The Unbelievers

Chapter 77

“I did a lot of wrong things.”

“I won’t do it again.”

“You shouldn’t do it again. Such a thing should never, ever happen again.”

Director Nam strongly warned, thinking of the deceased Seo Jeong-gi, that this should never happen again, not for anyone else’s sake but for Eunseong’s own safety.

Eunseong deeply reflected on how he had suffered a lot from this recent runaway and how he had caused trouble to those around him with his thoughtless actions.

With a depressed expression from being scolded, Eunseong sat down and pulled the milk towards him.

“By the way, we brought all of Eunseong’s clothes, so why is he wearing the CEO’s clothes?”

“He asked for something comfortable, so I gave him mine.”

Director Nam, who had personally bought and brought several sets of pajamas and comfortable clothes for Eunseong, turned a questioning eye to Yoo Siwoon, who hastily made an excuse. Then, nodding as if understanding, he said, “Ah… You’re doing well. Just keep doing that.”

Siwoon, who at first didn’t quite understand Director Nam’s words, soon grasped their meaning. It meant that even if he couldn’t return Eunseong’s feelings of liking him, he should soothe him in this way to prevent him from getting hurt again and running away from home.

“…”

Siwoon had been ignoring his own feelings and Eunseong’s confession, trying not to form any kind of relationship with Eunseong, and was even determined to undergo chemical castration if it was impossible to control consciously.

He was a man who abhorred the very idea of making a male bear seed to produce an heir, and the practices of the family who sincerely believed and followed this.

“After paving the way for chaos and destruction, a god who came by a side path will appear like light in the darkness through a great gap. This is the savior, the one to be worshipped, with lips as sweet as honey and eyes as fair as lilies. The serpent’s brood will be in the abyss, visible only to those with opened spiritual eyes. The key to the whole world will be placed in his hand. Mark the sign of the knight on his forehead and hand.”

His affection for Eunseong was not because Eunseong was the being who would give him the key to the whole world, but for Eunseong himself. Even if Eunseong hadn’t been that being, Siwoon’s feelings wouldn’t have been much different. Rather, he desperately prayed that Eunseong wasn’t, that Eunseong wasn’t the “Great Gap.”

Siwoon looked at Eunseong while reciting the prophetic verse of the scripture in his mind. Although he knew all too well that it shouldn’t happen, that becoming involved with Eunseong in this way might lead to some catastrophe in the future, it wasn’t easy to even avert his gaze.

Director Nam couldn’t even imagine that Siwoon also had feelings for Eunseong.

If there was even the slightest possibility that Eunseong could become pregnant with Siwoon’s child, he should stop these feelings immediately, forcibly if necessary, but he kept making excuses. Liking someone doesn’t lead to pregnancy, and kissing doesn’t lead to pregnancy either.

Siwoon felt like he had become a scoundrel for having such cowardly thoughts. He kept his mouth shut. It was an issue he would have to explain to Director Nam someday, but for now, he couldn’t bring himself to speak.

While he had been denying that such a thing would ever happen, Siwoon was desiring Eunseong from the bottom of his heart. This included a desire stemming from the base nature of a man wanting to make Eunseong entirely his own, and Siwoon had been denying this fact until now.

Director Nam, passing by Eunseong who was drinking milk and eating an apple, approached Siwoon with an empty coffee cup.

“You don’t need to feel guilty. You’re doing the right thing.”

“…”

“From today, I’ll be personally in charge of Eunseong. I’ve received reports that there’s nothing unusual at the penthouse.”

“Please ensure thorough security there as well.”

Even before issuing a wanted notice for Lee Doyun to deceive the eyes of those who had noticed Eunseong’s existence, they had already sent Eunseong’s stand-in to the penthouse to act as him.

Although they were at a distance, Director Nam carefully asked in an even lower voice so Eunseong couldn’t hear:

“…Have you perhaps told him about that?”

“What? Oh, no. Not yet.”

Wondering what they were talking about, Eunseong looked over at them. Siwoon’s face froze coldly. Director Nam was talking about Seo Jeong-gi, Eunseong’s father.

“I think it’s better not to tell him.”

“…”

Even though Siwoon hadn’t said anything, Director Nam shook his head firmly, emphasizing that he absolutely shouldn’t tell. No one could predict what might happen if they told Eunseong, who was already easily provoked and prone to running away impulsively, about Seo Jeong-gi’s death.

Moreover, it wasn’t an accident but murder. Yet they couldn’t tell Eunseong the truth either.

