Chapter 222.2

Chapter 222.2

His mind had cleared, but his body felt drained and sluggish. He checked his forearm and saw a dark purple mark where a needle had pierced his vein.

What kind of bastard did this? Cold sweat spread across Wooshin’s back. Where the hell was he? He blinked and stared blankly ahead.

In the darkness, faint shapes began to take form. A thin blanket far too light to keep out the cold. Walls patched together with wooden boards. A freezing draft seeping through a cracked window. There wasn’t a single electronic device in sight, no chance of finding a phone.

On the stained, frayed carpet lay discarded needles, ripped-up scraps of clothing, bloodied bandages, gauze, and scissors all clumped together like trash.

He was briefly relieved that his vision was returning, but then nausea hit hard.

Where was Seoryeong now? Had she been caught in America? Was she hurt? Was she holding out alone again? Damn it, I should’ve introduced her to Na Wonchang sooner.

Just thinking of her wandering through the cold on her own made his stomach twist. The wave of guilt burned his throat like he’d swallowed charcoal.

“….”

Wooshin grabbed the edge of the bed as his vision spun again. Pressing his temples did nothing to stop the dizzy nausea.

His body no longer felt like his own. Muscles and nerves that once obeyed him perfectly now moved on their own, slack and uncoordinated.

And on top of that…

“Well, this is just great.”

He let out a dry laugh as he looked down at his ankle.

A chain was wrapped around his leg, binding him to the bed. The only kind of bastard who’d pull something like this…

Just then, faint humming drifted in from outside before the door burst open. The face he’d wanted to strangle appeared, wrapped in bandages just like his own. Seeing Wooshin awake, Kia let out a short whistle of surprise.

Wooshin glared at him coldly, his expression unreadable. The air between them froze. Then Kia frowned and bent slightly.

“Wait! You got amnesia or something?”

“If you’re gonna talk nonsense, start by explaining. What’s with these?”

“Oh, guess not.”

Kia scratched his eyebrow, sounding almost disappointed. He dragged over a round table marked with burn stains and sat down.

He lit a cigarette without another word, the backlight hiding most of his face.

“For now, this place is a motel that got halfway through demolition.”

“What?”

“I saved your life. Didn’t bother taking off your pants because that’d be disgusting. Bathroom’s over there.”

Kia blew out a lazy stream of smoke and pointed toward the old, splintered door.

“If you need to piss, go ahead. The chain’s short, so aim carefully.”

He flicked the chain around Wooshin’s ankle with his toe. Wooshin’s expression hardened, rage flashing across his battered face. Blood rushed to his head until it felt like his consciousness was cutting in and out.

“Forget that. Why did you pull Seoryeong’s hand back there?”

His voice scraped up from deep in his throat, tight with fury that sounded ready to explode. His eyes were ice-cold.

“There won’t be a second time. Don’t you dare try anything with her again.”

Kia, lounging back, ground out his cigarette on the table and stared straight at him.

“So what, I was supposed to just die there?”

“….”

“You expected me to just sit and watch while Sonya went to save you first?”

Kia twisted his lips in anger, then his face went blank again. He stared at the water-stained wallpaper with a calm, strange look in his eyes.

Wooshin bit his tongue hard to fight off the dizziness clouding his mind. No matter how much he tried, his body refused to move properly.

“You filthy piece of trash! What the hell did you drug me with?”

“The Americans didn’t manage to clean up everything the first time.”

His eyelids began to droop. Seoryeong… my owl… Her name was the only thing left alive in his fading mind, the last thing clinging to him as his thoughts turned white. He swallowed down the metallic taste of blood rising in his throat.

“I just wanted to act like an adult, for once.”

Kia smiled faintly, looking up at the dim lightbulb. His voice trailed off.

“You think Sonya will like it? I’m about to steal the vestments that the cult leader of Sakhalin used to wear.”

“Ugh… n…no!”

At first his eyes simply closed, but soon he couldn’t even form words.

“When your grandfather was alive, there was this little secret ritual that used to happen underground. Sonya will remember it. She’ll come find me. So until I’m ready, you stay asleep a little longer. This is going to be the final act.”

A white paste spread over Wooshin’s face like death. His eyes and nose were sealed shut, and he couldn’t breathe.

Seoryeong… please… run far from here. Hide somewhere no one can find you.

As darkness swallowed him whole, that was the only wish Lee Wooshin had left.