Cozy Obsession

The purpose of the escape was just one thing.‘The only place for me to return is by your side. I will never betray you.’To plant such a message of trust into Cha Yiheon’s mind. It was fundamentally different from the purpose of ‘Seo Heemin’, who ran away because he couldn’t endure the painful confinement, because he wanted to escape from the clutches of a man he loved but shouldn’t love, a man akin to a tyrant, and because he didn’t want to continue his self-destructive behavior of slashing his wrists at every chance due to him. However, Heemin intended to appropriately reference the method of ‘Seo Heemin’, who stole Ms. Ahn’s money and ran away.Though he could have created a more perfect escape plan by filling in the gaps and making improvements, showing vulnerabilities would be better since he planned to get caught. Disappearing without a trace and then reappearing could make the ever-suspicious Cha Yiheon think he was scheming something. It had to look like something done recklessly and impulsively. Acting half-heartedly would only result in being shackled again, just like when ‘Seo Heemin’ was re-captured, literally with real chains.“When will you come back today?”Standing at the front door to see off Yiheon, who was putting on his shoes, Heemin asked as he looked at him.“Around three.”That three wouldn’t be three in the afternoon. Since he said he would return at three in the morning, it seemed like he had business related to his main job, the organization.“Can’t you come back early? I’m bored. Reading books and watching TV is boring now.”When Heemin whined, which was unlike him, Yiheon glanced at him and coldly responded.“If you’re bored, try drawing.”“I’m not good at drawing…”“If you can’t draw well, who can?”“Another ‘Seo Heemin’ besides me.”The only time he had drawn was during art classes in school. Though the art teacher suggested he pursue it seriously, seeing his talent, he had to refuse because his family couldn’t afford art school.Knowing nothing about proper drawing techniques, he couldn’t depict inner psychological states through lines, planes, and colors like ‘Seo Heemin.’ Following and sketching comic characters was his limit.Bringing up ‘Seo Heemin’ on purpose, Yiheon squinted his eyes as if annoyed by the recurring dual personality talk. He seemed to believe Heemin was still trying to deceive him.Before a harsh word could come out of his mouth, Heemin quickly continued.“I’ll just read a book.”“I’ll try to come back early tomorrow.”‘Early tomorrow? Did I hear that right?’The unexpected reply left Heemin momentarily speechless as he stared at him.“I’m going.”With a short, emotionless farewell, Yiheon turned and walked out.“Goodbye!”There was no affectionate reply of ‘Take care.’ Though it could have felt disappointing that his greeting wasn’t returned, Heemin went back to his room more cheerful than usual.Finally, it seemed he could carry out his plan. A thrill, like the excitement before a picnic, spread through his chest.He wondered what kind of reaction Yiheon would have.* * *The day of decision arrived.If it had been ‘Seo Heemin’, he would have executed the plan yesterday when the homeowner was out all day. But Heemin chose today, when Yiheon said he would return early, as the D-day.The reason was that he didn’t want to repeat the previous mistake of faking a suicide and ruining an important deal.Every time he read novels, Heemin felt sympathy not for the protagonists but for the extra characters around them.Though certain scenes were crucial for the plot, he pitied those who had to clean up quietly after the protagonists’ mess.Though he hadn’t started a full-fledged professional life like his sisters, he had experienced various situations through numerous part-time jobs. From a coworker ditching shifts to hold onto his girlfriend who wanted to break up, to drunk customers causing a scene and then making out right in front of him.What might have been romance to them was a disaster to others.He didn’t want Yiheon’s subordinates to suffer because of him when Yiheon found out he had disappeared and went on a rampage. He didn’t want Yiheon’s company to halt because of him, nor did he want to see Yiheon swinging a golf club at his subordinates in rage. Even in a novel, he wanted a mutually supportive life.After drying his hair more carefully than usual, Heemin picked up the white T-shirt he had selected the night before. It was the kind of shirt that black cola stains would show up on very well.