Chapter 91: Want to stay the night?
by GideonAfter finishing his initial statement, Jubin took Zion back to his place.
He just wanted to hide away with Zion in his own home—the safest place he knew.
…You again?
Those unblinking, pitch-black eyes.
You fucking bitch, let go! If you hadn’t stolen my role…!
The fury directed at him was unmistakable.
…You fucking bitch. I’m coming for you. I’ll fucking kill you.
The sheer tenacity of that grudge, the helplessness and self-loathing from being exposed to such predictable malice—it all kept replaying the killer’s warning in his mind.
Click.
The sound of the front door closing made Jubin flinch violently as he spun around.
“Sunbae.”
The danger had clearly passed, but his brain, still hyper-aroused, remained on high alert. Only after the familiar surroundings calmed him and he saw Zion was he able to collapse to the floor.
“Hey… Are you okay?”
Zion wrapped an arm around Jubin’s shoulders as he sank to the floor.
“…I’m fine. I just… lost all my strength when I relaxed…”
I can’t stop shaking. I’m so scared.
“It’s okay. I’m here.”
Jubin threw his arms around Zion’s neck, clinging to him tightly. No matter how hard he held on, the tremors refused to subside.
“Yeah… Don’t leave. Stay here.”
“I’m not going anywhere. Let’s get you cleaned up.”
Zion lifted him effortlessly and carried him to the bathroom. He sat Jubin on the edge of the tub and began removing his blood-stained clothes.
“The water’s cold, but bear with it for a moment.”
The cold water gradually washed away the crimson stains. It was all Seo-rim’s blood.
“…Z-Zion?”
Watching the blood swirl down the drain, Jubin’s pupils dilated as he scanned their surroundings, terrified that something else might still be lurking in the shadows.
His mind, overloaded by the crushing weight of worry and anxiety, was shutting down, disconnecting from reality to numb the pain.
The cold water chilled his hands and body rapidly. He began to shiver uncontrollably, his limbs trembling like aspen leaves.
It feels like my heart is being washed away, too. He hated this feeling.
“You’re cold, aren’t you? I’ll get you cleaned up quickly.”
He felt like he was being swallowed whole by a primal dread rising from the very floor beneath them.
He tried to take deep breaths, but his heart refused to calm down. The killer’s voice, filled with sickeningly sweet excitement as it called Zion’s name, kept echoing in his mind.
Unable to bear the anxiety any longer, Jubin threw his arms around Zion, clinging to him again. It was impossible to tell if he was shaking from the cold or the lingering terror.
“He heard your name. What are we going to do…?”
Zion pulled Jubin tightly into his arms, stroking his back as if to reassure him.
“He was caught in the act. He’ll be sent straight to the prosecution. Don’t worry.”
Does the brain break after a trauma? Jubin had watched the man be taken away by the police. He knew the madman couldn’t do anything to him anymore. Yet, anxiety and survival-driven terror still overwhelmed his mind, leaving him in a state of extreme tension.
“It’s okay. I won’t leave your side again.”
“Yes… don’t leave me.”
If something happens to you… I won’t be able to bear it.
The only sound filling the space between them was the rustle of Jubin clutching Zion’s clothes.
It was the end of summer, and today, the sun set earlier than yesterday. Darkness descended upon the bedroom where Jubin lay asleep.
The warmth of their clasped hands finally felt a little more natural. Despite the heat, his body had been hypothermic from shock.
While Zion washed him, Jubin had trembled so violently with terror that Zion feared something terrible had happened.
“That fucking murderer…”
Zion spat a curse into the empty air, his breath a ragged sigh.
The full story was this:
The victim, Lee Seo-rim, and the perpetrator were—shockingly—lovers.
According to CEO Moon Woo-jin, Seo-rim’s negligence had become uncontrollable at some point, and they suspected it coincided with the time he met the perpetrator.
Under the perpetrator’s gaslighting, Seo-rim had gradually lost his judgment, and in the end…
“…You motherfucker. I’ll find you, and I’m going to make you pay.”
Fury seethed in Zion’s chest as he recalled the killer’s voice, the way it had snarled a warning directly at Jubin.
Who the hell does that bastard think he is, threatening my person?
Zion’s own face was well-known, impossible to hide. But Jubin was different. He could have stayed hidden if they’d just been careful.
The root of the problem was a simple trip to the convenience store to buy an ionic drink for Jubin, who’d been unable to eat much lately.
“Stupid… Why did I have to step away right then?”
He should have just stayed by Jubin’s side. Every time he left Jubin alone, even for a moment, another disaster struck.
The senior’s diving accident… this ridiculous incident… it’s all my fault.
The cycle of self-blame and regret played on a loop. Zion stared at the ceiling, rubbing his face with his hand.
