Snake Venom Ch 69

Chapter 69

“Well… that depends entirely on how determined you are.”

If one hardened their heart and worked their body or whatever else was required, they could make quite a bit of money. The values sacrificed along the way would be their own burden to bear. A life stubbornly clinging to pride would only invite loss—cry under the blanket for a few days, and the pain would fade eventually.

He was only still here because of his sick family, but he knew more than ten people who had already taken the money and run. Of course, more than half of those had returned after failing to give up the taste of money. He, however, would never be like them. He had no intention of ever setting foot in this life again—not even to take a piss at the door.

“Don’t worry. I’ll help you.”

Sio placed a hand on Lee Yeonwoo’s shoulder. The slight flinch at the sudden touch, paired with the lack of resistance, exposed the timid psyche of someone with nothing. A frailty unique to those who possessed little. Or perhaps Yeonwoo was simply gentle by nature. Either way, sinking into his guard would not be difficult. Sio spoke brightly.

“Let’s go have a beer. Actually—vodka sounds better.”

As long as one didn’t become addicted, wiping away a day with strong liquor now and then wasn’t a bad method.

“Uh… I’m not really into alcohol…”

Judging by his tone, he didn’t seem to have much experience drinking. So he would need a lot of teaching.

“Great, vodka it is. Let’s go drink under the stars. Our stars!”

Dilapidated signboards and tangled electrical wires cut the sky into pieces, and flickering neon signs clung to the walls as if they could burn out at any moment. Sio led Yeonwoo toward an old villa standing alone at the end of the alley. His official address was a small apartment near the bustling district, but that place was essentially a dedicated sex room for the clients who frequented him. He didn’t like it. No matter how much he cleaned, the smell of semen and the traces of strangers could never be erased.

This place—this was his real home. Smaller and older than the apartment, but infinitely more comfortable.

“Excuse me for intruding.”

Yeonwoo bowed politely as he stepped in, and Sio let out a small laugh. Without another word, he turned up the boiler.

“Don’t take your clothes off yet. Wait until it warms up.”

Yeonwoo nodded and looked around. A simple space—one bathroom, one small room that seemed to double as a closet and storage, and a large window overlooking a single-room space with no clear boundary between the kitchen and living area.

Naturally, the owner’s scent permeated the air. Sweet, artificial body wash mixed with that unique pheromone of his. And faint traces of medicine still lingered.

Unlike Yeonwoo’s sparse home, Sio’s place was packed with belongings. So much so that one had to walk carefully along designated paths to reach the table Sio pointed at. Yet it was not chaotic like a hoarder’s den—small, cute objects arranged with a kind of aesthetic order filled the space.

“Yeah, sit right there.”

Leaving Yeonwoo behind, Sio headed to the kitchen. On his way, he switched on a space heater, and warmth began to soften the previously chilly air. As Yeonwoo looked for a place to put his coat, his gaze paused on a bookshelf. Two young men smiling with their arms around each other. They looked unmistakably like brothers, though Sio had slightly sharper features.

Meanwhile, the kitchen filled with the sound of a pan clattering, and a delicious smell spread. He wasn’t sure what Sio had added, but it smelled good.

“Should I help?”

“No. Staying still is the greatest help.”

In such a cramped place, trying to help would likely just make trouble. Deciding it was better to stay put, Yeonwoo carefully folded his scarf and coat beside him.

Sio transformed the food Yeonwoo had brought into a decent drinking spread. He added canned peaches and sweet potato chips, and even tucked a decorative vase and artificial flowers nearby to elevate the ambience.

For Yeonwoo, who wasn’t accustomed to drinking, he mixed vodka with orange juice. Though diluted, it was still strong. Trying to match Sio’s pace, Yeonwoo took a few sips, and his cheeks quickly flushed. Perhaps embarrassed by his own tipsiness, he rubbed his cheek and, without thinking, glanced again at the bookshelf. Catching the gaze, Sio spoke first.

“Told you before, right? My brother. His cancer came back not long after surgery. It hasn’t spread much, so they’re treating it aggressively. Treatment costs are insane, but aside from that—he’s my lovely little brother.”

“Yeah… he’s really beautiful.”

