Chapter 3

　　Sujeong hadn’t allowed a single extra piece of furniture into Ihyun’s room. Trapped in that suffocating little box, studying was the only thing he could focus on.

　　“This is our first time actually talking, though. I honestly thought you were mute.”

　　“I’m just a bit shy. Sorry.”

　　“Nah, you don’t have to apologize. Let’s just be friends from now on.”

　　Ihyun glanced at the boy’s name tag. Kim Woosik. He was an ordinary kid, hovering somewhere in the middle-to-lower tier of the class hierarchy. But seeing how openly he treated him, Woosik seemed like a genuinely good guy.

　　Ihyun watched Woosik scribble away for a moment before shifting his gaze to the back of the classroom. Sujeong was glaring at him, looking ready to eat him alive. His eyes were bloodshot with fury. Suhyun had been right when he visited his room back then. Crazy bastard.

　　What did I even do to make him so pissed off? Ihyun couldn’t wrap his head around Sujeong’s obsession. He wouldn’t even acknowledge him as a friend, so why?

　　Even a worm will turn when stepped on, and Ihyun was human. He might have cowered under Sujeong’s absolute rule at home, but this was school. They weren’t alone in that house anymore.

　　Ihyun turned his attention back to Woosik. A loud thump echoed from behind as Sujeong slammed a fist onto his desk, but Ihyun ignored it. He refused to be chained to him.

　　Whatever anger Sujeong felt at school, Ihyun had to pay for it at home. As much as Sujeong did whatever he pleased without giving a damn about anyone else, he was still young. Strange rumors were already circulating about his weird obsession with Ihyun, so he couldn’t act out too recklessly in class.

　　“Why did you talk to him?”

　　“Can’t I even talk to my desk mate?”

　　Sujeong grabbed Ihyun the second they stepped inside the house, blocking him from going to his room. The sheer entitlement in his voice was sickening. Who do you think you are? Why are you so obsessed with controlling everything I do?

　　“Yeah. You can’t.”

　　“No.”

　　“What?”

　　“I said no. Who are you to tell me—”

　　He didn’t get to finish. With a heavy thud, Sujeong shoved him hard against the wall. A groan escaped Ihyun’s lips as pain flared across his spine.

　　“You need to do exactly as I say. Why the sudden change in attitude, Ihyun? I know you’re having fun now that you’re at school, but you still need to know your place.”

　　Sujeong was uncharacteristically talkative. He must have been itching to get his hands on him all day, bottling it up until he could finally unleash it the second they were alone.

　　“What place?” Ihyun shot back. “My dad just works here!”

　　His pride was in tatters. My dad is just your dad’s driver. I’m not your servant. I’m not. Ihyun glared right back into Sujeong’s face as the other boy leaned in, whispering over and over that he wasn’t.

　　“That’s exactly why you need to think carefully. What happens if he loses that job? Hmm?”

　　You’re smart, Ihyun. Use your brain. Sujeong stroked the top of Ihyun’s head, his touch a silent, suffocating command. Hurry up and promise you’ll be quiet again. Promise you won’t talk to anyone else.

　　Promise you’ll never avoid my eyes again.

　　It was so unfair. Ihyun hadn’t been able to do a single thing he wanted since moving into this house. My dad at least gets paid for this, but why do I have to… Tears welled in his eyes. Sujeong gently brushed the moisture away.

　　“See? If you just listened to me, you wouldn’t get in trouble,” Sujeong murmured. “Just don’t do it again. Are you scared?”

　　His low giggle sent chills down Ihyun’s spine. Ihyun slapped his hand away and stormed off to his room. For once, Sujeong let him go without a fight.

　　But Ihyun refused to submit. Go ahead. Keep threatening me with my dad’s job. There are plenty of jobs out there. He can just find another one.

　　That was his mindset.

　　“Hey, Woosik.”

　　“Hey.”

　　He had deliberately gotten to school before Sujeong. He’d locked his door the night before, and the thwarted intruder had pounded on it until dawn. Having barely slept, slipping out of the house early had been easy.

