Precious Thing

Tae Woowon stepped out of the dressing room and inspected the rest of the house. A storage room full of junk, a study, a laundry room, and the room Tae Woowon used—nothing more. Nothing came up. Where could it be? He craved a cigarette. Tae Woowon ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek and re-entered Lee Yesin’s room. But even after searching the same places at least twice, there was no sign of a necklace, not even a safe.He stepped into the living room and put a cigarette between his lips. Hesitating to light it in case it left evidence, he instead picked up his phone and checked the blueprint again. A spot where a safe might be hidden. If I were Lee Yesin, where would I put it? He imagined the unpredictable mind of Lee Yesin. Just then, an alarm set for midnight went off. The bar Lee Yesin had entered closed at 2 a.m. He’d set the alarm two hours early, just in case Lee Yesin moved locations. But even after searching the house for nearly four hours, he had found nothing.He opened the app and checked Lee Yesin’s location. As long as his GPS wasn’t off, he was still at the wine bar. Tae Woowon glanced at the circle labeled “Lee Yesin,” then stood up and dusted himself off. There was still time. Plus, now that he had gotten the driver’s work routine figured out, he could come and go from Lee Yesin’s house with ease, using any convenient excuse. There had to be a secret basement or hidden room not shown on the blueprint. If the safe were small, it would be even easier to hide. Picturing every corner of the house, Tae Woowon got into his car and headed for the wine bar.Lee Yesin left the wine bar around 2 a.m., closing time. Smiling with his eyes lowered, he walked side by side with Kwon Heechan through a small garden. As Lee Yesin pulled out a cigarette and put it between his lips, Kwon Heechan lit it for him. But Kwon Heechan himself didn’t smoke. Tae Woowon, watching Lee Yesin walk without paying attention to his surroundings, opened the car door and got out. The noise from the quiet alley made them turn their heads. Tae Woowon chose his words carefully before nodding toward Lee Yesin.“Get in.”Lee Yesin stared silently at Tae Woowon. If it weren’t for the cigarette smoke rising from the corner of his lips, it would’ve seemed like time had stopped as he stood there, motionless, staring at Tae Woowon. Then, slowly, the corners of his mouth lifted.“Ah… is that how it is?”Grinning like he’d found an amusing new toy, Lee Yesin slowly approached. Kwon Heechan tried to gently hold him back by his sleeve, but Lee Yesin brushed off his hand with a light gesture. He stopped in front of Tae Woowon and blew out a puff of smoke.“How much are they paying you?”“……”“Answer me. I’m asking you.”“I’m paid appropriately.”For some reason, Tae Woowon’s answer made Lee Yesin burst into laughter. He seemed to be amused by Tae Woowon’s use of polite speech. Yet, despite the big laugh, Lee Yesin’s eyes were cold and vicious. His face clearly displayed a sharp contrast between emotions.“Heechan, don’t you have anything you’re curious about? I’m racking my brain, but there’s nothing I want to ask.”As he spoke, Lee Yesin flicked his cigarette ash onto Tae Woowon’s shoes.“Hyung, stop…”“This bastard hit me.”“……”Kwon Heechan, who had been wearing a troubled expression, wiped it off and looked at Tae Woowon coolly. When Tae Woowon chuckled at that, Kwon Heechan frowned deeply. However, the sharp words came from a different mouth.“Don’t smirk, you bastard.”Lee Yesin shoved Tae Woowon’s shoulder, still only smiling with his mouth.“If I surround myself with other people, you won’t be able to lay a hand on me.”“Go ahead. Let’s see how it turns out.”“Oh, dropping the polite speech now?”Lee Yesin sneered, squinting his eyes as if he found Tae Woowon’s latest reply genuinely amusing. Tae Woowon casually waved away the lingering cigarette smoke near his face.“There was no reason for me to be respectful to you in the first place. Like you said, I’m just your watchdog.”“Watchdog, my ass. Then just shut up and follow me around quietly, watching my ass, and stop with the bullshit advice.”“It’s because you act like this that they hired me.”“What?”