Crazy A Married Life

#15

It was an emergency. Their lips were stuck together, and he could feel it all too well. He tried to control it, not wanting to let it drip continuously. Fortunately or unfortunately, Taemin didn’t seem to notice. His greedy tongue movements didn’t stop.

In fact, it felt even more intense. As a result, a mixture of their saliva was swallowing down Idam’s throat. It felt like he would be devoured forever at this rate. Fear blossomed in his chest.

That’s when Idam’s phone vibrated. Finally, Idam felt like he had returned to reality and checked the screen, as if escaping from Taemin’s kiss.

Baren Capital Executive Director – Heo Jitae

Heo Jitae was calling. The face of Hayun, who was being held by that man, flashed through his mind. Feeling urgent, Idam pushed Taemin’s chest with his elbow. Despite Taemin’s considerable strength and this being the second act of resistance, he fortunately backed off.

“Let me answer the phone first.”

It seemed Taemin had also checked Idam’s phone and willingly loosened his hold. Idam answered, turning away from Taemin.

[Wow, Yeo Idam, where did you get this money from? Where are you now?]

“I’ll come back there. Please wait a moment.”

[Alright.]

Heo Jitae’s attitude was much softer, probably because he had received the money. There was no one as unpredictable yet transparent as him. As the call ended, Idam smelled something stuffy. Turning his head, he saw Taemin smoking a cigarette, exhaling white smoke.

“Cough, cough.”

Idam, who had inhaled the smoke directly, started coughing repeatedly. He knew Taemin was a smoker through Hayun, but facing it directly felt different. Moreover, Idam was sensitive to cigarette smoke.

“Cough, cough.”

As Idam couldn’t stop coughing, Taemin frowned. He immediately threw the cigarette on the ground and crushed it with his loafer. By then, Idam’s coughing had somewhat subsided. Observing Idam, Taemin asked a question.

“Have you been chased by debt collectors all this time?”

“Yes…”

Taemin seemed to have deduced the situation from seeing Idam begging for money earlier and Heo Jitae’s number saved on the screen. In fact, it would have been strange if he didn’t understand.

“Is that Heo Jitae the uncle we saw earlier?”

“Yes…”

Although he wasn’t actually an uncle, Idam answered heavily, unable to explain the details.

“You’ve deposited the money, so why did he call?”

“He says he has something final to say. Can I step out for a moment?”

Idam made up an excuse, unable to reveal that Hayun was being held by Heo Jitae. Taemin maintained silence without answering. He didn’t seem to like the idea. But Idam couldn’t just leave Hayun in Heo Jitae’s hands.

“I won’t run away. So don’t worry.”

Although he was scared of Taemin, Idam’s nature of disliking inconveniencing others, plus the money he had received, meant he wasn’t the type to run away. Above all, knowing that without Taemin’s deposit, both Hayun and himself would have faced ruin, made him even more resolute.

“I wasn’t suspicious of that.”

Taemin answered gently, brushing up his bangs. His striking features became even more vivid before Idam’s eyes. Soon, his eyes curved like a crescent moon.

“You’re mine now.”

Taemin’s gaze, revealing his possessiveness towards Idam, was as chilling as a yaksha’s. Idam felt a shiver down his spine, sensing an overwhelming eeriness.

“Then go ahead. I’ll wait here.”

“Okay…”

Although he felt something was wrong, it was too late to turn back now. For now, rescuing Hayun was the priority, so he decided to postpone dealing with the new misfortune that had befallen him. Idam hurriedly left the restaurant.

Watching Idam’s retreating figure, Taemin picked up his phone and called Secretary Kang.

[Yes, CEO.]

“Where are you now?”

[We’re waiting in the parking lot with the others.]

“Capture someone today and confine them there.”

[Who are you referring to?]

“It’s Heo Jitae, the executive director of Baren Capital.”

[I’ll start the preparations.]

Secretary Kang answered as if it were a familiar task.

* * *

Idam arrived back at the alley, breathing heavily.

“You came quickly?”

Heo Jitae’s attitude had clearly softened. It seemed everything became more lenient in the face of money. Idam hurriedly checked on Hayun’s condition. Fortunately, he didn’t appear to be seriously injured or broken down. Instead, his eyes were swollen from crying so much, and his cheeks were a mess of tear stains.

“Yeo Idam, I’ve confirmed the principal and interest well. You’re quite capable, more than I thought.”

Heo Jitae grinned excitedly.

“Did you become some alpha’s plaything or something?”

Plaything.

Idam recalled the moment when Taemin forcefully kissed him earlier. It felt uncomfortable, as if it represented the life that now lay ahead of him.

“…”

Not wanting to answer, Idam maintained silence as he approached Hayun. He untied the rope binding Hayun’s wrists.

“Hayun, are you okay?”

“I… I’m fine.”

Hayun hugged Idam and trembled. It made Idam’s heart ache as if it were being carved with a knife. All of this was his fault. Idam hugged Hayun tightly. Although Hayun was taller and bigger, today Idam wanted to embrace him.