The prophesied being who could conceive a man’s seed.

The mark on the nape discovered after nearly two hundred years, with the last record dating back to the early 19th century.

Within his family, Eunseong’s existence was like a miracle that would give birth to a god who came by a side path.

Eunseong wouldn’t believe that such a thing had happened to him. He wouldn’t believe that Siwoon and his blood relatives were breeders either.

Eunseong had to live in hiding since childhood because he was the prophesied being. His birth parents died because of Siwoon’s family, and he even suffered violence from the man he called father, as if bearing original sin. He had to live a difficult life until Siwoon started protecting him.

Unlike Siwoon, who had been brainwashed by the family, Eunseong grew up in an extremely realistic but unfortunate household. It would be hard enough for him to believe that he, a male, was the prophesied being capable of conceiving seed, let alone that his birth parents or Seo Jeong-gi had died trying to protect him for that reason. It was obvious that this would be too much for him to handle.

Even without Director Nam’s urging, Siwoon had planned not to tell the truth until Eunseong’s departure from the country, or if possible, even after that. Eunseong was already preparing to cut ties with Seo Jeong-gi anyway. He believed their connection had already been severed when he left home with Siwoon back then. There was no good reason to let him know.

“I’ve doubled the security personnel on your way to work. The same goes for the company. How about holding meetings here? It’s better to consider everywhere else dangerous now. You should be careful for the time being as well, CEO.”

If Seongha Construction knew about Eunseong’s existence, they would try to take him away somehow, and they had to be wary of all the breeders of Seongha whose spiritual eyes were opened.

They would now attempt to possess Eunseong by any means necessary. As always, Seongha’s willingness to use any means necessary implied that they wouldn’t hesitate to commit murder.

Looking closely at the being who was the origin and sole key to all of this, Siwoon said:

“Let’s do that. We can’t delay any longer now.”

“I understand. I’ll prepare accordingly.”

Siwoon nodded, not shifting his gaze from Eunseong, who knew nothing.

Director Nam excused himself. Siwoon moved the empty coffee cup to the sink and turned to look at Eunseong, who had eaten half an apple. With one cheek puffed out, chewing on the crisp apple flesh, Eunseong said:

“I wanted to drink coffee today. Actually, I often drank coffee in the morning when I was living alone.”

“You should have asked.”

“Director Nam seemed angry, so I was scared to say anything.”

“He’s not angry. He’s just worried.”

“…I was surprised when I woke up this morning. I thought I had dreamed it all.”

Fiddling with the empty milk glass that only had white marks left, Eunseong mumbled softly. He was conscious of Director Nam, who was somewhere in the living room. Siwoon also glanced in that direction, though Director Nam wasn’t visible.

“Director Nam.”

Siwoon called out to Director Nam from where he stood. Despite the call not being very loud, Director Nam came running immediately. Realizing that even their soft whispers could be heard by him, Eunseong was relieved that he hadn’t spoken carelessly.

“Yes, CEO?”

“I forgot today… Could you go water the greenhouse?”

“Is it alright for me to enter alone? I thought no one was allowed in when you weren’t there.”

“Well, it’s not like you’re going to eat those herbs, Director Nam.”

“Pardon? No, I’ll refrain. Then…”

Director Nam frowned as if he had been told to eat something disgusting, insisting that such a thing would never happen. Then, as if agreeing to follow the instruction, he turned around without hesitation despite being given such a trivial task. Like a distant noise, the sound of him crossing the living room and opening the door could be faintly heard before his presence completely disappeared. He was probably crossing the winter garden towards the greenhouse now.

As the surroundings quieted and only the two of them remained, Eunseong’s face and actions became awkwardly stiff as he looked at Siwoon. Although he tried to act as if nothing had happened, it was impossible not to be conscious of last night’s events.

“…I tried so hard not to fall asleep. I really tried not to, I really held out.”

“You must have been tired.”

“I still can’t believe I fell asleep while kissing you.”

As if disliking himself for somehow falling asleep while kissing him, Eunseong made a gesture of tearing at his own hair. Eunseong’s regret for last night, blaming his foolish self, was cute. Siwoon smiled slightly.

Seeing his smile, Eunseong slowly got up. He approached him and looked up at Siwoon with eyes that still couldn’t believe it. After standing face to face with him for a moment, he suddenly wrapped his arms around Siwoon’s waist. He buried his face in Siwoon’s chest. Siwoon looked down at the top of Eunseong’s head, nestled in his arms. He couldn’t embrace him back like last night. He didn’t deserve to.