[What would you like for lunch?]When Heemin came out to the living room after changing clothes, Ms. Ahn, who was cleaning, put down the vacuum and showed him the question on her phone screen. Though he felt like eating snacks like ramen, kimbap, tteokbokki, and fried food, he knew that speaking honestly would cost him the chance to use the phone. He suggested another menu to her.“Shall we order pizza?”Ms. Ahn handed over the phone without suspicion. Making sure the surveillance camera on the ceiling couldn’t see the phone screen, Heemin checked the call log first.Wooshin Capital President Cha Yiheon010-9X24-0709The main text didn’t reveal Cha Yiheon’s phone number directly, so I expected real-world details like the house address wouldn’t be used either. Still, seeing my friend’s number displayed on the screen felt strange.‘I changed my phone and number together. Save the new one.’‘0709? Not 0722? Why didn’t you match it to your birthday?’‘Someone else was using that, so this was the only one available. It’s easy to remember if you think of my birthday in July and your birthday in September.’‘Ah, I see. I’ll definitely never forget it.’Though my friend had no choice but to use an available number, it seemed that in this world, Cha Yiheon used this number due to his obsession with ‘Seo Heemin.’ Strangely, instead of being creeped out, I felt it was typical of Cha Yiheon. I might have felt disappointed if it were a different number.There was no time for idle thoughts. I entered a portal site and searched for Haesong Psychiatric Clinic. After memorizing the address, I checked the distance from the clinic to the lake park, a landmark in XX city, and finally ordered a pizza.“It took me a long time to decide on a menu today because I was indecisive.”I deliberately didn’t delete the search history or cookies. If they couldn’t find Heemin’s whereabouts, it was obvious that Do Junyoung and Gwak Yunseong would be blamed, so I had to show that they had nothing to do with it.After returning the phone to Ms. Ahn, Heemin suppressed his trembling chest and anxiously waited for her to go to clean the bathroom in the master room.‘Seo Heemin’ had stolen a cash envelope from Ms. Ahn’s bag during his first escape and fled Seoul. It seemed unrealistic for someone to pay living expenses in cash these days, but I understood that it was probably money of uncertain origin that couldn’t be transferred to a bank account. This allowed ‘Seo Heemin’ to establish his escape.After Ms. Ahn finished cleaning the living room, she finally entered Yiheon’s bedroom with rubber gloves on. Heemin, who had been reading a book on the sofa, quickly got up and headed to the kitchenette where she usually left her bag.Though he had grown up poor, Heemin had never been desperate enough to steal money. However, this time was unavoidable, so he felt no guilt.After all, this was virtual reality, and Cha Yiheon’s money was practically ‘Seo Heemin’s’ money, so it wouldn’t matter if he borrowed a little.Calming himself with these thoughts, he carefully opened the zipper of the bag. His heart pounded at the possibility of Ms. Ahn suddenly appearing. It was much more thrilling than opening the fridge door in the middle of the night.Thump, thump.As expected, there was an envelope full of cash inside the bag. Instead of taking the whole envelope like ‘Seo Heemin,’ Heemin took out only two fifty-thousand-won bills. The hospital bill would be paid by Yiheon, so he only needed money for the taxi and snacks.After safely cramming the money into his pants pocket, Heemin returned to the living room and pretended to read a book. He was on the same page for thirty minutes, lost in thought, when the much-anticipated bell rang.‘It’s here!’Ms. Ahn came out of the bedroom, took the money, and went to get the pizza. She returned to the dining table with the box without any noticeable reaction, suggesting she hadn’t noticed the missing cash. He was very relieved.[Please eat.]Today, he had ordered the Best Quattro Double Cheese Edge. Though it was a pizza with four of his favorite flavors, his nervousness made it hard to eat. Instead of putting hot sauce on the pizza, Heemin first twisted open the cola cap that came with it.“Ah!”The plan was to fill up on pizza, then spill cola on his clothes and the floor to distract Ms. Ahn. However, as soon as he opened the cap, the bubbles surged and exploded in front of him. It must have been shaken in the delivery bag on the motorcycle.His white T-shirt was instantly stained black. He thought he might have to skip lunch.At this moment, improving his relationship with Yiheon was more important than eating pizza.