Passion Novel - Volume 3 - Chapter 71

While Jeong Taeui was internally cursing up a storm, Ilay suddenly mumbled to himself.

“It’s a bit severe…”

“What?”

Jeong Taeui looked at Ilay with a dumbfounded expression. Even Jeong Taeui, whose rationality was slightly in disarray and whose emotions were uncontrolled, could more than adequately guess how terrible the state of the area Ilay was looking at must be.

“Were all the people you slept with before fine, then?”

Jeong Taeui grumbled sulkily, wondering what the sudden remark was about. There’s no way anyone would be unharmed after getting that monstrous thing shoved in them.

However, Ilay, with an unconcerned face, said something that made Jeong Taeui flare up again.

“No, I never had occasion to see them again after sleeping with them.”

“…Then don’t look at mine either!”

Jeong Taeui snapped, wondering what kind of situation this was that Ilay wasn’t looking at others but was deliberately spreading his legs to look at him. He lifted his leg, thinking of kicking this bastard again, but Ilay held his knee tightly and wouldn’t let go. He clicked his tongue. And then, looking at Jeong Taeui’s groin with darkened eyes, he said like a sigh:

“I’m sorry. Lie down. If we don’t get it out, you’ll suffer all day.”

Jeong Taeui stared blankly at Ilay, who spread his legs further and sat closer between them.

I’m sorry.

It was different from the “Ah—sorry” from a moment ago. Unless Jeong Taeui’s ears were deceiving him, it carried a faint hint of sincerity. But there was no way a sincere apology would come from this man’s mouth. As Jeong Taeui stared intently at him with a suspicious expression, Ilay brought his hand between Jeong Taeui’s legs. The moment his pale hand touched his groin, Jeong Taeui jolted awake. Ilay pushed his reflexively jumping body back down.

“Stay still. It might hurt a little, but it’s better than going to the bathroom all day, isn’t it? With that body, it’ll be hard for you to even get out of bed.”

Speaking in an indifferent voice and restraining Jeong Taeui, he seemed to touch the area between his legs, and then, before Jeong Taeui could say anything, he abruptly pushed his finger inside. The searing pain from being swollen and sore, making it hurt whenever anything touched it, was agonizing, but above all, the feeling of something thick and slimy flowing out from inside as he bent his finger and opened the entrance was utterly chilling.

“Ugh, ugh, what, what is it, what is it—”

“My seed. Ah, it’s coming out.”

Ilay, who had calmly mumbled this in front of Jeong Taeui’s almost deathly pale, shuddering form, lowered his gaze to the cloudy fluid flowing out of Jeong Taeui’s body, wetting his finger. The thick liquid, dripping continuously and slowly from the red, swollen, and slightly parted area that barely swallowed a single finger, continued to flow out.

Even though he reflexively tried to recoil, when Ilay bent his finger and opened the entrance, the sensation of it flowing out regardless of Jeong Taeui’s will made Jeong Taeui’s face turn pale and distressed. Other than the pain from being swollen and torn, the sensation of it flowing out didn’t hurt, but he almost wished it did.

With a feeling that made him want to cry “Mama,” Jeong Taeui just clutched the bedsheet.

“…Alright. Looks like most of it’s out.”

Only after the flow subsided, after it had flowed from his hand and thoroughly soaked the towel underneath, did it cease. Ilay, who seemed to be trying to scrape out the rest, swept his finger through Jeong Taeui’s body a few more times, then withdrew his hand with a hint of reluctance.

While Jeong Taeui lay sprawled on the bed in a state of near exhaustion, Ilay silently tidied up. He tossed the wet towel into a basket, then brought a new towel soaked in warm water and meticulously wiped Jeong Taeui’s unmoving groin. Finally, after cleaning his own hands, he lay Jeong Taeui back on the bed and covered him with the blanket. Jeong Taeui looked at Ilay miserably, feeling like a child who had cried all afternoon until he was spent and then hiccupped. This man, who probably cleaned up in this manner while Jeong Taeui slept earlier this morning, seemed utterly unimaginable even after seeing him just now. This monstrous, beast-like, inhumane lunatic, surprisingly, seemed to have good manners in that regard.

