I grabbed Cha Gil-Do’s arm as he spat curses in a dry voice. A part of me just wanted him to calm down a little….
Only then did he glance at my face, a strange light in his eyes.
“Let’s head back for today.”
“Yes….”
It was a bit of a shame since there were still many works I hadn’t seen, but there was no helping it.
Suddenly, his large hand covered the top of my head. The soft stroking felt like he was telling me he knew how I felt.
But… how long was he planning on doing this?
Just like before, once Gil-Do started, he didn’t stop for quite a while. My hair must have been completely disheveled by now, but I stayed still until he was satisfied.
Then he asked me,
“Do you want to see more?”
“……”
“You can beg if you want.”
“A little…?”
“Don’t hold back.”
“A lot, actually.”
“As much as you want.”
He gave a faint smile, then tapped my cheek with the hand that had been on my head.
With his permission granted, I admired the works to my heart’s content. Each painting carried the unique originality of abstract art, delivering different, difficult, and profound messages.
They say abstraction is like the universe.
Going beyond recognizable forms with texture and rhythm, it paints an inner cosmos. It connects to figurative art through the way it unleashes inner worlds to cause powerful emotional clashes, which was why I enjoyed modern art.
The greatest charm—and possibility—of abstract painting was finding harmony within chaos.
Thanks to my habit of always going around alone, I could stay rooted in front of one piece for tens of minutes without feeling rushed. But having company was different. Especially if that person kept staring at me instead of the paintings.
‘He’s watching only me again….’
With Gil-Do dogging my steps, it was impossible to focus properly on the artwork.
Was he silently telling me to stop? Feeling pressured by his gaze, I finally spoke up.
“Um… should we go?”
“Why.”
“You kept looking at me. I thought maybe you were bored….”
Gil-Do looked almost surprised, as if realizing something. Could it be he hadn’t even been aware of it himself? I thought I was the only one slow, but maybe we were alike in that. Just as I felt a strange sense of kinship, his low voice came.
“…I see. I didn’t even have the chance.”
“Excuse me?”
“I’m plenty entertained right now.”
He smiled as he answered. Judging by his expression, he really did seem to be enjoying himself. I thought he was watching only me, but apparently not. Maybe I really was the oblivious one.
Still, I was secretly pleased. I thought I was the only one enjoying myself, but he liked it too.
After some time, I suddenly noticed a sign pointing to the restrooms and felt the urge to go.
“Um, I’ll just… use the restroom.”
Gil-Do nodded. Thankfully, he didn’t follow me in. After finishing, I washed my hands. As I shook off the water, a man in a suit stepped up beside me. I paid him no mind and turned to leave—
“Fearless, aren’t you. Most would tremble over the tiniest scratch.”
“…Pardon?”
“Not an imitation, is it?”
Though I had never seen him before, his voice was oddly familiar.
The man checked his reflection in the mirror, adjusting his clothes and hair, continuing to talk as if to himself.
“Patek Philippe. Only one piece in Korea, taken for thirty-five million dollars. I wondered who had it.”
His gaze was fixed on the watch strapped to my wrist.
He gave me a smooth smile, his neat features forming the picture of a kind face.
“But… haven’t we met somewhere before?”
Caught off guard, I shook my head.
“No….”
“You look familiar.”
“…Who are you?”
“…Haha.”
Smiling faintly, he suddenly covered his mouth and laughed.
“You really don’t know me?”
The voice clicked into place. It was the same one that had spoken with Gil-Do earlier—Oh Yu-Seong. His face was unfamiliar, but I had definitely heard that name before.
If I remembered it, that meant he was an important character in Please, Obsession. Yet I couldn’t recall the details. Oh Yu-Seong… Oh Yu-Seong… The memory lingered just out of reach.
“…Oh Yu-Seong.”
“So you do know me?”
I had let the name slip out without meaning to. Realizing my mistake, I tried to leave, but Yu-Seong stepped in front of me, blocking the way.
My back hit the wall. Nowhere to go. He leaned in, smiling kindly, but it felt like he might harm me.
“What’s your name?”
“……”
“Hmm?”
He pressed, lowering his head with a smile. His breath was so close it made me stiffen. Unconsciously, I blurted out,
“Kim Dong-Yoon.”
“That’s odd. Never heard it before. But why do you feel so familiar, Dong-Yoon?”
“…I, I need to go now.”
He didn’t let me go, as if binding me with invisible chains. When I tried to slip past, he raised his arm to block me.
“Want to try with me too?”
“What are you…?”
“Like this.”
Before I could grasp his meaning, his hand moved to my nape, touching the spot Gil-Do had bitten earlier. My skin crawled, and I shrank away.
Close to my ear, Yu-Seong whispered,
“I’ve never been with a man before… but with you, I think I could.”
At those words, the memory of his role hit me. In Please, Obsession, if Baek Eun-Seong was the extra villain cut in three episodes, then Oh Yu-Seong was the main villain and secondary male lead. Outwardly gentle, but with an obsession for Kang Ji-a just as fierce as Gil-Do’s. A villain, yet desperate in love.
But why was he doing this to me?
