Yes, It’s Me. The Obsessive Side Top

#027

One of the members of the gathering was shooting. He shouldered the long shotgun and stylishly hit the clay pigeon flying up.

The clay pigeons flew up from the left and right, shattering to pieces and falling to the ground with banging sounds. 

‘Oh, this looks fun.’

I got up from my seat and walked towards the bulletproof glass. I picked up any one of the shotguns lined up there. There were name tags, but who cares. If the owner stops me, I can just pick up another gun.

Either everyone was too distracted drinking alcohol, or they couldn’t tell me it was their gun, because no one stopped me. Opening the door that separated the indoors and outdoors, there were circular shooting positions marked on the green lawn.  

“Please come this way.”

A person who seemed to be an instructor wearing a bulletproof vest guided me to the center.

“We have prepared skeet shooting for today.”

Having just seen someone else shooting, I knew it was a style of shooting where clay pigeons are launched alternately from the left and right. The instructor handed me earmuffs and bullets. Thanks to my military experience and observing the person who shot before me, I put on the earmuffs and loaded the gun using my judgment.

I shouldered the heavier-than-expected shotgun and took my stance. I’ll hit it well, right? Since it’s not a single shot but a gun that scatters pellets, it seemed like it would be okay. Still, as a military veteran, I took a quite cool stance. I thought my pose looked pretty awesome and signaled to launch the clay pigeons.

“Go.”

At my shout, the left and right clay pigeons were launched into the air with a slight gap. I quickly followed the clay pigeons and pulled the trigger. My shoulder reflexively shook from the recoil of the bullets being fired.

With banging sounds ringing in my ears, the fired bullets hit the clay pigeons and shattered them to pieces. It went very smoothly for the first shot. As expected of a sharpshooter. 

‘This is fun.’

The instructor gave me a thumbs up and passed me more bullets. I reloaded and took my stance again.

“Go.”

The clay pigeons flew up from both sides again and I hit them accurately. The sight of the clay pigeons shattering in a cloud of smoke was excellent for relieving stress.

Ha, it feels like I can breathe a little easier. Is this why Ha Jin liked shooting too?  

I fired a few more shots like that. Everyone just watched me shoot and no one came to join me. Occasionally, when I looked back, I could see people sticking to the bulletproof glass giving me thumbs up or waving. Ha Jin is a total celebrity.

In the midst of feeling proud of my unforgotten shooting skills, I noticed someone entering from the corner of my eye. He was tall with a sturdy build, and seemed to be one of the gathering members as he was walking towards me with a grin.

He wasn’t holding a gun and stopped walking next to me. Even though he had a smiling face, his slightly damp-looking gaze sent shivers down my spine.

“Ha Jin, long time no see.”

“Yeah.”

His gaze felt like it was licking me all over, and with an unpleasant feeling, I thought ‘Should I leave?’ But he reached out his hand towards the gun I was holding.

‘Ah, is it that guy’s?’

I handed it over to him without any regret and gave the earmuffs to the instructor.

I just wanted to get away from that guy’s gaze first. But the moment I tried to take a step, he blocked me.

-Click

He took the gun from me, shouldered it, and aimed it at me.

‘Did this bastard not go to the military? He doesn’t even know you should never point a gun at a person?’

Just as I was thinking they were really out of their minds, I saw people beyond the bulletproof glass panicking. Only then did I feel something was seriously wrong.

“Hey! Jung Woo!”

Kim Shin shouted his name and ran over in a hurry.

“Fuck. Stop it. Kim Shin. If you don’t want to see Ha Jin’s head blown off.”

Jung Woo?

Racking my brain at the familiar name, I remembered it was the name of the bastard who was passed out on the table when I first possessed this body. I remembered his bloody appearance. Why did I have to pick this guy’s gun of all things?

“Are you all healed?”

At my nonchalant question, the boy snorted as if dumbfounded.

“Can’t you see? I’m all healed and even aiming a gun at you.” 

“Put it down.”

When I reached out to lower the muzzle, he avoided it and aimed at me again.

“Fuck, you have some guts. That’s why you acted so brazen even after beating someone up. Right?”  

“Didn’t you learn during safety training not to point it at people?”

“Oh. A spoiled rich kid doesn’t know that. Only people like you follow that.”

As Kim Shin tried to move his feet while gauging the situation, Jung Woo put his finger on the trigger.

“Everyone get out except Ha Jin. If not, I’ll really shoot.”

Kim Shin faltered at Jung Woo’s words. The instructor seemed to have noticed something and didn’t move hastily, just carefully observed how I would react. At his attitude, I gave him a reassuring smile and nodded as if to say it’s okay.

“Everyone please leave. It seems Jung Woo has something to say to me.”

“Ha Jin!”

“It’s fine, so please close the door and leave.”

Kim Shin looked at Jung Woo pointing the gun at me and left following the instructor as if he had no choice, closing the door. Now only Jung Woo and I remained at the shooting range. Through the bulletproof glass, everyone was looking with shocked expressions, making me feel like I was trapped in a zoo. 

