/
I stood up while holding that hand, but I couldn’t respond to Koo Hui-seo. It wasn’t because I found it hard to believe his words–that he wouldn’t live long–but because the hand I just grabbed was so cold that I couldn’t believe it belonged to a living person.
“
Is the request Koo Hui-seo-ssi wants to make
 Don’t tell me–you want me to make you into a servant?” I asked, adopting a deliberate cold look.
Then, Koo Hui-seo tilted his head, “Is that not an option?”
“No–that’s not the problem. Is there really no other way for you to recover?”
“Mm
 I don’t know?”
My heart ached as I looked at his vacant expression.
Perhaps he didn’t even think about finding another way to live. This man had been waiting for death his entire life–the doctor’s conclusion may have been the happiest thing he had ever heard in his life. He couldn’t erase the anticipation and excitement on his face.
That face was just so unbearably pitiful. I knew he had a terrible childhood and had been shunned by all those who were supposed to love him. Furthermore, I was also one of the people that Koo Hui-seo wanted–craved attention from–but couldn’t have.
However

“Were you really
 going to ask me to turn you into a servant when you died?” I asked, clenching my teeth.
Koo Hui-seo must have read something in my expression, but he failed to properly grasp my inner emotions. He merely rolled his big eyes around and continued to say, “Yes
 But, come to think of it
”
“Yes?”
“Lee-kyung-ssi doesn’t like me very much. I suppose he might dislike that idea.”
“

”
“But still, can’t it be done
? In return, when I die, I’ll leave all my inheritance to you. You’ll be able to live without having to work for the rest of your life
”
“

” After hearing such a stupid statement–was that all his brain could manifest?–my forehead wrinkled.
Koo Hui-seo kept an eye on my changing expressions as he offered unsolicited information on his properties. “Well, I
 I have 200 billion in assets that don’t need to be taxed. If you want, I can set up a corporation or trust, and
”
“Shut up. Please.”
“Ye~es
”
I rubbed my brows as I looked at Koo Hui-seo’s guileless expression–it seemed he had no idea that this would anger me.
This man is a fool. A three-year-old child could probably debate better than him. Therefore, I shouldn’t get angry
 he wouldn’t understand anyway. He’ll probably just wail, ‘I’m sorry
 Should I kill myself now?’
So

“Koo Hui-seo-ssi, if you die within three years, I definitely won’t sign a contract with you.”
""
“What?”
I grit my teeth and decided to speak at his eye level. Adopting a deliberately mocking tone, I said, “It’s the truth. Why should I sign a contract with a dreary person like you? I’ll forget about Koo Hui-seo-ssi as soon as he dies.”
“S-So mean
”
“Koo Hui-seo-ssi, you’ve never been abroad, have you? After demolishing that bastard Bae Jaemin, I’m going to travel the world with Dawon-ie. Jealous?”
“

”
“Without you, I think I won’t have any concerns about being with Dawon-ie. Lighthearted and free. It’ll be a relief, really.”
“That’s really, really too much
” Face flushed and tears streaming down his cheeks, Koo Hui-seo protested with a cracked voice. The more I spoke, the more upset he became; he wiped his tears with his drooping sleeves, like a child. “Lee-kyung-ssi is truly cruel
 This must be Seo Dawon’s influence
”
“

”
“I wasn’t even going to ask you to summon me
 I just didn’t want to
 be apart from Lee-kyung-ssi
”
It took great effort to stop myself from shedding tears at Koo Hui-seo’s pitiful pleas. It seemed that he hadn’t noticed my reddened eyes–his vision was impaired from his own tears.
So, hiding my emotions, I said, “
But, if Koo Hui-seo-ssi can live for 30 more years, I’ll sign a contract with you.”
“What?”
“I keep on saying this, stop hurting yourself. We can search for different doctors and also ask for second opinions from Priests as well. They say that ‘healing’ can’t cure diseases, but if what’s wrong with you is caused by a curse, we might be able to cure you with skills or items.”
“

