This is a filler chapter. (I hope it's really a filler 😅)

Chapter 47: The Devil's Identity
Chapter Theme: Crooked - GDragon

Kim Wooseok can't stop glancing at Harin who was busy working on her table. Every time he saw Harin smiling on her phone, he gets hurt. He's a man with a great background but it did not help him win her.

The sky was gray and the wind blew harshly giving a chilly vibes. It was about to rain. Wooseok slid himself on his car and drove out of the parking area. He turned on the radio making Kim Jaehwan's I'm Not Okay blaring on his car.

"I'm home!" He announced his arrival before taking off his shoes. His mother invited him for dinner because he's living separately from them. But right now, he thought that he needs his family to support him. Especially that he's suffering from one-sided love.

He strode towards the kitchen and peered if someone was there. He saw his mother who was busy cooking their dinner.

"Eomma.." Wooseok spoke with his sweet voice. His face lit up like a baby when his mother turned to him and gave him her usual smile for her son.

"Omo! My baby is here!" His mother chirped excitedly as she waited for Wooseok's kiss on her cheeks. "How's your day?" She asked and guided him on the table after receiving the kiss.

"An addition to my normal days eomma.." he answered her query.

She offered Wooseok a glass of orange juice and a pancake. Wooseok gladly accepted it and poured a scant amount of mapple syrup on the top of the pancake.

"You're cooking an extra tonight..?" Wooseok inquired as he caught the bigger size of rice cooker being plugged in.

His mother, who was checking on her king crab, turned to him and nodded. "Oh.. I forgot to tell you that my brother is coming over. He's at Seoul so I invited him over dinner."

"Hyungseo samcheon?"

"Yes, he'll be here at 7 pm. Do you mind?" Wooseok's mother asked, he shook his head.

"Not really. Eomma.. when did I last see him?" He creased his forehead, trying to remember a piece of memory.

"He was here when you were in 11th grade, you don't remember?" His mother raised a brow at Wooseok's clueless face.

Wooseok snapped his fingers on the air as he recollected a memory. "Ah! Samcheon always brags about his girlfriend. He said he met her here in Seoul one night and they clicked right away."

Hyungseo is ten years younger than Wooseok's eomma who's 48. Wooseok only saw him once when he visited Seoul when he was in eleventh grade. His memories of his uncle was no longer clear.

While changing his clothes, Wooseok kept on remembering his uncle's face. Honestly, his uncle was once jailed for using drugs when he was still a juvenile but was freed because he was underage. He was left alone on their province after Wooseok's grandparents died. Wooseok's mother wanted to bring her brother to Seoul but she couldn't because they live on her husband's family. She might not be able to be with him, she did not forget not to send him an allowance every month.

"Wooseok's here!" His mother exclaimed in delight as he opened the door.

On the table, his mother, his uncle and his two younger sisters were already there. As he dragged his chair, a sudden feeling of eeriness on the atmosphere was felt. It was a rectangular glass table where six people can occupy. His mother seated at the end, where usually his father sit on the the opposite side too. His two sisters were comfortably tucked on the seats next to each other and now, he ended up being on the seat next to his uncle.

"Annyeonghaseyo samcheon.." Wooseok greeted their guest in his casual tone. The guest turned his head to acknowledge Wooseok's greeting.

"It's been a long time, Wooseok!" His uncle stood up and gave him a slight tap on his back. He felt a bit awkward when he did that.

"Ne.." Wooseok nodded. "How are you?" He asked even if he had no intention to create a conversation with him. It would be rude for the guest if he'll stay quiet.

"I'm doing good Wooseok. Life's hard but I'm coping up with it. I'm not lucky when it comes to money but I'm lucky when it comes to women," the uncle joked and made a throatily laugh.

Strangely, Wooseok felt a bit of discomfort upon hearing his statement. There's something off when he said he's lucky when it comes to women.

Wooseok created an unnatural laugh. "You're not married yet?"

His uncle smirked and shook his head in disagreement. "No offense to my sister and my nieces," he diverted his eyes on them and then back to Wooseok. "..but getting married is and will never be my dream."

"You're no longer getting younger, Hyungseo. Try to settle." Wooseok's mother butted at their conversation who was placing the king crab on the table.

