Reasonable Loss - 26

Dokwon gazed at such an Eunsu. A clear spring breeze gently brushed past, ruffling Eunsu’s hair. His slowly blinking eyelashes were amazingly long and thick. Round eyes, high nose bridge, round nose tip, plump lips moving busily.

Each one sparkled excessively and was lovely. How could eating a gummy make him this pretty? Since the him from the forgotten four years was also him, he could understand falling for Eunsu. He could understand wooing him by buying all sorts of delicious things.

Dokwon subtly lowered his hand. To hold Eunsu’s hand. Now, when together, he itched to touch or rub against any part. Hand, forearm, or even lips.

But at that moment, the signal changed. The bright red pedestrian icon turned blue.

Eunsu stepped forward without hesitation. Dokwon followed him with a regretful expression. Well, is now the only chance? They’d be together all day today.

“The bulgogi place won’t just sell bulgogi, right?”

Eunsu asked.

“Why? Is there something else you want to eat?”

“Um, cold noodles and dumplings and stuff. It’d be good if they had soybean paste stew too. They must have glass noodle side dishes, of course?”

Eunsu smacked his lips imagining the moist and tender meat. After eating something sweet, he craved Korean food even more intensely. He could probably finish two bowls of rice today too.

“Shall I call them? If not, let’s go somewhere else.”

Dokwon asked seriously. At that, Eunsu burst into laughter. He was about to answer, no, just eat whatever they have and fill the regrets with dessert.

Screeech!

The sound of tires scraping harshly grated against his eardrums. Eunsu turned his head absentmindedly. A white sedan was swerving wildly across the road toward them. The car’s body swaying left and right was clearly abnormal.

Eunsu stiffened abruptly. The flashing headlights burned his retinas white. And when his vision cleared again. Eunsu was in Dokwon’s car heading to the obstetrics clinic a month ago.

The weather when spring was just beginning was chilly yet sunny,

“It’s a baby.”

“Yeah.”

“I hope it looks like you, Dokwon-ssi.”

“I don’t like that. It has to look like you. If it looks like me, I won’t feel affection.”

“Why. It would be super handsome.”

“My face looks mean.”

Dokwon’s voice was good,

“Eunsu-ya.”

“Yes.”

“Us.”

“Yes.”

“Shall we get married?”

The shy proposal that brought ecstasy-level happiness at that time. And right then, the rough blaring of horns scattering wildly and the dump truck that covered his view.

“Eunsu-ya.”

“Dokwon-ssi.”

In an instant, their gazes met for the last time, followed by an enormous roar and the pain of his body breaking apart, the seatbelt pressing on his shoulder, and Dokwon’s red hot bl00d pouring over his body. Bl00d. Bl00d. Bl00d.

Eunsu’s breathing cut off sharply. His body began to tremble. Horns blared piercingly in his ears. He couldn’t tell if it was an illusion or real. He just stood there dumbly, staring at the dump truck charging at him—no, the sedan, no, the dump truck.

At that moment. Someone grabbed his wrist hard. Then his body flew half in the air. The landing spot wasn’t the ground. It was a familiar embrace. Warm, broad, full of a thick pheromone scent.

The moment Eunsu unknowingly took a deep breath, the car spun sharply to the side. It was a distance that barely grazed Eunsu’s knee. Then, with a boom! it collided with the traffic light, making an enormous noise.

Eunsu collapsed to the ground as if sliding down. He stared at the car spewing thick smoke with unfocused eyes. As he did, someone gently shook his shoulders.

“Eunsu-ssi.”

It was a nearby voice. He could feel the breath from the voice’s owner. Yet it sounded so far away, so muffled. It felt like he was trapped underwater.

“Eunsu-ssi. Look at me.”

The voice called Eunsu again. But Eunsu’s mind, which had tumbled to the depths, showed no sign of surfacing. Eunsu just kept staring endlessly at the wrecked car, as if ordered to.

Then a large hand cupped both cheeks and turned his head the other way.

“Yoo Eunsu.”

Only then did Eunsu’s gaze look at the voice’s owner.

“……Dokwon-ssi?”

“Are you okay?”

“Ah…… Dokwon, Dokwon-ssi. You’re not hurt? Are you okay?”

