The Unbelievers

Chapter 79

“Call ahjussi and ask him. I’m not lying.”

“It’s awkward to call him about this. We’ll confirm it later, so just sign for now.”

“I told you I’m not going to study abroad!”

“It’s not study abroad paperwork. We need a new identity for you, so sign it.”

“…”

Come to think of it, there were not only study abroad documents but also applications for a new passport and ID card mixed in.

The documents with an unknown person’s information had only the signature field empty, and the name wasn’t Eunseong’s but an unfamiliar name: [Shin Wooyoung].

“Who’s Shin Wooyoung?”

“That’s Eunseong’s new name.”

“…Then who’s Lee Doyun?”

Suspicion and worry appeared in Eunseong’s eyes as he looked at Director Nam.

Lee Doyun was another identity used to issue a wanted notice in place of Eunseong’s name. They had no choice but to change the name, choosing the risk of exposing the face. There were many wanted criminals, and they had done this with the vague expectation that Seongha wouldn’t track down all the wanted persons.

“You know, the detective who brought me in that day.”

“You mean Team Leader Lee Joon-seung. That detective works with us. Did something happen?”

“No. Nothing much, but he said something strange to me that day.”

“Something strange? What did he say?”

Director Nam’s eyes hardened instantly. Eunseong hesitated. It suddenly occurred to him that it might have been some kind of rough joke from a detective used to dealing with criminals.

“Just… he said something unpleasant.”

“What did he say?”

“Just a bit rudely…”

He had asked if Eunseong menstruated. It wasn’t asked as a joke, but with an explicit expression and a look of disgust. Sometimes at school, friends would teasingly ask irritable boys if they were on their period, but it was the first time he had heard such a nasty comment from an adult, a stranger he had never met before, in such a place.

That wasn’t the only strange thing he said. He told Eunseong that he didn’t know who he really was. He made the harsh comment that if it were him, he would have committed suicide because of Eunseong’s identity.

“What did that detective say? He’s one of our people, what exactly did he say?”

Director Nam uncharacteristically pressed Eunseong sharply.

“He said I don’t know who I am.”

“What?”

Although Eunseong spoke like a riddle, Director Nam immediately understood the meaning and his forehead stiffened. Seeing his expression harden, Eunseong misunderstood it as pressure and explained again.

“I mean, he said I don’t know who I am.”

“…”

“Ah, how should I put it? He said I don’t know my own identity. Do you understand what I mean when I say it like this?”

“That person said that?”

“So I told him I do know.”

“…You know?”

This time, he was flustered. It was a bewilderment of how on earth did you know who you are, who on earth told you.

Eunseong tilted his head, staring at his strange reaction.

“What do you know? Eunseong, what do you know?”

“I said I know I’m the heir to the Seongha Group. I think he was indirectly criticizing why a chaebol heir was working part-time at such a motel. But doesn’t it sound a bit strange?”

Eunseong’s brow furrowed quizzically, saying that even trying to understand it that way, it still didn’t make sense. He added:

“He said if he were me… he would have committed suicide.”

Director Nam’s heart sank. His face turned ashen gray. Seeing Eunseong telling everything without hiding anything, as if tattling, his heart instantly became as heavy as if hit by a stone. He tried to stay calm. He spoke as lightly as possible, as if it were nothing.

“…I see. He works with us, but he has a foul mouth. I hear some people who only deal with violent crimes become like that. Try to understand, Eunseong. It won’t happen again. I’ll make sure he doesn’t behave rudely in the future.”

He vaguely understood why Yoo Siwoon had so fervently rejected Eunseong. Eunseong knew nothing. Eunseong’s existence was close to being a sacrifice that would give birth to the Asura they were waiting for. He was a ‘seed bearer’ with the mark. Although considered sacred, in the end, he would be thoroughly used as a tool for producing children. If he couldn’t produce, he would lose his meaning of existence.

Just as they had done to Eunseong’s birth parents, just as they had done to Seo Jeong-gi who raised Eunseong, if Eunseong had value to them, he would be raped, and if he had no value, he would be killed.

This was the fate that those with the mark on their nape had to endure, and Yoo Siwoon, hating this terribly, was trying to permanently conceal Eunseong’s existence and take over the Seongha Group itself.

“Maybe because he’s a detective, he was a bit scary.”

“For now, since it’s absolutely necessary, could you sign the documents first?”

