Unforgotten Resentments and Demonic Scents
Another contractor? 'A demon like you? Another one besides Lilith from last time?'
Asmodeus's presence vanished. Should've at least left the pet snake behind.
"You still resent me?"
While he was mulling it over, his brother suddenly brought up the old days out of nowhere. What the hell? Jinho lifted his head, but his fingertips trembled faintly. Hong representative's trauma switch had flipped.
"Your head might've forgotten, but your body remembers. Your fingertips are shaking even now."
"……"
Hong Seonho gazed off into the distance, as if staring at someone from the past, and began his story.
"You wouldn't know, but Mom believed she and her family had to be perfect. It got extreme—she didn't care if Dad or I suffered. You got hit by me a lot as a kid, right? I got it even worse from her. The slightest wrinkle in my clothes, and out came the whip."
It was the first Jinho had heard of it. After he'd entered the family, there'd been no real conversations between them.
"You were a huge stain on her perfect image. Not only did her flawless husband cheat, but he brought home the kid. If Dad hadn't stopped her, she would've strangled you on your first day."
"……"
"I won't get into the fights between our parents. Nothing but nightmares, and what's the point of dredging them up now? It could've ended as just conflict, but Mom couldn't take it and slit her wrists. I was the first to find her—still have dreams about that scene sometimes."
They'd saved her life by finding her early, but there were two more attempts after that, and she ended up locked in a mental hospital.
"With the family shattered like that, you looked like the devil to me. I knew it wasn't your fault, of course. But back then, I needed an outlet for my hatred toward Dad. You get what I mean?"
So that's why he'd tormented Hong representative so viciously. From third-party Song Jinho's perspective, it wasn't incomprehensible, but still—wasn't tormenting a child going too far?
"Came to Korea at ten, so about two years of beatings from you, hyung. Memories are fuzzy now, so if you want, I can say I've forgotten. But that doesn't erase what happened between us."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Something like, 'Let's forgive, but never forget.' Our relationship's been wrong from the first button. Don't expect it to straighten out nicely."
"I don't. I just... wanted to explain why I tormented you."
He wouldn't apologize. The man didn't even know how. But there must've been something nagging at him to share this past Jinho didn't need to hear.
By now, the trembling in his fingertips had stopped.
"So, can I assume you won't trip me up from here on out?"
"I told you earlier. You're not worth keeping in check."
"Damn, with all the nice things you could say, why keep crushing my spirit? What if I grow big enough to threaten your spot?"
"If my little brother gets that big, it's good for the company. If you've got the skills, come climb up."
A faint smile flickered briefly before vanishing. So he could say "little brother," huh.
"Then I'll take that as accepting my resignation. And one favor before I go."
"Favor?"
"Out there, when I really need some real power, can I borrow you and the company? Sometimes in this business, talent alone doesn't cut it."
It wasn't a sword to swing freely, but there might come a time it had to be thrust.
"Do what you want. Just don't drag my name into it. That's as good as saying I lack ability."
So he wouldn't pretend not to know. Not bad harvest for poking at trauma.
Time to spare, so he stopped by the office. Do Mingyu was checking studio gear. The studio hadn't been in the original plan, but since his hyung loved this stuff and offered to handle the equipment, they'd made it happen.
"Gear's already in."
"Huh? What're you doing here? Not hitting the host bar?"
"Too early. Freelance writer said they'd send a script—came to check."
"Yeah? Laptop's over there."
He kept fussing with the sound equipment. Eyes like a kid tearing into an expensive toy. That excited about it?
"Can record now too?"
"Needs a few more pieces, but we can run it next week. Why? Got someone?"
Seolhwa crossed his mind. No telling how much her acting would improve once emotions filled in, but singing might be a total bust.
"How do I check a girl's singing when I don't even know what she's good at?"
"Just have her sing anything. What's hard about that?"
"Wanna see if she's idol material. Can't judge as a normie like me."
"Got a girl like that? Bring her."
"You'll check?"
"Not a full audition, but vocal talent shows quick after a few songs. Who is she?"
"Girl we rescued using the info you dug up last time."
"Oh, the one locked up by that pervert geezer? Why's she with you?"
"Nowhere to go. Had a brother, but split young, no relatives."
"Parents?"
"No clue if alive. Probably useless even if we found 'em, dumping kids like that…."
Song Jinho's own abandonment memories made it hit harder. Sure, now they were man and woman, pity gone, but thinking of Seolhwa still gasping under Jang Palbok if he hadn't dealt with the bastard... Yeah, definitely no resistance on the N-side.
Asmodeus was back. Hunting for privacy meant something to show. Hyung was still lost in gear, so he pretended a call and slipped into the practice room.
"What's up?"
"Oh, that? Found it?"
After contracting with As, he'd looked up the Seven Great Demons. Curiosity about what sins the others embodied.
Christianity's seven deadly sins, each matched to a demon. As called it supreme like herself, so one of those.
"Why no contracts from Belphegor?"
Ah, sloth.
"Greed knows no end. Me, I'm filling money lust and sex lust together."
"So there's another contractor near me? Hyung?"
Hong representative's death suddenly felt linked. Meaning Jinho could be a target too….
"Found the demon?"
No plans to get close anyway. Perfect.
Arrived at the host bar thirty minutes early—empty as promised. One waiter lingered for table setup; slipped him a tip and sent him off. Tonight, Jinho was Bora-nuna's dedicated waiter.
"Why's there no one here?"
Coat had hidden it on entry, but underneath: square-neck blouse and miniskirt. That floral pattern... unforgettable. What she'd worn the first time they went to a hotel.
"Rented the whole place today. Better for you too, Bora-ssi—no prying eyes."
"You rented out the entire place?"
He nodded with a smile; she looked like he was wasting money. Be impressed already.
"No booze for you, right? I'll grab something light—wait in the room."
"No. One weak drink. No spiking like last time."
Felt like prodding with a blunt needle, bit by bit.
"Why's the rep doing it himself? No waiters?"
"Tonight, I'm your personal waiter, Bora-ssi. Didn't buy me clothes, so I'll serve with utmost sincerity—no worries."
Her expression turned odd. Inside jokes from a total stranger—bound to weird her out. How far to unravel before she caught on?