-yeon buried her face in the pillow and let the moans spill from her lips freely. He wasn¡¯t just mindlessly shoving his cock into her; he was making calcted moves. He would pull her to him and move his waist so that he could move within her before continuing his brutal assault on her pussy. Lee-yeon was crying at the amount of power and control that her husband was disying. Then, she felt the knot within her break. Her whole body shook as an orgasm took over her. Kwon Chae-woo gritted his teeth when she tightened around him and soaked him in her juices. Despite her mind-numbing orgasm though, Kwon Chae-woo was still thrusting into Lee-yeon hastily. She didn¡¯t even have the chance to catch her breath and she was already being shoved back into the bed. ¡°Chae-woo!¡± she eximed, hoping that he would give her a break. She felt his cock slip out of her and she heard him rub himself until she felt a hotness spread across her back. She didn¡¯t even have to look to know what it was. Lee-yeon copsed onto the bed and let her body press all its weight into the mattress. She could hear Kwon Chae-woo swear under his breath as he grabbed a towel and wiped her back. Then, he flipped her over. Theyy there for a moment in silence before looking to see one another clearly. For someone who had just had an orgasm, Kwon Chae-woo looked eerily calm. Even as he panted loudly, his eyes were solemn as they looked at Lee-yeon. Unable to control herself, Lee-yeon looked at his sculpted form. She inhaled and she could smell his musk deeply. The smell of his sweat as the fucked was intoxicating, she could feel herself melt from just that. All of a sudden, Kwon Chae-woo spread Lee-yeon¡¯s legs and, abruptly, he shoved his cock back into her. From someone who had juste, he was still shockingly rigid. Chapter 97: Chapter 97: Lee-yeon yelped in surprise at the suddenness of the action. There was no pain this time, though, just pure bliss as Kwon Chae-woo started to thrust into her. He pulled her into a deep kiss to soften her moans and Lee-yeon felt like she was losing her mind every time he plunged into her. The only thing she could think of was how hard and aggressive he was being and just how sensitive she was bing with his every touch. The first night they had spent together, she had wondered how she was able to take all of him. She felt so connected to him when they engaged in such primal activities. ¡°What are you staring at?¡± Kwon Chae-woo asked her. His voice was soft, clouded by her dazed state. When Lee-yeon saw him staring at her with dark and greedy eyes, she could feel herself get more wet. He looked at her like she was an altar, and he was intent on worshiping her. ¡°What are you staring at?¡± he asked again. She could hear it now that he was teasing her. ¡°Are you staring at my dick?¡± ¡°What?¡± Lee-yeon asked, startled. She was all the more embarrassed by her actions when Kwon Chae-woo noticed the way her body was reacting to everything they did. He simplyughed, like he read her mind. ¡°You know,¡± he said. ¡°I would be happy living in a basement, I would need sun or water or anything, as long as I can have you. If I have you, everything else doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m the easiest thing to take care of.¡± He licked his finger and pressed it against her clit to rub it. ¡°But I¡¯ll die if the water from down here dries.¡± Lee-yeon groaned at his words, her insides growing tighter around him. ¡°So good, Lee-yeon,¡± Kwon Chae-woo moaned. ¡°So good.¡± He continued to snap his hips against her. There was so much pleasure in the movement that Lee-yeon felt like she was losing her mind. She tried to stay conscious, but she could feel herself starting to slip. She didn¡¯t even know how much time had passed already. She looked out the window to try and see if she could tell, but it was no use. She moaned again, except this time it wasn¡¯t a moan of pleasure. She felt like she was going to die of fatigue. ¡°Get a job.¡± Kwon Chae-woo looked at her with hard eyes. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Lee-yeon told him. ¡°You can leave the house.¡± ¡°Why do you sound so tired all of a sudden?¡± he asked. Lee-yeon looked down at her heat and groaned. She felt like she was actually going to die. ¡°Even though the mountain was dangerous, you still did so well,¡± she told him with herst bits of strength. ¡°I think I was just worried about you.¡± Her breasts pushed against his chest as she started breathing harder. She flinched when she felt his dick be harder inside her, but she didn¡¯t have the strength to say a thing. Seemingly losing his patience, Kwon Chae-woo started pounding into her harder. His moans were loud, and his movements were strong. Lee-yeon felt herself consumed by a burning white heat as an orgasm washed over her again. She clenched around Kwon Chae-woo who red at her as he reached his climax at the sudden pressure. He pulled out and came on a towel. Roughly, Kwon Chae-woo pushed his finger into her and swirled it around as if he were taking his cum out of her. Their bodies had only been separated for a moment when he grabbed her ankles again. Lee-yeon felt like passing out. ¡°Get a job,¡± she said again, but faintly this time. *** It was dawn and the air around her was cold. Lee-yeon woke up with a frown as she felt that her mouth was dry. She felt thirsty so she tried to look around for some water. Light came through the thin curtains of the hospital room. She felt nauseous just looking at the light. ¡°Are you up?¡± she heard Kwon Chae-woo ask behind her. When she heard the quiet voice, she felt emotions surge through her body. She felt the sadness that came with running through the light of dawn and the relief that came with nting her roots around someone. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared,¡± she could almost hear. She felt like crying as she remembered Choo-ja¡¯s voice. When she turned around to see Kwon Chae-woo, a tongue pushed into her mouth. Her dry lips were wet once more. She tried to push herself away from him, but he just grabbed her so that she could feel his hard dick against her. She froze at the feeling, but Kwon Chae-woo calmed her down. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he whispered. Then, he surprised her by shoving his cock back inside her. She cried out in shock. ¡°How are you so pretty?¡± Kwon Chae-woo asked as he thrust into her. ¡°Stop!¡± Lee-yeon cried out. ¡°Stop!¡± But he was relentless and he pounded into her tirelessly. He moved fervently and quickly, moving against her like a dog. The sound of skin pping echoed through the dawn. ¡°Lee-yeon,¡± he moaned. His pace slowed but he went deeper. ¡°It¡¯s so good, Lee-yeon.¡± As he hit her spot, Lee-yeon had no choice but to moan. She felt him grab her breasts from the back and start ying with her nipples. His hips kept moving as he toyed with her and sucked on her earlobes. This wasn¡¯t the first time they had done it, but Kwon Chae-woo was being more aggressive than he usually was. Lee-yeon was about to scream when he stuffed his fingers into her mouth. Hazily, she started to suck on them and his movements only became rougher. When she bit on his fingers, heughed. ¡°Good morning, Lee-yeon.¡± Chapter 98: Chapter 98: ¡°I was worried sick about you all night!¡± Choo-ja eximed through the phone. Her voice was so loud that Lee-yeon had to keep her phone away from her ear to protect it from the shouting. She could hear Choo-ja sniffling on the other end of the line, but she didn¡¯t mention it, and, eventually, the shouting paused when Choo-ja stopped to blow her nose. ¡°Then Chae-woo called mest night while you were sleeping to tell me that you only had a few minor injuries,¡± Choo-ja said in a quieter voice. ¡°He was so calm when he told me not to worry.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Lee-yeon said into the phone, nodding. It had only been a few minutes since she woke up and, while it had surprised her when she found that it was already noon, that wasn¡¯t what bothered her. What bothered her was the fact that, when she had woken up alone, she checked her phone to find that she had slept through ten missed calls. She wondered how much longer she could¡¯ve been asleep if Kwon Chae-woo hadn¡¯t entered the room just then so that she could answer Choo-ja¡¯s call. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there,¡± she told Choo-ja. Her eyes drifted to the shopping bags that Kwon Chae-woo carried. ¡°It¡¯s the memorial day.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it!¡± Choo-ja told her. ¡°Take it easy. It could¡¯ve been your memorial day, you know.¡± Lee-yeon shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯ll be there,¡± she said. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be alone.¡± They said their goodbyes and Lee-yeon ended the call quickly. Her legs ached when she tried to move, but, other than that, it wasn¡¯t too bad. ¡°Where did you go?¡± she asked Kwon Chae-woo. He looked down at her hospital gown. He was just looking but his gaze had such a tight grasp on Lee-yeon that she could almost feel it. ¡°Well, you can¡¯t go out like that,¡± he said simply. He reached into the bag and handed her a set of undergarments. Lee-yeon took the intimate pieces quickly and meekly hid them behind her back. ¡°How did you pay?¡± Kwon Chae-woo scoffed at her and frowned. ¡°The shops below the hospital have everything,¡± he told her. ¡°I just billed them to our room.¡± ¡°But,¡± Lee-yeon paused as she furrowed her brows, ¡°you¡¯re a patient, you know. Why did you wake me up? I could¡¯ve handled all that.¡± Then, Kwon Chae-woo pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her waist. ¡°You can¡¯t just go all innocent on me out of nowhere.¡± The moment his breath brushed against her neck, Lee-yeon could feel the spot between her legs start to grow hot. It flustered her that her whole body seemed to react to everything about Kwon Chae-woo from his scent to his breath to his voice to his grasp. She couldn¡¯t help how she felt around him. ¡°Your nipples get hard so easily, I can see them through your gown,¡± he chuckled as he looked at her. ¡°If I let you go out like that, any bastard from the street could have seen the nipples I sucked on all night. I wouldn¡¯t be able to live with that.¡± Lee-yeon could feel her face heat up, so she pushed it against his chest to hide it. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m letting you go out without underwear,¡± he told her. ¡°Maybe if I get shot in the head but, otherwise, what kind of husband would I be if I allowed such a thing?¡± He started to caress Lee-yeon¡¯s waist. ¡°You should lie down a little longer, Chae-woo,¡± Lee-yeon said nervously. ¡°Only if you lie down with me.¡± Lee-yeon had tried to change the subject, but it was no use. The more he touched her, the more she seemed to get disturbed. ¡°I¡¯ll go home ande back in the evening,¡± she said weakly. ¡°I don¡¯t want that.¡± Kwon Chae-woo squeezed her waist. Hesitantly, Lee-yeon tapped his back so that he would move away from her. ¡°You¡¯re not made of steel, Chae-woo,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re a human being. At this rate, you¡¯re going to be really weak when you get old. I know this might seem boring, but please focus on your health.¡± When Kwon Chae-woo didn¡¯t speak, Lee-yeon added, ¡°Besides, we already did itst night.¡± Kwon Chae-woo smirked and pressed a kiss to her neck. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°You kept doing it while I was still swollen,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Are you talking about my shoulder or your hole¡ª¡± ¡°Both!¡± Lee-yeon hit him on the back as if she was scolding him. Kwon Chae-woo couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter. He realized that he liked everything about her. He liked the way that she cared about people, even when they didn¡¯t seem like they wereing back. He liked her innocence, and he didn¡¯t want to let her go. He didn¡¯t care about any memories he might¡¯ve lost because he was certain that he had gained something much more valuable. ¡°I think only stupid people would take their d!ck out when someone is swollen,¡± he teased her. She red at him yfully. ¡°Chae-woo, there¡¯s such a thing called manners, you know.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather do it every day with you than have any manners at all.¡± Lee-yeon blinked at his words. She looked like she was about to say something, but she had forgotten. ¡°Do you not like it?¡± Kwon Chae-woo asked. Lee-yeon shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ it hurts after.¡± Kwon Chae-woo frowned. ¡°I didn¡¯t want topare but¡­¡± he trailed off. ¡°Am I not good anymore?¡± Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t find the right words to tell him how she felt. ¡°I don¡¯t know much,¡± Kwon Chae-woo admitted. ¡°I just go at it like a dog without any skill, I know. If you want, I¡¯ll learn first. We won¡¯t do it as much¡­ Would that be better?¡± He closed his eyes guiltily. ¡°That¡¯s not it!¡± Lee-yeon burst out, her face turning red. ¡°It¡¯s not that at all! It¡¯s not your fault or anything.¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± Lee-yeon looked away as if she was embarrassed. ¡°You¡¯re just¡­ too big for me. I just hoped you¡¯d go a little easier on me, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°I knew it,¡± Kwon Chae-woo said. He looked at Lee-yeon seriously. ¡°Don¡¯t go out without me.¡± Chapter 99: Chapter 99: In the end, they used the hospital¡¯s VIP room like a motel room and went home soon after. It was Choo-ja¡¯s third husband¡¯s Memorial Day. He was Lee-yeon¡¯s distant rtive, an uncle in some way. Out of all her husbands that had passed away, he was the one that Choo-ja had cared most. When Lee-yon and Kwon Chae-woo got home, all they could smell was the delicious food in the house. As they entered, a bunch of pebbles were lined by the door. Lee-yeon saw some with cute little animals on them and picked them up and ced them in her pocket. To others, the pebbles would have looked like nothing out of the ordinary, but Lee-yeon knew that it was all Gyu-baek¡¯s work. This was his way of expressing his emotions. Even as a small child, he was already working hard to show how he felt. Lee-yeon red at the man following behind her. ¡°You need more rest,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯ll get hurt if you don¡¯t rest.¡± She nced at Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s forehead and bit her lips. It might not have seemed too bad, but Lee-yeon had experienced a wound simr to the one on Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s head before and she knew how bad it could be. She was wearing her fear like a bullet-proof vest. The man that had tried to kill her mighte back and she wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything. She felt like their time together was limited and it scared her. ¡°You just came from an ident too, Lee-yeon,¡± Kwon Chae-woo told her. ¡°I felt the same as you are.¡± ¡°That¡¯s different.¡± ¡°Different from you?¡± Lee-yeon shook her head. ¡°You woke different. You hated me right away.¡± she said. ¡°The moment you saw me, you rejected me.¡± ¡°I was trying to survive,¡± Kwon Chae-woo frowned. ¡°At any given moment, I will save you instinctively. Don¡¯t make me feel bad about a moment when I wasn¡¯t myself.¡± But Lee-yeon didn¡¯t budge. Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m not good at s*x, isn¡¯t it¡ª¡± ¡°Just get in the house and lie down!¡± Lee-yeon stormed into the house and away from her husband. She felt like everything that had happened yesterday was a dream. She couldn¡¯t seem to understand when the news shed images of thendslide, the jeeps that were carrying soldiers in the rescue team and the people they were saving. All day, Lee-yeon had managed to remain calm because¡ª ¡°Lee-yeon, wait up!¡± Because her life was as normal as it had been before. When they walked in, the service table for the Memorial Day was ready. Choo-ja hadn¡¯t prepared it the traditional way, opting to do something more from memory. There was the coffee that Lee-yeon¡¯s uncle had liked, the kimchi jeon that Choo-ja burnt, some undercooked rice, and an old poetry book. ¡°Choo-ja, I¡¯m here,¡± Lee-yeon said, finally catching sight of the woman. She noticed a look on Choo-ja¡¯s face that she had seen every year, it was the odd look of a woman who was getting by with the short memory of the man that she had once held. But, for the first time, Lee-yeon recognized the look as her own future. *** ¡°Hey!¡± Choo-ja greeted. She looked a little lonely at the table, but she was smiling brightly when she stood up to go to Lee-yeon. She was holding a little fruit knife that she must have been using to cut something. ¡°You wench! I was worried sick about you!¡± ¡°Ah, Choo-ja!¡± Lee-yeonughed. She could feel her sadness drifting away. Choo-ja started to talk in a rather animated fashion. ¡°I saw on TV that there were no deaths, but the hospital director wouldn¡¯t pick up the phone!¡± she eximed. ¡°I know that sometimes people die ahead of others, but I was so angry thinking that you had gone before me!¡± Lee-yeon shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Choo-ja. I can exin.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh!¡± said the woman. ¡°You weren¡¯t thinking about me at all!¡± ¡°I really wasn¡¯t in the right frame of mind!¡± Choo-ja looked like she was about to cry, but, luckily, Kwon Chae-woo managed to stop the conversation from taking a turn. ¡°I think it was good that I went instead of you, mother-inw,¡± he said. He carefully stepped behind Choo-ja and took her fruit knife and put it away. ¡°My son-inw,¡± Choo-ja said, looking at the man with warm eyes. Her face hadpletely shifted from one of terror to the face of a woman looking at a knight that she trusted with her life. ¡°Have you eaten? Here you are saving Lee-yeon and all we have to feed you is Memorial Day food.¡± Kwon Chae-woo shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± When he turned to look at Lee-yeon, she looked away. Her heart was racing. He might have seemed like the perfect son-inw right now, but she knew that everyone would be shocked if they found out all the things that he had done to her. ¡°I¡¯ll help you clean up, Choo-ja,¡± she said, scratching her neck and scurrying to the kitchen. She opened the window to let out the oily air and went to the sink to wash the frying pan that was left soaking. ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± Her breath became ragged when she heard his voice against her ear. ¡°Was your uncle important to you?¡± Lee-yeon put the sponge down and stared at the water in the sink. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for him, I really wouldn¡¯t have had anywhere to go. Even though he got marriedte, he dly epted me. Choo-ja was always friendly too.¡± She felt him hug her waist wordlessly. She could feel his warmth spread against her back. ¡°I healed by living with them,¡± Lee-yeon said. Kwon Chae-woo held her tight and rested his chin on top of her head. Lee-yeon stumbled at the sudden weight but was quickly held up against his strong embrace. ¡°Then I need to be good around him,¡± Kwon Chae-woo said. ¡°Even though he¡¯s gone?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m your husband so I need to learn.¡± Lee-yeon frowned. ¡°Learn what?¡± When he didn¡¯t reply, she picked up the sponge and continued washing the dishes. ¡°Death note,¡± Kwon Chae-woo finally said. The frying pan slipped from Lee-yeon¡¯s grip. The gears in her mind were turning. Did he really mean to say death note? The notebook where you write the people you want killed? Chapter 100: Chapter 100: ¡°I think he is someone I should be thanking,¡± he continued. ¡°I¡¯d like to meet him and thank him in person.¡± His voice seemed tired from where he was standing behind her. Lee-yeon was stunned. ¡°Chae-woo, I¡¯m really not that great of a person.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± His voice was sharp. ¡°I mean, you don¡¯t have to go overboard,¡± she said carefully. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is going overboard.¡± When Lee-yeon didn¡¯t respond, Kwon Chae-woo became still. ¡°You think I¡¯m overreacting, Lee-yeon?¡± Yes. Even in the past, you went overboard. Lee-yeon thought to herself. But she just shook her head. She recognized what he meant with his actions, that he was trying to show how he felt about her. She also felt like it was her fault for making him think that way. ¡°I¡¯m worried about you,¡± she said. Kwon Chae-woo was quiet, so she continued. ¡°My parents both died in an ident. I don¡¯t know if it truly was an ident, though.¡± He didn¡¯t speak. He wanted to look at her in the eyes, but he felt like, if he moved, she would stop talking. He was being so careful with her that he even loosened his grip. Lee-yeon continued. ¡°I have no reason to think that, of course,¡± she said. ¡°But I¡¯ve always thought it was strange. I always thought there was something wrong with their deaths.¡± She turned around suddenly and looked straight into Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s eyes. ¡°If you get hurt, then I will have nothing good left. So please be careful.¡± ¡°Lee-yeon,¡± Kwon Chae-woo murmured as he hugged Lee-yeon. He put his chin on her shoulder and nodded. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to you,¡± he said. ¡°But just because your parents died at the same time, it doesn¡¯t mean we have to.¡± ¡°For us, that¡¯s not the answer,¡± he said. ¡°Just because you were hurt, that doesn¡¯t mean you have to hurt all the time.¡± Lee-yeon felt her eyes sting and she looked down. She remembered the words she had told him when she asked him not to sacrifice himself for her. ¡°No matter what happens, I don¡¯t care what you want, you will never leave me like that again.¡± As she started to cry, Kwon Chae-woo tried to hold back hisughter. He had to be her light, he had to take care of her and guide her. He couldn¡¯t let the ghosts of her parents haunt her forever. He was the only one that would be able to keep her safe and lead her away from the darkness that had filled her whole life. ¡°You¡¯re truly amazing,¡± he whispered into her ears as he pulled her close to him once more. In my eyes, he thought, So Lee-yeon will always be the prettiest and the greatest thing. So Lee-yeon who saves trees and takes care of me will always be the sexiest and most amazing thing in my life. It felt pathetic, but Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t help but tear up more at Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s words. She melted further into his embrace andughter filled the room. When they went back to spend time with Choo-ja, the woman was watching Lee-yeon with intent eyes. ¡°Your under eyes are dark, but you look good,¡± she said. Lee-yeon tilted her head. ¡°Pardon?¡± When she brushed one side of Lee-yeon¡¯s face, Choo-ja¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°You¡¯re a woman!¡± she eximed. Lee-yeon turned away as the older woman gave her a mischievous look. She smiled at Lee-yeon slyly as the girl blushed and pouted her lips, looking away. She reached out and caressed Lee-yeon¡¯s hands before calming her expression. ¡°Is it good?¡± she asked suddenly. ¡°Choo-ja!¡± ¡°In the morning, you go and fix trees, but at night¡ª¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Lee-yeon was embarrassed as she tried to look away from the old woman. Their eyes met for a moment and then they both looked away. Choo-ja held back herughter and Lee-yeon tried to calm down. ¡°I still miss him, you know,¡± Choo-ja said as she looked down at the coffee mug on the table. ¡°He wanted to stay home, but I dragged him to the hospital. I was greedy and I wanted more time with him, so he couldn¡¯t go home even if he wanted to. Making him stay longer than he should have is my biggest regret.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s uncle had always read poetry to Choo-ja, even when he was at theter stages of liver cancer. He used poems to confess his love but, when he was near death, he could no longer say anything. ¡°I wonder if that person is well,¡± Choo-ja said. Lee-yeon frowned. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°The person who paid your uncle¡¯s hospital bill.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes lit up. She remembered the ssical CD that she kept at the bottom of her drawer. ¡°I really don¡¯t know what I would¡¯ve done without that person¡¯s help,¡± Choo-ja said. ¡°I wonder if he ever met his son.¡± Chapter 101: Chapter 101: 15 years ago, the town that Lee-yeon and Choo-ja had been living in was turned upside down. Strange people in ck suits barged into old houses and searched them. They went through everything, from bowls to storage boxes, kicking things around it as they searched the entire town. For a few days, the ce that was usually peaceful became a rowdy mess. During that time, Lee-yeon was home alone. She had been left in the home that her uncle and Choo-ja had lived in while her uncle was dealing with his healthplications and had to be admitted to the hospital. One normal, quiet day, Lee-yeon¡¯s peace was interrupted by the sound of scratching on wood. ¡°Please help me!¡± said the voice of a woman. ¡°Please open the door!¡± Lee-yeon, who had been doing her homework on the floor when she heard the scratching, froze. It seemed like the woman was too weak to even knock on the door, resorting instead to scratching at it. The thought of it alone sent a chill through Lee-yeon¡¯s spine. ¡°Someone is chasing me!¡± the voice continued. ¡°Please hide me! Please! Save me!¡± Lee-yeon dropped her pencil and moved away from the door slowly as the woman¡¯s sobbing became louder. ¡°Just open the door for a moment! Please! Let me in!¡± Lee-yeon remembered the things that she had heard from thest few days. She remembered that they were looking for a woman, the older folk had been rather upset about it. She wondered if the woman at her door was the woman that they had been looking for. Her instincts told her to leave the door closed, to not let the woman in. But she knew that she couldn¡¯t do that. She saw herself in the woman, trembling in fear just as she had been, all alone just as she had been. Lee-yeon didn¡¯t hesitate as she opened the door. As the door swung open, her eyes met with thedy who had been sobbing at the door. She looked up at Lee-yeon like she was her lifeline and began sobbing harder. She looked like a mess. Her hair was in disarray and her hands had cuts all over them, as if she had just run through a sea of thorny bushes. Lee-yeon looked around to see if anyone was watching and quickly pulled thedy in with her and closed the door. Thedy had stayed in the house for quite some time. She had given Lee-yeon a huge sum of money that Lee-yeon had forgotten about when she grew up and went to university. ¡°I know,¡± she mumbled, staring at the ceremonial table with Choo-ja. Choo-ja smiled. ¡°Maybe the kind person is living a good life.¡± I wonder if she ever ended up seeing her son, Lee-yeon thought. She smiled at Choo-ja. ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯s living a good life with her son.¡± *** ¡°Chae-woo,¡± Lee-yeon called out for Kwon Chae-woo. The memorial was over, and she was looking to see where he went. She saw him as he approached her, having juste back from the yard. In his hands, he was holding an envelope. Lee-yeon frowned. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Wordlessly, Kwon Chae-woo handed her the envelope. There was a seal on it that matched the logo on the jacket that Joo Dong-mi was always wearing. Lee-yeon nodded as she opened the envelope to see what was inside. There was a catalog exining the work that the center did and an application with his resum¨¦. Kwon Chae-woo sat beside Lee-yeon and rested his forehead against hers. His breath tickled, but Lee-yeon didn¡¯t even notice because all she could focus on was the way that her heart sank looking at the application. There were so many empty slots left for her to fill in. ¡°I only know my name and my birthday,¡± Kwon Chae-woo told her. ¡°You can fill in the rest.¡± Lee-yeon frowned. ¡°You said you were issued a new ID, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Can you show it to me?¡± Lee-yeon pretended to be busy studying the application as Kwon Chae-woo handed her his ID. She took it in her hands and felt her body stiffen when she saw his photo. She wondered when the photo had been taken. It showed Kwon Chae-woo, but it was not the Kwon-Chae-woo that Lee-yeon knew. His eyes looked aggressive and his face was cold as it stared back at her. She tried to look away, but she couldn¡¯t seem to bring herself to do it. She scanned the rest of the ID, trying to avoid looking at the photo. She bit her lip when she read when his birthday was. His birthday was the day that Lee-yeon had witnessed him bury someone alive. That day had started all of this and she found it eerie that it also happened to be his birthday. She was snapped out of her thoughts when Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s quiet voice asked her, ¡°Lee-yeon, what¡¯s my education?¡± Lee-yeon came back to her senses. She suddenly wanted to tell him everything. Surely, he would be able to ept the whole situation now, right? Even though it wasplicated, they would be able to solve it together, right?¡± She opened her mouth to say something. But she couldn¡¯t. She was afraid that, if she told him the truth, everything they had right now would be ruined. Maybe he would get his memory back and everything would change. She decided it was better to hide the truth for just a little more. Just a little more, it wouldn¡¯t hurt¡­ would it? The more she fell for him, the harder it was to hide these things from him. But, even then, she knew that she would have it no other way. Even when she knew that the consequences to her actions woulde back to bite her eventually. She sat in silence as Kwon Chae-woo leaned back against the sofa and sighed. ¡°I guess my education isn¡¯t that good,¡± he said. Chapter 102: Chapter 102: Lee-yeon looked at him tentatively. ¡°Well¡­¡± she trailed off. ¡°Did I at least graduate high school?¡± Lee-yeon looked at the ID and read the education portion. She nodded. ¡°You did,¡± she said. ¡°Well, you got a GED.¡± Kwon Chae-woo blinked. ¡°Was I expelled?¡± His eyes looked desperate, like he needed to know more. Lee-yeon sighed. ¡°Why are you making that face?¡± she asked. ¡°Do you need to know that much?¡± He closed his eyes and pressed a hand against his temple. ¡°What did you see in me? Why did you even sign the marriage license?¡± Lee-yeon looked at him and, without meaning to, answered, ¡°Your face?¡± ¡°That was enough to make you marry someone who wascking in everything else?¡± he scoffed. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s an important thing.¡± Kwon Chae-woo couldn¡¯t hide the smile on his lips. ¡°Sometimes, I feel like that¡¯s the only thing.¡± He looked at the application and nodded. ¡°I can fill out the ¡®hobbies and specialties¡¯ part.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Lee-yeon raised a brow. ¡°What are you going to put?¡± Her husband leaned his head closer to her. ¡°My specialty is beating up those who bother my wife and my hobby is chasing after my wife. What I like is So Lee-yeon, what I hate sometimes are trees, what I¡¯m good at is making my d*ck hard, what I can¡¯t do is have enough manners to not go on for 10 rounds¡ª¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Lee-yeon cut him off before he could keep going. She looked at him worriedly. ¡°You¡¯re not really going to write that are you?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m lying?¡± ¡°No. And that makes it worse,¡± Lee-yeon red at him despite the growing blush on her cheeks. Kwon Chae-woo couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter as she shyly looked away from him. He grabbed her puffed cheeks and leaned in to swallow her lips into a kiss. Lee-yeon felt like her body was free-falling at just that. They kissed each other like there was no tomorrow. Then, his tongue slipped into her mouth and the kiss became deeper. Suddenly, the lightbulb that hung above them exploded and she stopped kissing back. Kwon Chae-woo frowned and pulled away. ¡°Are you really looking at something else when your favorite face is right here?¡± he asked. ¡°That¡¯s an LED bulb,¡± she said. ¡°Why did it do that?¡± ¡°Is that really important right now?¡± He frowned and started to attack her lips again. Lee-yeon, however, was still staring at the bulb. It looked like it was about to burst. Eventually, realizing that she was too distracted, Kwon Chae-woo gave up. Later, a repairman wearing a violet cap and vest came in. Jang Beom-hee and Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s eyes met. *** Lee-yeon greeted the man with the toolbox and led him to the living room. ¡°I mentioned it on the phone,¡± she said. ¡°I have no idea why it exploded.¡± The repairman nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll take a look at it,¡± he said. He set up thatdder that he had brought with him under the bulb that had exploded. Lee-yeon had called the ce that had changed all the lightbulbs in the house into LED bulbs. She went into the kitch and kept ncing up at the man as he checked the bulb. She frowned when she realized that he was looking at the most random ces. From his ce beside her, Kwon Chae-woo red at the repairman. Lee-yeon flinched when she saw his face and the room filled with an odd kind of tension. Kwon Chae-woo just stared at the man as if he was going to drag him down and the repairman couldn¡¯t seem to focus because of that. Even then, the repairman didn¡¯t avoid his re. Instead, he met his eyes for a moment before turning away. Realizing that this wasn¡¯t working, Lee-yeon grabbed Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s arm and led him out of the room. At first, he didn¡¯t budge but, when he realized that Lee-yeon was trying to move away, he followed. ¡°Chae-woo, why are you doing that?¡± she hissed, trying to stay quiet so that the repairman wouldn¡¯t hear her. He just shook his head and clenched his jaw. Lee-yeon rolled her eyes. ¡°If you don¡¯t like someone else being in the house, then just stay here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± he trailed off and nced at the living room again. ¡°It just feels weird. Sorry. You don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± His voice wasn¡¯t hard now, but Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t help but be curious about why he couldn¡¯t seem to tell her what it was that bothered him. In the other room, Jang Beom-hee quickly retrieved the wire that had exploded in themp and reced it. It wasn¡¯t the bulb that had exploded but the wire that he had nted inside. It was all his doing. When he heard about thendslide, he was convinced that the young master had been hurt. He broke his orders to simply stand guard and decided to tell him the truth. He couldn¡¯t stand idly by and twiddle his thumbs when a random ident could have taken him. Young master, it can¡¯t take this long, he thought. You still have work to do. Jang Beom-hee looked around nervously. Kwon Ki-seok was all about his family. He wouldn¡¯t let his brother, who was 12 years younger, go on like this. He would punish his siblings and make life harder for them, but he wouldn¡¯t let them die. He grew up knowing the importance of family. He would never let such a thing happen to anyone he cared about. But if Kwon Chae-woo wasn¡¯ting back, he would lie low as nothing but a toothless beast. Jang Beom-hee frowned. He knew that this wasn¡¯t something that Kwon Chae-woo would have wanted if he hadn¡¯t lost his memory. He had tried to bring the young master¡¯s memory back in all manner of different ways. He tried to bring it back by leaving around the roses that he used to like. His favorite poem had been about the rose¡¯s thorn. He hoped that Kwon Chae-woo would remember his favorite part of that poem ande back. But it was no use. Jang Beom-hee realized that he needed to act. Chapter 103: Chapter 103: When he stepped off hisdder, he was immediately confronted by Lee-yeon who was holding out a can of orange juice to him. His instincts made him flinch, but he epted the juice as casually as he could. ¡°I think it¡¯s a problem with our product,¡± he said. ¡°It should be good now, but please let me know if you encounter any issues in the future.¡± Lee-yeon nodded as he packed up his toolbox. Curious, Lee-yeon looked inside it. She immediately paled and stepped back. Kwon Chae-woo, who was sitting on a chair, quickly got up and moved towards her. ¡°Lee-yeon?¡± he said. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Lee-yeon, realizing her mistake, shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing!¡± she said. ¡°I just felt weird all of a sudden.¡± She rubbed her arm and leaned against Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s shoulder. The repairman casually closed the toolbox, but Lee-yeon had already seen what was inside: a red rose. A rose was a symbol of stalking. ¡°Lee-yeon, I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Kwon Chae-woo said. She frowned. ¡°Where are you going?¡± He ced a hand on Lee-yeon¡¯s head and smiled. ¡°Just over there,¡± he told her. ¡°I think I need to sweep the yard.¡± But, before Lee-yeon could even say a thing, his eyes changed as he ran to chase the repairman that was already leaving. Before he knew it, Jang Boem-hee was being pushed against the wall and choked. Kwon Chae-woo was cing pressure on his throat with his elbow. ¡°I don¡¯t believe this is the first time we¡¯ve met,¡± he said. Jang Beom-hee¡¯s eyes widened when he heard the words. The moment he realized that Kwon Chae-woo was running after him, he realized that this wasn¡¯t an opportunity that he could waste. He had been waiting for a chance for Kwon Chae-woo to attack him. ¡°Young master¡ª¡± ¡°Why do you keep hanging around here?¡± Kwon Chae-woo demanded. Jang Beom-hee froze at the unexpected question. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You live across the street,¡± Kwon Chae-woo said. ¡°You served at the hotel the other day. Now you¡¯re fixing light bulbs?¡± Jang Beom-hee wanted to kick himself. Why had so many people noticed him? His mind shed to the woman who had left the house the other day and was immediately suspicious of him. When Kwon Chae-woo didn¡¯t let up, Jang Beom-hee became annoyed. He had never faced Kwon Chae-woo personally. He had only seen Hwang Jo-yoon in the corridor for a few seconds and only a bit in the party hall. But he was terrified by how Kwon Chae-woo had managed to piece it all together. ¡°This is the third time we¡¯ve met,¡± Kwon Chae-woo hissed. ¡°Is that still a coincidence?¡± He pushed the neck harder and Jang Beom-hee realized that it had been a while since he had been this overwhelmed. Jang Beom-hee chuckled suddenly and that only made Kwon Chae-woo frown even more. ¡°Who are you?¡± Kwon Chae-woo demanded. When the other man didn¡¯t answer, he growled. ¡°Answer me,¡± he said. ¡°I will squash all the bugs thate after my wife either way.¡± Jang Beom-hee shook his head as he realized the misunderstanding. ¡°Young master, that¡¯s not it!¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face became stern so Jang Beom-hee continued. ¡°Did you get the rose that I sent you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Does it not bring back any memories?¡± Jang Beom-hee asked. ¡°Do you not remember me? Do you really not know who I am?¡± Kwon Chae-woo frowned. ¡°What are you saying, pervert?¡± he sneered. As Jang Beom-hee realized how he had been further misunderstood, he kicked Kwon Chae-woo in the shin and managed to escape the other man¡¯s grip. But Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s reflexes were unbelievable and he was able to grab Jang Beom-hee. The two men broke out into a fight. Eventually, Kwon Chae-woo pushed Jang Beom-hee against the wall again and managed to hit his head. He twisted the man¡¯s arm and gritted his teeth as he said, ¡°Get lost. This is myst warning. I don¡¯t ever want to see you again.¡± ¡°Young master, pleasee back to your senses!¡± Jang Beom-hee pleaded. ¡°You have to get your memory back!¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s grip loosened when he heard the man start to beg. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about your past?¡± Jang Beom-hee asked. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know what kind of person you were? What kind of thoughts you had? You can¡¯t stay here and y husband and wife forever. Don¡¯t let that woman fool you! That woman is¡ª¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Kwon Chae-woo went back to twisting Jang Beom-hee¡¯s arm. ¡°Young master!¡± But Kwon Chae-woo just shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough.¡± When Jang Beom-hee frowned at him, he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to tell you, but I¡¯m not interested in knowing about my past. I promised my wife that I didn¡¯t want to know.¡± Jang Beom-hee tried to speak more, but Kwon Chae-woo just twisted his arm. The man seemed used to keeping people in check. ¡°If you really know me well,¡± Kwon Chae-woo said. ¡°Then, I hope you¡¯ll shut up.¡± ¡°Young master, don¡¯t be fooled!¡± Jang Beom-hee said. ¡°That woman is¡ª¡± ¡°I told you to stop.¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°And stop fucking calling me that.¡± Jang Beom-hee broke out into cold sweats. He tried to look at Kwon Chae-woo, but the man wouldn¡¯t meet his eyes. He felt empty as he looked ahead at the man holding him against the wall. Where had the devil in charge of the Kwon family¡¯s hunting dogs gone? Chapter 104: Chapter 104: ¡°If you understand me, don¡¯t ever show your face again.¡± Jang Beom-hee was speechless. Kwon Chae-woo, the man who would storm an area the moment he saw blood, was now being so polite. Just the thought of it made him cringe. Kwon Chae-woo left without looking back and Jang Beom-hee frowned at him while holding his aching arm. He felt his cellphone vibrate and he reached into his pocket to get it. It was an unsaved number, but he already knew it all too well. It gave him a headache just looking at it. It was a text from someone that he had identally spent the night with. She had been messaging him for a few days now and it was starting to get troublesome. You may forget my name, but I know that you remember my body. Jang Beom-hee scratched the back of his neck as he read the text, then he looked back up at where Kwon Chae-woo had disappeared to. Nothing was going his way. *** ¡°He should be ashamed of his name!¡± They were in a Korean barbeque restaurant and the conversation was loud and wild. ¡°Director, did you know that tigers mate 100 times?¡± Joo Dong-mi asked without care. ¡°Huh?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes widened as she spluttered and coughed out the water she was drinking. ¡°That man, his name was Beom¡ªit means tiger,¡± Joo Dong-mi drawled. ¡°He was as sweet as an herbivore!¡± Lee-yeon nodded, a little confused. ¡°Sure, okay.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not possible, it¡¯s not!¡± Joo Dong-mi eximed. She raised her ss and spilled some of her drink on her hand. She licked it up. Lee-yeon could see the half empty bottle of soju past Joo Dong-mi and looked back at the woman who was red in the face and blurting out nonsense. She thought back to the past few weeks and tried to remember how they got to this point. The tournament had been canceled thanks to thendslide. The Spruce Tree Hospital and Mi Hospital received a new subject for the tournament about three weeks after the natural disaster urred. The subject was to cure the spirit tree, which was known to have a ghost living within it¡ª ¡°Are they crazy? Do they know what kind of tree that is?¡± Choo-ja had mmed the table and red when Lee-yeon told her.o Lee-yeon had shrugged. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re just scared of us,¡± she had suggested. ¡°Don¡¯t be so na?ve!¡± Choo-ja had growled. The thing about the tree was that, in the past, all the doctors that had tried to treat it encountered some form of misfortune or other while they tried toplete the task. From their children failing their exams to divorce to investment scams to all kinds of psychological illnesses and physical idents imaginable. All the tree doctors in Hwaido knew about this, which was why they avoided the tree as much as they could. ¡°You definitely can¡¯t do this,¡± Choo-ja had said. ¡°You¡¯d be putting yourself in terrible danger!¡± Lee-yeon had yed with her teacup and stared at the leaf pattern on the table. ¡°I hear all the other hospitals were relieved to hear it,¡± Choo-ja had continued. ¡°I¡¯m so pissed!¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s face had fallen as she became worried. No matter how hard she thought of a way out of this, there was no solution. She had also started to feel like, for some strange reason, she was being assigned some of the more difficult tasks, the avnche included. But she tried to ignore that. There was a little temple beside the 500-year-old spirit tree. The townspeople were trying their best to save the protector of the town but nothing seemed to work. Because of the ever-growing rumors surrounding the tree, the perfect time for it to be treated had ended already and now it was about to die. Lee-yeon thought that the forest ministry had chosen some annoying case. ¡°I can¡¯t do anything about it,¡± she had said. ¡°I have to try. Have you ever seen me pick my patients?¡± Choo-ja had frowned at that. ¡°You should pick your friends but not your tree,¡± Lee-yeon had continued. Choo-ja had scoffed and looked at her with narrowed eyes. ¡°Of course,¡± she had said, rolling her eyes. ¡°It seems like it was only yesterday when you were pissed about that dangerous man in his vegetative state. You were always saying how much of a pest he was and you made me lie as well. But now you¡¯re with him.¡± Lee-yeon had flinched and quickly drank her tea. ¡°But, of course, you must pick your friend but not the tree,¡± Choo-ja had mocked her,ughing. Lee-yeon had tried her best to hide her face behind her teacup. Another thing that had happened since thendslide was that Kwon Chae-woo had be an intern at the Wildlife Rescue Center, his rank right under Joo Dong-mi¡¯s. He was the backup for rescuing injured animals and transporting them, and he was very busy going to rescue sites as well as studying. Thanks to that, he and Lee-yeon spent a little less time together. But, surprisingly, they still had three meals a day together. He would alwayse to see Lee-yeon during their lunch break. She knew how ridiculous this was from a perspective of view so she always tried to send him back, but he would never listen. Lee-yeon had be scared of lunchtime. She got anxious every time the door opened, worried that it would be Kwon Chae-wooing to get her. On top of that, every night, he would bully her so much that Lee-yeon felt like her back was being broken every day. Some nights, he wouldn¡¯t even let her sleep a wink and she would go to work the next day without any sleep. Something was wrong. They were both earning ie but Lee-yeon knew that something was a little off! Chapter 105: Chapter 105: As Lee-yeon had avoided speaking to Choo-ja, Joo Dong-mi gave her a call. ¡°Director, can you attend thepany dinner just this once?¡± she had asked. ¡°Pardon?¡± Lee-yeon had said. ¡°It¡¯s just that we haven¡¯t had a weing party for Kwon Chae-woo,¡± Joo Dong-mi had said. ¡°We need an official excuse to rx and eat at our heart¡¯s content. That man is craz¡ªI mean a mutant that doesn¡¯t even listen to his team leader. So please, save us and give us a reason to have this party!¡± Lee-yeon had checked her watch and gotten up. ¡°Choo-ja, I¡¯ll be back.¡± She had to do this so that her husband would settle nicely with the team. She decided to say yes to Joo Dong-mi, ignoring her own unease. ¡°He really should be ashamed of his name!¡± Joo Dong-mi said as loud for anyone in the room to hear. She still couldn¡¯t get over her experience with the man named Jang Beom-hee. Many people were now looking in their direction. Their eyes were full of curiosity and horror as they went between Lee-yeon and Kwon Chae-woo and back to Lee-yeon. The center employees¡¯ curiosity was clear. Lee-yeon froze as Kwon Chae-woo mmed his chopsticks down and red at them. His coworkers looked away the moment he did. She sighed to herself. She could see the reputation this man had amongst his peers. She felt like it was all her fault that he was acting like this. On the other hand, Joo Dong-mi was spitting out her misery while half-asleep. ¡°I have never seen any man who acts like that in front of a woman with a body like me!¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s a tiger, so how could he? He¡¯s not living up to his name! If he¡¯s a tiger, he should act like one!¡± Kwon Chae-woo didn¡¯t bother hiding his frown at her drunken state and kept putting all the cooked meat in Lee-yeon¡¯s te. She hade so that her husband could have good rtionships with his coworkers, but it felt like they were on a date. Lee-yeon put her chopsticks down. ¡°Chae-woo, go talk to your coworkers. Have a drink with them, enjoy yourself.¡± Kwon Chae-woo looked at her. ¡°Have you had drinks with others before?¡± He had already been displeased when she said she wasing. He was happy to see her, but only for a moment. He didn¡¯t want to leave Lee-yeon in a crowded ce like this for long. ¡°I¡¯m already annoyed that my wife is on disy, but your words piss me off even more.¡± Kwon Chae-woo locked his fingers with her under the table. ¡°You want me to do whatwith others? Talk to them? Seriously?¡± His eyes were dark and his voice was getting cold. The space between Lee-yeon¡¯s legs throbbed. She was flustered that her body was reacting before her head. ¡°Director,¡± Joo Dong-mi leaned her head against her hands and stared at them. Her tired eyes were moving hazily. It looked a little scary for a while, but then she started saying something surprising, ¡°Do you know where I think I saw your husband before?¡± Lee-yeon felt her heart stop. Has she seen Kwon Chae-woo before? The noise in the restaurant faded and only her heartbeat filled it. It felt like ages had passed before she gulped. ¡°I just remembered.¡± Joo Dong-mi pointed at Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°Over one summer vacation when I was in high school, I went to Europe with my family. I saw a little child in Vienna, Austria and your husband looked an awful lot like that child. If he didn¡¯t change and grew up as he was, he would look exactly the same. But of course, they wouldn¡¯t be the same people.¡± She scoffed at herself. ¡°That child was great too, though, like this guy who climbed a mountain while carrying a deer. They also look quite simr. Even though their age and their upation is different.¡± ¡°A little child?¡± Lee-yeon asked. Her fingertips were cold but they warmed up quickly thanks to Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s hand. ¡°Of course, he wasn¡¯t an ordinary boy. From his face to the sound he made, he was so mind-blowing that I guess I couldn¡¯t forget him.¡± Joo Dong-mi shrugged lightly. ¡°He was a cellist.¡± *** Lee-yeon¡¯s shoulders rxed as she let out a sigh. ¡°He was small so he looked like he was in elementary school,¡± Joo Dong-mi said. ¡°I looked him up after I came back and he wasn¡¯t well known in Korea for someone who had debuted in Europe. Isn¡¯t that weird?¡± Joo Dong-mi tilted her head as if it was still mysterious. ¡°Anyway, my parents were all up in my business, alwaysparing me to him.¡± She shuddered like she didn¡¯t want to be reminded. Then, she looked at Kwon Chae-woo again. ¡°But coincidentally, our junior here also seems to know quite a lot about ssical music.¡± Kwon Chae-woo stopped moving his hands and Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes widened. This was the first she was hearing of this. ¡°Chae-woo?¡± She looked at him for answers. ¡°Ah, you didn¡¯t know?¡± Joo Dong-mi asked. ¡°At my uncle¡¯s party the other day¡ª¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense.¡± Kwon Chae-woo stopped Joo Dong-mi from continuing. But Lee-yeon was now curious to know what she was going to say next. ¡°I want to know too.¡± she said. ¡°I¡ª¡± Kwon Chae-woo started talking instinctively when he saw her innocent eyes. He was always annoyingly obedient. Joo Dong-mi clicked her tongue as if to say that she was done drinking. Kwon Chae-woo cleared his throat. ¡°I was able to guess the title of the song right away.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Lee-yeon asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Joo Dong-mi nodded. ¡°That might be it.¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s eyes went to Joo Dong-mi for a moment, but she was too busy trying to unlock her phone. ¡°Come to think of it,¡± Lee-yeon shifted in her seat. ¡°When you sleep, Chae-woo, I turn on the music sometimes. You sleep really well.¡± Then, she mouthed to him, ¡°You don¡¯t even cry,¡± so that no one else but Kwon Chae-woo would see. He smiled. He leaned towards her and lowered his voice. ¡°That¡¯s not the only way to stop your man from crying.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lee-yeon blinked. ¡°I don¡¯t cry sleeping after sex.¡± he said. Her ears became red right away. Kwon Chae-woo locked his hand around hers harder under the table. ¡°So do I cry tonight or not?¡± Chapter 106: Chapter 106: He bottomed out inside her in one swift movement. He pushed deep inside her walls and, because she wasn¡¯t thinking straight from all the pleasure, she banged her head against the wall. His thick head just kept thrusting in and out. The moment they got home, Kwon Chae-woo had bitten Lee-yeon¡¯s lips. The touching that started in that moment led to this. She was lifted on top of the drawers in the living room and he sucked her until she melted. The table and the sofa became sloppy messes soon after. Lee-yeon stepped out of her clothes and didn¡¯t know what else to do while she was being rammed behind while standing up. Her heart pounded nonstop from the man¡¯s presence behind her back. She pushed against the wall and stuck her back out. It was an instinct that allowed him to slide into her easily. Her ass hit his hip as he kept thrusting wildly into her. ¡°I missed you so much today,¡± he groaned into her ear. ¡°Did you miss me too, Lee-yeon? Were you happy sending me off to work while you were alone with the trees?¡± She couldn¡¯t respond and just let out a moan. ¡°I really thought I was going to go crazy,¡± he growled. Lee-yeon felt goosebumps on her neck when his hot breath brushed against her skin. His rough palm grabbed her smooth breast and he fondled it as he bit on her neck. He continued to move in and out of her slowly. ¡°Can¡¯t you just go around catching animals with me?¡± he asked. ¡°Sometimes, I feel like it¡¯s a shame when I let go of the animals. I think about you. I wish I could just keep you trapped like that.¡± He grabbed her hair all of a sudden. She bit her lips as she could feel her ears ringing. As she leaned her elbow against the wall, her back arched even more. Her ass and thighs tingled as if they had just been spanked. But, above all, she felt like she was going to melt with pleasure. His long cock buried itself deep inside her. His hands from the back grabbed her breasts and squeezed them, a wet sound ringing through the room as skin pped against skin. Lee-yeon scratched the wall a little. Kwon Chae-woo grabbed her chin and turned her head to face him, then he sucked on her lips. Lee-yeon turned her neck as much as she could as she whined against his lips. Her hazy eyes closed. He put his nose against her sweaty back and moved his waist. ¡°Lee-yeon, Lee-yeon, Lee-yeon,¡± he chanted her name. His abs hardened as he continued to prate her, his veins popping from the back of his hand to his arms. His length grew inside her. She trembled as he hit her spot. Her toes curled. She felt like she was going to die. ¡°Every day is so precious now,¡± he whispered as he pushed Lee-yeon¡¯s breasts against the wall. He thrust harshly and sucked on her earlobe. His movements were bing stronger. He squeezed Lee-yeon¡¯s nipple and continued, ¡°Lee-yeon, let¡¯s keep living like this,¡± he said. ¡°We can live without worry. We can just do this all day.¡± Lee-yeon groaned at his words. ¡°I just need you,¡± he continued. ¡°I don¡¯t need anyone else. I only trust you, Lee-yeon.¡± Lee-yeon buried her face in her arms and sobbed like a child. Kwon Chae-woo just stared at her. ¡°Don¡¯t let that woman fool you! That woman is¡ª¡± Jang Beom-hee¡¯s words rang through his ears. He wrapped his arms around Lee-yeon¡¯s waist and shook his head lightly. But for some reason, he just couldn¡¯t forget those words. *** ¡°It bes a problem because you don¡¯t tell me in time.¡± Choo-ja looked at the leaf and clicked her tongue. The Osmanthus fragrans that had been nted in the garden was dead. Lee-yeon was examining the tree and thought that it looked grim. ¡°It was poisoned with drugs.¡± It was due to pesticides. As it was amon problem, she thought she could save the tree even if it looked a little withered. ¡°Choo-ja, you brought nitric acid, calcium, and potassium right?¡± Choo-ja already had them out. She also kept sighing. ¡°It just keeps getting sicker¡­¡± Lee-yeon flinched. She chewed on her nails and circled around Choo-ja. Choo-ja stared at Lee-yeon and raised a brow at her, then she saw some marks. She reached out to lift the hair from Lee-yeon¡¯s neck and was surprised by what she saw. Choo-ja thought he really did a number on it. ¡°What if I tell him everything?¡± The random words just came out of Lee-yeon¡¯s mouth unexpectedly. But Choo-ja understood right away. ¡°Tell Mr. Kwon?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Choo-ja stared right at her. Two of them stood there silently for a moment. ¡°Do you think you can handle it?¡± Choo-ja finally asked. Lee-yeon shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t have the confidence.¡± She knew that the truth meant destruction. She remembered how her aunt, uncle, and cousins reacted when she told the truth. She felt a chill just thinking about it. Even so, Kwon Chae-woo was the first person to notice what she felt deep inside and actually lent her a hand. ¡°I don¡¯t have the confidence,¡± she repeated. ¡°But I want to be understood by him.¡± T/N: Oh my¡­ Chapter 107: Chapter 107: There were many ropes and pieces of cloth of different colors tied to the spirit tree. Ady was throwing knives and dancing around it gracefully. Beneath the tree¡¯s shade, the dancing apanied by the banging of gongs mesmerized the crowd. It was the dance of the shaman. The tree was about 500 years old. It was big enough that even ten people would have difficulty wrapping their arms around the expanse of its trunk. ¡°I don¡¯t even know why the city employeese for the shaman ritual.¡± Choo-ja jutted her chin out in the direction of the people in suits who stuck out of the crowd like thorns. The Mi Hospital¡¯s director came in while casually holding a fan in his hands. Lee-yeon looked up from under her straw hat to acknowledge him. ¡°Are you feeling better sir?¡± Lee-yeon asked him. ¡°Thendslide didn¡¯t affect us as much as it could have,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re the one who had to deal with most of it, Director So. I was just lucky. Is your hospital also here to see the ritual?¡± Lee-yeon scanned Choo-ja and Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s faces. Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s presence soothed Lee-yeon so, when she spoke, she sounded confident. ¡°I just came here to check in before the tournament,¡± she said. ¡°By the way, I wanted to talk to you.¡± He wiped the sweat off his forehead and smiled at Lee-yeon. She felt uneasy. ¡°I was told by my employees when we went for drinks a few weeks ago that they would feel unlucky if they had to face Spruce Tree Hospital,¡± he continued. ¡°We justughed it off then, but it seems like it¡¯s be true. This spirit tree issue is quite annoying.¡± He was still nonchntly fanning himself. He looked at her in the eye, ¡°Director So, by any chance, did you do anything to the higher-ups to rub them off the wrong way?¡± He finally asked Lee-yeon. ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°I mean, first you climb a 30-meter tree, then you deal with andslide, and now the spirit tree? Isn¡¯t it a little strange?¡± The Mi Hospital director smiled at her innocently. ¡°Director So, think long and hard,¡± He sounded sincere and concerned. ¡°Treating the spirit tree might not be the answer.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Lee-yeon chucked nervously at the Mi Hospital¡¯s director¡¯s question. She remembered the details of the tournament. The goal was to treat the dying spirit tree and the person with the best n for the course of action to be taken would be given the chance to attempt it. But treating the tree was never the problem. ¡°Is it because of the horror stories that you tell me this?¡± Lee-yeon pressed. The director shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m more scared of money and ghosts.¡± The dance of the shaman before them reached its peak and ended. Even as the people were leaving, Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t take her eyes off of her small binocrs. She was looking around the ce and checking the status of the tree. She was checking off the branches and the ces that needed to be treated in her head. But the more she checked, the less confident she became. An old man tapped Lee-yeon¡¯s shoes with his cane. ¡°Oh, hello, sir,¡± she greeted him nervously. ¡°I assume you¡¯re also a tree doctor or whatever,¡± he said. He looked at her with aggressive eyes. ¡°Humans can¡¯t fix God. Don¡¯t be foolish. Get lost!¡± ¡°Sir, this tree is seriously being mishandled,¡± Lee-yeon told him. ¡°It needs surgery.¡± But as soon as Lee-yeon spoke, the old man¡¯s nostrils red in anger. ¡°What? Surgery?¡± People were staring at them now as they passed by. ¡°No!¡± the old man continued. ¡°Never! Do you know what kind of tree this is?¡± ¡°In my eyes, it¡¯s a serious patient,¡± Lee-yeon told him. ¡°How dare you?¡± Lee-yeon covered her ears as the man started yelling. ¡°That is a great tree that has saved countless townspeople,¡± he told her. ¡°Records say that, during the war, they put a huge drum on that little tree and they hit it with all their might. Everyone evacuated after hearing the sound and the only thing that survived in this town was that tree! The tree was only 10 years old. It had to carry a drum that was bigger than its size and it had to handle the sound of the drums, that¡¯s why it grew up curved like that!¡± ¡°Yes, it seems like it has a herniated disc as well,¡± Lee-yeon said. ¡°What?¡± the old man demanded. Lee-yeon just stared at him. Then, she thought of something. ¡°If that tree is as precious as you say it is, then why does it have so much moss and dirt? Have you ever brushed it or washed it with water?¡± The old man flinched. ¡°Why would that matter! You¡¯re saying that we should be bathing this tree?¡± he growled. ¡°If you touch that tree and cut it in any way, we¡¯ll show you what happens to those that mess with it!¡± The old man tapped his cane angrily and walked away. Choo-jained about the old man, but Lee-yeon just smiled. ¡°I think I know,¡± she said. ¡°Know what?¡± Choo-ja asked. But Lee-yeon ignored her and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Chae-woo?¡± Lee-yeon went on her tiptoes and looked around. The man who usually couldn¡¯t stay away from her was suddenly nowhere to be found. As Lee-yeon started to bite her nails anxiously, her eyes met the shaman¡¯s who had just finished the ritual. The way the shaman was dressed made him look like he was from another time and that frightened her. She tried to look away quickly but felt the man was still staring at her. ¡°Lee-yeon, aren¡¯t you hot?¡± Chapter 108: Chapter 108: At that moment, a huge hand wiped the sweat off her neck. A cold drink touched her hot cheek. Lee-yeon was more surprised by the touch of the hand than the beverage. She turned around. ¡°You stood out in the sun for too long.¡± Kwon Chae-woo was sweating buckets as he spoke to her. ¡°I don¡¯t see any stores around here.¡± Lee-yeon frowned. ¡°Did you run to get that?¡± Lee-yeon stared nkly at the man that she had been looking for. He didn¡¯t say a word, just smiled and opened the bottle. Lee-yeon took the bottle and brushed the aluminum on its sides. The way he was staring at her hadn¡¯t changed. It only made Lee-yeon feel guilty. ¡°Did something happen while I was gone?¡± Kwon Chae-woo asked when he saw Lee-yeon¡¯s face get grim for a split second. ¡°Well¡­¡± Lee-yeon felt it was childish to say she had been anxious because she couldn¡¯t find Kwon Chae-woo, so she said something else. ¡°A famous model was transported here by ident.¡± Kwon Chae-woo looked at her weirdly at her strange response. ¡°They fixed his bones, treated his wound, andter removed his scars and sent the model off,¡± she said, changing the subject. ¡°But this patient kept on getting worse. Why do you think that is?¡± ¡°The patient probably had some other disease.¡± Kwon Chae-woo frowned at the strange topic. ¡°Another disease that wasn¡¯t caused by the ident, something that was eating him alive inside.¡± As Lee-yeon nodded, the man touched her face with his soft hand. ¡°But topletely get better, I heard they had to shave his head and even cut both arms off.¡± As she looked up at the tree sadly, two voices suddenly spoke. ¡°What can we do? It¡¯s still better to be alive than dead.¡± Kwon Chae-woo said. ¡°So what if you have to take both arms off? I would keep the patient alive no matter what it takes.¡± They were simr answers but the second one was a bit odd for some reason. Lee-yeon shook her head and tried to focus. ¡°But this is a tree.¡± Choo-ja finally seemed to realize what Lee-yeon was saying and looked at the tree seriously. ¡°It¡¯s even a good tree,¡± Lee-yeon said. ¡°It¡¯s the town¡¯s protector and has such a heartwarming story. Many peoplee to see it. What if this tree suddenly looked so bad all of a sudden? What would they think of it?¡± Choo-ja shook her head as if she had a lot to think about and Lee-yeon lowered her voice even further. A cicada that started crying overpowered her voice. ¡°The hospital probably didn¡¯t want to be part of it,¡± she said. ¡°They left it alone for so long that it would have died if they did something even slightly wrong. They probably didn¡¯t want to try and fix it anymore and get med for things beyond their control.¡± She sighed. ¡°There¡¯s a good chance that they just took a bit of money and treated it well enough to keep its appearance as it is.¡± Lee-yeon drank the drink in her hand and rolled up her sleeves. ¡°I think it was the tree doctors who made up those nonsense horror stories as well.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°They probably didn¡¯t want to be responsible for letting a 500-year-old historical tree die.¡± Her voice got lower. ¡°This is a battle of wits between the city, the townspeople, the shaman, and the tree doctors.¡± They really didn¡¯t care about the spirit tree dying or not. Town¡¯s people cared more about its appearance, the doctors were too scared of being responsible for anything, and the city and the shaman just took whatever money they could take. Lee-yeon took a deep breath and frowned. ¡°I¡¯m¡­. going to turn everything upside down.¡± *** Kwon Chae-woo hugged Lee-yeon before she even could finish talking. Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t see anything but his shoulders as he covered her in his embrace. As she looked down, she could see the red of the hanbok if the shaman from a near distance. ¡°How did this happen?¡± Lee-yeon heard an unfamiliar voice. It was quite steady, but it also sounded like a kicking tongue to Lee-yeon. ¡°It looks like the willow branch is also going to fall soon. It¡¯s going to hurt a lot.¡± Lee-yeon tried to look past Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s shoulder. Even though she could mostly only see Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s white shirt, she caught a glimpse of the shaman¡¯s face. The willow branch¡­. Lee-yeon bit her tongue. She didn¡¯t know why she felt like she was trapped when she heard the so-called shaman say that. ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± Kwon Chae-woo noticed that her breathing had changed slightly and looked down. Lee-yeon grabbed Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s shirt and tried to calm herself. Lee-yeon just stared at the shaman without any hesitation. It felt like she had been pped in the face. The shaman was right. Lee-yeon felt more hurt than angry, so she buried her nose in Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s shoulder to try and breathe. He just ced a hand on her head. ¡°Should we go home?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go home.¡± A tree always gave clear answers but, whenever Kwon Chae-woo was involved, things got messy. What bothered her the most was her guilt, the fact that she was hiding the truth. Lee-yeon wiped her forehead and hid her shaking hands. It seemed like it was time to stop running. If she didn¡¯t get rid of her guilt, then the rtionship would die in the end. It was like everyone and everything was pushing Lee-yeon to tell the truth. She wanted to be understood. She wanted to be epted. Lee-yeon pushed herself to step towards the truth that she had been avoiding. ¡°Chae-woo.¡± She cleared her throat. ¡°I¡­. I have something to tell you after thepetition.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Just¡­ the past.¡± She felt dizzy and suffocated even as she said it. It was time to unload all the lies. It was the most terrifying moment she would ever have to face. It was something she had to get over. ¡°When I first met you 2 years ago, there was something I didn¡¯t tell you.¡± A willow branch falling means that you¡¯re saying goodbye to a loved one. *** Chapter 109: Chapter 109: It was ate and cloudy night. Lee-yeon sat in her office, writing up how she was going to treat the tree. The quiet room was filled with the sound of her typing. As she was about to turn her head to look for a book, she started. ¡°Oh my god!¡± Lee-yeon jumped like she had seen a ghost as Kwon Chae-woo, who was leaning against the door, pouted. ¡°How long have you been standing there?¡± she choked out. He shrugged. ¡°A while.¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve said something.¡± ¡°I was wondering when you would notice.¡± Lee-yeon blinked. ¡°But you¡¯re pretty quick. I was tempted to bite you if you took any longer.¡± As Lee-yeon noticed his eyes changing, she quickly went back to looking for the book. She knew that nothing good happened when he looked at her like that. As if she was ignoring the warning signs, she said, ¡°You should¡¯ve gone to bed first.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep.¡± Lee-yeon looked at the lock. 2:00 AM. Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You should still sleep! You¡¯re going to work tomorrow!¡± ¡°What fun is it to lie in bed alone?¡± he whined while staring straight at Lee-yeon. Even though his body was impatient, his eyes were not. Lee-yeon held onto her chair tightly. ¡°You really should sleep.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even want to do that if you¡¯re not there,¡± he said. ¡°Am I being a bother?¡± When she missed her chance to answer him, Kwon Chae-woo sighed and closed his eyes. He put a hand to his tired face and stood by the door. Even though he wasn¡¯t saying anything, Lee-yeon could sense that he was upset. She got up quickly. But he already left and Lee-yeon froze with her arm stretched out. She felt a little embarrassed so she sat down, but still she couldn¡¯t focus when she remembered the look on Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face. Then, she heard knocking. When she looked up, she found Kwon Chae-woo standing there with a couple of her training pants. ¡°Lee-yeon, pick.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I want to help you,¡± he said. ¡°Pick which one you want to wear to thepetition.¡± He waved the pants around as if he was in a hurry. ¡°Left or right?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s throat felt ticklish for some reason. ¡°Right.¡± Kwon Chae-woo nodded. ¡°This does look a bit more fancy.¡± Lee-yeon hid her embarrassed expression but also managed to smile to herself. Kwon Chae-woo started walking in and out of the room. Each time, he made her choose from things like a straw hat, to his dirty shoes, to handkerchiefs. Lee-yeon kept on ncing at the door even while looking at her monitor. She was waiting for him toe back each time. ¡°Which one is better?¡± Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t hold back her brightest smile as she answered, ¡°I like you the best, Chae-woo.¡± The man stood there like he had been hit in the head and his entire upper body became red. *** Lee-yeon left the house in the caring hands of Chae-woo. Each time she touched the things they had picked out through the night, she couldn¡¯t help but giggle. Did he know that it was like waiting to go on a pic? It was something that she had never felt, even when she was little. But that feeling was fleeting. Now, she was speechless. ¡°Oh my god I can¡¯t believe this! How can you just say that now?¡± Choo-ja was angry as she held the judge¡¯s arm, shaking it. They had worked on the treatment n together over a few sleepless nights and practiced the surgery countless times. But when they got there, what the judge had to say startled them out of their fatigue. ¡°The director of Mi Hospital isn¡¯t participating?¡± Lee-yeon asked, just to be sure that she had heard it correctly the first time. ¡°Yes.¡± The judge sighed. ¡°It seems like he was in a car ident. He¡¯ll have a cast on his neck for the next two weeks. We just received the message as well so we couldn¡¯t announce it before now. Anyway, you guys win by default. Would the Spruce Tree Hospital like to proceed?¡± The judge was barely able to get Choo-ja off of him as he pulled his tie up. ¡°Is that true?¡± Choo-ja demanded. ¡°Pardon?¡± the judge asked. ¡°Did you check if it was true?¡± ¡°He said he was forfeiting, so we didn¡¯t bother.¡± And yet Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t help but think that maybe, just maybe, he believed the horror stories of the spirit tree and was avoiding treating it just as she had guessed. She scoffed as she looked around at the crowd that had gathered. She felt their hostility from where she stood. While Lee-yeon and Choo-ja prepared to work on the tree, a soju bottle randomly flew overhead and hit the ground beside them. They jumped back. The atmosphere had immediately changed for the worse. The ss fragments reflected the sunlight threateningly. Lee-yeon froze in an instant. ¡°You crazy bastards! If you change our spirit tree, you¡¯ll be punished by it! How dare you?¡± It was the old man that they had spoken to a few days ago who was now shouting. This time, he seemed quite serious. From what Lee-yeon had learned over the past few days, it seemed like people picked the falling leaves from the tree and sold them iming that if you caught the leaves before they fell, your wishes woulde true. Nowadays, not a lot of people fall for it, but around 30 years ago, it seemed like it was good money. It seemed like that old man¡¯s generation was the one who got the most out of it. They also spent $100,000 on treating the spirit tree, but she couldn¡¯t tell that they had done anything at all. She was confident that people of the city, the shaman, and the tree doctor had taken all that money from the old citizens and split it nicely among themselves. ¡°Choo-ja, are you okay?¡± Lee-yeon asked. ¡°It¡¯s not like they hit my head,¡± Choo-ja smiled. ¡°Besides, I wouldn¡¯t be me if I was surprised by some soju bottle.¡± ¡°This is the only way,¡± Lee-yeon said. ¡°If we don¡¯t do anything, this tree will die.¡± She gulped and looked at the people around them who seemed very angry. The camera that was filming the tournament, people who seemed like they were about to riot, city employees who were whispering amongst each other were all aiming their score sheets like spears at Lee-yeon. She was scared, but she pulled at her pants hard. ¡°Today, these people will see the cuts in the spirit tree,¡± she said. Before she started the surgery, Lee-yeon closed her eyes and said a short prayer. Please hold on. The strength that will heal you wille from your roots. Then, a thought hit her. If something goes wrong, I might have to move. Lee-yeon had someone to take care of now. She had to be realistic. If she fell, Kwon Chae-woo also fell. Lee-yeon confidentially took a deep breath and lifted thedder. Chapter 110: Chapter 110: Kwon Chae-woo arrivedte to the scene and pushed his way forward, past all those who shouted and shook their fists. At once, he found the face that was now dark as ash from dust and moss. Lee-yeon, who had wrapped rope around her waist and ascended the tree, was positioned as precariously as if she were standing on a guillotine. What was shaking, however, was not her, but the chainsaw. She picked up the roaring saw and excitedly cut off a dead branch. She seemed not at all like a doctor, but rather some sort of destroyer of the environment. Kwon Chae-woo furtively raised the corners of his mouth into a smile as he watched his wife boldly perform her surgery. Crack, thud. Crack, thud. Each branch that fell to the ground elicited more groans from the crowd. ¡°Ahhhh!¡± The elderly all either sunk down to the ground or shouted, ¡°Why doesn¡¯t anyone stop that woman?!¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s hands twitched as he wished to snap the necks of those who criticized her. ¡°I found the rectum!¡± It wasn¡¯t long before Lee-yeon¡¯s booming voice reached Choo-ja. She located the rotten hole only to find it already teeming with insects. To put it in terms of the human body, a hole in the spine decayed, and the infection had spread so wildly that the damage was irreversible. Lee-yeon briefly held her breath and turned her head away from the spreading stench. As she slowly sorted through the decay and dead branches, the skin and excrement of the insects piled up high. Kwon Chae-woo couldn¡¯t take his eyes off Lee-yeon as she immersed herself in her work. ¡°¡­.¡± Her tightly shut lips were resolute, and the look in her eyes was unusually serious, almost savage. It was his first time seeing her in such a state. His Adam¡¯s apple nervously bobbed up and down. Suddenly, the sun shone down and pierced his field of vision. Chae-woo squinted one eye and stared at her, swallowing up her image. ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± He wanted to brush aside the damp bangs stuck to her forehead, to wrap her knee that was being swept by the tree. At that time, he happened to lock eyes with someone in the crowd¡ªa conspicuous yet familiar appearance. A shaman who had once performed a ritual there was staring at Kwon Chae-woo, as if he were searching for something. He narrowed his forehead in a rude and tant manner, returning the gaze of the shaman, who continued to watch Chae-woo closely. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± From somewhat of a distance, the shaman murmured something soundlessly. Oddly, rather than dismissing it as a stranger¡¯s insignificant mumble, he found himself able to read his lips precisely. ¡®When the moon is full, the dog wails.¡¯ The shaman tore the corners of his mouth upward and beamed. Though his mouth was bizarrely turned up, her eyebrows dropped sharply. It seemed as if she were mocking Chae-woo¡ªpitying him,ughing at him. Simultaneously, Chae-woo¡¯s head throbbed as if being struck repeatedly by a series of blunt weapons. The protesting and drumming of the people around him aggravated the splitting headache all the more. ¡®What¡¯s happening?!¡¯ Kwon Chae-woo bit down hard on his tongue until he tasted blood, enduring all the pain. As if the ground that he stood on had overturned, his face violently contorted, and his eyes burned with life. He looked up again in search of the shaman, but he had disappeared without a trace. The sacred tree¡¯s appearance was changing with every second. The grand and mysterious tree that had once stood there existed no longer. ¡®You¡¯ll be back. Tonight.¡¯ Kwon Chae-woo distinctly heard the shaman¡¯sst words¡ªa furtive whisper, like a butterfly¡¯s wings. Something was definitely changing. * * * ¡°Choo-ja, good work.¡± The long five-hour operation finally came to a close. After injecting the IV, Lee-yeon let out a long exhale. As soon as the tension released from her body, her limbs trembled. The people were transfixed by the sacred tree¡¯s new appearance, now scrawny as a telephone pole. Some cried, and others stomped their feet and lunged at Lee-yeon in anger. Kwon Chae-woo pushed them away with ease and stood proudly by Lee-yeon¡¯s side. When such a tall, strong man had a cold look in his eyes, people hesitated pushing any further. ¡°Huh? Chae-woo, how did you get here?¡± She stared wide-eyed at the man who had appeared unannounced. Delight filled his eyes and his lips parted in a smile. Chae-woo¡¯s throat suddenly stung. Needless to say, it was a moment he wished to be engraved in his memory forever. As he ced a cheek on top of Lee-yeon¡¯s head, she pushed hisrge body away. ¡°I got a lot of moss on me. It¡¯ll get all over you!¡± Chapter 111: Chapter 111: ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Lee-yeon paused at the frail sound of his voice. ¡°Chae-woo, why do you seem so worn out? Is something wrong?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Do you have a fever or something?¡± Lee-yeon hurriedly reached to feel his forehead, but rather than warm, it was cold as ice. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± As Kwon Chae-woo recalled the words of the strange shaman, his face hardened. An inexplicably bad feeling washed over him. He hugged Lee-yeon¡¯s waist closer to him and clung onto her tightly. ¡°How is the tree? Do you think it¡¯ll be alright?¡± ¡°I think we¡¯ll have to keep an eye on it for the next couple weeks. We took care of everything urgent, but who knows how well it¡¯ll recover¡­¡± ¡°You did a great job, Lee-yeon.¡± Before long, the sun was beginning to set. Its color was ethereal, like that of violets set loose in water. As the wind blew, thendscape that hung at the eaves of the vige shrine wailed brilliantly. As she spoke, Lee-yeon gently stroked the tree that had gone through so much. ¡°Chae-woo,e to think of it, that too was like a sort of sacred tree to me.¡± ¡°You mean the singing tree?¡± Kwon Chae-woo felt around for her hand and grasped it. Soon, the two stood before the disassembled tree. ¡°It was my greatest memory, and my greatest source offort. You could say it¡¯s my guardian.¡± ¡°Every time I hear that, I feel sour. It seems like your secret first love.¡± Kwon Chae-woo made a face. He was familiar with the singing tree that Lee-yeon asionally told stories about. When they ate, when they made love and shared their feelings, when they held each other tightly and dozed off¡ªanytime they shared small spaces, Lee-yeon cautiously let her guard down and opened up, and the topic was always the tree of her childhood. That was the only memory that Lee-yeon spoke of with a smile. A tree that sings¡­ It could have just been Lee-yeon¡¯s imagination, something she created in her loneliness. That¡¯s why anytime Kwon Chae-woo heard these anecdotes, he wished to insert himself. Although he was the one who lost his memory, sometimes Lee-yeon seemed more like the empty one. ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell you, and only you. Who my sacred tree was, that is.¡± ¡°Just please don¡¯t say something like, ¡®It turned out to be a male tree.¡¯ I don¡¯t want you to resent me for nitpicking about the gender of a tree.¡± ¡°It was a girl.¡± ¡°A girl?¡± Funnily enough, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face filled with relief. His expression softened as he tucked Lee-yeon¡¯s baby hairs flying in the wind behind her ears. ¡°I¡¯m not a fool, you know. I was in high school at the time. Too old to believe in fairytales.¡± Kwon Chae-woo was fairly certain she had still believed, but he suppressed the smile he felt creeping up. ¡°I was just thrown off at first. I realized soon after that it was a person ying. And not the tree singing at all.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°One day, when I cried, I heard aforting melody, and when Iughed, I heard dance music. And another day, it purposely yed the wrong notes, like it was teasing me.¡± Then Chae-woo¡¯s vision suddenly became shaky and Lee-yeon¡¯s face blurred, bing two and then three faces. Her side profile, that of a woman over thirty, now looked as if she were a teenage schoolgirl in uniform. He furrowed his eyebrows and tried to refocus his eyes. ¡°Since then, I¡¯ve often left post-it notes and slips of paper on trees. I ask who they are, what kind of song they sing, and I tell them how I feel, like a diary. It¡¯s embarrassing, but I¡¯ve also written that I¡¯d like to meet them. I used to be so giddy at the thought that maybe even I could make a friend¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Of course, I never got any responses.¡± Chae-woo slowly blinked and instinctively gripped Lee-yeon¡¯s hand tightly. ¡®If I don¡¯t grab her right now, if I don¡¯t hold her in my arms¡­¡¯ Those kinds of strange thoughts kept mucking about in his mind, like ck ink. ¡°Then at one point, the vige had be a bit boisterous, and I helped a girl I knew hide. Before she left, she told me to try digging under the tree I often visited.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°That was the first gift I received in my life. I think that girl was the singing tree. You see, there under that tree were all the old records that I had heard before, that had been yed for me.¡± An intense nausea that made him want to vomit his insides gushed through him, like a sticky swamp. Lee-yeon¡¯s voice, usually pleasant to his ears, sharply pierced his flesh and cut him inside somewhere. Kwon Chae-woo chewed the inside of his lip and tried hard to repress his repulsion. Chapter 112: Chapter 112: ¡°I have something for you, too.¡± His voice was restrained by the feeling of fluid swaying just below his throat¡ªsuch an abnormal physical reaction toward his wife, the woman he¡¯d give the world to at the drop of a hat. The strong repulsion filled him with guilt. But Kwon Chae-woo gritted his teeth and acted like nothing was wrong. He wondered if the recent adjustment to work life could have taken this big a toll on his health without him even noticing. There was no other reason for him to feel such aversion, as if he were breaking out in hives. He did not allow himself to be consumed by his baffling current state, instead clinging tightly to his long-held affection toward her. ¡°Chae-woo, what is this?¡± ¡°A present.¡± He pulled himself together and managed to take something out of his pocket. He opened the palm of his hand to reveal a small wood carving. Upon receiving the gift, Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wow!¡± The carving was of a flower, each petal blooming vividly. As Kwon Chae-woo studied Lee-yeon¡¯s reaction, he tucked his arms into his armpits and pressed his lips together. He was rather abashed of his work. The more closely Lee-yeon examined the pretty carving, the more she noticed its sloppy parts, and each time she found another w, her heart fluttered. ¡°Did you¡­ make this?¡± ¡°Sorry I couldn¡¯t give you anything nicer.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s lips parted slightly and she lowered her eyes back to the flower in her hand. ¡°¡­you said you¡¯d never give me flowers.¡± As she spoke in a choked voice, a slight movement began at the corners of his lips, and then subsided. His smiles had seemed especially brief today, but the words that followed made those sorts of trivial thoughts all flutter away. ¡°That¡¯s why I carved it into a tree. So, it¡¯ll never wither.¡± She became unusually shy to make eye contact with him. Lee-yeon fondly ran her hand over the carving that had clearly not been easy to make. ¡°But Chae-woo, how did you dye it?¡± Lee-yeon pointed to the flower petals, which had been lightly tinged with a bright red. ¡°It¡¯s blood.¡± ¡°¡­what?¡± She pricked up her ears, thinking she had misheard. ¡°I hurt myself while carving and some blood got on it.¡± He pressed the ends of his eyebrows and avoided her gaze. Lee-yeon rushed to open his palm, and saw scars were spread across his already rough skin. ¡°You said they were animal scratches!¡± ¡°Because they don¡¯t look much different.¡± ¡°It was really only that? There isn¡¯t anything else you¡¯re hiding?¡± Kwon Chae-woo gestured with his eyes to the blood-stained petals. ¡°Uh¡­ would it scare you if I said about half of that was intentional?¡± ¡°¡­yes. I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t hear that.¡± Lee-yeon wrapped the precious wood carving in her hands and pulled it toward her heart. The two remained for some time there, in front of the now branchless and ungraceful, but newly healed sacred tree. * * * ¡°Chae-woo, are you asleep?¡± After washing upte, Lee-yeon slightly rocked the man who seemed to have fallen asleep waiting for her. My evaluation is over now¡ªall I have to do is shut my eyes and spit it out. Lee-yeon wanted to get things straight quickly, before she lost all her courage. I really wanted to say it today¡­ ¡°Chae-woo, don¡¯t fall asleep yet. We said we would talk today.¡± He swept his eyes and rxed his throat. His already weakened voice soon crumbled into a moan. Lee-yeon became worried when she saw his fatigue and covered him with a nket. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s just sleep for now and talk tomorrow.¡± She lifted the other side of the nket and slid in next to him. If things were normal, he would have opened his arms and held her tightly, sensing her warmth like a ghost. Fast asleep, he simplyy there and breathed, as if he couldn¡¯t care less whether or not Lee-yeon hade to bed. Lee-yeon spread his arms, settled into the gap, and hugged his waist tightly. Only then did her heart feel warm and at home. ¡®First of all, I¡¯ll exin how we met¡­¡¯ As she thought through what she¡¯d say tomorrow, her eyes began to close. The sound of the bugs in the grass floating in through the window, Chae-woo¡¯sforting scent, his firm yet wide chest, the smell of two people permeating the room, the weight taking up half the bed, the absence of fear despite the presence of another in the dark. As she basked in each of these things, her whole body became listless and calm. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, in advance. I might end up hurting you tomorrow¡­¡¯ Lee-yeon¡¯s spirit slowly sank down, down, down. *** Brrrrring! Brrrrring! The rm that begins each day rang out loudly. Lee-yeon frowned and burrowed into his chest. Usually, the rm would ring once, then twice, and at exactly the third ring, Kwon Chae-woo would toss and turn as he shut it off. Then there would be silence again, and he would squeeze Lee-yeon in a hug, press his lips on the tender nape of her neck, and grumble and groan, not wanting to get out of bed. That¡¯s how the two begin their mornings. Brrrrring! Brrrrring! Brrrrring! But today was a bit different. ¡°¡­Chae-woo.¡± Lee-yeon whined, getting closer to his face and pushing him more and more. But the man who was usually extremely sensitive to sounds was utterly silent today. Something was off. Lee-yeon got chills and became suddenly alert. Her eyes popped open all on their own, without a poke or prod from anyone. As expected, the first thing she saw was Kwon Chae-woo, breathing evenly with his eyes closed. Lee-yeon turned the rm off herself and took in her surroundings, which seemed particrly heavy today. Sure enough, the sky was full of dark clouds, as if rainy season were about to begin early. ¡°Chae-woo¡­ wake up. We¡¯ll bete.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Kwon Chae-woo!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lee-yeon shook his shoulders, but he didn¡¯t budge. His eyelids, closed tight as window shutters, didn¡¯t quiver in the slightest. Not even his forehead flinched. Lee-yeon knew it was a ridiculous thought, but it seemed like somewhere in her body had instantly be frozen cold. Her hands were shaking. ¡°Chae-woo¡­ Kwon Chae-woo!¡± Chapter 113: Chapter 113: She shook him and patted his cheeks, but he showed no signs of waking up. Goosebumps arose from the palms of her hands. She finally resorted to punching his wide chest repeatedly with her soft fists, but the result was the same. ¡°Wha¡­ what in the world¡­¡± Then all sorts of thoughts came to mind. As if the tips of her fingers had suddenly stiffened, Lee-yeon slowly clenched and unclenched her fists while she calmed down. Don¡¯t be so dramatic. Think clearly.Lee-yeon took a deep breath and fought to regain herposure. Everyone sleeps in sometimes. That sort of thing ismon sense. There was no need to panic so much about the fact that Kwon Chae-woo was in too deep a sleep to wake up right away. ¡°Chae-woo, c¡¯mon, get up. What are you dreaming so deeply about? I have to leave for work soon. If I keep dawdling, I¡¯ll get an earful from Joo Dong-mi. You can¡¯t me meter for not trying to wake you up.¡± It wasn¡¯t long before Lee-yeon held a damp towel in her hand, wiping it across the back of his neck to try and revive him. But despite all her efforts, the man didn¡¯t lift a finger. She carefully wiped his eyes, hands, feet, and eyebrows, rubbing like a masseuse, but it grew to be too much for her. Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t bear to ovee the uneasiness that bubbled up inside her, and in the end she fell to her knees in despair. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, wake up! I said wake up!¡± Her eyes were misty and her breath stopped short. ¡°Chae-woo!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lee-yeon sighed and yanked on the clothes of the man who refused to respond no matter how many times she called his name, but there was no strength in her grasp. What went wrong? Lee-yeon ran her hands through her tangled hair andy back next to him. ¡°Did¡­ did I do something wrong? I¡¯ve been busytely, so¡­ maybe that¡¯s¡­¡± Kwon Chae-woo has Kleine-Levin syndrome, so he¡¯s prone to oversleeping. But it wasn¡¯t so difficult for him to wake up regrly in the morning when Lee-yeon was there by his side. Maybe she¡¯d gotten too used to that and let her guard down. Lee-yeon¡¯s effect on him running out for whatever reason was a predictable enough situation. ¡°Did I miss something?¡± Lee-yeon embraced him in vain as he continued to escape from her like sand. It was the only way she knew how to wake him up. She gathered and drew together what had be empty, but all that remained was silence and a shell of a person. Eventually, she picked up her phone. ¨DHello. A yawn arose from the drowsy voice on the other end of the line. Then suddenly, as if someone had pushed her over, the cries burst from her. ¡°Doctor!!¡± ¨DSo Lee-yeon? What is it, so early in the morning? The doctor¡¯s tone of voice became clear at once, as if she had immediately picked up on Lee-yeon¡¯s urgency. But rather than words, all that Lee-yeon could muster were tears. She pressed her lips together for a moment and dropped her phone. She managed just barely to swallow her sobs, but her facial expression crumbled helplessly. ¡°Kwon¡­ Chae-woo¡­ he¡¯s not waking up!¡± *** ¡°It really was like a ghost story.¡± The Beauty Hospital director stretched his neck from side to side as he spoke. Lee-yeon was walking around the wide trunk of the sacred tree, taking thorough notes on the results of the surgery, and the director was following her persistently. ¡°Director So, is there some problem at home?¡± ¡°¡­no.¡± ¡°How odd. Can the sacred tree distinguish between people?¡± The man scowled and looked up at the unsightly sacred tree. ¡°I even totaled my car. I¡¯d been on that road thousands of times¡ªwho could¡¯ve expected a boulder to suddenlye tumbling toward it? I crossed the center line to avoid it. I mean, my perfect driving record of 30 years was almost ruined!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Thank God I was the only one hurt. Imagine if it had been someone else!¡± He shook his head, shuddering at the thought. Then Lee-yeon stopped walking and turned to look at him. ¡°It¡¯s alright, sir. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d run off to get out of doing surgery or anything like that.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I just meant that you don¡¯t have to feel like you need an excuse.¡± As if she¡¯d hit the nail on the head, the director¡¯s face instantly stiffened. He scratched his head and coughed as Lee-yeon continued speaking. ¡°Well, now I¡¯ll definitely secure the Dome Project.¡± ¡°¡­what?¡± ¡°You know, I¡¯m the doctor of a tree that survived a ghost story.¡± Lee-yeon evaded the people¡¯s torrent of grievances and passed the second round of evaluation. Ever since the sacred tree¡¯s unique quality of magnificence disappeared overnight, the vige people clicked their tongues and turned their heads every time they passed by it. Lee-yeon was the only one to consistently stop by and check on the tree, as well as keep a record of its healing process. She half-listened to the director¡¯s rambling as she administered an IV to the tree. The recovery speed had been particrly slow due to the high number of rotten cavities. Lee-yeon wiped off her sweat with the back of her hand. She hadn¡¯t given much thought to the baby hairs that kept falling from her loose ponytail, until suddenly she recalled an affectionate touch from another time. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The feeling of fingertips sweeping baby hairs across her cheek and rubbing her earlobe. At that touch her ears had shivered, yet her neck had grown hot. It felt like it was only yesterday. Lee-yeon took a moment to lower her head and take a deep breath. ¡°Choo-ja, it¡¯s done.¡± She straightened her back. Choo-ja studied Lee-yeon¡¯s face as if it were her duty, and stood up alongside her. As soon as the expressionless Lee-yeon picked up her bag and took off first, Choo-ja made a zipped lips gesture toward the Beauty Hospital director. Startled by her biting re, the man recoiled. The long rainy season wasing to an end, and it had been one month since Kwon Chae-woo fell asleep. Chapter 114: Chapter 114: ¡°There¡¯s no way to know exactly when he¡¯ll wake up.¡± In a panic, she had hurriedly contacted the doctor. That day, he fell back into a deep sleep, as if beginning all over again. Just as before, whenever medical staff visited to bathe him, check his condition, or administer shots, Lee-yeon only stared nkly at him. His body was cold some days, warm others. Even little abnormalities like this made Lee-yeon¡¯s emotions jump all over the ce, changing dozens of times within one day. ¡°Chae-woo, when on earth will you wake up?¡± Just like every other day, she squeezed in bed next to Chae-woo, whoy still as a piece of wood. If she didn¡¯t sleep in the same bed as him, who knows whether or not he¡¯d be even more distant? Lee-yeon could not yet break free of that illusion. She didn¡¯t want to admit that the string forcing them together had been cut, that he didn¡¯t need her anymore. ¡°Not even a forest princess would sleep for this long.¡± Lee-yeon stared vacantly at his unresponsive profile. ¡°Can you hear me? If you¡¯re listening, hurry up ande out of there.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What is a man who always has nightmares doing in there all alone?¡± It was the thick of summer but lying next to Kwon Chae-woo chilled her to the bone. From time to time, she woke up and rushed to check his breathing, wondering if she were clutching onto a dead body. Some days, she missed him so much that she waited up all night, wondering if he¡¯d get up to go to the bathroom. That was how a whole month passed. A man who was clearly alive but could not make eye contact or respond to anything. Kwon Chae-woo, fast asleep and unconscious. Without his interference, Lee-yeon¡¯s regr lifestyle of eating, working, and going back home became more grueling. Each day, she simultaneously looked forward to and dreaded the next. Mornings, nights¡ªit was all hard for her. ¡°But I¡¯ll wait.¡± Lee-yeon closed her eyes with resolution. ¡°As I¡¯ve said before, patients who can¡¯t move or talk areparatively quite easy to care for.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Trees also hibernate. Shaking off leaves and going to sleep is their preparation for springtime. Maybe your deep sleep is for a reason, too. So when you¡¯re all done with whatever it is you¡¯re doing, wake up, please. All the time I¡¯ve spent waiting for trees to recover has given me a lot of patience.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have a lot to talk about.¡± Her eyshes trembled, but his fingers remained still, not showing even the slightest sign of movement. *** ¡°Director, I don¡¯t see him.¡± Gyu-baek, who usually shows the discipline of a well-trained kid soldier, spoke as he roamed around the house distractedly. He was the type that had to sit and get settled in the proper spot before beginning anything. As he examined his surroundings, he repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists. It was obvious who Gyu-baek was looking for. ¡°Ah.¡± A hopeless gleam shone across the face of Lee-yeon, who sat before the TV in a daze. ¡°Ma¡¯am, it seems I lost him.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°As expected, that¡¯s the end of theold monkey. My understanding was correct.¡± As he spoke, Gyu-baek nced out at the front yard where Chae-woo often used to exercise. Lee-yeon smiled bitterly. It seemed like Kwon Chae-woo had left a lot behind. Choo-ja, Joo Dong-mi, Gyu-baek¡ªalready this many people had asked and worried about him all month long. She wished even more people would be holding onto him like this. ¡°He¡¯s not lost, Gyu-baek.¡± Sometimes, when Kwon Chae-woo disappeared like this, she feared she would be the only one to remember him. There are times when those sorts of anxieties can eat away at a person. She looked at Gyu-baek with a refreshed sense of relief. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo is sleeping now. He¡¯s asleep on the second floor.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Gyu-baek, who rarely showed strong expressions, suddenly looked as if he¡¯s heard something preposterous. ¡°He¡­ he¡¯s lost his mind.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Female bears, they give birth in hibernation, but males sleep through the whole thing. They don¡¯t take care of their babies, they don¡¯t even live with the females. This old male has nothing to parrot, so he¡¯s mimicking the life of a bear. It¡¯s shocking, truly shocking.¡± Gyu-baek¡¯s words spilled out in a flurry. ¡°You ought to be a female praying mantis.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The female mantis eats the male. And you can¡¯t let that male be an exception to the rule.¡± ¡°That male¡ªno, Kwon Chae-woo will wake up soon.¡± Then Gyu-baek frowned and shook his head exactly five times. ¡°No. He is sure to continue sleeping.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lee-yeonughed off Gyu-baek¡¯s air of pity as he continued. ¡°I¡¯ve seen males like him more than enough times. My grandfather drinks, all day every day. My uncle is simr. They don¡¯t change. Some men just have a screw loose from the very start. In bears¡¯ case, even if they sleep for a long time, their bones and muscles are fine¡­ but he took a wrong turn somewhere.¡± Gyu-baek, perhaps feeling uneasy, sat down and began to quickly leaf through the pages of a book. ¡°The man needs to regain consciousness quickly. When youze around, you¡¯re sure to lose your territory to a younger monkey.¡± The child babbled,paring Kwon Chae-woo to a monkey. ¡°Of course.¡± Lee-yeon only patted the boy¡¯s head. Gyu-baek, who usually might have resisted, pushed his head down as if giving her permission. Choo-ja and Gyu-baek¡¯s everyday life at Spruce Tree Hospital remained normal. Lee-yeon¡¯s already dull face became even more darkly clouded. Will this sort of thing keep happening again and again? Not just this once? She bit her lip and covered her tired eyes with her palm. Will I have to feel this alone, this abandoned, over and over again? Living with a man who could wake up at any moment might end up being a lot more difficult than she originally thought. The man bloomed as briefly as a flower, and Lee-yeon would have to tolerate getting through it all alone. It would be a life dedicated to waiting, waiting for the arrival of that one abnormal day. She fiddled with the wood carving Kwon Chae-woo had gifted her. * * * After the sacred tree¡¯s surgery, the number of inquiries sent to the hospital increased, as if they¡¯d unintentionally left a strong impression on the public. Lee-yeon took it all in stride. Only by keeping busy could she continue to stand up and ovee the listlessness that often struck her. Once again today, Lee-yeon stopped by the tennis court construction site, which was now in full swing. She was in the process of making an estimate. ¡°The trees died because all their holes were blocked off.¡± Using her toes, Lee-yeon pointed out the water veins that had beenpletely covered by the soil at the construction site. ¡°First of all, we¡¯ll need to construct a well¡ªI¡¯m sorry, just one moment.¡± Lee-yeon excused herself as she felt her phone buzzing in her pants pocket. But as soon as she saw the name on her screen, her face visibly stiffened. It was Kwon Ki-seok. Chapter 115: Chapter 115: ¡°¡­!¡± Those three sybles hit her like a strike over the head. She rubbed her forehead like someone who¡¯d just walked into a telephone pole and stuffed her phone back in her pocket. These pants had very wide pockets, but it still took her a few tries to put her phone back in. Was it because this was the first time she¡¯d done this? Was it such a big deal for her to miss one phone call? Her heart was beating hard against her chest. Thinking back, the bigger problem was that up until now she¡¯d acted like he was her master, obediently answering every time he called. This time she¡¯d abruptly rejected the call. She worried he might just keep calling until she picked up, but her phone remained silent. ¡°Anyway, this is just like when a person has a stuffy nose. First, let¡¯s try to dig out some of the dirt.¡± The on-site engineer was listening to her exnation when he suddenly tilted his head. ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t hear about anyone visiting the site today?¡± He raised his eyebrows, a hint of annoyance on his face. Lee-yeon, overhearing his grumbling, turned her head to look. She watched as a spotless sedan smoothly coasted to a stop. Her phone started to ring again. The back door opened, revealing in session the jet-ck shoes, expensive suit, and silver-framed sses of none other than Kwon Ki-seok. He was holding his phone to his hear and staring directly at Lee-yeon. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It was the first time she¡¯d seen him since that night two years ago. Riiing, riiing. Her thigh ached as her phone vibrated violently in her pocket. Lee-yeon found herself shrinking back. Ki-seok scrutinized her expressionlessly before making a big show of ending the call. ¡°If you won¡¯t pick up, then get in.¡± He nodded toward the car. Perhaps it was a case of victim mentality, but she could have sworn she heard the words, ¡°While I¡¯m asking nicely.¡± ¡°Sir, I have to¡ª¡± Choo-ja, who had been working on ns for the well, interjected with a serious face, ¡°Who is that?¡± ¡°Chae-woo¡¯s older brother,¡± Lee-yeon whispered under her breath. Choo-ja lowered the rim of her cap, and without moving her lips asked, ¡°That jerk who ckmailed you?¡± When Lee-yeon nodded her head slightly in confirmation, Choo-ja gasped in astonishment, ¡°Oh my-! This is no ordinary pair of brothers, that¡¯s for sure.¡± ¡°Choo-ja, I have to go take care of this. While I¡¯m gone, can you prepare the trunk injection?¡± ¡°What happens if he tries to hurt you? We should call the police.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no use.¡± ¡°What?¡± This feeling of being pressed on from all sides was not unfamiliar. Lee-yeon moved towards the car as if being dragged by some invisible force. *** The inside of the car smelled vaguely of cigars. Lee-yeon ced her hands squarely on her knees. As Ki-seok leaned back deeply in his seat and pinched the bridge of his nose, his sses slid down a bit revealing his face. Lee-yeon jerked her head to the side, like she¡¯d seen something she wasn¡¯t supposed to. His attitude was so cold, Lee-yeon could have literally been on fire and he probably wouldn¡¯t have even lifted a finger. However, when he spoke, it was clear his chilling, emotionless words were directed towards her. ¡°I caught the real culprit.¡± Her eyes widened. ¡°You¡­ caught the real culprit?¡± Lee-yeon stared at him in disbelief. It was something she¡¯d given up on for some time now. Some part of her had given up on ever being able to catch the person capable of abducting her for no reason and even forcibly obtaining her signature. As the years passed, somewhere along the way Lee-yeon had simply be resigned to the fact that she would never find him. Sometimes, the logic of power leads to unprovoked misery. Lee-yeon had believed she¡¯d simply been a victim of that misery. She¡¯d epted the situation with Chae-woo as a kind of obstacle or burden that she¡¯d carry with her for the rest of her life. That¡¯s how she¡¯d been able to rationalize everything while she waited for him to wake up. ¡°I had to go undercover and find him from within his gang so it took me a while.¡± He opened the console box in the back seat and removed a thin file containing the culprit¡¯s photo and background information. Her memory of the incident two years ago had faded somewhat, but when she saw the photo, she recognized him immediately. It was clearly the face of the man whom Kwon Chae-woo had tried to bury alive and who eventually struck Kwon Chae-woo over the head, causing him to lose his memory. She was so caught off guard by this unexpected turn of events that she couldn¡¯t focus enough toprehend the rest of the information in the file. ¡°Now, you no longer have to face punishment for a crime you didn¡¯tmit.¡± She suddenly felt like something fishy was going on. Lee-yeon knew all too well how superficial his gentleman-like appearance was. ¡°From now on, you, So Lee-yeon, are free.¡± Chapter 116: Chapter 116: She stopped breathing for a moment, her heart pounding like crazy. This is the freedom she had been waiting for all this time. The moment she could finally break free from the constant surveince and ckmail. She sped her knees with her sweaty palms. The ridiculous charges against her would be lifted, her shackles removed. She would finally be free from the horror that had taken her life as coteral. It was all there, right in front of her. And yet, that intense feeling of bliss suddenly slipped from her grasp. She felt oddly uneasy. Instead of feeling relieved that it was all over, it was as though something was being stolen right from under her. Lee-yeon sat frozen, unable to reply. Ki-seok turned to look at her. As he turned, the leather seat made a sound like someone grinding their teeth together. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking Chae-woo with me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Thank you for taking such good care of him, Lee-yeon.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Well, wait, just hang on a second.¡± At that, Lee-yeon finally pulled herself together. ¡°What are you saying all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Is there some kind of problem? We have already met all the terms of our agreement, have we not?¡± ¡°You think you can just leave him in my care and take him away as you like. How can you treat people like this?¡± Lee-yeon tried to settle her rising emotions and continue calmly. Still there was no hiding the tremor in her voice. She wasn¡¯t cold at all, yet her whole body was shaking from Ki-seok¡¯s chilling gaze. ¡°We made a deal that was mutually beneficial. Or would you rather I had thrown you in jail?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If I had, I wouldn¡¯t be sitting here now listening to you spew this nonsense.¡± Lee-yeon gently chewed her lip. You could hear a vague feeling of shame in her pitiful sounding tone. Perhaps, she really was an idiot, just like he said, for not jumping at the opportunity to put an end to all this. ¡°¡­but the marriage registration.¡± Lee-yeon, unable to keep her hands still, couldn¡¯t stop rubbing her hands together almost to the point of wearing out her fingerprints. ¡°If you already knew the extent of my lies to Chae-woo, then why¨D¡± ¡°So, you think I¡¯m being unfair?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I was trying to help you.¡± ¡°Exactly! Just why¡­!¡± She pushed her hair out of her face in frustration. Suddenly, Ki-seok lowered himself, so their eyes were level with each other. His stared at her, silent, searching. ¡°Do you know what my brother despises most in this world?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Being lied to. Beneath his sses, she could see his sharp eyes and was reminded of Chae-woo. Lee-yeon felt as though her heart, frozen inside her chest, was impaled on a harpoon. ¡°I, on the other hand, am quite fond of your lies.¡± As the light in Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes darkened, Ki-seok exuded a terrifying energy. ¡°We¡¯re the same, you and I.¡± This remark was gut wrenching. She had never felt more guilty for lying to Chae-woo than she did in this moment. Lee-yeon clutched her stomach and dropped. ¡°¡­please, don¡¯t take him away,¡± she pleaded, her voice as small as an ant¡¯s. Even as Ki-seok stood looming over Lee-yeon, pale with fear, the resemnce was striking. She frowned suddenly. The change was especially noticeable, for her face, which white as a sheet, suddenly contorting into a strange expression. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see another lie be true.¡± They could hear a faint wind overhead. Ki-seok was just as formal as the first time they¡¯d met, but rather it was theck of change in his attitude that made her realize his ridiculing sneer reflected his honest emotions. He slowly rapped his fingertips against the armrest. ¡°Nothing you have learned about Kwon Chae-woo up until now has been real.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s shoulders shook with fear. ¡°Even so, are you confident you won¡¯t have any regrets?¡± * * * Who knows how she made it through the rest of the workday. Night had fallen, and she was justing through the front door, her mind in a daze. The lights were off, but in the darkness, an even darker shadow rose silently, nketing the tops of Lee-yeon¡¯s feet. Startled, she dropped her bag with a thud. ¡°¡­!¡± She rubbed her eyes roughly, unable to tell if this was a dream or reality. Just when she thought her heart would explode, her eyes filled with tears. Right there in front of her, the man who for the past month had been the source of all her dread and anxiety, Kwon Chae-woo stood calmly looking down at her. Perhaps because he¡¯d been asleep for so long, his eyes still seemed a bit blurry, but there was no doubt in her heart. It was Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°Lee-yeon, how have you been?¡± ¡°Chae, Chae-woo¡­.¡± He slowly stepped toward her. When he smiled at her with that same feeling of warmth and affection, she was struck speechless. He stood with his hands sped behind his back, twirling a web-like silver thread around in his hand. The string was coiled tightly around the back of his fingers and hands. When he clenched his fist, the tightly wound string dug into his skin. The thin silver thread shone sharply on the back of his hand cutting of his cirction and turned his hand a dark red color. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Lee-yeon.¡± Chapter 117: Chapter 117: Kwon Chae-woo was dreaming. His vision was foggy. Who knows how long he¡¯d been wandering aimlessly through this ce where he couldn¡¯t see or feel a thing, let alone distinguish what time or day it was. One thing was certain. The further he walked, he drew lines, and the twisting sound grew louder and louder, until it felt as though his ears were bleeding. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± He couldn¡¯t hear anything over his terrible headache and the ringing in his ears. He felt like vomiting and wished to just turn around and go back the way he hade, but his legs seemed to move on their own. That unbearable tone rose to an unbearable volume. The sound of something pulling and scratching reverberated like a soprano singing in vibrato. That terrible screaming sound continued growing uncontrobly louder and louder in his head. It grew and grew until he thought his head might explode. Almost instantly, the fog before his eyes cleared. In this dream, he saw someone. Covered in sweat, drawing lines, it was none other than Kwon Chae-woo himself, just younger. He sits, dressed in a fitted tailcoat, a cello between his legs, driving himself to the limit with his performance. His arms, wrists, fingers all moving in harmony with careful restraint, sometimes swelling in wave-like motions, other times shaking intensely, violently. The spotlight on him is illuminating. His fingers press violently against the four strings, beads of sweat dripping from the ends of his hair each time he cuts his bow across them. The audience is holding their breath, unable to tear their eyes from the stage. They understand at once why this nobody of a boy is said to be the best at ying a Guarneri. The same Guarneri yed by Paganini until the day he had died. Stradivari violins are also good instruments, but this Asian boy had appeared out of nowhere seemingly possessed by the spirit of Guarneri instruments, able to make such a beautiful sound that it pulled people in, tempting as the devil. His ying was always heavy and dark. Yet at the same time it was never crude nor vulgar. Opinions about his unique style were divided, but Kwon Chae-woo, who had a natural talent for mastering musical instruments, became Guarneri¡¯s perfect muse. And at that moment. ¡ª Chaewoo, she¡¯s dead. All the memories poured out as though a dam had broken in his mind. One day just before he turned 20, his world changed. How the devilish talent, who made his debut at the age of thirteen as the youngest winner of both the Geneva and Rostropovich International Competitions, vanished in a single moment. How that invaluable source of inspiration was lost overnight. It all started with that phone call from his brother. ¡°Brother, I don¡¯t care what her body looks like¨C¡± He was sobbing,¡°Just let me see her onest time.¡± Now the cello was just a wooden nk to him. He¡¯d been obsessed with this instrument all his life. The loss of his musical talent, as if it had been stolen from him, left him defeated to the point where he couldn¡¯t y even a single note. The scene shifted, the dream bringing his consciousness to another memory. ¡°Gaahhhhhh!¡± The corners of Chae-woo¡¯s mouth perked up at the sound of the desperate wail. He pressed his opponent¡¯s back with his knees and lifted his neck mercilessly by the rope wound around it. He calmly tightened the rope around the man squirming on his back like a fish out of water. The hounds cheered wildly, mming against the cage. ¡°St-stop¡­¡­¡±! Gahhhh!¡± Despite his opponent¡¯s appeals, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s gaze remained indifferent. His eyes were motionless, just the corners of his mouth curving up in a sinister grin. The muscles in his neck were strained revealing the colorful veins beneath his skin. One thick tendon bulged from his arm, running from the back of his hand up to his elbow. Jang Beom-hee, who stood watching from outside the cage, shuddered at the thought of Chae-woo¡¯s monstrous grip. ¡°If you¡¯re going to piss your pants at something as simple as this, why did youe in here?¡± He spat at the man. ¡°Ugh, ughhh! Please st¡ª¡± ¡°How can you do this when life is so precious?¡± ¡°Gahhh!¡± ¡°If my job is to be a knife-wielding gangster, the least I should do is not listen to my pet.¡± Chae-woo rxed his strength and stepped back, his opponent dropping to the floor. The wide square fighting cage reeked of rusty iron. Kwon Chae-woo scanned the men outside the cage with raw emotion in his eyes. ¡°Sir,¡± Beom-hee said, approaching with a towel in his hands. It had already been six years since Kwon Chae-woo returned home and became addicted to violence, the taste of which he had only gotten by ident. Chapter 118: Chapter 118: Having disappeared from the stage as soon as he turned 20, he was now a hound on the front line of violence to help with the family business. The concentration camp that voluntarily entered was a private education battalion of the Kwon family, where Kwon Chae-woopletely permeated into the darkness of society through a hellish training process. From a genius cellist who once dominated the ssical world to a shallow torturer who became a heinous racketeer and took out debt. It took a ridiculously short amount of time for Chae-woo to be addicted to violence. Cello, the instrument that most closely resembles a human vocal range. ¡°Gahhhhhhhhh!¡± He stamped a foot down on his opponent¡¯s back one more time. The sense he¡¯d once had to be able to fall into a trance and make music from something as simple as a few notes was long lost, but violence has many simrities. In this ce of torn flesh and blood curdling screams, the needle numbing his system seemed to press ever deeper. Only then was able to pick up his cello bow once more. Like a parched man searching for a well, he fell hopelessly into sadistic behavior. ¡°How did it go?¡± Chae-woo stepped out of the cage without hesitation and crossed the musty basement. Whenever he climbed the stairs, small creases of light crossed his forehead as little by little he rose from the darkness. Jang Beom-hee followed closely behind and lowered his voice. ¡°I¡¯ve identified a suspect.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°A few years ago, she was a maid for the family, but she can¡¯t speak.¡± ¡°Was her tongue cut or was she born that way?¡± ¡°Her tongue was cut, sir.¡± There is a fine line between genius and maniac. Kwon Chae-woo controlled the hounds with nothing but a lust for violence. He did not hesitate to do dirty work for his own pleasure, rather than for the survival of the family, and since the hounds were a gang famous enough to be used by previous presidents, he was a perfect yer in that field. Once he¡¯d gained some power, he¡¯d begun to do all the things he¡¯d put off when he was helpless. ¡°I¡¯m guessing it wasn¡¯t because cutting off her fingers was too much work.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± When Jang Beom-hee hesitated, Chae-woo, who was ahead of him, stopped walking and looked back. ¡°Don¡¯t make me angry and tell me.¡± ¡°¡­I think Director Kwon lied to you, sir.¡± Jang Beom-hee couldn¡¯t bear to look into his eyes and bowed his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think Jooha¡¯s death was an ident¡­ She had many names and titles. Yoon Jooha, that woman, crazy hag. And¡­ his mother. Even now, it was like looking at a melody whenever he closed his eyes. Warm sunlight, fine hair fluttering in the wind, their humble thatched house, big trees. A mother who nurtured with love and devotion and created a source of music. A warm woman who taught the echoes of the trees and the cello. A benefactor who sang a luby every night and told irrevocable lies at the same time. A sinner who kidnapped Chae-woo, who was only three years old at the time, by concealing him in a cello bag. ¡°Tell me.¡± His face stiffened. ¡°It is to my understanding that the Kwon family has held her in custody for quite some time.¡± At that moment, Chae-woo finally opened his eyes, feeling the intense pain of his broken ribs. The dream has ended and now he was finally conscious after months of sleep. ¡°Oh, my¡­¡± He sucked in a breath, hoisting himself up into a seated position. His chest shook roughly like someone struggling to breathe. Darn it, Chae-woo cursed in a strangely unfamiliar voice. His head, which had been foggy up to that point, was brutally clear. He grimaced in pain. Eventually he looked around at the familiar, yet unfamiliar seemingly strange interior.The pattern on the ceiling he¡¯d never seen before, the unfamiliar furniture, and the medical devices checking his vitals. He ripped the pad off his body and got out of bed. He casually overlooked the first thing he saw, the wild animal rescue center¡¯s jacket, as if it were part of the wallpaper, and scanned the neatly organized wallet, cell phone, and ID card on the dresser. ¡°¡­what is all this?¡± He crumpled his forehead and lifted his ID. The picture was definitely of him, but the numbers were ridiculous. His birthday from the day to the year was all fake. Heughed audibly at the sight of his age; four years older than he really was. Like a well-made film set, this ce had no sense of reality. Chae-woo kept looking at the house unfamiliarly, rubbing the nape of his neck. His hands felt rough as he opened drawers and searched through closets. Nevertheless, his steps moved naturally like a person who knew exactly where to go. His head couldn¡¯t keep up with his body. Chae-woo clicked his tongue in annoyance at hisck of memories. ¡°Exactly what kind of drugs was I subjected to. Who bastards did this to me?¡± Chae-woo came down the stairs, stretching and cracking his stiff neck, arms, waist, and legs one after another. However, the further he went down, the more spectacr the sight was. With two pairs of indoor shoes, pastel-toned cushions, couple mugs, twin pots, and dream catchers, the lower floor¡¯s interior was cute and cozy. Completely the opposite of him. At the sight of the lower floor, his stomach lurched. Chae-woo held onto the railing and bowed his head. Whenever he took a deep breath with his teeth clenched, the veins sticking out in the center of his forehead writhed. Fake, fake, fake. The whole thing was an outrageous facade. He could feel it in the sporadic twitches of his body. It was a level of disgust he¡¯d felt for the first time in a long time since the world he knew had been overturned at the age of 13. At that, his memories came rushing back to him like pieces of metal to a ma, shocking him to the point where he saw lights in his eyes. ¡°Ah¡­¡± His adam¡¯s apple bobbed once and a meaningful groan slipped from his lips. The man lifted his bloodshot eyes and slowly stared into the air. Yes¡­ He hade to Hwaido to catch So Lee-yeon. Chapter 119: Chapter 119: Bang! Beom-hee was stunned when he saw that half the door had been kicked down. From the moment his ears had picked up the noise, he had immediately closed theptop he¡¯d been working on and grabbed his baton, but he froze at the warlike force of Chae-woo walking towards him. That look in his eyes. The familiar energy he¡¯d wielded in the past, of twisting and tearing apart all the things he found unsatisfactory. ¡°¡­Are you the young master?¡± He felt a feeling of foreboding in his stomach. ¡°Beom-hee.¡± Kwon Chae-woo, his face white as a sheet, grabbed Beom-hee by the cor and pushed him to the wall.¡±Ugh¡­! How on earth¡­¡± ¡°Exin.¡± Chase-woo¡¯s deeply furrowed brow and roughly raised eyebrows were fiercer than ever. The dim look in his eyes revealed his feelings of confusion and distrust, but something could be read in his expression as clearly as if illuminated by the light of a lighthouse. Jang Beom-hee¡¯s chest expanded and sunk in anticipation. Instead of coughing, he smiled. ¡°I went under Director Kwon Ki-seok. As the young master ordered.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Are you really back?¡± ¡°So much so that I know you dug a cave here.¡± He slowly turned his head to scan Beom-hee¡¯s room. Large dual monitors, a program still running, telescopes by the window, and pictures all over the table. ¡°What¡¯s with the wiretapping?¡± Chase-woo asked, gesturing toward the monitor with his chin. ¡°Director Kwon told me to keep an eye on Lee-yeon¡¯s every move.¡± Chae-woo¡¯s raised a single eyebrow in reaction. On one wall hung simple descriptions of all the people at Spruce Tree Hospital, and there were an exceptional number of shots of Lee-yeon. Chae-woo¡¯s indifferent gaze lingered there. In that moment, he couldn¡¯t move his eyes as though he was caught in a trap. Chae-woo started at the woman as if reveling in the mere image of her. ¡°This is the face of the woman who¡¯s been ying me this whole time.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± Beom-hee asked nkly, a slight hint of irritation in his voice. ¡°She definitely said she was my wife.¡± Jang Beom-Hee was speechless. His master was now really back. ¡°Which is odd, since I¡¯ve never been married or had a wife. I¡¯m not some drugged up animal, and I¡¯ve been shoving myself between her legs like a mad man. Like I¡¯vepletely lost my mind.¡± ¡°Young Master, have your memories¡­,¡± Beom-hee started, frowning at the delicate tone of Chae-woo¡¯s voice, but he did not respond. He was still just staring at Lee-yeon¡¯s picture. A woman like that always had a man following after her. In the photos it was Chae-woo, always holding her hand, had his arm around her shoulder, or kiss her forehead without the slightest hesitation. This man¡¯s face, smiling affectionately, was like a stranger to Chae-woo. After examining each photo one by one, Chae-woo slowly turned his head back around. ¡°I remember rolling around in bed with her whenever I had time, but that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°So, exin it to me, Beom-hee.¡± Beom-hee immediately stood at attention when he saw Chae-woo¡¯s fearsome expression. ¡°What the hell was I doing in that house?¡± Chae-woo irritably released Beom-hee¡¯s cor. ¡°¡­gaslighting and sexual abuse.¡± Chae-woo closed theptop after reading all the reports up to now. ¡°At the time, the young master was also suffering from sleep disorders due to aftereffects from the ident.¡± ¡°Damn, how did I fall for such lies?¡± He twisted his mouth in a pernicious way. She used to lie every single time she opened her mouth. As if having a fake mother wasn¡¯t enough, now he had a fake wife, too. To think that he had been mesmerized by that fumbling liar¡­ ¡°You¡¯re saying that¡¯s how stupid I was.¡± Every time he unclenched his fist, there was a slight cracking sound. He also felt angry at himself for having behaved like an idiot with no memory and no intelligence. He pressed his temples and sighed irritably. ¡°How many?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°So how many bugs did you nt in the house?¡± he turned his stiff neck and spat out disapprovingly. ¡°Twelve in total.¡± Then he smirked through his teeth and pressed his tongue roughly against the inside of his cheek. ¡°Make sure you erase everything before you smash all the monitors you have here.¡± ¡°¡­Sorry?¡± ¡°Did you not overhear us having sex?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Chae-woo was cold as ice as he spat out the words as if he were cutting them to pieces. Beom-hee¡¯s expression hardened instantly and he raised his voice in protest, ¡°No!¡± ¡°I only selected the necessary information and reported it to Director Kwon! I took special care to report that Lee-yeon wasmitting sex crimes and gaslighting the young master, providing false information about her job, age, education background, and that she was clearly psychologically manipting you. Other than that, I had absolutely no other intention!¡± Chapter 120: Chapter 120: Beom-hee¡¯s gaze was unwavering as he made his pleas, but Chae-woo remained expressionless. ¡°Yes, she yed me.¡± ¡°Providing a person with false information to intentionally mislead them is undoubtedly an act of fraud.¡± ¡°You think of all people I¡¯m the one who doesn¡¯t know that?¡± His face was cold, slowly recovering the faintest touch of emotion. The floor was bare except for a few scratches purposefully etched into the surface, which remained like a faint afterimage. Beom-hee lowered his head. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Chae-woo stood for a while with closed eyelids, his hands resting on the back of his neck. He felt some nameless force surge within him, a feeling he had not had for a very long time. This burning feeling boiling up inside him sent a hot, searing sensation through his esophagus. ¡°Exactly what is the rtionship between Ki-seok and Lee-yeon?¡± ¡°It started out as ckmail, but now it¡¯s a partnership.¡± ¡°ckmail?¡± Chae-woo¡¯s re was as sharp as that of an animal about to pounce on its prey. ¡°It was something of an equivalent exchange. Lee-yeon was caught at the scene of the young master¡¯s ident. Instead of dying Lee-yeon¡¯s disposition, the director left the young master in her care.¡± ¡°¡­I fell right into their trap, what an idiot.¡± Chae-woo looked as though he would say something more but stopped himself. It was not technically equivalent. Before he had lost his memory, he clearly recalled hearing someone approach him from behind. However, he was the one who chose not to move. At that moment, augh slipped out from his hardened lips. He had been the dumb one. ¡°It¡¯s been the same for us. As word spread that the young master had fallen into the hands of the director, over the past two years our influence has steadily fallen.¡± He had expected that much. Beom-hee¡¯s next words made Chae-woo break his indifferent expression. ¡°Also, Director Kwon and Lee-yeon met today.¡± ¡°What?¡± Beom-hee opened theptop again. He clicked on a file and there on the screen was a picture of Ki-seok and Lee-yeon facing each other in front of a ck sedan. Chae-woo wrinkled his nose in utter disgust. Images flipped past his eyes on after anothern. The two of them in the same car. Ki-seok leaning toward her, his expression heavy as if he was having a serious conversation, Lee-yeon getting out the car, and Ki-seok¡¯s mysterious eyes following her. ¡°What time?¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long. Two hours ago.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°As of now, Director Kwon has been turning a blind eye to Lee-yeon¡¯s lies.¡± ¡°Ha¡­.¡± Chaewoo frowned and then burst intoughter. ¡°In addition to the marriage report and ID card, most of the documents the young master submitted prior to his employment are forged. The qualification certificate, driver¡¯s license, and bankbook copies were all provided by the director. It¡¯s a fake ID but it can still bypass most bank and portal sites.¡± ¡°Shit, what are you saying?¡± Chae-woo clenched his fist, the bones on the back of his hand popping out like a rake. ¡°You mean the both of them are out to get me? Those two.¡± He grabbed at picture of Lee-yeon that was lying on the table and crumpled it in his fist. ¡°What do you n to do now, young master?¡± He didn¡¯t even breathe. He just stared out the window at Lee-yeon¡¯s house. At first nce, he looked empty and cold from the back. Beom-hee felt and unknowable feeling of anxiety as he watched his silhouette darken in the glow of the backlight. He wondered what thoughts were running through this poor hedonist¡¯s mind. ¡°What do you mean?¡± His calm voice fell heavily. Suddenly, Chae-woo¡¯s eyes fell on something in the toolbox. There was a string he used to use often rolled up like a snake. ¡°I¡¯ll just have to keep up this act until I can return home.¡± ¡°¡­you mean, the young master will y along?¡± An unexpected smile caught the corner of his mouth. ¡°She really should have gutted me when she still had the chance.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± I hate liars, he muttered to himself chillingly. ¡°I have no intention of forgiving people who y around with lies.¡± Lee-yeon, who brazenly dared to lie to his face and make aplete fool out of him. Now it was time for her to get a taste of her own medicine. This dirty hound knew better than anyone how to hurt Lee-yeon in the most painful of ways and he intended to strike that spot exactly. ¡°For now, I¡¯ll try to find out whether she¡¯s really in league with Ki-seok or not. Also-¡± That submissive man who ¡®d believed her to be his real wife was gone. ¡°Whether or not my mother was sold off.¡± Those memories he hadn¡¯t experienced directly were just a record. The record of some other guy who borrowed his body for a while. Just a stupid sketch he could rip apart and be done with. And so, just like that, ¡®So Lee-yeon¡¯s husband Kwon Chae-woo,¡¯ who never even truly existed, was buried beyond retrieval. Chapter 121: Chapter 121: When he returned to the house, he paused and frowned at the familiar scent surrounding him. As if out of habit, he felt immediately rxed and he felt himself harden upon the realization that he was relieved just by the mere scent of her. Chase-woo cursed at this unwilling physical reaction. After losing his memory, he¡¯d be such a moron. His mouth and nose were instantly filled with the scent. It was this scent that always made the idiot Chae-woo, his past self, be sexually aroused, the scent of So Lee-yeon. He scoured the house, opened the window, and aired out the room. ¡°Damn, it smells like shit.¡± It was the feeling of waking up one day with your head filled with another man¡¯s memories. But it was nothing more than the feeling you got from rummaging through another person¡¯s bookshelf or looking uninspired through ck and white film. Chae-woo remained calm throughout it all. Suddenly, he heard small footsteps and the front door opened wide. ¡°Scarabs feed on cow dung and horse dung. Adult scarabs roll the dung into round dumpling-like shapes and store them in a cave forter¨C Ah.¡± He stopped. Gyu-baek froze, his jaw dropping at the sight of the man standing tall in the middle of the living room. It was at that moment that Gyu-baek started running towards him cheerfully and with hands outstretched However¡­. ¡°Oh¡­?¡± The child hesitated and stopped in his tracks. His eyes grew big like the time his drunken grandfather squashed one of his most cherished insects. He suddenly stepped back, quickly turning to hide behind the sofa. He gasped and screamed at the top of his lungs. ¡°Fake! You are an impostor!¡± Chase-woo¡¯s head slowly turned toward the insignificant thing. He watched the fumbling child. There was nothing soical as the sight of him quickly covering his face whenever their eyes met. Ah, him. He recalled what he¡¯d seen in this absurd little boy¡¯s record. He treated me like azy, worthless man. ¡°You¡ª¡± ¡°He¡¯s gone. The man I knew has disappeared!¡± Gyu-baek kept covering and uncovering his eyes, his nostrils ring. As Chae-woo strode toward him, he screamed and ran around the living room like a rabbit out of its cage. A thick tendon pulsed wildly on Chae-woo¡¯s chin. He nced agitatedly out the window and up at the clock. If Lee-yeon came home to see this, the game would be up. Chae-woo immediately snatched Gyu-baek with all his strength and sat him on the sofa. He squatted down and squeezed the child¡¯s arms tightly, lowering down to match his eye level. He had never done anything this small. Chae-woo clicked his tongue. ¡°Hey kid.¡± ¡°The poor director. This is a huge problem. Male mantises fight with females to avoid being eaten. They are very cautious and strategic in their approach. You have an ulterior motive. The director is being fooled.¡± ¡°What?¡± The childpulsively avoided eye contact and muttered words Chae-woo couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°A-and the spider, bites the female, injects venom, or mates tightly with a web. This is the wild. But I can¡¯t interfere with the ss box. That know-it-all doctor will have to. Peter Jonathan¡¯s book. Preface. Third line.¡± Gyu-baek looked at the square house, his face pale. Chae-woo looked at his small frame. His pupils were dted, and his breath was shaking. Eventually, Chae-woo let go of the boy¡¯s arms. He thought of something to say to calm Gyu-baek. ¡°Insects that build cocoons don¡¯t consider their cocoons fake, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called metamorphosis.¡± The child was fast to correct him. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a difference between an iplete metamorphosis and aplete metamorphosis.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°The director must be told that you have undergoneplete metamorphosis.¡± Chae-woo¡¯s expression slowly faded into a frown. There was no way to talk to this kid. In the end, Chae-woo opened his arms wide as if to take the boy in his embrace. In case he might scare Gyu-baek, Chae-woo loosened his control on the spirit inside him. ¡°Look carefully, am I really not the same man you knew?¡± ¡°The man I knew was old,zy, and infirm. But your eyes are¡ª¡± ¡°My eyes?¡± ¡°Wicked.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°My gambling uncle always looks like that when he takes from my grandfather¡¯s emergency bank ount.¡± Kwon Chae-woo remained speechless. ¡°When he goes behind his back.¡± Chae-woo lowered his head and put a hand on the sofa, leaning his weight on that arm. ¡°Listen here, you little punk. I read about you. I know you¡¯re smart, not great at reading the room, but you can get the gist.¡± He pulled Gyu-baek¡¯s head back by his hair and forced him to make eye contact. ¡°So tell me, what do you think you should do in this situation?¡± Gyu-baek closed his eyes as hard as he could and tried to twist his head free. ¡°The director has to run away!¡± ¡°Wrong answer,¡± he said, veins bulging from his forehead, but he suppressed his rage. ¡°You have to shut your mouth and adapt to the new environment.¡± Chae-woo squeezed the child¡¯s small lips like he was holding a pair of tongs. ¡°Wake up to reality. You can¡¯t save your precious director.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Suddenly, the child¡¯s shoulders drooped as though all the energy had left his body. Seeing this, Chae-woo suddenly let go of Gyu-baek¡¯s head and he bolted. Gyu-baek¡¯s sullen expression was oddly bothersome, but Chae-woo knew this feeling wasn¡¯t really his. It was just a learned reflex his body had picked up and he knew better than to be fooled by the illusion. It was enough to have experienced it once. ¡®But the singing tree¡­¡¯ Chae-woo smiled coldly, recalling the word he¡¯d heard mentioned over and over again in the wiretapping recordings. Looking back, it had already been 15 years since then. He lifted his rope, the first time in a long time, and it felt smooth in his hand. In that moment, the wait for the kill was better than ever. A dull humming sound escaped from between his lips. I guess I wasn¡¯t the only one thinking of you. Chapter 122: Chapter 122: ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± Lee-yeon stared nkly at Chae-woo who smiled back at her as though nothing had happened. Thest month, when all she could see was darkness, had been the worst rainy season ever. The house was always gloomy and sometimes she even resented having to use an umbre. And the absence of the first warmth she¡¯d ever received. Lee-yeon had felt like copsing, but she kept treating the trees every day and somehow managed to pick up a spoon and eat. Surviving by protecting those who sleep in the forest. She was a forest keeper and an endurer. ¡°You haven¡¯t changed at all.¡± ¡°Chae-woo!¡± ¡°It¡¯s been such a long time, but you¡¯re just the same.¡± She ran straight to him and hugged him around his waist. Her damp eyelids fluttered on the verge of overflowing. He patted Lee-yeon on the back as she buried her face in his chest like a puppy. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me right away? Are you feeling any pain? Aren¡¯t you hungry? Do you have a headache?¡± She questioned him endlessly, almost forgetting to breathe. ¡°I thought I might disturb you at work.¡± ¡°Do you have any idea how long I¡¯ve been waiting for you!¡± Everything she had been carrying inside her stacking all the way up to her neck was finally washed away. With Chae-woo¡¯s presence filling the house, her stomach felt full, her heart raced. and she felt full of energy. She took a deep breath. ¡°You¡¯ve been asleep for over a month. Do you have any idea how much¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡ªhow much I missed you.¡± Her tears poured endlessly. On the other hand, Chae-woo seemed noticeably stiff. ¡°Now, now what? I¡¯m no help to you at all. There was nothing to even try, so every day I just tried lying down next to you, but it was useless. And things are only going to get harder for you and all I can do is sit there, uselessly.¡± At this, Chae-woo took Lee-yeon in his arms and squeezed her as tightly as he could. Her nose pressed against his hard chest, and he ced his chin on top of her head. Their bodies fit together perfectly as though molded specifically for this purpose. It had been a long time since they¡¯d felt such a warm feeling. Eventually, his calm voice drifted warmly down to her. ¡°No, it¡¯s my fault for taking so long. I¡¯m sorry for being sote.¡± ¡°I, because of me,¡± she sobbed, ¡°I treated the Sacred Tree even though people said it brings bad luck! And then you, instead of me¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. While I was asleep, I had a long dream.¡± ¡°Oh, a dream? What dream?¡± ¡°Well, it was kind of amusing¨C¡± Lee-yeon raised her head and looked at Chae-woo, wondering what he meant by that. But it was difficult to read his expression without the lights on. ¡°In fact, it was a story about a woodcutter that didn¡¯t help a deer. So, the deer was gobbled up by the hunter. In the end, the fairy misses her lost deer so much, she kills everyone.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°In the dream of course.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a relief it was just a dream, but it was another nightmare.¡± The top of her head tickled against his chin, and she felt him smile lightly. What Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t see was the chilling sneer shing in the whites of his eyes, and the saliva forming at the sides of his mouth like blood. ¡°That¡¯s why I absolutely need you, Lee-yeon.¡± ¡°But¡ª ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, should I just go back to sleep?¡± ¡°Definitely not!¡± Her whole body trembled in fear at the thought. At this reaction, they sat in silence for a moment. A sharp fear clouded her eyes. The mere thought of it reminded her of that morning, how fed up she had felt. No matter how many times she went through it, she knew she could never get used to sitting and staring at a man who won¡¯t wake up. ¡°Chae-woo tomorrow is the weekend, so let¡¯s stay up together tonight.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you want me to.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s body rxed, relieved by his answer. ¡°By the way, Lee-yeon.¡± She hugged Chae-woo¡¯s waist tighter. ¡°I hear you met my brother today.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Lee-yeon paused and looked up at him. *** Her eyes trembled at the unexpected change in topic. The man pulled himself from their embrace and looked down at Lee-yeon. She blinked up at him helplessly like a child who lost their candy. His ck eyes were unfamiliar, and she couldn¡¯t read the emotion behind them. She gulped nervously at the sudden tension. She was itching to turn on the light and see Chae-woo¡¯s friendly brown eyes once more. ¡°You should choose your words very carefully from now on.¡± ¡°Chae-woo?¡± ¡°Lee-yeon, have you ever sucked a dick?¡± ¡°What?¡± It was like a foreignnguage she¡¯d never heard before. He rubbed her lips roughly as if trying to smooth them out and dug his nails into her skin leaving small crescent shapes. Lee-yeon quickly stepped back from his painful touch, but Chae-woo, not missing a step, pulled her back. Her wrists throbbed painfully in his tight grasp. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not hard. You have things you¡¯re good at.¡± ¡°Chae-woo, what are you¡ª?¡± ¡°All you have to do is roll your tongue around it.¡± She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. ¡°So, answer me carefully.¡± He lowered his voice secretively. His unfamiliar tone sent a ripple through her heart. ¡°What would you do if I killed Ki-seok?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Would you still like me then, Lee-yeon?¡± Chapter 123: Chapter 123: Lee-yeon had no idea what he was talking about. She couldn¡¯t understand this sudden change. Despite being face to face, she couldn¡¯t see him, and words kepting out of his mouth, but it wasn¡¯t the conversation she expected. For the first time in a long time, she felt a barrier between them as if he were a stranger. Lee-yeon clenched her hands nervously. On such a good day, she didn¡¯t want him to see how scared she was. ¡°¡­Chae-woo, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about all of a sudden.¡± ¡°I asked what you would think if I killed Ki-seok.¡± The light voice in which he spoke felt even more foreign to her because of its t tone. As expected, she hadn¡¯t misheard him. Lee-yeon¡¯s lips were dry when she replied, ¡°Let me turn on the light first.¡± When she moved to get up and turn on the light, Chase-woo grabbed Lee-yeon¡¯s face roughly and turned it towards him so she could see his reaction. The tips of their noses were smushed together. ¡°Is that your answer?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I think showing your back to me now means only one thing.¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s not it. I just want to be able to see your face.¡± ¡°Say it here.¡± Seeing Chae-woo suddenly acting so oppressive, Lee-yeon had trouble focusing. When their eyes met, she could feel he was too dark, too close. It was like being swallowed up by a huge blob. In her confusion, she suddenly blurted out a thought that had not crossed her mind before now. ¡°¡­Are you really Chae-woo?¡± For a split second his grip loosened, but he soon recovered himself and tightened his hold on her. Lee-yeon half forced her eyes to stay fixed on him. ¡°If I¡¯m not your husband, then who the hell am I?¡± His empty eyes and tone were unchanged. ¡°Who was the one who paved the way to turn me into this?¡± ¡°But, but why¡­.¡± ¡°You smell like cigarettes, like you¡¯ve been in an enclosed space with someone.¡± He leaned his head close to her ear and inhaled. ¡°And I¡¯m pretty sure that someone was Ki-seok.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°All I did today was obediently wait around for you. No matter how much I think about it, I don¡¯t think being a pathetic little watchdog really suits me.¡± Suddenly, she realized that Chae-woo was scrutinizing her closely, trying to read her reaction. Despite their proximity, she couldn¡¯t hear the sound of his breathing as his eyes slowly scanned her face. The longer she waited to answer, the more it seemed as though this strange confrontation would never end. However, seeing how unstable Chae-woo looked, Lee-yeon decided to set aside her own turbulent emotions for now. Of course, he¡¯s frustrated and angry. It¡¯s natural that he would be feeling this way after waking up a monthter, seeing how much time has passed, and realizing that while everything around him changed little by little, he alone remained the same. She gently stroked the back of his hand, believing him to be in a state of stagnation. ¡°¡­Do you remember what I told you before? I only ever want you to see things that are good and beautiful. I¡¯m someone who saves trees. I can¡¯t help you with that, with what you want to do.¡± Lee-yeon nced at him furtively and continued, ¡°So, if you want my opinion, I¡¯m against it. Killing him? I, I can¡¯t even fathom doing something like that. All I¡¯m going to do is continue nting flowers in the front yard no matter what.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°And if you¡¯re asking me how I¡¯d feel, I¡¯d mourn Ki-seok¡¯s death for sure, but I¡¯d get over it quickly. Our rtionship was terrible, but I¡¯ve always liked trees more than people. However-,¡± she paused momentarily and drew in a breath. ¡°I¡¯m worried about myself. I feel like I¡¯ll be more hesitant then to touch you or be with you.¡± She could feel Chae-woo¡¯s body go stiff at that moment. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll get scared and my heart will waver when I kiss and hug you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Is that what you want?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s voice trembled as she spoke but she kept her gaze steady. Chae-woo burst into huffs ofughter and let go of her face. She immediately rubbed the sides of her hair and shot him a sideways nce. Chae-woo was already far away, rubbing his face with his hands. When she saw how frustrated he seemed, her heart sank. He was a straightforward and simple man, but she suddenly felt troubled and hopeless. ¡°Chae-woo. First, we should go to the hospital and have you examined-¡± ¡°Examined? For what?¡± he interjected, his voice sharp and defiant. Without realizing what she was doing, Lee-yeon held out one hand as if to keep a safe distance between them. She approached him carefully one step at a time as he was a vicious hound. ¡°You know, you suddenly woke up after being asleep for a month so it¡¯s natural to be confused. The doctor also asked me to call him as soon as you wake up and it seems like you¡¯re very sensitive right now. I understand it¡¯s a lot to take in right now.¡± ¡°So you think something¡¯s wrong with me?¡± Chae-woo gazed at her, a smirk stretched across his face. ¡°My head has never been clearer.¡± ¡°¡­Well then, that¡¯s a relief.¡± Lee-yeon sped her hands together hesitantly. Their conversation suddenly at an end, the two stood there awkwardly for some time. Chae-woo kept his eyes on her, scanning her body, the tips of her nails, as if he were deciphering a text written in foreignnguage. Not knowing how to react to his tant staring, Lee-yeon eventually turned toward the bedroom. ¡°Chae-woo, then¡­¡­. I¡¯ll wash up first.¡± Her shirt flowed behind her like she was standing in front of a fan. Lee-yeon looked back several times as she moved. Something more ufortable than dry sweat made her hair stand on end, but he only nodded showing little other reaction. Soon after the bathroom door closed, Chae-woo finally let out the breath he¡¯d been holding in. His face, which had just barely passed him off as the role of her husband, hardened coldly. The change was instantaneous. ¡°All this time it¡¯s like I¡¯ve been possessed.¡± The scent of her body was his first battle. The slightly sweaty smell was particrly stimting, and he nearly licked his lips at the sight of the nape of her neck. Even more so, when her soft breasts had pressed against his lower abdomen, his head throbbed. ying the part of a good husband wasn¡¯t as easy as he thought it would be. Just then, the door suddenly swung open and Lee-yeon ran out of the bedroom. The man quickly shook off the frost that had frozen over his expression as she breathed heavily, her ears red. ¡°Chae-woo, are you¡ª!¡± There was tension in her urgent tone. Lee-yeon licked her rough lips and hugged her arms around herself tightly as if trying to control her racing pulse. It had just hit her. ¡°Have I been aplete idiot?¡± At that, Chae-woo squinted warily. ¡°Your d*ck, no no, I mean, down there, did you really just want me to do that and I was just too dense to realize it? Chae-woo, is that what you needed? ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Will it help you calm down?¡± How would the idiot version of Chae-woo have responded to this? He recalled the report Beom-hee had shown him and carefully considered the way the two of them had spoken to each other, but he still failed to find an appropriate response. In the meantime he felt himself harden as if a heavy fist was pushing against the inside of his pants. Damn it, I¡¯m going crazy, he thought to himself, chewing on his own swears. His body reacted too quickly. Chae-woo managed to pass himself off as the loving husband by staring at her red lips. ¡°¡­It¡¯s not like that, so hurry up and finish washing up.¡± ¡°Then you don¡¯t want to do it today?¡± He looked at the ceiling as if something was caught in his throat. ¡°We have a lot to catch up on.¡± They left it at that, and Lee-yeon went back into the bathroom. Chae-woo opened and closed his trembling eyelids, trying to suppress his temper which threatened to burst at any moment. Despite his efforts, the desire to conquer, a feeling far from affection, finally stuck out its head. ¡°Ha, you must really have a death wish.¡± Chapter 124: Chapter 124: When Lee-yeon finished taking a shower, she emerged from the bathroom to an empty bed. She rushed into the living room and kitchen in search of him, but all she got was the sound of her own footsteps. He was nowhere to be found. ¡°Chae-woo?¡± Lee-yeon leap up the stairs two at a time. ¡°¡­!¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s hair was wet as he stood tall, looking as though he too had just finished taking a shower. As soon as their eyes met, he walked over to her dressed in nothing but a pair of loose-fitting pajama pants. His strong, broad shoulders, rock hard abs, and sleek waist¡­ ¡°Are you done staring?¡± ¡°Ahm.¡± He grabbed Lee-yeon¡¯s chin, taking her so much by surprise that she identally bit her tongue. But when the gentle light from the nightlight shone upon his face, she couldn¡¯t even feel the pain. As the dark shadows receded, they slowly revealed, one after the other, his ears, nose, lips, and his two piercing eyes. When atst she was left face to face with those soft hazel irises, she felt dazed. Lee-yeon studied the details of his face. Chae-woo furrowed his brow slightly at her tant staring. ¡°Is there still something more to see?¡± ¡°¡­All that time you were asleep, I missed seeing these eyes.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Just watching you blink is nice.¡± ¡°Then, do you not want to use your mouth?¡± He rubbed the tip of his thumb over Lee-yeon¡¯s lower lip, slightly grazing her teeth. Chae-woo¡¯s eyes grew misty every time he saw her shoulders start to shake from the slightest stimtion. ¡°If I put it in your mouth¡­¡± His pants slipped down, revealing all at once his hardened member, slightly purple and red in color. Just looking at it made her face hot, and her eyes burn. He patted his dick with his palm. ¡°It¡¯ll be disgusting and make you want to gag.¡± ¡°Is it that bad?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve never done it before?¡± ¡°No, I haven¡¯t¡­¡± She lowered her eyes gently. ¡°I can¡¯t tell whether you¡¯re timid or not.¡± Chae-woo swallowed hisughter when he saw the innocent look on her face. Even if he forgot everything else, there was no doubting how he felt when spread her legs and drove himself into her. What had they been doing this whole time if she¡¯s never blown him before? What exactly is so precious? What makes her mouth more special than others? ¡°It¡¯s okay. We have plenty of time.¡± Chae-woo smiled, a strange look on his face. But he found his past self was both amusing and unpleasant. His mouth watered with the urge to ridicule himself for acting so foolishly. He pushed hard against her chest. ¡°¡­!¡± Lee-yeon fell onto the bed, embarrassed by his roughness. Then, her body stiffened when he roughly shoved three fingers into her mouth. ¡°If you¡¯re going to do it, you have to open up wide.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re already shocked by this, it¡¯s no fun.¡± She was infatuated with glittering lust. His thick hands rubbed the moist inside other mouth as if tickling it and pressed hard against her soft tongue. At the same time, he shoved another finger in. Chae-woo held Lee-yeon¡¯s chin and continued swirling his fingers around in her mouth. He stroked the soft inner flesh of her mouth, thinking of how it felt to be inside her, and gently stroked her mrs and the roots of her gums searching for sensitive areas. ¡°Ah, hhhh¡­.¡± At first she was dumbfounded and bewildered, but slowly she felt her body begin to awaken. Her drool was rolling chillingly down her neck. Then he pulled his hand out, grabbed her by the back of her head and pressed against her. ¡°Ugh!¡± He shoved himself into her, scratching the roof of her mouth, and filling it with a fiery, hot sensation. He reached all the way to the back of her throat, suffocating Lee-yeon with a pressure that was entirely different from the four fingers. ¡°Tighten your lips. And don¡¯t use your teeth.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± ¡°You have to keep your mouth tight and suck, not just drool all over it.¡± The inside of her mouth swelled like it might explode and with every breath she inhaled an unfamiliar, musty scent. Lee-yeon held Chae-woo¡¯s thighs tightly, scared by her lips stretched so tightly around him. His leg muscles stiffened, and he clenched his abs. ¡°Ha¡­¡± A short, feverish moan escaped his lips as he pressed against Lee-yeon¡¯s head. ¡°Swallow deeply.¡± ¡°Ugh, uh¡­¡± There was a considerable difference in their eye levels, and yet they did not take their eyes off each other. Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes shook, but she trusted him and obeyed as he instructed her, his expression filled with suppressed excitement. ¡°Don¡¯t try to take it out. Open your mouth wider.¡± She felt her tongue rub against his bulging shaft. Sliding against the inside of her cheek, brushing against the roof of her mouth, atst she felt the tip of his penis hit the back of her throat and slide deeper and deeper. Every time the sheer length and thickness of him pumped in and out of her mouth, a strong, musty scent surrounded her, making her feel dizzy. Despite this, Lee-yeon instinctively sucked in her cheeks and moved her face back and forth. At first, his balls had only slightly rubbed against her chin, but now they started to smack strongly against her face. Chapter 125: Chapter 125: ¡°Ugh, ugh, ugh.¡± Lee-yeon opened her mouth wide trying to suppress her gag reflex. ¡°Lee-yeon, I have a lot on my mindtely.¡± His biting voice was inteced with sweet breath. ¡°What should I do, hh¡­¡± Chae-woo covered Lee-yeon¡¯s ears and started pumping his hips faster. His burning groin smashed hard against her face and lips. ¡°How can I repay you for all that time?¡± ¡°Ugh, ooh¡­¡± ¡°I really want to pay you back.¡± Lee-yeon was just fighting to keep her mouth open. Tears welled in her eyes, and she was struggling to breathe. Her ears buzzed from being covered by his hands, but his gaze looking down at her was clear. ¡°I know it¡¯s important for people to know kindness.¡± But as Lee-yeon was struggling to open her throat and still struggling to breathe, all she could do was focus on trying not to bite down on his penis. Then he thrust into her mouth again as though trying to pierce right through her. ¡°I¡¯m not some kind of bloodhound that attacks out of nowhere.¡± Chae-woo burst intoughter for the first time since having woken from his deep slumber. His normally ferocious-looking eyes were twisted in intense pleasure. ¡°Hugh, ugh.¡± As the tip rubbed mercilessly against the roof of Lee-yeon¡¯s mouth, he got goosebumps and moaned. Lee-yeon involuntarily clenched her jaw, lightly scratching her teeth against him. He thrust himself faster in and out of her mouth. Chae-woo breathed hard and licked his lower lip roughly. ¡°Oh¡­ Shit¡­¡± His abs clenched and tightened. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t understand this life at all.¡± ¡°Ugh, ugh.¡± ¡°Actually, your face often pops up in my mind.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Because I want to see you.¡± When she suddenly lifted her tongue which had been pressed down the entire time, and rubbed it against him, she felt something hot shoot into the inside of her mouth. Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t stand the overwhelming scent of semen and pushed against him. However, Chae-woo stood his ground, stubbornly shooting his seed into her mouth. He had no intention of removing himself from her choking mouth. ¡°Ugh, ugh¡­!¡± Lee-yeon twisted her face and patted his stomach softly. Only then did he pull himself out and rub a line of semen along her cheek with his tip. Lee-yeon immediately coughed up the opaque liquid onto the floor. ¡°Cough¡­! Cough¡­! Her throat tingled as she fought the urge to vomit. She slowly poked her tongue around the inside of her ravaged mouth, trying to ignore the metallic smell of blood. But as he helped her up, Chae-woo¡¯s eyes were still gentle and kind. ¡°Was it awful?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°Did you cry?¡± For reasons even Chae-woo didn¡¯t know, he found himself frowning. He shuddered roughly and suddenly felt foul. ¡°I told you it would be disgusting,¡± he said dully, lightly touching her red eyes. ¡°This is why you should always be careful what you use your mouth for.¡± * * * ¡°Gasp¡­!¡± Lee-yeon woke suddenly from a terrible nightmare and jumped from position in the bed. As she slowly blinked her eyes, still half asleep, she noticed the empty space beside her. It was the second time her throat felt swollen and sore. Lee-yeon ran out, not bothering to nce behind her, her hair disheveled. She hadn¡¯t nned on falling asleep! When had she drifted off? ¡®Where is him?¡¯ Her head filled with awful thoughts, making her more and more frantic. ¡°Are you up?¡± Just then, the voice she¡¯d been hoping to hear came from the kitchen. The savory smell of something sizzling in the frying pan pulled her in slowly. Lee-yeon halted when she saw Chae-woo who was skillfully flipping fried eggs and sausages. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± She felt as if she were still wandering in a dream. ¡°Good morning, Miss Lee-yeon.¡± As their eyes met, he smiled familiarly and Lee-yeon seemed to melt slowly at the smell of the food and the sight of the eggshells piled up. She wanted so badly to believe that she¡¯d finally gotten her life back. ¡°¡­Chae-woo, what happened yesterday? Did you sleep beside me?¡± ¡°I slept properly and then I got up.¡± Lee-yeon felt she had to get a glimpse of his expression somehow, so she pushed her face under his arm. Surprised by her assertive attitude, he lifted the frying pan high. ¡°Lee-yeon, you¡¯ll get hit by the oil,¡± he scolded her somewhat harshly as tried to shield her face with his hands, but her eyes were bright. ¡°Are you sure you really slept? Am I helpful again?¡± ¡°I woke up without any trouble and I didn¡¯t have any nightmares.¡± ¡°Really? You¡¯re not lying, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡± Her eyes gleamed with joy. Chae-woo stared at her as she smiled lightly with her blistered lips, then turned his head. ¡°My nightmares must have moved on to someone else.¡± ¡°Moved on?¡± she asked in reply, but Chae-woo only smiled cryptically. ¡°Come, sit down.¡± Lee-yeon nced at him, feeling an odd sense of regret in the pit of her stomach as she trudged over to the table. When he heard the chair scrape against the floor, the smile he had been trying to maintain immediately fell and he bit the inside of his lip. He could sleepst a night, even a week, without sleep. He had trained for this, so it felt as routine as eating breakfast. Last night, Lee-yeon had fallen asleep as soon as she¡¯d hit the bed,pletely forgetting her intention to stay up all night together. Every once in a while, she would murmur his name in her sleep, and he would instinctively scrunch up his face, his stomach twisting in knots. Chapter 126: Chapter 126: He stared at her face¡ªthe same face that he had always been cherished like a breathtaking view before¡­ The silly girl who had always cried underneath the shade of a tree. She¡¯d rais her knees and bury her face in her arms thinking that no one was watching her. However, when she heard the sound of the cello floating on the wind, she¡¯d raise her head to look at the ground around her and the sky above her, cing her hands by her waist and tilting her head at the sweet melody. The way she looked when she was crying,ughing, napping, or humming along as he yed, was so much more vibrant and fuller of life than that gloomy person she¡¯d been when they first met. When he was unable to go to elementary school, watching Lee-yeon under the hill through his shabby window had been Chae-woo¡¯s only hobby. With a mother who hid herself in those remote mountains and refused to interact with others, the world of that 13-year-old was helplessly small. And so, this mystery girl became the boy¡¯s first audience, in another world, in four seasons. When the world was green with new life, when the autumn leaves changed color, when the snow piled up on the branches, and when pink buds popped out again, she was always there. ¡°Mom, what is something that always stays in the same ce?¡± ¡°Hmm, a tree?¡± ¡°Something much smaller and prettier than a tree.¡± ¡°Aha, it must be a flower.¡± Everyday, Chae-woo wiped the window and waited for her. As he gazed at her, his small palm on the window, his warm breath fogged up the ss. The old, rattling window frame was like a picture frame holding the tree and the girl prisoner- ¡°¡ªwoo, Chae-woo!¡± That picture was all he had. ¡°Chae-woo, are you okay?¡± He was brought back to the present by Lee-yeon¡¯s worried voice. He grabbed her arm and raised his head sharply as she shook him roughly. Sure enough, Lee-yeon was looking at him anxiously. Without realizing what he was doing, Chae-woo moved to smooth back her hair, but paused, clenched his fist and withdrew his hand. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I was just thinking about something.¡± ¡°What were you thinking about?¡± ¡°Just, about when we first met.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Startled, Lee-yeon awkwardly averted her eyes. Liar. Chae-woo reminded himself of what she is. He shook off his meaningless feelings, still feeling a bit drowsy. He ted the food and casually approached the table. It was the first time in a long time they¡¯d spent the morning together. Taking a fork from Chae-woo, Lee-yeon took a bite of the sausage. ¡°¡­by the way, are your fingers hurting you?¡± She asked him as he ate. ¡°No, why?¡± ¡°Uhh-¡± He was calmly eating, his mouth open, but something was different. Lee-yeon looked at his hands and paused. ¡°-it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen you use chopsticks with your left hand.¡± At this, Chae-woo hesitated slightly before calmly reaching for a piece of the vegetable stir-fry. ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not ufortable, so I must have always been ambidextrous.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡­.¡± Chae-woo clenched his jaw and nced sideways at her as he chewed. The sharp look put Lee-yeon on edge. ¡°I always saw you use your right hand.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Lee-yeon nodded her headmely and put down her fork. She sat there, just twiddling her thumbs and forgetting to eat, when Chae-woo suddenly stole her sausage. He took a sip of water as he stared at Lee-yeon who had picked up her fork again in the confusion of the moment. As he gulped the water down, she looked at him and their eyes met. In that moment, Chae-woo suddenly felt parched and ended up finishing off the whole cup. *** ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Lee-yeon swept the back of her hand across her forehead as she pounded the soil with a seedling shovel. She was crouching down on her knees and tending the flower beds she¡¯d left unattended for the past month. Just a few hours ago, Choo-ja and Dong-mi had stopped by the house after hearing that Chae-woo had woken up. The doctor also came by to check on Chae-woo. The visit had gone smoothly, the two women left, and now it was just the doctor and Chae-woo having a private talk inside. They were asionally exchanging nces here and there. ¡°No¨C! isn¡¯t¡± Just in time, the doctor¡¯s gestures grewrger. Lee-yeon stretched out her head out the window of the molding door to try and get a closer look at the two people¡¯s lips as they spoke to each other. ¡®¨DIf¡­¡­ can¡­¡­!¡¯ She nervously looked back and forth between the doctor who was speaking with his voice raised and Chae-woo who sat with his arms crossed. Just then, the man turned his head sharply in her direction like a ghost and jerked the curtains shut. ¡°Ah¡­¡­!¡± Without noticing, Lee-yon let out a sigh. She was holding her small garden shovel so hard her hands hurt. Lee-yeon mechanically pulled weeds as her mouth watered hungrily. Someone peeked out from behind the gate. Seeing who it was, she smiled and stood up straight. ¡°Gyu-baek, what are you doing here?¡± He ran to her, looking around frantically, buried his face in his hands and stamped his feet anxiously. Lee-yeon¡¯s expression stiffened at his unusual behavior. ¡°Gyu-baek, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Uhhhh¡­¡­.¡± Gyu-baek pulled Lee-yeon¡¯s sleeve, groaning painfully. ¡°Director. Director.¡± ¡°Gyu-baek, are you feeling sick?¡± ¡°Male spiders feed their legs to females when they mate.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lee-yeon frowned at his creepyment, but Gyu-baek was expressionless as he spoke. However, there was an urgency in his tone which was usually quite monotonous. Lee-yeon tilted her head curiously. ¡°Don¡¯t eat his legs.¡± ¡°Gyu-baek, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a strategy to appease the female. No matter how delicious it looks, you should never eat it, even if you feel like you have to. From now on, don¡¯t ept anything he gives you. Promise me. Quickly, promise me!¡± Gyu-baek stuck out his pinky and was waving it at her, when¨C ¡°What are you doing, Lee-yeon?¡± Chae-woo opened the front door and strolled out. Gyu-baek¡¯s shoulders tensed at the sight of him and he quickly hid behind Lee-yeon. Concerned by his fearful reaction, she lowered her voice to a whisper so only Gyu-baek could hear. ¡°Gyu-baek, Chae-woo is fine now. Don¡¯t you want to go y with him?¡± ¡°No, no.¡± ¡°What? Why not?¡± ¡°Director. Director, it¡¯s really bad¡­ Ugh!¡± Gyu-baek pinched his lips and groaned in nervousness. Lee-yeon had be very serious and was trying to calm him down, but Chae-woo had already reached them. Gyu-baek put his hands over his ears and started reciting the encyclopedia. ¡°The jucunda is a rare beetle that appears in the middle of summer. During the day, they stick their heads into flowers and drink the nectar. They also nibble on petals and pistils. They are often found in wild roses and honeysuckles as well as in flowers on fruit trees.¡± ¡°Chae-woo¡± Lee-yeon looked at him strongly, gesturing to him to go wait inside. At this, Chae-woo tucked his chin in a slight nod as he stared at her change in attitude. Her voice was authoritative¡ªher stance protective over the child. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lee-yeon suddenly became stubbornly insistent and stared at this man who had no intention of moving. They stood there locked in a battle of stubborn endurance when Lee-yeon¡¯s cell phone started to ring. She answered the phone, her eyes still on Chae-woo, and he snorted, ¡°Ha¡­.¡± ¨DDirector¡­¡­! I¡¯m so sorry to bother you, but are you busy now? Dong-mi¡¯s voice rang out valiantly as though she had just discovered a newfound hope despite being exhausted. ¡°I¡¯m at home. Is something wrong?¡± ¨DI could really use your help right now. Could youe over here? ¡°What?¡± ¨DWell¡­¡­, It¡¯s about the national monument gingko tree with the snake living in it!¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes, still glued to Chae-woo, grew wide. Meanwhile, he wasughing insidiously. Chapter 127: Chapter 127: ¡°You shouldn¡¯t don¡¯t get too close!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m just going to check its condition.¡± Dong-mi tried to grab hold of her, but her hands swiped at empty air as Lee-yeon moved fearlessly towards the tree. A 15-meter-tall artificial mountain on Hwaido sheltered the tree. As soon as Lee-yeon answered the phone, she went to where the gingko tree was, Chae-woo following behind her as always. The rescue team was already there surrounding the tree with full equipment. This was the secondrgest gingko tree in Korea. Many gingko trees were in danger of being submerged under water due to the construction of dams in the past, and the only reason this many trees have survived until now is that they have been designated as natural monuments. In order to save this particr monument, this artificial mountain was constructed over several years and the tree was able to settle safely in its new home. What would have happened if no one had realized the value of this tree at the time? ¡°Lee-yeon, be careful.¡± At that moment, Chae-woo, who was a few steps behind, grabbed Lee-yeon around the stomach with one arm. ¡°¡­!¡± Ssss, ssss! The snake, the size of a grown man¡¯s forearm, bared its venomous teeth and opened its mouth wide. It¡¯s long upright body, its thin slit-like pupils. When she looked into its eerie eyes, she felt a shiver down her spine. However, feeling the warmth of Chae-woo¡¯s arm around her, she quickly regained herposure. ¡°Th-thanks.¡± Chae-woo patted her upper stomach before pulling his hand away smoothly, leaving a cold feeling where his hand had been. This brief, gentle touch rattled Lee-yeon even more than the violently passionate embraces of the previous night. The scent of him lingered at the tip of her nose. She tried to control the intense beating of her heart as she said, ¡°More than half of the trunk has eroded. Since the inside is hollow, I guess a snake made its home there.¡± ¡°Is that harmful to the tree?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ hard to say.¡± Dong-mi raised her thick, smooth eyebrows in response to the odd reply. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Since no one reallyes to this area anyway, do you think it¡¯s all that necessary to catch it? In my opinion, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything to worry about.¡± ¡°Even though there¡¯s a snake inside the tree?¡± ¡°It seems to be amodating the snake in its own way.¡± Lee-yeon said. There were countless cavities that had rotted and eroded, so it didn¡¯t seem like it sucked out one¡¯s life force like the Sacred Tree. The gingko tree was just empty inside. Nature adapting to its circumstances was just the result of years of endurance. Fortunately, there seemed to be no issues with its growth. Sometimes people from the Cultural Heritage Administration would walk over to check up on it, but that was only once or twice a year. It was an artificial mountain with no caretaker and no visitors. Lee-yeon felt suddenly ovee with loneliness as she looked around at the deste scenery. Her eyes ultimatelynded on Chae-woo. ¡°Without the snake, this tree will be alone again.¡± She gazed into the boundless depth of his eyes. ¡°And I think this tree is well aware of that.¡± *** All that was left was the foot of the mountain which had fallen into ruin. Lee-yeon waspleting her third round of examinations when she distorted her face and let out a heavy-sounding murmur. ¡°Ah¡­¡± More than 200 pine trees had been uprooted, clearly disying the extent of the ident. The wreckage of the aircraft was scattered all over the ce, as smoke soared up from the mes. About 10 days ago, an AirChina Boeing 762-7 crashed into the foot of the mountain in Gimhae while trying tond. A tragic ident in which at least a hundred people were killed. As she stared at the screen, Lee-yeon subconsciously bit her lower lip. ¡°Choo-ja, you said this happened recently?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been all over the news for thest few days, but you¡¯ve been dealing with other things, so you probably didn¡¯t see it.¡± Just as they were wrapping up their conversation, she heard a voice from the living room, saying, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Kwon Chae-woo¡± and turned her head reflexively. But the photos she¡¯d seen on the screen were so terrible, her attention was only turned for a moment and she turned her eyes back to the monitor. Just below the peak of the mountain, the aircraft crash site looked as though a bombed had dropped. The aircraft had broken into three pieces, leaving only the cockpit and fusge recognizable, the rest scattered around in bits of debris. The huge wreckagey scattered around the top of the mountain, many of therge old trees horribly mangled. Under the circumstances, thirty survivors. Chapter 128: Chapter 128: ording to analysts of the ident, much of the impact from the crash was absorbed by the over ten meters of dense pine forests, which helped increase the number of survivors. It was almost as if the pine trees of the mountain sacrificed themselves to save the lives of the survivors. Now, all that was left¨C ¡°It¡¯s the trees¡¯ turn.¡± Lee-yeon tapped the desk, a crease of determination forming between her eyebrows. Since it is often used for major idents, this screening was a taskmonly given to all tree doctors participating in the Dome project. Among them, Gamumbi Tree Hospital and Solgae Tree Hospital, selected as the leading hospitals, were in charge of managing the trees of the bereaved families. Their job was to protect and prepare the leftover parts of the damaged trees for new growth. She shot a troubled look at Chae-woo who had just returned after making a call. ¡°Chae-woo, what should I do?¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°I might have to leave you at home for a few days. I think I¡¯ll need to stay around here for a while to work.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s expression rxed, but Chae-woo observed her quietly. ¡°It should only take three days and two nights, but Gimhae isn¡¯t far from here, so I can still visit while I¡¯m gone.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes were full of worry. The screening had been scheduled less than a day after Chae-woo woke up. But she couldn¡¯t just leave him alone when he needed her to help wake him from his nightmares. Lee-yeon sighed, ncing back and forth between the mangled trees on the monitor and the sleekly handsome image of Chae-woo. Both issues were so serious it might not even be enough if she had two bodies. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll just sleep in your room with you.¡± ¡°What?¡± She was bbergasted. ¡°You don¡¯t want me toe?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± He narrowed his brows at Lee-yeon¡¯s hesitancy. His voice was the same as before, his pupils still hollow with memory loss, and yet she still felt a strange and unfamiliar power from him. ¡°Is your husband not allowed to stay in the same room as you?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Could it be, you¡¯re hiding something under your nket?¡± His look was sharp as if he could lift Lee-yeon with the slightest nce. She clenched her fists. ¡°It¡¯s not that¡ª¡± ¡°Director So¨C!¡± Just then, Choo-ja, who had been scrolling through the photos on the monitor, opened her eyes wide and called out. ¡°It looks like the animal rescue center ising, too.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Lee-yeon turned to look at the official notice. It was exactly as Choo-ja had said. It seemed that for this screening the employees of the Wildlife Rescue Center who are dispatched to search and rescue injured animals, would be evaluating the tree doctors. The criteria for this round of screening included such items as behavior, sincerity, uracy, cooperation,munication, and leadership. Points in each category were tallied and candidates with the highest points were selected. ¡°Are you going to the mountain, too, Chae-woo?¡± ¡°Yeah, I just received the call.¡± Lee-yeon stared at him nkly as the corners of his mouth raised in a satisfied grin and he gently waved his cell phone in the air. She was confused by this unexpected turn of events, yet Chae-woo seemed unfazed. To put it nicely, his reaction was calm and collected, but in reality, it came off as rude and unaffected. ¡°You say you received the call. You mean to say, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to evaluate me?¡± Lee-yeon shot him a peculiar nce to which Chae-woo simply shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I can¡¯t speak for anyone else, but just between you and me, it wouldn¡¯t be hard for you to earn my favor.¡± ¡°What¡¯ that supposed to¨C¡± ¡°Just keep doing what you have been doing. That¡¯s what you do best.¡± His meaning was decidedly vague, but Lee-yeon simply nodded her head softly, choosing to focus on treating the trees. Either way, based on her previous experience with mountainndslides, there probably wouldn¡¯t even be any trees left to salvage. The main problem would be the disposal and recovery of the debris. In terms of that kind of manualbor, the level ofpletion was dependent on each individual¡¯s own sense of duty and responsibility. Therefore, the final score, rather than just a simple number, was actually a reflection of the candidate¡¯s work ethic. ¡°In that case, I should just focus on working hard and not worry so much about how other people see me.¡± ¡°Well, don¡¯t ruin your health just for work.¡± Choo-ja clicked her tongue. ¡°Think about it this way. Imagine you¡¯re focusing and working hard on your own. On the other hand, someone else sees everyone working hard and passes around coffee. From the perspective of the workers who are hot and tired, which of you would seem to have better behavior, cooperation, andmunication skills?¡± Lee-yeon scratched her head at Choo-ja¡¯sment. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I stand out too much if I just kept walking around like that?¡± ¡°In the middle of a crash site filled with the ck and burning debris of a demolished ne? Don¡¯t be so naive!¡± ¡°Even so, if I want to be real, I need to stick to the fundamentals rather than trying to y a game of wits.¡± Chapter 129: Chapter 129: ¡°That¡¯s right. You have to be faithful to the nearest thing!¡± Suddenly, Choo-ja squinted her eyes and pped her hands. Lee-yeon lowered her chin cautiously. ¡°What are you nning to do with him anyways? Don¡¯t you know once you sleep with someone¡ª¡± ¡°Choo-ja!¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s cheeks flushed and her breathing became heavy. Then she heard a faint giggling sound. Lee-yeon futilely turned her gaze towards the desk, but Choo-ja could still sense the change in her. ¡°Chae-woo, can¡¯t you just give your poor little wife a good score?¡± ¡°But you know I can¡¯t show favoritism towards my family.¡± He nced at her meaningfully. ¡°No, no, what are you all talking about!¡± As she said this, Lee-yeon jumped to her feet and red at the two of them warningly. ¡°You have to grade fairly based on each candidate¡¯s skills. I don¡¯t want any special favor! Reputation and image are important to me, too. I don¡¯t want rumors going around that I¡¯ve been cheating my way up, especially when ites to trees.¡± ¡°Oh my, you¡¯re one to talk about reputation being important.¡± Choo-ja picked her ear and snorted. Nevertheless, Lee-yeon sighed, imagining the worst. ¡°If you¡¯re used of cheating, it¡¯s game over,¡± Chae-woo said, watching her face darken foolishly. ¡°I heard they upgraded the air conditioner in the center with thetest model.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± He opened his mouth andughed as if he was enjoying watching Lee-yeon whose expression had hardened. ¡°I know for sure that it wasn¡¯t sent by Spruce Tree Hospital.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°The board itself is already tainted, so who could you turn to for a favor?¡± Lee-yeon could do nothing but frown awkwardly. ¡°If you¡¯re really ufortable, just forget about the corruption and act.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± He touched the desk and lowered himself to eye level with Lee-yeon. His eyes gazing deeply into hers suddenly glowed in the sun. They looked faintly red, reminding Lee-yeon of a wooden gift she once received. ¡°I already have enough going on in my head, don¡¯t you agree, Lee-yeon?¡± *** ¡°Pretend not to know?¡± Chae-wooughed snidely as he lifted the nket. ¡°I didn¡¯t know I would have to deny all the cheating.¡± Before he knew it, it was time for bed. Lee-yeon was lying t on her back, hounding on to the edge of the nket. She had just told him about the request she¡¯d been thinking about ever since receiving the official letter and his expression had fallen as soon as he heard it. ¡°So, you want to pretend we don¡¯t know each other during the day and have me sneak in at night?¡± Chae-woo climbed into bed, shaking his head lightly as if he¡¯d just heard a joke that wasn¡¯t very funny. He pushed to make room for himself on the mattress. Lee-yeon¡¯s fingers tightened around the edge of the nket which she was gripping like it was a bulletproof vest. ¡°Lee-yeon, is that the kind of man you want me to be?¡± ¡°No, I think you¡¯re misunder¨C¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, I¡¯ll do it, but are you sure?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Last time, you cried because you could only blow me once.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Think carefully.¡± Chae-woo touched her soft lips and waited, though she couldn¡¯t tell if he was trying to appease her or threaten her. However, the more careful they were, the less chance of making a scene in the field. ¡°Still, wouldn¡¯t it be better to be safe?¡± ¡°Are you nning to reallypete honestly even though the other hospitals have already dominated the situation?¡± He looked down at her, a hand cupping her face. ¡°It¡¯s obvious that these political loopholes were made intentionally, which means that eyesore of a hospital is going to lose. Unfortunately, this is the end for you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You should consider the possibility that the candidates who will pass this round of screening have already been decided. You¡¯ll be the only one sincerely trying her best.¡± He spat out his words, his eyes dry. Lee-yeon felt herself flinch but refused to believe his words. ¡°But still, I¡¯ll never know if I don¡¯t try.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying, I¡¯ve never seen officials that weren¡¯t corrupt.¡± At this, Lee-yeon¡¯s breath hitched. ¡°¡­when would you have seen that?¡± She asked carefully, pulling the nket up under her eyes. Chae-woo noticed her shaking pupils and slowly altered his expression. As his cold, heartless facade unraveled like a lie, he rubbed his nose against her hair. These kinds of small tender touches were something he used to do often, so Lee-yeon easily let it go. ¡°When I was working.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What? Because I wasatose, now you can¡¯t believe me?¡± ¡°Ye-es, a little.¡± Lee-yeon nodded shamelessly as if ying around. Chae-woo covered her twinkling eyes with his hand and decided to call it an early night. ¡°You should get some sleep.¡± ¡°You, too. See you tomorrow morning, for sure.¡± Lee-yeon closed her eyelids and hugged his forearm as hard as she could. Chae-woo patted her back and waited for the woman in his arms to fall asleep. This familiar touch, this steady beat, the sounds of the crickets chirping as she slept silently. He stared out of the dark window until her breathing became even like a baby¡¯s. There was no sign of sleep in his eyes. Since the age of 13, when he had to go back to his real home, Chae-woo had never slept with anyone with their skin touching like this. Looking at Lee-yeon sleeping soundly, his body went wild, his heart racing as he felt himself harden. Fighting the urge to shove her from his arms, he clenched and unclenched his fist. Whenever his body reacted against his will like this, he felt defeated. It was a part of him that still surrendered to the fake Chae-woo who was sinking to the bottom of the abyss. ¡°Did this sucker do anything other than just eat and fuck?¡± Pretending to be loving as if he¡¯d oiled his tongue sometimes made him sick. It¡¯s not like he was some quivering puppy just following her panting, ¡°Lee-yeon, Lee-yeon.¡± And yet, patting her head in praise, hugging each other tightly, and making long and dark eye contact were all so familiar as if they were habits. It was a poor imitation of walking along an already well-polished road. But it was also unweed, so it always turned his mood sour. ¡°Hmm, Chae-woo¡­.¡± He scratched his ear and frowned at the sound of his name. Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s really muttering my name in her sleep. ¡°Fuck.¡± Chae-woo clenched his jaw and temperamentally pulled his arm away from her. It¡¯s just a week at the most. He would escape Hwaido before the week was up. Chapter 130: Chapter 130: ¡°I never really realized it, but you¡¯re so fast with your hands!¡± Lee-yeon frowned at the voice of Director Park of Solgae Tree Hospital, who was grumbling behind her back. It was the first time in a long time since she¡¯d been outside of Hwaido. They were on a tour bus that would take them one-way over the bridge to Gimhae. Lee-yeon had just gotten on and was making her way down the narrow aisle of the bus. If it wasn¡¯t for Director Park, who had been rambling on for a while now, the start of the business trip would have been much more rxing. ¡°As expected, young people are scary, so scary.¡± Lee-yeon remained silent despite the provocation. ¡°Director So, exactly what game are you ying here?¡± He poked Lee-yeon in the back and she looked back in amazement. Director Park, dressed in luxury brands from head to toe, took a big sip from his brand-name coffee. He was just your average middle-aged man, except that even the sunsses sitting on his nose had a big logo embedded near the hinge. Lee-yeon stared at her face in the reflection of his ck lenses and said tly, ¡°Don¡¯t poke me in the back.¡± ¡°Oh,e on, let me in on it. What exactly did you do to make the animal center workerse running to Spruce Hospital? You and I both know that Spruce doesn¡¯t have that many customers. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s been supplying these people with their coffee, so what did you do?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡®People here value new recruits too much.¡¯ ¡°Is there anything better than air conditioning in this heat?¡± Lee-yeon threw herself into a seat by the window. She was already at a loss. The rescue center had epted dozens of cups of coffee from Director Park, but at same time came and greeted her. Aside from this, she was dreading how things would go this day¡ª Chae-woo being one of the judge. She was purposely sitting far from where he would be sitting but it was useless. ¡°Hey, talk to me. I may not be as young as you, but I can still feel when something¡¯s up,¡± Director Park asked from the seat behind her, sticking his neck out long. ¡°There¡¯s nothing going on, Director Park.¡± ¡°Oh wow, stop avoiding the question. And don¡¯t feign ignorance either¨C!¡± She really didn¡¯t want to say anything. She wasn¡¯t trying to avoid his questions, but how could she tell him that the man she was living with would reluctantly sit far away from her. Lee-yeon cleared her throat and looked out of the window, disregarding the director. And her eyes were immediately drawn to someone wearing a thin zip-up jacket. He was almost a head taller than all the other animal center rescue workers wearing the same jacket. With straight broad shoulders and jet-ck hair, he stood out easily from the crowd. Chae-woo was talking to Dong-mi, nodding his head briefly with an indifferent expression on his face or furrowing his brow. ¡°There¡¯s a saying that if you get into a fight with a family member, you¡¯ll have bad luck, but I don¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡®One, two, three, four.¡¯ Lee-yeon ignored what was being said to her and began doing a headcount of the center workers. In the midsummer weather, the scorching sun shone fiercely with no shadows for relief. The sun shone brightly on Chae-woo¡¯s pale face, drawing many people¡¯s attention. Unlike other people whose faces shined with sweat, his face was like a well-ironed button-down shirt. This man without a single drop of sweat was the most alien of the group. She brushed her tongue along the inside of her cheek bitterly and tried to contain her creeping anxiety. ¡°Director, are you listening to me? Why are the staff only greeting you?¡± As the staff all filed onto the bus, it quickly became noisy. Her eyes met Chae-woo¡¯s as he walked in between the seats, his neck bent low. Lee-yeon¡¯s heart fluttered when he pulled off his jacket like a young athlete. She replied to Director Park as though possessed, ¡°I know someone here.¡± ¡°Really? Who is it? A team leader? Or the head of the center?¡± But Chae-woo passed by her without any sign of acknowledgement. Even though they had agreed to pretend not to know each other before leaving the house, her head still went nk as if she¡¯d taken an unexpected blow. She couldn¡¯t believe she was so shaken up by his behavior, when he was the one whose embrace she fell asleep and woke up in. It was actually kind of funny. ¡°Who is your connection?¡± Director Park urged Lee-yeon on by poking her shoulder and, staring at Chae-woo¡¯s arms and the top of his head poking out over the seat, she said, ¡°I-I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What? What kind of answer is that?¡± For the entire duration of the bus ride to the mountain, Chae-woo didn¡¯t look back at Lee-yeon once. Chapter 131: Chapter 131: ¡°Choo-ja, hand me that!¡± Lee-yeon moved around restlessly. The acrid smell lingered on the tip of her nose like a faint memory of the ident. The body of the ne falling through the sky, the green trees as swept through the broken cabin, the people falling upon the pines. That section of the forest had beenpletely razed by the impact of the ne, leaving nothing but a ring patch of red ochre in its wake. ¡°Choo-ja, apply a coating to this cut here, and I¡¯ll make a hole here!¡± ¡°Director So. ¡°How should we handle this?¡± As Choo-ja swallowed with a sigh, Lee-yeon focused determinedly on the task at hand. By either treating or cutting off the trunks of the trees, she was able to clearly distinguish which trees could be salvaged and which could not. In doing so, Lee-yeon was slowly able to prepare the damaged part of the forest for the young bereaved trees to grow. ¡°But why isn¡¯t your husband here?¡± Choo-ja asked as she stretched her back, her bones cracking as she did so. The center staff stationed around the forest had two jobs. One was to find and rescue injured animals. The other was to closely observe and evaluate Lee-yeon¡¯s performance. But Chae-woo was nowhere to be seen. ¡°He must also be hard at work.¡± ¡°Director So. Have you noticed anything strange about your husband these days?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Well, what I mean is¡­¡± As Choo-ja thought about how to word her question, she eyed Lee-yeon questioningly. ¡°Do you feel like sometimes the conversation feels forced or he doesn¡¯t express his affection as much, or maybe he feels a bit cold or distant.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°When was thest time you kissed?¡± Lee-yeon stopped to think, which made Choo-ja pound her chest in frustration. ¡°Look here! I¡¯m 60 years old and I did it yesterday! Do you really need to think that hard?¡± ¡°Hold on, hold on, where did you¨C¡± ¡°Is that what¡¯s important right now? Your husband might already be feeling the seven-year itch!¡± ¡°¡­seven-year itch?¡± Lee-yeon wrapped her mouth around the unfamiliar term. ¡°These days he doesn¡¯t seem like that man who used to follow you around like a puppy dog. These days he¡¯s be far too handsome and reliable. Doesn¡¯t it seem like he¡¯s be a bit apathetic? It has to be the seven-year itch.¡± Even with gloves on, her hands and shoes were already dirty. While clearing out the ck, slippery jet fuel, all kinds of dust, blood and ash, Lee-yeon had even managed to get her face dirty. Lee-yeon smiled awkwardly at Choo-ja who red her nostrils. ¡°The seven-year itch, does it usuallye unexpectedly?¡± ¡°It can happen if you get bored. Ites and goes for me, too.¡± ¡°¡­how did you handle it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just waiting it out.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I told you, I¡¯m old.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Either way it¡¯ll be over once one of us dies.¡± Choo-ja looked up at the sky as Lee-yeon¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°He might be¡­ tired of me?¡± Her heart began to beat unsteadily. *** Meanwhile, Chase-woo had been searching the mountain, when he caught sight of Lee-yeon struggling with her arms wrapped around a tree that had snapped in two. As she walked around looking exhausted, she stood out from the others as if she alone was wearing another color. Just then, Dong-mi, standing a bit ahead of Lee-yeon, strongly dered, ¡°Director So, you¡¯ll always be number one in my book.¡± As the other team members noticed Chae-woo, they too began to speak up one by one. Chae-woo showed no reaction as he quietly followed Lee-yeon with his eyes. Seeing his serious expression, Dong-mi smiled and started making fun. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel the urge to jump in and help?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Chae-woo just raised his eyebrows as Dong-mi smiled and muttered to herself, ¡°The director looks more beautiful when she¡¯s working with the trees.¡± ¡°She¡¯s always been like that.¡± Joo Dong-mi shot him a look when she heard the indifferent tone of his voice. For a moment, she was taken aback by his hardened expression, his heartless grimace so contrary to what he had just said. ¡°She¡¯s the most beautiful when she¡¯s fallen asleep under a big tree. It¡¯s kind of funny that she¡¯s still surrounded by trees even now.¡± A faint smile crossed his lips but quickly fell away. Dong-mi, who had been listening quietly, rubbed her arms as she said, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you guys are together, but you¡¯re giving me goosebumps.¡± At this, Chae-woo¡¯s eyes grew wide as though he¡¯d just been woken from a deep sleep. As soon as he realized what he had said, his brows furrowed into a deep frown. Chapter 132: Chapter 132: When she saw Choo-ja having a difficult time, Lee-yeon had sent her back first,ing down the mountain herself after sunset. She entered the motel they were all staying at, hungry and exhausted. There was already a long line of people waiting to check in and you can tell by their dirty clothes that they were all workers sent to help with the ident. Firefighters, police, military personnel, and civil servants all stood around looking tired. Lee-yeon stood at the back of the line, looking around at the fairly clean interior of the motel. All kinds of workers passed by her, but none of them were wearing the logo she was hoping to see. ¡®Should I call Chae-woo?¡¯ she thought to herself as she took out her cell phone and looked at the screen. ¡°¡­!¡± Just then, something hit her from behind, and she felt a hand sp around the nape of her neck and quickly turn her around. In the blink of an eye, someone grabbed her by the cor, pulling her close, as she lost her bnce and stumbled. ¡°Ah, this woman, how long has it been?¡± As she faced her attacker, her whole body froze. Her heartbeat thrummed forebodingly in her ears and her mind went nk. She was forced to stand on tiptoe, making it hard to keep her bnce. ¡°I was wondering where you were hiding. Have you been here the whole time?¡± She didn¡¯t even have the energy to attempt feebly to escape his grip. Her hands trembled. It was the first time she¡¯d seen her cousin since fleeing the maind anding to Hwaido. Her father¡¯s child. He was all at once her cousin and her half-brother. In his other hand, he was holding his phone, apparently in the middle of his call. He gripped his phone harder as he said, ¡°Hey¨C, bro, guess who I just ran into?¡± His gaze was filled with both delight and malice. This gaze that immediately crushed her hopes that the resentment between them would fade over time. The subtle pleasure that rose behind those deep eyes was the same as ever. ¡°It looks like I got a pretty big catch.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Bro, did you have a good dreamst night?¡± Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t breathe. Her cousin stood before her, his voice raised as heughed in her face. As always, it was like hearing everything that made her feel ashamed of herself. It was exactly the same as before, except they were no longer on the yground, in the school corridors, in the city, or at her workce. ¡°She¡¯s a tough girl, just like you said. For such a tough girl, it¡¯s no wonder she¡¯s living such a shamelessly luxurious life after running away like that. What an ingrate. It¡¯s nice that the family who raised me doesn¡¯t give a shit about me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If she was going to screw people over, she might as well have the decency toy low.¡± His expression hardened as he shook Lee-yeon roughly by her cor. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t she feel ashamed?¡± Each word felt like a cut, deep and painful. The sudden scene drew people¡¯s attention. However, no one rushed to intervene, possibly due to the orange uniform her cousin donned. ¡°Life muste so easy to you, Lee-yeon.¡± ¡°¡­Let go of me.¡± She red down at his hands, her nails digging into them. It was different from the obedient look she used to have in her eyes. Her aggressor¡¯s eyebrows raised at this sign of resistance. ¡°¡­bro, I have to hang up. I¡¯ll call you backter.¡± As soon as he finished tucking his phone back in his pocket, p¨C! Lee-yeon¡¯s head jerked to the side. The onlookers all gasped simultaneously as he suddenly pped her across the face. She must have busted a lip since she could taste blood in her mouth. She couldn¡¯t even bring herself to touch her cheek which burned as though on fire. Her ears rang as she suddenly recalled every memory of her cousin cursing at her and making her life miserable when she was young. She could feel the stares of those standing in the lobby around her as they whispered quietly. She had a nauseating feeling of deja vu. This evaluation had already been influenced by others enough as it was. Again and again, she felt ovee by an insurmountable sense of defeat. ¡°Get out of the way. You¡¯re blocking the line.¡± Lee-yeon squeezed her mmy fist with all her might. ¡°Did you take the wrong medicine today, Lee-yeon?¡± ¡°No, It must be that I forgot my pills today. Meanwhile, you¡¯re causing a scene like a troublemaker who can¡¯t act his own age.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s really been a long time. You¡¯ve gotten so old.¡± ¡°You, Lee¨C¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s childhood had never been smooth. However, even after witnessing someone being buried alive, being drugged and dragged to a ughterhouse, and almost cracking her head open in a drug field, she felt ridiculously confident that she had the upper hand on her cousin. ¡°You¡¯re not a person.¡± p¨C! He brought his hand down on her cheek again, just as she got the words out. ¡°You crazy girl. You must be really happy to see me today. Is that why your body aches?¡± Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t help butugh. She wasn¡¯t scared by her weak, bully of a cousin. Anyone with a minimal amount of strength could be a bully. But the man she lived with was different. A man who could carefully brush back the baby hairs on his wife¡¯s head after brutally defeating a gangster and a wild boar with his bare hands. This man who already yed such a huge role in her life, was the one she was truly afraid of. ¡°My blood may be dirty, but your shallow words and actions are even worse.¡± After everything she¡¯d been through, the usations her cousin threw at her no longer had the power to hurt her. Chapter 133: Chapter 133: ¡°Haha, So Lee-yeon, it looks like after ignoring me for so long, you¡¯ve forgotten your manners.¡± The man poked Lee-yeon¡¯s forehead with his finger. Sharp malice gathered like a smile in his eyes. Looking into this familiar gaze, Lee-yeon suddenly realized how much she¡¯d forgotten about her miserable past. Chae-woo¡¯s affection and protection were so strong. ¡°This won¡¯t do.¡± Her cousin clenched his jaw and dragged Lee-yeon outside. Just then, the automatic door opened and a group of people wearing matching uniforms walked in. Lee-yeon had maintained herposure despite having been pped twice, but at the sight of the familiar logo on the uniforms, her heart dropped. The moment caught her off guard and she was carried away easily as though her body wasposed of nothing but straw, while at the same time her eyes met Chae-woo¡¯s. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± At the sight of her swollen cheeks and busted lip, he stiffened coldly. It was the slightest of changes, but it still made Lee-yeon¡¯s shoulders shrink. Only then did his cousin begin to move, dragging her as if she were a cow, with a satisfied giggle. ¡°Since my older brother and sister aren¡¯t here, I should at least pull myself together, shouldn¡¯t I?¡± he said, strengthening his grasp. ¡°¡­If you¡¯re going to drag me away, do it quickly.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Stop stalling and take me away!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Lee-yeon lowered her voice as much as she could and quietly urged her cousin on. The thought of Chae-woo and his teammates seeing her in such an embarrassing situation struck her like a severe scolding. I can¡¯t be the one to sully Chae-woo¡¯s reputation. Lee-yeon knew from experience what it was like to be exiled from amunity, so she hoped with all her heart that this dirty scandal would not be the start of horrible rumors. As she fought to endure the feelings of shame slowly enveloping her, she closed her eyes. ¡°So Lee-yeon, open your eyes.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± She shivered at the sound of the voice in her ears. Her eyes opened wide against her will. She was helpless against hismanding tone of voice. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re avoiding me when I know you saw me. As your husband, I have no choice but to misunderstand this situation.¡± ¡°Chae¡ªChae-woo.¡± Before she knew it, Chae-woo was right in front of her, his gaze icy, as he said, ¡°Exin, before I skin this bastard alive.¡± ¡°Where are you off to in such a hurry with your face swollen like that? What were you nning to do with this idiot?¡± ¡°Who the fuck are you?!¡± Her brother looked livid. ¡°Lee-yeon, I asked you a question.¡± Her cousin red angrily at Chae-woo as he struck him on the shoulder. Unfazed, Chae-woo merely stared at Lee-yeon. He couldn¡¯t seem to tear his eyes away from her red cheeks. His expression was as easy to read as a nk sheet of paper, but the look in his eyes told a different story. He felt unusually consumed by the notion that he should not move even a single step before hearing Lee-yeon¡¯s response. Lee-yeon quickly thrust herself between them. ¡°Hey,e on, don¡¯t be rash¨C¡± She quickly moved to discourage her cousin before he started a fight. But it was Chae-woo who responded. ¡°¡­who is this?¡± He tilted his head slowly toward Lee-yeon as though trying to confirm whether or not he¡¯d read this situation correctly. His face had been nk and difficult to read this entire time, but finally showed some hint of emotion. He questioned her fiercely, his voice having lost itsposure entirely. ¡°How exactly do you know each other?¡± He couldn¡¯t recall her ever having mentioned him before. Chae-woo¡¯s eyes trembled. ¡°And rather than going into the motel together, you¡¯re in a rush to leave. Who the hell is he?¡± ¡°It, it¡¯s not like that, he¡¯s my cousin¡­!¡± ¡°Cousin?¡± The corners of Chae-woo¡¯s mouth rose into a grin as he recalled the details of Lee-yeon¡¯s family history that Beom-hee had given him. ¡°Ah, those sons of bitches.¡± Without even a hint of hesitation, Chae-woo grabbed the man by his head. His grip was so tight it turned his knuckles white. Her cousin, his pride shattered, tried futilely to escape Chae-woo¡¯s death grip. His mouth filled with blood and spit, he let out a heavy groan. ¡°Ugh¡­.! Fuck, husband? Did you say husband?¡± To free himself from Chae-woo¡¯s grasp, he fell messily to the floor. Eventually, her spiteful cousin began to shout, his face grim. ¡°Why is the world so unfair? How many peoples¡¯ lives have you ruined and you¡¯re here being all lovey dovey with your husband? My mom, uncles, aunts, brother, and sisters have suffered their whole lives. While we were rotting away in a mental hospital you were off pretending to be a decent person and getting married!¡± Lee-yeon felt her eyes begin to burn as she felt the stares of the people around them. Her cousin¡¯s sense of injustice had been building since they were children. From a pencil break or someone tripping, to failing a test or losing their fortune. Every personal misfortune had been med on Lee-yeon¡¯s improper birth. It¡¯d been a long time since she¡¯d lived among such vulgarity. ¡°Do you think it makes sense for you to enjoy your life like nothing happened?¡± As this was all unfolding, Chae-woo was signaling secretly to Beom-hee who was undercover nearby, observing every change in Lee-yeon¡¯s expression with his arms crossed. ¡°Every member of my family has a mental illness. I went to the hospital because everything in my life fell apart. Why is it always the innocent who suffer? Complete strangers can understand us, so what¡¯s wrong with you? Who changes their number and runs away so they can live well all on their own? Shit! And you call yourself human?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He raised his voice as if to show off, and as expected, the sound of whispers poured from the surrounding audience. Lee-yeon¡¯s face was burning from embarrassment. She didn¡¯t care much about his criticism of her. But the presence of Chae-woo and his coworkers bothered her. *** Hi there! Advanced chapters are avable on Patreon if you want to support the team behind these projects. Also, please consider supporting this novel by leaving a review on Novelupdates! Thank you so much. Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 134: Chapter 134: ¡°Are you saying your parents are the adulterous ones after all? Do you think finding a man is more important than your family? Is that why you left your family to chase after a husband? Without even looking, you can tell that this man you call your husband is¨C¡± Lee-yeon copsed to the floor and covered her cousin¡¯s mouth. ¡°Please¡­ that¡¯s enough. Don¡¯t say anything more.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Her cousin¡¯s eyes grew wide with shock at her unprecedented behavior. ¡°I¡¯m asking you to stop, now.¡± Lee-yeon stared at him with tears in her eyes. Please, stop. Don¡¯t you dare speak badly about someone I care about. She had been through unbearably difficult moments in her life, but she¡¯d never felt as little as she did now. Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t bear to even look up at Chae-woo. ¡°He¡¯s not my husband. I¡¯m not married. You misunderstood.¡± ¡°Huh!¡± Lee-yeon felt as though her wrist might break, but she endured the pain desperately. Even as her hands trembled, she kept his mouth covered almost to the point of crushing him. Still, her coworkers were still watching, even Dong-mi. She was anxious to keep Chae-woo out of this somehow. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think, so don¡¯t just bber on carelessly. Let¡¯s just get out of here. I¡¯ll listen to everything you want to say, so let¡¯s just keep it between us.¡± ¡°Ugh, ptui!¡± Her cousin spat on the floor, shaking her hand, ¡°Fuck, what are you¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare move a muscle, Lee-yeon.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± She froze at the sound of his sharp voice. ¡°First, I¡¯m your husband, then I¡¯m not. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m so angered by your vtility. I¡¯m not sure I can be kind now, so even if you have to crawl over here, you better do it now.¡± ¡°Chae-woo, this¨C¡± ¡°Stop spewing your nonsense.¡± ¡°That¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. I saide here.¡± Despite his insistence, she still hesitated to look around at the audience. Chae-woo¡¯s voice thundered. ¡°So Lee-yeon!¡± Surprised, Lee-yeon shot up reflexively. The cousin who was watching their interaction reached for her devilishly. But Chae-woo was faster. He lifted Lee-yeon out of the way and pushed her cousin¡¯s face away with his foot. He stepped on the back of his head. The cousin mmed against the floor and spat curses at Chae-woo. At each curse, Chae-woo smashed the cousin¡¯s head down again and again. Bam, bam, bam, he kept bashing the cousin¡¯s head down. The faces of the onlookers nched. However, no one came forward to stop him. Expressionless, Chae-woo asked Lee-yeon, ¡°Do you enjoy making heads turn?¡± ¡°¡­Ugh, what, what the fuck, who the hell are you?¡± Her cousin asked. ¡°You tell me, Lee-yeon. Who the hell am I?¡± He threw the question back at her, pounding his hell relentlessly. Lee-yeon caught Chae-woo¡¯s sharp gaze with shaky eyes. The strange pounding sound continued to ring out against the floor, but Chae-woo¡¯s eyes remained on her. ¡°Tell me, Lee-yeon.¡± ¡°I just said that to try and spare you from embarrassment.¡± Lee-yeon loosened her arm from around his shoulder. But the touch of him under her arm and on the back of her knees was firm and hot. ¡°I was trying to find a way to keep you out of this mess. Look at all the people here. What do you think they see?¡± Lee-yeon lowered her voice, bowing her head as if curling into a ball. ¡°¡­so just pretend you¡¯re not my husband for now. I can do that for you.¡± At that moment, Chae-woo pushed her head into his shoulder. All of a sudden, she could no longer see the stares of the people surrounding her and everything went ck. He was pressing hard against the back of her head making it impossible for her to turn her head. ¡°Try again.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Her heart thundered against her chest at their close proximity and the sweet smell of his sweat. Then she heard a low voice in her ear. ¡°Who am I?¡± *** Something was boiling up inside her threatening to explode. With her eyes covered, she could no longer see anything, and the social calctions she¡¯d been making in her head disappeared, reced with a strong desire to disappear. A desire to be with him, no matter where. However, Lee-yeon gritted her teeth and pushed the thought from her mind. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The silence grew between them and Lee-yeon wondered what expression was currently ying across Chae-woo¡¯s face. He had remained disturbingly quiet all this time and now he began to move, stepping slowly. Even as he made his way across the lobby, he kept his hand on the back of Lee-yeon¡¯s head, pressing her face into his shoulder like she was a baby. She could feel his pulse beating rapidly against the back of her neck. She felt as though every nerve in her body was focused on that spot where she could feel his speeding pulse. ¡°What room are you in?¡± ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Chae-woo kept walking and didn¡¯t ask any further questions. She remembered there being a long line, but somehow he approached the front desk and picked up the card key with Lee-yeon¡¯s name on it. The sound of his shoes dragging across the floor seemed to gather into a single sound. ¡°So Lee-yeon! My mom is sick. She¡¯s sick!¡± The gasping voice tugged on Lee-yeon, her cousin¡¯s final desperate cry. The mother he spoke of was Lee-yeon¡¯s aunt and the person who raised her. Her expression was grim, but Chae-woo paid her cousin no attention and continued towards the elevator. Nevertheless, Lee-yeon was unable to ignore the distant sound of her cousin¡¯s voice. She bit her lip to fight back a surging feeling of repulsion when arge palm covered her ear. ¡°You even paid your uncle¡¯s hospital bill, and you only knew him for a year at most. Does my mother, who has suffered considerably more than him, mean nothing to you? ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I heard you got a pretty hefty sum inpensation for that. What did you do with it!¡± Chae-woo seemed to stop walking just for a moment but she soon felt him resume his rhythmic pace. Lee-yeon dug into his arms, her ears still covered. Meanwhile, Chae-woo found Beom-hee, still keeping an eye on the situation with a cold expression, and winked at him. Suddenly, two mensilently stepped from the crowd and dragged her cousin, still shouting, out of the lobby. Dong-mi¡¯s eyes grew wide as she watched the noisy disturbance breathlessly. She stared at the door through which the two men had disappeared. Chapter 135: Chapter 135: Chae-woo swiped the key card and opened the door, pushing Lee-yeon against the wall as soon as he set her down. He had been working so hard to keep his cool, but now his cold expression was shattered, an angry snarl taking its ce. ¡°What was all that about?¡± He ground his teeth together as if he were chewing ss. The shoulder that had mmed against the wall stung, but Lee-yeon didn¡¯t dare to breathe at the sight of his fierce expression. ¡°You just can¡¯t help but drag people into your problems. And you go ahead and say that I¡¯m not your husband, we didn¡¯t get married, it¡¯s all a misunderstanding? What the fuck, you think you can just use people however you like?¡± He rested his forehead irritably on his arm which was pressed against the wall. In doing so, his face was covered in shadow, but she could still clearly make out his furrowed brow and clenched jaw. Lee-yeon leveled her shoulders and held her breath as her heart beat rapidly against her chest. She knew he couldn¡¯t understand that she had done it to protect him, and his harsh words stung. ¡°¡­I told you. I didn¡¯t want to get you involved.¡± Her voice wavered, but she held back her tears. Her chest just swelled lightly like that of a small bird. ¡°What, what kind of woman does that to her own husband?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It was my shame to bear. You¡¯re just starting to build up your social reputation. Do you want everyone to think you¡¯re married to someone who was born illegitimately? You know that would just bring you down with me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°On the outside people might pat your back and show you sympathy, but you know what they¡¯d be thinking on the inside. Little by little they¡¯d start tough about you behind your back. I didn¡¯t want you to suffer from that kind of ridicule. That¡¯s why I said what I did, because of the consequences!¡± She must have been overwhelmed from her speech because she felt tears rolling down her cheeks. A momentary smile shed across Chae-woo¡¯s face as he silently stared at her pitiful state. It was just there for an instant, but it was clearly augh. ¡°You¡¯re crying.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± He wiped away Lee-yeon¡¯s tears, a smile on his face. ¡°When did you be so sincere?¡± ¡°What?¡± she replied, wondering at the odd insinuation. ¡°But what can I do? I don¡¯t have an ounce of appreciation for your little sacrifice¡± He ced arge hand over her swollen cheek and lip. When his hand touched her skin, she felt the stinging, throbbing pain of where she was hit. ¡°Did you think I¡¯d say thank you for lying for my sake? I get upset when someone messes with my dog, but to hit my woman¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t tear his fierce gaze from the bruises on her face. He inhaled deeply, clenching his jaw tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever let me see you like this again.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Never.¡± His warning reverberated through his cold stare. ¡°Don¡¯t beg for no reason and don¡¯t get hit for no reason. And I¡¯m sick of lying and hiding like this, too, so just stop.¡± ¡°I would do it all again.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°If this were all to happen again, I wouldn¡¯t change a thing.¡± Lee-yeon stared at him with wide eyes. Her look was stubborn and unfaltering. Chae-woo let out a breath and nervously swept his hair back. ¡°Even if the same thing were to happen again, I still wouldn¡¯t say you¡¯re my husband in front of everyone.¡± Chae-woo¡¯s expression hardened at her words. ¡°Everything my cousin said was true. It¡¯s the filthy past I¡¯ve carried with me since I was born.¡± ¡°Fuck, doesn¡¯t that guy have a name?¡± Lee-yeon paused, shutting her mouth and lowering her eyes and his sudden outburst. ¡°This is my problem, not yours. So, I lied, big deal. It may seem cowardly to you, but this is how I¡¯m choosing to handle it.¡± His heart throbbed at her words as though he¡¯d been infected by her emotions. He couldn¡¯t help but notice how beautiful her eyes looked as they glistened beautifully with tears which threatened to overflow at any moment. To be honest, it was pretty effective at tugging his heart. But as he listened to herughable deration of resolve, he couldn¡¯t help but grind his teeth in irritation. He was upset at himself for being bothered by the scars Lee-yeon still carried with her because of her cousins and her birth. His stomach was in knots. He felt the urge to worm his way into her obstinate world and carve out a bigger scar than that. As he imagined this, his sadistic impulses took over and surged out of control. ¡°Listen, if you really want to make it up to me¡ª¡± Chae-woo lifted her chin roughly and forced her to look him in the eye. ¡°Let me bury myself deep inside you. So deep that I can¡¯t escape, and even deeper then.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready to be manipted by you.¡± Lee-yeon could feel the heat in his gaze as she stared into his dark eyes, her palms growing mmy. A feeling, neither hot nor cold, was spreading throughout her, awakening her body. Her heart was beating frighteningly fast. ¡°I¡¯m the one who took your virginity. Did you really think I¡¯d be bothered by your past?¡± ¡°¡­! Chapter 136: Chapter 136: At that moment, he grabbed Lee-yeon¡¯s neck roughly and ced his lips over hers. As their breathing grew rapid, their two bodies came together softly. As their legs became entangled, he thrust his tongue into her mouth. He slid his tongue along the roof of her mouth causing Lee-yeon to wriggle her shoulders and tilt her head up. Chae-woo buried his hand deep in her hair and kissed her deeply as though trying to swallow her up. As their kisses grew more passionate, he felt himself harden as their bodies rubbed against each other. ¡°Hahh¡­,¡± a low moan escaped his lips. This was the woman who had deceived him and who had some sort of rtionship with his brother. Chae-woo was confused himself. Just as she had deceived him, he would do the same to her and shamelessly continue to pose as her husband. Until the day he left her side. But it was getting harder to tell what was an act and what was sincere. He knew he needed to push her away with everything he had, and yet she pulled him back in with all her might. This man, whose heart was full of confusion and loathing, tilted Lee-yeon¡¯s head back and kissed her desperately. He felt an inexplicable joy, the unfamiliarity of which caused him to distort his face. The more he ran his hands over her smooth body and explored her tongue with his, the more intense his feeling of longing grew, washing over him like a wave. The softness of her tongue. The tip of his nose pressing against her. The warmth of her breath on his face as she moaned softly. Saliva dripped from their mouths. He bit Lee-yeon¡¯s lip hard, tugging her bottom lip with his teeth. Her breathless moans were sweet like honey. Chae-woo¡¯s body shook with desire. He knew the name of every scale and chord of the piano and yet there was no word to express the soundsing from Lee-yeon. An indescribable sense of relief pulled him in deeper and deeper. ¡°Uh, Chae-woo, ha¡­.¡± At the same time, he noticed howfortable Lee-yeon was with kissing and a new feeling sparked inside him. Who the fuck has she been kissing? Chae-woo immediately felt the urge to interrogate her but decided that woulde off as unseemly. His strange desire to have sole possession of her transformed him into a different person every moment. ¡°From now on, don¡¯t be overly considerate and share your every burden with me.¡± ¡°Hhmm¡­¡± ¡°Even if what you¡¯re trying to hide is a shitty family.¡± Their voices, heated nces, and hot breath mingled and intertwined in the space between them. His lips against hers, he whispered, ¡°You have to throw me something to gnaw on.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°That¡¯s how you treat a dog.¡± Riiiip¨Che tore away Lee-yeon¡¯s linen shirt. *** Embarrassed, Lee-yeon pushed against Chae-woo¡¯s shoulder, but he responded by lifting her hips. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± With their positions reversed, lifted his head as though he¡¯d been waiting for this moment and pressed head between her legs. Nipping her lightly here and there with his teeth, he explored the taste of her with the tip of his tongue. Lee-yeon shook her head, but his lips were already on her. Chae-woo wrapped her legs around his waist and pushed her against the wall. Caught between the wall and Chae-woo, Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t resist feeling aroused by the feel of his body against hers. ¡°Ha¡­!¡± He bent his head down and kissed her neck, swirling his tongue around and sucking hard. His body trembled at the taste of her body. He had already be irresistibly hard and could feel himself pressing against her stomach as he growled, ¡°Why do you keep making me care about everything?¡± He tore away the rest of her torn shirt and grabbed for her breasts. ¡°Chae, Chae-woo, hold on ah!¡± ¡°We were getting along just fine.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± ¡°I really tried my best.¡± He swept his eyes over her breasts. ¡°But you started this. By showing me such a pitiful side of yourself.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s body trembled at the sound of breath. He pushed Lee-yeon¡¯s bra aside and looked at her bare breasts expressionlessly. But the sense of calmsted just an instant. Small, round, and red. His mouth watered at the sight of it, the same color as her red swollen lips. He reached for her nipples hungrily with his mouth. He wrapped his mouth around the small of her breast and slowly flicked his tongue against the tip. ¡°Chae, Chae-woo. Hah, wait, Hah, hold on!¡± Shudders, goosebumps, and in an instant her nipple stiffened to a point. But it only made him more ravenous. She almost winced out of instinct when he suddenly coiled his tongue once more around her nipple and sucked so hard his cheeks dimpled. Her nipples became harder and harder from the stimtion. ¡°Hah, hah¡­¡­!¡± As swirled his tongue over her breasts and continued to suck on her nipples. As his tongue traveled over her skin, Lee-yeon pushed her head back against the wall or tightened her legs. ¡°Ahhh, ah.¡± Lee-yeon grabbed his shoulder and looked into his eyes, her face flush with lust. At the same time, Chae-woo slipped off her tights and loosened his buckle. Lee-yeon¡¯s body writhed, her hair a mess. ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m sweaty¡­¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I ever tell you? I like your sweat.¡± Chapter 137: Chapter 137: He dug his nose into Lee-yeon¡¯s corbone. The soft scent of her body, mingled with the smell of dry sweat on her skin, waspletely captivating. Her red nipple was slick with his saliva. And he could feel how hard he was, how ready he was. ¡°I¡¯m still all sweaty from work¡­! I¡¯ll shower first¨C¡± ¡°What a waste of time.¡± He raised his head to look her fiercely in the eyes. The clean whites of his eyes creeped her out. ¡°Even if it¡¯s just a second, I want to take as much time as I can.¡± ¡°¡­What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± He rubbed her through her underwear and felt her body react. