Red Mansion

No one had ever obeyed Chungrim’s words as well as Mero. Ever since bringing Mero into the house, there had been no major accidents, and he followed Chungrim just like a lamb that had been raised by his side since birth. Although Mero sometimes didn’t come to greet strangers, Chungrim could understand that since Mero was a timid cat.“Eat slowly.”Mero’s small head bobbed up and down eagerly. Though an animal that couldn’t speak, Mero probably understood that he had to obey to continue living in this house. Chungrim watched the fluffy little figure intently.“Ah.”Suddenly, Chungrim remembered something and straightened his upper body, which had been leaning against the sofa. The sizable movement caused Mero to turn around with a damp mouth. At Chungrim’s prompt to “keep drinking,” Mero obediently lowered his head back to the water bowl. This time, Chungrim moved more gently as he reached for the drawer in the living room table.“Kim Sung-kyung, Kim Sung-kyung….”He rummaged through a file folder containing several names. Among them was Park Eun-ho of unit 110 and even the name of a thug who had beaten Sung-kyung. He had accepted the file but hadn’t yet reviewed it, as there were so many things to check that it kept getting pushed back.Chungrim pulled out a yellow envelope labeled “Kim Sung-kyung of unit 422” and took out the three-page document inside. He scanned the first page while taking a sip of his coffee. He had received this document some time ago but had only checked the name and age back then, as he wasn’t particularly curious about information regarding store unit 3.“Kim Sung-kyung of unit 422, 23 years old. No birth record found.”Had Sung-kyung entered the mansion right after being born? Having spent his entire life there, it was understandable that he might not have thought about living elsewhere. Lying lengthwise on the sofa, Chungrim held the paper up and read the words aloud. The faint sound of Mero chewing his food blended into the background.“Has been managing store unit 3 for two years in place of parents whose health has deteriorated. Additional records of visits to the hospital in unit 109 attached.”Chungrim carelessly flipped through the pages. The document detailed past medical visits, hospitalizations, and associated costs. With so much money spent, it made sense that Sung-kyung would need to borrow money and deliver medicine.“How foolish. It’s a disease that only death can cure.”Chungrim’s father had been the same. Despite searching for good medicine and hospitals, it was futile. Some doctors couldn’t identify the disease, while others attributed it to drug side effects. There were even claims that living in Red Mansion for too long was the cause. The mansion, teeming with hundreds of people, was filled with filth and unhygienic conditions. Overcoming the diseases within it was impossible. Sung-kyung’s parents were likely experiencing increasingly rigid bodies and struggling to maintain their sanity by now.“Two years is quite resilient.”Chungrim’s father hadn’t lasted even half a year. Tossing the paper under the sofa, Chungrim bent his arms to rest on his forehead and closed his eyes. Tap, tap. The light sound of paws on the rug was followed by something rough and warm touching his fingertips.“What’s this? Have you finished eating?”Mero licked Chungrim’s fingertips, and Chungrim let him continue. Perhaps as a gesture of thanks for the meal, Mero licked Chungrim’s index finger several more times.“Go play.”Greenish eyes looked up at Chungrim. Mero slowly blinked his eyes and, after hearing Chungrim’s words, meowed softly and rubbed his body against Chungrim’s fingertips before darting off to the cat tower by the window. Mero then climbed to the highest perch and lazily licked his front paws.Chungrim’s gaze shifted to the ceiling. The chandelier was the first thing that caught his eye. Even Chungrim’s taste, as acknowledged by his twin brothers, was ostentatious, intense, and exuded a sense of wealth. Everything in the house reflected this. He also paid more attention to his appearance. Having lived in Red Mansion before his father passed away, Chungrim had seen too much squalor. He loathed anything shabby or tacky.“At twenty-three, he must have been around when I lived there.”They might have passed by each other at some point in the moldy corridors or on the broken staircases. After all, there wasn’t much of an age difference between them. He recalled the face of store unit 3’s manager. His pale face was shadowed and clean yet marred with numerous scars.