Chapter 99: Chapter 99.
“…”
Eejun said to Woojin indifferently, “Considering how much of the drug we gave you at that time… It’s shocking that you didn’t at least get severe brain damage from it.”
“…”
“Who knew you would survive it and live a normal life?!”
“So it was you who tried to kill Shin Kim too?”
Woojin took the bottle to his lips and asked calmly. He knew he would have no choice but to drink the contents of the bottle even if he knew the drug inside was going to harm him, most likely damaging his brain irreparably. If he didn’t, Woojin knew he would be killed immediately, and he wouldn’t be able to return to Shin.
Never.
The liquid went down his throat.
Eejun replied, “No.”
“Then who?”
“My grandfather.”
“Why?”
“To make sure you and Jihoon Kang drift apart. So that you guys won’t see each other again.”
“… And what do you get from it?”
“Duh, the company of course.”
Woojin studied Eejun’s face, which was smooth like porcelain. There were times when Woojin thought he looked beautiful, but now that he knew the real Eejun, Woojin felt like he could see the snake scales on Eejun’s face.
His eyes began to close slowly, but Woojin continued to try his best to keep them open. He tried to focus on Eejun and opened his dry mouth. His lips tasted like blood.
Woojin said to him, “I don’t hate you.”
“Why not?”
“Because you are being used too.”
“…”
“I’ll bet you didn’t want to be a bad person either.”
“…”
“I feel bad for you because it’s clear that you were never loved.”
Eejun’s face turned cold, but Woojin couldn’t focus. His eyes continued to close as he murmured, “You poor guys…”
SLAP!
Eejun slapped him, but because of the drug, Woojin didn’t feel any pain. When he smiled, Eejun’s eyes widened.
“You are laughing? You do realize you will die soon, either tomorrow or maybe the day after, right?”
“Thanks to you…”
“What?”
“Thanks to you, I remembered. I remember now that my father died trying to save me.”
His father loved him. Woojin remembered now. He remembered clearly the face of his father who was trying desperately to hold onto him. Woojin felt sad, but at the same time, he felt an overwhelming lightness. If he didn’t remember what really happened, Woojin would have lived the rest of his life without knowing the truth. With a misunderstanding about his father…
Woojin murmured, “I think… I think I was loved, Eejun Bae.”
“…”
“Unlike you.”
BANG!
The sound of gunfire was heard outside.
***
At the sound of the gunfire, Woojin closed his eyes. This very moment felt like an overlap of his past and the present.
That day when his father collapsed to the floor bleeding… Woojin remembered crying out loud for the first time in his life.
Eejun turned around in shock at the sound, and Woojin took his chance. With everything he had left in his body, Woojin grabbed a book from the side table and hit Eejun’s head with the sharp corner.
“Gyaaa!”
Woojin must’ve had more strength left than he thought. He hit Eejun so hard that streams of blood began to pour down on Eejun’s head. Woojin knew Eejun had fragile skin, and it worked to his advantage.
Panting sleepily, Woojin pushed Eejun away and opened the door, which opened with a beeping sound. A ray of light flashed suddenly, and Woojin vaguely realized the door must be connected to a CCTV.
The hallway looked dauntingly long. Woojin used his back to close the door behind him and pressed the button labeled “lock.”
“F*ck you, Woojin! Open this door right now!”
“…”
Thankfully, it seemed the door couldn’t be opened from the inside. Woojin grabbed his left chest and tried to breathe. He only drank a few drops of the drugged water, so his throat was still dry and burning. His legs felt weak, but he had to keep moving. He had to leave this place, or else, he was going to die here.
Myunghoon Bae was a perfectionist with a talent for details. Kidnapping Woojin was meant to be a warning to Woojin’s grandfather. Woojin didn’t doubt Myunghoon Bae was going to kill him.
Woojin tried to walk, but he had nothing else left in him. He bent forward weakly.
“…”
Every step was agonizing. When Woojin opened his eyes a few minutes ago and remembered his past, it was thanks to the scars on his wrist.
That fateful day when he almost died… The one who put pressure on his deep cut and closed it wasn’t a doctor or Shin. It was Woojin himself. He did it because he wanted to live. Even though everything felt hopeless at the time, Woojin still subconsciously knew that his life was worth living.
And thanks to his determination, Woojin was given another chance. He ended up reuniting with Shin Kim, and the life he led afterward was that of a loved person. To feel so loved was a wondering thing. Woojin’s life felt warmer and more colorful.
“Arghhh…”
Woojin coughed hard. He gagged, but nothing came out of him when he tried to throw up. Woojin looked up, trying to focus on something. Anything.
It seemed that this building had long hallways. There were three similarly-sized rooms in this corridor. The rooms were side by side. To figure out what floor he was on, Woojin studied the walls, but he couldn’t find any numbers. There were no numbers on the doors to the rooms either. It appeared that this building wasn’t a regular commercial structure.
Somehow, Woojin managed to stand up again and walk as he leaned heavily against the wall. He could find no windows anywhere, only darkness. The banging on the door by Eejun, who was still trapped, became distant and suddenly, Woojin saw the exit sign.
Just then…
BANG!
Another round of gunfire was heard and Woojin froze. He felt the vibration on the wall, and he could smell the smoke from nearby. With a deep breath, Woojin tried to move his legs as fast as he could. He was certain the noise came from either the floor directly above or… on this very floor.
When he twisted the doorknob, he was relieved to find out that it wasn’t locked. Long steep stairs greeted him downward, and Woojin looked at it quietly. He felt so weak.
“…”
The steps were round and tall, making it very hard to go down. It was clear the design was meant to prevent anyone from escaping. Woojin felt certain this building didn’t belong to his grandfather’s company. It had to be at least a five-floor, possibly even ten-floor building and the windows were all blocked. Either an abandoned building was remodeled, or it was built for a specific purpose from the beginning.
Woojin began to walk down slowly, still leaning against the wall. His legs trembled weakly. Woojin remembered the training he received as a child. In a situation like this where he felt like he was going to lose consciousness, he was taught to sing or remember his parent’s voices.
As he walked down, Woojin thought of Shin’s face. He kept telling himself over and over gain not to fall and roll down the stairs. It was very possible that at the end of the stairs, he was going to find another dire situation, but at least at this point, this as all he could do.
He wanted to see Shin again.
“One… two, three…”
Woojin clearly remembered the day when Shin picked up and handed him his student ID card. Woojin thought he could still feel Shin’s hand on his. Maybe it was from the drug, but Woojin smiled anyway. He remembered the happy memories.
Shin smiling. Shin hugging him. Their first kiss. The day they first met at work. And… Woojin remembered the time he first saw Shin at school.
“… It was love at first sight.”