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°What are you saying, when you¡¯re this horny?¡± His low voice was full of lust. Suddenly, he lifted her into his arms and started heading toward the bathroom. ¡°Wait a minute¡­!¡± Despite her protests, Chae-woo stepped into the shower. He put Lee-yeon down, turned on the shower and began spraying her with the water. ¡°Gah!¡± Lee-yeon jumped at the sudden stream of water. The water pressure was strong and left a painful tingling sensation all over her body. She closed her eyes and mouth tightly and held out her arms as if trying to hold back the water. She tried to somehow avoid the cold water, but Chae-woo mercilessly kept the stream pointed toward her. Eventually, Lee-yeon turned around, shielding herself from the water, wiped her face and shouted, ¡°What are you doing¡­!¡± Her chest, face, and entire body werepletely soaked. She wrapped her trembling body with her arms. ¡°I thought you were worried about being sweaty.¡± Chae-woo grabbed Lee-yeon and turned her around forcibly to look her in the eyes. ¡°Is this good enough?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lee-yeon was struck speechless by his uncharacteristically brazen attitude. ¡°Are you still not satisfied?¡± Chae-woo pulled his shirt off over his head. She could see the outline of his hard dick through his pants, where his buckle still hung loose. He quickly removed his pants as well and picked up the shower head again. ¡°Wai-Wait¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you wash up, so you take off your clothes too.¡± This time, warm water washed over every corner of Lee-yeon¡¯s body. Her wet, torn clothes suck to her skin, revealing the smooth outline of her body. Slowly feasting his eyes on her body, he could see the vague shadow of a tuft of hair between her legs. His eyes stopped there and his breathing became quiet. He fixated the stream of water between her legs, slowly revealing more and more of whaty beneath her now translucent underwear. Suddenly, he licked his lips. Lee-yeon, sensing his attention, quickly turned around. But it wasn¡¯t a good idea. A thin piece of cloth, clinging tightly to that secret ce. Glossy thighs with firm skin. Round buttocks barely covered by thin fabric. Droplets of water flowing from those cheeks. His eyes were drawn to every bit of her. ¡°Mnn¡­¡­¡± Maybe it was because of the water pressure, but Lee-yeon groaned weakly. In an instant, the sound of rushing water stopped. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± A strange silence stretched between them. Lee-yeon tried to turn her head, but she was suddenly pulled backward by her waist. ¡°Oh!¡± The heat of his touch shocked her system and she gasped as he grabbed her. ¡°Chae-woo, what, what are you¨D!¡± He pulled her underwear down and quickly pressed his lips together. On his knees, he spread Lee-yeon¡¯s legs apart and buried his head between them. Lee-yeon shuddered with pleasure just from the feel of his breath between her legs. He slid his tongue upward in one slow motion. ¡°Ahhh¡­! Chae-woo!¡± As she jerked and writhed, he tightened his grip on her abdomen. His nose rubbed against her clit and he didn¡¯t hesitate to rub his tongue around it before shoving his tongue inside her. ¡°Ahh! Chae-woo, ah, don¡¯t! He grinned at Lee-yeon¡¯s helpless response. Her face immediately turned red. Chae-woo going down on her, she pressing herself into him shamelessly. It was all so humiliating. She tried to break free like a deer sensing danger, but Chae-woo held her fast. Running away was futile. Lee-yeon flexed her toes, biting her lip roughly. Chae-woo kept moving his tongue around like he was enjoying something delicious, sucking on her soft flesh and persistently shoving his tongue inside her. ¡°Mmmnnn, nnn, mmm¡­!¡± His red tongue was like a burning ember. Every time he licked and shoved his tongue inside her, back and forth, the fire moved. The slurping sound reminded of the sshing sound of water, but inside she felt hot. She was being slowly devoured and the squelching sound seemed to echo around her. He thrust his tongue inside her, tilting his head to reach deeper. Chae-woo flicked her clitoris with his tongue slowly, as if nervous. Each time he did this, Lee-yeon¡¯s breath quickened and she felt like something was melting inside her. ¡°Ahhh, hahh, aaahhhh¡­¡­!¡± Using his teeth, he nipped lightly at the soft folds of her vagina, sucking the skin into his mouth and lightly tugging with his teeth. He shoved his tongue in again moving his chin moving as though going in for a kiss. She swallowed every drop as she came, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing up and down busily as he gulped. ¡°Ha¡­¡± ¡°Haa¡­¡± As soon as Chae-woo pulled his lips away, breathing heavily¨C ¡°Ahh¡­¡± he shoved his fingers into her. ¡°It feels different from the back.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s hand, which was sliding down the bathroom wall, slipped weakly. He swirled his fingers around inside her, using his knuckles to stretch her wider. At the same time, he was bold with his hands. ¡°I remember every moment we¡¯ve been together, but we¡¯ve never done anything like this.¡± ¡°Ahhh¡­!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I like it.¡± His fingers became wet and sticky as he slipped one finger inside of her, slowly sliding it in and out, then two fingers, then three. He purposely hooked his knuckles and hung them on the end. Whenever his fingers rubbed along the inside of her, Lee-yeon¡¯s hips moved involuntarily. ¡°Hahh, ahhh¡­!¡± Something was pouring out from deep within her and she couldn¡¯t help but groan. The fingers, covered in her wetness, kept pushing deep inside her. Lee-yeon¡¯s ears reddened at the stick, slurping, sucking sound. ¡°Chae, Chae-woo. Hah, stop. Stop¡­¡­¡± ¡°You have to make sense for me to listen to you.¡± He let out a low, ridiculingugh. ¡°Still, I don¡¯t like this¡­¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just, well, I¡¯m a bit cold. Or I at least want to be able to see your face¨C Ahh!¡± Just then, something hot and thick shoved its way into Lee-yeon¡¯s body all at once as if it were on fire. ¡°¡­You want me to beg you, right?¡± he said, his voice rough as he breathed heavily. Lee-yeon opened her mouth wide and tried to remain still as she bore the painful pressure. ¡°Must I be so obedient?¡± Chae-woo wrapped a hand around Lee-yeon¡¯s neck. Chapter 138: Chapter 138: Lee-yeon bit her lip as she braced herself for the force with which Kwon Chae-woo was rutting against her. She feltpletely full as he thrust into her. He chuckled as she made a face at the feeling. ¡°Lee-yeon,e on, loosen up for me.¡± When he pulled out a little, she let out a sigh of relief. Kwon Chae-woo slid arm behind her neck and allowed himself a moment to feel her soft skin. Compared to how he usually was, he was being quite tender. Still, Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t help but feel like she was being shackled to him causing her to tense up. ¡°Right,¡± Kwon Chae-woo grunted. ¡°You really don¡¯t listen to me.¡± And, with that, he bottomed out into her. ¡°I¡¯ve always been the one who¡¯s listened to you. You¡¯ve practically enved me.¡± Lee-yeon threw her head back in pleasure, hitting the bathroom wall, as Kwon Chae-woo put his leg beneath her ass and grabbed her hip. He could feel her slowly drifting away, unable to hear what he was saying. He rocked her body back and forth as her breath began to quicken, thrusting in and out with each movement. He reached behind her back, and, with a swift touch, he unhooked her bra and took hold of one of her breasts. The flesh was supple in his grasp as he fondled it and flicked her nipple with his thumb. Lee-yeon shut her eyes as she tried to hold herself together. She wasn¡¯t exactly feeling like herself at that moment. ¡°Chae-woo,¡± she rasped. ¡°I don¡¯t like this¡ª¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± He thrust into her at that moment, and she couldn¡¯t help but moan. ¡°You don¡¯t like having sex?¡± he pressed. He moved against her sharply as he spoke. ¡°Would you like it if it wasn¡¯t me doing it to you?¡± Lee-yeon tried to answer but her breath was caught in her throat. The way he was ramming into her was suffocating. Kwon Chae-woo tutted. ¡°My wife can¡¯t even answer such a simple question,¡± he said. ¡°I must be fucking you really good.¡± She couldn¡¯t even scream, too wrapped up in her own pleasure to muster a sound. It seemed like he was on a rampage and she was the carnage that he nned to leave behind. With each thrust, his grip on her neck seemed to tighten. ¡°Don¡¯t go all soft on me now,¡± he told her. ¡°You are the bold So Lee-yeon, right?¡± His breath was hot against her neck. ¡°Turn your head.¡± Weakly, Lee-yeon did as she was told. Suddenly, a set of teeth closed in on her bottom lip and a tongue slid into her mouth forcefully. He was pressing his tongue against hers, pushing in until she couldn¡¯t seem to breathe anymore. Then, he reached down and rubbed at her clit, sending shockwaves through her body at the sudden feeling. It was like her entire body was on fire and she felt her legs begin to shake. Lee-yeon tried to push Kwon Chae-woo away, too overwhelmed by the feeling, but his hand wouldn¡¯t budge. He was set on rubbing his thumb against her heat and he was merciless in his attack. It was like her body was being ripped in half, like she was being pulled in two different directions all at once. Behind her, Kwon Chae-woo moaned lowly as he squeezed her breast and sucked on her tongue. The point where their bodies collided was sopping wet from Lee-yeon¡¯s slick. ¡°I can taste blood in your mouth, Lee-yeon.¡± He frowned against her lips. ¡°It seems like I¡¯ve sucked too hard.¡± She couldn¡¯t respond. Her pleasure was reaching its usual peak, but it felt different this time. The knot in her stomach seemed so much tighter and her feelings seemed so much more out of sorts. ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Kwon Chae-woo continued. ¡°Your sweat, your blood, your juice¡­ I can never have enough of you.¡± His thrusts were getting stronger and they were beginning to hurt from all the impact and the pressure. He nibbled on ear, his lips traveling down her neck all the way to her cheek. His grip on her was tight as he continued to move. ¡°Stop!¡± Lee-yeon cried. ¡°I feel weird!¡± But all he did was chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m sure I feel way worse.¡± ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, promise me one thing.¡± The moment seemed so far away, but he could hear the voice clearly in the back of his mind. Kwon Chae-woo felt his heart stop in his chest. ¡°Never find your memory. Ever.¡± He shook his head at the memory and frowned. He pulled his thoughts away from it and focused on holding Lee-yeon¡¯s waist. It bothered him to know that his heart was beating because of somethingpletely unrted to sex so he tried to refocus on the task at hand. He thrust into her sharply, as if by instinct. ¡°Even if I go back to who I was, why would anything between us change? I¡¯m so hung up on you, Lee-yeon. What are you afraid of?¡± It was his voice that he could hear in the back of his head, but it wasn¡¯t really him. His emotions began to take over him and he bit his bottom lip and shook his head to clear the thought away. ¡°I don¡¯t need it,¡± he said mindlessly. Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Lee-yeon frowned. ¡°What?¡± But Kwon Chae-woo was focused. His mind was thinking hard about that moment. ¡°No matter what the situation is,¡± she had told him, ¡°Dangerous or urgent, do you really think I¡¯m a woman who¡¯s oblivious to the rest of the world? If I ask you to take me anywhere, could you do that?¡± ¡°Every moment I live, I save you, I chase you instinctively. It may seem selfish right now but my world revolves around you, Lee-yeon.¡± His heart was pounding. ¡°Fuck.¡± He shoved himself into her tight hole, going as deep and as far as he could go. His back tensed at the feeling. She squirmed against him, but his mind was now focused on something else. His mind drifted to the little boy who hade to his home when he was thirteen, he had boycotted everyone. His family was careful and kind, they treated him like broken ss. He wasn¡¯t familiar with his birth parents and his three older brothers. Though they acted like they were family, he couldn¡¯t help but feel like they were actually wicked people who had split him and his mother apart. As time went on, things stayed the same. His heart only grew colder and he became increasingly obsessed with the cello. He had rejected his family so much that he hade to a point where he would bite anyone who tried to touch him. He had be a boy who didn¡¯t speak to others and yed the cello in the dark. He was isted from the people he was supposed to be closest to and, in the end, they decided to send him abroad, hiding his identity from everyone else. There was only one thing he wanted to say, but he never could. He missed his mother, but he knew that all she had been his kidnapper. Still, he missed her and he wanted to return to her. He snapped out of the thought and grunted. ¡°I¡¯m really sick of all the fuss.¡± His thrusts were at their strongest now and his grip on Lee-yeon was tight and hard. She was almost there. Suddenly, a wave of white overtook her and she writhed against Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s body. Still, he continued to move. Lee-yeon didn¡¯t remember that he came. *** ¡°Spare me!¡± Where was the man who thought he had all the power? Where was the predator now? Kwon Chae-woo pulled the duct tape from the man¡¯s mouth and untied the cloth beneath. He shoved it into the mouth of Lee-yeon¡¯s cousin and red. He was scared to death¡ªwhich was understandable considered how he was covered in dirt and blood from head to toe. ¡°Were you burying?¡± It was Jang Beom-hee who answered. ¡°Yes, there were too many mountains around.¡± He bowed. Kwon Chae-woo grimaced. ¡°Are you saying there are more of these useless goons?¡± The cousin flinched at the sound of his cold voice. ¡°Did they teach you nothing but how to bully others at home?¡± Kwon Chae-woo asked. He grabbed the edge of the trunk and looked at the man inside, curled up like a garbage bag. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous.¡± He grinned, but it wasn¡¯t truly a grin. It was a sickly thing that spelled danger. ¡°I only learned how to use a knife and axe at home too. We¡¯re pretty simr in that way.¡± The frightened man¡¯s heart was racing as he looked up at the man who loomed over him. Lee-yeon, who is this? Kwon Chae-woo continued. ¡°I¡¯ll have someone follow you like a dog from now on,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe for your entire life, they¡¯ll follow you until you die.¡± ¡°Please!¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s cousin screamed. ¡°Spare me!¡± He had thrown all his pride away as soon as he was being pushed in and out of the ground. But Kwon Chae-woo just continued. ¡°You¡¯ll see him when you get married,¡± he said. ¡°When you have a kid, when you go on to live a happy life. At the wedding, at your child¡¯s kindergarten, in front of your house, everywhere¡­ he will follow you like a shadow you will never get rid of.¡± He watched as the other man struggled and tried to break himself from. ¡°Try,¡± he said coldly. ¡°Struggle.¡± He shut the trunk again. Inside, a scream broke loose but he could barely hear it. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a long night,¡± he sighed. *** When she woke up, she was alone. The only trace of Kwon Chae-woo having been there was the medicine on the table and the shower robe she was swaddled in. The robe fastened so tight that it took her a while to undo it. She thought about calling him but didn¡¯t. Since they put on a show at the lobbyst night, she was sure others must have heard about it. She tried to put it all aside. Right now, Lee-yeon just felt sluggish. ¡°Hey, Director So,¡± Director Park greeted her when she arrived. It was the third day of judging. ¡°You don¡¯t look so good. Try not to push yourself, okay?¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me to be careless?¡± ¡°Not quite!¡± heughed. ¡°Don¡¯t think like that.¡± He snuffed out his cigarette on the lid of his coffee and threw the remains on the ground. Lee-yeon frowned. ¡°Director, you can¡¯t just throw things here like that.¡± The man gave her a look. When he realized she was serious, he shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s already a dump, but I¡¯m sorry. Sorry.¡± Chapter 140: Chapter 140: She knew he didn¡¯t mean it. Ignoring the growing sense of annoyance in her chest, she took a deep breath and sat on top of arge rock. Choo-ja noticed that she was getting pale so she went down the mountain to get medicine. Lee-yeon thought about the long day ahead of them and wiped the sweat from her forehead. It all looked like a mess. The ground had been dug up and there was so much trash that a small mountain had started to form. The ce was crying for help. As Lee-yeon looked around, she was somehow reminded of Kwon Chae-woo. But she tried to ignore her thoughts. Then, as if something had read her mind, she heard footsteps getting closer. She saw a big silhouette approaching her and she stood up. He was holding a scythe and, when he saw her, he pretended to be looking at the forest instead. He looked neat, in his jersey that went all the way up to his chin and his hairbed back. There was a look of dissatisfaction on his face and, even though they had sex the night before, it made Lee-yeon anxious to approach him. She yed with the hem of her top as she spoke. ¡°Did you sleep wellst night?¡± she asked, then couldn¡¯t help but add, ¡°Did you sleep beside me?¡± ¡°Yes, I slept well.¡± She was shocked by how soft his voice was, but she couldn¡¯t help but think that it sounded forced. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re in a good spot.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one here.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s breath hitched in her throat. Here?Everything was filthy. It was all a mess. ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked. ¡°We didn¡¯t have much time to talk,¡± he said. ¡°The judging happened as soon as you woke up.¡± He adjusted his grip on the scythe and stepped closer. ¡°What¡¯s the reward?¡± Lee-yeon could feel her palms begin to grow sweaty. ¡°I¡¯m curious to know what the story was. Can you tell me?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± she trailed off, looking away from him. ¡°It¡¯s just an old story. It¡¯s nothing.¡± Her voice was quiet now and she tried her best to show him how ufortable she was, but all he did was stare at her calmly. With his eyes, clear and bright, pointed right at her, she knew she couldn¡¯t keep quiet. ¡°I helped someone who looked desperately in need of help,¡± she finally said. ¡°Remember the singing tree I told you about in front of the Holy Tree? The one I told you about before you went to bed?¡± Kwon Chae-woo raised a brow. There was enough talk about the Holy Tree without Lee-yeon¡¯s recountings of Jang Beom-hee¡¯s version. He nodded. ¡°Well, it was a woman,¡± Lee-yeon said. ¡°She looked young, but she already had a child. She stayed at my ce for about a month and then left. It was a short stay, but her family sent money as a thank you. I used that money for my uncle¡¯s hospital bill when he was sick. That¡¯s all there is to it.¡± She could feel her throat tighten as she spoke. Her heart was racing and her mouth had dried. She tried her best to hide the shaking in her voice. Kwon Chae-woo leaned down to level with her. He looked straight into her eyes. ¡°Lee-yeon,¡± he said. ¡°I told you to stop lying.¡± A chill went down her spine. ¡°I told you I¡¯m sick of it. I¡¯ve had enough of it all.¡± It was like her tongue had frozen. She couldn¡¯t speak. ¡°Lee-yeon, I know how to rip the truth from people. It¡¯s easy for me,¡± he said, ignoring the way her eyes widened. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to do that to you. I¡¯m your husband, so I should be kind to you as my wife.¡± Though his voice was soft and kind, Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t help but feel like she was being threatened. Even if he was just standing in front of her, he was still holding a scythe. Her body moved without thinking and she took a step back. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked. ¡°Do you not want to tell me more about the past? As my wife, do you not want to let your husband know these things?¡± When she didn¡¯t answer, he continued. ¡°Should I stop?¡± Then, his face shifted slightly. His nostrils were now red and he was frowning as looked around the area. Something smelled different. It was like the scent of oil had overtaken the smell of the grass. He looked back at her. ¡°Everything depends on you now, Lee-yeon,¡± he said. ¡°What exactly did you do?¡± His eyes were cold now. Lee-yeon wondered if she had somehow gotten a heatstroke. Her legs were now losing strength and she was breaking out into a cold sweat. Her mind was hazy, like she was trapped in a swamp. An image shed through her head. It was a poster. A poster of someone who needed to be found. ¡°Someone¡¯s chasing me! Please! Please hide me! Help me!¡± The woman was pleading in front of the then younger Lee-yeon. But¡­it was a $200,000 reward. She remembered being more convinced by the amount of money than by the woman¡¯s plea. She had looked at the woman¡¯s face. It had been the face in the poster. She remembered how Choo-ja had said that her uncle would need surgery and chemotherapy to save his life. So¡ª ¡°I called them.¡± She blurted out. Kwon Chae-woo clutched the scythe. He had been the one that told his mother to go to the girl¡¯s house, to Lee-yeon¡¯s house. Lee-yeon looked at him seriously. ¡°I had my priorities,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t regret choosing my uncle.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t regret it?¡± Before she could answer, Kwon Chae-woo began to chuckle. He thought of the mother he had missed, the mother that had died in the basement beneath his room. She was right there and yet she had died. As he looked around the forest, there was no hint of life in his eyes. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious to know what happened to that woman?¡± he asked. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know what happened to the woman you sold to extend your uncle¡¯s life?¡± Lee-yeon looked away. ¡°They told me that she went home. I like to think that she¡¯s doing well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice that you think that,¡± he said, his words cutting her when he knew it hurt. ¡°Usually preys don¡¯t survive,¡± he added in a whisper. She frowned at him as he began to back away. She realized that this conversation was something else, she didn¡¯t understand its entirety. Everything was strange, everything made her uneasy. She stared ahead at the man that was already moving away from her. ¡°We met on the wrong terms,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re trying to say, Chae-woo.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t.¡± He started tough. ¡°I was always a bit messed up here,¡± he said, pointing at his head. ¡°Anyway, thanks for your answer.¡± He swung the scythe against a tree and left it jammed into the trunk. ¡°Chae-woo!¡± Lee-yeon called, but there was no use. As he turned away from her, thest thing she did was the look on his face: halfway between smiling and crying. Then, boom! She covered her head at the unexpected explosion. There was fire spread across the area. Soon, there was smoke everywhere. She tried to get away, but the fire was already so strong that it felt like her skin was melting. Lee-yeon looked back at the ce where Kwon Chae-woo had been. He was gone. And then, boom! There was another huge explosion. Chapter 141: Chapter 141: Beeeep ¡ª a sharp ringing sound echoed inside her head. ¡°¨Cllo?¡± Her vision was blurry, speckled with blotches of light and color. In the midst of it all, she could just make out the vague outline of a silhouette. ¡°Ma¡¯am, do you hear me?¡± The sound of the unfamiliar voice switched her body into alert mode. Lee-yeon sat up in surprise and felt her breath shake roughly as though her lungs were unustomed to the act of inhaling and exhaling. Her pupils dted, she scanned the inside of the white tent and observed the paramedics in front of her. She must have been in the makeshift emergency room located at the bottom of the mountain. ¡°You¡¯ll feel dizzy if you sit up so suddenly. Please lie down.¡± The paramedic was calm as he gently pushed Lee-yeon¡¯s shoulders back down. He was putting gauze on Lee-yeon¡¯s chin and pouring saline solution over the back of her hand which burned. He emptied the bottle before quickly opening another one. ¡°Your guardian has spent every moment by your side. He should be here any minute.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Thest thing she remembered was being pushed forward by the waves. Thanks to the growing pain she felt from the moment she opened her eyes, she was certain she¡¯d definitely hit her chin on some rocks as she fell. She had no idea how she¡¯d made it out alive. Then the tent p opened and there he was. Kwon Chae-woo in the same shoes, jersey, and pale face. ¡°Lee-yeon, are you okay?¡± The sound of his concerned voice cleared away any lingering feelings of faintness. Frustrated, Lee-yeon scooched herself towards the edge of the bed in a feeble effort to escape. Her sudden movement caused the paramedic pouring saline over her hand to miss. Lee-yeon quietly gripped the white bed sheet tightly in her hand. Her heartbeat became sporadic. ¡°What, how, here¡­¡± She didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Ahh, you don¡¯t remember?¡± ¡°What? Remember¡­¡± As he got closer, Lee-yeon¡¯s body stiffened noticeably. However, Chae-woo ced himself beside her with a sweet yet brazen look. He smoothly took the saline from the paramedic and held Lee-yeon¡¯s hand in his. Her shoulders trembled. ¡°I left first and went down before you.¡± She thought she saw a hint of mockery in his silent gaze. Lee-yeon wanted to yank her hand from his grasp, but it wasn¡¯t easy. He was very subtly applying pressure by pressing his fingernails into the back of Lee-yeon¡¯s hand. Yet his expression was as innocent as a shameless young boy. ¡°I got a bad feeling from the sound and the smell.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Chae-woo was particrly sensitive. Of course, she knew that. ¡°Fortunately, I saw the firefighters and came back up. And it¡¯s a good thing I did. If I hade just a littleter, it would have be a big forest fire.¡± Lee-yeon struggled to find the right words, her mouth opening and closing as she tried to express her relief. ¡°I¡¯m just so d you¡¯re safe,¡± she finally managed to say. On the surface, there was nothing unusual about his words. He was just a responsible citizen who had stepped up and fought to protect the Golden Time. But to Lee-yeon, his words meant so much more. ¡°Miss, we almost lost you! If he had seen the fire just a little bitter, you won¡¯t have survived. They said not even a single ant in the area survived. If it wasn¡¯t for your husband, you might have had much more serious burns. But instead, all you got was shock from the explosion. You should consider yourself very lucky.¡± The paramedics made such a fuss, it was as though they were trying to convince her of Chae-woo¡¯s innocence. Slowly, her anxiety faded. Her confusion cleared and her sharp sense of foreboding and intuition became dull. ¡°¡­Chae-woo, are you hurt?¡± ¡°Not a scratch.¡± ¡°Thank goodness.¡± Lee-yeon managed to lift the corners of her mouth, but there was no hiding the fatigue which showed clearly on her face. Chae-woo ced a hand on her arm and leaned his head towards her. Lee-yeon held her breath. The smell of his breath, a big shadow hovering above his forehead. It was dark and cold enough to freeze her solid. Chae-woo whispered as if he were telling a secret. ¡°Lee-yeon won this evaluation.¡± ¡°¡­what?¡± ¡°A tree surgeon got injured for being in the field on her own despite the danger. Isn¡¯t that so admirable?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°After yesterday, there¡¯s nothing more to consider.¡± The feel of his cold breath against her ears made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. ¡°Lee-yeon, what¡¯s going on?!¡± Just then, the tent opened with the boom of a Choo-ja¡¯s loud voice as she rushed in, her face deadly pale. Only checking that all of Lee-yeon¡¯s limbs were still attached and unharmed did she plop onto the emergency room bed. Chapter 142: Chapter 142: ¡°¡­Choo-ja.¡± Choo-ja, her body crumpled as though in anguish, hugged Lee-yeon tightly. ¡°Lee-yeon, what happened?¡± Choo-ja was agitated by the unprecedented situation, but Lee-yeon just buried her face into her shoulder without a word. She bit her lip and fought the urge to burst into tears. Something scary and hard to face was just around the corner. She hid her face deeper. ¡°You don¡¯t have anyone to flirt with, so you¡¯re using me, huh?¡± Despite her sharp words, Choo-ja patted Lee-yeon¡¯s body which trembled even as she did so. ¡°I heard that if it wasn¡¯t for Chae-woo, you would have been in real trouble.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lee-yeon flinched at her words, but the older woman didn¡¯t notice a thing. Meanwhile, Chae-woo gazed numbly at Lee-yeon, who refused to look at him. His facade of kindness and deceit had vanished entirely. In that instant, he crushed the bottle of saline in his and it burst like a carton of milk. * * * The evaluation period is now over. It was Lee-yeon who passed the third evaluation, just as he¡¯d said. Lee-yeon slept in a daze all the way back from the mountain. As Lee-yeon made the journey back down the mountain, her mind was consumed with a hazy fog. But upon her return, she put on a brave face, pretending as if nothing had changed between her and Chae-woo. She smiled andughed, going through the motions, even though her heart felt heavy. Chase-woo, too, seemed to have returned to his old self, his strange and maniptive actions and words now a distant memory. All in all, it was as if the entire ordeal had been nothing more than a fleeting nightmare. A usible peace began to fill the gap between them. ¡°Director! Are you listening to me?¡± Dong-mi¡¯s voice interrupted Lee-yeon¡¯s thoughts, pulling her back to the present. They were sitting around a small tea table in the front yard of the house, the shade providing a weed relief from the hot sun. The ice in their sses ttered as Dong-mi stirred her iced tea with her straw. Lee-yeon quickly shook off her thoughts and wrapped both hands around her own ss, the coldness bringing her back to her senses. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It must be the heat,¡± Lee-yeon apologized, ¡°Please continue.¡± Even as she said this, she was studying Dong-mi¡¯splexion. On this rxed Sunday afternoon, while Chae-woo was gone grocery shopping, Dong-mi had dropped by, her face stunned for some reason. Her usually calm and cold friend looked as thin and fragile as a broken leaf, a dull look in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s so hard to put into to words, I feel like I¡¯m going crazy¡­¡± Dong-mi sighed deeply and wrapped her hands around her head in distress. ¡°My man¡­, doesn¡¯t seem like himself.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s fingers, which had been wiping away the water droplets from the surface of her ss, froze. ¡°The guy I¡¯m harassing, no, I¡¯m attacking, no, I¡¯m seeing.¡± ¡°You can just say you like him¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t stand getting emotional.¡± Dong-mi scratched her forearm as her earlobes turned red. It was nothing Lee-yeon hadn¡¯t heard before. They¡¯re not dating, but Joo Dong-mi has been seeing a guy. However, as she gripped her phone tightly in her hand, checking it frequently, looking nervous and restless, Lee-yeon had no choice but to lend an ear to her ranting. ¡°Well¡­¡± Suddenly, Dong-mi looked around nervously and lowered her voice. It was as if she was afraid someone might overhear. ¡°He was burying someone.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Lee-yeon felt her heart drop. It was difficult to maintain herposure, but she managed to swallow the lump in her throat. ¡°At first I thought it was a ghost. Did I missee? You and I, we¡¯re hikers, so we know. There are tons of ghosts in the mountains! Furthermore, that mountain is the site of a major ident, so for a while I tried to convince myself that something terribletched onto me and it was all just a big misunderstanding¡­¡­!¡± Dong-mi¡¯s desperately scrunched up expression gradually subsided as if she were regaining her calm. ¡°But, I¡¯m not an idiot.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Lee-yeon exhaled quickly and lowered her gaze. ¡°He was really burying someone. My man, the man I slept with¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What am I going to do, Director?¡± Lee-yeon drank the iced tea she still had not touched. It felt like something was suck in te pit of her stomach and she had troubling swallowing her tea. Her heart was pounding and she felt dizzy. ¡°The reason I¡¯m telling you all this is¡­¡­¡± Lee-yeon subconsciously chewed her lip, unsure of what to say or do to help her friend. ¡°At that mountain. You know the guy who looked like Godzi with a loud squeaky voice, who looked like your family.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. My cousin.¡± ¡°Yes, the Godzi. He was the one my man was burying.¡± Chapter 143: Chapter 143: ¡°What?!¡± Wh-what did this mean? Lee-yeon choked on her tea and coughed drily. Her cousin is dead. ¡°So I thought you might know something about this. Maybe you also have someone you know who is like this? What have I gotten myself into, director?¡± ¡°¡­I only know one such person.¡± ¡°What?¡± Suddenly, Dong-mi¡¯s face was shocked. It was a totally iprehensible response for Lee-yeon. ¡°Is that person your man?¡± Dong-mi said in a jest. ¡°¡­What? No, no. What are you talking about? No.¡± Lee-yeon shook her head frantically, denying the reality of Dong-mi¡¯s words and closing her mouth, unable to find the right words to say. A strange silence fell between them as they both struggled to process the shocking revtion. *** Dong-mi folded her arms, letting out a small sound, ¡°Hmm-¡±. Lee-yeon gave her a frustrated look. She quickly cleared her expression and bent her upper body toward the table. Her voice sounded surprisingly sharp as she spoke secretively. ¡°Did you get caught?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did you check your behind you properly when you ran away?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡­¡± Dong-mi was briefly distracted by Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes which were swirling with a strange look. ¡°If you¡¯ve witnessed such a terrifying sight, the price will follow you.¡± ¡°What¡­¡± ¡°Make sure you lock your doors tight and don¡¯t go out alone in the dark. In case hees after you.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Always be on your guard.¡± Lee-yeon drew to fingers across her neck in one swift cutting motion. She was being so creepy, it was hard to take her seriously. Dong-mi was listening with her mouth open and suddenly burst intoughter. ¡°Right? You don¡¯t believe me, do you?¡± No, I don¡¯t think anyone knows as well as I do! But before she could continue, Dong-mi spoke again. ¡°I¡¯m sure I head he¡¯s a police officer. He didn¡¯t even tell me where he works. No matter how sexy he is, isn¡¯t it too suspicious? It¡¯s not like we¡¯re in some 1928 gangster movie and I don¡¯t want to film a new-school drama either, for that matter.¡± Dong-mi nervously swept a hand over her hair. She looked towards Lee-yeon, the look in her eyes a mix of weak irritation and bitter worry. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear anything from that Godzi?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not a gangster. I have no idea what he was doing burying someone.¡± Dong-mi was still chewing her lip and gripping her phone tightly even though she acted like she was going to cut the man offpletely. She stretched out her long arms hoping for an answer and hung on Lee-yeon¡¯s sleeve. ¡°What would you do if you were me?¡± She began crying which made Lee-yeon start to sweat. Lee-yeon was in no position to talk about someone else¡¯s worries as her head swirled with things she couldn¡¯t mention. But- ¡°My man¡­, it can¡¯t be him.¡± Lee-yeon lowered her shoulders and looked at the small garden in the yard. She had not neglected any of it. She had carefully picked out the nts she wanted to nurture and watch grow every day, and thanks to her dedicated care, the seeds she had nted were now on the verge of bearing fruit. ¡°Until the tree leaves my hands, I never give up first,¡± she said, her voice as calm and steady as the low wind. ¡°That¡¯s what tree doctors usually do. So I would take it in stride.¡± Dong-mi looked at her, confused. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Staring at Lee-yeon¡¯s profile, she couldn¡¯t read her expression at all. Dong-mi looked at her silently and scratched her cheek. ¡°But if the end is fixed, its¡­ Rather than withstanding, shouldn¡¯t we just gradually growing apart?¡± It felt like someone had mmed a rock over her head. Lee-yeon did not even blink as if she had frozen solid. She had a strong urge to refute it, but there was nothing she could say in defense. * * * That night, Chae-woo looked disapprovingly at Lee-yeon, who focused solely on her phone. As he clicked through the channels, color leaked from the monitor making his face sh blue and red like a goblin. The short bursts of audio might have been bothersome, but Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes were glued to her phone. Chae-woo couldn¡¯t take it anymore and turned toward her. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°What?¡± Lee-yeon answered without looking up at first, then lifted her head. Her attitude was obviously insincere and mechanical. Chae-woo ground his teeth and suppressed his rising emotions. He pointed his head towards Lee-yeon¡¯s cell phone. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you had any friends you kept in touch with privately.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not personal.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it private enough to contact each other at night?¡± His eyebrows furrowed in annoyance. ¡°It¡¯s just a college student.¡± ¡°A college student.¡± ¡°The president of the pine tree club. They¡¯reing to Hwaido over the vacation and they want me to be their guide.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s gaze naturally slid back to her phone and Chae-woo reached out without thinking. However, seeing the shadow approach, she flinched and pulled her hand back. Chapter 144: Chapter 144: ¡°¡­! ¡°¡­.¡± His hand paused in the air. A cold silence swirled between them.¡± ¡°Uh, that¡¯¡­¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s embarrassment hit her a little bit toote, as she rolled her eyes, unable to think of a usible excuse. ¡°There-there was a mosquito¡± Chae-woo slowly raised the corners of his mouth at her tant lie. Lee-yeon nced at his face, but it was difficult to tell whether he was angry orughing out of disbelief. ¡°Why should you be their guide?¡± After a moment, Chae-woo pulled his hand back and continued on casually. The heart-rending moment passed as if nothing happened as he smoothly changed the subject. However, Lee-yeon swallowed drily, as the thought that a well-defined voice could cut like a sword and capture a moment. ¡°If they¡¯re college students, that means they have no money. Are you volunteering then?¡± ¡°It¡¯s actually the other way around. The pay is pretty high.¡± The Pine Tree Club was a joint club of universities in the Seoul metropolitan area. They needed an expert to introduce the famous pine trees in Hwaido, and the chairman of the club had contacted Lee-yeon using his personal connections. The student¡¯s uncle was a reporter from the environment department of the Kilbo, who often held hands when Lee Yeon thought someone of wrongdoings. She normally would have refused to do anything involving other people, but now she needed a reason to go out and be busy. ¡°So, you¡¯re going to take those punks around to look at pine trees, Lee-yeon?¡± Chae-woo¡¯s voice was monotonous, but there was strange dreary feeling that pulled at the hairs on the back of her neck. ¡°What punks?¡± ¡°Think about those bearded guys following you around¡­¡± Just then, Lee-yeon suddenly raised a hand to stop Chae-woo from speaking. The man was speechless at the sight of her palm raised out in front of him, as Lee-yeon quickly answered her phone that had just started to ring. ¡°Hello?¡± Chae-woo let out a short breath, ¡°Ha,¡± and swept his bangs up. What¡¯s going on here? The thick voice over the phone stuck in his ear like a needle. He tapped his thigh with the remote control as he watched Lee-yeon calmly take the call. ¡°It¡¯s some boy¡¯s voice.¡± While talking on the phone in a low voice, she paused and looked at him. ¡°Is he the one you were texting earlier?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Lee-yeon lost her focus trying to listen to both voices at once and became flustered. ¡°Lee-yeon, you don¡¯t ept these kinds of troublesome favors.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°At least that¡¯s what I thought.¡± Suddenly, Chae-woo stared at the loose gap between them. There was enough space for an entire person between them. As soon as he narrowed the distance, Lee-yeon jumped from the sofa. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He burst intoughter and roughly turned off the TV. Then the room, which had been filled with noise, quickly became quiet. Meanwhile, Lee-yeon continued to talk on the phone as Chae-woo leaned against the sofa. His quick eyes were fierce and sharp, following her movements, such as the number of steps she walked back and forth across the living room, the shape of her mouth responding kindly, and her meaninglessughter. ¡°-Yes, yes. I¡¯ll see you then.¡± Finally, she ended the call and looked back at him, the atmosphere subdued. ¡°Chae-woo why did you turn off the TV?¡± ¡°I found something more interesting to watch.¡± Chae-woo put his elbows on the back of the sofa and smiled. Lee-yeon avoided contact and ignored his suddenx posture, but as soon as her eyes happened to see his pants, her jaw dropped. She shrieked as if she were holding a frying pan on fire. ¡°Chae-woo, what¡¯s going on? Why are you suddenly erect?¡± ¡°Ahh.¡± He tilted his head slowly, his voice rxed. ¡°I¡¯m not tempted, so don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t know about you, but for men, we don¡¯t only get erection when we¡¯re turned on.¡± ¡°Then why¡­¡± ¡°Sometimes I get hard when I feel like holding a weapon.¡± ¡°What?¡± As Lee-yeon¡¯s expression was vague as he raised his shoulders lightly as if joking. ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of mood.¡± Lee-yeon seemed to be dragged by his pace but she was confused about what he meant and didn¡¯t mean because of his unconstrained attitude. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°This time, I think it¡¯s harder than usual.¡± He said, referring to his engorged part. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know how it feels to have blood drawn in a different way?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re doing something you¡¯ve never done before, I guess it turned me on.¡± Lee-yeon curled her shoulders at Chae-woo¡¯s tant flirting, feeling ufortable and trapped. She scratched nervously under her ears, her eyes darting towards the door like a prey searching for a way out. She couldn¡¯t pretend to befortable with him this time. He could almost hear the gears turning in her head. He lured her tightly to his pouted lips and urged her not to be afraid. ¡°Yes? Lee-yeon.¡± ¡°I normally¡­ I don¡¯t really like such various functions.¡± At this, she hurried into her office. Click! And just before the door closed, ¡°I¡¯m going to work overtime today! You can go to bed first!¡± Chae-woo¡¯s stomach ached unpleasantly. As he stared at the tightly closed door, the look in his eyes turned cold as ice. Chapter 145: Chapter 145: ¡°Introducing you all to the tax-paying pine tree, Seok Song-ryeong,¡± Lee-yeon dered, capturing the attention of the slumbering students. Their curious eyes fixed on the towering specimen, filled with wonder. As a group that shared a deep love for pine trees, the students instinctively analyzed the tree¡¯s age and health. A smile yed on Lee-yeon¡¯s lips as she basked in their shared passion for the natural world. ¡°Do any of you pay property tax?¡± the students asked in hushed tones. Lee-yeon shook her head. ¡°Not yet, but this tree is unique. It holds a resident number and is a registeredndowner.¡± ¡°Andowner?¡± they repeated in disbelief. ¡°Yes,¡± Lee-yeon confirmed. ¡°It owns a plot ofnd measuring two thousand pyeong.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The students gasped in amazement at the information they received. ¡°If a tree can inherit, you won¡¯t find its like anywhere else in the world,¡± Lee-yeon added, emphasizing the tree¡¯s unique qualities. Even the small fir tree, with its simple brushstroke appearance, seemed even more magnificent in light of this new knowledge. The students gazed in awe at therge leaves overhead, their mouths slightly agape. ¡°This tree not only pays ie andnd taxes from the crops it produces, but it also supports themunity by offering schrships to nearby students,¡± Lee-yeon exined, scanning the group with a hint of nervousness. Her cheeks flushed red as she locked eyes with a few male students, particrly the towering figure of Kwon Chae-woo, who stood out with his cold expression. Despite her efforts to remainposed, Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t shake off the nervousness that came with being watched by him.. ¡°And so every year on Lunar New Year, the vigers hold a ceremony in honor of the tree,¡± Lee-yeon added with a forced smile, her jaw visibly trembling. Her thoughts raced as she wondered why Kwon Chae-woo was here. She had gone to the office the night before to avoid him, but now he was here in front of her. The sound of footsteps and breathing echoed in her mind from that pitch-ck room. She had stayed upte, scribbling in her treatment diary with a focused gaze. It wasn¡¯t until the break of dawn that she returned to the living room. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± the students eximed in wonder, but Lee-yeon¡¯s thoughts were elsewhere. In the darkness, Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes locked with Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s, their gaze as intense as des. He was sitting on the sofa, just as she had left him, and the moment she saw him, his cold and piercing eyes made her shiver. She couldn¡¯t understand why he was still here, waiting for her with such determination. ¡°Is everything finished?¡± Kwon asked, examining her closely. Lee-yeon quickly nodded, feeling intimidated by the severity in his words. As he stood up from the couch, the cheap leather cushions sagged under his weight. He walked towards Lee-yeon, making her feel trapped and leading her towards the bedroom. Despite the ufortable atmosphere, she slept soundly and woke up feeling refreshed the next morning. She went about her day normally, seeing Kwon off to work. Yet, there he was, still observing her with a hawk-like intensity. ¡®Why is he here?¡¯ The man in his casual clothes looked no different from the surrounding students. But his eyes were different from the students. He looked suspicious. Lee-yeon kept trying to break away from the nerve-wracking stare and continued with her teaching. ¡°Thendowner who had no children gave thisnd to this tree. It¡¯s already been registered for eighty years and left a will, so it¡¯s officially inherited. The trunk had withered. Lee-yeon checked her watch while slightly raising her straw hat. ¡°Shall we go to the next pine tree?¡± At that moment, the club president approached and handed her a cold drink. ¡°Here you go, teacher,¡± he said, his voice soft and respectful. Lee-yeon hesitated, her eyes flicking between the aluminum can and the young man in front of her. ¡°Teacher, you used to write a column about tree stories for the K newspaper, right?¡± the young man continued, a hint of excitement in his voice. Lee-yeon stiffened, her eyes wide with surprise. ¡°How do you know that?¡± She thought no one read the article she wrote. ¡°I just happened to see it in my uncle¡¯s newspaper, and I¡¯ve been reading it ever since. I thought your perspective was cool. I¡¯ve been wondering who this person is who thinks from the perspective of a tree. I was disappointed that it wasn¡¯t a regr column.¡± The young man¡¯s words caused a flicker of pride in Lee-yeon¡¯s chest, but it was quickly reced with a sense of unease. She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that she was being watched. The young man with a gentle expression ran his fingers through his hair. ¡°I thought maybe I could be a fan of you at this point,¡± he said. ¡°Oh, I am happy that you liked my article,¡± said Lee-yeon, startled by the unfamiliar words and lowering her head. ¡°It¡¯s true. From the perspective of the hurting trees, it¡¯s a shock for me to inflict harm on people. To be honest, I even asked my uncle to introduce us because I really wanted to meet you.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for someone who can fill a whole day just talking about trees.¡± He blushed and smoothed his neck. ¡°Teacher, do you know older men?¡± The young man¡¯s sharp eyebrows drew together as he struggled to find the words he wanted to say. He opened and closed his mouth, looking momentarily flustered. ¡°If you¡¯re talking about older men who spend hours talking to trees,¡± Lee-yeon responded with a small smile, ¡°then I know plenty of them.¡± The young man seemed to rx a little, but his gaze remained intense. ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant,¡± he corrected. His eyes never left Lee-yeon¡¯s as he asked, ¡°Teacher, do you have a boyfriend?¡± Chapter 146: Chapter 146: The question caught Lee-yeon off guard, and she nearly choked on her drink. ¡°Euh¡­¡± she stammered. At the mention of boyfriend, Lee-yeon unconsciously looked at Kwon Chae-woo. Sure enough, a fierce look was directed at the back of the young man¡¯s head. His face, which seemed to likely kick the boy mercilessly, was like a ghostly apparition. Perhaps it was just her imagination, but it seemed as if his eyes were filled with blodlust, as if he were about to pull her towards him or tear her apart without a second thought. Despite the distance between them, his jaw was clenched tightly, like a tree root. Soon, his fierce gaze turned towards Lee-yeon, and her legs began to feel weak, as if they were tied up with chains. She could not feel her blood flowing. At that time, the cell phone on her neck vibrated. I thought I knew who it was without checking, so Lee Yeon just closed her mouth and put her cell phone in her ear. -¡°Say it yourself that you have a husband.¡± The sharp voice reached her taut nerves. -¡°Speak,¡± he said. He looked at the young man¡¯s head and was licking his lips. The impulse to crush and destroy it was strangely reflected on his face. When the inexplicable anger filled his head, it didn¡¯t matter whose feelings or memories they were, the distinction became meaningless. -¡°Here you can¡¯t even lock the door, what are you going to do?¡± A voice that sounded bitter and low reverberated as if it were watching her. -¡°It¡¯s different from yesterday. If you keep quiet, that child will scream.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± -¡°So, open that mouth.¡± Even though her temples were pounding, Lee-yeon managed to control her expression. -¡°I have a husband.¡± She replied, her voice devoid of emotions. She swallowed her dry saliva and followed him with a nk expression, like a puppet being controlled. ¡°¡­I have a husband.¡± ¡°What?¡± At this, the young man¡¯s face showed a huge disappointment. His eyes grew wide with surprise, and his mouth hung open. He seemed to have been taken aback by Lee-yeon¡¯s sudden announcement. -¡°My husband¡¯s hobby is collecting bones.¡± Kwon-Chae Woo dictated over the phone. ¡®My husband¡¯s hobby is collecting¡ª what?¡± She stopped herself mid-air. Her face suddenly turned red with anger. What if she actually uttered those words? Her one and only fan would find her a lunatic. -¡°Don¡¯t you know how to talk properly?¡± She felt as if her mind, which had been overwhelmed for a moment, had suddenlye back to life. Her hand trembled as she ended the call, yet she continued to gaze at Kwon Chae-woo with a cold, unwavering stare. He simply shrugged in response, unaffected by her piercing gaze. Meanwhile, the young man¡¯s eyes blinked rapidly and his throat constricted. ¡°My uncle was certain that the teacher was still single and unattached,¡± he spoke. Lee Yeon took a deep breath and stiffened her neck as she tried to calm herself. ¡°I used to believe I was single too,¡± she said, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°There are many who know that,¡± the young man sighed, his shoulders slumping. Just as the silence hung heavy in the air, a braided girl with an innocent expression entered the room, ncing briefly at the young man. ¡°Did you marry your ideal type, teacher?¡± she asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice. ¡°¡­.¡± The girl must have been listening all this time. Lee-yeon was speechless. It was a topic that she had never thought about in her life. Just then, Kwon Chae-woo looked at her expectantly. ¡± ¡­ If it is my ideal type, it might turn into a big problem.¡± Lee-yeon jested. ¡°Really?¡± The girl replied. ¡°Don¡¯t fantasize too much about marriage dear. For if it were to end in divorce, you¡¯ll find yourself a stranger to each other.¡± ¡°Oh, yes¡­¡± Cutely, the girl in her early 20s nodded in sympathy. ¡°Then how long have you been dating and married, teacher?¡± ¡°Uh, we just met, so we got married right away.¡± At the words, the female student¡¯s eyes lit up with wonder ¡°That¡¯s how much you fell in love at first sight?¡± Was it your first love?¡± As she walked away, the sun¡¯s golden rays cast a warm glow upon her eyes, causing them to gleam. Despite the lively, cheerfulughter ringing in the air, Lee-yeon¡¯s face was rigid and her smile was forced. She was taken aback by the realization of how much Kwon Chae-woo hade to dominate her thoughts. But she suppressed the feeling and put on a false grin. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that,¡± she called out to the students, continuing to guide them to the next pine tree. Her retreating form was shrouded in a hint of sadness, as she receded into the distance. *** Hi there! Advanced chapters are avable on Patreon if you want to support the team behind these projects. Also, please consider supporting this novel by leaving a review on Novelupdates! Thank you so much. Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 147: Chapter 147: Clink. Clink. The silverware echoed through the silent dining room. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s gaze is fixed on Kwon Chae-woo, her attention so absorbed that she hardly notices as her food slips from her te. The warm aroma of the meal fills the air as she removes her shoes, enveloping her in itsforting embrace. Kwon Chae-woo gestures towards the washroom, his movements measured and unhurried as he sets down the utensils. Just as Lee-yeon prepares to demand an exnation for his behavior, she falters, the fire in her chest dissipating in the face of his tranquil demeanor. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a foot rub a bitter.¡± Kwon Chae-woo picked up her food for her. ¡°W-why?¡± Lee-yeon asked while staring at the eggroll on her bowl. ¡°Your feet must hurt from walking all day.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true but¡­¡± Kwon Chae-woo almost scoffed at her reaction. ¡°We even wrapped our thighs around each other, what¡¯s wrong with feet?¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°Also I said I¡¯ll rub it, not break it.¡± That added exnation is even weirder¡­ Lee-yeon hardly smiled and bit the eggroll. She feels the vibration of her phone and instinctively nces at the screen. A message from the head of her club lights up the screen. Mention of a gathering sends her mind racing. Suddenly, Kwon Chae-woo ms down his chopsticks, his voice cold. ¡°We¡¯re having a meal right now.¡± Lee-yeon looks up at him, taken aback. ¡°But it¡¯s after work hours. What do they want?¡± ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m getting paid for this,¡± she retorts. Kwon Chae-woo tried to hide his frustration as Lee-yeon casually answered. ¡°So, just because of that you¡¯re being distracted.¡± ¡°¡­ What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I caught this fish with my own two hands and cooked it just for you. So, pay attention to me.¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s voice is tinged with frustration as he grips the edge of the table, causing the dishes to tremble. ¡°What¡¯s so special about money? I¡¯m giving you all of me. My body.¡± He spoke. Lee-yeon is taken aback by his words. Kwon Chae-woo continues, his voice rising, ¡®I can give you that money, I own the mountain behind your ce. Half of the mountains in Hwaido are mine!¡¯ He almost said this but bit back the rest of his outburst and wallowing a gulp of water instead. Lee-yeon set down her utensils, her expression growing serious. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®just money¡¯? You are talking too much for someone just starting out in their career.¡± Kwon Chae-woo said nothing, but his frown deepened as he pressed a hand to his chest. Lee-yeon continued, her voice stern, ¡°Our store would close down if you don¡¯t take money seriously.¡± Her words stung and Kwon Chae-woo felt a surge of anger. He imagined making her kneel before him, making her suffer even more than his mother did. But he held his tongue, swallowing his emotions and forcing himself to stay calm. Lee-yeon was tapping on the table even during all this and kept scolding. ¡°I think you¡¯re forgetting that you came here with nothing. This house, car, electronics, everything is mine. Even the interest on our debt I¡¯m paying all on my own! Who isining now? ¡­. Ah, except for second floor.¡± She added quietly. ¡°As couple, we have to work towards the same goal.¡± ¡°Lee-yeon, you¡¯ve changed.¡± She flinched as his dark eyes looked at her. ¡°H-how did I change? That¡¯s what I should be¡­!¡± ¡°You said let¡¯s only look at things that are beautiful and good.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°You were worried that I would fly away. You liked me so much that you wanted to hide me. You said that only you can see something this good and that you wouldn¡¯t even let me leave the house. How could you change so much?¡± Kwon Chae-woo couldn¡¯t help feeling annoyed at the stark difference in how she was treating the two of him¡ªthe old, foolish Kwon Chae-woo and the one that got back his memories. Despite hearing her words himself, he couldn¡¯t ignore the fact that discrimination was wrong. ¡°You¡¯re distracted while we eat, so are you going to be same while we have sex?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Do it, I¡¯m curious what will happen.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes shook. She was examining his face either because she couldn¡¯t say anything because of his point or that he remembers all the conversation they had. ¡°A child is a child. Pathetic how they think they can use money for you.¡± His lips twisted. ¡°Don¡¯t bother with dongsaengs*. What would you even do with dick that¡¯s not¡ª¡± *Dongsaeng ¨C younger ones That moment, Kwon Chae-woo shut his mouth. His face suddenly turned dark and changed. ¡°¡­ What¡¯s wrong?¡± As she carefully asked, the man chugged water and avoided her. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m¡ª¡± Kwon Chae-woo was also four years younger than So Lee-yeon so he was also a dongsaeng. He thought he f*cked up. ¡°I was a bit rash.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°¡­. A little monkey smells good apparently.¡± He felt dirty for some reason. He lost his appetite and didn¡¯t eat. *** Chapter 148: Chapter 148: ¡°Like I said before, don¡¯t take it unless necessary.¡± The doctor gave him a bottle of medicine hesitantly but wouldn¡¯t let go easily. Kwon Chae-woo snatched the bottle regardless of the doctor¡¯s warning. He used going to the store as an excuse so he had to go back in a hurry. ¡°Just sleep instead!¡± The doctor shouted behind him. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t take it so leisu¡ª¡° The world became so quiet as he mmed the door. He stopped frowning as well. As he walked down the hallway of a hospital, the phone vibrated. Kwon Chae-woo took the call. ¨CKwon Ki-Seok, no movement from him. ¡°What about So Lee-yeon?¡± ¨CShe¡¯s tending the garden. Kwon Chae-woo kicked his tongue. ¡°She¡¯s like a puppy.¡± ¨CYoung master. That moment, Jang Beom-hee called him worryingly. Kwon Chae-woo frowned like he knew what wasing. ¨CHow about we go back up instead of taking the medicine? I¡¯ll get it prepared immediately. ¡°¡­.¡± Kwon Chae-woo didn¡¯t use his face at all like he wasn¡¯t on the phone. ¨CNo matter how I think, I think staying in Hwaido is waste of time. Just don¡¯t think about So Lee-yeon and sleepfortably. I¡¯ll take you to your home. As he regained more of his memories, the fantasy of So Lee-yeon being able to cure his hypersomnia began to fade. The emotional bond he once felt towards her was weakening with each passing day, and eventually, the chain was brokenpletely. It was his absolute instinct and Kwon Chae-woo hasn¡¯t slept in a few days so that he wouldn¡¯t be caught. ¨CWasn¡¯t your goal Kwon Ki-seok to begin with? ¡°Yes.¡± His family was trying to transform the youngest son who came back in 10 years as a fitting member of the family. The family that was maintaining its rtionship through bad tradition emphasized on solidarity but to the boy who lived as Yoon Joo-ha¡¯s son, it meant nothing. Kwon Chae-woo kept denying the connection by blood and chose to be in solitude. When the man who stopped ying chess became the hunting dog, he dug about Yoon Joo-ha, his mother, like he had been waiting for this opportunity. And he found out that the reason why his parents locked up Yoon Joo-ha in the basement wasn¡¯t just because of anger. Yoon Joo-ha was the sole survival from the illegal human experience that was ran by Sooguk pharmaceutical. When she was about 10 years old, she was able to barely escape thanks to a kindb partner, and she was able to find a sponsor that helped her fulfill her musical talent. She pushed aside the memories of her torment and grew into a beautiful young woman. Yet as she began to teach the talented Kwon Ki-Seok the art of music, her past slowly crept back into her consciousness. When she found out that the Kwon family was actual owner of Sooguk pharmaceutical, the 21-year-old Yoon Joo-ha was swallowed by her nightmare from the past. People screaming in pain, her little brother who was starving to death, the basement facility full of molds. All of this overcame her each time she walked past Kwon family¡¯s fancy garden and saw Kwon Ki-Seok in fancy private school uniform. Yoon Joo-ha had a gentle heart, but she made a desperate choice to hide the Kwon¡¯s three-year-old son in a cello bag and flee just a year after bing Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s music teacher. Her n for revenge was wed from the start. Instead of causing harm to the child, she raised him with love. Kwon Chae-woo felt a sense of obligation to fulfill the unfinished mission of the woman who raised him. ¡°Would I really be the only one in Korea that detest Kwon family?¡± Was there really not a single person who didn¡¯t protest about their method of total obedience? The main duty of these people was basically being a hunting dog, so once Kwon Chae-woo overtook this group, it was more often that he would secretly take them board. Something Kwon Chae-woo has been nning a long time. That was the dissolution of the Kwon family. ¨CYes, so do we really have to ruin your body just to fool So Lee-yeon?¡± ¡°Just to fool her.¡± He chewed on Jang Beom-hee¡¯s words without emotion. ¡°Honestly, it really isn¡¯t important. But,¡± Kwon Chae-woo slowed down and eventually stopped. ¡°Nowadays, she feigns a smile, yet her eyes tell a different story.¡± ¨C¡­ Pardon? ¡°You know the process, Beom-hee.¡± Kwon Chae-woo took in the smell of the alcohol for sanitary purposes. ¡°How the animals react when they realized they¡¯re about to be ughtered.¡± ¡°Meat gets tougher the more they struggle.¡± Kwon Chae-woo said, his eyes flickering as he gazed out the window. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying topose himself. ¡°I didn¡¯t wait until now to eat something that¡¯s not good.¡± He closed his eyes. His voice was calm. Chapter 149: Chapter 149: In the quiet stillness of the night, Lee-yeony wide awake, her gaze fixed upon the ceiling above. Suddenly, she was disturbed by the rustling of her bed sheets. ¡°Lee-yeon, are you having trouble sleeping?¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s deep voice interrupted her thoughts, his strong hand gently tapping the side of her head. The heat of his breath was palpable, settling against her cheek as he leaned in close. She pulled the thin summer nket all the way up to her nose and only twitched her brows. ¡°I drank coffee earlier when Chae-woo weren¡¯t here,¡± she admitted. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± Chae-woo asked. ¡°I couldn¡¯t fall asleep. I thought I would stay up until you fall asleep first.¡± There was a brief moment of silence as Chae-woo considered her words. His lips twitched slightly, the only indication of his thoughts in the darkened bedroom. ¡°These days, I always fall asleep first,¡± Lee-yeon continued. ¡°But when I wake up, you¡¯re already awake.¡± ¡°Is that a problem?¡± Chae-woo asked. ¡°No, it¡¯s not a problem,¡± Lee-yeon replied. ¡°But it would be nice if it changed for a day.¡± Kwon Chae-woo looked at her eyes without a hint of sleepiness and pressed his mouth in a thin line. It has been two days since she hasn¡¯t slept well, and she¡¯s already reaching his limit. Her refusal to surrender to slumber was beginning to wear on him. He could only keep going with the aid of caffeine and prescription pills.But then, So Lee-yeon stubbornly refused to sleep too, and his mouth tightened involuntarily. With a calm voice, he asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you mention an appointment with Gyu-baek tomorrow?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Lee-yeon muttered, as if she had forgotten all about it. ¡°Are you not nning on sleeping tonight?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Lee-yeon hesitated, as if there was something she wanted to keep unsaid. Her gaze met Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s, stretching out like warm, pliant dough, refusing to break. Kwon Chae-woo thought that it would be better to turn off the concern, suspicion, or interest, and he abruptly reached into Lee-yeon¡¯s pajamas. ¡°¡­.!¡± Lee-yeon was taken aback and grabbed the hand that had crept up on her clothes. ¡°What, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Just go to sleep like this. You were tired today, right?¡± Kwon Chae-woo gently massaged Lee-yeon¡¯s belly. As warmth spread through her chilly lower belly, Lee-yeon felt as if her body was melting into a hot spring. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I haven¡¯t seen Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face when he¡¯s asleep¡­!¡± ¡°Did you look at that face for a whole month and still want to see it again? Are you not tired of it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ ¡± Lee-yeon longed for the moment when Kwon Chae-woo would awaken in her arms, wrapped in her embrace. At the time, his expression may have been impassive, but her view had since changed. He has somehow changed. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± The hand that roamed the lower abdomen lifted up her pajamas and touched her underwear. Lee-yeon flinched and grabbed his wrist again, but Kwon Chae-woo didn¡¯t care and rubbed her fold as if digging out with his fingernails. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t help it, but she was out of breath. He squeezed his digits underneath her underwear and swept the fragile, smooth flesh at once. There was a sense of pleasure as if sprouting from a sudden stimuli, but there was also difort. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, stop it, I told you not to!¡± She tightened her thigh and raised her upper body, thinking that this couldn¡¯t go on. But her body was blocked by the man¡¯s arm, and she fell back onto the bed helplessly. ¡°Just go to sleep like this.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ How can I sleep in this condition? I¡¯m not feeling okay!¡± He quickly found a sensitive spot and pressed it cleverly, shaking it. Every time he tickled her, her breathing swelled as if it was about to burst, but Lee-yeon tried to hold back her moans and bite her lower lip. The moment Kwon Chae-woo pressed his lips to her cheek- ¡°Go to sleep!¡± Lee-yeon fiercely turned her head and spoke firmly. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The motion that had been grinding against her stilled for an instant, an intentional surrender by Kwon Chae-won. But, strange as it may be, her resistance only served to stir a feelingwithin him. With a leisurely gaze, Kwon scanned Lee-yeon¡¯s delicate jawline and the corbone that jutted out sharply. Her desperate attempts to dodge his touch only fueled his mischievous spirit. A thick, calloused finger found its way inside the opening, eliciting a flinch from its recipient. ¡°Oh..!¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s brow wrinkled relentlessly. ¡°You know what? Lee-yeon only persecutes me. He smiles well to other men and is kind but not to me.¡± Would you have done that to other Kwon Chae-woo? A pathetic sense of inferiority gnawed at him. How could he be jealous of his past self? He found this ridiculous. Her trivialities have been frantictely. The inner wall, which is not even wet yet, swallows its finger well to the end of the root, but she pushes him away. Lee-yeon even feigned a casual snore, in a vain attempt to escape his touch and caresses. Little did she know that such a flimsy facade only served to incite his desires even further. Chapter 150: Chapter 150: He was irked by her behavior, a far cry from the first time they had been together. She used to flinch every time he touched her most sensitive spot. ¡°Who is Lee-yeon¡¯s first love?¡± He stretched and pressed on her clit with his middle finger in. His lifeless eyes were quite different from his hands squealing in and out of the way. She remained unresponsive. Kwon Chae-won spoke to himself, ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re so stubborn, but you¡¯ll always be my first love.¡± There was no reply. ¡°I don¡¯t like to repeat myself,¡± he added with a hint of warning in his voice. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Tree.¡± Then Lee-yeon blurted out as if she were talking in her sleep. ¡°Tree? Is that bastard¡¯s name Tree?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Do you know where he lives?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What does he look like? Can you draw a sketch now?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s head has gone nk. He has not stopped for one second what he was doing. She sighed. ¡°Stop it. We are supposed to be sleeping, you know¡­ Why do you have to do this while I¡¯m sleeping peacefully¡­!¡± She pushed Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s shoulder, but he didn¡¯t stir. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± As she muttered that, her hand that was rubbing her belly extended to three fingers. ¡°Is it so terrible for a husband and wife to y in bed together?¡± ¡°Gosh¡­¡± ¡°Why are you always so sensitive?¡± His thrusts persistently stretched her inner walls, scooping up the love juice, and arousing her. His crooked fingers slipped in and out. Despite her efforts, Lee-yeon could not resist the effects of this ministrations to her. The me between her legs burned brighter and hotter. Lee-yeon was close to breaking out in a cold sweat as she bit her tongue, desperately trying to hide any visible reactions. ¡°Hah¡­¡± The anxious moan came from Kwon Chae, not her. Before he knew it, his penis had made his presence visible through his pants and was stabbing at Lee-yeon¡¯s pelvic area. Finally, she opened her eyes and red at him. ¡°If you don¡¯t take your hands off now, I won¡¯t have sex with Kwon Chae-won again.¡± His face, which had been straight all the time while caressing explicitly, was quickly distorted. ¡°Do you know what you did wrong?¡± ¡°Was my fingers too thin?¡± He said, spiting her even more. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Or did it hurt because my fingers are too callous? I should have washed it with my mouth from the beginning.¡± Lee-yeon took a deep breath as if meditating not to get caught up in him. ¡°It¡¯s not that. You used to react very sensitively to my feelings!¡± She fixed him with a cool, unreadable gaze. ¡°¡ªBut these days¡­¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you recognize me anymore, Lee-yeon?¡± As he said this, he pinched her sensitive nub. The suction was akin to that of his mouth, so she almost groaned loudly. ¡°Well¡­¡± However, once she began to feel ufortable, the pleasure transformed into a weighty weakness, rather than a source of pure enjoyment. Lying helplessly under his power is not what Lee-yeon wanted. She doesn¡¯t even want to affirm Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s rudeness in this way. Her voice rose in pitch. ¡°Don¡¯t you care about my feelings?¡± she asked. ¡°No,¡± Kwon Chae-won replied, his tone t and devoid of any hesitation. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you leave me alone in the first ce?¡± Lee-yeon clutched her chest, feeling as if her throat was closing up. ¡°You¡¯re the reason for my mood swings, several times a day,¡± she said. Kwon Chae-woo wrinkled his eyebrows and nibbled on her lower lip. ¡°Don¡¯t cry over such small things.¡± His lips were parting, and his tongue was pushing forward. As he licked and sucked, he touched the inside of Lee-yeon¡¯s mouth. The man caressed everything from the roots of her tongue, and the more he toyed with her reactions, the more she grew an unknown grudge. ¡°This bastard¡­¡± she whispered with a muffled voice. Kwon Chae-woo parted his lips and asked, ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°You bastard, you bastard¡­¡± Her eyes, filled with disappointment, were welling up with tears. Kwon Chae-woo licked them away. ¡°Did you know that just now?¡± The man deliberately yed her sensitive spot and pulled out his finger atst. Her backside trembled, but Lee-yeon struggled not to make a sound. Kwon Chae-woo looked expressionless at the transparent liquid on his finger, and suddenly lowered his pants and spread it on the tip of his ruddy manhood. ¡°You¡¯re not going to have sex with me again?¡± He dragged Lee-yeon¡¯s hand to hold his veiny manhood. She tried to hold back as hard as he could, but it was useless. He held her hands together and made them sp him tightly. Lee-yeon freaked out at the strangely wriggling object in the palm of her hand, but soon afterwards, her hands moved quickly from top to bottom. The heat of friction made her palms burn, but at the same time, something damp kept flowing out. ¡°I don¡¯t know about Lee-yeon-¡± He fixed his gaze on her trembling eyes as if he were sticking his ws into them. Even as his ragged breathing erupted intermittently, his relentless eyes did not waver. His brow furrowed, and veins tightened around his neck. ¡°They like to be beaten up.¡± Soon, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s hands began to bob so quickly that he couldn¡¯t keep up. Her arms and wrists hurt, and her hands tingled. Soon, his lips parted and heavy moans escaped. When something hot broke above her hand, Lee-yeon felt dizzy from the strong smell. ¡°Shit, not having sex. Even if Lee-yeon doesn¡¯t like it, I¡¯m going to keep making it. Do you want to vomit?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s entire body rxed into a state of blissfulziness, as if she had just run a hundred-meter sprint. Her belly pulsed with sensitivity, but she couldn¡¯t muster the strength to lift her heavy eyelids. Kwon Chae-won briefly kissed her ear and whispered affectionately, ¡°Tonight, we¡¯ll have sweet dreams together.¡± Chapter 151: Chapter 151: Beautiful Hwaido Ind. As they stepped into the tranquil forest, refreshing air filled their nostrils. Lee-yeon looked up at therge banner and tightly held little Gyu-baek¡¯s hand. The child clutched an insect encyclopedia to their chest, their cheeks turning red. ¡°The blue-banded swallowtail butterfly hasrge, slender wings. Especially, butterflies fly in a line by biting each other¡¯s tails.¡± Today, Gyubaek¡¯s voice sounded like singing. This was part of the ecological restoration project for ¡°Beautiful Hwaido Ind.¡± The project was started by Hwaido Ind, the Korea Forest Service, and the Insect Research Association, with the aim of mass breeding endangered butterfly species. Recently, they seeded in breeding over 2,000 blue-banded swallowtail butterflies, leading to the opening of the ¡°Butterfly Flight¡± festival. ¡°Director, could you introduce us, please?¡± Gyu-baek kept tugging on Yeon¡¯s hand, making the request for what seemed like the hundredth time. ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± ¡°I prefer Jamanchu.¡± ¡°What¡¯s Jamanchu?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pursuit of natural encounters.¡± *??? ¨C Ja-man-chu: reference to meet a romantic partner naturally. Here, naturally would mean without the intention of meeting a significant other. ¡°¡­.¡± Lee-yeon was momentarily bewildered, then furrowed her brow. ¡°Where did you learn that kind of talk?¡± ¡°It¡¯s basic.¡± The Insect Research Association was a ce that Gyu-baek had always admired, and he had devoted his entire eight-year-old life to collecting the magazines published there every month. Especially upon hearing the news that the first and second leaders of the butterfly division, as well as the director in charge of the beetle division, would be attending, he couldn¡¯t resist striking poses in front of the mirror. His determined gaze suggested that he was ready to face any challenge. ¡°Butterflies can recognize females even from a distance of over 100km.¡± As people came to watch the festival, each holding hands with their families or loved ones, Yeon couldn¡¯t help but think of someone in particr upon seeing those smiling behind their masks. Last night, she fell asleep, closing her eyes, refusing to acknowledge the sticky liquid on her hands. When she woke up, her hands were clean, and Kwon Chae-woo was making breakfast in the middle of his usual daily life. Lately, the two had been making do with hastily patching and mending their torn clothes, but how long could that go on for? When her face darkened inward, Gyu-baek began to jump. As she turned my head along with the growing hum, dozens ofrge cages that looked about 5m came in one after another. Amidst the dense foliage of the forest stood a cream-colored antique cage, its bars intricately woven and interlocked like a masterpiece of a bygone era. It seemed tomand attention, almost as if it were a stage set for a wondrous disy of magic. The host and the heads of rted associations beamed with pride as they delivered their congrattory remarks, their voices ringing out in the tranquil forest. The anticipation in the air was palpable, and as thest word of praise was uttered, the ornate door of the cage creaked open, releasing a sense of wonder and curiosity into the stillness of the woods. ¡°Wow!¡± Gyu-baek and the gathered crowd couldn¡¯t help but gasp in awe as they witnessed a breathtaking spectacle before their very eyes. Thousands of delicate petals danced in the air, carried aloft by a gentle breeze. A kaleidoscope of butterflies flitted about, their wings beating in perfect unison, creating a mesmerizing sight as they swooped and soared like a swirling whirlwind. As the butterflies drew near, their wings brushing past the amazed onlookers, Lee Yeon found herself lost in the enchanting disy. She stared, transfixed, as the sparkling wings of the Pyeonlin shimmered like a precious secret, one that she had kept hidden for so long. The delicate wings, each one reflecting the light, were like a broken mirror, revealing the moments when she had to deceive even herself. ¡°Have you ever sucked a dick, Lee-yeon?¡± ¡°What if I killed Kwon Ki-seok?¡± ¡°You always have to be careful when you say something.¡± ¡°Damn it, you should do things in moderation.¡± ¡°You are tearing up. It¡¯s a shame to watch it alone. When did you be so sincere?¡± ¡°¡­Should I beg you, Lee-yeon?¡± ¡°Nowe and don¡¯t look weak. You have to keep being shameless.¡± ¡°Prey, by nature, can¡¯t survive once they¡¯re caught.¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s remarks kept ringing in her ears¡­ The man¡¯s eyes, tone, and behavior, which had asionally felt ruthless and hostile, couldn¡¯t be ignored any longer. Even when he felt unfamiliar, Lee-yeon tried to dismiss her anxious feelings. She thought it was nothing, just a process of him sorting out his words and burying his memories. If Kwon Chae-woo continued to pretend to be her husband, she would have been willing to go along with it. ¡°Let¡¯s try it. If the biggest obstacle to us being together is our past memories, then I don¡¯t need them. Even if Lee-yeon didn¡¯t ask me first, I would have thrown them away,¡± He said that¡­ Because of this, she had made a promise to herself that if he won¡¯t remember, she would bury his past like this. Perhaps the determination that Lee-yeon engraved alone contained a stronger binding force than a fake marriage certificate. But somehow, she could feel that he go But somehow, she could feel that he got his memories back¡­ The change in him was apparent. But he pretended otherwise¡­ So, if Kwon Chae-woo continued to pretend to be her husband, she could willingly be deceived. But she was still unsure. She believed that his confusion would subside once this transitional period passed. ¡°I can wait,¡± she said. Lee-yeon briefly closed her eyes, much like a butterfly that was basking in the sunlight. She wanted to protect this rtionship, even if it meant turning a blind eye to reality. She was willing to endure the difort that crept up on her from time to time, and she was determined to hold onto Kwon Chae-woo alone. Having reached the point of deceiving herself, not just lying to others, her self-delusion was sweet. She believed the rtionship was safe as long as she suppressed her desire to ask questions and voice suspicions. She couldn¡¯t afford to let go of the person she had barely managed to connect with, even if it meant keeping her guard up and biting her tongue. Suddenly, a swarm of butterflies scattered in the wind and pped around her. In defense, she instinctively lifted her elbow to protect her forehead. And when she lowered her arm, an all-too-familiar man came into view, as if the butterflies had brought him to her. With her legs stiffened, Lee-yeon stared at Kwon Chae-woo, as if in a dream. Chapter 152: Chapter 152: He was wearing a center jersey and holding a walkie-talkie near his lips. The man, who had not yet discovered her, tilted his head towards where the butterfly was flying and moved his lips. The little words she could hear waspletely different from when he had been speaking heatedly. Even though a swarm of butterflies hit him and passed by, he did not blink once. Only his disheveled bangs gathered like a ck river in the wind. As he looked closer, all the people tending to the cages seemed to havee from the center. Eventually, the remaining cages opened one after another, and variously colored butterflies poured out. However, the sound of the camera shutter, the people¡¯s ecstatic cheers, and Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s unusualughter all faded away as their eyes met in silence. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He slowly lifted the corners of his mouth, even as his eyebrows furrowed in the zing sunlight.¡±. The weing gaze was undoubtedly Kwon Chae-woo whom she knew well, and her heart raced with excitement rather than nervousness after a long time. Without realizing it, Lee-yeon started running ahead towards him. Before reaching him, she was overwhelmed by his sweet and refreshing scent. Crossing the butterfly path, she hugged his waist at once, and Kwon Chae-woo hugged her back as if in response, making her nostrils tingle withfort. As Lee-yeon caught sight of the weing gaze, her heart raced with excitement rather than nervousness. It was undoubtedly Kwon Chae-woo, a man she knew well, and hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. Without realizing it, she quickened her steps, eager to be near him again. As she drew closer, she was enveloped by his sweet and refreshing scent, and her senses were overwhelmed. Crossing the butterfly path, she rushed into his embrace, holding onto his waist, and he held her back as if in response. Theforting scent of him filled her nostrils, and she felt safe, like she was home. ¡°This person keeps doing this¡­.¡± Lee-yeon thought to herself, recognizing the familiar, yet fleeting feeling offort she always felt when around him. Even if it was just a delusion, she longed to hold onto this feeling, to have a rtionship where they could deceive each other infort and trust ¡°Chae-woo, when did youe? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± she asked, trying to suppress her overflowing emotions. ¡°I wanted to surprise you, but it turns out I was the one who got more surprised,¡± he replied, a small smile forming on his lips as they gazed into each other¡¯s eyes. Out of nowhere, he pulled Lee-yeon away and quickly scanned her with his eyes. ¡°You almost fell. What would have happened?¡± His sharp gaze traveled from her knees to her toes and back up. His meticulous concern caused Lee-yeon to once again waver. Memories, they¡¯reing back, right? But¡­ you¡¯ll stay with me, won¡¯t you? She forced her tightly clenched lips to swallow the question that rose to her throat. ¡°I thought for sure you would run away again, yet here you are, grinning like a fool.¡± Kwon Chae-woo furrowed his eyebrows and gently pinched the corner of her lips with his thumb. Lee-yeon opened her mouth wide and punched his shoulder. ¡°Here¡¯s outside, please lower your voice¡­!¡± However, Kwon Chae-woo shrugged indifferently and touched her cheek. ¡°I think I¡¯ll remember it even if I die. Lee-yeon running with the the butterflies.¡± She closed and opened her eyes with a familiar warmth. In the midst of pping that flowed and scattered like a Milky Way, an impulse to make a promise surged within her in this magnificent nature. ¡°¡­I cherish Kwon Chae-woo more than this scenery.¡± He flinched and hardened his face. The butterflies still flew between them like a fantasy. ¡°That¡¯s why I, who grew up without anyone, can¡¯t miss things like that.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°So please stay by my side, Chae-woo.¡± Despite her courageous confession, Kwon Chae-woo showed no reaction. For a moment, his gaze seemed to waver, but it was just a misconception as his expressionpletely disappeared. His numb face, which had protruded like thorns, was unfamiliar. However, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed indicating that he was affected. At that moment, a butterflynded on Lee-yeon¡¯s nose. Surprised by the unexpected obstruction in her sight, her pupils gathered in the center. She couldn¡¯t even shoo the butterfly and called him in a weak voice. Seeing her unsure what to do, Kwon Chae-woo pressed down on his twitching lips with his hand. ¡°You¡¯re good at handling fertilizer and pesticides, but you can¡¯t handle a butterfly?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The butterfly is too pretty, but I¡¯m afraid it will fly away because of my breath¡­.¡± The man¡¯s pupils were dted at the unexpected words. Yeon closed her eyes as if she had no other choice and endured the tickling sensation on her nose. But instead of the thin wings that touched her eyshes, something heavier and moist pressed against her nose. As she opened her eyes with a start, she met Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s gaze instead of the butterfly¡¯s. ¡°¡­. What are you doing?¡± Before she could finish her sentence, their lips met. Their unsteady breaths rushed together hurriedly. Their rough lips collided painfully, separated, and then plunged again, repeating the biting motion. However, his emotions were more vividly felt than ever before. He tightly grasped her cheek, stroked it, and forcefully pressed against the back of her neck while he passionately kissed her. His ragged breathing seemed oddly desperate. Chapter 153: Chapter 153: ¡°I knew this would happen!¡± Choo-ja gritted her teeth as she stepped on the muddy ground. Currently, Lee-yeon was revisiting the site where andslide had urred after receiving the notice for the fourth round of evaluation. The ce that remained as a nightmare was still in a state of chaos and had not been restored. Especially the moment when Lee-yeon almost lost Kwon Chae-woo came back vividly like yesterday, sending chills down her entire body. The smell of something rotten pierced her nose, and the mud that couldn¡¯t be swept away piled up like a riverbank. Her eyebrows furrowed at the sight of the muddy boots covered with dirty wood scraps, but now this ce had be a testing ground for Lee-yeon once again. ¡°I never thought I would meet that snob like this!¡± In the fourth round evaluation of the Hwaido Project, Lee-yeon was finally going to confront the ancient D Hospital. The theme was gardening, and the task was to rebuild the forest that had turned into a wastnd due to twondslides. Hwaido was soon to be opened, and if she passed this evaluation, she would finally be among the top six finalists. At first, it was just a biddingpetition for livelihood, but as the evaluation continued, Lee-yeon seemed to be clearing up her defensive past and opening a new chapter. So, every time she overcame a crisis and moved forward, the desire for the final bid grew little by little. She wanted to be the best tree doctor in Hwaido. ¡°If I be a little better¡­ maybe Kwon Chae-woo will see me in a different light?¡± Lee-yeon, who had just been trying to get through each day unscathed, finally began to have ambitions. ¡°I should have met Soleil earlier and talked to her!¡± Choo-ja eximed ¡°Soleil Landscaping Company?¡± ¡°Even if we had a tight grip on Soleil, this evaluation was a piece of cake! We¡¯re stuck in this mess!¡± Choo-ja swatted the mosquitoes that kept clinging to her arms. This 4th evaluation was a resident participation evaluation, where the side with more votes would advance. The only condition was that they had to restore the forest they had lost more and more vividly. However, how can an individual restore a forest like this, buried in a swamp like an abandoned mine? Lee-yeon looked around, her expression showing that her mind waspletely nk. Chooja let out a frustrated sound, ¡°Jo Kyung-cheon must have surely asked Soleil to take on the task. Then they¡¯ll probably turn it into a luxurious wedding hall!¡± The areas each hospital was assigned happened to be facing each other. Since the two areas were in in sight, it was an easy location topare the results. If one side showcased a shy gardening disy, the other side was inevitably going to fall behind. For some reason, a sigh escaped her. ¡°Is covering the dirty ground with lots of flowers really the entirety of this evaluation?¡± It¡¯s a judgingpetition where people who had to leave theirnd because their houses copsed participate. Not only thend but also the people were devastated. Inviting those who suffered directly and showing only superficial things felt ridiculous for some reason. Even if they cover the un-washable stench with expensive perfume, is that the forest the residents wanted? With just a little shift of perspective, in a situation where the true face of the forest is clearly visible, the methods of a famousndscapingpany seemed far from sufficient to alleviate the bitterness felt by the observers. Don¡¯t get too mesmerized by the word ¡®gardening¡¯ and forget its essence. Restoring the forest means it must be in touch withfort. ¡°If we¡¯re going to do it, we might as well do it properly and honestly.¡± Lee-yeon said. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mean just imitating it, I mean really bringing the forest back.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lee-yeon looked at the devastating scene with a troubled expression. ¡°Instead of just focusing on interior design, let¡¯s approach it differently,¡± she said. ¡°Are you suggesting something like horticultural therapy?¡± A ray of hope was suddenly nted in Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes. Perhaps the real purpose of this gardening project was to give the people a chance to return to their hometown. ¡°If we can¡¯t cover the entire mountain, then we¡¯ll have to give up on the visual aspect.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Instead¡­¡± Lee-yeon had only experienced one forest in her childhood. Therefore, it didn¡¯t seem necessary to reproduce the forest only visually. The four seasons that always appeared in front of her, riding on the wind. In and already worn out, the most dramatic way to feel the forest was¨C ¡°Hey Director So!¡± At that moment, a familiar voice cut off her thoughts. When she turned around, sure enough, Director Jo Kyung-cheon from D Hospital wasing towards her in long boots, trudging through the muddy ground. ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Ah, did Director Soe here for a preliminary investigation?¡± ¡°Yes, well¡­¡± Lee-yeon bowed politely. As she did, she looked around with a sudden sense of something missing, like a missing puzzle piece. She wasn¡¯t particrly curious about her annoying senior, but she realized she hadn¡¯t seen him even once since the congrattory party. ¡°Why is the director Jo leaving Hwang Jo-yoon behind?¡± ¡°Ah¨D¡± He lightly pped his hands as if he suddenly remembered the thing he had forgotten and left behind. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s gone now.¡± He said it like it was no big deal to him which made Lee-yeon even more confused. ¡°Did you send him back to Seoul?¡± ¡°Well, he went somewhere.¡± His gaze as he answered with a tight-lipped expression suggested that he didn¡¯t want to say anything more about it, but Lee-yeon didn¡¯t want to ask any further about Hwang Jo-yoon either. Chapter 154: Chapter 154: ¡°By the way, it¡¯s impressive that you made it all the way to the fourth round.¡± There was a strange tone, neither congrattory nor mocking. As Lee-yeon just stared silently, he added meaningfully as if there was nothing to be afraid of. ¡°You should have failed early even if you were meant to fail.¡± He said with seriousness in his gaze. ¡°¡­!¡± The voice that pierced deeply with such a normal expression was eerie, and Lee-yeon trembled involuntarily. ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve given you many chances, but this is really bing difficult.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Miss Lee-yeon.¡± Suddenly, Director Jo called out quietly, as ifforting a young disciple. He double checked if the big man he had seen before with her was not there and grabbed her shoulder. Choo Ja eximed, ¡°What is this old man doing?¡± and pped Jo Kyung-chun¡¯s hand, but he quickly whispered as if being chased by something. ¡°As you get closer to winning Hwaido project, you will hear or meet him at least once.¡± ¡°What¡­what do you mean?¡± ¡°Suguk Pharmaceuticals.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a famous pharmaceuticalpany.¡± ¡°The Kwon family is behind it.¡± She furrowed her brows at the unfamiliar story. ¡°If someone from that family tries to contact you¡­.¡± Jo Kyung-cheon swallowed hard as if he had a dry mouth. His usually carefree expression disappeared, and he held his breath and leaned in to listen. ¡°Don¡¯t look back and run away.¡± ¡°¡­.What?¡± ¡°Just avoid anyone with the surname Kwon for now.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± For a moment, her favorite name shed through her mind, but she had other questions. ¡°Why?¡± Jo Kyung-cheon closed his mouth for a moment as if choosing his words, then swallowed hard. He wanted to say so many things, but the fear of the Kwon family made him break out in a cold sweat. He thought of how the rare nt discovered by So Yi-yeon was being used now¡­ In the end, Jo Kyung-cheon just cut off the branches and muttered empty words. ¡°A naive tree doctor can never handle it.¡± * * * She took out an old, dusty radio, and her nose itched as soon as she did. Lee-yeon inserted a CD that someone had left behind like a gift and clicked the stiff, protruding buttons. Shostakovich: Sonata for Cello & Piano in D Minor, Op. 40. Lee-yeon traced the title of the piece written on the back of the case with her fingers. Shostakovich¡¯s Sonata for Cello & Piano in D minor. Soon, a soft yet mncholy and poignant melody flowed out. To her, the forest was like music. If only one could summon a cool well in a barren wastnd where only humid winds blow, or a thunderous sky, it would be nothing but music. It shows the scenery that each person holds. Especially if one can draw a refreshing mountain field where the trees grow again and spring flowers bloom in thend that has be ruins. Lee-yeon hoped that the changes they would achieve would provide somefort to the residents who were waiting without any assurance. So now it was urgent for her to find the most suitable instruments, songs, and performers. ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± At that moment, Kwon Chae-woo knocked loudly, breaking through the gradually increasing vibrato of the strings. The man was leaning against the door and staring at the old radio in front of him, and strangely, hisplexion looked pale. ¡°Chae-woo, are you not feeling well? You look unwell.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Did you catch a cold?¡± However, after a while of silence, Kwon Chae-woo suddenly clenched his fist and asked with a twitch of his jaw, ¡°What kind of ssical music is this?¡± ¡°Oh¡­I just took out a CD for the first time in a while to prepare for the exam.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Was it too noisy? I¡¯ll put on my earphones. You can even lie down in bed, Chae-woo.¡± ¡°No, leave it. It¡¯s actually refreshing to have my mind clear like this.¡± He chuckled, twisting one side of his face. Once again, it was a side of him that Yeon didn¡¯t know. Yeon tried to dispel her gnawing anxiety by biting her lips. He grinned, his face contorting on one side. Once again, it was a side of him that Yeon didn¡¯t know. Yeon bit her lip, trying to dispel the unease that crept up inside her. ¡°¡­Chae-woo used to have nightmares and cry when he was alone, but strangely, he seemed okay when this was ying.¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably how it was before.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing.¡± He suppressed all kinds of negative emotions behind his gentle smile. ¡°Oh¡­ now that I think about it, it seems like Chae-woo hasn¡¯t been cryingtely. In the past, even if Chae-woo cried in his sleep, I would wake up immediately, but I haven¡¯t seen any signs of that recently. Is it because I haven¡¯t noticed, or is he sleepingfortably?¡± Lee-yeon looked worried and tilted her head. Meanwhile, the cello sound from the radio was gradually intensifying. All the movements that required pressing, plucking, and changing the angle of the bow to quickly scratch the strings without a break came to mind naturally. Even the image of her mother ying this piece came to mind. Kwun Chae-woo pressed his trembling eyebrows as if having a seizure and clenched his ears that were twitching. ¡°It looks like my tears have dried up. But that CD¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, this is¡­ from the person I mentionedst time¨C¡± ¡°Ah, a spoil you hid?¡± ¡°What?¡± It was impossible for Lee Yeon to not realize that the man in front of her was annoyed right now. She felt an intangible sense of reprimand in his subtle tone, causing her heart to sink. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I, I just didn¡¯t say enough back then.¡± However, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s gaze was already far away from her. A CD case lying on the floor. Even at a nce, it was clear that it was stained with fingerprints and the gold coating had worn off. This woman wouldn¡¯t even know that it was once a piece of a boy. Eventually, the man murmured coolly, covering his eyes with his palm. ¡°Can you stop ying it? My ears hurt, Lee-yeon.¡± The body, which had been forced to stay awake for several days, was reaching its limit little by little. Chapter 155: Chapter 155: Lee-yeon found out for the first time that a person could be a tree. Late night, thedy that visited without a warning slowly became thinner. The guest who was crying and begging while scratching on the door slowly grew quiet. She stopped talking, stopped eating, and wouldn¡¯t budge from the corner of the room. Her lips became dry, and her dehydrated face became rough like the bark of a tree. Her eyes remained open, but she blinked so slowly that she no longer appeared to be alive. Can a person die like this? Lee-yeon bit her lips each time she took away untouched meal. Despite the woman¡¯s earlier desperation, Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t help but feel that it was easier when she was still crying and begging for help. It looked like she had given up on life. The way she looked was no different from how her uncle was when he was dying with cancer. So Lee-yeon decided. ¡°¡­ M, miss, this is porridge so it¡¯ll be easier to eat¡­. You just have to eat one spoon¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to school tomorrow, Miss. You won¡¯t be alone here.¡± ¡°I hear this is the most popr variety show. I¡¯ll leave it on¡­! You can put it on as loudly as you want!¡± Lee-yeon started to talk to her even though she wouldn¡¯t respond. Why was she like that? The 17-year-old Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t understand Yoon Joo-ha as much as her own birth, but she wanted her to be lively again. Looking back now, she became the first tree that Lee-yeon tried hardest to save. ¡°Miss, I hear that Norway spruce¡¯s branch always grows towards where the sunlight no matter how dark it is. It tries its best to live by reaching out to the light.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°Where is your sunlight? I, I can find it for you.¡± Yoon Joo-ha¡¯s head flinched for the first time. She finally was showing reaction. But her eyes became deeper and darker and didn¡¯t answer for a long time. Days past since then. She wouldn¡¯t sleep as she was thinking about something and then tear dropping, and would mumble to herself. Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t tell whether that was a good sign for a bad one, but soon she was able to hear her answer. ¡°¡­. Can you call this ce?¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± What she gave was the poster that was looking for Yoon Joo-ha. A reward was to be given to anyone who could find the woman who was now currently taking shelter under Lee-yeon¡¯s roof. Lee-yeon¡¯s heart pounded like she was doing something bad. But, it seems like it wasn¡¯t the one Lee-yeon brought as it looked much older. The woman¡¯s copy was in poor shape. ¡°Miss, t-this is¡­¡± Lee-yeon ¡®s face red up as if she was caught doing something bad. But the voice that came out through dry throat was surprisingly calm. ¡°It¡¯s okay. My son lives here.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Thanks to you, I found out what I wanted to see at thest moment, so I hope some raines to this ce I owe.¡± She held Lee-yeon¡¯s small hands with her rough hands. Since then, Yoon Joo-ha told her about her son little by little. Each time she breathed, she talked, Lee-yeon could feel how much she missed him. For Lee-yeon who never got that motherly love growing up, it was weird yet amazing. She felt warm inside just listening to the story of someone who received enough love. ¡°I know well about Norway spruce as well. That tree would drop stray branches on its own in the darkness. Since it can only be a good instrument when it throw away what is necessary. And the tree that sings in the end always dies.¡± Lee-yeon smiled was happy about her guest finally talking a lot. Not knowing where Yoon Joo-ha was walking into, not knowing what she has determined in her mind. That moment, the shback became twisted. Thatdy instantly became a mummy, opened its mouth and grabbed Lee-yeon¡¯s wrist. ¡°Protect that child¡­!¡± Crash! There was a sudden, jarring crash that brought Lee-yeon back to reality. She had been lost in thought, still reeling from the vivid dream she had experienced the night before, when the noise shattered her reverie. ¡°Chae-woo, are you okay?¡± she called out, her voiceced with concern. The pieces of ss on the floor shed dangerously. Lee-yeon looked at the table again and noticed that the tes and side dishes were stacked precariously close to the edge. She couldn¡¯t help but worry that they might topple over at any moment. ¡°Chae-woo, when did you wake up this morning?¡± she asked, trying to get a sense of how long he had been up. ¡°Not too long ago,¡± Chae-woo replied, looking up from his food. ¡°I told you that you don¡¯t have to do this,¡± Lee-yeon said with a small smile. As Lee-yeon bent down to clean up the broken ss, Chae-woo suddenly stood up, interrupting her. ¡°The night felt long,¡± he said quietly, as if lost in thought. Kwon Chae-woo went into the small storage beside the kitchen and stumbled as if he was waiting. He leaned against the wall and frowned to try to focus his sight. But he was panting and having cold sweat just from standing up. Fuck. He almost swore but bit his tongue and tried his best to push away this dizziness. Tonight is finally thest night that he wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep. He was using all kinds of excuse to try to dy his return to the main house, but now it was really the limit. Kwon Chae-woo called Jang Beom-hee right away. -Yes, young master. ¡°¡­..¡± As he just kept on breathing quietly, Jang Beom-hee kept silence and then whispered. -I¡¯ll get it ready. Chapter 156: Chapter 156: Kwon Chae-woo blinked his bloodshot eyes a few times and then finally was able to focus. He grabbed a broom and came out. ¡°Tonight is the night of yourpetition. Eat well.¡± Kwon Chae-woo brushed the floor like nothing happened. ¡°Chae-woo, you said you¡¯reing tonight right?¡± Lee-yeon stared at the man with sparkling eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead and get ready so you have toe after you finish your meal.¡± Tonight was the 4thpetition. Lee-yeon kept everything a secret. She wanted to give Kwon Chae-woo the music that ring through the forest, the memory that was contained within like a gift. She wanted to unravel this misunderstanding from the forest she worked so hard on. ¡°Ah, a spoil?¡± It seemed like somewhere in Lee-yeon¡¯s memory, that sarcastic remark was hitting her. But she couldn¡¯t say anything as the man looked sensitive and tired for the week. Then the event from 15 years ago came into her dream. That moment, that guest. She never had a dream like that before¡­. Herst shout especially wasplete imagination but Lee-yeon arm hurt like it was actually grabbed by her. ¡°It might be thest time so I have to go see.¡± ¡°Last time¡­! I¡¯m going until the end!¡± ¡°Good.¡± As he smiled oddly, Lee-yeon also smiled childishly. There was a rehearsal with an orchestra that was hard for her to book from another region this morning. ¡°¡­.¡± But the more she chewed, the more her face became dark and stern, and her chewing slowed. Eventually, she realized that the seasoning on all of the side dishes had been poorly done. One bite of a particrly salty dish made her almost frown, but she managed to swallow it down with a gulp of water. The next dish was far too sweet, and it was clear that Chae-woo had confused salt and sugar in his cooking. Well, humans make mistake. Despite the seasoning mishap, Lee-yeon continued to eat and pretended to be impressed with Chae-woo¡¯s cooking, not wanting to hurt his feelings or make him feel embarrassed. She knew that it wasn¡¯t easy to cook for someone else, and appreciated the effort that he had put into making the meal for her. But as she ate, she couldn¡¯t help but feel distracted by everything that had happened recently ¨C the bad dream she hadst night, and now the poorly seasoned food. She was so preupied with her own thoughts that she didn¡¯t even notice Chae-woo struggling to use his chopsticks in front of her. *** A dead ck forest. But the orchestra in their white dress shirt was shining like magnolia denudate. When they arrived at the mountain, The D hospital had a wall up to hide their areapletely, but Lee-yeon wasn¡¯t even slightly curious. She was already upied by the orchestra that was tuning. Each time the sound travelled through the clear air, her heart trembled like she was little. She quickly checked her watch and called Kwon Chae-woo. Before thepetition starts, so before crowdes, she wanted him to be the first audience. Lee-yeon was waiting anxiously and then smiled as he picked up. ¡°Hello? Chae-woo, are youing? Where are you?¡± -¡­. But there was no response. The orchestra¡¯s uncoordinated sound came in. ¡°Chae-woo?¡± Lee-yeon checked the phone but the phone time was still going. ¡°Hello? Kwon Chae-woo, can you hear me?¡± -¡­.. Still silent. The moment Lee-yeon covered her ear and turned, she could hear oddughing over the phone. It started to be like crying. ¡°¡­. It¡¯s unforgettable gift, Lee-yeon.¡± Lee-yeon flinched at such low tone. ¡°¡­.!¡± Kwon Chae-woo was walking in. His face was so blue as there was no sense of blood in it. He was also wearing something Lee-yeon hasn¡¯t seen before, which was ck suit and dress shirt with some of his buttons undone. ¡°¡­. Chae-woo?¡± -Since I got a gift, I¡¯ll have to give you something back. Lee-yeon¡¯s heart sank as his eyes seemed abnormal. Her instinct was correct. -It¡¯s a perfect finale. Kwon Chae-woo slowly stopped smiling and mumbled coldly. The man walked past Lee-yeon and went to the orchestra. His eyes looked hazy fromck of sleep, but his steps were determined. The orchestra stopped tuning as the man interrupted them. Kwon Chae-woo took someone¡¯s cello and lifted it high up in the air. Suddenly, the orchestra members stood up and began screaming before fleeing the scene. Kwon Chae-woo repeatedly mmed the cello down onto an empty chair. Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t even breathe and covered her mouth in shock. Her heart pounded like a warning sign. Instead of the beautiful harmonies she had been expecting, the sound of the broken cello filled the room. The wooden pieces flew everywhere, and the strings made a painful noise. The cello was beingpletely destroyed before her eyes. ¡°Chae, Chae-woo, what are you¡­¡± Kwon Chae-woo hit the long neck of cello until it waspletely broken into two and then kept stomping on it. Pale trembling lips. Vein popping in his hands. And the hair that was covering his brown eyes. Everything made him look like not Kwon Chae-woo but someone else. He calmed his breathing while looking at broken cello. In the middle of quiet forest, nothing was worse. Kwon Chae-woo tidied up his hair with his trembling hand and stumbled towards the frozen woman. ¡°Why are you looking at me like a monster? Were you scared?¡± He caressed Lee-yeon¡¯s cheek. She trembled even though it was just his hand. ¡°When did you start noticing?¡± He started saying something. Lee-yeon wanted to say something. Something¡ª ¡°You knew. That I¡¯m not your husband.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°The retard Kwon Chae-woo is no longer here¡ª¡° He asked Lee-yeon. ¡°You knew from the beginning, didn¡¯t you?¡± Chapter 157: Chapter 157: ¡°You knew from the beginning, didn¡¯t you?¡± Kwon Chae-woo asked. Goosebumps ran down Lee-yeon¡¯s arms and neck. It was a crushing question that shattered the ground beneath her feet, and she could only blink her eyshes without moving. Something she had been holding together was finally breaking apart. ¡°Since when? Was it when I forced myself on you?¡± ¡°At that time, I had just regained my senses and it hadn¡¯t been long, so my imitation was a bit awkward.¡± Maliciously parted lips, a clearly visible sneer, and a strange euphoria that couldn¡¯t be identified. Kwon Chae-woo resembled that of a beast finally feasting on his prey. ¡°Still, wasn¡¯t it fairly simr?¡± Heughed again, like he was imitating a puppet being manipted. There was no emotion or substance to it, only an imitation that continued to toy with Lee-yeon. She forced herself to take a deep breath and tightly clenched her cold, damp hands, even if it was forced. Various words whirled around her head, but unfortunately, only the weakest sentence stuck to her lips. ¡°How much do you remember?¡± Her voice shook uncontrobly. ¡°¡­Do you remember me?¡± Lee-yeon didn¡¯t even blink her eyes to confirm her own reflection in his pupils. As she looked at him with desperate eyes, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Of course I remember you. I¡¯ve never forgotten you for a moment.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± A glimmer of hope shed in her eyes. ¡°How could I forget you, the woman who pretended to be my wife¡­ a woman involved in turning me into a vegetative man?¡± Her hopeful words were met with a sharp tone that left her feeling defeated. ¡°Did you have fun taming me, Lee-yeon?¡± Even though his vision was split into four, Kwon Chae-woo still managed to smile with ease. Perhaps he had regained all his memories. Lee-yeon¡¯s mind turned white at the sudden situation, not knowing how to defend herself. It was a fundamental fear that she had been carrying with her since she met Kwon Chae-woo ¨C something she didn¡¯t want to be exposed, but at the same time, something she wanted to reveal every moment. She clenched her fist while fidgeting. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry for lying. I was so scared of you back then. I really¡­ I just wanted to save myself, but no one believed me. It was someone else who made Chae-woo fall¡­ even Chae-woo¡¯s brother wasn¡¯t interested in what I had to say.¡± The man looked at Lee-yeon expressionlessly. Lee-yeon looked right back at him, finding any traces of the man she knew. She felt a lump in her throat, but she managed to swallow it down. ¡°But Chaewoo knows that I acted in self-defense, right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He recalled the moment when he chased after Soyeon, thinking she was just a simple witness. He remembered how he had clenched his throat, trying his best to keep his mouth shut. As he thought about it, his vision began to spin and his fingers twitched. Kwon Chae-woo gritted his teeth and barely managed topose himself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the outrageous lie, it wasn¡¯t an action to protect me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°The lie was¡­ I¡¯m really sorry. I¡¯ll apologize enough until Mr. Chae-woo feels better¡­¡± Lee-yeon lowered her head like a broken flower and stared only at her feet. She didn¡¯t have the courage to meet his eyes, and as she stood there looking down, a warm tear suddenly fell and soaked into the ground. She bit her trembling lips once. ¡°¡­Still, that liepletely changed my life.