“Behave while they still tolerate you. Once they’re done with you, you’re beyond saving.”Tae Woowon remembered the fierce expression of Chairman Lee. He was the one who had prepared a VIP ward just for Lee Yesin. When his patience ran out, Lee Yesin was bound to end up in a miserable state.“What are you talking about?”“Be good to the people above you. No matter how much you self-harm and cause a scene, they won’t care. The ones who suffer are…”“That’s enough.”“Need a ride?”Tae Woowon asked Kwon Heechan, deliberately turning his gaze to him a beat late. Kwon Heechan, whose lips had twitched, soon met Tae Woowon’s eyes with a determined look.“I asked, do you need a ride?”“……”“If not, just go your way.”After finishing his words, Lee Yesin, wearing a cold expression, grabbed Tae Woowon’s wrist and flipped it so the palm was facing up. Then, he lowered his head. Drip. Sticky saliva that had gathered in his mouth fell onto Tae Woowon’s palm. Lee Yesin, who licked his lips with his tongue, lifted the cigarette he held in his left hand. He took a drag and pressed the burning end onto the spit, extinguishing it. Tilting his head slightly, he exhaled a puff of smoke and, staring at Tae Woowon, spoke.“You leave.”If nothing else, Tae Woowon was sure of one thing about Lee Yesin: he had an exceptional talent for pissing people off.“…Get in while I’m still being nice.”“Say it in a not-so-nice way.”With a grin, Lee Yesin gave Tae Woon a light shove on the shoulder and took a step back. He then grabbed Kwon Heechan’s tense arm and headed down the alley. Tae Woowon stood quietly for a moment, lowering his gaze to his palm. The now extinguished cigarette end sat in the cold, clear spit.“Interesting.”For the first time in a while, he felt motivated to really get serious—whether it was theft or keeping tabs on Lee Yesin, whatever it may be. Tae Woowon wiped his hand with his loosened tie, threw it on the ground, and got into his car. He started the engine and sped off in the direction Lee Yesin had walked. Screech! He sharply turned the wheel and stopped the car just before they exited the alley. He stepped out of the car, grabbed the back of Lee Yesin’s head, and shoved him into the passenger seat.“Fuck! Let me go!”“Hey!”Kwon Heechan tried to stop him, grabbing Tae Woowon’s shoulder, but Tae Woowon shook him off and calmly fastened the seatbelt for Lee Yesin. After confirming there were no witnesses in the quiet alley, he quickly rounded the hood of the car and got into the driver’s seat. Without another word, he floored the accelerator. The front wheels, half on the curb, jolted violently, and Lee Yesin groaned. That groan would definitely be worse tomorrow. Tonight, he planned to destroy the other side of his ass.“Are you insane? What the hell are you doing?”Ignoring the traffic lights, Tae Woowon sped toward home. Lee Yesin’s shouting beside him pierced his ears, but Tae Woowon kept his eyes forward, expressionless, steadily increasing speed. A ten-minute drive became a five-minute one as he slammed the car into the parking lot. As soon as he pulled the handbrake, he got out, grabbed Lee Yesin’s arm, and pulled him out despite his continued protests.“I’m not going! No! Fuck, let go of me!”Looking down at the defiant Lee Yesin, he unbuckled the seatbelt, bent down, and hoisted him over his shoulder, carrying him into the house.“Put me down! Let me go, you bastard, put me down!”Shutting the door behind him, he placed the thrashing Lee Yesin down in the entryway. Then, without warning, he slapped him. Whether it was because of the unexpected hit or not, Lee Yesin stumbled. Finally, the silence Tae Woowon had been waiting for descended.“This bratty behavior you’re talking about—do you mean this? Acting like a fool since yesterday?”“…Why did you hit me?”“I’m asking you—do you enjoy pissing people off?”“Why did you hit me?”Lee Yesin, holding his cheek where he had been struck, raised his head. The motion sensor lights in the entryway flicked off, failing to detect the slight movement. Even in the dark, Lee Yesin’s eyes glimmered.“I told you on the first day—watch your language. How many times did I hear you swear today?”“That’s it?”“That’s it? I can’t stand a punk younger than me cussing at me.”Tae Woowon grabbed Lee Yesin by the arm and dragged him inside. Though it felt awkward walking around with shoes still on, he didn’t have the mental bandwidth to worry about that. Lee Yesin started yelling again, trying to resist being pulled in.