Kiss the Ground

“He was so scared that he seemed willing to do anything if it meant a reduced sentence and a transfer to another location.”Misha narrowed his eyes slightly and tilted his head. Chahyun listened to his words, feeling his heart pounding for some time. Ilya, who had kept his mouth tightly shut as if his lips were stitched together, likely felt the same.“So, I told him that if he wrote a statement, we would negotiate leniency. Specifically, if he sent me definite proof of his connection with you.”The voice that continued was as refreshing as when he first discovered the envelope.“A confession that you’ve orchestrated all the crimes against Yoon Chahyun… that you’re his accomplice.”It was a statement that shattered the frozen air. Finally, Ilya slowly lowered the document in his hands and looked directly at Chahyun. The slick, oily look that had always been in his eyes seemed to peel away, revealing an empty interior.***A tingling silence filled the living room. The atmosphere, thick with the exposure of long-hidden secrets, felt charged with electricity. Standing opposite Ilya, Chahyun observed his wide-open eyes, as if peering into his depths. Amidst the swirling confusion, there was no longer any pretense or mockery—only shock at the unexpected revelation.Considering the contents of the statement, his reaction was natural. It contained exactly what Misha and Yoon Chahyun had been pressing him about all along. It was a clear and straightforward legal proof, so undeniable that it left no room for debate.“Is everything written there true?”It was the moment to corner him. Chahyun pressed on once more.“Approaching me, pretending to be a good person, taking secret photos of me, hiring others to attack me, sending me envelopes.”With each word, Ilya’s eyes widened slightly. The rise and fall of his chest, as if gasping for breath, were clearly visible. Clenching his fists, Chahyun finished speaking.“Was it all your doing?”The razor-sharp voice cut through the silence, exposing an undeniable truth.The person who had always been allowed to stay close to Chahyun, who used others to harm him, and who personally comforted him to lower his guard—the involvement of a sports journalist colluding with the criminal neatly explained all the incidents of the past six months.In the quiet, Ilya’s eyes trembled as if shaken by an earthquake. Then, suddenly, he turned his head and looked back and forth between the two of them. Like someone who had lost his mind, his gaze flickered around before finally dropping down, his hands crushing the bundle of papers he had been holding.“Stop with the pointless tricks. Confessions, statements… You’re not fooling anyone.”“Looks like you were planning to eliminate the culprit to avoid all this,” Misha answered flatly, looking down at the crumpled copies. At this, Ilya burst out.“Do you really think this proves anything about what I’ve done? Accomplice? You think it’s that simple, based on one side’s story?”“You’ll be investigated anyway. The results will come out soon enough.”“Don’t be ridiculous! This stuff has no validity. It’s all nonsense… this stupid…”Stupid fool. The words muttered through his pale lips were curses aimed at someone. It was a sloppy anger that didn’t suit the usually composed Ilya. But perhaps this was the real him. The look in his eyes as they slowly rolled aimlessly suggested as much.Chahyun narrowed his eyes and watched the scene. The glasses that once symbolized intelligence seemed about to slip off, slick with sweat. With the most straightforward evidence laid out, it was clear he had orchestrated all this. Yet, despite everything being exposed, his motive remained uncertain.“Now tell me. Why did you do all this to me?”The voice that came out was crushed. He had presented the evidence Ilya wanted, and now it was time to resolve his own questions.Yoon Chahyun genuinely wanted to know. Why had he been subjected to such prolonged torment and harassment by someone else? What was the reason for attacking him, even to the point of using others as tools? What was the purpose behind the relentless secret filming and stalking?But more than anything, he wanted to understand the intentions of someone who, despite orchestrating all this, approached him with feigned kindness and pretended to be a friendly person. The affectionate support messages and emoticons that arrived before each game—what hidden malice lay behind them? Yoon Chahyun wanted a clear reason. Whether it was money, ambition, or greed, he wanted to hear it from Ilya’s mouth. Knowing the exact motive, he felt, would finally bring closure to the suffering he had endured.What benefit did Ilya gain from trying to bring Yoon Chahyun down?Ilya looked at Chahyun with a face that seemed drained of life. His own reflection appeared in the large, open eyes and tightly shut mouth. But the words that came from his parted lips were different from what Chahyun expected.“I really liked Yoon Chahyun.”“What?”A strange light appeared in the dark eyes. Chahyun’s face twisted with a peculiar feeling.