“Right? He was super popular in school.”

Sio always lit up when talking about his brother. Seeing someone listen so sincerely, his smile came naturally.

“How many years apart?”

“Three.”

“He looks beautiful, but also really smart.”

“Wow, you really know how to judge people. He’s way smarter than me.”

To draw out someone else’s weakness, sometimes you had to reveal your own first. This too was part of getting close to Yeonwoo and molding him to his liking. But perhaps because he drank too fast, Sio found himself saying things he normally wouldn’t.

Yeonwoo never interrupted. Instead, he nodded warmly and chimed in at the right moments, encouraging the conversation. He kept Sio’s glass full, bumped glasses whenever silence crept in, and quietly munched on sweet potato chips like background texture to Sio’s rambling.

Sio regained his senses only when the conversation drifted from his brother to his entire family and life story.

What the hell… what was I doing?

He had been rambling endlessly about himself—when it should have been the opposite. Eyes widening in embarrassment, he looked at Yeonwoo.

Large, clear eyes stared back at him. The ideal posture of someone truly listening. His flushed cheeks drew attention.

“You are an adult, right?”

“Do I look that young?”

“No, just… the vibe.”

“Is that… a compliment?”

It sounded morally dubious. Sio, momentarily sobered, stammered.

“N–No, I mean… you’re just… really pretty. Feels weird saying that to a guy, but you really are.”

Yeonwoo smiled with his eyes.

“That’s how I look to you? Thank you.”

It could have easily been a comment that offended, yet Yeonwoo received it with sincere warmth. He was too kind—almost painfully so. Clearing his throat, Sio shifted the conversation.

“Ahem, what kind of work have you done?”

Yeonwoo bent his fingers and listed them one by one. He had dropped out to pay his grandmother’s hospital bills. Despite the limitations of being a hybrid, he had taken only honest jobs. Evidence of someone who had fought desperately against the current before being swept here.

“You really worked hard, huh?”

He must have faced countless temptations. Admirable. They clinked glasses again.

“My grandmother passed away, and my father took out loans in my name. Because of that, debt collectors came to the shop and I got kicked out.”

“Have you found your father?”

Yeonwoo fell silent. His widened eyes flickered, then settled into stillness.

“No.”

For the first time, bitterness settled on his face. Sio was not surprised. Anyone who had fallen this far carried stains. His own memories of his drunken stepfather before running away with his brother resurfaced.

“Want me to curse him out for you?”

“…Who?”

“Your father.”

Again, that strange look. When Sio frowned in confusion, Yeonwoo shook his head. He even chuckled faintly, though the meaning was unclear. Sio assumed it was simply because Yeonwoo still couldn’t untangle his mixed feelings toward blood.

Since they met in a holding cell, Yeonwoo likely already knew what kind of work Sio did. If he had still called, it meant the debt was beyond what honest labor could resolve. And the fact that Sio was the only person he could think to turn to was… rather sad.

“You really came to the right person. If it had been anyone else—”

He might have been stripped to the bone already. The more they talked, the more Sio’s resolve softened. Extorting him didn’t suit him anyway. He would only take a small referral fee. And he would send him toward safer, less mentally taxing jobs—even if the pay was lower.

It only took a couple of hours to see it. Yeonwoo was an honest, gentle soul, rare among hybrids. Most importantly, he resembled Siyun so much that it became impossible to treat him coldly. People like him—Sio wanted them to stay untouched by filth. Almost obsessively so.

“I don’t have anything to give right now, but I’ll look for something good for you. Alright, drink.”

Sio downed his vodka-orange mix. It must have been a rough day for him too. He rarely had days that weren’t.

“……”

Yeonwoo stared at his glass, then quietly picked up the bottle Sio had put down.

“Thank you. This is my way of showing it.”

He poured an equal amount into Sio’s glass.

Watching the brimming glass with surprise, Sio suddenly laughed. So he wasn’t completely naïve. Strangely reassuring.

“I thought you weren’t good at drinking?”

“I said I wasn’t a fan—never said I couldn’t.”

Sio let out a breathy laugh, raised his glass, and Yeonwoo lifted his without hesitation. Their glasses met—clear and bright.