The Unbelievers

Chapter 54

After responding to Eunseong, Yoo Siwoon didn’t seem to have changed much outwardly. Even though he had only heard about the response but was experiencing it for the first time.

It wasn’t what he had imagined. It was quite different from his expectations.

He thought it would be just an instinctual heat like that of an animal, but in reality, it was closer to an emotional response.

He even wondered if Eunseong might be mistaking his feelings for love because of the response.

Of course, Eunseong had liked him even before the full response, but Yoo Siwoon was still of the Seongha bloodline, one of the few breeding partners, and Eunseong was the reality of the great rift. If so, it was only natural for them to be instinctively drawn to each other as beings meant to produce offspring. That’s why he had kept his distance, even to the point of hurting Eunseong. He had tried not to get close.

So Yoo Siwoon was even more confused. He wasn’t sure if this was the response he had only heard about, or if he was genuinely liking Eunseong as a person.

Before going to bed, Yoo Siwoon often recalled Eunseong’s face. Looking back, Eunseong had a quick temper. He didn’t hold back when he disliked something. His way of expressing emotions was very different from Yoo Siwoon, who had lived hiding his feelings in the shadows. If he had something to say, he said it. He didn’t hide his affection for Yoo Siwoon and looked at him with eyes that craved love.

“Sigh…”

Unaware that Director Nam was watching, Yoo Siwoon let out a sigh without realizing it.

The response was close to a burning melancholy of wanting to see but not being able to, wanting to touch but not being able to.

He needed to get Eunseong out of the country as soon as possible. Yoo Siwoon wasn’t the only one in the family who could respond to the prophesied being. They couldn’t know when the “great rift” would be discovered, and they couldn’t be certain it would never be discovered.

Not just for Yoo Siwoon, but securing the “great rift” meant qualifying to inherit the entire group, so his cousins watched each other. They would use tactics to confuse their opponents if necessary. Just like how Yoo Siwoon was hiding Eunseong in his penthouse now. They might be hiding their targets too, or tracking someone who was hiding.

Yoo Siwoon felt a chill down his spine when he thought about them going as far as killing great rift candidates. Just half a year ago, he had to dispose of a body that Yoo Seong-il had mistakenly kidnapped and killed, thinking it was the target. The mere thought of Eunseong suffering such a fate made his heart sink.

If Eunseong wasn’t the target, Yoo Siwoon would have done everything to protect him, but now the situation had changed. What was only a suspicion had been confirmed as fact, and those with spiritual sight would recognize Eunseong, no matter who he was. Even Yoo Siwoon couldn’t be certain of protecting Eunseong then.

He knew he couldn’t delay sending Eunseong abroad any longer, but he couldn’t believe his own behavior of still hesitating.

He had confirmed it, so he should act on it, but why was he hesitating?

What exactly did he want to do with that boy?

“CEO, are you listening to me?”

“Huh? Ah, I was just thinking about something else for a moment. What were you saying?”

Feeling as if Director Nam’s questioning gaze was piercing through the unsettling thoughts in his head, Yoo Siwoon slightly averted his eyes.

“Executive Director Kwon Jun-ho said he would contact you separately soon. It seems the underground work with the executives who will support you is almost complete. You should familiarize yourself with their faces at the Seongha gathering first, and then I’ll arrange a secret meeting later.”

“Alright. That’s how we can end this madness quickly.”

Whichever way it went, Yoo Siwoon needed to end it quickly so he could sort out his feelings. He nodded at Director Nam’s words.

∞ ∞ ∞

On the day Eunseong returned from taking the college entrance exam, Director Nam came to pick him up. The look of subtle joy at seeing the car quickly turned gloomy when he realized only Director Nam was inside. Pouting with disappointment, Eunseong just stared blankly at the winter streets outside the car window.

“How did the exam go?”

“I just guessed randomly.”

“The CEO said to treat you to something delicious today. What would you like?”

“I don’t want to eat with you, Director Nam. I invited a friend over. I’m going to hang out with my friend.”

“You mean that friend from before?”

“You know I don’t have any other friends. Why are you asking when you already know?”

Eunseong felt a bit annoyed at Director Nam for meddling in his every move. Today was the day of the college entrance exam. He had believed Yoo Siwoon would show up today, and even Director Nam had said that Yoo Siwoon might stop by since it was a special day.

Eunseong didn’t know if Director Nam was lying to comfort him or if Yoo Siwoon was lying, but he disliked both scenarios. They were getting his hopes up and then saying nonsense about having dinner together, which wouldn’t happen.