“Doesn’t he apply any medicine?”Lately, it seemed that store unit 3 had bruises or scabs every time Chungrim saw it. Sung-kyung didn’t seem to care about treatment or hiding them. His bloodless, pale face was always serene. Even when thugs rudely ordered him around, he moved sluggishly. He didn’t even know how to dodge beatings skillfully when falsely accused.However, Sung-kyung’s indifferent gaze was always fixed on Chungrim. The slightest word from Chungrim made Sung-kyung’s shoulders twitch, his dark pupils gleam from behind his long hair, and his pale face flush. Chungrim liked that. All of Sung-kyung’s emotions and thoughts seemed to revolve around Chungrim.Though occasionally troublesome, Sung-kyung never exceeded Chungrim’s tolerance. Otherwise, Chungrim wouldn’t have paid any attention to such a shabby kid, let alone thought of getting physically involved.“….”That night was purely impulsive. Seeing Sung-kyung drenched stirred something inside Chungrim, and the lips that had once enveloped his shaft looked particularly red. Knowing how hot Sung-kyung’s body was only made him more curious. How much hotter could it be down below?On that rainy night, the air in the store was damp, and both of them were soaked. The face hidden behind wet hair didn’t look bad that night, and the mole beneath Sung-kyung’s eye seemed especially seductive. That’s why Chungrim, who had never considered being aroused by another man’s body, was suddenly inflamed.He recalled Sung-kyung’s slightly fleshy hips on his otherwise thin body, the reddened inner thighs, and the entrance that gaped open when he pulled back. There were muddy footprints on the white socks wrapped around his ankles, a sweaty and flushed white neck. The way the insides clung to him every time he thrust, tightening and enveloping him.“Ah, I need to shower.”Maybe it was because it was morning. His blood felt like it was boiling. Chungrim suddenly stood up from the sofa, catching Mero’s glance. Their eyes met.“Hot, isn’t it?”The green eyes watched Chungrim intently as he headed to the bathroom. They seemed as persistent as Sung-kyung’s gaze.— Where are you?“Going to Red Mansion.”Chungrim abruptly opened the driver’s seat door. The voice on the other end of the line was his twin brother, Kyurim.— Today? Why there?“Just.”— Just? In this rain?The incredulous tone made Chungrim think of Red Mansion’s high walls. The damp, sticky building housed the shabby store unit 3. He remembered the dusty ice cream freezer, the warm fan breeze mistakenly perceived as cool, and the dusty ice cream freezer. Chungrim smacked his lips and uttered sweetly.“I feel like having some ice cream.”The reaction of not understanding was natural. Considering they could immediately buy the most expensive, high-quality ice cream, why would they want to eat the one sold there? Chungrim simply laughed at Gyurim’s words.“Maybe I got nostalgic since I was born there.”Being from Red Mansion was inevitable. Saying that made Gyurim grimace.— Why would you get nostalgic about a place like that? I’ve been over it for a long time. I even hate visiting occasionally.“So, just don’t come anymore.”Whenever something happened at the mansion, the twins always intervened. They were unusually protective of their only younger brother. Maybe they felt guilty for not being able to take care of him properly when they were younger, or maybe they were worried he’d do something reckless again. They went to great lengths to look after him and control him. They kept Chungrim away from the most dangerous tasks, even though they had entrusted him with the riskiest place, Red Mansion. They were his brothers, but they were strange, unpredictable people. Chungrim let out a deflating laugh.— I don’t care. Anyway, let’s have dinner with Surim. I have something to discuss.”