I ended the call and headed straight to Choi Jeokhyeon’s house to retrieve the original video. As the taxi moved, I recalled the conversation I had with him.
“Yutae-ya, even so, no matter the circumstances, please don’t lie to me from now on. I don’t like it.”
“…….”
It was a gentle yet firm denial.
As if saying, “
I know that your memories haven’t returned
.”
Choi Jeokhyeon didn’t call me out on my lie or get angry. He simply played along and added, “
Don’t lie from now on
.”
‘He’s someone who rarely gets angry to a strange extent. What happened last time was quite out of character.’
After that, he offhandedly remarked that I was
so fine.
It seemed that was the reason my lie had been caught.
‘If I had really regained my memories, there’s no way I could be having this conversation so casually. Does that mean the content of the video is that disturbing?’
Seeing that kind of reaction from someone who knew the video’s content naturally heightened my anxiety about the original. I had already braced myself, considering that my past self had hidden it away without ever using it, but actually witnessing such a response made my heart sink.
However, this thought was fleeting, as Choi Jeokhyeon quickly reverted to his usual calm demeanor and continued the conversation
“Is it a good time now? Come and get it.”
“I told you there are a few conditions. You coming in person is my first condition.”
‘He’s giving it back so willingly……’
Even as I readily agreed to Choi Jeokhyeon’s proposal, I struggled to shake off a renewed sense of unease.
I couldn’t figure out why Choi Jeokhyeon, who had been overly protective of me until now, was handing over the original so willingly. I was clearly expecting another argument about this and was fully prepared to confront him, so his easy agreement felt anticlimactic.
‘Isn’t he worried that I might get shocked after watching the original?’
If he lied and said, “
I don’t have the video
” or “
I think you’ve got the wrong person
“, I would have no choice but waste time contacting the other candidate. Of course, in the worst-case scenario, whether he cooperated or not, I would have used every possible method to steal the original.
“
I’ve already regained my memories, so it’s pointless for you to try hiding it
“. He already saw through my bluff, so he didn’t need to humor me. It felt a bit strange how easily he agreed to my request.
‘If only my memories were still intact, I wouldn’t have to play this complicated mind game…….’
From where to where, and based on what criteria, did Han Seungbeom erase my memories?
Did he simply erase all the memories that were painful for me? Since Han Seungbeom was still young, that possibility wasn’t entirely out of the question.
‘…For what purpose?’
I was completely unable to understand the thought process of either Choi Jeokhyeon or Han Seungbeom.
In the first place, I couldn’t even understand why they would go to such lengths to protect me.
There was something awkward, maybe even a little unsettling, about this feeling.
Screech.
While I was mulling this over, the taxi stopped. As soon as I got out of the car, I hurriedly headed to Choi Jeokhyeon’s house.
I had no time to waste.
“I’m at the hospital. You’ve already heard from the manager, so why are you still doubting me?”
The person Jo Inchan was talking to on the phone at the hospital was probably Lim Seunghoon. Someone whose position was high up enough to receive reports from the manager
and
someone whose relationship with Jo Inchan allowed them to speak so casually, it would be hard to think of anyone other than Lim Seunghoon.
And that, in other words, made it clear that Jo Inchan was still trapped under the control of Lim Seunghoon and Kang Hyukwoo. It was obvious he was being monitored so closely that even going to the hospital was subject to surveillance, so I couldn’t afford to relax.
Beep, beep, beeep!
Without even pressing the doorbell, I immediately pressed the door lock and barged in. I could see Choi Jeokhyeon, fully dressed in a suit, walking down the long hallway.
‘He came straight from work.’
It seemed that Choi Jeokhyeon had rushed back home in the middle of his work to quickly hand it over to me. From his perspective, I had relatively more free time since my promotional activities were over, so it would have been fine for me to adjust to whatever time he was free. It would have been nice to think he was being considerate of my situation, but he was absolutely not the kind of man to do that.
“You’re here?”
I nodded curtly at Choi Jeokhyeon, who greeted me, and was about to get straight to the point while keeping my gaze fixed on the floor. But he abruptly stopped me by suddenly lifting my chin.
“Why?”
I asked him that, but he didn’t reply. Choi Jeokhyeon looked much the same as always, but he had a subtly pale look as he gazed down at me.
But he didn’t just stop there. He scanned me from head to toe, his gaze so intense it felt like he was trying to read my soul. That immediately made me frown, and I snapped at him.
“What are you doing?”
“Just because.”
Seeing that I was acting no differently than usual, he seemed instantly relieved, breaking into a faint smile. He seemed to need to confirm with his own eyes that I was
so fine
, just like he’d said on the phone, before he could feel at ease.
Choi Jeokhyeon’s crazy antics were nothing new to me, so I smoothed out the frown between my brows and held out my hand. It was a gesture asking for the original video.
“…….”
He blinked at me with an innocent look on his face, then smiled so sweetly that his lashes almost meet. He then placed his hand over mine and tried to steer me towards the living room.
“Dam…..”
I nearly cursed at that, but I just barely managed to stop myself, pushing his hand back to its original position. Ah, Han Seungbeom’s beautiful eyebrows were starting to crease again.
‘Why is he suddenly back to his normal self again?’
“Stop your nonsense. Give me the original.”
Seeing him play dumb so blatantly, I confronted him directly, and he responded by pressing down on my shoulder with a firm grip.
“Okay, I’ll give it to you. I promised, didn’t I? I’ve got everything ready for playback.”
“I’m not in the mood for jokes right now. Just give me the file, I’ll check it myself when I get back.”
Then, Choi Jeokhyeon softly spoke, without wiping the smile from his lips.
“I’m not trying to joke around either.”
“…Then what are you trying to do?”
