AGENT 56

“This is Su’s room.”

And as Brian’s story came to an end, the two of them came to a stop in front of a certain room. Passing the main building of the mansion and crossing the backyard, it was the room located at the very end of the annex.

This is… Seo Soo’s room.

Creak— Yongnae grabbed and turned the doorknob, which showed clear traces of use.

The moment the door opened, what welcomed Yongnae was Seo Soo’s scent. Not that specific fragrance of vanilla mixed with apple, but an indescribable smell that was uniquely Seo Soo.

And the interior, which he thought would be decorated in achromatic colors like his indifferent expression, was covered entirely in warm hues. As if he wanted to warm up a cold heart.

“…”

Yongnae stepped carefully into the room. Then he sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the dust floating in the light coming through the window.

A ten-year-old Seo Soo who witnessed his own mother being murdered in this house.

‘After Yiwon took down Chen Shun, they struck Brian, the drug distributor whose faction was the second strongest.’

That curly-haired guy definitely said that. That Yiwon struck Brian. Did Seo Soo join Yiwon for revenge and eliminate Brian with his own hands? And after striking Brian, did he confiscate this mansion where his mother had died?

“Unlike his flashy appearance, Su grew up with this kind of deep darkness in his heart.”

“…”

“Even so, can you love a Su like this?”

Just what kind of agony did he grow up embracing? He couldn’t even dare to fathom the scale of that agony. Unlike his own bustling house, which others said looked a bit happier than an average family, his heart felt heavy as he pictured Seo Soo, who must have grown up lonely and solitary.

“……Yes. Unconditionally.”

On the other hand, he was surprised by his own heart, which felt as though it could embrace even that deep darkness. Surprised that his heart could naturally handle such a heavy story.

“Oh, you’ve fallen much harder than I thought.”

“……Pardon?”

“The story I told you just now is half right and half wrong.”

“……What?”

“Think carefully about what is right and what is wrong. Well, then. Shall we head back to the main building?”

What the, no, shit. What does that even mean? Curses jumped out of Yongnae involuntarily as he looked at Danny with a face that couldn’t be more flabbergasted, but Danny just went on ahead, humming a tune lightheartedly.

No, seriously, what on earth…?

Yongnae returned to the main building with footsteps that even felt flabbergasted. He intended to go straight to the dining hall to find Danny, but Danny had vanished somewhere in the meantime.

In the end, after snooping around here and there, Yongnae gave up on finding Danny and went up to his room.

“Heh……”

Sitting on the bed and thinking about it again, it was truly absurd.

Just what exactly was right and what was wrong? And why on earth did Danny tell him half lies and half truths? What did he want to test?

First of all, the fact that this mansion was the house of Brian, who was one of the triad bosses, seemed to be the truth. Having that much wealth, he would have been able to own a massive and beautiful fortress-like mansion like this.

However, I don’t know if a wife or a son existed for him. Also, whether Seo Soo’s mother came here as a housekeeper.

But it seemed to be the truth that Seo Soo’s mother was a widow. The curly-haired guy said so before. He didn’t know about the father, but the mother was Korean. Also, the possibility seemed high that it was the truth that Brian loved Seo Soo’s mother tremendously and raised Seo Soo, who looked exactly like her, as his own son. Because Seo Soo’s beauty proved it.

However, the family register was not. If Brian had put Seo Soo on his family register, everyone in the triad would have known this fact. The fact that Seo Soo, Yiwon’s right hand, was actually the adopted son of one of the triad bosses. But the curly-haired guy seemed to have no idea about that fact. Since he had said to Seo Soo, ‘When that guy Susu first appeared,’ the curly-haired guy didn’t know of Seo Soo’s existence.

Then, the most important part. Is it truth or a lie that Brian, whose obsession grew worse by the day, killed Seo Soo’s mother? Also, it was impossible to know what was true regarding the young Seo Soo who supposedly witnessed that scene.

However, it seemed to be the truth that Seo Soo’s mother died in this mansion by someone’s hand. Because it seemed they had redone all the wallpaper and floors because Seo Soo’s mother died in that empty room at the left end.

