Cozy Obsession

The perfect balance of oiliness and richness, the gochujang seasoning cutting through it all, and the tender texture of the lean meat—all melting in the mouth. Seasoned grilled eel.‘I can’t take it anymore.’It wasn’t a dish he could eat often, which only made his mouth water more. Unable to resist the sudden surge of appetite, Heemin quietly climbed out of bed and tiptoed out of the room.He slowly advanced, eyes adjusting to the dark. Unlike his own cluttered home, this place was impeccably tidy, with nothing on the floor to trip over. Heemin cautiously made his way to the refrigerator without turning on the light. Just as he opened the door and reached for the plate covered in plastic wrap, the kitchen light clicked on.“Now you’re even resorting to sneaking around like a stray cat.”“Oh, you scared me!”Startled, he almost dropped the plate he was holding. He turned around hurriedly to see Yiheon, dressed in a dark gray bathrobe, leaning against the counter, watching him.He suddenly remembered that Yiheon had insomnia. It was basic for characters in love or revenge-driven stories to have insomnia, and he had forgotten that crucial fact. He cursed inwardly. Damn it.“Hand it over.”Yiheon snatched the plate from Heemin’s hands. Sure, it was his house, his ingredients bought with his money, and cooked by someone he hired, but it still felt unfair to be treated like a thief.Of all people, someone who operates outside the law has the nerve to accuse him. If that’s the case, he should at least let him work part-time instead of holding him captive. Let him open the refrigerator freely and eat whenever he wanted, just like in real life.He resented Yiheon for not letting him visit the hospital or have a midnight snack. Clenching his now empty hands, Heemin glared at him with eyes full of indignation. Seeing Heemin’s defiant look, Yiheon’s steely eyes darkened.“You’re unbelievable.”Shaking his head, Yiheon turned and walked towards the sink with the plate. Fearing he might throw it into the trash, Heemin cursed him silently, but Yiheon put the eel in the microwave to heat it up.“Don’t just stand there. Get the side dishes.”“…What?”“Don’t you want to eat?”“No, I do! I’ll get them.”As Heemin retrieved the side dishes from the refrigerator, Yiheon placed a pot of samgyetang on the stove and set two sets of utensils on the table.This was the man who usually drank whiskey with ‘Seo Heemin’ as his sole companion at night. It was unusual for him to eat a meal at this hour. Puzzled, Heemin looked at him and asked,“Are you going to eat too?”“You don’t like eating alone, do you?”Strictly speaking, it was the twenty-one-year-old Cha Yiheon who hated eating alone, not Heemin. However, he didn’t deny it, knowing it would only make the situation awkward, so he nodded obediently.“Sit down.”Bubbling sounds came from the pot. The Yiheon, who seemed like he would never lift a finger, skillfully served the samgyetang into bowls. He took the now warm eel out of the microwave and placed it on the table before sitting down across from Heemin, as if having his first meal of the day.“Enjoy your meal.”He definitely would have been embarrassed to be observed like a monkey in a zoo if he had eaten alone at the table. He might have even choked on his food from the awkwardness.Heemin stared at Yiheon, who had started eating first, then picked up a piece of eel with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth. Despite being reheated in the microwave instead of the oven, it tasted just as incredible as it did the first time. The hatred and resentment that had spread through his veins vanished instantly. The anger that had welled up sank to the bottom of his heart.He must have been hungrier than he thought. Feeling better after eating, Heemin realized he wasn’t one to hold grudges. Growing up in a cramped home with financial struggles, there was no room or time for negative emotions.Perhaps, in this world, he had grown accustomed to a luxurious life he couldn’t experience in reality, worrying about problems that seemed extravagant by comparison. Hating Yiheon would only harm Heemin. He didn’t need to be impatient just because their relationship hadn’t changed yet.Like water droplets on a rock, slowly and steadily, he believed that with continued effort, Yiheon would eventually trust him. The existence of ‘Seo Heemin’ would never disappear from his heart.With this conclusion, the tightness in his chest loosened. Heemin continued eating heartily. They say even the ghost of a well-fed person looks better. It was better to eat more and regain his health than to waste time on unnecessary thoughts.“Don’t leave any, and eat the rest too.”As he was drinking the rich, double-boiled samgyetang broth, Yiheon placed a plump abalone on his plate.“You should eat too, Hyung.”Heemin placed an abalone on Yiheon’s plate in return. Yiheon, who had been staring at Heemin with a blank expression, unexpectedly put the abalone in his mouth. It was surprising.“Does it taste better because I gave it to you?”Was this what it felt like for a parent to feed their child? Seeing him eat well made Heemin inexplicably happy. Without saying a word, Heemin added,“It tastes better to me because you gave it to me, Hyung.”“Just eat.”Yiheon lightly scolded him after swallowing his food, but there was no displeasure in his straightforward gaze at Heemin.Clink, clink.The only sound in the kitchen was that of utensils clinking against the dishes. However, the silence was more comfortable than awkward.The second dinner was peaceful. There were no phone calls, no arguments due to differing opinions.He was sure Yiheon would refuse if he asked to go to the hospital again, but judging by the current gentle atmosphere, a fight like earlier seemed unlikely. Heemin decided to test the waters by talking to Yiheon.