Although his doubts weren’t completely cleared, Eunseong’s expression lightened somewhat, as if sharing with Director Nam had resolved things to some extent. He was about to sign the documents Director Nam handed over.

“Oh, no. Not Seo Eunseong, but Shin Wooyoung. Just write it in block letters. Shin Wooyoung.”

“…Ah, right.”

“Memorize the name Shin Wooyoung and the resident registration number too. You might need it in the future. Just think of yourself as Shin Wooyoung from now on, not Seo Eunseong.”

“…”

Although he didn’t understand why he had to go to such lengths, Eunseong didn’t ask any more questions and wrote the name Shin Wooyoung in block letters in the signature field, as if he would follow Director Nam’s instructions without any doubt. He also mumbled the resident registration number to memorize it.

Ostensibly for protection, but now more like surveillance, Director Nam stayed by Eunseong’s side, not leaving Yoo Siwoon’s house. He had even brought his luggage, planning to stay in this house until Eunseong’s departure.

Seo Jeong-gi was dead. It was because he had hidden the breeding subject with the mark and betrayed the will of the family.

Security for Eunseong became even stricter. To thoroughly control external access, even the housekeeper no longer came, and Director Nam took care of meals.

“It wasn’t about leaving home.”

Eunseong ate the lunch he had prepared, once again vowing not to run away and reflecting on the past days. However, he didn’t regret the act itself, as it had allowed him to confirm Yoo Siwoon’s feelings.

But the problem was Director Nam. He showed no signs of leaving no matter what promises Eunseong made. It was useless even after writing a pledge, stamping it, and making promises.

There was a strong sense that he would never leave Eunseong alone again.

“Are you trying to drive me crazy?”

“We’re going to start English studies too, so come out to the living room after eating.”

“It’s been days already. How long are you going to stay here?”

“Why are you curious about how long I’ll stay? Do you dislike me being here?”

“…It’s not that I dislike it, but I think it must be too hard for you. You’re constantly working overtime because of me.”

Unable to think of an excuse, Eunseong mumbled awkwardly. Director Nam narrowed his eyes.

“Don’t say things you don’t mean. Isn’t it because you want to be alone with the CEO?”

“…Pardon?”

Director Nam, who had momentarily slipped up, avoided Eunseong’s surprised gaze, wondering how he knew.

“Director Nam, did you know that I like ahjussi?”

“Do you know what was found in the bag you left behind when you ran away?”

“Ah…”

“When did you pack the CEO’s clothes?”

“They were on the back seat of your car. Did ahjussi see that too?”

“Of course he did.”

Eunseong felt embarrassed, wondering how Yoo Siwoon must have felt seeing him take his shirt even after being rejected like that.

“Do you know what’s hardest to hide in this world?”

“What is it?”

“Sneezing. Poverty. And unrequited love.”

“…”

“You ran away because you like the CEO, right?”

“Ahjussi did nothing wrong. I liked him first. I… troubled ahjussi by saying I liked him.”

“You like him with your heart, right?”

“…If not with my heart, what else would I like him with?”

Director Nam thought his own question was strange even as he asked it. If you like someone, it’s a movement of the heart. It meant that feelings toward someone had changed.

“It could be like instinct, being drawn without reason, something like that.”

“I don’t really understand what you’re saying.”

Eunseong’s behavior was certainly quite different from the response to breeders that Director Nam had only heard about. He had heard that the target’s response was like being in heat, no different from swallowing an aphrodisiac.

Like Yoo Siwoon, Director Nam also considered the prophecy about the god who came by a side path, or that child being the knight on a blue-yellow horse, the destruction itself, as nonsense. But once he knew that the being in that prophecy actually existed, he couldn’t help but be curious.

“Have you ever felt like you wanted to pounce on the CEO, or do something to him? Anything like that?”

Although Eunseong thought his questions continued to be strange, he carefully recalled if he had ever felt that way.

“…Actually, there were times I wanted to pounce on him. When ahjussi was asleep, I secretly touched his face a few times. Before, ahjussi used to freak out even if I just got close to him.”

Remembering how Yoo Siwoon used to keep his distance as if avoiding some smelly filth, even holding his breath when Eunseong got close, he felt proud of himself for enduring well despite seeing the person he liked act that way. Yoo Siwoon’s behavior of keeping a compulsive distance was that severe.