I’m Too Lazy To Run away - Chapter 41

As I failed to hide my flustered expression, those around me quickly noticed something was off and stole glances in my direction. But I had no room to care about their gazes. Just facing Oh Yoo-Sung in front of me was overwhelming enough.

I had no idea where he had suddenly appeared from, and my eyes instinctively darted toward the direction Cha Gil-Do had disappeared. If anything seemed off, I was ready to bolt in that direction.

Oh Yoo-Sung smiled brightly and asked,

“Aren’t you happy to see me?”

“…No.”

He had tried to bite me—there was no way I could be happy to see him. Besides, wasn’t he also a villain? Oh Yoo-Sung looked at me with an expression of subtle curiosity, as if he had just encountered a fascinating new species.

“I don’t get it. Why not?”

“…That was the first time we met.”

“Even so, people usually seem happy to see me after just one encounter.”

He tilted his head, genuinely puzzled. The fact that I couldn’t sense any deception in his demeanor made him even more terrifying. But I knew I couldn’t let him see that I was afraid, so I did my best to keep my expression neutral.

Seeing me like that, Oh Yoo-Sung suddenly spoke.

“And that wasn’t our first meeting. We made eye contact at the banquet before. Don’t you remember?”

It seemed that Baek Eun-Seong and Oh Yoo-Sung were at least acquainted. But judging by Oh Yoo-Sung’s words, their relationship wasn’t particularly deep. Thinking it wouldn’t be an issue, I shook my head to indicate that I didn’t remember. Oh Yoo-Sung didn’t seem to like that response. He continued speaking, as if hoping I would recall.

“You forgot about the banquet, but you remembered my name?”

“You introduced yourself directly at the gallery.”

He had personally told Cha Gil-Do that he was the CEO Oh Yoo-Sung. And yet, he seemed to have forgotten.

“…Ah.”

As if he had just remembered, he let out a soft chuckle and nodded. Then, he stared at me intently. The weight of his gaze was uncomfortable, and I didn’t know where to look, so I fiddled with the tablecloth instead.

Then, Oh Yoo-Sung abruptly asked,

“Is that your taste?”

“…What?”

He posed an incomprehensible question while pointing to his forehead with a finger. It was then that I realized he was referring to my wound. Without thinking, my hand went to the gauze covering it.

…Could getting hurt be considered a preference?

“If it scars, what will you do? I can make you cry without leaving a single mark, you know.”

“It’s not a preference.”

“Really?”

“…….”

I didn’t even know how to respond anymore. When I remained silent, Oh Yoo-Sung seemed to pick up on my unwillingness to continue the conversation. He flashed a bright smile, but his eyes remained devoid of emotion.

That chilling, emotionless gaze scraped against my skin like frost. I knew there was no need to be this afraid, but my body tensed up from the sheer anxiety. Cold sweat trickled down my back.

Just as I was about to reach my limit, Oh Yoo-Sung’s hand moved toward me.

“Are you feeling unwell? You’re sweating so much—”

Smack.

As his hand neared, I instinctively slapped it away. A knife clattered to the floor with a sharp sound. Oh Yoo-Sung stared at his now-empty hand for a moment before shifting his gaze to me.

Goosebumps ran down my spine, and my body froze in place.

Hearing the commotion, a staff member rushed over. Oh Yoo-Sung, completely unfazed, casually requested a replacement knife. As the employee picked up the fallen knife and left, he sighed with a troubled expression.

“Oh dear, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Oh Yoo-Sung smiled awkwardly, as if he truly hadn’t intended anything. Though I had clashed with him at the gallery, there was no real reason to be so wary of him. Yet something about him unsettled me. Maybe it was because, before being a secondary male lead, he was a villain.

“I was just watching, but you looked so unstable.”

If he had claimed to feel a sense of camaraderie as a fellow villain, I might have understood him better.

Just as I thought he would linger, Oh Yoo-Sung seemed to check something and then rose from his seat.

“Enjoy your little family reunion. I’ll see you again soon.”

“……?”

Without any further explanation, he vanished.

Had I been too tense? My heightened vigilance made me so jumpy that even the approaching footsteps of a staff member startled me. The employee hesitated momentarily before placing a new knife in front of me.

‘When is Cha Gil-Do coming back?’

