Suspicion (3)
Suspicion (Part 3)
I clearly noticed that Ye-rim had started to suspect me from the day after the incident occurred.
"Huh? Father-nim. You're wearing a different necklace than the one you had on last time! The shiny one looks like pure gold, and isn't that decoration in the middle a diamond?!"
Auntie trait.
She notices small accessory changes and secretly compliments them, which makes her extremely happy.
And since this is a gender-reversed world, it would be an uncle instead of an auntie.
"Oh my~ As expected of our Kang Cheol~ The daughter I raised so carefully didn't even notice when I bought a new necklace or got a haircut? Daughters are useless no matter how you raise them~ Sons are the best! Kang Cheol-ah, become my son while we're at it!"
As expected, my skill worked, and seeing Father-nim's happy face flushed with joy as he proudly showed off his newly acquired expensive necklace was truly heartwarming.
More than that, Father-nim. I didn't notice you got a haircut either.
If I noticed you trimmed that short hair, wouldn't that make me a stalker rather than a child...
It's currently Saturday, 10:30 AM.
To match Ye-rim's schedule of broadcasting from 1 to 7 PM, her family eats brunch around 10:30 to 11, and I've been visiting around that time to get lunch and build familiarity with the family members.
"Aigoo~ Father-nim! I'm already your son~♡"
"Oh my, oh my~ Look at me! Kang Cheol was already our son~! Hohoho~ It really brightens up the house and feels so good whenever you come, Kang Cheol!"
"By the way, the furniture has been replaced with new pieces in the past few days. Did something good happen?"
"Actually, in the past few days, work at his company has increased so much that he's busy but filled with happiness? Recently, without saying anything, I was worried sick because work had decreased~ But ever since a lucky charm like you, Kang Cheol, started visiting our home, the house has brightened up and his work has increased, so I'm so happy~"
'Thank goodness...'
It was truly a relief.
Seeing Father-nim's bright smile in a home that had become more affluent since our first meeting made me feel that my sacrifice wasn't entirely a wrong choice, and I let out a sigh of relief.
The reason I came here today.
In this world, there are types who avoid others due to their own mistakes, and conversely, types who approach to check on the other person because they're worried their mistake might have been discovered.
And I'm clearly the latter type.
Having been quick-witted since childhood, I was the type to gauge the other person's mood rather than avoid them, preparing for what might happen next, and I'd been watching Ye-rim's behavior as she silently poked at side dishes since earlier.
"Oppa..."
"Y-yes, Ye-rim-ah, what is it?"
Just as Ye-rim called me, I tried to answer in my usual tone but my voice trembled slightly.
And since Ye-rim still wasn't looking at me but kept her gaze on the side dishes, my anxiety amplified.
"Are you meeting someone today...?"
The question I feared finally came out.
As I explained before, I've been broadcasting without missing a single day from Monday to Saturday, taking only Sunday off.
And at the end of yesterday's broadcast.
During my closing remarks, I officially declared: 'I've decided to take Saturdays off from now on~! I want to be with viewers too, but I'm human after all, and broadcasting 6 days a week was a bit tough hehe~!'
Ye-rim, who knows my behavior pattern well - that I only go to supermarkets, convenience stores, or her house unless I have outside appointments, always saying 'Outside the blanket is dangerous!' - must have found my sudden Saturday off declaration suspicious.
"Why can't you answer right away, Oppa? Are you meeting someone I shouldn't know about?"
My silence must have been longer than I thought, as I suddenly made eye contact with Ye-rim who was staring intently at my face.
Ouch...!
Ye-rim's eyes looking at me were sharp.
Unlike her usual soft, cat-like eyes that would burst into a bright smile when looking at me, these were cold eyes trying to suspect and see through me, causing pain as if a dagger had been stabbed into my heart.
"N-no~! Where would a loner like me have friends to meet~"
Truthfully, even now, I wanted to answer honestly without lies.
The hopeful thought that if she loves me as much as I love her, wouldn't she understand and embrace me even if my body had been defiled?
But...
'Does she really love you as much as you love her...?'
Suddenly, Selena Kim's voice whispering in my ear the previous night came to mind.
'No... Ye-rim loves me too, she said she trusts me in her messages...'
"Huh...! You're not lying? Then why are you wearing these clothes again!!"
"Euk..."
As if unleashing all her pent-up anger at once, Ye-rim roughly grabbed the clothes I wore during the previous broadcast and shouted, making me flinch involuntarily and avoid her gaze.
"Kim Ye-rim! What are you doing?! How dare you raise your voice at Kang Cheol~!! ...Kang Cheol-ah, come here. I've raised my daughter wrong, really wrong..."
Startled by Ye-rim's sudden behavior, Father-nim hurried over and pulled me into a bear-like hug, separating Ye-rim and me.