“Let go! Stop grabbing me! Fuck, let me go!”Tae Woowon stopped just short of the room and shoved Lee Yesin onto the living room sofa. Lee Yesin let out a soft groan, having hit his knee awkwardly as he fell. Tae Woowon looked down at him, removed his watch, and tossed it onto the table.“Get your pants down.”Lee Yesin clenched his fists, glaring at Tae Woowon.“Take them off.”Lee Yesin bit his lip. His eyes rolled up in defiance for a moment before he suddenly jumped up and ran toward the room. Scoffing in disbelief, Tae Woowon heard the door slam shut with a bang. He pulled out a small keyring he always carried. After selecting the right-sized tool from the various short metal picks, he inserted it into the keyhole and twisted it a few times. Click. As soon as the door opened, he saw the silhouette of Lee Yesin quickly rising from the bed behind the opaque partition.Tae Woowon walked purposefully, blocking the path to the bathroom as he approached. Lee Yesin, one foot already on the floor, looked at Tae Woowon with a panicked expression. Gripping the blanket, he nervously swallowed and glanced toward the door. Then, in a rush, he bolted toward the bed. But Tae Woowon, anticipating his move, easily wrapped his arm around Lee Yesin’s waist and slammed him back down onto the bed.Huff, huff. Lee Yesin writhed and panted heavily. Tae Woowon gazed calmly at Lee Yesin’s frightened face before sitting on the bed and pulling his upper body over his thigh.Lee Yesin’s butt, positioned right in the middle of Tae Woowon’s lap, was raised high due to the position. Tae Woowon, who had one leg resting on the bed, lifted Lee Yesin’s thin knit shirt and grabbed his waistband. Because of the belt, he couldn’t pull down his pants. With no other option, he slipped his hand underneath and undid the buckle. The sound of the belt loosening and the rustle of fabric echoed in the quiet room. When the zipper was pulled down, Lee Yesin’s body jerked slightly. Gripping the blanket, Lee Yesin remained tense and silent, breathing unevenly, while Tae Woowon, still expressionless, pulled his pants down to his thighs. There were purple bruises on the buttocks from the tight grip the day before. Through the fabric, Tae Woowon could feel the warmth radiating from Lee Yesin’s skin.“Say it. ‘I’m sorry.'”“……”Lee Yesin, who had been breathing heavily, closed his mouth. Tae Woowon brought his raised hand down swiftly. Slaaap! The sound was distinct, likely because of how forcefully he struck. As he looked down at Lee Yesin’s tightly clenched buttocks, the tension released, and he struck again. Slaaap! Smack! Smack!“Ugh…”A faint sob escaped, but Tae Woowon continued to bring his large hand down on Lee Yesin’s small backside. Thin rays of light entering through the window illuminated the reddening buttocks. The soft flesh beneath his hand gradually grew warmer. Tae Woowon glanced briefly at the back of Lee Yesin’s head, buried in the bed, and kept striking. Smack! Smack! The slapping sound didn’t stop, and after seven more blows, Lee Yesin finally spoke in a trembling voice.“I- I’m s-sorr… ugh, sorry…”The words were mixed with pitiful sobs. Tae Woowon stopped and placed his hand on the swollen, hardened buttocks. Both Lee Yesin’s buttocks and Tae Woowon’s hand were equally burning hot, as if they were about to burst.“Say it properly.”“S-sniff, I’m s-sorry… I’m sorry…”Lee Yesin, gripping the blanket tightly, barely managed to finish the sentence. Tae Woowon pulled down the pants that had been awkwardly stuck on Lee Yesin’s thighs completely and tossed them carelessly onto the floor. He wrapped his arms around Lee Yesin’s waist and laid him flat on the bed. Lee Yesin’s shoulders trembled as he buried his face into the pillow. Tae Woowon watched him quietly for a while before leaving the room. He retrieved a first aid kit from the storage room, which he had discovered earlier while searching the house. With painkillers, a bottle of water, and some ointment for bruises, he returned to the room.Click. He turned on the light and pulled a chair near the bed, sitting close to Lee Yesin. The dazed Lee Yesin’s gaze followed him as he approached. Tae Woowon ignored the look and placed the water bottle and the medicine near his face, squeezing ointment onto his hand.