I’m Not That Obsessive

Chapter 21

I raised the corner of my mouth with a grin. I smiled innocently as if I had no ill intentions.

It was only a few days ago that we discussed using Mitchell to improve my standing in America. That conversation, while not entirely ordinary, was at least merely selfish and not completely beyond common sense.

But now, it’s a bit different. More than different, it was a statement that could create a storm in a person.

I completely abandoned my plan to slowly seep into Mitchell’s life. The more time I spent with Mitchell, the more I realized.

Especially, I realized that directly showing my obsession, no, my interest, was the way to get closer to Mitchell. I became confident that Mitchell would gladly accept me approaching so forcefully and without restraint.

I had absolutely no desire to share Mitchell with someone like Jeff. Of course, he might curse this as an insane, nonsensical proposal, but there’s no reason not to present a similar context to someone who’s already crazy, right?

What’s strange about pouring another bucket of muddy water into muddy water?

No, let’s say it’s pouring another bucket of sugar water into sugar water.

Our sweet relationship could become even sweeter.

“What do you think, Mitchell? If you accept this, you might lose your privacy. But of course, you’ll gain peace of mind.”

“Do you know how dangerous what you’re saying is?”

My head tilted involuntarily. What could be dangerous about it? I’m the one receiving.

“Is there anything dangerous about it?”

“There is. You say you’ll share me? That you’ll always be by my side? That you’ll see, hear, and feel everything about me?”

“…That’s right.”

I nodded cautiously.

“You won’t leave even if you know how dirty I play? If you play with me, it’s natural that you’ll be stained similarly.”

“Of course.”

As long as you don’t throw me away and abandon me, I will never leave you.

Mitchell reached out and cupped my cheek. He rubbed my cheek with his finger as he spoke.

“Alright. Then take me. Let’s have fun. And I’ll make sure you know exactly what you’re getting from now on.”

“Huh? Oh… okay. Okay….”

I clearly made the proposal, but strangely, I felt like I was the one being had. Unlike my bold behavior, I felt somewhat dazed.

I scratched my head and laughed awkwardly. Mitchell laughed too. His smile was unbearably fierce.

***

Knock knock.

Knock knock.

Knock knock knock.

Someone kept knocking on Mitchell’s front door. It was because the doorbell still hadn’t been fixed.

Even though they couldn’t see, Mitchell and Geon-woo could tell who had come to the door. First, anyone coming to the shared property would be stopped at the iron gate.

They would have to contact through the intercom from that distant place to ask for the door to be opened, and deliveries were left in the package box next to the iron gate. So the person standing at the door now without permission was obviously someone who was already on this property. It was Bae Junman.

“Shit.”

Hearing Geon-woo’s small grumble, Mitchell went to the entrance first. He opened the door without hesitation to greet Geon-woo’s older brother, Junman. Of course, there was no welcoming greeting.

“Hello, Mr. Mitchell.”

Junman greeted first with a friendly face, bowing his head slightly.

Geon-woo and Junman looked similar yet different. While Geon-woo had a sharp, handsome face with a fit body, Junman had a decent face but nothing particularly special. Since they shared genes, Junman’s physique was also good, but he had quite a bit of excess fat from lack of care.

Mitchell noticed the difference between the two brothers at a glance. They exuded completely different images. Unlike the plain Geon-woo, Junman seemed worn and weathered.

“Yes, hello.”

After exchanging brief greetings, Junman gestured to Geon-woo, who was glaring at him from a distance.

“Geon-woo.”

Junman sighed deeply and couldn’t shake off his anxiety as he watched his brother walking towards him. He had held onto a small attachment, but it seemed the obsessive disorder towards him had indeed disappeared.

‘Looks like I’ve really been rejected. Damn.’

Although he felt bitter inside, he didn’t show it outwardly. Pretending to be nonchalant, he opened his mouth.

“I wondered why you were sticking so close to Mitchell, but you two are neighbors? I saw that car coming into this house earlier and couldn’t believe it.”

“I told you to wait at home. Why did you come here?”

“I got tired of waiting, man. I almost cried for real, you know. Thinking I’d been abandoned in a foreign land. But if you came, you should have come straight home. What are you doing here? I was just waiting for you to come.”

While scolding his brother, he didn’t erase his smile. He grumbled playfully while pointing out Geon-woo’s mistake. As always, Junman pushed Geon-woo with just a few words.