However, even that did not appear kindly in Jeong Taeui’s gloomy state of mind.

“You’re very accustomed to this.”

When Jeong Taeui muttered fiercely, Ilay turned, saying, “Hmm?” Then he tilted his head.

“Did it seem like I’m accustomed to it? It was my first time cleaning up after someone else, but it’s a relief that it didn’t feel uncomfortable.”

Ilay chuckled and sat on the edge of the blanket covering Jeong Taeui. Jeong Taeui frowned, instantly trapped beneath the blanket, but Ilay lowered his head. He stopped about a handspan above Jeong Taeui’s face. His low voice repeated the unbelievable words once more.

“I’m sorry.”

“…So you do know how to be sorry. Well, if you didn’t know how to be sorry after raping someone, would you even be human?”

Jeong Taeui decided to let it slide, even though he realized this man wasn’t human. However, upon hearing those words, Ilay suddenly made a strange face. It was a face of surprise at something unexpected. That expression vanished quickly, replaced by his usual one, but Jeong Taeui didn’t miss that brief moment. He frowned suspiciously and asked,

“What is it, then? What are you sorry about?”

“No… It seems you won’t be able to move properly for a day or two, so I thought you’d be uncomfortable. …Come to think of it, what you said also makes me feel a bit sorry.”

His face, clearly showing that the words were mere lip service, did nothing to make Jeong Taeui forgive him.

Jeong Taeui’s anger surged again, choking him. He stared at Ilay menacingly, unable to breathe with his mouth open, then pulled the blanket over his head. He felt like he’d only get angrier if he kept looking.

“I said I’m sorry.”

The voice was tinged with laughter. You damn bastard, I swear I’ll never calm down until I take you down with my own hands.

Jeong Taeui mumbled, feeling as if blood tears were about to fall. Just then, a large hand rested on his head through the blanket. The hand, which had been moving over his head as if to caress it, slowly dropped away.

“It’s not something to get so angry about. I just did what we usually do, but a little more intensely. Besides, once you get used to it, you’ll enjoy it much more too.”

“I’m not going to get used to it, you bastard!”

“But you have to.”

The moment he heard that calm voice, his vision went white. Jeong Taeui instantly lost his temper and kicked Ilay along with the blanket. Ilay, who apparently hadn’t expected such a sudden counterattack, fell to the floor with a rather loud thud.

“You goddamn son of a bitch, what do you mean ‘have to’! You bastard, try laying a finger on me again, either top or bottom, and if you shove that damn dick in, I’ll bite it off and crush it, so beware!”

Jeong Taeui, with the thread of his sanity snapped, bounced on the bed, yelling. He shook his clenched fist at Ilay’s face, who lay dumbfounded on the floor, then panted and lay back down on the bed, turning his back.

“…”

“…”

However, after a short while, Jeong Taeui, whose body was aching and feverish from the brutal ordeal of the previous night, rubbed his cool forearm and silently got up, pulling the blanket that was sprawled on the floor with Ilay back onto the bed.

As he pulled the blanket over himself and lay back down, laughter erupted from behind him. Jeong Taeui shrieked with his hoarse voice.

“Get lost, you bastard!”

“Get lost,” he’d said with vigor, which was fine, but that wasn’t Jeong Taeui’s room.

But without time to think about it further, Jeong Taeui immediately fell into a deep sleep after shouting that and closing his eyes. Perhaps his mind felt clearer after recalling the lingering issue and venting his anger, for he slept until late afternoon without the usual uncomfortable awakenings. Jeong Taeui, who had slept deeply without dreaming, woke up at some point when evening had deepened.