“Okay, got it.”They agreed to receive the time and place via text message. As they finished the call, a notification appeared about a missed call. Was it already past the hour? Ignoring the third missed call from Sung-kyung, Chungrim started the car.Once out of the complex, it was a quick drive to Red Mansion. There were not many cars in that area to begin with. Occasionally, cars passing through would be stopped and robbed, or even hijacked. The police would cover up any incidents involving Red Mansion residents to keep things from getting too noisy.When the place was first built, there were frequent protests demanding its demolition. The residents, who were like thugs, drove the protesters away with violence, so the protests didn’t last long. Even at that time, the police maintained a lukewarm attitude, claiming it was private property and they couldn’t interfere. It was better for them to have the delinquents gathered in one place rather than roaming around. From the outside, Red Mansion was no different from a free prison.As time passed, the area around Red Mansion became more desolate. It was an area people would avoid stepping into when sober.“Why is it raining so much?”Though it was the beginning of a late monsoon, the rain was pouring heavily. No matter how hard the wipers worked to clear the rain, the visibility remained poor. In times like these, it was best to stay indoors. Why did Chungrim stubbornly drive out? He didn’t bother to find a reason. Not yet.After parking in his designated spot, he stared at the building entrance. He recalled the night from a few days ago, running to the entrance in the rain. He then thought of Sung-kyung, who had hesitated and ended up soaking wet. Did he clean up the bike Chungrim had hit with his car?“How can he be such an idiot in everything he does?”He had never met someone as foolish as him. Even when Chungrim hit him, he would smirk slyly. When told to strip, he easily revealed himself. He would even say vulgar things like asking if he could sell his body.He wanted to crack open Sung-kyung’s head to see what thoughts were inside. Maybe when he lost interest, he’d crack his skull open first. Chungrim opened the umbrella, not letting himself get wet when alone.The corridor was noisy with the sound of rain. Among the noise, he could hear an argument.“I told you, I don’t have any.”“What do you mean, you don’t have any, you bastard? Did you lick his feet or something? Just say something.”Chungrim tapped his umbrella on the floor to shake off the water and listened.“Even if I did, what’s it to you?”“The rule here is, if you mess with drugs, you’re a dead man. But you? You walk out with all limbs intact, glare back at us defiantly. What the hell? Let’s share, huh?”A familiar voice and an unfamiliar one. It wasn’t a conversation, but more of a one-sided berating. Chungrim quickened his pace.“Besides, these days…”The drug addict’s words trailed off. They seemed quite startled to see Chungrim suddenly appear.“You had company?”Chungrim pretended to be unaware. Dari, who was talking with Sung-kyung, nodded in greeting and then left. His limp meant he didn’t move quickly. Chungrim watched him disappear around the corner for a long time. Sung-kyung’s brows furrowed slightly.“What would you like?”Chungrim’s gaze finally broke from the corner and fell on Sung-kyung. One cheek was bruised purple, and there was a scab on his forehead. His white face, with lips all torn up, made Chungrim’s sadistic urges rise again. The sound of rain hitting the ground echoed through the hallway like a countdown.“I came because I wanted something to eat.”Sung-kyung let out a short sigh and reached into his apron pocket. He pulled out a bunch of small keys.“I’ll open it for you.”His cheap slippers, marked with three lines, dragged across the cement floor. It looked like he had closed the shop and left for a while. As Chungrim watched Sung-kyung unlock the ice cream freezer, he swallowed hard.He felt the urge to tug hard on the apron strings around his slim waist. The air conditioning he had left running all night was chilly, making him feel hot and flushed. Maybe the air inside Red Mansion was too heavy. Either way, it was suffocatingly hot.“Right, ice cream.”The reason he came here was for ice cream. Thinking anything else made his mouth water was surely a mistake.“What?”Through the messy bangs, he saw Sung-kyung’s black eyes.“Include one for yourself in the bill.”“…Thank you.”Sung-kyung turned and grabbed one more ice cream. Chungrim pulled out all the cash he had in his pocket. It was enough to buy a whole box of ice cream. He shoved the bills into Sung-kyung’s dirty apron pocket with force. The strength made Sung-kyung stagger back.