And from within Father-nim's embrace, I saw Ye-rim's mouth form the words...
"You filthy...!"
Whoosh~!
"K-Kang Cheol-ah?! ...Kim Ye-rim, you~!!!"
I ran away from that spot.
I could hear Father-nim scolding Ye-rim behind me, but I couldn't bear to face her cold eyes any longer.
As I ran out blindly without even looking where I was going...
"Oh my~? Didn't we agree to have lunch and meet at 1?"
A woman came into view through my blurred vision - I hadn't realized when I started crying.
"...Tears? Are you crying right now?! How dare they make an angel like you cry..."
Luxurious blonde hair with blue eyes.
Before me stood a slender but tall woman whose gaze I could only meet by looking up.
She was clearly the mastermind behind all this...
The kind of woman who deserved more than just anger and punches...!
'You filthy...!'
Ouch!
My heart aches.
It hurt so much that I felt like my heart would break if I didn't lean on someone.
Whoosh~
"Stop crying and come here. Unlike her, I love everything about you..."
Today, her embrace holding me felt unusually warm.
And at that time, I didn't know.
That her face, as she held me in her arms and comforted me with a warm voice, was twisted into a horrifying smile of greed...
---------------------
"...Where are we going?"
When I stopped crying and composed myself somewhat, I found myself sitting in an SUV speeding on the highway.
"Hehe~ Why, sitting there reminds you of that day's pleasure?"
Instead of answering my question, Selena responded with a mischievous expression, making me blush as memories of that day surfaced.
"...Pervert."
I had so many things I wanted to confront her about regarding recent events, but...
'Stop crying and come here. Unlike her, I love everything about you...'
Her embrace had been warm and genuinely comforting.
Though my mind screamed that this was all her scheme and I shouldn't do this, my heart, wounded by my trusted lover's cold gaze, made me weak and receptive to her comfort.
So the only response I could manage now was something childish that kindergarteners would say.
"You're a pervert..."
To my response, she only gave a light chuckle and kept her eyes on the road ahead, focused solely on driving without looking at me.
What are this woman's true intentions?
First meeting: an unpleasant woman with unfathomable depths. Second meeting: a pitiable woman with somewhat understandable depths.
And the third meeting...
'Haa♡ S-stop! My brain's going to break like this?! Hiiiiii~!!!'
...Um, let's skip that!
The embarrassing memory of being in that vehicle came back, so I quickly shook my head to clear my thoughts.
Ultimately, Selena Kim was the woman I had the deepest connection with in this world, aside from Ye-rim.
'And simultaneously, she's a woman who loves me...'
Was it from the second meeting?
Even before she suggested being friends, when I saw her saving me from thugs and crying, I could tell.
'Ah... This woman loves me...'
Yes, I knew.
Selena Kim seemed unaware of her own feelings at the time, but to my eyes - sharp since childhood - her heart was completely visible.
'I turned away from it...'
In a way, I shouldn't have meddled when I noticed her feelings back then.
'Ultimately, this mess is all my karma.'
As I looked at her, thinking she was just a bad woman, but then reconsidered everything, she felt different now.
Luxurious blonde hair with deep, beautiful blue eyes that were impossible to read.
Unlike Ye-rim, whose every emotion showed in her eyes, with Selena I couldn't tell what she was thinking or what kind of life she'd lived.
I found myself unconsciously thinking: wouldn't it be okay to fall for her schemes just this once?
Of course, that wouldn't justify her actions toward me so far, but just this once, wouldn't it be okay to play along with her tune...?
"So where are we really going? If you're planning to park in some deserted place and assault me like last time, I'll crash into you without any threats or anything!"
Of course, if she tries to assault me like last time, I'll settle it with a life-or-death struggle!
As I showed my combat readiness - willing to strike her while she's driving and go down together if necessary - she looked at me directly for the first time.
"To a fun place."
"A fun place...?"
Why suddenly talk about a fun place?
Where exactly is a fun place anyway?
"You're not planning to take me to a hotel saying 'a fun place' and then go 'Actually, the fun thing is sex!', are you?!"
"Puhahahahat~!!"
As I glared at her with narrowed eyes, she burst into roaring laughter.
What the hell? I'm being serious here!
"Really, Kang Cheol, you're always full of surprises! Don't worry, if you don't want it, I won't hug you recklessly~"
What is this?
Last time she played with my body so freely, and now she says she won't hug me recklessly?
It should be a good thing, but I found myself inexplicably hating her for showing such a detached reaction now, when she had been so clingy saying she liked me, remembering the intense sex we had.
"Why? Do you want me to hug you like back then? You said you didn't like it, but did you enjoy the sex we had..."
"Enough! That conversation is over! Just take me to wherever this 'fun place' is quickly!"
I don't know.
I don't understand this woman.
All I know is that right now, I don't entirely dislike the time I'm spending with her...