” However, Ko Hui-seo looked even more depressed than before. He seemed like he wanted to protest–his cheeks trembling slightly–but eventually, only tears streamed down his cheeks. My encouragement to live on seemed to hurt him more than anything else.
“Besides, you
your child will be born soon, right?”
“Yes
”
“That child
 Excuse me, but it’s going to be a human child, right?”
“
Something similar to that, I suppose?”
I sighed briefly, but, since I needed to persuade him in any way possible, I continued to speak quite seriously, “Koo Hui-seo-ssi needs to take good care of that child. Koo Kyungman
 is going to die, right? If you die as well, that child will become an orphan.”
“

”
“Do you not want Koo Kyungman to die? No way–do you perhaps want to die with him?”
“No
” Koo Hui-seo shook his head, and his fingers twitched in my grip. I knew his mind could easily drift elsewhere, but at least the tears had stopped. So, I let him be.
Koo Hui-seo touched my hand several times; his ears flushed red. He hesitated like that a few times, then, in a nearly pleading voice, he asked, “
Lee-kyung-ssi. You don’t want me to die?”
“Yes.”
“Th
  Then
 Do you like me?”
“Yes.”
Koo Hui-seo’s eyes doubled in size. “Truly?!” He shouted in a loud, almost screaming voice.
I didn’t think he’d understand, but I sighed and looked at him head on. “I like you enough to not want you to die.”
He turned rigid momentarily. I placed my palm on his chest as I worried that his breathing might have stopped completely.
Then, as soon as I placed my hand on his chest, Koo Hui-seo tightly gripped my hand with tremendous force. The excitement and passion reflected on his face
 it was, as I predicted, overwhelming. I took a couple of steps back and unsuccessfully tried to rip my hand away from his grasp. I shook my hand, “Let go of me.”
“Just once
 Can you tell me that one more time?”
“No–I won’t tell you again.”
“Ahhh
 You’re too much! I
 I was going to give up! Why does Lee-kyung-ssi continue to
”
Of course, I had no intention of observing Koo Hui-seo’s abnormal excitement. So, I aimed a kick at his legs straight away.
However, Koo Hui-seo tried to dodge, and my kick landed between his legs. While the man stood perfectly fine, I

“Are you insane?”
""
“
*Whine*
”
The hardness between his legs made me feel filthy. Damn it
 I thought he was acting a bit unusual ever since his ears turned red

“Haah
 Let go of my hand now. If you don’t let go, I’ll actually hit you.”
“

” Koo Hui-seo made a face that stated he might want to get hit, but, when I shot a scornful glare at him, he reluctantly let go of my hand. I looked at him irritably, but when I noticed sweat trickling down his temple, I closed my mouth.
Koo Hui-seo licked his dripping sweat and smacked his purple lips, “I can’t help it
 Since Lee-kyung-ssi keeps on coaxing me to live
”
“Your complexion doesn’t look well. Sit here for now.”
“Will you really make me a servant in thirty years?”
“Yes. I understand, so
 Rest for now.” When I calmly cut off his words and commanded him to rest, Koo Hui-seo quickly flopped down on the sofa. Then, he began breathing heavily, face flushed.
Even so, his gaze was constantly on me. After his ‘excitement’ had calmed down, I asked him what had happened during the months I was absent. “What happened while I was gone? Koo Hui-seo-ssi, I heard you were hospitalized.”
At that, Koo Hui-seo seemed to shrink in on himself a little. He answered slowly, “I
 Moon Issak brought a search warrant
”
“What?”
“Fortunately, he wasn’t able to find any substantial evidence
 Anyway
 At first I thought Lee-kyung-ssi told Moon Issak everything. He seemed to know far too much during the investigation
”
I grit my teeth as I listened to Koo Hui-seo. It was astonishing to think that, within just a month, he managed to gather so much information from me and used it for various purposes.
At the same time, I became concerned that Koo Hui-seo might have fallen victim to Moon Issak’s “hypnosis.” If he went so far as to obtain a search warrant and interrogated him, Moon Issak might have manipulated Koo Hui-seo as well.
“Did Moon Issak do anything weird to you by any chance?”
“Ah
 Mmm. Well, that was all taken care of by the ‘other Koo Hui-seo’
.”
However, my worries vanished with Koo Hui-seo’s subsequent words. As I looked at his bright and innocent expression, I thought, ‘Even a crazy guy like him has his uses
’. I shook my head–it wasn’t good to harbor such disrespectful thoughts.