203 The Reliable Friend Tattles (2/2)

”Whatever,” Hyuk sullenly replied. ”So? What do you want?”

”This better be important; you just wasted my visitation quota for this month,” he added, making an annoyed face. He was only allowed two visits every month—biweekly—and Yeo Ri had used the first one, while Jin Goo had stolen this one from her. All his efforts in trying to look presentable earlier had been wasted. If he knew it was Jin Goo who was coming, he wouldn't have spent so much time trying to fix the wrinkles on his drabby prison clothes.

”It's about Yeo Ri,” Jin Goo simply stated. He made a face as if he was saying, 'Yes, you idiot, this is important.'

Hearing his beloved's name being brought up, Hyuk straightened his spine. ”What? Did something happen? Is she okay?” Countless worst-case-scenarios flashed in his mind.

”She's fine.”

”Then? What's wrong?” He glared at his friend restlessly, prompting him to hurry up and explain his words.

”It's just... the other day, somebody contacted Yeo Ri saying that they're her grandparents. Today, she asked me to drive her to their house. When she came back from the meeting, she looked angry. I don't know what happened, but I feel like you should know about this. She told me to keep it a secret, so don't go around interrogating her later. She'll hate me if she finds out that I told you.” Jin Goo quickly summarised the recent happenings to his friend.

”What?!” Hearing Jin Goo's words, Hyuk's heart skipped a beat. He felt a mix of feelings rising inside him; fear, anger, anxiousness, worry, and insecurity brewed inside his heart, sending his mind into a tangled mess.

”Did she tell you what happened? Did you ask her?” Hyuk pressed, despite Jin Goo having already stated earlier that he hadn't a clue of what had transpired between Yeo Ri and the suspicious strangers. ”Why did nobody stop her? What if they were bad people?!” He burst out. ”What was that sh*tty idiot, Gun, doing, letting her go and meet strangers so easily like that!”

Jin Goo shot him an annoyed glare. ”She didn't look like she wanted to talk about it, so I didn't ask. Also, didn't I tell you that she told me to keep it a secret? Naturally, Gun doesn't know.”

”F*ck!” Hyuk slammed the counter in front of him. He breathed heavily as he tried to restrain the fire burning inside him.

Hyuk was afraid. Her safety was one thing, but if what Jin Goo said was true—that those strangers were really her real grandparents—then, what would happen? Wouldn't they get separated?

He knew that their paternal grandparents were dead, and that his stepmother had come from an affluent family. She used to tell him, on those days when the old b*stard wasn't home, about her childhood and about her strict but loving parents. Although the details were lost in his sea of memories, he could still recall the fondness that coloured her face as she talked about her family. Though, he had probably blocked the memory of those stories because he did not want to plant false hope—hope that he could have a normal, happy family—in himself.

Thinking about Han Yeoreum and those people, Hyuk felt as if he had tripped into a blackhole of misery. Negative thoughts began to cloud his mind. What if Yeo Ri decided to go to them, and once she found out that life was better with them, she'd ditch him?

It was not that he did not trust the girl, but it was because of his insecurity. He could not help but think that since her grandparents were obviously a better choice than a man who was stuck in prison for god-knows-how-many-more years, she would most probably choose to go to them. Perhaps, they were Yeo Ri's only chance of having a normal life.

Hyuk clenched his fist tightly at the depressing thoughts.

”Hey, snap out of it!” Jin Goo exasperatedly sighed. He knew immediately that his friend was beating himself up over some stupid reason or another.

”I don't have time to look at your pity party,” Jin Goo narrowed his eyes at Hyuk. ”You think Yeo Ri is going to leave you or something?” He asked, accurately reading his best friend's biggest worry.

”...” Hyuk flinched at Jin Goo's question. He looked away, frowning.

”Oi, are you stupid?” Jin Goo heartlessly dissed his friend. ”If Yeo Ri wanted to leave you, she wouldn't have looked so angry when she left earlier. Her 'grandparents' must've said something that she didn't like. You know how Yeo Ri is—the only time she gets defensive is when someone mentions her family—and by family, I mean you, *sshole. As if someone like that would ditch her family for some strangers she barely knows.”

Although Jin Goo's tone was mean, his words meant well. It was clear that he was trying to cheer his friend up.

”...” Hyuk's jaw locked but he loosened his tightened fist. His shoulders sagged as if Jin Goo's words lifted some of his burdens. ”I hope you're right, sh*thead,” he grumbled softly.

”Of course I'm right,” Jin Goo arrogantly raised his chin. ”I'm always right.”

Hyuk's face changed. Just as he was about to retort the smug b*stard's claims, the timer beeped, signifying the end of the visit.

”Ah, sh*t!” He cursed, though the man on the other side could not hear it. The phone line had been blocked the moment the timer made its first beep.

Hyuk angrily slammed the phone back on the receiver before banging on the glass wall to get Jin Goo's attention.

”Take care of her for me,” he mouthed to his friend.

”I will,” Jin Goo responded with a firm nod. He watched his friend get dragged out of the booth by a prison guard. Just before he exited the booth, he turned back for one last time.

The two friends exchanged glances for two seconds, then parted ways.