“We’re from the same country and speak the same language. I was really proud of Yoon Chahyun. That’s why I kept worrying about you, helping you… looking out for you. I always supported you. So how could I…”“…….”“How could you do this to me?”At that moment, the direction of the conversation started to veer off in a strange direction.“How could you do this to me?”Misha, standing behind them, frowned slightly. The conversation had shifted to a language he couldn’t understand. Ilya began speaking in a way that only Chahyun and he could comprehend in that room.“You relied on me when you were struggling, but now that things have changed, you just throw me away? Was Yoon Chahyun always this kind of person?”“What are you talking about?”“Do you really think it’s okay to treat a journalist like this? Do you know what kind of article might come out next?”“…….”The veiled threats, spoken with a sharp glint in his eye, were unlike the indirect hints of harm he had previously given. This was a direct declaration of intent to harm Chahyun. Chahyun finally felt that something had broken.“For example, that.”Ilya stood his ground in front of Chahyun, swinging his arm to point at Misha, who was behind him. His trembling index finger seemed to pierce towards Misha.“I don’t know what that is.”Ilya whispered bitterly, looking directly into Chahyun’s eyes.“It’s so annoying, like carrying around a pet. I really didn’t expect him to take a knife for you.”“……”“Following you around to every interview, every match, even to dinners. He doesn’t let you have any time alone.”It’s really weird. The intention behind those words made Chahyun tense up. Ilya leaned in close, flashing his eyes at Chahyun. The swirling inside his eyes carried an unsettling, different energy than before.“What kind of relationship do you have with him?”Yes? Mr. Yoon Chahyun. Ilya’s voice, clinging eerily, brushed Chahyun’s cheek. Ilya, staring directly into Chahyun’s silent eyes, smiled with a raised corner of his mouth.“Wouldn’t it be fun to create a scoop like this? That two squad players of Winchester United are in such a relationship. Ah… What if I say I have proof?”As he said this, Ilya pulled something out of his bag slung over his shoulder. The small black object, about the size of half a hand, was an old-fashioned disposable instant camera, something you rarely see even at tourist spots these days. An outdated device that requires film development to see the photos.It was the same model as the one that had been used to produce the dozens of photos delivered to Yoon Chahyun’s doorstep until now.“I thought it was about time to send the third one.”Ilya said with a feigned excited smile. His raised lips quivered. His eyes were wide open, and he spoke frantically.“You guys live together in this house, right? Weird. Where’s the dog you guys keep? That big brown dog. You three get along so well. Walks, riding in the same car… You drop it off somewhere every morning before work, right? You go to the center together and come back together? It seems you also buy groceries on the way home. The black car you use isn’t even yours.”He moved closer to Chahyun, pointing the camera at him. The small round lens, constantly watching everything about Chahyun, looked disgusting and loathsome, like the eyes of an insect. The black lens seemed to overlay all past traumas in an instant.“This kind of thing is really hard, isn’t it?”Ilya whispered while shaking the camera conspicuously. Behind him, Misha, who had been standing on the opposite side of the living room, was seen making a move as if to rush in.However, Chahyun couldn’t help but laugh out loud.“Is that all?”Ilya’s mouth slightly opened. A mocking echo came from the hollow space.“…Just.”“What? You’re trying to threaten someone over eating, raising a dog, and living together? I thought you’d caught something really big.”In the end, he hadn’t captured any of the critical scenes. This man’s meager specialty is frightening people with vague evidence and ambiguous threats. Now, Chahyun understood. Pointing to the camera Ilya was holding, he said with a hint of laughter in his voice.“Did you miss the semifinal game because of this?”“…What.”“We even kissed there.”Well, it was more like a kiss, anyway. Chahyun shrugged, and Ilya blinked. Having only seen Chahyun affected by rumors, this reaction must have been very strange to him. However, clear malice no longer scared Yoon Chahyun. And… there was something truly intolerable.Chahyun dropped the laughter from his voice and lowered his arms.“You filthy bastard.”Misha tilted his head like a meerkat. He didn’t understand the words but seemed to grasp that something harsh had been said. Chahyun was glad he didn’t understand what was coming next.“You fearless punk. Say again, who do you think you’re messing with?”The atmosphere changed. Startled by the sudden profanity, Ilya swallowed hard. The menacing aura around Yoon Chahyun grew as he walked purposefully toward Ilya.