Swallowed - Chapter 44

“Who is it?”

Kyungdeok, who had rushed home in a panic because Hyunseon was making a fuss as if something terrible had happened to Jaeha, frowned at the unfamiliar name.

“Han Seyong. Two years ahead of Jaeha in high school.”

“What did that kid do that’s such a big deal? Tell me properly.”

“Doesn’t that name ring any bells?”

Kyungdeok suppressed the urge to ask if she knew how many names he encountered in a day and shook his head. It was such a common name that he could think of at least two people around him. But none of them were Jaeha’s age, so he had no idea who Hyunseon was talking about.

“Just tell me straight. Who is she?”

“Six years ago, the accident where a father driving his daughter was crushed by a van. Do you remember that?”

“What?”

Kyungdeok looked even more puzzled, wondering why she was suddenly bringing up such an irrelevant story.

“Seriously! The kid who survived that car accident is Han Seyong. The girl who got Broca’s aphasia as a result of the accident.”

“Broca’s aphasia…? Ah, I remember now. I remember. Doctor Kim must have treated her. She was too young, and the trauma was too severe to see any therapeutic effect. Tsk tsk….”

“That’s not the point!”

Hyunseon was about to burst because Kyungdeok only remembered the medical aspects so nonchalantly. He was such a frustrating man, no matter when she saw him. How could he close his ears and eyes to everything except his own interests?

“Can’t you calm down and have some peace of mind? You’ve really changed since Jaeha changed his career path.”

“How could I not change!”

Kyungdeok was speechless because of Hyunseon, who was not only annoyed but also screeching venomously. He couldn’t understand why this Han Seyong girl had suddenly popped up and caused such a mess. He watched his wife, who was breathing heavily, and went back over things one by one. And after a long time, he snapped his fingers.

“That girl is Jaeha’s sunbae, and you’re bringing this up, which means she’s Jaeha’s girlfriend. Did Jaeha go to that university because of her?”

“You’re quick to catch on. I called her today and told her to break up with Jaeha. And that audacious girl…”

“Wait a minute. Why did you do that?”

Kyungdeok’s eyes widened. He couldn’t believe what Hyunseon had just said.

“Why? It’s terrible enough that someone like that is near our Jaeha, but they’re even dating!”

“Aphasia isn’t that terrible of a disease. Of course, it can make a person seem clumsy because they can’t speak properly, but Broca’s doesn’t affect thinking or communication.”

“Seriously, what do you think of me… Ha. Do you really think I’m doing this just because of that? Do you think I’m that narrow-minded?”

“Not really…….”

“Don’t you really remember anything about that accident?”

Hyunseon wanted to divorce her husband at times like this. She was truly a saint for having lived with such an oblivious and frustrating man for over twenty years.

“What kind of person is that girl’s mother? She’s a woman who tried to kill her husband and daughter by disabling the brakes and collecting insurance money. That girl is the daughter of a murderer.”

The voice saying “daughter of a murderer” was as cold and sharp as metal, and Kyungdeok flinched involuntarily, barely realizing what she was saying. Memories from six years ago began to be summoned in his mind, which had turned as cold as if it had been doused with cold water.

[National Forensic Service: “Brake Failure Caused Accident” Police to Summon Wife for Investigation]

While the police were investigating the cause of the accident, news broke that the wife had filed a claim for her husband’s life insurance death benefit but had been denied payment. The beneficiary of the insurance was the minor daughter who had been in the back seat, but the insurance claim was denied because a child support annuity had been set up during his lifetime. The child support annuity was a method of dividing the insurance money to be paid to the only daughter until she turned 30 upon the husband’s death.

The media then began to focus on whether it was a crime aimed at a large death benefit and treated the wife as a heinous villain who tried to kill her husband and daughter. The police confirmed that the cause of the accident was a brake failure, but they did not find any evidence that the wife had tampered with it.

“But it was definitely ruled as not guilty….”

“How can you believe that? She’s a woman who tried to get insurance money before her husband’s funeral.”

“Hmm.”

Once a murder frame is put on someone, it is not easily removed. Kyungdeok wasn’t very interested in the insurance money at the time, and since the police concluded that she was not guilty, he had only thought of it as an accident caused by a simple control device malfunction. But Hyunseon seemed to firmly believe that the wife was the culprit.

“So now, for that reason, you called that girl and told her to break up with Jaeha? She’s also a victim, but she heard such harsh words from you because of her mother’s unconfirmed crime?”

“Seriously, are you taking her side in front of me right now? Are you crazy?”

Hyunseon trembled and rolled her eyes. Kyungdeok quickly supported her, afraid that she would fall backward, but she even started hitting him.

“If Jaeha marries her, that money-crazed murderer will become our in-law! She’ll become Jaeha’s mother-in-law!”

“You’re thinking that far ahead with a twenty-year-old? At that age, they can burn hot and cool down quickly.”

