Projection Novel (Completed) - Chapter 72

The situation of bringing an outsider to the basement was unsettling, so he had been secretly watching after calling Cheon Sejoo. When Seonhyuk suddenly lunged to hit Sejin, Haewoong, terrified, threw away the ice cream he was eating and ran over. He thought that Sejin’s head was so small that one hit from Seonhyuk would surely crack it open.

He didn’t know what was going on, but thinking he couldn’t let Seonhyuk hit the kid Cheon Sejoo was with, Haewoong clung desperately to his waist and shouted, “Hey! Get out!”

But Sejin didn’t seem to intend to back down. Rubbing his head, which had hit the wall, Sejin stepped forward, glaring at Moon Seonhyuk with murderous eyes and saying, “Cheon Sejoo didn’t change because of me; he was just enduring this shitty basement all this time. People like you mean nothing to Cheon Sejoo; you’re just something he wants to escape!”

At that provocation, Moon Seonhyuk swore and swung his fist, and Haewoong, hit in the face, yelped and fell backward. As soon as he tumbled to the floor, Haewoong sprang up, a vein throbbing on his forehead.

“You son of a bitch, are you crazy?!”

Shouting that, Haewoong lunged at Moon Seonhyuk. Pushing away Haewoong, who was clinging to him again, and struggling to get to Sejin, Seonhyuk, eyes glazed over, also cursed at Sejin.

“You fucking bastard. Don’t you dare talk about the team leader when you know nothing!”

His low voice echoed chillingly in the basement. But Seonhyuk couldn’t reach Sejin because of Haewoong clinging to him, and Sejin watched the two of them wrestling before scoffing and turning away.

In the past, he might have felt confused by the basement, but not now. Sejin knew what kind of person Cheon Sejoo was.

He was harsh on himself, a person who pushed himself. Having glimpsed Cheon Sejoo’s self-loathing, Sejin knew that he must have suffered greatly in this place for many days. Had he only suffered? There might have been many moments when he wanted to give up, finding it too burdensome to endure.

Sejin swallowed a cry. It was something he had somewhat anticipated since realizing Cheon Sejoo was a DG executive, but realizing that he was not just an enforcer but working covertly in a basement like this truly saddened him.

He desperately understood why Cheon Sejoo had tried to keep him at a distance all this time. Cheon Sejoo had chosen to avoid him, fearing that Sejin would despise him, and would point fingers, if he knew about this work.

Cheon Sejoo… was afraid of being hated by him.

“I told you not to! Why did you hit me?!”

“Goo Haewoong! Get lost!”

Leaving the noisy fighting in the basement behind, Sejin closed the door and left. Click, once locked, no sound escaped from within. Thanks to the perfect soundproofing, it seemed no one would know if several people died inside.

…Sejin suddenly recalled the days Cheon Sejoo came home exceptionally exhausted. On such days, did Cheon Sejoo have to do his work here?

It’s something I must do, even if others can do it, Cheon Sejoo’s words from sometime ago echoed in his mind as Sejin ascended the stairs. That must have been what he meant by “this work.” And even in that sentence, Sejin could discern Cheon Sejoo’s kindness.

Cheon Sejoo had wanted to bear everything himself, unwilling to make others do such terrible things. To say that the basement suited Cheon Sejoo was nothing short of extreme insult. How selfish Moon Seonhyuk was. Every time he looked at Cheon Sejoo with eyes of admiration, Cheon Sejoo must have suffered immensely. That incredibly kind man wouldn’t have wanted to disappoint even Moon Seonhyuk…

Sejin quickened his steps, thinking he wanted to meet Cheon Sejoo and hug him. It was just as he reached the end of the stairs.

Burst, the door opened, and a cold breeze, along with a familiar scent, swept in. Sejin quietly raised his head and looked at the person who appeared. Cheon Sejoo stood directly in front of him. Seeing the man in just a shirt, as if he had rushed over in a hurry, Sejin frowned.

“Why…”

Why are you dressed like that, you’ll catch a cold… Just as he was about to ask, his eyes met Cheon Sejoo’s. And Sejin saw fear instantly spread across his entire face.

His deeply sunken eyes trembled as if caught in a storm, and fear etched itself onto his hardened brow. Cheon Sejoo was looking at Sejin, who had come up from the basement. Sejin blinked blankly, seeing his lips quiver.

“…Did you see it?”

The basement. The small, added voice trembled pitifully. Now Sejin knew what Cheon Sejoo was afraid of. Sejin swallowed the tears that welled up at that moment and nodded. Yes, he answered softly, and Cheon Sejoo staggered as if struck from behind.

“Cheon Sejoo…!”