“It’s the second condition. If you want to watch it, watch it here.”
‘Is he doing this because he’s worried I might freak out after watching the video?’
Choi Jeokhyeon had probably already seen the original video. Taking that into account, I started to think that the reason he was being so stubborn might be because he was worried I would be deeply shocked or devastated by what it contained.
‘…Can’t I just tell him not to worry about useless things?’
I hesitated for a moment, glancing back and forth between Choi, who seemed like he had no intention of backing down, and the USB plugged into the giant TV.
‘Should I just grab it and run now?’
I had no intention of watching Jo Inchan’s video in front of anyone else. I didn’t have the confidence to control my expression, and even though he already knew what was in it, the very act of showing someone I cherished going through such hardship to others was unpleasant.
‘There were no bodyguards around anyway, and I could overpower Choi Jeokhyeon with strength alone. No matter how much taller and more athletic he was than an average person, he was still no match for me…..’
‘Ah.’
Damn it, he was taller than me now.
He’s only 182 cm tall, yet he’s taller than me? Is this for real?
‘Ha, f**k…….’
If it were my original body, I could have just taken it by force, but now the situation was reversed. I glanced down at Han Seungbeom’s skinny arm, sighed deeply, and then went to sit on the sofa where Choi Jeokhyeon was sitting. I pressed my palm against my throbbing head and spoke.
“…After I watch it, I’m taking the file. Keep your promise.”
“Well then, of course I will, Yutae-ya.”
The thought of watching the video had already frayed my nerves, and I had neither the energy nor the time to argue with that guy. I was distracted by a headache, not the kind I experienced when I had memory problems, just a normal headache caused by stress.
‘Let’s just check it quickly and get back.’
Just as I was about to press the play button with those thoughts in mind, Choi Jeokhyeon, who had been staring intently at me, asked me something.
“Would you like some wine? I got some good stuff.”
As soon as I heard those words, casually offered, I stiffened and stared blankly at Choi Jeokhyeon.
“…What?”
However, when he saw my reaction, he just narrowed his eyes and tilted his head slightly. He realized he had made some kind of mistake seeing my expression. After a moment of hesitation, he offered an apology.
“Sorry. I know you don’t drink, so I shouldn’t have teased you about it. Are you upset?”
“…….”
As soon as I heard that answer, I realized that I had been mistaken all along.
“…Do you really think I’m in the mood for a drink right now?”
There were often moments like this.
The moments when I felt something abnormal from Choi Jeokhyeon were not in such grand or dramatic situations.
His true nature became apparent not in situations like funerals—where you’re expected to know how to comfort the grieving—where one has been ‘
trained
‘ many times on how to react, but in these extremely mundane, everyday moments.
‘Choi Jeokhyeon is worried I’ll be shocked because of this video?’
I was making the mistake of judging him as a normal person.
Choi Jeokhyeon would have no idea what kind of emotions I would feel after watching Jo Inchan’s video, so he wouldn’t be too worried about it.
“…I’m sorry, you weren’t in the mood for it, then?”
“…….”
Because he had no understanding at all of what was so awful about this video, or how horrific it was. To him, it was just a video that could be casually watched while doing other things.
He might manage to guess something like, ‘
I’ll be sad
‘ or ‘
I’ll be angry
‘. He would make that much of an effort since he tried to read my mood. But his understanding wouldn’t go any deeper than that surface level—it would be shallow, like memorizing definitions from a dictionary.
Could someone like him predict how emotionally shaken I would be after watching Jo Inchan’s video, and actually worry about it? No, in fact, it would probably feel like a bigger problem to him if I was being chased by a stalker or if I vomited and passed out in front of him.
“Hyung, don’t you think it would be a little easier if Father was gone?”
Since it wasn’t something I had experienced just once or twice, there was no need to get worked up.
But contrary to that thought, I felt my heart racing like crazy.
And at the same time a question came to my mind.
‘…Then, what exactly is Choi Jeokhyeon trying to confirm by keeping me here right now?’
***
After that, I finally got to see the original video I had been desperately searching for.
The original video was good enough as evidence.
But it was only
good
in a courtroom.
The second I started playing the video, I immediately understood why I had hidden it until the very end. If this video were to be released to the world, Jo Inchan would not only lose his career as a celebrity, but it would have been impossible for him to live a normal life at all.
It wasn’t that Jo Inchan did anything wrong. He was drunk from the alcohol that Lim Seunghoon had forced him to drink, unable to even keep his limbs steady, but even in that state, Jo Inchan was still…….
[“Wasn’t it supposed to be about letting me meet Yutae-hyung?!”]
[“What in the world are you doing! Let me go!”]
He resisted until the very end.
That was the
truth
.
[“I’m scared.”]
[“Save me, hyung…….”]
I quietly watched the video over and over again, taking it all in.
I clenched my fists so hard that they started to bleed, but no tears fell from my eyes.
I didn’t have the right to shed even a single tear.
[“…Because I said those things, you hate me now?”]
[“I was wrong. Please come back…….”]
The voice that kept calling for me, even in his delirious state, wouldn’t leave my mind.
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Translator’s Corner:
Day 14…….
Why it’s already February 1st … time is not real
I spent like … 30 minutes choosing between “I was wrong” or “I made a mistake” for the last part, but I ended up deciding “wrong” sounds heavier, so that’s it
Also the whole comment section is turning into a straight up murder mystery now … why is everyone so fired up asdfghjkl you guys really went … too … far asdfghjkl
Hold on for a little guys … wait until the next chapter if you want to hurt you head, this chapter is for the heart …. you guys need to write apology letter to Jo Inchan T_T
I really like the next chapter though, and you guys definitely would like it because there’s Choi Jeokhyeon in it …