Chapter 2

　　After that day, Ihyun was forced into even deeper isolation. He heard that the new friend he had actually liked was now permanently banned from the house. The boy went out of his way to smash the bed frame Suhyun had slept on and have it thrown out. Ihyun’s bedding was confiscated as well. Because of that, he was left to sleep on the hard, freezing floor.

　　Hearing about the incident, his father didn’t say much. No, Ihyun had hoped he wouldn’t say much. Still, a father was supposed to understand his own son.

　　“I told you not to cause trouble.”

　　At his father’s scolding, Ihyun couldn’t even lift his head. I didn’t do anything wrong. He hadn’t opened the door to invite Suhyun in. He certainly hadn’t invited the Young Master in, either. He was the victim here, but as the chauffeur’s son, he was inherently powerless.

　　The boy remained in a foul mood and found fault with everything Ihyun did. Yet, he followed Ihyun around everywhere, watching him like a hawk.

　　“Why do you eat like that? Why do you drink water like that? Why do you walk like that? Why do you take so long to wash?”

　　Why, why, why. The boy questioned the reasoning behind every single thing Ihyun did. Is mental illness contagious? Ihyun was terrified that the boy’s sickness was going to infect him, too.

　　Even so, he couldn’t ignore him. It would have been better if Ihyun just lost his temper and snapped. The boy absolutely hated being ignored. Once, exhausted by the endless nagging, Ihyun had tuned him out. He walked past the boy toward his room as if he were invisible, only to have his hair violently yanked from behind.

　　Ihyun stumbled, lost his balance, and crashed backward onto the floor.

　　“Who the hell do you think you are to ignore me?”

　　Turning his head to look at the boy, Ihyun saw that his eyes were bloodshot. It was the precursor to an explosive rage. The boy’s heavy, ragged panting filled Ihyun with panics. Pain tore across his scalp as the boy yanked his hair. But then, as if captivated by the tears of pain welling up in Ihyun’s eyes, the boy suddenly loosened his grip.

　　Ihyun quickly scrambled backward and began begging for forgiveness. The boy’s anger was terrifying. It was fine if that anger was directed at him—what he truly feared was that his father would be fired because of the boy, just like the revolving door of employees who had passed through this house, and that his father would blame him for it.

　　Pleased by Ihyun’s submissive groveling, the boy stroked his hair, softly telling him not to do it again. Startled by the sudden affection, Ihyun looked up at the boy, who was smiling down at him as if he didn’t even realize what he had just done. After that, the boy wanted to see Ihyun groveling more often.

　　The adults used Ihyun to keep the boy under control. Now, there was only one reason the boy ever threw a tantrum: just to watch Ihyun scramble anxiously to appease him.

　　The boy finally permitted Ihyun to use his name. As if suddenly realizing he had never heard his own name fall from Ihyun’s lips, he forced him to say it.

　　“…Sujeong.”

　　“Again.”

　　“Sujeong.”

　　“Do you always use someone’s full name when you call them?”

　　“Jeong…”

　　“Yeah.”

　　Sujeong no longer watched Ihyun from the doorway. He began forcing his way into Ihyun’s solitude. It had been better when he was just watching from outside the door. Knowing exactly when Ihyun’s father would be away, Sujeong invaded Ihyun’s space as if it were his own. Even if he wanted to protest, the entire estate belonged to the boy, so Ihyun couldn’t say a word.

　　Sujeong was sometimes affectionate toward Ihyun. As long as Ihyun listened well. Sujeong’s mood swings were less volatile than before, and he was stable more often than not. Ihyun prayed Sujeong’s good moods would last. He gained a lot from Sujeong.

　　While Ihyun used to wear small, worn-out clothes because his father couldn’t afford new ones, Sujeong started sharing his own expensive clothes with him, personally handing over his favorite snacks for Ihyun to eat. He even dragged Ihyun out to the main dining table for meals, refusing to let him scurry back to his basement room to eat in a rush.

　　Is this how a tamed dog feels? Ihyun was gradually getting used to Sujeong. Feeding him, clothing him, putting him to sleep. If someone asked who was closest to Ihyun right now, he honestly might have said Sujeong instead of his father.

　　Sujeong was satisfied. He liked that Ihyun was practically covered in his scent. Ihyun, living in his house, wearing his clothes, eating the food he provided. Sujeong even wondered why he hadn’t done this sooner. The demanding Young Master now slept by Ihyun’s side every single night.

　　Because the room was essentially in the basement, the floor was freezing, but pressed together, they weren’t cold.

　　However, those peaceful days didn’t last long.

　　The two of them entered middle school and started attending classes. Excitement stirred in him when he received his first school uniform. It was a chance to finally see people outside of that suffocating house. For the first time, his father gave him a little pocket money, and that small piece of affection warmed Ihyun’s heart.

　　School was nice. He ended up in the same class as Sujeong, but that was fine. It was better to have at least one person he knew than to be completely surrounded by strangers. Unlike Ihyun, who was practically invisible, Sujeong was incredibly popular. Even his appearance set him apart from the rest of the kids.

　　Ihyun knew Sujeong was bigger than him, but having been trapped in that massive house for so long, he had forgotten just how exceptional Sujeong truly was.

　　The only child of a corporate chairman and an art gallery director. All his relatives held prominent positions in politics and business. Having taken swimming lessons since childhood, his body was already solidly built. Nothing in his appearance revealed how vicious he could be.

