SPW 10

“Sarang. Is it perhaps because of Colin that you find it difficult to leave this house?”

It was only for a moment, but Sarang, who had read Florian’s gaze, stared into the deep blue eyes and nodded his head.

“Yes. That’s part of it.”

“This house has been put in your name, Sarang. Which means you can visit whenever you want.”

Florian, who was putting on his muffler and coat, was lost in thought for a moment before looking down at Sarang. Their eye level, which had a difference of a hand’s breadth in the summer, had now closed by about half a hand’s breadth.

“Is there another reason besides Colin, Sarang?”

“…”

It was a face that did not want to speak. However, Florian did not let it slide.

“Sarang.”

Sarang, whose name was called again, nodded his head this time as well. But the answer did not come easily.

Rattle, rattle. The old window shook as if the wind was blowing, and cold air seeped in. It seemed as though the dim light above Sarang’s head, where he stood quietly, was also flickering in the wind. Whirr— The noisily running radiator was not helping to heat the house at all.

“What if one day, Mr. Wellington’s mind suddenly changes?”

Although he was speaking of a hypothetical, no anxiety was visible on Sarang’s youthful face. However, if one looked closely, his pitch-black eyes were trembling faintly.

“What happens to me then?”

“…”

It was a question he was right to have.

But why had he never expected it to come from the mouth of this young alpha?

Florian found the answer to the emerging question on his own.

Because he’s a child. I arbitrarily judged that he would of course be naive.

Well, this kid’s eyes were exceptionally clear.

“I see.”

Florian, who readily affirmed, nodded his head.

“Yes, you could be anxious.”

He then met Sarang’s eyes and smiled.

“Well done, Sarang. A verbal contract has no legal effect.”

Florian finished putting on his coat, fastened the buttons, and completed his preparations to leave.

“I will bring a contract next time.”

Florian looked up at Sarang, who had come out to the doorway to see him off, and gave a nod of farewell.

“Seeing me off this far is enough.”

“Mr. Wellington.”

Florian looked again at Sarang, who seemed to have no intention of changing the way he addressed him, and answered gently.

“Yes, Sarang.”

“It’s dangerous outside.”

Florian, who stared at Sarang intently, smiled.

“I’m sure you’re not telling me not to go home.”

His smiling blue eyes captured Sarang’s young gaze.

“Are you worrying about me right now, Sarang?”

“Yes. I’m worried about you, Mr. Wellington.”

Sarang’s face was quite serious.

“So please don’t come next time either.”

“Hmm… Why does it lead to that conclusion?”

“I’ll go to you.”

“…”

It was an unexpected suggestion.

“If you’ll allow it, of course, Mr. Wellington.”

Sarang, adding this belatedly, rolled his large eyes and studied Florian’s expression.

Does he act like this when he plays soccer too? Or perhaps soccer is not as rough as I thought, enough that someone with such a gentle personality can play it.

Florian, who usually had no interest in soccer, had never even properly watched a World Cup.

“Sarang, of course I’ll allow it. You may come and find me anytime.”

Sarang, who had approached at some point, reached out and grabbed the doorknob. Florian, who watched silently to see what he was doing, couldn’t help but smile to himself. As expected, his actions were cute. Or Colin’s home education was excellent.

“However, you must make an appointment in advance, Sarang.”

Sarang, who stood aside as if scrunching up his growing frame, met his eyes as if nodding and opened the door on behalf of his guest. Florian, who was as accustomed to receiving kindness and consideration as he was to bestowing it, walked out the open door. Seeing him follow silently, it seemed Sarang intended to see him to his car.

“And next time, you will have to give me a positive answer.”

Sarang, who exited the lobby door and followed him to the side of the road, scanned the surroundings before belatedly meeting his eyes. He seemed very worried that Florian had come to this high-crime area alone. The appearance of Florian, who looked like a member of the upper class to anyone with his luxury car and expensive suit, brought a strange tension to the old street. In the eyes of Sarang, who had grown up his whole life in a slum, Florian’s unguarded appearance might have seemed reckless.

Florian, who had easily spotted the group that was once again loitering around before stealthily disappearing, pretended not to notice and offered his farewell.

“I left my direct number in a message.”

“…”

“Are you planning to stand here until my car is out of sight, Sarang?”

Sarang, who seemed to hesitate, nodded his head quite decisively.

“Yes, Mr. Wellington.”

“Hmm. Let’s try to fix the way you address me next time as well.”

