The man who had left without a word—Cha Gil-Do—came back in without a sound.
Striding up to me, Cha Gil-Do caged me within his arms. Feeling oddly embarrassed, I tried to slip away, but he only came closer. Just when I thought we might touch, Cha Gil-Do spoke.
“Baek Eun-Seong. You said you had nothing.”
So he had heard my embarrassing monologue.
Cha Gil-Do suddenly seized my hand, brought it to his lips, and continued.
“If you’re going to throw yourself away like that, I’ll have you.”
“…Pardon?”
“Live until I get sick of it.”
“Um….”
He stared straight through me as if telling me to speak.
“Aren’t you Cha Gil-Do?”
“I am.”
He said he was himself….
Why was he acting differently from what I knew? Was the book different from the drama? Even if it was, I thought he would kill Baek Eun-Seong as a mere extra villain according to the set plot. Contrary to my expectations, Cha Gil-Do told me to live.
“I don’t… really understand.”
“What is it you don’t understand.”
“You brought me here to kill me.”
“……”
“Didn’t you?”
“…Yes.”
“Then why?”
“Do I need to make you a reason so you won’t pull any stupid stunts?”
“No, I mean, it’s the first time anyone told me to live…. Is that really okay?”
I was a villain—was that allowed?
Not knowing whose permission I needed to live, I asked the protagonist, Cha Gil-Do, for permission first.
“Live.”
Cha Gil-Do readily agreed. The protagonist had permitted it, so somehow it would work out.
Still, since I was a villain, I decided not to act up and just stay quiet. If I did, the story would naturally progress as the heroine got involved on that side, and I could simply keep my distance and hold my breath.
If Cha Gil-Do told me to get out of this house right away, I would be in trouble. Because Baek Eun-Seong was the delinquent villain who had stripped himself of the right of succession.
It was unclear whether he was receiving financial support from his family. Surely, now that we had at least become acquainted, he would not immediately throw me out onto the cold street just to go live with the heroine, right?
‘Probably…?’
I decided not to think any deeper. Even if something bad happened, the villain would die and I would just return to being the original Kim Dong-Yoon.
* * *
My body had recovered to some extent, but I did not leave the room. In a place where everything was perfectly prepared, I felt no need to go out. When I was hungry I ate, when I was sleepy I slept. While I was spending such a lazy, indolent daily life, Cha Gil-Do appeared.
“Baek Eun-Seong.”
It seemed I was called Baek Eun-Seong here more often than my original name, Kim Dong-Yoon.
Called by Cha Gil-Do, I lifted my head from where I was lazing on the bed.
“Come out.”
“I ate….”
“Go out and get some air.”
“It’s cold outside….”
“We’ll move by car, so it won’t be cold.”
“I want to stay here.”
“You’ve been holed up in that room for over two weeks. Get out, now.”
“Mm-mm.”
Shaking my head in refusal, I tried to burrow back under the covers.
That was when it happened.
Suddenly my body lifted into the air. Startled, I flailed and grabbed whatever I could. Only after my posture stabilized did I realize that Cha Gil-Do had hoisted me up in his arms.
Not knowing what to do, I only stared at his face, and he carried me out of the room as if it were nothing. A full-grown adult, and a man at that, being carried—by another man.
A fresh shock and, at the same time, strangely….
‘…Comfortable.’
Perhaps because he held me so steadily, it wasn’t uncomfortable, and I could feel his body heat, making it even cozy. It would be a lie to say I was not embarrassed at all, but even taking that into account, Cha Gil-Do’s arms were comfortable.
‘So this is what makes him the male lead….’
I hardly had any pride to begin with, so if I could not stay in bed, I felt I could just stay like this.
Reading my thoughts like a ghost, Cha Gil-Do said,
“Don’t doze.”
“Yes….”
“Don’t just answer. Keep your eyes open.”
Even though I was sleepy, I forced myself to endure it, and because he was demanding a lot, I rubbed my head against his chest. I had no idea what there was to see outside. Going out only meant crowds and exhaustion….
But Cha Gil-Do was resolute. He seemed to pause a little when I burrowed into his arms, but soon he walked even faster outside and before I knew it, he had put me in the car.
When the giant hot pack—more than a mere comfortable cradle—was about to leave me, I reflexively grabbed him.
“Why.”
Cha Gil-Do asked. But I did not have a particular reason for grabbing him. If I had to find one….
“I felt empty….”
“……”
Judging by Cha Gil-Do’s reaction, I could tell just how willful I had been. Had I unknowingly gotten immersed in the character Baek Eun-Seong? Admitting I had done what I normally would not, I hurried to let him go, but my hand was caught.
Keeping hold of me, Cha Gil-Do fetched a cushion from the back seat and handed it to me, then fastened my seatbelt and got into the driver’s seat. I looked between the cushion and Cha Gil-Do, wondering why he had given it to me, but he never gave an explanation.