“…Leave.”“……”“I won’t curse at you anymore, so just leave.”Tae Woowon ignored his words and brought his fingers, now covered in ointment, to Lee Yesin’s red buttocks. As he rubbed it in, Lee Yesin lowered his hand and grabbed Tae Woowon’s wrist to stop him.“I hate this. Getting beaten and then being cared for… So get out. Right now.”Lee Yesin’s grip on Tae Woowon’s wrist was tight, but it wasn’t a threat. It was just bravado meant to hide his trembling. Tae Woowon placed the ointment on the bed and stood up without protest. As Tae Woowon stood, Lee Yesin naturally let go of his wrist, clenching his fists near his face. Clear tears had gathered in the bridge of Lee Yesin’s tall nose.Tae Woowon looked down at him for a moment before quietly leaving the room. He closed the door and stood still, staring into the dark house. Then, he spoke.“Shit.”A curse slipped out. It was the moment when Lee Yesin’s words had become reality.٠ ࣪⭑If he had kept being defiant until the end, this wouldn’t have felt so disgustingly complicated.When Tae Woowon opened the door to Lee Yesin’s room, he had completely lost the will to fight back. No, that had likely happened the moment he fled to the room. To take someone like that, beat them until they cried, and see their buttocks bruised—it was only natural that his feelings were in turmoil. And then, Lee Yesin added fuel to the fire.“Hey, come eat.”The sun, which had risen long ago, was already preparing to set. The clock pointed to four in the afternoon, and Lee Yesin hadn’t taken a single step outside his room. Tae Woowon stopped knocking and turned the doorknob. The door opened easily, as if it had been left unlocked since the night before.Holding the porridge he had ordered for delivery, Tae Woowon entered the room. Orange sunlight poured in through the half-drawn white curtains. Bathed in that light, Lee Yesin lay asleep, draped in nothing but a robe. Tae Woowon placed the bowl of porridge on the bedside table and picked up the medicine bottle that lay near his face. It was a sleep aid. He didn’t know how long Lee Yesin had been taking it, but it was a drug with severe side effects and high dependence, particularly dangerous for someone as mentally fragile as him.He placed the pill bottle on the floor and lifted the robe. Both of Lee Yesin’s buttocks were bruised in various colors. Tae Woowon squeezed out some ointment containing pain relievers and applied it. Lee Yesin, deep in sleep, didn’t make a sound as Tae Woowon applied the ointment and adjusted the robe back into place. Pulling out some tissues, Tae Woowon wiped his hands and sat down on the chair, his gaze fixed on Lee Yesin’s pale, bloodless face.In reality, this was the perfect moment. It was the ideal time to search for the necklace or safe hidden somewhere in the house, the one he had failed to find last time. But Tae Woowon just sat there, watching Lee Yesin breathe slowly in his sleep.Lee Yesin opened his eyes after 8 p.m. Hearing rustling, Tae Woowon lowered the book he had been reading and adjusted his posture. He looked up at Lee Yesin’s face, which was staring blankly into space without focus.“Stop sleeping.”“…I’m still sleepy.”“Get up and eat.”“…I’m not hungry.”His words were slow. How many pills had he taken?“You have to go to school.”“Classes are over.”“That doesn’t matter. You need to prepare for your graduation exhibition. You have to make clothes. After it’s done… I’ll… I’ll go to you…”His speech was disjointed, likely due to the medication. It seemed he didn’t even recognize Tae Woowon. Struggling to sit up, Lee Yesin knelt down on the bed and groaned.“It hurts…”“Take the medicine.”The painkillers Tae Woowon had thrown onto the bed last night were still in the same place. He set the water bottle down in front of Lee Yesin’s knees and handed him the painkillers.“…It hurts.”“I know.”“It hurts too much… too much.”Tears streamed down Lee Yesin’s blank face. The tears flowed so unnaturally, as if proving they weren’t from any strong emotion. It was the first time Tae Woowon had seen someone cry with no expression. After staring at him for a while, Tae Woowon reached up to wipe away the tears from Lee Yesin’s face. He then pressed the pill into his hand and helped him lie back down on the bed. Lee Yesin, clutching the blanket with the hand holding the pill, blinked slowly before closing his eyes completely. Once his breathing became steady, Tae Woowon picked up the sleep aid and the now-melted ice pack from the floor and left the room. His mood was heavy.