Being alone made me uneasy. I wished he would return soon, but despite the time that had passed, he still hadn’t returned.

Maybe I could at least see him if he was on a call nearby. I glanced around—then, I noticed something strange.

When we first arrived, the restaurant had been packed to the brim, with barely any empty seats.

But now, just like when we first entered, it was completely empty.

I hadn’t even realized that a large number of people had left.

It was at that moment—he sensed movement behind him.

Naturally assuming it was Cha Gil-Do, he turned his head without a hint of suspicion. However, the suit was different from what Cha Gil-Do had been wearing, prompting him to lift his gaze further.

Not just one or two people—three figures stood before him. The middle-aged man among them stepped forward, grabbed both his shoulders, and pulled him into an embrace.

“Eun-Seong!!”

Before he could even process who this person was to act so familiarly, the man spoke.

“Do you have any idea how desperately your father searched for you?!”

Baek Eun-Seong’s family situation was something he had vaguely heard from Cha Gil-Do before. The sole legitimate heir of his household. But perhaps due to the shock of the moment, he forgot all about that detail and was instead stunned by the word father.

The man who had been embracing him gripped his shoulders tightly and said,

“No, it doesn’t matter. You’re safe, and that’s enough.”

“A… father?”

The moment the word left his lips, he saw the man’s brow furrow slightly.

Only then did realization strike—Baek Eun-Seong was the only legitimate heir.

“Let’s go home.”

“What? But there’s someone I’m waiting for—urk!”

The man’s grip on his shoulder tightened. The pressure was so intense that his upper body involuntarily buckled.

“What are you all standing around for? Hurry up and move Eun-Seong.”

At the man’s command, the people beside him each seized one of his arms and pulled him to his feet.

Even before the pain in his shoulder could subside, he felt himself being forcibly taken away. Panic surged through him.

“What is this?! Let me go!”

“He might bite his tongue—cover his mouth and take him.”

The moment the order was given, something was shoved into his mouth, stifling him completely. The abrupt intrusion made his jaw ache as if it might dislocate.

He struggled desperately to break free.

Tsk.

The man clicked his tongue, and with overwhelming strength, Eun-Seong was dragged away without a chance to resist.

As he was hauled out of the restaurant, his eyes met Cha Gil-Do’s in the distance.

Cha Gil-Do!

Unable to scream, he thrashed desperately, pleading for help. After falling into this world, Cha Gil-Do was the only one he could rely on.

This felt like a cruel separation.

Mustering all his strength, he wrenched one of his captured arms free.

Just as he thought he was escaping, an even rougher hand seized the back of his neck and shoved him into an open car.

Thud!

His head struck the car window with a sickening impact, causing his vision to spin.

He tried to stay conscious, but the blow was so severe that the stitches from a previous wound burst open, sending warm blood trickling down.

Even so, he refused to give up. He pressed his hands against the window, attempting to lift himself and resist.

But the hand gripping his nape seized his hair and yanked his head back.

“Ugh!”

He clutched at the man’s wrist, trying to pry his fingers open, but the grip remained unyielding.

The man’s expression was ice-cold—completely different from the one he had shown in the restaurant.

His narrowed eyes glinted with disdain, as if looking at an insect.

He tightened his grip on Eun-Seong’s hair and spoke.

“If you don’t want to test my patience, you’d better keep your mouth shut.”

“…….”

The man then ripped off the bandage stuck to Eun-Sung’s forehead and callously tossed it aside before shoving him away and slamming the car door shut.

The engine roared to life, and the car sped off.

Eun-Seong frantically pressed against the window, searching for Cha Gil-Do.

But they were already too far away.

He reached for the door handle, trying to open it, but no matter how hard he pulled, the locked door wouldn’t budge.

The driver didn’t spare him a glance, seemingly unconcerned about anything he did in the backseat.

He wanted to shout for them to let him go, but all that came out was a pained groan.

“Ugh…”

The searing pain made him clutch his head. His fingers came away sticky with blood.

But worse than the bleeding was the dizziness.

His entire body ached as if he had been beaten, and his vision spun so wildly that he felt as though he’d lose consciousness if he let his guard down.

Still, he forced himself to focus on the scenery outside the window, determined to remember where he was being taken.

But despite his efforts, his vision blurred more and more—until at last, everything faded into darkness.