‘He said he wouldn’t bite!’
Gil-Do had told me I’d learn to avoid it, but Yu-Seong looked ready to sink his teeth in.
The door opened as someone else entered the restroom. Yu-Seong pulled back, wary. Seizing the chance, I slipped away.
‘Cha Gil-Do…!’
The threat of being dragged off at any moment burned in my chest. The moment I left the restroom, I rushed toward Gil-Do, who wasn’t far away. Only when I clung to him did I let out the breath I’d been holding.
“Hhk, hff… hhkk.”
“Baek Eun-Seong?”
Startled, Gil-Do tried to push me off, but I burrowed into his coat. He stopped, then wrapped me fully inside it. With nothing else in sight, I finally calmed, my breathing steady.
After some time, he asked,
“Did you see another ghost?”
“…He tried to bite me.”
“What?”
“He tried to bite me….”
Gil-Do had bitten me before too, but it hadn’t been like this. Why was Gil-Do okay, but Yu-Seong terrifying? I didn’t know, but that was how it felt.
As soon as he heard, Gil-Do ground his teeth. The sound was so chilling my stomach lurched again. When I looked up, his expression was dangerous, eyes fixed on the restroom I’d come from.
He put his coat over my head, let me go, and strode in. The noise of chaos and pounding echoed out, and startled guests ran from the restroom. Yu-Seong wasn’t among them.
After a while, Gil-Do came out, took my hand, and pulled me swiftly from the gallery.
He placed me in the passenger seat. With a dark expression, he handed me a cushion, fastened my seat belt, then got behind the wheel.
‘Wait… what about the driver…?’
The chauffeur who had driven us here didn’t join us, but Gil-Do’s heavy aura left no room for questions.
After some time, Gil-Do stopped the car and spoke.
“Baek Eun-Seong.”
“Yes—yes?”
On edge, I jumped at his low voice.
“That bastard….”
“Bastard?”
He was silent a moment, then spoke again, carefully choosing his words.
“Do you remember who tried to bite you?”
I did—Oh Yu-Seong. But saying it now felt like it would get him cut from the story. My intuition wasn’t always sharp, but this kind of hunch often was. Without realizing it, I shook my head.
“If you remember, tell me.”
“…Why?”
He smiled broadly.
“So I can kill him.”
The answer made me tremble all over. Truly, he had the force of a male lead who had cut out a side villain in just three episodes. Gil-Do could be even more frightening than Yu-Seong. Yet unlike Yu-Seong, he didn’t make my skin crawl.
Maybe that was why—even though I wasn’t in any position to lecture anyone—I wanted him not to do something that would land him in trouble.
“You’ll get arrested….”
“Hearing that from you, who was arrested yourself—it’s laughable.”
His eyes didn’t laugh at all.
“You can’t do that.”
“Baek Eun-Seong, that’s not what you should be worrying about.”
“How could I not worry, when I want to live with you….”
“…Are you serious?”
Without him, as a tenant, I’d naturally have to leave. Why even ask such an obvious thing?
“I am serious.”
He asked,
“Why.”
“?”
“Why do you want to live with me.”
What? Wasn’t he the one who said it was fine? Did he change his mind already? He couldn’t…
“You said it was okay… isn’t it?”
“What if I say no.”
“Please say yes….”
“Keep going.”
“…?”
“Beg harder.”
His demand came without a shred of humor.
So this was what “abuse of power” looked like…. Yet it didn’t feel bad. Like I said before, pride was a luxury in my life. Bowing my head had been second nature since working one part-time job after another.
I spoke with confidence.
“(Land)lord… won’t you give me permission?”
“…Unbelievable.”
He muttered into his hand.
I could still hear him….
Then he lowered his hand and looked straight at me. Wherever his gaze touched, my skin prickled. I tried to turn away, but he seized my chin. Our eyes locked, and I couldn’t move.
“You dare spout that so fearlessly.”
“…What?”
His gaze dipped, and then his lips were close enough for his breath to touch me.
‘…Huh?’
The kiss came in an instant.
‘Huh?!’
It was the second time, but it felt different somehow. I couldn’t tell how—but different.
He pulled back slightly, met my eyes, then kissed me again. His hand slid from my chin to my nape, pressing where he’d bitten me before.
“Uht.”
The shock made me jerk. Everything happening so fast left my head spinning.
Gil-Do gave a self-mocking smile, then parted my lips with firm pressure. Something soft slipped inside.
His tongue invaded my mouth, sweeping it wildly as if to reach my throat. My chest tightened, but what really disoriented me was the sweet taste spreading across my tongue.
“Hff….”
I tried to push him away for air, but the more I resisted, the more relentlessly he devoured me. Lewd, wet sounds filled the car. His tongue prodded my palate and teeth with rough insistence.
‘Feels like I’m being eaten alive….’
My body trembled violently.
His strong tongue moved fluidly, tangling and biting my own before retreating slowly.
“??”
Gil-Do gave a faint smile, wiped my spit-slick lips with his thumb, and returned to the wheel. Driving off like nothing had happened.
‘Why… me?’
And I could only stare blankly at his face.