٠ ࣪⭑“That porridge you brought, right? I don’t eat seafood.”That’s what Lee Yesin said the next morning, looking completely fine. He didn’t remember their strange conversation from the night before. Since that day, he and Tae Woowon had been living through oddly quiet days.Even when they encountered each other in the house, they passed by without much reaction, and unless necessary, neither spoke. It wasn’t that the turbulent emotions from the day of the beating lingered. Lee Yesin, the victim of the violence, wasn’t one to hold grudges, and even Tae Woowon, who had felt conflicted after striking him, had returned to his usual self. Yet something was different between them. They no longer paid attention to each other or provoked one another as before. From Tae Woowon’s perspective, it wasn’t a bad situation, but for some reason, it bothered him.“It’s already April. Time flies, doesn’t it? It feels like we just celebrated the New Year.”Tae Woowon was sitting at a table next to the campus parking lot, killing time with the driver. He flicked ash into a nearby ashtray and looked up at the budding leaves on a tree. They say universities are usually built on the mountainside, and Lee Yesin’s school was no different. As he exhaled a long trail of smoke, Tae Woowon’s eyes swept over the golden spectacle of leaves spreading behind him.“Young master will probably stay quiet for the next few days. He usually causes trouble during breaks.”“Yeah.”“Especially since he’s sticking close to Hwichan. He really relies on him, so we don’t have much to worry about.”The driver kept volunteering unnecessary information. As before, Tae Woowon nodded absently.“But… everything’s alright at home, right?”The driver had witnessed the beating. He was the only person who had seen Tae Woowon strike Lee Yesin in the car. However, it didn’t seem like he was asking about the violence. Tae Woowon stared at him in silence. The driver, suddenly flustered, waved his hands dismissively.“No, never mind. I was out of line.”Seeing the driver’s awkward expression, Tae Woowon checked his watch. He stubbed out the shortened cigarette in the ashtray and stood up.“I’m going to stop by the house. Some of my stuff just arrived.”Normally, he wouldn’t have been able to move so freely, but Tae Woowon’s job was merely a front, and the driver’s negligence in his duties made things easier.“Oh, you still have stuff left to move? Go ahead. You’ve got a couple of hours before you’re needed anyway.”Tae Woowon bowed his head slightly as he called for a taxi and left the parking lot. The necessary luggage had already been moved into Lee Yesin’s house some time ago. The only reason Tae Woowon arranged for additional, unnecessary items to be delivered was to have an excuse to leave. Although he initially planned to steal the necklace leisurely, his mind had changed. Now, Tae Woowon intended to finish the job as quickly as possible.When he arrived home by taxi, the moving company staff were confused, asking if this was all the luggage. Tae Woowon nodded and signed the paperwork. He placed one trunk and two boxes in the room and then headed to the study.After measuring everything with a tape measure over the past few days, he had discovered a discrepancy in the dimensions. There was one wall that didn’t match the blueprints—specifically, the right wall of the study, which was off by about 20 centimeters. Wearing gloves, Tae Woowon slipped his hand between the wall and the bookshelf, feeling from the top down. In the second shelf from the bottom, there was a hollow section. Tae Woowon sat in front of the bookshelf and removed all the large, thick books. The center of the back wall, which should have been sealed, was neatly cut out in a square shape. He tapped the wall lightly. Tap, tap—hollow. After confirming the difference in sound a couple more times, he ran his fingers over the surface. The wallpaper caught slightly on his fingers, as though it had been freshly applied.While he was sure