Sigh… Ha Jin, what kind of shit is it this time? How do I clean this up?

“Wow, Ha Jin is so freaking cool. I’m falling for you. Huh?”

“Falling for me over something like this.”

“Fuck, seriously… Shouldn’t you be a little scared? It’s embarrassing for me.”

Jung Woo laughed but was dumbfounded by my calm appearance.

“Fuck, even this is so Ha Jin-like that it’s annoying. Seeing you live well after half-killing someone pisses me off.”

I looked him straight in the eye and calmly spoke to him.

“Were you hurt a lot?”

“I was hurt enough for my head to spin. There’s no place that didn’t get stitched up. I thought I became a rag doll or something. Eunha Group must be amazing. Renowned doctors came and treated me. I even stayed in the VIP ward. Isn’t it ironic that I got to enjoy such luxury because you beat me up?”  

“I didn’t know you were hurt that badly.”

“When did you ever care about me? You only saw me as someone who lowered the class of your gatherings.”

Ah, Ha Jin…

Jung Woo seemed to have a lot of pent up feelings towards Ha Jin. Filled with hatred, he spat out each sharp word directed at me, making it hard to listen.

“If I apologize…”

“What? Apologize?”

Jung Woo cut off my words and laughed loudly. The shotgun shouldered on him shook up and down greatly with his laughter. The muzzle was still pointed at me. And his finger was gripping the trigger.

“Want to try it? Apologizing? Ha Jin is apologizing? That’s fucking amazing. Go ahead. Apologize.”

Before I could say anything, Jung Woo continued.

“But don’t just apologize, try kneeling down. And lie face down on the ground and apologize.”

No, I don’t even want to apologize for Ha Jin’s wrongdoing, and now he’s telling me to kneel? To a guy threatening me with a gun at that?

“If I apologize like that, will it make you feel better?”

When I spoke with one corner of my mouth twitching, not wanting to do it, Jung Woo’s expression flickered with madness.

“Fuck, it’s so tempting. You bastard. Do you really not want to do it with me once?”

What?

As I stayed still, Jung Woo stuck out his tongue and licked his lips. No wonder I got chills from the first time I saw him.

“You said you were interested in men, didn’t you?”

“Do I look interested?”

“You said it yourself. How does a man taste? That you’re curious. Fuck, even if I say I’ll let you know, you totally reject me. I’m good with Ha Jin either way, front or back.”

Crazy. Ha Jin’s life is really spectacular. Birds of a feather flock together, but how does he have someone like this around him? As I looked dumbfounded, Jung Woo waved the gun muzzle.

“Ha Jin, don’t you see the gun in front of you?”

“I see it.”

“You seem to firmly believe I won’t shoot. What will you do, I really want to shoot you dead right now.”  

“Then shoot.”

“What?”

Jung Woo hardened his expression and asked while looking at me with force in his hand.

“Shoot. If you want to shoot, you should shoot. If that will make you feel better, do it.”

Jung Woo’s breath momentarily stopped. He twisted his lips and sneered.

“Crazy bastard.”

“Jung Woo, no matter what, it’s a bit much for you to call me crazy while pointing a gun at me.”

“Bullshit…”

Jung Woo stared at me as if he would chew me up and swallow me at any moment. Then he laughed like a madman and soon his eyes, red with burst capillaries from using too much force, appeared. He slowly parted his lips.

“It would be a waste to kill you. If you’re going to die anyway, you should have done it with me just once.”

“I feel like I’ve become Chunhyang*. Byun Jung Woo.”

“Fuck, what a shitty feeling! Was me asking to do it once something to beat me half to death over?”  

Ah, only now do I realize what happened the moment I first possessed this body.

So Jung Woo asked Ha Jin to do it once and got beaten half to death.

That crazy Ha Jin, even if he went overboard, how could he beat the kid to the point of dying? 

Jung Woo was trembling as he barely aimed the gun at me, resting it on his hand. If it’s a shotgun at this distance, even if I survive, my face and body will all be torn apart.

‘Should I just get shot and die? Die.’

I smiled at Jung Woo, raising the corners of my mouth as if to say go ahead and try it. Very benevolently.

As if he hated my smile, Jung Woo bit his lower lip hard with his teeth. His pale lips trembled slightly. The hand holding the gun slowly moved. His eyes momentarily became hazy as if thinking about something, and he opened his mouth weakly.

“Goodbye. Ha Jin.”

He bids farewell in an extremely dry voice. His voice felt painfully constricting on my skin. The sound of Jung Woo’s clothes brushing against my ear was clearly audible.

With those words, his right index finger pulled the trigger. His movements seemed to be in slow motion and my eyes closed.

*Translator’s note: Chunhyang is the female protagonist of a famous Korean folktale known for her chastity and loyalty. The male lead threatens her to sleep with him.