Snake Venom Ch 91

Chapter 91

 

It had been a full twenty minutes since they vanished from sight. The surroundings were unnaturally silent. They were the ones who had gone inside, yet Lee Yeonwoo felt as though he himself were the one imprisoned. Perhaps it was the reality that had finally reared its head above the surface, insistent and unyielding. Because of it, even knowing it was improper, he strained his ears toward the room, but only an indistinct murmur of voices echoed faintly, incomprehensible. Suppressing the urge to press his ear against the door, Lee Yeonwoo fidgeted idly with an innocent teacup.

 

Triggered by the faintest scent, Cheon Wooshin had transformed in an instant, yet he reverted to his original self without the slightest warning. It was fortunate that the side effect of going utterly mad manifested merely as a shift in personality, mild by comparison. But the erasure of boundaries between selves meant that even the methods they had managed to cope with—and moreover, the very reason for Lee Yeonwoo to remain by Cheon Wooshin’s side—were vanishing.

 

As anxiety surpassed all bounds, memories kept resurfacing unbidden. His fingertips had stiffened, as if his heart itself had frozen solid. Recalling the look in Cheon Wooshin’s eyes the moment consciousness returned sent a chill spreading around his chest, like frost descending.

 

Last night, after a long silence, the first thing Cheon Wooshin did was remove his jacket to cover Lee Yeonwoo’s body. The realization that this was the entirety of what he could do plunged Cheon Wooshin into yet another shock. The image flashed before him: Cheon Wooshin awkwardly reaching out, then withdrawing his hand from Lee Yeonwoo as he haltingly raised his upper body. A face crumpled by whirlwind confusion, an expression that seemed impervious to any comfort or excuse—envisioning it, Lee Yeonwoo bit his lip until it ached.

 

For a time, Cheon Wooshin could not continue speaking or acting at all. He stood frozen in coagulated silence, as if utterly at a loss for what words or deeds could resolve the situation.

 

Finally, what Cheon Wooshin chose was to turn his head away, as though unable to bear keeping Lee Yeonwoo—or the entire scene—in his sight any longer. The words that barely escaped came out haltingly.

 

“For now… sleep, and we’ll talk tomorrow. I’ll contact you.”

 

Merely imagining how he must have appeared to Cheon Wooshin made Lee Yeonwoo’s heart throb with pain. How startled he must have been. Facts utterly unacceptable must have assaulted his entire being like a violent battering.

 

Lee Yeonwoo spent the night wide-eyed, worried and concerned for that Cheon Wooshin.

 

Dawn broke outside the window. It was woefully insufficient for dissecting a past cruelly preserved in amber, yet morning had arrived nonetheless. Upon receiving Cheon Wooshin’s message, Lee Yeonwoo shamelessly harbored hope. If they could face each other and talk again, perhaps it would resolve more easily than expected.

 

But that was merely Lee Yeonwoo’s own hubris. Cheon Wooshin did not even greet him with a morning salutation, let alone meet his eyes once. Treating Lee Yeonwoo as if he were air left Cheon Wooshin at a loss, but Lee Yeonwoo, unable to fully look at him, felt equally stifled. He feared seeing those eyes crumble again as they had yesterday. Lee Yeonwoo was equally unprepared for conversation.

 

Yet he could not simply let time pass in such helplessness. During the car ride, Lee Yeonwoo pondered feverishly, his mind burning. How to broach the subject. What words could defend his actions. But each time, he clamped his mouth shut. Crushed by the silence he and Cheon Wooshin had created together, even twitching a finger felt impossible.

 

What would happen from now on. More pressing than that: how to conclude the vivid cross-section of the past with Cheon Wooshin in a way that would dispel this discomfort. To do so required facing him, yet that was the greatest obstacle at present.

 

If he had known it was such a grave mistake…

 

Lee Yeonwoo clutched his head with both hands, tearing at his hair to halt the spiraling thoughts. It was laughable. Claiming he hadn’t known this would happen? He loathed himself for regretting after being so confident.

 

“Haa…”

 

As he exhaled a sigh that seemed to sink the earth itself, the door burst open with a bang. Lee Yeonwoo reflexively looked up. Cheon Wooshin was emerging, pushing the doorknob. His sleek, tall frame clad in a coat of near-black hue felt like a towering wall.

 

The imposing presence, which had not seemed so overwhelming in Cheon Wooshin’s vast and lofty space, struck anew. Lee Yeonwoo forced a composed gaze. As expected, it missed its mark.

 

“Wooshin-ah.”

 

Seolkyung followed urgently, calling him. Cheon Wooshin’s steps were merciless and unrelenting, as if her call fell on deaf ears. His icy momentum suggested he might easily ignore even her as he prepared to open the door and leave, but Lee Yeonwoo rose awkwardly. It could not end like this. Sensing the movement, Cheon Wooshin’s eyes met his.

 

“……”

 

“……”

 

In that brief moment of eye contact, Lee Yeonwoo thought of a withered, desiccated leaf. Even those parched eyes fell away without mercy, and his body, which had been moving awkwardly, stiffened.

 

“Wooshin-ah.”

 

Seolkyung called him again. Cheon Wooshin, pausing at the threshold, turned his body, his thoughts inscrutable. His expressionless gaze fixed directly on Seolkyung.

