IDMPYU 24

24. If You Want to Keep It by Your Side, You Have to Make Sure It Can’t Fly
“What—what do you mean you want to raise something? Something alive?”

Minwoo, startled, straightened his leaning posture.

“…….”

“Who? You, Shin Seungho?”

He repeated it several times in disbelief, which sharpened the look in Seungho’s eyes. Realizing that look meant “shut up already,” Minwoo clamped his mouth shut, but his face was still full of shock and fear.

As a child, Minwoo had admired Seungho, who exuded a mysterious aura even though they were the same age. He had wanted to become close to him.

Inspired by the fact that Seungho collected butterflies, Minwoo once decided to raise a bird—just because both birds and butterflies had wings.

The first bird he got, after pestering his disapproving parents, was a zebra finch. The small, white bird was clever and extremely cute.

Minwoo put it in a cage and, panting from the effort, brought it to Seungho’s house. He wanted to boast that he had a similar hobby. Maybe his wish was granted—Seungho showed interest in the bird.

Seeing Seungho curiously watching the finch flutter and chirp in its cage, Minwoo’s shoulders naturally puffed up with pride.

“It’s smart enough to recognize its owner. Really smart, right?”

Seungho’s skeptical eyes turned toward him.

“You can even touch it with your hand.”

Encouraged by Seungho’s interest, Minwoo boldly opened the cage door and reached in. But the finch, avoiding his hand, flew out of the cage.

“Oh no…”

Minwoo reached out desperately into the air with a teary expression, but the finch, flapping wildly around Seungho’s room, wasn’t as easy to catch as he had claimed.

After flying around for a while, the bird, seemingly tired, landed on a low bookshelf. Then, without missing a beat, Seungho lunged and snatched it.

Chirp!

The bird let out a painful cry. Minwoo hurriedly opened the cage door, but Seungho just stared at the finch in his hand, not loosening his grip. The terrified bird panted like it might die any moment.

“Seungho, let it go. Please?”

Finally reacting to Minwoo’s teary, frightened voice, Seungho tossed the bird back into the cage. The limp creature fell straight to the bottom.

“You let it fly off because you acted like an idiot.”

His voice, scolding Minwoo, was chillingly flat for a child.

“If you want to keep something alive, you should break its legs. Or at least tear its wings a bit.”

Hic.

Minwoo hiccuped, shocked by the cold, cruel words. In Seungho’s dark eyes, there wasn’t a trace of emotion.

“If you want to keep it by your side, you have to make sure it can never fly.”

Remembering that childhood memory, Minwoo couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.

He wants to raise something? Something alive? Even a stray dog would laugh.

Minwoo glanced over at Seungho, who was turning the case in his hands, inspecting it carefully after apparently finishing some delicate work.

“I offer my condolences in advance.”

“…What?”

“To the living creature you plan to raise from now on…”

Seungho stared silently at Minwoo for a moment, then let out a dry chuckle.

“You lunatic.”

Minwoo’s mouth fell open at the sight of his smile.

It was shocking. He actually laughed. That cold-blooded Shin Seungho… laughed.

What on earth is the pitiful creature that managed to steal that heart of stone?

As Minwoo stood caught between curiosity and pity, the door clicked open and Jihyun walked in, arms full of study materials.

Why is she here?

Minwoo’s expression twisted as he slowly glanced between Jihyun and Seungho.

You crazy bastard!

Minwoo was practically pushed out of the room, leaving behind an eerie silence. Jihyun, who had suddenly ended up studying in Seungho’s room, kept her eyes fixed on her books.

Her position as Seungho’s “study mate” was simple—do whatever errands he asked while he studied. Manager Kim had reminded her over and over: Seungho was still a student preparing to study abroad, so take good care of him.

It was bitter. Jihyun was also preparing for entrance exams.

Thinking of Manager Kim’s distrusting eyes, Jihyun subconsciously gripped her mechanical pencil tighter.

“Do your best for your aunt’s sake. Don’t get any funny ideas.”

Funny ideas? Ridiculous. Jihyun had never once looked directly at Seungho after entering his room.

She’d always sit down immediately and open her books. Avoiding him was the best she could do—to prevent misunderstandings and suspicions.

Thankfully, Seungho no longer teased her or gave her endless tasks like before. He treated her so indifferently it was hard to believe he’d specifically requested her presence.

Thanks to that, it was a perfect study environment. As she diligently wrote down spellings, pressing hard on the paper, her hand paused.

“…Huh?”

Did I hear something just now…?

Jihyun, distracted, lifted her head. Seungho was looking at her. She hadn’t misheard.

“What did you say?”

Her throat dried as she met his eyes, unsure of when he’d started watching her. Seungho seemed to enjoy her tension as he spoke slowly.

“What kind of butterfly do you like?”

Jihyun blinked, dumbfounded.

What kind of question was that? She didn’t like butterflies at all…

“Surely you’re not going to say you don’t like any butterflies, right?”

She opened her mouth to answer honestly but froze when she met Seungho’s sharp gaze—as if he already knew her thoughts. She had forgotten.

Seungho was obsessed with butterflies. One wrong answer and she might be forced to memorize the entire butterfly field guide.

Just name any butterfly.

She racked her brain, but no butterfly names came to mind. She couldn’t say something basic like “swallowtail” or “cabbage white”—those were too simple.

She needed something more impressive.

“…Yellow butterfly.”

Despite her efforts, she blurted out the simplest name possible.

She regretted it immediately. “Yellow butterfly”? Even a kindergartener wouldn’t answer like that.

I should’ve just said “cabbage white”…

Seungho looked at her, slightly surprised.

Jihyun sighed. Any moment now, he’d mock her ignorance and bring out a heavy butterfly encyclopedia.

That’s exactly the kind of guy he was. But then…

“…Yellow butterfly, really…”

Unbelievably, Seungho laughed. Covering his mouth with a long, pale hand, his shoulders shook as he laughed like it was the funniest thing in the world.

Jihyun’s mood turned sour.

It wasn’t that funny of an answer.

After laughing for a while, Seungho swept back his hair and leaned back, his breathing more even, his expression a little more relaxed.

“You really don’t know anything, do you?”

His clear voice carried biting sarcasm.

“Not everyone’s as obsessed with butterflies as you are,” Jihyun snapped, lowering her head and continuing to write spellings. She wanted nothing more than to storm out.

“Hey.”

Seungho called her again, his voice calmer now.

Don’t tell me… he heard me call him a butterfly freak?

Jihyun’s heart skipped a beat. She didn’t dare look up.

“…What?”

Seungho’s furrowed brow was directed at her notebook.

“You spelled this wrong.”

Her face turned bright red.

How embarrassing!

She buried her head in the notebook to correct the mistake, but Seungho swiftly snatched the notebook away.

Scanning the densely written words, he muttered,

“For someone who’s been studying hard, you sure got a lot wrong.”

Jihyun couldn’t take it anymore and buried her face in her hands.

“Stop. Please.”

If humiliation was his torture tactic, then this was a complete victory.

She was at her breaking point. It was absurd. He was the one who asked the weird question—so why was she the one feeling shame?

With a flick, Seungho dropped the notebook back in front of her.

“I’m done looking. But forget the yellow butterfly—do you even know how to spell butterfly?”

To her, he now looked like a demon. Focused on snatching her notebook back with trembling hands, Jihyun, unfortunately, missed the final whisper that escaped the smiling devil’s lips.

“…Seriously, you’re making me want to keep you.”