#26

Even though it was quite a distance, their eyes met so precisely that Nam Yisol couldn’t pretend not to notice. He offered an awkward smile and slightly lowered his head. This should be enough to avoid any trouble. That’s what he thought—until he looked up again and, for the first time in his life, faced an emotion directed solely at him: hatred.

In Goo Won’s dark eyes, murky and ominous emotions swirled. It was a look that seemed as if tearing someone to shreds and burning them to ashes would bring relief. Nam Yisol had encountered all kinds of people in his not-so-smooth life, but this was the first time he had seen such an emotion.

Like prey caught in the gaze of a predator, Nam Yisol froze in fear. Seeing him terrified, Goo Won’s black pupils slowly moved.

Jung Hosu. Yoo Euiseo. Lee Gaon. Lee Daon.

Goo Won’s eyes swept over the Tartarus members standing around Nam Yisol before returning to him. Then, upon seeing Nam Yisol still paralyzed with fear, one corner of his lips curled up slowly.

It was a clear warning.

A warning that he would drag them all down into ruin, making them suffer until their last breath.

Nam Yisol remained frozen until Goo Won, his expression now devoid of any trace of a smile, finally averted his gaze.

‘S-Sir, who is that man?’

‘What? Who? Him? That’s Goo Won, chairman of Haje Group.’

The revelation of Goo Won’s identity, which Nam Yisol barely managed to extract from President Lee Yongjun, was nothing short of shocking.

‘Haje Group……?’

‘Yeah. That group with countless subsidiaries. He’s globally famous. Took over after the previous chairman died and turned Haje Group into its golden age within four years. But why are you interested in him? Forget it. He’s not someone you should even dream of. He lives in a completely different world from you.’

Lee Yongjun continued to ramble on, but Nam Yisol could barely process his words.

That man despises me and Tartarus. And because of that hatred, he’s going to come after us. If someone like him decides to act, we’d be snuffed out like a candle in the wind.

That thought alone consumed Nam Yisol’s mind.

I’m scared. What do I do? I’m so scared. Should I apologize? But I don’t even know what I did wrong. And even if I beg for forgiveness, would it even work on someone with eyes like that? Someone who looks like they’re dying to destroy us?

He even tried confiding in the other Tartarus members, but it wasn’t as if that changed anything. After all, as President Lee Yongjun had said, Goo Won and they lived in entirely different worlds.

That was why Nam Yisol was terrified. His life was already miserable enough, but now it felt like it would be utterly shattered. And Goo Won had the power to make that happen, which made it all the more terrifying. That fear solidified and took shape one winter day.

Lee Yongjun, who had recently become addicted to gambling, ended up drowning in debt. And since he had no way to repay it, he handed over Tartarus’s contract to his creditor—Chairman Goo Won.

When Nam Yisol heard the news, he thought, It’s finally started. That man is finally making his move. It’s all over now.

However, when he met Goo Won again, he seemed entirely different from before.

He was furious that Tartarus had been treated as mere commodities. He looked distressed upon seeing the wounds on Yoo Euiseo’s body. He claimed that he and the group were in a symbiotic relationship.

Honestly, Nam Yisol couldn’t believe it. Not just him—anyone who had seen Goo Won’s eyes that day at the party wouldn’t believe it.

Even when Goo Won sent them for a medical checkup because he couldn’t trust President Lee Yongjun, arranged for them to be hospitalized until they recovered, and made sure they had good meals, Nam Yisol still couldn’t trust him. Even when he spoke with warm words and showed genuine concern for them, doubt lingered.

But he was human, after all. And no matter how much he resisted, his heart wavered.

Every time he saw Goo Won’s face—his soft smile on an otherwise expressionless face, his gentle gaze as if looking at something precious—his heart wavered. Had his feelings changed over the past few months? Or had he mistaken Goo Won’s gaze that day?

Maybe. Perhaps.

Those thoughts kept creeping into Nam Yisol’s mind. But whenever they did, the faces of the younger ones he had to protect grounded him.

Jung Hosu, who never resisted no matter how unfairly he was treated.

Yoo Euiseo, too naïve and trusting for his own good.

Lee Gaon, who knew right from wrong but lacked the will or courage to act.

Lee Daon, who had built walls around his wounded heart, lashing out at everything.