Although he pretended not to be, his younger brother Geon-woo was a person with an incredibly weak nature. Isn’t that why he developed this obsessive disorder?

Junman subtly placed a sense of guilt in his younger brother’s heart.

“I have something to do. Just a moment.”

Geon-woo paused and talked with Mitchell. Of course, Junman couldn’t understand a word of their conversation.

Anyway, he thought he’d have a chance to talk alone once they went to Geon-woo’s house, leaving Mitchell behind. Junman was prepared to get on his knees if Geon-woo wanted.

What wouldn’t he do in a situation where he needed to get money?

“Let’s go home.”

Geon-woo, having finished his conversation, took the lead. Junman planned to say a quick goodbye to Mitchell and follow Geon-woo. However, Mitchell was already leaving the house, following Geon-woo.

“What? You’re coming too?”

Geon-woo, having no intention of kindly resolving Junman’s confusion, didn’t bother to answer. He simply left Mitchell’s house and walked towards his own. Side by side with Mitchell.

‘What’s he planning?’

Mitchell couldn’t understand Korean anyway, so he wouldn’t be able to comprehend any conversation. But having three people present was completely different from just two.

“Tch.”

But what could he do? The one in need must bow their head.

Junman had to accept that his brother, who once couldn’t last an hour without him, had completely changed.

***

“I’ll give you money. Don’t come looking for me anymore.”

This is what Junman heard as soon as they arrived at Geon-woo’s house. Geon-woo calmly informed him while watching Mitchell casually pick up and drink a beverage on the living room table. He turned his head back to Junman, meeting his gaze without hesitation in his eyes.

“Let’s live our separate lives now. I’m not going back to Korea.”

“Ah, well, I didn’t come all this way to live together… Listen, Geon-woo. I was really sorry about that time. Actually, I said things I didn’t mean. To make you come to your senses. Really. Believe me.”

“Do you think I’m angry just because you cursed at me and said nasty things? Of course, I was angry, upset, and sad. But you know me. According to you, I have an obsessive disorder. Would I care about such trivial things?”

Geon-woo’s gaze turned back to Mitchell. Mitchell was right behind Junman. He could see Mitchell with just a slight turn of his eyes.

Geon-woo showed no interest in Junman, his conversation partner, and was only focused on Mitchell.

Junman immediately realized. That Mitchell was now the object of his brother’s obsession.

“What happened to the money I gave you before? Did you spend it all?”

“……”

“I see you spent it all.”

He was certain even without hearing an answer. Geon-woo knew Junman better than anyone else.

Geon-woo’s obsession didn’t necessarily correlate with affection towards the subject. Geon-woo could be obsessed with someone without particularly liking them. That’s why he didn’t care much even when Junman lived miserably like a wastrel. He didn’t select the object of his obsession based on human morality, personality, or character.

Even Geon-woo himself couldn’t pinpoint a specific reason. Just a vague thought that he needed to grab onto what he was drawn to.

The most important thing was to cut out the anxiety rushing towards him by obsessing over others. Geon-woo wouldn’t have cared even if he brought in the worst scum of humanity.

“The amount I can give you right now is about 300 million won. Use it to start a business or open a shop, whatever you want. But don’t come looking for me again.”

“……”

“I’m serious.”

Junman bit his lip. Of course, 300 million won is an enormous amount. It was remarkable to obtain 300 million won at once from this impulsive trip to America, but it was mere pocket change compared to the money Geon-woo held.

If he had maintained a good relationship, he could have extracted more, much more!

Junman finally regretted what he had done. Even as his position in the entertainment industry was falling, he couldn’t stand his brother’s suffocating behavior at the time. He was so sick of it that he blurted out those terrible words.

In the end, Geon-woo left Korea, and with him, the massive money pipeline was cut off. Just as Junman was about to say something, trembling with rising irritation, it happened.

“…What?”

Unable to understand Geon-woo’s words, Junman asked back stupidly. Strangely, the words that just came out of Geon-woo’s mouth were not Korean, but English.

But it wasn’t directed at Mitchell. Geon-woo’s gaze was focused on Junman.

However, the fact that he used English meant it was meant for Mitchell to hear as well.

“You… what did you just say?”

Junman asked.

To this, Geon-woo replied,

“Oh, you couldn’t understand because I spoke in English. What I said was…”