“You piece of trash… I guess being quiet makes you think I’m a pushover. You need to pick your battles.”A dark, almost explosive intensity began to take over Chahyun’s eyes. The earlier scene of Ilya pointing to Misha and spouting nonsense was suffocatingly disgusting. The sneering tone, trying to mess with Misha just to threaten Chahyun, was unbearable.“I can tolerate you messing with me, but not with him. You won’t walk out of here.”“Yoon… Yoon Chahyun.”“Say my name one more time, and I’ll rip your jaw off.”Chahyun shoved Ilya in the chest with his fist. Even with that small gesture, Ilya’s slender body staggered back a few steps. Blinking like buttons, Ilya seemed shocked, perhaps not expecting to be touched. As Chahyun kept advancing and pushed him in the chest a few more times, Ilya stumbled awkwardly and tripped over something, falling spectacularly.“Huh…”“Make sure to write an article about how I hit you.”“N-no.”Ilya, sitting on the floor, couldn’t think of getting up. The only option was to crawl backward as Chahyun approached steadily.“Where are you going?”Chahyun loomed over him with a dark shadow on his face. The intimidation of an athlete over 180 cm tall approaching like a beast was unbearable for an ordinary person. The wide shoulders and solid arms cast a dark shadow on the floor. But behind the panic-stricken Ilya, another pair of legs stood firm.“Mi…Misha Asplund.”Misha, with his larger body, blocked the way and looked down at Ilya. But the problem was with Yoon Chahyun, standing in front of Ilya. The moment Ilya uttered Misha’s name, Chahyun’s eyes truly changed color.As Chahyun took another step towards Ilya, a distant sound echoed through the air. The three of them stopped in their tracks as the tension was broken by the approaching noise, clearly recognizable as a siren.Ilya, still seated on the floor, muttered in shock, “The police…”“…They’re a bit late,” Misha replied calmly, as if confirming the desperate realization. Chahyun continued, addressing the dumbfounded Ilya between them.“Yeah, a bit late considering we called them to keep you here. I was starting to worry we might have to handle you ourselves.”Ilya’s eyes widened as he slowly stood up, hearing the exchange between Chahyun and Misha, who were speaking as if for his benefit. Chahyun spoke sharply, “We invited you here to catch you.”As soon as they verified the contents of the envelope, they had contacted Chahyun’s assigned detective without delay. The hastily devised plan involved luring Ilya into the house under the guise of Chahyun asking for help, keeping him there until the police arrived. To trap someone who might run at the slightest suspicion, they had to use his own actions against him, hinting at the arrival of a third envelope that Ilya hadn’t sent to lure him inside.Realizing the situation, Ilya looked back and forth between their faces, growing paler as the reality of his predicament set in. His expression conveyed utter disbelief at the swift turn of events leading to his imminent arrest.As the urgency of the situation dawned on him, Ilya’s previously blank face twisted into one of desperation. He scrambled to his feet, turned towards the hallway where Misha was standing, and tried to dash past him towards the front door.But Misha quickly grabbed him by the back of the neck. For the tall midfielder, stopping the attempt of someone used to low-level skullduggery was child’s play. With one hand, Misha firmly gripped Ilya’s collar and shoved him back into the house.“Ugh…”Ilya, now on the floor, looked up at the two towering figures. His glasses had flown off somewhere, and the camera rolled a few times before coming to rest near him. Shaking like a leaf, he curled up as the two shadows loomed over him.Yoon Chahyun and Misha stood over Ilya, who was now disheveled and dirty from their struggle. Lying on the floor, Ilya panted heavily, seemingly pondering a last-ditch effort. Suddenly, as if struck by an idea, he lifted his head abruptly and muttered, “Yes… If I’m investigated now, this will all be taken as evidence. Great!”“What?” Chahyun responded, confused.Ilya quickly snatched up the camera that had fallen to the floor and stood up, trembling. His eyes, glinting with a hint of madness, were wet as they locked onto Chahyun. “What do you think will happen if these photos get to the media? You know how much people love stories like this….”He trailed off, implying how even the smallest details could be blown out of proportion. Chahyun met his gaze with narrowed eyes. The siren sound grew louder, signaling the imminent arrival of the authorities. Sensing the encroaching danger, Ilya’s voice grew more frantic.“I’ll spread everything. Once the photos are out, I won’t even need to do anything else.”“……”“Everyone else will handle the rest. You think I’ll be the only one going down? No way, I won’t go down easily….”Chahyun found it difficult to tolerate Ilya’s desperate outburst. He took a step closer, prompting Ilya to lift his head and shout, gripping the camera tightly as if it were his last line of defense.