The Unbelievers

Chapter 17

“Ahjussi, do you know this saying?”

“Yes?”

“Dad once talked about Mom when he was drunk. He said when he first saw Mom, it was a moment when beauty was superior to everything else.”

“Oscar Wilde.”

“What?”

“It’s a quote by Oscar Wilde. ‘Aesthetics is superior to ethics.'”

“Oh, I see. It was someone else’s quote. I thought Dad came up with it himself.”

Yoo Siwoon stared at Eunseong as if to confirm what it meant for aesthetics to be superior to ethics.

“That’s kind of cool. Knowing right away who said it.”

“You’ll learn all that in college.”

“I might not be able to go to college. I’m really not good at studying. I might not even make it into a Seoul university.”

“Hmm…”

Yoo Siwoon fell into deep thought at Eunseong’s boldness in admitting his poor academic performance without hesitation.

“You said I don’t have to be the heir, so I don’t need to go to college, right?”

“Everyone goes. Is there a reason not to?”

“I’m saying I can’t go. It’s not something I can do just because I want to. Can’t you just give me my inheritance early if there is any? I want to open a small cafe and live like that. Maybe raise a big dog too.”

“If studying is difficult, would you like to get tutoring?”

Yoo Siwoon asked, ignoring Eunseong’s wish to receive his inheritance early and open a small cafe.

“Why would you do something even my father wouldn’t do?”

“…Because we’re relatives?”

Seeming to find his own answer inadequate, the man pretended not to notice Eunseong’s persistent stare. His coffee cup was almost empty.

“I should get going now.”

Yoo Siwoon turned around with his empty coffee cup. He put the cup in the sink. As he was about to turn around after picking up his phone from the island table, he froze in his tracks.

Eunseong had somehow approached right behind him, holding his own empty cup. Eunseong looked up at the startled Yoo Siwoon.

“…”

“…”

His chest, which had suddenly swelled as if holding his breath, remained frozen. This seemed like the exact opposite situation of when Choi Jung-eon would try to touch him, play pranks, and make threats. Yoo Siwoon remained rigid, trying not to make any contact with Eunseong.

Eunseong gently placed his empty coffee cup in the sink. His arm brushed against Yoo Siwoon’s jacket sleeve.

“Should I do the dishes?”

“…”

Yoo Siwoon shook his head without answering. His movement was stiff, as if he had seen someone with a contagious disease. Eunseong, who had approached casually, stepped back just as casually. Only when Eunseong moved away to a comfortable distance did Yoo Siwoon finally exhale.

“Am I dirty?”

“…”

“Why are you even holding your breath? Do I smell?”

Eunseong lifted his pajama top abruptly. He sniffed it. His flat white stomach and navel were exposed. Yoo Siwoon turned his gaze away as if he had seen something he shouldn’t have.

“…I have a phobia of contamination, that’s why.”

He muttered in confusion.

“Because of your phobia, you hate it when people touch you, like it’s a bug touching you?”

“To put it harshly, yes. That’s how it feels.”

“It’s not just me, right?”

“It’s not just you…”

“Then it’s fine. I almost felt bad… but if it’s like that. Since you dislike everyone.”

Eunseong really felt unpleasant at first, but his mood improved upon hearing Yoo Siwoon’s explanation that it wasn’t just him, but a phobia that applied equally to everyone. To freeze up like that just because someone came close… It must be a severe phobia.

Yoo Siwoon did seem a bit fussy, judging from how he brewed coffee. Even when he came to Eunseong’s father’s house, he wore shoes as if it was natural. When he brought Eunseong here, he only grabbed his bag abruptly to avoid physical contact. If it was because of his phobia, Eunseong could understand.

“Have a good day at work.”

Eunseong bowed his head to the still rigid Yoo Siwoon and turned away.

∞ ∞ ∞

Eunseong transferred schools. He was in his third year of high school, and it was just before the final exams and summer vacation. The atmosphere wasn’t particularly welcoming to a transfer student at this time. Suspicious glances watched Eunseong, wondering if he had been forced to transfer.

Eunseong didn’t care either way. As long as there was no one like Choi Jung-eon. It seemed there were no crazy kids like Choi Jung-eon in this private high school for wealthy children, but he remained cautious.

His seatmate and the class president, who was assigned to help Eunseong adjust, asked a few formal questions. They relaxed their vigilance after learning that Eunseong’s grades were unremarkable.