　　“Hey, Kang Ihyun.”

　　Ihyun remained silent.

　　“You… you little fucker.”

　　Sujeong was absolutely livid. It made sense—he hadn’t been ignored like this since they were kids. But Ihyun didn’t even spare him a glance as Sujeong stood by his desk, fuming.

　　“Woosik, did you do yesterday’s homework?”

　　“…Uh, no…”

　　“Want to see mine?”

　　Instead, he called out to his desk mate, acting completely friendly. A split second later, Sujeong kicked Ihyun’s desk. It crashed to the floor with a loud bang.

　　“Kang Ihyun.”

　　“Do you have something to say to me?”

　　Ihyun wasn’t scared. Even if it meant getting dragged by his hair again, he refused to back down. Here at school, he didn’t have to lose.

　　“Sujeong, everyone’s staring. Why are you acting like this?”

　　Sujeong fell silent.

　　“You don’t actually have a crush on me like the rumors say, do you? Two guys… that’s disgusting.”

　　He struck first. Sujeong absolutely despised the gay rumors, even though Ihyun was the one who actually had the right to be offended by them. Having deliberately called it “disgusting” to provoke him, Ihyun watched his reaction closely. Woosik was already terrified, tugging at Ihyun’s sleeve and begging him to stop.

　　Sujeong’s face flushed red with pure rage. Ihyun calmly stood up and righted his desk.

　　“If you don’t have anything else to say, leave. Stop bothering me.”

　　The rest of the class watched the standoff in dead silence. Dude, has Kang Ihyun lost his mind? What’s his deal? The murmurs grew loud and chaotic, but Ihyun held his ground. His heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might burst out of his chest, but he kept his expression perfectly blank.

　　It was a battle of wills. If he backed down now, he knew the rest of his life would be ruined.

　　His pride severely wounded, Sujeong glared at Ihyun with murderous intent. How dare you. You’re nothing but the brat who cleans up after my family…

　　“A little beggar leeching off my family should answer the second his master calls him. Right?”

　　Sujeong humiliated him, ruthlessly exposing Ihyun’s poverty and his single-parent household in front of the entire class.

　　“Imagine how heartbroken your dad would be if he saw you acting like this. After he works so hard kissing our asses to earn a living. Right, Jinsu?”

　　“Huh? Oh. Yeah. Hey, Kang Ihyun, you heard him. Answer when your master calls.”

　　Sujeong had even dragged his crony into it. Ihyun was already someone the rest of the class felt comfortable looking down on. His fingertips trembled with sheer humiliation. He wanted to kill him. He could endure being insulted and degraded himself.

　　But not his dad. He absolutely refused to let Sujeong insult the father who had raised him all on his own.

　　“Look up,” Sujeong ordered.

　　As tears welled in his eyes, Ihyun dropped his head, blocking the other boy from his line of sight. But Sujeong wasn’t going to let him hide. Following the sharp command, a rough hand clamped down hard on Ihyun’s jaw, forcing his face up.

　　“Ugh.”

　　“Holy shit, Kang Ihyun is crying!”

　　“Whoa.”

　　Jinsu loudly broadcast the pathetic sight of tears streaming down Ihyun’s face. He became a laughingstock in an instant. The other kids crowded around to gawk at him. Sujeong leisurely took in the sight. Struggle all you want.

　　It’s useless. Seeing Sujeong lord over him exactly like he did at home, something inside Ihyun snapped. He grabbed a pencil and lunged.

　　“Hey! Break it up!”

　　“Someone go get the homeroom teacher, hurry!”

　　Chest heaving as he gasped for air, Ihyun finally snapped back to reality. Sujeong had fallen backward and was clutching his right eye, blood dripping steadily onto the floor. The other students frantically crowded around him, while a few screamed at Ihyun. Stunned by the sudden bloodshed, Ihyun dropped the pencil. Through his uncovered left eye, Sujeong stared up at him.