If Goo Won had ill intentions, those fools wouldn’t even be able to fight back. That’s why Nam Yisol had to stay vigilant. He had to protect them no matter what.

And so, he deliberately exposed his weakness to Goo Won and wagged his metaphorical tail.

Look at me. Only me. Not them—just me. If you want something, take it from me. Just leave them alone. Please.

It was a desperate plea, a begging, a form of groveling.

To Nam Yisol, Tartarus was his most precious family. For their sake, he was willing to do anything—grovel, commit any wrongdoing, even lose himself entirely.

The result of that decision was devastating.

“You’re an idiot. Do you think a globally renowned chairman would be scared of such a pathetic threat? What if you ended up dumped in the ocean somewhere?”

“Yeah…… I guess I was really stupid.”

To be honest, Nam Yisol never really believed the threat would work. If it failed, he had planned to beg on his knees, offering himself in exchange for the others’ safety. Of course, he wasn’t sure if Goo Won would accept, but……

Nam Yisol rubbed his eyes with a damp towel and let out a quiet sigh. Looking back now, he couldn’t understand what had possessed him to act so foolishly. Fear and anxiety must have short-circuited his brain.

“I was really stupid.”

“At least you know. Dumbass.”

“……Do you think the president will forgive me?”

Frustration filled Nam Yisol’s voice as he sighed again. Yoo Euiseo, who had been scolding him just moments ago, now shook his head uncertainly. Seeing that, Nam Yisol bit his lip anxiously.

He must be upset. Of course, he would be. What if he never forgives me? I don’t want to be hated by someone so kind…… But this is my fault, so I have to accept it……

His thoughts swung back and forth dozens of times in a single second. Feeling overwhelmed, he pressed the towel firmly against his face. Jung Hosu awkwardly patted his head in comfort.

“If he couldn’t forgive you, he would’ve already shown it. He doesn’t seem like the type to hide things.”

“……You think so?”

“Yeah. But still, you should apologize again later. You really did mess up.”

“……Alright. I will.”

Nam Yisol sniffled, his voice trembling. His tears seeped into the cold towel. In the now-silent second-floor living room, only the sound of his quiet sobs remained.

After a while, once Nam Yisol had calmed down and lifted his head, Jung Hosu, who had been patiently waiting, finally spoke.

“Yisol.”

“Yeah?”

“I’ve been wondering about something.”

“What is it?”

“Why do you always call us your ‘younger siblings’ when talking to the president? What about me? Am I not your friend?”

Caught off guard, Nam Yisol blinked his swollen eyes. Then, realizing Jung Hosu was trying to lighten the mood, he smirked mischievously.

“You’re included in that, too.”

“What? We’re the same age.”

“I was born in January. You’re a December baby. That’s nearly a whole year apart. Of course, you’re my younger sibling.”

“Bullshit.”

Jung Hosu scowled like he genuinely hated the idea, making Nam Yisol burst into laughter.

The once tear-filled living room now echoed with bright laughter.

“You got yourself into this mess just because you misread a look. From now on, don’t tell me what you see. I’m not believing you anymore.”

“No, I really saw it back then. It was terrifying. He looked at me like he hated me more than anything in the world.”

“Think about it. Would someone who supposedly looked at you with that much hatred treat us this kindly now? No matter how you look at it, the more reasonable explanation is that you were mistaken.”

Yoo Euiseo’s argument was quite logical. But Nam Yisol couldn’t bring himself to accept it so easily. Because he still remembered it vividly. Those pitch-black eyes, filled with dark, heavy emotions—like a swirling mass of the world’s most negative feelings all clumped together.

Just recalling them sent chills down Nam Yisol’s spine, making him shudder as he wrapped his arms around himself.

“Yisol hyung, are you cold? You should go in and rest before you catch a cold.”

“No, it’s not that I’m cold…… Never mind. Yeah, I’ll go rest.”

At Lee Gaon’s concern, Nam Yisol reflexively started to deny it but then nodded after noticing the exhaustion on his teammates’ faces. They had already gone to bed late, and now, after all this commotion since dawn, they must be even more drained.

As Nam Yisol stood up and headed to his room, the other members also retreated to their respective rooms.

The once lively and chaotic living room slowly fell into a deep silence.