Eunsu groped Dokwon’s face and forearms with his trembling hands. He had to check if bl00d was coming out again, if anything was broken, if his head was split.

Dokwon took off his jacket and wrapped it around such an Eunsu’s shoulders. And he checked Eunsu’s body here and there.

“I’m okay. And you, Eunsu-ssi? Are you okay? Is your belly okay?”

“Ah……, belly……”

Eunsu quickly wrapped his arms around his belly. He steadied his breathing and focused on it, but there was no particular pain. Just a slight pulling sensation from his whole body tensing up.

“It seems…… okay.”

Eunsu stammered. Dokwon swept back Eunsu’s bangs with a deeply furrowed face.

“You’re sweating so much……”

“The accident…… it came to mind……. I guess I got a bit startled……”

Eunsu took a big breath in and slowly let it out. Dokwon stroked such an Eunsu’s back and guided him out to the roadside. While doing so, he looked at the car that had come at them.

Just then, the driver got out of the car. The man, who looked at most thirty even if generous, had a flushed red face, and his gaze went up to the sky then down to the ground in a strange way. Plus his staggering legs…… He was clearly not in a normal state.

Dokwon ground his molars. He strode toward the driver. His large shadow covered half of the driver’s pudgy body. The driver looked up at Dokwon with hazy eyes.

At the same time, Dokwon subtly pulled one shoulder back. Then he swung his arm from behind and smashed his iron-like fist into the driver’s cheekbone with a smack!

“Ugh……”

The driver couldn’t even scream. He stiffened as if frozen, then rolled his eyes back and fell backward. Straight like a wooden stick, flat on the ground with a thud.

The people gathered around let out various exclamations: oh, wow, gasp. Eunsu said,

“Good heavens……”

And that was it. He had known for years together that he was strong. Just from how he flipped and tossed him around in bed with one hand. But he never dreamed he could neutralize a person with one punch.

While the startled Eunsu just blinked, Dokwon grabbed the driver’s collar. The driver dangled limp like blanched spinach, half in the air. In that state, Dokwon kept striking the driver’s face. Smack, thud, the dull sounds echoed across the wide road.

As the violence grew fiercer, the citizens around tried to stop Dokwon. Then Dokwon brushed off their arms with an annoyed face. And he pointed at Eunsu, who was sitting on the ground, with his index finger.

“Pregnant woman.”

Next, he pointed at himself.

“Baby’s dad.”

Finally, he pointed at the bloodied driver.

“Attempted murder.”

At the simple but clear explanation, people sighed briefly. They stepped back hesitantly. When Dokwon, having removed the interferers, raised his fist again.

The belatedly recovered Eunsu quickly ran over and wrapped his hands around his fist.

“Dokwon-ssi! No!”

“It is.”

“What do you mean it is! I’m okay. Stop it.”

Eunsu pulled Dokwon’s fist back with his feeble strength. Dokwon’s mouth twisted irritably. But since he couldn’t push Eunsu away, he obediently stood up. Eunsu let out a silent sigh of relief.

Dokwon threw the driver down carelessly. And with one hand holding Eunsu’s hand, with the other he took out his phone. He brought up a familiar number from the recent calls and pressed the call button.

“Secretary Jeong. It’s me. There was an accident. Traffic accident. No one got hurt, but……”

Eunsu quietly listened to Dokwon on the call. But strangely, his head grew heavier and heavier. His limbs tingled as if cramped, then felt like the bl00d was draining out.

Eunsu squeezed his eyes shut tight then opened them to pull himself together. But it was no use. His mind grew more clouded. It felt like sinking very slowly into the depths.

Looks like…… I’m…… not okay…… after all.

Eunsu thought as he blinked slowly. He had loudly insisted to Dokwon that he was fine. If he collapsed here, Dokwon might really kill that driver.

Eunsu staggered in place. Then the strength left the hand holding Dokwon’s. Dokwon quickly looked at Eunsu. Eunsu also looked at Dokwon with dull eyes.

Dokwon-ssi. He called like that, but no voice came out. And then he toppled backward.

“Yoo Eunsu!”

Dokwon’s voice seemed to shake the whole world.