The thought of leaving Jubin alone like this made his heart pound with a restless, suffocating anxiety.
I have to find a way, Zion thought. A way we can be together.
The problem was how to convince Jubin, a man who guarded his personal space with fierce determination.
Should I just throw away my pride? Should I cling to him, whispering the words he hates most until he’s sick of hearing them?
Would that make him finally look at me?
I wish he felt the same way. But Zion knew this wish might never come true.
Don’t get your hopes up, he told himself, extinguishing the spark of expectation once again.
His phone buzzed.
[ I’m here. Come down for a moment. ]
His manager, who had only been briefed over the phone, was rushing over, needing to see Zion’s condition with his own eyes to be reassured.
Zion’s heart sank at the thought of leaving Jubin alone, even for a moment. He slowly pried his fingers loose from Jubin’s hand, which was still gripping his as if refusing to let go.
“I’ll be right back.”
Zion decided it would be best to leave a note so Jubin wouldn’t be surprised when he woke up.
“Where’s a pen…”
He carefully opened the desk drawer and found something unexpected.
“…This is…”
Inside, Jubin had carefully preserved everything Zion had ever given him: the note from six years ago with SUB Entertainment’s phone number, the Andrew Jin CD he’d gifted him back then, the earphones and watch he’d bought more recently, and even a cigarette pack covered in stickers.
Jubin hadn’t thrown away a single thing Zion had given him.
Zion turned his head and gazed at the sleeping Jubin for a long time.
Maybe… just maybe…
What if…
“Maybe you… like me too, sunbae…”
A wish he had long ago given up on, believing it could never come true, now seemed possible.
When the brain experiences a traumatic event, it overloads, triggering nightmares.
Waking up to the familiar silhouette in the dark room confirmed that it had all been a dream.
My body was drenched in sweat, and I must have cried in my sleep. My heart hammered against my ribs, threatening to burst. Zion, who should have been beside me, was gone.
“…Do Zion?”
I fumbled blindly beside me before scrambling to switch on the light.
He was gone.
“Zion…?”
My heart pounded erratically, making me feel nauseous. I stumbled into the living room to find my phone, only to see a note resting on the kitchen island.
I’m going out to get dinner. Call me when you wake up.
I’m anxious when I can’t see you. I’m scared.
I grabbed my phone to call Zion immediately, but found a stack of missed calls from an unknown number.
The dread that something had gone wrong again made his mind race. But Zion was the only thing that mattered right now.
As the ringing tone stretched on, his imagination spiraled out of control. He couldn’t control the situation, but he could control his own body—so he found himself biting his fingertips without even realizing it.
“Please, Zion. Pick up.”
Just as the anxiety was about to drive him insane—
—Sunbae, are you awake?
The low voice he had been so desperate to hear brought a wave of relief.
But that wasn’t enough.
“Zion, where are you?”
—I’m right outside your apartment, Sunbae. You can see me through the window. Should I wave?
Thank god. He’s okay. Nothing has happened to him yet.
“Hurry up,” Jubin pleaded, his legs giving out as he sank to the floor.
—I’m coming right now. Just wait for me.
The tender call ended.
But the peace his voice brought was short-lived.
Jubin paced the entryway like a cat waiting for its owner. His phone, clutched tightly in his hand, buzzed.
CEO Moon Woo-jin had sent a video.
Though the figure was blurred, the build and silhouette of the man taking down the attacker were unmistakably Do Zion’s.
The comment section was exploding. Fans were fueling the fire, claiming the outfit matched the one from the paid message sent earlier that morning.
The internet detectives didn’t stop there. The conversation had already shifted to finding the other hero who had helped Do Zion stop the attempted murderer.
Everyone was now frantically searching for Cha Jubin.
Soon, CEO Moon Woo-jin called. He had promised to report the results of Seo-rim’s surgery over the phone, no matter what.
“Yes, sir. Did the surgery go well?”
—I just heard from Seo-rim’s mother. The surgery was a success.
The crushing weight on my chest eased slightly, and I let out a long, deep breath.
Had the words ‘thank goodness’ ever felt this heavy and desperate before?
—He’s still unconscious, but they said he’ll wake up after a few more days in the ICU. Once he does, he can be moved to a regular ward.
I tried to speak, but the words felt stuck in my throat.
—How about you? Have you calmed down from the shock?
“Yes, I feel a lot better after getting some sleep.”
In truth, I wasn’t okay at all. Even in my dreams, I hadn’t been able to save Seo-rim.
And in reality, I was currently crouched by the front door, waiting for Zion to arrive.
—You’ve probably been getting a lot of calls from unknown numbers, right? Don’t answer any of them. They’re all reporters.
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