Sejin quickly climbed the stairs and grabbed his shoulders. Cheon Sejoo was just moving his lips, like someone who had lost the power of speech. A vein bulged on his forehead, and seeing him clench his teeth and bite his trembling lip, Sejin shook his head with difficulty.

“No, I’m okay. It’s okay, Cheon Sejoo.”

But Cheon Sejoo couldn’t endure the surging fear.

Today was the day. Today he had intended to confess everything to Sejin. He had planned to tell Sejin everything, in his own way, the story he wanted to tell. Not like this. He had no desire to expose his true bottom like this.

He had not for a moment intended to show Sejin the basement. It was a place where a dirty truth was buried, a truth he couldn’t bear to tell Sejin.

But Sejin had seen it. What did Moon Seonhyuk tell him? What would Kwon Sejin think of me? Cheon Sejoo shook his head weakly, backing away, unable to believe this twisted reality. Unaware of the grip tightening on his shoulders, he pushed Sejin away, turned around, and left the building.

He’ll despise me. He’ll think I’m scary. The fear welling up inside took on a physical form and rushed at Cheon Sejoo. A headache pounded as if his head would split. Cheon Sejoo rushed out into the cold wind, gasping for breath. His head was spinning. It was so hard to breathe, he felt like he would die soon.

“…Joo.”

No. That’s not what I wanted to say. This isn’t what I wanted to show you. I, I…

Cheon Sejoo wheezed, shaking his head. Something was wrong. The world was spinning. It was hard to maintain balance. Cheon Sejoo felt someone grab him and gripped the hand on his arm tightly. Save me. I feel like I’m dying. He had no way of knowing to whom his painful, groaning cry for help reached. His vision turned black.

“Cheon Sejoo.”

A gentle voice reached his ears. Someone was massaging his limbs. Unable to bear the ticklish sensation, Cheon Sejoo raised his hand and gripped the other person’s wrist. It was a slender yet strong-boned wrist. As if he had held it for a long, tedious time once before…

“Are you okay?”

At the voice that spoke again, Cheon Sejoo slowly opened his eyelids. Where was this? He saw a pure white ceiling with a vent. He felt like he knew where he was, but his memory was hazy.

What am I doing here? Cheon Sejoo thought blankly, turning his head. Then a familiar face came into view. Sejin’s eyebrows were curved in worry, and his eyes were red, as if he had cried. Staring blankly at that beautiful face, Cheon Sejoo raised his hand. He stroked Sejin’s eyes and asked, “…Did you cry?”

As if that were a signal, Sejin’s eyes moistened. Cheon Sejoo silently wiped away the tears flowing down his cheeks. He might have been reminded of Kim Hyunkyung , it was at that moment.

As the exact location came to his mind, his hazy memories returned vividly. His heart thumped, thumped, quickening its pace, and Cheon Sejoo slowly raised his head to look up at Sejin.

“…”

Kwon Sejin had seen the basement. The fact he wanted to forget struck him.

“Cheon Sejoo…”

But before he could fall into a panic again, a warm embrace enveloped his entire body. Cheon Sejoo clung to his fading consciousness, held by Sejin’s body warmth as he embraced him with a tearful voice.

His heart was still pounding as if it would burst. No, perhaps it had already burst. A hot despair was swirling within him.

Sejin had learned the truth in a way he had least wanted. Intense regret washed over him. He had already ruined their first intimacy, and he hadn’t expected his plan to confess everything to go awry like this. He felt self-loathing, wondering why things kept going wrong when it came to Sejin.

Why did I ask him to pick me up?

The words he’d uttered, having completely forgotten that Sejin had visited the studio, had led to an irreversible accident. He should have been more precise, should have told him to come to Shinsa Capital. Cheon Sejoo felt his insides burning with a wave of regret.

“I’m okay. So don’t be scared…”

Then, for a moment, at Sejin’s whisper, Cheon Sejoo was speechless. Okay? What’s okay? You saw all that in the basement, and you’re still saying it’s okay? Many words swirled inside his lips, unable to move.

However, Cheon Sejoo couldn’t easily open his mouth due to the overwhelming discomfort pressing down on his entire body, and he raised his arm. Then, he hesitantly placed his hand on Sejin’s hair, which was buried in his chest.

He bravely stroked Sejin’s head. Sejin didn’t run away. He didn’t push Cheon Sejoo’s hand away either. Seeing Sejin quietly accepting his touch, as always, Cheon Sejoo slowly began to regain his composure.

He briefly wondered if it was a hallucination created by his shock and collapse, but it wasn’t. Sejin’s hair, entwined between his fingers, had a distinct form. As he recognized that this was reality, that Sejin hadn’t run away from him even after knowing about the basement, Sejin’s quiet voice reached him.

