A Taste to Spit Out - Chapter 23
Jamsil junkyard.
It’s about a 30-minute drive from here. Is there a way to get there without catching Kang Yeol-Jin’s eye?
“……”
I don’t know why, but I have a very strong feeling. A feeling that I mustn’t let him find out about this.
But that ghost-like guy will be watching me wherever I go, his eyes wide open, glowing red.
First, squeaking, I cautiously opened the door.
Then, I immediately met the eyes that had been watching me. Eyes gleaming coldly. Could he have been standing there all this time, watching my door like that?
Water dripped from his hair, chilling his broad, menacing shoulders. I gripped my crutch tightly.
“My wrist hurts. It feels like it’s throbbing.”
“Your left hand?”
Kang Yeol-Jin quickly approached me. His thick and long arms, crossing like the forelegs of a beast, stood threateningly close. With anxious eyes, he grabbed my wrist.
“That’s the hand you use for holding the brush, baby.”
Could you possibly know something like that?
I used my right hand for eating, picking things up, even brushing my hair. But when it came to holding a brush, I always used this hand. My father scolded me harshly, calling me a weakling for doing so. Yet, the time spent drawing was the only time I could be truly alone.
“I think I need to go to the hospital.”
The fact that he knew that much—it startled me. I gently pushed his arm away, casting my gaze into the air. I could feel his persistent gaze stubbornly clinging to my cheek.
It was a sticky look. Eyes that seemed to be demanding something. What was Kang Yeol-Jin so starved for, to have such a hungry expression?
I felt nauseous. Frowning and biting my lip, Kang Yeol-Jin gave a bitter smile.
“You said I smelled disgusting, didn’t you?”
“…….”
“Sorry, unlike you, I’m from the back alleys.”
That’s probably why I couldn’t forget where I came from and reeked of filth. He muttered lowly, with a tone of loneliness.
Our gazes locked tightly. Through the deep-cut V-neck of his shirt, I could clearly see Kang Yeol-Jin’s threatening chest muscles swelling and then deflating.
What is it with this wounded, intense look in Kang Yeol-Jin’s eyes? It feels like a lie, yet somehow, that look isn’t unfamiliar. The longer I held his gaze, the more I felt like I’d be swept away, so in the end, I chose to avert my eyes.
I realized I couldn’t face him any longer. I squeezed my eyes shut.
“Get me a car.”
* * * * *
In the side mirror, I saw Kang Yeol-Jin getting farther and farther away. He used to smoke constantly, but now, he doesn’t go near it at all.
Could it possibly be because of the child in my belly? As strange thoughts trailed one after another, forming into something concrete, I furrowed my brows deeply.
…Could that beast-like man actually be feeling paternal love?
The car slowly pulled out of the alley, and when Kang Yeol-Jin’s figure was no longer visible, I leaned toward the driver’s seat.
“Excuse me, ma’am.”
The driver glanced at my face through the rearview mirror.
“Yes, what is it?”
She was someone who only engaged in minimal conversation with me.
“I’m sorry, but could we change the destination?”
“Sure, no problem. I’ll report it to the boss right away….”
As she reached for the phone mounted in the holder, I quickly leaned forward.
“No, please don’t tell President Kang Yeol-Jin.”
“Pardon…?”
The woman with her hair in a bun turned to look at me, seemingly startled. Startled, I quickly added more words.
“The thing is….”
I swallowed hard, as I had never been good at lying. Hoping desperately that it wouldn’t show, I began to speak.
“I think I left a gift that President Kang Yeol-Jin gave me in my old car.”
“Ah, even so… I have to report everything to the boss.”
“It was before I lost my memory. I’m not sure about it. I’m worried that if I bring it up, it might give me false hope….”
I eventually let my eyes fall downcast, gloomy.
“I want to go and come back as quietly as possible.”
“Oh dear….”
At this, the woman gripped the steering wheel tightly, looking troubled. I could tell that she had been told to report to me without missing a single detail, no matter where she went or came back from. Her reaction gave me enough certainty about that.
Kang Yeol-Jin had followed me like my father’s dog, even when he lay flat at my feet. Now that the child was nestled in my belly, his obsession would have only grown.
Reluctantly, I carefully removed the watch wrapped around my wrist.