“Don’t come any closer! Don’t touch me. You wouldn’t want to be disqualified just before the finals.”It was a clumsy threat, but unfortunately, it targeted a vulnerability of athletes like Chahyun and Misha. Chahyun clicked his tongue, annoyed at the pitiful display of Ilya’s desperation. Despite how pathetic the situation was, the nuisance of Ilya’s last stand was real. The camera was crucial evidence proving Ilya’s involvement in illicit activities. If handed over to the police, it would certainly be thoroughly investigated, making Ilya’s identification as the perpetrator inevitable.However, this would also likely expose the fact that Chahyun and Misha were living together and reveal their private lives.Chahyun’s reluctance to let this happen wasn’t due to a fear of scandal or baseless rumors. He simply didn’t want to share his moments with Misha with anyone else. What should he do? While he could just beat Ilya and take the camera, doing so would truly render all the effort to reach the finals meaningless. The blaring siren, which could almost pierce the ears, was now ringing from the front yard of the house. Time was running out, now measured in mere seconds.As Chahyun glared at the camera, no bigger than a small ball, he suddenly felt the gaze of someone standing right next to Ilya. He lifted his head.‘Misha.’To his surprise, Misha’s expression was playfully mischievous. As Ilya continued to shout desperately, Chahyun slowly lowered his gaze. Misha was subtly showing his right hand behind his back. Chahyun’s eyes widened as he recognized the gesture.A crossed finger, with the middle finger wrapped over the index finger. A signal wishing for luck, a secret sign between the two of them.I’ll pass it to you now.A thrilling shiver ran through Chahyun’s body in that secret moment. In less than a second, a single thought flashed through his mind:Is Misha really, truly crazy?Yet, at the same time, he quickly stepped back, assessing the distance. The height of the ceiling, the angle, the path, and… the timing. As his brain swiftly calculated the familiar mechanics, Misha swung his long leg in a sweeping motion.The kick was flawless. Misha’s foot struck just beneath the camera in Ilya’s hand with precision.The small device floated upward toward the high ceiling of the living room, as if in slow motion. It traced a low, rounded arc, an almost perfect in-front kick like a work of art. The seamless shot landed exactly where Chahyun was positioned.Chahyun reached up with one arm and caught the camera mid-air. In the ensuing silence, the sound of the camera hitting his palm was unmistakably clear.“Ah!”It was only then that Ilya’s eyes widened in shock, realizing the camera had been snatched from his grasp. His face, drained white as a sheet, belatedly turned a shade of panic, but it was far too late for him to react.Chahyun gripped the camera tightly and stared at Ilya. The journalist looked incredulous, seemingly unable to believe that his camera had ended up in Chahyun’s hands. In a fit of desperation, he lunged toward Chahyun, as if he were about to attack. Having lost his final means of defense, Ilya appeared to have lost every last shred of reason.But before Ilya could take even a single step, Misha tripped him from behind. The sudden obstruction caused the reporter to stumble and fall forward, crashing to the ground with a thunderous bang. The sound reverberated throughout the large house, strong enough to make the windows rattle.“Ugh…”Chahyun’s mouth dropped open at the sight, as if the impact had surely broken Ilya’s nose. Misha, meanwhile, raised his hands and put on an innocent expression.“It was an accident.”It was a familiar look—the kind a soccer player wears when pleading innocence after committing a foul, complete with a remorseful expression and defensive gestures. But before Chahyun could say anything, Ilya, who lay sprawled on the floor at Misha’s feet, convulsed in pain.“Ugh, ouch…”“Ilya!”Chahyun quickly approached him. Concerned, he nudged Ilya’s face with his foot, checking to see if he was alright. However, Ilya showed no signs of regaining consciousness, suggesting the impact had been severe. He might have broken something. Chahyun looked up at Misha.“Well, it can’t be helped… Just be more careful next time.”“I will.”At that moment, as their eyes met in a subtle exchange, they heard multiple people knocking on the door and ringing the doorbell. It was an unbearably tense moment. Misha, as the homeowner, walked over and opened the door. With the sound of sirens blaring, several detectives and police officers appeared, looking urgent.“Are we late?”“No, you arrived just in time.”In fact, it was fortunate they hadn’t arrived earlier. Following Misha, a crowd of law enforcement officers rushed into the house. In the living room, they found Chahyun standing calmly and Ilya sprawled on the floor. The detective’s mouth slowly fell open at the sight of the chaotic scene.The police officers found Chahyun, looking concerned, and Ilya, half-unconscious, lying on the floor. It didn’t take long for the officers, bewildered by the incomprehensible scene, to start asking questions.“What exactly happened here?”Yoon Chahyun and Misha, as if exchanging a silent signal, responded simultaneously:“It was an accident.”