¡± Lee-yeon weakly grabbed his sleeve. ¡°It was the first time anyone had ever loved me enough to suffocate me, to hold me as if fighting against the whole world.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s okay, you can be angry and disappointed with me all you want, I¡¯ll do better¨C¡± ¡°You still haven¡¯t woken up from the dream.¡± Kwon Chae-woo cut her off coldly. The earth felt like spinning underneath his soles. He weakly grabbed the woman¡¯s hair and lifted it up as if pulling it out of water, revealing only her chin. ¡°It¡¯s useless, no matter what you do. You will never be able to see your husband again.¡± ¡°What¡­ what does that mean?¡± Kwon Chae-woo bent down and red at her like a predator aiming for his prey. He cruelly whispered, ¡°Right here, right now, I¡¯m going to dispose of all the memories rted to you.¡± ¡°Mr. Kwon¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s unfair? I¡¯m just restoring everything back to the way it was.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So forget about it. ¡± He clicked his tongue and released her hair, and Iyeon couldn¡¯t bring herself to touch her numb scalp. ¡°A person should have some shame.¡± Just like that, it felt like a sharp stick was plunged deep between Lee-yeon¡¯s ribs. ¡°Have some dignity,¡± was one of the many phrases that had been repeated to her by her cousins and aunts. However, hearing the same admonition from Kwon Chae-woo, who was infinitely generous to her, shook her to the core. ¡°But still, we¡­ Mr. Kwon loves me¡­¡± Kwon Chae-woo found her shallow hopes amusing. Seeing her in such a precarious position, as if she would disappear if he stepped on her, he felt an urge to uproot all of her roots. ¡°Have I ever said that I love you exactly? Chapter 158: Chapter 158: It was as if Lee-yeon had been hit hard on the back of the neck. ¡°Have you ever considered that I relied on you simply because I lost my memory and couldn¡¯t think straight?¡± he blurted out, struggling to swallow the lump rising in his throat. ¡°But even so, Kwon Chae-woo told me everything at every moment. From the moment I opened my eyes until I fell asleep. During the day, his shadow always followed me, and at night, I never felt the cold breeze¡­ When I went out to the garden, all the rocks were gone, and I never had to swallow a fish bone since Chae-woo started cooking for me¡­¡± Her voice trailed off, trembling with emotion. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°As time passed, I became safer. Do you know how amazing of an experience that was?¡± Tears welled up in Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes, but she brushed them away as if they were insignificant, herrge pupils shrinking like a deer¡¯s. ¡°It was like being born again. I was always an outsider no matter where I went, but in front of Chae-woo, I felt like a giant. He would always pull me from the corner and ce me in the center of the firece¡­¡± Kwon Chae-woo remained silent. ¡°How can this be¡­ How could you say it¡¯s not love?¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s stomach churned, threatening to implode at any moment. He was acutely aware of how badly his body was betraying him, yet he couldn¡¯t help but revel in the exquisite pain. He shook his head, trying to shake off the incessant ringing in his ears. He knew it was time to sever the ill-fated rtionship, and he couldn¡¯t put it off any longer ¡°Whatever it was¡­ it was innocent or just pure stupid.¡± He muttered just loud enough for her to hear. Pupils filled with malice fell quietly like snowkes. The only thing filling them was a deep contempt. Kwon Chae-woo lifted his chin and calmly buttoned up his shirt, one button at a time. ¡°Get a grip, So Lee-yeon. Was the thrill of ying games really worth it?¡± Lee-yeon clenched her fists. The protruding bones of her knuckles trembled white. ¡°I came to Hwaido with the intention of burying you from the start.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± She seemed to lock eyes again with the man in the raincoat again. The weeping that had barely subsided froze in an instant. Her heart raced as if it would burst, just like when she had fled through the dark mountains. ¡°¡­Why, why?¡± Lee-yeon furrowed her eyebrows, enduring the pain that felt like her throat was closing up. ¡°Yoon Joo-ha.¡± He gently wiped away the tears that clung to the corners of Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes with the pad of his thumb, tracing the delicate arch of her eyebrows. Tenderly brushing away the snowkes that had settled on her cheeks, he carefully wiped away the tears that clung to her long eyshes. Taking a deep breath, he held her face tightly in his hands, just as he had done when he had run to kiss her. ¡°The name of the woman you surrendered for money.¡± In that moment, there was a lightning bolt of realization that struck her like a sledgehammer. The pieces that were scattered suddenly fit together perfectly. She wandered through Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s features with a pale gaze. Maybe¡­ maybe¡­ The man raised the corner of his mouth as he looked at Lee-yeon¡¯s dted pupils. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right.¡± She said downcasted. ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°Are you starting to understand now?¡± The smile on his face didn¡¯t fit like a poorly hung picture frame. ¡°How dare you show me her kind of music and instruments to me?¡± It was a voice that she heard for the first time, a harsh voice that scratched the floor. Lee-yeon¡¯s hair stood on end and her breathing became uneven. However, there was still a part that she did not understand, as if wandering in the fog, she opened her mouth hesitantly, facing the anger that would not easily disappear. ¡°I, I don¡¯t know¡­ That person, that person went home, so why-¡± ¡°She died in that house, So Lee-yeon.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°It was a house that she should have never returned to.¡± Kwon Chae-woo grabbed her delicate neck with both hands as he clenched his fists and bit his tongue. He wanted to tie her up and leave a scar until she screamed. ¡°Mother was held captive in the basement of our hometown for seven years. Right beneath the room where I slept. She never saw the light of day and emerged from there like a lifeless body.¡± As Kwon Chae-woo revealed this horrifying truth, Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes began to well up with tears and she let out an involuntary groan from his grip around her neck. ¡°Do you really believe that someone who once strangled you won¡¯t do it again?¡± His voice was cold and filled with venom. ¡°And yet, you want to prattle on about love and all that sentimental bullshit?¡± He tightened his grip on her delicate neck, pulling her closer with a brutal force. Lee-yeon could feel the seething hatred radiating from him, and she had no choice but to bear the full brunt of his rage. Chapter 159: Chapter 159: However, Kwon Chae-woo was misunderstanding her. Lee-yeon did not just sell Yoon Joo-ha for money. She found a way to help her because he felt that if she left her alone, she would surely die. She could easily defend himself by saying that she only helped her to survive and see her son when she begged her to. ¡°When she wanted to go home, it was her who wanted to see her son again.¡± However, when she finished with her thoughts, Lee-yeon suddenly felt a shiver down her spine. ¡°¡­!¡± That may be aforting thought for her, but it could be another pain for the other person. The thought of it passed through her mind like a warning, causing her tongue to suddenly be stiff. Is it okay to say this just to relieve her own unfairness? Her mind couldn¡¯t make a decision as if it was frozen. While they were in that awkward silence, he bowed his head slightly, as if his nose was touching his chest. ¡°How can we continue to live together with this?¡± The man¡¯s eyes were shaking like he was having a seizure. ¡°I¡¯ll endure you, no matter what it takes.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Just looking at you makes me tremble like this.¡± He said in a shaking voice. There¡¯s always a reason behind hatred. As it was with Lee-yeon¡¯s upbringing, this time too, she was being tormented for being someone¡¯s wound. An emotion that made her feel like she was about to cry surged in her as she thought about how things always seemed to go awry against her will. Despite this, she didn¡¯t want to be like Kwon Chae-woo, like her aunt. Without even thinking, she hastily opened her mouth. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me, I didn¡¯t do that. I was just running errands, I just made phone calls for her. It was her who wanted to go home.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The hand that was suddenly gripping her neck tightened. The man kept his lips sealed, but his eyebrows slowly furrowed. He let out a faintugh with bloodshot eyes that seemed about to burst. ¡°Better stay still.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°How much longer do I have to put up with a woman who lies every time she opens her mouth? Are you now telling me to lick your spittle as well?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Do you still see me as an idiot who believed every word you said?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it, really, this time it¡¯s true!¡± Her voice burst out desperately. Lee-yeon grabbed his wrist tightly, her face turning blue as she struggled to breathe. Would a man who herded sheep say something like this? Her courage, which had barely been raised, shattered like ss as all her pleas and persuasion were immediately denied. Lee-yeon¡¯s hands trembled. He seemed to be going away no matter what. The ominous premonition was growing like a monster. ¡°Do you really think she¡¯s crazy enough to turn herself in?¡± He released his grip on Lee-yeon¡¯s neck as he spoke. The hot, seething anger gradually dissipated, and the gaze that had been fixed squarely on her was withdrawn without hesitation. Lee Yeon felt a sense of urgency at the sight. ¡°If you hate me that much, then put me next to you and make me suffer.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Our aunt does that to her cousins like that. The more you hate, the closer they get and theye to bother you regrly. I¡¯m used to that kind of thing. Because I¡¯m used to it¡­ Mr. Kwon can do it to me too.¡± A breath that seemed to burst with incredulity was more toxic than cigarette smoke. ¡°Why should I?¡± The gaze that looked down on her was colder than a bug. The tone suggested that there was no reason to do it at all. ¡°Then, what about Mr. Kwon if I¡¯m not there with him?¡± Even though it wasn¡¯t mid-winter, Lee-yeon¡¯s chin was trembling. ¡°If I¡¯m not here¡­ you can¡¯t even get up. How can you expect me to leave you and survive?¡± Every word she uttered was precarious, as if hanging by a thread. Nheless, there was no solution. She couldn¡¯t immediately dispel his hatred and distrust, so all she could do was poke at his vulnerability with such petty words. ¡°Mr. Kwon needs me, doesn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°¡­Are you still deluded like that? I must have acted perfectly.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± With a sneer, Kwon Chae-wooughed. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since you¡¯ve be useless to me.¡± He effortlessly broke the rope that Lee-yeon had been holding onto until the very end. It was like shaking off a piece of straw that had stuck to his clothes, the chain that had bound the two of them tightly. Lee-yeon, who had confirmed the stark difference in their weight, was so embarrassed that she couldn¡¯t raise her head. Her heartbeats, which had been racing the whole time, slowed down and her bones felt crushed. Kwon Chae-woo drove a wedge into her in that state. ¡°I don¡¯t need you.¡± Chapter 160: Chapter 160: That was thest thing he said. The man turned around and walked back the way he came, without even saying goodbye. In the ruined forest, with the ruined instrument, and leaving behind the ruined Lee-yeon. Her heart felt like it was being squeezed. There was nothing left to hold him back. Lee-yeon just stared nkly at his receding figure, unable to believe this reality. ¡°¡­.¡± Once again, Lee-yeon found herself alone, clinging to someone¡¯s back with a sense of endlessness. Memories of her forgotten parents, terrifying aunt, and countless rejections from friends clung to her like fragmented pieces of a puzzle. Illusions of people leaving with seemingly valid reasons haunted her, and she felt powerless to tear them away. Her breathing became rough, and her vision darkened. Long and deep w marks seemed to connect her to the person she was clinging to, but they only served to remind her of how far they were moving away from her. If she lost him like this, it seemed like she could never recover again. That¡¯s why her leg moved forward. She couldn¡¯t let her life be miserable again. Lee-yeon tried once more for her own sake. ¡°Promise? It¡¯s nothing but a delusion now!¡± The voice crying out for the promise they made to each other sounded pitifully hoarse. ¡°I clearly told you that I would take care of it and bury it myself!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I said I would try my best, that I wouldn¡¯t need any memories that could disturb our rtionship!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°We made a promise!¡± But unfortunately, Kwon Chae-woo didn¡¯t stop. It seemed like nothing could stop him. ¡°I could pretend not to know your real identity until I die!¡± Tears filled with resentment rolled down her cheeks. The pain she had endured and suppressed all this time burst out like a broken dam. Lee-yeon sobbed like a child, gasping for breath, but the distance between them didn¡¯t seem to lessen. ¡°But why¡­! Why can¡¯t you do it!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I could bear to be with you, no matter who you are!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Why me? Why am I the only one who¡¯s hurting like this, while you just threw me away?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s body shook uncontrobly, tears bursting out like a dam breaking. Anger fueled her now, pushing her forward even as she stumbled and fell heavily to the ground. ¡°¡­.!¡± Finally, she hugged his waist tightly. Chae-woo¡¯s back muscles stiffened for a moment before he stopped moving. ¡°¡­. If you keep going like this, I won¡¯t wait anymore. I¡¯m tired of enduring someone who hates me. I won¡¯t do it again.¡± She didn¡¯t blink as if making a promise. The overflowing tears were delicate, but the suddenly hardened pupils were intense. However, Lee-yeon knew all too well from experience that a heart that has left will nevere back no matter what you do. After what felt like an eternity, she closed her eyes as if she had already received enough of an answer from the unresponsive man. And it was when she was about to loosen her arm with a pitch-ck expression. Instinctively, Kwon Chae-woo tightly grasped her hand, which was losing strength. It was an almost unconscious reflex. The hands, which had be as cold as ice, held onto each other tightly. However, Kwon Chae-woo regained his senses and pushed away her hand as if rejecting it. The man clenched his fists, biting his jaw. Just then, several ck sedans rushed in, kicking up dust as they entered roughly. Just like in the car that hade to a stop with screeching brakes, men in ck suits opened the doors and came out. They stood with their hands neatly folded, waiting for only one person. In the midst of his shaking vision, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s voice was the only one that didn¡¯t get swept away as he drove a nail in. ¡°Exactly what I wished for.¡± he said. With that, he moved away again, and Yeon staggered as if she had exhausted all her strength. Lee-yeon stood there, dazed, as the unfamiliar men greeted her with nods. The big men escorted Kwon Chae-woo like a bodyguard and opened the back door of the car for him. ¡°Oh my, Director So, Lee-yeon-ah¨D!¡± At that moment, Choo-ja came running from afar. She had a group of scrappy old men and fierce-looking people trailing behind her, and they each had a pickaxe in hand, which was quite frightening. Choo-ja called out to Lee-yeon repeatedly, but she remained silent like a stone statue. She became furious as the enraged people immediately grabbed Lee-yeon by the hair. ¡°Thses old men must be crazy!¡± Choo-ja tried to shield Yeon with her body, but there was a significant height difference. ¡°This is all because of that quack doctor! How are you going to take responsibility for this? It¡¯s because of you that our vige¡¯s sacred tree died¡­.!¡± Even as she staggered and weaved through the crowd, Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t take her eyes off of Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°You cut down all those branches, but instead of healing it, you ended up killing it!¡± Despite the elders grabbing and pulling her in all directions, Lee-yeon didn¡¯t resist even once. She just swayed with the movement, staring nkly into space. At that moment, Kwon Chae-woo, staring nkly this way with several sedans behind him, met eyes with her. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± His indifferent gaze seemed somehow pleased. Despite having her hair pulled, her neck scratched, and even falling to the ground from the rough touches of the people, he just watched idly. The hot summer was showing signs of slowly receding. By the time Lee-yeon heard herself sob again, Kwon Chae-woo had already disappeared like a gust of wind. Chapter 161: Chapter 161: Gyu-baek clutched onto the fallen ¡°Spruce Tree Hospital¡± namete and took cover in an adjacent alleyway. In no time, he noticed a convoy of ck cars obstructing the path leading to the director¡¯s house. The child¡¯s usually impassive face now disyed a look of shock as he watched the scene unfold. ¡°Heek¡­!¡± he gasped. The individuals who disembarked from the cars were equipped with round earpieces, and they wielded baseball bats and golf clubs, mming them against the front door with reckless abandon. Gyu-baek hugged himself tightly, his breath caught in his throat. As he squeezed the namete, his fingers turned white from the force of his grip. Sounds of crashing and breaking continued toe from the other side of the alley. It was the same noise that urred when his uncle and grandfather fought while destroying household items a few times on the full moon. Gyu-baek covered his ears with his hands and shut his eyes tightly. His heart raced with fear. ¡°But¡­that hospital,¡± he thought to himself As an honorary insect doctor of the hospital, a ce that he cherished more than school by several hundred times, he couldn¡¯t simply stand by and watch. Despite his trembling fear, Gyu-baek gathered his courage and opened his eyes. And step by step, He stooped and cautiously walked towards the front door. In the wide-open trunk, there were misceneous items that he couldn¡¯t figure out what they were for. There were transparent stic bags, ropes, all sorts of extensions, a strange syringe, first aid supplies, and¡­ ¡°¡­.!¡± In an instant, Gyu-baek¡¯s eyes widened. The young boy was so stimted with the interesting apparatus that he forgot his original purpose and ran towards the trunk. ¡°Hiya¡­¡± His mouth opened wide and his hands reached out involuntarily. It was something precious that he had never seen before in his eight years of life. He had only ever seen it in books or on TV. Gyu-baek¡¯s eyes twinkled with curiosity and admiration. Now, he had bepletely immersed in the moment and climbed onto the trunk without hesitation. The burly men did not notice Gyu-baek hiding in the shadows and closed the trunk of the vehicle. The hazy dust settled on the namete lying on the ground. * * * The yard, left unattended for several days, was a mess like no other. The nt that had delighted Lee-yeon with its white flower buds was now uprooted and crushed underfoot with traces of shoes. The flower beds that she had carefully tended whenever she had time were now in disarray as if a typhoon had passed through. ¡°¡­.¡± Lee-yeon sat on the living room sofa, staring nkly at the front yard. It had already been two weeks since she had failed the fourth round of the exam. She didn¡¯t know what day it was or what time it was. She would just sit on the sofa like a statue, dozing off when she felt sleepy and staring nkly out the window when she woke up again. The house was so silent and still, like a cave, that sometimes even her own breathing bothered her. The test she had worked so hard to prepare for had naturally failed before she even got a chance to try it, and her beloved bonsai that she thought she had taken good care of suddenly died. ording to Choo-ja, someone artificially poisoned and cut down all the sacred tree, and the marks looked like animal ws. It was easy to guess who did it. It was an anger so great that it could brutally kill a tree that had lived for five hundred years, a tree that Lee-yeon had personally performed surgery on. There was only one person who could have done it. Suddenly, someone¡¯s face came to mind like a picture and her heart twinged again. It wasn¡¯t easy to distinguish whether it was guilt over the sacred tree or pain over the departed man. ¡°Are you not going to fix that again?¡± As usual, Choo-ja sat across from Lee-yeon, observing her paleplexion. Her eyes still had traces of crying. Lee-yeon just looked at the destroyed flower bed with a vacant expression. After Kwon Chae-woo left and she returned home with a messed up body and mind, the front yard waspletely overturned as if a wild animal had gone through it. The living room was dirty with footprints, and broken flower pots and vases were scattered around the house. She didn¡¯t see it but men came to her house while she was gone and destroyed everything they could see. Also, the second floor was wiped clean as if no one had ever lived there. There was no evidence of Kwon chase-woo ever living in her house anymore. It felt like she had a really terrible dream. ¡°Hey, Lee-yeon, it¡¯s a beautiful day today.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Shall we go get some ice cream with expensive sunsses on, since it¡¯s been a while?¡± Choo-ja attempted to lift the corners of her mouth and invigorate herself, but Lee-yeon¡¯s countenance was as delicate as sand that would crumble with the slightest touch. It had already been several weeks, and as Choo-ja continued to gaze at her friend¡¯s vacant expression, her concern grew. This was the first time she had seen Lee-yeon so dull and lifeless since the funeral of her foster parents. When they finally arrived at Chooja¡¯s house after visiting all sorts of rtives, she looked just as miserable as she did when she left. It was as if a single person hade in and destroyed everything. ¡°Lee-yeon, you should at least eat some rice and rest here for a while,¡± Choo-ja said, frowning as she looked at Lee-yeon¡¯s red neck. It was wounds she got from being dragged around by crazy old people. What was Lee-yeon like back then? She didn¡¯t rebel once and just cried her heart out. The sudden sound of her crying made the people rushing towards her hesitate and step back. But when an infuriated Chooja pushed the old people aside, the scene once again turned into chaos. One of the musicians who had escaped the scene called 112, and after the police arrived, the fight that had been rolling on the floor was barely brought under control. ¡°If you only stay in a dark house, won¡¯t youck vitamin D?¡± Her face, which had copsed like a child, was still vivid in her mind. But the current Lee-yeon just crumbled like a dry leaf. Chapter 162: Chapter 162: ¡°Director So, you should eat something and move around a bit.¡± She called her by her professional name to get her attention. It was to no avail. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°First of all, can¡¯t we do something about that flower pot? It¡¯s an eyesore, and if we keep leaving it like that, even the person whoes to collect the trees will have a hard time. Don¡¯t forget that the front yard is like our hospital brochure.¡± At that moment, Lee-yeon opened her mouth, her lips parting in confusion. ¡°Is there any point in trying hard to take care of it?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°No matter how much effort I put into it, it seems useless.¡± Her vacant gaze outside the window had no focus. ¡°Is it okay to do such a stupid thing again?¡± ¡°Who the hell caused such a disaster, the honest and trustworthy guy?!¡± ¡°But still, it¡¯s stupid.¡± The smile on the firm lips, now only a shell, disappeared for a moment. A few days ago, Lee-yeon was sitting alone in the bedroom and was nauseous watching the sunrise. She tried to call him spasmodically, but all she heard was a machine sound saying that the number was out of service. Is this reality? Where does real and fake begin and end? In an instant, she felt breathless and her mind became confused. Being alone in the room with this situation, she couldn¡¯t believe it and felt a strange sense of detachment from reality. Just a few weeks ago, her life wasn¡¯t like this¡­ Why are we fated to be like this? Does this life even make sense? She thought that something was wrong. Very wrong. It¡¯s like a wriggling bug has attached itself to her and she feels a terrible sense of unease. If she doesn¡¯t solve this problem right away, she feels like she might die. Lee-yeon blindly stepped outside. Where her feetnded was the district office, and she demanded a family rtionship certificate with a face that looked like a screw hade loose. She was really angry. At Kwon Chae-woo, Kwon Ki-seok, and finally, at herself who had made everything a mess. There was no spouse on the pure white document. There was definitely Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s name on it before. Now, it was gone as if it were a lie. This can¡¯t be. I saw it clearly with my own two eyes¡­! Lee-yeon trembled as she pulled out the document twice more, but nothing had changed. Looking down with a distant gaze, she suddenly noticed that her shoes were mismatched. The left foot was a sneaker, and the right foot was a slipper. Only then did she snap back to reality. ¡°I know, I can¡¯t seem to pull herself together right now.¡± Yes, the old her had never been married. This was their starting point. Something twisted was boiling inside her, but eventually it burst out inughter. People looked at her strangely, but Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t stopughing. ¡°But this is really strange, isn¡¯t it?¡± She turned her head and met Choo-ja¡¯s gaze. ¡°Despite there being no traces of that person anymore, the smell keepsing back. Does it happen to you too, Choo-ja? Or is it just me who smells it? ¡± Suddenly, a strange light flickered in her eyes, which had lost their former luster. ¡°It¡¯s stuck in my nose and won¡¯t go away. So I keep getting confused and suspicious. It¡¯s definitely here, still here. Someone must be deliberately deceiving me. The scent is lingering everywhere¡­ ¡± Lee-yeon buried her face in the cushion, and her fragile neck trembled. Choo-ja bit her lip at the sight of her vulnerable state. ¡°Just because one man has left, there¡¯s no need for you to be so distressed that you want to die.¡± A firm voice shook Lee-yeon as she was forced to sit up. ¡°Allow this season to pass. It¡¯s just your first man who¡¯s gone. Look, how many men have passed by me? But do I fall apart every time they leave?¡± ¡°¡­You went to the emergency room when your uncle passed away.¡± Lee-yeon murmured in a trembling voice. ¡°You didn¡¯t eat, didn¡¯t shower, didn¡¯t even go to the bathroom. That¡¯s why you had to be hospitalized¡ª¡± ¡°Ahem, ahem!¡± At those words, Choo-ja cleared her throat and waved her hands uneasily. ¡°I mean, don¡¯t be suspicious and don¡¯t be afraid! It¡¯s true that love is a natural disaster, but¡ª¡± Choo-ja¡¯s eyes, as if staring off into the distance, suddenly became deep and hollow. ¡°However, resenting the disaster that has struck will only create another cmity for oneself.¡± Choo-ja¡¯s eyes werepassionate, but at the same time, they were stern. ¡°But¡­I feel like I¡¯ve been uprooted. I ampletely destroyed.¡± Leaning her cheek against the back of the sofa, Lee-yeon crumbled as if all her strength had left her. Her voice oozed out like a weeping wound from that day¡¯s hurt. ¡°Am I writhing in pain like a child who lost a tooth, even though it¡¯s just a small thing?¡± Choo-ja firmly grasped her icy hand, unable to find the right words tofort her. ¡°You, who can revive even the dying trees, can¡¯t save just one body like mine?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes revealed a sense of helplessness like withered reeds trembling in the wind. ¡°Lee-yeon, after crying a thousand times, let¡¯s go see the trees with me.¡± Chapter 163: Chapter 163: Whenever she feels depressed, she looked at trees. She sent away Choo-ja who was hanging around at the front door, then started to look at all the record of patients. It was a few years of hard work and now, she even cured the ones that she thought couldn¡¯t be saved. Starting that day, Lee-yeon started to study again. She opened the books as if to recount the knowledge she lost and read the thesis that was piled up. She reviewed other hospital¡¯s charts that were being shared and read all kinds of papers to try to recover her root that was shaken. Then she remembered something¡ª ¡®It¡¯s been a while since you became useless.¡¯ ¡®I told you you¡¯re no longer useful to me.¡¯ She was a fantastic tree doctor that could cut off the branches, cut off the part that was gone, fill the holes, and do aplete makeover. Even though Kwon Chae-woo scarred her to her core, there were parts that he could never ruin. Ring, ring. ¡°¡­.!¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s neck became stiff. Until the moment she checked the name on her screen, she didn¡¯t realize she stopped breathing. But the moment she checked who it was, her shoulders slumped. ¡°¡­ Hello?¡± She rubbed her face. And a weak voice came with a sigh. ¨CLee-yeon, would it be ok to check the Spirit Tree first and then we¡¯ll have to hand in the document at the Tree Agency. ¡°¡­.¡± She couldn¡¯t answer even at such a simple request. ¨CWe¡¯ve been dying it using your prescription as an excuse, but this is it. ¡°¡­¡± ¨CAre you listening? ¡°Just¡­¡± She stopped her voice from shaking. ¡°Just a little longer.¡± As she thought that she had to check the dead Spirit Tree, her fingers went cold. The conversation she had with Kwon Chae-woo in front of the tree, the gift she got. It was a wooden flower that will never wither and the red part was his blood. Looking back, that was thest of the man Lee-yeon loved. After that day, Kwon Chae-woo fell asleep for a long time and got his memory back. ¡°N, not yet¡­¡± Lee-yeon took a deep breath and wiped her forehead. The feeling she was having was simr to rejection. The dead Spirit Tree felt like her stomped heart. She couldn¡¯t see that awful sight. ¨CBy the way, Gyu-baek hasn¡¯t been seentely. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¨CI¡¯ll stop by his ce. You just rest. The moment the phone went silent, the silence hit her. Then she suddenly felt hungry. She went to the kitchen to start cooking. She opened the fridge and took out all the side dish she could find. It seemed like Choo-ja cooked a new batch of rice as it didn¡¯t smell anymore. She sat at the table. ¡°Hmph¡­!¡± The side dish was still too salty. It felt like she could smell something weird but she still couldn¡¯t stop eating. Last time, Choo-ja tasted all the side dish and looked for garbage. But it was Lee-yeon who stopped her from throwing it all away. ¡®Yoon Joo-ha.¡¯ ¡°The name of the woman you surrendered for money.¡± ¡®She died in that house.¡¯ Lee-yeon shoved spoonful of rice in her mouth and then the side dish. She didn¡¯t even chew properly and swallowed and then she looked for water to wash it down. But she had to eat it somehow. ¡°Mother was held captive in the basement of our hometown for seven years. Right beneath the room where I slept. She never saw the light of day and emerged from there like a lifeless body.¡± It was his way of telling her that he wouldn¡¯t listen to Lee-yeon¡¯s im of innocence, so she had to swallow it all. To ept, to grasp, to understand, to take in the fate of loving is sinning from her life. To let Kwon Chae-woo find peace. To let him go, to digest this familiar resentment. She will have to chew it all. She desperately swallowed everything. ¡®Why would I have to consider a woman who would lie about everything? You¡¯re telling me to just swallow everything you spit out?¡¯ Even during all of this, his bloodshot eyes were clear to her. His look of contempt opened her stomach and his sharp words became like tattoo. This might be the ending that was expected since the moment she lied, no, even way before all that. The rtionship between the offender and the victim. The result of the lies she piled up. All the problems that were tangled up like a ball of thread. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Suddenly, she jumped up and ran to the sink, feeling nauseous. She vomited everything she had eaten and turned on the water, continuing to retch. The reason her eyes were watering was because of this. It was a night she couldn¡¯t handle yet again. Chapter 164: Chapter 164: ¡°This is outrageous!¡± Joo Dong-mi mmed the table in annoyance. It was one random night when she showed up with couple bottles of soju. She already seemed like she¡¯s been drinking. Truthfully, Lee-yeon was trying to avoid her as she kept on visiting but she couldn¡¯t deny that Joo Dong-mi¡¯s antics was one of the things that saved her from time to time. But the reason she ignored her because of the person that she was reminded of when she saw Dong-mi¡¯s uniform. Kwon Chae-woo used to wear one before. She thought today would be another one of those days, but then Joo Dong-mi sat in front of her house and started drinking so Lee-yeon had no choice but to let her in. The silent house soon became loud, and Lee-yeon was surprisingly alright with this. Joo Dong-mi looked wrecked today, not for Lee-yeon, but for herself. ¡°How can a man justpletely disappear without saying anything? Huh? Is he for real? Even animals know how important their mate is. How could he just fuck me when he likes it and just run? I should be the one running so how dare! I¡¯m pissed!¡± It sounded like it didn¡¯t go well with the man she was seeing, Jang Beom-hee. Her point of anger seemed a little off. ¡°How do you think I should beat him?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Lee-yeon hesitated. Joo Dong-mi always seemed to be asking Lee-yeon about problems that she never thought of, and today wasn¡¯t an exception. ¡°I know I shouldn¡¯t be saying this, but I have quite a talent so I¡¯m good at changing people¡¯s taste. But how can someone just eat me up like that and run away? It should be me spitting him out if anything!¡± Joo Dong-mi kept on hupping while being drunk. ¡°This can¡¯t happen. This can¡¯t¡­¡± She sniffled and took a shot of soju. ¡°You watch. I¡¯ll make hime and beg. No, I won¡¯t let hime even if kneel and beg!¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s ears became red at such innuendo. Her face became quite something listening to this. She didn¡¯t know what to do but scratching her red cheeks. Was it because she was swayed by Joo Dong-mi¡¯s fresh anger? She spat out as well. ¡°¡­. I also. We also broke up.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Joo Dong-mi froze. Her face showed astonishment. ¡°That worker, no, with Kwon Chae-woo?¡± That Kwon Chae-woo? Joo Dong-mi looked around the empty house. ¡°Then he¡¯s not here? Did he leave?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Joo Dong-mi looked like she was in shock. She wasn¡¯t someone to quiet down so easily. ¡°To tell you the truth¡­ The tree nurse warned me to never talk about Kwon Chae-woo in front of you.¡± Joo Dong-mi pped her face. Then her eyes became clearer. ¡°Then are you¡­ Divorced?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± As Lee-yeon just smiled and didn¡¯t say anything. Joo Dong-mi nodded and opened another bottle. ¡°You should have a drink.¡± The ss filled up and was given to Lee-yeon. In response, Lee-yeon took the shot and the smell of alcohol turned her stomach. She frowned at the feeling of nausea. As she put down the ss, Joo Dong-mi looked at her in wonder. Lee-yeon smiled. ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten much in the past few days so¡­¡± ¡°Ah, you were on an empty stomach? Then don¡¯t drink it!¡± Joo Dong-mi quickly took the ss and drank it herself. ¡°And from now on, we leave any man with strange eyes!¡± Lee-yeonughed. There were strong people around her like this. The simrity between Choo-ja, who lived through many tragedies, and Joo Dong-mi, who would never put Lee-yeon down, was that they never fear. It wasn¡¯t any different from the green leaves losing colour and fall one away time, the tree will undoubtedly spring new leaves. The hole in her heart also felt natural for some reason. ¡°¡­. But can I ask why you guys broke up?¡± Joo Dong-mi asked. ¡°Did you also notice? He was something else¡ª¡° ¡°I don¡¯t think it was a divorce.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± How could she describe fake and illusion that didn¡¯t exist? She mumbled to herself. ¡°I really think it was separation by death.¡± Because he no longer existed. ¡®That Kwon Chae-woo¡¯ was basically dead.¡± *** ¡°Oh my, ma¡¯am¨C! Please help this poor olddy! She¡¯s been sick since her husband passed!¡± The ¡®olddy tree¡¯ that was located at the field was well known amongst the evergreen group in the entire country. They call it that because of its shape reminded them of olddy with skirt. Ever since meeting Joo Dong-mi, Lee-yeon slowly started to take work. She gave trees shot of vitamin and epted a special lecture. She opened the curtains in her home, opened the windows for cirction, and vacuumed for the first time in a while. Whatever the reason was, she started to sleep better and was able to eat too. Her ruined garden was still the same, but her legs started to have some strength. ¡°The branches are broken.¡± A few weeks ago, the olddy tree lost its husband due to the bugs eating the leaves. Like its famous name, the evergreen tree stood strong and straight even at its death, and people nted a chestnut tree for its memory. During all of this, the olddy tree was bing worse so they quickly called Lee-yeon. ¡°It¡¯s bark is also weak.¡± Lee-yeon looked around the tree with focus. The leaves that covered the sky were almost gone and only the weak branches were attached. It seemed like this tree was also attacked by bugs. One of the townspeople kicked his tongue. ¡°I heard that the tree that lost its partner wouldn¡¯t live¡ª¡° ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± Lee-yeon quickly turned her head. Even though her face was thin, there was still intelligence in her. ¡°I¡¯m going to do everything I can do save it.¡± Her voice was surprisingly strong. ¡°Can you see these trees? These guys are supporting this tree. And whatever the reason, its children also hasn¡¯t flown far away. Even though they¡¯re only 70 years old they still have¡­!¡± Lee-yeon suddenly stopped herself. She wasn¡¯t even blinking nor breathing. She basically became a statue then her face started to turn pale. ¡°Director So?¡± Choo-ja called her worryingly but Lee-yeon was still frozen. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you?¡± ¡°¡­ Cough, cough!¡± She suddenly coughed then stared at somewhere in the sky. She was coughing so hard that her neck was red. Lee-yeon blinked fast and pressed her lips. She looked flustered while looking down at the ground. ¡°Lee-yeon?¡± Choo-ja came to her but Lee-yeon was just puffing and didn¡¯t say anything. She was getting goosebumps from odd feeling she couldn¡¯t exin. *** Hi there! Advanced chapters are avable on Patreon if you want to support the team behind these projects. Also, please consider supporting this novel by leaving a review on Novelupdates! Thank you so much. Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 165: Chapter 165: ¡°When a tree has to withstand strong wind for a long time, grew up on the cliff, shore, or been pressed down byrge amount of snow, some strange things happen in its bark. It grows up in a weird way.¡± A heavy voice rang through mic. Lee-yeon attended [Tree and Human] special lecture as thest lecturer and was shaking her legs at the backstage with her speech in her hand. Even though she put in so much effort into it, the words were dancing thanks to her heart thumping. Lee-yeon rubbed her eyes and took breather. Thankfully, there wasn¡¯t much of audience due to boring subject. She leaned her head against the cold concrete wall and closed her eyes. The words of the lecturer before her finally settled with her. Who did they say he was? Ah¡­ Did they say he was an instrument crafter? ¡°Our life is the same. Many things go wrong, been suppressed by the pressure for a long time, and even swirled in unexpected storm.¡± ¡°Congrattions, you¡¯re pregnant.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s fingers snapped as she remembered the doctor¡¯s exact words. ¡°Hence our soul has been wounded and had its own unique scar and able to produce our own unique tune. Even though we were full of mistakes, we were able to have great harmony like trees.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been around 12 weeks.¡± What face was she making in front of thedy who was white gown? Did she feel like smiling or crying? Did her heart pound or stop? Did she think of the new life that was sprouting or the man who was already dead? ¡°¡ªEven the perfect shaped violin doesn¡¯t necessarily make great sound. Just like that, people also don¡¯t make great sound only when they¡¯re perfect. The true tune only happens when you know what¡¯s important in your life. Right now, what¡¯s echoing inside you?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s heart was pounding with the name of the man she can¡¯t see anymore. If it¡¯s 12 weeks¡­ It was before Kwon Chae-woo got his memory back. Before he fell into a long slumber. That meant¨C. It was a child of a man that loved Lee-yeon dearly. Even though he was no longer there, it was thest trace of that Kwon Chae-woo who was soft and kind to her. Inside her dark and gloomy heart suddenly had fear and joy at the same time. Lee-yeon bit her lower lips. The crumbled paper touched her face. ¡°-Out of ten thousand trees, maybe one could be a singing tree. First, we put the tree in the high tide water and hear the sound they make when they bump into each other. Or we tapped on it with a hammer to feel its vibration.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If we find a bell sound after many tries, your body probably is already tired.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°We have to put this much effort just to find wood that makes good sound, so how much effort would be need for life? The trees that sing especially are usually grown in difficult and unfair environment.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Would you still like to look for it?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s back flinched suddenly. The question sounded like it was questioning her. Whether she¡¯ll try to get one out of ten thousand. Whether she will endure with patience and adventure. The lecture continued for a while and soon the audience pped and she got up. There was no tears there. Only sunlight that was shining upon where she was sitting. *** Lee-yeon finished the lecture sessfully even though she was rushing through her paper. Even though the rest of the audience left by the end, but Lee-yeon found it easier to talk in front of even smaller amount of people. She was crazy hungry after this. Lee-yeon impulsively turned her handle. The Spirit Tree was in worse condition than before. She became emotional before she could even think calmly. The wound that scratched the shaft of the tree. Her sight became hazy instantly. This was why she didn¡¯t want to see it with her own eyes. This was the Spirit Tree¡¯s wound as well as Lee-yeon¡¯s. She started to pant like she could sense the shock from that day again. ¡°¡­!¡± That moment, she saw something was hanging on the dead branch. ¡°What is this¡­¡± Lee-yeon frowned. Even through all of this, she could see this clearly. She wiped her teary eyes and walked towards it. ¡°¡­ With what strength¡ª¡° That you blossom a flower and die. Lee-yeon saw thest flower that the Spirit Tree blossomed. Her broken heart seemed have really be fertilizer. The seed that was sprouting secretly inside what she thought was a broken heart wasn¡¯t much different from the Spirit Tree. Then for the first time in a very long time, she remembered the good times. Kwon Chae-woo, who was a little aggressive but cared so much about her. Poor Kwon Chae-woo, who would¡¯ve slept for eternity if it wasn¡¯t for her. Kwon Chae-woo, who hunted with his heart yet was conscious his owner. Kwon Chae-woo, who was worried about being abandoned forever. Kwon Chae-woo, the vegetative person who she grew. It was the moment where illusion became memory. Lee-yeon took out her phone and called someone. ¨CHey, did you do well? ¡°Choo-ja, I think a funeral is necessary.¡± ¨CWhat? We¡¯ll do what?¡± ¡°Even just us two¡ª¡° It was time she walked towards the light and let go of dead branches. ¡®The ck locust that lives while lying down even after copsing. The maple that curved its back due to win. It was a fight. I know. I know now.¡¯ Like the trees that she worship and love. ¡°¡ªKwon Chae-woo¡¯s funeral.¡± Lee-yeon took off the Spirit Tree¡¯s flower and carefully put it in her pocket. Chapter 166: Chapter 166: Under the tree that towered in the front yard, there was a mysterious pit that had been dug. Lee-yeon wiped the sweat that was clinging to her forehead with the back of her hand and plunged the shovel deeply into the ground. ¡°Phew¡­ I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know whether tough or cry at this.¡±Choo-ja said. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Watching Lee-yeon digging with all his might, Choo-ja was engulfed in an indescribable emotion. Her cheeks were reddened by the sun, sweat running down her chin, and she was breathing heavily after a long time. It was apletely different energy from the past few weeks, where Lee-yeon was frozen and unresponsive like a returned package. Hence this hopeful and lively atmosphere was a weed change. ¡°I¡¯ll guess. You haven¡¯t even received a wedding invitation from me yet, and here you are attending the death of your son-inw.¡± Choo-ja watched her face closely, wondering if this was some crazy stunt by Lee-yeon. ¡°I¡¯ve never been this read so urately before!¡± Lee-yeon who was wiping her sweat with a handkerchief, suddenly stopped. An awkward smile hung on her face, visible to anyone. It was a makeshift funeral for just the two of them, but there were no pictures or belongings to remember him by. The fact that there was nothing left in the house to use was a big part of it, but also because the necessities that Choo-ja hastily filled in like interior decorations were just as useless. Lee-yeon brought the wooden handicraft that she had received from him as a gift. If they had to bury a man who never existed, this was the only thing to do. ¡°¡­.¡± She threw the carved piece that glowed red in the deep pit she had dug. Then she began to fill the hole again by moving the piles of soil she had ced on one side with a shovel. ¡°This small act means a lot. It made all the scattered emotions inside Lee-yeone together and solidify. It was like she needed to personally cover thest page to bnce the books, after he came like a terrible ident and left just as abruptly. This funeral was purely a ceremony for her. Soon, her wooden flower was hidden with just one shovel. ¡°Choo-ja, what are we going to do next?¡± As she continued to fill the hole with dirt, her eyes began to sting strangely. Lee-yeon quickly changed the subject. Her gaze was as gentle as that of a seasoned senior, and Choo-ja swallowed a sigh. ¡°Lee-yeon, you should cry.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Vent it out.¡± ¡°Um¡­.¡± ¡°Whether you bow or pray, you have topletely let it go from your heart.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I guess I take after you in some ways.¡± Choo-ja murmured bitterly. She wore a ck sleeveless dress and tilted her head up like Audrey Hepburn, but the fleeting smile that passed her lips looked infinitely sad. ¡°Is it a little different?¡± ¡°What?¡± Once the small mountain was finished, Lee-yeon took a deep breath as if gasping for air, but her throat trembled with remnants of tears. ¡°I won¡¯t cry anymore. I have cried enough.¡± She yed a song on her phone. On the day when Kwon Chae-woo left and the forest lost its inhabitants, it was the first song she wanted to y for him and the residents. It was ¡°Spring¡± from Vivaldi¡¯s Four Seasons. Suddenly, she felt Choo-ja¡¯s gaze, which seemed surprised. ¡°It¡¯s too cheerful for a funeral, Lee-yeon.¡± ¡°I heard that funerals are for the living.¡± Choo-ja nodded with a nostalgic expression, as if lost in thought about the past. ¡°Choo-ja, don¡¯t mind me and just speak your mind.¡± As she saw Choo-ja re at the ground, Lee-yeon added, ¡°Don¡¯t spit out your anger. It¡¯s better to elegantly conclude for a new beginning.¡± Choo-ja couldn¡¯t take her eyes off Yeon, who was still looking at the pile of dirt. She gritted her teeth inwardly. ¡°Haist, what can a fake mother-inw say to a fake son-inw?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Whether the weather is good, bad, or just right, all of Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s antics were good.¡± When Lee-yeon looked at her with a gloomy expression, Choo-ja spoke solemnly, one beat toote. ¡°Getting rid of a rtionship that was wrong from the beginning is the best thing to do here.¡± With a quick change of attitude, Lee-yeon shook her head and finally chuckled. ¡°Love is more intense theter ites but thank you for shaking up even the stubborn Lee-yeon who was like a brick wall. It was unpleasant to hear about the gasps and screams, but since we¡¯re both inws, let¡¯s just let it go. I¡¯ll forget the face of the kind-hearted Kwon Chae-won too.¡± As sheid a white chrysanthemum on the grave, she tried to draw a positive conclusion. Of course, there were biased words she wanted to shoot at him in her heart, but it was good to just let it be. She wanted to grant Lee-yeon¡¯s request to end things properly. ¡°Our cow manager also had a great life, flirting with handsome servants like you.¡± ¡°Choo-ja, I¡¯m pregnant.¡± Chapter 167: Chapter 167: ¡°Choo-ja, I¡¯m pregnant.¡± Choo-ja¡¯s breathing stopped for a second upon hearing this unforeseen deration. ¡°Is it something to be proud of?!¡± Her gentle voice suddenly rose an octave like a spring breeze. At the same time, from the speakers, the melody changed to a tense one with approaching clouds and a stormy rain. ¡°W-what, what did you say! My ears must be wrong¨D¡± ¡°It¡¯s been three months.¡± Although Lee-yeon¡¯s face was expressionless, she couldn¡¯t keep her hands still behind her back. ¡°I, I, what is happening now¡­!¡± ¡°You said love is more intense when iteste.¡± Choo-ja looked back and forth between Lee-yeon¡¯s belly and face, mouth agape. ¡°I¡¯m not as lucky as you, am I?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m more¡­ an upgraded version of kkwabaegi, right?¡± Lee-yeon bit her lower lip and hid her smile. *kkwabaegi ¨C a twisted Korean doughnut. Of course, when she first saw the test result, she was shocked, bewildered, scared, and anxious with all sorts of negative emotions swirling around her. But that was only for a moment. She felt a shiver down her spine, enough to surprise herself. It was the thrill of having a ¡®real family¡¯ that she had been wishing for since she was born. ¡°I thought our rootless and weak family had already been cursed to reproduce no more¡­¡± Choo-ja murmured to herself. There was a strange glint in Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes. The weak thoughts of pleasing her aunt and mourning after the man she loved were now abandoned. She saw a greater purpose. ¡°Choo-ja, I¡­ I can be someone¡¯s foundation too.¡± Her voice trembled, but a new joy that had never been seen in her weary pupils began to bloom. ¡°Even for someone ascking as me, I found someone that I can never sever ties with.¡± That was another breakthrough for Lee-yeon. ¡°Someone who won¡¯t ignore or discard my sincerity no matter what.¡± Her face was full of life as if she was born anew. ¡°That¡¯s why I don¡¯t have time to whine anymore, Choo-ja.¡± Choo-ja looked carefully at Lee-yeon¡¯s face filled with newfound energy. It made Lee-yeon feel uneasy, as if she had interpreted her calm gaze in a certain way. ¡°I look so careless, don¡¯t I? We were safe on the date for contraception, but¡­¡± Of course, pregnancy was unexpected for Lee-yeon. There were days when she used contraception, and days when she didn¡¯t, but at least she hadn¡¯t had sex very often. She had always avoided ovtion, but she never expected to be pregnant so suddenly. How difficult it is for a woman to raise a child alone in a harsh world, how fatal childbirth can be, all of these things were pushed aside by Lee-yeon¡¯s excitement. She had to sit in front of a tree that had been there for over a thousand years and feel the mountain breeze with her child. She had to lift small, green leaves with her little hands like autumn leaves. From the moment she confirmed her pregnancy, Lee-yeon began to dream of a distant future. At that moment, Choo-ja embraced her with a heavy voice. ¡°It¡¯s a baby, it¡¯s a baby. Well done.¡± Of course, it would have been even better if she had had a proper rtionship, marriage, and a baby, but ording to Choo-ja, Lee-yeon was not that kind of person. If Kwon Chae-woo hadn¡¯t trampled on her field, she would have lived her life as a lonely artisan. The important thing is that a new being has been born into Lee-yeon¡¯s life, not a so-called ¡°normal¡± family as society dictates. ¡°Don¡¯t me yourself. There are bodies like mine that can¡¯t have children.¡± The fleeting bitterness that passed through Choo-ja was quickly buried under a heavy smile. It seems thatst night¡¯s strange dream was a premonition after all. A young tiger, as big as a house, was relentlessly hitting arger tiger with its front paws, but the fierce-looking beast could only whimper. The young tiger waddled its chubby bottom and disappeared under arge tree, while the adult only dug the barren ground and howled¡­ ¡°So what if the father isn¡¯t here? I have a bank ount. I¡¯ll raise the child as a single mother, even if it¡¯s not with a biological father that I know.¡± Choo-ja pretended to touch her eyshes and wiped her eyes quickly. Lee-yeon hugged her tightly, both women smiling faintly despite the makeshift funeral. ¡°Just like how I missed uncle (Choo-ja¡¯ste husband), I will probably feel the same way. No matter how much I try to bury it, there will always be an emptiness in my heart. But still-¡± Lee-yeon released the embrace and looked directly at Choo-ja. ¡°I won¡¯t live without love.¡± It was a deration that broke down the wall that Lee-yeon had built up due to her upbringing. ¡°Of all the things I¡¯ve tried, that was the best. Love is also what I want to teach my child.¡± It was amitment to pour out love and care to not just one man but to the world around her, her life, and the whole world surrounding her child. Chapter 168: Chapter 168: As the wind blew, a new version of Lee-yeon emerged, and Choo-ja closed her eyes in response. ¡°Honey, are you watching? Your niece has grown up so well. The withered little girl is now smiling like an adult. She used to break and cut, but now she has bloomed like a sturdy tree,¡± she thought. Lee-yeon looked back at the towering peak, barely containing her trembling lips. She had so many things she wanted to say, but if she had to say only one thing ¨C ¡°Good night.¡± Lee-yeon finally ced a white flower on top of the tomb. It was for her first love, who was sleeping deeply inside her heart. ¡°You don¡¯t have to wake up now.¡± For her, he had fallen asleep in the forest forever, there was no need to wake him up anymore. *** Tut tut tut¡­ The sound of a vital sign monitoring machine flowed indifferently in the room. ¡°Young master¡­¡± Jang Beom-hee looked at Kwon Chae-woo, who was sleeping like a dead man, with a depressed gaze. Kwon Chae-woo had copsed as soon as he got in the car and had been in a deep sleep for several weeks. The man, who had awakened his central nervous system with his mental strength and medication, fell into a deep sleep as if he were trying to release all the umted fatigue at once. ¡°You have been dragging on for too long.¡± He still couldn¡¯t understand why Kwon Chae-woo had to stay by So Lee-yeon¡¯s side so desperately. In such an unstable state, it was infinitely difficult to achieve their goals. Jang Beom-hee was an orphan who was ¡°supplied¡± to the Kwons from an orphanage. He was brought here as a child, knowing nothing, and raised like a hunting dog in a cramped and stuffy ce, killing his humanity. He started helping Kwon Chae-woo because of his alienating gaze that always looked towards somewhere else, even though he was of the same bloodline as the Kwon family. Children who couldn¡¯t withstand the training disguised as abuse disappeared without a trace, with several disappearing every day. Those whose bodies or minds were too damaged to be of any use were mercilessly disposed of. Watching fellow orphans from the same daycare center disappear one by one, Jang Beom-hee felt anger instead of vague fear. With that motivation, he became an exceptional hunting dog and met Kwon Chae-woo, who had the same eyes as him and was the youngest son of the Kwon family. The n had already beenid out two years ago. If Kwon Chae-woo hadn¡¯t been toa, they would have finished it long ago. The witnesses handled by the past hunting dogs, the dirty incidents buried by them, and the decisive evidence that could change the history of the country. It was a situation where all the controversial issues could be brought to light by simply igniting dissatisfaction. In order to intervene in next year¡¯s presidential election, other information agencies were brought in, and numerous dirty information had already been collected in Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s hands. That¡¯s not all. Suguk Pharmaceuticals nned to expose the inhumane experiments they had beenmitting worldwide, putting pressure on the entire country. The intricate brainwashed individuals, who were prepared meticulously through various channels, were all ready to move towards one goal. To bring to light the existence of the Kwons, which had never been revealed in over 80 years, and to expose the truth that a single gangster family had shaken and controlled the country. To achieve this, they secretly sent government officials who had rebelled against the Kwons overseas, who had disappeared without a trace. They especially worked hard to secure the support of the media and legal professionals who were under the most pressure from the Kwons. Of course, this was an external matter, and internally, as a gangster family, they had to deal with Kwon Ki-seok. Since he came from a prestigious family, they couldn¡¯t just kill him off like it was nothing. But eventually, he would surely be swept away by a storm of bloodshed. The problem was that all these ns were at risk of being distorted because of the irregr sleep pattern of the young master. Ziiing. Ziiing. Jang Beom-hee cut off herplicated thoughts and calmly answered the phone. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± -How is the child? ¡°He¡¯s being taken care of well.¡± -Be sure to take good care of him so that he doesn¡¯t get any scratches. ¡°Yes.¡± -But if necessary, you can educate him as you see fit.¡±¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s more convenient to use, then that might be the way to go.¡± So for the first time, Jang Beom-hee joined Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s n. ¡°Take good care of Lee Gyu-baek.¡± That was the most feasible way to call So Lee-yeon. While it was still unclear why Kwon Ki-seok was so fixated on Lee-yeon, their goal was the same: to bring her to the Kwon family. Jang Beom-hee looked at the sleeping master, who knew nothing, and closed his eyes tightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, young master.¡± He needed someone to wake him up every morning. Chapter 169: Chapter 169: Lee-yeon recreated the garden she had put off and postponed for so long. She cleaned the soil, carefully selected the seeds, and dug the ground, reliving the day she had let slip away without any motivation. She cleaned up the broken flowerpots and tilled the soil to nt new ones, though it was regrettable. She threw away the spoiled side dishes without hesitation and filled the refrigerator with dishes that suited her taste. The second-floor room remained tightly shut, and she spent her days under the sun while eating and sleeping diligently, wondering if fall wasing. She had a book tucked under her armpit and was surprised by the suddenly cool air. However, as she sat down leisurely, a thought came to her mind, and she immediately called Choo-ja. ¡°Choo-ja, how¡¯s Gyu-baek doing? Have you been to his house?¡± She asked anxiously, as if the end of the call tone was creeping up on her. ¨C ¡°I almost died waiting for your call. I was just about to call you.¡± ¡°Summer vacation is almost over, but I have no idea what he¡¯s doing or where he is.¡± ¨C ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s a bit strange.¡± ¡°Strange? What do you mean?¡± Lee-yeon narrowed her eyes at Choo-ja¡¯s hesitant voice. ¡°When Ist went there, nobody was home, but when I went again today¡­¡± ¡°Who is it?!¡± At that moment, someone rang the doorbell and pounded on the front door. Lee-yeon nervously looked at the two pairs of shoe tips visible under the blue door. For some reason, her mouth became dry, and her heart raced. ¡°I¡¯m from Hwayang Police Station, are you So Lee-yeon?¡± At the same time, she heard another voice in her other ear. ¨C ¡°That kid must be missing, can¡¯t find him anywhere.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± With a sudden premonition, Lee-yeon ran to the front door and opened it. As expected, a police officer in uniform was standing there, giving her a sharp look. ¡°Are you So Lee-yeon?¡± ¡°Y-yes, that¡¯s me.¡± Lee-yeon sped her hands tightly together, trying to suppress the growing sense of anxiety. ¡°There has been a report of a missing child. Can we check the CCTV footage in this alleyway?¡± Her face twisted involuntarily, and her breath caught in her throat. Lee-yeon missed the timing to react and dropped the phone she had been holding to her ear. Although Choo-ja¡¯s voice was sharp through the receiver, her hand stiffened with all kinds of frightening thoughts. ¡°Here, and there. Those are not public CCTV cameras, right?¡± ¡°¡­ Ah, yes. Those are the ones I personally installed.¡± The police officer pointed to two CCTV cameras, which were products that she had bought with her own money due to Hwang Jo-yoon¡¯s stalking in the past. Although Lee-yeon wanted to ask the name of the missing child, she couldn¡¯t. ¡°There is a statement that he often visited the hospital and said he went there on the day of the suspected disappearance. Mr. Lee Hyeong-cheol, uh¡­ That is, the grandfather of Lee Gyu-baek, the missing child.¡± Startled, Lee-yeon covered her mouth with both hands. When she only dug into her thoughts and feelings in response, she couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty about not taking better care of Gyu-baek during that time. ¡°But, it¡¯s just an assumption?¡± Lee-yeon furrowed her eyebrows in surprise. ¡°His grandfather reported it this morning, so we need to investigate to know the exact details.¡± said the police officer, and his words made Lee-yeon feel dizzy. ¡°Lastly, when did you see Gyu-Baekst?¡± There were four people on the monitor, tightly packed together. Startled by the unresponsive call, Choo-ja and the police officer rushed over, and Lee-yeon was also there. They were currently sitting in the living room, reviewing the CCTV footage. A week or two ago, they had checked the files but couldn¡¯t find a trace of the child. Finally, as she scrolled through the files from the day she had parted ways with Kwon Chae-woo with a trembling index finger, she found a hiding Gyu-baek behind a wall. That¡¯s why she had be so nervous. As she watched the bulky men rushing out and smashing the front door, her heart sank. Without realizing it, she was carefully examining the men in ck suits. Their gaze swept over the backs of their heads, necks, shoulders, and backs as if they were looking for someone. ¡°What is he doing now¡­? What is he doing?¡± The police officer asked in confusion, pushing his sses up his nose. It was because at first, Gyu-baek, who had been hiding well to avoid the unfamiliar car and men, suddenly moved towards the trunk. Gyu-baek had such strong likes and dislikes and had such a narrow world view that Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t believe that the child had approached first and blinked her eyes. ¡°Hmm, this is strange. Usually, Gyu-baek doesn¡¯t pay attention to anything that doesn¡¯t interest him.¡± ¡°Did he happen to like cars?¡± ¡°Not at all, he actually disliked them because he thought they destroyed nature.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The police officer furrowed his brow and zoomed in on the screen. As the image of Gyu-baek entering the trunk was erged, all four pairs of eyes gathered in one ce. They simultaneously tilted their heads and furrowed their brows. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Is that him extending his hand? Do you see it? What is that?¡± ¡°Can we erge it a bit more?¡± Lee-yeon observed Gyu-baek¡¯s unexpected behavior carefully. When the police officer zoomed in on the screen again, Lee-yeon suddenly jumped up. ¡°What is that?!¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes widened. It was some kind of wriggling pincer shape in a ss box¡­ She seemed to know what had captured Gyu-baek¡¯s attention and made him casually get in the car. ¡°It¡¯s a scorpion.¡± ¡°Is it a poisonous scorpion? Who on earth would carry such a dangerous thing in the trunk of their car?!¡± ¡°Well, people who carry baseball bats around and break into other people¡¯s houses might be capable of it, don¡¯t you think?¡± The people who took Kwon Chae-woo, or the people who Kwon Ki-seok was involved with. Where are you and what are you doing, Gyu-baek? Her face turned pale. Chapter 170: Chapter 170: As Gyu-baek continued down the never-ending hallway, his heart pounded in his chest like a jackhammer. He could feel the sweat beading on his forehead and his breathing in short gasps. The smooth, slippery surface of the marble floor seemed to conspire against him, causing him to lose his footing with every step. His toes screamed in agony as he clenched them tightly in his shoes, trying to maintain his bnce. Despite the darkness that surrounded him, he could feel the weight of the oppressive ck walls pressing in on him from all sides. There was no respite, no escape from this endless maze of ck marble and wooden walls. Gyu-baek felt a desperate need to break free from this suffocating environment, to see something other than the darkness that surrounded him. His mind drifted to the familiarfort of a nk sheet of paper, waiting to be filled with the ck ink of his pen. Gyu-baek can memorize an entire book, but a ce like this was making him busy that he kept on hitting his head. It has been a month since he came into this maze. Back in the truck, Gyu-baek fell asleep observing a scorpion in the trunk then he frowned at the sudden light from sun. The first thing he saw was some tough looking men. ¡°¡­ Sir, was there a person in the list of things you picked up?¡± ¡°Who the hell put this thing in here¡­!¡± ¡°What are you all talking about?¡± The men all gathered around the trunk. Gyu-baek tried to slide back but there was nowhere else to go. ¡°Do you think he¡¯s young master¡¯s child?¡± ¡°Think before you speak. He wouldn¡¯t have a child!¡± His subjects all chatted amongst themselves. ¡°Stop saying something so gooey and romantic.¡± The biggest man in the group frowned. Kwon Chae-woo was so heartless that he would carry on the torture himself, so there was no way such cruel man would have a normal rtionship. Thinking about him having a kid itself was disgusting. He immediately reported the wrong object that was picked up and Jang Beom-hee held Gyu-baek¡¯s neck at the unexpected situation. Gyu-baek was then dragged to some random dog house. ¡°I¡¯m not a dog. These are not feet, they¡¯re arms¡­.!¡± Gyu-baek was waving his hands and tried to persuade them, but he ended up being shoved into a chicken coup he was barely able to fit. There were other children with their heads sticking out while looking dead in the eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not a chicken. I¡¯m, I¡¯m¡­¡± He was used to being the observer, not the observed, but now he found himself trapped in a situation beyond his control. But being locked up in such a small ce for the first time made him so upset that he was all red up. His tears were dropping. ¡°Japanese Giant Ho, Hormiga Veinticuatro, African honeybee, soldier ants, botfl¡­¡± The child was grinding his teeth while reiterating what is known to be the most dangerous insects on Earth to findfort. The food they provided was dog food and what little water they gave tasted like steel. Gyu-baek thought of the director¡¯s male (Kwon Chae-woo) during all this. The director¡¯s male who was in good shape, strong, strong teeth and strong back legs. As he was reminiscing the male he was missing, Jang Beom-hee came to see Gyu-baek. As Jang Beom-hee looked at the child who wouldn¡¯t calm down, his face was a mixture of emotions. But he seemed to have made a decision. ¡°Follow me,¡± he said, his voice gentle yet firm. Gyu-baek didn¡¯t know what to expect as he followed Jang Beom-hee, but he was surprised to find that the second ce was theplete opposite of the dog house. The sunlit stairs led them to a han-ok, a traditional Korean house that made Gyu-baek tilt his head backward just to look at its grand size. The house was surrounded by a stunning garden, bathed in sunlight and filled with the most beautiful array of flowers that Gyu-baek had ever seen. The scent of blooming flowers filled the air, and birds sang joyfully in the trees. Gyu-baek¡¯s mouth opened wide in wonder, overwhelmed by the beauty that surrounded him. For a moment, he forgot all about his previous confinement in the chicken coop, lost in the magic of this new ce. In the house that the child followed Jang Beom-hee into was a silhouette of a man looking out the window. He was standing against the light so it was more of a shadow. ¡°Is it that child?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Wash him up and put him in a room.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯lle on his own.¡± As soon as the man turned around, Gyu-baek felt a chill run down his spine. He clenched his eyes shut, unable to face the cold gaze that was directed towards him. Even as he was dragged out like a sack of potatoes, he kept his eyes closed, unwilling to meet the man¡¯s eyes. Thus began Gyu-baek¡¯s life of luxurious imprisonment. He was given everything he needed ¨C a roof over his head, food to eat, and clothes to wear. But he was still a prisoner, and the gilded cage he lived in did not make up for the loss of his freedom. Every day, Gyu-baek would run down the hallway, trying to escape. He wanted to go back to the Spruce Hospital, to the fertilizer that the Director made and Choo-ja¡¯s fancy nails. He missed the familiarity of his old life, even if it was far from perfect. ¡°Director!¡± he would shout, hoping to catch someone¡¯s attention and make a break for it. But each attempt was in vain, and he would always find himself back in his luxurious prison. The attendee of the mansion nced back, sighed and was radioed someone. There was more so of annoyance than alert. This ce was like a cave that kept on getting deeper. Then for the first time, he found a door. ¡°¡­.!¡± Gyu-baek alertly heard the footsteps that were chasing him so he opened the door. The room was so quiet that it felt chill. The humidifier sting mist and periodic sound. Gyu-baek blinked exactly three times then opened his eyes. ¡°¡­. It¡¯s the male.¡± Chapter 171: Chapter 171: His voice was shaking for the first time. The child slowly went towards the bed. He rubbed his eyes as he saw Kwon Chae-woo who wasn¡¯t moving at all and kept on rubbing his eyes over and over again. ¡°It¡¯s the male. The male! That male from our ce¡­!¡± His voice started to gain confidence. ¡°It¡¯s really almost our male!¡± Gyu-baek was so excited as if he found something he lost. ¡°Where were you all this time!¡± Gyu-baek grabbed his hands and started to shake Kwon Chae-woo, begging him to wake up. ¡°Our male consists of head, body, and legs, with two arms and two legs so a perfect body. His length is longer than a bed, big hands and feet and his nose is sharp. His genital¡ª¡° At that moment, the door was opened roughly and Jang Beom-hee locked him up by his side quickly. It seemed like it wasn¡¯t the first time as they both looked like they were used to the situation. Gyu-baek¡¯s eyes was moist while being carried out. The moment the door closed, Kwon Chae-woo lids started trembling. *** Lee-yeon was chewing on her nails while pacing around the living room. The police said they will review the te number but that didn¡¯t really give her hope. There will be nothing they can figure out. She was ready to bet everything that they wille back empty handed. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Lee-yeon brushed her face while sitting down on the sofa. She knew where Gyu-baek was. She also knew the quickest and easiest way to find the child. The car that took Kwon Chae-woo had high chance of going back to its home and all she had to do was ask Kwon Ki-seok. But as she was about to do this, she was reminded of Director Jo¡¯s words. ¡®Just avoid anyone withst name Kwon.¡¯ Lee-yeon looked down at her phone. Kwon Ki-seok and the ughter house, and Kwon Chae-woo who was burying someone in the mountain. It might be time for her to face the fact that she didn¡¯t seek out. If she called, there was no turning back. She could feel her whole body pounding. Don¡¯t be afraid. Kwon Chae-woo is dead and only think about Gyu-baek. She touched the screen and put the phone to her ears. The ringing felt like a ticking time bomb. ¨C You¡¯rete. ¡°¡­!¡± Lee-yeon bit her lower lip. Her throat was tight and she was having cold sweat. ¨C You wouldn¡¯t be calling just to ask how I am. ¡°¡­¡± ¨C It seems like you have a favour to ask, Miss So Lee-yeon. Or resentment. ¡°¡­ I was hoping you could check something.¡± ¨C Chae-woo is well. ¡°N, no. Not him¡­!¡± Lee-yeon froze for a moment. ¡°Gyu-baek. He¡¯s small for an eight-year old and he was carried in the trunk.¡± ¨C Ah, I see. Lee-yeon became nervous at suchzy response. ¡°Your people must have found him. Is Gyu-baek well? Check now¡ª¡° ¨C Ask more politely. ¡°¡­ Pardon?¡± ¨CIf I hang up now, it¡¯ll be an hour before the next call. ¡°W-wait!¡± Lee-yeon stood up from the sofa and the cold voice hit her. ¨C I¡¯ve never missed something that came into my hand. ¡°¡­¡± ¨C Even if I did, I always somehow get what I want. ¡°¡­.!¡± This wasn¡¯t a good sign. By the tone of his voice, Lee-yeon knew Kwon Ki-seok had no inkling to send the lost child back home. He was trying to negotiate with her. ¨C So think carefully before you say anything. If you¡¯re trying to take what¡¯s mine, what can you give me? *** ¡°I, I¡¯m Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s wife.¡± When he opened his eyes, his lips were blue like a frozen person. His body was shaking strangely like his body temperature was lower than normal. Judging from the cool air, it seemed like the day has cooled while he was asleep. Just how has he been sleeping? He pressed down on his temple and said something. ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± He fumbled his side. But the only thing he was feeling was a nket. He was alone in this big bed. ¡°¡­.¡± The man tried to wrap his head around the situation. A familiar yet unfamiliar room. Lee-yeon. He kept on clenching his cold hand and kept on calling her but there was no answer. He leaned against the mattress on his elbow and lifted his top. His eyes and body were both loose. Lee-yeon, I had a horrible nightmare. He kept on scoffing while brushing his face. He wanted to breathe her in and hug her tight. It was such a random dream. He wanted to act childish and wanted to kiss her soft skin. His half opened eyes went towards the door. It felt like Lee-yeon would open that door and run into his arms at any moment. Then tell him how the Spirit Tree has recovered, what she wanted to do after the tournament. He wanted to put her between his legs and listen. He wanted to wrap his arms around her skinny belly and put his chin against her shoulders. But the silence that was interrupted by the humidifier was making his heart beat. It wasn¡¯t like they repainted the room but the unique smell of a tree hospital was gone like a dream. Kwon Chae-woo stood up in the end while clenching his teeth and opened the curtain. The garden that looked endless. ¡°¡­ What happened?¡± The man¡¯s face instantly changed. His loose eyes from the drug instantly sharpened up. This was his home. The light in front his face disappeared and his head was in chaos. Two very separate memories were shing with each other. While two different ego within him was battling, a headache came in. He frowned and kept up hitting his head. It felt like he was going to remember something, but nothing came up in the end. ¡°¡­.¡± Then Kwon Chae-woo moved instinctively. He stop thinking about his chaos mind and let his body do what seemed more urgent, like thirst. He followed what his body was remembering, not his mind. He opened the door roughly and grabbed the attendee who was watering flower. ¡°Oh my goodness¡­!¡± He grabbed the vase and took out the floor. The old attendee was surprised to see a tall man drinking out of a flower vase. The water was pouring down his throat like sweet nectar. He drank it all and then threw it on the ground while asking. The flower in his hand was crushed. ¡°Where is the woman that came with me?¡± ¡°¡­ Pardon?¡± Chapter 172: Chapter 172: The attendee waspletely frozen while looking down. ¡°W, what are you talking about¡­¡± ¡°Where is my wife?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself the third time.¡± Even though she was trained to not say anything while in the cottage, she couldn¡¯t do anything as he was so insistent. She curled up her shoulders while stammering. ¡°What are you¡­ Y, you¡¯re the only one using this¡­ cottage¡­ ah¨C.¡± The man didn¡¯t miss her moment of hesitation. ¡°Lead the way.¡± ¡°What are you¡­ That door is locked right now¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Well, the guest kept trying to escape¡­¡± Kwon Chae-woo frowned. His face was sharper from the weight loss during his sleep and that made him look even scarier. ¡°So you lock someone up?¡± His clenched fist was pale. His sight was blurred with the vision of So Lee-yeon being locked up. He put the attendee in front of him and made her lead the way. The dark hallway was dubious like inside of someone¡¯s stomach. The marble was cold. It was when he faced the mirror while turning the corner. The moment his eyes met the mirror. ¡®¡ªLove, you really want to speak that bullshit?¡¯ His top swayed like he was shot. ¡®I¡¯m going to destroy every single memory I had with you right here.¡¯ His dark face started convulsing. ¡®¡ªNo matter what you do, you can never meet you husband again.¡¯ ¡®You should be ashamed.¡¯ ¡®Think straight, So Lee-yeon. You really like fucking that much?¡¯ He faced the poisonous words he spat out. Was he dreaming in the middle of the day, or did he finally go insane? But what seemed to be his imagination was true¡ª ¡®I came to Hwaido to bury you in the first ce.¡¯ ¡®You don¡¯t think I can choke you twice?¡¯ The memory that was locked up all started to flow in at once. His shell bing filled up with memory. It was like Kwon Chae-woo putting together with another Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°¡­ Y, young master?¡± The attendee was curiously watching him as he stopped moving, but Kwon Chae-woo didn¡¯t even blink while staring into the mirror. He left her in the even though he knew she was going to get hurt, ruined the orchestra, and crushed her as shetched onto him. He cut the Spirit Tree and even scoffed at the woman who was buried amongst the angry people. ¡®How did you expect me to handle you?¡¯ ¡®I feel disgusted just looking at you.¡¯ What kind of awful feeling his iplete had against So Lee-yeon and how he took it out. Everything was clear. That moment, that debris, her eyshes that was bing wet. All the memory came up like blister. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The immense amount of information kept on crashing in and boiling his mind. And in that moment, he saw a ck hand pop out of the mirror, which was not something he expected to imagine. He froze, his eyes fixed on the hand as it grabbed his neck, choking him. ¡°¡­.!¡± The dumb Kwon Chae-woo, with his eyespletely red, started choking his neck. He was such a low state that didn¡¯t make him look like human. He started to scratch the hunting dog and thest son of the Kwon Family. Its grip of resentment made him choke and his neck twist in a weird way. Funny thing was that dumb one was the one who looked like a hunting dog. Eyes of blind loyalty, habit of never letting go what it bit on, the mad dog that looks like it lost its owner. The beast that was wearing a broken leash looked quite unhappy. ¡°You¡¯re the one that was rolling around with So Lee-yeon.¡± Kwon Chae-woo grabbed the dumb one¡¯s wrist and met his eyes. ¡°There¡¯s only one dick, but it still felt like there was two of us and made me feel dirty.¡± The dumb one growled. ¡°If you¡¯re the one that So Lee-yeon made¡ª¡° It was only a season living as So Lee-yeon¡¯s husband. But that short summer day was so strong that it could reinvent Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s life. Before he could think, he pressed his hand against the dumb one¡¯s face. ¡°I will have it all.¡± Jealousy and greed, even if it¡¯s himself, he whispered that he will have it all. The dumb one tried to resist, but Kwon Chae-woo kept on grasping harder. He was crumbling the other¡¯s face as he heard some awfulughter. The mirror cracked just for him. The dumb one wasughing joyfully. The ck hair that was melting like paint, the eyes of a beast that showed through that. It was his face that he saw. It was himself that he saw through the cracked mirror, not the dumb one. ¡°Ha¡­ Ha¡­¡± He was covered in cold sweat. Theplete different two worlds absorbed into each other without a trace. The dumb one consumed the hunting dog and vice versa. They consumed each other. ¡°¡­. Y, young master, are you ok?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m a mess.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not feeling well¡ª¡° Kwon Chae-woo walked passed the attendee without a word. It didn¡¯t make sense that So Lee-yeon was staying at his home, but if something did happen while he was asleep¡ª, His legs didn¡¯t feel like his as he was walking down the hallway. There was nothing nice to be said between him and So Lee-yeon but for some reason he was in a rush. He wanted to rub his face against her knees saying her husband is back, but at the same time he felt like he was going to say all the mean things. But when he forced himself into the guest room, there was no one there. He stood there looking at the empty room. ¡°Chae-woo.¡± As he turned his head towards the voice that annoyed him, Kwon Ki-seok was ncing at him while fixing his cuffs. ¡°Has it been a month since I saw your face? Or 2 years?¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s eyebrow lifted slightly. Chapter 173: Chapter 173: ¡°I¡¯ve received the report on your body and mental state.¡± Kwon Chae-woo stared ahead at Kwon Ki-seok, the man who shared many of his features. Without So Lee-yeon, everything else in his life became boring. All he could do was stare and blink. Kwon Ki-seok continued speaking, ¡°You¡¯ll continue to experience bouts of insomnia and your memory might never be fully intact. Don¡¯t go back to your duties as a hunting dog for now. Focus on building your life, spend some time with the boys. You could even take a picture of the site.¡± The boys were the secret children of the various chairmen of important groups or even members of the parliament. They were indebted to the Kwon family, which was why Kwon Chae-woo could do as he pleased around them. He could offer them friendship and backstab them immediately after, it wouldn¡¯t change a thing. ¡°Now,¡± Kwon Ki-seok said, ¡°Are you going to be upset about having to stop ying house?¡± Kwon Chae-woo narrowed his eyes. ¡°What do you mean?¡± The other man shook his head. ¡°So, what was it like being on a leash?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? It felt like shit.¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s lips curled into a smile, but his eyes were unchanged. When he got involved with So Lee-yeon, he was apletely different man. He was someone else, not at all like the young master who used to roam freely. ¡°Is that still how you really feel?¡± ¡°Just what are you trying to imply?¡± Sensing his growing frustration, Kwon Ki-seok dared to take a step forward. It was almost as if he was reminding Kwon Chae-woo that they were equals. His eyes shone brightly as he continued to speak, ¡°I¡¯m just curious to know what¡¯s going on in your head.¡± Kwon Chae-woo scowled. ¡°Ask the doctor then.¡± ¡°But I want to hear it from you.¡± Kwon Ki-seok looked at the other man¡¯s eyes. They looked foreign and yet so familiar. When he first came to the Kwon family¡¯s home, he noticed just how different Kwon Chae-woo was. There were rumors going around about Stockholm syndrome and how he was strange, but he never did much. Kwon Ki-seok was fascinated by him, always finding himself observing the young Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°Chae-woo,¡± he said now, looking at the man who had grown to be just as tall as him. ¡°Do you hate So Lee-yeon?¡± That was when Kwon Chae-woo finally read what was going through the other man¡¯s mind. It seemed so simple now. Pure, unadulterated jealousy. ¡°That woman was my mother!¡± he yelled as he hurled the bottle against the wall. It exploded into shards of ss and streams of alcohol. His hair that was usually so neat had grown into a mess and a few buttons of his shirt hade undone. A strand of hair was stered on his forehead, stuck to his skin by sweat. It almost looked like his head had cracked. ¡°You need to speak properly, Chae-woo,¡± Kwon Ki-seok said. At that, the enraged man brushed his hand against his face. His fingers dripped with blood when he pulled them away. ¡°Why did you lie?¡± he demanded. ¡°You said that she died on the scene, that her body was crushed in the car ident. You said that knowing that the people in this house killed my mother by starving her in the basement.¡± He grabbed Kwon Ki-seok by the cor, searching for an answer. ¡°I knew,¡± the man said calmly. His lips were quivering but he managed to reach up and fix his hair with steady hands. Unable to control his emotions, Kwon Chae-woo loaded his gun and pointed it at the family¡¯s heir. Until Kwon Ki-seok spoke again, ¡°I know about the student who had a uniform that fit perfectly.¡± He waited for the other man to still before he continued, ¡°I believe her name was Lee-yeon.¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s shoulders grew stiff. ¡°What do you think she epted as a reward for telling us about Yoon Joo-ha?¡± Why is he mentioning her? The fuming man¡¯s mind had be nk. She was the one thing he had that wasn¡¯t twisted. She was the one beautiful thing he had in his life. He was a broken person, but she had the ability to withstand it all. So why? ¡°Do you need to punish someone for what has been done to you?¡± Kwon Ki-seok asked. ¡°Do as you please, but I wouldn¡¯t suggest you point that gun at me.¡± ¡°You were the ones who killed my mother.¡± Kwon Ki-seok ignored him. ¡°Your button is undone,¡± he said, reaching up to rub the blood off his brother¡¯s shivering cheek. ¡°Chae-woo, do what you¡¯re best at.¡± ¡°Spare me!¡± Kwon Chae-woo did as he was told, which was why he ended up in a ck raincoat burying someone just as he liked. He had to redirect his anger, that much was certain. Still, his determination to destroy the Kwon family remained. It would never truly leave him. The real reason he came down to Hwaido was¡ª ¡°Please! I¡¯ll tell you everything!¡± He was in the process of capturing and burying one of Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s subordinates. An arm popped up from the ground, but he easily stomped it back into the earth. ¡°No,¡± he said coldly. ¡°You should really just ask me to kill you instead.¡± As the man in the ground continued to panic, Kwon Chae-woo just hummed. His face was calm, but his feet were vicious. As he proceeded to stomp the man into the dirt, he heard a crack. He must have broken the man¡¯s finger. The subordinate screamed. ¡°Don¡¯t you know your screams only excite me more?¡± Kwon Chae-woo said. ¡°I enjoy making stupid and persistent bastards like you miserable. In fact, it¡¯s the true reason why I keep doing this, why I can¡¯t stop.¡± The screams did not cease. Then, another sound filled the air. It was faint, but it already annoyed him to no end. It got his attention faster than any scream could. ¡°Fuck, what was that?¡± he growled, dropping the shovel and ring at a bush to the side. He waited for more movement, but there was nothing. ¡°Are you sure you shouldn¡¯t run?¡± At that, a figure began to run. For some reason, it intrigued him and he had no idea why. What he did know was that it would be more difficult if he let a witness go just like that. So, Kwon Chae-woo grabbed a chainsaw and ran after the figure. His eyes were trained on the person¡¯s head and, when he finally caught up to them, he wrapped a cello string around them to keep them from running. It was a girl, he realized. She squirmed in his grasp, desperately trying to turn her body towards him. She was determined to see the person that was killing her. When their eyes met, he found himself staring at someone drowning in fear and yet, for some reason, she wasn¡¯t truly afraid. He let go. He found her. Should he let her faint? Should he carry her struggling body? How could he make her suffer the same fate? He needed to make her talk first. But would she be able to handle the pain? He was never considerate of his targets. As he struggled with all his thoughts and tried to figure out what to do next, he sensed someone approaching him. Something sharp repeatedly smashed into his head. He felt as if his skull was being crushed, but, for some reason, he didn¡¯t feel any pain. All he did was stare at the innocent and lonely eyes that were staring right back at him. She was thest thing he saw before his vision became dark. Chapter 174: Chapter 174: ¡°Do you hate So Lee-yeon?¡± Kwon Chae-woo stared at his brother nkly. He was the one who had forced him to go to Hwaido when he started to be violent after he lost Yoon Joo-ha. He was the one who threatened So Lee-yeon after his freak ident and forced her to look after him. He was the reason for all the lies, he pushed her through it all. He had no idea what Kwon Ki-seok was trying to achieve, but he did know one thing¡ª ¡°That flower was indeed used as bait.¡± The flower. So much smaller and prettier than a tree. It was the name of the girl that Yoon Joo-ha had said was a flower. Was So Lee-yeon that one being fooled by Kwon Ki-seok or was it Kwon Chae-woo fooling himself? Maybe it was both of them. Kwon Chae-woo clenched his fist. In his hand, he held a rose that pierced through his skin. Blood began to fall to the floor. Was it just a coincidence that I fell in love with you? he couldn¡¯t help but wonder. So Lee-yeon had to be safe in Hwaido, he knew this. But he couldn¡¯t help but clench his eyes at the emptiness he felt. *** Lee-yeon¡¯s hand was shaking as her mind became increasingly confused. Just how did we get here? Hwaido¡¯s dock was a peaceful ce. It was usually full of life, full of people. But now it was empty. Well, empty except for the men who were standing guard, each of them stoic and maintaining their formation, and Kwon Ki-seok whose sharp eyes were trained on her. Did they clean the ce up before we got here? It seemed like even the wind had chosen to be unusually quiet. Lee-yeon looked down at the teacup she was holding. ¡°Are you cold?¡± Kwon Ki-seok asked her. ¡°No, it¡¯s not cold at all.¡± Nothing can be as cold as your eyes. When she spoke to Kwon Ki-seok on the phone, she asked him to keep Gyu-baek safe. It was a reasonable request. But he hung up on her as soon as she was finished talking. He didn¡¯t pick up even if she tried calling him again for hours. When he did pick up, she demanded to hear Gyu-baek¡¯s voice and he simply hung up again. She wasted three hours calling him again and again, trying to make him listen to her. When she finally asked to speak in person, he epted. And that was how they ended up at the dock. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that you broke up with Chae-woo that way,¡± he said. Lee-yeon choked on her tea at the sudden mention of Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°You¡¯ve been acting like you have no intentions of keeping touch with our family in any way.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I don¡¯t have any intentions of keeping in touch.¡± It was his turn to look surprised, he raised his brow, wondering what she meant. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she continued. ¡°I¡¯m not here to talk about Kwon Chae-woo.¡± She tried to hide her face by pretending to drink tea, but the man¡¯s relentless stare forced her to put the cup down. ¡°It¡¯s about Gyu-baek. I want you to send him back. Unharmed.¡± Kwon Ki-seok shrugged. ¡°Take him yourself.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I told you to get him back yourself.¡± Lee-yeon stared at him with wide eyes. She had no idea what he meant. When he found that she was at a loss for words, Kwon Ki-seok offered more, ¡°If you don¡¯t take him, I¡¯ll lock him up in a doghouse.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lee-yeon didn¡¯t know if she heard him right, even if his words were clear. ¡°Don¡¯t act so surprised,¡± he said. ¡°You must have expected something like this. This is how our family shapes our prodigies, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°You lock them up in a doghouse?¡± ¡°It¡¯s how we get rid of any sense of humanity they might have and make them obey us. Like dogs.¡± Lee-yeon grabbed at her teacup, searching for some kind of warmth. But it was already cold. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°We are always in need of more people,¡± Kwon Ki-seok told her. ¡°Every person counts. So, if you n on taking one of our employees away, what should we expect from you in return?¡± She was speechless. What does he want? He leaned forward, smiling. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you one more time: What can you give me?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s mind shed back to what had happened two years ago. The dock was so openpared to where they had been. There was no smell of blood here, there wasn¡¯t even the corpse of an animal. Here, there were only the smells of the sea and the sounds of the seagulls. And yet her heart still pounded as her anxiety rose. It was the first time she was seeing Kwon Ki-seok under the sun, and that somehow made things so much worse. ¡°We put a month of work into that child,¡± he told her. ¡°So, I should get that month back. What will you give me for a month?¡± Her mind nked. She had no idea what she could give him, other than the obvious things that women could offer. ¡°What?¡± he pressed. ¡°You can¡¯t think of anything good?¡± Chapter 175: Chapter 175: Lee-yeon¡¯s mind raced. Gyu-baek needed to grow up in Hwaido, not some doghouse. He was supposed to be her brother, not their servant. She red at the man before her while trying to calm her nerves enough to think straight. She needed to think of something, and fast. ¡°People like you live in huge ces with plenty ofnd,¡± she said, watching as Kwon Ki-seok frowned. This was obviously not the direction he expected this conversation to go. Still, he didn¡¯t stop her from continuing. ¡°And a good garden is a symbol of wealth. That¡¯s something you must want,¡± she told him. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you knew this, but I¡¯m a tree doctor. I was able to make it to the fourth round of the Hwaidome project. The only skills I can offer you is my ability to take care of trees. But I can give you a good rate.¡± It was clear now that the man in front of her was not too pleased. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± she asked. Instead of saying anything, he just turned his head and sighed. ¡°Nothing.¡± He seemed calm enough. ¡°Then, you¡¯ll promise not to touch Gyu-baek.¡± The man straightened in his seat at her words. ¡°Don¡¯t leave him in a doghouse,¡± she said. ¡°Put him up in a good room and feed him good food. He must already be stressed in his new environment. He doesn¡¯t cause trouble if he¡¯s treated well, so be kind to him.¡± When he didn¡¯t say a word, she continued. ¡°If I see him with so much as a bruise¡­¡± In some way, it pissed Kwon Ki-seok off that, despite seeming so scared, Lee-yeon wasn¡¯t backing down. He could see it in the way she held her head high. He could see it in her eyes. Her eyes made him feel sick and annoyed. Still, he nodded. ¡°Okay,¡± he said. Lee-yeon frowned. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± she asked. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll need a contract. We¡¯ll need to discuss my wage, my job description, my working hours, vacation days¡­ all of that.¡± She stared at him when he didn¡¯t respond. ¡°You don¡¯t seem as bright as you are threatening. I need this. How can I trust you if we don¡¯t sign a proper contract?¡± Kwon Ki-seok frowned. When did she be so brave? Did she get that from Chae-woo? He shook his head. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m going to harm you?¡± She hesitated, but said, ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know,¡± he said with a smile, ¡°Just how grateful I am.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°You brought me Yoon Joo-ha.¡± Lee-yeon flinched at that. The name struck a nerve. ¡°Yoon Joo-ha?¡± she said, repeating the name as if it would change it. ¡°Mother?¡± Kwon Ki-seok let out augh. It was grating and mocking and terrible. It was theughter of a cold man. ¡°I never thought I would hear anyone other than Chae-woo call her that,¡± he said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Yoon Joo-ha is a kidnapper.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°She had nothing to do with Chae-woo. She wasn¡¯t rted to him at all.¡± Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s words were harsh and biting. A fake mother and a fake wife. Lee-yeon felt horrible knowing that Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s entire world was filled with lies. His entire life was a lie. ¡°That music teacher Yoon Joo-ha put my brother in her cello case and took him away from us,¡± Kwon Ki-seok said. ¡°It was my fault for letting her meet him in the first ce. I trusted her, I shouldn¡¯t have. It was ten years after I met Yoon Joo-ha that I¡ª¡± He straightened up and loosened his tie. ¡°I¡¯m so grateful for you, Lee-yeon. You can¡¯t even imagine.¡± She couldn¡¯t believe what he was saying. If it was true, then she would have been the one that helped him when he was threatening her two years ago. Despite that, he had still threatened to put someone in a barrel and make her the real culprit. ¡°Just what do you want?¡± she asked as her face paled. He had forced her to take Kwon Chae-woo and forced her into the whole lie. ¡°I was hoping Chae-woo would take after me.¡± She frowned. ¡°What?¡± ¡°We are brothers,¡± he said. ¡°I was hoping he would follow my lead and be me in the end.¡± It was a strange thing to say, all Lee-yeon could do was frown, unable to respond. At that, Kwon Ki-seok stood up and rubbed his chin. ¡°By the way, Lee-yeon,¡± he said, ¡°Did you know that Chae-woo is four years younger than you?¡± Chapter 176: Chapter 176: ¡°Ughhh¡­!¡± In the basement with not a single ray of light. A person tied up to a rusted chair was moaning. His hands and feet were tied up and his head was covered in ck cloth. He kept on turning his head as he felt the unusual atmosphere of the basement. ¡°I, I¡¯m sorry. S, spare me¡­!¡± ¡°Is it him?¡± Kwon Chae-woo asked, while sitting on an old sofa and ying with a lighter. His face could be seen as the light kept turning on and off. His expressionless face was like a cold statue. ¡°Yes, he is the one who dated VIP¡¯s daughter for a short while during her study abroad.¡± One of the hunting dog answered. ¡°They supported him with around $700,000 but he changed his mind and broke up. But not even a month left to her wedding, he kept sending her videos and ckmailing her. His request for $3 million and a part of the video was sent to her. The VIP asked to take care of this quietly. The man shook his head in fear. ¡°¡­ P, please let me go. It was a mistake, and there was no¡ª¡° ¡°You don¡¯t ckmail on by ident, only an animal does that.¡± As Kwon Chae-woo stood up, dusts flew up. As each time he walked around, the sound of ss shattered. The only thing that was shining under his ck hair was his chestnut eyes. ¡°I hear you take good videos.¡± ¡°I, I won¡¯t do it again!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just her.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°The videos that you had in your bag.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± His shoulders flinched. ¡°You have so many people on your leash, yet you beg just at such little thing?¡± ¡°Ut¡­!¡± The man seemed to have sensed what was going to happen to him as he clenched his fist. Kwon Chae-woo picked up an axe. The hunting dogs that were standing around exchanged a curious nce as he didn¡¯t look for a string for some reason. The man shouted then. ¡°D, do you know what it feels to be not able to get what you want?!¡± The ck cloth stuck to his face as he was panting hard. ¡°Have you even loved!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Kwon Chae-woo felt the wood touching his palm. There was a weird emotion on his face for a moment. He kept on fixing the grip on his hand then in the end took the de off. ¡°It was my choice to the loving memory that I want to keep, so who are you to¨C!¡± ¡°You disgust me.¡± ¡°Y, you motherfuckers, if you¡¯re so confident, take the cloth off my head first! Don¡¯t hide¡ª¡° Then, the cloth was taken off his head. ¡°How did you know we are motherfuckers?¡± Kwon Chae-woo curved his lips. Just because the lips were curved didn¡¯t mean he was smiling. His cold eyes made the man instantly forget about everything around him. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare lie in front of me.¡± Kwon Chae-woo lowered his body and met his eyes. The man gulped. ¡°That was business to you, not love.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Did you want to grab her by her hair and wanted to do things at your will?¡± Kwon Chae-woo started breaking the man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Even though the man was screaming in pain, it didn¡¯t bring him joy like before. It wasn¡¯t like before. It was the same lethargy he felt when heard that Yoon Joo-ha has died, and music was gone in his life. But he still beat down on the man¡¯s shoulder. Still, nothing. He was getting bored of what it felt like beating down on dead meat. ¡°¡­ S, stop. I¡¯m sorry. Ahhh¡­! S, sir, s, spare me¡­! I, I feel wronged! I really love them and it was painful not to be able to see them¡­ Ugh!¡± Kwon Chae-woo grabbed the man¡¯s head and made him look into his eyes. ¡°Then I¡¯ll let you see them.¡± ¡°¡­ What do you¡ª¡° He started striking the man¡¯s face with the wooden handle. Blood was spurting but his face was so calm. Only his messy hair covered his eyes. ¡°Be crippled just once. You¡¯ll start hallucinating all kind of things.¡± Kwon Chae-woo nced at the table. The woman who was curled up sleeping was grabbing his attention. The moment he saw her face, his grip loosened. The hunting dogs also turned their head but there was nothing that they saw. It was just an old table. ¡°¡­ You didn¡¯t protect the woman you love but instead¡ª¡° His voice sounded empty. ¡°If you made them bow in shame¡ª¡° Kwon Chae-woo kicked the man. As the man struggled, he took a knife out of his pocket and cut the man¡¯s Achilles, cruciate ligaments, wrist, everything. It was quick and on point. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± ¡°See what you lost for the rest of your life.¡± You¡¯re probably still saving tree. But I still kill people. He felt nauseated. He looked at his bloody knife and threw it on the ground. ¡°Take a picture and send it to the VIP and take care of the rest.¡± ¡°Yes, young master.¡± Chapter 177: Chapter 177: Kwon Chae-woo turned without a hesitation and stood in front of a broken shelf. He took out a cigarette with his shaky hands. He couldn¡¯t get the lighter going. He frowned and tried a few more times and lit it up. As he felt the smoke fill his lung, he calmed. After he came back home, Kwon Chae-woo life was quickly restored. He retrained his body, managed the hunting dogs, and took care of the target. This was his only life after losing his cello, but¡­ ¡°¡­ Fuck.¡± He clenched the cigarette. The time went painfully slow, the smell of blood was disgusting, and sometimes silence annoyed him. No matter how luxurious the food was it made him nauseous and even the water tasted weird. On a night like that, he would observe people who were addicted to something, like alcohol, gambling, and drugs. Looking at those who were overjoyed at pointless thing, he felt a little better. ¡°¡­.¡± He wondered what it would be like if he only had one memory. His head was separated like night and day. He hated her yet missed her so much. He wanted to believe everything Lee-yeon said, but yet couldn¡¯t get rid of his hatred. Kwon Chae-woo was being carved down with such emotion each day. ¡°¡­ Your neck will hurt sleeping like that.¡± It was when he absorbed both of his memoriespletely that he started seeing hallucination of So Lee-yeon. When he first noticed, he was so flustered that his mind nked, then something inside him started breaking. ¡°Hm¡­ hallucination is amon side effect to those who had amnesia. You know there¡¯s a ripple when you throw a stone into ake? It¡¯s like that. You remember the memories that you were forgetting or vice versa and that shock is creating an image. It¡¯s like a ripple in your mind. It¡¯s a sign that you¡¯re bing normal so you don¡¯t have to worry. You will have less hallucination as you calm down mentally.¡± It was important that Kwon Ki-seok doesn¡¯t know that he was hallucinating, especially about So Lee-yeon. So Kwon Chae-woo went to the underground doctor whose license was recorked. ¡°Can I touch it?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°My hallucination.¡± ¡°¡­ Um, well¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m already insane, so it doesn¡¯t matter if I be a bit more insane.¡± The doctor couldn¡¯t hide his expression. ¡°It¡¯s just a momentary phenomenon¡­ Ah, but for those who has insomnia¡ª¡° ¡°I do.¡± Kwon Chae-woo answered instantly. He didn¡¯t think his illness woulde in handy. ¡°Uh¡­ Then it¡¯s going to get worse.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± If doctor is right, he would keep seeing the hallucination if he dozed off but he liked it. It was all So Lee-yeon. ¡°Don¡¯t fall asleep here.¡± Kwon Chae-woo couldn¡¯t help but keeping up his lies. *** When Jang Beom-hee came into the room, he saw Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s bareback. He came backte at dawn, took off his top and was doing a handstand on top of parallel bars. Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s room was clean like a hotel room, as he had no interest in owning anything. Jang Beom-hee seemed used to it as he took out a new suit and came to him. ¡°Young master, Miss Bae Eun-joo is waiting at the resort.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Director Kwon made the appointment.¡± ¡°That was today?¡± ¡°Yes, you need to get ready.¡± Kwon Chae-woo lightlynded on his feet. ¡°He¡¯s keeping this up even though he knows what I¡¯m going to do.¡± He started dressing up. He was watching So Lee-yeon sleeping on the sofa at the same time. The woman who was sleeping with sun shining down on her. He kept on touching the empty sofa. A hallucination once again. ¡°Young master, you can¡¯t keep not sleeping.¡± That moment, Jang Beom-hee firmly spoke while observing Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face. ¡°I know, so we¡¯ll have to finish it quickly.¡± ¡°¡­ Let me know if you need me.¡± Jang Beom-hee said. ¡°What for?¡± ¡°A woman.¡± ¡°A woman?¡± Kwon Chae-woo finally turned his head and red at the reflection of Jang Beom-hee on the mirror. ¡°We should try something at least. If you need a woman in your room¡ª¡° ¡°Stop.¡± He warned with low voice but Jang Beom-hee finished what he was saying. ¡°I¡¯ll bring a woman in.¡± Kwon Chae-woo scoffed, threw the tie and went to Jang Beom-hee. Then he grabbed the back of his head and lightly tap his cheek with the back of his hand. It was a warning. ¡°Do you think I can wake up after hugging any random pillow?¡± ¡°My apologies.¡± ¡°Careful with your mouth.¡± Jang Beom-hee bowed. ¡°If Lee-yeon heard¡ª¡° That moment, Kwon Chae-woo froze. At the same time, Jang Beom-hee looked up as well. Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face looked like he was burned by an unexpected name. Kwon Chae-woo shut his mouth and finished dressing up. He was finish buttoning the vest then suddenly he took it off frustratingly. He brushed his hair back and closed his eyes. Jang Beom-hee carefully asked. ¡°With So Lee-yeon¡ª¡° Kwon Chae-woo instantly turned towards him at the name. ¡°Aren¡¯t you done with her?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 178: Chapter 178: Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s sharp gaze red at Jang Beom-hee¡¯s lips. He didn¡¯t answer and put on a jacket. Before he left the room, his examined the empty sofa. ¡°I am, Ipletely destroyed it.¡± It was a bad fate. So I left without leaving any hope. If there was a problem it was that because he was no longer an observant, and he was ¡®sometimes¡¯ the husband of that woman. He kept on remembering the happy time and remember her smiles but he also remembered the all the spiteful words he spat out to her. He felt nauseous just smelling any perfume that didn¡¯t smell like wet grass, and he felt randomly angry, and stopped walking when he saw trees or flowers. Kwon Chae-woo knew this emotion he couldn¡¯t stop. He bit his tongue out of habit each time and suck on his blood. ¡°¡­ My choice can¡¯t be wrong.¡± He pushed down on his eyes out of fatigue. *** A white tea table that was ced in the middle of a veryrge and green garden. A woman in wavy hair wearing elegant pearl earring and ivory dress was staring at Kwon Chae-woo dissatisfied with her arms crossed. ¡°You¡¯re alive.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Did you know that this was for two years ago? I couldn¡¯t believe that I was stood up for two years so I came out to see who are you are¡ª¡° The woman smiled satisfyingly after examining Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°Just what were you two during that time that no one knows where you are?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The man kept his silence during all of her chatter. Ever since he walked across the garden with his hands in his pocket and sat down at the table. The woman realized that Kwon Chae-woo wasn¡¯t interested. A few years had passed since the swirling rumors of her association with the wrong crowd had begun to circte. It was during that tumultuous time that fate, in its unpredictable nature, brought her face-to-face with him. Amongst the intoxicated crowd, his gaze remained sharp and vignt, a stark contrast to the blurred visions around him. She felt her eyes meet his for a brief moment, just as one of her intoxicatedpanions approached him and was abruptly shoved to the ground. With an air ofposed detachment, the man calmly stepped on the fallen hand and continued on his way, a faint smile ying on his lips as the man cried out in pain. Although years had passed since that encounter, the memory of his ethically dubious smile eluded her recollection. ¡°The rumors are circting because you don¡¯t say anything. All ambitious people are trying to get involved with the Kwon family. All four of their sons aren¡¯t married so it¡¯s us singledies that are being pushed.¡± She turned to scan the huge mansion and shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to ask me, Mr. Kwon Chae-woo?¡± The man leaned against the chair arm and rested his chin on his hand. He didn¡¯t look at the woman but instead was staring at something else. As she followed Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s gaze, there was an empty chair, and she thought for a moment before getting up. ¡°Should I move?¡± ¡°Stay there.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be annoying and sit.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She sat down at his order. Kwon Chae-woo wouldn¡¯t even nce at her during all of this. The woman was getting annoyed. She was the one who was use to bossing around, not the other way. ¡°Do you know what I¡¯m going to say when I leave? That you went into a rehab because of cocaine, was involved in hit and run so had to hide in a mental hospital. Do you know how many rumors there are? It¡¯s about time the share price of the Sooguk pharmaceutical drop and I can add to that.¡± Kwon Chae-woo scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°About what?¡± She also dropped her honorific and red at him. ¡°I was in a hospital.¡± She was flustered by his sudden eptance. ¡°¡­ Which hospital?¡± ¡°The one in an ind.¡± ¡°¡­ W, what did you do there?¡± ¡°From what the doctor said, I was very good at taking care of flowers.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Taking care of flowers? How? She gulped. Her voice suddenly got a bit more polite. ¡°¡­ Were you admitted?¡± ¡°I was tied up.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°My hands, feet, neck. I couldn¡¯t move.¡± Her eyes widened. He was a sever patient. She had to end this. There was something you shouldn¡¯t be doing with a crazy person. But his dry yet sensitive looking eyes. His tall nose and his wide shoulders made her think twice. ¡°¡­ Why were you in a hospital?¡± ¡°My head was crushed.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± She smiled awkwardly while picking up her bag. Kwon Chae-woo didn¡¯t even nce no matter what she was doing. His attention was all towards the empty chair anyway. His eyes were so concentrated it was weird. ¡°Who¡­. Can I say something before I go?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but saying something for being treated like air. ¡°Just what are you staring at? Is there something there?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t see it right?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°The pretty woman dozing off there.