“It’s hyperventilation. You almost had a big problem…”

Sejin mumbled, listening to Cheon Sejoo’s heartbeat. Seo Jin-yeong, who had been reading comics in the office, ignoring the absence of Haewoong and Seonhyuk, heard the alarm indicating Sejin’s face. Jin-yeong, terrified after checking the CCTV and seeing Cheon Sejoo collapse, rushed down and realized he was hyperventilating.

Shocked by what was happening, he moved the unconscious Cheon Sejoo with Sejin to the fourth-floor bedroom, and about ten minutes later, Cheon Sejoo regained consciousness. Hearing the story from Sejin, Cheon Sejoo silently hardened his expression.

How surprised he was to see Sejin coming up from the basement. He thought his stomach was churning with a heart-exploding shock, but he hadn’t realized it would lead to such a panic attack. The spinning world and the hand that held him, it must have been Sejin. Recalling the moment he collapsed beside him, Cheon Sejoo swallowed a bitter taste.

The fear of losing Sejin had triggered such a reaction in Cheon Sejoo. It meant that Kwon Sejin held that much significance for him. It was a realization that was no longer surprising.

“Kwon Sejin.”

“Yeah…”

Cheon Sejoo quietly replied, looking down at Sejin, who was touching his face. With his cheek pressed against his chest, only Sejin’s two eyes were visible, but just meeting those eyes, he knew that Sejin didn’t despise him or try to distance himself. After confirming that with his own eyes, the pressure that had heavily weighed down his entire body seemed to vanish. Cheon Sejoo sighed, feeling his violently beating heart slowly calm down.

When he struggled to get up, Sejin, who had sat up, grabbed Cheon Sejoo’s arm and helped him. Cheon Sejoo silently gazed at his worried face. Truly, he couldn’t believe that Kwon Sejin was really okay after seeing the basement.

“…Let’s go.”

But Sejin was truly there in front of Cheon Sejoo. Sitting calmly, like someone for whom nothing had happened, there was no sign of agitation. Cheon Sejoo felt a deep sense of relief at his appearance and stood up.

He stumbled for a moment but didn’t fall. Sejin asked him in a worried voice as he leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths, “Are you going home?”

“…There’s somewhere I need to go.”

There was a place he intended to take Sejin when he met him in front of Shinsa Capital. Sejin had already seen the basement, but he couldn’t just start the conversation from there without another word. He didn’t want to. Cheon Sejoo wanted to tell him everything that had happened to him, hoping that… hoping he wouldn’t despise him. He wanted to defend himself, to say he had reasons for this.

Sejin simply nodded at Cheon Sejoo’s silent words and stood up. Following Cheon Sejoo down the stairs and out of the building, he got into the car Cheon Sejoo had parked. The interior of the car, which was still running, was warm. Sejin buckled his seatbelt and watched Cheon Sejoo drive, glancing at him.

The car left Seoul. There was no navigation set, but Cheon Sejoo drove silently towards his destination as if he knew the way. And finally, they arrived at a columbarium. Sejin, recalling the forgotten existence of his younger sister, bit his lip in despair that his guess had been correct.

Cheon Sejoo naturally drove into the parking lot and stopped the car. He hadn’t brought his jacket when he rushed out of Shinsa Capital, so he was still in his shirt. It wasn’t that cold, but he couldn’t let someone who had just collapsed wander around in just a shirt, so Sejin got out of the car and immediately took off his own outer garment, handing it to him.

“Wear this.”

“…”

He had intended to force Cheon Sejoo to wear it if he refused, but he smiled weakly and took Sejin’s clothes. Standing next to Cheon Sejoo, who had put his arms through the sleeves and donned the jumper, Sejin waited for him to take the first step.

But after a long time, Cheon Sejoo didn’t move. After quietly watching him for a while, he suddenly let out a self-deprecating laugh, turned to Sejin, and smiled. “Sorry, I don’t know where it is. Let’s go to the office.”

It was strange. He had driven from Seoul to Suwon without a navigator, yet he didn’t know the location of the burial urn. Sejin quietly followed Cheon Sejoo. Together, they went to the columbarium information desk and met a staff member there.

“Yes, what is the deceased’s name?”

“…Cheon Hyein.”

Cheon Hyein, Sejin slowly rolled the name in his mouth. The face he had seen in the album came to mind, and he imagined her smiling brightly if he called out, Hyein-ah. She was beautiful, just like Cheon Sejoo.

