Chapter 328: 337

     Moon Issak lived in a huge mansion that was large enough to make me wonder how much a civil servant’s salary could be. 

     Therefore, the silver lining to this situation was that whenever I felt stifled, I could take a walk in the front yard and admire the well-decorated landscape. As long as I didn’t leave the mansion, Moon Issak let me be.

     I sat on the front bench in front of a small, manmade lake and stared blankly at the ripples caused by the wind. As I watched the surface of the lake, the turbulence and nausea in my stomach gradually calmed down.

     “Ah… I don’t know. Seriously.” However, the calmness I was so desperately trying to attain quickly dissipated when Moon Issak came to mind.

     Objectively, when asked if Moon Issak was handsome or not, he definitely was. However, he wasn’t my taste. That is to say, I prefer those with darker hair and eyes that smile. I also liked a rougher voice than Moon Issak, whose voice was sickly sweet when whispering sweet nothings. However, Dawon was…

     “…Huh?” I opened my eyes wide with surprise at the name and face that flashed through my mind.

     However, no matter how much I tried to recall, I couldn’t remember who that person was besides a dim impression and scattered syllables. My headache only became worse as well.  But as if I had lost something precious, that fleeting memory captivated my attention throughout the day.

     And that continued until 11:30AM when Moon Issak returned to the house and I had to face the man.

     “It seems you like your food salty?” After finishing off all the brown eggs, Moon Issak complained, openly showing his annoyance.

     Because I was lost in my own thoughts while diluting the egg mixture, I had realized too late that I had added an excessive amount of salt. But since I wasn’t the one eating the dish, I just went ahead and cooked it.

     Moon Issak grimaced in disdain the moment he took a bite of the salty rolled omelets–rather, rolled salt–but he eventually ate everything. 1 I stared at him, wondering if he was very hungry. As expected, he didn’t let this mistake pass.

     I timidly retorted to the picky man, “You don’t have to eat if it doesn’t taste any good.”

     “I thought it would be better than yesterday.”

     “Then… Let go of your expectations…”

     “……” Moon Issak shot me a heated glare as he wiped his mouth with a napkin. I quickly averted my gaze and pretended to be absorbed in the scenery. He continued to stare at me for a while before picking up his plate and standing up.

Thud–

     Afterwards, as he stood up, he placed a small box roughly on the table. I didn’t think the packaged box was meant for me, so I didn’t touch it…

     When Moon Issak returned after doing the dishes, he sighed and treated me like a fool, “Do I have to ask you to unwrap packages now?”

     “What? No, this… Was it for me?”

     “You’ve been pestering me for a ring since this morning.”

     “I did? When?”

     “I thought that’s what you meant?”

     I stared at him dumbfoundedly, but Moon Issak merely shrugged arrogantly.

     I glanced at the black box reluctantly and with a heavy heart. I didn’t want to open the box, but I couldn’t refuse. Therefore, I reached out and slowly opened the lid of the box.

     The design of the ring was overtly symbolically suggestive, nearly demolishing my resolve. “…It’s not an engagement ring, right?”

     “It’s around that price.”

     “No, I… I’m fine.”

     “In the future, when you think of rings, try to be satisfied with that one.” Afterwards, Moon Issak didn’t listen to me and lifted my hand freely. Then, he placed the ring on the ring finger of my scarred left hand where no traces of normal skin remained, as if the ring were an iron shackle.

     When Moon Issak touched my left ring finger, I felt a strong sense of discomfort, but I stayed still out of a greater fear of what he may do if I refused him once again.

     I stared at the gem–presumably a diamond–embedded in the ring and chewed on my lips.

     When Moon Issak saw that, he ‘ordered’ me in a cold tone, “Don’t take it off. Cherish it.”

     “…Yes.”

     “You don’t want your finger bones to be crushed again.”

     “……”

     “I don’t want to hurt you either.”

     “Haah…” When I heard those hateful words, I released a deep sigh.

     However, I could not express my frustrations to Moon Issak; I was incapable of thinking deeply about or expressing accurately the pain he caused me. That was one of his irrefutable rules.

     “By the way, about Sangyoon-ssi… When do you think he’ll regain consciousness?” I changed the subject to avoid the memories I’d rather not recall.

     After a moment’s silence, Moon Issak answered patiently, “They said he’ll be up in a month or two.”

     “I see…”

     “When Kim Sangyoon wakes up, you…”

     “Yes?”

     “No–it’s nothing.” After his rare moment of hesitation, he switched back to his usual tone, “It’s become a little late today, so you should sleep first.”

     “Alright.” As I nodded slowly, his expression eased a little. He gently stroked my face as if petting a well-behaved dog, then stood up from his seat.

     I followed him to the front door, saw him off, and stared at the taillights of the exiting car. As soon as the door closed, I glared at the ring on my left hand, “…Seriously frustrating.”