Kyungdeok tried to calmly persuade her, but it only added fuel to the fire.

“Jaeha never told me that he became friends with Han Seyong when he entered high school. I know all of Jaeha’s friends, but I’ve never even heard of Han Seyong! But what did Jaeha do? He was completely smitten with what that girl said and followed her to college! He left home!”

“…….”

“And yet, I’m thinking too far into the future? Young-joon said so. Jaeha wants to marry her and have children with her right now. That’s how much he likes her. Tell me again. Am I really worrying about something that doesn’t make sense?”

“Honey…….”

“I think I’ve lost my son……. Han Seyong has taken my son away.”

Hyunseon was already shedding tears. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she looked even frightening.

“I can’t stand to see that girl near our Jaeha. Like mother, like daughter, she’ll end up devouring our Jaeha too!”

Kyungdeok felt that he couldn’t listen anymore, but he had no choice but to hug Hyunseon. Hyunseon, who had been struggling to get away, grabbed her husband and collapsed. He had raised his child, who was more precious than life, with great care. He hadn’t carried her for ten months, given her food, and taken care of her for twenty years just to give her to the daughter of a murderer.

“Okay. Jaeha’s mom. I’ll talk to him, so please calm down.”

“Sob, waaaah…….”

“If Jaeha hears the story, he’ll understand why you’re doing this. It’s not like something happened to Jaeha right now. You’re going to pass out. Stop crying.”

Kyungdeok was trying to calm Hyunseon down, but he wasn’t comfortable. First of all, it was urgent to find out how much Jaeha knew. If Jaeha knew everything and was still seeing that girl, it was clear that he wouldn’t listen.

***

Seyong’s shoulders were so sore that she stretched her back straight. She had been sitting for hours studying for the exam, and she must have been unconsciously burying her nose in the monitor. When she looked at the clock, it was past 2 a.m. She had to go by 9 a.m. tomorrow, so she had to start cleaning up and going to bed.

As she massaged her stiff shoulders, she suddenly remembered a scary thing her grandmother used to say. She said that heavy shoulders were because a ghost had stepped on them. She said that you should never look up because you would make eye contact with the ghost if you did. She knew it was just a way to scare her, but it made her shudder when she thought about it, so she avoided looking at the sky. Seyong chuckled and headed to the bedroom for warmth.

“You’re not asleep yet?”

Jaeha’s exam was over, so she thought he would have fallen asleep a long time ago. But he was sitting on the bed and using his phone. It seemed like he was waiting for her.

“Are you done?”

“I’m going to sleep now.”

Jaeha spread his arms wide as if it was the most welcome sound he had heard. Seyong obediently climbed onto the bed, climbed on top of Jaeha, and hugged him. Jaeha hugged her so tightly that her back hurt and kissed her neck repeatedly.

“After the exam tomorrow, I might tie my sunbae to the bed.”

“That’s scary. What are you going to do?”

“What do you mean? I want to have sex. I won’t let you go until the weekend. I’ll take care of your food and bathroom needs.”

“I’ll die.”

“I’ll save you, so don’t worry.”

Seyong burst out laughing at the thought that he would save her to do it again. At that moment, Jaeha’s hand slipped into her clothes, making her laugh even more. It was because he deliberately touched her side, knowing that she was very ticklish.

“Ahah, ah, st, stop, it.”

“Wow, seriously. Now, even just hearing you laugh turns me on.”

Jaeha made a crying face with his face buried in Seyong’s chest. Was this what it felt like to have a feast right in front of you and not be able to touch it? He thought that he only had to wait 10 hours, but those 10 hours felt so long.

Seyong barely stopped laughing and calmed down, then grabbed Jaeha’s cheeks with both hands and made him look up. She raised a thin, long index finger and traced the line of Jaeha’s lips. Jaeha’s eyes fluttered as she scratched his smooth lips with her fingertips.

Slipping her finger into his lips as if by mistake, Jaeha grabbed it and sucked on it. Her finger rubbed and scratched his tongue, swimming in his mouth as if kissing. Jaeha’s mouth instantly became hot. Seyong also bit her lip slightly, feeling as if her finger was melting, and let out a deep breath.

Jaeha, who had been sucking on her finger as if he would chew it off, let go of her hand with regretful eyes. Seyong unhesitatingly put her saliva-soaked finger in her mouth and sucked on it. Jaeha’s eyes were boiling with lust as he watched her red tongue licking her finger.

Han Seyong was now seducing him. She was trying to kill Baek Jaeha, who had to wait 10 hours.

Jaeha breathed roughly, growling, and tried to bite Seyong’s lips, but Seyong pulled her head back. Her face was full of bright smiles, and Jaeha, who was devastated, let out a hollow laugh.

“Sunbae, I’m going to die….”

Then Seyong got off the bed and lightly winked one eye.

“I’ll save you, so don’t worry.”