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The person that couldn¡¯t understood was scary. She frowned and took a step back. ¡°Just say you don¡¯t like me if you don¡¯t. Don¡¯t joke around like that!¡± ¡°How nice it would be if it was a joke?¡± She couldn¡¯t tell if he wasughing or frowning when he finally looked at her. ¡°I stomped on her heart and she smashed my head.¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s stare stopped coincidentally. Fuck, what is that? The woman who was wearing a familiar straw hat and walking around the tree. Kwon Chae-woo squinted then leaned his head back while pressing down on her eyes. ¡°¡­ Ha.¡± Wasn¡¯t one enough? There¡¯s more that will try to make him crazy. But¡­ why is that hallucination moving around so busily instead of dozing? Chapter 179: Chapter 179: With a firm grip, Kwon Chae-woo moved his hand aside and turned his head as if entranced. In the garden, a woman wore a soft ck straw hat and a loose jumpsuit with a connected top and bottom. Her gentle touch glided over each wooden pir, caressing them tenderly. She paused at a particr spot, seemingly unwilling to leave. Then, she gracefully bent down to pick up a few fallen leaves from the ground and blew them away, as if whispering a silent farewell to nature. ¡°What on earth is this¡­?¡± He thought. Simultaneously, the woman felt like an incredibly distorted painting. How could someone be in this filthy ce? Unbeknownst to Kwon Chae-woo, his grip on the armrest tightened involuntarily. But this must be an illusion. Unaware of Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s tightening grip on the armrest, he couldn¡¯t help but think that this must be an illusion. Anotheryer ofplexity added to his hallucinations¡ªfrom the So Lee-yeon in his mind to a tangible presence before him. It was a shift from one to many. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± Kwon Chae-woo clenched and unclenched his fist, struggling to suppress the raging turmoil within. However, he couldn¡¯t possibly ignore the chilling instinct that was cutting through the back of his mind. In the end, he took out her phone and made a call. ¡°Yes, Young Master.¡± ¡°A few days ago, someone imed to have been confined in my guesthouse. Who on earth could that be?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡± The other end of the line was silent. Kwon Chae-woo pressed his forehead with his fist, exerting pressure on his incisors. Even the brief silence thatsted for a few seconds was unbearable. ¡°If Beom-hee, if you¡¯ve deliberately hidden something from me, I hope you¡¯re prepared for the consequences.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Gu Gyu-baek, sir.¡± ¡°What?¡± His pupils seemed to dte for a moment, and then his entire face contorted in a frown. The unexpected name only added to the ominous premonition that gripped her ankles. The noisy thoughts in her mind quickly raced along a straight line, reaching a certain conclusion. ¡°F**k!¡± he eximed, pushing the chair forcefully, causing it to squeak. ¡°You seem to have a keen eye for other women.¡± At that moment, hispanion who had yet to leave the scene stepped in to block Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°Instead of disying proper etiquette towards your intended partner, all you can think about is another woman behind her back¡ª¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Suddenly, Kwon Chae-woo stood tall, her face stern and unyielding. ¡°Another woman?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± The woman swallowed dryly, feeling the piercing gaze that seemed to prate through her. ¡°You just said something. What was it?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡± ¡°Do you see her too, in your eyes?¡± While maintaining his intense gaze, Kwon Chae-woo extended his arm and pointed precisely somewhere in the garden. Despite the simplicity of the question and the situation, the woman oddly stiffened and became tense, questioning the sanity of the man in front of her. Trembling, she followed the man¡¯s index finger with her gaze, and upon seeing the person standing there, she nonchntly nodded her head. However, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s expression, which was already impolite and indifferent, suddenly turned pale. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t see the woman sitting in the chair, but I can see that.¡± ¡°Why on earth are you like this?¡± The woman witnessed Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face rapidly changing right before her eyes. It went pale as if he had lost his mind, then he gritted his teeth and took a deep breath. He continued to grope around somewhere in the garden with a lost expression, his lips pursed as if chewing on something. In that precarious silence, as the tense atmosphere settled, Kwon Chae-woo finally started to move briskly, taking steps. ¡°Where are you going¡­! I should go first to make it look more usible!¡± However, as he rushed towards her with an overwhelming force, the woman trembled and eximed, ¡°Eek!¡± Her body shook in surprise. Kwon Chae-woo didn¡¯t mind her and started going to the garden. He strode straight through the garden. As he got closer to the woman he was eyeing, his heart pounded as if it would explode, and blood rushed fiercely through his veins. The man, who never had his breath disturbed even during intense workouts and fights, was now struggling to catch his breath. As Lee Lee-yeon strolled along the neatly lined trees, Kwon Chae-woo clenched his jaw, observing her intently, someone he had sketched countless times. As they drew closer, her fragrance became perceptible. It was a truly vibrant scent, unlike the perpetually sleep-deprived and colorless illusions. His mind felt empty, devoid of any thoughts. And then, it happened. A gust of wind swept through, causing Lee Yeon¡¯s hat to be blown off, rolling ahead of them. With an exmation of ¡°Oops!¡± she turned around, feeling the refreshing breeze on her head. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Kwon Chae-woo stiffened as he caught the straw hat that flew towards him. As the hat unfolded like a skirt and Lee-yeon¡¯s hair cascaded to one side of her face, revealing her snow-white forehead and sparkling eyes, Kwon Chae-woo was taken aback, capturing each moment like pressing the shutter button of a camera. His entire body trembled uncontrobly, and his face twisted in a scowl. ¡°¡­Why.¡± The sound that barely escaped his tightly constricted throat was incoherent. ¡°¡­Why are you here?¡± Chapter 180: Chapter 180: Those were the only words he managed to utter, squeezed out with great difficulty. With no way to escape the piercing gaze of Lee-yeon¡¯s cheek that he wanted to caress recklessly, Kwon Chae-woo found himself at a loss for where to direct his own gaze. She appeared stiff and rigid, as if ready to step back or push away. If he were to recall his own actions, such treatment would be well-deserved, but Kwon Chae-woo couldn¡¯t suppress her uneasiness and grabbed her wrist. Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes, which once cried out for love, now seemed dry and devoid of any familiarity as if looking at a stranger. It had only been a month since they parted ways, at most, yet it felt as if his ce within Lee-yeon had vanished, making Kwon Chae-woo feel ufortably miserable. Despite physically being in motion, it felt more like a mirage from this side. Sweat trickled down his face. ¡°You should have stayed on Hwaido Ind and never left that ce.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Just why the hell are you in this¨D¡± The restrained voice trembled faintly. ¡°Why are you here, of all ces!¡± It was a fierce burst of anger, fragmented into multiple threads. Kwon Chae-woo, seemingly caught in a state of horror, let out a forceful exhale. Behind his outwardlyposed gaze, there were swirling whirlwinds of inexplicable emotions. ¡°Do you even know where you¡¯ve stepped your foot without any fear?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be here. If you stay here without knowing anything¡­¡± A sudden dizziness swept over him, perhaps due to the overwhelming heat that surged up to his head. Even the assumption of her, who had lived a simple life touching nothing but trees, entering the Kwon household sent a chill down his spine. In thisnd soaked with the blood of countless people, her presence, plump and innocent, left no room for rxation. ¡°For the time being, until things are settled, you can¡¯t be here.¡± Kwon Chae-woo tightly closed and opened his eyes, forcefully pressing down on Lee-yeon¡¯s shoulders. His gaze was filled with rejection and denial, pouring down like a torrential rain. ¡°Leave, go back.¡± Then, Lee-yeon, who had flinched for a moment, firmly exerted strength in her gentle eyes and swiftly brushed away the man¡¯s hand. It was barely even ticklish, at best, but amusingly, Kwon Chae-woo staggered. The unfamiliar gaze, meeting his eyes for the first time, once again scratched at the depths of his soul. ¡°Since it¡¯s bothersome, you can hear the exnation from Mr. Kwon Ki-seok.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°He¡¯s my employer.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I heard a brief exnation on the way here. He said you¡¯re the youngest master of this house.¡± ¡­What on earth is she talking about? ¡°He warned me to be careful because you¡¯re the most ill-tempered person in this house. Although I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll have any direct encounters, I still ask for your consideration.¡± Kwon Chae-woo furrowed his brow, trying to understand the words she was uttering, but it still sounded like a jesting from a misaligned channel. As he half-heartedly stared at her lips, his mind in a daze, Lee-yeon¡¯s greeting, whichpletely overturned his thoughts, resounded. ¡°I¡¯m So Lee-yeon, the arborist who will be in charge of managing this house¡¯s garden for a month.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± His mind snapped back to attention due to her introduction that turned his insides upside down. He instinctively closed his jaw and as he unraveled her words, a me ignited inside his eyes. When she casually extended her hand, a wildughter burst out from Kwon Chae-woo. She wasn¡¯t the shy and easily startled woman she used to be. When it came to trees, she was assertive and strict. As her emotionless face suddenly appeared, an indescribable hunger surged through him, as if hitting rock bottom. Kwon Chae-woo wanted to crush the small, delicate hand that was being extended towards him. His esophagus felt like it was burning, even though he hadn¡¯t taken a puff of a cigarette. He clenched his fist and firmly grasped her hand. ¡°No, not that.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°My hat.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Please give me my hat.¡± Lee-yeon, who slipped out of his grasp with a slight wriggle, once again toyed with her palm. ¡°It¡¯s something I treasure.¡± In response, Kwon Chae-woo tightly crumpled the hat he was holding. Lee-yeon jumped and pped his hand, then forcefully yanked the ttened, limp hat from his grip. She lowered her head, gently tucking the recovered straw hat under her arm. Her determined steps and resolute posture, turning away without hesitation, made Kwon Chae-woo look pitifully feeble. ¡°¡­¡± Lee-yeon, it¡¯s me. I¡¯m back. I am your Chae-woo.Those pitiful words were threatening to burst forth. I remember everything. Why can¡¯t you recognize me? The man¡¯s eyes grew cold. However, as he stood still, Lee-yeon grew increasingly distant. There were numerous reasons why he should stop here, why he must stop, but Kwon Chae-woo swiftly caught up with the distance that had opened. He forcefully turned Lee-yeon around. ¡°¡­Where are you going?¡± Lee-yeon grimaced lightly, her shoulder in pain from being held. ¡°Why are you so insistent on finding somewhere to go?¡± ¡°I moved in today and I¡¯m preparing to work.¡± ¡°Stop it. Just stop.¡± Kwon Chae-woo impatiently wiped his face. ¡°This is my house, and I have no desire to see you wandering around aimlessly every day.¡± In an instant, Lee Yeon¡¯s eyes turned strangely sharp as she boldly confronted him. ¡°Who do you think you are!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°You¡¯re younger than me, you little¡­!¡± Lee Yeon quickly ran away, then abruptly stopped in surprise, walked slowly for a moment, and then engaged in a strange sprint, rapidly distancing herself. Kwon Chae-woo felt a throbbing sensation on his cheek, leaving him numb. It wasn¡¯t an apparition, but it seemed as if he had been possessed by a ghost. Chapter 181: Chapter 181: Lee-yeon hurriedly left the garden with quick steps, clutching her thumping heart. ¡°What, what is this¡­!¡± Ever since she set foot in the mansion, or perhaps even since she packed her belongings to temporarily leave Hwaido, she had considered the possibility of encountering Kwon Chae-woo. But she never expected toe face to face with him so suddenly like this, not even in her dreams. ¡°Gasp¡­!¡± Yeon quickly moved away from the spot without running, gasping for breath. Her shoulder and hand, which had been held by him, felt hot and tingling. She brushed over them as if trying to rub off any invisible marks, as if trying to brush away any lingering traces. The moment she faced the man, still without a single blemish, Lee-yeon felt like the past month had flown by like a shooting star. The presence of time she had ovee seemed even more precious than his towering existence. Though she momentarily felt surprised, her heart quickly regained itsposure. She brushed it off,beling him as someone who only shared superficial simrities. ¡°It¡¯s wise to strike fast and make a swift exit.¡± Like someone fleeing, she had the urge to nce back, but Lee-yeon clenched her fist and restrained herself. Throughout her journey from Hwaido to this ce, she had felt difort, yet she received an exceptional chauffeur. This morning, passing through a grand gate that resembled a fortress, traversing a long and lush tree-lined street that seemed astonishingly endless, and passing through the main gate and another inner gate, Lee-yeon finally arrived at the well-positioned mansion nestled beneath a scenic mountain. In the meantime, Lee-yeon managed to gather some trivial information about the Kwon family. The second son was a primary school teacher who had long severed ties with this household, and the third son had be independent by pursuing an entertainment business. Therefore, only the eldest son, Kwon Ki-seok, and the youngest, Kwon Chae-woo, were currently responsible for the family affairs and maintaining the estate. The chauffeur had strongly advised the neer never to get involved with those two individuals, but Lee-yeon could only manage an awkward smile in response. If only he knew. As she approached the mansion, the gradually revealed garden appeared vast and lush. In particr, the enchanting disy of blooming flowers left Lee-yeon with no choice but to immerse her hazy mind in their intoxicating fragrance. Among all the gardens she had seen, this one stood out as the most vivid and splendid. She requested a momentary pause, seeking permission to step onto the grass without hesitation. It resembled the meticulously maintained gardens of foreign pces. Usually, gardens designed in such a manner were shaped ording to people¡¯s preferences, with trees meticulously pruned. Fortunately, contrary to such concerns, the garden looked exceptionally healthy at first nce. Who took care of it? What kind of fertilizer did they use? Look at their skillful craftsmanship¡­ Lee-yeon wanted to quickly open their work logs and find out. But unexpectedly, she ended up encountering Kwon Chae-woo¡­ She abruptly interrupted her train of thought and hastened her steps. ¡°Have you seen enough?¡± The chauffeur, who had been leaning against the car, casually asked as Lee-yeon approached in a hurry. ¡°Yes, thank you for waiting¡­!¡± ¡°But is someone chasing you? Why are you in such a rush¨C¡± ¡°Sir, hurry!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Quickly, let¡¯s go!¡± Lee-yeon forcefully urged, opening the car door and acting impatiently. To her surprise, Kwon Chae-woo, who had btedly regained hisposure, was chasing after her with a fearsome expression. While Lee-yeon had been gradually distancing herself with her asional strides, witnessing Chae-woo sprinting like a wild horse with his long legs made her heart race uncontrobly and her lips dry up. ¡°Sir!¡± ¡°Y-yes, I got it!¡± The chauffeur, trembling with sudden anxiety, started the car. Just as they blinked, Chae-woo approached them, bending his waist and peering into the backseat. Hisrge palm stuck firmly to the window, his pupils scrutinizing the interior, and his hunched posture with a twisted head somehow seemed inhuman. ¡°Ah!¡± Startled, Lee-yeon involuntarily let out a gasp, and the corners of the man¡¯s mouth lifted. Despite the heavily tinted windows of the car, making it impossible to see anything, he instinctively seemed to sense Lee-yeon¡¯s presence. The muffled voice from behind the thick car body pierced Lee-yeon¡¯s ears with precision. ¡°Lee-yeon,e out quietly before I break this and drag you out.¡± Silently, the car¡¯s frame shook relentlessly as he forcefully pounded on the roof. The chauffeur, bewildered, tightly gripped the steering wheel, while Lee-yeon held onto the door handle. ¡°Lee-yeon, let¡¯s have a talk.¡± Though the familiar tone sent shivers down her spine, she mustered the courage to shout back in a trembling voice. ¡°Step on the elerator, sir!¡± ¡°But, what about the young master¡ª¡± ¡°He¡¯s insane, so just step on it!¡± As if those words were a trigger, the chauffeur swiftly pressed down on the elerator. Then, faintly, came a furious curse, ¡°Damn it!¡± But Lee-yeon didn¡¯t have the courage to look back. Thump, thump, thump! The trunk rattled violently under the aggressive hands of the man. Chapter 182: Chapter 182: The chauffeur wiped the cold sweat off his forehead, ncing at the rearview mirror. ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Why? Is he still chasing us?¡± Lee-yeon, who had been huddled up, raised her head. ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­ He¡¯s gone. He suddenly disappeared. It¡¯s as if he took a different path¡­¡± said the chauffer. ¡°What?¡± A moment of silence followed. The chauffeur, with an awkward smile, unexpectedly tried to lighten the mood. ¡°By the way, did you happen to find any nice trees in the garden?¡± ¡°¡­As you can see, it¡¯s not exactly a tree.¡± In that moment, screech¨D the brakes were applied, and the car came to a sudden stop without any warning. Lee-yeon, instinctively wrapping her arms around herself, forcefully bumped her forehead against the front seat, while the chauffeur trembled, resting his head on the steering wheel. Before the chauffeur could gather his wits, Lee-yeon regained consciousness first, breathing heavily as she looked through the window. Her vision was blurry, but she strained her eyes and focused, trying to adjust her gaze. Just then, as if someone had collided with the car, a person rose from the ground. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± And in that moment of realization that it was Kwon Chae-woo intentionally colliding with the car, Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t think of anything. The chilling man locked his gaze directly on Lee-yeon and slowly approached, step by step. He scratched the driver¡¯s side window with a de-like motion, and then repeatedly struck the edges with his fists and elbows until, as he had confidently predicted, the door shattered. Despite the ss shards falling onto the driver¡¯s back, Kwon Chae-woo didn¡¯t even blink. He calmly reached inside and unlocked the backseat, slowly turning to approach Yeon. Click¡ª A seemingly insignificant sound was now more terrifying than a bomb exploding. In a daze, Lee-yeon had kept her arms folded and remained frozen in ce. Finally, the car door opened, and a voice mixed with a sigh spoke shakily. ¡°Come out, Lee-yeon.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s head had turned nk, and she involuntarily gasped as Kwon Chae-woo leaned in, resting his arm on the door, his hand covered in blood. In the ce where her beloved used to reside, an instinctual terror towards this irrational man arose. With her mind gone nk, Lee-yeon found herself involuntarily stuttering with her mouth agape. ¡°Are you insane?!¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± Kwon Chae-woo remained expressionless as he extended his hand once again. ¡°You can¡¯t¡­ you can¡¯t make me get out. I need to go see Gyu-baek¡­ I need to go see Gyu-baek!¡± ¡°What does that little shit matter more than you, Lee-yeon?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Lee-yeon bit her lower lip as if acknowledging her defeat. She had momentarily forgotten what kind of person this man was. Even when he had lost his memory, he had an incredibly vtile personality. ¡°I can¡¯t get out.¡± Nevertheless, Lee-yeon said firmly once again. Kwon Chae-woo nced briefly at her flushed forehead and swiftly closed the car door. Then, the door on the opposite side opened. * * * ¡°Director!¡± ¡°Gyu-baek!¡± As soon as the car came to a stop, Gyu-baek came running from afar. Lee-yeon quickly scanned the child from his hair to his face, arms, legs, and the glimpse of his skin beyond his short sleeves. Except for his clothes being a little thin, there was nothing toin about, from cleanliness to his expression. Surprisingly, he looked healthier and even seemed to have gained some weightpared to his time at the orphanage. Lee-yeon extended her arms, intending to tightly embrace the child who had endured so much. However, as Gyu-baek stood there, he nervously scraped the sole of his sneakers. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Gyu-baek?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Something seemed off about the bewildered look on the child¡¯s face. The two of them were silently observing each other. ¡°Uh¡­ uh¡­¡± Gyu-baek hesitated as if he were overwhelmed. ¡°Gyu-baek?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t youing here?¡± Despite urging him, Gyu-baek remained frozen, his body trembling slightly. Sensing that something was amiss, Lee-yeon, thinking it might not work out, approached first, extending her hand even up to her palm, only to see Gyu-baek taking steps back. Trying to read the child¡¯s expression in any way possible, she found it difficult. ¡°Is there something ufortable? Are you hurt? You can tell director.¡± ¡°For a moment, I turned into a dog.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°For a moment, I turned into a chicken too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± How should she interpret this? Lee-yeon was taken aback by the bewildering confession of the child. Meanwhile, Gyu-baek looked quickly at some spot on the teacher¡¯s abdomen, blinking his ck eyes rapidly. He tensed his eyebrows, pursed his lips into a round shape, disying an intense reaction that was quite unlike his usual self. Lost in her thoughts for a moment, Lee-yeon finally asked with a serious expression. If he encountered a dog and a chicken¡­ ¡°And now?¡± In this case, mentioning an insect would provide reassurance. ¡°But now, I¡¯m thinking of transformingpletely into an owl monkey, not an insect.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes shook slightly. ¡°Owl monkeys are the best fathers among primates. They provide food and y with their offspring. When a baby is born, the male takes care of almost all the parenting responsibilities. I may be young, but I¡¯m a smart owl monkey.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°What is all this sudden talk?¡± Lee-yeon btedly turned her eyes towards Kwon Chae-woo, who had juste out of the car. He was the man who hadn¡¯t uttered a single word throughout their journey and had only held onto Lee-yeon¡¯s hand tightly. When she asked him to let go because her blood wasn¡¯t flowing properly, he stubbornly asked for her other hand instead. He was a persistent and unreasonable person. Despite that, his angry face was so intimidating that she couldn¡¯t even make a sound of protest. ¡°What are we going to do about this?¡± Kwon Chae-woo, who was slowly walking out, twitched his eyebrows in response to Lee-yeon¡¯s reproachful question. ¡°You said it¡¯s not insects, so there must have been something undoubted ly wrong here!¡± Chapter 183: Chapter 183: ¡°I can¡¯t believe there are no insects here! There¡¯s something undoubtedly wrong here!¡± Gyu-baek eximed. With people dying left and right, all sorts of things could happen here. First, Gyu-baek, despite knowing he was abducted, was cheerful like a child who has received sponsorship from the Kwon family. Second, Lee-yeon was here with him. No matter how Kwon Chae-woo thought about it, everything looked absurd. How could Lee-yeon and Gyu-baek be here? Kwon Chae-woo felt empty-handed and instinctively clenched his fist. Was it because he wanted to hold her hand or because he was holding onto his prey? It was hard to tell. Having destroyed everything ande to this point, now, of all times, the memories were flooding back. The impulse was leading ahead of reason to a point where even he couldn¡¯t predict it. ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± Lee-yeon, in return, clenched her lips and hardened her expression. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t call me that way.¡± ¡°Then, what should I call you?¡± ¡°Just like earlier, call me ¡®you¡¯ and speak informally. Keep calling me that way, relentlessly. It puts my mind at ease.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kwon Chae-woo could only remain still, unable to believe Lee-yeon¡¯s cold response again. At that moment, the driver who hade out from the driver¡¯s seat trembled as he handed over her suitcase. Lee-yeon epted it and held Gyu-baek¡¯s hand. Havingpletely ignored Kwon Chae-woo in her line of sight, Lee-yeon soon found herself overwhelmed by a familiar scent. Without warning, Kwon Chae-woo forcibly separated their joined hands. ¡°I waited because you said you¡¯d meet Gyu-baek. Doesn¡¯t that mean it¡¯s my turn next?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why are you holding the kid¡¯s hand? I don¡¯t understand.¡± The already low voice sank even colder. ¡°I guess Lee-yeon got confused about the order.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It was a tone that conveyed a certain pressure, suggesting that it was only natural for her to be confused and that no other reasons would be epted. In response, Lee-yeon turned around with irritation in her eyes. The fact that the person had changed, but his scent remained the same unexpectedly bothered her. ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever broken up with the woman you met before?¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s expression stiffened. ¡°Don¡¯t you understand the meaning of breaking up? When you destroyed the cello, killed the sacred tree, and discarded me as if I were no longer needed. Even if we meet by chance someday, pretending not to know each other would be the minimum courtesy. The only thing left between us is such basic courtesy.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So please, can¡¯t you at least act decently?¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s brow lightly furrowed. She seemed unfamiliar, expressing self-reproach and rejection throughout her body. ¡°When we broke up, there was no trace of consideration, and now there¡¯s even less consideration from you. I just arrived from a trip. Please let me rest.¡± The muscles in his jaw tensed. Lee-yeon¡¯s gaze, filled with disgust, felt like a tight grip around his throat. While he wore an expression as if he could drag her away at any moment, he couldn¡¯t even move a finger. Moreover, the woman before him was not the person Kwon Chae-woo remembered. She wasn¡¯t kind to him. When he realized she was a new Lee-yeon he hadn¡¯t experienced before; his voice came out choked as if constrained by a crack. ¡°¡­ That¡¯s the main house. Do you even know where it is before you go in?¡± ¡°Why are you making a big deal of it when we¡¯re not even sharing a room?¡± The main house was where Kwon Ki-seok resided. When Lee-yeon casually brushed it off, a smirk spread across Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face, but it wasn¡¯t a genuine smile. It was more like a chilling frost. ¡°Lee-yeon, even as a joke¡ª¡± At that moment, Lee-yeon¡¯s body suddenly jolted. Kwon Chae-woo gripped her cor softly and casually wiped his bloodied hand on her clothes, which were stained from smashing through the ss window. The fresh red blood sttered on her neck, leaving marks as his calloused fingertips scraped and grazed the skin beneath her ear. ¡°I¡¯m not one to say such things.¡± His trembling voice reached her like a gentle breeze. Unconsciously, Lee-yeon clenched the fabric at her fingertips and held her breath. ¡°Do you want to test my limits? How terrible can I be?¡± While the pungent smell of blood rose nauseatingly, Kwon Chae-woo stared at Lee-yeon as if piercing through her. Only after observing her trembling eyshes did he finally rx his expression. It seemed that his pent-up frustration could only be relieved by seeing any kind of reaction from her toward him. ¡°Lee-yeon, breathe.¡± He briskly tapped her back, urging her to take a breath. Lee-yeon turned her head sharply to face him. As their eyes met up close, he involuntarily twitched one of his eyebrows. His neat, chestnut-colored eyes were like a heated furnace, filled with intensity, yet they also revealed an undeniable longing. Lee-yeon blinked, flustered and infuriated. ¡°W-Why are you acting like this?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Surely, you haven¡¯t f-forgotten again? It¡¯s me, me. The person you said trembles just by looking at you.¡± ¡°I remember.¡± ¡°Then ignore me, as if I¡¯m invisible even though I¡¯m right in front of you!¡± Chapter 184: Chapter 184: Kwon Chae-woo silently lowered his gaze and firmly pressed his trembling cheek with the back of his hand. As he did so, the blood stains seemed to transfer as if dipping into paint. Even though she wasn¡¯t with him in the mansion, he had lived as if she were. But now that she would live under the same roof as him, she demanded the opposite. When Kwon Chae-woo raised his eyes again, a dull glint simmered fiercely in his gaze. ¡°I told you to leave, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Go back, Miss Lee-yeon.¡± He snatched the carrier from Lee-yeon¡¯s hand and ced it on the opposite side. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of everything else, so just leave from here. How many times do I have to say it!¡± Kwon Chae-woo rubbed his forehead, furrowing his brows. Since he heard that the customer in the annex was Gyu-baek, he knew it was a trap. His ragged breathing released sharp sighs filled with bitterness. His contorted face looked agonized for some reason. Upon seeing her emotional opponent, Lee-yeon seemed strangely calm. She responded nonchntly. ¡°Give me one good reason why I should listen to you.¡± Lee-yeon said. In an instant, the hot air that was surging turned icy cold. Silence stretched out. As Kwon Chae-woo stood rigidly, unable to speak, Lee-yeon furrowed her eyebrows as if to say, ¡°See for yourself.¡± She was expressing how meaningless this conflict was. ¡°Did you get it? This is our rtionship.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Lee-yeon pulled her suitcase back to its original position. ¡°Don¡¯t mistakenly think that a word from you holds more power than the contract I signed with Kwon Ki-seok.¡± Gradually, the sound of her moving away could be heard. ¡°¡­It¡¯s dangerous here, Lee-yeon.¡± Kwon Chae-woo bowed his head deeply and btedly murmured. However, the only response that came back was the sound of rolling wheels. ¡°Lee-yeon, Lee-yeon.¡± He muttered alone, as if in vain. Kwon Chae-woo stood on the precarious boundary between ck and white. He wasn¡¯t deeply immersed in either of the two memories, nor was hepletely free. It was truly a gray area. Although it was confusing, it was a world that maintained some sort of bnce. However, after meeting Lee-yeon, the center he had barely managed to hold onto shattered. From her breathing to the temperature of her words to the direction of her gaze, Kwon Chae-woo was stimted and tested at every moment. The ground beneath him constantly wavered. He couldn¡¯t yet name it in this sticky state of mind, but one thing was certain¡ª Kwon Chae-woo swiftly approached and hoisted Lee-yeon¡¯s suitcase above his head. ¡°Wha-what?!¡± As Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes widened, he threw the suitcase towards the car. The suitcase pierced through the obsidian-like ss window, causing the front panel to crack and split into spiderweb patterns. The tense driver, who had been waiting anxiously, watched in shock as his face turned pale, and he slumped down. The ring rm echoed loudly, and the red headlights illuminated Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s pale and dim face. ¡°W-what are you doing?!¡± As she opened her mouth wide, the man gritted his teeth and stammered, ¡°Lee-yeon, what do you want from a bastard like me? I followed you because I wanted to sink my fangs into you.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± He approached, turned his shoulder, and brushed Lee-yeon¡¯s hair aside with a flicked. ¡°Shall we talk again, then?¡± ¡°What, what¡­?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s face became filled with confusion. ¡°That ce is the main building, but do you know where it is, and are you going in?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± It felt like she had identally swallowed a bitter pill. ¡°Why do you look like that? I¡¯m acting all cool right now.¡± Lee-yeon remained motionless, her eyes blinking like a wooden doll. Unconsciously, Kwon Chae-woo raised his hand and gently brushed her forehead. With the familiar touch, Lee-yeon tensed up for a moment. ¡°I never learned manners in my life. As you can see, my family was wealthy, and everyone was too busy trying to please me. I grew up being indulged. So, I never had to beg or stoop low enough to pick up what I had once ruined.¡± He bent his waist, aligning his gaze with Lee-yeon¡¯s. His face was enigmatic, staring at her as if tearing her apart. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. I came here abandoning you, Lee-yeon, so why¡ª¡± The man furrowed his brow and persistently delved into Lee-yeon¡¯s face. He tried to seize unknown changes by repeatedly probing her rigid pupils. ¡°¡­.¡± However, no matter how closely he looked, only dry dust seemed to crumble away. Suddenly, he let out a deep, resonant sound from within his vocal cords, saying, ¡°Ah-.¡± ¡°Youpletely abandoned me.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± She swallowed her breath as hisughter descended like snowkes. ¡°You abandoned me.¡± Kwon Chae-woo spoke with hollow eyes. ¡°I understand that we broke up. But to me, that meant¨D¡± His voice turned chillingly cold, like a winter breath. ¡°Carving an indelible scar that will never disappear on the skin.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°So, when we happened to meet again, didn¡¯t it send shivers down your spine?¡± Chapter 185: Chapter 185: A sigh rose to Lee-yeon¡¯s mouth. It was supposed to be a month that she wanted to live and work quietly, but she encountered unexpected trouble. As she bit her lip and red at him, Gyu-baek, who had been watching the whole situation, suddenly pushed Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s lower abdomen and separated the two. Then he quickly turned around and tightly grabbed Lee-yeon¡¯s hand. ¡°Director, you shouldn¡¯t get angry.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, Gyu-baek, I¡¯m sorry. That-¡± She was btedly flustered by the fact that she showed such behavior in front of the child. ¡°The principal breathes as diligently as a frog.¡± ¡°Uh, yeah, yeah.¡± In response to the man¡¯s cold scrutiny, she unknowingly released the tension that had stiffened her body. Her heart was beating so fast that it was terrifying. Even though she had already emptied Kwon Chae-woo from her mind, he still managed to manipte people without fail. It could have escted to the end if Gyu-baek hadn¡¯t put on the brakes. As she regained herposure, she noticed that Kwon Chae-woo was in aplete mess. His face was covered in sweat, his hands were bloody, his pants were covered in dirt, and there were bloodstains on his elbows and knees. It seemed like he had rolled around while blocking the car, but Kwon Chae-woo didn¡¯t seem concerned for his own body. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The gazes of the two collided silently once again. While Lee-yeon quickly regained herposure, Kwon Chae-woo remained frozen in ce. Within his unsettled gaze, there was an iprehensible obsession. Naturally, Lee-yeon spoke up. ¡°Those emotions belong to you, not to me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So, don¡¯t pass it onto me and figure it out on your own. Last time, you said you entrusted me because you lost your memory and weren¡¯t in the right state of mind. We should avoid making the same mistake again.¡± She drew a clear line in the sand. Upon hearing her words, the man who had remainedposed even when hit by a car suddenly contorted one side of his face. Lee-yeon turned her back, leaving Kwon Chae-woo, silently swallowing something, behind. Surprisingly, her footsteps were hesitant. But even if an angry wave crashed against the firm Lee-yeon, it wasn¡¯t she who would break and turn white. ¡°After mating, male spiders get eaten by females. Therefore, dead males don¡¯t speak.¡± At that moment, Gyu-baek turned to Kwon Chae-woo and yfully said something. His brows naturally furrowed at the child¡¯s words. Despite the confusion, none of the adults noticed the fact that Gyu-baek had gently blown warm breaths onto Lee-yeon¡¯s stomach, making a ¡°hoo-hoo¡± sound. Kwon Chae-woo remained frozen, unable to grab hold of Lee-yeon, who continued to walk away with that expression. It was a terrible sight to watch her gradually getting farther away. He felt suffocated by his inability tto bring her back easilyo easily bring her back. Ironically, her firm words began to twist and umte in his throat, obstructing his airway. ¡°My Lord.¡± Jang Beom-hee, who had rushed over upon hearing themotion, called out to him. ¡°My Lord.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± After a while of no response or movement, Kwon Chae-woo suddenly took a step. In the ce where Lee-yeon, who was now gone, had momentarily stayed, he ovepped his footsteps. Even though he wanted to continue tormenting her like on thest day in Hwai-do, his forehead, which had turned red and swollen, bothered him, and felt like it would drive him crazy. This dualistic, sticky pool of emotions wouldn¡¯t release its hold on him. However, Lee-yeon, with determination, broke it apart and rebuilt it all by herself. In that case, for a stray dog with nowhere to go but back to the starting point and a puppy clearly abandoned by its owner, it was uncertain which direction its joints should take. ¡°Is it raining now?¡± ¡°What?¡± Kwon Chae-woo blurted out nonsense. Jang Beom-hee tried to discern his intentions, but a sharp voice interrupted this time. The damp, suffocating atmosphere that had been squeezing their ankles seemed like a mere illusion. ¡°Since when?¡± Although it was ackluster remark, Jang Beom-hee immediately understood and lowered her head. ¡°When you returned home, Gyu-baek was identally brought along in the trunk.¡± A brief burst of hollowughter made his lower lip tremble. ¡°Beom-hee, even though you know this, you still¡­?¡± ¡°Please, my Lord. You need to rest.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t engage in unnecessary actions.¡± Kwon Chae-woo clenched his incisors tightly and took a threatening step forward. Jang Beom-hee, momentarily faltering at the growling voice, quickly clenched her cold hand and raised her gaze. ¡°¡­Are you afraid, by any chance?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°In case So Lee-yeon might actually wake you up-¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid you¡¯ll realize your body is still bound to So Lee-yeon?¡± His deeply sunken pupils shook uncontrobly. Chapter 186: Chapter 186: ¨C ¡°Did you arrive safely? How¡¯s your body?¡± Lee-yeon sat in the rocking chair, stretching her body. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± She replied to Choo-ja on the phone. In reality, she seemedpletely exhausted. It had only been a few minutes since she met Kwon Chae-woo, and a series of intense disturbances unfolded. Her ears continued to ring from the overwhelming noise. Despite that, as she entrusted her body to the smoothly moving chair, drowsiness gently washed over her. Lee-yeon quietly looked around the room where Gyu-baek had been in such a frenzy. The room had a nostalgic and elegant interior, fitting the autumn season. There was a plush carpet spread out, a bed that seemed too spacious for one person, and sunlight streaming through the generous ss window adorned withce curtains. The dark green wallpaper and the deep-toned wooden furniture added to the atmosphere. It was a charming and refined space. ¡°Did the bird fly away?¡± Gyu-baek said in the background. ¡°He made some strange noises, but thankfully he seemed healthy.¡± She let out a sigh. ¡°Don¡¯t pay too much attention to what Gyu-baek says.¡± ¡°Gyu-baek¡¯s specialty has always been reciting encyclopedic knowledge.¡± ¡°That child is truly a prodigy!¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Even insects have their ways of survival, you know. Gyu-baek, being someone like him, will have a hard time living in this world. But even though he¡¯s not the most capable utensil, he was born with something to hold onto.¡± She smiled mischievously and nodded her head, swinging her foot. The rocking chair moved noticeably. ¡°I hope the baby and Gyu-baek will get along well when the baby is born.¡± As soon as those thoughts crossed her mind, her frozen body seemed to melt under the warmth of the spring sun. ¡°Except for me, my cousins were really close. Even though I didn¡¯t talk about it, I was secretly envious. Whenever someone picked a fight with them, they would stand up for each other without hesitation. And then, they return home covered in dirt¡­¡± Lee-yeon abruptly stopped rocking the chair. ¡°Um¡­ what if that happens to Gyu-baek and this babying? What should I do, Choo-ja? Should I scold them right away or feed them first?¡± In response, heartyughter resonated from the other end of the receiver. It was strange to think that an elementary school child would go to middle school for the sake of their older sibling¡­ Was it because she had just experienced a tumultuous situation and witnessed Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s intimidating nature? Lee-yeon rubbed her arms, feeling a chilling sensation. ¡°¡­We need prenatal education, Choo-ja. It seems like we should focus on education.¡± ¡°Take care of yourself first! Don¡¯t overwork yourself, understood?¡± Choo-ja wanted to stay close to Lee-yeon and offer her support, but with things turning out this way, she couldn¡¯t help but feel worried. Lee-yeon reached out to touch her throbbing forehead but quickly withdrew her hand with a start. ¨C ¡°¡­Are you feeling unsteady?¡± The smile that had been on her face faded in an instant. It was an ambiguous remark, but it seemed like she understood the meaning behind those words. Lee-yeon thought of the man who had be even sharper in her mind. He seemed surprisingly fine despite being more precarious now, filled with far more things than when she had lost her memory and felt empty. ¡°Surprisingly, I was okay.¡± ¨C Really? ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t even have time to be ufortable.¡± Lee-yeon pressed down on her still fearfully pounding heart. Thinking back to the incident where she could only enter the house after the car had been crushed, her tongue involuntarily swirled around her mouth, and a cold sweat broke out. ¡°But I¡¯m actually a bit scared. Kwon Chae-woo, whom I wille to know in the future-¡± The man she loved was like a brief summer heatwave. It had made her suffer intensely, but it didn¡¯t disappear without a trace, even when a cool breeze blew. . However, the more she regretted the absence of that intangible illusion, the more she grew to hate the present Kwon Chae-woo. It was a serious matter. ¡°I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll damage my memories of him.¡± Lee-yeon listened to leaned back against the soft chair as she listed to Choo-ja say, ¨C ¡°Fortunately, you have no gossip for me yet. Not yet.¡± * * * As Lee-yeon looked at the wriggling fish on the te, she struggled to suppress the rising nausea. ¡°Now that we¡¯re all gathered here, it brings back memories.¡± It already felt like something was building up inside her. More than Kwon Ki-seok, who had created this ufortable situation, or even Kwon Chae-woo, who could walk in with an air of arrogance, therge fish still twitching and gasping for breath shocked her. ¡°Miss So Lee-yeon, don¡¯t you think our connection is quite deep by now?¡± ¡°¡­Rather than deep, I think it¡¯s resilient, actually.¡± It would have been better if she hadn¡¯t chewed on herst words. Unfortunately, she was solely focused on the dining table. There were dozens ofrge and small candles in long candlesticks. On the elongated, pure white marble table were individual table mats folded like flowers, neatly arranged napkins, and a set of knives, but strangely, their tidiness seemed out of ce. It was because the lively flopping fishes weremanding attention in front of each of the three individuals. ¡°Is this a boat? What is this¡­! Are you telling me to eat raw fish myself?¡± When Lee-yeon saw the fish with blinking eyes, she lost her appetite. This kind of dinner waspletely new to her in a highly developed, civilized society. Furthermore, Kwon Chae-woo, seated across from her, was staring at her as if peeling offyers, making it impossible for her to find a ce to divert her gaze. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t casually bring it up whether it¡¯s Lee-yeon or our connection. It was all coercion.¡± Kwon Chae-woo, very naturally, gripped the knife and pressed down on the fish¡¯s head as if subduing it. ¡°Chae-woo, at least contracts should be documented.¡± Kwon Ki-seok said meaningfully. ¡°Memories may fade, but records willst forever. Moreover, over the past two years, I¡¯ve had dozens of conversations with Miss So Lee-yeon, and when we first met, I had her handcuffed all night and saw her crying face-¡± -Puff! Kwon Chae-woo, gripping the knife tightly enough to cut into his palm, popped the fish¡¯s eyeball. Chapter 187: Chapter 187: Kwon Chae-woo silently stared at his older brother while repeatedly plunging the knife deeply into the same spot. Though it was just a fish, his hand movements were cold and cruel, aiming precisely for the finishing blow. When the pping tail of the carp on the wooden cutting board finally stopped, a dry smile briefly flickered and disappeared from Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s lips. ¡°Am I making both of you ufortable by any chance?¡± Even though he seemed to be asking with great concern, his eyes contained an undeniable pleasure. It was malicious to ask, knowing well that they had broken up. ¡°Not at all.¡± Lee-yeon shrugged and unfolded the napkin. The fish in front of her, leaping and wriggling, was more perplexing than Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s demanding questions, so she covered it with the napkin. ¡°Well¡­ Do you always eat like this?¡± she asked, hiding her trembling hand under the table. ¡°Or did the trends in wealthy households change without me knowing?¡± she added. Just as Kwon Chae-woo casually stroked his chin, his gaze slowly descended from Yeon¡¯s bundled hair to her earlobe, neck, and the fabric of her clothes. Under the persistent gaze, Lee-yeon clenched her palm tightly beneath the table. Kwon Chae-woo continued to fiddle with the fish¡¯s head, unable to take his eyes off her attire. Inside the suitcase the driver had brought back with a weary face were mainly work clothes. Among the clothes a thoughtful person had prepared, Lee-yeon reluctantly picked one. She wore an elegant ck dress,bing her long hair and tying it halfway. She adorned her earlobe with a small pearl earring that snugly hugged her ear. It felt like she had suddenly transformed, and she hesitantly paced in front of the mirror. Amid such awkwardness, Lee-yeon was simply fidgeting with the fabric of her clothes. As Kwon Chae-woo, who had been vigorously poking the fish, slowed down his touch, his hand suddenly stopped. His reddened eyes kept wandering somewhere on Yeon. ¡°It¡¯s not so much about trends, but rather a meal infused with traditional tastes,¡± Kwon Ki-seok said as he leisurely unbuttoned and rolled up his sleeves, then took hold of the sashimi knife. He disyed remarkable skill as he skillfully filleted the fish, slicing through the belly, extracting the internal organs, and carefully applying the transparent flesh. His attire, impably dressed in a suit with a vest, seemed too perfect as he personally prepared the sashimi. The juxtaposition of the de, his bare hands, and the translucent flesh felt precarious as if they were on the verge of falling apart. Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t help but anxiously watch as if it was a scene that could be shattered at any moment. ¡°Don¡¯t look,¡± a low voice interjected abruptly. Startled, she turned her gaze only to find Kwon Chae-woo ring at her. His face, devoid of expression, felt dry, but his sharp gaze carried an unsettling threat. What? Am I interrupting the preparation of the fish? Even amid this staring contest, Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s monotonous voice continued. ¡°Sometimes, I purposely consume raw food. The second brother didn¡¯t even touch it, and the third brother only sucked the blood and spat it out. As a member of the Kwon family, one must know how to embrace and derive pleasure from the primal. That¡¯s why I asionally test my brothers in this way.¡± Blood had seeped onto the wooden cutting board. ¡°In that sense, Chae-woo has the strongest affinity for the primitive. While I prefer to clean and prepare the flesh before consuming it, Chae-woo has always enjoyed tearing it apart raw since childhood,¡± Kwon Ki-seok exined. In that moment, Lee-yeon felt a pang of unease and nervously bit her lower lip. ¡°But it seems like you¡¯re still not ustomed to it, are you?¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s words were directed not at Lee-yeon, but at Kwon Ki-seok. ¡°¡­!¡± Lee-yeon was taken aback, but the question was aimed at Kwon Ki-seok, not her. ¡°Don¡¯t say that because it¡¯s a w,¡± he said, his eyebrows twitching as he pointed to the fish before him. ¡°Try this, have it cooked.¡± With a natural gesture towards the maid, who had been waiting, a staff member quickly approached as they took away the fish, which had be an unbearable sight for anyone, a sense of calm finally settled in the room. The sashimi knife, slicing through the flesh with a soft sound, grazed the cutting board from time to time. Lee-yeon tightly clenched her fist, unable to bear the life hidden beneath the napkin. She absolutely didn¡¯t want to raise a child in such an environment. ¡°¡­What would happen if they found out I¡¯m pregnant?¡± Even though it was a family matter, her face seemed to grow paler. She longed to return to Hwai-do as soon as the month was over. And then, she would diligently provide the unborn child with nothing but care and nourishment. ¡°Lee-yeon, what are your ns once you return to Hwai-do?¡± Kwon Ki-seok stopped stirring his drink and briefly nced at her. In response to his sudden question, Lee-yeon almost let slip the secret she had nned to keep. She opened her mouth, then awkwardly closed it, forcing a smile. ¡°Well¡­ I should just live an ordinary life like I am now.¡± Kwon Ki-seok slowly moved his jaw, swallowing something down. ¡°Dating, marriage, having children¡­ Is that what you mean by an ordinary life?¡± Her hand, which was about to grasp the crystal ss, flinched. ¡°Yes¡­ Well¡­ I hope I can meet a good person and live happily.¡± Chapter 188: Chapter 188: Lee-yeon mechanically let out words that could havee straight out of a textbook. Her feet felt itchy for some reason, and she inexplicably broke out in a cold sweat. She wished the focus had shifted more toward dating and marriage than discussing children. ¡°I have taken care of all the necessary paperwork, so even if you remarry, it will be like a first marriage,¡± Kwon Ki-seok stated. ¡°Oh, yes¡­ Th-thank you¡­?¡± Lee-yeon replied, her voice trembling slightly. ¡°And if there is anything you need for your fresh start, feel free to ask.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± He set the knife down and settled deeply into his chair. ¡°If you want to dig into a man¡¯s past, go on an adventure, or explore your true nature.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s eyebrows twitched in a way that wasn¡¯t quite a smile or a cry. ¡°I apologize, but it seems that Lee-yeon has a discerning eye for men. As someone who once bound and tormented Lee-yeon, I feel a sense of responsibility,¡± Kwon Ki-seok confessed. She let out a dry cough. ¡°And if you happen to fall for another troublesome guy, that would truly be a waste of time. So, if you ever feel unsure about someone in the future, feel free to seek assistance.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s something Chae-woo is good at,¡± Kwon Ki-seok said, nodding toward Lee-yeon, who was sitting slumped in a bored manner. Was it the brittle silence that came first, or did Chae-woo burst intoughter first? No matter how she looked at it, an impure smile was stitched onto Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face like a surgical scar. He nodded his head and continued to chuckle intermittently. ¡°That¡¯s right, Lee-yeon. Just talk.¡± His gently inclined head carried a strong sense of favor. However¨C ¡°I¡¯ll even draw the appearance of that bastard, Oh, Hwang Jo-yoon for example.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Lee-yeon was startled. ¡°So, I mean, you should definitely talk to me.¡± He clenched his teeth, his eyes promising danger to whoever would attempt to marry Lee-yeon. Just then, the perfectly cooked fish arrived, emitting a savory aroma. With skilled hands, Kwon Chae-woo swiftly removed the fish bones as if straightening a spine. Setting aside the cleanly lifted bones, he then carefully picked out the small, inconspicuous thorns one by one with precise chopstick movements. Having finished the task instantly, he naturally pushed the te of fish towards Lee-yeon. ¡°Eat.¡± His voice was firm. Though he had previously stared at people so intently it was rude, now he didn¡¯t even make eye contact. ¡°I-I don¡¯t want to.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes trembled at the corner. It was something he always did on the warm dining table, but now an unpleasant feeling spread through her heart. A sense of refusal surged within Lee-yeon. ¡°You eat it, then.¡± She replied. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If you did it, then you should eat it. Why should I trust something you offer? I already must be cautious about the food I eat¡­¡± ¡°Then do you want to eat the fish innards?¡± He suddenly raised his eyes and spoke, breaking his silence. Lee-yeon hesitated momentarily, but no matter how you looked at it, the beautifully prepared fish didn¡¯t feel like hers. ¡°But this is for you-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t eat meals when you¡¯re around, constantly pestering me.¡± The maid standing nearby pulled the te closer to Lee-yeon. If Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s paleplexion was any indication, the im of not feeling well was not a lie, and hisplexion had grown even paler than before. Despite the tantalizing aroma of the savory grilled fish, he crinkled his nose and only sought water. However, even the water seemed to stay in his mouth without taking more than a few sips. Then, with a pained expression as if swallowing poison, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed. It seemed like he was dividing and reluctantly passing it down his throat. ¡°By the way, Lee-yeon, there will be an annual ceremony at the main house soon.¡± Kwon Ki-seok announced. It was while she was silently observing the steaming grilled fish. As the topic shifted to work, she immediately turned her head, and she could hear a hissing sound from nearby. ¡°The garden management team will provide assistance, but there is a possibility that you¡¯ll have to oversee the site personally.¡± ¡°Yes, please leave it to me.¡± Yes, talking about work is better. Lee-yeon focused her mind with a newfound sense offort. ¡°If you drive to the back of the main house, there is a cottage.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Tomorrow, take a visit. The garden there needs to be cleared and rented.¡± ¡°Such arge-scale project?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as she had only considered tending to existing trees, not expecting such a significant undertaking. ¡°We must create a new ambiance to fit the event¡¯s atmosphere. I trust your eye for choosing the right trees. With your skills, we will be satisfied, Lee-yeon. Unexpectedly, Kwon Chae-woo muttered profanity under his breath. When the gazes of the two brothers collided in silence, a long and heavy silence seemed to weigh down on Lee-yeon¡¯s shoulders. ¡°If it¡¯s Lee-yeon, she¡¯ll choose trees people would love to touch.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± What did he just say? She doubted her own ears and stiffened in confusion. ¡°A garden that entices, allures, and discreetly conceals people would be ideal.¡± ¡°Um, excuse me¡­ I may have misunderstood. Could you please rify what kind of event it is?¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s gaze fixated on a point near Lee-yeon¡¯s ear. He casually wiped the dirty knife up and down as he smirked. ¡°An outdoor sex party.¡± Chapter 189: Chapter 189: Living as a married woman is said to be three years of deafness, three years of muteness, and three years of serving as a maid. And Lee-yeon was in the midst ofmenting that managing Kwon¡¯s garden was not much different from her old days of being married. In the upper-ss mansions, all sorts of abnormal activities were urring, things ordinary people couldn¡¯t even imagine. There were secret societies divided into sex parties, hunting gatherings, and drug parties. It was all part of the pleasure crimes orchestrated by the Kwon family, with many domestic figures who had learned such practices from foreign high societies attending inrge numbers, as Lee-yeon had heard from the garden management team¡¯s employees. ¡°Sigh¡­ It¡¯s driving me crazy!¡± Lee-yeon sped her head with both hands, looking at the empty space she had to fill in front of her. Just the loosely gathered list of attendees included influential figures in society, such as the director of the National Intelligence Service, the director of a university hospital, the Minister of Justice, a spokesperson for a political party, the CEO of a constructionpany, a vice chairman of a conglomerate, a prestigious university professor, and famous celebrities. Lee-yeon¡¯s mouth hung open in disbelief. A garden for sex? She was still in a state of shock from her employer¡¯s absurd instructions. She couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of despair and let out a sigh. But it¡¯s just one month, only one month. She had to focus on safely escaping from this ce with Gyu-baek. She lightly tapped her t belly and murmured. ¡°Mom will secretly take good care of you¡­¡± As Lee-yeon looked at the spacious yard, she envisioned the garden gradually, and her face began to flush with color. * * * Sitting at the outdoor table, Kwon Chae-woo was gazing absentmindedly at the figure of Lee-yeon, who had fallen asleep beside him. She became more vivid as the nights grew longer with his inability to sleep. Brushing her hand with his thumb, he felt a peculiar sensation that was neither warm nor cold but something in between. Compared to the touch of Lee-yeon¡¯s skin, which he had eagerly explored with his hands and lips, the sensation of the apparition was even more ephemeral. Yet, like a restless child clinging to a security nket, Kwon Chae-woo seemed reluctant to let go of her hand. ¡°Won¡¯t you be afraid that you¡¯ll realize your body is still bound to Lee-yeon?¡± At the sudden intrusion of Jang Beom-hee¡¯s voice into his ears, a sense of unfamiliarity gripped him. Me, afraid? A hollowughter escaped his smooth lips. He had avoided sleep to the point of obsession. Just the thought of Lee-yeon brought forth a sharp animosity, like thorns. It was amusing and shameful that he used to entrust his mornings to such a woman. As a natural course of action, Kwon Chae-woopletely denied any connection with her. However, Jang Beom-hee¡¯s ambush prated his defenses, exposing his heart. It was the sound of something that Kwon Chae-woo had firmly believed in crumbling, causing constant difort and discord. He pressed his index finger firmly against his creased forehead. ¡°Somehow, it feels like your face is getting gaunter by the day.¡± Kwon Ki-seok, who was sitting across from him, flipped through his tablet, and casually remarked, ¡°I heard you skipped another meal today.¡± ¡°¡­What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Just like you, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re just here to sunbathe.¡± Kwon Ki-seok, who had been fixated on his tablet the whole time, nced at him briefly. ¡°Chae-woo, maybe you should bring in a woman or someone to bring some bnce to this ce.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kwon Chae-woo furrowed his brows in annoyance. It was a remark that could easily elicit a sarcastic chuckle upon reconsideration. . It was even more so if he imagined the hunting dogs that followed Kwon Ki-seok, always reporting the same things. Kwon Ki-seok had no woman in his life. No official woman, no hidden woman, no woman with whom he had regr or irregr sexual rtions. It was a reclusive disposition considering that he was just approaching his forties. Therefore, it was truly an absurd statement. ¡°If you can bring someone, go ahead and bring them.¡± As Kwon Chae-woo raised his lips, Kwon Ki-seok turned his head to gaze at a certain spot in the garden. It was unusual for him to fix his gaze so intently, which made Kwon Chae-woo also look in that direction. ¡°¡­!¡± There, the real Lee-yeon was crossing the garden with a foldabledder tucked under her side. The moment the man realized this; he felt a wave of unease. Kwon Chae-woo forcefully kicked the table leg, causing the tablet to fall to the ground. Only after Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s stony gaze returned did the previously tangled tension slightly ease. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± A subtle smile appeared and vanished on Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s lips in response to the sharp question. ¡°While Lee-yeon maybe someone who makes your heart flutter, for me, she¡¯s someone who has helped fulfill our family¡¯s wishes, so naturally, she holds a special ce.¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face turned cold in an instant. The ambivalent and alienating emotions weren¡¯t solely directed at Lee-yeon. Chapter 190: Chapter 190: In the first ce, rejecting one¡¯s own family and following a kidnapper were fundamental contradictions within Kwon Chae-woo himself. Being trapped in such gray areas always felt precarious, as if standing on a shaky bridge, making him appear distorted as a human being. Feeling suffocated by the disrupted bnce, Kwon Chae-woo realized the need to confront it again. ¡°If you¡¯ve stolen something, you should know that eventually, your belongings might get stolen too.¡± Unexpectedly, Kwon Ki-seok met his gaze directly and murmured. It was unclear to whom he was speaking, but an inner impulse surged within Kwon Chae-woo, making his heart throb. When he returned to his senses, he noticed that the front seat was now empty, and Kwon Chae-woo immediately erased his expression and dialed Jang Beom-hee¡¯s number. A mysterious intuition had heightened his alertness. ¨C Yes, Master. ¡°¡­.¡± ¨C Master? Coincidentally, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s gaze was stolen by the sound of cheerful scissor-cuttinging from Lee-yeon, who was standing on the foldingdder. She was skillfully trimming the branches, and every time Lee-yeon twisted her waist or moved her arms even slightly, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s fingers trembled involuntarily, his face expressionless. While the harmless (apparition) Lee-yeon continued to sleep, the Lee-yeon that provoked him remained active, wielding scissors. Kwon Chae-woo sshed water on his tired face as if performing a dry ritual. If it were true that Lee-yeon was the bait, then Kwon Chae-woo would be trying to catch it, not Kwon Ki-seok. His ultimate goal as the eldest son, who had recovered the lost youngest sibling, punished the kidnapper, and rallied the family with duty and responsibility, would be the aching finger of the Kwon family, the embodiment of vengeance. It¡¯s always Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s will that prevails. Kwon Chae-woo decided to follow his instincts as a man, something he had never doubted before. ¡°Yoon Joo-ha¡­¡± A low, husky voice flowed out. The grudge between his parents and Yoon Joo-ha had been valid and fair, leaving no room for further doubts. So now¡­ ¡°I need to find out about Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s rtionship.¡± Even with his wavering gaze, he continued to stare persistently at Lee-yeon in the distance. Instead of rushing in like a wild horse as he did on the first day, he only sent nces toward Lee-yeon as if observing her. Lee-yeon grew increasingly uneasy. *** Grumble¡­ grumble¡­ ¡°Ah¡­¡± Lee-yeon, who had been staring at the pattern on the ceiling wallpaper, sighed and stood up. She couldn¡¯t fall asleep because she was extremely hungry. Ignoring her half-hearted attempt at a meal, her heart continued to race, urging her on like a wild horse until the food lodged in her mind was resolved. Even though she wasn¡¯t usually someone with a strong appetite, perhaps due to the influence of pregnancy, it was difficult for her to resist the impulse to the point that tears welled up if she couldn¡¯t have it. The crispy scrambled eggs and tangy cherry tomatoes. Just the thought of the softly cooked eggs melting in her mouth made her salivate. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Having imagined the savory vor and refreshing juiciness multiple times, she finally extended her legs out of bed. However, when she stopped by the kitchen in the main house where she currently resides and opened the refrigerator¡­ ¡°Ugh¡­ My eggs!¡± Of all things, the eggspartments were empty. Feeling anxious, she wandered around the kitchen and impulsively decided to go outside. She didn¡¯t want to be caught eating something at such ate hour, but it should be fine if it was the servants¡¯ quarters. With a rough idea of the mansion¡¯syout, Lee-yeon stealthily moved her steps. ¡°Where are you going like a rat?¡± ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Lee-yeon turned around, pressing her hand against her chest. ¡°You almost scared me!¡± She scolded the person behind her, shouting in surprise. ¡°What almost scared you?¡± In response to the emotionless inquiry, Lee-yeon shook her head and said, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing.¡± She bit her lip, suppressing her pounding heart. She couldn¡¯t hide her surprise, her eyes not showing any signs of beingposed. ¡°I asked where you were going on a night like this, Lee-yeon.¡± Kwon Chae-woo, dressedfortably, looked at her with half-lowered, sleepy eyes. ¡°¡­Why does it matter where I go?¡± ¡°If you keep going straight there, do you know what you¡¯ll find?¡± Kwon Chae-woo pointed with a nod of his chin towards the path Lee-yeon was heading. ¡°It¡¯s not just inhabited by ordinary people.¡± Lee-yeon brushed off her forearm at the low and meaningful voice. However, she didn¡¯t retort and abruptly changed direction. Despite having memorized the route during the day, she seemed confused as night fell. ¡°There¡¯s nothing there.¡± Nonchntly, he added without hesitation as he followed along. Ignoring his words, Lee-yeon kept walking, but there seemed no end, no matter how far she went. The only certainty was that this path wasn¡¯t the right one. With a sense of defeat, Lee-yeon tightly held onto the edge of her cardigan. ¡°I¡¯m just saying, I¡¯ll guide you. I won¡¯t let you get lost.¡± He appeared much moreposed in various wayspared to the first day. His breathing, voice, and manner of speaking were calm and steady, without any trace of aggression. Even in the darkness, his unwavering gaze followed her, but still, he seemed remarkably more docile, enough to bring back memories of the past Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°¡­It¡¯s the servants¡¯ quarters.¡± Lee-yeon still refused to meet his gaze. ¡°Why there?¡± ¡°You said you would guide me.¡± As Lee-yeon coolly passed by, Kwon Chae-woo silently followed. The two remained quiet as they searched for the way, but at some point, the man stepped ahead and gently guided Lee-yeon along the path. It was a cool autumn night. Lee-yeon briefly nced at the man¡¯s back filling her field of vision before lowering her head. She only looked at her footsteps as she followed along. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± As Kwon Chae-woo spoke, Lee-yeon raised her head. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Where is this? It wasn¡¯t thisyout before. Just as she was about to turn her head, a firm hand wrapped around her from behind. Under the strong grip, her mouth was shut, and her waist bent. ¡°Uh¡­!¡± As the familiar scent enveloped her, Lee-yeon was lifted as if bound by her body. Perhaps due to the height difference, she effortlessly rose like a ballerina, and her legs dangled in the air. ¡°Uh, uh¡­!¡± ¡°Stay still. I told you I wouldn¡¯t harm you.¡± A low voice scratched her ear. The tone sounded polite, but there was a hint of sensitivity. ¡°Uh!¡± ¡°Because there¡¯s something I want to confirm.¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s steps as he passed through the dark corridor were leisurely. However, Lee-yeon could feel the rapid heartbeating from their proximity. His muscr arm firmly wrapped around her waist, and his palm supported her just below her chest. ¡°Tonight, all you have to do is sleep with me.¡± Lee-yeon felt suffocated by the force that imprisoned her. Chapter 191: Chapter 191: Lee-yeon was lifted as if she were a mere piece of cardboard when she entered the room, only to find the door swiftly locked behind her. Kwon Chae-woo gently ced the frozen Lee-yeon on the cold, hard floor. ¡°Surprised?¡± he asked with a hint of amusement. ¡°W-What are you doing?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s voice trembled as fear and confusion gripped her heart. The sensation of his strong arms holding her felt all too real. She desperately tried to wriggle free, tugging at her top, but her attempts were futile. If anything, the heat emanating from his body only made her situation more ufortable. ¡°Let go of me¡­! I¡¯m leaving!¡± Lee-yeon demanded, her voice shaky but defiant. ¡°Is it your pride that stops you from uttering my name?¡± Kwon Chae-woo inquired, his gaze steady and intense. ¡°I already told you to let go.¡± Her words wereced with both fear and determination.t was dark, and her mouth hurt from being held down by him. ¡°If you sleep with me one night.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Lee-yeon. I was notifying you. I wasn¡¯t asking for your permission.¡± The man lifted her up again, walked across the living room and put her on the white sheet. The way he was holding her was basically like a cage. She leaned on her elbow and stood up straight. ¡°I¡¯m going to breathe like a nt.¡± His voice was very fatigued. He was also saying something familiar. ¡°I¡¯ll be like old husband if you want as well.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Her eyes shed for a moment. Because it touched where it hurts for her. ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t pretend! Just act like how you are, mean and cruel. That¡¯s better. How dare you mention my husband¡­ I won¡¯t forgive you!¡± Lee-yeon panted to the point where her neck got red. She loved him to best of her ability even though she was frightened, lost him, and even buried him. She went nuts as he was attempting to unlock all of that from her. ¡°Even if you try to act like him, you¡¯re not the same so don¡¯t even bother. I was being fooled on purpose at the time, it wasn¡¯t like you were doing a good job acting. You¡¯re not even close to Kwon Chae-woo¡­!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Just because you look the same doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re the same person.¡± Her eyes were full of hatred. It was like she was ring at her mortal enemy that killed her husband. Kwon Chae-woo frowned and mumbled, ¡°¡­ My husband.¡± He looked like he was longing for her, yet he still frowned. His eyes became focused again. He was realizing that he never received love from Lee-yeon as the hunting dog of the Kwon family. They were basically meeting for the first time in this situation. But even so, it hurt him as she called him Kwon Chae-woo. Kwon Chae-woo. It stuck in his mouth. She wasn¡¯t calling him that, and it just proved her love for her ex-husband, but it still made him want to suck on her sweet tongue that much. When she called, the idiot¡¯s desire, no, his own desire boiled hard. Kwon Chae-woo lowered his tone even more. ¡°It¡¯s just one night.¡± ¡°Just what do you¡ªNo, never mind. I can guess.¡± She frowned. But she couldn¡¯t let him do whatever he wanted. ¡°I¡¯m done with you. I¡¯m sorry, but the forest princess is buried.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So I¡¯m telling you I have nothing to do with you. If you really need someone, go look for her.¡± ¡°What can I do to make you sleep with me?¡± She scoffed. ¡°You think that¡¯s possible?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll tie you?¡± ¡°Sure you¡ªwhat?¡± Kwon Chae-woo quickly squeezed Lee-yeon¡¯s legs with his thigh, then tied her wrist to the head of the bed with an stic band. He was so fast; then he was done while Lee-yeon nked out. Lee-yeon started struggling after. ¡°W, wait, are you insane?¡± ¡°I told you it was an ultimatum.¡± ¡°You really have no manners.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Lee-yeon was angry at this nonchnt answer. ¡°No, I think you don¡¯t know. You¡¯re so selfish. You¡¯re the one who destroyed my pride by saying you don¡¯t need me anymore.¡± Lee-yeon eximed, her emotions running high. Kwon Chae-woo couldn¡¯t meet her gaze and looked away. ¡°Then now you say you want to check again, so you kidnap me?¡± ¡°I was¡ª¡° ¡°You¡¯re not human!¡± As she screamed, frustration boiled within her. Meanwhile, the more foolish side of Kwon Chae-woo wanted to apologize for all the pain he had caused her. Yet, he resisted the urge to spill everything he wanted to say. His suspicions lingered, preventing him from opening uppletely. ¡°¡­ Stop and sleep.¡± He brushed her forehead like trying to calm an angry pet. ¡°Sleep and then¡ª¡° ¡°How can I? I wanted to eat!¡± Lee-yeon finally started to tear up. It only took a moment to sway her emotion. She was more sad than angry now. ¡°Why do I have to hang out with you¡­.! I also have a need that I need to fulfill! But why do you keep getting in the way? I was really desperate!¡± Kwon Chae-woo then grabbed her chin and looked at her. ¡°Who did you want to eat?¡± He sounded cold. ¡°What?¡± Chapter 192: Chapter 192: ¡°Is that why you want to the attendee¡¯s room in the middle of the night? Because you had a desperate need?¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong, but it sounded weird. As Lee-yeon just nkly stared at him, he added. ¡°Which bastard was it? Ah¨C. Was it that one? The stupid one that said he¡¯d lift thedder? Or the one that chatted with you when you were eating?¡± He looked upset. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t eat whatever just because you¡¯re desperate.¡± ¡°W, what are you¡ª¡° ¡°Just starve then, Lee-yeon.¡± ¡­ Starve? Staarve? Lee-yeon shouted before she could think calmly. ¡°I¡¯m already pissed off that I can¡¯t go and eat, so why do I have to starve! I came out of the house because there was nothing to eat there. I came out secretly because I couldn¡¯t wake up Kwon Ki-seok to feed me¡ª¡° ¡°Wake up Kwon Ki-seok?¡± He cut her off. ¡°Just what did you want to fill to wake Kwon Ki-seok?¡± His hot hand touched her stomach. She flinched. ¡°Lee-yeon, exin well. There¡¯s only us here.¡± He spoke creepily. She could smell his strong scent as his vicious face came to her. But it only made her hungrier. Kwon Chae-woo bit Lee-yeon¡¯s ear. He sucked on it and then started to chew on it. ¡°Where is that thing that was hanging here?¡± His breath touched her sensitive side. ¡°W, w, what are you doing¡­!¡± I wanted to rip off that earringst time.¡± She blushed and hit his shoulders, but it was no use. ¡°You never did anything like that before.¡± ¡°D, don¡¯t chew¡­! Don¡¯t make an eating sound! W, why do you only chew? I also want my tomato¡­!¡± Her emotion was jumping everywhere. She couldn¡¯t control it. It was like her switch to control it was gone. So she started crying before she could say anything. ¡°I, I also was going to eat! Juice, juice too¡­!¡± ¡°Juice? What juice?¡± He pulled her crying face. Their nose touched. ¡°I want two eggs¡­ I just wanted two eggs and can eat them without a word.¡± ¡°Of course, those bastards also have something simr between their legs, fuck I also have eggs too.¡± ¡°You¡¯re already expired¡­ I just want to mix milk with egg and ¨C¡° ¡°I probably have that as well.¡± ¡°Noooo, not your balls¡­! Eggs, eggs! I want to mix it with milk and make scrambled eggs! I want scrambled egg and tomato!¡± Lee-yeon started to cover her empty stomach and bawling, and Kwon Chae-woo, all flustered, lifted her up and wrapped her in a nket. ¡°You kidnapped me and didn¡¯t even feed me¡­ You guys aren¡¯t even human.¡± One part of the mattress was pushed down heavily, and familiar warmth approached her. Lee-yeon¡¯s stomach felt nauseated from the d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Kwon Chae-woo flinched a bit and put his ears to her stomach. The sound of her stomach growling could be heard. He bit his lips while getting up. ¡°Where are you going with me tied up!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring it.¡± ¡°Bring what?¡± ¡°Scrambled egg and tomato, and what else?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lee-yeon stopped crying. Instead, she started salivating. ¡°Orange juice¡­¡± ¡°Orange juice.¡± He kicked the door. ¡°Open.¡± It seemed like someone was on guard in front of the door as it swung open. A littleter, a wide te full of scrambled egg, freshly washed cherry tomato, and orange juice came in with Kwon Chae-woo. Lee-yeon had her wrist free as she ate as much as possible and somehow fell asleep, and the man who was watching her also fell asleep. *** Next morning. Kwon Chae-woo opened his eyes to the morning sunlight. The first thing that came to his eyes was sleeping So Lee-yeon. He woke up. The birds were singing outside. That simple and clear fact hit him, and Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face became cold. He took a piece of egg off Lee-yeon¡¯s mouth and put it into his mouth. He sighed annoyingly. He could feel that he lost this war. *** When did I fall asleep? She was on alert in Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s room, yet she fell asleep casually. She couldn¡¯t sleep well when she came to the Kwon family house, yet she passed outst night. When she opened her eyes, the thing that was hitting her wasn¡¯t morning sunshine but Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s eyes. The morning sunlight through the curtain, fresh air, warm nket. And the weight that was so familiar. Lee-yeon was back in the small house in Hwaido at that moment. Chae-woo. I had a bizarre dream. It felt like she also reached out in the dream. As she smiled at Kwon Chae-woo, he suddenly became stern. Lee-yeon suddenly came back to her senses at that small change. If he were her actual husband, he would¡¯ve smiled instead. Lee-yeon ran from the door, and Kwon Chae-woo didn¡¯t stop her. It was different fromst night. She brushed down her pale face and med it on her hormones. Chapter 193: Chapter 193: ¡°¡­ Director! He¡¯s here!¡± She was thinking about this unexpected morning when someone interrupted her thought. It was one of the members of the garden team. Kwon Ki-seok got off the ck sedan, and Kwon Chae-woo got off the bike. He was wearing a leather jacket and brushed off his wet hair. Lee-yeon was ufortable seeing him in the daylight, but she stood up straight. Today was an important day to show thepleted garden for the first time. Lee-yeon nodded to Kwon Ki-seok and led them through. ¡°The flower words for camellia is secretive love.¡± The red camellia tree was lined up like a weing crew. She intentionally dropped the red petals at the bottom of the trees to make it look fancier. It was the beginning of the enjoyment. A wide garden opened as they exited a small camellia tree forest. Kwon Ki-seok looked around, but Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s attention was only to one person. She felt his stare, but she tried her best to ignore it and only focused on her employer¡¯s reaction. Kwon Ki-seok looked around and then smiled mysteriously. ¡°It feels odd. Quite explicit too.¡± ¡°That is a boulder looking like¡­ penis.¡± Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t help butment. ¡°Yes, it looks like that.¡± It wasn¡¯t like she wanted a response, but she blushed. ¡°That¡¯s a penis tree that we got from Yeosu. As you can see¡­ It looks the same.¡± Kwon Ki-seok looked interested. ¡°That¡¯s a silver magnolia that grows on the ind, and it¡¯s shaped like that sometimes as its bark is clean. Hm, I searched hard.¡± Lee-yeon didn¡¯t forget to appeal herself. The silver magnolia that is nicknamed the penis tree looked like a man¡¯s two legs and penis. It was a big beautiful tree, so it was most noticeable. ¡°There was a hugging tree and the evergreen that looked like it¡¯s having sex.¡± ¡°So Lee-yeon, are you unwell?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Your neck is so red.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Hope you won¡¯t faint exining all this.¡± Kwon Ki-seok whispered as he passed Lee-yeon. Lee-yeon scratched her ear, and Kwon Chae-woo red at her like he wanted to scrape something off her corbones. Lee-yeon flinched but never looked at him. She just continued to exin on. ¡°This is a rattan. Its flower word is wee.¡± Lee-yeon opened the rattan¡¯s flower like a curtain. ¡°And this is a pin oak that¡¯s good at absorbing noise. It acts like a divider.¡± Kwon Ki-seok scoffed. ¡°So Lee-yeon, you¡¯re very proactive.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Never mind. Continue.¡± ¡°¡­ This is a chestnut tree.¡± They were standing in front of a white chestnut tree. ¡°Yes, I was wondering the smell of cum wasing from.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Lee-yeon flinched as he said words that didn¡¯t suit him. She continued to make excuses, wondering if it was her client¡¯s firstint. ¡°Uh¡­ It doesn¡¯t seem that bad¡­¡± Kwon Ki-seok looked at her. ¡°Did you smell it?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°You sounded like you knew well.¡± ¡°Well, no¡­¡± ¡°I was asking because your standard was a bit odd.¡± Lee-yeon nced at Kwon Chae-woo out of embarrassment. Kwon Chae-woo locked his hands behind his hand and frowned. He looked annoyed about this meeting, unlike Kwon Ki-seok. ¡°¡­ I nted while calcting it all. I thought it was ok.¡± ¡°Is that a reasonable standard?¡± She couldn¡¯t say anything. Standard? Standard¡­ She looked around again. When her eyes met Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s, his eyebrow raised. Lee-yeon quickly looked down. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I chose it using my own judgment, but if you want me to change it¡ª¡± ¡°Ki-seok, why are you acting like this to a tree doctor?¡± Kwon Chae-woo spoke at that moment. ¡°Lee-yeon¡¯s standard is so young that that can¡¯t even be considered bad smelling.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s tried her best to keep her mouth shut. ¡°You¡¯re also too old.¡± Kwon Chae-woo retaliated. There was a silence that she couldn¡¯t break. Lee-yeon blinked fast and tried her best to move. She felt the heat on her forehead as well. Even so, she pointed like she didn¡¯t hear anything. She stopped in front of every single flower. ¡°Snapdragon¡¯s flower word is greed. Snum Japanese is ¡®I can¡¯t hold back¡¯¡­¡± She introduced a couple more flowers after too. The flowers were all blossoming nicely, and their light color made the atmosphere thicker. All the flowers she picked were all wild. ¡°The flower shaped¡­¡± Kwon Ki-seok looked down. Kwon Chae-woo kicked his tongue. ¡°Flowers are also genital.¡± Lee-yeon flinched as she walked in front of them. ¡®Lee-yeon, I heard that flowers were genitals, then won¡¯t need another flower.¡± The Kwon Chae-woo of that day pulled Lee-yeon and put her on top of his face. He grabbed her butt while putting his tongue into her. She felt like she was being crushed, and something was being poured out of her. The thought of that suddenly hit her. ¡®W, what¡¯s going on¡­¡¯ The Kwon Chae-woo, in her memory, pulled down his pants and underwear and took out his penis. He grabbed her legs, spread them, and put the head of his penis on her. ¡°¡­!¡± Lee-yeon shook her head and tapped on her cheeks. Her ears red up. ¡°This is called mountain halibut, and the uniqueness is that its penis, no, petals¡ª¡° She didn¡¯t even know what she was babbling. She wished this would end quickly. ¡°Thest flower is flower poppy.¡± Lee-yeon mumbled. ¡°Unlike normal poppy, this doesn¡¯t have any drugs. But the poppy that has drug¡­ You shouldn¡¯t farm it, no matter what the reason is. If you do and get caught, it¡¯s less than five years or 50 million won or less fine¡­¡± Someone scoffed as they seemed to find it funny. She remembered that they usually make the rules rather than follow them. Even so, Lee-yeon didn¡¯t want to forget her normal life. It felt like it was going to faint. ¡°You¡¯re more so than¡­.¡± Kwon Ki-seok looked at Lee-yeon oddly. He stopped talking like he was thinking about something then started talking again. ¡°So Lee-yeon, would you like to attend the party tonight?¡± ¡°¡­ Pardon?¡¯ ¡°You be curious about the chef when you eat something delicious. They¡¯re all well-endowed about galleries and exhibitions, so they might want to hear your exnation.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± As Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t answer his sudden request, Kwon Chae-woo pushed down on his brother¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t act so high and mighty. They¡¯re only after our connection. She doesn¡¯t need toe.¡± And his sharp re came to her like a warning. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± That night, the guests started to arrive. *** ¡°Try this!¡± The youngest of the administrative team brought a handful of chickens, and all those working came. Even she started to move after sitting on the chair nkly. Lee-yeon was yawning, yet she was still trying the chicken. Even though she was eating chicken, she felt like something wascking. Thankfully morning sickness seemed to be not her problem, but this wasn¡¯t enough. ¡®This isn¡¯t it¡­ I just want¡­!¡± She suddenly remembered what she wanted as she salivated. What Lee-yeon wanted was a simple home-cooked meal. Warm rice and a normal side dish. But the problem was that, like how pregnant women want theirte mom¡¯s cooking, she wanted her dead husband¡¯s cooking. She was disappointed as it seemed impossible. She was chewing chicken automatically while thinking about a normal home-cooked breakfast on the side. There was a sound from the radio. ¡°Director, Director So Lee-yeon¨C!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± One of the members handed her the radio. ¡°The security wants something removed from the garden?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°They say something is wrong with one of the trees and wanted it fixed¡­¡± Lee-yeon quickly swallowed her food and took the radio. ¡°It¡¯s So Lee-yeon. What¡¯s the problem with the tree?¡± Chapter 194: Chapter 194: The midnight vi, where Lee-yeon arrived once again, was vastly different during the day and night. As Lee-yeon passed through the camellia forest, now even more mysterious with added lights, she tightly clutched the king¡¯s silk bag. Amongst the leaves, a vi akin to a wild revelry slowly revealed itself. There were naked men, naked women, and masked individuals casually serving, while some were already entwined with others. As Lee-yeon exited the entrance, she almost stumbled over an intertwined couple. ¡°¡­.!¡± She was startled and quickly averted her gaze, but no matter where she looked, the scene was not much different from what she had seen on the news or in movies ¨C familiar faces all around. In the middle of the night, two congressmen, who became famous for their violent behavior in the National Assembly, were seenughing and sharing drinks. They had loosened their ties, exposing their bare chests, and were wandering around barefoot, stumbling with their bellies out. Lee-yeon felt a strange tightening in her throat asughter echoed from all directions. This ce was a deep, hidden cave where no one could find them, a night of wild revelry for beasts to indulge in their debauchery. She silently followed the security guard assigned to guide her. Inside, a faint sense of difort surged, and she lowered her gaze. When they arrived, she noticed broken branches strewn all around. And it wasn¡¯t just one or two; there were many. ¡°We receivedints about it being disturbing, so we were asked to clear it up.¡± The security guard who had been guiding her from the entrance spoke gruffly. ¡°Some have fractures.¡± Lee-yeon examined the torn area and furrowed her brow. ¡°Why on earth are the branches broken like this? I can¡¯t understand¡­.¡± ¡°It seems like they were hanging on with too much force.¡± ¡°Just going over there, there¡¯s an abundance of alcohol. Isn¡¯t it ridiculous for someone not even a child to y by grabbing tree branches?¡± Lee-yeon picked up a fallen branch and grumbled while holding it. ¡°It wasn¡¯t too high, which was perfect. It felt like good support when legs are dangling in the air.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Forget it if you didn¡¯t catch that.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lee-yeon blinked her eyes and blushed as she briefly recalled the nature of this party. So, while someone was holding onto tree branches for support, what was happening beneath them¡­ Abe, Abe! Frantically, Lee-yeon opened her king¡¯s silk bag and assembled the torn pieces with metal fasteners. A little whileter, the security guard received another message on his radio and apologized before leaving her alone. Lee-yeon remained engrossed in her work even after he was gone. ¡°Phew¡­.¡± I¡¯m sorry, I brought you here for no reason. You didn¡¯t have to go through this trouble¡­ Lee-yeon took a deep breath, gently stroked the tree trunk, and organized her tools that had been spread out. At that moment, a group caught Lee-yeon¡¯s eye as they approached with hunched shoulders and craning necks. They were all a well-groomed group of men and women, but among them was Kwon Chae-woo. He looked significantly younger than the others, giving the impression of youthfulness beyond anyone else in the group. Lee-yeon unconsciously tried to guess Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s age. Around twenty-eight? The realization hit her that he was still in his twenties. She had mistakenly added four more years to his age, and it bothered her. She absentmindedly scratched the end of her eyebrow. Amidst the party, where people leaned against each other, and the drinks andughter flowed endlessly, Kwon Chae-woo stood out naturally, yet seemed somewhat alone. Opening and closing a silver lighter with a lid, he covered one ear, appearing unusually sensitive. He was the only one in this chaotic atmosphere who buttoned his shirt to the top. At that moment, a woman with a mischievous expression pushed a man down and buried her face in his neck. The crowd whistled andughed as if they were watching a sports match. The woman showered affection on one man while piercingly staring at another man seated on the couch. The atmosphere was extremely bizarre. The venue, where the dinner party didn¡¯t shy away from disying affection, felt like evidence of not cing much importance on sex. There was an insurmountable gap between Lee-yeon, who embraced life like a tree, and those who broke branches and yed around without a care. Young Master Kwon Chae-woo. That was the true side of him that Lee-yeon was unaware of. The woman in an evening dress sat beside Kwon Chae-woo, moving her lips with a mysterious smile. His aimless gaze, which had been drifting around, slowly returned to her. Watching that unfamiliar face, Lee-yeon felt an odd sensation in her mouth. The more she witnessed Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s life, the more pitiful the pieces she buried became. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± However, Lee-yeon¡¯s self-reflection was instantly obliterated by an unexpected moan from behind. ¡°What, what is this?!¡± As soon as she turned her head, she found herself face to face with a man¡¯s bare chest¡­ Chapter 195: Chapter 195: ¡°Oh, my eyes¡­!¡± Lee-yeon caught a glimpse of a man¡¯s ckened buttocks. Just as she was peering over to observe a couple engaged in an intimate moment, she suddenly lowered herself and identally grazed her fingertips against the unfurled pruning shears. The sharp des cut her hand, and she quickly wrapped her bleeding fingers, organizing her bag quickly. Wait, was that the buttocks she saw? All Lee-yeon knew about buttocks was Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s firm and solid ones. Strangely, she kept makingparisons. The night breeze incessantly carried away the sensuous moans. ¡°I found you.¡± At that moment, an unfamiliar voice pierced through like a pir. ¡°Did you find it here? Ah, I¡¯ve been searching for a while.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s body was crouched low when a man approached from her side, bowing his waist. He smiled widely, pleasedly, and his breath reeked of alcohol. ¡°So, you¡¯re the one who designed this garden, right?¡± A foreboding feeling ran down her spine. ¡°I tipped the security team members.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°They all want to see who the interesting gardener is. As soon as those crazy bastards came in, they wereughing their heads off, holding their bellies. Can you believe these guys even put food on people¡¯s bodies and eat it? They seem innocent but have some real mischief in them.¡± Feeling that getting involved would only bring trouble, Lee-yeon quickly grabbed her king¡¯s silk bag and tried to stand up. At the same time, the rxed man caught her hand and began pulling her along. ¡°Hey, let go of me¡­!¡± The man¡¯s cheerful footsteps were apanied by a hummed tune. Lee-yeon attempted to twist her hand free, but his grip was surprisingly strong. However, it wasn¡¯t an unexpected turn of events. The moment she smelled alcohol from him, she knew words wouldn¡¯t be enough to reason with him. Lee-yeon clenched her teeth and firmly smacked his back with the sturdy king¡¯s silk bag. ¡°Let go!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± She followed up with a forceful kick to his calf. But, instead of a pained expression, a thick grin appeared on the man¡¯s face. ¡°What should I do? Today seems like it¡¯ll be really fun.¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°As expected, the gardener¡¯s mask will suit you well this year.¡± He uttered iprehensible words and suddenly ced the mask on Lee-yeon¡¯s face. In an instant, her vision narrowed, and she felt suffocated. Without realizing it, she had stepped into the garden¡¯s bustling center. She involuntarily let go of the king¡¯s silk bag and tried to remove the mask. ¡°Attention, everyone, attention!¡± All eyes were fixated on Lee-yeon, or rather, on the mask. Their gazes swept over her from head to toe as if dissecting her inch by inch. Her hand, attempting to take off the mask, froze. The cacophony of noise suddenly hushed, sending shivers down her spine. Something didn¡¯t feel right. For the first time since she arrived here, she felt a cold gust of wind. Terrified to reveal her face, she tightly bit her lips. And then, through the hole in the mask, she saw Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The man, touching his temples and chin with his fingers, suddenly furrowed his brow. He gradually straightened his posture and firmly turned his tilted head. His previously sluggish face turned chillingly sharp, and a vivid smile clung to his lips like a trace. This gradual transformation was apparent even through a single hole in the ant nest. ¡°Could it be¡­ did he recognize my work clothes?¡± In no time, Kwon Chae-woo, like everyone else, scanned Lee-yeon¡¯s body. The only difference was that he lingered on her hand, firmly held by someone, the index and middle fingers bleeding, and her trembling legs. His jaw muscle bulged momentarily, and Kwon Chae-woo spat into the ss he held. But instead of saliva, a long trail of blood dripped down. His tongue tip, which peeked through for a moment, was so crimson it seemed to be on fire. ¡°Asst year¡¯s winner, I was able to choose,¡± the man with a smile said. Lee-yeon, still under the influence of the man¡¯s smiling charm, reluctantly turned her head. ¡°What on earth have you been saying all this time¡­?¡± ¡°Run away.¡± He said inly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like a game of tag.¡± ¡°W-what¨D¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. It¡¯s not some terrifying abduction or anything. There are many scarydies here and lots of girlfriends.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a stripping game. Until you have no clothes left. You keep taking them off.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s shoulders stiffened. It felt like her vision was going white. ¡°Is that all it is?¡± Her mind was inplete chaos, more so than the lively voice of her counterpart. Her heart was pounding like an explosion, leaving herpletely disoriented. Her breath became rough and erratic. ¡°Until the lightse on, if you have even a piece of clothing left, you win. Then, you get to take all the money bet here and take it all¨D¡± Suddenly, a ss flew through the air. ¡°¡­!¡± Chapter 196: Chapter 196: Crash! The sound was like a thunderous explosion, and it was impossible to distinguish it from a gunshot. The ss tumbler, which urately struck the man¡¯s forehead, shattered into pieces, and his previously smiling face turned grim. Blood gushed from his torn forehead down to his nose. In the moment the man released his grip, Lee-yeon didn¡¯t even look back; she immediately started running. Her fear-stricken legs moved faster than her thoughts. Sixty or so cottage windows all went dark simultaneously, and even the lights in the garden were switched off, plunging everything into darkness. It all happened almost at the same time. ¡°Darling, bear with the dizziness a little longer, I¡¯m really sorry¡­!¡± He said from behind the escaping Lee-yeon. When she removed the mask, her vision went pitch ck, but she was intimately familiar with every corner of this garden. Escaping through all those people was impossible from the beginning. Even if she managed to hide, she couldn¡¯t run far. Instead, Lee-yeon thought of the tallest tree nearby. She calmly changed direction and discreetly made her way to the back of the tree. She covered her mouth and pressed herself against the trunk whenever she heard footsteps. Even in doing so, her heart felt like it was about to explode, and her lungs stung. Her head spun in confusion, and dizziness overwhelmed her. Trembling, she tightly grasped the tree with her shaking hands and pressed her feet against the trunk. In the darkness and urgency, her feet kept slipping, but she gritted her teeth, hearing the sounds of people chasing after her. Her palms were scraped and torn, but she felt no pain. ¡°Hah¡­ haa¡­¡± Finally, Lee-yeon climbed up the tree and looked down. Some were running, and others were staggering. There were men and women, young and old. But all of them were trampling the flower beds or staring at the ground. But there was only one person¡ª. While everyone else was looking down, there was someone looking up at the sky. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The person who knew well that she was skilled at climbing trees. *** However, Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t determine whether he was a friend or foe. Her heart pounded with a sense of impending disaster, especially when she saw the anger-filled eyes pinpoint her exact location. As he approached with hurried steps, her lips gradually became dry. It was his same intense gaze when they reunited on the day they met Kwon Chae-woo. Yes, he hade to capture her again. With that conclusion in mind, Lee-yeon hugged the tree trunk tightly and trembled uncontrobly, enduring the pounding heartbeat that seemed to echo in her ears. She suddenly lost sight of him as she managed to withstand the throbbing in her temples. He disappeared into the darkness as if he had melted away, and Lee-yeon frantically looked around. It was at that moment when leaves rustled and a powerful vibration was felt. ¡°¡­!¡± Turning around, she saw Kwon Chae-woo climbing the tree with fierce determination, without any warning or announcement. ¡°Gasp¡­!¡± Every time she blinked, he got closer, closing in with an intense force. Without seeming to move his feet at all, he defied gravity as if he were performing parkour training. His strength and agility were astonishing, rivaling that of a leopard. Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t even scream and only grit her lips together in fear. The impulse to run away surged within her, but there was nowhere to go this time. Finally, Kwon Chae-woo firmly grabbed her arm with a bone-jutting grip. When she instinctively opened her mouth, he sternly warned her, his voice low and menacing. ¡°Don¡¯t say a word. I told you not to babble.¡± His white knuckles were as if they were about to burst into mes as he endured the pain. Lee-yeon gazed at the prominent veins on his forehead and then shifted her gaze to his ring nostrils. His menacing gaze suffocated her. ¡°Come here and wrap your legs quietly around my waist.¡± ¡°¡­. What?¡± Lee-yeon was taken aback, not understanding his request. ¡°Wrap your legs around me,¡± he demanded. ¡°Why? What are you nning to do if you take me away?¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s voice wasced with caution, but Kwon Chae-woo unhesitatingly slipped his hand into her side. ¡°Let go of me¡­! This¨D¡± Before she could protest any further, Lee-yeon found herself pulled into his arms. As she tried to steady herself, her trembling hand identally touched his neck, which was strangely covered in cold sweat. Kwon Chae-woo buried his face in the crook of her neck and took a breath that could be interpreted as relief or pain. The heaviness and duration of his breaths made her frozen body stiffen even more. In a hushed voice, she murmured, ¡°If you so much as touch me with a single finger¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll cut them all off.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°All those fingers that touched your clothes, I¡¯ll make sure their owners regret it.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s face showed confusion. More than the perverse interests of the party guests, it was Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s words that frightened her the most. ¡°But you¡¯re here to catch me too, aren¡¯t you?¡± He had been one of the people who just watched when the locals attacked her. Besides, objectively speaking, there was no reason to trust him, especially since he was a nobleman hosting such a party. ¡°How much more do you want to make me miserable? You destroyed my sacred tree, ruined my trial, and turned my house into a mess. And when I got hurt, you just pretended not to see me.¡± His warm breath on her neck suddenly stopped. Chapter 197: Chapter 197: ¡°What¡¯s different now from back then?¡± His whispered voice grew hurriedly. Surprisingly, as she pushed against his sturdy shoulders, he willingly moved away. ¡°Do you think I would sell you out, Lee-yeon?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that.¡± Their gazes shed with a stark contrast. ¡°You¡¯re not on my side. You¡¯re not.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I resented you, so I might as well enjoy watching you suffer and cry like you did back then.¡± He said. Her flickering pupils were mysterious. he could sense the growing distrust as her expression stiffened. ¡°¡­Fine, I am not on your side.¡± He said resignedly. She hadn¡¯t expected anything from the beginning, but in the chilling gaze, her heart still pounded. ¡°Still,e over here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested. Don¡¯t touch me.¡± Lee-yeon turned her head with a disgusted expression, scrunching up her face. ¡°Don¡¯t you understand the situation right now?¡± ¡°I know it well. I¡¯m more alert than ever. So you go down there. I don¡¯t trust you and I don¡¯t want to draw attention. I feel safest here, next to the tree. At least the tree won¡¯t betray me.¡± Lee-yeon pressed her cheek against the tree¡¯s rough bark as if trying to findfort. However, Kwon Chae-woo pulled her towards him without hesitation. Despite her struggling, he managed to make her sit on his thigh and spread her legs, enclosing his hips around her. No matter how much Lee-yeon twisted her body to escape, she couldn¡¯t free herself from his grip. As Kwon Chae-woo positioned himself, seemingly about to move downward, Lee-yeon hastily bit down his corbone. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± The man let out a brief grunt, and at the same time, the goosebumps that rose like a ridge brushed against Lee-yeon¡¯s sensitive lips. His heartbeat was pounding like a pump. Startled by his immediate reaction, Lee-yeon hastily pulled away her lips. ¡°Did you hear me well? Don¡¯t get me caught up unnecessarily and go down alone¡­!¡± ¡°Did I make my warning sound like a joke?¡± His voice seemed to be scratching at something as he pressed it down and down again. ¡°I told you not toe here or show yourself to those idiots.¡± Hisst words echoed the scolding of his cousin when heined after getting pped by him. ¡°If you broke the promise, at least you shouldn¡¯t be stubborn about it. Aren¡¯t you afraid of being caught by those brats or being pushed away by them?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Lee-yeon, those people may be reckless, but they are still somewhat human. But I¡¯ve always been a son of a bitch from the start. The things I could to them¡­¡± His face looked much more menacing than when he had mocked Lee-yeon and left in anger. She looked at the enraged man with a slightly dazed expression. ¡°Why are you getting mad? If I¡¯m angry, it¡¯s my anger; if I¡¯m scared, it¡¯s my fear. What does it matter to you?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been wondering about that all along,¡± he said. He pulled Lee-yeon¡¯s hips again, aligning their lower bodies tightly. Lee-yeon averted her gaze from his substantial size entering between her legs. However, as he lifted her up once, her genitals twitched, and a tant warmth spread through her. She felt an immediate resistance, but at the same time, something inside her was heating up. Kwon Chae-woo seemed to be in a simr state, as his face was contorted with anger or some indescribable desire. ¡°Why is it that whenever I see you, I feel like killing anyone whoes near you?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± It was the most terrifying confession, or rather a threat, in the world. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to be a kind and gentle person, but ironically, it¡¯s you who keeps ruining that for me. Just looking at your ankles fills my head with violent thoughts, and I want to throw all the healthy men into a pit. Why do you make me angry?¡± A cold smile flickered on Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s lips. ¡°You keep getting into trouble for reasons other than me,¡± he said, tongue clicking in disapproval. While Lee-yeon was frozen, only blinking her eyes, he embraced her hips and pulled her close. ¨C ¡°Blocked,¡± a small in-ear device reported monotonously. It was a hunting dog that had been providing surveince. He hesitated and pressed a button on his receiver. ¡°The cottages.¡± ¨C ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°Time.¡± ¨C ¡°At least thirty minutes.¡± Kwon Chae-woo furrowed his brow in frustration. Inside the cottage, a trade of approximately 248g of Philophon* took ce. Considering that a single dosage is around 0.03g, it was an enormous quantity that could be used by over eight thousand people simultaneously. It was Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s personal property and transaction, and Kwon Chae-woo had deployed the hunting dogs to leave evidence of the scene. *Philophon is a drug that causes extreme rises in wakefulness However, this unusual game of cat and mouse was the most optimal means to buy them some time. Unfortunately, it was then that So Lee-yeon appeared. Kwon Chae-woo stared at her, looking stunned, before speaking. ¡°Twenty minutes. Capture the scene ande out.¡± The unique voice of one person disappeared instantly, reced by unfamiliar background noise. Lee-yeon observed the unfamiliar sight of her seemingly talking to someone on the phone. At that moment, the man who had firmly held Lee-yeon¡¯s delicate chin in his hand spoke as if informing her, ¡°Understood, just twenty minutes.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Just endure it with me for twenty minutes.¡± ¡°What¡¯s all this sudden¨C¡± Unexpectedly, he swiftly undid his necktie and tore through his shirt cor. In his haste, a button popped open as he aggressively pulled at the shirt, but luckily, there was no one around as Lee-yeon anxiously looked down under the tree. The man, now half-naked, helped her put on the shirt. ¡°Take off your shoes too. Someone might recognize you.¡± However, it was Kwon Chae-woo himself who stood out. With broad and well-defined shoulder muscles, a sturdy and well-proportioned waist, and rugged external oblique muscles, she scowled at her ownck of definition inparison. ¡°Are you really going to help me? How?¡± Still suspicious, Lee-yeon was pulled tightly into Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s embrace as he skillfully grasped a tree branch and effortlessly lowered himself. Reactively, she clung tightly to his bare body as he descended gracefully. ¡°Is there something more than just hanging out here?¡± ¡°What¡­!¡± ¡°After all, trees are meant to be hidden in the forest.¡± As Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s feet touched the ground, he continued to suck forcefully on two of Lee-yeon¡¯s fingers, which were still bleeding. Chapter 198: Chapter 198: He pressed Lee-yeon against the tree and sucked on her index and middle finger. The fingers being drawn into Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s mouth felt like they might melt any moment. As the warm, wet sensation enveloped her fingers, Lee-yeon¡¯s face turned red. His hot tongue gently grazed her wound as it sucked in her blood. ¡°W-What are you¡ª¡± Kwon Chae-woo, his emotions clearly not fully restrained, gazed at her with a mixture of annoyance and intense heat. As Lee-yeon instinctively attempted to withdraw her finger, he tightened his grip on her wrist and looked down. He swallowed her fingerpletely. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Her finger tingled. He continued to swallow, whether it was his own saliva or her blood. Kwon Chae-woo scraped the tip of her finger with his teeth and pressed her wound with his tongue. The pain in her finger grew. ¡°Stop it and back off¡­!¡± ¡°But it¡¯s still juicy.¡± As Kwon Chae-woo mumbled with her finger in his mouth, she could see her blood on his tongue. Lee-yeon felt embarrassed and pushed him but it was no use. If anything, his bottom started to react. ¡°Ut¡­! Don¡¯t you get hard.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then w, what is this¡­.!¡± ¡°Just a normal d*ck. It¡¯s calm.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± At the same time, there was a sexual moan nearby, withughter and sound of banging and other noise that made her ears re. Lee-yeon looked down, but Kwon Chae-woo was still looking at her. The wound from the scissors was so wet that it tingled. But he kept on sucking on it like he was kissing it. The way he was pressuring made her head go numb. Lee-yeon just spat out whatever she could think of. ¡°¡­. What are you really trying to do with me? This is too much between us. Stop crossing the line.¡± Lee-yeon kept on pushing his shoulders but she quickly took her hands off from the heat. ¡°Y, you think we¡¯ll make up? What is your intention? Just bite me instead! Stop sucking on my blood and make me bleed instead!¡± Lee-yeon stomped her feet anxiously. At that moment, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s teeth touched her finger. Lee-yeon took her chance and tapped on his teeth and scratched the top of his mouth. ¨CIt¡¯s 00:24, we¡¯re going in. But Kwon Chae-woo didn¡¯t look hurt. If anything, he was smiling. When his sharp eyes rxed, Kwon Chae-woo noticed a subtle change and covered Lee-yeon. ¡°You f*cking bastard!¡± A man hurled insults. Something broke and exploded in front of his nose. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, you crazy bastard, this isn¡¯t fair.¡± Lee-yeon breathed in surprise. Standing there was a man with his forehead teared up and holding a neck of a broken wine bottle. His always smiling face was utterly ruined and his eyes were no longer normal. It looked like he had some wine as there was a purple trace from his mouth to his chin and there was some weird white powder by his nose. ¡°Take her clothes off. Why the f*ck are you putting in back on?¡± He was pointing at Lee-yeon while waving her mask in the air. Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face turned cold and he turned around while putting Lee-yeon behind him. As he brushed his hair, the pieces of ss fell on the floor. He should¡¯ve gone into the deeper part of the garden the moment they came off the tree, but he was too preupied with sucking on her finger so it was his fault. -00:44, we couldn¡¯t get through. We¡¯ll be going around. He didn¡¯t ponder for that long. Kwon Chae-woo wasn¡¯t shaken as he went to Do Kyung-jin, the son of the hospital director. He choked Do Kyung-jin¡¯s throat and looked into his eyes. Then he took the bottleneck from him and shoved it in his mouth. ¡°Do Kyung-jin, who is this mask you are looking for?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± As he couldn¡¯t answer due to pain, Kwon Chae-woo took out the bottle from his mouth and asked again. ¡°Who is that mask?¡± ¡°Y, you fucking asshole, are you crazy? Why are you acting like this? Ah fuck, I told you it¡¯s that bitch!¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± Kwon Chae-woo stabbed his tongue with a piece of ss. Do Kyung-jin waved his arms and scratched Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s back. ¡°Kyung-jin, who¡¯s the mask?¡± ¡°That woman¡ª¡° ¡°Wrong.¡± He shoved the bottleneck into his mouth again. Do Kyung-jin¡¯s mouth became bloody. ¡°Kyung-jin, who¡¯s the mask?¡± ¡°Hm¡­!¡± ¡°You¡¯re on drugs and confused, so I¡¯m correcting you.¡± As Kwon Chae-woo gritted his teeth and slowly shoved the bottle down his throat, the man¡¯s breathing also got weaker. Do Kyung-jin¡¯s eyes were turning white, and Kwon Chae-woo whispered to him like he was waiting for that moment. ¡°I¡¯m the mask, Kyung-jin.¡± ¡°Uh¡­!¡± The cold fear drove the drugs away from Do Kyung-jin. As people slowly gathered, Kwon Chae-woo threw the bottleneck on the ground and put the mask on. Do Kyung-jin grabbed his throat and coughed out blood. His lips werepletely ripped and it kept on bleeding. He was cursing while having cold sweat. Kwon Chae-woo, on the other hand, whispered to Lee-yeon while wearing her mask. ¡°When peoplee, hide amongst the crowd. No matter what happens, pretend you don¡¯t know me and hang on for 20 minutes.¡± Chapter 199: Chapter 199: When Kwon Chae-woo stretched his hands, Lee-yeon flinched and closed her eyes. Kwon Chae-woo finally realized what he was doing just until then and flinched as well. Lee-yeon heard a calm voice while her hands her shaking. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t send you off right away.¡± It was the first apology she heard from him after they separated. -p! Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face became red. ¡°This fucking guy is tastier when you just mince him instead of taking his clothes off, f*ck¡­!¡± Do Kyung-jin giggled. Lee-yeon was so frozen that she couldn¡¯t even breathe properly. She moved her finger as her swollen finger felt weird, but it wasn¡¯t a dream. Lee-yeon clenched her fist. When people slowly gathered after hearing Do Kyung-jin¡¯s voice, he introduced Kwon Chae-woo as the new mask. The first ones to gather around the already shirtless Kwon Chae-woo were some women. They brushed and touched Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s bare skin and even touched his nipples. Lee-yeon frowned. Her heart was pounding viciously. Why are you standing still? What are you doing? She knew Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s personality, he was shoving pieces of bottle down someone¡¯s throat! She felt absurd watching him helplessly being bullied. But as someone touched his buckle, Kwon Chae-woo swung his arm for the first time. His mask fell off, and his sculpted face was revealed. The atmosphere instantly changed. People already forgot about the woman who was being dragged in a jumpsuit and they were after Kwon Chae-woo, who they usually wouldn¡¯t even be able to touch. They pped his face, spat, grabbed his pants, and poured wine down. But Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face didn¡¯t change at all. People went crazier watching him calm. Kwon Chae-woo gritted his teeth and touched his ears asionally, but he didn¡¯t resist to all the drunks. Kwon Chae-woo pulled attention towards him. ¨CTime is 00:57. We¡¯re on standby. Kwon Chae-woo frowned and cracked his neck. He looked at So Lee-yeon, who was utterly frozen. Because he was satisfied with how she didn¡¯t ignore him and run away, but instead just staring at him without even blinking. ¨C¡­ We.. are¡­ The in-ear disconnected. Then it came back on. ¨CSome rat or asshole came in. Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face instantly turned cold. With that, the people who were surrounding him split. ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± People were gasping. Kwon Ki-seok, in clean three-piece suit, was dragging some naked man, who could be dead or unconscious. Kwon Chae-woo instantly realized that their mission failed and changed his face. There was no nervousness or anxiety in his face. There was just the face a young master who looked like he was having fun. ¨CWho¡¯s the person listening to me on the other side? Kwon Ki-seok took out his gun. He took out the in-ear of the hunting dog he stole from and aimed the gun at it. Those who are wearing in-ears will have their drumhead explode from the sound. It was when Kwon Ki-seok was about to pull the trigger while ring at Kwon Chae-woo. Lee-yeon came out from the crowd. *** Her legs moved automatically the moment Kwon Ki-seok took out the micro in-ear. The moment he pointed the gun at the in-ear, Lee-yeon was reminded of Kwon Chae-woo who looked like he was on the phone. She couldn¡¯t think of anything as all the different actions came together. No, there were so many thoughts that he started panting. Lee-yeon went through the crowd, who looked like they wanted to watch or wanted to participate in the game. Kwon Ki-seok pulled the trigger, and Lee-yeon ran to Kwon Chae-woo and undid his buckle. Everything happened quickly. As his drawer was revealed, Lee-yeon covered him in a hurry. People were surprised by the sound of the gun for a moment but eventually looked at So Lee-yeon, who was able to unbuckle him when no one else could¡¯ve. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lee-yeon stared at the man anxiously, who was gritted his teeth. Kwon Chae-woo was trying to withstand the ringing in the ears from the exploding machine. His ripping eardrum was one thing, but he felt dizzy from such a strong shockwave. His face red up and veins popped. But people couldn¡¯t tell whether that was from or from shame. Only Lee-yeon, as she held down on his shoulders. ¡®Hang on.¡¯ Lee-yeon moved her lips without any sound. The man was in a pitiful state, as he was yellow and red from the drinks that were poured on him. His lips were busted, his eyes were swollen like a boxer¡¯s. His good-looking top showed handprint, and around his nipples were scratch marks. All the degrading that happened was shown clearly. Lee-yeon bit her lips. Eventually she put her thumb on his underwear and looked at Do Kyung-jin. ¡°I can take this off, so the game is over, right?¡± She wanted to divert attention from Kwon Chae-woo, from Kwon Ki-seok who had a lead. She had to look casual, but her voice was shaking. Even so, her voice sliced through the air. Do Kyung-jin kept blinking his hazy eyes. Even though he was insensitive to violence and obvious flirting, Kwon Chae-woo was surprisingly calm. ¡°Such a trash family¡­¡± Lee-yeon mumbled coldly as she pulled down his underwear quickly and backed up again. His erected penis stopped it from going down, but Lee-yeon let go of the band quickly as she was flustered. She felt like she became one of the offenders in this party so she wasn¡¯t pleased. It was hard to look at Kwon Chae-woo straight. Chapter 200: Chapter 200: Lee-yeon went to Kwon Ki-seok. ¡°This wasn¡¯t on the contract.¡± She panted angrily. ¡°I came to care for the garden, not to be a y doll in such a sexual party.¡± Kwon Ki-seok looked like he was trying to guess what happened. He still pointed the gun at the broken in-ear while searching through So Lee-yeon. Lee-yeon looked straight up as she was trying not to look at the man who was dragged. She gulped as she was scared of the gun. ¡°Do you intend to protect your employee, Kwon Ki-seok?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t know. Why I had to fear being involved with these people, why you are my employer, and if you¡¯re the party¡¯s host, stop shooting and help me first.¡± Kwon Ki-seok slowly examined Lee-yeon, who wasn¡¯t even wearing shoes. His slow eyes seemed to be trying to find the error. Lee-yeon hid her fist behind her and rushed him. ¡°Right now.¡± She stepped forward and cunningly hid the broken in-ear. ¡°I want to leave right away.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s pleading eyes shook Kwon Ki-seok for a moment. Yoon Joo-ha angered him by saying this thousands of times. Kwon Ki-seok suddenly felt distant and lowered his gun. ¡°I¡¯ll lead you.¡± The garden started to light up again. As the bigmp lit up, the generator started to run. ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± Kwon Ki-seok stopped Lee-yeon. Her mood was shoved back into the pit with that one word. ¡®You are horrible, and this ce is horrible.¡¯ Lee-yeon didn¡¯t react and hung tightly onto her clean white shirt. Her back was ring up from the stares, but Lee-yeon never looked back like Kwon Chae-woo. It was a miserable night where ayer of him was gone. *** The wild party left only trash when the sun was up, and the day was calm again. When she felt disturbed, she would focus more on trees. But when it became night, she couldn¡¯t help but remember the Kwon Chae-woo of that day. His cold demeanor bothered her before, but now Kwon Chae-woo was covered in all the dirty things. Whenever there was a slight space in her mind, Kwon Chae-woo would step in. She witnessed the backside of all the enjoyment, and it was wild and primitive and made her heart bounce from all terrible side effects. It was since that day she started prenatally. She was worried that all the negative memories and thoughts would impact the fetus, so she listened to the calm voice of Gyu-baek and read the encyclopedia. Then Gyu-baek quietly would stare at her stomach like he knew. ¡°Oh my, director. Why aren¡¯t you eating much?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Director?¡¯ She spent all her free time with Gyu-baek, and she didn¡¯t get to see Kwon Chae-woo even by chance. Even so, she would look around more often as her finger healed. ¡°¡ªDirector So Lee-yeon!¡± ¡°Ah, yes, yes!¡± She dropped her chopstick. Then looked up. ¡°Are you ok?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s delicious¡­!¡± ¡°You¡¯re barely eating.¡± Her employee looked worried. Lee-yeon was having lunch with the administration team, and she shook her head. ¡°I was eating inside!¡± As she saw the flustered face of the man, Lee-yeon realized her mistake. ¡°Uh¡­ I meant I was eating slowly.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been weirdtely. Do you have some concerns?¡± Lee-yeon smiled awkwardly while putting the remaining chopstick in her mouth. Out of all her concerns, the one that was bothering her the most wasn¡¯t Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s disappearance, nor the uneasiness at night. The problem was¡­ That she was frustrated. The thing she couldn¡¯t eat even when she wanted to. Something she couldn¡¯t make on her own. Lee-yeon was slowly withering from this fact. She ate every meal for the fetus in her stomach but her mouth wasn¡¯t satisfied. ¡°Director, what do you think about bringing a tangerine tree?¡± ¡°Tangerine?¡± ¡°Yes, I think we might be able to get one by putting a tangerine tree with a setoka tree.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± She was salivating just thinking about it. She felt absurd that she was thinking about the taste of tangerine more so than the tree. Putting trees together means cutting the root, branches, and bud and putting it on a different tree. Then the two will merge and be an independent tree. It was like having two different tastes in one entity. Lee-yeon flinched while she was picking up the chopstick. She was wondering about that one person again. ¡®Then Kwon Chae-woo¡­¡¯ The man who abandoned her without hesitation and the man who was ridiculed for her¨C. Who exactly was he or what was he? What was he trying to be? *** Lee-yeon was whimpering while burying her face in a pillow. Even though she tried to make it herself by following the recipe, she couldn¡¯t replicate the taste. She even went to someone who was an excellent cook, and she couldn¡¯t even do it. She became depressed as she kept on failing. She didn¡¯t skip a meal so she wasn¡¯t hungry, but her heart became more void. It was when Lee-yeon turned to the other side of the bed. A huge shadow was standing in front of the window. ¡°Ha¡­. What¡­¡± Lee-yeon was holding onto her dear heart and red at him. ¡°How did you get in?¡± Kwon Chae-woo was standing in the shade in front of the curtains. It was already dark with no light, but it looked like he was darkness itself. If it weren¡¯t for his eyes, she would¡¯ve thought he was a pir. The man pulled down the mask that was covering half of his face. She smelled blood. ¡°¡­ Are you hurt?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my blood.¡± It was the first time she saw Kwon Chae-woo since she left him. His cheek was bruised, and there was scab on his lips. Lee-yeon asked despite herself. ¡°You want to sleep together? So you want to kidnap me again?¡± ¡°No.¡± But Kwon Chae-woo denied it. Lee-yeon grabbed her stomach simultaneously as she felt the hunger only she could feel. Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s head tilted suddenly. ¡°Just what is in your stomach?¡± Chapter 201: Chapter 201: The hand that had been touching her stomach abruptly stopped, and Lee-yeon¡¯s face took on a startled expression. She sat up as if to face someone with caution. Lips that had been sealed in silence managed to part. ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°I heard that the cook makes excellent stir fry..¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± A relieved breath escaped her. It seemed her body was even more tense than she realized, as her posture slumped as soon as the tension left her shoulders. Lee-yeon buried her face in the nket, her heart pounding wildly. The life that hade to her in the depths of despair was something she carried alone, and naturally, following her mother¡¯s surname, the child was destined to be named ¡®So.¡¯ Such determination became even stronger after experiencing the sex party. Not in a ce where guns and drugs were used without a care, but in the embrace of a beautiful sea and nature¡¯s blend of nts, she wanted to raise her child. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is something I should talk with you.¡± She said. Lee-yeon calmed her startled heart and took slow breaths. Involvement from the Kwon family was absolutely uneptable. To achieve that, she needed to draw clear lines without any room for ambiguity. Since the other day, Kwon Chae-woo kept¡­ ¡°If there¡¯s something ufortable, I¡¯ll personally talk to my employer.¡± ¡°That darn employer.¡± Kwon Chae-woo gripped the mask that had fallen to the tip of his chin, reminded by his brother Kwon Ki-seok. ¡°If you have no business to attend to and nothing to say, leave now. Actually, even if you did, please leave.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Barging into a woman¡¯s room without permission is a crime, you know?¡± Suddenly, a memory struck Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°Everything changed since you brought that woman here¡­!¡± At that moment, Kwon Chae-woo covered one ear and winced. A traumatic rupture of the eardrum due to a sudden pressure explosion. A man who had never experienced hearing impairment endured difort for days due to tinnitus and partial hearing loss. Only now was he undergoing natural regeneration of his damaged hearing. Amidst this, the sound filling his perforated eardrum was the cruel voice of his stepmother. With no one knowing Kwon Ki-seok and Yoon Joo-ha, he eventually decided to visit his ailing stepmother. While it wouldn¡¯t be entirely urate to say he grew up among strangers, Kwon Chae-woo spent very little time with this family, as he grew up in someone else¡¯s hands and soon left abroad. In order to reim a child who was well-off under the pretext of blood rtion, that blood tie needed to hold significant value. However, he had never been able to feel any emotion towards these people from the start. ¡°Our trustworthy Ki-seok¡­ Ki-seok¡­¡± She repeatedly touched her white hair in distress. However, her trembling, sweetly wrinkled hands turned her hair into a mess, resembling the nest of a ghost. With terror-stricken eyes, the stepmother groped the ceiling. ¡°Dear, something¡¯s wrong with Ki-seok¡­ Ki-seok¡­¡± She lowered her voice as if sharing a secret and trembled all over. ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t entrust the basement to the eldest.¡± Suddenly, the stepmother started hitting her head and having a seizure. ¡°Ah¡­! Aaah¡­!¡± As she continuously struck her eyes, she screamed. Calmly rising, Kwon Chae-woo injected a sedative into her neck. The stepmother fiercely wed at his arm and red. ¡°You, you¡­ How could you, how could you do this! How could my son¡­! How could you be involved with that woman who stole your sister like a dog¡­! She still begs me to let her see your face¡­! Was it a lie to take revenge on our behalf? You said you would tear apart that woman¡¯s body, but what the hell¡­! Ki-seok, Ki-seok¡­! Don¡¯t go to the basement anymore! Aaah¡­! Aaah¡­!¡± Kwon Chae-woo furrowed his brow and pressed the syringe harder. As the seizures gradually subsided, her once fiery eyes cooled like ice. Motionlessly flicking his finger, he seemed repulsed by her, as if he had touched filth. When he regained his senses, he was already in So Lee-yeon¡¯s room. Somewhere in his mind, he felt like blood was pooling again. ¡°Just¡­¡± Slightly unsteady, Kwon Chae-woo brushed his forehead with his palm. His low voice quivered. ¡°Just sit here for a moment.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Just a very short while.¡± Suddenly, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s gaze fixed on the rocking chair. Lee-yeon turned her head with a suspicious expression, but there was nothing and no one there. Without dy, the man leaned his head against the back of the rocking chair and sat down on the floor. It seemed like resting, and at the same time, he looked like a tired beast. Only now did it feel like she understood why Kwon Chae-woo had warned her not to witness his pitiful state. Pity was like poison, so she had to keep a corner of her heart reserved for it. Why did he endure insults in front of her, and why did he shield her from that state? Everything was jumbled up, and Lee-yeon pushed him away even colder. ¡°I really don¡¯t know what you want from me.¡± He looked up at her with blurred eyes. Lee-yeon stared at him in silence, then pulled out the story that had hurt her too much to look at. ¡°Do you think we can clear up the misunderstanding between us?¡± Kwon Chae-woo looked at her desperately. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but there¡¯s no misunderstanding between us. It¡¯s not a misunderstanding about your mother. Whether you believe my words or not, it is up to you, but I¡­ I spoke the truth.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°She wanted to see her young son, and I wanted to help. But now I understand that it was only from my perspective. If my actions ultimately led to your mother¡¯s death, then you were right to abandon me.¡± Lee-yeon had to swallow her saliva several times as her throat tightened, ¡°Mr. Kwon Chae-woo¡­ you can live differently, you know.¡± Chapter 202: Chapter 202: ¡°Don¡¯t live your whole life looking at something you don¡¯t want to recall. We¡¯ve parted ways, and it¡¯s right for each of us to go our separate paths a hundred times over. So, keep hating me. Even if you hate me, it no longer hurts or saddens me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t waver in front of me.¡± Lee-yeon stared into his eyes and firmly stated. It was a message to not be indecisive like this and to hate her resolutely. Kwon Chae-woo, with a face suddenly filled with anger, responded. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I waver?¡± His pupils were aze with fiery red sparks. ¡°Some bastards kept their grudges locked up for years, so why am I the only one, goddamn¡ª¡± He pressed his trembling lids hard with his fingertips. As if all his strength had drained away, he was sitting quietly on the floor, but suddenly, as if using all four limbs, he approached her and grabbed her bedding. His knuckles were so white from clenching that they almost pierced through his skin, the sight of him biting into the fabric was intense. Caught in his fierce momentum, Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t move an inch. ¡°Why am I the one struggling so much, while you, Lee-yeon, seems to be fine?¡± He let out a pained groan as if the pain was surging. ¡°I¡¯m still buried in a pile of garbage.¡± Kwon Chae-woo pulled her into the bedding and rested his head on it. Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t escape the raw emotions, forced to experience them exactly as they were. On his knees on the floor, he breathed heavily. ¡°Can¡¯t you just hate me enough to want to kill me?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Do I really not matter? Am I not even needed as an outlet for your anger?¡± Kwon Chae-woo eximed. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to waste my energy.¡± ¡°Why is it that you think of you a hundred times and you don¡¯t seem to think of me once?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you hate me anymore, Lee-yeon?¡± Her eyes, a mixture of various emotions, swirled with intensity and bitterness. They resembled the countless nights that Lee-yeon had to endure, even as she withered away, and conversely, they held the pit of destruction she hadn¡¯t chosen. Lee-yeon gradually noticed his intensifying and unstable state, yet she didn¡¯t back down. In response to her resolute answer, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face contorted further. ¡°¡­Like Kwon Ki-seok said, do you wish to have a normal rtionship, get married, have kids?¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± She spat at Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°Then why did you help me at the sex party?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why did you loosen my buckle there and turn Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s eyes on the subject of neither loving nor hating me?¡± His strained voice erupted huskily. Lee-yeon, who had been tightly sealing her lips, met his gaze with a transparent look that revealed no emotions whatsoever. ¡°I felt relieved when you took helped me escape the people in the garden. That¡¯s why I helped you too. didn¡¯t want to owe you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s all.¡± The residue that had clung stubbornly to the man¡¯s face suddenly washed away. Kwon Chae-woo burst intoughter. Unfathomable feelings of disillusionment and defeat deeply pierced his pitch-ck pupils. In that moment, the man threw off the nket, climbed onto the bed, and lowered his arms, enclosing Lee-yeon. Their legs intertwined, and their stomachs pressed against each other. As he bowed his head, the intensified scent of blood made Lee-yeon hold her breath. ¡°Lee-yeon, do you know this?¡± Kwon Chae-woo blinked his sleep-deprived eyelids, and they twitched open. His reemerging pupils showed a finely simmered patience pushed to its limits. Lee-yeon fervently hoped it wouldn¡¯t turn towards her, but the stubbornly set face seemed unsettling for some reason. ¡°Even if you hate me, we can still have s*x.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Even if you hate me, we can live together for a lifetime¡­¡± For some reason, he was licking his lips like a beast freed from chains. ¡°Even if you hate me, I can still love you.¡± He looked like a lost child in a snowy wilderness. ¡°Lee-yeon, do you truly not need me?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t.¡± Before that sentence could finish, Kwon Chae-woo ominously subdued Lee-yeon¡¯s arms and pressed his lips onto hers. ¡°¡­!¡± Although she stiffened a beatter, her hands were already forced down onto the mattress. Instinctively, Lee-yeon clenched her teeth, but the hot and experienced tongue forcefully made its way through the parted lips. Through the slightly open gap, the tip of his tongue intruded aggressively. Like a boiling ember, the fervent tongue ventured deeper, licking the mucous membrane and nibbling on her lower lip. He moved his jaw as if he had been starving for years, pressing down and sucking on her plump lips. As the strength slowly drained from Lee-yeon¡¯s body, he finally released her lips. The man¡¯s face turned pale as he panted. ¡°Do you really not need me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lee-yeon stubbornly refrained from answering, and Kwon Chae-woo just stared at her parted lips. ¡°Lee-yeon, you still can¡¯t handle a dog properly.¡± Chapter 203: Chapter 203: His hand slipped under Lee-yeon¡¯s t-shirt, riding up her abdomen to cup the breasts covered by her bra. As he squeezed, she jerked and twisted away in surprise. ¡°What is this now¡­!¡± He shamelessly stared at her, seemingly gauging her reaction. His gaze was strange, as if he were testing the limits of how much she could endure. ¡°Back off!¡± Lee-yeon pped his shoulder and pushed, but it was as if she were hitting dust, her blows having no impact. His thumb pressed against the apex of her chest, firmly rubbing until her eyes fluttered open. Then, he slowly pushed her pajama pants down. ¡°This lunatic!¡± Frustrated, Lee-yeon pped him across the face. ¡°Ouch.¡± Kwon Chae-woo exaggerated his reaction, but a grin was tugging at the corners of his lips. ¡°Lee-yeon, your angry look is really charming.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Seeing her furious re, he burst into a bright smile. His previously sharp eyes softened unexpectedly, and his lips formed a pleasant curve. Lee-yeon felt like someone who had been yearning for a long time, unable to react. Kwon Chae-woo kissed her eyelids, a deliberate twist to his intentions. When she turned away in disgust, his expression hardened. But as if nothing had happened, he adorned his face with another convincing smile and fervently whispered, ¡°Lee-yeon, please keep hating me more each day.¡± * * * ¡°Woof, woof! Woof, woof!¡± From somewhere, the sound of dogs barking could be heard, and suddenly, two ck dogs appeared out of nowhere. Lee-yeon, who was walking alongside Gyu-baek, was startled as the dogs approached. They had slightly rounded heads, long snouts, and triangr ears, standing straight up. ¡°Wow¡­ German Shepherds, I presume?¡± Gyu-baek, who was holding Lee-yeon¡¯s hand, eximed in admiration. As the dogs barked loudly and bared their teeth, a staff member quickly tightened their leashes to control them. Lee-yeon, taken aback by their fierce posturing, stepped back a few paces. ¡°Oh no, don¡¯t worry!¡± The staff member sternly and firmly restrained the dogs. Lee-yeon watched as the almond-shaped, deep brown eyes of the dogs slowly calmed down. The staff member apologized and introduced themselves as someone who trained the family¡¯s guard dogs. At that moment, Gyu-baek suddenly hid behind Lee-yeon and peeked out from behind her, tilting his head. ¡°Sometimes dogs confuse ying with fighting.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Dogs bark for various reasons, right?¡± ¡°They do it when they¡¯re scared or in pain, too.¡± ¡°Right, and sometimes to establish dominance.¡± The staff member tightened the leash again and mumbled, ¡°Smart little rascals,¡± with a chuckle. Listening to their natural conversation, Lee-yeon¡¯s attention was caught by one word. ¡°¡­Dominance?¡± Lee-yeon scratched her eyelid and looked at the handsome face of the German Shepherd, puzzled. ¡°Oh, yes. These guys have an instinct to establish dominance over people. Especially when theye up to your face while lying down and nip at your eyes or ears, you must firmly discourage them. There are ways like holding their lower jaw and giving a warning, or using your hand to push them away.¡± Suddenly, Lee-yeon¡¯s expression began to look peculiar. As she listened attentively to the staff member¡¯s words with a serious face, the man chuckled as if he had a headache and moved his mouth like a motor. ¡°If the owner¡¯s rank is lower than that of the dog, they can develop alpha dog syndrome. They be more guarded, sensitive, and aggressive. Their social skills are practically nonexistent, but they overly protect their own territory, barking fiercely and even biting as if they want to kill. Sometimes they can even threaten their owner and be excessively attached, so establishing hierarchy is truly essential.¡± ¡°¡­What¡¯s this? Right now, that training instructor is talking about the German Shepherd, which is famous as a police and military dog in Germany. But why Kwon Chae-woo fromst nightes to her mind is aplete mystery. Whether it was a chance encounter with a resident of the Kwon family, sharing thoughts in front of the elevator, or even receiving advice, the feeling was so unclear. Moreover, talking about hierarchy and power were always distant from Lee-yeon, who had always pursued a serene life. ¡°Do you raise dogs?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Whenever I bring up dogs, you listen so well.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Last night, due to Kwon Chae-woo, who had yfully turned over Lee-yeon¡¯s clothes and disappeared again, she had a restless night¡¯s sleep. As she was scratching the back of her head in bewilderment, the staff member asked again. ¡°If you have a simr problem, you must definitely provide obedience training, understand?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t bring herself to answer and simply tucked her lips inside her mouth. ¡°¡ªThe youngest master?¡± As they entered the office after their walk, a stiff voice greeted her. The atmosphere within the management team was strange. Sensing this early on, Lee-yeon shifted her steps and carefully observed the faces of the caretakers. They were all geared up, wearing helmets, safety goggles, gloves, and earmuffs, and carrying chainsaws and various tools, fully prepared. What had been on the schedule for today? But as Lee-yeon quickly recalled the schedule, she tilted her head. She approached a staff member who was filling the coffee pot with water. ¡°Other than regr management tasks, there was no schedule for today, right?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right¡­¡± The staff member tore open a packet of coffee mix and poured it into a paper cup. ¡°The youngest master suddenly said he wanted to overturn the garden in the detached building¡­¡± At the embarrassed tone, Lee-yeon¡¯s brow gradually furrowed. ¡°He asked us to clear all the trees.¡± Chapter 204: Chapter 204: Lee-yeon inquired about Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s whereabouts and arrived at a 50-meter-long indoor swimming pool. Her stomach had been churning throughout the journey. She could clearly read the self-assured demand in the man¡¯s demeanor and wondered whose nerves he was trying to get under. With a flushed face, she squared her shoulders defiantly, thinking, Let¡¯s do this. Walking in barefoot, Lee-yeon looked around the serene pool area and confidently strode forward. The shimmering waves cast a crystal-like reflection on the ceiling of this tranquil space. However, instead of the familiar scent of chlorine, a strange hint of brine permeated the air, and the water seemed unusually murky, perhaps due to the ck tiles. She paused her steps, taking in the somewhat unfamiliar atmosphere, and peered into the water. Intrigued, she dipped her fingers into the water and yfully swirled it around. Suddenly, as if propelled by an unseen force beneath the surface, someone¡¯s hand mped onto her hand tightly. ¡°¡­!¡± Without any warning, she was pulled into the water by the surging figure below. Startled, Lee-yeon sshed down, her body submerged in the clinging water. Emerging from the water and discarding his swim cap, the man who had risen from the depths confronted her fiercely. ¡°Have you lost your mind? Do you know where you are right now?!¡± His body glistened with water, and his breathingbored. As his gaze focused on the earplug and tape that covered one of his ears, something resembling a suction cup emerged from the water, its puckered opening expanding to reveal a creature shooting out above the surface. ¡°Ack!¡± Sharp, grotesque teeth filled the circr mouth of the creature. Caught off guard, Lee-yeon¡¯s hips suddenly jolted towards the pool¡¯s edge. Seated on the pool¡¯s floor, her ankle, which had descended beneath the water¡¯s surface, was enveloped by a school of fish. ¡°Aaaargh¡­!¡± She frantically scraped the tiled floor, but it was futile. The creature clung to her with a powerful suction force, and she found herself sinking even to her knees. The long, slender fish¡¯s jaws mped down with the force of a vice, its interior lined with densely packed sharp teeth. And there wasn¡¯t just one of them. In an instant, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s harsh exmation of ¡°Damn it!¡± echoed as he swiftly pulled Lee-yeon out. However, the incredible suction strength was evident as the leech-like creatures, still attached to her foot, were forcefully dislodged along with her. Kwon Chae-woo grimaced fiercely as he aggressively grabbed and crushed the parasiticmpreys with his bare hands. Normally, their heads needed to be sliced open with a knife, but in this dire situation, he had no choice but to use his fists to crush them. They clung stubbornly, requiring a forceful grip to pry them off. ¡°What on earth is this? Why are creatures like these in a swimming pool?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a swimming pool, it¡¯s an aquarium.¡± He replied, chewing out his words as he forcefully tore thempreys from her. ¡°Ugh, gah¡­!¡± Tears welled up in her eyes as she faced an unprecedented situation. Looking back at the aquarium, she saw that the ck tiles weren¡¯t the only thing in the water. Eel-like creatures resemblingmpreys wriggled within, filling the tank. ¡°Lampreys are especially drawn to wounded flesh.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Suddenly, she recalled an encyclopedia entry she had read with Kwon Chae-woo. The image that remained vivid in her memory was that ofmpreys¡ªdistinctive with their jawless, sucker-like mouths. They werebeled as ¡°nature¡¯s undertakers¡± that attach themselves to dead fish, using their suction cups to extract blood and nutrients in their most primitive form. ¡°No, seriously, why do you keep something like this at home? And why swim in an aquarium? What purpose does raising those creatures serve?¡± All the curiosity about the tree issue that she wanted to question flew out of her mind as she got absorbed in the situation. ¡°As if I haven¡¯t starved for days. And now if Lee-yeones out from there¡ª¡± After dealing with thest one, he wiped his wet hair back. Kwon Chae-woo, too, seemed quite surprised, sitting on the floor and resting his forehead against his half-raised knees. His eyelids were twitching intermittently. ¡°See? I was right. Whenever it¡¯s rted to Lee-yeon, I just want to kill them all.¡± Lee-yeon pressed her lips tightly with a pale face. She hadn¡¯te here to be overwhelmed like this; she wanted to somehow convince him to change his mind. But now, her mind feltpletely nk. The dozens of mouth holes, like cross-sections of pomegranates, kept haunting her like scars. The moment she could barely endure her trembling body, Kwon Chae-woo spoke again. ¡°Since they¡¯re used to feeding on dead flesh, they react to blood. There must have been some wound on your foot, Lee-yeon.¡± Kwon Chae-woo slid his arm between her knee and armpit, swiftly lifting it up. ¡°Sorry for startling you.¡± ¡°¡­Then cancel it. Cancel the order to cut down all the trees in the garden.¡± Lee-yeon, pushed beyond her limits, grabbed the man¡¯s jaw as if she was about to burst into tears. ¡°Exactly, it wasn¡¯t supposed to be like that from the start¡ª¡± Their gazes met at a simr eye level. Kwon Chae-woo ced Lee-yeon down on a sunbed and gently inspected her feet and calves. ¡°Damn, another one left scratch marks. It¡¯s irritating. I should have bitten it instead.¡± He massaged his jaw where there were bite marks while opening his eyes. ¡°I should have bitten that damn thing.¡± *** Hi there! Advanced chapters are avable on Patreon if you want to support the team behind these projects. Also, please consider supporting this novel by leaving a review on Novelupdates! Thank you so much. Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 205: Chapter 205: Perhaps there are dogs in the world that cannot be tamed. There might be bad dogs too. Lee-yeon muttered to herself like that all day long and managed to finish her work safely. Thanks to Kwon Chae-woo, who personally escorted her to the mansion¡¯s clinic, she had her injuries treated in no time. The young master¡¯s whim was abruptly changed, as if turning the back of her hand, due to Lee-yeon¡¯s ident. The estate management team members were put down their saws and ceased cutting the trees. ¡°Ugh¡­ ugh¡­¡± Lee-yeon dug into the nket even with her groggy mind. Somehow, her body shivered whenever a cold wind blew. What time could it possibly be? She remembered the horrifying nightmare of being chased by themprey. She had been sleeping so tensely that her pajamas were damp with cold sweat. Aside from that, her physical condition wasn¡¯t great. Her head was pounding, and her nose was oozing hot mucus of various colors. It seemed like she had caught a cold. In fact, it made sense. Meeting Kwon Chae-woo again right after arriving at a ce unsuitable for someone with the Kwon family¡¯s constitution was the start of the stress she had endured. The work was more demanding than expected, and their way of life, as well as the upper-ss society she encountered here, was shocking. On top of it all, the climate change coincided with her transition. She reached out with her feverish hand, fumbling for her phone. Despite her body feeling like it was boiling, she was still shivering under the covers, like she had entered a severe cold. But, she couldn¡¯t afford to have a fever¡­ Such worries briefly crossed her mind, but she was mainly in a daze. She had lost her sense of where she was, and who she was with; even her vision was dark, and she could not lift her eyelids. The heat surged to her forehead, causing her to tear up involuntarily. First, she needed to call Choo-ja¡­ She dialed the number as her hand moved on its own. Ring, ring, the signal seemed unusually long. Her vision was pitch ck, and she was overwhelmed by the frightening nightmare, worries about the child in her belly, and everything else. Finally, with a click, the call was connected, and tears streamed down her face. ¡°Ugh¡­ Choo-ja.¡± It was quiet on the other end of the line, but Lee-yeon spoke in a voice that faded away with every breath. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ in pain¡­¡± Even with each breath, the heat was overwhelming, and it hurt. ¡°I really feel like I¡¯m going to die¡­ I can¡¯t trust these people here¡­¡± At that moment, she heard a sound on the other end of the line, as if something had been dropped harshly. Or perhaps it was the sound of a door mming shut and someone rushing out. However, even to notice such a trivial noise, Lee-yeon¡¯s mind was in a very confused state. ¡°I want to go home quickly. I want to go home and¡­ have a meal.¡± Lee-yeon murmured as if sighing, enduring the intense chill that was even affecting her back teeth. ¡°The ingredients here are better than at our house, and the cooking skills are better, but strangely, the food here tastes terrible.¡± ¨D¡­. ¡°So, I keep getting hungry here¡­ I keep sucking on a spoon¡­¡± Lee-yeon continued to repeat the same words, not even realizing what she was saying. ¡°I want to eat. I want to go home and have a meal quickly.¡± ¡°Choo-ja, do you know? This ce seems really terrible¡­ I saw a huge fish tank-like thing, and there was a creepy monster in it. How about the garden? Who nted all those strangely shaped trees?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°My passport was taken away, and I feel like I¡¯ve been dragged to some strange foreign ce. The food doesn¡¯t taste good, I can¡¯t adapt, and my boss is terrible¡­¡± Lee-yeon sniffled. ¡°I want to go back to Gyu-baek quickly¡­ If I stay here any longer, I¡¯ll go crazy first. I¡¯m tired of being scared, shocked, and frightened. And always being so tense is making my stomach hurt.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I wish time would pass quickly. I hope tomorrow is thest day¡­¡± It seemed like she had said many more words that she couldn¡¯t remember. How much time had passed? She heard rough breathing on the other end of the line, and then the door creaked open. Maybe I¡¯ve been too much of a bother that Choo-jae running here instead? Lee-yeon mumbled, moving her lips weakly. Suddenly, a cold hand touched her forehead, and another hand gently brushed her cheek. ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± A calm, deep voice settled in. ¡°Try opening your eyes.¡± With the cool palm soothing her feverish skin, Lee-yeon delightedly fluttered her eyshes open. Simultaneously, the end of her nket was lifted, and someone rolled up her pajama pants to her calves. When the cold air pierced her skin and she was about to pull her knees into the nket, her ankles were suddenly caught, and her legs were straightened out. Someone was carefully removing the gauze that had been applied to her ankles and calves in the office yesterday. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Lee-yeon summoned all her strength to raise her forehead and half-open her bleary eyes. In her blurred vision, she vaguely saw two men. She furrowed her brow, attempting toprehend the situation, but her scattered thoughts made even that a challenge. Chapter 206: Chapter 206: ¡°Possibility of sepsis can¡¯t be ignored. We need to draw blood right away and proceed with a culture test. Sepsis can lead to death within a short time after onset, so we need to get to the hospital quickly. If it spreads acutely, it has a mortality rate of 70 percent, givenplications such as organ dysfunction or shock.¡± ¡°What are you saying right now?¡± Kwon Chae-woo face turned chillingly rigid. The grip on Lee-yeon¡¯s ankle suddenly lost its strength. In his determination to erase any traces of his past, he had destroyed everything rted to his past self, including breaking and discarding all objects. Canceling his phone was also part of the same reason. Ever since he epted that So Lee-yeon was still a presence that could reach him, he reconnected his phone number. This was the first call he received since then. When he heard Lee-yeon¡¯s voice, weak and terrifying, he initially thought it was about the wound from the eel. That¡¯s why he had urgently grabbed the sleeping doctor by the cor and brought him here. ¡°Death?¡± But that sounded utterly preposterous. Kwon Chae-woo had the doctor by the cor, but the doctor¡¯s groans made him nce back at Lee-yeon. Death. Who? Lee-yeon heard bits of the conversation near her. Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s pupils shattered the walls he had built over time, crumbling at the mere two-letter word. He released his grip on the doctor, which seemed fruitless now, and from behind, he pulled Lee-yeon, who was shivering from fever, closer to him. The doctorposed himself, his face now flushed, and opened his medical bag. ¡°The culture test might take a while. Let me give you a fever-reducing injection first.¡± He skillfully drew liquid into the syringe. ¡°No¡­ Not the injection.¡± At that moment, Lee-yeon firmly, albeit hesitantly, uttered those words. ¡°Shh¡­ It¡¯ll be okay. It¡¯ll be over soon. We need to run the test.¡± Kwon Chae-woo rolled up Lee-yeon¡¯s sleeve to prepare for the injection, holding her hand and ovepping their palms. But the sharp needle in her hazy field of vision, the unfamiliar doctor, the nightmare with its menacing teeth, everything drove Lee-yeon into terror. She struggled, her arms iling, scratching the arm covered with alcohol swabs. Kwon Chae-woo, like a creeping vine, tightened his grip around her legs to immobilize her. ¡°No¡­ Don¡¯t¡­ dog¡­ pups¡­¡± Alcohol swabs brushed against her arm, and unfamiliar hands lightly tapped her bare skin. She wanted to say, ¡°No, stop, I¡¯m pregnant!¡± but the words wouldn¡¯te out. It was only when tears filled her eyes out of frustration that it happened. The door suddenly opened with a creak. There stood Gyu-baek, rubbing his drowsy eyes with rolled-up sleeves. After surveying the room briefly, he rushed in unexpectedly, clutching his fists tightly. ¡°Director!¡± Gyu-baek immediately lunged at Kwon Chae-woo, biting down hard on his forearm. ¡°Director, you¡¯re really foolish! I¡¯m so disappointed in you!¡± Gyu-baek was unusually agitated. The child attacked Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s forearm like a battering ram, vigorously yelling. ¡°This won¡¯t do. You¡¯ve gone mad¡­! You¡¯re letting us down! You¡¯re not supposed to be like this, Owl Monkey!¡± Gyu-baek shouted at Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°Kid, get out of the way.¡± He wiggled his eyebrows, but that was all. There was no time for the kid in this situation. ¡°The Owl Monkey is the best dad among all primates¡­! If you hurt the baby, I¡¯ll seek revenge for a lifetime. Giant Asian hos, bullet ants, Africanized honey bees, army ants, horseflies¡­!¡± Gyu-baek chanted the names of dangerous insects like an incantation while clinging to the doctor¡¯s coat this time. With a sudden burst of energy, he grabbed the doctor¡¯s clothes and began rambling. In the midst of the child¡¯s unexpectedmotion, the two men appeared momentarily stunned. In that moment, a clear idea crossed the doctor¡¯s mind. ¡°Do you happen to know if this patient¡­ is married?¡± ¡°What?¡± Kwon Chae-woo scowled deeply, and just that look seemed to convey pressure. The doctor wiped his forehead, feeling the tension. ¡°I immediately thought of sepsis but in early pregnancy, women¡¯s ability to regte body temperature is often decreased. They can have a low-grade fever of up to 37.7 degrees Celsius.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The patient sweats and experiences chills, especially when feeling unwell. It¡¯s easy to mistake it for a cold or the flu, but most women naturally recover.¡± An eerie silence settled in, with only the ticking of the clock intruding. Even the fine lines on Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s forehead seemed to solidify, like white ster. The doctor, growing more anxious, adjusted his sses and continued. ¡°Still, just in case, we should do a blood test quickly.¡± ¡°Pregnancy?¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s voice, breaking the long silence, sounded oddly unfamiliar. There was no trace of emotion in his tone, no hint of curiosity or contemtion. He looked at Lee-yeon, whom he held in his arms, with an entirely unfamiliar expression. He rested his chin on her shoulder and pressed his entire body against her like a crumbling dam. With a nervous twitch, he removed the earplugs from one ear and ced his hand on her belly. His eyes, which had been tightly closed to block out noise, trembled. The difference in her body temperature from before, the lovely blush that had risen, the cute freckles that had appeared recently, her rapidly shifting emotions, and¡­ The subtly different scent, the change in Lee-yeon. Kwon Chae-woo had previously thought that his failure to notice Lee-yeon¡¯s transformation was due to her detachment as she mended herself from the damage he had caused. No, she was being filled with something else. That¡¯s part of me, in her. Only now did the mark that Kwon Chae-woo had etched onto himself start to fade, and the reason for his inability to sense Lee-yeon¡¯s changes became clear. When he finally let go and unraveled the threads that bound him, it was So Lee-yeon who had grown and emerged, like fresh skin. ¡°Ah, I can¡¯t live without you.¡± Please, don¡¯t push me away and leave. He thought. And so, little by little, as the unbnced scales finally tippedpletely to one side, Kwon Chae-woo felt a profound pain he had never experienced before. Lee-yeon had prepared to find happiness even without him, but he couldn¡¯t shake the relentless premonition that he would have nothing without her. There was no way to turn back time. The fall from ecstasy to the depths of despair happened in an instant. Chapter 207: Chapter 207: Chirping, the pleasant sound of birds filed the room. As Lee-yeon opened her eyes, her mind felt remarkably clear. She rubbed her tired eyes and tried to piece together the fragmented memories. The memories of her illness from the night before were somewhat hazy. There were shes of it: a damp cloth wiping her forehead and body, the warm embrace that had surrounded her throughout the night, the refreshing water that had regrly been given to her, the familiar texture and affectionate touch she felt each time, and the gentle kisses. ¡°What on earth happenedst night?¡± She pondered. Just then, the door opened, and Kwon Chae-woo, dressedfortably in indoor clothing, walked in. He had a puzzled look on his face as he seemed lost in thought. When their eyes met, Lee-yeon immediately realized whose scent was embedded in her nightwear. Her face flushed, and she couldn¡¯t find any words. He approached the bed and sat down. ¡°Can you eat something?¡± The man naturally extended his arm and touched her forehead. Lee-yeon found herself once again at a loss for words at each of his familiar actions. Was this still a dream? She blinked her eyes slowly. When she did, Kwon Chae-woo leaned closer. ¡°You don¡¯t have a fever anymore.¡± ¡°Why¡­ why are you here?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you remember?¡± Lee-yeon had heard those words somewhere before. ¡°Did you lock me up? Or did I lock you up?¡± He smiled mysteriously, as always. ¡°You¡¯re just a patient, Lee-yeon. You passed out and woke up just now.¡± Lee-yeon nced away from the enigmatic man, choosing to fiddle with her ear instead. Herst memory was trying to call Choo-ja on her phone. She must have babbled something. She didn¡¯t remember the details, but she vaguely recalled muttering nonsense. ¡°Do you remember anything?¡± Lee-yeon scratched her forehead and lowered her head. A low voice followed immediately. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with your body. You just pushed yourself too hard.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± He hesitated for a moment, seeming out of ce. Just earlier, he had confirmed Lee-yeon¡¯s pregnancy through the resident doctor. He wiped his face, which had not seen a night of sleep, and hid his trembling hands. His gaze, which stared at Lee-yeon, shook incessantly. ¡°You want homemade food?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Thrilled by the promise of a meal, Lee-yeon followed him to the kitchen. He skillfully prepared a spread, including grilled Hwang Tae, spicy pork stir-fry, soybean paste stew, scrambled eggs, seasoned seaweed with sesame oil, and cabbage rolls with tomato sauce. ¡°Can you taste it? You¡¯re the one who should check the seasoning.¡± She demanded. ¡°Don¡¯t you trust me?¡± Kwon Chae-woo was wearing a mask because the smell of the food was bothering him while he rolled the eggs. Perhaps all his previous sensitivities had been because of Lee-yeon¡¯s pregnancy. It was a rare case, but not entirely unheard of. ¡°Thest time I ate your cooking, the seasoning was off. It was so salty¡­¡± Lee-yeon recalled the side dishes Kwon Chae-woo used to make. She had been unable to finish and had to throw away. ¡°But Lee-yeon, you didn¡¯t have much of an appetite before.¡± ¡°Well, being here has been so stressful. Eating helps me cope. Yes¡­¡± Kwon Chae-woo stared at Lee-yeon, who repeatedly lied. But it didn¡¯t matter now. If he was a dog that was clueless, he was willing to follow his shepherd blindly. He preferred to die while sucking her lips, which only lied, until they were full. Yoon Joo-ha¡¯s death was the long-standing legacy and responsibility of the Kwon family, not the girl¡¯s doing. He would no longer point fingers at Lee-yeon¡¯s kindness and ignorance. What was important now was who and how Yoon oo-ha, who hade in search of her young son and ended up dead, was killed. Therefore, the lost puppy, who had lost its master, was now¡­ ¡°Ugh¡­¡± He bit down hard on his lips and fought the nausea. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lee-yeon asked him. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is the food you made bad tastes again?¡± Lee-yeon, rather than worrying about the man who was about to retch, red at him sharply, questioning him. The abandoned puppy was now trying to get back under its owner¡¯s care. ¡°Don¡¯t throw up on the food! Move out of the way!¡± Lee-yeon shoved Kwon Chae-woo aside without any sympathy, and he felt his uncertain future before his eyes. ¡ª Lee-yeon looked at the bountifully set table, swallowing her rising excitement. She had no idea how it would taste, but theforting warmth filling the tableware was just as she remembered. But was it right for the lord of the house to be doing this? She cautiously took a spoonful of rice after tasting a bite, and then she quickly finished her meal. It wasn¡¯t anything special, just an ordinary and yet extraordinary taste. It was the rice she had every day in the Hwaido, the rice that washed away the sorrows of her days, a table full of happiness. The fake husband of Lee-yeon had put his heart into making breakfast every day. Unbelievably, it was the taste she had longed for. ¡°Is Miss So Lee-yeon here?¡± She was lost in her thoughts, savoring breakfast, when a neatly dressed old butler appeared. ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡± ¡°Mr. Kwon would like to see you.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± She froze at the sudden announcement. Eventually, Lee-yeon, who had been lost in thought, found herself standing in front of Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s study. She stood there, still, as her body tensed. After a moment, she heard a brief and concise voice from inside, ¡°Come in.¡± *** Hi there! Advanced chapters are avable on Patreon if you want to support the team behind these projects. Also, please consider supporting this novel by leaving a review on Novelupdates! Thank you so much. Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 208: Chapter 208: As they entered, a heavy woody scent loomed in the air, pressing down on them like a sharp weight. Kwon Ki-seok, leaning over hisrge executive desk, flipping through documents, set down the paper pile and clenched his fist. ¡°Miss So Lee-yeon.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve probably heard the news, but the Hwaidom project ispleted.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± At the mention of Hwaidom, she couldn¡¯t help but recall the final review. It had been their first ambitious project, so the taste of it was bittersweet. She had temporarily forgotten it in the midst of her busy days. ¡°Director Jo Kyung-cheon¡¯s hospital, D Hospital, won the final bid. He¡¯s also from Hwaido, so you might be familiar with him.¡± Lee-yeon gave an awkward smile and nodded her head. ¡°The opening date for Hwaidom is confirmed, and there will be a big ceremony. Our Su-gook Pharmaceuticals, as thergest investor in Hwaidom, will host the party. At the same time, we¡¯ll be unveiling the new medicine we¡¯ve been researching for a long time.¡± Lee-yeon approached, pressing her knuckles against her cheekbone, feeling surprised at the mention of Sooguk Pharmaceuticals, but she quickly continued. ¡°Miss So Lee-yeon, you should attend as my partner that day.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°As you suggested, you are the skilled tree doctor who made it to the fourth stage of the Hwaidom project.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°You participated in the evaluation, and you were one of the parties involved. I really want to invite you as my partner.¡± It was an incredibly sudden request, no matter how you looked at it. Lee-yeon¡¯s forehead creased in confusion. ¡°It¡¯s a bit¡­ surprising.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s voice was nonchnt, as if he had expected Lee-yeon to refuse. ¡°You know, I don¡¯t recall such a thing being in the contract originally.¡± It was then that Kwon Ki-seok, wearing a knowing smile, suddenly covered her stomach with his palm. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± His close-up gaze felt like it could pierce right through her. Her breath scattered uncontrobly, and her legs lost their strength. She felt like her entire body was frozen, from her throat down to her belly, as she struggled to suppress the urge to scream. ¡°You thought I didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°That¡¯s truly astonishing.¡± Even without looking in a mirror, it was clear that her face had turned deathly pale. ¡°Chae-woo could not have known. But not me.¡± ¡°S-Since when¡­¡± Being the person suddenly caught in this situation, all she coulde up with were utterly useless questions. ¡°If you need maternity clinic pictures, just let me know. I have some very lovely photos from that time you had them taken.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± From Hwaido? Lee-yeon¡¯s breathing gradually became more ragged. Unhuman body temperature, snake-skin watch. Lee-yeon was enduring the shock of her world copsing before her eyes when she reflexively grabbed Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s wrist. ¡°What are you doing right now?¡± At that moment, rather conveniently, Kwon Chae-woo entered the room, leaning slightly against the door frame. Kwon Ki-seok was touching Lee-yeon¡¯s belly, and when she grabbed his wrist, they seemed affectionate. Their alternating gazes, one of them gripping the other¡¯s hand and the other holding it tenderly, felt as sharp as a de. The man exhaled a sigh, but at the same time, he was eerily calm. Kwon Chae-woo moved towards them, pulling apart the intertwined hands of the two. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Kwon Chae-woo promptly took Lee-yeon outside. The man, who had gone cold and stiff, stared at them as they left, and he kept absentmindedly wiping his hand that had been gripping Lee-yeon¡¯s hand just now. They had seemed just like newlyweds a moment ago, leaving a strong impression in his mind. Kwon Chae-woo muttered a string of curses while gritting his teeth. ¡°Ah, it hurts¡­!¡± Her plea, mixed with sobs, made hime to a sudden stop. In the silent corridor, only the intertwined breaths of the two could be heard. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Kwon Chae-woo, not knowing what to do, gently stroked Lee-yeon¡¯s wrist, which had turned crimson. ¡°I always knew you had a temper.¡± Lee-yeon was about to retort but found herself at a loss for words. ¡°Why¡­ why are you making that face?¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s eyshes were tinged with red. He looked somewhat anxious, then turned cold, then seemed to soften again, as if his throat was dry whenever he blinked. With each blink, a variety of heavy emotions oozed out. ¡°I¡­ I lost.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I was wrong.¡± The man with his head hung low spoke in a trembling voice. ¡°For the rest of my life, I¡¯ll live being nailed by you. You can grow me like a nt again, or you can keep lying to me until the day I die. I won¡¯t force you with strength, I won¡¯t be oppressive like this. I promise I won¡¯t ever do that again. So¡­¡± Kwon Chae-woo gazed at her with eyes that had turned red from bursting blood vessels. ¡°Please, just console me.¡± Chapter 209: Chapter 209: His once-strong and distinguished face was now trembling slightly, a sight Lee-yeon had never witnessed before. She had grown ustomed to his cold and angry expressions, but this disy of vulnerability was entirely new. Her body, which Kwon Ki-seok had frozen by fear, now seemed to freeze in a different way. ¡°What¡­ What are you doing?¡± Lee-yeon took a cautious step back, and Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s arm instinctively flinched, but he quicklyposed himself. ¡°I believe I made myself clearst time,¡± he replied firmly. ¡°I told you not to be swayed.¡± Lee-yeon shot him an rmed re. She couldn¡¯t help but feel on edge around a man who was attempting to re-enter her life. As her eyes hardened, his face grew even paler. Despite his breaking point being reached due to her illness and pregnancy, Lee-yeon was now building a wall between them. This difference in their emotional states created a palpable chill that made him recoil. ¡°I¡¯m going to¡­ pretend that I didn¡¯t hear that just now.¡± Lee-yeon quickly turned around. ¡°What if¡­!¡± His thick voice that burst out that moment grabbed her. ¡°I¡¯m still your husband?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but flinch at his words, her heart pounding in her chest. ¡°That day I left Hwaido, what if I didn¡¯t regain my memories at all?¡± he asked, and her world seemed to tremble. Lee-yeon gazed at him with unfocused eyes, as though struck in the worst possible way. ¡°And as my actual memories returned, all the time I spent in Hwaido became a nk page,¡± he continued, his voice heavy with the weight of his revtion. Her silence spoke volumes. ¡°I thought I was always being yed by some woman as well,¡± Kwon Chae-woo confessed, his brow furrowing in frustration. ¡°At that time, I despised you for lying and manipting me as you pleased. I believed that I had to hate you intensely to hold onto my sense of self, so I behaved terribly. I didn¡¯t even have my memories, yet I was terrified that my body was responding to your scent and your presence.¡± Lee-yeon listened attentively as he used strongnguage to convey his feelings. His eyes remained fixed on her, unblinking, disying a determination not to miss a single nuance of her reaction. ¡°So that¡¯s why I acted as if I were your husband. You can me me and call it childish,¡± he concluded, leaving a heavy silence in his wake. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Honestly, that was my mistake and loss. The longer I pretended to be your husband, that more I hated leaving Hwaido.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I was crazy jealous of your husband, my past ignorant self when I haven¡¯t got my memories back. I wanted to kill him and I considered even taking his ce. The days when you wouldn¡¯t even look at me, I was so angry that I pushed back my schedule on leaving.¡± Kwon Chae-woo panted angrily. ¡°Then¡­ My old memory merged.¡± ¡°You must have been confused.¡± Kwon Chae-woo looked up hopefully at her somewhat soft response. ¡°But whatever you were, whoever you were, why is that important now?¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I even held a funeral.¡± Lee-yeon muttered just loud enough for him to hear. Kwon Chae-woo slowly frowned. He was doubting his ears. ¡°Funeral?¡± The words hung in the air like a heavy shroud, each syble tearing at Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s soul. From dawn until now, the weight of the harsh truths surrounding Lee-yeon seemed to shred him apart. Death, pregnancy, and now a funeral. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯re a dead person,¡± she dered with a cold finality that cut through him like a de. Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face, which had been filled with hot and lively emotions just moments before, instantly froze, his features contorted in disbelief. ¡°I wore ck, personally dug a hole, and put your piece in it,¡± she continued, her tone unwavering. He remained silent, unable to find words to respond. ¡°And I have no intention of taking you out from the tomb I built.¡± Their rtionship, which had begun with the shocking discovery of someone being buried alive, now concluded with one person figuratively burying the other alive. Kwon Chae-woo threw his head back, his hand covering his eyes. Had he ever felt so utterly helpless? Throughout his life, he had only known how to efficiently harm others, never learning how to mend a broken heart. It was as if pieces of his very being were crumbling away. The more Kwon Chae-woo disintegrated, the more that foolish man, who had blindly embraced his role as a husband, filled the void. Rejection, doubt, stubbornness, and defenses that had defined him were being dismantled, leaving behind the man who had lived in blindness as a fake husband. ¡°¡­ What do you want me to do?¡± Kwon Chae-woo held Lee-yeon¡¯s clothes. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you tell me to do. I¡¯ll cook, work, and do all the chores. I¡¯ll give you all the money you want, and if I could, I¡¯ll breathe for you.¡± Lee-yeon clenched her fist and looked away. The end of her crumbled clothes clothes mirrored the wreckage of her feelings, and as time went on Kwon Chae-woo face turned back to what she was familiar with. Lee-yeon didn¡¯t bother with how she felt and pushed him away again. ¡°Are you really saying that because you believe me?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°How can you believe a liar like me? What if in truth, I truly did sell your mother?¡± Chapter 210: Chapter 210: Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes sparkled mischievously. She wasn¡¯t holding back. ¡°Whenever I was talking to you, I was busy trying to avoid the situation by lying. I was always like that, so don¡¯t you think I¡¯ll make an excuse that¡¯ll benefit me?¡± ¡°No.¡± Lee-yeonughed out loud at his voice. ¡°Why are you so easy?¡± ¡°¡­ Even if you do, I don¡¯t care about that now. That¡¯s something I have to deal with. I want to embrace the person you are. Your sin, your debt, whatever you have.¡± Kwon Chae-woo grabbed her wrist gently and let down everything he had. The man who decided to be stupid again looked at that one woman. As her soft skin touched his sweaty hand, his sighed in relief. ¡°My heart beat me, so I lost to you.¡± He brushed Lee-yeon¡¯s neck with his thumb. She flinched and stepped back. ¡°You epted a bastard like me, so why don¡¯t you think I can¡¯t do it?¡± ¡®I could¡¯ve pretended not to know until I die! But why¡­! Why can¡¯t you! I could¡¯ve epted whatever person Kwon Chae-woo is¡­!¡¯ ¡°Do you think you¡¯re dirtier and uglier than me, Lee-yeon?¡± The moment she met Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s eyes that melted with pain, Lee-yeon hit his hand away and turned like she was running away. She had to escape, no matter what it took. Her body acted before her mind could catch up to the urgency of the situation. Despite the sunny day outside, the hallway seemed gloomy, with no sunlight reaching its depths. Lee-yeon ran as if her life depended on it, her heart racing. She sprinted away just like that day in the mountains when she had run from him. If she were caught again this time¡­ If she allowed it to happen again¡­ She couldn¡¯t bear the thought. She felt a wave of nausea wash over her at the mere image of Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face, but she didn¡¯t dare to stop. And then, in a split second, a heavy weight pressed down on Lee-yeon¡¯s back, and strong arms enveloped her. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Her voice trembled, mirroring the shiver that ran down her spine. ¡°I¡¯m also Kwon Chae-woo, so why don¡¯t you recognize your husband!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°I¡¯m here, Lee-yeon. I¡¯m still here.¡± ¡°L, let go¡ª¡° ¡°I¡¯m your husband so why don¡¯t you recognize me!¡± His voice of resentment scratched Lee-yeon¡¯s ears. Lee-yeon bit her lips and tried to push his arms away, but Kwon Chae-woo restricted her even harder. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to let you go, Lee-yeon. Please, don¡¯t leave me.¡± ¡°Let go!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t leave. I¡¯ll be good. Please, take me with you. I¡¯ll do everything. Hug me too. I¡¯ll do better.¡± Kwon Chae-woo kept on repeating his words and dug his face on her neck. His hot and heavy breath fell on her neck. But his voice of desperation started to be chilling. ¡°Why should I be separated from you? Why aren¡¯t we the same body? If you leave like this, I¡¯ll be waiting for you forever. I¡¯ll be waiting on that spot until I die. F*ck, I¡¯ll wait even after I die.¡± Lee-yeon realized that even though Kwon Chae-woo pretended to be obedient, his true nature didn¡¯t change. ¡°I get it, so let go first¡­!¡± ¡°No, Idon¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°You asked what you can do right. You said you¡¯ll do what I told you. Didn¡¯t you want to change my mind even a little?¡¯ She felt him flinch. As Lee-yeon quietly waited, the man slowly let her go. They finally faced each other again. Kwon Chae-woo was red from the neck up and stared at Lee-yeon¡¯s lips. ¡°If you don¡¯t even follow one thing¡ª¡° ¡°I will.¡± He quickly cut her off. ¡°First, don¡¯t touch me thoughtlessly.¡± It was the moment the dominance has changedpletely. ¡°Second, don¡¯t chase me.¡± He couldn¡¯t move his legs like her order had chains. Kwon Chae-woo stared at Lee-yeon who was getting away as he took the call on his phone. ¨CYoung master, we found him. Jang Beom-hee panted over the over. ¨C15 years ago, it¡¯s driver Choi who worked at Kwon family. All the secretaries under the chairman who were in charge of Yoon Joo-ha either all died or went missing, but we found driver Choi who quit around then. ¡°Your point.¡¯ ¨CSo Lee-yeon didn¡¯t ept the reward. ¡°What?¡± Kwon Chae-woo moaned that he was holding back. His face turned cold. ¨CThey prepared the reward and went but she ended up refusing, and that he heard herin about how things got annoying. Then they went to the hospital and he said he remember overhearing the phone call saying that they paid for the medical bill. Kwon Chae-woo hands started to shake. Jang Beom-hee carefully added his opinion. ¨CYoung master, So Lee-yeon in this case¡­ ¡°¡­ I know. I understand.¡± He couldn¡¯t breath and he felt nauseated. He wanted to embrace everything about her but it was different when he was confirmed with truth. Kwon Chae-woo put his hand on his cheek and breathed hard. It looked like he was covering his mouth but it looked like he was trying to hold back from spilling something from inside. It had been around ten days since their reunion, but it felt like an eternity had passed. And yet, it seemed like it was already toote. His eyes burned as if they were on the verge of bursting. Chapter 211: Chapter 211: ¡°Are your eyes on your feet?!¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s head turned as she was running as hard as she could. She couldn¡¯t remember how she got out of the house. Her lips were dry and her heart was pounding hard. Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s threat and Kwon Chae-woo plea. She didn¡¯t have time to consider which was more shocking. The fear that she couldn¡¯t fall into that ditch again made her legs move. Lee-yeon grabbed her clothes and moved to where the noise came from. It was a subconscious choice to move into a crowd. ¡°Don¡¯t you see the dog? Go catch it already!¡± The ever green garden was dug up. There was a hole underneath a tree, its stump was scratched and flowerbed was a mess. Lee-yeon frowned as she saw all the flowers were broken. She saw the neon vest guard team members chasing after dogs and understood what was going on. It was a result ofck of management and dogs that weren¡¯t controlled. ¡°It looks like they were frustrated.¡± One of the members of the guard sighed. ¡°Ha¡­ Looks like we¡¯ll need to clean up within today. Ah, I hate it¡­¡± The brown colour soil was covering the green grass. ¡°Right, there was a charity event by Mirae group scheduled next week outside, did you check?¡± ¡°MIrae group?¡± Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t help but interject. Startled by her intrusion, it took seconds for one of the guards to find his voice. ¡°It¡¯s thedies from the finance and politics hosting the event, and they¡¯re a bit picky. So we have a lot of prepare but those dogs are really annoying.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°N-nothing.¡± She meant it would be a good distraction, a way to keep her mind off Kwon Chae-woo, but the words slipped out before she could think. The mud-covered dog was wearing a muzzle and being guided by one of the trainers. Lee-yeon locked eyes with the dog, and the trainer chuckled, clearly embarrassed. ¡°You see? That¡¯s why training is important,¡± he remarked. Lee-yeon felt a bit uneasy looking at the teeth visible through the muzzle, so she took a step back and forced a nervousugh. ¡°Right, is the dog at your ce being trained well?¡± she asked. ¡°Pardon? Ah¡­¡± The trainer¡¯s expression turned serious as he nodded as if he understood her concern. ¡°That¡¯s okay. Many owners be soft-hearted. They may whine a lot at first, but you have to ignore it. If you don¡¯t train them properly now, it¡¯ll only get worseter on.¡± Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t quite fathom why she was so focused on dog training when she didn¡¯t even own a dog herself. She felt restless at the sight of dogs. ¡°What¡¯s important is your persistence. You need to y with them a lot. For those who are aggressive, you need to go on a lot of walks too. You need a fine mix of ignoring, encouragement, and reward. Let them sniff people a lot too.¡± Lee-yeon turned towards the house out of habit. Her surprised heart was still racing. *** Each time he passed through the narrow hallways, the old light bulbs flickered erratically. In those brief moments when the light blinked, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face, hidden behind a ck mask, would brieflye into view. He tilted his head slightly to amodate the low ceiling but continued walking with purpose. The musty smell of mold assaulted his nostrils, but it was a wee sensationpared to the burning ache in his heart. Even after two days of non-stop activity and the absence of Lee-yeon, his heart still quivered with longing. Right now, she had only allowed two things: first, not to touch her body thoughtlessly, and second, not to chase after her. But how could he reach her? How could he hold her close like he used to? ¡°If I were someone else, maybe I would have found a way,¡± he mused aloud, though there was no one to hear. ¡°If I were naturally kind and gentle¡­¡± For him, it felt like he was wandering in the dark, but his desperation drove him to cling to her words. His sleep had be disrupted, and his body had grown hypersensitive. In this state, Kwon Chae-woo changed with each passing moment, much like the erratic light bulb overhead. Should he lock up Lee-yeon in some mountain, or just buy a deserted ind and remodel it? But even while his head was swirling with craziness, he had the least amount of logic left in him to not turn himself into Kwon Ki-seok and Yoon Joo-ha. He said he wouldn¡¯t do anything forcefully, so should he go to the hospital right away to get himself check and give her the result? It might not be the worst thing to pick out what Lee-yeon needs. He was thinking about everything then pulled his mask down to his chin and ask huskily. ¡°Where do you put it?¡± ¡°Over there.¡± A few days ago, someone was beaten at the Club Luna. The victim Jang Min-soo instantly called 911 but the police beat him instead, arrested him and locked him up, which caused trouble. The live broadcast the Mr. Jang secretly started showed all of this and suspicion about rtionship between the Club Luna and public servants arose. There were many names from higher ups that were mentioned while they beat and ridiculed Mr. Jang, a normal citizen. The entire nation appalled. But to the Kwon family, he was no ordinary citizen. *** Hi there! Advanced chapters are avable on Patreon if you want to support the team behind these projects. Also, please consider supporting this novel by leaving a review on Novelupdates! Thank you so much. ?? Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 212: Chapter 212: A simple case started to grow and became huge that involved police adhesion, drug, sexual harassment, and tax avoidance, and the assumption on who is really behind it all was everywhere. Between all that, as conspiracy theory about Club Luna being involved with the current government showed up and the inte was a hot potato. It was obviously the Kwon family that had real power in the dark, and Kwon Chae-woo was told to quietly get rid of Mr. Jang, who was the seed of all of this. The room he stepped into contained a man who was all bloody and tied up. Kwon Chae-woo looked at the hunting dog behind him to leave and he was left alone with Mr. Jang. ¡°Get up.¡± As his bored voice rang, the man got up and spat. ¡°F*ck, that hurt!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I hate the dogs at my ce. The reason why you all became like this is all due to ack of public education. You needed to learn wisdom and ethics instead of being chained, fucking bastards.¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face didn¡¯t change at all the insult. The man lifted one of his knees and sat leisurely and then smiled. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, brother. I heard you were in a vegetative state for all that time?¡± It was Kwon Ee-joon, the second child of Kwon family who ran away, and is currently an elementary school teacher. His face was so swollen from all the beating, but his dark brown colored eyes shed familiarly. His curly hair was pulled down to his eyebrows, and a piercing mark on his ear was clear. It seemed like his shirt was stretched from the fight and a tattoo could be seen. Kwon Ee-joon frowned and smiled coldly. ¡°You know that I¡¯ve been in deep trouble because of you, right?¡± ¡°Teacher, watch yournguage.¡± Kwon Chae-woo warned him. ¡°Since when did you ever care about my students?¡± ¡°I¡¯m considering it.¡± ¡°Come on, it feels like you¡¯re trying to kill my students in the ssroom so stop it.¡± The real identity of Kwon Ee-joon was that he was the ck hacker who was the center of the anti-Kwon family. Topletely cut his ties with his family, he hacked the foreign bank ounts of Kwon family every 24 hours and his parentspletely cut ties with him. There were tens of those secret bank ounts so they gave up after only four. Kwon Ee-joon stared at his brother¡¯s face. ¡°There will be more so stay alert.¡± Kwon Ee-joon, who was nning on leaving the moment he came to age, happened to stay a bit longer as his younger brother came back from kidnapping. But Chae-woo grew up tidily and wouldn¡¯t give his brothers a chance, and Kwon Ee-joon felt disappointed as his parents just sent Chae-woo away abroad instead of warmly epting him. ¡°You live in the house with Kwon Ki-seok now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not living with him, I¡¯m watching him.¡± ¡°That bastard, he doesn¡¯t even believe in hunting dogs anymore. He bought a bunch of Syrian killers recently.¡± Kwon Ee-joon said disgustingly. ¡°I know. I killed a few yesterday.¡± Kwon Ee-joon gave him a nce of warning. ¡°Assume that Kwon Ki-seok is two or three steps ahead of you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You know right? That your head might be gone if you¡¯re not careful. Even though we left you to take care of everything, you¡¯re still a hunting dog. That you¡¯ll be reced the moment you¡¯re of no use.¡± Kwon Chae-woo scoffed. It was a hardughter to see from the youngest, but Kwon Ee-joon didn¡¯t like it at all. His scoff contained all kinds of cruelty. But he couldn¡¯t deny that fact that he put all his hand into that cruelty. ¡°That¡¯s what I want. Kwon Ki-seok just kept on circling around me, and it¡¯s more boring than I thought.¡± Kwon Chae-woo cut the ropes off his brother. ¡°Kwon Ki-seok can die even tonight.¡± ¡°Hey, Chae-woo.¡± ¡°But Kwon family will still exist so that¡¯s no good. And right now¡ª¡° Kwon Chae-woo hesitated before continuing. ¡°He also has something of mine.¡± His voice was grave. Kwon Ee-joon circled his freed hands and sighed. When he was little, he witnessed the dog house where they put little children to raise them as a pawn of the Kwon family. His way of thinkingpletely changed. That amplified as his parents didn¡¯t change at all, even after having their youngest child, Kwon Chae-woo, kidnapped. It might have been because he had witnessed the traumatic incident with the doghouse and his youngest brother¡¯s kidnapping, but Kwon Ee-joon had always been soft-hearted when it came to young children. This earned him the reputation of being ¡°weak,¡± though it was for a reason as peculiar as his aversion to fish with eggs. Since those days, Kwon Ee-joon had been actively working to break free from the dark traditions of the Kwon family and ensure the well-being of the younger generation. Fortunately, his association with a hunting dog that seemed to favor him had brought considerable wealth, even before Kwon Chae-woo, the Kwon family¡¯s prodigy who had grown rapidly and be a source of fear, contacted him. This was all before Kwon Chae-woo fell into a vegetative state. Kwon Ee-joon ran a hand over his lips, his expression wrinkling in thought. ¡°You¡¯re aware of the charity event hosted by the Mirae Group next week, right?¡± ¡°I am,¡± came the curt response. ¡°She¡¯s not on the list, but the wife of the Pakistan ambassador will be attending.¡± The Mirae group consisted of wives, daughters, and daughters-inw of all the politicians and business people. The Kwon family offered their outside garden as a hosting ce each quarter. ¡°This is the first chance in a while to give hell to Kwon Ki-seok,¡± Kwon Ee-joon took out a strawberry candy out of his pocket and smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t have anything valuable at home, right? If you do, make sure to move it.¡± Chapter 213: Chapter 213: Lee-yeon didn¡¯t leave work until it waste at night due to the garden that the dogs had ravaged. Although she didn¡¯t sit down and work directly, it felt monotonous to be the only one left, so she stayed untilte. Rubbing her sore shoulders, she headed towards her room, but suddenly, her legs came to an abrupt stop. In front of her roomy an oddly shaped,rge lump. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a person hunched over. More precisely, Kwon Chae-woo was sitting leaning against the door of Lee-yeon¡¯s room. Even though she had been on edge, not knowing when Kwon Chae-woo might suddenly appear, she couldn¡¯t let her guard down even during work. Yet, to see him like this, so disheveled was unexpected. Kwon Chae-woo leaned against the door with an air of exhaustion, his head resting against it. His hair, nted in that direction, hung heavily like waste water, and strangely, there was a faint odor of blood emanating from his tightly clinging ck clothes. However, his skin, so pallid that it seemed translucent, didn¡¯t look like it belonged to the living. Because of his eerie appearance, her legs refused to move readily. But Lee-yeon no longer held the naive belief that he might be asleep. ¡°It¡¯ste; you should go.¡± She lightly tapped Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s thigh with the tip of her toe. Fortunately, her voice came out icy andposed. ¡°Don¡¯t act like this here; go to your room.¡± ¡°¡­¡± At her words, his seemingly lifeless eyes blinked slowly. Thanks to his pale irises, his pupils appeared even sharper in the darkness, pinpointing Lee-yeon precisely. ¡°I need to get in, so move aside.¡± Lee-yeon tapped her fingers on the doorframe as she spoke. Suddenly, Kwon Chae-woo thudded his head against the door with a dull sound. ¡°Lee-yeon, I¡¯m sleepy.¡± The sound that escaped him could pass as a resigned sigh. His voice, dampened like a swamp, seemed to envelop her too. What on earth was he doing every night to return in such a disheveled state? For the first time, Lee-yeon felt curiosity about the young man in front of her. But Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s relentless disy of some power he naturally wielded was also irritating. ¡°¡­Did you try to sleep with someone else before crawling to me because you¡¯re tired?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Have you tried sleeping next to another woman?¡± Kwon Chae-woo seemed momentarily speechless, and his face contorted as if he had been wounded. His pale, still face trembled silently, bringing a hidden thrill from somewhere deep within Lee-yeon¡¯s chest. ¡°So, So Lee-yeon, did you enjoy teasing me?¡± Those words brushed through Lee-yeon¡¯s mind, and she chewed on the inside of her cheek before repeating them. ¡°You seemed to enjoy it too, didn¡¯t you? Teasing. That must be a skill of yours.¡± Kwon Chae-woo clenched his fist and thudded it on the floor once, his hand, tense and trembling slightly. Watching a man who couldn¡¯t even stand up straight as he tries to show frustration, Lee-yeon shivered at the pathetic sight. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear those words.¡± He bowed his head deeply, and his voice, now cold instead of angry, sounded like a childish tantrum. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you try sleeping next to other women?¡± Lee-yeon insisted, ¡°Why should I have any obligation to satisfy you?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s shameful to find me just because you are sleepy.¡± Kwon Chae-woo brushed his hair back with trembling hands. His smooth forehead creased, and a soundlessugh escaped him. After having hallucinations of Lee-yeon, he voluntarily refused to sleep. Jang Beom-hee had grown frustrated with his consistent refusal of his suggestion to try sleeping with other women Despite being tempted to lie down with her, he gritted his teeth, thinking about the days, or perhaps weeks, ahead when he wouldn¡¯t be able to get up. He was afraid he¡¯d be in a vegetative again. He couldn¡¯t let that happen. With him sleeping too long, Lee-yeon would be left alone in the Kwon family, where everything was in turmoil. So, if he had to refrain from sleeping, then refrain he must. ¡°Does it seem like I¡¯m just a mop to you?¡± ¡°What are you saying¡­¡± ¡°You treat me like a teenager who ys himself. If it¡¯s not you, I can¡¯t even get an erection. It seems like you¡­ you have control over every aspect of my life.¡± The intense gaze directed solely at her made her feel empowered. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry to hear that.¡± He clenched his jaw and fixed a red, intense stare on Lee-yeon, not uttering a word. Lee-yeon felt a mix of innocence and pent-up emotions, as she always did when dealing with Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°I only want to be worn out by Lee-yeon. I want to get dirty with just one person.¡± ¡°Stop. I get it.¡± ¡°Did you want to turn me into a rag because you couldn¡¯t stand the sight of me? If that¡¯s the case then why don¡¯t you squeeze out everyst drop of me, Lee-yeon? You don¡¯t even know how to use a rag properly¡­¡± Chapter 214: Chapter 214: ¡°Stop talking like that!¡± Lee-yeon closed her eyes tightly and nervously scratched her ear. Then, Chae-woo, who had regained hisposure, grabbed her thigh and leaned his forehead against it. ¡°Now, just looking at my face annoys you?¡± Although it was merely the hem of her clothing that had been pressed, Lee-yeon was startled, and Chae-woo, sensing her response, once again removed himself from her. ¡°I haven¡¯t touched you recklessly all this time, I haven¡¯t followed you around, and I haven¡¯t received anypliment.¡± The persistent gaze that carefully observed Lee-yeon¡¯splexion was indeed her husband¡¯s, the one she remembered. In an instant, something inside Lee-yeon snapped. She didn¡¯t want to know what it was, so she raised her voice. ¡°Someone is sitting in front of my door, and you expect me not to be annoyed?¡± ¡°Then, just think of it as not a person.¡± Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t help butugh bitterly at his self-deprecating words. ¡°It is a total bastard anyway, so if you don¡¯t like it, you should just see him as a nt.¡± Kwon Chae-woo said, referring to himself as ¡°it.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Lee-yeon, you cut branches well, right? Keep adding my restrictions, first, second, third, and each time, just cut off my limbs. And if I bepletely useless, you can just water me a little each time.¡± The man holding onto her thigh muttered with a sigh, and he suddenly looked so pitiful. Without realizing it, Lee-yeon reached out and lightly touched his hair. Kwon Chae-woo immediately stopped breathing and looked up at Lee-yeon as if she were the sky. Even in the darkness, his eyes seemed to glisten. It was a bted realization, and Lee-yeon quickly withdrew her hand, biting her lower lip. It was a huge mistake, a disaster. Because¡­ ¡°¡­ Let me touch you too.¡± His hand began to crawl up. ¡°Let me touch your belly, Lee-yeon.¡± He rified. ¡°¡­.!¡± While Lee-yeon remained stiff, his husky voice traveled up her legs. ¡°Kwon Ki-seok touched it, didn¡¯t he?¡± With that one sentence, Lee-yeon was reminded of a fact she had forgotten. She had revealed her pregnancy to Kwon Ki-seok. She hid her fidgeting hand behind her back as if she were putting it aside. ¡°It¡¯s not just anywhere; it¡¯s your belly he touched. How can I see that and not turn away?¡± He protested. ¡°¡­ Why the belly? What¡¯s wrong with my stomach?¡± ¡°I filled that belly myself.¡± Kwon Chae-woo answered her inly. Time seemed to stand still for Lee-yeon. She forced a smile onto her lips and stammered, ¡°W-What are you saying¡­¡± nothing more than to hold the flustered Lee-yeon right then and shower her with kisses. But the harsh reality, which prevented him from doing so, caused cracks to appear on his impassive face. Still, he couldn¡¯t afford to intimidate her. Just like their first encounter, he had learned that he couldn¡¯t predict what she might do when she was scared. Making her feel safe was the right option for him, so Kwon Chae-woo decided to approach the matter of her pregnancy with utmost caution, at least until she ultimately returned to him. ¡°Did you forget that I used to cook for you?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Lee-yeon grabbed the doorknob briskly, weighed down by self-reproach for entertaining inappropriate thoughts. As she did so, her thigh muscles tightened. ¡°Please don¡¯t go, just allow me.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t allow it.¡± She wouldn¡¯t care if he froze or died in the corridor. Lee-yeon abruptly swung the door open in front of him, then mmed it shut again with a resounding thud. Eventually, after a defiant shower, shey in bed and pulled the covers over her head. Don¡¯t care. Won¡¯t care. Lee-yeon repeated this mantra incessantly but ended up losing sleep that night. From that day, a strange rumor had started circting about the youngest master¡¯s new habit ¨C sleeping in the corridor. *** ¡°I¡¯ll leave work first, thank you for your hard work!¡± It was another evening of overtime, preparing for the charity auction, selecting flowers to decorate the garden. Lee-yeon habitually checked the time, calcting in her head whether Kwon Chae-woo had left yet. Ever since that day, at midnight or dawn, there would always be a loud thud, as if somethingrge forcefully hit the door. It was Kwon Chae-woo copsing outside the door, his body losing all strength. For several days now, Lee-yeon¡¯s nerves had been worn thin because of arge dog guarding the door. It didn¡¯t scratch or make any loud noises, but its silence seemed to suffocate her like a thin thread. Especially when Kwon Chae-woo spoke in her husband¡¯s familiar voice, somewhere in her lower back, warmth spread, and sweat formed. ¡°Miss So Lee-yeon.¡± Then, someone neatly dressed in a suit blocked her path. Lee-yeon hesitated, looking around as if expecting someone else. ¡°We need to go together for a moment.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± The person looked oddly familiar. Where had she seen them before? She scratched her head, unable to recall. ¡°Director Kwon has requested your presence.¡± Jang Beom-hee remained polite, but there was ack of friendliness in his eyes. What kind of power could one have as a mere Eul (a low-ranking person)? With her vulnerabilities exposed through her pregnancy and Gyu-baek, Lee-yeon had no choice but to follow Jang Beom-hee silently into a separate building. Unconsciously, she embraced her belly and chewed on her dry lips. Wait, isn¡¯t this where Kwon Chae-woo stays? When she began to doubt, Jang Beom-hee, who had been quietly leading the way, suddenly turned around. ¡°I apologize.¡± ¡°What?¡± Chapter 215: Chapter 215: ¡°It¡¯s not Director Kwon; it¡¯s actually because of master.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s shoulders stiffened, and Jang Beom-hee quickly added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry; master doesn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lee-yeon interjected in shock, and Jang Beom-hee continued, ¡°Master sometimes receives certain injections.¡± ¡°Wait, is he using drugs?!¡± Lee-yeon eximed in rm, and Jang Beom-hee paused before responding. ¡°No, it¡¯s a type of neural stimnt. He started taking it to endure his pain since his time at Hwaido.¡± ¡°But I switched that for a sleeping pill. It¡¯s not just Master who reached his limit; it¡¯s me watching him, too.¡± Jang Beom-hee stood rigidly by the door, looking down at Lee-yeon with an expressionless face. ¡°So, please, I¡¯m begging you, help us a little.¡± ¡°What exactly¡­¡± Lee-yeon began to question when Jang Beom-hee opened the door. Inside, Lee-yeon saw Kwon Chae-woo copsed on the bed and a woman she had never seen before. ¡°Could you please lend me the clothes you¡¯re wearing right now?¡± Jang Beom-hee¡¯s voice grew cold. *** Somehow, her fingertips stiffened with a dizzying sensation that felt like a blow to the back of her head. While checking the time out of habit and trying to assess whether Kwon Chae-woo was outside the door or not had be a routine, it wasn¡¯t the case in this situation. ¡°Will you help?¡± Lee-yeon stared at the woman, dressed only in a bathrobe, her lips tightly sealed. The woman in front of her had a simr height and build, a flowing hairstyle, and delicate facial features, much like Lee-yeon herself. Even the bathrobe she wore seemed to be the same as the one she used at Hwaedo. All of this felt like it was set up for Kwon Chae-woo. As Lee-yeon stood there in confusion, Jang Beom-hee briskly whispered, ¡°If this goes well, it will be easier for you too, So Lee-yeon.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s heart raced like a drum in response to Jang Beom-hee¡¯s implied urgency. ¡°Unless we solve the sleep problem, So Lee-yeon will be the only one suffering. Unless you n to live with the Master forever, you should help here.¡± Jang Beom-hee tactfully conveyed her point, lowering her head as if requesting assistance. It was a valid point. Kwon Chae-woo needed to find a new method and solution as soon as possible, and perhaps it would also help lessen his obsession. Moreover, this situation had only arisen because Lee-yeon herself had suggested it to Kwon Chae-woo not long ago. So, she felt she had a responsibility to act. Clenching her front hem tightly, Lee-yeon asked, ¡°Where should I change my clothes?¡± ¡°If you go into that room over there, we have prepared new clothes for you.¡± Without giving the bed a second nce, Lee-yeon walked into the room, working on the buttons of her work clothes. But suddenly, her fingers grew tense. Her mouth had been dry, and her heart had been pounding irregrly ever since a while ago. Still, this was the right thing to do, Lee-yeon told herself. She was soon to leave this ce, and Kwon Chae-woo needed to get proper sleep to carry on with his life. So, this was the right direction and the right choice. ¡°Have you changed into everything?¡± Just then, the door creaked open, and a woman¡¯s face peeked through the gap. Seeing the woman with the same eye level, a simr image to herself, Lee-yeon was left speechless. The woman came in with a bright smile, casually took off her shower robe, revealing her back and buttocks. Lee-yeon was startled and turned her head when she saw the exposed back and buttocks. ¡°Your scent is quite unique.¡± The woman, holding Lee-yeon¡¯s work clothes,mented lightly as she sniffed the clothes. She then began to efficiently put on the leggings and sleeves one by one. ¡°Do you have any sleep habits?¡± ¡°What?¡± The woman, now finishing buttoning up thest button of the work clothes, turned to Lee-yeon. ¡°Anything will do, like moving your body or talking in your sleep. I¡¯m a professional even though I¡¯m nameless. So, I want to do a good job.¡± Lee-yeon stayed silent. ¡°It¡¯s not a difficult job, really. Just sleep quietly next to a man. Do you know how healthy and profitable that can be? Plus, he seems to be an interesting man with a story.¡± Silence persisted. ¡°By the way, how do you touch him while sleeping?¡± As Lee-yeon remained wordless, the woman¡¯s probing gazended squarely on her. ¡°Ah¡­ I guess you weren¡¯t very active.¡± The woman answered for Lee-yeon. The woman then began to tie her hair into a neat bundle, observing it closely to match Lee-yeon¡¯s hairstyle, nail length, and even the habitual breathing pattern. Despite the awkwardness of the situation, Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡°She¡¯s a real pro.¡± She considered, ¡°With someone like her, maybe¡­¡± Let¡¯s think positively, So Lee-yeon. Maybe this could truly be a path to liberation. The woman on the bed was now getting closer to Kwon Chae-woo, moving on her knees. Silence filled the room. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lee-yeon and Jang Beom-hee were both tense for different reasons. Lee-yeon¡¯s legs refused to move in this strange and unsettling situation, while Jang Beom-hee remained on high alert due to Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s highly developed senses and innate temperament, honed through his training as a hunting dog. ¡°Excuse me, are you going to keep staring like that?¡± The woman asked Jang Beom-hee who was watching her moves like a hawk. ¡°I¡¯m on standby in case of any unforeseen circumstances.¡± Jang Beom-hee replied sternly when the woman nced their way. She seemed perplexed by his response but quickly averted her gaze. ¡°Well¡­ you seem to be used to it anyway.¡± Shemented. Soon, she casually took Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s arm, slipping it into hers. *** Hi there! Advanced chapters are avable on Patreon if you want to support the team behind these projects. Also, please consider supporting this novel by leaving a review on Novelupdates! Thank you so much. ?? Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 216: Chapter 216: Lee-yeon¡¯s eyshes fluttered. There was a warning siren in her mind, telling her not to watch any longer. However, she couldn¡¯t tear her eyes away. The scene unfolding before her felt surreal, almost like a television screen reying her memories. The two of them together, it was like a window into her past. The woman pulled Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s waist closer, closing her eyes infort. A soft smile graced her lips. It was a genuine smile, not an act. It revealed a primal satisfaction that emerged when melting into someone¡¯s touch. Suddenly, Kwon Chae-woo leaned towards the woman, wrapping his arms around her waist. Lee-yeon¡¯s throat went cold, and for some inexplicable reason, she felt suffocated. It was an insignificant movement, yet it felt monumental and chilling, like a thunderp. At that moment, as her temperature rose steadily, Lee-yeon realized the underlying strength she possessed. We must go our separate ways, she had insisted but he stubbornly clung to her. As Lee-yeon embarked on a new life, Kwon Chae-woo was supposed to embrace a new day. ¡°Perhaps¡­ he never really wished to live,¡± she thought. The intense emotions she thought she had left behind still lingered, even in her dreams. Lee-yeon¡¯s face twisted as she witnessed the sudden burst of passion. It wasn¡¯t a mere unrequited love; it was more perplexing, a deep-seated resentment for a life that couldn¡¯t be saved. She couldn¡¯t look away as the couple on the bed grew more intimate. The man¡¯s strong arms around the woman bothered her. Her heart raced. Kwon Chae-woo, drawn by the familiar scent, leaned into the woman¡¯s¡­ In an instant, Lee-yeon shut her eyes tight. ¡°Ahh!¡± ¡°Master!¡± It wasn¡¯t clear whose scream came first, but Jang Beom-hee¡¯s cry echoed first. Lee-yeon opened her eyes to see Kwon Chae-woo, who had grabbed the woman¡¯s hair, attacking her as if he had been waiting for the right moment. With his half-closed eyes, he forcefully pushed the woman away. She screamed and clutched her scalp, and Kwon Chae-woo grabbed her by the neck. In no time, she was overpowered, gasping for breath and choking. Jang Beom-hee was already trying to restrain Kwon Chae-woo, and Lee-yeon had fled. The once-quiet bedroom had turned into a chaotic battleground. ¡°Master, please calm down!¡± ¡°Damn it, my¡­ that son of a¡­¡± Kwon Chae-woo snapped like a broken tape, his unfocused gaze unsettling. Whether it was due to sleep or the effects of some drug, his eyes seemed even more eerie as a result. He seemed to be attempting to regain hisposure, deliberately biting his lip hard enough to draw blood. His parched tongue then ran over the wound, leaving a smear of crimson on his lips. His unsettling behavior left Lee-yeon feeling sickened. If there had been a knife in the room, she suspected she might have used it free the woman. ¡°Please sir, let me go!¡± she implored. ¡°Beom-hee, are you trying to boil me alive?¡± he chuckled maniacally as if losing his mind. Kwon Chae-woo tightened his grip on the woman¡¯s neck, and she cried out in terror. His eyes, devoid of sanity, darted around as if trying to focus on something. ¡°Where did you get these clothes? Where is the owner of these clothes?¡± Kwon Chae-woo muttered incoherently. The woman, gasping for breath, could only sob in response. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of wearing these clothes, pretending to be someone you¡¯re not?¡± Kwon Chae-woo continued, his face chillingly stoic. ¡°Why do I smell this familiar scent?¡± The woman continued to plead for her life, but Kwon Chae-woo was relentless in his questioning, shaking his disoriented head. ¡°Where is Lee-yeon? Where is the owner of these clothes? Did you steal them? Did you take what you didn¡¯t want?¡± In a sudden burst of movement, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s shoulders heaved, and Lee-yeon seized the opportunity to step between him and the woman. ¡°Calm down!¡± she urged. She gripped the man¡¯s cheeks hard, causing an audible smack. Kwon Chae-woo, as if he had snapped out of a trance, immediately released the woman and brutally shifted his attention to Lee-yeon. The transformation was so swift and savage that Lee-yeon involuntarily flinched, her fingers twitching. His frenzied actions came to a halt when he seemed to recognize Lee-yeon. His mania subsided, and he pressed his lips against her fair neck in a natural, inevitable movement. ¡°Lee-yeon, did¡­ did I almost¡­ get forced?¡± he stammered. ¡°What?¡± Lee-yeon replied, taken aback. ¡°Damn it, what should I do? Was I deceived? Did someone else have me?¡± His lips brushed against her skin with each word, tingling. Lee-yeon¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°That insane woman, she wanted to have me. Wearing your clothes, as if it would change anything.¡± His incoherent rambling mixed with sobbing breaths. ¡°No, no, it wasn¡¯t her intention,¡± Lee-yeon began, but he cut her off. ¡°It was strange. I nearly¡­ I was helpless. She wore your clothes. She smelled just like you. What did she want to happen?¡± His words scattered aimlessly alongside his sobs and breaths. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t like that. Her intentions were not like that,¡± Lee-yeon tried to exin. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you and tasted you, but I could be deceived by your scent alone¡­¡± Kwon Chae-woo continued to rub his face against Lee-yeon¡¯s neck, seemingly unable to control himself, and his words grew increasingly incoherent. ¡°It¡¯s strange. I can¡¯t feel anything on my body. How long, how long was I asleep?¡± Lee-yeon remained silent. ¡°My¡­ it feels strange. Damn it, my body feels off, Lee-yeon.¡± Lee-yeon shot a furious look at Jang Beom-hee, who responded with innocence. ¡°What the¡­ Is that even a sleeping pill? Are you sure you used sleeping pills? What kind of medicine did you put in there?!¡± Then Kwon Chae-woo abruptly reached into Lee-yeon¡¯s clothing, trembling. He choked back a sob. ¡°Lee-yeon, someone else touched my¡­ They keep forcing me, viting me¡­ ¡± Lee-yeon ordered, ¡°Get out, all of you, right now.¡± She raised her voice, pushing Jang Beom-hee and the woman out. Until then, no one noticed that Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s eyes werepletely dry. Chapter 217: Chapter 217: As the two left, Lee-yeon scowled at Kwon Chae-woo again, her face flushed with anger. The mixture of embarrassment, irritation, and confusion caused an intense heat that covered her from head to toe. In truth, everything was in chaos. Lee-yeon¡¯s body kept leaning backward because Kwon Chae-woo trying to get closer to her somehow. ¡°Lee-yeon, please¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve taken care of everything on your side, so now, just be quiet and sleep.¡± Lee-yeon was not pleased, but she had surprised and angered the man enough by hitting his back in a show of frustration. There was a hint of resignation in Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes as she looked up at the ceiling as if she had given up. ¡°I know you¡¯re pretending to be asleep right now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pretend, just close your eyesfortably.¡± Lee-yeon bit her lower lip, sighed heavily, and said, ¡°Tonight, I¡¯ll stay with you, so let¡¯s let this go quietly.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s with the ¡®hmm¡¯?¡± As if scolding him, Lee-yeon lightly tapped the man¡¯s broad back. When she did, Kwon Chae-woo groaned and shuddered as his body pressed against her neck. Normally, he would have torn Lee-yeon away, bitten her, chewed her, or sucked on her neck forcefully, leaving a terrifying hickey. But it was clear that he was holding back, perhaps due to the rules that Lee-yeon had established. ¡°Lee-yeon, my body¡­¡± A rigid part of him pressed against her, almost as if it were pushing her, but she made a conscious effort to ignore it. ¡°It¡¯s perfectly normal, and I will not be affected by anything. Let¡¯s stop this teasing.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Though there was no physical difort, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s body felt scorching hot, as if he were suffering from a fever. ¡°If you want me just to sleep, I should get a goodnight kiss.¡± ¡°What¡ª¡± ¡°Give me a kiss.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Since I can¡¯t touch Lee-yeon, if she takes just one step closer¡ª¡± Kwon Chae-woo lifted his head and stared directly at Lee-yeon. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of everything myself.¡± His drug-induced, hazy pupils seemed to engulf people like whirlpools. Some part of his body tingled with anticipation. However, Lee-yeon, gripping the rusty railing with both hands, pushed him away as if holding her ground. ¡°Lips should stay apart between us.¡± ¡°Then, what are you willing to allow? Hands, nails¡ª¡± At his cautious inquiry, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s forehead creased. With an adorable frown on his face, he leaned in towards Lee-yeon. His sharp nose and eyshes brushed randomly against her delicate neck. ¡°Darn it, who¡¯s asking you to suck it? I just want you to suck my lips.¡± Lee-yeon had to suppress a burst ofughter. The man who was pathetically begging with his pants noticeably bulging was both amusing and astonishing. At the same time, she had to admit that she was drawn to Kwon Chae-woo, whether then or now. It wasn¡¯t Jang Beom-hee, or the woman from a moment ago who could shake her. Only this sinister, prideless, and utterly shameless ck-haired beast could fundamentally ensnare Lee-yeon. ¡°Hmm? Is it that difficult?¡± Kwon Chae-woo confidently whispered, his voice low and somewhat intimidating in the night. ¡°As ugly as it may sound, my dignity is all but gone because of you. But my desire for you remains,¡± he added, his serious tone made Lee-yeon¡¯s heart beat faster. ¡°Have you never thought about me at night? Dreamt of us together? Pleasured yourself while thinking of my touch?¡± he continued, each word causing Lee-yeon to shift her gaze away. ¡°I haven¡¯t¡­,¡± she mumbled, avoiding his eyes, her cheeks flushing. Kwon Chae-woo appeared to want to say something but clenched his jaw, furrowing his eyebrows. Nevertheless, he couldn¡¯t contain himself any longer and exhaled with apparent audacity, his trembling breath tormenting Lee-yeon. As his muscles flexed and rxed rhythmically, Lee-yeon suddenly recalled the advice from the dog trainer she met. ¡°At first, dogs are uncontroble. Ignore these behaviors. If you don¡¯t tame them at this point, taking care of them in everyday life bes difficult.¡± ¡°¡­y with them a lot. Bnce neglect, encouragement, and rewards properly. Make sure they get used to your scent.¡± With an awkward pat on his back, Lee-yeon uttered in a strange, detached tone, ¡°Um, about my scent¡­ You can smell it if you want.¡± Kwon Chae-woo, restless and persistent, abruptly stopped as if frozen in time. A strange and inexplicable silence fell over them, abruptly interrupting the moment. ¡°Only the scent,¡± she cautiously added. Despite this minor concession, Kwon Chae-woo lunged at her as if he had just found a priceless treasure. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Lee-yeon eximed. The issue was that he had devoured her ear in one bite, and his moist tongue traced the contours of her earlobe, drawing shapes and teasing the edges. The sound of saliva, sticky and tantalizing, stimted Lee-yeon¡¯s hearing in a seductive manner. As a cold sensation, akin to ice, spread from her ear to her head, Lee-yeon pushed him away, hunching her shoulders. ¡°Wait, hold on, this is insane, you can¡¯t¡­!¡± At that moment, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s voice pierced through her eardrums. ¡°Easy now¡ªdon¡¯t move. Before I bury my face between your legs.¡± Lee-yeon was left stunned into silence. ¡°Or would you prefer that instead?¡± The man¡¯s warm breath continued to invade her moist ear canal. ¡°That¡¯s right, Lee-yeon¡­¡± Her mind was already in chaos, and the sensation of surrender overwhelmed her. Before she could even think, her lips were imed again. The sensual texture of their tongues and the hot breath intertwined, creating an intense, aggressive kiss. Chapter 218: Chapter 218: Their rough breathing and the merging of their tongues produced a slick moisture that left them gasping for air. Lee-yeon¡¯s lips were sealed tightly, and she couldn¡¯t find a way to breathe. It felt like Kwon Chae-woo was the one who had been drugged with a sleeping pill, yet she was the one sinking into drowsiness. ¡°Ha, ah¡­¡± Her ribs ached as her waist was constricted, and her nape was tightly held. It was a kiss devoid of tenderness or consideration, but her forgotten sensations gradually stirred within her. His tongue grazed from the softest parts to the firm gums and even brushed against the roof of her mouth. Kwon Chae-woo leisurely explored her mouth, his lowughter vibrating through their shared kiss, causing her body to tremble with anticipation. The sounds of their salivary exchange and the suppressed moans he let out kept Lee-yeon¡¯s emotions fluctuating wildly. She knew she should resist him, but her entire body was on fire, and her gripcked strength. ¡°¡­Ah, you had to bury me to survive. But if you die, I will dig you up from the ground. So, which one of us is tougher, Lee-yeon?¡± He said. Kwon Chae-woo unbuttoned his pants and pulled down his boxer briefs, giving a clear signal. Lee-yeon felt a familiar threat lurking. At that moment¡ª ¡°Lee-yeon, I¡¯m sure you were surprised earlier¡­¡± His erect member, like an arrow, was already soaked in precum, making his underwear darken. Kwon Chae-woo pulled Lee-yeon closer again, and the damp, hot scent of a beast assaulted her peripheral nerves. Her heart pounded so fiercely that she felt flustered. ¡°¡­Yes, definitely.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s calm response brought a hint of brightness to Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s expression. ¡°Now you want to im and touch, Lee-yeon?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that¡­¡± Lee-yeon calmly wiped away the traces of the man¡¯s saliva from her lips. ¡°If you want to eat dog food, you must bow down yourself.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± A momentarily speechless Kwon Chae-woo raised his eyebrows. ¡°Fine, if you think your cock has gone crazy enough to drool, we should check it. From now on, you touch it yourself, and you stop when I tell you to.¡± Lee-yeon raised four fingers, her lips curving slightly. ¡°Fourth, don¡¯t c*m without permission.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I warned you, don¡¯t spill it carelessly.¡± ¡°If you follow this rule, I¡¯ll let you sleep with me every night. If you can¡¯t, then every morning, you¡¯ll make breakfast for me.¡± Kwon Chae-woo wiped the slightly blood-tainted corner of his mouth with his tongue, his hazy eyes blinking slowly. Instead of answering, he pulled the neckline of the T-shirt he was wearing, took off his top at once, and lowered his drawers. The sticated genitalia bounced out. He slowly fiddled with his hands and soon began rubbing the pir with his entire palm. Gradually, a nervous crease deepened in his brow. He rubbed the tip of his ear lightly, scanned the entire long straight pen*s, and pressed the flesh hard. Whenever a tendon popped up in his hand, a groan seething in his mouth heated the air. Lee-yeon watched the scene without realizing it. Whenever Kwon Chae-woo moved hisrge hand up and down, his arms, shoulders, abs, and chest became tense one after another. He was kneeling, one hand behind him supporting his torse as he neared his release. In the meantime, his hand kept moving up and down, and at some point ¨C ¡°Stop.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Lee-yeon, watching the man¡¯s expression, suddenly cut off the flow. The man, flinched and hardened in limbo, frowned and red. Lee-yeon decided to pull the lead further. ¡°You have to take your hands off.¡± ¡°¡­ Oh, Lee-yeon. Why on earth are you doing this to me?¡± ¡°Fifth, don¡¯t let me say it twice.¡± He looked at her pleadingly with the back of his red neck, but Lee-yeon was determined. In the end, Kwon Chae-woo grimaced and took his hand off himself. His pen*s was still leaning heavily, and the veins that had popped up shook, dissatisfied, perhaps because of the nd feeling of the personality after reaching the limit. After some time, Lee-yeon shook his head as if to start again. Kwon Chae-woo, his face contorted with a mix of faint contempt and excitement, roughly grasped himself. He thrust rapidly, pounding his flesh, his neck jerking from side to side as he focused on his prey. ¡°Sigh, damn it, So Lee-yeon.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Continue.¡± Shemanded, to which the man followed. After split seconds, ¡°Stop it right there.¡± She stopped him again, but it was toote¡­ As the unquenchable thirst continued to build up, Kwon Chae-woo slowly crumbled. The man who had been repeatedly interrupted became even more ravenous with each disruption, yet he couldn¡¯t utter a word to her. He only released ragged breaths as he climaxed. ¡°Sigh¡­ I messed up, Lee-yeon.¡± He lowered his eyebrows again, licking his lips with moistened pupils. ¡°Lee-yeon, I made a mistake. I won¡¯t do it again. I¡¯ll resist. I¡¯ll behave. I was reckless.¡± His lips parted due to the surging breath, spoke insistently while his resentful gaze pinpointed her precisely. Lee-yeon thought, ¡®He¡¯s a stubborn one to discipline,¡¯ yet she felt a strange sense of satisfaction. The authority to make him yield so miserably belonged solely to one person. With a rhythmic motion, Kwon Chae-woo raised his engorged member, covered in slippery fluid, as if engaged in s*x. Simultaneously, his gaze became more aggressive, persistently exploring the space between her legs. ¡°Sigh¡­ ugh, damn it, Lee-yeon.