A pleasant scent in the car, the soft cushion, the warm seat. My body felt like it was melting. As I nodded off drowsily, someone called me.
“Baek Eun-Seong, Baek Eun-Seong, wake up.”
It was a nice voice, but it tickled, so I instinctively reached out and pushed it away. Feeling that soft, warm sensation, I barely opened my eyes—of course. I was pushing Cha Gil-Do’s face away.
“Ah….”
I slowly removed my hand from his face and watched his reaction, but he said nothing, simply opened the car door and got out.
‘Is he mad?’
While I shrank into myself, the door beside me opened and I saw Cha Gil-Do.
“Get out.”
“Y-yes! Yes.”
I fumbled with the seatbelt and got out, and Cha Gil-Do let out a deep sigh. I had not even thrown a tantrum and had done as I was told—so why was he like this?
He reached a hand toward me. Thinking I was about to be punished for pushing his face, I tried to back away. But I was not nimble, and Cha Gil-Do was swift.
He took the cushion I was holding, left it on the seat, and shut the door.
With even the cushion I had been relying on gone, the emptiness doubled. Not knowing where to put my hands, I fidgeted, and Cha Gil-Do suddenly grabbed my hand.
“Uh, uhh….”
Before I knew it, I was being led away. I was about to ask where we were going when a falling cherry blossom petal before my eyes made me look up at the sky.
“Wow….”
There were no people around, only cherry trees. Covered in pink blossoms. I could not remember the last time I had gone to see flowers, and as I stood there dazed, I held out my hand. Looking at the small, pretty petal that fell on my palm, I felt a ticklish, strange sensation. So this is why people go flower viewing.
I spoke to Cha Gil-Do, who was watching me as I stopped to admire the blossoms.
“This place is really nice. And there’s no one here….”
“It’s private property.”
“So it was private….”
“If you don’t plan to rot holed up in your room, come out like this.”
“Together?”
“…Yes.”
If he would bring me, I thought it would be fine to come out like this once in a while, so I nodded. After that, without a word, Cha Gil-Do simply followed me as I viewed the flowers. At first, I wondered if he had something to say and waited for him to speak, but he only stayed quietly by my side.
‘When are we going home?’
I was getting hungry and wanted to go back and rest, but Cha Gil-Do showed no sign of suggesting we return. Should I bring it up first? Not knowing how to broach it, I stared blankly at the flowers, when Cha Gil-Do spoke.
“Shall we go?”
“Yes!”
“……”
He laughed. I did not know why he laughed.
Anyway, we could finally go home!
Cha Gil-Do took my hand. He had not done that while we were looking at the flowers, but to the car parked not far away, he led me by the hand. Before I could question whether this was right, a cushion was put in my arms and the car started.
I glanced at him without thinking. Judging by his nonchalant expression, this was only natural. Well, he was the male lead, after all.
‘…I guess so.’
But was Cha Gil-Do this gentle of a protagonist? In the drama, even with the heroine, I remembered he was depicted as a bit frightening. Since this was the original novel, perhaps the adaptation had been excessive.
As I roughly accepted that, Cha Gil-Do muttered,
“I should plant a few more along the road.”
* * *
Where we arrived was not home, but an ostentatious restaurant. Just looking at it made me feel small.
Getting out of the car first, Cha Gil-Do opened my door and said,
“Why aren’t you getting out?”
“My clothes….”
“What about your clothes?”
A white T-shirt and black pants—no trace of formality. No matter how I looked at it, I did not match the restaurant.
“What if people look at me weird….”
“Which bastard would dare?”
“Huh?”
“……”
Startled by his rough words, I asked back, and Cha Gil-Do shut his mouth. I thought he might be angry, but his expression did not change, so I could not tell. He seemed to ponder for a moment, then suddenly picked up his phone and called somewhere.
“Clear them all out.”
Ending the short call, Cha Gil-Do held out his hand to me. I only stared blankly at it, so he impatiently took my hand and tugged me inside the restaurant.
The interior was more splendid than the exterior. I instinctively checked my surroundings, then realized there were no people and tilted my head. For such a large and lavish restaurant, there was not a single customer.
‘Is the food bad?’
Given that it was lunchtime and not a single person was there, it must be a place that only looked fancy. Should I suggest we search for a famous spot even now? While I hesitated, unable to find the timing to speak, he seated me and the food came out.
‘Wow.’
Twice surprised today. Once by the cherry blossoms. Once by the food.
Small, easy-to-eat dishes came out in small portions, followed by a fish dish I had never seen before. The appearance and taste of each dish were unfamiliar, but everything tasted amazing.
It was so excellent—so why were there no customers?
‘It must be a hidden gem!’
I had never been much interested in eating; my appetite only needed to be sated. But today, I ate well and with relish.
So I did have days when I overate.
Putting down my fork, I asked,
“Are we going to my house now?”
“What?”
“Are we going somewhere else? I really want to go back to the room and rest….”
“You want to go when the entrée has not even come out yet?”
“An… tré?”
“……”