“But why did you transfer when the college entrance exam is so close? My mom checked, and it wasn’t a forced transfer or anything.”

“…”

“My mom is the president of the parents’ association. She was the first to tell us someone was transferring.”

The president spoke casually about invading personal privacy.

“We moved from far away.”

“You went to an arts high school, right? Theater and film department? Or modeling?”

“No, I just went to a regular high school.”

Eunseong looked at the president with an expression that said, “What nonsense are you talking about?”

“Oh, I see. I thought people like you went to arts high schools.”

“…People like me?”

“I’ve never seen anyone who suits our school uniform this well. The color is so ugly that it rarely looks good on anyone.”

The student council president, who had taken someone else’s seat, said while resting his chin on Eunseong’s desk. Eunseong recalled what had happened that morning as he took out his books and pencil case from his bag.

He had changed into the clean, ironed school uniform left out for him and left his room. As usual, Yoo Siwoon was brewing coffee in the dining room.

Like performing a ritual, he moistened the coffee grounds with meticulous hands, and when the grounds swelled, he poured water in circular motions with the drip kettle.

As he was pouring water in circles, he noticed Eunseong standing in his uniform and stopped. His gaze, contemplating the moment when aesthetics replaces ethics, stared at Eunseong for a long time until his face turned red.

There were no words like “it suits you well” or “the uniform looks pretty.” He just stared intently, for what seemed like an unconsciously long time.

Eunseong, feeling unnecessarily shy, started rambling about the weather, and the piercing gaze finally withdrew.

The new school uniform, made of high-quality material, felt completely different from the cheap nylon material of his previous uniform. Maybe it felt that way because it was well-ironed. The saying “clothes make the man” seemed true; wearing the new uniform made even his complexion look different.

That morning in front of the mirror, he confirmed that while he might not look related to his father with his alcohol-stained, dark complexion, it wasn’t an implausible claim that he was related to his handsome second cousin once removed. As time passed, Eunseong was increasingly resembling his birth mother rather than his father.

Yoo Siwoon didn’t look at Eunseong anymore and only briefly mentioned that Director Nam would drive him to school. He added that Director Nam would pick him up too, and that for the time being, it was impossible for Eunseong to go out alone without his permission. When Eunseong protested that this sounded more like surveillance than protection and asked for coffee, Yoo Siwoon didn’t give him any. Instead, he poured milk and placed it in the middle of the table, stretching his arm from a distance. Eunseong also said nothing more and awkwardly stretched his arm to bring the milk in front of him.

Whenever Eunseong passed behind him to get an apple from the refrigerator, Yoo Siwoon would step back a few steps to maintain distance. Apple and milk were a good combination. They had their breakfast with coffee and apple.

Yoo Siwoon left for work first. Eunseong got into the car driven by Director Nam and left the residence of the CEO of Seongha Momentum. It took less than fifteen minutes by car to reach the school. Eunseong had expected to make an impression getting out of a luxury car, but similar foreign cars were stopping in front of the school gate, dropping off students. Eunseong was just one of them.

The president exchanged phone numbers with Eunseong, telling him to ask anytime if he had questions. Like others who misunderstood, the president seemed to believe Eunseong was from a wealthy family.

Eunseong’s suddenly changed life was drastically different from when he lived with his father. The biggest change was the absence of his father getting drunk and causing trouble. The unfortunate circumstances that had surrounded Eunseong like dark clouds disappeared in an instant. The house was spacious and pleasant, the bedding was always clean as if new. Meals were prepared as proper dishes considering taste and nutrition.

A luxury car took him to and from school. Unlike other students who went to academies after school, Eunseong had to return to the residence of the CEO of Seongha Momentum. He said he could take the bus alone, but that wasn’t allowed, and he had no free time.

After all, they said the family elders, who greatly valued bloodline, were looking to take Eunseong, the heir. He still didn’t understand what was so special about him that they were obsessed with, but if the succession of the eldest son was important, Eunseong was indeed more suitable as a successor than Yoo Siwoon. Eunseong’s grandfather was the eldest, while Yoo Siwoon’s father was the youngest of five brothers.

The eldest son born to the eldest son, and the eldest son born to that eldest son.

That was Eunseong’s identity, not as a Seo, but as a Yoo.