“Keep the change.”With that, Chungrim snatched an ice cream. The wrapper crinkled in his hand, still slightly damp from the rain, cooling his palm a little.Kicking a neatly arranged chair belonging to Dari with his foot, the plastic dragged across the cement floor with a long scrape. As always, Chungrim sat down with his legs stretched out. He then tore open the ice cream wrapper.“Cheap stuff is everywhere. But I can’t stop thinking about that taste.”Sung-kyung quickly returned to the checkout counter. He had to stay in his place. A place where he could keep an eye on Kwon Chungrim.Even after finishing his ice cream, Chungrim lingered there for a long time. People passing by in the hallway were startled to see him monopolizing the fan.On the other hand, the store owner looked calm. In fact, he seemed to prefer Chungrim staying there. He kept glancing at Chungrim under the guise of organizing inventory. By sitting at the checkout counter and pulling back the curtain completely, he had a good view of the table.Moreover, Chungrim’s face was currently right in front of the fan, allowing Sung-kyung to absentmindedly admire his firm back. The shirt Chungrim wore today was of such a light material that it highlighted his broad frame. The fan’s breeze gently swept over Chungrim’s waist, almost caressing it.Does he work out? Or was he just born that way? Sung-kyung thought to himself. His twin brother was also tall and well-built. The difference was that his twin looked more rugged, while Chungrim seemed more solid.How do I look? Sung-kyung glanced down at his own scrawny chest and thighs. Although hidden by his apron, it was clear he was skinny. How much would he have to exercise to get a body like that? With these thoughts, he stacked empty boxes onto the cart.Before he knew it, the cart was piled high with discarded paper in front of the store. It was almost time for the junk dealer’s truck to come by as it did every week at this hour, but Chungrim showed no signs of leaving. Should I just let the truck go this week? Although I’m out of money… Sung-kyung hesitated, gripping the cart handle.“Where are you going?”Chungrim, who had been monopolizing the fan, turned his head. His hair, tousled by the weak breeze, fluttered wildly. A faint, cool scent seemed to waft over. Sung-kyung clenched his fists tightly. His apron crumpled limply in his grasp.“The junk truck is about to arrive.”Chungrim glanced at the cart piled with discarded paper, then quickly turned his head back. His profile, still sweaty, faced the fan breeze with his eyes closed. Sung-kyung’s gaze lingered on Chungrim’s chest, revealed by the breeze.That old fan was doing its job. Although it couldn’t cool the room, it had loosened Chungrim’s collar quite a bit. Sung-kyung’s eyes grew increasingly fixated, but he was soon snapped back to reality by Chungrim’s voice mixed with the breeze.“Go ahead.”“…Okay.”Of all times, it had to coincide with Chungrim’s visit. It was a chance to admire him to his heart’s content, but he had no choice but to endure the disappointment due to his empty bank account. He fished through his apron pocket to find the keys to lock the store. The keys jingled as they touched his fingertips. At that moment, Chungrim spoke again.“Just go. No one’s going to steal anything with someone here, right?”It seemed Chungrim intended to stay. Though there was no special reason, why had he come to Red Mansion today? Sung-kyung pretended to wipe his face as he slowly covered his rising smile. Chungrim’s words about watching the store sounded like he was saying he would protect him. Maybe Chungrim was just bad at expressing himself. Sung-kyung’s ears turned red with his self-indulgent thoughts.“Okay.”This was the first time Sung-kyung was leaving the store unlocked since it had been robbed. But he wasn’t worried. The store’s biggest predator, Chungrim, had said he’d watch over it. As he pulled the heavy cart, the wheels made a loud noise on the uneven cement floor.“I’ll be right back.”Rumbling. The sound of the cart might have drowned out his reply.Once the noise of the cart’s wheels faded, Chungrim slowly opened his eyes. He then walked slowly into the store. He still had plenty of time before his appointment with his brothers and needed to kill some time. Since he had said he’d watch the store, he thought he should at least show some sincerity by sitting at the checkout counter.The inside was quite neatly organized, but the sheer number of items packed tightly made it feel suffocating. The windows were barely the size of two palms. The heat inside was stifling. Nevertheless, Chungrim was familiar with the place, having visited a few times before, and took his seat in front of the checkout counter. Something touched his feet.