Sejin said nothing as they were guided by the staff member to where her remains were interred. Knowing that Cheon Sejoo had put a lot of thought and effort into coming here, knowing how much fear he had overcome to tell him about his past, Sejin simply waited silently for him to speak.

The niche they arrived at was in the innermost part of the columbarium, right next to a sunny window. On the niche, where Cheon Sejoo’s gaze rested, was a beautiful ceramic urn, and on it were written Cheon Hyein’s name and date of birth. Sejin confirmed the date of her passing and realized it coincided with the year Cheon Sejoo quit his residency.

“She’s my sister.”

It was almost fifteen minutes later that Cheon Sejoo, who had been blankly staring at her urn, finally spoke. His eyes heavy with emotion, he etched her name into his mind before turning to Sejin and opening his mouth. His voice was low, yet not mournful, but monotonous. Sejin felt a deeper sadness at this and nodded.

“…I didn’t mean to look, but I saw an album and photos in a box in the closet. You resemble her. She was beautiful.”

“…Really?”

Cheon Sejoo smiled instead of getting angry. He weakly affirmed the words, “She was beautiful,” and turned his gaze away again. The sunlight streaming through the large window illuminated the side of his face. Sejin quietly watched the shadow fall on the other side of his face. What Cheon Sejoo was about to reveal was the story within that shadow. Don’t be surprised by anything he says, don’t hurt Cheon Sejoo. Sejin resolved this and listened to his voice.

“Hyein… died six years ago. She was bullied by her classmates and eventually couldn’t bear it and committed suicide. To get revenge for Hyein, I kidnapped and assaulted her perpetrators, and in the process, I was caught by the police. And… Shin Gyoyeon, the man I’m currently serving, became interested in me and approached me. He asked if I would consider working under him if he helped me finish my unfinished revenge.”

The short, compressed story omitted countless unspoken circumstances. Cheon Sejoo said this and smiled bitterly. A low voice escaped him.

“I accepted that offer, and with Shin Gyoyeon’s help, I completed my revenge. That’s when it all started. This organization’s life…”

His deeply sunken eyes turned towards Sejin. Cheon Sejoo looked at Sejin with a hint of regret and began to speak.

From their first meeting in the corridor of that old building until he took Sejin home, he hadn’t imagined he would ever tell him this story. He had considered it a fleeting connection, and after atoning for his sins through Sejin, he had planned to leave this world…

But Sejin wasn’t just a passing connection; he had become a pillar supporting Cheon Sejoo’s life. Now, the situation is reversed. If Sejin left, Cheon Sejoo wouldn’t be able to live. Complex emotions swirled inside him like a storm. Swallowing what surged up, Cheon Sejoo confessed with heavy eyes, “Before Hyein died… she waited for me for a long time in the apartment corridor. She called me several times, but I was in surgery and couldn’t answer the phone.”

He had never spoken of that day. Chae Beomjun and Seok Yunhyung knew what had happened to Hyein, but they didn’t know that Cheon Sejoo was the one who had pronounced her dead that day. Recalling that day felt like a fire igniting within him. Cheon Sejoo swallowed the despair that surged like lava, struggling, and continued speaking.

“During the surgery, I was told a critically ill patient was coming in, so I left the operating room first. Standing in the ER lobby, waiting for the patient with the doctors… The ambulance arrived, and the patient who got out… looked like they were about to die. But there, I, I…”

The grief and despair, suppressed for six years, churned violently within him. Reflecting on the past, Cheon Sejoo stared blankly at Hyein’s urn. His trembling lips were tightly pressed together, and his cheeks were pale and gaunt, yet Sejin felt as if he was crying. He felt as though his fingertips would be wet if he touched his cheek.

“I thought… that patient… had no hope. But. But… that patient…”

He didn’t need to hear the rest to understand. Unable to bear the sight of Cheon Sejoo’s silent torment, Sejin embraced him. Sejin’s flushed cheeks became thoroughly wet. With a sorrowful expression, perhaps even more sorrowful than Cheon Sejoo’s, Sejin wept, holding him close and patting his back.

“Cheon Sejoo, you were a doctor… You just made a judgment as a doctor. You didn’t do anything wrong…”

At Sejin’s comfort, he finally collapsed weakly. Cheon Sejoo leaned against Sejin, shedding silent tears. The old sorrow soaked Sejin’s clothes, leaving a hot dampness. His regret, injustice, and sorrow, which he had kept deep in his heart for so long, finally spilled out of Cheon Sejoo after a very long time…

You did nothing wrong. He had heard those words from many people, but it was inexplicable why Sejin’s words tore at his heart so much. Cheon Sejoo sobbed soundlessly, as if hearing those words for the first time.