Whatever it was, he could handle everything about Seo Soo. No matter what his circumstances were, no matter how much darkness he possessed. He could pride himself on loving him more than anyone else, enough to handle it all.

So he wanted to know everything. He wanted to know more.

Knock, knock—

Two o’clock in the afternoon. Lee Suji, who came to take over for Weizhen, knocked on the door again. Instead of his usual answer of “Yes—” to come in, Yongnae strode to the door and flung it open.

“Wha-what? Why are you coming out so combatively?”

“Seo Soo, when is he coming?”

“Huh? You don’t know? Probably tomorrow…… Hey! I told you not to call him Seo Soo!”

“Why can’t I call him Seo Soo?”

“Huh? Th-that’s… I can’t tell you that…”

It’s probably connected to the secret of his father, the elder Mr. Seo. Even if he were to be shot dead by Seo Soo for digging into that secret as he pleased, he wanted to know.

“Please tell me. And why all the lights in the house have to be kept on, why he has to sleep in a noisy place. Even why I shouldn’t call him by his name. Tell me everything.”

“……I can tell you about keeping the lights on and having to sleep in a noisy place.”

“What is it.”

“The lights… He said he wants them kept on brightly always so that he can find his way home even from far away.”

It wasn’t because he was afraid of the mansion where his mother died that he kept the lights all on brightly. Seo Soo thought of this place as a home he could return to at any time. This place, the mansion where his mother died.

Why? Could it be that his mother didn’t die here? To say that, the deduction about the room at the left end doesn’t make sense. What on earth is it.

“And about sleeping in a noisy place, Susu has an anxiety disorder.”

“An anxiety disorder?”

“Yeah. It has to be very noisy around him for him to feel relieved and sleep. He says it’s scary if it’s quiet.”

For a moment, he wondered if Seo Soo wanted white noise, but white noise that doesn’t interfere with daily life is completely different from the noise of ‘loudness.’ White noise improves concentration and sleep quality with a constant spectrum, but noise that is just loud around you makes a person’s nerves sensitive and sharp.

But Seo Soo, who finds it scary to be quiet even while enduring that. Just what kind of silence is he afraid of?

“……Understood for now. Then, now tell me about the name as well.”

“No way… I really can’t tell you that. Just ask Seo Soo yourself…”

“You want me to ask him directly?”

“…Yeah. Instead, ask him while truly being prepared to get shot.”

To be this reluctant to speak means it is a secret that others cannot dare to mention.

As if quickly changing the subject, Suji asked if he was going out to Tsim Sha Tsui to shop and if he wanted to go along.

“Yes. Let’s go together.”

“Oh? What a rare positive answer…”

“Before I die, I want to look good at least.”

“Teacher, are you really going to ask?”

“Yes.”

He wondered if Lee Suji would tell him if he nudged him like this, but,

“……Do as you please. But, I definitely warned you.”

It was no use.

Canton Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. This is a famous luxury street representing Hong Kong, where luxury boutiques continue all along the road; it was a street lined with very famous high-priced brands that even Yongnae, who didn’t know much about luxury goods, would recognize.

Yongnae, who was momentarily surprised wondering if they were shopping in a place like this, soon felt a sense of relief as Suji guided him further inside to a center where familiar brands were lined up.

“But, what are you going to buy?”

“Clothes.”

“Clothes? There are plenty of clothes in the closet. Those are really expensive and good items.”

“Exactly. How can I wear clothes like that? It would be a disaster if something got on them.”

No matter how little Yongnae knew about brands or luxury goods, he knew where the brand of the cardigan in the closet was from.

“No, do you really think we’d make you pay us back? Even if you took all of them, Susu wouldn’t even care.”

“Still, I can’t. I think I’ll be so mindful of it that it will limit my activities.”

Whenever he got involved with Seo Soo, incidents kept occurring. Like last time when he left his black jersey behind to let Pilgu and Changsik know, a situation might arise where he doesn’t know what will happen; if he wears such expensive clothes, he won’t be able to take any action.

“Just how much are you planning to fly around…”

As if he couldn’t stop such a Yongnae, Suji shook his head and moved his steps along with him.