there was a safe hidden there, he had a strong feeling the necklace wouldn’t be inside. This safe was more like a time capsule, a sealed secret room rather than a place to store valuables. Still, he couldn’t ignore the possibility entirely.Tae Woowon grabbed the edge of the sticker-like wallpaper and began to peel it off. Though it was unclear how long it had been there, it came off more smoothly than he had expected. He was slowly applying pressure to remove it without causing damage when his phone rang. It was a notification that Lee Yesin had left school. Tae Woowon paused, looking at the partially removed wallpaper, before sticking it back in place. He returned the books to their original positions and called the driver. After a long wait, he finally got connected, but instead of the driver, he heard the urgent voice of Kwon Heechan amid the background noise.“…Is something wrong?”Kwon Heechan seemed hesitant, as if he didn’t recognize Tae Woowon’s voice.“Put Lee Yesin on.”— He can’t talk right now. He, uh, hurt his hand…— We’re on our way to the hospital!The driver, seemingly fed up, shouted into the phone. Finally, Kwon Heechan managed to give the name of the hospital they were heading to. Tae Woowon hung up, grabbed his car keys, and rushed out. Though he didn’t know exactly what had happened, if Lee Yesin was injured, it was a problem. After all, Tae Woowon had been hired as Lee Yesin’s bodyguard. He recalled the penalties mentioned in the contract for failing to protect the assigned person. Fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately—there was no such clause.After parking in the hospital’s emergency lot, Tae Woowon hurried inside. The bustling emergency room was filled with various groans and cries of pain.“Are you okay?”As he passed the third makeshift bed, he heard a familiar voice.“Yeah.”Recognizing Lee Yesin’s voice, Tae Woowon turned around. Sitting on the bed, Lee Yesin was staring at his bandaged hand, while Kwon Heechan sat next to him with a worried expression. The driver was nowhere to be seen, presumably off registering them at reception.“Lee Yesin.”At Tae Woowon’s call, Lee Yesin looked up with a blank expression. Tae Woowon approached and grabbed Lee Yesin’s arm, lifting his injured hand.“Did you get into a fight?”Though he had asked Lee Yesin, the response came from someone else.“No, it wasn’t a fight. It was… a senior from his department…”“Hey, Heechan, go home. Thanks for coming with me.”Lee Yesin interrupted, pulling his arm free from Tae Woowon’s grip. He lightly patted Kwon Heechan’s side with his uninjured hand, signaling him to leave. Tae Woowon silently watched their interaction. Despite Kwon Heechan’s reluctance to leave, Lee Yesin eventually managed to get him up. After looking back several times, Kwon Heechan finally left the emergency room, saying, “Call me.”“It’s nothing serious. I just got hurt messing around.”More patients began to fill the emergency room. Glancing at the entrance, Lee Yesin stood up from the bed. Tae Woowon grabbed his arm to stop him from leaving.“What kind of ‘messing around’ ends with you in the emergency room?”“It’s nothing. I won’t report this to anyone higher up, so let go.”Tae Woowon had some responsibility in this. Of course, he couldn’t follow Lee Yesin into his classrooms to watch over him, but if Chairman Lee were to question him about this incident, Tae Woowon would have no choice but to bow his head. However, the likelihood of that happening was slim. Even if it did, Chairman Lee’s scolding wasn’t something that concerned Tae Woowon.“That’s not what I’m asking.”“What I’m saying is, you don’t need to know. I’ll stay quiet and behave like you want, so stop worrying about it.”There was nothing Tae Woowon could say in response. When he remained silent, Lee Yesin shook off his arm and walked out. Just then, the driver, who was entering, spotted Lee Yesin and hurried ahead to get the car.“Are you going back to school?”Tae Woowon asked as he followed behind.“No.”“Take my car.”