“You go ahead and eat. I need to shower again because it’s so sticky.”He gestured for the surprised Ms. Ahn to stay seated and got up.He smelled sweet and sticky like cola all over. Though it would have been better to wash before going out, there was no time. Quickly changing into the clothes he had prepared, Heemin turned on the shower in the bathroom and opened the front door.“I’ll be back.”He softly muttered as he closed the door. The thrill of his first-ever act of defiance made his fingertips tremble as he pressed the elevator button with force.Finally, a short escape, a long walk had begun.Whenever he read about characters escaping from external threats or someone’s obsession in novels, he would feel frustrated and pound his chest. He would wonder why they acted so foolishly, as if they were trying to get caught.But now, being in their shoes, he understood why they lost their judgment and made such clumsy escapes.The short time descending in the elevator felt as long as the age of the Earth. He feared that as soon as the door opened, Cha Yiheon, with bloodshot eyes, would be standing there like in a horror movie. Cold sweat trickled down, and his legs trembled.Knowing the exact time limit before getting caught and how reports would be made to Yiheon, he felt scared, so he couldn’t imagine how terrifying it must have been for characters who knew nothing.No one would stay sane in such a situation.Luckily, Cha Yiheon was the type to only talk about revenge. He had only laid hands on ‘Seo Heemin’ because Heemin had rejected his very existence and treated him like his father’s enemy. Basically, he wasn’t a person who resolved everything with violence.So, maybe if Heemin honestly explained why he ran away, Yiheon might be less angry. If he said he didn’t run away to oppose Yiheon but just needed a change of pace, Yiheon might understand a little.Ding—Lost in thought, the elevator had arrived at the first floor. Covering his mouth to prevent a scream, he was relieved to see no one outside the door. Heemin quickly looked around to make sure no one was following him and walked briskly out of the building.One of the good things about this world being a reflection of reality was that he didn’t have to be confused by unfamiliar surroundings.Having visited his friend’s apartment numerous times, Heemin was familiar with the area. Without hesitation, he walked out of the complex and headed to the taxi stand.“Driver, XX-dong, XX city, Gyeonggi-do. I’ll give you the exact address on the way, but please start driving first.”As soon as the door opened, Heemin shouted urgently, and the taxi driver pressed the meter and said, “Toll fees are separate.”“Yes, yes. I’ll pay them separately.”“Buckle up.”As Heemin quickly found and fastened his seatbelt, the driver immediately started the car. Heemin, who had been nervously scanning the people outside from a low position, finally straightened up and relaxed only after the car had entered the bridge.Just moments before, he had been trembling with fear of being caught, but once he safely left the neighborhood, he found the situation amusing, as if he were the protagonist of a spy movie. He even let out a small laugh. It felt like a large-scale game of hide-and-seek, with Cha Yiheon as the seeker and Seo Heemin as the hidden child. Hide well so that not even a hair shows.“Is someone chasing you?” The taxi driver, who had been glancing at Heemin through the rearview mirror, asked as Heemin’s previously unstable condition seemed to stabilize.“Ah, yes. It’s just… Please hurry.”“Alright, I’ll speed up then. Trust me.”“Thank you, driver.”Once an associate confirmed via CCTV that Heemin had left, they would inform Yiheon immediately. Yiheon would then likely question Ms. Ahn about Heemin’s absence. Given Ms. Ahn’s communication limitations, Heemin would have some time.From the time Yiheon left the office for home and checked Ms. Ahn’s internet history, Heemin estimated he had about one to two hours of freedom. Enough to consider how best to spend the time.Originally intending to improve relations with Cha Yiheon, Heemin decided to make the most of his outing by enjoying some fresh air. Having been cooped up for so long, he didn’t want to waste this opportunity doing nothing.However, as someone who usually stayed indoors reading, he was unsure of what to do with his newfound freedom. He dismissed ideas like going to a PC café, a coin karaoke, or an escape room since they didn’t appeal to him alone.If time permitted, he would have loved to buy a book and relax on a park bench surrounded by cherry blossoms. However, the distance between the hospital and the park meant he couldn’t stay long.