Formless

Kangwoo, who had been staring at Heeun, suddenly smiled a little. Then, with surprising warmth, he asked.

“Did you follow me because you thought I’d be with other guys?”

“N-no…”

Heeun immediately denied it. Kangwoo’s lips curled upward, though he didn’t seem displeased.

Heeun glanced around. The other men had disappeared, and only bloodstains were left on the floor. It was just him and Kangwoo now.

But Heeun didn’t feel like he could fight back.

He had no confidence in winning. His palm already hurt, and if he were hit properly, he would lose consciousness.

Heeun was the type of person who would be utterly helpless even in the face of loan sharks’ violence.

So, he desperately started thinking about the police. Surely, there had been a message from them. Maybe a message saying they were on their way? They must be coming, right? He should stall for time.

“W-when did you know?”

“From the beginning. There’s no one else who would follow me so blatantly like you, sunbae.”

Kangwoo, with the face of a kind junior, patted Heeun’s head.

“I’m sorry. I-I just wanted to follow you…”

Heeun stuttered, and Kangwoo listened with surprising patience.

“When I watch you, it makes me feel good. I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry. I won’t do it anymore.”

“Why?”

“…Huh?”

Heeun asked back with a dazed look on his face.

“How funny it must have been to follow me around like an idiot, stop it.”

“…Uh… then, I’ll keep following you.”

“You’ll keep following me?”

Seo Kangwoo frowned slightly, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

Heeun realized, a bit too late. Seo Kangwoo was playing with him. If it stopped being fun, he might kill him. He began thinking more rationally. Seo Kangwoo was the perpetrator, and he was the witness. In other words, Kangwoo, who had killed someone, wouldn’t leave him alive.

Heeun was as good as dead.

“Huuuh…”

Eventually, tears spilled out. He was terrified and frustrated. He missed his mother. If he had known it would come to this, he wouldn’t have been so annoyed when giving her money. How sad would she be if she found out he died here? He didn’t want to die. He was only twenty-six.

Besides, his mom couldn’t do anything without him. If she couldn’t pay the monthly payments, those people would come after her. He had to run to his brother’s place before that. But would his mom have the courage to do that?

What about his student loan? Was his mom supposed to pay for it? How could she, when she spent most of her days lying down?

He hated his life for thinking only of money and his mom, even at the brink of death. It was frustrating. He had lived such a pathetic life these past few years, but if he had known death was this close, he wouldn’t have lived that way.

“Huaaa…”

Kangwoo frowned as he watched Heeun suddenly burst into tears. Tears spilled from his large, shiny eyes.

“Why are you crying?”

“Huuuh… I can’t die… Please don’t kill me… I won’t… I swear I won’t tell anyone. Really.”

As Heeun spoke, his sobbing grew louder. Kangwoo let out an annoyed sigh as he watched Heeun sob uncontrollably. The sound made Heeun’s shoulders shake.

“When we’re having a conversation and you suddenly cry, do you know how fucked up that makes me feel?”

“Huaaah… I-I’m sorry… Huuuh…”

“Don’t cry.”

It wasn’t a comfort; it was a warning.

Heeun, pale with fear, clamped his mouth shut, but quiet sobs still slipped through his fingers. His chest was rising and falling irregularly. It felt like he might collapse at any moment.

Kangwoo thought.

Should I just kill him?

His hand slid down Heeun’s wet cheek. When his fingertips touched Heeun’s thin neck, the Adam’s apple moved slightly.

“I swear I won’t tell anyone, Huuuh, Kangwoo.”

In a panic, Heeun barely spoke. His wet eyes observed the cold expression on the killer’s face. But he couldn’t read his expression.

Kangwoo. Kangwoo, please… I swear I’ll stay quiet.

“…”

Kangwoo, still staring at Heeun, gently wiped away the tears from his eyes. Everywhere he touched was damp and red. Heeun’s round eyes anxiously studied him.

These eyes. The reason he had let the pitiful stalker be was because of these eyes. The face and tone were blunt, but the eyes sparkled, and when he turned around, the desperate gaze he gave. It was amusing.

At first, it was just on campus, just on the way home, just in front of his house. Heeun, who had slowly expanded the range of his stalking, stopped there.

He was somewhat impressed by how Heeun tried to maintain his boundaries, but a little disappointed. He wished that Heeun had seen everything about him. A malicious thought arose.

But he had planned to leave him alone. Until he noticed that the taxi Heeun was in had been following his car.

‘What should we do?’

The driver had asked, glancing at the rearview mirror. Kangwoo, who had been loosely leaning back, rested his chin on the window. After a while, he replied.

‘Just let him be.’

He was probably smiling then.

“Greed brings trouble, doesn’t it?”

Kangwoo gently wiped the tears that had gathered on Heeun’s chin, his gaze following each step. Her reddened eyes and nose, the plump lips stained with blood, her slender neck, and the collarbone faintly visible.

Kangwoo’s lips slowly curved upward.

He asked, locking eyes with her, whose gaze was filled with longing.

“Do you want to fuck me? Is that why you followed me?”

“Huh?”

The large hand wrapped lightly around the nape of his neck, rubbing his collarbone gently with his thumb.

“Tell me.”

“Oh, no…….”

“I’d be offended if you said no.”

At the softly spoken words, Heeun was startled and bit her tongue. A sharp pain spread, but his priority was the feelings of the person who held his life in his hands.

“I want to fuck you right now.”

Heeun’s head spun. Was Seo Kangwoo gay, because the police would be on their way now, and the more time that passed, the more likely he was to live. In that case, it might be better to have sex with him however he wanted. It was better than dying.

“Seo, have you ever thought about it…?”

Heeun spoke in a small voice, almost as if he were whispering. As he glanced around, Seo Kangwoo smiled. The hand that gently stroked his stiffened shoulder, past the nape of his neck, was affectionate.

“Shall we fuck then?”

The softly smiling face was one that would have kept him awake at night in the past. Now, however, as Heeun looked at the face of his unrequited love, all he felt was fear. Seeing Heeun like that, Seo Kangwoo’s smile twisted into something more sinister.

“Take it all off.”

Seo Kangwoo, who had stood up and straightened his knees, spoke.

For a moment, Heeun froze before pressing his hands against the ground. Not asking ‘Here?’ was a significant achievement in itself. His limbs were trembling uncontrollably, making it hard for him to get up. Seo Kangwoo, irritated by Heeun’s slow movements, let out a sigh, as if to make sure he heard it. Heeun’s shaking hands quickened slightly.

Heeun was relieved that he was wearing a robe, though thinking of the sharp gaze piercing his body, it might have been better if his clothes didn’t have any buttons.

Each time he unbuttoned one, his pale skin was exposed. The robe slid off his angular shoulders and caught on his arms.

Heeun cautiously pulled his arms out and let the robe fall to the ground. Despite it being early October, the air here felt unusually chilly. For a brief moment, he wondered if it was because of the people who had died here. He squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to see the bloodstained puddle that would be in his line of sight if he turned his head.

The sound of the zipper on his jeans sliding down echoed. Heeun briefly glanced at Seo Kangwoo’s face. It was expressionless, his gaze leisurely tracing Heeun’s body.

Why hasn’t the police come yet. Heeun’s gaze shifted to the phone lying on the floor nearby.

“Mmm….”

Startled by Seo Kangwoo’s movement as he touched his chin, Heeun quickly pulled off his pants. After glancing around cautiously, he also removed his shoes and socks. Then, he folded his hands politely in front of him.

“What are you doing? Take off your panties so I can spank your bottom.”