“Hey, you know…”“No.”He cut me off before I even got to the point. From the moment he dragged me to the psychiatrist, I knew he had an uncanny knack for picking up on things. It must be an instinctive sense like that of a wild animal. His ability to detect something amiss was exceptional.“Isn’t it a bit much to say no without even hearing me out?”“No doubt you’re going to ask to go out tomorrow.”“You can have Secretary Jung or someone else monitor me. I have no intention of doing anything else. I just want to see Dr. Eun.”Yiheon glanced at Heemin, who was pouting in discontent, and replied calmly,“I don’t want you leaving this house.”“Then why not bring Dr. Eunkyung here?”“That’s not possible either.”“Why not?”“Because I can’t trust her.”“And Dr. Hwang is trustworthy?”“Stop talking back and just eat.”He pushed the plate of octopus slices towards Heemin, signaling for him to drop the subject. It was clear he didn’t want to discuss Dr. Hwang. Yiheon hated his past just as much as he hated ‘Seo Heemin.’ Given his pride and reluctance to bow down to anyone, it was only natural that he harbored resentment from having to crawl at the bottom while being mocked as the “chairman’s dog.”Dr. Hwang had saved his life numerous times while he was embroiled in all sorts of dangerous work. Mentioning someone who reminded him of that dark, humiliating past seemed to make him uncomfortable.As Heemin chewed on the octopus and drank water, he pondered the concept of trust.Chairman Yoon Daeho of Wooshin Group had the extraordinary drive and capability to elevate the Wooshin Society, originally a mere violent organization, into a massive corporate entity. With his cold, ruthless approach, he wielded absolute power, prioritizing ability over blood ties and connections, even for his relative, Yiheon.Though the group presented itself as a legitimate company, it was fundamentally a violent organization, and the internal politics were brutal. Threats, intimidation, and even killings were commonplace, making it a world of survival of the fittest.To win the chairman’s favor, people backstabbed their colleagues, stole achievements, and betrayed the organization for personal gain. Yiheon must have witnessed these betrayals often.The reason he took in the Ms. Ahn siblings might not have been out of compassion but rather to have someone by his side who wouldn’t betray him. In such a deceitful Ms. Ahnd violent environment, he needed a means to protect himself.It was only natural that Yiheon didn’t trust Eun Kyung, who was close to ‘Seo Heemin.’ Heemin quietly put down his chopsticks, blaming the settings of Silence that led to this inevitable clash between Cha Yiheon and ‘Seo Heemin.’“Thank you for the meal. I’ll clear the table.”“Leave it and go to bed.”“But—”“Just go to sleep.”He got up, carrying the empty plates. Heemin wanted to say he couldn’t sleep because he’d slept so much during the day, but remembering Yiheon’s earlier admonition not to talk back, he quietly greeted him and headed to the bathroom to wash up.Under the shower, with water droplets falling on his head, he wondered how to instill trust in someone who couldn’t trust anything or anyone. Cha Yiheon’s heart had been shattered long ago when ‘Seo Heemin’ abandoned him, leaving only a tattered shell.Could he, with his poor sewing skills, really mend Yiheon’s torn heart? He lacked confidence.But you never know the outcome unless you try. Sitting idly, waiting for the situation to improve, didn’t suit Heemin’s nature. So, even if it meant pricking his fingers with the needle, undoing messy stitches, and sewing again, he had no choice but to see it through to the end.The warmth of the water enveloping his body was as comforting as Yiheon’s touch. Heemin washed himself clean, hoping that one day Yiheon’s heart would also warm up.***As Ms. Ahn’s clothing grew lighter and the cherry trees in the park visible from the house bloomed fully, it was evident that spring was in full swing.However, his relationship with Yiheon remained stagnant. Regardless of the time or day, Yiheon was always busy and seemed to avoid touching Heemin, probably feeling guilty about having caused him to collapse. Their interactions were limited to having breakfast together.Heemin’s routine involved waking up, eating breakfast, seeing Yiheon off to work, exercising for 30 minutes to an hour, showering, reading books brought by Secretary Jung, having lunch and dinner with Ms. Ahn, and greeting Yiheon when he returned home late at night. Despite living a carefree life without financial worries, he found no joy in it.Even though he had always imagined he could thoroughly enjoy a comfortable captivity, the reality was monotonous and suffocating. He even considered studying for certification exams out of boredom. No matter what he tried, he couldn’t focus, and the more time passed, the more impatient he became.He felt that simply making occasional snacks wouldn’t be enough to change Yiheon’s heart. He needed something more impactful, like the inauguration incident, to shake things up significantly.Just like the ground solidifies after rain, relationships also strengthen by overcoming crises. So, he decided to save that poor man who only knew how to solve problems with force. Perhaps exploiting Yiheon’s fear of being betrayed again would yield dramatic results—a kind of shock therapy. If a tangled thread couldn’t be unraveled, cutting it with scissors and starting anew was the way to go.So Heemin decided to escape. Or rather, to go for a walk.