Chapter 87
The instant she shook off his hand and reached to take Seo-yeol’s so they could leave, Seo Do-gyeom reached out again.
She could see the intent—he was trying to stop her from touching Seo-yeol—and Baek I-hae’s brows drew together in a sharp frown.
He’s jealous even of his own little brother and tries to control what I do.
On any other day she would have let him have his way, but today there was no reason to.
Baek I-hae deliberately evaded Seo Do-gyeom’s hand and slipped her arm through Seo-yeol’s. Both brothers froze at the same moment.
“Don’t touch me. I don’t even want to speak to you right now, so don’t talk to me at all.”
“I-hae, just hear me out.”
“What difference will it make if I do? You didn’t listen to a word I said and did whatever you wanted anyway.”
She glared at him, then turned away as if there was nothing left to say. Seo-yeol glanced around uncertainly before following her.
“Argh, miss…!”
Behind them, Old Man Oh stamped his foot in helpless frustration, calling after her, but no one answered.
Silence filled the back seat of the taxi between Baek I-hae and Seo-yeol.
I really thought he would listen to me—at least respect what I wanted.
Staring quietly out the window, Baek I-hae sniffled. She hadn’t managed to wipe her tears properly; her face must be a mess. She bowed her head, and Seo-yeol stretched out his arm.
More precisely, he tugged his sleeve down over his hand.
“…No tissues.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? You’re telling me to wipe my face on your clothes?”
When she let out a hollow laugh and asked, he nodded as though he genuinely meant it.
At that unquestioning affection, Baek I-hae gave a small smile and took his hand.
“It’s fine. Just comfort me.”
“…You’re really disappointed in hyung, aren’t you?”
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t. Honestly, it was a shock too.”
“Old Man Oh says it’s probably trauma from what happened to Mom. I was too little—I don’t remember the incident when she died.”
Trauma.
It might be something like her own pathological hatred of being trapped in dark spaces.
Something you want to overcome, but your body refuses to cooperate no matter how much you will it.
“But we can’t just keep going like this.”
“That’s true. Are you going to tell Dad?”
“I should. But today I don’t want to see Do-gyeom’s face, so I’ll sleep at Baek Yeong’s place.”
“That’s a little…”
Seo-yeol voiced his quiet unease. He was probably worried about leaving her alone in a house full of strange men.
From Baek I-hae’s point of view, though, Seo Do-gyeom’s house and Baek Yeong’s felt about the same now.
“Could you explain things to Uncle for me? Please.”
Seo-yeol couldn’t refuse her request—not the way Seo Do-gyeom could.
Knowing that made Baek I-hae feel a pang of guilt, but he nodded as if he understood.
“If anything happens, call me. I’ll come get you without letting hyung know.”
“Okay. I feel safe with our Yeol around.”
“Don’t say ‘our Yeol.’”
He kept a tight grip on her hand but refused to meet her eyes.
“What if I take that as an opening?”
Baek I-hae blinked slowly. Seeing his ears turn scarlet made her own face grow hot despite everything.
Without thinking, she glanced forward and caught the taxi driver stealing a look in the rearview mirror before hurriedly facing front again—his ears just as red.
That peculiar, fluttering embarrassment of youth hovered among the three of them.
This is unbearable.
She wanted to disappear into the smallest crack in the ground.
“You fought with Seo Do-gyeom?”
Baek I-hae got out alone in front of Baek Yeong’s house, waved to Seo-yeol, and walked inside as if it were second nature.
Baek Yeong, who had come out after receiving her message, asked the question with an expressionless face. Baek I-hae’s eyes widened in surprise.
“How did you know?”
“You look like a wife who quarreled with her husband and ran back to her parents’ house.”
“That’s… not the analogy I expected!”
It stung because it was too accurate.
Baek I-hae cleared her throat awkwardly, and Baek Yeong let out a faint smile. He stepped aside to let her in, and she entered.
“Where’s Ryeong unnie?”
“Shopping.”
“Ah, then she’ll be a while. I was going to suggest we drink together.”
“Drink?”
Baek Yeong frowned as though she had suggested something catastrophic.
She’s probably pregnant, so I only said it out of spite, but this reaction makes me want to tease him.
Baek I-hae stuck out her lower lip in mock sulkiness.
“What’s wrong with it? I’m an adult now—I’m allowed to drink a little.”
“Chai Ryeong can’t drink either, so don’t drink with her. What if something dangerous happens to you?”
“If she can’t drink, you should be worried about Ryeong unnie too.”
“She’s the one who needs to worry about her drinking partner. She gets more violent when she’s drunk.”
At Baek Yeong’s dead-serious tone, Baek I-hae quietly swore never to drink with Chai Ryeong.
“Come in first. I’ll keep you company in her place.”
She followed Baek Yeong as he walked ahead. He slowed his pace so she could keep up comfortably.
Suddenly she remembered what Seo Do-gyeom had said.
His eyes only follow you. I hated it.
And how, for some time now, Baek Yeong’s favorability had been higher than Seo Do-gyeom’s.
I tried to tell myself it was just fondness from familiarity, but this kind of consideration is confusing.
She recalled the last status windows she had seen for the two of them.
[Seo Do-gyeom Favorability: 75, Trust: 50, Obsession: 44]
[Baek Yeong Favorability: 95, Trust: 70, Obsession: 0]
Earning someone’s genuine affection was incredibly hard.
“Do you like me, boss?”
Seo I-heum’s and Seo-yeol’s favorability had shot up when she helped them.
With Seo Do-gyeom it had felt like carefully stacking pure feelings of love, which made it all the more precious.
That was why Baek Yeong’s sudden high numbers felt suspicious.
At her abrupt question, Baek Yeong stopped walking and turned. He didn’t look flustered.
“Well.”
An ambiguous answer—neither yes nor no.
“If the answer’s no, just say no. What’s with the vagueness?”
Baek I-hae pouted and complained, but Baek Yeong closed his mouth. It felt almost embarrassing to have doubted whether he truly liked her.
“What happened with Seo Do-gyeom?”
He changed the subject; the previous topic clearly hadn’t interested him. After a brief hesitation, Baek I-hae answered honestly.
“He was meeting another woman behind my back. He said he was looking for someone to act as a fiancée in public.”
“That crazy bastard.”
Baek I-hae’s eyes went round. She had never heard Baek Yeong swear before.
Still blinking in shock, she saw him tilt his head, genuinely puzzled.
“What? He is a crazy bastard.”
“No, it’s wrong, but… ah, seriously. It’s so outrageous it’s almost funny.”
She couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing. Because she finally realized that vicious curse had been on her behalf.
“Thank you—for taking my side.”
“You’re thanking me for that? Next time say it yourself.”
“I should. Earlier my mind just went blank—I couldn’t figure out what to say. So I ran away.”
Like a fool, she added softly. She hadn’t expected comfort.
It had just been awkward chatter, yet he answered in an unexpectedly gentle voice.
“Whenever you feel like running away, come here. You’re allowed to.”
“…Boss, you really hit hard without warning.”
Baek I-hae’s face flushed hot. She had practically whined like a child, and he had accepted it.
The Baek faction members might not notice, but he had never been openly warm toward her before, which made it even more surprising.
He shut his mouth again, jerked his chin as if to say hurry up, and strode ahead.
Maybe he doesn’t like me in that way after all.
She felt embarrassed for having briefly thought otherwise. Clearing her throat, Baek I-hae hurried after him.
