The One Who Won’t Disappear

In his dreams, of all people, Seong Chanyeong appeared.

Not the vicious and shameless Chanyeong from before—

But a frail version, reduced to skin and bones, barely alive, walking toward Baek Dojun.

‘And yet… his eyes were the same.’

It left a bad taste in his mouth.

That day—the first and last time they had shared a quiet meal—

Those clear, dark eyes lingered vividly in his memory.

And in the dream, those same eyes stared back at him.

With cracked lips, Chanyeong spoke.

[Now that I’m gone… you feel relieved, don’t you?]

[You always wished I’d either disappear or die miserably like this.]

[So? How does it feel to have your wish granted?]

“…I never wanted you to die like this.”

[Liar.]

The ending was always the same.

Whenever Dojun denied it, Chanyeong would sneer—

Blood spilling from his mouth and nose.

[You all wanted me dead more than anyone.]

“…No.”

[Be honest. This is your dream.]

[This is where your desires take shape.]

Especially you.

You hated me more than anyone.

“Stop.”

‘It’s just a dream. It’ll disappear when I wake up.’

But as he tried to pull away—

Chanyeong grabbed him.

Despite his sickly appearance, his grip was impossibly strong.

“Let go!”

Dojun struggled—

And suddenly, the laughter stopped.

Chanyeong’s expression changed.

His face twisted with sorrow.

[…I want to live, Dojun.]

“…You…”

Those tear-filled eyes—

They were exactly like the “changed” Chanyeong he remembered.

[Can you… come find me? Just once?]

He leaned against him, trembling like a wounded bird.

Pitiful.

Fragile.

And in those moments, Dojun always found himself wanting to hold him.

But just as he did—

Chanyeong’s face twisted again.

Back to the cruel version.

Blood-covered.

Grinning.

[And you still think you don’t feel anything for me, Baek Dojun?]

[You’ll never escape me.]

[You’re already like a dog used to its leash.]

“No!”

That cursed whisper—

And the dream always ended there.

‘What a disgusting dream.’

At first, Dojun thought it was just lingering unease from the phone call with Chairman Seong.

Some unresolved discomfort.

But the nightmares didn’t stop.

And no matter how much he tried—

He couldn’t find Chanyeong.

“Did he just vanish?”

‘…Or did he die somewhere alone?’

Whenever he imagined Chanyeong dying painfully like in the dream—

His chest tightened.

Sometimes he thought,

‘Maybe it’s better if he’s dead.’

But then—

He imagined him barely breathing, weak and alone.

And the anxiety became unbearable.

“Why am I so affected by someone like him?”

He shouldn’t care.

The engagement had ended cleanly.

That was the right thing to do.

He had even stayed and shared that final meal out of courtesy.

‘That was enough.’

If anything, it had been an act of generosity.

Dojun believed he had won.

Chanyeong had broken the engagement recklessly—

He would only fall further from there.

That’s what he thought.

Everything was over.

He should have felt free.

But—

It wasn’t.

“My grandson… your former fiancé, Chanyeong, has disappeared.”

That one sentence from Chairman Seong—

Had sent ripples through his mind.

Now, several times a day,

He imagined Chanyeong dying.

That empty gaze—

The one that said he wanted nothing—

Wouldn’t leave him.

‘If I hadn’t answered that call… would I have forgotten him?’

It didn’t matter.

He was already drowning in confusion.

Even Seo Eunsu—

The one he had always waited for—

Was no longer his priority.

Eunsu didn’t notice.

But Dojun did.

A single stone named Seong Chanyeong—

Had disrupted his entire life.

“Any updates on his whereabouts?”

“I’m sorry, Young Master. Nothing yet.”

He searched relentlessly.

Hoping it would ease this suffocating feeling.

“Where are you hiding, Seong Chanyeong?”

Even after disappearing—

Chanyeong continued to torment him.

There was nothing left of him.

No trace.

And yet—

Dojun felt like he was going insane.

‘…Was I the one being pitied all along?’

He thought he had won.

But maybe—

Chanyeong had.

Even now,

He was still playing with him.

‘If you were sick, you could’ve said something.’

‘Instead, you threw the engagement away like charity… and left alone?’

Fatigue.

Frustration.

Resentment.

Everything piled up, slowly eroding his sanity.

Now—

He was certain.

Unless he saw Chanyeong again—

This wouldn’t end.

“Find him. As quickly as possible.”

“If tracking is difficult, keep an eye on his former secretary, Choi Minhyuk.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Chanyeong had possessed an unusually competent and tight-lipped secretary.

And now—

That same man was the biggest obstacle.

“Convince him. No violence. Handle it through negotiation.”

“Understood.”

After giving the order, Dojun rubbed his temples and stood up.

He grabbed his car keys.

‘…I should go see Eunsu.’

Maybe Seo Eunsu’s gentle pheromones would calm him.

Lately, his own pheromones had been unstable—

Leaking his emotions uncontrollably.

This wasn’t the same as before.

But he didn’t realize that.

He dialed the number.

The ringtone played.

[Hello?]

“Eunsu. It’s me. Dojun.”

[What’s wrong? Calling this late?]

It was already night.

Not his usual timing.

“I was wondering… want to grab a drink?”

Each of them approached Seo Eunsu in their own way.

Dojun acted like a kind friend.

Hiding his feelings.

And Eunsu never noticed.

[Sure. It’s been a while.]

“…Been a while…”

That word hit him.

Had he really ignored him for that long?

[What? Did you say something?]

“No. Nothing. You know Unshin Pocha near your place?”

[Yeah.]

“Let’s meet there. My treat.”

[Sounds good. See you soon.]

“…Yeah.”

The call ended.

Dojun got into his car.

And sped toward the meeting place.

‘If I see Eunsu… I’ll stop thinking about Chanyeong.’

That’s what he hoped.

But things rarely go as planned.