 

“I understood perfectly.”

 

A glimmer of expectation lit Seolkyung’s face. She thought the explanation of Lee Yeonwoo’s nature and influence was finally bearing fruit. A faint smile touched her lips in that instant.

 

“But Seolkyung, do you know this?”

 

Pausing to catch his breath while staring at the floor, Cheon Wooshin lifted his eyes slightly. Then, fully turning, the corner of his mouth curled sardonically.

 

“No matter what you do, Cheon Sejun won’t come back to life.”

 

One need not pull a trigger to pierce a heart. At Cheon Wooshin’s cutting remark, Seolkyung froze her breath as if slapped with icy water. Cheon Wooshin enunciated each word slowly, chewing them deliberately.

 

“Do not dismiss my utmost efforts for the sake of your revenge.”

 

The venomous words, edged like blades, were the price for disregarding Cheon Wooshin’s self and convictions.

 

“Cease Lee Yeonwoo-ssi’s research immediately. I’ll contact you.”

 

With that rigid command, as Cheon Wooshin brushed past Lee Yeonwoo, his scent assaulted Lee Yeonwoo’s senses. It was intensely unavoidable. It hadn’t been this strong before entering the room, yet the erratic surge of the fragrance bred unease. Should he mention it or not—Lee Yeonwoo’s internal fretting was brief. It was his duty, after all.

 

“Team Leader, the scent…”

 

At those words, Cheon Wooshin, grasping the doorknob, faltered. Glaring briefly into empty space, he twisted his gaze to look down at Lee Yeonwoo obliquely.

 

“It’s hard to comprehend.”

 

Inhaling shallowly, his nose wrinkled.

 

“How could you go that far…”

 

Trailing off, Cheon Wooshin rummaged in his pocket. What emerged was the suppressant. With familiar motions, he uncapped the syringe and extended it to Lee Yeonwoo.

 

“Would you mind jabbing this in here?”

 

“……”

 

Slowly tilting his head, the sturdy shirt collar revealed a prominent, thick neckline. The sharp needle pointed toward Lee Yeonwoo.

 

Unable to react promptly, Lee Yeonwoo merely blinked. The gaze flying at him was excessively domineering. Wasn’t such a look something seen only in the altered Cheon Wooshin? Startled by the similar afterimage, his thoughts halted. As Lee Yeonwoo hesitated, Cheon Wooshin made a puzzled face.

 

“Why is it different from our agreement?”

 

Raising the end of his sentence, Cheon Wooshin arched one eyebrow sharply. Then, averting his gaze with a tsk of his tongue, he seemed displeased at having revealed emotion even momentarily.

 

“Wasn’t this Lee Yeonwoo-ssi’s role?”

 

It had been, at first. He had thought he could do it anytime if he resolved to. But the suppressants and sedatives Lee Yeonwoo received had never pierced Cheon Wooshin’s skin. It was because he was incompetent and lacked the ruthlessness. Donning the irrefutable reproach, Lee Yeonwoo cast his eyes downward as if fleeing. Even if it was the safest method, the fact that he had controlled him in a way Cheon Wooshin did not want remained unchanged. Cheon Wooshin continued.

 

“I told you to become my dog—who told you to sell yourself like that?”

 

His low, clear voice carried barely restrained anger.

 

“Doing something no one even ordered—”

 

Swallowing his words, he twisted his lips. Fangs peeked briefly, exuding a violent aura, but it was fleeting. With a single exhale, Cheon Wooshin calmed the surging emotions and turned the doorknob.

 

“I suppose I was the only one fighting the team battle.”

 

The murmur, like a soliloquy, scraped deeply somewhere in his heart. A brief tinnitus rang in Lee Yeonwoo’s ears.

 

“……”

 

As the door opened and Cheon Wooshin stepped out, Lee Yeonwoo’s gaze remained fixed on the floor. The betrayal Cheon Wooshin had revealed struck his chest fiercely. Unprecedented nausea made the ground spin. A chill enveloped his body like a midwinter downpour. Lee Yeonwoo could not approach the Cheon Wooshin who had left him to fight a solitary team battle.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

Then, a frigid voice burrowed into his ear. Lee Yeonwoo lifted his eyes. It took several seconds for his shrunken body and mind to realize that the words hurled at him meant “follow.”

 

Was it not the end yet? If so, anything was fine. Even if it meant only bowing his head in his presence continually, as long as it was by his side.

 

Lee Yeonwoo hurriedly chased after Cheon Wooshin, who was already far ahead. It was a desperate, clumsy pursuit, like a young pup knowing only its master.

 

**Characters appearing in this chapter:**

– Lee Yeonwoo (이연우): The protagonist, plagued by guilt, anxiety, and devotion; serves as Cheon Wooshin’s caretaker regarding his condition.

– Cheon Wooshin (천우신): The central figure with a dual personality triggered by scents; displays cold anger, betrayal, and internal conflict.

– Seolkyung (설경): Antagonistic figure attempting manipulation through research revelations; receives a harsh rebuke.

– Cheon Sejun (천세준): Mentioned in passing as deceased; motive for Seolkyung’s revenge (not physically appearing).