“Beer 2,000 won, water 1,000 won.”He read aloud the words written on the icebox lid. His languid eyes scanned the narrow store. Price tags were stuck everywhere. The checkout counter was no exception. Price tags for ice cream were lined up under the sliding door where Sung-kyung always sat to do the calculations. Was he meticulous, or was his memory not good? Taking a lot of medicine could make one’s memory fuzzy. Was he in that state too?“You’ve organized well.”A few days ago, when he was called about the missing medicine and arrived, the store had looked like a dump. The floor was littered with discarded packaging and empty boxes, and the shelves that had been packed with items were strewn with trash. There were even spots of blood here and there. Now, there was no trace of that day.Chungrim idly touched the items around him. He wrote his name on an empty price tag, flipped through a ledger, picked up the twisted phone cord to check if it worked. There were no customers, and it was boring. Seeing Chungrim sitting at the checkout counter probably turned everyone away.Then Chungrim’s large hand opened the bottom drawer. Inside was an old notebook.“A ledger?”Ah, the ledger for the credit transactions looked like this too. Chungrim handled it as if it were his own, flipping through it without hesitation.His long fingers turned the pages quickly. His eyes narrowed slightly as he searched for the prices. His movements slowed as he turned the pages, and cracks began to form on his previously expressionless face.January 13th, two people total. In this weather, the only person who buys ice cream is him. So he always orders ice cream. If that runs out, he probably won’t come back. When I touched him, there was static electricity, probably because he was wearing gloves. It was a shocking sensation. I can’t forget it.January 17th, four people total. He was wearing a black coat and a green checkered scarf. The coat reached his calves despite his height. If I wore it, it would probably touch the ground. Today was the first time I saw him wearing a scarf. It suited him well. The perfume smells slightly different when it’s cold. Is it mixed with other people’s scents?“Fuck. Not a pervert, but a stalker, huh?”Chungrim laughed in disbelief as he quickly flipped through the pages. The notebook was filled with detailed records about him. Every conversation, what he wore, what he bought at the store, and the feelings he evoked were all meticulously documented.“Crazy bastard.”A chill ran down his spine while an inexplicable thrill welled up inside him. He knew he was being watched, but he never imagined someone would record it so obsessively. No wonder he could shamelessly show his back like that—he’d already imagined countless times being intimate with him in his head.“…Interesting.”The sadistic urge that had barely subsided reared its head again. He recalled the eyes that looked up at him, drenched in a shiver. Creepy bastard. Psychopath. Fucker. Madman. He kept silently cursing Sung-kyung.He closed the notebook and threw it back into the empty drawer. Thud—. It made a rather dull sound. Maybe all that attention made it that heavy. He crossed his arms and leaned back in the chair. Creak, the cheap chair made a twisted noise every time he moved. The sound of raindrops tapping on the window grew louder.“Ah, it’s hot.”How could that bastard stay cooped up in there all day? Living in such a cramped space must have driven him to do these crazy things. He stood up abruptly, and the chair creaked under the force. Chungrim paused as he left the counter and stared at the drawer. Indescribable emotions pulsed through him.“…….”Bang! Chungrim kicked the drawer hard and stormed out of the store. Just stepping over the threshold made him feel less stifled.He sat back in front of the large fan blowing air into the empty hallway. It was so hot inside that his neck and face were burning. His hand flapped the front of his shirt roughly. The sound of the cart being dragged across the floor echoed in his ears. Chungrim closed his eyes. The sweat on his forehead cooled slightly.