‘What a shame,’ he thought.Last year, around this time, Yiheon had bought a large Wrangler and frequently took Heemin on drives around Seoul’s outskirts to break in the new car. They visited various scenic spots and famous driving locations, but they had postponed visiting XX City’s lake park due to rain.‘Maybe I’ll just go to a snack bar,’ he decided.Better to enjoy some longed-for tteokbokki leisurely than spend time aimlessly.With his decision made, Heemin felt more at ease. He gave the taxi driver the hospital’s address and gazed out the window at the cherry blossoms lining the highway. The weather was perfect, a warm spring day filled with birdsong and blooming flowers.“We’re here.” The driver had not been exaggerating about his speed. What should have been a forty-minute journey took only twenty-five. “Take my card just in case,” he said, handing Heemin his business card along with the change.Heemin, typically a public transport user, didn’t expect to need a taxi again but accepted the card politely out of gratitude. “Thanks to you, I got here quickly. Thank you, driver.”Heemin closed the door and saw the sign for Haesong Psychiatric Clinic. He had arrived safely. With time to spare, he wandered around the nearby alleys to explore the unfamiliar area.Butcher shops, bakeries, animal hospitals, cafes, opticians, herbal clinics, lunchbox shops, dental clinics… It was an ordinary city scene. Yet, the warm spring breeze and the colorful signs made him feel cheerful and excited.After a long walk, Heemin returned to the hospital vicinity and entered a snack bar. Feeling a bit hungry after skipping lunch, he ordered, “Hello, sir. One serving of tteokbokki and a tuna kimbap, please. Oh, and a CoolX peach flavor.”He paid and sat down, waiting for his food. As the spicy smell of tteokbokki filled the air, he suddenly thought of Yiheon, who used to share meals with him late at night.‘Are you going to eat too, hyung?’‘You hate eating alone, don’t you?’It had been a long time since Heemin ate alone. There was always someone across the table: Ms. Ahn, Dr. Hwang, or Cha Yiheon. He hadn’t had a chance to feel lonely. Though he had initially used the excuse of improving relations with Yiheon to enjoy some freedom, his joy was fleeting. Loneliness washed over him like a wave.He felt the need to talk to someone about the weather, the speedy taxi driver, or the lake view he longed to see. Ironically, he wished Yiheon would hurry and come to get him.“Your food is ready.”“Actually, I’m sorry. Could you please wrap this up to go? Something urgent has come up.”Heemin stood up abruptly. Today’s opportunity was a one-time chance, but tteokbokki and kimbap were foods he could eat anytime. Even if he was hungry, he wanted to go up to the hospital and wait for Yiheon, who would soon arrive.It seemed he genuinely wanted to become close to Cha Yiheon, just like with his real-world best friend. If it were just about returning home, he could have pretended to be a convincing lover. He wouldn’t have gone to the extreme of running away.However, he wanted to gain Yiheon’s trust. He wanted to be at ease with him. Since they saw each other often, he hoped to enjoy every day happily like in the real world, see a safe ending, and then return to his world.Though the idea of pretending to be a lover instead of a friend was slightly problematic, they say love and friendship are just a hair’s breadth apart. He figured he could cover that with effort. After all, he wasn’t really the friend, so it was just a matter of how deeply he immersed himself.Receiving the packaged food, Heemin hurried out into the street. As he got closer to the hospital, his tension reached its peak, but there was no black sedan or large men in black suits in front of Haesong Psychiatric Clinic’s building.Fortunately, it seemed they were still on their way.Relieved, Heemin walked into the building, not expecting to be caught on the street in the first place. Coincidentally, the elevator was on the first floor, so he quickly ascended to the third floor where Haesong Psychiatric Clinic was located.“Hello. I came without an appointment. Is it possible to see a doctor?”“What is your name?”A different nurse from the one he had seen before greeted Heemin as he entered.“Seo Heemin. September 4th… ah, I mean, the 3rd.”“You’re registered, so please take a seat and wait for a moment.”Confirming Heemin’s name on the patient list, she kindly responded, “Is there anything you need?”