"It sounds weird that I don't really want to get married but I want to have a bride." The corner of his lips rose as he spoke. None of them except for Wooseok paid attention to his words.

"How will you do that?" Wooseok intriguingly questioned his peculiar uncle.

His uncle clasped his hands on the table as if he was in a serious talk. "Do you really want to know?"

Wooseok who was a bit unsure nodded his head. But why does it feel so strange?

Their conversation was interrupted when Wooseok's father arrived from work. He sighed of relief when his father started to talk with his uncle. He just can't keep up with him.

They started to eat their dinner. The table filled with delicious foods was accompanied by his family's laughs and talks. Even his sisters had a great time except for him. His uncle's presence just kill every bit of energy left on his body. What's circulating on his veins now is curiosity. He wanted to know the depth of his uncle's words earlier. A bride without marriage.

The rain was pouring a bit harshly but Wooseok's father and his uncle were relaxing on the terrace while drinking beer.

"Wooseok, why won't you join us?" His uncle invited him when he delivered another set of beers to them. His father answered for him. "My son, you know Hyungseo, is a diligent worker. Ever since he was a child, he never failed to ace everything." He smiled at his father when he started to talk about him.

"Samcheon.. mianhae. I need to do finish my work tonight." He excused himself and exited the terrace. He wanted to stay and ask about what his uncle meant earlier but he can't ignore his work. Maybe he can ask next time.

"Wooseok!" Wooseok closed the door of his car when he heard his uncle's voice calling him. His uncle was running towards the garage.

"Oh, samcheon.. waeyo?"

"Can I ride with you? Your father told me last night where you're working and the location is near to where my future bride is working!"

Wooseok's ear straightened up like that of a dog when he heard his statement. "Wow.. you're really persistent samcheon." That's what all he could say.

"You can drop me here, Wooseok." He stopped the car on the side and peeres what's outside, it was an optical center.

"Is your bride here?" He curiosly asked. "No," his uncle replied.

The day was grievous to Wooseok when Harin's words harshly pierced to his heart. Why can't she see me? Why did she choose someone else who's not better than me?

He cried on his knees while watching the woman who captured his heart together with her boyfriend. Her slap was enought to wake him up from his dream to be with her. For the first time, he lost.

Not so far away, Hyungseo, Wooseok's uncle has been watching them for a long time now. A creepy smile formed on his lips as he saw his nephew's downfall. Instead of helping him, he just watch how his nephew shattered into pieced. Now's the time.

"Jjaksarang ine." Wooseok lifted up his head when he saw a pair of dirty rubber shoes standing in front of him.

(One-sided love.)

He met his uncle's hollow eyes piercing at him. He cursed inside his head for looking pathetic in front of his uncle. He chuckled bitterly as he traced his tongue on his lower lip then he stood up towering his uncle.

"Jjaksarang.." he said the lethal words again, feeling heavy and defeated. "I loved for the first time but it ended up this way.. samcheon what should I do?" He asked like a lost child who needs guidance.

Hyungseo smiled which garnered a confused look from his nephew. Who would smile genuinely as him when his nephew just experienced a one-sided love?

"Will you just give up?"

Wooseok's mind debated to the question. No matter which side he looks, Harin will never be his. "I think so.." he answered in a whisper.

"Will you be contented to watch her from afar?" Hyungseo spoke slowly, wanting to tease and try Wooseok.

He kept his mouth shut, not wanting to talk anymore. Because if he'll talk more about it, the more his heart will be wounded.

Hyungseo removed his hand from Wooseok's shoulder and dusted off Wooseok's pants. "Because I don't."

Wooseok did not get what he's trying to say. "Pardon?"

Hyungseo produced an evil smirk. "I said I'm not contented on watching Harin from afar. She's the bride I'm talking about."

In a snap, Hyungseo laughed like a psychopath. His laughs sent chills on Wooseok down to his spine.

"Samcheon, what are you talking about? You know Harin?"

Before Wooseok could get an answer from his uncle, someone hit him with a bat on his head which made him fell on the ground and lost his consciousness.

Wooseok cracked his one eye before opening the other. He was inside in an unfamiliar room decorated with nothing. Inside the narrow room was only the bed he was using, deprived of blanket and a pillow. His head hurts, then he remembered what happened the last time he had his consciousness.