“Thank you for watching the place.”He turned his head toward the voice. Sung-kyung, wearing an apron, was passing by the ice cream freezer. It wasn’t an illusion. Chungrim watched the figure passing noisily in front of him. On his way back from the back gate, his hair and T-shirt were drenched as if he’d been caught in the rain.“…….”Just moments ago, it was bearable, but now he felt consumed by the hot, sticky air inside him. His breathing was hot, unable to be cooled by the lukewarm fan breeze.As Chungrim steadied his rough breathing, Sung-kyung parked the empty cart at the entrance and went inside. When he was out of sight, Chungrim impulsively called out to him.“Hey.”His low voice echoed lonely in the hallway.“…Yes?”It took a while for the response to come. Sung-kyung peeked his face out of the entrance, half-covered by a towel. He must have been drying off the rain. As Chungrim remained silent, Sung-kyung tilted his head slightly.“…….”He was sure he had called out. Was he starting to hear things now? Sung-kyung blinked, staring intently at Chungrim’s lips. Whether it was an auditory hallucination, a fantasy, or just his imagination, his wishes were coming true. Talking to Chungrim, servicing him, having sex—all of it.This time, surely, those lips would part again. And he would call for him.“Did you call me?”“Yeah.”A positive answer made Sung-kyung’s lips curl up. See, everything comes true.“Clean up the store.”“Now? Right now?”Instead of answering, Chungrim got up from his seat. The rusty chair creaked horribly as it moved. He then turned off the old fan, shoved his hands in his pockets, and sauntered over.Thanks to his long strides, Chungrim reached the entrance quickly. Sung-kyung flinched and stepped back. Being so close, he was sure Chungrim could hear his rapidly beating heart. Unconsciously, he shrank back.Their shoes touched. As Chungrim bent over, their eyes met at the same level. Chungrim stared intently at his downcast eyelashes. Sung-kyung’s pupils, which had been weakly following his gaze, finally met his.“Don’t complain.”His persistent gaze followed the slowly blinking eyelashes. Suddenly, Chungrim’s large hand gripped Sung-kyung’s chin, pressing his thumb against his cracked lip. The freshly healed spot stung under his touch.“Ugh.”He couldn’t help but let out a groan. Sung-kyung’s shoulders hunched as he squeezed one eye shut. Every spot Chungrim touched tingled. While Sung-kyung gauged if the wound had reopened, the finger tormenting his lip pulled away.“Hurry and clean up.”Chungrim didn’t wait for an answer. Sung-kyung moved quickly to follow his command. He licked the sore spot on his lip, relieved that it wasn’t bleeding but still feeling the heat.After stuffing everything worth stealing into the store, Sung-kyung locked the door. He then realized he was still wearing his apron and quickly reopened the door. Chungrim clicked his tongue, yanked off the apron, tossed it inside, and shut the door again.Sung-kyung rubbed his chest a few times as he followed Chungrim. Why did he want to go home now, and why during business hours? He had many questions but didn’t ask. It was enough that he could ride in Chungrim’s scent-filled car.Sitting beside Chungrim, Sung-kyung buckled his seatbelt by himself this time. He didn’t fumble like before. Every new familiarity with Chungrim filled him with overwhelming emotions.“Thought about doing it here.”The dark eyes rolled slightly towards his voice.“But it’s so hot, I feel like I’m gonna die.”He probably didn’t know Sung-kyung was watching him through his bangs. He never cut his sticky, shaggy bangs because they allowed him to steal glances unnoticed. Without curtains to hide behind when away from the counter, this was his only way to secretly watch him.“Last time, it was so damn hot.”He was definitely talking to him. Sung-kyung quickly opened the notebook in his mind. There weren’t many actions between them that could be referred to as “last time.” Which one was particularly hot?“…….”Only one memory came to mind. On that narrow bed, it was when he had forcefully thrust between his thighs. The hazy liquid that had seeped behind his knees flickered before his eyes. Did he want to do it again? Sung-kyung bit the soft flesh below his lip, careful not to hurt himself.His heart was beating so fast it felt like it might burst out of his throat.