¡± Outside his tightly clenched fist, the sensitive tip twitched roughly. And then, at the moment when his lustful face contorted dramatically¡­ ¡°Yes, that¡¯s enough. Stop it right there.¡± This time, Kwon Chae-woo, now flushed even redder, looked at her resentfully. ¡°Ugh¡­ it hurts, Lee-yeon.¡± ¡°Then please close your mouth and behave.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Kwon Chae-woo.¡± Finally, she called him his name, the way she addressed him before. However, this sweet victory was short-lived, and in the blink of an eye, Kwon Chae-woo surrendered helplessly. Chapter 219: Chapter 219: Where did things go wrong? Even as Kwon Chae-woo plummeted into a daze, he clung to Lee-yeon as if worried she might slip away. He held onto her wrist like a shackle, even in his sleep. Her ears and lips, which he had swallowed whole, still seemed to tingle as if they had been bitten into. He was a man who could act pitifully and then suddenly bite back when an opportunity arose, and she had toy down a firmer boundary to avoid being manipted. When she spread her palm, she noticed crescent-shaped nail marks, deeply red. ¡°Phew¡­ exhausting¡­ exhrating, but exhausting¡­¡± Despite the ups and downs, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s eyes, which sometimes seemed to twist with anger, never faded from her memory. Nevertheless, a sense of disappointment washed over her as it seemed that some of the thickyers of grimy oil stains she had carried in her heart had been partially cleansed. It truly was a battle of wills. Verbal constraints were like flimsy stickers that could be torn away anytime, especially for those with power. So, even though Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s unpredictable actions and fierce intensity made her palms ache and break into cold sweat, surprisingly, he matched her rhythm until the very end. As Lee-yeon contemted various unexpected motivations, she drifted in and out of sleep. Each time she closed her eyes and opened them, she heard Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s breathing, and his rxed face came into view. After repeating this several times¡­ ¡°This is a good morning.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I thought I was hallucinating when I saw you sleeping next to me, Lee-yeon.¡± ¡°¡­Hallucination?¡± She asked awkwardly as she got up, but Kwon Chae-woo just tugged at the corner of his mouth without saying a word. ¡°Did you have funst night?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ yes?¡± ¡°I went crazy multiple times.¡± That moment when Kwon Chae-woo whispered into her ear¡­! She held her breath, wondering what other surprises might be in store. ¡°If I ask you to do it again, will you keep ying with me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Rather than being stunned, she couldn¡¯t say anything in response to thepletely revived man before her. His eyes, now ustomed to staying half-open due to the sleeping pills, were not worn or weary. Instead, they were clear and focused on Lee-yeon. Kwon Chae-woo squinted as the morning sunlight streamed in. ¡°¡­ying in front of Lee-yeon is so much fun.¡± * * * ¡°Lately, you¡¯ve been bringing lunch, haven¡¯t you?¡± During lunchtime, amid the workers rushing out of the office, someone noticed her taking out a lunchbox and started making inquiries. Lee-yeon smiled somewhat evasively as she bid them farewell and opened the lunchbox. Inside the insted container, warm soybean paste soup emitted an inviting aroma, while there were seven side dishes. The white rice glistened with a sheen of moisture. In just a few days, she had regained some appetite thanks to this lunchbox. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s skill or if he had delegated the task to someone else, but it was apparent when she tasted it. Kwon Chae-woo had diligently prepared the lunchbox as promised and, at night, once again stood guard in front of her door. Sip. The warmth of the soup spread soothingly throughout her body as she sipped it. Kwon Chae-woo personally delivered the lunchbox at her office during her morningmute and looked at her with an expectant look. His gaze was either lonely or straightforward, making it hard for her, as it resembled the eyes of the husband she remembered. ¡°Ah, Lee-yeon, you¡¯re eating lunch alone today?¡± The colleague who had questioned her earlier suddenly approached her with a tray. Lee-yeon looked at him with a puzzled expression. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± The colleague smiled awkwardly. ¡°Nothing wrong, I just thought it¡¯d be more fun to eat together. So, mind if I join you?¡± Lee-yeon shrugged her shoulders and made room for the man to sit. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder why this man, who usually kept his distance, suddenly wanted to share lunch with her. He opened his lunchbox, revealing a simple yet neatly prepared meal. ¡°I usually don¡¯t bring lunch. But when I saw you with yours, I thought it might be nice to try it for a change.¡± Lee-yeon nodded politely and continued eating her meal. She couldn¡¯t help but feel that something was amiss as if there was an ulterior motive behind her coworker¡¯s sudden interest in her lunch. Meanwhile, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s presence continued to loomrge in her life, making her question her decision to leave Hwaido. ¡°Would he still be my husband if he hadn¡¯t remembered anything at all?¡± she thought. It was toote now. ¡°¡­Ah, you had to bury me to survive. But if you die, I will dig you up from the ground. So, which one of us is tougher, Lee-yeon?¡± The silent battle between the one who asked and sought answers consumed a considerable amount of her mental energy. Lee-yeon found herself unconsciously clicking her tongue, annoyed by the sudden appearance of someone who should have stayed dead. She stopped using her chopsticks and just gulped down water. The longer time passed, the more difficult it became to understand him. As Lee-yeon furrowed her brows in frustration, a bustlingmotion outside caught her attention. ¡°Where¡¯s the order we cedst time?¡± ¡°No, not there! Over here ¨C make sure it¡¯s aligned!¡± Today was the day of the Future Society charity auction. Gardeners were busy setting up the arched entrance and decorating the stage and tables with flowers. They moved around with work cases in hand, engrossed in their tasks. Lee-yeon, who had already taken care of the pest control job in advance, had no further responsibilities. She leaned backfortably in her chair, taking in the pleasant scent of flowers in the autumn air. Hi there! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! ??? Advanced chapters are avable on Patreon if you want to support the team behind these projects. Also, please consider supporting this novel by leaving a review on Novelupdates! Thank you so much. ?? Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 220: Chapter 220: ¡°It¡¯s a perfect day for taking lives,¡± remarked the gardener who had dirt under his fingernails as he opened themon work case that had been issued to everyone. ¡°We¡¯ve been messing around with dirt for quite some time.¡± Kwon Hee-joon¡¯s voice, somehow rxed and nonchnt, flowed through the earpiece. Inside the case, a sniper rifle was disassembled and neatly arranged. The man began assembling it piece by piece, the cold metal clicking and cking, producing a familiar sound. He ced thepleted rifle on a bipod and extended the barrel outward. The core of this sniper mission wasn¡¯t the shooting but rather the infiltration. The man who had been undercover as a gardener for the past few years, waiting for this one opportunity, had finally received his mission. ¡°Let¡¯s humbly cut just one of their lifelines.¡± The overview was simple: assassinate the wife of the Pakistani embassy ambassador. Her main upation was smuggling, and her family had a long history of amassing wealth through illicit trade. She wielded influence in making Pakistan the most drug-addicted nation. Currently, she ys a crucial role in maintaining the unending flow of money as a key customer of the Kwon family. The Future Society charity auction was merely a gathering for appearances, and the charity auction was nothing more than a fa?ade from the start. Kwon Hee-joon wanted to buy the trust of his fellow conspirators with gold. He wanted to demonstrate to the sturdy partners of the Kwon family that something as powerful as their reign could be easily shattered. For that, he had spent several years infiltrating this ce. ¡°It¡¯s about time they realized that even the Kwon family¡¯s front yard is no longer safe.¡± Even as Kwon Hee-joon¡¯s chillingughter echoed in his ears, the gardener didn¡¯t flinch. Eventually, the man took a slow breath, focusing through the scope. People started to arrive at the venue. *** The guests who gracefully took their seats at the elegantly arranged table all exuded refinement. Lee-yeon, watching the garden slowly fill up from a distance, had unknowingly tidied up her makeshift lunchbox on the ground. Suddenly, as if the expansive sunlight that had been streaming in disappeared and was reced by an unexpected shadow, a rustling sound was heard. When she turned her head, she saw a figure filling the wide-open window like a painting. He brushed the leaves off his head and stood in the sunlight. ¡°What¡­! How did you¡­ here?¡± As Lee-yeon abruptly stood up, her chair scraped loudly. She nervously nced around, fearing that someone might have seen her. ¡°Do you prefer the office or your bedroom?¡± ¡°What?¡± He asked, holding onto the window frame, his tone casual. Kwon Chae-woo, who usually had a different attire in the morning and at night, was currently wearing a neat suit. He appeared rxed when the sun was up but turned into a man immersed in all sorts of filthy substances at night. He stared at her with a strange intensity. ¡°I n to confine you from now on.¡± ¡°What?¡± The man who had been frowning and blushing whenever he saw her for the past few days now scrutinized Lee-yeon with an air of indifference. Nevertheless, there was something more intense than mere vignce between the two of them. Lee-yeon, who had be ustomed to his unteral actions, casually replied. ¡°Please exin without beating around the bush.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go outside until the auction ispletely over.¡± ¡°Why?¡± The man tilted his head slightly and looked at her. He seemed to be contemting whether to speak or not. ¡°It¡¯s going to get a bit noisy.¡± At this, Lee-yeon¡¯s expression immediately stiffened. Could it be that she became highly sensitive not only to noise but also to something else? Since seeing the s*x party and the pool, or rather, the aquarium, Lee-yeon had given up trying to assess the Kwon family by her standards, and Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s warnings had always been urate. Suddenly, a light shiver ran down her spine. In this ce, it was best to keep a low profile as much as possible. ¡°All right. I don¡¯t have much to do today anyway. I¡¯ll tidy up the office and stay in my room.¡± Lee-yeon replied obediently, and for a moment, Kwon Chae-woo didn¡¯t react. He stood silently and then reached out to wipe the corner of her mouth. She frowned slightly due to the sudden touch and the sunlight streaming in. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± With a soft voice, a bony knuckle floated above Lee-yeon¡¯s hand. She quickly spread her palm, and simultaneously, trembling flower petals rained down on her. With her widened eyes, she quickly cupped both hands. ¡°You seem to treasure even what falls on the ground, so I thought I¡¯d pick them up.¡± When Lee-yeon stared at him stiffly, Kwon Chae-woo turned abruptly. His retreating back left a strange impression on her. Because of the chilly wind blowing in, all the flower petals she had held in her hands flew away and fell to the ground. The sight of them scattered on the ground looked eerily red, like drops of blood. Lee-yeon stared helplessly at her empty hands. Chapter 221: Chapter 221: Lee-yeon walked into the office with an empty lunchbox in hand. Worried that she might attract unwanted attention, just like at thest party, she decided to take a detour around the building and head towards the promenade. ncing at the massive outdoor garden that seemed to be at least 20,000 square feet, she noticed the sound of an auctioneer¡¯s voice over a microphone, introducing artworks and ceramics, but she didn¡¯t pay much attention. Even though it seemed like Gyu-baek might be in the front row, Lee-yeon wasn¡¯t particrly interested in this event. She thought, ¡°I¡¯ve got plenty of time today, so I¡¯ll spend it with Gyu-baek.¡± While walking along the promenade with this idea in mind, she spotted an elderly woman leaning against a tree, catching her breath. Startled, she looked around, but there was no one nearby who could offer help. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Lee-yeon approached the woman and asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± The elderly woman straightened her posture with a deep breath, wearing an elegant attire that seemed out of ce. Lee-yeon quickly assessed the woman¡¯s condition, but she appeared strangely troubled and apprehensive. Lee-yeon had initially tried to walk past the woman quietly, without further involvement, but after a few steps, she hesitated and turned back. This was because, from her perspective, this seemed to be rted to a tree. ¡°Um, what you¡¯re touching right now, that¡¯s an oak tree.¡± The elderly woman, who had a white handkerchief at her lips, turned her attention in this direction. ¡°It seems like you are having an allergic reaction.¡± The elderly woman¡¯s stern expression softened, and she blinked her eyes. There was a noticeable red rash on her arms and neck. If one hadn¡¯t been exposed to oak trees before, they might not have recognized it. ¡°Let me guide you to the medical room. You might need some antihistamines or medication.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll go to my primary care doctor.¡± Her voice seemed strained, as if her throat was swelling. ¡°It might be better to head back early today. Cough¡­!¡± ¡°Do you know the way back?¡± Compared to the attendees of a sex party, the people attending were more refined, and the event was just beginning. So, this should be fine, as long as they didn¡¯t venture too deeply into the garden. Lee-yeon supported thedy¡¯s arm and began to walk. ¡°It¡¯s Marc Chagall¡¯s ¡®Portrait.¡¯ It was officially valued at 3,000 rubles in Russia, but after being smuggled into the Western world, it was sold for $550,000. Now, it¡¯s being presented on our side.¡± Thedy murmured to which Lee-yeon nodded. As Lee-yeon got closer to the garden, the atmosphere became more lively. The warm sunlight and the elegantughter seemed to intermingle like expensive table settings. Lee-yeon stopped her steps at a point where the asphalt and grass were distinctly separated. She exchanged greetings with thedy at a suitable spot and watched her from behind as she headed to the medical room safely. It wasn¡¯t until she had confirmed that herpanion was inside the room that she could finally divert her gaze. And it was when she turned and exchanged a nod of acknowledgment with the servers, housekeepers, and familiar gardeners on the asphalt side. ¡°Ahhhhh!!!¡± A blood-curdling scream that sounded like it was being torn apart suddenly froze her legs. Lee-yeon¡¯s heart sank to her heels, and as her trembling eyes turned to look, time seemed to slow down. There was a foreign-looking woman, her forehead pierced, bleeding profusely. The woman keeled forward without even closing her eyes. ¡°¡­!¡± Everyone froze, and a dreadful silence fell over the scene. But before they could grasp the situation, the second and third shots came incessantly. Somewhere, there was a continuous ¡°tat-tat-tat¡± of bullets. Tables copsed, ss bottles shattered, and the illicit goods on the stage became a chaotic mess. ¡°What the hell is this¡­!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Thedies in the garden turned to panic and ran for cover, while the security guards inside the building rushed out. Dogs barked loudly, and someone screamed. Even Lee-yeon, who had lost herposure, began to take a few steps backward. Everything that had stood upright was now shattered. Then, Kwon Ki-seok, his expression icy and resolute, pressed one ear and moved his lips. ¡°Three minutes until the door closes. Get out of there quickly.¡± As he heard the voice of Kwon Hee-joon filled withughter, the sniper finally released his hand from the trigger. Following Kwon Hee-joon¡¯smand, he unleashed a barrage of bullets,ying waste to the semi-circr stage. While he was checking the 1.5 km distance through his scope, he unexpectedly locked eyes with Kwon Ki-seok, who was scanning the surroundings. ¡°¡­!¡± Kwon Ki-seok seemed to be roughly pinpointing the sniper¡¯s location based on the direction the bullets wereing from. The man with a cold sweat on his back swiftly disassembled his rifle and left his position. At that moment, Kwon Chae-woo, who had been protecting the sniper under the pretext of providing security, touched his ear. In the chaos where the wife of the Pakistani embassy was killed and the garden turned into a battlefield, Kwon Ki-seok gave orders in a slightly breathless voice. ¡°Kill them.¡± The orders were unclear. When Kwon Chae-woo loaded the approaching sniper into a car. ¡°Kill the visible mansion staff from now on.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°From this moment on, the Kwon family bes the victims of a shooting incident within the Kwon family.¡± A shooting incident within the Kwon family. However, there must be only one casualty from the visitors. Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s quick decision was made to avoid suspicion. Even with the unexpected attack on the Kwon family, he swiftly nned an escape route. Chapter 222: Chapter 222: Concerned that Pakistan might escte the issue, he thought it best to give away the flesh since they were already at it, going so far as to give away the bones. ¡°We should have more than enough to pay for the ambassador¡¯s wife¡¯s life.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The cold determination echoed in his ears once again. However, as Kwon Chae-woo waited for Kwon Hee-joon¡¯s orders, the guard dogs, silenced by themand, stood still. Kwon Ki-seok immediately issued new instructions in anothernguage. ¡°Shoot any staff on sight.¡± ¡°???? (Understood.)¡± ¡°Roger that.¡± The one who responded to the order with this back-and-forth was not the guard dogs. A sly smile yed on Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s lips. It was finally the moment when Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s new pawn was revealed. Following the advice of his second brother to think a few steps ahead, Kwon Chae-woo had secretly been waiting for this moment. Kwon Hee-joon¡¯s game was already over. So, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s goal was now to eliminate the notorious mercenaries in the front yard of the Kwon residence all at once. He increased his speed, and after deploying the sniper to the designated location, he quickly reversed. Strangely, his heart was pounding. Even if the time to carry out the killings was fast, it was still too soon. But Miss Lee-yeon would be safely inside. Kwon Chae-woo suppressed his anxious thoughts and turned the steering wheel sharply. He retrieved the automatic rifle and magazines from under the seat and loaded the silencer. Then, he issued a direct order to the guard dogs that were crouched down. His expression was as ruthless as it could get. ¡°Don¡¯t leave a single one alive.¡± ¡°Run¡­! Get out of the way!¡± ¡°Argh! Move¡­! Get out of the way!¡± Amidst the chaotic cacophony of people of all ages and genders, gunshots punctuated the scene. The once lush and pristinewn erupted with dirt and debris. The grand garden transformed into a mere battlefield within moments. After the security guards had escorted the Future Societydies away, this ce had briefly settled into a quiet state, but gunshots resounded once more. Bang, bang, bang, bang¡­! The smell of ammunition, an unfamiliar odor, overwhelmed their senses. People rushed to find cover in the vast garden, now their only refuge. Even the frozen Lee-yeon was jostled and bumped into the fleeing crowd repeatedly before she could regain herposure. The constant barrage of gunshots had made her ears ring. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± It was chaos. Some people were yelling urgently for everyone to get inside the mansion, but it seemed too far away. Her throat stung from thebored breath she had been holding. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Then, the people ahead of her started copsing like toppled corn stalks. Their crumpled backs slumped, and their once vibrant bodies sagged. ¡°Ah, ah¡­!¡± Her dted pupils stiffened in shock. Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t fathom making it through this horrifying garden where everyone was being mercilessly shot down. A choked sob escaped her lips. Amidst the chaos, something like a mirror glinted in the air. Without thinking, Lee-yeon instinctively lowered her body, shielding her head. She crawled awkwardly inside the shattered table, seeking refuge. Her heart pounded as if it would explode any moment. She tasted the metallic tang of blood beyond her parched throat. Step by step, someone with crimson-soaked shoes walked closer. Lee-yeon held her breath, the pace of her racing heart matching her desperate, silent plea. It was in that very moment when the cold muzzle of a loaded gun, like a looming shadow, reached towards her. ¡°Lee-yeon!¡± Screech! The ear-piercing sound of the brakes brought everyone to an abrupt halt. ¡°Stop here!¡± At the sound of the familiar voice, Lee-yeon¡¯s head shot up. Tears that had been welling up in her eyes spilled over. ¡°Ugh¡­ Ugh¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay,e here!¡± Though Kwon Chae-woo tried to reassure her, his face contorted with worry as he reached his hand out through the car window. However, Lee-yeon¡¯s legs wouldn¡¯t cooperate. When she finally managed to stand, Kwon Chae-woo leaped out like a bolt, tossing two smoke grenades across to the opposite side. Meanwhile, the relentless hail of bullets shattered the car¡¯s windows and left the seats in tatters. Fortunately, the quickly rising smoke concealed their view. ¡°Damm*t, I can¡¯t leave you here any longer. Wherever I send you, you know what to do.¡± As Kwon Chae-woo embraced Lee-yeon and prepared to carry her, he staggered suddenly. An ominous vibration spread from the point of impact. ¡°Huh?¡± Inquisitive, Lee-yeon looked at him, but Kwon Chae-woo remained expressionless. ¡°Report.¡± ¡°Eight out of ten targets have been eliminated.¡± ¡°And the remaining two?¡± ¡°One is in sector B-1 at 9 o¡¯clock direction, the other is heading from the main building at 1 o¡¯clock.¡± ¡°You handle B-1, and then both of you evacuate immediately. Wait at the safehouses.¡± Suddenly, an already terrified servant took the initiative, jumped into the driver¡¯s seat, and started the car. Kwon Chae-woo cursed under his breath, but the car, swerving dangerously, didn¡¯t stop. However, it was short-lived. The relentless hail of bullets began to take its toll, causing the tires to dete and shattering the front windshield. The unrelenting gunfire showed no sign of stopping, as blood trickled through the cracks. ¡°Lower your head.¡± Kwon Chae-woo gently pushed Lee-yeon back into the cover of the table and exposed his back to shield her. His bloodied hand pushed Lee-yeon¡¯s head down. ¡°Never again, Lee-yeon, will I let you get hurt.¡± Chapter 223: Chapter 223: A broad figure shielded Lee-yeonpletely. ck, he adjusted his posture and loaded his gun. Kwon Chae-woo, having finally pinpointed the remaining snipers¡¯ positions, aimed through one eye, finger on the trigger. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Blood? Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at his white shirt, now drenched in deep red. When? How? Before she could even ask, another hail of bullets rained down on Kwon Chae-woo. ¡°At the time, I let you get hurt.¡± A hushed voice scattered like an illusion. Bang, bang, bang, bang! Whether he was firing or being shot at, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s body continued to convulse with each discharge. How much time passed? Unbelievably, the gunfire abruptly ceased. Amidst the hushed silence, with the faint odor of blood in the air, Kwon Chae-woo slowly crumbled. *** As the smoke from the smoke grenades dissipated in the wind, Lee-yeon moved instinctively, responding only to the copsing figure. She pulled his rigid body with all her strength, supporting Kwon Chae-woo and allowing him to fall first. He clung to one ear until the end, murmuring resolutely, ¡°Target eliminated.¡± Despite the entangled copse, Lee-yeon felt no pain. Kwon Chae-woo had shielded her, redirecting their fall so that she remained unharmed. As their bodies intertwined, the thick smell of blood seemed to cling to her. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo¡­ blood¡­ blood¡­¡± Lee-yeon whispered. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, Kwon Chae-woo! Open your eyes. Snap out of it!¡± ¡°¡­I regret it.¡± Kwon Chae-woo slowly continued, his voice slurred. ¡°I couldn¡¯t answer the butterfly back then.¡± His head turned toward Lee-yeon, but his focus was vague. Lee-yeon held his face and forced their gazes to meet. However, his lifeless head slumped as soon as she released her grip. Her heart sank as it appeared to lose all resolve. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that butterfly wille to me anymore.¡± As if bearing the pain, he furrowed his brow. Trembling, Lee-yeon held and cradled him again. She couldn¡¯t help but to keep holding him, clutching him closer to her chest. It was still daylight, but their disheveled appearances made it hard to breathe. Her mind waspletely nk; she couldn¡¯t think. Kwon Chae-woo, too red to be real. ¡°Please!¡± Lee-yeon pressed his bleeding arm hard, as if trying to staunch the flow of a burst sewer pipe. Water gushed out quickly, soaking her hand. She continued to speak, not fully understanding what she was saying. ¡°Where is thisw¡­? I didn¡¯t ask Kwon Chae-woo to end up like this. I just¡­! I didn¡¯t want to get hurt again, that¡¯s all. No matter what I do, Kwon Chae-woo, somehow, finds a way to hurt me. It drives me crazy!¡± She staunchly pressed his wound, and as tears streamed down her face, a glimpse of a ck vest under her tattered clothes caught her attention. It was a bulletproof vest. It¡¯s going to be alright; you can survive. You¡¯re not going to die. That kind of thing won¡¯t happen. Yet, the blood flowing from his arms and legs was concerning. Despite his stable heart, Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t singlehandedly stop such heavy bleeding. Worrying thoughts raced through her mind once more. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, I¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t leave.¡± He buried his head on Lee-yeon¡¯s elbow with his eyes closed. ¡°When my memories were lost, there was only one woman in my mind.¡± Lee-yeon remained silent. ¡°But now that my memories have returned, you¡¯re the only one missing.¡± He coughed violently, and blood burst from his mouth. ¡°If I can get you back, I¡¯m willing to let go of everything else.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s lip quivered and her chin trembled. Unwanted sobs escaped her, a potent blend of intense resentment and soaring affection. What do you call someone who digs up the emotions she had buried so deeply? What do you call a man who pulls her up and holds her so tenderly? Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t find the words. Quickly, she removed Chae-woo¡¯s in-earmunication device and shouted desperately within the now deste garden turned battlefield. ¡°Please, someone save him,e quickly¡­!¡± *** No matter how many times she washed her hands, the stench of that day¡¯s blood didn¡¯t fade. After the shooting incident, Lee-yeon developed a new habit. Ever since Kwon Chae-woo disappeared from the mansion, the sensation of his warm blood covering her hands haunted her like a nightmare. There was still no news from him, no signs at all. ¡°The Pakistani ambassador¡¯s wife, Rubina Breshart, who attended the art gallery event, has reportedly been abducted by rebels amidst religious tension between the two groups. ¡­ The suspect was immediately arrested, but fears of endangering the safety of resident diplomats are spreading.¡± Lee-yeon half-listened to the vague and meandering news report, then turned her gaze to the deste office. The scattered empty seats felt chilling. It was a harrowing reality. Lee-yeon had joined as the head gardener of the Kwon family¡¯s estate just over three weeks ago. Being responsible for the garden of a chaebol family, or rather an illicit source of power, meant that she was witnessing, and experiencing, their true nature without any filter. Although her living environment had been drastically different, this ce was the real world of Kwon Chae-woo which she had been unaware of until now. How had she, someone who had lived peacefully on an ind, taking care of trees and tending to her patients, ended up stepping into a ce where people seemed to be dying without much significance? Was this all truly predestined, or was it something else? Lee-yeonforted herself by gently rubbing her belly and pondering unanswerable questions. Were we never meant to meet in the first ce? ¡°Director, have you packed up everything?¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Lee-yeon picked up her work bag and got up from her seat. Restoring the outdoor garden turned disaster scene was now the responsibility of Lee-yeon and the surviving staff. They worked tirelessly to fill the riddled ground, much like an anthill, and reced the grass. But when Lee-yeon identally came across scattered bullet casings, dizziness swept over her. ¡°Is So Lee-yeon here?¡± Hi there! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! ??? Advanced chapters are avable on Patreon if you want to support the team behind these projects. Also, please consider supporting this novel by leaving a review on Novelupdates! Thank you so much. ?? Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 224: Chapter 224: Someone urgently inquired about her, sending a shiver down Lee-yeon¡¯s spine. She rose quickly from her task of filling the earth and turned to see the concerned face. ¡°Since he¡¯s wearing a bulletproof vest, apart from the gunshot wound in his arm, he¡¯s okay. Thankfully, the major blood vessels are undamaged. However, with nine bullets lodged in the bulletproof vest, a rib broke. The fractured rib punctured an organ, causing significant bleeding, but it¡¯s been sutured cleanly, and his vitals are stable.¡± The doctor cleared his throat a couple of times and, passing Lee-yeon, exited the scene. His room had already been perfectly prepared as a VIP suite, and this kind of interior was quite familiar to Lee-yeon. It was just like the room she¡¯d had for the past two years, taking care of a nt-human. Bizarrely, memories suddenly emerged, pricking her heart. ¡°Since I¡¯m a bastard, just treat me like a nt. Lee-yeon, you cut branches well, right? Keep adding my restrictions, first, second, third, and each time, just cut off my limbs until I can¡¯t do anything. Then you can just water me a little each time.¡± Lee-yeon stood beside his bed, staring at Kwon Chae-woo, who looked like a corpse. She pressed down her feelings that threatened to overflow at any moment. She touched his dry, lifeless fingers, and it made her tear up. ¡°Never¡­ bring up the idea of cutting nts and limbs again. Why are people so extreme?¡± Suddenly, without warning, the door swung open, and Kwon Ki-seok rushed in. He stood outside the door for a moment, staring at the motionless Kwon Chae-woo before slowly making his way inside. Lee-yeon stiffened as she watched him, her guard up. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be like this, Chae-woo.¡± However, Kwon Ki-seok simply stood by the bed, looking like he was lost in thought. He opened his arms, grasped the bed¡¯s railing, and lowered his head. He pulled at his tie as if feeling a bit uneasy. Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s expression wasplex, making it difficult for Lee-yeon to interpret. He seemed quite displeased, gnawing at his lip as if jealous, and his face was stern, like scolding a misbehaving child. ¡°You¡¯re losing your charm, brother.¡± However, as all theseplicated emotions intertwined, they couldn¡¯t be neatly categorized under one name. Suddenly, Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s gaze shifted to Lee-yeon. When their unfiltered, trembling eyes met, Lee-yeon¡¯s insides felt queasy. ¡°Tomorrow is the Hyedom Memorial Ceremony. So Lee-yeon, you need to attend as my partner. I¡¯ll send someone to assist you. Please follow the schedule withoutints.¡± Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t help but think that a whole other level ofplexity was about to be added to her life. Seeing the man calmly discussing business while his younger brother nearly died in front of him filled Lee-yeon with a sense of disgust. His meticulously crafted face, as if carved from ice, seemed especially obnoxious today. Lee-yeon remained silent, pursing her lips as she red at him. In response, Kwon Ki-seok tilted his head slightly, shifting his gaze between her eyes and her stomach, adding unspoken pressure. ¡°If you need something in exchange for apanying you as a partner,¡± he said, his lips strangely twitching upwards, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you can run away from here.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°If you wish to make the expression that you desperately want to escape from here.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Is there a part of you that wants to be forever tied to a man raised in a ce like this, in such circumstances?¡± It was a dark whisper that stirred the fear in Lee-yeon¡¯s core. At this moment, Kwon Ki-seok extended a poisoned chalice. ¡°Now, there¡¯s not much time left until the agreed one-month period ends. I can provide you with safety and prosperity, ensuring you can live a good life together with the child. If So Lee-yeon wishes, I¡¯ll make sure Chae-woo never finds out. For five years, ten years, or even longer¡­!¡± His lips twitched upward unnaturally. His breathing grew heavier as his voice became shaky. ¡°¡­I can ensure you will never be able to find him.¡± Kwon Ki-seok clenched the bed frame again and hunched over as if struggling to catch his breath. ¡°You won¡¯t see Chae-woo deteriorate, helpless and unable to use his hands¡ª¡± Then, out of nowhere, Kwon Chae-woo, who had been lying lifeless, suddenly grasped Lee-yeon¡¯s wrist as if triggered by a reflex. The vital signs remained stable, and his eyelids stayed motionless and serene. But Lee-yeon¡¯s heart began to pound as if she were the one caught red-handed. ¡°Don¡¯t go. That¡¯s what the man pleaded in her ear. ¡°Speak only. Whether you leave with no trace before Chae-woo awakens, well, that¡¯s uncertain.¡± ¡°Why me, though¡­?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? I wished Chae-woo could be more like me.¡± Suddenly, Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s gaze, buried deep inside,nded on Lee-yeon¡¯s abdomen and then dropped away. *** That night, Lee-yeon received a call from Choo-ja after a long time. As soon as she saw her name on the screen, warmth flooded her eyes. Lee-yeon bit her lower lip once and forced a smile, grateful that tears hadn¡¯te. ¡°Hello?¡± -¡°Oh, is that you? Your voice sounds like you¡¯re¡­ not well.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that.¡± Lee-yeon tilted her head without knowing her unseenpanion¡¯s reaction. Another ¡®Aigo¡¯¡­ *T/N: Aigo means ¡°Oh dear!¡± -¡°I urgently need to show you something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± -¡°In the front yard, where we buried Mr. Kwon¡­¡± Choo-ja hesitated as if struggling to get the words out. ¡°Why, what¡¯s there?¡± -¡°Something has¡­ grown on his grave. I just sent a picture.¡± A sigh came through the phone, and Lee-yeon¡¯s face became serious as well. She immediately removed her phone from her ear and clicked on the message containing a picture. The screen disyed the small mound where they had supposedly held Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s funeral. Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes shook uncontrobly. -¡°Did we actually bury Mr. Kwon, or did we nt something?¡± Sprouting on that grave, quite absurdly, was a delicate sapling. -¡°Did the seed fall, or was it already hidden in the crevice from the beginning?¡± A jolt of electricity seemed to rush through Lee-yeon as she gripped her phone. -¡°Something¡­ has¡­ sprouted, Lee-yeon. ¡° He also suffered. He had been hurt and in pain because of me. But how could he¡­? How did he find the courage to choose me again? Why didn¡¯t you just hate me? Why didn¡¯t you just give up? But just like trees, like trees that regenerate well, even if they cut and cut, they looked like thet didn¡¯t hurt. They look so stronging up through the grave. Lee-yeon used her fingernail to gently trace the tender sprout visible through the screen. She felt an inexplicable urge to cry. Chapter 225: Chapter 225: ¡°Give us a wide smile!¡± Upon the makeup artist¡¯s request, Lee-yeon forced her lips into a smile, and something sticky was applied there. She had a hectic day right from the morning and had people knocking on her door. They thoroughly examined Lee-yeon from head to toe, then whisked her away to a shop. There, she had to change into evening dresses dozens of times, and her tousled hair was expertly styled into gentle waves. ¡°Your image is already so clean, so we¡¯ve chosen borate essories.¡± As Lee-yeon finally opened her eyes, she saw her unfamiliar self trapped in the mirror. A subtle touch of makeup, sharper eyes, dewy skin, and lips. The emerald crystal earrings sparkled with different hues as she moved, and the snow-white dress, richly flowing below her waist, exuded elegance. ¡°I¡¯m sure the director will be pleasantly surprised when she sees herself.¡± However, seeing her heavily adorned appearance, Lee-yeon¡¯s mood was sinking further and further. Kwon Chae-woo had bandages wrapped around his arms, legs, and sides, and she was wearing a white dress, entering with someone. ¡°Ms. So Lee-yeon.¡± Just then, Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s reflection appeared in the mirror. He scanned Lee-yeon¡¯s outfit, fastening his cufflinks. Through the mirror, they exchanged different nces, one assessing and the other wary. ¡°If you find it difficult during the ceremony, feel free to let me know.¡± He had a cold look in his eyes, but there was no sense of threat or malice. In fact, if anything, he was rather courteous. ¡°Have you made up your mind about what I proposed yesterday?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°If you need more time, take it and let me know.¡± Suddenly, Kwon Ki-seok grabbed her shoulders tightly. His hand on her bare skin felt cold. ¡°And please, smile.¡± Hyedom Opening Ceremony Party. Lee-yeon followed Kwon Ki-seok as they strolled beneath the morous chandeliers, wearing a smile that seemed to have gone through spasms. He would asionally ask her if she was not having a hard time, but Lee-yeon found no warmth in such kindness. The opening ceremony of the nation¡¯srgest botanical garden was just around the corner. The event proceeded calmly and sensibly. Key figures such as the mayor of Hwayang City, the Minister of nning and Finance, and representatives from constructionpanies took the stage to delivermemorative speeches and speeches. When graceful apuse showered down, Lee-yeon¡¯s face remained a bit round. However, as thepleted Hyedom appeared as a hologram, filling the banquet hall, she couldn¡¯t help but let out a small sigh of admiration. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Hyedom felt like an earthly paradise. It was filled with unfamiliar, expensive foreign trees and flowers, perfectly recreated tropical forests, and waterfalls that brought to mind the pristine mountains of old. As she toured the virtual Hyedom and pped, thememoration ceremony came to an end without any major incidents. Lee-yeon, who had experienced all sorts of trials, could finally rx her previously tense shoulders. She watched people leaving the banquet hall as if she was waiting for something. ¡°Can we go home now?¡± To her hesitant question, Kwon Ki-seok let out a small chuckle. ¡°No, the real business is just beginning.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you remember?¡± ¡°What¡ª¡± At that moment, the ck blinds descended over the circr windows, which had been brightly illuminating the banquet hall. The chandeliers¡¯ light dimmed, and the slowly closing doors kept the departing guests outside. If the ceremony was any indication, about half of the attendees remained. They all stared at Kwon Ki-seok with expectant eyes. With the sudden change in atmosphere, Lee-yeon felt her guard, which she had momentarily let down, creeping back up. Kwon Ki-seok cast a meaningful nce at Lee-yeon and then proceeded to the stage. The man standing in front of the microphone was shrouded in deep shadows, making his expression impossible to discern. ¡°Today, Suguk Pharmacy, after dedicating considerable resources and time, presents a new drug that we have long strived for¡ª¡± Just as he spoke, a small door opened, and neatly dressed servers walked in carrying champagne sses. ¡°¡ªfor the first time.¡± Kwon Ki-seok tilted a velvet box over a ss filled with slightly yellowish liquid and sprinkled some powder into it. The enigmatic powder instantly created bubbles and dissolved, leaving no trace behind. ¡°It¡¯s a type of hallucinogenic drug, simr to LSD. A few years ago, we seeded in growing a rare, unregistered nt on arge scale after extensive research and investment, producing a substance that is over 35 times more potent than the existing hallucinogenic ingredients. This new drug, born after numerous trials and errors, is called ¡®Summer.''¡± Suddenly, Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s gaze turned in her direction. ¡°It¡¯s a new paradigm of hallucinogen that recreates what the individual desires through memory distortion.¡± At his words, people throughout the venue hastily raised their sses and took a sip. Summer. Lee-yeon felt strangely uneasy like something was tugging at the back of her mind. She squeezed her skirt tightly with an irregrly pounding heart. For a moment, the words of his former boss, Director Jo Kyung-cheon resurfaced in her mind and then vanished. ¡°Lee-yeon, can¡¯t you stop here?¡± ¡°You have already gone up to the fourth round. You should have failed a long time ago. I think I¡¯ve given you many chances, and if you continue like this, you will be in trouble.¡± ¡°As you get closer to winning the Hwaidome project, you¡¯re bound to hear or meet them at least once.¡± ¡°Suguk Pharmaceuticals, the family behind it.¡± ¡°Innocent doctors can never bear it.¡± Why did he try to stop Lee-yeon and subtly warn her? Lee-yeon furrowed her brow, feeling uneasy. What am I missing? Chapter 226: Chapter 226: Just then, as if to interrupt Lee-yeon¡¯s thoughts, a ss was pushed in front of her. Kwon Ki-seok, who had appeared out of nowhere, held out a ss filled with ¡°Summer.¡± She had no intention of drinking, not even a sip, but Lee-yeon quietly epted the ss. Summer, Summer¡­ While Lee-yeon was absorbed in her thoughts, people who had taken the drug began to show reactions, bit by bit. They spoke to the empty air, moved like they were dancing, but their reactions could be broadly divided into two types: Theyughed or cried. The amplitude of these simple emotions was palpable. Surprisingly, no one exhibited extreme behavior. Clearly, they had taken drugs, but they held their hands together as if they had witnessed a god. ¡°Each one will meet what they¡¯ve been yearning for.¡± Jo Kyung-cheon, Hwaidome, the drug fields, Suguk Pharmaceuticals, and Kwon Ki-seok with the new drug Summer¡ªall these things were scratching at some sensitive nerve in Lee-yeon. The picture felt elusive, like something almost in reach but not quite. ¡°In the near future, thendscape of desires and pleasures will change. People will want to stay in the world of fantasy longer than reality.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Lee-yeon, do you have something you¡¯re yearning for?¡± ¡°Yoon Joo-ha.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s mouth opened involuntarily. ¡°Is it by any chance derived from Yoon Joo-ha¡¯s name, this name ¡®Summer¡¯?¡± Lee-yeon followed her intuition. Wasn¡¯t the name ¡®Summer¡¯ taken from the summer part of Yoon Joo-ha (ÏÄ)? In that moment, Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s demeanor dramatically changed. It was like the sound of a single streak of gold going through the frozen ice. Kwon Ki-seok stared at Lee-yeon with eyes that seemed to be teeming with all sorts of maggots. ¡°Now you¡¯re babbling about Yoon Joo-ha, like everybody else.¡± His snake-like eyes bore into Lee-yeon, and despite not saying a word, there was something palpable. More than emotions, it was something closer to madness that emanated from Kwon Ki-seok. Just receiving that gaze, Lee-yeon¡¯s fingertips stiffened, and her insides writhed. As he bent over, he whispered in Lee-yeon¡¯s ear. ¡°Do you know why Yoon Joo-ha died?¡± Their faces were so close that their noses almost touched, and strangely, she felt short of breath. ¡°Why should I even mention that hateful woman¡¯s name¡ª¡± Then, something like a wooden stick forcefully wedged itself between the two of them. ¡°Both of you, separate a bit.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Startled, Lee-yeon turned her head, and there was Kwon Chae-woo, standing upright with a crutch. *** For a moment, Lee-yeon¡¯s heart raced, and her gaze lingered on the empty ss that he was clutching. As it sunk in that a sick patient had consumed something deadly, she pushed aside the overwhelming panic and started to think. ¡°Did you wear your school uniform today?¡± ¡­What? ¡°What are you saying? What¡¯s happening¡ª¡± Strangely, Kwon Chae-woo, who appeared somewhat innocent, tilted his chin. ¡°Did you not want to hear me y today?¡± What¡¯s he saying? A few moments ago: ¡°Where on earth are you going in that condition?¡± Jang Beom-hee fiercely prevented Kwon Chae-woo from leaving the room. Last night, Jang Beom-hee had no qualms about lowering his head and telling Lee-yeon, who had guarded the spot all night, not to wake him up¡­! ¡°There¡¯s nothing good about rushing out like this, Young Master!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s worrying about the damn dogs? Where¡¯s So Lee-yeon?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I need to confirm with my own eyes that she¡¯s unharmed. If you¡¯re not going to bring her, get out of the way.¡± Kwon Chae-woo pressed on relentlessly, focusing on one person. ¡°Where is Lee-yeon now?¡± Instantly, Jang Beom-hee hesitated, and Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face contorted with anger. He shoved him forcefully, interpreting the brief silence in his own way. It sent shivers down his spine, but he gritted his teeth and took a hesitant step. ¡°Am I wrong?¡± ¡°What, young master?¡± ¡°Damn it, she didn¡¯t run away, leaving me behind, did she?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What day is it today? How long did I sleep for¡­?¡± Kwon Chae-woo grabbed his forehead, breathing heavily, and the startled Jang Beom-hee quickly turned on the tablet he was holding and thrust it to him. ¡°Master, So Lee-yeon is unharmed. Please calm down now!¡± ¡°Do I look I can calm down now¡­!¡± The wildly shaking pupils gradually settled as if they were fixed on the screen. He stared at the picture with a sense of urgency as if he had to breathe. ¡°Currently, Ms. So Lee-yeon is attending the Hyedommemorative event.¡± ¡®When was thest time she had smiled so brightly?¡¯ Shown in the screen of the tablet, So Lee-yeon was walking arm in arm with Kwon Kiseok, consistently wearing a smile. She, in her pure white dress, smiled shyly, but she seemed like apletely different person from the one he knew. This fact stabbed deep into his guts more painfully than a broken rib. If a single fact could hurt more than his broken rib. ¡°Who on earth dressed her in a white dress?¡± *** ¡°Who on earth dressed her in a white dress?¡± Kwon Chae-woo tossed his tablet into Jang Beom-hee¡¯s chest and shed a meaningful look. ¡°Do you know what kinds of thoughts I¡¯ve been havingtely?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I sometimes think about trying something I¡¯ve hated so much that I wanted to die. I don¡¯t have much time left.¡± Jang Beom-hee waited for an exnation since he couldn¡¯t understand the words. However, Kwon Chae-woo merely swallowed his words, moving his throat as if he were choking on them. How fierce the conflict would be between the Kwon family and the opposing forces in the future remained uncertain, and even if they could ensure So Lee-yeon¡¯s safety, was there any chance for her to return? It was impossible to estimate how long it would take for the Kwon family to disband. If he couldn¡¯t be with her when their child was born and growing up, if she had to face all the hardships on her own, if he forced all that upon her, he clenched his fist, which was no longer as strong as it used to be, stubbornly. ¡°Lead the way.¡± ¡°Master, you can¡¯t move properly right now!¡± ¡°Even if my legs were severed, I would¡¯ve crawled my way out of here.¡± With relentless determination in his words, Jang Beom-hee had no choice but to support Kwon Chae-woo, who was resolute on advancing. Chapter 227: Chapter 227: The entrance to the banquet hall was heavily secured as if it were a restricted area. Nheless, Kwon Chae-woo entered without hesitation. The dim lighting created an unusual ambiance, and he couldn¡¯t help but think of how odd it felt. However, his gaze was wide open as he desperately searched for So Lee-yeon. The well-dressed guests, with their pupils dted, were ufortably visible in the gloomy atmosphere. But when he spotted Kwon Ki-seok and So Lee-yeon, standing side by side, faces close to each other, his mind wentpletely nk. For some reason, they seemed to stand out, as if a special curtain had been drawn around them. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Kwon Chae-woo nervously shoved the drink in his mouth, even more annoying than getting shot. He couldn¡¯t help but feel furious when he saw So Lee-yeon in a white dress. Is she supposed to be his sister-inw now? Seething with anger, he emptied his ss of the cold sweat-inducing drink and, relying on his crutches, began to walk. Then, at a peculiar angle, he slipped the crutch between the closely spaced faces. ¡°Both of you, separate a bit.¡± At that moment, it felt as if the ground was bouncing up and the ceiling was about to copse. A strange sensation gripped him, like his body tilting and then flipping over. Though it felt bizarre, Kwon Chae-woo firmly pressed the crutch against the white wall as if he could feel the pressure. But as if his skull was splitting apart, a severe headache struck him, and suddenly, the banquet hall disappeared. A new scene unfolded. The drug was beginning to affect him. Back when he was poor but had a mother and music. Kwon Chae-woo extended his now smaller hands, looking around with his newly reduced eye level. A sudden gust of fresh air filled his nostrils. At the same time, the girl who used to hide beneath the trees and sob quietly every afternoon began to gradually ovep with So Lee-yeon¡¯s image. In an instant, Kwon Chae-woo was absorbed into their shared past, a time when they were thirteen years old. ¡°Did you wear your school uniform today?¡± He slowly blinked, asking innocently. He had no idea what he was saying; he merely surrendered to the familiar and hazy sensations of longing. ¡°Did you not want to hear me y today?¡± ¡°What are you saying? What¡¯s happening¡ª¡± Lee-yeon answered him, bewildered. ¡°Ah, this voice¡­ it¡¯s the same. Tell me more.¡± So Lee-yeon gazed at him with a bewildered expression, her cheeks flushing slightly. Kwon Chae-woo, torn between concern and bewilderment, curiously examined the shimmering pupils of the girl, spotted with confusion. ¡°Seeing you from this close feels like the first time.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°How old are you exactly?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re an older sister (noona), but to what extent are you an older sister?¡± ¡°I¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡± In his memory and vision, the girl¡¯s voice faltered intermittently. Despite ying the cello for her every day, it seemed she couldn¡¯t recognize him. Kwon Chae-woo, resembling a child with flushed cheeks, felt a pang of sadness. He had wanted to meet her so much. If it weren¡¯t for his mother¡¯s strict orders to avoid talking to anyone in the neighborhood and to wander alone, he would have revealed himself sooner. It brought him some excitement to know her more and for her to know him. The lonely girl, who always seemed so deste, sometimes left yellow post-it notes on the trees with a touch of regret. In response, Kwon Chae-woo would secretly venture into the woods, picking them like flowers on a moonlit night. Kwon Chae-woo examined the dazed face of the girl intently. His heart pounded as if it would burst, and his cheeks burned as if they were on fire. The pain was far more intense than all the times he had practiced the cello, forming calluses. His entire body ached, but he had no desire to stop. ¡°Up close¡­ you look even prettier.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s all gonepletely wrong¡­¡± ¡°But why do I keep looking elsewhere instead of at you?¡± As Kwon Chae-woo pulled the taller girl forward, his hands trembling, the scene was disrupted. ¡°Chae-woo!¡± At the sound of the desperate shout, he involuntarily turned his head. His mother had rushed in, her face turning pale as if she might pass out at any moment. Her hand, gripping the his son¡¯s shoulder, was trembling uncontrobly. Kwon Chae-woo sensed, almost instinctively, that their irregr daily life was about to be torn from now on. ¡°Do we have to run away right now?¡± ¡°At least we need to go somewhere else; the problem isn¡¯t staying here.¡± With a determined face, Yoon Joo-ha took his hand, leading him. Kwon Chae-woo followed as they fled the forest. His legs ached, and he struggled to catch his breath after their mad dash. Gruff men pursued them from an unexpected direction, shouting things like ¡°Young master Kwon¡± and ¡°Young master Chae-woo.¡± Kwon Chae-woo realized instinctively that their unusual life was on the verge of disintegration. ¡°Why are we running?¡± ¡°For now, let¡¯s go anywhere; it¡¯s not safe here.¡± Yoon Joo-ha pulled his arm roughly as if he were pulling the child¡¯s shoulder bone. Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s mother, who was leading the way, turned to keep an eye on them. She had firmly grasped her son¡¯s shoulder and seemed reluctant to let go. The rugged terrain made Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s face distort with a mixture of fear and exhaustion, making him appear almost beastly. This time, it was the boy who pleaded with his mother to act. ¡°Mom, please, you run first!¡± ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, snap out of it!¡± ¡°Those men know my name. Not my mom!¡± Mom, you see, why can¡¯t I go to school? Why can¡¯t I make friends? Why do we have to hide and live like this? Mom¡­ What did we do wrong? Once and for all, he wanted to stop hiding. Suddenly, the then young Kwon Chae-woo remembered the lonely girl he used secretly ys music for. ¡°That girl lives in the house right below the mountain. Mom, go to that house first, not anywhere else. If she hesitates because she doesn¡¯t know you, tell her that this is the payment for all the music she heard from me!¡± ¡°Chae-¡­¡± ¡°I buried my favorite CD under the tree. It¡¯s the tree I y under, that¡¯s the proof! Go quickly, we¡¯ll meet again soon!¡± Advanced chapters are avable on Patreon if you want to support the team behind these projects. Also, please consider supporting this novel by leaving a review on Novelupdates! Thank you so much. ?? Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 228: Chapter 228: At that moment, everything turned upside down. The thirteen-year-old boy had disappeared, reced by the much taller Kwon Chae-woo, who held Yoon Joo-ha¡¯s hand tightly. If they parted like this, they might never see each other again. Kwon Chae-woo had experienced that future already and fell into a somber silence. Even though he had longed to see his mother, he could only breathe heavily, unable to utter a word. Yoon Joo-ha cried quietly, her age not much different from the age of the current So Lee-yeon in his memories. Yoon Joo-ha looked much younger, less prepared, and more immature than the mother in his memories. After meeting his extended family, they emphasized the urgency of breaking free from the kidnapper¡¯s brainwashing, even for a day. Kwon Chae-woo was subjected to relentless torment by psychiatrists with theirughable notion of deprogramming. In this manner, the doctors took turns peeling awayyers of Yoon Joo-ha¡¯s love and berating him. ¡°Mr. Chae-woo, a real mother who loves her child wouldn¡¯t hide in the mountains and abandon her child. You imed you never attended elementary school, right? Moreover, Mr. Chae-woo is malnourished andgs in both height and weight. ¡°Apart from Yoon Joo-ha, you seems to have no experience of genuine human rtionships. You even questioned the existence of your brothers yesterday. Is this behavior of someone who received healthy love? Yoon Joo-ha, she¡¯s not your mother; she¡¯s your kidnapper.¡± Every time, Kwon Chae-woo felt a strong resistance and anger, but at the same time, he felt a profound darkness creeping into his heart. Throughout the years of growing into an adult, his actions boiled down to doubting love and nurturing an invisible loathing. He seemed to long for his mother, almost like an anchor. In reality, he realized that he resented her more than anyone else since meeting So Lee-yeon. He had awakened to the fact that he had been ¡°fooled again.¡± He despised being manipted and controlled once more, and the emotions he had tried to suppress and ignore surged with intensity. Though he was aware of his instinctive attraction to So Lee-yeon, the image of her doing her daily habits, troubled him to the brink of madness, and he forcibly denied his emotions. That was until he discovered that she hade into the Kwon family for the sake of Gyubaek¡¯s safety. ¡°Mother¡­¡± Even though he had to live on the run, life with his mother was rich. Their clothes might have been old, but they were clean, and Chae-woo always had a warm and hearty meal. From trimming his son¡¯s nails and singing him to sleep, the simple life they shared was filled withughter. But on nights when his fever soared, and his mother couldn¡¯t bring herself to knock on the doors of a hospita because they had to hidel, Yoon Joo-ha repeatedly picked up and put down the phone, apanied by words of apology. Even at a young age, Kwon Chae-woo hated to see his mother¡¯s face distorted by guilt and pain, so he pulled only the hem of her clothes. Yoon Joo-ha, helpless, would burst into tears and hugged the child as hard as she could. When he vomited bitter medicine, Yoon Joo-ha would kiss the child Kwon Chae-woo on the mouth, put her hands on his tiny chest to give heat, stick their forehead together, and hug him all night, saying, ¡°My son take all the energy of mother, take it.¡± And just like that, the child forgets all the pain and smiled at the warmth and love from his mother. ¡°I promise you won¡¯t be kidnapped again.¡± In the end, Chae-woo surrendered by hugging his mother, whom he had missed his whole life, and bowed his head. It was their real farewell, as this unbearable moment marked the end of their time together. Chae-woo wiped away his mother¡¯s tears and spoke. ¡°Take my cello bag with you¡­¡± He painfully scratched his face and returned to his stoic expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mother. I wanted to destroy the Kwon family.¡± He clenched his eyes shut, grinding his teeth. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about whether I should inherit that darn household.¡± It was something Chae-woo loathed more than death. But now, he was dering that he would discard the foundation that hadposed him. ¡°I will leave now, Mother.¡± His beloved music had been taken from him after losing his mother, but now he felt that without her¡­ The now grown-up son had suddenly knelt and apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± This time, it had to be different. He wanted to protect the one he loved for a long time. Lee-yeon. ¡°Thank you for stealing me, for raising me as a human, for teaching me love.¡± He sobbed, ¡°I will live as a sinner for the rest of my life.¡± His mother and the young Lee-yeon, were his childhood. Lee-yeon in his life now was his new music. As he finally let go of the hurtful thoughts, Chae-woo¡¯s vision spun once again. Meanwhile, Lee-yeon, who had brought the intoxicated man to the hotel room, witnessed this entire bewildering situation. Chapter 229: Chapter 229: ¡°That was entirely my fault,¡± Lee-yeon said. As Kwon Chae-woo blinked awake, his gaze fell upon Lee-yeon¡¯s blushing ears peeking out from under the nket. Kwon Chae-woo nced around, taking in his surroundings. This ce¡­ The morning sun filtered through the delicate chiffon curtains. Lee-yeon had thoughtfully arranged a tray with coffee and a sandwich on the bedside table, her fingers gentlybing through her tousled hair. The pajamas she¡¯d personally dressed him in, the unspoken intensity, her flushed cheeks. Kwon Chae-woo remained motionless, not even blinking, as Lee-yeon broke the silence. ¡°I really wasn¡¯t nning on it. I wasn¡¯t seeing other men in the way you think. I was just¡­ curious. I wanted to see how other men were different from you. Whether my heart pounded for them like the way it does for you. I just wanted to check.¡± In his tense conversation, Kwon Chae-woo realized that this was after their first night when he was still with her as her ¡®husband¡¯. He got angry because she had secretly met other men, one after the other, and lied about not filing a marriage report. Eventually, he couldn¡¯t hold back his pent-up desires. ¡°Because, Mr. Kwon Chae-woo, I really¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t utter the words. Kwon Chae-woo stared at her. She didn¡¯t remove her hands from her face. ¡°I just¡­ you are so scary. I am afraid of you when I think about the kind of person you used to be. When you said you would be my dog, it was a little better to be with you. I always looked at you while you slept¡­¡± Kwon Chae-woo exhaled quickly in response to the overwhelming affection building up. Even after tormenting him all night, she did her best to open her heart, making her even more beautiful. He was realizing again what he had lost. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I feel so annoyed with someone,¡± she continued in a soft voice. ¡°Everyday feels annoying because of you.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked. At that time, he didn¡¯t deeply consider how much courage her unadorned confession required. He didn¡¯t understand how much determination it took to bring a man she considered scary into her world. So, it was easy for him to dismiss Lee-yeon¡¯s love as a pretense and to criticize her vehemently for her dishonesty, leaving her sinceritypletely untouched. He had never considered the fear that she had to ovee at every moment to ept him. Kwon Chae-woo embraced Lee-yeon and sat her on his thigh. His lips began to move on their own like a reyed recording. ¡°So, what was it likeparing me to other men? I want to hear the result.¡± As he held her close, a soft sigh, as delicate as a small bird, permeated his chest. Lee-yeon squirmed against his chest. He waited patiently. ¡°I didn¡¯t think of anything. I saw you through that window in the caf¨¦.¡± She remembered vividly the way he had stood outside that window in the pouring rain. ¡°I just wanted to go home,¡± she mumbled. ¡°With you.¡± Her simple words struck a chord in the man¡¯s heart once again. What he had sought to regain, abandoning the vengeful thoughts that had consumed him, boiled down to moments like these. A small, humble home, an even smaller bedroom, and a bed even smaller. The tender words exchanged between just the two of them in that ce. For the sake of hearing this absurd confession, for the sake of just this, Kwon Chae-woo was willing to give up everything he had. If only I could go back to that day again¡­ He wished to linger forever in this period where no one had been hurt yet, where nothing had been shattered. He hoped that if this were a dream, he wouldn¡¯t wake up. However, as if it had been waiting, dizziness began to creep in, and his vision started to flip. The square walls crumbled, and the morning sunlight shattered. Like being sucked into a whirlwind, all the scenes were distorting. ¡°¡­!¡± Before the slender thread of understanding he had held onto vanished like a sandcastle, Kwon Chae-woo wanted to say something, anything. ¡°¡­I won¡¯t make the same mistake again! If Lee-yeon is there, please wait just a little.¡± In that desperate moment of speaking, Kwon Chae-woo realized what he needed to do next. He would find his way through this disorienting tunnel to reach where she was. *** The cello string held between his fingers sharply dug into the flesh. His hand was so pale because the blood wasn¡¯t flowing through it. ¡°We really, it¡¯s been a long time.¡± Words escaped from his mouth before he could think. Kwon Chae-woo found himself again in another memory. The taut string, pressing against the skin, seemed to be there not for his fingers but to hold back the impending feeling of betrayal and anger that was on the verge of bursting. A chill ran down his spine. Kwon Chae-woo, observing Lee-yeon¡¯s shocked expression, clenched his teeth in anticipation of a looming disaster. His lips moved without fail ording to the pre-determined course. ¡°From now on, we must choose our words very carefully.¡± ¡°¡­Chae-woo?¡± ¡°Lee-yeon, have you given a blowjob?¡± ¡°What?¡± Chapter 230: Chapter 230: Kwon Chae-woo wanted to stop his words when he looked at her trembling pupils. He knew better than anyone that he intended to push her to the limit and torment her. He had felt angry from the moment he started listening to the audio files Jang Beom-hee had handed him. How could she pretend to be a fake wife and be so affectionate? For some reason, something deep inside him had twisted grotesquely, even though he didn¡¯t know why. However, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s body responded to her, and no matter how much he tried to put up a tough front, in the end, he was the one stumbling. Admitting this simple fact was incredibly difficult for him. He was afraid of bing sincere in lies once again. At times, an unjust and peculiar aversion surged in his throat. ¡°If I put this in Lee-yeon¡¯s mouth, she¡¯d probably throw up from disgust.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to do it, you should do it properly from the start.¡± Suddenly, the man pushed Lee-yeon onto the bed and took out his part. ¡°Dammit, don¡¯t treat her like that. Don¡¯t rush to judge everything based on your thoughts and standards. Look at her first. She¡¯s scared. Don¡¯t force yourself on her, you bastard!¡± Kwon Chae-woo screamed as he watched the scenes unfold. However, the Kwon Chae-woo of the past continued to push Lee-yeon, sliding three fingers into her mouth, widening the space. He held her chin roughly and probed her moist interior without showing any emotion. Suddenly, he came to a stop. His tightly clenched fist, reddening eye area,bored breathing, trembling shoulders ¨C every single reaction pierced him suddenly. He desperately struggled to deviate from the predetermined action. ¡°This isn¡¯t right¡­ This isn¡¯t what I wanted.¡± He sobbed. A sob only he could hear. ¡°I messed up. I¡¯m sorry for scaring you.¡± Kwon Chae-woo knelt under the bed, his head resting on Lee-yeon¡¯s knees. Strangely, his limbs were trembling, and he felt a sudden loss of strength. ¡°Lee-yeon, you¡¯ve been nervous since then, haven¡¯t you?¡± Kwon Chae-woo hugged her body, which was shaking thinly. He wanted to do this ever since he saw her again. What if I had trusted our love and waited instead of taking it out on you? What if instead of looking at you and mocking you, I had told you honestly that I was falling for you too deep for you to even imagine? As he stroked Lee-yeon¡¯s face, Kwon Chae-woo felt his vision spin once more, but this time, he didn¡¯t panic; he simply kissed Lee-yeon¡¯s ear. *** ¡°That person, she¡¯s not my husband. I¡¯m not married. It¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡± When the p from her cousin reddened her cheek, Kwon Chae-woo felt like his carefully umted anger suddenly paralyzed. Why am I not your husband? Whose sudden anger is this? His irritation only seemed topound as he pondered. Was it that bastard that caused you to cry so much under the tree? Was it all because of people who didn¡¯t even feel like a family? ¡°Lee-yeon, who am I?¡± ¡°I did it because I was afraid Mr. Chae-woo would be embarrassed. I don¡¯t want you to get caught up in such a distressingmotion and experience unpleasant things. Look around at the people here. See the looks on their faces. So, for now, let¡¯s just go with me not being your wife. That¡¯s okay, right?¡± Kwon Chae-woo, even though his voice was tinged with tears,ughed bitterly. ¡°What kind of wife would humiliate her husband in such a way?¡± She tried to protect Mr. Kwon Chae-woo from the public eye, even defying her cousin, whom she had feared her whole life. He was foolish and missed or ignored all the sincerity that Lee-yeon showed. ¡°¡­ I exined everything. ¡°I didn¡¯t want Mr. Kwon Chae-woo to be involved in such a situation.¡± She knew what her origins were like. Her family had traumatized her and made her think of herself as something terrible and dirty. Kwon Chae-woo thought lightly of her effort to put him back in the family position once more. At the very least, as the one involved, he should have recognized the courage, which was both embarrassing and appreciated. He should have acknowledged it and embraced her, instead of justining and chastising her. What was he doing while she was epting him, even though it was out of herfort zone, and she might get hurt again? Did he make any effort to understand her feelings, even a little? No, he didn¡¯t. He was only blinded by his anger, without giving any thought to her perspective. Now, the overwhelming feeling of guilt made Kwon Chae-woo clench his fists so hard that his palms almost bled. ¡°I¡¯m crying.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± However, his voice, filled with malice, inevitably slipped out. ¡°When did you be so sincere, it¡¯s a shame to break the pretense.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± The moment Lee-yeon¡¯s face stiffened, Kwon Chae-woo controlled the memory by taking over. ¡°I¡¯m grateful.¡± In reality, this was what he wanted to say ¡°I¡¯m thankful because you¡¯ve tried so hard to protect me.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°But I wanted to protect you in the same way.¡± He lightly licked the blood that oozed from Lee-yeon¡¯s torn lips. ¡°I wasn¡¯t angry at you, it¡¯s just that you were beaten so badly, and I couldn¡¯t stand not being there in your ce. Not just today, but also thinking about you being in such situations where I wasn¡¯t present, and even thinking about how you must have suffered when you were younger, it was all too much for me to swallow.¡± At the same time, Kwon Chae-woo realized that this ce was fake. Just a memory. A dream. And there was no use for him to change things. Lee-yeon smiled, seemingly reassured. Had she ever smiled in front of me since we reunited? An immense emptiness choked him. As he was staring at his face in disapproval, looking at a counterfeit product that would be easily torn apart, a powerful realization suddenly hit me. There is no need for a past, a sweet dream, or a fantasy that can¡¯t be rewritten. What he truly desired was the current So Lee-yeon, who he wanted to hold close. The Lee-yeon who was now turning him away. He was seeing and manipting this dream where her wounds and rejections were vivid and alive for his benefit. A ce was a truly unbelievable fantasy, in and of itself. Kwon Chae-woo had to go to where Lee-yeon really was, frozen and waiting. Chapter 231: Chapter 231: ¡°Hello, Chae-woo? Where are you?¡± The excited voice came through the receiver with a transparent quality. At the same time, the sound of tuning a musical instrument and the twist of the long-forgotten stringed instrument entered the momentary silence. How many days had he been unable to sleep now? Maybe he should hurry back home. Why had he been wasting time here in Hwaido? Was it all to witness this scene? Kwon Chae-woo emitted a bitterugh as he listened to the discordant sounds ringing through the tiny cracks. It felt like a fuse in his mind was snapping. ¡°¡­It¡¯s an unforgettable gift, Lee-yeon.¡± ¡°¡­Chae-woo?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a perfect finale.¡± With nerves snapping, and his vision momentarily darkening and then clearing, Kwon Chae-woo was already in the process of smashing the cello over and over again. What was shattering into pieces wasn¡¯t the instrument but his sanity. Violent urges surged to the point that his fingertips tingled. He loathed the music, especially the cello. He thought that she knew everything and was mocking him. It was a true delusion of persecution. ¡°Please, just stop. Listen to what she¡¯s saying.¡± Kwon Chae-woo pleaded as he watched another memory unfold. But his strong arms focused on ruthlessly breaking the cello to pieces. He panted heavily only after snapping the cello¡¯s neck with his own two hands. ¡°Did you enjoy taming me?¡± He approached her, his disheveled hair now calmlybed back, and despite the fear trembling in her eyes, he took a perverse satisfaction in finally breaking her trust, something he had patiently endured until now. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry for the lies. I, I was so scared of you back then. I¡­ I did it to survive, but no one believed me. It was someone else who made you fall¡­ Even Kwon Chae-woo didn¡¯t care about what I had to say.¡± Her tear-stained face, marred with regret, suddenly tugged at his heart. Just before everything crumbled, she had given her all to speak, with eyes that promised she would endure everything. She had wanted to have a conversation. What ruined it was his blind rage and his deliberate shutting of his ears. Only now, as the bted waves of regret washed over him, did he realize this. A sob escaped through lips that had been sealed until then. As the barrier in his mind finally shattered, his memories flowed backward in time. ¡°Hold my hand.¡± He said. Kwon Chae-woo couldn¡¯t help himself from taking action even though he knew it might be in vain as this was just a dream. Even if it was just self-indulgence, he wanted to remove every thorn she got from him, even a single one. He wanted to cover her wounds anew. ¡°But, Chae-woo, at least you know that I acted in self-defense, right?¡± ¡°I know.¡± He could feel her hesitance as she paused in response to his straightforward acknowledgment. Even though the scene had already started to unravel, she forced the words she needed to say into her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m not sorry for the absurd lies. It wasn¡¯t to protect myself.¡± ¡°Right, I understand.¡± Kwon Chae-woo shook his head several times and added, ¡°You did well, Lee-yeon. If you ever face a simr situation in your life, don¡¯t hesitate and swing the saw just like that. I¡¯ll take care of the rest, so don¡¯t worry about the consequences.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The lie about being my wife, if you could keep telling it just to me for the rest of your life, that would be great.¡± Despite the man¡¯s changed reaction, Lee-yeon pushed forward with her words. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry for lying¡­¡± Kwon Chae-woo echoed the words she had said desperately at some point. ¡°That lie haspletely changed my life.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°How can I forget that? You cared for me like you would nurture a beautiful flower. You looked at me with so much care, just like the small garden you made with your own hands.¡± I still haven¡¯t woken up from this dream. That¡¯s when it all began. Lee-yeon¡¯s face hardened, and her eyes became sharp and filled with malice. ¡°It¡¯s futile, no matter what you do. You¡¯ll never, ever be able to meet your wife again.¡± She spoke in a chillingly transformed tone, marking the beginning of a true nightmare. ¡°Right here, right now, I¡¯m going to discard all the memories associated with you.¡± She spoke the same words that Kwon Chae-woo had said said before. ¡°Lee-yeon¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not fair for you to suffer any grudges. Let¡¯s go back to how things were.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You should forget me too.¡± Kwon Chae-woo couldn¡¯t bring himself to raise his head, as he was left to face the words he had spoken. Had he spoken such cruel words to her? His heart pounded in his chest, and his face contorted in disbelief. So Lee-yeon¡¯s emotionless demeanor, coupled with a subtle hint of amusement. It wasn¡¯t a conversation; it was the unteral severance of their connection. He thought that cutting his fingers one by one would be better than experiencing this. He couldn¡¯t fathom how she had endured this situation. Kwon Chae-woo could only bite his lower lip in response. ¡°Even so, we¡­ You said you¡­ loved me, Lee-yeon.¡± ¡°Have I ever said those exact words to you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 232: Chapter 232: Lee-yeon responded with a subtle frown as if she had finally arrived to address this matter. The taste of bitterness lingered in his mouth as he suppressed the words he had been holding back. ¡°I¡¯ve never actually said those words, as far as I can remember. You were too frightening, and your brother had pressured me. I just went along with it to keep things calm. After all, your brother watched my every move. What else should I have done than pretend to like you?¡± Kwon Chae-woo wiped his pallid face with both hands and swallowed a groan of agony. He needed to leave soon. He needed to shatter this illusion and go meet Lee-yeon. But the words that gripped him were gradually breaking his resolve, keeping him rooted in ce. The pain that had started in his chest soon spread throughout his entire body, contorting his arms and legs as if they were convulsing. Gradually, the man lost his courage. ¡°I was wrong. Please don¡¯t say that.¡± The man¡¯s voice trembled vulnerably. ¡°She showed me what it¡¯s like to live normally. Preparing meals for you while dipping my hands in water instead of blood, rescuing animals instead of harming them, and living like a human. Lee-yeon showed me all of this.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°How amazing that ordinary life was.¡± Living in hiding with Yoon Joo-ha and not receiving any benefits of education or medical care was an abnormal life, regardless of the memories. In addition, he was lonely during his teenage years and had to live only as a performer, and as he became an adult and became a hunting dog, his life wentpletely off track. So, it was the first time he had experienced it. To live solely as a house husband and have such a tranquil andfortable routine. Cooking three meals a day, going out to the yard and tending the garden, picking up his wife after work, and spending passionate nights with her. It was all a first. Nights where they¡¯d cuddle under the nket to keep warm on cold and lonely nights. That¡¯s why ¨C ¡°I want to go back to Hwaido.¡± A grim smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he grappled with a sense of loss. ¡®I came to Hwaido to bury you in the first ce.¡¯ ¡°When my life ends, I want to be buried next to you.¡± It was only now that he seemed to understand why Lee-yeon wanted to share the orchestra with him as a gift. Why she invited him as the first audience, not for any other reason, and why she wanted to share music of all things. The ruined forest may have represented the image of the family that Lee-yeon had in mind, but the music was Kwon Chae-woo. Her sce had been solely derived from the music yed by a boy, carried on the wind. Lee-yeon was offering the most dazzling moment she possessed. ¡°Let¡¯s continue living like this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I no longer need a husband.¡± However, Lee-yeon turned her back with an air of indifference, and Kwon Chae-woo felt utterly helpless. As he watched Lee-yeon growing increasingly distant, he suddenly felt his legs bing heavy. His hesitation was exceedingly brief. With a determined leap, he enclosed her cold body in his arms. ¡°You can leave if you want.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s body wobbled from the sudden motion, but contrary to her harsh words, Kwon Chae-woo firmly embraced her. He gently ran his messy fingers through her disheveled hair and whispered, ¡°¡­You can leave, but I¡¯ll keep waiting here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not tired at all. I could do this for a lifetime. So¡­¡± As Kwon Chae-woo continued, his throat tightened with every word he tried to force down. He winced as he swallowed something acrid, yet each time he gritted his teeth and kept his chin high. His throat stung as he pushed the burning lump down, but he didn¡¯t falter. ¡°Walk as far as you want, Lee-yeon even if you abandon me hundreds or thousands of times along the way. Consider me the most meaningless thing, and cast me aside without a second thought.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Just¡­ pick me up only at the very end. ¡°I don¡¯t care when that happens.¡± As he shattered the cello on the stage Lee-yeon had so thoughtfully prepared, her dream of having a family was destroyed once again. The pain he felt realizing this was overwhelming as if his guts were melting. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry for not understanding your feelings even a little all this time.¡± Despite it all, Kwon Chae Woo sincerely expressed his apology, knowing that somewhere, So Lee-yeon might be listening. ¡°Don¡¯t get scared just because I took a few gunshots.¡± Lee-yeon remained silent. ¡°Don¡¯t pity me.¡± Lee-yeon still didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Don¡¯t waver.¡± Kwon Chae-woo tightened his grip around her, putting an almost intimidating amount of strength into his arms. He clung to her as if he would never let go, but after a while, he slowly released his grip. At that moment, Lee-yeon¡¯s previously trembling back stiffened instantly. ¡°This old man has gone insane!¡± At that very moment, with Choo-ja¡¯s voice and an influx of enraged vigers, Kwon Chae-woo tried to shield Lee-yeon, but the height difference was too much. ¡°All of this is because of that tree doctor! How are you going to take responsibility for this? It¡¯s because of you that our vige¡¯s divine tree died!¡± The angry vigers attempted to pull Lee-yeon down by any means possible, reaching out with their w-like hands, but all their efforts were thwarted by Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s solid body. They scratched and pulled at his clothes, but he didn¡¯t release even a single strand of Lee-yeon¡¯s hair. The woman who tried to save the tree and the man who had cut it down. Now, only an unbridgeable gap remained between them. Gradually, everything started to turn a little too white. He felt a slight heaviness in his limbs, and a headache was pounding through. Due to the experience of having his vision flipped multiple times, Kwon Chae Woo instinctively knew whaty at the end of this path. His eyes were closed tightly, his nose was pinched, and he had to endure the feeling of being tossed around. Then, at longst¡­ Ah¡­ Kwon Chae-woo was left speechless as if a burning lump was stuck in his throat. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡¯ The cello Lee-yeon held so dearly had now be a deadly weapon in her hands, a tool to exact revenge on the man who broke her heart and family. Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s body couldn¡¯t help but tremble. He clung to Lee-yeon even tighter, determined to face the consequences of his past actions. The world around them faded to white, and the painful reality he had yearned for was unfolding. This was the reality he had longed for, the one he was willing to face, no matter the oue. Chapter 233: Chapter 233: Lee Yeon was witnessing the drug Summer¡¯s power vividly before her eyes. ¡°That girl lives in the house right below the mountain. Mom, go to that house first, not anywhere else. If she hesitates because she doesn¡¯t know you, tell her that this is the payment for all the music she heard from me!¡± Kwon Chae-woo spoke. ¡°Chae-woo¨C¡± ¡°I buried my favorite CD under the tree. It¡¯s the tree I y under, that¡¯s the proof! Go quickly, we¡¯ll meet again soon!¡± Her shoulders twitched as she heard it. Did I hear that wrong? A singing tree? Why is thating up here? Kwon Chae-woo was lost in the past, and Lee-yeon, looking at his frantic pupils, lost her train of thought. Kwon Chae-woo rambled on with iprehensible words throughout, but surprisingly, she felt as if she was sharing the same view he was seeing. Her heart was pounding uncontrobly for some reason. ¡°Lee-yeon, have you given a blowjob?¡± As soon as he said that, all those moments came flooding back to Lee-yeon. Summer was said to show you memories you wanted and missed. ¡°This isn¡¯t right¡­ This isn¡¯t what I wanted.¡± Kwon Chae-woo sobbed. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I messed up. I¡¯m sorry for scaring you.¡± Watching the man collide with the past again, Lee-yeon helplessly clutched her crumpled skirt. He had passed through everything, from their childhood to their first night together to the day she didn¡¯t want to see, even in her dreams. The days when each day felt like standing on thin ice, filled with uncertainty. Kwon Chae-woo had returned to the time when they were deceiving each other. ¡°Why are you there? What do you want to see there? Wasn¡¯t Summer supposed to show only good things? Why did you have to go to the most miserable ce¡­¡± Lee-yeon wanted to wake him up. ¡°I haven¡¯t even tasted Summer.¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s words led her back to the past. When Lee-yeon was hit by her cousin when she was left alone in the wilderness, when she overcame obstacles to embrace him and made an oath, and when theypletely fell apart. It seemed like Kwon Chae-woo lingered longer in the moments when they hurt each other, rather than the happy days. Strangely, tears welled up in Lee-yeon¡¯s eyes as she listened to the man¡¯s awkward sincerity. She wiped away the tears with her palm. His feelings didn¡¯t matter now. She couldn¡¯t even exin to herself why the tears were falling like rain, but amidst it all, Kwon Chae-woo continued tofort and apologize to Lee-yeon without tiring. During this time, Jang Beom-hee and the doctor came in to examine Kwon Chae-woo, the patient. However, he still couldn¡¯t regain his senses and continued to wander in his hallucinations. Furthermore, due to not letting go of Lee-yeon, she was repeatedly pierced by fragments of the past without even having the chance to change her clothes. Then, suddenly, he woke up. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± The moment she met his slightly narrowed pupils, Lee-yeon quickly turned her head to avoid his gaze. The first thought that crossed her mind upon seeing him was: There are only a few days left until the contract ends. It meant she could soon return to Hwaido Ind. In a situation where everything could be set right, she was scared to stir up the past that she had deliberately buried and brushed aside his deep confession. If she could just get through this challenge safely, she could return to Hwaido Ind without any issues. The fear of not being able to escape from this house forever if she mistakenly touched the wrong chord rang like a warning rm. And if Kwon Chae-woo was the singing tree¡­ No, don¡¯t think about it. She took a deep breath, making her corbone more pronounced. Just a few more days to endure. She had to keep her mouth shut and quietly pass through this. She just had to leave the Kwon family quietly. ¡°¡­ Are you nowing to your senses?¡± So, she opened her mouth calmly, as if she hadn¡¯t heard anything. Kwon Chae-woo blinked his beautiful eyes slowly a few times and then raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°Ah¡­ As I thought, it¡¯s better here.¡± Lee-yeon closed her eyes tightly, trying to suppress the queasiness that churned in her stomach. She had many questions, but it didn¡¯t seem like the right time to bring them up. ¡°Kwon Chae-woo, please don¡¯t drink alcohol; you talk too much when you do.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You were so loud that I couldn¡¯t even change my clothes.¡± She waved her skirt as if to say, ¡°Look at this.¡± A rustling sound followed. With an awkward smile, Lee-yeon pushed her chest away from his, and the arms that had been holding her for hours finally rxed. ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± His soft call made Lee-yeon¡¯s focus waver. Her heart had been racing all this time. She had been avoiding eye contact because she was afraid that if she met his eyes, she would betray the inner turmoil she had been hiding. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± The man who had been staring at Lee-yeon nkly all this time finally frowned in response to the sudden surge of pain. ¡°Are you in pain? The secretary is waiting outside. I¡¯ll call them right away¡­!¡± Lee-yeon gave an anxious look at the bandage peeking out from beneath his clothes. Just the thought of him blocking her path turned her world upside down. His presence made her dizzy. Feeling like she might start gasping for breath again, Lee-yeon quickly turned her back. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Suddenly, her white skirt was caught. Kwon Chae-woo took hold of her skirt, not letting her go. Chapter 234: Chapter 234: ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± His words were muffled by his heavy breathing, and Lee-yeon couldn¡¯t hear him clearly. Perhaps it was because of the exposed bones on the back of his hand, but it seemed like he was not holding onto her skirt but trying to tear it, which made her tense involuntarily. In no time, Kwon Chae-woo winced, clutching his painful side. ¡°I would have preferred it if you had actuallye to steal the bride.¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s gaze, now confronting reality, covered Lee-yeon like a dark shadow. She pulled away from his touch and hastily walked towards the door. Her forehead felt warm, with a hint of fever that wouldn¡¯t subside. **** The grand mansion still felt heavy with gloom after the major incident, but gradually, the vacant positions of the staff were filled with new hires. Some stability began to settle in the Kwon family. After that day, Kwon Chae-woo quietly retreated to the annex for treatment to recover, and Lee-yeon behaved as if she had heard and seen nothing. This morning, Kwon Chae-woo had limped to Lee-yeon¡¯s door, carrying a lunchbox as if he were uninjured. Seeing him standing there with a face that showed no signs of his recent injuries left Lee-yeon dumbfounded and filed with unspeakable anger. With him following her, she was constantly on the verge of bursting. She feared that she¡¯d say things to him that woulde in the way of her n of leaving the Kwon family in peace. She quickly epted the lunchbox, brushing past him. His persistent gaze followed her until she turned the corner. ¡°This is a bioinvasive specie.¡± Lee-yeonmented with a wry expression, scratching her nose. The vibrant green hue around the artificialke seemed suspicious. At first nce, the lush greenery appeared beautiful, but in reality, it was a troublesome invasive nt called ¡°thornbush¡± that killed other nts by overgrowing them. Lee-yeon was apanied by the garden maintenance team members who had all gathered with their weed whackers to remove this nuisance. ¡°Once the thorns stick, they¡¯re not easily visible to the naked eye. But right now, these thornbushes have covered everything, and the trees are suffering. They¡¯re experiencing constant pain. If left as it is, these nts willpletely exterminate all the trees and grass in the area. Thornbushes climb quickly and block photosynthesis, which kills the trees. So¡ª¡± ¡°I messed up. I¡¯m sorry for scaring you.¡± Suddenly, a voice broke in, and Lee-yeon froze in her tracks. ¡°¡­We need topletely eradicate it.¡± She cleared her throat, adjusting her gloves nonchntly. Otherwise, the rapidly reproducing and resilient thornbushes cause damage year after year, despite removal efforts. Lee-yeon forced her mind back on track. She signaled the team members who had followed her to get started. After they had put on protective gear, they each picked up a weed whacker from the ground. Lee-yeon, too, began cutting away at the thornbushes without hesitation. However, Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s voice began to surface, making her increasingly agitated. ¡°Those lies havepletely turned my life upside down.¡± Lee-yeon shook her head frantically, furrowing her brows. She bit her lip and yanked on the vine, but the resilient thornbush didn¡¯t easily break. ¡°Be careful, everyone, this stuff is really tough!¡± The thornbush had grown rapidly, wrapping around trees in just three hours. It reproduced so fast that it would overrun the entire garden within a few months if not removed swiftly. ¡°You showed me what it¡¯s like to live normally. Preparing meals for you while dipping my hands in water instead of blood, rescuing animals instead of harming them, and living like a human. Lee-yeon showed me all of this.¡± Lee-yeon muttered and efficiently snipped the vine clinging to the tree with scissors. ¡°Walk as far as you want, Lee-yeon even if you abandon me hundreds or thousands of times along the way. Consider me the most meaningless thing, and cast me aside without a second thought. Just¡­ pick me up only at the very end. I don¡¯t care when that happens.¡± Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s voice tried to push its way into her heart, but she focused on the task at hand. She gripped the handle of the weed whacker even harder. ¡°I came to Hwaido to bury you in the first ce. When my life ends, I want to be buried next to you.¡± Wasn¡¯t she an expert in deceiving herself, knowing and yet pretending not to know? Having tried it once, shouldn¡¯t she be better at it the second time? Lee-yeon suddenly started working more energetically, her breathing bing more pronounced. Her lips quivered with nervousness. In just a few days, the one-month contract would finallye to an end. The day of liberation was not far off, so why¡­! ¡°Ah¡­!¡± At that moment, a strong gust of wind caused thornbushes to get tangled in Lee-yeon¡¯s gloves, and a thorn deeply pierced through the thick fabric. Chapter 235: Chapter 235: Lee-yeon clenched her teeth. Her breathing grew morebored, and she couldn¡¯t understand why it hurt so much and made her feel so unwell. It was just a minor injury¡­ But her emotions had taken control, and she couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°Haah¡­ Really¡­¡± ¡°Are you okay, Director?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°What?¡± She wasn¡¯t okay. Nothing was okay. It was all because of Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s sudden and bted appearance that disturbed everything. Lee-yeon dropped the safety helmet, gloves, and weed whacker one by one to the ground. She took deep breaths, trying to calm the repeated rising of her chest. ¡°Huh? Director, where are you going? Director¡­!¡± There was no ce left for Lee-yeon to retreat to. Between Kwon Ki-seok¡¯s proposal to help her escape from Kwon Chae-woo and the stifling and warm bioinvasive species coiled around her wrist. Now, it was time to make a deal. She would not go back to Hwaido without creating one. *** As she strode down the corridor, Lee-yeon¡¯s bundled hair bumped against the nape of her neck. With each step, numerous crossroadsy under her feet, but Lee-yeon crushed them beneath her as she walked on. She remainedpletely engrossed in her emotions until she unceremoniously opened and entered Kwon Chae-woo¡¯s room without knocking. The room was dimly lit, with ck curtains blocking out the light. In the dry silence, the air purifier mechanically hummed. Strangely, the mechanical sound had sucked all the life from the room. Lee-yeon wandered about the lifeless room. At that moment, Kwon Chae-woo, who had been leaning against the bed, suddenly raised his head. With a slight furrow on his forehead, he had been staring at theptop screen, and his reaction to Lee-yeon¡¯s unexpected arrival was quite startled. On the small screen that had just been revealed, a CCTV video was ying, and Kwon Chae-woo hastily closed theptop. He looked embarrassed by the sudden appearance of Lee-yeon. ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± ¡°Why¡­?¡± Lee-yeon took a deep breath, gripping the end of the bed as if for support. Then, the thornbush wrapped around her wrist seemed to dig even deeper into her flesh. ¡°Why now¡­? This situation is already chaotic enough, and you¡¯re adding to the mess.¡± The sudden outburst of tears and turmoil reminded her of a defeated soldier after a battle, fueling her anger even more. ¡°It¡¯s like I¡¯m ying tug-of-war every moment.¡± Her agitated face turned a deep shade of red. ¡°Whether I wanted it or not, I keep ying tug-of-war with Kwon Chae-woo. I never asked for any of this. I don¡¯t want to feel any of this¡­ the guilt, the gratitude, the confusion. I really didn¡¯t want to feel any of it!¡± That day, in the hotel room, his arms had reached out to her in desperation, and the vivid memory of his strong grip that night resurfaced, even disturbing Lee-yeon more when she was alone in the middle of the night. ¡°Did you want to rewrite the past? I¡¯m sorry, but I want to stop covering it up now. Let¡¯s talk about it¡± ¡°Lee-yeon.¡± Kwon Chae-woo furrowed his brow and, despite the pain with each step, got up from the bed. The pain pierced through him with each movement, but it was not enough to prevent him from approaching her. ¡°But you kept interfering until the very end!¡± Kwon Chae-woo stopped dead in his tracks, frozen in ce. From the moment she arrived at Kwon Mansion, she had been entangled in various incidents due to his association with him. Meanwhile, his presence, like this thornbush, kept wrapping around Lee-yeon¡¯s ankles. She shuddered at the grip strength that she felt even though she couldn¡¯t see it. Kwon Chae-woo never left alone, and kept stirring the peace she tried to build. ¡°Still, I¡¯m going to leave.¡± Lee-yeon spoke with her reddened eyes, her voice cold and resolute. ¡°I¡¯m going to get out of here.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± He nodded as if he knew. However, the prominent adam¡¯s apple in his throat moved once significantly. Lee-yeon felt even more ufortable as she noticed a hint of obedience in his attitude. ¡°Regardless of what Kwon Chae-woo does or how hard you try, I want to stay as far away as possible. But I don¡¯t understand why I keep getting bothered¡­!¡± Lee-yeon clenched her own hair and bit her lower lip. It was a reflexive act of pushing the other away and resisting, a stubborn defense mechanism. ¡°I won¡¯t do it.¡± Kwon Chae-woo interjected softly. ¡°I won¡¯t ask you to go back to that time, Lee-yeon.¡± He whispered in the darkness, his voice steady. ¡°I know that the summer we spent together is already over.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I also know that you will nevere back, Lee-yeon.¡± Kwon Chae-woo, tormented by summer¡¯s symptoms, hade to the painful realization that everything was just self-satisfaction and illusion. He clenched his fist. ¡°¡­So, I¡¯m not asking you toe back or ept me again.¡± Instead of taking a step forward, Kwon Chae-woo instead took a step back. ¡°I want to start anew.¡± Lee-yeon¡¯s heart fluttered as if stung by those words. MP is still a work in progress on our Patreon. Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons can read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to support the team financially and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 236: Chapter 236: Lee-yeon, do you know my job? He tilted his head slightly and asked calmly, but Lee-yeon couldnt respond. Do you know my real birthday? Can you guess what I majored in? For a moment, her mind went nk, and she couldnt say anything. As he pointed out, she didnt know. The emotions that had red up suddenly began to fade. I graduated from a collge abroad when I was younger. It was a story that felt entirely new, not the Kwon Chae-woo she vaguely knew. Lee-yeon was curious but refrained from asking, and these were stories she had never shown any interest in. Lee-yeon had no choice but to keep her mouth shut, feeling awkward. I dont have any friends, and there are only a few people who contact me onesidedly. They are all foreigners. Also, Im good at German. Lee-yeons eyes blinked rapidly as she felt a mix of confusion and surprise. I could try to bring back the person that you already buried. You dont really know much about me, Lee-yeon. I mean, the real Kwon Chae-woo, not just youte husband, who were in aa. He lifted his head and fixed a sharp gaze on Lee-yeon. There was a glint of intensity in his eyes, as if one wrong move could consume her. So, this is about moving forward, not going back. Im going to start over. ! Let dead people stay dead. Anyway, mypetitor has always been your ex-husband. Lee-yeon was left dumbfounded, her mouth slightly ajar. From now on, if I cant push that kind of trash out of Lee-yeons memory, Ill have to get my ass kicked. His words resonated with a past incident in Hwaido, where he had misunderstood and vented his frustration. Despite his body being injured, and this confrontation taking up a notch, he still maintained an intense, fervent gaze. In the end, Lee-yeon released a sigh that sounded more like a cynical chuckle. She wondered, who was still trapped in the past? The reason she buried Kwon Chae-woo was for a new beginning, not to show off her stubbornness. While she was more than ready to embrace his new beginning, epting a new Kwon Chae-woo was another challenge. When she had faced off with the young master of the Kwon family, she chose to keep her distance and build a wall. Thats what people who havent let go of the past usually do Lee-yeons face flushed with a sense of embarrassment. Dont say such scary things. I know perfectly well who you are. While he exuded a formidable presence, Lee-yeon stood her ground with a determined resolve. What, you think Ive been turning a blind eye all this time? Ive seen and experienced countless bizarre things here Even if I posted anonymously, no one would believe the strange incidents Ive encountered. What can I possibly do rationally with the heir of the Kwon family? Oh Lee-yeon, youve always had a soft spot for the good ones, havent you? Kwon Chae-woo, who had been at a distance, approached with confident strides. His attire seemed looser, revealing prominent corbones and shoulders. This man appeared even thinner than before. Had he been eating properly? I can be whatever you want me to be, Lee-yeon. Lee-yeon could only sigh in response. Are there any conditions you want? Maybe you have a thing with poor people. I can adjust ordingly. I will do my best to suit Lee-yeons tastes. . Do you like it long or short? What, what- I meant housework. Kwon Chae-woo replied with a smooth face, shrugging his shoulders. Lee-yeon took a few steps back reflexively, feeling a familiar sense of danger. Kwon Chae-woo had always excelled at this kind of banter, yfully testing peoples limits. In response, Lee-yeon decided to regain control of the situation. The spirit tree. The moment she brought it up, Kwon Chae-woos face stiffened. The spirit tree is 500 years old. Its an inheritance that has been around for over 500 years. What are you going to do about it? Lee-yeon had just yed herst card, as she had presented an unsolvable problem. Kwon Chae-woos face revealed no answers, only silence. Could someone who hasnt even lived for thirty years like Kwon Chae-woo rece that? * * * It had been a few days since shed presented an unsolvable problem as herst line of defense. Meanwhile, Lee-yeon started packing her belongings. Kwon Chae-woo remained stiff, as if the task she had set before him had rendered him speechless. However, today he came back with a crutch and a lunchbox as usual, and he didnt utter a single word about Shinmyeongmok, just as she intended. Well, it was to be expected. It was a question he couldnt possibly answer because she knew he would never solve it. Lee-yeon finally felt relieved as if the waves of nausea had subsided and folded her clothes into the suitcase. Just then, her phone rang, and she naturally nced at the screen. Hello? Director, it seems that today we need to remove the thorns in the garden near the warehouse as well. The warehouse area? Well, its not exactly a warehouse. I heard it used to be a building not in use right now. Im not sure about the details, but ever since I came here, its been a restricted area, and no one but direct family members has been inside. But the ban was just lifted. Lee-yeon suppressed a sigh, realizing that the contract seemed designed to put people through various ordeals. So, while were tidying up other gardens, we thought we might as well check that area too. Ill take care of the tools, so could youe directly to that ce today instead of the office? Its located behind the annex, about two blocks away. Yes, I understand. As she skillfully concealed her annoyance, her hand paused when she heard the next part. Oh! I heard that it was once used as a room for the youngest son of the family. Chapter 237: Chapter 237: Creak- The old wooden floor creaked on her every step. She was drawn by curiosity from the moment she arrived at the small main house. Unlike other mansions of the Kwon family, this ce was smaller, but it had a particr charm thanks to the azaleas growing from the hillside. While the employees put on their goggles and prepared for work, Lee-yeon stepped on the square stones and approached the front of the main hall, fascinated. Recently, new aspects of Kwon Chae-woo, who graduated from college abroad when he was younger and is good at German, have been floating around her head. The questions that had been forcibly suppressed were bubbling up like soap bubbles recently. Thus, she hesitantly set foot in the strangely nostalgic annex. Creak, creak. A hallway that feels cold because it is untouched by human hands. Suddenly, someones silhouette appeared. ! Lee-yeon held her breath as she looked at the familiar profile, and at that moment, their eyes met. The man, fully dressed in a suit, recognized her but turned his back on her and opened one of the sliding doors. He left it ajar as if asking her toe in. Lee-yeons legs moved without her realizing. Anyway, by tomorrow, their deal, which shouldst for a month, will be fulfilled. Lee-yeon had nned to leave this ce as soon as morning came, and it seemed better to inform Kwon Ki-seok of the contract termination now that he was here. Lee-yeon cautiously extended her head beyond the doorframe without lowering her guard. Passing a small bed and desk that seemed somewhat impractical for an adult male, her gaze settled somewhere in the center. It fixated on the elongated and twisted shadow of Kwon Ki-seok. Underneath this is the underground where Yoon Joo-ha was confined. What? Lee-yeon was taken aback by the unexpected revtion. Outside the window, autumn rain was falling heavily that she wondered if she had heard him wrong. Didnt you resent and fear Chae-woo? Because Kwon Ki-seok still had his back turned, there was no way she could see his expression. Didnt you want to inflict him pain? It wasnt only So Lee-yeon who lied to Chae-woo. The both of us did. So, I thought we were on the same side. I wondered how much effort you put in to turn the lies you used to casually feed him. On the same side? Lee-yeon mulled over the words silently. As she did, a sharp sense of aversion involuntarily wrinkled her forehead. I just wanted to go my own way. My intention wasnt to hurt Kwon Chae-woo. Are those two different? Suddenly, the thought crossed Lee-yeons mind that it might not be that different from Kwon Chae-woos perspective. She bit her lip in contemtion. Kwon Ki-seok blended into the young boys room like wallpaper. It seemed like he frequented this ce. Instead of inspecting the room like Lee-yeon, he seemed fixated on the floor, as if trying to pierce through it. The deeply bowed head looked oddly eerie. When Chae-woo returned from overseas, I summoned him and lied about Yoon Joo-ha being dead. ! Lee-yeons face noticeably stiffened. It seemed like her eyes could pop out at any moment as pressure surged. In fact, until that point, Yoon Joo-ha was perfectly alive. At the end of his words, a strange smirk lingered on his face, which Lee-yeon couldnt see with his back on her. At the time, Chae-woo probably thought Yoon Joo-ha had died after being caught. That the woman had a simple ident, died just like that, and things got twisted. Then, in the midst of a severe depression and mourning, he gave up music and started learning about the affairs of the Kwon family, searching for the truth on his own. Later, when he found out about Yoon Joo-has confinement, he went mad as if betrayed, but For a moment, Kwon Ki-seok burst intoughter. Lee-yeons body remained as if frozen. The rain beating against the window intensified. Could you even imagine? That the one who killed Yoon Joo-ha was himself. Chae-woo himself. ! The sliding door bumped open with a thud as the old woods collided. Now what was he saying? Lee-yeon held her breath. Unnoticed, her palm was slippery with cold sweat. I-I dont quite understand On the day of parting with Kwon Chae-woo, Lee-yeon absorbed the hatred he poured out, reading his resentment with her entire being. She could understand his destructive self-me and guilt for not recognizing his mother behind just oneyer of concrete. She understood his hatred towards her and her lies, cutting off Lee-yeon with that wounded heart. Kwon Ki-seok continued his words, his voice now grave. I summoned Chae-woo and made a final bet with that woman. Every time the sound of a cello echoed in this house, I promised to give her food. Chapter 238: Chapter 238: It was when Kwon Chae-woo stopped making music due to his mothers fake death and resroted to violence. At that time, driven by the lingering hatred for Yoon Joo-ha, Kwon Ki-seok deliberately set such conditions for the bet. Just as you felt maternal love for Kwon Chae-woo, I want you to show that kind of sincerity for my child this time. Just once, please show that earnestness in front of me. However, Yoon Joo-ha soon stopped ying his games, and tightly sealed her lips. She was a woman who would not yield even once. In the past, he used to pry open her mouth and insert a spoon directly, molding rice balls between his fingers and cing them between her mrs as soon as food was obtained. Furthermore, he used to try closing her jaws with both hands. Chew, chew, and swallow. Kwon Ki-seok felt that only by seeing a woman who chose life for their child would his conscience be relieved. However, Yoon Joo-ha thoroughly rejected him until the moment she starved to death. Even while administering nutritional supplements overnight, she was a woman who would stab herself in the throat with the feeding needle instead. She was so relentless and ruthless. She hated him so much shed rather die than bear his son and live with him forever. One day, as he looked at his brother, who had be So Lee-yeons husband while losing his memory, Kwon Ki-seok naturally wished for Kwon Chae-woo to experience the same thing. After Chae-woo found out about So Lee-yeons lie, he hoped that she would be cruel to her with the trauma of fake and lies. Since killing a person was no easy task, it would be better to burden his brother with the same yoke as Yoon Joon-ha, So Lee-yeon. He hoped that Chae-woo and he would have something inmon. Only then could he bear the the presence of the woman that had deeply affected his heart. However, Chae-woo acted differently each time and sparked a sense of defeat to Kwon Ki-seok. Did you, like, love Yoon Joo-ha? Lee-yeon looked at him with a horrified expression, as if witnessing something dreadful. Love her, like As if he would hear any strange words, he burst intoughter. Do you think I could? I just did what I had to do as the eldest son of the Kwon family. I was guilty of daring to kidnap a child from the Kwon family and kill another child from the Kwon family. He added bitterly, I won that bet. As lightning struck, the surroundings brightened, then darkened again. His jawline, once concealed by the backlight, now emerged with stark prominence. Lee-yeon sensed an unexinable difort emanating from the man whose words and demeanor existed in discord. Watching a man who clung to misced trust all his life made the tightly closed gate seem futilely opened. Perhaps apprehensive that her own countenance might mirror his, she hastily swallowed her parched saliva. Yoon Joo-ha starved to death because Chae-woo didnt y She started incredulously, What thats absurd! No, the one at fault was you, undoubtedly the perpetrator, its you, Kwon Ki-seok. Lee-yeons eyes shed with realization. I will personally tell Chae-woo the conditions of this bet when he is happiest. ! She couldnt help but be at a loss for words. The culprit youve been desperately searching for is none other than yourself, the one who abandoned Yoon Joo-ha first. Lee-yeon kept her face coldlyposed. It was undeniable that Kwon Ki-seok was a bad person, but it was also enough to crush Kwon Chae-woo. She felt strangely uneasy. She couldnt me the man who was already weighed down by self-me. She wanted to get out of there alive. Even now, she didnt resent or hate Kwon Chae-woo. It was just his presence was so special to Lee-yeon, she was afraid of being overwhelmed again. A damp scent of rain filled her nostrils at that moment. Why are you telling me all this? Kwon Ki-seok turned and approached her. Isnt the contract ending tomorrow? This will be thest time we see each other. Thank you for your hard work. The man, who bowed briefly, passed by Lee-yeon with an expressionless face, leaving her with a perplexing situation. Chae-woo is waiting for the day he can be happy by So Lee-yeons side. That was the profound dilemma Kwon Ki-seok presented. He had wagered with Yoon Joo-ha. To him, all of this seemed nothing more than entertainment to him. However, Kwon Ki-seok failed to consider that Lee-yeon was not just an ordinary woman; she was a doctor. When it came to taking care of others, she summoned a strength far greater than what he perceived. Chapter 239: Chapter 239: The light rain, which had initially been a gentle drizzle, escted into a relentless downpour. Unconsciously biting her lip, Lee-yeon shifted her attention to the persistently ringing phone. It was a number that, in the past, remained unavable. The moment that dreaded name materialized on the screen, Lee-yeon quickly answered it. As the rain-soaked soil beneath her feet solidified, a heaviness settled within Lee-yeon. Chae-woo, dont stay in a ce like this anymore. Just as nts require specific soil for optimal growth, Lee-yeon wished to uproot Kwon Chae-woo and transnt him as much as possible. Her stifled breath finally found release through newfound prayers. *** Lee-yeon. The voice from the other end of the receiver was a signal. Though she couldnt hastily run due to her sensitive stomach, Lee-yeons strides gradually increased. The employees seemed to have evacuated earlier due to the sudden downpour, and she pierced through the rain, creating a makeshift awning with her palm. Theres something I want to show Lee-yeon. . Ive found it, a way to fill the gap of five hundred years. Where are you now? While already heading towards him, Lee-yeon asked, concealing her unease. Im going to Lee-yeon right now. Wait there. No, Im on my way At that moment, her legs abruptly stopped. At the end of the garden, Kwon Chae-woo, wearing an umbre, was walking towards her. A bit awkwardly, he held an unfamiliar cello in one hand. Though Lee-yeon had seen Kwon Chae-woo clenching someones neck, the sight of Kwon Chae-woo holding a musical instrument and a bow was unfamiliar. From the moment Kwon Ki-seok mentioned his brother ying the cello, Lee-yeon had an image of the man in mind. But seeing Kwon Chae-woo in the flesh, naturally holding the instrument made the reality more palpable. The stark contrast between him and the crimson cello was anything but ordinary. Lee-yeon, this is the answer Ive found. Their gazes met in mid-air. Kwon Chae-woo covered her drenched head with an umbre. He firmly ced the umbre in Lee-yeons hand, sped her hand tightly, then stepped back. Soon, he brought a chair, spread his legs, and sat down. In the muddy ground, he firmly embedded the endpin and fixed the cello. No way no way Kwon Chae-woo embraced the cello in a perfect posture. However, as he held the bow, his hand suddenly began to tremble. . . Frozen as if on edge, Lee-yeon couldnt help but tense up at the visibly abnormal trembling. A subtle fear, like the sting of a ho, emerged from the man who had suddenly entered the rain and was instantly drenched. Kwon Chae-woo closed his eyes tightly with an expression more rigid than ever. The bent head and the heavily soaked white shirt seemed oddly repulsive. As what Kwon Ki-seok had said, when the news of Yoon Joo-has death reached Kwon Chae-woo, and he had quit music during a long depression. Perhaps it felt like being expelled from a ce where he had lived all his life. A man who, having been rejected, had to consciously bury the music he had made an effort to bring out again. In this moment, Lee-yeon felt a strange sense of camaraderie with him, someone who seemed no different from herself. Without realizing it, she found herself anxiously anticipating the moment he would y the first note. However, Kwon Chae-woo couldnt move easily. It looked as if resilient vines were tightly coiled around his arms, hindering him. Without thinking, Lee-yeon moved before she could ponder. Approaching Kwon Chae-woo, she brushed his wrist as if removing thorns. Theres nothing there. Her touch made Kwon Chae-woo shrug his shoulders. Dont look back. After experiencing Kwon Ki-seoks twisted malice, it was like a well-contained emotion gushing out. Mr. Kwon Chae-woo said to do that. She touched Kwon Chae-woos fingers, the back of his hand, and his wrist as if there were no obstacles. Kwon Chae-woo could only helplessly look at her, the woman who had suddenly appeared like a light. The long-standing thorny vines that had been entangled like a brand began to gradually disappear. When Kwon Chae-woo breathed unsteadily, a low bass cut through the raindrops. .! He traversed the familiar fingerboard up and down, producing a sound. The elongated fingers, aggressively shaking each thin string, sharp bone joints sticking out. When the sound, buried for years, finally sprouted, an intense melody bloomed from his fingertips. The initial burst of the cellos sound, explosively mingling with the pouring rain, was oddly harmonious. He clenched his jaw, confidently traversing the long fingerboard, scratching it like he was scraping the abyss. When the sound emerged from the cellos strings, a poignant melody rang out. Chaconne, the saddest music in the world. Merry Psycho is still a work in progress on our Patreon. Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons can read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to support the team financially and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 240: Chapter 240: From that moment, Lee-yeon couldnt look away from Kwon Chae-woo and his cello. All the emotional barriers she had put up started crumbling as he yed a torrent of notes. Was he really the same guy whod break someones joints and attak them from behind? He effortlessly switched techniques, ying the piece with spontaneity. It was like the sound of a kid scratching a wall, a scar on a boys back, hands chasing him and his mother.. Four strings, four beats, four soundshis music told a harsh story. As Kwon Chae-woo continued, the piece felt even more intense than the previous one. He seemed like a different kind of monster. His head asionally jerked sharply, like a blind beast following a scent. Lee-yeon found herself taking steps backward, overwhelmed by the charisma of his music. This wasnt the guy she knew. His soaked shirt clung to him, bing semi-transparent. Raindrops fell from his swaying hair. Lee-yeons entire body heated up. The cello absorbed moisture from the rain, but Kwon Chae-woo incorporated the sound of cracking into the melody. It added a eerie tone, skillfully twisted to create a poignant appeal. Though Lee-yeon wasnt a music expert, she could sense his extraordinary talent. As he yed faster, it felt likeyers of her being were peeling off. When the vibrato reached its climax, Kwon Chae-woo abruptly stopped ying. Kwon Chae-woo embraced the cello like he copsed, tears streaming down his face. The sound of suppressed crying, ugh, ugh, resonated like pain. He coughed violently, exhaling the breath he had held. Ugh huh, kkk .! Lee-yeon was frozen, facing the tears of a man she had just met. If youre here, Lee-yeon, even broken sounds be music. He raised his tear-stained eyes. More emotions were conveyed in that one gaze than in the harsh, poignant melody. I have nothing more to show you now. He embraced the cello again, lowering his head. What should I do with this man? Though Lee-yeon couldnt fully grasp his feelings, she knew he had gone to great lengths to retrieve something he had once abandoned. From the boy who sent the cello on the wind to the cruel man burying people, Kwon Chae-woo might have had to retrace and overturn his path to rediscover the lost music. Sympathy, tenderness toward Kwon Chae-woo, and a new kind of excitement sprouted within Lee-yeon. She finally felt like she glimpsed his true self. He wasnt the darkness of the Kwon family, but a person who deserved a spotlight. With an indescribable sense of regret, Lee-yeon bit her lower lip. At that moment, he shed tears, looking straight at her. When their gazes met again, Lee-yeons heart ached. Theres a more than 500-year-old ancient instrument in a foreign vi. . Bring that cello here, and Ill be Hwaidos family tree instead. Ill stand in the ce of the sacred tree and y the ancient music. Until I die, until I be the legacy of that ind. Lee-yeon felt one side of her head getting heavy. Kwon Chae-woo, having finally found his answer, broke down thest fortress that Lee-yeon had proudly presented. Lee-yeon looked up at him in the rain, her face pale. She took slow steps towards him. Even so, you still hate me? She mumbled thest words almost to herself. I love you, Lee-yeon. ! She stopped and froze, her heart pounding. Kwon Chae-woo, with teary but fierce eyes, stared at her intensely. The rain was gradually letting up. In an odd rity, the raindrops mingled with his tears. Realizing this, she helplessly tossed away the umbre she held. Lets go to Hwaido together. For the first time, Lee-yeon stepped into the house of the young boy she had never visited before. The boy, who had been scratching the wall in madness, was captivated by the sunlight that drove away the darkness. The marks he had scratched with his nails were grotesque, but as soon as the wall was bathed in light, it sparkled like a gxy. Lee-yeon reached out her hand. Lets leave this ce together. Caught up in the rising madness, Kwon Chae-woo missed his chance to respond to the overwhelming sorrow. Lee-yeon carefully put away the cello and sat on his thigh. Realizing that this was some form of consent, Kwon Chae-woo embraced her with desperation. He shivered as if sobbing. Lee-yeon, her eyes turning red as well, gazed up at the sky. Lets find happiness, as if to show off. . Yeah, lets do that. Lets not be afraid of anything. Lee-yeon kissed his forehead. More frightening than the determination to live alone was the fear of stepping into the whirlwind of emotions again, knowing she would face simr wounds. Lee-yeon had pledged her love for him and her life in front of the grave, but it seemed she couldnt leave Kwon Chae-woo behind. If thats the case, shell take him along. Chaconne is a song of death and resurrection. New shoots sprouted from his grave, and Lee-yeons heart began to beat violently. She embraced the sobbing man with all her strength. Chapter 241: Chapter 241: There was the wet taste of rain lingering on their lips. The moment Kwon Chae-woo entered the room, he lunged at her, and Lee-yeon instinctively held onto his shoulders to steady herself. He pressed his lips against hers, the wetness of their skin causing them to cling together more tightly. Amidst this, his tongue eagerly joined the dance. Ut! she gasped. His tongue filled her mouthpletely, the sensation overwhelming. Pushing her against the wall, he continued his assault on her lips. Lee-yeon struggled for breath, the mans unbridled passion preventing her from escaping. His lips persistently teased her soft ones. Each meeting of their tongues resulted in a blend of saliva, and Kwon Chae-woo savored every moment. He seemed unstoppable until, unexpectedly, Lee-yeon sneezed, breaking the intense connection. Startled, he finally released her. He lifted her up and went into the bedroom. Even as he was walking, he kept on kissing her lips as if he was dreaming. His eyes were so eager that they felt hot. He grabbed her arm and took her sleeves off. Lee-yeons wet top was about toe off of her when she finally pushed him away in surprise. She kept panting and covered her stomach. Her t stomach had a bit of a bump. Come to think of it, Kwon Chae-woo doesnt know shes pregnant. Her head felt numb at that moment. Does Kwon Chae-woo like kids? She didnt get such a vibe from him. It might be a bit overwhelming to be a father at the age of 28. As Lee-yeon was thinking about mentioning this, her lips became tight. Kwon Chae-woo seemed annoyed by the wet shirting off, so he was ripping it off. He then bit both sleeves with his teeth and yanked them off. The buttons that were torn off rolled on the floor, and Kwon Chae-woo came onto the bed naked. W, why are you taking your clothes off? Youll catch a cold if you stay like this. You should also take your clothes off. Ah, but I Well, I. Lee-yeon backed off on her butt, but Kwon Chae-woo followed on his four. So, lets talk, but not in this mood. I wanted to wait, but sorry, Im impatient. While Lee-yeon was hesitating, Kwon Chae-woo pushed her hand away and put his lips on her bellybutton. ! Lee-yeon froze and he finally breathed out like he could live. I was dying to do this. What? I know. About what? That reason why you only eat what I cook for you. And why you feel nauseated. Lee-yeon felt uncertainty creeping in as she stared at Kwon Chae-woo, who locked eyes with her. You were really considering having a child without me? he questioned. ! Her mouth fell open. Lee-yeon couldnt fathom how he knew, her thoughts in disarray. Perhaps Kwon Chae-woo followed her and Kwon Ki-seok at the event once he discovered her pregnancy. That must be it. Still, within the confines of the Kwon family estate, Lee-yeon swiftly spoke as her mind raced. This child will be mine legally. He looked up, puzzled. And what about me? Kwon Chae-woo frowned. So, this child will be a So? Just you two, without me? This wasnt what she expected, and confusion caused her to blink rapidly. You and I dont have any legal ties, Lee-yeon? I dont know. Lee-yeon mumbled, averting her gaze. He paused, studying her, then pressed himself against her. Their legs intertwined, and their bare stomachs touched. As Lee-yeon found herself fully on the bed, he made a cold request. Make me a So too. What? Im going to change my name. Uh, Kwon Chae-woo, wake up. You in Korea change theirst name for a woman? You were the one whos secluding me. I mean Lee-yeon havent felt this frustration in a while, and she sighed. She nced at Kwon Chae-woo and he seemed very serious. His eyes were staring at her like she was at fault. This wasnt the type of threat Lee-yeon was thinking about. She just couldnt tell what made him think this. If I cant use it as myst name, Im going to put it asst part of my first. What? Ill be Kwon Chae-so. . Lee-yeon opened her mouth in disbelief. I dont like being the only one not being associated with you. You cant say only my dick matters. Huh? What are you It seemed like Kwon Chae-woo already had an imaginary wedding. Lee-yeon was familiar with this kind of behavior and she regret for a moment whether this was the biggest mistake of her life. I know that I can live alone well unlike you, Lee-yeon. He put his lips against her thumping heart. So Im going to bet myst part of my life on you and prove it to you every moment. That Im someone you need. He sucked on the unrevealing part of her chest and left a mark. It was his promise. And I only have one thing I want to tell the child. . That dad loves mom with all his heart. ! That was the same thing that Lee-yeon told herself at one point. That she wouldnt live without love and that shell teach her child. She could feel her nose tingle. The man looked into her eyes so eagerly that she couldnt look away. Nothing was said but her ears were turning red. Lee-yeon was hoping that this man wouldnt know about Yoon Joo-has death until the end. The world itself was full of awful stories and Lee-yeon no longer wanted to see him me himself even a little. But if Kwon Chae-woo was to find out, Lee-yeon was thinking about doing all she could to help him heal. Trees heal as much effort as you put in. She didnt doubt she could do this for even a moment. . But what exactly is your job? Lee-yeon smiled tearfully while asking. You really are four years younger than me right? As Lee-yeons voice became a bit arrogant, Kwon Chae-woo chuckled. You have your memory back now so tell me. Who is your first love? You graduated from university abroad, so did you y all dirty there? How badly? Have you dated a foreigner? Lee-yeon kept throwing all kinds of awkward questions. Chapter 242: Chapter 242: When he was waking up from his vegetative state, she remembered him asking all kinds of questions like how he became in a vegetative state, when they got married, how long they dated, why they were sexless, who was bad at it, was the intercourse bad, or was the forey bad. Lee-yeon was somewhat paying him back for that. But this time, there was no lies. She giggled as she stared at the man who seemed flustered by the questions. You said I dont know the real you. So shouldnt you tell me when I ask you? She stared at him. Since when did you start using cello for that purpose? Do I have to wait for you toe out from jail? Kwon Chae-woo wiped the rain off of Lee-yeons cheek and slowly answered. What I do involves being a part of the Kwon family, engaging in professional torture and killing. Currently, I work directly for the president, and any actions that cant be documented are funded with confidential money. I cant disclose more than that. Lee-yeon gulped, absorbing the weight of his revtion. Do you still want to know more? he asked. She immediately shook her head. Kwon Chae-woo averted his gaze, hiding part of his face. Lee-yeon promptly pulled his hand down. She was well aware of his cruelty and the abnormality of the Kwon family, yet witnessing him express shame was something new to her. I was a cellist before I became a hunting dog. My first love, four years older and from the same area, never engaged in anything improper. But I want to do it with you. Pardon? she stammered. Ive only observed and learned about those kinds of things. His hand resumed caressing her lower stomach, gradually moving up to touch her underwear. When the baby is born, you just take care of your body. Ill raise the child. Im only 28 so its not toote for me to be so lewd. I want to raise the child and my pen*s as well. W, what When will the baby move over for the father? He breathed heavily on her neck. Lee-yeon, can I just suck it for you? Where? she asked. Wherever, he replied. He moved his head down from her ears to her neck, biting, sucking, and leaving marks. The intensity of his sucking increased, and as she felt the heat on her stomach and her pelvic area tense, Lee-yeon turned away and pushed him. I think Ill have a contraction if I feel too much, she said. Kwon Chae-woo immediately stopped and nestled into her embrace. He whispered apologetically and proceeded to hit his own thigh while cursing under his breath. Lee-yeonfortingly patted him and asked, Kwon Chae-woo, are you crying? *** The suitcase kept on rolling. It was the same suitcase Kwon Chae-woo threw however he wanted on the first day Lee-yeon arrived at the Kwon family house. It was in his hand again and rolling calmly against the pavement. His other hand was holding Lee-yeons hand. Lee-yeon realized that he was walking slower on purpose but she didnt say anything. But whenever he looked back, Lee-yeon couldnt help but feel a bit ufortable. That was because I really feel uneasy about leaving you here. Im the young master of this house, so dont worry about it. He reassured her. Well Ha! Lee-yeon bit back the urge to raise her voice. The previous night, she had attempted to create some distance between Kwon Ki-seok and Kwon Chae-woo by suggesting a visit to Hwaido, but he only responded with a vague smile. Despite that, he seemed to detest any moment their bodies were not entwined, evident in the persistent contact of his bulging lower part against her . They came to a conclusion after a long argument, but she couldnt leave easily while leaving Kwon Chae-woo here. Ill follow soon. He winked and smiled sweetly. I have zero intention on making you and our baby part of Kwon family. Unlike his calm voice, her hand hurt from his grasp. You believe me right? Dont get hurt. Lee-yeon covered his cheek. He closed his eyesfortably and felt her warm hand. Lee-yeon flinched as he seemed like a well behaved pet, but she knew how cruel he can be. Ill see you soon in Hawido, Lee-yeon. Kwon Chae-woo hid his intention and smiled. To be honest, he wanted to follow Lee-yeon right away, but there were things he needed to finish. If he left everything and followed her now, Lee-yeon might get hurt. When he stands in front of her again, is when the Kwon family is overtaken by him. He needed to expedite the process. Trying to handle everything discreetly would take too much time. Tonight, the Kwon family would withdraw into seclusion, and the heirship would undergo a change. His gaze turned sinister. It wont take long. Do you know how to get to Hwaido? Lee-yeon inquired, drawing out the conversation. Kwon Chae-woo scoffed and pulled her into an embrace. Even if my feet give out, Ill pursue you relentlessly. You still cant be Kwon Chae-so, Lee-yeon pointed out, raising her finger. Despite her words, warmth filled the mans eyes. If you dislike that, dontexclude me anymore. I am part of your life now. Lee-yeon shut her mouth like she wasnt going to answer and Gyu-baek came running from afar. Chapter 243: Chapter 243: Gyu-baek! Gyu-baek, who had a luxurious bath even until thest night before leaving, was all fatten up from the one month of his confinement. Even after all the trouble, he was now finally free from the mansion, and acting like high and all mighty. Even excluding the schedule of reading Lee-yeon the encyclopedia every night, Gyu-baeks schedule was pretty packed. Gyu-baek chased Jang Beom-hee around like his sworn enemy until Jang Beom-hee gave up and grabbed a bunch of tutors to keep the childpany. Gyu-baek was able to receive such high education and all the good quality food was just bonus. His face was as smooth as a boiled egg as he looked up at Lee-yeon and Kwon Chae-woo. Gyu-baek, what is all these? Are these your luggage? Lee-yeon pointed at the carriers that were following him. Its branded clothes. . Huh? Also hundred science books, fountain pens, observation tools, a pair of golden toads, shoes, and aptop. As Lee-yeon was speechless, Gyu-baek sighed. Its a shame. I like living here more than living with my uncle and grandpa. Ah. As Lee-yeon looked down, Kwon Chae-woo messed the childs hair. Its not the ce you like, its the money. Its not bad. All grown up, huh? The taste of money is the best. Insects should also live in a ce like this. Lee-yeon read the ambition that was in the childs eyes and quickly poked Kwon Chae-woo on the side. But only her finger hurt because of his muscles. Ill let you live like this when we go back to Hwaido. Nonsense. Its impossible as that man is unemployed. The child pointed Kwon Chae-woo. I dont want to go home. Kwon Chae-woo raised his eyebrows but it was only for a moment. Child, who lived here longer than you? Think quickly. Youre smart. Gyu-baeks eyes rolled. . Go home. I have a condition for you. However, when Gyubaek didnt budge while fiddling with the gold sleeve buttons. So Kwon Chae-woo added. The half of Hwaido is mine. So, you can rest assured you would live the same back in Hwaido. I need you to Deal. Ill do it. Gyu-baek was quick to approve. The child who experienced the end of capitalism nodded without even hearing the conditions. A meaningful smile passed by Kwon Chae-woos lips. He sat down on his knees and whispered something in the childs ear. For some reason, his gaze became fierce, and Gyu-baek pursed his lips solemnly. Uh, Chae-woo, dont teach a child something weird! Kwon Chae-woo shrugged, opened the trunk to his sedan and started to load it. Dont worry about where youre going. I checked the inside of the car thoroughly and check the engine and heater as well. That far? Kwon Chae-woo closed the trunk and kissed Lee-yeon. A car can always be a weapon. He smoothly open the door. And there was something I couldnt sayst night Kwon Chae-woo curved his eyes. Congrattions on getting pregnant. Lee-yeon felt shocked again. He caressed his neck and looked away as if he was a bit embarrassed and looked back at her. Kwon Chae-woo was smiling brightly. It was so bright and nice that she wouldnt forget about it for a long time. I was getting sick of family and lineage. Lee-yeon giggled and nodded at hisment. It was something Lee-yeon could truly empathized. She was bullied and Kwon Chae-woo was also treated specially. They were two raised in opposite but they were simr in some way. Thank you. For giving me this chance. Everything you gave me was joyful, but you have to give birth yourself He sighed as if it was too much to handle. He hoped that the new child wouldnt ask him about Kwon familys evil doing. Even if it was in a destructive way, he will have to end evil in this generation. The best love he could think of is making sure not to give karma from the Kwon family to his new family and life with Lee-yeon. . I hope its a daughter that looks like you, Lee-yeon. But I hear that the first daughter has a higher chance of looking like her dad. Gyu-baek mumbled quickly as he got into the car. He is a brave boy. A small tiger. A truly brave boy for crossing Kwon Chae-woo all the time. There was a silence between them. Kwon Chae-woo red at Gyu-baek and Lee-yeonughed. She caressed the back of his hand as she got on the car. You have to follow soon like you said. Yes. But Kwon Chae-woo just couldnt close to doo and hung on to it. Then kissed her deeply again. As she was about to let out a wet sigh, there was a sound of teeth grinding and the door closed. The car left the mansion. Ha. Lee-yeon bit her hot lips and looked back the man. Kwon Chae-woo was just staring at the car that was getting away from him. Ill wait. She felt weird as she was watching the trees she treated. It took them two hours to get to the harbor. She went on the deck while she was answering call from Choo-ja and Kwon Chae-woo. The time passed quickly. She could finally see the ind that she longed. She smiled at Gyu-baek. It was a long journey. Were home, Gyu-baek. That was Lee-yeonsst memory. *** When she opened her eyes, she was in a dark room alone. She got up while pressing her head. She shivered from the cold air. W, what happened? Hwaido was just in front of her. Lee-yeon got up while touching the floor and the wall. Grey cement wall, dusty floor, thick steel door. It was a room where barely two, three people can be held. She felt like she was choking. Where Am I? She touched her pants and she couldnt feel her phone. But what shocked her the most was Yeon! Lee-yeon, can you hear me? Why are you here? She heard a loud voice and bang on the steel door. Lee-yeon frowned. It was familiar voice. Ugh Her head hurt like she was going barely remember. Lee-yeon, can you hear me? Can you? Answer me if you can! Her head lit up as she remembered. Is that you? Hwang Jo-yoon? That voice belonged to Hwang Jo-yoon, who disappeared from Hwaido randomly. It seemed like he was in the room next to her as he sounded close. She couldnt tell how many days have passed. Lee-yeon closed her eyes and asked. Where are we.? You dont know? Hwang jo-yoon hesitated for a bit and didnt high his intensified breathing. F*ck, this is Hwaidome..! Merry Psycho is still a work in progress on our Patreon. Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons can read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to support the team financially and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 244: Chapter 244: Da*n it, where the hell in Hwaido is this? The impact of a blow to the back of her head sent shockwaves all the way to Lee-yeons eardrums. Although the words felt like a knife thrust, her dulled mind couldnt fullyprehend the reality. How can this be Hwaido? The Hwaido she witnessed at the opening ceremony was a paradise on Earth. Moreover, as a certified tree doctor who participated in the bidding herself, she could confidently assert that the ce was thergest botanical garden in the country. But how can a prison be in Hwaido? Lee-yeon trembled, bringing her face close to the wall with her hands shaking. Jo-yoon, I need to get out of here. Eyes engulfed in terror shook in the darkness. What time is it now, or rather, what day is it? Have you seen a child brought in with me by any chance? First, calm down. I dont know about anything else, but you havent been here for even half a day! Gyu-baeks whereabouts werepletely unknown. Lee-yeons face turned ashen with worry. She vaguely remembered seeing Hwaido in the distance and someone smiling at the child. However, everything after that was a nk te. She couldnt fathom when or how she lost consciousness, and the circumstances before and after were utterly iprehensible. As the emptiness deepened, Lee-yeon pped her face with her hand, trying to shake off the paralyzing stiffness. This wasnt the time to be lost in thought here. What do you mean, this is Hwaido? At that moment, a cold voice echoed from beyond the stone wall, Hahahaha, and he burst into sinisterughter. Lee-yeon, did you think Hwaido was just a simple botanical garden? What? His voice, now tinged with excitement, echoed like thunder in the cave. The so-called fantasy garden, beautiful, and all the expensive trees in Hwaido were just a deception! The real purpose of the upper-ups is here is in this underground! They went to great lengths just to conceal this ce! Lee-yeons bones shook. Everything she knew had been overturned in an instant. In that moment, she recalled Yoon Joo-ha, trapped and unseen beneath the elegant mansion of the powerful Kwon family. The only difference between the her and the surface above wasyer of cement. Why did she appear in the same situation? A cold sweat broke out on her back. Meanwhile, Hwang Jo-yoon continued to press her. Do you know whats happening beneath Hwaido? Whats happening? Despite herckluster tone, Lee-yeons mind was racing faster than ever. If it was rted to Hwaido, Kwon Ki-seok would surely know. He was the major investor here and the CEO of Su-guk Pharmaceuticals. Moreover, he introduced a new paradigm of hallucinogens extracted from rare nts. Pieces of the puzzle that couldnt be fully grasped during the opening ceremony were now scattered on the floor. As Lee-yeon got lost in thought, a suddenly assertive voice reached her ears. Have you heard of Summer? In that moment, her brain felt like it was being pierced by a hot needle, and a single assumption struck like lightning. Lee-yeon coughed as if trying to expel a breath. Finally, all the pieces of information began to fall into ce. Da*n it, do you know how that drug is made? He asked. They were hiding a drug field in Hwaido! If this ce was an illegal research facility for Summer, Su-guk Pharmaceuticals Perhaps Lee-yeon didnt know that the true purpose of Hwaidom might be a covert cultivation site for the extract of the rare nt, Summer. As she approached the answer, Hwang Jo-yoon, unable to contain his anger, pounded on the wall. Then, he uttered words that surpassed Lee-yeons thoughts by far. Theyre using us as fertilizer! ! Damn it, do you know what that rare nt discovered by Jo Kyung-cheon eats and grows on? Hwang Jo-yoon, thoroughly excited,ughed and cried like a madman repeatedly. How do you n to leave here? Ive been tortured here for months! How do you think youll get out? This ce is hell! * * * The press is already prepared. With every step Kwon Chae-woo took, the blood sttered in the pattern of the shoe sole beneath him. He wandered around the mansion, now resembling a ruined house, for half a day while listening to his second brothers voice. All the servants were sent out, and the only ones left were the contractors hired by Kwon Ki-seok. Kwon Chae-woo quickly subdued the approaching opponents simultaneously, staining his hands with blood once again. With every painful strike, blood droplets mercilessly sprayed onto his smooth cheek without a single scar. Kwon Chae-woo grabbed the staggering man, wiped his dirty face on someone elses clothes, and discarded him. He continued walking with a stern expression, not stopping for a moment. The corridor vibrated with the smell of blood in an instant. Chae-woo, but really No. Kwon Hee-joon spoke as he lit a cigarette, the click of the lighter opening echoing. Sigh Fine, its fine. Handle that bastard as you see fit. He knew what Kwon Hee-joon had refrained from asking. He probably wanted to know if he would personally deal with Kwon Ki-seok. However, Kwon Chae-woo showed no emotion with an ice-cold face. He simply moved his legs towards the final target without haste. The location revealed by the hunting dogs happened to be the underground where Yoon Joo-ha had been confined. His intentions were quite clear. Kwon Ki-seok was waiting for him. Anyway, that mother and father were made that way by that bastard. It was after Yoon Joo-ha was caught that our parents were reduced to disabled people overnight. Was that really a coincidence? Kwon Hee-joons bitter words didnt elicit any emotions from Kwon Chae-woo. His birth mother was bedridden, only kept alive by injections due to nerve weakness. His birth father had not been able to get up from his sickbed for years. Naturally, the power of the Kwon family had shifted to the eldest son, and everything began to revolve around Kwon Ki-seok. Kwon Hee-joon had long suspected the ovep of Yoon Joo-has imprisonment and that particr point. Chapter 245: Chapter 245: The eldest son, who was obedient to our parents like a puppet, suddenly became strange. Of course, our parents tried to deal with Yoon Joo-ha quickly, but Kwon Ki-seok found out about it. Kwon Chae-woo descended into the basement, stepping on the hollow iron stairs. I dont know, though. I dont know if Kwon Ki-seok changed overnight. I couldnt even guess when he started acting that way, even though I saw it right next to him. When Kwon Chae-woo entered the confined space without any windows, he couldnt breathe. However, there is only a small dressing table and a bed. In a shabby ce where that was all there was to it, Kwon Ki-seok took off his sses and rxed. An old but pretty-looking ivory-colored dressing table. Liquor bottles and sses were scattered all over it. And a white powder. Summer. Kwon Chae-woos gaze keenly scanned it all. Kwon Ki-seok was still dressed casually, adjusting his cufflinks and pretending to know. Yourete. He never spoke nonsense even after taking Summer. Kwon Chae-woo felt a strange sense of difort and gave strength to the twitching corners of his eyes. All I need is your thumb to stamp the inheritance papers. He muttered coldly and immediately shed Kwon Ki-seoks hand on the dressing table with a knife and poured out the bottle of alcohol. The strong smell of alcohol assaulted his nose and filled the room. Kwon Ki-seok just slowly raised the corner of his mouth without any resistance. Chae-woo, you shouldnt waste time. I heard everything, what you said to Lee-yeon. With eyes now hazy, Kwon Chae-woo pulled out another dagger from his waist. As if peeling an apple, he pressed the de against Kwon Ki-seoks thumb. It looked as if the finger would be severed at any moment. . How the fuck can you starve someone to death? ! Kwon Ki-seoks eyebrows twitched at that. The festering revenge, anger, self-reproach, and murderous intent wereced into the knife he was holding. With bloodshot eyes, Kwon Chae-woo began to sharpen his de. Although his bones were pounding, he was persistent, like a seasoned butcher. Kwon Chae-woo kept at it, expressing frustration while not letting up on his harsh task. Kwon Ki-seok, reacting instinctively, tried to pull away, but his drugged body was ttened, and the grim work continued. Miss Lee-yeon, I bugged your work clothes. With each grimace on Kwon Chae-woos face while slicing through the flesh, the robust dressing table shook. Ugh! Crimson veins bulged on Kwon Ki-seoks forehead, and blood trickled from the corners of his mouth as he bit his tongue to endure the pain. I deliberately chose a dull knife for you. Uh, ugh! Unable to move for the past few days due to gunshot wounds, Kwon Chae-woo spent his time checking Lee-yeons activities through the CCTV in the mansion. In the process, he identally overheard the conversation between the two. Coincidentally, this happened when he finally regained strength and gripped the cello, Kwon Ki-seoks harsh words streamed in. He was dusting off the dust from the cello for Lee-yeon when he heard their conversation through his earpiece. He felt as if his knees were breaking, and his head splitting at the revtion. Gritting his teeth, he got up and went to her, as if offering himself as a sacrifice. Perhaps he thought of his mother who might have eagerly awaited the sound of his cello every day, carrying guilt and self-reproach. The arrow that he relentlessly aimed at her turned back on him. It was the most painful performance of his life. You wont die peacefully, Kwon Ki-seok. Kwon Chae-woo, with a rugged breath, inserted his thumb into the alcohol ss. Despite Kwon Ki-seoks fingers being cut off without anesthesia and submerged to alcohol, he chuckled, intoxicated by the spectacle and drugged from Summer. Kwon Chae-woo grabbed his cor and continued to punch him until the small room became a mess. Ugh if do this, you wont meet Yoon Joo-ha. What? Kwon Chae-woo sneered and then regained hisposure. Do you think I will send you to where Yoon Joo-ha is? Kwon Ki-seoks fixation was solely on Kwon Chae-woos suffering, not death. Even if the ce Yoon Joo-ha was in meant death, Kwon Ki-seok wouldnt allow it. They should never meet again. Teacher, its my turn now, right? Kwon Ki-seok started to not make sense, Summer getting into him. There was a moment of hesitation in Kwon Chae-woo at the unfamiliar toneing from Kwon Ki-seok. The way youve been living will eventually harm her. ? You, the hunting dog, the Kwon family, will end up killing that woman. You will lose everything again. It was unclear whether it was a muttered soliloquy or not. Whether that woman referred to Yoon Joo-ha or someone else With a stern expression, Kwon Chae-woo stared into the dted pupils of his rxed opponent. Chae-woo, I won. ! Kwon Chae-woo suddenly felt a chill in his neck and gestured to open a tank. He had no patience left to listen to Kwon Ki-seoks nonsense. With starving someone to death, he wanted to let Kwon Ki-seok experience it himself, driven mad by starvation. If Kwon Ki-seok had the will to live, he would escape, and if not, he would do nothing to save himself and rot. Despite living with the highest position, in the end, all that remained of the man was an empty shell. Power, fame, and desire meant nothing to Kwon Ki-seok. It was only the intense jealousy, like a finger that had already melted into a lump, that he couldnt let go. Pitiful ruthless. Chapter 246: Chapter 246: As Kwon Chae-woo turned away, he heard a panicked voice from Kwon Hee-joon. Chae-woo! No, he instinctively thought. No, no. All the hunting dogs I nted around Lee-yeon have lost contact! The sound of Kwon Ki-seoks derangedughter echoed incessantly behind him. Teacher, I told you so. I look just like Chae-woo. What else is there thats different? Ill show you exactly how alike we are. Suddenly, water sshed into the air. Kwon Ki-seok did not lose his unique, twisted smile until the moment he fell into the water tank. He was smiling like a happy young man in his twenties, probably thinking that he had finally shaken off the feeling of defeat that had been rotting away for a long time. Teacher, look at this. Teacher. However, Kwon Ki-seok, who once held tremendous power and controlled everything, was essentially a ve. The boy who first met Yoon Joo-ha had spent his life being drawn to her phantom, and his life had been nothing more than struggling to fill the void left by the woman. Kwon Chae-woo found such a man amusing, but he clenched his jaw against the confident face. In the end, Kwon Ki-seok, who wanted to protect and control someone, was no different from Kwon Chae-woo. Disgustingly, the thought, there was no denying they were brothers. They are just the same Kwon Chae-woo looked with no emotion at the water tank that was quickly bing stained with blood, and then turned his back. Kwon Ki-seok was about to experience all the horrors of his teenage hell, and this was just the beginning. As he came out, the sky had darkened imperceptibly. Kwon Chae-woo, with blood-soaked hands, stared apathetically at the water tank. He turned his back on it, feeling no excitement or satisfaction. He restrained the breath he had endured for so long, and it burst forth like ash, burning his esophagus. The shackles that Kwon Ki-seok had suffered were now targeting him. Anxiety emanated from him with his every step. Chae-woo, its the ferry. At that moment, the urgent sound of typing on a keyboard resonated clearly. The hunting dogs have all lost contact at once, and when we investigated the ferry, all the passengers, except for Lee-yeon and that brat, have fake identities. It seems like tehy it was nned to ck out everyone except those two. Damn it. Kwon Chae-woo cursed himself for his negligence. The atmosphere around him became so chillingly cold that he couldnt even say anything. His eyes and flesh were trembling intermittently, enduring pain. Have you tracked the chip? Thest location is just a damn ocean. Kwon Hee-joon sighed heavily. All the hunting dogs of the Kwon family had chips imnted in their bodies. However, their location wasnt onnd or near the port. It was in the middle of the vast open sea, making it absurdly impossible for Kwon Hee-joon to find them. Kwon Chae-woos gaze intensified. Weve searched everywhere, but they suddenly disappeared! No traces of their arrival at all. Look into the coastal area instead of the passenger terminal of ships. What? They might have switched midway. Either repainting the ship or recing it with another one, with only Lee-yeon aboard. He tightened his fist forcefully. And check the tickets. What? Items touched by all the passengers. They probably couldnt discern the disguised hunting dogs among the citizens. So, it seems efficient for them to insert fake passengers and neatly ckout everyone. Theres a high chance they mixed anesthetic gas with the venttion system or absorbed it through skin contact. Kwon Lee-juns hands typed quickly. Kwon Chae-woo raised the mask he was lowering below his eyes. His fierce eyes were like sharp knives, and his pale irises seemed more animalistic today. At that moment, the sound of a propeller gradually became louder from afar. His jet ck hair was shaken by the strong wind. Your way of living will eventually harm her. You, the hunting dog, the Kwon family, will end up killing her. You will lose everything again. If I dont have her Lee-yeon, if I lose her like this Dreams of living an ordinary life, and the pledge to be a good father, would be all in vain. When she only thought about her, her heart, which had been growing without knowing her extent, suddenly tightened as if it were being crushed. If Lee-yeon disappears, morning would nevere for Kwon Chae-woo. He will be trapped in the endless darkness. Not a dog, not a nt, not a person, but just something useless. The man who wanted to live with her might end up dying in a more pathetic and wretched way than Kwon Ki-seok. Kwon Chae-woo, thinking of being alone for years, felt like all the moisture in his body was instantly drained. The warmth of embracing her still lingered around his arms, but the harsh reality of a dreadful nightmare didnt feel real. He thought it would have been better to live with her cold shoulder and indifference than to be robbed of her so empty-handedly. Only in the face of adversity did he realize that his emotions, clinging and begging to her, were nothing but his own selfishness and imposition. Even the moment when he seemingly nodded obediently, pretending to patiently wait, was driven by an absurd desire. After losing her, Kwon Chae-woo began to truly empty his heart. Anything, any form, just please let her live. Thats all he wished for. If he met Lee-yeon again, he wouldnt dare to stand with her as an equal husband. He would just be a perpetual servant to a woman. He swore, over and over again, that he would be nothing more than that. Chae-woo, Lee-yeon is somewhere underground. Kwon Chae-woos eyes, stained with regret, looked straight ahead. You, the hunting dog, the Kwon family will end up killing her. Suddenly stopping in his tracks, he instinctively clenched onto the words that bothered him. Brother, look for any surviving hunting dogs. Chapter 247: Chapter 247: Those bastards are all skilled torturers! Fertilizer and torture. Lee-yeon chewed on her nails, repeating the words Hwang Jo-yoon had said. So, summarizing his words, to make the raw material for the Summer bloom As she roamed her cell, shocked and frozen by the impact, the door rattled open abruptly, and two men came in. She froze, looking at the unfamiliarrge figures. Every conceivable misfortune shed through her mind. Dressed in pitch-ck uniforms from top to bottom like soldiers, they forcefully grabbed Lee-yeons arms. W-who are you? What are you doing?! When Lee-yeon screamed, Hwang Jo-yoon immediately responded from the next cell. Lee-yeon! Lee-yeon! Although he cried out desperately, he looked somewhat excited, as if he anticipated something was happening. The men who stormed into the room grabbed Lee-yeons arms tightly, one at a time, and dragged her out as if they were taking a suspect. She closed her eyes tightly in the sudden bright light. Hwang Jo-yoons tearing cries could still be heard behind him. It seemed like his months of confinement did a number on him. Lee-yeon, dont be scared! ! It will be over soon. Just give them blood, only blood! As he spoke, the senior banged his head against the wall, emitting a sinisterughter. Although Lee-yeon couldnt see Hwang Jo-yoons appearance in person, he seemed to be quite broken while trapped here. She swallowed her dry saliva and looked around her. The thought that she might be locked in solitary cell with all four walls blocked at any time again tightened her nerves and sharpened her senses. On both sides of the hallway, gray iron doors were lined up like built-in closets. Each step she took made a nging sound as the doors rattled against their frames. The cacophony of coughing and cries echoed, permeating the air with the agony of people. Soon, her eyes met several people through a small window. The tired pupils slowly moved from side to side, and the ss window was full of dirty finger marks and blood stains. She shuddered at the horrible sight. Gyu-baek . Gyu-baek! No words came out, as if her throat werepletely blocked. Where are you going now? She asked them with all her remaining might. The security guards just swiped their card keys and entered another area, without showing any reaction. The ce waspletely white from ceiling to floor, and people walking by were fully armed with white protective clothing, masks, shoe covers, and face shields. Lee-yeon blinked at the sudden change in atmosphere, but when she saw their boots bright red and wet, she stiffened again. Hydrangea medicine doesnt just require blood; it requires adrenaline secreted inrge quantities. She recalled the words of Hwang Jo-yoon, who was going crazy. Adrenaline? Yes, blood mixed with adrenaline! What is that- Especially adrenaline, secreted inrge quantities by humans in fear, anger, and threatening situations. ! Thats what was needed to make rare nts bloom. So, this ughterhouse was necessary to mass-produce flowers! Do you get it now? Summer is a monster! And each of those guys is a torture expert! As the men held Lee-yeon and turned corners, entering dimly lit areas, the scent of blood suddenly filled her nostrils. Without a second thought, she fiercely bit down on the arm holding her. Even if she had to endure a beating, she wouldnt go willingly into that ominous ce. The man she had just bitten grimaced and swiftly raised his hand. Despite the sharp pain, Lee-yeon remained determined not to venture into that dreadful ce. Hunched shoulders, she thought of only one person, the man who promised to chase her to the ends of the earth, even if it meant wearing out his soles. Her loyal husband. With her powerless heart steadied, Lee-yeon nced once more. Hold on a moment. At that moment, a dignified voice interjected among the three. Ill take that person with me for the S-17 case. Yes? The security guards turned around, perplexed. Are you questioning who I am? Do you have a problem with me taking her away? Are you challenging the overall supervisor of this ce? Sorry. Amidst the hushed exchanges, the rock-like footsteps gradually moved away. Lee-yeon sped her hands together, exhaling a breath she didnt realize shed been holding. She wanted to say anything, but when her eyes met the stern gaze of the person in charge, her words faltered. It was Director Jo Kyung-cheon of D Hospital, who was selected for the Hwaidome project. Youve been warned about this! Jo Kyung-cheon raised his voice, tossing documents onto his desk. Lee-yeon, d in the white gown he had hastily provided, had safely exited the experimental zone. Perhaps due to the tension that had kept her body rigid throughout the journey to the rtively safe office, her lower abdomen started to ache gently. Lee-yeon bit her lower lip and subtly massaged her stomach. The spine of her back was damp with cold sweat. Professor, what Im thinking If its about this, no one will understand. Interrupting her, Jo Kyung-cheon opened the wardrobe and handed her a new gown and protective suit. Professor! This is illegal experimentation, and Summer is a drug. Everything from the materials used to the methods is abnormal! Making medicine from adrenaline obtained by torturing people goes against ethics In case, though its unlikely, if anyone asks, say youre a tree doctor from D Hospital. Professor! You havent seen anything here. Just keep your mouth shut and leave. I have to report this outside, release the people trapped underground. We have to do it right away. Please! Professor! Seeing no reaction from him, her frustrated voice grew louder. Lee-yeon, I discovered that dreadful nt and Im the one in charge here. Jo Kyung-cheon didnt say, Thanks to you getting lost and falling into the swamp that day. In fact, he hoped Lee-yeon wouldnt know about such horrifying events. Unless you were sponsored by the Kwon family, you couldnt even guarantee the basic safety of your life. Discovering the rare nt, making it bloom, mass-producing it, andpleting Summerall the missing and dead researchers were just another truckload. Involving So Lee-yeon in such matters was thest thing he wanted. Among his disciples, she was the most innocent. A person who was most fitting to run to a sick tree with the smell of fertilizer or embrace a suffering tree. Enough with the nonsense. Get out of here quickly. No, I cant. This brat! Do you really want to experience something dangerous here? Jo Kyung-cheon reddened his face and forcefully pushed Lee-yeon shoulder, urging her to leave immediately. Theres a boy who was dragged here with me. Her voice trembled lightly. Hes only eight now, and how could I escape alone! Her face, pale with the feeling of going crazy, twisted helplessly. Even though there was a clear way to survive, she could somewhat understand the desperate feeling that led Yun Joo-ha to crawl into the pit. At that moment, as she was putting her shaking hand into the pocket of the gown as if to hide it, she paused. A cold metal was pressed into her hand. It was a lighter. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much. Chapter 248: Chapter 248: She caught the lighter in her hands. As the startled Lee-yeon turned her head, a picturesquendscape, painted like a painting, came into view. Holding the lighter tightly, Lee-yeon looked at the trees she had relied on and loved all her life. If you went up from here, there would probably be a tree garden filled with all kinds of green. It must be apletely different world from this ce, filled with screams and the smell of blood. Hwaido, a lush forest that covers the horror beneath your feet. Lee-yeon suddenly got sick of it. Lee-yeon, quickly! Jo Kyung-cheon urged, but she remained silent. Now might be the moment to choose people over trees. Her eyes briefly met with his. Youll get caught if you hesitate, girl! I wont be able to help you then! He urgently tore open the stic-wrapped protective suit. In the underground of the ssified Hwaidome, monitoring researchers were everywhere. Someone may have already noticed an anomaly through the CCTV cameras scattered throughout the underground. Whether she knew about this uneasy feeling or not, Lee-yeon remained motionless. The truth of this ce must be revealed! She continued to fiddle with the lighter. If she set fire to the tree garden and the mes gradually engulfed the Hwaidome, the researchers and security guards residing here would have no choice but to evacuate. Amid people escaping, Lee-yeon wanted to pull out all those who were imprisoned underground. But if she became the arsonist setting fire to the tree garden Where on earth is your mind wandering off to! This time, she would be going against her principles. She was a tree doctor, one who confronted the lumberjack man who killed trees. She has the of responsibility and pride that came from understanding and cherishing trees more than anyone else. That sense of duty has kept Lee-yeon alive all this time. The time spent dedicating her heart to washing away the dirty bloodline and sacrificing for the trees and naturewas the most powerful reason for her existence. However, the moment she sets fire to the trees, that sanity will be damaged. She didnt let go of the lighter even as her trembling lips barely held it. Her heart was steadily sinking. Then, Lee-yeons gaze, which had been looking at thendscape, was captivated by a purple flower. Director, theres a Silk Flower over there. She said to him. What nonsense is this out of the blue?! Do you know the meaning of that flower? At that moment, Kwon Chae-woos voice seemed to ring in her ears. Trust me.'' Lee-yeon held her breath and urgently grabbed Jo Kyung-cheons arm. Ill make just one phone call. What? The eyes that had been shaking incessantly suddenly settled. Yes, he knew that Lee-yeon was stubborn and fiercer than fire. The moment she became convinced that Kwon Chae-woo would be finding her, the trembling limbs gradually calmed, and color returned to her pale face. The anxiety that had been as thick as darkness surprisingly began to dissipate. Baby, lets trust Dad together I believe in Chae-woo. But what if he doesnte? Hes the one who left you once. Dont gamble for no reason. Doubts echoed simultaneously, but Lee-yeon took a deep breath. She couldnt keep staring at the past wounds and judging the person in front of her. Kwon Chae-woo, the person who had chased her frighteningly, even stopped the car in pursuit. Lee-yeon decided to follow only what she had seen and felt personally. Meanwhile, Jo Kyung-cheon sighed deeply, wiping his tired-looking face. Theres nomunication underground. Both the inte and phone lines arepletely blocked. What? We are being monitored. The two of them didnt notice the red light entering theputers built-in camera at that moment. Due to the fear of internal whistleblowing or information leakage, surveince is strict. So, stop overthinking and put this on quickly. If you keep fussing like this, getting caught is just a matter of time! Whether its a phone call or whatever, you need to get out of here first! He tossed his phone to Lee-yeon. Lee-yeon dressed in attire simr to that of a researcher and followed Jo Kyung-cheon. On one side of the ss wall, ominous ck flowers bloomed profusely, and from the opposite room, the desperate screams of people echoed. S-sto-op, pl-please! Lee-yeon clenched her fist tightly, exerting strength on her temples. ck flowers dont ur naturally. It became evident to her that these rare nts, used as a key ingredient for the Sumerpound, were being unnaturally produced. Flowers blooming from human blood. Even thinking about it again, it was a strange and horrifying nt. At that moment, someone opened the blinds and looked outside. Lee-yeon turned her head abruptly as her gaze met that of a fierce-looking man. ! However, in a brief moment, she witnessed a person tied to a chair, resembling a bed. The gruesome sight made her pulse throb violently beneath her throat. Chapter 249: Chapter 249: As the exit door neared, the anxiety reached its peak. Eventually, Jo Kyung-cheon presented a security card and pushed Lee-yeon forward. She took a step, whispering to him. Directopr, please. Just make sure that boy doesnt get hurt. His name is Gyu-baek, Lee Gyu-baek. Hes eight years old and smart, so if you exin the situation, hell understand. Ille back. I have connections at Suguk Pharmaceutical, no, within the Kwon family. I wont end it like this. What? As Jo Kyung-cheons mouth began to open wide, she spoke as if piercing through him. Kwon Ki-seok will pay for his sins. You! Ive been around that house until this morning. Lee-yeon, what on earth are you talking about Professor, its time for you to leave Kwon Ki-seok behind and consider someone else. Although her tone was calm, her eyes had a sharp edge, almost like a threat. If you listen to my request, at least nothing bad will happen. Jo Kyung-cheon stared at Lee-yeon, looking deeply concerned. His gaze seemed to question not only the absurdity of her words but also her mental state. I know because I almost became that houses daughter-inw. Jo Kyung-cheon could only watch her, dumbfounded, as she walked away. *** As Lee-yeon climbed the emergency staircase, she nced at the CCTV cameras hanging from the ceiling corners. With each flight of stairs she passed, she was haunted by the groundless illusion that the ck lenses were watching her. An uneasiness, as if something or someone would ambush her from behind, gripped her throat. The ce Lee-yeon was in was a staggering eight floors underground, making it even more impossible for her to stop her legs. ! At that moment, the door below opened, and the sound of its closing echoed. She stopped walking and heightened her senses, but unfortunately, the harsh ttering of hard footsteps rapidly caught up with her. Darn it, its not time yet! Lee-yeon immediately went to the ground floor, navigating through the artificially constructed forest path, searching for the entrance, and finally emerged above ground. The joy of being back on the surface was fleeting, perhaps due to the determination that she couldnt be dragged back. Her heart throbbed as if it would burst with each breath she took. While inhaling and exhaling, the refreshing scent of grass entered her nostrils, but it felt ominous rather than pleasant. In moments of danger, the forest had never concealed her, so she couldnt trust it. But when she turned around Lee-yeons lips were like desert. She trembled, and her chest fluttered. Men in ck clothes were roaming around, chasing her. Ugh! However, even though she knew she had to run, her legs wouldnt move. Suddenly, a strong cramp seized her lower abdomen, making her entire body stiffen. Ah!. Moans of pain escaped her lips as if her lower belly convulsed with pain. She grit her teeth while persistently taking steps forward, her face contorted with pain. A damp sensation, like something wet, seeped through her underwear. No. Chae-woo, Kwon Chae-woo, where are you? She clutched her stomach with a contorted face. The faint red stains appeared on her light-colored pants. Overwhelmed by cascading tears, Lee-yeon couldnt think at all. She tremblingly took the phone that Jo Kyung-cheon handed her. Upon reaching the surface, it indicated an area where calls were possible. Lee-yeon immediately pressed eleven digits of a familiar number. Trtr, trtr. The signal tone began to connect atst, but the pursuing agents overwhelmed her just as it started. Ugh! Let go of me, let go! How could you! Her arms were bent behind her, and the phone was thrown far into the thickets. Put something in her mouth. At someonesmand, Lee-yeon struggled even more. Here, not here. Please, to the hospital, take me to the hospital! However, Lee-yeons pleas fell on deaf ears. Did you bring the injection? Yes. Hurry up and administer it. They continued their conversation,pletely ignoring Lee-yeons cries. Are you people from the Kwon family? Are you the ones who grew up in that doghouse? ! Lee-yeons curse rendered the surroundings momentarily silent. If anything happens to me, ugh, huff, I will truly set this ce on fire. Ill burn it all down! I really wont stay still! Ugh! The momentarily silent men forcefully shoved a cloth into Lee-yeons mouth, cutting off her cries. Lee-yeon thrashed in despair, but her cries and struggles seemed to have no impact on them. Did you hear her? If something happens, shell set everything on fire. Ignoring her, the men continued their conversation as if nothing happened. Lee-yeon, desperate to preserve the flicker of hope in her heart, opened her eyes wide. She was determined to memorize each of their faces. ! As she scanned the unfamiliar faces, tears fell from her eyes. This man with the big eyeswhat was his name? Jang Jang. He was undoubtedly someone she had seen several times in the Kwon family. When Lee-yeon stared at him without blinking, the man seemed to sense her gaze and brought his index finger to his lips. Jang-jangchangchangchang! She struggled to speak with the gag in her mouth. In the next second, the dome-shaped ss suddenly shattered. ! Despite the resounding and screeching sounds of the impact, Lee-yeon heard a familiar sound Kwon Chae-woos ringtone rang from afar. *** Chapter 250: Chapter 250: The yellow light flickered inside the dome, and the propeller noise echoed loudly. Lee-yeon stared nkly at the spectacle of the ceiling ss shattering. Beyond thepletely shattered octagonal ceiling, a fierce wind blew in. Even her disheveled hair couldnt take her eyes off the scene. Men armed with masks and weapons descended on ropes, making it evident that they were here to take control. Jang Beom-hee, avoiding falling debris, covered her head with an outer garment. Then, with strong kicks, he began to clear away the men who had attacked Lee-yeon. The hands that had gripped Lee-yeon and the syringe fell away. However, no matter how long ago they were expelled, a hunting dog was still a hunting dog. It seemed they were determined to retaliate. Tongue probing the open mouths, the silenced guns with suppressors urately pierced the foreheads of the former hunting dogs. Young Master. Jang Beom-hee, thinking that he might have been hit, shivered down his spine. Meanwhile, Lee-yeon was hit by the falling ss shards while looking up at the ceiling. What seemed like a hallucination, a faint ringing sound, gradually approached and stopped right in front of her nose before abruptly cutting off. With a strange premonition, clenching her fist, the coat covering her face suddenly slipped away. Sorry for beingte. As a man filled her field of vision, tears welled up in her eyes uncontrobly. Despite the ck mask covering more than half of his face, Lee-yeon immediately recognized him. Even though Kwon Chae-woos sharp and attractive eyes were hidden, his entire expression had copsed. The eyes, filled with a mixture of fear, anger, terror, and a plea, caused Lee-yeon to burst into tears. A sense of relief and pain mingled, before she could reach out like a child, Kwon Chae-woo embraced her first. Kwon Chae-woos voice shook as he said, Because of me. The way I lived almost harmed Lee-yeon. That bastard was right. I almostpletely lost you, damn it. Those damn hunting dogs Kwon Chae-woo was copsing as if his foundation had crumbled. Information flooded in at a certain moment. Jang Beom-hee was left abandoned on a fuel-deprived ship and was the first to regain consciousness. He swam barehanded towards Hwaidome to establishmunication. Kwon Hee-jun discovered the abandoned hunting dogs gathering at Hwaidome and immediately prated various confidential documents to uncover the true purpose of Hydromedon. Thus, he blew away its ss ceiling. However, what Kwon Chae-woo, enduring as if his insides were about to tear apart, witnessed was the sight of Lee-yeon being cornered by hunting dogs made from the same material as himself. Because I lived like this Kwon Chae-woo bowed his head over her shoulders as if repenting. His voice, filled with a shallow sob, exuded profound regret. He had learned from and used the ways of the Kwon family, sometimes approaching violence casually like entertainment. It almost turned against Lee-yeon. For the first time, he realized that his existence could harm Lee-yeon. An unbearable fear constricted his breath. He had never experienced such a terrifying and intimidating event in his life. Chae ugh, Chae-woo, quickly to the hospital His body tensed at the stuttered words. My stomach is too ugh, our our baby The face, which had been furrowed from eyebrows to a prominent nose, suddenly washed away. Kwon Chae-woo embraced Lee-yeon with a whitened expression. The hand supporting her trembled visibly. Its okay, it will be okay. Ugh If, if something goes wrong, I I cant forgive myself, and here, those people, all of them Lee-yeon revealed a lighter pressed tightly in her palm. It had clung to her skin like bonding. As Kwon Chae-woo took the lighter away, the metal imprint lingered on her palm. He couldnt take his eyes off the mark for a long time. He was witnessing the despair of the woman he loved. *** The smoke enveloped her entire body, someone walked briskly towards her. Donte! Please donte! Lee-yeon resisted with her throat strained. However, a heat more intense than the fire itself embraced her. Her blocked breath burst out, and she coughed violently. The acrid smoke that had covered her eyshes made her tears stick to them. However, a small voice caught Lee-yeons attention, Director! At that voice, Lee-yeon woke up from the dream. The first things that caught her eyes were the reddened eyes and the surprised expression of Gyu-baek. Sniffing the faint smell of alcohol in her nose, Lee-yeon realized that this ce was a hospital. Instantly, a familiar and rigid fear crept in. Oh, my baby, my baby She couldnt bring herself to touch her lower belly and clutched her thin top tightly. As expected, youre brave, director. The baby is fine. Gyu-baek wiped his eyes with his forearm and spoke clearly. Ah Lee-yeon buried her face in her hands as if copsing. She still felt dazed, as if she had died ande back to life. It was hard to tell if this ce was really above ground, if it was still underground, and such things were mixed up, making it difficult to grasp reality. When Lee-yeon pressed her temples firmly, Jang Beom-hee swiftly left. Ill bring the obstetrician. Lee-yeon looked around the spacious hospital room, searching for the person she wanted to see, but that person was nowhere to be found. Moreover, Gyu-baek, who always maintained a stoic expression, had noticeably swollen eyes, which greatly bothered her. Gyu-baek, did you cry? Director is the first woman to make me cry. Huh? Even though I was next to you, I hid. Gyu-baek clenched his lips and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. Lee-yeon gently gently grabbed the childs arm. She didnt clearly understand what he was saying but reassured him. He didnt want to instill strange guilt in the childs heart for no reason. You did well, thats how it should be. Children shouldnt protect adults. But my brother protects me. Before that, the director should have protected Gyu-baek first. Gyu-baek was unnecessarily caught in the middle of her and Kwon Chae-woos suffering. Lee-yeon couldnt help but feel sorry for the child and forced a bitter smile. But where were you? Were you trapped underground? Did anything scary happen to you, Gyu-baek? I was at sea. What? Later, she heard that Gyu-baek was the only one among the fifty or so passengers who didnt lose consciousness. It was possible because Lee-yeon, an adult, held Gyu-baeks ticket. While Lee-yeon was being transferred to another ship, the child hid under a chair, watched the situation, and helped wake up Jang Beom-hee by patting him hard. Gyu-baek even told him what to do, saying, Swim away, dogs swim well! But Gyu-baek, have you seen Kwon Chae-woo by any chance? Lee-yeon recalled the dream she had just had and tightly held her trembling hands. If he hadnte in time I dont know. I didnt see the male. Chapter 251: Chapter 251: Lee-yeon, exhausted, experienced multiple awakenings and returns to sleep as the clock hands crossed midnight and transitioned into the early morning. Despite searching for Kwon Chae-woo with bleary eyes several times, she couldnt find him. However, in the midst of dozing off, there was definitely warmth in the careful touch on her stomach, the brushing away of her stray hairs, tracing her eyebrows with fingers, and the warmth that apanied a long kiss on the back of her hand. Every time, Lee-yeon thought again, as if wandering through the dream. If Kwon Chae-woo hadnt arrived in time Lost in these murky thoughts, a strangely familiar scent tickled her nose. When she turned her head reflexively, she saw a man sitting on the guardians bed. Kwon Chae-woo buried his face in Lee-yeons hand, exuding a suffocating tenderness just by looking at him. As she tossed and turned, the motionless him lifted his head with a rustling sound. Are you awake? He casually asked, instantly dispelling the heavy atmosphere. Hows your body? The doctor said you need a lot of rest. Would you like to stay in the hospital a few more days? It would be more reassuring. Where were you? In the dimly lit hospital room, where the lights were not turned on, the eyes of the two individuals met precisely. I had some matters to attend to. Lies. Lee-yeon muttered. Even if it was a small whisper, there was no way he couldnt have heard it. Kwon Chae-woo didnt react. The way he admitted to his own lie seemed to add pressure to Lee-yeons temples. I had something to say to Chae-woo. At that moment, Kwon Chae-woo shuddered, his shoulders trembled. Whether he was self-reflecting on his attitude or grinding his teeth, it was impossible to determine. At Hwaidome As she hesitated to continue, Kwon Chae-woo let out a hollowugh and turned his head. Faced with his indifferent attitude before even starting the conversation, Lee-yeons face wrinkled. Soon, aughter, resembling mockery, began to echo heavily in the empty hospital room. Looking at his inexplicable state, the indoor temperature seemed to gradually drop. Hey, Kwon Chae-woo. I, really tried to live without losing temper. What? He wiped his face and lowered his head deeply. Heughed, pressing his thighs. It was a courteous gesture, but there was nothing gentle about his chin, wrists, shouldersnothing looked approachable. It was a feeling simr to back then when she had to constantly doubt and be vignt about who might be inside Kwon Chae-woos shell. She grabbed the thin nket. Lee-yeon said she doesnt believe the baby will survive. He brushed off hisughter and looked up. My heart raced beyond fear. This woman does not think of me. Then, Id just be a lost puppy. How do you think I felt when I realized that? Kwon Chae-woo stared at her indifferently inside his demeanor. Fortunately, the baby is safe, but if it wasnt the case He clenched his teeth, stood up, and mmed open the window. Instantly, a cool breeze mixed with a refreshing scent rushed in. Even in the night sky, the thick smoke was sharply distinct, and the crimson mes flickered in different directions. Kwon Chae-woo sharply pointed at the scene, and looked at at Lee-yeon. You probably set that fire. If I had been a littlete, you would still be trapped there. And I! He contorted his face as if he was about to cry. If something had gone wrong with the baby, would you have looked at me? Maybe I would have gone as far as I could reach. Emotions surged, triggered by the mere thought of family. You would have left. Even if I said it was okay to abandon me countless times, I only asked you to think about me for thest time. Gradually, a cold light appeared in the gaze that stared at Lee-yeon. You never thought of doing that. Lee-yeon wanted to say something, but her mind strangely went nk. Despite that, his wounded gaze was undeniably piercing. The fiery mes of the Hwaidome flickered against his face. Why is there a difference in affection? He coolly tilted his head as his hair, tousled by the night wind, looked precarious. The baby is loved, but am I hated? Kwon Chae-woo, seemingly ashamed of uttering such words, clenched his lips as if he found his own statement disgraceful. A faint sense of shame flickered in his eyes, quickly hidden. Listening to the pouring resentment, Lee-yeon finally noticed that Kwon Chae-woos looked in distress. He tended to force things more when anxious, and today had been a shocking and difficult day for both of them. Amidst this, the fear-induced outburst struck Kwon Chae-woo, and the fear that grew like a monster in the time she lost consciousness might have been overwhelming for him. For even a brief moment, Lee-yeon reproached herself for sumbing to the mes. Her words of I cant live like this to a man who was already taking a toll from her gestures, eye expressions, and subtle breath sounds must have been a devastating blow. The voice she heard in her dream was right. They could choose differently. She strengthened herself against the misty teardrops. So, sign. At that moment, Kwon Chae-woo approached with a cold face and pushed a document toward her. Sign? What is there to sign? Hello there! You can now read the novel until itsst chapter! Thank you for your support. Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons can read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much. Chapter 252: Chapter 252: Caught off guard by the unexpected situation, Lee-yeon was rendered speechless by the document in front of her. A marriage registration form? Tears that were about to surface retreated. Fill in the nks nicely and sign it when you speak nicely. Are you threatening me? Once, she had been forced to sign in a simr way by Kwon Kiseok, epting the role of a puppet. Of course, the circumstances were entirely different from back then, but her body couldnt help but shiver at the memory. At the moment when subtle difort began to surface on her face, Kwon Chae-woo sat by the bedside and gently smoothed her hair, trying tofort her. However, his lowered gaze was strangely eerie. Lee-yeon, I will live like your servant. ! Instead, I need to make sure you be my master first. Because if I make a mistake, Ill end up like a dog chasing a chicken. Kwon Chae-woo grabbed her soft hand and pressed it against his neck as if to show her. Lee-yeon, dont hesitate and hold me.. ! His throbbing pulse brushed against her fingertips. I really wanted to live decently. But, as you can see, it didnt work out well. Kwon Chae-woo didnt want to recall Kwon Kiseok in this way, but in the brief moment when the light vanished from Lee-yeons eyes, he felt the impulse to forcibly im her soul, to imprison her and render her unable to do anything. If even sunlight could provoke her, he was ready to block off everything around her. Yet, to avoid following Kwon Kiseoks fate, he struggled and wandered, searching for his own answer. The document he brought was his attempt to find that answer. She had to be confined, but the fence had to be invisible. Getting down on his knees wasnt enough for him to have this woman safe. It is not enough to stay away from her and wait for her, watch over her, control her. A lighter mark left on her palm like a scar. With that one mark, all thoughts of trying to be nice were blown away. Instead, he decided to be more ruthless. To ensure that Lee-yeon doesnt experience despair again. To prevent any threats from daring to approach her. He vowed to turn Hwaido into a safe haven exclusively for her. In just one day, the man instinctively learned not to humbly discard everything but rather to master the art of hiding his true intentions more maliciously. Kwon Chae-woo was determined to exert all his strength to be her guardian, ensuring that she doesnt fall into despair once again. If I could, I would have tied you to me and we live as one. Dont tell me this is a proposal. Lee-yeon muttered, surprised by this unique proposal. Too unique. I dont want to get hit in the back of my head like today, and if I cant tie you physically, Id at least tie you up with a signature. As he growled, Lee-yeon shrugged her shoulders. I also have something to say, Kwon Chae-woo. ! Chae-woo, Ive been through this kind of thing once or twice. At her words, Kwon Chae-woo blinked slowly and furrowed his brow. Outside, sirens wailed, and the red light asionally shed through the hospital room. Kwon Chae-woo, with thorns in his gaze, red at her. However, instead of choking her, his lips trembled fearing what she had to say. She effortlessly prated the stubborn mans interior. Then, not resentment or mockery, but the words that he had been holding back all day, despite his mouth rotting away, burst forth. Damn it, Lee-yeon, I love you to death! Thats why Im so lonely and anxious when parted from you. The night sky was strangely red. The whole world seemed like the apple of his eyes. Still, wait and see; Ill never leave you alone. As he uttered these words, the dreamlike remnants buried in Lee-yeons dream seemed to vanish instantly. Even if I die a hundred times, Ill live and die as your husband. He dered with bloodshot eyes. Even though his relentless grip made it hard to breathe, the unfamiliarfort that permeated her entire body felt like nothing she had ever experienced. Lee-yeon finally wanted to stop the bridge that had been floating for a long time in this ce. Her eyshes slowly moistened. The words I wanted to say to Mr. Chae-woo are He swallowed nervously as if tense. Thank you for saving me. ! Until the end, for not leaving her alone in the mes. It was a mix of dreams and reality. Thanks to you, Mr. Chae-woo, I survived. Even if Lee-yeon was mercilessly exiled from somewhere in her world, Kwon Chae-woo was a man who would dly embrace her ugly and dirty self. With confidence in his heart, Lee-yeon wanted to build a new home for them. Her little family. *** As a result of a gas explosion at the countrysrgest botanical garden, Hwaidome, Mayor Hwayang visited the scene and received a report on the fire situation and measures from the fire chief. The mayor expressed relief that there were no casualties and urged not to dy the alert posture centered on the fire break line. In the aftermath of the explosion, the police haveunched a forced investigation into the illegal undergroundboratory that spans eight floors at Hwaidome, shocking the entire nation. The pharmaceuticalpany Suguk, which recorded the top brand reputation among listedpanies in the country, was found to be producing hallucinogenic drugs. Chapter 253: Chapter 253: The entire nation was buzzing. No matter which channel you turned to, news about Hwaidome kepting. Keywords such as Suguk Pharmaceutical, Summer, Hwaidome, confinement, torture, had already taken over various portal sites, and different media outlets were constantly reproducing the horrific details of the illegal experiments. Police conducting an investigation into illegal experiments carried out a raid on Suguk Pharmaceutical for two and a half hours this morning. They secured materials rted to the hallucinogenic drug Summer, including researchb CCTV footage and records. The subjects were the ethics research team at Suguk Pharmaceutical and Professor Jo Kyeongcheonsb at D University. Reporter Lee Myeonggyeong reports. Lee-yeon turned off the TV, feelingyers of umted exhaustion just from listening. Suddenly, a moist cherry tomato was ced near her lips. Cold fingers lightly touched her gums, almost like a mistake. Mr. Kwon Chae-woo, isnt this not the right time? She frowned, her face expressing concern, as she turned off thepletely darkened TV. The world was in an uproar about the hallucinogenic drug tha was created from people who were tortured, but Kwon Chae-woo seemed indifferent, as if deliberately avoiding looking across the river. Ironically, ever since Lee-yeon decided to be hospitalized for stability, he had stuck around like glue, refusing to leave. He raised another topic instead. Right, why refuse to sign the marriage certificate now? I cant just ignore this, ah He continued fondling Lee-yeons thumb as he picked up a Shine Muscat to feed her. Is signing important right now? Lee-yeon red at the unnerved man. Kwon Chae-woos main concern was undoubtedly their marriage deration. Everyone is making a fuss about your brother being missing! As Lee-yeon shouted with a pale face, Kwon Chae-woo tilted his head. Are you worried about that now? Kwon Kiseok? Are you worried for him? No Concerned if his body will be found? Or maybe he cant even eat and is on the run? He stared sharply at Lee-yeon as if demanding an answer. Answer well. Say ah Holding a cherry tomato, he gently tapped Lee-yeons lips. She rolled her eyes but obediently opened her mouth, and in that moment, the sharp gaze of the man softened. Lee-yeon moved her jaw briskly, swallowing the bursting juice, before finally speaking. My point is, its because Im afraid Mr. Kwon Chae-woo might be harmed! That wont happen. Suguk Pharmaceutical would suffer an irreparable blow, and the corruption ties between the Kwon family and the government would be exposed one after another under Kwon Kiseoks name. What needed to crumble under the weight of all the crimes was Kwon Kiseok, not the Kwon family. At least, not yet. The moment the Kwon family copses will be when Kwon Chae-woo decides, and until then, he nned to exploit them as much as possible. Behind his leisurely smile, Kwon Chae-woo thoroughly concealed his cruel intentions. Right now, the one causing harm to me is Ms. Lee-yeon. What? The vegetative patient took the beating without any fear, but doesnt the childs dad receive any? Lee-yeon shrugged, urging for the fruit as she opened her mouth. Kwon Chae-woo, behind a nonchnt facade, had sinister ns deeply hidden. Were you nning on raising your child with someone else? Cough. cough. Kwon Chae-woos eyes suddenly narrowed as he coughed violently. Look at you. You are so guilty. Cough, what are you saying! Lee-yeon said. But why did you turn red and overreact? Kwon Chae-woo coolly recited as he traced his fingers from her ear to her corbone. Lee-yeon, I told you. Ive bitten chickens to death and know how to tear down a roof. Why should I be content with just sucking on your fingers? He put the fruit te on the nightstand and brought his body close to her. I have no intention of bing a concubine. His nose touched her exposed neck where veins could be seen. Lee-yeon swallowed dryly, feeling a tingling sensation as his breath grazed her sensitive skin with each word he uttered. But I wont be able to have you unless Im your top dog. Damn it, Ill kill everything below me. Stop! The baby could hear you! Well, the baby should know how much Daddy loves Mommy. Whatthe And Lee-yeon knows, too; managing and disposing corpses is my side business. While Lee-yeon was dumbfounded, Kwon Chae-woo wrapped her tightly in his arms and persistently sucked on her neck. Do I look like a man who would live as a loyal husband for a lifetime? No, there are many more things I could offer besides that. The strength in the arms that embraced Lee-yeon increased. But still, a marriage registration There wasnt really any other reason. Perhaps because they had already dealt with a forged marriage registration, Lee-yeon couldnt find much meaning in a single piece of paper. With the experience of living together and having a child, the legal rtionship felt somewhat pointless. Where was there a closer bond than this? Kwon Chae-woo, frowning as if he was deeply contemting, seemed to be taking a step back, given Lee-yeons suggestion that they could register their marriage when the situation stabilized. However, when he found it challenging to handle theplicated emotions, he often exhibited such a temperament. What? Marriage registration!? Chapter 254: Chapter 254: At that moment, the creaking door opened, and a low voice sounded. Late to receive the news, Choo-ja rushed in with a disheveled expression. She rolled her eyes back, observing the two people sticking together. She quickly grasped the situation, had a surprised expression. Their rtionship had undergone a drastic change in just a month. No way, it must not be, not in my eyes! Choo-ja stepped in briskly and shouted for the hospital room to clear. That damn good-looking bastard thinks he can get away with anything! Choo-ja? Even if every other man in the world turns out like this, what a world will we live in! Lee-yeon blinked her eyes at Choo-jas voice that erupted like a volcano. Kwon Chae-woo, unexpectedly facing opposition, frowned but then meekly lowered the corners of his mouth. His change in attitude was remarkably swift and discreet. Chae-woo, no, Mr. Kwon Chae-woo, do you know how Lee-yeon endured while you were away? Choo-ja struck his chest as if a fire had erupted. Not eating, not sleeping Her eyes were lifeless like frozen pock! Suddenly, Choo-jas eyes turned red. My insides, even Mas insides, werent as tough as yours. You shamelessly had the audacity to show your face to Lee-yeon, who almost died that day. If you had seen her gasping for breath even once, you would have wanted to stick your head in the toilet! Choo-ja began to indiscriminately hit Kwon Chae-woos shoulders and arms with the hand that was lecturing. Lee-yeon was startled and tried to intervene, but Kwon Chae-woo firmly held her hand, silently signaling her to stay still. Unfortunately, Choo-ja was hitting the area where he had been shot, and it would be quite painful. However, he maintained a stoic expression, lowering his eyshes without a change. What kind of person is he? How pitiful and bold! Why should I ept someone who hurt my child? The one who forced her to arrange a funeral instead of a wedding! I will never allow it! Choo-ja grabbed Kwon Chae-woo and began to shake him. This marriage certificate!! Its useless! How dare he! There is no way I am allowing this! Even with a stretched-out T-shirt cor covering his eyes and his bangs obscuring his forehead, he did not show any emotion. Choo-ja continued to shake Kwon Chae-woo, leading him silently. A man who hadnt eaten properly, couldnt sleep, and suffered a major injury soon turned pale. Choo-ja momentarily stopped, but then raised her voice even louder, ring at Lee-yeon. Do you remember what you said? Its barely been a season since then. Well, Ms. Choo-ja, um Did you say that its over as soon as this man left? Did you say that this man isnt the man you loved? While understanding Choo-jas feelings, Lee-yeon couldnt help but feel uneasy about Kwon Chae-woo. It was definitely not the right time to bring up another man in this situation. But crazy things like rushing to dere marriage? Just date and live freely, just date! Just live by dating, without bothering about legal ties! These guys who havent even put a ring on it think they can tie the knot with a fancy piece of paper! I wont allow it! When Choo-ja pointed her finger at Lee-yeon this time, Kwon Chae-woo unexpectedly stepped in to stop her. Mother-inw, I made a mistake. Who is your mother-inw?! Kwon Chae-woo massaged his chin and narrowed his eyes. At the same time, he spoke with a remorseful tone, causing Choo-ja to falter slightly. Oh, its really absurd. What a nerve from a bastard who belongs to another house. But he quickly regained hisposure and firmed up his wavering emotions. Ill send mother-inw to marriage first. What? The venomous tone momentarily deted, leaving behind a sense of disappointment. Kwon Chae-woo didnt stop there. I heard mother-inw was Brooke Shields in her younger days. My third brother is running an investmentpany, a productionpany, and an entertainmentpany. I can introduce you to him. His domestic entertainmentpanys market capitalization exceeded 4 trillion won when it went public. Mother-inw, isnt it a shame to waste your talent only on managing the household alone? Its expensive too. He was undoubtedly a scheming man. Choojas cheeks were already flushed as if she had drunk heavily. As if signaling the end, Lee-yeon nonchntly shook the nket, raising her head. If that path doesnt suit you, Ill find some clean, elderly gentlemen with assets of over 100 billion won and no troublesome children for you. Dont analyze too much. Okay. While Kwon Chae-woo chuckled and said hed go buy something to drink, Chooja had already escaped. Lee-yeon was about to call Chooja but stopped as she saw her expression change. That should be enough. What? Lee-yeon asked, and Choo-ja squinted one eye. You should perform this kind of show to keep a tight grip on Mr. Kwon in the future. ! Men need to know how scary their inws can be. Really? Just now, didnt you see how scared he was of me to the point of bargaining me with a marriage? . And from my intuition, thats not the end for you two. The sprout is not just yellow, its sparkling gold! Choo-ja, who had been wiggling her nostrils, suddenly used her rough hand to gently stroke Lee-yeons face. We wont rush the marriage registration, okay? Theres no harm in living together for a while. Despite the tender touch, Choo-jas mouth curled up as if to say, Its really satisfying. Lee-yeon lowered her head and let go of the embarrassment that lingered in her heart. Is it not pathetic? You? Why? Breaking up so noisily and now recoiling like this As Lee-yeon lowered her voice as if she was ashamed, Choo-jaughed heartily and took the opportunity to speak. Thats called love! Choo-jaughed kindly and put her palm against her cheek. Her face tilted slightly, reminiscent of somewhere in the past, exuding a faint and enchanting feeling. Yeon-ah, your husbands face is still handsome even if you tore it apart. Bringing back the guy who fled from the ind, well done, well done, Choo-ja said, patting her knees for a while. It was still an inexplicable fight between the mother-inw and son-inw where it was unclear who won or lost. Chapter 255: Chapter 255: Im back! Lee-yeon, finishing a week-long hospital stay, shouted as she swung the front door wide open. Even though the garden tends to get messy quickly if left unattended, Choo-ja seemed to have taken care of it during that timeit was clean and tidy. Returning home after about forty days, it didnt feel lonely or cold, thanks to Kwon Chae-woos strong hand and warm embrace. However, he still looked discontent. Whats on your mind? Ive been thinking the same thing for a week. Still? When Lee-yeons hand went limp, Chae-woo grabbed it firmly. They agreed to check only the box indicating that the marriage certificate would ultimately follow his mothers surname. Whenever Chae-woo looked at the framed certificate on the side table, he made a face as if his back hurt. Sometimes he would grimace, other times he would sigh, and one day he took out a knife and relentlessly carved apples until he got tired of it. Watching a man go through more emotional ups and downs than a pregnant woman, Lee-yeon suddenly realized the weight of the knife she held. In the future, Chae-woo will endure this unquenchable thirst, suppressing his temper, coaxing gently, and threatening with a calm voice. But even if he throws a tantrum, he will endure it one more time at the decisive moment. When she saw that struggling figure, her breath passed over her lips likeughter. Seems like Mr. Chae-woo keeps forgetting Forgetting what? Whose child do you think Im carrying now? Kwon Chae-woon noticed her gentle intentions, but his face stiffened her face even more. Its not like youre carrying me. What? So I dont feel reassured even after hearing that. . While our child is extremely precious, I would die without you. A child can grow up in someone elses hands, but I if its not you As Lee-yeon just looked at him in surprise, the man sighed. Im just saying, love me more. Even though it was just Kwon Chae-woos usual nonsenseining, her ears felt hot today. Lee-yeon turned her head in surprise at the mans endlessly longing eyes. Then tworge hands cupped her face and his eyes locked with hers.. Her head, which had turned back in surprise, was firmly fixed in ce. Im not convinced, and Im not backing down. He said determined. Is that so? I thought the proposal was the problem. What? Kwon Chae-woo hid his anxious feelings and lowered his lips to hers. He bit her upper lip and slid his tongue into the gaping gap, tracing her teeth. The tip of his tongue was very slow as it touched her soft inner flesh in a sensual way. Her lips parted eagerly and their flesh merged as if it were the first time. Kwon Chae-woo watched Lee-yeons eyelids flutter shut and sucked and pulled her tongue even harder. No matter where he licked, the soft, hot, narrow inside of his mouth aroused his desire to do more than kissing. Lee-yeon let out a low moan of sexual pleasure that had soared all the way to the tip of Kwon Chae-woos head, and roughly thrust his tongue inside her harder. Subconsciously, Kwon Chae-woo was bothered that Lee-yeon was reluctant to get married. This simple conclusion drove him insane. She herself might not have realized it yet, but she was clearly hesitating until the issue with the Hwaidome ebds.. As much as he wanted to wait for that, Kwon Chae-woo knew it would be a long wait. Whether now or before, Kwon Chae-woo had be a hunting dog on the precarious borderline, shifting between being aggressive and submissive. The unpredictable waiting, the restless feeling that seemed to float alone. Suddenly, Kwon Chae-woo turned his head and nibbled on her plump cheek. Saliva and tooth marks vividly marked the pale and delicate skin. Lee-yeon, surprised, looked at him as if to ask, What are you doing? However, before she could say anything, their lips met again. As they shed gazes with fiery sparks, Lee-yeon couldnt lift a finger. Lips were devoured, tongues sucked. If she took a step back, Kwon Chae-woo followed suit. He grasped her, probing her mouth open. He explored her delicate insides with a sensually slow rhythm. She was hanging on so desperately. Ugh, ah. Kwon Chae-won caressed Lee-yeons lower back while listening to her moans in his ears. But as she began to gasp for air, he let go of her seemingly inseparable body. Lee-yeon had a dazed expression, and Kwon Chae-woo furrowed his brows at her flushed cheeks as if they were about to burst. Even if hes stubborn, he knows when to stop. To conceal his gloom, he casually wiped his face. Ignoring the heated and throbbing area, he deliberately changed the subject. Lee-yeon, havent seen this before, what is it? He pointed to a small hill that rose in front of the tree. However, the voice, heated with passion, was precarious in itself. Lee-yeon scratched her head, rolling her eyes. Uh, its Chae-woos grave. The manspletely changing expression was truly something to see. Hello there! You can now read the novel until itsst chapter! Thank you for your support. Patreon is notpulsory. Patrons can read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at ater date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much. Chapter 256: Chapter 256: The two of them sprawled out on the sofa and dozed off. It almost felt like three or four people were sleeping together, promptingughter from Lee-yeon. With a baby in her belly, therge figure of Kwon Chae-woo upied the space of two people. As theyy facing each other, Lee-yeon shifted ufortably due to his penis stabbing against her belly. Chae-woo, this is ufortable. Why? Why? Because it keeps touching my belly Dont avoid it. As Lee-yeon tried to move away, Kwon Chae-woo tightly grabbed her waist. Despite the sharp eyes, his voice was filled with bitterness. My childs hometown is mine. Wouldnt the baby be happy to see me in it? Just then, a sounda rumble from Lee-yeons belly startled them. Surprised, she opened her eyes wide, hastily grabbing Kwon Chae-woos hand. Through their ovepping palms, she felt a faint vibration once again. It was a quick movement for 17 weeks. Chae-woo, just now! Kwon Chae-woo was frozen stiff, unable to even breathe. The man, frozen with shock and disbelief, didnt blink. It wasnt until the fetal movement surged again that he finally exhaled, seemingly holding his breath. He looked at Lee-yeons face, which was brightly smiling, as if he couldnt believe it. His heart pounded like a babys awkward footsteps. Goosebumps rose on his back, and blood rushed fiercely. It was almost embarrassing to say it tickled, but undoubtedly, that was the most shocking movement for Kwon Chae-woo. He kissed Lee-yeons belly all over, silently apologizing. He wouldnt say anymore that that the baby could be held by someone elses hands. Who would entrust such a cute thing to someone else? Kwon Chae-woo struggled against the overwhelming flood of ordinary sensations, searching for Lee-yeons lips once again. In this way, the two of them spent worry-free days, eating, sleeping, and ying to their hearts content. Everytime Lee-yeons head nodded off, Kwon Chae-woo promptly lifted her and took her to the bedroom. *** How much time had passed? Lee-yeon, who had slept deeply enough to make her eye sockets stiff, suddenly woke up with a clear mind. Rubbing her heavy eyelids, she quickly sat up. Chae-woo? Her voice dispersed into the silent air. Lee-yeon looked around the room, searching for any trace of him, but the house was chillingly quiet. Checking the clock, it was close to midnight. Where on earth did he go? After spending days together as if one body, the sudden absence of Kwon Chae-woo made her anxious. Overwhelmed by uneasy feelings, she couldnt resist slipping out of bed. Chae-woo, Mr. Kwon Chae-woo! She called his name louder, but it echoed back into the empty living room. She wandered around, checking the bedroom, the living room, and the kitchen, but the house was eerily quiet, with no sign of him. Only the wind clinging to the windows made a faint rustling sound. Where on earth did he go! At that moment, behind her, the clock struck twelve with a familiar chime. Startled, Lee-yeon swept her forearm against the uneasy sensation on her shoulder. After ncing at the swinging clock pendulum for a moment, Lee-yeon finally grabbed a shlight and headed outside. There, a man wearing a bundle of a ck raincoat was dragging a shovel across the yard. ! She bit her lip, almost screaming, as she slowly scanned the familiar physique. Is it Mr. Chae-woo? Are you Chae-woo? In response to her trembling call, Kwon Chae-woo slightly turned his head. His sharp nose and stern gaze confirmed his identity, and she swung the door wide open. What the hell do you think youre doing, carrying a shovel at this time of night! However, the man with dirt-covered fingertips simply passed her, heading towards the trees. Kwon Chae-woo forcefully stuck the shovel into the ground near his grave, skillfully scooping out the dirt and clenched his teeth. What the hell, how deep did you bury me, I cant find anything. He said. You think Im going to be able to live herefortably, Lee-yeon, knowing that I have a grave nearby? Why on earth are you digging it up?! Lee-yeon eximed, thinking about the saplings that might have grown there! She looked at Kwon Chae-woo, who straightened his back and threw a disappointed gaze. Did you n to leave it like this unattended? Uh Unable to answer, she looked at Kwon Chae-woo, who raised one corner of his mouth coldly. I knew you would react like that. Lee-yeon felt infuriated by the expression that seemed to mock her. Anyway, even if you dig there, only pieces of debris wille out. Whats the point of! No matter how much you dig, you wont find anything useful! And for heavens sake, take off those clothes! From now on, Mr. Kwon Chae-woo, anything ck at night, including raincoats, shovels, knives, axes, all of them are strictly prohibited! At her words, Kwon Chae-woo quickly peeled the raincoat hood and threw a meaningful nce. Do you wish you had something more to bury? What? At that moment, the man who dug his own grave pulled out something and examined the wooden craft under the moonlight. Ah, it didnt rot after all. The man who walked slowly towards Lee-yeon put the cold and damp object into her palms. It was the wooden ornament he had carved into a flower before and given to her. But still, isnt it better to dig something on a night like this than to bury someone? Lee-yeon was speechless. But, Lee-yeon, if you cant use my tools at night, it means I should just use my body, right? But it seems impossible now so I resort to this. Frustrated by the man who only talked nonsense, Lee-yeon stomped on his foot and ran away. As she did, Kwon Chae-woo, who seemed to enjoy the whole scene, took out his phone from his pocket. And the next morning. W-What is this! Various shining gifts, such as rings, nes, bracelets, watches, brooches, were hanging like ornaments on the trees in the front yard. *** Chapter 257: Chapter 257: -I will be the spruce of Hwaido. I will stand in ce of the Spiritual Tree, and y old music. Until I die, until I be the heritage of the ind. At the time of the red sunset, Kwon Chae-woo yed every day in the ce where the spirit tree disappeared as promised. The unusual performance was rumored in just a few days, and now, two monthster, some audiences intentionally crossed from thend to Hwaido to see Kwon Chae-woo. He began to n to turn Hwaido into Asias Lucerne (*a Swiss city where prestigious music festivals are held) by mobilizing the funds of the family. It was a project to brand it as a music city by establishing a professional concert hall and attracting periodic festivals, internationalpetitions, music academies, and even hosting a childrens song festival. It was during this time that Lee-yeon heard Kwon Chae-woo speaking German for the first time. When that happened, she felt strange and fascinated, often wandering around him to eavesdrop. In those moments, Kwon Chae-woo would nonchntly continue his phone call, abruptly end the conversation, and hurry over. The coarse sound he made while speaking the foreignnguage suited him as if he were a native. Ive been thinking about the babys name for a while. Lee-yeon was walking in the reed field with Kwon Chae-woo, her belly was noticeably round. What is it? Nam-woo. Wood? No, Namwoo! Wait, isnt that your first loves name? Kwon Chae-woo frowned and snapped at Lee-yeon. What? Do you still hold a grudge because of that? Grudge or not, all I can think of is the jealousy I felt back then. It just makes me feel bad for no reason. But people say they Nam-woo is nice. What people are you talking about? The people who knew I was pregnant early on. Kwon Chae-woo sighed as if dumbfounded. However, when he saw herughing while covering her mouth, he felt inexplicably entangled. He pressed his lips against her plump, tempting cheeks and then opened his coat, enveloping Lee-yeon inside. Soon, the two of them wandered through the seemingly endless reed fields. Lee-yeon turned her body with an expression of disbelief on her face. When Kwon Chae-woo tried to lean down again for a kiss, she quickly turned her head, avoiding the gesture. Is all of this yournd, Chae-woo? Yes. And all of this belongs to you? Yes. Lost in the vastness, Lee-yeons eyes blinked as a sturdy chin was suddenly ced on top of her head. A gentle voice, the slow movement of an Adams apple, and the cool wind ying with the strands of her hair all conveyed a profound sense of presence. Beautiful Hwaido Ind. Although it was a shattered slogan as the reality of Hwaido Ind unfolded, Lee-yeon actually liked those words. Ill give it all to you. ! In the future, the entire ind will sing for you. Wherever you are, wherever you go, until I be visible in the breeze. Ill make it happen for you. Kwon Chae-woo promised, holding her tightly. It was a moment when a mans constion created a vast paradise. *** The long winter had passed. Despite the severe cold and frequent snowstorms due to the first frost warning in more than a decade, Lee-yeon experienced the warmest winter of her life. Whenever she worried that the trees might suffer from the East Sea winds, Kwon Chae-woo climbed up the hill and wrapped the pine and persimmon trees with straw. Lee-yeon sent handmade baby clothes to the local government whenever she had spare time, and the house gradually filled with various adorable baby items. Lets endure this winter well and make sure to bloom the leaves. We made it through, she whispered like a prayer whenever she found a moment. At this moment, Lee-yeon was leaning against a tree, listening to a gentle melody, much like on a certain day in the distant past. The greetings of love emanating from the mans hands were as soft and warm as the early spring weather. In the midst of the dense forest, there were sparkling ssnterns, a suitable-sized table, and delicately arranged flowers scattered in secret ces. It was a baby shower that Kwon Chae-woo had meticulously prepared for Lee-yeon, who was approaching childbirth. After finishing the performance, he carefully wiped the fingerboard, body, and bridge with a cotton cloth. Lee-yeon, observing this, scanned Kwon Chae-woos ck hair, well-defined back, tightly pulled shoulders, and even the thighs revealed when he bent his knees. Bathing in the sunlight filtering through the leaves, she suddenly asked, Chae-woo, isnt it boring to live with me? Im not sure what you heard. Kwon Chae-woo smirked, raising one eyebrow. I feel like Ive turned you into a househusband, Chae-woo. Im sorry, but I spent a fulfilling winter. Still, originally Originally? I thought you would rather be a bit more A bit more? Busier. Back at the Kwons house Lee-yeon lowered her voice. In that ce, Kwon Chae-woo always carried the scent of blood. During the day, he would either sprawl out or stand tall like a bamboo shoot, and at night, he would wear a pitch-ck mask, revealing only his eerie eyes. The man who used to stand on the stage of the Berlin Philharmonic Hall now yed music on the ground like a poor student. Every time she saw him like that, a faint uneasiness took root in Lee-yeons heart. Maybe, he would yearn for the wealth and honor he enjoyed in the past. Perhaps he would one day find his ce and leave. But Lee-yeon didnt know. She didnt know that this househusband had quietly taken root as the next sessor of the Kwon family. Chapter 258: Chapter 258: While the prosecution was thoroughly revising the affairs of Suguk Pharmaceutical, Kwon Chae-woo opened a secret ount within the household and established a childrens welfare foundation. Illegal activities such as gambling, usury, and auctions continued, but he ceased the exploitative sponsorship system that had been deeply ingrained, giving the hunting dogs the freedom to choose the course of their life. He demolished the Kwon family estate, leaving only the underground where Kwon Ki-seok was confined. The Kwon family, now shapeless, would gradually exist only as a rumor. The hidden heir had be the subtle power behind Hwaido, unnoticed by many. Especially with his thorough investigations into the elementary, middle, and high schools where their child might attend, the distribution of criminals on Hwai ind, and sanctions on ident-prone areas, there was no ce beyond Kwon Chae-woos reach. That was the current backside of Kwon Chae-woo, as known by Lee-yeon, but she didnt need to know it all. An invisible fence had this kind of meaning. Lee-yeon, I am satisfied with the present. Still, if the environment changes too much, depression might set in. Innocently concerned, Lee-yeons gaze gradually turned cold. Simr things have happened actually. You are right, Lee-yeon. What?! But Im not the one feeling depressed, its my lower body. Lee-yeons worried eyes, clouded with concern, began to cool down. It wants to cry, but it cant shed tears. Well, no, Chae-woo He grabbed the cellos neck and suddenly burst into a bitterughter. It sounded like aughter reminiscent of a cold breath. In the early stages of pregnancy, it was due to the risk of miscarriage; in the middle, it was due to bacterial infection, and now its due to premature birth. Even though they say to do it quickly and not insert forcefully, wheres teh satisfaction in that? He expressed his dissatisfaction openly, but it seemed somewhat unfair to Lee-yeon. Despite being passionately heated up and on the verge of inserting, Kwon Chae-woo, seemingly frightened, would only clutch his manhood. Frustrated, he made mechanical and rapid movements to induce ejaction. And everytime he did that, Lee-yeon would feel a lump on her throat. I cantpletely avoid it, but once I start, I cant finish quickly. ! Of course, it may get rough once I get carried away. He continued. He closed his eyes tightly, tilting his head from side to side as if stretching. So, Im not bored at all, just thinking about devouring Lee-yeon. Kwon Chae-woo, finding the asionally adorable Lee-yeon sleeping with a peaceful expression, would generously pepper her cheeks with bird kisses to the point where her face would get messy. After a while, when she turned her head away, her tousled hair pressed against the pillow looked even more adorable, and he couldnt help but pinch her cheek. Somehow, he had be a pervert who got excited and hardened habitually, regardless of the circumstances. Yet, if he could just stay by her side, anything was fine. Lee-yeon, who noticed the mans gaze deepening, cleverly changed the subject. Oh, did you think about inviting the very important guests too? As if hearing something strange, Kwon Chae-woo wrinkled his face. Did I hear correctly? Yes? Who invited, who are we inviting? Well Chae-woo, us, the rest of your brothers? As she lowered her voice in response to his sly demeanor, Kwon Chae-woo immediately rxed his expression. No, those people are non-existent. Even so, everyone was interested in the life of the youngest brother, who became the first expectant father. When they didnt receive any contact, one day, Kwon Hee-jun, the brother who hacked into Kwon Chae-woos phone,pletely cleared out all the ultrasound photos of his niece. Just thinking about it made veins pop on Kwon Chae-woos forehead. My family is all here. He pressed his forehead and the tip of his nose against Lee-yeons round belly for a long time. Seeing this, Lee-yeon opened her mouth before even thinking. If we didnt have a child .! At the unexpected topic, Kwon Chae-woos body stiffened. I will still be with Chae-woo, over and over again. Both of them were involuntarily recalling the time when the sweet mes were surging. Kwon Chae-woo raised his head. Yeah, I probably would have. Lee-yeon once thought that the child in her stomach had made her into something useful. The mother who was supposed to be a strong support, actually stood on her own two feet with the child as her root. The fear of possibly reverting to a person without a foundation if she lost the child was a hole inside her that she hadnt seen. Yet, spending the cold winter with Kwon Chae-woo made her certain. For you, I will live steadfastly and survive. I wont be daunted or discouraged by anything. No matter how difficult the day, whenever I open the front door and enter Chae-woos embrace, I can Start anew countless times. Lee-yeon lowered her gaze in relief after delivering her heartfelt words. Kwon Chae-woos body seemed to have frozen, his breath forgotten. In a warm spring breeze, the man btedly released the tears he had held in a corner of his heart. The end of someones winter was also approaching. In spring, there aredybugs, butterflies, stag beetles, caterpirs, and blue beetles On the other hand, Gyu-baek, who had arrived in the forest early, roamed around with a bug-collecting set all over his body. In celebration of springs arrival, he wore a bug-catching basket around his neck, held a dragonfly in one hand, and stung here and there. However, Gyu-baek stopped in his tracks. The child looked helplessly at Lee-yeon, who was leaning against a tree, and the man who had broken down in a tone lower than that of a cello. ! At that moment, Gyubaek could finally decide on a gift for the child. It was the first fairy tale book that the nine-year-old bug expert himself would write. Chapter 259: Chapter 259: Male, you promised me. Gyu-baek demanded Kwon Chae-woo. He still called Kwon Chae-woo as male like a male insect. Kwon Chae-woo, who was now holding the sleeping Lee-yeon against his shoulder, looked at someones slender legs that were close by. Just then, the noisyughter of Joo Dong-mi and Choo-ja echoed from a distance. Everyone must being this way, embracing beautiful bouquets. Moreover, to formally introduce Jang Beom-hee, who recently moved in, he invited her here. Kwon Chae-woos face still showed no signs of realizing his mistake, appearing nonchnt. If you help this male marry Director Lee-yeon, then These were the words a man whispered to a child in front of the Kwon family the other day. This was the condition given to Gyu-baek, who couldnt get his mind off of money. He also gave him a heavier and better gold toad, and Ill let you officiate the wedding. Thats right. But this male havent gotten married yet. No, I practice every night these days. Why, does it seem close? Its just around the corner. At Gyubaeks significant words, Kwon Chae-woos lips curled into a smile. Covering Lee-yeon meticulously with the falling nket, he gestured with his eyes. Then, lets rehearse. Its a practice for directors wedding ceremony. Gyubaek held both hands and lifted his heels. He had practiced so much that he could recite it effortlessly even in his sleep. The childs small lips moved densely. Macaroni penguin, gray wolf, pinecone lizard, long-armed monkey, ck bald eagle Wait, wait. Kwon Chae-woo interrupted with a raised eyebrow. What on earth is that? The groom must not interfere. Whether his words were blocked or he felt good about the title, Kwon Chae-woo closed his mouth. Macaroni penguin, gray wolf, pinecone lizard, long-armed monkey, ck bald eagle, owl monkey, gnu, white-headed eagle. Until death, these animals love only one female. A soft, smallugh burst out from Kwon Chae-woos shoulder. Lee-yeon tried to endure the urge to squirm. But the man, who had already realized that she had awakened, pressed his lips directly to her forehead. In the future, youll be responsible for parenting like a macaroni penguin. If your partner is in danger like a gray wolf, youll risk your life to run. Like a pinecone lizard, youll send the female first and walk behind. Like a long-armed monkey, youll raise the offspring together and groom each other. Like a ck bald eagle, youll stick together every day, year after year. Like a gnu, if your partner leaves the spot, youll eat less. Like an owl monkey, youll never cheat. Like a white-headed eagle, youll spend at least twenty years together. With both hands tightly sped, the childs pose looked convincing, but the tone was still as if he were reading from an encyclopedia. Lee-yeon bit her lower lip hard, trying her best not tough. In fact, I dont really know what a blessing is. But when I look at Director Lee-yeon and you, words I didnt know suddenlye to mind. There are many things here that are not in the dictionary. The always expressionless child showed a neat row of teeth for the first time. The emotionless face twisted, and unnoticed dimples appeared on both cheeks. The gaze, which was always like reading a book or studying insects, briefly sparkled, facing a person rather than a book or an insect. Lee-yeon hugged Kwon Chae-woos forearm tightly, and he gazed at Gyu-baek with very affectionate eyes. The baby to be born will have a pure and upright older brother that she never had. Her child will take the opposite path from the life his father chose, and he may grow up to care for his older brother more than anyone else. However, Namwoos older brothers story of building thergest insect ecology museum in the country for his precious brother is a story from a very, very distant future. Director So Lee-yeon! Im here! Lee-yeon-ah, Im here! Doyeon Who, who is that? Kwon Chae-woo demanded an answer. One by one, the invited guests gathered into the forest. A few seconds before a loudmotion broke out. Kwon Chae-woon hoped that she would quickly find the wooden box hidden behind her cello. Inside, the yellow post-it notes that the girl had secretly left on her tree trunk were piled up like pebbles. Those precious moments when I whispered, Hello, thank you, you gave me strength, I miss you, I want to meet you. I want to live as Lee-yeons flower for the rest of my life. Kwon Chae-woo told her. The man who started out as her nt became her nt again and fell lightly on her. But now he wasnt fooled. There was no need to lie. She was the only tree doctor in the world who could deal with this terrifying nt man who could turn at any moment. Lee-yeon whispered jokingly responded to his confession, Not as my husband? ! At the same time, Joo Dong-mi, who was growling, made Jang Beom-hee crawl on the ground. It was early spring, the beginning of the festival. *** That night, Lee-yeon opened a storybook in her dream. On the front page, the words Baby Tree- were written, crossed out, and rewritten. To baby Nam-woo. It was a story about a tree with deep roots and a tree that sings, and living happily ever after. It was a letter that said that in Hwaido, where music, trees, and insectse together, everyone can love andugh. Soe on over. The author is Lee Gyu-baek , and the title is Another unforgettable summer was approaching. -End Thank you all so much for reading this novel till its very end and for supporting our team! But our adventure together is far from over. We are excited to bring another novel from the same brilliant author behind Flowers are Bait. You can check out Merry Psychotoday! The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!