Even though it was to be expected, Eunseong felt hurt. From the beginning, there was nothing an uncle could do for a nephew who claimed to like him. Eunseong didn’t just like him; he liked him as a man, with romantic feelings.

He couldn’t distinguish whether the feeling of liking someone naturally made people feel hurt, or if he felt hurt because the person he liked consistently pushed him away. Either way, both made Eunseong equally sad.

“The CEO asked me to tell you that you worked hard studying and congratulations on finishing the exam. He also asked me to say he’s sorry he couldn’t come because of a business trip.”

“…Don’t lie. The business trip is just an excuse. He doesn’t care about me at all.”

“When you say that, it makes me feel upset.”

“Why should you feel upset, Director Nam?”

“Because I know how much the CEO cares about you.”

“…”

Eunseong disliked how Director Nam kept talking about Yoo Siwoon and speaking as if he cared about Eunseong. Director Nam didn’t know anything about their situation. Eunseong wasn’t angry at him. He was struggling to distance himself from Yoo Siwoon, to deny his own feelings.

The car had already arrived at the penthouse. Eunseong had become used to living alone in the spacious apartment, and now found it more uncomfortable when Director Nam occasionally came in to check the place.

“When did you say your friends are coming?”

“They’ll be here soon. They said they’d come right after the exam. You can go now.”

“You’re disappointed the CEO didn’t come, aren’t you?”

Director Nam asked Eunseong, who was standing in the entryway to see him off after he had looked around the interior.

“No. We’re strangers anyway, so it doesn’t matter.”

“The CEO said you don’t necessarily have to go to a domestic university. He said you should consider going abroad.”

“…What?”

“He means you should consider studying abroad, or rather, he thinks it would be better if you did. Your English is quite lacking too. It’s better to start learning a language as early as possible to become fluent.”

“…”

So this was why he had come.

Now they were trying to send him away abroad.

Yoo Siwoon found him burdensome. Realizing this fact, Eunseong felt his fingertips go cold. Even so, while staying within the boundaries Yoo Siwoon had provided, Director Nam would relay news about him, and Eunseong could indirectly feel Yoo Siwoon’s presence. Even though Director Nam’s words about how much Yoo Siwoon cared for him made his heart ache, they also filled him with a warm, satisfying emotion. Eunseong now realized it was all an illusion, and his whole body felt cold.

“You’re saying I should go to a foreign university?”

“There’s no reason to insist on a domestic university, and you have many options. Is there any country you wanted to go to, or any language you wanted to learn?”

“I’ve never… thought about that.”

He had never considered going abroad. Even now, when they were apart, Yoo Siwoon wouldn’t even accept his calls. This meant he wanted Eunseong to go somewhere they couldn’t even meet by chance.

Eunseong suddenly felt his throat burn. The breath passing through his respiratory system made his chest feel tight, and he unknowingly opened his mouth to exhale quickly.

Despite seeing Eunseong’s flustered reaction, Director Nam didn’t change his attitude. It was a foregone conclusion that Eunseong had to go, no matter what, even if he didn’t want to.

“Think about it positively. The CEO said he doesn’t mind wherever you want to go.”

He added that it was a good opportunity that shouldn’t be missed.

Eunseong felt like he had swallowed a ball of fire.

It was clear that the dream he had three months ago when he lost consciousness wasn’t a dream but reality. Eunseong had hugged his neck and, like an animal in heat, pressed his lower abdomen tightly against him, frantically rubbing his cheeks and lips against his chest.

He thought it was just a dream. Because he had done such a crazy thing, now he had to be completely separated from Yoo Siwoon and go to a completely different country. That’s what Yoo Siwoon wanted. To completely disappear from his sight, from his reach. To become invisible. The intention was clear – to go somewhere out of sight and not cause any discomfort. And to notify him like this, as if they had been waiting, right after the college entrance exam was over.

Eunseong’s face, shocked by the cold impact, showed no emotion, making him look like an empty doll.

“I’ll look into it too. Could you… tell him I said thank you?”

“Of course. I’ll be going now. Have fun with your friends. Good job on studying all this time.”

“…Yes. Goodbye.”

After barely managing to say goodbye, Eunseong staggered inside.

Director Nam, having observed Eunseong’s reaction, sighed and left the apartment, getting into the elevator. He had thought Eunseong had given up on his feelings because there hadn’t been much talk about Yoo Siwoon lately, but it seemed he still liked him. Eunseong was taking the offer to study abroad as a notice of complete severance of their relationship.