Chapter 19

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I've worked with Hyung for a long time, even before I became the caretaker for his home. Back in those days, I used to handle all sorts of odd jobs for him whenever he was in Hong Kong—delivering packages, leasing cars or motorbikes, keeping an eye on the surroundings, even hiring a sniper once or twice. The tasks weren't always easy, but they paid well, and Hyung was always fair.

Then, one day, he called me with an unexpected question: if I had any experience taking care of a house. I'd lived alone for a while by then, so I knew how to handle the basics, but I told him honestly that I could learn on the job if needed.

He laughed. "That's more than enough. Keep learning, that is" he said, sounding amused. After that, he gave me a quarter in the outer part of his house to live in. He even said that if I ever wanted to get married and start a family, I was welcome to build my life here. "It's a home, wouldn't be right if it were empty without kids" he had said with a laugh.

Hyung is a good man. He speaks softly, always calm, and he's clear in his words. Even though his life is anything but ordinary, he treats the people around him well. For the past year or so, he's been living with his partner, Ilay Reigrow—although I call him Rick, as Hyung told me to.

Rick... well, Rick is something else entirely. He's not a bad man. No, that's not the right word. He's a madman, honestly. When Hyung wasn't around, I used to keep an eye on him as part of my duties—starting slow at first, just once a week or every two weeks, so I wouldn't get caught. But Rick is sharp. He almost caught me a few times, which made me wonder if he had split personalities, because the Rick I saw with Hyung was entirely different from the one who wandered around alone.

It took me a while to figure it out. I once saw Rick visit places they'd been to together, but he was by himself. There was a sadness about him when he was there, lingering in the shadows of his usual cold demeanor. That's when I realized: it wasn't that he had a split personality. It was that Hyung mattered to him in a way no one else did. To everyone else, Rick was cold and detached, but with Hyung... he was different. He was warmer. The man who seemed like a madman had a heart, and Hyung was the only one who could touch it.

When Hyung first called me over to show me the house and introduce me to my new role, I met Rick face to face. I could tell instantly that he recognized me, and his next words confirmed it.

Rick had just stepped out onto the front lawn, shirtless, wearing comfy pants. He stopped abruptly when he saw me, pointing a finger in my direction.

"I've seen you before" he said, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"You have?" Hyung asked, raising an eyebrow. "Did you visit Japan?" he added quickly, trying to cover for me.

"Japan?" Rick asked, looking confused.

"Yeah, I just flew him in from there" Hyung lied smoothly, while I kept my eyes on the place, pretending to admire the surroundings. It was a beautiful home, after all.

More than a year has passed since I started living in their home, and I've grown to love it here. It's not just the beauty of the place, though that helps. Hyung has a way of making you feel like you belong. Even though I'm not part of their family, I've always felt a sense of warmth, as if I'm still part of something. Hyung is just that kind of person.

Whenever we'd go out for shopping, Hyung always kept me by his side. He'd ask for my opinion on things, like what groceries to get or whether a piece of furniture looked good. And whenever they invited guests over, he always checked with me first—asking if I was comfortable working for extra people. It was those small gestures that made me feel like I was part of their lives, part of their world. My opinion mattered to them. And when I say them , I don't just mean Hyung. Rick had started following in Hyung's footsteps too, mirroring the same kindness, though he was less vocal about it.

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