As he stood up to open the door, it opened to reveal his uncle wearing a crooked smile, reflecting his crook self.

"Now that you're awake, I won't make things hard for you. You see, I'll be offering a proposal." He told him like a business man offering a proposal to his client.

Wooseok was left dumbfounded to his uncle's words. Will he offer me a position?

"Are you starting a company?" Wooseok asked, shrugging away the fear that slowly crept on his chest.

"I'm not as pity as you. I'm offering you something else. Bring Harin to me so she'll become my bride. Don't worry Wooseok, you can have her as much as I'll have her." Hyungseo plastered a nasty grin on his face. Wooseok was able to study his uncle's face. There were a lot of scars but the most noticeable was on his left ear. It was deformed like someone bit it from the past. It was the part where earrings are being put.

How did he even know Harin? This question was circulating on his mind nonstop and right now he could see that his uncle was not on it's right state. If his deliberation about his uncle's state is right, then Harin is in danger or worse, Seungwoo will be harmed too.

"T-that's an absurd idea! I may be inlove with her but I can't hurt her. I already hurt her to the extent and what you're planning will ruin her. Samcheon.. I'm warning you to stop your despicable fantasies."

At the end, Wooseok made a streak of two straight loses. He was helpless when his uncle threatened to hurt his family, who is his family too. He made a deal with the devil to lure Harin into their pit.

He discovered something disgusting about his uncle. Hyungseo is a serial rapist who hasn't been put into jail for years. He's living freely like a free man. And Harin has been on his list since the night he saw her. It wasn't elaborated that much by Hyungseo. Wooseok only knew on how Harin became a witness when his uncle tried to rape a woman. Wooseok did not know that the woman was Han Sunhwa, Seungwoo's sister.

Euijin placed a file on Wooseok's table slowly, afraid to make a single noise from it.

"Where's Harin?" Wooseok removed his gaze to the computer and asked Euijin.

"She's on leave for a week starting today, sunbaenim." Euijin answered.

Wooseok sighed in consolation as he heard about it. If Harin is on leave, probably his uncle will get impatient but atleast Harin will be free from harm. He can't even text her because he knew how Harin's mind works.

"What do you mean that she's not around?" The angry voice of his uncle boomed into his car.

"She's on sick leave, samcheon." He lied without adding more lie. His hand started to tremble as he saw how his uncle got angry. He slid his hand to his pocket, trying to control it.

Every day, as he kept on failing to do what he was tasked to do, Hyungseo resorted to lock him up on the warehouse they're staying at. He was not alone because someone who's under his control has been with him ever since.

Hyungseo was the main reason why Kim Wooseok started to act strangely. Why he told his manager that he forgot that he has a job on a Friday morning. He became distracted about his family's safety and Harin's safety. He can't think of any solution to help himself out from the situation. On his mind, calling the authority will only worsen the situation and he might regret it. 

"Do you know that everyone's looking for you?" Hyungseo told him like he was story telling. He was holding Wooseok's phone by now and all the messages from his family and colleagues were read by him. Wooseok never had the chance to use his phone since the day he was locked up.

"My bride is even worried about you now! Should I set a date on your meet up?" He burst into laughter as he was scrolling the messages. "Ah no! This is not the right time yet. I need to make them feel that they're in danger first before doing the actual show!"

"Yoon Harin!" Wooseok, who was eating his dinner outside his room, shouted in suprise when he saw Harin being carried by his uncle in a bridal style. "What did you do to her?" He checked her pulse right away and he confirmed it that she's still alive.

"I'll put her inside the first room so you could not talk to her. If you try to shout or try to escape with her, remember your family and her family are at stake here. You don't want them dead because of you, right Wooseokie?" Hyungseo threatened him again for the nth time. His eyes never shed any fear or pity.

Wooseok shoulders fell in disappointment. Right now, he couldn't do anything but to follow his orders. Everyone's life is at stake here so he shouldn't act recklessly. In this kind of situation, every stupid action has an equal punishment.

Wooseok closed his eyes as he reminisced Harin's pitiful face earlier. There's nothing he could do for her.

Han Seungwoo, please save Harin so you could save me too.