Suddenly opening his eyes, all drowsiness cleared, as if he hadn’t just been in such a deep sleep moments before. Jeong Taeui blinked a couple of times from inside the blanket, which he had pulled up to his chin and clutched. He realized he hadn’t done anything all day. He had skipped all his regular duties. “What should I do?” he worried conscientiously for a moment, then quickly thought, “Who cares?” and pulled the blanket higher. What could be worse than this situation? Whether the instructors got angry for his laziness, or his colleagues grumbled about him taking a day off, if he could swap his current situation of lying warmly in bed for their situation of being exhausted by daily routines, Jeong Taeui would gladly do it right now.

If they want to kick me out for not being diligent, then let them. That’s what he wanted. Jeong Taeui burrowed deeper into the blanket with a “whatever happens, happens” mindset. Suddenly, a faint beep, beep sound was heard. Simultaneously, the wall clock chimed lowly.

Eight times. It was already eight o’clock.

He wasn’t particularly hungry. He had no appetite. His body aches still lingered, his fever hadn’t subsided, and his body still throbbed. His weak, wheezing breaths were hot.

Damn it. What is this? It’s sad enough to be sick in a foreign land, but I can’t even tell anyone why I’m sick. The body aches would heal naturally with time, but this bitter feeling would accumulate and remain in his chest.

Anger flared again as he thought of the culprit, but in less than a few seconds, that anger faded with his labored breaths. He was too exhausted and bothered to be angry.

Suddenly, his uncle’s fleeting remark came to mind.

“You have good intuition and judgment, but you lack a bit of initiative. Or perhaps, your judgment goes astray. Especially when it comes to people. If someone pokes your side, you’ll pretend to avoid it for a bit, but eventually, you’ll just get annoyed and tell them to do as they please, then you’ll just settle down.”

Ah. Is that why he said that? Jeong Taeui blinked a few times, then closed his eyes again. He wasn’t sleepy, but he had no energy. He ached all over and felt cold.

Damn it. Am I an idiot? To be forcibly assaulted and then, in less than a day, feel so bothered by everything that I throw away even my resentment. And this was different from just being beaten or ridiculed.

Nevertheless, Jeong Taeui was already tired of harboring that resentment. Hating someone required far more energy than liking them, and Jeong Taeui didn’t have that kind of energy. Moreover, someone might laugh if they heard it, but although the thought that Ilay deserved to be stoned to death painfully arose when he recalled the act of last night and Ilay simultaneously, if he took Ilay the person alone, he didn’t particularly dislike him. He probably felt that if someone tied Ilay up and handed him a stone, he’d say, “You got what you deserved,” and thoroughly beat him, but if Ilay reached a near-death state, he’d probably still drag him away and save him.

“No matter what, how could I just watch someone die…”

Jeong Taeui imagined it to himself, then recalled the situation and, after much thought, shook his head. Of course, the probability of such a thing actually happening would be less than one in ten thousand, but in his mind, Ilay had already become pitiable.

“…”

Suddenly, Jeong Taeui felt he understood his life’s shortcomings. It was wrong for his screw-loose mind to think even for a moment that such a person was pitiable. As he sighed as if the ground were collapsing, he heard a presence approaching from outside the room. He faintly flinched his shoulders and held his breath, and the presence stopped in front of the door.

The door opened, and quiet footsteps entered.

“What, still sleeping?”

It was Ilay. He spoke in a quiet voice, as if not to disturb a sleeping person, and slowly approached. Jeong Taeui briefly debated whether to give a sign of being awake or not. However, the debate didn’t last long. He wasn’t the kind of man who wouldn’t notice if he pretended to be asleep.

“If you’re bored, should I bring you a book? Come to think of it, the book my brother sent for Instructor Jeong has arrived, and I think you’d like it.”

Jeong Taeui sighed and poked his head out from under the blanket at words that indicated Ilay didn’t think he was asleep at all. He glared at him with still fierce eyes, and Ilay, who had been scanning book spines in front of the bookshelf, muttering “Where did I put it…”, glanced back.

“Why? Don’t you like it? If you don’t like books, watch a movie.”