Florian, who smiled faintly, willingly accepted Sarang’s kindness as he opened the car door for him once again. Sarang stood there, watching the rear of the sedan as it slowly moved away and then completely disappeared, before turning to his side. Mark had appeared beside him at some point.

“‘The’ famous sugar daddy?”

“Mark.”

“What, man.”

“I’m still a minor.”

“I guess so, unless you secretly went somewhere and got old?”

“Save those kinds of crude jokes for when you’re with your friends.”

“Aren’t you my friend? That hurts.”

“You’re my creditor. What kind of friend scams someone and then meticulously collects 50% interest.”

“Still, if it wasn’t for me back then, Colin would have already been dead. Or your legs would have been smashed.”

“And that person is my guardian.”

Sarang, who paid no heed to Mark’s sarcasm, looked down at Mark, who was much shorter than him, with his ink-black eyes.

Fuck, those eyes again.

Mark, who detested those eyes that made him feel strangely uncomfortable and intimidated whenever he met them, scowled.

“I told you not to glare at me like that.”

“Don’t address him disrespectfully, Mark.”

“Fuck, are you already sucking up because you caught a rich old man? Do you think he’ll even know you’re doing this behind his back?”

Sarang, who was staring at Mark intently, let out a small laugh.

“You really have a foul mouth.”

“This bastard is looking down on me again!”

“If you’re rude one more time, I’m going to tell Shannon.”

Shannon was Mark’s mother and a public school teacher. She, a passionate woman like Sarang, was a lifetime member of Rhinoceros FC and also an ardent Cornu (cornu, horn, a term for Rhinoceros FC fans). She had been particularly kind to Sarang, who was praiseworthy just for joining the youth academy and had shown promise from a young age, and she was as proud as Colin of Sarang for being the first from this godforsaken town to debut in the first team.

“There’s a stadium tour this week, I heard.”

“What? Really?”

“Yeah, come see it with Shannon.”

“Don’t you have any V-Lounge tickets?”

“Is that something you should be saying to me, who hasn’t even shed his youth label?”

“Agh, for fuck’s sake! You made such a big fuss like you’d become a superstar the moment you debuted with the first team, and you can’t even get me one premium seat?”

“Yeah, I’m not at that level. And I’m going to tell Shannon you just cursed.”

“Hey! Kim Sarang! You blockhead! You, you don’t want to get it, it’s not that you can’t, right?”

Sarang went into the apartment, pretending not to hear.

Sarang lifted his throbbing legs from the bathtub, shivered lightly, and put on a thick bathrobe. It was only October, but it was far too cold. It felt even colder because Colin was gone. Sarang, who was naturally sensitive to the cold, shook off the gloomy thoughts and sat on the bed.

‘Do you think Colin had a massage license from the start?’

‘He got it to earn money and help you at the same time. Though it’s a bit much to brush off studying all night until his nose bled as just ‘at the same time’.’

After playing a single match, it felt like not just his legs, but his whole body was running a fever. Soccer was fun, and he grew to like it more as time went on, but it was a physically demanding sport. Although what sport wouldn’t be. Still, for Sarang, the joy he got from playing soccer was greater than such pain. So he sprinted with all his might every day.

Even when Sarang spent a whole week with a soccer ball practically attached to him, or when he groaned and suffered from a full-body fever after a match, Colin never once told him to take it easy. He would just place a wet towel on his forehead, apply an ice pack, stay by his side all night, and study massage to personally rub Sarang’s arms and legs.

The youth system was systematic, but it did not provide everything in abundance. Fortunately, the benefits Sarang became eligible for upon being called up to the A-team’s first squad increased to an unimaginable degree, but that did not fill Colin’s empty space. Because Colin hadn’t simply stayed by his side.

‘Sarang. I have worked hard, and I will continue to do so. But I won’t be able to stay by your side for a long time. So you have to practice living well on your own.’

The cause of the chronic illness that took Colin away was a side effect of suppressants. The disease, which had been plaguing Colin for a long time, had become severe in the last two years. Colin didn’t tell him everything in detail, but Sarang, who was no fool, could guess to some extent. The recent worsening of the illness was because of Sarang. It was because Colin had taken on more work, cutting down on what little rest he had, to obtain the suppressants.

‘I want you to live happily, Sarang, doing what you love.’

Colin probably never imagined that he would leave Sarang’s side so suddenly.

Sarang, who had iced his thighs and sat on the bed, found the bruises and carefully applied ointment. Even after Colin left, Sarang lived his daily life as usual. He ate his meals regularly and followed his daily routine without fail. Of course, this would have been impossible from the start without Florian’s help.