　　A twisted smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Only then did Ihyun realize what he had done.

　　The school was in an absolute uproar. A teacher personally rushed Sujeong to the hospital, and Ihyun was forced to trail behind them. Several doctors hovered over the boy to treat his face. It wasn’t a severe injury, but they warned it might leave a scar. The vice principal was on his phone, bowing profusely as he apologized over and over, while the homeroom teacher sat next to Ihyun, tapping his foot in sheer panic.

　　Finishing his call, the vice principal turned to glare at the homeroom teacher.

　　“Just how on earth are you managing your students?”

　　“I’m so sorry…”

　　“Do you have any idea what kind of family that boy comes from? After I explicitly warned you!”

　　“I have no excuse.”

　　Ihyun could feel the vice principal’s eyes boring into him. Unable to scream directly at a student, the man was taking his fury out on the homeroom teacher instead.

　　“I want to go home.”

　　Sujeong finally emerged from the treatment room. Sporting a fresh bandage, he quietly announced his demand.

　　“Jeong, how are you feeling? Are you alright? Should I give you a ride?”

　　“My driver is coming.”

　　The vice principal hovered by Sujeong’s side, fussing over him. But Sujeong kept his eyes locked on Ihyun as he spoke. Ihyun’s dad was coming to pick them up. Ihyun clenched his jaw. He was terrified, already dreading the sheer hell that awaited him at home.

　　“Let’s go, Ihyun.”

　　Ihyun was standing with his head bowed, clutching his bag to his chest, when Sujeong stepped right up to him and held out his hand. Beside them, the homeroom teacher and the vice principal were practically begging the boy to put in a good word with his parents. Trembling, Ihyun had no choice but to take his hand.

　　When his dad arrived, he only fussed over Sujeong. Feeling like a criminal, Ihyun couldn’t even bring himself to look at his father, keeping his eyes glued to the floor. The three of them crossed the garden and stepped inside the house.

　　“Mr. Kang, after everything we’ve done for you, how could you let this happen?”

　　They had barely stepped into the living room when a hysterical shriek bounced off the high ceiling, echoing all around them. His father immediately dropped to his knees like a condemned man, begging for forgiveness over and over. Ihyun knelt right beside him. Leaving them behind, Sujeong leisurely strolled over to his parents.

　　“The doctor said he could have gone blind! Do you have any idea how precious my boy is?”

　　“Honey, calm down. This is exactly why I told you we shouldn’t take in people with no breeding.”

　　Under the barrage of insults, Ihyun couldn’t even lift his head. Do you have any idea what your precious son does to me? He wanted to scream it at them, but he couldn’t. The precious son was currently lounging on the sofa, basking in his parents’ fierce protection. When Ihyun finally dared to look up, he met the gaze of the one eye watching him.

　　Idiot. Sujeong mouthed the word at him. Even after nearly losing an eye, he was grinning from ear to ear like he had just won a prize. It made Ihyun sick to his stomach.

　　“You, Ihyun. Have we ever done anything to mistreat you? Hmm? Other families wouldn’t take care of you like we do! How dare you bite the hand that feeds you!”

　　Because of the pencil stab, they’d said there was a high chance it would leave a scar. Having carved a permanent flaw into that perfect face, Ihyun’s only response was to keep his head bowed to the floor.

　　“I’m so sorry.”

　　“Just how on earth did you raise your child? How are you going to compensate us for this? You ruined my boy’s face! What are you going to do about it!”

　　Her hysterical shrieks pierced his eardrums. Sujeong’s mother smacked Ihyun on the shoulder as she screamed.

　　“…You’re fired. And we’ll be billing you separately for the medical expenses.”

　　Sujeong’s father delivered the warning in a hard, unforgiving tone. He started throwing around words like lawsuits and hiring attorneys—things Ihyun couldn’t even begin to comprehend. Ihyun lifted his head to look at his dad, who suddenly seemed so small. I’m sorry. Please…

　　His pathetic, groveling surrender dragged on.