“Well, well.”

Heo Jitae looked at Idam and Hayun and raised his lips in a sardonic smile.

“Yeo Idam, I’ve received the principal well.”

He looked elated.

“Let’s talk again later.”

Heo Jitae was anticipating an unwelcome future. Idam felt his insides burning up.

“But I’ve paid all the money!”

“It would be a shame for our relationship to end so quickly.”

His eyes were filled with the expectation of another opportunity.

“Make sure to answer my calls.”

The thought of him calling again when Idam didn’t want to deal with him anymore made him feel hopeless. Heo Jitae even whistled as he left the alley. Idam felt as if his heart had been punctured. He wondered how far this man intended to drag his life down.

“Idam. Should we run away now?”

“What?”

“You’ll be trapped by that man and suffer for life. Let’s just leave Korea.”

Idam couldn’t easily answer Hayun’s proposal. Now that he was entangled with Taemin, he couldn’t run away even if he wanted to. Unable to reveal this fact, Idam hesitated, rolling his big eyes. Hayun tilted his chin, seemingly puzzled.

“Why not?”

“No. Nothing big will happen. We’ve paid all the money now.”

“I was curious about that too. Where did you get such a large sum of money now?”

It was a situation that had gone from the brink of falling off a cliff due to lack of money to suddenly improving. Anyone would find it strange and questionable. As Idam’s answer was unsatisfactory, Hayun’s expression became increasingly serious.

“You didn’t borrow from another loan shark to pay this off, did you?”

“No. I’ve had enough of loan sharks.”

He never wanted to even brush against such money again. The problem was that it felt like he owed a debt to someone even worse than a loan shark.

“Then how did you get such a large sum of money?”

Hayun kept pressing, seemingly anxious. He didn’t look like he would back down until he got a clear answer. It seemed better to give a clear answer rather than remain ambiguous.

“I found a new short-term part-time job.”

“What? What kind of part-time job pays such a large sum at once?”

“It’s a bit special. I just need to work hard for a week.”

“Are you going on a shrimp fishing boat or something?”

“No.”

“Well, even shrimp fishing wouldn’t pay that much.”

Hayun looked at Idam with a face full of worry.

“You’re not selling your organs or something, are you?”

“It’s not like that, so don’t worry. I received help from a trustworthy person.”

Idam felt like needles were pricking his tongue for lying. Hayun hates Taemin. If he finds out about the entanglement with him, he’ll go berserk.

At that moment, Idam’s phone in his pants pocket vibrated briefly. It seemed to be a text message. Idam checked it, guessing who it might be from.

It was indeed from Taemin. It felt ominous and scary. But now that he had received the money, he had to obey him. Idam replied that he would be there soon, while keeping an eye on Hayun.

“Hayun. I need to go now.”

“Did you perhaps borrow money from someone even worse than that loan shark?”

The more Idam tried to hide it, the more suspicious Hayun seemed to become. He was hitting right on the mark.

“It’s not like that. I agreed to work as a live-in housekeeper for a week.”

Feeling cornered, Idam continued with his lie. Gradually, Hayun’s eyes became sharper, staring intently at Idam.

“But why are your lips so swollen?”

“Huh?”

Idam touched his own lips. The memory of passionately kissing Taemin came to mind. It was disconcerting that they had swollen up so quickly just from a brief kiss.

“Yeo Idam, you… Don’t tell me…”

Hayun’s complexion hardened as if he had guessed something. Idam felt cold sweat forming on his forehead as he tried to deflect.

“I think it’s from when Mr. Heo hit me earlier.”

“That doesn’t look like an injury from being hit.”

“Ah, right. Hayun.”

Feeling like the conversation might lead to Hayun shouting if it continued, Idam needed to diffuse the situation. He quickly took out his wallet from his pocket and handed Hayun a 50,000 won bill.

“Take a taxi home. I’m really sorry about today, and I’ll make it up to you later.”

“What do you mean make it up? I don’t need the money.”

Hayun waved his hand dismissively and stared intently into Idam’s eyes.

“You… You’re not really involved with some weird guy, are you?”

“Really, I’m not. I’ll contact you often.”

Idam, realizing that continuing to deny wouldn’t lead anywhere, changed his response strategy.

“Okay. I got it.”

Hayun seemed to realize that further pressing wouldn’t yield results and responded compliantly. He also seemed to have softened a bit because Idam said he would keep in touch.

Idam felt it was time to leave. Feeling awkward about just leaving, he held Hayun’s hand tightly.

“I’ll make sure this never happens again. I’m sorry once more.”

“You don’t need to be. Let’s just meet for a drink in a week.”

“Okay.”

Idam said goodbye to Hayun and left the alley.

Although he had told Hayun it would be a week, he wondered if that timeline would hold given the large amount he had borrowed from Taemin. Above all… he felt like he was going crazy because it didn’t seem like a simple marriage of convenience.