He tapped the screen hanging on the wall next to the bookshelf like a picture frame with his knuckles. Jeong Taeui curtly mumbled “Don’t need it” and lay back down. Ilay, who had been looking down at Jeong Taeui for a moment, smirked and approached. Then he lay down next to Jeong Taeui, in the empty space of the wide bed. He didn’t seem to care that Jeong Taeui was staring at him with a menacing glare.

“Today, you know, I went out for the first time in a while, and there was a mountain of work waiting for me. They piled work on me without mercy, even though I’d just recovered from a near-death illness. And because I was buried in work right after barely getting out of bed, feeling weak and hazy, I got quite tired.”

Ilay mumbled words he hadn’t been asked and closed his eyes. And then, as if he had fallen asleep, he closed his mouth and began to breathe in long, even breaths.

Jeong Taeui quietly watched him. It was still a strange thing. He felt like Ilay would throw aside any work he disliked or found disagreeable, no matter what anyone said, yet when given something to do, he did it properly. He didn’t seem to have that kind of responsibility, it was surprising…

As he gazed at Ilay, a feeling akin to resentment slowly stirred. The neatly composed face, closing its eyes right in front of him, was the same face he had wanted to kill last night. He would probably dislike him intensely for a while.

Suddenly, the bedside table came into his view. The tray Ilay had brought in that morning was still there. A butter knife and a fork gleamed in the middle. Just one of those would be enough to easily kill a sleeping person. (Of course, it would vary greatly depending on who that person was.) …Since he already had a weapon right next to him and resentment was simmering, should he just stab him in the throat?

Jeong Taeui, seriously contemplating such a thought and alternating his gaze between the fork and Ilay’s throat, soon sighed. No, don’t. It wouldn’t work, and it’s too much trouble to exert effort on such useless things. He’d just consider it bad luck that he got caught in this mess. Jeong Taeui scratched his head vigorously and flopped back onto the pillow. He thought he caught a glimpse of Ilay almost smiling, but he couldn’t be sure.

His body still ached. Especially below his waist, even after almost a day, it still throbbed and felt numb. It hurt even when his skin brushed against itself. He had been lying in bed all day, and he wondered if he would even be able to walk out of bed. Damn it. Guys with ridiculously huge dicks should all get reduction surgery for world peace. Then women wouldn’t have to suffer in bed, and men wouldn’t have to feel inadequate comparing themselves. Plus, the damage from an unexpected accident like this would be much less.

Thinking that, Jeong Taeui’s eyes narrowed again. What “unexpected accident”? No, still, the fork to the throat… No, maybe just jab him in the forehead instead.

Jeong Taeui was still torn, glancing at the tray, when footsteps were heard in the hallway outside. The footsteps, which seemed to be coming from another room and were about to pass by, paused in front of this room’s door, then the door clicked open without a knock.

“Rick. I’m coming in.”

The person who spoke only after entering was someone Jeong Taeui knew well. He was the owner of the room located near the end of this hallway—the room Jeong Taeui often went to lounge around in. Jeong Taeui, who had propped himself up high on his pillow, met his gaze directly. Blink, blink, both silently stared at each other, blinking with expressionless faces.

“…You said you were sick and resting in your room today.”

“Yes. I’ve been resting in this room all day because I was sick.”

“I’m still sick,” Jeong Taeui added. His uncle mumbled “Oh, right,” indifferently, then crossed his arms and fell into thought for a moment. He tilted his head calmly, looking somewhat displeased or suspicious. His uncle’s gaze shifted to Ilay, who was lying right next to Jeong Taeui.

“Why is that guy pretending to be asleep?”

His uncle mumbled, but Ilay didn’t open his eyes even after hearing that. His uncle clicked his tongue, looking at Jeong Taeui.

“Yesterday, he was on the brink of death, and today you’re sick? Was that bacterial toxin contagious?”