     I tried forcefully to remove the ring, but, despite the ring being slightly loose, it still wasn’t easy to take off. My hand kept losing strength, making the process difficult. I was robbed of my strength as my body recalled the punishment I had incurred for defying Moon Issak’s words earlier. My body’s memories and the determination in my mind collided, making my hand tremble uncontrollably.

     But, after a long struggle, I was able to get the ring off my finger. My whole body was soaked with cold sweat, but my heart felt both refreshed and proud. Because, even though this spot–my finger–was in tatters, what was engraved here was my only…

     “……”

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     I rose from my seat, wiping away at my sudden outpour of tears. Something came to mind a moment ago, but it only made me uneasy without providing any clear answers.

     I glared at the ring on my palm; struck by a sudden impulse to wear it once more, I threw it out of the window. I felt like I would give in to my body’s fear if I continued to hold onto it.

     However, I didn’t think that anyone would be watching my foolish behavior.

     “Choi Lee-kyung-ssi.”

     “Ah…”

     Startled, I looked back; Da-hee-ssi stared back, her skin pale like a ghost.

     I became anxious, as if I had been caught doing something bad. Just how long had she been watching? What if she were to tell Moon Issak…

     “…I’m going to get going,” she said.

     “Ah, yes… T-t-take care.”

     “……”

     Fortunately, Da-hee-ssi must not have seen very well–or she may be feigning ignorance.

     I nodded politely and bid her farewell. As I turned around, I noticed my reddened eyes in the mirror hanging by the entrance. Without giving it much thought, I immediately headed upstairs to Kim Sangyoon’s room, where he lay just as he had been this morning. However, he was the only person I could rely on in this house, so I sat by his side and engaged in a futile conversation.

     “Sangyoon-ssi. Moon Issak says you’ll be able to wake up in a month or two.”

     “…….”

     “Mm, I wonder if I’ll be able to summon Lackey at that point…”

     “……”

     “But you know, my memories have gotten fuzzy these days… And my system messages are blocked, too. It just says that those aren’t available in areas where [Sacred Grounds] have been declared.”

     “……”

     “I think Moon Issak declared the [Sacred Ground]… That’s a Priest skill, right? Right? I’m going crazy because they’re not letting me go. He won’t do what I ask of him and instead buys a weird ring… He must be insane.”

     “……”

     However, as always, Kim Sangyoon didn’t answer. I could only hear the faint hissing noise of the humidifier spraying mist.

     I stared at his face for a few minutes, but Kim Sangyoon remained as silent as ever. Exhausted, I lowered my head and continued with my resentful words. “According to Moon Issak, if I give up, he’ll release the sacred grounds… What on earth am I supposed to give up on…?”

     “……”

     “Sangyoon-ssi, you find this weird too, right? What’s so important about doing things ‘voluntarily?'”

     “……”

     “He’s already doing whatever he wants anyway.” As I spoke my emotions intensified and a sense of hatred seeped through. I couldn’t stop myself from cursing Moon Issak. I hated him so much. Sometimes, I thought I hated him more than Bae Jaemin.

     However, the thought that I “hated him” also seemed to be a mistake. My lips trembled with anxiety; I fixed my words, “I’m wrong, aren’t I?”

     “……”

     “I’m the one who’s being stubborn… If I relented, everyone would be more comfortable…”

     “……”

     “Sometimes, I think it’s my fault that Sangyoon-ssi isn’t waking up…”

     “……”

     “Haah… What do you think, Sangyoon-ssi?”

     Again there was no answer.

     I believed, though, that if he were conscious, he’d say ‘What nonsense! Let’s quickly get out of here!’ However, when I looked at him–quiet, eyes closed–my guilt intensified, and I could only hold onto those thoughts for so long.

     I gently adjusted the slightly crumpled blanket under Kim Sangyoon’s raised arm, then opened the door and left the room. I returned to the garden and circled around it again and again. I couldn’t bear this stifling feeling.

     The sun began to set; the streetlights in the garden turned on, one by one. After wandering around the garden for hours, I could no longer ignore the incoming chill.

     ‘I have to go inside…’

     However, when I looked at the entrance to Moon Issak’s house, I couldn’t bear to take another step. I felt a sense of impending anxiety; somehow, if I continued to live there, I believed everything–my ego–would be sucked in and shredded in a blender.

     However, at that moment.

     “Hello.”

     I suddenly heard a friendly voice from behind the bench I was sitting on.

     “…..!” I looked back, trembling as if I had been struck by lightning.

     There stood a remarkably beautiful man–someone I had never seen in my life. I stood there dumbly, mouth open, obsessing over his red eyes and black hair. The strands stood still, undisturbed by the cold wind.

     The man said, “May I sit by your side?”

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