“No.”Ignoring his refusal, Tae Woowon called the driver, who had already walked some distance away, and told him to go home for the day. He quickly pulled Lee Yesin along to the parking lot. Although he expected resistance, surprisingly, Lee Yesin followed without a word.He opened the passenger door and seated Lee Yesin inside, even fastening the seatbelt for him before climbing into the driver’s seat and starting the engine. As they navigated the crowded parking lot and merged onto the road, Lee Yesin sat silently, staring at his injured hand. It was his left hand that had been hurt.“Was it torn?”“…No.”“Then?”“A piece of glass got stuck.”Tae Woowon wanted to harshly comment that he brought it upon himself, but he held his tongue. Lee Yesin looked exhausted and didn’t seem inclined to explain what had happened. With no more conversation between them, the car engine’s hum, usually unnoticed, echoed in their ears. Tae Woowon glanced over at Lee Yesin’s profile, his lips tightly shut.The tension that had been hovering between them for the past few days resurfaced. Although they were in the same space, it felt like an invisible wall stood between them. Neither was intentionally avoiding the other, yet neither of them made an effort to break the silence with small talk. Even when they arrived home, the atmosphere remained the same. They each retreated to their rooms without coming out.Around 7 p.m., Tae Woowon put down the book he had been reading and left his room. He turned on the lights in the darkened living room and kitchen, then reheated the food the housekeeper had prepared earlier. After setting out one bowl of rice, he hesitated for a moment before taking out a second bowl. He set the table roughly and knocked on Lee Yesin’s door.“Come eat.”“I’m not hungry.”His voice immediately came from inside the room. Tae Woowon tried the doorknob, found it locked, and knocked again.“Should I open it, or will you?”Footsteps echoed in the quiet room. After a moment, the door opened.“I said I’m not eating. Just leave me alone. Are you my maid or something?”Lee Yesin, his head down, rubbed his eyes as he spoke. Tae Woowon looked down at him with a slight tilt of his head.“I’m your bodyguard. If you die, it’s a problem, so eat.”“Skipping one meal won’t kill me.”“If you keep skipping meals, you won’t be able to sleep.”At the unexpected change in topic, Lee Yesin frowned.“Was it you? Did you take my medication?”“Come out. I’ll give it to you after you eat.”Lee Yesin’s face, seen up close for the first time in days, looked worn out, likely from sleepless nights without his medication. If it had been prescribed, he could have easily gotten more from the hospital, but he hadn’t done so. It didn’t seem like medication obtained through normal channels. His reluctance was his own problem, but eventually, he pushed the half-open door all the way and stepped outside.At first, he only picked at the food, but after a few bites, his appetite seemed to return. With a feeling akin to caring for a child that wasn’t even his, Tae Woowon pushed the side dishes that Lee Yesin was reaching for closer to him. Lee Yesin glanced up, looking first at Tae Woowon’s face, then at the side dishes that had been moved closer. Without a word, Tae Woowon continued eating. After blinking a few times, Lee Yesin awkwardly picked up the side dishes with his right hand.The quiet meal eventually came to an end, and Lee Yesin retreated back to his room. Meanwhile, Tae Woowon returned to his own room, leaning against the headboard of his bed with a deep sigh. Though his eyes were on the book, none of the content registered. What are you doing right now? He mentally questioned himself, trying to refocus on his tasks.Find a chance to open the safe he discovered earlier, confirm the necklace’s presence or absence, and proceed with the next plan if necessary. And in the meantime, manage Lee Yesin. But what does “manage” mean? Follow him wherever he goes, save him when he’s in danger, scold him when he causes trouble? But what counts as “trouble”? Being rude to others? Or challenging me?For some reason, the line between personal and professional was becoming blurred. After staring at the same page for hours, Tae Woowon tossed the book onto his lap and absentmindedly fiddled with his phone. Just then, there was a knock at the door—an unexpected visitor.“Come in.”The door opened, and Lee Yesin stood leaning against the doorframe, silently staring at Tae Woowon. After a long hesitation, as though he didn’t want to ask, he finally spoke.“Can you wash my hair for me?”