“No… I don’t think so…”

It was awkward to answer, so Jeong Taeui mumbled, trailing off. His uncle’s face remained expressionless, but he seemed somewhat dissatisfied. However, he didn’t say anything and silently walked towards the refrigerator. And then, he casually opened someone else’s refrigerator and, as was his habit in his own room, took out a can of beer and tossed it to Jeong Taeui.

“Your face has gotten so thin in a day. Your eyes are swollen. Your lips are parched and cracked. Drink that and quench your thirst.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Seeing the beer, a sudden thirst surged. Hoping it would help him clear his head and feel better, Jeong Taeui pulled the tab. But then:

“Who gives alcohol to someone who’s sick in bed? Don’t drink it.”

Ilay, who had been lying with his eyes closed, mumbled.

“What’s beer? You’re the one who just chugs rum.”

Jeong Taeui scoffed and swallowed the beer. A cool, crisp sensation went down his throat. His uncle sat in a chair, watching Ilay with disapproving eyes.

“I never thought healthy advice like ‘don’t give alcohol to a sick person’ would come out of your mouth.”

As his uncle mumbled to himself, Ilay opened his eyes. And then, as if annoyed, he sat up, and the first thing he did was snatch the beer can from Jeong Taeui’s hand. “Huh,” Jeong Taeui mumbled, but before he could reach out again, Ilay emptied the can in one gulp. His uncle suddenly clicked his tongue. He then shrugged and smiled calmly, as usual.

“It seems one can truly recover after a severe illness. Your personality must have softened considerably after being sick, Rick. I’m even seeing you let someone sleep in your bed.”

Ilay faintly frowned. He opened his mouth as if to say something, then remained silent for a moment before smirking.

“Instructor Jeong Changin. I think I know what amusing thoughts you’re having, but no matter what, I’m not so heartless as to kick out someone who’s unconscious. Besides, it’s not just anyone, but your beloved nephew, isn’t it? And he’s also a Gilsangcheon. I should treat him well, as is proper.”

Bullshit.

As soon as Ilay’s words fell, Jeong Taeui muttered inwardly. What do you mean, ‘treat him well as is proper’? You forcibly assaulted someone, drove them to the brink of death, and then, when they fainted, you immediately kicked them out of the room? Is that human?

Jeong Taeui, with wide, incredulous eyes, looked at Ilay, then scoffed and turned his head away.

“What did you come for?”

Ilay asked, openly showing his annoyance. His uncle seemed to have no intention of speaking at length, so he obediently changed the subject.

“Kyle contacted me a little while ago. So I wanted to get a list from you.”

His uncle spoke slowly, then glanced at Jeong Taeui. Jeong Taeui, who had been sulking since his beer was snatched, suddenly said “Ah,” and sat up when he met his uncle’s gaze.

“Then please talk amongst yourselves. I’ll slowly head back to my room.”

Just thinking about going down six floors exhausted him, and thinking about the colleagues he’d run into in the hallway on the way to his room on the sixth floor exhausted him even more, but he had no intention of listening to other people’s conversations. Especially if it was work-related. He had no sense of belonging to the branch and was planning to leave soon, so there was nothing good to gain from hearing internal matters. The moment he stepped out of bed, he sighed. As soon as his feet touched the floor, his lower body throbbed and ached. The resentment that had subsided instantly revived.

Jeong Taeui, sitting with his back slightly arched on the bed, replayed his resentment for a moment, then swallowed a sigh and stood up. Fortunately, he could at least walk slowly.

“Can you walk a bit? You’re resting because you’re not feeling well.”

His uncle asked. Jeong Taeui was too bothered to answer and just waved his hand. It was useless to pretend to be fine and cheerfully say “Of course” and run out in front of these observant people anyway. It would be less awkward to just honestly show that he was in pain as he walked. Ilay seemed about to say something, looking at him, but then closed his mouth. “His uncle’s gaze is really stinging,” Jeong Taeui lamented this reality and limped out. If someone were to write Jeong Taeui’s chronicles of suffering someday, just the events of these past few days would surely be enough to fill a thick chapter and more.