　　With a beautiful face, a high nose bridge, and sharp, striking eyes, he was undeniably handsome even from a distance. He was someone no one could easily ignore.

　　The kids in the class naturally established a hierarchy. Since it was a wealthy school district, everyone secretly knew the ins and outs of each other’s family backgrounds. Sujeong was, of course, at the very top of the food chain. Ihyun, who rode to school in the same car and hung around him, was treated as if he belonged to a similar social class.

　　Ihyun didn’t love it, nor did he hate it. He didn’t expect much. He just wanted to make one close friend, like he had in elementary school before moving, and to participate in normal school events. The estate was massive and luxurious, but it was essentially a gilded birdcage that isolated him from the outside world. Ihyun welcomed this newfound freedom with open arms.

　　At first, Sujeong just watched Ihyun enjoy himself. He didn’t scold him or get angry. He would just occasionally stare in silence at the rare color returning to Ihyun’s cheeks. Sometimes, he would make Ihyun stand in front of him in his uniform just to admire him. Yeah, the beginning wasn’t bad.

　　Like any other kids, the students formed cliques and hung out with their own kind. The boys, in particular, were hyper-sensitive to hierarchy and quickly found friends who matched their level. Sujeong didn’t have to do that. Instead, the kids flocked to him. His followers desperately hoped to catch his eye and join his inner circle.

　　“Jeong, did you see that new game that just dropped?”

　　“What?”

　　“No… I mean, if you haven’t played it yet, I can lend it to you. Last time—”

　　“Are we close?”

　　“Huh?”

　　“I asked if we were close. Who the fuck told you to call me by my first name?”

　　But it wasn’t that easy. Even the kids who approached him acting overly friendly quickly started walking on eggshells after experiencing Sujeong’s violent temper just once. Sujeong only sought out Ihyun. He only allowed Ihyun to use his first name, and he kept only Ihyun by his side. Because of that, Ihyun couldn’t make a single friend other than Sujeong.

　　Due to their size difference, Sujeong was assigned a seat in the back of the classroom, while Ihyun sat near the front. Sujeong could have easily forced Ihyun to sit next to him at any time, but he didn’t. Thanks to that, Ihyun could actually focus on his classes without interruption. However, he constantly had to endure the intense gaze piercing the back of his head. He didn’t dare turn around.

　　Eye contact would happen in an instant. Sujeong never took his eyes off Ihyun. He watched his every move—who he talked to, who he tried to get close to.

　　Even though he was being heavily monitored, Sujeong still just watched him. He seemed to find it amusing to see Ihyun in a setting other than the estate. Ihyun strongly felt that Sujeong was just letting him off the hook for now. But he didn’t get arrogant about it. The Young Master’s anger was a dormant volcano that could erupt at any second.

　　He knew he had to watch his step.

　　Instead of Ihyun, Sujeong often unleashed his anger on the other kids. Even though they should have known his personality by now, there were always a few who fluttered around him like moths to a flame, desperate for his attention. Sujeong was like an idol to them. Being taller than his peers, having a handsome face, and coming from ridiculous wealth made him untouchable. Even the school’s worst bullies groveled before him.

　　But Sujeong couldn’t have cared less. In fact, he cursed out and chased away anyone who annoyed him. Having been brutally rejected several times, those kids redirected their humiliation and shame onto an easy target: Ihyun.

　　“I heard he’s basically the maid at Sujeong’s house.”

　　“No wonder… He even looks poor. You know that vibe.”

　　“Isn’t his personality a bit weird, too? So fucking gloomy.”

　　Ihyun was an easy target. With no one to protect him and no money to his name, he was the perfect punching bag. Sujeong knew what the other kids were saying about him, but he never shut it down. Kang Ihyun is Sujeong’s property. Sujeong’s maid.

　　Sujeong’s… If anything, he seemed to relish the labels. He’d just smile, clearly pleased.

　　But for Ihyun, it was suffocating. Sujeong still sneaked into his room at night. He watched him constantly, paranoid that someone else might get too close. When Ihyun finally realized they weren’t actually friends, the betrayal cut deep. I thought we were close.

　　He didn’t let it show, but it crushed him when his so-called best friend refused to lift a finger to help him. Right. We were never friends. He’d forgotten that the prince and the pauper could never truly be equals.

　　Ihyun wanted to prove that Sujeong wasn’t his whole world. It was childish rebellion, sure, but also a desperate need to win. I’m at school now. I can make my own friends. Little by little, he tried to carve out his own space.

　　He started by greeting his desk mate.

　　“Hi.”

　　“Huh? Oh. Hey.”

　　Flustered by the sudden attention, the boy blinked in surprise and returned the greeting. The back of Ihyun’s neck was already prickling. Stare all you want. What are you gonna do about it?

　　He might have been a freeloader at Sujeong’s house, but not here. Not at school. He needed to make that clear.

　　“Are you doing your math corrections?”

　　“…Yeah.”

　　“Want to see mine? I’m already done.”

　　“Whoa. Really? Man, that’d be a lifesaver!”

　　Watching the boy frantically scribble down the answers, Ihyun pulled his notebook from his bag and slid it over. His desk mate thanked him, immediately warming up to him.

　　“Man, you must be a genius. I’ve never seen anyone write review notes for the questions they actually got right.”

　　“I just…” Ihyun trailed off. “Didn’t have anything else to do.”